By HOI ABC
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington council members approved a larger, $269 million dollar budget Monday for fiscal year 2023, up 7% from this year.
The highlight is nearly $57 million in capitol improvement projects.
It also increases public safety spending by 10%.
One council member voted no, in part because she felt city staff was underestimating inflation on the street level, for materials to make asphalt and concrete.
“That’s where we have reflected some degree of inflation in the underlying commodities cost. But, from what I’m seeing, relative to the cost of asphalt specifically, we will be under what we will need to just barely keep up with what we say we will do for our community, in that area,” said Sheila Montney, representing Ward 3.
Also Monday, Donna Boelen was unanimously chosen as mayor pro tempore as Jamie Mathy resigned last month, citing a business-related conflict of interest.