Elect Connect

Elect Connect is the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce’s nonpartisan candidate engagement series, designed to connect the business community and residents directly with individuals seeking public office. This year’s event—held in partnership with Amplify Bloomington, the Indiana Uplands Realtor Association®, and BASCI—focused on candidates in the Monroe County Board of Commissioners Democratic primary race for the District 1 seat. This event was held on Tuesday, April 21st at Constellation Stage & Screen's Waldron Arts Center.

Through a combination of a moderated forum and open networking, Elect Connect creates space for meaningful, face-to-face conversations on the issues shaping our community, including housing, infrastructure, economic growth, and quality of place. The event was moderated by John Fernandez, CEO of Amplify Bloomington, and is designed to move beyond campaign messaging and foster real dialogue between candidates and the community.

As part of its role as the voice of business, the Chamber hosts Elect Connect to support civic engagement, elevate key issues, and ensure that local leadership decisions are informed by the needs of our business community. The Chamber does not endorse candidates and remains committed to providing a neutral platform for dialogue and information-sharing. See photos from the event below!

​Missed the event? Here is a recap!

Elect Connect, hosted by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Amplify Bloomington, BASCI, and the Indiana Uplands Realtor Association®​, featured a debate between Monroe County Commissioner District 1 candidates Trent Deckard and David Henry. Moderated by John Fernandez, the discussion focused on the fiscal, structural, and social challenges facing Monroe County. 
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The candidates presented competing visions for county governance, centered on addressing a looming "country club economy" and systemic government transparency issues. While both agree on the necessity of a new jail and the urgency of the housing crisis, they differ on the immediate implementation of new local income taxes and the specific management of county infrastructure. Both candidates showed strong alignment on key issues, including the urgent need for a new Justice Center after nearly two decades of delay, the importance of addressing the housing shortage, and the need to reform the County Development Ordinance (CDO), which they agree is inhibiting growth and driving up costs. While they share a concern about Monroe County’s long-term economic competitiveness and the risk of pricing out the local workforce, their approaches diverge on fiscal strategy. Deckard expressed openness to a local income tax increase to stabilize revenues, while Henry emphasized consolidating services and improving efficiencies before considering new taxes.  

Differences also emerged in how each candidate approaches implementation and governance. Henry stressed transparency, particularly regarding the condition of the current Justice Center and past county actions and advocated for keeping a new facility within Bloomington to maintain access to services. Deckard focused on cost containment and flexibility in siting, while also emphasizing a community-centered approach to leadership. On housing and economic development, both candidates agreed the county must shift toward a more enabling regulatory environment and pursue a broader mix of workforce housing options to support job growth. Overall, the discussion highlighted a shared understanding of the county’s challenges, but a clear contrast in execution styles—one prioritizing structured, efficiency-driven reforms and the other emphasizing collaboration, community continuity, and measured investment.

​TLDR – Key Takeaways

Forum Overview:

• Focus: fiscal outlook, infrastructure (Justice Center), housing, and county competitiveness
• Candidates: Trent Deckard and David Henry

Where they align

• Justice Center: Urgent need after ~17 years of delay; immediate conditions must improve
• Housing: Shortage is critical; risk of pricing out local workforce (“country club economy”)
• CDO Reform: Current ordinance is too restrictive, driving up costs and limiting development
• Workforce & Growth: County must enable housing + job growth to stay competitive
• Climate/Infrastructure: Support more resources for emergency & water management

Key policy differences

• Taxes & Fiscal Strategy
  • Deckard: Open to local income tax increase (up to ~1.2%) to stabilize revenue
  • Henry: Opposes new taxes now; prioritize consolidation, efficiencies, and regionalization first
• Government Operations
  • Henry: Push for service consolidation, regional partnerships, and structural reform
  • Deckard: Emphasizes service continuity and avoiding cuts (prefers hiring freezes over reductions)

Justice Center approach

• Henry: Keep within Bloomington for service access; increase transparency on conditions
• Deckard: Focus on cost containment (~$120M target) and flexibility on location

Governance & leadership style

• Henry:
  • Emphasizes transparency, accountability, and communication (cyberattack, encampment, jail conditions)
  • “Project manager” mindset—milestones, execution, results
• Deckard:
  • Emphasizes community-centered leadership and collaboration
  • “Community of care” approach; stakeholder-driven decision-making

Housing & economic development

• Both: Need more housing types, including workforce and modular housing
• Henry: Points to cost impacts (CDO ~23%) and prior policy experience
• Deckard: Push for shift from “no” to “yes and” development culture

Other notable contrasts

• Homelessness
  • Henry: Prevention-focused, more transparency, alternative housing solutions
  • Deckard: Lean on nonprofits + regional coordination
• Local Government Structure (Richland/Ellettsville)
  • Both support referendum, but flag impacts on services and revenue

Bottom line

• High alignment on the problems: jail, housing, CDO, competitiveness
• Clear split on execution:
  • Henry → efficiency, transparency, structural reform, results-driven
  • Deckard → collaboration, community continuity, measured investment

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce supports strong civic engagement for a healthy community and business climate. The Chamber provides nonpartisan information for civic engagement, including information on candidates and issues facing Bloomington and Monroe County.

The Chamber does not endorse candidates for office at the local, state, or federal levels. The Chamber is an independent organization, separate from the Indiana Chamber and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which do make political endorsements. The Chamber hosts events featuring candidates and elected officials, attending or speaking, in an effort to inform members of local, state, and federal policies, and allows members the opportunity to share their political priorities with the candidates and elected officials. Views expressed do not necessarily represent the view of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.