“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

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Former alderman joins in the hypocricy

Former alderman Joe Witczak joined his old pals at the council meeting Wednesday night by trying to suggest the Existing Conditions Report by Williams Aquatics should be considered invalid or dishonest because Williams is a company which also builds and designs new facilities. Witczak tried to insinuate (rather poorly) that the report was tainted and that Williams may have misrepresented the actual condition of the pool in hopes of eventually winning a city contract to design and build a new pool for the city. HMMMM. I guess anything is possible in Peru. But, if you are going to question the ethics and integrity of an established and respected company you really should have some facts to back it up. Witczak has none. Just like the majority of the aldermen, he doesn't like what the report has to say so he wants to kill the messenger. If you believe any of the other firms that made presentations to the city would have found our pool "Sound as a Pound" you need to get back on your meds asap. Any legitimate firm would have found the same deficiencies in that pool and any legitimate firm that provides such reports would also be in the business of designing and building new facilities. That's what they do Joe! Now, the reason I say Joe Witczak and most of the aldermen are hypocrites for suggesting that Williams has acted improperly is as follows. I have witnessed this council of aldermen including the majority of Witczaks last term as an aldermen, and I have never heard any one of them ever question the possibility of Roger Chamlin or Chamlin & Associates in terms of a conflict of interest or of padding "billable hours" as the city engineering consultant. I have watched Chamlin present to the city council one project after another after another after another. Neither Joe Witczak nor any other alderman has ever questioned Chamlins motives for recommending any public works project in this city, EVER. I am not suggesting that Chamlin has anything other than the best interest of the city in mind when making their recommendations. But, you have to look at each and every recommendation very carefully before deciding it is in the best interest of the city. This council has never been a hard sell for Roger Chamlin. They are hypocrites for questioning and accusing any company, individual or citizen who happens to function outside their little circle of influence. That's a big part of their duty to us. At the same time they are easily swayed by those they should be most wary of. I can't recall if Joe Witczak ever accompanied Roger and Don Baker to Chamlins fishing paradise in Canada but I would not be surprised if Joe had accepted Roger's generous hospitality during his tenure as 3rd Ward Alderman. I know most of them have gone and continue to make the pilgrimage north for the spring walleye bite. So how do you think those aldermen will react to anything Chamlin recommends after they return from Canada with a belly full of walleye filets and dreams of next years trip? Yaaa Hypocrites Aaaay?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't there a code of ethics that each of the elected officials of the City of Peru swear to abide by and maybe even sign? Many corporations state that a board member is not to accept any gratuity as a result of the position assumed.

The generous hospitality of which you describe being given to City Officials by Chamlin Engeering is not being given as a result of personal friendship but rather due to influential positions (and, I am sure the aldermen are aware of this). Maybe the ball game tickets, weekends in Chicago, trips to Canada are more important than the $95.00 per council meeting. These perks would certainly sway a decision in most cases.

Personally speaking, I know it didn't take us 175 years to reach this level of camouflaged dishonesty - it has been going on for years. It appears to be time to limit the walleye fishing to local tournaments paid by each participant. Will this create an FBI investigation when a politician goes over a state or country border to receive unlawful benefits? (Just a thought....but has WM Aquatics been so unpopular with the City Council because it doesn't know or hasn't played "Peru Politics".)

Another question...what would Peru's consulting
engineering fees be if Chamlin didn't take Peru politicians to Canada. Time and cost is always the factor. Not everyone of our city alderman can be considered a true good family friend.

Anonymous said...

Lets get off of all of the partisanship and get three quotes, no matter the cost and ALL of the BS talked about here would go away.
The true fact of shaping a report so as to get the job of reconstruction is VERY LIKELY AND EVERYOBODY KNOWS IT. So lets get off of this kick, of blame & blame and do the correct business thing for the city.
Stay home Lois, your comments in the above article brings no good to the discussion. I am tired of all of the onesidedness and bias . Lets get on with doing the city business.

Anonymous said...

ANON 11:25 Whoever you are you had better put on your reading glasses because none of the comments you are referring to were posted or made by Lois. You people just can't stand to be questioned - CAN YOU?

