Quickie Council Recap!

Good afternoon, PRU readers!

Last night the City Council met and our sources report a lot of tired faces, especially the face on the man who will soon be vacating the big chair. We're also told there was a small and polite smattering of applause as Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt entered the council chamber.

The council meeting began with the usual niceties and then moved on to passage of the consent agenda, which included the final reading of the approval of an ordinance for a special use to allow stadium lights at Maine South High School.

As our regular PRU readers may recall, anything on the consent agenda is not subject to discussion unless an Alderman pulls it off the consent agenda. We're told there were some unhappy campers in the audience who didn't quite understand how that works.

The council then passed some proclamations. Among the proclamations were honors for the Main South Hawkettes Varsity and Junior Varsity squads. We're told parking around City Hall was at a premium.

The council also passed a resolution proclaiming April to be Fair Housing month. Ms. Nan Parson, of the Fair Housing commission, said a few words and wished Mayor Howard well for the future. Our sources tell us Mayor Howard looked as if he wasn't paying attention. This does not come as a surprise to the PRU Crew.

The council then moved on to the first reading of an ordinance creating an O'Hare Airport Commission. Alderman Frank Wsooooolman (7th ward) amended the ordinance to include the requirement that the commission make recommendations to the City Council regarding action to be taken in the area of health issues related to O'Hare airport.

After the amendment to the ordinance was unanimously passed by the council, the 6th ward's Unfriendly Ghost, Ald. Tom Carey, decided it was time to ask about the amendment. He inquired as to Ald. Wsooooolman's intent, which Ald. Wsooooolman explained as being in recognition of health related issues, as opposed to simply recommendations about how to deal with noise issues. With the explanation having been given, the council unanimously passed the first reading of the ordinance creating the city's O'Hare Airport Commission.

The PRU Crew is wondering how much will be budgeted from the City's dwindling coffers for the operation of this commission.

Under new business, Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt recognized Mrs. Gerry Butler who was also in attendance at the meeting. For those who may not know, Mrs. Butler is the wife of former Park Ridge Mayor Marty Butler. Mrs. Butler was one of those who urged Ald. Dave to run for mayor, and she served as his campaign chairman. Mrs. Butler received a standing ovation from those in attendance, with the exception of Mayor Howard.

Also under new business, Mayor-elect Dave Schmidt said he would be creating a Flood Control Task Force and asked that those interested in serving on such a task force submit their names to the City.

The PRU Crew feels most task forces are window dressing for problems the city doesn't know quite how to manage. However, if this task force should demand that the city's entire sewer system be video taped, and that the video tapes currently being made of the city's sewer system are thoroughly examined and explained, they may just produce something useful in the way of information. The City Council lacks any real depth of understanding of the current state of the City's inner-structure and sewer system.

With that the City Council adjourned to closed session to review and approve other closed session minutes, and to discuss pending litigation.

We are told Mayor Howard couldn't clear the room fast enough -- hollering for everyone to vacate the chamber so they could get started on their closed session, even while some Aldermen had left the room to take a bathroom break.

And there you have it people! A quickie council recap!

How Sweet It Is!

Get Out The Vote!

Last time around, we got some complaints about our election day graphic.

So today, cleavage for everybody!

Let's Close the Curtain.

As our regular readers know, the PRU Crew supports Dave Schmidt in his run for Mayor. At the risk of not having any more corruption to tell you about on an almost daily basis, we urge everyone else to do the same.

We are grateful to Dave for taking this long-shot chance, and running against someone he was warned would pull every dirty trick in the book -- someone whose perversion and depravity knows no bounds.

We've watched as Dave has endured the grinding of his character, his reputation, and the use and abuse of his innocent family members. But Dave has stayed the course and stayed out of the gutter.

In Dave Schmidt we see the opportunity for Park Ridge government to again become an institution of, by, and for the people. Dave Schmidt's record as an Alderman is replete with highlights of his being the voice of the people as important issues have come before the council.

Tomorrow is election day. The polls open at 6 a.m.* and close at 7 p.m. We hope all of you will find time to cast your vote. This election hinges on your turning out and refusing to let the local power brokers and their uninformed sheep control the game.

