By: Diane Benjamin Did you know Normal canceled their first meeting of the year last week? Bloomington is trying hard to be them with everything being discussed in private meetings with the City Manager long before votes. This is the local government version of “democracy”. There was only one Public Comment – Surena Fish. The Safety Commission (Molly Ward’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin https://www.normalil.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/4310 It would be nice if a Trustee asked if the Town was reimbursed by the show: It would also be nice if a Trustee asked why Uptown Circle wasn’t built ADA compliant the first time: This one is on the Omnibus Agenda, unless somebody pulls it questions won’t be asked. Gala […]
By: Diane Benjamin WEEK reported earlier this week DOZENS of Democrats have signed a letter calling on Speaker Mike Madigan to step down: https://week.com/2020/08/11/mclean-county-leaders-among-dozens-of-democrats-calling-for-speakers-madigans-ouster/ Locally these people signed: Notice who didn’t sign, other than the local Democrat Party Chair Nikita Richards? Tari Renner and Chris Koos Are they pro-corruption or just weenies? That brings me […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Council meeting will be Tuesday since Monday is Martin Luther King Day. Source: https://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3531 A few choice payments: Normal needs a new company doing video. The recent problems should be strike THREE. The Mayor still has pay to attend conferences. He needs to explain how the membership benefits taxpayers. If […]
By: Diane Benjamin Hey, it’s Friday. Time to have some fun. Emails received by FOIA. Remember when the US Conference of Mayors was held in Hawaii? The same people lecturing and taxing to save the environment flew across an ocean to attend. Mayor Koos attended the Climate Summit held right before it. Obviously Climate Change […]
By: Diane Benjamin WJBC has reported Tari Renner wants to end the moratorium on new video gaming machines: http://www.wjbc.com/2019/07/29/renner-sides-with-businesses-seeking-to-end-bloomingtons-video-gaming-freeze/ I remember when the moratorium was put in place, Tari was outraged that $50 million a year went into the machines. It sounds like he changed his mind. Back in 2016 Tari was on WJBC talking […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=22247 Tari and the employees had fun: Add the previous Hawaii expenses of $1,968.00, and Tari’s trip cost $3,892.50. https://blnnews.com/2019/04/18/off-to-hawaii/ This is what the Pantagraph reported: Pantagraph.com twin-city-mayors-focus-on-transit-climate-at-conference The cost of the CONFERENCE was $950.00. The paper didn’t include that part. What did taxpayers get? The bill? Remember the FREE entertainment […]
By: Diane Benjamin Today the Pantagraph printed a Letter to the Editor submitted by Roger Hellman. I’m purposely using his name. Although he doesn’t say what kind of gun legislation he wants to see, it’s obvious he would be delighted if every gun was confiscated. See it HERE Is the Pantagraph this clueless? Roger thinks […]
By: Diane Benjamin Normal Mayor Chris Koos posted this on Facebook: http://honolulu2019.com/climate/ Tari must not have been invited. He is going to the US Conference of Mayors that starts to tomorrow in Honolulu: https://blnnews.com/2019/04/18/off-to-hawaii/ One would think true believers, like Koos, who think we are destroying the world with carbon emissions would: Not fly to […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bills and Payroll for Monday: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=21630 See the agenda for the US Conference of Mayors here: https://www.usmayors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/USCM-Honolulu-Agenda-041519-WEB.pdf Note the “Best practices” sessions. They want everybody to think what works in Los Angeles will work in Bloomington. Only fools think “best practices” can be determined by people not familiar with local conditions. Tari […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/3262 Where radicals go to meet twice a year, the cost of conferences isn’t included: Special clothing required? What got appraised and for what purpose? Below are payments made to developers for one of Normal’s 5 TIF districts. The available information is a year old, we won’t have current info for many […]
Check out the speaker list at the US Conference of Mayors. It was a party for leftists. By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20847 I wonder if Jenn Carrillo and Jeff Crabill know the City already does lots of wealth redistribution? All of the below are low or no interest loans and grants just in this one check […]
By: Diane Benjamin History Review: Obama won the October 2009 Noble Peace Prize. He had been in office less than 9 months. During his 8 years (a short list): Russia seized Crimea Russia threatened Ukraine and shot down a passenger plane killing everyone on board North Korea developed long-range missiles China built islands for bases […]
Update: City Attorney Jeff Jurgens just sent me a copy of the bill. Tari stayed for 5 nights: Marriott Receipt By: Diane Benjamin The hotel bill for Chris Koos at the US Conference of Mayors in Boston was : $1209.99 That bill included two charges from the hotel’s Champion Sports Bar and 3 nights stay. […]
