By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington failed at Live Streaming the meeting last night. There was no audio! The incompetence shown by City staff should make you wonder what else they are incompetent at doing. Below is this year’s budget for Information Technology. Almost $6 million and they can’t get a Live Stream to work in a […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the charge to Repairs and Maintenance pertaining to the License Plate Readers? https://blnnews.com/2023/02/09/remember-when-bloomington-bought-license-plate-readers/ I received an email from an officer wanting me to call him for an explanation. Since I prefer explanations in writing so they are useable, he put it in writing. That payment isn’t for Repairs or Maintenance. It […]
By: Diane Benjamin February 28, 2022: https://cityblm.granicus.com/DocumentViewer.php?file=cityblm_f2826ec9d9b5f6bf9ebdb349f14596b7.pdf&view=1 The actual name of the company is Flock Group Inc. https://www.bizapedia.com/ga/flock-group-inc.html The listed CEO, Garrett Langley, is the same guy who runs Flock Safety https://www.flocksafety.com/about/meet-flock-safety The “fixed cost” isn’t so fixed: The cameras haven’t even been installed a year yet and repairs aren’t covered? The fixed annual cost […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Unit 5 School Board did nothing to control costs, they just want you to pay more. They are putting the exact same referendum back on the April ballot. That is the same referendum that was defeated in November. The only way it passes in April is if supporters vote and you […]
By: Diane Benjamin I had another meeting to attend last night so I didn’t watch either Normal or Bloomington live. Normal’s was only around 1/2 hour so I did watch it. I heard 2 media outlets showed up with video cameras, maybe they were expecting fireworks that didn’t happen. Mayor Koos wasn’t there, maybe not […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Unit 5 is counting on low voter turnout to pass yet another attempt to raise your taxes – that’s after they already raised property taxes. These current School Board members want re-elected: Kelly Pyle Amy Roser Both were appointed in 2018, they are part of the problem. Unions will be running […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Stan Nord wanted to reduce the Property Tax levy by a mere $200,000? Then $100,000? https://blnnews.com/2022/11/08/kathleen-lorenz-proves-again-why-she-shouldnt-be-on-the-town-council/ Only Scott Preston sided with Nord on the tiny reduction to your property taxes. Karyn Smith and Kathleen Lorenz (and others) were appalled at changing requests from the “professional staff” during a meeting. Not […]
By: Diane Benjamin Will someone ask Bloomington why they had 904 employees in mid December? https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28863/638084456490870000 Bloomington ended the year with 820 employees, still way over the previous numbers! COUNTY taxpayers are forced to fund the Bloomington Election Commission while having no oversight! This is taxation without representation because BEC doesn’t answer to anyone. Green […]
By: Diane Benjamin Another bike path was on the agenda. Refer back to the previous story, bike paths have a higher priority than roads. Mayor Bike Shop? The Town supposedly received 100% funding for the new path on the west side of Normal. Engineering is 8.5% higher than expected so the Town needed a budget […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s meeting will take more than one story! The Town of Normal GIS system for identifying projects is a useful tool. Try this link: https://tongis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/4f41ead227e440dda1ca5ca85bdbdddb You need to click Transportation on the left side and then 2023 at the bottom. The first thing to notice is it says 27 projects but […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story for the source or the below: https://blnnews.com/2022/05/09/no-surprise-normal-needs-6-million-more-to-build-the-underpass/ The cost to build an underpass that only pedestrians and bikers can use continues to increase. Note the $6,000,000 increase due to inflation was estimated in April 2022. How much over $6 million is it now? Since inflation is still ridiculously high, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tis the season to steal your money! Unit 5 will raise property taxes tonight. So will District 87. The District 87 levy is expected to increase 8.24% according to the Public Hearing notice: https://go.boarddocs.com/il/district87/Board.nsf/files/CLPP386222AD/$file/Notice%20of%20Public%20Hearing%202022%20Tax%20Levy.pdf Illinois school districts have received more than $7 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Relief Funds (ESSER) to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Julie Emig was absent again. Proving Covid is now no big deal, Tim Gleason attended by zoom from the other side of the wall. He stated he had direct exposure to Covid and didn’t want to sit next to other council members and possibly expose them. Remember when people were required to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28759/638060206887430000 Who got the Gift Cards? How much was each worth? Meeting Agenda and documents: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/5f6cdea7-b41c-11ec-a5da-0050569183fa-d969cfc2-89f9-4a31-922c-c0ff80c0370c-1670599987.pdf The Property Tax Levy will be approved and then a sure to be riveting presentation by Public Works: 2022 RoadWork Wrap-up. If the 2035 goal isn’t met it won’t matter. The City Manager […]
