By: Diane Benjamin
A reader made a terrific point: Did the Budget Task Force have a line item budget – like the one I’ve been posting? I suspect not since they only spoke of BIG spending items. Maybe they should meet again and prove they weren’t a joke because right now they sure look like it!
Legal starts on page 99: FY 2017 Budget Detail
Outside Legal expense: (most if not all spent outside of Bloomington-Normal)
$700,000 goes to Springfield. The $100,000 is spread between various law firms, some in Chicago and Peoria.
Legal has 5 people on staff – salary including benefits: $451,698.32
Pre-Renner is wasn’t close to this high.
They spend all of this money for legal services and yet to chicken to pull the plug on paying out sick time upon retirement.
The final Bills and Payroll Report from FY2016 shows negative balances for legal.
http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=10166 Pg. 82
Wondering if the budgeted money for legal has been increased for FY2017 to match past spending.
A city this size should have it’s own corporate counsel, period. Hales, Renner, and the rubber stamp 8, are dismal failures in this regard. Although Emilia spoke of this while campaigning she has done nothing to get it done. These expenses are inexcusable and just one more sign of inept management unless of course the intention is to completely bankrupt the city which seems to be the case.
IS there a way to recall the WHOLE basket full of them??
No. It’s called elections, few people bothered last time.
Outrageous I can’t imagine Bloomington not having lawyers that are local that can do the same job people in Chicago Peoria and Springfield do