First time in a long time I decided to attend a Peru city council meeting. The usual residents present and a few people who were there because their requests were being considered by the city.
They did not discuss the closed session minutes. Ald. Potthoff said it all was about employee negotiations and no vote was taken on opening them to the public or not.
I think the City Administrator may have responded to one question. Director of Public Works said nothing. Eric Carls our City Engineer spoke about projects and everything pertaining to the Public Works of the City and it reminded me that at one time the city had hired a qualified engineer, in fact they insisted that we hire an engineer and he handled the entire Public Works Dept. for the short time he was here. Why is Eric Carls not handling our Public Works Dept as he certainly understands all aspects of the work involved.
Definitely a different atmosphere at this meeting, a definite lack of cohesiveness is the only way I can say it felt. New bldg inspector was not present. This was the first time I ever heard anyone on the council or even the mayor talk about bringing investment into somewhere in the Illinois Valley, it did not matter if it was in Peru or any other town.
Retail sales tax is down but motel tax is up so it seems to balance it out. Maybe this is the reason.
20 comments:
If no vote was taken with regards to the closed session minutes that were on the agenda then how could the paper say they were put on FILE? Does that mean citizens can FOIA them? Doesn't some kind of vote need to be taken by council?
If your Mayor of Peru what town should you be obtaining for? STUPID ATTITUDE SUCH AS THIS MUST BE CORRECTED BEFORE A TRIP AS FAR AWAY AS SEATONVILLE WITH BOBBIE IS TAKEN ON OUR BUCK.
If the Mayor any other city official brings work into the area it had best be a attempt to first bring it to Peru. Any city representative who disagrees must be replaced. Comments like this makes one wonder if he is not going to run for a IVth term. With this attitude why are people allowing this stupid trip for him and bobbie to China? If you were looking for a job do you think it sensible to travel to China to find one or would you look in your own back yard area? Sounds like a busman's holiday! To quote Jackie Gleason "And away we go".
12:47
The trip to China is to find investment into the region and Peru. When Mayor Baker went to Japan that trip brought Eakas and Unitite. Looking n our own back yard it is almost impossible to get an American manufacturing company to relocate in IL. due to the high tax rate and poor bond rating the state is currently at. Having foreign investment those companies will Federal tax breaks that make it profitable for those companies to build in the state's.
this trip is trying to fid jobs that will hopefully keep our young people here.
Recently the idea of keeping our young people here with jobs was blown all to hell by Peru officials as they showed they are only interested in keeping their relatives here. The landscaping which was done by Peru residents is now being done by a Spring Valley corporation, owned by a relative of another city official, and non Peruvian employees. Peru has a ungodly number of examples such as these mentioned.
Historically to compare Mayor Harl to Mayor Baker is extremely unfair to Harl. Don Baker was a experienced businessman and property owner who owned his own highly successful business. Scot Harl was a Local 150 Operating Engineer which is a honorable trade but in no way prepares one to manage a $50,000,000 business.
The Economic Director, Robert Vickrey, has held this position for years first as a unpaid volunteer working for a expense account only and than asking and getting a pay of $25,000/year. Vickrey has shown very little progress for Peru mainly developing low paying 2 man employment businesses such as gaming parlors and bakeries.
Lois, When my Dad went to Japan, he had already had contact with the Illinois representative Tom Tonaka in Japan. At that time Illinois had an office in Kobe and was trying to get businesses who had facilities in Japan to locate in Illinois. The Japanese companies already had customers in Illinois but needed better just in time response for parts. He met with Eakas in Japan and that laid the ground work for there facility here. The only thing that people should understand is that this was all arranged by Illinois and there was a very specific reason to send my Dad. If the mayor is just going to a conference in China it seems like a lot of money for the city. I think that a more complete itinerary should have been presented before such an expense.
Bob Baker
9:59AM
At what rate of pay from Chinese companies. WE lost jobs to China in past years because items could be made in China cheaper than in the US. So now the owners are coming to this country to invest money into our mfg. sector. We don't work for Chinese salaries, so what would are we to expect? Do you have any examples of investors from China creating jobs that pay well. Personally jobs are only one of the reasons our kids don't stay here. If they live elsewhere and keep track of their hometowns, that would be another reason.
Thank you Bob Baker for shedding some light on a dark situation and providing us with some very detailed and welcome information. You say a detailed itinerary should have been presented and that is exactly what citizens were hoping to hear however, nothing. You also mention the expense well, we won't know how much this trip will cost us until all receipts are FOIA'd after they return. It will never be publicly released nor will the details or results of the trip be public knowledge. Sad but probably true!
Peru officials are only interested in their own greed of acquiring more and more for themselves. This greed is so open that young people do not want to build a career in such a environment.
Peru decision makers are outdated in a fast moving economy i.e. refusing the theatre complex. What else is refused we never know because they only go as far as Special Meetings. The shopping previously done in Peru will lessen and the number of people of Peru who travel to buy and those who shop online will greaten. Peru is too stagnant and stingy to interest its young to stay home.
Peru needs progressive role models whom honestly take a interest in its young not the present who fear competition and shun the young who are equipped to give it to them.
4:53 PM
Thanks for insight Bob Baker.
what can we do about this mess that keeps getting elected/appointed?
Mr Baker- Thanks for your thoughtful and insightful comment. Most of us wish your dad was still our mayor, the negative campaigning that brought the current mayor into office was uncalled for and very dishonest. We all know who those people are who spread those false rumors and lies. Times do change and not always for the better.
From what I am hearing this China trip is organized by the state of Illinois and a local business person. I do wish our Mayor success in this venture as I wished Mayor Baker when he went to Japan.
11:44 Nov. 5th
If what you say is true why all the secrecy? Since many citizens of Peru have concerns why not release the itinerary and details of the trip including its' cost? Doesn't government realize that when you keep things under wrap it makes people more suspicious? Besides representatives from Peru what other Illinois Valley town when be represented? Haven't heard anything with regards to that topic.
Read the Ottawa Times 11-8, it verifies the trip and the details. Peru discussed the trip in great detail at the last city council meeting. I am sure that the minutes for that meeting will be posted soon. Nothing was secret. The trip in nothing more than economic development for the entire area. It is truly remarkable that some want to create conspiracy.
Thank you to those who want to believe the area has potential and good bye to those who constantly berate anything new.
9:28 AM
I was at the regular city council mtg that you are referring to and nothing was discussed of any consequence. You are evidently are referring to another mtg and if this was discussed at another mtg where there were none to a few Peru residents, it would have been decent to repeat what they had just discussed to the large number of people who came for the reqular mtg. That is if they wanted to be open and honest.
9:28 What are you talking about? Peru did not discuss the trip in detail at the last city council meeting. You say nothing was secret - really? Then tell us who is all going, how much were the tickets, what is the itinerary, and any other information you gathered from the last city council meeting. I've watched the video and listened carefully to the audio and can't seem to find the same information you seem to have gathered from that meeting.
12:12
please post the minutes when available and we will see who is the conspiracy expert.
The minutes won't be released until they are approved at the Nov. 13th meeting. The video is already on line.
ANd you are all a bunch of loons and country fried hillbillies
9:58 PM
Thank you. Just for giggles would you inform us of a self description of yourself. Hang tight bloggers this ought to be the Blue Ribbon Winner of the Hog Show.
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