Bloomington’s only scheduled annexation public hearing on August 4 will be a combination in-person and virtual meeting. But some question if the city is giving residents enough time for public input.
Mayor John Hamilton says the city is picking up where it left off in 2017 when that year’s state budget halted annexation.
Bloomington officials called it a clear case of legislative overreach. The city won a lawsuit brought against Gov. Eric Holcomb in December of 2020.
Hamilton says the city is doing more than required by state law, including a robust website for daily public interaction.
“That kind of one on one discussion seem to be more helpful to people, if they have a particular question they want to ask, they can do so. What's going to happen? Can I still burn my trash? Or can I keep my animals?”
Hamilton says the city has also sent updated mailing packets to thousands of property owners in the proposed annexation area.
READ MORE: Bloomington's Annexation Proposal A Hard Sell For Some Non-City Residents
Monroe County Commissioner Julie Thomas says a four-year gap is too long to pick up where the city left off.
“It appears that that there's a sense that they've already fulfilled that even though there are different residents in some of these properties who are not aware at all of what's of what's going on,” Thomas said.
City council can only limit the proposed annexation boundaries or revoke any of the eight areas during proceedings on September 15.
