By: Diane Benjamin When Chemberly Cummings held her poorly attended Daring Diversity Summit the Town of Normal created an entire web page to it, now they are advertising for 2020: http://www.normal.org/daringdiversity The Town had numerous Facebook posts in September for the October 3rd event. The Pantagraph even did an article quoting some council members and […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3477 PDF page 15: https://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/15625/CAFR19-FINAL-DOC $610 for this? The financial statements were released before they received the 2019 certificate, so they re-used the one from 2018: Bloomington paid her $3000 too: https://blnnews.com/2019/11/07/bloomingtons-monday-payments/ Purpose? Redistributing your money: Not much exciting on the agenda, maybe a few tears about property taxes not going up. […]
By: Diane Benjamin The December 2nd joint meeting of the Bloomington and Normal Councils to print money for a sports complex has been cancelled. Evidently they found out that is illegal. Actually Bloomington has little interest in funding a $43 million project guaranteed to lose money and Normal can’t do it alone. Why a meeting […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unlike the BCPA who think event reports aren’t important, VenuWorks posts theirs. This proves the difference between a company that can be fired and City employees who know nobody cares if they do their job. The BCPA hasn’t posted any event reports since the last time I FOID’d them. Thanks for the […]
Remember when the Edgar County Watchdogs spoke to the Council concerning a police officer who suddenly “quit”? He is now working for the County. Since his departure facts were buried, I wonder what he told them? We know there is more to the story. Numerous emails were redacted – too many to comply with the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Our current Illinois Attorney General is starting off worse than Mike Madigan’s daughter. They still have not ruled on the Request for Review submitted by Karyn Smith when she was denied the right to speak on an item not on the agenda. It is getting close to a year since she filed, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Live Stream of the Council meeting had no sound last night. Today a video is posted with no sound until around 12:00. When there is sound it wasn’t recorded from the microphones, people whispering, shuffling papers, and footsteps can be heard in numerous places. At 8:10 a lady spoke during public […]
By: Diane Benjamin When government schedules ‘off” night meetings, most people never know about them until it’s too late to attend. These two you need to know about in advance. The first meeting is December 2nd. This is a joint meeting of the Bloomington and Normal Councils to discuss a sports complex. It will take place […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since the underpass has already cost a fortune in staff time, studies, and drawings, I need to review how all this money was spent and why. It also need to be explained why the construction cost is astronomical. I’m going to be flipping back and forth between the minutes of the June […]
By: Diane Benjamin Glen Ellyn also got a federal grant. While Normal received $13 million, they got $14.4 million. The grant is for reconstructing their Metra station and a pedestrian tunnel: What’s the price tag? $20,000,000 Source: http://www.dailyherald.com/glen-ellyn-to-celebrate-144m-grant-for-metra-station-project What is the price tag for Normal’s underpass (only)? $22,000,000 Glenn Ellyn’s tunnel will have ramps to […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23513 EAC is the employees – this time doing the chili cook off. I like how the expense is charged to Community Relations, the community wasn’t invited. Martin Luther King’s dream is now officially dead. Black Administrators need their own forum, the color of someone’s skin must somehow make them want things […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1049&Inline=True Details on PDF page 11: Great job by City employees, what took so long to recognize them? PDF page 63 – the City needs to budget for extensive restoration of the outside – BCPA. This is just repairs. PDF page 93 – Another cost taxpayers could have avoided if they had voted […]
By: Diane Benjamin The last event report posted by the BCPA was from October 2: https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1784 Are they: hiding losses? afraid to show what happening at this TAXPAYER owned building? on a long vacation? way too busy to do a simple report? coming to work late and leaving early? Taxpayers deserve to know what the […]
By: Diane Benjamin First, I am not even slightly familiar with Heartland Head Start. I am using information I’ve been told and info received by a FOIA request. HHS isn’t subject to FOIA. There is one familiar name on their governing board: https://www.heartlandheadstart.org/en/get-involved/governance/governance-board HHS is supported by federal tax dollars and some local organizations. […]
By: Diane Benjamin I already reported Mike Matejka left facts out of his forum commentary: https://blnnews.com/2019/11/15/mike-matejka-leaves-out-some-facts/ Yesterday he did some community organizing to make sure his followers stay fired up and uninformed. It’s all politics all the time for Mike, facts are immaterial. Matejka didn’t lead this event, but he posted it on his Facebook […]
By: Diane Benjamin At Monday’s Council meeting at was announced they think the formerly $24,000,000 underpass can be built for $22,000,000. This Uptown vanity won’t allow a single car to avoid sitting at a crossing waiting for a train to pass. It won’t stop people from crossing the tracks on foot at other crossings. Compare […]
By: Diane Benjamin Here’s my take on today’s hockey announcement: Hockey can show a profit for VenuWorks if they are smarter than in the past. ISU is only charged $2000 to play at the Coliseum, the ticket sales are dismal so they might not break even. At least they aren’t bleeding for the privilege of […]
The buzz is CVS in downtown Bloomington is closing. Millions later, new roads, and downtown Bloomington continues to decline. What exactly is this person paid to do?
