I will call our Bloomington City Council listening session to order. It is Monday, October 27th. We have one person who has signed up and we welcome Karen Lungquist. >> Good evening and welcome. Thanks for being with us. What we'll uh what we typically do is usually parse the time out depending on how many people are here. Given that you're the only one, what we generally do is try and keep the conversation to about 10 minutes per person, even if there's nobody else here, just so we maintain, you know, some semblance of uh order and sanity and all that we talk about. So, >> she understands. >> You understand? Very good. >> Well, good evening. Welcome. >> Thank you. >> So, um I've met some of you before and for those of you who I haven't met, nice to meet you. I will tell you starting that animals are my jam and um I love animals and I advocate for animals and that's why I'm here today for two um animal matters. Um the first one um well let's start with the the original reason because I first came to the council meeting two weeks ago um expecting to talk um during the public comment se se public comment section of the meeting and I didn't realize that you now have these listening sessions and why I had come two weeks ago because the um Saturday before so it was September 11th I came here to go to the farmers market went through the doors over by the police department from the parking lot and it came out and there next to the the plants and the bushes there was a little dead bird and it hadn't been killed by a cat and obviously it had been killed uh hit by a car. So it became evident to me that it had hit the glass in the city council building and then died as a result of the collision. And I tried and I came on on Monday because all weekend I kept thinking about that poor little bird. And I when I came on Monday for the council, I wanted to go through that entrance to go and I had a bag with me, a little baggie. I was going to get the bird and I was going to give it a proper burial because I think all animals, all living beings deserve that. I couldn't get through that way. So hopefully the bird wasn't up there. I don't know. But anyway, what it made me realize that um at least city council, I have no idea or civic plaza, I don't know about other um city buildings do not have the treatment, the anti-reflective treatment that's widely and easily available for windows to prevent that type of collision. Um as I was preparing to come two weeks ago, I learned that up to a billion birds die every year because of these collisions. And um birds already have so many other enemies both that we've created whether it's pollution um the climate change that's restricting their their environment as well as cars and cats and coyotes and everything else. And we need to do our part however small or big that might be to help um protect animals. And I know at the law school where I teach at the U, we put in the anti reflective um treatment for birds and because students were finding like a graveyard of birds, you know, out on this this patio and no one wants to come to City Plaza and see a portable bird um dead. So, and I thought about the new community center um with the windows there. So, my ask is to um put this treatment onto the windows of certainly the community center, but also here where there's these beautiful windows on the back of the building that are wonderful. They let in all of this this natural light, but they're really dangerous for um all of the wonderful birds that that I think so many of us love. So, that is my first act. Save the birds. Well, thank you for that and thanks for your concern for birds and um actually I think I worked on that project at the law school to uh with the >> Yeah, I think so. I was in communications at the U and I think I was I was one ended up in front of the cameras explaining why we did that and why in during the u construction of US Bank Stadium as well. So it all kind of worked together. So, uh, but thank you for that and thanks for, uh, for bringing that forward. And I I, you know, we we have staff here taking notes and I think we'll take a look at that as we look at budgets, as we look at, um, designs for the new community center uh, for a variety of different things. So, but we'll we'll definitely keep that in mind. So, >> not just the community center, also, you know, putting in on existing building. Yes. >> Um, as well. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> All right. And you said that was your first concern? And my my second is um a complaint about um some neighbors of mine in particular. I have several neighbors. I live over by the Kelly Playfield and have several of my neighbors who think that they are special and don't follow the ordinance for leashes and walk their dogs off leash. Annoying. They're all nice dogs, well well behaved. But one of our neighbors um and my husband stopped him one time and said, "You know that you shouldn't be walking your dog without a leash." And he's like, "Oh, well, I have one of those electric collars, so I don't have to have a leash." And it's like, you know, the the invisible fences. They're not like perfect. There are certainly dogs who are not perfectly trained and probably see something. And regardless of the electric collar that my, you know, neighbor uses with the little little um to give the little um what do you call it? Um to shock his dog. They're not perfect. And I've encountered dogs that have been off leash, don't like it. I have little dogs, little Chihuahua, and um seeing dogs off leash bothers me, scares me sometimes. So my ask is to amend the ordinance. the leash law ordinance and specifically to specify that under restraint does not mean one of the electronic shocks. Um I know some people are going to do it regardless. I'm special. My dog is well trained. My dog is friendly. But there are people if they know there's ordinance they will follow it. And I think it's um given the technology and you know what's available I think it's an easy change that would reflect reality of the tools and things that are available for for people and their dogs >> comments on this council our our city attorney just jotted down uh animal control uh >> animal ordinance on the >> ordinance or the animal ordinance is on the legal work plan for 2026. So that will be one thing that we we will take in in under consideration. So >> and all of the the ordinances >> all the animal >> all the animal control >> I'll add that one too. >> Okay. >> Tethering should not be allowed because it's just bad for animals to have you know be on a chain or whatever. >> All right there. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Now that I know [laughter] I'll think of some others back >> council. Any questions, comments, or anything uh regarding either bird strikes or off leash dog? >> All right. Is there anything else? >> I'm sure I could come up with any, but >> good enough. >> Always have more ideas. >> Good [laughter] enough. >> I'll reserve for another time. So, >> all right. >> Well, now you know where to find us. >> I do. [laughter] >> Well, thank you for coming in tonight and thanks for uh your work on the charter commission. Do appreciate that as well. >> Thanks for your time. I see we have uh just a couple more folks who have joined us in the chambers. >> We're just listening in tonight. >> Just listening in tonight. Don't want to participate. >> No. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Well, council, we'll give it how about if we give it one more minute, see if anybody shows up. Otherwise, we will adjourn and head downstairs. I don't really get complaints. [clears throat] [clears throat] All right, that must have been a minute. I think we're safe. Council, >> I would look for a motion to adjurnn. [clears throat] >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second to adjurnn our listening session. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> Opposed? Motion carries 6. We are adjourned. We will see you downstairs.