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Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Lake Bluff trustees continue discussions about flag policies on village-owned properties
Lake Bluff village trustees are continuing to discuss issues related to its flag policy, but the matter remains unsettled. Village trustees met June 23 as the Committee of the Whole, where they discussed current regulations on displays on village property as well as possible changes to village special event permit rules. The meeting occurred two weeks after a pair on contentious meetings where the subject of flying a LGBTQ+ pride flag on village-owned property was hotly debated Ahead of the June 23 meeting, trustees reviewed a memo from Village Administrator Drew Irvin and Village Attorney Peter Friedman containing suggestion the board could start a 'limited' policy authorizing government flags, displays and holiday decorations and public service announcements on the village flagpoles. 'By adopting its own speech policy, the village puts itself in the best situation should challenges arise,' the memo noted, alluding to free speech issues. Irvin and Friedman said the other option would be maintaining current policy of only permitting holiday decorations and government flags, without a formal policy. Trustees also reviewed possible changes to the special events policy program including a establishing a maximum time duration for events and limiting the special events to residents and or local sponsoring organizations. The overall debate lasted for more than an hour, but the trustees did not find consensus on either proposal. That set the stage for additional discussion in the future. 'I don't think that it makes sense that to do something swiftly and then say we can change it later,' Trustee Taryn Fisher said. Irvin noted additional changes can be made upon getting additional feedback at future village board meetings. 'We can work with Peter (Friedman) to bring this back once a quarter until we get it right or better,' he said. The latest conversation served the latest chapter in discussions over whether a LGBTQ + flag can be flown on a village-owned flagpole, which has been a topic under formal village study since 2023. In May, trustees voted 4-2 against permitting the flying of certain non-governmental commemorative flags including the LGBTQ+ flag on village-owned flagpoles. The majority of trustees feared the village's role in permitting some flags, but not others. Many residents protested the decision at the June 9 meeting, leading to some acrimony between trustees. The June 23 meeting featured toned-down rhetoric and only two members of the public spoke. 'We had an emotionally charged, painful, disruptive meeting that was also what government is about,' Fisher reflected. 'We heard from our community and we made a choice. We all need to sit and think about it be thoughtful about our next steps.' Meanwhile, several residents sponsored a 'Pridefest' celebration on June 22 at the Village Green. Ribbons and bunting from the events on the trees and lamp posts for several days afterward.
Chicago Tribune
6 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
New chief legal officer, sustainability director for city approved by Aurora City Council
Two new hires for the city of Aurora were approved by the Aurora City Council on Tuesday, including a new chief legal officer and the city's first-ever director of sustainability. Since Mayor John Laesch took office in May, the city has hired a number of new employees in upper management to replace those who resigned or retired when former Mayor Richard Irvin left office. Following Tuesday's City Council meeting, the latest hires are Yordana Wysocki, the city's next corporation counsel, and Alison Lindburg, who will be taking on a newly-created position as the city's director of sustainability. The two appointments were on the City Council's Committee of the Whole meeting agenda last week, but aldermen did not discuss the matter publicly at that time, according to past reporting. Both hires were approved unanimously by the council on Tuesday evening. Per her resume, Wysocki currently works at Hervas, Condon & Bersani, P.C., an Itasca-based law firm that specializes in local government law and litigation. A partner since 2016, she represents local governments as general counsel, conducts employee misconduct investigations and gives recommendations to local governments on employee discipline and employment policy changes, among other things. She's also the incoming chair of the Illinois State Bar Association's Local Government Section Council and has been involved with local bar associations and The Legacy Project, which promotes women leadership in local government, her resume says. As the new corporation counsel, Wysocki will lead the city's law department, according to past reporting. Per the job description from the city, she'll provide legal advice and counsel to elected officials and upper city management, review contracts and agreements, draft and negotiate agreements for the city and represent the city for legal actions, among other responsibilities. At Tuesday's meeting, Laesch noted that outgoing corporation counsel Richard Veenstra will help with the transition. As for the newly-created director of sustainability job, Alison Lindburg comes from the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, where she's currently the director of building codes and policy, according to her resume. In that role, she helps several states and their municipalities implement energy efficiency policies like energy codes, leads research on decarbonization and energy efficiency in buildings, among other duties. According to her resume, she also currently serves on the Illinois Energy Code Advisory Council, Illinois Building Energy Hub Advisory Board, Chicago Sustainable Development Policy Committee and the International Code Council Sustainability Membership Council, of which she is the chair. Per the job description from the city, her responsibilities are set to include, among a number of other things, developing and managing a city sustainability plan, creating a 'public bank or green investment mechanism' for sustainability projects and assisting in updating Aurora's vehicle fleet to 'a carbon-free standard.'
