I-69 passes MPO vote

By a narrow 7-6 vote, the policy committee of the Bloomington/Monroe County Metropolitan Planning Organization agreed to include construction of Interstate 69 to State Road 37 in its Transportation Improvement Program.

The decision, which came after hours of debate March 9, will allow the Indiana Department of Transportation to use federal funds for the interstate’s construction within the MPO’s jurisdiction.

But if one member of the MPO Citizens Advisory Committee succeeds, this decision could possibly be reversed.

Controversy has surrounded the interstate in Monroe County for decades. The MPO delayed its final vote on whether to include construction in its TIP for several months.

Even now that a final decision has been reached, controversy continues.

During the March 9 meeting, several community members approached the board with concerns about a conflict of interest involving Bill Williams, Monroe County Highway Department director.

Williams’ son works as a subcontractor for INDOT, specifically working on construction of I-69, County Commissioner Mark Stoops said.

Chairperson Kent McDaniel, representing the Bloomington Public Transit Corporation, said no conflict of interest existed because Williams did not benefit directly from his son’s employment.

Ultimately, Williams voted for inclusion of the I-69 plans.

Stoops challenged Williams’ vote March 10.

“The decision by MPO Chair Kent McDaniel to allow Bill to vote on the issue violated State conflict of interest laws,” Stoops said in a press release.

When the MPO was notified of a conflict of interest, it was required to receive an opinion from an outside source not on the committee, Stoops said.

They would then have been required to submit a written review of the conflict and
decide whether it existed.

This was not the only procedural flaw, Stoops said, adding that Monroe County commissioners should have notified MPO members of the conflict of interest before appointing Williams as chair.

“Indiana Code specifically states that if an immediate family member has a financial interest, that represents a conflict,” Stoops said. “The vote by Bill Williams — it was a ‘yes’ vote — will be void and not valid. So that means, technically, I-69 is not included in our TIP because the vote to include it in our TIP failed.”

If Stoops’ challenge succeeds, INDOT will not receive federal funding for section 4 of I-69, a 1.75-mile stretch within the MPO’s jurisdiction.

The MPO must also vote to include section 5 of I-69 in its TIP. Stoops anticipates the MPO will not vote in favor of section 5 if section 4 fails.

“If I were Mitch Daniels and INDOT, I would be seriously reconsidering my options at this point,” Stoops said. “The wise choice would be to stop wasting Hoosier money on this boondoggle and fix the deteriorating roads and bridges we already have.”