This blog is maintained for the sole purpose of allowing the people of Peru and those interested in the cities of the Illinois Valley to express their views.
“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
This letter was read by Tom Riordan at the Peru City Council Meeting tonight October 10 but the problem has been brewing for months and long before any of us knew anything about it. I know a little bit about working in public safety and whether it is a city department or a private institution, all must work together for the benefit of those who depend upon you. As the old saying goes where there is smoke there is fire and that was definitely true tonight. A fire department meeting was held prior to the council meeting this evening and they were aware of this letter to be read tonight and forces were put together and when I walked into the council chambers the back 2 rows of chairs were taken up by Liberty Fire and several of the long time Peru fire dept. engineers. I assume this was to present a show of force against the letter which was to be read. Liberty fire is no longer a fire fighting department but only a fund raising organization and not all fire employees belong to it. And you as a resident of the city will soon be receiving a request for a donation to them. I will try to get together more information for you on that issue. (to be cont.)
I know none of the members extremely well and some not at all and I also know it is not easy to manage a large group of people and this is no exception. Gary Eccles was the Fire Chief and he seemed to be a person who was able to keep all of the department running extremely well and did a good job for the city as a whole. For some reason he was voted out by the members and all of this has now become a power play amongst the whole department. Chief King may be the PFD Fire Chief but he has a boss who has taken a hands off policy with that department as he has with all city departments and that person is Mayor Scott Harl. It is part of his job to make sure that all departments are functioning at their top level. As the saying goes, the buck stops here and in this case, it stops at the Mayors office and this did not happen and now you are all going to see not how well a city functions but how an out of control dept. becomes dysfunctional because of infighting. I don't think their fire fighting capabilities will change and they will still get the job down but as said in the letter their presence at city functions, safety events, parades etc. is not going to be up front. At this point I don't think that a PFD EMT service is even a realistic goal unless they can get their act together and that is going to take some super leadership on everyones part. The FD group that attended tonights' meeting requested that King be given full time status but it doesn't appear that it would add anything at this time to the fires departments effectiveness. There is work to be done so that all will actually be protecting each others back.
Unpaid suspension for a comment on his personal facebook page ? are they serious ? I'd rather donate to him to help pay for his attorney than to Liberty .
I was talking with a few of my Fire Fighter Friends and they said when the page went out for training there was a message with it saying to bring polo shirt with them if they were going to attend the council meeting. They went to the meeting to support Jeff King being a full time chief and had no idea they were going to show support against Tom reading his letter.
Training usually lasts from 6 til 9 so part of the training they had last night was the council meeting.
Lois, if the statements that have been made by firefighter Riordan were in fact truths wouldn’t the group of firefighters at last nights meeting be standing behind Tom in support? It is the true nature of a firefighter to support his or her fellow firefighter in a time of need. I’m just curious but wouldn’t they be asking the city to do the exact opposite of what they asked for yesterday evening? Just food for thought. As it looks at this point in time there is only one “unhappy” employee of the fire dept. That is one of twenty some odd people. If my math is correct that stands as a 5% disapproval rating within the fire dept. leaving 95% in favor of how things are being run. I will take 95% any day of the week. Lois I agree with you that it is very hard to run a large dept. All I can ask as a concerned citizen of the city of Peru is that you look at both sides of the story and not the one that makes for the best “drama” before you go handing out the proverbial pitchforks and torches.
10:12 AM The N.T. reported 5 to 8 and they would have seen better than I I do know there were approximately 5 of them waiting in the area outside the chamber when I left. Their membership is down as they have recently lost several members. A couple looked very young and the few I would recognize were not present. It does depend upon HOW it is being run. The fireman that asked for full time for Chief King is one of the newest members coming from S. IL.and lives next door to Chief King. If you check the Peru FD web site that was created by Pat Riordan you will see some of the current members.
ANON 10:12 I would ask you where you got your information that only 1 of 20 some employees is unhappy. Have you spoken to each and every individual privately because many people are uncomfortable bucking the system and will go along with the crowd if confronted.
Jeff being on the department since 2000 or 2001 knew about the position of chief and what it involved. He knew it would be alot of time involved and the amount he would be paid weather he spent one hour or ten hours. Most of the firemen would not speak up for fear of being outcast. So they just go with the flow.
7:07 AM Why would a small group of people suddenly decide to bring up the Fire Chief position to the council, they were not even listed on the agends and technically had no right to speak last night. This has been rumored for years about the little compensation Chief King gets and since there was no reason for the sudden request I did not understand why is was suddenly brought up without being placed on the agenda and why it was not in the public comment section and why one of the newest firemen was making the request. It would have been more appropriate to request a meeting with your mayor and talk to him about it and find out what he thinks because you got a no comment from the mayor last night.
thats the problem everybody goes with the flow instead of fighting for whats right, small town politics suck. there are many cases of companies LOSING cases for reprimanding because of facebook post, if i was the city and liberty i watch out before you get your tit in a ringer.
As you have mentioned Lois is this even legal according to Robert's Rule - being allowed to speak without being put on the agenda and not during public comment?
The news tribune stated that a few of the firemen after the meeting stated that Tom R. brother Pat was criticized for not wearing full gear at a call? It sounds to me that the Chief should have reprimanded the ones that were criticizing. Sounds like the peru FD has some big headed firemen there. Shouldn't fellow firefighters help one another instead of criticizing? I'm on a neighboring department, This is sad because this is suppose to be a brotherhood.
This sure sounds like a gang up on FF Riordan at a public meeting. If Tom R. is still on the department the Chief should not have allowed this to happen. UNITED not DIVIDED and that's the way it sounds there. I sure appreciate where I'm at.
I cannot believe that the mayor and the fire chief sat there last night and didn't utter a word. It sure appeared to be a planned gang up on Mr. Riordan and this should not have been allowed by those in charge.
I for one am not very proud of the City of Peru right now!! I no longer feel like the Police or Fire departments are on "our side" anymore!! I am also happy the my husband left the FD a long time ago...he saw the BS and decided not to be a part of it!
I have learned that the so called meeting before the council meeting did not happen, instead they drove around until time to go to the meeting. Evidently the group in charge of this sham told people like Tim Riordan and the younger fireman that they were going as a group to request a new fire truck from the city. So now we add dishonesty to the long list of problems. But then lots of us see that in other areas of the city also. I recently said in a post, that one thing I cannot tolerate is dishonesty and incompetence so I am so sickened by what I hear coming out of the PFD.
Well, well, just when u thought all of this fire department drama was swept under the rug. Seems to me that someone should be investigating all these allegations before the city, fire chief, fire officers, and last but not least, all fire fighters from Peru are held accoutable and are "forced" to testify on the way things are "ran" at this dept and claims of unfairness to employees. Some of this could be called harassment, and I don't think the city wants one of those law suits on their hands. Everyone needs to understand that if you are aware of or take part in or even allow harassment in your work-place you can and will most likely be held accountable. It's not only the boss or employer that is held accountable, but ALL those associated with the claim.
Perhaps the city needs to bring in a new chief replacement until there is an investigation. Problems like this is no ones fault but the Chief's. it is obvious this is poor management.
Did this article really state that Firefighters went to represent the Chief for a full time position? He can't manage a part time position of 20 people. Better yet maybe the city should allow Lasalle Fire Chief Bacidore manage both departments? We never see this kind of stuff hit the papers over there. It is kind of funny because when I go out on the weekends I usually see 4-5 Peru firefighters including their Chief out drinking together!Brotherhood or Good Ole Boys Club?
Did the City of Peru Il. really pay these firefighters that were suppose to be at a city tax payer paid training to go to a council meeting?