Chicago Tribune
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Lake Bluff officials again discuss policy for raising LGBTQ+ flag on village flagpole
Despite three occasional meetings on the subject, Lake Bluff officials continue to struggle to find a way to adopt a policy that would permit the raising of an LGBTQ + flag on a village flagpole. For the third time in less than a month, village trustees reviewed the situation at a June 9 Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting after another separate conversation at the May COW meeting. On May 28, the village board voted 4-2 against a resolution permitting the flying of various non-governmental commemorative flags, including the LGBTQ+ flag. Trustees Katharine Hatch, Stephen Rappin, Susan Rider and Raffi Elchemmas voted against the proposal, which was supported by Trustees Taryn Fisher and Shana Fried. Some community members are calling for the flag to be hoisted on a village flag pole, commemorating Pride month in June. The topic has been formally under consideration at the trustee level since June 2023, according to village documents. While many trustees spoke of the individual support for the LGBTQ + community, a split emerged on how to create village policy allowing for the raising of the Pride and other commemorative flags. Elchemmas wanted to make the flag poles available for a lengthy series of other organizations. 'I would be open to a flag policy if it was open and fair to all groups,' he said at the May 28 meeting. 'I understand what this resolution is trying to accomplish, but in my opinio,n it does the opposite and it is very divisive.' Rappin spoke of his support for LGBTQ + community, but offered concerns about the village government's role. 'I think there has to be a way to share with the outside world that we are an inclusive community that doesn't burden this board with consistently having to assess the values that people present to us,' he said. Yet, Fisher strongly advocated for the resolution ahead of the May 28 vote and once again on June 9. 'The right vote is sometimes super simple,' Fisher said. 'A clean, direct message from us to our community that we are inclusive and progressive, supportive and loving.' She then held up a small Pride flag and added, 'Nothing about this flag is hateful or restrictive or controversial.' After the May 28 vote, the June 9 COW meeting drew a packed room into the village hall where for more than an hour community members called for adoption of the flag policy. (COW meetings are for discussions on certain topics with formal votes occurring at village board meetings.) 'Every single Pride flag matters,' resident Katie Zacharia said. 'It's a simple symbol of support and inclusion. But it's entry-level. It's a basic support at this point.' Sophia Zar labeled the measure as progressive, adding she was embarrassed by the decision of the village board. 'Your no vote is not a reflection of this town or its values,' Zar said. 'This no vote was a punch in the gut.' Following the public comment portion of the meeting, trustees once again discussed the matter, leading to a tense exchange between Hatch and Fisher. Hatch said she had heard from some residents who felt bullied by signs placed in the village advocating for the idea of allowing the LGBTQ + flags. 'Those people have a voice as well, and I am here to represent that voice,' Hatch said. 'I don't care about the voices who feel bullied by a message of inclusion,' Fisher shot back. 'Shame on them and shame on you for wanting to support their voice.' Hatch responded by saying, 'Taryn, I am shocked by the absolute disregard for other people's opinions.' In another part of the meeting, some trustees expressed their frustration with the negative reaction they have received as they spoke of being characterized as 'homophobic' by some community members. 'It is bullying and shaming. I'm an adult and I can handle it, but it is pretty rude,' Rappin said. During the meeting, Fisher endorsed a corresponding idea of permitting ribbons supporting the LGBTQ + causes in village trees. Village Attorney Peter Friedman discussed a policy in West Suburban Clarendon Hills where ribbons are allowed on parkway trees in the village's right-of-way. As part of the guidelines, the ribbons need to be removed after 14 days by the people who placed them in the first place and the village may remove them at any time. Trustees eventually decided to place both ideas up for further discussion at the June 23 COW meeting. Village President Regis Charlot appeared to focus on getting a new policy in place for Lake Bluff in time for the June 2026 Pride month. 'We have another 11 months to get that done,' he said.
