The vote was 4 and 4. Potthoff, Ferrari, Perez and Mueller voted no. Harl broke the tie.
Thank you Alderman Potthoff, Alderman Ferrari, Alderman Perez and Alderman Mueller for showing good judgement with your vote.
And to those who voted yes to retain the lobbyist, Alderman Lukosus, Alderman Radtke, Alderman Waldorf and Alderman Sapienza, we hope the voters will gradually show you the door out of city hall and bring in some thinking representatives.
I knew with the above 4 still in office that there was no way this would be defeated and I was hoping that Mayor Harl would have to break the tie vote. Now we know that the mayor really is a politician and that his political ties are more important than being a good mayor for the residents of Peru.
Again my thanks to the Aldermen who voted for Peru by voting against the Lobbyist.
26 comments:
Waldorf lost my vote tonight, anybody else runs I will vote for them. He is main reason our public works is in shambles look at curbs and gutters and god sake Waldorf please look at sidewalks. I'm sure he will start saying oh the weather we couldn't get it done...just in time for election...he has to go!!! He is holding up progress and driving us into financial chaos...
I guess we should consider this vote as at least an attempt at "common sense governemnt" in Peru. Only half the usual "suspects" decided to allow Harl another year for his personal "Lobbyist/Publicist" to work for the personal and political advancement of Scott Harl. As for those four "Boot-Lickers" who wasted more of my money, only Waldorf will be up for re-election. Let's pass the word about "The Phony from the Third".
I too would like to thank those who voted against rehiring the lobbyist - aldermen Mueller, Perez, Potthoff and Ferrari. Thank you for being independent thinkers and not following the leader. We need representatives who will use our tax dollars wisely and not just spend it because we have it.
I agree with both comments above....we need to make sure the 3rd ward get a new alderman, we can afford 4 more years of waste in Public Works streets are terrible but he sure wants to rush the north end project so he can pat himself on the rear and say look what i did...Waldorf Waste is all it is...
It is my understanding the if Lois had not FOIA'd the information with regards to our lobbyist the aldermen would not have even known his contract had ended and we would have continued paying him. Also, the only information the aldermen received with regards to the lobbyist was what Lois foia'd one year later. No reports were given throughout the year. Do we need to pay someone $24,000/year so the mayor has someone he can call in Springfield or have lunch with when he goes to his IMEA meetings?
9:37 AM
I know for a fact that Mayor Harl can call either of our local representatives, Rep. Mautino and Sen. Sue Rezin and they are both more than willing to help him.
If the mayor were doing his job right, he would not have to be calling anyone else beside those two to do what he was elected to do just like the mayors in all towns of similar size in the area. It is not like Peru is doing better than other towns in LaSalle County or even Bureau County.
Lois, would you and others who are anti lobbyist be more open to his position if Mayor Harl would explain what his and the lobbyists goals are for the city, rather than an expression that "it is nice to pick up the phone and speak to someone in Springfield".
Personally I would find many decisions made by Mayor Harl more acceptable if he would be willing to give a explanation for the decisions. I would also appreciate knowing what the lobbyist has already done for Peru in the last year, some of the things he is working on and what he believes will be his goals in the future. His explanations could be brief and generic, but very businesslike. I do not expect him to handicap his goals by giving out too much information but I do believe that he would be much more acceptable if proven to be needed more than because of being only a telephone call away and a golfing partner to fill in the time waiting for a IML Meeting.
There is a possibility that some of Mayor Harls decisions would be accepted if he was more transparent with the decisions he has made them.
It must be remembered that a Mayors decisions are business decisions but are made in a different environment than a sole proprietor or a union body, and when questionable are placed under a magnifying glass held by the concerned taxpayer. Nothing personal just city business.
Wow! You would think the alderman would follow the smartest one of the bunch, that would be Alderman Dave Potthoff. Look at who Harl appointed co-supers of pw, look who is on committees. Does this tell a story? Glad to see Alderman Ferrari didn't get lost in space. Just say'in!
Correction - meant IMEA meetings not IML. IML meetings are a completely different story but have a similarity to IMEA meetings in that no information is distributed to the citizenship as to business conducted. One big difference is that only one alderman is rumored to go to the IMEA meetings with the Mayor, quite opposite of the IML meetings in which all city officials who want to attend go and bring their families for two to three nights at our taxpayers expense.
But Lois - it is the job of Boss Harl to spread the money around.
The purpose of this lobbyist is to try to get PORK from the State of Illinois and the Federal Government. This PORK is still tax money and in my opinion - until we get the government under control all PORK should stop.
For every good spending program like a sidewalk or a new water pipe, there are hundreds of examples of waste! Look at all the trucks Peru buys. Look at all the gas purchased on the retail market - instead of buying in bulk!
I say NO! We don't want Springfield or Washington DC PORK! Our government has run amok and needs to be reigned in!
I absolutely agree with you 9:55 and I am still convinced that if Lois hadn't foia'd this info we would not even be discussing the lobbyist today. It would have just been left alone and forgotten and we would continue to send him $2000 monthly. If the mayor would communicate better with not only his aldermen but the citizens of Peru I think he would be received on a better note. Right now his communication skills a null and void.
