By: Diane Benjamin We wouldn’t be talking about bike lanes on busy streets if Bike Blono wasn’t pushing for them. Bike Blono members voted for and helped elect Tari Renner because he supports their agenda of promoting the use of bikes for all transportation. (Beats fixing the roads!) That brings me to the Planning Commission […]
Arena name change
June 23, 2017 by 11 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The contract between the City of Bloomington and Grossinger Motors is in the packet for the City Council meeting Monday night: PDF page 115 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14175 The City will use up to $75,000 of their first payment to offset changing the signage. One problem – page 121: Since the document is a legal […]
Pantagraph: Facts matter
June 22, 2017 by 4 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Today the local rag has a story extolling the greatness of the Heartland Turbine. Maybe they got their info from Heartland, maybe they shouldn’t have. Their story says 23,000 Megawatts have been generated – in 5 years. That’s 4,600 MW a year. Now convert that to Kilowatt hours so their story and […]
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
June 22, 2017 by 3 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner and Chris Koos are lounging around Miami this weekend at your expense. Smart organizers would have held the twice a year US Conference of Mayors in Miami in the winter, but these are government people. I wonder if we will see photos of them on the beach? (eek!) All last […]
Update: Coliseum: Promises, Promises
June 22, 2017 by 5 Comments
Update: The management announced today the naming rights have been sold – and for the same amount US Cellular was paying: $175,000 a year. It will be name Grossinger Motors Arena for at least 5 years. I haven’t heard who is paying for the new signs, letterhead, business cards, menus, etc. _____________________________________ By: Diane Benjamin […]
UPDATE: Bloomington’s Finest
June 21, 2017 by 10 Comments
The writer of this comment continues to make comments – all too vulgar to post except the one where he claims the mayor pays him to harass his opponents on line. It’s a good thing mental illness is becoming a priority, I know a guy who should be locked up. _______________________________________ By: Diane Benjamin In […]
Question:
June 20, 2017 by 3 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin How many people urging the Council to approve a Citizens Advisory Board to police the police think: Hands Up Don’t Shoot really happened? How many people on the Council think it did? I saw this comment on Facebook today from a local lady – she made it to a story about Michael […]
Followup: Illegal meetings
June 20, 2017 by 11 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I did not receive a response from the State’s Attorney or the Sheriff. The illegal joint meeting between the Council and the Library Board took place. Bloomington attorney Jeff Jurgens admitted in an email the two meetings now posted on the Library Board website were not posted 48 hours in advance. […]
Is David Sage lonely?
June 20, 2017 by 10 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The entire Council came to last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting with plans to put citizens in charge of the police force – except David Sage. Maybe he didn’t get invited to the lunches and private meetings everybody on the Council obviously was treated to. I wonder if Chief Heffner already […]
UPDATE: Playing nice – for now
June 19, 2017 by 6 Comments
I’ve said over and over laws are broken here because nobody will prosecute. Tonight’s illegal meeting will take place and so will the illegal meeting the library has scheduled for tomorrow. The Sheriff doesn’t care – he hasn’t responded to my email. The States Attorney’s office doesn’t care either – Knapp hasn’t responded to […]
Erickson has killed the local GOP
June 19, 2017 by 28 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Chuck Erickson was elected GOP chair in 2014 and re-elected in 2016. 75-100 people used to attend the monthly breakfast meetings BC (before Chuck). Today the breakfast had less than 30, according to an attendee, and most of them were elected members of the County Board. Sue Feldkamp, who ran for the […]
UPDATE: Illegal Meeting Tonight
June 19, 2017 by 7 Comments
Evidently someone at the library is pretending this was posted: I have a picture of the library website on my phone from this morning with a date and time stamp showing the first two meetings were not posted. Today’s meeting is illegal and so is tomorrow’s. 48 hours people! Do I need to bring the […]
Normal’s Fleecing continues
June 18, 2017 by 5 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal spend $1.4 million to STUDY the proposed Uptown Crossing: Source What did they get for $1.4 million? Evident what they want to pass Monday night: The plan doesn’t know if ADA compliance can be achieved? Bike Blono has to dismount? The at-grade crossing is adjacent? Why is the underpass […]
Bloomington CHANGES Locations
June 17, 2017 by 12 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The Council meeting to discuss forming a citizens review board to oversee the police will be held in the Council Chambers – starting at around 6:15. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=13151 It had previously been schedules for the Osborn room in the Police Station where live streaming doesn’t exist. The joint meeting of the Council and […]
Updated: YOU have the Power!
