Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Ald. Reilly Says Goodbye to Gold Coast, Streeterville Areas in Ward Remap

 Ald. Brendan Reilly in the City Council chambers.
Ald. Brendan Reilly in the City Council chambers.
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Ted Cox

DOWNTOWN — Residents of the Gold Coast and much of Streeterville will no longer turn to Ald. Brendan Reilly for licenses, garbage pickup and other neighborhood services.

The 42nd Ward leader bid farewell to 25,000 constituents in an email Monday following a City Council announcement that the redrawn ward maps — which adjusted the 42nd ward considerably based on 2010 Census data — would be the only ones honored by the city when committees seek guidance from aldermen.

The new boundaries were reflected in voting assignments for the November election, and are laid out on the new ward map. They don't formally take effect until the next city election in 2015, but by deferring to newly-assigned alderman for day-to-day operational decisions, the City Council is implicitly transferring power early.

"To my former constituents ... thank you so much for trusting me with the privilege and honor of serving as your voice on the City Council for the past six years," Reilly wrote in his "42nd Ward Update" email sent early Monday. "To my new constituents ... I look forward to serving as your alderman and promise you the same open, transparent processes."

Engaging new ward maps early will be particularly confusing for Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd), whose ward was completely redrawn by the new boundaries that moved the map north of his South and West Loop neighborhood by eight miles, excluding even Fioretti's own home from the new 2nd Ward.