We need to keep asking questions, demanding answers and ask for monthly updates on what this lobbyist is accomplishing for the city of Peru. Let's not forget, we also need to ask what MCS Advertising is accomplishing for the money we pay them. I'm glad Alderman Potthoff voted against the lobbyist, but why didn't any of the aldermen mention MCS and ask for what they are accomplishing? I believe we are paying them $1,000 per month??
To 1:40 pm, Potthoff didn't ask about MCS because that's his very own personal scam for his buddy Mike Schmitt, President of MCS. In return, Schmitt, the top man on the YMCA Board of Directors, takes care of Potthoff whenever other board members decide to ask why they are paying Mr. Potthoff in excess of $120,000 per year for whatever it is he does at the Y.
Does that make sense now?
Yes, the Senior Alderman from the
4th Ward knows how the game is played as well as anyone. Sweeeeet!
From the News Tribune is this quote from Mayor Harl.
"Harl asked the council to also consider listing accomplishments by North Central Illinois Council of Governments, the chamber and MCS Advertising on behalf of the city".
Sounds to me like a comment made by someone who got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. I think he is really unhappy that the information about the lobbyist was made public. My reminder is that Mayor Harl must remember he is a publicly elected official and as so is responsible to the taxpayers who fund his salary.
I encourage the aldermen to ask for reports at least quarterly if not every 2 months.
I have never heard the mayor object to any of those organizations before, so why now.
Lois - there should be a report from the lobbyist every month - no different than the city departments. Goals, accomplishments, set backs, etc.
The quotes make Mayor Harl look to be upset about questioning the role of the lobbyist. The lobbyist is still hired and will be paid. His henchmen will be working the blog and the wards to make sure that those who oppose his kingdom will be eliminated from the Peru political world. You can expect some retribution to be thrown at those 4 no voters. Watch out Perez, Potthoff, Ferrari, Mueller.
9:56,9:10,2:31 its funny how those who do so little with their life spend so much time dreaming up conspiracy to belittle those who are willing to be engaged in public service.
9:26 - you so got that right! Way too many people sitting at home doing absolutely nothing for the city but taking up space, yet they find all kinds of time to put down the people trying to make things better, and trying to point fault at every "Peru" thing. Take interest, go to a meeting, volunteer... do something! Get a life people!
9:26 I missed the memo that a citizen had to pass a litmus test of accomplishment in your eyes to be able to comment on wrong doing or questionable activities or plain bad decisions in a forum?
Perhaps only the elected, or better yet, the ordained, or even better, those with Royal Blood should only be allowed to express doubts.
Conspiracy- plan to commit illegal act together: a secret plan or agreement between two or more people to commit an illegal or subversive act
Read it. Learn it. Stop throwing it at anybody who thinks you and your cronie public servants just stink.
People try to volunteer in Peru. Unless they are part of the insiders group, their services are NOT ALLOWED! The people running this city just don't want anything to do with volunteers and outsiders. Ask a question and they just look at you. We need a 100% turnover in the administration - the mayor and all department heads should be replaced. That is the problem!
1:26 Who, what, when and where were you denied a volunteer opportunity? When and to who were you denied a answer to a question? These outer space accusations should be backed up with facts. Why is there never facts tied in to the accusations?
To 3:42 pm - Your comment warning of retribution from Harl's "henchmen" gives you away as somewhat uninformed of the current political climate in Peru.
FYI, Harl has no "henchmen". Harl has no friends and few supporters outside of those few beholden to him for high dollar appointed positions in city governmeet. Harl has burned more bridges than General Sherman on his march through the Confederate South. Harl has turned his back on 99% of the people who put him in office. Furthermore, Harl continues to alienate people on a regular and continuous basis becuase he is simply an inept politician. So 3:42pm, please don't overstate your perceived influence that Mayor Harl has "henchmen" at his disposal. Harl has forsaken anyone and everyone who got him what he wanted and he is currently embracing many of those individuals who worked so hard to keep him out of office in the first place. How's that for irony? He has become everything that his early supporters despised about Peru politics, cronyism, and corruption. Harl's only friends now are bought and paid for by the taxpayers of the city of Peru. His friends will remain his friends only as long as Harl remains in office. After that they will join the ranks of all the others.
Anon 8:41 AM Had to check the year that your comment was written as I can remember the very same comments being submitted to the blog almost word for word before the election of 2013. The present Mayor will not be unseated unless those with the political expertise of Mayor Don Baker back the opposing candidate. If you have any doubt of this statement remember the recent referendum reducing the 8 man , 2/ward council, to a 6 man, 1/ward, 2@large representation. Clearly the former Mayor just won another election in Peru.
The reduction to a 6 man council seemed like a good idea but the previous Mayor gathered a very convincing platform to retain the 8 man, 2/ward council. Yes, his past record of political victories is beyond challenge.
10:51 I hope the former mayor Baker realizes he's too old to run for mayor again and puts his support and money behind a good candidate who will run against Harl in 2017. One candidate only against Harl would win in a landslide.
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