Peru City Admin Task Force approved but not without a dispute

A city administrator could be an asset or just another person on the payroll depending on who you ask. And it is a possibility that’s about to be explored for Peru. A group of seven men who hold management or administrative positions at several large companies in Peru make up the newly formed City Administrator Task Force.

Mayor Scott Harl said last month that a town with a $50 million budget could benefit from an administrator. Not every alderman agrees but they are all open to allowing the task force to research the position and offer a recommendation to the city council.

A resolution creating the task forced was approved Monday night but without the support of Aldermen Dave Potthoff and Rodney Perez. They wanted to see the position of city manager included as an option, but it wasn’t. A city manager is different than a city admin by state statute.

City managers can act independently from a city council, a point that has Alderman Mike Sapienza concerned. He voted in favor of the resolution and doesn’t want the position to be an option.

Harl says the work of the task force will be a long process taking many months but he says it can’t hurt and it isn’t costing the city a dime. Harl says he will not try to lead the group in one way.