Here are facts....PSI will cost the city of Peru more than $48,000. They will take a subsidy, and split the profits of patient payments over the first couple of years, and then they will take all including the subsidy. They are a low-paying, for profit service that will hire suburban medics over IL Valley medics when they have the chance. Despite the smokescreen Andy Baccidore have provided, LaSalle is paying significantly more money for a service that doesn't measure up to what they had.
Granted, the PVAS mgmt and Board do need to change. Mr. Roberson is nowhere near qualified to run an ambulance service....heck...he can't even finish his schooling to become a medic.
The BOD for PVAS is as corrupt as they were when Baker was mayor/BOD president. Any company that keeps an accountant on retainer that was proven to defraud the state...well...theat company has no integrity.
Mr. Perez is sadly mistaken to think he or King can run an ambulance. Mr. Perez having a hand in this is a true conflict of interest. A person of high integrity was step away, and appoint another alderman in his place...Perez is proving politics for the City of Peru hasn't changed.
Here's food for thought....couldn't the Peru PD run the ambulance? Why does it have to be the FD? Just curious....
Granted...$90,000 for the police chief? Really?!?! There are police chiefs in towns bigger and busier than Peru that pay their police chiefs $10,000-$15,000 less....not like PPD is that busy.
This whole thing has become a farce...PVAS does a fine job...they have very good medics/EMT's but as stated...their mgmt structure needs help.
Time to create a new BOD and get rid of Roberson.
FYI...PVAS has had significant turn-over because of Roberson!!!
18 comments:
Anoymous - I like a lot of what you suggest. Particularly the "change of management" part including the BOD. I beleive PVAS can survive and possibly even thrive with new leadership. The best service the current board can provide right now is to step aside asap.
I think I have to agree with Steve. Quit putting a band-aid on the real issue.
If what you say is true and Mr. Roberson cannot even finish his schooling to become a medic how could any BOD (past or present) have allowed him to run this vital part of our community? It seems as though the general public is well aware of questionable actions in both our ambulance, fire, and public works departments yet no one who has control seems concerned. Everybody is just minding their own business and closing their eyes to the things happening around them. This chaos cannot persist. Actions need to be taken!
Steve, please provide us with the details of the management issues that need to be resolved. Its funny how your stripes have changed, last week it was a assault on PVAS. This recent post indicates your all for PVAS, but have long standing issues with management personnel. The bashing of former aldermen that serve on the PVAS board! Its predictable from you. Please tell us why the PVAS organization is not run well and please give us facts. Not past history, current services. Quite possibly you may want to stick to running the Mayor's office. Please don't get involved in real thoughts that matter like lifesaving services.
PVAS is a private company with a board of directors. Who appoints this board? I don't believe the city has anything to to do with any decision making that is done there.
If you state that the board and their directors need ousted, but yet say PVAS provide such a great service then why should there be any change?
Who are you to make that recommendation?
If you go to a restaurant regularly and have great food and service and see that all other customers are satisfied, why would you make a recommendation to get rid of their whole management??
As far as alderman Perez goes, I see no problem with him serving on a committee of public safety. Mr. Perez seems to be an honest member of the council. My wife and I are glad to see an alderman finally step up and seek out alternatives instead of playing politics with businesses that think they have the power to stay regardless. Like Chamlin and Test for example..
I think as long as alderman Perez seeks alternatives, makes recommendations to the council is perfectly fine, but, should not vote on anything that involves the FD which I do believe he has refrained from voting on issues pertaining to the FD.
11:43 AM
Steve is only echoing the thoughts of many many people in the city of Peru. PVAS has been making headlines in the news for many years going back to the fraud and dishonest dealings at PVAS. Good people have left them because of the way it was and still is managed, this is no secret. If you have not heard about all of this, please go to the library and do some research of N.T. articles going back to the formation of the service. Initially when Pat Jacklovich was running the ambulance, it was good but after her death, it seems it went downhill and continues to this day.
I firmly believe the organization of PVAS is part of the problem with no accountability to anyone. Again it goes back to the makeup of the BOD and their lack of accountability to the city of Peru and its residents. There should be a place on the Health and Safety committee for a representative of PVAS and they should be answering the questions people have. The committee reads the ambulance report monthly at a city council meeting and we find $4000 per month on the disbursement sheet and yet they do not have a place on a committee and they are not accountable to the city. Time to stop reading those reports because they are a waste of time.
Yea Steve!! Like 11:43 said in the last sentence.
Haha.. Sounds like some on this blog don't want a citizen having input on "lifesaving services, or an alderman that is involved in lifesaving services to have any input that has anything to do with Lifesaving services or safety within the city. Let me guess..... The city should just be silent and continue with the deli council meetings.
This Blog is such great entertainment!!
Let's all send letters into the mayor and recommend he removes Perez from the safety committee and put someone with experience with sausage pulling to make safety recommendations and changes we need in the city.
Hello people!!....... The city should be placing officials in the committees where they have the most experience and knowledge. These officials were elected by the people from within the city to do what is right regardless of their interests. I also believe Alderman Rodney Perez is the best for that position.
What Peru City Aldermen Committee is in charge of the Superintendent of Public Works? Last Wednesday night there was some question about the City Insurance Consultant, Richard Mattuzo, and why he was not at the city council meeting to earn his $7,000+ per year. Truthfully he should have been there as insurance was the main topic on the agenda..
To align priorities I question why Mr. Gary Bleck, SPW, paid $87,000.00 per year is allowed to have a four day work week with Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays off. This is a great example of trimming the budget!
A time clock for city employees would be a great cost saving recommendation for 2012.
