COW/ and City Council Meeing 3/20/2007

[Berwyn Patsy]

Can anyone share some information/ Notes on this meeting?
The agenda seemed to have some items of interest.  Thanks.

[OakParkSpartan]

Very very short recap...we need to refinance bonds (again) to maintain  cashflow which would allow us to have a relatively balanced  budget.

Normal  portion  in  most towns that go to debt service is 20% or so...we are at 60%+.   That chews up working capital.  Primarily the result of the infrastructure improvements done years back.

OC wants to pay the BDC in quarterly payments. Council does not want to mess with the BDC and passed a resolution ordering the OC to cut a check this AM to the BDC.  This could get interesting (side note...the BDC is the best thing going for this town, and to mess with their budget is incredibly shortsighted.  Think about this...could you run an organization for a year if you only knew you had 3 months of funding?).  This one could be interesting.

The police dept asked for additional funding, both for officers as well as dispatchers. They are averaging roughly 850 calls per day (Monday they did approximately 1000). The dispatchers are critical as  they are the first point of contact as well as the folks who maintain communications with PD and FD while they are on calls. 850 calls  is roughly 35 calls per hour.  There are two  dispatchers on duty.  That works out to roughly 1 call every 4 minutes.  However, don't forget that if there is an  emergency, they must also stay on the line with the caller.  They also are communicating with any calls in progress.  And  lastly, the calls don't all come spread out nice and even...the 3-11pm shift can get VERY busy.  We need to find the money.

Ramos wanted another beauty salon to open on Ogden. That was voted down.

Congrats to Ald.  Chapman.  Nona is a grandma!

There are two council meetings  next week, as the mayor is not confident the budget will be passed the first time around.

I've left out a fair amount...


Cheers,
Brian

[java]

My two cents:

OC wants to pay the BDC in quarterly payments. Council does not want to mess with the BDC and passed a resolution ordering the OC to cut a check this AM to the BDC.  This could get interesting (side note...the BDC is the best thing going for this town, and to mess with their budget is incredibly shortsighted.  Think about this...could you run an organization for a year if you only knew you had 3 months of funding?).  This one could be interesting.

This was a bit confusing.  Erickson demanded full payment to the BDC.  OC maintained that all was cool and kosher with the BDC pres. and director and that the payment arrangement had been agreed to.  Erickson said he was asked to present this.  It was hard to tell if this was a good separation of powers (i.e. the council allowing the BDC more financial autonomy), or just a power play between Erickson and OC.  Erickson appears to have won, for now anyway.

The police dept asked for additional funding, both for officers as well as dispatchers. They are averaging roughly 850 calls per day (Monday they did approximately 1000). The dispatchers are critical as  they are the first point of contact as well as the folks who maintain communications with PD and FD while they are on calls. 850 calls  is roughly 35 calls per hour.  There are two  dispatchers on duty.  That works out to roughly 1 call every 4 minutes.  However, don't forget that if there is an  emergency, they must also stay on the line with the caller.  They also are communicating with any calls in progress.  And  lastly, the calls don't all come spread out nice and even...the 3-11pm shift can get VERY busy.  We need to find the money.

I thought the Chief made a very compelling case for additional funding for the dispatchers.  I hope the council can find a way to work this into the budget.

Congrats to Ald.  Chapman.  Nona is a grandma!

Yes, congratulations are in order, but it seems this excitement prevented Chapman from doing her homework on the Mayor's two library board appointees.  Although it appears she had time to review and contact the candidates, she did not.  So the two gentlemen came and left the meeting. This must have seemed pretty stupid to the candidates who are willing to volunteer their time...

[OakParkSpartan]

Two power/control items in there.

The quarterly payments to the BDC are, IMHO, a method for the mayor to assert control over an independent non-profit corporation.

Likewise, the library board apparently is missing two members who opposed OC's efforts to get rid of the Library Director a few months back.

BOTH items are pure power plays, attempting to gain further control over the city.

Cheers,
Brian

[Shelley]

Does the city get its main funding twice per year in property tax installments?  I don't know much about the BDC funding, but if that is the case I think the BDC should  be paid its share at the same time..in two payments per year coinciding with the property tax installments.  Does that make sense? 

