OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Bloomington Common Council Meeting - September 4, 2025

City Council — Thursday, September 4, 2025
BodyBloomington, Indiana
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, September 4, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:55:23

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Seeing that we now have quorum, I'm gonna go ahead and call this uh meeting of the Bloomington Common Council to order here on September 3rd, 2025.

0:07

Will the clerk please call the roll?

0:10

Yes, Councilmember Flaherty.

0:12

Here.

0:13

Rev.

0:14

Here.

0:15

Ralo.

0:16

Here.

0:16

Pete Montsmith.

0:18

Here.

0:18

Stasberg?

0:19

Here.

0:20

Daily?

0:21

Here.

0:22

Sari.

0:23

Present.

0:24

Thank you.

0:25

Great.

0:26

Thank you.

0:27

Two things of note.

0:29

I do like to start off meetings with some uh something interesting and historical and uh relevant as I can do it.

0:37

So I have two things to talk about tonight.

0:38

Uh first, I want to recognize that Labor Day was this past Monday.

0:42

Um Labor Day was uh created by an act of Congress, making it a legal holiday in June of 1894, uh, right after some massive worker riots as a way to try to repair connections with American workers.

0:56

Uh the labor movement and labor unions grew vocal during those 1800s when manufacturing and the industrial revolution began really taking off.

1:04

And at that time, the average American worked 12 hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living, and children as young as five or six worked in mills and factories and mines.

1:13

Working conditions were unsafe and unsanitary.

1:16

So I want to recognize the labor unions and the workforce working together and how they fought for fair wages and safe working conditions and reasonable hours, um, getting to today's 40-hour, five-day work week, which is like some kind of ideal, which still is not met in a lot of ways.

1:32

Um, but I want to recognize the how hard unions have fought and continue to fight even while some uh power is being stripped of unions and negotiating.

1:46

Uh the state of Indiana actually changed rules around uh teacher unions and what they can negotiate about last year, um but in other places workers are are banding together to try to increase their wages and improve their working conditions and creating unions in places like Starbucks and Amazon and Kroger recently signed a new um uh contract with unions.

2:07

So just wanted to take a minute to recognize Labor Day.

2:10

And then secondly, uh speaking of service and labor, I want to take a moment to recognize the passing of Pat Williams this morning and her commitment to the city of Bloomington.

2:21

Pat was the longest serving Bloomington City Clerk, serving from 1982 to 1999, and recognition to her service is evident through the city, including on a plaque right outside of these chambers.

2:34

She was dedicated to her role and to her community, also serving as Monroe County Democratic Party Chair.

2:40

So if you could please join me in a moment of silence in remembering Pat and the contribution that she made to Bloomington.

3:01

Now we will continue on with our meeting here tonight.

3:05

Uh on our agenda tonight are three sets of minutes for approval.

3:09

Um and as a note, uh slightly modified versions of those were of two of them were sent out this afternoon.

3:17

Uh after minutes, we will have reports first from council members and then from the mayor of city mayor and city offices, where we will hear a report from the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability.

3:27

Then we will hear from council committees, though I do not believe that we have any council committee reports this evening.

3:33

Uh last in reports is reports from the public, and that will be the first opportunity for public comment this evening.

3:39

If there are any members of the public wishing to comment on items not on the agenda, that is the time for that.

3:46

Um after reports, we will have appointments to boards and commissions, and I do believe that we have uh an appointment to make.

3:54

Then we will have two pieces of legislation for first reading, ordinance 2025 33 to establish the fiber connectivity fund for digital opportunity initiatives, and then ordinance 2025 34 to establish a fund for the proceeds of the surety bond related to the fiber optics network work.

4:14

Then we will move on to uh legislation for second readings and resolutions.

4:18

We will start with resolution 2025 13 to establish the Affordable Housing Pilot Fund for the City of Bloomington, and then we will have resolution 2025 14 regarding designated Bloomington as a B city USA affiliate.

4:35

After those resolutions, we will have an additional period of public comment.

4:39

So if anybody um decides at the end of the meeting that they would like to comment on an item not on the agenda, that is another opportunity to do so.

4:47

And you can uh just comment during one of those two periods of general public comment.

4:51

There will, of course, also be public comment related to the resolutions this evening.

4:56

We will have any notes on council schedule after that and then adjournment.