June 17, 2017 by 2 Comments
Update is at the end. By: Diane Benjamin Thursday night I road tripped with the Edgar County Watchdogs (John Kraft and Kirk Allen) to Stark County. We attended a “Special” County Board meeting which occurred because the meeting on Tuesday was adjourned after the citizens who showed couldn’t all fit in the room. The chairperson […]
The Truth about Higher Ed
June 16, 2017 by 29 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The President of Northern Illinois University is just the latest to step down amid allegations of scandal. The bigger scandal is what the Board is planning on paying him to leave! Details of that soon. Remember when ISU paid Tim Flanagan to leave – the day before he got arrested? The Illinois […]
Hear the crash yet?
June 16, 2017 by 20 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin It isn’t an accident the Bloomington City Council had relatively short meetings before the April election and now two-hour or more regular meetings will be the norm. Renner hid his agenda with talking points and now he’s ready to activate the plans he had safely tucked out of sight. Bike lanes of […]
Since the Council didn’t ask questions . .
June 15, 2017 by Leave a Comment
By: Diane Benjamin The council never asks questions. I wonder if they even look at the documentation! Bills and Payroll from last Monday: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=13099 The Coliseum cost more – architect: Did the City buy tickets for employees? Feel free to FOIA! Why did the BCPA return so many deposits? Why does the BCPA […]
Bike Blono runs Bloomington
June 15, 2017 by 16 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington wouldn’t have a Bike Master Plan without Bike Blono. Bloomington wouldn’t have a Complete Streets plan without Bike Blono. Bike Blono had private meetings for months with Public Works to make lanes on Washington happen. (as stated by Michael Gorman of Bike Blono) Bikes have always been allowed on the roads, […]
The Bike Blono bullies
June 14, 2017 by 17 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Bike Blono thinks their few numbers have superior rights. They are launching a bullying campaign against anybody who doesn’t agree with bike lanes on E Washington. From Facebook: The speakers knew there wasn’t a vote by the Council, they knew there was another hearing yesterday and a vote TODAY by the Planning […]
Council Fun – Part 2
June 13, 2017 by 10 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Renner didn’t ask to extend the time so everybody could speak, so everybody didn’t get to. Tari did make sure Mike McCurdy of Bike Blono, WGLT radio, and Connect Transit got to speak though. To hear all of the public comment – just hit play below. Then listen to the second Public […]
Council fun – Part 1
June 13, 2017 by 4 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin New Alderman Jamison Mathy didn’t show up last night for the Bloomington City Council meeting. As usual, nothing was said. Everybody acted like it’s perfectly normal for an elected representative to be a no-show. Unfortunately, his absence might have cost one family their property rights. (stay tuned) Alderman Diana Hauman didn’t show […]
Trying to kill somebody?
June 12, 2017 by 4 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin This is a Bloomington road that school buses travel on. It’s also close to an apartment complex. (different section of the same road) The City budget only spends $3.8 million resurfacing roads when more than $9 million a year is needed just to keep the roads rated poor. Tonight the Council will […]
While you weren’t watching . . .
June 12, 2017 by 15 Comments
by: Diane Benjamin 1) Mayor Transparency is now not listing the cost of items on the agenda. See tonight’s agenda here: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=13109. Go to page 114 to find out the Motor Fuel Tax is being raided to pay for street light electricity. This tax was passed as being for the streets – not lights: (Page […]
If demand mattered, the roads would get fixed!
June 11, 2017 by 4 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Only a tiny group of citizens want bike lanes. Tari Renner ran for office twice pledging to fix the roads. He obviously isn’t as serious as the people with damaged vehicles are. This is from 2015: http://www.cityblm.org/government/departments/public-works/streets-sidewalks/street-resurfacing The table shows how much money per year is required just to have TERRIBLE STREETS. […]
Bike facts that don’t matter
June 10, 2017 by 13 Comments
Update: The lady in the video reported Amelia stated her family won’t be using the bike lanes – too dangerous! She is supporting the plan because Bike Blono wants it. By: Diane Benjamin Yesterday I attended Renner’s Open House for the first time. I don’t attend because I already know what answers are going […]
Common Sense: Bye Bye Bye
June 9, 2017 by 51 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Bike Blono wants all cars to drive slower. TENS of THOUSANDS more cars than bikes is immaterial. Even kids understand that riding a bicycle in the road is dangerous, Bike Blono wants you to change your behavior. If you don’t agree, you are evil. They have at most a couple hundred members, […]
More Bloomington Fail
June 8, 2017 by 3 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin I saw this on the agenda for the Town of Normal last Monday: http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2634 The document goes on to appoint the Deputy City Manager as representative to IMRF. The Town of Normal hasn’t paid the huge penalties Bloomington has from pension spiking. Bloomington has paid $1,877,252.40, in August of 2015 Normal had paid […]
Laws are immaterial
June 7, 2017 by 4 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The ruling by the Attorney General’s Public Access office against the City of Bloomington is completely meaningless. Read the entire ruling here: 17-004 The only penalty for the Bloomington City Council violating the Open Meetings Act by holding an illegal Executive Session is: The tape of the meeting must be released The […]
Why is BN Advantage a secret group?
