By: Diane Benjamin
https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3744
If you missed the BILLS story, see it here: https://blnnews.com/2020/10/02/normal-10-5-2020/
Firefighters are getting a new contract:
Normal will try to collect from the feds, the fed money printing press is ramping up again:
This one is more than ridiculous:
Quick review: The “professional staff” brought this to the Council many months ago. The Amendment aggravated citizens in the area for one reason: It approves selling alcohol in this park-like setting. A large group is opposed to alcohol sales, this amendment could proceed to a Public Hearing before the Planning Commission if the alcohol part was removed.
Here is where it gets funny:
Staff initiated the zoning change, Council just played bobble-head.
The Council could end this whole fiasco Monday night. The Planning Commission hearing has been delayed because they are not meeting in person, the citizens want to meet in person – eye to eye. The Town did attempt to schedule an in-person meeting when COVID was raging in Uptown. That one was delayed when the citizens objected for health reasons.
If the Council amends what the “professional staff” proposed by removing permission for alcohol, the citizens would be happy.
If the Council doesn’t do that Monday night, it will be proof the only reason this amendment was ever brought to the Council was for ALCOHOL.
The only big item on the agenda is revisions to the Bike Master Plan. As Kathleen Lorenz likes to say “We make a Plan and then Work the Plan”.
It doesn’t matter if the plan doesn’t make sense, they stick to the plan.
Did you know:
Since the mayor owns a bike shop he should recuse himself from everything to do with this discussion. I’m betting he won’t.
See PDF page 68 and following. It appears fixing the roads aren’t as important as bike paths.
The documentations says approving the Plan won’t cost anything now. It will cost you in the future.
The only other item is appointing somebody to the McLean County Planning Commission. You aren’t allowed to know who until the Council votes yes.
The only reason Normal does this is to keep the public out of the process.
You deserve to know in advance who will be doing planning for you, Chris Koos won’t allow it.
Speaking of the bike plan, you should do a story on the fancy new bike trail that is finished from just south of Shirley to before the Funks Grove Maple Syrup. Talk about a waste.
I have and it is a waste. It goes all the way to chenoa. They might want to build one to Champaign. Nobody bothers to see if it’s used, feds pay 80% I think so they build.
This goes back to former Senator Daniel Patrick Monihan setting aside 10% of Federal Transportation Funds to Enhancement (Bicycle) projects in ISTEA, the 1991 Federal Transportation Bill. Way too much money is going to these projects and has been for years. That’s why you see all the Constitution Trail bridges and such while your roads are full of potholes.
It amazes me that Normal ever got to this place where appointments are secret, where the planning commission is left out of the loop, where the council simply acts as bobbleheads and such. How did Normal government ever get to this?
One problem may be council members being elected city wide. The same group can control the elections. Normal needs council districts so people can elect their own from their community to serve them.
They don’t want to risk an ISU kid getting elected
I would like someone to explain to me how you go about “connecting people to natural ecosystems”?
Last time I checked that was called “going outside”….
I can replace ALL of their goals with one:
1. Get out of the way and let the free market chart our course and build our economy.
The trail out to Rivian is a high priority now? The lower priority extensions go through and near neighborhoods. Expanding the trail to serve more households would better serve residents. The previous plan showed expanding to residential first. Now Rivian is getting their own trail extension with no connection to the rest of the town. I am happy Rivian came here but spending our tax dollars should prioritize residents higher. Maybe Teritilli will consider residents higher than what Koos thinks of us.
Current plan
http://normal.org/1061/Bicycle-Pedestrian-Master-Plan
Porcupine is exactly correct on ISTEA this is where it all started. There was nothing wrong with expanding the trail systems but again, local special interests groups had and still do bastardize the process. The County Trail concept was encouraged by Route 66 visitors advocates but mainly by the McLean County Wheelers bicycle group that pretty much told Koos and government staff where they wanted in and out of town bike trails. These idiots even wanted to have taxpayers build over the road bike bridges over certain parts of Main street and over Veterans Parkway. Of course IDOT just laughed at them but it didn’t stop them from trying to get it done. These are the same guys that expect you and I to watch out for them on the roads but think it is okay for them to blow stop signs, flip you off when they cut in front of you and you honk your horn or bike down Towanda Barnes taking up a whole lane of traffic riding three or four bikes across. They all think they are the reincarnation of Lance Armstrong and think they are capable of riding in the Tour de France.
“Work the plan” I like that mantra, sounds like nickel night in a bordello! As for uptown have ANY kind of a “master plan” that would be dig a hole and we will fund it. THEN we’ll find tenants!
IF uptown was as organized as they WANT us to believe, with a day or so practice they could do a GREAT Chinese Fire Drill!
I really think that koos and biden have ONE thing in common! THIS PAGE LEFT BLANK!
Who would write a goal: “A complete interconnected system of streets and paths that supports walking, bicycling and other forms of active transportation”?
The last time I looked…. streets and paths are usually connected to other streets and paths.
Active Transportation? All transportation is active. If it wasn’t active you would not go anywhere
Yes, this is straight from the wet dreams of our Blono Bike Nazis and is totally flaked out BS.
Recreational tourism? So we are designing (and paying for) a system of roads and paths which will draw “tourists” to “travel here” to use them?
Yes, Margaret and I were going to go to_________ but we opted to vacation in Uptown Normal, so we can use the system of interconnected roads and paths for a few days of active transportation?
All of these goals are Flaked Out BS and highlight just how crazy Koos and Company really are.
Is it pitchfork and torches time yet?
The bike plan is to prop up Koos’ business for his personal financial gain. Bike blono buy from his shop so he will force trail expansion on the backs of taxpayers. He has Mecy Davidson “professional staff” pushing all things bike from inside government. He is masterful in setting up a system to line his pockets.