By: Diane Benjamin

The only reason to have TIME LIMITS for Council discussion is to limit discussion. It started under Tari Renner, Mboka is continuing it. Common Sense should tell your elected officials discussions should take as long as somebody has something to say.

Instead they stop and have a vote to extend the time. In other words, waste time and throw off the conversation.

This one slide speaks volumes:

See the last line. Finance thinks next year will end with a massive reserve of $43.4 million. The budget only plans to use $3.4 million of the reserves when this year ends 4/30/2023.

We’ve been told reserves should be 15% of General Fund spending. Since the GF spending keeps increasing, so does the reserve amount if 15% is the rule. The City only needs $19.4 million.

They are sitting on $24 million extra

Obviously Bloomington needs another administrator because they have plans to spend those excess reserves. Gleason claims that 3rd person will increase efficiencies. Maybe he can start with getting a camera operator who can get his slides on the video during City Manager comments. Last night they weren’t again. Gleason stated in his opening comments that the Council has been “prepped” (convinced to vote YES). The vote was unanimous, but several alderman stated they expect to see cost reductions to prove “efficiency”.

Next week’s Committee of the Whole will painful. Tim Gleason reveals 4 presentations in the video below. The Council approved the budget which includes money for Connect Transit. Next Monday they get to hear what CT will spend it on. (Seem backwards?)

You will also get a DEI presentation! Riveting. Also included will be a library and Water Park update.