Some field trip that must have been. Our city would not tolerate this! I'm curious to know if the Chief knew if Firefighter Tom Riordon was going to vent at this meeting, and if so....Why would he let the other firefighters come to witness this unless it was staged to make it look like This Firefighter Riordon is an outcast. Sounds dirty to me. We can send you one of our Deputy Chief's over to your town to fix things. No games tolerated in bigger communities.
when i get my donation letter from Liberty i'm crossing out Liberty Fire and mailing my donation to Tom for hopefully his attorney fund ! This crap has gone on long enough and i'm happy someone is finally "slayingthe beast" so to speak ! Sad though that we will lose another dedicated servant .
I read it on either newstrib.com or saw it on the story on WAJK website that the officers said Pat was reprimanded for not wearing his gear to a call ... Well i work construction and was working on 7th street when the fire at the school happened last week and saw the chief working at the scene with no gear on . He was pulling hose and drug it up to the scene where he handed it to another firefighter next to the fire . There was a photographer there i'm sure its on film somewhere . I guess it really is who you are !
Why was the fire department awarded with a dinner bought by the city because they were accident free ? Didn't they have a firefighter that was taken from the scene of an accident for heat exhaustion or something by ambulance in late spring ? Maybe these accusations are true . Looks like someone better actually look into his claims . Can we get the original complaint letter on here to read ?
Mr. Harl, City Council, Chief King-and-his-clan...shhhhh!! Just lay there quietly, don't comment or reply! You know this will all go away and be forgotten in a matter of time...just like the last time this dirty laundry was brought to the tax payers attention. Peru is looking really good right now!
So if there was a waiting list to be a firefighter in the great city of Peru when Ecclless was chief . And now there are only 14 or so , wouldn't someone think something is wrong ?
If indeed all these accusations and all this favoritism is true then it needs to be pursued until it is resolved. Someone needs to take control of the reins. I for one do not want my tax dollar to be used for another law suit (which it seems Mr. Riordan is entitled to pursue).
Hmmm!! didn't I just read about a month ago about a Peru fire department officer punching another firefighter while on duty? I think the mayor over in Peru needs to get involved. Now who's the Leader of the Valley? " The Big Bad Wolf"??
A serious investigation needs to take place. between this letter and the news tribune article there is reason for major concern for the safety of Peru. The State Senator, Attorney General, States Atty, and the State Fire Marshall's office should step in for a full investigation. Is this department Union or not? They need some sort of representation if they can't get it from the Mayor of that town.
Only the 4 full time engineers are now union. Personally I don't believe our police department is in a position to do any investigating. Perhaps someone associated with any of the departments you have mentioned will be reading this blog and also see a need to investigate what is going on. I had posted a video about fire based ems on Augut 29 and it turned into a long discussion and debate on the Peru FD. If you are a new reader you might want to check the blog archive located on the left side of the comments.
Do you really think if the peru police looks into this(the threat that was on Toms window)anything would be done? I agree that an outside agency should come down and look into this. Like the money that was made from previous fire department smokers and only some was accounted for and some was put into a safe upstairs at the fire station
Haha , all the dirty secrets are coming out . hmm , where's President Earl's handwritten log on the hoards of CASH kept at the station instead of claiming it as gambling proceeds ! All the money donated through the fundraising letter now in mailboxes , and the smoker/stag ... they expect us to believe that money is all reported , and/or used to buy firefighting equipment ? Where does that money go ? They use to hide upstairs for their parties now they go to Bar/Restaurants and run up hundreds of dollars on bar bills . I've seen their bill last time they were at Waterstreet Pub , why should i donate to that ? I'm with everyone else , i'm donating to the Riordan "screw the city of Peru" Fund ! Wonder how the President and Treasurer of Liberty are gonna like prison !
I 100000000000000000% support Tom but also dont use the King was out drinking thing he is a human just like all of us and i believe he is over 21. Anyway I hope Tom sues the pants of Peru and If anyone who knows Tom knows he fights for what he believes just like his dad did!!! So City of Peru dont think he is gonna back down!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Riordan Jr. served the city of Peru as a Sargeant on the Police Dept for like 35 years , Pat had 15+ years on Peru Fire and did an internship with Peru PD also , Tom had 7 years on Peru Fire so far and Tim is a newer fireman not sure on years of service , Thats almost 60 combined years of service to their hometown . The awards , certificates , news articles , and thank-you this family has recieved for their service , volunteering more , training more , and just simple letters of appreciation would cover every wall in the council chambers ! Now this is how their city treats them by just ignoring legitimate complaints ? If an employee logs a complaint over harassment and intimidation the employer is required to act under law . FEDERAL LAW ! Why is the city attorney just allowing this ? Is he hoping the New administration fails since he's one of Bakers boys ? Ahhh , the picture appears really clear now . Good Luck Tom . And yes i'm signing this anonymous , because i've read what Bernabei is Capable of ! And while we're on that subject Mr. Riordan has every right to add Bernabei ,and Peru Police to his lawsuit . Police Recording are Official Record and not to be played to the person involved in the complaint . But those recording have probly already been destroyed which was the case when Bernie was secretly recording a person in SV and got sued for it . Dirty little secrets are coming out . Bet ya Peru is glad they got him as chief now .
I think it's time to get rid of the Chief and hire a new Chief from outside of the department. Obviously he is not a good leader and if it's true that he doesn't wear his gear at some of the calls he sure is not setting a good example to the rest of the department. Why should another fireman get screamed at for that when the Chief doesn't even follow the rules.
If bernabi is a crooked as these correspondances say why would anyone trust him? Sad when you can't even go to your police department for help . And if the mayor won't help you should go to the state's attorney or Attorney General . Good question ... Why is Liberty even still around ? Seen just like a men's club now .
It's pretty bad the fire officers lie to its members to get everyone there so it looks like King has friends . Also , my tax dollars better stop being used to make firefighters attend acouncil meeing . Technically they were on the city clock because i read training last from 6-9 pm . That is a missuse of city payroll . Since when is driving around town honking horns a fire training anyway ? This is all wrong . People need to lose their jobs , a full investigation from an outside athority needs to be done and if this seasonal employee was stealing time from the city he needs prosecuted and the city needs paid back . Don't let this be like the Police chief not wanting to file a police report for thousands of dollars of pool equipment that was stolen from the city pool . This is all wrong and heads need to roll . SCREW LIBERTY AND CHIEF KING AND BERNABI ! And if Harl doesnt do something SCREW HIM TOO !
Are any of you firefighters? Do you know when turnout gear is deemed necessary and when it isn't? Pulling hoses doesn't require gear, standing in front of a fire with a hose for a length of time does. What are the rest of the firefighters supposed to do when another doesn't show up in his full gear? Give them theirs? It's not like there's extra bunker gear lying around at a scene. It is common for a chief to not be in full gear as they are the incident commander and not directly fighting the fire. This is not so for the rest of the firefighters, and there is no excuse for him showing up without all his gear, it should all be kept together in his gear bag. And as far as sending donations for T.R.'s attorney fund, you can do that without Liberty's donation form. It sounds to me like a bunch of people jumping on a bandwagon and a bunch of hearsay, "Didn't I read..?", "I heard that..." Focus on the facts people. It seems that there is a lot of speculation about how the department is run but none of you actually know. And heat exhaustion is not considered an accident. Falling through a roof, having a building collapse on you, being burned, those are all accidents. And those are the hazards your firefighters face every time they go on a call. Maybe you should think about that before criticizing an entire department that puts their lives on the line for the safety of its citizens. I don't even live in the area, a friend of mine brought the story to my attention. Being a firefighter myself I find some of the comments I have read shameful. If you have a problem with the mayor or the fire chief, take up against them.
