Since the city is contemplating a "Social Media policy" perhaps they might want to take a look at this opinion and also the ruling that came down from a Federal Court today.
Bloggers are considered watchdogs of the politics and governance of our governments and are protected just as professional media is according to the court.
How should this affect our aldermen, other elected officials and employees?
By the way there was a Design and Review Meeting last night that took place without official notice or an agenda? The city calendar had only the date of the meeting and nothing more. The usual front page announcement had nothing. Are they distracted down at city hall?
Added Jan. 23.
The News Trib has an interesting story regarding the Mayors Dinner and our Mayor Harl got a special by line titled Defiant Tone. Personally don't believe the excuses given for the departure of Sean Mikos but that is my opinion.
38 comments:
I like pickle ball. We should have more pickle ball in Peru, as well as more cowbell! I think I'll organize Cowbell competitions at 28th Street Park every Saturday and Sunday morning from 8:00 AM until noon this summer. Oh what fun. Oh what a cultural event that will be. We can collect for charity and call it Cowbells for a Cause.
I don't even see, on the city web-site, where it even lists that a Design and Review meeting was held last nite. Does an agenda need to be posted? Should the meeting even be announced?
When I think of the "disdain" and udder resentment that I have for the great majority of Peru elected officials, if I ever just allowed myself to vent my true frustration with the incompetence and lack of initiative of those jokers I might very well end up blogging something very "libelous". Therfore, I will simply reiterate this point about Peru's aldermen, mayor, treasurer, and clerk. I have never witnessed a group so determeined to do "nothing". Nothing but advance themselves or take advantage of a Free Meal or a Free Trip or a Free Cocktail or to get themselves re-elected. With the sole exception of Rodney Perez, these people are absolutely useless as public servants. No skills, no ambition, no integrity,no initiative, and no capacity to learn. If my statements constitute libel then so be it. I am so upset with these phony officials I will take that chance if only to vent my frustration. Oh yea, when they finally release that bull**** judges report next Monday, I might just blow a gasket when they announce that nothing will be done to hold anybody accountable.
Mark my words lemmings of Peru. Nobody, least of all Harl, will be held responsible for the payroll scandal. And there's not a damn thing any of us can do about it.
In last nights News Tribune, Tuesday, January 21,2014, OPINION PAGE the 10, 25' 50 Years Ago column stated that on January 21,1964-Peru City Council, plagued by claim jumpers, voted to cut 'em off at the pass. The council voted to extend s 6-inch water line up the west side of Airport Road, which was expected to create a boundary to keep LaSalle from extending its utilities and corporate limits into Peru Township.
Would someone with the local historical background expound this situation and what has development has taken place for Peru in these 50 years because of it. I have been told that in 1964 William Palmatier was the Mayor of Peru and on the city council was a gentleman by the name of Don Baker.
Is Rick Abbott out fire chief? Noticed in a lot of articles over the years he seems to be the spokesperson for the fd. Like the article a few days ago regarding car/plow accident. Don't fully understand why the reserved fire truck wasn't sold to offset cost of the new one. The ACC is going to house the truck. So, it's not even going to be housed at the fd? Out city has tons in money. Is out mayor frugal? When is payroll investigation report going to be made public?
2:14, after the report is made public, depending on its contents and who possibly was involved, there is something that people can do. In the next mayoral election the report findings could be used as a campaigning topic for whomever may run for mayor. Point in case, incompetency:
Don't count chickens before they are hatched. As far as the report 2:14, what goes around comes around. Eventually. There is always a paper trail that leads to something/someone. Looking forward to the investigation report. However, I feel that the investigation should have been outsourced further from LaSalle County.
The idea that you can do nothing is only an excuse for you to do just that--nothing. That is an idea that you should get out of your head, the sooner the better, as expressed in this case in Colorado:
http://nation.time.com/2013/09/11/colorado-recall-two-state-senators-fired-for-gun-control-efforts/
Doesn't matter what the findings of the report are everyone on here is convinced the Mayor is guilty, so if the judge finds nothing illegal occurred everyone will cry foul even though all the alderman agreed to handle it this way.Reminds me of a mob mentality, guilty until proven innocent.
7:01 Pm
We all wish there had been no scandal and that no impropriety had taken place, no fiscal irresponsibility, that would be wonderful but we all have the question of why our new civil engineer abruptly left, why did we have a misplaced truck among other things.
Normally someone leaving under normal circumstances waits to train his replacement and it is so strange that we are not even interested in hiring a replacement, we are just letting the police chief handle the department. There are 2 many unanswered questions and the people in this town want answers and don't want this swept under the rug as there is no more space left under the rug.
I have to disagree with you Glum about waiting to train a replacement, most times 2 weeks notice is given when resigning from a job and that definitely wouldn't have been enough time to train a replacement. As far the truck it was stolen and recovered, I'm sure our competent police force is taking due diligence in investigating the case. Well I guess if you want answers ask on Monday night, my guess is you will quietly sit there when they open the floor to the public.
