By: Diane Benjamin
The City finally perfected picking up bulk waste twice a year, so staff needs it changed.
Instead of preventing local contractors and landlords from dumping bulk waste at the convenience center, the City wants to close it. That means going back to picking up bulk every two weeks instead of twice a year. I’m not sure how those two correlate.
A trip down memory lane:
Remember back when Renner was mayor and garbage was frequently discussed? Everyone was sick of the endless discussions, especially since garbage service was formally included in taxes already paid.
The Council landed on this proposal as the final solution, note that no one who passed this is still on the Council. These people are the reason every council after them doesn’t need to vote on increasing your rates: PDF page 7 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=15956
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Tonight: https://bloomingtonil.portal.civicclerk.com/event/1012/files/report/2505
The documentation doesn’t say if sufficient staff exists to do pickups every two weeks. Currently staff is reallocated for the twice a year pickups. Does the City have sufficient equipment to pick up bulk every two weeks?
The Council will also hear:
Presentation of a Proactive Property Maintenance Enforcement
I did a story about this one last week: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/05/proactive-property-maintenance-plan-heavy-hand-of-government/
The convenience center is a problem of its own making. I have used it occasionally over the years, and from my observation, it is not homeowners dropping things off here. It is contractors or landlords cleaning out apartments.
Everyone’s driver’s license is recorded, and pictures are taken of every load. How about an audit? And to be honest, the person they have checking loads spends more time complaining about his job than anything. I doubt he turns anyone away.
I prefer the convenience center to putting things on the curb. Before, it just felt like every curb was piled with garbage as you drove around town. Then, the pickers go and spread it all over the curb.
Regulate the convenience center better and send out some bills to those who clearly abuse, and it could turn around quickly.
My guess is the city will eventually “need” to spend millions on a new park at that location to improve the view from the library, but the rest of the city will look like a dump!