Winter weather complicates an already tight parking situation in Downtown Bloomington. The Market Street parking deck has closed. And the Front and Center block has yet to finish demolition and become surface parking. That’s likely to become available sometime next spring.
More people face longer chilly walks once they do find parking. Mayor Dan Brady said the city is trying to compensate in a variety of ways. It has rented some private lots and made the spaces public. The lot that formerly held the Elks lodge is now available for parking.
Brady, speaking on WGLT's Sound Ideas, said he envisions a downtown trolley loop during Bison games and other downtown events.
"Of course, the evening hours in the cold makes it very difficult for individuals not only to find a spot, but then the walk," he said.
As yet, there's no cost estimate or timeline for a decision on a trolley.
Connect Transit
Connect Transit recently announced plans to reduce the complexity of its proposed downtown bus transfer station. The agency had earlier downsized onsite parking numbers. Now, it has eliminated first floor retail.
Brady said he's just fine with the budget version of those plans even if it does not produce as much economic activity as first hoped.
"You look at what that building is right now, it's closed. There's nowhere to go but up. I think the scaled-down model may be just exactly what we need," said Brady.
Connect Transit has found $28 million in funding from various sources to complete the project.
Code enforcement
The city has decided to take a more proactive role in code enforcement of property conditions such as broken windows, clutter, bad appearances, and so on. That shifts away from the current model that primarily works off complaints from residents.
The public conversation about this approach dates from a recent collapse at a church building. The dialogue about dealing with violations like overgrown vegetation and improper placement of recycling containers doesn't appear to match the structural weaknesses that led to the church collapse.
Brady said the changes might indirectly do that and are worth doing on their own because they heighten involvement with building conditions in several ways.
“That comes from learning more about the structure … from not only those who own the structure, those who participate in some event in the structure, but those who live around the structure — all ways in which we can learn about the structural side of things,” he said, acknowledging trying to be consistent in dealing with aging buildings is a daily challenge for any municipality.
Some people worry the new approach will be economically unbalanced, focusing on lower income neighborhoods. Brady said he doesn't think that's a fair knock.
“I think that hopefully it's a more balanced approach, and a more balanced approach no matter where you live because these inspectors aren't patrolling, if you will, certain areas. What they're trying to do is go from one situation to the next," said Brady, adding the seven city inspectors will be verifying complaints, not only looking for violations.
Bulk waste
The City of Bloomington is moving back to bulk waste pickup from homes every two weeks — seven years after abandoning that routine. At the time, city staff said the the change would be cost effective. Brady said the change back is good because some people have taken advantage of the current system, a drop-off location called the Citizens Convenience Center.
“There has been documentation that shows maybe contractors from out of the area use that to an advantage that's not fair for those who are Bloomington residents and those who are trying to take care of their own bulk," said Brady.
Brady said the biweekly bulk waste collection also offers better service to residents, and will free up staff at the Convenience Center to do other things like snow removal.
Shared sales tax dispute
The city and Town of Normal have accepted a county proposal to resume negotiations over a shared sales tax agreement to benefit mental health programs in the community. Talks broke down over the summer, and the city and town had formally claimed the county is in breach of the agreement.
The most recent exchange of letters lowers the temperature, while not giving away central claims by either side.
The city and town now suggest future talks be in a collective bargaining format conducted by the city managers and county administrator. Brady had earlier said he thinks the elected officials, the mayors and county board chair should be at the table as well.
Now, Brady says he doesn’t mind being out of the direct negotiations.
“I still think the elected officials will be involved, from the standpoint they're going to have to approve what you come up with,” said Brady, adding negotiations always take longer than desired.
“And people's patience gets thin. The art of negotiation is a skill, and so we find ourselves now reverting back to, in part, what I said in the beginning,” he said. “What I think is important for the elected official side of things is that we sharpen our communication skills, and we do what the people elected us to do, and that's represent.”
He said there may still be some distance between the cities and county positions on the shape of an audit, but there are several things that are difficult to control.
“We have to prioritize this when it comes to 2026,” said Brady.
