HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 2. AT THE MEETING ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING BLOOMINGTON’S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY STABILITY IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION METRO SURGE BY FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. THE RESOLUTION RECOGNIZES THAT THESE OPERATIONS HAVE GENERATED FEAR AND UNCERTAINTY IN NEIGHBORHOODS, DISRUPTED SCHOOLS AND WORKPLACES, CREATED FINANCIAL HARDSHIP FOR HOUSEHOLDS, AND IMPACTED SMALL BUSINESSES. IT ALSO ACKNOWLEDGES COMMUNITY CONCERNS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT TACTICS, SUCH AS RACIAL PROFILING, DECEPTIVE IDENTIFICATION PRACTICES THAT CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF IMPERSONATION, WARRANTLESS ENTRIES WITHOUT LAWFUL AUTHORITY, AND ENFORCEMENT IN SENSITIVE LOCATIONS LIKE SCHOOLS, MEDICAL FACILITIES, AND COURTS. THIS RESOLUTION IS A CLEAR STATEMENT OF VALUES. IT REAFFIRMS BLOOMINGTON’S COMMITMENT TO PROTECTING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF ALL RESIDENTS, UPHOLDING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS, CIVIL LIBERTIES, DUE PROCESS, AND EQUAL PROTECTION, AND COMMUNITY-CENTERED, TRANSPARENT, AND ACCOUNTABLE PUBLIC SAFETY PRACTICES. IT ALSO CLARIFIES THAT THE BLOOMINGTON POLICE DEPARTMENT OPERATES INDEPENDENTLY FROM FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND DOES NOT ENFORCE FEDERAL CIVIL IMMIGRATION LAWS. THE RESOLUTION URGES THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS, PRESERVE CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNLAWFUL SEARCHES AND SEIZURES, COMMIT TO DUE PROCESS, AND PURSUE MEANINGFUL IMMIGRATION REFORM. AND JUST AS IMPORTANTLY, THIS RESOLUTION MAKES CLEAR WHAT IT IS NOT. IT IS NOT AN INTERFERENCE WITH LAWFUL FEDERAL AUTHORITY, NOT A CHANGE TO BLOOMINGTON’S POLICING STRUCTURE, AND NOT A SANCTUARY ORDINANCE. AT ITS CORE, THIS ACTION IS ABOUT COMMUNITY STABILITY — ENSURING THAT RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE REPORTING CRIME, ACCESSING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES, ATTENDING SCHOOL, AND PARTICIPATING IN CIVIC LIFE WITHOUT FEAR.ALSO THIS WEEK, THE COUNCIL RECEIVED A COMMUNITY IMPACT UPDATE FROM VEAP — VOLUNTEERS ENLISTED TO ASSIST PEOPLE — MINNESOTA’S LARGEST FOOD PANTRY LOCATED RIGHT HERE IN BLOOMINGTON AT 96 AND ALDRICH AVENUE. VEAP PRESIDENT AND CEO KARI THOMPSON JOINED THE COUNCIL AND PROVIDED SOME SOBERING NEWS. VEAP HAS BEEN SERVING BLOOMINGTON FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS AND PROVIDES ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD, HOUSING STABILITY SUPPORT, AND OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES. THE NEED IN BLOOMINGTON CONTINUES TO GROW AND HONESTLY IT’S HARD TO WRAP YOUR HEAD AROUND SOME OF THESE NUMBERS. DEMAND FOR FOOD HAS SURGED 140 PERCENT IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND MORE THAN 10,000 BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS RECEIVE FOOD SUPPORT EACH MONTH. IN JANUARY 2026 ALONE, 3,090 BLOOMINGTON HOUSEHOLDS — REPRESENTING MORE THAN 11,000 INDIVIDUALS — RECEIVED FOOD SUPPORT. WE’RE ALSO SEEING SHIFTING DEMOGRAPHICS. NEARLY HALF OF VEAP PARTICIPANTS ARE LATINO — A 161 PERCENT INCREASE SINCE 2019 — AND MOST HOUSEHOLDS SERVED ARE WORKING FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN. RENTAL ASSISTANCE NEEDS REMAIN HIGH. OVER THE PAST SIX YEARS, VEAP HAS PROVIDED MORE THAN $7.9 MILLION IN RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE TO BLOOMINGTON HOUSEHOLDS. AND JUST IN THE FIRST WEEKS OF FEBRUARY, 10 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED RENT ASSISTANCE, WHILE MORE THAN 160 BLOOMINGTON HOUSEHOLDS HAVE CALLED SEEKING HELP. KARI ALSO SHARED THAT FEAR RELATED TO IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, INFLATION, REDUCED RENT ASSISTANCE FUNDING, AND UNCERTAINTY AROUND FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR FOOD AND HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AND DONOR FATIGUE, ARE ALL MAKING THE WORK OF VEAP AND THE WORK OF ALL SERVICE AGENCIES, INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT. HUNGER AND HOUSING INSTABILITY ARE NOT NEW ISSUES AND THE NUMBERS SHOW THE PROBLEM IS GETTING BIGGER. I’VE MENTIONED IN RECENT WEEKS THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE THE CITY HAS RECENTLY PROVIDED FOR FOOD AND HOUSING SUPPORT. WHILE WE ARE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR VEAP’S STAFF AND THE MORE THAN 2,300 VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME AND ENERGY TO VEAP EVERY YEAR, THIS ISSUE CLEARLY OUTSTRIPS THE CAPACITY OF VEAP AND THIS COMMUNITY. WE’RE ALL DOING OUR PART, BUT THIS IS A STATE AND FEDERAL ISSUE THAT NEEDS ATTENTION. AND NOW. IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW NEEDS HELP, PLEASE CONTACT VEAP AT THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN OR VISIT VEAP.ORG.AND FINALLY TODAY, THE COUNCIL DISCUSSED FUNDING SUPPORT FOR ARTISTRY, ONE OF BLOOMINGTON’S KEY ARTS AND CULTURAL PARTNERS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, ARTISTRY IS AN AWARD-WINNING THEATER AND VISUAL ARTS NONPROFIT — AND THE ANCHOR TENANT AT THE BLOOMINGTON CENTER FOR THE ARTS. IN ADDITION TO THEATER PRODUCTIONS, ARTISTRY PROGRAMS VISUAL ARTS IN THE GREENBERG GALLERY AND ATRIUM GALLERY, AND PROVIDES ARTS EDUCATION IN BLOOMINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES, AND SENIOR CENTERS. LIKE MANY OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES IN BLOOMINGTON, ARTISTRY HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT DROP IN REVENUE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR DUE IN PART TO OPERATION METRO SURGE. NOT SURPRISINGLY, IT’S HARD TO SELL TICKETS TO A NIGHT OF MUSICAL THEATER WHEN THERE’S A PUBLIC SAFETY CRISIS UNDERWAY IN THE REGION. AS A RESULT, ARTISTRY REQUESTED A ONE-TIME EARLY ISSUANCE OF GRANT FUNDING TO HELP STABILIZE ITS OPERATIONS. NOW, BASED ON THE CONFUSION I’VE HEARD AROUND THIS TOPIC, IT’S PRETTY CLEAR THAT SOME EXPLANATION IS NEEDED. FOR YEARS, THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON HAS SUPPORTED RESIDENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. BECAUSE NEARLY EVERY ARTS ORGANIZATION RELIES ON OUTSIDE FUNDING TO SURVIVE. TICKET SALES ARE OF COURSE VITAL, BUT WITHOUT SPONSORSHIPS OR GRANTS OR ENDOWMENT SUPPORT, MOST ARTS ORGANIZATIONS SIMPLY COULDN’T MAKE IT. DECADES AGO, BLOOMINGTON MADE A STATEMENT AS A COMMUNITY THAT THE ARTS ARE IMPORTANT AND THE CITY WILL INVEST IN LOCAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE CONTINENTAL BALLET, BLOOMINGTON CHORALE, THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, ANGELICA CONTANTI, ARTISTRY AND OTHERS - TO SUPPORT THEIR SUCCESS. THE FUNDING APPROVED FOR ARTISTRY WAS ALREADY IN THE BUDGET AS PART OF THAT YEARLY FINANCIAL SUPPORT. THE COUNCIL APPROVED THE $80,000 GRANT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE TO HELP ARTISTRY WEATHER THE STORM CREATED IN PART BY OPERATION METRO SURGE. AS PART OF THIS PROCESS, ARTISTRY WILL PROVIDE UPDATED FINANCIAL REPORTS TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND THE COUNCIL ALSO DIRECTED STAFF TO MAKE SIMILAR EARLY PAYMENTS AVAILABLE TO THE OTHER RESIDENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS. I’VE SAID IT MANY TIMES BEFORE; GREAT CITIES HAVE GREAT ART. ARTISTRY PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN MAKING BLOOMINGTON A CREATIVE, ENGAGED, AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY. I KNOW THIS CITY VALUES THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. AND, DO YOU KNOW THE BEST WAY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT? GO SEE A SHOW. THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S COUNCIL MINUTE. THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE BLOOMINGTON.