Brown County Regional Sewer District (BCRSD) Meeting
Tues, Oct 8, 2019.

MORE INFO: Regional Sewer Board – Bean Blossom Sewer Project – For the Record

Bloomington Farmers’ Market – What’s Next? 
By Tim J. Clark

Submitted on Oct 8, 2019 (submission id 171) as a Guest Column for the Bloomington Herald-Times.  Has yet to be published.

Protestors initiated a petition in June that alleged that the owners of Schooner Creek Farm (SCF) are white supremacists and should be removed as a vendor from the Bloomington Farmers’ Market (BFM).

The City has acknowledged that SCF (who has been successfully participating in the market for nine years and have denied the allegations) has treated customers with respect and have followed the rules of the BFM.  The City has also acknowledged that the First Amendment prohibits them from discriminating against someone because of their belief system.

Regarding the allegations of white supremacy, Laura Lane in her Aug 3, 2019 (Bloomington) Herald-Times article “Commentary: Don’t forget the First Amendment,” stated the following: “We have done our own research. We have reviewed court documents, emails, videos and recordings that so many claim is proof that the owners of Schooner Creek Farm are white supremacists. Direct evidence, it isn’t there.”

Despite the lack of proof of the allegations and lack of relevance to the BFM, the mayor has made statements perceived to be in support of the protests and broadened his criticisms of the situation. His statements have included identifying constraints posed on his administration by the Second Amendment and Indiana’s policies on gun control. The Mayor has also alleged that the policies of the current presidential administration have contributed to the controversy. Market attendance dropped from 40,000 visitors last July compared to 19,000 this year.

Although the city cannot remove SCF as a vendor, current policies may be providing a work-around on the constraints posed on the city by the First Amendment.  The policy regarding protests create conditions that imply an intent to make it untenable for SCF to remain at the market. For instance, although not allowed by the BFM to “carry” protest signs, protestors can wear their signs by printing their message (Boycott Schooner Creek, Defund White Supremacy) on a t-shirt. Protestors can then roam the market with frequent passes by the SCF table. The protesters also carry a little blank sign that they call a “fan” to show their opposition to the rules.

The mayor’s leadership on this issue does provide a new opportunity for the community by allowing the BFM to serve as a rallying point for protests and boycotts on just about any topic.  Protestors just need to “wear” their message.  And, if a market vendor has been alleged to be in support of any issues that a protestor (s) may not like, the “message” could include an appeal to boycott this vendor to punish them for their beliefs and associations.

Consequently, the BFM can now serve as a “market” for protests. The topics would be unlimited and can start by building on current themes. This could include protests supporting the Second Amendment and Indiana’s gun policies to include concealed carry.  Additional protest topics could include political support (and opposition?) to the Trump Administration, anti-abortion, planned parenthood, climate change, immigration, et.al.

The controversy at the market will likely continue to escalate and raises a few questions:  Is it possible to extend the rules against protest signs to include the other ways a protest message can be conveyed?  Is allowing the market to be a place for community protests – especially against vendors with a perspective and an association that someone may not like, a good thing? What are the conditions that will lead the city to disband the BFM?

Tim J. Clark

Additional Information

The controversy with the BFM first started with the Nashville Farmers Market.

• One page fact sheet:  Bloomington Farmers’ Market – Summary of Issues
• Background and timeline of the situation:
• Wanted: Tolerance, Understanding, Collaboration, Progress
• A Better Way to Deal with the Bloomington Farmers Market Controversy By Tim J. Clark

Part 2:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed?
By Tim J. Clark
Updated Oct 4, 2019

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life,
Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”   –– Declaration of Independence

Preface. This post introduces a method that can be adapted as needed, to address some of the issues associated with the controversies surrounding the Bloomington Farmers’ Market.

One page summary Bloomington Farmers’ Market – Summary of Issues

The United States system of government was designed to be continually improved with the local government being the catalyst for needed change.  Working together to make progress towards “a more perfect Union” and community can be supported through applying a better method for problem identification, resolution and decision-making.

Regarding political systems, from a global perspective, adversaries have always worked to undermine each other’s systems.  Digital technology including social media enables the communication of challenges worldwide to include coverage of a community’s successes or failures in addressing the opportunities that the challenges present.

Application of better problem identification, resolution and decision-making processes can lead to stronger and more resilient communities. This, in turn, provides positive examples that are needed to reinforce that self-government is still a principle worth fighting for and application of better methods can lead to “a more perfection Union.”

