General Reaction is WTF! -- COW Recap

from: dan-dare.org - SouthParkWallpaper

Good morning PRU readers! Our sources are reporting in and letting us know there was quite a show to be seen at last night's City Council COW! We're working on a recap for your reading pleasure. In the meantime, feel free to add your own observations here.

Long Recap!

Our sources are unanimous in reporting that at last night’s City Council COW they couldn’t hear sh*t! The acoustics in the room are anything but audience-friendly.

Our sources also tell us the council began by discussing the mechanics of how the meeting was to be conducted, as if they had never been in attendance at a committee of the whole meeting, ever, anywhere, at any time.

Despite being blind, the Aldermice forged on.

Alderman Frank Wsooolman (7th ward) commented on whether or not the City should take a look at the local building codes in relation to the O’Hare expansion. The PRU Crew believes Ald. Wsooolman is referring to a sound insulation ordinance.pdf, like the one recently passed by Arlington Heights. The PRU Crew has been wondering when somebody would notice this issue.

In our research of the O’Hare Modernization Program, we have found that it seems unlikely any home built or added on-to after September 2005 will qualify for sound insulation funds through the ONCC. This information is contained in the ONCC's Resolution 2007-5.pdf. It also seems that Alderman Don Bachtard (3rd ward) and Mayor Howard missed the ONCC meeting where this bit of news was discussed, voted on, and adopted by the ONCC membership. And of course, Alderman Bachtard hasn’t reported on this to the Park Ridge City Council.

Alderman Wsooolman was also concerned about the City of Park Ridge’s position on the Olympic games. The 2nd ward’s Lord of the Manor, Ald. Rich DiPietro, said that an individual had written about the Olympics, but that he expected that if the council were to take a position he hoped they would discuss it. The PRU Crew feels that joke kind of tells itself, doesn’t it?

Next, City Manager James Hock let everyone know that the Park Ridge Public Library has a policy that does not allow soliciting within 50 feet of their front door. It seems clear to the PRU Crew that the City Manager hasn’t familiarized himself with the Park Ridge municipal codes just yet, especially regarding the ordinance that covers soliciting (Article 14, Chapter 20.pdf). We have no explanation for City Attorney Buzz Hill’s idiotic agreement on this topic, or why none of the other Aldermen questioned the City Manager's and City Attorney's statements.

Alderman Dave Schmidtzkrieg (1st ward – Mayoral candidate) did ask where this policy is written and by what authority the library could act to determine such a policy. As we understand it, those questions were never properly answered, though the Lord of the Manor did say the policy was established when citizens were collecting signatures for the library referendum in days gone by.

The City Manager also assured everyone the Acting Chief of Police Tom Swoboda had sent a memo to all police department employees explaining that citizens have a right to petition their government. Acting Chief Swoboda also promised he will investigate this matter thoroughly.

There was no agenda line item for the COW meeting that allowed for citizen comment but at this point in the meeting Ald. Wsooolman said as the Public Safety chairman he would make sure citizens had a chance to comment.

The Aldermen went on to discuss, at great length, the City’s tree preservation ordinance and the forming of a task force to look into changing the ordinance. So all you George Washington wannabes step up and volunteer for the City Council’s latest task force opportunity.

The council also discussed an emergency purchase for more salt. We hear the 6th ward’s Unfriendly Ghost, Tom Carey, took the opportunity to try to scare Alderman Schmidtzkrieg, after he asked why the Public Works department was again running out of salt after the City faced this same problem last year. The Unfriendly Ghost took great exception to the idea that Public Works Director Wayne Zingsheim was being accused of poor management. We are told the Unfriendly Ghost made a big show of thanking Director Zingsheim and his staff for their excellent work, noting that while driving back from Greenbay one evening, the Unfriendly Ghost encountered all kinds of terrible road conditions until he got to Park Ridge.

The council also discussed some poor bastard’s efforts to get the hell out of Dodge, a.k.a. de-annexing approximately 40% of his property from the City of Park Ridge and being allowed to be annexed into the City of Chicago. For the time being, it looks like the poor bastard will remain in the warm bosom of Park Ridge.

One of the lengthier discussions during the COW was between the Aldermen and representatives from Shell Oil Co. seeking to limit Shell’s liability for ground water contamination from 2500 feet to 350 feet surrounding 900 Talcott Rd. The PRU Crew thinks this sounds like a really great deal – for Shell Oil Co. Our sources have reported to us that Shell has hired consultants to do “modeling” of the site, which we believe does not involve stiletto heels and a cat-walk. The ground water and soil have been tested and the modeling seems to indicate 350 feet is protection enough for the citizens of Park Ridge in the surrounding area.

Let’s see now, where else have we seen modeling done that said certain types of contamination would not be spread beyond the modeling contour? That’s right PRU readers! The O’Hare Modernization Program's Noise Contour map! All you 5th warders just hush up now! The modeling said you wouldn’t be contaminated with jet noise!

Next, Ald. Wsooolman raised the issue of the South Park Merchants request that the City look into purchasing a property near Brophy and Devon for parking – the approximate price for the property is $895,000.00. And the PRU Crew remains convinced that, while tax revenue can come up short, there is never a shortage of people who want to spend other people’s money.

The Public Works portion of the meeting ended around 9:45 pm and they took a break.

Next up, the Public Safety portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussions of traffic and selective enforcement on Cumberland Avenue. Ald. Bachtard let everyone know that we have to be nice to Jewel Food stores or they may pick up their produce and go home. Mayor Howard promised to sit down and discuss the issue of truck traffic with Jewel – no, not the corporate offices, the Jewel store manager, because in the words of one of our sources, Mayor Howard thinks big! The PRU Crew is wondering why Mayor Howard would pick up the phone to talk to the corporate officers for Oberweis but not for Jewel Foods. Anybody care to take a guess?

The council then moved on to discuss the RFQ for the police station. The council seemed to conclude that they need to hire a consultant to write the RFQ that will be used to hire a consultant for consulting on a new police station.

We have received an abundance of priceless quotes uttered during this portion of the evening, such as –

Ald. Ryan on referendum – “The City doesn’t have to go to referendum. The system is not set up for the City to have to go to referendum.”

Ald. DiPietro on referendum – “The residents have typically lead the drives for referendum, like the library referendum and the council reduction. The only referendum the council put on the ballot was the one asking to stagger aldermanic terms, because that one was so non-controversial.”

Ald. Wsol to Mayor Howard who was yelling at an audience member to sit down – “I am the chairman of this committee and I am ruling you out of order.”

But there is no doubt in our minds that this one wins first place!




Everybody get that? Do not quote Mayor Howard on anything he doesn’t exactly say! Our thanks to a PRU reader for this submission.

Finally under New Business, Alderman Wsooolman let everyone know he plans to introduce a resolution of his own for a referendum on a new police station. Why now Alderman Wsooolman?

Addendum --

Alderman Wsooolman's proposed referendum language is --

"In adopting a capital project to improve the administrative, public, and police facilities at 505 Butler Place, shall the City of Park Ridge require as conditions of issuing any bonds for such improvements that the annual bond payment will not cause an increase in City taxes, or fees, or service reductions as of 2008 levels? The total spent, absent interest and operational costs will not exceed $16.5million. The facility improvement will not require new land purchases and the facility improvements will, where economically appropriate, include green engineering for the purpose of lowering on-going operational costs."

You can view Wsooolman's offer by watching the video below!