5:00

So if we could start with the minutes, I move that the minutes from February 5th, April 16th, and July 16th be approved.

5:12

July 7th.

5:14

Yeah, and then the updated ones said July 16th on the date.

5:17

So I oh we didn't we weren't here July 7th.

5:20

You're right.

5:22

Okay.

5:23

As I said, um February 5th, April 16th, and July 16th.

5:28

Seconds.

5:29

Thank you.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Environmental Protection███████████████████████23%
Public Engagement██████████████████████22%
Sustainable Development███████████████15%
Affordable Housing██████████████14%
Procedural██████████10%
Legal Affairs████4%
Budget Equity Analysis████4%
Public Safety███3%
Technology and Innovation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Bloomington Common Council Meeting - September 4, 2025

Note: The transcript indicates the meeting was called to order on September 3, 2025, but the provided metadata states the date is September 4, 2025. This summary uses the metadata date as instructed.

The Bloomington Common Council met on September 4, 2025, to approve minutes, hear reports, consider ordinances and resolutions, and receive public comment. Key actions included establishing an affordable housing pilot fund, designating Bloomington as a B City USA affiliate, and introducing two ordinances related to fiber connectivity.

Consent Calendar

  • Unanimously approved minutes from February 5, 2025, April 16, 2025, and July 16, 2025 (corrected from July 7).
  • Unanimously appointed Maria Poscama to seat C4 of the Commission on Hispanic and Latina Affairs.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Matthew Austin reported on a food waste pilot at the Taste of Bloomington: 150 pounds of food waste composted, over 300 pounds of usable food reclaimed for Wheeler Mission, Friends Place, and the Shalom Center. He described the model as a "food waste training company" for festivals.
  • An unnamed speaker opposed the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) and a planned fourplex in his neighborhood, arguing residents should have final say. He expressed frustration with top-down decision-making and loss of neighborhood character.
  • Mark Haggerty, a Vietnam veteran and former mayoral candidate, criticized one-party rule, long voting lines, police presence at protests, and rising property taxes. He urged the council to take action on these issues.
  • Christopher MG (Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce) praised the 2026 budget process, supported the mayor's "fix-it-first" approach, and encouraged offset-first spending and clear metrics for new investments.

Discussion Items

  • Bloomington Commission on Sustainability (BCOS) Annual Report – Chair Justin Vassal presented the 2024 report. Highlights:
    • BCOS is a 14-member advisory body promoting holistic sustainability (environmental, social, economic) since 2005.
    • In 2024, they held 9 of 12 regular meetings, welcomed 7 new commissioners, and awarded $7,000 in grants.
    • Projects included: a TerraCycle recycling pilot in the Covenanter neighborhood (follow-on from 2023), a native pollinator garden in Grand View Hills ($1,000), a Canopy Bloomington partnership planting 16 trees with three-year maintenance, a cob bench and pollinator garden at Red Bud Books, and a planned Bokashi composting education project.
    • The commission faced operational challenges (lack of permanent leadership, quorum issues) but strengthened processes by year-end.
    • 2025 priorities: housing and urban agriculture (green building, alternative models, urban aquaculture) and education/coalition building.
  • First Readings – Ordinance 2025-33 (fiber connectivity fund for digital opportunity) and Ordinance 2025-34 (surety bond fund for fiber optics work) were introduced and moved to second reading.
  • Resolution 2025-13 – Affordable Housing Pilot Fund – Controller McClellan explained the fund would hold payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTs) from four apartment complexes (Cambridge Square, Henderson Courts, Country View Apartments, Evergreen Village). About $150,000 in prior payments would be transferred from the general fund. Council members questioned the fund's geographic scope (county vs. city) and the role of council in appropriations. The legal department clarified state code allows county-wide use but city can narrow it via policy. Councilmember Flaherty urged using the funds to promote income diversity in high-opportunity neighborhoods. The resolution was adopted unanimously (7-0).
  • Resolution 2025-14 – B City USA Designation – Presented by the Environmental Commission and Parks & Recreation. Bloomington would become a certified B City USA, recognizing pollinator-friendly practices. Requirements include hosting outreach events, installing a sign, submitting an annual report, and paying a $400 annual fee (from EC budget). The city already meets many criteria through existing programs (native plantings, invasive species removal, integrated pest management). Council members expressed support and asked about data on pollinator health, collaboration with other designations (Bird City, Tree City), and community engagement. The resolution passed unanimously (7-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes approved (unanimous, 7-0).
  • Appointment of Maria Poscama to Commission on Hispanic and Latina Affairs (unanimous, 7-0).
  • Ordinances 2025-33 and 2025-34 introduced for first reading (unanimous, 7-0 each).
  • Resolution 2025-13 (Affordable Housing Pilot Fund) adopted (unanimous, 7-0).
  • Resolution 2025-14 (B City USA Designation) adopted (unanimous, 7-0).
  • Next council deliberation session will be held on September 11, 2025, featuring a community conversation on housing experience and needs.
  • The Committee on Council Processes will meet on September 8, 2025, at 12:15 PM in the Allison Conference Room.

