City of Bloomington, Indiana City Council, 31 Mar 2020

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From YouTube: Bloomington City Council Sustainable Development Committee, March 31, 2020

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meeting agenda: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=5676

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Good evening, everyone I'd like to call to order this meeting of bloomington.

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Common councils, sustainable development committee, welcome everyone. Thank you so.

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Much for being here, it is tuesday march 31st 2020. We are meeting via zoom. I am.

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Joined on the dais, such as it is by my fellow committee members council members,.

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Steven bolin did you wait? Everybody knows ok, council clarity and it's.

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Possible that councilmember susan sandburg will be joining us at something.

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We're not sure that yet so thank you to everyone for being a thank you to mr.

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Steven lucas, our deputy attorney administrator for overseeing being our.

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Zoom sherpa this evening, so I'm gonna do a little bit of a preview and then.

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Steven will provide some instructions and many will dive in so. First of all, I.

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Will offer some comments? They'll turn the screen at that point over to alex.

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Crowley, director of economic and sustainable development for the city, we.

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Will have opportunities for questions and comments from committee members.

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Opportunities for comment from the public.

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We will then come back to the committee for final comments and then we'll.

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Adjourn, so that's just a quick overview. Do you want to take us through logistics.

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Or zoom sure, so a lot of the folks on this meeting were, I think, at the council.

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Meeting last wednesday and kind of saw how that proceeded. But for those who are.

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New or for those who need a reminder, I will be trying to facilitate the meeting.

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By activating or deactivating folks, audio and video as needed, um we've got.

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Relevant city staff and the committee members activated, along with some of the.

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Working group folks who are here to talk about a report. So if anyone finds.

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Themselves, muted, when they shouldn't be or wants to make a request, the chat.

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Function: hi, susan, I think I've unmuted you if it's coming.

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Up now, maybe use the chat function to. Let me know that the chat will go.

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Graduate is meeting host and I should be able to see that and and respond.

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Accordingly, so for any members of the public who are experiencing any.

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Technical issues and when we get to public comment, let me know that you'd.

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Like to make a comment over the chat, function and I'll, be monitoring that, as.

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The meeting proceeds are there any questions for steven just a disclaimer.

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If I cut out it's no offense, but I've been having intermittent internet.

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Problems all day, so I may be here for just a little while and then, if I'm out.

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And one last note: if you mute yourself I'll, have to manually unmute you so for.

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All the folks that are muted now that's fine, but when, when you know, you're going.

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To want to talk either send me a chat or just raise your hand and all all on me.

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Of you, I think it just sends you an invite to any your self at some point in.

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The road, so you can, you can leave it on muted or mute it until you need to so.

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I'll do my best. Thank you steven. Any questions for.

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Steven okay, let's dive in, I want to start out and just provide some context.

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And some framework for this meeting tonight how it fits into some work.

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That's been done how it fits into some meetings that are coming up so just for.

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Context very early on in this crisis, a healthcare working group was formed and.

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It continues to work hard on our behalf and public health ins. Of course, our.

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First and most urgent priority in addition to fundamental health concerns.

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Though the coming nineteen crisis just put a strain on individuals and family.

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And I'm local employer, and so that raises two questions was first are two.

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Sets of questions actually, first, how do we support those who are struggling? The.

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Most those who are most vulnerable to the health threat, those experiencing.

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Homelessness or food insecurity or financial crisis, so these kinds of.

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Questions the mayor has convened of in group was securing the social service and safety net. That group is hard at.

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Work, I'm not sure what their plans are, but they I'm sure we'll be reporting out.

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At some point- and that's not actually the focus of this meeting, but we look.

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Forward to hearing from them second, how do we support the private sector? Those.

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Businesses that account for 75% of the employment base and how can we help.

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Ensure that last week's staggering increase in unemployment is a short.

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Lived as possible, what can we do to help ensure the resilience of local employers.

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So that, as many as possible come through this economic downturn and are poised to.

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Succeed when the economy leave them for these kinds of questions.

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The mayor has need of working group focused on economic stabilization and.

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Recovery and you see a lot of members here tonight and again, thank you not.

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Just ready to work for being here as well, it's worth noting that some of the.

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Work being done by these three different groups had begun to happen organically.

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But that said, I think one of the things we all realize very quickly is that.

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These are all complex and interrelated issues, and so mayor hamilton's call for.

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The creation of these three different working groups has allowed work to move.

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Forward in a very collaborative and very coordinated way, and so thank you, mary.

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Hamilton for that lean against the net, so why is it important that we're doing.

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Is now why is it important in this conversation tonight?

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Okay, first, obviously, we need it's urgent employers are struggling and many of.

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Them had to lay off staff, virtually all have taken a financial hit, and some are.

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Uncertain about whether or not they'll be able to reopen at all federal and.

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State support may not be available for weeks, and so we particularly need an.

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Inner in response, second, any economic response is going to require financial.

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Resources toward that end, the city council sent a request to the food and.

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Beverage tax advisory commission were fabtech last week requesting up to two.

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Million dollars to support economic resilience and recovery efforts that.

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Request is approved a few days ago just on friday, tomorrow night's city council.

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Will take up an appropriation ordinance, the legal.

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That allows us to actually deploy these funds before voting on that.

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Appropriation ordinance council has asked for a report on the plan for.

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Administering these funds, we take very seriously our fiscal responsibilities.

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And so council president pollan, as this committee to take point on music so.

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Tonight is an opportunity to begin hearing about that plan and to begin.

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Discussion on it just to be clear, we are not voting on any ordinance or.

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Resolution tonight, appropriation or otherwise, rather this meeting is an.

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Opportunity for council members to hear more about all of the work that's been.

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Going on behind the scenes and for the working group to get some preliminary.

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Feedback from the group from council members before brainiest to the entire.

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Council tomorrow night, so that set the context fairly well great. Okay, with that.

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I want to turn it over to alex crowley, director of economic and sustainable.

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Development for the city alex- I don't know if you're going to do a screen.

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Share of any materials, but stephen can help us with that, I'm sure. Well, I was.

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Gonna start really by talking through where we are. I do have a you know, a link.

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That I think the public should know about which I can show towards the end.

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It's a link to resources are available online, that's being hosted by the.

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Chamber, but let me start first by thanking you for the opportunity to talk.

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To you about where we are, as you may know, from those of you who've seen the.

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Draft plan it is in in an early draft. In fact, there has been a pretty significant.

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Update that and we will release it as quickly as possible, but the plan that.

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You have looked at already was what we called version 2 and it was put together.

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By the working group, so let me introduce the working group. We have jen pearl, who.

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Is with the bloomington economic development corporation erin pred, more.

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With a bloomington greater bloomington chamber of commerce, I don't see him but.

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Pat east is with dimension mill inc as part of the working group.

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Brian payne, I don't see him either- is with cd f5.

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Friendly bloomington he's been part of the group as well and then jane cooper.

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Smith, who was there and sean starwood's who is present not visible, are both.

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Members of the department of economic and sustainable development, so I am the.

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Director of economic, sustainable development- and it's been a great honor.

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And pleasure to work with everybody to try to pull together some some.

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Strategies and and initial thoughts for the mayor, which we delivered last.

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Thursday for his initial review and then have been updating the document since.

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Then, with feedback not only from the mayor but also feedback from some.

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Community partners that we've we've leveraged along the way, including iprc.

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Which is the business resource hour? Who's been very helpful in providing us.

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Sort of economic data along the way we've interfaced with a the cooke center.

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For entrepreneurship or ivy tech with steve bryant and a his group downtown.

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Bloomington inc at tisha's on on this meeting and so gotten some feedback from.

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Them about what's going on on the ground visit bloomington has also been very.

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Helpful in helping us understand the impact of tourism, and then there there.

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Are many others who've been involved? We took the draft and we circulated it.

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To the the committee, we also sent it to our current counterparts at the county.

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So jeff mckim was here and then for the council and then also the commissioners.

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Because one of the key things for us is to make sure that there's a kind of.

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Regional alignment, so we're also sharing it with other organizations to make sure.

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That they understand what the current thinking is again, it's a very much work.

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In progress but keep them apprised of the situation and and aligned with what.

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We're thinking right now so fundamentally, the document is a.

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Multi-Pronged strategy apartment that attempts to balance immediate needs.

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Both from a funding and non funding perspective with mid-range and long term.

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Needs that will emerge once hopefully, code 19 begins to wane. Our immediate and.

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Urgent focus is on what we're calling a rapid response and a rapid response.

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Again includes both funding and non funding from a funding perspective.

