City Council - Regular Meeting

Call to order the city council meeting for the city of Bloomington on Monday, June the 22nd, 2026 at 6 p.m. And we would ask that we please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag and then a moment of silence. Thank you. Next, we will move to roll call.

Council Member Kearns. Here. Council Member Mosley.

Here.

Council Member Montney. Here. Council Member Dannenberg. Here. Council Member Straza. Here. Council Member Hendricks.

Here.

Council Member Ward. Here. Council Member Lee.

Here.

Council Member Scott. Here. Mayor Brady.

Thank you. Next, we'll move to Recognition and appointments. And at this time, I will call to the podium a presentation by our chief of police, Chief Jamal Sammington, for a recognition of new officers and their probationary period, concluding successfully their probationary period. So at this time, Chief.

They're a little shy. Good evening, mayor, elected officials. I appreciate the opportunity to recognize these fine officers and all that they do for the city of Bloomington. These officers have successfully completed their 18 month probationary period. Each of the officers have met the highest standards of training and a commitment including a rigorous 16-week basic law enforcement academy. L'Oreal attended the Macon County Law Enforcement Training Center, and the other two officers were lateral transfers, but they all had to complete the 16 or so week of field training program. Tonight, we honor these three officers who have answered the call to serve our community. The Bloomington Police Department's mission is simple but profound. to work honorably and steadfastly with members of the community to enhance livability through strong partnerships, servant leadership, and continuous innovation. That mission is effectuated every day through our core values of honesty, integrity, professionalism, commitment to serve, reverence for law, and respect for human dignity. By accepting their commissions, these officers have stepped into a noble profession that demands courage, excellence, and selflessness. Wearing this uniform is more than a job. It is a commitment to protect others often before oneself. It requires a resilient mindset, the ability to face challenges, adapt, and continue serving with humbleness, professionalism, and compassion. And none of this is done alone. Policing is definitely a team effort driven by spirited teamwork within the department the city's leadership, and elected officials, and with our community partners. Together, we accomplish more than any one individual could on their own. To our newest, fully-fledged officers, thank you for choosing this path, for your dedication, and for joining the Bloomington Police Department in this noble profession. We're proud of you, and we look forward to serving alongside you well into the future. I'll read a short bio of each officer before presenting them with their commission. L'Oreal Robinson graduated from Kankakee High School. L'Oreal transferred to the Illinois State University after attending Kankakee Community College. L'Oreal graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. L'Oreal has a girlfriend and two cats. I'll try to get these names right. Laura, a four-year-old, Torti, and Rooney, a one-year-old's hobby. A few hobbies of L'Oreal include CrossFit, cooking, playing video games, and spending time with family and friends. L'Oreal, I'll present you with your commission.

Brian Enderly.

was born and raised on a family farm in rural Pontiac and graduated from Pontiac Township High School in 2008. Brian graduated from Illinois State University in 2012 with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice sciences. Brian is happily married to his beautiful wife, Christina, of 12 years as of this August. They have three very busy young boys, ages 10, 8, and 5, and another on the way. Prior to Brian's employment at the Bloomington Police Department, he was employed by the Pontiac Police Department for 11 and a half years, where he worked as a patrol officer, a detective, and a school resource officer. Brian was previously involved as a co-advisor for the Pontiac FFA chapter during Brian's time as the SRO. Brian also served on the Eastview Christian Church security team for the past few years. Brian's hobbies include hunting, fishing, kayaking, gardening, beekeeping, blacksmithing, horses, chickens, but mostly spending time with his wife and kids. Brian received a Bloomington Police Department letter of commendation for deployment of a BPD drone during a high-risk incident in October of 2025. Brian currently serves as the Bloomington Police Department field training officer, drone operator, and a member of the McLean County accident reconstruction team. Officer Enderly, I'll now present you your commission. Last but not least is Joseph Krasny. He's a resident of the city of Bloomington. Went to high school at St. Joseph in Winchester, I'm sorry, Westchester, Illinois. and graduated college from Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. Joseph is married to his wife, Megan, and they have two boys, Dominic, age four, and Ozzie, age two. Prior to the Bloomington Police Department, Joseph worked six and a half years at the Clinton Police Department, where he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. He began his career with the DeWitt County Sheriff's Office and worked there for two and a half years as a patrol deputy. Joseph's hobbies include spending time with his wife and kids, traveling and staying active. Officer Krasny, I'll now present you with your commission. In closing tonight, we celebrate not only the achievement of these three officers, but also the shared commitment between the Bloomington Police Department and our community. As you will notice, we have senior and other staff behind us, and they do a ton of work and their leadership is not only needed, it is highly commendable. Their dedication reflects the core values we uphold as an agency. As you have officially received your commissions, we look forward to the work that you will do and make a positive impact on this community as we thrive. Thank you again, council, for your trust and your support.

