As many of you know, I have promoted a splashpad since the closing of our city pool. I also know that Vortex is the company to do it, they have done fantastic splashpads in other cities and will do it right.
I do not agree with all the bells and whistles and what I personally feel are unnecessary expenditure in order to qualify for a grant.
We want a splashpad, so why do we need to attach horseshoe pits (which we already have at Centennial Park), Volley ball which was once located at 28th street park but was removed maybe for not being used. Who will put up and maintain the nets and equipment or will it be bring your own?
And this goes for all the other goodies plus a new parking lot. We had a swimming pool before and it was used by more than the few who will use this and did not require a new parking lot.
The pool committee already has some funding and the city should be able to fund the balance as well a Fund Drive enabling the newly interested to donate. Build the splashpad. Period.
I know there are those who will be angry at the disagreement but Grant Money is NOT free money, it is all taxpayer money, always is and always will be.
Pros and Cons on Possiblilty of a Peru Splashpad
46 comments:
Volleyball will have sand? This will create a big problem. There will be sand in the splash pad, if located in close proximity to the splash pad. The sand will clog the filtering system I guarantee you and who wants sand on them when enjoying a splash pad? Horseshoes can be a flying target. Not smart to have a horseshoe pit close to a splash pad where younger children are running around(outside the fence of splash pad). Why not build the splash pad at 28th street park or Baker Lake? And in the future the pool facility at Washington.
3:45 PM
The volleyball and etc would be across the street next to the library but I think there might be many children running back and forth across that street if there are picnic tables there. Never thought about that which could be a traffic issue especially for residents using that street to get home and a hazard for children, library patrons and neighborhood residents.
Would the splashpad be closed when baseball is being played on any of the nearby diamonds?
11-7 would be great hours. It would accommodate parents who work and would like to take their kids after work. Good point Lois regarding baseball games. An idea would be to have the splash pad close at 5 during baseball season due to the fact of an abundance of kids being left unattended while parents are watching the games. Fee per child? I don't think $1.00 is unreasonable. Season passes available also, residents only.
There are a lot of things which have never been thought of one of which is repairs and maintenance. Another is what is the law by which a splashpad has to follow the footprint of the old Veterans Pool. As for building all the unnecessary bells and whistles to total up to $512,000 to get a grant for a $250,0000 splash pad is fiscally irresponsible and anyone that $ foolish should not be making financial decisions.
I'm all in favor of a common sense splash pad but not a splash pad at the starting cost of over 1/2 million dollars.
My concern is the splash pad next to that cell tower. Didn't like it in the park to begin with and do not like it now.
@4:33 PM I would think that baseball would be stopped whenever someone was on the splash pad area. After all it is the baseball which is creating the huge safety factor. Has anyone thought of locating a pickle ball court in between the ball diamond and the splash pad to buffer the problem?
How much water is used and is it treated? Is it recycled or thrown away? What is the daily cost to the city? What is the cost of insurance? All of these questions should be thought about and answered.
BAKER LAKE IS PERFECT! THERE IS ALREADY PARKING. WHY NOT UTILIZE BAKER LAKE? I think a swimming pool should also be there eventually also. Keep washington park just for baseball.
I think it's definitely too congested for that area. I think it should be located somewhere else. And spending $500,000 because that's the only way to get a grant is a waste. Spend the $250,000 for the splash pad. None of those other things are needed and will be a waste of money.
Where is the video of the City council meeting held in 5-5-14. Held 8 full days ago and still not presented.
That is a tremendous amount of money for a Splash Pad project even if it includes other recreational facilities. Why does everything this city does have to be so complicated and expensive. They are buying a brand new Cadillac when they should be shopping for a good used Chevrolet. They need to get the trades and local suppliers and build it themselves.
Notice how all of the elected officials other than Harl, steer clear of taking a side on this issue? They are such cowards.
Splash pads are dangerous. They spread diseases. There is also the problem of kids falling. If they implement this safety hazard, they should require goggles, helmets, knee pads, and elbow pads. Somebody needs to think about child safety for Pete's sake!
