By: Diane Benjamin At the end of April Alderwoman Stearns is leaving the Bloomington City Council. She chose not to run for re-election. Back in November of 2013 – way over 1 year ago – Stearns walked out of an Executive Session (Council’s Secret meeting) because she felt Mayor Renner was violating the Open Meetings […]
Update: Memories Pizza is almost to $600,000. Religious liberty will NOT be attacked in America without consequences. See link below. By: Diane Benjamin This email was received via my lawsuit against the City of Bloomington. It is one of those I didn’t know existed, but the judge ruled it had been illegally redacted by the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The only interesting parts of last night’s Council meeting were the public comment and Aldermen comments at the end. IWU students have suddenly taken an interest in local politics. It doesn’t hurt that one is a Renner student and the other is his girlfriend – see below. From twitter: Brexton Isaacs retweeted […]
A reader pointed out something I didn’t see: Renner saw Brexton in the audience and made sure he got a comment card and was able to speak. Other people have not been allowed to speak if they didn’t show up in time to fill out a card! Renner even had the Council vote to allow […]
By: Diane Benjamin Many people have tried to destroy Alderwoman Judy Stearns. The Pantagraph, former Mayor Stockton, some Council members, and Mayor Renner have all attacked her. They all failed. The citizens know who stood up for them and who just wants to “get along”, cost to taxpayers is immaterial. Michael J. Whelan did a […]
Buzz has it Renner has already hand-picked an opponent for next year’s city election to take on Judy Stearns. He picked Joni (Johnny) Painter, the fan of socialist Jan Schakowsky, so more of the same is coming! Can you imagine a Council where only Alderman Lower ever asks questions? Eight potted plants can vote […]
Press release from Alderwoman Stearns: A restored bronze flame will once again grace the Korea Vietnam Memorial at Miller Park. It will be unveiled on Memorial Day, May 26th, following the Memorial Day parade and the program at the bandstand at Miller Park. The time will be approximately 11:15 AM. The original flame–a beautiful part of the 1988 memorial–had […]
by: Diane Benjamin This is a shortened version of Mayor Tari Renner’s attack on Alderwoman Stearns at the 4/28/14 City Council meeting. Please share this – the residents of Bloomington need to understand Renner conducted a pre-planned attack on Alderwoman Stearns – he is reading it!
by: Diane Benjamin After being viciously attacked by Mayor Tari Renner and barely defended by most of the other Council members, Alderwoman Stearns gave this short speech: If you missed the Renner atack: http://blnnews.com/2014/04/29/more-on-renners-outrageous-attack/
by: Diane Benjamin The title is in honor of Mayor Tari Renner – that’s what he called the budget process on WJBC this morning. Let’s examine that Tari. Renner lamented the fact that the dysfunctional government in DC is now in Bloomington. What has changed since the last budget process Tari? Scott Black – but […]
by: Diane Benjamin How are you feeling Tari? A little stressed? How about I give you 2 minutes like you gave to each alderman to respond to the budget! You want to spend $180,000,000 and claim to have been discussing it for 9 months(a lie) and each alderman gets 2 minutes? You crossed a new […]
by: Diane Benjamin See previous post: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/31/get-ready-for-hales-to-get-a-lot-bigger-raise-than-us-little-people/ Also obtained under the Freedom of Information Act: Discussions concerning employees of the City can be done in Executive Sessions – yes, secret meetings. By Mayor Renner writing an email to the Council, he let the cat out of the proverbial bag. Maybe Tari is being extraordinarily transparent. […]
Update at: http://blnnews.com/2013/12/22/mayor-transparency-exposed/ by: Diane Benjamin On November 15th, Alderwoman Judy Stearns walked out of an Executive Session of the Bloomington City Council. Executive Sessions are SECRET meetings governed by laws created by the State of Illinois. These laws are meant to protect citizens by severely restricting what CAN be discussed in these SECRET meetings. […]
by: Diane Benjamin The Pantagraph today expanded the story on the Open Meetings Act violation alleged by Alderwoman Judy Stearns. Rachel Wells included comments from Mayor Renner: http://www.pantagraph.com/stearns-requests-review-under-open-meetings-act/pdf_7b457508-6919-11e3-9910-001a4bcf887a.html The letter sent to the Attorney General by Stearns made serious allegations, if they weren’t serious the Attorney General would not have agreed to investigate. Renner called […]
At last nights Bloomington City Council meeting the financial statements for the year ended 4/30/2013 were presented. City staff and the Auditor were there to answer questions. Only 1 person elected to the Council had questions for the Auditors – Alderwoman Judy Stearns. She asked questions CITIZENS want answered. Start watching the video at […]
Finally today the Pantagraph hammered the Bloomington Alderman who think they have a right to conduct business privately. The editorial properly called City employees public servants, paid with taxpayer money, and therefore not entitled to closed session backroom deals, contrary to how 6 members voted last Monday. Jeers though for not mentioning it was Judy […]
by: Diane Benjamin Since the 1990’s spending on roads in Bloomington has been less than $1,000,000. In 2000 ZERO was spent on roads, according to Rob Fazzini. Wasn’t that BEFORE the economy melted down? Pensions are severely underfunded. But, there is plenty of money for new parks, west-side gateways, and extending Constitution Trail north. The […]
The Pantagraph hinted and the rest of the Council is trying to bury that Judy is the one who discovered paint on the historic monuments in Miller Park. She reported that a few had been painted to the City – but the City didn’t listen. Later in the week the rest were painted! So much […]
Subject: My position on the budget page one Date: Mon, 8 Apr 2013 07:01:36 -0500 Since our budget workshop, I believe I have made it very clear that my position will be based on the public hearing which was held at our last meeting, public input I receive from calls, letters, emails, and so on, and […]
