The owners of three proposed medical marijuana dispensaries in Chicago will have to continue waiting for their permits, after the city’s Zoning Board of Appealsrescheduled hearings for two applications into the winter, while delaying a final decision on the third.

More than a hundred people showed showed up to the zoning panel’s monthly meeting Friday to provide testimony on proposed dispensaries in their neighborhoods, but only one of the applications, 420 Capital Management, LLC’sproposed shop in West Rogers Park, actually got a hearing, which lasted for well over an hour.

The three member zoning panel grilled Bob Kingsley, the applicant seeking to open up a dispensary on the site of a former car dealership on 6502 N. Western Ave.

Local Alderman Debra Silverstein (50) has gone on record saying she isn’t a fan of the dispensary because of its close proximity to Warren Park. But when it came time for her to testify, she gave no opinion on the matter and deferred public comment to her constituents.

It was Kingsley’s second time before the panel. Citing a change in legal counsel at the the May meeting, Kingsley requested a continuance to August so that his new attorney, Thomas S. Moore, could have more time to prepare.

But after lengthy questioning from the board, the applicant failed to receive unanimous support. With Commissioner Sol Flores casting the lone no vote, Chairman Jonathan Swain said a final decision would be held until the 4th member could cast a vote.

Union Group of Illinois, LLC, the company behind a proposed dispensary in 41st Ward, wasn’t as lucky, as Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41) delayed their application for the second time until the end of December.

“We were kind of set to go today,” the freshman alderman explained to the board, “but then we started comparing our [survey] numbers with the Union Group, who has been awesome during this whole ordeal. We don’t feel that our numbers are adding up properly and we don’t feel that we’re really advocating for the ward properly.”

His office has said most residents oppose the dispensary, while the applicant’s numbers tell a different story.

The North Side alderman has made his opposition to the dispensary known, often saying he wouldn’t want his kids living near a marijuana shop. When he made his first deferral request at the May hearing, soon after being sworn in, he needed more time to review the proposal and gauge public opinion. The attorney for the applicant, Joseph P. Gattuso with Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, reluctantly accepted the August date.

On Friday, Gattuso was clearly peeved.

“We believe that we have been as cooperative as we could possibly be,” Gattuso said, citing the three community meetings the company has had since Ald. Napolitano assumed office and the “numerous conversations back and forth and the sharing of volumes of reams of information”, as he put it. Union Group has applied for two extensions with the Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation, Gattuso added. His office is concerned they won’t get a third extension, which could derail the project all together.

And when Chairman Swain refused to budge on the December date, Gattuso sighed audibly and walked out of the Chambers. Shortly after, Gattuso, Ald. Napolitano, and his Chief of Staff Chris Vittorio were seen arguing in the cloak room behind Council Chambers.

But neither of those dispensary proposals were as heated as Harborside Illinois Grown Medicine, Inc.’s application to open a dispensary in Chatham. 8th ward residents packed the gallery and were outraged when James Vasselli of Del Galdo Law Group, the applicant’s attorney, requested a continuance to November, so his clients could conduct additional community outreach.

The heckling was so loud that Chairman Swain stopped the attorney, scolded the gallery for being disrespectful, and demanded a head count. Approximately 70 people were there to testify against the dispensary and around 45 people were there in support, according to Swain's estimate.

He then turned to the local alderman, Michelle Harris (8), a City Council heavyweight, and asked her to speak on the topic.

“Today, my community is here,” Ald. Harris declared, requesting permission to allow a couple of her constituents to speak on the matter. Opponents were worried about crime and accused the owner of having a rap sheet. Supporters touted economic development and the fact that Harborside is a minority-owned business.

This was the second time Harborside’s application has gone before the Zoning Board. They faced over an hour of questioning in May, but the consideration derailed over the accuracy of economic disclosure statements and the company’s registered name. There seemed to be a mixup between IGM LLC, which is related to the dispensary, and Illinois Grown Medicine LLC, which is related to a separate cultivation business. Swain refused to deliberate on the matter until the error was fixed.

On Friday, he accused the applicants of delaying the application because of the overwhelming number of people that showed up to testify against the shop. He reluctantly approved a continuance until November.

Divided Roll Call Votes:

In addition to the split vote on the medical marijuana dispensary in the 50th Ward, three of Laura Holtz’s applications to make extensive renovations to her house on 173 N. Walcott St. failed to receive unanimous support– ZBA member Sam Toia voted against all three–delaying a final decision until Sheila O'Grady, the 4th ZBA member who wasn’t at the meeting, casts her vote.

Toia did not ask any questions during homeowner Holtz’s testimony. She planned to renovate her Bucktown home to add a breezeway from a proposed garage to her home, as well as a roof deck on top of that garage. She told the committee she wanted to install the breezeway to keep her 75 year-old mother and 16 year-old son safe from “being jumped.” She had been a robbery victim in the area, as had a friend.

Attorney Mark Kupiec of Mark Kupiec & Associates said Holtz had won approval from her neighbors and that a breezeway would be in character with the rest of the neighborhood.

Approved Items:

306-15-S: A charter school moving to South Side’s New Beginnings Church won approval from ZBA after quick testimony from Dr. Nancy Jackson, Chief Executive Officer of Prologue Inc. Prologue is a charter school service based in West Town, and was represented before ZBA by Mark Kupiec. Prologue operates four alternative charter high schools, mostly in the South Side.

Jackson says they want to relocate the Charles H. Houston School at 7847 S. Jeffery Blvd. to a space rented out of of New Beginnings Church at 6620-30 S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Jackson said the school ran out of space, and it’s a more convenient location for more than half of the student body.

The pastor of the church and an active force in local and state politics, Corey Brooks, came to testify, but did not speak.

20th Ward Ald. Willie Cochran did, saying moving the school to New Beginnings would be a boon to the Greater Grand Crossing, Woodlawn, and Englewood communities. “I think that this model is a growing model across the country and it is ideally located in this institution where the pastor here has reached out to a population of the community that is in strong need of additional supports,” he said. “It’s located in an area where the population has a number of dropouts that find that this institution and the leadership of this institution welcomes them.”

Prologue provides alternative education programs that operate alongside wraparound services to low income students between 17 and 21, helping students get GEDs or high school diplomas. New Beginnings Church also operates Project H.O.O.D., a non-profit that seeks to end violence in Englewood and Woodlawn.

286-15-S: Despite some persistent questioning from the Board, a $5M “spa-like” physical fitness center will go forward at 770 N. Halsted. The applicant is Acqua Ancient Baths Chicago, LLC. Katriina S. McGuire of Thompson Coburn LLCdescribed Acqua Ancient Baths as a mix of a spa and gym.

The owner operates four similar bath facilities out of New York and Spain. This location would be a non-members club, open from 11am-9pm, 7 days a week.

312-15-S:  An eating disorder recovery center in Streeterville will move forward at 150 E. Huron Ave on the 12th and 13th Floors. Insight Behavioral Health Centers, partnered with Denver’s Eating Recovery Center, LLC, applied to open a 24-bed transitional residence near Northwestern Hospital, who provides about 25% of referrals. Insight operates treatment centers in Streeterville, Oak Park, Northbrook, Evanston, and a separate eating recovery center at Millennium Place.