For all the reasons we've ever written about on this blog -- for all the lies, secretive dealings, incompetence, and failings we've observed in the Frimark administration, isn't it time we put an end to the Cocky Howard Horror Show?



* voterinfonet.com correction! Thanks to a PRU reader.

Park Ridge's Got Talent!

The PRU Crew is pleased to introduce to you the Uncumbent.com

Baby Elephant Walk - Henry Mancini

Our PRU.ADMIN insists on music, and if you do too you can start the player then right click on the Uncumbent link and enjoy the show! Be sure to read the footnotes!

Have an unconventional weekend!

Cecil B. DeMelidosian!

The Question -- Should we televise Council meetings?




The Question -- What effect will the casino have on the citizens of Park Ridge?




The Question -- Now that it looks like the casino is in place, do you think there is a way to make it a benefit to Park Ridge?




The Question -- What is your position on taking campaign contributions from businesses that do business with the city?




The Question -- Explain your position on the need for a new police station.




The Question -- Explain why Park Ridge Taxi can't have competition.




Addendum: By request.
The Question -- How do you feel about Red Light cameras?




To view all the video segments of the last debate go to Melidosian's Videos

The Never Raucous Caucus!

Above is the 2009 Caucus Candidate page from the District 64 & 207 General Caucus website. If you want to know more about the candidates and the reasons the caucus selected them, you're out of luck looking on the General Caucus website.

Despite the fact that each of these candidates submitted their resumes and filled out a questionnaire for the Caucus, it seems that mums the word when it comes to sharing that information with the voters.

All of the slated candidates for seats on the District 64 School Board are going to be elected, because they are running unopposed -- we expect each of these candidates will cast a vote for themselves and each other, and that will clinch the deal.

The PRU Crew doesn't feel unopposed candidates are the worst thing ever to happen in an election, and we don't dismiss the quality of an elected official's work because he or she ran unopposed. However, we do feel that unopposed candidates who do absolutely nothing to let the general public know why they are running, what they think about issues, and don't bother to show up at public forums to give voters a chance to get to know them or ask questions, aren't worth voting for. The PRU Crew will not be casting votes for any of the District 64 School Board candidates.

The candidates selected by the General Caucus for seats on the District 207 School Board are running in a contested race. You may have seen their signs around town, or met one of them at the train station this morning.

Mr. Ed Mueller and Ms. Margaret McGrath will be getting the unanimous votes being cast by the PRU Crew. We feel Mr. Mueller has a proven track record of fiscal responsibility on the District 207 Board and Ms. McGrath's Park Ridge residency alone is enough for us to want to keep those seats occupied by Park Ridge residents.

The other candidates running are incumbents Eric Leys and Marijo Bustos, both residents of Des Plaines, and newcomer Eldon Burk, also a resident of Des Plaines. District 207 Board members not up for re-election this cycle are Joann Braam of Des Plaines, and Donna Pellar and Sean Sullivan of Park Ridge.

We expect both Mr. Leys and Ms. Bustos to be re-elected, along with Mr. Mueller, and we have no objections to their retention as board members.

This means the battle will be between Ms. McGrath of Park Ridge and Mr. Eldon Burk of Des Plaines. Do the math people.

The PRU Crew would hate to see the opportunity for Park Ridge based representation for a fourth seat on the District 207 School Board get lost, with Park Ridge representation left to Mr. Mueller, Ms. Pellar and Mr. Sullivan -- we'd like to think we can offer something better than Mr. Sullivan, and we believe Ms. McGrath is it.

We also believe Ms. McGrath's professional experience as an attorney, specializing in the administration of corporate pension funds and employee benefits, is experience that far outweighs her likely challenger for the open seat -- Mr. Eldon Burk, a retired educator who once served as assistant superintendent at Maine West for 29 years. Mr. Burk's background as a Des Plaines Library Trustee, former assistant superintendent, and educational foundation member isn't nearly enough for us to want to forgo voting for Ms. McGrath. Further, as reported in the press, Mr. Burk is an advocate of spending District 207's reserve funds and expanding programs for ESL (English as a Second Language) students. The PRU Crew sees red flags waving in the background behind Mr. Burk.