By: Diane Benjamin
Unpacking last night’s Bloomington City Council meeting will take more than one story!
Let’s start with Tari Renner getting his PCard taken away. Just hit play below to hear his comments.
Tari claimed Finance Director Patti-Lynn Silva runs a great shop, there are no abuses of the PCard policy.
Tari must not remember this story from 2015 after a citizens did an extensive FOIA request for receipts. The PCard policy states receipts must be submitted. The penalty for not having a receipts is losing the PCard or being fired, but that policy must not apply to Tari Renner and David Hales. Many receipts were missing, some the City couldn’t find when the request was made but found them later. Some were never found. The IRS requires the names and purpose of the food. That requirement is also frequently ignored.
Not having receipts is not a “great shop”. Is it that hard to file receipts by month? Folders do exist with labeled tabs! How about January receipts are filed under January? When receipts are “missing”, it’s obvious nobody is checking them – at least for management. Since over 200 employees are walking around with your money in their pocket, I wonder if anybody is checking those receipts?
Tari once again claimed he is totally innocent of any abuse of PCards. Tell that to the Illinois State Police Tari. Maybe you can bully them into believing you. Meanwhile Tari needs to read the Illinois Municipal League document on this topic: https://www.iml.org/cms/files/pages/8706.pdf
That sounds exactly like Tari charging Margot’s ticket except he had Beth Oakley put it on her card instead. I wonder if the State Police is looking at all Tari’s PCard charges and who he ate with. I wonder if they know about the meals bought for his students:
This is the guy “used” to attack Judy Stearns at least twice.
No abuse? It’s more like No Truth!
Tari thinks because he says something it’s a fact. It isn’t Tari.
See the missing receipts story here: https://blnnews.com/2015/01/22/remember-the-post-make-sure-you-are-calm/
Still need you mailing address so I can forward two checks. Keep up the good work. Steve
Sent from my iPad
>
I will email you!
A “business lunch” with Brexton Issacs….who’s a democratic operative. So maybe a campaign strategy lunch…..or a “how do we attack Judy/Diane” lunch….but not a business lunch, and not one the taxpayers are on the hook for.
Well there you have it folks the mayor said who is the Finance Director and city manager do a fine job of overseeing how money is spent.
LMAO I about spit up my orange juice on that one.
Most of “them” seem to believe that if they SAY it, it MUST be an indisputable fact – I find this to be a shared trait among not only the “elite” but their rank and file sheep as well.
Listening to his comments, he has an unbelievable ability to turn any discussion to being about him. “Oh, there were no abuses…but media reports about me…a mayor is never really NOT mayor.” This is narcissism to mentally unstable levels.
Oh he is VERY full of himself and I am being serious here – Has he developed a mild speech impediment, or am I imagining things? His speech seems to be changing. I have noticed it the last 2-3 times i have listened to him talk.
He shows symptoms of Parkinsons. One possible side effect is paranoia. I had a family member with Parkinsons and he insisted his wife was cheating on him. She was most definitely not, but this was a symptom of the disease. This is hard to diagnose, but Tari definitely shows symptoms: his speech, tremors and constant deflection of any personal responsibility, demonizing of other people, it’s all there.
I noticed that too and the way he moves his mouth. I had a co-worker with Parkinsons and he seemed to get agitated very easily. It could have been from medication. I don’t really know.
Renner would make a clown sad. He is the epitome of narcissism. He probably thinks the devil is supposed to bow before him. LOL
Way to go Angie Scott.
I’m getting to public comment!
What was the vote for? To change PCard policy. To take Tari’s away?
No elected officials will have one. Of course, he was the only one.
The vote was to create an ordinance for the process to reimburse elected officials for allowable expenses incurred while acting in an official capacity. Now, unfortunately, individual elected officials are allowed to purchase gifts (no mention as to for whom or a cost limit) AND tax dollars can be used to pay for the expenses of family members traveling with elected officials. City Council or City Manger approval is required but we all know how that will pan out.
Hopefully this WILL be a case where the bully has to give the lunch money back.
But that probably won’t happen as he’ll probably lie to the ISP and tell him he’s the KING of BLONO. So he’s immune to prosecution or has diplomatic immunity.
Too bad it’s NOT the medieval ages and the PEOPLE can do to him what they USED to do to kings.
As for the Pcard. he should have NEVER been given one-that’s the COUNCILS fault.
LMAO, little junior can’t have a pony. Somebody call the whaa’am-bulance!
I’ll bet he acts out and starts taking this out on other people (more than before) But, HOW will any of the business of the city EVER be resolved if Tarry can’t have “business lunches” every day or so?
Why is “business luncheon” an acceptable entry on the purpose line?
It’s not.
I agree with others saying it appears Tari is displaying symptoms of Parkinsonism. Plus, as pressure rises in his world, no doubt, this disease witll show that. Paranoia is obvious with him. Doesn’t he remind you of the last days of Nixon in 1973
I don’t know what is worse, the fact he abused the privilege of using the PCard or his inability to recognize his failings. Renner’s reimbursement for his lunch with Scottie occurred 4 weeks after the lunch occurred and after it was reported.
Well, now that the P-Card is gone it’s time to turn our attention to the Gift Ban Act.
In short, the Mayor should not allow other parties to ‘pick up the tab’ either.
If anyone sees him out at a meal merhaps you might note date, time and location. Then check council records to see if he submitted a receipt for reimbursement of his expense. Otherwise, there could be an appearance of violation of Gift Ban Act.
Here’s the Act:
http://legal.iml.org/cms/files/pages/8306%2Epdf
Hey IRS if you’re watching this site, you need to audit two Bloomington officials expense reports for unreported income! ( watch them do a Lois Lerner)
The freebie lunches, dinners, breakfasts and vacations MUST END!
I think it is time to start looking at Scott Black. Diane, Tari’s language last night was verbatim to language in an e-mail that Scott sent me. It took Scott a few days to reply to said e-mail. I wonder if Tari gave him the language for the response. I’ll forward it to you for analysis and posting if you so desire.
One would hope the ISP would be going through the meal reciepts and looking for meals purchased on a PCard by Renner. Since there are no explanations as to what was discussed and no written statements pertaining to the purpose of each meeting, then one would think the ISP would be interviewing a few of the guests to find out what they talked about and what city business they were involved In and discussed over the meal with the the Mayor. Obviously they should seek to find out why the Finance Dept. kept paying the PCard charges Renner turned in with no receipt. He sat there in his big boy Mayoral high chair and said, with a straight face and in a serious tone, that doesn’t happen! I’ve never done it! Finance would never allow it! What bothers me the most is that he lies so easily.
Another thing nobody has mentioned, from what I’ve seen, but I know other people haves noticed is that when Aaron “0tis” aka as Buddha Jones berated Angela and Diane, the only one giggling like a schoolgirl was Mayor Renner. Immediately after he stopped, the look on some of the Councilmens faces was priceless. I think some on the Council now are starting to think Renner is a liability, which he is.