5/13/08 Council

[OakParkSpartan]

A whole bunch of appointments for essentially all department heads.  This should be a 3 ring circus. 

Why is a grants administrator position in the CDBG office being requested to be an appointed position?  To me, that is staff and should be filled as such.  What's next, appointing parking ticket writers?

Diagonal parking on Riverside Dr.  Bad idea IMHO.

Ald. Weiner wants the aldermen to give up their health insurance coverage in order to save the city money.  Don't hold your breath Mark.  Apparently no record can be found when they were first given health insurance coverage (to be clear, not all of the aldermen may take it).  Shall they decide to possibly lay off employees to protect their own benefits?  Should be interesting.

Erickson is proposing changing city sticker fees to a graduated model.  ie. after two cars per household, the next city sticker would cost more.  It basically makes those that consume more resources (parking) beyond normal pay for that privilege.  It also would help in spotting illegal apartments and overcrowding.

Hmmm, Joel apparently is now framing OC's ownership of the Berywn Banner as a free speech issue.  I haven't seen one in months.  Maybe it just died a natural death.  RIP Berwyn Banner.  We hardly knew you.

New apartment inspector to be hired.  Given the financial problems of the city, I don't see much in the way of cutbacks, rather increased spending.  On all sides.

Ald. Day submitted a report from the education committee.  Alderman, get a computer (or hire someone to type it for you).  Handwritten notes really don't look all that good and are hard to read.  I swear one sentence reads "What is needed now is to find out where the "GRIP" money has gone that one time helped the Board get Boobs".  What a "perk".  Ald. Weiner is looking into that.  Ald. Day contributing $200 to N & S Education Foundations.  Hope that isn't coming out of the aldermatic expense account.  "Some crossing guards are not the best [illegible] for the job.  Should be reviewed."  Wow, and they want a raise.  A resolution should be passed by the city honoring teachers for National Teachers Month.  No brainer.  Wonder why it has never been done before?

The new sign ordinance is back for passage.  Let's hope they get it done.

Public Works union contract.  4% wage increase. 

Certified Local Government application is back (this would, in part, help local property owners get tax credits for qualifying preservation efforts).  Hope it passes.

A bunch of Police Grievances.  The Police Union is unhappy about tracking officers attendance via a time clock?  I don't quite get that.  Everyone I know is accountable that they are working when they are supposed to be.  Swipe at the beginning of the shift, swipe at the end.  Should be end of story.

Proposal to change the time for new residents to purchase a city sticker for their vehicle from 60 to 30 days.  Good deal.

Renewal of the paramedic contract (paramedics are not city firefighters, but rather an outsourced service).

If anyone wants an old, beat up car and pickup, you might be interested in the cars and truck being scrapped by PW. 

A new general ledger system has been selected.  Welcome to the 21st century!

The 2100 block of Elmwood wants a block party.  In 2005, the Cook County bomb squad was summoned to the party.  Gee, I wonder why the clerk and Police Chief are recommending the dumbasses be denied???  Since when are fireworks part of a block party?

[Bear]

100 line items total, has to be a record. Maybe it was
done intentionally as a centennial celebration.

[OakParkSpartan]

There's a lot of duplication.  All of the appointments are broken out, which probably account for 15-20 items.  Also, some of the ordinances were duplicated.  The packet was like 400+ pages.

[Berwyn Patsy]

I was some what embarrassed by Alderman Day's written report.  I agree, if you
can't use the computer, please get someone to help you, it just looks so much
more professional if typed.
Brian, the CDGB position has always been an appointed one because, the salary is
paid for by federal funds, if these funds are cut so is the position, although I guess the
benefits are paid by the city?
Speaking of benefits, the Health Insurance benefits for the Aldermen will be dropped
liked a hot potatoe when brought up, it always is.   Alderman Weiner does have a point here,
a drop in this benefit can save some big bucks for the city of Berwyn.
Another , what looks to be like a  long, stressful evening for all who choose to attend.
Keep the rest of us posted!!

[OakParkSpartan]

Just because a position is grant funded, why should it be an appointment vs the regular hiring process?  Is this position actually funded by CDBG?  I know it is part of the administration of CDBG.  Even then, I still don't understand why the funding source should necessarily make it an appointment.  If the police or fire receive federal monies to hire someone, should that then be an appointment?  It sounds like it makes sense until you think about it for 30 seconds.  Then you have to start wondering why the funding source exempts a position from the normal hiring process.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Good questions OPS.  I don't know the answers, but think this is "one of those things", that
has always been this way?  Maybe if the city didn't recieve a grant in the first place to fund these
monies, there would not be a position in the first place?

[Felix Greco]

If the police or fire receive federal monies to hire someone, should that then be an appointment? 

To become a firefighter or police officer, you still have to go through the normal testing process, even with federal money.

[dukesdad]

Swipe at the beginning of the shift, swipe at the end.  Should be end of story.

Start paying them overtime?

[Felix Greco]

For crissakes Bons, hurry up and post, will ya?

[Bonster]

For crissakes Bons, hurry up and post, will ya?

LOL.  OK.

I don't think police and firemen need to clock in/out.
Everyone else, too bad. 

[Bonster]

Is this (just the) officers the Union is complaining about?  Me, I don't care if the cops & fireman clock in/out.  They're either there or not.

