Harlem Ambassadors Fundraiser - City of Peru, Illinois 61354
I was checking the city web site for Halloween information and found done but did find this activity taking place tomorrow here in Peru. Might be an entertaining afternoon. You must click on the link to bring up the information.
48 comments:
It might be entertaining Lois, but then again it might be extremely lame. It appears to me that the event is a self-serving venture on the part of the Liberty group. My opinion is the city of Peru should have a "professional" fire department led by a "qualified professional" Fire Chief, and the city should provide funding for any and all training. This Liberty group is a self-serving Political Organization that solicits funds from the public with no oversight from the city of Peru. Oh. what a surprise! They may contribute money to the department, but it looks to me as though they also use funds for dinners, parties, and other improper purposes. Liberty looks to me like more of a fraternal and political organization.
8:53 AM
I do agree with much of what you have written especially the part about having a professional department with someone in charge who is Fire Chief. Then at this point you can first of all point your fingers at our mayor who not only initiated this type of organization and it continuation. He has done this partially because he believes it is cost saving but we all know that sometimes when you take that route, other equally important items are neglected and continue to fall apart.
People have said in the past when a business is thinking about moving into a new location, one of the first and very important things they look into is the Safety Dept. of a city and that would be Fire, Police and Ambulance. What must they be seeing when they take a look at our organization or lack of?
Businesses look at our fire and police departments as top notch. Without a doubt.
Who is going to pay 8-10$ to see this? I wonder how many people will get in free?
Been told that Liberty purchases Christmas presents for fireman/wives/girlfriends. Is this correct? Does the city give fireman a gift card or gift cert also at Christmas? Wasn't the fd Christmas party held at Amici's? Imagine that tab. I've always been confused with the request for donations regarding they will be used for training. What costs to do a training exercise? And donations for equipment? Why wasn't any donation money used to purchase the newest fleet of a tanker truck? Didn't the city incur the whole cost?
We did our community wrong by not having a summer festival anymore. That was one of events that family's enjoyed, and our youth that lasted several days. It was something to look forward to during summer break. Haven't had that event or a swimming pool,
FYI: Here are some additional IML expenses as listed on current disbursements sheets:
M. Radke - $857.14
E. Carls - $1389.53
J. King - $2280.79
@12:41, Did friends/city employees go whereas their expenses show on a persons expenses. Where can we find what the expenses were for? Such as: meals, valet parking, adult entertainment, gas, room service, beers, manhattans, highballs,
2:02 PM
You do a foia from the City Clerks office and they will give you a breakdown of the expenses the city employee or elected official generated while attending the convention. Not sure if it goes on a credit card for the city or whether it is a reimbursement for meals etc., the person has already paid for. Perhaps someone could tell us. The foia can be done online from the city web site.
How many days did C,FD Jeff King spend at the IML Convention to accumulate a expense account of $2280.79? I hope he learned a lot because from my understanding you can attend a full semester at IVCC for less than $3000.00. At the current rate of Peru Political Powers it costs citizens a lot more to get them all on the same page than it would be to get them a college degree.
Did Mr. King attend the IML Convention alone?
Anon 12:41, print everybody's including Ald. Perez, lets see who the big spenders were.
Here are the expenses once again:
Harl - $1064.96
Ferrari - $1241.55
Hyla - $758.81
Vickrey - $558.08
Perez - $800.06
Sapienza - $616.94
Mueller - $666.41
King - $2280.79
Radke - $857.14
Carls - $1389.53
I do believe we need an explanation of the listed expenses for all those who attended. My question is, who was doing Mr.Kings job/jobs while he was gone?? Do we actually need the positions that Harl appointed? Why such a big difference? Maybe there were golfing fees.
The expenses listed are for the total of 10 representatives who have entered a total expense account of $10,162.27 to attend the IML Convention.
Eight who attended were elected city officials and two who attended were appointed, Mr. King who submitted a total expense account of $2208.79 which is 21.7% of the entire expense account and Mr. Carls whose expenses were $1389.53 for a 13.7% total of the entire expenses account.
The two non elected, appointed representatives accounted together for a total %age of 35.4% of the total expenses leaving 64.6% for the remaining eight elected city officials.
This is a pretty hefty expense for two individuals who have not held a full time position with the city for near a years tenure.
