Common Council Regular Session

Bloomington Common Council-Regular Session Minutes Bloomington Council Chambers, City Hall, 401 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, Indiana Wednesday, May 07, 2025, 6:30pm CALL TO ORDER [6:31pm] Council President Stosberg called the meeting to order. 1. ROLL CALL (*Indicates participation via Zoom) [6:31pm] Councilmembers present: Isak Nti Asare At-Large Courtney Daily District 5, Council Parliamentarian Matt Flaherty At-Large Isabel Piedmont-Smith District 1, Council Vice President Dave Rollo District 4 Kate Rosenbarger District 2 Andy Ruff (arrived at 6:52pm) At-Large Hopi Stosberg District 3, Council President Sydney Zulich (absent) District 6 City staff, officials, and guests present: Nicole Bolden City Clerk Lisa Lehner Council Attorney David Hittle Planning and Transportation, Director 2. AGENDA SUMMATION [6:32pm] Stosberg recognized Captain Stacey Mitchell as the first woman in the Fire Department to serve as acting battalion chief for her shift. She then summarized the agenda. 3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES [6:35pm] There were no minutes for approval. 4. REPORTS [6:35pm] 4.1. Councilmembers: Asare reported on his initial reflections on using a rubric for the Jack Hopkins Social Services Fund (JHSSF). He commented on his visit with city residents running an urban farm. Daily spoke about the Exodus Refugee Bloomington (ERB) organization and their efforts with connecting refugees with jobs, education, and more. She urged the community to support ERB with supplies or funds. Rollo appreciated planting native plants in the downtown planters. He regretted that the city had moved to using non-native, ornamental annual plants. There was real danger with non-native, invasive plants. Piedmont-Smith discussed her concerns regarding President Donald Trump and his recent comment on whether or not he had to uphold the Constitution. She spoke about Israel’s prevention of aid arriving to Gaza which grossly violated international law and caused starvation and the deaths of thousands of people there. Stosberg highlighted things she had done that week related to council responsibilities. She had attended committee and staff meetings, reviewed proposals for the Plan Commission’s consideration, communicated with constituents, and finalized council’s budget priority letter.  Meeting Date: May 07, 2025 4.2. Mayor and City Offices: Jessica McClellan, Controller, presented the annual Redevelopment Commission report. She highlighted the items that were required to be in the report per state code such as commissioner information, expenditures, revenues, fund balances, Tax Increment Finance (TIF), and more. Anna Killion-Hanson, Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) department, Director, and RDC, Executive Director, gave additional details on the RDC. The RDC oversaw the TIF districts and more. Killion-Hanson explained how TIF districts worked and noted the properties owned by the RDC including Showers West, and more. She noted several 2024 business highlights and celebrations. Council discussed where the TIF district funds were spent. Stosberg extended the time for reports with no objection from the council. Additional council discussion pertained to business personal property and taxes, debt service payments, property value increases, impacts due to Senate Bill 1, the required spending plan for TIF districts, and allowable expenses for TIF funds. 4.3. Council Committees: Stosberg summarized a budget letter from council to the mayor based on work by the Fiscal Committee. She referenced the city’s long-range planning documents like the Comprehensive Plan, et cetera. She noted other changes to the letter. There was council discussion on changes to the letter that evening. Asare moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded to send the 2026 budget priorities letter to the office of the mayor. The motion was approved by voice vote. 4.4. Public: Christopher Emge, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the downtown cleanup efforts, valor awards, other events, and flooding on sports fields. 5. APPOINTMENTS TO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS [7:40pm] On behalf of Interview Committee Team B, Daily moved and Ruff seconded to recommend Cee-Cee Swalling for appointment to seat C-1 on the Commission of the Status of Women. The motion was approved by voice vote. On behalf of Interview Committee Team C, Flaherty moved and Rollo seconded to recommend Jose Fuentes for appointment to seat C-4 on the Commission on the Status of Hispanic and Latiné Affairs. The motion was approved by voice vote. On behalf of Interview Committee Team A, Rosenbarger moved and Asare seconded to recommend Kathleen Bensberg for appointment to seat C-2 on the Bloomington/Monroe County Human Rights Commission. The motion was approved by voice vote. 6. LEGISLATION FOR FIRST READING [7:42pm] 6.1. Ordinance 2025-11 To Amend Title 20 (Unified Development Ordinance) of the Bloomington Municipal Code – Re: Technical Corrections Set Forth in BMC 20 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Ordinance 2025-11 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Clerk Nicole Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. 2 Meeting Date: May 07, 2025 6.2. Ordinance 2025-12 To Amend Title 20 (Unified Development Ordinance) of the Bloomington Municipal Code – Re: Amendments and Updates Set Forth in BMC 20.02 and 20.04 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Ordinance 2025-12 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. 6.3. Ordinance 2025-13 To Amend Title 20 (Unified Development Ordinance) of the Bloomington Municipal Code – Re: Amendments and Updates Set Forth in BMC 20.03 Daily moved and Rollo seconded that Ordinance 2025-13 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. 6.4. Ordinance 2025-14 To Amend Title 20 (Unified Development Ordinance) of the Bloomington Municipal Code – Re: Amendments and Updates Set Forth in BMC 20.05, 20.06, and 20.07 Daily moved and Rollo seconded that Ordinance 2025-14 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. 