Speaker 1
Hello and welcome to Ask The Mayor on WFIU. I'm Joe Hren. This week, we're at city hall with Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson, Hello and welcome. Hi,
Unknown Speaker
Joe.
Unknown Speaker
How are you?
Kerry Thomson
I'm doing fantastic, good. Yep, I've been busy. Yeah, you're
Unknown Speaker
busy voting.
Kerry Thomson
I voted today. I had the opportunity to go early vote, and I the greatest privilege is to take a first time voter, and my daughter is a first time voter, so my son and daughter went to vote with me today and and that is just a huge thrill to be able to use our voices like that and to see our kids come of age and exercise what we hope will always be a lifelong habit.
Speaker 1
I bet that was a neat moment for you, especially to see your kids vote. It's
Kerry Thomson
really incredible to see your kids vote. And you know, my daughter came with me the day that I registered to declare my candidacy for mayor, and I was able to tell her, I am so scared to do this. I feel like I just have to take a deep breath and go jump, jump over the ledge here. And so now she's voting for candidates that she's met before, many of them and and, you know, we we talk a lot about the research at the at the dinner table. So finally, able to check the boxes and use your voice.
Speaker 1
And obviously, early voting is open. So everybody go vote. That's
Kerry Thomson
right. Early voting is open. It's easy. It was, there was a good stream in there today, but, but they said they were quiet until about 10 o'clock. So go vote. It's easy, and you never know that you might wake up on election day and feel ill or something else. So might as well do it while you can.
Speaker 1
So budget hearings are complete, passed, there was a group of concerned citizens who don't agree with the CIB funding. Is the city county doing any doing everything up to state code, or is there concern, mainly that there just don't agree with the CIB funding?
Kerry Thomson
Oh, we're absolutely doing everything up to state code. That food and beverage tax was approved for the purpose of the convention center. So you know, it's not our city operating budget doesn't is not impacted by the CIB and, and I'm really proud of the cibs work and and of the designs that are coming forward for the new convention center. They're really beautiful.
Speaker 1
It's really moving quickly. As John weichard said for government, it's moving very fast, absolutely,
Kerry Thomson
and that's why we established the CIB, so that they could move a little faster than the speed of government. And, you know, they selected a hotelier this past week and so and so, we hope to have a hotel coming out of the ground before too long as well,
Speaker 1
so that developers Dora hospitality, the next recommendation was to schedule a meeting with the redevelopment commission to talk about that land, that North parcel, known as the Bunger and Robertson city wanted 7 million for that is that beginning negotiations. Have you heard anything?
Kerry Thomson
Well, we will. We are going to tee Dora up to meet with the redevelopment commission. And we imagine that Dora is going to have, you know, some requests for the city or the county or, you know, some requests, this is a major economic development project, really, to have a hotel this scale supporting the convention center. We're really excited about it. I'm excited Dora was the pick, because they're, they're really well equipped to to build a great product for Bloomington and and something that we really, I think, need. And so we will. We'll negotiate with them in good faith. The last appraisals did come in at about $7 million for all of the parcels together there, right?
Speaker 1
I think they're from Indianapolis too, aren't they? Dora, they're based out of parsley, yeah. And John is John Weikart, the president of the CIB, has said this. I know we talked about this a few months ago too. CIB is not charged with parking. They're charged with the expansion, yes, and I know you mentioned this in CIB government meeting a few weeks ago as well, but it's not an issue that maybe the city The hotel is going to have to work on.
Kerry Thomson
Yeah. Well, one of the things that we really liked about the Dora proposal is that they're going to take advantage, advantage of the natural fall, the Grade, Grade fall of the land there, and do some underground parking. So that is really best practice these days. Of course, it's a hard best practice to achieve in Bloomington, which is, you know, the limestone capital of the world, but in a place where we really have a natural grade fall, having parking below grade is an ideal situation. So they'll be providing some parking.
Speaker 1
Terre Hautes, Rose home and innovation Grove, groundbreaking happened. I see ellisville is looking at a tech Park. Bloomington trades district Technology Center is enclosed. You can start to see some of those final touches. What's next for the tech park right here in your backyard, right?
