Princeton Park District - Princeton, Illinois
What the Princeton Park District does but although the same size almost as Peru, they do have more facilities and parks and complexes to care for. I got on that site because i was reading about the Z Tour Charity Bike Ride that I believe raises funds for the Zearing Park Enrichment Center. I was impressed but I am sure many will criticize.
36 comments:
Off Topic: Wednesday's finance and safety meeting agenda includes discussing the future of our lobbyist.
7:06, my vote is to fire him.
Take some of your time to look over the Princeton Park District and compare it to Peru's facilities. Which do you prefer?
7;39 Are you sure? My vote is to inform us, the taxpayer of what positive things the lobbyist has done for Peru? He may be one of the city promoters that we should keep. I have trust in Mayor Harl that he would not keep this person on the payroll if he was not promoting Peru.
Possibly a letter included in the city utility bill listing what each of the organizations that are paid by our taxes has done to promote Peru. Also each organization should have to make a personal presentation to the public at a announced meeting. The lobbyist, Sue Rezin and Frank Mautino are all Peru promoters based out of Springfield. Recently Robert Vickrey who volunteered as a Economic Director asked for a higher pay than the agreed upon $24,000 annually he is to receive plus all expenses which makes him equal to the lobbyist pay. Vickreys idea of changing from a non paid volunteer to a paid employee now makes him deserving of being fully accountable to his city employer. I'd also be interested in MCS and the Chamber of Commerce for productivity.
Would a city administrator have his hands in this end of the rainbow? I don't know but I hope he would. Whatever form of help is eventually proven to be needed for Mayor Harl, surely one must agree that he is deserving of management assistance in professionally managing the city. All have to agree that we are a $50 million business with many many departments and private facilities to evaluate such as the city promoters and those in charge of applying for grants which will become extremely more difficult to obtain.
To 7:06 PM, The moment I heard that Vickrey was starting his own lobbying company I knew they were going to "whack" the Springfield lobbyist in favor of Back Door Bob. It was very funny to hear that Vickrey's annual "Base Compensation" from Peru would be $1,000 less than the Springfield guy who was actually hired to promote the personal political interests of Mayor Harl. Vickrey recognized an opportunity to start a lobbying company at taxpayer expense and he jumped on it. Now he will operate the his private business out of a taxpayer funded office in Peru's city hall utilizing a personal assistant hired by and paid by the taxpayers of Peru. Vickrey will now be "hustling up" business and working for other cities out of his taxpayer funded office using city owned cellular devices, city owned office equipment, and a taxpayer funded expense account while working for other cities. Now that's a pretty good gig. Truly another gem in the Crown Jewels of Peru's legacy of political corruption. I'm actually surprised it took Vickrey as long as it did to become a lobbyist. I can't think of anybody who better fits the public perception of what a lobbyist is more than Bob Vickrey. It just seems right. Now Vickrey can expand his role-playing as a "Player" in Springfield and also expand his already oversized ego at the expense of taxpayers from Peru and other cities. Should have seen this one coming folks.
Lois
Topic has been brought up before.
Princeton has a 'Park District' a taxable body.
I as a Peruvian do not want to support another tax body.
They can do more there, because every resident pays to the park district when they pay their property tax.
The Peru rec board relies on other revenue sources.
Bob
If the city included a list of what the lobbyist does in the utility bills (golf outing & lunches), there would be an uproar. The sheeple of Peru have no idea what this guy does, and obviously they don't care. I agree that each person paid to promote Peru should show results of what they are accomplishing. But our city council will never demand that. Harl hopes the lobbyist is promoting Harl. MCS is Dave Potthoff's boss.
It appears that the appointed Task Force has reached a conclusion as to whether or not we would benefit from hiring a city administrator. They will meet Wednesday to finalize their recommendation.
7;45 and 8:29 AM.
Please note that you post has some inaccurate reports. We understand that you have no value for economic development. Vickery does not work for any other cities, only Peru.
Why such personal attacks on those working in the area of economic development? You like conspiracy. Please before you post make sure those people won't file a slander suit.
How much do Princeton taxpayers pay for their park district? Does it amount to $70,000? Either way, taxpayers are paying for the parks and recreation budget, either thru a park district or a park board.
Have you driven past the triangle lately between north Peoria and Plank Roads? There are 8 huge banners strung across along with a multitude of flags and a lot of overgrown weeds. It's downright an eyesore!
