video 00000.MTS PRCOW 11-23-09
@01:12 mark -- Finance and Budget begins with discussion to Approve Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the Fiscal Year May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009
-- it's a dry and tedious discussion, but worth your time.
@45:03 mark -- COW unanimously votes to approve the annual financial report.
@45:14 mark -- COW begins discussion to Approve December 2009 Property Tax Levy – For the Budget Beginning May 1, 2009 and Ending April 30, 2010
-- it's somewhat painful to listen to the Alderdopes meander their way through the topic but since these are our representatives -- we use the term loosely -- this discussion is also worth your time.
video 0001.MTS PRCOW 11-23-09
Begins with continuing discussion of the December 2009 Property Tax Levy – For the Budget Beginning May 1, 2009 and Ending April 30, 2010
@02:40 mark -- COW votes to unanimously approve the property tax levy
@02:50 mark -- COW begins discussion of the FY 2010/11 Contributions to Community Groups
-- bottom line = business as usual
@08:30 mark -- COW begins discussion of the Director's Report -- Review Employee Medical Insurance Experience for the Six Months Beginning May 2009 and Ending October 2009
@09:20 mark -- Allegretti yawns and the Crew fully understands the sentiment.
@17:10 mark -- COW begins discussion of the Director's Report -- Six-Months Financial Report – May 2009 through October 2009 and Director of Finance Diane Lembesis requests a stay of execution.
@23:37 mark -- Director Lembesis reveals she's a liquor hound.
@44:20 mark -- We learn about the new math -- a $400K deficit can turn into a $900K deficit in the blink of an eye.
-- again, while not as politically titilating as some subjects, this discussion is worth your time.
video 00002.MTS PRCOW 11-23-09
Begins with continuing discussion of the Six-Months Financial Report
@01:33 mark -- Resident George Kirkland addresses the COW
@02:46 mark -- COW begins discussion of the Budget Calendar
@06:04 mark -- Procedures and Regulations begins with discussion of Approval of Temporary Art Policy
@17:30 mark -- We learn once again that nothing is free, in case anyone needed reminding
@24:43 mark -- Ald. Bach moves to amend the motion regarding liability insurance
@29:56 mark -- Ms. Pat Ahern, CEO for Rainbow Hospice addresses the COW and we learn that public art is tangible, which may explain the need for liability insurance
@34:54 mark -- Ald. Bach withdraws his motion to amend the Temporary Art Policy and then motions to refer the matter back to committee
@36:04 mark -- COW votes unanimously to refer the matter back to committee
@36:11 mark -- COW begins discussion of Modification to the 3P Manual - Special Events Policy
@43:00 mark -- Ald. Bach motions to refer the matter back to committee
@44:34 mark -- Mayor Schmidt notes there is nothing in the policy which addresses reimbursement to the City for special event costs
@45:34 mark -- City Manager Jim Hock informs the COW that he is the "committee" to which the matter is being referred and suggests the COW is the place to discuss the issue
@46:26 mark -- Ald. Wsol offers that City staff has always handled special events well and he doesn't believe the City Council should review special events, despite any costs incurred by the City, and the PRU Crew believes Mayor Schmidt smiled all the way home.
video 00003.MTS PRCOW 11-23-09
Begins with continuing discussion of Special Events policy
@02:09 mark -- Resident Mel P. Thillens addresses the COW
@05:18 mark -- Resident and current Taste of Park Ridge NFP chairman Albert Galus addresses the COW
@06:39 mark -- The PRU Crew noted the effervescent spewing of bullshit so full of warm fuzzies we almost bought into it
@11:03 mark -- Resident and current Taste of Park Ridge NFP committee member Dave Iglow addresses the COW and picks up where Mr. Galus left off, noting the "non-political, no-compensated" nature of the Taste of Park Ridge NFP
-- We say to the Taste of Park Ridge NFP, "Prove it and prove our suspicions wrong." -- disclose the financial statements for the Taste of Park Ridge NFP, along with your vendor list. Until you do, we are going to continue to strongly suspect the Taste of Park Ridge NFP is "inurring benefits" to "insiders", which is illegal. And give our best to former Taste committee chairman Bob Dudycz.
@16:30 mark -- Ald. Allegretti asks for a continuation of the discussion and a consensus that any action taken not be in effect until January 1, 2011
@18:36 mark -- After a comment by Ald. DiPietro on rainbow art and Rainbow Hospice, we learn from City Manager Hock that the Library Board poopooed displaying rainbow art on the library commons area
@28:22 mark -- COW actually returns to the motion to defer and votes unanimously in favor of deferring the matter to a later date
@28:35 mark -- COW begins discussion of the proposed ordinance to ban Video Poker – New State Law
@32:17 mark -- COW votes unanimously to ban video poker
@32:26 mark -- COW begins discussion of the Health and Property Maintenance Enforcement Process
@42:46 mark -- COW begins discussion of Modifications to the Ethics Ordinance
-- and the hits just keep on coming.
