5/22/2012 5:43:00 AM
Peru fireworks' $20,000 bid approved
Jeff Dankert Staff Writer
The aerial explosions of Peru’s July 3 fireworks show will cost $20,000, as approved at Monday’s City Council meeting.
The park and recreation commission recommended the bid from Melrose Pyrotechnics Inc. ofKingsbury Park,Ind., which provided last year’s show. It was one of three bids received. Companies were asked what they could provide for $20,000 andMelrosecan provide the most without using shells over six inches, said Ron Kelsey of the commission.
Alderman Rodney Perez challenged this, saying the fireworks budget should be lowered to $15,000 and the city should be in charge of bidding because city ordinances do not allow the commission to do it. Also, Perez alleged the commission did not give due consideration to a bid from Extreme Pyrotechnics LLC.
“I believe we could have gotten a much better price if we could have bid this correctly,” Perez said.
Extreme’s bid came in late and it could not commit to the July 3 date for the celebration onWater Street, Kelsey said. Perez said Extreme offered twice the amount of shells for $20,000. Kelsey agreed, saying Melrose offered 2,900 shells and Extreme committed 5,100.
“You don’t have all the facts, that’s the problem,” Kelsey said. Kelsey said he asked Extreme to submit a bid two months before the April deadline. Perez argued that he did have the facts and paperwork before him. The vote was 6-1 with Perez voting “nay.” Alderman Jim Lukosus was absent.
Alderman Bob Ankiewicz said the public property committee will examine relevant city ordinances. Perez later in the meeting said that next week he will make a motion to place fireworks bidding under the city’s control.
“Either we’re going to follow the ordinances or we’re not going to follow the ordinances,” Perez said.
Ankiewicz renewed his intention that the public property committee will examine relevant city ordinances.
36 comments:
We are 3 years into the new administration and 1 year past the last election and the city appears to remain sharply divided and the "old guard" cannot let go. What we are seeing happening in Peru now regarding the many decisions by the council are the result of a 40 year rule by one mayor and the aldermen that became his friends and are still council members. Of the new members Ald. Radtke has joined them, Ald Perez has not and sees things that must change and is meeting resistance. I do believe Ald. Mayszak is somewhere in the middle and being a woman she does not join the crowd that still meets at the old watering hole, Mikes Place (where there is no longer a quorum) and I don't believe she would want to. She shares a committee assignment with Ald. Ankiewicz and has been put in a very difficult position.
Recreation is a form of amusement. Why would the city expect the fireworks to be under any other catagory? Its very obvious to many that the recreation committee is now under fire. Why? It looks that one Alderman believes that he can operate the rec. committee better than the current staff and board. I wouldn't bet on that. And to accuse the committee of altering bids makes no sense. I guess the recreation department will continue to get paybacks from this Alderman until they let the little boy get his way and put the fireworks show on top of residents roof tops at Baker Lake. At least he will get a fire call out of that change of venues. Problem is that nobody with any common sense wants to move fireworks and we all appreciate the common sense of the Recreation Department and Board for sticking to their guns when it come to this celebration, amusement, recreational event.
8:45 pm
Actually the President of the Recreation Commission said he would not care if the fireworks were moved out of their domain, in fact I think he said something to the effect that it wasn't meant to be one of their duties.
He understands and I thank him but darn it Ald. Ankiewicz doesn't understand and it sounds like you don't either.
No one has mentioned Baker Lake and fireworks in one sentence this year except people like you who wish to demean Ald. Perez. It won't work because the people of Peru can see right through comments like this. It may surprise you but the residents of this city are moving on and will continue to do so while there will be people who will continue to bring up something that is not relevant at this time. Peru is playing catch up as it is, so don't slow us down.
8:45 AM
Maybe you would like to read the city ordinances, Recreation and Amusements are under different ordinances and are not considered the same.
Come to think of it, I'm not sure fireworks are mentioned in any ordinance but that will need to be verified with the clerks office. Definitely not under Amusements and not under the Playground and Recreation Board responsibilities.
Maybe, Maybe Ald. Rod is on his own island. Its about time for another election and its time to start the blog about the old guard and how all these poor decisions are tied to the old guard. Its predictable that in the next 11 months that all we will hear is the trash that these bloggers will throw on anybody not named Harl. The Team will bring back Jack, Joe, Bob, Baker attacks. And you will throw in current members of the city councils, park boards, engineers, water professionals and the occasional employee that really doesn't like to drink beer with the crew after work. The whole idea is to cover up leadership from the top. Be careful Lois, Rod, Linda there is a reason they will feed you with trash. I don't think you will take the bait and you may bite the messenger eventually.
