By: Diane Benjamin I was just checking media reports from Topeka Kansas to see if the Council had picked a City Manager yet. Nothing so far. Something else interesting did pop up though: They paid their last City Manager $175.134. The population is 126,808 Supposedly the population of Bloomington in 2016 was 78,005 Note: one […]
Did Tari Know a large crowd was coming? It matters. By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Police Department was told loud and clear last night they were a huge problem. I wonder how many officers today are questioning why they are willing to die on the job to protect and serve people who despise them. I […]
By: Diane Benjamin Packet: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14322 1) Monday night Tari Renner is busy with more appointments. One of them shows how commissions are being stacked with liberal progressives to do Renner’s bidding. He is appointing Victoria Harris to the Zoning Board of Appeals. Harris was a Democrat member of the McLean County Board, but she was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Every vote was 9-0 with virtual no discussion, so the Council part of the meeting was boring. Public comment was better. Note to City: The length of public comment isn’t 30 minutes – the time citizens spend talking is 30 minutes. The chair is capable of wasting the public’s time. First up […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
By: Diane Benjamin A few notes that never made the news: Those 4 parking lots the City purchased from Frontier so the BCPA has more parking: What was the cost? To find out you have to dig deep in the packet – the cost isn’t on the agenda: Page 530 of the packet: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12738 The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Jim Fruin proved economics is way beyond his abilities last night. In his farewell statement Jim said he plans to attend Council meetings, but only sit by positive people. Some people are positive Bloomington needs to keep making ‘progress’. Others are positive we are witnessing the destruction of the jewel Bloomington used […]
By: Diane Benjamin I will be on Cities 92.9 today at 3:30 with Ben Yount to discuss the future of BlnNews. Now for last night’s Bloomington City Council meeting: Bring in the CLOWNS! Oops, they were already there! Starting at 1:05, and ending 45 minutes later, the Council droned on about spending $300,000 at The […]
By: Diane Benjamin On the agenda for Monday night: Packet PDF page 124 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=12448 The City is planning to donate a van to the YWCA – value is between $3,414 -$5,115 What State statute gives the City the right to give away a taxpayer owned asset to a non-profit? Aren’t they discriminating against every other […]
Were these minutes ever approved by the Council? By: Diane Benjamin On February 20, 2015, the Bloomington City Council held a special meeting to CENSURE Tari Renner for his vile comments made on this site. The minutes have been missing ever since, a Freedom of Information Request had to be sent to obtain them. Luckily, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Everything is scripted in the City of Bloomington to make sure citizens only know what the City wants them to know. Unlike Tari Renner’s claims of transparency, very little exists. Try filing a FOIA request and see how long it takes, what is denied, and how much is redacted. It has gotten […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thanks to Steve Vogel who today mentioned in his weekly column that Bloomington is in a recession. Moody’s Analytics reported that in January (and so did I), but the media has been ignoring it. Anyone who attended the Bloomington “Budget Workshop” today would have seen Bloomington is also ignoring that fact. If […]
By: Diane Benjamin Cuts could be easy, but nobody at the City wants to cut! It is impossible to suggest specific budget cuts for Bloomington because the data isn’t available. The City issued hundreds of pages saying where the money is being spent without any details. Was there a line item last year for the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Under former Mayor Steve Stockton the Liquor Commission was headed by Stockton, but at least 5 citizens served on the Commission with him. Tari Renner decided on his own to only have two people on the Commission. He got rid of the long time Commission members and picked two people he wanted. […]
By: Diane Benjamin It was a pretty boring meeting except for the guy who probably showed up high and started verbally attacking an alderman. I say “high” because he has admitted in previous comments to being “high” and the police harassing him for no reason at all. He has also called himself from Mars. He […]
By: Diane Benjamin The current year budget contains a preview of where Bloomington wants to go in the future. An aquatics park has been mentioned at several Council meetings, probably because $8.5 million is in the Capital Budget for the year that starts May 1st. See all the proposed spending HERE The source is pages […]
By: Diane Benjamin Are the residents of Ward 9 happy with the direction the City of Bloomington is taking? Ward 9 got a lot of roads fixed, but what about the rest of the City? One candidate has said nothing on her website or Facebook page about the massive spending increases under Tari Renner. She […]
By: Diane Benjamin The west-side police substation is back on the agenda of the Bloomington City Council Monday, but now it’s called a community center: Black Lives Matter still isn’t happy. Even though the City changed the name, BLM is still calling the house a substation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/240524299725464/ BLM is organizing people to attend […]
