[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 10.  [0:10] I WANT TO START TODAY BY ADDRESSING SOME CONCERNS  THAT HAVE BEEN POSTED ONLINE REGARDING THE   [0:15] COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER PLANNED  FOR THE CREEKSIDE SITE, AND HOW IT RELATES TO   [0:20] SOME PROPERTIES ON NEWTON AND MORGAN AVENUES. AS YOU KNOW, AFTER VOTER APPROVAL IN NOVEMBER   [0:26] 2023, THE CITY IS IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING  A NEW COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER   [0:31] THAT WILL SUPPORT RECREATIONAL AND WELLNESS  ACTIVITIES, ALONG WITH COMMUNITY PROGRAMS   [0:36] FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES THROUGHOUT OUR  COMMUNITY. THIS NEW CENTER WILL REPLACE BOTH   [0:41] CREEKSIDE AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH BUILDING. NOW, THERE’S BEEN SOME CONFUSION ONLINE,   [0:46] WITH SOME PEOPLE EXPRESSING CONCERN THAT THE  CITY IS TRYING TO TAKE HOMES TO ACCOMMODATE   [0:51] MORE SPACE FOR THE NEW CENTER. THAT’S NOT AN  ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF WHAT’S HAPPENING.  [0:58] WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW ARE INITIAL  CONVERSATIONS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS ON   [1:02] NEWTON AND MORGAN AVENUES REGARDING  THE POSSIBILITY OF VOLUNTARY SALES   [1:07] OF PROPERTIES TO THE CITY. THE GOAL HERE IS  TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO PARKING AND GREEN SPACE   [1:12] AROUND THE NEW FACILITY. THE PROPERTIES WE’RE  TALKING ABOUT ARE THOSE CLOSEST TO 98TH STREET.  [1:18] LAST FALL, THE CITY’S CONSULTANT REACHED  OUT TO THESE PROPERTY OWNERS TO GAUGE   [1:22] THEIR INTEREST IN SELLING THEIR PROPERTIES  VOLUNTARILY. BASED ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS,   [1:28] CITY STAFF ARE PREPARING TO MAKE OFFERS TO  OWNERS WHO EXPRESSED INTEREST TO PURCHASE THESE   [1:33] PROPERTIES. THESE OFFERS WILL BE CONDITIONAL ON  CITY COUNCIL OFFICIAL ACTION AT A PUBLIC MEETING.  [1:39] THE CATALYST FOR THESE CONVERSATIONS HAS  COME FROM COMMUNITY FEEDBACK. WE’VE HEARD   [1:43] THAT PEOPLE WANT MORE ACCESS TO NATURE AND  GREEN SPACE TO COMPLEMENT THE NEW FACILITY,   [1:48] INCLUDING OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING AREAS. WITH THE  CURRENT DESIGN, WE’RE A BIT TIGHT ON SPACE   [1:52] FOR THAT KIND OF OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING,  SO WE’RE EXPLORING WAYS TO EXPAND IT.  [1:57] AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE’VE DONE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF  ENGAGEMENT TO GATHER FEEDBACK, INCLUDING A SURVEY,   [2:02] A PROJECT KICK-OFF EVENT, FOCUS GROUPS, AND  A RECENT EVENT WHERE COMMUNITY MEMBERS COULD   [2:07] REVIEW AND COMMENT ON THE SCHEMATIC DESIGN.  WE’VE BEEN LISTENING TO WHAT YOU’VE TOLD US,   [2:12] AND THAT’S GUIDING THESE CONVERSATIONS. I’M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE HEARD THE OLD   [2:16] QUOTE ABOUT A LIE TRAVELING HALFWAY AROUND THE  WORLD WHILE THE TRUTH IS GETTING IT’S BOOTS ON.   [2:21] THAT’S NOT EXACTLY THE CASE HERE. I DON’T BELIEVE  THIS IS A LIE BUT RATHER A MISUNDERSTANDING. THE   [2:28] SAME CONCEPT APPLIES FOR A MISUNDERSTANDING  OR CONFUSION, ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN SO MANY   [2:33] PEOPLE RELY ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THEIR “NEWS”. TO CLARIFY ONCE MORE—WE ARE HAVING CONVERSATIONS   [2:40] WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS TO SEE IF THEY’RE  INTERESTED IN SELLING THEIR PROPERTIES.   [2:45] THERE IS NO TAKING OF PROPERTIES. IF  THE PROPERTY OWNERS DECIDE TO SELL,   [2:50] THEY WILL BE COMPENSATED FOR THEIR PROPERTY,  AND THEY’LL ALSO RECEIVE RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.  [2:55] ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE COUNCIL HAD AN  IMPORTANT DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE   [2:59] UPDATES TO OUR CITY CODE AS IT RELATES TO USE  OF THE CITY’S RIGHT-OF-WAY. MORE SPECIFICALLY,   [3:05] HOW UTILITIES, CONTRACTORS, AND OTHER ENTITIES  USE PUBLIC SPACES FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS.  [3:12] I KNOW THIS IS A TIMELY TOPIC FOR A LOT  OF PEOPLE. LAST SUMMER, THREE DIFFERENT   [3:17] COMPANIES WERE SEEMINGLY EVERYWHERE IN THE CITY  INSTALLING FIBER OPTIC CABLE. THESE COMPANIES HAD   [3:23] MANY SUBCONTRACTORS WORKING ACROSS THE CITY  AND BASED ON THE EMAILS THAT I AND THE REST   [3:28] OF THE COUNCIL RECEIVED, THESE COMPANIES AND  THEIR SUBCONTRACTORS COULD HAVE DONE A MUCH   [3:33] BETTER JOB WITH COMMUNICATION, TIMELINESS OF THEIR  WORK, AND RESTORATION OF THE YARDS THEY WERE IN.  [3:39] THE PROPOSED UPDATES THAT WE DISCUSSED ON MONDAY  AIM TO STREAMLINE THE PERMITTING PROCESS, ENSURE   [3:45] CONSISTENCY OF THE WORK DONE, AND BETTER ALIGN  WITH MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS. WE ALSO WANT   [3:50] TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH THE  IMPACT THESE PROJECTS HAVE ON OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.  [3:57] SPECIFICALLY, THE DISCUSSION COVERED WAYS  TO REDUCE REDUNDANCY IN PERMIT APPLICATIONS,   [4:02] IMPROVE OVERSIGHT OF CONSTRUCTION  IMPACTS ON THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY,   [4:05] AND ENFORCE TIMELY RESTORATION OF IMPACTED  AREAS AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETE. STAFF   [4:13] ALSO HIGHLIGHTED A SPECIFIC CITY WEBSITE DEDICATED  TO THE FIBER INSTALLATION PROJECT. THERE’S A LOT   [4:18] OF INFORMATION AVAILABLE, AND A FEEDBACK FORM  IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.  [4:23] THE DISCUSSION INCLUDED A LOT OF LESSONS LEARNED  FROM LAST SUMMER WHEN RIGHT-OF-WAY PERMIT   [4:28] APPLICATIONS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. THAT’S  IMPORTANT BECAUSE ACCORDING TO STAFF IT WILL   [4:34] LIKELY TAKE ANOTHER THREE TO FIVE YEARS TO FULLY  INSTALL FIBER THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THE GOAL IS TO   [4:40] STAY AHEAD OF ISSUES. IT’S SOMETHING THE CITY  WILL KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON AND WE’LL CONTINUE TO   [4:45] ENSURE THAT OUR POLICIES REMAIN FAIR, EFFECTIVE,  AND RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY.  [4:51] FINALLY TODAY, I WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL MAYOR'S  SHOUTOUT TO THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN   [4:56] THE ANNUAL BLOOMINGTON CITY-WIDE CIVICS BEE! ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH I HAD THE PLEASURE   [5:02] OF MODERATING THE CIVICS BEE. IT’S ALWAYS A  VERY FUN NIGHT WHERE 7TH GRADERS FROM OLSON,   [5:08] VALLEY VIEW, AND OAK GROVE MIDDLE SCHOOLS SHOW  THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF CIVICS AND GOVERNMENT AT THE   [5:13] LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. ALL OF  THE STUDENTS DID A FANTASTIC JOB AND I’M   [5:19] ALWAYS PROUD TO BE PART OF SUCH A GREAT EVENT. THANKS TO THE BLOOMINGTON LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS,   [5:24] BLOOMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE CITY'S  COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT DIVISION FOR   [5:28] ORGANIZING. AND A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE TEACHERS  IN OUR BLOOMINGTON SCHOOLS WHO DO AN OUTSTANDING   [5:35] JOB OF PREPARING THE STUDENTS FOR THE COMPETITION. THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE. THANKS   [5:41] FOR TUNING IN, AND UNTIL NEXT  TIME, STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!