The City of Bloomington’s engineering department will receive extra general obligations bond funding after a city council vote Wednesday that awarded the department almost $3.8 million.
GO bonds allow the city to take on long-term debt and avoid spending cash. The city has already taken out $11 million in bonds this year and has a remaining debt ceiling of $17 million for 2024.
According to the meeting agenda, the bonds will be used for the following:
- Community traffic calming projects
- Crosswalk safety improvements
- Curb ramps
- Traffic signal modernization, including at the intersection of Rogers Street and West Kirkwood Avenue and South Walnut Street and Grimes Lane
- Projects included in the Bloomington Transportation Plan/Safe Streets For All Plan
Councilmembers Dave Rollo and Andy Ruff both voted against the resolution that proposed the bonds, finding the plans for the money too vague. Rollo said he could not support the resolution because the council would not “have a final say” about the specific usage of the funds.
“It’s really not enough to refer to plans, because they can be wildly interpreted,” Rollo said.
Ruff said he had concerns about the wording of the proposal.
“I like a lot about this approach with the bonds,” Ruff said. “But I’m just not comfortable with the lack of specificity.”
The city parks and recreation department also received GO bonds totaling $333,500.
Planned uses for the GO bond funds include upgrades to the parks department’s mobile sound system, fence replacement at Willie Streeter Community Garden, roof replacement at Woodlawn Bryan Park Shelter, liner replacement at Bryan Park Pool, acquisition of a seven-passenger van and purchase of a three-fourth ton truck.
The resolution allotted an additional $215,000 for “facilities and improvement projects.”
The council also clarified rules regarding Zoom attendance.
When council members are unable to attend meetings in person, city code allows them to participate online via Zoom. The new resolution, which passed unanimously Wednesday, clarifies the rules about Zoom attendance.
The resolution says five council members must be present at City Hall before any council members are allowed to join on Zoom.
If the council does not meet this quorum within 15 minutes of the scheduled meeting time, the meeting must be canceled or postponed.
Stosberg also used her report time to deliver comments about a failed Historical Preservation Society appointment by the mayor.
The council will meet again at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in City Hall.