Two Key Issues

The controversies with the markets in Nashville and Bloomington revolve around two issues: (1) A person’s right to express beliefs that are protected by the First Amendment, and (2) being associated with a group (s) that others find offensive.  In this case, this includes allegations that an association with AIM is synonymous with promoting white supremacy and/or white nationalism and hate.

On the first issue, this was summarized in the post (Part 1) ” Discord in the community – better strategies needed?”  Background information and a  timeline of the issues is provided in the post:  “Wanted: Tolerance, Understanding, Collaboration, Progress.”

Individuals and private entities can exercise their right to free speech that includes protests and boycotts.  The protestors also accept the risk that they, in turn, can attract protests and boycotts for their beliefs and actions.  An action (boycotts), leads to a reaction (the boycotters can become the boycotted), and counteractions (community taking sides) leads to an escalation of the conflict.

Group Associations

The remainder of this post deals with “group” association – specifically the American Identify Movement (AIM) with the intent to clarify the scope and substance of the issues.

A problem identification, resolution and decision-making framework can provide a “start” in developing a common understanding of the situation to include acknowledging the diversity in individual perspectives.  An ideal end state is to develop a solution where everyone benefits or at least, are not any worse off in the long-term.

The focus for a way ahead incorporates more of a moral than a legal perspective.  On a legal perspective, actions that are taken to support or oppose a position are guided by the legal system.  The FBI investigates and the Justice Department prosecutes violations of federal laws. The local police and courts get involved with criminal offenses and individuals can pursue civil action (defamation, libel, slander, harassment) that violate their individual rights.

What does “right” look like?

The term “moral” is defined ” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior: ethical.”    Taking action that results in “a more perfect” Union and community requires that you ask the effected stakeholders how they define “more perfect”, e.g., what “right” looks like. A follow-up question is to identify the feedback that will be used to determine if a change resulted in improvement.

A Problem Identification, Resolution, Decision Making Process 

• Phase 1 – Understand the situation, identify and define the problem.
• Phase II – Identify causes and/or solution (s) to include identifying the advantages and disadvantages of each proposed option or course of action.  What feedback will be used to determine a change resulted in improvement?
• Phase III – Select and implement a solution (s)
• Phase IV – Assess the effectiveness of the solution. What is working and what is not? Repeat the cycle as needed.

Example:  Local community (county) Decision-Making Process.   

Phase 1 – Understand the situation – identify and define the problem

American Identity Movement (AIM)

The AIM website identifies the purpose of the organization, principles, and activities.  The site states that AIM “prohibits the advocacy of or participation in supremacy, violence, or illegal activity.  We reject extremism of any stripe.”

Given the communication technologies that are available in today’s world, it is easier to compare actions with rhetoric. It is also more difficult to keep anything “secret.”  The challenge is separating fact from allegations when determining the truth.

“WHO WE ARE:  AIM is a growing, active movement defending our nation against mass immigration and the scourge of globalism.” Source – AIM website.

For Supporters of AIM

QUESTIONS:

• What specifically is the problem e.g., how do you describe and define “mass immigration” and the effects of the “scourge of globalism”?
• What do you identify as “America’s historical demographics”?
• Are you proposing new legislation?
• What legislation in this area are you supporting?

History – U.S. Immigration Policy since 1965.

For Non-Supporters of AIM

QUESTIONS:

• If AIM and its members and/or supporters are “the problem”, what specific beliefs, statements, and positions do you disagree with and why?
• How do you define the key terms involving this issue? Members and/or supporters of AIM have been accused of being white supremacists,  racists, white nationalists,  fascists, Nazis. What criteria and facts are applied to render this opinion?
• What do you propose as a solution (s)?   What action should be taken?  What does success look like in the immediate and long-term?
• How will you determine what strategies will be effective in the long-term and will not do more harm than good?

For Supporters and non-supporters of AIM

QUESTION:  What do you see as the root cause for those that have a different belief than you?

A technique for helping to identify a root cause is called The Five Why’s:

• Start by identifying a problem that you’re having.
• Ask “why” that problem is occurring. Make sure that your answer is grounded in fact. You should be able to state the proof or evidence that you’re relying on for your assertion of the reason why the problem is occurring.
• Once you have an answer, ask “why” again.
• Continue the process until you reach the root cause of the problem. Usually, you’ll be able to identify the root cause of a problem after asking “why” five times.
• Once you’ve identified the root cause of the problem, come up with a countermeasure that prevents it from recurring.