Meeting Transcript

Seeing that we now have quorum, I'm gonna go ahead and call this uh meeting of the Bloomington Common Council to order here on September 3rd, 2025. Will the clerk please call the roll? Yes, Councilmember Flaherty. Here. Rev. Here. Ralo. Here. Pete Montsmith. Here. Stasberg? Here. Daily? Here. Sari. Present. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Two things of note. I do like to start off meetings with some uh something interesting and historical and uh relevant as I can do it. So I have two things to talk about tonight. Uh first, I want to recognize that Labor Day was this past Monday. Um Labor Day was uh created by an act of Congress, making it a legal holiday in June of 1894, uh, right after some massive worker riots as a way to try to repair connections with American workers. Uh the labor movement and labor unions grew vocal during those 1800s when manufacturing and the industrial revolution began really taking off. And at that time, the average American worked 12 hour days, seven days a week in order to make a basic living, and children as young as five or six worked in mills and factories and mines. Working conditions were unsafe and unsanitary. So I want to recognize the labor unions and the workforce working together and how they fought for fair wages and safe working conditions and reasonable hours, um, getting to today's 40-hour, five-day work week, which is like some kind of ideal, which still is not met in a lot of ways. Um, but I want to recognize the how hard unions have fought and continue to fight even while some uh power is being stripped of unions and negotiating. Uh the state of Indiana actually changed rules around uh teacher unions and what they can negotiate about last year, um but in other places workers are are banding together to try to increase their wages and improve their working conditions and creating unions in places like Starbucks and Amazon and Kroger recently signed a new um uh contract with unions. So just wanted to take a minute to recognize Labor Day. And then secondly, uh speaking of service and labor, I want to take a moment to recognize the passing of Pat Williams this morning and her commitment to the city of Bloomington. Pat was the longest serving Bloomington City Clerk, serving from 1982 to 1999, and recognition to her service is evident through the city, including on a plaque right outside of these chambers. She was dedicated to her role and to her community, also serving as Monroe County Democratic Party Chair. So if you could please join me in a moment of silence in remembering Pat and the contribution that she made to Bloomington. Now we will continue on with our meeting here tonight. Uh on our agenda tonight are three sets of minutes for approval. Um and as a note, uh slightly modified versions of those were of two of them were sent out this afternoon. Uh after minutes, we will have reports first from council members and then from the mayor of city mayor and city offices, where we will hear a report from the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability. Then we will hear from council committees, though I do not believe that we have any council committee reports this evening. Uh last in reports is reports from the public, and that will be the first opportunity for public comment this evening. If there are any members of the public wishing to comment on items not on the agenda, that is the time for that. Um after reports, we will have appointments to boards and commissions, and I do believe that we have uh an appointment to make. Then we will have two pieces of legislation for first reading, ordinance 2025 33 to establish the fiber connectivity fund for digital opportunity initiatives, and then ordinance 2025 34 to establish a fund for the proceeds of the surety bond related to the fiber optics network work. Then we will move on to uh legislation for second readings and resolutions. We will start with resolution 2025 13 to establish the Affordable Housing Pilot Fund for the City of Bloomington, and then we will have resolution 2025 14 regarding designated Bloomington as a B city USA affiliate. After those resolutions, we will have an additional period of public comment. So if anybody um decides at the end of the meeting that they would like to comment on an item not on the agenda, that is another opportunity to do so. And you can uh just comment during one of those two periods of general public comment. There will, of course, also be public comment related to the resolutions this evening.

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TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
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