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Square Beacon Benchmark: It pays to prepare for city council meetings

Square Beacon Benchmark: It pays to prepare for city council meetings

Now two months after the hard launch of The Square Beacon, the tally of readers who have made monthly pledges supporting this website has reached more than 50. They have pledged a total of around $500 per month. If you’re one of those, thank you! If you’re not,

Circuit court trial on demolition permit could come before mid-March BZA hearing on $83.5K fine

Circuit court trial on demolition permit could come before mid-March BZA hearing on $83.5K fine

Now expected to appear on the March 19 agenda of Bloomington’s board of zoning appeals (BZA) meeting is an objection to the city’s decision last fall to impose an $83,500 fine on the owners of a West 7th Street house. The owners demolished the house without a

Bloomington wants to increase trash cart fees to maximum allowed by local law

Bloomington wants to increase trash cart fees to maximum allowed by local law

Bloomington residents who use medium-sized solid waste carts for their trash will pay about $13 more per year, if the board of public works approves a rate increase at its meeting next Tuesday. The fee for small- and large-sized carts would also increase under the proposal from the

Alcohol sales at Switchyard Park OK’d by Bloomington park commissioners

Alcohol sales at Switchyard Park OK’d by Bloomington park commissioners

Local alcohol beverage vendors who want to sell beer and wine at Switchyard Park will have a chance to do that on a trial basis this year. The park, which was a $34-million project funded with tax increment finance revenue, had its grand opening last November. At its Tuesday

1,000-bed development goes to Bloomington city council for possible approval on March 4

1,000-bed development goes to Bloomington city council for possible approval on March 4

At its regular meeting next Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council will consider for approval a 1,000-bed planned unit development (PUD) southeast of the interchange of I-69 and SR 45/46, proposed by Trinitas Ventures. That consideration follows hearings by the council’s four-member land use committee,

Protest at Bloomington park board meeting yields 2–1 vote on farmers market rules of behavior

Protest at Bloomington park board meeting yields 2–1 vote on farmers market rules of behavior

Bloomington’s board of park commissioners voted 2–1 on Tuesday night to adopt new rules of behavior at the city’s farmers market. Dissenting was the newest board member, Israel Herrera. The rules specify how and where protests are allowed at the farmers market. Herrera told The Square Beacon

Mayor’s state of city address reiterates sketch of New Year’s Day local income tax proposal; more info possible at March 5 city council event

Mayor’s state of city address reiterates sketch of New Year’s Day local income tax proposal; more info possible at March 5 city council event

Last Thursday’s “state of the city” speech by Bloomington’s mayor John Hamilton focussed on the 2020s as a “make or break decade,” in light of the challenges posed by climate change. The news out of the speech was a planned public meeting about the topic of a possible