“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

Tuesday, October 07, 2014

Reading Between the News of the Peru City Council Meeting Last Night

This heading is a starter and will be filled in as the news filters thru the Illinois Valley. Little was locally reported in the morning after news sources today.


Everyone knows that Public Comment in Peru has definite rules and among the first is that if you wish to make a Public Comment at the beginning of the City Council Mtg, you must fill out a 3 x 5 card with name, address and topic written clearly on it. Of course if you are the mayor and have favored friends, you don't have to follow the rules enacted by the City Council. Early in the mtg the person who set up the BB gun program in Peru was asked if he wished to make a comment. We were then told that the mayor has the discretion to break the rules that we all have to follow that is first submitting the 3 x 5 card. Mayor Harl it might be a good idea to set a good example and follow the same rules the rest of the city residents must follow. Just looks like you are playing favorites and I am sure you don't want the residents to think that, do you?


I just attempted to listen to the video of the city council meeting from 9/8//14 and it is so annoying to have speakers not press the button on their mike so it can be heard. First it was the mayor who had to repeat his comment and now it is the city atty. If these microphones are too complicated for our officials, please invest in something simpler in nature.


10/8/14
This issue of relatives working for the city is and has been an issue with the majority of the people living in Peru for a long time and as long as we have the type of government of Mayor-city Council here in Peru, this issue will not go away because it becomes a buddy system. In other words, Ald. A has a son, daughter, nephew or neighbor etc that he would like to impress and he mentions it to whomever oks the hiring and he will be favored over your children or mine. In return The other 7 aldermen and other officials give an unofficial OK by not saying anything against this policy knowing they might want to take advantage of it at another time.
Until the people of this city are ready to take the bull by the horns and insist upon professional management, this will not
change.

The ottawa Times has had several good articles lately. One was about the mayors of LaSalle county working on regional and state issues together and specifically mentioned was the Mayor of Ottawa and of Streator, along with Mayor Harl of Peru.
Today I read about a very extensive bicycling venture the city of Streator is attempting to get underway. Both I don't believe were covered by our local paper but if they were feel free to correct my comment. They don't allow non subscribers to read online but Ottawa does, so that is what I read.

#aldermen
@mayor
@neepotism
#publiccomment

107 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mondays Tribune displayed pictures of various local fire departments because this is Fire Prevention Week. Does Peru only have 10 firefighters as opposed to Utica's 30 plus? That's all that was pictured in the paper. Surely we have more than 10 - don't we? And, if so, why were the rest omitted from being recognized?

Anonymous said...

whats the payroll in comparing Utica to Peru?

Anonymous said...

Nobody is comparing Utica to Peru. Just wondering why Peru only has 10 volunteer firemen while Utica and other towns have more. And, also wondering if we do have more why wasn't a picture with all of them in it put in the paper.

Anonymous said...

11:33 AM

Yep me too and heard 2 of those guys in the picture are no longer with them.

Anonymous said...

I know for a fact that one isn't on the department as of just a couple weeks ago. I noticed over the past couple of years that our fd doesn't have many fireman compared to much smaller towns. And we pay fireman $33 approx per call, which is much more then other towns pay their volunteer paid per call fireman so I've been told. A couple years ago, fireman information and pictures were on a website for the fire department. But, that went by the wayside too. What ever happened to that? It showed what's certificates they have obtained, if they were an EMT, .... Alderman Perez may answer your question blogger. how many fireman do we have?

Anonymous said...

So what did he have to say about the BB Gun Club? I'm an avid shooter and support the idea of the club. However, I don't support private use of a government facility - unless the room they made can be used for other community activities and a program exists for the public to request the use of the room.

Anonymous said...

Did they take a vote to suspend the rules? If they enabled the rule through a vote, the only way to suspend the rule is with another vote. Unless of course, they only follow parliamentary procedure when it fits their needs.
Classic example of how Boss Harl operates and why people are upset with City of Peru Government - it is a "government of the government, by the government, for the government" with no desire to include the people.

Anonymous said...

12:53, I learned in the Navy that if people are jumping ship there is a problem with leadership.

