Common Council Regular Session

In the Council Chambers of the Showers City Hall, Bloomington, Indiana on COMMON COUNCIL Tuesday, April 04, 2023 at 6:30pm, Council President Sue Sgambelluri REGULAR SESSION presided over a Regular Session of the Common Council. April 04, 2023 Councilmembers present: Matt Flaherty, Isabel Piedmont-Smith, Kate ROLL CALL [6:30pm] Rosenbarger, Susan Sandberg, Sue Sgambelluri, Jim Sims, Ron Smith, Stephen Volan Councilmembers present via Zoom: none Councilmembers absent: Dave Rollo Council President Sue Sgambelluri gave a land and labor acknowledgement AGENDA SUMMATION and summarized the agenda. [6:30pm] Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded to approve the minutes of June APPROVAL OF 02, 2021, as amended, April 06, 2022, and April 20, 2022. The motion was MINUTES [6:pm] approved by a voice vote. • June 02, 2021 (Regular Session) • April 06, 2021 (Regular Session) • April 20, 2021 (Regular Session) Piedmont-Smith mentioned her upcoming constituent meeting. She read a REPORTS [6:33pm] poem titled, "Backwards," in honor of National Poetry Month, by Warsan Shire, • COUNCIL MEMBERS a Somali British poet. Rosenbarger invited the community to her upcoming constituent meeting. Ryan Rohling, Planning Services Manager in the Planning and Transportation • The MAYOR AND (PT) department, presented a report on the Comprehensive Plan. The purpose CITY OFFICES of tracking data was to measure progress on the plan's goals that informed [6:36pm] policies. He provided an overview of the Comprehensive Plan and noted programs, outcome, and indicators. Specifically, he noted details pertaining to community services and economics, culture and identity, the environment, and the downtown. Some topics included real per capita personal income in the city, and compared to Lafayette, Indiana, trends in sector employment, demolition requests, cultural and arts institutions, square footage of green roofs, an increase in assessed value for downtown properties, occupancy rates, commuter data, and motor vehicle crash rates resulting in fatalities and serious injuries in Monroe County. Volan asked for clarification on data on downtown parking. Council questions: Rohling clarified the data pertained to occupancy rate for downtown commercial spaces and did not involve parking. Volan asked if PT staff expected that rate and if there were plans to convert unoccupied commercial space to residential. Rohling said the rate was normal, and comparable to similar cities. There were two requests for conversion to residential spaces in the immediate downtown but demand was not an issue. Sims praised Rosenbarger and other proponents of no-right-turn-on-red for being ahead of the curve. He asked if the data on green roofs directly related to concessions for affordable housing. Rohling stated that it did not, the data was prior to the adoption of the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Sims asked about the downtown overlay and the reference to it being "relatively diverse." Sims asked if that included racial and cultural diversity. Rohling said that the diversity index was issued by the census and of the forty four hundred residents in the downtown overlay, the percentage of diverse residents, as noted by the census, was 48.5%. He said that the p. 2 Meeting Date: 04-04-23 downtown was more diverse than Bloomington as a whole. Some of the factors • The MAYOR AND included race, gender, and more. CITY OFFICES (cont'd) Piedmont-Smith thanked Rohling for the report. She asked for clarification on the data on motor vehicle collisions in Monroe County. Rohling said that all collisions were tallied, and then were broken out in types such as collisions resulting in injury or fatalities. Piedmont-Smith asked about the data on waste diverted from landfill and the apparent decrease in diverted waste in 2022 compared to 2018, and if it was only waste collected by Sanitation. Rohling said it reflected all waste that was headed to the landfill. He noted that the decrease was due to more residents eating at home during the pandemic, and an annual increase of 15% in collection of solid and waste recycling. Flaherty moved and it was seconded to extend the time limit on Reports from the Mayor and City Offices until 7:15pm. The motion was approved by a voice Vote to extend time vote. limit [7:02pm] Flaherty thanked Rohling for the presentation and asked if PT staff tracked every indicator, annually. Rohling said no and that staff picked twenty five indicators yearly, and included ones selected before that had a baseline. Flaherty asked about the interpretation of results and asked how to best use the data to improve policy. He asked if it was not feasible to track every indicator as well as how well equity outcomes were measured. Rohling said that future updates on the Comprehensive Plan would involve goals and objectives, rather than just indicators. A deeper dive on a particular chapter would give better results to inform policy. He confirmed it was not feasible to track every indicator. He noted that many indicators did not take equity into account. Staff could certainly track equity better. Flaherty asked if staff was open to reporting on indicators and