Bloomington is a city that so clearly values its natural spaces. I have a keen appreciation for the positive impact that access to nature has on one’s physical and mental health. In my time on City Council we have made progress in a number of areas regarding sustainabiity:

1. We created and funded Bloomington’s first Natural Resources Management office

2. We funded work to study and develop natural resources management strategies for 130+ acres in Central, Moir, and Harrison Parks

3. We supported Time-of-Sale energy disclosures for residences that provide valuable energy efficiency improvements to improve the environmental quality of our housing stock across the city

I will continue to work to preserve the vitality of our open spaces and to ensure that our development priorities consider environmental safeguards and emissions reduction.

I am committed to supporting policies that can accelerate growth for small businesses, a vital economic sector.

Since joining the Council, this has been a keen area of focus:

1. We passed a food truck ordinance to encourage new business growth and support a growing sector of the hospitality industry in the city.

2. We expanded the Port Authority city-wide to enable them to use unique fiscal levers like TIF districts to help businesses all over the city - like Gyropolis at 90th and Penn Ave S

3. We funded creation of the city’s first Small Business Development Center to provide burgeoning entrepreneurs with services using public-private partnerships.

We need to do more, especially in our inspections and licensing processes, to remove barriers to growth, and I will continue to lead on these efforts.

According to US Census 2021 American Community Survey data, 28% of Bloomington’s population is 60 yrs or older. We know that this population has unique needs, and in my time on council, I have promoted several initiatives to support our seniors:

1. I have encouraged the development of additional options for utility billing, including every-other-week garbage service and rate offset programs for qualified residents

2. I voted for the development of several senior-focused housing projects that will provide affordable options for those who are ready to downsize

3. I support the proposal to build a multi-generational community and wellness center that will bring state-of-the-art public health and wellness programming to our seniors.

We must continue to think long-term about how to effectively serve our seniors, especially with public health, transportation and housing needs, and I will lead on this work.

As a long-time business executive, I believe strongly in the strategic investment of capital to achieve lasting value. As your city councilmember, that means ensuring that we spend our budget dollars on the community’s priorities and that our residents continue to get the high quality services they’ve come to expect. With the 2023 budget, we did just that:

1. We began the long-overdue process of converting Bloomington’s Fire Department to one staffed by 75 full time firefighters, in addition to on-call personnel.

2. We added additional police officers and combatted catalytic converter thefts in the city through regulation prohibiting the possession of parts without proof of ownership.

3. Aligned our active transportation plan updates with traffic calming and ADA compliance measures to ensure a comprehensive, equitable approach to multi-modal options for inter-city transit

I will continue to champion fiscal policy that is community-centered, invests in meaningful positive change, and delivers measurable impact for residents, businesses and visitors.

Transparency is an ongoing challenge for many municipal organizations, because communication is not often directed out into the public. Since joining council, we have made strides in this area:

1. We created a dedicated, 30-minute public listening session before all City Council meetings, which has yielded dozens of conversations addressing more than 50 different topics of concern.

2. We held 6 public Town Hall events that drew hundreds of people to ask questions and get updated on city projects.

3. We funded the expansion of the city’s public engagement process for budget prioritization to ensure community input into the process.

I also think the “Let’s Talk Bloomington” platform is an encouraging example of creative resident engagement.

Through new federal focus on broadband access we have an opportunity to address the need for better broadband access throughout the city and provide the skills training needed to interact online. I will actively pursue broadband equity and other innovations to close the technology gap for Bloomington residents.

At the heart of my values system - grounded in my Christian faith and guided by my personal experiences - is the fundamental requirement for justice. Many systems of inequality are so ingrained in our daily living that we who are not suffering under them cannot see them. In my time on City Council we have made progress towards a more equitable community:

1. We supported the design and development of a new “Welcome to Bloomington” outreach program targeting new residents to the city

2. We approved a new racial equity impact analysis requirement for all new development projects

3. We lead the metro area in affordable housing development and are already 86% of the way towards meeting the Met Council’s 2030 target.

As a cis-gendered, white woman, I benefit from these systems without even trying; and as an out lesbian, I do have some experience with ridicule, discrimination, and violence. I am committed to the work of racial, economic and environmental justice for our community.