By: Diane Benjamin
At last Monday’s Bloomington City Council meeting, David Sage was adamant that an agenda item signed by 6 Council members be on this Monday’s Committee of the Whole agenda. Tari Renner attempted to stall, but it is on the agenda: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15300
Instead of bringing it up Monday, it has played out in the media. See this WGLT story: http://wglt.org/post/mayoral-power-risk-bloomington
6 of the 9 Council members are trying to further neuter Renner’s power.
Alderman Buragas has the funniest line, she hopes the proposal isn’t politically motivated. Renner hand-picked MANY of the current Council members, it isn’t politically motivated.
The Council is tired of wasting their time, lots of staff time, and lots of money on Renner’s agenda items. Alderman Painter mentioned his request for an assistant since he’s so over-worked. I could add the Fazzini garbage to jet fuel proposal and Jeff Giebelhausen’s downtown hotel deals.
Alderman Sage and the 5 other Council members (we don’t know who) want to force Tari to get 4 aldermen to approve of whatever he wants on the agenda, just like aldermen. Tari will oppose being caged. He thinks Bloomington has an “active Mayor” and City Manager form of government. City Manager yes, “active mayor” is something he made up. He will extol all his connections to ex-mayors and others who have never heard of what Sage + 5 are proposing. With 6 Alderman thinking otherwise, his pleas won’t work.
No vote will happen Monday, the discussion should be fun though. There may be tears.
Maybe Tari can give the Council another standing ovation!
If only we had a great outsider candidate running next election cycle. Tonight would provide him/her with some amazing campaign material! Not sure about you, but I’ll be grabbing some popcorn. This should be great! Tari will not be able to control his anger.
The main work of Anarchs at this point in history is to advocate as much as possible the decentralization of power. Moving in this direction enhances individual liberties and rights.
I could care less what Alderman Sage’s motivations are. This would be a good thing.
Maybe the first thing they might put on the consent agenda is the removal of Tari Renner as Chairman of the Bloomington Liquor Commission, and empaneling a proper commission.
how about removing Tari period!
how about removing Tari period!
That would be a dream come true, but we’d have to be careful what replaced him – it could be even worse, maybe…
Tari says he represents the whole city?!!! He doesn’t represent the poor taxpayers living paycheck to paycheck, or poorer! He doesn’t represent the homeless! He’s so clueless!
Tari represents people that believe in using government to do and/or accomplish things they support: BCPA, Arena, Museum, Downtown, Green Top Grocery, etc.
Exactly, I wonder if Tarry knows what “value menu” looks like?
Tari represents himself and his special interests no more no less
Hahahahahahahahaha!!!! I’ll comment when I stop laughing. Hahahahahaha!!!
Now that I have composed myself, let’s get down to business.
#1. WGLT had no representative at the Council retreat where this topic was introduced by Mr. Hales with a multi-page packet prepared by Mr. Jurgens, a lawyer specializing in municipal law. THEREFORE, the piece written by WGLT is an editorial NOT a news article.
#2. In addition to the Ordinance referred to in the meeting packet, refer to the City Ordinances located in the link below, CHAPTER 2: Administration.
Section 14: Powers of Council=legislative
Section 24: Submission to Agenda
Section 39: City Manager
Section 42: Mayor=presides at meetings and special events
http://www.cityblm.org/government/codes-ordinances/city-code
Knowledge is powerful!
#3 Based on the above references, the concept of “active mayor” flows from an individual suffering from megalomania and Type A personality. The “active” component consumes more energy than is available converting the municipality into a “black hole.”
#4 For all the time and money spent over the past 4.5 years of this administration, what is the return on investment? Is the community better off? Structural deficits will continue as long as tax dollars are spent on things other than government function. In one year, the Council voted to spend $2.4M for vacant land downtown for “redevelopment.” Those items were placed on the agenda by the mayor.
#5. The facilitator at the retreat stated multiple times, “You can’t continue what you are doing because it is not working.” Sadly, look at the other agenda items for Monday night’s meeting.
#6. Renner claiming that this recommended change is politically motivated is his continued attempt to dismiss the seriousness of the issue.
I could probably add to this list but I will stop.
Seeing how quickly some streets flooded today they might want to look at drainage/sewers/run off etc, but that’s not very exciting for “active” forward thinking individuals like Tari.
Ronin, the Council recently passed the rate increase for sanitary and storm water sewers. The increase will go into effect May 1, 2018 at the beginning of FY2019. Providing the Council doesn’t “reallocate” the money for entertainment, sewer repair can begin next year.
Ronin, the Council recently passed the rate increase for sanitary and storm water sewers. The increase will go into effect May 1, 2018 at the beginning of FY2019. Providing the Council doesn’t “reallocate” the money for entertainment, sewer repair can begin next year.
Yes I knew they had passed a rate increase, but here rate increase and actual improvements to what the increase was supposed to cover don’t always go hand in hand, maybe they’ll start the storm sewer works in the middle of winter, like the way the street work is still going on – that takes a special kind of stupid IMO – Newsflash- winter is usually not the best time for outside construction type projects in Illinois
Awesome points Skunk! You know your stuff!
Well we all probably know Buragas, Black and likely Mathy didn’t sign it. I’d be surprised if it wasn’t these 3.
You are correct. The request form is in the meeting packet.
It’s kinda funny that someone like Margy even got elected. She hadn’t voted In at least 10 years In only election an suddenly runs for this an beat out at least one VERY schooled an experienced candidate who had done his homework an w armed of things slowly comi g to light economy wise to our fair City
Tick Tock Tick Tock Tick Tock…Diane there is more coming…WGLT always gets the ball rolling. Usually not so late in the week though.
WGLT does not have reliable resources. The recommended change for placing items on the agenda is the Council’s attempt to actually accomplish something positive. Better late than never.
“Alderman Buragas has the funniest line, she hopes the proposal isn’t politically motivated.” Seriously I am LMAO, Dear Amelia, Emilia, or whatever your name is when in politics everything is politically motivated. Wow, a law degree and no sense at all. Hahahahahaha!
I hope for all of our sakes Alderman Buragas is just naïve and not the type of person she presents herself as. Her privilege is apparent at every single Council meeting when individuals make public comment and she is busy working on other stuff. She has started making eye contact with me, but not with others. I have no idea what her life experience is, but I know that she clearly does not understand what representing “her people” means. That said the lead attorney at her firm is the Vice President for the Illinois Bar Association so I’m guessing getting a lawyer in this town or state to represent the citizens of Bloomington is going to be problematic. On another note I have asked all alderman about the legality of her vote in favor of DBA when her firm is located in the Downtown area. She and her employer would benefit financially if the taxpayers were taking care of their property above other areas in town. All I’ve heard is crickets.
Are the secret six finally fed up with being the laughing stock & the lackeys of King Tari?
I really hope,,,that Sage and the other five are doing this for the “right” reasons. I am one that is going to have to see the outcome to believe in a group that has consistently failed, ignored, and disdained We The People