Monday, September 20, 2010
Should elected officials be attending the IML Convention on our dime?
We have six aldermen registered to attend the IML Covention this week. They are Mikyska, Ferrari, Mertel, Waldorf, Pothoff, and Wren. The aldermen approved expenses for themselves for the convention quite some time ago without any discussion before the vote passed unanimously. In the past they would all be given $500.00 up front and anything above and beyond the $500.00 was supposed to be submitted in the form of reciepts for approval afterward. Last year Mikyska was the only one to attend and his expenses totaled almost $1,000.00. With six of them going this year it is going to add up to a significant expense to the taxpayers of Peru.
My opinion is that no elected official should be attending this years convention unless they intend to travel up and back the same day. If they want to stay overnight they should pay their own lodging for themselves and their spouses. I can see the city paying the fee for the seminars plus expenses for mileage and a meal. Nothing more. This was an opportunity for these guys to show some restraint. Especailly after they were informed again at last weeks council meeting how they must "Cut Costs" because expenditures continue to exceed revenue. Hello! Instead they just use the opportunity to show those of us they know are watching that they will do what they want and we can't do anything to stop them. I think that depends on what they mean by "stopping them". We will see about that soon enough.
The unnecessary expenses of lodging and the Saturday Night Banquet at $100.00 per ticket with this years entertainment, an "Eagles" tribute band is not going to benefit Peru. How exciting is that? The Eagles! I understand we have some regular Eagles "groupies" among our aldermen and their spouses. I really hope they intend to use the entire occasion to learn something for the benefit of the city. Not just to take their wives to dinner and a concert.
At least the taxpayers of Peru "might" be getting a break on the cost of meals for city officials and guests on Friday evening. That's the night that Chamlin & Associates will be "wining and dining" our elected officials and spouses at Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant in Chicago. In years past when some of them would stay three or four nights, TEST, Inc. would also take their turn "entertaining" our elected officials at another downtown Chicago eatery. Cocktails included of course. That way the booze never shows up on a reciept submitted to the city for reimbursement that someone might file a FOIA request for. Get it? I will never understand why these guys continue to allow themselves to be exploited and so easily influenced. And so cheaply, too. But when all is said and done. Who do you think is really stuck with the check?
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16 comments:
Come on those of you who were opposed to Heidi and Stephanie driving up for 1 day. How do you feel about 6 aldermen and their wives attending for the weekend? Especially after they were just informed that without a sales tax increase we will really have to "tighten our belts". This quote was proposed by one of the aldermen who is signed up to attend the convention. Is this the way you want them to spend your tax dollar when we can't even meet payroll? (As an after thought - 3 of the aldermen are up for re-election).
Anonymous said...
I think they should man-up, and either not go, or pay their own way. Its nothing but a drinking, or shopping party for the women. I remember when a past chief of police, went, his wife used to tell us at coffee clatches, thats all they went for was the food.
1:47 PM, September 20, 2010
Is there no end to the hypocrisy that exists on the Peru City Council? They evidently believe that they are "entitled" regardless of cost to the taxpayers of this city. I guess they will party as the ship goes down.
I will take back all the comment if the aldermen decide to pay their own way and act like responsible city officials. Sure must be hard to break of the habits cultivated in the past years under the previous administration.
Thank you Steve for getting this all together.
"all the habits" correction
Look at the agenda for Wednesday's meeting. You'd never know that we need to watch our pennies. It's just spend, spend, spend.
In case your interested the increase of 1/2% sales tax is on Wednesday's agenda to be voted on.
Thanks and glad to see you are keeping track of it. I looked earlier in the evening and was very surprised because I don't remember it being brought up to vote on the tax after most of the aldermen seemed against it unless it was intended for a specific purpose.
Considering they have so many other expenditures to spend the tax payers money on, it seems almost appropriate to ask for more.
The new IVAC person was to meet with the LaSalle city council tonight and it will be interesting to see whether she has the same affect on them as she did on Peru. Like immediately we are paying them the 13,000 plus which is the cost to our city.
I think its a waste of money. We shouldn't be spending any money right now. The treasurer read the figures, of how bad are finances are. Why do the aldermen insist on spending more money at each meeting???
Conventions can offer a lot of new and different agendas and ideas from which attendees can learn and bring back to their cities. I would think there has been a list of seminars being given from which attendees can decide what would fit their Cities need. Does this mean 6 would have to attend - no, does this mean they have to remain overnight at our expense - no, but this does mean that if the taxpayers are funding whatever, the need has to be there and reports have to be made. Not I went, I saw, I had a great time and here's the bill.
Very well stated 9:01 a.m. I agree that educational seminars can be very beneficial. The need to send six individuals is very questionable as you point out. I look at like this. It all depends on the individual(s) who will be attending. Are they capable of learning and retaining the information provided at these seminars, and are they sharp enough to take what they learn and use it for the good of Peru? That is the question.
My opinion is that the majority of these elected officials who will be attending this convention(four of the six)are incapable of providing any real return on the expenses they will cost the taxpayers of Peru. I know thats harsh. But, I have never seen a single progressive thought or initiative put forth from the great majority of these aldermen that could convince me otherwise.
What we need is "Quality", not quantity.
Send 1 or 2. Those individuals come back with notes on each topic they went to a seminar on and distribute to all the other alderman. Many "good" organizations do this, it is efficient and effective. Maybe a summary of each seminar on how it benefits Peru and what they are going to use that information for to help Peru.
Since the convention is being held this week / week-end, can we assume to find out what was learned or what will be changed in the way we adminster our city business ?
What did Heidi or Stephanie bring back from the session and what will they do differently in their job ??????
Interesting to know what MY tax dollar has earned for ME and citizens of Peru.
I am not concerned about Heidi and Stephanie as they are both very conscientious city employees and are only going for the one day.
My personal concerns are for the 6 aldermen and I will withhold judgment until after I hear the reports they bring back after 2 days and nights in the windy city and the dollar amount it will cost the city. Probably could repair some more streets with the amount.
Fortunately for us, they have a meeting on Monday and it should all be fresh in their mind...we will see.
Hopefully not all 6 will go to the same meeting. There should be at least 6 different meetings attended and 6 different reports given (if not more)
I learned tonight that none of the LaSalle aldermen went to the IML convention on their cities dime. If they wanted to go they paid their own way.
4:39 p.m. - That would be the best and most efficient use of their time. Do you think they gathered together and poured over the schedule of seminars for an organized plan of attack in order to cover as many topics as possible? Because I don't have a very good feeling about that. It was either two or three years ago that at least one alderman turned in a reciept for admission (for two) to the Shedd Aquarium for re-imbursement. And Judy paid it. I'm pretty sure I still have that reciept, somewhere. I'll try to dig it out it so Lois can post it.
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