James Hardie Surprised With Sale Of Railroad By Peru | The Ottawa Tribune
Must have been another closed door discussion and decision. Only one aldermen was able to get to the truth on this. This business must not be on Mayor Harl's likeability list.
48 comments:
Where was the wonderful News Tribune after that vote took place? We have to rely on a neighboring town's newspaper to get the whole story. All the NT said was Perez voted no, and the NT didn't report the reasons Perez voted no. I'm sure the NT reporter has his orders to follow "make Perez look bad". Too bad the NT is bought and paid for by City of Peru ads instead of reporting the events as they actually happen.
Absolutely no business sense. This is what they call "general mopery." This also illustrates the values our council and mayor hold. James Hardie is not high on their list because they don't generate.... Waite for it... "tipping fees." Or sales tax or any other direct revenue stream to the City Coffers. They are also not unionized, so our Mayor probably is not ALLOWED by his Chicago handlers to talk to them.
Let's face the fact. Proper reporting of the facts in the N/T does not exist. Dankert is bias and that's another fact. In the past a story would present both views or at least try to give it. Journalism 101 is not the same as it was 30 years ago. We will not have a neutral reporter at the N/T report on Peru news or see a conservative reporter there as well.
Let me guess that Rodney Perez called up this 19 year old to get this one sided internet story. If you review this and other articles the post are flooded with Rodney Perez quotes and information from his viewpoint. No quotes from James Hardie and no quotes from Peru.
I am not critical of the young man having fun with a blog.
Let us be accurate with some facts.
I presume Rodney attended the many meetings about the sale of the railroad and hopefully was awake to understand the sale.
Rodney mentioned that he spoke to the James Hardie administrative assistant, during his discussion with Mayor Harl at the recent city council meeting by telephone. That's a far cry from his quote in the story of meeting with James Hardie officials about the railroad sale!
The fact that is left out is that the rail and the 3 miles that Peru sold in a very small portion of the rail system that is utilized, the rail needed massive repairs, James Hardie is only one of the users, the City of Peru charged James Hardie for the use, the new owner will be able to accommodate Hardie and charge them for point to point use as opposed to charging a small fee for 3 miles, James Hardie has no interest in purchasing the 3 miles without a agreement to use the thousands of miles they may need to get to the Canada location. The main users of the 3 miles will be new companies that need the rail and will use the rail 100 times more than James Hardie. Without the sale it looks like Peru would lose out on new economic opportunities. Who is Rodney representing James Hardie or the many opportunities that this sale offers for the residents of Peru.
Be sure to visit the Ottawa Tribune website and not only read this article but also pay attention to the other 2 ARTICLEs regarding the campaign fraud and the mayor's investigation listed under "recent articles" located on the right hand column.
Just add it to the list of things thrown our throats without concern for other residents or businesses - pickleball, Venture Drive, the landfill sale, and the railroad sale.
The Ottawa Tribune is a blog! Don't make it out to be anything else. Its has no ethical reason to get another source. Its crazy to compare the professional writers of the Newstribune to some 19 year old kid sitting in his basement taking calls from Rodney Perez.
946 sound like you have attended the private isolated city meetings! Matters such as a sale of property should be open to the public and never in a closed session. This is not a meeting that concerns a employee that should be private. I want to know if the Peru Business were contacted or not! Each council member should declare it as well as the city lawyer and mayor. If they were not notified, someone should take a business 101 class.
Mam/Sir I think it is great that we live in a country where someone of 19 years of age can sit in his basement and be recognized for his opinion from a Peru alderman and that Rodney Perez reciprocates.
This is a outstanding characteristic of Alderman Perez and one which he is very professional at - listening to constituents and carrying the message to council meetings.
Lois,
Thanks for copying the story. There were no copyright laws broken by putting the story on your blog site. This not a newspaper story. The Ottawa Tribune is another blog and is done very well. My compliments to the young man for his design. It was fun. The only point of journalism that failed was that he had no other reference point but Perez, no fact finding and simply a story from Perez. Maybe he is taking advantage of Perez? Good laughs and I will probably read his blog again.
11:09 Did some research and find that a 19 year old has as much right to express his opinion as a 50 year old and at 18 he could vote. Now at the hard part trying to confirm that he can have a telephone in the basement.
Its on my list now. The local papers don't let you know what is really going on. They just play cheerleader for the local politicians.
11:37 How much have the only's, maybe's, the coulda's, woulda's shoulda's, and the ifs and closes amounted to anything in your life. The 19 year old man is doing something in his. Right now I am going to take a look at the Ottawa Tribune and see what he has going on.
The story indicates Rodney Perez spoke with the James Hardie management team? This is accurate if you consider the secretary answering the phone the management team.
It was indicated many times in the news that the City of Peru was selling the railroad. This was common knowledge for months and well documented in the news. Why was Alderman Perez so surprised that the city was selling the rail?
lets see....
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Don't see anything about being older or having journalist credentials.
What I still find hard to swallow is the fact that our mayor had one alderman investigated for possible illegal usage of city electricity for campaign purposes but not another one investigated for possible illegal usage of city business cards with city logo on them sent in a campaign letter. WHY?
I want to know how many campaign signs are paid for by Boss Harl that don't have Boss Harl's name on them. I believe that is a real issue that can be investigated by the state board of elections.
Me too
10:49
Do you want a landfill? What use is it? What environmental positives result from a City that owns a landfill? No development opportunities are possible.
Pickle ball is the most discussed topic between a few residents located near a park. The courts are moved and nobody is playing it. What else is bugging you?
Venture drive looks to be safe. That is the key. City has discussed plans to utilize hundreds of thousands to recreate the same design a few hundred feet north. Is this solve your issue? Us common folk will say,"what and why?".
