As always, we thank our faithful PRU readers for your patience. The Motionbox magic was extra sluggish yesterday, but all 4 videos from Monday night's Council meeting finally uploaded.
So! Without further ado --
video #00002.MTS PRCC 11-16-09
Begins with the usual Council festivities
@01:29 mark -- Consent agenda
@03:15 mark -- Mayor's report
@22:35 mark -- Park Ridge O'Hare Airport Commission update
video #00003.MTS PRCC 11-16-09
Begins with Ald. Rich DiPietro explaining how the City budget and expenditure process works to his fellow Aldermen. Don't be alarmed, good citizens of Park Ridge, these are well-intended volunteers -- you should not expect well-intended volunteers to understand what they've been doing for more than two years.
@03:09 mark -- Director of Finance Diane Lembesis also attempts to explain the City budget and expenditure process to the Aldermen.
@10:15 mark -- PROAC Chairman Jennifer Perry informs the Council that a budget for PROAC activities will be submitted to the Council for next year -- B.O.H.I.C.A!
@11:15 mark -- City Council report begins with Ald. Don Bach making nice with Mayor Schmidt. Ald. Bach then reports on the 3rd Ward meeting he conducted with Rosie Mulligan to help residents with property tax complaints. We learn 15 people were in attendance -- the majority of whom were not 3rd Ward residents.
@13:15 mark -- City Clerk's report -- the Dec. 28th Council meeting is cancelled
@14:17 -- Residents address the Council on Non-agenda items -- begins with the owner of 32 Main St., Mr. Michael Athens, asking for relief from the Special Use permit process for properties already in existence as office uses.
@19:45 mark -- Ald. DiPietro suggests an application be made directly to the Planning & Zoning Commission
@23:29 mark -- Resident Ms. Missy Langan asks the Council about the progress of the Executive Office Plaza/Norwood Builders development. Here the PRU Crew shed tears over all the people who were said to desperately be in need of Senior Housing but for whom the development has not yet been built.
@24:35 mark -- Director of Community Preservation and Development Carrie Davis informs the Council that the City Attorney and the EOP developer have been communicating.
@25:30 mark -- Resident Jorge Zavala inquires about preventive measures for sewers and leaf pick-up
@26:00 mark -- Director of Public Works Wayne Zingsheim almost loses his religion, but manages to smile about it; Assistant City Manager Julianna Maller (seated behind Zingsheim) does not. Jeez!
@28:15 mark -- Mayor Schmidt manages to regain control of the meeting
@29:08 mark -- We learn Ald. Bach was looking out the window during the 3rd Ward meeting
@30:18 mark -- Mayor Schmidt reads his response to a letter from the Planning and Zoning Commission
@31:27 mark -- Ald. Joe Sweeney begins his Planning and Zoning Commission report on the text amendment, TA-09-02 and reads the aforementioned letter from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
@36:51 mark -- The Ald. James Allegretti show begins and includes Ald. Allegretti's blatant cherry picking of the City Attorney's opinion and advice.
@47:10 mark -- Ald. Allegretti calls the Planning and Zoning Commission a "black hole"
@47:55 mark -- Ald. Robert Ryan remarks that he continues to "get an education from Ald. Allegretti." Aha! That explains everything! Ald. Ryan motions to amend the text amendment to require a super majority vote by the Council to overturn denials from Planning and Zoning.
video #00004.MTS PRCC 11-16-09
Begins with continuing discussion of Ald. Ryan's amendment, which is withdrawn. Then, Ald. Bach moves to amend the main motion to make super majority votes of the Council required across the board to over turn denials from Planning and Zoning.