Dr. Susan McClanahan is a licensed clinical psychologist and the President and Founder of Insight Behavioral Health Centers. She testified that a typical patient is a woman between 12 and 35 years old with bulimia, anorexia, or obesity problems. She says the average stay is 30 to 45 days.

Denied Applications:

298-15-Z: There was just one denied application to dramatically reduce setbacks for a new four-story, three-unit building with a rooftop deck and fourth floor, front open balcony and a rear attached three-car garage with a roof deck in the 44th Ward.

Meg George with the law firm of Neal and Leroy represented Seamus Mornan, the applicant. The team testified it was a short lot with a single family home in poor shape. They want to transform the site into a masonry three flat, and the building’s first and second stories would only jut out into the rear setback. Mornan said without the variance, he wouldn’t get a good return on the investment.

A group of neighbors next door to the site at 722 W. Melrose St. testified adding on to the rear lot would cause them to lose significant light and ventilation. They said other buildings in the neighborhood with similar lots rented apartments without a problem and the applicants should go back to the drawing board.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44), while recognizing the proposed site does have a short lot, said he had communication problems with the redevelopment team. “I don’t feel comfortable not supporting my neighbors on this particular case.”

Withdrawn:

20-15-S: Industrial Metal Enterprise, Inc’s application for a special use permit to establish a Class IV-A recycling facility on 901 N. Kilpatrick Ave. in the 37th Ward.

100-15-S: Health Elements Foot Spa, Inc.’s application for a special use permit to open a foot massage salon on 1125 W. 31st St. in the 11th Ward.

Continuances:

Continuances for ZBA are now stretching into January, aided in large part by objections from Ald. Michele Smith (44). Here’s the full list:

315-15-Z, 316-15-Z, 317-15-Z: A house renovation in 43rd Ward will be put off. Ald. Michele Smith’s office asked to defer for community review. It will be heard November 20th.

318-15-S: Lawyers for Cermak Recycling, Inc. say their client might be changing the site of a Class V recycling facility, currently slated for the 25th ward.

164-15-Z: A knockdown renovation in the 43rd ward that was filed in January and faced some pushback from Ald. Smith in the Spring be continued until November because of the need for an extra relief request.

187-14-S: An absent client postponed a hearing for a parking lot in the 4th ward until November.

301-15-S: Ald. Matt O’Shea’s office asked the board to defer so he could do research on a salon in the 19th ward. Chairman Swain moved up the continuance, because the applicant, Kaiisha Dear, is already paying rent on the place.

321-15-Z: Ald. Smith requested a continuance until November for a proposed garage and roof deck in the 43rd ward behind John and Anne Moroney’s home.

314-15-Z: Adjacent landowners in the 44th ward couldn’t get a lawyer in time to push back against a renovation at 3528 North Janssen Avenue. The attorney for Chicago Title Land Trust, No. 8002366263 was ready to go, but the two sides couldn’t work out a compromise Friday.

308, 309-15-Z: Ald. Smith’s office asked for continuance so she could talk to condo board association before Robert Matteson’s renovation could move forward.

New chiefs of staff are getting a crash course in how city government works this week.

A two-day training session for the new City Hall staffers started yesterday and will continue today. Led by Ald. Carrie Austin’s (34) chief of staff, Chester Wilson, Jr., and conducted in the Council chambers, City Clerk Susana Mendoza and commissioners from various city departments are also leading a series of meetings to break down how legislation is passed and points of contact for staffer questions.

Attendees are taught everything from how to submit an ordinance to more rudimentary technical advice like setting up official email accounts and getting connected to the 311 network. Each new alderman gets four computers (two for their City Hall office and two for their ward office), but only City Hall computers get direct access to certain internal networks, like the 311 system.

It’s similar to the start-of-term info session for new aldermen led by Ald. Ed Burke (14), which included a rundown of aldermanic budgets (known as Menu Money) and TIF funding.

Less than half of City Council members receive extra income from outside work, according to mandatory Statements of Financial Interest filed with the City Board of Ethics. Most of the work was billed as legal or consulting services for companies they own or were employed with before joining City Council. Just two freshman aldermen, Patrick D. Thompson (11) and Susan Sadlowski Garza (10), reported receiving supplemental income: Ald. Thompson from his partnership at the law firm, Burke, Warren, Mackay & Serritella, P.C., and Ald. Garza for her job with Hegewisch Community Committee.

Click to download a PDF of Aldertrack's full report.

Every year, aldermen are required to file Statements of Financial Interest with the Board of Ethics by June 1st. Incumbents filed statements for FY 2014. Newly-elected aldermen, unless otherwise stated, filed statements as candidates for FY 2013, a required step to get their name on the ballot.

Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27) reported owning more property, being involved with more community organizations and sitting on more boards than any of his colleagues. Ald. Ed Burke (14) and Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), followed close behind on community involvement. Ald. Burke and Ald. Tom Tunney (44) are the only sitting Council members who own businesses that work with the city.

Two aldermen reported returning or donating “improper gifts,” including cupcakes, cookies, and perfume. Five aldermen are related to registered lobbyists or people who’ve had a cut check by the city. Those lobbyists include Ald. Deb Mell’s (33) father, former Ald. Richard Mell, who works for a long list of real estate and construction firms, Ald. Pat O’Connor’s (40) sister-in-law, Meredith O’Connor, who lobbies on behalf of United Airlines and Bank of America, and Ald. Thompson’s cousin, William R. Daley, who works on behalf of Morgan Stanley.

Fourteen aldermen, including six recently elected to the council, reported that they don’t have any outside jobs, additional real estate or a spot on a board or commission: Ald. Brian Hopkins (2), Ald. Pat Dowell (3), Ald. Raymond Lopez* (15), Ald. Derrick Curtis (18), Ald. Willie Cochran (20), Ald. Michael Scott, Jr.(24), Ald. Milly Santiago (31), Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Ald. Emma Mitts (37), Ald. Nick Sposato (38), Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41), Ald. John Arena (45), and Ald. Debra Silverstein (50).

*Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) reported income he received in 2013, when he was a Skycap for Southwest Airlines. Since that was his full time job at the time (and not a form of supplemental income), Aldertrack did not count it as additional income.

Mayor Emanuel introduced a number of new ordinances Wednesday, including asking the Council to establish an advisory committee for Pullman National Park, build new affordable housing in the Washington Park community, and expand the city’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF). The Mayor’s office detailed those items and more in a series of press releases issued after the meeting.

Some of his other introduced ordinances not included in the document dump:

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  [02015-4685] Amends the City’s ethics code as it relates to the definition of “financial interest.” The ordinance cuts several paragraphs relating to city employees that own stock and adds new exceptions to what constitutes financial interest.

  
  


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  [O2015-4652] A ban on perchloroethylene, a hazardous chemical often used at dry cleaners and auto body shops.

  
  


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  [O2015-4657] Amends the municipal code to give the the Aviation Commissioner authority to negotiate and execute airport access agreements with any off-airport parking service provider that picks up or drops off customers at the city’s two airports.