June 7, 2017 by 5 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin BN Advantage was formed in 2015. Their mission is to get all the players together for collaboration on economic development strategy. The Bloomington Council approved the formation in October 2015, see this doc: BN Advantage I’m sure other area governments passed the same type resolution. Temporarily forget the fact that government doesn’t […]
Tari’s latest attack
June 7, 2017 by 3 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin I wonder when Renner is going to take his comedy show on the road! Source: http://www.pantagraph.com/business/local/expert-communication-diversity-key-for-economic-development/article_145290bf-c5c5-50cd-9536-8b1b4c6e34bc.html Renner’s comments don’t deserve any respect. We know transparency is much less since Tari became mayor. We know anyone who challenges his beliefs are his enemy. (“Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it.”) […]
Normal: Last night’s 4 minutes
June 6, 2017 by 3 Comments
Update: FOIA filed. Locust has to do with an ISU land swap from 2015. By: Diane Benjamin The video of last night’s Normal Town Council says it’s 10:23 minutes. The meeting doesn’t start until 6:48, so the actually meeting was less than 4 minutes. See the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLNC0lO-kCBYjaSv4sZ4udZFRwMu8bwYGr&v=3XAyHvlFBKE Start the video around 6 minutes […]
Hudson: Non-compliance
June 6, 2017 by 10 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The Village of Hudson failed to post the agenda for tonight’s meeting on their website 48 hours in advance. It was finally posted to the website sometime yesterday. Problem: The Agenda that was posted on the door of the Water Departments is different than the one now posted on the Village website!. […]
More conspiring against citizens
June 4, 2017 by 17 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2017/06/02/b-n-is-getting-the-delphi-treatment/ (It won’t be the only one!) The Bloomington Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is trying to get out of complying with the Open Meetings Act. What does the Open Meetings Act say? OMA applies to all “public bodies”: http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=84&ChapterID=2 I’d love to know what grounds they […]
Green isn’t really green
June 3, 2017 by 22 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The pictures below were all taken on June 2, 2017 east of Ellsworth, Il. In case you don’t know, wind turbines must have a backup system (FOSSIL FUELS!) because turbines aren’t capable of producing steady electricity. The wind doesn’t always blow or it blows too hard. Meanwhile, fossils fuels pollute more because […]
B-N Sports Complex-Delphi
June 2, 2017 by 5 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The local area has THREE agencies coordinating economic development: B-N Convention and Visitors Bureau, BN Advantage, and the Economic Development Council. There is MUCH more to this story – but not today. The Bloomington Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has another committee nobody has ever heard of: Sports Commission Board The Board […]
$20-$30 million for low wage jobs
June 1, 2017 by 8 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin Mark Peterson – Normal’s City Manager – talked to WGLT yesterday: http://wglt.org/post/public-private-partnership-lacking-establish-sports-complex#stream/0 Peterson thinks taxpayers should pony up $20-$30 million for a sports complex! The total cost will be $50 million, but it’s not a Public-Private partnership. He doesn’t say where the rest of the money will come from or who will […]
The Scam
June 1, 2017 by 4 Comments
By: Diane Benjamin The old type Bloomington City Manager reports with real usable information ceased to exist when Alderman Diana Hauman called their “printing” a waste of money. The last REAL report was April 2016. City manager David Hales still does a City Manager report on-line, but it has little useful data. The old reports […]
ISU: You taught this?
Note: A reader commented on the ISU student – Wes Ward (not Wood) By: Diane Benjamin I tried to watch the video of Monday’s Normal Town Council, but never made it past Public Comment. Marc Tiritilli is still the voice of reason and fiscal responsibility. I dare you to watch his comments without standing and […]