By: Diane Benjamin
More than one story will be needed to cover the meetings. First some unusual items:
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- Karen Schmidt motioned at the beginning of the meeting to take hiring the development manager for the BCPA off the agenda and move it to a Committee of the Whole meeting or Work Session.
- Alderman Bray pulled approving the minutes from the last meeting because the contentious discussion during alderman comments wasn’t properly recorded. She was absolutely right! That motion is at 41:50. Many of you watched the exchange, see what the clerk put in the minutes on PDF page 29: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15932
- Alderman Bray also pulled approval of spending $155,753.80 on golf carts for Prairie Vista. After some discussion the purchase was approved unanimously. Also approved was $73,400 to create a barrier at this course.
Golf is in an Enterprise Fund which means it is supposed to be self funding. The documentation says the carts were budgeted, it doesn’t appear the funds came from the Enterprise Fund. The barrier is being funded from the Enterprise Fund. As of May 1, 2017 this fund had a balance of $770,500. The documentation doesn’t say what the balance is now.
Public comment is below. At 25:20 Leon Kaeb mentions Wikipedia and what it says under Tari Renner. This is the entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tari_Renner
Ms. Ehrlich was not an official member of the Sister City delegation. Reimbursement is no different from a bank robber bringing back the money and thinking he won’t be prosecuted. Yes the complaint was by a “single person”. Evidently I’m the only one who can read the Bills and Payroll. It appears “somebody” thinks he can re-write history.
Other can’t miss comments about the Council:
Judy Stearns 16:15
Scott Stimeling 19:20
Sue Feldkamp 31:18
Gary Lambert 38.48
Donna Boelen 13:00 on the budget
Many other people wanted to speak but were not allowed because of time limits. No one on the Council motioned to extend the time.
Several other topics are mixed in. Two people spoke against the Circle K on Hershey at GE road. It got sent back to the Planning Commission. People wanting to comment should speak there.
Hit play for the beginning of Public Comment. Speakers should understand their comments are as much for the citizens of Bloomington as they are for the Council. Even if the Council isn’t paying attention, many citizens are!
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Great reporting!
Excellent Diane! As always. And absolutely so important to note that even if Council isn’t listening Citizens are!
I believe the golf carts would be funded through the Capital budget. Regardless, just because something is budgeted doesn’t mean the money needs to be spent.