Live reporting by
Holland Harmon
While Mayor Rahm Emanuel dissolved Chicago’s Department of Environment over a decade ago, Mayor Brandon Johnson wants to bring it back with a $1.1 million funding boost.
The meeting opens at 10:03 am by the city council chairman Jason Ervin opening for public comments.
Mr George Blakemore is back! He says he couldn’t wait to get back because he’s a living witness to a crime on a city activist being choked in the streets. His time is called at 10:06am.
Mr Gator Bradley takes the stand at 10:06am and his time is called at 10:10am
COFA’s legislative budget analyst Janice Oda-Gray presents the Treasurer’s budget
City Treasurer, Melissa Conyears-Ervin takes her place in the chambers and introduces her staff.
She states that the City is on track for portfolio earnings close to or exceeding 400 million dollars which is a 127 percent increase in earnings year over year.
She says though the funds of the city are stretched- her team is small but mighty and will provide a remarkable return on investment!
An alder asks how the 400 million came about? The Treasurers office responds that they’re effectively managing the assets of the city. And income should be even higher for 2024
Treasure is giving ROI for all of the city’s pension funds. And wants the Alders to know they’ve exceeded the actuarial for all pension funds in the city.
Alderwoman Mitts wants the Treasurer to expound on the 25 million she reported that went to Fannie Mae and the 100 million that went to a bank in the city.
The Treasurer responded they’re investing in them for “social impacts”
An Alderwoman wants to know more about the Catalyst Fund and what new investments is the city exploring?
The Catalyst Fund currently has 47 million. This fund invested in the Chicago business resiliency loan program during the pandemic. More than 17 million has already been returned and the department fully expects the remaining to be returned in full.
Albany Bank is the small bank that received the 10* million dollars from the Treasurer’s report
The Vice Mayor Alderman Burnett wants to know where the money from the Catalyst Fund is coming from? This was a direct investment from the City of Chicago.
The employees of Tresurer’s office are now on a salary scale as the Director of HR has come in and help clean up several requisition positions
Treasurer Conyears-Ervin states, “we will not invest our way out of the pension fund deficit, the only way to make it work is to properly fund pension funds.”
Alderman Vieagas states he’s a person that sits on the boards of all 4 pension funds and that he just wants to remind folks “Chicago is a good place to place your bet on.
An Alderman asks if the expected return of 3.4 million reported earlier is for 2023? Treasurer Conyears-Ervin clarifies this is projected for 2023 while last years return was 1.8mil
An Alder asks for clarification on why it’s important to invest in a city bank?
Treasurer responds when you invest in a larger bank that is also in other cities & states, those funds are going to various city’s and states versus investing in small city banks that money is circulating in our communities, our small businesses, our City of Chicago residents
This Alder also asks about reparations. Wants to know what is being asked for? Conyears-Ervin states the Treasures office will not engage on any talk of reparations. That money wouldn’t come from here.
The last Alder public comment is from the Treasure’s husband who also happens to be her alderman. He thanks her for her service and effort as a resident of his ward and tells her to “keep up the good work.” She is blushing!
At 11:17am, the Treasurer’s Dept budget hearing concludes, and the City Council meeting recesses. The Dept of Administrative Hearings is set to begin at 11:20am.
The meeting is opened back up at 11:25 by city council chairman Alderman Jason Ervin.
Director of Administrative Hearings, Pat Jackowiak takes her place in chambers and introduces her staff.
Chief Jackowiak opens her report with all of the customer service implementations that were initiated during the onset of COVID-19 with the most notable being administrative hearings being conducted online (still currently) which were strictly in-person prior to the pandemic.
Chief Jackowiak also notes that the entire staff at her office have attended and completed a disability and an unconscious bias training to help properly service these populations in their office
Alderwoman Nicole Lee asks Chief Jackowiak for the specific number of tickets that were issued for violation of the bike lane and dog waste since it’s implementation. The Admin office will get this info back to her.
Alderwoman Dowell wants to know if there has been an increase in minority administrative law Judges at all? Chief Jackowiak notes that 71 percent of her appointments since becoming Chief judge have been minorities.
