Tonight at 7pm District 99 will once again violate the Illinois Open Meetings Act by holding a closed session to discuss a decided court case. District officials said the meeting will be held in closed session because board members will be discussing litigation.
Really?
The exception to the OMA clearly states PENDING litigation, not decided litigation. The [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Boards and Commissions'
D99 board to discuss court ruling
August 11th, 2010 · 4 Comments · Boards and Commissions, District 99, FOIA
Tags: D99·Local politics·SB99·school board
Whose term limits?
March 26th, 2010 · 15 Comments · Boards and Commissions, Village Council
In suggesting a November advisory referendum on term limits for village council members, Mayor Ron Sandack said he is interested in sparking community discussion on the issue.
I’ll take him at his word — and offer a few of my thoughts later in this post (and invite you to do the same). But first a little [...]
Tags: Ron Sandack·term limits
To blog or not to blog
February 5th, 2010 · 20 Comments · Boards and Commissions, Comprehensive Planning, Village Council
During a discussion of the Comprehensive Planning Ad Hoc Committee at the Feb. 2 village council meeting, Commissioner Sean Durkin called for a rule that would deter committee members from blogging.
“I would like to see, through council action or staff, that any member who is on the commission refrain from any sort of blogging until [...]
Tags: blogging·blogs·government·social media
CEC explores future role
January 29th, 2010 · 10 Comments · Boards and Commissions, Community Events, Heritage Fest
The Community Events Commission met tonight. Village Manager Dave Fieldman was leading part two of an exercise designed so the CEC could figure out their mission moving forward, and did a fine job. Tell me again why in the past we spent good money on outsiders to moderate this kind of priority setting stuff? Exactly.
Rule [...]
Tags: Heritage Fest
Swimming against the current
December 7th, 2009 · Comments Off · Boards and Commissions, County Politics, budget
Months before it was revealed that the DuPage Water Commission had spent down nearly $20 million in financial reserves, board member Liz Chaplin of Downers Grove had attempted to alert her colleagues of the potential for a looming shortfall.
In a series of June e-mails, Chaplin pressed financial administrator Max Richter for the 2009 operating loss [...]
A power unto itself?
November 24th, 2009 · 5 Comments · Boards and Commissions, DG public library, Village Council
Throughout discussions of the village budget, commissioners and taxpayers have repeatedly raised questions about the library’s $3.96 million property tax levy and $4.2 million budget, which were approved by the board of trustees in August.
Even as the village is contemplating major cuts — two police officers, several community events and the Department of Counseling and [...]
Tags: FY10 budget. Stephen Daniels·Library Board of Trustees
Time for a change?
November 16th, 2009 · 31 Comments · Boards and Commissions, Community Events, Heritage Fest, Public opinion, Village Council, Village Hall, budget
Has Heritage Fest run its course? Is it time for fundamental change in our town’s 27-year-old signature summer festival?
While the fest’s affordability has been the focus of discussions during the current budget season, there have been rumblings going back more than a year that the event is due for revision.
Responding to a June recap of [...]
Tags:
Open sesame
October 21st, 2009 · Comments Off · Boards and Commissions, District 58, District 99, Education, FOIA, In the News
An article in yesterday’s Chicago Tribune addressed the difficulties even elected board members face in trying to obtain information from local government. Among the several cases cited were those of D99 board member Deborah Boyle, DuPage Water Commissioner Liz Chaplin of Downers Grove, and D58 board member Scott O’Connell.
The reporter, Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, had previously [...]
Tags:
Seen at the train station
September 10th, 2009 · Comments Off · 2010 election, Boards and Commissions
State Sen. Dan Cronin, Mayor Ron Sandack and Commissioner Sean Durkin were at the Main Street train station this morning gathering signatures for Cronin’s bid to succeed Robert Schillerstrom as DuPage County Board chairman. The primary election is set for February.
Cronin, an Elmhurst Republican, kicked off his campaign in July. Schillerstrom has thrown his hat [...]
Civility or lack thereof
May 18th, 2010 · 13 Comments · Boards and Commissions, Commentary
Civility appears to be the new “anonymity,” i.e. a local topic of discussion that appears at first glance to be as uncontroversial and inarguable as the desirability of good government.
Trouble is, even something we all can agree on — the need for civility in public office — can become a weapon by which to bludgeon [...]
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Tags: incivility