There was a vote and agreed upon by the majority of participants that a new city pool should not be financed by Peru property taxes. This vote leads one to realize a pool is a long ways off and Peru is lacking a summer water recreation for young children. A splash pad in the proper location has been and still is the answer to this problem. With proper direction it would be a inexpensive step to many years of local family recreation and enjoyment.
The importance of any outside financing and the trade off of what, how much and how long they would have in the decision making of this splash pad may outweigh what they are bringing to the table in terms of finances.
Besides location, maintenance, repairs, daily upkeep, selection of a area which already has a parking lot etc. now comes along the idea of a daily admittance fee and next will be the thoughts of a seasonal pass. Doesn't everyone agree that Peru needs a splash pad now without five or six other previously unthought of and unneeded extras.
Possibly city leadership should compare the cost of a splash pad to many of their expenditures and they would reach the conclusion that this is a worthy and justified cause which they could afford without sacrifice.
This is not a project that the government should be involved with. If we find enough money in the government coffers for this project - it should be sent back to the taxpayers.
This is also an example of how so-called "grants" lead to waste, fraud, and abuse. To get "free money" for a sprinkler for the kids to run around in, it sounds like we have to make up a bunch of extra stuff to get the bill up to a half a million dollars. Waste, Waste, Waste. I for one don't want Peru even thinking about this.
Another think to keep in mind - whenever anyone says "its for the children" you need to grab your wallet and hide it good - because they are about to fleece you.
Waste, waste, waste - time to think in real terms, because the shoe is about to fall on these pensions.
A9:50 & 10:36 Good job, your points are strong, true and well directed. Let's not turn building a nice splash pad into heart surgery. Contact local businesses, local engineers, local tradesmen, city employees, proper government agencies and health officials and with the cooperation and coordination of local city officials lets get er done, starting today not tomorrow. How long did it take to spearhead the building of a BB Gun Club in City Hall, maybe with the same government cooperation our children could have a splash pad this summer.
No Grants! The State of Illinois is flat busted broke. Now Mr. Quinncome Tax is trying to bribe us into keeping the "temporary income tax" by "rebating" $500 from our property tax. What a crock! How much is the Quinncome Tax going to cost us over our working lifetime?
Grants for parks and recreation equals higher taxes. We need to say NO! to this grant.
Grants like this and goofy tax rebate schemes is how Democrats purchase votes. We need to be smarter than the Illinois Ruling Class.
The above comments are proof that people would rather practice integrity than sell those soul to the devil for a splash pad.
Why is it that the public works committee has the responsibility of the airport? Wasn't the airport previously the responsibility of the public property committee?
Presently responsibilities do not seem to be fairly divided. Some one who has authority seems to want to distribute all responsibilities to as few as possible rather than to keep all hands on deck occupied. Right or wrong this "kiss butt" form of government always ends up with the appointer only appointing those who agree with him and making a effort to disband those who don't.
Recent question was asked when TEST was going to invest $1,000,000.00 in a new building on the former Peru Hotel site? The last I heard was that plans & blueprints were finalized and presented to the Review & Design Committee when is this project supposed to proceed further? This is the type of investments downtown Peru is in need of to raise its sales tax amount.
10:33 PM
That is how Mayor Harl administers this city and how he is actually unbalancing the ability of the aldermen to do what we elected them to do. The more of them he disconnects from important committees, the more power he gives to himself.
More to come I am hearing as he wants to be in control of what committee makes decisions and who sits on those committees. This applies to the aldermen and also the appointed on committees.
There is a meeting on Monday of a committee I have never heard of and did not find any online minutes for a previous one. It is JOINT REVIEW BOARD MEETING
May 19, 2014, 11:00 A.M.
You ask who sits on this committee and I do also. Note the time, so we know it is not the aldermen on it.
10:51 PM
TEST purchased the property and planned to build until the Design and Review Committee established by Mayor Harl put their hands into the situation. They made so many demands that added to the cost of the new building that TEST sold the property to Beard Bros. and bought the old Coca Cola plant which is now the home of TEST. Watch this Design and Review Committee very closely in the future. Nothing can be built in the city unless it meets their approval.
the "Joint Review Board" sounds like a new name for the Design and Review Board and Zoning Board of Appeals. Both of these entities have the same people on them. And you are correct, nothing gets done without these guys putting their fingers in it. They think they are in Naperville.