by: Diane Benjamin Ward 4 Alderman Julie Emig was on sick leave until the end of November. She still wasn’t back Monday night. She hasn’t attended a meeting since September, her Ward has been un-represented for over 2 months. It’s funny to watch the Council continue to conduct business with 8 alderman instead of 9. […]
By: Diane Benjamin PDF page 4 https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28699/638052450340400000 Bloomington is projecting General Fund Reserves at the end of the year (4-30-2023) of: $34,494,213 PDF page 469: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1108&Inline=True In case that number shows up too small to read, the projected General Fund Balance less than a year ago (4-30-2022) was: $24,296,676 That represents an increase in Reserves […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hope you know there is NEVER enough money for government. It is very easy to take more from you instead of doing without like those paying their bills do. By not showing up you tell them you don’t care. Rent? Property taxes are included in your rent. Expect increases. . . […]
By: Diane Benjamin I looked at the City website last night and no agenda was posted for the “special meeting”. It did announce the Committee of the Whole meeting was cancelled. No wonder nobody showed up for Public Comment! The “Special Meeting” agenda is posted now. Meetings that just happened are erased only to reappear […]
By: Diane Benjamin Check out the P-Card spending starting on PDF page 157: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28645 Staff is back to traveling, two people went to the IML conference in Chicago. Somehow they didn’t spend as much as the Town of Normal people who went. HR is on an advertising spree for new employees. Currently that link shows […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last September the Financial Trends Report was presented at a Council meeting. See it here: https://www.normalil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/20653/2021-2022-Financial-Trend-and-Condition-Report IMRF funding was reported on PDF page 45 at 106.2%. IMRF funds all pensions except Police and Fire. Fire Pension Funding was reported at 56.15% funded – PDF page 44. Police Pension Funding was reported at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Unit 5 has gone woke. The Superintendent uses pronouns on emails. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion permeates the curriculum because Unit 5 hired Dr. Shelvin to indoctrinate the staff and students. Teaching a color blind society has been shelved in favor of the Marxist ideology of division. Human Resources offered counseling to all […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when the Local Sales Tax Rate increased back on 1/1/2016? This is what Bloomington residents were told it was for: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/9197/636130888246430000 PDF Page 2: This year the City of Bloomington budgeted $7.2 million for streets and sidewalks: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/26008/637508827017530000 The Local Motor Fuel Tax projected revenue this year is $4.1 million. https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/28561/638022024003730000 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The meeting length will be determined by what is pulled from the Consent Agenda – it’s long. It’s difficult to understand why some Enterprise Funds have to balance or you get tax increases to make up the difference, but Capital Funds can be used to buy 3 new movers for the golf […]
By: Diane Benjamin For a change I didn’t have to FOIA the reports. https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-2027 New reports have been posted to the City website, these represent the beginning of a new season. They aren’t off to a good start if you believe entertainment shouldn’t be subsidized by people who can’t afford to attend: Loss: $13,792.88 Performance […]
By: Diane Benjamin While waiting for Bloomington to comply with yet another FOIA on water bills I stumbled across this story: https://blnnews.com/2021/06/29/free-free-free-bloomington/ The Finance Director is on video detailing in June of 2021 how many water bills were more than 60 days past due. He also detailed how many were past due pre-COVID. Magically when […]
By: Diane Benjamin This lady was back at public comment last night. She is a landlord who is stuck with the water bill(s) of tenant(s) who didn’t pay before they left because Bloomington said they didn’t have to: . She stated she is on the hook for $27,000. She was never contacted by the City […]
