City Council Meeting, November 28, 2006
Bar hours ordinance is still alive. Living on life support. Stay tuned.

There will be a new Finance Director by January 3, 2007. She will be coming down from Milwaukee and should be a breath of fresh air at City Hall. Her history is that of a person who works for a big Milwaukee accounting firm and she has been in charge of municipal audits; should be perfect.

Who exactly is Berwyn's City attorney or attorneys is unclear after this meeting. The Alderpeople voted 6-2 against appointing someone the new City attorney and still retaining the previous City attorneys. Too complicated to write about.

Having written the above, the Alderpeople had no problem, without discussion, without any debate, of drafting a new City ordinance to have an assistant City attorney appointed. Who is the new assistant City Attorney you ask? The old City attorney is now the assistant City Attorney. Why? Hell if I know but I was the only one who made a stink. The normal conservative, when it comes to money, Alderwoman Chapman, did not ask anything. Normally, she would ask about salary, duties, benefits. I had to ask some of these questions. Stinks.

There will now be 5 Deputy Chiefs working for the Fire Department.

At the next meeting on the 12th of December, the Alderpeople will decide what to do with next year's tax levy.

A historic Preservation Ordinance was passed for the Cermak Road area. This is important for the Main Street program for Cermak Road, which the State of Illinois has now designated Cermak Road a "Main Street".

Berwyn now has a new gang loitering ordinance based on Chicago's ordinance. Always good to give the police another tool.

The City was given the power to sign an agreement with the automated red light company. I suggest you do not drive through red lights next year in Berwyn or you may get mailed a ticket.

The City is moving forward with fiber optically wiring all the City buildings so communication will work better.

And, since the Public Works union contract has not been agreed to, yet, the City has a provisional plan for snow removal. Just in case.

Next meeting should be long and painful. Working for you.
- posted by Mark @ 3:52 PM