By: Diane Benjamin
This pic will give you an idea of how many citizens showed up in Uptown last night for the Normal Town Council meeting. Most of the speakers who were allowed to speak didn’t want the Council to approve either dispensary on the agenda.
Below is how the mayor greeted them – some of you may not be allowed to speak because I am only allowing 30 minutes and I’m not extending the time. High Haven had been on the agenda before, Revolution hadn’t. Koos presumed the arguments were the same against both, he was wrong.
Just hit play:
Note no members of the Council stood up for the citizens. They didn’t want to waste their time listening to citizens either. The citizens of Normal have been silenced by how they voted or failed to vote.
Approval for High Haven was unanimous after being voted down last time 6-1. Kathleen Lorenz blamed the town for the traffic problems in that area and urged them to fix it fast. She also blamed the “professional staff” for not limiting the number of dispensaries allowed like Bloomington did. Revolution passed 5-2 with Scott Preston and Kathleen Lorenz voting no. Parking was the big issue with that location.
“Professional staff” City Manager Pam Reece said she will hold a work session in June to discuss dispensaries. Normal could have many more applications for a special use permit before then. According to the “professional staff” the two had to be approved because they met all requirements of the current flawed ordinance. Revolution on Northbrook Dr had been rejected by the Zoning Board twice.
One of the few speakers wanting High Haven approved is at 33:50. He blamed the “Christian Right” for opposition. He’s a political scientist at a supposed Christian University: https://www.iwu.edu/about/history.html
If you thought your kids were safe from indoctrination at Wesleyan you are wrong.
The progressive town staff are eying for a 420 Tourism Award.
Must be why they want a huge sign at 1 Normal Plaza
I’ve been wondering what Kathy would bitch about now that Stan Nord’s off the Council, and now we know. She’s upset by her own ordinances that she herself enacted when she was both on the Council and previously on the Zoning Board of Appeals. Great work Kathy! Now she wants a study to be done on traffic patterns next to Chick fil ‘A. News flash Kathy, it’s busy and congested and now we can smoke a joint while we’re stuck in traffic. I’m more than willing to count cars for her and Pam for $100,000. How did this happen? Gee, I wonder who passed the ordinances that they all found themselves trapped in last night?
Wake up Normal, this is your government in action. You can’t make this stuff up.
Great. Marijuana is legal. However, when you come into public places smelling like a dead skunk, it tells many that you smoked and then got in your car and drove. In fact, at a public carwash we have to smell the dead skunk. Oh…and the number of people that are supporting measures that state police have no probable cause when your car smells like skunk. ENOUGH of the pot selling and please remind consumers that it should be consumed in their home and not in their car. Consumers should not consume and then drive. Let’s face it…we are doomed.
No surprises here. When somebody you’ve never seen eat a vegetable in their life orders a salad, you know there has to be a reason. The council pretty much Never sides with the general public on any disputed issue; voting against the pot store, in line with public input, was nothing but a re-election stunt, to be reversed as soon as the election was past. And voila, just as anyone who pays any attention could have predicted…
This is why you vote!! They are selling drugs in front of our children:(
It’s legal, so….
It’s legal on the state level; however, it is still a federal crime. Thus, it is illegal. Should the federal government enforce the laws on the books, these people could be arrested and charged.
The state has basically said we just want tax revenue.
Be sure to tell those who endorsed and donated to the elections of these clowns what you think. Some of the big names are:
– IL Realtors
– McLean County Chamber
– Unions
– Dan Brady
And check for individuals as well – you’re more likely to influence them than organizations. And approach with an attitude of curiosity or concern rather than anger or offense – a conversation is more likely to win hearts and minds than an argument.
IWU a Christian school? Hardly. Not surprised J.S. would speak on promoting more dope in the community. Every instructor on that campus is a whack job. Always nice to read this blog knowing nothing has changed or will change. Medical weed, the new economic savior for BN. Let’s all get stoned!!! Be careful you don’t pop more tires on your way to the pot store.
Not every instructor is a whack job, but it Is a college campus so I would expect many are and most that are not are too cowardly to speak up to defend reality.
So why the big push for a pot joint here? There are probably several other buildings/spaces that are empty. Why one of the most congested areas of town? Who owns that property? Who has stake in whatever LLC is running the place? Follow the money right???? I am guessing Normal would lose more money if Chik Fil A relocated than they will earn from the pot store. Thjank God I don’t live in Normal
Since most of the council did a 180 on their previous vote I’d expect someone is profiting now. Maybe campaign donations promised, coupons for free product, commitment to buy a bunch of bikes, etc.
The town staff are set to get a lot of pot tax revenue to piss away buying more luxury vehicles. Plus I’d expect Queen Pam promised each councilman a % of the pot revenue to spend on their own pet projects or jointly (pun intended) for the underpass.
Now that Stan’s gone is there really any need for council meetings anymore?
They like to keep up a pretense of not being an oligarchy.
You title your article “No Representation In Normal” before the new guy even attends his first meeting. Seems like a leap to me, maybe you should title your article “My Guy Lost and I Just Want to Whine!” It’s possible you are right but its going to take a little time to tell! I’d read your blog more than once every 6 months if you ever had anything nice to say about anyone….ever. Seems like you are an angry little elf with a following of a couple more angry little elf’s. Doesn’t sound like a very enjoyable way to go through life.
It’s a shame you have nothing better to do than troll using a fake name. Byars was bought, the result is obvious