Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas and Monroe County Council member Peter Iversen at a debate Thursday.
(Lucas González, WFIU/WTIU News)
Democratic candidates for Monroe County Commissioner Peter Iversen and Julie Thomas have different views on big local issues.
The two met for a debate Thursday at the Bloomington Country Club, where they diverged on topics including housing, criminal justice, and relationships between elected officials.
The event was organized by the Builders Association of South-Central Indiana.
Both candidates are vying for the District 2 seat on the Board of Commissioners, which has been held by Thomas since 2013.
Thomas has said her priorities include housing security, criminal justice reform, and environmental protection. Her remarks Thursday focused on areas of successful collaboration between county officials.
“When things go well, the media is not interested in covering it, and that’s understandable; there’s nothing excited to see here — but there are always ongoing relationships between the county and, for example, the city,” Thomas said.
Thomas at a Thursday debate. (Lucas González, WFIU/WTIU News)
Thomas cited the convention center expansion project as an example of positive collaboration. The project picked up steam last year once the commissioners authorized the creation of a capital improvement board to oversee the project.
Progress had been stalled for several years beforehand, in part because city and county officials struggled to find common ground on an interlocal agreement, which outlines a plan for the project.
“The convention center has one more document — a memorandum of understanding — that is left, and I don’t see any opposition to completing that,” she said. “The Capital Improvement Board is already meeting. It’s moving forward, folks. It’s moving forward in a good way, and that’s going to be a great project and another economic driver in our community in so many ways.”
Conflicts have also arisen between county commissioners and other officials who served on a now-suspended committee that had been discussing plans for a new county jail. The committee’s work has shifted to a new committee focused on the project’s fiscal aspects.
Iversen, a county council member, said the county must expand the convention center and build a new jail as quickly as possible but conflicts between elected officials have created challenges.
“Why can’t we get basic things done in this community? The answer is because people can’t talk to one another,” Iversen said. “We owe it to you to be able to get these things done, and it is embarrassing and shameful that we have not been able to get these things accomplished.”
Iversen at a Thursday debate. (Lucas González, WFIU/WTIU News)
Iversen said he stands for much-needed progress in county government.
“I represent a way forward, because if you look at my record, you look at the way I have led committees here in our community, and it has been community-focused and collaboration-based,” he said. “When you go to the polls this May, consider the choice that you have in this election. You can stick with stagnation, or you can vote for our future.”
Officials have also clashed on annexation, which Iversen and Thomas both said needs to be more inclusive of county residents.
“What I heard from city residents and county residents over and over again is, ‘We cannot afford this; we’re going to be put out of our homes,’” Thomas said. “I think annexation can happen, but it has to happen in a very different way. Go meet with folks who are in the areas you wish to annex and talk to them.”
Iversen said growth is a natural part of cities’ lifespans but the way that growth is achieved matters.
“When we talk with the residents of these areas, it is vitally important that they are not surprised and that there is a plan in place to make this growth happen,” he said. “We are missing an opportunity to talk with residents about the amenities and necessary services that the public government can offer them.”
The two candidates also agreed the county needs more housing but clashed on specifics.
Iversen cited a study by the Regional Opportunity Initiatives saying Monroe County needs 7,000 new homes over the next 10 years. He said it’s critical to decide where those homes will go.
In 2021, the commissioners rejected three separate proposed housing developments, including a 125-home neighborhood, a 190-home workforce housing project and a proposal with 31 residences and commercial space.
Iversen called the projects a missed opportunity.
“It is not the role of the county commissioners to tell you how to build or what to build,” he said. “It is the role of our local government to give the people of this community access to a home.”
Thomas defended the decision, saying high-density developments can be both costly and have environmental impacts that should be considered.
“I think there are areas that are appropriate for all kinds of density,” she said. “There are areas that are not, and we have to be mindful of the environment.”
The two will face off in the primary on May 7. There is no Republican challenger for Thomas’ seat.
