[0:00] - Hello everybody. [0:01] Welcome back to another issue of the Verbugge Vlog. [0:04] We are doing it live from River Rendezvous. [0:07] I'm showing off my grilling abilities, [0:09] so I gotta make sure that I don't burn Lori [0:11] with some of the fire that's coming up [0:13] into the camera just like that. [0:14] I'm gonna hop up into one of our plow trucks [0:17] and I'm gonna take us for a spin [0:18] around the Western maintenance facility. [0:21] (light music) [0:21] The only way I can get this wrong is if I go for a swim. [0:25] Correct. [0:33] We're standing in the middle of the pool [0:35] right now in the vessel. [0:36] Here comes a call. (phone ringing) [0:38] The most visible service [0:39] that the city of Bloomington provides is public safety. [0:42] I'm really starting to have second thoughts about this. [0:45] (majestic music) [0:48] I'm ready to do this. Here we go! [0:53] Oh, why did I do this? Why did I do this? [0:55] Why did I do this? Hang on, hang on. [0:58] Cowabunga! [1:03] Oh. We're still alive. [1:06] (skiis whooshing) [1:10] Good morning, everybody. [1:11] Welcome back to another Friday Live. [1:14] I wanna talk about the continuation of remote working. [1:17] In 2015 when I started, fewer than 5% of our staff [1:21] identified as Black, Latino, Asian, Indigenous, or other. [1:24] And today that number is close to 18%, [1:26] which represents a significant stride forward [1:29] in one of my goals, which is to make sure our organization [1:32] reflects the community that we serve. [1:35] We bet on Bloomington with the Expo bid, [1:38] and though we didn't win it, we've been successful. [1:40] This is the 10th state of the city that we've done [1:42] since I started in Bloomington, and never have we had [1:45] so much to report on about what we're doing to partner with [1:49] and to promote and to support our business community. [1:53] Our residents have time and again demonstrated [1:56] how much they care about Bloomington, [1:59] how remarkable they think it is as a community, [2:01] and how firmly committed they are to a future [2:05] where people can have that same experience in Bloomington. [2:08] - I think I can speak for, you know, [2:09] a good chunk of all of us that work here. [2:12] Called me up this morning, [2:13] told me about the new job you found. [2:17] I said, "I'm happy for you." I'm really happy for you." [2:21] - And that is a wrap on Friday Live. [2:24] That was a lot to get to. [2:25] I really appreciate everybody's patience. [2:27] A lot to celebrate here. [2:29] So many good things going on right now. [2:31] I know that everybody is just busier than heck [2:34] and we never seem to slow down. [2:36] I just, again, want to say thank you for everything [2:40] that you are doing to make sure that we are successful [2:43] and that this community continues to be an enduring [2:47] and remarkable community where people wanna live. [2:51] Up, up, and away. [2:53] (calm music)