Have Some! And a Welcome Note!

Have Some Cow pie!

For our faithful PRU readers who may want to take a break from the holiday madness, may we suggest some madness of a different sort? How about a COW meeting!

If you're up for some assorted madness, you can attend tonight's City Council COW meeting -- the agenda (.pdf) offers topics for discussion and action on subjects for every City Council committee!

The PRU Crew is very interested in hearing the discussions on a number of issues. We feel the pending agreement with Lutheran General Hospital, on the issue of the parking garage tax, should be of extreme interest to the people of Park Ridge. And we look forward to learning precisely what community health care services the City has been providing, in addition to ambulance and paramedic services, since the community groups listed on exhibit A (last page) of the supporting documents (.pdf) are not City-provided community health services. But the PRU Crew is mighty intrigued by the idea of being able to contract for the rescinding of tax ordinances and then earmarking payments to government for preferred program support!

We're also wondering about Lutheran General Hospital's ability to use the proposed agreement to help satisfy legal requirements for providing charity care.

The PRU Crew expects the Mayor and City Council will support the addition of "advice and consent of the City Council" when reviewing department head hiring, and express approval of the City Council, by vote, of severance payments. And we feel this is a cluster f%$# waiting to happen. If history provides any instruction and-or insight, it is likely this Mayor and City Council would have approved the extra severance payment made to the former Director of Economic Development, while voting against any extra severance payment to the former Director of Community Development. And their doing so would have been highly subjective and rife with personal sentiments. But hey, discrimination lawsuits are always interesting!

Finally, we expect the residents on Vine Ave., seeking reimbursement for engineering costs (.pdf), may want to be prepared to bend over and grab their ankles. But some of the residents on Bonita Drive may have better luck with the City Council, right after explaining what they are really after is enforcement of the current truck parking ordinance -- versus the inexplicably stupid cover memo (.pdf) which states, "There seems to be two groups of thought – one believes the restrictions on truck parking should be stronger and the other group believes they aren’t strong enough." Just more of the same nonsense of the continuing saga of Meatgate and one family's adventures in local government!


Welcome Note!

Today was the first day candidates for local office could submit their petitions for inclusion on the ballot for the upcoming spring elections.

We're told, as of noon today, current Aldermen Joseph Sweeney (1st ward) and Rich DiPietro (2nd ward) have submitted their petitions to the City Clerk for inclusion on the ballot.

We're also told relative newcomers to the fun that is local City of Park Ridge government, Franklin Ramirez (7th ward), Sal Raspanti (4th ward), and Dan Knight (5th ward), have also submitted their petitions to the City Clerk for inclusion on the ballot in the same aforementioned elections.

Welcome! The PRU Crew is very much looking forward to your campaigns!

COW 11-8-2010 Video!

The Committee of the Whole meeting was again very long, and we again encourage people to make the time to watch the making of municipal sausage.

The Aldermen managed to talk the Tree Preservation On Private Property ordinance to death, for over an hour and a half, without actually doing too much damage to it.

The PRU Crew was pleased to hear Alderman Carey ask City staff exactly what we were wondering about -- explain exactly what sections and which "language in various sections of the Municipal Code related to parkway maintenance responsibilities" the Public Works Department is proposing "to consolidate and clarify." The PRU Crew also got a chuckle out of Alderman DiPietro's having asked if the issue of parkway maintenance was related in any way to the infamous "meatgate" incident. We're hoping everyone in the room took special note of the City Manager's remarks on the subject, despite the Director of Public Works' denial of any relationship between parkway trees and the proposed housekeeping of the municipal code as it relates to parkway maintenance.

And for those who manage to make it through to the end of the COW video, you may find it interesting to hear Police Commander Keller talk about how our Police Chiefski has been "meeting with parties" concerned about more and less enforcement of the truck parking ordinance in the City's zoning code. Some of our faithful PRU readers may be aware that the issue of truck parking arose from the frustration of some of the neighbors surrounding the residents on Bonita Drive directly involved in the "meatgate" incident. The PRU Crew is unaware of a precedent by which the Chief of Police consults residents on their preference for enforcement of any of the City's codes, but we understand there's a first time for everything. And we're finding the dynamic taking place between City staff and the Bonita Drive "meatgate" people very very very...interesting.

