By:  Diane Benjamin

After I spoke at Council last week, Mayor Renner made a comment implying that public speakers aren’t necessarily telling the truth.  Since he made that statement directly after I spoke, I inferred he was talking about me.  I went back yesterday to set the record straight.  I’m on the video below at 3:45.

I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that nothing has been said in the media about my lawsuit.  Mayor Renner campaigned on being transparent and he frequently mentions how transparent he is.  I received a 7 page document from the City yesterday, signed by the attorney taxpayers pay $175.00 per hours.  It has nothing new, in fact it just restates everything the City presented to the Judge in November and the Judge ruled against them.  This is nothing more than an attempt to delay the case another month or more.  I can wait, the Bloomington taxpayers need to realize they are footing the bill for the lack of transparency on the City’s part.  Taxpayers are footing the bill for massive legal fees, not to mention your tax dollars are being shipped to law firms in Springfield and Chicago.

Watch all the speakers, there was one before me.  The last one clearly shows the mentality destroying America.  He chided the citizens making public comments and praised the Council for their great work.  He must have missed the 3 new taxes, roads falling apart (after borrowing $10,000,000), businesses closing, and very little economic growth.  He also missed the lack of Coliseum management and oversight.  He missed Renner wanting to buy the ram-shackled (and possibly polluted) Sugar Creek Packing property for $250,000 and the City renting the dilapidated old bus barn property for $62,178.50 a year.  How about the $5000 per month sent to the National Development Council?  Did he miss the $140,000 legal bills approved just last Monday and yesterday?

Maybe if there was a real press in Bloomington he wouldn’t be so eager to praise them.

Jump forward to the Aldermen comments at the end of the meeting – 1:56:35.  Alderman Fruin decided he doesn’t like public comments either.  Luckily Alderwoman Stearns followed with an impassioned defense of the people willing to sacrifice their time to come speak.  Expect Mayor Renner to try revising the public comment policy again.  The media won’t reveal anything bad he or the Council do, why would he allow citizens to?

The monkey exhibit at Miller Park Zoo was approved on the Consent Agenda – the part of the meeting where no discussion takes place unless an Alderman requests it.  I guess it make sense to get our own money back, even if it goes for primates.