Illinois regulating Medical Marijuana out of existence
I have learned that the proposed marijuana growing facility in Peru would not be 2500 feet from an apt. complex and local motels. In view of the fact that we have and continue to demolish old buildings in the area, it would not seem wise to continue the process but the council voted 7-1 to forward to zoning.
The posted article from the Illinois Herald shows that most of the Chicago suburbs are not allowing and maybe this is why Peru looks so desirable to this corporation.
What would happen if even in spite of all the precautions smoke alarms began going off, would our police have access to the premises? our firemen?
34 comments:
excuse my ignorance... Is this going to be a growing facility or dispensary? Why do they need a special dispensary anyway - if it is a prescription, why can't it be picked up at any pharmacy? I mean really, pot is probably on the milder drugs you can get at a pharmacy and they don't restrict their locations.
To those who make a effort to eliminate the bugs out of a process before they happen - MOVE. You will have a lot less worry and live longer. Peru tends to favor being reactive than proactive. Does this even make sense to invest over 1/2 million dollars in a dilapidated motel which had to be demolished for further development and than put a "wacky tobacy" farm as the 1st development by it. Come on city representation has to be a better manager of money than this! Now I understand why Peru invests multi millions for a airport to hold a private hard rock concert on it, or why services are bought and land sold without proper procedures. Will the people working in the medical drug farm be allowed to wear clothes or is going to be like the movies?
Can I put a strip club, oh, excuse me, a gentle men's club next to it? I'm sure that those who would be to vote on this would vote yes.. Isn't it all about tax revenue? Let's get back to family values here folks. Vote "no."
2:11 PM
It seems that the things being considered and talked about have nothing to do with the families that live here and the values they have. Like marijuana production, video gaming, gaming parlors, smoke shops, hard rock concerts.
I just watched videos and pictures of the 3 day event Oglesby held in their city and could only wonder if Peru was as capable of putting on an event like that.
If you are not in favor of the medical marijuana growing facility, call your aldermen. They won't listen,but at least you tried.
Here's a thought. Have the medical pot grower give the whole amount that it is going to cost to build a pool. Make this part of the deal!!! Deal or no deal, like Howie says. A couple million shouldn't be a problem. Let's get something that will benefit our city on a recreation level for our children/grandchildren/family's!
Would anyone object if a large national beer company opened a brewery in Peru?
The pot factory is not going to hurt anyone and it will provide a few jobs.
Sooner or later it recreational use will be legal also. It is only a matter of time. And just like alcohol, people will need to use it responsibly or not at all or else suffer the consequences. Just like 30% or more of our local population already does. I made up the number based on people I know - and they are mostly professionals.
3:21. YOU ARE SOOOOOOO CORRECT!
3:21 PM
Whether it is alcohol or drugs, others often suffer the consequences of its use. The more there is the greater is the chance. That is why we have so many and it seems increasing number of alcohol and drug related deaths.
Every individual is responsible for himself or herself Lois.
Lois I am surprised that you continuously confuse alcohol with illegal drugs. Alcohol has been declared legal since Prohibition has been lifted in the mid 1930's.
Video gaming machines have been and are legal also in the State of Illinois. Can't you find enough to comment on that is illegal as well as to worry about things that are legal?
8:35 PM
I did not use the term illegal drugs, you did. Prescription medication (legally purchased)and used improperly or taken by someone it is not prescribed for is one of the worst offenders.
It does not have to be illegal to be abused. You should be aware of that!
This city has its share of both legal and illegal gambling. An over abundance of both is bad for the city. Illegal has been ignored for so long, it is viewed as legal in Peru.
I called Waldorf several times about Test vote he didn't listen, called him about walking path to no where to vote no, he said he wanted it and was supporting it. If I call him on this he will say same thing, he is a recording of what you want to hear, the streets in 3rd ward are awful, sidewalks couldn't be worse and he expects to run again. What am I missing?
The gambling issue is all of LaSalle County, not just Peru.
8;04, good job.
To 8:04 am, The fateful night that the Peru City Council voted to give a $3.5 million dollar NO-BID contract to their politically connected "friends" at TEST, Waldorf stated, "Some people have said we (Peru's elected officials) are "on the take" regarding this issue". Waldorf then went on to say that he is not "on the take".
However, the facts of the matter indicate that the Chairman of the Public Worst Committee and his spouse have indeed accepted numerous gratuitous offerings from the principals at TEST, INC. including meals and "refreshing" beverages during his tenure as a Peru alderman. These "gifts" have been provided at the many "Back-slapping, Muckity-muck, "Appreciation Banquets" TEST uses to stroke our elected officials. Attending these "Phony Fiestas" shows incredibly poor judgement on the part of these elected officials to say the least. To say the most, it's a deliberate slap in the face to every honest taxpayer in the city of Peru. Shame on them all for allowing TEST to wine and dine them while embarrassing the good residents of Peru with such nonsense.
TEST also gives out gifts to attendees of their annual dinner, beyond just dinner and drinks. I have heard they also give the aldermen birthday and Christmas gifts. That $3.5 million dollar NO-BID contract was bought and paid for by TEST, and I hope the FBI also looks into the way that contract and the Chamlin contract has been handled all these years.
