All the young people that were concerned about their summer jobs are being offered employment with the city of Peru for the summer. Four of the lifeguards have been hired by the City of LaSalle to work at their swimming pool.
Yes it does appear that the Peru City Swimming Pool will become a part of our history after the aldermen consider whether or not to rescind their previous vote to open the pool. To take place at their next meeting on June 2. Will they do the right thing?
13 comments:
An outstanding gesture on the part of Mayor Harl to allow pool emplyees to be absorbed into the public works summer program. Harl also suggested providing transportation for Peru residents to the LaSalle pool at Peru's expense. Of course Alderman Potthoff saw an opportunity to criticize the mayors idea and what do you suppose was his problem with providing transport to LaSalle? The "LIABILITY" to the city. For months now Potthoff and all of the aldermen, with the exception of Ron Wren, have been knowingly and willingly attempting to put Peru in the worst liability situation in the city's history. And Potthoff has a problem with the liability of bussing Peru residents to LaSalle. Politics and Hipocracy filled the council chamber again last night. I am planning a detailed post regarding the events of last night but until then consider this. What I think may have finally forced the aldermen to grasp reality last night was this. The city's insurance consultant was at the meeting and he pointed out that if they proceeded to open the pool to the public knowing what they know about it's safety and compliance issues, city officials as "individuals" could be held responsible in civil proceedings if someone filed a lawsuit. No immunity for elected officials when they are knowingly negligent. As they would have been. Each and every one of them could be sued in civil court. I believe that got there attention. Especially O'Beirne who apparently had a mouthful of something else last night.
To Steve 10:12
There you go again, Bias, Bias. Issues can be corrected and the pool could open if fixed. You like the mayor WANT TO SPEND MONEY FOR A NEW POOL, THAT IS THE JEST OF IT. PERIOD. This attitude makes me sick. Mayor Baker would not be so foolish.
You don't care about the citizens of peru but I think you will find out our attitude about what has gone on so far this year at the polls at the next election. Get on board now because the ride will be short, 2 more years & One term mayor.
What we need to consider is that the pool if shut down will be down for 2 to 3 years. Fill in the hole of the pool with dirt and plant grass.
I also propose that this issue be brought to a referendum vote of the people if they want or need a pool for the city of Peru. The way this adminstration spends money the $4,000,000 estimate will overrun tremendously.
Steve you can pick up the overrun of my share. Thanks in advance..
To Anon 11:22 AM
I do believe you were at the meeting and saw the slide presentation given by Williams Aquatics and if that does does shock you into the reality and seriousness of the pool disintegration, nothing will.
Did you not hear Mayor Harl speak of all the past minutes he spent hours going through and at least 15 years ago Mayor Baker was asking the aldermen to consider a new pool. We would all be better off if he had carried through with that plan instead of the one for the Downtown Redevelopment for which we now have very little to show. Why did they make that decision?
I believe it must be you who does not care about the life and safety of the young people who would be putting themselves in danger. Did not the insurance company and the city atty say that the city and elected individuals who authorize opening the pool would open themselves up to liability?
You did not hear that Mayor Harl would like to present a referendum on the pool to the citizens in November?
I heard it.
Take the earplugs out.
Referendum on the pool?
Great, let’s start discussing what residents need to understand.
I will make my contribution on the cost.
$4,000,000 15 Years @ 4.00%
Monthly Debt Payment = $29,587.52
Annual Debt Payment = $355,050.24
Assume Pool is open 4 months.
Pool needs $88,762. Per month income while it is open to cover payments.
What else should residents know?
To 11:22 - Where have I ever said I want a new pool. Mayor Harl has not said that he wants a new pool. What he has said is instead of a never ending cycle of patch, paint, and repair. Let the voters of Peru decide if "they" want a pool at all. If you were at the meeting last night you would have heard it for yourself. I'm glad you and Mayor Harl are in agreement on that.
Tuesday May 25, 2010 Per the News Trib Peru City Pool story.
