[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6187846,"mediaKeyId","5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd","parentId",5064291,"title","Township supervisor notifies trustees of workfare appeal; township consolidates employee handbook affecting cemetery overtime","audioSeconds",345,"startMs",297000,"endMs",642000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd&start=297&end=642","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd/thumbnail_297000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6187846/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Township-supervisor-notifies-trustees-of-workfare-appeal-township-consolidates-employee-handbook-affecting-cemetery-overtime","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187846-928fa7880cc5983008d260feba5060b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990935&Signature=WKzbxctM~v51e3sv4cK7qNtc0BmCjcrVnTao6pS7sjCiC6LsdnLiHtGVhUodDUVOmWlPRoT8Fs3Y7UQJ5OQ16WcVbfXeIyvp1WU43HyjaoBdou~1ECX08IXyVTdhNjae5iOMnDgLUbEsGL~VQRsxOQNuEP6rKxejxjkWtvXThCeI0YnS3DT4CvBiTA-3a2wrC8YS5dwillC4v6uC5DxnUk~CP9Fq0~ior8dSWMLhHRI6cnhcY5dKzJCvkEU~cI68Fwls1AcsuMwJ714NQRVffHutkxHFTdRIAtz6kcDXCXXs02aQuiJ0-MnbLzDHaSBN-mYuNxB6tX8ONG6HUjVxug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Bloomington, IL","date","2025-06-25T13:08:00.05Z","article","At the Bloomington Township Board of Trustees meeting June 23, the township supervisor informed trustees that a client has filed an appeal with the Public Aid Commission after disagreeing with a workfare assignment decision. The supervisor said the township requires a physician-signed release of medical information to determine whether a client qualifies for designated worksites or special accommodations.

The matter matters because the appeal will be adjudicated by the Public Aid Commission, whose decision will determine whether the township’s handling of the client’s workfare placement must change. “The client that I’m referencing has put an appeal into the township and, that’s currently at the Public Aid Commission, and we’ll be setting up a scheduled time for that,” the supervisor said. “The township will await the outcome of that hearing and proceed in accordance with the commission’s findings.”

Trustees asked only clarifying questions during the supervisor’s report. The supervisor described how more clients in recent months have presented “serious personal and financial challenges” that can affect how they experience mandatory workfare assignments but concluded, after reviewing staff actions, that “there’s nothing that could be changed in regards of how we handled it” in the specific case. He added that staff will evaluate how the township communicates workfare requirements.

Separately, the supervisor said the township has consolidated separate employee handbooks into a single handbook covering township operations, the assessor’s office and cemetery operations. He said the consolidation was intended to harmonize policy changes prompted by federal and state statutes and noted that Evergreen Cemetery requested a slight adjustment to its overtime policy; staff implemented the change and said no additional board approval was required. “We put it under one roof, and one employee handbook that we’re servicing for all three portions,” the supervisor said.

The supervisor warned trustees they may hear disgruntled clients while staff follow established procedures. He told trustees the township is “abiding by the law in everything that we’re doing” and said staff are qualified to handle appeals and client concerns while the Public Aid Commission reviews the pending appeal.

On a related procedural matter earlier in the meeting trustees identified and corrected a scrivener’s error in the consent agenda referencing a former template name. Trustee Ward moved approval of the consent agenda with the correction; the motion was seconded and carried with no nays.

