34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway is pictured during a City Council meeting in October 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Two Chicago alderpeople have introduced legislation to prevent large sums of the city’s federal pandemic relief funds from being used without City Council oversight and consent.

Alds. Bill Conway (34) and Scott Waguespack (32) said the legislation they introduced, which would require the City Council to approve any allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars if the allocation was larger than $1 million, was spurred by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s spending of nearly $100 million late last year without notifying the council.

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

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will meet Tuesday morning and consider multiple rezoning requests to accommodate new residential units and buildings, including the conversion of a Streeterville hotel property.

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

The City Council Committee on Finance will convene for two meetings Monday morning on the designation of more than a dozen financial institutions as municipal depositories and the approval of legal settlements.  

The finance committee proceedings are set to kick off at 10 a.m. in City Council chambers with a subject matter hearing on the issue before moving into a regular meeting. 

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

Alderpeople on Thursday contended with the question of outside employment and income during a subject matter hearing at a Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight meeting.

The Chicago Federation of Labor endorsed multiple Democrats in the upcoming primary, and the local alderperson has responded to reports of a new White Sox stadium possibly being built in the South Loop.

The pillars outside City Hall in downtown Chicago. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate met Wednesday and approved the renewal of an agreement that helps low-income disabled households upgrade their units to make them accessible, issuing loans to preserve several affordable rental buildings and a low-affordability designation of a planned residential development to take advantage of a property tax incentive.

The county announced the winners of more than $2 million in total grant funds to prepare for, prevent and respond to instances of terrorism, and the county also opened applications for its annual transportation infrastructure grant program.

Ald. Matt Martin (47) chairs the City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight will hold subject matter hearings Thursday on the ability of alderpeople to earn outside income and on an audit of a city department’s efforts to help homeless people find housing. The ethics committee will meet at 1 p.m. in City Council chambers. 

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection will meet Thursday morning to consider approving myriad liquor licenses and restrictions on where short-term vacation rentals can operate. The committee will meet at 11:30 a.m. in City Council chambers.

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate will meet Wednesday to vote on the renewal of an agreement that helps low-income disabled households upgrade their units to make them accessible, issuing loans to preserve several affordable rental buildings and a low-affordability designation of a planned residential development to take advantage of a property tax incentive.

The housing committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. in City Council chambers.

Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III are competing for the Democratic nomination for Cook County State's Attorney. [Burke photo: Michael McDevitt, Harris photo from campaign social media]

Clayton Harris III, the Cook County state’s attorney candidate who has the Cook County Democratic Party’s backing in the upcoming March primary, has raised less cash in his campaign committee than his opponent in the upcoming contest. However, both are fundraising far above the Republican in the race.

According to public State Board of Elections data, Harris’s committee has raised at least $311,779 since his committee was formed last summer, as of Jan. 11. That’s at least $44,000 less than what his primary opponent has raised, according to the most recent data.

The campaign committee for Eileen O’Neill Burke, the Democratic state’s attorney candidate who is competing in the primary despite not having her party’s backing, has raised at least $356,050 in individual contributions and transfers since its creation in July, State Board of Elections records show.

The Logan Boulevard bike lane between Rockwell Street and Diversey Parkway. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

As the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) prepares to add 150 miles of new bikeways in the next several years, the department’s Complete Streets director took questions from alderpeople on a City Council panel Wednesday on CDOT’s plan to improve safety of cyclists and citywide bike friendliness. 

CDOT Complete Streets Director David Smith sat for a subject matter hearing on the Chicago Cycling Strategy during Wednesday morning’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety meeting. The Chicago Cycling Strategy is a document released by CDOT last year that outlines ways to prioritize neighborhood connectivity and rider safety as the department plans to add new bikeways and upgrade existing lanes with better protection infrastructure.

“What we have seen in Chicago, and what we've seen in cities across the world, is that when we design our streets and adopt policies that prioritize those most vulnerable, we improve the safety and accessibility for everybody using the street,” Smith said.

Acting DPD Comm. Ciere Boatright [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development met Tuesday and confirmed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointment to lead the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD).

Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) chairs the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety will meet Wednesday and hold a hearing on how the city can make its road safer for cyclists, and the Committee on Transportation and Public Way will consider a resubdivision request in the 30th Ward. 

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) chairs the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development will meet at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and consider multiple appointments, including confirming Mayor Brandon Johnson’s new planning commissioner.