Also Gary Grabowski was appointed to the Planning Commission with the approval of the full council. This is a vacancy created by the resignation of Howard Flahaut who spent many years on this commission and a letter was read from the family with the announcement.
I understood previously that all openings to any committee or commission would be announced publicly and that letters of interest would then be accepted and the Mayor would then make his choice. I did ask the Mayor tonight where he made the public announcement and he only answered by saying he had a list and he chose from that list. How that list was accumulated and maintained was not explained to my satisfaction or to the satisfaction of several others in attendance.
27 comments:
What does the mayor mean he has a list? How does one get on the list and why would you want your name on a list if you don't know ahead of time what position is available? Does he have a list of his friends and then offer the next open position to anyone of them that want it? This does not seem like open, honest, government to me. Does anyone know the date of the letter of resignation read by the mayor? Was there even time between the letter and the appointment for individuals to respond to this vacancy?
I think it's nice of the Lion's Club to donate trees to the city but are they aware of how poorly we took care of trees previously donated to Veteran's Park? I surely hope someone in the city will stay on top of this generous donation and make sure those in charge are doing their job.
Good to see some turnover on the Planning Commission. I have attended enough Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings to form an opinion that there are some individuals on these committees who are in my opinion "disinterested and disconnected" from the process and the purpose of the committee on which they serve. I beleive Gary Grabowski is a good choice and someone who will perform very well on the Plan Commission.
Thank you to Howard Flahaut for his service and also for deciding to retire from the commission.
Mayor Harl did not announce this opening, nor did he actively seek letters of interest from the public. Harl obviously had Mr. Grabowski specifically in mind for the opening and it is the mayor's priviledge to appoint with or without seeking letters of interest from others. A qualified individual was appointed and the city will benefit from the mayor's choice.
Now, if we could only get some turnover and reform on that Downtown Redevelopment Committee. We need some progressive, forward thinking from this group and we need it soon. When do they meet? What is their "Mission"? What are their goals and what incentives are being offered to current businesses to improve the downtown? What programs are being offered to lure new business development to the downtown? Is the public being encouraged to partipate in downtown redevelopment?
I fear there will be no progress unless we ask these and other important questions.
Steve, I agree wholeheartedly with the last portion of your comment but the Mayor does need to give some input into the committee and perhaps considering dissolving it in its current state.
On the topic of the planning commission, it may well be that Gary is a good person and a good fit for the position but my point is and will continue to be that Mayor Harl said early on when he was elected that he would be always open to making vacancies on committees open to the public and would seek letters of interest and then choose the best person.
At this time, he could have still picked Gary but could also have considered others who might be interested and thus have an open government. I personally believe he went back on his word. Two things bug me about people and particularly about government and they are dishonesty and in competence.
correction "incompetence"
I agree with you Lois with regards to the Planning Commission appointment and Steve I think the mayor is capable of standing up for himself. Why do you always have to defend him? You make it sound as if Mr. Flahaut was an incapable person on the committee and that it was good to get rid of him. The "incompetent" people on the committees is the least of this city's problems. The "incompetent" people on our payroll should be the mayor's number 1 concern. Citizens are seeing money being wasted all around town. The mayor needs to start being a hands on mayor.
Steve, why are you so intent on defending the appointee? It is the person who has made the appointment and his methods of making it that are in question!
As campaign manager for the present mayor you as well as many, many others remember his promise of a transparent, open government in which all positions would be advertised and extreme effort to inform everyone so that they would have a fair opportunity to apply for any and all positions would be made.
The manner in which the mayor is managing his position is in direct opposite of his campaign which I am sure in all truthfulness you realize.
Could you refresh memories of 2009 and "ITS TIME" to what "ITS TIME" meant? I can recall some reference to CHANGE which most do not believe has happened.
Time to start taking book on the hirings for summer help next May. Odds are to bet on the numbers being real high as there is no embarrassing city hall.
Steve, why do you feel the need to defend the mayor? You of all people should know what he promised when he ran for election. And why thank Mr. Flahaut for retiring in that manner. Shame on you.
Steve, how do you know the mayor made a good choice? Did he consult with you before making a decision? Nothing against Mr. Grabowski but how do you know he will do a good job? Maybe there's someone out there who would have been interested in the position who is more qualified and more driven. You got the mayor elected now let him stand on his own 2 feet. You do know that what people have said above is true. The mayor and you campaigned on open and honest government. This is not a good example.
Mayor Harl & Steve, On Oct 4, 2011 a blogger wrote asking "What if the demanding urgency in filling the upcoming vacancy in the Planning Commission when the Downtown Planning and Redevelopment Committee has had a vacancy for two years which never has been filled? The ordinance calls for seven members not six. Looking at the shameful appearance of downtown Peru it would be logical to zero in on Fourth Street before it becomes a complete disgrace to the entire community"
"Rather than ignoring this committee and downtown Peru it would be wise of the city administration to update the committee and its archaic rules"
After this comment was made the Mayor stated at a city council meeting that he has a list and he choice from that list for his appointment to the Planning Commission. Could either of you or both of you please explain why:
1. The Mayor did not refer to his list within the last two years to fill the vacancy of the Downtown planning and Redevelopment Committee?
2. What was the urgency in filling a position before a long term members Letter of Resignation had even been read when there is a two year vacancy on another committee which is still not filled?
3. How many committees are there in the city government of Peru, who is on them, what is the number of people who are supposed to be on each committee and which committees are there openings on, who is the Chairman of each committee and how many years has each member served on the particular committee they are on?
4. Now that it has been acknowledged that the Mayor has a list which he selects committee members from what is his future plans in not having openings (vacancies already filled)for committees or is he only going to announce openings for committees when it suits his fancy?
