Parkour Ridge?

If we build it, they may come!

Have an interesting weekend!

RIF - Reading Is Fundamental!

"As Mayor Howard Frimark's car went past along Cumberland Avenue, Park Ridge resident Adrienne Dimopoulos (right) and her aunt, Pauline Zane of Chicago held up signs protesting the proposed study to detemine whether Cumberland Avenue can be extended across the Union Pacific line to Busse Highway." (Eric Davis/for Pioneer Press)

In today's Herald-Advocate, we find the above photo and caption (emphasis added) from this past Monday's Memorial Day parade.

There were other signs on display by residents also opposed to the idea of extending Cumberland Ave. under the train tracks to Busse Hwy.

We can't say for certain, but we're pretty sure those residents weren't protesting "the study." We're pretty sure those residents don't care what "the study" concludes. We're pretty sure those residents were protesting the proposal to extend Cumberland Ave. under the train tracks.

But we understand the desire of some in the local press to give Mayor Howard a helping hand when they can.

But we must say today's Herald-Advocate editorial about extending Cumberland Ave. may be one of the best efforts at discussion we've ever seen from that paper. PRUdos!

Freewheeling - May 28, 2008

Last Friday, we put up a YouTube video that discussed funding shortages at the Veteran's Administration that have given rise to troublesome outcomes for our veterans seeking services they are rightfully due.

Discussion under the topic included asking what the Park Ridge community could be doing for veterans in need.

One commenter, Jayne Reardon, posted a suggestion for what the talented attorney population of Park Ridge could offer to veterans in need of assistance with benefits claims, and suggested people check out the Veterans Legal Support Center at the John Marshall Law School.

This past Monday, the Pub-dogs had a very informative piece on a Park Ridge group called the Wounded Heroes Foundation. If you haven't had a chance to check it out, please do.

And finally, this week the burbcopschicago blog directed readers to check out a song titled "If I Die Before You Wake," and we thank them for that suggestion.

Java Man!

Maybe you've been one of the lucky ones. Maybe you've been one of the people chosen to meet for a cuppa java with Park Ridge's own Java Man, Mayor Howard Frimark.

We hear Mayor Java Man has been downing the java like an SUV guzzles gas; meeting with some of the St. Mary's neighbors who are troubled by the fact that many of their concerns and questions about the proposed homeless shelter remain unaddressed and unanswered.

We also hear that Mayor Howard continues to repeat himself incessantly, even when faced with facts that contradict his statements, and questions from those lucky St. Mary's neighbors who've been granted special access to observe Java Man in action.

One concern residents have had is what will happen when the homeless shelter "guests" are shagged from the St. Mary's basement. Will those homeless "guests" begin hanging out in the Park Ridge Public Library or the new Uptown redevelopment? We are told Mayor Java Man is unconcerned and does not directly address the questions during those Java Man sessions he's been conducting.

So today we decided to offer some ideas for merchants and residents, the property-owning taxpayers in the Uptown TIF district, to combat the potential problem of an imported number of homeless "guests" making Uptown their new hangout.

And we know Benedict Alderman Ryan (5th ward) will welcome these ideas. After all, they are what some other communities have done to address the issue of homeless people hanging around urban developments.

From a website called "Transfer; nyc & hudson chronicler of architecture, bad, good & otherwise" we find the following architectural elements, characterized as "anti-sit":

Anti-sit storefront.


Anti-sit standpipe.


Anti-sit planter.


Anti-sit railing.


Anti-sit business interior.


Anti-sleep public bench.


None of those additions to the landscape of an urbanized setting look very inviting. But then again, that's the idea. Too bad such elements are likely to have the same uninviting effect on homeless "guests" and shoppers, alike.

But we thought Mayor Java Man and Benedict Alderman Ryan would want to know what other communities are doing to combat the problem of homeless "guests" loitering in residential and shopping districts, when they aren't being housed in an overnight homeless shelter.

Memorial Day, 2008.

"America will only be the land of the free so long as it is the home of the Brave"

Enjoy your hard-won freedom this weekend.

Two-steppin' Blue-footed Boobie!

John Sill - freelance artist and bird illustrator

From the Journal & Topics online, we read an unattributed article titled "Committee To Review Caudill Agreement." What caught the PRU Crews attention were a few lines in the piece indicating what can only be described as a lack of transparency and cooperation on the part of city government; specifically, acting City Manager, Julianna Maller. The article states:

1) "The revised agreement was not provided to the media."

2) "The Journal & Topics Newspapers was told to file a Freedom of Information Act request for access."

3) "Maller would not speak to a Journal & Topics Newspapers reporter regarding the issue; choosing to respond only to written questions."

4) "...but she did not indicate if that was at Caudill's original rate of pay or at the increased rate."

5) "She also did not answer a question asking if the three additional months of settlement would be adjusted to reflect only the first 4% increase."

The Illinois Attorney General's website says, “…it is declared to be the public policy of the State of Illinois that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government […] Such access is necessary to enable the people to fulfill their duties of discussing public issues fully and freely, making informed political judgments and monitoring government to ensure that it is being conducted in the public interest.” (5 ILCS 140/1)".

And, the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) "...is intended to open the government to all citizens by guaranteeing access to governmental records in whatever form they are maintained. The Act maintains a clear preference for access to public documents while still protecting legitimate governmental interests and the privacy rights of individual citizens."

Before PRU readers jump to any conclusions about their right to access public information -- a task the press often undertakes on the public's behalf -- the PRU Crew feels the need to translate the above into what government officials understand the FOIA to mean; that is, "As government officials, we can delay and deter access to information by requiring anyone seeking information to jump through hoops."

So while you may think that FOIA is for the purpose of ensuring that "access is necessary to enable the people to fulfill their duties of discussing public issues fully and freely, making informed political judgments and monitoring government to ensure that it is being conducted in the public interest”, what you really should understand is that, before completing your duties as citizens in an open and free democracy, government officials will expect nothing less than an Olga Korbut performance on paper from you.

And, even when government officials snootily demand that all questions must be submitted in writing, you shouldn't expect those written questions to be answered either.

Happy Anniversary!

One year ago today, the current members of the Park Ridge City Council were sworn into office.

To commemorate this momentous occasion, the PRU Crew has put together a slide show of the pictures of the Mayor and City Council that we've posted since beginning our blog.

Enjoy!

Mayor Howard Frimark's statement from the
May 21, 2007 City Council minutes:

Mayor Frimark stated this evening would start a new era in the City of Park Ridge with the reduction in size of the City Council from 14 to 7 Aldermen, one per Ward. He took the opportunity to voice his visions of ideas and goals for the new City Council. He included completion of the Strategic Plan 2007-08, a business plan for the City; planning, financing and locating a site for the new Police Station facility; ensure traffic and parking studies are brought to closure; moving forward with the development of Executive Plaza; determination of the City’s role in the Napleton Cadillac site; City action on Napleton’s request for financial incentives/sales tax rebate program; addressing the Greenwood Avenue traffic issue (and obtaining a grant); broadcast of City Council meetings; development of a committee to further explore the future of the City - as with the Vision 2000 Committee; encourage the development of Target Area 4 and Higgins Avenue corridor, South Park, Dee Road, Cross Road and Dempster areas; increase the number of volunteers within the City and develop a volunteer preservation committee to retain those who are involved; and continue to provide the community with high quality City services.