Almost a year ago, we told PRU readers that Mayor Howard's method of operating includes creating distractions and pointing his finger in every direction other than back at himself. We called our post Look! There Goes Elvis! It seems clear to us that the buck may stop with Mayor Howard, then go right into his political war chest, but he'll take a pass on responsibility.
Chronicle #1 - Hound dogging the ZBA!
Today's Pub-dog article, Whom Do You Trust?, is about a Journal & Topics item reporting that Mayor Howard was keeping the Zoning Board of Appeals safe from First Ward Alderman Dave Schmidtzkrieg's diabolical influence. In typical Mayor Howard fashion, he blames an anonymous source for having tipped him to some Schmidtnanigans taking place behind the scenes at the ZBA. Except, it turns out the only behind the scenes -nanigans that have been taking place are of the Mayor Howard variety. After having contacted ZBA chairman Ann Tennes, privately, to "investigate" the alleged complaint, Tennes made the matter public at a June meeting of the board; recorded for posterity in the June ZBA minutes.pdf - pg. 9.
The PRU Crew seems to recall Mayor Howard saying that he doesn't "investigate" anything unless the City Council asks him to, which is why Mayor Howard said he didn't "investigate" who leaked information about former Chief of Police Jeff Caudill's separation agreement.
Chronicle #2 - Viva Bill Napleton!
As PRU readers know, one of the Crew's questionable hobbies is reading meeting minutes. And we thoroughly enjoyed the Sept. 4th minutes.pdf from the Public Safety Committee.
Even though discussion of a new police facility was a scheduled agenda item, Mayor Howard made sure to take advantage of the opportunity to speak ahead of schedule on behalf of a special 'Friend of Frimark', Mr. Bill Napleton.
Public Safety Committee chairman, Seventh Ward Alderman Frank Wsooooolman, has been working to make progress on the building of a new police station on a piece of property already owned by the City of Park Ridge, located adjacent to City Hall. While we take issue with some of the matters surrounding the building of a new police station, we give PRUdos to Ald. Wsooooolman for trying his level best to address one of our town's more difficult issues, especially at this time and in a strained atmosphere surrounding the department and the city budget.
The last thing Ald. Wsooooolman needs is a distracting Frimark fly in the ointment of serious city business. But as you know, you can always count on Mayor Howard to go to the mat on behalf of a pal. And if that means pulling the Public Safety Committee off task and in a different direction, then so be it.
Chronicle #3 - In The Preservation Ghetto!
For anyone who's lived in Park Ridge for more than a couple years, you would have to work diligently at remaining ignorant of CURRB spokesperson, former Fifth Ward Aldermanic candidate, and purple ribbon gadfly, Ms. Judy Barclay.
Ms. Barclay has plenty of faults her detractors can criticize, but nobody, and we mean NOBODY, can ever accuse Ms. Barclay of being anything less than the numero uno interested party in Park Ridge preservation. Ms. Barclay is a member of the Kalo Foundation, and the driving force behind the city's contemplation of a preservation ordinance.
So of course, Ms. Barclay was passed over by Mayor Howard in his selection of Preservation Task Force members -- all the gory details of which have been reported in the Park Ridge Herald-Advocate.
And of course, Mayor Howard pointed his finger at Deputy City Manager, Julianna Maller, for having left Barclay's name off the list. But the PRU Crew is pretty sure Ms. Maller's memo to the Procedures and Regulations Committee.pdf is accurate -- that memo bluntly states that Mayor Howard selected the members of the task force, and if you're aware of the (pre)dispositions of some of the names on that list, you're having a good laugh right about now...and the PRU Crew's laughing with you.
A Special Note --
Today's Journal and Topics is reporting that First Ward Alderman Dave Schmidt is considering running for Mayor.
The PRU Crew says...
THANK GOD! GO FOR IT!
September 10, 2008
The 'Look! There Goes Elvis!' Chronicles and A Special Note!
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22 comments:
Amen Brother Dave!
Nice list. Looks pretty much like a meeting of a subset of Friends of Frimark.
And how appropriate that it's headed by those two noted preservationists, Kirke Machon and Steve Huening. Can somebody tell us what Machon preserved in his two years on the council, other than the warmth of his seat. And because he was one of my aldermen for 8 years, I'm pretty sure Huening did nothing close to preservation - and not much else, by the way, unless you count spending our money while on the council, and raising our taxes by heading the District 64 referendum drive.
Hey, that might be it. With those taxes increasing, maybe more houses will be preserved because the owners won't be able to afford doing anything else with them?
Goooooo Big Dipper! Who loves ya, baby!
