Morris police continue to work without a contract. The mayor has no problem spending $9,000,0000 to $13,000,000 on an extravagant new city hall. He has no problem spending $257,000 on the city attorney. And he has no problem "donating" tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to private organizations. Why can't the city find the resources to settle the police contract on fair terms?
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These people in public office have to go back to civics class and our constitutions (U.S. and state). The constitutions mandate only a few items. Amongst them is the "common defense." Certainly this refers to our military and national guards/militia. Any reasonable person would agree that police protection/fire protection should be included.
Our constitutions do not require contributions to Gus Macker, Senreq, high paid lawyers, though. We need people in office who have their eye on the ball, who take their constitutional responsibility more seriously. It's shameful...
The people in city hall have lost sight of their responsibilities. Instead of taking care of basic city services with fiscal responsibility, all they care about is handing out money and favors to friends and family, and raking in the campaign contributions. Is it just a coincidence that those who contribute end up with city money?
Sledge, you are wrong about the attorneys fees. Besides the $257,000 paid for the city attorney last year, the city also paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to the airport lawyer, the landfill lawyer... and yet another lawyer to negotiate the police conract. Did the city spend $1 Million on lawyers last year? Must be getting real close.
It is not uncommon that lawyers pay "referral fees" to a referring colleague of up to 1/3 of everything they bill on a referral. Is the city attorney also receiving referral fees from these outside lawyers? I don't know that answer to that, but if he is, there should be a full disclosure not only to the mayor but also to the full city council and to the public.
I hear that the Mayor used city money to pay for materials on a building that was constructed at the home of a well known contractor in town. A close relative of the Mayor works for this contractor and this contractor gets all kinds of our city work. This same Mayor told me to clean up my property or I would be fined. So how do I get my free shed for all my lawnmowers and yard tools?
Did Scott Belt make hundred of thousands in referral fees last year?
There is no money left for the police after paying all of the mayor's relatives.
The police have gone 14 1/2 months without a contract or raise. The citys negotiating committee have made three offers which the police have accepted and then the finance committee or city council have refused to vote on them. This is items they have offered and been accepted. Just so everyone knows the raises in the accepted contract were only 3 1/2 percent so it is not like the police are asking for anything outrageous, if anything I think they should get more for what they do for us taxpapers.
Why is it taking so long to settle this contract? As a taxpayer I am disgusted that the mayor and our elected city council would let this drag on and on. Our police officers put their lives on the line everyday for our public safety. Why doesn't the city council step up to the plate and insist that this contract be settled quickly? I don't think any taxpayer money should be donated to anything until this contract is settled. And why isn't the Morris Daily Herald all over this situation? I mean, come on now, they couldn't wait to put the D. Brown situation all over the front page, so why not give weekly updates on the unsettled contract??
Dick is no friend of the union man.
Why is there money to send Scooter to Alabama to play softball, but no money for the police?
Kopczick has derailed the deal every time because of petty politics.
can anyone answer why we pay prevailing wages for the trades and not for police and fire
where are we goinng wrong 23 dollars an hour to hold a sign in traffic but 15 or 16 an hour to makes the streets safer
wake up people
Jeff Paulson is a puppet chairman for the mayor. Grow some balls man,or step aside and let Martha take over.
Easy sledge on the city attorney. I mean he busted his ass 9 1/2 hours day last year for that. The mayor and i think it was a bargain.
Dragging out police contract negotiations is an opportunity for the lawyers to make more money.
we need to get the word out about this bulls%@$. The Daily Fluff and local radio certainly won't.
Can someone explain to me why they are even cosidering building a new city hall? Why don't they move into the Lincoln Nursing home? Or Sav-A-Lot? Hey..the Paper Mill has been sitting there empty for 30 years...why can't they use that?
8/19 8:02, Is that why all attorney bills go through scotts office first then city hall? It is the only bill the city pays that works that way.
The mayor is no friend of unions.
The mayor was a member of the meat cutter's union, if memory serves. The mayor is a friend of unions and is backed by union people.
Why didn't Darrel Brown solve this 14 month old problem when he was on the council, or even bring up the matter? He was even a cop!
Was Darrel the chairman of finance? If memory serves i think the mayor and finance chairman are in charge of all hiring and firing. Hey, but i could be wrong. NOT!!!
Is there a reason why the morris police do not have as K-9 unit
The Sheriff's Dept is still trying to negotiate their contract as well..
Ya i had a friend like that once. Then i wised up. Pay me my back wages.
5:13 and 7:12 must be Dickie - blaming others for his own failings.
I feel so sorry for our police officers. I hope they get a fair contract.
This is my favorite Morris blog.
Yo, Rinny--Feeney wouldn't let the police have a K-9 unit when he was in office. Everyone wondered about that. There a K-9 cop for while after Feeney was out of office. The dogs can only work for a certain amount of time--2 or 3 years??-- before they have to be retired.
With a 2.6 million a year budget. There ought to be room for such a powerful police tool.
My newphew is a police officer in town. They live very modestly and have a baby. His wife works and he has a second job doing security. The mayor has no heart for these kids. You have know problem paying your family member city attorney belt an outrageous sum of money that would cover the yearly salaries of least 5 police officers. Shame on you.
Are the rumors about attempted rapes in Morris true?
We need more role models like Tracy Steffes. He is a family man, faithful and of high moral character. Not a ladies man or philanderer.
I heard Tracy is out of the house for having sex with one of the female officers? Role model? Geesh
Dick really doesn't want a k-9 unit. A lot of people about town know the reason, but you will have to ask him directly.
Hey, just ask the morning bartender at Griffins.
Will a K-9 unit sniff his hair follicles? Peeeyewww!
I knew you would not publish the comment on Steffes true nature........
It is well known that one "city official" likes the wacky weed.
Its no secret which city official likes the wacky weed. Talk about it is all over town.
I must be out of the loop because I have no idea which city official likes wacky weed....how can I find out????
Any union contract yet? Dickie, I'm sure you are working on it beings you are such a staunch union supporter, and I'm sure you run the city and don't have others telling you what to do.. How much would back pay be for these officers right now? How many times has Dickie shook hands and said it's a deal on this thing? As many as he has shook telling them their money they paid for bricks was going to build "Raising the Flags" Maybe this 2001 Memorial can go on your blighted area police department/cityhall. Just give me my brick so I can hit myself over the head with it for being such a sucker in Dickie's little scam, "raising the Flags", my a##.
you guys will never guess who he has picked out to run the new waste treatment plant. another fishing buddy. this man is a total joke on our town.
hey 8:45, its the same one that will not let drug dogs in city hall.
Bricks are a bad thing 9:58PM. First came Myron Brick - who turned out to be a real p&i(k. Then we had the bricks for the organization in Coal City to remember children who passed, which now artificially makes babies with racecar sponsorships. Then we have bricks to "raise the flags", and like you said - You wish you could hit yourself in the head with it. We should all learn that bricks are a bad thing.
Is that how I can cut-off a finger and "retire"? The other Doobie Brother left office and closed shop.
How is it that a lawyer who sits behind a desk makes over 300k while the city police officers who risk their lives daily make only 45k? How is that fair?
No contract yet? How can Dick talk about a new building and not solve this contract. The poor cops just keep getting screwed by this guy. He don't have a clue about the contract nor the department happenings.
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