At Monday night's City Council meeting, there were a number of interesting discussions. The PRU Crew feels anyone interested in highlighting any of the low lights from the meeting should feel free to do so here.
For our part, we found the discussion about reinstating the position of City Treasurer to be extremely entertaining. The City Cluck, Betty Henneman, never fails to provide a laugh on the rare occasions she decides to open her mouth.
But 3rd ward Aldermoron Bachtard was his usual idiot self as well and we laaaaauuuuughed! Did Ald. Bachtard really say he thinks "another set of eyes" watching the City budget could be "a benefit?" Why yes, yes he did. Someone should ask Ald. Bachtard if maybe 7 more "sets of eyes" could be "a benefit?" But we're told Ald. Bachtard previously said in a letter published in the local rags a few years ago that he didn't feel there are enough "quality individuals" in Park Ridge to accomplish such a task. And that opinion would seem to make populating a Finance Commission a rather difficult task, no? Or, has Ald. Bachtard changed his mind about the "quality individuals" who populate Park Ridge? Or maybe Ald. Bachtard only feels there aren't enough "quality individuals" worthy of holding elected office and having an actual vote on public policy issues and the City budget?
Today's Pub-dog post deftly addresses the comedic musings the 5th ward's Benedict Ald. Ryan offered at Monday night's meeting. We hate to break the bad news to Benedict Ald. Ryan, but not everyone moves to Park Ridge for the schools -- the Park Ridge population with school-age kids remains a distinct minority. The Park Ridge population apparently has enough "quality individuals" to offer financial advice to the School District 64 Board though. And it would also appear the Park Ridge population has enough "quality individuals" to actually vote yes to increasing their own property taxes in support of School District 64. We're guessing Benedict Ald. Ryan forgot that part of the financial equation.
For his part, Mayor Schmidtzkrieg didn't seem to grasp the idea that he and the Council are the representatives of the people and are the very same people who are supposed to be "the people's eyes and ears for financial matters." Mayor Schmidtzkrieg also seems unaware that former City Treasurer Brauweiler wasn't much of a set of "eyes and ears" -- at least not when it came to protecting the $650,000.00 Peotone investment. How many relief sewers or sewer liners could that have purchased? How many sidewalk squares could that have paid to replace? How many trees for reforestation could that have paid to plant? The list of possibilities is endless really. Heckuva job, Brauwy!
Mayor Schmidtzkrieg seems to be reaching through the dark -- or taking highly questionable advice from somewhere -- in looking for ways to get the City Council to do their jobs. If the City Council won't listen to him, or the City Manager, or the former City Finance Director, then by God, they'll have to listen to a newly appointed or elected City Treasurer, right? Place your bets ladies and gentlemen...
All in, as we said in our Monday post -- on the Finance and Budget front, business as usual at 505 Butler Pl.
February 24, 2010
Freewheeling -- 2/24/10!
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13 comments:
Talking about adding a city treasurer or a budget controller is just another way of them saying 'tell us what to do.' I'm disappointed Mayor Dave is falling back on doing that too.
Another commision/task force/advice committee.
Maybe we should just get rid of the Aldermen and outsource the job to committees.
I don't know if the idea is good or bad. Could another person looking at the budget hurt?
Anonymous @ 3:18,
Re-instating such a position could hurt or help, but it depends...
Would the person performing the function *actually perform* the function? Mr. Brauweiler's track records offers evidence to the contrary...
Would the council be even further removed from budget over-sight and warrent review than they seem to be now? This council's track record offers evidence to support that possibility...
A city treasurer or a city controller would be "only one set of eyes"...and relying on "only one set of eyes" doesn't strike me as the prudent process path to travel...
I believe there was a supporting document or survey of surrounding communities offered to the council when the subject was originally discussed way back when... That document supposedly said municipal treasurer's positions had become largely obsolete. Funny how that survey wasn't part of Clerk Henneman's official minutes nor provided to this council for review...
The position used to pay about $9000...so there is cost involved, and [that] seems a steep price for gaining "only one set of eyes."
All we need are people who actually DO what they sign up to do.
I'm sick of listening to City Mgr Hock - at $165K/yr - say that he doesn't have anyone to enter data because the Director of Finance position - at $100K/yr - has been vacant since December.
That's a lot of money for nothing.
Post the draft budget to the website and let the residents take a crack at it - I'm sure there's an accountant or businessperson or two among us - and get rid of expensive city managers and directors of finance.
If I may...I'd like to put in a good word for all the "homemaker/volunteers" out there who manage their families budgets just fine...staying "in the black" with the ability to "weather perfect financial storms"...
I find neither accountants nor businesspersons any better equipped than your average, responsible homemaker/volunteer. I'm aware of a couple PTA presidents who might possibly be able to run financial management rings around many CPAs and/or businesspersons.
jmo.
@ Bean...
No disrespect intended and you're right. People who have actually managed a budget and had to stay within it are well equipped to review our city budget.
That's really my point. This isn't rocket science or brain surgery, so why is it so hard to get a draft budget out there and figure out what we, collectively, can afford?
Right now, I'm seeing no progress out of our Aldermen or City Manager. But I'm sure they'll come knocking on our doors for more tax money when they run out of money.
For these dorks it might as well be rocket science.
Bring back the City Treasurer? Let's bring Ron Weitecha back, too, and we can really get the party started!
The Homeowner's Party, that is. Such a great job they did last time around.
Seriously, if the current elected officials can't get serious about the budget, electing one more mossy time-server to join them won't make any difference.
Brauweiller was a bumbling boob who barely earned his $9,000 when he was the city treasurer. That's why the council voted to get rid of the position when he retired.
This is just another example of elected and highly-paid public officials not doing their jobs. But, you know, they're "volunteers" so what should we expect, huh?
They did everything they could to take away authority from the zoning commission but now they want another financial commission? What is the point of that?
Whoever said they only want to be told what to do is right. The real problem is they don't understand the budget or what they are doing and they think a financial commission will magically make them understand and then everything will be nirvana.
Hello City Council and City Manager, another set of eyes does NOTHING to the serious problem they face this year and next. The City is spending millions more that what it collects. Based on the preliminary numbers Mr. Hock produced about a month ago at the Saturday session that I attended, the City could have a deficit next fiscal year of approximately $8.5 million. Time to look at the facts in front of them, make some tough decisions and figure out quickly how they can cut spending NOW. From what I have seen, not a single member of the City Council nor the City Manager has been acting with any sense of urgency. Stop passing the buck and start cutting the expenses.
Until someone can prove that we have trimmed all fat from the budget and that each resident and entity in PR (e.g. Lutheran General) pays for the services they use (e.g. Water), I and my neighbors are not supporting yet another tax hike. We got punked with the referendum for the schools in ‘07. But thanks to the Teacher’s union we now have the average teacher making more money than the average resident and guaranteed with rate increases by a contract that has no basis in reality.
Tax hikes are a LAST resort - after fiscal responsibility and prudence.
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