Does your city have a City Administrator?
Reasons why?
I know this blog reaches a wide area and would like to hear from you personally. this blog has already received comments on the possibility of the city of Peru hiring an Administrator to do the mayors bidding because that is whom he would be responsible to, along with the city council. The chain of command with this position is Mayor- Administrator whereas a City Manager would be City Manager - Mayor. There you see in black and white the reasons behind the mayors choice.
My question is "Is there some self serving benefits to those who do not wish to hire a City Manager?" Change in "09 has turned into more of the same.
38 comments:
I think the establishing of a committee to investigate the best road to continue on should include all options. City manager, administrator, and mayor/council. Doesn't make sence to limit their agenda.
Anything less that adopting the Council-Manager form of government is a waste of time.
Keep in mind that putting the referendum on the ballot can also be accomplished through petition. I believe the signature threshold is rather low - registered voters equaling 10% of the number of votes cast in the last mayoral election. Somebody would need to look that up to be sure - but that is what I remember. Point is - even if the Council falls in line with the Mayor and hires an "administrator" the people can force the change to Council-Manager.
I see where Ald. Waldorf is not in favor of a City Manager and I ask you Ald. Waldorf, why not? Since you are running for re election I think this is a legitimate question. I know your answer is "no questions" but this time the ball is in your court and we want to know why.
Ald. Potthoff is also up for re election and his answer is that we should consider an option of hiring a city manager. I am not putting words in his mouth when I say, I think he sees it as a positive step for the city to have good professional management whereas the 3rd ward alderman does not and I am sure he will no answer the question.
Did you know that?
A governmental task force in Dixon took on weekly meetings for 4 months of OPEN discussion and study coming to a conclusion a city manager form of government is best? OPEN OPEN anyone on the council see those words?
This task force will end up the same as the "infrastructure committee." One or two meetings and they group will figure out that there is only one recommendation that will be allowed.
If managing the city is too hard for this mayor and he needs help to do his job, maybe he should be looking for a new job. Maybe he should be voted out. Quit making excuses for his job performance by changing the type of government type. Let's call a spade a spade. This mayor is not capable of doing his job.
Some people just like titles in front of their names. Makes them feel superior.
Under the Report of City Attorney/ordinances and Resolutions for tonight's meeting is:
A RESOLUTION CREATING AND APPOINTING MEMBERS TO A CITY ADMINISTRATION TASK FORCE, TO MAKE RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL.
This resolution tells about as much to the average citizen as if it was written in Chinese.
What and who is this being created for and why?
Who has selected the chosen proposed members to be APPOINTED and who are they?
What are the concern or concerns of the membership of this task force and who has defined their concerns?
How many of these people are residents of Peru and how many are non-residents of Peru and are they a good cross section representation of the citizenship of Peru?
Please correct me if my memory fails but I believe 2 citizens from each ward and 2 aldermen comprised the make up of the Infrastructure committee which had a unlimited potential benefit to Peru but for some unknown reason reached a sudden death.
4:25, the problem is that given our current population and demographics - we don't have anyone that is capable of being a Mayor under our current government structure. Our current structure requires the Mayor to mange the city there are no qualified individuals in taking on a full time CEO level position without pay.
They way our Mayor wants to solve this is to hire a yes man that is marginally qualified. That way the mayor can continue play politics with hiring and firing as well as spending. We should use the provisions of the municipal code to change to a system in which a hired City Manager has statutory power and is not subject to political whims.
Anon 3:12 I agree with you in wanting to know why a alderman of 8 years running for reelection is not in favor of a city manager?
In determining whom I vote for I would appreciate knowing what his reasoning is?
This is a open and fair question and deserves a open and fair answer from Alderman Waldorf which should be answered by comment to the blog.
He may be in question as to why so many take interest in his opinions and voting record. The answer is simple, Alderman Waldorf you are voting for yourself rather than the constituents that have elected you as evidenced by your motion and vote for the TEST contract and many other unpopular decisions. If your record was controversial I would state it as being controversial but reality proves that it is unpopular and not what citizenship wants.
Four years ago Alderman Waldorf covered Peru with campaign signs so completely that his green and white signs located in all wards of town are well remembered. They appeared
like a thunderstorm, none up Friday and by Saturday and Sunday the entire town was painted by them.
