Yesterday Was the Beginning of the 175th Peru Celebration

In spite of the very hot humid weather, there was a good turnout for the 175th Peru Celebration History  Day at Washington School Gym. I personally sat at a table for St. Mary's Church with a display of historical memorabilia and did not have an opportunity to wonder through all the other tables. Anyone care to share their impressions?

Taking a drive through Peru one would never know we were celebrating anything. No prominent flags or displays along the well traveled U.S.Route 6. Something appears to be missing?

Rain Rain and More Rain and a Little Wind!

I heard the tree chopper out and around this morning  and wondered how much damage happened last night. Seems that some areas of town might have wind damage and wondered if the sewers had any problems handling the deluge of rain water. How are you?

Summer Help

For those of you who have wondered about the supervision of the young people working for the city...I talked to SPW and he stated that Parks and Recreation is still in charge of those workers who were formerly associated with the swimming pool. I believe that Russ Schmidt, Don Orsini, Mike Watts and one more oversees them. So if you have complaints, you might direct them to one of the above city employees.

Former alderman joins in the hypocricy

Former alderman Joe Witczak joined his old pals at the council meeting Wednesday night by trying to suggest the Existing Conditions Report by Williams Aquatics should be considered invalid or dishonest because Williams is a company which also builds and designs new facilities. Witczak tried to insinuate (rather poorly) that the report was tainted and that Williams may have misrepresented the actual condition of the pool in hopes of eventually winning a city contract to design and build a new pool for the city. HMMMM. I guess anything is possible in Peru. But, if you are going to question the ethics and integrity of an established and respected company you really should have some facts to back it up. Witczak has none. Just like the majority of the aldermen, he doesn't like what the report has to say so he wants to kill the messenger. If you believe any of the other firms that made presentations to the city would have found our pool "Sound as a Pound" you need to get back on your meds asap. Any legitimate firm would have found the same deficiencies in that pool and any legitimate firm that provides such reports would also be in the business of designing and building new facilities. That's what they do Joe! Now, the reason I say Joe Witczak and most of the aldermen are hypocrites for suggesting that Williams has acted improperly is as follows. I have witnessed this council of aldermen including the majority of Witczaks last term as an aldermen, and I have never heard any one of them ever question the possibility of Roger Chamlin or Chamlin & Associates in terms of a conflict of interest or of padding "billable hours" as the city engineering consultant. I have watched Chamlin present to the city council one project after another after another after another. Neither Joe Witczak nor any other alderman has ever questioned Chamlins motives for recommending any public works project in this city, EVER. I am not suggesting that Chamlin has anything other than the best interest of the city in mind when making their recommendations. But, you have to look at each and every recommendation very carefully before deciding it is in the best interest of the city. This council has never been a hard sell for Roger Chamlin. They are hypocrites for questioning and accusing any company, individual or citizen who happens to function outside their little circle of influence. That's a big part of their duty to us. At the same time they are easily swayed by those they should be most wary of. I can't recall if Joe Witczak ever accompanied Roger and Don Baker to Chamlins fishing paradise in Canada but I would not be surprised if Joe had accepted Roger's generous hospitality during his tenure as 3rd Ward Alderman. I know most of them have gone and continue to make the pilgrimage north for the spring walleye bite. So how do you think those aldermen will react to anything Chamlin recommends after they return from Canada with a belly full of walleye filets and dreams of next years trip? Yaaa Hypocrites Aaaay?

Pool Comments Closed Will Wait for Final Williams Report

Since there is nothing to be gained by any further mention of the Peru Swimming Pool, I will not post any "what if" or "it is not a problem" comments. The Williams report should be given to the city within a week or 2 and if they have any new information, we can discuss it at that time
Let's look at new ways to use and improve our existing park system. Do we need walkways through some of our larger parks to encourage adult use. Lots of people enjoy walking around Baker Lake, could we use Washington or Centennial Park to better advantage for walking or even bicycle riding.  Using the parks not for sitting on a bench but being up and about and being physically active.  Any ideas?

Rare Opportunity to Walk Through the Empty Pool

Those of us who were interested in actually seeing the structural deterioration of the Peru Swimming Pool were given the opportunity this evening when Mayor Harl allowed a walk through the non compliant bath house with regard to ADA plus see the code violations in the bathhouse and in the pool itself.