The rail? Why do we own a rail that we can't afford to insure and repair? Us common folk say... good deal.
These are your issues and we wonder what would happen if you lived in a city that is looking at bankruptcy, increased taxes, no economic activity, poor schools and crime ridden? Would pickle ball be a topic, selling a landfill?
Why would that be illegal, it's not taxpayers money he would be using, if he is even doing that.
5:27 - campaign disclosure. It is a law that you need to report the source of all donations to your campaign if the candidate has more than $3,000 in contributions. None of our Aldermen fall into this category. However, the Mayor has quite a bit of money, $30K or more, in his fund. If he gives some to another campaign, he needs to report that. Even if he pays the bill for something, it needs to be reported. These reports are available to the people - you can download them from the State Board of Elections.
3:50 this is 10:49. You totally missed my point. My point is all of those things happened without letting the people being affected made aware of what was going to happen.
Pickleball was put in place without the residents knowing the tennis court would be changed.
Venture Drive was changed over a weekend and the businesses most affected by the change were not notified.
The landfill was sold without making it public that the city was selling that property.
Lastly the railroad was sold without telling the users of it.
Understand it now?
8:57 this is not 3:50 and I get it.
8:57- That is the standard mode of operation for Peru. It's either an emergency that needs to be voted on immediately without any chance of discussion. Or it is deiced in SECRET.
And it is not just Peru.... It's Illinois in general. Like the Governor said, Illinois governments act in their own best interests - not the interests of the People.
Time for Change!
6:02, so if you don't see that disclosure, Harl might not of donated anything to anyone, so without proof don't speculate.
Why would Scott Harl donate to a candidate? Most of them don't need his help from a financial standpoint. And I doubt that he wants to retain a few of those running for office.
9:18, we all know he did. Just have to keep a closer watch. Since he is not up for reelection this time around, if there are expenses to printers, media, etc. it might indicate something. It is very interesting what you find when you read the financial reports of any politician. Where the money comes from... where it goes... yes, very interesting.
11:11 You are insulting us by saying that the Mayor is funding other campaigns. There is no evidence on campaign disclosures and nothing in this election cycle shows that Mayor is involved. Which candidate needs/wants the Mayor of Peru involvement? Do you remember his last election when he had less than 40% vote? What politician would ride those coattails?
Try another conspiracy.
11:11, no you don't know he did, show us the proof, you don't have any, otherwise grow up.
11:51 AM
I would be surprised if he was not giving some assistance in this campaign, it is called political assistance. Try city contractors for one and anyone else indebted now or in the future to the politically connected.
It's called a Political Machine. That is why he is called Boss Harl.
E-COLI in Streator Water system and you smucks from Peru are worried about pickelball? And who your Mayor supports. We want clean water, lower crime rates and any economic development. Send a few of those Alderman over to Streator.
1:41 PM
Peru does not even issue Boil Orders for bad water main breaks, they simply hank something on your front door and if you don't see it, too bad. This has been a complaint for a number of years.
If there was a problem with the water, I doubt we would hear about it. As a lifelong Peru resident, I don't ever remember hearing about a "boil order", how about anyone else living here?
Does that mean we never had a problem, I doubt it. But never heard about anyone getting sick from bad water either but come to think of it I don't know many people who actually drink water as it comes out of the tap.
2:22, boil orders are always issued after a water break, had enough of them, yes they post them on your front door, the orders are normally 24 hrs. Until TEST gives the ok, if you ever question it call city clerk or Public works, I do if I see a break in my neighborhood .
Has anyone read the add from Marquis Energy on page A8? What a waste of tax dollars if it's true! Didn't Bederstedt loose his appraisers license for messing up too.
N/T story by Dankert will be a joke! I'm sure all one sided facts will be presented to show IVCC is in the right. That's how he reports Peru Politics! One sided junk reporting with Loaded questions to make the other side look bad.
I saw dankert coming out of the hair shop? Was he following up on reported scandal regarding Facebook post of sister in law of the barber or getting spoon fed campaign jargon?
Bieds committed fraud. Marquis must be pretty mad!
Is it true the main editor at the N/T is a full left Liberal? That may well explain why Dankert gets to report on Peru politics.
8775 for roter rooter...800 nicks lighting
Why would they city need roto rooter and which one is it?
Who is spending this money? Does Bernabei have this decision making authority
Now now 9:55 stop and think why the city would need roto rooter. It's from all the bs at city hall.
9:03 pm.
Your question is on the reporter from the Newstribune? The reporter has a ethical pledge to give you the most informative reporting that they can. They check other references and interview others to get the most information on the topic. And you have a problem with that? You read the local blog with no signed author and believe that to be factual? I some great property in North Siberia that I can sell you. Are you interested?
If that was a 19 year old with that write up he needs to be praised for such a great job for that article and the website.
Peru police chief should not have his hands in anything other than police work. Peru tax payers need to do something about his pension spiking. He's a smart politician who plans to retire early and with a nice big pension retirement. He is the king of micro managers.
He spends more time on social media than he does police work. Ask anyone of us who work with him.
Thank you 10:13 AM. It took a lot of intestinal fortitude to comment as you have. NOW WATCH YOUR BACK!
Where has the Peru Police Chief relocated his office to rather than being in the Police Station taking responsibility of being a member of the police department?
11:58, where is the full time fire chiefs office located? Fire station? City Hall?
Give him the pensions and get him going.
Both the C,PPD and the C,PFD took on additional duties originally for no additional pay but at the time it was stated that this was only on a temporary basis.What was the sunset of this management chart and its entire set of promises?
Anonymous said
9:05 PM
I second that motion and will have no problem in putting together a 8-0 vote.
When one person is responsible for remodeling a 7 year old city hall so he can be accommodated to achieve his own ego trip it becomes time for a personnel evaluation.
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