Hamilton Spectator
15-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
'This Ship Has Sailed': Burlington City Council Split on 27-Storey Lakeshore Tower
On June 9, Burlington City Council held their monthly Committee of the Whole meetings to discuss various items relevant to the city and its residents. One key agenda item was a staff report recommending approval of a proposed 27-storey development at 2083 Lakeshore Rd., alongside amendments to the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw required to support it. David Falletta, a registered professional planner for Bousfields Inc., delegated to council to speak about the 'Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw Amendments for 2083 Lakeshore Road,' which was voted on later in the meeting. The agenda item is regarding a proposal by Bousfields Inc. to build a 27-storey, mixed-use building at 2083 Lakeshore Rd. Bousfields' proposal was amended by staff, and the staff report on the development proposal recommended that council approve it, with staff amendments. According to the report, 'The proposal requires an amendment to the Official Plan to support the height and density that is contemplated, as well as an amendment to the Zoning Bylaw to provide relief of height, floor area ratio (FAR), and several setbacks.' It also stated that 'staff is of the opinion that the proposed development represents good planning.' Falletta told council he was 'really here to fully support the staff recommendation before you.' The report provided some background information about the amendments that city staff have proposed. 'Transportation Planning Staff have identified that a road widening is required to implement the Downtown Streetscape Guidelines for Lakeshore Road,' the report stated. 'The provision of a road widening will ensure that the goals and design principles of Downtown Streetscape is achieved for Lakeshore Road, enhance the public realm and create a unified streetscape along Lakeshore Road.' 'The road widening has since been incorporated into the design that achieves the desired streetscape for Lakeshore Road,' the report continued. 'A holding provision has been included to require those lands be provided for, and the proposed zoning setbacks reflect the additional road widening lands.' A holding provision was also recommended by staff to 'address the required upgrades to the Junction Street wastewater treatment facility.' Lisa Kearns, Ward 2 councillor, asked if the city had any timeline regarding the provision, because it is 'tied to a number of different planning steps, including occupancy, the tax base, and development charges.' Alicia West, a planner for the city, said that there is no current timeline for the provision to be lifted. 'Staff are of the opinion that the road widening matter and associated considerations relating to building impacts have been addressed appropriately,' the report continued. Kearns noted that the road widening did not significantly change any of the project details. '[You have] maintained five levels of underground parking,' Kearns said. 'The floor area ratio has changed just a little bit, but there's been no reduction in the number of units or height.' Kearns also asked Falletta if at any point Bousfields considered changing the size of the building to be in the 10- to 15-storey range. 'The ownership group doesn't think it's feasible at that height and density in terms of building something on this site today, which is a vacant parking lot,' Falletta said. Falletta acknowledged that there was some interest from council in changing the height and density the last time the proposal was discussed, especially from Mayor Marianne Meed Ward. Before council voted on the item, Meed Ward expressed her opposition to the development. 'I will not be supporting the recommendation,' Meed Ward said. 'I think this is overdevelopment for this area. This will create a canyon of towers on both sides of a very narrow road, old Lakeshore Road, right in proximity to our waterfront. I understand that there may be folks who think that this ship has sailed, but I am not going to give it any wind.' 'My vision for downtown is not to see this type of height and density,' Meed Ward continued. 'It better belongs at the MTSAs [Major Transit Station Areas], where we have now shifted our urban growth centre to. I maintain that vision. I will stand by that vision. I will fight that vision, and I will continue to be consistent in what I think the downtown should be.' Kearns responded to Meed Ward's comment and referred to herself as the 'captain' of the aforementioned ship. 'The ship has sailed, and here's why,' Kearns said. 