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Bloomington board votes to reestablish police department and appoint Officer Small as chief
Summary
At its Sept. 2 meeting the Village of Bloomington board voted unanimously to reactivate the local police department and appoint Officer Small as police chief; the board also approved a two‑week radar speed study for Mill Street after Officer Small reported 600–700 vehicles daily.
The Village of Bloomington board voted unanimously Sept. 2 to reestablish the Bloomington Police Department and appoint Officer Small as police chief, restoring village policing authority after a period of contracted or altered coverage.
Village President Robert McLimans told trustees the move follows options presented earlier by Officer Small and would let Small use the village vehicle rather than a county cruiser, ‘‘reducing his liability and giving him more freedom to enforce village ordinances,’’ McLimans said. Trustees approved the motion to reestablish the department and appoint Officer Small (motion by Scott Daentl, seconded by Chasity Allen). All were in favor; the motion carried.
The board also approved a targeted traffic study on Mill Street using an existing radar speed sign near the Patch Grove entrance. McLimans said Officer Small had reported about "600–700 vehicles" travel Mill Street daily; trustees directed staff to run the sign for a couple of weeks, collecting speed and volume data in both directions before discussing further traffic-calming measures. The motion to use the sign was made by Scott Daentl and seconded by Al Mergen and carried unanimously.
Trustees discussed possible additional stop signs at the Fairground Road/ Fifth Street approach to slow vehicles entering town; any sign changes would require further study and formal action. Dawn Drew and Chasity Allen volunteered to research model chicken/animal ordinances after repeated complaints about roaming fowl that neighbors say create nuisances.
The meeting packet included Officer Small’s written report summarizing multiple animal complaints, junk‑cleanup followups, juvenile vandalism at Village Square Park and a traffic concern plan for Mill Street. McLimans said the office has set up ORI and Track S citation/records management information and that a village badge number (850) has been registered with Grant County dispatch.
The board’s action restores local appointment authority under village ordinance; trustees did not change pay rates at the meeting, and McLimans said compensation could be reviewed in next year’s budget process. The board moved on to other agenda items after the votes.
