By: Diane Benjamin
Bloomington City Council last night:
See 12:17.
A 30 year employee of the Illinois State Police spoke at Public Comment, He applied for the Police Chief position. His application was submitted on time and he received a confirmation email saying his application was received. He followed up with Nicole Albertson, head of HR, when he wasn’t contacted for an interview. She admitted his application has been lost and wasn’t submitted to the review committee. He later received a call from Tim Gleason. Gleason admitted HR didn’t properly handle his application and he would be considered if the 8 now being considered don’t work out. One big elephant in the room, David Bryd is black. He didn’t claim racism, but in this age of “everybody is a racist” the atmosphere was thick with innuendo.
Was anyone held accountable for “losing” his application? This is government, not reality.
Most of the rest of public comment concerned either video gaming or the liquor license for the Park Pantry. As reported last night, the neighbors opposed to the liquor license narrowly won the battle. https://blnnews.com/2019/07/22/liquor-license-denied-to-park-pantry/
The ordinance allowing video gaming at establishments who previously had gaming but lost it because their building was destroyed passed unanimously. The Park View Inn will be back in the gaming business.
The discussion on the liquor license for the Park Pantry began at 50:37. Julie Emig started the conversation in support, she was followed by Jenn Carrillo in opposition. Scott Black wanted to give the business owner a chance since he was willing to invest $500,000 on the west side. Jamie Mathy agreed with Emig and Black. Donna Boelen had a problem with the ever changing percent of sales mentioned that would be alcohol. She questioned how alcohol sales support a depressed neighborhood.
No one on the council wasn’t supportive of a businessman wanted to invest in Bloomington. The 5-4 vote came down to what was in best interests of the City of Bloomington. A motion was made to deny the liquor license, below is how the vote was recorded:
Finally, jump to 1:34
Jenn Carrillo wants a task force concerning local implementation of the new cannabis law. More on what that does to employers in the next story.
Jenn also wants a listening session to discuss the State Farm building. She scheduled a meeting on August 2nd from 5:30-7:30 in the Council Chambers. Donna Boelen mentioned the building is private property and short of denying a demolition permit, there isn’t much the City can do. Tari jumped in stating there is lots the City can do.
Evidently that doesn’t apply to all the other vacant downtown buildings that have been decaying for years. No Tari, the citizens don’t want to own them.
GREAT face by Tari there on the above photo. As for Jen and Tari “telling” State Farm” WHAT they can do, that could get interesting. My money is on State Farm..
Old Saying; Mess with the bull, you get the horn..
I think a meeting with SF is a great idea. Maybe Tari can get his good know-it-all friend Diego to attend from the IWU Economics Department. They can distribute research materials loaded with theories and white papers showing how SF is making a huge mistake tearing down the building. Diego also thinks that marijuana distribution centers will be a boom to the local economy. Seriously, this area has much bigger worries than spending hours arguing whether to keep a building that is basically unmarketable intact in a crappy downtown that lost its luster decades ago. BN has become a total laughing stock.
The have some nice roads now!
I’m sure the City already had in mind their candidate of choice before they received (or lost) the first application. They were contacted early and encouraged to apply. This situation is no different than choosing a County Administrator, Health Department Director, City Manager or Fire Chief. It’s the same old song of “Who Do You Know.” Game over.
I’m sure they’re from Decatur!
Bloomington is going to hell in a hand basket. This meeting was ludicrous. The lost application for police chief was not about race but about incompetence.
The meeting was a waste of time. For the mayor to look directly at someone and ask for a second to a motion speaks volumes. To recognize someone for being promoted from 2nd lieutenant to 1st lieutenant in the Illinois National Guard was superfluous. Promotions in the National Guards are strictly political. Kinsinger is a fine example of this long standing policy.
Actually, promotion from 2LT to 1LT is automatic after 2 years’ service. It’s the equivalent of PFC to Specialist. Really not special at all.
State Farm owns the Building. State Farm has billions of dollars. If they want to demolish the building let them
And tje coty should thank them
Will Renner tie himself to the SF building to deny the wrecking ball? Will Jenn and Sonny stage a protest? What about Gregg Koos, the county (laugh) historian? Where’s the outrage Greegg? What’s next the old Commerce Bank and the Monkey Wards building? Historic downtown. Is that like the downtown is history???
This is lunacy! What’s your meeting going to accomplish, Jenn? Does she really think a “listening session” will accomplish anything?! (Or does listening mean everyone needs to listen to her?) State Farm has made their decision and made it publicly known. With State Farm, that virtually assures you that things are already in the bag. For Jenn, this move is a political mistake with no upside. She’ll hold the meeting and the result will be the same, except she’ll look even more ridiculous for having the meeting and most likely acting like a child throughout. Tari, of course, thinks government is the solution. I’d like to hear his plan to stop State Farm from knocking down its own building. Let’s face it folks, State Farm has all the leverage over this arrangement and arguably the community. Would our leaders dare challenge the center (arguably majority) of the local economy, which has proven it will relocate employees and is open to other markets?
The State Farm building demolition is a done deal. Happy that Renner “and friends” will have to watch it’s slow disassembly for a whole year! I’m sure they’ll all be loudly complaining about all the dust. 🙂
The well qualified Illinois State Policeman did not pull the race card and I won’t either. That’s what they do. It’s not racism it’s politics. The job will go to the guy that agrees to tow the line in regards to Bloomington as a sanctuary city.
I think the decision on the liquor store was influenced by citizen input, local politics worked. Since the store closed no one pukes or wizzes in your yard anymore good enough for me. May be a new owner of the building but it’s the same drunks in the neighborhood.
Anyone know if the land has been acquired for the Hamilton Rd project?
Tari wants the SF building so bad that he now has his new second in command Jen holding special meetings on it? SF can and will do what they want to. Dems on the council gave them all that power and now they are using it the King doesnt like it? They have, as the property owner to do what they want to with the building. i am not a big fan of the farm but i’m rooting for them. Farm has more lawyers than King Tari does . King Tari is ready to change the rules to fit his wants and the taxpayers will get screwed all the way around, again!
Two of their lawyers are on the council. Where do they stand?