Peru chief: No campaign crime on Perez' 'fun day' - LaSalle News Tribune - LaSalle, IL
The Peru Recreation Board does not handle requests for park use. Most of their involvement is regarding girls and boys summer baseball, Halloween and Christmas treats after the Parade, soccer games at Baker Lake and Handicrafts in the summer at Washington Park.
Shelter requests are handled thru the PPD. Other park uses are approved or disapproved by the City Council. Since Ald. Perez is a member of the Council and he invited the mayor and members of the council to attend as well as inviting the members of the Rec. Bd. to come also. Common courtesy toward a fellow member would have been to remind Ald. Perez to go thru the council if the mayor felt it was so important to do so.
So in reality this was all about trying to make Ald. Perez look bad. The effort failed and all of those who requested the investigation look like "gotcha" people. It was waste of PPD Chief Bernabei's time to write up the reason there was no problem. In reality the poor judgement was shown by Mayor Harl and whomever encouraged this to be done.
If only the city was so conscientious about going out for bids for purchases, contractors hired and creating an open and honest environment for all who live here. The city has become a very hostile environment unless you are on the fav list.
#parkboard
#publicparks
#mayor
48 comments:
1. This was initiated by the mayor not the council.
2. The police chief did his job and did it well.
3. If you are going to use hash tags, they are not going to work when you write two words with a space. If you are even connected to the right social media, all you posted is under the categories of #park #public and #mayor.
4. This was silly politics but we all know that so let's move on.
It has become time for the City of Peru, "the leader of the Illinois Valley" to step forward in 2015 and create a "City Bully of the Year award".
Would anyone have a nominee and reason why you have made this choice.
In making a nomination please use good jugement, be fair and remember that the results of the attack, although important, are not the determining factor but that the true intention of your nominee is.
If your nominee at any time can be proven to have acted in a vindictive manner he/she will be highly considered for extra consideration for the award and the board may close all other nominations for the year with a vote of super majority. In the case of a super majority vote no other bids will be accepted.
A CRIME?? Are you kidding me?? Is this what we waste our tax payers money on?? My god!! The man held an event for the kids. One he has held in the past. And we waste our police chiefs valuable time having him investigate whether or not a crime was committed?? It's an obvious vendetta coming from certain members of our council. The very people that represent us and run our city. We are the laughing stock of the Illinois Valley and rightfully so.
The envirnoment has become such that rumors circulate from time to time that the A of DS has now decreed Peru off limits to all little deer spotters.
The first thing that came to mind is: Has any of our city vehicles from all departments ever been taken or driven to events such as concerts, cops for cancer events? Or ever used for personal errands such as banking, shopping, or picking children up at school?
Has Mayor Harl considered that as a result of having the C,PPD investigate a City Alderrman for having two vehicles displaying campaign signs during a recreation day at McKinley Park will have to follow all the guidelines he has utilized and the C,PPd has verbally responded in Mayor Harls potential campaign if he campaigns in another reelection.
As he has a set of license plates procliming himself as Mayor, which are easily identified as they are the first and only ever seen in this area, they should be immediately changed to a generic set. Also all advertising which appears on the radio, newspaper or any other media recognizing the Mayor and/or council members paid from city funding no matter which fund it comes from should be investigated and discontinued.
To follow the above guidelines would enable all to avoid "poor judgement, slippery slope" in present and upcoming campaigns. Also to be considered is the usage of public works services such as washing private vechicles at the electrical facility and who has paid for decorative plates. Yes this and more upcoming subjects are strict but the repetitious, needless problems Peru has been living under and exposed to are destroying the respect of the city for the last number of years and should be halted immediately.
Funny, this is the first time that a politician has done something "For The Children" and it did not end up costing me - a taxpayer - money.
I think that Boss Harl and his "tax and spend" cabal are flabbergasted that something like this can be done without distributing tax money to crony businesses and friends.
