“It doesn’t take a majority to win, just a tireless minority that will keep starting brush fires in the mind and hearts of their fellow men.”

Samuel Adams

Friday, March 28, 2014

Electric Department - Lineman Job Description Posted for Job Available

A lengthy job description has been recently posted on the Peru City web site. It is an interesting read..

Monday, March 24, 2014

City of Peru Job Description for City Engineer

The actual job description is online on the city web site and 2 1/2 pages in length. Take a few minutes and read through as it is very interesting.

In the second paragraph are the words:
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following.  Other duties may be assigned.
Below that are 3 paragraphs of expected duties.( Do you need to inform of other duties before you even write up the expected ones.?)


Page 2
Responsible for Economic Development Assistance by coordinating with the Chamber of Commerce and meeting with prospective developers. (Who is doing this now?)

Meets with department heads, boards and committees for the purposes of reporting deficiencies and providing engineering advice. (this one should be easy as we have the same people doing just about everything)

Responds to questions/requests from the public and the media and communicates with other departments about problems and solutions. (at last we will get answers to questions from someone and shouldn't be told this is comments only, we don't answer questions)



VIDEO FROM MARCH 24 IS ONLINE @ PERU CITY WEB SITE

Exchange Between Aldermen Perez and Aldermen Sapienza on Planters and Hanging Baskets

If You Went to Any of the Meetings This Evening and Want to Share Information, Consider This Your Space

I did not go to any of the meetings this evening. They were the Public Property Meeting, The Committee of the Whole Meeting and the City Council Meeting.

I understand the city will have NCIC write a grant for money to make a parking lot at West and 12th Street where there is currently a grassy triangle intersection. The grant would cover half the cost, the city would be responsible for the rest.

The most surprising thing I heard is that Jeff King, our FD Chief, co super of Public Works, Building and Zoning Inspector and Doug Bernabei, our Police Chief and co super of Public Works will now be co heads of the Electric Department.  Is it possible that no one applied for this position?

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Shadow Government is a Possibility in Peru

The term shadow government (also cryptocracy), besides its party political meaning, also refers to what is sometimes called "the secret government" or "the invisible government," an idea based on the notion that real and actual political power does not reside with publicly elected representatives (for example, the United States Congress) but with private individuals who are exercising power behind the scenes, beyond the scrutiny of democratic institutions. According to this belief, the official elected government is in reality subservient to the shadow government who are the true executive power.


This description appears to fit the structure based on the signees of the oppositions political ad. Not one ordinary citizen but all currently elected, past elected or retired city officials. This is the one thing that does make any sense out of the referendum just defeated. How many other times does this happen on other business and contracts?




Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Referendum Has Lost

CITY OF PERU - ALDERMAN
VOTE for  1
    (WITH 0 OF 12 PRECINCTS COUNTED)
 YES  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        609   40.85           609             0
 NO.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .        882   59.15           882  

Someone Asked About the Next Meeting for the Firemens Pension Board

Thursday at 1 pm at PFD is meeting .

That is this Thursday March 20. I couldn't locate the original question but it was today I got the answer about the mtg.

I CAN'T BELIEVE I GOT THIS IN TODAYS MAIL. LIES LIES AND MORE LIES


When my husband handed this to me from todays mail, I could not believe one was sent to me. This postcard is an absolute lie. The referendum is all about giving residents more representation and they put the lie in big bold letters. I am sure they had wives or children doing these cards because not in a million years would Dave Waldorf send one to me or my husband or even my friends. This will make a good piece to keep when he runs for re election next year.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Take Your Privilege Seriously


Tomorrow You Will Determine the Future of Peru

March 18, 2014 could become a turning point for the future of  Peru and it could be the start of a new and smart way of running this city. Your vote of YES to restrict the number of aldermen to 6 with 2 at large (city  wide) is very important. No races will be contested, all aldermen will remain in their elected positions for one more year and in 2015 all contenders will run for   6 open seats.

I have read the political ad by former mayor Don Baker in the News Tribune this evening. I read through the reasons  why he is the most vocal referendum opponent (the only one with the money to do this), it was a rehash of his 44 years in office and about retaining the system that has worked well for almost 200 years in Peru. The problem with this is that the old way is no longer the best way because the world of today requires people with skills and education that  many of the present people are not endowed with and government has become much more complicated . It is like sending your child to school and the teacher is someone who loves children but has no education or skills on how to do the job she was just hired to do. Would you like to return to those days?

The political process can be complicated and should not be taken over by the person who has the most money because that means you can also buy advertising and mailings for as many people as you wish especially if they don't have the funds to do so on their own. The system becomes corrupted and influence takes over.

If you read the newspaper, listen to the radio, read the blog or talk to your friends and neighbors, you are aware that this is a referendum on an idea, a political possibility and not upon any candidate because no one is up for election at this time. Think very seriously about the city you live in and the future of that city and how it will affect you and your families.

