by: Diane Benjamin
From the Monday, January 13, 2014 Council minutes: http://cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6182
Item 8D. An Ordinance Establishing the Salary for the City Manager.
Motion by Alderman Sage, seconded by Alderman Mwilambwe that the Ordinance be passed.
The Mayor directed the clerk to call the roll which resulted in the following:
Ayes: Aldermen Mwilambwe, Schmidt, McDade, Fazzini, Sage, Fruin and Black.
Nays: Aldermen Stearns and Lower.
Motion carried.
The David Hales’ review was held in Executive Session, so the chances of YOU knowing what was said and by who are about zero. The Council still has not released Tom Hamilton’s evaluations, but they gave him big raises too. Of course, he was blamed for the Bloomington finances after he left. (But you don’t have a right to know what his reviews were!)
Guess who is already being targeted for replacement by the elitists in Bloomington? Correct! Stearns and Lower
Sage, Schmidt, and Fazzini will be up for election next year. (If they opt to run again)
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You may have missed this vote:
Mayor Renner did an excellent job presenting the problems with citizens who serve on boards. Some citizens believed their appointments were for a lifetime. Renner wants new input, that means limiting how long a citizen can serve. All Renner wanted was for citizens to take a year off, and then reapply if they wished.
Item 8E. City Board and Commission Term-Limits.
This was a two-part vote. The first vote limited how long a person could serve as President or Vice-President of a Board or Commission. The second vote limited how long a citizen could be a member of a Board or Commission.
The Council vote on both was identical:
The Mayor directed the clerk to call the roll which resulted in the following:
Ayes: Aldermen Stearns, Mwilambwe, Schmidt, McDade, Lower, Sage, Fruin and Black.
Nays: Alderman Fazzini.
Motion carried.
Of course Alderman Fazzini wouldn’t support term limits. It’s much more difficult to concentrate power when the people on commissions and boards change. I believe Fazzini is one of the guys who thinks every vote should be unanimous. Obviously, it only applies if everybody agrees with him.
Mayor Stockton didn’t do his job with the Boards and Commission. Many people were serving with expired terms when Mayor Renner took over. The problem is fixed for now, but some of these citizens aren’t going to go away on their own when their term expires.
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Alderman Fazzini’s nay certainly did not go under my radar and I think it needs some explanation. I do not see how anyone could possibly be against this. I am encouraged that Council and the mayor are taking some positive steps by approving term limits, however much work remains. For one, these boards and commissions are going to have to start complying with the open meetings act and stop meeting in corner rooms in the library out of sight of the public.
The Council Chambers are available and a camera is also available for them to record their meetings. There’s no excuse for the lack of transparency and open (or in this case closed) government.
Also, some evaluation needs to be done as far as attendance at the meetings. I’m confident there are people on these boards and commission who are not bothering to attend the meetings and need to be taken off. In fact, I know this to be the case.
I know many on this site have been critical of the mayor, but we need to give him credit where credit is due. This is a positive step, and while much work remains, this journey is going to have to start somewhere.
It was tough, but I gave Renner credit for doing the right thing.
1 out of a hundred, yippee! Only problem is, the 1, is a minor thought compared to the other 99. Credit 1, suck at 99!