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The challenge is four fold: one is to determine what the funding need is, but.

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But not just in the aggregate really in in the context of other money's that are.

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Being brought to bear from, for example, the charis act, so you know what what are.

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The resources that are coming into the community from the outside, how does how.

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Do those help, where are the gaps that come from those and then what can the.

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Local funding mechanism do to fill in those gaps, so we are not striving to.

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Carry the bloomington economy for 12 months: that's not. We don't have at all.

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The kind of local resources that are you know that would be required to do that.

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That kind of work is best undertaken and delivered by federal and state efforts.

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And so we're really, you know under understanding those as they're.

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Developing, as you may know, there are already working on phase 4 for the.

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Charis acts, so so what we know today will continue to change, but trying to.

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Understand that with as much detail as possible, so we can, you can see what we.

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Can do with the limited resources that we might have available to fill in those.

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Gaps and then there's also so there's a rapid response funding and then there's.

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Rapid response, what we call technical assistance- also, you can think of it as.

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Wraparound services, so one of the challenges that's out there is that you.

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Know, small businesses don't have the expertise for capacity necessarily to.

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Wade through all of the benefits that may be flowing.

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In from say, the fbi, sba and other you know, other stimulus programs that are.

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Being put out there, so you know standing up and delivering a kind of navigator.

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Function that that might be a first first stop for people who are trying to.

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Figure out, you know what to take advantage of, and what does it mean for.

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Them, but that navigating function doesn't necessarily have to have all the.

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Answers there are a lot of resources in town that can help, so you could conceive.

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Of a call coming into that navigating function, whether it's a phone call or.

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Text or some other communication in that could be routed if it's sba relevant to.

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You know the I the sbdc over it, you know steve ryan's group, so there are.

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A lot of you know ways that we can help that don't necessarily involve money, but.

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Money, obviously, is an important thing that that needs to be considered and.

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Brought to bear to the extent possible, so you know if you look at the funding.

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Side of the rapid response, as we said previously, they're, basically four.

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Challenges that we have to work simultaneously in order to set up a.

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Strong response systems, the first is to determine what is the need and we're.

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Doing that by looking both at ground level, anecdotal and- and you know, survey.

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Based information coming in and I mentioned dbi has been very helpful. The.

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Chamber's been very helpful visit bloomington has been very helpful.

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I mean we're getting information from a variety of different sources bc as well.

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So try and understand from a bottoms-up perspective, what what are people running.

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Into what are their challenges from a top-down perspective, what is the you.

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Know how many service businesses are there or how many restaurants versus.

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Other types of businesses quantifying it from a you know, economic data.

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Perspective and then and then using to help, inform what the need might be.

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And that's where the ib rc was very helpful and then and then looking at.

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What other communities are doing and understanding? You know that activities.

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So that it can help inform our understanding of our own need by.

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Extrapolating and finally, you know looking at the inbound at setting up a.

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Channel that will be a kind of inbound intake form, an application process that.

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Will in itself, very specifically quantify very specific requests.

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So the combinational, all of that helps us to establish what the need is. Another.

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Challenge that's being worked simultaneously is understanding what the.

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Funding sources may be, and and and those in the document as you've seen currently.

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Consider the food and beverage tax as a potential source and we did receive late.

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In the day today, initial indications from the state board of accounts that.

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That may be a viable source, and so you know there's some some broad statewide.

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Direction that they've given well to that, we need to dig into that just a.

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Little bit more with our council and legal counsel to understand what does.

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That mean specifically for us, but but that was a positive outcome from the.

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Request that was made up there we're also looking at the bloomington urban.

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Enterprise associations, potential funding, source and and then you know,.

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Others that that may be brought to bear potentially in the future it or it or.

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Especially if some of the ones that we have teed up may not be viable for.

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Whatever reason so that's the second challenge, the the third challenge is to.

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Develop and implement a system for administration of any kind of funding.

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Related support that we bring into the market. So what that means is literally.

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Who's gonna, first of all, what what is the intake function? What does that look.

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Like what are the questions being asked? Who does it go to, and by that you know.

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That that means what group will be empowered to evaluate loan requests or.

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Grant requests and make decisions about those. It should be clear I hopefully to.

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Everybody that that you know that level of expertise is critical to the success.

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Of a program like this, and that the city does not have that level of expertise on.

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Staff and and so we would be tapping community expertise to help us do that.

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So the administration also involves the setting up of kind of the mechanics of.

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Where does the money sit, you know, how does it get there? How is how is that.

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Money then released functionally into borrow or you know, hands and then in the.

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Cases of loans, how is that money returned back to what location? By what.

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Mechanism so we're having discussions about that and really really trying to.

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Work out the mechanics so by the time funding may become available. We will.

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Make progress on that I've already hit the ground running so we've had some.

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Good discussions, a variety of different partners for those activities and then.

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Finally, the you know the question of measurement of of what's happening in in.

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Terms of you know these particular activities, but also the broader picture.

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Reporting that back to make this as transparent as thorough a process as.

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Possible- and you know the state board of accounts, you know- will be auditing and.

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So you know, there's there's a pretty strict level of reporting that will be.

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Required just for that, but we want to make sure that this is a very.

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Transparent process that people feel comfortable that taxpayer money is being.

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Put forward in a way, that's professional, deliberate, disciplined that we're not.

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Throwing good money after bad money but, on the other hand, that we're bringing it.

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To market as quickly as we can, because one of the things we've realized is that.

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The one of the biggest gaps may be time.

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Maybe the delay in people receiving again some of the cares and and other.

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Programs so time time is of the essence, but we don't want it. We don't want to.

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Rush things out there in a in a messy way that doesn't have the kind of.

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Controls we need, we just have to do it fast. So you know again, we we are looking.

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At this, as, first and foremost, a very quick set of activities to get a wrapper.

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Read response package of support out there we are gonna, be also building up.

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Activities related to more of the mid term of you know of the virus and the.

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Pandemic by that we mean some time, probably in the four to twelve month.

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Period where maybe we've crested and our start starting to come back, but the.

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Students haven't returned potentially or they or you know, or they they they have.

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But but you know it's not what it has been in the past. You know we're not sure.

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Exactly what's gonna happen in the future, but there's gonna be a need for a moment in time. Potentially, when the you know.

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The the business community and the arts organizations that we are targeting for.

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The kind of program that we're working on will need to revenue generate and and.

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May not have you know fully recovered, so is there anything in the mid range of.

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Four to twelve months that we need to be thinking about that could creates new.

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Generating opportunities, silly examples are- and this is obviously not four.

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Months out, but you know mother's day is a huge day for restaurants and.

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Graduation, of course, is a huge time for the whole. You know: hospitality, industry.

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In wilmington, both of those are basically unlocked down and are not.

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Going to happen mother's day will, but it's the same degree. So you know we we have to the calendar, start thinking about what.

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Are those other events that people count on that are really big days and in the.

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Calendar year that may or may not happen, and is there something that we can do to.

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Get ahead of that and try to stage for some semblance of revenue generation.

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Even though it would not be in the same way as traditionally we've seen in the.

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Past so, and then there's a long term in the long term you know is, is arguably.

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The most important, because what what kovat nineteen will do to bloomington.

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From 12 months to five years out is unclear. What is what is clear is if we.

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Are smart about it and if we are, if we bring the right partners to bear now, we.

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Can emerge stronger than we were when we went into it and and and we can.

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Accelerate changes that we're gonna have to happen anyway, maybe over the course.

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Of a decade we can, we can be looking at that acceleration at this. At this moment,.

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When things are kind of broken as a way to heal, fast and and actually come out,.

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With with a much greater, you know, growth potential than we might have otherwise.

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Seen so you know there are a lot of really smart people who can help us.

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Think through that, you know whether it's at the university or throughout the.

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Country, the you know, the the trick is to bring that group together and really.

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Think through and be smart about how we go about setting ourselves up for a.

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Brighter future, so that that is something that also has to happen.

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Obviously not this week, but but but certainly as quickly as possible, because.

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We will be. We will be at some point adding to set in programs that that that.

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Will take probably years to develop so I'll finish it up. I mean, I think you.

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Know the cares act is, is a pretty substantial thing? It's you know its.

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Phase three has come out just last, you know friday. I guess whenever things are.

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Moving really quickly so part of the part of the challenge that the working.

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Group has had is to stay at. You know, stay abreast of what all this stuff.

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Means we have hopefully other stimulus and support coming in in the future, but.

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In the meantime, you know we are. We are focused very much on rapid response.

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Funding and non funding today and really appreciate the council. You know putting.

