By: Diane Benjamin
3 of the 9 aldermen were absent: Mosley, Danenberger, and Lee.
Bloomington has no idea how many local houses are uninhabitable. The goal now is to find out. Relatively new City employee Cordaryl Patrick – Community Impact & Enhancement Director, gave a presentation starting at 22:00.
I find it hilarious that this line is included:
Government’s boot will be used against property owners to force compliance while City Code is immaterial to elected officials who just want to win elections. Justice isn’t equal.
The number 300 was thrown out as the possible number of delict homes, that’s a far cry from the over 1000 thrown out in previous discussions. Cordaryl Patrick wants 2 lists created: one showing homes that can be rehabbed and one showing homes that need taken down. Sheila Montney urged him to start with plans for some homes instead of waiting until the entire list is complete. Mollie Ward thinks the staff picking up garbage already know where these homes are. They could jot down addresses and save a lot of time. Patrick didn’t seem too open to that idea even though it makes sense. See 1:04:45.
Twice during this discussion the Council had to vote to extend the discussion time. It is a ridiculous practice that distracts from the issue. Your elected officials shouldn’t have time limits or distractions during deliberations.
One question nobody asked: Bloomington doesn’t have house flippers? Nobody wants to rehab houses for a profit? It sounds like the City will be funding this project and using non-profits.
The next presentation was by the Fire department. Roughly 75% of calls are medical. The number of calls for service continues to increase.
One thing that wasn’t discussed was the number of calls Bloomington responds to in Normal. I don’t know if anything has changed since I don’t follow Normal anymore, but Normal was getting paid by Hudson and Towanda to respond to calls. I’ve also heard Normal staffing is way below where it should be. When Bloomington responds to calls in Normal they aren’t available for Bloomington calls.
Bloomington is striving to meet NFPA guidelines for response times. See the slide at 1:13:30. If you live in Normal find out what their response times are. I hear they aren’t close to Bloomington.
Arts and Entertainment also presented. Did you know the goal is to make Bloomington the premier destination for entertainment in Central Illinois? See 1:42:00
This department is responsible for events at the Coliseum and BCPA. The presentation included attendance at both and revenue. See 1:47:25. That slide claims 76% of those attending events came from outside of Bloomington and 21% were from outside Illinois.
Either people in Bloomington can’t afford to attend events or have no interest in events. Bloomington caters to 24% of the population and sends the bills to 100%.
The presentation is supposed to be published online today, that will be easier to read.
No mention was made of taxpayer subsidies. This department probably doesn’t fund itself or that would have been mentioned.
Speaking of derelict buildings, are they looking at the city owned property on Main and Chestnut.
Weeds are flourishing at the old Owens Nursery they bought
The land is owned by the city but the building is owned by IWU.
Another exempt from City Code?
So the new person that the city hired cordaryl was not very open to common sense suggestions about finding property
Go figure another new over paid taxpayer paid employee hired to fix the housing problem is going to find ways to extend the time to find empty homes
He has already sent a message he is not going to listen to anyone
If the city manager had any balls he would terminate this person and find another that is at least open to suggestions about how to perform a task in a timely and efficient way
You wonder why our taxes continue to climb hiring incompetence paid for by my taxes is a another example
Mr. Patrick came to us from Decatur which is where our former director went.
The 1,000 number is related to number of vacant properties, not houses.
I have to disagree Bobbywerk3.
I have a feelin that you didn’t watch the presentation.
If you watched it, it’s not that Cordaryl isn’t open to suggestions. Rather, his team’s responsibility will be to thoroughly assess every property in the city, ensuring that all options are carefully evaluated as part of their job.
Finding empty homes not the problem. There are many more empty homes than the city or private concerns have the financial capacity or desire to take on. He also said he will begin presenting properties and options for those properties this fiscal year. The bottle neck isn’t finding properties it’s the actions need to fix them.
His presentation was a challenge to the council that they need to be prepared to deal with what he finds right away. Fire him? I say more power to him if you ask me.
I thought Cordaryl’s presentation about attacking the city’s blight was VERY good. No nonsense. Common sense. He really appears to know what he’s talking about.
The council is very good at spending money on consultants, making big social engineering plans and wiping their hands of it. Or as Cordaryl said “putting it on the shelf.”
This approach is far and away better that the ridiculous Missing Middle approach that the council seems to be in love with.
This is part of that.
Actually, the “Missing Middle” Plan is from a consulting firm from California whereas the local revitalization will be developed internally.
Where the “programs” are related is the need for some zoning amendments and other tools to stimulate housing development and neighborhood revitalization at scale and sustainable.
Beware of “blight.” Much of Main Street north and south has been defined by the Shitty of Gloomington as blight for many years. Do your own research, maybe your property is also on their radar.
There were a mass of people here for the bands at the fairground. Many of them came from outside the area.
Not a government event. Speaks volumes