Our sources have reported back to us the entertaining show Hammer Time Howard put on for all to see at last night's City Council meeting.
As some of you may have noticed, last night's City Council agenda was nearly devoid of any actual city business. But that doesn't mean that our fine Mayor didn't have his own political business to attend to and, as many of you know, Mayor Howard never misses an opportunity to use city resources for his own political purposes.
After the City Council recognized three brave citizens for helping to save the life of a local woman whose home had been engulfed by fire, then anticlimactically voted to name Ms. Julianna Maller City Manager pro-tempore, Hammer Time Howard's song and dance routine began!
First came the approval of the "separation agreement" with Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill. Alderman Wsooooolman (7th Ward) asked the City Attorney for clarification of any potential conflict regarding the agreement's language concerning the mutual "non-disparagement" clause and the requirement that Caudill cooperate fully with the police department audit.
The City Attorney assured all present that, if the city chooses to disclose the results of the audit to the public, the information could be "managed" in a way that doesn't violate the mutually agreed to terms that the city and Caudill not talk bad about each other.
Alderman Schmidtzkrieg (1st Ward) then asked if the Mayor would be seeking input from the members of the public who were present for the meeting. Not surprisingly, the Mayor said he would not be asking members of the public to participate in the discussion.
Then Alderman Schmidtzkrieg took the opportunity to express his "grave concerns" about the disclosure of the terms of the separation agreement. Schmidtzkrieg noted that a close friend of the Mayor, someone to whom Frimark had given a substantial campaign contribution, had been revealing information to members of the public prior to the City Council's having been informed of the agreement. Alderman Schmidtzkrieg noted that retired police officer, Robert Kristie had been discussing the agreement in public. Schmidtzkrieg then said that the leak of this information was a very serious matter and that since Mayor Howard is a close friend of Robert Kristie, who we reported to you yesterday was overheard discussing the terms of the agreement at a Maine South event, would the Mayor please investigate the source of the leak and ask his friend where he received the information? Schmidtzkrieg indicated that the Mayor should investigate who leaked this information to Mr. Kristie and report back to the council at their next meeting. The Mayor made no comment.
The PRU Crew predicts the Mayor's "investigation" of who leaked the information to Robert Kristie will be as fruitful as O.J. Simpson's efforts to track down his ex-wife's murderer.
The City Council then voted unanimously to accept the separation agreement between Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill, and the city.
Next on the agenda was Mayor Howard's prepared statement on "council decorum". Frimark began by accusing "an elected official" of disclosing confidential information to the press and public that may place the taxpayers of Park Ridge at a disadvantage. He went on to accuse the "elected official" of "laying waste" to the trust of the public. Mayor Howard concluded his rambling and repetitive remarks by saying that he, Mayor Howard Frimark, City Clerk Betty Henneman, Aldermen DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti, Ryan and Carey have all attached their names to the condemnation of the "elected official's" actions.
That Wsooooolman, what a trouble maker!
Alderman Schmidtzkrieg then asked City Attorney, Everett "Buzz" Hill, if the Mayor's remarks and the attachment of the names of 7 of the city's elected officials to the "condemnation" constitutes a violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (IOMA), since the matter had not been discussed and decided upon at a public meeting prior to the final offering of the public "condemnation".
The City Attorney is reported to have swallowed his tongue. The only response the City Attorney could provide at that moment was to offer that "it depends upon how it was done". Alderman Schmidtzkrieg offered that the City Attorney could look into the details of IOMA and get back to the Council on the issue at a later date.
With Hammer Time Howard's song and dance routine having come to an end, the City Council moved rapidly through the rest of the empty agenda.
A few issues came up under "new business", and in a future PRU posting we will have PRUdos to give to IUOE Local 150 and, believe it or not, Benedict Alderman Ryan.
Break it down!
March 4, 2008
Hammer Time Howard!
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22 comments:
Wow - sounds like a real song and dance routine. Say - Can the alderman put together a "hip hop" song for the next mtg/show. Be sure to keep it short like the mtgs.
wsollllllllll man!
I am outraged! What a bunch of slimy cowards!
Wait a minute, all those names were attached to Schmidt bashing document? I don't recall a public meeting involving it. How can that not violate the Illinois Open Meeting Act?
What is going on here? How does one file a complaint?
Again I must ask, can I have Schmidt or Wsol be my alderman? Mine is definitely broken!
I've got a sawbuck that says that certain parts of the $200,000 audit report will be concealed from the public because it is critical of Caudill and, therefore, violates the confidentiality term of the separation agreement. So we're getting screwed again.
ronny b,
To file an IOMA complaint, all anyone has to do is contact the Ill. Attorney General's office.
We suggest making an inquiry first.
The Public Access Counselor at the AG's office handles IOMA issues.