  
  

And as is the case at the start of every new term, most of the items Mayor Emanuel introduced involve various appointments and reappointments to city agencies, governing boards, and Special Service Areas. This includes a recommendation to appoint Lisa Morrison Butler as the new Commissioner of the Department of Family and Support Services and Judy Frydland as the new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings.

The Department of Planning and Development also introduced an ordinancerequesting the City Council approve the Landmark Commission’s recent decision to designate Fulton Market as a historical landmark.

Aldermanic Ordinance Introductions: Mandatory Lactation Rooms, Hearings on Uber, Balloon Safety
Aldermen called for hearings on ride share app drivers, domestic violence victims, gas line inspections and the dangers of balloons (yes, balloons apparently cause a lot of damage), among other issues. Ald. Margaret Laurino (39) made most of the hearing requests.

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  Hearing on Rideshare Apps: [R2015-479] Half of the City Council is backing a resolution Ald. Pat Dowell (3) sponsored requesting the Committee on License and Consumer Protection hold hearings on rideshare apps and how they are impacting the taxi industry.

  
  


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  Hearing on Domestic Violence Abuse: [R2015-480] Ald. Laurino and Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) introduced a resolution requesting the Committee on Public Safety hold hearings on how the City could better serve victims of domestic violence. The resolution points to a training program in Ohio teaching salon workers how to identify these victims, so they can help them report the abuse to the local authorities. The resolution asks that Public Safety Chairman Ariel Reboyras (30) invite advocacy groups, law enforcement experts and trade associations to see if Chicago could do something similar.

  
  


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  Hearing on Gas Inspections: [R2015-476] Ald. Laurino also requests that the Committee on Public Safety hold hearings to shed light on how the City inspects gas lines and addresses complaints of gas odors. She points to a recent incident in New York City where a gas explosion occurred 30 minutes after routine gas inspection.

  
  


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  Hearing on Balloons: [R2015-475] Ald. Laurino also wants the Public Safety committee to conduct hearings to address the environmental hazards of Mylar balloons. The request stems from an April 2015 incident where a stray balloon got caught in power lines and caused an outage at multiple businesses and homes in the area.

  
  


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  Resolution Related to State’s Proposed Medicaid Cuts: [R2015-477] Ald. George Cardenas (12) is calling on the Illinois General Assembly to oppose Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed Medicaid funding cuts to hospitals across the state. Since it is a resolution, it is more of a request than plan of action, and it was referred to Ald. Cardenas' Health and Environmental Protection committee. According to Cardenas, Chicago area hospitals support over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs.

  
  


• Airport Lactation Rooms: [O2015-4679] Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) introduced an ordinance, with Ald. Ed Burke as the co-sponsor, that would require private lactation rooms in all airport terminals. The ordinance calls for Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans to designate a room at every terminal behind airport screening for breastfeeding. Each lactation room would have a lockable door, a chair, a table, an electrical outlet, and a sink. According to the press release Ald. Burke’s office issued before the meeting, the legislation mirrors Cong. Tammy Duckworth’s proposed federal Friendly Airports for Mothers Act, and aldermen plan to invite Duckworth to testify about the proposal. It was referred to Finance Committee.


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  Antibiotics in Food: [O2015-4678] Ald. Ed Burke introduced an ordinance to increase regulations on antibiotics in food sold in Chicago.

  
  

Members of the City Council’s newly-formed LGBT Caucus say they will be a united front to preserve city services important to the LGBT community when the City starts planning next year’s budget.

The five openly gay members of the City Council officially announced the group’s formation after yesterday’s City Council meeting. They’re in the process of filing articles of incorporation with the state and say they hope to bring additional members into the fold.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44), the first openly gay aldermen elected to the City Council, first floated the idea of a new LGBT caucus after two more openly gay members, Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) and Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) were elected to the City Council.

The group, which also includes Ald. Deb Mell (33) and Ald. James Cappleman (46), plans to ask for more funding for HIV prevention and housing for homeless LGBT youth. The group also wants to work with local area police commanders and Superintendent Garry McCarthy to address policing issues.

“LGBT issues are no longer a North Side issue,” Ald. Lopez said. Ald. Tunney had also joked that until now, LGBT-related issues ended up on his desk because his peers would tell constituents, “[if] it’s a gay issue, go talk to Tunney.”

Ald. Tunney will serve as caucus chairman, with Ald. Mell and Ald. Lopez serving under him as vice chair and secretary, respectively. Ald. Cappleman does not have a leadership role.

While the Caucus plans to hold another press event ahead of the annual Pride Parade, Ald. Tunney took advantage of the presser to address concerns he has about policing and crowd control. The annual celebration in Lakeview has grown ten-fold over the last decade, says Tunney, and he worries that the police department’s resources are already stretched thin. Parade organizers are planning to hire 90 off-duty cops to supplement the police presence next Saturday. There will also be extra open container checkpoints, and Ald. Tunney has asked Boystown bars to voluntarily close two hours early.

The City Council approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to issue up to $1.1 billion dollars in general obligation bonds, after the city’s new Chief Financial Officer warned aldermen that it was the only way the city could avoid going into default.

During Monday's Finance Committee meeting, the City’s CFO, Carole Brown, spent more than two hours assuring aldermen that the new borrowing plan was just one of several steps the Mayor plans to make to address the city’s debt problems and junk credit rating. She said the money would help pay off lawsuits and debts dating back to Mayor Richard M. Daley's administration. And while several aldermen raised concerns that they didn’t understand the language of the agreement or what was specifically at stake if they failed to approve the mayor’s plan, there was almost no pushback when it was brought before the full Council yesterday.

Without debate or even a roll call vote, it took aldermen less than ten minutes to give Mayor Emanuel the authority to issue the largest bond deal of his tenure. Aldermen spent three times as long praising Mayor Emanuel's pick of Ginger Evans as Commissioner of the Department of Aviation before her appointment was called for a vote.

Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke (14) ushered through the bond vote’s passage using a familiar tactic that allows for quick passage: a roll call vote on the first agenda item applied to the rest of the committee ordinances. Burke requested roll call on uncontroversial appointments to Special Service Areas (SSAs). After Clerk Susana Mendoza called the roll, those appointments passed 44-0.

Ald. Burke then brought up Mayor Emanuel’s bond ordinance, noted that it passed in committee with only one dissenting vote, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32). Burke offered the only testimony on the ordinance. “Your honor, clearly a lot has been said about the condition of the city’s finances. This is a step that is necessary to refund the existing debt and begin to take steps to claw out of the financial condition that we’re in at the present time,” Ald. Burke explained. “Unless there’s objection, I move to concur on the recommendation of the committee by the same roll call which applied to item one on the agenda [the SSA appointments].”

Invoking Rule 14, Ald. Burke said he and Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11) would abstain. Ald. Thompson is related to the Morgan Stanley underwriter the city picked to underwrite the bonds (William Daley), and Ald. Burke’s law firm, Klafter & Burke, provides legal services for BMO Harris, another bank participating in the deal.

Burke then turned to Ald. Waguespack and asked if he “wish[ed] to be shown as voting no.” He did and was joined by Ald. John Arena (45).

