By: Diane Benjamin

BNWRD is the Bloomington-Normal Water Reclamation District. They tax everyone in Bloomington-Normal.

The documentation for the yesterday’s BNWRD meeting is on this page: https://blnnews.com/bnwrd-docs/

This jumped off the page, especially since last month BNWRD bought 1.734 acres for $90,639. https://blnnews.com/2025/11/11/i-need-a-realtor-to-explain-this-one/

PDF page 3:

The contract for sale starts on PDF page 109 of the December packet. This is the description listed:

.81 + 5.503 + .61 = 6.923 acres purchased for $562,249.10. That’s $81,214.66 an acre.

I tried looking up the PIN numbers: https://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/

21-08-278-031 doesn’t exist

21-05-154-020 states the City of Bloomington owns it.

21-05-152-004 does say Carl Thomas owns it. The assessed value for taxes is $259.

I asked BNWRD for an explanation. So far they haven’t responded.

This story will be updated if they do.

BNWRD paid $52,272 an acre last month. Money is no object when it isn’t your own.

This is one of those obscure taxing bodies nobody watches. Nobody attends meetings either.