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Forward the appropriation coordinates and helping us to to time. You know some.

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Some funding for potentially as early as the end of next week, the beginning of.

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The following week, I think that I will pause right now and and potentially, if.

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It's alright with the committee open it up to my colleagues on the working group.

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To see if anybody wants to chime in with any additional thoughts before we open.

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It up to questions please unmute. Anyone who needs unmuting, one of the things.

E

That I might add, and thank you to the city and all in our crew, would you.

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Introduce yourself, oh thank you, my name is jennifer pearl and I'm the president.

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Of the bloomington economic development corporation- and you know thank you to.

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All the colleagues that we've been working with on this, it's been it's been.

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Amazing to see how the community is really pulled together, and we just appreciate someone everyone so much to build on alex's points is the regional.

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Economy is, you know, is a piece of this puzzle we're starting with what we can.

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Focus on here in bloomington and we're also looking at two halves of the.

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Economy, there's the local economy and those retail and other stories that are serving people right here and we're also.

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Building in an eye to the traded sectors, you know these larger employers, like.

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Cook and cattlemen and others that have a multiplier effect in our community.

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Where they bring, you know, funding into the economy, and so, as we move forward.

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It's really looking at how these two things play together, um so that we can.

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Build a strong economy moving forward.

A

Thank you, miss pearl. Are there other comments from the community, but they're.

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Working patiently, I'm sorry miss craig one. I'll just add that it's been an.

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Honor to be able to work on this policy paper, I feel like I was at graduate school again with a deadline and a lot of people trying to do a group project.

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Editing together and laughing a lot, so it was good, but it's also a whip-smart.

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Group, and that was really really important to to be able to facilitate.

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Both the building of the policy paper, but also the good discussions about the.

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Pros and cons of looking at things a different way, so I think I'm what you have in front of you and what we here to discuss tonight is a big start. We do.

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Want feedback? I know alex said that, but that's since here we want to make it a.

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Better stronger policy for the community, so hearing from you guys and your.

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Thoughts as well we'll be able to spin it for everyone. Thank you, mr. prend, or.

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Anyone else from the working group.

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Seeing none then, let's come to the committee, we have a council member.

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Flaherty, sanford and bolin. How much time do we want to allow for each member.

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Question five minutes is that yeah, I don't think minutes per person. Let's.

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Let's work on five minutes per person: council members won't have a chance to.

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Come back and offer comments at the end as well, so why don't we start with that?.

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And why don't you open it up for question, though council member roland?

A

Can you time us yeah? I got it. Thank you.

A

Yeah, are we gonna ask all, is each committee member gonna ask all of their.

G

Questions within, if I haven't asked and then try to get answered all the questions. But then, if I'm in a period or I'm sorry, steve's, gonna stop or customer.

G

Roland's they stopped and started yeah just so you find me to the time.

H

Okay got it. Thank. You would like to start.

G

Yeah first, thank you. Mr. crowley and other.

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Members of the economic, stabilization and recovery working group for your.

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Presentation for all your hard work, I read the draft of the report yesterday.

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Was highly impressed by the amount that you all were able to put into this and.

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In a very short time period, so I think it's impressive work and very well.

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Thought out, I had a handful of initial questions that I submitted to mr.

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Crowley by email and and he was able to quickly answer most of those. But I still.

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Have some points I wanted to ask about or follow up on the first of those is, I.

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Have a question about food and beverage tax dollars and who those could go to.

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Like what types of businesses? What sectors? Because the report seemed to.

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Sort of suggest that arts organizations and grants would come from bue vuv a.

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Money as opposed to the food and beverage tax pot of money- and I think.

G

The answer was something like there might be limits that we couldn't use.

G

Food and beverage tax dollars for grants, as opposed to being able to use them for.

G

Loans- so I was wondering, is my understanding of that correct and also.

G

Where is that within title? Six? Is that prohibition on using food beverage tax.

G

Dollars for grants there or is it guidance from the state board of accounts or where's that particular thought coming from well, so we were.

D

Anticipating that there might be some limitations coming from the state.

D

Accounts and we, as I have just gotten the the kind of you know directly from.

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Them the notice, so I think we're gonna answer that I am more comfortable of.

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Having a little time with with our council to understand, did put, I don't.

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Know if you've seen it but sort of statewide notice, I think we need to dig.

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In and understand what is possible and not possible, certainly.

D

We do considerations the tourism businesses so from from that perspective,.

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I think we were all gates where there would be any kind of loan structure.

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Going out to those entities, it was not clear at the time and is not absolutely.

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Crystal clear right now you that we have the ability to grant from that and we.

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Want to make sure that we are obviously following exactly the direction that we.

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Can follow legally so if it's alright with you, I think I'd like again just get.

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A very read from account from legal counsel so that we can, we can be you.

D

Know black-and-white about that yeah! That's great! Thank you. Other questions.

A

Remember boland: did I see your hand up earlier? No, I'm still reviewing my notes.

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Here trying to get my thoughts together, I do want to say that I really.

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Appreciated the thoughtfulness that a certain committee members went through.

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The document and asked written questions before that was really helpful, and so we.

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Were able to set some of those aside, but but really appreciate the feedback and.

D

The questions that came in there were comments and questions that were very helpful yeah. I will ask a question: if you don't mind, madam chair alex, can you.

H

Talk about the creed I asked specifically in writing.

H

Yesterday, whether considering that that is a pool of money, we can consider using.

H

In this crisis I mean it expired last year, apparently our the creed district.

H

And is there any value and seeking its reopening during this crisis in the.

H

Months and years to come mr. crowley, just for those who may be.

A

Watching on cats, or maybe not unfamiliar with creeks, could you explain what that.

A

Is yeah yeah, so they're? Actually, creed is the community. Revitalization.

D

Enhancement district, I think it is, and so cre d and.

D

There are two in bloomington: they were set up a while a long time ago, and they.

D

Do have a window that of time that they are open for then closed and one one is.

D

You know sort of broadly the downtown, and the other one is is is is basically.

D

The what we call the thompson creed and that was set up around the. What used to.

D

Be the cook formica building that was in our seat building became cook formica.

D

And it's not the catalan, so it was. These were two tactical economic development.

D

The way they work is that they set a baseline for I'm doing a soup. My head.

D

But for I think, sales tax and payroll tax, so they set a foundation at the.

D

Beginning of the creed period and and then as as the sales tax and the payroll.

D

Taxes increase over time; normally they would go up to the state and stay at the.

D

State but the state actually remits back a certain amount of money with a cap.

D

Each year and I believe the downtown cap is one and a half million and the.

D

Thompson caps, a million, and that goes into a fund, a creed fund which is housed.

D

Locally, so those those monies have been spent and they are administered through.

D

A commission that you know meets very rarely, but it's called the bloomington.

D

Industrial advisory commission by dac and and as needed, an employer or a you.

D

Know an investor in within one of the to create areas may petition for use of.

D

Creed dollars to help with an economic development project, so there's someone.

D

Limited in their applicability, this is a process that goes through the review by.

D

The by dac, the bloomington industrial development, weiser, commission and then.

D

Comes up to council, and so they don't happen that often, but when they do.

D

Happen, the processes through counsel and ultimately gets approved by council on the recommendation of by dac an example.

D

Of one that came up, I think it was in early 2017 was a an expansion of the.

D

Envisage space inside of the fat square mall and they had sought creed funding.

D

To reimburse some of the construction investment construction cost investment.

D

They were putting to expand the the footprint inside the building and and.

D

Kind of like a tax abatement, what happens, is you have an agreement set up.

D

Between the petitioner and the city that agreement, often, if not, you know and ties.

D

Reimbursement and performance to climate growth, with certain criteria and.

D

Potentially other other deliverables that that the petitioner is held.

D

Accountable to over the over the course of their reimbursement, so so anyway,.

D

That's a long way of answering what creed is, but but basically what, as a.

D

Result, you actually have these two funds accumulated over time and, and so the.

D

Question of whether or not they would become available, I think the answer is.

D

Twofold one is: we are going to be having over the over the long term a lot of.

D

Surprises when it comes to tax receipts, and we need to be aware of that fact- we.

D

Need to know that that you know there gonna be some changes to revenues coming.

D

To the city, and so we want to make sure we don't, you know, use up all the powder.

D

My time is up mr. crowley. That was my five minute limit, so really.

A

Do you want to finish out yeah if you would yeah sure sorry, rambling on the.

D

The so we you want to make sure number one that we don't use up all of the potential funding in the near term, because we.

D

Don't know what's coming down the pipeline and then number two again you.

