The annexation process that was halted by state legislative action in 2017 will resume in May, according to an announcement this week by Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton.

The city will be distributing revised and updated fiscal plans for the potential annexation areas in early May. City Council is set to review the updated fiscal plans on May 12. After adoption, the public process would continue with re-sending formal notice to current property owners, additional public hearings to review and evaluate potential boundaries, and a City Council vote to approve and/or amend the annexation ordinances, anticipated in September.  

Read the city's press release here. More information is also available on the city's annexation website.

The City of Bloomington has opened its 2021 Community Survey to the general public, with a May 5 deadline to respond. It asks a variety of questions related to issues that affect quality of life, the economy, public services and more.

This is the third survey administered for the city by the National Research Center Inc. (NRC). Similar surveys were done in 2017 and 2019. 

Click here to take the 2021 Community Survey.

Mayor John Hamilton has formed a task force to solicit and review proposals to rename Jordan Avenue south of 17th Street. The group will also explore other options to rename that road north of 17th Street. The public can submit suggestions here.

Task force members are:

• Cedric Harris, Indiana University Director of Bias Response, Division of Student Affairs
• Tim Mayer, former City Council member and current South Jordan Avenue resident
• Elizabeth Mitchell, journalist, filmmaker, and historian of Bloomington's African-American community, 42-year city resident, and community volunteer (co-chair)
• Tom Morrison, IU Vice President, Capital Planning and Facilities
• Glenda Murray, Monroe County Historian, community volunteer, and retired IU staff
• Alex Tanford, IU Professor Emeritus of Law, Maurer School of Law (co-chair)
• James Wimbush, IU Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs

On Tuesday, April 27, elected leaders for Monroe County and the City of Bloomington will meet separately to discuss spending priorities for funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Monroe County will be receiving about $29 million, while Bloomington will get $22.7 million.

The Monroe County Council and Monroe County Commissioners will meet at the end of a work session, which starts at 5:30 p.m. via this Zoom link. The Bloomington Council's meeting with Mayor John Hamilton on the same night begins at 6 p.m. via this Zoom link.

Details are still forthcoming on how these ARPA funds can be used, but the intent is to bolster local municipalities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Bloomington City Council will be voting to accept the city's Climate Action Plan on April 21. It is a companion document to the Sustainability Action Plan, which was adopted in 2018.

The CAP focuses on ways to reduce community greenhouse gas emissions and build climate resilience. 

Click here to read the full Climate Action Plan.

The Monroe County Health Department is distributing signs reminding the public that a mask mandate is still in effect at least through May 28. 

Face coverings are required in public, as is maintaining 6 feet of social distancing. Private gatherings are limited to 50 people in Monroe County outside of Bloomington, and limited to 15 people in the City of Bloomington.

​The current public health order, which took effect on April 7, remains in place until May 28. Confusion has arisen because some other parts of the state have lifted these regulations.

Monroe County officials hope that businesses and other organizations will place the signs prominently. Click here and here to download the signs. The signs are also available in Spanish here and here.

The Bloomington Plan Commission voted unanimously to approve a project converting the hotel at 1722 N. Walnut to 85 studio apartments. No additional approval is required, and the conversion might be completed by the fall of 2021.

The hotel, currently called America's Best Value Inn, is located just south of the former Motel 6 site, where a new apartment complex is being built.

The Plan Commission's vote occurred at its April 12 meeting.

The final 2021 Indiana Legislative Update took place on Saturday, April 10, with briefings from Rep. Peggy Mayfield (District 60) and Rep. Matt Pierce (District 61). 

The monthly forums, held while the Indiana General Assembly is in session, are co-hosted by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, the League of Women Voters of Monroe County, and the LWV of Brown County.
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Watch the April 10 forum on CATS here.

The City of Bloomington's Trades District parking garage, located near 10th Street and the B-Line, is opening on Saturday, April 17 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. 

The new structure has 350 spaces with ground-floor commercial/retail space. It includes a public art installation, Aurora Almanac, by artist Esteban Garcia Bravo.

Click here to learn more about the Trades District garage.