Isn’t it time to move?  How can you promote a city to live in and work in and bring your business to if its not good enough for the man promoting it?

Last I checked Don and his wife lived at 3006  St James Drive, PERU!

His business is in Peru and before he says its his wife’s business check out his website.  There you will find him prominently displayed as a director of the business.  His websites are mytupperware.com as well as true vision enterprise and businesscoaching4U.com.  Don’s a very busy guy and I understand his wife Donna has a position at St Bede Academy.

Just seems that if I am trying to sell a Chevy I shouldn’t be driving a Ford!

I ‘d like to hear your thoughts…..

a safety reminder that school is starting/a salute to summer youth ball teams/a go lp cavaliers advertisment/a salute to the graduates of High School back in May/Fishing Rodeo/…

That’s just a few of the latest ads where we are the only city spending money on large ads (usually the largest ad of any of those shown) and yet we make no contributions to any charities during this economic downturn.

Its time the finance committee reeled in this addicted ad buyer and closed the checkbook!  Please take a moment and look at the street in front of your house or the increase in your water bill and ask yourself “is this the best use of my tax dollar?” If you agree with me call the Mayor’s office and tell him to just say “no!”  Better yet tell him to lose the News tribune”s phone number.

They have become the pusher for his addiction and our Mayor needs an intervention from the Finance Committee….and soon!

First let me say that not renewing is no reflection on the ambassadors and volunteer help  of  IVAC. These individuals do a great deal of good and donate much time to the cause.  Many are business owners themselves and are appreciated for what they bring to their respective communities.

The no vote from my perspective is due to the fact that our Mayor insisted on an economic directors position for his administration.  As you know I was not supportive of this decision by the Council but was outvoted.

The initial passage of this position came with the understanding that we would review it in one year.  This was done recently and no criteria was used to determine whether the position was worthwhile to continue or not.  Instead we were told that Don was doing a good job and we should extend the position for three more years.  Again I opposed the vote due to the fact that no information was forthcoming as to whether the position had accomplished anything worthwhile.

Fast forward to last Monday night where we were asked whether we should renew with IVAC or not.  Last year at this time I thought we should not have due to the fact we had an economic director on staff and we were in (and still are) a tight financial situation given the current economy.

My feelings haven’t changed this year.  We now have Director for the next three years and IVAC is going through a transition with a change in their Director.  It will be sometime before things are settled with IVAC’s operations and I still feel we are in an economy where expansion by major businesses is not going to be taking place.  The prudent step is to wait for a year and revisit the idea.  It also gives us a great opportunity to rate the job Don is doing for the city.  Hence my no vote to renewal at this time.

I want to add that I commended the Mayors of LaSalle and Peru on Monday for their investigation into the IVEZ (Illinois Valley Enterprise Zone).  The board that oversees this  is called the ZMO or Zone Management Organization.  This group is made up of the current mayors of LaSalle, Peru, Oglesby,Village President of North Utica and the LaSalle County Board  Chairman.  Recently Mayor Grove and Mayor Harl raised questions as to what the expenses were to administer this program currently done by IVAC.  They have not received any real answers from IVAC. They have also suggested that other entities should be allowed to compete for the chance to administer this program perhaps at a fee lower than what IVAC is currently receiving.  I applaud their efforts to investigate and look forward to finally getting answers back from IVAC concerning this matter.

Finally, with all this talk about IVAC and new business development I want to suggest to Don that he not lose focus on those businesses already here.  We should thank these companies for coming here and STAYING here.  We need to attend to their needs  and not forget that they are vital to our survival as a city.  From one city official to all of you businesses out there….THANK YOU!

Please understand that the Mayor as well as our Public works director already had computers.  These were upgrades for them.  Don had been using his own laptop since he was hired so it was felt that we had to get him a city  owned laptop.  I still have some unanswered questions….

1 Why laptops when desk tops are cheaper and serve the same purpose…and before you tell me that they are mobile let me tell you that the mayor leaves his in his office at city hall.  Besides we have survived with desktops just fine.

2. Why wasn’t this discussed on the floor before the Mayor decided to buy…what was the rush?  We just discussed a $1,000. add on to a construction project the meeting before with the full council.

3. Why three?  couldn’t we survive with one or two and give Don one of the remaining computers we already had?

4.Why wasn’t this shopped around for the Council to get some competitive pricing? The mayor said they used Connecting Point because we dealt with them before…so what?

Its amazing to me that the mayor can make some strides in reducing unnecessary spending one week and then go on a shopping spree with your money the next.  He hasn’t learned yet that the checkbook belongs to the taxpayer not the Mayor.Before he buys again he should ask himself one question that we are faced with personally everyday in this economy…is this a want or a need?  If its a want…forget about it.

Make no mistake this event is all Mayor Grove’s.  The Council, if it wanted to, cannot take any ownership in it whether its a huge success or massive failure.  We were told after the fact  when  it would happen and what it would cost.  For the sake of the taxpayer I wish it well so we can recoup as much money as possible to put back in the general fund.

One question I have is the suggestion that its geared this year around the “family” and “family fun”.  Now I enjoy a cold beer as much as the next guy but the first item everyday in the ad is the hours for the “beer garden”.

Is the idea that the kids can enjoy face painting and watermelon contests while mom and or dad spend their time at the beer tent?  When its time to go will mom or dad be okay to drive?   After all on saturday the schedule calls for the beer to start flowing at noon and end at 11 that night. Meanwhile family fun is going on all afternoon right next to it…

This leads me to a new source of revenue for our city…..why not have beer sales during little league and minor league games during the season?  After all mom and dad would enjoy a couple of cold ones during the hot evenings while junior is flailing away at another pitch outside the strike zone.

