(Food was planned for the now cancelled retreat too!)

Source:  http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2014/10/bloomington-city-council-feeding-their-face-on-your-dime

BLOOMINGTON, IL. (ECWd) –

People wonder why taxes keep rising while their living conditions deteriorate. Here is one of those reasons.

On the agenda for the Monday night’s Special Meeting (Oct 13, 2014), that states it will start at 5:00 p.m., is a comment stating “light dinner at 4:30 p.m.”

Seeing that, I called and thanked them for providing a meal and asked what was on the menu because I would be ready to eat when I arrived, and I was promptly informed that the food was for council members only.

Upon hearing that, I asked if the council discussed public business during this “light dinner” and was told that they do, and if it was executives session discussions they would eat with the doors closed. So I pointed out that the meal was at 4:30, and the agenda says the meeting starts at 5:00, and those discussions over dinner would constitute an illegal meeting. I was then informed that they did not know whether or not public business is discussed over dinner and that I would have to talk to a city councilman to find out.

I believe that: 1) the councilmen are feeding their faces and forcing you to pay for it, and, 2) that it is hard to believe the council would eat together in the same building just 30 minutes prior to a meeting and not discuss public business, and, 3) that this constitutes an illegal meeting UNLESS a proper agenda is posted at least 48 hours prior to this “light dinner”, and, 4) that the receipt of this dinner constitutes an illegal increase in pay during their term of office, and, 5) use of public funds for this purpose is a constitutional violation of Article VIII Section 1 (a) and (b) of the Illinois Constitution.