Have A Happy All Hallows Eve!

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At last Monday's Council COW, resident George Johnson raised the issue of local blood drives -- asking that people in Park Ridge make the effort to donate.

Also at last Monday's COW, the Council also discussed the issue of a temporary public art policy but chose to defer the item until more information could be reviewed.

The PRU Crew first discussed the issue of public art back on June 16, 2008. What we profoundly concluded is, art appreciation is subjective and personal. Our opinion on that hasn't changed.

So, what could be better -- and just in time for a creepy Halloween holiday -- than when art meets blood!


'Self' by: Marc Quinn at .factum-arte.com

What you are looking at --

"Quinn's signature piece is often considered to be Self , a frozen sculpture of the artist's head made from 4.5 litres of the artist's own frozen blood taken from his body over a period of five months. This work is repeated every five years and will result in a unique record of the artist aging."

What the...!!!???!!!

Besides concluding art appreciation is subjective and personal, here is what else we've concluded -- some "artists" are total wankers and deserve to starve!

Have a spooktacular weekend!

Video Special PRCC & PRCOW 10-26-09

video #00000.MTS Special PRCC 10-26-09


Special City Council meeting begins on discussion of restoration of parking area for 31-33 S. Prospect Ave.

@11:30 mark -- Aldermen present unanimously vote to approve (Bach and Carey absent)


video #00001.MTS PRCOW 10-26-09


Committee of the Whole meeting begins.

@01:10 mark -- Resident George Johnson addresses the COW regarding local blood drives

@05:30 mark -- Mayor Schmidt offers an announcement from Police Chiefski about Teen Halloween movie night at the Pickwick theater

@06:36 mark -- Finance and Budget committee meeting begins with discussion and vote on modification to the water ordinance

@12:08 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to approve

@12:15 mark -- Discussion of renewal of lease with All On The Road catering for Metra station

@19:00 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to approve

@19:12 mark -- Discussion of increase for Metra station coin box parking fee

@20:30 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to approve

@20:39 mark -- Discussion begins on Finance Director Diane Lembesis' report on issuing bonds to increase cash for the Uptown TIF

@22:10 mark -- Procedures and Regulations committee begins with discussion of Historic Preservation ordinance

@24:00 mark -- Alderman Ryan offers an amendment regarding awards

@30:31 mark -- Historic Preservation task force member Anita Bloom addresses the COW

@33:35 mark -- Historic Preservation task force member Judy Barclay addresses the COW

@40:54 mark -- Historic Preservation task force member Randy Derifield addresses the COW

@43:55 mark -- Mayor Schmidt suggests the possibility of creating another task force.

@48:10 mark -- Alderman DiPietro motions a substitute for the whole to remove section R from the Historic Preservation ordinance


video #00002.MTS PRCOW 10-26-09


Begins with continuation of discussion on Aldermen DiPietro's and Ryan's amendments

@00:43 mark -- Resident Frank Partipillo addresses the COW

@03:15 mark -- Resident Lloyd Godfrey addresses the COW

@04:46 mark -- Historic Preservation task force member Judy Barclay again addresses the COW

@05:27 mark -- Aldermen vote 3 (Sweeney, DiPietro and Wsol) to 2 (Allegretti and Ryan) to approve substitute for the whole and remove section R from the Historic Preservation ordinance

@05:50 mark -- Discussion begins again on the main motion for approval of the Historic Preservation ordinance

@06:10 mark -- Historic Preservation task force member Judy Barclay again addresses the COW

@07:57 mark -- Resident Joan Sandrik addresses the COW

@15:20 mark -- Alderman DiPietro motions to defer approval of the Historic Preservation ordinance

@18:00 mark -- The PRU Crew is given reason to strongly suspect some Aldermen do not read all the items provided to them in their Saturday packets, or they do not visit the City website to review minutes in preparation for discussion and debate on recommended ordinances

@19:45 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to defer approval

@20:27 mark -- Discussion begins on approval of 2nd amendment to the easement and operating agreement for the Uptown redevelopment Phase II

@22:07 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to approve

@22:17 mark -- Discussion on temporary public art policy begins

@26:06 mark -- Alderman Wsol motions to defer approval

@33:03 mark -- Aldermen vote unanimously to defer approval

@33:51 mark -- Discussion begins on modification to 3P Policy Manual for Special Events

@34;14 mar -- Alderman DiPietro motions to defer approval due to absences and pending notification to effected parties

@36:05 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to defer approval

@36:16 mark -- Discussion of Health and Property Maintenance enforcement begins

@45:50 mark -- City Attorney Buzz Hill comments on the Park Ridge "fine scale" and suggests "fines ought to reflect the cost of...having to enforce our codes."

~~THUD!!!~~ Jeez, Attorney Hill, you think?!?!


video #00003.MTS PRCOW 10-26-09


Begins with continuing discussion of Health and Property Maintenance enforcement

@09:05 mark -- Alderman Allegretti requests the City Attorney research State "nuisance" laws for possible adoption by the City Council

@10:23 mark -- Discussion of Video Poker begins

@13:49 mark -- Mayor Schmidt comments on "morality" of video poker and suggests taking action on the issue

@16:25 mark -- Alderman DiPietro motions to refer the issue to the next Procedures and Regulations committee meeting for action

@17:04 mark -- Des Plaines resident John Boryk addresses the COW

@20:35 mark -- Alderman Allegretti seconds Ald. DiPietro's motion

@20:40 mark -- Aldermen unanimously vote to approve DiPietro's motion to take action on the Video Poker issue at the next Procedures and Regulations committee meeting

@21:20 mark -- Public Works committee begins with discussion on Land Grades

@40:21 mark -- Mayor Schmidt comments on City enforcement of City building codes


video #00004.MTS PRCOW 10-26-09


Begins with continuing Public Works discussion of Land Grades

@12:24 mark -- Resident Jeff Getz addresses the COW

@33:26 mark -- Resident Joan Sandrik again addresses the COW

@35:27 mark -- Resident Cliff Kowalski addresses the COW

@36:47 mark -- CURRB spokesperson Judy Barclay addresses the COW

@38:10 mark -- Mayor Schmidt asks if there is any new business and Ald. DiPietro confirms the Saturday meeting of the Flood Control Task Force

@38:36 mark -- Mayor Schmidt requests City Attorney Hill to provide his answers in a report to the Council regarding the ethics violation process

@39:10 mark -- COW adjourns


Thanks for your patience today, people -- busy morning.

Public Art!

There's great public art...


Flickr photo by: iceman9294 - "Cloud Gate" a.k.a. "The Bean"

And there's Park Ridge public art...


Park Ridge Spokesman Oct. 2007 (.pdf) - "Celebration"

The photo of the "Celebration" statue above is admittedly of poor quality; our PRU Tech had a better photo at one time but couldn't find it for this blog post.

The PRU Crew was recently considering the issue of public art. We like it. We like some of it a lot. We don't like some of it at all.

What we profoundly concluded is, art appreciation is subjective and personal. Who knew!!??!!

Of course, "appreciating" anything as subjective and personal as art can lead to some big, BIG, disagreements when it comes to spending public money. And when already tight municipal budgets get squeezed even tighter, public art becomes a sort of cruel joke on taxpayers eager to see their streets paved, sidewalks fixed, sewers repaired, and parkway trees trimmed.

So! We thought we'd ask PRU readers for their thoughts on the subject...