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
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Council Meeting Tomorrow 9/23
Mostly the meeting looks like routine business but this little snippet will be discussed again. Mayor Harl wants the pool to go out for referendum which I do not believe will pass. They can then say the people have spoken, end of issue for now
33 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I think this is a good call. You always say they don't listen to the people, so what is wrong with this?
You think this is a good call. I THINK IT IS A GREAT POLITICAL CALL WHICH STINKS OF SELF INTEREST POLITICS. To vote a tie breaker 4-4 vote for infrastructure improvement and raise sales tax rates rather than submitting it to a referrendum. Than to lead a "super majority" vote for a contract for water treatment rather than the utilization of a open competitive bid which has aroused the members of the pool committe. This is a group which has been a thorn in the Mayors side and they show no signs of going away, and this is the only reason the Mayor is listening. That is what is wrong with this! Harl in his five years of public office whenever he has not wanted a want or a need has always begged off with where are we going to get the money as he did in the last election, only 5 months ago. MAYOR HARL IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY AND STILL BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME? The Mayor is not listening to people but is playing politics to the hilt to appear to be a city official who does want his constituents want as a pathway to what he desires in the future for himself. This flip floping shows a complete lack of honest leadership. As Alderman Sapienza said "If you were playing poker....!
Anon 8:03 What public office or city appointment do you presently occupy? If you think that this is a good call you wouldn't know a good call if it was starring you in the face. This is strictly a political call and only a political call. Was the visual recording taken by a member of the pool committee when the cities recorder was once again faulty this effective? It appears so!
I don't occupy any office. I just don't think spending that type of money for a pool is necessary and it is not a big deal to have an advisory referendum. What the heck a video camera has to do with this is beyond me, not that most posts on this blog are easily understood.
Unlike you, I can criticize when the mayor or council is wrong in my opinion, and I can praise when I think they do something right. And I can do both without calling anyone names, including you.
Relax. I expressed an opinion that is different that the 25 people who bitch on here all the time. I'll go back into hiding so you can think that you are in some type of "majority" in which "the people have spoken."
Enforce money saving ideas such as competitive bidding on all contracts $20K and above and place the savings into a piggy bank for the building of a reserve fund and certain goals would be attainable. Continue with poor business procedures such as taking care of your buddies and those who logroll your favortism and you will only be able to afford city goals by raising taxes. Peru is no longer a symbol of democracy but is a city where the rich get richer and the poor stay poor because they are swindled by you know who. When the carbon tax line gose into utilization in Peru look out and time is rapidly approaching.
The mayor wants this referendum so he can put the "pool" issue to rest - if it fails. He was furious that the bike path didn't go thru because his buddies didn't get the work of putting that bike path in.
I will be interested to see how he plans to word the referendum. Will it be an honest proposal of what a smaller, more energy efficient pool would cost now, or will it be with historical figures of the old pool, inflated as he sees fit. Purely politics because he doesn't want the pool committee to be bitching about him spending money. If it wasn't for the pool committee, $200,000 of your tax dollars would have gone into a bike path. So Harl is definitely ready to spend some money, and a lot of it, but just not on a swimming pool.
Anon 11:59 The reason the video camera is mentioned is that every occurence where the council and administration don't appear up to par the camera has failed to record the meetings which has been quite often. Very similar to showing only your best snapshots. The swimming pool referrendum is only being brought up to camouflage last weeks lack of a competitive bid for the water treatment contract. As soon as the proposal to raise property taxes to pay for a new pool is brought out the pool is lost. Notice that street construction which the mayor wanted never was put up to a referrendum. This man is not a good administrator, or a knowledgeable business man but he is a much more accomplished politician than even his best allies give him credit for.
How do we get home rule overturned? Do we need a certain percentage of the voters from the last election to sign a petition to get it on a ballot? Does anyone know for sure what the correct procedure is? thanks for any info.
that is a pretty crappy statement 7:50. Why don't you provide a solution instead of complaining about home rule, which you can't change by the way. totally crappy. If you wanted to do something you should run for office and do it. commenting on a crappy blog is just stupid.
