News Releases

Mayor John Hamilton announced today that the City of Bloomington has achieved LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) through the LEED for Cities and Communities rating system.

The City of Bloomington and the Indiana University Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center invite the community to the 17th Annual Black History Month Gala which will take place on Saturday, February 27 beginning at 6 p.m. The ticketed, public event will be held over Zoom video conferencing, with e-ticket reservations available in advance through the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, online at www.bctboxoffice.org or by phone at 812-323-3020.  

Mayor John Hamilton today announced the names of the three women to be honored for their outstanding service to the Bloomington community during the local observance of Women’s History Month in March.

The City of Bloomington Utilities Department (CBU) alerts residents to the potential for flooding this weekend.  Due to heavy snowfall during recent weeks and higher temperatures expected over the weekend, we will likely experience snow melt.

Mayor John Hamilton presents his sixth annual State of the City address to the community.  In the online presentation, the mayor will reflect on the community’s journey over the course of the historic year and chart the course ahead in remarks titled “Remember, Recover, Renew.” 

The Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) today recognized 29 firefighters for exceptional service to the community in 2020 during a video presentation of the department’s annual awards ceremony. 

Mayor John Hamilton today announced Deputy Mayor Mick Renneisen’s plans to retire from his position on April 23, after four decades of service to the City of Bloomington and the community. 

In consideration of the amount of snow accumulation thus far this week and the potential for further accumulation overnight on Wednesday, the City of Bloomington Sanitation Division has announced that trash and recycling collection will be cancelled for the remainder of the week to protect sanitation workers’ safety.

City of Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton encourages all community members to nominate outstanding volunteers for the Be More Awards, the community volunteer awards presented by the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, a program of the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. Nominations are being accepted now through Friday, March 12 at  www.BloomingtonVolunteerNetwork.org/bemore. 

As part of Mayor John Hamilton’s initiative to Recover Forward from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bloomington Urban Enterprise Association (BUEA) has awarded a second round of grant funding to cultural organizations and artists that foster the arts and nurture communities.

Due to the anticipated cold temperatures and snow accumulation, the City of Bloomington Sanitation Division has announced that collection on Tuesday, February 16 will be postponed.

In anticipation of bitter cold temperatures and additional snowfall in the next few days, the City of Bloomington advises residents for their safety to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure, and to check on elderly family members and neighbors often to assure their safety. 

A revised version of the draft Bloomington Zoning Map and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) text amendments was announced today, to be formally introduced at a March 8 Plan Commission hearing. The revisions reflect feedback received through broad public engagement over the three months since release of the Public Outreach Draft last October.

One employee of the Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) reported receiving a positive result of a COVID-19 viral test on Friday, February 5 after starting to experience symptoms on Thursday, February 4.  The employee’s last shift was Tuesday, February 2.

On Monday, February 15, the City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) launches a project reconstructing the downtown stormwater infrastructure that prevents flooding during rain events. 

Mayor John Hamilton joined Bloomington’s public safety directors to deliver the fifth annual State of Public Safety report presentation via video conference this morning.  The public presentation showcased progress made toward shared goals for public safety by the Bloomington Police Department (BPD), the Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) and the Community and Family Resources Department (CFRD). 

Mayor John Hamilton today announced the appointment of John Zody to the position of Director of the City’s Housing and Neighborhood Development Department (HAND).

As part of Mayor John Hamilton’s Recover Forward initiative, the City of Bloomington is providing support for organizations to improve building efficiency through projects such as solar installation, appliance and lighting upgrades, and weatherization with the goals of reducing utility costs and saving energy. 

One employee of the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) and another of the Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) reported receiving positive results of COVID-19 viral tests over the last week. Neither of the employees had been identified as a close contact of a previous COVID-19 case at the City. Details of each case are as follows:

Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton invites the press and the public to attend the fifth annual joint Public Safety Report to the Community.  The online presentation will update the community on the state of public safety in Bloomington, and the City’s continuous efforts to improve it.

The City of Bloomington again became the owner of the building known as the Waldron Art Center in late January, after Ivy Tech Community College transferred title back to the City as per notice provided in May 2020.  Ivy Tech had owned and operated the building at 122 South Walnut Street as a community art center since 2010, when it was conveyed by the City for that purpose.  Per the agreement made at that time, the deed’s reversion to the City did not involve any financial exchange. 

Limits on gathering sizes contributed to the difficult season.