The library thing is ridiculous.  I know one of the appointments and he is far from a political appointment...just a guy who wants to serve.  Nona wasted everyone's time using the birth of a grandchild as an excuse for being unprepared for a meeting.  What would have happened in the business world?  "Gee, boss, I didn't have time to review this because of a personal thing but instead of alerting all of you earlier so that you didn't take time out of your personal lives to come to this meeting only to be told to come back next time...I thought I'd wait so that I could grandstand and make this out to be something it isn't, get more attention for myself".  I don't have a problem with her wanting a say in this as library liaison, but be professional about it.  She owes those guys an apology, IMO.     

[OakParkSpartan]

It might make sense elsewhere, but this is Berwyn.  For years, the BDC has been paid in one payment, and no one has questioned it.  Now, with a cash flow problem, suddenly they are talking quarterly. I also think the quarterly payments were sprung upon them.

I don't know anything about the two guys proposed for the library board.   People I trust seem to feel they are qualified, as you said. I will say that I don't think council owes them an apology, as council needs to conduct business as they see fit (which clearly is crazy at times).  An item shouldn't be passed just because someone is in the audience.

There is a lot of time wasted at council, due to people being unprepared as well as items being sprung upon people at the last minute.

Cheers,
Brian

[Shelley]

I didn't say council owed them an apology, I said Nona did.  She was the one who was unprepared.  Just because that is the way council does things..doesn't make it right and it discourages people who are professional ( in their actions ) from participating.

Also, I don't think we should pay the BDC in one payment just because "that's how it has always been done".  I also don't think we should pay quarterly because of a cash flow issue.  I think the city should give the BDC the money when it is available and, I think, that is twice per year. 

I'm not on anyone's side here.  Just trying to use some common sense. 

[OakParkSpartan]

Sorry, guess you didn't say council owes them an apology...that was said at the meeting last night.

If I recall, there seems to be some variability as to when the city receives tax payments. They may not  come in two nice neat lumps.  I recall a finance meeting  where they talked about several payments for one half of the total receipts.

I think introducing a political element into the BDC is a bad policy choice.   The BDC is the best thing we have going for us, and if they get screwed up, we are in  trouble.  The city does not have  the skills to perform the functions  they do with respect to managing development nor planning.  Their workload is already heavy, and  having to deal with this issue just diverts time away from them working to improve Berwyn.  BTW, I am a member of the BDC.

Cheers,
Brian

[bohemian]

The BDC is the best thing we have going for us,

Can you tell us why you think that is Brian?  I am legitimately curious.

[OakParkSpartan]

Well...

They have a  plan. They are attempting to bring economic development to Berwyn.  They are also attempting to promote Berwyn as a great place to live, thereby increasing the value of our housing stock (and our personal wealth).   They approach matters in a professional manner ie. they have experience doing planning,  economic development etc. and proceed in a way which is accepted by their peers.

They also are a relatively independent body which is not subject to political whims.

Without increased economic development, Berwyn will be hurting  down the road.  We cannot be a thriving community and have our business districts consist solely of service  industry which generates no tax revenue.  Last nights discussion about long term finances made clear to me.  We cannot perpetually refinance debt to make up shortages in revenues.

The BDC also acts as advisers and consultants to city government. They also handle many of the tasks which the city is ill prepared to perform  (urban planning, traffic planning, administering the TIF's, event sponsorship).

That's why I think the BDC is the best thing Berwyn has going  for it.

Cheers,
Brian

[Shelley]

Right, I think paying the BDC when the funds become available (through tax payments, however sporadic) would take a political element (and a power struggle-real or perceived) out of it. 

Does (or could) paying the BDC is one lump sum limit the city in other ways-even temporarily- like hiring police, paying overtime for snow removal or other things, or funding other city functions?  Like I said, I'm not on any side here, just trying to understand the big picture.

[OakParkSpartan]

Not that I can tell Shelley.  The money is in  the budget, the question is when are the funds released.