By: Diane Benjamin There are two types of people in government: Those who think their position demands they “make progress” Those who think their job is to create an environment so people can create their own “progress”. One uses your money for their vision, the other allows you to create your own vision. […]
By: Diane Benjamin City Manager Pam Reece claimed they posted audio of Public Comment from the previous meeting. All I see is a deleted video. Lesson from this Council meeting: Cummings wasn’t on video this time during the pledge. Coincidence? If you want to talk for more than 3 minutes during public comment – first […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal held two meetings last night. The first one was a Work Session pertaining to the underpass. Public Comment was first: 7:30 Sonja Reece explained why the underpass is essential. One item she noted was buses from Chicago bringing field trip kids from Chicago need a way to get the kids across […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two council members were absent: Joni Painter and Kimberly Bray Connect Transit’s Judy Buchanan didn’t show up. The presentation was cancelled “due to illness”. Side Note: WGLT reported only 6 members out of 13 attended the illegal Saturday meeting – they discussed items for almost 4 hours anyway: https://www.wglt.org/connect-transit-likely-delay-fare-increase-again-awaits-working-group-report How much of […]
By. Diane Benjamin A new Costco store will be opening in the former Bergners location in the Champaign mall. Was Bloomington even looked at? https://www.news-gazette.com/news/champaign-council-approves-tax-incentive-deal-for-costco/article_5016464f-879d-5eef-a0bd-73c4f09f9969. Where is the Economic Development Council? Where is Bloomington’s Economic Development department? Champaign had to promise tax breaks based on future sales, is an empty store better? Bloomington’s mall has […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1045&Inline=True Dimmitt’s Grove planning will be discussed If you own property there, pay attention. Government planning is inflexible and usually steals property rights. This paragraph is included: Connect Transit must not have room on the empty buses to drop residents off at any of the grocery stores to the east, northeast, or […]
The ornaments are for sale: By: Dine Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3467 Since the video had “technical difficulties” just during public comment at the last meeting, the minutes for approval tonight have a TINY bit of info on each person who spoke – emphasis on TINY: All of the speakers with the exception of Dave Shields were against […]
The people who live in Lexington should make this decision, if outsiders show up they should reveal where they are from.
When there isn’t enough room at a stop for a shelter, you get new concrete and this. They are metal, very cold in the winter and scorching hot in the summer. SW corner of Washington and Clinton:
By: Diane Benjamin After NOT posting the Agenda for today’s meeting 48 hours in advance as required by the Open Meetings Act (LAW!), yesterday Connect moved the meeting and thought people would magically know: https://www.connect-transit.com/about/trustees/cttf_working_group/agendas.asp No surprise, they didn’t have enough people for a quorum, some members of the public went to the wrong […]
By: Diane Benjamin The radical leftists are running rampant again just like they did in the 60’s. They weren’t stopped then until they showed their violent side, expect the rabble-rousing to accelerate in the future. The Decatur City Council voted to not allow a cannabis dispensary. A group called the Decatur Dispensary Project is collecting […]
By: Diane Benjamin You will probably remember Matejka as a former Bloomington Alderman. During his tenure he voted FOR the Coliseum and FOR the never used fire station. If he could get your money to fork over to union members with a government project he was all in. Now he is at it again. It […]
The agenda is now posted for 9:00 Saturday. Anyone surprised laws are immaterial? It will be illegal. No agenda posted 48 hours in advance. Screen shot this morning.
By: Diane Benjamin Last night the Planning Commission approved onsite use of cannabis. That makes cannabis just like a bar! Where are the bars? Downtown! Users will flock downtown to smoke weed inside even though cigarettes have been banned for years. Maybe some snack shops will open to satisfy the munchies of the participants. Jenn […]
By: Diane Benjamin Obviously the mission of the BCPA is not to make money or even attempt to break even! No event reports have been posted since the last time I FOIA’d them. The Carole King show was close to a month ago – still no report. It gets better! This show is FREE, I’m […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Council holds Committee of the Whole meetings to discuss items in public. In Normal they meet during the day for many hours at a time so the public doesn’t attend. The meeting with Lyle Sumek wasn’t even held in the Council Chambers. All of the pics below are from the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Read this story first: https://blnnews.com/2019/11/13/school-indoctrination-on-full-display-last-night/ The comment was made on Twitter, so you won’t see it here. If Bloomington wants to pander to the local socialists and provide warming and cooling centers: They have a NEVER used fire station complete with a kitchen and probably beds. Since it is on the southwest […]
By: Diane Benjamin In Indianapolis their electric buses started losing the charge when the temperature got below 50 degrees! See this story: https://www.theindychannel.com//indygo-electric-buses-having-battery-problems-cant-handle-the-cold Excerpts from TODAY’s story: INDIANAPOLIS — The IndyGo electric buses are already showing signs of trouble as the temperatures plunge. It’s a problem Call 6 Investigates first exposed in March, and now it’s happening. […]