Kerry Thomson
So we also have a hotel deal there, as we talked about earlier this year. Tech Week is coming. So that's on, starts on November 18, and we're really excited about that. And that forge building, which is the tech building that you're talking about, will be complete for that week, and dedicated that week, getting tenants in there and getting them leased out is one of the priorities. But we also, because of the CCC grant that Lilly has provided we will be we anticipate transferring the balance of the property of trades district over to over to the trades district management from the RDC. That really creates a shovel ready situation, so that John Fernandez, who of course, is heading up the trades District Development. Can do what he does best and and find the appropriate tenants for the forge, but also really start to look at who else belongs in trades and start to attract those partners.
Speaker 1
Have there been any plans come out of that of the hotel? We see any renderings of that yet, or is that still too early?
Kerry Thomson
I haven't seen any renderings yet, but they're they, they are moving with the initial steps of that hotel.
Speaker 1
I heard this. I don't know if it's true or not, or if you can help shed some light that IU is looking at taking over the trades district.
Kerry Thomson
The IU is not looking at taking over the trades district. However, the CCC grant builds a bridge that's a very direct bridge between IU and some of the commercialization that they want to do and the trades district. So they will be more heavily supporting the trades district through participation and partnership. So
Speaker 1
what does that look like from IU what kind of effects are you hoping or impact that would have on the trades history?
Kerry Thomson
Yeah, so the provost, Raul Srivastava has been very hands on as well as Russ mumper is very, very engaged with John Fernandez and Pat east over at the mill and and we're really looking for faculty, but also startups that can sort of partner with the research that's coming out of IU. But the IU will not be taking over the trades district. They're just a critical partner, and that's a really natural partnership to have, and one that I would argue we should have had a while ago. We have a research one university. Here it is, you know, one of our greatest assets, if not our greatest asset, and the kind of commercialization that they're looking at in their 2030 plan really needs a home off campus as well as on campus. And so getting the folks from crane and the folks that are trying to support the work at crane contractors and startups to have a place that's off campus and that has meeting spaces and labs and everything else that's needed. That's the vision for the trades district. So it's it's moving pretty quickly now and and we have some real teeth in the in the partnership with IU.
Speaker 1
So something I saw we reported in the budget was annexation funding. And I think people just going to want to know, what's that for
Kerry Thomson
the seven year? Yeah, so the annexation funding this coming year is really we have an active appeal now. So we're we're in that process, and so we just need to keep that moving. And I just want to say to those who are listening or watching that I am really eager to talk to folks about their views on annexation, on ways that we might be able to make it more palatable, and ways that the city can really be responsive to residents. The research is very clear. Yeah, the cities with no elasticity actually end up with much higher poverty rates and and as a whole, the county ends up, if you can provide some elasticity to the city, the county ends up prospering as well as the city. And so I am, you know, one of my top concerns is, is people living in poverty, but also the overall economic welfare of our region.
Speaker 1
So something, I think maybe you can confirm, the appeals court now has all the exhibits into evidence from the bench trial that was back in May.
Kerry Thomson
My understanding, unless you've gotten an update since, since I have, is that we're still waiting on some transcripts. That's correct, yes. And so, so that is still holding that up.
Speaker 1
And there are two appeals. There's still, there's the one over the constitutionality as well, that's right. And but, and so there's not much more you can do, right? You're pretty much waiting for the courts to take all this information and present a ruling which could take, what a year? Yes,
Kerry Thomson
we anticipate, maybe next spring, we might hear something back.
