The turnover of senior City of Park Ridge Staff moved closer to completion last Thursday (August 7) when Fire Chief Ed Dubowski announced that he will retire from the Department on Sept. 2 after 30 years of service.
Chief Dubowski worked his way up the ranks of the Department and distinguished himself in every position he held. He has won a number of awards and commendations.
No doubt he has earned his right to retire, but we still find his departure disturbing because it follows on the heels of the early retirements Police Chief Jeff Caudill, City Manager Tim Schuenke, and Community Development Director Randy Derifield, along with the resignations of Public Works Director Joe Saccomanno and Human Resources director Mike Crotty. That's the largest exodus of senior people from the City in memory.
The table was set for these departures by the previous city council's early-retirement incentive (ERI) program, which actually made it attractive for Caudill, Schuenke and Derifield to leave city employment earlier than expected. We don't like ERIs because they tend to strip local governments of their most experienced employees on the promise - usually a false one - of cost reductions resulting by the hiring of less-experienced replacements at lower compensation.
We haven't seen any of those savings yet. In fact, from what we've heard and read on the topic, new City Mgr. Jim Hock will be costing the city a lot more than his predecessor, Schuenke - although we can't imagine Hock not being worth it compared to a guy (Schuenke) who seemed to cause more problems than he solved.
August 12, 2008
Another one bites the dust
June 3, 2008
Council Capers Recap!
Again, we thank our PRU readers for being patient while we organize our sources.
At last night's City Council meeting, our illustrious representatives again voted to go into closed session to discuss the acquisition of property for a new police station. Our sources tell us Alderman Dave Schmidtzkrieg (1st Ward) reminded the Council that they had not yet decided the key issues of size and expense for such a project. Ald. Schmidtzkrieg further stated that they cannot discuss the acquisition of property without deciding those issues, in open session.
The 4th Ward's representative, Alderman Allspaghetti, then asked Schmidtzkrieg if he would "respect" the vote of the Council to go into closed session or if he would disclose what was discussed. Schmidtzkrieg responded that he "didn't know what [he] would do", but he would abide by the rules of the Illinois Open Meetings Act and that he was prepared to be "condemned" again for his actions.
Then Alderman Frank Wsooooolman (7th Ward) offered that his intention in asking for this closed session was in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act which allows public bodies to discuss "strategy for obtaining real estate", and that this was a protection of the taxpayers from those who may try to "manipulate" the market. What Ald. Wsooooolman doesn't seem to realize is that public bodies have the right to condemn property and pay fair market value for it, should anyone attempt to "manipulate" the market. What Ald. Wsooooolman also doesn't seem to realize is that the issues of size and expense for a police station should be determined before the Council engages in their "strategery" on land acquisition.
And the entire PRU Crew is willing to bet their briefs that the property discussed in closed session last night was the now shuttered Napleton Cadillac dealership, a prime piece of private commercial property on two main drags. Mr. Bill Napleton, a very special Friend of Frimark, is no doubt grinning from ear to ear about this real estate flip. Why work selling cars when you can "manipulate" local government into a deal that may provide you with a windfall of as much as $5 million? The PRU Crew has suspected for a while now that Bill Napleton never had any intention of maintaining a Cadillac dealership in Park Ridge, and the more we watch this deal evolve, the more convinced we become.
Also at the City Council meeting last night, Adrienne Timm of St. Paul of the Cross read a statement saying that the Park Ridge Ministerial Association and St. Paul of the Cross "continue to be sensitive" to the concerns of the community and will now seek to open a PADS homeless shelter at St. Paul of the Cross this coming October, instead of at St. Mary's Episcopal church. Ms. Timm was standing in for Father Carl Morello, who was presiding over SPC's eighth grade graduation festivities and waxing pastor-al about taking the "higher road" in life.
Apparently Father Morello's "higher road" doesn't include telling his congregation about things like the proposed PADS shelter coming to St. Paul of the Cross even while waxing pastor-al about the PADS program this past Sunday. While leaving out details from one's discussion of a topic isn't the same thing as telling a lie, and while telling a lie isn't one of the "Seven Deadly Sins", failing to mention key details probably is considered bad behavior.
But maybe Father Morello was so proud of his sermon last Sunday that he simply forgot to mention the new location of the proposed PADS homeless shelter. By the way, Padre, pride is one of the "Seven Deadlies." But you already know that, right?