Enjoy the show!

Monday PRU Grab Bag!

#1 -- For our faithful PRU readers interested in more City circuses, you're in luck! There's a COW meeting tonight (.pdf - supporting documents), beginning at 7:00 PM at City Hall. The PRU Crew is looking forward to hearing all about the Public Works Department's plans for Amending Article 9 to include Parkway Maintenance Responsibilities (.pdf), as neither the cover memo, nor the draft ordinance (.pdf), explains exactly what sections and which "language in various sections of the Municipal Code related to parkway maintenance responsibilities" the Public Works Department is proposing "to consolidate and clarify."

The tree huggers among our faithful PRU readership may also want to take note of the Tree Preservation Task Force's recommended ordinance for TREE PRESERVATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY(.pdf) -- it turned out better than we expected it to. But we have every reason to believe our Alderdopes will try their very best to screw it up.


#2 -- For our faithful PRU readers interested in looking deeper into the recent press coverage on School District 64's recent ISAT test results, you can do so here (.pdf), starting at page 89 -- from the supporting documents for the D64 School Board meeting held on October 25, 2010. The PRU Crew also found these results better than we expected, and we appreciate what appears to be continual growth in the number of D64 students who exceed State testing standards. However, we would like to hear somebody explain how this growth in the exceeds category of testing does or does not correspond to the issues raised in an October 18, 2010 report by the Chicago Tibune -- New ISAT lets kids pass with more wrong answers. Think of it this way, we're just asking for the chiiiiildren!

We've also heard some people grumbling about the announced changes to the middle school lunch program -- specifically, the memorandum of information from the District's Purchasing Manager, Betty Lattanzio (page 144 of the supporting documents), letting the Board know the middle school lunch program will no longer be accepting cash payments for lunches beginning January 4, 2010. In other words, chaaaaarge it! RevTrak, the company so graciously offering this new school meal accounting software interface to the District, has got to love the idea of having likely modest but multiple deposits on account!


So there you go, faithful PRU readers -- pick your public policy poison!

COW 10-25-2010 Video!

For the viewing displeasure of our faithful PRU readers! It was one helluva long meeting, but we strongly encourage people to make the time to view the video.

Mr. Mayor, you come off like a jackass on a handful of issues. The 6th ward's Ald. Tom Carey kicked your backside on the topic of the City Manager's contract -- for a figuratively blind, squirrely guy, on rare occasions Carey's flush with nuts! And the PRU Crew thought Procedures and Regulations' Chairman Allegretti acted fairly in his recall of events surrounding severance payments.

The PRU Crew was pretty pleased with the general discussion and vote on the issue of the Facade Improvement Program and we look forward to the Council's future action -- we hope we aren't speaking too soon.

As far as the Taste of Park Ridge discussion is concerned, we were again almost taken in by the warm and fuzzy effervescent spewing. But we've now gotten a look at TOPR's 990 tax return. We've taken a good long look at their expenses, we've listened to their statements about the need to maintain a "rainy day fund," and we are more than certain it's now time for the Taste of Park Ridge, Inc. to reimburse the City for costs, gentlemen! We'll have more to say on this subject in a future posting.

PRUdos go to City Manager Jim Hock for what 7th ward Ald. Wsol described as "thinking out of the box." Despite Ald. Wsol's negative approach, we hope the Council will seriously entertain City Manager Hock's funding idea for Community Groups.

