Case Date:

9/19/2022

In regards to resolved uReport# 181500: Reply from City: Up until recently, we've been relying on the scooter companies to enforce their users behaviors with illegally parking of the scooters. We have two positions that we are currently hiring for that are funded with fees from the scooter companies that will focus on moving into a system where fines will be issued for improper parking. My reply with two (2) questions: I do not understand Adam Wason's reply in light of what was stated by City Attorney, Mike Rourker, in 2019 (please see below for quote). Additionally, I worked from March 2019 until October 2021 as the main point-of-contact (POC) working with the entities licensed by the City for providing the service and product of motorized scooters, and neither was I informed of any efforts to ticket the companies nor the users of the scooters. Can someone please explain to me what the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for holding the licensed entities accountable for the stipulations in the ordinance governing use and management of the scooters was prior to the recent creation and hiring of a new staff position? Also, why were no violations issued and no fines collected in over three years? Thank you for your time. "At its July 31, 2019 meeting, city attorney Mike Rouker told the city council that scooter companies would be fined if their users violated the parking restrictions. Rouker put it this way: “So just to be clear, at the same time, that Bird or Lime or another scooter company may be taking those additional steps against their own users, the city, if this is an issue, will be fining them every single time we see a parking issue.” Rouker continued, “I suppose if the company wants to move very slowly and pay lots and lots of fines to the city, until we’re fed up enough that we either revoke their license or geo-fence an area, that’s a business decision. But I don’t know if it’s a sound business decision.” For an improperly parked scooter, the fine called for in the city’s ordinance runs $30. The fee connected to impoundment is $100, plus $10 per day storage, and another $150 for disposal. As it turns out, the only payments the scooter companies have had to make to the city of Bloomington are the $10,000 annual licensing fees and the 15 cents a ride. The three companies now operating in Bloomington are Lime, Veo, and Bird." Source: https://bsquarebulletin.com/2021/11/22/electric-scooter-parking-violations-zero-citations-in-over-2-years-since-local-bloomington-law-was-passed/ Additional source: https://otter.ai/s/56nnFv2HQX2elRJ40z1X8A?snpt=true

Case Date:

10/26/2022

What is the value of creating uReport incidents for scooters? I recently created Case #181916 and got three emails, the first to tell me the case was created and I should contact Bird directly. The second, to tell me that the case is closed and a third saying that Anonymous assigned this case to Anonymous and providing a link to the case. I also created 181882 over the weekend. Nothing has changed when I follow the link for the case. I have contacted Bird directly before but typically they then tell me that the case is resolved and I have to explain that the case was closed the instant I created and I was referred to them. And then we go round and round and nothing happens. Can we just an scooters?

Case Date:

10/8/2022

There is a City bus stop shelter just north of Thorton Drive on Henderson (across the street from Black Lumber). The last few evenings, it looks like someone is staying in there overnight. Is this allowed? Also, there is a lot of trash in the area. Can the city clean this up and monitor the area for illicit activity?

Case Date:

1/16/2024

We live just a few blocks north of Bryan Park. At 4:09AM Saturday, Jan 15 my family was woken to what sounded like 8 gunshots, followed by two more a few minutes later. These noises sounded like they originated only a couple blocks south. Then there were 2 more shots (much fainter) at about 4:19AM. I never heard any sirens. Anyone have any insight into this occurrence? What is going to be done about the current state of affairs in regards to violence and drugs in the city of Bloomington? My wife and I have been increasingly concerned with the general state of "health" in Bloomington for the last few years. We have had random weapon-bearing tweekers and would-be thieves wander/stumble into our yards and onto our porches, we have had packages stolen from porches and mailboxes, we have had items stolen from our vehicles and property. My wife even witnessed a man masturbating in public! We now have cameras set up on our property to monitor 24/7 and I have a baseball bat next to my bed that I have already had to use once to run off a potential thief. We are two productive members of the community who pay our taxes and contribute to the local economy. But, we are considering moving due to the eroding quality of Bloomington. We know many others who feel the same way. In the last week alone we have heard of at least one stabbing death and one gunshot death. And upon a bit of reading of the Bloomingtonian it appears that Bloomington is doing rather poorly overall in this category. According to BPD Chief Mike Diekhoof, from a March 2023 article in the Bloomingtonian, in 2022 in Bloomington a gun crime occurred every 2.77 days. And someone shot at someone else every 5.2 days! And this is an upward moving trend. What the hell is going on here!? The previous mayor seemed to care little about this. Is the new mayor working with you to do something about all this? What do you plan to do about it? thanks. Ian Miller

