Good afternoon, PRU readers!
Last night the City Council met and our sources report a lot of tired faces, especially the face on the man who will soon be vacating the big chair. We're also told there was a small and polite smattering of applause as Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt entered the council chamber.
The council meeting began with the usual niceties and then moved on to passage of the consent agenda, which included the final reading of the approval of an ordinance for a special use to allow stadium lights at Maine South High School.
As our regular PRU readers may recall, anything on the consent agenda is not subject to discussion unless an Alderman pulls it off the consent agenda. We're told there were some unhappy campers in the audience who didn't quite understand how that works.
The council then passed some proclamations. Among the proclamations were honors for the Main South Hawkettes Varsity and Junior Varsity squads. We're told parking around City Hall was at a premium.
The council also passed a resolution proclaiming April to be Fair Housing month. Ms. Nan Parson, of the Fair Housing commission, said a few words and wished Mayor Howard well for the future. Our sources tell us Mayor Howard looked as if he wasn't paying attention. This does not come as a surprise to the PRU Crew.
The council then moved on to the first reading of an ordinance creating an O'Hare Airport Commission. Alderman Frank Wsooooolman (7th ward) amended the ordinance to include the requirement that the commission make recommendations to the City Council regarding action to be taken in the area of health issues related to O'Hare airport.
After the amendment to the ordinance was unanimously passed by the council, the 6th ward's Unfriendly Ghost, Ald. Tom Carey, decided it was time to ask about the amendment. He inquired as to Ald. Wsooooolman's intent, which Ald. Wsooooolman explained as being in recognition of health related issues, as opposed to simply recommendations about how to deal with noise issues. With the explanation having been given, the council unanimously passed the first reading of the ordinance creating the city's O'Hare Airport Commission.
The PRU Crew is wondering how much will be budgeted from the City's dwindling coffers for the operation of this commission.
Under new business, Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt recognized Mrs. Gerry Butler who was also in attendance at the meeting. For those who may not know, Mrs. Butler is the wife of former Park Ridge Mayor Marty Butler. Mrs. Butler was one of those who urged Ald. Dave to run for mayor, and she served as his campaign chairman. Mrs. Butler received a standing ovation from those in attendance, with the exception of Mayor Howard.
Also under new business, Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt said he would be creating a Flood Control Task Force and asked that those interested in serving on such a task force submit their names to the City.
The PRU Crew feels most task forces are window dressing for problems the city doesn't know quite how to manage. However, if this task force should demand that the city's entire sewer system be video taped, and that the video tapes currently being made of the city's sewer system are thoroughly examined and explained, they may just produce something useful in the way of information. The City Council lacks any real depth of understanding of the current state of the City's inner-structure and sewer system.
With that the City Council adjourned to closed session to review and approve other closed session minutes, and to discuss pending litigation.
We are told Mayor Howard couldn't clear the room fast enough -- hollering for everyone to vacate the chamber so they could get started on their closed session, even while some Aldermen had left the room to take a bathroom break.
And there you have it people! A quickie council recap!
April 9, 2009
Quickie Council Recap!
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18 comments:
It was truly insulting that Frimark couldn't get out of his own way to acknowledge Mrs. Butler. What a SCOWL on his face.
You forgot to mention that Bach couldn't be bothered to attend.
The current Mayor was truly in a foul mood and screaming at the citizens just shows his continued lack of respect. What a clown.
On another note, PRU, you really wouldn't have to do these reports if the City Council meetings were broadcast to PR residents on a local cable access channel. Perhaps the behavior wouldn't be so crass then.
anony-mouse --
We've suggested all kinds of things that would put our blog out of business. Hell of a goal.
I think you will always have something to say. There is so much to be done in our fair town. Thank goodness we will now have a great leader.
truely a great leader. i will follow. must not ask questions. leader great. i follow great leader. must follow. me worthless. leader great. must fololow great leader
anon 3:04:
I see the intended humor in your post. I guess I would not have been that harsh. I would simply say we, without question, have a better leader then we did the morning or April 7th. As to whether he is a great leader, that remains to be seen.
why was Frimark's election night event at his campaign office? He couldn't find a locale in town that wanted to host his group?