outcomes that was manageable for staff and would help drive more equitable policy outcomes in a more intentional way. Rohling said absolutely, yes. Smith asked for more information on the demographic profile and the median household income and the home values. Rohling said that 93% of those residents were renters and the majority were students or of student-age. Sgambelluri asked for clarification on the dramatic change in some industries. Rohling stated that he did not have additional information because the data was compiled by the census bureau. Volan asked if there was a way to separate non-student groups in the data. Rohling believed that was not easily done since the data was not the city's. Piedmont-Smith commented on occupancy rate in certain areas in the city and asked if there was additional information on the low counts. Rohling said that many students left during the pandemic, and the census sent a mailer and if there was no response, then it was counted as unoccupied. There were no reports from council committees. • COUNCIL COMMITTEES [7:13pm] Terry Amsler commented on excerpts pertaining to public engagement. • PUBLIC [7:14pm] • PUBLIC (cont'd)  Meeting Date: 04-04-23 p. 3 Chase Techentin discussed his experience with homelessness in the city. He noted the correlation of affordability and homelessness. He urged council to revisit zoning that restricted supplying more housing. Eric Ost talked about improving neighborhood involvement with local government, and talked about assessed property value in the city. He appreciated everyone involved in the BeClear data portal. Sims moved and it was seconded to appoint Emma Williams to seat C-1 on the APPOINTMENTS TO Human Rights Commission. The motion was approved by a voice vote. BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS [7:26pm] LEGISLATION FOR SECOND READING AND RESOLUTIONS [7:27pm] Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded that Appropriation Ordinance 23- Appropriation 01 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was Ordinance 23-01 - To approved by a voice vote. Deputy Clerk Susan Stoll read the legislation by title Specially Appropriate and synopsis. the Current Balance of the Opioid Settlement Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded to adopt Appropriation Fund to Help Address Ordinance 23-01. the Impacts of the Opioid Crisis on City and County Residents [7:27pm] Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded to adopt Amendment 01 to Amendment O1 to Appropriation Ordinance 23-01. Stephen Lucas, Council Attorney, presented Appropriation Amendment 01. Ordinance 23-01 Amendment 01 Synopsis: A previous item oflegislation adopted on January 25, 2023 was numbered Appropriation Ordinance 23-01. This amendment would assign a new number (23-03) to the present appropriation ordinance. There were no council questions. Council questions: There was no public comment. Public comment: There were no council comments. Council comments: The motion to adopt Amendment 01 to Appropriation Ordinance 23-01 Vote to adopt received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. Amendment O1 to Appropriation Ordinance 23-01 [7:28pm] Beth Cate, Corporation Counsel, presented Appropriation Ordinance 23-03 and reminded council of the appropriation of funds for the opioid crisis to be managed by the Community and Family Resources (CFR) department. She provided details on the city's participation on the opioid crisis settlement, allowed uses of the funds, and other statutory information. Beverly Calender-Anderson, Director of the CFR, discussed the appropriation of the 2022 opioid settlement for the city totaling of $391,906. She explained CFR's services and outreach, done in conjunction with community nonprofits, to address things like homelessness and more. She noted other programs like naloxone supply and education, and drug and syringe disposal units, and education. She described city efforts in working with the county. I J p. 4 Meeting Date: 04-04-23 Appropriation Volan asked why 2022 funding was not appropriated the previous year. Ordinance 23-03 Calender-Anderson said that the request was being done that evening. (cont'd) Sandberg asked about the partnerships for the use of matching funds, and Council questions: funding for those seeking treatment. Calender-Anderson explained that there was a partnership between the city, the county, and the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA). She said that the city's portion focused on harm reduction. She said treatment options would be forthcoming. Eric Spoonmore discussed syringe exchange funding and services. It was not an exchange program because only seven hundred and eight were collected and two hundred and sixty four thousand were unaccounted for. Public comment: Randy Cassidy spoke about his experience encountering syringes tossed in places like construction sites and if those syringes could be tracked. Forrest Gilmore commented in support of Appropriation Ordinance 23-03 and said that the funding supported street outreach and assistance at Beacon. He provided additional details and discussed homelessness which had been steady since 2015. Calender-Anderson reiterated that CFR's program