I also have noticed that during certain council meetings , the leadership of Peru cannot be recorded. At first I was somewhat fearful they may have become vampires, unable to be photographed or videotaped. But now, I have gotten hold of myself and know that it only happens during meetings where they must rise up and pit down grave threats to pickleball or our water supply.
I have contacted the Holy See and recommended that they all be studied as possible saints. A miracle seems to be the only explanation. Do not be surprised one one fine day, if enough old ladies and critics show up in the gallery, the entire council might have an assumption directly into heaven.
Before you negative nellies say something like good riddance, think about who will park the cars for the charity concerts and damage that will be done to the BB gun club. Not so smug now are we?
crap·py [krap-ee] adjective, crap·pi·er, crap·pi·est. Slang: Sometimes Vulgar. 1. extremely bad, unpleasant, or inferior; lousy: crappy weather. 2. nasty, humiliating, insulting, or unfair: What a crappy thing to say about anyone!
If you were at this meeting tonight, I would love to hear the comments made by our elected officials and their excuses. There definitely are some interesting disbursements written up. Oh by the way, I hear we taxpayers gave Gary Bleck a $1700 + retirement party but our invites must have been lost in the mail.
Why would the taxpayers front the $1700 retirement party? As well as not knowing about and having nothing to do with it most Peru citizens don't even know who Gary Bleck is. Honestly I would think those who wanted the party should pay for it. Did Gary Bleck also recieve a retirement gift which we all paid for besides one huge pension. Is there any truth that there is a open invitation to the Illinois Municipal League room, board and convention paid for by the City of Peru to all interested citizens? Call city hall for your reservations.
I doubt that a $1700+ retirement party has been or will be given for any city employee, especially one who was paid more than $90K/year. In a city which has a high school with over 43% of its students recieving financial aid for lunches etc. I would think that the representatives of Peru have ethics and morals above this type of reckless squandering of the parents of these childrens (43%+)money. If there is any truth to this Peru had better start looking for different people to represent them as city officials.
Several times the question was raised as to where is the money that was budgeted each year for the maintenance of the pool? It was estimated to be around $270,000 but an answer was never given.
I think it's wrong, wrong, wrong for our tax dollars to be used for a party. Did Mr. Bleck deserve recognition for his years of service? ABSOLUTELY, but not at the cost of the tax payers. Were the wives or girlfriends of those invited also included in the celebration? If so, that, in my opinion, makes the matter even worse.
City Hall should drink the water out of the tap. Buy 5 plastic pitchers, fill with tap water, set it on chambers table and drink away. I find it funny that for a 1-2 hour meeting that a bottle of water or water is necessary in a air-conditioned building. I guess trying to bs taxpayers, and nervousness makes one thirsty Same goes for all departments in the city that have meetings. They have bottled water also so I've been told. What about the palet of water that one mentioned months ago on blog site that was being stored somewhere. Who remembers that none????? What does this all tell you about perus water?
It was held at the Right Spice. It's ridiculous to spend money on everybody else. I can see picking up the tab for Bleck and his wife, but the rest of them should have paid their own way. Disturbing to say the least. It should have been $200 at most for two people to eat and drink. I can't believe Harl got re-elected!
12:28 You are 100% correct. Who was invited? Alderman? Department heads? Heard that some don't pay property taxes because they rent. Wonder if true? So, our taxes pay for them to attend?
33 comments:
I think this is a good call. You always say they don't listen to the people, so what is wrong with this?
You think this is a good call. I THINK IT IS A GREAT POLITICAL CALL WHICH STINKS OF SELF INTEREST POLITICS. To vote a tie breaker 4-4 vote for infrastructure improvement and raise sales tax rates rather than submitting it to a referrendum. Than to lead a "super majority" vote for a contract for water treatment rather than the utilization of a open competitive bid which has aroused the members of the pool committe. This is a group which has been a thorn in the Mayors side and they show no signs of going away, and this is the only reason the Mayor is listening. That is what is wrong with this! Harl in his five years of public office whenever he has not wanted a want or a need has always begged off with where are we going to get the money as he did in the last election, only 5 months ago.