Thank you, Chief, and we'd like to ask the officers to come in front so we can each personally congratulate you and say thank you, and thank you to all the officers that serve us every day that are here this evening. Thank you, Chief. Once again, congratulations to the new officers, and we look forward and thank them for their service. Madam Clerk, do we have any public comment this evening?

We received no emailed public comment, but we do have one person registered to speak. And after your statement, that will be Gary Stevens.

Okay. Reminder that public comment is an opportunity for speakers to provide their views and feedback to the City Council. It's also an opportunity for the city council to listen and hear diverse points of view to maximize the impact of public comment and show respect for the expression of all viewers. Speakers should maintain civility and focus on city issues. Speakers must identify themselves for the record, but are not required to give their address. If each speaker has three minutes and if they engage in debate or other, um, language that is inappropriate or disorderly, the right and speaking will be revoked at that time.

Mr. Stevens. For the record, I'm Gary Stevens. I appreciate this time to be able to share with you for less than three minutes. I did have occasion to work the other night when we had TNT getting out at a late time on Friday night, and the traffic was a little bit more than I'm used to in Bloomington. But then Saturday night came along, and there was a little less traffic, but I am pleased. I know the police, many of them have left, but there were some extra police out there near Farm Fleet, and I was glad to see them there because the traffic cleared out much better with some hand-directed traffic control. But I'd also like to speak to you tonight about one spot on our West Washington Street out near where the state did a lot of work, taking out a lot of ground and cleaning it up and putting it back together again. And as trucks came loaded with dirt in front of the Norfolk Southern tracks, a dip in the road got worse and worse. So I tried to contact staff at the city, and I kind of got referred to one after another, and finally it came down to, well, we'll do whatever the city wants to do. I asked if anyone had talked to the state about the damage their trucks were doing to the street, and no one seemed to have any idea of any way of compensating for the damage done to the street. So I'd appreciate it if the city council could maybe make a decision that when the state does damage to the streets, then they will take care of it before they leave their project they're doing. But also I'd like to recommend that in downtown Bloomington, we're trying to do a lot of work there and a lot's been going on. I know you've got big plans and big construction effort going on, but I also think it'd be a good place to put in place a, pay parking at least on one side of the street, and just pay by the market rate. Wherever one space is left, then the price isn't too high. And if many spaces are left or all of them, then it just needs to stay free. So I'd appreciate it if the city would consider doing that and lowering our taxes. We'd be great if you could do that. Thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to share with you. Thank you and have a good night.

There's no further public comment.

Thank you very much. Also, if you turn that microphone off, please. Thanks, Gary. Next, we'll move forward to the consent agenda, since there are no more speakers for public portion, correct? And under the consent agenda number 7A through L, the items on the consent agenda, does any member of the council have any item within those consent consent agenda, on that consent agenda, they'd like to have polled and discussed separately at this time. If not, is there a motion? I'll make a motion to approve. A motion by Member Hendricks to approve and seconded by Member Straza. And we'll do a voice vote.

Councilmember Kerns? Yes. Councilmember Mosley? Yes. Councilmember Montney? Yes. Councilmember Dannenberg? Yes. Councilmember Straza? Yes. Councilmember Hendrick? Aye. Councilmember Ward? Aye. Councilmember Lee? Yes. Councilmember Scott? Yes. The item passes. No nays to announce.

Thank you. Since there are no items for action... on the regular agenda this evening. We'll then now move to letter eight, which is the city manager's discussion. And our deputy city manager, Mr. Tyus, will go ahead and give his report.

