The Mayor proclaimed Tuesday, August 4, 2026 as National Night Out in Bloomington, with Police Chief Hargis encouraging residents to attend one of roughly 250 neighborhood block parties planned citywide.
On a late-added agenda item, Council voted 5-1 (Councilmember Rivas opposed) to deny a resident petition seeking a new Environmental Assessment Worksheet for the Nine Mile Creek Corridor Renewal Project, reaffirming the original 2025 EAW and negative declaration. Staff and SEH consultants said the petition raised no substantially new issues, though some council members questioned public communication about project changes over time.
After an extended public comment period with roughly 30 speakers split between support and opposition, Council heard a staff/consultant presentation defending the project's scope, addressing 'clear-cut' and shade-loss concerns, and outlining a long-term maintenance plan. Staff requested approval of an $11.6 million contract with Fahey & Company for the Nine Mile Creek corridor renewal and a $4.1 million contract with Resource Environmental Solutions for the Lower Valley Management Plan (a five-year restoration/maintenance contract); a vote was pending as the meeting continued.
Roughly 30 residents spoke for two hours on the Nine Mile Creek restoration; supporters cited ecological benefits of oak savanna restoration and endorsed the contract awards, while opponents argued the city was clear-cutting ~40 acres of mature woodland, that voters were misled by the 'renewal' ballot language, and that public engagement on the savanna conversion was inadequate. Several opponents asked Council to delay or vote no on awarding contracts.
