I asked some questions of the city clerks office today.
The city has no record of any previous contract with any pyrotechnic company on file for July 3 or 4 fireworks. Question: So why was the contract of Extreme Pyro sent back to the Rec Board by Ald. Ankiewicz as evidently they have no knowledge of fireworks contracts? And that was evident on the video.
Regarding the Peru Fire Department: The city will be purchasing and paying for a new fire engine. The city has a truck fund and money in it will be used to equip the new fire engine and the money in the fund is under city control.
Liberty handles all of their own money.
49 comments:
Being the ex- liberty member that told you there was a truck fund, I can tell you you're being lied to again. The truck fund money is money from liberty from fundraisers so they can hide it and not effect their level of non for profit status. This was brought up when the city said it couldn't watch over operation Prom monies. They do it for liberty but couldn't do it for operation prom because they chose not to! This town is all secrets and lies!!
Non for profits have different levels or caps on money can can make. If you don't make a certain amount the government won't audit you and charge you more. If you hide the money you can stay under that cap and not be audited by big brother. Thus the hoards of cash in the safe and the city holding liberty money in the "truck " fund. Which up untill now was a myth! Maybe the city knows soon they will be " audited " by the AG !!!!! The skeletons in the closet are coming out.
I would think that a statement such as this town is all secrets and lies when everyone you are referring to is known would be publicly challenged if it is not true.
The longer this goes on the more people whose reputation is going down the toliet.
You'll never get the whole story from any topic untill someone sues the city and people have to testify! There has been a truck fund for years more than 10 years . When they bought the last big truck 8-10 years ago , they chipped in money to cover part of costs for extras. Liberty took money out of " truck" fund to pay for it and informed the clerk at a council meeting to take their money out to pay for the extras. This happened at a council meeting. I remember it. This account seems like an overseas acct liberty uses to hide money from dept of revenue and IRS.
Saw Mayor Baker at the grocery store over the weekend and I must say he looks well....best of luck in the April election Don.
8:52 do you need glasses?
I have also saw Don recently and also thought he looks well.
In fact I believe for a man in his early 80's Don im comparison to our present mayor who is in his mid 50's appears to be in better health. Secondly, none of us are guarenteed tomorrow. So bury this chronlogical age bit and let the cansidates live on for many more years.
When I ask myself why I consider voting for Don, I am not looking for the former L-P-O football player but a person with aggressiveness and vision plus acute business knowlege that our times and city need again.
Please tell us how a not for profit giving money to the city for a truck fund is illegal. To me it seems more like proof that liberty does just as they say they do I.E. raise money for fire equipment and training. You may want to think about it like this. If they can raise the money via donations that means less tax burden on everybody. In other words I would rather have the choice of making a donation or not rather then no choice and a higher tax bill every year.
Prior to Mr. King being fire chief, WASN'T HE PRESIDENT OF LIBERTY FIRE COMPANY??? Who has access to that safe with money supposedly in in? AUDIT!AUDIT!AUDIT!!!!! Call or go online to the IRS-simple, if a person has a reason and verify facts to the IRS, they will take it from there!!!!! Funny, truck fund. IS THERE 1/2 million dollars in a account somewhere for a splash pad????
The fire truck fund that the city has raises questions. Is any of that money from LIBERTY FIRE COMPANY(from mailer that's sent out requesting donations??). If the answer is yes, then absolutely why is the city handling that money and wouldn't for OP?
Does this have anything to do with qualifying for state grants? As to what accounts money is in and how it is disclosed on reports?? Wonder what the legalities of this is? Very interesting topic here.
Lois: If the city has a truck fund wouldn't it be a line item somewhere in the city budget? The only truck fund I can find is a "Fire Truck Fund Receipts" line item (page 9) which has $0 budgeted in it. Could someone direct me to the appropriate location of this fund?
8:14 Your imagination is working overtime. Hiding money from the IRS? Not applicable for Liberty, not even close. You must be one of the two members of Liberty in 150 years that made a choice/kicked out of the organization. And your quite proud of that! Please don't spread these ugly rumors about the organization that's sole purpose is for public safety.
Liberty is a not for profit a 501c3 and must handle their own funds. None of it is in the city funds or being used by the city for the PFD. If they have a truck fund, it is not the same truck fund that the city has which must have another name since no one can find it in the budget.
And for the amount of money the city spends on new vehicles that fund must contain a great deal of money. $500,000 for a new fire truck and isn't the electric department getting cost estimates for a new truck also?
If Liberty has a truck fund why is the city going to have to dish out $500,000 for the new fire truck? Too many unanswered, unclear questions with regards to this issue and the $2,000 OP money. Someone please step up to the plate and be honest.
The last four years there has been so much suspicion! Finally the rats are coming out of the sewer. New Fire Chief, New Mayor, some new alderman, Liberty Fire Company is mismanaged! Changes really do need to happen. Is there a "liars anonymous group?". Maybe there should be and they can have their sessions at city hall or the FD! Someone really needs to step up! Does anyone know how long all this crap has going on? Prior to approx. 4 years ago, there wasn't much talk about any of this. Someone said that it would be interesting to see all of the actual receipts of Liberty's spending of they donations in which they have received over the past several years.
The question is whether the city officials involved would admit to what creative financing is being utilized or if they feel more comfortable being turned into the FBI's division of political corrupness. To compile a list of questionable practices and illegalities personally conducted and permitted by others in Peru and presented to the FBI for advice from out of town professional sources may put Peru on the tracks of success for all.
Presently it appears that you have the wrong people in important positions and they have just got to big for their britches.
Now I see it's on the Finance Committee agenda for tomorrow's money to "discuss increasing monthly donation to ambulance service".
Funny about creative financing. Is that the same as creative accounting methods and bookkeeping? There is always someone that is smarter than the person doing it, that sees through the creativeness.
