by: Diane Benjamin See previous post: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/31/get-ready-for-hales-to-get-a-lot-bigger-raise-than-us-little-people/ Also obtained under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussions concerning employees of the City can be done in Executive Sessions – yes, secret meetings. By Mayor Renner writing an email to the Council, he let the cat out of the proverbial bag. Maybe Tari is being extraordinarily transparent. […]
Make sure you see this post too: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/31/more-on-hales-getting-a-big-raise/ by: Diane Benjamin The email below was obtained under the Freedom of Information act. It concerns ongoing discussions of David Hales job performance. Mayor Renner seems to think David Hales should be compared to the CEO of a major corporation. If Bloomington was a corporation, it […]
by: Diane Benjamin During the March 2012 primary, a couple hundred Illinois citizens descended on poling locations in Mike Madigan’s district to pole watch. I was one of them. Here’s what happens in the “belly of the beast”. Open and free elections DO NOT happen in Chicago. The poll watching event organizers had many […]
by: Diane Benjamin Global Warming, Global Cooling, Climate change – whatever the current name is, was a hoax from the very beginning. The hoax was to redistribute wealth – YOURS. The computer models never panned at. Scientist can’t find the blob of carbon supposedly collecting in the atmosphere – they expected it over the equator. […]
by: Diane Benjamin Didn’t the City ask residents to conserve water – just a few weeks ago? http://cityblm.org/index.aspx?recordid=435&page=18 The City Manager’s Monthly report for OCTOBER just got posted on December 20th. Can everybody say: “The private sector wouldn’t tolerate waiting this long for information!” From the Water Department : The City experienced above average […]
by: Diane Benjamin Here’s what the Mayor’s version of transparency was during the campaign: Published on Mar 21, 2013 Since the beginning of his campaign, Tari Renner has continually stressed transparency. Tari believes it is ludicrous that you can’t see how your hard earned tax dollars are spent! As mayor Tari would throw open the doors […]
by: Diane Benjamin Sometimes I read Letters to the Editor which don’t come close to resembling reality. Polite political discourse can’t occur when facts are immaterial to the conversation. There is one of these in today’s Pantagraph. The writer probably doesn’t read this site, so if you know Linda Doenitz, give her a heads up. […]
Today the Pantagraph gave “Cheers” to somebody in Oklahoma who discovered so many problems with fraud in a county it led to an investigation by the Attorney General. The piece led up to this quote: “Government employees, the public and the press have an inherent duty to keep an eye on the workings of government […]
by: Diane Benjamin If you read the City of Bloomington website, you would think they are all about transparency. The City has bigger problems a website will never fix. The City culture is non-transparency and non-adherence to laws that get in their way. The numerous complaints filed with the Attorney General’s office are evidence of […]
by: Diane Benjamin Recently I filed a Freedom of Information Act request with the City of Bloomington for all emails From or To every City employee regarding the Modified Ward System. I included Alderman Rob Fazzini’s personal emails in the request. Yes, they are subject to FOIA requests. I included 2 court decisions in the […]
A man wrote…I’m a 54-year-old consulting engineer and make between $60,000 and $125,000 per year, depending on how hard I work and whether or not there are work projects out there for me. My girlfriend is 61 and makes about $18,000 per year, working as a part-time mail clerk. For me, making $60,000 a year, […]
by: Diane Benjamin Another Christmas is over, I hope you had a great one. Mine was a phenomenal 2 days surrounded by family, friends, and an awesome Christmas Eve church service. Time to go back to business though. Mayor Renner and I used to talk occasionally both by phone and email. At times I knew […]
. THE VERY FIRST KING-SIZED BED: To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible”. ~Thomas Aquinas THANK GOD FOR THAT BED AND BABY WHO SLEPT THERE. Merry Christmas! . . . . .
Just read it for yourself: http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2013/12/bloomington-il-mayor-tari-renner-attacking-citizen-comments/ See the Bloomington City Code on Public Comments here: http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=262
by: Diane Benjamin Mayor Transparency Renner’s problems started when the Council held an Executive Session on November 15th. Executive sessions are defined by law and can only be used for very specific purposes. This post from yesterday has the details: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/21/renners-rant/ The Mayor wants people to believe Alderwoman Judy Stearns walked out of a […]
Update at: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/22/mayor-transparency-exposed/ by: Diane Benjamin On November 15th, Alderwoman Judy Stearns walked out of an Executive Session of the Bloomington City Council. Executive Sessions are SECRET meetings governed by laws created by the State of Illinois. These laws are meant to protect citizens by severely restricting what CAN be discussed in these SECRET meetings. […]
by: Diane Benjamin Previously I questioned if Rob Fazzini was trying to hide the truth to get signatures to put the Ward change on the March ballot: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/18/was-rob-fazzini-trying-to-cover-up-the-truth/ He managed to convince WGLT’s Charlie Schlenker of his Six Wards and Three At-large plan. Listen to an interview aired today with Alderwoman Judy Stearns: http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2013/12/07670_12-20stearnsqa_web_085852.shtml Schlenker […]
by: Diane Benjamin The Pantagraph today expanded the story on the Open Meetings Act violation alleged by Alderwoman Judy Stearns. Rachel Wells included comments from Mayor Renner: http://www.pantagraph.com/stearns-requests-review-under-open-meetings-act/pdf_7b457508-6919-11e3-9910-001a4bcf887a.html The letter sent to the Attorney General by Stearns made serious allegations, if they weren’t serious the Attorney General would not have agreed to investigate. Renner called […]
