LaSalle Insider

Every Mayor wants to have something to point to  from his administration that signifies what he accomplished during his term(s). In recent history I think Mayor Brady can say he took a city that was literally “in the red” and turned it around in his term.  Mayor Murphy extended our eastern boundary to Rt 178 and ran water out to a new business started under his terms called JC Whitney.  Mayor Washkowiak picked up the ball and added additional territory east and north, refurbished the library, and did a lot to make the Rotary Park a soon to be reality as well as laid the groundwork for the east end treatment plant….which brings us to Mayor Grove.

I realize its been only a year and he has time to change direction but thus far one would have to refer to him as the “event mayor”.  We have had the “miracle on First”, the revival of the “St Pats parade” and the upcoming  “Celebrate LaSalle”.  While events which draw attention to your City in a positive light aren”t bad as a rule….one has to look at the cost versus reward formula.

The latest event upcoming will cost the city(read taxpayer) over $7500 before we add the cost of overtime for both city workers for setup and take down as well as police for added coverage on the weekend.  No other city locally comes close to the number of city sponsered events we have done or will do this year.  All this while we continue to deny any requests for charitable donations to local nonprofits.  Is this the best and highest use for your tax dollar?   I don’t think so ..how about you?

I am not alone on the council…many of the finance committee members think this spending is getting out of control,unfortunately they are not voicing their opinion when it counts….on the floor during a formal meeting.

The neighbors surrounding the park where “Celebrate LaSalle” will be held have not been consulted as to how they feel about this event again being held in their backyard.  Some say its like turning our neighborhood into “Wrigleyville” without the property value increase.  Some, not all, will use local yards as a place to relieve themselves as well as deposit beer cups/cans/bottles when they are done with them.

But with all of the above being a problem, one of the most appalling things is that the Mayor does not discuss the possibilty of holding these events  in the future, he merely tells the Council after the fact that this is what he is spending on the event after he has  committed to contracts which we are obligated to pay for.

He has become like an unruly child leaving his parents to pay for his uncontrolled urges……this must stop…and soon.

I find some of the comments I hear by the uninformed so amusing.  I voted against the request by ASCAP  to send them $305.00 so we can play music from a radio in city hall.  That’s right…if you put the local music station on your PA system in your business you should send ASCAP a license fee.  Never mind that the radio station already pays a license fee you must do so as well.

Alderman Ptak says that in his store several years ago in the mall ASCAP reps forced them to pay a fee because it was piped in his store.  Do you think that’s acceptable?  If we turn the local music station on at the LaSalle Pool and play it over the Pool speakers we are supposed to pay a fee…

That in my world is stealing.. and I refuse to pay ransom to some organization just because they ask for it.  These artists are double,triple,etc dipping if they think that just because you play a radio station over a PA system you now should pay a fee.  How long have musicians begged for airtime to get their music heard and now we have come full circle and they want to be paid basically by everyone within earshot even though they are paid by the stations airing it!

The Municipal League of which we as a city are a member has not taken a stand on this recent issue…that means they have not told their member cities to pay this or not pay this but have taken a wait and see attitude.

We apparently can’t wait to pay..which is laughable.  Let me ask you these two questions….if  you agree we should pay would you take the same stance if the fee were higher…say$2,000 to 4,000.00?  How about if it included every time you personally turned on your radio in your car or at home?

What if you were automatically charged a fee (or Tax) everytime you listened to a song on your Ipod as you exercised?  Would you support this  fee then?

The truth is that’s what ASCAP is hoping for and they already charge some cities much higher fees based on population and are trying to get people who share music they have paid for with others a fee as well…

Funny though if you listen to talk radio ASCAP doesn’t charge you…

They can’t….yet….

First let me say that it  has been a few weeks since I have posted any new story and much has happened since that time.  Let me use this opportunity as an update .

At the last council meeting of  May 3rd one issue presented was the donation of funds to the Better Fishing Association.  I was the only alderman to vote no to the recommendation of the finance committee to donate $250.00.

It’s not that I am against the activities that they oversee its that donating any funds  to outside agencies has been denied for well over a year due to the tough economy and shortage of revenue to the city. It would be hypocritical to deny everyone else but this organization. They are all worthy operations.

One added note on the above….we taxpayers already donate funds in the way of added police coverage during the fishing event in LaSalle not to mention that food was supplied as well.

A 3% increase was given to the city workers as well as the police officers in the last contract negotiations.  Those not in a union received a 3% increase as well.  The unemployment rate in the private sector remains at or above 10%.  The unemployment rate in government positions hovers around 3%.

Draw your own conclusions as to why that is…..

“Celebrate LaSalle”   is coming the first weekend in June. (4-6).  This was previously called LaSalleFest and done away with a few years back under the previous Mayor.  It deserves it’s own story so please read more in the upcoming article….

We are limiting the number of Tattoo and Body Piercing businesses in downtown LaSalle.  Those already established are safe but no  new businesses  will be allowed to open.  Let me hear your comments on that change……

Finally  I’m sure you all saw the article on the “volunteer” canal boat recently in the News Trib.  Seems they are adding an extension on the trip to make it more appealing……until it can navigate to Utica I don’t think ridership will pickup..and by the way Anna Koval was quoted as saying that they never looked to the City for any funding of the boat.  Anna I think your memory isn’t what it used to be….I recall on more than one occasion the CCA asking the city to back and be responsible for some if not all the cost of the boat in exchange for ownership of the vessel.  Fortunately the Council realized that it was not a cost we could bear and funding came from the State and Federal sources along with a reduced cost for the building of the boat.

I do wish the boat well but I don’t think the CCA will see the proposed ridership of 60,000 annually anytime soon.

And one more note…if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery I want to thank and wish the LBA (LaSalle Business Assoc) well in their new website.

It’s called the LBA Insider….lets see we take LaSalle and Insider and insert Business Association in the middle….excellent!