Along with the regular Public Service members minus Ald. Sapienze, the meeting was attended by Lois, Linda and Mike Hart.
Meeting was much shorter today, only one hour and needed to move to the council chambers so everyone could have a seat. Updates on all the works in progress. Coke plant was sold so city will be going out for bids to see what the cost to build a new public works building would be. I don't believe specifications have been drawn up yet. As usual no questions taken and only public comment allowed even though they were asked.
Flower baskets downtown are being removed as they die and I was told that they had been watered every other day and still did not thrive. Perhaps we need to consult with another city for advice.
Those in charge prefer the planters.
The question again came up about making the PW bldg on Peoria St. a Brownfield site and the question was posed to the NCIG representative by Mayor Harl. The representative said he has no prior experience with that program.
Vickery was present and gave us the following economic update. Someone is looking to construct a strip mall on the Crazy D. site. Several companies are interested in building senior housing. Another proposal for an Aquatic Center and an unknown company looking for land south of Shooting Park Road for retail. Additionally another MM company or two will give a presentation to the city. Also something about a movie theater and I don't know and the committee is scarce on details these days.
Has work resumed on Advanced Auto?
Hanger talk at the airport which I am not up to date on. Marquis Energy and OSF mentioned.
I heard a rumor of possibly making the present setup of Co Superintendents permanent positions and not hire a Superintendent of Public Works or Light Dept.
50 comments:
If the hanging baskets had been watered properly, they would not be dying. They didn't die last year when alderman Perez was responsible for watering them.
What does Peru want with another strip mall when the one south of Culvers isn't full?
Also check to see if the type of plant in the baskets were appropriate for the season and weather. I had heard they were not summer plants that should have been put directly in the sun. Possible refund?
Off topic but I hear big news at township. Are we getting a new clerk? Why is he longer signing checks?
7:36 PM
I have information that the plants were the trailing wave petunias which are the kind necessary to bloom with abundance. But like all plants, petunias need a real good soaking and sometimes often.
If questions by citizens are not allowed at committee meetings and we know they're not allowed in council meetings then when and where can a citizen get an answer to a question?? What better time to ask a question than when the topic in question is being discussed?? Why the resistance to give an honest answer to an honest question?? It could make for a better relationship between all involved.
Peru needs experienced persons with qualifications for the job. We don't have that in many departments.
8:29 PM
I can say with pretty much certainty that the current department heads will most likely stay in place and if by chance they seek replacements, they will be from the Illinois Valley. The city is not interested in bringing new blood, the lifeline we need. They like it the way it is now and no more interference in the way we do business. Very downright depressing. I would like very much to be wrong in my assessment.
Well Lois - this is what voting of incumbents does. Every, and I mean every, local elected official from the County Board Chairman to our Aldermen need to be voted out. That includes those that are perceived as being "good." If they are currently serving, they need to be fired. Throw the baby out with the bathwater - they all need to go. IF there is no challenger, then either leave that spot blank or write in a name. It is symbolic to show "the bums" that even though nobody stepped up to run against them, nobody really voted for them.
First things first though. We absolutely need to force a primary election for Mayor if Boss Harl is to run again. Five people on the ballot will do that. If we can toss the Boss out before the general, so much the better.
Better yet - why don't we try to get him to challenge Rezin for the Senate seat? Drain his war chest and nock him down a few notches? Even if he wins, we end up ahead - he would be in Springfield and we all know nothing gets done there so he could cause no harm.
Why would Peru want another strip mall when the one south of Culver's isn't filled?
7:51 His only task is to sign checks at $30,000 a year. Can we impeach the former campaign manager?
Co-Superintendents was predicted in blog comments over a year ago. In the future, and not too distant a future look for a new Public Works Department building along with the fore-planned new Police Station and a eventual City Superintendent of Security which will call for huge dollars of salary.
Hard to realize that the former city clerk was not reelected because so many were upset that her next annual pay would be $73,000, and a big issue was made of this. It must be remembered that some the salaries of the 2009 administrative staff were of long term employees.
