At Tuesday night's Procedures and Regulations committee meeting, aldermen discussed the adoption of a resolution that would place a referendum on the November ballot asking voters if the City of Park Ridge should stagger the election of members of the City Council.
A memo from the City Attorney explains that if the referendum is approved by the voters, staggered terms for the election of aldermen will begin with the general aldermanic election in 2011; where aldermen from even-numbered wards would be elected for two year terms, aldermen from odd-numbered wards would be elected for four year terms, and "thereafter, their successors shall be elected for terms of 4 years."
Of course, the practical effect is to ensure that Frimark's hand-picked alderpuppets are guaranteed full four year terms. And that should Mayor Howard choose to run for reelection in the next 14 months, he will then be able to concentrate his energy and money on himself, presumably with the help of his protected incumbents.
During discussion among committee members last evening, Alderman Allspaghetti (4th Ward), who was originally appointed to the council by Mayor Howard, remarked that council members expected to run for four year terms. Alderman Wsooooolman (7th Ward) reminded Allspaghetti that he, Ald. Wsooooolman, had now had to run for two four year terms. Allspaghetti seemed to have momentarily forgotten his support for the Mayor's council cutting referendum that also cut 7 aldermen's terms to two years.
As reported (without a by-line) in the Journal & Topics, City Could Bring Staggered Terms Back, Mayor Howard explained that aldermen take "a certain period of time" to become efficient in their job, and that the reason staggered terms were removed from the Mayor's referendum to cut the council was because the matter was "too complex".
In light of what we recall of Mayor Howard's criticism of the last council, and his motives for cutting that council, the PRU Crew is enjoying a hearty laugh. The guy actually says these things with a straight face!
In any event, it looks as if any residents unhappy with their current representation will have to wait a full four years, until the 2011 aldermanic election, for a chance to make their sentiments known in the voting booth.
We wonder if their will be anything left in the City's coffers by the time Frimark and his merry band get done bonding, taxing, spending, and gifting the taxpayer's money away to Friends of Frimark and other special interests.
February 7, 2008
2011.
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5 comments:
Maybe. Maybe not. But what ever happened to the recall referendum?
Whether terms are staggered or not, any residents unhappy with their representation will now have to wait 4 years to try to elect new representation, because there is only one alderman per ward now.
The only useful purposes served by staggering terms is to try to avoid a full 4 years of a Mayoral puppet majority...as well as to avoid the potential of electing entirely new councils all at once, who don't have the institutional memory that experience and seniority bring.
The newer and less experienced the council, the more likely it is that the un-elected bureaucrats and wheeler-dealers have control over the gear works of government.
As somebody said last week, this is what Park Ridge asked for. Welcome to it.
"Democracy is the idea that the common man knows what he wants, and deserves to get it. Good and hard." ~~ HL Mencken
Let's not forget that Allegretti was Frimark's handpicked successor as 4th Ward alderman AFTER Allegretti contributed $300 to Frimark's campaign. And neither Frimark nor Allegretti advised the Council of that contribution at any time prior to the Council approving Allegretti's appointment by Frimark.
The only thing I understand about the difference between and open mtg and a closed mtg - is that our wallets appear to be that much lighter when the lights come back on......
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