Thank you, Mayor. Mayor and council members, we'll be quick tonight. Next slide, please. I want to make you aware of a temporary closure, as you can see on the screen, at Main and Monroe that's going to actually kick off tomorrow. as part of the Downtown Streets Gate Project. I want you to know that cars will be able to get through there. They'll be able to turn right as they're coming into the 300 block, but that's a pretty busy intersection. I wanted to make you aware that that will be closing tomorrow for several days for some infrastructure work, or utilities work, I'm sorry. Next slide, please. I wanted to honor and salute Assistant Chief Aaron Vierman and Lieutenant Commander Todd McCluskey. who graduated from a couple of very prestigious programs here recently. A.C. Vierman graduated from the FBI Academy for Senior Law Enforcement Officials, as you can see. And Commander McCluskey graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School. Again, just testament to the kind of officers we have and the work they're doing to stay top of line in terms of their training. Thank you. Next slide, please. Second year for our Cones with Community Enhancement Program. We'll kick off here soon. Last year was the first year, obviously. It's an opportunity for people in the neighborhoods to meet with our inspectors and staff in a welcoming and warm environment and getting to know them. And it gives us an opportunity as well to inform people about different codes and opportunities and things that they can do to improve upon properties, et cetera, et cetera. So those are going to kick off here in the next month. And we'll start to advertise that very soon. Last year was very successful. Next slide, please. We're going to have our second quarter downtown stakeholder meeting on June 29th at the library. It's an opportunity for the downtown stakeholders to learn more about what's happening in the downtown with the streetscape project and any other thing that's happening in our downtown. We've been doing that for the last several months, and I feel like they've been very successful. And the next one will kick off on June 29th, which is Monday. Next slide, please. Finally, I wanted to give you a slide that showed the results of the most recent summer games from our SOAR and Special Olympics Summer Games. It really is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the participants, the number of participants in this program, the very talented participants in this program, and also the hundreds of volunteers who make this go each and every year. As you can see, we've had some folks who participate who did very, very well in this event. And again, just wanted to celebrate and honor them and just show you. Really, how well they actually did. Just very talented groups. And I just wanted you to see that in the public as well. That's all I got. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Do any members have questions of our Deputy City Manager, Mr. Tyus, and his report?

If not, we will go ahead and move then to council members and their reports. And we'll start with Member Scott.

Thank you. First, I'd like to say big thanks for the Juneteenth celebration, all the work that went into it from the city, from the Bloomington Normal Black History Project and our Human Rights Commission. It was a wonderfully positive event. I'm so grateful to see our community engagement folks there as well. Secondly, I do have some questions for Councilmember Montney and her work on the Behavioral Health Coordinating Committee and the Fund Advisory Committee. I sent you some questions earlier. Wondering if you can speak to the process. I understand then in August budgets will be voted on. Is that correct? Or is it July?

I think what we're going to do is we're going to go around and get everybody's comments first. And then if there's something specific that you want to come back to, we can do that. Okay. Agreeable with you?

Sure.

Okay, great. Thank you. Member Lee. Member Hendricks?

Yeah, I'm very pleased to say that on the 4th of July at 9 o'clock in the morning, on the steps of the McLean County Museum of History, we will have a group of elected officials from all of the local municipal governments um represented so the county board the city of bloomington council the town of normal council the township of normal and. yeah represented to read the declaration of independence out loud. And I invite anybody who wants to come to that. It'll be a very brief kind of thing. It only takes a few minutes to read it, but that will begin at 9 o'clock in the morning on the steps of the museum, 4th of July. Be there.

Next. Member Straza. Member Dannenberger. Member Montney. Member Mosley.

No.

Member Kearns. And back to member Scott.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for letting me have this time. So I was wondering if you could speak to the process there.

Before I speak to that, I just want to make sure it's appropriate since this wasn't a stated item on the agenda, you know, for us to engage in discussion when we didn't notify the public through our open meetings requirements for a published agenda for a topic of discussion?

Yeah, I agree that a detailed discussion on something that's not on the agenda probably shouldn't take place. A simple Q&A, simple answer is probably not such a big deal, but if we're going to have an in-depth back-and-forth discussion, then I think that needs to be an agenda item.

How about this? How about I go ahead and make these short answers, and then maybe we can request some committee of the whole.

How about this? The committee as a whole, I think, would be an appropriate place so it doesn't turn into the more lengthy discussion this evening, but has the proper time in which to have legal counsel research some things, and both and all of us to interact. So go right ahead with your comment.

So it sounds great. So I'll list the questions, and then if they're not appropriate to go ahead and answer here, we'll just have them.

And I think that the answer is going to be worldwide. take this up on the 20th of July at Committee of the Whole, where I think it'd be the appropriate time. But go ahead.

Sounds good. How about just two yes or no questions?

How about the 20th of July?

I'll go ahead and ask the questions, and if they don't want to ask them, then that's fine.

And I'll be happy to try and answer your questions if you can, but I think we've just been advised that legal counsel would be better that we take this up. That's not what I heard.

I heard that a short answer was fine.

I'm sorry?

I heard that a short answer was fine.

A short answer would be fine.

Great. So my question is, have you yet reached out to the SAFE committee's commission to work on connections with that commission and priorities for things for next year? And just a request that you make sure that when you will not be at a meeting, that you assign a representative to replace you.

So with permission, I would be happy to answer those two questions.

I think we're going to, I think this second.

If not a yes or no.

If it's not a yes or no question, then you stated your first question. Okay. And that's the second. Yeah.

It's just, can we make sure, can we make sure we're doing X and are you doing Y?