With all the jockeying of city titles and responsibilities what is the comparison of 2009 to 2014 annual payroll? Is Peru getting more or less for its dollar?
To obtain new blood in Peru people will have to participate and run for office and be elected. Presently Peru is starting on another long term journey of which the last was 44 years. The question is will this journey be as progressive.
I work in a downtown business. I won't say which one because If it gets back to my boss he will know I'm the one who's commenting. I'm positioned to see everything that goes on outside. After me and my boss witnessed city workers barely water baskets I knew they wouldn't last. Since then I kept an eye out when they watered. I only saw them one to two times a week. After watching them attempt to maneuver around customers vehicles they ignored them all together, I figured they would come back but never did. These flowers indeed can be in direct sun. They just needed a thorough regular watering.
I appreciate these flowering baskets downtown they just need cared for by people who care.
"Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” - Carl Sagan
Nepotism is the classic no win situation.
751 anon
You better believe that he will sign his own check! Nothing like $30,000 a year for a political appointment. Peru City Clerk comes to work everyday and is paid little compared to the no show job of the Township clerk. Recall? Is this the same guy that served as a Harl campaign manager and is circulating petitions to change the Peru government.
Just a bit of humor, my phone line was taken down by the garbage truck this morning and makes me think sabotage.LOL I was told by the city this happens often. We have had this phone line for a very long time and also had garbage pickup during that time so was it luck for those years of uneventful service? hope this won't be a string of garbage truck fiascos because not to long ago the city hired this service. Wonder if the city keeps track of how many times this happens and cautions them to be more careful.
9:37 am thank you for posting. I am not surprised. Whoever is supervising the city workers who were supposed to be watering the hanging baskets failed. Those flowers in the baskets are made for the full sunshine, they need water. I think it was their mission to kill the baskets so they can say they are too much work and not do them again. It's time for the Mayor to ask for a volunteer committee to take care of the baskets, planters and new flowers. I'm sure that won't happen, and Peru will fall behind the other towns who actually do know how to take care of the little things that make a town a community.
I still wonder why the businesses on 4th street can't take care of the baskets. The baskets add to the attraction of their business.
Every other business in town has to care of their landscape and flowers.
Sounds like some current and former slugs at Peru Township are trying to muddy the waters on the "reformers" who are taking charge at the tiny LaSalle County township. Guess they long for the good ol' days when Bob Vickrey was Clerk and the average age of the Trustees was 86 years. Are the bums who regularly slept while "on the clock" this time of year in the shade of the oaks across the river seeking revenge? Full time pay and benefits for part-time workers was the norm, and all was right in their little taxpayer funded world until those new guys broke through. But, that was "then" and this is "now". You can't turn back the clock and you won't have your "pound of flesh" at the expense of any of the reformers.
Nice try!
8:02 AM - The "Tiff Suckers" will make money even if the new strip mall stays empty. That being said, the retail market is saturated in Peru. There is only so much money in the local area to spend. Additional retail will just shift it around. Remember what happened to the grocery store in Oglesby - as soon as HyVee expanded, they put the stops to their plans.
Something that we must watch for and squelch if it is brought up is the "sales tax rebate." This incentive was used in the last development. When the sales tax rebate was offered, Walmart suddenly decided to move to the new area and shut down their old store. I don't think we need to provide any additional incentives for retail in Peru. There is no reason to.
This post is directed to the alderman. Regarding the public works department and electrical department. I would like to know how many alderman questioned Harls appointments? Did any of you ask questions regarding qualifications and credentials and certifications in each work related area?????? Why would any Alderperson sit back and not do their job as being voted into office by the taxpayers???? THIS WAS SOLELY SET-up by Harl. EVIDENTLY WE DONT and didn't and still don't NEED A FULL-TIME FIRE CHIEF., so let's add another position to that position to cover my rear end. Really people, we had fire chief that was paid approx. $11,000 a year(?) prior to Nov. 2013(?). NOW, that position is combined with others positions for $84,000 a year. And let's not forget the qualifications for building and zoning officer/code enforcer. Who is telling who about how to perform their job duties/descriptions??? We need a city manager and a different mayor. What in the heck has happened in peru? Don't forget, a new fire station or another one will be in the works. Let's start preparing for our property taxes to skyrocket. The boys club has this all figured out. I love this BLOGSITE and reading people's views. Thank Ypu to all who have participated.
