There is bound to be some news coming from city hall this evening even tho I am not going to observe it. I have already been informed about the Public Property committee mtg and more to come on that.
Not sure about the committee meeting of the whole because part of that will be closed session. The regular mtg is in session as I write and I know I will have access soon if anything of real news is talked about.
16 comments:
Recently there have been motions made and approved by the city council for closed sessions to discuss the sale of 47.7 acres of city property south of the river? What is the buyer willing to offer for this property and for what usage? Has this property been advertised to see what the market will offer for this property or is the city confining itself to one and only one bidder? What is FEMA's attitude towards further development in area that floods? Are all city ordinances for this sale being followed and are all state and federal laws being enforced. The sale of property that the city has owned forever should not be submitted to "Supper Majority" style of doing business nor should the excuse that the city wants to get tax revenue from it immediately as it did with the building on Water Street for $16,000 a year ago and has yet to benefit financially from sales taxes.
The only thing we can be sure of is that Harl and the council are working up some sweetheart deal for some connected entity. The mayor and aldermen are hatching up a phony plan behind closed doors that will be sprung on the public on the evening it is approved by a 7 to 1 vote. Hiding in Closed Seesions in order to prevent the public from participating and commenting on important matters like huge land deals is despicable on the part of our elected officials. Not to mention the incompetence of a mayor and aldermen who have a history of being scammed by carpet-baggers and con-men. Would any of you trust any of your elected officials to broker a Real Estate deal for your property. OMG!
Any property the city has and wants to put for sale should be advertised so anybody can see it and bid on it. It should never be "given" to one person.
It is actually the Council's job to manage the purchase and sale of real estate, and it is also an allowable exception to the open meetings act. You don't want the city negotiating the sale in public. I think they are probably doing their job. The final transaction and results will come out when it is complete. They don't have to ask your permission to do the job that they were elected to do.
It's not asking their permission, it's their job to manage taxpayer funds. If you advertise a piece of property for sale, you may get more than 1 interested party which would lead to a higher price. That's how it works. But not in Peru.
Anon 7:46 Where are you deriving the information from that states that it is the Councils job to manage the purchase and sale of real estate?
A city council is not elected to professionally handle the inner workings of a 47.7 acre real estate transaction.
There is not one member of this council that has education or experience as a Realtor. What has the property appraised at and when was it appraised? A transaction which amounts to 47.7 acres calls for advertising if for no other reason than to create a true value of the property. Finally you can bet that if a developer was to be involved he will advertise his product when selling.
Frankly, past actions of this administration such as the payroll scheme and business transactions conducted by the council in which they have not followed the guidelines of their own ordinances has created a fear of the citizenship in any extensive utilization of the much overused closed sessions.
Is there or is there not a "committee as a whole" meeting tonight? It's still listed on the city web=site.
There is INDEED a member of the council that has real estate education and experience. That person is a managing broker with an active license in the State of Illinois.
Pray Tell 10:37 Am and who would that be and where is there license hanging and who is their employer.What amount of activity have they performed in the last year and is this how they earn a living or is it a part time occupation?
Is this managing broker with a active license the only person in this office who is legally qualified?
11:31 that council member should demand any property that the city has for sale should be advertised for sale so anybody interested can see it. It only makes for a fair and competitive process.
If this property is located anywhere between the river and the area of South Bluff, then it should NOT be developed. Any development on this land will exasperate flooding problems along the river. In fact, that land should not be farmed either. If it is left alone, it will revert to marshland and act as a "sponge" to taper flooding.
Speaking of that, how long before Peru gets tossed out of the National Flood Insurance Programs due to lack of adequate flood plain management? When that happens, there will be many homes in Peru that will no longer be eligible to be financed. When this happens, the current owners will not be able to sell their property. This area includes almost every house on 13th Street between Church Street and Peoria Street. Also many homes north of Shooting Park Road and east of route 251.
Excellent points 6:28 AM. What active license does this particular council member have? Has FEMA been questioned as to the sale of this 47.7 acres, it may be a very good idea. I would hate to see Peru involved in another Loves Island which took place in New York years ago. Also the EPA should be involved.
6:28 you are kidding. The National flood insurance program will fail because of disasters like New Orleans and other not close to our area. The flood management plan will be administered by the Federal government with all communities being involved. The lawsuit filed by the insurance company to most of the Northern Illinois communities is a joke and will be thrown out in a heartbeat. Areas in a fllodplain will have to pay for addition preminiums as a result of those major disasters that the east coast has endured. I would doubt anyone will be developing subdivisions along the riverfront in any areas in Central Illinois.
9:17 AM Now you have admitted to "I doubt" which actually means you don't know. I am tired of paying high insurance rates, high taxes, high utilities and services because of the I doubts in this world.
9:17 - go back and study the NFIP and then comment again.
6:29, what company did the storm, sewer system back when the houses were built east of 251 and north of shooting park road? From 1970-present? Major problems exist? Several years ago if I remember the excuse of the 100 year flood/rain was the reason people had water in their basements and that the system couldn't handle all the water. Boom, didn't it happen again? What ever happened to upgrading the storm sewer system in that area? Oh, how soon people forget!!!!!!! This city seems to be more concerned with booze infested events and who and who's not in the boys club. Only "yes men/women need apply."
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