A weekly program where mayors from Bloomington, Columbus, Terre Haute, and Nashville answer questions about your community. We also delve into new and long-term city topics.
The show airs on WFIU on Wednesday mornings at 6:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m.
From left: Mayor Jim Lienhoop (R-Columbus), Mayor Duke Bennett (R-Terre Haute), Mayor John Hamilton (D-Bloomington), and Nashville Municipal Consultant Dax Norton.
First Wednesday of the month: Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop (R)
Second Wednesday of the month: Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett (R)
Third Wednesday of the month: Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton (D)
Fourth Wednesday of the month: Nashville Municipal Consultant Dax Norton
Bennett says he's not interested in showing vaccination cards for benefits, he agrees with the governor's decision to halt federal benefits to unemployed workers, and casino groundbreaking will most likely happen in July.
As COVID restrictions loosen, more buildings and places are opening. Human bones were discovered during sewer work. Sewer rate proposal heads to city council. And FairOaks Mall will soon be renamed.
Brown Co. is in the yellow cautionary state metric level, municipal buildings open June 1, the DNR is working with the town in providing water and sewer for Brown County State Park.
City loosens COVID restrictions, UDO duplex ordinance passes with compromise, all eyes turn to annexation procedures, and Bloomington's 4th of July parade will look different this year.
Bennett says media and politicians should step aside and let non-vaccinated COVID residents consult their doctor. Convention center construction is on time and on budget, and officials are waiting for rescue plan money.
Bartholomew County is at the blue COVID metric level, vaccine hesitancy and variants could block herd immunity, 20-year-olds are contracting the most COVID cases, and a new gateway project is in the works.
The mayor addresses COVID metrics, uptick in cases, Rescue Plan funding, herd immunity, senior citizen parking downtown, UDO zoning, IU's new president, and more.
Bennett agrees with Holcomb's loosening of COVID restrictions and says the city would need to see cases in the 30s before imposing local restrictions. And the city is getting $38 million in federal relief funding.
Lienhoop says COVID rates would have to reach January levels to extend a public mask mandate, the city is just starting to look into spending the $8 million in federal relief funds, and police are still looking for the individual who left white supremacist graffiti downtown.
The mayor reflects on a year of COVID, the vaccination supply is still good, a new attraction at Fairbanks park is just getting started, and a casino groundbreaking could come in April.
Why Columbus had a head start on the coronavirus response, when Columbus could reach herd immunity, scheduling summer events, Riverfront project costs are going up, and Exhibit Columbus returns.
Plexes are more restricted after changes to the UDO amendment, city crews are working on getting secondary roads cleared, annexation is still on pause, and a structure design bill could hamper community standards.
COVID-19 vaccinations are moving along smoothly, prison cases are declining, the new casino groundbreaking could still be in a couple weeks, and the city laid out four Community Crossings projects.
The mayor is scheduled to get his vaccination Thursday, a COVID relief bill isn't a priority, and a new downtown development has plans for a new Bloomingfoods location.
Dax Norton talks about his company's contract with the town of Nashville, the Brown County Music Center, COVID cases and forward thinking in the new year.
Monroe County's COVID-19 positivity rate is the lowest in the state, vaccination roll-out is ongoing, and why the city continues to remove people experiencing homelessness from a city park.
Bennett says he isn't sure there are enough vaccinations for the number they need, he's watching for any TIF changes in this year's state legislative session, and renovations are underway on the new police station building.
Vaccinations are underway to frontline responders, but not much information is coming from the state on next round scheduling. Lienhoop says state legislature shouldn't limit the Governor's emergency powers.
Despite a coronavirus vaccine and lower county positivity rates, Hamilton says there's still a long way to go. And we talk about the decision to enforce the prohibition of overnight camping in city parks by those experiencing homelessness.
Hospital room supply is low - and so is the amount of healthcare workers. Enforcing the mask mandate is still a challenge. And the city is moving forward on a number of downtown developments.
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations hit all time highs, the availability of quick testing before the holidays, timeline of the IU Health downtown Bloomington Hospital site plans, and UDO proceedings continue.
Mayor Hamilton takes your questions on where COVID cases are originating, rapid test availability, religious service mask exceptions, early voting wait times, Halloween, canopy of lights celebration, and more.
The federal prison in Terre Haute isn't to blame for the county's uptick in coronavirus cases, the governor is on the right track to the pandemic response, and the new city police station is on schedule.
A steady line of Columbus voters cast their ballot at FairOaks Mall Tuesday, the city celebrated the opening of the railroad overpass, and Halloween should go on as scheduled with extra precautions.
Merchants and eateries are preparing for an influx of tourists as autumn approaches. After a recent downtown fire, Nashville's consultant says the town needs to determine if it's time for a paid fire department.
The mayor speaks on the state of the coronavirus recovery effort, Big Ten Football possibly starting, and why a local income tax increase is needed during a pandemic.
Indiana State University continues to test students and staff for COVID-19, Bennett has mixed feelings about voting by mail, and the coronavirus tax hit hasn't been as hard on the city budget as thought.
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Columbus reached record highs last week, unemployment is hurting the community, the city is creating a safe voting center at Fair Oaks Mall, and officials are still grappling with how to fund the city's golf courses.
Brown County COVID-19 rates are trending low, school is open with a majority of in person classes, the Brown County Music Center is being used as a multi-purpose facility, and the town's master sewer project is up for public input.
How IU students will affect Monroe County's COVID-19 totals, why propose a tax increase during a recession, how much of the budget reserves is the city using for pandemic relief, and an extended broadband effort update.
Students are moving back to Indiana State, positive COVID-19 cases are going up, the proposed Rocksino is on track for a groundbreaking this fall, and the mayor says the convention industry will recover.
Motorists will soon be able to drive both ways over the new railroad overpass, school reopening is the mayor's number one concern during the pandemic, and about 90 percent of Columbus residents are wearing masks.
This week we speak with Nashville's Municipal Consultant on COVID-19 case increases, the debate over mandatory masks, the current mask ordinance, a new drive-through testing site, and master sewer plans.
The farmers' market long time director is retiring, more racial-profiling is being reported, the mayor's evolving relationship with civil rights activist Vauhxx Booker, and how to enforce a mandatory mask ordinance.
SummerFest is scheduled as planned on Friday despite concerns of the pandemic. Planning is in full swing as ISU students return next month. And the city is planning for protesters in response to next week's federal executions.
The city will most likely follow Governor Holcomb's final stage of reopening this weekend if the state stays on its plan. The downtown conference center and Fair Oaks Mall redevelopment are on hold.
Nashville's town consultant talks about the social justice rally Saturday, grant distribution for small businesses, late utility fees being waived, and shops reopening.
More on the city's response to the 'Enough Is Enough' protests and rallies, systemic racism, Farmers' Market inclusion committee resignations, IU's reopening plan, and your questions.
The city had several days of protest with few arrests, all police should have body cams by the end of the year, and the Vigo County casino should be up and running by the end of 2021.
Lienhoop says the number of people tested for the coronavirus is much higher than the state is reporting. Columbus is following the state guidelines for reopening, and a state testing site opens Wednesday.
The city receives a second request to become a Second Amendment Sanctuary, city officials begin to prepare for a coronavirus outbreak, and Lienhoop prepares for his fifth State of the City Address.
The city is looking for developers for the hospital site and a parcel of land next to Switchyard Park. Also, next year's Farmers' Market and the ongoing convention center expansion delays.
Students are returning for the start of another school year, the I-69 substantial completion date is pushed back, and more on the dispute between the city and county over the convention center hotel developer.