On another note, they sent a memo to the City Council stating that they are not going to approve any new projects until the City Council approves a sign ordinance. How long has that issue been bouncing around? I'll tell you - almost five years. Every time the council talks about it, the subject turns to political advertising and they never get around to the actual need - business signs.
Just heard on the radio that the Illinois Democrats are pushing a budget to spend four billion dollars more than we are going to take in.
Yup.. Illinois Democrats are buying votes one splash pad and horseshoe pit at a time.
YES, it is way past time to make a change. Republican or Democrat one has to realize that the only answer the Democrats have had at any political level is to spend. With all their spending and low interest rates with high and increasing taxes the entire state has high unemployment and huge debts. It is a very poor economic sign to have low interest rates and high unemployment.
Let me get this straight? You want High interest rates and high unemployment?
Low interest rates spur borrowing and hiring, last I checked? I do not think the democrats can be blamed for monetary policy.
Hmmmmm.... lets see. The Fed rate has been effectively zero percent for oh.... five years now. So much for low interest rates "spurring borrowing and hiring."
NO! Currently - many businesses have huge amounts of cash sitting on the sidelines - they don't need to borrow anything. They need stable government policy and low taxes spur business expansion and hiring.
The 7:08 comment is probably referring to the ability of the government to borrow money at very low interest rates. Short sighted politicians view this as free money. The problem is, interest rates will go up. This will make it impossible for the state to borrow any more. We are close to the inflection point at which the amount of tax revenue equals the money needed to service debt. At that point, there is no choice but bankruptcy. This is probably only five or ten years off for Illinois if interest rates start to increase - which they inevitably will.
This is what Illinois needs to do to fix this situation:
1. Lower or abolish corporate income tax.
2. Enact right to work legislation.
3. Reform workman's compensation rules.
4. Abolish several layers of redundant government such as townships. Decrease the number of school districts.
5. Enact fair state legislative districting.
6. Switch state pensions and IMRF from defined benefit to defined contribution (401K like) retirement system.
One day people are going to wake and go to the bank, and there will be zero money. Their money invested and/or in savings or cd's, etc.. Will be gone. I truly believe this is going to happen some day. FDIC will be extinct. Why do you think a lot of foreigner who are here in the united states don't bank here. They organize a company within themselves and others who join and make payments to the company by using the new coin binion system that's out. The goverment is not involved what so ever. Banks are stealing $ from the lower and middle class.
9:53 You are wrong. The states poor rating has increased the effective borrowing rates. The low interest rates for business effectively incentivize investments that actually sustain job growth. If they can build their new expansion with cash, it's not generally a big job creator.
Businesses have these big cash pools in your mind. Yes maybe your pizza shop, but not real employers. You want no taxes on business for one reason. To keep your money.
The pension fund is a mess, but did you realize that over 70 per cent of the voters do not know that Teachers do not and will not get social security benefits. Most believe that government pensions are supplemental, like if you got a pension from your big company.
You would not believe how many people want to strip away all benefits from teachers and have them just get back what they put in. All hill the while you collect your social security and complain.
Stuff must change, but your plan is riddled with stupid.
Anon 7:08 back at all of you, I previously mentioned low interest rates with high rates of unemployment now lets add in high rates of inflation to low interest rates. Many live off of their interest and no longer can because of low interest rates and high inflation. High inflation also stuns the unemployed. Getting more complicated isn't it.
12:14, what school of economics did you go to?
Most of the $1.5 Trillion in US corporate cash reserves (for non-financial companies) is held off shore. The US government is effectively stifling the use of this cash because it would be subject to a 35% tax if a company brought it back to use for expansion. Mind you, this is money that has already been taxed. Uncle Sam just wants to hit them again when they bring the money home.
In the past, low interest rates did "stimulate" the economy. Right now this play has been over used. But after a half decade or more of artificially low rates, it is obvious that something else needs to be done. The best thing that can happen is to remove government regulation.
