By: Diane Benjamin https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3554 Monday night: Normal is paying the retro salary from last year’s budget: The population of Normal in 2019 was 54,742, a lot of the population are ISU students. Even with ISU, Normal is a small town. Bloomington’s City Manager earns $185,000 to run a larger city: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18082 Pam Reece’s contract expires […]
By: Diane Benjamin I FOIA’d Bloomington for information on all new hires in the last three months. These are the full time employees hired: The reason I submitted the FOIA was because of a tip. Some of these people replace employees who retired, I don’t know how many. We already knew about the two hires […]
By: Diane Benjamin Democrat socialists are just regular socialists. They want to shut down speech they don’t agree with. The local clowns are no different. Socialism is about government control and taking away your rights. Of course it won’t apply to “their” rights. Please nominate Bernie Sanders so Trump can crush him. Note how the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Illinois taxed you more last year and Dan Brady helped the Democrats do it: https://blnnews.com/2020/01/09/fake-republican-dan-brady/ Meanwhile the fiscal condition of Illinois continues to decline: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois-fiscal-condition-worsens-despite-higher-revenues-interim-annaul-report Illinois doesn’t have a revenue problem they have a spending and corruption problem! The only fix is to elect different people for Springfield. Illinois Family Action PAC […]
By: Diane Benjamin Need proof Normal’s spending is to provide union jobs? Keep reading. When the private sector isn’t providing jobs, government is the only alternative. Mike Matejka is the Governmental Affairs Director, Great Plains Laborers District Council representing LiUNA locals in central Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Why is Mike Matejka arranging official […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal and ISU get along so well because both believe in ruling instead of governing. Neither thinks you have the right to know what they are up to. I asked ISU for emails just in the last 8 months concerning the leased space for ISU Galleries and the Town of Normal. If […]
By: Diane Benjamin Chris Koos posted this on Facebook: Other than bad grammer, this statement proves he is clueless. He has not been paying attention to citizens because he doesn’t want to! Facts Chris: 1 Uptown Circle is a failure because of the ridiculous lease your previous Council approved to get the building built 1 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Private Sector is always better than government run because private uses THEIR money. Plans are better, spending is better, results are ALWAYS better. Last August I wrote about a private soccer complex being developed – S.K. Nord Fields: https://blnnews.com/2019/08/07/why-is-the-sports-complex-back/ Millennium FC has now partnered with the Bloomington Warriors Lacrosse team. Millennium […]
By: Diane Benjamin Earlier this month I wrote about the software Normal is attempting to implement and the problems they have encountered. They paid for 2 years of use before it ever went live. See this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/05/normals-latest-debacle/ Since Normal refused to provide emails, I FOIA’d Champaign, they use the same software. I wanted the […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the budget session documentation in this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/01/28/normal-expect-property-tax-increases-to-continue/ PDF page 100 – Administration Accomplishments: (Is the new Director of Innovation and Technology the reason video of meetings has failed THREE times. The video of this budget session still has no sound for half of it. What are they hiding?) Here’s why […]
By: Diane Benjamin Title to a story in a newsletter to all City Managers who are members of ICMA – both Bloomington and Normal are: Santa Barbara Moves to Partner With County for Emergency Dispatch Services https://www.noozhawk.com/article/santa_barbara_moves_to_partner_with_county_for_emergency_dispatch_services Quote: Santa Barbara hopes to save up to two minutes in response time by combining emergency dispatch services […]
By: Diane Benjamin Nothing spectacular last night, lots of praise for downtown though. The actual meeting took less than 10 minutes, everything else was fluff. Get ready for a new O’Neil pool and fire station. It sounds like both will be in the budget
By: Diane Benjamin The name change happened at the July 1, 2019 Normal Town Council meeting: https://blnnews.com/2019/07/02/why-stan-and-karyn-voted-no/ Stan was not only worried about the cost to IDOT of changing the signs, but the ripple effect across many platforms – including GPS. All of the homes and businesses had their addresses changed which meant they had […]
By: Diane Benjamin The massive list of Normal’s spending for the last 3 years is a treasure trove of information. It’s pretty easy to search for questionable spending like the ones below. I search for all expenses marked sponsor, comment with what you think. I’m sure Normal thinks this is petty cash. I call it […]
By: Diane Benjamin The below proves yet again why you should vote NO to the Democrats Constitutional Amendment for a progressive income tax. Pensions Pensions Pensions! Below are the top 31 pensions being collected in Illinois. Keep in mind, these people aren’t working for a dime they are currently receive. An organization called Taxpayers United […]
By: Diane Benjamin Mayor Koos appeared on his favorite radio station last week. He again mentioned spaces in Uptown that aren’t good for retail because parking in front of the door doesn’t exist. Why did Normal build 3 parking garages and take away on street parking then Mayor? Read the story and listen to the interview […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1057&Inline=True Bloomington’s future has revolved around restaurants and alcohol for quite awhile. The City loves the food and beverage taxes, a lot of people here like eating and drinking out. It’s a win-win except for the people locked in low wage jobs because few better exist. True to history, these items are on […]
By: Diane Benjamin When I talked to Randy Stein and Tim Irvin they provided more information I haven’t written yet. See this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/01/30/sewage-talk/ Randy told me at some point, nobody knows when, the IEPA is going to require updates to the plant on West Oakland. He has no idea what the exact cost will […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the entire Budget Session document in this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/01/28/normal-expect-property-tax-increases-to-continue/ PDF page 98 lists the Town accomplishments for the year. Not a one of them references saving taxpayers money! How impressed are you? On the same page is the plans for the future – spend – tax – spend and implement a […]
Overheard while flying around: Chris Koos does not want to be mayor after next year. He is trying to recruit Adam Nielsen instead. Kevin McCarthy got thrown overboard. Previous flights revealed rumors of McCarthy wanting to replacing Koos. Stay tuned! On previous flight previous flights
It is ridiculous to vote 6 weeks before an election. Some races are contested and debates have not even taken place. Do you even know every office that will be on your ballot? Early voting is a scam to steal your vote by making sure you are informed. Just wait, the ballot box will still […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23816 Celebrate! More pension spoking: Just a reminder of how much you pay for empty buses every month: Save these for when the reports gets posted, it will be a long time: Amelia Buragas isn’t on the Council – why is she getting a free trip from taxpayers? See PDF page 88 […]
I have so many comics you get Thursday and Saturday! Enjoy.
