By: Diane Benjamin Matt Burgess, Home Sweet Home Ministries, gave a presentation on how the first month operating The Bridge is going. He gave an honest report that is worth listening to. 4 people have already been kicked out. 2 others left voluntarily. Others had difficulty adjusting to living indoors. Matt has also seen people […]
By: Diane Benjamin Connect Transit owns a property they don’t need in downtown Bloomington – PIN #21-04-389-006. Connect held a special meeting on June 13th. This information is from the packet for that meeting: https://connect-transit.com/file/3675/06%2013%202025_BoT_Special%20Meeting%20Packet.pdf Connect Transit’s Oakland Avenue property is the former site of Connect Transit’s operations and maintenance facility prior to our current […]
By: Diane Benjamin Homeless cabins built in other cities like Denver have turned into money pits, attracted more homeless, and dramatically increase police calls: https://denvergazette.com/news/denver-homeless-village-911-calls-crime/article_4c2f35a8-714e-11ef-a8ad-fb8937d29b8c.html See more in this story: https://blnnews.com/2025/05/12/mayor-bradys-1st-meeting/ Remember the huge increase in police and fire calls when tent city sprouted downtown? Remember the trash from the last housing attempt? . Who […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember when Tari Renner’s rubber stamp Council passed a 1% Sales Tax increase? https://blnnews.com/2015/09/16/taxes-increases-would-be-easier-with-truth/ The County wanted a 1/4% for “mental health”. Instead Bloomington raised Sales Tax 1% and took 3/4% for themselves. I believe this tax was mostly to fund the jail expansion but since “mental health” is always the reason […]
By: Diane Benjamin The water quality problems are close to over. The Council approved one more algaecide treatment @ $82,534.80. Lake Bloomington water levels are back to normal and evergreen is slightly below normal. The other controversial item was supporting the sale of Connect Transit’s property to Home Sweet Home Mission for the shelter project. […]
By: Diane Benjamin I took the weekend off to spend time with with family and friends. I’m back! Agenda for Bloomington tonight: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/3fbd5444-814f-4e17-a65f-83fbc20272bb-d854eb82-3702-4140-9de6-ac3a8e3f379d-1746819050.pdf Two items on the Consent Agenda caught my eye: Item H – The Ecology Action Center is requesting that the City pay a total of $166,342.97 for the three-year Energy Efficiency Program. […]
By: Diane Benjamin I found this while looking for something else. I wonder if buying a hotel to house the homeless was her idea? Since she’s running for mayor of Normal, voters should know if she supports it. Does she know the tent city grew because the first camper was allowed to stay? Does she […]
