With The Wind At Your Back!

From -- titiavanbeugen at deviantart.com

Have a great weekend!

FOIA Fun!

For our faithful PRU readers who may have missed it, the Butterly On Education blog recently posted an interesting article titled A Rudyard Kipling approach to (FOIA) requests - Part One.

Butterly offers that he intends to "write a series of Blog postings on writing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests...My ultimate goal is to teach you a disciplined and repeatable approach to investigating your School District’s activities, utilizing the Freedom of Information Act...So, let’s end this post with the first question. What is FOIA?"

The PRU Crew is looking forward to reading what Butterly has to say on the subject and we look forward to the promised future postings. We also hope those who may be interested in paying closer attention, not only to what their local School District is up to but also any of their other local governing bodies, will find the information useful and the Butterly blog a helpful resource.

We have to admit we were dumbfounded by the story which inspired the above -- When is enough, enough? $900 a day for consulting? Not bad for government work!

And in case our faithful PRU readers are not aware, there is a small section of Park Ridge which reportedly pays property taxes into East Maine School District #63 (map)(.pdf).

Jeez, some of our fellow taxpayers are taking it from all sides!

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!

Good Morning, Schmidtzkrieg!

It's a looooong one today, people -- we hope you see it through.



Mayor Schmidtzkrieg, we understand you're in a difficult spot. You inherited enough bullshit from your predecessor to last you and our grandchildren a lifetime. But pity party time is over, pal. You wanted the big chair and your hand on the gavel, and now you've got it. It's time to man up. It's time to be the fiscally responsible leader you promised the voters you would be. It's time to choose your response to this mess.

We also understand you probably aren't in want of tons of advice on the subject of the City budget either -- and we're told you're leaning toward a veto of the entire thing. We think that's a mistake and so we thought we'd add our advice to your slush pile for consideration -- our reasons and opinions follow below.

If the PRU Crew were in a position to choose how to respond to the current City of Park Ridge budget mess, we would choose to do the following --

Cutting Expenses:

We took a look at the allocations posted in the City Manager's budget document for Community & Civic Services(.pdf) on the City's website. The PRU Crew considers expenditures of these tax payer dollars to be of the most discretionary nature, and we've assumed the numbers posted on the City website are current and accurate.

We would line item veto the following items --

Fine Arts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $ 13,200
Civic Orchestra - - - - - - - - - - -$ 13,200
Teen Center - - - - - - - - - - - - -$ 22,000
Senior Center - - - - - - - - - - - -$ 35,200
Rainbow Hospice - - - - - - - - - $ 4,400
Meals On Wheels - - - - - - - - - $ 7,040
Historical Society - - - - - - - - - $ 8,800
Cultural Arts Council - - - - - - $ 4,840
Kalo Foundation - - - - - - - - - $ 4,400
Brickton Arts Center - - - - - - -$ 11,000
O'Hare Commission - - - - - - - $165,000
Total Cuts - - - - - - - - - - - - - - $289,080

No matter how we try to approach the subjects of each of the above, we are forced to conclude each and every one of them are non-essential expenditures of taxpayer dollars.

By the by, does the above total cuts number look familiar? It should. It's relatively close to the number the Park Ridge Police Dept. has been asked to cut from it's budget for the coming year -- $283,768 -- again, if the sources we've checked are reliable.

The difference leaves a very modest surplus of $5,312, which is more than enough to fund the City run Youth Commission, slated for an allocation of $4,400 in the coming fiscal year's budget. We feel the 6th ward's Unfriendly Ghost has made an admirable effort in ramping up the efforts of the City run Youth Commission, and since the Commission is a City run effort, we're willing to take the surplus from cuts made to donations to private organizations and leave the Youth Commission funding in place. But we wouldn't lose any sleep over cutting the Youth Commission's funding either.

And we pause for a moment to thank the City run Health Commission for not taking an allocation in the next fiscal year, once again if the documents we've consulted are correct.

What the above mentioned cuts do not leave room for is funding the two privately run charitable efforts we previously mentioned in our post here -- the Maine Center for Mental Health and the Center of Concern. Each of those privately run organizations are slated to receive allocations of taxpayer dollars in the amounts of $6,600 and $55,000, respectively.

