By: Diane Benjamin
David Sage decided to have an opinion last night, but the media probably missed it. It didn’t happen during the regular meeting – it happened during aldermen comments before adjourning.
What was Sage outraged about? Moving the library! He pulled the minutes of the joint Library/Council meeting in June (that wasn’t live streamed) where the majority of the Council said NOT to move it. He questioned why Tari’s Downtown Task Force is going against the wishes of the majority by even discussing moving it. The video is below, it takes him a few minutes to show the outrage.
Alderman Mathy chirped the idea didn’t come from any Council people – it came from others on the Committee and they were excited about the idea. Jamie, this is where the Council members there (you, Buragus, Bray) should have mentioned the Council said NO to relocating it. Issue dead!
Sage implied this committee is wasting staff time by not following the clear direction the Council already provided. Joni Painter chimed in with equal disgust for relocating the library. Scott Black reiterated he wants a joint library and City Hall. Alderman Buragas claims moving the library is an option in the Master Plan-she wanted it moved at the joint meeting. The majority opinion must not matter to Amelia.
The Downtown Task Force is looking for a “catalyst project”. The Coliseum didn’t work. The BCPA didn’t work. The History Museum Visitor’s Center didn’t work. A library and bus transfer station will? How much money will people who use the library and ride the bus bring to downtown? Maybe the Downtown Tax Force just wants bodies downtown – no money. Of course, that means everybody else needs to pay more taxes. Proof: History Museum. Their goal is to not make money, Bloomington and Normal increased contributions so they don’t have to. That money was stolen from you.
The conversation continued for close to 15 minutes. Remember, the meeting is all but over at this point. No, the Council isn’t one big happy family!
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Princess Amelia is undoubtedly behind the effort to relocate the library downtown and kudos to Ald. Sage for speaking up. Better late than never I suppose. I was under the impression library usage was trending down, not up. Mathy and Friends seem to not understand the role of the City Council. These Committtes don’t drive city cdecision making, they merely make recommendations that can be followed completely, cherry picked from, or ignored entirely. The decision on which direction to go though, is made by the Council after deliberating and voting on the best option. They presented one option, and had not Sage and Painter intervened, they would have not even of mentioned having the library remaining at its present location. They also didn’t even consider the citizen blowback for the city buying that abandoned piece of property for library expansion. I guess they do think money grows on trees. Amateurs!
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Usage is down, that’s why they need a new one! More space, more free or cheap programs, more free movies! Free Free Free – more visitors needed or somebody is going to lose their job.
I DO love the smell of discord in the morning though – hopefully there will start being more petty back biting and little tiffs soon, the more they bicker and fight the less money they can spend – Reptiles are often cannibalistic…