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From YouTube: Council Minute: 2020 in Review
Description
Mayor Tim Busse shares an end-of-year message as he reflects on the challenges and accomplishments in 2020 and looks ahead to 2021.
A
A
It
was
an
extraordinary
year.
Nothing
about
2020
was
normal,
certainly
worldwide,
but
specifically
here
in
bloomington,
the
city
of
bloomington
has
operated
under
an
emergency
declaration
for
most
of
the
year.
Our
public
buildings
are
currently
locked.
Community
events
have
been
canceled,
students
are
learning
from
home.
We
declared
curfews
in
the
city
of
bloomington.
If
that's
happened
before
I
haven't
found
anyone
who
remembers
it.
This
was
an
extraordinary
year
and
it
has
been
a
challenge.
A
I
want
you
to
think
about
all
that
we've
lost
in
the
past
12
months
as
a
result
of
covet
19
we've
lost
almost
320
000
of
our
fellow
americans,
almost
5
000
minnesotans
and
more
than
100
of
our
neighbors
right
here
in
bloomington,
but
there's
more
to
that
sense
of
loss.
We've
lost
far
too
many
businesses.
A
Many
people
have
lost
their
jobs
and
their
livelihoods.
Many
have
lost
the
ability
to
support
and
defeat
themselves
or
their
family.
People
have
lost
their
homes,
many
have
lost
a
sense
of
security
and
safety
and
I'm
sure
many
have
lost
any
feeling
of
control
of
their
lives.
Frankly,
some
people
are
just
lost.
A
We've
also
lost
those
community
events
that
bring
us
together
and
make
bloomington
a
true
community
summer,
fed
heritage
days.
The
firemen
softball
tournament
river,
rendezvous,
high
school
sports
just
hanging
out
at
a
coffee
shop
or
a
watering
hole
with
friends.
We
should
have
had
great
community
events
celebrating
100
years
of
the
old
cedar
avenue
bridge
and
the
grand
opening
of
our
new
fire
station
number.
Three:
that's
a
lot
of
loss
and
with
loss
comes
grief.
A
A
Okay,
this
isn't
shaping
up
to
be
a
very
uplifting
end
of
the
year
message.
Is
it
so,
let's
turn
it
around
a
bit
like
everyone?
I
hope
and
pray
that
2021
is
better,
and
I
really
do
believe
that,
regardless
of
all
that's
going
on
around
us,
a
better
2021
starts
with
me.
It
starts
with
you.
It
starts
with
all
of
us
and
the
two
best
ways
to
jump
start.
A
better
2021
are
with
a
sense
of
gratitude
and
by
looking
at
all
that
we
managed
to
accomplish
this
year,
despite
everything.
A
A
A
We
have
a
great
foundation
in
place
for
the
future
as
we
align
our
work
to
do
good
things
for
bloomington
through
it
all
the
city
of
bloomington
continued
to
work
very
hard
for
you,
the
residents
and
businesses
of
bloomington.
Now
I
think
they
did
an
outstanding
job,
but
you
might
be
accused
me
of
being
a
bit
biased.
I'll.
Tell
you
that
86
percent
of
respondents
in
the
recent
bloomington
residence
survey
said
that
the
overall
customer
service
by
bloomington
employees
was
excellent
or
good.
A
Just
consider
this
list
of
accomplishments
improvements
at
the
bloomington
ice
garden,
the
opening
of
fire
station
3,
promoting
the
2020
census,
completing
the
dred
scott
field,
wheelhouse,
taking
on
a
park
master
planning
process,
our
fire
department
and
park
and
rec
staff
worked
with
bloomington
schools
to
provide
lunch
to
students,
staff
administered
small
business
loans
to
help
during
the
pandemic.
We
partnered
with
the
homes
for
heroes
project.
A
If
you
remember
way
back
in
january,
the
city
council
added
engagement
and
transparency
as
council
strategic
priorities,
our
community
outreach
and
engagement
division.
We
call
it
coed,
they
took
on
the
challenge
of
connecting
with
and
engaging
residents.
In
a
time
when
we
couldn't
get
together,
they
hosted
virtual
events,
engaged
residents
in
community
conversations
on
important
issues
like
race
and
homelessness
and
found
ways
to
keep
everyone
engaged.
A
We
established
the
community
budget
advisory
committee
to
help
with
budgeting
process.
In
this
difficult
year,
nine
bloomington
residents
took
in
information,
got
a
lot
of
feedback
from
the
community
and
made
solid
recommendations
on
the
property
tax
levy
and
the
city
service
reductions
at
the
suggestions
of
residents.
We
moved
our
study
sessions
to
the
council
chambers
and
began
televising
them
now.
Everybody
can
easily
see
and
hear
our
policy
and
planning
discussion
in
their
entirety.
You
can
watch
the
sausage
being
made
your
city
government
at
work.
A
We
started
a
video
series
called
q,
a
with
the
bpd
police
chief
jeff
potts,
answering
your
questions
on
all
things:
police
and
public
safety
related,
and
we
started
this.
Our
council
minute-
we've
done
more
than
40
of
these
now
and
based
on
the
feedback
from
residents,
we're
absolutely
equity
to
keep
doing
that.
You
know,
apart
from
the
pandemic,
the
death
of
george
floyd
and
may
was
clearly
the
most
impactful
moment
of
the
year
for
many
many
people
nationally
and
across
the
globe.
A
It
was
an
event
that
finally
made
individuals
and
institutions
confront
the
topic
of
race.
It
certainly
did
here
in
bloomington,
I'm
proud
of
the
work
the
community
has
done
and
the
conversations
that
have
taken
place.
The
council
adopted
a
racial
equity
business
plan
and
is
working
on
a
resolution
declaring
racism
to
be
a
public
health
crisis.
A
You
know
the
original
idea
of
community
meant
common
unities
people
with
a
common
purpose,
common
values
and
living
in
unity.
We
might
not
always
live
in
perfect
community,
but
the
strength
of
this
community
has
never
been
more
evident
and
has
never
been
more
needed
than
it
has
been
in
the
past
12
months.
Thank
you
and
well
done.