By: Diane Benjamin
The audit is done, not released though:
Evidently the City doesn’t think they have to print the P-Card spending list anymore, just 1 big amount. Amazon purchases are listed without a descriptions – pages of them. Link to Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=25260
Agenda:
http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1090&Inline=True
Tari wants to re-appoint Rob Fazzini to the Public Building Commission. Rob is running for County Auditor, that office is in the Government Center. The Public Building Commission has the ability to recommend spending to tenants of the Government Center, they can issue revenue bonds the City and County agree to pay for – the building is occupied by both. Isn’t it a Conflict of Interest if Rob is elected because he can recommend spending on his office. He is famous for thinking low interest rates are why government must spend money – he was behind borrowing $10 million for roads when he was a Bloomington alderman. How long below his office needs remodeled? As “commissioner” he can vote for and talk Bloomington and the County into paying for it.
Best defense: Vote for an independent County Auditor instead – Kevin Woodard.
PDF page 157 – City can get reimbursed from the Federal government for COVID expenses (as soon as the money is printed).
PDF page 175 – You will get a Public Arts Commission. It appears they will tell the Council what their budget should be. Jenn Carrillo lost the argument on rotating members for race based art. Appointees will serve for two years. Tari Renner continues to grow the size and scope of government.
Otherwise, some zoning changes and sign code discussions will take place, of course associated with downtown. Once all the regulations are right downtown will undoubtedly prosper.
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I just got a reply back from Rob. I’m sending it below.
Appreciate your comments to Diane B. By the way, if elected as Auditor I would immediately resign as a Public Building Commissioner. Therefore, there would not be any conflict of interest. Rob
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Rob Fazzini > Date: September 25, 2020 at 12:44:43 PM CDT > To: Jerry Gilbert > Subject: Re: [New post] Bloomington Monday night > > > Appreciate your comments to Diane B. By the way, if elected as Auditor I would immediately resign as a Public Building Commissioner. Therefore, there would not be any conflict of interest. Rob > >>
Hi Diane Just an FYI. I have to agree with Rob. If you would have sent him an email or called him he would have told you what his plan is. We can all do better with communication INCLUDING me! Enjoy your weekend! Jerry
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
> From: Rob Fazzini > Date: September 25, 2020 at 1:22:07 PM CDT > To: Jerry Gilbert > Subject: Re: [New post] Bloomington Monday night > > > Just FYI. A good reporter would take the time to check with the person she is maligning and telling others to vote against before ASSUMING that a conflict of interest is even a factor. If she wants to support a candidate who got all of 97 votes compared to my 15,388 votes and the two Republican Candidates who got a combined 11,652 votes, then let the public be the judge about her competence. > > Tari Renner and I both know that if I am elected as Auditor that I would need to resign as a Commissioner of the Public Building Commission. A simple phone call would have cleared that up, but Diane B. is renowned for only presenting a portion of an issue as she has done again in this case. Normally, I do not even take the time to explain what Diane B. has done or not done, but since you took the time to defend me I felt an obligation to point out her jumping to conclusions without all the facts because of her prejudice against me from the past. Oh well, no one said life was always fair! Rob > >>
I just asked the question! It isn’t my job to answer it.