Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton delivers remarks at his final State of the City address on Feb. 23, 2023.
(Courtesy of City of Bloomington)
Bloomington is well-positioned for success once new leaders assume office next year, Mayor John Hamilton said Thursday night in his annual State of the City address.
“The state of our city is very strong and ready for the future, and there’s more to come in 2023,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said the next mayor’s administration should focus on four key areas: climate action, quality of life, affordable housing and public health.
He said there has been momentum on the first three of those items but said the city and county are “deplorably lacking” when it comes to public health — particularly in its criminal justice institutions.
“Indiana is near rock bottom in the nation for investments in public health,” Hamilton said. “We generally lack adequate access to health care, doctors and direct services. We have to respond to all this locally with all that we can, relying extensively on our county government’s primary leadership role in public health. We cannot wait for the state to save us.”
Hamilton was referring in part to ongoing problems at the Monroe County Jail, which Monroe County Sheriff Ruben Marté has repeatedly emphasized since taking office earlier this year.
Hamilton also called for further investments in mental health services and homelessness relief.
“We are moving forward, but the calamities and suffering we often see in our streets are only in part, a housing issue,” Hamilton said. “Primarily, we are in the midst of a public health emergency in our community.”
He continued, “I challenge us in our highly over-incarcerated country and state: imagine if for every new dollar we propose to invest in needed jail and jail-related services, we also invest a new dollar or more in prevention and pre- and post-incarceration services and facilities.”
Hamilton’s major announcement of the evening was an upcoming partnership between the city’s utility department and the Monroe County Solid Waste District to study a major potential waste-to-energy project.
He provided few details during his address but teased the possibility of a facility to reduce methane gas at the Dillman Road Wastewater Treatment Plant. The facility could possibly generate enough heat and electricity to operate the plant, which would address several items on the city’s sustainability and climate action plans, according to Hamilton.
Hamilton touched on another point in his vision for Bloomington’s future: that it will not come automatically.
“We are lucky to live in such a great small city, no doubt — but there are lots of great cities to live in,” Hamilton said. “We can’t be too proud and too self-congratulatory. We’re a terrific place to be, but we’re not unique.”
One recent major change under Hamilton’s watch came just last month, when members of city council voted in favor of his plan to rehouse Bloomington police headquarters and fire department administration into the downtown Showers building. Hamilton has hailed the initiative as an investment in the future of public safety.
Other items Hamilton cited as victories for his administration include a housing assistance program for first responders; a planned tri-county climate collaboration initiative; the launch of a new capital improvements nonprofit to focus on arts, technology and the Hopewell neighborhood; and the installation of fiber optic cable throughout the city.
Hamilton began his term in January 2016 with a focus on affordable housing, jobs and climate action. He noted the nation’s shifting political landscape in the years since, emphasizing how quickly change can happen.
But change can be unpopular, and traditions can hinder progress, Hamilton said. Much of the change he said he’d like to see will have to be community-led, and sometimes without support.
“State government is unlikely to help enough,” Hamilton said. “Indeed, we can expect they may impede or oppose some of our efforts.”
He quoted Cook Medical President Pete Yonkman when he said at Gov. Eric Holcomb’s visit last week to the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce: “We can’t sit around and wait for the governor, and for the state of Indiana, to solve our problems and our challenges in our communities.”
Hamilton agreed with Yonkman’s statement. He also said it is unlikely in the next 20 to 30 years for the federal government to provide the level of assistance the Biden administration has given through the American Rescue Plan Act.
However, he said Bloomington’s potential in the next five to seven years is promising, depending on how city leadership utilizes that assistance.
“America is always full of possibilities; same for Bloomington,” Hamilton said.