would address proper disposal of syringes, and medication, and was not an exchange program. Volan asked if staff agreed with the data referenced by Gilmore and if council could see it. Calender-Anderson stated the information was collected annually via Point Council comments: in Time counts gathered by the state, and explained how it was aggregated for the city. Smith asked how treatment for the incarcerated population worked. Calender-Anderson said that treatment fell under the purview of the county, who had also received funding. Piedmont-Smith supported the programming, partnerships, and looked forward to hearing about positive outcomes. The motion to adopt Appropriation Ordinance 23-03 as amended received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. Vote to adopt Appropriation Ordinance 23-03 as amended [7:53pm] Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded that Appropriation Ordinance 23- Appropriation 02 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was Ordinance 23-02 - To approved by a voice vote. Stoll read the legislation by title and synopsis. Specially Appropriate Funds from the General Fund for Construction of The Trades District Tech Center and Associated Construction Management Services [7:53pm] Piedmont-Smith moved and it was seconded that Appropriation Ordinance 23- 02 be adopted.  Meeting Date: 04-04-23 p. 5 Pat East, Executive Director, The Mill, presented the legislation and provided Appropriation reasons in support. He gave an expansive history of The Mill, including its Ordinance 23-02 initiatives, successes, demographics, and goals as a startup and coworking (cont'd) space. John Fernandez, Senior Vice President for Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, The Mill, described the proposed Trades District Tech Center. He referenced the memo submitted to council and highlighted the team working on the center. He described the purpose of the center, like closing wage gaps, creating good-paying jobs, driving regional innovation, capitalizing assets, and partnering with key industries. It would have a positive impact on community members. Pete Yonkman, President of Cook Group Medical, spoke about his involvement with The Mill, and highlighted the important work and innovation done there. It allowed he and his wife to interact with community members that he might not have done so otherwise. He spoke about the successful work of the staff at The Mill, and gave a summary of his experience with The Mill. Valerie Pefia, Office of University Relations, Indiana University (IU), noted IU's support of The Mill and provided reasons to continue to support the work done there. She noted some partnerships that could be furthered between IU, The Mill, and other organizations. Volan welcomed back John Fernandez as a former mayor and former Council questions: councilmember. He asked about the new jobs and the capacity of employees in the building. He asked about other available office space in the city. Fernandez explained that the total leasable space was twelve thousand five hundred and seventy seven square feet, along with social spaces. He spoke about the benefit of collocating and having quality space. Ashley Thornberry, Studio Access, explained that building code allowed for up to one hundred and fifty tenants at one time. The setup of the building would allow for expansion within a particular startup. Sandberg asked about recruiting plans. Fernandez said that it was early in the planning process, but was being discussed with established stakeholders. The quality of the space was essential to attract talent and create a hub and there would be marketing efforts. Piedmont-Smith asked if the Community Revitalization Enhancement District (CRED) funds had always been considered as a source of funding. Alex Crowley, Director of Economic and Sustainable Development (ESD) department, said that there was an initial cost, but the construction design gave greater accuracy of the actual costs. That was when CRED funds were first considered. Piedmont-Smith said the CRED funds were reverted to the general fund, and asked if they were contained in a separate budget than what was adopted the previous year. She asked how the remaining funds would be used. Crowley would follow up regarding the CRED funds. The remaining CRED funds did not have a specific plan. Volan asked about potential tenants. Fernandez said that there were requirements, including the construction of the building, before going to the bidding process. Funding had to be officially encumbered. There were not tenants currently lined up. Smith asked about ongoing costs to the city. Fernandez said the goal was to not have ongoing costs for the city and gave additional details. p. 6 Meeting Date: 04-04-23 Sims asked for additional information on the goals for broader diversity and Appropriation income levels at The Mill. Ordinance 23-02 East described partnerships with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club (cont'd) to educate on entrepreneurship, and more, with long term goals of working with Kindergarten-12th grade students. There was a benefit of staying in Council questions: Bloomington to improve the city. East gave additional information