Council approves funds

The Bloomington City Council approved more than $1 million dollars in grants Wednesday night. The money will be distributed from the Community Development Block Grant to many local programs and non-profit agencies.\nThe CDBG fund is part of a federal program by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Since 1974, it has granted money to communities across the nation in the form of block grants. The communities decide how to allocate the funds in order to benefit persons of low and moderate incomes.\nPart of Bloomington's CDBG money will go to social service agencies, such as the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, which works to relieve hunger in Bloomington and surrounding communities.\nThough not a government agency, the Community Kitchen looks to the city for some of the funds it needs to continue its mission.\n"The funds are helpful to us," said Julio Alonso, executive director of Community Kitchen. "We can cover operating expenses, and it's nice to know there is a monthly income."\nThe Kitchen, like other agencies that receive CDBG funds, does not rely completely on city funding. Private donors make up the majority of its funds, Alonso said, but the city's grant helps.\n"We try not to rely on any one source of funds, but (city funding) is very important to what we do," Alonso said.\nOther social services that will receive CDBG funds include Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Middle Way House and Big Brothers Big Sisters. \nMoney was also allocated for physical improvements programs. The funds will be used for various projects that will improve the conditions of existing facilities that aid those on a low or moderate income. \nThose projects range from removing hazardous lead-based paint from a community shelter to installing smoke detectors in public housing buildings that do not require batteries. These "hard-wired" smoke detectors are important because many smokers remove the batteries in their houses, posing a serious threat to themselves and others living in their buildings, said Peggy Gudal, executive director of the Bloomington Housing Authority.\n"Your action will save someone's life, eventually," Gudal said to the council.\nMoney was not the only thing on the council's mind Wednesday night. A few council members spoke about some of the recent events in both city and county council.\nJason Banach expressed concern for the future of the Juvenile Detention Center. The center would have been funded by a raise in the county income tax that was struck from state legislation after controversy arose about the manner it was placed in the bill. Banach said that despite the way it was handled, he believes the detention center is a good idea.\n"It's unfortunate it came about the wrong way because it might jeopardize the end goal," Banach said.\nCouncil President Chris Gaal shared his thoughts on the lengthy and heated debate that originated during the passing of the West Kirkwood Plan.\n"In my opinion, a lot of the debate strayed from the West Kirkwood Plan itself," Gaal said.\nDespite the disagreements that arose, Gaal said he still believed that the system did its job, allowing citizens to be heard.\n"I hope that in the process of listening to each other, we learn from each other," he said. "But some issues you just can't agree on, and sometimes you just have to pick a side and vote."\nThe city's approval of funding was the final step in dividing the CDBG funds. The full list of agencies receiving money from the Bloomington CDBG grant and the specific amounts they receive can be obtained on Bloomington's Web site or from the Office of the City Clerk in city hall.