Conflict and Violence

QUESTIONS:

• Do you believe violence is justified in support of your respective goals?  (Violence defined as an action that violates the law.)
• Do you believe any action short of being considered criminal, is appropriate? If yes can you provide examples?

Prejudice, Bigotry, Bigot

Humans are imperfect.  The definition of prejudice includes “harm caused by the adverse preconceptions of others.”  “The word is often used to refer to a preconceived, usually unfavorable, evaluation of another person based on that person’s political affiliation, sex, gender, beliefs, values, social class, age, disability, religion, sexuality, race/ethnicity, language, nationality, beauty, occupation, education, criminality, sport team affiliation or other personal characteristics.” (Wikipedia)

Webster’s New World College Dictionary states that: “The definition of bigotry is prejudice and the state of being intolerant” and a bigot  is a person who is prejudiced, or intolerant of those who are different.”   Reference: OneLook Dictionary.

The “So what?” Human beings are imperfect – we have prejudices and we can all be bigots. The first step in resolving a problem is to recognize you may have one.

QUESTIONS:

• What have been successful strategies in addressing bigotry that has resulted in positive changes in the immediate and long-term?
• What are examples of strategies that have not worked?

Examples of success stories – Confronting bigotry – Changing Minds 

• Megan Phelps-Roper TED Talk:  Four suggestions supporting dialogue: (1) Don’t assume bad intent; (2) Ask Questions; (3) Stay Calm; (4) Make the argument.

Part 3:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed? 

Headline: The Hill.  Virginia county’s entire board of supervisors indicted BY ZACK BUDRYK – 09/25/19 09:00 PM EDT

Interesting article about local government. It reinforces the important role of citizen involvement in their local government and the responsibility of elected officials over those they appoint.

There is a strong correlation between corruption (legal and moral) and a lack of check and balances on power.

I googled the “Warren County Coalition” and found the article on their 2019-2020 budget process.  The 2020 Brown County budget hearings had some similarities with the Warren County 2019/20 budget hearings regarding citizen opposition to tax increases.

Warren County had 50 citizens speak out against tax increases and 10 citizens spoke at the hearing last year.  In Brown County, we had 2 citizens speak out last year and four this year.

Virginia has a little different system where their Board of Supervisors can approve education budgets.  Indiana gives this responsibility to local school boards. (Warren County, VA has a population of 40K, our is 15k).

Update: Bloomington Farmers Market Discord
by Tim J. Clark
Updated Sep 25, 2019.

Background. The controversy with the Bloomington Farmers Market started in Nashville. A summary of the issues provided in my post: Discord in the Community …

Indiana Public Media WTIU/WFIU.  Officials: We Changed Demonstration Rules Because Of Farmers’ Market Protests by Emma Atkinson., Sept 24, 2019.

Facebook post of the article

The article includes misleading statements.  It associates Sarah Dye – an owner of Schooner Creek Farms, with the American Identity Movement (AIM), which has been labeled a white supremacist organization. The AIM website includes the following statement: “AIM prohibits the advocacy of or participation in supremacy, violence, or illegal activity. We reject extremism of any stripe.”  Where is the proof that the AIM statement is false?

 The article also references an article by NBC News and included the following statement: “This week, the Department of Homeland Security added white supremacy to its list of priority threats.”  The complete reference included the following statement:  “For the first time since it was formed after the 9/11 attacks, the Department of Homeland Security is adding white supremacist violence  (emphasis mine) to its list of priority threats in a revised counterterrorism strategy issued Friday.”

Acts of violence are a criminal violation.   Does the article lead readers to infer that the owners of SCF are involved in or are likely to be involved in criminal activities?

Where are the facts that the owners of SCF have successfully participated in the market for 9 years, have followed the rules and have treated customers with respect?  Where is the story that vendors at the Market can be now discriminated against (with the support of the city) for exercising their first amendment rights?

1. Protester and local reverend Forrest Gilmore says the group was asked to move and refused.
2. “We were asked to stop, yes,” he says. “We were not informed of any rules that we were violating, but we were asked to stop, and we politely said no.”
3. Market Coordinator Marcia Veldman says, despite the rules, she made the decision to not involve the police on Saturday.References:

• • Indiana Public Media WTIU/WFIU  Demonstrators Protest, Refuse To Move From Front Of Schooner Creek Farm’s Market Stand By Tyler Lake and Emma Atkinson Posted September 21, 2019  Facebook post of the article
  • Note that a protestor was previously arrested on Saturday, July 27 for Criminal Trespass.