Mayor Schmidt's attempt to appeal to the ids, egos, and superegos of the Aldermen, on the subject of appointment authority for department heads, was laughable in its' transparency. Suuure, Mr. Mayor --the PRU Crew is suuure your intention is to secure the voice of the City Council by suggesting they should consider whether or not they "have a say" in the appointment process of City staff below the level of City Manager. The PRU Crew is also pretty sure it would be pretty convenient for the Mayor if that "voice" were filtered through his involvement in the process of appointing individual department heads -- an authority goal long dreamed of by his predecessor. Given the performance of the Mayor on the contract issue of the already appointed City Manager, we're going with the 2nd ward's Ald. DiPietro in agreeing, "the City Manager should manage," and any conflict in the language of article 3 should be "cleaned up" and clarified to allow the City manager to manage. Or we may be inclined to begin referring to Mayor Schmidtzkrieg as Mayor Schmidtstain -- we briefly considered using "Mayor Small Fri--," but we liked the sound of "Schmidtstain" better. Elected officials with the ability of bestowing employment on department heads is a recipe for patronage disaster -- and that's not just your average Schmidstain mess, that's 7 square miles full of manure!

Finally, PRUdos to the 5th ward's Alderman Ryan -- your suggesting the City review the process by which residential improvements are approved, especially as they pertain to land grades and drainage, is timely. We've heard about a number of problems with the City's inability to address residential engineering and construction issues, and it's about damn time the problems were addressed.

You Are Cordially Invited!

Good afternoon, faithful PRU readers! We think tonight's COW meeting may be one of those times it's in your best interest to get dressed, get out of the house, and go keep an eye on what your local City government may be planning to do to for you!

Beginning at 7:00 PM, in the Council Chamber at Park Ridge City Hall, the Finance and Budget, and Procedures and Regulations Committee of the Whole will be meeting.

On the City's website you will find .pdf file links to the supporting documents for tonight's meeting -- the PRU Crew is particularly interested in the following --

•Budget Policy -- worth a look.

•Spending Authority of the City Manager -- be careful what you wish for!

•City Manager's Employment Agreement (draft) -- here we go again!

•Facade Improvement Packet Info. -- more evidence Park Ridge is unfriendly to business! The PRU Crew feels the program should be suspended until somebody in local government gets their ass in gear and provides proof of the programs claims -- notably that "The City of Park Ridge (City) promotes the improvement of existing facades to make properties more attractive and increase long-term property values." The program has been in place long enough for an analysis to be done so a more informed decision can be made. While we appreciate being told what the City has so far spent on subsidies to private property owners for improvements of their private properties, we sure would like to see that hoped-for "increase in long-term property values." And maybe we missed it but, we would add the condition that any property owner receiving City Facade Improvement money is precluded from filing a property tax assessment complaint for at least two property tax assessment cycles.

•Public Information Coord. Agreement -- and here we all thought the Spokesman produced itself!

•Taste of Park Ridge Analysis (rev) -- time to reimburse the City for costs, gentlemen!

•Financial Report -- or as we are calling it, a post-mortem of last year's DOA budget.

•FB Monthly Report -- no, this is not a report on the Mayor's monthly FaceBook activity.

•Severance Payments -- looks like the Mayor and Council were for 'em before they were against 'em!

•Community Group Funding -- why the hell this was posted on the City website we have no idea. It's no more informative than an agenda line item.

•Code Clarifications - Dept. Head Appt. -- clean up on aisle 3! Which code language gets cleaned up will be very telling about the mindset of certain elected officials!

Something for everyone!

Monday Grab Bag!

Grab a seat at a meeting, or grab a book to read! Either way, there's no reason for boredom here in Action Ridge!


#1 -- Our illustrious City Council will be holding another COW meeting tonight at City Hall, starting at 7:00 pm. The agenda (.pdf) covers Finance and Budget, and Procedures and Regulations.

It looks as if there is a ton of potential fun to be had! The PRU Crew is eagerly anticipating the discussion of the Davis separation agreement (.pdf), as well as another variance discussion concerning zoning code regulations. How new is the new zoning code rewrite? And how much did the City pay for consulting services to rewrite it?

We also see the 5th ward's Benedict Ald. Ryan has gotten his wish -- the Council COW will be discussing the merits of the possible unbudgeted purchase (.pdf) of the Scharringhausen parking lot. The PRU Crew again believes this to be an especially stupid idea at this time. But then again, consider the source of this idea, and stupid is to be expected.

Finally, for our faithful PRU readers who pay very close attention to what's taking place, we're sure the contents of two particular background memos caught your attention -- succinctly stated, no doesn't mean no for some people.