I think we need a full time Director of Entertainment Services. I think $90K would be sufficient to attract a Local Yokel with political connections. This "director" would be in charge of all the pickle ball tournaments, concerts, little league games, golf outings, and Mayor's lunches.
12:25 Bob signed checks and did his job. That's more than the current clerk.
How many checks are necessary for a township that does not do anything. I mean, it has no real purpose other than the "no show" political jobs. Payroll should be via automatic deposit, so no check signing required there. I mean really - if the township office building on Peoria Street where to suddenly disappear, no one would notice until the next election when they went to vote.
The township is useless. The people working for the township have no purpose. If it was not costing so much it would be funny - but onward we trudge because nobody can think outside the box and DISBAND THIS USELESS, POINTLESS, BRANCH OF GOVERNMENT!
don't forget we need a banquet facility so the city can offer to perform wedding ceremonies, a city employed chief photographer, a city employed chief of banquet facilities, every employee needs to have superintendent/chief in front of its title. Referencing to 2:31's comment. Maybe ambassador can be used also. Get r done!
Why will you not post my question about --- Why would Peru need another strip mall when the one south of CULVER'S BURGERS is not filled??
The city's total payroll is down, just for the record. Some of the higher salaries are for multiple jobs. Someone asked look it up.
4th in 2 weeks a garbage truck has either hit an att line or cable tv line. This is very common, when Comcast is hit they call local team and put it back up same day, mine was hit and ripped off 2 weeks ago
The twp could be lowered and reduced but only one person controls it....the democratic supervisor you think he will reduce government? I heard he fought board for 6 months to reduce secretary hours, imagine if you asked him to eliminate or reduced the cost of township, he would certainly have a heart attack over it
I have never heard the twp clerk signing checks, should always be twp sup. if that was case Mikey you have been doing it wrong.
@7:18 Where would someone look up the city's total payroll? Also where would department to department manpower be available to be compared? It would be interesting to study manpower in numbers of employees , hours worked and costs. For example Peru had a pt. time Fire Chief at $11,000/year now this is a position of many titles at $84,000/year. It has a Police Chief now also covering many titles? Question is how can these positions multitask all of these duties and still get the same results they were originally hired for? If this is possible are many of the towns overmanned? Is the Fire Chief a full time or part time occupation?
Peru now has a full time city engineer at $84,000/year but has never discontinued the cost of Chamlin Consulting Eng. How does this save money?
What is the total expense to the city of all city retirees?
0:49 AM
It is called a foia, freedom of information act. Either email the city hall, call them or if your list is long, take it to the city clerks office and make your request.
If they say it is to much, just ask for so much this week, so much next week until you get what you want. Or do it as a group and have several people make requests.
5:40 am, You are absolutely correct. Clerks are not obligated to sign checks as they are not the Financial Officer in township government. If the Peru Township Clerk was previously signing checks he made a very wise decision to discontinue doing so. Especially considering the fact that the Clerk does not balance the checkbook.
It appears to me that the peru township clerk is well aware that he should never turn his back on certain individuals within peru township government as they are obviously looking to sink a knife deep into his back if given the opportunity. I would not sign townships checks either. Well played Mr. Weberski.
