By: Diane Benjamin
It has been obvious for a long time the Town of Normal government exists for itself, not the citizens paying their bills.
The last thing Koos and company want is pesky citizens messing up their plans. Chris Koos has stated Council meetings are “business meetings”, he leaves out the part about being the citizens business. The Council doesn’t exist for any other reason, government isn’t a business.
What if citizens want to get information from the Town of Normal? The Town went to an on-line submittal system awhile back. This is what the screen looks like – note a Birth Date is required. ( I use 1/1/1900). Also note the disclaimer at the bottom.
Bloomington just went to the same system. This is what their screen looks like, similar but a lot easier to understand and no birthdate required. They also don’t have a disclaimer at the bottom:
Get the idea Bloomington knows and believes citizens are entitled
to information while Normal doesn’t?
Here’s the proof!
Reset Normal April 6th: Mayor Tiritilli, Trustees Harsh, Blumenshine, and Sila
Link to Normal’s page: https://normalil.justfoia.com/publicportal/home/newrequest
Link to Bloomington’s: https://bloomingtonil.justfoia.com/publicportal/home/newrequest
.
.
.
.
.
Just came from my business in downtown oops uptown normal and I am incensed. There are concrete pillars in place and 5 picnic tables taking up 4 parking spots in front of my business. Restaurants are open and the public can eat inside the business they don’t need picnic tables outside. The 3 restaurants around my business have tables outside their businesses for their customers they don’t need 5 picnic tables. Why is this an issue ,the city has eliminated 70 % of on street parking over the years and my business has suffered because of the loss of on street parking. Losing even 4 spaces right in front of my business hurts.It is obvious that koos and company could care less about my business in normal. It is unfortunate that I can’t vote as a business owner in normal I live in Bloomington. I could go into more detail about what koos and company has done to hurt my business as well as others over the years in normal but space does not allow. Every one in normal needs to get out and vote for Tiritilli a person that will be business friendly.
The more difficult they make the process, the fewer requests the Town of Normal will receive.
I have been denied FOIA requests so many times, I gave up a long time ago!
You did what they wanted, try again.
I posed a question to the city of Normal public works I think, go on line and see if you have better luck than me on to ask a question. What question you ask go by 205 north street in downtown oops uptown normal and ask your self why are there concrete barricades and 5 picnic tables in the street. It can’t be for the businesses there as restaurants are now open for eating inside and all of these businesses have their own outside tables and chairs. The wonderful city just eliminated 4 on street parking spaces for what? I guess the 70% of on street parking that the city has eliminated over the last 10 years is not enough. Tax payers how much do you think it cost you to have the city install all of this stuff. My business has suffered with the loss of on street parking and these 4 spaces out front are important to my business. I could go into great detail about how the current administration has helped kill business down here but there is not enough room. Voters the election is just around the corner it’s time for koos and council to go except Nord. It is time to take back your city.
Yesterday’s Panagraph candidate debate at 29:40 Scott Preston discusses public comment by saying “I don’t want that time to be taken up by people just coming and reading a cookbook”
Everyone knows that the intellect and wisdom of Normal’s mayor and council is so superior to the citizens that public comment will only take up their time and lengthen their meetings…
https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/watch-now-normal-council-candidates-take-part-in-pantagraph-debate/video_2c42219e-d78a-5e40-9666-fae7c236e54f.html
Yes, they all believe in email only so others never find out they aren’t alone
What?
Public comment is limited so citizens can’t have a public discussion of problems. Email keeps it all hidden.
Normal needs a reset you got that right. Go by 205 north st. in downtown oops uptown normal and ask yourself why are there concrete barricades and 5 picnic tables in the street. What did it cost you the taxpayer to have these installed? All restaurants are open for business and you can eat inside and these 3 restaurants already have their own outside dining tables and chairs therefore the picnic tables are not needed and they are taking up 4 on street parking places. Only 4 spaces you ask the city has eliminated almost 70% of on street parking over the past few years so yes doing away with any on street parking is bad. Ask most people traveling to up town and they will tell you the parking is terrible.I have tried to leave an email to someone at the city to explain to me why they did this but trying to leave a message is just as bad as trying to get information from the city and if you call you get a recording. The election is just around the corner it is time for the residents to clean house Koos and council except Nord need to go and don’t give me this uptown is so beautiful crap the city went from no debt to 100 million in debt with the current administration it would be like you borrowing $500 thousand to make the outside of your paid off house look pretty. go Vote and vote Tiritilli.
Normal needs a reset you got that right. Go by 205 north st. in downtown oops uptown normal and ask yourself why are there concrete barricades and 5 picnic tables in the street. What did it cost you the taxpayer to have these installed? All restaurants in back of these picnic tables are open for business and you can eat inside and these 3 restaurants already have their own outside dining tables and chairs therefore the picnic tables are not needed and they are taking up 4 on street parking places. Only 4 spaces you ask the city has eliminated almost 70% of on street parking over the past few years so yes doing away with any on street parking is bad. Ask most people traveling to up town and they will tell you the parking is terrible.I have tried to leave an email to someone at the city to explain to me why they did this but trying to leave a message is just as bad as trying to get information from the city and if you call you get a recording. The election is just around the corner it is time for the residents to clean house Koos and council except Nord need to go and don’t give me this uptown is so beautiful crap the city went from no debt to 100 million in debt with the current administration it would be like you borrowing $500 thousand to make the outside of your paid off house look pretty. go Vote and vote Tiritilli.
Hmmmmm…your name sounds very similar to a disgruntled business owner that just had to bail his son out of a failed barber shop. Maybe the same son that had to bail on the sweet deal he worked out with the Town on some property on Ft Jesse Rd?
Mike, I will respond to your comment only because you have your head so far up you a#$ without knowing what you are talking about.The person that you are referring to bought the property on fort jesse to expand his current successful business but after spending thousands of dollars for blueprints and property taxes it was found that the cost of the building was going to be $100 thousand more than what the building was worth. Duh, would you go ahead and invest in something that was was to be $100 thousand less than actual worth. The city requirements are what drove the cost over runs. Net loss the city lost the opportunity to have more people employed. By the way the city bought the property back for what the person payed for it and then several months later sold the property to the spouse of a city employee for thousands less than the appraised value. The business you are referring to was taken over by a young man the first of 2020 just as the covid hit and the business was shut down for over 2 months by order of the governor. Rent and overhead was paid but no revenue coming in. The business was taken over by an existing barber because the one you are referring to was making plans and is moving out of state.The business you are referring to to has been in its location 99 years this year and has enjoyed a very successful operation. If you read my last comment correctly you will notice that I am disgruntled because the city has eliminated so much on street parking that to do another four right in front of my business is uncalled for. Do your home work,when those barricades were installed last year because you could not go into the restaurants I had no issue with that because it benefited the existing businesses that is not the case today, restaurants are open for in house seating. Mike, feel free to drop into Shorty’s barber shop I would love to hear about how you garnered all your information. Bob
Hey Mike, I must have missed you last week or you chose not to come by the shop and let me know how you know about all the business dealings of my son. Too bad!