...;)
Dear Mayor Frimark:
Can you just come right out and tell us how much of our money you feel obligated to give away to Bill Napleton and any other of your "Friends" - Heinz, Adreani/Chipman, Scharringhausen and the owners of all the other properties you've tried to buy for a new police station, etc.?
At least that way we'll know who, what and how much dough we're dealing with.
Hey Howard,
Who's boss you gonna call today to complain about this!!!
The Judy Barclay thing cracks me up. How many times does he have to ridicule her in public before the light bulb in her head comes on? “Oh I wanted Judy, but they forgot to tell me I wanted her.” It’s right up there with “Judy I have to stay neutral in your race for Alderman”.
In order of appearance…..
1. Howard lies. Again.
2. Howard helps his “Friends. Again.
3. Howard publically humiliates Judy Barclay. Again.
The Alderman Dave thing is the only unusual part of the day.
Please think this through: why you would want Judy Barclay on the Preservation Task Force when you can have James Allegretti, an attorney specializing in personal injury, divorce and DUI.
I just had the chance to catch up on the newspaper with the ZBA article. I am completely angry and disgusted!! Of all the poeple in this town who have the best reputation and honor it is Ann Tennes. I am outraged that Mayor Frimark would try to say that she is not telling the truth in some way. Ann has given of herself to this community for so many years. For Mayor Frimark to try to taint her reputation is unforgiveable! All because he wants to go after a political opponent? I tell you this Mayor Howard Frimark. I don't care if Alderman Smith runs against you or any other person in town runs against you, I will vote for whoever runs against you!! I WILL NOT BE VOTING FOR YOU EVEN IF NOBODY RUNS AGAINST YOU! YOU ARE A HORRIBLE MAN!
my wild Irish prose...
I had the same thought. But the thing about Allegretti is that he is a puppet. He is just there to do what Howie tells him to do.
It's unbelievable that the mayor neglected to name Judy to the Preservation group and did put on Kirk Machon. But in a world where Mr. Anti-Public Safety Alegretti is on the Safety Committee and Sarah Palin is trotted out as a feminist, I suppose anything is possible.
Schmidt for Mayor....really?
Interesting.
Not sure if he can beat Howard...but it would make for an interesting race!
oh, yes...he CAN beat Howie and he WILL.
it's time for "change"
Mouse,
Not so sure he'll win in a three (or four) way race.
I hear there are at least two others who are still thinking of running, depsite what they publicly profess.
One of them sits on the Park Board and the other sits on the PTO at Washington School.
So what happens in a four way race? Lord only knows.
There are only two possibilities from the Park Board, Barton and Maloney. Barton is a bigger joke than Frimark and couldn't even win for Alerman when he ran in the 7th ward, and Maloney is not running.
As for that twit from the Washington PTO, just tell her she was sorely mistaken, the Mayor doesn't make an $80,000/yr. salary (no government pension either), and she'll scuttle back under her rock.
Rumor has it that Ald. Dave wants to see the Ekl report's full notes. It seems that many, many, many things said did not make it into the published report. I hope Ald. Dave gets to find out what the Council and the tax paying citizens really paid for in the Ekl report.
Has anyone ever googled Terry Ekl?
http://www.clr.org/terryekl.html
Alderman Dave made his request for Ekl's backup documentation to the audit clear at the last meeting when he questioned Ekl's bill. It's more than only a rumor.
As for googling Ekl and the link you provided, we think that site is as reliable as a contrail. They say a lot but do not provide copies for review of either the documents they claim to have or copies of the public records they claim to have reviewed.
I have learned from an impeccably reliable source inside city government that Ekl and the mayor have conspired to keep Ekl from having to answer any questions about his report. He claims in a letter to the aldermen that his report is complete and that they should take it from here. And by the way, where is my money for that great report?
The upshot: Ekl must have told the mayor that the "elected officials" his report mentioned as having interfered in police department business included HIM. How to rescue Howard? Keep Ekl as far away from Schmidt and Wsol as possible so the truth remains hidden from the people. The people of Park Ridge should be outraged. They are on the verge of having paid almost $90,000 for a report that hides the mayor's interference in department business and blames the entire world's troubles on Jeff Caudill, an admittedly imperfect leader who nevertheless has been treated like crap.
If Elk is guilty of the cover up that many think, he would have to be really stupid to include what ever he is covering up in his back up documentation.
Flooding flooding everywhere!!!! Pay no attention to the streets, sewers, or anything else around town that is deteriorating we need more condos, retail, a police station, and for god sakes bigger homes!
and when this is done we will here the same tired excuses about unusual events and how the system works just fine except for these 100 year events!
My response to that is bullshit!
...yea only those 100 year events seem to be coming every 3-5 years.
I believe that's the ways it's aways been only we have better sattellite and media to keep us up on it all.
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