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Controller reports $7.5M in CRED balance; council introduces opioid-settlement appropriation and hears bike-safety testimony
Summary
Comptroller Jessica McClellan told the council Feb. 19 that about $7.5 million remains from downtown CRED funds now in the general fund; council introduced an opioid-settlement appropriation ($250,000) for downtown outreach and heard public comments urging targeted use of CRED money and raising bike-safety concerns.
Bloomington — Comptroller Jessica McClellan told the Common Council on Feb. 19 that the city has roughly $7.5 million remaining from its downtown CRED (community revitalization enhancement district) funds now held in the general fund.
"The remaining balance of that money is $7,500,000," McClellan said, explaining that $17.3 million was transferred from CRED funds to the general fund in 2023 and that departments had slightly over $12 million budgeted in 2024 with roughly $9.8 million spent.
McClellan said the remaining CRED dollars are not in a separate fund; they are legally part of the general fund but can be tracked and informally earmarked for projects tied to the district’s original intent.
Public commenters urged the council to honor that intent. A long-time local officeholder (identified in the transcript as Mr. Boland) recounted the district’s history, criticized past administrations for largely not spending the funds in the downtown area, and said a 2023 resolution had called for setting aside at least $5 million for a downtown circulator transit idea.
Council members asked whether any CRED dollars were budgeted for 2025 (controller: none) and whether the balance accrues separate interest (controller: it accrues only as part of the general fund balance). McClellan said departments that historically used the dollars included Economic & Sustainable Development (ESD), engineering, planning, street, and parking.
Separately, the council introduced Appropriation Ordinance 2025-02 — the first reading and title-only introduction — to appropriate $250,000 from opioid-settlement funds for a downtown outreach grant program administered through the Community & Family Resources department. The ordinance will receive its second reading and public hearing on March 5.
On transportation, a public commenter, Greg Alexander, criticized a planned construction detour that would close the 7-line bike facility between Grant and Dunn while leaving car lanes open; he said it forces cyclists onto the car lanes and requires two diagonal intersection crossings, which he called unsafe and inconsistent with the city’s low-stress bike goals.
The council also granted a 90-day extension to the Plan Commission to submit a UDO amendment adding single-room-occupancy (SRO) as a residential use; the extension passed by voice vote to allow staff to coordinate a consolidated public-notice mailing with other UDO changes.
Votes and next steps: - Appropriation Ordinance 2025-02 (opioid settlement, $250,000 for downtown outreach): introduced; second reading/public hearing March 5. - Ordinance 2025-08 (reestablish cumulative capital development fund): introduced; hearing March 5. - SRO UDO extension (90 days): passed by voice vote; Plan Commission to return amendment within the extended timeframe.
Why it matters: The controller’s accounting clarifies the scale and flexibility of downtown CRED money available for economic or infrastructure projects, and the introduction of the opioid-settlement grant ordinance starts a public hearing process to allocate $250,000 to downtown outreach work.
