By: Diane Benjamin Actually they are the fault of everyone who DOESN’T bother to vote in local elections. I’m seeing a lot of unhappy people who opened their property tax bill. Look at who is taxing you. It’s local! Not voting in local elections makes it really easy to install big government types who have […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday was Tim Gleason’s last meeting so the Mayor had to do a list of his accomplishments. Mentioned was getting them through COVID which wasn’t difficult when the Feds threw many millions of dollars to them and tax receipts skyrocketed because of inflation. The new budget is spending LESS on roads than […]
By: Diane Benjamin Pulled from the Consent Agenda was approving a Community Change Grant from the EPA who is handing out $20 billion. (Inflation will continue as the Feds spend money they have to print) The money isn’t free, it’s still taxpayers who will be responsible for the debt. Bloomington wants $20 million, most of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington City Council last night: Occasional reminder that Ward 1 Alderman Kearns does not believe in Liberty and Justice for All. She never says the Pledge of Allegiance: Just an example of Mr. Giggles at work:
By: Diane Benjamin The entire County is going to be taxed to fund the airport. This was passed in Springfield without a vote from the County residents and by representatives that don’t represent them (Chung and Koehler). Remember: Taxation Without Representation? Details here: https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/cira-authority-expansion-means-new-tax-for-rural-mclean-county-property-owners/article_e7aeccb8-3339-11ee-966e-fb07c1b7d8e3.html The County is also forced to pay for the Bloomington Election […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tim Gleason’s base salary as City Manager was $212,862.84. The 2023 total compensation report is finally posted: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/30290/638487793683670000 A contract for Monday night’s City Council meeting for Jeff Jurgens shows a base salary of $210,000. https://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/2570155/Jurgens_CM_Contract.pdf Gleason had much more experience than Jurgens. Jurgen’s in a lawyer and Gleason isn’t. Since a […]
I was right. Congrats Jeff. Now cancel rebranding and fix the roads! By: Diane Benjamin I predict Jeff Jurgens will be named City Manager. He wouldn’t be named today if the council wasn’t already on board. Jurgens is one of the good guys, at least in my dealings with him. Of course any City Manager […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s pretty clear that shows drawing a couple hundred people or less lose money. Broader appeal shows can make money. All BCPA event reports are here: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-2097#docan2735_6873_64 The report for this show is being revised after I questioned $32,000 for “stage hands”. It should have only been $26,872.74 per Katherine Murphy. Either […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you’ve ever watched a council meeting you know why I call him Mr. Giggles. Those giggles hide the fact that he’s a big government guy and pushes a progressive (communist) agenda. Can’t Bloomington do better? https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-04-15/mwilambwe-to-run-for-2nd-term-as-bloomington-mayor?fbclid=IwAR0pqO6wAXClBrJMohOXCUvF6sQlDT4B1FNa2HwPj3OwLAA2m1M6xwqZS5Y Mwilambwe to run for 2nd term as Bloomington mayor Excerpts: Mwilambwe said he wants to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Surrena Fish was back with an update on Tent City. She claimed there is a waiting list now and police had to be called to break up a fight. Just hit play to hear her comments. The Connect Transit update on the downtown transfer station isn’t that long. If you don’t want […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has been tired of spending money on the Market Street Garage for many years, but I certainly don’t remember a vote to hand it over to Connect Transit. That garage belongs to Bloomington residents. I can’t wait to see how they make this one legal. An Intergovernmental Agreement will probably appear […]
By: Diane Benjamin h/t a reader Another reader just sent this pic: Remember Public Safety is a high priority! Your taxes paid for the fire department response. 😁 Spraying water:
By: Diane Benjamin Future council are NOT bound by the actions of this council. If they were this plan from 2013 would have already been a reality: . If you want people elected who actually care about the roads, start voting for them! A few things in that plan were done, like Way Finding signs, […]
The report finally got posted around 11:00am. Since it was beautiful yesterday I was outside and haven’t looked at it in depth. I will though. The email I received didn’t explain why it was late. By: Diane Benjamin I’ve got more to report from last night’s meeting but it will wait until tomorrow. Bills and […]
By: Diane Benjamin The cameras worked last night. A new voting system actually worked last night. Bloomington now has TWO tent cities. Another one sprung up under the Center Street bridge – according to a Public Comment (19:45). The reason people are illegally living in tents in downtown Bloomington is because the first person was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s agenda: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f6fa5291-5bbe-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-d854eb82-3702-4140-9de6-ac3a8e3f379d-1712335286.pdf If you forgot or never heard, Bloomington has a water tower that has never been used because it wasn’t built high enough: https://blnnews.com/2015/08/04/more-ineptness/ That one won’t be mentioned tonight because the City must maintain the appearance of competence. On the agenda is building another one: This one disturbs me […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.decaturtribune.com/2024/04/03/city-beat-tim-gleasons-return-as-city-manager-is-good-news-for-decatur Except: Gleason didn’t get the job in Arizona: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-29/tim-gleason-reflects-on-his-six-years-as-bloomington-city-manager Also from the 1st article: Is this why Gleason “was interested in returning to Decatur”?