After the PRMA--St. Paul of the Cross announcement, Cumberland Avenue resident Mr. Chris Harris addressed the Council to ask about the funds requested from Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky's office. Mr. Harris also asked "who will benefit" from the "Cumberland Avenue Connector Project". Mr. Harris noted that the request for funds also included that the project "proposes to increase speed" in order to move traffic through Park Ridge faster. He went on to say that Park Ridge is primarily a residential community that already gets more than its fair share of truck and cut-through traffic. Mr. Harris concluded his remarks by asking, "How does this (the proposed Cumberland extension) benefit residents and businesses in Park Ridge?" The PRU Crew feels that is an excellent question, Mr. Harris. We can't wait to hear what the pols' answer is.
Finally, Mayor Howard's rubber stamps on the Council took the opportunity to stick it to former Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill. As we told you yesterday, the Council was supposed to "approve payment to former Police Chief Caudill." Instead, in a vote of 4 to 2 (Bach, Allegretti, Carey and Wsol to Schmidt and DiPietro -- Ryan missed another meeting) the Council chose to hold the payment over the head of the former Chief of Police to ensure his "full cooperation" in the Ekl Williams investigation of the Park Ridge police department; even though the original separation agreement calls for Mr. Caudill to do exactly that. We're not sure about PRU readers, but the Crew feels that this dangling carrot bears the faint aroma of a bribe. More bluntly stated, it now appears as if Caudill's "cooperation" will be measured by the pleasure or displeasure of Council members and the Mayor in reaction to whatever information Caudill gives to Ekl Williams. And the delayed consideration of agreeing to the payment may reflect that pleasure or displeasure.
And we can't get past the Council's double-dealing on the terms of the agreement. If waiting until after the investigation to agree to a complete severance package for Caudill, to ensure his cooperation, is now so important, why wasn't it important before? Before the investigation began? Before "progress" reports had been received?
And finally, how the hell do you screw over a 30+ year employee like this? By nearly all accounts, Caudill served this community well. And we have yet to hear any substantive grounds for why the Mayor and his rubber stamps pushed for Caudill to resign.
We guess this is what passes for "doing business" in Park Ridge.
Buckle up, Park Ridgians! Remember to keep your hands and feet inside the hand basket, and try to enjoy the ride.
March 4, 2008
Hammer Time Howard!
Our sources have reported back to us the entertaining show Hammer Time Howard put on for all to see at last night's City Council meeting.
As some of you may have noticed, last night's City Council agenda was nearly devoid of any actual city business. But that doesn't mean that our fine Mayor didn't have his own political business to attend to and, as many of you know, Mayor Howard never misses an opportunity to use city resources for his own political purposes.
After the City Council recognized three brave citizens for helping to save the life of a local woman whose home had been engulfed by fire, then anticlimactically voted to name Ms. Julianna Maller City Manager pro-tempore, Hammer Time Howard's song and dance routine began!
First came the approval of the "separation agreement" with Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill. Alderman Wsooooolman (7th Ward) asked the City Attorney for clarification of any potential conflict regarding the agreement's language concerning the mutual "non-disparagement" clause and the requirement that Caudill cooperate fully with the police department audit.
The City Attorney assured all present that, if the city chooses to disclose the results of the audit to the public, the information could be "managed" in a way that doesn't violate the mutually agreed to terms that the city and Caudill not talk bad about each other.
Alderman Schmidtzkrieg (1st Ward) then asked if the Mayor would be seeking input from the members of the public who were present for the meeting. Not surprisingly, the Mayor said he would not be asking members of the public to participate in the discussion.
Then Alderman Schmidtzkrieg took the opportunity to express his "grave concerns" about the disclosure of the terms of the separation agreement. Schmidtzkrieg noted that a close friend of the Mayor, someone to whom Frimark had given a substantial campaign contribution, had been revealing information to members of the public prior to the City Council's having been informed of the agreement. Alderman Schmidtzkrieg noted that retired police officer, Robert Kristie had been discussing the agreement in public. Schmidtzkrieg then said that the leak of this information was a very serious matter and that since Mayor Howard is a close friend of Robert Kristie, who we reported to you yesterday was overheard discussing the terms of the agreement at a Maine South event, would the Mayor please investigate the source of the leak and ask his friend where he received the information? Schmidtzkrieg indicated that the Mayor should investigate who leaked this information to Mr. Kristie and report back to the council at their next meeting. The Mayor made no comment.
