Bloomington mayor announces extras for fire, police like $100K housing loan with annual report: violent crime up, property crime down, fire response slower

The fire pole from the former fire station on Rogers Street, which is now home to Lotus Education & Arts Foundation, is housed at the Monroe County History Center.

From left: deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael, police chief Mike Diekhoff, deputy police chief Scott Oldham, and fire chiefJason Moore

Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff.

Bloomington fire chief Jason Moore

Former deputy mayor Don Griffin and Bloomington public engagement director Kaisa Goodman.

Mayor John Hamilton addresses the audience on the occasion of the Feb. 9, 2023 annual public safety report.

Community and family resources department director Beverly Calender-Anderson

Monroe County councilor Jennifer Crossley

Bar chart by month of calls involving weapons.

Bloomington fire department response times.

At last Thursday’s unveiling of the city’s annual public safety report for 2022, Bloomington mayor John Hamilton took the occasion to announce a few new incentives that are meant to help recruit and retain firefighters and police officers.

Among those incentives is a $100,000 no-interest housing down payment loan that is completely forgivable at the rate of $10,000 a year for up to 10 police officers and 10 firefighters—if they buy a house inside the city limits.

The recruitment challenge can be seen in the current staffing levels.

At Thursday’s event, Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff announced the hire of five new officers, who will start at the end of February. That puts the department’s staffing level at 88 sworn officers, which is still 17 short of the budgeted number of 105.

Even though vacancies among Bloomington’s firefighters have in the last few years not been as many as among sworn police, on Thursday Hamilton noted that there are currently 9 vacancies among the 99 firefighter positions. Continue reading “Bloomington mayor announces extras for fire, police like $100K housing loan with annual report: violent crime up, property crime down, fire response slower” →

Colocation of police with city administration big theme of Bloomington council deliberations on 5-4 approval of Showers building deal

Bloomington city councilmember Susan Sandberg (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington city councilmember Kate Rosenbarger (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington city council member Sue Sgambelluri (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington city councilmember Dave Rollo (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington city councilmember Matt Flaherty (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington city councilmember Steve Volan (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington mayor John Hamilton (Jan. 25, 2023).

Former city councilmember David David Sabbagh speaks against the Showers building purchase (Jan. 25, 2023).

Police union president Paul Post (Jan. 25, 2023).

Bloomington police detective Jeff Rodgers (Jan. 25, 2023).

The view is from the west of the Showers building. The pink outline shows the portion of the building that Bloomington has made an accepted offer to purchase from CFC Properties. The image is from the Pictometry module of Monroe County’s property lookup system.

On Wednesday night, Bloomington’s city council took action that will, as councilmember Dave Rollo put it, shape the city’s public safety building footprint “for decades to come.”

The council split 5–4 on a vote to approve the Bloomington redevelopment commission’s purchase agreement with CFC Properties—for the 64,000 square feet in the western portion of the former Showers Brothers furniture factory that currently houses city hall.

Asked by Rollo if he agreed that the “decades-to-come” description of the deal’s impact is accurate, Bloomington’s mayor John Hamilton confirmed that he did.

The deal negotiated by the RDC with CFC Properties carries a price tag of $8.75 million. The proposed move includes another $14.75 million to renovate and re-configure the Showers building space. Continue reading “Colocation of police with city administration big theme of Bloomington council deliberations on 5-4 approval of Showers building deal” →

Yes to purchase of west Showers building, says Bloomington city council on 5–4 vote

Bloomington city hall’s footprint inside the former Showers Brothers furniture factory building on Morton Street will expand by 64,000 square feet to include the western portion of the building, where the city’s police station and fire department administrative headquarters will be located.

That’s because at its Wednesday meeting, the city council voted 5–4 to approve an ordinance that appropriates $29.5 million in bond proceeds, which includes $8.75 million for the purchase of the western portion of the Showers building.

It’s part of Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s plan to put both the city’s main police station and fire department administration in the same historic city hall building. The proposed move is part of a bigger plan estimated at over $30-million—which includes reconstructing the flood-damaged Fire Station #1 and remodeling Fire Station #3.

Approval of the bond issuance itself had come in early December last year. Continue reading “Yes to purchase of west Showers building, says Bloomington city council on 5–4 vote” →

Decision on Showers building purchase postponed by Bloomington city council until Jan. 25

Left is the existing 3rd Street Bloomington police station. Right is the western part of the former Showers Brothers factory building currently owned by CFC properties.

A decision on an $8.75-million real estate deal to expand the footprint of city hall inside its existing building has been postponed by Bloomington’s city council.

What has been delayed until next week is a decision to approve the Bloomington redevelopment commission’s purchase agreement for the western part of the former Showers Brothers factory building that houses city hall.

Wednesday’s vote, which was unanimous among the eight councilmembers present, came after more than two hours of deliberations.

Absent was Jim Sims, who in early December described as “a joke” a “Plan B” alternative, which involves just renovation of the existing 3rd Street police station.

The approval of the building purchase is part of the same agenda item as the ordinance that appropriates the proceeds of $29.5 million in bonds that have already been issued. Based on the wording of the bond issuance, the proceeds have to be used for public safety purposes.

Postponement came at the point in the meeting when Ron Smith moved an amendment that would remove from the appropriation ordinance the reference to the building purchase. The amendment would also prohibit use of the bond proceeds for purchase of the Showers building.

Based on their comments at Wednesday’s meeting and previous meetings, two councilmembers sound like they’re firmly in support of the Showers building purchase, three are firmly opposed, and three somewhat undecided, even if they’re leaning in one direction or another. Continue reading “Decision on Showers building purchase postponed by Bloomington city council until Jan. 25” →

3 committee meetings later: Bloomington city council now set for vote on purchase of former Showers Brothers building for future police-fire HQ

The Jan. 13, 2023 committee meeting took place in the Allison conference room in city hall.

From left: BPD officers Paul Post and Jeffrey Rodgers; and fire chief Jason Moore.

From left: city clerk Nicole Bolden; chief of police Mike Diekhoff; and councilmembers Steve Volan and Dave Rollo.

From left: Deb Kunce with JS Held and deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael.

Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff.

President of Bloomington’s police union Paul Post.

Upper level layout Screen Shot 2023-01-10 at 2.16.06 PM

bordered Existing Lower Level Screen Shot 2023-01-10 at 2.09.25 PM

Plan B Lower Level Screen Shot 2023-01-10 at 2.11.51 PM

On Bloomington’s city council meeting agenda for this Wednesday is an $8.75-million real estate deal.

Councilmembers will be deciding whether to approve a purchase agreement for the western part of the former Showers Brothers factory building that houses city hall.

The agreement was approved by the city’s redevelopment commission (RDC) in mid-July for a half-million dollars more, but after due diligence was done, in mid-November, owner CFC Properties agreed to the lower $8.75-million figure.

Even though the city council late last year already approved the issuance of $29.5 million in bonds, it delayed approval of the building purchase to take more time to scrutinize the numbers.

The approval of the building purchase is part of the same agenda item as the ordinance that appropriates the bond proceeds.

Still a part of the meeting information packet is the text of a potential amendment to the ordinance, sponsored by Ron Smith, which would strike the council’s approval of the Showers building purchase from the ordinance. Continue reading “3 committee meetings later: Bloomington city council now set for vote on purchase of former Showers Brothers building for future police-fire HQ” →

Column: Is Bloomington a ‘relatively safe place’?

Left is a screen grab of the final paragraph of Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s Jan. 14, 2023 Facebook statement about a Jan. 11 bus stabbing. Right is a screen grab of the final paragraph of the same Facebook statement five minutes later. The only difference is the insertion of the word “relatively” to modify “safe.”

On Saturday, a statement from Bloomington mayor John Hamilton was posted on his official Facebook page denouncing the racist stabbing of an 18-year-old woman, which took place three days earlier.

Between 12:43 p.m. and 12:48 p.m., an edit was made to the statement’s final paragraph. Instead of describing Bloomington as “a safe place,” the revised statement says Bloomington is “a relatively safe place.”

The revision is consistent with the fact that perceptions of safety are not uniform—across people, specific areas within Bloomington, or time of day. Continue reading “Column: Is Bloomington a ‘relatively safe place’?” →

Column: What is ‘value’ when it comes to options for Bloomington’s new police station?

Bloomington police station, looking east on 3rd Street (Jan. 9, 2023).

The view of the CFC Properties side of the former Showers furniture building, from the southwest.

Under Indiana’s building code, newly constructed police stations and fire stations have to be built to conform with Category 4 risk standards.

That’s the highest standard in the code. Category 4 includes facilities like emergency surgery facilities, and power-generating stations—essential facilities that are needed in response to disasters like tornadoes and earthquakes.

So, at least for new construction, it’s worth considering two kinds of value that are connected to compliance with Category 4 standards.

First, there’s legal value that comes from compliance with the requirements.

Second, there’s practical value attached to a building that has a better chance of surviving a tornado or an earthquake.

