Downtown Safety, Civility and Justice Initiative Seeks Public Input

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 29, 2016

Beverly Calender-Anderson, Director of Community and Family Resources Department, 812-349-3430, andersb@bloomington.in.gov

Downtown Safety, Civility and Justice Initiative Seeks Public Input

Bloomington, Ind. - As part of the City of Bloomington Downtown Safety, Civility and Justice Initiative initiated by Mayor John Hamilton in August, the Community Justice and Mediation Center (CJAM) is facilitating a three stage, community-wide public engagement process which includes a series of focus groups, representative stakeholder and community-wide sessions to identify downtown safety and civility challenges and action ideas. Stages one and two are complete: stage one identified perceptions of the challenges and stage two explored potential action ideas in response to these perceived problems. In stage three, community feedback about the action ideas will be solicited and discussions identifying details for potential implementation will take place. Community members are invited and encouraged to participate in stage three of the process on Saturday, December 3rd from 9:00 a.m.-noon at Showers City Hall, 401. N. Morton Street. Following the event, the information gathered will be forwarded to the Safety, Civility and Justice Task Force for further study.

The Safety, Civility and Justice Task Force members are: William Beggs (Chair), Bunger and Robinson Law Offices; Talisha Coppock, Downtown Bloomington, Inc.; Donald Griffin, Jr, Griffin and Associates Realty; Linda Grove-Paul, Centerstone; Randy Lloyd, TM Crowley & Associates; Barry Lessow, United Way of Monroe County; Wendy Hernandez, Indiana University Health and Kirk White, Indiana University. City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Director Beverly Calender-Anderson and Police Chief Michael Diekhoff will staff the task force.

The task force will consider all public input, research best practices from other communities, and review steps that have been taken to date to help make downtown Bloomington safe and welcoming for all residents. Mayor Hamilton has requested that the group delve deeper into solutions that are relevant for the Bloomington community, and make recommendations for action to him by early April, 2017.

For more information about the Public Input Session on December 3rd or the Safety, Civility and Justice Task Force, contact Beverly Calender-Anderson, Director of the Community and Family Resources Department, at cfrd@bloomington.in.gov or by phone at 812-349-3430.

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