@03:25 mark -- The Ald. Allegretti show begins again and includes Allegretti lamenting the "emasculation" of the City Council
@07:50 mark -- Ald. Bach responds to Allegretti's lamentations that the Council votes should be consistent and his amendments "sends a message" to Planning and Zoning of their value
@08:59 mark -- Ald. Sweeney remarks that he supports the amendment
@10:08 mark -- Resident, and PRC Uptown redevelopment architect, Mr. Andy Koglin addresses the Council and opposes the changes being made to the Planning and Zoning Commission process
@11:53 mark -- Mr. Koglin repeats the big lie about the lawsuit holding-up construction of the Uptown redevelopment and the City Clerk amen corner can be heard in the background
@15:00 mark -- Resident Ms. Pat Livensparger addresses the Council
@16:10 mark -- Resident, and CURRB spokesperson, Judy Barclay addresses the Council
@17:18 mark -- Planning and Zoning Commissioner Joe Baldi addresses the Council and explains the "character" of the Planning and Zoning Commission and explains the difference between policy considerations and political considerations
@24:31 mark -- Ald. Thomas Carey asks Commissioner Baldi his opinion on whether the requirement for a super majority vote by the Council would mitigate the potential for political influence.
@30:07 mark -- The Ald. Allegretti show resumes with Allegretti again lamenting that what the Planning and Zoning Commission recently considered as a text amendment for billboards was not what the City Council sent down to the commission for review -- translation; "you people didn't carry our water and give us something to hide behind!"
@32:07 mark -- Ald. Allegretti says, "Developers say no to Park Ridge" because their plans "will die" in the Planning and Zoning process. The PRU Crew feels Allegretti is assuming facts not in evidence...or...does Allegretti know something we don't?
@32:30 mark -- Ald. Allegretti accuses the Planning and Zoning Commission of being "conservative to a fault"
@34:33 mark -- Lady Allegretti doth protest too much, we thinks
@34:57 mark -- Ald. DiPietro recalls his Roberts Rules of Order and requests a "point of order"
~~ the Allegretti show continues for what seems another eternity ~~
@36:52 mark -- Mayor Schmidt remembers he's the chairman of City Council meetings and interjects remarks into the discussion
@37:24 mark -- Ald. Ryan asks Commissioner Baldi whether denials from Planning and Zoning could previously be over turned by a simple majority vote when a text or map amendment is sent to Planning and Zoning by the Council -- Baldi answers "yes"
@38:15 mark -- Local attorney and Zoning Czar Jack Owens addresses the Council -- nuff said.
@41:45 mark -- Resident Ms. Carla Owen (no relation to Jackie boy) points out the obvious
@43:14 mark -- Resident Mr. George Kirkland talks about traffic because old dogs like old tricks -- we mean that in the nicest way
@44:29 mark -- Ald. Sweeney points out more of the obvious
@45:35 mark -- Zoning Czar Owens gets special dispensation to speak before the Council again...and runs off at the mouth
@47:09 mark -- Resident and PRC architect Koglin again addresses the Council
Video ends just as the Council readies to vote on the super majority amendment, remember that? The amendment was supposed to be what all the yak yak yakking was about.
video #00005.MTS PRCC 11-16-09
Begins with the Council vote on the amendment to require a super majority vote to over turn denials by Planning and Zoning. The Council votes 4 (Sweeney, DiPietro, Bach and Wsol) to 3 (Allegretti, Ryan and Carey) to adopt the amendment.
@00:43 mark -- Ald. Frank Wsol questions City Attorney Buzz Hill on language in the text amendment
@06:00 mark -- Ald. Wsol motions to amend the text amendment to clarify language, and the Council unanimously votes to adopt the clarifying language
@06:15 mark -- Ald. Wsol asks Allegretti about the billboard developer and opines that the developer is getting "2 swings at the plate"
@07:50 mark -- Allegretti -- yak yak yakkety yak yak yak -- and when Allegretti offers that he does not expect applicants to come to the City Council first, instead of going directly to Planning and Zoning, the PRU Crew had to pause the video and wipe away our tears of laughter.