Quickly banging the gavel to signify that the motioned passed, Mayor Emanuel signaled to Burke that he could move on to the next agenda item. As Burke started to read the report, Ald. Waguespack looked and gestured to Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who was sitting two seats away.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa, whose mic wasn’t turned on, quickly stood up and requested a rule suspension and to be recorded as a no vote. The Mayor acknowledged the freshman aldermen and requested the record reflect the third "no" vote.

The Council then proceeded on to the rest of the scheduled agenda, approving ordinances to loosen alcohol restrictions on Navy Pier, appointing Ginger Evans as the City Department of Aviation’s new commissioner, and various other ordinances that passed in committee. (For more information on what passed, check our subscriber-only archived Committee Reports here.)

Before discussing the only item on the agenda–Mayor Emanuel’s proposed ordinance authorizing the expenditure of Open Space Impact Fees (OSIF) for Kennicott Par–the Committee’s newly appointed Chairman Tom Tunney (44), who dubbed his committee “The Party Committee”, thought it would be helpful if a representative from the Department of Planning and Development explain what OSIFs are and how they are used.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Tom Tunney (44), Roderick Sawyer (6), Leslie Hairston (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Marty Quinn (13), Derrick Curtis (18), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Milly Santiago (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Michelle Smith (43), John Arena (45), Ameya Pawar (47), Debra Silverstein (50)

Meg Gustafson, with the Department of Planning and Development’s Sustainable and Open Space Division, told the aldermen that the program enacted in 1998 is a fee on new residential development permits that is collected by one of the 77 designated community areas around the city. People can get credit for on-site open space, but most single-family and smaller residential permits tend to pay directly into the fund. A community area must get DPD approval before spending any money in the fund. DPD then submits those proposals to Ald. Tunney’s committee.

Gustafson stressed that the fees can only be spent on new open space development projects, or proposals to expand existing open space. She adds that since since the program’s inception, community areas have collected $54M in open space fees, $4M of which is still available. The money helped pay for 47 new Park District parks, 20 Park District expansions, 6 campus parks, 25 neighborspace gardens, 25 school gardens built on “open land,” and 9 trail and riverwalk projects, like the new 606 Trail.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13) asked what projects were not approved, and why they didn’t qualify. Gustafson said plans to transform existing open space, like turning a tennis court into a basketball court, get rejected. Quinn then asked that DPD provide a breakdown of how the fees were spent by wards. Gustafson said it was possible but noted that community areas, like TIFs, overlap ward boundaries.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) says he has tried to get DPD to raise the open space fees to finance more projects, and asked if DPD was making any headway. Gustafson told him while the department has looked into it, “about four times in the last 5 years, there is never a good time to raise a fee.” She also said increasing the fee wouldn’t impact distribution, because areas that have a lot of new residential development collect more fees.

Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) agreed the fee is too low and should be raised. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) raised concern that while there is a lot more green development on the north side of Chicago, she has noticed that the Park District has been planting “wild grass” all around her South Side ward, which makes it impossible for residents to enjoy open space. When Ald. Tunney asked that the representative from the Park District elaborate on the process, he said he couldn’t comment.

When the committee eventually moved on to the scheduled agenda, Doreen O’Donnell, the research and planning manager for the Chicago Park District, testified in support of the Kennecott Park Expansion Project in the 4th Ward. She said the the Park District would use the remaining $290,364 from the Kenwood Community Open Space Fees Fund to to expand the park on land it acquired years ago, close an alley, remove a light pole, and add new pathways, benches, greenery, and fencing.

The Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics will meet before Wednesday’s full City Council meeting to appoint members to the City Council’s Financial Office Oversight Committee, created in 2013 as part of a larger plan to create an independent budget office, The Chicago Office of Financial Analysis (COFA). The committee was originally created to do two things: find a Financial Analyst to oversee the new office, and serve as a liaison between the city’s Budget Office and aldermen. The committee announced its choice, Ben Winick, just before last month’s City Council meeting. In his interview with Aldertrack, Winick said he wouldn’t start work until July, giving him just three months to staff up before the expected September release date of the Mayor’s budget.

The ordinance before the Rules Committee reappoints Ald. Pat Dowell (3) and Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) to the committee. Ald. Rick Munoz (22) would replace former Ald. Ray Suarez (31) to become the newest alderman to join the seven member group, which according to enacting legislation must include: Chairman of the Budget Committee Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Chairman of the Finance Committee Ald. Ed Burke (14), and representatives from two of the following three categories: a current or former representative from a civic or public interest group union, or business.

Carole Brown, the City’s new Chief Financial Officer, was one of those representatives when she was in her former role as Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority. She’ll have to forfeit her seat. Joseph Pijanowski, with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 126A, will likely keep his seat, according to Ald. Pawar, who also says the group will likely meet on a quarterly basis.

The committee confirmed Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of Ginger Evans as the City’s new Commissioner of Aviation after dishing out over an hour’s worth of praise for her resume and 30-year industry background.

Start Time: 10:03
Committee Members Present: Chairman Mike Zalewski (23), Vice-Chair Ameya Pawar (47), Pat Dowell (3), Raymond Lopez (15), Willie Cochran (20), Ariel Reboyras (30), Gilbert Villegas (36), Margaret Laurino (39), Pat O’Connor (40), Anthony Napolitano (41), John Arena (45)

Evans did not shy away from detailing major investment plans, from a high-speed rail connecting O’Hare to downtown Chicago, to a redesign of the Kennedy Expressway, to an aggressive marketing campaign targeting international tourists. “There is great potential to build on and enhance Chicago’s Aviation system with actions we can take right now, and by developing bold plans for the future,” Evans told the committee.

Plans for high-speed rail between downtown and O’Hare have been floated for years. The CTA and the city are currently in the process of surveying travelers to find out how they access the airport. Mayor Emanuel has made repeated calls for an express service to the Loop to complement blue line service.

But several aldermen were also concerned with what they called a more pressing issue: an exorbitant amount of noise complaints stemming from O’Hare’s recently expanded runways. “My biggest ask is communication,” Ald. Margaret Laurino told Evans. “It is very important that you keep us in the loop on what issues are coming forward, how we can address the concerns of our neighbors that have to deal with the noise of these runways [...] especially overnight.”

Evans said it was an issue all major cities are trying to address. In Denver, Evans said she helped the city as it made the “radical decision” to build a new airport far outside city limits. She also offered up the example of New York City, which insulated homes and changed flight times. She also suggested that once the current fleet of aircrafts expire, there could be an entire redesign of airplane engines.

Ald. Anthony Napolitano, whose ward encompases O’Hare Airport, was pleased with the ideas. “Beautiful. I can’t wait to work with you.”

The Committee approved two ordinances renewing Class 6(b) tax incentives for the MRC Polymers INC warehouse on 3535 W. 31st Street (22nd Ward) and the Berkshire Refrigerated Warehouse on 4550 S. Packers Ave (20th Ward).

Committee Members Present: Chairman Howard Brookins Jr. (21), Leslie Hairston (5), Gregory Mitchell (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), David Moore (17), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Milly Santiago (31), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Ameya Pawar (47)

Edward Lewis, with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of MRC Polymer’s request to renew a 2003 designation set to expire. The 65,000 square-foot warehouse sits on three acres of land and is part of the Little Village TIF.

