By: Diane Benjamin
In the past elected Trustees were just rubber stamps. Since the election, Koos is losing control.
Has Chris Koos ever read Illinois law? Read the last line Mr. Mayor:
At last night’s meeting Koos stated (15:32) the bills listed with the agenda have already been paid. He expects the Trustees to just vote yes. According to the law above, the Council must approve bills BEFORE they are paid! Did Koos miss the “shall approve for payment”? Doesn’t that mean BEFORE they are paid?
Maybe the rest of the Council doesn’t mind being immaterial, I’m sure Stan and Karyn won’t stand for it!
By questioning expenses Stan Nord and Karyn Smith have already found payments the Town didn’t owe. Is that what Koos is afraid of? Don’t citizens expected their elected representatives to actually REPRESENT?
Koos thinks the Council vote is merely an acknowledgment they have seen the payments that have already been made. His comment means he has no understanding of law or the role of Trustees. Have you noticed payroll is NEVER on the agenda for approval? When does the Council approve that spending?
Stan and Karyn were elected to stop this nonsense, Koos doesn’t like it. He is attempting to hide behind Robert’s Rules of Order that he evidently hasn’t read either. The passage below refers to chairman in the generic sense, meaning whoever is running the meeting: http://www.rulesonline.com/rror-10.htm
Maybe Koos thinks actually representing the people fleeced for his folly is “factious”.
After Public Comment, Koos launched his remarks before the Omnibus Budget was presented. Just hit play to hear the tyrant in chief. (14:45) Next fast forward to see Chemberly Cummings in what looks like a pre-planned attack on Stan Nord when he asked a question. 19:50
Nord was once again asking about the ridiculous lease of 1 Uptown Circle. Koos shut him down with the help of Cummings. Karl Sila spoke at Public Comment on the same issue (8:27)
The biggest problem Normal has is not admitting when they screw up. Koos thinks spending can only be discussed once a year at budget time. Reversing course because conditions change is unthinkable.
Nice work, Stan! Keep it up. 1 Uptown Circle is a big thorn in Koos’ side because it’s a visual lesson of the failures of government-led central planning. The empty space is a lesson on full display in plain sight. Koos knows this and can’t merely refer someone to a committee or find another excuse to explain it away. The space sticks out like a sore thumb, and people walk by it, see it, and recognize it for the failure it is every single day.
I surely HOPE for ALL OUR SAKE that Marc and Karyn question Mr Koos at EVERY turn, and make HIM realize, he has had FREE RUN of the cookie jar WAY TOO LONG! Of course, I guess when you’re an expert and world thinker off at a mayors conference in Hawaii, you just DO NOT have time to be a good mayor?? Let alone run a bicycle shop.. Must be tough being Koos…I SURE hope it gets that way..
GREAT JOB NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS!!
I agree that Ms Cummings’ complaint seemed Very rehearsed. I’ve attended probably dozens of meetings over the years and this is the first time I recall anyone citing a point of order from Roberts’ Rules.
Technically she/they are correct, but there is an easy workaround – Stan and Karen simply need to save any significant commentary or discussion until the ‘Concerns’ section of the meeting.
I agree with you that they should be reviewing payroll as well. That was always in our expense review packet when I was on the library board. I think there were a total of 2 payroll questions over 6 years and nothing untoward, but knowing somebody is looking is often all it takes to prevent questionable conduct – If we had had a Stan on the board sooner, Uptown Circle might not have turned in to the fiasco it is today.
Since payroll isn’t included the citizens never see Sick Leave Buy Back spending!
I am laughing so hard at Koos and Renner’s interview in the Pantagraph right now I can barely type this. Stan has these little men absolutely terrified. Koos is a little man, but a giant toddler. Mommmmmy he is doing what I want him to do. Stan is the man.
It didn’t take long for Chris to rally his media supporters for an all-out assault on Nord claiming he tried to poach businesses from Bloomington to fill One Uptown. It is nothing short of an attack article to discredit Nord. I bet discussions among Koos and staff at the Town these days is beyond vile. These people really do act like small town dictators. Of course the article does not allow for Pantagraph subscriber comments. Stan is definitely in Chris’s head.
story tomorrow! Koos always provides great material
i just read the article in the ragograph. one: i assume mr nord has the same first amendment rights that king koos does and two: you would think that part of a council members job would be to promote and encourage businesses into the kingdom of normal. king koos just has a burr up his but because mr nord happens to have more intelligence and more focused on the well being of the citizens than king koos is. i can understand koos’s issue.its difficult to accept that mr.nord has more intelligence and cares more about people instead of power. maybe its time for koos to move on down the road and retire his mayorship. if koos had any sense of decorum he would have said what he said privately, not have it blasted in the ragograph. but alas, king koos is miffed and he wants the whole of normal to know just how petty and obtuse he really is.