BLOOMINGTON – On Friday, March 3, four community members will be appointed to the City of Bloomington Capital Improvements, Inc. (CBCI) board. Mayor John Hamilton has identified Mick Renneisen, Sarah Bauerle Danzman, John West, and Valerie Peña to be the first four members to serve on the CBCI.
Under the draft Bylaws of CBCI the Bloomington City Council is identified to appoint a fifth member. CBCI is a new 501c3 nonprofit corporation established to advance several initiatives in the interests of the community, particularly related to Bloomington in three potential areas – housing and Hopewell, the arts, and technology/jobs.
Mick Renneisen served as Deputy Mayor for the City of Bloomington from 2016 to early 2021. Prior to that, he served as Administrator of the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department from 1996-2015. His long service to the City is complemented by his service on the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau Board and the School of Public Health Dean’s Associates. Mick served as the Hamilton administration’s lead during the Master Planning process for the Hopewell project. Mick has been a part of or at the center of initiatives, projects, and award-winning work during his years in public service and brings that experience and expertise to the board.
Sarah Bauerle Danzman, a political scientist and associate professor of international studies at the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, is also the Director of the Tobias Center for Innovation in International Development at Indiana University. Her research interests with regard to investment and capital and experience at the Office of Investment Affairs in the U.S. Department of State (2019-2020), combined with her local service in the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission, bring important experience and understanding of complex and interrelated issues to the board.
John West, an Indiana licensed Real Estate Broker since 1984, has been the owner of FC Tucker/Bloomington Realtors since 1991. A past member of the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission, he currently serves on the Hopewell Steering Committee (formerly Hospital Reuse Committee). He brings a deep knowledge of Bloomington neighborhoods and experience in community service to the board.
Valerie Peña is Associate Vice President and Chief of Staff for the Indiana University Office of the Vice President for Government. Additionally, she serves as executive director of the IU Center on Representative Government. Peña is an experienced executive with a decorated track record in non-profit growth and development. She is also committed to service as evidenced by her role on the City of Bloomington Animal Control Commission. She brings organizational, managerial, and non-profit experience to the board.
The organizational meeting of CBCI will be held on March 3 at 12:30 p.m. in the McCloskey Conference Room of City Hall at 401 N Morton St. There will be a Zoom option for public attendance (link is below). The meeting will begin with incorporator and City Controller Jeff Underwood appointing the directors, and then the directors will discuss and adopt bylaws.
“Initiatives that support community interests are vital to Bloomington’s culture and economy and improve the quality of life for residents while attracting visitors,” said Mayor John Hamilton. “Finding the right people willing to dedicate their time and expertise to this body dedicated to our community assets is exciting.”
CBCI will potentially oversee major projects that involve city ownership of land and structures but not core city services or functions. The CBCI will focus on the Hopewell project in the immediate future. Engagement with other City projects, including arts and economic development-related initiatives, may come in the future.
Meeting Link
https://bloomington.zoom.us/j/81962084432?pwd=MEtESVZ5VUpkS2FyNkR4TzNQR0F3dz09
Meeting ID: 819 6208 4432
Passcode: 789205
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