It must be remembered that all expense accounts do not have to be approved. In this particular situation where the total expenses are so out of balance who would have to disapprove the non elected representatives expenses.
It appears that it would be best to consider all non elected officials to be limited to one day with no overnight hotel expenses and only one paid meal at the IML.
Does anyone have the most recent salary for these two employees of the city? If this is their normal life style their salary must be huge.
At least this fund raiser did not include the Pizza Lady's cash bar.
I feel Kings was way out of line unless he lumped in Bernie's expenses into it, he was up there but I don't see anything on him. Also Ferrari and Carl's were high, even more than Harls who was up there longer for IML board meetings.
Yes,Bernabie will make himself look good at the expense of someone else, I wouldn't be surprised.
Every year the city has a forecast of allowed expenses. What was budgeted per person and per group in the City Budget of 2014 for the Illinois Municipal League Convention?
Treasurer - Budget Director Hyla has submitted a expense of $758.81 which I would consider a indicator of a fair expense account since he has the city responsibility of creating this budget which I believe is approved by the council. At $750/attendee the total cost of 10 in attendance is $7500.00. Granted there is always going to be a high and a low expense account but I would think that they would be 10% of one another not one being $560 and one being $2300. What is the reason for this extreme difference? How many days did each person attend meetings and how many traditional expenses are covered by city vendors which the citizen is not informed of? I mean the type of expenses which if you don't pay me one way you'll pay in another way i.e. no bid contracts or major contracts with additional continuous little bit here little bit there charges to the city. All those involved understand what I mean and know how and when to expertly cover these submitted bills.
Who was doing the appointed people's jobs while they were at the convention? Would one salary be $97,000, with the recent salary compensation of $12,000 included? Wonder what our Alderman are really doing as elected representatives for us taxpayers.
For those of you who may not be accustomed to professional travel or staying multiple nights downtown, these expenses could also include the hotel and parking, which would far exceed any cost for meals. Also I would guess that some may have charged several meals for the group and turned that in, while some turned in very little. If you are eating with a group it would not be unusual for one person to charge the entire table which would very much skew the numbers you see here. It doesn't mean that someone is screwing the city. I am sure their receipts are all turned in. The total numbers are what matter.
Maybe Harl appointed his appointee to be chief of the charge account also.
Agree with 11:41. I understand that to be exactly the case based on conversation with someone who was there. But some of these posters will be upset with the facts because it goes against there agenda so rather than confirm they will start the controversy. Typical of what this blog as turned out to be..
11:41 AM, You make a good point. The individual receipts tell the tale of each expense. For instance, look for the "# of people in the party" which should be included on most restaurant reciepts. I am reminded of the restaurant receipt from his first IML Convention six or seven years ago that Waldorf submitted for the big city weekend from the swanky Chicago Chop House that revealed a "Party of 2" and a total bill in excess of $250.00 including alcoholic beverages. The hyper-active barber and his guest were living "High on the Hog" at the expense of Peru taxpayers that night folks. I see that Waldorf did not attend this year because he is up for re-election next April, and he knows the memories of the Peru electorate are quite short. However, I will continue to help jog those memories with the Chop House story and the excessively poor taste of the 3rd Ward barber. Pass the word folks.
Why do they need to stay in Chicago? Most of the talks and activities do not start before 9:00 AM and end around 3:00 PM. They could just return to Peru - the millage and gasoline is less than the cost of the hotel and evening meal.
I'm looking at the conference schedule now. Not much happens after 5:00 PM except "receptions" sponsored by crony businesses.
Anon 11:41 Am Would you accept one expense account for all 10 people?
I have traveled for a corporation in far better times than now and there is no way any expenses were combined with another persons expense unless it was the CEO, CFO or a Executive VP of a large corporation and it was them charging their account.
Please be more specific in your explanation of why Kings expense account is so much larger than anyone elses? Perhaps it is time for a published itemized accounting of his expense account and a itemized accounting of all others expense accounts to check and balance to assure all that no DOUBLE ENTRIES have been submitted!
For starters who do you know of in the history of Peru who got paid $97,000 per year or $48.50 per hour in a full 2000 hour work year for being C,FD? But than again no one has come close to the C, PPD at $111,000 per year and also draws a pay as Trustee on the Township. What is the pay/monthly meeting for a trustee?