D

Know the the purpose of what we are trying to do is really tactical.

D

Gap-Filling right now we're not trying to carry an economy. That's not! We just.

D

Don't have the resources to do it, so I, what I would say is, is you know, as we.

D

Think about how we want to roll out support. It's it's a big boon for us to.

D

Have the food and beverage available? I think that that was going to be always.

D

Going to be our first priority, if we could do it, and that sounds like that's.

D

Possible so I I would hesitate to go dip elsewhere until we can see what kind of.

D

Effect, we can have that first tranche of funding. Thank you. Councilmember san.

A

Birds, she's wait: can you unmute her as susan? I think you're unmuted, you may.

B

Have to click something on your in.

B

There you go okay, I will yield my time back to someone else. I just want to.

C

Thank this group. They are whip-smart, they've done an excellent job, and so.

C

What I have heard, I'm completely in support of and really have no other.

C

Questions, I think it's it's a good plan, we're in a very fluid situation. We don't.

C

Have all the answers now, but I have every every belief that this is a group.

C

That can throw their work on what they presented to us tonight and I am very.

C

Pleased with the results so far, thank you.

A

Thank you, councilmember boland yeah on my question to mr. crowley by saying so.

H

The reason I asked about the creed is that, like with a tif district, you know.

H

It captures dollars that would otherwise go to general tax funds, and it allows us.

H

To reinvest those tax dollars that we paid into the geographic area at the.

H

Create covers another, it's downtown. Crede can be reinvested in.

H

The downtown and that's why I asked about it, is because you know like the.

H

Businesses in that area are going to pay taxes anyway, instead of them going to.

H

The state for general purposes they can stay in the community and be used for.

H

Specific purposes to serve that area, that's why I thought it was worth.

H

Considering reestablishing the creed because wow more than ever,.

H

I mean look at the this. The meeting we're having right now we're talking.

H

About downtown businesses that are suddenly, you know within three weeks of.

H

Yesterday, they, they were not imagining that they were not going to survive into.

H

The negative through the next few months, so this is why I asked it's not so much.

H

Because I want to use that pot of money before the food and beverage tax money.

H

That's that we need all the resources we can get, and so that's why I specifically.

H

Is it worth considering asking the state to let us reestablish this creed so that.

H

We can specifically bring more resources to the downtown businesses that used to.

H

Be served by that creative. What say you well so we could create a new creed.

D

Right now so so, when a creed runs out, the money doesn't go away, but the money.

D

But the ongoing return of incremental monies go away right. So the problem with.

D

I mean so yeah, I think you know it would. As these things sunset, it is important.

D

To recognize the value that they've they've provided to the city, but.

D

Practically speaking, you know, let's say we were tomorrow morning able to reset a.

D

Creed and and start the clock again, the first thing that has to happen is you.

D

Have a one-year period of you set your you set your your tax receipts as a new.

D

Fad and then the only thing that's coming in is the increment is the increment, and that happens 12 months later and.

D

Obviously, the first couple of years of incremental growth, especially in this.

D

Day and age are gonna, be somewhat anemic, so so I don't know that as a as a tool.

D

Over the for short-term recovery, it makes as much sense as it does as a tool.

D

For really long-term application. Well I mean I don't disagree with you. I just.

H

You have rightly said that you know we're looking. We can't be looking at the.

H

Immediate short-term, although that's urgent and that's, why we're all meeting.

H

So rapidly, but the medium in the long term and like anybody who thinks that.

H

The net impact of what just happened this month is, you know, going to be.

H

Contained in 2020, I think, is kidding themselves, so the sooner that we mean.

H

Here was, it seem, will seem to be a good idea, taxes that would have been.

H

Collected anyway by the state are diverted from the state back to the area.

H

Where they were collected for investment in that area, if that is my, if my.

H

Understanding of the principle of a creed is correct. It's this is something.

H

Worth reestablishing, you know with all due speed, it is a change I mean I would.

H

Frankly, want to lobby the state to say: can you undo the closure? The creed said.

H

That we can set our baseline back to where it was when the key was.

H

Established you see what I mean yeah yeah, I mean I. We certainly take a look.

D

At it, I had misunderstood your question as as to whether or not that could yield.

D

Short-Term revenues for us to travel, yeah yeah. No, I mean we have the money.

H

That was collected from the fund over the past. You know 15 years or so.

H

It's almost almost none of it's been spent, so I mean I'm happy that that.

H

Resource is available. I'm content to consider it at the rate that you.

H

While are willing to consider it, but it's a substantially larger fun than the.

H

Excellent is right now, anyway, just a thought. Thank you. Thank.

A

You councilmember fallin jennifer, did you miss pearl? Did you have your? Did you.

A

Ran okay, just checking alright other questions from the.

A

Committee more when you're ready, but I'm happy to have you ask questions too.

G

Madam chair, if you happen sure for context, I think of high importance to me.

G

And this is reflected in the document. To some extent is trying to prioritize.

G

Workers and employees- and I know the loans, for instance, one of the loan.

G

Products that the food beverage tax dollars would support would allow for.

G

Only a certain set of expense expenses- and it says specifically to go to.

G

Support wages, payroll costs, rent or utilities and or other immediate.

G

Essential expenses funds may not be distributed to equity investors or.

G

Owners, so I think that's positive, I'm wondering if there's a way to.

G

Incentivize, covering payroll and helping workers.

G

I think the negative there might be. I guess if there's been layoffs, I don't.

G

Know that would compromise people's access to and unemployment dollars, which.

G

Is something we probably need to consider and maybe there's other considerations but kind of just brainstorming.

G

And forgive me if I've got any of the details wrong, but I think some of the.

G

Federal money coming to small businesses has looked at loans where portions of.

G

The loan could be forgiven or written off if, if it went specifically to.

G

Payroll or maybe some other uses, so I'm wondering if something like that for any.

G

Other tools to incentivize prioritization of workers has has been.

G

Considered in the context of the financial products 3 in particular that.

G

Were developed and reported at the end of the document yeah I mean, I think you.

D

Know again, I would caution all of us that you know if you as someone I think.

D

Aaron may have made this point if you, if you think of you, know a 20-person.

D

Organization and the and the monthly payroll that that.

D

Represents right, you can burn through local funding, support really fast, so you.

D

Know I think what we have to do is is understand. The cares act thoroughly.

D

Understand how it works. I think there is a retros retroactive component to it and.

D

And also, as you suggest, as long as you're, maintaining your employee base.

D

And that the workers are reinstated and kept on that there's a forgiveness.

D

Program that runs runs its course, so I think that that you know we have to rely.

D

On that kind of program, for what it's designed to do and have it work as hard.

D

As possible for us without getting in the way of it, you know, I might guess, and.

D

We have to really understand this and we'll get a much better view of this as we open up and receive applications. But my guess is that the kinds of things.

D

That people will seeking will be. You know, interim spending interim. You know.

D

Bridge loans until that stuff kicks in so we're not gonna, have to carry a.

D

Payroll for three months, we're gonna just have to cover someone, while the.

D

House is on fire for them, but also I, my guess is that we're gonna see things.

D

Come in where you know it's kind of spending, the lines that are falling.

D

Between the cracks of of what's coming in from the from the cares act and and.

D

That we will, you know, will probably very quickly realize that there are gaps in.

D

That support that we can help with I've heard, and I don't know if this is you.

D

Know I haven't looked at the cares act well enough or totally internalized. It.

D

But you know one restaurant owner mentioned the the you know the.

D

Perishability of their inventory and how that kind of exposure to solvency and.

D

Future you know, reopening is, is a gap that you know that that's a real gap for.

D

A very specific sector of the economy, so you know the question: is that.

D

Stuff get covered by the programs coming from the sba in the federal government.

D

And if not, you could imagine, this kind of program could target that very thin.

D

Sliver of overlooked, you know help. So I don't know if I'm answered question but.

D

Basically, I think we we need to. We need to understand a little bit better from.

D

What the applications are gonna be asking for where the need is, but that.

D

The payroll pure payroll on any given week for all affected businesses in.

D

Wilmington will blow this money immediately and we won't even you know.

D

Cover a fraction of that need yeah, that's awful! Thank you. Thank you and.

A

Miss pearl, you had you had your electronic hand up related to that.

E

Question actually so through the federal government there's now the paycheck.

E

Protection program and I'm reading this from the sba website. It's a loan.

E

Designed to provide direct incentives for small businesses to keep their.

E

Workers on payroll and mr. crowley had mentioned that you know as part of care.

E

Zac, so there will be areas that we can leverage to provide additional support.