If we are bringing in State Senators and States Attorney and State Fire Marshall.....I believe the whole City administration from Mayor to council, police, fire dept, etc should all be investigated for everything to due with running of the City of Peru. Then we also need to have those elected to city offices be mandated to take some kind of educational courses, prior to assuming their positions. This will make then aware of the dos and don'ts. (Keeping their hands out of the till is a moral issue.) Talk about incompetence, Peru is the sample case. :(
AS TOM R., I SINCERELY HOPE HE HAS EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED AND I HOPE HE PRESSES HIS CASE FURTHER.
How do you not know TR didnt just say he was threatned? Some of the posters here are blindly following this guy because your addicted to the drama. He is less than credible and all his letters have been disputed, line by line, post by post. I'm trying too convince the victums of his personal attacks to get an attorney. If they choose legal action, Im certain that both TR and this blog will be subpoenaed and all those involved in the character attacks will be exposed and dealt with in a court of law. As it should be, not in a disgraful public forum. Its certainly okay have a difference of opinion, but freedom of speech stops at defamation of character. TR crossed that line along time ago. A few good guys have been beat up pretty bad here and by people who dont even where the fire station is located. The Riordan story is long, he has been given the floor to discuss his issues month after month, nobody on the department, that I know of, agrees with him. I'd be carefull about whose camp you hitch your wagon to because is going legal real fast. Check your facts before you post.
PS An anonymous poster is easily identified after the attorneys are involved.
Louis, I video taped me entering this on your blog, because I believe you like too edit posts you dont agree with and feel your biased. Prove me wrong by allowing this post.
In reply to anon 12:40. That "Bar tab" that you speak of was, correct me if i'm wrong, a retirement party for Pat Riordan. The entire Rirodan family was in attendance and Pat was honored that evening for his 15+ years of service. As for the Helmet fiasco, No Pat was not presented his helmet that evening because he had only retired from Liberty and not yet from the Fire Dept. He still needed said helmet to respond to calls. Once again only half truths and a complete lack of research is being shown on the part of most of the posts in this blog. Do your homework people!
BTW Louis was my grandfather and not me. You don't know me and you are judging how I conduct this blog and you are definitely off base. I have standards I follow as to whether posts are put on or deleted. I have NEVER edited a post. If it requires editing and someone has signed their name, I will let them know it is unacceptable. If it is anon, it is their tough luck. Keep your language clean, you can criticize other comments but not the people who write them because they have rights too.
I apologize for the wrong name. In the last FD bash blog I presented actual proof of posted misinformation in reguards to TR. You didnt post it, you made a post saying you were shutting the issue down because of offensive language. Then you allowed about 40 or 50 more posts. There wasnt any offensive language in my post, just evidence proving some for the info wrong.
If you are a part of the PFD, you might want to speak to Chief King at this point in the conversation. As for your post I can't comment because I no longer have any of that information and it would just be my word against yours. Its unfortunate that the problem was not solved when it began about 6 weeks ago as we could point fingers at many people but it would not help. I have been told a solution is possibly on the horizon so lets both hope for a good solution that will allow us to hold up our heads again and be proud of our FD.
"You don't know me and you are judging how I conduct this blog and you are definitely off base"
Isnt unfairly judging people the point of this blog? This whole page is people, without any facts or data judging, the City of Peru, its officials, the police and fire services. Kind of the pot calling the kettle black? Do you feel you are enabling other people judge PFD?
1:21PM Judging people is not the point of this blog and never has been. The point is to point out decisions, policies, ordinances, planting trees, talking about fireworks and a multitude of other topics. Since when is politics lily white? I don't think you know what facts people possess when they post on this blog. BTW I also believe in freedom of speech within parameters I have set because I take the time to write and maintain it, I can do that even if you don't like it. I also occasionally take pictures and post news articles that I have found interesting and maybe someone else will too. I'm sorry that the PFD is taking some heat right now, but I did not cause the problems the department has that was brought on by some of the members. If you have been reading you know that problems exist or they would not be being discussed. You can't make this stuff up, it is real problems within a FD. I think your chief would not appreciate this being prolonged. You evidently are a member of the FD, did you talk to him as I suggested.
I don't see how a solution can be made when threats have been made and no one knows by whom. A solution should have been found long ago when this situation first started not now just because it has gone public. It should have been addressed by those in charge.
Patrick Riordan Retired Firefighter/Safety Officer
said...
I can tell you the facts because I was there. I was not remaindered(yelled at)for not wearing my gear, because my gear was in my truck and goes with me to every call, it was because someone made a anonymous call to the police that I was speeding to a call. I didnt use my blue light and no cars were around me. I do admit that I was probably going 5-7 miles over the speed limit on north peoria st. I stopped and talked to the police chief and he said that we(the police dept.) did not receive a call like that, but he would look into it and get back to me, which he or any other member of the police force did not. So I know where the call came from! And for the money that was secretly deposited in the safe at the fire station and not declared that is a fact. You see and hear a a lot in 15 years more then people think. These are all FACTS I have no reason to lie. Call me to court to testify if(when) this goes before a judge I will be more then happy to.
Anon 1:21 The creators of this blog are not employees of Peru. Any time you draw money from a tax supported entity you are going to be scrutinized by those who are supporting it. Be strong, if your group has a clean kettle you have nothing to worry about.
On the topic in August that was similar to this one had the best post ever , "WWGD" (what would Gary do) . The city wouldn"t be in this spot if Gary was still chief ! Rick never wouldve gotten away with his public verbal attack last January when all this started , and would've been the one disciplined ! There will be a sacraficial lamb , so to speak , and i soon see an opening for a Fulltime Engineer in Peru , and maybe a chief ! I can't wait to see how this plays out ...
Check the city of Peru website under ordinances and you'll find under Chapter 110 , Article 5 , Division 3 , Section 110 , section B ... Members of Liberty Fire Company No. 1 may park on the south side of Fifth Street from the west line of West Street to a point 150 feet west thereof while on fire call duty everyone else is prohibitted . Obviously this needs to be updated since all fireman aren't Liberty members anymore . But it should not be updated to allow this as a city parking lot for certain wives !!
Anon 9:09 This issue started last January and has not been resolved as of October? Someone needs to take control of the reins and steer this ship in the right direction. Someone who is in charge of this city and this department please do something.
31 years ago almost to the month , when R.A. was applying to the city of Peru , another applicant was to be hired over R.A. because he had military time that put his qualifications over R.A. and R.A. started a lawsuit with Peru because he thought that was unfair . The other applicant went to another city because he wanted no part of it , giving R.A. the position . Only if we knew .
@ P.R. 4:33pm ... Looks like it is always the same situation and thinking mentality , ignore it and it will go away ! Well i think the city can't ignore it anymore and it isn't going away . When is the next election for mayor ? This seems to have gone on for 10 months now and if (when) this goes to court because someone files then it will go on for years and cost the taxpayers a TON of money .
@ anon 1:32pm ... the bottom half of the middle paragraph says the fire chief states in a meeting on the 5th of Oct. that it's a city parking lot and they are going to abolish the ordinance making it only for fireman . I did some asking and a wife works at the Hospital and parks there when on her shift instead of using the Hospital lots .
Also if anyone has access to Mr. Riordans 16 page letter to the council and mayor (the one they ignored)he gave them a month ago he states the chief and mayor knew there were problems from the very beginning immediately following the January incisent .
Please tell me 10:44, that this is not over a parking spot. There has to be another reason. And if it is why doesn't the police chief just tell her not to park there. Problem solved!
Thanks for the information written in twice today but I would prefer not to go there, at least right now. If you wish to email me, I am mypointofviewlc@gmail.com
ANON 5:43 So you're telling me the chief is going to change an ORDINANCE to accomodate one fireman's wife? A wife who works across the street? My opinion - wrong, wrong, wrong!
If they abolish the city ordinance about parking issue there is still a state law that you cannot park within 75 feet of an entrance to a fire station. So they could not park anywhere on Fifth St. because there is an entrance to the back on Fifth. Iam not sure about the distance, but pretty sure its 75 feet.
