By Joe Ragusa
BLOOMINGTON – A property tax abatement and sales tax rebate package for the future Green Top Grocery co-op is scheduled to come up for a vote Monday at the Bloomington City Council meeting.
The property at 915 and 921 Washington St. has been vacant for over 25 years since the American Foundry and Furnace Co. left.
Economic Development Coordinator Austin Grammer said the location makes sense for a grocery store since the area has been designated as a “food desert” by the USDA.
“If the city can help incentivize and bring a grocery store to a food desert area, to bring positive retail development to an area that’s right next to constitution trail, that’s on multiple bus routes, it’s going to be beneficial to the entire community,” Grammer said.
The incentive package requires a minimum investment of $1.9 million from the owners of Green Top Grocery. Kyle and Lacey Glandon with Workbench Collaborative and James Shirk, the property owner and President of Beer Nuts, are expected to put another $2.4 million into the project.
Two buildings are being planned for the property: one for the co-op and another for unnamed retailers.
The Bloomington City Council is also going to examine two potential changes to the city’s sick leave buyback program for employees hired before the program was eliminated for new hires in May 2012.
One option is to pay sick leave buyback in a lump sum after an employee leaves or retires, instead of allowing that employee to spread those payments out in the months prior to retirement, leading to a spike in their average salary and consequently their pension payout. City Attorney Jeff Jurgens said this option only focuses on new sick days accrued under the city’s buyback program. If passed, it would take effect in September.
The other option is to have sick leave buyback paid with an employee’s final paycheck starting in 2018. Jurgens said the city could face several legal and financial issues if that proposal is passed, which is why it wouldn’t take effect right away.
The proposals only apply to IMRF employees. Police and fire pensions operate under a different system that does not count sick leave buyback towards pension benefits. Library employees also wouldn’t be affected.
The Bloomington City Council is also scheduled to vote on a 20-year comprehensive plan Monday night. Mayor Tari Renner feels optimistic about the proposal’s chances, despite an objection from Alderman Kevin Lower during last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting.
“I think we have to be very, very careful about how we’re changing zoning codes and how we’re changing the rules mid-game here,” Lower said.
The group “Bring It On Bloomington” has been working on the plan since February 2014. Their draft is online at bringitonbloomington.com.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
