The political pressure is off of Bob Manning, Third District Councilman. Since he’s not running for reelection, he can tell us how he really feels, and he pulls no punches in doing so. Take a listen to his comments about extending the redevelopment agreement for the old Sears block. This is the third time the museum folks have asked for the deadlines to be extended:
After Manning’s speech, several other council members spoke to the issue, then voted 9-1 to approve the deadline extension until June 2009. Manning was the lone dissenting vote; Turner abstained, and Sandberg was absent from the meeting.
Kudos to Bob for his incisive analysis, which just happens to be exactly what I’ve been saying about the museum project for some time now. 🙂
Bravo! Mr. Manning you nailed it. I live in the 3rd district and I’m really going to miss him as my councilman.
Where were these comments before he decided not to run? This doesn’t reflect well on the honesty and sincerity of Mr. Manning as a councilperson. It’s probably best that he does move on.
Good point bentone… is Manning on record before this?
If so, it only proves there is some real powerful forces pushing for this museum… for their own reasons.
Manning was critical of the project before he decided not to run for reelection. He asked a lot of tough questions last year when they wanted to extend the agreement to Dec. 2008. It was obvious that he didn’t have any confidence in the museum backers even then. I wasn’t implying at all that Manning had changed his opinion or was being hypocritical in any way. I just meant that, whereas before he might have held back 10% of his harshest critical comments, now he’s letting it all loose. He’s pulling no punches now.
This coming from a man (Manning) who said that he is proud to have never stepped foot in Lakeview Museum.
The 3rd district and the Riverfront Museum project will be better off w/out him.
Billdozer,
I believe Peoria would be better off without YOU!
Bentone,
Please try harder not to let your ignorance of this ‘debate’ show through.
KCDAD made a clever point [amazingly enough], “there are some real powerful forces pushing for this museum… for their own reasons.” 99% of those who post on CJ’s blog use wonderful ‘mystery names.’ I will freely admit…I cannot afford the political or job-related backlash were I to openly speak out against the museum [and it’s backers].
Most of the people who post here have developed a number of excellent ideas concerning the museum; its design, location, content, etc. NEVER has a museum rep answered our questions or addressed our proposals. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!! We have been fed the same old standard powerpoint media crap since the beginning of this project.
Billdozer and Bentone – You guy[s] can’t even make up cool names.
New Voice, I’m not impressed with your “name,” either. The point is that Manning did not ever make statements like this prior to his deciding not to run. That’s all there is to it. Don’t put him on a pedestal, because he could have said these things years ago. C.J. has been saying all that since the beginning. It’s easy to jump on the fiscally conservative bandwagon when you’re no longer in eyesight of the gunman. I didn’t say that I disagree with him, because I don’t. I’m just saying he could have said these things months and months ago, and made a much bigger impact (perhaps).
Bentone,
Fair enough.
My name is cooler than yours though.
Is that a FOIA – able letter referenced by Mr. Manning?
From C.J.: “Manning was critical of the project before he decided not to run for reelection. He asked a lot of tough questions last year when they wanted to extend the agreement to Dec. 2008. It was obvious that he didn’t have any confidence in the museum backers even then. ”
From bentone: “Don’t put him on a pedestal, because he could have said these things years ago. C.J. has been saying all that since the beginning. ”
I think what C.J. is saying is what C.J. is saying. Manning has spoken against this project since (at least) last year.
I really hate putting words in someone else’s mouth unless they are theirs.
Apparently I don’t know how to read the newspaper or listen to City Council meetings, because I honestly don’t recall Manning making much of a squawk about anything regarding the Museum Block; other than voting in favor of everything having to do with it up until this past Tuesday.
Well there you go… if you don’t recall it, it must not have happened.
C.J. and Manning must both be liars.
I believe the only vote the Council has made on the Museum issue is to give the backers time to get their act and money together; those votes have been unanimous, so have the extensions given, due to the inability of the backers to come up with the required money. Seems now some of the Council has had enough talk and want results. Is that too much to ask?
Well there you go… if you don’t have a link to a legitimate web site with quotes or video from a news organization or document from an archival holding it must not have happened.
The last thing I would ever do is put ANY Peoria politician on a pedestal. If Manning has finally decided to speak out, fine. It takes a little longer for the lightbulb to come on for some people………..
So……… lets ask the rest of the Council WHY they continue to extend the deadlines. Are they really being charitable….., or are they afraid of committing political/business suicide? Sure, it strikes me as odd that Manning only now decides to fire the first salvo at the Museum.
I say conspiracy!
Now, hold it, New Voice. C.J. and KCDad have already said that Manning has been speaking out against the museum many times over the past number of months. Since I cannot correctly read a newspaper; listen to the Council meetings; or type in “Bob Manning/Museum” and come up with any quotes against the museum before this last one, then clearly I’m the fool here.
I would appreciate the links that C.J. and KCDad have to prove, once and for all, that Mr. Manning has been an outspoken critic against the museum long before he decided not to run again. I truly want to read them. I just think that they would have been headlines on the blogs had such language been used by Mr. Manning before.
Link me up, Scotty.
August 28, 2007 Minutes of the Peoria City Council
Manning ultimately voted for the second amendment to the redevelopment agreement, after some changes were made at his request to better preserve the retail portion of the project.
From the 8/29/2007 Journal Star article covering the council meeting:
I also covered Bob’s incisive questions and the museum backers’ less-than-reassuring answers here and here.
Still not even close to his latest rant; some concerns, but nothing like what he passed on this last meeting. But, at least there’s a shadow of what was to come.
Thanks, C.J.
Bentone,
I never said he had been speaking out against anything. I am merely saying better late than never!