By: Diane Benjamin At last night’s City Council meeting some aldermen were upset by a Public Comment where the person evidently tried to campaign or something. Alderman Fruin wants rules against it. No, you can’t see the comment in question. Meanwhile, Mayor Tari Renner evidently gave a campaign speech and called it the State of […]
By: Diane Benjamin Monday night Mayor Renner is giving his “State of the City” address. I bet everything is wonderful and under his leadership Bloomington is making great progress toward bankruptcy, oops – I mean prosperity for all! I wonder if he will inform the people paying the bills why the financial reports from almost […]
By: Diane Benjamin I have no idea why Bloomington needed a new website. The one they had worked far better than others in the area – especially the McLean County website. They built a new one anyway. Since I am a programmer, I know it’s very difficult to find all the problems when launching extensive […]
By: Diane Benjamin The local soccer people have known since at least 2013 they have to leave the airport soccer fields. Has anybody bothered to ask the FAA why the kids could still play on the fields for 5 years after they demanded they vacate because it’s too dangerous? Your government at work protecting the […]
By: Diane Benjamin A few meetings ago the Council voted to release some Executive Session minutes. I FOIA’d what they agreed to release. See what I received here: foia-exec-sessions Executive Sessions are their very frequent SECRET meetings to discuss the City Manager’s Salary, land purchases, lawsuits, and contract negotiations. Discussions pertaining to TOM HAMILTON who […]
By: Diane Benjamin On the agenda for the Bloomington City Council on Monday is approving an agreement with Health Alliance to cover fire fighters and retirees. Of course it’s on the consent agenda so nobody asks questions. See the NUMEROUS pages beginning on PDF page 87 HERE Sometimes i have to wonder if way too […]
By: Diane Benjamin The assault on Bloomington taxpayers continues at Monday’s City Council meeting. The target isn’t on citizen’s backs – it’s on their wallet and their Quality of Life. Other people need your money more than you do – the City Council will gladly hand it over and claim Economic Development! Is Kroger really […]
By: Diane Benjamin I hope they aren’t done with it – because it doesn’t go where you click. Why did Bloomington need a new website? The old one was pretty good except for the missing information. What was missing? The financial statements for the year ending 4/30/16 Any reports of tax receipts since Hales quit […]
By: Diane Benjamin PCard Spending for approval tonight: Why are taxpayers forced to fund holiday gifts for a Museum? Anybody know where these Christmas lights are? The Fire Department did the traveling this time: The minutes from the November Council retreat are included in the packet: HERE They start on PDF page 38. EVERY retreat […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal threw away up to $2.5 million last week to get Portillos to locate in Normal. The Normal Town Council was told Portillos would be a destination – people would drive from 100’s of miles away. Meanwhile, Champaign got one for free. Who is at fault? Listen to Kyle Ham, CEO of […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Motel 6 is being torn down to make way for yet another restaurant. Last year they paid $38,462.80 in property taxes. The taxable value was $451,106 meaning the market value was about $1.5 million. http://mcleanil.devnetwedge.com/view/RE/1426179019/2015 What is the new restaurant going to pay in property taxes? Less than a hotel? It […]
By: Diane Benjamin If the massive tax and spending increases Renner and Council have handed taxpayers aren’t evidence of a need for HUGE changes in Bloomington – Monday night you give you another reason. A 3rd TIF District! Did Bloomington elect a Chris Koos for mayor? Koos has FIVE TIF districts. He has buried Normal […]
By: Diane Benjamin Except for the Council “light dinners”, “eating at your expense” is way down for October. Maybe Hales, since he will soon be gone, is tired of feasting with Council members. P-Card spending for October: Bills and Payroll for Monday night. Begins on page 121: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11652 ADMIN City Council Exp Coffee Hound $ […]
By: Diane Benjamin I remember great angst from the Council during discussion on privatizing garbage in Bloomington. Even citizens wanted government service because private wouldn’t be as good. Seriously? Private MUST succeed because it’s their money at risk. Government has no incentive to provide the best service at the best price because they DON’T have […]
By: Diane Benjamin Committee of the Whole meeting Monday night: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=11625 The minutes from the last Committee of the Whole meeting are on the agenda for approval. This is from those minutes: Bloomington will never have enough of your money with this Council and City Manager! Don’t forget all the taxes they have created or […]
By: Diane Benjamin A ruling that makes no sense was sent to me via email late yesterday. It contradicts everything that happened at the previous status hearing, but it’s still all good. The ONLY sad part is it looks like the City will not be paying my court costs, close to $400. Some of that […]
By: Diane Benjamin At Monday’s Council meeting questions were raised as to why a 10 year old building wasn’t ADA compliant. City staff said they were investigating. All the City has to do is talk to people who were involved before it was built. I did. Karen Schmidt was on the Council – did they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are some clips from last nights Bloomington City Council meeting. The comedy show started with the Alderman’s names being incorrect on the board that shows the votes. Bloomington 101 had changed them to their participants, but nobody bothered to change them back. Every vote reflected names of people not on […]
