[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6466748,"mediaKeyId","5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581","parentId",5821004,"title","Board discusses Trades District green roof access, tours and maintenance; MOU allows educational visits","audioSeconds",322,"startMs",559490,"endMs",881945,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581&start=559&end=881","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581/thumbnail_559490.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6466748/Bloomington-City/Monroe-County/Indiana/Board-discusses-Trades-District-green-roof-access-tours-and-maintenance-MOU-allows-educational-visits","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466748-891434c0317219ffe696390bb343d12a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618557&Signature=SMF7VOm3l1uxCnMpRv-zP5cCOyyHP8APXEaaCkK5HhmGRYw80Y8e-Xm5OjqfpNjr7kCccqeUJTZxGBmdco4D0bENrsCY9sClrJ4B~GRmy3p46d59wK1hpLaEdQGqPySAs3TL4SqJz1ulIAak7KwAt5kyINoYkpkm5b~wXRARvrfaRn~TjQhkb7rYNqZrmCuGFTjWRaJgTbFPZ1H4itqlWdZmKIhb-J7GSDbjokvvaynjrFTdAuZuXm~nAQzOLSQfaXaw2UdkuzmuytfDRF3-BHniqCR0RB0wlH2zoEIGKTM1ptG3AvxFDVUYb9Cu791Zc-8Cv9-5UnPAMLjDUlopxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Bloomington, Indiana","date","2025-09-23T00:00:00Z","article","Board members used the standard-invoices discussion to ask about the Trades District green roof project approved in 2023. A board member asked whether the $237,750 invoice represented a final bill and whether the project was finished; staff confirmed the project is complete and the current invoice is less than the originally approved $310,000 contribution.

Board members asked about public access, tours and maintenance. One board member proposed a green infrastructure tour that would showcase the Trades District green roof alongside other green infrastructure examples (rain gardens, swales, curb cut projects) as a way to introduce developers and the public to the city’s options.

Staff said access to the green roof is governed by the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the building’s tenants and that the MOU allows educational workshop–type visits provided the utility gives advance notice because tenants use the space. Staff also said the green roof has an operations and maintenance (O&M) manual and that vegetation and infrastructure maintenance follow the O&M guidance.

A board member suggested requiring grant applicants to submit before-and-after photos for green infrastructure projects to aid promotion and evaluation. Members discussed the difficulty of visiting privately funded residential installations and noted the utility has supported green infrastructure in rights of way and through MOUs tied to public projects.

No formal action was proposed or taken; the discussion was informational and tied to invoice questions earlier in the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bloomington Utilities Service Board, September 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Board members asked about final billing, maintenance and public access to the Trades District green roof; staff said the green roof is finished, maintenance follows an operations and maintenance manual, and the MOU allows educational workshops with notice to tenants.","taxTitle","Bloomington City, Monroe County, Indiana","taxId",3535,"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},6466753,"CBU customer-relations representative learning Spanish to assist Spanish-speaking customers",151,61860,213010,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581&start=61&end=213","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581/thumbnail_61860.jpg","/articles/6466753/Bloomington-City/Monroe-County/Indiana/CBU-customer-relations-representative-learning-Spanish-to-assist-Spanish-speaking-customers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466753-51dbc67e55f0ec0b62c60c836c56db7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618557&Signature=GyTIvkokKURa3usznAatVoGCUjCrNFDnhZuN58m2UUDZTH30hJ~SM3z7sRfcLaHMYqjVcHQf~Cz3JdjKfyXFAMWtCzj6m~C~gmZRHlh0AVuGtphSAkU3xFOYrKo7peuObbBGdh5Z9kUOaPByvcPf~WSS73xr8wGxOHpcpEeyhuhzFnmr4U6Ci~qVaOJ3KHPqOk0utfGLAYvbkQ5FCBOPzMx-UqXlUNzp0QSVmV03beVTIWINVuDfGn-Lx28Y79PZA40rYBKsYLyTKyxwDX8PD7sX4jBkuBnTdPBr4uLLc0hsuqjyaozCbmBO~whffSbtaO11wmAl3dbxZ3e7gJZIOQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","During the public petitions and communications portion of the Sept. 26 meeting, Selena Powell, a customer relations representative with City of Bloomington Utilities, told the board she is taking weekly online Spanish classes to improve verbal communication with Spanish-speaking customers.