Also it has been pointed out that "No Bid" commonly referred to by some as "The Barber" did not attend the IML for the 1st time known. WHY? This has to be a election year.
1:27 that is your platform against Mr. Waldorf? He turned in a big dinner receipt from his first convention six or seven years ago? This kind of silliness is what takes away so much credibility and why people don't take things seriously. He did not skip it because of an election. As a person who votes for him, I think he should go to the convention. Please stick to issues hat matter!
Accounting 101: first things first: receipts showing services and expenses itemized. Simple. For each persons charges. Has or can this be foied? Didn't one alderman stayed at a hotel in the burbs last year or the year before? So expenses would be less? Trains leave from Mendota to Chicago daily at $14 each way. Rates sometimes higher depending on time.
2:25 - I disagree. I think it is a standard practice for one person to "pick up the check" for dinner when traveling with a group. I often expense dinners for the entire group when traveling. It is awkward asking for individual bills and some of the better restaurants will not do this because of the time involved. My company's policy is that you state who was at the dinner on the expense report - accounting then checks the other expense reports to be sure they have not also tried to claim the dinner - this is a throwback to when we where allowed to claim a per diem. It is also standard to remove alcohol from the itemized bill unless a customer is involved and the dinner can be claimed as entertainment. Naturally, there are "recommended" limits on what is acceptable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
$10,234.27 IML CONVENTION IN CHICAGO!!!!!!!! TAXPAYERS MONEY-HOW'S THIS HELPING OUR CITY?
Thought you might like one comment on the game since that was the topic of discussion. The game was very nice and enjoyable. Turnout was ok but it was a sunday afternoon. Pretty SAD that there were 25 posts, and not one mention of the game. But, we all know that the 10 or 15 of you that post do not care anyway, because there is nothing negative about it. Again keep it up, you make me laugh every day!
Tonights newspaper front page article regarding the illinois valley and all the rental properties regarding building inspections and code violations. What's our city of peru doing regarding this? Are all rental properties being inspected properly?
2:55 you beat me to it and you are spot on. I travel professionally and one person usually picks up the tab for our group for reimbursement. Hotels, mileage, cabs, airfare and other expenses are turned in as well.
3:06 the same way it is helping the thousands of other elected officials from around the state who are also in attendance. If you have never traveled to a convention to learn more about your role then you are simply not going to understand.
3:13 I heard today that the game was a nice event. Lois makes a post and gets one snarky comment about who got in for free. It was the Lion's Club who did the fundraiser.
Pathetic, useless comments as usual.
4:27, we all who are educated and well rounded people know that chances are there are free or a nicer word known as comped tickets given out to some people somewhere. Also, in the paper tonight it said the event held was to raise money for fire training. What happened to the $600,000+ in Liberty's account mentioned a while back?
3:13 PM
I don't know how well you advertised this function but my knowledge came about accidentally while searching for Halloween information. How well was this advertised and did many people even know it existed. I saw no comments on FB and none of my friends knew about it and certainly no one wrote to the blog. If the information came through Parkside only then that might be the reason knew one knew. I have learned that there are very negative people and very positive people and anywhere you live that combination will exist. It is what it is and don't get upset.
Lois, I don't see what your response has to do with 3:13's comment. No one was talking about how well the game was advertised. There were over 300 people in attendance and it did just fine. Since when is the blog the clearinghouse for information? Not that many people read the blog and there are plenty of events of going on without a mention here. No offense.
Many who have had experience in corporate life expense accounts seem to forget that when city representation travels they are on a government funded expense account not a private funded corporations.
If there was no expense account involved but rather individual responsibility for each charge I doubt if "The King Method" of covering the bill would even be discussed and the customary "Dutch Treat" would be very much in effect.
To all those who are experienced corporate travelers how often did you charge your employing corporation $250+ for a hotel room plus valet services when only less than 100 miles of interstate from home (truthfully approximately 1 1/2 hours)? Now tell the truth because we both know that you would be jobless in short order.
Also of ethical interest what was the limit that you could accept from a corporation that you were conducting business with in representation of your employer and could you accept this from the same corporations year after year Monday night after Monday night, IML Convention after IML Convention?
