Members of the Bloomington Common Council debated renovations and land purchases during Wednesday night's committee of the whole session.
Envisage Technologies Inc., a company specializing in law-enforcement training software, has requested money from the city to renovate their current office space in Fountain Square Mall. The total renovation costs are estimated to be $350,000. Envisage is requesting a maximum amount of $300,000 from the city’s Industrial Development Fund.
The Bloomington Industrial Advisory Commission recommended the council pass the resolution.
Envisage and other businesses downtown are located in the Community Revitalization Enhancement District. CREDs are zones within cities in which businesses can request funds to create gainful employment opportunities, attract new businesses or expand enterprise within the district.
David Haeberle, chief financial officer of Envisage, said the renovations to their current space would help bring in about 80 new full-time jobs and an additional payroll of $4.6 million by 2022. Renovations would include updates to floors and walls, furniture, and computer equipment additions. Haeberle said the majority of the jobs created after these renovations would be based in Bloomington.
Though the company started in Bloomington, Haeberle said the company has grown to operate in numerous states and has clients as high profile as the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Though council suggested it pass the resolution in its next meeting, the council took time to question and, for some, not make a decision on whether or not to approve the the funding.
“I think this money well spent for the community,” councilman Chris Sturbaum said.
Councilman Andy Ruff said he did not like the idea of public funding going to private companies that would expand so far and not benefit only Bloomington.
“This is tax money they have paid already that they will get back,” councilwoman Isabel Piedmont-Smith said. “Yes, it’s a tax break, but it’s tax money that would not exist without Envisage.”
The resolution should be up for a vote at next Wednesday’s council meeting.
The council also suggested it approve the sale of two parcels of land owned by the city. The land plots at 1901 and 1914 W. Third St. were purchased by the city in 2000.
Adam Wason, director of the board of public works, said they were purchased by private property owners for a Third Street expansion project. He said they are no longer needed, and the board of public works would like to get sell the properties. Wason said the parcels were purchased as part of a larger property purchase by the city, but the two parcels in question were never used.
The council also recommended it pass the resolution permitting a sale of the properties. The resolution should be up for vote at next week’s meeting.
New appointments were also made to the newly instated parking commission.