By: Diane Benjamin This is in the documentation for tonight: 2009 was 13 years ago, what happened between “several” and the past 2-3 years? How much was SolarBee in 2009? https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/383 $14,044.00 was paid with a grant. Solar needs SUN, who knew? Staff wants to waive formal bidding yet again and buy from PAX. Total […]
By: Diane Benjamin See Unit 5’s state report card here: https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?source=trends&Districtid=17064005026 Graduation rate is 90% 35% need Community College remediation 30% of 8th Graders pass Algebra 1 26% are chronically truant (90% graduate?) Unit 5 is currently spending $12,000 per student. Unit 5 now wants a tax increase expected to raise $20,000,000. h/t a reader: […]
By: Diane Benjamin Two topics were discussed during Normal’s 5:00 pm Work Session: the Underpass lighting and north side aesthetics plus this one: Funding a Housing Navigator Bloomington heard the details awhile back and hasn’t voted, Monday it was Normal’s turn. It was stated by Kathleen Lorenz that Bloomington-Normal is currently short 4300 places to […]
By: Diane Benjamin 3 HUGE issues you need to consider before you vote: (other issues later) 1) The SAFE-T act is a pro-criminal bill passed by Illinois Democrats and signed by Gov. Pritzker. It will increase crime across Illinois. Any candidates that don’t REJECT this bill don’t need your vote. A DEMOCRAT State’s Attorney has […]
By: Diane Benjamin Alderman Julie Emig was absent, Dee Urban was sick but attended remotely. The only item pulled from the Consent Agenda was a Liquor License so Grant Walsh could ask if a video gaming license was included. It isn’t because Bloomington limits the number of licenses. FYI: Limiting licenses only enriches those who […]
By: Diane Benjamin Without Stan Nord present the Council meeting lasted a whole 8 minutes. The video is 9 minutes and 24 seconds, but the meeting doesn’t start at 0:00. Nothing was pulled from the consent agenda, Karyn Smith asked a few questions about the Water Main replacement that is WAY over what was budgeted. […]
By: Diane Benjamin East Moline is wants to make streetscape changes to their downtown. See this report: https://il-eastmoline.civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/View/6947/Appendix-D—Benefit-Cost-Analysis-RAISE-2022 See this graphic from page 5: First, the report was issued on April 14, 2022 but they used 2020 dollars. That would be pre-40 year high inflation. See anything else that screams: People are stupid so we […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story is you forgot: https://blnnews.com/2022/04/24/69-million-for-water-projects-so-you-wont-notice-the-cii-east-giveaways/ That story is from last April. I was in Downtown Bloomington yesterday. Many of the roads are new, the flowers pots are gorgeous, and the raised beds have actually been taken care of. I don’t see why downtown needs a streetscape plan since by day […]
By: Diane Benjamin EDC director Patrick Hoban showed up at the Bloomington City Council meeting to push for the $750,000 downtown study. He claimed downtown is the heart of the City (heard that before?) and he has studies that claim the Return on Investment is between 100 and 500%. He also claimed we don’t need […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal has money for everything except microphones that work. Kevin McCarthy had to hold his when he spoke, the sound still wasn’t clear. Brian Day had a large hand-held microphone because he is always hard to hear from his perch, his did work. Chemberly Cummings is now Chemberly Harris, no explanation. Scott […]
By: Diane Benjamin Note to Jamie Mathy: Future Councils are not bound by actions of past Councils. The Tari Renner “ramp” pension funding plan means zero if it can’t be afforded. Tari knew he wouldn’t be around to find at least $10 million more a year in the future. Renner already locked the Council into […]
By: Diane Benjamin Today seems like the perfect time to post this email again, note Pam Reece didn’t send this to the Council: The underpass isn’t $23 million anymore, it is at least $27 million. (to save 50 feet) Worse, if all the shiny bells and whistles can’t be afforded during initial construction those can […]
By: Diane Benjamin The majority of the Committee of the Whole meeting last night was justifying hiring consultants at $750,000 to create a downtown streetscape. Of course Tim Tilton showed up, also appearing at public comment was former alderman Jamie Mathy. (both downtown business owners) Mathy claimed former City Manager David Hales cut 189 and […]
By: Diane Benjamin The actual meeting was only around an hour. The Council was in Executive Session for the rest of the video. Gary Lambert lambasted the City for the cash reserve levels during Public Comment, this is a must listen: Hit play below to hear the City is only spending around $9 million on […]
