By: Diane Benjamin
Every time Normal wants something big they recruit local elites for Public Comment to praise the project. Last Monday was no exception. Former mayor Paul Harmon spoke both at the beginning of the meeting and the end.
Patrick Hoban, the President and CEO of the local Economic Development Council was first up. Given his title and position one should have confidence in what he says. This clip proves that faith is misplaced:
Hoban stated the new Uptown project was vital because housing is badly needed in Bloomington-Normal. He added the Realtor Association told him there were only 9 homes on the market.
The Mid-Illinois Realtors website has the number of houses for sale in Bloomington-Normal: https://midillinoisrealtors.com/office/bloomington-normal-association-of-realtors/
53 + 18 = 71 local houses for sale.
While 71 homes for sale is historically low, it is way more than 9. If Patrick Hoban had used the real number it would have been just as effective. Making up his own facts means his credibility is questioned. Did the Town of Normal recruit him just to make it appear Trail West and Trail East had local support and use fake numbers to prove it? Is that why Paul Harmon was there too?
When a project starts with false information, how can citizens trust anything said? Taxpayers fund the EDC, they deserve better from those they pay.
Just hit play to hear Hoban and Harmon. A citizen concerned about parking followed both.
BlnNews 
The town lied about the restaurant restriction, now the EDC. The “EDC Investors” should know that their organization is helping Normal hoodwink this developer. Normal’s unethical culture has infected the EDC. https://www.bnbiz.org/edc-investors
EDC Investors are:
ACC Electronix, Inc.
Afni, Inc.
BEER NUTS, Inc.
Benefit Planning Associates
bopi
CEFCU
CIRBN
CORE Construction
Ecology Action Center
First State Bank of Mendota
Great Plains Media
Heartland Community College
Illinois State University
Integrity Technology Solutions
Livingston, Barger, Brandt & Schroeder
McLean County
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center
Prairie Enterprises, LLC
Radio Bloomington
Springfield Electric
STL Technology Partner
Village of Hudson
Westminster Village
Ameren
BN Association of Realtors, Inc.
Building & Trades – Laborers
Central Illinois Regional Airport
City of Bloomington
Corn Belt Energy
Farnsworth Group
Fox & Hounds Hair Studio & Day Spa
GROWMARK, Inc.
IAA Credit Union
Illinois Wesleyan University
Jimmy Johns
May, Cocagne & King, P.C.
McLean County Unit #5 School
Prairie Signs, Inc.
Rivian Automotive
Tarvin’s Culligan Water Conditioning
WGLT
Illinois House Building
Zeller Electric
Hile Group
Avanti’s Italian Restaurant
Bellas Landscaping, LLC
Bloomington-Normal Marriott
Busey Bank
Chestnut Health Systems
Commerce Bank
Eaton Studio & Gallery
First Farmers State Bank
Bank of Pontiac
Gailey Eye Clinic
Heartland Bank & Trust Co.
Illinois Farm Bureau
Central IL Builders
McDonalds (Millan/Petro)
Nicor Gas
P/L/R Insurance
Pridestaff
Tentac Enterprise
State Farm Insurance
Town of Normal
Wabash Valley Power Association
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Hoban will say he didn’t lie and 62 homes went on the market since his comment on Monday.
Spin baby spin…
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The people pushing this “development” should be forced to live in it. Parking…where? Your view…Mother Murphy’s or the parking garage. Grocery shop…where, Garlic Press? Drunken students loudly screaming under your windows at night. Paper-thin walls and floors where you hear your neighbors’ conversations and footsteps. Amazon vans double parked in front to deliver all the things you can’t carry on your bike (bought at Koos’s shop, of course). Yeah, that apartment living is a real dream in downtown Normal. Idiots.
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Welcome to common core math
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Appropriate that Harmon spoke highly of the plan. It *was* a great plan, decades ago when it was formed and he was mayor. But just like most young adults are not ballerinas or astronauts or firemen, it’s time to face reality that either it wasn’t as great as they thought, or just times change.
If you have to Give Away the land, it’s not a good plan. If you have to give significant government subsidies, it’s not a good plan. If previous stages still haven’t found paying tenants, it’s not a good plan. If ALL of those apply, it’s a Terrible plan.
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Be careful of the corporate leadership clouting themselves as trusted sources of info or reality. Elites and networks can’t portray truth or speak to economy or real people . They live in a bubble where they get power but publicly bragging about their good works locally.
Too bad
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