Williams Aquatics DID NOT OFFER A RECOMMENDATION on opening or closing the pool but to say;the "matter is between the city attorney and city council not the architect" what a farse and cop out for $15,000. What does the city attorney know about construction ?
My recommendations or next steps would be the following:
1. Aldermen voted twice to patch/paint and fill the pool . Kristy has over 100+ signatures to a petition to also do the same.
DO IT ! ($50,000 versus $4,000,000)We are Broke!
2. Let the mayor veto the opening of the pool
3. Aldermen DO NOT vote for a referendum in the fall(Nov)
4. Let the Mayor CLOSE the pool. (an accomplishment for his first year in office
5. Aldermen , Do not vote for NEW POOL plans and cost options. Let the issue die..
6. Citizens of Peru HOLD SPECIAL ELECTION in November for Mayor. (Mayor Harl to run in special election and lets see)
1:32 pm May25
You wrote your opinion based on the News Tribune article alone?
No other research? No attendance at meetings? Did you read the written report from Williams Aquatics.
Lois, can you add profile of “misinformed” for this guy to sign in as.
You really don’t deserve the time other Bloggers will spend explaining how misinformed you really are.
To 1:32 - Sounds good. 100 plus signatures! That seals the deal for me.
You're going to need more than a little luck with that #6. But hey! You go for it!
TO anon 1:32 you obviously are ignorant of the facts. The pool is not up to code and with respect to some critical codes such as VGB act which is a Federal law. The alderman do not even have an estimate yet to determine the cost to make the pool complaint and safe for our children. How much water does the pool have to lose before we realize it is no longer feasible to operate. Even the city's insurance agent stated that the pool should be brought to code before opening. I loved to use this pool as much as anyone in the city but lets face it the pool has outlived it usefulness now it is time to build for the future. No one raised an eyebrow when the city spent 4.5mil for a new city hall. The mirror building could have been used for that purpose. If you are so concerned about being broke why operate a pool that does not hold water with an annual operating cost of @100,000. Maybe the alderman will close it when the cost of operating it excedes 250,000. We could just open the vavles wide open to keep the fun going-sounds logical right?
Anon 1:32, why make Williams Aquatics out to be a "bad guy"? They reported the facts, as they are bound to do by the requirements of their licensure and the moral and ethical codes of their profession. They thoroughly documented compliance and structural issues. They can provide estimates to the City as to what it would take to repair or replace the pool and bring the other facilities into compliance. It will never be the responsibility of the engineer/architect to advise the City on the liability involved. Based on the collective information provided by Williams, Corporate Counsel, and the Insurance Consultant, there is only one logical conclusion that can be reached: it is not good risk management to proceed with patching, painting and opening the pool. To do otherwise just to spite the Mayor is irresponsible at best and criminal at worst. Even if the chance is only one out of a million that someone would be injured or worse, must every lesson we learn originate out of catastrophe? If a bridge or building received a report card as bad as the pool has received, how would you feel about its owner dismissing the report and charging forward with a patch-and-paint-it attitude?
To All:
The cost of water and to patch can be $50,000 to $100,000 per year looking at the initial cost of $4,000,000 (if it holds at the finish), it would take the city of peru through either 40 or 80 years of the same dollars.
Williams aquatics stated that a new pool would probably last for 50 years.
The arithmetic don't add up for new. The better return would be to patch and fill.
The citizens of peru DO NOT WANT TO SPEND $4,000,000.
If you need more prove, wait for the election .
Anon 12:58 GOT IT RIGHT
If understand right, the citizens will have an opportunity to voice their opinions in a referendum on a pool this year.
Keep in mind these phrases before you jump into the pool:
Willful and wanton"
"liability and risk"
"structural failure"
all of which can put not only the kids in the pool but the city and elected officials in danger.
The kids with their well being and the city with the liability of being sued. At that point 4 mil might be cheap.
7:00 pm May25th
What a great contribution of facts to readers of the Peru Forum.
I look forward to your thoughts on what residents should know about the referendum.
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