By:  Diane Benjamin

Transparency has a strange meaning to Bloomington.  They love to tout how transparent they are, but their version of transparency means knowing what they want you to know, not truth.

How transparent was Paradigm?  Weren’t you led to believe Bloomington wasn’t involved until after Rob Fazzini left the Council?  (See previous posts)

How transparent was the Brady grant deal?  It had been in the works since 2009, but nobody knew CCHS could keep the airport property for another 15 years?  Seriously?  I wonder why the City of Bloomington thinks they will still get the $750,000.  Weren’t we led to believe Bill Brady was in charge of where it went?

Then there is the failure to respond to FOIA requests or just redacting information not qualified to be redacted under the law.  Transparency?  Why do I still have a lawsuit pending against the City?  Since they did release some of the redacted emails, they admitted guilt without saying so.  They claimed it was out of the goodness of their hearts – or something to that effect.  Actually those emails didn’t qualify for redaction.

Why do I bring this up again?  Because of David Hales monthly City Manager report.  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=7452

See page 3:

The City of Bloomington City Council and staff firmly believe that citizens have a right to full transparency with respect to public information. It is a continuous goal of the City to
ensure public information is easily accessible to all citizens and interested stakeholders.

If the City REALLY wanted transparency, they could start by releasing the information I now have outstanding under the Freedom of Information Act.

I’m not holding my breath.  Some information they don’t want you to know – especially if the Coliseum or possibly illegal activity is involved.

The City of Bloomington needs to re-brand since “Transparent” doesn’t apply.  Any ideas?

Dark hole?

Hales’s Hapless?

Tari’s Turkeys?

Jurgen’s Jokers?

Liberal Lawbreakers?