E

For workers, thank you thank you, councilmember boland! Yes, so to that and.

H

I remember thinking the the paycheck protection act is effective as of march.

H

24Th, which was a week from week ago today, but I know that there were layoffs.

H

Of employees before to the 24th among local businesses, is there some way that.

H

They will I mean, I don't know if layoffs is the same as furlough or firing you.

H

Know, but do those say, local businesses that laid people off between say the.

H

13Th and the 24th will they be coming, I mean, can they? I.

H

Don't even know what question to ask like: are they going to rehire or unfurl.

H

O people so that both the business and the employee can qualify for that.

H

Funding or do we just let them go to? I don't know how to ask this question even.

H

This bread meeting chamber- oh okay, now I'm unmuted. I had to mute myself because.

F

Of my logged family, but so yeah, if I can answer for you, there steve, but I've.

F

Talked actually to represent a collinsworth yesterday on my podcast.

F

Which I know are listening to, but in case you missed the episode. He said that.

F

I asked him that exact question, because we have a lot of businesses that are small businesses that we're told at the beginning of the crisis. Layoff your.

F

Workers so that they can get unemployment and and then now we turn around twice and you're supposed to keep your workers.

F

On so I asked him what what they were supposed to do and I think that's the.

F

Question you're trying to get to is yeah what advice, and so what he said was that.

F

The way that they're gonna do the payroll protection program is they're.

F

Gonna, look at someone's payroll level before the crisis and then at the point.

F

Like moving forward and if those two numbers are within a certain percentage.

F

It doesn't have to be exact, but it's like, and he couldn't tell me exactly what that was going to be because of the policy creation is going on right now.

F

But they're going to navigate that by saying okay you're within this 10% of.

F

Where you I'm making up 10% but wherever you were and then therefore you're.

F

You're good to go and be able to move for it that way and can claim that forgivable loan and will have made about like a restaurant. That.

H

Basically shut down, they laid off seventy none of their employees in that.

H

Two-Week period before the chara's act kicked in, what are they supposed to do?.

H

Right, so if they go for the payroll protection program, what he would say is.

F

If they, if they want to get that those funds, they would bring back all of those.

F

Employees and be able to continue using those funds to pay them. And then at the.

F

Time of reporting back to to find out if the loan is forgivable as a grant.

F

It's just if they do, if it's just a loan, but they didn't meet the criteria that.

F

At that point, they're gonna compare it from before the crisis to that time. At.

F

Point in time, in the future, they're just making sure they're still able to to.

F

Cover that so he would say if you wanted, that that forgiving, you needed to go.

F

Ahead and bring those staff back as the president of the chamber. What do you.

H

Think is the likelihood that you know businesses will rehire under those.

H

Circumstances you know how I don't even know how to phrase the question, but you.

H

See it I mean like how many of them are likely to bring people back into the.

H

Letting them stay on unemployment right, so I think it's gonna be interesting to.

F

Be I mean it clearly, gonna be case by case the one thing about the avalanche.

F

Of information that's come out through these three sections of the legislation.

F

Has just been that it's very hard for someone to navigate what is the best.

F

Choice for my business and my employees and all of that right right, so I do.

F

Think that what I'm hearing from members is those that were almost all of them.

F

Have applied for that sba loan to start the process, and I was the first thing.

F

The payroll protection program is part of that they're part of that same.

F

Application, okay, so there are the hopper for that. They're gonna, navigate it to go.

F

Forward those loans that they've applied for they've not got the money yet so it.

F

Only going through that first profit part of the process, and there are three.

F

Steps so I haven't heard of anyone. That's already heard back from them for.

F

Step two get all that information. Yeah they're gonna do that now yesterday, as.

F

Of yesterday that there wasn't an option for the sba loans to request $10,000 for.

F

Emergency funding, and so that's a new thing that came out yesterday, so you.

F

Might see some small businesses saying yes, I need that money now and then.

F

Getting that and be able to bring back their workers immediately, so a lot of it.

F

Depends on the on the business model? Okay, thank you. Other questions.

A

I don't actually jump in with one, then we're actually a couple. First of all, it.

A

It's kind of a question but honest and more of a comment, one of the things that.

A

I think can be very confusing and somewhat byzantine, particularly for.

A

Others in the community he's kind of the hierarchy of resources. You know what is.

A

He ordering people tend to apply thing. What is the order in which they would.

A

Kick in so as the report is refined, I think that.

A

Particular tool and of israel would be helpful, but after that thought.

A

Mr. crowley or members of the working group, we talked a little bit about this.

A

Beginning, but can you summarize next steps? What is the working group doing.

A

Between now and tomorrow's council meeting what comes after that sure so as.

D

I mentioned we, you know what you have seen is version 2 of a document that.

D

Will continue evolve. We've gotten a lot of really great.

D

Feedback about it and they're making adjustments that reflect that and and.

D

Welcome your feedback as part of that process, so we're not done with that.

D

Revision and we'll integrate the the comments and the feedback we've gotten.

D

Previously from committee members, but also anything from night, so we want to.

D

Update that to reflect the latest thinking reflect the latest information.

D

From the cares act and some of the other programs, and also we don't add the.

D

Document to make it a little bit more of an action document relative to some of.

D

The early stage activities so that that's happening in the background and.

D

It will probably not be available in time for tomorrow's council meeting in.

D

Fact and council we're gonna give a pretty high-level summary. This is a much.

D

Deeper dive into what we're doing, we only have about five minutes so I'll.

D

Just you know, for the full council will give a quick summary of what we've been doing and where things are, but at the same time we are also preparing for.

D

Requests of the bu ea, the bloomington urban enterprise association, which will.

D

Be a funding request for the men that scheduled to occur on on wednesday of.

D

Next week, so the 8th we are in the midst of a window right now of public notice.

D

That has to run its course we've not relief from the state for that.

D

Window has to run its course before funding can be released so that window.

D

I believe ends on april 9th, which which does raise a question as to whether or.

D

Not council should consider rescheduling next week's meeting if it's it's.

D

Designed to be in part timed with the end of that that window and I can get.

D

Confirmation of that date, but I think that that's the date the window runs out.

D

So that that you know we gotta, we gotta wait for that to play itself out, but.

D

We're not sitting around our hands. Well, as I mentioned earlier, we are, you know.

D

Really, looking closely at the administrative structure that will be.

D

Required and and it's everything it's where does the money sit, what kind of.

D

What kind of contract we have with any sort of advisory group or a guideline.

D

Document that holds them accountable for any activities that they would undertake.

D

What is who's in that group? Can we get them locked in.

D

What kind of arrangement do we have to put in place legally with a with a.

D

Banking function, that might be the the intermediary to issue monies out through.

D

Some sort of trust you know counts. You know things like liability exposure that.

D

That the advisory committee might might face as part of the role that they're.

D

Playing and how do we, how do we mitigate that risk for them, as just a lot of like.

D

You know wonky, you know, agreement stuff that has to be put in place and we just.

D

So we can work on all of that and are working on all of that now, so so that.

D

When and if the council were to vote on and pass the preparation ordinance, we.

D

Could either be done with all of that or very close to being done.

D

Is a final step that happens after the appropriation ordinance, which is it has.

D

To go back up to the state and for one last time for a quick turnaround.

D

Approval usually handful of days so again, you know we're a hard at work.

D

Really finalizing all of the mechanisms that need to be put in place and and.

D

Then getting ready for for go-to-market! Thank you for that. So I'm going to go to.

A

Comments by the public in a minute, but- and so I would ask those of you who.

A

Are interested in making comment or offering comments? Please use your zoom.

A

Group chat to let mr. lucas know, and that way we can keep track of who has an.

A

Interesting commenting and the order in which people would like to comment and.

A

If chat isn't working for you just go ahead and raise your hand and we'll find.

A

You so anything else from the members of the committee.

A

Councilmember clarity, yeah. I have asked this in writing as well, and I was just.

G

Wondering well, I wanted to put the question out there and and see if there.

G

Were any updates, which was all of the financial products that are recommended.

G

In the policy recommendations, I believe have a requirement that businesses meet.

G

The bloomington living wage ordinance so a certain minimum salary level and I'm.

G

Wondering my question was: you know if we have a sense of how many businesses.

G

Local small businesses that might otherwise be eligible would be.

G

Disqualified by this requirement- and then I was thinking specifically about.

G

Service sector and how that might be a little bit complicated in terms of you.

G

Know tip wages and that sort of thing, which is exactly the issue that mr.

G

Crowley highlighted in response, and I think city legal is looking into.

G

Providing additional guidance there so just kind of the flag. The issue- and I.

