Tag: Bills and Payroll

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

What’s Bloomington paying Monday night?

By:  Diane Benjamin https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23355 I’m not sure all these PCard purchases were reflect in event expenses.  Walking With My Ancestors doesn’t show any catering or concessions:  https://blnnews.com/2019/10/22/bcpa-as-predicted-foia-denied/ Of course the $1500 for the announcement party wasn’t included.  Why does government send “flowers” and pretend they are sympathetic?  Using taxpayer money to express condolences is fraud. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Update: FOIA filed

See what they were hiding here:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17440 By:  Diane Benjamin I wouldn’t have to file so many FOIA requests with Bloomington if the information actually got posted to their website.  Many are THEIR fault: This was filed today. I wonder if the Council knows what they are approving for payment tonight?  9 hours before the meeting, […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Miscellaneous:

By:  Diane Benjamin The next time you are present when Tari talks about his transparency award – please start laughing! Bills and Payroll for Monday night are not posted.  Normally delaying them means they are hiding something.   (as of 10:30 Saturday morning)    http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1609 They know what they are paying because the total is on the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Monday’s bills – FOIA’s filed!

By:  Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for 1/22/2018  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15632 Tari finally filed an expense report – 1st one since his PCard was yanked: _________________________________________ Council and staff weren’t eating at your expense in December.  I wonder what event is 1/27?  There is nothing on the City Calendar.  Buy local?  Ha. _________________________________________ This guy is getting an […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Monday PCard and bills

By:  Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for Monday night:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15410 This one is easy Patti Lynn – no need to belong to anything!  111 felony counts could have easily been prevented!   With Tari now PCardless and David Hales gone, money saved.  The City Council still ate at your expense: Why did Public Works need pizza […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington supports friends-with your money

By:  Diane Benjamin From Monday’s bills and Payroll:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14534 Some of the more interesting spending: 1) Every non-profit in Bloomington needs to get their share of the free taxpayer money Bloomington hands out to their friends – this time the McLean County History Museum.  It helps if you can claim you create Economic Activity: 2) […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Yes, there is Free Lunch and Travel

By:  Diane Benjamin From Bills and Payroll for Monday night:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14312 Nothing is on the City Calendar for 6/23/17, was this a private party? This month’s eating and travelling at your expense: Why does Public Works need the Pantagraph and why is it cheaper for them than regular people? Even the police get fraudulent charges: […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Spending Posted!

By:  Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll got posted for Bloomington Monday night:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14211 Why is the City using your money for Rotary Club Dues? Library too! Bronner isn’t conducting an annual audit, are they helping the State Police? Did you get your picnic invite? See this story: https://blnnews.com/2016/09/28/consultants-another-one-that-slipped-by/  Yocum only bills the City every six […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tari travels -Bills/Payroll

By:  Diane Benjamin Maybe the P-Card spending starting on page 115 explains it:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14187 Some excerpts: In 2015 the City spent  $22,321.49 travelling to Japan:  https://blnnews.com/2015/04/24/more-throwing-your-money-around/ Tari and Hales aren’t the only travelers.  See the rest at the link.  Tari must have business lunches by himself – nobody else is listed.  Or maybe Mayor Transparency doesn’t […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Zero Transparency, ISU, and more

By:  Diane Benjamin The Bills and Payroll the Council approved for payment last night have never been posted on the City website:  http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-500 I wonder if the council was given a paper version or if they just approved spending without knowing what the voted on?  Keep in mind – these are the same people who […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Slick Willy, Nonsense, and more

By:  Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-500 Bills and Payroll isn’t posted yet for Monday night: Hiding something? ________________________ Tari Renner and Chris Koos are in for a treat today at the US Conference of Mayors:  Former Present Bill Clinton spoke at the “City Livability Luncheon”.   I wonder if he will speak longer than scheduled?  I wonder […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Since the Council didn’t ask questions . .

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 […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Toss Money Monday

By:  Diane Benjamin $135,743.79 + an adjustment of $130.75 got paid to IMRF so one employee can have a fabulous retirement with a spike pension!  See page 130 Monday Bills and Payroll That expense was completely avoidable, but employees came before taxpayers. Page 109 – $580 for Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Another Spiked Pension

By:  Diane Benjamin From Monday’s Bills and Payroll:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12446 Employees are still allowed to SPIKE their pensions by getting paid for accumulated sick and vacation days. TWO courts have recently ruled that employers do not have to allow this, of course the rules haven’t been changed.  It just cost you another $32,106.66.  The City is […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

No Free Lunches except for . .

Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for Monday night: For almost 4 years Tari Renner spouts “There are no free lunches”.  Unless your name is Tari Renner:  Page 107  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12212 I’m sure these were strictly business, especially the ones with nobody listed but Tari! Was the public invited and I missed it? My personal favorite: PCard […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington: Bills and Payroll for Monday

By:  Diane Benjamin From:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=11982 Tari Renner is right – the City is paying around 750 employees! Look through the list and note all the temporary labor purchased!  Big government will never have enough employees, meanwhile service gets worse because BIG is inefficient. Local businesses need to ask why “Buy Local” doesn’t apply to the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Eating on your dime – again

By:  Diane Benjamin From Monday’s Bills and Payroll:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=11904 The US Conference of Mayors was January 17-19 in Washington DC. I wonder if Tari stayed for today’s inauguration? Funny, he isn’t listed as attending the conference: mayors attending . What is an EAC event and why are your taxes paying for prizes? . The Pepsi […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Surprise: Bloomington Bills and Payroll

Bills and Payroll posted at 8:53. See this link for details:  https://blnnews.com/2016/09/26/what-is-bloomington-paying-tonight/ By:  Diane Benjamin The agenda for tonight’s Council meeting was posted last week.  This item is on the agenda: This means the Finance Department knows what Bills and Payroll the Council is expected to approve.  They knew this last week! The actual list […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Proof the Council is immaterial

By:  Diane Benjamin I’ve now got proof that Bills and Payroll, approved by the Council at regular meetings, is meaningless.  Nobody is holding checks waiting for the Council vote.  I wonder how many aldermen even read what they are asked to approve! If you don’t know what Bills and Payroll looks like, see this webpage.  […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bills: Monday Bloomington City Council

By:  Diane Benjamin According to the BCPA website, seating capacity is 1180.  I don’t know if that includes the balcony.  Only tiny people can fit in those jammed together rows.  Maybe it’s been fixed, I haven’t been there for years. On Bills and Payroll for approval Monday night:  http://www.cityblm.org/index.aspx?page=242&parent=9535 RT PRODUCTIONS LLC  INV PERF FEE […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

What is Bloomington paying Monday?

By:  Diane Benjamin No mater how worthy a cause is, what City Ordinance gives the Council the right to give your money to a non-profit: HOME SWEET HOME MINIST  INV 11/10/2015 DONATION CHECK TOTAL 1,956.00 MCLEAN COUNTY HISTORIC  INV 10/26/2015 CAP CAMPGN FY16 CHECK TOTAL 50,000.00 Internal Auditors – so when are the taxpayers going […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

September eating at your expense

By:  Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=9312  Page 91 ADMIN Council Exp  Hilton Hotels Chicago $ 319.55    IML Lodging for MayorADMIN Council Exp  Hansen Center $ 14.90                   Business lunch for Mayor & M.Lee ADMIN Council Exp  Kelly’s Bakery And Cafe $ 18.51    Business breakfast for Mayor & Ald Fruin ADMIN Council Exp  Hansen Center $ 19.84                   Business lunch […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Where was the $358,394.12 paid?

By:  Diane Benjamin The fine for Emily Bell spiking her pension was assessed against the City of Bloomington in DECEMBER 2014.  It wasn’t paid until 4/30/15 – and congrats taxpayers, interest of $1636.99 was added to the tab.  Total paid was $360,031.11! All payments in excess of $50,000 are supposed to be approved by the […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Tonight’s bills: Consultants and more

By:  Diane Benjamin Below are some interesting items on the Bloomington City Council’s Bills and Payroll for tonight.  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8638 BENSINGER DUPONT & ASS EFT 06/08/2015 1 10011410 70690 HR Purch Serv 2,742.75 Invoice Net 2,742.75 CHECK TOTAL 2,742.75 Who are these guys?  Consultants.  Here’s their Mission statement:  http://www.bensingerdupont.com/mission Reshape At BDA, we help people change their lives by adjusting […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Transparency Matters Joni

By:  Diane Benjamin It’s national Sunshine Week! “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.” U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis – on the benefits of openness and transparency. The premise behind FOIA is that the public has a right to know what the government is doing. Who said that?  The Illinois Attorney General:  http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/pdf/2015_PAC_Annual_Report.pdf Page 11. Nonsense Joni? […]

Written by Diane Benjamin - editor

Bloomington: Mistake or hiding? UPDATE

Correction:  http://blnnews.com/2015/02/09/sorry-i-know-what-it-is-now/     Details for Bills and Payroll are now posted:  http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8179 Why does it matter, other than Council is approving over $2 Million in bills?  The Council voted 7-2 at the last meeting to let David Hales spend $50,000 without their approval.  See the next story – I know what they are hiding! […]