Bloomington Common Council Regular Session – October 1, 2025
Bloomington Common Council Regular Session – October 1, 2025
The Bloomington Common Council held a regular session on October 1, 2025, with seven members present (a quorum). The meeting began with a point of interest regarding Yom Kippur, followed by council member reports, a special fiscal committee discussion on elected official salaries, appointments to boards and commissions, first readings of four ordinances, and second readings and votes on several key items including a stadium district naming, water rate adjustments, and bond authorizations. Public comments were heard on multiple agenda items.
Reports from Council Members
- Councilmember Rosenberger reported on recent violent incidents: the murder of Sean Sullivan on Friday night near downtown, an assault on an unhoused individual named Bobby, and the third anniversary of Nate Stratton’s death. She offered condolences and noted GoFundMe campaigns for funeral and dental expenses.
- Councilmember Zuleck announced her election as chair of the Food and Beverage Tax Advisory Committee (FABTAC) for the coming year.
- Councilmember Rallo discussed deer-vehicle collisions, noting over 100 annually in Monroe County, and advocated for deer management, including revisiting birth control options, to reduce collisions and tick-borne diseases.
- Councilmember Piedmont Smith read a statement on violence against unhoused individuals, citing national data and the recent local attacks, and also noted the passing of Barry Lessow, former United Way director, with a tribute from Community Kitchen.
- Council President Stasberg gave a personal report on childhood vaccinations, emphasizing the importance of risk assessment and noting potential public health catastrophes from reduced herd immunity.
Special Fiscal Committee Report and Discussion on Elected Official Salaries
Councilmember Piedmont Smith, chair of the Special Fiscal Committee, opened a discussion on setting salaries for elected officials for 2026. The committee reviewed last year’s ad hoc salary committee recommendations and sought full council input. Councilmember Daly expressed discomfort with increases given budget constraints from SB1 and federal funding cuts. Councilmember Rosenbarger noted the prior research and consultant work that was dismissed, and asked for clarity on the mayor’s support. Council President Stasberg agreed to place the item on the October 22nd regular session agenda for further discussion. A potential special session was also suggested but not finalized.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Kevin Keel (public comment on salaries): Suggested that elected official compensation be benchmarked to 50% of median household income for Bloomington ($50,156 per BEDC), with the mayor at four times that.
- On Resolution 2025-18 (Stadium District):
- Sarah Alexander (Maple Heights resident): Objected to the inclusion of residential areas, concerned it would encourage short-term rentals and undermine neighborhood identity.
- Greg Alexander (Maple Heights resident): Argued the naming ignores residents and the need for safer pedestrian corridors; called for a road diet on College/Walnut.
- Chris Strumjree (Chamber of Commerce): Supported the district as a no-cost marketing tool to harness IU athletics for economic development, especially in light of SB1.
- Aubrey Williams (co-founder of Heartwork Brewing): Supported the district as a way to unite businesses and improve visibility, noting the need for liquor license reform to allow family-friendly establishments.
- Gabriel Holbrow (city employee, Maple Heights resident): Requested the removal of Maple Heights from the map to preserve the neighborhood’s historic identity.
- Mike McAfee (Visit Bloomington): Urged approval, noting the district would help market hotels during slow tourism months.
- Casey Green (Maple Heights resident): Criticized the double speak that naming is powerful yet claimed to have no impact; worried about aligning with IU’s brand and losing local character.
- On Ordinance 2025-35 (Water Rate Adjustment):
- Chris Frimbury (Chamber of Commerce): Expressed concerns about the 50% increase for commercial/industrial customers, urging a more gradual approach to avoid sudden shocks.
- Additional Public Comment: A block party announcement was read: a block party at Butler Park on October 25th after a tree planting, with food trucks and live music.
Discussion Items
- Resolution 2025-17 (Reinitiating UDO Amendment on Affordability Incentives): Councilmember Stasberg presented the third initiation of this resolution to request the Plan Commission to modify affordability incentive eligibility and PUD standards. The Plan Commission had twice failed to act. Director Hiddle apologized, stating safeguards are now in place. The resolution passed 7-0.
- Resolution 2025-18 (Stadium District Naming): Councilmember Stasberg and Director Cooper Smith presented the proposal to name the area around Miller Showers Park as the “Stadium District” for economic development and marketing purposes. Boundaries include commercial and some residential areas. Extensive council discussion ensued regarding impacts on neighborhoods, short-term rentals, and the separate liquor license program. Councilmember Rosenbarger expressed support but wanted more neighborhood consultation; Councilmember Sari raised concerns about process and map boundaries. A motion to postpone to October 22nd passed 6-0.
- Ordinance 2025-35 (Water Rate Adjustment): Director of Utilities Catherine Zager, Jennifer Wilson (Crow), and Danica Katz (Stantec) presented a 30.5% overall revenue increase to fund an $84 million capital improvement plan, including $54 million in bonds. Residential rates would rise about 19.8%, commercial/industrial about 42%, and irrigation up to 122% (capped at 4x the overall increase). The increase is needed to address deferred maintenance, aging infrastructure, a new service center, and to maintain debt service. Council questioned the rate design, impacts on low-income customers (assistance program improvements described), and the bond issuance. After public comment, the ordinance passed 6-0.
- Ordinance 2025-36 (Waterworks Revenue Bonds): Companion ordinance authorizing up to $71 million in bonds for capital projects described in the rate ordinance. Introduced and read after 10:30 p.m., initially failing on a 4-2 vote (needed 2/3 of all council members, requiring 6 votes). Councilmember Sari moved to reconsider, and upon revote, the motion to introduce passed 6-0. After brief questions and no public comment, the ordinance passed 6-0.
