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From YouTube: Council Minute March 23
Description
Mayor Tim Busse congratulates nine new police officers sworn in at Monday’s City Council meeting, provides an update on a potential ordinance that would make it easier for food trucks to operate in the city and explains the value increases for Bloomington properties.
A
Hello
bloomington,
I'm
mayor
tim
bussey,
and
this
is
the
council
minute
for
the
week
of
march
21st.
First
of
all,
happy
spring
now
I
love
minnesota's
theater
of
seasons,
but,
like
many
of
you,
I'm
a
gardener.
So
spring
is
my
favorite
time
of
the
year.
I
just
love
to
see
the
reawakening
and
the
optimism
that
comes
at
this
time
of
the
year.
A
Along
those
lines
we
hit
an
important
milestone
at
our
council
meeting
on
monday
night.
For
the
first
time
in
more
than
two
years,
we
had
the
entire
council
back
in
the
council
chambers.
It
was
so
good
to
have
everyone
back
now.
We
absolutely
got
a
lot
of
work
done
over
the
past
couple
of
years,
despite
the
pandemic,
thanks
to
remote
meeting
options.
A
A
A
It
gave
us
the
opportunity
to
recognize
and
thank
interim
police
chief
mike
hartley
mike
is
retiring
after
25
years
on
the
bpd
and
monday
night
was
his
last
council
meeting
ever
mike
has
been
an
outstanding
leader
and
his
comments
during
the
swearing-in
showed
once
again
how
much
he
cares
for
his
officers
we're
going
to
miss
him,
and
I
was
glad
to
be
able
to
wish
him
well
in
person.
Our
new
police
chief,
booker
hodges
will
start
on
april
4th
and
will
officially
be
sworn
in
on
april
11th.
A
Also
on
monday,
the
city
council
instructed
staff
to
move
forward
and
schedule
a
public
hearing
on
changes
that
would
make
it
much
easier
for
food
trucks
to
operate
in
bloomington
some
quick
background.
The
council
has
been
talking
about
this
issue
for
some
time
now,
more
than
two
years
actually
and
back
on
march
5th
2020,
the
planning
commission
held
a
public
hearing
and
ultimately
recommended
approval
of
an
ordinance
to
allow
food
trucks
much
more
latitude
to
operate
in
bloomington.
A
The
issue
was
scheduled
to
come
before
the
city
council
and
then,
of
course,
the
pandemic
hit
in
may
of
2020.
The
city
council
tabled
this
issue
indefinitely,
mainly
because
bloomington
restaurants
were
facing
incredible
challenges
as
a
result
of
the
pandemic,
and
we
didn't
want
to
add
additional
competition
at
such
a
difficult
time,
but
now,
as
things
seem
to
be
returning
to
something
that
resembles
normal,
the
council
is
taking
up
the
topic
again.
A
We've
learned
that,
while
there
is
increased
optimism
among
restaurant
owners
as
business
is
starting
to
return
to
pre-pandemic
levels,
there
is
also
caution
about
increasing
inflation
and
gas
prices.
Many
restaurant
owners
said
they
aren't
opposed
to
food
trucks
operating
in
the
city,
but
stated
that
food
trucks
should
be
subject
to
the
same
fees
and
regulations
as
restaurants.
A
The
average
value
change
in
bloomington
residential
property
was
17,
and
I
know
some
properties
saw
an
increase
that
was
much
higher.
Data
shows
that
there
were
significant
valuation
increases
across
almost
all
property
segments
throughout
the
metropolitan
area.
So
some
quick
background.
The
market
value
of
your
home
is
defined
as
the
usual
selling
price.
A
At
the
time
of
assessment,
it's
the
most
probable
price
that
a
property
should
sell
for
in
a
competitive
and
open
market
under
a
fair
sale,
bloomington
and
all
cities
or
counties
are
required
to
follow
state
law
to
establish
market
value
annually,
because
market
value
is
one
of
the
three
main
components
used
to
determine
your
property
taxes.
The
market
value
determines
your
share
of
the
total
property
tax
pie.
A
Minnesota
state
law
determines
the
total
tax
and
how
it
will
be
distributed
among
the
various
types
of
property
in
the
state,
such
as
apartment,
commercial
and
industrial
or
residential
property,
and
the
amount
of
money
that's
needed
to
fund
local
government
services
that
determines
the
actual
dollar
amount
of
property
tax.
You
will
pay
those
decisions
are
made
in
december
when
we
approve
our
annual
budget.
A
So
what's
going
on
with
the
increases
in
market
values,
the
first
issue
is
limited
supply.
For
years
the
twin
cities
has
had
a
shortage
of
housing
and,
despite
many
efforts
to
play,
catch-up
houses
just
aren't
being
built
fast
enough.
The
second
issue
is
low
interest
rates.
Money
has
been
cheap
for
some
time
now,
and
people
are
willing
to
borrow
and
to
buy.
A
Third-
and
this
is
interesting-
there's
been
a
change
in
buyer
behavior
as
the
result
of
covet
19.,
flexible
work
policies
and
distance
learnings
changed
the
way
buyers
searched
for
housing.
More
buyers
were
searching
for
bigger
houses,
bigger
houses
with
more
bedrooms
to
have
more
room
for
home
offices
and
dedicated
online
learning
spaces,
and
finally,
we're
coming
out
of
colbit.
Consumer
confidence
is
back
thanks
to
the
vaccines
and
the
hospitality
and
entertainment
industry
here
in
bloomington
is
well
on
the
road
to
recovery.
A
Combine
all
these
factors
together
and
it
created
significant
value.
Changes
throughout
the
city
of
bloomington
homes
are
selling
for
increased
prices
and
they're
selling
quickly.
The
city's
real
estate
value
grew
from
14.9
billion
dollars
to
more
than
17
billion
dollars.
An
overall
increase
of
nearly
15
percent.
A
The
median
value
home
in
bloomington
went
from
307
thousand
dollars
to
almost
356
thousand
dollars.
That's
a
fifteen
point.
Nine
percent
increase
the
overall
city
market
value
now
stands
at
17
billion
dollars.
Now
I've
heard
from
some
people
that
this
is
a
city-led
plot
to
artificially
increase
the
value
of
homes.
Just
so
bloomington
can
raise
more
revenue.
A
Well,
if
that's
the
case,
it's
a
conspiracy
on
the
scale
of
a
faked
moon
landing,
because
anoka
county
saw
a
23
percent
increase
in
median
residential
values.
Scott
county
was
at
22
and
a
half
percent
carver
county
increased
by
20
percent,
and
if
you
take
minneapolis
out
of
the
hennepin
county
numbers,
hennepin
county
suburbs
increased
by
18
percent.