Essie Banks, a project manager with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of the Berkshire’s application to renew a Class 6(b) designation from 2005. The property is located in the Stockyards Industrial Corridor, Planned Manufacturing District 8, 47th Ashland TIF, and the new Community Area in the 21st Ward. According to Banks, the family-owned business focuses on cold storage warehousing and has been in business at the current location since the 1950s. The company has already invested $11M in two additional expansions.

The Committee met briefly yesterday morning to approve receipt of federal grants, donation of a bus to a non-profit and an internal committee funds transfer, which Chairman Austin will report out to the full City Council today.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Carrie Austin (34), Brian Hopkins (2), Leslie Hairston (5),  Roderick Sawyer (6), David Moore (17), Derrick Curtis (18), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Rick Muñoz (22), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Milly Santiago (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Deb Mell (33), Tom Tunney (44), James Cappleman (46)

The first ordinance brought by the Office of Budget and Management asked that the Committee approve an additional $8.2M in unappropriated federal and state grant funds. According to Rosalind Stevens, the director of administration for the Department of Budget and Management, city departments received the following grants:

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  $3.68M in federal funding from the Centers for Disease Control to the City’s Health Department to “conduct preparedness activities for civilians and monitoring of Ebola virus diseases over a three year period.”

  
  


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  $61,000 in federal funding from the from the U.S. Department of Education to the City’s Health Department to pay for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The funds will pay for inspections for child and adult care sites.

  
  


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  $2.63M from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the City’s Health Department for the Hospital Preparedness Program for Ebola preparedness and response activities. The funds will be used over five years to isolate, transport and treat patients suffering from Ebola.

  
  


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  $112,000 in private funds the Department of Family and Support Services asked to be rolled over. The private funds include $112,000 for the Foster Grandparent Program and $49,000 for the Senior Companion Program.

  
  


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  $1.7M in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Urban Development for the Department of Family and Support Services for the Shelter Plus Care Program. The funds will provide permanent supportive housing for disabled and homeless households.

  
  


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  $210,000 in federal funds the Chicago Police Department received from the U.S. Department of Justice through the Research Triangle Institute National Crime Statistics Exchange. The funds will be used to “modify and enhance the Departments’ citizen and law enforcement analysis and reporting system.”

  
  


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  $373,000 in federal funds the City’s Office of Emergency Management received from the U.S. Department of Homeless Security through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The program helps pays for the unique planning, equipment training and exercise needs of high threat, high density urban areas.

  
  


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  The Health Department and Office of Emergency Management also asked approval to enter into an agreement with the Illinois Medical Districts Guest House for $90,000 in grant funds; half of the money comes from the Bioterrorism Terrorism Response Grant to pay for emergency house services.

  
  

The committee also okayed the Department of Fleet and Facilities Management's request to donate an out-of-service Chicago Public Library bus to Growing Power, Inc., a Wisconsin-based non-profit. According to Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Muse, Growing Power would repurpose the bus into a mobile produce truck to sell locally grown fruits and vegetables in underserved areas. Muse says Growing Power received a federal grant to launch the program, which will make approximately 2,200 community stops over a 50 week period. The FFM also wants to donate $50,000 in fuel and $60,000 in maintenance services to the company. Muse stated in her testimony that the Department wants to donate one bus, but the ordinance lists two. George Blakemore provided the only testimony, asking how many black farmers participate in the program.

When Ald. Austin asked Ald. Derrick Curtis (18) to second her motion to approve the ordinance, she called him out for not paying attention, “Ald. Curtis  has a motion due pass--HEY, [Ald. Curtis] LOOK AT ME," Austin demanded before laughing and repeating the motion.

Aldermen also approved an ordinance authorizing a transfer of funds within the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate. It passed without discussion or elaboration as to what those funds are.

At the end of the meeting, Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30) moved that two permanent City Council Subcommittees be reestablished: the Subcommittee of MBE/WBE Matters and the Subcommittee on Miscellaneous Matters.

A number of ordinances regulating downtown entertainment passed the License and Consumer Protection Committee Tuesday. 42nd Ward ordinances to amend regulations of sidewalk cafes, alcohol at Navy Pier, and outdoor patio hours now advance before the full Council. The meeting concluded with quick approval of a number of liquor and grocery store licenses.

Start Time: 11:11 a.m.
Committee Members Present: Chairman Emma Mitts (37), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), David Moore (17), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Chris Taliferro (29), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Pat O’Connor (40), Brendan Reilly (42), Michele Smith (43), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), James Cappleman (46), Debra Silverstein (50)

Aldermen passed an ordinance loosening rules on where visitors can carry alcohol at Navy Pier. Greg Steadman, Local Liquor Control Commissioner, says current liquor laws only allow alcohol between outdoor venues, so long as the drinks were bought on the Pier and transported in red plastic cups that identify the bar or restaurant that sold the drink. The proposed ordinance would expand those open-container rules to indoor venues, with the same security protocols. Steadman says this would help make Navy Pier a year-round attraction.

Ald. Scott, Ald. Tunney, and Ald. Smith asked several follow-up questions about the ordinance. Steadman clarified that alcohol cannot leave the pier, there’s no BYOB allowed, and people can’t bring open alcohol containers to boats at Navy Pier, but can bring closed containers if they have a boat docked there. The ordinance passed by voice vote.

Aldermen also voted to allow the rooftops around Wrigley Field to stay open and sell tickets for concerts through 2018. Ald. Tunney says this was initially done on a case-by-case basis, but in light of the recent renovations, he thought this ordinance would be more expedient.

The Committee also advanced Ald. Brendan Reilly’s request to designate extra city workers to enforce the sidewalk cafe ordinance. “On the weekends, especially when there are not many city inspectors on the clock, that’s when we see most of our abuse to the outdoor cafe footprint.” He says, for example, the city could designate a ward superintendent to inspect cafes. Those violations would be routed through the Commissioner of Business Affairs’ office.

George Blakemore testified that he’s seen multiple, “out of control” violations in Ald. Reilly’s lakefront ward. In response to Blakemore’s testimony, Ald. Sawyer suggested the city consider charging a square foot fee for sidewalk cafes, instead of a flat fee.

Aldermen also re-upped an annual policy change allowing business district patios to stay open an extra hour, until midnight, during the summer season. The Committee also approved licensing for a bowling alley, movie theater, and a new Mariano’s in the 27th Ward. When asking for motion to move to pass, Chairman Mitts joked to Ald. Sawyer that he was jealous of the new Mariano’s, “You almost didn’t want to say that one, cause you’re hatin’ on it. I know you’re hatin’ on it, I see that look!”

Chairman Mitts re-referred Ald.Tunney and Clerk Susana Mendoza’s ordinance O2015-4198 to amend the Municipal Code as it relates to the issuance to residential parking permits insurance to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Chairman Mitts also deferred ordinances O2015-4196, O2015-3713 and O2015-3723.

