By: Diane Benjamin

There will be at least 1 more story from this meeting. Previous story: https://blnnews.com/2026/10/02/normal-township-recorded-meetings-quickly-deleted/

Back when the Normal Township Board did this year’s budget around June, they decided to suspend grants because they didn’t want to raise the levy.

This video is two public comments at the 9/22/26 meeting:

Times have changed since the budget was passed. Below are quotes from the August 18th meeting in the minutes by Deputy Clerk Becca Rice. As of this writing these minutes are overdue and haven’t been posted. Since I received them in the FOIA I filed – see them below. 18 pages will show you why meetings are 3 hours long.

Becca made that comment because of the grant requests on the agenda. The minutes reflect the Board voting to fund this one anyway:

.

Two other grants were also on the agenda, both were tabled until the September meeting.

.

.

All of that was at the August meeting. So what happened at the September meeting?

Representatives from the Community Health Care Clinic for Dental Clinic were present to answer questions. If you are keeping track, if this $20,000 grant is approved that is half of the $40,000 the Board approved. $10,000 was given away at the last meeting. This grant was tabled until the October meeting because an actual grants process will be used to hear all requests. Also at this meeting was brand new grant request from the YWCA for childcare – that is another $5000. Note no other childcare facility asked for money and they likely didn’t think asking was normal. The second public comment covered yet another grant request that will be considered in October from an organization that has received grants in the past. Krystle Able claims the McLean County Land Trust also wants money.

If you don’t remember who they are, see Point 5 in this story: https://blnnews.com/2026/08/08/six-things-you-need-to-know-6/.

Of course they need taxpayer money since they have no record of success. The one house this group did buy was funded by the State of Illinois. They are “Krystle friends” however.

Two guys were also at the meeting from another organization that has received grant money before, BN Achievement Foundation.

Since everyone has their hands out, that $40,000 won’t go far. Therefore Krystle wants to shift unspent money around from other funds to give away more. The fiscal year doesn’t end until March 31, 2027. Six months through the current year Krystle’s magic will determine where budgeted funds won’t be needed.

Hear her for yourself: