Tonight's COW & Council

[~LL~]

Who's the reporter tonight??

I'm going to make notes and try to post something tomorrow -- if none of the seasoned 'commentators' does.
If city hall had WiFi, I'd try for a play-by-play...
Yikes -- better get over there.

[P-PANTHER a/k/a La Pantera]

What recent trouble, Count?

[Count DMC]

What recent trouble, Count?

I believe a lapse of reason, responsibility and good judgement on the part of the insurance man should preclude him from the honey pot know as the City of Berwyn.

[renovatorbear]

We're counting on you.  Dammit.

[mrs. scoon]

So did anyone go?  What happened?

[OakParkSpartan]

Fight over the library board.
Erickson wants to get rid of the Rec dept.
Phelen seems happy (based upon the tone of his voice) that one condo buyer canceled their contract in the Sedgewick development.
$850k to Sedgewick over the May-Dec timeframe.  Project should be complet in early 2009.
Terri is the new commissioner for Human Relations.
Council doesn't know how much she will be paid (OC wouldn't say).
Apparently council rejected hiring another person to report to the city collector.  Mayor suggested that the collectors office would need to close for several hours each day/week (WTF, you can't figure out how to staff the windows???).
The mayor used Rule 28 a couple of times...Attending council for 2 years, I'd never heard this until last month. Now, it seems to be used whenever the mayor is unhappy about the subject. Reading the ordinance, it seems the mayor is stretching the ordinance. In either case, I don't like that he continually overrides council's decisions.

I'm probably forgetting something, but the meeting irritated me.

Cheers,
Brian

[Ted]

The mayor used Rule 28 a couple of times...

  What is Rule 28?

[java]

I assume Brian is referring to this:  (a useful website)

http://www.constitution.org/rror/rror-05.htm

[delbowz]

Congrats to Terri!

Did Erickson give his reasons for wanting to shut down the rec? 

And, Phelan being happy that someone cancelled their contract at the Sedgewick development is just wrong.  I mean, shouldn't every one of our elected officials be for moving Berwyn forward?  This development was supposed to be a step for that.  Things got screwed up - as they seem to do a lot around here - and now people are backing out - maybe they'll sign a contract in Forest Park, or the city now - and we have elected officials that are happy about losing new reisdents with disposable income?

Maybe I'm taking it all out of context - because I wasn't at the meeting.  But I would think that all 7 of our alderman would want to do what they could to convince those potential residents to stick out the problems - because this is a great town.  If our alderman don't believe in that - they shouldn't be sitting up there.

Denise

[OakParkSpartan]

I just inferred Phelen's happiness from the tone of his voice and the apparent enthusiasm which he demonstrated when making his statement.

Mark, here's the rule I am speaking of:

   Rule 28.  Action at Meeting When Subject Introduced. All ordinances, petitions, resolutions, orders and communications to Council may be referred to appropriate committees by majority vote of the Council or by order of the Chair, without objecting to them to be acted upon on the report of the committee having the same in charge.  Matters not referred to committee shall be acted upon presentation unless deferred for action at the subsequent meeting.  Matters may be deferred by order of the Chair or at the request of a Council member if there is no objection. If an objection is raised, the deferred matter shall be brought to a vote, and a two-thirds vote of the Council shall sustain the objection.

Note the italics above...that phrase is routinely ignored.

Cheers,
Brian

[~LL~]

Fight over the library board.
Erickson wants to get rid of the Rec dept.
Phelen seems happy (based upon the tone of his voice) that one condo buyer canceled their contract in the Sedgewick development.
$850k to Sedgewick over the May-Dec timeframe.  Project should be complet in early 2009.
Terri is the new commissioner for Human Relations.Council doesn't know how much she will be paid (OC wouldn't say).
Apparently council rejected hiring another person to report to the city collector.  Mayor suggested that the collectors office would need to close for several hours each day/week (WTF, you can't figure out how to staff the windows???).
The mayor used Rule 28 a couple of times...Attending council for 2 years, I'd never heard this until last month. Now, it seems to be used whenever the mayor is unhappy about the subject. Reading the ordinance, it seems the mayor is stretching the ordinance. In either case, I don't like that he continually overrides council's decisions.

