By: Diane Benjamin More on this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/11/28/three-file-for-offices-in-normal-that-dont-exist-yet/ Media has decided these 3 filed for office in Normal because the referendum to elect Trustees by district was not allowed on the ballot. They missed one fact: TWO of these three didn’t sign the petition. One told me watching a Normal Town Council meeting made the […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hope you know there is NEVER enough money for government. It is very easy to take more from you instead of doing without like those paying their bills do. By not showing up you tell them you don’t care. Rent? Property taxes are included in your rent. Expect increases. . . […]
By: Diane Benjamin The meeting wasn’t short. I have way too many things happening right now to report the details. Watch the meeting yourself. There was a Township meeting prior to the council meeting, just hit Play for Council meeting.
By: Diane Benjamin Connect Transit October report, much more is available in the packet: Deficit: $1,189,796 Fixed Route Ridership was down 3.23% over September Mobility Ridership was up 2.88% over September PDF page 32-33 PDF page 36-37 PDF page 45:
By: Diane Benjamin This morning I spoke to a mother of a child in a Unit 5 school. I’m purposely being vague because I need to know if this is happening at other Unit 5 schools. Her child has twice had a nose bleed at school. She was twice sent to the nurse’s office. So […]
By: Diane Benjamin This morning three people filed for offices in Normal that will only exist because of Patrick Dullard’s stunt throwing the referendum off the ballot with the Town of Normal’s blessings. Judge Kording ruled Normal is an Incorporated Town, therefore the Town needs to comply with the law. Robert Shoraga filed to run […]
By: Diane Benjamin If nothing gets pulled from the Consent Agenda the only item remaining is the Finance Director’s Report and comments. On the Consent Agenda: The gift that can’t stop giving – Coliseum, it isn’t Grossinger Motors Arena anymore: Looks like the Market Street Garage isn’t going anywhere soon: $10.52 a square foot. Normal […]
I heard the Bloomington Election Commission can’t tell candidates in revised wards how many signatures they need to run! I also hear candidates are told to consult a lawyer – sure, for a job that pays $2,300 a year. Brilliant. (You have ONE job) I wonder if they know the law? (10 ILCS 5/29-4) (from Ch. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/10/24/judges-up-for-retention/ Of course all the judges were retained. People claim to want term limits but when given the chance to actually term limit an elected official they don’t. This story however is about press credentials. It took over a month (the day after the election to be exact) […]
Left is Walmart price – $621 Right is Louis Vuitton store – $1070 Maybe it’s a cheap knockoff since Harris frequently mentions things she can’t afford. Or maybe this is why she had to mention things she can’t afford. . . . . .
By: Diane Benjamin Wind farm developers have been targeting Logan County recently. The meeting below happened on 11/22. The video was taped from the Young Conservatives of Logan County Facebook page which has the entire video of the over 3 hour meeting. The part below happened very close to the end of the meeting. The […]
Just as the Pilgrims thanked God for his blessings that first Thanksgiving, we continue to thank God for the blessings he has given to us. I hope you do too.
By: Diane Benjamin The below is a clear case of government not holding individuals accountable for their behavior. Instead of creating consequences for the problem students, all students were treated as guilty. The fastest way to change behaviors is consequences. The innocent children saw justice doesn’t exist because they were labeled guilty by being forced […]
By: Diane Benjamin Source: Illinois Comptroller as of 4/30/2022 as of 4/30/2021 as of 4/30/2020 This is the information the CITY of BLOOMINGTON reported to the Illinois Comptroller. Population decreased by 1,548 in 2022, 2021 was just speculation. Note 2022 is even down from 2020. Assessed values increased by almost $4 million in […]
By: Diane Benjamin I looked at the City website last night and no agenda was posted for the “special meeting”. It did announce the Committee of the Whole meeting was cancelled. No wonder nobody showed up for Public Comment! The “Special Meeting” agenda is posted now. Meetings that just happened are erased only to reappear […]
By: Diane Benjamin Changes to the sign code took close to an hour to discuss last night. Keep in mind the Town claimed their ordinance needed changed because of a Supreme Court ruling. That ruling happened in 2015. https://blnnews.com/2022/07/08/more-on-normals-sign-code-changes/ The changes passed last night treat real estate signs differently than every other sign. That implies […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s documentation: https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4489 Normal will spend $107,244.79 without bidding: The policy should just be abolished since Pam Reece ignores it at almost every meeting. Time for a lesson on government: Fiscal responsibility doesn’t happen with government because they spend other people’s money (yours). ISU closed the approximately 23 acres on Shelbourne in […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night my church served Thanksgiving dinner at Wittenberg Lutheran Center in Normal to foreign ISU students. These students were from all over the world. The event was called International Neighbors Night. Some of the countries represented were: China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, Columbia, El Salvador, Nigeria, and Senegal. I know others […]
The article below is from a newsletter sent by FLAG – Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness. The founder is a legal immigrant and now citizens Nick Adams. He grew up in Australia wanting to be an American. His website is FLAGUSA.org. His mission is to teach kids what the schools aren’t. America is the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Supposedly the 2013 Farr Associates (same guy who did Uptown) cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is a glossy 126 pages in an 18 x 11 inch spiral bound format. Some items from this plan were implemented like Way Finding Signs. Those signs cost taxpayers over $500,000. https://blnnews.com/2021/06/08/if-the-camera-cant-focus/ The plan […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you haven’t taken the survey for the Normal Police Department, see it here: https://normal-il.civilspace.io/en/projects/5/engagements/4/sections/1 You can now take that survey, most of yesterday you couldn’t: This is the error you would have seen if you tried any of the websites above: The person responsible is Vasudha Gadhiraju. She was hired in […]
If you have kids in a local Junior High, ask them if any group has talked to their class – without parental consent. Remember how kids are now behind because of remote learning? It appears playing “let’s catch up” isn’t the priority. Sorry, no hints.