MAYOR HARL IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE MONEY AND STILL BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AT THE SAME TIME?
The Mayor is not listening to people but is playing politics to the hilt to appear to be a city official who does want his constituents want as a pathway to what he desires in the future for himself. This flip floping shows a complete lack of honest leadership. As Alderman Sapienza said "If you were playing poker....!
Anon 8:03 What public office or city appointment do you presently occupy? If you think that this is a good call you wouldn't know a good call if it was starring you in the face. This is strictly a political call and only a political call.
Was the visual recording taken by a member of the pool committee when the cities recorder was once again faulty this effective? It appears so!
I don't occupy any office. I just don't think spending that type of money for a pool is necessary and it is not a big deal to have an advisory referendum. What the heck a video camera has to do with this is beyond me, not that most posts on this blog are easily understood.
Unlike you, I can criticize when the mayor or council is wrong in my opinion, and I can praise when I think they do something right. And I can do both without calling anyone names, including you.
Relax. I expressed an opinion that is different that the 25 people who bitch on here all the time. I'll go back into hiding so you can think that you are in some type of "majority" in which "the people have spoken."
Raise real estate taxes AND electrical rates so I can go swimming. YAAHHH HOOOOO!!!!
Enforce money saving ideas such as competitive bidding on all contracts $20K and above and place the savings into a piggy bank for the building of a reserve fund and certain goals would be attainable. Continue with poor business procedures such as taking care of your buddies and those who logroll your favortism and you will only be able to afford city goals by raising taxes. Peru is no longer a symbol of democracy but is a city where the rich get richer and the poor stay poor because they are swindled by you know who. When the carbon tax line gose into utilization in Peru look out and time is rapidly approaching.
The mayor wants this referendum so he can put the "pool" issue to rest - if it fails. He was furious that the bike path didn't go thru because his buddies didn't get the work of putting that bike path in.
I will be interested to see how he plans to word the referendum. Will it be an honest proposal of what a smaller, more energy efficient pool would cost now, or will it be with historical figures of the old pool, inflated as he sees fit. Purely politics because he doesn't want the pool committee to be bitching about him spending money. If it wasn't for the pool committee, $200,000 of your tax dollars would have gone into a bike path. So Harl is definitely ready to spend some money, and a lot of it, but just not on a swimming pool.
Anon 11:59 The reason the video camera is mentioned is that every occurence where the council and administration don't appear up to par the camera has failed to record the meetings which has been quite often. Very similar to showing only your best snapshots. The swimming pool referrendum is only being brought up to camouflage last weeks lack of a competitive bid for the water treatment contract. As soon as the proposal to raise property taxes to pay for a new pool is brought out the pool is lost. Notice that street construction which the mayor wanted never was put up to a referrendum. This man is not a good administrator, or a knowledgeable business man but he is a much more accomplished politician than even his best allies give him credit for.
How do we get home rule overturned? Do we need a certain percentage of the voters from the last election to sign a petition to get it on a ballot? Does anyone know for sure what the correct procedure is? thanks for any info.
that is a pretty crappy statement 7:50. Why don't you provide a solution instead of complaining about home rule, which you can't change by the way. totally crappy. If you wanted to do something you should run for office and do it. commenting on a crappy blog is just stupid.
7:24 A of DS here.
I also have noticed that during certain council meetings , the leadership of Peru cannot be recorded. At first I was somewhat fearful they may have become vampires, unable to be photographed or videotaped. But now, I have gotten hold of myself and know that it only happens during meetings where they must rise up and pit down grave threats to pickleball or our water supply.
I have contacted the Holy See and recommended that they all be studied as possible saints. A miracle seems to be the only explanation. Do not be surprised one one fine day, if enough old ladies and critics show up in the gallery, the entire council might have an assumption directly into heaven.
Before you negative nellies say something like good riddance, think about who will park the cars for the charity concerts and damage that will be done to the BB gun club. Not so smug now are we?
