By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1133&Inline=True Committee of the Whole is meeting tonight. Expanding the Library is the main focus. Like true Progressives, all facts don’t matter. The population is immaterial because the Internet didn’t exist in 1976. People do not need to go a library to do research anymore. People don’t need to go a library […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wonder how many of the people with sewage in their basements bothered to vote in past local elections. I’m betting many didn’t because turnout is despicable. City Councils are the ones who destroy you the fastest, think Coliseum, BCPA, a never used fire station, and a water tower built to short […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26917/637667133834300000 Payroll shows 887 employees. Remember when Renner constantly reminded us the City only had 650 employees? Some of those 887 are seasonal and maybe part time employees. Below is what the City of Bloomington reported to the Illinois Comptroller as of 4/30/2020. Updated information as of 4/30/2021 should be available in […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1131&Inline=True Items on the Consent Agenda taxpayers need to know about: 1) The process to replace the Market Street parking garage has started. The existing/new location will also be studied. 2) Replacing O’Neil pool is getting more expensive: 3) If you want Federal Money the feds own you. If you want fewer […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the sewer receipts fiasco between Normal and Bloomington? Normal finally figured out Bloomington had been collecting money from Bloomington water customers on sewers owned by Normal. It only took Normal 9 years to notice, even though Bloomington had attempted to resolve the issue previously. Stan Nord wondered why the 3/31/21 financial […]
By: Diane Benjamin When elected individuals are sworn into office with an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America – citizens have the right to expect them to do it. America has always attempted to create “a more perfect union”, we don’t need representatives that want the system […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26853/637649014385500000 From bills and payroll: If you thought anybody was serious about combining the County 911 Dispatch Center with Bloomington’s, buying new furniture likely nixes that idea: Meeting agenda: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1130&Inline=True Jenn Carrillo’s last meeting – she will likely get a plaque for her service. I wonder if she will show up? Consent […]
By: Diane Benjamin I did not attend the meet-and-greet last Monday with the two Chief candidates. One person who did told me Jamal Simington, Illinois State Police, appeared as more of leader than Springfield Police Chief Kenny Winslow. City Manager Tim Gleason announced Monday night a special email address can be used for public comments: […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m losing track of how many meetings have been held to discuss the June flooding. Tonight is part 4? 5? Not sure! I hope everything that has already been discussed is skipped, presentations have a habit of showing the same slides over and over and then adding a couple new ones at […]
By: Diane Benjamin Headline from the Pantagraph: h/t a reader So, a journalist from a country without any “freedom of the press” has partnered with the US government for almost 10 years to teach how to be a journalist and teach how to teach journalism I think we found the reason 95% of the media […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Town of Normal loves to brag about their AAA credit rating, even though only Fitch has them AAA. Fitch is the smallest rating agency, so that’s like a kindergartener saying you are the best person ever. Recently Normal decided to finance a new fire vehicle instead of paying cash. The interest […]
By: Diane Benjamin A public hearing was also held and resulted in quite a bit of Council discussion: Brandon Gray isn’t interested in the alley if he has to pay for it. Public Works would like to pawn off maintenance to him and save themselves the expense. It sounds like they haven’t been maintaining it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Jenn Carrillo didn’t bother to attend. Other council members have forgotten how to talk INTO a microphone, at times voices were difficult to hear. A long line of people appeared again disappointed at the City’s reaction to the raw sewage in their basements. One thing is obvious: The City isn’t capable of […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this story and the one linked in the story: https://blnnews.com/2021/04/21/return-to-civility-by-normal/ It only took Normal City Manager Pam Reece many years to realize Bloomington was collecting sewer fees from Normal customers. They used to meet yearly to divvy up the proceeds. Evidently Normal’s then City Manager Mark Peterson stopped having time. Bloomington […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Bloomington paid cash for a new ambulance and Normal bought the same but financed it? https://blnnews.com/2021/08/02/purchasing-bloomington-vrs-normal/ Normal claimed their savings could earn more money than the interest on the loan, but they forgot to put in the ordinance that equal cash is REQUIRED to remain in savings for the 10 […]
