Sunday, October 21, 2012
This was the week of the Illinois Municipal Mtg Chicago
I do wonder how many of our officials in Peru went to Chicago to attend some of the meetings scheduled for the Illinois Municipal League Convention held each year. I also wonder how much we will hear about what they might have discussed and thought would be good for Peru. Last year about one half of the council went and no one word was said publicly about what took place. Very disappointing to think the city pays for the cost and they do not think it is important to come back to the council with some new ideas of what is working in other cities.
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29 comments:
The IML Convention is held every year and every year the representation choices to attend on their own self selective method.
Every year they have come back with no report or mention of this week-end at a council meeting.
It is time for them to learn how to use a computer as any knowledge discussed at this convention could be obtained at home through a PC and the internet.
But in a city government which does not possess a time clock do not expect accountability.
Police Chief Bernnabi attended????? I was under the assumption that this convention was for alderman and mayors. ?????? What other department heads attended? Will we be able to see an itemized list of expenses for this convention? Such as dinner and cocktails???? As taxpayers we should be able to see these expenses.
Heard that TEST sponsored a dinner this year for all the city officials - is it because election is coming up and big city contract is expiring
Where was the test dinner? Just curious.
I thought Ald.Perez was not part of these freebies?
2:31 Test does too much for the city. My concern is that the city needs leachate testing, and hazardous waste testing, to verify city industrial cleanups are safe and complete. I am not comfortable with using a lab that is too close to the administration. There is too much pressure to provide the results that the Mayor wants to see.
Between TEST And the Chamlin Eng. there is a lot more than one dinner sponsored in the long history of good times and ball games during the IML Convention. There has been quite a few distractions on other peoples money hasn't there been fellows?
3:24 PM
I would guess he was not. Chicago is a big city and he does not party with the aldermen here in Peru and don't believe he would do any different out of town. The others have been known to do so.
4:13PM
I agree.
??? A ballgame? Would that be sox? cubs? How much tickets? Hotdogs? Peanuts? Beer? soda? Skybox?? What did this cost us taxpayers? Did those who attended this convention learn anything about our city while enjoying game? Of coarse if a game was on the itenerary for convention!
To: Lois, and 12:37
From: Rodney Perez
First and Foremost, there were City, State, and Federal Law enforcement officers, along with Police and Fire Chiefs at the convention. Law Enforcement Sessions,and informational sessions such as Video Gaming, Emergency preparedness, and Employee Integrity were part of this conference.
Lois,
You are correct; I don't make a habit of "partying" with fellow council members. In fact, due to my schedule I don't get out to party with anyone.
I didn't RSVP for either the Chamlin or Test Dinner. However, I received a late Chamlin Dinner invite and decided to attend.
The dinner was held off venue premises.
Thank you,
Rodney Perez
A politician must walk a fine line when deciding to accept any entertainment or gifts from a city contractor. TEST in particular has built its business on municipalities. I would consider getting too close to them or accepting any gifts or entertainment from them to be a questionable choice. On the other hand, Alderman Perez should not isolate himself so much that he does not know what is going on (or being discussed) at such functions. I appreciate the difficult position.
There is nothing inherently wrong with city officials attending a conference like this. There are many benefits to learning about shared challenges and resources to improve governance. There are of course inherent risks of discussing the city business in an illegal manner outside the rules of the OMA, using the venue as a mini vacation and the like. If they went to a Cubs or Sox game, we may want to vote to impeach them immediately on mental health grounds, since the seasons ended for both teams quite a while ago.
I applaud Alderman Perez for sharing the impressions and his attendance records at breakout sessions. Any city official who attended should have similar reports and share them with their constituents.
When was the last time , if there ever was open bidding for the services TEST performs for the City of Peru. This is a service which Peru is charged over $600,000 per year. City representation should not be allowed a dog biscuit as well as a high class meal off of TEST.
As for Chamlin Eng. Consultants, a profession which does not submit bids, when was the last time a competitor has been utilized. Some years the city does a little below a half million in business with Chamlin and some years it is way above. Isn't it Chamlin who takes city reps on fishing trips to Canada?
Alderman Perez please include your meals on your expense account rather than allowing a firm which does business with the City of Peru to pick up the tab. Both Aldermen Mayzak and Perez your constituents think too much of you than to allow either of you not to travel your own faithful and honest paths. Both of you are "STANDING TALL", not like many others who are leaning a little south and ready to run scared.
Anon 12:07 There has been several years in which the IML Convention and the baseball season has been held on the same week-end. Sorry to break your bubble!
3:40 I was referring to this year, which I believed was obvious to everyone. Sorry for assuming you might get the joke.
April will be here before we know it, please do not forget the issues that you read on this blog and vote accordingly.
8:08 PM
Speaking of April, last evening, I encountered 4 petitions. There was one for Mayor (not Harl), one for First Ward Alderman, not previously brought to light, a school board petitioner and someone seeking the 4th ward aldermanic position.(not Lukosus)
Competition is good Lois, it keeps everyone on their toes and it also gives the people a choice. I am anxious to find out who is the candidate for mayor. Has any of this been in the News Trib?
9:13 PM
No, all being done very efficiently and quietly. You do not have to identify yourself when picking up a petition for an office and I suspect that may have happened. He is savvy gentleman.
Last year TEST didn't host a dinner at the IML, why? Why this year? Makes it seem very shady!
Anon 11:16 Everyone is at their best in the last year of a long term contract whether it is athletics, entertainment or business. When all bids are obtained for the service TEST has provided for the last twenty years it will be interesting to know whether they will be about the same in historical expenses to the city or lower than Peru has been paying for years.
I'll have lobster this evening and would you please bring another bottle of wine and put it on the taxpayers (TESTs) expense account!
Anon 1:07
My guess will be that they will "magically" come in lowest!!
What a joke!
What makes you think we'll be going out for bids in the first place?
where is kristie and steve the old campaign manager that was all over the old administration and test-and all the garbage that kristie posted and here we are again the big old change not really changing anything what a joke, i hope there are some good candidates as peru needs HELP
No matter who comes in the lowest the interesting figure will be what the bid is and how it compares with figures that TEST charged for previous years service.
To 7:59 p.m. - I hear that help is on the way. If you knew the facts about the seedy underbelly of Peru politics you would know why the principals at TEST and Chamlin have night sweats about the prospect of the "wrong" person running for alderman. There is only one potential candidate that these parasitic leeches fear and I'll tell you why. He undestands every aspect of how they feed at the city trough and he knows their business as well as they know it themselves.
But the thing they fear the most is this; He will not be influenced by free meals, endless complimentary cocktails, or the good old boy mentality. He knows their game and he is incorruptable.
They will work against anyone they cannot control.
I hear he will run again and you should hope and pray he does.
9:33 - I believe I know of whom you speak. Great comment and you are correct.
Those parasites feeding off Peru tax dollars will be working hard to prevent that guy from breaking through. I suspect Chris Perra will be losing considerable sleep over the next six months.
This is going to be very exciting.
I heard that TEST helped Mayor Baker with his campaign website when he was running for Mayor and also Pottoff's website when he was running for Alderman - I don't understand why they would involve themselves with that stuff if they weren't trying to control the elections.
"He understands every aspect of how they feed at the city trough and he knows their business as well as they know it themselves."
please step forward and help the companies too!!!
forget politics, you should be the CEO of TEST/Chamlins!
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