I don't own a Pizza shop. Wish I did. But the fact remains that US Corporation are just now starting to tip toe back into spending their cash. If the US Gov. where to remove the 35% tax on repatriation of funds, I think the log jam would break.
We are approaching an energy renascence in the US. Low cost energy can save the US economy and put us back to work. We have enough oil and gas reserves to last the next 150 years at our current rate of use growth. Yet, the ruling party sets up obstacles for using and transporting this energy.
School Board have the option of allowing teachers to be in the social security system. There is no law that states teachers cannot be in it. What happened is school districts did not want to pay the employer match. Other government pensions, for the most part also get social security. The military, for instance, draws a good pension with medical benefits with 20 years service. They also pay into the social security system and are eligible to receive that when they reach the retirement age.
I'm curious to understand your reasoning behind the statement:"If they can build their new expansion with cash, it's not generally a big job creator." What does the source of the money have to do with the potential for new business?
It is a fact that removing the union element would greatly increase the business climate in Illinois. The time of the unions has past. They are dead weight and a burden on the people they are supposed to represent. If asked, most rank and file union member will tell you that the union does nothing for them but take their dues. Given an honest and secret ballot, almost every union shop would toss their union out.
Illinois is the worst state in the country for workman's compensation. In fact, the people that process workman's compensation claims have the largest percentage of claims. Illinois is the only state that awards benefits "for injuries not sustained from the occupation but could be made worse."
Illinois has more units of local government than any other state. We have 868 school districts - there are many that serve around 100 student and not far from larger districts. We have governments without purpose - townships come to mind. Illinois needs to review this and abolish most redundant local governments.
To all above commenters: Whether I agree with you or not I find your knowledge and comments to be informative, intelligent and a open expression of ideas with respect for one another. Participants such as yourselves create a interest in the blog and make learning fun. Thank you
2:09 I went to a real one, not the Rush Limbaugh school of economic talking point regurgitation. You mix in National issues with state issues as it suits your purpose.
Overseas Corporate cash reserves have a relatively small impact on job creation and middle class wealth accumulation here. in Illinois. Small to medium sized businesses provide a vast majority of the growth in jobs, and require loans and low interest. You seem to think that I am incorrect stating our state fiscal mess is effectively raising the cost of money for the state. I originally simply pointed out the strange comment that higher interest rates will help the job creation component of business expansion. Your other measures could help, never said they would not.
Much of what you said is absolutely accurate.
I disagree strongly only with your simplistic renaissance of cheap fossil fuel. It is not cheap if you disregard the long term costs of the environmental destruction.
I agree that right to work should be pushed, government layers eliminated, workmens comp revised completely, and I am all for changing the pensions systems if they offer social security equivalence. I realize social security is anticipated to fail as well.
I do not believe that cash reserves being released would be reinvested in infrastructure or expansion. They would make the wealthy wealthier only. Corporate taxes should not be eliminated. They should pay their fair share.
I agree with more of what you say than disagree, but I fear that no other opinions will have any worth to you you. There are no moderates any more. Crazy liberals or crazy conservatives, all blaming each other.
If you give a man a gun he can rob a bank. If you give a man a bank he can rob the world.
Most businesses raise their prices to compensate for taxes.
I am against corporate income tax. Not because I own a business - I don't directly. I'm against it because it is essentially double taxation. The profits are taxed and then taxed again when they are distributed to the owners as income or in the form of a dividend to the share holders.
“Money is made... made by the effort of every honest man, each to the extent of his ability. An honest man is one who knows that he can't consume more than he has produced.” - Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged.
I suppoort all those who comment and participate in this blog. However, when the conversation drifts away from the "topic at hand" the comments detract from the "locality" of the blog. We can certainly talk about state and federal issues and how it affects us locally, but I wish commentors to this blog would try to keep the focus as local as possible. All politics is local and Peru is in desperate need of real leaders right now and that should be the focus on this blog. Regardless of what anyone says on this blog the city of Peru has serious problems in most every department and office. The reasons for the problems are many and varied, but it eventually all comes down to "Lack of Leadership" and a total failure of the elected officials to demand "Accountability" and "Professionalism" from themselves and every employee.