By: Diane Benjamin A reader from Bloomington sent me numerous emails he had sent to the City in 2011. Catch that date: 2011, as in 10 years ago. Start with this email sent to former Ward 7 alderman Steve Purcell: 10 years ago sewers were collapsing on West Chestnut. Sewage was in people’s basements. Another […]
By: Diane Benjamin It’s really rare for Bloomington and Normal to buy the same thing so close together, but they just did. 7/26/2021 Bloomington: Normal tonight: Normal got $9000 for trading in a 2013 model, Bloomington is keeping a 2012 for backup. Both opted for gas engines instead of the more expensive diesel. Normal is […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) A local lawyer left this comment today: 2) The problem with Bloomington’s IT department isn’t old technology. Not knowing where people will look for things is a much bigger problem which makes finding information difficult. Bloomington is currently taking applications from Ward 6 to replace Jenn Carrillo. It should be easy […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since Facebook will not allow truth, find me on Gab.com: BlnNews – Diane Benjamin. I will post stories on Facebook (when the ban is over) but I might not respond to comments. I am also on Parler since it is working again: Blnnews Most of the 500+ people who filed claims with […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1126&Inline=True On the Consent Agenda: Ordering a new ambulance ($284,444.00) upgrading the City’s Voice Over Internet Protocol (3 yr cost $117,266.71) receiving $70,000 to demolish abandoned properties from Il Housing Authority Zoo is proceeding with a South American Exhibit – all grant money $1,000,000 The Grove will get another 33 lots Didn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Don’t forget – there is no penalty for stupid government! Participants just move on to being stupid elsewhere 2019 Story: https://blnnews.com/2019/11/16/connect-transit-empty-buses-and-brains/ BEB is Battery Electric Buses March 4, 2021 story: https://blnnews.com/2021/03/04/pulling-the-plug-on-electric-buses/ Minneapolis abandoned electric buses for biodiesel Today: https://www.westernjournal.com/california-city-bought-electric-bus-company-promoted-white-house-now-considering-scrapping-expensive-fleet-nonstop-disasters/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=conservativetribune&utm_content=2021-07-23&utm_campaign=manualpost&fbclid=IwAR2w9iJr0t2OuY09oA-K4uRCSbifA1V7dKuZ2gLx4Y2JMY0kg8IsypGYh_A Another story from today: https://djhjmedia.com/steven/california-agency-looking-to-scrap-electric-buses-because-they-melt-catch-on-fire-and-costs-a-fortune-to-repair/ Quote: One Southern California city’s test run of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are two screen shots from Monday’s Council video: All the free money awarded to Bloomington can be spent on separating sewer and storm water lines. The current project on East Washington cost around $4.2 million. Citizens with sewage in the homes need to demand it is only spent on health and […]
By: Diane Benjamin There was a time when Bloomington grew rapidly and had money to burn. Instead of investing in replacing ancient infrastructure the Council built a fire station that has never been used, the Coliseum, a water tower built too short to use, created give-a-ways to developers, and rehabbed the BCPA. The City Manager […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1125&Inline=True This committee of the Whole Meeting is back to 6:00 tonight. Topic 1 Topic 2 Topic 3 Topic 3 is just a brief presentation by Jamie Mathy and then a Yes or No vote on whether to have staff and Council spend time looking at the issue. Before any decision wastes […]
By: Diane Benjamin I asked Public Works Director Kevin Kothe if the work currently being done on East Washington would alleviate the sewer flooding in Eastgate. I’m not sure I got an answer to that question. Below is his response. Moving up the completion date from 2030 has numerous problems, the first being funding. Another […]
By: Diane Benjamin The event calendar for the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts is mostly blank. They do have one event scheduled for October. Unfortunately it is a fund raiser for themselves: https://www.artsblooming.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/13308/762 Remember the grand plans for the Creativity Center? Details here: https://blnnews.com/2019/01/26/what-no-one-in-bloomington-talks-about/ The City even hired a fundraiser for the Friends of […]