Anonymous said...

This is not the 1st time for the same incident to happen with the same Mayor and person called upon in the city. In fact if my memory serves me correctly the same Mayor has now called upon this person in the same manner at 3 different council meetings. It is great to have activities for children as Oglesby has shown with their BB Gun Club but once you state the fact that Peru and Oglesby have BB Gun Clubs and hear details it makes one wonder how Oglesby could be so successful and Peru in a constant dilemma of grey matter. The funding and disciplinary actions which had to be taken in the building of the Peru facility were a continuous embarrassment of creative financing and improper tracking of city equipment.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:53 Is this a problem with leadership or a fact that the city does not have leadership?

John Galt said...

3:15, it is apparent the when Oglesby created their club, they decided to do something for the kids and teach a little firearms safety along with it. When Peru decided to do this, they used teaching the kids as an excuse to purchase supplies from local businesses and provide overtime hours to selected employees.
That is the real problem with Peru. The current leadership views the requirements of government as a way to distribute money. The vital function that needs to be accomplished is secondary.

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:54, I know the guns were donated along with the BB's, who is getting paid for overtime, these are volunteers.

Anonymous said...

9:11, a couple of winters ago, there was a project to build a clubroom for the BB Gun Club in the basement of the municipal building.

Anonymous said...

I heard fireworks were shot in parking lot after meeting as chairman Waldorf took the brunt of the blame in handling his committee public works... I can see a new election headline already !!! Good bye chairman

Anonymous said...

Has anyone talked to the ACLU about the Public Comment situation in Peru? Serious question.

Anonymous said...

How can anybody be on a committee or head of a committee when they possibly don't know how the department works or what is behind done?

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:30, who started the fireworks, was the confrontation within the council members or citizens opposing him?

Anonymous said...

Why don't they just put the BB club on the agenda? Wouldn't that solve the problem? I was not at the meeting, but I take it that the gentleman was informing the council about when the club would be starting again this year. So it is quite simple just put him on the agenda the same time every year and your problem is solved. Why is everything so hard at city hall?

Anonymous said...

7:48 Exactly. It shouldn't be that hard and it isn't. He could just as easily make his speech at the end of the meeting during "public comment". I think what is upsetting people is that we make rule (ordinance) after rule (ordinance) and only follow them sometimes (depending on the individual involved). All rules should apply to all people and situations!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am under the impression that if you would like to speak at the beginning of a meeting you not only need to fill out a 3X5 card but your topic has to be about something that is on the meeting agenda.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:52 NEW BUSINESS is a open end item - Easy Solution. In fact, in case any situations arise during a meeting which were not evident before the council meeting one could cover themselves by submitting a 3 X 5 index card stating NEW BUSINESS at the start of the meeting and if nothing develops when called upon simply state a change of mind and do not comment. If as subject which you want to comment upon has been presented at the present meeting you have submitted a index card and must be acknowledged.
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Remember it hasn't been that many years ago that Peru thought they were electing a tiger and all they got was a pussy.

Anonymous said...

2:46 - Why would the ACLU care (seriously) - that is not their mission. There are no rights being broken per the accepted law. This problem can only be resolved through the political process - not the courts.

7:29 - Our municipal form of government (Strong Mayor or Council / Mayor) does not require any level of competence on the part of the elected officials other than being elected. With this form of government, we get what we vote for - there is not a single elected official that has the core competencies to run the City, the Public Works Department or the Electrical Department. The closes thing we have to an elected official with competence in his position is the Treasurer - and this is simply by luck and his willingness to serve. We all know who was elected and decided not to take the post.
Our elected officials are only suppose to provide oversight NOT operational direction. However, in Peru, we are lacking in operational direction due to political circumstances that have been created - for the most part - by our elected officials. This situation is a textbook example of why the Council Manager form of Municipal Government was created. In this form of government, the council hires a manager and the manager hires department heads and all other employees. Once hired, the manager has statutory power to run the city on a day to day basis. The Council and Mayor have no say in day to day operations, employees, etc. Rather, the Council provides general guidance and vision for the manager to carry out and he or she cannot be fired without legal cause.
One must be careful though. Unless there is an official change to the Council Manager form of Government, any City Manager hired is subject to the whims of the Mayor and the Council. That person would have no legal power to run the city and would simply be a yes man that does the Mayors bidding. The only way to change to the Council Manager form of government is to vote on it or have the council vote - I believe a council vote requires a super majority.
Peru will not move forward without a change in government.

