Business As Usual!

There is one thing we can say about the Frimark administration: there's never a dull moment, if you like confusion and stupidity.

Tonight's City Council meeting agenda is chock full, and if the meeting goes as we expect, there will be plenty of confusion and stupidity.

We hear that the City may take the position, along with the local Ministerial Association, that the proposed PADS homeless shelter is a "religious ministry" and may not require a special use permit. The PRU Crew disagrees.

The St. Mary's Episcopal Church Messenger (.pdf), characterizes the Journey's from PADS to Hope organization as a "ministry" and concedes that the PADS program is a new ministry for local churches. Last we checked, the Journeys from PADS to Hope organization is a social services program that does not conduct religious services. We hate to nit-pick, but ministering to those in need is not a function of religious beliefs. It's merely a function. And in the PRU Crew's opinion, the PADS function of the Journeys organization is a lack-luster performer.

We hope the City isn't confused about that and will require that the proper procedure for receiving a special use permit will be demanded of PADS, just as it is being demanded of Christie's Carousel of Learning Child Care Center, which the City Council will be voting on tonight.

The City Council will also be voting tonight to hire Ekl Williams to do an "audit" of the Park Ridge Police Department. The PRU Crew feels Ald. Wsoooool man (7th ward) is correct when he questioned the final bill the taxpayer's will get stuck with after this audit. We also wonder why Mayor Howard Frimark was allowed to be a voting member of a City Council subcommittee? In any event, we believe the outcome of this investigation is somewhat preordained. We got a hint of things to come from a quote by Ald. Allspaghetti (4th ward) in a recent article in one of the local rags, when he said, "I think a lot of our problems retired," Allegretti said. "But that being said, there are still problems that need to be addressed and looked at." Look for former Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill, to take the blame for all things wrong in the police department. And we expect that, despite Allspaghetti's disparaging comment, the non-disparagement clause in Caudill's separation agreement will be cited when the City refuses to release the findings of the audit in full.

At tonight's meeting, we are also hoping to learn more from Mayor Howard Frimark and the City Council about the rumored closing of Napleton Cadillac. And what effect, if any, such a closing would have on the recently inked deal to give Napleton a total incentive package of $2.4million for staying to do business in Park Ridge.

Finally, we hope at least one of our representatives will cast some light on what the PRU Crew believes may be another illegally closed meeting being orchestrated by Mayor Howard in his efforts to woo the new City Manager candidates. There are restrictions in the Illinois Open Meetings Act that require the recording of verbatim minutes (.pdf - pg. 5 & 10) for closed sessions. Does the Country Club have recording equipment? Will the private Country Club allow the public to attend the open portion of the meeting to observe the open session vote to go into closed session?