Election board roundup: Monroe county election supervisor resigns; board adopts stricter fine policy

Hans Kelson, who was fined $75 for a late filing. (Feb. 2, 2023)

Monroe County election supervisor, Karen Wheeler, who resigned effective Feb. 3, 2023.

First Offense – Notification to Candidates Candidates’ tardiness shall be noted in public meeting of the Monroe County Election Board. Any additional communication/notification regarding the matter shall be the responsibility of Party Chairs. Second Offense – 50% of the Statutory Max ($25.00/day until current; max $1000.00) Third Offense – 100% of the Statutory Max ($50.00/day until current; max $1000.00)

The new fine policy for late campaign finance filings.

At Monroe County’s election board meeting last Thursday, election supervisor Karen Wheeler announced she had resigned her position.

“Today will be my last election board meeting, since tomorrow is my last day as Monroe County election supervisor,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler read aloud some prepared remarks recounting her time serving as election supervisor, which included eight elections.

Chair of the three-member election board, Donovan Garletts, told Wheeler after her remarks, “I can probably say this on behalf of the current and past board members: Thank you for your service. And wish you the best.”

Wheeler had wrapped up her remarks by saying, “And I am hopeful that my next step will be to continue as a Monroe County employee.”

Immediately after the meeting, responding to a question from The B Square, Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne said that for Wheeler’s replacement, she did not yet have a name that she was able to share.

Later on Thursday, responding to a question from the B Square, Wheeler elaborated on her concluding statement at the meeting, by saying that her departure was voluntary, but only in the sense that she had resigned the position.

Wheeler added that she’d been given a choice by Browne—either resign or be “let go.”

Continue reading “Election board roundup: Monroe county election supervisor resigns; board adopts stricter fine policy” →

Bloomington trail closures, detours to be decided “in collaboration” with engineering department

Signage for closure of The B Line during the recent removal of some callery pear trees. (From slide presented by parks operation director Tim Streets at the board of park commissioners Jan. 24, 2023 meeting.)

The signage for the closure of The B-Line Trail in 2022 near the Johnson’s Creamery smokestack came in the form of an 8.5 x 11 laminated sheet, which is barely visible on the chain link fence.

Under a new policy, when multi-use trails in Bloomington are closed—because of work by contractors or a dangerous situation—a detour has to be provided that gives trail users a convenient alternate route.

The policy was adopted by Bloomington’s board of park commissioners at its regular meeting on Tuesday.

Under the new policy, the closure has to be marked with signage that’s compliant with the Indiana Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

The policy also says that the decisions by the board about trail closures and detours have to be made “in collaboration” with the city engineer.

The development of the policy came after complaints about the city’s implementation last year of a detour and signage for a B-Line closure. That closure was made in connection with the unsafe building order issued by the city for the Johnson’s Creamery smokestack. Continue reading “Bloomington trail closures, detours to be decided “in collaboration” with engineering department” →

Parks board, city engineer: Collaboration, consultation, or supervision on trail closures?

Bloomington park commissioner Jim Whitlach (Nov. 15, 2022)

Bloomington park commissioner Ellen Rodkey (Nov. 15, 2022).

Bloomington’s director of park operations Tim Street. In the foreground is Bloomington resident Greg Alexander (Nov. 15, 2022).

Looking north on the B-Line. The revised detour was demarcated and protected with orange barriers that led along the edge of the parking lot in the same generally direction as the B-Line. (Aug. 24, 2022)

As currently drafted, a proposed new Bloomington parks policy would spell out how temporary and emergency closures of trails are implemented by the board of park commissioners—in “collaboration” with the city engineer.

On Tuesday, at its regular monthly meeting, the adoption of that policy was tabled by the board.

The presentation of the proposed new policy came from Tim Street, who is director of park operations. He described the policy as stemming from the closure of The B-Line early in the year, due to the hazard posed by the Johnson’s Creamery smokestack. The smokestack has now been partially demolished.

The board tabled the adoption of the new policy after park commissioner Jim Whitlach, who’s an attorney, questioned the use of the word “collaboration” to describe the activity to be undertaken between the board of park commissioners and the city engineer.

Whitlach said he would prefer that the policy make clear that it’s the board that makes the decision. So Whitlach said the policy should say the board decides not in “collaboration” with, but in “consultation” with the city engineer.

A counterpoint to Whitlach’s position came during public commentary from Bloomington resident Greg Alexander, who has, in his capacity as a member of the city’s traffic commission, for the last few months pushed the issue of the engineer’s role in making decisions about public right-of-way like The B-Line Trail. Continue reading “Parks board, city engineer: Collaboration, consultation, or supervision on trail closures?” →