Bloomington’s city council is currently faced with a decision that should focus not just on legal value, but also practical value. Here’s the question:

Is renovating and expanding the existing police station on 3rd Street a better or worse value proposition than purchasing part of an existing building at a different site, and renovating that space for combined police and fire use?

Continue reading “Column: What is ‘value’ when it comes to options for Bloomington’s new police station?” →

City council committee set for second meeting on Showers building purchase for new police, fire HQ

Bloomington city council president Susan Sandberg (Jan. 3, 2023).

Bloomington deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael (Jan. 3, 2023).

From left: Bloomington deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael, assistant city attorney Larry Allen, director of public engagement Kaisa Goodman, councilmember Steve Volan (Jan. 3, 2023).

A 3- or 4-story addition? Administration’s drawing of possible expansion to Bloomington police department’s current station.

Wayfinding sign in front of city hall.

Bloomington city council committee meeting From left: Bloomington deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael, assistant city attorney Larry Allen, director of public engagement Kaisa Goodman, councilmember Steve Volan (Jan. 3, 2023).

From left: Bloomington deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael, assistant city attorney Larry Allen, director of public engagement Kaisa Goodman, councilmember Steve Volan (Jan. 3, 2023).

At a city council committee meeting last Tuesday, Bloomington councilmember Steve Volan said to deputy mayor Mary Catherine Carmichael: “With all due respect, this is a very basic question: How many stories did that figure contemplate—three for four?”

Volan was responding to a remark from Carmichael about a need to spend several hundred thousand dollars, in order to answer “fairly meaty” design questions.

The three-versus-four-story question was about a possible expansion to the existing police station on 3rd Street. Whether it’s a three-story or a four-story addition to the police station that was considered is not something that requires a design charrette to answer, Volan said.

But the number of stories in a possible expansion to the 3rd Street police station could be moot—at least from the administration’s perspective.

It was established at last Tuesday’s committee meeting that the administration appears committed to a “Plan B” that does not include new construction to expand the 3rd Street police station, but rather only renovation.

The council is not expected to vote on the Showers building purchase until Jan. 18. The council’s committee has a second meeting set for this coming Tuesday (Jan. 10). Continue reading “City council committee set for second meeting on Showers building purchase for new police, fire HQ” →

City council committee to mull question of Showers building purchase for Bloomington police station

The image is from Monroe County’s online property lookup system.

Chatting with councilmembers before the Dec. 21, 2022 meeting is Bloomington police chief Mike Diekhoff. In the background is deputy fire chief Jayme Washel.

After the postponement, key members of administration gather in the lobby outside council chambers. From left: Don Griffin, Beth Cate, Larry Allen, Jayme Washel, and Mike Diekhoff.

Councilmembers from left: Ron Smith, Jim Sims, and Isabel Piedmont-Smith.

Bloomington city councilmember Steve Volan.

From left: Bloomington city councilmember Steve Volan and Jim Sims.

Bloomington city councilmember Sue Sgambelluri.

Bloomington city council president Susan Sandberg.

Bloomington city clerk Nicole Bolden distributes some of the police union figures to councilmembers a the Dec. 21, 2022 meeting.

Bloomington mayor John Hamilton. (Dec. 21, 2022.)

The Bloomington police station’s move from its current 3rd Street facility to the western part of the historic Showers building that houses city hall has still not been decided by the city council.

Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s idea is to incorporate the police station, as well as the fire department’s administrative headquarters, into the western part of Showers.

The $8.75 million purchase of the Showers building is part of a plan for which the city council already approved a $29.5 million bond issuance at its Dec. 7 meeting.

A four-member city council special committee that has been formed to take a closer look at the proposal will meet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday in city hall. Continue reading “City council committee to mull question of Showers building purchase for Bloomington police station” →

Column: Looking ahead to local government news in 2023 like a goose landing on a half frozen pond

A week ago, up at Miller-Showers Park, a flock of Canada geese banked overhead and came in for a landing on the southernmost stormwater detention pond.

The surface was half frozen, because a couple days before the temperature had dropped to –8 F.

As elegant as geese appear in flight formation, on landing they do not make a picture of grace. They sort of wobble along the final approach, webbed feet akimbo, before mostly crashing into the water.

But they were, of course, unscathed. They started cruising around, dabbling for whatever aquatic plants were under the surface.

That’s somewhat like how local government works: It’s elegant and smooth in theory, but when it lands on some particular topic near you, it might look a little clumsy. You might get splashed.

Where will Bloomington’s area local government land in 2023? Here’s a roundup of spots that is surely not exhaustive. Continue reading “Column: Looking ahead to local government news in 2023 like a goose landing on a half frozen pond” →