By: Diane Benjamin One big difference between Mayor Mwilambwe and Mayor Brady: Meetings start at 6:00. I don’t remember time mattering to Mboka. Arbor Day got a proclamation. Trees are wonderful, I’ve got a bunch of them still dropping dead branches from the last ice storm years ago. I hope since Bloomington has two arborists […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are highlights from the meeting last night: 1) City Manager Jurgens reported the church that collapsed on E Mulberry was demolished because of the emergency of further collapse. The City hopes to recover the cost from the church’s insurance/congregation. It sounds like nothing could be salvaged because the building was unstable: […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight Bloomington finally gets to destroy the Market Street garage. The documentation doesn’t say where people parking there now will park during construction of Connect Transit’s transfer center and new parking garage. Excerpts: https://d2kbkoa27fdvtw.cloudfront.net/cityblm/0e86386b97bf1b532c53aec744be92750.pdf The documentation claims the City has spent $870,000 in the last 5 years fixing the garage. Is the […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington has been tired of spending money on the Market Street Garage for many years, but I certainly don’t remember a vote to hand it over to Connect Transit. That garage belongs to Bloomington residents. I can’t wait to see how they make this one legal. An Intergovernmental Agreement will probably appear […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington has wanted to destroy the Market Street Garage since at least 2018. Remember when the Downtown Task Force recommended moving the library there? https://blnnews.com/2018/10/16/library-expansion-sinks-water-park-doesnt/ Tonight documents – PDF page 246: https://d3n9y02raazwpg.cloudfront.net/cityblm/258aad0d-7d4f-11ed-9024-0050569183fa-791fe512-602c-4d20-98c8-ecdbbed39134-1682127141.pdf The documentation doesn’t say why the old Pantagraph property didn’t work. It was February of 2021 when […]
By: Diane Benjamin If nothing gets pulled from the Consent Agenda the only item remaining is the Finance Director’s Report and comments. On the Consent Agenda: The gift that can’t stop giving – Coliseum, it isn’t Grossinger Motors Arena anymore: Looks like the Market Street Garage isn’t going anywhere soon: $10.52 a square foot. Normal […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council proved they are capable of sane discussions last night, maybe because one person was absent. Can Bloomington get the names right? Donna Boelen was acting mayor last night since Mboka is out of the country because of his father’s passing. Nice job Donna for the first time being thrust into […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you want to see what bills are being paid they are no longer under City Council, probably because the Council never questions them at a meeting. They are now under Finance. The report still shows 970 employees: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/28098 Did you know this what your tax dollars pay every month? (Connect Transit) Green Top […]
By: Diane Benjamin Don’t feel sorry for the Pantagraph if Connect Transit decides to use Bloomington’s parking garage on West Market for their new downtown transfer station. They sold it in 2016. Feel sorry for Oak LLC, they own it: From the Recorder’s website: Bloomington is tired of repairing the Market Street garage and they […]
By: Diane Benjamin Local election are early next year. Those who think you should pay for the below need replaced: The slide below was shown during presentation at Bloomington Council on Regeneration/Preservation of older neighborhoods. It was part of the staff presentation: Since Hawthorne Hills doesn’t need Regeneration/Preservation, what area of the City are they […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1131&Inline=True Items on the Consent Agenda taxpayers need to know about: 1) The process to replace the Market Street parking garage has started. The existing/new location will also be studied. 2) Replacing O’Neil pool is getting more expensive: 3) If you want Federal Money the feds own you. If you want fewer […]
By: Diane Benjamin Three people spoke at public comment in Bloomington last night, hear them beginning at 11:40. Gary Lambert spoke about credit card fees and the automatic increases to charges from Bloomington for services. He also mentioned the zoo snack bar, He would like to know how much money is being generated and if […]
