By:  Diane Benjamin

The Bloomington City Council doesn’t think they owe citizens anything.  They can have their “secret meetings” (Executive Sessions) and vote to never release the minutes.  Evaluations from Tom Hamilton are still a secret, of course the David Hales evaluations are a secret too.

At the last meeting of the Normal Town Council they voted to release some minutes from Executive Sessions.  I FOIA’d what the released.

From June 19, 2017:   MetroZone and other lawsuits Minutes

Jessica Wood who now works in the State’s Attorney’s office was still working for the Town of Normal a year ago.  She is mentioned.  She is also being considered to replace Jason Chambers as State’s Attorney.

The minutes details what the Town was thinking when Bloomington ended the MetroZone agreement.  There are also details of numerous other lawsuits the Town was involved in too.

July 5, 2017:  Mark Peterson’s evaluation:

July 17, 2017 – 12 days after Peterson got a raise, he announced his retirement and recommenced Pamela Reece replace him.  The Council spent $20,000 on a national search and hired her anyway: 

August 11, 2017 – Normal needed a consultant to decide on a City Manager. Lyle Sumek is frequently paid to help with big decisions.  In September he was paid $5,345.82, just his latest check from Normal taxpayers.   https://blnnews.com/2017/09/04/normal-blatant-illegal-meetings/

 

August 21, 2017 – Council decides to hire GovHR:

See Entire FOIA received:

Diane Benjamin – Public Records – Executive Session Minutes

PDF page 10: Council meets with GovHR on October 2, 2017 to assess needs:

PDF page 11: Council decides to only interview Pamela Reece – January 2, 2018

Mark Peterson recommenced Pamela Reece.  The Council was talked into hiring GovHR and Lyle Sumek anyway.

Pamela Reece was hired after at least $25,345.82 was funneled to “friends of government”.

Council member opinions are not important, that’s why they are paid very little.  They are there to rubber stamp every decision.  A few may dissent occasionally, but never enough to matter.   If this doesn’t prove government exists for government and friends, nothing will convince you.

Now you know why Bloomington hides their minutes.

 

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