By: Diane Benjamin Today seems like the perfect time to post this email again, note Pam Reece didn’t send this to the Council: The underpass isn’t $23 million anymore, it is at least $27 million. (to save 50 feet) Worse, if all the shiny bells and whistles can’t be afforded during initial construction those can […]
By: Diane Benjamin The majority of the Committee of the Whole meeting last night was justifying hiring consultants at $750,000 to create a downtown streetscape. Of course Tim Tilton showed up, also appearing at public comment was former alderman Jamie Mathy. (both downtown business owners) Mathy claimed former City Manager David Hales cut 189 and […]
By: Diane Benjamin Angels4Freedom Free Public Meeting tonight 6 -7:30pm. Focus Topic “Dumbing Down our Schools through SEL (social emotional learning)”. An in-depth look into HR, CRT, and CSE and Opt-out forms. Goal is to get Opt-out form for every child then they won’t have a class to teach. Meeting location G.E/Union Park Clubhouse, 1750 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to these two stories: https://blnnews.com/2022/08/10/is-truth-too-difficult-for-pam-reece/ and https://blnnews.com/2022/08/10/wow-lots-of-downloads-did-you-see-this/ Pam Reece didn’t answer Stan Nord’s question about the $2000 payment because she knew you would be violating the agreement she signed. The settlement agreement wasn’t legal, taxpayer money can not be spent and hidden! Maybe that’s why Town attorney Brian Day didn’t sign […]
By: Diane Benjamin See agenda for the committee of the Whole Monday: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f77ad2e4-b41c-11ec-a5da-0050569183fa-36dc0a47-f3e1-4a7f-ab53-55227cac04fe-1660245682.pdf Nothing from the presentation is included in the packet. It’s all a secret until it can be presented without inference from mere taxpayers. Roads are way underfunded, but you get a revamped library, a water park for a couple of months a […]
By: Diane Benjamin McLean County has a similar public comment policy to Normal’s. If you want to speak about something not on the agenda you have to wait until the end of the meeting. The guy on the video below didn’t have to wait hours however, it was closer to 1/2 hour. The meeting doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Board members take turns starting the meetings with Invocation or Moment of Silence. See 15:45 for democrat Val Laymon’s version. I assume nobody was supposed to laugh. Don Knapp was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill a vacancy as judge caused by the retirement of Paul Lawrence – effective […]
By: Diane Benjamin See original story: https://blnnews.com/2022/05/09/no-surprise-normal-needs-6-million-more-to-build-the-underpass/ Monday packet: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4398 PDF page 62: Either people all across the country are funding Normal’s amenities or money is being printed so Normal can have an underpass vehicles can’t use. Brilliant. Oh, the Subway inside the Amtrak station closed, another Uptown success story. Remember what Normal did when […]
By: Diane Benjamin Connect Transit didn’t release financial information at their July 26th meeting because it is year end. They did provide some other interesting information – see PDF pages 28 and following: https://www.connect-transit.com/file/637/07%2026%202022_BoT%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Passenger trips isn’t the number of people – anyone who has to transfer to another line is counted twice on their […]
By: Diane Benjamin School Districts request waivers of tuition so out-of-districts students don’t have to pay tuition to attend. The requests are usually for multiple years and for children of District employees, some like Tri-Valley requested a waiver for only children of licensed staff. This is a follow-up to this story, I wanted to see […]
By: Diane Benjamin More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/08/10/is-truth-too-difficult-for-pam-reece/ Not only did Pam Reece try to hide information that would have been nothing without her deception, she signed an agreement that violated FOIA laws. This statement is in the agreement: Very little government does can legally be hidden from citizens. This statement should never have been […]
By: Diane Benjamin This payment was in the 8/1/2022 Normal Town Council packet: Note the $2000 was paid from Pam Reece’s discretionary funds. Since it was paid from her funds, she should know why it was paid. Watch this exchange that happened at the meeting. Pam can’t remember what the $2000 payment was for, she […]
If you want to listen to Kathleen Lorenz’s interview with Steve Suess, it isn’t on the Cities 92.9 website. Use this link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5IPYpDxgHmOmQeJJ4XMjt3 By: Diane Benjamin The referendum question has enough verified registered voter signatures to be on the November ballot. I doubt that will stop the “elites” from challenging them. The article below explains […]
By: Diane Benjamin On the 7/25/2022 Bloomington Bills and Payroll report was an Accelerated Payment to IMRF for $5,568.15. Since the Sick Leave Buy Back policy was FINALLY phased out, I FOIA’d information on this payment. This is the explanation I received from the City of Bloomington: Their note doesn’t explain what I received from […]
By: Diane Benjamin The actual meeting was only around an hour. The Council was in Executive Session for the rest of the video. Gary Lambert lambasted the City for the cash reserve levels during Public Comment, this is a must listen: Hit play below to hear the City is only spending around $9 million on […]
Update: The Town of Normal can not pay staff to review the signatures, that would be electioneering and illegal! Close to 2200 signatures will be submitted to the Town of Normal this afternoon. Signing the petition only gets a Yes or No question on the November ballot. Next the real fun starts! Let’s see who […]
