By: Diane Benjamin
See update to this story here: https://blnnews.com/2022/03/18/more-on-the-foia-normal-denied/
This statement is in Normal’s just passed budget under “City Manager accomplishments FY 2021-2022”, PDF page 118: https://normal.org/DocumentCenter/View/19729/2022-23-Final-Budget
A couple things to note from the above:
- Completion – normally means the report is complete
- Results will be used – infers there are results
I FOIA’d the PASER report since it isn’t on the Town website. My FOIA was denied:
So, Pam Reece’s role was just getting Council approval. Not a difficult accomplishment!
WJBC did this story in July of 2021: https://www.wjbc.com/2021/07/14/high-tech-vehicles-gathering-data-on-roads-in-normal/
It claims a high-tech vehicle was roaming around collecting data and it would be finished by July 21st. EIGHT months later the report isn’t done?
The article claims the Town paid around $100,000 but received a grant for $80,000. Normal runs on grants since 20,000+ of it’s “residents” are college kids. Total population is estimated around 53,000. 33,000 people can’t afford Normal’s lavishness – hence all the grants required.
Is the report is really done but too embarrassing to release? How much re-writing of road conditions is taking place? One would think this report would have been valuable in creating the budget Normal just passed.
Maybe another year will allow engineering to finish “opinions, policies, and actions”. Maybe Normal needs another grant because the roads are that bad and more bike trails have priority.
If nothing else, this proves government isn’t capable of being efficient. They don’t have to be.
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“completion of the PASER road maintenance assessment” means there is a work product called “assessment”. You FOIA’d for a “report”. Ask for the “PASER road maintenance assessment identified on page 118 in the 20/21 budget.” If they still deny, then they are covering something up and sue away.
I did reference the statement in the budget. I even attached a pic of that section.
Normal has a long history of committing studies that will justify their liberal spending on amenities. Stand and deliver, taxpayers.
The statute they cited for denial, seems to nullify their denial.
Common sense nullifies their exemption, but I will look it up.
My tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/mytickets/3077091839/ Watchdog Seminar
Maybe the Town clerk should attend, might save Normal some legal fees.
I looked up the actual law. They left a little out of that denial! New story next.
So they brag that a document exists…then they deny releasing said document to the public. So much for transparency and open government.
I see why Stan Nord keeps saying Normal is not trustworthy.
I wonder what the two who call themselves Republicans think? Preston and Lorenz need to weigh in on this one.
Lorenz and Preston will think whatever Koos or Pam tells them to think.
Try anyway, that will prove it
Village of Lisle Paid $23K In FOIA Lawsuit Settlement – I guess Normal’s administration, refuses to care if taxpayers get stuck with a bill like this
I wish I knew a lawyer who wanted to make easy money!
Easy money is what a municipal lawyer does. Although I wouldn’t trust one any further than I could throw them. And of course, you’d want one that is worth their salt.
Who would have thought that road maintenance would be considered classified information?