City Council - July 25th - Recap and Columnette

[scoon]

http://www.berwyncommunitynews.com/

My columnette about last nite.  Recap to follow shortly.

[OakParkSpartan]

Hey scoon,

Those blight tickets were requested by the 6th ward, not 7.

[OakParkSpartan]

Also, the engineering report from the LPCI indicates there are no major structural problems with the bank, contrary to what you imply.

[Bear]

well...why wont #6 go to the clerks office and just look at the tickets.
As an elected official I do'nt think he has to file a FOI to do such

[OakParkSpartan]

well...why wont #6 go to the clerks office and just look at the tickets.
As an elected official I do'nt think he has to file a FOI to do such

That's what I don't get either Bear.  Council passed an ordinance(?) or resolution ordering the administration to turn this over (8-0).  Why then is a FOIA request necessary???

[scoon]

Hey scoon,

Those blight tickets were requested by the 6th ward, not 7.

Correction made, thanks Brian.  (Apologies to #7.)

[robertcarr]

A FOIA request has teeth if it's not complied with.

Robert Carr

[OakParkSpartan]

A FOIA request has teeth if it's not complied with.

Robert Carr

Right.  But, to me, it is disappointing that a FOIA request needed to be filed.  Especially after an 8-0 vote.

Cheers,
Brian

[robertcarr]

Is there such thing as a vote of "no confidence" in Berwyn?

Robert Carr

[scoon]

Is there such thing as a vote of "no confidence" in Berwyn?

Robert Carr

One of the asshats who hated The OC brought that up a while back.  If I remember correctly it would have to be a referendum.  If I could just remember which asshat it was I'd look it up.  Anyone else recall?  (get it?)  (I need to go to bed cause I'm way too amused by that.)

[Dancing Queen]

Is there such thing as a vote of "no confidence" in Berwyn?

Robert Carr

One of the asshats who hated The OC brought that up a while back.  If I remember correctly it would have to be a referendum.  If I could just remember which asshat it was I'd look it up.  Anyone else recall?  (get it?)  (I need to go to bed cause I'm way too amused by that.)

  BerwynTruth and A**hat/Thomas/Berwynite/LindaK (the board's own Sybil)  had proposed a re-call petition but it was then pointed out to Beavis and Butthead that Illinois does not have a re-call law and that there is no way to re-call a politiician via a referendum.

  The dashing duo then proposed that, since Berwyn was home rule, that the city council  create a law that would allow a recall of a politician.  Text was quoted to them that this was tried by other cities and struck down by the Illinois Supreme court.

  In other words, it ain't possible to recall politicians in Illinois by a voter petition.  It may be possible if 6 of the 8 city council members vote to put a recall referendum on the ballot, but even that is probably not possible.  We are stuck with them until their term of office is up or unless the legislative branch impeaches them.  Those are the only alternatives - recall by petition is not possible.

Here is the start of the discussion, I think-

http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?topic=1146.msg17844#msg17844

See below:

I found the following at http://www.ancelglink.com/qanda/2001IML.html

Looks like there is no law in the State of Illinois that allows recalls:

27. Can citizens recall elected public officials?

ANSWER: Probably not. No established form of Illinois municipal government contains a recall provision. Such a provision was found to be unconstitutional as a part of the commission form of government. It is possible that the citizens of a municipality could, by referendum, add a recall provision to the structure of the government of that specific municipality. The same answer would probably apply to referendum-based term limits.


Looks like A**hat and BerwynTruth are a couple of liars trying to blow smoke up our ass!!!

The Village of Arlington Heights has recall legislation. The Illinois State Constitution does not allow for commission forms of government to recall elected officials, however, any home rule unit of government can initiate the recall procedures through one of two options:
1. - Aldermen / Trustees calling for censure of the mayor, adding a recall provision to the local code of ordinances or;

2 - Alderman / Trustees, by 2/3rds majority vote, calling for the recall and initiating such recall by referendum to be voted on by the voters of the district in which the recall is to take place.

Berwyn is a home rule unit and the power rests in the hands of the aldermen and voters. A recall is a certain possibility, so, BerwynTruth wasn't completely off track.

  If there are 6 of the 8 aldermen who want to get rid of O'Connor that badly, it would be easier to impeach than to do it through a recall.