It was called getting the duckies in a row. Anybody with an ounce of sense knows this. Reguarding a full-time fire chief. We were paying approx $11k a year for a part-time fire chief who also was receive pay for each fire call. It sure seems this $84k appointment was done purposedly by adding building/zoning officer, code enforcer, etc., to give one a full time city job with all the benefits. This was not a fair process either for hiring, it was appointed, then accepted.nothing ever is mentioned about our assistance fire chief. From my readings of this site, questions asked pertaining to qualifications and experience of such have never been answered. And I also question why our fire department does not have a website as to who our volunteer fireman are and what certifications each one has. Doesn't LaSalle have this for public viewing? Didn't Peru a couple years back also have this? Also, that fundraising organization for our fire department called Liberty Fire Company that asks for yearly donations from taxpayers has never that I'm aware of has disclosed what the club/organization does with donations. Has any of that money gone to purchase fire trucks? Seems very hush hush! The city has nothing to do with Liberty? They should, where are Liberty's meeting held? Say a Liberty member falls down the steps at the fire house after attending a meeting and gets hurt, who pays? The city? Liberty? Does Liberty have insurance? So, so many questions.
2:43 so why would you come to an anonymous blog site to get answers? Why don't you ask someone who actually knows. They are not secrets at all. There is no hush hush. Rodney Perez is your inside track to all things related to the fire department so just ask him.
9:49 just go in and ask nicely. Despite the comment on the blog, they will tell you whatever they can if you just ask. Some things aren't in a ready to distribute format or are lengthy, so if you want to know what people make last year for example just ask.
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Alderman Perez comment once on this forum regarding that he is not a member of Liberty Fire Company? Therefore he reframed from answering. Which is interesting due to the fact that the donation money given to Liberty is promoted as money that goes to the fire department. So being a member or not one would think Alderman Perez would know, being as he is a paid on call fireman. And yes, Alderman Perez has done a great job as a Peru Alderman and representing his ward.
Rod Perez, walking downtown Peru cleaning the sidewalk with a group of young children, leading a group of volunteers planting flowers and than personally watering them all summer, educating youth in Operation Promise or being transparent and honest vocal representation for the citizens at council meetings are some but not all of the things that make him one of the outstanding citizens of Peru.
lois,
i see we are only presenting one side of the story again! HMMMMMMM
Perez also started the Adopt a Boom and had the courage to take the payroll scandal to the FBI, when all of his fellow aldermen stuck their head in the sand.
To 9:08 am, HMMMMMM? You sound very frustrated that you are not being allowed to knowingly provide false claims and personal hatred towards someone. I guess Lois is on to you, HMMMMM?
That must be very frustrating for someone like you.
Anon 9:45, where did that get him?
Anon 2:03 pm, there is no Anon 9:45. I assume you mean Anon 9:48? Only time will tell what will happen with the FBI investigation, but I for one have more respect for Alderman Perez because he took the payroll scandal out of the area. He's the only one with big enough ba**s to do it.
You are correct 3:05 pm, Every other alderman and elected official were determined to just ignore the scandal becuase they wanted to keep up the false appearance that all is well in Peru and they must keep up the phony facade at all times. They were more than willing to ignore the ethical demands of their elected office. After all, they have ignored those ethical demands many times previously. Peru's aldermen reached a new low when they tried to cover up the payroll scandal and Peru's senoir alderman is especially responsible for refusing to get on board with Perez in order to clear the stink created by Harl. That is proof positive that Potthoff and Harl cut a deal and Potthoff most certainly sold his sole to the devil himself. There are only two words that can be used to describe my feelings toward the senior alderman. Term Limits!
If the highest office in America has term limits, shouldn't every other lesser office in America have term limited too? I think so. Harl said he would only do two terms and be out. Does he hope to move on politically? The results of the FBI investigation will determine if his political career continues or if he's done politically.
More conspiracy from the minions. Harl and the FBI investigation is over, Harl and the payroll scandal was not much more than the alderman looking for something that didn't happen. No conspiracy on that one. The alderman pursued that payroll and looked foolish when it was within his Mayor authority to authorize. End of story.
8:25 Did all of the alderman, state's attorney, state police cut a deal with a local Mayor? That's doubtful! What does Harl have to barter with all of them? Your stories get more imaginative every day. Keep us laughing.
3:27 PM
End of story, I don't think so unless you can show your proof, it is not ended.
It ain't over until the fat lady sings!
Post a Comment