“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

Monday, December 20, 2010

Peru EMS Service Oct 2010 N.T.

Article has been removed at the request of the News Tribune LaSalle IL........ Sorry about the wrinkles and creases but as I was going through old papers I found this and wondered if it answered some of the questions people have.

14 comments:

Steve said...

Dr. Calderon is the textbook example of the type of professional person who should be on the Board of Directors of PVAS. In addition to a professional from the medical community it would also be beneficial to have a board member from the community with a financial background. If PVAS had a qualified and knowledgeable Board of Directors it is quite likely there would be no need for a taxpayer subsidy. At the city council meeting last night our aldermen voted to continue to provide for the "bail-out" of PVAS for $4,000 per month and into the forseeable future.

Anonymous said...

Why has this knowledge been kept under lock and key? It just seems to me that this organization is running helter skelter and that there is a lack of qualified leadership and management. It's another part of Peru, from the past, that results in a great deal of unanswered questions.

Anonymous said...

All questions have been answered with a 5-0 with 3 abstaining because of being They board of directors of PVAS.

Anonymous said...

They abstained, but don't they all usually vote the same, whether something is right or wrong? Like the 3 musketeers, all for one and one for all. I'm glad we have somebody running in each ward for the next election. We need change.

Anonymous said...

What was your mayor doing during the meeting? Has he given any thoughts or direction? Nice photo of Dr.Calderon. He would be a nice addition. Should we post a photo of other prominent potential Board managers? Is Sarah Pallin available or maybe Dr.OZ? The city council had another option, not to pay the money and leave the residents without a professional service. I agree with the council we need a ambulance service. Its a small price to pay for lives as one alderman stated.

Peru Town Forum said...

10:32 AM

I believe you know that the Mayor is to preside over the meetings. At present there is a lot going on regarding the ambulance service that is only in a "talking stage". For your information I only posted the photo because the article contained information that people have only whispered about and it had not been made public, regarding PVAS. It is important for people to know there is a qualified medical person involved. How many times do we have to stress that the emts are doing there job it is the management that is not.

Steve said...

To 10:32 a.m. - FYI, the mayor and others, including the Fire Chief and the Chief of Police have attempted to provide the aldermen with alternatives to the way the current ambulance service operates. They have researched operations in nearby communities and were ready to make a detailed presentation to the council when they were informed by Alderman Mikyska that "this council is not interested in hearing any other options". That is the kind of arrogant and narrow-minded attitude that these aldermen govern with. Don't even attempt to suggest that anyone ever said we should not have an ambulance service available in Peru. What we need is a "well run" service that supports itself. That's all.
The city council has many more options than you suggest. The problem is they are unable to accept that their methods are outdated and inefficient, and the taxpayers of Peru are forced to subsidize a poorly run service. We can do much better and with new aldermen on the horizon, we will do better.

Anonymous said...

Are you serious Steve? Alderman Mikyska said "this council is not interested in hearing any other options"? The reason I'm addressing that comment is that I ran across the same response when suggestions were presented at a finance meeting to change the fireworks agenda. They (the aldermen) didn't even want to listen or hear any alternate methods.

linda said...

Steve: Did Mikyska make that comment at Monday night's meeting?

Steve said...

Linda & 9:44 a.m. - Not at Mondays meeting. It was about three weeks ago and not during open meeting. Alderman Mikyska made that comment to Fire Chief Jeff King as Chief King was about to provide council members a presentation on alternative methods of operating an ambulance service. Chief King put a great deal of personal time and effort into researching possible alternatives for the city. This presentation was to take place during a closed session of council members which had been called to discuss PVAS issues.
In addition to Alderman Mikyska's short sighted views, Alderman Ankiewicz has been obstructing any possible progress by instructing PVAS employees that they should not be providing any information or records to Chief King or anybody else regarding the ambulance service.

Peru Town Forum said...

I want to know what Ald. Mikyska and Ankiewicz have to hide. Why will they not bring this up for public discussion?
Who is directing them and who are they protecting? Are they receiving any compensation for being on the Board?
What qualification do they have for sitting on the Board other than being obtructionists?
Tax payer dollars are helping to support a poorly run service and WE don't have a right to know what is going on. This smells to the high heavens.

Steve said...

Lois - I asked Alderman Mikyska at Monday's council meeting if any of the aldermen on the PVAS Board of Directors are compensated in any way. He responded, "No".

Anonymous said...

My first response to this news is what are they hiding? Why not let the public and the full council hear Mr. King's proposals? Let everyone hear all the possible solutions to this obvious problem. It's been a mystery far too long yet are tax dollars subsidize it? Too many unanswered questions regarding PVAS and it's structure and leadership. Let the citizens hear their options and maybe even put it to vote if necessary.

Anonymous said...

PVAS is a non profit corporation that is in no way owned or operated by the City of Peru.

Somewhere in the distant past it was decided that their board of directors would be made up of Elected Peru officials. This does not make it a city department or city owned or city run. It is a contractor just like Test and Chamlin and any other contractor hired by the city to perform a service. The price of this service is $4000 per month. It is called a per capita charge and is based on the number of residents. Dimmick and Peru townships and the city of LaSalle are also charged per capita charges for their coverage. This charge allows the service to charge lower rates for residents than they do for non residents. If you check 10-33 as well as most of the other non municipalty owned services have this same policy. 10-33 for instance charges a yearly per capita for every town, village and township it serves. Their board is made up of one representive appointed by the head of each of the government entites served.

The members of PVAS would welcome a board made up of medical professionals as opposed to what they have been saddled with for years.

The board of PVAS meets every other Monday @ 4:00 pm at the ambulance building. Same night as the councils meets.