Another perspective on journalistic standards described by Laura Lane, (Bloomington) Herald-Times in her Aug 3, 2019 Commentary: “Don’t forget the First Amendment.”

• We have reviewed court documents, emails, videos and recordings that so many claim is proof that the owners of Schooner Creek Farm are white supremacists. Direct evidence, it isn’t there.
• When a news organization publishes a false statement that damages a person’s reputation, that’s libel. I make sure, just about every day, to not libel anyone. Not just because I could be sued, but because it’s important that the information we report be accurate. We cannot and do not print accusations that can’t backed up with tangible stand-up-in-court proof.

Local Development Public Finance Model Workshop

By Justin Ross, IU Professor of Public Economics

History of the partnership and projects – County Financial Decision Support 

Link to the above graphic –Overall Concept County Financial Decision Support

Project Context – Regional Support and Partnerships:

• Regional Opportunity Initiatives  – Upland Region. Brown County is in the “Uplands Region” and has received ROI grants to support housing studies, Ready Communities, and Ready Schools.
  • Given an assessment by Michael Hicks of Ball State that “54 of Indiana’s 92 counties are in absolute population decline,”  support for “Financially Sustainable Counties” may be of help to the region.
• IU Center for Rural Engagement

Project Update – meeting notes below: Follow-Up Video Conference – 9/20/2019.  Roger Morris, Jomar Floyd

Data Warehouse and Examples.  A data warehouse can be used to store the information provided to the State from the Counties to support analysis and decision making.  Information from the State is available to download and can be transferred to a data warehouse.

Data Warehousing > Concepts > Data Modeling – Conceptual, Logical, And Physical Data Models  – 2018 County Financial Decision Support Model Data Sets

Application Examples:

• • County of Los Angeles https://data.lacounty.gov/
  •  IBM Cognos – Miami-Dade County. The first step for Miami-Dade County was to find a technology partner that could help turn its vision of building a smarter county into a reality. “We’ve been an IBM® Cognos® shop since the late 90s …” https://www.ibm.com/case-studies/miami-dade-county
  • Clark County Nevada “IBM Helps Clark County Deliver Social Services – Analytics Helps Improve Citizen Service, Adds Millions in New Revenue
    
  • IBM Cognos – Supported by North Dakotas State Govt.

Example – Current Situation (Status Quo).  Analysis of property assessment trends with data available through the Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF).  Data had to be downloaded one year at a time to manually develop a consolidated spreadsheet.

•  Property Assessments and Taxes 2012-2019  with follow-up support and analysis provided by DLGF.  (Assessments correlate to revenue)
• Article on the topic – Brown County Democrat – April 9, 2019. BCD, Property tax bills are in the mail by Sara Clifford.  A property’s assessed value is one of the figures used to calculate a tax bill. … Overall, the net assessed value of property across all of Brown County — the taxable value after exemptions are subtracted — has grown by $35.5 million since tax year 2017.
• “First-Ever – County Financial Plan (2019-2021). The intent is to update the plan every year after the annual budget has been approved by the State.  (This plan does not include a capital improvement plan).
  • The 2020 County Budget Process — example of “pulling it out of the air” when it comes to making decisions resulting in increased property taxes.
• The County GIS System (https://brownin.wthgis.com/) provides five years of data on assessments and tax trends that can be stratified by type of property (commercial, residential, farm) as well as by areas such as neighborhoods and township.
  • The auditor, treasurer, and assessor provide files to the GIS vendor to update the GIS-based maps.
    • G-UTS is used to manage property
    • LOW Associates LLC software will be used by the end of the year for financial information associated with the assessments and payments.

Support for County Financial Decisions Support – the Concept – (See above graphic)

1. 1. Revenues – Can include “total revenues and expenses” which can be from all sources or just one account or subaccount.
   2. Tax Increases (or transfers) can include income, property, other OR can include revenue from “Transfers.” For example, money from a Rainy Day Fund is transferred to cover a deficit in another account or expense such as health insurance.
   3. Historical and Trend Data  is critical for timely and effective decision making.
   4. An understanding of tax policy another needed knowledge area.
   5. What-if analysis.  If data easily available, projections can be made to anticipate economic impacts, assess the effects of any policy changes (such as on taxes) or any economic development-related strategies.

