by:  Diane Benjamin

On the agenda for Monday’s Bloomington City Council meeting:

Mayor Renner told me a few months ago that Bloomington taxpayers got stuck with the sewer and streets bill from this subdivision under an agreement negotiated by former City Manager Tom Hamilton.  Evidently it amounted to millions and millions of dollars.

The developer is still building and making money from this project.  Is it too much to ask him to kick in the money since the taxpayers paid for his sewers and roads?

There is a wetlands area between the original development and Benjamin school.  A bridge exists over a stream on the property, the rest of the area is allowed to grow “naturally”.  The “natural” area can flood, it is a low-lying area at the bottom of a large sloping hill.  It doesn’t look like just a simple path can be installed without compensating for possible floods.

Who is going to maintain this path?  Bloomington already borrowed money to maintain roads, is the budget able to maintain a path?  How about snow and ice removal?

I hope the Council doesn’t jump on more “matching funds” just because they can.  Look at the long-term costs and who actually benefits.  The developer sure won’t be hurt by connecting to the school.

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