By: Diane Benjamin
Yes folks, the Bloomington Council meeting was 4 hours last night.
I heard a radio person say something astounding yesterday: We have never been a nation of laws, we are a nation of wills.
That explains why some people get away with crimes the rest of us would get life sentences or the firing squad for.
The Bloomington City Council proved “will” trumps laws last night.
Video gaming licenses had been capped at 60, Bloomington has a waiting list of people who want one. The Council had previously deviated from their own policy for the restaurant at the corner of Clinton and Washington.
The Council did it again last night. The new Travel Center that was approved on the west side (against the wishes of area residents) will get video gaming. The company representative stated they have close 900 locations across the country, none have video gaming. Since all the surrounding truck stops have video gaming, she claimed they couldn’t exist without it even though they aren’t a truck stop.
This site was approved by “will”, not laws. Bloomington loves Economic Development, Quik Trip will be paying for roads, sidewalks, and sewers themselves. As a reward another video gaming license will be issued while others sit on a waiting list. “Will” also got this project approved even though one Public Commenter was close to tears because her Quality of Life will be decreased. See 34:30.
Listen to Sheila Montney question the Quik Trip representative at 1:32:15. She has numbers on video gaming, including the money going to the State and the pittance Bloomington keeps in comparison. I don’t blame the Council for approving it. Money talks.
Patrick Hoban from the EDC appeared at public comment too. Unlike last Monday at the Normal meeting where he claimed only 9 homes were for sale, this time it was 9 homes under $300,000. Does he think information isn’t publicly available?
I counted 25 just in Bloomington-Normal. There are others in close small towns – all under $300,000. Is Hoban trying to kill the real estate market by making people too afraid to sell their homes because they won’t find another one? Hear him at 32:30.
The meeting video fails to show the speakers during Public Comment, somehow it does show the people pushing for Council approval. Why is that?
The $69 million water plans will be spent over 10 years. Of course the never used water tower wasn’t mentioned.
Redevelopment of the CII East building was approved if District 87 agrees to rebate their portion of the increased property values for 12 years, Bloomington agreed to 15. The developer is not required to use local union labor, they will probably bid projects and accept whoever they want. This one is a win for downtown, the building is disgusting now. Anybody going to miss the planter boxes full of weeds?
Sounds like the Bloomington QuikTrip may compete with the Normal Lowes truck stop
Quick Trip doesn’t allow overnight parking