The township provided no further timetable for the Public Aid Commission hearing and did not release identifying details about the client because of confidentiality. Trustees did not take any formal action on policy changes pending the commission’s decision.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Township/City Council Meeting - 6/23/2025","oneSentenceSummary","At the Bloomington Township Board of Trustees meeting June 23, the township supervisor informed trustees that a client has filed an appeal with the Public Aid Commission after disagreeing with a workfare assignment decision.","taxTitle","Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois","taxId",2828,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6187841,"Bloomington council approves amended massage-establishment ordinance after weeks of public comment",2997,2007000,5004000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd&start=2007&end=5004","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd/thumbnail_2007000.jpg","/articles/6187841/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Bloomington-council-approves-amended-massage-establishment-ordinance-after-weeks-of-public-comment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187841-eccd96125c18eaed318dcc4e580a71c6/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990935&Signature=HhKhqkRtrcGar8gkKpPyl3UqUxdQGWbOksz1tRerlmWGoFZXJ6awpuxIfVV2-djKA88AGBp~IGdVdmN2w4ky1sJOtoVRZHVxHFHoOX1UEHGtfT~bRpxAN-QFStjCgnpsld2OqfI50wMxmyS7oyzwXxplwZ8YsUwPeJ~XGGcTMCW-g0WglXUNeG8dkSpzxvYiDbcXLcJrwxpWYvhBzvspGz-cFU5qyGt6CLW3pdwJMDqMSDL2RoiXNmrZFHUoHC531Rk~zWdFvIzvee-dUZ3mK~wffFDbhQTmq4UgnYR2G-AvDvK8np3YyNuynyPugIuGb0X3VXPMabqQf3dFqT7dxw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Bloomington City Council voted June 23 to adopt an ordinance amending Chapter 22 of the Bloomington City Code to add regulations for massage establishments after several weeks of public comment and staff revisions.

Council Member Ward moved to adopt the ordinance with three text amendments: (1) revise application requirements to remove outdated personal data while retaining background‑check support (Text Amendment 1); (2) exempt sole proprietors from the full establishment application while requiring a copy of the state license and a sworn affidavit that they are a single‑operator business with limited operating requirements (Text Amendment 3); and (3) remove the ordinance’s dress‑code provisions (Text Amendment 4). The motion was seconded and carried with no nays.

City Manager Jeff Jurgens explained the final fee structure and background‑check approach before the vote. “The application fee stays as a $100, but that includes the $75 that we’ll have to pay for the background check,” Jurgens said, and staff proposed setting the annual licensing fee to $0 in the fee schedule. He told council that some questions in the draft ordinance (for example, height and eye color) were carried forward from older code and recommended removing them. Legal counsel described Social Security numbers and other identifiers as data used for background checks and limited to individuals who “currently hold management and or supervisory authority over business operations.”

The ordinance’s central features as approved:
- $100 one‑time application fee; that amount includes the estimated $75 background‑check cost paid by the city.
- No annual licensing fee (fee schedule shows $0 for renewal).
- Text Amendment 1 removes archaic personal characteristic questions (for example, height, weight, eye color). It keeps Social Security numbers and other identifiers where necessary for conducting background checks for management/supervisory individuals or owners.
- Text Amendment 3 creates a limited exemption for sole proprietors who operate as single‑person commercial establishments; those sole proprietors must submit a copy of their Illinois state massage license and a sworn statement that they operate alone. The amendment provides a narrower set of operating requirements for sole proprietors than for larger establishments.
- Text Amendment 4 deletes the ordinance’s dress‑code requirements (for example, language requiring nontransparent outer garments and prohibiting disrobing in the presence of clients).

The issue drew extensive public comment from licensed massage therapists who said parts of the proposed ordinance were overly intrusive and would burden solo practitioners. Amanda Boitnott told council she and other therapists are “credentialed, trained, and committed to ethical client‑centered care” and urged the city to “slow down and work together to craft policy that’s informed, fair, and acknowledges the integrity and regulation already in place.” Several speakers asked why the city would request sensitive personal information — for example, Social Security numbers, birth date and physical descriptors — and said many of those items were irrelevant to a business licensing review.

Council members debated balancing the goal of identifying illicit operations used for trafficking with avoiding unnecessary burdens on legitimate therapists. Council Member Montney expressed concern that relaxing requirements for sole proprietors could create loopholes, while Council Member Ward said several specific items (height, eye color, dress code) were not appropriate for the city to require. City legal counsel explained that Social Security numbers are used as part of background checks and that floor plans can assist public safety responses.

Before the vote, Council Member Scott urged continued coordination with local service providers such as the Center for Prevention of Abuse to ensure that if victims are identified, they receive services and support. After the roll call, the clerk announced no nays to the motion; the ordinance was approved with the three text amendments.

