“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.”

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Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Drunk in city hall raises new security concerns - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL

Drunk in city hall raises new security concerns - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

hmmmmmm... sort of like the days when they had the council "pre-meeting" down as spike's?

Anonymous said...

I agree that security is of major concern. I'm in favor of spending money to keep the employees safe. It should have been done a long time ago and should include security cameras.

Anonymous said...

Need to do this correctly - which includes hiring a security guard, metal detectors, etc. just like the setup at the county government building. Can't have employees and politicians "going around" security either - with the exception of actual police officers.

Anonymous said...

1:51, probably need 2 or 3 to cover vacations and sick days - this would only cover business hours and evening meetings. The "Community Room" would need to be shut down when the building closes. So it would not be available on weekends or evening for the most part.

Peru Town Forum said...

Since no charges were filed, did city employees working there know the person? Perhaps someone that is frequently in that state and lives in the general area. This is not an unusual condition to be in for some people who wander the streets and thankfully don't drive an automobile. Has it happened before?

Anonymous said...

why no charges filed. He should have been arrested and sent to the county jail.

Anonymous said...

Lois are you sure no charges were filed? Does not make sense that we would have all these concerns about security of the building, and then not file charges. Am I missing something?

Anonymous said...

We would want armed security guards - no sense otherwise. Wages probably $40K to $50K each. Might be difficult finding qualified candidates in the local area, so that might drive the wage higher. These people would need to pass a background check and be looking for this type of work. Not many around here that have a clean record and are not already employed in a job they like. Another option - increase the Police Department by 4 or 5 officers and they can take turns watching city hall.

Anonymous said...

The schools need armed guards also.

Anonymous said...

Common sense security measures are always reasonable. Harl and others will take this situation and blow it out of proportion. Hell, he already has and it will result in an over the top response restricting public access to taxpayer owned property. Harl will abuse the situation to further restrict access and accountability to his office and himself. Chances are the motive for using this overstated and unusual incident is selfish and self-serving on the part of the mayor. He is trying to fugure out how he can use it to his advantage. Typical political behavior.

Anonymous said...

I'd be more concerned about our water plant. What security do they have there?

Anonymous said...

8:03 - It is unwise to use the term "common sense" in association with involving government. Doubly so for our "Illinois Valley" local governments. But, to dovetail on what you are saying, this is how our Boss will justify hiring some more people AND spending some money with an ENGINEERING and ARCHITECTURAL firm - most likely from CHICAGO. Possibly some no-bid bullet proof glass for the Clerk's service window.

Anonymous said...

Did they arrest the individual that started all this?

Anonymous said...

11:51 It is my understanding that the answer to your question is NO but I have no real proof.

Anonymous said...

Hmmmm... I wonder if Timmy knows any firms in Chicago that offer security upgrades.

Anonymous said...

11:05 actually most of our local governments function pretty well. I have lived several places and you probably have not. These are good people who give a lot of time and take a lot of crap from people like you. They expect that but the bottom line is public service is hard work and quite the opposite of the silly comments you read on the blog. Most are good public servants who actually want to better our communities. Say what you want but you clearly do not know most people in local government.

Anonymous said...

Have some more Kool-Aid Mr. 3:49. Our local governments are like a Pit-bull Dog. They can turn on you without warning and need to be constantly watched.

Anonymous said...

Heard it was someone looking for W...so how's living in Hennepin alderman?

Anonymous said...

Are you saying the Boss's little toady "W" is living in Hennepin now? Hmmmmm.... who is going to force the issue to have him replaced?

Anonymous said...

"Kool Aid". Can you come up with something better?

6:30 I didn't say they didn't need to be watched. Of course they do just as I would hope people would do if you and I were running it. But we have relatively low taxes and pretty good services here. I am not saying they are perfect I am saying they are pretty good people running it.

People like you think they are all criminals and getting rich off of the government and nothing could be further from the truth. That's why people laugh when they read many of the comments.

Just be a reasonable person and work with them instead of a conspiracy theorist on the blog who thinks they are all out to screw you over. They actually ran for office and are involved. Why don't you?

Anonymous said...

9:25 - we don't have low taxes. That is the Kool-Aid talking again. You need to count ALL taxes you are paying to Peru. Not just your property tax bill.

Anonymous said...

Interesting, I have also heard that W lives in Hennepin. Did anybody besides me notice that W has missed the last 2 council meetings? An alderman needs to live in the ward he represents. If W has moved, he needs to resign.

Peru Town Forum said...

11:32 AM

Personally our real estate taxes went up by $200 for no reason and everyone else I have talked with had reduced taxes. Anyone else in Peru have their taxes go up. We have a modest home and small yard.

Anonymous said...

Mine when down slightly. maybe $30 or $40.

Anonymous said...

