the closing of the Division and Chatham St bridges

[at the council meeting]

Mayor Don Peloquin announced tonight at the city council meeting that the city will completely close the Division and the Chatham steet bridges.

The Western Ave.bridge is down to one lane so if you need to get across town you had better give your self plenty of time!

[Llorac]

What happened between today and the last day of school when the school buses full of children would traverse the bridges? Sounds like the frasor-peloquin team is getting ready for next years election. The city has plenty of money coming in, the frasor-peloquin team is not able to manage efficiently. Oh the games they play.

[jesus]

Blue Island is not responsible for the maintenance of the bridges...Either the State or the Feds are. And since there is no money to be had.....oh well.

[Straight Talk]

jesus wrote:

Blue Island is not responsible for the maintenance of the bridges...Either the State or the Feds are. And since there is no money to be had.....oh well.

Wrong!

[Gary K]

jesus wrote:

Blue Island is not responsible for the maintenance of the bridges...Either the State or the Feds are. And since there is no money to be had.....oh well.

Blue Island owns those bridges and have since Mayor Hart wanted control of them many years ago..Mayor Peloquin has done nothing with them since he's been in office. What happen to the motor fuel tax that's collected to maintain these bridges for the last 24 years Peloquin has been in office?

[Carol]

With all of the wasteful spending going on there is no money for basic necessities like bridge street and sidewalk repairs.

[not sure]

the bridges are open now, right?

[Carol]

Progressive Party Progress.

[new]

any news on this?

[BI Attorney]

Some of you boaters should start a ferry service to get people across the river.

Many of the critical infrastructures in this town are in dangerous condition and it is only a matter of time when a failure will result in tragedy....

ie...I-35W Bridge Collapse

One would also think that with all of the railroads in our town affecting our quality of life the city administration would be able to at least force them to maintain their RR Crossings.

123rd street by the infamous golf course is quite the mess. Has been for a long time and this isn't the only one. Don't they care about their fancy cars suspension when they go to play golf?

[straight talk]

new wrote:

any news on this?

We will find out when we attempt to go that route and its blocked there will be no warnings it will just be blocked one day?

[Tired]

With President Obama giving away federal money, why did the City not focus on the bridges instead of tearing up Western Ave to put in colored walk ways - that had to torn up and redone - oh wait, they are still not done. Maybe they can stay that way all winter and the rest of the businesses in Blue Island will close down.

Can you imagine going down Western in the snow and ice as well as walking the half sidewalks?

Who is really in charge of this project?
Where is the City Planner, why has he not been all over this?

Guess we won't be having the Christmas Lights Parade either in Blue Island.

[BI Attorney]

Just one of countless examples here of mismanagement, sweetheart deals, and corruption. The Fed money was mis-spent, no two ways about it.

[My Thoughts]

BI Attorney wrote:

Just one of countless examples here of mismanagement, sweetheart deals, and corruption. The Fed money was mis-spent, no two ways about it.

Unless you have been hiding underneath a rock since June 29th you would know that the Unions were on strike for almost a month.

No construction was being done anywhere at that time in the Chicago region.

Yes, I would agree that it is mis-spent money. However, it is not Fed Money. It is Our Tax Money. But, because it comes from the Fed down to the Local Level, the local government is told how and where to spend it. That is the problem!
Obama's FAKE stimulus package is such a joke and all propaganda.
How much did the Fed. Gov't spend on the new signs that say "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"? What was wrong with the signs that just said "Construction Zone"?

The Fed takes our money and then tells us how to spend it.

I highly doubt the money was mismanaged at the local level of government.
Anybody who knows anything about Grant Money would tell you that every single penny must be accounted for and numerous reports must be submitted before, during and after the project is complete.

[BI Attorney]

My Thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>
Unless you have been hiding underneath a rock since June 29th you would know that the Unions were on strike for almost a month.
No construction was being done anywhere at that time in the Chicago region.
Yes, I would agree that it is mis-spent money. However, it is not Fed Money. It is Our Tax Money. But, because it comes from the Fed down to the Local Level, the local government is told how and where to spend it. That is the problem!
Obama's FAKE stimulus package is such a joke and all propaganda.
How much did the Fed. Gov't spend on the new signs that say "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"? What was wrong with the signs that just said "Construction Zone"?
The Fed takes our money and then tells us how to spend it.
I highly doubt the money was mismanaged at the local level of government.
Anybody who knows anything about Grant Money would tell you that every single penny must be accounted for and numerous reports must be submitted before, during and after the project is complete.

Are you trying to tell me that BI hires only UNION Labor. Very funny. For every union guy on the job there are at least five that are not. if you think government is corrupt try the construction business at the level of municipal projects.

That money (grant) could of easily been used to fix things that need to be fixed. That is wherein the mismanagement lies.