I cannot even begin to address all the speculation and self proclaimed experts saying what triggers a NP audit, and what a NP can do with their money. A non profit has very little limit on how they disburse their money, and must simply file their books. They are not prohibited from taking money and operating in the black, but are subject to fraud laws like any business entity. The individuals committing the fraud are not protected in any way by the NP designation.
What's clear is that the mix on non profits, charities, and the city are very disturbing from an accounting standpoint and fiduciary responsibility. The city gets too enmeshed with non profits/fundraisers like the concerts and Liberty, and the opportunity for malfeasance is extensive. They function as pseudo departments, and they are not subject to FOIA requests.
Whoever the new Mayor is should move to draw clear lines and separate the city from individual businesses and non profits, no matter the history or popularity.
It becomes impossible to govern for all the people when city resources are secretly used for commercial profits, private sports clubs, and dubious fund raising concerts.
In today's paper Peru Fire Department sent a water tanker truck to mendota last night. For mutual aid. Isn't this the truck the fire department is looking to replace or is replacing? Because it has a little rust and is supposedly old. Wonder how old other cities water tanker trucks are?
Did You all see the HUGE billboard sign for MAYOR Don Baker , for Progress in Peru .
Fantastic , Go Don..
Walking good , admin good. c'mon Do it for Don Baker
Being a hermit today! Where is sign? Maybe when I go to Rudy's I will check it out.
Lois:
T.E.S.T city contract is up soon, maybe even this month - have you heard anything about the bids for it?
What happened to Hart? Did he get a mafia threat from Harl or some of Bakers old friends? Would like to hear if people are still interested and if he has a chance of beating these two clowns.
5:48 PM
He has been very busy on his campaign. Mike is not a publicity seeker I don't believe. Running for office requires so much that we don't see on the surface. I'm sure he was probably at the Public Works Mtg yesterday morning. Time to get signs up. Maybe he was not in your neighborhood yet.
Heard that Don couldn't find his car at Beck's the other day after his morning visit. "He was confused." I didn't know Beck's was a big as the walmart parking lot. How many slots? 10? Think he's losing it. And you want to put him in charge of the City? This time when he says "I don't know", he really will be telling the truth! LOL!
Would that fireworks contract include the freebies that were accidentally left behind at the deli?
8:34 PM
I am sure that the contract that is currently wandering around city hall has no provision for deli fireworks. It must be too hot to handle as it has gone from several Recreation Board meetings, to several Public Property Meetings to the City Council which approved it and back to the Recreation Board per Ald. Ankiewicz request. Is somebody not getting their piece of the pie this time round? And by the way it is still in limbo.
Shouldn't be to hard to sell lottery tickets and drink and sell java!
Liberty has no place in peru any more !
@10;59
If it is one of your ex fireman telling all your little secrets I guess that's what you get keeping secrets. We don't like secrets any more!
10:18 PM
You are right on with your comment. It is going to take a strong mayor and cooperative council to accomplish that.
@10:59 Liberty's sole purpose is for fire safety ? Hahaha so who's paying for the prime rib dinners at Right Spice and Waterstreet with open bars and all the other dinners at Water street? Who paid for the steak and shrimp barbeque at centennial park with alcohol? All you guys are liars. You all should run for mayor!
If I were liberty president or treasure past and present I wouldn't be reading a blog id be preparing for a knock on the door from the IRS and dept of revenue!! A lot of people gonna go down.
I wonder if another department was covering the Peru station while Perus fire department was enjoying their picnic at Cent. Park? Being as alcohol was there? One would wonder if there would be a fire call, how many would make it to the call. I'm sure there would be documentation of another department covering if that were the case. Something to think about.
Hope Hart gets campaigning with BIG signs and lots of them. Need to get rid of Harl.
The Illinois Small Business Development Center has a appeal before the Peru Finance and Account Division for a donation. Since this Development Center is already supported by our tax funds which amount is determined by appointed auditors why would this appeal appear in front of a City of Peru goverment committee? How much are each of the other city governments donating that comprise the area this facility consults. This will be discussed on March sixth.
News trib twitter states possible bb gun club discussion at tonight's meeting, what could there be to discuss? And how could there be just a possibility? Fun and games again tonight, oh well at least it provides entertainment for the Illinois
Valley!
I like mike hart for mayor but I've heard from several in harl camp he is looking at replacing Jeff king with Jim Dooley as fire chief...Lois I'm hoping you can get mike is clear it up....not a good choice for me and could decide to vote differently maybe he will clear up at debate
@4:13-Have you been following what's been going on at the FD and all the issue with Liberty Fire Company the last couple of years? Regardless of who wins the mayoral race, changes obviously need to be made with some departments. Evidently someone is seeing the light.
Dooley would have to apply and become a firefighter again. And I don't see him passing the physical!! Peru doesn't have an administrative fire chief. You have to be a firefighter also. Dooley left because physically he couldn't do it any more .
Let's not forget the donation back in august 2012 that fire chief king gave to Harls campaign fund in the amount of
$600. Boy, how interesting is that.
Wonder which account that donation came from? Was the $600 a personal donation? Or from the Liberty Fire Company acct.(aka: fundraising acct for the fd)?
Disagree with any position being made with being appointed. Favoritism. Application process?
10:47 you really need to get over yourself. This is a free country and the last time I checked he is free to support any candidate he wishes.
Has there been anything more about the New Fire Truck purchase in regards to there being a truck fund in order to purchase it?
Freedom of speech is another great thing about this country too. I don't see 10.47s blog as the blogger being full of themselves, it's a fact last time I checked what the blogger said. However,'you are correct in saying a person has a right to donate to anybody or anything. 12:00, blogger has a right in this country to blog that. That is a fact to.
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