Anonymous said...

The truth of the above claims is that the BB gun club filled out a card and was recognized by the Mayor, the other individual did not fill out a card but also was recognized by the Mayor. All were able to speak about their points of interest. Nobody is getting paid for running the volunteer BB gun club, its just a nice event for those interested. No conspiracy and FBI won't be needed.

Anonymous said...

10:39 - correct, nobody is getting paid. That happened a couple of years ago when they paid a city employee to remodel the basement of the city building. The city also paid to buy material for the remodel.

Anonymous said...

10:39 the mayor specifically stated that he has the authority to let somebody speak without them filling out a 3x5 card. Rules only apply to some, not all, and that is what is not fair about our Mayor. That is his MO.

Anonymous said...

10:59 The point is that he let everyone speak. No favorites and all were granted a opportunity to speak.

Anonymous said...

11:39 What are you talking about? Who else spoke under public comment at the beginning of the meeting? If you are referring to the friends of the peru pool they made a "presentation" under the agenda item "presentation". I can assure you that not everyone would be allowed to speak at the beginning of a meeting if they did not fill out a card or want to speak on an agenda item. It's over. It's done. Let it rest.

Anonymous said...

11:39 you can't see the obvious point. The pool ladies were making a "presentation", they were not making a "public comment". Rules are rules and Harl doesn't follow them.

Anonymous said...

If you let everyone speak it would be chaos. People should be required to submit their comment in writing to be read out loud by the clerk. The mayor would decide which comments to read and which comments are just crazy talk that can be trashed. Honestly, most people don't understand the big picture of what the city does and should just butt out and their government do the work they need to do.

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:39 maybe some people are off their cheese and need to have a notecard to keep focused. If you have read some of the comments here it sort of makes sense. I do not agree with allot of what the Mayor does but I do on this one!

Anonymous said...

Someone mentioned early on that there were fireworks after Monday's meeting. Does anyone have more information on the subject? Like who was involved and what it was about!

Anonymous said...

I agree with 9:24 AM everyone should fill out a card with new business as the reason and when called upon state their public comment if they have one and no comment if they don't. All sides must remember it is not a question and answer session it is only public comment of 3 minutes or less. I am sure a 3 minute public comment should be listened to no matter from who or on what. Have any citizens ever received a tax refund from the City of Peru? Does being elected a city official allow them to get certain benefits such as free water & sewerage, free cable, free electricity, free I Pads etc.?

Anonymous said...

2:47, confused by your comment. Some get free stuff?

Anonymous said...

oh ya! like trucks and phones. but that only allows the Boss to track them.

Anonymous said...

2:47 They use to get free water at the meetings. Don't think they get anything else. They have a salary of around $3,800 a year. By reading the comments I am not sure that is enough. It would be interesting to see what other city officials receive in pay. I would think that most of those don't do it for pay.

Anonymous said...

Didn't they order pallets or a pallet of H2O bottled?

Anonymous said...

4:26
They get around $4,900 per year and all the free water they want.

Anonymous said...

Christmas party? Free drinks? Free taxi ride home? Free Steak? Any of them get any sort of retirement for years of commitment as alderman? Lunch ever served at meetings? Have any every gotten their driveways plowed by city employees or city vehicles? Free disposal of tree branches? Free breakfast at the airport? Comped tickets for concerts at the airport? Free helicopter rides? Free circus tickets? Free car washes?

Anonymous said...

One of the fireman in the picture was fired this week for driving city vehicles while license is suspended for violations and not telling the city. He's the same one under investigation for arson . Where are the fireman that we see at all the events ? Why just a few guys ? Poor planning or poor management?

Anonymous said...