 History – IU SPEA/MPA Support for Brown Country

• 2017 Student  Report – Covered by the Brown County Democrat with links to the full report. Report: Local taxes, job options need further scrutiny By Sara Clifford/Brown County Democrat
• 2018 Student Report. Brown County Democrat, IU students discuss how data can guide county’s financial decisions By Sara Clifford
  • Student Report: BROWN COUNTY FINANCIAL DECISION & SUPPORT MODEL Forecasting and Database Management
• The Initial Research Questions for the Projects
  1. 2017 Concept County Financial Decision Support Model
  2. 2018 County Financial Decision Support Model Data Sets

Other Projects Indiana – Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA). Community Vitality Indicators (CVI) that could be supported through a data warehouse and analytic support.

• Data indicates that 54 of Indiana’s 92 counties are in absolute population decline. This means that the outward migration exceeds the inward migration by margins significant enough that the net gain between annual births and deaths is insufficient to make up the difference. In some counties the deaths already exceed births. In addition, 24 counties are growing at a rate slower than the country as a whole and are classified as being in relative decline. At best the current growth rate casts them as neutral.
• Healthy communities share certain characteristics and these characteristics provide CVIs that Indiana communities can benchmark to gauge their vibrancy. These characteristics should guide community discussions and plans should be developed to encourage them.
  
• 2016 Assessment – Community Performance Indicators (CPI).  The CPIs are supplemented with data from The Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University. (Note the term “Performance” was replaced with “Vitality” in 2017.
•   Purdue Support – CVIs

Per the County Treasurer:

Mary Smith We take payments on tax sale eligible properties until 4pm the day before the sale. If someone came in the morning of the sale to pay I, of course, would take their payment, but that doesn’t happen very often.

A list of the current eligible parcels will be in the paper next week. Also current lists are available every day on our vendor’s web page. It updates every day.

• G-UTS – (Government Utilities Technology Services)  https://www.g-uts.com/tax-sale-information/#tax2019

BCM Facebook Post that generated the discussion

Discord in the community – better strategies needed?
By Tim J. Clark
Updated – September 14, 2019

The controversy over personal beliefs and professional conduct involving the Farmers Markets in Nashville and Bloomington, Indiana escalated to the point that resulted in regional, state and national attention.  The issues are unlikely to be resolved any time soon by applying current methods that include demonizing the opposition until they admit the error of their ways.   An attacking (suboptimal) approach typically results in making a situation even worse.

Background

The owners of Schooner Creek Farm (SCF) hold personal views and beliefs that are objectionable to other individuals in the community who have petitioned to have SCF removed from the City of Bloomington’s Farmers Market (BFM).   Preceding this petition, a similar effort was successful in removing SCF as a vendor in the privately-run farmers market in Nashville, Indiana.

Sarah Dye, co-owner Schooner Creek Farm, states in an August 28, 2019, online interview that they are considering legal action.

This an interesting story not only from a legal aspect but from a political and cultural perspective as well. The situation provides an opportunity for the community and all key stakeholders to re-assess the effectiveness of their respective approaches and make any needed adjustments.

Summary of Recent  Events

SCF has participated in the BFM for nine years.  The BFM coordinator reinforced the position that Schooner Creek Farm (SCF) has honored the rules of the market and has treated customers with respect.  Several lawyers that teach or have taught at Indiana University (IU) have also reinforced that the market cannot remove a vendor for exercising their first amendment right.  The ACLU has also reinforced that the city would be sued if they removed the vendor or applied workarounds with the intent of circumventing the First Amendment.

Legal Frame of Reference

Steve Sanders – Associate Professor – IU Maurer School of Law, has been among the most active on social media in providing a legal and historical context for this situation. Mr. Sanders provided a follow-up statement to my interpretation of the comments he made on the August 2, 2019, WFIU – Noon Edition – Panel Discussion in which he states:

• I will weigh in to clarify the above description of what I said on Noon Edition. Sarah Dye calls herself an “Identitarian” and has posted on a server used by the Identity Evropa group. (1) So, there is no question she has affiliated herself with white nationalist/supremacist politics and ideology. That is not a crime and, in itself, cannot get her ejected.
• The point I was trying to make on the radio was: So, what is it proper to infer from that?   Those advocating her ejection from the market have strongly implied that such ties are tantamount to endorsing (if not actually planning) violence, extreme forms of Nazism, etc., and have also implied she is somehow complicit in the Carmel synagogue vandalism because she had dinner with the perpetrator. That’s the guilt by association I was talking about. My point was that affiliations and linkages can be ambiguous and that it is irresponsible to use them to imply the worst possible meaning in the absence of proof of exactly what someone believes or seeks to accomplish. I’m a Democrat, but that doesn’t mean I automatically embrace what every leader of the party stands for.
• So, in short, there is good evidence Sarah Dye has done things to affiliate herself with white supremacist groups, but the meaning of that affiliation for her, and the exact nature and contours of her own beliefs and agenda are what remain unknown.“

