By: Diane Benjamin
6 people spoke during Public Comment last night. Of course they had to wait until the end of the meeting because the Town of Normal wants to make sure the plebs don’t interfere at the beginning. Luckily the agenda was short so they weren’t sitting around for hours waiting to speak.
The topics the 6 spoke on ranged from: Electioneering, sewer backups and flooding, Sharon Chung’s bill, and corruption.
After the first speaker, Ron Ulmer, the Town attempted to rebut his comments which violates their own policy.
Just hit play below to hear all 6. Koos tried to cut off Chad Berck when his 3 minutes were up, Chad ignored him.
Council comments followed the 6. Karyn Smith took the opportunity to lecture on upcoming religious holidays, she was followed by a MUST SEE Stan Nord at 1:00:03. He spoke about Chung’s bill and the Town threatening legal action against him for trying to get answers about the NPD investigation into Unit 5 electioneering. I predict the police will finish their investigation AFTER the election and then bury it.
More must see: Kevin McCarthy at 1:06:18. He attempts to rebut Nord while not admitting HE PERSONALLY testified in Springfield before a committee hearing Chung’s bill while claiming to represent the Town of Normal. Koos wants him to be the next mayor! 😫
Attorney Brian Day followed with more lame rebuttal. This statement hasn’t changed: If Normal was legal the Chung bill wouldn’t be happening. Does Day know a judge’s ruling doesn’t mean it’s law? Fellheimer’s decision would have been appealed if citizens had access to unlimited taxpayer dollars like the Town did fighting them.
Koos hurriedly ended discussion by calling for a motion to adjourn.
I wish someone had filmed Koos after the meeting. I hear he had brusque comments with Karl Sila and Stan Nord. During the Live Stream a “clicking” pen was easily heard. It could only have been coming from Koos. It isn’t as obvious on the version below. Koos must have been rattled by citizens standing up to him. Good. When government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson
The pen clicking is definitely Koos. You can see the pen in his hand when he starts scolding one of the commenters. The clicks coincide with comments that get under his skin.
It drove me crazy!!! Very rude, unprofessional, and childish. He can mute his microphone like an adult.
He wanted to be ready to stop speakers
why is Normal Town Council to busy secretly and quickly trying to change the States Code if as the City Attorney said, “it’s just for those looking back in 10 years?” Seems that the courtroom scares them and the Law scares them. So they have to change it without asking the public if that’s what they want.
Acting as a Village with elections for 50 years but wanting Incorporated Town status for everything else.
Setting up an election (illegal) commission of just those people that are running for election from one party, Democrats. To stop free and fair campaigning referendums to even be put on the ballot per the same piece of legislation THEY ARE CHANGING AT THE STATE SO WE CANT REFERENDUM AGAIN!!!
THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL ARE USING TAX DOLLARS TO LOBBY FOR CHANGING STATE CODE/LAW THAT WE FOUGHT IN COURT. THE SAME LAW THAT ALLOWED US TO HAVE A REFERENDUM. THE NEW LAW WILL REMOVE ANY ABILITY TO ACT AS A REAL INCORPORATED TOWN WITH ELECTED OFFICES. WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC INPUT OR INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS. NORMAL TAXPAYERS ARE MEANINGLESS TO THIS MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL!!! Tyrannical government.
Agree with most of your comment, but should point out the the election commission was composed according to state law – so that part’s not only not illegal, but possibly the only part of this whole situation that wasn’t even unethical.
Except when they never ruled
The city council fears a Judge with Integrity and Virtues. Keeping Normals citizens in the dark, spending taxpayer funds without due process, seeking voter input, discussion (on the records), and in the open even with Ms. Chung present is arrogant, shameful, and against the code of ethics IMCO.
I totally agree with every citizen that spoke tonight during this meeting. It is time to take OUR town back.
The pen clicking from Koos is hilarious. I can’t stop laughing. I love these citizens speaking up!
Koos’ comments to me were about his luxury Rivian Christmas present from the taxpayers. I don’t have an exact quote, but it was something very like “If you’re going to make allegations about me personally, be sure it’s something you can prove. I’ve only drive that car twice in the last 3 weeks and it’s always parked overnight at city hall.”
His wording was curious – he did not Deny taxpayers bought him a new car, and overall it reminded me of an angry Bart Simpson: “I didn’t do it, nobody saw me do it, you can’t prove anything!”
Despite having personally witnessed him lie convincingly in the council chambers, I expect his comments to me to be factual, but to steal from FascBook s0-called fact-checkers, his comments ‘lacked context’.
– He doesn’t want this to be a campaign issue, so he’s limiting his use of the car until after the election.
– Of course it’s usually parked at City Hall overnight -That’s where/how he can also charge it on the taxpayers’ dime.
Many people saw it parked in his driveway and night! It will return
The reason it’s parked in the city parking lot overnight is because it’s at a charging station. Wouldn’t want to run up his electric bill at his house. That said, I do think he’s driving it less and less because of some of the backlash of public criticism. It’s not a good look and knowing him, he’s probably pissed about that.
I only stole cookies twice from the taxpayers. Which is worse? Only steeling twice or wasting taxpayers dollars buying all the cookies in the first place, only eating two and letting the rest go to waste ?
Best option. Not buying the cookies. Saving taxpayers.
Because it’s been bought and eaten.
He does own a bike shop right? Couldn’t he ride a pedal cookie? Throw out that expense card and spend his grownup money like everyone else on his own cookies.
All government vehicles, excluding undercover ones, should be required to have a reasonable sized sticker on them that says
“This is a government vehicle purchased with taxpayer dollars by the Town of Normal”
(Swap Town of Normal for the appropriate governmental body.)
Stan Nord
Stan agree with you 100%, just keep hanging in there the voters hopefully will open their eyes to the terrible representation that they currently have in local government!
Please make a list of Everyone you know in Normal. Please call them and explain how important it is to vote in this election. Ask them to please go and vote between now and April 4. These (School Board & Normal Council) are the most important elections because they are closest to home.
Nord, Sila, Tiritilli
Unit 5: Emery, Jada. Wurth & Frank
Kathy say corruption and the pen goes wild. I want to play poker with Koos.