@11:37 mark -- Ald. Wsol attempts to reword and explain his previous question to Allegretti
@12:49 mark -- Allegretti -- yak yak yakkety yak yak yak -- which includes more crabbing and complaining about Planning and Zoning and City staff
@14:30 mark -- Ald. Bach actually begins making some sense, but it doesn't "take"
@16:40 mark -- Ald. DiPietro reads a prepared statement to the City Council, and in the PRU Crews' opinion, he does a fine job of addressing the fundamental problems with the proposed change to the Planning and Zoning process
@24:41 mark -- Ald. Bach claims the current Planning and Zoning process is broken
@26:40 mark -- Ald. Bach reveas that he does not quite understand what takes place at Planning and Zoning Commission meetings
@28:39 mark -- Ald. Bach provides still more proof that he is Park Ridge's own Constitutional UNscholar -- and Mrs. Bach is a real shopper!
@30:15 mark -- Ald. Bach poo poos speculation about ethics violations and wrong doing and the PRU Crew discovers Bach can be as belligerent when sober as he can be with a few under his belt
@31:56 mark -- Council votes on the main motion to adopt TA-09-02. The vote is 4 (Bach, Allegretti,Ryan and Sweeney) to 3 (DiPietro, Carey and Wsol).
Yes. Sweeney. Sweeney voted for the amendment which will essentially change Planning and Zoning, from an independent review commission for land use issues, to a recommending body for the City Council. And now the PRU Crew will be calling Ald. Sweeney, Ald. Sweiner.
@32:55 mark -- New Business begins with Ald. Wsol asking about the upcoming budget process and requesting staff to provide information to the Council on the current zoning ordinances for billboards
@33:53 mark -- City Attorney Buzz Hill attempts to cover his ass and explain his remarks at the last Planning and Zoning Commission
@34:52 mark -- Motion to adjourn.
Thank God that's over!
November 18, 2009
PRCC Videos 11-16-09!
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16 comments:
Park Ridge is the new Chicago 51st ward.
I agree with the PRU. This was the Allergetti show.
There has been only one other time when Alderman Allegretti has fought so strongly for a policy position...
...my recollection is, that "other time" was when he fought so fiercely against the ethics and disclosure ordinances.
Coincidence? Maybe...but the safer bet is on this all being "by design"...
My personal belief is...yes, Mr. Allegretti, you ARE in somebody's pocket. We just don't know whose pocket...yet.
All of this is being done for billboards? How much could the city make from these billboards?
Anon@2:01 --
You pose a very interesting question.
We don't believe the issue of billboards is the real goal behind any of these actions.
However, we do intend to specificially address the issue of billboards in our post tomorrow.
I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the land use planning stuff, but watching these idiots have to have how the city budget works explained to them again made me ill. These guys have got to go.
Anonymous at 2:53,
Funny you should bring up the budget mess...it should make everyone ill that the alderpuppets don't understand how the budget process works...and yet, they and specifically Alderman Allegretti are predicating a change to the P&Z process based almost entirely on Alderman Allegretti's concerns for...wait for it...wait...the budget deficit!
Ya know...when somebody tells me "it's all about the money," I believe them...but I also believe they probably aren't really telling me "all about the money."
This is really, really bad.
Bach: Comparing changing the zoning code to adding a spoiler or remote starter to his wife’s car was embarrassing. I think PRU should stop broadcasting these meetings. I’m ashamed to tell people I live here.
Allegretti: Same as above but in multiples of ten.
Sweeney: WTF? Was the Kool-Aid good?
3:19:
I dont know. Bach talking about going shopping for changes to his wifes car sounds alot like developers going shopping at council for changes to zoning.
This could be Bachs way of being honest about this.
I thought someone said Mayor Dave was going to veto the change.
Is he still going to do that or is the whole thing over now?
Anon@4:27 --
We've heard from a couple different sources that Mayor Schmidtzkrieg is becoming the great compromiser and is likely not going to veto the ordinance as amended.
The PRU Crew is considering nominating Mayor Schmidtzkrieg for an honorary memerbship to the boneless chicken ranch.
Thanks, PRU, for a great analysis.
The supermajority idea came from Bach. 'Nuff said.
If Schmidt doesn't veto this thing he's playing right into Allegretti's hands, however greasy they may be.
