“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

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Peru Swimming Pool Discussion Peru City Council 9/23/13 Part 1


27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please correct me if I'm wrong. The council never voted on the Bike Path? Or was there a back room vote taken that the public is not aware of. According to Alderman Sapienza he voted No on that motion. Now all the sudden the mayor and aldermen want input from the people?
Aldermen such as Sapienza will continue digging themselves deeper every time they open their mouth.
Thank god for video because I'm sure the No vote Sapienza said he made on the bike path won't make the minutes.

Why wasn't the referendum good enough for the Harls infrastructure tax? Starting to wonder if Sapienza knew something we don't by him insinuating he doesn't have faith in sending out cards.
What other cats can be let out of the bag?

Anonymous said...

First of all, "your honor" should be in reference when speaking to a judge. Nobody in this video is a judge. Secondly, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to hear that some want the
Issue of a pool to to go into dormancy. Thirdly, regarding an increase in property taxes to support a pool is a joke and wrong if it were to pass on a question on a referendum. Fourthly, it's the councils/mayor to have a proper bidding process for contracts for the city in which would save $$$$$. This savings would go for a pool. Does the city itself have money in a fund for a pool? Where has the money been going that was for the pool since the pool has not been opened? Save $$$ on bottled water, mayors dinner (olive garden), overspending at convention in Chicago, lazy summer help, save money on street improvement sign with Harls name on them,(small signage sufficient), cut back on unnecessary vehicle purchases, Cut retirement parties if city pays for them. Make money off concerts, List goes on. ETC......, Lastly, friends of peru pool, thanks for all you have done with your hardwork and time.

Anonymous said...

A lot of cats could still and have come out of the bag during the last 4+ years! And surly a lot if people aren't liking it.

Anonymous said...

Lois,
Did Waldorf really end by saying he supported a referendum to see if the people really wanted it or not??? This is comedy! Mr. Waldorf are you serious? You are the leader of Not listening to what the people say. Waldorf are you experiencing dimensia? It was very recent the council room was wall to wall with people who wanted you to go out for bids and you turned your back on them. Actually this whole council turned their back on the people. What makes these clowns think we believe they want to hear from us? They will do what they want anyway.

Anonymous said...

Start with blueprints for a pool facility as a whole. Build a splash pad first! Build a pool house in the second year, and the pool the third year. This facility doesn't have to be a state of the art. Something in comparison to Lasalles. Peru is not the suburbs. Just need a nice outdoor pool so our kids have a pool. Cut out the 4th of July celebration for several years. Use that money for a pool. I would say over half of attendees don't live in peru anyway. Bring a carnival to town over the fourth at baker lake. And yes, I said baker lake.

Anonymous said...

1:55 - I like your idea! I do believe a lot could be cut in city hall. Secretaries sitting around or visiting. They need a video camera on the office to see how much is wasted. Then when you have a question, the one that comes to the window treats everyone with a very rude attitude. Her salary would probably save $40,000.

Anonymous said...

Let's all vote for a pool and put it at Baker's Lake. It is an excellent location. Run a shuttle to transport every 1-1.5 hrs if location is a problem (which it always will be).

Anonymous said...

Morons commenting on making stupid comments about a serious subject. Way to go Bloggers....making yourself look stupid on a serious subject of going into debt for a unknown WANT by a group of residents that want a POOL. When and If this goes to a vote, I predict a defeat to funding a Pool!
When the vote is counted what will you argue for then?

Anonymous said...

What happened to the money that used to go to the pool? What happened to the salary the horticulturist used to make? That was over $50,000 per year. What is happening to the video gaming machines money?

Peru Town Forum said...

8:06 PM

If you are serious about your blog, then it appears you are wearing the moron shoes. None of the pool supporters or members of the group wish to have this go to a referendum but instead to continue on with ways to get money until and if the city is able to help. They don't want taxes raised and probably about 85% of the residents do not either. I believe the referendum would by shot down by a large amount and the pool supporters do also. So take a look at what you just wrote and see how you look. This is a Harl ploy and perhaps you are a Harl confidant.

Anonymous said...

Boy oh boy, where to begin!
Potthoff reeks of arrogance.

Ferrari saying the pool committee is "not getting it done". Maybe if the council was in favor of helping the committee, more would get done.

Sapienza voted against the bike path? Really?? When did that vote happen?? Because the motion for the bike path was tabled and killed. Was there a secret (against OMA) vote that didn't make the council floor?

Harl says if the referendum fails, the pool is done. Listen to that again people. He wants the pool to be done so he can go on and spend money on other projects without having the pool committee complain.

And Mr. Radtke going against something the mayor wants? My, my, I wonder if Scotty took Mikey behind the wood shed and gave him what for???

Back to the mayor, he said the pool committee "deserves an answer" but this is not the question they asked. It was shoved down their throats and they are not in favor of it. That's how your mayor works with a group that is only trying to get a swimming pool for this community! Back stabber!!