The Finance Committee advanced Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to refinance existing debt by issuing up to $1.1B in general obligation bonds. It also approved $3.65M in legal settlements against the Chicago Police Department, one intergovernmental agreement for a redevelopment plan and appointments to Special Service Areas. All of these items will go before the full Council on Wednesday.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Vice Chair Patrick O’Connor (40), Pat Dowell (3), Leslie Hairston (5), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), Michelle Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), George Cardenas (12), Marty Quinn (13), Toni Foulkes (16), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Rick Munoz (22), Michael Zalewski (23), John Arena (24), Danny Solis (25), Walter Burnett, Jr. (27), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Emma Mitts (37), Nick Sposato (38), Margaret Laurino (39), Tom Tunney (44), Harry Osterman (48), Joe Moore (49), Debra Silverstein (50)

Other Aldermen Present: Raymond Lopez (15), David Moore (17), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Milly Santiago (31), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35)

Bond Ordinance To Restructure Debt
The committee overwhelmingly approved, with one dissenting vote from Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), an ordinance that greenlights an Emanuel Administration plan to restructure outstanding city debt with the issuance of an additional $1.1B in general obligations bonds that includes legal settlements and upcoming interest payments on existing debt. Although several committee members said they had a hard time understanding the language of the ordinance, and what was at stake if they failed to approve it (the most frequent comments aldermen made during the two hour debate), the ordinance received overwhelming approval.

The plan is a necessary first step the City needs to take to reduce its exposure to outstanding variable-rate interest payments, according to testimony from Carole L. Brown, the city’s new Chief Financial Officer. Brown reported that once the city executes the sale of the new bonds, the city will have moved to fixed-rate debt which will be paid down over 30 years.

The new debt helps phase out a financial tool known as “scoop and toss”, when borrowers refinance the principal and interest of long-term and extend the payments over a longer payment period. The practice, which is comparable to a homeowner continually refinancing their mortgage and extending the pay periods, is not a sustainable practice, but over the last ten years the city had relied on this method to pay for certain operating expenses when it presented its annual budget. Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced in April he is committed to phasing this process out by 2019, and this ordinance helps with that plan, according to Brown.

Brown also said the accelerated timeline for the bond sale, which was made public late Thursday when the Finance Committee agenda was posted online, is largely due to Moody’s recent ratings downgrade of the city’s bonds. When the city’s credit rating fell to junk status last month, it made the city vulnerable to $2.2B in payments from lenders holding lines of credit with the city.

According to Brown, the city has a line a line of credit with Morgan Stanley for $135M, plus an additional commitment for $200M that has not been allocated yet. The City also has a line of credit with Citigroup for O’Hare Airport totaling $140M and BMO Harris totaling $225M.

Brown says the city minimized its risk of potentially defaulting on those payments by making a deal, known as a forbearance agreement, with the banks. Under the agreement, the banks waived their right to terminate outstanding loan repayments if the city promised to retire its exposure to variable interest rates in a timely basis.

The City already took steps to get rid of half of the risk to the city’s corporate funds, Brown says. It eliminated about $918M in variable interest rate risk associated with general obligation bonds that date back to 2002 and terminated 21 swap agreements. Brown said this ordinance was crucial in eliminating the rest of that risk by paying for the following items:

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  $192M in general obligation swap termination costs. When the city was downgraded by Moody’s, the swaps had an automatic termination event. This means the swap counterparties could demand immediate payment and terminate the swap. The city was able to negotiate a discounted rate and terminate the swap. The city used commercial paper to pay off the termination cost. This ordinance pays the city back for that payment.

  
  


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  $150M for variable rate general obligation bonds converted to a fixed rate 

  
  


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  $40M in variable rate fees associated with Moody’s recent downgrade

  
  


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  $170M in a so-called “scoop and toss” bond levy issued in 2014, where debt was rolled into a interest-only loan. The levy was put in place during the 2014 budget process. The City had funded it with short-term commercial paper. This ordinance would pay down the commercial paper. There will still be $100M in outstanding commercial paper payments.

  
  


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  $35M towards a 2015 loan payment for the site of the former Michael Reese Hospital. This dates back to a deal Mayor Richard M. Daley made to buy the site so he could build an Olympic Village.

  
  


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  $19M for a lawsuit related to the parking meter deal. Ironically, Morgan Stanley, the firm the city chose to oversee the bond agreement, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

  
  


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  $62M for judgement against the city by Aqua Hotel. The city approved the hotel’s plan to build a public parking garage, which it wasn’t allowed to do under a separate agreement it made in 2006 to privatize downtown public parking garages. The agreement had a non-compete clause. Approving Aqua Hotel’s plan violated that clause.

  
  


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  $4M to terminate QTE equipment lease transaction

  
  


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  $180M to terminate a 2005 CTA Orange Line financing agreement

  
  


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  $75M in retroactive raises and pension payments for Chicago police officersthat date back to a 2014 contract negotiation the city made with the police union.

  
  


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  Two years of capitalized interest for the bonds. When Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) asked what would happen after the first two years, Brown said that when the city eventually sells the bonds, it will put in a debt service levy associated with the debt on the bonds for the life of the bond deal. That means after the first two years, both the principal and interest on the bonds will be paid with the property tax levy.

  
  


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  The cost to issue the bonds. Financial fees to underwriters.

  
  

Brown would not speculate on what she expects interest rates to be on the $1.1B in general obligation bonds, which she says the city hopes to sell later this summer. The city could end up issuing less debt, she says, depending on how much those rates could end up costing the city. Brown reiterated this point multiple times after several aldermen questioned whether it was appropriate for the city to incur additional debt at a time when the city already has too many bills to pay.

Brown said she was confident the city wouldn’t have any trouble finding buyers for the new debt, because the response to the city’s bond sale three weeks ago was “great” with six-times as many interested buyers as there were bonds. “We should see agressive rates on this transaction based on just the favorable feedback we are getting from investors and the rating agencies and the general direction of the city.”

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), who voiced some of the committee’s most forceful criticism, quipped that the market would obviously be interested in junk bonds because it would mean a higher interest rate with a greater a greater return.

Ald. John Arena (45) demanded to know what plans the city had in place to bring in additional revenue. Arena said that other than, “fines here and fees here,” the city has yet to devise a revenue strategy other than threatening a property tax increase. He added that it was “irresponsible” for the city to issue new debt without a revenue plan. “Many here on the Council and many taxpayers finally want to see us actually paying our bills and [have] the administration telling us what it costs to run the city based on our past debt,” he said, accusing the city of once again pushing off long-term debt by issuing new debt.

Brown countered that not approving the plan would be more irresponsible because of the promises the city made to its lenders after the downgrade. She added the Emanuel Administration is committed to discussing new revenue proposals, but that would come later as part of a “larger discussion around not just this years budget, but budgets going forward.”

There was also some concern about the city’s lack of involvement with local, women and minority-owned financial firms. The deal is underwritten by Morgan Stanley, who employs William Daley, Mayor Emanuel’s successor as White House Chief of Staff, and the brother of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. Ald. Walter Burnett (27) and Ald. George Cardenas (12) spoke at length about their annoyance with the city for not doing enough to hire local, women, and minority-owned firms during bond sales. According to Brown, 50% of the financial fees associated with this bond deal will be paid to local firms and 30% will go towards minority and women-owned firms.