The council did not provide an ordinance number in the meeting record and did not set an implementation deadline in the hearing. Staff said it will proceed with administrative steps to implement the licensing program consistent with the council’s amendments.","The Bloomington City Council voted June 23 to adopt an amended massage‑establishment ordinance that sets a one‑time $100 application fee (including a $75 background check), eliminates annual fees, exempts some sole proprietors with conditions, and removes a dress‑code requirement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6187836,"Bloomington finance director reports FY2025 year‑end: online sales‑tax changes lift receipts, reserves project higher than budgeted use",753,5017000,5770000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd&start=5017&end=5770","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5064291-49f8773ac43c6ef2fd02922441499bdd/thumbnail_5017000.jpg","/articles/6187836/Bloomington/McLean-County/Illinois/Bloomington-finance-director-reports-FY2025-yearend-online-salestax-changes-lift-receipts-reserves-project-higher-than-budgeted-use","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6187836-e895e5c34026a2947dda680a4bd3fede/orig.mp4?Expires=1775990935&Signature=l2lbQyRFsJZPPag89Vw6~dndbaF3SZS12z2HuUVje-gg1yBUoAgwcZaGmP2pzYD8bclhJ0rF36LUUrBLx8ljZYVxiHLQA0Z-Xggdz-77g32cvBgXBWV1Qf5nS7HThugufeXNmyXi87uJnjXE4OOPmChEXWekq1zKmC42oXITw7sXocX9LO~BiXqw9K50a0N~sLDbDjARXdS2ZsA4jFkVgFXCIJffcwnB5RxxaITourGzEbpWku6LiVkWTkA0QKlL05sxuL9KEHglEtlk-1DC6FyhjPjGFlFEtjNB6VKjaYHi4OhgSM8UmiqRCqvohr-k5BxiXb5d2yQCU-Lc1AySLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Finance Director Scott Rathburn presented the city’s second of three year‑end financial reports on June 23, reporting several notable year‑end developments for fiscal 2025.

Rathburn said sales‑tax receipts showed a $442,000 positive variance year‑to‑date after three months of gains tied to state legislation that required some online retailers to collect Bloomington’s home‑rule component beginning Jan. 1. “The first month we had a 14% increase over the prior year for both Home Rule and State Sales Tax. The second month it went down to 9.5%. Third month, it’s gone up to 27% positive variance over the prior year,” Rathburn said. He cautioned that month‑to‑month percentages varied and staff wanted one more month to confirm a sustained trend.

Rathburn said local use tax was about $615,000 under budget and that Personal Property Replacement Tax (PPRT) came in roughly $1.5 million under budget for fiscal 2025; the PPRT reduction has already been reflected in the FY2026 budget. He summarized reserve projections: beginning reserves were $49.8 million; the city had budgeted $8.7 million in reserve use for FY2025 but had revised that figure to a planned use of $14.7 million after midyear additions such as the Owens Nursery purchase; current projections show an expected use of $7.9 million, producing an estimated ending reserve of about $41.9 million.

Rathburn also reviewed enterprise funds. He said this was the first year of a 33% water‑rate increase and that water revenues are tracking to cover bonds and capital needs but that staff will monitor usage for elasticity or taste‑and‑odor impacts. Golf revenues exceeded budget at 115% of the projected amount.

Rathburn emphasized that the general fund remains heavily dependent on tax revenues — about 80% of the fund — and that the city will continue to monitor sales‑tax trends, PPRT and other major revenue sources as FY2026 budgeting continues.

Council members asked clarifying questions about timing and comparability to other jurisdictions; Rathburn said the city posts detailed financial reports and budget exhibits on its website and that the next monthly report will include final income‑statement details for the general fund.

The finance presentation did not include any council action; members received the report and asked questions.","Finance Director Scott Rathburn reported June 23 that sales‑tax receipts showed a positive variance driven by state legislative changes to online retail taxation, partially offsetting other revenue shortfalls; projected general‑fund reserves are higher than earlier budgeted use.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Township supervisor notifies trustees of workfare appeal; township consolidates employee handbook affecting cemetery overtime

Bloomington council approves amended massage-establishment ordinance after weeks of public comment

Bloomington finance director reports FY2025 year‑end: online sales‑tax changes lift receipts, reserves project higher than budgeted use