By: Diane Benjamin
On November 5, 2018 the Town of Normal bought property at the corner of Hershey and Sheppard for a fire station. Remember, the residents in the area didn’t want it located there – the Town ignored their petition.
The purchase price was $450,000 for 1.69 acres (according to GIS): http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3107
Monday night the Town sold .91 acres (according to GIS) on Ft. Jesse for $25,000. https://blnnews.com/2020/06/02/normal-last-night-2/
The Town of Normal has a LONG history of buying high and renting or selling at below market rates.
The Town also has a long history if ignoring citizens. Normal ignored the residents of Blackstone Trail who just wanted the station moved across the street. That would have put it by the dog park which Town already owns.
The “professional staff” also ignored the petition of citizens to save the mural – lawsuits had to be filed.
The Council has never voted to go forward with the underpass, even though the Town has spent $100’s of thousands of dollars trying to get grants. Monday night they did hire a lobbyist for $24,000 to find them money. Maybe the Council can finally vote once they find all the required money to build it.
I hear residents around 1 Normal Plaza are opposed to the microbrewery and the traffic through the park it will bring. Of course Normal isn’t listening.
Raise your hand if you think Koos, Preston, McCarthy, and Cummings all need to be replaced. The next election is in April.
Keep those hands up – I’m counting as fast as I can . . . . . . .
Your title NORMAL ISN’T LISTENING is not new. Their public comment policy does not allow anyone to speak off the agenda unless you are a buddy of Koos.
Don’t forget Koos’ response to the people who were peacefully protesting because they wanted to go back to work. Instead of listening or showing compassion, he put a banner above his open business mocking and taunting the protesters.
Normal has NOT been listening for years.