[0:41] I will call our Bloomington City Council listening session to order. It is Monday 27 October. We have one person who has signed up and we welcome Karen Lumquist. Good evening and welcome. Thanks for being with us. What will.

[1:01] What we typically do is usually parse the time out depending on how many people are here. Given that you're the only one what we generally do is try and keep the conversation new about 10 min per person even if there's nobody else here just so we maintain, you know, some semblance of order and sanity and all that we talked about, so. Very good.

[1:21] Thank you. So, I've met some of you before and for those of you who I haven't met, nice to meet you. I will tell you started that animals are my jam and I love animals and I advocate for animals and that's why I'm here today for two animal.

[1:41] Small matters. The 1st one.

[1:44] Well, let's start with the the original reason cause I 1st came to the council meeting two weeks ago expecting to talk during the public comment section set public comment section of the meeting and I didn't realize that you now have these listening sessions. And why it come two weeks ago because the.

[2:04] Saturday before, so 11 September I came here to go to the farmer's market. Went through the doors over by the police department from the parking lot and came out next to the the plants and the bushes, there was a little deadburg. And it hadn't been killed by.

[2:24] That and obviously it had been.

[2:27] Killed hit by a car. So it became evident to me that it had hit the glass in the city council building and then died as a result of the collisioning. And I tried and I came on on Monday because all weekend I kept thinking about that poor little bird. And I, when I came on Monday for the council, I.

[2:47] Wanted to go through that entrance to go and I had a bag with me a little baggy. I was gonna get the bird and I was gonna get a proper bird burial because I think all animals, all living beans deserve that. I couldn't get through that way so hopefully the bird was there. But anyway, what it made me realize that at least city council I've.

[3:07] No idea or civic plaza. I don't know about other city buildings do not have the treatment, the anti reflective treatment that's widely and easily available for windows to prevent that type of collision. As I was preparing to come two weeks ago, I learned that up to a.

[3:27] Billion.

[3:28] Birds die every year because of these collisions and birds already have so many other enemies both that we've created, whether it's pollution, the climate change that's restricting their, their environment as well as cars and.

[3:48] And everything else. And we need to do our part, however, smaller big that might be to help protect the animals. And I know at the law school where I teach at the U, we put in the.

[4:02] And because students weren't finding like people and NO one wants to come to city pleasant and see a lovel bird dead, so and I thought about the new community center with the windows there, so my ask is to.

[4:22] Put this treatment onto the windows of certainly the new community center but also here where there's these beautiful windows on the back of the building that are wonderful. They let in all of this, this natural light, but they're really dangerous for all of the wonderful birds that that I think so many of us love. So.

[4:42] That is my 1st act. See that's.

[4:47] Well, thank you for that and thanks for your concern for birds and actually I think I worked on that project at the law school to up with the I was in communications at the UN and I think I was I was one of ended up in front of the cameras explaining why we did that and why in during the.

[5:04] The Construction of US Bank Stadium as well, so it all kind of work together. So, but thank you for that and thanks for, for bringing that forward. And I, I, you know, we, we have staff here taking notes and I think we'll take a look at that as we look at budgets as we look at.

[5:20] Designs for the new community center, for a variety of different things so but we'll, we'll definitely keep that in mind. Not just the community center, also, you know, putting it on existing buildings as well. Yeah. All right. And you said that was your 1st concern? And my my second is a complaint about some neighbors that.

[5:40] Line in particular, I have several neighbors I live over by the Kelly playfields and have several of my neighbors who think that they are special and don't follow the ordinance or leashes and walk their dogs off leash. Annoying, they're all nice dogs well, well behaved, but one of our neighbors.

[6:00] And then my husband stopped him one time and said, you know that you shouldn't be walking your dog without a leash. And he's like, oh, well, I have one of those electric collars, so I don't have to have a leash. And it's like, you know, the the invisible fences. They're not like perfect. There are certainly dogs who are not perfectly trained.

[6:20] Didn't probably see something and regardless of the electric collar that my, you know, neighbor uses with the little.

[6:28] To give the little, what do you call it? To shock his dog, they're not perfect. And I've encountered dogs that have been off leash, don't like it. I have little dogs, little chiwas and seen dogs off leash.

[6:47] Bothers me, scares me sometimes. So my ask is to amend that ordinance, the least lot ordinance, and specifically to specify that under restraint does not mean one of you to be electronic. I know some people are gonna do it regardless. I'm special, my dog is well trained.

[7:07] My dog is friendly, but there are people if they know there's our ordinance, they will follow it. And I think it's given the technology and you know what's available, I think it's an easy change that would underflect reality of the tools and things that are available for for people and theirs.

[7:26] Comments on this council? Our, our city attorney just jotted down animal control Animal ordinance on the legal ordinance, the animal ordinance is on the legal work plan for 2026. So that will be one thing that we we will take in under consideration. And all of the source.

[7:46] Answers?

[7:47] All the animal controllers that Tethering should not be allowed because it's just back for animals to have you know be on a chain or whatever. Okay, thank you. Now that I know, I'll think of some others and come back from.

[8:07] Council, any questions, comments or anything regarding either bird strikes or awkflesh dog? All right. Is there anything else? I'm sure I could come up with it. You always have more ideas always serve for another time soon. All right.

[8:27] Well now you know where to find us. I do. Thank you for coming in tonight and thanks for your work on the charter commission. Do appreciate that as well.

[8:35] Thanks for your time. Thank you. I see that we have just a couple more folks who have joined us in the chambers. We're just listening in tonight? Just listening in tonight, don't want to participate? No, ok. Okay.

[8:50] Okay, we'll give it, how about if we give it one more minutes if anybody shows up, otherwise we will adjourn head downstairs.

[9:23] Alright, that must have been a minute. I think we're safe council. I would look for a motion to adjourn. Have a motion and a second to adjourn our listening session, all those in favor, please signify by saying I. Opposed motion carries six zero, we are adjourned. We will see you downstairs.

[9:43] Sure.