By Howard Packowitz
NORMAL – The leading vote getter in Normal’s town council election last month made his presence known Monday night at his first council meeting.
Stan Nord was the only “no” vote on what’s almost always considered the routine approval of paying the bills.
Nord complained the bills included $35,248.77 in monthly rent at One Uptown Circle.
“We have to get out from under this,” said Nord.
“The town should not be involved in renting something that pricey,” he said.
Nord also contested a monthly subsidy of $75,158.33 to Connect Transit, which is under fire for eliminating a bus route in Normal and raising fares, which are scheduled to take effect this fall.
“This is subsidized transportation. This is not transportation for profit,” said Nord.
“Being subsidized, like subsidized housing, those are the people that need it. If the town is going to be giving money to that, we need to make sure that it helps the very people that we intend it to help,” Nord also said.
Council member Kathleen Lorenz said she didn’t want to hold-up business for issues that can’t be solved in a single night. Member Chemberly Cummings said the campaigning is over and it’s time for governing, while colleague Kevin McCarthy didn’t like how public transit was becoming a political issue.
“I don’t support and you won’t see me vote up here to politicize, and make political our transit system. I will not support turning funding into a political game,” McCarthy said.
Only minutes after Nord took the oath, one of the candidates he defeated, Planning Commissioner Dave Shields, used the public comment portion of the meeting to call Nord “intellectually lazy,” and asked that Nord acknowledge his mistakes, apologize, and make amends for not telling the truth on a variety of issues.
“The seats that you occupy come with a long history of respect for truth, honesty, integrity, and accountability,” said Shields.
“It’s up to you whether or not you uphold that,” Shields said.
Nord didn’t apologize, but said he can work with anyone, including Shields.
Nord, Lorenz, and Karyn Smith each started four year council terms Monday night.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
