I remember buzzing around a Council meeting and hearing former Alderman Rob Fazzini say “A gas tax won’t raise the price of gas”. I remember hearing Fazzini was behind the Paradigm fiasco to charge Bloomington and Normal more to haul off garbage so he could turn it into jet fuel. Now I hear Fazzini was advising […]
By: Diane Benjamin These emails will finally put Paradigm to bed – I hope permanently! From October 2nd – 19 days before Joint Session: Note: 4 days AFTER the Joint Session October 22nd – the day after Joint Session Note – even Robinson wonders why the Joints session was held!
By: Diane Benjamin If Paradigm ever returns, all the emails I received from the Town of Normal under the Freedom of Information Act will be reevaluated, but for now I’m done reading somewhere near 600 pages. The FOIA request I submitted was for all emails during 2014. One email from Paradigm President and CEO, Allen […]
By: Diane Benjamin Here are some more emails I received under the Freedom of Information Act from the Town of Normal. The first two shows again that Bloomington was involved in the Paradigm deal BEFORE Rob Fazzini quit the Council. Once again, in Illinois this is not a crime! Ethical? Since when does that matter! […]
By: Diane Benjamin Evidently readers want to know the story of Paradigm that hasn’t been told before. a small percentage clicked I don’t know what Paradigm is, so briefly here’s the background: Bloomington Alderman Rob Fazzini quit the Council to be President of Paradigm BioAviation. They wanted both Bloomington and Normal to pay them to […]
by: Diane Benjamin I received many many emails from the Town of Normal concerning Paradigm. I can spend many hours piecing the story together, but if my readers don’t care about what really happened, I won’t waste my time. Take the poll and tell me what you think: . . .
By: Diane Benjamin Rob Fazzini resigned from the Bloomington City Council effective September 3rd. He resigned to be President of Paradign BioAviation, a firm that wanted both Normal and Bloomington to pay them to haul off their garbage. By now you know a joint Council session dashed all hopes of this project coming together here. […]
by: Diane Benjamin h/t CS (again!) Why is Canada providing more news than our press? Canadian press knows the game, but not the media here? Note the date on the article! Did anybody doubt Fazzini was recruited by Paradigm not only because he was an alderman. but also gullible? Via Vancouver Observer: A waste-to-energy spin […]
Update: by: Diane Benjamin According to the Pantagraph, Paradigm BioAviation received almost no support last night. WHO didn’t do their homework? WHO scheduled a joint Council meeting, wasted a lot of staff time, the public’s time, the Council member’s time? I thought Normal was all about sustainability, did the crowd ride their bikes to the meeting? […]
In a random act of journalism, WGLT sheds light on the project and the guy behind the project: http://wglt.org/wireready/news/2014/10/03835_Paradigm_doubts_051139.shtml by: Diane Benjamin Tuesday night former Bloomington Alderman Rob Fazzini is presenting his ideas for getting your money to a joint meeting of the Normal and Bloomington City Councils. Remember Rob is the same guy who […]
by: Diane Benjamin The last time Mayor Transparency Renner got to appoint an alderman, he chose Joni Painter. Since she drove all the way to Chicago to attend a fundraiser for Jan Schakowsky – a self admitted socialist, we know which way her politics blow. (http://blnnews.com/2014/08/14/fly-on-the-wall-renners-pick/) Would you drive to Chicago to hear a socialist? […]
by: Diane Benjamin A citizens contacted the City Council pertaining to items on the agenda for last night’s meeting. The agenda must be posted by law 48 hours before a meeting. The law was to make citizens aware of what’s on the agenda and make comments to their representatives if desired. Since Fazzini thinks he’s […]
by: Diane Benjamin I’m really not in the mood to work for free today, but a friend sent me Alderman Rob Fazzini’s latest Ward 8 Report. Evidently he thinks people are going to be impressed. See what you think: INTRODUCTORY COMMENTS: During July the time I spent on city council activities was 84.0 hours bring […]
by: Diane Benjamin Transparency in Bloomington means City Hall decides what they want you to see, then they celebrate posting documents they claim you want to see. Mayor Renner has an agenda from which he plans to take no detours. He doesn’t care what you think and he doesn’t like being challenged. Many of the […]
by: Diane Benjamin Aldermen Rob Fazzini really doesn’t like citizens. He especially doesn’t like them making comments at Council meetings. He also doesn’t bother to read the law (that he took training in) before commenting to the Council. Before every Council meeting aldermen can submit questions to the staff concerning items on the agenda. The […]
by: Diane Benjamin This morning Mayor Renner was on WJBC still denying he had anything to do with the Modified Wards referendum. Once again Mayor: Are you lying or is Rob Fazzini: Look for more lies to come as the budget debate goes forward. Mayor Renner will try to blame City Manager David Hales for […]
by: Diane Benjamin Last week a Bloomington resident sent a BlnNews story, Burying Bailouts in “Quality of Life” PART 2, (http://blnnews.com/2014/03/14/burying-bailouts-in-quality-of-life-part-2/) to the entire Bloomington City Council with this comment: Again, I ask that the Council not consider funding this and to read this excellent information from the BLN News. Alderman Rob Fazzini decided to answer: On […]
By: Diane Benjamin The local press doesn’t care that Mayor Tari Renner still wants you to think Modified Wards is Rob Fazzini’s idea. Renner acts like he has nothing at all to do with it. Either Renner or Fazzini is lying: Don’t forget the other names listed either! Who do you think is behind the […]
Alderman Rob Fazzini should get a gig at a comedy club! Today he has a Letter to the Editor stating the current Ward system is broken because pensions aren’t funded, street and sewers aren’t being fixed, deferred maintenance is mounting . etc . etc. etc. Rob: Aren’t you on the Council now? Rob: How many […]
