City of Bloomington provides update on Gateway Project
Mayor Hamilton finally hears the voice of Bloomingtonians, as the City of Bloomington announced a modification in the timeline of the Bicentennial gateway project planned for installation this fall in Miller-Showers Park on the north side of Bloomington. Site improvements have been rescheduled for spring 2024 so that Parks and Recreation staff can consider feedback from the public, the design team, and other City departments, boards, and commissions, to determine next steps for the project.
Could this mean that the taxpayers have actually won, and the nearly $1.2 Million project of installing a giant 40′ LED, Washington Monument style sign which spells out the name of the town, will be scrapped . . . likely not, as it seems the money has already been spent, and it is very possible that the boondoggle of a “Gateway sign” has already been built (although this statement from City Officials does not yet appear to have been substantiated).
On Friday of last week, the Mayor’s Office sent out their version of the timeline, hoping to perform some damage control in the explanation of the timetable of this gigantic waste of money, which does little but to highlight the true lack of transparency in which we have watched over the past 7 years in hindsight.
With this timeline (below), City Spokesperson Angela Van Rooy stated that they are taking steps to expand communication efforts and to provide additional time for feedback from all interested parties. She additionally offered that plans for the future of the Bicentennial gateway project will be shared with the community via City-issued news releases, social media channels, and on the Bicentennial Gateway Project website at bloomington.in.gov/parks/gateway as plans are developed. Community members may sign up to receive email updates on the gateway project by registering at bton.in/inbox.
Bicentennial Gateway Project Timeline as offered from Mayor Hamilton’s Administration
The Bloomington Common Council on Oct. 31, 2018, approved the sale of $10 million in bonds for a variety of Bicentennial projects, including the construction, art, and landscaping of four to six gateways to the City. A total of $1.25 million was set aside for the development and installation of the gateways.
The Board of Park Commissioners on July 23, 2019, approved a contract with Indianapolis-based Rundell Ernstberger Associates (REA) for $45,800 to complete conceptual design work on the Bicentennial gateways. Four potential gateway locations were identified: Arlington pedestrian bridge over State Road 45/46; Bloomfield Road at Twin Lakes Sports Park; State Road 46 and East Third Street; and the traffic island north of Miller-Showers Park.
Parks and Recreation held a public open house Dec. 15, 2019, to unveil the proposed concepts for three signature gateways: At Miller-Showers Park, on the Arlington pedestrian bridge on State Road 45/46, and Bloomfield Road near Twin Lakes Sports Park. The East Third Street site was eliminated from consideration, as it was located on private land. The conceptual designs included the proposed size, construction materials, themes, graphic features and architectural and landscape elements. A total of 34 public comments about the gateway concepts were received online between Dec. 10, 2019, and Feb. 10, 2020.
REA presented a Bicentennial gateway project update to the Board of Park Commissioners at their regular meeting on April 28, 2020. The three proposed gateway designs incorporated input from the public, Parks and Recreation staff, and City administration.
Parks and Recreation staff restarted the Bicentennial Gateway project after it was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff reviewed REA’s conceptual designs for the three gateway sites and determined the estimated costs to be over budget. At their May 22, 2022 meeting, the Board of Park Commissioners approved an additional contract with REA for $133,925 for two, scaled-back gateway designs at Miller-Showers Park and the Arlington pedestrian bridge.
Final schematic concepts of the two gateway sites were presented to the Board of Park Commissioners at their Dec. 13, 2022 meeting. A public open house was held Dec. 15, and an additional 59 people submitted feedback and comments regarding the gateway designs online between Dec. 16, 2022, and Jan. 6, 2023.
The Indiana Department of Transportation in spring 2023 informed the City of its plans to replace the Arlington pedestrian bridge in the next 10 years. Staff eliminated the Arlington pedestrian bridge from consideration as a gateway site due to its limited lifespan.
A contract for $395,105 with bo-mar Industries for the structural design, fabrication, and installation of the Bicentennial gateway at Miller-Showers Park was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners on May 16, 2023. To date, $32,628 has been paid to bo-mar Industries for the structural engineering and associated design work of the gateway element.
A contract for $575,000 with Reed & Sons Construction for site work necessary for the installation of the gateway, and sidewalk and paving improvements to the surrounding area, was approved by the Board of Park Commissioners on July 27, 2023. To date, $13,759 has been paid to Reed & Sons Construction for project startup costs.
