By: Diane Benjamin
Consent Agenda:
23:40 – Donna Boelen pulled the purchase of the garbage trucks to talk about the Henson Disposal bills. She wanted clarification on why Henson was getting thousands a week from the City. She asked if the contracts will expire soon so they can be renegotiated. City Manager Gleason said internal conversations are taking place.
28:05 – Jenn Carrillo asked about buying vehicles through the State purchasing plan instead of locally. It was also mentioned during public comment. City Manager Gleason said the City will be looking at the most economical way to purchase. Gleason said local dealerships will be given a chance to bid in the future, but municipalities see savings through the State plan since they buy in bulk. The Council will be able to decide in the future whether to pay more for local.
32:15 – The only item of the regular agenda was creating a cannabis task force. Jenn Carrillo attempt to make herself chair. 41:20 – All of McLean County and Dewitt County will only be allowed one new dispensary, Bloomington may not have a location selling cannabis. Current medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to sell for recreational use. One exists now in Normal. (The black market won’t be disappearing anytime soon)
Kimberly Bray, Donna Boelen, and Joni Painter were not in favor of the task force as presented. See Kim at 44:00. Donna Boelen followed. Both thought staff was capable of bringing recommendations to the Council. Painter spoke at 1:11:40. Bray spoke again at 1:14:30 about the division the task force creation is causing on the Council. She wanted to work for consensus with Council members, including looking at why Naperville decided to ban sales. Carrillo countered her after, she is still under the assumption Bloomington is a Democracy.
1:22:30 – Bray mentioned creating a Task Force with no end is a bad idea. She also mentioned Carillo appointing herself chair isn’t appropriate since she has announced she wants to create tourism with cannabis. Bray questioned her impartiality.
1:26:15 – Donna Boelen amended the proposal: 1) strike Carrillo’s name 2) amend the ending point to 90 days Donna has a problem with cannabis business owners being on the task force because they could make recommendations that benefit them. Her amendment passed 6-3. Renner will be making the appointments with Council consent, he will consider her comment when picking business owners. Emig, Crabill, and Carrillo voted against it.
Creation of the task force passed 6-3 with the amendment, Boelen, Bray, and Mwilambwe voted no.
See Carrillo at 1:31:05. She wasn’t happy to be dethroned. See 1:30:15, it looks like she has a stress ball.
Public Comment started at 15:00. Nothing earth shattering happened.
Carrillo thinks that it is “divisiveness” when when someone disagrees with her.
Agreed. I wonder if it ever gets cold on the moral high ground.
Jenn Carrillo: “People see what is happening here.” Yep, Jenn we’ve been watching for a long time and we’re taking names.
Weed has been readily available in this area for the better part of fifty years. The less locations that sell
legally, the more bootleg weed will flourish. Supply and demand, and lost tax dollars. Did not Porky Pritzer saw this weed thing was going to bring money into the coffers. How about: buy a bag of pot and we will deliver to you with a free pizza.
These are the issues that energize Jennifer: illegal immigration, pot, gay rights, protection of the local criminal element. This is why she wanted a council seat. Her campaign had nothing to do with making Bloomington a better place to live and everything to do with turning it into the craphole from which she came.
The left always likes to focus on the petty stuff, trying to make it seem as if those things are important. They focus on issues that are easy to use on the poorly informed – they focus on the “one issue” type voters as well. I have heard it way too often myself “hey he’s gonna legalize pot man, he’s got my vote” or “She’s a supporter of Trans rights she’s got my vote right there” now whether these politically astute individuals actually go and vote is another matter but you get the drift. The left plays on personal type issues, not ones that have an impact on the city/county/state/country as a whole. They will also spend millions on say a “community center” then do absolutely nothing to insure that the “community center” actually provides the sort of things the community needs/wants, like they will push for a splash pad when what is really needed is an indoor basketball court, or they will offer a class for French gourmet cooking when what is really needed is basic cooking skills, or yoga when Self Defense is what is needed etc etc.
Poor Jenn got her friggin wings clipped. I am surprised she didn’t take her ball and go home. Also in the video….further proof why they should not allow councilmen to attend via phone.
ACTIONS speak louder then words Jen, and NOW we see YOU for WHAT you really are! You DO NOT represent your constituents, you’re a power monger, plain and simple! You’re out for JEN!
It’s good to see members of the Council take a stand in a professional manner by providing a check-and-balance to Jenn’s potential conflict of interest/undue influence and overreach of power. Kim and Donna were spot on. While this doesn’t seem like a huge news story, it could provide a glimpse as to how much of Jenn’s antics the Council will tolerate. I like what I’m seeing so far.
Having Jenn Carrillo on a marijuana task force is like Kathleen Lorenz heading up a task force for a soccer complex. They both come to the table with their own agenda.
Comments to the media like the ones made by Carillo are divisive. Honest and open discussions by the Council are not.
https://week.com/news/bloomington-normal-news/2019/09/09/bloomington-council-gives-green-light-for-cannabis-task-force/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_25_News&fbclid=IwAR2Y0T3wA4PKNEmmVK-Jpjw5KhcQWPAlH0wPNLwfg4qmVkimo44D0KeF-JY
If the city of Bloomington control the pot industry it will be in bankruptcy within a year. I mean look at their track record: there is the white elephant/ BCPA and the entire city budget just to name a few.
So,the city of Bloomington wants legal POT in city. Is the city going to be responsible for any deaths that are tied to pot? For instance: you have driver A tooling down vets parkway and driver B toking it up while driving. Driver A gets hit by Driver B who is toking and driving, then Driver A could sue taxpayers for allowing Driver B to get high legally?
Use of cannabis will be legal within the entire State of Illinois as of Jan 1, 2020. The discussion and vote by Council will be to determine if there are dispensaries located within the City limits and where they will be located and how they are taxed.