Black to leave City Council

Scott Black also serves on the Bloomington-Normal Convention and Visitors Bureau and is a Board Member for the West Bloomington Revitalization Project. (WJBC File Photo)

 

By Katherine Murphy

BLOOMINGTON– Saying he’s proud of his many accomplishments including the creation of the Public Safety and Community Relations Board, the West Market Street Mural and the myBloomington app Ward 7 Alderman Scott Black announced Friday that he will not be seeking re-election in 2021.

By making his election intentions known now, Black, who recently got married, says in a statement he can now focus on completing the work for critical issues in his ward: emerging from Covid safely and quickly without leaving behind residents or our vibrant local business community, securing funding for O’Neil Pool’s long overdue renovation, and modernizing the Connect Transit intergovernmental agreement.

Black was first elected to the Bloomington City Council in 2013 and reelected in 2017 and once his term is completed he plans to continue his involvement in the community.

Reach Katherine Murphy at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…