By: Diane Benjamin
Is Normal pretending to listen to citizens?
January 16th – Budget Review Work Session at 9:00.
The Citizen Summit was held on December 5th. The Council held a Work Session the next day. Lyle Sumek was hired to facilitate both. He has had plenty of time to compile a priorities list based on both meetings.
Monday night Pam Reece said the “book” isn’t done. Remember the Town motto: Plan our Work, then Work our Plan.
What is the Plan? Underpass, Uptown 2.0, Trail East, Trail North, New Library, New Police Station, debt, subsidies, new, new, new.
When the nicest buildings in town are created by government there is a problem.
We know “staff” runs the Town, not the Council. Most of the elected bobbleheads still don’t realize they are merely shiny objects placed on Council to do what they are told. Last April’s election obliterated the “plan”. The “plan” just needs a final stake in it’s heart. In a little over a year that will happen.
Government produces nothing, they use YOUR money for the finest.
How can the Council hold a Budget Review without Lyle Sumek’s report?
Why is the meeting called a Budget Review Work Session instead of a just a Budget Work Session? Is that because “staff” already has the budget done?
Will the Council ignore the priorities citizens told them at Summit? Think back to the outrage expressed by Chris Koos and Pam Reece against Stan Nord for having the audacity to invite the public.
The Town wanted the Citizens Summit to be invited stakeholders only. Stan Nord thought outsiders should be heard instead of the “chosen”.
Lyle Sumek’s report MUST appear long before January 16th or it will prove Normal is ruled, not governed. It will remain hidden if the opinions of citizens are immaterial.
Keep in mind the Council voted on a multi-year Community Investment Plan on December 16, 2019. Stan Nord voted NO because discussion of priorities was not allowed. This note is included in the minutes:
PDF page 5: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3521
See the Plan – PDF page 57 https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3494
This Plan was done by staff without regard to citizen priorities.
The top items are listed as critical, right below critical is “important:.
Listed as IMPORTANT is:
- Uptown 2.0 Master Plan
- Multi-Sport outdoor complex
Note: This spending plan was brought to the Council for a vote AFTER the Citizens Summit and AFTER the priorities meeting with Lyle Sumek. The “plan” was passed anyway without much discussion.
This Council is NOT bound by the votes of previous Councils. Does the Town think it is?
January 16th we will find out if Normal will continue to govern against the will of the people they force to pay the bills. Stay tuned.
WHY doesn’t Koos realize that his council of puppets has been exposed? Everyone in town knows that he is basically just lining up under the dictatorship of Pritzger up in Chicago – hundreds of CROOKS up north, now they are down here in Normal!! It’s obvious that Koos is pulling the strings to jack up taxes, give out free handouts, and bleed Normal taxpayers dry – a method all to familiar to DEMS up north. All of his obedient servants on the council just nodding their heads make it clear to the PEOPLE that they are nothing more than “yes men” for Koos. We need more Nords on the council – they can make a DIFFERENCE because they can’t be BOUGHT!!! Members like Nord will bring businesses to town without even THINKING about offering tax incentives like Portillo’s got – I bet HUNDREDS of employees at smaller restaurants were and will be laid off because Koos wanted to cheat and give Portillo’s an unfair advantage by not making them pay ANY taxes. I wonder how many THOUSANDS of people will end up losing their jobs when Uptown 2.0 is rolled out and taxes are hiked again – small businesses can’t compete when Koos is giving out socialist tax breaks to big business!!!
The deal wasn’t with Portillo, it was with the guy who tore down the hotel and built 1 Uptown Circle
WOW! So the city gave up MILLIONS in sales tax and then Koos turns down other businesses in favor of a glorified hot dog stand? No wonder small restaurants are shutting doors. Koos is GIVING AWAY millions of taxpayer money because it’s easy to spend money that isn’t yours. Shouldn’t he be doing what’s best for local businesses and residents, not giving away money?
The cost was supposed to be paid with food and beverage taxes. Normal wrote him a check instead.
One correction. The nicest buildings in town are RENTED by government.
Through the Summit and other experiences, I wonder if Lyle has pieced together how things work in Normal and that Koos and Council are not as they portray themselves to be. The dating profile says one thing, then you meet them. Haha! Lyle’s words toward the beginning of this engagement aligned with Koos about people not getting along and political campaigning on the Council. If Lyle is smart he’s deciphered that what Koos actually means is that people aren’t allowed to questions or disagree with him. The Citizens Summit backfired on Koos. I still can’t believe he held it. This time his charades were in full view of the public who saw right through it. Maybe they’re pushing back on Lyle’s initial report. Hmm…