By: Diane Benjamin
The dates and locations seem to keep changing. Is Connect trying to keep the public from showing up?
I hear the consultant won’t be there, did they get fired? I’m told Julie Hile will be leading, leading to where the Town of Normal and Connect Transit want the discussion to end up?
Wasn’t the report due by now? Are they having a hard time convincing the members of the Hile/McCurdy vision?
Just asking!
When the fix is in and you don’t care for citizen input, these pesky public meeting requirements just get in the way. Isn’t that right, Julie? The puppet masters behind CT just want to keep the gravy train (or bus) going for their cronies and ideologues. CT is/was never about providing a public service to those truly in need. It’s about more money, bigger budgets, and a misguided ideology that the general public will willingly choose public transit over their own vehicle. Julie’s answer is always bigger government and more taxpayer money, all you need to do is supply the question. The powers that be are frightened of the working poor, handicapped, and elderly that rely on CT speaking up about the failure of CT and how it has deviated from providing a public service to become a massive big government machine led by ideology and void of common sense and compassion. If those in power cared, they’d sell off the big busses, scale down operations, and triple down on their customer service and outreach to those most vulnerable and in need of basic transportation. But, does anyone think that will happen?
Julie and her husband Professor Bob Broad are spawn of proud Eastern Seaboard Elitist or what is often referred to as Country Club Democrats. They feel your pain only to the extent that they don’t have to share their food, shelter or money with you. Their activism is limited to making feel good protest signs and chanting 1960 era slogans. After the public theater they return home to their snob hill residence with their warm fireplace, big yard and sip fine wine while petting their Westminster bred dogs. Wait till daughter enters the fray. You are in for a treat.
CT is another “feel good” organization, whose sole purpose is to run things the way THEY want to. WHY else would busses run down Veterans Parkway, or in the country. PICK UP one of their route maps sometime and seriously LOOK at it. It’s no wonder there’s no riders, and they DO NOT bring the busses to the people who NEED them.
And they STILL stop south of Eastland???? WHY. Maybe for OSF.. Where’s the stop by BroMenn?? And do people who ride the bus REALLY shop in “uptown”.. Don’t think so..
Wonder if Julie Hile “transportation consultant” had anything to do with the 25K Amtrak ticket fiasco for individuals with disabilities. I am sure she did not, but I am sure she wishes it was her gig. I sat in one of her strategic planning meetings in the English Department at Illinois State University -where her husband was a tenured Professor. This woman has absolutely NO scruples. I can’t wait for the Karma Bus to run her over.
why bother with going to meetings anyway? CT is like councils they dont care what you say just sit down,shut up and open your wallets.I know I know. Our voices need to be heard. My mom went to one of these CT meetings and this is just what the audience was told. Sit down,shut up and like it or lump it. Its their way or no way and to hell with what taxpayers think or say.
DJ – I too witnessed the Normal Council completely ignore large segments of our population. Connect does the same thing. It broke my heart to watch fellow citizens who happen to be disabled belittled and ignored when they beg for bus service to some of our less advantaged areas.
This disregard of public input from those who are not connected elites helped motivate me to run for town council. The bar to change the attitude of Normal is low. It only requires 4 individuals to be elected to the town council or mayor and vote and to force the culture change.
Hopefully more people are paying attention and will choose to run in the next election. There will be 3 council seats and the mayor seat up for election shortly. If anyone is interested in running, I would be happy to answer any questions. Call me 308-242-2495.
Typo… my number is 309-242-2495