#2 -- The District 64 School Board will be holding their annual budget hearing (agenda.pdf) this evening. The budget hearing is scheduled to begin at 7:20 pm, before the regular School Board meeting (agenda.pdf) begins at 7:30 pm at Jefferson School.

We strongly urge anyone, who is interested in how the School Board has planned to spend our money in the upcoming year, to take full advantage of those ten generous minutes allotted to the task. Though the PRU Crew doesn't blame the School Board for setting such a brief budget hearing schedule -- traditionally, nobody shows up for the monumental event.


3# -- If attending meetings of your local government bodies isn't quite what you do for fun, may we suggest reading a book?

It's once again time for Banned Books Week!

For those interested in making a subversive selection of reading material, you can check here and here for ideas!

As we offered here, the PRU Crew still thinks "District 207 should consider adding an elective Junior and Senior level course to the high school curriculum devoted entirely to the reading and discussion of "banned" books.

With a heavy dose of Constitutional and public policy issues thrown into the mix.

Keep the thought police hopping!"

Committee of the Whole 9-13-2010 Video!

Enjoy the show!

We're sure our faithful PRU readers will appreciate the very gifty natures of some of our Aldermopes.

And we just loved the policy vs. ordinance discussion about tree preservation!

More COW Bell!

The ding-a-lings we call our elected representatives will be holding another COW meeting this evening at City Hall, beginning at 7:00 pm. The agenda (.pdf) for tonight's meeting covers Finance and Budget, Public Works, and Public Safety.

The first item of business, under Finance and Budget, is an action item -- a. City Manager's Employment Agreement (.pdf). For those of you paying attention, you will remember this item of business was deferred from the last City Council meeting, in keeping with Council tradition. The PRU Crew feels the contract is more than fair for a City Manager position in a community the size and type of Park Ridge -- but we must admit, we're not sure there's enough money in the world to compensate anyone having to deal with our current crop of elected representatives.

Under the Public Works portion of the agenda, the PRU Crew cannot wait to hear the discussion which will take place regarding item 1. Parkway Tree Removal Policy (.pdf) -- and the PRU Crew is wondering what the hell the amount of $167,438.94 is supposed to reference in the cover memo.

The most recent installment of "Meatgate" was covered in one of the local rags here and here. Tree preservation and the Bonita Drive Bunyans were originally discussed on our blog here and here. We are particularly interested in hearing when and how a mere policy overrides a City ordinance, in addition to learning when and how the new City Forester Mr. Tony Gliot can override settled Council policy in particular cases. However, the PRU Crew does have to give a big old tip of our lumberjack hats to the Bonita Drive Bunyans who clearly live by the standard that if at first you don't succeed, try, try again! Two Mayors -- two City Managers -- Two Public Works Directors, and three City Foresters! Third time's a charm!

The last portion of tonight's COW meeting will cover Public Safety and the PRU Crew's favoritest subject, Red Light Cameras. B.O.H.I.C.A.!

And finally, the PRU Crew are very very very proud of ourselves for not making any tasteless jokes here about Police Chiefski's Pig Roast report!

Hardly Worth The Wait! -- COW 8-23-10 Video!

The video abruptly begins with City Manager Jim Hock's report to the Council on the Financial Condition of the City (.pdf). Beyond the discussion of the City Manager's report, there is also discussion of the Treasurer's report, which does not appear to be part of the documentation available for review on the City's spanky new website. Though now we better understand where the Herald-Advocate reporter got her information for the simpleton report she wrote for this week's edition.

All in, it's another budget discussion cluster. But the PRU Crew has a new drinking game! We call it 'A Hard-on for Hynes' -- every time Mayor Schmidtzkrieg mentions the State's Comptroller, take a drink!

Further indexing of the video, as time allows -- no promises.

Committee of the Whole 7-12-2010 Video!

Another entertaining cluster for those who find clusters entertaining!

Committee of the Whole 6-14-2010 Video!

-- And it's a long one!