By: Diane Benjamin Packet: The City will be spending $5,220,438.92 on general street resurfacing. Of course that isn’t nearly enough to even begin catching up. See PDF page 245 and following for a list of streets. Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/28184/637951356778730000 Number of employees is now 947. The meeting looks pretty boring. Maybe somebody can liven […]
By: Diane Benjamin No recent reports have been posted to the website, I had to FOIA them again. Why is the City of Bloomington hiding this information? https://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1993 Better sit down. Two events made money, overall loss however: $17,431.46 No events happened in June, July, and August. The City switches to billing taxpayers for downtown […]
By: Diane Benjamin Review: All of these commissioners were hand-picked by Chris Koos. The Council is told they have to approve whoever he picks. The names of appointees aren’t given to the public until after the Council rubber-stamps them with a YES vote. RC McBride was kicked off the Council by voters, now he chairs […]
By: Diane Benjamin Doing a favor for the guy who gave you an internship Andy? You were the first one to jump on a motion to approve what was presented last night! I’ve got video! If Kathleen Lorenz is really worried about developers rejecting Normal after watching what happens there, this fiasco will send them […]
By: Diane Benjamin I attended Normal’s Planning Commission meeting last night. I only stayed for 3 hours, it was still going on when I left. Here’s the takeaway: When government claims it can’t protect your property rights because laws and regulations don’t allow it, your government needs replaced with one who understands the Constitution. See […]
By: Diane Benjamin Refer back to this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/08/03/normal-planning-commission-tomorrow/ Town Planner Mercy Davidson sent me an email stating they don’t livestream or video Board and Commission meetings. Keep in mind, all the appointees were picked by Chris Koos himself. The public doesn’t know in advance and the elected Trustees (all but one) think it is […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you like listening to Biden and Harris explain the economy, this video is for you. I’m only posting it in case Karyn decides to run for re-election next year. This is from last Monday’s Normal Town Council meeting. It’s fingernails-on-a-chalkboard folks:
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this mowing fail from July 20th? https://blnnews.com/2022/07/20/5-things-you-need-to-know-5/ The next day it was cleaned up: (Thanks to the same reader who sent the above) The pictures below are from a different reader. These are a little north of the ones above. The reader claims this hasn’t been touched in months. Normal put […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal lives on grants, they think it is fantastic to bring money back to Normal. What Normal is really doing is getting grants for things they can’t afford – the underpass being the latest. It is an amenity that isn’t needed, Normal just want it. Like inflation? The feds […]
By: Diane Benjamin One would think since this meeting is being held in the Council Chambers it would be Live Streamed. There are two items a LOT of people will be interested. It will NOT be on video! See this story for details of the agenda: https://blnnews.com/2022/07/31/north-normal-normal-and-barickman-want-to-devalue-your-property/ I asked Mercy Davidson about video: I will […]
Next Wednesday Unit 5 will vote to put a referendum on the November ballot to raise property taxes. Taxes on a home valued at $180,000 will increase $500 a year. Nothing in the WOKE curriculum is being cut. Next April voters can elect non-teachers union backed School Board members. If this doesn’t pass in November, […]
The Bloomington Election Commission Director that was hired last November just resigned. Everybody agree it’s time to dump BEC? Are they now going to screw up the November election?
Ask your kids if they have ever been told not tell you about something that happened at school. I know one district where it has happened. Make it clear to your children they MUST tell you. You are your kids parents, not the school. You can’t keep them safe from things the schools are hiding.
By: Diane Benjamin I hope you listened to at least parts of Kathleen’s interview from this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/08/01/kathleen-lorenz/ Since she explained over and over that she is data-driven and has an analytical engineers mind, I asked her two questions: Kathleen, I listened to your interview twice only because I was in the car. I’m […]
By: Diane Benjamin I received a tip that before David Mouser left Tri-Valley for his new job as Superintendent of District 87 he got approval allowing the children of employees to attend Tri-Valley even if they don’t live in the District. His wife works at Tri-Valley, the family moved probably because District 87 thought their […]
By: Diane Benjamin See tonight’s packet here: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4382 Besides other items, Normal will be giving $100,000 from ARPA funds to Carle for the Mobile Clinic that Bloomington already passed giving $150,000 for. https://blnnews.com/2022/06/14/bloomington-minus-2-aldermen/ FYI: Normal has an undated Social Media policy: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/18492/Social-Media-Disclaimer-?fs=e&s=cl If the Town’s public comment policy doesn’t prove to you Normal does not […]
By: Diane Benjamin Steve Suess interviewed Kathleen Lorenz for his entire Sunday show. Actually Kathleen did most of the talking. This is a must listen to discussion. I am not going to comment until Stan Nord is on the same show next Sunday. I refuse to be accused of feeding Stan talking points, he has […]