By: Diane Benjamin Decatur hired Tim Gleason as City Manager last night for the 2nd time. Fun facts: https://www.bestplaces.net/compare-cities/decatur_il/bloomington_il/costofliving . Tim Gleason will get a salary of $230,000 a year in Decatur: https://www.decaturtribune.com/2024/04/01/city-council-affirms-gleason-as-city-manager-approves-new-universal-yard-waste-service/ Last time he was Decatur’s City Manager this was his salary – he came to Bloomington in 2018: Below is his salary […]
Is this why Tim Gleason is leaving? Tent City growing! H/T a reader
Reported by WAND in Decatur: https://www.wandtv.com/news/tim-gleason-set-to-return-as-decatur-city-manager/article_8d4f69a8-ed38-11ee-85c2-8b0f4f2d2f4c.html After spending the last six years in Bloomington, Tim Gleason is poised to return to his former role of Decatur City Manager. Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe announced that the council intends on hiring Gleason during a news conference on Thursday. Current City Manager, Scot Wrighton, announced his plans to […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve seen this one listed on Silly Law websites for years, I finally took the time to see if it is real. It is: https://ecode360.com/34404548 The top highlight is Chestnut, the bottom is Oakland. . Right below the bird feeding law is a barking dog law. Since laws are merely suggestions, good […]
In case you can’t read it, the email is from Bloomington’s Communications Manager Katherine Murphy: (copied) Wanted to make sure you had the updated link for last night’s meeting. A major tech problem happened just before the meeting started and we did our best to get the meeting on the stream but only had one […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Tom Crumpler gave an impassioned speech pertaining to the plight of illegals and local housing. Of course his version is “migrants”. He based his comments on this WGLT story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-22/it-is-difficult-right-now-housing-coalition-cites-ongoing-challenges-in-bloomington-normal A couple of points that are evidently way over Tom’s head: “Migrants” are abused long before they illegally enter the country. […]
By: Diane Benjamin From the City of Bloomington website: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/departments/human-resources That statement means the BEST person applying for a job isn’t the one that gets hired. Bloomington chooses employees based on race, gender, etc. Going woke isn’t going to bankrupt them like many companies before them – they can always get more money from you! […]
By: Diane Benjamin The O’Neil Park Aquatics Center was discussed in depth at the October 15, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting. Every council member is now gone except for one: Discussion about a water park begins in the minutes on PDF page 6: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/21017/636854797697530000 The cost was estimated at $10,000,000. It probably went much […]
By: Diane Benjamin See the Budget Books here: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/departments/finance/annual-budget All you need to know is: Start reading Budget Book 1 PDF page 30: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showdocument?id=29341 Lots of demographic data is included. Private sector businesses wouldn’t make decisions with out of date data like what is presented. It’s hard to claim there is a housing shortage when […]
By: Diane Benjamin BCPA event reports: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-2097#docan2735_6873_64 Note the attendance at each show. Loss: $4,091.79 Profit: $21,933.02 Loss: $3,861.88 This one isn’t on the BCPA calendar: https://www.artsblooming.org/events/all-events-list-view/-toggle-allpast Loss: $18.56 This one took place on 2/8 – not 2/7 Loss: $6,468.96 Profit: $2,525.50 Embarrassing loss: $5,130.61
By: Diane Benjamin It sure would be nice to know if fees and payments are included in reports posted for “arena” events. Since the BCPA doesn’t include artist fees, I have to think they aren’t. Note: a LOT of tickets had to be given away to get 4318 people to attend this Riverman hockey event: […]
By: Diane Benjamin I don’t want to, so you will get a brief recap. Summary: Officials think they are on a roll. You will be thinking Coliseum fleece instead. See 1:55 A good number of the far left showed up at public comment to talk about affordable housing and why starting a business is hard. […]