Now he has been in office for 8 full years and should be judged worthy or unworthy by his past performance. Eight years is the normal limitation of term limits and the time frame of many governments feelings that it is advantageous to have a mandatory changing of the guard to allow fresh ideas.
Although Peru does not have term limits it does have a modern outlook upon politicians that no longer is the number of signs spread all over town are going to indicate the superior candidate. Peru is not going to vote for gingerbread and frosting, instead it wants meat and potatoes. That is what Travis Nelson represents a capability to make good sound intelligent business decisions, a meat and potatoes man.
Alderman Waldorf is NOT "voting for himself". He gets no benefit and actually I respect when an elected representative votes what he thinks even knowing it may not be popular. He is not the only one who voted for the TEST contract and I think most people thought it was the CORRECT decision.
You can disagree with that, but how can you criticize his signs around town (I haven't seen any but I would assume they are coming) when Rodney Perez, the greatest sign maker in Peru history, is running for his second term doing the same thing? Why the double standards?
I'm not interested in elected people who pander to the crowd and grandstand. I am interested in people who vote the way they believe and let the chips fall where they may.
@7:23 Difference between Alderman Waldorf and Perez is night and day. Perez is clearly passionate about the entire city and clearly cares for people. Waldorf on the other hand is bi polar opposit. Perez won't have any problem being re elected and could do so without signs.
Besides, these two aren't even running against each other so shouldn't even be used in the same comments. Waldorfs days are numbered.
7:23 PM, If you attended last mnight's council meeting you witnessed Waldorf's true lack of character. He was enraged by the thought of a city manager taking charge of Peru. He was so threatened by the thought of losing his power and influence that he appeared to be close to tears. He is well aware that a city manager would take over HR duties and that includes hiring of summer help and that would mean Waldorf could no longer arrange for family members on the city payroll. He also knows that a city manager would understand the benefit of competitive bidding on water/wastewater service contracts and large engineering contracts. Waldorf understands that he would no longer be able to "protect" the financial interests of TEST and Chamlin as he currently does. Waldorf, Harl, and the majority of aldermen are terrified of the responsible and honest decisions that a city manager would bring to Peru because "responsible and honest" is not the way they have been conducting business in Peru. Simple as that!
ha ha "bi polar opposite"?? Isn't that a double negative?
He is either the polar opposite - meaning the complete opposite or opposite in every way. Or perhaps you are saying he is bipolar - meaning he shows characteristics of two extremes at different times.
Would a "bi polar opposite" be someone that is normal?
7:23 Please answer:
Where did you ever get the idea that most people believe that the no competitive bid motion concerning TEST made by Alderman Waldorf was the correct decision and what do you have to back your statement???????????
Why are you involving another person who is not mentioned in 6:57's comment to misdirect the comment? The campaign sign issue question was specifically directed and you have failed to directly answer.
your political agenda of not being interested in elected people who pander to the crowd and grandstand but rather being interested in people who vote in the way they believe and let the chips fall where they may is not only correct and is also the reason that Alderman Perez is considered by many as the poster child of such thought as evidenced by 6-2, 7-1 city council vote. Has Waldorf ever voted with the minority in 8 years of office? In studying Alderman Waldorf's history it is found that he is a strong advocate of Chamlain Consultants and TEST corporations and at times is no more than their direct echo to city hall.
Very revealing that Radtke would want to squash any thought of evaluating the number of aldermen in Peru. Sure, Mike. The last thing we want is somebody determining how useless it is to have so many aldermen taking up space up there providing as little as most of you do. We can't have the task force validating that the recently failed referendum was in fact justified, right Mike?
We don't have to wait for the council to do this. If somebody will organize a meeting, we can get petitions out and get it on the ballot ourselves. The soonest it can be on the ballot is the 2016 primary anyway. So if organized correctly we can put an initiative on the ballot to:
1. Change to Council-Manager
2. Change to at-large Aldermen
3. Reduce to 4 Aldermen
4. Eliminate the elected Clerk
5. Reduce the Mayor's salary.
Obviously, the blog is in support of Travis Nelson. Can someone please tell me who he is and what he has done in his lifetime to have the capabilities of becoming an alderman? Is he even from this area and what charities does he actively support?
