By:  Diane Benjamin

The main job of government is to protect the liberty of its citizens.  We EXPECT spending for public safety like Police and Fire.  Monday night the police finally get some help.

The City of Bloomington found $55,100 to update the police training facility.  This facility was allowed to become unusable because it wasn’t a priority.  In 2014 four roofs were replaced.  In 2015 lead abatement and mold remediation were completed.  This money isn’t going to build anything, the project will be ready to go after this work is done.

Currently the police can not train indoors.  Pictures of how the City allowed this facility to fall into disrepair are included in the packet:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11442  See PDF page 625

From PDF page 633:

This will allow the Police Department to then utilize the $200,000.00 already approved in current fiscal year to re‐establish an appropriate training facility by:
• Expansion of the indoor firing range building to accommodate
• Restrooms (currently non existent)
• Restore running water (currently non existent)
• Installation of HVAC
• Restore Septic System
• Replace windows
• Replace drywall
• Other miscellaneous

This note is included:

The documentation also states the Council has spent $130,000 on the facility so far.

With another $200,000 the total will be $330,000.

The City wastes more than that on just a couple consultants!

Maybe if somebody had checked the Coliseum concession reports, they could have found money before this vital community service became unusable.

Congrats on finally fixing it.  Now make money from other agencies renting use to them.

(I hope this work isn’t on the agenda because Tari got huge contributions from the police union last election!)