The Normal Town Council on Monday approved two changes to the intergovernmental agreement [IGA] related to the McLean County mental health and public safety sales tax fund.
Council members unanimously approved a resolution allowing for an independent audit of the sales tax, and voted 5-2 in favor of a resolution to pause sales tax sharing during negotiations.
The 20-year agreement is coming up on its 10th year. The agreement did not include language allowing for an audit to be conducted if deemed necessary. With Normal and the McLean County Board having approved resolutions to allow for an audit, it is now up to the Bloomington City Council members to decide if they want to approve the measure during their July 28 meeting.
McLean County Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said if all three governing bodies approve, the next step would be having discussions on what such an audit would cover.
“We believe the time is right for all three parties to come together,” Normal City Manager Pam Reece said at Monday's council meeting. “We've had good conversations, the county attorney and the county administrator's office drafted the language, worked with us on language that we believe the Normal Town Council and ultimately Bloomington and the county [board] can support.”
Reece added the support of an audit does not imply there is any indication of fraud or misuse of funds. It is instead so the county, Bloomington and Normal all have accurate information when deciding what to do next with the program.
The other measure, pausing sales tax sharing during negotiations, saw more disagreement among council members.
The Normal Town Council approved a pause in revenue sharing to the county. That move would save Normal $180,000 per month. Such a move does have language in the 2016 agreement allowing it when needs from the county change. In this case, the fund has a surplus of more than $20 million.
Bloomington and Normal both direct a quarter of the 1% sales tax to the county.
Council members Kathleen Lorenz and Rory Roberge voted against the pause. Roberge suggested a newly-installed Democratic majority on the board be given more time to develop a strategy to address the surplus.
“Not giving them the time to get their feet under them and rewrite the behavioral action plan as they see fit, which was due for a major, major rewrite this year, I feel like this pause is at the very least premature," Roberge said.
The sales tax revenue goes toward debt service related to jail expansion and renovation, criminal justice services related to the expansion and community behavioral health initiatives, services and programs. Lorenz said those are "promises" that need to be kept by those involved in the agreement.
“I think we are jumping to a lot of assumptions that $20 million is available," said Lorenz, who proposed an amendment — that failed — calling for the pause to be contingent on the outcome of the audit.
Corey Beirne, a county board member, spoke during public comment before the council discussion and vote took place.
“I'd encourage you to approve the audit, vote no on pausing funding, collaborate with your partners on solutions. Let's not blow this thing up,” said Beirne.
Reece cited multiple different revenue sources that built up the county’s current surplus. McLean County received funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, grants, and internet purchases that drove up sales tax revenue. The approved measure determined that for a period of at least a year, neither Normal nor Bloomington would pay into the fund.
“That allows the county to draw down some of that fund balance. And during this time, we will all come together and negotiate in good faith [for] some modifications to the intergovernmental agreement moving forward," Reece said.
Town officials indicated that mental health services would not be stopped or delayed during the suspension of funds.
Rowe Construction bids
Also Monday, the town council awarded Rowe Construction multiple work bids. One was a $3.5 million contract for the 2025 General Street Resurfacing Project.
The contract allows Rowe to begin work to repair of street surfaces and a finish of hot-mix asphalt [HMA] overlay. Highlights from the 11 different street segments chosen for the project include: West College Avenue from Cottage Avenue to Parkside Road; Greenbriar Drive from Parkway Plaza Drive to north of Hoover Drive; and Brookwood Drive from Jersey Avenue to Vernon Avenue.
The list remains the same as when it was first presented to council in February.
Work will begin in August with an anticipated completion by the end June 2026. Rowe Construction also was the only bidder on the second phase of road improvements at West College Avenue from White Oak Road to the nearby Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks.
The first phase of the construction for the other side of the railroad is currently underway with completion expected in summer 2026. The $1.5 million contract for phase two will pay for repairs to the curb and gutter and pavement panel areas that have seen rapid decay as the road has been a source of heavy traffic on Rivian Motorway, which College Avenue leads to.
The project was mostly funded by $1 million in federal spending, but nearly $500,000 comes from the Town Motor Fuel Tax fund. The first $250,000 was previously approved, but unexpected higher costs for the project required a re-approval with the correct dollar amount. The town’s share of the cost funds construction, construction engineering and railroad crossing improvements.
Construction is expected to begin in September.
The council also awarded a $35,800 contract to Rowe Construction for repaving Constitution Trail. The town identified a nearly half-mile long segment between Northtown and Kerrick roads, just north of Interstate 55. The segment of asphalt has seen significant deterioration — cracking, fracturing and crumbling. The repavement plan includes a 1.5-inch asphalt overlay atop the existing surface.
Rowe bid was chosen over H.J. Eppel and Co. Inc.,which bid $55,000.
Other business
The council also accepted a $218,367 bid from Otto Baum for a public sculpture park at One Normal Plaza. It required an additional budget adjustment to be made with funding from future budget years being redirected to the 2025-26 fiscal year budget.
Two bids for the sculpture park were rejected back in April due to bidding totals being higher than anticipated. The council elected to instead review the scope of the project, resulting in removal of an electrical package to be added in the future, if necessary.
A new contract with International Association of Firefighters Local #2442 and corresponding budget adjustment was approved.
The contract includes an incremental base wage increase each year, resulting in a 15% raise over the course of the four-year contract. It lasts from April 2025 until March 2029. Other highlights include the observance of Juneteenth as an official holiday, an increase of residency limits from 25 to 60 miles and one additional vacation day for employees with less than five or more than 10 years of service.