TOTALLY 51st ward! When you think how HOwie stampeded the sheep into voting to remove half the aldermen (the uncorruptable half) because some of them were Democrats and therefore must be plotting to "bring Chicago-style politics" to Republiconia, you have to laugh, weep, or both. The only smoke-filled-room-loving pol was Howard, but apparently he's cloned a handful more. Now, we can only hope the bums go to prison as the other urban decayed aldermen do when they take payoffs for voting to let some goon have his zoning variation! But hey, they have to wet their beaks, right, Mr. Allege-ratty? How's a guy supposed to make any money with all this volunteer stuff otherwise?
I told you all. Pottersville, here we come.
6:47 PM
If you're going to criticize the current Clowncil as the "51st ward," then don't play the Park Ridge Dem/Repub card because the real 50 wards (a/k/a Chicago) are one big Dem cesspool, as is the Crook County bored majority and the most of the statehouse. They'd have Maine Twp, too, if the Maine Twp. Dem leadership wasn't retarded.
"HOwie stampeded the sheep" because most of that "uncorruptable half" of aldermen were too stupid to figure out they were playing HOwie's game, like by supporting his new police station, passing deficit budgets, going along with the money-foolish Uptown redevelopment plan, etc.
Oh, yeah, and speaking of Allegretti, except for Ald. Markech that "uncorruptable half" gave him a free pass when they were supposed to be grilling him on his appt. by HOwie. EXAMPLE: "Mr. Allegretti, where did you grow up?"
WTF!
anon 6:47:
Your following comment intrigues me......"Now, we can only hope the bums go to prison as the other urban decayed aldermen do when they take payoffs for voting to let some goon have his zoning variation! But hey, they have to wet their beaks, right, Mr. Allege-ratty? How's a guy supposed to make any money with all this volunteer stuff otherwise?"
May I be so bold as to ask for some examples???? You basically imply that all (or at least some)of our aldermen are guilty of ethics violations by taking payoffs. Aside from the literally hundreds of dollars that exchanged hands in campaign contributions, which alderman had benefited financially (via payoffs) from their position and may I ask you to ball park how much. The only documented case of such a violation that I am aware of was Frimark and that was sure treated seriously!!!
My point is not to say that you are wrong so please educate me. If there are examples you are aware of the voting public should be informed. It is also not my point to defend the Aldermen - I am far from happy with the job they have done during my time here. But by the same token, if I were to take every post on the internet as fact.....well, that would make me a "birther".
I hate to pick at an old scab, but let's think about PADS related to this whole Planning and Zoning issue. As I recall, the played a very inmportant role in the ultimate outcome of that whole drama (whether one was pleased with the results or not).
I found the following information on the Mayors website. "On September 8, 2008, the City’s Planning & Zoning Commission approved and recommended a text amendment to that ordinance that permitted homeless shelters, with certain restrictions, so long as the operator of a shelter first obtained a special use permit. On November 17, 2008, Aldermen DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti, Wsol, and I all voted to adopt the substance of P&Z’s recommended text amendment permitting homeless shelters, also with restrictions."
It makes me wonder, if all of this power rested with the council, which is the direction things appear to be going, and considering Frimark was Mayor at the time and had most of the Alderman on his side, might the results related to PADS have been dramatically different?? Would they have had the same "certain restrictions"?
My point is that aside from all the issues brought up by PRU and the P&Z members terrific letter, this thing can touch issues far beyond Billboards along 294. Like most who come here, I believe consolidating all these powers within the council is a BAD idea.
11/18 @ 9:24:
If P&Z hadn't stepped up to the plate on PADS, Frimark and his boys on the Council would have handed PADS anything it wanted. But when P&Z imposed certain standards, it made it just a bit too difficult for all of Frimark's boys to hold that line. And that time Allegretti used P&Z as an excuse for his vote, because he didn't want homeless shelters in Park Ridge, period.
It's also curious how Jack Owens, the fixer, was working behind the scenes for Frimark, the Ministerial Association and PADS to knock out the special use requirements. He alwasy seeems to be lurking around Park Ridge government, doesn't he?
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