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Council adopts 2025 city, utilities and transit budgets unanimously
Summary
The Bloomington Common Council on Oct. 9 unanimously adopted the 2025 civil city budget (total $151,673,189), the water and wastewater utility budgets, and the Bloomington Transit budget after brief presentations and targeted Q&A about service and staffing.
The Bloomington Common Council unanimously approved three appropriation ordinances on Oct. 9 that together finalize the City of Bloomington’s 2025 budget package.
Key votes at a glance
- Appropriation Ordinance 2024-05 (civil city budget, as amended): adopted 9–0. Controller Jessica McClellan provided totals: DLGF-reviewed budget $115,128,135; Home Rule Fund $36,545,054; combined total $151,673,189.
- Appropriation Ordinance 2024-06 (water and wastewater utility budgets): adopted 9–0. Reported totals: water budget $22,656,000; wastewater budget $33,820,000.
- Appropriation Ordinance 2024-07 (Bloomington Transportation Corporation / Bloomington Transit): adopted 9–0. General Manager John Connell said the transit budget is $32,632,634 with a proposed tax levy of 0.0403.
During the transit discussion Connell acknowledged ongoing driver shortages that occasionally force reduced frequency on Route 3 from 30-minute to 60-minute headways as a last-resort priority. He outlined recruitment and training details: training pay starts near $19 per hour, rises to a little over $20 after training, with overtime opportunities; Connell said employees willing to work overtime can potentially earn about $60,000 annually. He also described rider-communication methods (Spot app, social media, phone dispatch) and said dispatch can answer through 11 p.m.
After the votes the council confirmed upcoming meeting dates including a special session Oct. 30 to consider salary ordinances and an executive session to discuss pending litigation.