11:32 so what taxes here in Peru are high? Are you going to try to say the SALES tax is high? That's hilarious. I am sure next you are going to compare it the Spring Valley's rate or tonica or something. Be serious. The shopping district requires a huge amount of additional infrastructure not to mention fire and police and that is why ALL retail destinations have slightly higher tax rate. Ours is nowhere near most of those and it is still "competitive" with our local towns who basically have nothing.

I will keep waiting. You admit we have low property taxes, which we do (sorry Lois, mine went down again). So again, where are our high taxes. People like you who have clearly never really lived anywhere else give those of us with a brain a good laugh. Most of Ottawa's tax rate is about 30 percent higher.

Kool Aid? Dude, why don't you try thinking for yourself instead of repeating things you have heard because it is the fashionable thing to say. When it comes to facts you aren't going to win this argument so just go back to bitching about things like pickle ball, airports and fireworks.

Anonymous said...

If W is indeed an alderman and if he is indeed living in Hennepin how can he remain an alderman? Not only would he no longer be living in his ward but not even in Peru.

Anonymous said...

12:55, Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid and Kool-Aid.

I tend to agree with you "dude" - to some degree. The point I was trying to make, but failed "dude" was the Peru is able to hold low property taxes for its citizens by having the best shopping district in the county "dude." Then, after keeping property taxes down, they discovered that they could not maintain the infrastructure in said shopping districts because they entered into Sales Tax Rebate programs with the owners of the shopping centers. Yup - they gave the sales tax back to the building owners "dude". So, they turned around and increased the sales tax using the home rule laws. And used that money to fix the roads that should have been fixed using the TIF money - oh ya, the Peru TIF's don't necessarily go to infrastructure like they are supposed to "dude" - much of it goes as a kickback for the owners of the shopping centers. Oh, then there is the other home rule sales tax that Peru used to buy a new school. and on and on and on.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:31 More has been accomplished on Peru roads and streets since Mayor Harl has been Mayor than was ever done before. Peru has obtained great grade schools for very little money and yes Peru is maintaining very low property taxes. As for the sharing of different funds you have to do some creative financing today to be competitive with other localities. 4:31 when was the last time you have addressed the city council in public comment?



Anonymous said...

11:00, is "creative financing" another term for "fraud" or "corruption." Yes, old Hurely laid down some black top, but that was only to butter his local 150 bread. Now he's going to rip it all up again and lay some pipe. Why didn't he do that to start with? Because why fix a road once when you can butter the bread twice. Yes, old Hurley sure knows how to lay a thick coat of butter on everything "he" does. Yup, Old Hurely is turning Peru into the Land O' Lakes - spend, spend, spend - spend three times for every thing that needs to be done. Yup, butter the grass cutting bread at the same time you butter the lawn mower buying bread. Butter the fire truck bread. Butter the power plant bread. Butter the sign bread. Butter, butter, butter. Going to have to give Peru one big Lipitor Pill when Old Hurley moves on up to the Deluxe Apartment in the Sky (meaning Springfield and Chicago). Yup, He's moving up to the big leagues now, carrying water for Madigan. Both of them.

Anonymous said...

4:31 where do you believe that you if having your choice would fit in best? Would you care to be the Wagon Master of a local bitch session where everything is done from the bottom up or possibly the creator of the last isolationist farm town without roads, water and electricity and no other modern conveniences. You communicate as someone not willing to share with others and someone others would not want to share with. Have you noticed that your feet are huge, your body is very hairy and you are extremely large and your vocabulary is limited to one word "Dude"?

Anonymous said...

@12:17 No matter which economic book you study and read of guns and butter, money and services etc. you still have to spend when speaking of any form of government to make any gain.
Remember back to the days of the multi million dollar Mirror Building when a multi million dollar city hall was built and even creative financing could not pay for it. Was that Mayor Harls blunder? I don't think so! Maybe the city hall financing should have been used for new roads.

Anonymous said...

12:44, the overuse of the word "dude" was to make fun of the comment I was replying to. And over the top and extreme comments are made to make people think. Naturally, the truth is in the middle somewhere. But to get peoples attention you need to hit them in the head with a two by four.

Anonymous said...

12:58, no it was not Harley's fault. But it was still wrong. They mirror building, the dentist office, and the "city hall" (did I miss any) where all wrong. The city should not be involved in that with the possible exception of the actual city building.

Let me explain the references to "buttering the bread" because I don't think people understand that phrase I stated using on this blog (I can't claim I invented it, just stated using it in this blog one day). The "Bread" represents the legitimate activities of government. We all know money must be spent on things like new pipes, road resurfacing, paper clips, etc. The "Butter" represents how the legitimate activities and spending are steered by the politicians. The "butter" can be anything from being sure the paper clips are purchased at a certain store to little "extras" like having a friends business "detail" a city car. Or perhaps spending extra money with a local business to save some trees from a bug when you know if asked, 100% of the population would say just chop the damn thing down. That is the "butter" and our local government - cant even say Boss Harl anymore because it is all of them - like to spread the "butter" pretty thick.

