Council Meeting 07/24/2007

[Berwyn Patsy]

Hoping to hear a recap of last nights meeting. Anyone up for it?
Scoon, I got the impression you were in attendance.  Please share with us.
My question, What happened with the 4:00A.M. liquor liscense request?
I think Nona had something on the agenda regarding the health Insurance?
Thanks to who ever will share.

[scoon]

I had to work late but joined the Tuesday Nite Martini Club afterwards and heard that it was a mess.  Very unprofessional behavior from some of our elected officials...  I know...  you're  shocked.

I'll leave the details to someone who was there.

[tgoddess]

I know *I'm* shocked.








NOT.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Who, at this stage of the game would be shocked?  I don't even care to know which elected officials acted like fools.
I was interested in the response to Alderman Ramos's suggestion on putting up signs along Ogden Ave, banning the parking of cars on the brick pavers? Also having the police dept. enforce the rule.
You will see cars parked on the pavers all , up and down
Ogden, especially guilty are the car dealerships.
This has been brought to the attention of the 1st ward Alderwoman, Nona .  I believe she looked into it awhile back, but couldn't enforce any rules being that Ogden Ave. was a state highway?
I think parking cars on the pavers make Ogden Ave. look tacky, plus if you are turning off the side streets onto Ogden, it makes for a dangerous situation,blocking your view.
Leaving Berwyn today, reminded me of this as I was passing Anderson Ford dealership. What a sight.  Just my opinion.

[Artanis1215]

The auto dealers (the franchise ones -not the fly by nights) that are left paid additional money for the pavers in front of their buildings.  These are reinforced pavers so they could park their cars on them.  When that was explained again to Ramos he said "Oh!".  Bob Anderson was trotted out before the council before (not on this night) and explained the situation.

The others are not to park on the pavers and the PD will start issuing tickets once again.

The man who runs the meeting did not have his best night!  He was frustrated and acted like a 11 year old who could not have his way.  At one point he insisted the council go into Executive Session (during the council meeting) because he wanted to yell at an alderman (6??). He was voted down 5-2 his only supporters were from his stalwarts (2 & 3) both not really having a clue as to what was going on IMHO.  He told another alderwoman (1) that she was shameful  and admonished her for doing what she felt was the right thing to do.
He then told the council, (well again he was directing it at one city council member) they were not to be advocates for city employees.  Pretty much every city employee who was in attendance was shocked at his comments-most of them live in Berwyn and are taxpaying voters too.

He tried to ram a Berwyn citizen ( person rumored to be running either for Mayor or an alderman spot, but can't make up his mind as to which one- or rather where the mayor wants him to run to split the vote for him) down the council throats  to be the "paid" coordinator for the 100th b-day celebration.  Get this the coordinator wants to be paid for putting a proposal together and then presenting it to the council.  No mention of salary or terms- the mayor just wanted it approved.  Imagine if everybody who puts a proposal together that goes before the council got paid to do that?

Hell I've got a proposal I want to present to the council but won't do it until I get paid, hmmmmm lets see how much do I want to do that...... 

Too bad Cari Brokamp leaves soooo early into the meeting that she could not observe all of the rantings..... but it will be interesting to see if she even writes about it.  For that matter if she even interviews some city employees who might have a few things to say about the nights events.

An observations was made by a person in the crowd as he was scanning the room, he noticed a young woman who just recently started to show up for meetings ( she was there for the Spindle).  As the Mayor went into meltdown he noticed the look on her face, a look of shock and disgust. 
Great way to keep our young residents involved and/or want them to see the shameful way our leader acts when he does not get his way.

[Bonster]

An observations was made by a person in the crowd as he was scanning the room, he noticed a young woman who just recently started to show up for meetings ( she was there for the Spindle).  As the Mayor went into meltdown he noticed the look on her face, a look of shock and disgust. 

binchen6?

[OakParkSpartan]

I think it was.

A silly thought...we have people up there who approve spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for attracting people to our town.  If a new business owner or prospective resident showed up last night, do you think their impression would be positive or negative?

SOMEONE needs to get through to these people that the residents of Berwyn do not appreciate their 4th grade antics and they need to grow up and act like the mature adults we thought they were when they were voted into office.

You can disagree (which is good), but you don't need to act like a bunch of fools while doing so.

Cheers,
Brian

[scoon]

Too bad Cari Brokamp leaves soooo early into the meeting that she could not observe all of the rantings..... but it will be interesting to see if she even writes about it.  For that matter if she even interviews some city employees who might have a few things to say about the nights events.

She seems to take the guided tour when it comes to journalism.

A silly thought...we have people up there who approve spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for attracting people to our town.  If a new business owner or prospective resident showed up last night, do you think their impression would be positive or negative?

