Bloomington city staff wants to keep some COVID-related operational changes in place after the pandemic is over.
The city council is scheduled to vote Monday on a request to end the city's emergency ordinance that it put in place at the start of the pandemic.
The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will stream on the city’s YouTube page. It is scheduled to be the council's final virtual-only meeting before it’s twice-monthly meetings move to the County Board Room of the downtown McLean County Government Center in July.
In a memo to the city council, staff said it believes “emergency” powers are no longer necessary, but it is working on a proposal to keep streamlined operations in place for outdoor dining and other business permits, along with other operational shifts.
Staff wants to allow the city manager to retain the authority to issue health and safety-related orders such as mask mandates among city staff. A proposal the city plans to craft would allow the city manager to issue orders regarding the use of city facilities, and approve and execute grant applications and agreements.
The memo does not indicate a time for when it plans to seek council approval for the permanent changes.
The emergency ordinance repeal the council will consider would lift the moratorium on utility shutoffs and penalties on July 31. City staff said the council could decide separately whether it wants to extend the moratorium.
“While the council may decide to pursue other options regarding the city’s utilities, this extension gives the council the month of July, should it desire to further review and modify the moratorium,” the memo to the council said.
In April, the city council narrowly struck down a proposal to resume utility shutoffs on June 1.
