"B. Public Works Service Center Air Quality The Public Works Service Center is experiencing ongoing air quality issues in the office and garage areas. Staff has been in contact with several air quality consultants on this matter to help determine the best course of action. The remediation work has been included in the proposed capital budget, which you will soon be reviewing. We will discuss this matter."
Public Works Service Center, Park Ridge, IL.
...some Bad Air, according to an article in the Journal & Topics, and as also discussed in a Public Works Committee Background Memo.
The background memo states:
The Public Works Committee meeting's minutes haven't been posted yet, but we are guessing the discussion did not include asking the architect of record to come in and address what appears to us to be an air pressure/air flow flaw in this award-winning building's design.
Looks like the taxpayers in Park Ridge could be spending some bucks on correcting the problem.
Oh, by the way, the architect of record is Chipman Adams Architects. Yes, that's right - the same Chipman Adams whose name partner, John Chipman, is also one of the principal investors in Norwood's Park Ridge 2004 LLC. The same John Chipman who held private talks with at least two Park Ridge aldermen seeking their "yes" votes - which he got - on a density variance for the condo project at Executive Office Plaza; that should enable his group to make an extra half million dollars or more in profits over what they would have made if the zoning ordinance was strictly enforced.
Think city officials will point out that Mr. Chipman could use any extra profits he, along with his fellow investors, will make off the density variance for the extra units at Executive Office Plaza, to cover the costs involved with correcting the problems at the Public Works Service Center? We don't suggest anybody hold their breath waiting for that.
Well, not anybody except the municipal employees who work at the Public Works Service Center, who otherwise may end up dizzy - or worse - from the diesel fumes wafting into their work space. For those folks, we strongly suggest an immediate visit to their personal physician and a complete base-line physical exam.
January 7, 2008
Thar She Blows...
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27 comments:
If Mr. Chipman can write a letter to the newspapers, to explain the glories of his development ventures...and if Mr. Chipman can go to City Council meetings, to explain the glories of his investment ventures...
Then I would hope Mr. Chipman takes the time to offer his "EXPERT" architectural opinion on how HIS WORK product can be fixed.
Working for an often grumpy public can sometimes make city employees sick at heart, but they should not have to endure being exposed to physically sickening conditions.
Hey bean,
The last part of your comment could apply to the current police department too.
How old is the building, and why is the problem just coming to the surface now?
It seems to me that if indoor parking is a problem we are about to get another building problem in the proposed police station with its indoor parking.
AJ
AJ,
The Pub.Wrks building is a little less than 8 years old. We can't answer your second question.
And your cogent observation about indoor parking is appreciated.
AJ raises an interesting point. If the design is flawed, you would expect this problem to have shown up before the building reached age 8.
The bottom line is that the City better get somebody not only competent but also totally trustworthy to evaluate the situation - and who can explain it in a way that even the most boneheaded City bureaucrat or alderman can understand; and in a way that even the most boneheaded reporter can fully explain to those of us who rely on the local rags to know what's going on in Park Ridge.
they do vehicle maintenance inside part of that building, right? perhaps a ventilation system should have been able to accommodate that when it was built. Let's not allow the same builder to put up a police station, OK?
We should FIX the current problems and not make MORE. Or is that a "duh"?
The vehicle maintence part of the building has a tailpipe exhaust system, like car dealers have. When they are working on the police cars and fire trucks, the mechanics dont want to gas themselves, so I would guess the system is used.
The other side of the builidng is basically a big garage that protects the trucks, snow plows, front end loaders, etc from the elements. Unfortuately, it appears is not vented well enough, the vents are located too close to the air intake, or the doors and windows are not sealed well enough to keep the snow plow exhaust out.
Or maybe the noses of the rank and file are a bit out of whack (and possibly overly sensitive) since they are trying to get a new contract?
Sounds like this comment came from someone very familiar with this award winning building. I work in this building and the only thing I can ask citizens and alderman and whoever would like to see how this sxxt axx ventilation system works is come see it. Come see how depressing everything looks and how the smoke from the main garage bleeds through any opening the building lets it bleed through. the black smoke that is painted everywhere and bleeds through every little opening throughout the building not to mention the water leaking throughout the building .And Yes, this award winning building is still leaking water on 1/08/08! Yes, it rains and water leaks throught this sxxt hxle! This building is a Caxxxr!|People ask why these things have never been brought up like these revelations are new! Well they are not new, your wonderful city officials have made them unavailable to you and have always thought they could be handled in house. In these eight years, they're still here! This building SUCKS! No SxxT! |If you want the truth come see the building and talk to the employees who work here. Not the Yes Men who feed you the B.S. |Please come talk to the employees who work here and find out what a sh|Xt hole this truely is Thank you.
Well Village of Niles has and indoor parking garage... Hmmm they seem to have great air quality. The main thing is that the City of Park Ridge hires idiots that rather put the extra money that they are shaving from important construction cost and putting it into there pockets.
If the people could actually walk into the Park Ridge Public Works Building, you will see what kind of gunk builds up on the walls. That same gunk is in the city employees. But hay, aslong as Zingshiem and Wiebe are happy. Thats all that matters.
The main thing about Park Ridge is, you have a director and an asst Director with no qualifications. To already have so many problems in the Public works building it is insane. Its practically new, and lets see the air quality is horrible, when the power of the building goes off and the back up generators kick in, our main communication, which are the radios DONT WORK. hmmm... last big storm we had, no body could get a hold of each other, our radios did not work. Now come on, is this whole public works thing a joke or can we get a Director and Asst. Director that know what they are doing.
