“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

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Yes, It's that time of year again!

It's here again. The Illinois Municipal League Conference begins this week in Chicago. Peru elected officials who are signed up for the festivities as of yesterday are as follows, Mayor Harl, Treasurer Hylla, Aldermen Potthoff, Ferrari, Waldorf, and Radtke. You can check out the conference website at www.conference.iml.org. I believe there are some very informative sessions for elected officials to learn new ideas for improving their respective communities. I also believe we should not be allowing any elected officials who attended last year to return again this year at taxpayer expense. I'm all for any newly elected official attending. Mayor Harl and Treasurer Hylla have not attended before and my personal opinion is the Mayor should always attend this conference. Regardless of economic conditions, there should never be an open invitiation for every elected official to attend every year. Certainly no more than four elected officials per year is necessary in my opinion. I think a mayor should always attend to represent his or her city. I am confident that Alderman Radtke and Treasurer Hylla have the best intentions to use the opportunity to attend informational sessions in order to help the city of Peru. There have been numerous taxpayer funded IML conference visits for all of our "multi-term" aldermen and I have yet to hear any of them present a thought or idea they carried back with them from this conference. This year I am confident there will be a few elected officials who are going with the best interests of the city of Peru. Sadly, there will also be some who are there at taxpayer expense in order to be entertained by contractors and consultants or because of the Billy Joel impersonator on Saturday night. It will be interesting to see who comes home with a brain full of ideas and knowledge from informational seminars and who comes home with a belly full of beer and Prime Rib courtesy of Chamlin and Associates and TEST, Inc.

9 comments:

Peru Town Forum said...

You are so right on this Steve. Last year I believe it was Waldorf, Ferrari, Potthoff, Mertel,and Mikyska that attended and not one idea or improvement to the city was every presented in public. It should be a requirement that each alderman who attends present a brief comment on what they thought was good or bad and how the council could implement the good to benefit the city.

Anonymous said...

wow wasnt that a BIG thing that people blogged on with the old adminstration what a joke and if you think 2 people are going to be learning thiings for the city you certainly have picked the wrong 2... out of touch with reality

Anonymous said...

Steve, Sincere apologies about getting $100.00 ticket to Eagles last year too late for you to come. Whoever is in charge of Steves invitation to IML Saturday Night Banquet and "The Piano Man" please mail early.

Steve said...

Good point 7:53 p.m. Last year I recieved my ticket for the Saturday evening gala too late to attend the Eagles tribute. I also request the alderman or spouse in charge of mailing my ticket this year please include an extra ticket so that I may bring a guest. Double occupancy should apply to me as well. Also, as long as I'm coming up can you let me know which swanky restaurant will we be meeting at for a night of comps and appreciation from Roger and Chris. I'll bring my camera.
I will be welcome right? Or, does "Turd in the punch-bowl" seem more likely in this case?

Peru Town Forum said...

To the person who wrote the long and detailed post regarding the Chicago conference, please be reassured that I will give it to Steve but will not bore the blog readers with your silly rebuttal.

Anonymous said...

Lois I can assure you that the blog readers who truly understand Peru politics would not have been bored with the post regarding the IML Conference. What you refer to as a silly rebuttal many others would realize as satire.

Steve said...

To 10:16 a.m. - I acknowledge your attempt at satire with your rather long winded comment. Lois and I decided to give you a D- for the effort and we encourage you to try again.
Start out with the small venues and work your way up to the big time. After all, look at the success of "Larry the Cable Guy".
Now that's satire!

Peru Town Forum said...

Looking forward to all the new information that the council members, mayor and treasurer will be sharing with us on Wednesday at the next City Council Meeting as a result of attending the IML convention last week.

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha Lois 5:00 that'll be a first if that happens. Usually we hear about nothing and just see the charges on the disbursement sheets.