Powell said the classes — 30 minutes once a week with a teacher based in Guatemala via Homeschool Spanish Academy — began in May and are scheduled to conclude on March 4, 2026. She said she translated paper contracts into Spanish after joining the customer relations team and then chose formal language training to improve service.

\"By taking classes to learn Spanish, I am working towards better assisting all of our Spanish speaking customers no matter their concerns or questions,\" Powell said.

Board members and staff praised the initiative and asked practical questions about cost and broader language access. A board member asked whether the city would reimburse the class fees; Powell said the charge is being processed through the department training budget and appeared in March records. Another board member suggested the utility consider translated written materials or resources for other languages with larger local populations.

Staff did not propose any formal policy change at the meeting; the remarks were presented as a staff update during the petitions and communications portion of the agenda.","A customer-relations representative told the Bloomington Utilities board she is taking weekly online Spanish classes to better assist Spanish-speaking customers; staff said training charges are going through the department's training budget.",{"_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},6466758,"Bloomington Utilities board approves invoices, contracts and amendments totaling multiple items",1553,1423755,2976860,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581&start=1423&end=2976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581/thumbnail_1423755.jpg","/articles/6466758/Bloomington-City/Monroe-County/Indiana/Bloomington-Utilities-board-approves-invoices-contracts-and-amendments-totaling-multiple-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466758-4f9c1bd14f11fbcb3f30e0dc6f7295bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618557&Signature=nd7zja~Y5JLVk6CrfyCwm9eKM23vofrplcDSoMM0IZH0UepAAnT9j10~GhVRJpPT29cLrtRkA0t62HFEqtqTEuUu4HcQIj2hJEJlofN-2USgfd3Ja6Y9MooiZqbuAdhu8QVgQgsawNSwmn6MAU9-jkM8cBGd6rW4rdGGnPWNYq35sjsaxK9n7tcd4UVXh1G4f3eHOvsePexJnPBmxqTeHQ2yxmwB~xt0snMatEtrEv858kYcwQdMj8ig7R7M0Z4VbTJJPWMng2e1YVUoPpLL3RrWNhP5SFZWeQx2D7sc8vJA1Mp8PAWDRviEQ~qhCk-uzjtFMcrEgiW8XNn14qLjCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its Sept. 26 meeting the City of Bloomington Utility Service Board approved a set of routine payments, contracts and contract amendments affecting water and wastewater operations.

The board approved standard invoices for $2,407,125.24; utility bills totaling $172,075.35; wire transfers totaling $554,380.14; customer refunds of $4,888.35; and a special check run of $2,054.73. All of those financial items were approved by voice vote.

On the consent agenda, utilities director Catherine Zager presented two items totaling $20,000: a pilot study contract with Greener Day Solutions (amount listed as $0 for the pilot study in staff materials) for a screw press pilot at the biosolids handling building at the Blucher Pool Wastewater Plant, and a $20,000 on-call roofing services agreement with AMI Roofing Contractors Inc. The consent agenda was approved without objection.

The board approved several other contract actions brought forward by staff:

- A service agreement with Win Industries to repair an alum tank at the Monroe Water Plant for $75,900. Dan Hudson, capital projects manager, described the work as a temporary repair to meet regulatory storage requirements while a longer-term alum-feed redesign is under design; staff said the temporary work could be completed before year-end.

- A $48,728 contract with HRSAG (Hertzing/HRSAG) Engineering to conduct NFPA arc-flash studies and infrared inspections and to update labeling and training for electrical safety, presented by Mark Menifee, utility engineer.

- Amendment No. 1 to the agreement with Springfield Electric Supply to cover extra technician time after a variable-frequency-drive startup issue; the amendment added $1,962, bringing the amendment total to $6,220 as presented to the board.

- Amendment No. 2 to Wessler Engineering’s contract, adding $15,000 for extra work on a PLC/SCADA upgrade at the Blucher Pool (not to exceed a revised total of $417,000).

- Amendment No. 4 to the Azteca Systems LLC agreement to provide on-site training for the CityWorks asset/work-order system (amount not specified in public remarks).

The board also approved minutes from the Sept. 8 meeting and a resolution (2025-19) designating surplus property for auction; staff said unsold items would be scrapped. All contract approvals were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

Several approvals included only voice votes and staff noted that some line-item details (for example, some amendment subtotals and consent-agenda pilot amounts) were listed in staff materials. No challenged votes were recorded.