It is my opinion that the truck was not stolen. Knowing how things are done around here, it was "borrowed" by an employee. Unfortunately, the new boss did not know that employees are allowed to "borrow" equipment on the weekends, so the police where called. Then the fun started. Being afraid to say anything, the employee that "borrowed" the truck just parked it in the woods.
I have no proof. I just know the character of the people that work for all the cities, not jut Peru. You see, "in the Valley" government jobs are kind of like family businesses. Employees are entitled to free use of equipment and all manner of consumable supplies.
Anon 7:12 AM Do you consider public comment the same as opening the floor to the public?
From the number that have utilized public comment since all the restrictions have been placed upon it is not opening the floor to the public. It is embarrassing to observe the Mayor asking if anyone has a public comment. Of course this is just another issue he has brought upon himself.
Mayor Harl has closed all reciprocal communication between himself and the majority of citizens through the transparency of public comment, only having formal council meetings and no longer having informal meetings and the number of closed sessions.
The Mayors attitude towards those that he dislikes are also a handicap to open discussion. Most feel that it is not worth the effort.
Also 7:12 your use age of the name
Glum has been noticed and already has worn itself out. Please discontinue the practice as it is wasting the time of those whose enjoy the blog and appreciate Lois' efforts in keeping everyone updated in the field of city politics and in aspects of it that the newspaper and radio have not. It has also given us a opportunity to express and exchange ideas. If you cannot handle the viewpoints of the blog in the future why don't you go somewhere else to sarcastically label others with inappropriate names.
Just read the riduculous comments in the N-T by Harl. First he tries to create a diversion by talking about a company that according to IVAC has not even included Peru on its "short-list"? OK, maybe we best not hold the Ground-Breaking Ceremony just yet, hah Scott. Next, he provides a poorly manufactured version for the sudden departure of the now former SPW, Sean Mikos.
Now just think about this for a minute people. First of all, this is the first damn comment of any kind that any Peru elected official has made about this resignation in any shape or form. Next, if the reason for Mikos's departure is as the mayor claims, why the hell were those reasons not revealed and discussed by Mr. Mikos or anybody else until now?
C'mon, this is such BS it's just embarrassing for the entire city. RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS? Give me a break! OTHER OPPORTUNITIES? What the hell kind of crap are you selling here Harl? If there was even a shred of truth to this residency baloney, the city council certainly could have and would have happily provided a temporary exception to accomodate an employee that was on the job less than four months. Then we are supposed to beleive that Mikos just could not bring himself to share these sordid details of not being able to sell his house in Yorkville as the other reason for his departure?
Just stop for a second people and ask yourselves this question. If the premature departure of Sean Mikos is as simple and innocent as Harl claims, why in the hell didn't anybody just say so?
Harl's first real effort to control the dialogue in this fiasco proves he is equally inept at damage control as he is in leadership and governing a city. If some of these aldermen don't get together and call Harl out on these "false and misleading" statements, they will be just as responsible for this disgaceful episode as Harl himself.
"Transparency" and "Open Government" today is a word game played by progressives. In the case of his honor, the Mayor of Peru, a card carrying member of the Democrat Party mind you, not an independent as he appears on the ballot, he covers all the bases and possible embarrassments by implementing fine print rules and closed sessions. Particularly harmful to the public trust is the rule that "public comment is not for asking questions."
Exactly how are you supposed to ask the hard questions and get it and the answer on the official record? Impossible - and that is the way the progressives like it. No accountability.
1:02. Well said!
7:12. Remember Sean said the truck was "misplaced". He knows what really happened with that truck. Sean was an upstanging man who did what was right and was threatened. The newspaper article makes it appear Sean might be responsible for the payroll problem, when in fact, if it wasn't for him, the fraud would be continuing to this day. I bet Sean couldn't wait to get the hell out of Peru.
1:57 PM
That was a poorly written article.
Always have to blame someone other then take responsibility for it. A bunch of manipulators. How can those people look themselves in the mirror? Peru and all it's departments are a laughing stock. People, it's very negative out on the streets.
The election format has been for many years a non-partisan declaration 30 plus years several reps and or dems can run without declaring ones party
2:16. that is true, but until Harl, no none was a formal member and / or a committee person.
We should waive the residency requirements for elected officials. That is the only way we will get a majority of honest people in Peru government. We could fly them in from Wisconsin or some other well run state once a month to have some meetings and set the policy. You see, the trouble with electing people from Peru is that the elite ruling class that have been running this town since the 60's are either suffering from dementia or their heirs apparent are inbred to a point resembling the British Royal Family.
Just finished reading the article. What a slithering way to bring up why Sean resigned. He wasn't even here long enough to be involved in any wrongdoing. SEAN MIKOS, if you are reading these blogs, please consider coming on this site and blog the truth as to why you resigned. You have so many people here in Peru that have your back and understand your resignation. You will get the last laugh. Also, not every city or town is corrupt. I fully understand why an honest person wouldn't want to be involved with Peru. Stick up for yourself Sean. Hope to read your story and truth.