G

Guess ask if there's any updates on that particular issue. Yeah there's a little.

D

Bit of an update- and I can give you that update so a strict reading of the living wage ordinance lists out.

D

Very specific funds that are susceptible or covered by.

D

That ordinance, food and beverage is not one of them, and so you know a strict.

D

Reading status, that actually you know if this were administered through hopkins.

D

Or you know some other fun that's listed in that ordinance, then that then the.

D

Living wage ordinance would would apply, but in this case it's not clear. It's.

D

Clear it does not because it's not listed, you know, I think, look. I think.

D

We're all philosophically a little bit torn here, because I'm one hand obviously.

D

A living wage is what we're all striving to have across. You know the world and.

D

Bloomington and so philosophically, you would want that to be in place. I think.

D

The challenges that would probably disqualify a lot of businesses we're.

D

Actually, trying to help and and either burden them with excess, expensive moving.

D

Forward beyond what their regular expense basis for for employment based.

D

On elevating the the wage, it seems a bit counterproductive for what we're trying.

D

To do well, at the same time, you know obviously philosophically all aligned on.

D

The on the basic need for that, so you know I think one of the one of the.

D

Things that I take comfort in is, I think that the you know that the the state has.

D

Has certain put put a certain requirement in place that that we need.

D

To pay attention to about you know making sure this aligns with you know.

D

Tourism and tourism related businesses, and- and so you know, I think I think we.

D

Just have to get comfortable with whether or not we can live with that.

D

Reading and then I would echo our legal counsel recommended that we should.

D

Probably be pretty explicit at the moment of the appropriation ordinance.

D

Relative to beverage monies and and be explicit.

D

About what our 10 is, which you know, obviously I defer to to all of you on.

D

But that we should probably make sure that that's clear in that ordinance.

D

Right now, we would probably recommend not making that a requirement just by.

D

Virtue of the exclusion problem with so many of the businesses were trying out.

D

But again deferring do whatever that decision is needs to be pretty pretty.

D

Clearly laid out in the in the ordinance quick follow-up related, I chaired your.

G

Thoughts essentially that work, but by potentially excluding a lot of.

G

Businesses, you are possibly just harming the business environment generally, but.

G

Also harming workers who work at those businesses, for you know less than a living wage, which is not what we're after ultimately so trying to find that.

G

Right it's this kind of paradox of the situation we find ourselves and I.

G

Wondered if, when you could make a not contingent on currently paying a living.

G

Wage, but if you could make it some sort of condition for, for you know, they must.

G

Meet this in the future after some period of time, just trying to strike.

G

Some balance, essentially, is what I was thinking through. So I don't know, I guess.

G

A question would be: what do you think about that, but um it seems, like you said.

G

Currently, the recommendation would not be to to require that an eligible.

G

Business pay a living wage, but I guess do you think there would be other ways.

G

To explore incentives to to try to get businesses there, though again it's it's.

G

This difficult sort of period to be doing that everybody's struggling it's.

G

It's a tough time to say, raise your. You know your wages, but I don't know trying.

G

To strike that balance any of it, I agree with you that there's you know that.

D

There are certain sectors where you know that that wage level is lower than any.

D

Of us, anybody would want to see it right, and I.

D

I guess my reaction to that is that's a problem that we need to tap.

D

I'm not sure I would use this moment of extreme pain to try to leverage and and.

D

You know and actually complicate that recovery period, so you know, I think it's.

D

One of those things where that is a problem, that's a problem. We as a society.

D

And but we as a city need to be trying to figure out over the long term. I just.

D

Don't know if this is the moment to do that. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. crowley,.

A

Thank you, council members. I want to go to public comment as well. I'm not seeing.

A

Anything on chat, but I think even you're, the arbiter of chat. So we do have one.

B

Member of the public, who spoke up politia.

B

And I think I've activated her video and audio yes, she prefers. Can you hear me.

E

Yes, please go home well, I just wanted to say thank you so much for the.

E

Committee's work on this topic and the expertise: that's there, could you.

A

Introduce yourself in your role, please, yes, hi! My name is telescopic. I'm with.

E

Downtown bloomington pink and thank all of you for your expertise, impressed with.

E

The rapid response reviewed the document over the weekend and it's really clearly.

E

Written so it's really easy to understand, which will be very.

E

Appreciated it's important resource, you know, as we know, downtown has over 900.

E

Businesses 100 of those are restaurants, 70 or small shops over 12 or.

E

Organization and less superheavy special event calendar. That's now empty.

E

It's our community's gathering place- and this has been so devastating for so many.

E

So we really really appreciate your work. You know some of the other things you.

E

Were thinking and talking about with restaurants, with their inventory other.

E

Activities that the businesses really rely on the summer activities, this.

E

Student orientation, especially with six weeks of new students and then that.

E

It's gonna be really hurtful as well. Some of the retail shops they'll start.

E

Purchasing their inventory for christmas already, you know, and so they need to.

E

Plan for that, those restaurants losing some good employees and so and some of.

E

Those stores are that are just starting out or the restaurants, just starting out.

E

Or so leverage, so it's a big decision for them to even go into more debt. So we.

E

Use this as an opportunity to help them do some gap feeling, and it's an.

E

Opportunity to learn more about all the decisions facing our small businesses.

E

And what it takes to to run one of those and the risk that it takes so anything.

E

That we can help stabilize. That would be appreciated. So just wanted to say thank.

E

You thank you, miss covett. Are there other comments? I've not seen any other.

B

Comments come in, but if members of the public want to comment now, there should.

B

Be a chat button on the bottom control bar of your screen. You can click that.

B

And and let me know in chat- and we do have one more give me just a second- can.

I

You hear me steven, yes, oh yeah, this is dave asking us with the b-squared beacon.

I

It's intensely frustrating to watch a public meeting where the members of the.

I

Elected body have read a document, have a document available to them and read.

I

Aloud from that document, when the document has not been disseminated to.

I

Public and I would encourage you to disseminate whatever document or.

I

Whatever version is available at this time before the council meeting tomorrow,.

I

Simply watermark it as a draft or what have you, but I think that it's.

I

Unacceptable to have a public meeting about a document, that's not available to.

I

The public, that's all thanks. Thank you for your comment.

A

Are there other comments? We do have one other person, who's spoken up.

J

Hi this is tambi. You guys hear me: okay, yes, okay! So I just have a couple.

J

Thoughts, I'm sorry, could you introduce yourself please.

J

Yeah, I'm jami cassady citizen, and I just want to make a couple of comments. First,.

J

Of all do appreciate that you all are working very hard to try and understand.

J

This crazy environment that we're all working in right now I have a couple of.

J

Suggestions for you, because of having to do this myself and trying to navigate.

J

Through a completely different set of rules to try to make things, work and.

J

Would like to suggest to you that some of the really valuable resources and.

J

With respect to the cares act, you a lot of the lenders are having information on.

J

This because they're, you know going to be providing a avenue for obtaining the.

J

Funds for businesses, and so they are providing some really good summaries to.

J

Clients, when you go to them as a small business and tell them what your needs.

J

Are because there are so many different categories of loans and different.

J

Programs that are coming to us out there right now, so I would just like to.

J

Suggest that as a resource- and I also would like to question- I don't know if.

J

You any of you can answer this question, but I am wondering because it would be.

J

Of great help to know the answer: does this stay at home order? That was.

J

Given by the governor of indiana, constitute as a quarantine or isolation,.

J

Because this qualifies certain workers under the new tax credit and paid sick.

J

Leave paid family and medical leave act and so in in order to be eligible to.

J

Recoup some of these wages and healthcare expenses.

J

Is paid by the employer because at the apparently an employee who is sent home.

J

For certain reasons, under that particular act, qualified for.

J

Compensation and then the employer can get reimbursed for that compensation, but.

J

One of those qualifications is that this has to be a quarantine or isolation. So.

J

Can anyone answer that question? Does the stay-at-home order constitute or qualify.

J

As a quarantine or isolation, we continue to resonate with a comment is over. Thank.

A

You miss cassidy. We appreciate that. Thank you, I'm not sure. Did I see a hand.

A

Raised for the response to that or them okay, we noted the question. I don't know.

A

That any of us have an answer to that right now, but we've noted the question.

A

So thank you for that and I would invite mr. crowley and the working group to.

A

Consider that, in future drafts of the report, other comments from the public.

B

I've not seen any more comments come in efficienty folks want to take the time.

B

To chat now to let me know, maybe we can get the council member boland, while we.

B

Give folks another moment to just briefly, I think, miss cassidy's comment.