I tend to think the opposite about the payments...we then get into a situation of  "sorry, we didn't get the payment yet, you have to wait".   How can  you run a business like that?  If you cannot make the payroll, do you lay off employees?  Then where is the city? It is a bad, bad precedent to set, given the nature of the work the BDC performs for the city.

Oktoberfest, the Mutt Show,  I think Route 66 auto show, cruise night, Cartopia...those are ALL put on by the BDC.  So if you have to cut something, because the promised money comes  through, do you release staff or kill of an event that would benefit the city?  It  puts the BDC  in a very bad position, one which they shouldn't have to contend with.

I also don't think "because we've always done  it that way" is a good answer...I've railed about that elsewhere.  But, in this case, the reasons for doing it as we always have seems to be a more compelling argument (in my mind) than making last minute changes that would  be detrimental to both the BDC and  the city.

BTW, I am not completely in love with the BDC.  I really,really don't like the fact that they schedule most of their meetings at hours when residents and many small business owners cannot attend ie. 8:30 am or 4:30 pm.  I think for an organization which accepts so much public funding, it should be accessible to the public. As for the argument that those hours work best for the businesses which are most active, has it occurred to anyone that for those who cannot make those hours, they won't participate?  It becomes a self perpetuating cycle.

Cheers,
Brian

[Bonster]

Oktoberfest, the Mutt Show,  I think Route 66 auto show, cruise night, Cartopia...those are ALL put on by the BDC.  So if you have to cut something, because the promised money comes  through, do you release staff or kill of an event that would benefit the city?  It  puts the BDC  in a very bad position, one which they shouldn't have to contend with.

How does this compare to CARES, also a non-profit organization?  If they don't get their funds, wouldn't they have to cancel possible awards, scholarships, what have you?  Just curious.

[OakParkSpartan]

The BDC works primarily for the city.

CARES is independent of the city.

[dukesdad]

My two cents on the library....it's not just a power play. It's an attempt to get some individuals on the board who have stronger business skills and move the board away from just being a coffee clutch. Long term, the Mayor and other forward thinking folks would like to see the library split off from the city as a separate entity. The library management and the library board would decide on their levy and manage to that amount. As it now stands, the library levy does not come anywhere close to covering the amount the city pays to run the library. The Mayor does not have the balls to increase the levy and the Director and the board don't have the balls to cut things to live within the levy amount. Another Berwyn item that has to change....IMHO

[Bonster]

The BDC works primarily for the city.

CARES is independent of the city.

So what you're saying is the BDC would be held hostage by the city, while CARES is free to raise their own funds at any time, correct?

[OakParkSpartan]

Basically, yes.

I've never  heard CARES be assigned  tasks at city council.  The BDC has that all the time. That is  what they are there for.

Dukesdad, you are correct  about changing the library.  Though I still think there is the mayor vs library director battle going on from months ago, where the director didn't support the OC (if I am remembering this correctly), and the OC then tried to remove him.

I too agree the Library should be split off from the city, and the mayor will not increase taxes to support  desired city services.

Cheers,
Brian

[dukesdad]

Just because the Mayor and library director do not agree, or like each other, it should not preclude the Mayor from making changes that make sense.

[bohemian]

Well....  thanks.  Good info and opinions on the BDC.

Like I said I was legitimately curious.

Here is one thing I am truly vocal about.  I still am confused about this whole Library Board and Park Board thing.  What makes people so hell bent on becoming members of the library board?  What do these people actually do?  I still believe it is a way for people to say that they are "elected officials" or a stepping stone for a bigger slot.  When there are references made that the mayor and some member of the library board are having a "power struggle" it makes me laugh.

[java]

CARES is currently an independent not-for-profit corporation in the State of Illinois (with no ties to any other body or city).  Application for recognition of CARES w/in the state of Illinois as a charitable, tax-exempt organization (501c3) is currently underway.

My understanding is that the BDC is a 501c3, with its mission rooted in business development and TIF administration within the city.  I liken the BDC to the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, which I believe is an arm of the city, as opposed to a separate 501c3.  I believe that both a planning commission and an organization like the BDC would serve largely as administrative and advisory, with decision making authority resting with the city council.

Someone (Bru perhaps?) could clarify if I have mis-understood.