"Motion to implement a temporary (duration to fund the project) $5.00 municipal pool fee on all utility bills subject to approval and acceptance of a PARC grant.
Also a Motion to donate $500 to the Illinois Valley Fine Arts Trust.
I attended last weeks finance meeting and don't recall either of those topics being approved to come before the council on Monday evening. Isn't that the purpose of having finance meetings to approve items that the full council needs to vote upon.
I think the Peru residents need to find out their legal standing regarding whether or not they are obligated to pay the extra money. Can we declare it is a hardship and maybe the Peru Twp. can pay our portion? As is stands today, I have no inention of paying the unnecessary fee.
Will someone please inform us what the Illinois Valley Fine Arts Trust is and why we are donating that large sum of money to them?
My family and most families I know have to live within a budget. Why doesn't the city of Peru? City debt is basically the same as earlier posted but yet the city continues to ignore that and when money is wanted, what do they do but add another fee onto the overburdoned taxpayer.
19 comments:
Surely this can't be true and even if it is surely Mayor Harl will still refuse to sign the grant application = won't he? The grant specifically states that 100% of the funds need to be available at the completion of the project. Have we gone out, applied for, and been approved for a roughly $4 million loan? Are we even attempting to alleviate any of our $40 million debt? I have heard nothing along these lines. All I see and hear is spend, spend, spend money we apparently don't have. I don't get it.
I will stand with you Lois, My husband and I will not pay the $5.00 fee. We are on a fixed income. We have had no raise from Social Security this past year, and do not plan to get one this year. Its time these Aldermen get with the public and see if they want a pool. I'll bet they won't put it to a vote, because they know what the answer would be. NO NO NO NO NO
This should be strictly voluntary. If "all" the citizens want a pool then I guess there will be plenty of people willing to pay this monthly fee. I on the other hand am not. There are alot of things I'd like to have too but guess what, can't afford it. Someone please explain where the IDNR is coming up with this money to reimburse us since the state is so broke it's pathetic. They're closing parks because they can't afford to staff and operate them but by all means lets pay millions for a pool so the kids in Peru can swim outside for 3 months out of the year. I thought I'd heard it all....guess not
Plan on attending Monday's council meeting if you're at all interested in this topic. Then, you can express your desires to your aldermen and you can see how they respond. At times it's unbelievable.
Lois pay careful attention to the article in today's News Trib under the Best of the Blog on page A7. It is about the new Freedom of Information Act that took effect Jan. 1 . Interesting read, especially the last paragraph. Maybe you can put the article on your blog. Thank you.
It's hard to believe that the people on this blog are so uncaring for a child that may only have parks and a city pool for recreation in the summer. It makes me sad to think there are people that would take this away from a child for 5.00 a month. Where is your compassion?If you lived in thie city for any part of the least 80 years with the exclusion of 1 year you and your children have had the pool. I understand that the some within the city claim that "the city is broke" but if we can't find the money for basic recreation why have a city at all. I know we should fix the roads, sidewalks, etc. The city needs to watch their spending but to have such a fight over a city pool that is needed for your children and grand children for $5.00 a month is a very sad comentary on the people that live in Peru and have commented above.
11:20 AM
There are many people in this town who honestly cannot afford that amount. You do have a pool in this town, it is called the YMCA, join and enjoy all the benefits of a pool that was donated through the generosity of the Link Family who gave them 9 Million.
Next summer, go to LaSalle, they have a lovely and paid for pool. No one is uncaring just practical and old enough to know we can not have eveything we want. The list of things I do longer do or buy is getting longer every day as the economy worsens.
Start listening to the news and be aware of the world as it is today.
Can I join the YMCA for $5 a month?
11:20 AM
I am one of the people on this blog and believe you me no one cares more for children than I do. How dare you insinuate that someone is uncaring just because they cannot afford to pay for a pool. Why does your child have to swim in Peru? Why can't they have just as much fun in a pool in La Salle, Spring Valley, or the YMCA? Why weren't you angry with our former Mayor and Council (same 8 aldermen) when they decided a new City Hall was more important than taking care of a very old and dilapidated swimming pool? These are hard economic times and funds are empty. Is a pool really a must in your child's life? If so, maybe you could put one in your back yard is you can't travel all the way to La Salle or Spring Valley.
"if" you can't travel (sorry typo)
3:32PM
I don't know if you can join for $5 dollars a month, ask the Director. After all you are asking all the residents of Peru to contribute their $5 per month. Depending upon the age of your child, with a new pool, the minimum fee would likely be $1.00 each time you go plus your $5 monthly fee.
Peru's credit card is pretty much maxed out and there is no easy answer.
Has anyone discovered what the Illinois Valley Fine Arts Trust is and why we would be donating $500 to it? I believe we only gave $300 to project Santa which sends Xmas stockings to our service men overseas (a very worthy cause in my opinion).
The subject of this part of the blog has to do with a "$5.00 MUNICIPAL POOL FEE ON UTILITY BILL ON THE HORIZON". This subject is a major concern which I staunchly object too.
Another concern is the CITY DONATING TAX FUNDS! I pay taxes to maintain the City of Peru, not for the finance committee and city council to designate to whom and how much they want to give away. THIS IS NOT THEIR MONEY TO DONATE! If I want to donate to some group or charity I'll do so myself. If a city council member wants to donate to some group or charity they should use their own funds - not city money. The same goes for advertising with their name and ward listed. If they want to campaign let them pay for it on their own. The best money you can spend in the future for Peru, Illinois is for the gas you use on the way to the polls this coming April! Until then lets stop all spending.
Wouldn't it be great if these aldermen would leave office with Peru in the same financial condition as when they came into office?
Lois, in the column elections in Peru April 2011, could you please list the names of prospective candidates who have taken out petitions as well as the incumbents? Thank You
2:54PM
As of today, these are the people who have picked up petitions.
First Ward:
Jamie Mertel (incumbent)
Mike Radtke
Jeff Ballard
Donald Baker Jr
Second Ward: (no incumbent running)
Robert Borostowski
Rodney Perez
Timothy Freed
James Hurst
Third Ward:
David Waldorf (incumbent)
Mary Landsiedel
Joseph Witczak
Fourth Ward
David Potthoff (incumbent)
Steve Weberski
There is still time for others to take out petitions before the first week of December.
When I verify how long the incumbents have served and add that.
Lois,You do not have to verify how long the incumbents have served, I'll do it for you. All of them have served the same amount of time - too long.
Does anyone feel like all these complaints are falling on deaf ears? Perhaps it is time to ask for legal counsel - after all (I believe) there was a city in California where the city council and manager were getting paid huge sums of money and doing what they darn well pleased. Well Peru aldermen are getting paid well for doing what they darn well please. And, it has about bankrupt the City. Yes, we can vote them out and we should! But, can we afford to wait until 2011. At this rate of spending it will be too late. We will be in so deep - no one would want the job of alderman. Legal counsel is needed to protect the citizens of Peru from this aldermen and to also hold them accountable.
We have a GREAT aldermanic team and we NEED to retain ALL of them. Don't be dumb folks , look around and count your blessings. No one can appreciate what they have until they change to an unknown. People were critical of Mr. Clinton and so Look what we got from Bush, from surplus to deficits, two wars , many killed, unemployment, bank solvency, etc etc..
Kristy, You don't know what you are talking about. I mean you 7:10.
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