Bloomington: Renner and Hales are spending YOUR money again UPDATE

UPDATE:

Mayor Renner just pulled this discussion off the agenda!

Correction:  An addendum  changed the amount to $202,865.  Total spent on studies since November is now over $300,000!

by:  Diane Benjamin

At the January 27th City Council meeting, this will be on the agenda:

Comprehensive Plan Proposed Scope of Work by Houseal Lavigne Associates for Professional Planning and Visioning Services in the Development of the City’s Comprehensive Plan (Recommend that the Proposal with Houseal Lavigne Associates for Professional Planning and Visioning Services be approved, in the amount of $179,165, and the Mayor and City Clerk be authorized to execute the necessary documents.) (15 minutes)

Who is Houseal Lavigne Associates?  From their website:

http://www.hlplanning.com/portals/

WHAT

we do

Houseal Lavigne Associates strengthens communities through creative, dynamic, and viable approaches to planning, design, and development. From revitalizing downtowns to creating context sensitive zoning regulations, Houseal Lavigne Associates provides the expertise necessary to improve the relationship between people and their environment.

Mayor Renner is going to rebuild downtown Bloomington whether you want it done or not.  Remember he said the Council had to pass the downtown plan so developers would invest money?  Right after, the Council approved a lighting study($74,670), and hotel study($30,000), and now he wants to “Vision”($179,165).  Each one of these studies takes more and more or your money.

What does the City have employees for?  Everything the City does needs a “study”?  When a new Mayor is elected that doesn’t like this “Comprehensive Plan” is the City going to need another one?
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Last November the Council had a 2 day retreat.  You probably didn’t know the City hired a facilitator to teach the Council how to get along or maybe how to all be potted plants.  No word on how much Lynn Montei, Lynn Montei Associates, cost taxpayers.
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Instead of studies and facilitators, Bloomington needs a discussion on what the role of government is.  Renner and Hales have a vision that I doubt the Bloomington taxpayers will want to pay for.  They have spent over $283,000 since November on nothing but consultants.  Imagine how much actual construction will be!
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Government isn’t capable of “planning” and “visioning” because they aren’t playing with their own money.  Elected officials just leave office and act like they had nothing to do with burying the citizens in debt.  The Coliseum was “Visioned” too.  How are the repairs to the 7-year-old parking garage coming?
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Had enough yet?

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8 thoughts on “Bloomington: Renner and Hales are spending YOUR money again UPDATE

  1. The city has plenty of intelligent, competent employees. I don’t understand the need for all of these studies. It’s just sickening to see my money being wasted on this stuff.

  2. The professor of political science our dear mayor is not a professor of economics. Neither is the city manager Mr. Hales, no degree in economics here. However his personal economy we hear does quite well. Cleaned up the Hamilton mess and is thus awarded with 3 additional assistants and a spin master. We’ve got a librarian, a speech communications professor that works at the farm (maybe a transfer to Dallas?) Another what does he do at the farm, a retired farmer that sells real estate, and an ISU employee. A recent IWU grad with further political aspirations and thus is the rubber stamp seven with their mastered puppet masters at helm. Guided by a staff that recommends no bid contracts and cannot be counted on for much of anything unless a study is done. Yes before we know it, we will be MORE broke than Normal. That is going to be your legacy Mr. Renner. Transparency my astrolobe!

  3. They already have their plan.and the visioning process is designed to manipulate a small group of hand picked citizens to give the illusion that the citizens of Bloomington chose the plan. If you really want the citizens to choose why not put it on a referendum?

  4. Mayor Renner, accused Diane Benjamin of being crazy !! The finger should be pointed to himself,!! YES CRAZY!! Throwing good money after bad,in revitalizing downtown Bloomington, STOP all the studies , fix the streets and drought situation, !! Smarten-up Renner, stop wasting our tax dollars !!

  5. Well, Well, Todd Greenburg got caught at what he does best, as a Springfield Att.,deceiving the Officials of Sprinfield, who long will it take for the city of Bloomington to get their fill of Tari Renner, and David Hale, and ask to resign ?

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