Case Date:

1/10/2024

When is the electronic billboard case going to move forward in court? This has been non compliant for so long, is an eye sore, and sets a precedent for more distracting and tacky signage to enter this county and city. Please provide the public an update so we know that the same issues are still being addressed in the new year

Case Date:

2/5/2024

See tix 187165. Local merchants don’t flood the community with criminals, mental health patients, and drug users that are responsible these carts being abandoned all over town…the city does!! Like all the other issues in this town, local government passes the blame on others (property owners)….hard working tax paying citizens and employers! Stop accepting state money for rehabilitation of all the states delinquents! I highly advocate for people to lawyer up take action against this city with answers like that!!!!

Case Date:

3/5/2024

The water company is a monopoly that runs itself like its the 4th Reich. They offer zero assistance or help, unless your unemployed and not trying to better yourself at all. If you just quit on life and being productive, then the city helps you. If your a hardworking man, that fell on hard times due in no fault to himself, that guy can kick rocks. His only option is to pay his bill in full or else. The water company actually put a lien for 200 bucks against a paid for home worth 225,000! My family has had 3 or 4 generations of perfect bill paying with water company. Just my gma, dad, mom, aunts and uncles have paid city of bloomington water for well over 250 yrs combined, and that garners you zero good will or even common courtesy. They can't even acknowledge they're screwing you over and be polite. They know they're the only game in town so they treat people like crap and it's not ok.

Case Date:

9/6/2023

Some comments ahead of budget approval: Are staff members being considered throughout this budget cycle? This question comes up frequently from the employee perspective, but it does not seem to be at the forefront of council, the administration, or even HR’s agenda. Staff are continually told how valuable their benefits are while being grossly overworked and underpaid, often carrying the duties of multiple positions because this organization cannot keep a full staff employed. Employees and citizen onlookers watch this dance every year as the mayoral and department head staff continue to get inflated wages while the vast majority of workers are severely underpaid with high expectations of their output. Yet promises are made during the approval of each budget for things that will benefit staff, however staff never reap the benefits. The staff health clinic has yet to have even a proposed plan discussed to internal staff but was promised last year, a compensation study was to commence yet the results have not been provided internally to staff and the amount allocated is laughable seeing as there are still LARGE wage gaps between the work performed at the same pay grade level accross roles within the organization let alone just in individual departments (pay data is public after all), the bonuses were delayed in getting released to staff via paychecks let alone the other health benefit reimbursements that are constantly delayed in processing, and alleged “progressive” benefits such as paid parental leave (in which the city is just behind in offering such a benefit) are still currently a “trial” so no one employee can actually calculate the value of the “benefits” because they don’t exist or do not apply to them (i.e. the bike cash out program that the majority of staff members cannot even use due to location of where they live, yet this is the topic of concern?). It seems that the organization is constantly asking how can we get people to stay in their roles, when the answers are right in front of them every year - skills based hiring, retention pay incentives, and adequate market/competitive pay. Our municipal counterpart in the County and federal roles work less hours (often closing at 4pm), have more paid holidays, have remote and hybrid work options without repercussions, retention incentives, higher pay rates, larger bonus incentives, and continue to float higher cost of living adjustments than the City. When did it become the case that City civil servants should bare the brunt of public backlash and demand, yet make so little that they cannot afford to live in the city they work for? It is very concerning to watch on every year as the average worker in this organization falls off of the organization’s top priority list. After all, how are citizens’ needs and demands going to be met if there are no people running the city each day? It’s really sad to see that the only individual throughout this process so far to discuss the employees’ treatment is the Clerk. This organization should be doing better than this, and set the same priorities for employees with the newly incoming administration. Someone truly needs to address the large pay gaps, the systemic staffing issues, etc. because it has yet to be accomplished.

Case Date:

7/9/2023

When is the city going to match the County for work hours/hours worked? Closing at 4pm makes public meetings available to start earlier in the evening, reduces traffic stress on roads as a major employer (remote work accomplishes this too), and creates less confusion on need of City versus County services and what hours they can be reached.

Case Date:

9/20/2023

County is getting 16 paid holidays and discussion of 8.5% COLA raise with starting salaries already at a higher wage than most comparable positions within the City, in addition to many roles working 8am-4pm. Will this continued deficit in pay and benefits be addressed in the upcoming budget decisions for City staff?