This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, December 5th, 2022.

Later in the program, the Brown County Hour’s Sarah Lyttle speaks with Brown County State Park Manager Doug Baird about a recent fire. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, the Community Justice Response Committee meets tonight at the Monroe County Courthouse. WFHB Correspondent Kayan Tara recaps the county’s proposal to build a new jail ahead of the meeting. More following today’s feature. But first, your daily headlines:

WFHB Local News Brief

Deputy Mayor Don Griffin announced that he will run for mayor in the 2023 election. Griffin joins City Council President Susan Sandberg and former Monroe County Habitat for Humanity CEO Kerry Thomson for the next mayoral race.

This comes after Mayor John Hamilton indicated that he would not run for a third term back in November.

All three candidates so far have filed paperwork to establish campaign committees. Formal decorations for candidacy won’t happen until January of next year.

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A federal judge has ordered that the City of Bloomington needs to reconsider an application for an ‘All Lives Matter’ mural.

According to a lawsuit filed by IU student Kyle Reynolds and the IU chapter of Turning Point USA, the plaintiffs requested an ‘All Lives Matter’ mural to be painted on Kirkwood Avenue near the Sample Gates.

City officials told Reynolds that the city wasn’t considering any more rights-of-way public art projects and would not consider submissions from individuals.

The lawsuit alleges that the city took part in viewpoint discrimination, because the city had previously approved three ‘Black Lives Matter’ murals and did not approve the ‘All Lives Matter’ mural.

The judge’s ruling means that the city has until January of next year to develop a procedure for private parties to ask for approval to use the city’s rights-of-way policies to display public art.

Bloomington City Council

The Bloomington City Council Committee of the Whole met on November 30th to discuss ordinances on their first reading. The council first heard an ordinance to appropriate funds from the General Fund into various departments.

Director of Auditing and Financial Systems Cheryl Gilliland, presented on the appropriations, and shared that most departments needed assistance with increased gas prices.

She outlined which departments needed additional appropriations and why they needed them.

The committee voted to recommend the approval of the appropriations with six members voting yes, and three members voting to abstain.

Next, Mayor John Hamilton asked the council to consider an ordinance to approve General Obligation bonds to build and renovate public safety facilities. Hamilton shared the plans to create a joint police and fire headquarters at the Showers Building, along with other fire department building renovations.

Architectural Consultant Deb Kunce presented on the studies the consultants have done to ensure the projects meet stakeholder needs.

Kunce said she has worked on two other police facility renovation projects that have moved the police department into new facilities or added more square footage.

The next Bloomington City Council meeting will be held on December 7th.

Feature Reports:

In today’s feature report, the Brown County Hour’s Sarah Lyttle speaks with Brown County State Park Manager Doug Baird about a recent fire. This comes from the December edition of the Brown County Hour – an arts and culture program from the hills and hollers of Brown County. Tune in Wednesday at 6 p.m. to hear the full program on WFHB...