The PRU Crew predicts the Mayor's "investigation" of who leaked the information to Robert Kristie will be as fruitful as O.J. Simpson's efforts to track down his ex-wife's murderer.
The City Council then voted unanimously to accept the separation agreement between Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill, and the city.
Next on the agenda was Mayor Howard's prepared statement on "council decorum". Frimark began by accusing "an elected official" of disclosing confidential information to the press and public that may place the taxpayers of Park Ridge at a disadvantage. He went on to accuse the "elected official" of "laying waste" to the trust of the public. Mayor Howard concluded his rambling and repetitive remarks by saying that he, Mayor Howard Frimark, City Clerk Betty Henneman, Aldermen DiPietro, Bach, Allegretti, Ryan and Carey have all attached their names to the condemnation of the "elected official's" actions.
That Wsooooolman, what a trouble maker!
Alderman Schmidtzkrieg then asked City Attorney, Everett "Buzz" Hill, if the Mayor's remarks and the attachment of the names of 7 of the city's elected officials to the "condemnation" constitutes a violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act (IOMA), since the matter had not been discussed and decided upon at a public meeting prior to the final offering of the public "condemnation".
The City Attorney is reported to have swallowed his tongue. The only response the City Attorney could provide at that moment was to offer that "it depends upon how it was done". Alderman Schmidtzkrieg offered that the City Attorney could look into the details of IOMA and get back to the Council on the issue at a later date.
With Hammer Time Howard's song and dance routine having come to an end, the City Council moved rapidly through the rest of the empty agenda.
A few issues came up under "new business", and in a future PRU posting we will have PRUdos to give to IUOE Local 150 and, believe it or not, Benedict Alderman Ryan.
Break it down!
February 25, 2008
"Pepper" Burton!
As almost everyone who is paying attention knows by now, Park Ridge Chief of Police, Jeff Caudill, is "retiring". And now the search is on for who will be named the new Chief of Police in Park Ridge.
One of the names we've been hearing floating around is Des Plaines' own highest ranking Police Woman, Angie Burton. And the PRU Crew can't resist nicknaming her "Pepper" Burton, in a nod to one of our favorite old t.v. shows starring Angie Dickinson.
It looks to us as if "Pepper" Burton's former experience in sales is coming in handy when dealing with the press.
In the Letters to our Editor section of the Des Plaines Journal & Topics we read in part:
Editor, Journal:
Could Des Planes Deputy Police Chief Angela Burton possibly be leaving the department in the near future? The current Park Ridge chief of Police is under fire from several directions due to internal departmental problems. According to rumors in Park Ridge political circles, Burton is getting some serious consideration to replace him if he resigns his position. She is the wife of former liquor commissioner Michael Rozovics. Rozovics' Park Ridge CPA firm donated $1,000 to Park Ridge Mayor Howard Frimark's 2005 mayoral campaign. Burton seems to be a nice person and may make a great police chief. It is probably just one of those coincidences that Burton's being considered for the job and her husband was a contributor to Frimark's election campaign.
~~
Wayne M. Serbin, Des Plaines
We get the sense that we've got at least one faithful reader in Des Plaines. But that isn't what the PRU Crew found interesting. What caught our attention was the "Editor's Note" that said:
(Ed. Note: Deputy Police Chief Angela Burton said this week that her husband is not associated with a law firm by a CPA firm. She added that rumors surfaced several months ago about her moving to the Park Ridge department. She says that those rumors are just that, rumors, and she has never been approached about joining the Park Ridge Police.)
We're wondering what the question was? Did the Journal & Topics' chronically clueless editor really ask "Pepper" Burton, "Is your husband's CPA firm associated with a law firm?" We're also wondering, if that was the question asked, why was that the question asked? What does that have to do with the campaign contribution her husband made to Mayor Howard, or her husband's stint as a Park Ridge liquor commissioner, or rumors of her possible selection as the new Park Ridge Chief of Police?
We're also wondering why "Pepper" Burton chose to give an answer that isn't as straight-forward and honest as it could have been. Or did the Journal & Topics editor screw up "Pepper" Burton's answer? If the "Editor's Note" is accurate, is "Pepper" Burton embarrassed by her husband's support of Mayor Howard?
Yo Pepper, your husband's web site profile along with the State's required campaign contribution disclosures, is all anybody has to read to see the connections.
You weren't trying to deny those connections, were you?
Come on Pepper, you can do better than that.