8:02 They only took photos of the ones that show up and fight fires. The ones that grill food, and pass out candy get the free food.

Peru Town Forum said...

9:19 A.M.

I know of 2 firemen that always show up and are not pictured. Very sad to see all surrounding showing the entire department and Peru only showing a few and no one has explained this evident mistake or simply an error. I would like to know.

Anonymous said...

7:05 anon. No Christmas parties, those were employee parties and they still have them.
Breakfast at the airport is sponsored by the flyers club, I don't think anyone gets a free pancake.
City employees plowing driveways. I doubt that happens. City employees have no use for the elected group.
Free circus tickets, why would they want those? They have a circus once a week called a meeting.
Free helicopter rides, most have watched the movie Scarface and remember the helicopter ride that didn't go well.
Free car washes. Most of them have cars put together by duct tape, a car wash won't help.
Comp tickets at the concert? I can't see any of them standing at a concert.
Free steak? Free drinks. There must not be much of that going on. If there was free drinks and steak, most of the city would run for office.
I don't think any of them, maybe 1, do it for the praise on the blog.

Peru Town Forum said...

The ancient rotten wood fencing along the sides of the 7 th street fill (road) is being replaced today. Thank you as there could have been a bad accident, the wood was so bad it would not have held back a bicycle, let alone a motorcycle or automobile. Thank you to those in the city who agreed that it was in need of repair and to those who are doing any work. At this point I don't know if it city employees or a hired firm.

Anonymous said...

My gosh. That fencing is a historic landmark! Are they replacing it with an ugly metal guard rail? Or, perhaps they did the right thing and purchased high quality and expensive lumber from a local lumber company? Sort of like all the new stop signs being replaced with wood posts.

Anonymous said...

We need to get at-large alderman on the ballot. Its better to have 8 at-large. Both Sherry and Rodney can both serve. Is this on the ballot this time?

Anonymous said...

Lois, I thought I'll. Valley contractors won the bid.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:18. Oh God Help Us if that should happen!!!!!

Anonymous said...

9:41 Lois, more lumber shenanigans

I dont know if this is the right place to post this, but sometimes this city amazes me. I dont know who is in charge of the parks, or safety. They probably assigned it to the city hall janitor under the money saving, "we dont need nobody but Me and the boys plan". We may no longer have a Safety engineer, but I am starting to suspect we have a Danger If You dont Like It Move engineer.

Here is the latest from the City who brings us- Trains through the fourth of July families, Concert safety plans too top secret to share, Airports with tenants who regularly consider FAA rules just "suggestions", alcohol serving concert evacuation routes past uncaged gas mains, and who knows what else-

Peru proudly presents.... The Kid wounding Baker lake post sign project!

Did you ever wonder why Baker lakes path had a suggested path for bikes and joggers, and a counter path for walkers? It a common design in shared rec paths, for safety sake. Bikers are usually seen by the walkers then, especially walker families with little kids. They dont need to always be passing, hell it just is safer and makes sense.

Of course, the Illinois Valley being the home of the Iced Tea Party has its share of counter revolutionary joggers and walkers, so you have had your share of the mad crazy counter walkers. Government should never tell me where to walk lol. wheres my gun?

So the Park Administration took it upon themselves, likely at great expense , to solve this safety issue once and for all. Put up more, bigger direction signs, like at Adventure Drive! When faced with a safety design issue, you look at the problem, then assess solutions to see if they make sense for the cost. First, do they solve the problem or make it worse. In Peru we look first, does it seem to apparently solve the problem and how much can we bill in lumber and engineering services to our pals.

So, on a little one mile stretch of narrow path, our crack safety engineers decide to place five or six, kid and biker wounding 4" by 4" by 8 ft high wooden sign posts, at distances about 2.5 ft or less from the narrow path. And the three on path are signs that are not visible from distance, parallel to the patch. They figured that saved money I guess, not posting front and back.

Whats wrong with this? Oh maybe you might want to check with whoever designed the park in the first place. Nothing if your goal is to get lawsuits and maim kids or bikers. But the people who placed the original hard metal waste containers and benches knew to move them off the path and on the side of slow moving walkers. so if and when the inevitable near collisions occur, they can safely move off the path slowly.

