Thanks to the City for getting a much needed piece of street work done and that is the corner of 38th and Venture Drive. Very nice and a definite improvement. UC Paving did the work for $5,855.
I couldn't help but think that this was well spent money by the City in contrast to the $2,000 recently awarded to NCIC to apply for a grant for the swimming pool. Consider this: The cost of a new pool to Peru is approximately 4 million and maybe more. The Grant would cover 75% of 2.5 million and we would have to pay 25% of that amount if the grant were given to the city. But the caveat is that we have to pay the all of the 2.5 million and than be reimbursed for the 75%. 2.5 million would give us about half of the money and definitely not enough for the pool.
It makes more sense to use money that we have available and fix the roads even if it is only small areas as the 38th street project. We drive on these roads all year long, we only would use the pool for 70 days of the year.
Why do the aldermen continue to spend money on "dream" projects when we have "necessary" work that needs to be taken care?
22 comments:
Lois: They can't see how bad the roads are. I wish every alderman would drive the street in their wards, with a few citizens in the car with them. We are going to be in big trouble by next spring. I wish are aldermen, were more open to listening to the people. We don't need a pool, we need better roads. Thank You!g
Thank Mayor Harl for the direction given to the Aldermen..
Lois, I too just cannot understand the train of thought our aldermen are following when it comes to the pool. If I've understood things, even if we were awarded the grant, we'd still have to come up with the money and then be reimbursed. I thought we were hurting for money and were supposed to tighten our belts. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but 75% of 2.5 million wouldn't cover even the simplest of pools. Why can't our aldermen just put it to rest until we get back on our feet and concentrate their efforts on fixing our infrastucture and roads?
Thank You Mayor Harl.
You have succeded AGAIN to allow a business to leave Peru (Lays Furniture) and with it tax revenue that the city BADLY needs.
Again your policies (wanting to raise sales taxes) is driving business out of Peru. I guess the Mayor wants to be a mayor of city without businesses. Frivolous decisions and spending money recklessly will not get you re-elected.
How does that make sense?
The Manager of Lays is retiring.
The sales tax wasn't raised ANON 9:31. What are you talking about?
9:50AM this is the daily ritual of 9:31AM, he must bash Mayor Harl on a daily basis. Usually doesn't make sense but I guess it makes the individual feel better. Some days are worse than others.
9:31 a.m. - Please explain how it was that Mayor Harl allowed a business to leave Peru. You should at least provide an explanation.
Also, please share with us your take on the the unanimous decision of the aldermen to attend a convention in Chicago at taxpayer expense.
Total cost will be approx. $7,000.
Ya I would say that is a bit hypocritical by the alderman. They can't fix our roads nad other infrastructeres, but yet they can go to this "pat on the back convention". Please don't say this is beneficial for the city, when have the alderman ever brought back ideas from this and implemented them! Another thing if they want to save money, cut the leaf machines out. People can get along without them for one year. What did they do before the leaves were picked up by the city, do the same! Maybe more people will buy bags and bring in a little revenue? jhust an idea.
Anon 9/25/10 9:31 AM
#1 How do you make sense? You have done well to use the proper word sense rather than scents or cents.
#2 Are you so stupid you actually believe the Mayor can allow or disallow a business to close or are you so deceitful that you are making an effort to convince the readers of the blog that the Mayor has this power?
#3 No one wants to raise sales taxes just to do it. What they want is to pay the bills and have progress.
#4 You state that "I guess the Mayor wants to be a mayor of a city without business". Is this why he has created a city volunteer position - Director of Community Development and also has Peru as a member of IVAC. I also add that the Director of Community Development is a non paying position occupied by a qualified volunteer.
#5 You state that "Frivolous decisions and spending money recklessly will not get you re-elected" Frivolous decisions nor spending money have been characteristics of this administration.
In closing "Peru Town Forum - In the Illinois Valley" you state "you are welcome to agree or disagree but please do it in a manner that is respectful to those who are reading this blog and contributing there ideas and/or searching for solutions.
Please follow your guidelines positing comments such as Anon 9:31's are a waste of time and space. CENSURE, CENSURE, CENSURE
Blog is doing a great job but please expell some of the foolishness.
Thank You
The aldermen are a selfish lot.
10:26 AM
I want you to know that I delete many of the comments that are similar in nature and absolutely insulting to any thinking person.
Every once in awhile, I let one on to show my readers the mentality of some of the people here in Peru that could possibly believe what they are trying to get posted and spread their own agenda.
Insulting to the "thinking person"? Do any of you really think this blog is productive?? It seems to me that all it is is a bunch of negative people crabbing about anything and everything. Have any of you taken out a petition for an alderman seat? I dare any of you to try and do what they do when there are certain people in this community who are not happy unless the are complaining!
BTW, I will be very surprised if my comments make it on your blog Lois, since you delete the ones you want to.
Unless you are the individual who wrote the posts I deleted you do not know what they said. And if you are that person who did you really need to tone down your comments because if not I will continue to put them in the wastebasket or in computer lingo in the trash.
If I know that people will be offended and they add NOTHING to our discussion, into the trash they go.
Three sitting aldermen have taken out petitions and 3 other individuals who are not current aldermen have also taken out petitions.
I do believe the blog is productive and if you don't then go away.
How can anything be considered productive when it is consistently negative? Maybe there are some of the alderman who are not doing there job, but I believe the majority of them are doing the best that they can. As for them using tax payer money to go to a seminar. Give me a break. Does anybody out there pay for a work seminar out of their own pocket? I certainly don't for the company I work for. The company pays for it. Is it okay then that the Peru library gave raises with the taxpayers money? In this economy?? A town like Peru needs to pay $500,000.00 to a library? Now they want more. Where is your negative comments about that?
Most companies are private enterprises and they don't receive tax money. You do know that taxpayers put money into the city and the way it which the city spends that money should be done wisely and not for entertainment. Wait until the bills are submitted then we will know what we all will be paying for.
The IML and the Library are 2 separate situations and should be discussed on different levels. BTW I am waiting for the reports from the convention.
Anon 10:35pm YOUR ARE CORRECT.
Lois 8:17am You are having a problem on this blog when folks provide comparisons of different situations and calling them "a different subject".
Terrible to have a single focused, tunnel vision..
10:35 p.m. - You make an interesting point about the question, are the majority of the aldermen doing their job? Or as you put it, you believe they are doing the best they can. It may seem obvious, but I think we have to ask ourselves if we really understand what exactly is the job of the aldermen? And, what exactly is the job of the Mayor?. You will likely get many differing opinions on that simple question.
The Library did not ask for more money. I believe the assessed valuation increased slightly and so the Library tax increased as well.
ANON 10:35 Leave the Library out of the issue when comparing to the aldermen going to a convention that we know in the past has been an entertaining venue for them. Grow up. I don't know where you got your information about the library giving raises but so what if they finally did. For many years they got nothing because they had no money. Compare their wages to the girls who work in the clerk's office - not even close! Leave the library out of the equation and address the issue - the convention. Were any reports given at last night's meeting? I haven't heard a thing on the radio yet.
10:35AM
Certainly most private companies pay for the seminar, convention or whatever but they also expect something back in return. You don't just go, the company says "have a good time" and nothing is ever mentioned again.
We the taxpayers are the employers so to speak and we expect to know what information they got from the meetings they attended and how that information can now be used to improve the city of Peru.
When are we going to get over the library and move on?
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