(1) It’s been reported that Identity Evropa has been re-branded American Identify Movement (AIM). Aim’s website lists the positions and beliefs of the group. This allows their actions to be compared to their rhetoric.  Their position include the following:  “AIM prohibits the advocacy of or participation in supremacy, violence, or illegal activity.”

Sarah Dye in an interview by Fox59  stated the following: “As an Identitarian and an American, I am disgusted at the level of lies, misinformation, falsehoods, and intimidation by those who do not know me or my family,” said Dye.”  Dye defined Identitarian as, “a way of viewing the world that emphasizes the importance of identity.”

Three individuals that teach at IU and two other IU employees that have been involved in the protests, have taken action and expressed comments on social media that would appear to be in violation of IU social media policy if conducted on IU-affiliated social media accounts. Their comments using their personal accounts are likely protected by the First Amendment but may still be subject to civil action.

The shut down of the market had a detrimental economic impact on all the vendors. The mayor’s justification included indications of a “threat.” Has the Bloomington Police Department charged anyone yet for making threats?  Allen for Monroe County removed a Facebook post because of the nature of the threats being posted by the protestors on his Facebook page.

Local Media

The local media with a few exceptions have also been complicit in disseminating “allegations” without context that have contributed to the escalation and perceived fear in the community. The coverage has had detrimental impacts on the reputation and safety of the SCF vendors. What are the professional ethics and legal issues associated with this story?  Laura Land, (Bloomington) Herald-Times addressed this issue in her Commentary: “Don’t forget the First Amendment.”

• The Herald-Times has published multiple articles on the farmers’ market developments. We have done our own research. We have reviewed court documents, emails, videos and recordings that so many claim is proof that the owners of Schooner Creek Farm are white supremacists. Direct evidence, it isn’t there.
• When a news organization publishes a false statement that damages a person’s reputation, that’s libel. I make sure, just about every day, to not libel anyone. Not just because I could be sued, but because it’s important that the information we report be accurate. We cannot and do not print accusations that can’t backed up with tangible stand-up-in-court proof.

 State and National Media Attention

The situation in Bloomington has escalated to the point that it has received attention from the traditional and alternative media within the state and nation. This includes Fox59 tv in Indianapolis as well as coverage by the New York Times, the Nation, American Greatness, and Red Ice tv/3Fourteen radio.

Individual protestors have also perpetuated allegations inferring associations absent of evidence that supports their assumptions. These include the claims that the vendors and just about anyone else that disagrees with the position of the protestors are Nazis of the WWII variety. The actions of these protestors may also be subject to legal repercussions. The “No Space for Hate” group endorses the slogan “ Don’t buy veggies from Nazis.” They recently supported a joint march on a public street with a masked and black-clad group that led to a confrontation with a motorist.

The association of “white” supremacy with world war II era Nazism is also interesting. The Nazis believed that only “certain” whites (Aryans) were racially superior. Hitler considered the Japanese as “the Aryans of the East, called by destiny to rule Asia.” Hitler’s victims were white.

Politically, the issue falls within the left (liberal) vs right (conservative) diatribe. Jonathan Haidt is a leader in the field in identifying strategies that can be used to develop understanding and help narrow the divide between liberal and conservative paradigms. For more information, see the “The moral roots of liberals and conservatives.” (TED Video)

Haidt identifies five foundations (channels) of morality and concludes. “Liberals have a two-channel morality (Harm/Care, Fairness/Reciprocity) and conservatives five.” (Reference – the nine-minute mark of the video).

• Harm/Care
• Fairness/Reciprocity
• Ingroup/Loyalty
• Authority/Respect
• Purity/Sanctity

Indiana University

What may be just as concerning is that with the capabilities and expertise available at IU, the university – with a few exceptions, has been relatively dormant on this situation.

Politically, Bloomington is a “blue” (liberal) city in a “red” (conservative) state. This situation provides an opportunity for faculty and students in many academic disciplines to discover and apply better approaches to help develop a better understanding and resolution of controversial and systemic issues. These disciplines would include history, political science, psychology, religious studies, business, sociology, philosophy, and law to name a few.

