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Ask The Mayor: Bloomington's Hamilton Talks Broadband

Progress is being made in keeping the city's broadband services competitive, Switchyard Park's design needs to take surrounding development into consideration and the less than projected parking meter revenue doesn't bust any line items in the city budget.

On this week's installment of Ask The Mayor, Mayor John Hamilton addresses these issues and more. Listen to the full conversation with Indiana Newsdesk anchor Joe Hren by clicking on the play button above, or read some of the questions and answers below.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Hren: Your mayoral campaign included improving city broadband services, have you been able to move forward in determining what the city needs to do to get digital infrastructure where you think it needs to be?

Hamilton: Over the last few weeks we've worked closely with Indiana University which, of course, is a global leader on digital infrastructure and network management. So working with them to think about our community and where we need to head. Getting to know other communities around the country and what they're doing and options they're looking at... we've been meeting with current providers to talk about their plans. I'm more convinced than ever that we need to take steps in this.

We'll have a symposium March 1st, the public is welcome to attend then we'll be doing a request for information trying to pull in some partners to help us do this.

Hren: Bloomington's water quality has been in the news and from what I know, there's a temperature element to the increased level of contaminants. Are you concerned that the levels will go over EPA's limit when the warm weather returns?

Hamilton: I would say yes I'm concerned, I am confident that they won't. It is a benefit the cold weather came in and knocks down those level naturally. We just went up to the Department of Environmental Management last week to talk about some changes that we'll try to do and it looks good.

Hren: Switchyard Park construction was slated to begin this year, do you have any concerns with the project or seen any final design plans?

Hamilton: Switchyard Park is an enormous opportunity and very exciting. One step I have taken if and when we put the $25 million investment in that park, that we encourage the right things to happen around the park. The best leverage time we have for that is right now. That we talk with other people who may invest around the park, put in the affordable housing we want, the kind of public amenities we want, the kind of development around the park. So that's the discussion happening right now.

Hren: You mention developments, last month you hinted that there might be some announcements in the next month or so regarding the Trades District, or the city tech park. Any updates for us?

Hamilton: There are a lot of discussions going on behind the scenes. I still hope the first quarter of this year we'll be able to announce some activity there. I can't do it yet. Economic Sustaining Development Director Linda Williamson knows that it's her job one to build momentum there.

Hren: We know about the parking meter issues in regards to the amount of money they are bringing in. If the revenues are much lower than expected, is there some area of the budget not being met?

Hamilton: I was surprised that the meters have failed at such a high rate. The meters are bringing in net positive revenue. However they are bringing in half as much as projected. I'm very committed to transparency - I don't think I can go back and say what the money was used for, but I'm committed going forward to articulate where that money is going. Right now, we're negotiating with the company to try and see if we can try and salvage this contract because they have not provided the services that we needed.

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