6.5. Appropriation Ordinance 2025-06 Ordinance to Appropriate Food and Beverage Tax Funds to the Monroe County Capital Improvement Board Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Appropriation Ordinance 2025-06 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. Stosberg noted that Ordinance 2025-11, Ordinance 2025-12, Ordinance 2025-13, Ordinance 2025-14, and Appropriation Ordinance 2025-06 would have a second reading on May 21, 2025. That date would serve as the public hearing for Appropriation Ordinance 2025-06. 6.6. Ordinance 2025-19 To Amend Title 4 of the Bloomington Municipal Code: Updating Permissible Towing and Storage fees for Authorized Towing Services under 4.32 This legislation was not introduced. 6.7. Ordinance 2025-20 To Amend Title 15 of the Bloomington Municipal Code: Updating Permissible Towing and Storage Fees for Authorized Towing Services under 15.48 This legislation was not introduced. 7. LEGISLATION FOR SECOND READING AND RESOLUTIONS [7:47pm] 7.1. Ordinance 2025-16 To Vacate Public Parcel Re: A 20-Foot Wide Alley Segment Located in the Southern Half of the Alley Between West 10th Street and West Maker Way (The Mill, Petitioner; City of Bloomington Redevelopment Commission, Owner) Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Ordinance 2025-16 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded to adopt Ordinance 2025-16. 3  Meeting Date: May 07, 2025 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded to adopt Amendment 01 to Ordinance 2025-16. Daily presented Amendment 01. Amendment 01 Synopsis: This amendment corrects a typographical error in the date of the clause describing the real estate purchase. There was no council discussion or public comment on Amendment 01. The motion to adopt Amendment 01 to Ordinance 2025-16 received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. John Fernandez, on behalf of The Mill, presented Ordinance 2025-16 as amended. He summarized the proposal and how the land would be used and noted that the area had never contained a traditional alley. There was discussion on the next steps including working with Planning staff on the design, focusing on connectivity. Council Attorney Lisa Lehner reminded everyone that the meeting that evening constituted the public hearing as required by state code. Christopher Emge, Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce spoke in favor of the legislation. Piedmont-Smith, Rollo, and Asare gave reasons in support of the proposal. Flaherty spoke about the importance of alleys and expressed concern with the city giving up a right of way in perpetuity. There was additional discussion regarding the proposal and David Hittle, Planning and Transportation Director, clarified details on a new alley that would be platted. The motion to adopt Ordinance 2025-16 as amended received a roll call vote of Ayes: 7, Nays: 1 (Flaherty), Abstain: 0. 7.2. Ordinance 2025-17 An Ordinance to Amend Ordinance 2024-19 That Fixed the Salaries of Officers and Employees of the Police and Fire Departments for the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana for the Year 2025 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Ordinance 2025-17 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded to adopt Ordinance 2025-17. Sharr Pechac, Human Resources, Director, presented the legislation. Piedmont-Smith asked about one new position and whether there was an incumbent or not. Pechac understood there was an incumbent and provided a background on the new position. There was discussion on the organizational chart, duties, bonus for one firefighter, job grades, and titles. There was no public comment. Asare asked if there were any changes to priorities of the police department. Pechac said the high-level goals and priorities would not change, but Dispatch would operate better with a clear structure of management. The motion to adopt Ordinance 2025-17 received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. 7.3. Ordinance 2025-18 An Ordinance to Amend Ordinance 2024-20 That Fixed the Salaries of Appointed Officers, Non-Union, and A.F.S.C.M.E. Employees for All the Departments of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana for the Year 2025 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded that Ordinance 2025-18 be introduced and read by title and synopsis only. The motion was approved by voice vote. Bolden read the legislation by title and synopsis. 4 Meeting Date: May 07, 2025 Daily moved and Piedmont-Smith seconded to adopt Ordinance 2025-18. Pechac summarized the legislation. There was council discussion on the status of the proposed positions, job grades, and the fiscal impact. The update to the responsibilities of the research assistant for council resulting in a reclassification was also discussed. There was no public comment. Piedmont-Smith appreciated the change to the council legal research position. She expressed disdain that the city would not have sewage-sniffing dogs. Stosberg thanked Lehner for her work on the legal researcher job description. The motion to adopt Ordinance 2025-18 received a roll call vote of Ayes: 8, Nays: 0, Abstain: 0. 8. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT [8:34pm] There was no public comment. 9. COUNCIL SCHEDULE [8:34pm] Stosberg reviewed the upcoming council schedule. 10. ADJOURMENT [8:36pm] Stosberg adjourned the meeting. APPROVED by the Common Council of the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana, upon this 22 _______ day of October __________________________________________, 2025. APPROVE: ATTEST: ____________________________________________ ______________________________________ Hopi Stosberg, COUNCIL PRESIDENT City Clerk Nicole Bolden Clerk’s Note: The above minutes summarize the motions passed and issues discussed rather than providing a verbatim account of every word spoken. Bloomington City Council meetings can be watched on the following websites:  Community Action Television Services (CATS) – https://catvstv.net  YouTube – https://youtube.com/@citybloomington Background materials and packets are available at https://bloomington.in.gov/council 5