Available from -- kropserkel.com
In today's Herald-Advocate you can read a letter to the editor authored by local attorney and Morningfields Market owner, Frank DiFranco.
In his letter Frankie DiFranco lets us all know Generation Group, Inc. and Mr. Joseph Loss are willing to negotiate a change to our local zoning code-- "How can the Park Ridge mayor and City Council refuse to even negotiate with the sign company when more than a half-million dollars is at stake?" Frankie writes in his opener.
Negotiate what, exactly, Frankie? The Park Ridge Zoning Code doesn't allow for off-premise billboards, 80 feet tall with 1200 SF of sign faces. The City attorney has said court decisions have found impact fees for billboards unconstitutional. Des Plaines' jolly joy ride on the billboard bandwagon turned out rather badly for them -- Des Plaines' City Council voted to eliminate all fees relating to billboards, after a very lengthy court battle.
Speaking of court battles, Frankie's letter to the editor concludes with, "Do you want the company to sue like McDonald's did after Planning and Zoning refused to give them a permit. Wake up, City Council and Mayor!"
Hey Frankie, is that a threat of litigation? Sure sounds like a threat of litigation. Maybe nobody in our local government should be talking to either you or Joseph Loss about this billboard nonsense, since it sure sounds as if you've threatened litigation. Does 4th ward Alderman Allspaghetti know you may be threatening litigation?
By the way Frankie, you sure you don't have skin in this game?
January 14, 2010
An Offer You Can't Refuse!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
I read on the Pubdog site if the council would pass on the water rates to users then the city would have another $400,000 of income each year and that is the same amount the sign company is offering for only one year but then we have billboards for 20 years. So why doesn't the council just increase the water rates for users?
Anonymous 10:58,
I think the point is Park Ridge could get the money without it coming from residents.
Having said that, I think the we should pay the full amount for the water we use.
Good to see you back, Pru.
Has Frank DiFranco ever, EVER, been involved in anything related to city government before these billboards? I sure don't recall it. Does he or somebody close to him like a relative, friend, client have an interest in the billboards or in GGI?
Or maybe somebody's interest depends on GGI getting this deal at the right price. How much more than $400,000 is GGI willing to pay, Frankie?
Has anybody seen Jimmy "The Bohemian" Dvorak around Park Ridge lately?
Anon 1159:
It looks dirty. It smells dirty. I think it is dirty.
We will know who of the aldermen is dirty when they vote on this.
Maybe Mr. DiFranco is just really passionate about billboard advertising. Maybe he is some kind of billboard spotter like there are train spotters. Who knows. It is all very weird how passionate he is about this one single subject.
Thank Heavens you're baaaaack, PRU! I was getting worried. We have enough City assets disappearing without losing one of our most valuable. Bottom line: The billboard deal probably has hinky associations, but even if someone spotless were involved, I'd still say we'd be selling our birthright for a mess of pottage. The paltry sum would not be worth what we'd lose; I verified with an alderman the other day that we would have emphatically no control over what the billboards advertised. That alone would chill my ardor for what would amount to $20K per annum. Fuggedaboudit! Let's each pay our share of the water bill, say no to the billboards, and keep our integrity, or what's left of it. P.S. I am a progressive Democrat and a lifelong Park Ridge resident. Put that in yer pipe and smoke it, guys!
I have to say, it sounded like a threat of litigation when I read the letter too.
Apparently just entertainig the idea of billboards has us up to our eyeballs with potential litigation coming and going.
If we allow them, it appears we'll be sued (like many many many Other communities across the entire country) and if we don't allow them
it appears we'll be sued.
Although I think I'd take my chances with the latter, as I wish them luck in sueing over enforcement of an ordinance. If they had waned to sue over what billboard companies (or their henchmen) have historically sued over, (first amendment) they would have done so already. However recent case law seems to favor on the side of the communities and their "sign codes" over billboard bullies. I suspect Mr. Loss knows this or we would already be knee deep in litigation.
Billboard schillboard, that's what I always say. I say it all the time. I say, "No billboards mister." And they say "why not?" and I say, "Aahhh, billboards schnillboards!" That's what I say.
AAAH billboards....who needs 'em anyway?!
Why is there even a discussion about passing the water rates onto citizens....shouldn't that be just common sense?
Maybe there should be a meeting to create a water rate committee so they can have a meeting or 2 then come back to the council at a meetings and explain that meeting to the council. Then maybe 8 months from now the rates will be paid by the CITIZENS like it is supposed to be.
Post a Comment