@ 0:02:15 -- Mayor Schmidt reports on email exchange with CAL law firm

@ 0:03:11 -- Procedures and Regulations begins with action item to approve PROAC Resolution

@ 0:04:38 -- Ald. Ryan moves to amend PROAC Resolution

@ 0:08:20 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to substitute for the whole a Resolution to place a referendum question about opposition to O'Hare expansion on the Nov. election ballot

~~ And they're off! ~~

If these Aldermorons weren't our Aldermorons the PRU Crew would find this theater of the absurd very very very entertaining!

~~ And an hour later...

@ 1:05:34 -- Council COW votes 4 (Sweeney, DiPietro, Carey and Wsol) to 3 (Bach, Allegretti and Ryan) to place as an action item on the next City Council agenda a Resolution to approve a referendum question

@ 1:06:12 -- Discussion begins on the inclusion of Boards and Commissions information on the City web site

@ 1:32:00 -- Discussion begins on no-bid contracts policy review

@ 1:35:30 -- Discussion begins on land use alternatives for 1200 Elm St -- And the PRU Crew notes the lack of public access and web site posting of the appraisal analysis provided by MaRous & Co. to the City Council

@ 1:47:01 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to refer the issue to the next Council COW as an action item to be sent to Planning and Zoning for review -- the Council COW votes unanimously to do so

@ 1:48:02 -- Finance and Budget begins with discussion and action on the City's phone service contract along with discussion of the competitive bidding process

@ 2:05:00 -- Vote to approve the phone service contract be place on the next City Council meeting agenda for action is 4 (Sweeney, DiPietro, Allegretti and Ryan) to 3 (Bach, Wsol and Carey)

@ 2:06:43 -- Public Works begins with discussion and action on parking ordinance policy

@ 2:15:42 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to defer action on the policy until the September Public Works Committee meeting

@ 2:16:20 -- Council COW votes unanimously to defer action

@ 2:16:31 -- Discussion and action begins on commercial parking restrictions for Busse Hwy. between Oakton and Potter roads

@ 2:17:01 -- Council COW votes unanimously to approve commercial parking restrictions

@ 2:17:07 -- Discussion and action begins on Stewart Ave. parking restrictions

@ 2:23:17 -- Council COW votes unanimously to approve Stewart Ave. parking restrictions

@ 2:23:32 -- Discussion begins on driveway guideline ordinance

@ 2:25:00 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to refer item to Appearance Commission for review

@ 2:25:12 -- Ald. Bach amends motion to include review by Planning and Zoning

@ 2:27:44 -- Council COW votes unanimously to refer item to Appearance Commission and Planning and Zoning for review

@ 2:28:00 -- Discussion begins on Fairview parking lot

@ 2:40:06 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to refer the issue of the purchase of the Fairview parking lot to the next Council meeting for discussion in closed session

@ 2:46:04 -- Council COW votes 4 (Bach, Allegretti, Ryan and DiPietro) to 3 (Sweeney, Carey and Wsol) to place the item on the next Council meeting for closed session

~~ And the PRU Crew finds Ald. Ryan's lack of disclosure about his relationship to the real estate agent for this potential property acquisition to be obnoxious, arrogant, and far short of anything which comes even close to honest, open, and transparent ~~

@ 2:47:12 -- Public Safety begins with Red Light Camera update and discussion of expansion of the program. And the PRU Crew is gratified to hear some of our elected officials call this what it is -- barely anything more than a revenue generator for the City

@ 3:08:31 -- Discussion begins on consideration to ban hand-held devices while driving

@ 3:22:10 -- Ald. DiPietro moves to send the issue to the next Public Safety meeting as an action item

@ 3:27:20 -- Council COW votes 5 (DiPietro, Ryan, Carey, Wsol and Bach) to 2 (Allegretti and Sweeney) to move the item to the next Public Safety meeting for action

@ 3:28:44 -- Discussion begins on Touhy and Northwest Hwy. traffic safety concerns

@ 3:36:19 -- Discussion begins on safety grant programs conducted by the Park Ridge Police Dept.

