[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.