   The 6 aldermen would have to create a recall ordinance, have it vetoed by O'Connor, override the veto with 6 votes, have the mayor challenge the constitutionality of the ordinance up the the Illinois Supreme Court, have the Supreme Court rule that home rule communities can create a recall ordinance (opposite of what it ruled for commission governments), have the city council pass a recall referendum, have the mayor override it, have the 6 aldermen override the veto, have the Mayor challenge the referendum in court, have the court rule in favor of the referendum and THEN have the voters vote on it.  By that time, it will be spring of 2009 anyway.

  If there are 6 aldermen who want to get rid of the OC that badly, impeachment would be easier than trying to do a recall.

  And, back to my original point, A**hat and BerwynTruth cannot just waltz out the door, get 2400 signatures and put a recall referendum on the ballot.

[delbowz]

Thanks again for another week of entertaining and informative reporting Scoon.

I must say, as much as I am NOT a fan of Applebee's I am really disappointed in our council.  The bank has been vacant for over 1/2 of my life - we had a willing tenant that would not only produce tax revenue for our town - but had the potential of attracting other retailers.  Sure, there were other offers - but really, no one can say for sure that it won't be another 17 years before something, anything is done there. 

Hmmm... how many blight tickets have been written for that property?  Because, I could think of a FEW violations...

One step forward, two steps back...

Denise

[Bear]

Is there such thing as a vote of "no confidence" in Berwyn?

Robert Carr

Mr Carr, your ineptitude precedes itself, if you worked for me, you would not be working for me...you would be....terminated.

No confidence in Berwyn?....Do you consider the membership of CARES, which has reached
triple digits in membership with no promotion a vote of no confidence in our town?...An organization which
will acheive over 2,000 signatures for a simple advisory referendum to be a no confidence vote in our town?

Perhaps you just don't get your readership, and that is why advertising revenue never comes close to acheiving sales goals on your watch.

Mr Carr, myself and the other members of this board control the future of Berwyn, no political
organization will ever have the ability to match our "clout"...

I will give you this, your corporate ad rag has made strides to return the Life to what it was
under Kubik's reign, continue such as letters to the editor and community interest coverage,
and you will see circulation and ad revenue rise to previous levels...

Be a reporter Mr Carr, don't throw out lame innuendos about a "no confidence" mentality in
Berwyn...

That era is long gone, we control the future of our town

[OakParkSpartan]

Bear,

I think he was speaking in terms of recalling elected officials  ie. we have no confidence they can do the job they were elected to perform.

Cheers,
Brian

[Ted]

...An organization which will acheive over 2,000 signatures for a simple advisory referendum

For the record, CARES goal is to get a minimum of 1200 signatures.  We need a minimum of 873 signatures by state law  and I think we will get over 1200 signatures but getting over 2000 signatures would be tough.

  Bear, thanks for the vote of confidence.

Ted

[markberwyn]

Mr Carr, your ineptitude precedes itself, if you worked for me, you would not be working for me...you would be....terminated.

Bear's specific complaints about the Life:

1) Didn't run a story about a military ship that was built somewhere nowhere near Berwyn.
2) Didn't run a press release about an alderman's picnic. (The release later ran.)
3) Mentioned Alderman Lovero in a story about Sonny Stillo.
4) Quoted a District 201 board member in a story about District 201.
5) Life editor once asked about a point of governmental procedure in Berwyn.

[robertcarr]

Bear,

I think he was speaking in terms of recalling elected officials  ie. we have no confidence they can do the job they were elected to perform.

Cheers,
Brian

Yes, Brian, thank you, that's all I was asking. I'm not from these parts originally, so I'm not sure of what a council can do. I have seen a council approve a resolution of a vote of "no confidence" in their mayor.
Thanks for the support, Bernie!

- Robert Carr

[scoon]

Thanks DQ...  I can't keep my asshats straight anymore... 

BTW, recap was posted last nite.

[Bonster]

Here is the start of the discussion, I think-

http://www.berwyntalk.com/smf/index.php?topic=1146.msg17844#msg17844

See below:

holy crap DQ... serious 17 page thread there.  Looks like there's tons of hot chat going back to this current forum's inception to browse thru...