Speaker 1
Is the city still working on any type of annexation plan? Well,
Kerry Thomson
importantly, if we're appealing this case, then it has to go, go forward with the set as it was. So there's no changes to be made in that however, we've had several folks come to us wanting to do voluntary annexation, and if they're not in one a or 1b we are talking to them and starting the process of what is needed to put together voluntary annexation, and
Speaker 1
that would have to come after the Appeals ruling has been issued, is
Kerry Thomson
that no, not necessarily, okay, is my understanding? Yes, unless, if you're in one A and 1b We're not touching those right now. Okay,
Speaker 1
okay, that's what I was getting at. Yeah. Okay, okay, so this kind of brings up another question I had, because the jail preferred site by the Chamber is out at that Vernal pike. Some residents there oppose it. The county was looking at the North Park land could be a great commercial area for the future. So, but the issue with the vernal Pike is the water sewer. It's not annexed. So what would they have to do to get city water sewer if they want to build a jail there,
Kerry Thomson
right? Well, that's not the only issue that is the commissioners are talking about right now is as that not being their top choice, but we've been really clear we're eager to partner, and it's really a pretty simple and straightforward process. If they voluntarily annex they get city sewer and water. That's as easy as it comes, and we are an eager partner to work with them and make the jail a success in whatever we way we need to.
Speaker 1
I see the city of Bloomington will hold a public event to provide an update on the planned well neighborhood, neighborhood development, Wednesday, October 23 but it's being sorry. Okay, I'm combining two questions. I'm going to edit that part out. I see the city is holding a public event to provide update on the planned Hopewell neighborhood. And if you, boy, if you if you drive by there, you can see a lot of things are happening right now. Can you give us a little preview of what's going on? Sure,
Kerry Thomson
well, we're, we're completing the work on the park, of course, and, and the infrastructure is still continuing to to go in and and then, as as has always been, the plan, we will be putting out RFPs for different segments of Hopewell, and so we'll talk about that in more detail next week. And I'm really encouraging the public to come. Think it's from five to 630, or 530 to seven, I'm not sure, but it is. It's next Wednesday, and so we're eager to answer questions and and provide some updates. It's exciting though, that park is really coming together,
Speaker 1
and there is a, some sort of a, we'll call it, a site plan for that area. Is that what the city will be following, or is there still room for change?
Kerry Thomson
Well, so there's what's called a master plan, and so that's sort of the overall vision of what could happen in a place, the layout, the street layout, and some of the plats now have been recorded, and so that really locks in, essentially where the infrastructure goes and anticipates what will be placed there. But we've intentionally left some flexibility and hope, well, this is not just a neighborhood. It's our city's neighborhood. This is ours. It's ours to develop. And it's it's got, you know, public art and walkability and access to resources and and really, lots of the elements that we all want if. Our quality of place are all right there in Hopewell, a park even. So we're excited about the development.
Speaker 1
And does that need a lot of funding from the city to be able to get that going? Well,
Kerry Thomson
we've already, we've already put together a considerable amount of funding, both in the form of so ROI, for instance, it has invested some ready dollars. The city has also put in some other grant dollars that we've been able to access and and now is the time that we'll ask developers to come to the table and and see what kind of what their neighborhood's going to look like?
Speaker 1
Speaking of meetings, you're a whole having a traveling town meeting too, but it's different because you're you've divided it into two different types of meetings. Can you describe what that's going to be for residents that want to come talk to
Kerry Thomson
you? Sure? Yes. So we have sort of a double town hall. They're both the same kind of meeting, but the first one is in English, and the second one is really targeted to our Spanish speaking neighbors, and that's going to be at sherwood oaks church, and they're back to back with two different sets of council members. And I may be mistaken or overestimating his fluency, but councilmember, sorry, is joining me for the Spanish speaking Town Hall. And if he's not fluent, he's pretty much fluent in Spanish.
Speaker 1
That's all the time I had. I know we're really short on time, but I was gonna leave that last minute to you. What else would you like to announce,
Kerry Thomson
yeah, I think that I just, I just want to remind folks, we do our best to keep construction just during the summer months, when we have a lower population, we have a lot going on, still on college and walnut, those are repaving projects combined with our sidewalk and ADA accessibility work. So thank you for your patience on that we will get them as moved to the side as we can for homecoming weekend. We are thrilled that IU football is winning, and love that that is bringing in all of the tourists that we could possibly handle for several weekends in a row. So go IU football and go Bloomington, thanks for being such a great service industry to our tourists.
Speaker 1
Thank you.
