“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

Wednesday, April 06, 2011

This Picture Speaks More Than Words

This was removed at the request of the LaSalle New Tribune as they believe it is an infringement upon their ownership of the article.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

With this posting, IT REALLY BITES YOU, LOIS, to see progressive aldermen and the mayor who had moved this city forward ...

What has Mayor Harl done for you lately ??????

J said...

This picture was unsettling to me, too. Settle down 2:33, this picture speaks volumes. I'm looking forward to moving forward with some new voices on the council.

Anonymous said...

Alderman Potthoff's comments also unsettling to me. Since when is an aldermanic election Democratic or Republican and what does he mean when he states he had to face strong forces from the Mayor. Goes to show you how respectful our aldermen are.

Anonymous said...

Mary - thank you for being a strong candidate in your ward. For being a newcomer to the area and Peru politics, it looks to me as if you did PRETTY DAMN GOOD against the current alderman. That tells a lot more to the story in my opinion.
Steve - what can I say. Very surprised of the outcome. Seems so opposite of what we heard in the community. So close. Also, you did a fantastic job against a commonly recognized name in the Illinois Valley. We are ready for the next challenge. Just tell us where and when.

Anonymous said...

OMG, it just dawned on me. I have to hear the words CEO for another 4 years. Puke!

Anonymous said...

to me that picture was very comforting, i think it is great that the former mayor was there congratulating his former councilmen. he is a private citizen now, those after parties are for friends, congrats to both daves' couldn't have been a better turn out.

Peru Town Forum said...

To the person whose nasty post I just deleted, you should know that Mr Mertel will be considered an elected official of the city of Peru until his successor Mike Radtke officially takes the oath of office in May. Please do me a favor and don't bother us with you nonsense, I'm getting tired of it.

Anonymous said...

7:24 A person with real class would have congratulated all candidates not just the incumbents. Also, you should know that the former mayor did not even know Waldorf's name when he was his councilman. Just food for thought.

Peru Town Forum said...

7:24PM

Remember at the last election none of the elected council members congratulated the new Mayor on his victory either. Is this correct? Do they need a class in proper political etiquette?

Anonymous said...

I believe Potthoff comments were in reference to those who believe that the strategy to reach out to parties for votes was not appropriate. That was used against him and others. He was stating the case that the Alderman position is about Peru and serving residents not party affiliations, unions or mayors. I have heard him say the same quote for many years. I dnt believe he has problems with any parties and believe many of his family members were leading Democrats.

Steve said...

To 11:06 - Alderman Potthoff's comments were in reference to organizations and individuals who he beleived were not in support of his re-election. He seemed to be looking for sympathy by claiming he had been picked on by these groups. As a candidate you reach out for support in every direction. You develop supporters and you eventually identify those working against you. It's campaign politics and that's just the way it always plays out.
Dave is entitled to say whatever he chooses after a successful re-election campaign and he chose to identify the forces he felt he had to overcome. That's fine.
I could complain about those that actively worked to deny me an opportunity to serve as an alderman. It would be easy enough to do. I know who they are and I understand their motivation. They worked very hard to keep Dave Potthoff in office and to keep me out. I have no problem with any group, business or individual who wants to work for or against me as a candidate as long as it's done honestly and without distorting my position and platform.
I'm not going to complain about those who worked against me. I'm going to re-group and come back stronger and better prepared in order to overcome the opposition.

My opinion has always been that party politics has no role to play in local government. That does not mean that those groups will not attempt to influence voters in an election. Of course they will. Local democrats and local republicans played a minor role in this campaign for a few candidates. It's now the responsibility of the aldermen who were elected to remind the local republican and democratic leadership to "back off".

It's time to work together.

Peru Town Forum said...

I would like to know if the former mayor also sent congratulations to the two new members of the Peru City Council? Does anyone know? I would hope so if he is really concerned about the city of Peru going forward.

Anonymous said...

I don't believe the current Mayor congratulated any outgoing candidates for their service. Or did he congratulate the new and reelected officials? Sounds to me like Steve is whinning about those that he slammed for years. Distorting positions!! Wow... your playing a honesty card?

Anonymous said...

Nothing against you Steve, but the city is in good hands with Potthoff.

Peru Town Forum said...

9:36 AM

The outgoing candidates are not gone yet and I am sure they will be thanked at their last city council meetings.
Yes he did congratulate the new members and as far as the re elected candidates, I believe he treated them just as they treated him when he was elected 2 years ago. Seems right to me.
No one has told me whether the previous mayor made the extra effort to congratulate the new members. Guess I will have to ask them myself and get back to you.
I do have a question about some members running for re election and their election financing. If done legally it will have to be reported according to campaign financing laws, sure hope all was right and I am wrong.

Anonymous said...