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Human Rights Authority investigated complaints filed against Connect Transit. See the charges and conclusions here: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gac/HRA/HRAReports/Connect%20Transit%20PUBLIC%20FINAL%20report.pdf The first complaint was: Lack of ADA accessible bus stops for riders with a disability The Human Rights Authority found this charge violated The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (28 CFR 35) and […]
By: Diane Benjamin DON’T miss the Update to this story: https://blnnews.com/2020/02/04/normal-foia-fail/ At last Monday’s Council meeting Pam Reece stated the bonds owed for construction of the parking garage that houses the ISU Art Gallery does not require a fiduciary duty to lease the space for a profit. Did anyone but me wonder about Normal’s fiduciary […]
By: Diane Benjamin For this story I have some facts and some information from inside Normal. The Town refuses to give me emails – they claim there are over 10,000. Even when I gave them specific words like “problems” they couldn’t narrow my request. The bills incurred tell much of the story – those I […]
By: Diane Benjamin The January 21, 2020 meeting was pretty weird. Activists made a presentation asking the Town of Normal to develop an emergency plan because of climate change. At last Monday’s Council meeting Doug was the only public speaker, his topic was this group and getting qquestions answered about them. See this story for […]
By: Diane Benjamin Think back folks. Nikita Richards accused Kathy Michael of voter suppression because the kids at ISU had to stand in lines. Prediction: The kids will show up to vote in November right before the polls close and Nikita will complain again about voter suppression at ISU. BUT, Nikita hasn’t said a word […]
Normal claims they have a right to redact the names of FOIA Requesters: Normal did not include PAC documents and only binding opinions are published. Since a PAC Binding resolution Year and Number wasn’t cited, that claim is illegitimate. The court case cited is from 2004. https://caselaw.findlaw.com/il-court-of-appeals/1165157.html The case was in Chicago and covers different […]
By: Diane Benjamin The only Public Comment last night was from Doug Fansler. See 6:20. He wondered who invited the climate activist to speak at the last meeting. He had emailed the Council and City Manager but was not satisfied with the scant answers. Doug agreed we need a warming and a cooling plan but […]
By: Diane Benjamin Let’s play a game. Get a sheet of paper, draw a line down the middle. Label the left side “Great things done by government“, label the right side “Things government did and stuck me with the bill“. Go – start making your lists. Just the local issues will produce a long list […]
By: Diane Benjamin People like to send me items from Facebook they think I need to see. I appreciate it! Some of these things I think you need to see too. Therefore I will post items for those of you not on Facebook. Even if you are on Facebook you might have missed these. Some […]
By: Diane Benjamin On January 14, 2020 I received a tip that WGLT sent a FOIA to the Town of Normal for all communication regarding Stan Nord’s W. College property. I then FOIA’d WGLT’s FOIA. On January 22, 2020 WGLT did this story: The letter WGLT used in their second story on January 31, 2020 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The first floor of 1 Uptown Circle has been vacant and never rented since the building was finished in 2017. https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/1-Uptown-Cir-Normal-IL/10774114/ The Uptown TIF was started in 2003 and incurred a massive amount of debt. To date, according to the reports filed by Normal, the TIF has only earned $15,065,431. That isn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin WGLT’s Eric Stock wrote this story yesterday: https://www.wglt.org/post/town-normal-turns-heat-nord-development-0#stream/0 Yesterday was January 31, 2020 – in case you forgot. The article has a link to a letter Pam Reece wrote to Stan Nord on January 27, 2020. It eerily looks like it was mailed, not emailed. Add another day or two before Stan […]
By: Diane Benjamin Marc Tiritilli has announced he is running again for mayor. The local media apparently is ignoring it, Peoria isn’t: https://www.centralillinoisproud.com/tiritilli-announces-his-plans-to-run-for-normal-mayor If only twelve more people had voted for Marc three years ago the citizen’s fleece and Koos ignoring the will of the people would already be over. Obviously the current mayor is […]
