This is the WFHB Local News for Friday, October 2nd, 2020.

Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty spoke with Katie Norris about her work at the Hotels for Homeless organization.

Also coming up in the next half hour, advocacy group Hoosier Action hosted a town hall featuring House District 60 candidates on contamination and health issues.

Bloomington City Council 

Bloomington City Council discussed the 2021 Civil City Budget for one hundred sixty-six million dollars. During the September 30th meeting, Controller Jeff Underwood said the formal budgeting process was state mandated.

Underwood stated the council could vote for, against, or make cuts to the budget. He mentioned an increase in the general fund overall budget request.

Underwood said the overall budget saw an approximately 4-million-dollar decrease, affected by a decrease in the Food and Beverage Fund. Underwood said overall changes from the August hearing were a 17-thousand-dollar Total Budget decrease and a 1-hundred and 36-thousand-dollar General Fund decrease. Council member Isabel Piedmont-Smith expressed disappointment with changes.

Piedmont-Smith expressed frustration in administrative collaboration with the budget process. Council member Matt Flaherty said the budget worked around Mayor John Hamilton’s priorities.

Flaherty stated council members deserve meaningful collaboration. He expressed desire for built in public engagement opportunities. Council member Stephen Volan expressed disappointment in policy initiatives from administration.

Volan said the administration should rework its council partnership. Council members recommended do-pass on the budget. Council members Steve Volan, Kate Rosenbarger and Matt Flaherty voted no, while Sue Sgambelluri and Isabel Piedmont-Smith abstained. Final budget approval will be held on October 14th.

Hoosier Action Superfund Cleanup Town Hall Welcomes House District 60 Candidates

On Wednesday, Hoosier Action hosted a town hall on contamination and health issues, featuring State Representative Peggy Mayfield and House District 60 candidate Tiffany Grant.

The town hall focused on the superfund site at Pike and Mulberry Streets in Martinsville – a 38-acre contaminated site that causes potential health risks for Martinsville residents.

House District 60 incumbent Peggy Mayfield, a Republican, said she is working on a more transparent public database when it comes to infrastructure.

“As I mentioned,” she said, “one of my priority bills will be to work on establishing some sort of database that is more user-friendly.”

Tiffany Grant, Democratic challenger for House District 60, discussed her background as a schoolteacher and how that informs her platform.

“I want to provide better funding to schools,” she said, “especially who serve students who come from less-resourced areas.”

Town hall moderator Tasha Coppinger, Morgan County organizer with Hoosier Action, provided background on the superfund site. She said Indiana is the second worst state in health risks from pollution.

“Morgan County, according to the CDC, has the highest rates of cancer in our state,” said Coppinger.

She said the water in the city of Martinsville is filtered through a process called carbon filtration – bringing the contamination levels down to where the water is safe to drink.

However, Coppinger said there is a larger concern for Morgan County residents that causes health risks through a process called vapor intrusion.

“The larger concern that we have is in what is called vapor intrustion – which occurs when the water from the ground evaporates into the soil and can get into the air and peoples’ homes,” she said.

Coppinger said the contamination disproportionately affects low-income residents and people of color.

“We deserve freedom to breathe clean air, to feel safe in our homes or to play or sit in our yards without our soil being contaminated,” she said.

Marianne Schell, a 65-year-old Martinsville resident asked Representative Peggy Mayfield how funding for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management is decided and where the money comes from.

“IDEM funding comes from several different sources, including the general fund,” said Mayfield.

The Environmental Protection Agency offered comments to the public through an online portal. You can access the submittal process at hoosieraction.org/cleanup. The deadline to submit a comment to the EPA is Friday at midnight.

Monroe County Public Library Board of Trustees

The Monroe County Library Board of Trustees selected a design plan for a new library branch at the Batchelor Middle School site. Financial Officer Gary Lattelleir said the design including a parking garage would cost approximately one million dollars more than the all surface parking option.

Lattelleire said the debt level fits within the library’s revenue increase plan. Director Marilyn Wood clarified a strategy is in place to cover the garage site plan option within the current tax rate. Architect Christina Matheu said the garage proved to best utilize the land gradient.

Wood stated forty-four covered parking spaces and additional surface lot spaces would be available. Matheu mentioned existing trees would provide a buffer between the middle school and the library. Wood said an elevator would provide access to the building’s main floor from the garage.

Board member Jamie Burkhart mentioned the garage could be utilized by the middle school as an offsite emergency evacuation location. Board members unanimously approved the library site plan with the parking garage.

Ellettsville Town Council

The Ellettsville Town Council discussed flood mitigation land during their September 28th meeting. Town manager Michael Farmer spoke of land purchases.

Farmer said an approximately 60-thousand-dollar flood plan would be the next step. He mentioned storm water revenue conflicts

Farmer reported storm water needs exceeded the funds. Council members agreed to hold a work session to discuss the fund gap.

Your Feature Report:

WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty spoke with Katie Norris about her work at the Hotels for Homeless organization and a unique gift that the organization just received. For more on the story we turn to Aaron Comforty.

Credits:

You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Aaron Comforty, Kade Young and Sydney Foreman, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Aaron Comforty
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Executive producer is Kade Young.