or: to FREELOAD or not to FREELOAD, that is the question!
Park Ridge Park Board and some of their supporters have portrayed those who disagree with them over Senior Center and Centennial Park pool issues, as special interest groups and/or freeloaders.
Lately, Park Board members, some running for reelection, have gone back to retelling their unsubstantiated and discredited “Restroom-gate” tripe. These shameless smalltime politicians have also fallen back to denigrating the 30-year PRPD/SSI Senior Center public/private partnership, by calling the pre-2011 Senior Center a “clubhouse” and belittling some of those who worked there; not to mention the good work of prior Park District Commissioners.
Decenters to Board actions (that appears to include me), are now being referred to by some paranoid PRPD supporters, as a cabal: “a small group of secret plotters; a group, a gang, a ring, a plot, a scheme, a conspiracy, a collusion.”
Recent Examples
Completely flummoxed PRPD Board members and their groupies now mantra:
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But what about the Board’s personal gain?
![siren[1][4]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBC7f65oHFGWxiLxRwJOJtFe1gtnAsNSHNey2zpNI3c07HxfBFkTiQ9pgbrX-LsVXz9Jbs8dBqCnJmQLurGD5ne6Gb6yUKjtmUPgkUrCUol0daYVW-mJAGW6lBThCEg7WIz43XZG0QGRk-/s1600-h/siren149.gif "siren[1][4]") | Warning: This is going to be a long post! |
September 20, 2012
Most Park Ridge Park District voters don’t attend Park Board meetings. Most don’t read Board Meeting Minutes; and definitely most don’t watch Board Meeting Videos; and because they don’t, they miss opportunities to observe first hand the actions of their elected officials.
The main topics for discussion that night, based on the Official Park Board Meeting Minutes For Sept. 20, 2012, were the:
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Two other seemingly unimportant Commissioners Internal Policies and Bylaws Manual policy amendments were also on the agenda.
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These changes were scheduled to be voted on late in the meeting.
I didn’t know about the proposed changes until the “Board Packet” was uploaded to PRPD’s website weeks later. Since then, I’ve started paying more attention to the “Board Packet”.
What is the “Board Packet”? The “Board Packet” is a file that normally includes all the background information required to support the meetings agenda.
Included in the October 25, 2012 “Board Packet” were Mel’s minutes of prior meetings, including, the then unaccepted but eventually approved meeting minutes for the September 20, 2012 Regular Meeting.
The Board Secretary, who’s job it is to oversee the accurate chronicling of Board Meeting activities, released the following Board Meeting Minute entries:
#1: 3.02 Policy – Opportunities for Development
#2: 3.03 Policy – Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities
Based upon the entry for “3.02 Policy” above, it’s unclear if Board members Brandt, Hunst, Ryan, Thillens and Biagi approved:
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So what did they approve?
3.02 - Opportunities for Development
Policy before change.
Proposed change.
| Note: Sorry the text is so hard to read. |
Simply put, the policy change would now require PRPD to pay full Per Deim costs associated with Commissioners attending PRPD required functions instead of one-half the cost.
I am sure you’ll agree with me, that Commissioners should not have to pay out-of-pocket to attend Park Board required conferences or training sessions.
The motion passed with limited discussion!
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From my video viewing notes:
| Mary Wynn-Ryan proposed to amend 3.02 Opportunities for Development policy. Click here: video #5 of 5 @ 23:36 minutes into the video. |
3.03 - Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities
| Note: The original policy and proposed changes presented below are very long and somewhat difficult to read. For your convenience I have presented: “Proposed 3.03 Policy Changes – Full Version -Side-by-Side” further on. To get to the heart of the matter skip on to: “AT THAT POINT…”. |
Copy Policy 3.03 from Policy Manual before proposed change.
Copy proposed changes from 09-20-12 “Board Packet”.
