From Reilly Reports --

Alderman Reilly's Resolution Calling for a Public Hearing on the Parking Meter Deal

Last week at City Council, Alderman Reilly sponsored a resolution calling for a hearing on the long term parking meter lease agreement before the Committee on Rules and Ethics. The resolution requires that the Inspector General, then Chief Financial Officer and current Chief-of-Staff to Mayor Daley (Paul Volpe), Budget Director and their appropriate staff as well as representatives from William Blair & Company to appear before the Committee to present their methodology and basis of recommendation. Other sponsors included Alderman Flores (1st), Alderman Dowell (3rd), Alderman Cochran (20th) and Alderman Mell (33rd) who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Rules and Ethics.

This resolution was necessary to unravel the claims made by the Inspector General based upon his staff-level analysis released earlier last week. If granted a hearing, this public assessment of the current conditions will provide the taxpayers of Chicago with information as well as opportunity for discourse and comment on this lease agreement. The date of that hearing will be posted in a future Reilly Reports.

Ordinance Amending the City Code for Proposed City Asset Lease or Sale Agreements

In the same City Council meeting last week, Alderman Reilly introduced an ordinance changing the way in which the city enters into city asset lease or sale agreements valued more than $10 million dollars. The ordinance does the following:

• Requires that a report detailing the terms and the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and/or Request for Proposals (RFP) be submitted to the City Council for approval prior to bid.
  
• Requires a minimum 60-day review period by the City Council providing opportunity for public hearings.
  
• Places the Inspector General in the role of independent analyst and auditor for the City Council.
  
• Calls for a special meeting of the City Council solely to allow for debate and final vote on the terms of the RFQ and/or RFP.
  
• Establishes a minimum 15-day period to hold a public hearing, City Council debate and final vote on whether the bid should be accepted.
  
• Other sponsors of the ordinance included Alderman Flores (1st), Alderman Dowell (3rd) and Alderman Mell (33rd).