by:  Diane Benjamin

Remember this email?  Remember how the City of Bloomington tried to hide it from a Freedom of Information Act request?  Remember how I filed a complaint with the International City Managers Association since they “claim” to have a code of ethics?  They still haven’t made a determination on my complaint.  Ethics in name only!  Kind of like transparency in government.

Now Normal City Manager Mark Peterson is going after the Illinois Policy Institute.  They have a transparency initiative that examines city websites around Illinois for disclosures on a variety of issues.  Normal’s score went down in the latest audit instead of up.

Here’s a link to the Illinois Policy Institute findings:   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Ak_TSIBSwGn6dDRZR0tmb1ZFdUgybjF3dk5xUW11LUE&usp=drive_web#gid=140

Brian Costin of IPI told me he gave Normal the opportunity to respond to their findings, but they did not.  This is clearly a case of government telling citizens what they want you to know, not everything citizens need to hold them accountable.

Evidently Peterson did an interview with WJBC questioning why the Illinois Policy Institute can judge their disclosures:  http://www.wjbc.com/common/page.php?feed=433&pt=Normal%27s+city+manager+discredits+claims+by+Illinois+Policy+Institute&id=127973&is_corp=0

Mark:  IPI researches good government.  Sunshine is the best disinfectant for government corruption.  If you can’t post the minimum items IPI wants citizens to see, the Town of Normal’s transparency is in question.  What don’t you want the citizens to see Mark?