For example, the IU Food Institute in conjunction with the IU Center for Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society scheduled a planning session on September 3, 2019 to “discuss issues raised by the recent farmers market controversyin Bloomington and what sort of role we (IUFI, CRRES, IU more generally) might play going forward, including the possibility of planning a larger community event.” The announcement then recommended reading a post titled: Farmers Markets And Whiteness.  This post includes a link to a June 20, 2015 article published in the  New York Times titled: OPINION What Is Whiteness? By Nell Irvin Painter. Extracts from the article:

• We don’t know the history of whiteness, and therefore are ignorant of the many ways it has changed over the years.
• Eliminating the binary definition of whiteness — the toggle between nothingness and awfulness — is essential for a new racial vision that ethical people can share across the color line.

IU Food Institute – Sept Newsletter – Farmers Market  – Feedback from the Sep 3 session

National Challenges – Local Solutions

The U.S. Founding Fathers designed a system of government that could be continually improved in pursuit of “a more perfect union.”  We are a nation of laws that includes a justice system that albeit imperfect,  supports the discovery of truth in pursuit of justice.  An individual can have their day in court where they are considered innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The system allows for a fact (evidence, proof) based debate between opposing parties – prosecutor and defense which presents the information needed for a jury to arrive at a decision.  The judge and appellate courts help ensure compliance with laws.

With social media, emotions can dominate the discussion and the “crowd” assumes the role of judge, jury, prosecutor, and defense. Statements lead to perceptions which become a reality for many.  Perceptions are shaped by many factors to include predispositions that are influenced by factors that include cultural, political, social, emotional, and intellectual.

In the case of SCF and with a few exceptions, the local media has helped shape the debate through the dissemination of “allegations” without context that generates “clicks” and online comments.  Individual posts in response to these articles can add to the polarization and divisiveness. This has contributed to the escalation of the conflict, incited fear and damaged reputations.

The justice system provides the checks and balances on abuse of power by the media.  Even if the media and individuals are found at fault for their actions and pay a financial penalty, significant damage has already been done.

A way-ahead

The SCF issue provides an opportunity for the media, the community, and IU to consider developing better methods and strategies for working through the controversial issues. The ideal is a method and process that produces results where everyone benefits, or at least, are not any worse off in the long-term.  The alternative is more of the same that will likely lead to more escalation, reduced attendance at the market, and a community that has decided to choose conflict over progress.

References and additional information

Part 2:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed?

Part 3:  Discord in the community – better strategies needed?

Blog post including a timeline of key events and links to media coverage:  Wanted: Tolerance, Understanding, Collaboration, Progress

Background Information on the Program – Brown County Leader Network

Application Examples – for Jackson Township

2019_01_03 Strategic Plan – Jackson Township

20191011 Stakeholder Community Jackson Township Trustee

2019_08_15 Assessment – SWOT Jackson Township Trustee’s

Jackson Township Reports:

• Brown County 2018 Certified Budget Order Including Townships
• Jackson Township Disbursements by Vendor 2018
• Annual Report — Jackson Township Assistance Statistical Report period Ending Dec 31, 2018

Guest Opinion to be published in the Brown County Democrat, Wednesday, Aug 25, 2019  GUEST OPINION: Septics and sewers — major changes proposed By Tim Clark

In his August 13, 2019 guest opinion column in the Brown County Democrat, What you can learn at the county’s Septic Summit, Brown County Regional Sewer District (BCRSD) board member Clint Studabaker reinforced the importance of septic system maintenance and raised issues that should be of concern to all Brown County citizens.

I highly recommend attendance at this educational event on September 3, 5-8, p.m. at the Brown County Fairgrounds.  Given that approximately 90% of residences are on septic systems, education should be a recurring event in the county.  I think we all want a healthy and safe environment as well as elected and appointed leaders that can credibly define the scope and extent of a problem before proposing major changes.

Mr. Studabaker references results from a non-statistically-based survey supported by the Brown County Community Foundation that was conducted in 2008. This survey identified concern for the effectiveness of septics and sewers. He mentions that more information was gathered in 2009 and then used in the “Vision 2020 Plan.”  He then uses this information to infer that there is a need and a problem that could present health issues – an association that is misleading.

