Case Date:

7/6/2016

To Whom it May Concern at the Office of the Mayor: Hello! My name is Aubrey Seader, and I'm a resident of Bloomington (living in the two-mile fringe on the south side). Recently my family and I were involved in and attended the annual 4th of July parade in downtown Bloomington. The parade was mostly really great! It's great to see so many people and organizations that are a part of my community, that I don't normally get to interact with. There was one float in the parade, however, that made myself and many of my friends and family very nervous and very angry. The float consisted of two vehicles - both Jeeps I think - carrying men holding up or displaying in some way automatic rifles. Machine guns. Men and women walked beside the cars displaying side arms, and other large guns. One man held up over his head a laminated copy of the constitution. As offensive and sickening as this display was - just weeks after the attack on Pulse nightclub that killed 40 people - I realize it was completely legal and that the city is not permitted to refuse entry to the parade to any group if what they are doing follows the letter of the law. I'm not even sure if the mayor's office has anything to do with city events like the parade. I just wanted to write to someone and say that seeing this float was terrifying. These people not only had multiple automatic weapons... these weapons were clearly loaded. I could see the clips and rounds attached to them. And families, children, all of us just had to hold our breath and watch as they passed. Gun violence has traumatized the US for years now, as we've seen our own president give 16 condolence speeches following mass shootings .. just within the past FOUR YEARS. I remember the day I heard about the shooting at Sandy Hook. All the breath just fell out of me and I'm still not quite able to get past the knowledge that after the horrifying deaths of dozens of elementary-aged children, America did nothing to enact stricter, common sense gun safety laws. In my mind, the way this 4th of July float, in our City of Bloomington parade, made light of this grief, this trauma we all sit with everyday, could be compared to a float making light of the events of September 11th. There has to be some way we can at least prevent people from bringing loaded assault weapons to public events. Perhaps they can be allowed to bring the mechanical part of the gun, but we have to make sure they leave all their amo at home. I'm sad that we can't remove guns from public places the way we've banned smoking within so many feet of local businesses and public buildings. But for now, can we work on requiring parade participants to leave their assault rifle amo at home? I can't imagine the fear struck in the hearts of every parent in that crowd on Monday. Those people that made that float should be ashamed of themselves. Thank you for reading this. If there's anyone at the city you can suggest I speak to about this matter, I'd love to get their contact information! Thanks for all the great work you do! Best, Aubrey Seader

Case Date:

7/6/2016

Dear Bill With Indiana's gun laws pre-empting any local action, it may be challenging for City Legal to find a way to revise parade policy to prevent people from carrying assault weapons through the parade. On Monday I fled the parade upon seeing men with assault weapons bearing down on my family as they rode down College Avenue. If they had opened fire, I would have no time, and no where, to escape. So I left immediately. Since then I have pondered on how our City might protect us from this experience in the future. Posting about this on facebook, 100 comments ensued. My suggestions are: 1) At parade line-up, insist on verifying gun licenses belonging to people bearing weapons. Call in BPD for help, if necessary. (I hear a rumor that City employees failed to check gun licenses this year). 2) Make an explicit statement requesting no assault weapons in the parade, or somehow explicitly not allowing them. 3) Issue a statement warning citizens that floats will bear assault weapons in the parade, so that we can choose to protect ourselves by not attending the parade, if the City really has no recourse. 4) Take on the legal issue of state law pre-empting local provisions, perhaps through an action of City Council. Appeal rulings, if necessary. 5) Since a private institution may choose to not allow open carry of weapons, perhaps the City creates a separate, private institution to administer the parade. A public-private entity like the Friends of the Market effort to raise funds for farmer's market. Really hoping you can prevent this experience in future. It goes far beyond the diversity and open-mindedness we want our parade to express. It is about danger and safety. All the very best, Julia DeBruicker Valliant 1992 City of Bloomington July 4 parade Grand Marshal 2013 City of Bloomington July 4 parade float organizer 2016 City of Bloomington July 4 parade terrified spectator

Case Date:

7/6/2016

New Voices Opera group wrote to thank the mayor for the funds they received through a recent grant they were awarded. Mayor wanted to thank them for the thank-you note and wish them luck.

Case Date:

7/6/2016

Veda Stanfield is concerned about the substation. Response via letter thanking her for reaching out and assuring her we're taking these concerns into consideration. Address: 627 W. 7th St. Bloomington IN 47404

Case Date:

7/7/2016

At the intersection of Wiley & Woodlawn the concrete around the manhole cover is breaking up and it needs to be repaired.

Case Date:

7/7/2016

big poison ivy growing along sidewalk in front of 509 north washington

Case Date:

7/7/2016

notice left

Case Date:

7/7/2016

Citizen (Mark Land) apparently contacted Utilities before but was not satisfied with the response-- he missed a water payment because he was on vacation and is upset that the situation cannot immediately be fixed. He already paid the past due balance, but water was shut off. He was told it could be turned back on by 6 or by tomorrow, and he just wants it on sooner rather than later. Call (812) 272-1500. The water is in his wife's name (Theresa Spano)

Case Date:

7/7/2016

6/23/16 To: John Hamilton Mayor I hope the Taste of Bloomington was a big success. It was bad news for the laborers who set up the tents. Southside Rental who employed them did not pay them. They had some excuses. These are folks who really need the money. It reflects badly on the city that those at the lowest level do not get paid promptly. I hope you will tell Southside that they give the city a bad name. Bloomington is a great city and the Taste of Bloomington has gone on well for many years. Thanks, Robert P. Muldoon 501 N. Bell Trace Dr. Bloomington, IN 47408

Case Date:

7/7/2016

Locally, there are three entities that could afford to repurpose the existing hospital: IU, IUHealth, and Cook. Externally, a hotel chain might see an opportunity. Could IU and IUHealth work out a deal to convert all or part of the structure to student housing, with more amenities than the dorms on campus? This could ensure the survival of new, student-oriented businesses occupying the many buildings that are currently home to medical services that have sprung up near the hospital. This would take some pressure off of residential neighborhoods adjacent to proposed high density student apartments, and meet the popular goal of curtailing the construction of student high rise apartments in the downtown area. It's also the best bet for preventing these ancillary businesses from becoming an urban blight zone - the local real estate market is too small to absorb this number of properties as the businesses migrate to the new hospital site. If the current structure is retained, fully or in part (partial demolition), it makes sense for VIM to occupy the space presently allocated to the ER. There is a large parking garage - would IUHealth consider donating it to the city, or swapping in a quid pro quo? Regarding a VA facility, there is a need, as many patients must now make the trek to Indianapolis for treatment. However, it would be impractical to maintain a separate full service hospital for vets, when the obvious solution is to extend VA accreditation to the existing hospital, at both the present site and the new site along the bypass. Kevin Haggerty​