December 17, 2009

Have A Very Merry Christmas!


By: 1389AD at deviantart.com

From the PRU Crew to all of you, enjoy your holidays!

We encourage PRU readers to keep paying attention to the goings on in local government during the all-too-distracting holiday season. There will be some interesting discussions taking place at City Hall next Monday night -- we're wondering just how gifty Ald. Allegretti will attempt to be on the issue of billboards, for starters.

Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy some rest and relaxation.

December 16, 2009

Videos from PRCOW 12-14-09

No indexing today, people -- we haven't had a chance to review each video, but feel free to add your own comments.

video#00000.MTS PRCOW 12-14-09



video#00001.MTS PRCOW 12-14-09



video#00002.MTS PRCOW 12-14-09



video#00003.MTS PRCOW 12-14-09



video#00004.MTS PRCOW 12-14-09

December 14, 2009

Would This Work?



The City Council has another COW meeting (.pdf) scheduled for this evening -- beginning at 7:00 pm at City Hall.

Feel free to attend and do your own kind of COW tipping -- hold their hands, give the Council tips on representation, and tell them what to do -- since there seem to be people of the opinion elected officials shouldn't be expected to figure out basic representative tasks on their own.

Also scheduled for this evening, prior to the Council COW, is a Council Workshop set to begin at 6:30 pm at City Hall. The agenda includes a single line item --

"PRESENTATION OF PRELIMINARY REPORT BY THE FLOOD CONTROL TASK FORCE."

So we've got that going for us too!

Some time tomorrow we anticipate more Motionbox magic!

December 11, 2009

For The Searchers!

Our PRU-Tech opines -- whether it's God, information, or Christmas presents -- sometimes the search feels endless.




Whatever you're looking for, we hope you find it.

Relax, stay warm, and have a great weekend!

December 10, 2009

The Weather Isn't All That's Frightful! Updated!



The Park Ridge Recreation and Park District Board isn't frightful either -- still not a bad looking bunch with the addition of the new guy, top row, third from the left, Mr. David Herman. We first told you about Mr. Herman here.

The Park Ridge Park Board likes to brag about being the first local government body to post their board packets and videos online. And we thank them for that. Take a bow Park Board. Make it quick.

However, being first doesn't mean being best. Being first doesn't mean being very good either.

What the PRU Crew is finding quite frightful is the fact that there have been five meetings of the Park Board since October 1st -- Oct. 15th, Nov. 5th, Nov. 19th and Dec. 3rd. -- but the most recent Park Board minutes available online are from Oct. 1st, and the most recent videos available online are from Oct. 15th.

This is now the month of December, right? Did the Park Board fail to approve the minutes from their November meetings? Is there some sort of law which requires the posting of approved minutes within a certain amount of time? We aren't sure about that, but we think it's quite frightful when certain employees at the Park Ridge Recreation and Park District aren't making use of available technology in a timely manner.

O.k. Park Board, the City pols -- and certain community volunteers -- are kicking your ass in terms of performance in getting information out into the public arena. But take heart. You guys don't suck quite as much as the School districts do.

Update 12-11-09 -- Somebody did their job! Two additional sets of minutes have been added to the Park District website, Oct. 15th and Nov. 5th. To whomever goes the thanks, thanks! We look forward to the video additions too.


December 9, 2009

The Pub-dogs Add It Up!




Today the Pub-dogs honored the PRU Crew with a link to our post from yesterday, though we take some issue with their use of "commentary" versus "comments" in their opening paragraph.

The weather's got us in a slacker mood -- PRU.ADMIN feels we should return the favor and people, who haven't done so, should watch the Melidosian Motionbox videos we posted yesterday, then go read the Pub-dogs' post today.

Their Monday post may be worth your time as well; give the Pub-dogs moderators something to do -- we mean that in the nicest way.

December 8, 2009

PRCC Videos 12-7-09!

video #00000.MTS PRCC 12-07-09


Abruptly begins with approval of consent agenda items -- without discussion, a roll call vote is taken to unanimously approve the Council consent agenda

@02:33 mark -- Proclamation (and performance) - Emerson Middle School Jazz IMEA Trumpets begins and we learn either the Council chamber audio system or the video camera microphone were not designed to deliver concert-quality sound.

@12:28 mark -- Resolution 2009-84 – for Thomas Higgins of Lutheran General Hospital begins

@17:40 mark -- Recognition of District 207 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists begins

@21:15 mark -- Mayor Schmidt begins his Statement regarding Amendment to Zoning Ordinance and the PRU Crew is forced to conclude not only is the Mayor's head half full of hair but also the Mayor's thinking is half full of bullshit. But we do commend the Mayor for speaking with "more than half" of the Planning and Zoning commissioners about this issue.