Proposed 3.03 Policy Changes – Full Version -Side-by-Side:
| Original | Proposed Change |
| 3.03 Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities The Board of Commissioners is charged by law with the responsibility of managing all the offices and properties of the Park District and with planning, establishing and maintaining recreational programs and facilities. Pursuant to these directives, the Board oversees the facilities, grounds, programs and employees of the Park District. In order to facilitate the Board in the performance of its duties it is important that the individual Park Commissioners not be deterred in their use of the grounds, facilities and programs of the Park District so that they can directly inspect, evaluation, observe and assess same. Commissioners availing themselves of this opportunity are encouraged to periodically report their experience in writing to the Director of Parks and Recreation if they so choose. It is therefore declared to be the official policy of the Park District that the incumbent Park Commissioners shall be entitled to the free use of the facilities and grounds of the Park District and to free participation in all programs of the Park District where there is sufficient enrollment to cover program costs of the Park District (program supplies, etc.) shall be paid by the Park Commissioner. In revenue-producing facilities and programs where costs are computed on hourly rates, a Park Commissioner shall pay the hourly rate charged, or the direct costs, whichever is less. In cases where a particular program is not being filled on a regular basis no charge shall be assessed. Regarding the status of Commissioners occupying positions of paid employees or acting as a contractor for the District, the Illinois Compiled Statute clearly states that no Commissioner can be directly or indirectly involved as an employee or contractor, except to the extent permitted under the Fraudulent and Corrupt Practices Act. Individual members of the Board shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending meetings or in making trips on official business for the Park District when so authorized by the Board. If Board members are elected or selected for Park and Recreation Association involvement, the District will pay expenses if the Association does not. Commissioners will serve as such without compensation. | 3.03 Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities The Board of Commissioners is charged by law with the responsibility of managing all the offices and properties of the Park District and with planning, establishing and maintaining recreational programs and facilities. Pursuant to these directives, the Board oversees the Regarding the status of Commissioners occupying positions of paid employees or acting as a contractor for the District, the Illinois Compiled Statute clearly states that no Commissioner can be directly or indirectly involved as an employee or contractor, except to the extent permitted under the Fraudulent and Corrupt Practices Act. Individual members of the Board shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in attending meetings or in making trips on official business for the Park District when so authorized by the Board. If Board members are elected or selected for Park and Recreation Association involvement, the District will pay expenses if the Association does not. Commissioners will serve as such without compensation. |
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From my video viewing notes:
| Mary Wynn-Ryan proposed to amend 3.03 Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities policy. Click here: video #5 of 5 @ 40:36 minutes into the meeting. |
At that point, Board’s Attorney chimed in:
| “I would ask not to have a second yet. um - I have a problem with this; and I hadn’t reviewed it until this evening. Always feel like a skunk at a birthday party when I have comment on this {unintelligable} ah we had {or have} a little discussion – can you defer this…” |
So, what got Board’s Attorney’s attention? Well,I can’t say for sure, but let me tell you what caught my eye!
| Original | Proposed Change |
| 3.03 Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities “…incumbent Park Commissioners shall be entitled to the free use of the facilities and grounds of the Park District…” | 3.03 Opportunities for Oversight of Park District Programs and Facilities “…the incumbent Park Commissioners and Commissioner's Immediate family members' shall be eligible for complimentary family memberships in District facilities and programs which include season passes. Participation limited to immediate family members. Immediate family for the purpose of this section shall mean the Commissioner's spouse, domestic partner, civil union partner and dependent children residing with the Commissioner.” |
Can you imagine the potential political fallout for this politically-brain-dead Park Board, had this change become public; that in the midst of this deep recession, while:
- they were planning to spend $7,000,000 in Bonds for Centennial Pool replacement and upgrade,
- they were proposing a NEW $13,200,000 land acquisition Bond Referendum,
- some of their over-taxed neighbors were having to cut back on family expenses?
Park Ridge Park Board Members almost voted themselves and their families; up to thirteen family members in the case of two Commissioners alone, FREE MEMBERSHIP to the Community [fitness] Center activities, golf range and more, when ordinary Park Ridge taxpayers have to pay the going rate.