9:14 AM, Please note that Vickrey just started this lobbying firm and he will be working for other cities. They made some phony arrangement that dictates the area and cities he can represent in addition to Peru, but he will represent other cities.
How can somebody file a slander suit when what is being said is true?
10:59
If you would take the time to go to the meetings you would know that Vickery is EXCLUSIVE to PERU. you armchair politicians have no idea what an economic developer does and because you don't take the time to learn, all you can do is complain.
And 8:29 MCS is not Dave Potthoff's boss Dave is the CEO of the YMCA here in Peru. Again another knucklehead not checking facts before they post.
11:36. The first step is to know the definition of the word.
"Slander: the action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person's reputation."
Next step, learn about "Public Figures"
"Under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, as set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1964 Case, New York Times v Sullivan, where a public figure attempts to bring an action for defamation, the public figure must prove an additional element: That the statement was made with "actual malice". In translation, that means that the person making the statement knew the statement to be false, or issued the statement with reckless disregard as to its truth. For example, Ariel Sharon sued Time Magazine over allegations of his conduct relating to the massacres at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Although the jury concluded that the Time story included false allegations, they found that Time had not acted with "actual malice" and did not award any damages.
The concept of the "public figure" is broader than celebrities and politicians. A person can become an "involuntary public figure" as the result of publicity, even though that person did not want or invite the public attention. For example, people accused of high profile crimes may be unable to pursue actions for defamation even after their innocence is established, on the basis that the notoriety associated with the case and the accusations against them turned them into involuntary public figures."
11:53, took me five minutes to determine that the "Coach" at MCS Advertising (aka the owner) sits on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Valley YMCA. So yes, he is Dave's boss. This business is also connected to Bobby V. and the local dishrag is some fashion.
Your statement that Vickery is EXCLUSIVE to Peru about made me fall off my chair laughing. Old Bobby V. is exclusive to nobody but himself. He has been feeding at the government trough for many years and always has some way to collect "amenities" by "volunteering" or by collecting checks from boards and commissions - even a full time salary for a part time job at the township. Yup - Bobby V. can definitely find the money. Unfortunately, it usually ends up in his pocket.
To 11:53 AM, Vickrey started the lobbying firm as a business and regardless of what you believe he "will" be working for other cities as you will realize when it happens. To ypour point about not knowing what an economic developer does. I know what they are supposed to be doing, but that is not what they do in Peru. In Peru they start a private lobbying business and the city hires and pays an assistant to work for the private lobbying company. So the fact of the matter is, it's you who is ignorant of the fact that Peru does not currently have an ecomomic developer. Peru currently has two "lobbyists" and nobody, including the Peru elected officials, have any idea what they are doing or not doing. BTW, yes Dave Potthoff is the CEO at the Y but he still answers to the YMCA board of directors who have the authority to terminate his employment anytime if they so choose. Furthermore, Mike Schmitt, owner of MCS Advertising, a company with a lucrative city contract endorsed by Alderman Potthoff, sits on the board of directors and may actually be the current YMCA Board President, which as far as I'm concerned makes him Dave Potthoff's "boss". Sorry to have to enlighten you. You really should attend some meetings, check your facts, and stop behaving like such a knucklehead. My goodness!
If Mr. Vickrey is indeed only working for Peru then why did he have to establish a company? He was our economic developer already. If he wanted to quit volunteering couldn't he have done so without forming a company?
11:56
Your comment is in response to your inaccurate statements. You definition means that you can make inaccurate statements that are false and a complete lie and those would not be slander because of those people are politicians. Its ok to make false statements about those that are elected or have a job with your city? Hope you can live with yourself, most of us find your conspiracy as comedy. I bet you can be sued for making drunk comments about employees and other lies. Sign your name if you feel these comments are accurate and let the lawsuits fly.
@11:53 a.m. I'm glad so many people cleared up the fact that Mike Schmitt is indeed Dave Potthoff's "boss", and has the ability to fire him. Now who will you call a knucklehead? I follow Peru politics and know for a fact that it was Dave Potthoff who presented and pushed for MCS to be part of the economic development for Peru. You really should come to a meeting or two before you accuse other people of not knowing what they are talking about.
2:36
Knucklehead! I expect more of the same comments. The only factual comment is that I know Potthoff makes economic development a priority, he has for as long as he's been on the city council. I also follow the city. He may not care about what time there is a parade or photo in the newspaper, he does talk a lot about financial matters and city economic development. He is the least of your worries.
