By: Diane Benjamin I know the Asahikawa Japan group gets tax dollars from Bloomington and Normal: http://bnsistercities.org/about/ This is the group Tari Renner went to Japan with, nobody ever spilled the story of him “acting up” while there. I predict we may have that information in the future. Last I saw both cities threw $10,000 […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3073 Redbox Workshop does design work, why Normal is paying isn’t known: Both Bloomington and Normal contribute the same amount I’m betting you aren’t on the list to receive one Needs no explanation Did they need a consultant? Being green doesn’t matter when it’s somebody else’s money https://environmentalsystemsresearch.springeropen.com/ Normal doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for 5/29/2018 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=17800 See page 86-93. All the NEGATIVE numbers mean they spent more than was budgeted for that area. It’s illegal to spend what isn’t budgeted without Council approval. If I have time I may investigate further. Note: Remember all Tari’s free lunches he claimed were for City business? […]
By: Diane Benjamin A reader told me at the end of April the Bloomington Public Library was running ads on a Peoria TV station. On April 30th I filed a FOIA request for the ad and what they are spending on advertising. Keep in mind the City of Bloomington spends a fortune on IT and […]
By: Diane Benjamin Sister Cities is spending A LOT of money as I wrote in this story: https://blnnews.com/2018/04/18/cut-sister-cities/ Following the law is too difficult for them however. Sister Cities does not have a schedule of 2018 meetings posted and they have no minutes posted since last June. http://www.bnsistercities.org/about/#committee I filed a FOIA request for all […]
By: Diane Benjamin It looks like Sister Cities is planning another trip. Their website doesn’t have any minutes posted since June 2017 however. http://www.bnsistercities.org/about/#committee They have a general agenda posted which shows meetings in 2017 were scheduled for: August 7 (Moved to Aug. 14 due to 55th Anniversary Trip) September 11 October 2 November 6 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll Monday night: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=16320 The report shows paying 461 Bi-Weekly employees and 361 Weekly. That’s a total of 822 employees. January 2015: 458 Bi-Weekly and 335 Weekly Total 793 https://blnnews.com/2015/08/21/less-employees-at-the-city/ That’s an increase in employees of 29 in 2 years. SLBB: Sick Leave Buy Back (Pension Spiking) Ashley Furniture: We have NO idea where […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed this FOIA request with the Illinois State Police on December 5th: I received this response today: Justice delayed is justice denied! The investigation has been going on since August. Is this why Tari is pandering to his supporters and trying to cram as much through the Council as possible? […]
By: Diane Benjamin I filed a FOIA request with the Illinois State Police for the investigative documents pertaining to the Renner/Japan/PCard investigation in the purchase of Margot Erhlich’s ticket. I just received a denial: _______________________________________________________________________ 09/28/2017 . Bloomington Normal News Ms. Diane Benjamin . Re: FOIR #17-2327 . Dear Ms. Benjamin: . Thank you for […]
A. Aldag is either a current or former IWU student of Renners. So, what’s the public purpose here Tari? https://www.iwu.edu/news/2015/aldag-surveys-foreign-investments-in-DC-internship.html _____________________________________ By: Diane Benjamin PCard spending starts on PDF page 124: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14720 This is Tari’s “business lunch” as caught by a reader on 8/9 at Rosie’s. Tari is in the shadows. Maybe this explain why […]
By: Diane Benjamin I did finally receive my FOIA for the General Ledger entries to the Sister Cities accounts. Travel expenses is sometimes in “Travel” and sometimes in “Community Relations”. The accounts are full of transfers and memo entries that make it difficult to determine what is happening. The Sister Cities program is supported by […]
By: Diane Benjamin Now I have reports of 2 incidents unbecoming common decency. Until either or both are confirmed by somebody on the trip, I can’t do a story. I am told the Council most likely knows about at least one of these. I wouldn’t be posting this list if any of them had confirmed […]
By: Diane Benjamin See WGLT’s latest on Sister Cities/Tari Renner: http://wglt.org/post/caught-middle-sister-cities-chair-defends-programs-work#stream/0 One would think as Public Radio and part of ISU, real journalists would be writing the stories. Evidently not. I hope future employers of journalism students take that into account if their degree is from ISU! The story has problems determining fact from fiction. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Gas in Decatur today $2.11. Gas in Bloomington today $2.25. _____________________________ A complaint was filed against Tari Renner for violating the garbage can ordinance: https://blnnews.com/2017/08/06/do-laws-codes-regulations-matter/ It was filed by a Bloomington resident who has recently been hassled by the City. The resident filed a FOIA request for the letter sent to Renner’s address, […]
