Planning department Deputy Comm. Kathy Dickhut presenting an update on the “We Will” plan during a March 18 Chicago Plan Commission meeting

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Ald. Pat Dowell (3), a former city planning official who now chairs the City Council’s Committee on Budget and Government Operations, had a simple question for leaders of the Department of Planning and Development about their forthcoming “We Will” plan during a budget hearing last fall.

“We will what?” Dowell asked planning department Comm. Maurice Cox in November. “Plan for a better downtown? We will plan for a better neighborhood? …That's not clear.”

News in brief: Two new mass vaccination sites to open April 5; City launches human trafficking awareness campaign 

Mayor Lori Lightfoot (middle), Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson (right) and Ald. William Burnett (left) observe a classroom during their tour Feb. 11 at William H. Brown Elementary School. AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, Pool

CPS CEO Janice Jackson also said the district will soon announce how families will be able to opt in for in-person learning when CPS' fourth quarter starts.

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot aMayor nd public schools chief Janice Jackson celebrated as some students returned to classrooms Thursday, the first day kids are back after officials struck a deal with the Chicago Teachers Union to reopen schools.

The deal was called a “disgrace” by CTU President Jesse Sharkey, who said it didn’t go far enough to protect teachers, students and school communities during the coronavirus pandemic. The union said 67.5 percent of its members who voted approved of the plan, and the majority of CPS families are opting to keep their students at home for now.

News in brief: Two new mass vaccination sites to open April 5; City launches human trafficking awareness campaign

The chair of the City Council Committee on Public Safety abruptly canceled two consecutive monthly meetings after stating an intention at the beginning of the year to meet more frequently. Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29) told The Daily Line on Tuesday he still plans to meet twice per month, but grappling with other committees to schedule virtual meetings has  presented more challenges than scheduling in-person meetings.

The committee responsible for considering significant new legislation on civilian oversight of the Chicago Police Department and reforms to police search warrant procedures has not met since January.

Cook County may pause on ‘long overdue’ ethics overhaul as state legislation hangs in wait 

Cook County commissioners and at least one government watchdog praised a raft of updates officials have in store for the county’s ethics code, but they may hit pause while they wait for a cue from state lawmakers, they said Monday. 

Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (D-13) said at the end of Monday’s brisk 30-minute meeting of the county board’s Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee that he plans to introduce a “new draft” next month of his ordinance (20-4404), which would tighten county rules on nepotism, sexual harassment and other ethical red flags. 

City, unions launch new vaccination site; Lightfoot says stimulus spending plan may not go before City Council until June 

Suffredin to air out proposed county ethics overhaul Monday ahead of potential April vote 

More than a year after a proposed update to Cook County’s Code of Ethics emerged in a cloud of controversy, commissioners are preparing to adopt a version of the changes as soon as next month.  

Cook County Comm. Larry Suffredin (D-13) is set to convene a hearing of the county Board of Commissioners’ Legislation and Intergovernmental Relations Committee at 1:30 p.m. Monday for a public hearing on his proposed suite of updates (20-4404) to the county’s ethics rules. The commissioner is inviting leaders from a panoply of good government watchdog groups, plus current and past members of the county’s Board of Ethics, to testify with their thoughts. 

‘Long overdue’ committee would demand ‘design excellence’ from major Chicago developments 

An advisory committee being assembled under the city’s Department of Planning and Development will add a “peer review” component to the development process and ensure “design excellence” in some Chicago developments, planning officials announced this month. 

The Chicago Plan Commission discussed the new advisory Committee on Design during its March 18 meeting, and the city has created a website where those interested can learn more about becoming one of 15 members, all of whom will be appointed by planning department Comm. Maurice Cox. 

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Allison Arwady addresses aldermen on Thursday.

Aldermen tore into Chicago Department of Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady on Thursday, saying city health officials were doing enough to work with ward offices in getting COVID-19 vaccinations out to their areas of the city. 

Arwady addressed aldermen during the City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations meeting to provide an update on how the city is responding to the pandemic. The health commissioner’s testimony came as the city sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases and as the city prepares to widen vaccinations to people eligible under Phase 1C.

Aldermen tore into Chicago Department of Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady on Thursday, saying city health officials were doing enough to work with ward offices in getting COVID-19 vaccinations out to their areas of the city. 

Arwady addressed aldermen during the City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations meeting to provide an update on how the city is responding to the pandemic. The health commissioner’s testimony came as the city sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases and as the city prepares to widen vaccinations to people eligible under Phase 1C.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot during a Wednesday news conference; Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) during a Thursday news conference hosted by the Right to Recovery coalition

Mayor Lori Lightfoot is holding her cards close as debate heats up over how Chicago should spend the $1.8 billion it’s on track to receive through the American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Joe Biden earlier this month.

But aldermen and other stakeholders are not waiting.

Chicago Department of Public Health Comm. Allison Arwady is set to address aldermen during a committee subject matter hearing on Thursday.

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Chicago Department of Public Health Comm. Alison Arwady is scheduled to appear before the City Council’s Committee on Health and Human Relations at 2 p.m. Thursday to discuss recent developments in Chicago’s COVID-19 pandemic.

Arwady last appeared before the committee on March 3, as Chicago’s United Center vaccine administration site prepared to open and bars and restaurants began operating at half capacity following a dip in Chicago’s caseload.

Dozens of new ordinances introduced Wednesday include a measure aimed at preventing employers from retaliating against workers who take time off to get a COVID-19 vaccine. [Colin Boyle/Block Club]

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A measure aimed at protecting workers who take time off to pursue vaccinations and a tougher set of rules for “scofflaw” building owners were among dozens of new ordinances and resolutions introduced to the City Council on Wednesday.

The measures join Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s long-awaited proposal (O2021-1226) to revamp the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance by cranking up requirements for many developers while offering them more ways to satisfy city affordable housing rules.

The City Council on Wednesday approved Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s industrial zoning ordinance and denied Ald. Maria Hadden’s resolution condemning religious violence in India.

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During what may have been the Chicago City Council’s last all-remote meeting, aldermen approved a sweeping crackdown on new industrial development, voted down a non-binding resolution condemning religious violence in India and approved a demolition surcharge fee for some residential areas of the city.

Just before the meeting ended, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said it is her "sincere hope" the City Council will be back to meeting in person at the April meeting. The mayor said aldermen will "receive a briefing in the coming days" and their feedback is welcome.