The AG's office/phone directory can be found online -- http://www.ag.state.il.us/about/oagdirectory.html
The AG's email inquiry form online -- http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/email
_ag.jsp
The mayor is really boxed in on this one. If he does not investigate and publicly condemn whoever spilled the beans to Bob Kristie, then he will be admitting that a double standard exists...those who support him get a pass and those who don't get condemned. Of course, what makes it really interesting is that the mayor could be forced to condemn himself since all signs point to him as the source of the leak. Then we'll see if the other aldermen join in the condemnation. What a circus. pass the popcorn.
I am getting sick to death of the political fighting! OUr town has real work that is not getting done!
Do our elected officials not drive on our streets? They are a mess!
Do our elected officials not walk down our sidewalks? They are a mess!
I'm sick of this! Every day another stupid political fight!
I am not balming PRU for reporting it to us. I am just sick of this being what PRU and our local papers have to report to us!
You politicians better cut it out and get back to doing the jobs you promised us!
I am sick of this!
I hate to bring this up again, but people of Park Ridge, this whole shameful, skanky,uber-costly running joke on us is EXACTLY what the old Council was desperately trying to warn the residents would happen if Howard got his way with his anti-representation referendum. EXACTLY. You were warned by those aldermen and you refused to listen. No, your boy Howie was a good guy. So now you know the truth, and what are you gonna do about it? Here's job one: find one of your crew to run for Mayor. Make sure he or she has squeaky-clean skirts. Finance his or her campaign (it will be expensive; Howard's dealerships and developers will be donating to him). And then walk for and with your candidate, speak out for your candidate, help your candidate win and bring back our Park Ridge. Schmidt or Wsol would do for starters, if they're fool enough to agree. If not, find someone else. In the small Louisiana town that Park Ridge has become in less than a year, mayors like Howard are for life. If you don't like that scenario, do the right thing this time. THINK FOR YOURSELF. Then, act for us all.
Anonymous March 4, 2008 2:06 PM:
We're ALL "sick of this," but it isn't going to change by wringing hands and wagging a finger. The only way to end it is to put the blame where it belongs - on the politicians (Frimark and his henchmen, a/k/a DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti, Ryan and Carey) who are running out town into the ground while cutting sweetheart deals with Frimark's carpetbagger cronies (Adreani, Chipman, Napleton, etc.)
Start fighting back: Show up at meetings, write letters to the editor, support Schmidt and Wsol, condemn the ne'er-do-wells, and spread the word to your friends and neighbors that our city government has been hijacked and put up for bid by a self-serving mayor and his lackeys...before it's too late.
Anon. 2:39 is right. It is now King Howard's time. But it doesn't have to be forever.
It's all very sickening and interesting. I wonder why the Mayor didn't immediately deny the implication that he was the one who blabbed? If anybody were to imply about me that I had blabbed a confidential agreement and I didn't do it, I would address that false implication immediately. Maybe our Mayor has turned over a new leaf, if he doesn't have anything nice to say he won't say anything at all.
What could he say? He was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
Or his tongue in his zipper.
Hey anon 3:53, if Howard could put his tongue on his zipper, we wouldn't ever see him in public. Maybe send him to yoga lessons?Problem solved.
I am seriously wondering WHO the person is who said WEEKS AGO that they have petitions ready to pass around to get Howie out of office and also to stagger the terms of the alderworms.
I've been talking to my friends and neighbors and they are ready to SIGN and pass along these. We are ready. Let's GO!!!! Stop BITCHING!!! Let's GO!!!
I believe that the city council will be considering whether to place the staggered terms issue on the November ballot at a future meeting, after they receive some guidance from the IL Attorney General. As I understand it, if the council votes to put the staggered terms issue on the ballot, no signatures are required.
I think it makes sense for as many people as possible to file complaints with the AG's office. Speaking out at city council meeting or making comments on PRU isn't going to solve the problem. I will file my complaint by the end of this week and I hope others will do the same. Also, anyone with an alderman who supported the censure or whatever they called it needs to write to their alderman and let them know what they think about their conduct. Enough is enough!
I agree with 8:24pm statement made.
Mar 4th 2:06 is right on the money.
We are all too impressed with the construction uptown and not thinking of the other safety issues.
Yes - I agree that the streets and bad. Have you driven down cumberland ave. It looks like Baghdad here
and Ald. Frank is trying to get them fixed but what's the progress update here?
Don't we have a state Sen. living in the 7th ward too?
The sidewalks are not cleaned either after the snow ?
This community needs to pull all in the same direction.
Its OK - I guess when President Hillary drives down Cumberland - the streets will be fixed by then.
Thank you.
Who are you guys!? I haven't laughed this hard in forever.
I am so angry over this "separation agreement" of Andy of Mayberry Caudill I could spit. "Separation agreement" my ass. I think it's a form of extortion that we the taxpayers are stuck with. Now that he has trashed the police dept to an all time low, he cleans up with an inflated pension. Give me a break. I have one question. How does he look at himself in the mirror every morning? Oh, that's right we obviously doesn't or he wouldn't leave the house with that squirrel on his head.
Will Howard go outside to look for a new PD Chief?
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