By: Diane Benjamin
Below are highlights from the meeting last night:
1)
City Manager Jurgens reported the church that collapsed on E Mulberry was demolished because of the emergency of further collapse. The City hopes to recover the cost from the church’s insurance/congregation. It sounds like nothing could be salvaged because the building was unstable:
.
2)
Cordaryl Patrick talked about how CDBG funds were used. Of course nobody spoke at the public hearing about the new spending plan.
30:57: Abby Scott asked him about spending cuts and how they might affect these funds in the future. After stammering around awhile, Patrick finally stated their paid federal lobbyist doesn’t think they are in danger.
3)
The Market Street garage was on the agenda again. The City is trying to keep it open until other parking becomes available (Front & Center) and Connect Transit is ready to move forward with their transfer station. That should be in 2026. The $80,000 plan doesn’t include repairs, that could be another $150,000. $52,000 of the $80,000 cover monthly inspections. The spending passed, Mollie Ward, Sheila Montney, and Mike Straza voted no.
4)
The Downtown StreetScape is intended to make downtown a destination. See the presentation at 50:45 including pictures. The slide at 54:50 shows how the cost of Phase 1 was reduced. Public Works and Parks employees are going to do some work to save money. Both departments claim they can handle it. How many more temporary employees will need to be hired? Nobody asked. How much work won’t get done because employees have been redirected? Sheila Montney asked.
First see a cheerleader:
Montney is concerned about deferred maintenance. Did you know the seats in the Coliseum are falling apart? Last year it was reported the City still owes roughly $20 million on the building, but the seats will need replaced soon. Everyone knows the roads were deferred for too many years. Over 100 storm inlets are sinking and need repairs. She wants a complete list of deferred maintenance, the Council will likely never see it. See her entire comment at 1:06:00, here’s a clip:
Accepting the new price tag passed unanimously. If you expect better spending of your money, vote for a change.
Entire meeting, note the Pledge of Allegiance is no longer on video.
I’m surprised the Council meeting started on time considering the County Ececutive meeting went beyond 5:40.
The room has to be rearranged and City IT has to be swapped from County IT.
There are usually a few minutes late starting. Maybe everyone was there early for that meeting.
Bloomington keeps wondering why people won’t go downtown. All they can focus on is new things, not fixing or maintaining what they have. The revitalization of downtown is their top priority. How many won’t go downtown due to safety issues, especially at night. And how about The Bridge for the homeless? There is another reason not to visit downtown. How will that look to visitors coming to the area? I found it really sad visiting St. Louis one summer. St. Louis is a beautiful city until you start seeing homeless sleeping in front of businesses and storefronts. I haven’t been back. Maybe things have changed since I was there last. The only thing going on Downtown are BCPA and the bars. The only “tourist” spot is the museum. I heard or saw something about that being on the chopping block but I could be wrong. Then there is the Colliseum that they can’t fill.
What else can the planners plan except the failing downtown? They gotta work too ya know. That said, AI should be able to do that job anyday now. It’s all been working on a handful of templates for decades anyway. Just plug individual information in and wha-la, a “new” plan is born. Good riddance to the politically connected grifters.
The topics of concern for the city are just so vital.