Mr anon who HAS ALL THE FACTS please list the facts about PSI and LaSalle and who keeps what money. Would there not be a contract? Could you please explain in detail with specific numbers what the smoke screen thing you say is going on in LaSalle. I assume you have all the numbers. I assume you have a copy of the contract. I assume you are a pvas employee who is with out a doubt clueless about anything other then spouting off to try and save your Job. Being worried about your job is very understandable but remember thats part of the reason LaSalle dumped pvas is because of stupid comments by people like you about LaSalle. This is the same attitute towards LaSalle as the past and present board members of pvas have. If they go then you and your attitude should go also. Show the facts and numbers about LaSalle. Can you tell me if any members of PVAS work for LaSalle at the present time? Just wondering. Let the people who read this blog know what you find out. Its a shame that all the cities in Illinois who contract with psi and other companies are not as smart as you. I think those communities should hire you as a consultant. You just don`t get it. You also might want to tell everyone on the blog what are the qualifications to manage an ems agency. I bet the qualifications you list just happen to be exactly what you have. I`m not saying Mr Roberson is a good manager, but whats not to say the next person to run the organization won`t have issues dealing with a staff that includes people with attitudes like yours.
I know that 2 or 3 PVAS former employees are now working for PSI in LaSalle.
Not former employees. Current employees. Respected employees that just happen to work at both places. 99% of us at Pvas can play well with others. But just like this blog it has 1 or 2 that would rather stir up crap than be a part of the team. Sounds like that is the case with PFD as well.
ANONYMOUS.. with all the facts " your sentence about PSI.. "They are a low paying for profit service " HUH?? evidently you do not have all the facts because the " FACT " is.... " The chief or department sets the pay scale.. not PSI "
Another FACT.. Paramedics would not be hired from the suburbs UNLESS the chief or department can't find qualified medics in the area. If Peru decides to go with PSI, Peru, Lasalle and and other PSI medics can utilize each other if short handed. Contracts can be out for 1-2-3 years and can break away from PSI if a department chooses to.
Peru should not even be paying a dime to allow PVAS to operate in the city, afterall PVAS im sure rakes in good cash through their billing and transfers alone. Lasalle purchased good used ambulances that do the job, where PVAS purchases brand new ambulances and has the same payroll as they did 2 years ago if not more.
Seems to me PVAS is a " For Profit " organization.
MR./ MRS. FACTS... Please give us the facts on how many employees PVAS laid off or fired since they lost Lasalle because according to an earlier blog posted from the News Tribune archive PVAS was crying last year employees were going to lose jobs and major lay-offs were coming. HMMM... NOW they can plan on packing their bags and start filling out apps because Peru finally woke up!!!
Good Job Alderman Ferrari and Alderman Perez for finally taking a stance against the Status Quo
P.S. I like the earlier post that suggested things would be ok if the board and director went and the city appointed a board and chief ( not King ) to run the fire ambulance service.
The current bylaws of Peru Volunteer Ambulance Service expressly indicate how the Board shall be chosen and who is allowed to sit on it. And only the BOD can change the bylaws.
Anyone see a way out of this mess?
Yes Lois,
Seems like alderman Ferrari and Perez are doing just that.
I think what PVAS has done with the BOD is smart. Still 2 aldermen so Peru has representation. But not all aldermen and mayor like before. So mayor cannot appoint and gain total control. Remember everyone complained about that before. All I hear on here is how great of a job PVAS is doing, great service no complaints. PVAS is obviously not floundering financially, but I don't think the accusation of cash hoarding is true either. Seems like the put the money back into great paramedics and good equipment. Someone really complained that the had newer ambulances. Think about it ....if you or your loved one were seriously injured or ill would you not want the best equipment used starting with the ambulance all the way through their ER visit, hospital stay, possible transfer to another facility. Or would older used ambulance and equipment good enough for your husband, wife or child? Please do not take that as a slam to LaSalle. I hope that when they can afford it they will purchase newer ambulances. Remember , it took PVAS 30 years to get to the point to be able. We have it pretty good let's not mess it up!
Mayor Harl chose not to be a part of the service
for reasons of his own.
New does not mean better and sometimes new has more problems than old, used and well taken care of. I happen to be married to someone who did repairs for over 40 years on cars and we happen to be driving used cars at this time. The depreciation on that new ambulance just like a new car is horrendous within the first few years. La Salle has given excellent care with their used ambulances and maybe the people to answer that question is the employees who work both services.By the way you can put new equipment into old ambulances, did you know that?
The fire cheif has no say in pay for PSI employees, the pay scale is set by PSI and is very low hence the reason PSI hires mostly new and inexpereinced medics.
How can you attest to the quality of the used ambulances in Lasalle, have you seen any report on how much they have spent on repairs or how often they are down for maintenance? There is one reason an ambulance service sells an abmulance and thats because it is wore out.
Why not question the fire department about used vehicles? What about the $50,000 vheicle the cehif drives or the $30,000 truck taxpayes have to pay for for the assistant cheif?
to anon 7:29 Dec 16th. You are WRONG about the employees of PVAS. almost every full time and part time medical person took a rather huge paycut to keep their jobs in march of 2011. The PVAS is a non-for profit agency and does alot of no charge public good for the city and surrounding area. next, if you think serving many medicare / medicaid patients as there are right now, and that would have a service "rolling in the dough" you are clueless about the realities of the tightness forced on an ambulance service today, and let alone the often losing proposition of running a 911 service. The changes with LaSalle were political, and the actual workers at both agencies are often some of the same people. Finally, buying a new ambulance (if affordable) with a warranty is better in the long run, as good used ambulances are hard to find. Either way, replacement and repairs (have you seen our streets lately??) cost should be budgeted into a plan for timely replacement. 90% of cities use new ambulances or like peru ambulance demo or last year models.
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