Anonymous said...

One more thing on Sapieza, he mentioned the security of cards being sent to residences instead of a referendum. Does he think the members of the pool committee will go to people's homes and break in and vote yes for a pool? "They might just be laying around"? He was better when he didn't say anything. Bring back Bob A - at least he was in favor of the pool!!!

Anonymous said...

Go into debt for a pool? Why? Let the residents decide if they want the debt. Prediction will be NO.

Peru Town Forum said...

9:12 AM
A referendum is a total waste of time, energy and money to satisfy the ego of our mayor. Did he go out for a referendum when he wanted to close the pool? Of course not, it was not needed and tell us what other city do you know that went out for a referendum while they accumulated the money for a pool?
I believe the pool committee established a sign at the site of the former pool with the usual thermometer showing the progress in funding but the city took it down. They want no reminders.
Why doesn't our mayor and council simply say, we will build you a splash pad because that is all we can afford. Offer the community something instead of this game you are playing.

Anonymous said...

A big part of this will be about La Grottos quietly getting their 27 thousand bucks back, you watch. And what ever happened to the boy scout donation from pizzas last month?

There is more to this city/concert partnership than meets the eye.

Anonymous said...

If the pool thing fails and they have to give the money back, I bet LaGrottos donates that money back to the city, just for goodwill.

Anonymous said...

To: Lois
From: Rodney Perez

Lois,
Posting the below statement from Mayor Harl in regards to my comments that the city would've come up with the money somehow for the Bike Path.
Now that the Bike Path will not come to fruition the $50,000.00 the mayor was referring to should be freed up to consider using for the pool.

Reported from 8-19 Council Meeting:
Harl said he believes the city made a mistake Monday night by not committing funds for the bike route. He asserted that the project to create the routes and off-road paths likely couldn’t have begun until spring of 2015 or 2016, and by that time the city could have set aside $50,000 per year to complete the project.

Anonymous said...

Where's the bike trail?

Anonymous said...

8:47 How do you just donate money for a second time. If they give the money to the city, they will only be partially paying legit expenses incurred over the many concerts at the airport done WITHOUT ordinance. In other words , it will be one more in the line of charity concerts where the promoter made out great, but there was little or no charitable donation.

That money should go to a real charity if the pool fund gets disbanded. And it should help Peru kids. Not pickleballer bladders with a new bathroom, or any other cherry picked Harl project, and no wholesale computer equipment from Connecting Point.

Anonymous said...

Where does the money collected at the Airport Fly In Breakfast end up? Seriously what is done with this revenue and what is the profit which is collected at this federally funded location?
Would the proper federal officials agree to purchasing video equipment which would work for all city council meetings from these profits. The present equipment which the city owns seems to be a inferior grade of equipment which has a poor rate of reliability. If anyone knows where the city purchased this video equipment would they please pass this knowledge on.
With winter approaching outside activities become a hardship for many and they do enjoy participating in city politics, also those home bound and those without means of attending meetings have a interest in their home town politics. Reliable equipment is very important to them.

Anonymous said...

Does Sappy Sapienza and our fearless leader Harl realize that people who do not own their own homes also vote??? So if this pool thing goes on a referendum, all the non-property tax paying voters could vote yes, because it would be a win-win for them.

Anonymous said...

Was it in the News Tribune that Alderman Perez asked about the video equipment not working? I think the general public should be aware that the equipment Connecting Point sold the city is crap. I would think Connecting Point would be very embarrassed that they can't provide quality equipment to do something as simple as recording a meeting. Hello YouTube!

Anonymous said...

8:29 Connecting Point is the willing fall guy. Look at the meetings that they have trouble recording. How stupid do they think the voters are.

Oh yeah, I forgot. This is Peru. They have a long history of stupid voters.

Peru Town Forum said...

I agree, we as a city are looking pretty bad, in spite of the fact that the aldermen will be offended by me saying so, it is the truth.

Anonymous said...

Which city employee actually has the dealings with connecting point regarding videotaping the meeting? Whoever that person may be might be the problem and one of Harls right hand man. HUM. Excuses excuses excuses. Now, why didn't and hasn't the city used one of their(meaning us taxpayers) cell phone and record and post during the supposedly faulty equipment of the meetings? A citizen has done this. Point blank- they don't want certain meetings to be posted. DUH again.

Anonymous said...

the mayor doesnt want a pool-that is very visible. it is a shame we dont have one, this city has gone down so much these past 5 years, i am glad i am old and my family is all living elsewhere. that pool was a great activity center for so many young kids through the years. where is all that money that was paid for salaries, water etc? oould that not be allocated to the pool fund

Anonymous said...

6:52 p.m. It could be if we had a mayor who wanted a pool. Harl is only worried that the budget looks good so whatever his next political move might be, he can beat his chest and say "look what I've done". He will be remembered as the mayor who took away our community pool.