By: Diane Benjamin
Below is the group who traveled to see Rivian’s operations in Michigan. On the couch are John McIntyre (County Board Chair), RJ Scaringe (Rivian), Kimberly Bray (Bloomington Council), and Barry Reilly (District 87). Standing to the right is Kyle Ham (leaving the EDC at the end of April) and Don Knapp (County employee), I think that’s RC McBride (Normal Council) in the middle. Mike O’Grady (EDC) was also there. Some of the others are union leaders. Does Rivian want a unionized workforce?
The named people traveled there at your expense, even the EDC people since they survive on tax dollars. I know Normal wrote a check to the EDC for $400 labeled Rivian tour Lavonia Mi. https://blnnews.com/2018/04/13/normal-monday-10-minute-meeting/
Barry Reilly claimed at the last school board meeting they had to sign a confidentially agreement. So, they went at your expense but they can’t talk about it.
I wonder if Kimberly Bray was picked to go because she thinks for herself on the Council? She obviously needs to learn how to play the game properly from other bobble-heads.
What public purpose did this trip serve? Since they can’t talk about it, we won’t know!
See the story here, this is all you will get: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rivian-welcomes-business-leaders-from-bloomington-normal-and-mclean-county-illinois-to-tour-its-plymouth-michigan-operations-300632551.html
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Why didn’t Rivian pick up the tab to bring these people up to Michigan? If this is our local leaders paying Rivian due diligence then they’re a little late.
I don’t think Rivian picks up the tab for anything, I do believe somebody else is always “paying the freight” so to speak.
I wonder how the tour went… “And over to your left, you’ll see a bunch of empty promises. Moving forward and to your right, you’ll see a group of people in Patagonia vests gathered around a computer screen looking at an artist rendering of our car, er SUV, ah…would you believe, a pickup truck? I’m just kidding. They’re actually watching YouTube videos of Elon Musk and Tesla vehicles. We dream big around here! Now, we need you to sign this non-disclosure document so that you can’t talk about anything we have, or rather don’t have, here. Please don’t forget to grab a Rivian hat and shirt on your way out. We accept P-cards.”
Do you really think any of those who toured the facility in Michigan would recognize anything related to automobile design. As I remember, a prototype of their automobile was viewed by community leaders (Koos/Peterson) in the Rivian plant in Normal during negotiations for tax subsidies. The car was already to be in production and on the road…short memory…still waiting.
There’s just SO MUCH info on this site for a savy person seeking to oust ANY of these idiots on council or the mayor. A little off the beaten track of campaigning, just reporting the truth of what the incumbents are doing behind the scenes would roast every single one of them. Free consultations are available for conservatives, absolutely no lib-turds need apply.
True. However, I’ve found that those embracing fiscal conservative values don’t want to run because they’ll have to deal with being dragged through the mud, losing business or getting the cold shoulder from local leaders, and having their lives turned upside down. And, if they win, they’re agenda will be blocked by a supermajority of liberal, central planners. The establishment politicians and business leaders have a vice grip on government and the local community and won’t hesitate to attack in public and behind-the-scenes anyone that goes against them. The local media is also controlled by the establishment as well, so it’s tough to take your case to the people. It’s hard to draft reasonable folks to run for office.
For the most part I agree, however I hold my ground that a truthful campaign a bit out the box can take them down and the strategy can be used by multiple challengers.
What about fiscal conservatives who don’t have business ties, are sqeaky clean, well informed, shoot from the hip by calling out bs? Do they have a chance of ousting the incumbents?
This is PROBABLY more people then Rivian has as employees.. I STILL wonder what they will do with ALL those VW’s in the lot?
I think the vw’s are storage income for rivian. Great! tax dollars and they have to sign a confidentiality statement.
Don’t you LOVE “RJ” in his jeans which I guess is supposed to be his little “casual working man” outfit? Rivian is such a total scam I just have to laugh at the clowns who are falling for this nonsense – and what is worse, they aren’t the first town that has been suckered by this little con man. I’m also thinking he chose the name Rivian after the city in the fantasy series of short stories The Witcher, Rivia. Rivian is of course a person who lives in Rivia. It’s also a pity that no one Normal knows how to use the internet, if they did they would have discovered this little gem the same as I did as soon as the plans were announced to give them tax incentives and let them move into the old Mitsubishi plant to do God only knows what.
http://thecapitolist.com/questions-about-shady-car-company-plague-mayfield-in-sd17-race/
Oh I also wonder if they had to change the name not only to try to cover up bad press but because it was already the name of a health system founded in 1897.
all the bobbleheads had to do was go online and see all there is to see about Rivian…NOTHING! just a bunch of people sitting around watching porn online! no wonder they had to keep it quiet! My question is why didnt they do this BEFORE giving away millions in money that is not theirs !
There is nothing more dangerous than a bunch of gullible people who think they are the “smart people” in charge of things – and that is exactly what BloNo has.
No one in that photo knows how to run a successful business.
Why do you think they were picked!!!