What is the total cost that Peru pays to have a ordinance made? When dose it become necessary to to make up a ordinance? Dose a lawyer have to make up a ordinance or could the city clerk draw up a legal ordinance with the vote of the council and the signature of the Mayor? Could a department head legally draw up a ordinance present it to the council for a vote and if approved it would be a law? Does Peru's City Attorney get paid for drawing up a ordinance or is it included in the monthly salary?
The Peru Fire Department has so many major problems of such magnitude that any final decisions made in the hopes of fairness to all will never be achieved with the same personnel in place. The personnel problems will have to be approached with attitude no one is indispensable and only those who will contribute towards the chemistry of a winning team should be retained. As for leadership, which will be of up most importance, it may be wise to draw ideas from past chiefs and other respected firemen of Peru and outside of Peru. Some form of professional service unassociated with the present PFD must be brought in to start inquires and stop the falling apart of our fire protection service. Yes this is a service that the citizens of Peru pay for. If this problem was opened up to elected officials in charge of managing the city and its departments last January and the problem has been allowed to reach the present chaos it seems the solution and only solution is to ask for a outside government service to take over the management of the PFD perform inquires and institute all correctional steps which they believe must be followed through with until all of interest are satisfied and Peru has a fire department that all are trying to achieve the same goals. The lawsuits which could evolve and the exposure of crime which took place in the building which houses our Peru Police Department and the Peru Fire Department are shameful.
Garage sale signs are popping up all over town. Especially saw a great deal of them on Marquette Road announcing Carrie Street garage sale tomorrow. I thought they were being removed by our code enforcement officer? I surely hope this is an oversight by him and that they will be removed as other signs around town have been. I hope this is not another example on "it depends on who you are or who you know". I, for one, am tired of the favoritism that exists in government.
A number of months ago a huge sum of money was discovered in a airplane at the Peru City Airport, the police department confiscated the money and got a lions share of $350,000 which goes directly to the police fund and not to the city general fund. No arrests or charges ever made. Next in line comes the Peru swimming pool and its case of missing items which the City Attorney said were outdated, the police chief said they did not amount to enough money to investigate as told by a alderwoman. As of yet there has been no legal investigation brought before the taxpayers nor has a entire list of missing items ever been given to them publicly. Starting as early as January there has been turmoil in the Peru Fire Department with a former fireman saying he will appear in front of a judge to testify that money was secretly deposited in the safe at the fire station and not declared. This is a recent history which has taken place in the City of Peru and now has to be investigated for whatever legalities or illegalities which have transpired including all responsible parties involved. This is the only way to prove fact and/or eliminate rumors. This is at the least what the taxpayers of the city are deserving of,as the taxpayers of any city would be. Maybe its a good thing that problems are not like snowballs that just melt away if you don't pay attention to them.
He must have known the person who had the sale on Fulton st last weekend! The one with the neon green signs...they were up from Thursday all the way til yesterday!!!! ON UTILITY POLES!!!! I guess he was on vacation?? Yeah right!!! What a joke that position is!!!
Kari: today I witnessed a sign on the corner of Marquette Road and Shooting Park, Marq. and Wenzel, Marq. and 30th, and Marq. and some other street all labeled Carrie St. Garage Sale. Places that I know other signs were removed from.
Garage sale signs cannot be posted on utility poles. They can be placed on private property (with owner's permission), like a real estate "for sale" sign. If you see a garage sale sign on a utility pole, please call the city clerk's office. Code Enforcement Officer Borostowski is supposed to notify the people who hang garage sale signs on utility poles by going to the address listed on the sign. I don't like this ordinance, but it is an ordinance in the City of Peru and so it must be followed. I will not tolerate favoritism of any kind, and CE Officer Borostowski has told me he feels the same. Please help get the word out because I know how much work it takes to put on a garage sale. It has been published in the News Tribune. Hope this helps! Alderman Sherry Mayszak
Alderman Mayszak: What about the signs on the corner of Marquette Road and Wenzel Road and Marquette Road and Shooting Park Road? Some signs have been removed and others are left alone. It does make one wonder! Thank you for your explanantion and your view point on favoritism. This has always been a sore spot to many citizens because it does exist.
PERU TOWN FORUM - IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY, Great job being done by Lois in keeping up the blog, but I am sure Lois as well as the rest of us are wondering what has become of the other establishing partner of this institution,Mr. Steve Weberski. Steve, please let us know what you have been up to and hurry up and start to become active. Missing your well thought out views and progressive ideas. Don't let us or Lois down as this is too much for one to to encounter on their own at the standard which this blog has achieved and please do not answer that many if willing can replace you. There are not many and together the two of you have accomplished much but there is still much more. A effort which also is going to encompass many more than two but a effort which takes the thought of all with strong leadership. Sincerely, STEVE, get back to the keyboard and pound out some of your favorite mind stimulating topics as they are always some of ours also. It has been a long road too travel but there are still miles, miles too may miles too stop now.
Does anyone know if this issue has been addressed or will be addressed and if so by whom? This appears to be a serious matter that should not be taken lightly and overlooked. And what about the demolition of the Power Plant on Water Street? Is that at a stand still again? And what about the TIF lawsuit? Where does that stand? A lot of things are going on but we never seem to hear about or find a solution.
Anon 12:40 PM some questions which you and many others including myself have asked cannot be answered because of legalities. Lawyers and laws, lawyers and laws, lawyers and laws I am sure you understand. On the positive side there are many projects presently active which could be updated to us the general public. Being that Wednesdays City Council Meetings Agenda dose not appear to be overloaded with material I believe the Mayor could utilize the meeting to inform us of the general state of affairs of Peru. If the meeting dose not include the subjects you are interested in there is always the public discussion segment in which you can personally ask about your particular interests. See you Wednesday at the City Building 7:30 PM for the City Council Meeting. Good Luck in getting your questions answered.
Supposedly being of sound mind and of reasonable thought I have to ask a number of leading questions. What is a realistic guess in the number of years before Peru has a swimming pool? What is the opportunity for Peru to choice a location for a Family Fun Day that will not be objectionable to any particular group? I personally submit Veterans Park, now called Rotary Park as a ideal location to have a Family Fun Day. It is a great park with a huge amount of parking in city lots nearby. If the amount of years as great as I think (ten at the least-a entire generation) before Peru has a swimming pool why doesn't our town take $80,000 To $100,000 and build a splash pad. Although a splash pad is not the swimming pool many want it is a great compromise until the city can afford a pool in possibly 2021 or a little later. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT ARE GROWING UP IN PERU IN THE YEARS IN BETWEEN HAVING A POOL AND NOT HAVING A POOL. TEN YEARS OR MORE IS A LONG, LONG TIME! A intelligent compromise should be acceptable to all.
Has the mayor ever updated the general public at a meeting? Has the SPW ever updated the general public at a meeting? You are absolutely correct when you state "good luck in getting questions answered". Why do you think it is hard for citizens to find out where their city stands on many issues?
87 comments:
What is this all about Lois?
This letter was read by Tom Riordan at the Peru City Council Meeting tonight October 10 but the problem has been brewing for months and long before any of us knew anything about it.
I know a little bit about working in public safety and whether it is a city department or a private institution, all must work together for the benefit of those who depend upon you.
As the old saying goes where there is smoke there is fire and that was definitely true tonight. A fire department meeting was held prior to the council meeting this evening and they were aware of this letter to be read tonight and forces were put together and when I walked into the council chambers the back 2 rows of chairs were taken up by Liberty Fire and several of the long time Peru fire dept. engineers. I assume this was to present a show of force against the letter which was to be read. Liberty fire is no longer a fire fighting department but only a fund raising organization and not all fire employees belong to it. And you as a resident of the city will soon be receiving a request for a donation to them. I will try to get together more information for you on that issue. (to be cont.)
