[0:06] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF AUGUST 25.  [0:11] THE COUNCIL MET ON MONDAY NIGHT AND I’LL ADMIT  IT WAS BIT DIFFICULT TO CONCENTRATE ON THE   [0:15] MEETING WHILE THAT BIG STORM ROLLED THROUGH THE  CITY. THE LIGHTS FLICKERED A COUPLE OF TIMES,   [0:20] BUT WE MANAGED TO GET OUR WORK DONE. HATS OFF TO  OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS IN POLICE AND FIRE, AND TO   [0:25] OUR TEAMS IN PUBLIC WORKS AND PARK MAINTENANCE  WHO WERE OUT DURING THE STORM AND ARE STILL   [0:29] OUT THERE KEEPING THINGS SAFE IN BLOOMINGTON. ON MONDAY NIGHT, STAFF PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON   [0:34] THE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER  PROJECT THAT WAS APPROVED BY RESIDENTS   [0:38] AS PART OF THE BLOOMINGTON FORWARD INITIATIVE. THE PROJECT IS MOVING FORWARD NICELY, WITH STAFF   [0:43] AND OUR CONSULTANTS DOING AN IMPRESSIVE JOB OF  BALANCING THE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL, RESPONSIVE,   [0:49] AND COMPREHENSIVE IN THEIR APPROACH AND TO  ENSURE AND ACCOMMODATE GOOD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,   [0:54] WHILE AT THE SAME TIME UNDERSTANDING THAT  ON BIG PROJECTS LIKE THIS; TIME IS MONEY.   [0:59] WE KNOW THAT DELAYS OF ANY KIND WILL IMPACT THE  OVERALL COST OF THE PROJECT, SO STAFF IS DOING   [1:04] AN OUTSTANDING JOB KEEPING THINGS MOVING. OUR CONSULTANTS FROM HGA PRESENTED VERY   [1:09] PRELIMINARY SITE PLANS AND BUILDING PLAN  DIAGRAMS TO SHOW HOW THE FEASIBILITY STUDY   [1:14] DATA IS BEING USED TO ENVISION WHAT THE BUILDING  MIGHT LOOK LIKE. AND THE KEY WORD THERE IS MIGHT;   [1:20] THE ILLUSTRATIONS WE SAW ON MONDAY ARE VERY  PRELIMINARY. WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND   [1:26] WE WILL CONTINUE TO STUDY OPTIONS FOR THE BUILDING  AND PARKING CONFIGURATIONS ON THE CREEKSIDE SITE.   [1:31] THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES ARE WORKING TO RIGHT-SIZE  THE BUILDING PLAN IN RELATION TO SITE CONSTRAINTS,   [1:36] AND ALL OF THE ISSUES RELATED TO BUDGETS AND  PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES, COST RECOVERY   [1:41] ASSUMPTIONS, AND FEASIBILITY STUDY FEEDBACK. ON THE TOPIC OF FEEDBACK, WE ALSO HEARD AN   [1:47] OVERVIEW OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS THAT  HAVE BEEN PART OF THE WORK SO FAR. WE SAID ALL   [1:52] ALONG THAT RESIDENT INPUT WOULD BE A KEY PART OF  THIS PROJECT AND THAT HAS CERTAINLY BEEN THE CASE.  [1:58] THE LIST OF GROUPS THAT HAVE  BEEN TAPPED FOR FEEDBACK INCLUDE;  [2:00] CREEKSIDE SENIORS; CREEKSIDE GROUP LEADERS AND  VOLUNTEERS; OUR CITY BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS;   [2:06] BLOOM IN BLOOMINGTON INTERNS; OUR PARK  AND REC SUMMER STAFF; TEEN VOLUNTEERS;   [2:10] AND THE TOD POD, A BLOOMINGTON PLAYGROUP  FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN.  [2:15] A ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORT WILL KICK  OFF THIS FALL FOR SCHEMATIC DESIGN, WHICH IS   [2:20] THE MOST FLEXIBLE PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS  AND THE BEST TIME TO INCORPORATE PUBLIC INPUT.   [2:25] THIS WILL INCLUDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY  MEMBERS TO CONNECT WITH THE DESIGN TEAM TO SHARE   [2:29] THEIR THOUGHTS ON DIFFERENT AMENITIES AND DESIGN  ELEMENTS, DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT TO SHARE FEEDBACK   [2:35] ONLINE, AND TARGETED FOCUS GROUPS TO BETTER  UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.  [2:41] THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY WILL TAKE PLACE AT  THE COMMUNITY CELEBRATION ON SEPTEMBER 28   [2:45] AT CREEKSIDE. THE CELEBRATION WILL  INCLUDE FOOD TRUCKS, LIVE MUSIC,   [2:49] AND GAMES. IT’LL BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET  PLUGGED IN TO THE PROCESS. EVERYONE IS INVITED.  [2:56] IN ADDITION TO THE DIRECT ENGAGEMENT, THE CITY  ALSO BROUGHT IN A PROFESSIONAL SURVEY COMPANY   [3:00] TO HELP OUR TEAM GET A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF  RESIDENT PRIORITIES AS IT RELATES TO THE FACILITY,   [3:06] AND THE PROGRAMMING THAT WILL TAKE PLACE  WITHIN THE NEW HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER.  [3:10] THE SURVEY RESULTS WERE PRESENTED  MONDAY NIGHT AND THERE’S A LOT OF   [3:13] INFORMATION. THE COUNCIL WAS TOLD THAT IF  WE REMEMBER ONE THING, IT SHOULD BE THIS   [3:18] SLIDE. THERE’S ALSO A LOT OF INFORMATION  HERE – MOST ISN’T ESPECIALLY SURPRISING.  [3:24] THE SURVEY CONFIRMED ONCE AGAIN THAT  BLOOMINGTON RESIDENTS LOVE THEIR PARKS.   [3:29] 92 PERCENT OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS HAVE VISITED A  PARK OR FACILITY IN THE PAST YEAR. NATIONALLY,   [3:34] THAT NUMBER IS 76 PERCENT. AND 44 PERCENT  OF RESPONDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A PROGRAM   [3:40] IN THE PAST YEAR. AGAIN, MUCH HIGHER THAN THE  NATIONAL AVERAGE. BLOOMINGTON LOVES THEIR PARKS.  [3:46] ONE SURPRISING RESULT OF THE SURVEY; THE MOST  USED INDOOR RECREATION FACILITY IN THE COMMUNITY?   [3:52] MALL OF AMERICA, WITH 63 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS  SAYING THEY USE MOA AS A RECREATION FACILITY,   [3:58] I’M GUESSING A MAJORITY OF THAT COMES WHEN THE  WEATHER ISN’T IDEAL FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION.  [4:03] AS YOU SCAN THE LIST OF PLACES THAT BLOOMINGTON  RESIDENTS HAVE USED FOR INDOOR RECREATION   [4:07] ACTIVITIES IN THE PAST YEAR, YOU NEED TO GET  PAST MALL OF AMERICA, NEARBY CITIES AND TOWNS,   [4:13] PRIVATE FITNESS FACILITIES AND CLUBS, AND  SCHOOL DISTRICT FACILITIES BEFORE YOU GET   [4:17] TO CITY OF BLOOMINGTON FACILITIES. ONLY 29  PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS HAVE USED CITY OF   [4:23] BLOOMINGTON INDOOR RECREATION FACILITIES IN THE  PAST YEAR, WHICH TELLS ME WE NEED MORE INDOOR   [4:28] RECREATION FACILITIES IN BLOOMINGTON. AND THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR AMENITIES   [4:32] AND PROGRAMMING ARE ALSO NOT THAT SURPRISING.  RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR ARE INDOOR AQUATICS,   [4:37] AN INDOOR RUNNING OR WALKING TRACK, AND CARDIO.  THE TOP PROGRAMMING DESIRES ARE SPECIAL EVENTS,   [4:43] ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND NATURE  PROGRAMMING, AND ARTS AND CRAFTS ACTIVITIES.  [4:48] I’M JUST SCRATCHING THE SURFACE OF THE FINDINGS  OF THE SURVEY. THERE IS A LOT OF COMPREHENSIVE,   [4:53] VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION IN THE SURVEY  THAT IS HELPING TO GUIDE THE WORK OF THE   [4:57] PREDESIGN PROCESS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DIG IN  IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE. YOU CAN WATCH THE   [5:01] PRESENTATION FROM MONDAY NIGHT OR TAKE A  LOOK AT THE SURVEY RESULTS POSTED ONLINE.  [5:06] NOW, EVERY TIME THE CITY DOES A SURVEY, I  HEAR OR READ A COMMENT ALONG THE LINES OF   [5:12] “THAT SURVEY ISN’T ANY GOOD. YOU DIDN’T ASK ME.” WE ALL KNOW IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE   [5:18] AND PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SURVEY EVERY  HOUSEHOLD IN BLOOMINGTON. THAT’S WHY WE RELY   [5:23] ON STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEYS LIKE THIS ONE. THIS  SIX-PAGE SURVEY WAS MAILED TO A RANDOM SAMPLE OF   [5:29] BLOOMINGTON HOUSEHOLDS. IT WAS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED  ACROSS THE FIVE ZIP CODES IN BLOOMINGTON,   [5:34] AND THE FOLKS RUNNING THE SURVEY WORKED TO  ENSURE THAT THERE WAS AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION   [5:38] OF BLOOMINGTON FROM A DEMOGRAPHIC STANDPOINT. THE GOAL WAS TO GET 400 RESPONDENTS AND WE ENDED   [5:44] UP WITH 547 HOUSEHOLDS RESPONDING. WITH THAT  NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS, THE MARGIN OF ERROR IS   [5:50] 4.2 PERCENT AT THE 95 PERCENT CONFIDENCE LEVEL.  WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF WE DID THE SURVEY   [5:57] 100 TIMES, 95 OF THOSE SURVEYS WOULD COME BACK  WITHIN THIS MARGIN OF ERROR WITH THE SAME RESULTS.  [6:04] IN ADDITION TO THE STATISTICALLY VALID SURVEY,  ANYONE WHO WANTED TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY WAS GIVEN   [6:08] THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SO. THOSE NON-RANDOM SURVEY  RESULTS WERE TABULATED AND ARE PART OF A VAST   [6:15] ARRAY OF FEEDBACK AND COMMUNITY INPUT THE CITY  HAS COLLECTED. BUT NON-RANDOM SURVEYS LIKE THAT,   [6:21] WHERE PEOPLE OPT-IN OR SELF-SELECT, TYPICALLY  LEAD TO BIASED RESULTS. AGAIN, THEY ARE PART OF   [6:27] THE FEEDBACK, BUT THE RESULTS AREN’T TRULY  REPRESENTATIVE OF THE BROADER POPULATION.  [6:33] NEXT STEPS IN THIS PROCESS INCLUDE  A MEETING WITH THE PARKS, ARTS,   [6:36] AND RECREATION COMMISSION ON SEPTEMBER 11 TO  REVIEW PREFERRED AMENITIES, CONCEPTUAL PLANS, AND   [6:41] AN OPERATIONS PLAN. A SIMILAR CONVERSATION WITH  THE CITY COUNCIL WILL TAKE PLACE ON SEPTEMBER 16.  [6:47] AND FINALLY, LAST WEEK, FOR THE THIRD  YEAR, THE CITY HOSTED A GROUP OF STUDENTS   [6:52] FROM UKRAINE HERE AT CIVIC PLAZA FOR  A DAY-LONG LOOK INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT.  [6:57] THE STUDENTS ARE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR  MORE THAN A MONTH AS PART OF THE YOULEAD PROGRAM,   [7:01] WHICH STANDS FOR YOUTH LEADERSHIP ENGAGEMENT AND  DEVELOPMENT. THE PROGRAM EQUIPS THESE IMPRESSIVE   [7:07] YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS NECESSARY  TO AID IN THE REDEVELOPMENT AND HEALING   [7:12] OF POST-WAR UKRAINE. SIXTEEN STUDENTS  SPENT A DAY IMMERSED IN BLOOMINGTON,   [7:16] WHERE CITY STAFF FROM VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS  PROVIDED AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT   [7:21] AND SHOWCASED BLOOMINGTON’S STRONG MODEL FOR  COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.  [7:26] I AND CITY MANAGER JAMIE VERBRUGGE WELCOMED  THE STUDENTS TO BLOOMINGTON AND INTRODUCED THE   [7:30] BLOOMINGTON. TOMORROW. TOGETHER. STRATEGIC PLAN. COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT COORDINATORS   [7:35] AMANDA CROMBIE AND EMILY LARSON PRESENTED  ON THE IMPORTANCE OF EMPOWERING VOICES   [7:40] AND THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC PARTICIPATION. COMMUNICATIONS ADMINISTRATOR JANINE HILL,   [7:44] SENIOR CIVIL ENGINEER BOB SIMONS, AND ASSISTANT  DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND PARKS PROJECTS RENAE CLARK   [7:49] DISCUSSED BLOOMINGTON FORWARD, EMPHASIZING HOW  THE NINE MILE CREEK CORRIDOR PROJECT IS INVOLVING   [7:54] THE PUBLIC TO IDENTIFY KEY PRIORITIES  FOR PROJECT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT.  [7:58] PLANNING SUPERVISOR NICK JOHNSON PROVIDED INSIGHTS  INTO CITY PLANNING AND KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR   [8:03] DESIGNING CITIES THAT WILL ENDURE INTO THE FUTURE. AND IT ALL LED TO AN INTERACTIVE ACTIVITY WHERE   [8:09] STUDENTS BUILT THEIR DREAM CITY, CRAFTING  THREE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS AS PART OF A   [8:14] HANDS-ON LEARNING EXPERIENCE. THE GOAL IS  FOR THE STUDENTS TO TAKE THIS EXPERIENCE AND   [8:19] THEIR TIME HERE IN THE U.S. BACK TO UKRAINE  AND HELP REBUILD THEIR COMMUNITIES WITH THE   [8:24] KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS GAINED THROUGH THE PROGRAM. THANKS TO ALL OF THE CITY STAFF WHO DID SUCH A   [8:28] GREAT JOB PRESENTING TO THE STUDENTS,  AND THANKS TO GLOBAL SYNERGY GROUP,   [8:32] THE ORGANIZATION THE CITY HAS PARTNERED WITH FOR  THE PAST THREE YEARS ON THIS STUDENT PROGRAM.  [8:37] THAT WILL DO IT FOR THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL  MINUTE. UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE BLOOMINGTON.