There was no ordinance to create with billable hours to our "corporate attorney." We didn't need to purchase a special insurance policy from our crony insurance agent. We didn't need an engineering study to determine if the incline at the park was sufficient to use a sled on. We didn't need to pay city workers overtime to drive trucks around and look busy. We didn't need to purchase useless advertising from our crony marketing company and news paper. We didn't need to pay for food from a crony restaurant.
In a nut shell - that is the real problem. Ald. Perez did not spend enough tax dollars on this event. If he ran up a $50,000 bill, everyone would have been happy. Because - after all - the purpose of our Mayor and Council is to give our money to their connected friends.
And to Mr. Sarcasm - this is not sarcasm - this is the truth as I see it.
A of DS here
Sometimes things kind of stand on their own, and need no comment. Sarcastic or otherwise.
This is one of those time. Remember to vote folks.
Did I read the report correctly the chief of fire department will put a policy in place that he can't wear fire wear to community events? They need to just stop this madness of revenge and retaliation against him. From everything I see that was a family community event. I saw Rodney and other firemen at other community events wearing fire wear. It only attracts attention of children and show the children that firemen are good people who also have fun. Why waste more time having a chief draft a stupid policy that is aimed at only one person. I think Rodney should run for mayor instead and clean house. I don't think these people realize by targeting the wrong people will get back to them someday and somehow. Peru is corrupt and ran by a bully pulpit.
Be proud Rodney because to have so many people targeting you because you are doing good and they hate you for it. Ange is one letter from D-anger and its very dangerous for those people who are hating. What will it take for those people to realize Rodney has the support from people all over the Illinois valley
Last fall most of the same people who asked for a investigation of Alderman Perez and the his alleged wrong doings in participating in a family fun day
took their annual excurson to the IML Convention.
I find it disturbing that these people live way over their normal life style when staying less than 100 miles away, which is all Interstate highway, for 2 nights or more at a high priced hotel instead of driving back and forth every day and only eating one meal on the city instead of 3. Everyone who attends takes their spouce with them at additional city expense. A expense which they are not entitled to nor does the city gain one iota for. This IML is so thought provoking and distributes such a vast amount of knowledge that the only report given at council meetings is "A good time was had by all with plently to drink".
Is this really the same group who called for a investigation of Ald. Perez and the family fun days?
With a upcoming election there will be the opportunity to vote a segment of these people so far out of office that they will never be found again. I feel assurred that when leaving they will be given no care packages.
C,PFD/C,PPD If a person can't wear fire wear to community events will members of these two departments only have access to city vehicles during hours on the job also? This would drastically cut department expenses. How about it Mayor Harl!
@8:10 am. Yes this was initiated by the mayor, but not one of the council members spoke up to say they were not in favor of an investigation. So their silence makes them as responsible for the waste of the chief's time (and our tax dollars) as the mayor.
Hope there is a form to copy for policy. Just saying. City has gone to pot, and all the pot holes show for it.
My son was on the fire department and to my knowledge if the gear is worn too bad or expired the gear is given to the fire fighter for these such purposes including training and public events. Once this is done it is no longer used for firefighting and the property of the fire man . I saw a fireman using his gear to plow snow on a four wheeler two weeks ago and how is this any different ?
@7:08, was that on sycamore street?
Is Ald. Perez's investigation conducted by C,PPD which was asked to be conducted by the Mayor and some aldermen amount to any more than a smoke screen to cover up illegal activity which has been knowingly conducted in Peru for a endless number of years? To order the Police Chief to investigate the family fun day for harrasment purposes is a crime in itself when major law breaking activities are knowingly permitted.
Did I dream this, but didn't the chief of police instruct the fire chief to give Rodney the keys to the concession stand after Rodney told the cpd what his plans were? Can someone please either confirm or deny? And if this is in fact true, should the cpd been the one to write the report?
Why didn't you post the "sheriff" comment about Bobbie and the official Peru police shirt! Obviously you don't know the inner workings of Peru if you never saw him in the police shirt! There is much more to the City admin than meetings.
