Committee Reports
!. Finance and Safety Services Chairman Potthoff, Ferrari, Radtke, Payton Mayor Harl
On the agenda for Monday June 27 is the following: Motion to renew 1 year contract with lobbyist Tim McArney for $2000 per month.
This is coming up a bit earlier on the calendar year than last year when it was questioned by residents as to why the city the size of Peru needed a lobbyist
We just had wonderful volunteers clean up our city but what if the volunteers had not donated their time, would Peru have left the dirty, weed infested areas as is because we did not have the extra money to properly do the work on our own or perhaps not enough personal to do the job that was needed to make the city look clean.
This is all about using your tax dollars wisely and not for personal needs or wants.
I will be adding to this post later when I have a minute.
Meeting minutes from last July.
Alderman Radtke made a motion to renew 1 year contract with lobbyist Tim McAnarney for $2,000 per month. Alderman Lukosus seconded the motion. Alderman Payton reported that he spoke to Mr. McAnarney personally and asked why we should retain him and that he supports the continued support. Alderman Radtke stated that he supports Mr. McAnarney based on feedback for Peru from staff members including City Engineer Eric Carls. Alderman Potthoff noted his issue with paying money to someone else to listen to our views. Alderman Ferrari stated we have elected legislators to represent us. Alderman Sapienza supports the contract based on the size of our budget. Mayor Harl stated the consultant gets the City in front of people we would never get in front of. Mayor Harl stated he has queried other mayors at a recent IMEA meeting and they confirmed current state economic conditions require extra effort in order to make contact with decision makers. Mayor Harl invited members of the Council to visit Springfield and meet with Mr. McAnarney. City Clerk Dave Bartley called the roll with Aldermen Lukosus, Radtke, Sapienza and Payton voting aye; Aldermen Potthoff, Ferrari and Mueller voting nay; Alderman Waldorf absent; motion carried.
Curious as to whether the aldermen have changed their minds with the encouragement of the mayor or not. I would believe the yes votes from last year are still in the mayors camp.
This is a link to a posting on this blog from LAST YEAR on the lobbyist.
http://perutownforum.blogspot.com/2015/06/last-year-lobbyist-reports-to-city-of.htmlhttp://perutownforum.blogspot.com/2015/06/last-year-lobbyist-reports-to-city-of.html
27 comments:
There is no money in the state budget! No grants! No public projects! Everything is being shut down. What is this man going to lobby? Empty state buildings? Peru is the least of this states worries right now. If we want success, we need to do it ourselves. LaSalle is making a great comeback. With their own ideas from great leaders. Ottawa has been on the move for years. With their own ideas from great leaders. Oglesby is making a comeback. With their own ideas from great leaders. We need to insist that our leaders and managers come up with a few of their own ideas too. Our "so-called leaders" continually pat themselves on the back as successful businessmen/women with plenty of credentials to manage a city. Prove it now. No more lip service. Can't believe I would ever, ever, ever say this, but Baker did his own marketing with his own ideas. I just don't understand why we pay so much for lobbyist. And don't forget about Vickery too. And don't tell me that he brought businesses to the table. These businesses were coming to the Illinois Valley long before Vickery showed up at their door and showed up to get his picture taken. And MCS? What the heck are they doing for us now? Anybody? And, construction projects in town don't count for their "pat my back" checklist. Those projects were way past due and should have been managed a long time ago. We need people with great ideas first!!! NOT BIG PAYCHECKS FIRST and then maybe a little effort to find something later. I would much rather see a commission based search. Set the criteria and reward generously. Think outside of the box folks. That's what leaves a legacy.
Does Tim McAnarney make a bi-monthly or monthly report of his activities regarding the City of Peru to substantiate his salary? Before making a decision as to his relevance, is there a checklist of some type or previous indication of some kind that he has qualified as being worthy of his compensation? Basically, I'm wondering about accountability.
ha ha. We will now be told how indispensable having a lobbyist is. Same thing, different year. Shoveling tax money to the connected few.
the council should instruct him to lobby Springfield to pass a budget, then they will pay him. Until then do not renew his contract.
Lets not forget that Peru also joined the EDCNCI, another economic development source.
8:56, that was a stupid statement!!
I think the only economies being developed in the local region are the personal economies of the economic developers.
Along with our economic director Vickery and Oval Wacker and IVAC and MCS and EDCNCI, we also need a Springfield Lobbyist???
Who is getting their pockets lined I believe is the well used phrase for this type of governance?
9:49 That's right! And I believe that's an additional $13, 387/year for economic developement.
It is so ludicrous that Peru aldermen approve taxpayer dollars for Harl to maintain a private lobbyist whose sole duty is to promote the personmal political ambitions of Peru's phony-ass mayor. Step up cowardly Peru aldermen and see if you can manage to grow a pair tonight. You too Alderman Mueller.
10:03 Why?
10:03 I am not sure why you call that a stupid statement. A lobbyist is in Springfield to do what.....lobby! We should all be acting as lobbyist and put the pressure on everyone in Springfield to get their act together and pass a budget. So why can't a paid lobbyist do the same?
Why 10:03?
That Monster Truck Garage they are building on Plank Road is a complete waste!
And now I see that we are apparently going to pay to knock down the old public works building for Dollar General. Are we even sure that Dollar General is a done deal.
So 2:07 where is the public Works going to go since the building they are in is falling down around them and is going to be torn down by the new owners????
Why 10:03?
Said it before, and will say it again. Take a good hard look at all the consultants getting a check from the City. Then take an even harder look at the contribution being made right back into the candidates buckets. Genius!!!
3:12 Apparently the new owners of the old public works building are not going to tear it down. Apparently the city will do it for them. Read McNerny report.
10:03 still waiting on the answer to my why question.
2:57 PM, June 27, 2016 - they also had to pay somebody to determine if the old building can be demolished. Somebody thinks it is historic I guess.
8:57
Why would anyone contact the Historical preservation group to attempt to save this old building? Answer. Please no names.
Nobody contacted a historical preservation group. But Harl sent our Lobbyist to ask the State of Illinois if it was OK to tear down the building. So we paid the lobbyist to go to a bureaucrat's office to ask permission to demolish a dilapidated rat trap. And I'm sure our Lobbyist turned in an expense report for that meeting.
Why on earth they would even ask the question puzzles me. The only thing they did is bring attention to it. Now I'm sure they will be looking in to asbestos and who knows what else.
Absolutely. That building needs Asbestos Abatement, decontamination, dirt removal, and whatever else will drive the demolition costs through the roof. That will keep the "Rat Men" busy through the summer, "working" on the taxpayers dime.
Someone that is very close to the Rat man group informed the Historic group to place a hold on this Peru site. Who has payback on their minds? Review those names and who has that approach?
There are some who are against progress in Peru or at least against the current office holders making any progress. Probably those few who have run in previous elections or who are friends of those friends. Someone places a call to the historic society to block the deal. This is common everywhere, look at the Parks group in Chicago that successfully blocked the new museum. The funny part is those people who claim to hate the government spending money are the ones who cause the government to spend needless money studying the historic significance of a rat trap that was once used for oil changes.
6:53 PM - And narrow-minded nitwits like you with no sense of what made this country great are responsible for the wrecking-ball mentality that wipes out history and tradition in communities with no leadership.
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