City of Bloomington Issues Clarification to Recent Media Coverage

The City of Bloomington is committed to maintaining transparent and accessible communication with the community. To ensure accuracy and clarity, the City would like to address details regarding recent media coverage.

During a recent Ask the Mayor segment on WFIU/WTIU, Mayor Kerry Thomson responded to a question from Dave Askins from B Square Bulletin concerning the five-month turnaround time on a public records request for the exhibits admitted into evidence during the annexation trial.

The Mayor’s response aimed to explain the broader context of why fulfilling records requests can sometimes take time. Following the segment, Mr. Askins requested clarification on the matter.

The Mayor referred to a “complete transcription” request, which confused the trial transcript with depositions already submitted as evidence—the original request pertained only to records already on file.

While the Mayor referenced redactions, no redactions were applied to the city’s response to this request. However, as part of the review process, city staff evaluated the documents for personally identifiable information, which fortunately was not present. This process, combined with other staff responsibilities, contributed to the five-month fulfillment timeline.

Additionally, recent reports stated that the Downtown Maintenance and Infrastructure Improvement Project was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The project was funded using one-time allocations from the former Community Revitalization Enhancement District (CRED).

The City acknowledges the timing and inconvenience of these projects but emphasizes the long-term benefits to accessibility, safety, and infrastructure. Balancing school schedules, high traffic volumes, and unexpected sold-out game days required swift action to take advantage of available funding and a short construction season.

The City of Bloomington values its ongoing collaboration with residents and the media and appreciates the opportunity to clarify these matters.

If further details are needed, please contact comms@bloomington.in.gov or the Mayor’s office at 812-349-3406.