In making contracts behind our backs that commit millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, you have forgotten another contract—the social contract, which is measured not in dollars but in trust. That contract says that to be legitimate, a government requires consent of the gov…
In making contracts behind our backs that commit millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, you have forgotten another contract—the social contract, which is measured not in dollars but in trust. That contract says that to be legitimate, a government requires consent of the governed. Three recent maneuvers by our city’s government persuade me that it is time to withhold that consent.
FIRST came the attempt, in June 2023, to keep HRG’s oversized Chicago Ave. building proposal afloat, despite negative votes in the Land Use Commission and the Planning and Development Committee. A Council member moved approval and received no second. When the same council member’s motion to table approval for a later vote was defeated, the mayor urged him to withdraw it to avoid sinking the proposal. The former city attorney claimed that Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO) justifies this intervention. it does not. RRO explicitly states that withdrawal must happen BEFORE voting on the motion begins (RRO, 12th ed., 33:11-33:16, pp. 278-279).
SECOND, the complaint filed by the Most Livable City group in the Circuit Court of Cook County credibly alleges that negotiations for the NU stadium agreement involved numerous closed meetings of the mayor and pro-stadium council members with representatives of Northwestern. Neither the public nor skeptical members of Council were informed that these meetings took place, or what agreements were reached in them.
THIRD came the illegal, closed-session authorization of an exclusive contract with JLL to broker any future sale of the current city hall, for a commission of 5-6%--estimated at $500,000-600,000 or more. AND a 15-year, 37 million dollar lease negotiated by this same broker. But this time you were caught. The Attorney General’s review concluded that you violated the Open Meetings Act.
To begin restoring our trust, please stay the mandated re-vote on the JLL contract until a later open meeting, so that, for once, we all have time to look before Council leaps.
Remarks for Monday's meeting:
Mayor Biss and Members of Council:
In making contracts behind our backs that commit millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, you have forgotten another contract—the social contract, which is measured not in dollars but in trust. That contract says that to be legitimate, a government requires consent of the governed. Three recent maneuvers by our city’s government persuade me that it is time to withhold that consent.
FIRST came the attempt, in June 2023, to keep HRG’s oversized Chicago Ave. building proposal afloat, despite negative votes in the Land Use Commission and the Planning and Development Committee. A Council member moved approval and received no second. When the same council member’s motion to table approval for a later vote was defeated, the mayor urged him to withdraw it to avoid sinking the proposal. The former city attorney claimed that Robert’s Rules of Order (RRO) justifies this intervention. it does not. RRO explicitly states that withdrawal must happen BEFORE voting on the motion begins (RRO, 12th ed., 33:11-33:16, pp. 278-279).
SECOND, the complaint filed by the Most Livable City group in the Circuit Court of Cook County credibly alleges that negotiations for the NU stadium agreement involved numerous closed meetings of the mayor and pro-stadium council members with representatives of Northwestern. Neither the public nor skeptical members of Council were informed that these meetings took place, or what agreements were reached in them.
THIRD came the illegal, closed-session authorization of an exclusive contract with JLL to broker any future sale of the current city hall, for a commission of 5-6%--estimated at $500,000-600,000 or more. AND a 15-year, 37 million dollar lease negotiated by this same broker. But this time you were caught. The Attorney General’s review concluded that you violated the Open Meetings Act.
To begin restoring our trust, please stay the mandated re-vote on the JLL contract until a later open meeting, so that, for once, we all have time to look before Council leaps.
Sorry for double post--I'm new to this site.