By: Diane Benjamin If you still haven’t played with the Local Government Reporting on the Illinois Comptroller’s website, do it now! This is the link to Normal’s reported debt: https://illinoiscomptroller.gov/constituent-services/local-government/local-government-warehouse/processsearchresults/?DisplayMode=GETAFR&AFRDesiredData=Indebtedness&Code=064/095/31&CFY=2022&Menu=Yes&PrintIt=No At the beginning of FY 2020 total debt was: $88,090,580 At the end of FY 2020 total debt was: $85,752,874 At the end of FY […]
If this area needs more housing as some claim: Why did I overhear a local “planner” tell a developer the time isn’t right for another subdivision? “Planner” thinks it could affect Unit 5’s referendum (round 2) and the April election! Wonder if “planner” knows lies will effect it more? EDC? Chamber of Commerce?
By: Diane Benjamin There are many website who claim to rate charities for you. To me this one is the best a provides the most detailed resources available: https://www.charitywatch.org/ Enter some of your favorites and see the salaries of top executives. If you want to research tax returns for other non-profits, this is the site […]
By: Diane Benjamin This pic from the Illinois Municipal League says everything you need to know about them: https://www.iml.org/notices IML refuses to post required information on their website! Yes, they are hiding. They don’t file tax returns either even though their employees receive large pensions: https://blnnews.com/2016/03/29/the-iml-scam/ IML exists to represent government in Springfield, they don’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin 3 people spoke at Public Comment. The first two complained about noise effecting their homes. Neither was completely coherent, I have no idea what area of the city they were talking about. The third raved about Bloomington 101. The comments start at 3:36 is you want to interpret for me. Another guy […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www3.forbes.com/leadership/the-u-s-states-people-are-fleeing-and-the-ones-they-are-moving-to-version-5-ifs-vue-mn-wnb/ Forbes has a new list of the top 12 States people are moving from, I will save you the trouble of reading it: 1. Illinois Total Moves: 8,157Percentage Moving Out: 63.4%Population: 12,802,000Median Household Income: $62,881Job Growth (2018): 0.9% Projected population growth is negative. Illinois is ahead of New Jersey and New […]
By: Diane Benjamin Check out the P-Card spending starting on PDF page 157: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28645 Staff is back to traveling, two people went to the IML conference in Chicago. Somehow they didn’t spend as much as the Town of Normal people who went. HR is on an advertising spree for new employees. Currently that link shows […]
By: Diane Benjamin The performance fee wasn’t available when I posted this one: Loss: $15,753.69 Performance fee: Loss: $10,852.03 This one proves if good shows are booked people will come and shows can make money: Performance Fee: Profit: $4,108.85 Even with one profit, these 3 shows lost $22,496.87, not including all the other ancillary costs […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last September the Financial Trends Report was presented at a Council meeting. See it here: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20653/2021-2022-Financial-Trend-and-Condition-Report IMRF funding was reported on PDF page 45 at 106.2%. IMRF funds all pensions except Police and Fire. Fire Pension Funding was reported at 56.15% funded – PDF page 44. Police Pension Funding was reported at […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you are one of the MANY people who contacted me about 4-H and the funding of the Extension office you need to watch at least Public Comment from the 11/10/22 County Board Board meeting. I think 7 people commented, 6 of them are intimately involved with Extension and all wanted the […]
By: Diane Benjamin County: Bloomington Unit 5: Added together: (😣) Yes: 16,547 No: 19,196 Stay tuned draconian predictions from Unit 5 Only 52.44% of registered voters in Bloomington bothered to vote. The County only had 60.52%. Obviously the Republic can’t be “kept” when citizens don’t participate. . . . .
By: Diane Benjamin I heard one of the biggest opponents to the McLean County GOP Accountability committee was George Wendt. He needs to reconsider, the latest RINO Republican to turn on the party is Kathleen Lorenz. 4 years ago she campaigned door-to-door calling herself a Republican. Does George Wendt know Lorenz campaigned for his Democrat […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed a FOIA request because of the huge entries last month for travel and meetings: “Receipts for the $8775.00 to APTA for travel and meetings on the September 2022 disbursements Receipts for the $677.70 paid to Dave White for travel and meetings on the same list Receipts for the $3866.53 charged […]
By: Diane Benjamin Comments about Kathleen made by citizens really bother her. After the last batch she emailed me twice with corrections. She didn’t say anything about what I wrote, she was merely responding to people who comment. The comments are to this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/11/08/kathleen-lorenz-proves-again-why-she-shouldnt-be-on-the-town-council/ I could post her emails, but I’m not going to. […]
If you have one: https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-fires-new-york-city-1664872245158db9adf85edc7f9ddcc8 Excerpts: City officials are considering new laws after the fire department counted nearly 200 blazes and six fire deaths this year tied to problems with lithium-ion batteries in such “micromobility” devices. WHY ARE E-BIKES AND SCOOTERS GETTING SCRUTINY IN NEW YORK? The city has seen “an exponential increase” in fires […]