But now we have three signs that re closely placed on the bike side. They distract visually at the wrong moment, they are quite unforgiving if you go off the path at higher speed, they are excessive in placement and I imagine were damn expensive.

Small item? Maybe. But it illustrates just how small or non existent problems are addressed here. How can we funnel money to people? Remember how much was spent to redo the blacktop. Why no directional paint signs on the blacktop, like every other common sense city uses.

Why post this here? Why not contact our responsive alderpersons. Consider it an experiment. Instead of quietly fixing the problem, my bet is Harl will add six more signs and metal plate them. And bloggers will come on and say kids and bikers should just be more careful. And others will say, all you do is bitch and find fault.

It would be so amazing if they would just say, yes, that is stupid. Our bad. Lets move them off a few more feet and put them on the walker side.

At least if this gets posted and seen, some bikers lawyer can point to continued negligence if they dont move them.

It might even let Scotty get on a big ole truck, cause it will take one to pull those posts up. Go 150, Geeterdone!

Anonymous said...

9:49 Don't blame the committee for removing this landmark. I heard that the Public safety committee authorized the replacement. I think its the accounts-safety committee with Putin, Ferrari, Radtke and Perez.

Anonymous said...

I noticed the picture of our not so big fire department. Anyway, I noticed the attire. Do fireman pay for the clothing themselves. Or do we taxpayers? Oh, maybe Liberty Fire Company, our donations. I still question Liberty's donations and what every penny is spent on. I believe our taxes should pay for the firemans gear, and dress attire, but not shirts to be worn on a daily basis. Hopefully they pay themselves with their heft pay per call rate.

Anonymous said...

No, it is not on the ballot this time, although defeated once, this is a outstanding example why it should have been passed. There are too many time in Peru where 2 or 3 qualified candidates run for alderman in one ward and in another only one unqualified candidate is running.

Anonymous said...

JUST GET SOMEONE OUT TO CLEAN UP THE TOWN, WEEDS, GRASS CLIPPINGS, I'LL BET THEY PUT THE NEW RAILING UP WITH THE GARBAGE BAGS AND TALL WEEDS STILL THERE.

Anonymous said...

29 FIREMAN ON THE LASALLE FD I. LAST NIGHTS PAPER. SMART DEPARTMENT TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL PICTURES IN PAPER, IF ONE GETS OFF THE DEPARTMENT DON'T PUT THEM IN THE PAPER. THIS WAY, EVERY FIREMAN GET REGOGNIZED. MANAGEMENT 101! WHERE'S PERU WEBSITE WITH FIREMAN LISTED WITH PICTURES? WE USE TO HAVE THIS DIDN'T WE WHEN MR. ECCLES WAS CHIEF?

Anonymous said...

The NT is still trying to spin the "brewery" into a loss for LaSalle County because of the sand mines. They ran another article on it today.
That's all Utica needs is another bar. I don't care if they brew their own beer or distill their own whiskey - if they make it, it will just be another bar.

Anonymous said...

I heard the outside discussions after the meeting.....I am waiting anxiously to see if the city of Peru will pay those two for their personal property lost or damaged from water in their basement.......I want my basement paid for too.....if it happens for one it should happen for all.....rules that are being bent should break.....let the flood gates of city cash open!

Anonymous said...

7:35 PM If you heard the outside discussions after the meeting, it's safe to assume you were inside for the meeting to hear the man state his case. It was clearly the fault of the city and was admitted by the clerk. The city should pay for their basement, not yours.

Anonymous said...

11:51 I agree with you completely. Why would they put the signs parallel to the path, when you cannot read them without twisting your neck as you ride by. And they are way too close to the path. But hey look at it this way, maybe they did it on purpose so they would have something to do when they have nothing to do. It truly is a accident waiting to happen.

Anonymous said...

What was it 8:39 that was the city's fault?

Anonymous said...