H

Is a relevant and b important and see a question that I wish I read more was.

H

Still here to maybe address, I think that more than anybody in this conversation.

H

Right now she might know the answer to that, but it's a question. I'd like to get.

H

Answered to I'm not sure anybody knows for sure, which is why the question is so.

H

Relevant but it's exactly the kind of question that the group was created to.

H

To address- and I know it's scrambling to try to address so I don't know that we.

H

Can get an answer today, but yeah I'd like to know that too. Thank you. Miss.

H

Cooper smith, do you know it's just gonna say I agree with you completely.

K

And we, I think, alex and I we'd be happy to add that, to our I mean I'll, add it to.

K

My to-do list tomorrow and I don't know tandy how to get in touch with you, but.

K

You can find me on this city's website and I will be happy to look into that.

K

I'm not sure I want to over promise, but I'm yeah. We need to know all I'm trying.

H

To say is that the working group has identified five six, seven different.

H

Sources of potential a and miss cassidy has expressed a general sort of.

H

Bewilderment that the the maze that needs to be navigated, I mean it's, it's.

H

Kind of all a good thing, there's just if there's conflicting requirements, you.

H

Know like this is exactly what I was worried about is what, if people apply to.

H

A program where they spend money: if they get money from us now, does it disqualify.

H

Them for money other money later that's from a much more substantial pot and we.

H

Just want to make sure we don't inadvertently cause somebody to become.

H

Ineligible for funds that they desperately need so jennifer pearl of.

A

The bdc you had a comment, one of the things that we're looking at it responds.

E

To that, because we're hearing from a lot of employers that are just awash in.

E

Information and trying to become experts on something that's three days old.

E

It really comes down to the wraparound services, so both having a place that.

E

People can go for additional guidance and almost laying out a roadmap for how.

E

To navigate the resources is something that we're trying to develop at the same.

E

Time so that essentially they can be putting these things piece by piece.

E

Together and that we can also be connecting them with other resources in.

E

The community that have expert like expertise in these areas, knowing that.

E

There are lenders that have been mentioned. There are attorneys in the.

E

Community that are specializing in pieces and parts of this. The other piece.

E

Of this, as well as the bdc works with the indiana economic development.

E

Corporation and they have a hotline, that's available for answering questions.

E

As well, and we can also reach out.

E

On behalf of businesses, with questions that come up, they've asked us to send.

E

Them in and I'm very happy to be a resource for that as well. If anyone is.

E

Listening, my email is jade pearl at bloomington abc.com and also knowing.

E

That other members on the working group- you know mr. crawley miss cooper smith.

E

And it spread more and others are available. Thank you. Other comments.

A

From the public, mr. lucas, I don't see any more okay.

A

Thank you seeing none. Let's come back to the committee for any final comments.

A

Before we adjourn so councilmember boland, I just want to ask briefly what.

H

Is the schedule for the distribution of the document? This isn't going to be.

H

Published tomorrow is that it yeah it's kind of so we wanted to make sure that.

D

The full council had received it before the public and so that the the equal.

D

Council will do that and we'll get it to them, and then the public will have it.

D

It's gonna be a kind of iterative thing, so you know it's sort of becomes.

D

Obsolete almost the moment, it's turned into a pdf, but that version to the.

D

Council and then with the public in the next 24 hours and then let me just ask.

H

This is the document going to change over the next 24 hours as a result of.

H

This meeting the version 3, is in development right now, and so that will.

D

Be significantly different from the version 2, we have to kind of lock in a.

D

Version and make that distributable to a sequence of audiences and so we're using.

D

Version 2 for that and then, when version 3 becomes available, it'll go to the.

D

Mayor and then it'll go to, you know this committee and they can the council and.

D

Can simply we just want to make sure this is sequenced appropriately? We can.

D

Take direction from you, but certainly version 3. We want to get to the mayor as.

D

Quickly as possible for the mayor's review and.

D

Well because we discuss it in public meeting here, you know it it's hard for.

H

Me to say that it's a deliberative draft that shouldn't be distributed. I think.

H

That, if you were to put the word draft on it and then publish the the version.

H

Three tomorrow, I think it would still be better if you released draft two now as.

H

It is and then present draft three to us, as the finish we've just just put draft.

H

On it and big letters, but I think we we need to publish it if we're discussing.

H

In a public meeting it should be publicly available. Can you release draft.

H

Two after this meeting yeah I mean yeah, you you all have it. I think it's really.

D

Between you and your and your council colleagues, we were really that's fine. I.

H

Mean it's, I understand what were you, what you were thinking and like it.

H

Didn't occur to me either, but we really should really release it. So I'm happy to.

H

Send it out after the meeting, thank you, councilmember boland, um mr. crowley, just.

A

Matters it okay, if I jump in yes, okay, mr. karle, just to clarify, if I'm.

A

Understanding you correctly version three may well be substantially not.

A

Substantially different, but it may be quite an evolution of draft number two.

A

Is that correct, yeah, that's right! So if indeed, we can release draft number.

A

Three within 24 hours, certainly before tomorrow night's council meeting that.

A

May make more sense, particularly if there's releasing drive. It sounds like.

A

We'll have a lot of missing. He says that will be in draft number three. Is that.

A

Accurate, I mean, I think we want to release a report, but I think the most.

A

Yeah but I don't think version three will be available in advance of.

D

Tomorrow's council meeting- you know we have to: we have to integrate a lot of.

D

This new information that's coming across in real time. We want to try to.

D

Integrate some of the more detailed structures as we're developing them. You.

D

Know we have 18 drafts of this, so I think I think you know it's just a.

D

Balancing acted like you know, what's what's the.

D

Right time to lock something down and send it out for preliminary feedback, we.

D

Were using urging to gather feedback, and so we still do have feedback that we'd.

D

Like to receive and and so I'm not I'm not sure, we can commit to version 3 of.

D

The availability and review by the mayor in time for the council meeting tomorrow.

D

I would probably guess it's going to be later this week, yeah all the more reason.

H

To the the idea is, I know that the document isn't done. You know in your.

H

Opinion I know that you're eager to release you know a finished document.

H

It's just that we're having a public meeting and it's still longer.

H

Deliberative draft when it gets into the hands of council members, so you know.

H

Like we, we really should release a second copy, knowing full well that it's.

H

Not the final copy that it's a draft document and the only thing that the.

H

Only aid that I mean, because I don't have access to the original word.

H

Document, if somebody could, you know re pdf it with the word draft on it in big.

H

You know watermark on it. That would, I think, let people know that this is not.

H

The final version, but you know I'll, I'm happy to circulate it now, just as long.

H

As people know that this is not the final version, but it should be.

H

Circulated so thank you other final comments or questions council.

A

Councilmember clarity, yeah a few things I'll let go yeah that'd be great to hear.

G

That distributed, I think, maybe some sort of cover page that clarifies that this.

G

Is a working document that will change and how to find subsequent versions.

G

Would be helpful, there is already available in tomorrow night's packet and.

G

Overview and summary, as well as a table of contents from this.

G

Document posted- I must confess I hadn't I had downloaded.

G

The packet for tonight's meeting, I just um since I had the the document sent to.

G

Me so I wasn't didn't realize that um the whole thing wasn't included, though.

G

Something to keep in mind, I think it's a the committee structure to and the fact.

G

That committees are sort of working on things in a little bit more of an interim way. In some cases, then council is traditionally handled various matters.

G

It's probably part of the issue here too, it's just something: we need to be highly.

G

Aware of in the future, I think it's just a few comments. I think in kind of.

G

Teasing out various questions about prioritizing workers and those issues in.

G

This conversation, I think I've definitely heard from a fair number of.

G

Constituents and as well as some some business owners that they wanted the.

G

Priority to be vast, and I think there may be a communication gap in terms of.

G

People perceiving this as a bailout, for you know, owners for the wealthy, for you.

G

Know large businesses or small businesses, as the case may be, and I.

G

Think um I think there were some really good answers to questions about that.

G

Tonight and about how to make sure we're protecting workers as best as possible,.

G

Whether it's through payroll protection act or through unemployment and and.

G

Making sure employers know how to use that. So that highlights a the importance.

G

Of the navigation center and making sure that we are really on top of those.

G

Wraparound and supportive services that are non-financial to make sure that, as.

G

Many employers as possible are using the tools that may be available to them to.

G

Protect their workers and to again just um or be just communicating on that and.

G

Making sure that you know citizens the residents of bloomington understand how.

G

Those protections will work to help them to other thoughts. One is there's a few.

G

Mentions in the document about the importance of prioritizing equity in.