I know none of the members extremely well and some not at all and I also know it is not easy to manage a large group of people and this is no exception. Gary Eccles was the Fire Chief and he seemed to be a person who was able to keep all of the department running extremely well and did a good job for the city as a whole. For some reason he was voted out by the members and all of this has now become a power play amongst the whole department. Chief King may be the PFD Fire Chief but he has a boss who has taken a hands off policy with that department as he has with all city departments and that person is Mayor Scott Harl. It is part of his job to make sure that all departments are functioning at their top level. As the saying goes, the buck stops here and in this case, it stops at the Mayors office and this did not happen and now you are all going to see not how well a city functions but how an out of control dept. becomes dysfunctional because of infighting.
I don't think their fire fighting capabilities will change and they will still get the job down but as said in the letter their presence at city functions, safety events, parades etc. is not going to be up front. At this point I don't think that a PFD EMT service is even a realistic goal unless they can get their act together and that is going to take some super leadership on everyones part.
The FD group that attended tonights' meeting requested that King be given full time status but it doesn't appear that it would add anything at this time to the fires departments effectiveness. There is work to be done so that all will actually be protecting each others back.
11:37 PM
If you have more questions I will try to answer them specifically.
You should download or get a copy of the IRS form 990 for Liberty Fire Company. You may find the compensation for corporate officers interesting.
Unpaid suspension for a comment on his personal facebook page ? are they serious ? I'd rather donate to him to help pay for his attorney than to Liberty .
I was talking with a few of my Fire Fighter Friends and they said when the page went out for training there was a message with it saying to bring polo shirt with them if they were going to attend the council meeting. They went to the meeting to support Jeff King being a full time chief and had no idea they were going to show support against Tom reading his letter.
Training usually lasts from 6 til 9 so part of the training they had last night was the council meeting.
Lois, if the statements that have been made by firefighter Riordan were in fact truths wouldn’t the group of firefighters at last nights meeting be standing behind Tom in support? It is the true nature of a firefighter to support his or her fellow firefighter in a time of need. I’m just curious but wouldn’t they be asking the city to do the exact opposite of what they asked for yesterday evening? Just food for thought. As it looks at this point in time there is only one “unhappy” employee of the fire dept. That is one of twenty some odd people. If my math is correct that stands as a 5% disapproval rating within the fire dept. leaving 95% in favor of how things are being run. I will take 95% any day of the week. Lois I agree with you that it is very hard to run a large dept. All I can ask as a concerned citizen of the city of Peru is that you look at both sides of the story and not the one that makes for the best “drama” before you go handing out the proverbial pitchforks and torches.
10:12 AM
The N.T. reported 5 to 8 and they would have seen better than I I do know there were approximately 5 of them waiting in the area outside the chamber when I left. Their membership is down as they have recently lost several members. A couple looked very young and the few I would recognize were not present. It does depend upon HOW it is being run. The fireman that asked for full time for Chief King is one of the newest members coming from S. IL.and lives next door to Chief King. If you check the Peru FD web site that was created by Pat Riordan you will see some of the current members.
ANON 10:12 I would ask you where you got your information that only 1 of 20 some employees is unhappy. Have you spoken to each and every individual privately because many people are uncomfortable bucking the system and will go along with the crowd if confronted.
Jeff being on the department since 2000 or 2001 knew about the position of chief and what it involved. He knew it would be alot of time involved and the amount he would be paid weather he spent one hour or ten hours. Most of the firemen would not speak up for fear of being outcast. So they just go with the flow.
7:07 AM
Why would a small group of people suddenly decide to bring up the Fire Chief position to the council, they were not even listed on the agends and technically had no right to speak last night. This has been rumored for years about the little compensation Chief King gets and since there was no reason for the sudden request I did not understand why is was suddenly brought up without being placed on the agenda and why it was not in the public comment section and why one of the newest firemen was making the request. It would have been more appropriate to request a meeting with your mayor and talk to him about it and find out what he thinks because you got a no comment from the mayor last night.
thats the problem everybody goes with the flow instead of fighting for whats right, small town politics suck. there are many cases of companies LOSING cases for reprimanding because of facebook post, if i was the city and liberty i watch out before you get your tit in a ringer.
As you have mentioned Lois is this even legal according to Robert's Rule - being allowed to speak without being put on the agenda and not during public comment?
The news tribune stated that a few of the firemen after the meeting stated that Tom R. brother Pat was criticized for not wearing full gear at a call? It sounds to me that the Chief should have reprimanded the ones that were criticizing. Sounds like the peru FD has some big headed firemen there. Shouldn't fellow firefighters help one another instead of criticizing?
I'm on a neighboring department, This is sad because this is suppose to be a brotherhood.
This sure sounds like a gang up on FF Riordan at a public meeting. If Tom R. is still on the department the Chief should not have allowed this to happen. UNITED not DIVIDED and that's the way it sounds there. I sure appreciate where I'm at.
signed,
Maltese Cross
I cannot believe that the mayor and the fire chief sat there last night and didn't utter a word. It sure appeared to be a planned gang up on Mr. Riordan and this should not have been allowed by those in charge.
Its not what you know,its who you know. And its been going on in Peru for too many years.
I for one am not very proud of the City of Peru right now!! I no longer feel like the Police or Fire departments are on "our side" anymore!! I am also happy the my husband left the FD a long time ago...he saw the BS and decided not to be a part of it!
I have learned that the so called meeting before the council meeting did not happen, instead they drove around until time to go to the meeting. Evidently the group in charge of this sham told people like Tim Riordan and the younger fireman that they were going as a group to request a new fire truck from the city.
So now we add dishonesty to the long list of problems. But then lots of us see that in other areas of the city also.
I recently said in a post, that one thing I cannot tolerate is dishonesty and incompetence so I am so sickened by what I hear coming out of the PFD.
Lois, time to call Lisa Madigan.
What goes on at these council meetings is embarrassing. The News Trib must love it, because after every meeting there is a story!
Well, well, just when u thought all of this fire department drama was swept under the rug. Seems to me that someone should be investigating all these allegations before the city, fire chief, fire officers, and last but not least, all fire fighters from Peru are held accoutable and are "forced" to testify on the way things are "ran" at this dept and claims of unfairness to employees. Some of this could be called harassment, and I don't think the city wants one of those law suits on their hands. Everyone needs to understand that if you are aware of or take part in or even allow harassment in your work-place you can and will most likely be held accountable. It's not only the boss or employer that is held accountable, but ALL those associated with the claim.
Perhaps the city needs to bring in a new chief replacement until there is an investigation.
Problems like this is no ones fault but the Chief's. it is obvious this is poor management.
Did this article really state that Firefighters went to represent the Chief for a full time position? He can't manage a part time position of 20 people.
Better yet maybe the city should allow Lasalle Fire Chief Bacidore manage both departments? We never see this kind of stuff hit the papers over there.
It is kind of funny because when I go out on the weekends I usually see 4-5 Peru firefighters including their Chief out drinking together!Brotherhood or Good Ole Boys Club?
Brian, what does the 990 form show?
Did the City of Peru Il. really pay these firefighters that were suppose to be at a city tax payer paid training to go to a council meeting?
Some field trip that must have been.
Our city would not tolerate this!
I'm curious to know if the Chief knew if Firefighter Tom Riordon was going to vent at this meeting, and if so....Why would he let the other firefighters come to witness this unless it was staged to make it look like This Firefighter Riordon is an outcast. Sounds dirty to me.