By: Diane Benjamin The City of Bloomington can’t legally withhold documents that existed before the State Police announced their investigation, but they are trying to keep me from finding the truth anyway. Did they really think I wouldn’t write about it? I filed a FOIA request for the all General Ledger Accounts pertaining to Sister […]
By: Diane Benjamin From the bottom of the Sister Cities website: http://www.bnsistercities.org/ When I FOIA’d the names of people who went on the trip, I got a list of names. Hand written on the sheet is: Since I didn’t FOIA donations, I wondered why they would give me that list and why these people would […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’m not celebrating the State Police investigating Tari Renner’s use of a City PCard for a personal purchase. Being investigated is not the same as being prosecuted. We will find out if laws still matter, sometimes it’s hard to tell. Illinois Constitution: Government officials and employees aren’t allowed to read the law […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner has been making the media tour to justify the use of government funds on his girlfriend’s plane ticket to Japan. It’s amazing how WJBC and WGLT can let Renner spout anything and never challenge his statements. This morning Tari was on WJBC. He claimed his girlfriend’s ticket was bought as […]
By: Diane Benjamin Since last night Tari called comments made by citizens about the Japan trip lies, I have no problem calling his statement lies. Just hit play below to hear him. First, he claims the Chief Legal Officer said he did nothing wrong. Who is the Chief Legal Officer Tari? Jeff Jurgens or somebody […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you’ve been following the Japan Sister Cities saga, you already know about this expense: That was only a partial payment! That’s a total of $5,365.00. Tari hasn’t said a word about this one, but at the Open House last night he and Margot floated that she should get a refund because […]
By: Diane Benjamin We have no idea how many people went on the Japan trip. We’ve heard numbers as low as 19 to over 35. The names of those on this trip have not been produced under FOIA. We have no idea who paid and what the total cost was – other than the bills […]
By: Diane Benjamin Not only illegal, it’s breaks the City PCard policy. AND – more than one City employee (which Tari is) broke the policy. Note the date – May 12th. From documents obtained by FOIA, this purchase was on the PCard held by Beth Oakley, Executive Assistant to somebody. She violated State law and […]
By: Diane Benjamin By now you know about Tari Renner putting his girlfriends Sister Cities flight on a City PCard. Since the City extended the FOIA request for repayment, we don’t know if it was repaid or not. The charge violates both State law and the City’s PCard policy. Every other FOIA concerning this trip […]
By: Diane Benjamin The following FOIA request was due today. How difficult is it to look up who paid the City? Browse the General Ledger! Remember, Tari claimed from Japan that I was lying and he was going to sue me for stating the truth – the City paid for his girlfriend’s ticket: Got […]
By: Diane Benjamin Previous stories: https://blnnews.com/2017/07/30/do-we-have-a-prosecutor/ https://blnnews.com/2017/07/31/tari-responds/ The City of Bloomington pays a small fortune to be members of the IML (Illinois Municipal League) and attend their conferences. Tari and Jeff Jurgens even spoke last year about the “new media and watchdogs”. I’m sure they have seen this the below. It isn’t me accusing Tari […]
This story has been updated several times. See BlnNews.com for more By: Diane Benjamin The biggest obstacle to cleaning up the corruption in Illinois is finding a prosecutor. The Good ‘Ole Boys club is alive and well at all levels. See this story from the Edgar County Watchdogs: More Govt Gun Running-We Need Outside Prosecutors […]
By: Diane Benjamin Maybe the P-Card spending starting on page 115 explains it: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=14187 Some excerpts: In 2015 the City spent $22,321.49 travelling to Japan: https://blnnews.com/2015/04/24/more-throwing-your-money-around/ Tari and Hales aren’t the only travelers. See the rest at the link. Tari must have business lunches by himself – nobody else is listed. Or maybe Mayor Transparency doesn’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’d love to know what this is, but last Monday I hear some Council members wanted the legislators to change the Freedom of Information Act Law so staff doesn’t have to answer them. I hear Bill Brady told them to be more transparent if they didn’t want FOIA requests, that probably died […]
by: Diane Benjamin You probably did know that local governments have a Sister Cities program. Bet you didn’t know about this one: Celebrating our Sister Cities, Rivers and Lakes The people of Illinois have enjoyed a long-time friendship with the people of Latino nations. This warm relationship can be seen in the Sister Cities program […]