by: Diane Benjamin The McLean County Chamber of Commerce has returned to their anti-business ways. It looks like they are a true reflection of their membership. According to the Pantagraph, 51.52% of their members think the current Bloomington Ward system is serving Bloomington well, 48.48 don’t. When asked if Modified Wards should be approved, 51.52 […]
by: Diane Benjamin In November I filed another Request for Review with the Attorney General’s Public Access Office. It concerned Aldermen Fazzini, Fruin, and Black PLUS Mayor Renner conspiring together to put the Modified Ward referendum on the March 18th primary ballot. I have NUMEROUS documents outlining their strategy and meetings. They thought they had […]
by: Diane Benjamin I’m surprised anybody is still publicly supporting Modified Wards since former supporters are now in hiding and changing their stories (http://blnnews.com/2014/02/02/say-it-together-hypocrisy/), but another Letter to the Editor appeared in the Pantagraph today. The writer, Carol Koos, is trying to sell Modified Wards on the 4-votes talking points. Rob Fazzini has already made […]
by: Diane Benjamin The League of Women Voters has a history of being on the wrong side of issues. I remember discussing ObamamCare on Facebook with a member before it was passed. The League supported ObamaCare and so did the member I discussed it with. I wonder if they have changed their minds? If not, […]
by: Diane Benjamin You can read the minutes of the 2 day retreat here: http://cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6221 Start on page 105 Culture change and more taxes were hot topics at the 2 day retreat of the Bloomington City Council last November. The minutes don’t say what culture change is except the Council is supposed to “have […]
by: Diane Benjamin This is going to be fun! Every Pantagraph reader will be able to see for themselves who values your right to be personally represented on the Bloomington City Council and who wants to steal it! First liberty thief: Carol Reitan. The spin used to get you to vote YES on the Ward […]
by: Diane Benjamin From the Monday, January 13, 2014 Council minutes: http://cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=6182 Item 8D. An Ordinance Establishing the Salary for the City Manager. Motion by Alderman Sage, seconded by Alderman Mwilambwe that the Ordinance be passed. The Mayor directed the clerk to call the roll which resulted in the following: Ayes: Aldermen Mwilambwe, Schmidt, McDade, […]
by: Diane Benjamin Petitions were filed today to put a referendum on the March PRIMARY ballot to concentrate the power in Bloomington in the hands a of a few elitist. Fazzini wants the unions and the wealthy to be able to buy seats so any dissent is abolished and average citizens won’t be able to […]
The Pantagraph printed Rob Fazzini’s letter today KNOWING he didn’t write it. Thanks Pantagraph! I know the Pantagraph is aware of this post. When they print the Rob Fazzini letter, are they going to add Mike Matejka’s name? If you don’t know who Mike Matejka is: http://www.bntrades.org/link.php?id=2 This part was sent to the people getting […]
by: Diane Benjamin In July of 2012, I filed an Open Meetings Act violation against the Bloomington City Council concerning a road trip 4 Council members and Mayor Stockton took to Peoria. The Pantagraph and 2 other citizens filed the same thing I did. The Public Access Office that handles these complaints is overwhelmed with […]
by: Diane Benjamin Contrary to the belief of Rob Fazzini, he can not under the law declare himself a private citizen, then work with 2 other Council members and include the Mayor’s email address on correspondence without violating the Open Meetings Act. The Attorney General is now investigating their attempt to change the Bloomington City […]
by: Diane Benjamin In the last City election – April 2013 – Voter turnout in Normal was slightly over 4400 people. Why do very few people in Normal vote? Because their vote doesn’t matter? How many members of the Council were appointed, and since the elections are at-large, name recognition helps them win the next […]
by: Diane Benjamin Back in May of 2011, Alderman Jim Fruin decided the Council needed a code of conduct. Only these members signed it: Bernie Anderson Ward 1 Mboka Mwilambwe Ward 3 Jennifer McDade Ward 5 Karen Schmidt Ward 6 Rob Fazzini Ward 8 Jim Fruin Ward 9 Stephen Stockton Mayor Anderson and Stockton are […]
by: Diane Benjamin I noticed that Rob Fazzini is no longer calling his takeover of the Bloomington City Council “Transparent Government”. Nice try though, typical left tactic, kind of like The Affordable Care Act which Democrats knew wasn’t close to affordable for most citizens. Anybody had their insurance reduced $2500 yet? 2 issues I would […]
by: Diane Benjamin I hear Rob Fazzini already has people going door-to-door getting petitions signed to steal the City Council. He wants a modified Ward system where some members are elected at large, the remaining Wards would be huge. The effect is to take away your alderman, the one person who represents your section of […]
by: Diane Benjamin What does a rich retired guy have to do all day? Plot against the citizens of Bloomington. At the last Council meeting Fazzini suggested Bloomington could issue $500,000 more in bonds to fix sewers, streets, fund pensions, whatever. He also claimed it wouldn’t affect the City’s credit rating! Fazzini also suggested raising […]
Spoken by Alderman Rob Fazzini as reported in the Pantagraph: “I want to make it more difficult to run for office because the more difficult it is to run for office, the more you want it and the more you want it the better job you’re going to do when you’re elected.” When does the […]
by: Diane Benjamin Is something in the water in Bloomington? Elected Bloomington Alderman Rob Fazzini thinks he can be an alderman part of the time – when he wants to be – and then be a private citizen when he wants to push his ideology. Lately he’s been telling people his outside activities are as […]
Some correspondence requested under the Freedom of Information Act was denied by the City of Bloomington. A complaint has been filed with the State’s Attorney’s Office in Springfield with the Public Access Officer. What are they trying to hide? The denial listed “personal information” as the reason. We are not interested in phone numbers and […]
