The Town of Normal wants to spend your money to show support for Rivian and apparently doesn’t care how much of your money it takes. City Manager Pam Reece is asking council to waive the formal bidding process at tonight’s meeting so the town can purchase an R1-T Truck and an R1-S Sport Utility Vehicle. No estimate of the cost is included in the council information packet.
The justification given in the packet is, “This action … provides investment in our community’s largest manufacturer.” The packet also states, “The acquisition of these new electric Rivian vehicles fit the Town’s sustainability initiatives, support a local business and demonstrate the Town’s commitment to EV Town.”
The packet says, “The Town’s pre-order for the R1-T pickup truck is in line for final production and delivery. The SUV is expected in 2023. The vehicles will be added to our fleet of pool vehicles, available to departments as needed and coordinated by the City Manager’s office.”
The packet brags on Rivian’s success saying, “Rivian has quickly become a national success story that is not only providing tremendous economic impact locally, but also positive exposure for the Town and region. Since the initial Town support in 2018, Rivian has invested over $500 million dollars in plant related expansion and rejuvenated the manufacturing workforce throughout the region.”