@23:54 mark -- Report on Executive Plaza begins

@33:50 mark -- Zero-based budgeting discussion begins

@34:32 mark -- City Manager Hock suggests budgeting by objectives, results, and performance is the most successful budgeting method. Translation = we don't want to have to justify every dollar we are spending.

@38:04 mark -- Alderman Bach says he wants to see "a business case" made for every expenditure. And we laaaaauuuuughed as we recall previous votes cast by Ald. Bach to increase funding amounts -- over budgeted amounts -- for community groups.

@40:19 mark -- Mayor Schmidt says he "won't accept an unbalanced budget" and promises to veto any unbalanced budget. The PRU Crew hopes Mayor Schmidt will manage to keep his word this time.

@41:05 mark -- Alderman Wsol not-so-fondly recalls Governor Jimmy Carter's efforts with zero-based budgeting and suggests a "modified" method

@42:16 mark -- Mayor Schmidt agrees with using a "modified approach" to budgeting
@43:12 mark -- Alderman Ryan says he doesn't understand zero-based budgeting and the PRU Crew is wondering if Ald. Ryan was an English major instead of an Engineering major

@45:13 mark -- Alderman Bach reveals he's a classist

@47:46 mark -- Alderman Bach continues to make frenemies with AFSCME


video #00001.MTS PRCC 12-07-09


Begins with continuing discussion of zero-based budgeting

@06:18 mark -- Alderman Sweeney inquires about the livability of the Heinze property and Director of Community Development Ms. Davis responds

@08:39 mark -- Mayor Schmidt says he "would like to see us enforce our ordinances." And we laaaaauuuuughed...really really really hard.

@15:08 mark -- Alderman Wsol suggests discussion of the Heinze property should be a listed agenda item before discussion continues

@16:06 mark -- City Attorney Buzz Hill makes a disclosure on behalf of Ald. Bach

@17:23 mark -- Alderman DiPietro inquires about billboards and the new zoning ordinance

@18:53 mark -- Mayor Schmidt thanks the Public Works Department for their efforts in regard to the Maine South Hawks parade

@19:38 mark -- City Clerk Henneman suggests cancellation of the January 4, 2010 meeting

@21:06 mark -- City Manager Hock tells the Council Wideopen West is interested in providing telephone and internet service in Park Ridge

@22:09 mark -- Mayor Schmidt reports the Liquor License Review Board voted to renew all but 1 liquor license, because one of the applicants packets was woefully inadequate

@23:15 mark -- New Business begins with Ald. Wsol requesting accommodation for election judges' access to the South Park polling place

@24:29 mark -- Alderman Ryan discusses his concerns about the development review process and homes being built "higher" than they should be. Ald. Ryan also inquires about the City's policy on signs and maintenance, as well as the inability of certain property owners to rent out ground floor space in the B4 zoning district

@28:28 mark -- City Clerk Henneman reminds people about voter registration

@28:54 mark -- Motion to adjourn

December 7, 2009

PRU Holiday Season Briefs!



#1 -- Brown Paper Packages?

If whiskers on kittens and warm woolen mittens aren't your bag for the holidays, then maybe brown paper packages are among your favorite things?

At tonight's Liquor License Review Board meeting the board agenda (.pdf) includes discussion of a "proposal from Affresco to allow the sale of package goods." We aren't sure if Affresco restaurant is looking to become part liquor store or not.

We confess to not feeling bad while sitting at Affresco's bar, though we aren't sure we needed to take anything home with us besides a doggie bag.


#2 -- A few of our favorite things!

Public meetings and proclamations! We love 'em! And tonight's City Council meeting agenda (.pdf) is chock full of material guaranteed to put a smile on your face -- for various reasons, of course.

And we're really looking forward to hearing the Mayor's "Statement regarding Amendment to Zoning Ordinance." In fact, Mayor Schmidtzkrieg will be the star of the Council show tonight, because all other regular council business is listed under the consent agenda -- "All items listed with an asterisk are considered routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of those items unless an Alderman so requests, in which event the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and considered in its normal sequence on the Agenda."


#3 -- Silver white winters that melt into Spring!

Park Ridge City Finance Director Diane Lembesis has reportedly resigned her position and, after her January 5, 2010 departure date, will be greeting the Spring as the new Finance Director for the City of Gurnee.

The PRU Crew wishes Ms. Lembesis well. We will miss her extremely dry wit at future Council meetings.

December 4, 2009

Tis The Season!


By: Gary Markstein, editorial cartoonist


Plan your work week exit strategy and have a good weekend!

December 3, 2009

Half Full or Half Empty?