For instance, the past two BCRSD board presidents stated publicly that research was needed to determine if there is evidence of a documented need e.g., failed septic systems, in the Bean Blossom area.  Another myth has been in regard to the quality of the water in Cordry and Sweetwater Lakes. Water samples required by the State Board of Health have consistently shown minimal E.Coli in the water. An independent assessment of water quality indicates that the lakes rank as the #2 and #3 clearest lakes in the States indicating that the conservancy’s plan for managing septic systems is proving effective.

Note also the vision 2020 “plan” was a private-sector plan supported by the Community Foundation and the Brown County Partnership. The partnership was dissolved due to lack of participation and commitment from elected representatives. The 2020 plan was not a county comprehensive plan. A county comprehensive plan has to meet state requirements, which includes official public meetings, and approval of the plan by the county commissioners. Approval by the county council for any associated project funding is also a requirement.

Of significant importance is that major changes are being made and proposed for wastewater treatment strategies (sewers and septics) in Brown County that will affect almost “all” residents to include those that are buying and selling homes. This may be great news if you are a realtor, developer or in the septic system business. It may not be so welcome if you are at the low to moderate-income level, have a functional septic systems and/or expect the least intrusion from your government.

Mr. Studabaker is at the forefront of the septic and sewer initiatives – he is the primary leader of the BCRSD board that is proposing a wastewater treatment plant for Bean Blossom. He is also a member of the committee that worked on the proposed new septic ordinance. Mr. Studabaker has also written a grant proposal for a Wastewater Infrastructure Strategic Plan for the county which if accepted, can be a useful document if it follows accepted practices for fact-based analysis.

The Bean Blossom sewer project is now projected to be operational in 2021 – much longer than anticipated when the project was first announced at the BCRSD board meeting on June 19, 2018.   The board has spent approximately $170,000 of the $270,000 of “seed money” provided by the county council. The BCRSD has yet to acquire land and the latest strategy has been trying to acquire land deeded to Parks and Recreation. The letter to the Parks and Recreation Board from Ladd Engineering included the requirement to provide information on the Uniform Relocation Act of 1970: When a Public Agency Acquires Your Property. The brochure provides guidance on the government’s power to invoke eminent domain.  Some elected officials have also expressed a desire to withhold funding if Parks and Recreation did not approve a land transfer.

Parks and Recreation rescinded their vote to approve a transfer of land for a wastewater treatment plant. There may also be legal issues associated with a transfer that would also result in additional clear-cutting of the proposed site. Eminent domain is the tool that can be used to acquire “private” land “if ” a project is considered to be an important public good. Nashville used eminent domain to acquire the land for their sewer plant.

I continue to be concerned over the lack of due diligence and transparency on the Bean Blossom sewer project. Due diligence includes defining the scope and extent of the problems before proposing solutions. On the issue of transparency, I had to submit a formal complaint with the State to obtain public records from the BCRSD board. I recently made a follow-up complaint with the public access counselor who is working on the issue which involves a simple request – a review of the list that contains the names of the customers. The BCRSD board also promised a website in June of 2018 that would be used to keep the citizens updated on the ongoing status of the project – a website that is not yet available.

A review of the proposed septic ordinance indicates that it is too similar to the last two attempts and I will recommend that this revision should also be rejected by the public.

Fortunately and due to Mr. Studabaker’s initiative, the State Regionalization Assistance Program has recently approved the application for a $30,000 grant by the Helmsburg and the Brown County RSDs to conduct a regionalization study to identify the best options for the county in regard to wastewater treatment and location of plants. Completion of this study is due by the end of the year.

Mr. Studabaker has an impressive private sector resume. However, when you are using taxpayer dollars to fund projects, expectations and standards of performance are much higher in the public sector. Standards include transparency, comprehensive planning, due diligence, and earning the trust, respect, and confidence of the community.  Major mistakes in the private sector can lead to firings, lawsuits, and bankruptcies. Similar mistakes in the public sector often result in higher taxes, less revenue for projects with a valid need and a citizenry that lacks trust in local government.

I hope you can attend the Septic Summit and will also stay informed on the sewer and septic issues and proposed changes. How these issues are addressed will have significant impacts on our quality of life as well as on the cost of living in Brown County.

Tim J. Clark
Tim J. Clark of Brown County is a quality improvement practitioner, educator and author who specializes in the public sector. He is a senior member of the American Society for Quality has master’s degrees in strategic studies and public administration. He has served on the Brown County Redevelopment Commission and on the Brown County Schools Strategic Planning Committee. He can be reached at tjclark2036@gmail.com.

More Info: Timeline on the project – Regional Sewer Board – Bean Blossom Sewer Project – For the Record