An Alderwoman asks if Pilipino is a language offered on the phone line for administrative hearings. Chief Jackowiak responds that it is and there are 170 other languages offered as well.
Alderman Robinson asks the Director can an admin law judge use discretion when making a judgment on a first-time violation for property owner fines? Can grace or a waiver be given? Jackowiak responds they do not have equitable powers and must rule on a minimal-mandated basis
City council chairman Ald Jason Ervin admonishes Alderman Robinson to work to get a first-time waiver piloted because it’s only fair since it is already being done with other violations like red-light and speeding tickets.
The Dept of Administrative concludes early at 11:52am as there are no more questions. The Chicago Board of Elections is up next
The Budget Hearing for the Chicago Board of Elections opens at 11:57am by Council Chair Jason Ervin
The Executive Director of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners Charles Holiday Jr introduces himself and his staff before beginning his report
Holiday notes that the Mayoral election on February 28th this year was record breaking as the largest voter turnout in the city ever.
Holiday is working to sync new modern electronic voting technology that will roll out during the 2024 presidential election and is predicted to last for the next 20 years.
Vice Mayor Alderman Burnett asks Director Holiday for a run down on its diversity contracts. AA, Latinos, Asian and women are currently receiving 2.4mil, about 10.9% of the city’s contracts.
Vice Mayor asks where is the primary contract spending occurring? Holiday responds moving, technology, voting equipment, hiring agencies and maintenance. Burnett invites Holiday to come meet with the Black Caucus to help encourage ward residents to bid on these contracts.
Alderman Dowell interrupts to correct Holiday’s previously reported 2.4 mil in minority contracting—after manually doing the math it is actually 2.8 mil.
Alderman Quinn asks if there has been any talk on collaborating with CPS to make voting day a day of non-attendance for students for security reasons. This issue will be revisited as there are 340 schools currently being used as polling places.
Chairman Jason Ervin and Vice Chair Nicole Lee both want thought given to on add multiple early voting sites based on ward geography. There is currently only one early vote site in wards. Some might actually need two or even three.
Director Holiday notifies Ald Vasquez that the Board of Elections budget for 2023 is strictly funded by the city. But for the general elections, the funding is split between the City and County.
Alderman Hadden asks how much will we receive from our federal partners to help with the ‘24 election? Holiday confirms we will receive from the 27 mil from the County.
Applications are currently live for poll workers for the General election at . Residents are encouraged to apply for 2024 elections now! pollworker.chicagoelections.gov
pollworker.chicagoelections.gov
Alderman Mitts wants to know what challenges have been seen since the consolidation of precincts during the last election and what corrections have been made moving forward?
Holiday responds that there has actually been a savings of 2mil since the restructuring of districts because they were able to reduce the number of election judges needed from 11,000 to 6,500.
Alderman Mitts wants clarification on CityKey cards being a form of identification accepted to register to vote at polling places and how is the board of elections are ensuring that migrants are not registering to vote with this???
Holiday responds that it is illegal to untruthfully state you are a citizen when you register to vote but there are currently no steps in place to spot-check this
Alderman Viegas questions the penalties involved with migrants illegally voting? Holiday confirms that deportation would be enforced by INS. Viegas encourages those citizens not at risk at deportation to get out and vote.
Alderman Scott requests the number of vacancies currently held at the Board of Elections. There are 13.
New digital tools are on the way to help increase efficiency and convenience during the upcoming voting season, such as an app which is set to launch soon.
Vice chair Nicole Lee questions how the BOE is ensuring ADA accommodations are in place? Director of Public Information Max Bever responds that they’ve hired an ADA compliance officer, equipped all polling places with curbside voting and have fully-accessible voting in site
City Council Chair Jason Ervin asks Director Holiday for more insight on who he is paid by. Holiday responds he’s employed by the County.
The City Council Budget Hearing for the Chicago Board of Elections concludes at 1:13pm and the meeting recesses for lunch. The afternoon budget hearings will resume with the Department of Human Resources at 2pm.