The Bi-weekly Goat Rodeo!

1. -- 6:30 pm Special City Council Meeting

Tonight the City Council will be meeting to discuss and review the performance of the City Manager, Mr. Jim Hock. The extensive agenda (.pdf) includes a single motion to go into closed session for the discussion of the City Manager's performance. So anyone hoping to hear the Mayor and Council discussions on the subjects contained in the City Manager's memo (.pdf) -- especially the Mayor's and Council's discussion and opinions on the "prioritized goals" -- will probably be s.o.l.

The PRU Crew is pretty sure discussion of nearly all the subjects contained within the City Manager's memo don't fall under the exceptions to the Illinois Open Meetings Act, but what do we know.

2. -- 7:30 pm Regular City Council Meeting

After reviewing the performance of the City Manager, the Mayor and Council are set to begin their regular meeting festivities. The agenda (.pdf) for the meeting is light but, once again, we encourage PRU readers to pay particular attention to the Planning and Zoning topics on the agenda.

Our sources tell us some of the Aldermopes are wavering on their previous votes concerning whether or not to neuter the independent review authority of the Planning and Zoning Commission. We feel interested parties -- and by that we mean, people interested in a healthy system of governmental checks and balances -- should make the time to show up to tonight's meeting and help the Aldermopes understand that altering the current process is not in the community's best interests.

3. -- School District 64 H1N1 Update

For those who may not have received either the District's robocall or email announcement, District 64 has been informed that schools in the Park Ridge 60068 zip code only are tentatively scheduled for the CCDPH vaccination visit on Wednesday, December 2.

An informational packet and permission form (.pdf) are available in English, Polish and Spanish on the District 64 website.

We Call It 'The Novelty Theory!'

From thefuntheory.com -- "dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better."

Have fun this weekend!

Now, A Word From Planning and Zoning

This past Tuesday night, the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission held one of their bi-weekly meetings.

If you haven't reviewed the videos from the meeting, we very strongly encourage you to do so. You'll find the videos from the meeting here.

On the agenda (.pdf) were two public hearings for two proposed text amendments to the zoning ordinance. The first covered proposed changes to the zoning ordinance governing planned developments and construction schedules. The second covered proposed changes to the zoning ordinance regarding billboards.

Currently the Park Ridge zoning ordinance does not allow billboards, which is just a cryin' shame, isn't it?

Apparently 4th Ward Alderman Jim Allspaghetti thinks so, because he's taken full credit for submitting the matter for consideration to the Planning and Zoning Commission after having been approached by Mr. James Loss, the attorney and controlling interest in a company known as Generation Group, Inc.

What Ald. Allspaghetti seems not to have expected is the Planning and Zoning Commission thought it odd, unusual, and even manipulative for Ald. Allspaghetti to take the lead on the matter instead of having Mr. Loss and his Generation Group, Inc. make a direct application to Planning and Zoning.

What Ald. Allspaghetti should also get credit for is seeking to eviscerate the independent review and decision making process that has long governed land use matters in the City of Park Ridge. It has been Ald. Allspaghetti leading the charge to make sure that any and all denials from Planning and Zoning are to be reviewed by the City Council, which can then over-turn those denials with a simple majority vote -- that's a whole 4 people deciding land use matters for the entire City of Park Ridge.

The reaction on the part of the Planning and Zoning Commission members, to the maneuvering being done by Ald. Allspaghetti and his Council cohorts, can only be described as negative, which the PRU Crew believes is the only appropriate response. And that negative response was placed into a very well-written letter to the Mayor and City Council, which you can view, below --


Planning and Zoning Commission Letter to the Mayor -- 11/10/09

Veteran's Day 2009 - Observance

In observance of Veterans Day - Again today we will set aside any discussion of politics, government, elected leaders, and policy concerns in order to offer our deepest gratitude to those soldiers who have served our country to protect our freedoms, so that tomorrow, and every tomorrow to come, we may again freely discuss politics, government, elected leaders, and policy concerns.

To all our veterans near and far, thank you.
May God bless you all.

Video from 11-9-09 COW

video #00000.MTS PRCOW 11-9-09


@01:25 mark -- Marine Week proclamation

@04:04 mark -- Veterans Awareness proclamation

@06:20 mark -- Public Works Committee begins

@06:42 mark -- City Attorney reports on Deerfield litigation against ComEd

@30:42 mark -- Flood Control Task Force update

@31:48 mark -- Reminder of informational meeting for proposed SWANCC garbage franchise agreement for commercial businesses

@32:13 mark -- Ald. Allegretti reveals he's been asleep for the last 5 years.

@32:54 mark -- Public Safety Committee begins

@33:00 mark -- Red Light Camera update begins

@46:08 mark -- Resident George Kirkland addresses the COW

@47:35 mark -- Ald. Bach reveals he's inclined toward the 'RoboCop' model of policing


video #00001.MTS PRCOW 11.9-09


Begins with continuing discussion of Red Light Cameras

@02:15 mark -- Hands-free Ordinance discussion begins

@14:40 mark -- Resident Robert Cozzini addresses the COW

@18:54 mark -- Resident Nicholas Loise addresses the COW

@23:50 mark -- Dangerous Animal Ordinance discussion begins

@26:05 mark -- Resident Maryann Gobbo addresses the COW

@30:45 mark -- Resident George Kirkland addresses the COW

@35:26 mark -- Police Chief's Advisory Task Force discussion begins

@36:13 mark -- Police Dept. organizational assessment discussion begins

@36:37 mark -- Citizen Police Academy graduation discussion begins

@36:51 mark -- Maine South Principal's Advisory Board report begins

@38:23 mark -- Police Dept. Mission and Value Statement review discussion begins

@39:00 mark -- Complimentary letters to the Police Dept. discussion begins

@41:35 mark -- Police Dept. grants discussion begins

@42:16 mark -- H1N1 vaccination discussion begins

@46:16 mark -- Fire Chief Craig Gjelsten goes all out to be "pc" and gender-bias-free as he remarks upon "pregnant people"

@47:00 mark -- Police Dept. Wellness program discussion begins


video #00002.MTS PRCOW 11-9-09


Begins with continuing discussion of Police Dept. Wellness program

@01:02 mark -- Police Chiefski mentions monthly update reports to the City Council

@01:15 mark -- Fire Dept. has no report

@01:34 mark -- Mayor Schmidt resumes the chair

@01:48 mark -- Mayor Schmidt comments on Park Ridge Community Church Chancel Choir

@03:44 mark -- New Business -- Ald. DiPietro invites resident Nicholas Loise to address the COW on the denial of permit for tree removal

@05:16 mark -- Motion to adjourn

Two-fer Monday!

1. -- Wannabe to Gonnabe!

Our PRU sources report the Park Ridge Recreation and Park District has selected Mr. David Herman to fill the vacancy on the Park District Board. Mr. Herman will bring his financial background to the position. We're told Mr. Herman holds a CPA and MBA in finance, and is employed in the health care arena at a Chicago hospital.

Congratulations, Mr. Herman. Welcome to the machine!


2. -- Public Works and Public Safety COW Tonight!

The brain trust -- we use the phrase loosely -- comprising the representative body for the City of Park Ridge will be meeting tonight at the usual time, in the usual place. Tonight's COW agenda(.pdf) appears to offer a lot of talk and virtually no action -- you know, the usual.

Videos tomorrow!

Autumn Colors!

'Autumn Jewels' by Dragon Winter
- abstractdigitalartgallery.com

Enjoy a colorful weekend!