By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – Normal’s mayor is sounding off on what he said are Normal Township Supervisor Sarah Grammer’s “shameful” tactics protesting Connect Transit fare hikes and elimination of a bus route.
Mayor Chris Koos wrote to Grammer a week after she called for removal of the Connect Transit Board that made the cost-cutting decisions.
Grammer posted the mayor’s letter on her office’s Facebook page, along with her response to Koos’ comments.
Koos said Grammer is trying to incite anger and manipulate voters by disseminating highly charged and caustic opinions on the township government’s email system, through social media posts, and by notifying the news media.
The mayor said strategies to provoke rage and advance deceptive information are not beneficial, nor is it helpful to belittle community board members and public employees who strive to provide passionate, diligent, and thoughtful leadership to the public transportation system.
“Your use of public resources to actively denigrate and tear down community partners and beneficial community agencies is bewildering. Even more puzzling is your representation that your opinion and expression of biased, misleading rhetoric is on behalf of Normal Township, its citizens and, presumably, its Board of Trustees,” the mayor said.
Koos demanded Grammer immediately stop misleading the public about the town’s funding for Connect Transit, which he said has risen during each of the the past nine years to more than $878,000 the last fiscal year.
The mayor said it’s the goal of all Connect Transit funders to provide high quality and inclusive transportation service in challenging times.
“We must pull the community together to collaborate on solutions,” said Koos.
Grammer expressed disappointment that Koos does not want to talk about service being disconnected from important areas, and fare hikes limiting access for people on limited incomes, including many with disabilities.
She said the transit board took action without reviewing about 40 emails from concerned citizens, and a listening session at the Life Center for Independent Living four days before the vote happened, too late for information to be included in a packet the staff prepared for board members.
Grammer wrote, “Mayor, we need a transit system that is affordable and accessible for everyone. When will you address the concerns of your constituents?”
Grammer has the support of Bloomington Ward 6 Alderman-elect Jennifer Carrillo, who wrote she’s disgusted with the “patriarchal and paternalistic” tone of Koos’ letter.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