Fireworks = AMUSEMENT = Recreation= Fun for the whole family= Peru= July 3rd dusk. Did Ald. Perez mention that the bids were rigged?
9:21 AM
I will not carry on a discussion with anonymous but I will tell you this, you are clueless about all the mentioned people in your comment. And you would be surprised that our information comes from NO individual but from actual facts, legally obtained.
That facts of the matter is that the lowest bid was for July 7th, not July 3rd as requested. I bet the Park Board would have gotten a better bid for January 3rd. Like July 7th and January 3rd, the fireworks are not held on that day. The bids were not requested for that day. Nobody will be on Water Street that day. And to make a big deal for the reason that fireworks is not specifically listed under the duties of The Recreation Board is trivial. After all every item is not covered in every ordinance. Is a concert listed under the duties of the airport? Is a dog park listed under recreation duties? Does it say the Mayor is issued a City truck?
9:56 AM
You are totally missing the point that the recreation commission probably at the beck and call of Ald Ankiewicz refused to reply to the company Extreme Pyrotechnics that wished to place a bid. Wake up and don't be so blind, those bids should all have been taken care of in 2011. What kind of dog and pony show in this city running? Competent and profitable companies don't wait around for cities like Peru to make up their mind.
I am still a little confused as to why the bids were not sent out last year in order to avoid dates being blocked out. I know Ron Kelsey and I strongly believe he would not intentionally mislead anybody on this bidding issue. I also believe that Perez is asking the right questions in order to follow ordinance and maintain costs for the City. If it is true that we could have had twice as many displays for the same money, why wasn't that bid accepted? What is done is done for this year, but what can be improved upon next to get the most bang for our buck? No pun intended.
From reviewing the article it reads like Ald. Ankiewicz took Ald.Perez to the woodshed. Again! Why would Ald. Ankiewicz call a company if the fireworks were under the recreation bid process? Why didn't the Mayor help out Rodney and was he at the meeting last night? He should stop Ald. Bob from taking Rodney to the woodshed, at least leave the stick behind!
Anon 10:37 The rec commission received the bid from the company that Rod Perez stated was the lowest price for July 7th. The bid was for July 3rd. If the city would be willing to change the date of the fireworks to July 7th, then that company would be able to give the City a good display for less money. The point of the matter is that Ron and the Rec committee wanted prices for July 3rd, the traditional day of celebration. To remove the recreation committee from the process of bidding the fireworks is another point made by Ald. Perez. If that is done than you could have 8-10 council members going on their own getting bids and making deals. We don't want that. let the recreation crew do the work. Thanks Ron
Perez for mayor! !
11:47 AM
Ron, I don't understand why you and anyone else is having a hard time understanding this as it is very simple.
The Rec. Commission needs to absolutely have the bidding process done by the end of October of the previous year. As soon as this celebration is over on July 3, you should be making a list of pyrotechnic companies, getting in touch with them telling them what you expect about a fireworks display and what is their cost. Believe me if you are dealing with honest and reliable companies, your bids will be done by October and your celebration will all ready for the coming July.
This is not rocket science, just common sense.
All this chatter about July3 or July 4 or July 7 is nothing more than a smokescreen to attempt to cover all the mistakes and behind the scenes manipulation done by somebody in this city who has the power to do exactly that. And most people can easily attach a name to that.
From what I've heard (and no, not from alderman Perez) Hennepin's fireworks are as good as or better than ours and much cheaper. As a matter of fact a city official told us last year that Hennepin's person in charge of their fireworks said we were getting taken and paying way to much.
Anonymous said...
Do I find it offensive that the fireworks are going to be held on Water Street? Not Necessarily!
Do I find it offensive that the city administration and city council do not obey their ordinances and legal issues? Absolutely!
Peru's City Attorney has been in this position for over 30 years with skills, knowledge and a tremendous amount of overall legal experience! How many times has he been referred to in a city council meeting by the administration and/or council in the last three years?
Just think Peru has a new Mayor, a new city clerk, a new treasurer, and four new council members. The vast majority of Peru's elected officials are in their first term and how many times has the city attorney been asked for legal advise?
10:24 PM, May 21, 2012
Ordinances are for the city of peru tax payers ! not for the MAYOR OR ANY MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCILOR COMMITTEE'S ! Read this and think about it , its true !
If 11:47 is indeed written by Ron Kelsey then he is definitely tooting is own horn. What makes him think that he can do a better job than someone else? And, if he has been on that commission for more than 5 years (as has many of their members) they are not obeying and following city ordinances. WHY NOT?
Just heard on WLPO there will finally be some control of where alcohol can be consumed on waterstreet for this celebration?