I hope that many young people will turn out to vote in this referendum because this could have a big influence upon their life if they choose to remain in Peru or to move away for something better.

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Few Thoughts on Unidentified "Paid Political Ad"

Moreover, Justice Antonin Scalia, the darling of the intellectual right, then commented: “Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed.”
The truth is this: When you cut through all the double talk, the only freedom put at risk by requiring public disclosure of those who pay for political ads is the freedom of special interests to launder money in secret. 

From:

http://bridgemi.com/2014/01/governors-signing-bill-that-shields-identities-of-issue-ads-donors-a-disgraceful-abandonment-of-principle/

In Case This Was Not in Your Mailbox, I am Sharing Mine with You


Thursday, March 13, 2014

I Understand There is Always Opposition to Candidates and New Innovations But.......

Each alderman receives $4900 per year and they are eligible to take the IMRF pension which I was not aware of and will be getting information on today.

The opposition to the referendum makes no sense to me. It has been downright ugly and personal in contrast to the way the promoters have conducted themselves. I am continually deleting comments that are mostly personal attacks not always on me but on those who are working on the at large petition. It has exposed a very ugly under belly to this city

 Those who no longer sit on the council, what is their problem?. Never in a million years will I believe they are looking out for the city of Peru because they are no longer in office and  although I believe their influence may very well be affecting the decisions made by some of the aldermen, I hope it is not the entire group of individuals in office at this time.

Money and influence that equal power are usually the corrupting forces. So it is now down to who and for what reason and how far does it extend out from city hall. The signed advertisement  on March 8 in the N.T. was an insult to the citizens of this city, what do the signers stand to lose if the referendum passes?

This election on Tuesday has become more important than any of us realized and it will also reflect back upon the entire population of this city, like it or not. This idea of reducing the council and electing at large should be welcomed as a positive in this city by the electorate.   Consider it a fresh start and hope for the future.

The latest council mtg video is available for viewing, be sure to watch. Too bad we can't video the mtgs taking place across the street from city hall.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Paid Advertisement That is a Lie


I am very proud to be a part of a civic minded group working to make the city we live in a better place. Contrary to this paid advertisement that calls us a group of "disgruntled people", this is a group of very intelligent, well educated people.

They ad states "in government it's important to have more representation for the people".
That is what is wrong with government nationwide it is too big, too many people drawing money from the taxpayers and doing very little for it. No taxpayer dollars are being used by the volunteers, it is being funded by donations from local people period.  It is not a PAC and has no registered name and they are not asking for anything but to educate yourself on the initiative being proposed by this referendum.

As has been mentioned many cities are choosing this route and are doing it successfully. If you have a computer, put it to work and study the proposition.  Visit and read the website for the referendum. (link on the side)

Peru is in the midst of a payroll scandal, no superintendent of public works or city engineer and the head of the electric department is retiring and we have no replacements for any of these positions. We have the Chief of Police and Fire Chief doing double duty trying to fill those vacancies.  Oh I forgot we don't have a building and zoning inspector and the Fire Chief is filling that position. What is wrong with this picture?

And yet this advertisement and the one from Saturday is telling you that we are the problem and they fail to see that they are the problem  Ottawa a city bigger than Peru has 4 Commissioners and a Mayor running their city and they are doing very well. Peru does not require an 8 member council.

Give the city a change and a chance to become what they are capable of being by voting to approve the reduction to 6 aldermen with 2 being at large. We won't fall off the face of earth by changing not the type of government we have (mayor council) but just the number of people sitting on the council.

We have no agenda as we have stated many times, we have an idea and you as you vote will make your choice. Many of the best things in the world started with an idea and people willing to make it work.



Sunday, March 09, 2014

Womens League of Voters MacLean County Illinois Study on Alderman at Large Cities

