The city of Bloomington may have balanced its budget after years of a structural deficit. But, Mayor Tari Renner says the city council is still paying attention to cost cutting options laid out by the budget task force last year.
"We had lots of recommendations, many of them we're still working. It doesn't mean we're patting ourselves on the back and saying, 'hey, it's over we're stable.' We are in a very strong financial position now as we move forward, but we're still working at it."
Renner said more work needs to be done on such ideas as centralizing management and booking for the BCPA and Coliseum, and selling or closing a golf course. He says if they can save money on those and other options, it can be put into street repair or other priorities.
Renner said Bloomington still needs to fund some of its top priorities better.
"If we are able to save, let's say a few hundred-thousand dollars, then that's something we can either put into another service, certainly in terms of streets where we're certainly moving ahead with massive expenditures."
Renner says the council will continue working through budget task force recommendations such as merging Coliseum and Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts operations, and cutting or selling a golf course. He says he will not bring up bulky solid waste removal rates again.
The council has been unable to agree on multiple proposals, something Renner calls an embarrassment. He says the ball is in the council's court on that issue.
