Town Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening everyone. Uh thanks for coming. Uh before the meeting tonight, we're recognizing the winner of the water report cover art contest. And this is something we started a few years ago. Uh we have a a water quality report we issue every year and we uh had a contest to get third graders through fifth graders to submit artwork um to put on the cover of of this publication um we didn't have a really good turnout this year. We only had 300 submissions for for this. So Willow, you had some tough competition out there. And so tonight, uh, we recognize Willow Hoffman, uh, fifth grader at Prairie Land Elementary School. And this is her artwork on the cover. Um, and it's how we use water was was the direction on on how to do this. And so this was Willow's presentation and the council voted for this and thought this is the one to do. So congratulations. I'm gonna have you hold that. And that's yours to take home, of course.

Got it. And the important stuff, $100 gift. [applause]

Congratulations. [applause]

She was going to give a speech tonight, but I said, "You got to keep it under 20 minutes." She said, "I couldn't do that. [laughter] Call the order meeting for the Normal Town Council for Monday, May 4th, 2026. Please call the role.

Mayor Cous here. Mr. Preston here. Mrs. Loren here. Mr. Buyers. Mr. Robers here. Miss Smith here. Mr. McCarthy here. We'll begin with a pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [clears throat]

We have no public comment at the beginning of the meeting, although we do have two public commenters at the uh end of the meeting. Uh so we move to the omnibus agenda very light tonight. Uh items that will be taken but with with a single vote unless council members like to pull an item for discussion. Move approval.

Thank you. Items on the omnibus tonight are approval of the minutes of the emergency meeting of April 20th, 2026 and approval of the minutes of the regular council meeting of April 20th, 2026. a report to receive and file town of normal expenditures for payment as of April 29th, 2026 and a resolution waving the formal bid process and authorizing the purchase of a 2026 Ford Explorer in the amount of $48,385 from Sutton Ford Incorporated and that's through the state joint purchasing and authorizing an associated budget adjustment. Please call the RO. Mr. Preston, I. Mrs. Loren, I Mr. Mr. Roers. Hi, Miss Smith.

I Mr. McCarthy. Hi, Mayor Cous. I Those items are approved. We have no general orders tonight. We have two items of new business. The first is a resolution authorizing execution of a license agreement with the board of trustees of Illinois State University for the Main Street Water Tower property. Move approval. Second. Discussion on this item. Please call the RO. Mrs. Loren, I. Mr. Robers. I. Miss Smith. I. Mr. McCarthy. Hi, Mr. Preston. I, Mayor Cous,

I, that resolution is approved. Uh, resolution authorizing the renewal of the town's participation in the municipal insurance cooperative agency insurance program and that's for plan year 2026 2026. Move approval. Second. Discussion on this item. Please call the RO. Mr. Robers. I. Miss Smith. I. Mr. McCarthy. I. Mr. Preston. I Mrs. Loren I Mayor Cous

I that resolution is approved. Uh two public commenters tonight. The first is Sarah Addict and rules for public comment are very simple. Uh we ask you to state your name for the record and you have three minutes.

Okay. Well, thank first of all, thank you. Uh my name is Sarah Addict and um I am a health and family educator with the University of Illinois Extension and I'm joined uh tonight with Katherine Johnson, community liaison uh with the East Central Illinois area on Aging. Um I'm going to talk share a little bit about a new initiative that we have uh regarding dementia and um what's going on in our community. Uh dementia affects millions of Americans today and that number is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. As our population ages, dementia increasingly impacts not only individuals and families, but also workplaces, first responders, health and social services, and local government. Communities that take proactive um steps now to build awareness and supportive systems are better prepared to meet these challenges and to strengthen overall community well-being. We're partnering with community members, caregivers, uh businesses and local organizations through the dementia friendly blooming to normal initiative. Following an initial community uh meeting in March, we formed a dementia friendly Bloomington to Normal task force. And this group brings together representatives from multiple sectors in our area um who are committed to improving awareness, understanding, and support related to dementia in our community. A dementia friendly community is one where individuals living with dementia are understood, respected, and supported, and where caregivers are not navigating these challenges alone. These communities work intentionally to reduce stigma, increase awareness, and create supportive environments across public services, businesses, and community spaces. And this helps allow

people to remain engaged and safe and connected for as long as possible. As an early step in this effort, the task force has launched a brief community survey to better understand current knowledge and awareness and perceptions of dementia across the Bloomington Normal communities. The results will help guide the task force's planning and inform uh future education, training, and outreach efforts. Uh we respectfully encourage council members to complete the survey themselves and share it with um folks within your sphere of influence. Uh be it residents, businesses, organizations, and community partners. Uh participation from trusted community leaders is critical um to hearing a broad range of voices and building momentum through this work. Uh the survey is now open um and will close on June 15th. So, we appreciate the town's continued support of efforts that uh support inclusion, understanding, and community well-being. And we look forward to working together as this is an important initiative as we move forward with that. I do have um we do have postcards with QR codes that are linked to the survey and I also have um extension impact reports to share a little bit about the story of what extension is doing in our area. Thank you. Where can I leave these?

Um, just leave them right there and we'll pick them up and distribute them. So much. Yes. I apologize. I'm with Sarah. Oh, okay. All right. Uh, before taking a motion for German, are there council concerns?

Yeah. Thank you. Um, so, well, first of all, I'd like to recognize that it is International Firefighter Day. So, to make that known. Um, and so along those lines, um, as I spoke about this morning on WJBC, I, uh, I actually have two concerns. One related to the firefighters and another about the underpass. Um, you know, I continue to receive uh, resident feedback on the underpass, when is it coming to um, another vote, which I think is necessary. um and uh ongoing questions about the issues raised several months ago about the fire EMS staffing and coverage and uh that's particularly coming from folks um in my neck of the woods up in North Normal who are very concerned about not only the movement of uh College and Blair over to the east side but also the upcoming potential move [clears throat] of station 3 further away. So um these concerns are not going away and um then in a plot twist that even I couldn't have anticipated um the article let's see it was Thursday the um title run in the panagraph normal leaving millions on the table by skipping ambulance program. Um we certainly need more information about that. So those are my concerns. Thank you very much. Other concerns motion forjourn please

second. Please call the role. Miss Smith. Mr. McCarthy. Hi. Mr. Preston. I. Mrs. Loren. I. Mr. Roers. Hi. Mayor Cus. I. We are ajourned.