G

These considerations, we didn't necessarily talk about that aspect. A.

G

Whole lot tonight so be curious to hear more and continue.

G

To think more about and what that looks like one other thing.

G

About the living wage, just another idea that popped in my head is, if perhaps it.

G

Leads to priority access if the applications for aid exceed the amount.

G

Of funding that is available or something like that, I'm not sure.

G

Finally, in mr. crowley's presentation, he mentioned these kind of phases that.

G

We're thinking about, I believe, some sorry-looking, my notes, response recover.

G

And thrive and thrive being kind of this longer-term, you know six to 24 month and.

G

Beyond rebuilding of the economy- and I just wanted to kind of flag this issue.

G

And email questions, but I wanted to mention it here as well, which is what I.

G

Think we'd be remiss not to be using this moment to think about how to.

G

Rebuild in a better way and not return to business as usual, so maybe that.

G

Thrive planning group this looking more at long-term recovery and policy.

G

Solutions- maybe that becomes the better avenue to have that conversation about.

G

You know paying living wages and how to enhance protections for workers and.

G

Encourage you know greater equity in business models, whether it's ownership.

G

Structures or others, and I wondered too if because perhaps there will be more.

G

Policy solutions, some of which may be legislative if it wouldn't be a good.

G

Idea to have a council member as a member of that planning subgroup since.

G

It's a little more policy focused potentially that could be someone from the sustainable development committee. Perhaps the chair, so just an idea that I.

G

Like the flag there as well, I think that's it for me. I just want to say.

G

Thank you again to the entire working group for a really impressive amount of.

G

Work that's gone in to the effort so far. Thank you. Thank you. Members of the.

A

Committee, mr. coopersmith, did you have a guy. I was saying. Thank you. That's all.

K

Good just some final comments from me too. We heard a fair amount about.

A

Distribution of the report- and I would echo the need for that- these are unusual.

A

Times, and these are unprecedented times for in most of our light.

A

Time so thank you to everyone for the flexibility and the patience with which.

A

They're approaching this, I do want to applaud this group. I do want to share.

A

That, from my perspective, we are, if I'm understanding correctly still looking at.

A

An appropriation ordinance vote potentially as soon as april 8th and I.

A

Would not for myself feel comfortable voting on an appropriation ordinance.

A

Unless we saw a report that was fairly far along first, so I understand that.

A

Tomorrow we may see version 2. My hope is that we could perhaps see version 3 by.

A

The end of the week and then for certainly before we vote, don't I would.

A

Offer that thought so anything else for the good of the order. Councilmember.

A

Roland yeah is this document, something that council is voting on you're talking.

H

About vote on the preparation, ordinance.

A

That's a great question: council will only vote on the appropriation ordinance.

A

But particularly because we have fiscal responsibility and fiscal oversight, one.

A

Of the greatest concerns I have is how, where? What is our structure for.

A

Administering the two million dollars that we asked for and I can vote with.

A

Much more confidence, if I have more detail on that understood, thank you so.

H

But most councillors are going to be seeing this report for the first time.

H

Tomorrow, and it is not even likely to be version three, as mr. crowley has said,.

H

He's not sure that they're gonna be able to turn around version 3 and time. So I.

H

Mean this report was made available to this committee to myself, that's were.

H

Flirty you and customer sandburg, in addition to it being meeting needed to.

H

Be circulated to the media needs to go the other council members, because version 3 is probably not gonna be ready by tomorrow, and they wouldn't have a.

H

Chance to to read it, even if it was.

A

Version 3 may not come to later this week or even early next week.

A

I would just offer that it's critical, I think, to have that.

A

Before any vote on an appropriation ordinance well, I agree, but I mean.

H

They're gonna get presented it tomorrow, like with the media. I think the other.

H

Members should have access to the second draft asap. So can I ask you to forward.

H

It since you received it as the chair. Certainly I appreciate that. Thank you.

A

Anything else for the good of the order.

A

Okay, we councilmember clarity, just a small correction. If I'm, I think the.

G

Ninth is what I heard april 9th would be the earliest. We could vote on the.

G

Appropriations ordinance based on the public notice, so you may have to schedule a special session on a thursday. If that's what we want to do, you know up.

G

Is down right now so zoom meeting? Maybe we could do that perhaps I'm wrong.

G

That's that's what I think I heard, though, on the date so just wanted to.

G

Flag backs, I think you said they just now. Perhaps mr. lucas wants to weigh in.

G

I believe the notice for the appropriation ordinance went out in the.

B

Paper on march 28th, ten days from that is april, the 7th, which is when we're.

B

Currently scheduled and if we did want to change that, I think alex I wasn't. I.

B

Didn't quite catch everything that you were talking about with april the 9th and the importance of that date, but I don't think we could move the.

B

Appropriation ordinance to that date, given that the notice that went out on.

B

March 28th listed april 7th as the as the date of our public hearings, so.

B

There's a lot of moving pieces and we're trying to move quickly on that so april.

B

7Th is going to be the date if we wanted to change it. We'd have to post another.

B

Notice in the paper and it'd be ten days after that, so I stand corrected. Thank.

G

You I think that got missed me to get it in somewhere, like in my stuff. We should.

D

Just double check all of those days just to make make sure I was reacting with.

D

What I'd heard inside it's just worth, really digging it. We don't shoot.

D

Ourselves in the foot accidentally on them, yeah parliamentary point: mr. lucas.

H

Couldn't we, if we needed to while meeting on the 7th during that meeting,.

H

Decide to postpone or continue the meeting to a later date, with what we do.

H

With budget hearings and with we did with you, do where we didn't actually adjourn the meeting we recessed or continued it.

H

So that it was one notional meeting if, for some reason on the 7th people are.

H

Not ready to vote, the members should have the ability to postponed to a later.

H

Date, I don't see why that would require new notice. As long as we met on the 7th.

H

We don't necessarily have to decide on the 7th you may be right and alex is.

B

Also correct that it's worth double-checking all this before we get.

B

To that point, and I was also getting a phone call from from dan as we were.

B

Speaking so I don't know if dan sherman he's on the meeting here, I've unmuted.

B

Him, if he's got anything to add he's not unmuted in a second, but I mean we've.

H

Done this before there's precedent for it, I don't I mean, I don't think that the.

H

Notice requirement hamstrings us from having to make the decision on april 7th.

H

We want to do so because we want to expedite the matter, but if, for some.

H

Reason mr. crowley doesn't feel comfortable. You know without making the.

H

Decision until the 9th we have the mechanism to to delay the final decision.

H

Without having to advertise all over again, I'm quite confident of that just.

H

Remember me yes and yeah council member rowland is correct. There.

L

Are me there's a means to postpone action? What in effect we'd be doing is.

L

Having our public hearing on tuesday april 7th, we met our statutory.

L

Obligation- and there are means for us to postpone it so yeah, that's what I.

H

Thought mr. crowley yeah, I just wanted to say I mean there's nothing magical in.

D

My mind about april 9th is some date other than just making sure that we run.

D

The clock out fully and legally out in the 10th days and whatever that date is.

D

I was just more flying the issue of much. We should just be sure we're going then.

D

We got the base exactly one day and I just reiterate mr. lurry, if you would.

H

Circulate the draft that was sent to the committee.

H

On our behalf after this meeting, I think everyone would appreciate it absolutely.

A

So and everyone, the entire council, has seen a summary. I will go ahead and.

A

Forward this draft after this meeting and mr. lucas I'll include you in that.

A

Would you please add this to the packet for tomorrow's meeting? When do you think.

A

That could be done. Could that be done this evening? People within 15 minutes of.

B

When you send it to me problem solved, I don't have that power.

A

So, thank you for that. So anything else, but councilmember clarity, yeah just one.

G

More quick reminder that I would encourage the changing that version.

G

You're going to send to say draft kino and large, better scoot across it and.

G

Also, maybe a cover page clarifying that certain things and that I mean many.

G

Things in that document will change and in fact some are already sort of.

G

Irrelevant so because the pdf know, who has the the word file or whatever or.

H

Original, if you would well so just just so, you know it's already marked as draft.

D

So I don't think we need to do that. I think be the current preamble to it. Eric.

D

Yeah has a has a kind of qualifier that this is a initial recommendation, so I.

D

Think I think, as it stands right now, it probably is you know just in the.

D

Interest of getting it out there, it's probably yeah you're right.

D

I see it great. Thank you any other comments before we close move.

H

To adjourn, I have a second second, the other person. Thank you, helpful members.

A

Thank you, everyone. We will see many of you back tomorrow evening see you.

H

M