Bloomington plans to reopen all city facilities June 1 or 2 as part of the state’s bridge to Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois Plan, City Manager Tim Gleason told the city council on Monday.
Gov. JB Pritzker announced last week the month-long “bridge” will begin Friday. The transition aims to return Illinois to normal operations and capacities by June 11.
In other pandemic-related news, Gleason told the council the first half of Bloomington’s $14 million — due from the latest federal COVID-relief package — arrives this week, and the state will begin a rental assistance grant program next week. The council voted unanimously to eliminate late payment penalties for water bills through Phase 4.
Also at the virtual meeting, the council voted unanimously to OK a $1 million contract for this year’s portion of a 10-year master plan for sidewalk repairs, and chose council member Jamie Mathy as mayor pro tem. The council also heard about the city services “hub” and its upcoming move to the downtown Government Center.
Gleason told the council Illinois' bridge phase will allow higher capacities for a variety of spaces, and that as part of that, city administrators are looking into how city employees will shift from work-from-home.
“What does that return look like? We’ll implement far more returning to work,” he said. In addition, some staff may continue to work from home, but at times come to Bloomington offices. The city has created post-pandemic collaborative work spaces, and is opening a so-called “hive” space along the lines of tech giants like Google to allow an alternative, or temporary workspace, for some city staff, said Deputy City Manager Billy Tyus.
Gleason noted capacity limits don’t include people who have been fully vaccinated for at least two weeks.
Despite the bridge period’s increased capacity permissions, entering Phase 5 in June depends on COVID-19 hospitalizations continuing to trend downward.
Gleason said the county has seen 91 COVID cases since Friday.
“Even though things are loosening up around the state and our community, the pandemic is not over,” said Ward 7 council member Mollie Ward, noting vaccine hesitancy remains even as deaths from the disease continue. “If you have the opportunity to get vaccinated, go get vaccinated. You're saving someone’s life and it's not just your own,” she added.
Much of Monday’s hour-long meeting focused on the pandemic’s continued economic impact, and how Bloomington can help residents affected now and in the future.
Last month, the council approved plans to extend a moratorium on water shut-offs until Restore Illinois reaches Phase 5. On Monday, a penalty and fee associated with late water bill payments also was eliminated. No interest will be charged either.
Ward 7 council member Jenn Carrillo said she was in favor of eliminating the penalties, but she wondered about the city’s longer-term strategy to help people struggling with accumulated debt. For some, the pandemic only exacerbated that issue, she said.
“Really this is just delaying the inevitable point,” she said, noting a few weeks after the moratorium ends, accumulated water bills will be due, but many residents also will have a backlog of owed rent and many other bills.
City staff continue to push residents to some of the resources available now, said Gleason, but he acknowledged that will only go so far.
“There’s going to come a point where more is needed. But where does that more come from? That likely is a discussion of the committee of the whole next week,” he said.
Gleason said at that May 17 meeting, he and city finance chief Scott Rathbun will share spending guidelines for the $14 million Bloomington is promised by the American Rescue Act. Bloomington’s police and fire departments also will give their annual reports at the meeting, he said.
Gleason also detailed the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s rental assistance grants, which people can begin applying for next week. For those eligible, the grants would provide up to $25,000 to cover up to one year’s past rent and up to three months future rent.Hub readies for Monday move
Tyus and City Clerk Leslie Yocum updated the council on the progress of centralizing Bloomington’s public access in what leaders have dubbed a “one-stop-shop” City Services Hub.
A ribbon cutting for the Hub’s new site will be 11:30 a.m. May 17 at the Government Center. Entry to the Hub will be at the building’s Washington Street entrance, said Yocum, who oversaw creation of the center. She said one of the goals was to improve the public’s perception of how government works.
Tyus said city staff have spent nearly a year reorganizing how best to deliver the services.
“It’s been a learning experience,” added Yocum.
During the pandemic, the city ran a test-drive of the hub from Grossinger Motors Arena. It includes representatives from several departments, including Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts; Legal; and Public Works, among others.Sidewalks get million-dollar boost
Also Monday, the council voted unanimously to award Gildner Inc. a $1.1 million contract to complete the FY22 sidewalk and curb replacement program. Gildner’s was the lowest of three bids received.
This work should be complete by April 2022. The program also includes the city’s 50-50 cost-sharing program, whereby property owners can work with the city to get expedited repairs.
The work is part of a nearly $10 million, decade-long sidewalk master plan. Approved in 2015, the city is more than halfway through the plan to improve public sidewalks and curb ramps. A top goal is to make them accessible to all citizens, including those with disabilities. While progress has been made, problems remain widespread, according to council materials.Mathy gets title; new council members seated
The council voted unanimously to make Ward 1’s Mathy, the longest-serving council member, mayor pro tem. The Latin phrase translates to “for the time being,” meaning Mathy is designated as the mayor’s second — presiding over meetings in his absence and stepping in as needed for other mayoral duties. New Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe previously held the position.
With the April 6 election, Mwilambwe made history becoming Bloomington’s first Black mayor. He’s the 46th person to hold the post since the city government was chartered in 1850. He was sworn into office on May 1, along with five newly-elected, and re-elected council members.
They are newcomers Sheila Montney, Ward 3; Nick Becker, Ward 5; and Tom Crumpler, Ward 9; as well as Mathy, appointed in 2013, and first elected in 2017; and Mollie Ward, Ward 7, who was appointed in November and elected in the April 6 election.
Mwilambwe, a longtime Illinois State University administrator, spent the past decade as a council member representing Ward 3. A Bloomington resident for about three decades, he was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Mwilambwe isn’t the first immigrant to serve as the city’s top elected official. Other Bloomington mayors born outside of the United States include German-born Christian Koch and Irish-born John Trotter, who both served in the late 19th century; and Swedish-born A.G. Erickson, elected in 1906, according to McLean County Museum of History staff.
In other business, the council:
- Heard from Gleason that Johnson Controls will begin an audit of city lights. Some are owned by Bloomington, others by Ameren Illinois or Corn Belt Energy. The goal is to find cost savings of the roughly $1 million to $1.3 million the city spends annually on lighting.
- Approved a five-year agreement with Ticketmaster to handle ticket sales at the arena, and at Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts. It’s a no-cost agreement.
- OK’d spending about $207,000 with Tyler Technologies for administrative software licensing.
- Rezoned half an acre at 2813 Breezewood Boulevard in the Cedar Ridge subdivision to single-family residence; as well as a final plat for the outlot.
- Approved a liquor license for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, 502 Brock Drive, on the city’s west side.