Parks and Recreation issued a news release Sept. 5, 2023 announcing the fall 2023 installation timeline for the monolith-style Bicentennial Gateway at Miller-Showers Park.
The Board of Public Works considered but did not act on requests to issue a Right of Way Permit for construction of the project at their Sept 12, Sept. 26, and Oct 10 meetings.
City Clerk Nicole Bolden Invites Applications for Vacant Positions on the Environmental Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women.
The City of Bloomington Office of the City Clerk is accepting applications to fill vacant positions on the Environmental Commission and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Established in 1971 by municipal ordinance, the Bloomington Environmental Commission (EC), formerly known as the Environmental Quality and Conservations Commission, is a voluntary advisory body composed of citizens appointed by the Mayor and Common Council. The mission of the EC is to advise the City on how its actions and policies may preserve and enhance the quality of Bloomington’s environment, including the life-supporting processes that natural ecological systems provide to humans and other organisms. The EC actively participates in the city planning process; researches and reports on environmental topics; develops educational materials; responds to inquiries from residents; and coordinates with other municipal boards and commissions, and other organizations on issues of mutual interest.
Commissioners must reside within the municipal boundary. Preference will be given to applicants with expertise in one or more areas of physical, biological, or environmental sciences; sanitation and recycling; public health; or conservation. Currently, there is one vacancy. Regular meetings are generally on the third Thursday of every month and working group meetings convene as needed. It is expected that all members will be active in EC projects by attending monthly meetings and working group meetings. The time required to fulfill the EC duties are approximately four hours per month. There is no compensation for serving on the Environmental Commission. For more information, please see the Bloomington Municipal Code 2.12.050.
The City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women explores women’s issues and concerns, celebrates women’s accomplishments, and promotes solutions to the problems and challenges faced by women. The Commission’s purpose is to assure that women and men have equal opportunity to function fully and optimally as citizens of Bloomington, as equal participants in the economy, in politics and government, in education, in social development, in the system of justice, and in all other facets of life. To these ends the Commission identifies needs, resources, and gaps in resources for women; monitors federal, state, and local policies and their impact on women; stimulates and encourages legislation, issues publications, and does all it can to help improve opportunities for women in the community.
The members of the Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women shall be representative of the diverse educational, employment, economic, business and community service elements of the community. Preference for appointments shall be given to persons with experience working for women’s issues, knowledge of legislative and policy making processes, and direct knowledge and experience working with women’s needs and community resources. In order that the concerns of the total community be adequately represented on the commission, commission membership may include both women and men.
If you are interested in applying to a vacant seat on a board or commission, you may apply, here: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/applicants/apply
All board and commission meetings are free and open to the public. Potential applicants are urged to attend a meeting of their desired board or commission prior to applying.
Indiana U.S. Attorney’s Offices celebrate funding for survivors announced during Domestic Violence Awareness Month
As part of a monthlong observance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern and Northern Districts of Indiana are proud to announce that the Department’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded $790,618 to the state of Indiana to bolster coordinated community responses aimed at bringing an end to domestic violence, as well as sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Data from the most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey indicate about 41% of women and 26% of men experienced sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner. Domestic violence rates are even higher for people of color, individuals with disabilities, and LGBTQI+ individuals.
The announced grants will reach historically marginalized and underserved communities, college and university campuses, rural towns, culturally specific communities, Tribal nations, and more. The funding prioritizes increasing access to justice, improving survivor safety, holding perpetrators accountable, and offering training and technical support to professionals addressing these crimes.
Indiana received the following funds for the 2023 fiscal year:
- OVW awarded $340,618 under State and Territory Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program to enhance the coordination between courts, child protective services agencies, advocates, law enforcement, and community programs to encourage trauma-informed, survivor-centered responses to domestic violence and sexual assault.
- OVW awarded $450,000 under the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Victims of Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program (Transitional Housing Program) to support programs that provide 6 to 24 months of transitional housing or housing assistance to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
The Department of Justice joins survivors, victim service providers, advocates, and communities nationwide in recognizing October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This is a time to center the experiences of survivors; honor those who lost their lives to domestic violence; express gratitude to the countless individuals in the movement to end violence; and raise awareness on the issues of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
This Week in Hoosier History
1938 – WIBC radio began broadcasting in Indianapolis at 1070 AM
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