We can send you one of our Deputy Chief's over to your town to fix things. No games tolerated in bigger communities.
from: TPFD
when i get my donation letter from Liberty i'm crossing out Liberty Fire and mailing my donation to Tom for hopefully his attorney fund ! This crap has gone on long enough and i'm happy someone is finally "slayingthe beast" so to speak ! Sad though that we will lose another dedicated servant .
I read it on either newstrib.com or saw it on the story on WAJK website that the officers said Pat was reprimanded for not wearing his gear to a call ... Well i work construction and was working on 7th street when the fire at the school happened last week and saw the chief working at the scene with no gear on . He was pulling hose and drug it up to the scene where he handed it to another firefighter next to the fire . There was a photographer there i'm sure its on film somewhere . I guess it really is who you are !
Why was the fire department awarded with a dinner bought by the city because they were accident free ? Didn't they have a firefighter that was taken from the scene of an accident for heat exhaustion or something by ambulance in late spring ? Maybe these accusations are true . Looks like someone better actually look into his claims . Can we get the original complaint letter on here to read ?
Mr. Harl, City Council, Chief King-and-his-clan...shhhhh!! Just lay there quietly, don't comment or reply! You know this will all go away and be forgotten in a matter of time...just like the last time this dirty laundry was brought to the tax payers attention. Peru is looking really good right now!
i was wondering why all the firetrucks were just driving around last nite .
So if there was a waiting list to be a firefighter in the great city of Peru when Ecclless was chief . And now there are only 14 or so , wouldn't someone think something is wrong ?
If indeed all these accusations and all this favoritism is true then it needs to be pursued until it is resolved. Someone needs to take control of the reins. I for one do not want my tax dollar to be used for another law suit (which it seems Mr. Riordan is entitled to pursue).
From FB with permission from T. Riordan on his page.
"and so it begins ... got a typed note on my windshield this morning that say "you'll get yours"
Are you serious? Isn't that a threat? I hope T. Riordan is not going to let this go. Those in charge need to take this seriously.
I agree 7:25. This is a police matter.
Hmmm!! didn't I just read about a month ago about a Peru fire department officer punching another firefighter while on duty? I think the mayor over in Peru needs to get involved.
Now who's the Leader of the Valley? " The Big Bad Wolf"??
A serious investigation needs to take place. between this letter and the news tribune article there is reason for major concern for the safety of Peru. The State Senator, Attorney General, States Atty, and the State Fire Marshall's office should step in for a full investigation.
Is this department Union or not? They need some sort of representation if they can't get it from the Mayor of that town.
9:46PM
Only the 4 full time engineers are now union. Personally I don't believe our police department is in a position to do any investigating. Perhaps someone associated with any of the departments you have mentioned will be reading this blog and also see a need to investigate what is going on.
I had posted a video about fire based ems on Augut 29 and it turned into a long discussion and debate on the Peru FD. If you are a new reader you might want to check the blog archive located on the left side of the comments.
Do you really think if the peru police looks into this(the threat that was on Toms window)anything would be done? I agree that an outside agency should come down and look into this. Like the money that was made from previous fire department smokers and only some was accounted for and some was put into a safe upstairs at the fire station
Haha , all the dirty secrets are coming out . hmm , where's President Earl's handwritten log on the hoards of CASH kept at the station instead of claiming it as gambling proceeds ! All the money donated through the fundraising letter now in mailboxes , and the smoker/stag ... they expect us to believe that money is all reported , and/or used to buy firefighting equipment ? Where does that money go ? They use to hide upstairs for their parties now they go to Bar/Restaurants and run up hundreds of dollars on bar bills . I've seen their bill last time they were at Waterstreet Pub , why should i donate to that ? I'm with everyone else , i'm donating to the Riordan "screw the city of Peru" Fund ! Wonder how the President and Treasurer of Liberty are gonna like prison !
I 100000000000000000% support Tom but also dont use the King was out drinking thing he is a human just like all of us and i believe he is over 21. Anyway I hope Tom sues the pants of Peru and If anyone who knows Tom knows he fights for what he believes just like his dad did!!! So City of Peru dont think he is gonna back down!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Riordan Jr. served the city of Peru as a Sargeant on the Police Dept for like 35 years , Pat had 15+ years on Peru Fire and did an internship with Peru PD also , Tom had 7 years on Peru Fire so far and Tim is a newer fireman not sure on years of service , Thats almost 60 combined years of service to their hometown . The awards , certificates , news articles , and thank-you this family has recieved for their service , volunteering more , training more , and just simple letters of appreciation would cover every wall in the council chambers ! Now this is how their city treats them by just ignoring legitimate complaints ? If an employee logs a complaint over harassment and intimidation the employer is required to act under law . FEDERAL LAW ! Why is the city attorney just allowing this ? Is he hoping the New administration fails since he's one of Bakers boys ? Ahhh , the picture appears really clear now . Good Luck Tom . And yes i'm signing this anonymous , because i've read what Bernabei is Capable of ! And while we're on that subject Mr. Riordan has every right to add Bernabei ,and Peru Police to his lawsuit . Police Recording are Official Record and not to be played to the person involved in the complaint . But those recording have probly already been destroyed which was the case when Bernie was secretly recording a person in SV and got sued for it . Dirty little secrets are coming out . Bet ya Peru is glad they got him as chief now .
I think it's time to get rid of the Chief and hire a new Chief from outside of the department. Obviously he is not a good leader and if it's true that he doesn't wear his gear at some of the calls he sure is not setting a good example to the rest of the department. Why should another fireman get screamed at for that when the Chief doesn't even follow the rules.
If bernabi is a crooked as these correspondances say why would anyone trust him? Sad when you can't even go to your police department for help . And if the mayor won't help you should go to the state's attorney or Attorney General . Good question ... Why is Liberty even still around ? Seen just like a men's club now .
It's pretty bad the fire officers lie to its members to get everyone there so it looks like King has friends . Also , my tax dollars better stop being used to make firefighters attend acouncil meeing . Technically they were on the city clock because i read training last from 6-9 pm . That is a missuse of city payroll . Since when is driving around town honking horns a fire training anyway ? This is all wrong . People need to lose their jobs , a full investigation from an outside athority needs to be done and if this seasonal employee was stealing time from the city he needs prosecuted and the city needs paid back . Don't let this be like the Police chief not wanting to file a police report for thousands of dollars of pool equipment that was stolen from the city pool . This is all wrong and heads need to roll . SCREW LIBERTY AND CHIEF KING AND BERNABI ! And if Harl doesnt do something SCREW HIM TOO !
can you say "CORRUPTION"???? Glad an honest man like Rodney is in charge of the pool donations!!
Are any of you firefighters? Do you know when turnout gear is deemed necessary and when it isn't? Pulling hoses doesn't require gear, standing in front of a fire with a hose for a length of time does. What are the rest of the firefighters supposed to do when another doesn't show up in his full gear? Give them theirs? It's not like there's extra bunker gear lying around at a scene. It is common for a chief to not be in full gear as they are the incident commander and not directly fighting the fire. This is not so for the rest of the firefighters, and there is no excuse for him showing up without all his gear, it should all be kept together in his gear bag. And as far as sending donations for T.R.'s attorney fund, you can do that without Liberty's donation form. It sounds to me like a bunch of people jumping on a bandwagon and a bunch of hearsay, "Didn't I read..?", "I heard that..." Focus on the facts people. It seems that there is a lot of speculation about how the department is run but none of you actually know. And heat exhaustion is not considered an accident. Falling through a roof, having a building collapse on you, being burned, those are all accidents. And those are the hazards your firefighters face every time they go on a call. Maybe you should think about that before criticizing an entire department that puts their lives on the line for the safety of its citizens. I don't even live in the area, a friend of mine brought the story to my attention. Being a firefighter myself I find some of the comments I have read shameful. If you have a problem with the mayor or the fire chief, take up against them.