Here is what the PRU Crew would choose to do -- we would work with the City Manager and the union representative for the police department rank and file and insist they find some way to cut the Park Ridge Police Department budget by $61,600 to cover the funding allocated for those two charities.

Not only do we believe they could do it inside of two hours time, we also believe it's in their best interest to do so -- and not just because it could save the department from having to lay off 4 police officers in which the department AND THE CITY taxpayers have invested training time and effort, but also because the two previously mentioned charitable organizations work in concert with many of the goals and efforts of the police department. The two previously mentioned charitable organizations may well alleviate some of the burden and responsibilities which may otherwise fall to the police department.

We'll explain -- but first we will offer that we're pissed off about having to attempt this without any hard numbers --

Let's begin with the Center of Concern, which has several programs they tout as being wonderful for the Park Ridge community and beyond. Some of those programs fall under the heading of Senior Supportive Services. Two of those programs run by the Center of Concern are the "Friendly Visitors" and "Telephone Reassurance Program."
It just so happens the Park Ridge Police Department also offers "The Are You O.K.? Program" described as, "This program offers daily contact with seniors, and peace of mind for friends and family. The City of Park Ridge offers a telephone service to its senior citizens and the disabled. Each day the participant is called at a specified time to check on their well-being. If the call goes unanswered, help will be dispatched. For more information call the police department at (847) 318-5252or e-mail at info@parkridgepolice.org"

Maybe it's just us, but we would rather our police officers be out on regular patrol than have the added burden and responsibility of what is currently being handled by the Center of Concern. And again, we wish we had the goddamn f*&#ing numbers for these specific stats from the Center of Concern.

And at this point, Mayor Schmidtzkrieg, we would also like to remind you of what you said about the Center of Concern in your press release on Homeless Shelters --

"I personally endorse the Center of Concern’s model of helping “cure” homelessness by helping homeless individuals secure shelter 7 nights a week in the same place, so they have some stability and a foundation upon which they can rebuild their lives."

We trust you weren't referring to the Center of Concern's model of providing assistance to those in need where only the homeless are concerned.

Another reason the PRU Crew would prefer to have police officers out on regular patrol, at the current staffing level, is because the recent reports in the local rags about gang graffiti, among other reports we've read, have not gone unnoticed by us.

We will admit, the thought crossed our minds that one of the masters of psycho-chicanery, Hoopty Lou of PRPD infamy, has been planting stories with his favorite local rag reporterette -- and if you want to put a scare into a mighty whitey suburban rightie, just holler "GANG ACTIVITY!" We guaranty, it's not visions of hip-hoppers breaking, popping, and locking that are dancing through their heads. It isn't NBA players neither.

However, enough evidence exists of a growing gang problem in the area that we believe concern is merited. We also believe that limited economic opportunities lead to all kinds of problems -- like the sale of drugs and weapons -- which brings us right back to wanting to preserve the current level of police department personnel our community currently enjoys, since we're fairly certain the North of Dempster ne're do wells, among other undesirables, didn't get the memo about not crossing the borders into Park Ridge.

It also brings us to the Maine Center for Mental Health. One of the many human needs services the Maine Center provides is in the area of addiction treatment. The PRU Crew thinks the Maine Center's website sucks as a reference for ordinary taxpayers and how they're spending our money, but at this point in time we are going to choose to believe they are doing what they say they are doing -- which means they are, in part, treating people with substance abuse issues, who may or may not also have mental health issues.

Would any of our faithful PRU readers care to guess where substance abusers often get their money? That's right -- from burgling houses and committing other thefts -- which just so happen to be the two most frequent crimes reported in Park Ridge, according to city-data.com for 2008 -- and, according to a memorandum issued by our Park Ridge Police Chiefski, "98% of the Crime Index relates to Property Crimes with theft representing the largest category, or 74% of the Crime Index."

