Speak English Please

By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington Water Director got the message from yesterday about paying more for powdered activated carbon: https://blnnews.com/2025/03/17/special-bloomington-meeting-tonight-instead-of-committee-of-the-whole/ I spent 30 years talking people through computer problems with people who have no background in how computers work. I had to talk to them on their level. The water director needs a few lessons […]

The fake Republicans on the Normal Town Council

By: Diane Benjamin Kathleen Lorenz and Scott Preston claim to be Republicans. This story proves they are fakes. First a quick review of what Enterprise Funds are. Local government decided years ago people need to pay for what they use. Hence, Enterprise funds were created to specifically tax you based on usage. Water is one […]

Bloomington Announcement Monday

By:  Diane Benjamin On Monday sources tell me Bloomington will announce the Water Department will be merged with Public Works.  The current head of Public Works, Jim Karch, will be in charge of everything. The Water Department is holding many millions of dollars.  $2.8 million has already been “borrowed” from this fund, $2.4 million went […]

Water Department and Pension Spiking Monday

By:  Diane Benjamin These projects will be approved Monday:  http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=18366 Lake Bloomington Water Treatment plant roof:   $323,139.65 Water Main replacement:  $385,075 Professional Services to prepare for another water main replacement:  $30,876.50 If the Council claims the Water Department funds are diminishing and therefore they have to raise rates: In 2013 $400,000 was “borrowed” from the water fund for […]

Remember that UN-USED Water Tower?

By:  Diane Benjamin I found this while looking for something else. The first time I remember writing about the Water Tower Bloomington built in Normal was August 2015:  https://blnnews.com/2015/08/04/more-ineptness/ I have no idea how much money was spent on that project, but many MILLIONS is probably close.  The only thing I knew for sure is […]

April City Manager’s report

By:  Diane Benjamin David Hales has posted his April City Manager’s report, but much of it is missing:  City Manager’s Report – April 2016 The biggest missing item:  Finance Previous reports have shown tax receipts above budget.  So why are those numbers missing from the April report?  David? ************************** Congrats to Golf: Out of the […]