Thank You alderman Perez! Finally!!
I think that person is thanking Ron.
Peru hires company for fireworks, keeps alcohol
Posted by wlpo on May 22, 2012
Come the evening of July 3 in Peru, you’ll find families lining the Illinois River front watching the annual fireworks display. And you’ll also find a beer garden and taverns open along Water Street.
Aldermen on the Public Health and Safety committee worked out the alcohol policy with members of the Peru CSO Monday night. Alderman Tony Ferrari says you’ll be allowed to drink but there will be restricted areas where you can’t have alcohol, like when you’re walking down to the fireworks from a street further up the hill.
The violation of the city ordinance is a definition of fireworks. What is it? Most would say its recreation. The recreation board has always done the bidding in the past. To state that city committees or individuals are violating the ordinance is the definition of what fireworks falls under. Most would say it doen't fall under the library board, fire/police department, water department, electric department, downtown development, pool committee, airport. Maybe it does indeed belong under the recreation committee! Could the group have done the bids different? Maybe next year they will. Maybe they will continue the same process. The bigger issue is that the Peru 3rd of July will continue. And pickelball has also prevailed. Democracy and voluteerism works and is alive and well in Peru.
Ron thanks for your service and dedication to the residents of Peru. We all look forward to the event. Thanks Ron Kelsey!
If we are seriously thinking of using 28th Street Park to showcase pickleball clinics the Rec Commission and the council should hang their heads in shame. This park is a disgrace to the city of Peru and an eyesore to those of us who live in that area. The grass has been scalped leaving a hayfield in its' wake. The weeds under the rec commissions park equipment have yet to be cut this year. We have what appears to be crop circles around the tiny shelter which houses a vandalized and broken picnic table. The swings and sliding board are in desperate need of painting and the garbage can is overflowing. I have mentioned these conditions to several city officials but to no avail.
1:27 PM
"The bigger issue is that the Peru 3rd of July will continue. And pickelball has also prevailed. Democracy and voluteerism works and is alive and well in Peru."
If the 30 minutes of fireworks shows that Peru is a great city and if the pickle ball favoritism show of force is considered Democracy and makes Peru alive and well, there is something seriously wrong with your flawed explanation and if that is what our city is, I believe that most people would hang their heads in shame because that is called an oligarchy and that is alive and well in Peru without a doubt.
You do not speak for most of the people but only for a few who are receiving favors. This really only reinforces what people have been telling me about Peru, It is not what you know but who you know and your statement validates that once again.
Well, a city pick up truck pulled into 28th street park and 3 summer helpers jumped out. They trimmed under the park equipment and did a decent job and took the broken board off of the picnic table. However, apparently emptying the overflowing garbage can was not on their list of duties. I thank them for finally doing some weed trimming but I still wish an alderman or a member of the public property committee would take a walk through the park and see how poorly it's been cut. Maybe there is something wrong with our lawn mowers. And, when is the bench going to be replaced with one of the new ones?
$20,000.00 for a fireworks show isn't bad as long as it came from fundraising. If not i would say the city of peru is wackier than i thought. I would imagine the average fireworks show lasts about 15-25 minutes.Maybe the city of peru could have covered that big hole at washington park with that and still had money left for a small fireworks show. That council has a spending addiction. David Ramsey would smack you people around for being that STUPID!!!
Perez for mayor
I agree. Why is it so important for a city that is broke to burn up $20,000 every year. Give the fireworks up for a while and spend the money on debt or something necessary. SUCH POOR MANAGEMENT ON ALL SIDES.
The pickleball ambassador and his wife were playing tonight. Wish we all had access to the equipment as they do and could play anytime we wanted. Has anyone from the newly formed pickleball club to the rec commission to the public property committee figured that one out yet? How do we get access to the paddles and balls purchased with tax payer money?
We don't get access too use it. That's the point. We taxpayers are nothing but an endless supply of money for the select few to waste as they want. And Harl is the leader.
If there is anybody in a position from the city that knows how an individual signs up, picks up, aka gets access to the pickle ball equipment and/or court, please respond. I understand that you may not like to do city business on a blog, but obviously 32 comments from citizens don't know the answer and can't find help at the city offices. Simple question. should have a simple answer. If you want us to experience the most popular sport up coming in the world, please tell us how we can participate.
9;14 They haven't figured that out yet. By turning the portable nets into permanently attached nets they have at least figured out a way to make the nets available to the general public (albeit at the loss of a much used tennis court).
9;14 They haven't figured that out yet. By turning the portable nets into permanently attached nets they have at least figured out a way to make the nets available to the general public (albeit at the loss of a much used tennis court).
Perez for Mayor
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