Peru should adopt the Federal rules for giving gifts to employees.
•The gift is based upon a pre-existing personal or family relationship with the government employee, so long as the gift is motivated by the relationship (like a birthday present to your sister).
•The gift is valued at $20 or less, so long as the gift is not cash, and the employee accepts no more than $50 in gifts, in the aggregate, from the same outside source in a calendar year.
•The gift consists of modest refreshments, such as juice and bagels at a seminar, and not as part of a meal.
•The gift consists of free attendance at widely-attended gatherings (although some agency-by-agency restrictions may apply to this exception).
1:20, it's not gift giving to employees. It's gift giving from an outside business to elected officials in order to retain their contract.
federal elected officials must report any gift as a campaign contribution and limits apply.
No gifts should be allowed to be received by elected officials from businesses who have contracts or are trying to get contracts with the government. NONE. That is how you keep companies from buying contracts.
Enforce the Federal Rules and enforce the rules of gift giving to city officials and city employees from outside businesses'.
These restrictions would certainly result in term limitations to its truest meaning.
Are city officials who have been in office for one term grandfathered into a city sponsored pension plan and if so what does it amount to and is it still ongoing?
Or gifts giver to a campaign to help a family member or friend get a high paying city job/bid/contract.
The problem with Peru's city council passing an ordinance banning its elected officials and employees from accepting gifts is the fact that they don't want to stop accepting gifts. Therefore, they will never approve such an ordinance. Unless of course we start electing people who will support and encourage ethical behavior by Peru's elected officials. That's the only way to bring reform to Peru. Currently, ther is only one elected official in Peru that would support banning gifts from individuals or companies doing business with the city. One alderman with any sense of ethics is hardly enough to reform Peru's protectionist and corrupt way of doing business. I'm talking about Mr. Perez of course.
11:51---Its quite the story you have continued to write.
Its possible that the Chairman Waldorf was concerned about the water quality of the residents. He may have wanted to insure the quality controls. When it comes down to public safety, is throwing darts at a board the best way to go? Roadwork, blacktop, rock is easy to bid. Public safety like police, fire, ambulance, water testing, legal bidding is another topic that requires quality.
10:04 am I like your idea of passing an ordinance banning elected officials from getting gifts. That would also include the wine and dine up in Chicago provided by TEST and Chamlin's at the IML conference each year. Our Peru elected officials - bought and paid for by TEST and Chamlin's. A pity......
To 11:39 am, What a "lame" excuse for trying to justify a No-Bid contract. You expect people to believe that the company Peru's elected officials have been protecting for going on 40 years is any more competent or professional than the hundreds of comnpanies nationwide that offer the same services? Get serious for just a few minutes and use your head. TEST provides nothing unique to the city of Peru that other equal or superior companies can offer. That fact in and of itself is why competitive bidding for such work is by far the most cost-effective and responsible way for honest and ethical elected officials to approach the situation. Problem is, Peru is severely short in elected officials with those two very important qualifications. If you seriously believe that TEST is special in any way and that Peru's water can only be treated by a local company you really need to get a clue. It's a big world out there and a very competitive world too. You and Peru's elected officials can't scare intelligent people with your suggestions that only TEST can do this work.
9:19: Amen!
No one said that going out to bid would mean that the council would need to shift from TEST. Test would simply be forced to be competitive with the market. And as an incumbent, would have an incredible advantage. the council could STILL override a lower bid if they felt the difference was defensible.
BUT AT LEAST they would know what premium we are paying!
Police and water testing have always been the same. I remember when I went to water testing academy, and began my water testing patrols on the beat. It wasn't like any of the fancy water testing shows or movies, fighting the water polluting Kingpins from Columbia. It was boring hard work.
Sure, some of the Hot Shot Mass Spec SWAT teams might get called in to wrestle with some mercury or toxic organic gangs from upriver, but mostly it's just everyday solids testing, to serve and protect.
It's thankless, wet work. But I am glad the alderpersons know it's too risky to bid out, or even allow other people to talk about. Before you know it our water would be all brown and deadly, like all the other cities that don't use TEST, and all we would have would be our hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in our pockets.
How would all you whiners feel then? Thirsty and dirty I'll bet.
2:35 PM
Your comment reminds me that I must do my research on why the city spends over $200 per month on bottled water according to the disbursements. I need to verify because this was a comment I was recently told. Can you explain?
245 Lois, You did know I was being sarcastic right? To the jokers who say that we have to trust TEST like they are the police or fire, and no other company could keep us safe from bad water.
I have no idea why they use bottled water, they could buy a bunch of nice peru logo water bottles and fill them up and use them. Probably they do it out of convenience or taste? 200 is really a very small line item. If you looked at the budget there are really big fish to fry in there.
Simple, quit purchasing bottled water. Save our tax dollars! Quit being freakin lazy and bring your own darn water in whatever container you want. Don't forget to put a splash of Smirnoff in it. And remember, not the flavored colored Smirnoff, you'll blow your cover. A.K.A. VODKA.
Wow- a lot of people must be planning on getting a script for pot!
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