By: Diane Benjamin
Two landlords appeared at Public Comment a few meetings ago complaining about being billed for City water because their tenants didn’t pay the bills. These landlords have also not been paid rent for at least a year. This information is for landlords. Proving yet again Stan Nord is capable of working with anyone willing to have a discussion, he did a Facebook video with Kelby Cumpston. (If you are in Normal make sure you listen to the end of the video!) Illinois has a program starting in May to reimburse landlords. Find the video on Nord for Normal or Kelby’s Facebook page. This screen shot has contact information, the website is under construction right now:
Kelby is being re-appointed to the Property Maintenance Review Board tonight. Renner needs to remove Robert Garcia, fascist fighting local activist. According to a Facebook post water was shut off at one of his properties because of a leak. Tenants had to move, nobody could find Garcia. Robert is no longer a local realtor, according to the State website he hasn’t been licensed since last September. https://online-dfpr.micropact.com/lookup/licenselookup.aspx
What else is on the agenda?
http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1112&Inline=True
PDF page 113:
Staff wants to spend $346,816 for an automated garbage truck to replace the vehicle below. Is this normal wear and tear or should it have been replaced before maintenance got this high?
The trucks that pick up my garbage are automated but look nothing like what they are buying. See PDF page 117. Mine are normal looking garage trucks with an arm on the back that lifts and dumps the can. A lot simpler design!
PDF page 197:
I always chuckle when Harriet Fuller Rust Grants and Eugene D Funk Grants are mentioned. Normal has Harmon grants. One would think if a grant is named after you YOU must be funding it. Wrong, the taxpayers fund them. The names were honorary and will continue long after anyone remembers who these people are or what they did.
This is on the agenda:
The City claims applications were down this year due to COVID, so money is available to be spent elsewhere. The Council is being asked to approve spending of about $82,000 on repairs to brick streets.
From PDF page 198:
. . . . to be used for the restoration of gravel patches and removal of concrete patches on the City’s brick streets.
That money probably won’t fix much, but if it’s in the budget spend it.
PDF page 205 – 248:
Several properties are on the agenda to be re-zoned against the will of the few area residents who are opposed. If you want to stop something from happening, it takes LOTS of objectors!
PDF page 269:
Bloomington is an insurance city, but just like Normal a few weeks ago, a local company wasn’t chosen for brokerage services. I don’t see where this was even bid. Gallagher will get $40,777, total cost including insurance is $1,084,576
Maybe local brokers aren’t used because settlements, like the Edgar County Watchdogs for the FOIA lawsuit, would leak out.
PDF page 378:
PSCRB Annual Report – Public Safety Citizens Review Board. Expect the socialists to demand they receive more authority instead of being advisory.
PDF page 380:
Jeff Crabill’s Council initiative to demand utilities can’t be shut off for non-payment.
PDF page 392:
The City of Bloomington still thinks Pritzker has the authority to spew Executive Orders:
The Supreme Courts of states around us with tyrants doing the same thing have ruled them illegal. Tari will be happy to know the Edgar County Watchdogs have filed a lawsuit asking for declaratory judgement of illegal: https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2021/04/ecwd-founders-seek-declaratory-judgement-against-governor-pritzker/?fbclid=IwAR2_4sELCa-kqYIrUap-g-uZw_aARtKvmN0FMEEl9HGPNBdZbheUoCbOB9Y
Expect a LONG meeting!
Stan and Kelby talking together about serious local issues in a civilized manner. Well, what do you know?! Maybe Koos can learn a little something about holding open discussions with those he disagrees with on various issues. Bravo to both Stan and Kelby. This is how civilized people should interact in positions of leadership. Also, the grant program is a sham. It’s a taxpayer-funded subsidy to the Downtown Cabal, which couldn’t dream of spending their own money on basic building upkeep, much less restoration and beautification. Well done, City of Bloomington, you’ve effectively disincentivized Downtown property owners from investing their own private money. They’ll just wait until it’s their turn to receive a grant. Why spend any money if it’s likely to be gifted to you every 1-3 years?
Koos is a know-it-all so therefore him learning anything is a moot point.
Hey Tari! Good riddance!
Now, if Mboka understands the USA is a Republic, we might be okay. Cross your fingers and pray.
I’ll ditto that, and I’m holding out hope that Mboka was the totally right choice as well. I THINK he was. – And to cherry pick a little – 61,325 miles and all that work already? If that was a car I’d say it was truly a lemon, if that is par for the course for that model truck, it was a really poor choice.