Take a good look at the above picture of Mayor Schmidtzkrieg. Do you think the Mayor would tell you his head is half full of hair, or half empty?

The PRU Crew is guessing the Mayor would tell you his head is half full of hair. Because he's such a positive, optimistic and compromising guy.


The PRU Crew would tell Mayor Schmidtzkrieg he may want to wear a hat anyway. Because the part of his head that isn't half full of hair is going to freeze in the winter or get burned in the summer. The Crew's negative, pessimistic and uncompromising like that.

And because the Mayor is such a positive, optimistic and compromising guy, we suspect he will allow the sun to set today without issuing a veto of the changes to the process in the new Planning and Zoning ordinance. Like we said -- we're negative and pessimistic. We're also disappointed but we saw it coming when we read articles in both the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate ('Mayor mulls veto of zoning process change') and the Journal & Topics ('Council Has Final Word On Billboards') -- Nothing beats a positive, optimistic compromise like having everybodys' thought process disrupted!

Here's the PRU Crew's thought process --

Aldermen should not be promoting changes to the zoning ordinance on behalf of any individual seeker or special interest. Period. Council recommended zoning text and map amendments should be considered with a "global view" -- meaning, as to how any recommended changes would or could affect the entire community. Anything less is spot zoning on behalf of special interests. And that's bad government.

Aldermen who allow themselves to be used as tools -- and we don't mean that in any nice way, how you doin' Allspaghetti? -- by individual special interests are also allowing those special interests to circumvent the disclosure process. And that's really bad government.

Mayor Schmidtzkrieg has reportedly said the requirement for a super-majority vote to override denials by the Planning and Zoning Commission removes the incentive for individual special interests to seek a Council sponsor. And like we said earlier, Mayor Schmidtzkrieg would probably tell you his head is half full of hair too.

The PRU Crew is now wondering if the actual contents of the Mayor's head is half full...or half empty.

December 2, 2009

Another PRU Two-fer!

For all the Park Ridge - Niles School District 64 kiddies getting vaccinated today, and depending upon which type of H1N1 vaccine the County decides to deliver, we hope all goes well and we promise, if the vaccine is delivered in shot form, it will only hurt for a little while.

We commend District 64 for their efforts on this health concern issue.
The PRU Crew feels caution can be its own reward. We also feel soap and water and using kleenex is pretty rewarding to.




The PRU Crew believes the Pub-dogs may have broken a comment record for one of their postings!

Any PRU readers who may have missed out on the fun, it's too late now -- the Pub-dogs have said they are not accepting any more comments to their post Something To Be Thankful For.

We found the post very good, and the freewheeling conversation about the Taste of Park Ridge event highly entertaining. Thanks, Pub-dogs!

December 1, 2009

Are You Bored?



Looking for excitement or some free entertainment? Have we got deals for you!

#1 -- District 64 Super-duper-intendent Search!

Yesterday in an email invitation sent from the district and forwarded to us by a faithful PRU reader --

The Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Board of Education would greatly appreciate the input and assistance of all community members.

Community Forums
School Superintendent Search
Tuesday, December 1 at 9:30 a.m.
&
Wednesday, December 2 at 7:30 p.m.
Washington School, 1500 Stewart Ave., Park Ridge

The Board of Education invites all members of the community to participate in the search for a new school superintendent. Current Superintendent Sally Pryor is retiring on June 30, and the Board is working with consultants to conduct a national search for her replacement.


A key step in the search process is to identify the values and priorities of our community, and create a profile of the characteristics that our community seeks in an outstanding educational leader to guide our schools into the new decade.

The community meetings will be facilitated by representatives of the search firm, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, Ltd. The north suburban firm has assisted about 600 school boards since it was established in 1987.

Can’t attend, but would like to contribute your thoughts?

Please complete the Leadership Profile Assessment by Friday, December 4 available at this link: d64ssprofile09(.pdf) Thank you for participating.


#2 -- Wannabe Tree Huggers Unite!

Q: What is a tree's least favorite month?

A: Sep-tiiiiimber!

In last week's edition of the Journal & Topics we learned the 'Tree Preservation Task Force Seeks Volunteers' All you tree huggers out there -- now is your chance!

The article says -- "Those interested may obtain an application on the city's Web site at www.parkridge.us under the heading City Forms, Guides, and Publications: City Boards/Commissions Application Form and Biographical Data. Completed application forms are being accepted in the Administration Office at City Hall, 505 Butler Place. For additional information, or if you do not have access to the Web site, contact Barb Cannon, senior administrative assistant, at 847-318-5208."

Alternatively, you can be one of the volunteers who helps keep Park Ridge safe from Killer Trees!