He certainly had enough money!!!
anon 3:40:
I can give you a theroy as to why. I a fairly confident that he knew he was not going to win. They did do polling. I received 2-3 calls throughout election season that had to be gathering voter information. Those polling numbers must have clearly showed him that he had little chance. Why spend all the extra $$ on a venue when you are going to lose.
If one were a conspiracy theroist, that might be why that the FOIA information came out, right at the end of the campaign. Perhaps they were holding it in their pocket hoping not to use it but, again, the numbers were not in their favor - last ditch effort.
Thank god that didn't work!
Ald. Carey needs to do his homework on the issue of aircraft, emissions, the many types of
cancers that have been documented here in two different reports.
Go to the ACS report and the state of Illinois report from Nov 01.
Its time Ald.Carey to wake up.
Air and noise monitors are not going to stop or reduce the plane count here.
The Fed EPA is looking into " lead " count in the air in and around area schools within the collar communities of ORD.
Thank you Ald. Wsol for adding in the health issue to your commission.
Carey's questioning if anything seems suspicious enough that he has not reviewed any of the existing health studies involving the many airports around the country - let alone ORD.
Don't look for the ONCC to help you their either!
This July when its really hot look towards O'Hare and you'll see the glow/haze in the air.
Thank you.
3:39- must not be harsh. must not offend. we are all equals. intended humor not funny. hurt feelings. be nice. must be nice.
4:17
That glow is the exhaust from all the cars and trucks on the tollways. Its in the west because that is where the sun sets.
What is the count between the number of planes versus the number of cars? Two orders of magnitude difference? Three?
Until we all start driving electric cars, complaining about airplane exhaust is like complaining about a dripping faucet in the middle of a NW Park Ridge flood.
And the reports you are referring to are junk science based on bad data. We have been down this road before, nothing has changed.
From an article in a California paper: "The AQMD has already studied the air quality near the Santa Monica and Van Nuys airports. Officials found elevated levels of lead within yards of the runway, but not in the surrounding communities, according to agency spokesman Sam Atwood"
If you really want to reduce risk in your lives, quit smoking (if you do) and drinking alcohol (if you do). Next try pushing for higher mpg limits on cars and trucks that would reduce the greatest source of air pollution we breathe. And trade your SUVs for a car that gets over 30 mpg.
Or you can continue to throw rocks at airplanes. Sooner or later, one my hit you in the head and knock some sense into you.
That was boring. I miss the excitement of the old days. Can Mayor Dave run for pastor of St. Paul?
It was nice to have seen Mrs. Butler there.
She must be over 80 since her late husband was 74 when he died in 1998 and she really looks great for her age.
Wonder if this was her first time attending a councill meeting especially under Frimark?
MIKE --
This was not Mrs. Butler's first attendance at a council meeting, under the chairmanship of Mayor Howard.
We wonder if what Mrs. Butler witnessed at those other meetings was what inspired her to urge Mayor-elect Dave to run?
Televising council meetings is great, but I would rather have them just be recorded and archived online, with a recap just like this with links to the highlights.
Can we hire Melidosian as official videographer and PRU as official town historian? Or would that be pay-for-play... LOL.
Nice job on the recap PRU - I can't make it for council meetings, and I really appreciate your effort!
I disagree. there is a large population who couldn't/wouldn't watch online.
Put it on cable access so ALL of us can watch what is going on!
Not everyone can watch thru the crystal ball like I do!
Hey 5:40PM - your wrong!
Do your homework - first.
Before you state your frustrations.
It works better in the long run.
Peace to you too.
Thanks for the recap PRU. I was upset that I couldn't be there. Howard showed his true colors by not standing for Mrs. Butler. What a baby! Grow up Howie!
4:17 said:
The Fed EPA is looking into "lead" count in the air in and around area schools within the collar communities of ORD.
Bad detective work. Jets and turboprops do not use fuel with lead in it. (Try doing a search for "jet fuel")
So unless O'Hare suddenly is inundated with the Cessnas and Mooneys (general aviation planes) that frequent Palwaukee/Chicago Executive Airport, your connection you are trying to make between and studies the EPA may do and O'Hare being a source of lead is not based on good science (or facts).
I bet you never found all your Easter eggs as a kid either.
Keep looking.
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