12:59 - I guess you missed the part about the definition of slander. I have no problem living with myself. and I didn't make the comment about city employees drinking. And nobody said they drank on the job. They are from "the Valley" bug jeeze ... nobody said they where that bold and stupid.
Does anybody know why Vickrey resigned as Board Trustee from the University of Illinois after the Tribune investigation found 800 undergraduate applicants receiving "special consideration because of their connections to elected officials, generous donors or university trustees." I wonder what is the definition of "special consideration." Did Vickrey have friends or family that graduated from U of I?
8:10 BEWARE.
Vickrey is not a elected official, your open game assault of him may cost you slander. He unlike many of the other Peru elected officials has the resources to file a slander suit. And you will have to prove your allegations $$$$$$.
10:16 - you are using the wrong word. The word you are looking for is Libel. Libel and slander are types of defamatory statements. Libel is a written defamatory statement, and slander is a spoken or oral defamatory statement.
Bobby V. is a Government Official and therefore a "Public Figure." Therefore anyone can speak or write about him as long as the statements are not said or written with "actual malice". That is a very high bar to overcome. False statements about "Public Figures" can and are made all the time - as long as the person making them believes they are true, it is not actionable. For instance, I can say that he abuses his cell phone which is paid for by tax dollars. Or I can even say that the $261 he charged to drive to Oak Brook was way to much and not in line with government travel reimbursement standards. Therefore, it is obvious that he just pocked the extra money. The law also has a wide interpretation of "parody." Your attention is drawn to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hustler Magazine, Inc. v. Falwell. The majority held that "The State's interest in protecting public figures from emotional distress is not sufficient to deny First Amendment protection to speech that is patently offensive and is intended to inflict emotional injury when that speech could not reasonably have been interpreted as stating actual facts about the public figure involved." In other words, a public figure cannot get damages from that makes fun of him through sarcasm. And I can call Mayor Harl and Hippo without fear of reprisal - other than being branded childish.
Finally - Bobby V. offered his resignation from the University Board only after being told he would be fired if he did not.
10:16 - he would have not case and the judge would toss it out. He is a public figure.
11:30 You writing as sarcasm? However, you are not the publisher of Hustler Magazine. Your statements both libel and defamatory is actionable. Put your name on the line and let us find out if you will represent yourself in the matter of your continued fictional claims about Vickery. What is your motivation in calling Harl names or making up lies to destroy the reputations or others like Vickery?
Speaking of Hustler? We all look forward to your next article about a out-house and so called public figure.
A side note....you are confident that a judge will throw it out? Are you confident that it will cost you nothing to have the suit thrown out? Hope you will stand behind your big words with big pockets!
12:44, Bring it on. Google can tell his lawyers who I am.
LMAO! Vickrey works for the government. He is a public person. We can call him a liar, a cheat, and a $#$% all we want. That is the price you pay when you get your bread buttered by the taxpayers. And believe me, he has had several loafs buttered by the taxpayer. He has been taking money from the taxpayer for many years.
6:48
Bob Vickery is a consultant, subcontractor or independent contractor call it what ever you want but he is not an EMPLOYEE of the City of Peru.
Call the clerks office and they will verify this information. It is also stated it the council minutes that he was hired as a consultant.
12:18 P.M.
Yes Vickery was hired as a consulting firm titled Oval Wacker Consulting. But the city at the same meeting said they would like to hire a liason (part time) to Vickery.
Lois
What does that have to do with Mr. Vickery being an Employee?
I was addressing the fact that you would allow people to make derogatory remarks, and then try to hide behind that it is OK because he is an employee of the City. The liaison is to help Mr. Vickery with the clerical needs of the Dept.
She's showing the fact that although Mr. Vickery is not an employee, he will have an employee assisting him. Kind of a slippery slope if you ask me!
Vickery has been a volunteer employee of the city for a number of years with a nice expense account apparent to anyone who looks through the disbursements. Now we are hiring his newly created company for I believe $24,000 per year and technically still not an employee. The only reason we need to hire another person is to deal with him. He can deal directly with the mayor or any of the other newly created employee positions, this is nothing more than a way to look like he is not a city employee and I have not heard if he still will have his volunteer office at city hall. Is he moving out?
Lois
You still didn't address the question, How is it OK to allow people to say derogatory statements about a person who is not an elected official or an employee
Because this is America and it's called Freedom of Speech.
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