Wednesday’s City Council meeting had far more laughter than conflict, with four hours of resolutions, committee updates, appointments and just a little good-natured discussion of which side, South or West, was indeed “the best side.” Here are some highlights:Emanuel’s appointments passed with flying colors and the most notable was the confirmation of Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. Chicago’s new top cop was heralded without reservation, despite a couple subtle, half-hearted boos of displeasure came from the back of the public gallery. All other voices were raised in support:
- Alderman Brendan Reilly, whose 42nd ward is essentially the front lines of the ongoing “mob” attacks near the city’s lakefront said that Chicago had “things to overcome” in terms of crime.
- Alderman Ray Suarez discussed the need to “put a stop to these downtown...beatings, that are giving us a bad name.”
- Near the end of the remarks period, Ald. Robert Fioretti made mention of social media and “staying ahead of the curve” as it pertained to crimefighting, but beyond those three references, little more was said about the lakefront attacks.
- Ald. Richard Mell cited the cops he spoke to as seeing him favorably “as a grunt, like they were.”
- Ald. Ed Burke cited McCarthy’s experience on 9/11 and described him as a “leader in the war on terror.” In describing his career, Burke said that “to say [it is] stellar is an understatement,” and as a former Chicago cop himself, Burke offered McCarthy what he called “the highest compliment, cop to cop” when he called McCarthy “the real police.”
- Finally, on appointing McCarthy, Rahm stated that “this is one mission that of everybody here...you’re going to touch their lives. No other appointment will touch as many constituents.”
Other business included:
- Ordinances: Ald. Ed Burke and Patrick O’Connor’s push for random drug tests of all city workers, including Aldermen themselves, as well as a hold on the potential $2 increase to access the Adler Planetarium.
- Other confirmed appointments: Richard Rodriguez as head of Environment, Mona Noriega as head of Human Relations, Michelle Boone as head of the newly consolidated Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Gabe Klein as head of Chicago’s Department of Transportation (fresh from running Washington DC’s transit system).
- Resolutions: Most notably one honoring World War II veteran, prisoner of war and distance-running Olympian Louis Zamperini, who at age 94 received the first city resolution offered by Mayor Emanuel.
--Karl Klockars
I think the mandatory random drug testing policy is a great idea. I hope that the procedures for a positive test include mandatory rehab and not immediate dismissal.
ReplyDeleteWho will enforce any type of consequence if an alderman comes up with a positive drug/etoh test? The is no Inspector General with power over the alderman - their behaviors have always been allowed to go unchecked. Maybe that is why 28 former alderman in the last 30 years have been convicted of crimes?
ReplyDeleteCorrect, alderman would have a different set of standards and guidelines for a positive test - and absolutely no one to enforce the consequences.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised legislation wasn't introduced for mandatory drug and alcohol testing, for aldermen, after former alderman Doherty punched out a paramedic while on a binge...
Are you kidding me 9:25? I don't even know where to begin with your statement. Alcohol testing?! WHAT! Alcohol is LEGAL. Why in God's name would they test for a legal substance? Talk about a complete waste of money that would be! And still dragging Doherty through the mud? He isn't our alderman anymore. Stop bashing the past and focus your criticisms/praises for the current administration.
ReplyDelete1:15pm
ReplyDeleteI believe Aldermen Burke and Pat O'Connor introduced the mandatory drug/alcohol ordinance because of the serious DUI incident involving the Streets and Sanitation worker who mowed down and critically injured a half dozen people on Michigan avenue.
Alcohol impairs judgement and I would hope that aldermen would not be drinking during work hours when they are making serious decisions, working with the public and driving to meetings, events, etc.
I believe all city workers need to be sober while they are working on the taxpayer dime. And as far as Doherty goes, he was lucky ethics charges and lawsuits weren't levied against him for all of the altercations and other assorted incidents he was involved in while drunk.
What, it's to much to expect city employees to be sober on the job? I don't care how "legal" alcohol is - none of my employees better ever be caught drinking on the job or with a positive urine test.
ReplyDeleteNone of Doherty's alcohol-related incidents occurred while he was on the job. I am not completely clear as to what 3:58 and 6:18 are suggestion...mandatory breathalyser test for all city employees on the job?! I would not be opposed to drug tests as they already do test some city workers...but alcohol testing?!