on diversity and investments into the minority community. Sandberg asked about the city's nonprofit, City of Bloomington Capital Improvement (CBCI), and how it would interact with The Mill. Fernandez said that CBCI would not focus on the Trades District. Crowley added that the CBCI would not intervene with successful city assets. He provided information on the current, successful management of the Waldron Arts Center, and the Buskirk Chumley theater. He noted that CRED funds were in the general fund and not in a specific line item. Piedmont-Smith asked if there was no specific tracking for the CRED funds. She asked for further information on the city's ongoing costs for the center. Crowley explained that the CRED dollar spending was to be determined. Fernandez said that the cost to the city would be for utilities and would be covered in the future by tenant revenue. Volan asked for clarification on job creation for those without a baccalaureate. He was concerned with using CRED funds and noted Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funding that could be used. He asked what the plans were for the remaining CRED funds and if they would be spent in the downtown areas. Crowley referenced the formation of the CRED and its intent. He explained differences with types of CRED; site-specific versus a general downtown area. The administration did not have specific plans for the remaining funds. Volan gave reasons for the use of downtown CRED funds for infrastructure in the downtown, like a trolley, or alley improvements. Crowley explained that the proposed center tied in closely with community enhancement, thus aligning with the original intent of the CRED. Jennifer Pearl, President of the Bloomington Economic Development Public comment: Corporation (BEDC), said that job creation was the primary goal for the local community. Major local employers, like General Electric, had left the city, and the pandemic had negatively impacted life sciences and other local industries. Job diversity was necessary. The goal was to develop talent pipelines, such as a partnership with Ivy Tech Community College. She said that the tech center was more than just a building, that it was a hub to generate diverse jobs. Steve Bryant, Ivy Tech and Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, spoke in favor of the proposal and described his role in the process. He noted that some jobs at the tech center would include two-year degrees and certifications, et cetera. Jean Martin, chaired the first board of The Mill and spoke in favor of it and its operations. She gave reasons in support of the tech center. Bloomington needed a hub like the tech center to close gaps in the core economy. She highlighted The Mill's efforts in supporting entrepreneurship for people of color, women, and the youth. Eric Spoonmore, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, believed that the tech center was a good use for the CRED funds. He gave reasons in support. Randy Cassidy, member of the Redevelopment Commission, and voted in support of the tech center, spoke in support of the partnership for the Trades District and gave reasons for his support. Volan asked for further clarification on the jobs that would be created, that Council comments: would require a four-year degree or higher.  Meeting Date: 04-04-23 p. 7 East spoke about upskilling and said staff focused on unemployed and Appropriation underemployed community members for jobs like coding. The technological Ordinance 23-02 world was ever-evolving and companies were hiring employees trained (cont'd) through certifications and bootcamps as opposed to having a four-year degree. Volan moved and it was seconded to postpone adoption of Appropriation Ordinance 23-02 until April 12, 2023. There was brief discussion regarding the postponement of Appropriation Ordinance 23-03 and the source of funding, including CRED and TIF funds. Volan was concerned about the lack of estimate on new jobs that would not require a four-year degree. He was also concerned with the use of CRED funds. Smith concurred that further clarification justified postponement though he believed the proposal was wonderful. Volan asked if council could amend the appropriation to exclude CRED funds. Lucas stated that appropriations needed to be initiated from the executive branch of the city. Sgambelluri agreed that it would be helpful to obtain more information, though she believed it was a good proposal. The motion to postpone adoption of Appropriation Ordinance 23-02 until Vote to postpone April 12, 2023 received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. [9:39pm] There was no legislation for first reading. LEGISLATION FOR FIRST READING [9:40pm] Dave Askins commented on council processes, amendments, and first ADDITIONAL PUBLIC readings. COMMENT [9:40pm] Lucas reviewed the upcoming council schedule. COUNCIL SCHEDULE [9:41pm] Sgambelluri adjourned the meeting with no objections. ADJOURNMENT [9:43pm] APPROVED by the Common Council of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana upon this _11_ day of January , 2024. APPROVE: ATTEST: J~¥ Isabel Piedmont-Smith, PRESIDENT Nicole Bolden, CLERK Bloomington Common Council City of Bloomington J