City Council/COW 9/11/2007

[OakParkSpartan]

Items of interest...

5th Ward alderman (again).
ETHICS!  - I found item F-4 interesting "...requested information that would protect the city from potential conflict of interest issues with the city."  HUH?  The city protected from itself..
They've attached Evanston's ethics ordinance.  It's about time.  Personally, I doubt they'll pass this (or anything which requires disclosure).

[Terri]

It's too bad any municipality needs an ethics ordinance.  If only elected officials acted in the best interest of the people, Oh, I was dreaming...   

The ethics ordinance should be voted on and passed for everyone's protection.  I see it was placed in the Adm. committee since last year, time to move on it.     

[Bear]

I find it in bad taste that Evanston's ord was even in the packet. Smells of legal plagerism.

[OakParkSpartan]

I find it in bad taste that Evanston's ord was even in the packet. Smells of legal plagerism.

Huh?  You really think they draft these things from scratch?

So you write your own.  It gets challenged in court...city has to pay legal expenses...and you'll be right back here bitching about how OC screwed up and we had to pay all these legal expenses.

Take another communities ordinance and use that as a model.  It is pragmatic and sensible.

[Terri]

I find it in bad taste that Evanston's ord was even in the packet. Smells of legal plagerism.

Evanston's is being used as an example of an Ethics Ordiinance, our legal department will then draft an ordinance for Berwyn.  

[Bear]

"Take another communities ordinance and use that as a model.  It is pragmatic and sensible"

Works well if Evanston does not come back at it. But that it is moot point because
such ord would never pass. Even if it did pass, conflicts of interest could easily be hidden thru
corporate veil and other means.

[OakParkSpartan]

I think state law might require such an ordinance...

And I'm reasonably certain you can't copyright a law. 

[Terri]

"Take another communities ordinance and use that as a model.  It is pragmatic and sensible"

Works well if Evanston does not come back at it. But that it is moot point because
such ord would never pass. Even if it did pass, conflicts of interest could easily be hidden thru
corporate veil and other means.

Do you think Lawyers sit in their office and write off the top of their heads?  A great deal of time is spent searching and comparing other laws.    

If conflicts could be hidden as easily as you say all the more reason to have one in place.    

[OakParkSpartan]

I showed up right around 8pm, figuring I'd miss COW.  Boy, was I wrong.  Carl Rienna was there doing his presentation about the centennial.  And doing it and doing it and doing it...I think Council got started at 9:15 or so.

As for the Centennial...He said we are way behind the curve planning wise.  The message about control of funds seemed to be mixed.  He didn't want council micro-managing/second guessing his organizing committees decisions.  However, apparently the finance department will keep track of fund expenditures and have a person part time on that task...which brings me to the next bizarro item.

The proposal has the Organizing committee consisting of city employees and some volunteers (meeting at 1:30pm...so much for any employed person making the meeting).  However, from the discussion I heard, there will be no tracking of the time employees spend working on this centennial.  Now I am not a former CEO, however, I recognize that if you are putting a group of employees on a project, you need to track how much time you spend on the project ie. are you spending 3 days a week on this new project and ignoring your other responsibilities?  Crazy.  But it is the Berwyn way...

Oh, and after #8 had indicated he knew Carl at the last couple of meetings, the punch line was Carl saying, as he walked out, "I've never met the guy..."  while referring to #8.  hmmmmm.

Open Forum.  This week we were treated to the 5th Ward aldermatic contender dog and pony show for Ricky Sanchez.  I like Ricky, but damn dude, get a better speaker next time. Someone that doesn't lose track of what they are saying.

Another lady who'd little dog was killed by a next door neighbors damn pit bull that got under the fence.  Shoot the neighbor, see if you can rehabilitate the dog.

Other items...ethics referred to COW.

The house zoning variance on East Ave was approved by zoning but the resident alderman (Phelan) made a motion to deny the request, which subsequently passed.

5th Ward alderman's seat...Opening things up for interviews.  Apparently Maureen Bracato was in closed pleading her case.  Let's move along.  There's got to be 1 out of 7000 people qualified and willing.

Potters church was almost approved.  Chapman made a motion to deny the request, then voted "Nay".  Double negatives are a bitch.  Only one who got it right was Erickson first time around (who was on the phone).  So they all changed their votes to Aye's, while Erickson changed his to a Nay.  Maybe he found religion or a potter.

The city is still negotiating with the South Berwyn Park District over handling of parking tickets.  Apparently we are spending a lot of time developing a process for 3-4 tickets per month. WTF.  BPD is willing to turn over all of the money to the city.  Just let them enforce the law for gods sake.

Oh, bids for Christmas decorations came in...one was 13k, the other 26k.  Referred to Public Works for review.

For 18 items, it should have been an 8:45 ending...instead, we finished around 10:30 I think. 

[renovatorbear]

Oh, and after #8 had indicated he knew Carl at the last couple of meetings, the punch line was Carl saying, as he walked out, "I've never met the guy..."  while referring to #8.  hmmmmm.

Bwahahahaha...It's funny because it's so pathetic... 

[Berwyn Patsy]

Thanks Brian.  
Between City Council and District 201 School Board Meetings, I can't understand why no one in the city of Berwyn
can get the concept, of starting a meeting on time or atleast close to it!!
So MB was on the premises of City Hall, begging for the Aldermatic seat of her late husband?  Why so desperate?
Glad to see Potters Church was voted down.

[Terri]

What did this speaker say about Ricky Sanchez, did he speak because he knew him and thought he would be a good representive for the residents of the the 5th Ward? 

The Zoning Board ok'd the East Ave. home, why did Alderman Phelan vote to deny?   The property is unusual, I was glad someone has a vision for improvment. 

Thanks for the update OPS.

[OakParkSpartan]

You'd need to ask her Pastsy. 

It's a part time job that pays 10k a year, and comes with a shitload of headaches.

Oh, you also get insurance through the city...hmmm.


The speaker supported Ricky.  He also had 150 signatures on a petition.  He stated that he'd known Ricky for a while.

Not sure why Phelan voted to reject it.

[Berwyn Patsy]

Don't forget Brian I think there is another $5,000.00 for an expense account, plus the gas card rights.
It definitley is a headache job, but my be worth the perks for some.
I wonder if in a situation as this , if one needed Health Insurance, they would be eligible for Cobra throuigh Blue Cross and Blue shield.  Berwyn , probably passes on that offer for free too.