There was a problem in the road outside the couples home, a portion of the road kept sinking. The city couldn't figure out what was wrong and just kept putting rock in it. Eventually the weight of the rock broke something which caused flooding in their basement. Turns out the city should have figured out what was wrong in the first place and fixed it properly.

Anonymous said...

Peru voters need to finally understand mayor harl and doug bernabei are angling themselves for higher offices when it comes to harl even with the union backing its not gonna happen for him but bernabei will get it done and be elected in a state position

Anonymous said...

4:32, you should read the version the Ottawa Time published. The Mayor of Utica blasted the NT for editorializing in a "news" story instead of the editorial page.

Anonymous said...

11:51 you need more time walking and relax.

Anonymous said...

The fireman comments are getting old and tired. Why so much? Most of those are outstanding individuals who have a true passion to help. And a number like the supplemental income that it provides, the ones who always are there for the publicity and never show up for the actual hard work. Its like that in every service organization. Its very evident that a few are not happy with their current roles. I have a solution--quit--give up that free money. Don't think that will happen, after all its about them! So they(very few) like to make the fire department out to be something less than the outstanding group that they are.

Anonymous said...

10:31 so what if they are? Both have been Peru public servants for a long time, they deserve the higher wages and State jobs.

Anonymous said...

Hey 10:40 AM

Guess you are an insider but it don't look like to that to the rest of us.

Anonymous said...

10:48- Neither one of them deserve more wages or state job. Harl is a nobody who can't think for himself, he always has to ask others what to do or if something is ok to do. And Bernabei well he is only out to please himself, He has no background to be in the position he is in. Good Luck Peru we here in Spring Valley are glad he is not here anymore. He is a hypocrite.

Anonymous said...

11:22 yah. We got a lot of problems with only about 3 members. Get rid of the leaky hoses and we got a great department. You know them!

Anonymous said...

Hats off to the village president of Utica. Her comments in regards to Mr. Limberger and the Carus family dealings should be addressed. Ask the Carus family when will they finish the hotel Kaskaskia in LaSalle!

Anonymous said...

I believe they just got rid of one of the leaky hoses . Driving city vehicles without a license and alleged arson.

Anonymous said...

I guess we know who is pulling the strings of MMG.

Anonymous said...

Who is/are the present owners of South Bluff Country Club? Often drive by it and reminisce. Too many good times and fond memories took place to be mistreated as it has been the last number of years.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:08, Teresa Carus and her husband

Anonymous said...

Lsst name rings a bell.

Anonymous said...

How much did we pay for that ugly metal guard rail on 7th Street? Is a guard rail even needed there? I don't think so - another Boss Harl Boondoggle if you ask me.

Anonymous said...

11:07 The guardrail was replaced for safety reasons and I complement the committee for replacing this former hazard with a new rail. Was it needed? Only to keep cars out of the ravine.

Anonymous said...

hmmmmm.... the wooden guardrail has been in place since the mid 1970's at least. Which tells me that no car has left the road and ended up in the ditch since that time period at least. Besides, the street travels down to nearly the bottom of the ravine. Yup, sounds like overkill to me.

Peru Town Forum said...

1:15 PM
A bit of history, that wood fence was totally rotted through and the posts were hollowed out and would not have likely held anything back. I think it was possibly older than you think. It was the only fence every put up since the road was created. The road goes across a very deep ravine and has a major drainage pipe beneath it. Periodically the area in the ravine has to have the city work on it. The city has not done a great job of trying to keep the area clean of garbage thrown from passing cars but I am hopeful at this point, that more care will be taken of the area. The guardrail was definitely a NEED.

Anonymous said...

So in all this time, nobody has ever hit the wooden fence?

Anonymous said...

Again, to all the pseudo safety analysts, you place a guard based on potential danger. Whether someone ever hit it or not means nothing. People who have never gotten in a car accident are not allowed to remove their seat belts from their cars.

Safety analysis is one area where good old common sense is nice, but not the limiting or sole factor.

Anonymous said...

