Considering, that as far as I know the problems at the service persist. Has Director Mark Roberson downsized the service? Has he arranged schedules for reduced travel? Have he and the Board of Directors planned for the future? Remember we do have one Board Member who will be leaving after April 5, which is really only a short time away. Since we are now all aware of the rules by which the service is governed, will Ald. Ankiewicz be choosing the replacement?
All questions that the people of Peru and Dimmick deserve to have answers to.
I also understand that a complaint has been made to the Illinois Department of Public Health about a recent change in policy.
22 comments:
Will this mystery every be resolved? If there is questionable behavior and ethics involved (and I believe there is) then someone needs to take the initiative to protect our lives. This is a life saving organization run by a board of aldermen? Doesn't make any sense to me! The politics needs to be left behind, egos need to be shelved, and the future of PVAS needs to be seriously investigated, revamped, and run by qualified medical personnel.
Has anyone seen the new for sale sign located on the corner of Shooting Park and 251? If I recall correctly this is the same corner that was mentioned at a council meeting some time back. I also recall reading where the signs were mysteriously taken down the next day. This is a big, big sign that reportedly has been sacreted into the ground. Signs that were taken down in the past were advertising or announcing fund raising events. I think rules need to be established and enforced regarding the usage of that corner for signs.
From what I understand Aldermen Ankiewicz and Mikyska will choose O'Beirne's replacement. I wonder who, or if anyone, can change the rules regarding this life saving organization. It sure seems as though it needs to be re-organized. Does anyone know who is the backbone to PVAS?
Subject - Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service
Who owns it? Is it privately owned or city owned? If it is owned by the City of Peru why is not a Peru City Aldermen Committee Chairman & Members established and a report made at City Council meetings i.e. as done for the airport? If it is privately owned why is the city sponsoring it with a monthly contribution of $4,000 per month?
If a individual prefers to call a competitor of PVAS rather than PVAS they can do such can"t they? If it is privately owned what business of the cities is it to who is on their board or how they run their private business as long as it is legal and follows all standards and codes of their profession?
The citizens of the entire country cannot afford for government to expand its ownership into private business or increase its amount of gov't employees with the huge wages, benefits and pensions of gov't workers. If you don"t believe they are huge compare them to private industry.
all standards and codes of their profession?
1:13PM
Is it privately owned? NO
Is it owned by the City of Peru? NO
It is considered a not for profit organization.
I don't believe you can at present call a competitor. One of those territory things, I believe. La Salle will now take care of its own city, Peru will continue to be in the hands of PVAS. Oglesby has their own Ambulance service as does Bureau Cty.
What at one time was a well run organization has deteriorated to what we have today. The fact that La Salle chose to leave should be a clue to everyone.
Hey self proclaimed "Leader of the Illinois Valley" as a individual who moved away from Peru many years ago I have to say you should have taken several periodic time outs from time to time. Congratulations to your present Mayor and City Treasurer for realizing that your city has some major problems and encountering them.
This problem with PVAS needs to be addressed by someone and right away. It's a public safety issue and peoples lives are at stake. Because Peru aldermen make up the board and because we subsidized PVAS we need to take steps to protect Peru residents safety. Enough is enough! Someone please take charge!
ANON 1:13
Even though Peru does not own PVAS, alderman Mertel does give a report each month regarding the number of calls made. His report apparently is submitted by Mr. Roberson.
The mayor needs to take charge of the situation if no one else is willing or able. This is a public safety issue and should be given top priority.
How many interested citizens are normally at a PVAS meeting? I have never been at one. Would someone who has been at several of the meetings enlighten all of us to the true status of PVAS.
The Mayor position is not the role of the local garbage can to take charge of this situation, any situation, or all situations that no one else is willing or able. The Mayor position also has defined responsibilities.
I can't speak from experience but I would assume the number of citizens attending PVAS meetings is virtually zero. Who knows when they meet, where, and what time?
Who knows when they meet,where, and what time is nothing but a feeble excuse for not attending a meeting. By now everyone who has any interest in PVAS knows who the three board members are to contact or owns a telephone directory to find out their phone number. You could also call the Peru City Clerk for info. No wonder Peru is in such dire straits, it seems you Peruvians have to be spoon fed. Wish you luck in your upcoming election, or do you want to stay status quo?
ANON 10:23 I don't think that attending PVAS meetings would give you a better understanding of its status. Rumor has it that even the employees aren't quite sure what their status is today and in the future
You our so right the employees don't no, and again your right someone needs to do something about all of this. But what you are so wrong in is the fact that Peru has some of the best paramedics and emt's in the Illinois valley area and life safety is not a issue at this point but with poor management you never no what might happen. Mr Roberson's poor decisions is putting the crews at risk and could lead to people leaving or worse yet just walking off the job. You will gain nothing from going to a meeting as the information for that night would not be discussed or only parts of it.