Legal Settlements
As the meeting approached the three-hour mark, the committee approved $3.65M in three financial settlements against Chicago police officers. Leslie Darling, with the city’s Law Department, provided a detailed brief of the first case and a short synopsis of the second and third settlements.

Mary Daniel as Special Administrator of the Estate of Joshua Madison, Sr., deceased, and Shaunda Rogers v. Estate of Chicago Police Officer Robert Campbell & The City of Chicago (13 C 1682).

According to Darling, Chicago Police Officer Robert Campbell and his partner fatally shot 21-year-old Joshua Madison, Senior Officer Campbell and his partner were responding to a report that drugs were being sold in a fast food parking lot. Mary Daniels sued the city for the wrongful death of Joshua Madison, Sr. on behalf of Madison’s two sons. Shaunda Rogers, who was in Madison’s car at the time of the incident, brought her own claims for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Darling recommended that the committee approve the settlement for the November 2, 2010 incident, because Officer Campbell, who was the city’s key witness to the event, died before the case made it to court. The plaintiffs had asked for $6M, but the Law Department brought the settlement down to $1M.

 

Dana Cross v. City of Chicago, Officers Macario Chavez, Mohammed Ali, and Matilde Ocampo, cited as 12 C 4263, Now known as Tunoka Jett v. City of Chicago, Officers Macario Chavez, Mohammed Ali, and Matilde Ocampo, cited as 12 C 4263.

Officers fired at 19-year-old Calvin Cross, Sr. 45 times during a foot chase. Officers believed Cross had a gun, according to Darling, but when the officers questioned Cross, he refused to comply and fled the scene, prompting the chase. A gun was later found at the spot of the first shooting, but since it wasn’t on Cross at the time of death, it would have been difficult for the city to prove it was Cross’ gun. The committee approved the Law Department's recommendation to settle the case out of court for $2M.

 

Jose Salgado v. Hiram Gutierrez & City of Chicago (10 L 10568)

According to Darling, 39-year-old Salgado was riding his bike to work down a designated bike lane when Officer Hiram Gutierrez opened the door of his parked squad car, hitting Salgado. The plaintiff sustained neck and shoulder injuries that required $250,000 in medical surgeries. The committee approved the Law Department’s recommendation to settle the case for $650,000.

 

Other Items Discussed
There was no discussion of Ald. Will Burns’ (4) resolution requesting the state deny Spike Lee’s film company, Forty Acres and A Mule Filmworks, an application for a Film Production Tax Credit for his new film Chiraq. Ald. Burns could not attend the meeting. Chairman Burke also defered an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code concerning the sale of wood products made with formaldehyde. The committee approved various appointments and reappointments to nine Special Service Areas.

The Committee also signed off on two of the four ordinances proposed by the Department of Planning and Development. One of the approved ordinances [O2015-4195] is a redevelopment agreement to pay for infrastructure improvements for Amundsen High School. The other ordinance [O2015-4235] would approve a new loan agreement of $1.7M for Newberry Park Preservation Associates, LP. The other two ordinances [O2015-3708, O2015-4207] to approve a Class 7(c) Tax Incentive Classification for 1056-1520 E. 87th Street and a new redevelopment plan for Maple Park Marketplace in the 34th Ward were held in committee.

The first order of business on today’s Finance Committee meeting is to rally support to deny Spike Lee’s production company’s application for a tax credit if Lee calls his controversial new film “Chiraq.” There’s also a communication from the city’s Chief Financial Officer recommending the Mayor’s plan to borrow $1.1 billion dollars to finish his debt restructuring plan, nine reappointments to Special Service Areas, and loan agreements totaling as much as $4.7 million dollars–one for a supportive living facility, the other for a rehabilitation of a residential building with 84 affordable rental units.

Today’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting includes an ordinance to extend the city’s agreement with Low Income Housing Trust Fund for its implementation of the trust fund’s rental housing program. It gives grants to building owners and developers, who in turn reduce rents for low-income residents. The Trust Fund is the local administering agency (LAA) that distributes rental housing support funds–that designation expires June 30th, so does their agreement for city resources. According to its 2014 year-end report, the Trust Fund supported subsidies in more than 2,800 units of housing at an annual cost of $15.1 million. It’s the biggest city-funded rental assistance program in the country. Today’s agenda also includes a number of sales and negotiated sales in redevelopment project areas and the sale of two 9th Ward properties as part of the city’s Preserving Communities Together program.

Ald. Pat O’Connor (40) says the city may be in bad shape, but Springfield needs to get it’s act together. Speaking at a City Club breakfast Tuesday, the senior alderman and Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s unofficial floor leader talked more about Springfield’s inaction than solutions for the city to fix budget problem on its own.

"It's a little bit tricky when you have a mayor who is so driven, with so many ideas on how to make Chicago work, and so much of what's going on around him is totally outside of his control or ability to make it happen,” O’Connor said, noting how the solution to the pension crisis starts in at the statehouse, not in Chicago. “Someone should kind of tell them the election is over, they’re in office now, they’ve won. And they should get on with the business of trying to help us solve some problems.”

He drew the state legislature's open partisan fights in contrast with the City Council's mostly closed door process, who he says spends months in discussions ensuring the budget is ready to pass when it hits the floor. “That budget essentially passes the exact way it was introduced after weeks of hearings, with the exception of one percent, one half a percent. That’s where we fight.” But he says there are tough times ahead for city government, and the recent bond downgrade has only made things tougher. Whether those hard times included a property tax hike, O’Connor wouldn’t say. “This is a quasi-press event. The last thing we want to do is make news.”

He did however offer up one possible solution: Mayor Emanuel’s plan to defer the city’s pension payments and tie future revenue from a proposed Chicago casino to help pay the bill. But that too needs approval from Springfield. It passed in both the House and Senate, but has yet to make it to the governor’s desk–Senate President John Cullerton used a parliamentary move to keep it from advancing to the Governor, who has said it is just another example of the city “kicking the can” down the road. But Ald. O’Connor said it was actually more like, “eating half the loaf today, and finishing the loaf in the next couple of years.” But loafs and cans aside, the Civic Federation’s analysis of current casino gambling revenue raises serious doubts over whether a Chicago casino is the answer to the city’s debt problems.

O’Connor was quick to criticize Springfield for their inaction on teacher pensions. He echoed Mayor Emanuel’s frequent claim that Chicagoans pay more than their fair share. “We pay our portion, we pay 7% of the 9% that the teachers are supposed to pay in the pension pickup, and then we get to pay for the rest of the state’s teachers in our income tax.” He says he wants to combine pensions “so we’re all in the same boat.”

It was around this time last month that Gov. Bruce Rauner made a personal visit to the City Council to scold the aldermen for years of poor budgeting and said the state couldn’t afford to bail the city out. But O’Connor says most of those mistakes were made years ago, and he immediately ticked off a list of cost-cutting measures the city has made since Mayor Emanuel took over the reins from Richard M. Daley. O’Connor says the the city needs to focus on the future, but it’s key that Springfield play along, too.