Let’s not forget the girl’s games either…we can setup shop at St Mary’s field as well.  Instead of softball players in the adult league having a beer or two by their cars after their games why not make it mandatory they have to drink at our  city Pub in the Park?

Hey, family fun is family fun…if the city makes a little revenue to help reduce taxes whats the harm?

What do you think?

In tough economic times organizations have to continue to find new ways for revenue creation.  It seems this is ASCAP’s  latest scam.  Send off requests for fees based on their idea of what should be paid by cities of different populations.  Set the fee low enough that many cities will pay instead of  spending legal costs to research it.  It seems common sense and public officials don’t go hand in hand….but when has it?   After all it’s not their money…..but I don’t want to paint with a broad brush…I can’t find another city but us who fell for this….beam me up Scotty!

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.

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….

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!

We haven’t reached that point yet here in LaSalle  but I am getting very nervous about our financial situation…let me  explain…

During our last council meeting on April 19th we made some line item adjustments  to the appropriation ordinance prior to the end of our fiscal year which ends 4/30.  Its a common occurrence to do a bit of financial housekeeping to balance these individual accounts.  The problem this year is the LARGE adjustment made regarding Tif 1.  We underestimated the payment to a developer which had to be made this year to the tune of over $229,000!  We thought it was going to be around $45,000.

I’m not blaming the Mayor , past or present, or the comptroller or the developer, or our TIF attorney Tom Jacobs because frankly I don’t know who missed the boat on this estimate and since the check has been written and paid, that “boat” has sailed!

My point and concern is that we need to find $229,000 that we thought we would have, much like Uncle Billie when he went to make his deposit and accidentally “lost ” it to Mr Potter.  The clock is ticking for us because we owe the State of Illinois for our portion of the interchange work being done at Rt 80 and Rt 178.  Our bill, I’m told, will be $227,000.  It hasn’t been presented yet but its only a matter of time till it is.

We don’t have many options when it does get presented. Either we cut back on current spending and/or borrow more money to pay it.   We cannot continue to spend the way we do on unnecessary advertising, public events paid by tax dollars and extending positions that don’t make fiscal sense in these financial times! Let’s not forget we have employee contracts that are getting negotiated and will most certainly bring added expenses to the city as well.

At the end of “It’s a Wonderful Life” the locals and friends of George financially bale him out….in our case if it gets bad enough the citizens may be forced to bale us out in the form of higher taxes…and nobody wants that!

Well I should cut him some slack after all he is busy planning the new” LaSalle fest”…..stay tune to hear what our end of this event will cost.

I have heard a large number mentioned as  the city’s investment in this event.  Those of us who live near Hegeler Park are not amused by the resurrection of this beer party…what do you think?

I guess for some that’s enough…I mean after all its a government position and we all have come to expect little in return for our tax dollars.  Is it any wonder why the government jobs unemployment rate is 3% while the private sector is in double digits!  As our ex governor would say..” this job is golden!”

Spring Valley has seen growth recently thanks to their part-time Director and Oglesby has used an hourly person (not to exceed 20 hours a week) while Peru just hired a volunteer to be their economic director.  Somehow our Mayor and the majority of the council still feel we know better and have a full time director in this economy. If you add up all the moneys spent on this position we are looking at an annual payout of almost $80,000.00

No other city our size is doing that!  We have never received a report stating number of new businesses or vacant buildings now occupied versus businesses lost or new empty sites from our director. Gee I wonder why?

Maybe its not going as well as we thought…

Well we are all paying for it, so next time you wonder why we can’t fill your pothole or why your street will just have to wait, remember we are spending 80K on economic growth….so I guess you will just have to call our Mayor and ask him if the trade off is worth it…you tell me.

Oh, by the way, Don still lives in Peru, he has a business in Peru and his wife works in Peru….and his job is to sell LaSalle….anybody else find this a little funny?

But I can’t be too hard on Debbie, after all she did improve health care for some….herself.  Thanks to being elected once she has the best health care for herself for the rest of her life.  Lets hope the voting public doesn’t repeat this mistake again in November.

I will admit that we need some changes in health care insurance coverage, but we  have the best HEALTHCARE in the world now.  I implore you to watch the youtube video currently posted here on my website. It truly gives you a clear picture on what we can expect and why we can’t allow this change to last.

Oh and one last thing, lets not leave Senator Dick Durbin out of this mess.  He stops by at the Veterans home in LaSalle to talk about money coming to the home but forgot to bring the check!  I think I’ve heard this song before…and he talks briefly about all the good in the healthcare bill (read freebies to all) and doesn’t really talk about the costs.  I think we are all in for a case of buyers remorse very shortly……

However……over a month ago I brought up on the council floor the need to correct the broken windows at the Matthiessen School building. At that time there were two which were obviously broken by vandals and in need of repair.

More recently as I checked out the site I found that in addition to not correcting the previously noted windows more than 6 others were now added to the list in need of repair.  This building is referred to as an “attractive nuisance” in insurance lingo because if left in its present state it draws certain elements who would vandalize further or enter and do internal damage as well.  God forbid someone gets hurt in the building because we would certainly bear  a portion of the responsibility for  not correcting these problems as they were made known to us.  For those of you who don’t know or have forgotten the City owns this building.

How hypocritical is it that we preach to the private sector to correct their eyesores while we ignore ours?  We should be ashamed and take immediate actions to fix this taxpayer owned deteriorating building.

I certainly hope the Mayor doesn’t subscibe to the old saying of  “Do as I say, not as I do”…