By: Diane Benjamin From Bills and Payroll for 7/23/2018 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18360 PCard charge for Tari Renner – Hotel only, US Conference of Mayors in Boston: Since Tari doesn’t have a PCard, it must have been booked with this card. 3 nights for Chris Koos including two charges at the hotel’s Champion Sports Bar was only $1209.99. https://blnnews.com/2018/07/13/normal-we-must-entertain-and-more/ […]
By: Diane Benjamin A reader asked me how much the Town of Normal contributes to the CornBellters, so I FOIA’d that information. The Normal Cornbelters are another quasi-government organization with no transparency. Did you know for 20 years Normal is rebating all food and beverage taxes? I wonder if they audit sales? How are cash […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to this website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/241695/number-of-us-cities-towns-villages-by-population-size/ there were 19,505 communities in the United States in 2015. 16,470 have a population under 10,000. That leaves 3,035 larger cities. The US Conference of Mayors claims to represent 1,409 communities. Since tiny cities don’t attend, 1409 of 3035 is only 46.4%. http://mayorsagenda.com/about-us/ The next meeting is June […]
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 Monday 4/16: http://www.normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2946 Nothing that will take time to discuss is on the agenda. They should discuss spending, but won’t. Below are items I found interesting. The last time Lyle Sumek “consulted” with Normal the Town offered buyouts to employees. What will be cut next? No expense was spared for a retirement dinner! […]
Just a few stories most media ignores: History of Illinois Fiscal Crisis (Hint: both parties are at fault) https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/the-history-of-illinois-fiscal-crisis/ Austin’s Complete Streets Nightmare (Austin went with buses, since few ride buses here – local government is forcing bike lanes) http://www.texasturf.org/2012-06-01-03-09-30/latest-news/2113-austin-s-complete-streets-policy-a-complete-nightmare?mc_cid=1b7d77465e&mc_eid=26ab1cd66c Renner didn’t sign on – Koos did Update: Renner did sign – he […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-500 Bills and Payroll isn’t posted yet for Monday night: Hiding something? ________________________ Tari Renner and Chris Koos are in for a treat today at the US Conference of Mayors: Former Present Bill Clinton spoke at the “City Livability Luncheon”. I wonder if he will speak longer than scheduled? I wonder […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner and Chris Koos are lounging around Miami this weekend at your expense. Smart organizers would have held the twice a year US Conference of Mayors in Miami in the winter, but these are government people. I wonder if we will see photos of them on the beach? (eek!) All last […]
By: Diane Benjamin You decide if “grift” fits: Bills for approval at the Monday’s Normal Town Council meeting: Source: http://normal.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/2610 Click on any picture to enlarge. .. . Paying someone to apply for grant: . Misc: . More Baseball and More Water Main break Expense . Annual Dues – Where ridiculous ideas come from . […]
By: Diane Benjamin See this post from 7/22: More-tari-eating-by-himself? A list of P-Card charges from June are included. Mayor Renner attended the US Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, the hotel bill was $1,044.52. The conference was June 24 – June 27. USmayors.org/84thAnnualMeeting This is a copy of the bill – obtained under FOIA: $756 was […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is this month’s edition of Administration spending with a City debit card in your pocket. See this link for the complete list of PCard spending – it’s at the end of Bills and Payroll. http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8901 City Council Expenses Hilton Hotels $ 603.23 Business travel Mayor US Conference of Mayors City Council Expenses […]
By: Diane Benjamin Tari Renner and Chris Koos just got back or are on the way back from San Francisco! I’m willing to bet it was at your expense since they were attending the US Conference of Mayors. This link shows both signed up to attend: http://usmayors.org/83rdAnnualMeeting/PreRegisteredMayorsPhotos.asp I’m just going to list some highlights so you can […]
By: Diane Benjamin Taxpayers fund trips taken by their elected officials without having a clue what the agenda is. This year both Koos and Renner attended the US Conference of Mayor where they unanimously supported net neutrality – the government take over of the Internet. I just got this tip from a reader concerning last […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are P-Card (like a debit card, except billing is once a month) charges for the month of January (scroll to the bottom): http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=8213 ________________________________ Jimmy John’s # 1408 $ 181.44 Working Dinner D. Hales, T. Renner, City Council, 5 Other Staff‐ 01/12/2015 Monicals Pizza $ 45.75 Working Lunch for Finance Department‐ 01/07/2015 Lucca […]
by: Diane Benjamin If you are robbed by somebody with a gun – at least you know it happened. The City of Bloomington would rather you not know. Below is JUST the Admin Pcard spending for 1 month. Many more pages of spending by other department are at the link below. So far Tari Renner […]