ANON 6:48 Yes life safety is an issue. As you stated the crews are becoming unhappy with the leadership and should they walk off life safety becomes an issue.
I'm pretty sure PVAS meetings aren't open to the public because they are a non for profit corporation . Which is what everyone found out when the firefighters in Peru switched to city employees . Liberty Fire Co. is the same thing , a non profit corp. , so their business meetings are closed to the public . In those meetings those members decide the day to day operations , schedule fundraising activities , decide what they need from the city , and they elect their own President and Board to run their business . However when they became city employees they are now basically an assosiation like LaSalle Firefighters Association , and the Mayor appoints the Chief . No service was changed , and the members still hop on the trucks when the bell rings and do their jobs . This was a change that was needed to improve their situation and give their families security. Why can't this work with the now PVAS ?? Let the city take it over and appoint the EMS Chief and PVAS will become like the now Liberty Fire and LaSalle Firemens Association . They can elect their own President ,etc to run the day to day business and do fundraising like they do now to offset the cost of equipment ,etc needed to provide the care expected of the citizens of Peru . They can make their own by-laws and rules and work with the city instead of fighting with them . Let's get this figured out . The talk of the fire department taking it over won't work . They're busting at the seams now , they cant take on the ambulance service . Also we found out that some emergency responders weren't eligible for the federal death benefit because they worked for a non profit organization , that is why we were told Peru firefighters went to city employees . Are PVAS employees eligible for this death benefit now , maybe they should switch to city employees if they aren't. It would be a sad day if something happens to one of them and their families aren't taken care of because of a technicallity ! Enough talk , the City and PVAS need to talk and figure this out !!
9:09AM
Thank you for the very informative post and well thought out ideas.
The only thing I can add is that I did ask Ald. Mikyska whether the public could attend a PVAS Board Meeting, he hesitated and said yes and gave me the time and days they occur which coincides with the Monday Peru City Council Meetings. Time is 4 PM.
I'm sure it was a question he had never been asked before and he could have been wrong as I have never had the time to try to attend but wish someone would.
Presently the city should be allowed to take care of city problems before people endeavor looking for problems which they are not sure are even the cities.
I don't think the city needs to add any additional employees. TO explain my reason would someone who knows the average cost of a Peru city employee - benefits ( insurance, vacations, pension, etc.) and wages please submit this info to the blog. Their has to be a reason that private industry has been outsourcing the last 30 years rather than adding to their workforce. My pocketbook is busting at the seams also and more taxes will rip it apart.
Social Security is increasing in numbers at its greatest rate in history and with the baby boomers now starting to participate the increase will go on for years. Social Security did not increase in pay last year or this year and it probably will not increase next year. High unemployment, increased social security participation, frozen social security wages, increased cost of living etc. are indicators that we need less taxes not more.
PVAS might be a very good example of government outsourcing a service rather than adding additional city expenditures.
11:52AM
I understand your reasoning but what happens when the outsourced service is incompetently managed and that in turn affects possibly every single resident in the city. Do we need to wait for a casualty to do something?
If we are free to call another ambulance service than let PVAS sink or swim on its own. But are we?
This life saving service has been under scrutiny for quite some time. It seems as though it's leadership is the big problem but nobody seems to know how or what to do to fix it. Apparently our 3 aldermen, who comprise it's board, are in complete charge. Why won't they fix the problem before someone loses their life because of poor leadership?
Fire , police , and ambulance services are very territorial . Meaning you can't call your neighboring towns service to come help you . They will call your respective town and give them the information . And also the city of Peru took on no additional costs for having the paid on call firefighters become part-time city employees . They get no benefits at all from the city . They were already covered on the cities work comp . Now that is a dedicated community member that gets no benefits but still wants to do their job . The city can take the ambulance also , the same as the fire , and incur no additional costs if pvas stays as an association and helps with fundraising . And i'm sure the PVAS members would do that also , just because they only want to do their jobs and help others .
1:03 PM How many times have you bought the Brooklyn Bridge? As time passes on everything changes, sometimes not for the better.
If you are so sure of what is to happen in the future, support the PVAS to your pleasure and hearts content. Just leave my money alone I'm fully capable of spending it the way I want.
No more taxes! If the City of Peru did not support the PVAS with $4,0000 per month could it survive? If ambulance services are very territorial meaning you can't call a neighboring town service maybe PVAS should dissolve and we could join with LaSalle as LaSalle co-operated with Peru for so many years.
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