Steve..8:49am...name names..they do!

Steve said...

9:36 a.m. - Huh?

11:00 a.m. - No offense taken. I am well aware that Dave Potthoff is a very capable alderman. That said, there are always other ways to approach issues and problems and other people equally capable.

12:59 a.m. - I see no reason to give them any recognition at this time. In fact, I think they prefer to creep around in the shadows. It's just seems to be how they operate.

Anonymous said...

11:00 Do you really think so? What new ideas and suggestions have our sitting 8 aldermen put on the table to get our city out of the mess we are in?? Some of them do not even believe we are in debt. The head of our streets and curb program reads his report and where he gets it we don't know because there are no meetings. We are allowing a dog pull without any rules or regulations established and signed for. I don't know what kind of checks and balance system we use in our finance reports because no bills are presented and very seldom are any questions posed regarding expenses. Also, I have not heard any suggestions from our aldermen as to how we could save money (such as limiting the meetings to a maximum of 2/week). Most of our meetings seem to be debates or arguments amongst themselves and often times against the mayor.

Anonymous said...

Wow...this whole thread with the pic and comment just made me have flashbacks to another woman with a blog for Peru! Definitely a bit over the top.

Anyways!

Sorry Steve, I will honestly say that I voted for Dave. I will say that it was a tough decision and what it came down to was that I see Dave spending money with the business that I work with and that was what made my decision for me. I will always gravitate more towards people that spend locally. Let me clarify that a bit by saying locally owned.

I was one of those people that kept trying to vote down the money for Peru schools simply because they were spending the money elsewhere. Engineer from Naperville, Contractor from I don't remember where, computers from Dell, and now who is building a VERY expensive garage for them?

See my point?

Peru Town Forum said...

4:48PM
It really would have helped the blog readers understand what Dave is buying from you that Steve is not. Does it involve Y purchasing, is it food from a grocery or pencils from an office supply. Its hard to support your decision if we don't have a clue as to what you are talking about.
Vissering from Streator was the contractor for the school, I believe.
The school probably got a good deal from Dell and purchased direct from them. Most of us don't live near the school and don't keep track of it.
Please expand on your thoughts.

Anonymous said...

Who is building the expensive garage at the school? Was it in the newspaper after the last school board meeting?

Anonymous said...

Twenty million on a new school and now they have to build a garage. What is going in the new garage and why wasn't it built along with the school?

Anonymous said...

Didn't Don Baker work with Dave Potthoff for 18 years? Dave Waldorf for 2? This is a man who gave over 40 years to the city and is treated, as Steve would say, as the turd in the punch bowl by the new regime. How would he know Rodney Perez? Did Mike Radtke ask for his support? We don't know, never will and it's none of our business. You post a picture and the lies and innuendos start. Leave the man alone and start wondering why the Newstrib only focused articles and pictures that invoked negativity. Until the newspaper and this blog stop the bs nothing possitive will get done regardless of who is elected/re-elected.

Peru Town Forum said...

11:35 PM
This man you refer to has kept his fingers in the mix through several aldermen and most people in Peru know it. If he had graciously retired this would not even be commented on and I certainly would not have printed the picture because most likely it would not even exist. When he was mayor, he did not even know Mr Waldorf's name and he would have to ask someone sitting near him for his name during council meetings. And now they are bosom buddies. Give me a break.

One scenerio we all remember is when he came to a city council meeting when the gen sets were going to be sold. He spoke and said we were not getting a good price and all the aldermen who served during his last years as mayor did exactly what he wanted and voted not to sell. So we spent more money to determine how bad they were and put them up for sale again and yes they sold for less. He never came to another meeting at least not at the council chambers but frequently met with some of the members elsewhere. NO BS HERE, only the truth.

Anonymous said...

Erronious on all counts. The truth as you see it. Remember the "Team Harl" photo from last election? The bs is flowing at the Newstrib and on this blog. Keep it up and two years from now will be a photo of Don Baker congratulating the new mayor.

Anonymous said...

Lois@7:43

So but I would prefer not to say where I work but I can clarify my thoughts a little bit.

To me a person running for any elected office should do his or her best to buy from locally owned businesses. Whether it's hardware from Debo's, lumber from Maze or Builders Choice, family pics from local photographers etc...

Plain and simple, I see Dave in Debo's and other locally owned businesses where as I never see Steve in them. (I don't work for Debo's but that seems to be the most popular place to mention)


Here's a fact for you all to see why I think the way that I do.
Sales to Walmart is 11% of China's entire economy.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:48 Who brought Walmart to Peru and who was in office when they built their new store up North?

Anonymous said...

ask what kickback, debos got all the years mayor baker and his superintendt, bought all their products from them. even bought from complete industrial and put the bill through debos.

Peru Town Forum said...

