by: Diane Benjamin
I thought the Modified Ward issue was pretty much dead since all the former supporters are now in hiding. But today Glen Ludwig has a Letter to the Editor supporting Modified Wards. Facts matter Glen, here they are:
The Bloomington Alderman do not do a City plan! Glen laments it’s been 9 years since the 5 year plan was updated. The City doesn’t even do their own plan! If Glen had been paying attention, recently David Hales tried to slip $200,000 by the Council to hire a Chicago firm for planning. Mayor Renner set him straight at the Council meeting: The McLean County Regional Planning Commission does plans for everybody including school districts.
The MCRPC is heavily directed by the State and Federal government with money. MCRPC dangles money in front of the local leaders and they lap it up. Of course there is always a co-pay, but who can resist a million dollar park when it will only cost us $200,000? The only real planning being done is How Much Money Do I Get For It?
If Glen wants planning done by elected officials, we better start electing engineers, architects, and lawyers. A better alternative is not NOT plan extensively and encourage private investments. Somehow when people use their own money, the projects are more successful.
Do I need to say again vote March 18th? Drag your friends and neighbors to the polls. The representative thieves are still trying to sneak it past you.
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Mr. Ludwig’s logic and reason for Ward changes are misplaced. As a consultant, I would expect better wisdom from Ludwig. The fact of the matter is that the role of the City Council has escaped Mr. Ludwig’s understanding. Ironically, that’s understandable – most citizens in this town suffer likewise.
Council’s role is not to plan for the long-tern future, but to assess the current and short-term needs and demands of the community based on the lost practice of majority best interests and the will of the citizens they represent – not the government’s agenda.
Moreover, Ludwig’s statement that planning has suffered and would be better served by an at-large system is without basis – he offers no evidence why or how it has suffered under the current system or why or how it would be better under a new.
And, speaking of planning, the Author is correct. A fact that escapes Ludwig’s observation is that the City essentially engages in no planning itself. As the Author mentions, that activity is sourced out – usually to McLean County Regional Planning, or other outside consultants/planners.
In fact, again, if Ludwig’s observation were 20/20, he would see that Council engages in very little of anything but consensus-voting techniques for practically every public-policy issue that hastily slides across their desk. In the end, Ludwig fails to see the reality of the present and consequently no better represented under the current system than he would be represented under a modified system, nor would any planning practices change.
To correct ANY of the myriad of problems, more than a modified Ward system is necessary!
But here is where the problem is compounded regarding the planning issue –
As the Author states, the MCRPC is essentially a federal agency – that is, the Federal government mandates that Bloomington have a Metropolitan Planning Organization – the MCRPC – and the Federal government funds them. While they are required to have a presence here, their activity is limited.
A review of the federal statutes reveals this agency lawfully only has the authority to create transportation-oriented planning models. Begs the question, then, why and how are they engaging in land use planning for Bloomington, Normal, McLean County, and even rural towns when their Federal mandate only provides authority for transportation-oriented planning? And, why is Bloomington allowing it?
It’s safe to say to Mr. Ludwig that a mere change to a modified Ward system would not change planning, nor anything else for that matter, at least for the better.
What should change is Mr. Ludwig’s observation tactics and his understanding of City Council in real time.
Excellent!
The recent hire of Vasudha Pinnamaraju as the Executive Director of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission begs the question of, is this the most desirable resume we can find for McLean County? Receiving her undergraduate degree in India one can easily assume that she was born and raised in India. Not that that is a bad thing but it is a fact that should be considered. She spent her previous 8 years as a planner in Decatur, IL, of which is not a shining example of prosperity. IMHO this area could have attracted many candidates with more favorable resumes to serve higher expectations of the residents of McLean County. Seriously? A foreigner with a Decatur background? I suspect the appointment of another potted plant.
A closer examination of this recent newcomer to the McLean County area politics and planning environment seriously calls into question the underlying motive for her arrival here, especially when others with a direct connection and a genuine knowledge of this community were present and active.
Pinnamaraju has no real planning experience that can be easily identified or quantified by her previous tenure in Decatur. Her experience seems to focus on social networking programs and community outreach and participation agendas. Simply put, she doesn’t seem quite up the the standards this complex community would require or need. But, then, a closer review of what the Regional Planning Commission’s objective is according to federal mandates may answer a few questions.
If predetermined objectives are already set in place pursuant to federal guidelines then her autonomy is limited and thus, her actions limited. As a result, not much experience is necessary if her only mandate is to follow instructions, i.e. to influence local citizens’ opinion, decision making process and outcome.
For al intents and purposes, it appears that may be the limited role she can and is fulfilling.
In the end, it doesn’t leave much room for the true will and interests of the unsuspecting McLean County citizen.
But, then, was that ever a genuine concern?
I sense xenophobism, but carry on.