If there has never been a history of anyone ever running off that road into the ditch, I don't see why a guard rail is necessary. Using the 3:37 logic, every street needs a guard rail because there is a chance that a driver will drive into a house. For that matter, there should be a barrier between the traffic lanes to prevent people from driving into oncoming traffic. We should also require helmets and three point harness safety belts, radio controlled speed regulators, automatic breaking systems, annual safety inspections and license tests, and on and on and on.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm.... a metal guard rail. Sounds like one of those shovel ready jobs that only took 40 years to complete. :)

Anonymous said...

Geeze, metal guardrails are needed up at the wonderful intersection by the mall. What Einstein designed that entrance/exit route?

Anonymous said...

5:22 Thanks for detailed and irrelevant comment on my post. My reasoning states you place such things on the risk, not the events. High traffic, large wooded drop pff, serious injury potential equals guard rail. It also has had a history of icing.

I was refuting the nonsensical argument that safety restraints are based on colloquial remembered history or select data sample. There is little history of cars running off the bridges as well, yet some stupid safety engineer puts up railings. Darn Osha liberals lol.

I cannot wait to visit you in your cabin high up in the smokey mountains accessible on your winding road with good old American freedom from silly guard rails. You will show em. Disconnect those antilocks and make sure you move somewhere where you can toss off the safety harness and be a true American.

Peru Town Forum said...

9:11 PM

Speaking of that infamous Adventure intersection, there was a brief discussion at the Public Service Committee meeting. Evidently one or more of the businesses in the Hobby Lobby store area has asked that the entrance near that intersection be closed off and no cars or trucks allowed entry or exit during the Holiday Season...no date was given. If you notice the First Federal driveway now has a speed bump on the entrance and when the business is closed there is a row of pylons in place. The question is "will this closure affect the shoppers or deter them from coming at all?"

Anonymous said...

I liked the wooden guard rails. They looked better. The new metal ones clash with trees and look out of place.

Anonymous said...

Driving by the new guard rail today, it appears to be an ET-Plus guard rail. It has been determined that this version is actually more dangerous than having no rail whatsoever.

"A new study shows a popular guardrail model lining roadways across the country and one at the center of a possible billion-dollar whistleblower lawsuit is more likely to produce severe injury..."

I hope Peru has good insurance.

Anonymous said...

10:02 and the metal rails are much safer and not falling apart.

Anonymous said...

Since the intersection change, I've only taken the course twice only because I've had to. ATT is where I went.

Anonymous said...

Anon 7:40, your wrong, what you are referring to happened back in 2005 in N. Carolina if you did your homework you would have noticed the end pieces are attached to wood not steel which puts them in compliance because of their break away capability. You put this out there as an alarmist talking about law suits etc. without any facts. The blog is always talking about this is the only place for the truth, it's only saying what you perceive the truth to be, not necessary the real truth.

Anonymous said...

The metal rails are not necessary.

Anonymous said...

I love that intersection. When people follow the rules, everything runs smoothly. Problems only happen when people use the parking lot of the old Walmart to circumvent the intention of the intersection.
What they can do to improve it is make Venture Drive one way - to the north and curving to the west. Remove the first parking lot connector from the old walmart to 38th Street. Make a new parking lot connector from the northern part of the old walmart parking lot connecting it to the new one way only Venture drive.
What this will do is stop the scoff laws from using the parking lot as a turnaround.
It is a really simple concept used in countless shopping districts all over the country. Direct the traffic into a circle.

Anonymous said...

actually, you are wrong 10:37. You really need to do some research on the subject because you obviously don't know what you are talking about.
State your sources for this fiction you are spewing.

Anonymous said...

Are we getting metal guard rails all along water street? We need to protect the drivers who are having a relaxing time at several of the establishments on waterstreet so when they leave, a metal guardrail might protect them from driving into the river.

Anonymous said...

The rails look great and will keep cars from going over the side and into a ditch with no return. Its much better than the 60 year old wood planks that were rotting out. I also like the new invention of running water and electricity in most homes. I even heard of a few with a sewer line in their home. I guess we don't need a new safety rail, running water, electricity or sewers. But, I am pleased we have those features.