By: Diane Benjamin The start time of the meeting was changed to 6:30 because of scheduling problems now that the room is shared with the County. I hear it’s temporary. The video was not fun, the group wasn’t socially distanced but not together either. Toward the end of the meeting the audio was fine but […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1120&Inline=True Proving yet again the citizens are not allowed in the closed Connect Transit cabal, Judy Buchanan is being reappointed to the Connect Transit Board. She has already served for 12 years. Didn’t she want to retire when Renner was mayor? New members aren’t allowed evidently, they might find out it only […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) Buying a Rivian? How are you going to charge it? According to this story Rivian will connect you with a company called Qmerit: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/qmerit-ev-charger-installations-homes-141700627.html You can sign up and pay seamlessly on line to get a charging system installed in your home! How much will it cost? https://www.qmeritcharging.com/owner-faqs Installation: $750 to […]
By: Diane Benjamin See previous story: https://blnnews.com/2021/06/30/what-did-the-sign-cost/ In that story is an email stating estimates, not including the sign, were $55,000. I think I have finally finished reading everything I received by FOIA, thankfully I didn’t ask for attachments to emails. I would have had many more thousands of pages to read! Start by reviewing […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this story about ZERO deaths or serious injuries by 2030 from automobiles? https://blnnews.com/2021/06/22/bloomington-last-night-7/ Instead of calling the program Vision Zero, the McLean County Regional Planning Commission renamed it Go Safe. The purpose of this NATIONWIDE push is to make driving harder. You will be forced to drive at slower speeds instead […]
By: Diane Benjamin Continuing yesterday’s story: https://blnnews.com/2021/06/29/whats-so-secret-bloomington/ You might have forgotten the story I did last December when a cardboard version of the sign appeared: https://blnnews.com/2020/12/08/where-did-this-come-from/ I don’t know how much the sample cost to construct, but I do know: Staff decided it needed to be much bigger than the sample version Staff decided it […]
By: Diane Benjamin Have you seen this at the corner of Veterans and Route 9? I sent a FOIA to the City of Bloomington. I have lots of information, but start here with what I don’t have. Secrets, secrets. Note the dates – December of last year. Top secret! I have more completely redacted. So […]
By: Diane Benjamin Residents will be getting free disposal of all the rain and sewer soaked materials from last weekend’s storms. The City will create a map for dates but pickup won’t start until July 6th. The City Manager stated the start date is subject to change if assessments require it. Infrastructure that was under […]
By: Diane Benjamin Downtown Bloomington has it’s own website. The map below is actual size on that site, yes it’s hard to read. http://downtownbloomington.org/welcome-to-downtown-bloomington/business-parking-guide/ One glaring error – Grossinger Motors Arena should be 13, not 11. How many businesses survived COVID? Comment below if you have any information. Any flooding downtown? The website also has […]
By: Diane Benjamin The IT Department is planning major upgrades, the presentation starts at 50:45. The projected budget for the year that ended 4/30/21 was $3,429,242. The budget for this year increase 15.5% to $4,182,365, an increase of $753,123. Source: Budget PDF page 167 https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26434/637575549746730000 This graphic at 59:19 shows where the IT Department wants […]
By: Diane Benjamin City Manager Tim Gleason stated the City still has $100,000 to hand out to small businesses. I don’t know if this is the right page, but start here to see if you qualify: https://www.cityblm.org/doing-business/cdbg-cv-business-program The City anticipates ending COVID restrictions on June 30th. Vaccinations will still happen on a smaller scale at […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1117&Inline=True Citizens: The City is “WOKE”. They have enshrined forever slaves in Texas finally finding out they were free. What won’t be mentioned: slavery wasn’t in the entire country, largely it was in the south. owners were largely democrats who went on to form the KKK when they lost the civil war […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/26488/637588526176300000 Wasn’t Sick Leave Buy Back abolished? Buy local? Not when Amazon can deliver office and cleaning supplies with a mouse click. This is what the City spent in one month: Even administration participated: Remember when the Coliseum was sold as it would pay for itself? https://blnnews.com/2017/01/28/coliseum-who-to-blame/ Hint: It […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to what Jenn filed when she ran for office she lived here: According to the Coldwell Banker website, sale of this house is pending. All of the pictures show the house empty. It does say there are separate apartments on the first and second floor with both leases expiring on June […]
