Staff Asks Council For Permission To Rein In Spending

This is an unexpected turn that shows a staff willing to bring bad news to the public light. It would be nice if it’s always good news, but good news or bad news; what matters is that it’s accurate news so informed decisions can be made based on that accurate information.

Two items of note regarding budgeting and spending coming up for discussion at this week’s council workshop that reflect that mindset:

Acting Out

This is the brochure created by the village for the search for a new Village Manager. It’s very nicely done, and appears to be prepared in advance of a nationwide search. Will we hire an outside agency to do the search? Can we just kick Acting Village Manager Dave Fieldman’s “Acting” off his title and get on with it? Anyone else hired has a steep learning curve.

He knows the current public agenda, staff knows him, etc.

P.S.- Note the zooty swooshy branding curves on the brochure.  Who needs consultants!?

Night Of The Living Consultants

In case anyone was wondering what the answer to The $95,400 Question No One Asked is, the answer appears to be: $282,100.

The Planner’s Progress

“Pounding it out”, is an old football phrase that means little by little, bit by bit getting somewhere. No big flash or sizzle, just nose to the grindstone three yards and a cloud of dust stuff. It seems Tom Dabareiner, Director of Community Development has harnessed some talented staff and is making some significant improvements due to their process of pounding it out and, as a direct result, our village is benefiting.

Deputy VM Fieldman Now Acting Village Manager

As approved by council tonight, Deputy Village Manager Dave Fieldman was moved up to Acting Village Manager, effective immediately.

Dave has a good grasp on the current projects, and provides for a boat unrocked by further waves of change. Everyone already works with him, so they already know him.

This sort of blurry shot was taken last January at Public Works.

Endgame & Village Official Statement

Tonight, the village council held the executive session hearing for Village Manager Cara Pavlicek. She attended with her attorney, her first time in village hall in almost a month.

5/21 Escort reference deleted. Thank you for the correction.

Council’s Cell Conundrum

I talked about the two cell towers coming before council in A Packed Agenda. The Plan Commission voted unanimously to forward a negative recommendation on both towers.

The village council, however, is damned if they do, and damned if they don’t, and really has no choice.

A Packed Agenda Updated

If you ever wanted to see what a village council meeting is like in person, this coming Tuesday would be a prime night.

Pavlicek: Terminated

Repeat offender?

LaVista Lady Says:May 7, 2008 at 3:29 am e

“Perhaps someone should look into an abuse of power (both professional and personal) while she was here in Nebraska…sounds like her pattern of behavior is repeating itself once again. Maybe this time, she’ll be the one to pay the price.” Comment #3 made in Where’s Cara?

Motion 00-03312 Contract Status Village Manager. Sponsor:Mayor

Effective Tuesday May 6 Cara Pavlicek’s contract with Downers Grove as Village Manager is terminated. Approved by council in a 7-0 vote.

Correction: The Motion to terminate was approved.

Elaine Johnson at DGreport has the why here…

CaraGate GossipFact Final Edition!

For not making any comments about the CaraGate firing/dismissal/job action-whatever it will eventually be called (Cara is resigning to pursue teaching opportunities?) the village sure has been abuzz with gossip. And lest you think this blog is some paradigm of objectivity (and you must not come around here much to think that) I am lapping it up with the rest of the not-quite-hooked-in crowd.

So far, here’s what gossipfact has established about VM Pavlicek and the brouhaha:

Seems Like Old Times

Where’s Cara?

Updated at 10:40 after I had time to think about this.

Elaine Johnson broke it on DGreport Wednesday morning after everyone noticed Tuesday night the absence of Village Manager Cara Pavlicek:

she has been placed on a one-week, paid administrative leave. Communications director Doug Kozlowski confirmed the action, but declined further comment saying, in an e-mail, that “it is our policy to not discuss employee issues.”

Belmont Underpass: Collateral Damage?

An all too possible Scenario

This is our governor, Gov. Blago. A lot of people do not like Gov. Blago. He is trying to pass a $25 billion Illinois Works capital bill. He doesn’t quite know how to pay for it, but he would like to sell 80% of our lottery to get part of it.

Our DG officials have worked hard to get $8.5 million for the Belmont Underpass slotted into this bill. Right now, the Belmont Underpass will not happen if Illinois Works does not happen.

Doing No Further Harm?

On Tuesday council will workshop an ordinance to amend the zoning of two manufacturing parcels at 715-719 Rogers Street from M-1 (Light Manufacturing) to DT (Downtown Transition), an ordinance for a Final Planned Development with a variance to construct 16 townhouses, a Plat of Subdivision resolution that will subdivide the two separate parcels into 17 individual parcels, and a Special Use Ordinance for dwellings.

A variance is required to allow steps greater than four feet in height to extend into the required front yard. A Special Use is required to develop townhouses exceeding one unit per 4,000 square feet of land area. Council, in particular Mayor Sandack and Commissioner Tully, have opined often how Special Uses would be scrutinized with the residents welfare and protection in mind, that we could rest easy because Special Uses require specific council approval.

Well; here we are, and here it is, so what will happen?

SB58 Does Not Play Well Together

“The purpose of the board is to set and monitor the school district budget, review and amend district policies and hire the district superintendent.”

Elaine Johnson has also weighed in over at DGreport with her in-depth analysis of the whole thing.

Tonight the SB58 meeting was packed. I got there late and watched from the hallway, and caught bits and pieces. These folks need to speak up. Didn’t they learn good diction in school?

The Right Hand Seems To Know What It’s Doing

Linda Kunze will present the Downtown Management Corp 2008 Q1 Report report to council Tuesday April 15^th.

Couple things are notable:

• • Retail space occupancy in the CBD is very high. 99% high.
  • Office space occupancy in the CBD is very high. 99% high.
  • For both, rents are at all time highs.

All good news. Nothing broken here.

Bond Debt Picture Developes

The current agenda for tonight’s meeting includes the updated slides. There is one bullet point on the very bottom of page 4 that is not correct. It was an informative meeting, and I would urge everyone with an interest in knowing what is happening for the largest assumption of village debt ever to listen to the MP3 podcast file when it is posted.

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