For our faithful PRU readers, who sat through the entire video we posted for last Monday night's City Council meeting, beginning at the 2:00:10 mark you undoubtedly heard 6th Ward Alderman Thomas Carey make the following statement under new business --
"Mr. Mayor, I'm not certain of the protocol on this regard but as all of you may know I have not made a determination as to what decision I'll make regarding running for Alderman again.Political folly? Demands for timely disclosure of economic interests is political folly?
However, it appears the political folly has begun and I want to restate what I've stated previously, approximately four years ago.
I happen to work with and for Patrick Engineering and I am disclosing the fact that Patrick Engineering does work for the CDA, the OMP, and that there are contracts in place and there have been in place, and so again I want to make sure that that is out and disclosed in public."
We don't think so.
Alderman Carey, you are beholden to the voters in your ward as well as the larger community to make sure they are aware of any economic interests you may hold directly or indirectly in any given matter of legislation on which you intend to act. We do not recall you ever disclosing the particulars of the economic relationship between your employer, Patrick Engineering, and the O'Hare Modernization Program. If you did so, "approximately four years ago," we missed it. But can you explain why you did not offer the time, place, and date of that "approximately" four year old disclosure when you addressed the matter at Monday night's City Council meeting? At best, you are treating the ethical questions and demands of your constituents far too casually.
The contracts you referenced in your statement about your employer, Patrick Engineering, aren't merely a small matter of, say, something like a fee for acting as an insurance agent.
The contract Patrick Engineering holds with the OMP is worth $5million.
The PRU Crew is aware there are those calling for your resignation over what they believe to be your failure to properly disclose the economic relationship and that you have been in violation of the demands of the ethics ordinance -- Article 2, chapter 5 (.pdf). The PRU Crew believes it would be a waste of effort, and would essentially leave the residents of the 6th Ward unrepresented for what remains of your term as Alderman. We also don't feel you possess the appropriate level of chagrin to even consider stepping down from your Council seat.
However, Mr. Carey, we strongly encourage you to consider what it is you owe to your constituency -- even those who disagree with you and find fault in your positions -- in serving as their representative to the City Council, while you're thinking over another run at the job for another
13 comments:
PRU, thank you for posting this.
The guy is in denial. He should stpe down.
3:05,
I disagree with you. Like PRU said, his term is almost up anyway.
What I do agree with is what I read in the paper today where Mr. Gene Spanos said the Alderman should have recused himself. Any way you look at this it looks like a conflict of interest.
September 23, 2010 3:18 PM,
I beg to differ.
He should not have taken part in anything about the OMP.
He betrayed the residents of the 6th ward.
He should step down.
I agree. He should have recused from voting. I also agree with the person who said he should just serve out his term.
Anonymous @ 4:06,
>>He betrayed the residents of the 6th ward.<<
I think "betrayed" is pretty over the top in describing Carey's action...or rather, lack of action in disclosing the matter at the time debate and action were being taken on the city's possible responses to the OMP and whether or not to place a referendum on the ballot.
I think he should have recused, as others said...and recusing himself from all discussion and action would sure have served him better, if not having served his constituents better, but...
"Betrayed?" Come on... As I told a friend, it is a highly debatable point as to whether Carey's votes on the issue of the OMP could be viewed as being in the best interests of Park Ridge, as well as being in the best interests of his company; the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive......whether or not Patrick Engineering's interest in seeing the continued expansion of O'Hare is adverse to the interests of Park Ridge. Like it or not, that is a matter of some opinion and is debatable...
Another debatable point...whether or not Carey's actions have been in the interests of Patrick Engineering in contradiction of and at the expense of the interests of Park Ridge, or whether he has acted in furtherance of the interests of Park Ridge...
I can't be sure, but I'm willing to bet not every 6th ward resident...possibly, not even a majority of 6th ward residents...all believe the city should spend money on a renewed fight against the airport. The referendum will go far in revealing those opinions.
Some folks...who are adament about taking action against the OMP... might feeeeel "betrayed," but that feeeeeling doesn't mean they actually have been.
It would be difficult to find ANY major engineering firm that doesn't have something to do with OMP.
Anon@9:51 --
Your claim isn't all that far fetched. Millions and billions of dollars usually do get spread around for major projects.
However, we will point out -- the issue is, Ald. Carey has an obligation to disclose such involvement to his constituents.
He claims to have done so, though in a manner we believe is much less than timely, if he ever did in fact make the required disclosure.
Our objection is to the cavalier attitude Ald. Carey seems to have adopted when confronted with objections to his conduct from some of his constituents.
One of Ald. Carey's most vocal critics on this issue was one of his most ardent supporters during his Aldermanic campaign. That's not an issue of politics. That's profound disappointment.
If Carey really did disclose this relationship 4 years ago, good -- but did he recuse himself from votes? If Carey really did not disclose this relationship until this week, the recusal doesn't matter. He will have not only failed to disclose it previously, he will have lied about disclosing it, and for those offenses alone he would have to step down.
Frimark's hand picked, 1/2 pint council.
The gift that keeps on giving.
Regular Guy:
I agree if Carey didn't disclose it before and he lied about it, he should resign. Liars shouldn't get second chances.
Official Misconduct.
Failure to notify.
Misuse of Office.
Knowingly gained financial
benefit from another.
Anon: 3:54
"Liars shouldn't get second chances."
I think you might be a bit harsh. If that were the threshold, we would need to buy nine blow up dolls to fill the seats of the nine Park Ridge elected officials in the City Council chambers.
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