By: Diane Benjamin
Absent last night: Jenn Carrillo and Jeff Crabill.
Tari Renner claimed he is homeless because pipes broke in his house. I wonder if he will be paying the likely high water bill? I hope he didn’t opt out of the insurance that will cover part of the cost. He was back from Hawaii, Mboka evidently represented him at some other meeting while Renner was absent.
For the most part the entire meeting was about 1 issue – the Liquor License for the Park Pantry. Public Comment consisted of people on both sides, those opposed far outnumbered supporters since one guy had a petitions signed by 100 people.
The City claims to want historic neighborhoods improved and preserved. It’s hard to get more iconic than around Miller Park and the Zoo. The discussion listed many places to buy alcohol within short distances, what part of “we don’t want more” was too difficult to understand?
Joni Painter had the line of the night, but she should have made it a motion. She stated this location is in Jenn Carrillo’s Ward, she wanted to hear from her before making a decision. Of course, Jenn was MIA – Scott Black mentioned an emergency.
Instead of simply delaying the vote until Carrillo was present, the council voted to send it back to the Liquor Commission. Tari will hear more comments from the people who didn’t attend the original hearing because they didn’t know about it. Evidently it was posted in the paper. Does that mean nobody subscribes anymore? The City should obtain circulation numbers from the Pantagraph to see if public notices even get noticed!
Tari will likely approve the license again and send it back to Council, he showed no signs of listening to the people last night. The Council can then waste more time debating it again.
Answer one question Aldermen: Do you want a convenience store selling liquor in your neighborhood?
For 6 months the store would be required to close at 11:00 pm. After that they can ask to stay open later.
Public Comment had one comment representing how I know many of you feel. Gary Lambert spoke about Renner and City support for the sanctuary city/welcoming ordinance. Just hit play to hear his comment: (27:10)
Liquor stores and Dollar Generals… the wave of future for Blono and a big welcome to all illegal immigrants.
The local economy is on the move! We just need a few more check cashing places, Dollar General stores, and liquor stores. Right you are, NEVERSILENT. Is the license applicant or the store the “right fit”? We know the citizens don’t matter to City government nor the private sector marketplace. Well anyway, if Bloomington won’t issue a license, I hear there’s space for rent for $100 a month in Uptown Normal. Just reach out to hotshot real estate broker, Chris Koos.
Soon we will have pot stores too! Gambling is everywhere, booze in everywhere, so we just need to add prostitution to mix now. I am ashamed of what this town is becoming.
They’ll get that license. A line from your recent story on this issue caught my eye was that it required that 50% of the business must be non-liquor related. That is also the same threshold for a video gaming license. I’m sure an application for one of those will be forthcoming in …oh, say six months or so.
Another two-fer from our Princling on the Prairie – Triple Taxin’ Tari!
Lifting the gaming moratorium is on the next agenda.
Something my dad told me decades ago – If you want to measure the economic index of a town, go around and count the number of liquor stores, pawn shops, check cashing places, easy credit rip-off places and discount/thrift stores – the higher the number of these places in comparison to the population of the town, the less well off the area is. I have NOTHING against Dollar General at all, nor Dollar Trees etc I believe they serve to fill fill a very needed place in every town, BUT when they are thriving and other places are failing it is a telling indicator of the economic health of a community.
Exactly. Also, I see/hear of millions of dollars being thrown at building restaurants every month. Like retail, these are non-growth and generally low skill jobs in an already competitive and overly saturated space. Zero local GDP growth comes from new restaurants, liquor stores, or discount retailers. They compete with each other in the local area for a finite amount of disposable income. More of these businesses do not create more disposable income. Of course, Renner (and Koos) don’t understand that. Any new high tech companies starting or growing in Bloomington? Didn’t think so.
Never silent you are so right I have been saying for some time brothels are the next item our illustrious state will legalize.
One Alderman spoke for the residents in Ward 6, just not the Ward 6 Alderman.
It was pretty obvious of several things , When I watched that cluster up counsel meeting . 1.Terry loves collecting city fees . . 2. Jenn is not a counsel representative of my ward 6 . 3.The majority do not want ant liquor type store going back in that spot . 4. I noticed 2 folk on the counsel were interested in any business going in irregardless of any issues from those who live nearby . What a bunch we have ,, such grand representation of the publics interest indeed . SAD . This was cut n dry NO !! these folk need to pull up their panties and start acting like smart adults , not brainless deaf and dumb sheep .
I’m not sure they are acting….they really might be sheep.
Gary is really brave and a really wonderful human being. I’m glad he stands up for us. He would probably be delighted if more people showed up at Council.
He could be sitting on the Council right now if ward 3 had bothered to vote.