While the administration and City Council were enthralled last night with their glorious plans for downtown, real people live in the rest of the City. The $10 million budgeted for streets and sidewalks isn’t gloat worthy, that doesn’t stop them from doing it anyway. Is this sidewalk on the list? Seen on NextDoor
By: Diane Benjamin For a change next year’s budget isn’t on the agenda. https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/4a76bdde-5bc1-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-791fe512-602c-4d20-98c8-ecdbbed39134-1710528364.pdf These two fleeces are on the agenda, of course nobody will admit the obvious. Is Bloomington going to build a downtown wall to keep tent city out of view? Will anyone ask how many electric buses are working now? Who exactly […]
By: Diane Benjamin The YWCA is obviously a leftist organization. Proof is their national website: https://www.ywca.org/who-we-are It’s easy to tell when leftists need other people’s money, a conga line of speakers show up to provide “their” facts. In the case of Stepping Stones it was 6. The Stepping Stones program lost federal grant money but […]
By: Diane Benjamin Any response from District 87? https://blnnews.com/2024/03/12/d87-fire-this-bloomington-fireman/ You thought your kids matter at school? Tent City continues to grow, it has spread to the old Pantagraph building. On Monday the Bloomington City Council will hear plans for the downtown streetscape. Maybe they can “tent” multiple blocks! It will be glorious!
By: Diane Benjamin Inflation has stolen close to 20% of your buying power – just since 2021: . Inflation will continue unless government policies change. Facts: https://www.bidenomics.com/ According to GasBuddy, the cheapest local gas is at Huck’s on West Oakland – $3.39. Three years ago gas was more than $1 less a gallon. https://www.gasbuddy.com/go/gas-prices-2021-year-in-review According […]
By: Diane Benjamin I mentioned in this story a reader told me he/she witnessed an electric Connect Transit bus being towed: https://blnnews.com/2024/03/04/two-things-i-wish-i-had-pics-of/ It turns out it wasn’t an electric bus. Obtained by FOIA: Connect Transit is forced to use OLD buses because the new electric fleet is junk. In case you can’t read that email, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council held an Executive Session last night, the mayor stated it was to discuss Tim Gleason. Considering he told WGLT he wanted the opportunity to counter the Arizona offer, that’s likely what was discussed. Gleason just got a 5% raise in September: https://blnnews.com/2023/09/11/tonight-gleason-gets-a-raise/ The mayor also stated Bloomington has momentum. “Momentum” […]
By: Diane Benjamin I was going to redact the guy’s name in the hope District 87 had the good sense to fire him. Since numerous complaints have been made about his harassment and inappropriate comments to female students AND he hasn’t been fired yet – I’m not redacting his name. The presentation by the Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s agenda: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/f6f358da-5bbe-11ee-ae13-0050569183fa-d854eb82-3702-4140-9de6-ac3a8e3f379d-1709935302.pdf In case you missed this story: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-03-07/bloomington-city-manager-is-a-top-candidate-for-arizona-job The only reason tent city still exists in downtown Bloomington is because the far left screamed at the City for planning to disband it. Some laws are okay to break which means all laws are okay to break if leadership is intimidated […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington wants to condemn the Front and Center building since it’s been sitting empty for a long time. WGLT reported: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-02-29/bloomington-condemns-landmark-downtown-building-at-front-and-center If the current owners object, taxpayers get to fund a court battle. With or without legal fees taxpayers will get the demolition cost which includes asbestos removal. Keep […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Illinois Policy Institute recapped the Illinois budget JB is proposing. See their story here: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/pritzker-wants-to-spend-record-amount-but-needs-898m-in-tax-hikes-to-do-it/ Of course it’s a record budget that includes massive tax increases. Pritzker made a big deal about eliminating the grocery tax: See that last line? At the last Bloomington City Council meeting the Finance Director stated […]
