Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason is getting a raise.
The city council, meeting Monday night at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts, approved a pay increase of 5%, which equates to about a $10,400 raise, and brings Gleason's annual salary to just under $220,000.
Gleason thanked the Bloomington community, council members and Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe for the raise, which the council voted unanimously to approve.
Gleason has served as Bloomington’s city manager since 2018. Prior to joining the city, he served as city manager in Decatur, and before that, in Washington, Illinois.
Normal City Manager Pam Reece recently got a contract extension that included a 4% raise, bringing her salary to $217,300.
Other action items
In another matter, there was some debate about whether the council should approve a special-use permit for a chicken coop for a property on the city's east side. Originally approved on the consent agenda, council member Kent Lee of Ward 8 requested the item be brought back up separately at the end of the meeting.
The debate was whether or not the council should recommend something that supersedes the Homeowners Association’s rules regarding farm animals in the area. Ultimately, the item passed on a 5-4 vote.
In other business, the council:
— Approved a $100,000 local match for a federal grant awarded in 2021, to create a plan for improving and revitalizing the Veterans Parkway corridor, supporting multiple modes of transportation and identifying ways to address safety concerns, among other objectives.
— Authorized the purchase of a digital video scoreboard for the Bloomington Ice Center. The manufacturer is NEVCO, based in Greenville. The scoreboard costs $81,219.