[straight talk]

My Thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>
Unless you have been hiding underneath a rock since June 29th you would know that the Unions were on strike for almost a month.
No construction was being done anywhere at that time in the Chicago region.
Yes, I would agree that it is mis-spent money. However, it is not Fed Money. It is Our Tax Money. But, because it comes from the Fed down to the Local Level, the local government is told how and where to spend it. That is the problem!
Obama's FAKE stimulus package is such a joke and all propaganda.
How much did the Fed. Gov't spend on the new signs that say "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"? What was wrong with the signs that just said "Construction Zone"?
The Fed takes our money and then tells us how to spend it.
I highly doubt the money was mismanaged at the local level of government.
Anybody who knows anything about Grant Money would tell you that every single penny must be accounted for and numerous reports must be submitted before, during and after the project is complete.

I agree with everything until you get to the" money mismanaged at the local level" Peloquin administration should have put requests in for more important infrastructure issues Bridges=Roads= ETC...

[fiftyone]

My Thoughts wrote:

<quoted text>
Unless you have been hiding underneath a rock since June 29th you would know that the Unions were on strike for almost a month.
No construction was being done anywhere at that time in the Chicago region.
Yes, I would agree that it is mis-spent money. However, it is not Fed Money. It is Our Tax Money. But, because it comes from the Fed down to the Local Level, the local government is told how and where to spend it. That is the problem!
Obama's FAKE stimulus package is such a joke and all propaganda.
How much did the Fed. Gov't spend on the new signs that say "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act"? What was wrong with the signs that just said "Construction Zone"?
The Fed takes our money and then tells us how to spend it.
I highly doubt the money was mismanaged at the local level of government.
Anybody who knows anything about Grant Money would tell you that every single penny must be accounted for and numerous reports must be submitted before, during and after the project is complete.

you say the federal money is a joke? no, the citizens of B.I. understand city hall has squandered an opportunity to use this federal $ to improve deteriorating infrastructure.
i'll tell you what is a joke,-
b.i city hall and friends love to disguise their utter incompetence and mismanagement. they drop the ball again and again then attempt to deflect responsibility.
(in this case, its obamas fault?)
what is not soo funny,-
that b.i. city hall does not care about this town, neither to improve it, nor give residents a fair shake. and it is becoming painfully evident.
the stimulus money was WASTED by b.i. city hall on curbs, streets and bricks, in the uptown area, which WERE in very good conditon.
the signs read "american recovery and investment act" to show the community exactly how local government has chosen to utilize these monies,...
maybe the signs here should read "city of b.i., taking your federal tax dollars and shoving them right up your ass"

[My Thoughts]

BI Attorney wrote:

<quoted text>
Are you trying to tell me that BI hires only UNION Labor. Very funny. For every union guy on the job there are at least five that are not. if you think government is corrupt try the construction business at the level of municipal projects.
That money (grant) could of easily been used to fix things that need to be fixed. That is wherein the mismanagement lies.

No, I am not trying to tell you that BI hires Union only. The regular full-time and part-time employees are primarily union (i.e. fireman, policeman, AFSCME etc.). However, because the Western Ave. Project is a federally funded project it was out of the city's control who they hired. A Request For Proposal goes out and you have Contractors bid and the City has to take the lowest bid. These Contractors are hired and must employee Union Workers. It's a very transparent process and requires detailed documentation.

The Project was a "Shovel Ready" Project.
Yes, I agree the federal dollars could have been used for a better purpose.
Although, that is the problem when you receive federal funds, you must follow every little detail required by the agency that issues the grant.

Do you honestly think that the City Officials are purposefully wanting the bridges and other infrastructure to completely fail?

No, I hope not! If the Mayor and other City Officials are so bad don't you think they would have been voted out by now?

I believe they are doing pretty darn good compared to some of the towns around B.I. but, there is always room for improvement. There are issues that we face in this community and for Blue Island to border the City of Chicago I think that things aren't that bad. I know that we do not live in the picturesque community that Blue Island once was. However, times change and so do communities. It matters how we move forward from here.

The Mayor is up for re-election every 4 years. Half of the City Council changes every 2 years.
If they do not perform as our public servants should, then vote them out.

Run against them and beat them on the issues and prove to the people that you should represent them on City Council and not the other person who happens to be running.

Until then (Carol) don't be upset that you lost the election.

[Carol]

The mayor and the council continue to do a very poor job of managing The City of Blue Island's tax dollars that should have been targeted for the crumbling bridges, streets, sewers, and side walks; after pledging to fix them before the election.

Peloquin is tossing our money around because he lost full time status and the huge increase he wanted was denied; so Blue Island taxpayer's are forced to fund his "jobs for friends and family program."

[fiftyone]

my thoughts wrote- want infrastucture failing?...
"No, I hope not! If the Mayor and other City Officials are so bad don't you think they would have been voted out by now?
If they do not perform as our public servants should, then vote them out"

intelligent answer. thank you for answering more truthfully and dropping the misleading bullshit. Although shovel ready is another way to say "we at city hall took the easy way out" too much paperwork to fix the bridges?
obviously you are part of b.i. city government, so while you are responding, tell us what the hell were you thinking when you hired werner?