It's the rest of the workers who should be, esp. if OT is an issue.  I've rarely worked a job that didn't require clocking in an out.  We're clocked to the second at my present place of employment.
When I sat in with dispatch a few of them didn't seem too happy about it.  The ones who have been there years and have been used to the way it is don't like it.  "Well, we used to help out an extra 15-20 minutes when necessary after shifts (unaccounted for) . . ."
The newer hires, whose other jobs in the modern business world all required clocking, saw it as no big deal, no different than anything else they've ever done on the job.


My cousin in the Hoffman PD sez they used to have time clocks, but stopped using them long before he started. 

[Bonster]

Swipe at the beginning of the shift, swipe at the end.  Should be end of story.

Start paying them overtime?

There's an interesting point/quesiton...
My cousin doesn't get paid for roll call, so for a 3 o'clock start time, they have to be there by 2:40.  The argument against is that they aren't paid for their lunches, so they technically owe the city an extra 10 min per day, LOL!  This is only an issue for patrol, of course, but they don't make much of it.

He also told me Elgin police are suing as they used to get OT for roll call time, and it's recently been taken from them.  Itasca gets a single straight-time paycheck at the end of the year for the extra time they're required  to be there.

[OakParkSpartan]

I'd think Role Call would be part of your work day.  You are required to be there as part of your job, and unless you are in an exempt position (in the private sector) you are eligible for OT. 

[OakParkSpartan]

If the police or fire receive federal monies to hire someone, should that then be an appointment? 

To become a firefighter or police officer, you still have to go through the normal testing process, even with federal money.

Which illustrates my point.  Why would the funding source in any way change the hiring process, whatever the position?

[Bonster]

I'd think Role Call would be part of your work day. 

one would think, but it's not...
I was surprised to find out it wasn't.

[OakParkSpartan]

It was a 3 ring circus, but not because of the appointments.  I'll write up tomorrow.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Oh brother, I can't wait!

[Terri]

The communication form Aldeman Weiner asking the Alderman to give up the Health Insurance perk died on the Council floor.  YOUR ELECTED ALDERMAN REMAINED SILENT, the communication died due to a lack of a second vote.  Remember this, they do not pay one cent for family health insurance!!   

 

[OakParkSpartan]

To start, Erickson announces that the Joe Cocker Foundation, in conjunction with the NPPD and Oak Park Animal Care league will be chipping the first 100 dogs that show up at a place and time I couldn't understand.  After 100, donation will be $10.  Rabies tag and paper and Berwyn pet license required to take advantage of this service. 

Then, Phelan relates a conversation with the building director regarding a story of needing a building permit to REPAIR a fence.  being told he needs a building permit.  He then says he is just going to leave the fence down/missing.  He is told by the city employee that it would look "queer" and "gay".  Apparently discussed in closed.  If true, the Director should be gone, gone, gone IMHO.

All the appointments are accepted as informational.  Guess they realize even if they do not approve, nothing will change.  Interesting that I didn't see the senior advocate in there.  Fleet Manager was also missing.

Finances are hurting.  Revenue off by $700k, expenses over by $200k. Which brings us to the next topic...

Aldermatic health insurance.  They all sat their with blank looks on their faces like "I can't give up this perk".  But yet they're all ready to complain about the budget being in bad shape. HELLO!  We need aldermen who's primary motivation is not the financial benefits of the office.  Let them buy into the insurance plan at group rates, but this is an outlandish perk.  So much for leadership and fiscal responsibility.

I don't recall what happened to the city sticker communication.  Probably accepted as informational or voted down.

I don't recall what happened with the apartment inspector.  Rhetoric about spending money (no objection to their receiving health insurance).

A resolution was passed (and read) honoring National Teachers Week.  Good job folks, you have a tough job.

Certified local government app was approved.

Ald Skryd moved to accept the Sears home demolition as informational.  Council is not taking a stand, rather just encouraging the BPD and BHS to work something out.  Hope that happens, but don't hold your breath.

Now onto the grievances.  After speaking with one of the union reps, the BPD union is OK with the time clock.  I was mistaken in the earlier post.

This is when the meeting went to hell in a handbasket.  Erickson took sloppy notes, so votes were inaccurate apparently.  Day wants to go back and change his committee vote, which makes ZERO sense.  Chapman says the minutes do not match what took place in the meeting.  Several motions and revised motions.  Then the fun started.  Erickson wanted Lovero and Skryd to be forbidden to vote, Skryd because "you have been working to get your husband promoted since the first day of this administration" and Lovero because the police officer in question allegedly worked on Lovero's campaign.  So he'd be denied a promotion due to political activity?  Guess the bill of rights doesn't apply in Ald. Erickson's world.  So the audience starts making comments.  OC boots one of the audience members.  Then OC refers to the "evidence", which apparently consisted of a name and phone number on a sheet of paper...that's it.  Lovero gets really, really pissed off and objects to the mayor giving basis to Erickson's allegations without any evidence.  Back and forth.  OC asks  the police to remove Lovero.  Bobby leaves on his own accord. 

IMHO, what transpired was 10% Bobby's fault (he lost his cool, but Erickson was like a little kid who just keeps jabbing with a stick over and over), OC 20% for failing to get control of the meeting prior to it spiraling out of control, and Erickson about 70% because he was the instigator and his slipshod committee work caused a lot of problems.

I kind of quit paying attention after that and left soon after. 

A pretty sad display of "leadership" in many ways by our council.

[Bonster]

and Lovero because the police officer in question allegedly worked on Lovero's campaign.  So he'd be denied a promotion due to political activity?  Guess the bill of rights doesn't apply in Ald. Erickson's world. 

Uhhh, no.  ...the spirit is not to DENY a promotion due to political activity, but that he'd be GETTING a promotion due to ... political activity.