Now that’s chutzpah!
Had Board’s Attorney not intervened, had he not felt “like a skunk at a birthday party”, had he not put a stop to Board’s insensitive goofiness, Park Ridge taxpayers would now be paying for an even bigger and unnecessary FREEBEE than they already are.
Now we know why they need the attorney present at every Board meeting!
Get ready for the excuses guys!
Get ready to hear:
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or of course, the ever-popular “everybody else does it”!
Whatever they say, they can’t cheat their video. It happened; and had it not been for Board’s Attorney’s common sense, I have no doubt the amended policy would have passed!
Had it not been for Mel not catching the mistake; had it not been for his fellow Commissioners not reading the material presented on page 6 of 49, the mistake would not have been published; I would not have seen it and you would not now know about the FREEBEE!
Trizna says he never took the FREEBEE!
When I first learned of the current FREEBEE provision within Policy 3.03, I decided to ask my fellow blogger, Park Ridge’s very own Public Watchdog, Bob Trizna what he knew. Bob was once a Commissioner and President of the Park Board.
Bob told me, during his eight years on “the Board”, he refused on principle, to take advantage of the FREEBEE; and of his unsuccessful attempts to persuade fellow Commissioners to change their policy.
Sometime in the future…
Now, with this possible Policy change or something like it lurking out there in the future should the same Commissioners be reelected; will Mr. Trizna finally come out publicly, on his blog or mine, against the continuance of this unnecessary, unconscionable; and I must say, un-neighborly FREEBEE?
Could it be any wonder these guys might want stay on this Board?
Well, something needs to change folks!
It’s time to bring the openness the public deserves to the Board Meeting process. Commissioners Internal Policies and Manual Bylaws changes need to be:
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Commissioners Internal Policies and Manual Bylaw changes need to be presented in a way that facilitates, at least the image, of genuine openness!
Other Park & School Boards do it; PRPD’s Board should do it also!
Of course, it’s just my opinion!
6 comments:
Family members and former elected officials are NOT allowed to use the Park District facilities for free, although some feel there is a value for the public in having a secret shopper (you have to pay the companies to send them), as it were, of appropriate age in various classes and programs. This arguement did not fly. Happy? As for per diems, there's one 2.5-day educational conference a year, in the Loop, that one or two commissioners attend. Per diem is limited to the same per diem allowed employees; currently $45 per day. That's approximately $10 breakfast, $15 lunch and $20 dinner, tax and tips included. If you've been downtown to the hotels lately, you know that is not party time money.
And coincidentally, $45 is what SSI and the internal Senior Senate,with great reluctance, finally agreed to for A FULL YEAR'S dues at the Park Ridge Senior Center.
Let's leave it to the public to decide who's taking whom for a ride.
Meanwhile, could you have used a tenth of your energy ferrying hot food and providing companionship to shut-in seniors through Meals on Wheels? Could you have volunteered to help out at Center of Concern? Just wondering.
Ken:
The Illinois statutes governing park districts, which I don’t believe have changed since my years as a Park District commissioner (1997-2005), expressly prohibit commissioners from receiving compensation for their service. Perquisites (“perks”) like free use of district facilities and taxpayer-funded conferences, however, were/are not expressly prohibited.
In the absence of an express prohibition, spendthrift bureaucrats and complicit municipal attorneys were free to craft "policies" which exploit that loophole, like the ones about which you are complaining.
I ran for the Park Board on a platform of getting at least a dollar's worth of value for every tax dollar, and protecting the taxpayers from entitlement-minded special interests. One plank of that platform was to eliminate the commissioner perks then in place, which are basically the same as the current ones.
When elected, I joined with three sitting commissioners (whom I had worked to help get elected 2 years earlier) in voting to eliminate the perks. But as soon as 2 of those 3 left the Board when their terms expired 2 years later, the new majority quickly reinstated the perks.