11:46, I think he is a retired IDOT engineer.
12:02, I think your wrong.
12:02 not even close. Young guy that works for the cable company.
then what is his claim to fame? Maybe I'm thinking of the guy that ran for mayor.
1:45 PM - As you appear to be a typical Peru voter I have a question for you.
Could you possibly be more uninformed? GEEZE!
The guy that ran for Mayor was not a retired engineer. He did work for Idot. Travis Nelson works for Comcast.
Anon 11:46 You can't be serous in asking what Travis Nelson has done in his lifetime to have the capabilities of becoming a alderman? Except for Pothoff and Perez what have any of the present aldermen done in his lifetime to have the capabilities of becoming a aldermen?
Have you ever attended a city council meeting? Obviously not or you would never have asked such a question.
The city would be better off handing each alderman a pair of scissors and a old copy of the daily fish, shutting off the lights and letting them cut out paper dolls on Monday nights.
I know Travis Nelson and he is much more capable of being a alderman in the 3rd ward than either of the two present incumbents.
@5:59 PM Mickey Mouse is more capable of being a alderman in the 3rd ward than both of the two incumbents put together.
5:59 for being a fan of Travis, you managed to not mention a single qualification he has. It's a fair question because people do not gravitate to the nagativity spewed about the others.
5:59 - boy you kind of made up your own story and read a lot into a my simple statement of "what is his claim to fame." It is a common phrase friend. It means - what does he do? What is his line? What are his interests. It is often used during an introduction.
You should lighten up and read the question without assuming some grand conspiracy is behind it.
So - we have established that the man works for Comcast. In what capacity? Technical, Business Management, Sales, Human Resources. It is a big company - it would be nice to know what his line is.
Does he have a web page or Facebook page. More biographical information would be helpful.
I'm not going to vote for somebody just because they are running against the incumbent. Although it just might come down to that.
Oh... I learned a long time ago that attending council meetings is a total waste of time. Even watching them on-line is a waste of time. No insight is gained since all discussion is held in the committee meetings which are generally held when normal people are at work. So if you run on the platform that "I attended X number of council meetings as a citizen" then that only proves that you know how to waste time or you have nothing better to do. So - point blank - I do not consider attending council meetings as giving a candidate any insight into the city.
8:17 If you attend the meetings it shows you are interested and willing to learn.
To those who asked yes Travis Nelson does have a Facebook page. This has become rather routine for anyone running for office.
What are qualifications of Harls highly paid appointed positions? Maybe Harl can answer this because it's been asked numerous times. Co-supers of some departments. Blah....blah...
What are the qualifications of a in-house city administrator?
Anon 11:46 AM 2/24/15 Could you please inform readers of the blog why you find it important to know if a candidate is even from this area and what charities does he actively support? I may be mistaken but I thought any city resident can run for alderman. As for charities that he actively supports that is his private business and has no bearing on his qualifications to run for a office. I do know that he has business cards which are paid for by the company not by the city government that you could personally ask him to mail you one. Your question of specific occupation will be answered by the card.
8:21 PM, I didn't ask the question, but part of deciding who to vote for involves understanding the person's character. I for one find it difficult to vote for someone that has never lived and experienced life outside the Illinois Valley. Concerning charities supported by a candidate, I find information like that very insightful - but it should be taken with a grain of salt because it is often a false flag. For some people this information might be the tipping point between two equally qualified candidates.
So - being "Qualified" to represent their Ward is not necessarily all about business and numbers. It is also about Character. Which is lacking in some of the present Peru representatives.
it would be interesting what charities he himself gives to since in his failed bid for township supervisor he was very eager to give taxpayers money away!
11:46 AM demonstrates the narrow-minded establishement attitude that the Litmus Test will be that a candidate in Peru must have lived every day of his/her life withing Peru's city limits. Remember the nit-wits from the Deli who criticized Travis Nelson when he was working for the At-Large Referendum. One of the deli knuckleheads said that you have to be a life-long resident to be a candidate for office in Peru. This is how these geniuses really think. They have no clue how valuable it is for people to have life experiences outside the Illinois Valley.
@10:03 am, I believe you're mistaken. I remember Travis Nelson saying he would donate half his township pay if he won the election. How does that show that we was eager to give taxpayers' money away? Did you write that post DW?
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