Steve said...

To 11:25 a.m. - I submitted the post entitled "Former alderman joins in the hypocricy" and I stand by every word of it. If you have knowledge that I am incorrect in my description of the situation please feel free to comment. If you feel like there is nothing improper about aldermen accepting gifts from contractors and consultants who do hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of business with the city of Peru each year I would love to hear your reasoning.

Anonymous said...

To Steve 2:53pm

I guess you are blind to your elected officials in washington or ANYWHERE ELSE. They all do it.
I bet if you were in office EVEN YOU WOULD! or
Maybe you have ?? or maybe you are just jealous you do not have the opportunity.

Peru Town Forum said...

8:23PM

Do I read you right? If any of the elected officials in this city, state or federal government act in an illegal manner by accepting gifts in violation of the ethics code they are sworn to uphold, that is OK? Ok just because they have the opportunity to be dishonest.
Call it "payola" or any other name, it is against the law and the action should be punished. And YOU think it is OK?
It is really time to clean house!

Steve said...

To 8:23 - You are correct on one count. I have fished Canada a number of times. Always on my own dime though. It's not a cheap vacation when you pay your own way. Walleye is good fishing but I really prefer vertical jigging for the big Lake Trout with Twister Tails on five ounce chartreuse jig heads in 80 to 120 feet of water.
Believe it or not, Roger has never offered to take me along. I am a little envious of anybody who is given a free or even a discounted fishing vacation. Just Like Brad Paisley, "I Love To Fish".
Regardless of the level of elected official who accepts such gratuities, it's wrong. It's wrong for Roger to offer and it's wrong for any elected official or department head to accept. And depending on the details, actual value of the gift, and failure to properly report such gifts, it may be illegal as well.

Anonymous said...

To Louis,Steve,Anon...

I was alerted to your recent postings on the Peru Town Forum about Mr.Witczak. Its one thing to agree or disagree with his viewpoints about the Peru pool, its quite another to question his personal integrity. I know Mr.Witczak and served with him for many years on the city council. Joe and his family have always represented the city with honor and integrity.
We all understand the value of freedom of speech and in a few days we as a city will be honoring those who fought and gave their lives so we have those freedoms. But to bash Mr.Witczak with personal insults and label Peru officials with various other names seems to be little overboard.
I have been fortunate enough to represent the 4th ward for a number of years, it has been a honor. I never have taken a trip, freebie, gift or even campaign contributions. To make those statements that Peru Officials have been taking "payola" is insulting to those who serve and those who have served our city. It ruins reputations and hurts family members.
We are a small city with great potential and educated people do have different viewpoints. If you want slur individual names that I guess is your right. Quite frankly most of us "politicians"
are trying to make our city a little better.
Dave Potthoff

Peru Town Forum said...

3:31PM

Your post is signed Dave Potthoff but if it is Dave, I find it hard to believe that he cannot spell my name correctly and I also take some offense at that.

Steve said...

I stand by every post or comment I make. There is nothing slanderous in pointing out the actions and behavior of our elected officials.
My observations are not intended as personal insults. They are an accurate description of how business has been conducted in Peru for many years. Nobody knows this better than Dave Potthoff. If alderman Potthoff actually submitted the recent comment regarding this post, he should agree with me now as he has always agreed with me previously during our many conversations about the unethical behavior of our elected officials and local contractors and consultants.
Dave Potthoff knows it's wrong and he should not defend anyone who has participated in accepting gifts from people who do business with the city and are in a position to approve contracts and services from those providing the gifts.

Anonymous said...

Well, Mr. Potthoff, if that is indeed you (or whichever alderman it is) please heed your own words. Remember that not only aldermen, but citizens as well, become insulted and hurt by the treatment they are given. Many times it appears that some aldermen seem to think their above everyone else and smarter than everyone else. This mightier than thou attitude is disrespectful and not indicative of a good representative of the people.

Kristy Mrowicki said...

Apparently Alderman Potthoff had an impact with his comment because Steve altered his original post (I printed the original).