It does not matter if a building has indoor parking, it matters that you have someone who knows the hell they are doing. You would think of Park Ridge as a wonderful place to work. But instead you have People taking cut backs so they can have there wifes look pretty. NO OFFENSE ZINGSHIEM... You would someone would care and take a look at this building. Wheres the mayor? Where are all these damn aldermen? What the hell are they good for? Will the problem get fixed when its finally to late and Employees start getting sick. I mean it took an employee to get struck by a car before proper safety equipment was brought out. So lets actually do something about this problem before its to late...
Anon @5:06,
We believe it was newly appointed Dir. Zingsheim who brought this report before the Public Works committee, making it a subject of public discussion, so the issue could be addressed.
The PRU Crew will be watching to see how he does things and how he handles this issue.
If we feel the Public Works employee rank and file are getting fed bullshit, we won't hesitate to get mean and nasty.
We do have a reputation to maintain. ;-)
Maybe the city needs to stop buying statues that look like crap and fix problems that never should have been there in the 1st place.
I agree with 1-8- @950pm, the City for a long time was not in the practice of letting the public know the ins and outs of City business or the continuous problems griped about by the employees. It is unfortunate these conditions only come to light on a forum like this or through a union grievence.
The fact is most City departments have policies in place regarding the "release of information". Public safety departments require a liason to give a public statement however with exception to our Fire Dept and Chief Dubowski, it is not clear who the liasons are and who can be asked these questions. City employees from Public Works to the Police Dept to the Fire Dept are generaly unhappy but fear political retribution from their supervisors to speak up unless it can be handeled by a union.
But the flowers always look nice in 'Uptown" every summer!!
HELP HELP
THE CITY DON'T CARE
Well at least we know they can drive a beer truck pretty well
In response to PRU, director Zingsheim brought this (report)before the PW committee and made it a public discussion months and years after this problem has surfaced. I guess it took someone to get appointed to a new position to bring up a small part of a large problem. |City employees were asked to investigate and get information about what could be done to improve the building and they actually talked to 6 or 7 different companies about the problem and had people come witness the problem. They all saw the many flaws and suggested some improvements and recommendations. We have gotten several referals (much more than your standard 3 bids the city goes by). All this information has been overlooked and now been dropped into newly appointed superintendant Brian Wiebe's lap. The information and studies have been made. The only things the employees hear about our the cost problems and the possibility of a problem fixed over "years". To be honest with all of you, the damage may have already been done. Can we wait years? If you want to know the damages these diesel fumes and particulates may cause then do some research. This is serious. People have been informed of these problems and like many city problems, the blame gets passed. Many people involved with the construction of this building have retired and moved on so it's easy to blame the last guy. Well, what's the new guy gonna do?
Hello everybody,
It's come to my attention that not everybody is playing nice. Excellent. The Crew likes that.
Here's what we don't like. Libel. Very briefly - Libel is written defamation, which is an untrue and unfavorable statement about somebody. Truth is an absolute defense to accusations of libel.
So, if you say Mr. X is insane, then it better be true.
Here's what else we don't like. Bullshit.
We are sure we do not have to explain to anybody what bullshit is. If you want to make a crack about somebody's ex-wife, then you better find a way to say it that has something to do with the issue at hand, or your bullshit comment will get flushed.
We deeply understand your frustrations and anger. We are deeply honored that you have chosen our blog to share your insights on the inner workings of city government for the citizens of Park Ridge to read. We also deeply understand looking for an outlet to vent that frustration and anger.
But--
No Libel. No Bullshit.
Thank you, and thank you for the work you do for the people of Park Ridge.
PRU.ADMIN
One more thing,
Your supervisors are not politicians. We enthusiastically encourage comment, either negative or positive, about public figures, and those looking to soak up some limelight rays.
We discourage you from disparaging the people you will continue to work with and for when your contract is settled. Think carefully about how much you want to put out there for the world, and we do mean the world, to read about your personal beefs.
Work place conditions, practices, and policy comments are again enthusiastically encouraged.
PRU.ADMIN
I think we have had enough of telling people who already know that theres a problem with the building. Its time that we should go further on and let the others know who need to know. Cant we go with this to the tribune or other sources of information that might just spark the plug?
How 'bout let the police move into 400 Busse and PW move back to 1200Elm? 1200 Elm had its problems but isn't quite the death trap 400 Busse is.
All you anonymous public workers:
If everything you are writing is true, what warm dark place have your heads been jammed into for the past 8 years? How "insane" do you have to be to continue to work in the "sh|Xt hole" public works building with constant "water leaks" and "black smoke" that creates "gunk" build-up on the walls because a "sxxt axx ventilation system" can't deal with the "diesel fumes and particulates" that may have already harmed the employees' health????
Ever heard of OSHA? How about grievances for unsafe/unhealthy working conditions? Why didn't 5-10-20 of you show up in mass at a city council meeting? Couln't you have written letters to the editor of the local newspapers so that the 35000 residents who don't work in or ever visit the PW bldg might become aware of the problem?
Are you all clueless, helpless or gutless?
Remark for post @1:06
Its all in the works, gutless no.
It will all come to a head. It take time to get reports and test done on the building.
I think we should just tare it down and put a starbucks in.
in response to 1/9/08 @ 5:19 p.m., don't mention a family member and or wife ya jack-ass . There's only the people who work beside you and the people who work above you. If ya got something to say, say it about them......dumbass. Thanks for making so many look so dumb. I'd like to say sorry to that wonderful person.
This is for 1/12/08 at 12:19am listen , I give my congrats to Wayne Z. And to the rest of you.. YOu guys are nothing but fence sitters. You talk crap about him and you have so much to say about him, but when he's around your so far up his ass like no one else. Or better yet you invite him to your house at times. Listen hes there for the long run, he worked at PW as a maint. worker, and that he made it so far. I am happy for him, while the rest of you can cry like babies. Grow up all of you and face the facts. Once again Congrats TO Wayne
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