Okay. So I'll answer your question then. On July 20th, the committee of a whole, if you want to take this topic further and get questions, to your or answers to your questions, be happy to. And I think that's only fair at the point of notifying and letting the public know, as certainly member Ward likes to have things on the agenda items and clearly in the public know. So when we do this and go into it further, I think that'd be the appropriate time. And I think it'd be fair to Member Montney as well. Member Montney can speak to whatever she wishes to speak to, obviously, but I think that would be the proper environment in which to have a discussion that's going to lead to more questions, I think is a fair way in which to do it.

Well, then maybe I can just have a reminder that we need to make sure that we are assigning representatives to substitute for us.

I'm sorry, a reminder what?

That we need to have representatives substituted when we're not going to be in a meeting.

I'm certainly going to leave it up to Member Montney to answer what she wants to or doesn't. A simple yes or no, which she's already indicated, won't turn into a simple yes or no. And so I'm going to, as mayor, suggest that on July 20th, we take the topic up and we have a more in-depth discussion.

I think that sounds like a great idea. I think you think that sounds like a great idea. I also would like to have my statement said. I don't think we need to cut myself off. And if Council Member Montney would like to respond, I think it's appropriate.

And you've asked one question. You said you had another one.

If a yes or no question of, can we make sure we're doing X is not appropriate? And that is my statement.

Okay.

I would be happy to talk about it. I committed to the whole, but I would like to make sure that I'm not being cut off.

I don't think anybody's cut you off. We went, We've rolled out the possibility of an entire discussion about it.

That's not the impression I've got. We've spent way more time talking about whether or not I could make a statement. Okay.

I'm going to let Member Montney answer if she wishes, and then we'll move into my comments.

Sure. First of all, again, I don't want to put the city at risk for violation of not properly notifying the public. before we have an extensive discussion on a topic. I will just say that in preparation for a future meeting, I would encourage those who were not on the council during the time the Safe Cities Commission was created to go back and listen because it was distinctly created to be separate from and not at all intertwined with the existing Criminal Justice Commission nor the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. I went back and played the meeting so that I could remind myself of that discussion. With regard to... the one meeting out of 14 that I had to back out of about three minutes before due to a family emergency. If you would like to discuss the reason for that offline, I would be happy to discuss that with you. Let me just say that my role in that meeting is simply to be a listener, to be present. It is not a meeting for which any votes are taking place with regard to the appropriation of funds. I hope that's helpful. And I will just reiterate that any time you would like to talk, I would be happy to entertain your phone calls. I have written you twice. This is the second time I've written. This is the second time since Friday that you've written me?

No, this is the second time I've written on this topic.

I will say the balance of my remarks for the other meeting, it's becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the various relationships and the fact that we are in the middle of an intergovernmental agreement discussion between the city, the town and the county. So I think it's best that we schedule this for a public meeting so that there's an opportunity for the public to hear the discussion.

I think that's a good idea. I do. I do want to correct something in the, well, I was not on the council when we voted for the Safe Communities Commission. I was on the council when the report was made. And we certainly, we talked about making sure that we were connected with that. You made mention of being connected with that. We made mention of making sure that recommendations from that were integrated into this.

At this point, I feel that we are in a vulnerable place here from a point of order. I would ask our council and the mayor to advise us

So everybody's had their opportunities to discuss. Nobody's been cut off. Nobody's been denied the ability to respond. And we will move forward now with a further discussion in July, I believe July 20th of the Committee of the Whole. And we'll have legal counsel be able to advise us on any other issues surrounding this that we need to be aware of. So with that, Is there anyone else? If not, then I'm going to have my mayor's discussion, and it will be brief. And that is to many of the events that went on over the past weekend and all the way back, I think, to maybe Thursday after the storm when we had the Historymakers Gala from McLean County Museum of History. It was a wonderful event, and as usual, acknowledged and recognized individuals within our community that have done an outstanding job. And then to Juneteenth, many of us were there, and I had the opportunity and pleasure to be part of handing out the Juneteenth Community Icon Awards to former city employee Emily Bell and to, in memory of Miriam Taylor, whose family was there, her mother in particular, Fannie, to accept the awards. And then also a longtime Bloomington resident and friend who now resides in Tennessee, Evelyn Young. All those individuals have done so much for this community in their dedicated service, and we thank them very much. And it was a great event, complete with great weather at Miller Park on Saturday. So thank you to all that were part of that and to our recipient winners and all that worked on it. Next slide. We do not have any executive session that we need to go to, so I'll look for a motion to be made to adjourn tonight's meeting.

I'll move to adjourn.

And motion by Member Scott, seconded by Member Kearns. With that, all in favor say aye. Motion carries.