Op-Ed: Renewing Partnerships for Progress
Bloomington is a special place. It’s a place I first discovered on a cross-country bike ride as a college student and one I chose as my home for the last 25 years. At its core, it’s a place where people care about each other, celebrate our differences, and actively seek to grow, learn, and be better.
And it’s a place where we’ve all come to expect progress.
Yet, sadly, in recent years we’ve seen far too little progress because of a lack of real partnerships between the city and key stakeholders like county government, Indiana University, our schools, state government, and organizations and businesses throughout the community.
And while there is plenty of finger-pointing going on about who is really to blame for this, I don’t want to hear it and neither do you.
The lack of substantive collaboration or coordination around important issues like the expansion of the convention center, affordable housing, public transportation, planning for a new jail, and a host of other issues is hurting the people of Bloomington and Monroe County.
And, as Bloomington’s next mayor, I pledge to fix it.
I’m a mother of five and have worked as a nonprofit executive for two decades leading large organizations, building community, and making change. I know how to find consensus, and it’s not that hard.
It’s about listening to others. It’s about mutual respect. And it’s about not caring so much about who gets the credit.
Bloomington faces some big challenges in the months and years ahead, and our city government cannot and should not go it alone. We need to restore and rebuild these critical partnerships if we are to make progress.
Just think about, for example, the tremendous opportunities for the city and IU to work more closely on providing affordable housing in Bloomington and Monroe County, enhancing our community’s infrastructure, coordinating public safety efforts, and working together with state government to address our collective interests.
Think about how our city could grow in a similar way with a stronger partnership with Monroe County government, where information is freely shared, plans are developed together and those at the table are treated as allies, not adversaries.
And think about all the possibilities for real partnership and progress with our large employers, our school system, and civic and community organizations to address poverty, gaps in transportation, food insecurity, mental health, and caring for the unhoused.
With a fresh start and a new approach, the opportunities are endless.
I commit to you, that as mayor, I will work from day one to rebuild these relationships, re-open the lines of communication and restore trust. I will personally and regularly meet with our partners, as will key leaders in my administration, and we will build a city government that all Bloomington citizens expect and deserve.
