By: Diane Benjamin
The comments submitted on the underpass project were received by FOIA. https://blnnews.com/2021/04/16/hey-normal/
The comments were overwhelmingly negative with a few submitted in support by the usually Koos allies.
The only difference between going ahead with the underpass and the Coliseum, both not supported by residents, is Koos and company got the entire country to pay a lot of the expensive. Bloomington residents are still paying for the Council vanity that passed the Coliseum. (Right Mike Matejka?)
Some of the comments opposed – I redacted the names:
Very few positive comments were received, here’s one example:
The “professional staff” will claim the project can’t be stopped now. Only Uptown matters in Normal.
Don’t forget: Pam Reece claimed there is no money in the budget for the next 5 years. If this suddenly appears at Council for approval to build where is the money grants don’t cover coming from? The $2 million stash they refused to pay off debt with claiming it was for future debt?
More divisiveness…The history of the Koos agenda steamrolling over the people is long.
– connect transit
– Pam using police to shutter 2 conservative restaurants for not aligning with her beloved Democrat Pritzker’s RECOMMENDATIONS not to eat indoors.
– the mural
– trail east
– black stone trail fire station
– Underpass
– putting bicyclers wants and the sale of bikes above the needs of the community
– using gas taxes to build bike trail
– DEBT
– the list is long
The underpass will happen because the 2 most important people in Normal want it. Pam Reece and Mayor Koos. They have shown they are not above lying to the feds or local residents.
The council “yes men” were elected because Koos helped fund and feed the lies to convince people they are the only people on the face of the earth t hat can make Rivian a success.
The underpass will happen no matter what. Koos and Reece do what they want, whenever they want. They don’t care about citizens, only remaining in power and satisfying political allies and their ideology. It’s all but certain that the positive comments in favor of the project are from political allies and/or those that have or will gain something from the Koos’ administration, while those opposed are everyday citizens. Overwhelmingly, the average resident doesn’t think this is a good idea…too bad the average citizen didn’t turn out to vote in the last election. 🙁
You speak the straight and unvarnished truth. The clique at Uptown Station is part and parcel of the entire county. Know the right people, the world is your oyster here. You don’t, tough shit but you can make us all look better if you work in our midst. Nothing ever changes here. Never, ever. It’s just Chicago in a smaller version where everyone is happy being crooked but average.
Staff told the council and public that the money stashed away for the debt was not being saved for the underpass. This happened at several video recorded meetings and I was repeatedly criticized for asking and predicting they would. It is also a fact the council and public were told the 5 year budget had NO MONEY for the Underpass.
Where will the money come from? Aside from saying they lied and do have all the money in the 5 year plan, I expect the money from the sewer billing dispute with Bloomington will go to the underpass. I anticipate a story will be weaved about how sewer, storm water, motor fuel, pot taxes, and COVID bail out dollars must be spent for this luxury amenity. Finally, some of the mayor’s most profitable bike shop customers will flood the council with comments about how important the underpass is compared to everything else.
It will be said that the state and feds are paying the lions share. Most will overlook that this is all taxpayer dollars.
It would be nice to be proven wrong. It would also be nice if there was so much vigor to get funding to repair our existing roads, water, and sewer systems.
Stan Nord – Normal Council member who despises being mislead and lied to.
I’ll say it again Stan,
If I’ve ridden my bike once around that area, I’ve ridden it 1000 times. I’ve never once thought an underpass is needed there. It would be a 100%, categorical waste of money.
The only thing I think about is why don’t they tear down that little building that sits there?
Honest.
We NEED more people like Stan on the council! Sadly, it seems that common sense isn’t so common in uptown though.