Mayor Harl showed the places where there is a void beneath the concrete using a chain to produce  different sounds that you hear when the area is solid versus an empty space. Kind of like tapping on a wall to find where there are studs and where empty space. Being right close to the structure shows the severe damage that has been happening, the weeds growing in the concrete and in some places you put your hand through an damaged area and bring up sand.

Of the Peru alderman the only ones present were Wren and Potthoff and if your alderman is not one of those two, he chose not to be present. So the non present councilmen will probably continue to vote on what they imagine and not what they actually see. Instead of cracked concrete with voids beneath it and violations to numerous to mentions here they envision laughing children playing and splashing in the water filled pool thanking them for the pool. The problem is that these children depend upon rational adult elected officials to make good decisions based on safety  and to make that their priority.
"Thee are none so blind as those who refuse to see"

FYI A Copy of the Peru Curb Repair All Wards

Click to enlarge

 

Were you able to hear the Tornado Sirens Last Night

A Closer Look at A Small Water Park Idea

Click on each to enlarge

Looks like a less expensive way to keep children cool during the hot months.

 

Peru Curb Program Shows What Does Get Done

Yesterday I picked up a copy of the Peru curbs scheduled for repair. Most of the wards were frugal with what needed to be done but I was particularly struck by some of the work to be done in the second ward represented by Ald. Mikyska and Ald. O'Beirne and what is not being done. It just shows me that not only did  Ald. Mikyska not visit the city pool before he voted to "patch and paint", he evidently does not know where the curbs are that need repair in his ward. Of course Ald. O'Beirne does represent this ward also.
A few pictures of the weed infested broken down curb located on Sixth Street in the second ward that is not scheduled for repair.

 No matter which direction you look at this dilapidated broken down curb, this is what you see.

But some curbs do get taken care of if you live on the same street as the Alderman.

Yes this curb is on the repair list

Perhaps when the really bad section of curb deposits all of its gravel and residue into the sewer at the end of the block, it will come to someones attention.

Must be because there are no votes on this side of the street.

If You or Your Children Want To Swim This Summer Where Will You Go

Hopefully we can all rest easy and put the swimming pool on the back burner for the rest of the summer.

Most people who have expressed their opinions indicated they would not be using the pool considering the problems at present anyway.

So where will you and your family be cooling off this summer? At a neighboring community or just in your own yard? Any advice as to the nicest place to go for a particular age group.  All the surrounding communities have been kind enough to say "Come Visit Our Pool" Maybe your comments might help someone else make a choice.

And along the same thought, Will you be taking up the Mayor's offer to visit the Peru Pool and see for yourself  Monday evening at  6:30 PM.

OK Now Every Town in the Illinois Valley Can Laugh

OK all of you out there who have been following the drama of the deteriorating condition of the Peru Swimming Pool and the refusal of 7 of the 8 council members to vote for closing the pool, you can have a great big laugh at the results of tonight's meeting.

As was written on the agenda, Ald. Wren brought up the vote to rescind the councils previous decision to patch, paint and open the pool. Not one of our aldermen could bring themselves to second that vote. NOT ONE All pouting like little children because they can't bring themselves to the point of reality that in fact the pools structural failure occurred on their watch. This is no reasoning with this group, common sense does not prevail, it is absolutely unbelievable.

Our city atty reminded them about the extreme liability involved but it doesn't matter.
Supt. Bleck told them he has no workers to take on the kind of work that needs to be done.

Ald. Mertel said he had 35 calls to keep the pool open and only one against, so if you are in his ward, please call him as he is unable to make a sound decision without your phone call.

Some of the aldermen have not even been up to the pool to see the condition it is in, I swear this is unbelievable but true. Voting on something you don't understand must be acceptable practice with this council.

I am now reminding all the residents of Peru, that we are going to have an aldermanic election in April 2011 and the following will be up for election,,,Mertel, Waldorf and Potthoff and probably a vacancy in the second which is O'Beirnes seat as I believe he wants to retire.

If you are dissatisfied  with your current representation and you or someone you know has even an inkling of running for one of those seats, please give it some serious thought because we need you.