video 00004.MTS PRCOW 11-23-09
Begins with continuing discussion of Modifications to the Ethics Ordinance
@03:55 mark -- Alderman and DUI attorney Allegretti confesses his worry about an attorney and current or former elected official representing clients in traffic court
@06:56 mark -- Resident and CURRB spokesperson Judy Barclay addresses the COW
@09:26 mark -- Resident Joan Sandrik addresses the COW
@10:21 mark -- Resident Missy Langan addresses the COW
@12:30 mark -- Resident George Kirkland addresses the COW
@14:00 mark -- Procedures and Regulations ends with a whimper
@14:16 mark -- Public Works begins with discussion to Approve Changes to Article 9, Chapters 2 and 4 of the Municipal Code – Public Ways
@18:14 mark -- COW votes to unanimously Approve Changes to Article 9, Chapters 2 and 4 of the Municipal Code – Public Ways
@18:24 mark -- COW begins discussion for Approval of Water Supply Agreement with City of Chicago
@25:00 mark -- COW votes 3 (DiPietro, Allegretti and Wsol) to 1 (Carey) for Approval of Water Supply Agreement with City of Chicago -- Ald. Ryan appears to have been absent from the vote
@25:22 mark -- Mayor Schmidt resumes the chair and reminds everyone of the upcoming blood drive at Mary Seat of Wisdom
@26:12 mark -- Motion to adjourn
12 comments:
How embarrassing. Park Ridge must be the only place where there are politicians trying to weaken ethics.
I still miss the PRU commentary reports you used to do but thanks for keeping with this.
Is it my imagination or are these meetings getting longer and longer?
Thank you alderman Frank Wsol. I agree with everything you said about Park Ridge having a higher standard. We are not Chicago.
PRU, I agree the Taste organizers should make their financials public.
Why pick on only the Taste organizers? Don't you think all the groups that get money from the city should have to make public their returns?
Thanks again, PRU Crew, for your great job at sorting through all this dreck.
I hope the Council will consider nominating the entire Taste of Park Ridge Committee for sainthood - just as soon as they open their books so that we can see that they really are just "non-compensated" volunteers.
Tomorrow I am going to give thanks that Frimark is not the mayor any more and for having only a year and a half left of Allegretti.
Anonymous November 25, 2009 11:11 AM.
There is nothing wrong with requiring every group getting tax dollars from the City to open up their books for public inspection. But because Taste of Park Ridge takes in hundreds of thousands of dollars each year and gets the biggest City special events subsidy by far, it should go first.
To the guy in the video who held up the dime,
If the city wasn't busy wasting so many of our dimes we wouldn't be listening to the garbage about how billboard fees are importnat for the income.
To those who've emailed a heads up, yes we are aware the comments are appearing out of order and some of you may be having trouble posting comments at all.
There are a number of blogger blogs being effected by this problem.
The Blogger gods are aware of the issue and are collecting information. We look forward to a fix soon.
Thank you.
for taste, why wouldn't the city demand to be paid back their costs? at the very least!
PRU, this is my first post. I want to say that your crew does a great job documenting the city hall meetings. It helps to have these videos, and I know I have been getting great use out of them.
I am the guy who held up the dime during the discussion on Special Events. I am one of the newest members of the Taste Committee, with last year's event being the first I helped plan and run. I did it because I believe that the special events in town are important, and worth the small amount the city pays for the extra police, fire, and public works.
I know that the committee has been doing a bit of self promotion lately, but that is only becuase of the fact that some people have been implying that we are not unpaid, or that we somehow benefitting from our role on the committee. That is not true. I believe that the Taste Committee is being targeted by some who disliked the founders of the group (including Frimark and Dudzyk). Neither of those two were involved with the committee at all last year.
"Show us your books" you say, and I agree that there are merits to that arguement. I do believe in transparancy in government, and in fiscal conservatism. However publishing all of our transactions on the internet, disclosing itemized amounts of what each food seller made, what we paid each of our contracts (entertainment, tents, etc), and listing the dollar amount of each sponsorship, would cause us problems in future contract negotiations, may cause rifts between our food sellers, and would be disclosing other businesses private finances. Worse, having the City Council decide to support certain events, after reviewing the dollar sponsorships and participation of various businesses and individuals in those events would lead to all sorts of possible conflicts.
I do know that anyone who is interested in going over the numbers and our year end financials could set up a meeting with Albert Galus at Academic Tutoring. He would be happy to get the call.
Once again, I want to reiterate that even in this deficit budget (which I would like to see balanced) supporting special events is worth it. The amount the City pays for it's increase in city services during those events is small (Only $31,000 of the $50 million budget this year). I believe that number could be reduced by cutting back some of the police and fire support (although it is nice to see our men and women out there). Most importantly, the small City support (not in money but in services) is leveraged by volunteers for all the events and sponsors for most to create a great value in entertainment and city promotion.
Mr. Thillens --
Thank you for taking the time to respond to our remarks.
Our PRU.ADMIN has indicated an interest in addressing your comment and will do so when time allows.
FWIW, The PRU Crew has had many a good time attending the Taste and we have every reason to keep doing that. We are not ignorant of the enourmous amount of work and stress which goes hand in hand with putting on this type of community festival.
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