It only took the Committee on Transportation and Public Way four minutes to pass 47 pages worth of routine ordinances, most of which were grants of public way for street signs and awnings. Chairman Anthony Beale (9) also deferred Ald. Brendan Reilly's (42) proposed ordinance granting a food truck parking privileges on 800-829 North Larrabee St. to the the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, which meets on Thursday. The meeting was so fast that that Ald. Michele Smith (43) gasped when Ald. Beale moved to adjourn the meeting.

Start time: 11:00am

Members present: Chairman Anthony Beale (9), Ald. Pat Dowell (4), Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), Ald. Deb Mell (33), Ald. Michele Smith (43), Ald. Milly Santiago (31), Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41).

A typical day for freshman 7th Ward Alderman Gregory Mitchell starts before sunrise. Between setting up his new ward office and getting acclimated to the City Council, Mitchell says he needs the time, because there is much to do.

“I’m like a perfectionist,” Mitchell joked. “So, I am always not satisfied with the ways things are going. I want to be up and running now.”

Mitchell, 44, a former financial analyst who ran a mostly self-funded campaign, pushed through a crowded field of candidates and defeated incumbent Natashia Holmes during the April runoff. Holmes was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2013 to fill the seat vacated by Sandi Jackson after she resigned from the council at the same time her husband, Cong. Jesse Jackson, Jr. was being investigated for tax fraud.

It’s a ward that has seen a lot of turnover. With Mitchell’s recent election, Holmes’ two years in office, and Sandi Jackson’s one-and-a-half terms in the Council, four different aldermen have represented the South Side Ward in the past 10 years. According to Mitchell, this turnover has led to a lack of constituent services. It was the biggest complaint he heard from voters during the campaign. Making it worse, Mitchell charges his predecessor didn’t use any of her allotted $1.3 million dollars of aldermanic menu money.

But as a lifelong resident of the 7th Ward, Mitchell remains unphased and excited for what’s to come.

“I have the canvas that I can work with,” Mitchell said. “I know what we have. I know what we don’t have. I know what we need. I know what we don’t need. So I am ready to set it and get the ball rolling.”

Asked if he plans to run for 7th Ward Committeeman next year, Mitchell responded without hesitation, “Absolutely!”

Citywide Priorities: Like most of his peers in the Council, Mitchell expects the city’s pension debt to be the biggest priority. “I don’t know if this is the elephant in the room. I think the elephant is out. Dealing with the pension. That is something that we are going to dive right into,” Mitchell said, adding that he’ll detail more action items once he settles into his assigned committees.

Local Priorities: “Set up the ward office and let the constituents know where I am located and to have the staff trained up to provide that above and beyond customer service,”  Mitchell said he wants to streamline the process and provide a direct line of communication from City Hall to the ward office. Mitchell says he has received a lot of support from the administration, City Clerk’s Office and neighboring Ald. Michelle Harris (8) and former Ald. John Pope (10).

Caucus Alignment: At this point in time, Mitchell is only committed to the Black Caucus. He says he wants to learn more about Council procedures and the issues other aldermen face in their wards before making other allegiances. “I want to see who best represents what I am going through and the things I need to do in the 7th Ward,” Mitchell said. “I am going to start my collaboration with those aldermen that share the same issues that I have and pick their brain.”

Ward Office: 2249 E. 95th Street

Chief of Staff: Former 18th Ward candidate Chuks Onyezia.

A former U.S. Marine who also worked as the chief of staff at the Illinois Capital Development Board in Springfield, newly elected 36th Ward Alderman Gilbert Villegas wants people to know that while he may be new to City Hall, he is not new to government.

“So, I know how it works, and I know how it doesn’t work and I’m looking at capitalizing in the areas where [government] does work and addressing issues  where it doesn’t,” Villegas told Aldertrack in a recent interview.

Gilbert Villegas beat Omar Aquino, a candidate backed by Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios, in a runoff to win the newly redistricted, predominantly Hispanic seat on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The ward’s former alderman who now represents the 38th Ward, Nick Sposato, endorsed and supported Villegas throughout the campaign. Sposato also gave the Villegas his old ward service office. But Ald. Sposato wasn’t Villegas’ only supporter, his campaign also received support from State Rep. Luis Arroyo, Sr., his son, Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo, Jr., and Cong. Luis Gutierrez.

Villegas is also co-founder of StrataGem, a government relations and business development services consulting group, and a former lobbyist for the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association.

Priorities: Villegas says he will be spending most of his first term addressing ward-related issues, because that’s what voters were most concerned about during the election. “I’m really going to focus on my platform, which was peace, public safety, education, accountability, city services, and economic development,” Villegas explained, adding that he will be working with the local police commander to find out what resources he needs to address issues of crime. “And I’m calling my ward office like a community command center, where we will be able to have dialogue, you know, monthly, or quarterly, or whenever it is needed for hot topic issues,” Villegas said.

Caucus Alignment: Villegas ran as a progressive candidate and secured the endorsement of mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia during the runoff campaign, but he says at this moment he is only committed to the Latino Caucus. “I feel there are issues that need to be addressed as it relates to employment, as it relates to diversity.” Villegas believes the Latino Caucus will help him do that. Villegas says shortly after winning the race he was also approached by leaders of both the Progressive Caucus and Paul Douglas Alliance, but, “is not prepared to make a decision,” on either of those groups.

Biggest Obstacles: Like most of his peers in the Council, Villegas says addressing the city’s pension debt will be his biggest obstacle. He advocates for more communication between City Hall and Springfield. “We need to engage and work with our state officials and governor’s office and have the governor take a look at implementing legislation that is favorable to the city,” Villegas said. “Also, we need to be more active in getting as many dollars as possible from Springfield. We need to take a look at the motor fuel tax. We’re putting in over 50-cents on the dollar and only getting 45-cents back.”

Ward Office: Sposato’s old office, 6934 W. Diversey Ave.

Chief of Staff: Magdalena Fudalewicz

The City Council Committee on Finance met for less than five minutes Tuesday morning because no one signed up to submit public testimony on a proposed ordinance to issue additional Multi-Family Housing Revenue Bonds, capped at $2.5M, for the Goldblatts Supported Living Project, a redevelopment project turning a former Goldblatt's Department Store building into an affordable housing complex for senior citizens. Pursuant to federal tax law, the City must hold a public hearing, known as a TEFRA hearing, before the full City Council can approve the issuance of these types of bonds. Chairman Ed Burke (14) read a prepared statement before adjourning the meeting. The City’s Department of Planning requested additional bonds to pay for higher than expected construction costs associated with the project.

TEFRA hearings, named after the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 and the federal Tax Reform Act of 1986, are mandated by the Internal Revenue Service to provide a reasonable opportunity for interested individuals to express their views, either orally or in writing, on the issuance of bonds and the nature of the improvements and projects for which the bond funds will be allocated.

There was no discussion on Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) proposed ordinance to amend permit fees SSAs have to pay to provide services in the public way. Raymond Valadez, Ald. Moreno’s Chief of Staff, says the item was incorrectly scheduled for yesterday and will be discussed at the Finance Committee’s next meeting in June.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Marty Quinn (13), Matt O’Shea (19), Michael Zalewski (23), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32). Newly elected Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) was also present in the Council Chambers, but he is not a member of the committee.