The candidates running to represent central and near-east Bloomington on the McLean County Board have different top priorities – from bolstering the county’s HR practices to green energy to supporting law enforcement. But they share a pragmatic view of bipartisan governing.
Two people cross the street in downtown Bloomington.
Bloomington will not further challenge an Illinois appeals court ruling that the city violated the state s Open Meetings Act in a closed-door meeting in 2017, City Manager Tim Gleason said Tuesday.
The Fourth District Appellate Court in Springfield determined in April the city council went into closed session to discuss the political rather than legal consequences of the city s plan to pull out of a tax-sharing agreement with the Town of Normal.
The council stated it went into closed session in February 2017 to discuss pending or probable litigation.
According to the appeals court, there was little discussion of a lawsuit. Then-Mayor Tari Renner said after the meeting he didn’t anticipate a lawsuit over the city’s intentions to dissolve the Metro Zone agreement, a west-side tax-sharing deal the Twin Cities had for decades.
Eric Stock / WGLT
Originally published on April 29, 2021 6:06 pm
An Illinois appellate court has ruled the City of Bloomington violated the Open Meetings Act in 2017 when the city council convened behind closed doors to discuss terminating a tax-sharing agreement with Normal.
The appellate court ruled the city council did not follow the rules for a closed session because it did not discuss “probable or imminent litigation,” which was the stated reason for convening the meeting. Bloomington was exploring whether to end the Metro Zone agreement, a west-side tax-sharing pact the city ultimately terminated.
According to the court, there was no pending litigation for the city to discuss. Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner told reporters after the closed session the city didn’t anticipate a lawsuit. That prompted then-McLean County State’s Attorney Jason Chambers to ask the AG’s office for a ruling on the legality of the meeting.
Staff / WGLT
Carrillo made those comments on Facebook after her preferred slate of progressive candidates went 0-for-4 in the April 6 election. She said she “looked forward to making Sheila Montney’s and Nick Becker’s life a living hell for the next 2 years,” referring to the Ward 3 and Ward 5 who defeated the two candidates she backed in those races. She also called Montney and Becker, who have never held public office, “dangerous authoritarians.”
Mwilambwe said Carrillo’s remarks were “unbecoming of a council member.”
“There are countless numbers of young people who look up to us,” he said. “Constituents who expect great service from us. Many of them have demanded and deserve better.”