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I will hope to clear the air here.
I'm an ex- CSO member and a grandfather of 8 children. Alderman Perez is absolutely on the right page. My family no longer attends the water street fire works and I personally would not take my grandchildren there.
The water street festivities is not ran by the city park and rec board, it is ran by the CSO. The city pays for the fireworks and not even the park and rec is even welcomed to have booths or fun events without going through the CSO. every booth or vendor including the water street bars pay a fee to us, Yes the city pays for police and clean up etc. where really that expense should really fall into the pockets of the CSO being we are the only one's that can, and will make the revenue down there.
I heard that Alderman Perez made the comment that the city can save employee holiday doubletime wages by having the boy scouts and volunteers clean up the following day, if there were no beer glasses it would be an easy task. Sounds brilliant to me. who pays the police overtime etc. when there are concerts at the airport? not the city.. the host has to pay that cost, so.. If this is a CSO ran event on waterstreet then Cso should have to pay the overtime security since they are the only one's that make any revenue down there.
Again; waterstreet as it stands is not a city event it's a CSO event that is now out of grred and not out of the best interest of families and fun. Sorry Tony!!!
- 10:58 PM, July 07, 2011
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Time to Clear the Air About the Peru Fireworks Event
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28 comments:
This post came in under the previous fireworks discussion and I have taken the liberty of reposting it because I felt he had something that needed to be read by you.
Lois, How is it that I read the original comment under the firework post, and the most important sentence in regards to this person being an X CSO member with grandkids is missing from this one??
Just think readers need to see that this comment is coming from a reliable source a CSO member.
Thanks to the reader who reminded me that I had not brought the whole comment foward.
From all the comments I have read here and on the NT blog, it is apparent that a majority of people and especially those with children would like the city to provide a more family oriented environment for the Holiday celebration.
If you are one of those that would like to see this change, please contact your alderman or if he is one of those who will not consider any place beside Water St., do 2 things, first call your alderman maybe both of them and if neither of them is giving you the answers you want to hear, call one of the other aldermen and explain why you called and what you would like the city do to. I say that because I am not sure that either of the aldermen in the third ward would be much help to you. Any of the others would consider your solutions.
It is really time for the residents of Peru to let their elected officials what they want and expect of their city officials. BTW, all have email addresses through city hall. FB people you can easily contact Ald. Perez and Ald. Radtke through that source. I believe Ald. Mayszak is also on FB.
A huge "Thank You" to the gentleman who provided the inside information about the over-bearing and heavy-handed way the CSO dominates the Water Street situation. I am not surprised to hear the city is stuck with all the major expenses while the CSO is allowed to profit. I understand the CSO claims all proceeds benefit the city with this and that, but if the celebration is truly a joint venture then the CSO should help defray the cost the city pays for the manpower to set-up, clean-up, provide security, etc.
If the taxpayers of Peru are simply enabling the CSO to turn an undisclosed profit it makes no sense. All proceeds from the event should be used to cover its costs.
The Water Street celebration is one very expensive party being provided by the citizens of Peru.
There has to be a better and less expensive way to celebrate a holiday. Thank you to the aldermen who recognize the situation needs a serious overhaul.
I'm not convinced many of the aldermen recognize that the situation needs a serious overhaul Steve. Actually right now I would be inclined to think it's a very small minority.
Steve, I would think that any venue for the 4th of July celebration would be a expense for the city. Many other cities have eliminated the fireworks costs. It may be time to get rid of in Peru! I have spoke to other Alderman on subjects and they have been pleasant.
I think I'm a little confused. The CSO receives all the revenue from the beer garden and other booths on Waterstreet during the fireworks? The City pays for all the fireworks and setup, security, and cleanup? Am I missing something? Who is on the CSO board? What do they do with their income then?
Ald.Perez has the heartbeat of Peru. He has also taken a poll and 99% said they wanted a sales tax increase.
2:06PM
Just because they are pleasant does not mean they are going to anything about the problem. When Ald. Perez brought up the topic, most of them said nothing that would help solve it. Don't hold your breath waiting for anyone except Perez to bring it again.
What amazed me is that no one on the council sounded excited that we could save a sizeable sum of money by going to another business to purchase our fireworks. Guess money is no longer an issue. Oh wait a minute we're asking for a tax increase.
3:58PM 7/8/2011 I sincerely hope you are trying to be funny! I believe that everyone should let their aldermen who represent their ward know what they would like him/her to vote for, not what the aldermen want.....maybe an actual vote count would be in order....this then would be a true vote of the people and not the city council. Home Rule is such a travesty of a true representation of the people and by the people.
If we can't vote now, we surely can vote in 2 years. Remember who voted for what and then make your choice known.
If the fireworks are a problem. I am sure the Rec committee will solve the problem. It seems to be unfair that out of the blue a Alderman points out something and its bible. Give the Rec. committee the chance to respond and discuss. Did everyone keep their children in the house after Alderman Perez pointed out that we have foxes in the town at the last meeting? Did anyone get out their checkbook when he said we need to pay the Economic Development Director more money? He thought it would save the city money if we got rid of ESDA and turned it into another paid position for other city staff. After all he said 99% want a tax increase. Maybe the Rec department will take some time to make the needed changes? I hope they do based on their own impressions.