'I went through this planning file with deep scrutiny, and I was looking for a defensible way out of this particular application, recognizing the contextual area in which it's been landed.' Kearns listed the facets of the development that she raised questions about and explained that she felt the answers to all of them were satisfactory. 'The instruction to refer this file to staff to continue working on it resulted in essentially immaterial changes,' Kearns said. 'They are immaterial and almost imperceptible to the built form context and to the neighbouring areas.' 'I've worked very hard on behalf of the community to scrutinize this particular file,' Kearns continued. 'I don't work on my personal opinions in this role. I work on expert technical staff recommendations, reports, and supporting policy pieces. So that is why I have been led to a supportive position on this file. I would like to have a very different vision. I would like to have a completely different context. But the reality is that that is not where we sit today.' Kearns also said that she believed that if council did not accept staff's recommendation, there would likely be an appeal to the Ontario Land Tribunal. Rory Nisan, Ward 3 councillor, said that while he also wishes the context and reality were different, a positive outcome of the building would be more housing. 'We need the units,' Nisan said. 'Every extra unit in our community has an impact on supply, which is the only real way that we're going to have more affordable housing. It'd be one thing if staff weren't supporting it or if the immediate context were different. We also need to ensure that we have enough housing for the next generations in our community, and whatever the cost of these units is, the supply is what will make that happen, so I will be supporting this.' Shawna Stolte, Ward 4 councillor, and Meed Ward opposed the proposal while Kearns, Nisan, Ward 5 Councillor Paul Sharman, and Ward 6 Councillor Angelo Bentivegna voted in support. Error! 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Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
After survey, Bettendorf continues plan for new police station
The City of Bettendorf will continue planning for a new police station after nearly 60% of survey responses showed positivity toward the project, according to a news release. On Monday, June 2, during the Committee of the Whole, the Bettendorf City Council heard a presentation from Community Perceptions, which created the survey that was sent out to residents in April 2024 as the first public step in the process, followed by two informational meetings that were held at the end of April. You can see the presentation here. A summary (+/- 2% statistical margin of error) 2,497 respondents (17.8% response rate) 34% of respondents say they would 'definitely' support paying for a new police station 25% of respondents say they would 'probably' support paying for a new police station 'Receiving this feedback from our residents is immensely important, because they would pay for this project if City Council approves putting it on the ballot as a bond referendum,' said Jeff Reiter, assistant city administrator. 'Cities have very limited ability to levy taxes beyond what is necessary to fund a single year's obligations. The voted referendum tool is the only arrow in the city's quiver for projects such as this police station.' 'The data is very telling, especially when you include the +/- 2% margin of error,' said John Mahon, vice president-Quad Cities, Bray Architects. 'The referendum's threshold is 60% plus one, so this is very encouraging that even very early in the process, people already see the merits of a potential move.' Sixty percent plus one of Bettendorf voters would need to approve the bond referendum, which would allow the city to take out a loan (issue) debt. To help residents see the tax impact on their property, the city has created an estimation for every address that can be assessed here. 'The last time the city put a bond referendum on the ballot was in 1995, when the city asked voters to support the construction of The Learning Campus,' said Decker Ploehn, city administrator. 'The project included building the Family Museum and making renovations to the Bettendorf Public Library, both of which are incredible amenities in the city today.' 'Our city council takes the referendum process very seriously, which is why the city has not put a bond referendum on the ballot in three decades,' added Reiter. 'It shows the fiscal responsibility and good stewardship that Bettendorf residents trust and respect in their City leadership.' The next step in the process is for the city council to decide whether to put the bond referendum on the November 2025 ballot. That decision is expected to take place at one of council's regular meetings in July 2025. For more information on the city's process up to this point, visit here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
