Ald. Matt Martin chairs the ethics committee. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight will meet Thursday and consider new regulations on the financial contributions that the mayor’s campaign committee can accept and two new appointments to the Chicago Board of Ethics, a month after the committee’s chair called on two board vacancies to be filled.

City Hall is pictured in this file photo. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Budget Director Annette Guzman and Chief Operating Officer John Roberson told members of the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations Monday that Chicago has spent 40 percent of the federal COVID-19 relief funds that are meant to go to myriad community initiatives across the city. 

Officials also noted a few steps the mayoral administration has taken to speed up spending to meet the city’s goal of using all the nearly $1.9 billion at the city’s disposal before it’s clawed back by the federal government.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) chairs the housing committee. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate will meet Wednesday to consider an ordinance to continue allowing the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) to utilize city personnel for its tenant grievance process weeks after the committee delayed a vote on the measure.

The housing committee will meet at 1 p.m. in council chambers.

The Workforce Development Committee considers appointees to the Human Resources Board on Monday, June 3, 2024. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development approved the appointment of three new members of the city’s Human Resources Board on Monday, including a new chair. 

The appointments now go before the City Council at its next regular meeting.

City Hall is pictured in this file photo. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

On Monday, the City Council Committee on Workforce Development will meet and consider several appointments and the approval of two collective bargaining agreements, while the council’s budget committee will hold a daylong meeting to discuss the current spending of federal pandemic relief funds by city departments and offices. 

The Committee on Budget and Government Operations is set to kick off an 8-hour agenda at 9:30 a.m. in council chambers. The workforce development committee will meet next door in Room 201 at 1 p.m.

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) asks CTA President Dorval Carter questions during a transportation committee hearing Thursday. [Livestream]

Dorval Carter, the embattled president of the Chicago Transit Authority, struck a defiant tone during a combative hearing before the Committee on Transportation and Public Way Thursday, which came a week after a majority of alderpeople signed on to a resolution calling for his resignation or firing.

“I have been turned into a caricature. I have been turned into something that is less than a human being,” Carter said. “I can tell you as an African American male, that bothers me a lot.”

Ald. Matt Martin (47) attends a City Council environment committee meeting Wednesday. [Livestream]

The City Council’s environment committee meeting met Wednesday and held a subject matter hearing on Commonwealth Edison’s preparedness ahead of summer and approved the creation of a citywide advertising campaign for reducing litter, which will go to the City Council for a final vote.

Alderpeople will get a chance to grill the president of the city’s public transit agency at a committee hearing Thursday, and the mayor and a key council ally hosted a groundbreaking for a Logan Square public improvement project.

Ald. Maria Hadden (49) is pictured speaking about a proposal in her committee to electrify new buildings in Chicago. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s environment committee meeting will meet Wednesday to hold a subject matter hearing on Commonwealth Edison’s preparedness ahead of summer and to vote on the creation of a citywide advertising campaign for reducing litter.

The Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy will meet at 10:30 a.m. in council chambers at City Hall.

Ald. Bill Conway (34) is pictured during a council meeting in October 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council passed two ordinances last week aimed at addressing persistent retail and office vacancies downtown. The measures, which loosened regulations on cannabis establishments downtown and high-rise signs, were approved earlier in the week by the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards.

Flanked by Comms. Bill Lowry and Tara Stamps, Willie J.R. Fleming speaks about the cannabis business development grant program on May 23, 2024. [Livestream]

Cook County leaders announced the launch of a multimillion-dollar grant program Thursday to assist cannabis-based business owners that hold state social equity licenses. Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the grant program and opening of the application window at a news conference downtown alongside county commissioners and economic development leaders.

The City Council debates ShotSpotter on May 22, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The debate of the future of the canceled ShotSpotter contract reached a climax Wednesday as alderpeople approved a measure from a Far South Side alderperson to give the City Council control over keeping the gunshot detection technology, setting up a conflict with the mayor who has insisted the measure isn’t legally viable.

Ald. Andre Vasquez is pictured [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

An ideologically disparate coalition of City Council members introduced a symbolic resolution Wednesday calling for new management at the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA). The City Council also gave final approval to a new chief information officer, a new director of the council’s financial analysis office and six members of the civilian police oversight commission. 

The council approved the creation of a pilot program to provide financial relief from skyrocketing water bills stemming from underground leaks but a measure to restrict noise around a West Loop abortion clinic was deferred. Additionally, the appointment of a new member of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) board was held.

The City Council meets on March 20, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday will consider giving final confirmation votes to a new member of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) board and six members of the civilian police oversight commission. The council will also vote on a measure to restrict noise around a West Loop abortion clinic and create a pilot program to provide financial relief from skyrocketing water bills stemming from underground leaks.

Alderpeople are also expected to introduce a measure calling for the removal of CTA President Dorval Carter and call votes on some previously deferred items, including an order that would allow individual alderpeople to retain ShotSpotter technology on a ward-by-ward basis and the appointment of a new chief information officer. The council meets at 10 a.m.

Ald. Jason Ervin (28), the budget committee chair, is pictured at a City Council meeting in April. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations on Monday approved a measure that appoints a new director of the City Council Office of Financial Analysis (COFA) and establishes new rules for the appointment and tenure of financial analysis office directors. 

The budget committee also heard a preview of important dates for the upcoming budget season, including that a preview for the upcoming budget could be unveiled at a revenue subcommittee meeting next month.