By: Diane Benjamin Everyone but Tim Gleason managed to show at last night. Gleason might have been attending another meeting. Jenna Kearns: Just stay seated during the Pledge of Allegiance. You would look like less of a hypocrite: The upcoming presentation for downtown wasn’t mentioned, supposedly the room in the Government Center will be done. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below is what Bloomington’s downtown needs: This is a man-made canal through the heart of downtown Indianapolis. It is complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers. Paddle boats are available for rent. There is very little retail on the wide walking paths but there is a lot of expensive condos. I think water […]
By: Diane Benjamin Thank you Nick Becker for asking why the Bloomington Election Commission exists and why this redundancy needs to continue. See 1:57:45. Donna Boelen was acting mayor last night. She claimed she couldn’t vote, I remember other acting mayors voting in Bloomington. She is still an alderman so not voting meant her Ward […]
By: Diane Benjamin Start with One Normal Plaza. STAFF convinced the Council to instigate zoning changes. The area residents only want ONE THING – alcohol sales banned in the park. Drive through – it’s a park like setting with narrow roads and family atmosphere. They want it to stay a tranquil place. STAFF refused to […]
By: Diane Benjamin All the neighbors of One Normal Plaza want is the proposed zoning changed banning alcohol in the park-like setting. The “professional staff” wrote the proposal the “professional staff” can change it. Instead the Town and most of the elected representatives continue to flagrantly abuse citizens by demanding they appear before the Planning […]
By: Diane Benjamin On the agenda for Monday night is a public hearing on next years budget. PDF page 163 has a brief summary that says next to nothing: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21243 If you want to see details, go here: http://www.cityblm.org/government/departments/finance/annual-budget Also on the Agenda: PDF page 166: Allowing exceptions to the moratorium on video gaming! The […]
By: Diane Benjamin If you have never watched a City Council meeting, last night is the one you need to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDOCilmu80A I can’t possibly cover everything that happened. Toward the end of the meeting Joni Painter read something that demanded no more video gaming machines. It was pretty incoherent. 2 people demanded the same […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bloomington finally managed to hack off virtually every business in town. So far today I’ve talked to 3 business owners who got the letter below. This Business Registration has nothing to do with public safety, it’s an attack on the local producers. How did Bloomington send each business a letter if they […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Planning Commission delayed sending the new zoning ordinance to the Council over concerns in historic districts. What you need to see are the minutes from their last meeting. They aren’t listed separately on the City website, but they are included in the packet for yesterday’s meeting. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20520 PDF page […]
By: Diane Benjamin 8 of the 9 aldermen heard an hour and a half recap of the proposed zoning changes last night. David Sage was absent, of course with no explanation. Most people don’t need to listen to 1 1/2 hours, it got much more interesting when the alderman got to ask questions. To hear […]
By: Diane Benjamin The zoning changes Bloomington has been working on since 2016, and paid $125,000 to a consultant for, are being heard and voted on TONIGHT! No, tonight isn’t a regular meeting, it isn’t even a Committee of the Whole. It’s a Special meeting called only for the zoning changes. Two hours and twenty […]
By: Diane Benjamin The below is from the Planned Unit Developments section of Bloomington’s proposed zoning changes http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=19956 Public Health means walking or biking, cars aren’t allowed. Safety? How safe is Constitution Trail? This one is funny: Morals Brought to you by the same people hosting the Naked Magicians at the BCPA. https://blnnews.com/2018/08/22/women-evidently-this-is-for-you/ Evidently the […]
By: Diane Benjamin The proposed Zoning changes cover a lot of ground, but let’s start with downtown. Obviously everything the City does revolves around putting lipstick on this pig. This map is included in the documentation: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=19954 The Purple proposed to be D2. The Green proposed to be D1 Light Blue proposed to be […]
By: Diane Benjamin A lot of America has a booming economy, but not Illinois and certainly not Bloomington. Removing government obstructions allows the private sector to grow, expand, and start new businesses. If you aren’t the “right fit” here, don’t bother. Ever since Tari Renner was first elected, Master Plans have been created for everything. […]
Tonight, at a Work Session prior to the regular Bloomington City Council Meeting, the Council will be presented with, review and determine, at the suggestion of the McLean County Regional Planning Commission, a proposed project scope for the updating of our City’s Comprehensive Plan. You may read this agenda item at the following link: http://www.cityblm.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=2123 . Within that Project […]
February 5, 2012 WHAT IF OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WEREN’T DOING THEIR JOBS? You might ask why and how that might happen? What if they weren’t aware of what their jobs were? What their duties were? Or, what their obligations were? These are all very valid questions, especially if we, the citizens, aren’t aware of what their […]