ReplyDeleteThe following represents some of the main reasons for alcohol testing in the workplace by employers:
ReplyDeleteAlcohol tests reduce employee theft
Alcohol tests reduce on-the-job alcohol-related accidents, injuries, and fatalities
Alcohol tests reduce spending due to the fact that worker's compensation offers reduced premiums if employers initiate random drug and alcohol testing
Alcohol tests create a safer work environment
Alcohol tests increase worker productivity
Alcohol tests significantly upgrade the workforce by weeding out employees who refuse to get alcohol treatment and by eliminating prospective employees via mandatory pre-hire drug and alcohol tests
Alcohol tests reduce employee turnover
Alcohol tests reduce employee violence
Alcohol tests reduce employee sexual harassment
11:03pm - so you are thinking its ok to booze on the job, but no drugs? Unreal. I've worked in the private sector for over 20 years and have always been subjected to random drug and alcohol testing. If I don't comply, I'm gone. welcome to the real world, were workers are expected to be sober and drug free on the job.
ReplyDeleteOver at the CHA department, not only do they drink on the job, they use the city credit card to pay for the booze!
ReplyDeleteNo, I do not think it acceptable to be drunk on the job. Nowhere in my posts did I say that so stop putting words into my mouth. What I am trying to figure out is if you guys think there should be a breathalyser in every location where there are city employees that they are forced to breathe into before every shift? Every park district, police/fire station, ward yard, alderman's office, etc etc.?
ReplyDeleteI think it is all about cost/benefits with the economic climate we are in and frankly, I do not see the benefits of a program like this outweighing the costs. There are far too few alcohol-related on the job incidents.
Drug testing is much easier and cost-efficient.
Random means random, not daily. And most programs test for both - urine testing for alcohol is very cheap
ReplyDeleteYes but there is a clear difference between alcohol and drug testing. Drug testing goes back usually around 30 days if I remember correctly. Alcohol testing tests if that person has alcohol in their system at that moment which I think is wasteful to test for UNLESS that person is suspected by their peers/superiors of being intoxicated on the job in which case, they should immediately be subjected to a breathalyser.
ReplyDeleteAre the city council meetings open to the public? I would love to see our new alderman in action
ReplyDeleteFYI From the City Clerk's Website
ReplyDeleteNext City Council Meeting
Date: Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Time: 10:00 A.M.
Location: City Hall, 121 N LaSalle St 2nd Floor Council Chambers, Chicago IL 60602
View Committee Meeting Calendar
Watch Live or Archived City Council Meetings
Rule 41 Notices
Audit
ReplyDeleteORDER
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago is a home rule unit of govemment pursuant to the
1970 Illinois Constitution, Article VII, Section 6 (a); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to its home rule power, the City of Chicago may exercise any
power and perform any function relating to its govemment and affairs including the
power to regulate for the protection of the public health, safety, morals, and welfare; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Housing Authority has proposed a policy to dmg test Chicago
Housing Authority (CHA) residents and applicants for housing; and
WHEREAS, this dmg testing would apply to all individuals over 18 years of age
including senior citizens; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida recently enacted new mles wherein welfare recipients
and new state govemment hires are required to submit to dmg tests; and
WHEREAS, there has been a national movement to require all welfare recipients to
participate in dmg screenings in order to obtain their benefits; and
WHEREAS, typically, dmg testing identifies the presence of alcohol and illegal dmgs
including cannabis (marijuana and hashish), cocaine, opiates (codeine, morphine and
heroin) phencyclidine and amphetamines; and
WHEREAS, according to a National Institute on Dmg Abuse study, drug and alcohol
abusers are five times more likely to file a Workers' Compensation Claim; and
WHEREAS, a similar study from the American Council for Drug Education shows that
dmg and alcohol abusers are 10 times more likely to miss work; and
WHEREAS, the City of Chicago seeks to promote the hiring of a dmg free workforce;
and
WHEREAS, random dmg testing helps to protect City residents from urmecessary risks
of personal harm and inefficient use of their tax payer dollars; NOW THEREFORE
BE IT ORDERED, that the City Council of the City of Chicago hereby directs the
Commissioner of the Department of Human Resources to develop and implement a
random dmg screening program for all City employees; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the elected officials ofthe City of Chicago subject
themselves to a similar random dmg screening program as a sign of solidarity with City
employees.