2025 Bloomington State of the City: Best of Bloomington
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Friday, March 21, 2025 Watch the 2025 Bloomington State of the City with Mayor Tim Busse and Celebrate the Best of Bloomington while you learn about the past year's accomplishments and what's planned for this year and beyond.
Adopted in 1960, the City Charter provides for a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council, which includes an elected mayor and six other elected Councilmembers, exercises the legislative power of the City of Bloomington and determines all City policies.
The City Council holds a 30-minute listening session prior to each regular City Council meeting on Monday evenings. Listening sessions are held in the Chadwick Conference Room, on the 2nd floor of Bloomington Civic Plaza. Each speaker or group will be provided up to 10 minutes to speak with the Mayor, City Council, and City staff. Listening sessions are intended for topics not on the City Council agenda that same day.
The Bloomington MN Planning Commission advises the City Council on development proposals, development standards, long-range planning and transportation issues.
Bloomington's Home Rule Charter was adopted in November 1960. The Bloomington Charter Commission studies issues and makes recommendations on proposed changes to the City Home Rule Charter which outlines municipal governance. The fifteen-member commission is appointed by the Hennepin County's chief judge.
The Bloomington Port Authority works alongside the Housing and Redevelopment Authority to support economic development throughout the city. The Port Authority focuses on: - Economic and real estate development - Small business assistance - Creative placemaking
The Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is governed by a seven-member board appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. The HRA mission is to help provide affordable housing opportunities for those who are not adequately served by the marketplace, coordinate the City's efforts to preserve existing neighborhoods and promote development and redevelopment that enhances Bloomington. The HRA accomplishes its mission through various programs: rental assistance, housing rehabilitation loans, first-time home buyer assistance, and other development and redevelopment programs. Funding comes from federal, state, regional, and local sources.
After more than two years of gathering input from residents, the City of Bloomington developed a long-term investment plan, called Bloomington Forward, that would support three major community projects for better health, wellness, athletics and recreation. On Tuesday, November 7, 2023 Bloomington voters approved a half-percent local option sales tax to finance $155 million in bonds to pay for the projects as part of a citywide referendum.