By:  Diane Benjamin

Would anybody be surprised if there was?  We do live in Illinois after all!

WGLT did a story yesterday about Stan Nord’s property on W. College.  First you need to know this:

Below are payments to WGLT from Normal taxpayers while one of WGLT’s employees was a trustee:  (RC McBride)

Why did “advertising” suddenly explode?  Is WGLT the mayor’s personal propaganda arm?

See the WGLT story here:  https://www.wglt.org/#stream/0

The W. College property was already developed when Stan bought it.  It was already connected to the sewer system when Stan bought it.  It was Normal’s fault for not charging previous owners.  Stan paid the bill anyway.  Now Normal wants Stan to jump through hoops and pay more fees because he spread gravel on his own property.

How much might the Town want from Stan?  See this link:  https://nrml-trk.aspgov.com/eTRAKiT/login.aspx?lt=either&rd=~/ShoppingCart.aspx

It is impossible to see the fees without creating an account!  What are the chances that some business considering locating in Normal is going to do that?  Can anything more clearly say:  We hate business?

Normal expects businesses to kneel before them – unless they are preferred.  The Town of Normal chased away a company that wanted to locate in Uptown because they weren’t the right fit for 1 Uptown Circle.  Maybe WGLT can investigate that one.  That company located in Peoria instead where businesses aren’t harassed for existing.

Now think CIRBN.

From 4/27/16 through 12/11/19 the Normal taxpayers paid CIRBN $384,423.63.   None of the projects were bid.  The monthly fees weren’t bid.  Normal taxpayers paid CIRBN to run fiber where Koos and company wanted it run – like out to Destihl.  CIRBN is a competitor of all the other fiber providers in Town, yet Normal forced YOU to fund their folly – against Town policy.   Follow along!

See the payments here – especially look at the highlighted items:  CIRBN payments

The list is too long to post as a picture!

CIRBN must be tired of getting attacked for who is on their Board of Directors, they removed it from their website.  We do know Mark Peterson was when he was City Manager and Pam Reece took his place.  (Don’t forget Rob Fazzini)

The three CIRBN employees are considered Town employees so they get benefits and a pension.  Chris Koos claims they are a Utility and that makes everything fine.

What is the Town’s purchasing policy?

Purchasing from employees is illegal.  Purchasing when an employee is on the Board is illegal.  It’s called CONFLICT of INTEREST!  

Corruption?

https://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/12829/2017-Purchasing-Policy-Manual-x?bidId=

The Normal “friends and family plan” means no bids are taken from CIRBN competitors.  The Normal taxpayers are being fleeced for hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Maybe Koos can explain why you were forced to pay to run fiber to businesses the Town of Normal wanted CIRBN to service.  I bet he can’t.

It gets worse, the contract the Town has with CIRBN automatically renews every year without a Council vote.

Tell us how paying CIRBN isn’t corruption Chris Koos!

Tell us what the Public Benefit is because CIRBN exists?

Meanwhile, Stan Nord spread gravel for a new company in Town that will bring dollars into the community.  The Town of Normal wants to punish him for it.

This company has a Market Cap of  $1,756,945,526.  It is a huge company that will produce property and sales taxes.  They don’t want any incentives from taxpayers.  They will produce good paying jobs.  See the stock and summary data here:  https://old.nasdaq.com/symbol/mini

Normal would rather torture Stan for spreading gravel than welcome this company.

Normal can’t afford to chase away businesses like Chris Koos and Pam Reece have.  Is it because Stan Nord brought them to town?  If yes, both need to resign.  Maybe WGLT will cover the press conference.

Evidently the “Welcoming City” ordinance doesn’t include business.