To 4:26 p.m. - Not at all. I think Mr. Flahaut did a fine job on the commission and I thanked him for his service in a manner that indicates I understand his reasons for stepping down.
Shame on you for attempting to distort my comment.
Steve: I'm not 4:26 p.m. but you did thank Mr. Flahaut for retiring from the commission. You don't "THANK" someone for retiring, you congratulate them and thank them for their years of service.
Does anyone know if some of our superintendents only work 4 days a week? If so, doesn't that seem strange especially since it appears we pay employees overtime to empty garbage cans on Saturday? Could someone please set the record straight and tell me I'm wrong.
Hi Diddle Diddle I picked up the fiddle and all it did was Quibble Quibble Quibble - Relax people your tiring everyone out with your nonsensical nitpicking! I assure you there has been no harm done nor has anyone peed in anyone elses porage.
12:50PM
Thank you for your opinion but it is the little things that are ignored or excused and pretty soon it is a little more and we are told, no big deal and then people are saying How in the world did something like this happen? Just like raising children, you make excuses for their poor behavior and then you have belligerent out of control teenagers and wonder how it happened. Take care of the little things and the big ones won't happen.
12:50 How can you be so sure? And, if you don't like what you see here don't read it.
Lois, take the comment from Anon 12:50PM and insert it before Anon 12:47's comment. Now it answers 10:07 AM which it surely was intended to do. Sure proves it is easy to make a mountain out of a mole hill! Hey 2:36 RELAX or I'll put in a call to PVAS for you.
Better check 2:36's porage. Seems something has completely set this individual off balance. Hope they have not received a tainted portion.
6:15PM
Maybe it is because so many things in Peru seem tainted these days.Some days with the information I get I wonder how any of our departments are functioning at all. Certainly not at 100%.
Where there is smoke there is normally a fire. From reactions displayed at the times a check and balance system to record time on the job by means of time clocks for all individuals who earn their living by payment from the taxpayers of Peru I would also say things seem tainted. A time clock installed for each department with the top supervisor of that shift to witness all punch ins and punch outs for each and every shift plus a appointed city official (Mayor, alderman, other elected officials) to make at least one unannounced shift start up and or shift ending per day would be a fair method of erasing doubt. When it was reported in the newspaper that the Mayor said "This is not going to make the troops happy, You are dealing with a double edge sword Ald. Potthoff " proof was evident that integrity may be lacking.
Anon 7:38 PM In the majority of towns you have created a very good system. In Peru it must be remembered that a occupant of a department head position was known to be at home more than on the job when he was a employee. Presently this individual is at home more as a DH than he was as a employee. Before any formal tracing system of employees is utilized it would be best to go outside of the present regime for their supervision. Presently a program of enforcement
would demoralize the city employees.
This is a good example of why we need a city manager, city engineer, and a out of town Department Head of Public Works.
11:53 If what you say is true (and I believe it is) then who does the city currently utilize to make sure jobs are being done in a reasonable length of time and at a reasonable cost to the city? I do know that it seems as though we farm out a lot of projects that I would think we could handle ourselves. There is rumor out there about hiring a city engineer but not for some time and not until a vacancy occurs in our payroll. I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you because these things have been rumored for well over 2 years.
11:53PM
Now wait, why are you worried about demoralized employees?. My important concern is that at present we have demoralized residents of this city and that is a bigger concern.When you have people living in this city, telling friends and neighbors that this is not a very good town, that does not help anyone wanting to relocate here for personal or business reasons. As long as employees are getting paid, they won't be demoralized and if they are, let them quit and find a better job at a better wage. Odds are that won't happen because they couldn't find such a job.
Don't mean to change the subject but am curious, is the new Super Committee still scheduled to meet Monday, Oct. 10th at 6:00? I also believe that the Recreation Commission has a meeting the same night at 6:30.
Could someone please explain to me what the Planning Commission's duties are? I just went to the city web-site and couldn't find Planning minutes listed other than once or twice in conjunction with the Zoning Board of Appeals. That was in the time frame of 1 year. I also noticed that 3 of the Zoning Board members are also Planning Commission members. Don't they meet on a regular basis?
Anon 3:06 A few days ago Anon 10:14 commented very similar to your comments. If there are enough people interested maybe it is time for the city to realize their obligation of listing every committee, all personnel who make up the committee and their years of service on this committee,the mission, goals and duties of the committee.
A booklet of committees would be beneficial to both city and citizens. It appears that many of the present committees have been founded with positive goals but in time have become directly opposite of their intended founders becoming negative and very restrictive.
What is the planning commission supposed to do and what has it done? Is this a zoning board or a zoning board of appeals? How can the Downtown redevelopment and planning commission accomplish positive results if the city does not support them with funding? For several years they exist only as a commission that deals with signs, color of awnings and color of window frames. They do have a couple of members who would like to discard this negative image and improve downtown Peru.
Recently some very good questions have appeared on the blog: What is the total cost of a ordinance to the city? Where is the city in regards to following the letter of the law in regards to redistricting? What was the results of the electrical department survey and did it cost the quoted amount of $22,000? Peru is to raise $7 million in a increase in sales tax, has the big hand of government tapped out any of this amount yet?
The citizens should have a booklet on city committees. This would enable them to express a interest in a present committee or in creating a new committee. It would create a lot of new interest in Peru. The city administration should give each committee that is doing something for the city money to help them do it. They give so much money to clubs etc. by means of donations they should be able to give money to a flower committee for flowers, or money for garbage bags, tea and lemonade, plus cold cut sandwiches to groups as Ald. Perez was establishing to help keep our town clean.
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