Key Outcomes
- Resolution 2025-17 (UDO Affordability Incentives): Adopted 7-0. Directs the Plan Commission to prepare amendments.
- Resolution 2025-18 (Stadium District): Postponed to October 22, 2025, by a 6-0 vote, to allow map adjustments and further neighborhood engagement.
- Appropriation Ordinance 2025-08 (Fiber Connectivity Fund): Adopted 6-0, transferring $250,000 from general fund to fund low-income housing fiber connections.
- Appropriation Ordinance 2025-09 (Additional Budget Appropriations): Adopted 6-0, covering ITS, engineering reimbursements from IU, and clerk’s office budget transfers.
- Ordinance 2025-35 (Water Rate Adjustment): Adopted 6-0, implementing a 30.5% revenue increase with varying class impacts, pending IURC approval.
- Ordinance 2025-36 (Waterworks Revenue Bonds): Adopted 6-0, authorizing up to $71 million in bonds for capital improvements, also subject to IURC approval.
- Appointments: Three appointments to boards and commissions approved unanimously (voice votes): Drew Heron (Historic Preservation), Lynn Hooker (Arts Commission), Avon Binder (Transportation Commission), and Joshua Brewer (Board of Housing Quality Appeals).
Meeting Transcript
Seeing as we have a quorum, I'll go ahead and call to order this regular session of the Bloomington Common Council on Tuesday, September 30th. Will the clerk please call the roll? Councilmember Rahlow. Here. Piedmont Smith. Here. Stasberg. Here. Daily. Here. Zulik? Here. Rosenbarger. Here. Sorry. Here. Thank you. Great. Thank you. Before I do our agenda summation for this evening, I'm gonna start off the meeting with uh point of interest, which is something I often do or I nearly always do for our regular sessions. Um and tonight I thought it appropriate to remind everyone why we're here oddly on a Tuesday night, because usually our regular sessions occur on Wednesday evenings. Um tomorrow is the first day of the, or sorry, is um the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur. And Yom Kippoor is uh celebrated starting just before sunset on the tenth day of, and I hope I'm saying I'm pronouncing this right, Tishra, um, until just after the following nightfall. And this year it corresponds roughly to October 1st to 2nd. And for those of you who like me don't know anything about the Hebrew calendar, I went down a little rabbit hole uh looking at that today. Um it doesn't follow the solar base Gregorian calendar, um, and so that's why Jewish holidays are not always on the same day of the year. They kind of float in the way that there are several holidays and other cultures that kind of float throughout the year. And um Tishra is actually the first month of the Hebrew calendar. So there's several holidays during this time for that faith tradition. Um and Yom Kippur is considered one of the holiest days of the year and is translated to mean day of atonement. And Yom Kippur is traditionally celebrated by fasting and otherwise abstaining from other physical comforts and going to synagogue and praying for forgiveness and repentance and participating in special religious services during that day. So for any of our community members here in Bloomington who may be celebrating Yom Kippur, may you have a meaningful fast. Then moving on to our agenda summation for the evening. Uh we don't have any minutes for approval, uh, so we will jump right into reports tonight. Uh first we will have reports from council members, uh, then we will have uh the mayor and city offices, and there are no reports from the mayor and city offices this evening, uh council committees where we will have a report from the special fiscal committee and a short conversation about that. Um, and then we will have our first period of reports from the public. So that's the first time that a member of the public uh who wishes to speak tonight can speak to an item not on our agenda, and they'll have three minutes during that period to do so. After reports, we will have appointments to boards and commissions, and we do have some appointments to boards and commissions this evening, and then we will have uh four pieces of legislation for first reading. We will start with ordinance 2025 32, amending Title 20, which is the Unified Development Ordinance regarding uh use table amendment urban agriculture commercial, then we will have ordinance 2025 38, fixing the salaries of officers and employees of police and fire departments for the year 2026, then we'll do first reading for ordinance 2025 39, fixing the salaries of appointed deputies and employees for the Bloomington City Clerk for the year 2026, and then we will wrap up with ordinance 2025 40 to fix the salaries of appointed officers, non-union, non-union and afsme employees for the year 2026. Um after those first readings, which we don't discuss things on first readings, so we'll just read those into the record. We'll have our legislation for second readings and resolutions. These are items that will be discussed and potentially voted on this evening. Uh we'll start with resolution 2025 17 reinitiating a proposal to amend Title 20, um, which is the UDO regarding uh uh affordability incentives and planned unit developments. Then we'll have resolution 2025 18 uh approving the naming of the stadium district in the area around Miller Showers Park. Uh and then we'll have appropriation ordinance 202508 transferring funds from the general fund to the fiber connectivity fund and then appropriation ordinance 202509 to appropriate general fund expenditures that were not appropriated uh last year. That's kind of a cleanup appropriation because sometimes adjustments have to be made mid year. Uh then we will have ordinance 2025 35 amending Title IX, uh, which is the Bloomington Municipal Code entitled Water, and that is a rate adjustment. And then we'll have ordinance 2025 36 authorizing acquisition construction and installation for certain extensions and improvements to the uh waterworks utility of Bloomington and issuing bonds. After those pieces of uh legislation, we will have an additional period of public comment for items not on the agenda. So if you uh have something else that you would like to share with us that is not on the agenda, um that will be another time to do so, and you may speak at one of those two periods of general public comment.
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