Quantcast

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

Chicagoans Must Have A Chance To Speak Before Council Votes, Judge Rules

By  Heather Cherone and Josh McGhee | December 21, 2016 1:27pm 

 Uptown activist Andy Thayer charges the City Council was
Uptown activist Andy Thayer charges the City Council was "trying to pass something that was a deeply unpopular measure."
View Full Caption
DNAinfo/Ted Cox

CITY HALL — The City Council must allow members of the public to weigh in on matters at meetings of all 50 aldermen and the mayor — not just at council committee meetings, a Cook County judge decided.

Judge Diane Joan Larsen ruled Tuesday that Andy Thayer, of Uptown Tent City Organizers, and activist Rick Garcia were correct in claiming that the city violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act on May 22 and June 22 by not allowing them — and other members of the public — to speak before a final vote was taken.

The council must change its procedures to allow members of the public to address the council before they make a final decision on all matters, Larsen ruled, ordering city officials to give her an update Jan. 3 on how they plan to incorporate public comment into council meetings.

City officials said they were disappointed and "respectfully disagreed" with the ruling, which Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for the city's Law Department, said was "contrary to the language and the intent of the Open Meetings Act."

"The City Council already provides a robust system of public comment through its committee meetings, and taking additional comments at the full City Council meeting is duplicative and unnecessary," McCaffrey said, holding out the possibility that the city would appeal.

However, Thayer said the ruling was a "huge step in the right direction."

"This is a huge victory for the 99 percent because we have been shut out by the 1 percent," Thayer said.

The suit was prompted by the council's decision in June to approve a $15.8 million Tax Increment Finance funding deal for developer Montrose Clarendon Partners LLC.

The project includes a 26-story mixed-use building with 381 residential units, a grocery store and 278 parking spaces.

Larsen did not rule on whether city officials had improperly blocked Thayer and other opponents of the deal from entering the Council Chamber by filling its seats with City Hall interns.

In addition, Larsen did not rule on whether the actions taken by the City Council at the disputed meetings should be voided, as Thayer and Garcia have asked.

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.