[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE, AND THIS

IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 20.

[0:10] OUR COUNCIL MEETING THIS WEEK WAS A STUDY SESSION.

NO VOTES TAKEN ON ANY ITEMS, JUST AN OPPORTUNITY

[0:16] TO HEAR FROM STAFF, TO LEARN, AND TALK AS A

COUNCIL ABOUT RELEVANT TOPICS. THE MEETING

[0:22] WAS IN A CONFERENCE ROOM INSTEAD OF THE COUNCIL

CHAMBERS, BUT IT WAS LIVE STREAMED AND RECORDED,

[0:27] AND LIKE ALL OF OUR MEETINGS YOU CAN WATCH

IT ANY TIME ON THE CITY’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

[0:32] AT THE MEETING, THE COUNCIL RECEIVED A DETAILED

BRIEFING ON THE FEDERAL GRANT FUNDING THAT THE

[0:37] CITY RECIEVES. CURRENTLY, BLOOMINGTON BENEFITS

FROM A VARIETY OF MAJOR FEDERAL PROGRAMS

[0:43] INCLUDING HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS, COMMUNITY

DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS, PUBLIC HEALTH GRANTS,

[0:48] THE WIC NUTRITION PROGRAM, AND THE SAFER

GRANT SUPPORTING OUR FIREFIGHTER STAFFING.

[0:54] FOR 2025, BLOOMINGTON IS SCHEDULED TO RECIEVE

JUST UNDER $20 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING

[1:00] RELATED TO THOSE PROGRAMS. THAT’S FUNDING THAT

WAS MADE AVAILABLE BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,

[1:05] THAT BLOOMINGTON APPLIED FOR AND WAS AWARDED,

AND THAT IS PART OF BLOOMINGTON’S 2025 BUDGET

[1:10] AND SERVICE DELIVERY PLANS.

BUT AS WE’VE ALL SEEN RECENTLY,

[1:14] THE AVAILABILITY OF FEDERAL FUNDING HAS BECOME

INCREASINGLY UNRELIABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE.

[1:20] SO, CITY STAFF HAS BEEN DOING SOME CONTINGENCY

PLANNING. ON MONDAY, THE COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT

[1:26] THE CITY’S OPTIONS IF FEDERAL FUNDING GOES

AWAY. OPTIONS LIKE PURSUING ADDITIONAL

[1:31] GRANT OPPORTUNITIES, SHIFTING FUNDING BASED ON

PRIORITIES, LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS AT THE LOCAL,

[1:37] COUNTY, OR STATE LEVELS, AND OTHER POSSIBLE

STRATEGIES. I APPRECIATE STAFF INITIATING

[1:42] THIS CONVERSATION AND I KNOW THEY’LL

CONTINUE TO EXPLORE AND VET OTHER OPTIONS.

[1:46] OF COURSE, ANOTHER OPTION IS TO STOP DOING

THE PROGRAMS FUNDED BY FEDERAL GRANT DOLLARS.

[1:53] THE IMPACT OF SIMPLY ELIMINATING MANY OF THE

ACTIVITIES IS CONCERNING. IT’S ONE THING TO

[1:59] LOSE FUNDING FOR A WELL PROJECT, OR FOR HIGHWAY

PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION. IT’S ANOTHER THING TO

[2:05] LOSE FUNDING FOR THE 1,800 FAMILIES THAT COUNT

ON THE WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN SUPPLEMENTAL

[2:11] NUTRITION PROGRAM. OR THE 180,000 PEOPLE WHO RELY

ON PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNING AND ACTIVITIES. OR THE

[2:18] 608 FAMILIES WHO HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE OF

THE SECTION 8 HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS PROGRAM.

[2:25] THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CITIES AND THE

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LONG STANDING,

[2:29] AND IT’S BUILT ON TRUST AND ON SHARED VALUES

AND PRIORITIES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE FOR

[2:34] DECADES IN THIS COUNTRY. VALUES LIKE MAKING

SURE THAT CHILDREN HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT. OR

[2:40] THAT WE KEEP PEOPLE HEALTHY. OR THAT THE POOREST

IN OUR COMMUNITY HAVE A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.

[2:46] I CERTANLY AGREE THAT ALL PUBLIC SPENDING

SHOULD BE OPEN TO SCRUTINY, EVALUATION,

[2:51] AND POSSIBILY REDUCTION OR ELIMINATION. BUT

I ALSO BELIEVE THAT PUBLIC SPENDING SHOULD

[2:57] REFLECT THE VALUES AND PRIORITIES OF A COMMUNITY,

AND IF DOLLARS ARE COMMITTED, THEY SHOULDN’T BE

[3:02] PULLED BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUDGET YEAR.

THE CITY WILL CONTINUE PRIORITIZING STRATEGIC

[3:08] PLANNING TO ENSURE WE CAN MAINTAIN

QUALITY SERVICES WHILE ADAPTING

[3:13] TO AN EVOLVING FEDERAL FUNDING LANDSCAPE.