The IML Convention is only one example of a long list of improper business practices which have been habitually practiced over many years of Peru Politics. Practices which historically have been accepted for the betterment of a few which sadly has resulted in accepted business as usual.
10:18, we where talking about the dinner bill. And I stand by that it is acceptable for one person to charge it and turn it in.
Concerning the stay in Chicago. It would not be allowed unless I had to stay late and man a booth early the next morning. Please see my 1:44 and 2:55 comments.
The NT has been scooped again. The Ottawa Times is reporting that a PROMINENT Peru lawyer was picked up in Joliet for allegedly possessing methamphetamine. This same lawyer also had his license suspended for allegedly taking a large amount of money from a client who gave him power of attorney. This goes to show you that there is a lot of "stuff" happening in LaSalle Peru that is quietly swept under the rug.
To 2:32 PM, Since you are one of those responsible for Waldorf's presence on the Peru council I will tell you why Waldorf's gouging the taxpayer with excessive restaurant expenses is an "issue that matters". It matters because it indicates the type of person that exploits his position to dine at an expensive restaurant at the taxpayer's expense. It reveals an ethical and moral deficiency and a serious character flaw that is unacceptable for elected officials as far as most folks are concerned. Since you hold such low standards and expectations from your alderman you lower the bar even further in terms of the quality of elected officials in Peru. When you condone and defend unethical behavior by elected officials and then reward that behavior with your vote you actually become the primary root cause behind the problem of sub-standard representation in Peru. An electorate that continues to make the same mistakes over and over again gets exactly what they deserve.
I heard on the WLPO that the new movie house is being talked about now. I for one would like to know how the Carmikels' are going to make up for the lost sales tax money? It is a PROVEN FACT that stand alone movie houses make less sales tax than ones inside a mall!
We need to VOTE THIS DOWN unless they poney up for the lost money!
Anon 5:21 Have you ever thought that corporations that have the practice of one person paying the entire meal bill have a computer program which they scan to limit any double billing?
It has been only a few years ago that the city has issued credit cards and does not have such check and balance programs. In fact certain city representation has worked harder eliminating a check and balance system than having it.
Heed the comment made by 1:27PM as a good example and 7:40 AM's follow up. End of Story!
11:43- if nobody is checking the expense report, then we have a bigger problem then the actual expenses.
We should just give them a straight daily rate - $78. Let them budget it as they see fit.
11:43 there is no sales taxes on movie tickets number one. Number two, it is not a proven fact because you are making that up. If not please cite your source for the study. Even then you think the businesses should pay for a difference in sales tax anyway? What the heck? Our movie theater is a dump and needs to be improved.
KUDOS to the city for looking at an upgrade to the move theater and LUCKY us to even be considered. There is not a town around that wouldn't gouge their eyes out to have one in their town. This is very good news.
Lois the comments on the blog are so off the wall it is just a joke.
1:57 - The city did nothing. The owner wants to expand the business and maybe the best way to do that is with an updated facility. Also, if they are in the position to own the property, their profit margins will look better due to not having rent to pay and the building and land would be considered an asset. Now the rent money is probably a liability. The sales tax comment was probably brought on by the assumption that the movie goers would probably walk the mall and buy something. Now they won't. Part of the premise of a mall is casual or social shopping - i.e. impulse buying. That is probably a thing of the past.
They should make one of those dinner theaters that also serves beer and wine. Keep it 21 and over only. I hate going to the movies when they are filled with nothing but kids.
If the city lets them do it, the city should be able to ban some of the movies. Many of the new movies are trash and we should not allow them in Peru.
You will only drive yourself crazy banning everything questionable in Peru when all other competitive city's in the area allow it. Eventually all growth will stop.
Don't you think that a little self discipline and a effort by each individual in not attending off color movies would be more effective?
How are you going to ban taboo when you have a locality full of illegalities which all who are in charge of banning them for some reason look the other way? Don't act surprised the home town of this blog is the leader of the Illinois Valley without a known arrest for over 20 years. If certain people weren't compensated this would not exist.
Wasn't it astounding that the FBI proceeded with a long term investigation and never came up with a smell of any unlawful activities when it is common everyday knowledge for many miles.
It will be interesting which of the compensated will end up paying the price?
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