Please don't misunderstand, I know there are good employees on the city payroll, and that is not the problem. The problem is those who mare supposed to be in charge.
We have critical departments without qualified supervisors solely based on poltical maneuvering and the incompetence of a mayor and aldermen who spend more time and effort protecting the financial interests of a few local businesses then they do protecting the interests of the citizens of Peru. Until we elect a mayor and a majority of aldermen with qualities of honesty, integrity, and intelligence, Peru will continue to watch its tremendous potential squandered by the current group of weak, ineffective,and narrow-minded officials currently in office. Sorry, but it's the truth folks. Except for Alderman Rodney Perez that is.
To 9:16
We've had several people run in the past who have excellent people/leadership skills yet fail to get elected. What are you currently and actively doing to change this?
Back to the subject about grass mowing , parks were mowed yesterday, however there were not weed wipped again and at centennial park they blew the grass in the street . and if you pay attention you'll see they don't mow all of the parks because city workers come mow what they didn't mow . how is this better ? I'd rather kids start working and do a crappy job than pay professionals to do a crappy job.
People in Peru vote for yard signs - no leaders. I wonder what the results would be if we outlawed yard signs - particularly in the case of the alderman elections.
To 1:52 pm, What I have personally done recently is to support the Peru At-Large initiative which would have at least created the chance for more new candidates to replace the current group of aldermen. Since that effort has fallen short, I will continue to support any and all aldermanic challengers to the current group of sitting aldermen, with the exception of Alderman Perez, who I believe is the only alderman who has not been corrupted by Peru politics. With that said, I would hope that the group of Peru citizens who organized the last At-Large initiative will re-group and try again for the mid-term election in November. Only this time they should present the voters the choice of a "Modified System" with four Ward aldermen, and four At-Large aldermen. The Peru "establishment" will have a much more difficult time dis-crediting a "four and four" referendum if a total of eight aldermen are retained. I'm sure the establishment politicians of Peru as well as the connected business interests in town would fight that referendum as well, but it would force them to come up with a valid reason to oppose it other than just "because it's different".
Any mayoral and aldermanic challenger to the current group of elected officials with the exception of Rodney Perez will be opposed by the Peru establishment becuase the current group of elected officials delivers what the establishment demands. And what the establishment demands is that "nothing ever change". And, that Peru elected officials continue to protect and defend the special interests in Peru above all others, regardless of ethical or moral conflicts of interest. If you are a candidate for office in Peru and you pose a threat to those connected interests you will be targeted for defeat. All independent thinking challengers will have to overcome that obstacle in their efforts to get elected in Peru. So, when I see such candidates, I will supprt them. You should too.
@9:33AM Your description of the present state of Peru politics is sadly much to accurate. Those in charge of those in charge are only concerned with their own special interests and creating a environment in which everyone is working off of the same page. This attitude has no room for independent thinking and smothers the true potential of Peru's development.
10:53PM
Sadly you are correct. There is no room for diversity of thought even when the ideas make more sense than what is taking place at city hall at present.
Consolidation of power is taking place right before our eyes.
Consolidation of power, with little or no qualifications or experience for the job descriptions. Happening right before our eyes. A person with qualifications and experience is mentoring those in charge of a department so one looks and acts like they know what they're doing. It's called BS-ing your way through it. My opinion is that peru has a very incompetent city council, each and every alderman needs replaced along with the mayor. I also believe that one alderman has fooled a lot of people. Think about it, why would this alderman comment on some questions and stays mum on other questions? I've been contemplating blogging this being my opinion for a long time. Take the time to think about it and some might agree.
The government and citizenship of Peru,Illinois have caused reason to be known as nothing but freeloaders off of their neighboring cities as Chicago has off of the state. First of all it built a great retail section which everyone enjoyed . Than realizing that this retail section was dominant in the surrounding area it raised its sales tax 1/2% to pay for a new grade school, only to follow up with another 1/2% to redo its streets and roads. Now these Peruvians are asking for a 1/2 million dollar grant to build at most a $150,000 splash pad. Peru, when will you think it is time to pay your own way and not depend on your neighbors?
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