THIS WEEK, THE BLOOMINGTON HOSPITALITY COMMUNITY

[3:18] CAME TOGETHER FOR THE 27TH ANNUAL DIAMOND SERVICE

AWARDS. THE DIAMOND SERVICE AWARDS HONOR AND

[3:24] CELEBRATE THE FRONTLINE SERVICE PERSONNEL IN THE

BLOOMINGTON HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY. THE AWARDS ARE

[3:30] HOSTED BY BLOOMINGTON MINNESOTA TRAVEL AND TOURISM

AND THIS IS THE ONLY AWARDS PROGRAM OF IT’S KIND

[3:35] IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. IN SO MANY WAYS, THE HARD

WORKING PEOPLE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY ARE THE

[3:41] FACE OF BLOOMINGTON FOR VISITORS. THE WORK THEY DO

AND THE OUTSTANDING CUSTOMER SERVICE THEY PROVIDE

[3:47] IS A VITALLY IMPORTANT PIECE OF BLOOMINGTON’S

REPUTATION AS A WORLD CLASS VISITOR DESTINATION.

[3:53] DIAMOND SERVICE AWARDS ARE PRESENTED IN

OSCARS-LIKE FASHION ACROSS 14 DIFFERENT

[3:58] CATEGORIES INCLUDING BEST HOUSEKEEPING, GUEST

SERVICES, FOOD PRODUCTION, AND TRANSPORTATION.

[4:04] THE EVENING IS A JOYOUS CELEBRATION

THAT INCLUDES GLITZ AND GLITTER, MUSIC,

[4:09] FIRED-UP AWARD WINNERS, AND PROUD, SUPPORTIVE

CO-WORKERS CHEERING ON THEIR COLLEAGUES.

[4:15] CONGRATULATIONS TO THE AWARD WINNERS AND TO

EVERYONE WHO WAS NOMINATED. THANKS TO ALL OF

[4:20] YOU FOR YOUR INCREDIBLE WORK. AND THANKS TO

BLOOMINGTON TRAVEL AND TOURISM FOR SPONSORING

[4:25] THIS ONE-OF-A-KIND CELEBRATION HIGHLIGHTING THE

DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE

[4:30] BLOOMINGTON A WELCOMING DESTINATION FOR VISITORS.

FINALLY TODAY, SPRING IS HERE, WHICH MEANS

[4:36] BLOOMINGTON COMES OUT OF HIBERNATION

AND GETS TOGETHER FOR A CALENDAR FULL

[4:40] OF COMMUNITY EVENTS! HERE’S JUST A TASTE OF

WHAT’S GOING ON OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS:

[4:44] THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 26 IS THE CREEKSIDE

BOUTIQUE OPEN HOUSE. IT RUNS FROM 9 A.M. TO

[4:50] 1 P.M. AND WILL SHOWCASE HANDCRAFTED ITEMS

MADE BY OUR TALENTED CREEKSIDE CRAFTERS.

[4:55] ALSO ON THE 26 IS THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPO HERE

AT CIVIC PLAZA. THIS FREE EVENT IS DESIGNED TO

[5:01] SUPPORT FAMILIES WITH KIDS AGED FIVE AND YOUNGER.

THERE WILL BE RESOURCES, MUSIC, CRAFTY ACTIVITIES,

[5:08] AND A BABY GEAR SWAP. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO BE

PART OF THE SWAP. ALL ITEMS ARE GIVEN AND TAKEN

[5:16] FREELY, AND YOU DON’T NEED TO DONATE ITEMS TO

SHOP THE SWAP. THE EXPO AND ALL THE ACTIVITIES

[5:22] ARE HAPPENING FROM 11 A.M. TO 2 P.M.

NEXT WEEK, BLOOMINGTON WILL CELEBRATE

[5:26] OUR VOLUNTEERS WITH A VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION

EVENT ON TUESDAY THE 29 HERE AT CIVIC PLAZA.

[5:32] AND ON WEDNESDAY THE 30 PLEASE JOIN US

FOR AN ASIAN AMERICAN, NATIVE HAWAIIAN,

[5:36] AND PACIFIC ISLANDER CELEBRATION

AT NORMANDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

[5:40] IF YOU’RE READY TO GET OUTDOORS,

JOIN OUR VOLUNTEER CREW FOR A GARLIC

[5:44] MUSTARD PULL AT PARKERS PICNIC GROUNDS ON MAY 4.

AND SATURDAY MAY 17 IS THE BIG DOUBLE HEADER. OPEN

[5:51] HOUSES AT BOTH PUBLIC WORKS AND THE BLOOMINGTON

POLICE DEPARTMENT. ALWAYS A GREAT TIME.

[5:56] THAT’S A LOT AND THAT’S JUST A TASTE OF THE EVENTS

SCHEDULED FOR THIS SPRING AND SUMMER. CHECK OUT

[6:02] THE FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE.

THAT WRAPS UP THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL MINUTE. THANKS

[6:08] FOR WATCHING, AND UNTIL NEXT

TIME, STAY SAFE, BLOOMINGTON!