By Greg Halbleib
Bloomington mayor Tari Renner says meeting with other mayors from across the nation provides ideas and resources that benefit the city.
Renner is attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis this week, and says mayors are called to action:
“Unlike people in our state capitals and in Washington, we’ve got to get stuff done,” Renner told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin. “The immediate focus is on solutions. I always meet new mayors we can compare notes on and talk to each other before we make decisions.”
Renner says there’s a long list of ideas and programs that have been carried back to Bloomington from the conferences.
“We aren’t reinventing the wheel,” said Renner. “I was able to talk to mayors from Illinois and other communities to ask how did you handle this and what were your problems? The mayor of Champaign and I had a chance to develop a stronger relationship as she has some of the same kind of issues such as downtown drinking.”
Renner says he’s received insight and ideas from past conferences on issues such as Uber, downtown liquor concerns, body cameras and administrative courts.
Renner says this year’s conference features well-known panelists, including Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer speaking on his city’s recent mass shooting, and a session with the Dalai Lama and Lady Gaga on the same panel.
Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].