4:43PM
How about a bumper sticker
Can't Vote This Year But We Will Vote in 2 Years
Good point 4:43. Our aldermen should vote the way their constituants want them to vote but nobody has asked me how I felt on an issue - how about you? (this does not include Mr. Perez's ward regarding the sales tax increase)
Home rule is good when you have elected leaders that have a basic long term vision for the taxing body they represent. I worry when I hear someone quote a 98% in favor of a tax increase. I guess you also can contend that democracy works because you have more than one individual voting on any issue. Lets see the outcome of these home rule issues before we take away the keys to the play house. Can you repeal a office holder in Peru?
What fun politics in Peru was only a few years ago when we played with chump change and handed Chamlin & Associates Inc. (Peru's engineering consultants for the last 60+ years) the MEASLY sum of $3,000.00 for 16 dots on a telephone book map and called it a bicycle path. A bike trail which ended where it started - NOWHERE.
Less than 2 years later we have become quite sophisticated, completely forgot the bike path and decided to update $7,000,000.00 of streets immediately.
In the time span between the bike path and Tiger I (the street plan for which a grant was applied for and refused by the federal government) we spent some spare cash on wind turbines but due to the fact that realization set in that this is not a good investment to make this late in the wind turbine game it has been recently dropped before more good money chases bad ideas.
Looking forward to seeing our long forgotten battery operated truck being driven over the redone Interstate May Road with s City Toll Booth collecting for our right now program.
Remember the old days when we lived under a pay as you go system and everything was paid for.
The financial ideas which the Peru Administration is presently trying to adopt are the exact reason this country is in the money problems it has been experiencing and is having a horrible time of pulling out of.
Remember it was poor banking practices by overpaid bank executives and their self serving bonus programs giving out easy and inflated loans, and creative financing which put us where we are at today. Get out your microscopes and take a slow, through look at our present Peru administration.
Home Rule status shifts greater responsibility for local government decision -making from the state to the local level, giving the community more freedom to diversify its tax revenue base and to spend money as needed.
With the right elected officials in office Home Rule can be a good thing. The key being that citizens have to be able to trust their elected officials.
4:49 PM
The so called rec committee does not deal with problems such as have occurred with the fireworks. I have been told they deal only with finances, they have a budget and spend it, period.
I am pleased that Ald. Perez is stepping forward and looking for a solution for the total waste of city dollars as no one else has. This is not a new problem but a recurring one year after year but because the CSO was so widely represented on the city council, the aldermen who were members kept their blinders in place so they did not see and certainly could not solve.
The rec committee does a fantastic job and organize the city programs including the fireworks.
Little know that there is a recreation commission (citizens) and recreation committee(aldermen) that is now a part of Public Buildings. I have heard that some would like to dissolve the recreation commission.
The rec. commission is a example of community involvement similiar to the library board. All are appointed by the Mayor to perform a public service task. I would venture to believe they the Rec. Commission have a interest and give the time to handle the task of fireworks, programs, etc. CSO is another that have a direct mission of helping the City of Peru. Nobody really believes that those organizations are out to profit(Steve does) or have any self interest. Its another conspirancy theory, they give of their time and talents to make PERU a better place to live. Maybe some will benefit by being a volunteer for Peru Rec, CSO, Library, Little League, ESDA, Cleanup.
4:02PM
I do have a problem with the rec commission not coming to the council for approval of their expenditures as they do not have the financial knowledge nor do they have much idea of what the cities finances might be. They just spend the money they are allowed as they wish. There need to be some constraints put on them.
I am definitely not a fan of the CSO and it was reinforced during last years 175th celebration.
The rec. has a budget and like the library they spend within the budget. I am not sure where the resentment is when discussing the CSO. It has a long history of community service and like the Rotary, Lions Club, Kiwanis, Jaycees they provide the community with special projects and fellowship that make our city a better place to live. It has open membership and may not be your cup of tea but many others have felt the organization to be worthwhile. It is male dominated like the Junior Womens Club or Zonta has female membership. All have a purpose and the CSO is no different. When you speak of constraints why is the Rec. Dept singled out. The entire City needs constraints and after the citizens vote down the sales tax proposal then Mayor Harl may get the clue. Like it or not its come from the top the Mayor runs the city.
9:06 AM
Since the torch is being passed to the next generation, I do believe he CSO will not have the dominance it has held within the city government for many many years. As I look at the progressive communities around us, I do see new organizations stepping up to the plate while Peru is now lagging behind. CSO membership is no longer what it was and it is no longer appealing to the generation of people that will be governing our city. It had its day and it is past.
Forget to say that I don't believe that Peru any longer has a Jr Womens Club or a League of Women Voters. Not sure but don't believe the Zonta club has only Peru members in its group.
In case you are unaware ANON 9:06 I don't believe there will be a citizen's vote regarding the sales tax increase. And, even if there is the mayor still has the right to present it to the council who will probably vote to pass the increase.
All of this reminds me of the pool discussion last year "needs vs wants".
Same thing but a different story. The city is not obliged to entertain anyone on July 4. Its an extra that was provided for many years when the funds were there and the people did not expect bigger and better each year. If you want to be entertained on July 4, then the residents will need to add some extra cash for the party. How about a account in a bank and we buy what we can fund. Anyone can make a donation anytime through the year. Perhaps even collect dollars that night and allow non residents to contribute.
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