Bloomington City Council — Transcript
Tuesday, December 23, 2025
City Employee Compensation and Benefits
Budget, Tax Levy, and Funding of Compensation Plan
Public Records (FOIA) Request Delays
Infrastructure Maintenance (Sidewalks)
Fire Department Staffing and Funding
Votes (1)
City Employee Compensation Plan and Budgetary Implications (Item 5.2)
Dissent: Council Member Reebus voted in opposition to the 6.96% tax levy on December 15th. Public speakers Chad Dolly and Julene voiced strong opposition to the proposed compensation plan during this listening session.
Public speakers Chad Dolly and Julene expressed significant concerns about the proposed employee compensation plan (4% step + 2% COLA), questioning its market rate justification against private sector norms and its impact on taxpayers who receive lower annual increases. Chad inquired about agenda placement, step system specifics, and total benefits. Julene challenged the council's procedure of including the plan in the budget/levy before its formal passage and argued against the 6% increase due to resident financial burdens. City Manager Zach Walker clarified that the plan benchmarks against other public sectors and confirmed annual performance reviews. Council members explained that the plan was assumed in the budget to show potential savings of $1 million over the old system, and no payments would be made under the new plan until approved. The Council Chair also defended the inclusion of salary increases in the levy as administrative rather than policy-level items typically requiring public hearings.
Notable Quotes (5)
The proposed compensation increases for a 4% step automatic step plus 2% cost of living adjustment which would allow up to a 6% pay increase annually. I guess how is this considered a market rate adjustment when the majority of residents, myself included, have been getting a a 3% pay increase each and every year for the last five years?
Um so in public sector um workforce, we're we're competing largely with other public sector entities. Um and of the ones that we benchmarked ourselves to um almost not quite almost 70% of um those are using this kind of same system.
So just to clarify, there's been no date in which the city council has read the motion to approve the resolution, made a first motion, seconded, and voted in majority to pass the resolution authorizing the new salary 4% step at um and and increase in FOLA um at the uh employee hiring anniversary program. Is that correct?
But the reality is that if we don't vote on this, we're gonna have to go back to and pay the plan the way it was before this transformation took place. Um, and uh, even though it does it doesn't just seem it is high in my opinion, it is still saves us a million dollars in budget.
I will just tell you that a 6% increase in this day and age right now when I went out and I again door knocked and spoke to to seniors that are concerned about losing their homes and I got a 2.8% increase in cola and social security. I took it early to care for my mom and dad is unreasonable. And I am not convinced and you will have to prove to me and the rest of the citizens of Bloomington that this is not going to cost us more and more and more.
Ordinances & Resolutions (8)
Agenda item concerning the compensation increase for city employees.
A resolution discussed on December 8th and again on the agenda for tonight, proposing a new city employee compensation plan.
The approved tax levy for the city, discussed in relation to funding employee compensation.
A public hearing where the tax levy was discussed, with questions about the transparency of employee compensation details.
The public records request process mentioned in relation to a delayed data request.
The city's governing document, referenced when questioning the procedure for including an unapproved plan in the budget.
A grant used to fund increased fire department staffing.
An economic indicator staff would consider when proposing COLA adjustments.