@ 3:53:23 -- Chiefski's report begins

@ 4:05:20 -- Fire Chief's report begins

@ 4:13:35 -- Public Safety ends and Mayor Schmidt resumes the chair

@ 4:13:55 -- Other Business begins with Mayor Schmidt inquiring about former Fire Chief Dubowski's return to the City and the City Manager's authority for creating a position for Dubowski

@ 4:15:38 -- New Business begins with Ald. Wsol requesting information about how property tax assessments are tracked for improved properties

@ 4:16:38 -- Ald. Wsol asks for a status report to be given at next Monday's City Council meeting concerning the search for a new Finance Dept. Director

@ 4:17:01 -- Mayor Schmidt asks for City staff to begin providing monthly budget reports and updates

@ 4:18:21 -- Ald. Sweeney announces a Youth Campus cook out being put on by the Kiwanis

@ 4:18:55 -- Motion to adjourn

COW(Finance/P&R/PW) 5-24-2010 -- video!

Alright already! You can stop asking now!




For our faithful PRU readers and those who have asked --

Our smaller, more efficient City Council has opted to go into a holding pattern on some of the issues before them. The PRU Crew feels such a holding pattern is probably a good idea. For our part, we've been following the legislative updates on the Illinois Municipal League's website.

Another Committee of the HOLE!

The only thing faster at swallowing your money than a Las Vegas card table is a government body. If any of our faithful PRU readers are interested in watching, live and in person, how fast one of their local government bodies can swallow money, you're in luck!

There's another Council COW meeting tonight at 505 Butler Place! And the agenda (.pdf) is packed full of fun! The general topics covered will be under Finance and Budget, Public Works, and Procedures and Regulations!

Under the Finance and Budget action items to be covered is COW approval of that stickiest of wickets -- approval of contributions to community groups (.pdf). While the Public Works portion of the agenda includes 4 out of 5 action items guaranteed to satisfy some urges for local economic stimulation! The Procedures and Regulations portion of the meeting will include concerns relating to land sharks and candygrams.

So faithful PRU readers, if you haven't got anything better to do tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. at Park Ridge City Hall you can watch your money get swallowed by the money black hole, a.k.a. your local city government!

COW 5-10-2010 - Video

Enjoy the show!

COW Pow Wow!

Should our faithful PRU readers have nothing better to do this evening, you may want to attend tonight's Council COW!

Tonight's COW agenda (.pdf) covers Public Safety and Public Works. The two most interesting items on tonight's agenda appear to be the discussions under Public Works -- Land Grades on single family residential properties (.pdf) and Commuter parking in residential and commercial areas (.pdf).

In the second memo about parking, the PRU Crew found the following quote very interesting --

"The basis for this recommendation is to avoid setting a precedent that cannot be fulfilled for other businesses."

Things that make us go hhhmmm...

City Council COW Mtg (PRFB) 4-26-10 - video!

The Council COW begins with the usual opening ceremonies, such as taking attendance -- Aldermen Bach and Carey are absent, as is Mayor Schmidt

@ 0:0:55 mark -- Finance and Budget begins -- agenda items covered are --

A. Action Items

1. Approve Payment for Database Administrator Services – Ariel, Inc.
2. Approve Payroll for Human Resources and Payroll Processing Services – Ceridian Employer Services.
3. Approve Payment for Employee Medical, Dental and Life Insurance.
4. Approve Prevailing Wage Ordinance Effective June 1, 2010.
5. Approve Services to Third Millennium.
6. Approval of SCH Real Estate, LLC Lease for Parking.


@ 0:23:46 mark -- Procedures and Regulations begins -- agenda items covered are --

A. Action Items

1. Modification to the 3P Manual regarding the City Attorney
2. Approval of the City Council referring a modification to Section 4.8.C.2.b (Definition of Supermajority) to the Planning and Zoning Commission for public hearing
3. Modification to the Liquor Ordinance Regarding Sealing and Removal of Open Wine Bottles
4. Lease Approval – 15-19 S. Prospect Ave. (Pedestrian Plaza and Arcade)

B. Discussion Items

1. Land Use Alternatives – 1200 Elm
2. Establish Solicitation Permit Fees
3. Required Votes to Grant an Appeal on Public Works Decisions


@ 1:48:02 mark -- New Business begins

@ 1:49:14 mark -- Adjournment


As usual, we strongly encourage our faithful PRU readers to spend the time reviewing the video of the meeting, and we believe you may get a sick and twisted kick out of watching the 4th ward's Ald. Allspaghetti offer up a performance worthy of an Oscar in the category of best special interest supporting bullshit artist!