If we are bringing in State Senators and States Attorney and State Fire Marshall.....I believe the whole City administration from Mayor to council, police, fire dept, etc should all be investigated for everything to due with running of the City of Peru. Then we also need to have those elected to city offices be mandated to take some kind of educational courses, prior to assuming their positions. This will make then aware of the dos and don'ts. (Keeping their hands out of the till is a moral issue.) Talk about incompetence, Peru is the sample case. :(
AS TOM R., I SINCERELY HOPE HE HAS EVERYTHING DOCUMENTED AND I HOPE HE PRESSES HIS CASE FURTHER.
How do you not know TR didnt just say he was threatned? Some of the posters here are blindly following this guy because your addicted to the drama. He is less than credible and all his letters have been disputed, line by line, post by post. I'm trying too convince the victums of his personal attacks to get an attorney. If they choose legal action, Im certain that both TR and this blog will be subpoenaed and all those involved in the character attacks will be exposed and dealt with in a court of law. As it should be, not in a disgraful public forum. Its certainly okay have a difference of opinion, but freedom of speech stops at defamation of character. TR crossed that line along time ago. A few good guys have been beat up pretty bad here and by people who dont even where the fire station is located. The Riordan story is long, he has been given the floor to discuss his issues month after month, nobody on the department, that I know of, agrees with him. I'd be carefull about whose camp you hitch your wagon to because is going legal real fast. Check your facts before you post.
PS An anonymous poster is easily identified after the attorneys are involved.
Louis, I video taped me entering this on your blog, because I believe you like too edit posts you dont agree with and feel your biased. Prove me wrong by allowing this post.
In reply to anon 12:40. That "Bar tab" that you speak of was, correct me if i'm wrong, a retirement party for Pat Riordan. The entire Rirodan family was in attendance and Pat was honored that evening for his 15+ years of service. As for the Helmet fiasco, No Pat was not presented his helmet that evening because he had only retired from Liberty and not yet from the Fire Dept. He still needed said helmet to respond to calls. Once again only half truths and a complete lack of research is being shown on the part of most of the posts in this blog. Do your homework people!
9:44 AM
BTW Louis was my grandfather and not me. You don't know me and you are judging how I conduct this blog and you are definitely off base. I have standards I follow as to whether posts are put on or deleted. I have NEVER edited a post. If it requires editing and someone has signed their name, I will let them know it is unacceptable. If it is anon, it is their tough luck. Keep your language clean, you can criticize other comments but not the people who write them because they have rights too.
I apologize for the wrong name. In the last FD bash blog I presented actual proof of posted misinformation in reguards to TR. You didnt post it, you made a post saying you were shutting the issue down because of offensive language. Then you allowed about 40 or 50 more posts. There wasnt any offensive language in my post, just evidence proving some for the info wrong.
11:33AM
If you are a part of the PFD, you might want to speak to Chief King at this point in the conversation.
As for your post I can't comment because I no longer have any of that information and it would just be my word against yours. Its unfortunate that the problem was not solved when it began about 6 weeks ago as we could point fingers at many people but it would not help. I have been told a solution is possibly on the horizon so lets both hope for a good solution that will allow us to hold up our heads again and be proud of our FD.
All of this because of a parking space?
"You don't know me and you are judging how I conduct this blog and you are definitely off base"
Isnt unfairly judging people the point of this blog? This whole page is people, without any facts or data judging, the City of Peru, its officials, the police and fire services. Kind of the pot calling the kettle black? Do you feel you are enabling other people judge PFD?
1:21PM
Judging people is not the point of this blog and never has been. The point is to point out decisions, policies, ordinances, planting trees, talking about fireworks and a multitude of other topics. Since when is politics lily white?
I don't think you know what facts people possess when they post on this blog.
BTW I also believe in freedom of speech within parameters I have set because I take the time to write and maintain it, I can do that even if you don't like it.
I also occasionally take pictures and post news articles that I have found interesting and maybe someone else will too.
I'm sorry that the PFD is taking some heat right now, but I did not cause the problems the department has that was brought on by some of the members. If you have been reading you know that problems exist or they would not be being discussed. You can't make this stuff up, it is real problems within a FD. I think your chief would not appreciate this being prolonged. You evidently are a member of the FD, did you talk to him as I suggested.
I don't see how a solution can be made when threats have been made and no one knows by whom. A solution should have been found long ago when this situation first started not now just because it has gone public. It should have been addressed by those in charge.
I can tell you the facts because I was there. I was not remaindered(yelled at)for not wearing my gear, because my gear was in my truck and goes with me to every call, it was because someone made a anonymous call to the police that I was speeding to a call. I didnt use my blue light and no cars were around me. I do admit that I was probably going 5-7 miles over the speed limit on north peoria st. I stopped and talked to the police chief and he said that we(the police dept.) did not receive a call like that, but he would look into it and get back to me, which he or any other member of the police force did not. So I know where the call came from! And for the money that was secretly deposited in the safe at the fire station and not declared that is a fact. You see and hear a a lot in 15 years more then people think. These are all FACTS I have no reason to lie. Call me to court to testify if(when) this goes before a judge I will be more then happy to.
Anon 1:21 The creators of this blog are not employees of Peru. Any time you draw money from a tax supported entity you are going to be scrutinized by those who are supporting it. Be strong, if your group has a clean kettle you have nothing to worry about.
im going to shop downtown Peru , so according to the chief i can park at the fire dept correct ?? Oh wait , i'm not married to a firefighter ! Shucks
On the topic in August that was similar to this one had the best post ever , "WWGD" (what would Gary do) . The city wouldn"t be in this spot if Gary was still chief ! Rick never wouldve gotten away with his public verbal attack last January when all this started , and would've been the one disciplined ! There will be a sacraficial lamb , so to speak , and i soon see an opening for a Fulltime Engineer in Peru , and maybe a chief ! I can't wait to see how this plays out ...
Check the city of Peru website under ordinances and you'll find under Chapter 110 , Article 5 , Division 3 , Section 110 , section B ... Members of Liberty Fire Company No. 1 may park on the south side of Fifth Street from the west line of West Street to a point 150 feet west thereof while on fire call duty everyone else is prohibitted . Obviously this needs to be updated since all fireman aren't Liberty members anymore . But it should not be updated to allow this as a city parking lot for certain wives !!
Anon 9:09 This issue started last January and has not been resolved as of October? Someone needs to take control of the reins and steer this ship in the right direction. Someone who is in charge of this city and this department please do something.
31 years ago almost to the month , when R.A. was applying to the city of Peru , another applicant was to be hired over R.A. because he had military time that put his qualifications over R.A. and R.A. started a lawsuit with Peru because he thought that was unfair . The other applicant went to another city because he wanted no part of it , giving R.A. the position . Only if we knew .
@ P.R. 4:33pm ... Looks like it is always the same situation and thinking mentality , ignore it and it will go away ! Well i think the city can't ignore it anymore and it isn't going away . When is the next election for mayor ? This seems to have gone on for 10 months now and if (when) this goes to court because someone files then it will go on for years and cost the taxpayers a TON of money .
I'm confused. Who said wives of firemen were allowed to park in their spaces and why would they want to?
Something we as a city can definitely not afford ANON 1:08 - a lawsuit and tons of money.
@ anon 1:32pm ... the bottom half of the middle paragraph says the fire chief states in a meeting on the 5th of Oct. that it's a city parking lot and they are going to abolish the ordinance making it only for fireman . I did some asking and a wife works at the Hospital and parks there when on her shift instead of using the Hospital lots .
Also if anyone has access to Mr. Riordans 16 page letter to the council and mayor (the one they ignored)he gave them a month ago he states the chief and mayor knew there were problems from the very beginning immediately following the January incisent .