A couple of years ago there was a BB Gun Club built in the basement of city hall. This was built under the promise and stipulation that it was not to cost the taxpayers. What developed from this project was that city officials had city workers building this club on city time and cost plus bills were coming to the city for over $11,000 that no one wanted to see when they denied these city costs.
How does the city expenses for the Family Fun Days at McKinley Park compare to the costs of the BB Gun Club and what investigations were ordered by the Mayor and conducted by the police chief and how were the results of this investigation disclosed. Wasn't a misuse of taxpayers funds involved or what ever you call it when all that was paid for was not there.
Thinking back
what ever was the result of less product being at the swimming pool storeroom than orginally inventoried when the pool was closed for good and the city had a buyer (Peru YMCA). Should not have been difficult to trace as the storeroom was locked with very few keys in distribution.
Is a ongoing investigation being conducted over the dump truck that was taken from a Peru city building and eventually found in a unbelivable location, or has it been concluded that it drove itself there?
Why someone would take a dump truck makes no sense unless they were hauling something in it and things got too hot for every body.
4:51 - Mr. Perez also went to the IML convention just like most alderman, but not all.
6:37 - Mr. Perez spoke up at the meeting and said the matter should be looked into.
8:07, the only reason local government does ANYTHING is to distribute tax money to crony businesses and friends. When they are out of tax money, they ask for more. This is especially true of the corrupt school districts. Their empty their accounts sports and other nonessential things and then complain because they cant pay teachers to actually teach.
This blog has become a Rodney Perez for Alderman site. Not a good reflection on Peru.
The political sham investigation served the purpose that Harl had intended. The Super Chief had his marching orders and he provided a "wishy-washy" report complete with a slap on the wrist of Alderman Perez so that the uninformed Peru electorate would be given the impression that the alderman did something wrong. That is all that Harl and the other Rodney hating aldermen wanted to accomplish. This ridiculous report rambled on but it never once clearly stated for the record whether Perez violated an ordinance or not. All Harl wanted was to publicize a situation that most Peru voters will never recognize for what it really is. Harl counts on the ignorance and apathy of the Peru electorate not only for his own political success, but in order to assure that only the chosen candidates for aldermen are successful as well. Harl and his minions are incapable of governing with an active "dissenter" in their midsst. Ths best indication of dysfunctional govenment is one in which dissent is never tolerated, as is the case with the Peru City Council. That is what clearly exposes Harl and the others as absolute failures as elected officials.
9:24 - actually, I want him to run for Mayor.
If participants of the blog submit comments favoring a political candidate what are your expectations of what the author is to do?
Do you believe that a investigation of all Anon's who make comments in the blog should be submitted to a formal investigation. It would be interesting to learn what phony reasons that commentors are doing wrong. Something "Commentors have stretched the 1st amendment by expressing their political opinions".
Lets hope and pray that that boat of tea arrives at the Peru Shoreline in the near future. It has to be here in time for Aprils elections.
10:45, to piggy back on what you are saying, there are some senior Dems in Illinois that favor restrictions on the first amendment. They would be happy to see blogs and comments on news media web sights outlawed - as well as letters to the editor if you get right down to it.
This has been the desire of the Democrat Party since before Clinton left office. If you ask me, the last honest Democrat was Jimmy Carter.
YOU ARE WRONG 9:24.
Interesting what I heard this weekend. I thought of people in politics, businesses. "Be Careful Who Your Friends Are, They Can Actually Be Your Enemies." A duck is a duck, a snake is a snake.
a weasel is a weasel and "The Boss" is "The Boss."
@11:28 Yes there has not been a overload of politicians comparable to Jimmy Carter. The State of Illinois had a couple In Gov. James Edgar and Judy Barr Topeka. As for county and city officials locally our area is near the bottom.
Govenor Rauner has good conservative ideas and wants to stop Illinois huge debts but he is going to need a whale of a backbone to stay with and to accomplish his goals. Truthfully reduced wasteful spending is the last thing men such as Madigan and Cullerton and the rest of the Dems want. The President and ex govenor Quinn and Dems. have placed us in a socialistic environment. Illinois is known as the most corrupt state in the Union.