Anonymous said...

If there is any truth at all to the W...alderman living in Hennepin he needs to resign unless at night when he goes to bed his shoes are under his bed in Peru. If not, he no longer resides in Peru and therefore does not qualify as a city representative let along a ward 3 alderman.

Anonymous said...

This is all so crazy and stupid.

1. Dave Waldorf most definitely does not live in Hennepin.

2. 3:10 are you seriously explaining the term "buttering the bread" as thought you thought this up? For real? You just explained it like that needed to be done.

3. Dude, the joke was on you......dude. Looking forward to your next brilliant comeback.

Anonymous said...

He is on vacation. As long as he owns a house in Peru he should be allowed to be an alderman. The Chicago Mayor was considered a resident even after not having lived in a house and renting it out. So leave the guy alone. He is doing a good job and should be allowed to keep it.

Anonymous said...

You can't just own a house in a town and get elected to the city council, school board or anything else. You have to be a resident. Property ownership has nothing to do with it. Mr. Waldorf is most definitely a resident.

Anonymous said...

5:21 If he is on vacation why did you find it necessary to say he owns a house in Peru and should therefore be allowed to be an alderman? Couldn't an individual own homes in other towns but not live in them or claim them as there residence?

Anonymous said...

5:21 am So if I'm a Peru alderman and I own a house in Peru, but I decide to move to LaSalle and rent out my Peru house, you're saying I should still be allowed to be a Peru alderman?

He missed 2 council meetings. That's a month long vacation! Pay for aldermen must have gone up!

Anonymous said...

This is so stupid. The rumors and gossip on here never end.

He is not on a two month vacation, nor is he on a vacation in Heneepin lol. You have to be a RESIDENT to hold office and be a registered voter. Someone could lie, but that not the case here.

Let's go back to the other conspiracy theories instead of more stupid things like this.

Anonymous said...

10:11 please stop your childish comments. The laws are simple. Alderman have a minimum of 4 meetings each month and if you add the special council at whole meetings you may have 6 each month. Check the details, I have heard that Peru alderman are the lowest paid in the Valley. I have reviewed the attendance by the minutes and find Peru elected to have outstanding records of attendance.

Anonymous said...

Dude at 10:58. I didn't say I made up the term. I said I used it here and explained why I think it is a good term for Peru. Only in Peru do they take a simple thing like washing a car and inflate the cost 2000%. That is the butter, dude.

Anonymous said...

They need to keep "W" on the council until they appoint the new mayor - which will be after they appoint The Boss to be our State Rep.

Anonymous said...

@10:40 a.m. Nobody said a two month vacation. He missed two meetings which covers one month.

I heard a different reason that he's in Hennepin, and it ain't about a vacation.

Anonymous said...

Who would take a vacation to Hennepin? And, who would take off July 13th for a vacation and miss a council meeting, return July 22nd to attend a finance meeting, and then not attend the July 27th council meeting?

Anonymous said...

You people are nuts. Dave W had his knee replaced, that is why he has not been working. Also that is why he missed the meetings..

Anonymous said...

I moved from Peru last year. Best thing I ever did. But you uneducated hicks that post on here all the time factored into it. I am sure I will get the "we don't need you! Good riddance and the ever popular don't the door hit you... "


If you read some of these posts and the name calling and the "you spend my 2 dollars in taxes crap" why would anyone want to live in the IV? Its a shame because the area is nice. But you people can all stuff your high school or GED diplomas and your crap video poker. This blog does nothing but serve a place to serve the stupid a gathering spot. You are not a good money person and financial watchdog if you are just cheap and stupid and 90% on this blog are both.

In summary, cram it you uneducated mouth breathers, I will be up North where people are either decent or smart to enough to not open their mouths to volunteer how stupid they are. You people ever wonder why people leave the IV area? Dumb educated people such as yourselves run the show. Ever wonder why people don't run for office or good people dont win? Why would anyone with a brain want to when you get made fun of and second guessed by people who just want to bitch and moan and not do anything. You people get everything you deserve and more.

Anonymous said...

you forgot to mention neck beards. They are becoming popular here. I came back after 20 years and absolutely nothing changed except some new stores in Peru and some old factories shutting down. I like it though. If you are half way intelligent and have a semi-decent work ethic, you are head and shoulders above the local denizens and can command a good wage for jobs that - for the average person outside the Illinois Valley - are not that difficult to do.

Anonymous said...

8:21 Am Are you saying that being up North there are no high school or GED diplomas and video poker machines? What do you do on Saturday nights chase big foot through the forest or run bootleg liquor?