Unfortunately there has not been a debate over the City of Peru’s Modified Ward System (Alderman at Large) referendum. The recent opposition that I have heard and read was from a local news personality, a few people at the local eating places, and the open forum letters by Greg Maze and Jack O’Beirne and the political add by the current Peru alderman and past alderman.
The opposition urge Peru Voters to become Educated, I totally agree. I ask the opposition to become Educated as well on this referendum.
Peru voters should know there are many Illinois cities that have a Modified Ward System (Alderman at Large) form of city government. Cities like Peoria, Champaign, Freeport, Sterling, Macomb, and Galena use a Modified Ward System (Alderman at Large) government.
Bloomington, IL voters like Peru voters will cast their vote for their Modified Ward System (Alderman at Large) referendum on this year’s primary election. 
In January of 2014 the McLean County of Women’s League of Voters decided to do an Emergency study. The study was on a Modified Ward System (Alderman-at-Large) Referendum. The League of Women has not reached a consensus on this proposed referendum but they gathered as much information on the issue. 
The study was published on Feb 13, 2014. In this article it stated, Champaign, IL has had a Modified Ward System (Alderman at Large) structure in place for twenty years and feels it provides a good balance of input and responsiveness. Also, Peoria moved to a Modified Ward system in 1987.
The McLean County of Women League of Voters study group compiled a list of Pro Arguments for a Modified Ward System (Alderman-at-Large) city government. The Pro arguments for this system were provided by the individuals they interviewed. 
1. Ensures less conflict among council members by balancing out members whose primary focus may be “my own ward” only.
2. Provides balance between specialized and city wide councilmen. They can educate each other. A good alderman finds balance between what is good for the ward and what is good for the city.
3. Provides citizens more options of contracts – their Ward representative, the at large councilmen, and the mayor.
4. Expands the pool of qualified candidates who wish to serve on the City Council.
5. Addresses extremes and may alleviate East side/West side rivalry.
6. Eliminates the need for each alderman to be involved in all issues, i.e. the Ward Boss Attitude.
7. Provides a good balance of representatives, a higher level of accountability, and a more balanced approach.
8. At-large councilmen are more likely to pass on citizen concerns that are brought to them.
I agree with Dorothy David, City Manager of Champaign, if there is a transition to this system…..it is important to educate the citizens in the process. I will vote “yes” for Peru’s Alderman at large referendum.
Voters can make all government better. Our government, Township, City, County, State, and Federal Government sometimes needs a tune-up. To keep government accountable to the people sometimes change is needed. 

Peru Township Trustee
Eddie Mitchell

Saturday, March 08, 2014

Only 4 Aldermen Actually Participate in Committes Controlling 90 Per Cent of City Business

If you’re not sure exactly what the Peru at-large referendum is all about then you are probably not alone. As a supporter of this initiative I am of the opinion that this referendum is worthy of a “Yes” vote for a number of reasons. The way I see it, this effort is actually a referendum on the entire city council as a whole. That’s because if approved, each and every alderman currently in office will be required to defend their seat in April 2015. Normally in Peru, four aldermen are elected every four years. 

However, if voters approve the at-large referendum on March 18 there will be six aldermen elected in 2015 and that is unprecedented in Peru. What makes it even more appealing is the potential for significant “turnover” in aldermen. If you feel as I do, that the majority of Peru aldermen have been making poor decisions based not on what is best for the majority of citizens in Peru, but what is best for certain connected business interests and individuals in Peru, then this referendum provides the perfect opportunity to show some or all of the current Peru aldermen the door. Reducing the number of aldermen from eight to six and creating two “at-large” aldermen to be elected city wide will actually increase representation. Each citizen will now have one Ward alderman and two at-large aldermen to contact with a question or concern. 

If we really need eight aldermen in Peru, why is it that only four aldermen actually participate regularly in committee meetings? Why is it that only four of the eight aldermen control over 90 percent of all city business under the jurisdiction only two powerful committees, finance and public works? Half of our aldermen are not even allowed to contribute or participate in the process of governing. Those of us who attend council meetings know that feeling all too well. The referendum is a rare opportunity for Peru voters to let your aldermen know that you do not approve of awarding $3,000,000 no-bid contracts. 

If you are not satisfied with the serious lack of leadership and direction of your city, now is your chance to take charge. Vote “Yes” for two at-large aldermen in Peru.

Mike Hart, 
Peru

Please Read the Paid Ad by Defeated Aldermen and Mayor, Current 7-1 Council and Long Retired Members

A very large paid advertisement was in todays News Tribune and I did not see a Paid for by at the bottom but reputable people are commenting that it  was our previous mayor who has already been defeated at the polls twice. Supported by our current 7 member consistently voting as a bloc Peru City Council except Ald. Perez. and 6 long retired council members who have not been involved in anything in the city for many years except Ald. O'Beirne who we will remember as running and being elected as Treasurer and then changing his mind after the election in 2009.

It is very apparent to me that all the names have a so called horse in the race and you might say that some still have influence upon the current city.

If you need a refresher course in our current city government, this blog has large archives and our city has many videos of the city council. Make your decisions but not upon past loyalties because the city must look ahead to get this city moving a place to want to move to not move away from.

Freedom? It's hardly free - The Times: Columnists

Freedom? It's hardly free - The Times: Columnists


And this means working to maintain our freedoms on a local level. Keep yourself involved, know what is going on and work for a better government right here in Peru.

Thursday, March 06, 2014

Coal plant hiking some suburban electric bills - Chicago Tribune

Coal plant hiking some suburban electric bills - Chicago Tribune



Yes Peru is a member of the IMEA.  Will the city be able to absorb the cost without passing this on to you?

Wednesday, March 05, 2014

Tuesday, March 04, 2014

Peru Pages Opinion on Peru Policy Regarding Employees

Peru Pages

I thought that this blog on Freedom of Speech and Peru Employees was good and since some of you may not always read the blog, I am posting and you may want to read  if this is of interest to you.