Council raises concerns

The Bloomington Economic Development Corporation won't be seeing any new faces for a while. In a marathon session Wednesday, the members of the Bloomington City Council raised several concerns with an ordinance to broaden the BEDC membership base to include a more diverse population.\nThe resolution, sponsored by council members Andy Ruff and Jeffrey Willsey, was voted down 3-6. \nThe BEDC, a not-for-profit group that advocates economic development, has 56 voting members, all of whom have paid a $5,000 membership fee. It has recently become a target for liberal critics, who claim it isn't democratic enough to be involved in the making of public policy. \nThe BEDC receives an annual $78,000 subsidy from the city.\n"The membership structure reduces the effective power of our diverse community," Willsey said. "Thus the organization cannot escape the regrets of being exclusionary, even if that's not the intent."\nCouncil member Jason Banach supported the ordinance and said the resolution would not accomplish anything.\n"While I appreciate what this is trying to do, this really has no teeth," he said. Banach was joined by Mike Diekhoff, Patricia Cole, Anthony Pizzo, Tim Mayer, and David Sabbagh in the dissent.\n"What I'd like to say is that I do appreciate the contributions the BEDC members have made, in good faith, to this community," Willsey said. "It would be almost impossible for members to construe what we're doing here (with the resolution) as an insult."\nBloomington resident Sherry Sammis, addressing the council, spoke out against the BEDC.\n"This exclusive group has been responsible for the rape of our once beautiful town," she said. "This group, that our government rewards with money from the people, receives $128,000 in tax abatements, tax breaks, tax subsidies, and no matter how much they break your rules, they are rewarded."\nBloomington resident Eric White and others agreed.\n"This plan is good intentioned, but I don't understand what it'll do. My fear is that this will legitimize the relationship between the government and the BEDC, which is not an appropriate relationship to begin with."\nCouncilman Chris Gaal joined Ruff and Willsey in support of the ordinance.\nIn other action, the council held its public hearing on the 2002 city budget. Although public comment on the issue didn't begin until 12:30 a.m., several residents stayed to express their concerns over one item in the budget: the construction of a new firing range for the Bloomington Police Department.\nThe city has appropriated $150,000 in next year's budget to build a new range, which will be added on to the $100,000 left over from this year's budget to fund the facility. \nBut the construction of a proposed outdoor range has attracted criticism from local residents.\nRoss Brittain, owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, said that one of the proposed areas of the range, near Bottom Road, is one of the premiere bird-watching areas in Monroe County.\n"There are many species who are born here throughout the year," he said, voicing concern over stray fire. "But the potential for bullets to escape is just too great."\nPaul Toddy, president of the Bean Blossom Valley Neighborhood Association, echoed many of the safety concerns voiced by Brittain.\n"Collectively, we support the idea of a gun range," he said, after meeting with more than 25 of neighborhood residents the night before. "However, we oppose the site at Bottom Road. I could have lived many different places in Bloomington, but I chose to live out in the country because I like the peace and quiet. Having a gun range outside will effect that."\nChief of Police Mike Hostetler cited an overwhelming need for a range and reiterated that no final location for the range has been settled upon.\n"We're not locked in to the location down at Bottom Road," he said.\nHe also said the new range would not be open to the public.\n"Without the resources, or the personnel resources, we at the police department cannot outfit a range that could be used by the public," he said. "It would have to be strictly for law enforcement."\nCouncilman Diekhoff, Captain of Patrol Division for the Bloomington Police Department, stressed that the city needs a firing range.\n"If we don't move forward on this, we will move back a year," he said.\nThe council is expected to pass the 2002 budget at next Wednesday's meeting.