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Committee gets more perspective on police as Bloomington city council weighs 2021 budget proposal to swap out sworn officers

Committee gets more perspective on police as Bloomington city council weighs 2021 budget proposal to swap out sworn officers

A Wednesday night meeting of the Bloomington city council’s standing committee on public safety put some new information about Bloomington’s police department in front of the four-member group. Committee member Isabel Piedmont-Smith told Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff, who was on hand to answer questions, “I was shocked.

100th anniversary of women’s voting rights commemorated by Monroe County commissioners as COVID-19 uncertainties linger in fall election prep

100th anniversary of women’s voting rights commemorated by Monroe County commissioners as COVID-19 uncertainties linger in fall election prep

Aug. 26, 2020 was Women’s Equality Day in Monroe County. Making it so was a proclamation from Monroe County’s three county commissioners, which they issued at their regular weekly meeting on Wednesday morning. The occasion was the 100th anniversary of another proclamation, issued by U.S. Secretary of

Monroe Fire Protection District presents “massive” budget to county council

Monroe Fire Protection District presents “massive” budget to county council

On Tuesday night, Monroe Fire Protection District (MFPD) chief Dustin Dillard presented a 2021 budget to the county council that weighed in at just shy of $12 million. That’s better than three times the 2020 adopted budget, which totals around $3.7 million. But as Dillard put it, “It’

Bloomington’s proposed shuffling of engineering, parking would reverse, re-work similar move made in 2014

Bloomington’s proposed shuffling of engineering, parking would reverse, re-work similar move made in 2014

Part of last week’s 2021 budget proposal from Bloomington mayor John Hamilton might make some residents feel like it’s 2014 again. In early July of 2014, then-mayor Mark Kruzan got the city council’s approval for a re-organization of city departments that moved two divisions out of the

Fire protection in Monroe County to be a fully involved topic in coming weeks

Fire protection in Monroe County to be a fully involved topic in coming weeks

The Monroe Fire Protection District (MFPD) will be in the spotlight in the next few weeks and months. Two townships in Monroe County, Benton and Washington, are looking to join the district starting in 2022, in a process that’s now underway and could be in front of county commissioners

Bloomington’s planned case for water rate increase delayed until early 2021

Bloomington’s planned case for water rate increase delayed until early 2021

One dollar is enough to make around 300 gallons of pour out of any residential faucet that’s hooked up to City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) water. The residential price of $3.69 per 1,000 gallons, like the rest of the city’s water rates, will stay in place

Farmers market gets brief mention at Bloomington 2021 budget hearings, still “elephant in room”

Farmers market gets brief mention at Bloomington 2021 budget hearings, still “elephant in room”

Last Wednesday was the Bloomington city council’s third night in a series of four hearings on the proposed 2021 budget. Appearing on Wednesday’s agenda was the 2021 budget for the parks and recreation department, which again includes the city’s community farmers market. The origin story for the