By: Diane Benjamin The O’Neil Park Aquatics Center was discussed in depth at the October 15, 2021 Committee of the Whole meeting. Every council member is now gone except for one: Discussion about a water park begins in the minutes on PDF page 6: https://www.bloomingtonil.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/21017/636854797697530000 The cost was estimated at $10,000,000. It probably went much […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last nights meeting was over two hours long, it will take more than one story to cover. You will find out next week why the Water Park won’t open this year when 4 presentations will be heard at the Committee of the Whole. Grant Walsh revealed the Water Park during budget discussions: […]
By: Diane Benjamin 1) We now have proof Unit 5 teaches kids what to think, not how to think. Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/05/04/normal-your-taxes-funded-this/ Doug Fansler sent a video of a Ted Talk to Chemberly Cummings after her Youth on a Mission promoted EV’s without considering all sides. The students obviously didn’t look for facts […]
By: Diane Benjamin One Public Comment was exceptional last night. Gary Lambert speaks pretty often, always showing lots of common sense. Gary responded to something Mayor Mboka wrote in the Pantagraph wanting the State to quite keeping more of the local tax money than they used to. Gary threw that letter back in his face […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tonight’s packet: http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1162&Inline=True Take a trip down memory lane to 2017: https://www.cityblm.org/home/showpublisheddocument/9854/636130888246430000 That link is to the proposed 2017 budget. PDF page 19 shows the General Fund including the percent held in reserves. The City planned to collect and spend $104,794,506. The RESERVES percent of the General Fund was 12.87%. Jump to […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1158&Inline=True Honoring Judy Markowitz didn’t make the agenda for tonight, did they get the message? https://blnnews.com/2022/02/22/slap-in-the-face-to-the-citizens-of-bloomington/ Lots of other things did make the agenda, it could be a long meeting: Presentation by Heartland College President Grant awards for John M Scott Healthcare Trust 2023 Budget Update Presentation of Bloomington Police 2022-2024 Strategic […]
By: Diane Benjamin I wonder how many of the people with sewage in their basements bothered to vote in past local elections. I’m betting many didn’t because turnout is despicable. City Councils are the ones who destroy you the fastest, think Coliseum, BCPA, a never used fire station, and a water tower built to short […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember this story about ZERO deaths or serious injuries by 2030 from automobiles? https://blnnews.com/2021/06/22/bloomington-last-night-7/ Instead of calling the program Vision Zero, the McLean County Regional Planning Commission renamed it Go Safe. The purpose of this NATIONWIDE push is to make driving harder. You will be forced to drive at slower speeds instead […]
By: Diane Benjamin Last night’s Bloomington council meeting: Tari Renner and the Clerk had to be reminded Public Comment was skipped. I hope the next mayor can read and follow an agenda, Tari can’t (numerous examples from recent meetings). See around 49:00. There was only one Public Comment. Ward 3 candidate Willie Holton Halbert took […]
By: Diane Benjamin After years of discussing what to do with O’Neil pool City Manager Gleason wants to have a vote next Monday to proceed with the plan presented last night. Even though the two west side aldermen didn’t bother to show up to hear about the project, full steam ahead! The current skate park […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council heard a presentation on O’Neil pool and park last night. Price tag is now $11.5-11.7 million. It is much more than replacing a pool. The two aldermen representing the west side were absent: Mollie Ward and Jenn Carrillo. Start with these few words we’ve heard before, much more […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington will be holding a Committee of the Whole meeting to hear the plans for O’Neil park. http://bloomingtonil.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1106&Inline=True The proposed budget for next year has $10,000,000 allocated. Remember when Renner and company wanted a water park? My sources say the neighborhood defeated turning their area into a destination. They […]
By: Diane Benjamin Ward 6 had no representation last night – Jenn Carrillo decided not to show up and nobody said a word about her missing except in Public Comment. Maybe Jenn had to get ready for her court hearing today: She is charged with disobeying a police officer and improper parking on a roadway […]
By: Diane Benjamin At last Monday’s Bloomington Council meeting the aldermen spent a lot of time grousing about spending $1,330,000 to extend the life of the Market Street garage. Meanwhile, also in the budget is $738,000 to study O’Neil Park. A comment was made about studies usually being about 10% of the eventual total cost. […]