How could it not be negative?  Some of them act like kids in a sandbox, oblivious of the world outside the city limits...  hell, probably barely aware of what happens outside of City Hall.  Someone takes their bucket and shovel and they throw a temper tantrum.

It's really a shame they don't see it the way we do.

[rbain]

Brian,
Do we know how many aldermen (or their assistants) lurk this forum? Perhaps some sort of mass emailing to all of them expressing our disgust with the kindergarten behavior would at least let them know we're sick of it and we're watching?
Perhaps it'd be a waste of time, but it wouldn't be that much time wasted...

-Rob

[scoon]

EMAIL JIHAD!

I like your idea Rob.  Write an email, send it to All of our officials, and then post your letter on the board.  Whoever writes first can create the thread.  This should be mandatory participation for anyone who's not just talk.


btw... The closest alderman get to an assistant is a spouse...  or in Erickson's case, his dog.

[Bonster]

Some of them act like kids in a sandbox, oblivious of the world outside the city limits... 

It's really a shame they don't see it the way we do.

I think they do, though, or they wouldn't give us (Brian) hell for wanting to post the meetings here via You Tube.

[scoon]

Some of them act like kids in a sandbox, oblivious of the world outside the city limits... 

It's really a shame they don't see it the way we do.

I think they do, though, or they wouldn't give us (Brian) hell for wanting to post the meetings here via You Tube.

There are many people, myself included, that would like to keep the sandbox a secret.  It's not just them.

[Bear]

Some of them act like kids in a sandbox, oblivious of the world outside the city limits... 

It's really a shame they don't see it the way we do.

I think they do, though, or they wouldn't give us (Brian) hell for wanting to post the meetings here via You Tube.

There are many people, myself included, that would like to keep the sandbox a secret.  It's not just them.

Was this about filmimg meetings?:

(D) BID OPENING - TABULATIONS
1. RENOVATION & UPDATE-AUDIO/VISUAL SYSTEMS-COUNCIL CHAMBERS

Although filming, broadcasting, and EDITING are different issues.

[rbain]

Well, here's a draft- now is there an easy link to the email addresses of ALL council members?
-Rob

Dear      ,

As a citizen of Berwyn, it saddens me that I must be
consistently ashamed and embarrassed by the childish behavior
of our city council. The constant bickering, name-calling, and
general lack of manners betray a council either unwilling or
unable to conduct itself in a professional manner.

I cannot help but assume that this childish unprofessionalism
is a significant factor in the lack of any meaningful
commercial development that could improve the lives of
Berwynites and give us a city to be proud of.

I am embarrassed, and the entire city council should be
ashamed. The voters of Berwyn will not forget this behavior,
and will instead look to elect mature adults at the very next
opportunity.

sincerely,

[tgoddess]

Perfect letter, rbain. 

I'd sign it.

Mayor
moconnor@ci.berwyn.il.us
Michael O'Connor

1st Ward
Nona N. Chapman
aldchapmanward1@aol.com

2nd Ward
Santiago "Jim" Ramos
2ndward@berwyn-il.gov

3rd Ward
Mark Weiner
3rdward@berwyn-il.gov

4th Ward
Michele D. Skryd
4thward@berwyn-il.gov

6th Ward
Michael J. Phelan
6thward@berwyn-il.gov

7th Ward
Robert J. Lovero
7thward@berwyn-il.gov

8th Ward
Joel Erickson
joel@berwynfirst.com

[Bear]

Thats a good one Rob...also include a nice glossy 8"x10"
for an added visual effect.

[scoon]

For easier copy and pasting:

moconnor@ci.berwyn.il.us; aldchapmanward1@aol.com; 2ndward@berwyn-il.gov; 3rdward@berwyn-il.gov; 4thward@berwyn-il.gov; 6thward@berwyn-il.gov; 7thward@berwyn-il.gov; joel@berwynfirst.com

And in case you want to send it to The Loaf:  localnews@libertysuburban.com


p.s.  -  Very well written (and scathing) letter Rob.

[Bonster]

"a significant factor in the lack of any meaningful commercial development "


Why focus on commercial development? 
Their behavior is a significant factor in the lack of anything meaningful, period.

I would say replace "manners" with "decorum," but that might be beyond (some of) them.

[Artanis1215]

Just to be perfectly clear, it was the Mayor who acted like a child at the council meeting and the letters should go to him.

[rbain]

I've removed "commercial" from my text. Thanks.

I chose "manners" because it conveyed a much more fundamental character assesment than "decorum" which reads to me as regarding merely behaving in a way that reflect the gravity of the office. Also extremely important, but but I think the problem is even deeper than that.
-Rob


Artanis- it seems to me childish behavior is not exclusive to the mayor, but is rather the SOP for this council.