10:36, so do I, it will be a lesson learned .
10:36 + 7:03 That makes 3 of us and I personally know two more who plan to do the same. My first act as mayor will be to inform all to turn in a letter of resignation. Those few I want to keep will get their letter back as for the remainder, Bye Bye,nothing personal just business.
8:13 That's what we call a Dictatorship. And running a city is a tad more complicated than sitting in a bar and spouting out about what you will do.
The residents of the city deserve and want more than what you want to offer.
Can you all please take a step back and read some of the comments please? We look like fools here to people. And yes I know its Harl, etc that look like fools. Please understand how stupid some of if not all of the coomments make the city of peru look.
I've seen over the years some very inappropriate behavior in establishments in our city whereas a person should be a role model, and at other events, fundraisers, benefits, ... As a matter of fact, just a couple months ago. Seems to happen when a significant other isn't in attendance.
11:06, I think you hit the nail on the head. Peru is a ship of fools. No sense hiding it.
11:47 Not another rumor about a person involved in the city and they have less than acceptable behavior? The investigation is over and no criminal charges are to be filed. It was just a few signs and a fireman outfit in a city park. A few facebook photos for the upcoming election. This is no big deal.
So, is it legal for city workers to go door to door on a Saturday passing out campaign info like they did during the last Mayor election?
12:43, what city employees? I think your trying to start something, otherwise puts some names to the statement !!
12:43 Yes and all local union members will be out to campaign. They should not wear the city fireman outfit and park the cars with campaign signs on it. They can give out hotdogs and some hot cocoa, Little Debbie cakes. And get that photo with the kids on facebook! Its for the kids!
I heard that most of the city workers are not happy because they are not getting overtime or comp time as much as they did last year. I hard there was a bit of grumbling going on when B. did not call them out full force to drive plows in that last little snow.
Oh No city employees are mad.
Anon 10:18 I am not sure of what evening you are speaking of when you talk of my sitting, standing, hanging on the bar or was it falling in the bar and spouting about what I will do (about what I don't quite remeber yet).
What I do know is that I called for a secretive, closed session as I do for all liquid events and you have taken my drunken stuper and hit social media with it. Shame on you.
12:56, it's not so much the overtime, it's if you wait to long the streets aren't cleaned the way they should be because of morning traffic and schools etc, the Super chief gets on them for not doing the job, which he has absolutely no clue about, that's where the grumbling comes in, inexperienced supervision.
If there is very little snow then there is no need. Save some money cry babies. Boo Hoo.
11:06 you are correct. Sad, sad comments. Peru is a ship of fools? I feel so sorry for the few who make these comments. Not that my comment will get posted.
Anon 3:12PM, Jan 20,2015 Hold on big boy how can you be so sure that Anon 10:18Am, Jan 20, 2015 is speaking of you.
I can consume with the best of them, starting early and staying late, sometimes after a very serious night of running the city into the ground I get so stinko that they place me at the end of the bar sound asleep and dead to the winds. If by closing time no one can wake me they leave a set of keys alongside of me and I lock up at next mornings roll call. I've been told on some of my really most hammered of nights that in my speeches I should be running the city before those who are. How do I know I am way to boozed up to ever remember. I think you are silly for being the only one who believes that the residents deserve and want more than I have to offer. Most of the people I drink with tell me that I am the man wanted, besides that look at what you presently have.
I may be a drunk but I am a truthful drunk, and I am not click ish I'll drink with anyone who will buy all night long. Vote for me, I'll promise everything and anything to get that easy 4 years of high living on John Q's money.
10:18 I'll be needen a bar, excuse me campaign manager what do yau think. Great chance to get your picture taken with me at every bar in town and maybe a few out of town. I'll buy all the snuff you can use if you will buy all the drinks.
Just think in 3 years you could be riding the city float pulled by the battery operated truck. Now thats style!
Called buying people's votes and friendships possibly. Something to think about.
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