The word of the evening:
crap·py
[krap-ee]
adjective, crap·pi·er, crap·pi·est. Slang: Sometimes Vulgar.
1.
extremely bad, unpleasant, or inferior; lousy: crappy weather.
2.
nasty, humiliating, insulting, or unfair: What a crappy thing to say about anyone!
9:03 One of my favorite kind of blogs here are the people who callout people who are suggesting solutions - and ask them to suggest solutions.
Apparently some people think a solution must be doing things the same way they have always been done and expecting different results.
I think that's also a definition of insanity. Crappy crappy insanity.
Home rule can be voted out. It would take a certain number of signatures to get it on a ballot.
9:03 you are rude. Do your homework before calling somebody else out.
If you were at this meeting tonight, I would love to hear the comments made by our elected officials and their excuses. There definitely are some interesting disbursements written up. Oh by the way, I hear we taxpayers gave Gary Bleck a $1700 + retirement party but our invites must have been lost in the mail.
Why would the taxpayers front the $1700 retirement party? As well as not knowing about and having nothing to do with it most Peru citizens don't even know who Gary Bleck is. Honestly I would think those who wanted the party should pay for it.
Did Gary Bleck also recieve a retirement gift which we all paid for besides one huge pension.
Is there any truth that there is a open invitation to the Illinois Municipal League room, board and convention paid for by the City of Peru to all interested citizens? Call city hall for your reservations.
9:03 I see that you commented on this blog. Does that mean that you are stupid?
I doubt that a $1700+ retirement party has been or will be given for any city employee, especially one who was paid more than $90K/year. In a city which has a high school with over 43% of its students recieving financial aid for lunches etc. I would think that the representatives of Peru have ethics and morals above this type of reckless squandering of the parents of these childrens (43%+)money. If there is any truth to this Peru had better start looking for different people to represent them as city officials.
Several times the question was raised as to where is the money that was budgeted each year for the maintenance of the pool? It was estimated to be around $270,000 but an answer was never given.
I think it's wrong, wrong, wrong for our tax dollars to be used for a party. Did Mr. Bleck deserve recognition for his years of service? ABSOLUTELY, but not at the cost of the tax payers. Were the wives or girlfriends of those invited also included in the celebration? If so, that, in my opinion, makes the matter even worse.
Where was retirement party. Can the bill/tab be posted on here. Wrong that taxpayers paid for a retirement party! If true.
9:16 PM
I was informed that the amount is on the disbursement sheet, which I am waiting for to be put online and then we all can verify.
It was worth $1700 to get rid of him, maybe we should have a retirement party for Harl and he will leave too.
I also ask why we spent 252.00 for bottled water purchased from Hyvee. Listed under administrative which means for those who work at city hall?
City Hall should drink the water out of the tap. Buy 5 plastic pitchers, fill with tap water, set it on chambers table and drink away. I find it funny that for a 1-2 hour meeting that a bottle of water or water is necessary in a air-conditioned building. I guess trying to bs taxpayers, and nervousness makes one thirsty Same goes for all departments in the city that have meetings. They have bottled water also so I've been told. What about the palet of water that one mentioned months ago on blog site that was being stored somewhere. Who remembers that none????? What does this all tell you about perus water?
$1700 + for employees, friends, and significant others with open bar and food.
It was held at the Right Spice. It's ridiculous to spend money on everybody else. I can see picking up the tab for Bleck and his wife, but the rest of them should have paid their own way. Disturbing to say the least. It should have been $200 at most for two people to eat and drink. I can't believe Harl got re-elected!
Why in the world would you want to take away home rule? It's so interesting seeing so many people comment on things they don't understand.
12:28 You are 100% correct. Who was invited? Alderman? Department heads? Heard that some don't pay property taxes because they rent. Wonder if true? So, our taxes pay for them to attend?
That $1,700 could have gone to the pool fund. Give a $200 gift cert to the retiree!
Let's put home rule on the same ballot as the pool. Let the voters decide.
I believe all the city employees were also invited to the retirement party.
1:29 Is that a shot at the bloggers... Or the Mayor and his seven dwarves?
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