[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 14.  [0:10] ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE COUNCIL RECEIVED AN UPDATE  FROM THE TEAM WORKING ON THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND   [0:15] WELLNESS CENTER PROJECT. OUR LAST CHECK-IN WAS  BACK IN FEBRUARY, AND A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE.  [0:20] TO START, THIS FACILITY BEGAN AS A 136,000 SQUARE  FOOT PROJECT. WITH THE BUDGET IN MIND, THE DESIGN   [0:27] TEAM REDUCED THE SIZE TO 106,000, AND AFTER  SHARPENING THEIR PENCILS EVEN MORE, THEY BROUGHT   [0:34] THE TOTAL SQUARE FOOTAGE DOWN TO 103,000 SQUARE  FEET. THE SPACE REDUCTIONS WERE MADE STRATEGICALLY   [0:40] – TO STAY WITHIN THE $101.8 MILLION BUDGET WHILE  STILL PRESERVING ALL THE KEY PROGRAM SPACES.  [0:47] SINCE SEPTEMBER, THE TEAM HAS  HOSTED FOCUS GROUPS, SURVEYS,   [0:51] AND OPEN HOUSES TO GATHER FEEDBACK. THEY’VE USED  THAT INPUT TO SHAPE KEY ELEMENTS OF THE DESIGN,   [0:57] FROM INCLUSIVE LOCKER ROOMS AND WELCOMING  SPACES, TO SENIOR-FRIENDLY PROGRAMMING AND   [1:03] AREAS FOR COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND SOCIALIZING. THE PROJECT IS NOW AT THE 100 PERCENT SCHEMATIC   [1:09] DESIGN MILESTONE. THE DESIGN INCLUDES A CENTRAL  LOBBY WITH INTUITIVE WAYFINDING; FLEXIBLE,   [1:15] MULTI-USE COMMUNITY ROOMS; AN EXTERIOR WALKING  TRAIL AND AN INDOOR RUNNING TRACK THAT CIRCLES   [1:20] TWO GYMS; AND SAFE VISITOR DROP-OFF ZONES THE LAYOUT PRIORITIZES VISIBILITY, OPENNESS,   [1:28] AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION ACROSS SPACES LIKE THE  GYM, AQUATICS, AND LOBBY. THE UPDATED EXTERIOR   [1:35] AND INTERIOR RENDERINGS SHOW THE WELCOMING FRONT  CANOPY, THE LOBBY AREA FOR CRAFTS AND CHECK-IN,   [1:41] AND BRIGHT, OPEN FITNESS AREAS UPSTAIRS. A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO NOTE:  [1:46] FIRST, AS I’M SURE YOU KNOW, THE NEW CENTER WILL  BE LOCATED ON THE SITE OF CREEKSIDE COMMUNITY   [1:50] CENTER, AND CREEKSIDE IS SET TO CLOSE ON JUNE  1ST. THERE IS A TRANSITION PLAN IN PLACE AND   [1:57] CREEKSIDE PROGRAMMING WILL CONTINUE AT TWO INTERIM  LOCATIONS: THE BLOOMINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND   [2:02] LOGAN LODGE. IN TOTAL, 95 PERCENT OF CREEKSIDE’S  PROGRAMS WILL CONTINUE IN THESE NEW SPACES.  [2:09] A FEW SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS LIKE THE WOODSHOP,  BOUTIQUE, AND BILLIARDS ARE BEING RELOCATED OR   [2:15] REIMAGINED IN CREATIVE WAYS INCLUDING A MOBILE  DISPLAY UNIT FOR THE BOUTIQUE. WHEN THE NEW   [2:21] FACILITY OPENS IN 2027, THERE WILL BE EXPANDED  PROGRAMMING WITH EVEN MORE OPTIONS FROM AQUATICS   [2:27] AND FITNESS TO CREATIVE ARTS, WELLNESS,  AND MULTIGENERATIONAL SOCIAL EXPERIENCES.  [2:33] THE SECOND PROGRAMMING PIECE I WANT TO MENTION IS  THE EVENT AND BANQUET SPACE. SINCE THE BEGINNING   [2:38] OF THIS PROCESS, WE’VE HEARD A LOT OF COMMUNITY  INTEREST IN AND SUPPORT FOR EVENT SPACE FOR THINGS   [2:44] LIKE WEDDING RECEPTIONS OR RETIREMENT PARTIES.  