[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE AND THIS IS  THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 24TH.  [0:10] AT OUR MEETING ON MONDAY THE COUNCIL HEARD FROM  THE CHAIRS OF THE PARKS, ARTS, AND RECREATION   [0:15] COMMISSION AND THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. THE  CHAIRS WERE IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TO PROVIDE   [0:20] A RECAP OF THE WORK DONE LAST YEAR, AND TO  PRESENT THEIR COMMISSION’S WORK PLANS FOR   [0:25] 2025. LIKE ALL OF OUR BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS,  BOTH PARC AND THE HRC PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN   [0:32] SHAPING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES. PARC’S WORKPLAN FOCUSES ON ENHANCING PARK   [0:38] AMENITIES, EXPANDING RECREATIONAL PROGRAMMING, AND  ADVANCING PUBLIC ART. A KEY DISCUSSION POINT WAS   [0:44] THE FUTURE OF BLOOMINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS,  INCLUDING LONG-TERM MAINTENANCE AND FUNDING   [0:48] STRATEGIES. PARC ALSO PLANS TO CONTINUE ENGAGING  RESIDENTS IN SHAPING PARK IMPROVEMENTS AND   [0:54] EXPLORING NEW OUTDOOR PROGRAMMING OPPORTUNITIES. THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION’S 2025 WORKPLAN   [1:00] HIGHLIGHTS EFFORTS TO CREATE GREATER VISIBILITY  IN THE COMMUNITY, TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHO’S IN   [1:06] BLOOMINGTON AND THEIR EXPERIENCES, AND TO DEEPEN  COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS. THE   [1:12] WORKPLAN BUILDS ON SUCCESSES FROM 2024, NOTING  COLLABORATIONS WITH HOUSING, EDUCATION IN CIVIC   [1:19] RIGHTS, AND THEIR HELP IN ACHIEVING A HIGH  SCORE FOR THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON – A 96 OUT   [1:25] OF 100 – FROM A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION RANKING  CITIES’ SUPPORT FOR THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY.  [1:32] AT THE START OF EACH YEAR, ALL CITY BOARDS AND  COMMISSIONS ARE REQUIRED BY THE CITY CHARTER TO   [1:38] APPEAR IN FRONT OF THE COUNCIL TO PRESENT THEIR  PLANS FOR THE COMING YEAR. IT’S ALL PART OF THE   [1:42] CITY’S COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING TRANSPARENCY AND  ENCOURAGING RESIDENT PARTICIPATION. SO BE ON THE   [1:49] LOOKOUT FOR MORE WORKPLAN PRESENTATIONS  IN THE NEAR FUTURE. AS FOR PARC AND HRC,   [1:55] THE COUNCIL EXPRESSED STRONG SUPPORT FOR  THEIR PLANS AND LOOKS FORWARD TO SEEING   [1:59] THESE PRIORITIES TAKE SHAPE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AS I’M SURE YOU ARE AWARE, THE CURRENT NATIONAL   [2:05] CONVERSATION AROUND IMMIGRATION HAS RAISED A LOT  OF QUESTIONS, BOTH NATIONALLY AND RIGHT HERE IN   [2:10] OUR COMMUNITY. QUESTIONS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT,  LOCAL INVOLVEMENT, AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES.  [2:17] WITH THAT IN MIND, THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON  HAS LAUNCHED A NEW IMMIGRATION Q&A WEBSITE   [2:23] DESIGNED TO HELP RESIDENTS NAVIGATE COMMON  QUESTIONS ABOUT IMMIGRATION POLICIES, RESOURCES,   [2:28] AND SERVICES AVAILABLE IN BLOOMINGTON. THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE CLEAR, FACTUAL,   [2:33] ACCESSIBLE INFORMATION TO RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES,  AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. THE WEBSITE INCLUDES   [2:39] FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS, CONTACT INFORMATION  FOR LOCAL SUPPORT GROUPS, AND LINKS TO STATE AND   [2:44] FEDERAL RESOURCES. IT ALSO INCLUDES AN UPDATE FROM  POLICE CHIEF BOOKER HODGES. AS HE ALWAYS DOES,   [2:51] CHIEF HODGES PROVIDES CLEAR, STRAIGHTFORWARD  INFORMATION. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE A LOOK.  [2:57] THE NEW WEBSITE REFLECTS THIS COMMUNITY'S  COMMITMENT TO MAKING BLOOMINGTON A WELCOMING   [3:01] CITY FOR EVERYONE. VISIT THE LINK ON  YOUR SCREEN TO ACCESS THAT INFORMATION.  [3:06] FINALLY TODAY, A MAYOR'S SHOUTOUT. I WANT TO  RECOGNIZE THE HARD WORK OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR   [3:11] UTILITIES DIVISION WHO HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB  RESPONDING TO A HIGHER-THAN-USUAL NUMBER OF   [3:17] WATERMAIN BREAKS THIS YEAR. SO FAR IN  2025, WE’VE SEEN 17 WATERMAIN BREAKS,   [3:24] WHICH IS A MUCH FASTER PACE THAN PREVIOUS YEARS.  FOR PERSPECTIVE, SINCE 2020, BLOOMINGTON HAS   [3:30] AVERAGED 22 BREAKS PER YEAR, WITH A HIGH OF 35. SO WHY THE BIG JUMP IN BREAKS? IT’S HARD TO   [3:37] SAY EXACTLY WHAT’S GOING ON. THERE ARE A  LOT OF FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO BREAKS,   [3:42] THE MOST OBVIOUS ARE OF COURSE THE AGE OF THE  INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE WEATHER. AND THE WEATHER   [3:48] HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY TRICKY THIS YEAR. BONE  CHILLING, SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES ARE TOUGH,   [3:53] BUT WHAT’S EVEN HARDER IS THE FREEZE THAW PATTERN  THAT WE’VE SEEN THIS YEAR. SUB ZERO TEMPS FOLLOWED   [4:00] BY TEMPS IN THE 40S, AND THEN BACK BELOW ZERO  A WEEK LATER. THAT TYPE OF FREEZE THAW FREEZE   [4:06] EXTREME IS VERY HARD ON INFRASTRUCTURE. THAT BEING SAID, BLOOMINGTON CONTINUES   [4:11] TO OUTPERFORM NATIONAL AVERAGES IN SYSTEM  RELIABILITY. OUR AVERAGE BREAK RATE IS FIVE BREAKS   [4:17] PER 100 MILES OF PIPE PER YEAR. THAT’S COMPARED  TO THE REGIONAL AVERAGE OF 14.6 BREAKS. THIS IS   [4:25] A TESTAMENT TO THE DEDICATION OF OUR UTILITIES  STAFF, INCLUDING OFFICE SUPPORT, OPERATORS,   [4:31] SUPERVISORS, AND ENGINEERS. THOSE FOLKS WORK  TIRELESSLY TO KEEP OUR WATER SYSTEM FUNCTIONING   [4:37] AND SOMETIMES THEY’RE REQURIED TO DO IT IN SOME  PRETTY BRUTAL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THANK YOU TO OUR   [4:42] ENTIRE UTILITIES GROUP FOR YOUR HARD WORK! THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE.   [4:48] THANKS FOR TUNING IN, AND UNTIL  NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!