Commissioners don’t need free memberships and programs to do their jobs. During my 8 years on the Board I never had any problem using, observing, inspecting and assessing the District's facilities, whether in my capacity as a commissioner or incidentally to my 4 sons’ sports and other activities - without any free memberships. I believed then, as I believe now, that "FREEBEES" violate the spirit, if not the letter, of the statutory prohibition on commissioner compensation.
I applaud District attorney Hoffman for asking to table the proposal to expand the current perks to commissioners’ families. Whoever actually conceived of that idea deserves to be outed and subjected to whatever criticism the taxpayers might muster.
However, I cannot join in your speculation that such a proposal – had it gone to a vote – would have passed. And while I continue to oppose perks, I must point out that their costs would appear to be an exceedingly small fraction of the cost to the taxpayers of the Senior Center’s annual operating deficits; and a miniscule fraction of the annual non-referendum debt service for the new Centennial aquatic facility.
It is nothing less than an honor and a privilege to be entrusted by one's fellow citizens with their representation on the Park Board – without compensation. Anybody who needs or expects more than that doesn’t deserve the position.
Anon: March 23, 2013 9:23AM;
You wrote: “Family members and former elected officials are NOT allowed to use the Park District facilities for free…”
My response: That’s correct.
“Family members… are NOT allowed to use the Park District facilities for free…”
But, had the Biagi/Wynn-Ryan lead board not been stopped by Board’s Attorney, I have every reason to believe Park Board families would now also have free access to Park Ridge Park District facilities worth hundreds of dollars annually.
Anon, Park Ridge Park Board Commissioners are not destitute and can easily afford to pay their own way – like everyone else! As Commissioners, each have access to all Park District facilities where they can see for themselves the result of taxpayer funding.
Talking to users does not require a FREEBEE worth up-words of $500! Looking at the facility does not require a FREEBEE worth up-words of $500!
It’s bad enough Board Members have already voted themselves this FREEBEE, but to create a FAMILY-SIZE FREEBEE, in my opinion, is just plain wrong.
As to: “…former elected officials are NOT allowed to use the Park District facilities for free”, I never said they did.
You wrote: “Meanwhile, could you have used a tenth of your energy ferrying hot food and providing companionship to shut-in seniors through Meals on Wheels? Could you have volunteered to help out at Center of Concern? Just wondering.”
My response: I’m glad to see you giving free PR to the fine folks at Meals on Wheels and Center of Concern. That said: I already volunteer for other senior related activities, including visits to senior friends at Lutheran General, the VA, at home and local nursing homes.
So wonder no more! My volunteering plate is full!
Robert J. Trizna: March 23, 2013 5:29;
You wrote: “However, I cannot join in your speculation that such a proposal – had it gone to a vote – would have passed. And while I continue to oppose perks, I must point out that their costs would appear to be an exceedingly small fraction of the cost to the taxpayers of the Senior Center’s annual operating deficits; and a miniscule fraction of the annual non-referendum debt service for the new Centennial aquatic facility.”
My response: We can agree to disagree on the pass or no-pass prediction, however, the irrelevant size of the FREEBEE or FAMILY-SIZE FREEBEE vs. any specific part of the budget, IS NOT the focus of my post; the fact that the Biagi/Wynn-Ryan lead Board had every intention of passing such a Policy change; IS!
That is the problem!
Finally, if I may be so bold, let me repeat your last paragraph: “It is nothing less than an honor and a privilege to be entrusted by one's fellow citizens with their representation on the Park Board – without compensation. Anybody who needs or expects more than that doesn’t deserve the position.”
Hear, hear!
Mr Butterly:
You wrote the following: "..... and some of their supporters have portrayed those who disagree with them over Senior Center and Centennial Park pool issues, as special interest groups and/or freeloaders".
Please don't feel special. He says that about everyone in town who decides to use a program that is available, but that he feels is not properly funded. If I see a sign for a program at the library and descide to take my daughter, the odds are good that he will look at how the program is funded and label me a freeloader.
Anon: March 25, 2013 7:12 AM;
Who is "He"?
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