8:48PM
I am not a Walmart fan and could get along without them just fine especially since they moved into the super size store. Debo's has been a family owned business for so many years but their business suffered when the developments happened north of Peru and we are all aware of when it happened and by whom but due to our location, it may have been inevitable and we are getting a nice chunk of sales tax.
At one time Peru had nice small town retail stores in their downtown and I enjoyed shopping there. Remember when it had 2 drugstores, a jewelry store, women, childrens and mens clothing and even a bank and a Ben Franklins and prior to that Links "dime store". Our Main Street now looks like a ghost town except for a few businesses, even Maud Powell is looking lonely these days.

Peru Town Forum said...

8:48PM
Give me a clue what retail businesses that are not chains can I shop at in Peru, beside Debo's?

Anonymous said...

"J" has lost more Capitol for the citizens of Peru than any elected official ever could imagine. What a joke!!

Anonymous said...

lois give me a break, there is not enough space on this page to list all the private retail buisnesses in peru. It would be a waste of my time to try to list them all.

Peru Town Forum said...

9:09 AM

Now wait a minute, I am talking about Mom and Pop stores, no chains. Places where the average person on an average day might shop for often used items. Excluding places to eat.
The grocery stores I shop at are all chains, as are the variety type stores - All are in the area north of Peru.
I would love to find stores I could shop in locally for more common items, but they don't exist. If they do help me find them.

Steve said...

To 8:48 a.m. - Now you claim to know my shopping habits? What an absolutely clueless claim to make. I write a check to Debo's each and every month for my personal account that I challenge any private citizen to match.
In addition to that, I purchase numerous items each and every month through the commercial accounts of my employer from Debo's, Maze Lumber others small businesses in Peru.
You are nothing more than a despicable and disgusting liar.
If you haven't seen me in these businesses I suggest you pull your head out of your ass and wipe your eyes.

I apologize to those who may be offended by my response to this persfect ass.
He/She is a coward and a liar and it needs to be pointed out.

Peru Town Forum said...

Steve. I was beginning to get the same feeling. Someone looking for excuses to point out something that does not exist. The current development in the city will almost always knock out the local stores as they cannot compete with them.. A perfect example of living without lots of big box stores is Ottawa. They have a delightful downtown to shop in or just to window shop. But we have to accept what we are, I would guess.

Peru Town Forum said...

3:31 AM
I don't have a clue as to what you are talking about and I don't imagine others readers do either.

Anonymous said...

Let's see, a person tells you why they voted a certain way and your response is to resort to name-calling? You two are the problem and the sooner you figure it out the better for Peru.

Peru Town Forum said...

11:46 AM

If you are going to tell me why you voted for someone....fine...but then to make up falsehoods (lies) as to the reason then that is wrong. They did not tell us what type of retail that Dave is buying and Steve is not. If you are going to accuse someone for not shopping at your favored business then you sure as heck need to give the name or type of business for it to have any credibility.
FYI I have talked to people who won't go to the Y because of Dave Potthoff.
Words used are arrogance and mean. But does that mean he can't do a good job as an alderman, no it does not.

I don't know where any of the aldermen shop and it doesn't matter. Does everybody in the 3rd ward have to have their hair cut by Waldorf and shop at Ankiewicz's deli?

Anonymous said...

Doesn't Ankiewicz's deli buy it's donuts from Spring Valley?

Steve said...

To 11:46 a.m. - Lets really see. Some anonymous coward writes a blatant lie about where I do or do not shop in Peru as if they have been stalking me and its wrong for me to take offense and call them on it.
No, that crap will not go unanswered.

As far as who or what is a problem in Peru.....The most obvious problem seems to be people like yourself who are so opposed to looking at new and different ways to improve our city. What is your vested interest in maintaining the status quo?
Why are you so convinced there can only be one way to achieve progress and improvement? How can you reject thoughts and ideas solely because they are different and not your own?
You and others like you may be the real problem in Peru.

You may have noticed recently that there are rapidly becoming fewer of you and more of us.

Anonymous said...

Lois 9:09

I'd like to recommend La Morena Grocery to you and every loyal peruian using this site.

It's a mom and pop grocery located right there on 4th street in peru. It's been expanding its inventory for at least the last year and a half that I have personally noticed.

Milk, bread, eggs, TP, fresh veggies and fruits, baked goods and meat. That's just from my shopping list today. They are a very friendly presence in the downtown area.

I have noticed businesses popping up along 4th street over the past year or so. I think we just need to start turning our heads as we are heading north to notice some of them.

Peru Town Forum said...

5:34PM

Thank you very much, I would not have thought about it as a general type of grocery and probably not much advertising has been done to let locals know about its presence.
I know we have a bakery which we don't get to very much because of its short hours (closes at noon)