Please tell me 10:44, that this is not over a parking spot. There has to be another reason. And if it is why doesn't the police chief just tell her not to park there. Problem solved!
8:08PM
Because it seems he chose not to. Aware of the situation, yes.
Thanks for the information written in twice today but I would prefer not to go there, at least right now. If you wish to email me, I am mypointofviewlc@gmail.com
ANON 5:43 So you're telling me the chief is going to change an ORDINANCE to accomodate one fireman's wife? A wife who works across the street? My opinion - wrong, wrong, wrong!
If they abolish the city ordinance about parking issue there is still a state law that you cannot park within 75 feet of an entrance to a fire station. So they could not park anywhere on Fifth St. because there is an entrance to the back on Fifth. Iam not sure about the distance, but pretty sure its 75 feet.
What is the total cost that Peru pays to have a ordinance made? When dose it become necessary to to make up a ordinance? Dose a lawyer have to make up a ordinance or could the city clerk draw up a legal ordinance with the vote of the council and the signature of the Mayor? Could a department head legally draw up a ordinance present it to the council for a vote and if approved it would be a law? Does Peru's City Attorney get paid for drawing up a ordinance or is it included in the monthly salary?
The Peru Fire Department has so many major problems of such magnitude that any final decisions made in the hopes of fairness to all will never be achieved with the same personnel in place. The personnel problems will have to be approached with attitude no one is indispensable and only those who will contribute towards the chemistry of a winning team should be retained. As for leadership, which will be of up most importance, it may be wise to draw ideas from past chiefs and other respected firemen of Peru and outside of Peru. Some form of professional service unassociated with the present PFD must be brought in to start inquires and stop the falling apart of our fire protection service. Yes this is a service that the citizens of Peru pay for. If this problem was opened up to elected officials in charge of managing the city and its departments last January and the problem has been allowed to reach the present chaos it seems the solution and only solution is to ask for a outside government service to take over the management of the PFD perform inquires and institute all correctional steps which they believe must be followed through with until all of interest are satisfied and Peru has a fire department that all are trying to achieve the same goals. The lawsuits which could evolve and the exposure of crime which took place in the building which houses our Peru Police Department and the Peru Fire Department are shameful.
Garage sale signs are popping up all over town. Especially saw a great deal of them on Marquette Road announcing Carrie Street garage sale tomorrow. I thought they were being removed by our code enforcement officer? I surely hope this is an oversight by him and that they will be removed as other signs around town have been. I hope this is not another example on "it depends on who you are or who you know". I, for one, am tired of the favoritism that exists in government.
A number of months ago a huge sum of money was discovered in a airplane at the Peru City Airport, the police department confiscated the money and got a lions share of $350,000 which goes directly to the police fund and not to the city general fund. No arrests or charges ever made.
Next in line comes the Peru swimming pool and its case of missing items which the City Attorney said were outdated, the police chief said they did not amount to enough money to investigate as told by a alderwoman. As of yet there has been no legal investigation brought before the taxpayers nor has a entire list of missing items ever been given to them publicly.
Starting as early as January there has been turmoil in the Peru Fire Department with a former fireman saying he will appear in front of a judge to testify that money was secretly deposited in the safe at the fire station and not declared.
This is a recent history which has taken place in the City of Peru and now has to be investigated for whatever legalities or illegalities which have transpired including all responsible parties involved. This is the only way to prove fact and/or eliminate rumors. This is at the least what the taxpayers of the city are deserving of,as the taxpayers of any city would be. Maybe its a good thing that problems are not like snowballs that just melt away if you don't pay attention to them.
He must have known the person who had the sale on Fulton st last weekend! The one with the neon green signs...they were up from Thursday all the way til yesterday!!!! ON UTILITY POLES!!!! I guess he was on vacation?? Yeah right!!! What a joke that position is!!!
Kari: today I witnessed a sign on the corner of Marquette Road and Shooting Park, Marq. and Wenzel, Marq. and 30th, and Marq. and some other street all labeled Carrie St. Garage Sale.
Places that I know other signs were removed from.
Garage sale signs cannot be posted on utility poles. They can be placed on private property (with owner's permission), like a real estate "for sale" sign. If you see a garage sale sign on a utility pole, please call the city clerk's office. Code Enforcement Officer Borostowski is supposed to notify the people who hang garage sale signs on utility poles by going to the address listed on the sign. I don't like this ordinance, but it is an ordinance in the City of Peru and so it must be followed. I will not tolerate favoritism of any kind, and CE Officer Borostowski has told me he feels the same. Please help get the word out because I know how much work it takes to put on a garage sale. It has been published in the News Tribune. Hope this helps!
Alderman Sherry Mayszak
Alderman Mayszak: What about the signs on the corner of Marquette Road and Wenzel Road and Marquette Road and Shooting Park Road? Some signs have been removed and others are left alone. It does make one wonder! Thank you for your explanantion and your view point on favoritism. This has always been a sore spot to many citizens because it does exist.
PERU TOWN FORUM - IN THE ILLINOIS VALLEY, Great job being done by Lois in keeping up the blog, but I am sure Lois as well as the rest of us are wondering what has become of the other establishing partner of this institution,Mr. Steve Weberski. Steve, please let us know what you have been up to and hurry up and start to become active. Missing your well thought out views and progressive ideas. Don't let us or Lois down as this is too much for one to to encounter on their own at the standard which this blog has achieved and please do not answer that many if willing can replace you. There are not many and together the two of you have accomplished much but there is still much more. A effort which also is going to encompass many more than two but a effort which takes the thought of all with strong leadership. Sincerely, STEVE, get back to the keyboard and pound out some of your favorite mind stimulating topics as they are always some of ours also. It has been a long road too travel but there are still miles, miles too may miles too stop now.
Does anyone know if this issue has been addressed or will be addressed and if so by whom? This appears to be a serious matter that should not be taken lightly and overlooked. And what about the demolition of the Power Plant on Water Street? Is that at a stand still again? And what about the TIF lawsuit? Where does that stand? A lot of things are going on but we never seem to hear about or find a solution.
Anon 12:40 PM some questions which you and many others including myself have asked cannot be answered because of legalities. Lawyers and laws, lawyers and laws, lawyers and laws I am sure you understand. On the positive side there are many projects presently active which could be updated to us the general public.
Being that Wednesdays City Council Meetings Agenda dose not appear to be overloaded with material I believe the Mayor could utilize the meeting to inform us of the general state of affairs of Peru.
If the meeting dose not include the subjects you are interested in there is always the public discussion segment in which you can personally ask about your particular interests. See you Wednesday at the City Building 7:30 PM for the City Council Meeting. Good Luck in getting your questions answered.
Supposedly being of sound mind and of reasonable thought I have to ask a number of leading questions. What is a realistic guess in the number of years before Peru has a swimming pool? What is the opportunity for Peru to choice a location for a Family Fun Day that will not be objectionable to any particular group? I personally submit Veterans Park, now called Rotary Park as a ideal location to have a Family Fun Day. It is a great park with a huge amount of parking in city lots nearby.
If the amount of years as great as I think (ten at the least-a entire generation) before Peru has a swimming pool why doesn't our town take $80,000 To $100,000 and build a splash pad. Although a splash pad is not the swimming pool many want it is a great compromise until the city can afford a pool in possibly 2021 or a little later. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE FOR THE CHILDREN THAT ARE GROWING UP IN PERU IN THE YEARS IN BETWEEN HAVING A POOL AND NOT HAVING A POOL. TEN YEARS OR MORE IS A LONG, LONG TIME! A intelligent compromise should be acceptable to all.
Has the mayor ever updated the general public at a meeting? Has the SPW ever updated the general public at a meeting? You are absolutely correct when you state "good luck in getting questions answered". Why do you think it is hard for citizens to find out where their city stands on many issues?
Post a Comment