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:36 IDOT, Ottawa Office

Anonymous said...

More people have driven their car into the river at Water Street in the last 40 or so years than have run off the road into the Seventh Street Ditch. In fact, it has been established that exactly Zero people have run off the road at the bottom of the dip since the original fence was constructed by the CCC during the 1930's. This is despite the fact that Seventh Street is the traditional safe route back to Peru after a night of drinking in LaSalle.

Anonymous said...

12:36 I agree, I was completely blitz last Saturday and I take the 7th street route home to Peru. I noticed the safety rail and took special precaution to stay on the road, normally I would be going side to side banging off the wood rails. With this new rail I will change my ways and become a sober member of society.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:36 PM Now you've really done it by declaring that Seventh Street is the traditional safe route back to Peru after a night of drinking in LaSalle. No Way! Going directly from 9th Street LaSalle to 12th Street Peru historically has been and continues to be titleholder of designated safe route.
Any conflicts will have to be determined and judged by a complete survey conducted by Eric, the new city engineer and Chamlin's. In the unlikely case that a situation arises so close that even a photo finish at a little above the speed limit occurs the A of D.S. will be called upon for the final decision.

Anonymous said...

3:32, but that does not get you across 251. On your route, you need to either head north to Shooting Park Road or South to the afore mentioned Seventh Street in order to make it to the civilized part of Peru. Shooting Park Road is a dangerous route due to frequent safety checks. If you take Seventh Street you enter a safe zone of residential streets in which you can meander at low speed without getting much scrutiny.

Anonymous said...

Get some vanity license plates, which might make you look as if you are in a special group of people no matter how blitzed you are. A much lesser chance of getting a safety check so I've been told. Better yet, wake up at wee hours when you are sober and drive around. Do this often so your vehicle gets noticed. I guarantee at some point you will be in a safety check and you will get noticed. Not coming to a complete stop is sometimes the reason you got pulled over, even if you know you came to a complete stop. If you get pulled over invoke your fifth ammendant rights. Also, it's nobody's business why you were out or what you were doing at anytime of the wee hours if you are ever asked. One doesn't have to answer that question.

Anonymous said...

There has been a car down the ravine on the north side of 7th street for years now . I bet its been 10 years since it first appeared there .

Anonymous said...

8:15 Thanks for letting everyone know where my parking place is. I chose the ravine as a result of going over the wood barricades you call a guard rail. Replacing those rails with the new metal rails has given me hope that someday the rail may actually stop another car from going over the edge. The car is also utilized as a deer stand for the A of DS and should not be removed until deer season is over. Thank you for your concern.

Anonymous said...

8:15 That's not a car, its a tank. The tank was from the Polish-German revolution in Peru in the 1960s. The east end remains controlled by the Polish Falcons and the West in controlled by the German Blitz. The recent stir is that both want complete liberation from each other and to set up two forms of government in Peru. I think I signed that last petition a few months ago. Both sides want the Made Powell statue, and both sides want their own elected leaders with the armies included. I am in a mixed marriage and I hope my wife Nadia will not leave to join her side of town. Any advice form A of DS or others.

Anonymous said...

3:24, when the revolution comes, you better be "west of the ditch." No quarter will be given to the "East Ditchers." :)

Anonymous said...

Anon 3:24 You are outdated as payment by cash. The council representation of the Falcons are as Polish as Obama and one of the few remaining artifacts of the East End Poles is Saint Valentines Church.
As for the Blitz, there is still national connections but by those as inefficient and as dollar dumb as representation of the Falcons. As for the Maude Powell statue it will be willed to the East as she does not want to reside in or be represented by a Hilter style "Super Majority - No Bid" government brain wash.

Anonymous said...

I only use cash, except when I write out a check at the grocery store. I like to sit there until everything gets scanned in before looking for my checkbook. Then I meticulously balance it before I write out the actual check. All the while talking to the cashier like she is a long lost friend.

Anonymous said...

Anon 12:43 PM You are not only outdated you are hated by all those who have ever been in line behind you. I hope you are not doing this in a speed lane. When doing this do you realize how ignorant you are?