More Cow Pies Tonight!

Tonight's City Council COW agenda (.pdf) covers issues under Finance and Budget, and Procedures and Regulations committees.

The Finance and Budget committee will be voting to approve spending your money on Ceridian Employee Services (.pdf), Ariel Database Services (.pdf), Employee Medical, Dental & Life Insurance (.pdf), and Third Millennium (.pdf).

In addition to those expenditures, the Finance and Budget COW will also be spending your money to renew the lease agreement (.pdf) with "SCH Real Estate, LLC for parking spaces at 20-22 S. Fairview. The City then sells parking permits for the lot to cover the amount of the lease. The existing lease expires on June 1,2010. The lease is being renewed for a period of six months with an automatic renewal for an additional six months in the amount of $20,520. This amount is based on an annual rate of $360 per space, with 57 spaces leased."

And the PRU Crew is wondering if SCH Real Estate, LLC sends flowers and chocolates to City Hall on Secretaries Day. If they don't, they should -- the PRU Crew feels it's very nice for the City to provide secretarial services and staff time to SCH Real Estate, LLC, as well as snow removal and other services to the lessor. The PRU Crew is also wondering if the City is obligated to pay the lease amount whether or not the spaces are sub-leased?

However, the real fun at tonight's City Council COW meeting should come under the Procedures and Regulations portion of the meeting.

Procedures and Regulations, chaired by the 4th ward's Ald. Allspaghetti, is set to again take action on the issue of Supermajority voting (.pdf), as well as a 3P Manual modification re: the City Attorney (.pdf) and a Liquor Ord Mofification re: Wine Bottles (.pdf).

The City Attorney's cover memorandum includes an entertaining passage -- "The attached Ordinance contains the City Attorney's addition of the term "2/3" to supermajority. The remaining proposed changes were made at Alderman Allegretti's request." And the PRU Crew laaaaauuuuughed! We may begin referring to the City Attorney as either "Pontius Hill" or "Buzz Pilate."

Also on the Procedures and Regulations agenda is another renewal of the lease agreement (.pdf) for the "pedestrian arcade from Prospect Ave. to the alley behind the building." Gillick-Zember Partnership will be receiving $15,000 for the first year and "the annual rent will increase at a rate of 4% annually. The initial term of the lease is 15 years, with an automatic 15 year renewal." And we're sure the Prospect Ave. Starbuck's crowd, among others, will be very pleased.

Enjoy the show!

C.O.W. PS/PW/PR 4-12-2010 -- Video!

Begins with the usual opening ceremonies.

@ :39 mark -- Citizens who wish to address the Council on non-agenda items -- Resident Andrew Schwartz comments on the city budget.

@ 2:18 mark -- Mayor Schmidt comments on Polish plane crash and the lowering of the City flag to half mast.

@ 3:54 mark -- Public Works begins with discussion and action on forestry appeal for a tree removal.

@20:07 mark -- Discussion and action on custodial cleaning contract for City Hall begins.

@21:19 mark -- Discussion and action on IDOT resolution begins.

@21:52 mark -- Public Works discussion items begin with discussion of parking issues on Busse Hwy.

@45:04 mark -- Discussion of referendum question regarding funding of sewer relief work begins.

@59:36 mark -- Director of Public Works Spring Season Update begins.

@ 1 hour mark -- Public Safety begins with various reports from Chiefski.

@ 1:17:33 mark -- Fire Chief has no report and Public Safety discussions end.

@ 1:17:50 mark -- Procedures and Regulations begins with discussion and action on modification to the liquor ordinance -- several residents address the Council and the Crew hears a lot of the same statements being made in favor of the Irish Pub as were made in favor of Uncle Dan's, may that business R.I.P. But the Crew admits to looking forward to throwing back a few black and tans when the Irish Pub opens.