I'm probably forgetting something, but the meeting irritated me.

Cheers,
Brian

Brian:  I believe Terri was appointed as Director of Community Relations...

[Chancellor]

And these deplorable minutes -- the official and occasionally legally operative recordation of the City's official business -- are APPROVED by official votes of the City Council.  A scandalous exercise of the fiduciary obligations the City Council has to the City as a corporate entity -- and to the City's taxpaying residents.  One would think there would be better effort with those salaries and health insurance benefits.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Can anyone remember what happened with #8 Health Ins. line item?
Anything  with #9 Fleet Dept 2006 report?

[~LL~]

Can anyone remember what happened with #8 Health Ins. line item?
Anything  with #9 Fleet Dept 2006 report?

Re:  Health Ins. -- Motion by Alderman Chapman, seconded by Alderman Ramos.  Motion passed.  Only problem is there never really was a 'motion' per se verbalized!  So, even though sitting right there -- I have no clue what actually happened nor what was 'approved' by this motion and vote. 
The fact that motions are never fully stated -- nor recorded as a 'complete sentence' in the minutes -- has always bothered me.

[OakParkSpartan]

Health Ins was kind of just approved, I don't think there was much discussion.

I left before the fleet director report.

Cheers,
Brian

[OakParkSpartan]

I've been told the "Communication" is the motion.  But what I don't get is how you can figure out what was actually passed without the packet?

Cheers,
Brian

[Curious George]

Congrats to you Terri, but if you don't mind me asking what are your qualifications for the position you have been appointed?  And what are the qualifications/scope of the position?

Just Curious

[Curious George]

Maybe I'm taking it all out of context - because I wasn't at the meeting.  But I would think that all 7 of our alderman would want to do what they could to convince those potential residents to stick out the problems - because this is a great town.  If our alderman don't believe in that - they shouldn't be sitting up there.

I am with you on this one Denise!

[Terri]

Can anyone remember what happened with #8 Health Ins. line item?
Anything  with #9 Fleet Dept 2006 report?

Re:  Health Ins. -- Motion by Alderman Chapman, seconded by Alderman Ramos.  Motion passed.  Only problem is there never really was a 'motion' per se verbalized!  So, even though sitting right there -- I have no clue what actually happened nor what was 'approved' by this motion and vote. 
The fact that motions are never fully stated -- nor recorded as a 'complete sentence' in the minutes -- has always bothered me.

Glad I wasn't the only observer who missed the insurance item.  No doubt it was planned that way.  If anyone was at the COW please detail any discussion about the health insurance, competitive contracts, bids opened? 

Upon discussion of the library board, Alderman #8 offered his solution to the problem...Berwyn Bric.  Not the place for stand up comics. 

No one spoke in the open forum but A#8 asked to read a letter from a resident in his ward, anonymous of course.  The Mayor agreed.  The letter was about the Mayor campaigning for Scott and fielding calls to City Hall about various accusations.  The context of this letter is almost identical to post on a blog in Chicago.  I think A#8 forgot that Alderman #6 issued a press release almost 2 weeks ago, the very reason calls are being placed to the Mayor.  Had the press release from A#6 not been sent City Hall would not have gotten calls regarding an Aldermanic race in Chicago.  This garbage makes the City of Berwyn look bad, again. 

A huge thank you for the kind words, you know who you are.

@Curious,
I have served on the Community Relations Commission for 2 years, and was on the Community Relations Transition Team.  Anything other info, PM me.

Terri

[OakParkSpartan]

Terri,

I forgot about that reminder. 


Ok, so how many in the audience *really* thought that some anonymous resident gave him this letter?  Is he so stupid to think that we don't see through his games?

Cheers,
Brian