The board adjourned after a cybersecurity update and brief final items.","The City of Bloomington Utility Service Board approved standard invoices of $2.41 million, utility bills and a series of contract awards and amendments, including a $75,900 alum-tank repair and engineering and training agreements.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":92,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6466763,"Bloomington Utilities tightens backflow enforcement, adds $150 fine and clearer escalation",1277,1699335,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581&start=1699&end=2976","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5821004-31e703361a9744595497cd632b5f1581/thumbnail_1699335.jpg","/articles/6466763/Bloomington-City/Monroe-County/Indiana/Bloomington-Utilities-tightens-backflow-enforcement-adds-150-fine-and-clearer-escalation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6466763-07a6c59eae1a9832aec45257bac69ca3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770618557&Signature=iKNlileBz9KzFKNnEAkDJ9hBsC~BdJ~kfTn4DnLU27BsD1V-coMu7MsjBXDg6YacEygPWlCrMoaBlGtXQdxjWvP-LCrbf5FFKpe7Az8hvA6dzMXLFbXNsglPqlKWBFAu6UVJupuiFbRu01UDKB-cZBQXTXQY~6e6h4~gPqgXeBYcmvJSFpHsbwI916R~uppdb5ATdz-MFLWcf-bzGezMqmolO7fgM~2ylgG0~ququRLXhAdvkq3ZAvDZNOG4QEz-rwMiYDdI4z71-XM0D7EuZcPll11H5Y6-0dUSKrQf9QnAbWGRTvytl4AAUUuMet~fBX48xafnAMkdQLTbsG1lYQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Bloomington Utility Service Board on Sept. 26 approved revisions to the utility’s cross-connection control enforcement response plan, tightening enforcement steps for overdue backflow-prevention device testing and clarifying when the utility may pursue fines or service shutoffs.

The changes give staff a defined escalation path for common violations and set a $150 flat fine for each overdue device after one written notice, with 15 days allowed for customers to schedule testing before staff may pursue further enforcement. The plan also makes shutoff or legal action an explicit final recourse when other compliance measures fail.

\"We are updating this plan, in large part to improve enforcement consistency,\" said Matt Daberdin, environmental program coordinator in CBU engineering, during a presentation to the board. Daberdin said the utility uses software called TrackMyBackflow to track required annual testing and to send automated reminders to customers.

Daberdin described backflow prevention as a measure to keep contaminated water from flowing back into the public water main during events such as main breaks or large firefighting flows. \"There are a lot of potential cross connection hazards out there,\" he said. He told the board the utility has about 3,000 backflow-prevention devices in its system and that the $150 fine is \"roughly the cost of the test.\"

Under the updated plan, staff will typically send two automated reminders through TrackMyBackflow, then a violation letter with a 15-day compliance period. If a customer does not respond or schedule testing, the utility will impose the $150-per-device fine and continue escalation toward a shutoff hearing or legal action if needed.

Daberdin and board members stressed the utility will pursue compliance before penalties and will allow for flexibility when customers show scheduling difficulties. The plan retains an exception allowing staff to accelerate enforcement in \"extraordinary\" cases that pose higher risk to public health.

The board and staff noted the revisions align the enforcement response plan with the water ordinance (chapter 24 of title 9) and the state testing requirements overseen by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. The revised plan replaces a vague range of possible responses with a matrix of typical steps tied to specific violation types.

Board members asked about how the utility identifies irrigation and other systems that require backflow devices; Daberdin said identification comes from billing records (irrigation meters), usage spikes, inspections and contractor records. He said licensed testers typically can perform annual tests within days to a few weeks depending on schedule.

The board approved the update by voice vote.","The City of Bloomington Utility Service Board approved updates to its cross-connection control enforcement response plan, establishing clearer escalation steps, a $150 fine for overdue tests and a 15-day compliance window before further action including service shutoff.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board discusses Trades District green roof access, tours and maintenance; MOU allows educational visits

CBU customer-relations representative learning Spanish to assist Spanish-speaking customers

Bloomington Utilities board approves invoices, contracts and amendments totaling multiple items

Bloomington Utilities tightens backflow enforcement, adds $150 fine and clearer escalation