@ 1:51:24 mark -- And we quote the 6th ward's Unfriendly Ghost, "There needs to be a synergy and if this is the fulcrum of the genesis of the type of establishments we will be supportive of in the future, I believe that there needs to be a synergistic center in which these establishments can feed off of one another." And the PRU Crew is very pleased to hear the 6th ward's Unfriendly Ghost offer this type of quotational specificity. We got a big kick out of it! We thought about offering an equally syllabically laiden push back, but we're still too busy laughing!

@ 2:15:35 mark -- Discussion and action begins on TIF/Intergovernmental agreement, as Mayor Schmidt exits the Chamber, we assume in part, to congratulate the Irish Pub owners and perhaps plan another social rendezvous with the Irish Pub owners before the next Council meeting on this issue?

@ 2:23:37 mark -- Discussion and action begins on Zoning Text Amendment to supermajority voting.

@ 2:27:31 mark -- Residents begin addressing the Council.

@ 2:31:10 mark -- We sincerely offer PRUdos to Alderman Don Bach. Thank you Alderman Bach for your clarity, honesty, and candor on this issue. This moment may rank as your finest in your public service effort to date.

@ 2:38:53 mark -- Procedures and Regulations ends.

@ 2:39:15 mark -- Mayor Schmidt resumes the COW chair.

@ 2:39:22 mark and 2:39:53 mark -- City Manager Hock requests closed sessions.

@ 2:40:31 mark -- New Business begins and includes discussion of Thursday night's budget hearing, supporting budget documents available on the City's website, and other budget related matters.

@ 2:46:50 mark -- Move to adjourn to closed session.

We Recommend --

Lifted from salon.com/story

For those of you paying attention to City Council antics, you'll want to stock-up on some good old fashioned lubrication in preparation for the screwing you're likely to get this week from your representatives -- we use the term really really really loosely.

Tonight's City Council COW agenda (.pdf) is set to cover topics under Public Safety, Public Works and Procedures and Regulations.

Topics to be covered under Procedures and Regulations look to be particularly entertaining.

Once again it appears the 4th ward's Alderman James Allspaghetti has taken some liberty in clarifying the cover memorandum submitted for public review by the City Attorney -- Here's a link to the original cover memorandum and here's a link to the revised cover memorandum regarding Supermajority voting to override denials by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The revised language reads --

Alderman Allegretti states that this change is only directed at the ordinance adopted November 16, 2009, which he believes misstated the intent of the Council by requiring 6 votes instead of 5 votes as intended.

Our faithful PRU readers can review the videos of the November 16, 2009 meeting here -- the subject of supermajority voting is covered in videos #3, #4, and #5. So how about it PRU readers, do you think after talking the issue of supermajority voting to death, to borrow a phrase Ald. Allspaghetti so often likes to use, can any of the Aldermorons claim to not have been clear on what they were voting for or against?

And as everyone should understand by now, the only reason this issue has come up again is because Ald. Allspaghetti is doing his incompetent best to see to it Park Ridge has the privilege of billboards being erected within our borders. And in light of the legal cites and legal history surrounding the issues of billboards, zoning and fees -- the only question remaining is what exactly is in this for Aldermoron Allspaghetti, personally, because this guy has never worked this hard for any other single piece of City legislation in his entire term in office.

Also under Procedures and Regulations is a cover memorandum (.pdf) from City Manager Jim Hock discussing the District 207 Board of Education's proposal to add nominal interest to the deferred TIF payment from the City of Park Ridge -- and as we bantered back and forth in the comments on this post, it does indeed appear the discussion between the City Manager and the Board was, in fact, interesting.

Hopefully, the videos from tonight's meeting will be available for review at some point in the future!

Park Ridge Goes YouTube!

If you missed the Monday night City Council COW --

For your viewing pleasure! The City of Park Ridge has a YouTube Cannel!

COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING 3-22-2010 Part1



COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING 3 22 2010 Part2



COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING 3 22 2010 Part3



COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING 3 22 2010 Part4



COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING 3 22 2010 Part5