And we find another reason we believe the Park Ridge Police Department may want to help carry the burden of funding the Maine Center for Mental Health. The fewer abusers of substances out on the streets, the less likely our police officers will have to deal with them if they're receiving treatment -- but just in case, we'd like to maintain our current staffing level of police officer personnel anyway. Thank you very much.

During these economic times, an overworked phrase these days to be sure, we sincerely believe it is in our community's best interest to continue to modestly fund true and real human needs services.

So Mayor Schmidtzkrieg, those are the cuts the PRU Crew would choose to make and those are the reasons and opinions for which we'd make them.

With respect to your claims that you believe the City Manager's revenue projections are way out of line -- the PRU Crew has gone over the revenue analysis document (.pdf) and we just cannot pinpoint where you may believe the projections are off. We concede the threats from Governor Quinn of withholding a large portion of income tax revenue from municipalities should not be taken lightly or ignored, but we do note the City Manager has offered two possible areas which could also be cut should Quinn's threats come to fruition.

Whether you choose to respond to the current budget mess with the swing of a total veto axe or the employment of a discerning red line veto pen is your choice to make.

We feel a total veto would be worthless since the Aldermorons have already proven themselves incapable and unwilling to make fiscally responsible decisions. We're left to wonder if you've got the stones to do what the Aldermorons could not or would not do, or if you'll pass the hot potato budget buck back to the the City Council.

Responsibility: the ability to choose your response. We're looking forward to yours, whatever it may be.

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!

Somewhere --

Have a great weekend!

A Thursday Twofer!

A quickie twofer for our faithful PRU readers!

allposters.com
Some of you may have noticed a new link we've added to our link list on the right -- the Sin Bin blog. We received an email from blogger Michael Sebastian letting us know "Your readers may have noticed some lights and cameras this week in Park Ridge. That's because there's a movie shooting in town. It's called Sin Bin and the writer and director are both from Park Ridge."

Mr. Sebastian has been given access to the behind-the-scenes production of the film and he writes, "The filmmakers--my childhood pals--gave me unfettered access to the set, the crew, the actors, the catering--basically anything I see or hear while they're filming.

The movie is about growing up, set in a suburb of Chicago. The main character owns a van called the Sin Bin --

And since the PRU Crew has a decided fondness for independents, we thought we'd give this film crew and Mr. Sebastian some attention and promotion!


Our faithful PRU readers who took the time to wend their way through yesterday's video of what is supposed to pass for the practice of democracy during local Council debate and discussion may have taken note of the 5th ward's Benedict Alderman Ryan saying he did not recall voting to approve an increase in vehicle sticker fees for the purpose of funding the Park Ridge O'Hare Airport Commission's requests.

In yesterday's video, discussion of the increase in vehicle stickers begins at the 1:50:08 mark. In response to a question raised by the 7th ward's Ald. assWsol, at the 1:51:10 mark, Ryan can be heard saying, "That wasn't the intent." And again at the 1:52:33 mark Ryan states, "This was not put in there for community groups" and goes on to ask, "Can we check the record?"

Yoohoo -- Benedict Ryan! You're in luck! The City posts videos of your meetings on your City web site, in case you don't get around to reading the minutes of the meetings prepared for your reviewing pleasure, before you vote to approve those minutes!

If you check out the video of the 7 p.m. City Council Budget Workshop for Wednesday 3-31-10 on the City web site -- or the second video we embedded here -- you will hear at the 2:38:43 mark, the 3rd ward's Ald. Don Bachtard say, while discussing funding for the PROAC, "I do have a suggestion as to how this is going to be paid for. That's my very next motion." And at the 2:50:50 mark Ald. Bachtard motions to increase the cost of vehicle stickers.

So, Benedict Ryan, there is a record available for your review and that record does reflect the intent behind the increase in vehicle sticker fees.

While the Lord of the Manor tried to clarify the process and procedure of increasing vehicle sticker fees, and while a member of the audience commented on the problem of doing so, it seems clear to the PRU Crew that the intent of the vehicle sticker increase was, in fact, to fund the PROAC request.

Of course now it will be left up to the municipal fund accounting wizards to cover the Council's asses for again not knowing what the hell they are doing.

Business as usual at 505 Butler Place.