Hello and welcome to Ask The Mayor on WFIU. I'm Joe Hren. This week, we're at city hall with Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson, Hello and welcome. Hi,
Unknown Speaker
Joe.
Unknown Speaker
How are you?
Kerry Thomson
I'm doing fantastic, good. Yep, I've been busy. Yeah, you're
Unknown Speaker
busy voting.
Kerry Thomson
I voted today. I had the opportunity to go early vote, and I the greatest privilege is to take a first time voter, and my daughter is a first time voter, so my son and daughter went to vote with me today and and that is just a huge thrill to be able to use our voices like that and to see our kids come of age and exercise what we hope will always be a lifelong habit.
Speaker 1
I bet that was a neat moment for you, especially to see your kids vote. It's
Kerry Thomson
really incredible to see your kids vote. And you know, my daughter came with me the day that I registered to declare my candidacy for mayor, and I was able to tell her, I am so scared to do this. I feel like I just have to take a deep breath and go jump, jump over the ledge here. And so now she's voting for candidates that she's met before, many of them and and, you know, we we talk a lot about the research at the at the dinner table. So finally, able to check the boxes and use your voice.
Speaker 1
And obviously, early voting is open. So everybody go vote. That's
Kerry Thomson
right. Early voting is open. It's easy. It was, there was a good stream in there today, but, but they said they were quiet until about 10 o'clock. So go vote. It's easy, and you never know that you might wake up on election day and feel ill or something else. So might as well do it while you can.
Speaker 1
So budget hearings are complete, passed, there was a group of concerned citizens who don't agree with the CIB funding. Is the city county doing any doing everything up to state code, or is there concern, mainly that there just don't agree with the CIB funding?
Kerry Thomson
Oh, we're absolutely doing everything up to state code. That food and beverage tax was approved for the purpose of the convention center. So you know, it's not our city operating budget doesn't is not impacted by the CIB and, and I'm really proud of the cibs work and and of the designs that are coming forward for the new convention center. They're really beautiful.
Speaker 1
It's really moving quickly. As John weichard said for government, it's moving very fast, absolutely,
Kerry Thomson
and that's why we established the CIB, so that they could move a little faster than the speed of government. And, you know, they selected a hotelier this past week and so and so, we hope to have a hotel coming out of the ground before too long as well,
Speaker 1
so that developers Dora hospitality, the next recommendation was to schedule a meeting with the redevelopment commission to talk about that land, that North parcel, known as the Bunger and Robertson city wanted 7 million for that is that beginning negotiations. Have you heard anything?
Kerry Thomson
Well, we will. We are going to tee Dora up to meet with the redevelopment commission. And we imagine that Dora is going to have, you know, some requests for the city or the county or, you know, some requests, this is a major economic development project, really, to have a hotel this scale supporting the convention center. We're really excited about it. I'm excited Dora was the pick, because they're, they're really well equipped to to build a great product for Bloomington and and something that we really, I think, need. And so we will. We'll negotiate with them in good faith. The last appraisals did come in at about $7 million for all of the parcels together there, right?
Speaker 1
I think they're from Indianapolis too, aren't they? Dora, they're based out of parsley, yeah. And John is John Weikart, the president of the CIB, has said this. I know we talked about this a few months ago too. CIB is not charged with parking. They're charged with the expansion, yes, and I know you mentioned this in CIB government meeting a few weeks ago as well, but it's not an issue that maybe the city The hotel is going to have to work on.
Kerry Thomson
Yeah. Well, one of the things that we really liked about the Dora proposal is that they're going to take advantage, advantage of the natural fall, the Grade, Grade fall of the land there, and do some underground parking. So that is really best practice these days. Of course, it's a hard best practice to achieve in Bloomington, which is, you know, the limestone capital of the world, but in a place where we really have a natural grade fall, having parking below grade is an ideal situation. So they'll be providing some parking.
Speaker 1
Terre Hautes, Rose home and innovation Grove, groundbreaking happened. I see ellisville is looking at a tech Park. Bloomington trades district Technology Center is enclosed. You can start to see some of those final touches. What's next for the tech park right here in your backyard, right?