See this update: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/20/mayor-formerly-transparent-renner-sinks-himself/ by: Diane Benjamin Surprise! This time I didn’t file it – Alderwoman Judy Stearns did. About a month ago the Bloomington City Council had a 2 day retreat. As part of the retreat the Council met in executive session. Executive session means in secret, the public isn’t allowed to […]
by: Diane Benjamin Why did the City of Bloomington suddenly issue a water alert? Lake Bloomington and Evergreen Lake are suddenly 8 feet below normal? Aren’t lakes usually lower in the summer? Were the lakes low last summer and a notice wasn’t issued? Nobody is watering lawns, we have a lot of snow and more […]
by Diane Benjamin The Pantagraph story on the repairs at the Coliseum didn’t sound like the situation was serious. Obviously it was since the City paid laborers weekend rates to start fixing the problem. Mayor Renner gave a lot more details on WGLT radio: http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2013/12/07602_coliseum_ventilation_web_155703.shtml “It was really disappointing that a building this new would […]
by: Diane Benjamin’ On November 14th Alderman Rob Fazzini did an interview with WGLT. This interview was early in his process of gathering petitions to put a referendum on the March primary ballot. Here is a link to the interview: http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2013/11/06959_fazzini_qa_web_040842.shtml What the Renner, Fazzini, Fruin and Black team hasn’t been making clear is this: […]
The locals aren’t any different! DC LOBBYISTS CHEER BOEHNER’S WAR ON TEA PARTY Lobbyists are reportedly “pumping their fists” over House Speaker John Boehner’s declaration of war against the Tea Party last week. by TONY LEE According to The Hill, lobbyists were “pleasantly surprised by” Boehner’s “strident remarks” last week in which he said Tea Party groups have […]
FACT: The Quinn administration has targeted state employees and managers inside his administration– Did they “blow-the-whistle” on his no-bid deal? It’s Illinois’ largest project in history outside of road construction.Upgrading the outdated Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) will cost up to $190 million dollars. An intergovernmental agreement with Michigan was used to avoid a […]
by: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council is once again considering what David Hales should be paid as City Manager. Here is some information they should consider: Decatur is bigger than Bloomington – around 81,000 residents. Their City budget is only $130 million as opposed to Bloomington’s which is at least $169 million. They […]
by: Diane Benjamin Petitions were filed today to put a referendum on the March PRIMARY ballot to concentrate the power in Bloomington in the hands a of a few elitist. Fazzini wants the unions and the wealthy to be able to buy seats so any dissent is abolished and average citizens won’t be able to […]
A citizen in Bloomington asked Alderwoman Judy Stearns a question. Here is her response: Dear Celeste, You asked your Daddy if the City would have a Christmas Tree and he asked me. What a great question, Celeste, and I thank you for asking! You are not the first little girl –or adult—to ask, and I want you […]
Progressives know too many people in this country value the 2nd Amendment. These same people know they have a RIGHT to protect themselves. They also know the police can’t protect us from armed intruders and the mentally ill wanting to kill. If you don’t want to defend yourself and would rather cower in a corner […]
by: Diane Benjamin Mayor Transparency Renner seems to be taking the Obama approach to informing the public: hide everything. I’m sure you’ve heard the President is now only allowing staff photographers to take pictures at official events, the pesky press might actually capture something interesting instead of staged mugs. Now Renner wants everything filtered through […]
The Pantagraph printed Rob Fazzini’s letter today KNOWING he didn’t write it. Thanks Pantagraph! I know the Pantagraph is aware of this post. When they print the Rob Fazzini letter, are they going to add Mike Matejka’s name? If you don’t know who Mike Matejka is: http://www.bntrades.org/link.php?id=2 This part was sent to the people getting […]
by: Diane Benjamin In July of 2012, I filed an Open Meetings Act violation against the Bloomington City Council concerning a road trip 4 Council members and Mayor Stockton took to Peoria. The Pantagraph and 2 other citizens filed the same thing I did. The Public Access Office that handles these complaints is overwhelmed with […]
by: Diane Benjamin On the agenda for Monday’s Bloomington City Council meeting: Mayor Renner told me a few months ago that Bloomington taxpayers got stuck with the sewer and streets bill from this subdivision under an agreement negotiated by former City Manager Tom Hamilton. Evidently it amounted to millions and millions of dollars. The developer is […]
by: Diane Benjamin There is another secret meeting of the Bloomington City Council Monday night. Pending litigation is on the agenda again. I wonder if a spin-mister has been hired yet? Wonder how they will spin it? 2 secret meetings – it must be good.
by Diane Benjamin Did you know the Constitution was written in secret? The attendees were charged with NOT discussing any part of the deliberations until the document was complete. Oh, and when they got stuck and couldn’t reach an agreement – they PRAYED. This were men representing different states who had different religions. Back in […]
by Diane Benjamin Last August I received information from the City of Bloomington under the Freedom of Information Act about the BCPA. I wanted to know how much the 1/4% indefinite sales tax generated for them. (http://blnnews.com/2013/08/19/bpca-14-sales-tax-you-pay/) It’s strange the numbers just happen to be even amounts, but they can give a guide to how […]
by: Diane Benjamin Actually it’s no surprise. The Pantagraph wouldn’t exist without City advertising dollars, so of course they are in lock step. Also, the Pantagraph is desperate to unload their downtown building since the paper isn’t printed locally anymore. Wouldn’t it make a cute hotel? Today the Pantagraph printed an editorial praising the City […]
by: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington issued a Press Release stating the Coliseum has an Operating Loss for the first 6 months of the fiscal year of $300,848. The great news is they expected $43,603 more! Remember, the building isn’t paid for. that’s another $2,000,000 a year. Does Mayor Renner or the rubber stamp […]