During the recent mayors election several corporations were disputing their City of Peru electrical charges, one of which is presently moving a small part of its operation to LaSalle,
In this evenings newspaper there is a article which states that Peru is being considered for the location of a plant so large that there is question whether Peru could supply its electrical needs.
Two questions :
If sufficient electrical output is the question What are the answers?
Being that the homeowners and small businesses are supposedly getting a very good rate for their electrical usage how would this rate be affected?
@8:47-good questions! But Peru isn't even on the short list of possible locations for this company. Harl just needed something positive to say because everything coming out of Peru is so negative right now. Then he lied thru his teeth about Sean! He would have been better off staying home and keeping his mouth shut.
The Daily "Fish Wrapper did it again. What the hell prompted Tom Collins of the N-T to suggest that Sean Mikos may have been involved in the payroll scandal? I could not beleive what I was reading. Do these reporters have any clue what they are doing? Why the hell would Tom Collins write that piece as though Harl were standing up to defend Mikos? This reporter got the story completely backward. By writing that Mikos had "not" been implicated, and Harl was defending him, Collins just planted the seed that Mikos might be culpable for the scandal. Unbelievable. Then Harl provides the final insult to the honest citizens of Peru by complimenting the guy he just ran out of town. With this payroll scandal, Scott Harl has brought Peru the kind of big-city political hypocracy and dirty dealings that rival the worst of them. Without a capable and vigilant press to get to the facts, we the public are just pawns and people like Harl will never be held accountable. Thanks Tom Collins for giving Harl a free pass to distort the truth and then implicate the only honest man in the entire scandal. It's bad enough that the N-T editorial staff has castrated its reporters and itself as an investigative publication, but to actually present the facts of a stroy in reverse may be a new journalistic low for the News Tribune.
This newspaper should grow a pair of balls or shut down the presses and close your doors.
No Regular Meeting agenda posted for Mondays meeting yet.
They are sneaking around behind the scenes trying to figure out how to best minimize the impact of the release of the Judge's report.
Will Harl slither out of this mess?
Will the aldemen check their balls at the door again and give Harl a pass?
Will anybody from the public speak up for accountability during public comment?
Answers are: Yes/Yes/No.
8:21 AM
I have to figure out how to put a Like Button beneath comments like yours. When I said yesterday that it was poorly written, I was thinking what you said. Thank you. Maybe they ought to look into hiring some H.S. Journal majors.
Looks like the mayor is trying to make it difficult for the public to attend Monday's big meeting. He moved the start time to 6:00 and will open the meeting and go into closed session. Everybody knows the meetings start at 7:30, so why all of the sudden, this meeting will start at 6:00?
Where did you get that information 12:24? The agenda for the meeting is not posted as of yet.
Why would this company want to move into Peru when the companies that located in Peru are upset with the electrical rates? So much that one is moving heavy electrical usage to LaSalle and others want to move to LaSalle.
I didn't read the article in the paper, so I can't comment on that but I have read the comments from the people on here posting about the article and I will tell you that no matter what you will never get all the facts about this or anything else for that matter because the mayor and council will not allow it. Just remember that when the judge gives his findings I'm sure that mayor and council will go to closed session. Before they do they have to vote to go to closed session and anyone from the public can ask questions and even ask to go into closed session with them. You would have to be allowed by the council and mayor which they will not but you do have a right to ask. Also when the council finds out what the judge finds don't think for one moment that they won't down play it and find a way to say there's not enough evidence. When they first heard about this the person or persons who did it should have been fired. People are not innocent until proven guilty, people have to prove their innocence, just ask anyone that has had to do that for something they did or did not do. honest open minded people and answers are to hard to come by.
6:01 Sorry but people are innocent until proven guilty. At least in this country.
I know the law reads that innocent until guilty, I was saying that people view people guilty before they know any facts or any details.
only partially true because there are facts that have been published and spoken of.
We do know that our newly hired engineer resigned when he found out the way the mayor handled the fiscal improprieties in the public works department.
We do know that the police and fire department are managing the public works department.
We do know that the public works committee has no plans to hire a replacement in the near future.
We do know that someone was hired to investigate the improprieties in the public works department.
We suspect that most of our aldermen might believe no wrong has been done and would like to close their eyes to any wrongdoing.
In the legal system very few people admit their crimes even when guilty and wait for a complete and thorough investigation to find it on their own.
The problem is that it is hard to admit a stain upon the city reputation even when it is the right thing to do.
Don"t forget Lois "we do know that the mayor hired his own lawyer".
A lawyer will keep taking money from their client knowingly to continue draw out the process when the end result will be the same or even worse when case comes to the end by reaching a settlement or going to trial. Called billable hours on the books. In a court of law, it's best to be honest and not lie when there is proof that comes in many different forms. A person will continue to lie, unless they are smart enough not to knowing their eventually going to be caught.
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