Kerry Thomson
So we also have a hotel deal there, as we talked about earlier this year. Tech Week is coming. So that's on, starts on November 18, and we're really excited about that. And that forge building, which is the tech building that you're talking about, will be complete for that week, and dedicated that week, getting tenants in there and getting them leased out is one of the priorities. But we also, because of the CCC grant that Lilly has provided we will be we anticipate transferring the balance of the property of trades district over to over to the trades district management from the RDC. That really creates a shovel ready situation, so that John Fernandez, who of course, is heading up the trades District Development. Can do what he does best and and find the appropriate tenants for the forge, but also really start to look at who else belongs in trades and start to attract those partners.
Speaker 1
Have there been any plans come out of that of the hotel? We see any renderings of that yet, or is that still too early?
Kerry Thomson
I haven't seen any renderings yet, but they're they, they are moving with the initial steps of that hotel.
Speaker 1
I heard this. I don't know if it's true or not, or if you can help shed some light that IU is looking at taking over the trades district.
Kerry Thomson
The IU is not looking at taking over the trades district. However, the CCC grant builds a bridge that's a very direct bridge between IU and some of the commercialization that they want to do and the trades district. So they will be more heavily supporting the trades district through participation and partnership. So
Speaker 1
what does that look like from IU what kind of effects are you hoping or impact that would have on the trades history?
Kerry Thomson
Yeah, so the provost, Raul Srivastava has been very hands on as well as Russ mumper is very, very engaged with John Fernandez and Pat east over at the mill and and we're really looking for faculty, but also startups that can sort of partner with the research that's coming out of IU. But the IU will not be taking over the trades district. They're just a critical partner, and that's a really natural partnership to have, and one that I would argue we should have had a while ago. We have a research one university. Here it is, you know, one of our greatest assets, if not our greatest asset, and the kind of commercialization that they're looking at in their 2030 plan really needs a home off campus as well as on campus. And so getting the folks from crane and the folks that are trying to support the work at crane contractors and startups to have a place that's off campus and that has meeting spaces and labs and everything else that's needed. That's the vision for the trades district. So it's it's moving pretty quickly now and and we have some real teeth in the in the partnership with IU.
Speaker 1
So something I saw we reported in the budget was annexation funding. And I think people just going to want to know, what's that for
Kerry Thomson
the seven year? Yeah, so the annexation funding this coming year is really we have an active appeal now. So we're we're in that process, and so we just need to keep that moving. And I just want to say to those who are listening or watching that I am really eager to talk to folks about their views on annexation, on ways that we might be able to make it more palatable, and ways that the city can really be responsive to residents. The research is very clear. Yeah, the cities with no elasticity actually end up with much higher poverty rates and and as a whole, the county ends up, if you can provide some elasticity to the city, the county ends up prospering as well as the city. And so I am, you know, one of my top concerns is, is people living in poverty, but also the overall economic welfare of our region.
Speaker 1
So something, I think maybe you can confirm, the appeals court now has all the exhibits into evidence from the bench trial that was back in May.
Kerry Thomson
My understanding, unless you've gotten an update since, since I have, is that we're still waiting on some transcripts. That's correct, yes. And so, so that is still holding that up.
Speaker 1
And there are two appeals. There's still, there's the one over the constitutionality as well, that's right. And but, and so there's not much more you can do, right? You're pretty much waiting for the courts to take all this information and present a ruling which could take, what a year? Yes,
Kerry Thomson
we anticipate, maybe next spring, we might hear something back.
