By: Diane Benjamin
Original story: https://blnnews.com/2025/12/09/bnwrd-bought-what/
I had to ask twice to get a response, Tim Irwin told me his wife had surgery which delayed his response.
Packet for the December 8, 2025 meeting: https://blnnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/December-2025-Board-Packet.pdf
In the original story I showed the PIN #’s for three properties.
21-08-278-031 didn’t exist in the County property database. That number was listed numerous times in the documentation. It should have been 21-06-278-031. That property does exist, the County records show it had a taxable value of $27,082.
Tim Irvin doesn’t know why PIN #21-05-154-020 shows it is owned by the City of Bloomington. I asked the Bloomington attorney why BNWRD paid another guy for a property listed as exempt and owned by the City of Bloomington. No response. I looked that property up on the Recorders website. The only document is an easement obtained by BNWRD in 2024 showing Carl Thomas owned it.
The third is 21-05-152-004, it does say Carl Thomas owns it. The assessed value for taxes is $259.
The 3 properties were taxed for property taxes at $27,082 + $259 = $27,341. Multiply that by 3 and the actual value as determined by the Assessor totaled is $82,023. BNWRD paid $565,249.
The paragraph is in the document, PDF page 104:
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Why end at 2019? Because in 2025 we are in a drought? https://stateclimatologist.web.illinois.edu/2025/10/
This chart showing what was paid is on PDF page 106:
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I still don’t have a good explanation for how the price was arrived at. Supposedly an appraisal was done.
Either BNWRD vastly overpaid or the Assessor vastly under-assessed the properties. Irvin told me the seller provided Evidence of Title on the property listed as owned by the City of Bloomington. The County records don’t show property taxes were ever paid on that property.
Remember, you pay more when some people don’t pay their fair share.
I could keep filing FOIA’s, does anyone care? Maybe this is the price of living in Illinois?
Please keep filing FOIA’s!
They need to know they’re being watched!
Yes I agree keep FOIA’s going but the sad part of it is the results could mean less to the local tax payers as the majority of residents don’t vote in local elections and going to council meetings means nothing as those elected officials feel like the voters put them in power so they must be right in what they do. This just keeps those in power who continue to ignore the fleecing of the taxpayer.
Sad but how true, and yes when it becomes possible I will be getting out of this poorly run community and state.