By: Diane Benjamin
Sam’s Club payments show up frequently on Bloomington’s Bills and Payroll. I filed a FOIA request for receipts on this one:
This was the first response: Sam’s Club invoice for FOIA 19-04-0403_Redacted
The invoices show purchases of lots of food. By looking up the person who placed the order, I can see some of it was for the Ice Center and the BCPA.
My favorite is EIGHT – 2 lbs Strawberries $55.84 (PDF page 7). These were ordered by Jill Eichholz. Her job title on the compensation report is: RECREATION PROGRAM MANAGER http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21565
On the document were several entries labeled “Corporate Item”. I had to ask for receipts for those.
This is one of them:
600 N East St is the BCPA. There was nothing on the event calendar for February 12, but The Sound of Music was on February 13th. That show lost $7067: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21459
The purchases show a lot of fresh food. Remember when the City Council used to serve a “light supper”? The staff took home the leftovers. Where did the roses end up? Where did the leftover fresh food end up? Is the BCPA providing food to acts? Keep in mind most of the shows lately lose money.
Credit cards provide easy fraud. Who is in charge of preventing it?
BlnNews 
It is not uncommon for show acts to demand food and other items as part of their compensation package. However suspension is warranted for red roses considering just two days prior to Valentines Day.
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But, but, but…. those roses were absolutely necessary for the operation of the city!!! Why don’t you people understand the government’s NEEDS???? To hell with you peons wanting to keep your hard earned money!!!
Signed Taxin Tari and the rest of Bloomington’s government employees!
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I agree with Old Stanky, and this type of nonsense illustrates another reason why the tax payers should not own the Bloomington Center for Performing Arts (BCPA). The BCPA should be sold-off and run in the private sector.
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This order of roses is another in a long line of “It’s no big deal. This is a very minor expense.” rationalization we have come to accept from our so-called leaders. A hundred dollars here, a thousand there…sooner or later we’re talking about real money. Returning to the BCPA, I still cannot fathom how a venue with literally several 100 volunteer workers can never seem to break even more than an occasional one-off show. Then I remember, it’s run by the government…that’s how. Some past commenters suggested that there might be some shady business deals or practices running through the BCPA. Sadly, this would not surprise me.
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You must have a huge shovel to dig up the things that you do. One thing that bothers me is the term “redact”. This pure unadulterated CENSORSHIP. The Truth is beaten with a hammer and cut up with a sickle. Redact used to mean “put it in writing”. Now it is a sugar coated word for censorship. It should not trickle down to the local level in a matter like this one large bouquet of roses. Too many people are hiding the Truth about too many things. Conflict of interest is rampant in the Twin Cities. All of those involved believe that they are above the law. Corruption arrogantly rules and power is their goal.
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I’d like to know who his wife or girlfriend got those flowers. That goes on more than will ever know probably in government. No one’s ever made accountable for ordering them and where they went so it will continue to happiness en. Shut that place down we are tired of losing money
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I’m more worried about $54 for 2 pounds of strawberries. Yesterday at WalMart, 2 pounds of strawberries was $5.
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They bought 8 – 2 pounders. 16 pounds total. Now ask what they did with them. Nobody knows.
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WHY didn’t they support the DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET and BUY the strawberries there? Everyone including TRANSPARENT TARI is ALWAYS hyping (remember the $600K signs?) downtown? Where’s Amelia, Painter, and the REST of the crowd on this? They ALL NEED TO GO!!
And WHERE DID those roses and strawberries go??
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I’m betting they never looked at the charges on the Sam’s Club account. Do they even look at Bills and Payroll?
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Anybody get their hair done after this event? Any spa treatments?
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Feb. 10th Daddy Daughter Dance @ Miller Pavillion my guess.
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Another job government shouldn’t be doing.
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