Speaker 1
Is the city still working on any type of annexation plan? Well,
Kerry Thomson
importantly, if we're appealing this case, then it has to go, go forward with the set as it was. So there's no changes to be made in that however, we've had several folks come to us wanting to do voluntary annexation, and if they're not in one a or 1b we are talking to them and starting the process of what is needed to put together voluntary annexation, and
Speaker 1
that would have to come after the Appeals ruling has been issued, is
Kerry Thomson
that no, not necessarily, okay, is my understanding? Yes, unless, if you're in one A and 1b We're not touching those right now. Okay,
Speaker 1
okay, that's what I was getting at. Yeah. Okay, okay, so this kind of brings up another question I had, because the jail preferred site by the Chamber is out at that Vernal pike. Some residents there oppose it. The county was looking at the North Park land could be a great commercial area for the future. So, but the issue with the vernal Pike is the water sewer. It's not annexed. So what would they have to do to get city water sewer if they want to build a jail there,
Kerry Thomson
right? Well, that's not the only issue that is the commissioners are talking about right now is as that not being their top choice, but we've been really clear we're eager to partner, and it's really a pretty simple and straightforward process. If they voluntarily annex they get city sewer and water. That's as easy as it comes, and we are an eager partner to work with them and make the jail a success in whatever we way we need to.
Speaker 1
I see the city of Bloomington will hold a public event to provide an update on the planned well neighborhood, neighborhood development, Wednesday, October 23 but it's being sorry. Okay, I'm combining two questions. I'm going to edit that part out. I see the city is holding a public event to provide update on the planned Hopewell neighborhood. And if you, boy, if you if you drive by there, you can see a lot of things are happening right now. Can you give us a little preview of what's going on? Sure,
Kerry Thomson
well, we're, we're completing the work on the park, of course, and, and the infrastructure is still continuing to to go in and and then, as as has always been, the plan, we will be putting out RFPs for different segments of Hopewell, and so we'll talk about that in more detail next week. And I'm really encouraging the public to come. Think it's from five to 630, or 530 to seven, I'm not sure, but it is. It's next Wednesday, and so we're eager to answer questions and and provide some updates. It's exciting though, that park is really coming together,
Speaker 1
and there is a, some sort of a, we'll call it, a site plan for that area. Is that what the city will be following, or is there still room for change?
Kerry Thomson
Well, so there's what's called a master plan, and so that's sort of the overall vision of what could happen in a place, the layout, the street layout, and some of the plats now have been recorded, and so that really locks in, essentially where the infrastructure goes and anticipates what will be placed there. But we've intentionally left some flexibility and hope, well, this is not just a neighborhood. It's our city's neighborhood. This is ours. It's ours to develop. And it's it's got, you know, public art and walkability and access to resources and and really, lots of the elements that we all want if. Our quality of place are all right there in Hopewell, a park even. So we're excited about the development.
Speaker 1
And does that need a lot of funding from the city to be able to get that going? Well,
Kerry Thomson
we've already, we've already put together a considerable amount of funding, both in the form of so ROI, for instance, it has invested some ready dollars. The city has also put in some other grant dollars that we've been able to access and and now is the time that we'll ask developers to come to the table and and see what kind of what their neighborhood's going to look like?
Speaker 1
Speaking of meetings, you're a whole having a traveling town meeting too, but it's different because you're you've divided it into two different types of meetings. Can you describe what that's going to be for residents that want to come talk to
Kerry Thomson
you? Sure? Yes. So we have sort of a double town hall. They're both the same kind of meeting, but the first one is in English, and the second one is really targeted to our Spanish speaking neighbors, and that's going to be at sherwood oaks church, and they're back to back with two different sets of council members. And I may be mistaken or overestimating his fluency, but councilmember, sorry, is joining me for the Spanish speaking Town Hall. And if he's not fluent, he's pretty much fluent in Spanish.
Speaker 1
That's all the time I had. I know we're really short on time, but I was gonna leave that last minute to you. What else would you like to announce,
Kerry Thomson
yeah, I think that I just, I just want to remind folks, we do our best to keep construction just during the summer months, when we have a lower population, we have a lot going on, still on college and walnut, those are repaving projects combined with our sidewalk and ADA accessibility work. So thank you for your patience on that we will get them as moved to the side as we can for homecoming weekend. We are thrilled that IU football is winning, and love that that is bringing in all of the tourists that we could possibly handle for several weekends in a row. So go IU football and go Bloomington, thanks for being such a great service industry to our tourists.
Speaker 1
Thank you.