THE ORIGINAL DESIGN SHOWED A SPACE LARGE ENOUGH   [2:49] TO ACCOMMODATE UP TO 250 GUESTS. DUE TO SPACE  REDUCTIONS, IT’S NOW SCALED BACK TO A CAPACITY OF   [2:56] 144. IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 1,500 ADDITIONAL SQUARE  FEET TO GET BACK TO THAT 200-SEAT CAPACITY AND THE   [3:04] TEAM IS ACTIVELY STUDYING HOW THAT MIGHT HAPPEN. AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THE CITY IS CLOSELY   [3:10] MONITORING THE FINANCES OF THE PROJECT. AND  YOU WON’T BE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT THE MOST   [3:15] CONCERNING RISK RIGHT NOW IS THE POTENTIAL  IMPACT OF TARIFFS ON GOODS AND MATERIALS. THE   [3:21] TEAM IS MONITORING THIS CLOSELY, BUT THERE  ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS. ANOTHER UNKNOWN IS   [3:26] THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING. THE TEAM  HAS BEEN LOOKING AT FUNDING FROM THE INFLATION   [3:30] REDUCTION ACT AS A SOURCE TO REALLY AMPLIFY  SUSTAINABILITY ELEMENTS AT THE COMMUNITY   [3:34] HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER. IF THAT FUNDING  IS ELIMINATED, IT WOULD REDUCE SUSTAINABILITY   [3:39] INVESTMENTS BY FIVE TO EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS. DESPITE THOSE CONCERNS, THE DESIGN STILL   [3:44] INCLUDES GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS, ROOFTOP  SOLAR PANELS, AND NATIVE LANDSCAPING   [3:49] THAT HELPS MANAGE STORMWATER. WE’RE ALSO  PURSUING LEED CERTIFICATION, SO STAY TUNED.  [3:55] HERE ARE NEXT STEPS IN THIS PROJECT:  THROUGH THE REST OF APRIL AND INTO MAY,   [3:59] THE TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO REFINE DESIGN AND  MATERIALS, AND BY THE END OF MAY WE WILL HAVE   [4:04] 50 PERCENT DESIGN DEVELOPMENT DOCUMENTS IN HAND.  THAT INFORMATION WILL LEAD TO UPDATED COST AND PRO   [4:10] FORMA ESTIMATES IN EARLY JUNE, AND THE TEAM WILL  BE BACK TO PRESENT THOSE UPDATES LATER IN JUNE.  [4:15] THIS PROJECT CONTINUES TO MOVE RIGHT  ALONG. KEEP AN EYE ON THE BLOOMINGTON   [4:18] FORWARD WEBSITE FOR UP TO DATE INFORMATION. THIS WEEK THE COUNCIL HEARD THE CITY’S ANNUAL   [4:24] ASSESSMENT REPORT. IT’S A DETAILED LOOK  AT PROPERTY VALUES ACROSS BLOOMINGTON   [4:28] THAT HELPS SHAPE THE CONVERSATION  ABOUT NEXT YEAR’S PROPERTY TAXES.  [4:32] THE REPORT INCLUDES A LOT OF INFORMATION.  HERE ARE SOME HIGH-LEVEL TAKEAWAYS:  [4:37] FIRST OF ALL, THE REPORT SHOWED MODEST BUT  POSITIVE GROWTH CITYWIDE. BLOOMINGTON’S TOTAL   [4:42] TAXABLE MARKET VALUE INCREASED BY $145 MILLION  – THAT’S 0.8 PERCENT GROWTH OVER LAST YEAR. NOT   [4:50] A HUGE NUMBER, BUT BETTER THAN GOING THE OTHER  DIRECTION. A BIG PART OF THAT GROWTH CAME FROM   [4:54] NEW DEVELOPMENT: $128 MILLION IN NEW CONSTRUCTION  VALUE WAS ADDED TO THE 2025 ASSESSMENT ROLL.  [5:02] THE MEDIAN VALUE OF A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME  IN BLOOMINGTON IS NOW $365,400. THAT’S A   [5:08] 1.1 PERCENT INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR. THE  REMARKABLE PART IS THAT THE MEDIAN VALUE   [5:14] OF A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME IN BLOOMINGTON HAS  INCREASED 62 PERCENT IN JUST TEN YEARS.  [5:20] ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, MOST SEGMENTS  LIKE RETAIL AND INDUSTRIAL SAW TWO TO   [5:24] THREE PERCENT INCREASES IN VALUE. THE ONE  EXCEPTION WAS OFFICE PROPERTIES, WHICH ARE   [5:28] DOWN ABOUT FIVE PERCENT THIS YEAR AS THE MARKET  CONTINUES TO ADJUST TO POST-PANDEMIC WORK TRENDS.  [5:34] THE APARTMENT MARKET ALSO SAW A SMALL  DROP – ABOUT ONE PERCENT – EVEN THOUGH   [5:38] $71 MILLION IN NEW APARTMENT VALUE  WAS ADDED THROUGH RECENT CONSTRUCTION.  [5:42] AS I SAID, THIS REPORT INCLUDES A LOT OF  INFORMATION. IF YOU’RE REALLY INTERESTED   [5:47] I’D ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH THE PRESENTATION FROM  MONDAY NIGHT, OR TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPORT ONLINE.  [5:52] AS OUR CITY ASSESSOR WRAPPED UP HIS PRESENTATION  ON MONDAY, I ASKED HIM FOR THE THREE MOST   [5:57] IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS. HERE’S WHAT HE SAID: FIRST, PROPERTY VALUES ARE FAIRLY   [6:01] STABLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY. SECOND, WHILE THE OFFICE SECTOR   [6:05] SAW A DECLINE AND IS A BIG PART OF BLOOMINGTON’S  COMMERCIAL MARKET, WE'RE STILL IN MUCH BETTER   [6:11] SHAPE THAN THE DOWNTOWNS OF THE CENTRAL CITIES. AND FINALLY, IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR   [6:17] PROPERTY’S VALUE, OR IF SOMETHING DOESN’T SEEM  RIGHT, OR IF YOU NEED INFORMATION ABOUT RELIEF   [6:22] THROUGH PROPERTY TAX REFUND OR SENIOR DEFERRAL  PROGRAMS, NOW IS THE TIME TO SPEAK UP. OUR   [6:28] ASSESSOR’S OFFICE IS ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP  PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF THEIR HOMES.  [6:33] AND FINALLY TODAY, ON MONDAY NIGHT I PROVIDED  A STATUS UPDATE ON THE SEARCH FOR BLOOMINGTON’S   [6:37] NEXT CITY MANAGER. AS I HOPE YOU KNOW, ASSISTANT  CITY MANAGERS ELIZABETH TOLZMANN AND KATHY HEDIN   [6:43] HAVE BEEN SERVING AS INTERIM CITY MANAGERS. OVER  THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS THE COUNCIL HAS DONE A   [6:48] PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF OUR INTERIM CITY  MANAGERS AND OFFERED VERY POSITIVE FEEDBACK   [6:53] INCLUDING NOTES ON STRONG TEAM-BUILDING,  IMPROVED COMMUNICATION, AND COST SAVINGS.  [6:58] COUNCILMEMBERS AGREED TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT  INTERIM STRUCTURE WHILE WE MOVE FORWARD WITH   [7:03] A FORMAL SEARCH FOR THE PERMANENT CITY MANAGER. A  SEARCH FIRM WILL BE ENGAGED TO SUPPORT THAT WORK,   [7:09] AND I WANT TO THANK BOTH KATHY AND ELIZABETH  FOR THEIR EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND STEADY   [7:13] HANDS DURING THIS TRANSITION PERIOD. THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE.   [7:17] THANKS FOR TUNING IN, AND UNTIL  NEXT TIME—STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!