Chairman of the, a powerful committee,
the budget committee.
So, uh, I came in kinda late
and I heard you say, uh, make, uh, told that young man
to get that sip from me.
And then, uh, a statement was made.
Uh, or why can't we all get along?
I'm emphasizing, I, I say I'm gonna,
I think I'm gonna beat up on, on on Chairman Irving with,
with the old man Ed Smith.
We old folks have, have dropped the ball
and these young folks see how we operate.
And then when they old
and they can't operate, uh, in this corrupt form,
they have another young one that come up and do it.
And somebody made a statement, why can't we all get along?
Why can't we all black people get
along, man.
Zoe, go red, flip red Democrat.
The communist, the fascist. That's not our issue, sir.
You blowing your nose now and, and you got up
and nobody here, but you and I, it would be a beautiful day.
If black people could get along with black people,
then that would be a excellent what, with what?
I wanna get along with Ron Mosley. He's young.
I want to get along with Irving.
Uh, he's young, but, but we all black men
and women have dropped the ball
and been bad influence on the young one.
This man, this young boy right here,
I call him a boy, he's a man.
He said, Mr. Blakemore, I've been dealing
with this since the teenagers.
He was the youngest Altman
and he says, uh, uh, of the political system, sir,
you had a lot of bad role models.
You had a, a lot of bad men
that taught you bad things.
So if you've been out here in this political since you were
13 or 14 years old
and your role models was bad, so you only doing
what you've been trained to do.
We all once have, one thing I can say about my father,
he never wanted me to be exactly like him
when he do his little dirty work,
he didn't want me to do that.
He wanted me to be better than him.
So you two gentlemen, uh, have been under the influence
of old men that passed the baton on to you all
to do the same old bad things that they've been doing.
You told me you started, uh, in this as a young boy.
Well, well, these old men shouldn't have
groom you like that.
And he's probably started the same way. So we
Thank you Mr. Blake Moore.
Uh, committee will stand at ease while first department, uh,
city clerk comes in.
Good morning. We are been joined by our city clerk,
Anna Valencia, uh, who will begin, um,
their budget presentation.
Uh, before that we'll have a brief overview from, uh, Kofa,
uh, deputy Director, uh, Katie O'Toole, followed
by opening statements
and introductions from the city clerk, Katie.
Great, thank you. Good morning, chairman
and members of the city council.
My name is Katie O'Toole. I'm with cofa.
I will provide a brief overview of the proposed budget
for the city clerk for fiscal year 2026.
The recommended budget for 2026 is 15.27 million.
This is 0.17 million more,
or a 1.15 increase from the appropriations in FY 2025.
The city clerk receives around 39%
of appropriations from the corporate fund with the rest
of the office's appropriations coming from the vehicle.
Tax fund personnel
and non-personnel spend are relatively balanced
with 8.5 million going to personnel, um,
and nearly 7 million allocated for non-personnel spend.
The clerk has budgeted 93 full-time equivalents for FY 2026.
This is one more than last year.
Here you can see the breakdown of the recommended budget
for 2026.
Spending on personnel makes up the largest increase
for 2026 at a around 5% increase.
Proposed spending declines for contractual services, as well
as commodities and materials and contractual services.
This means reduced spend on professional
and technical services as well as software licensing.
As noted, less than 40%
of the city clerk's appropriations are corporate fund.
The clerk sees the largest share
of funding from the vehicle tax fund.
Um, while they did receive some local
and private grant funding in 2025,
there are no grant funds anticipated in 2026.
Looking at historical trends
for the city clerk's appropriations, um,
year over year appropriations hover between 10
and 12 million until there was
around a 3 million increase in 2024.
Um, and the funding has been pretty consistent since then.
And historical trends for FTEs.
Um, the staffing levels don't mimic the year over trends,
year over year Trends in terms of appropriations, um,
FTE in the clerk's office have remained pretty stable since
2021, though, down from a peak in 2019.
That concludes COFA summary. Thank you.
Thank you, Katie. Madam Clerk.
Good morning. I'm city clerk Anna Valencia.
With me, I have Kinder Thomas, my Chief
of Administration Finance.
Thank you chair for having me today.
I wanna begin by acknowledging the work you all are doing
around this year's budget.
Many of us have been trying to do the impossible task
of balancing our city's fiscal needs while doing our best
to take care of our communities
and still make time for family and other priorities.
The people of our city need us to lead in real ways.
And I applaud all of you for doing this work
through such challenging times.
In April this year, we hosted an amnesty month.
It was a great success for both the drivers who participated
and bringing in more revenue for the city.
Amnesty month is part of the fines
and fees work that we started in 2019, drivers have a month
to come into our office and purchase their city sticker
without late fees
or back charges, including our red reduce
reduced term city sticker.
As low as $33 is an initiative grounded in community work
and backed up by the results we've seen.
And now that when you give PE
and know that when you give people a chance
to come into compliance, they'll take it.
We brought in almost $1.6 million in new revenue
and more than 15,000 drivers into compliance
with their city sticker By just offering people an
opportunity to get back on track.
At a time when government accountability
and transparency is being lost
on other levels of government.
We plan to make sure we're continuing
to give Chicagoans access to the work
that's being done in this chamber on their behalf.
We spent time ensuring our committee users had an
opportunity to give us feedback so
that they could have a system that fits their needs.
And we plan to have everyone fully
onboarded by the end of this year.
The merging of new technology with the old ways
of doing things isn't an easy task for those of us working
to implement or those of us learning a new process.
And we appreciate each
and every one of you for collaborating with us,
sharing your institutional knowledge
and being open to feedback throughout this process.
And because we don't do anything halfway at the Clerk's
office, we are embarking on another technology project this
year that we're very excited about.
Since I took office, my team struggled
with an outdated software for selling our products.
And, and it's made, implementing innovative new ideas,
almost impossible.
Building out a new over the counter solution will set the
foundation for doing a lot of the work
that we've discussed here previously, from digital dailies
to creating a new pricing table
to making our transactions more efficient.
After all, our job is to make it easier for people
to be in compliance, not harder.
We are currently in the process of negotiating
with our potential vendor.
We're looking forward to that work
and what it will allow us to do when it's completed.
Our City key program continues
to serve Chicagoans of all backgrounds.
We're still seeing a high demand for city keys,
and we've been able to onboard more businesses across the
city to offer discounts to our city key holders.
I'm proud of how far this program has come
and the impact that it's having in our city.
From kids who wanna play sports
to domestic violence survivors who want
to protect their privacy to Chicagoans
who are interested in being tourist in their own city.
There's certainly no magic wand
that can fix all the problems we're facing.
But what we do have are smart, compassionate,
and driven public servants.
We live in this city, we love this city.
This is our home, and we're
determined to keep doing our part.
To keep it going, I'm going to let my team members
and commissioner's box introduce, introduce themselves,
and I'm happy to take any questions after that. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Clerk Kendra.
Hello, my name. Hello, my name is Kendra Thomas, chief
of Administration and Finance.
Good morning. I'm Catherine O'Connell, chief of staff
and first deputy city Clerk.
Good morning, Roberto Lopez, chief Innovation Officer.
Good morning. Riley Boland, chief of Operations.
Good morning. Michelle LaVar, chief Legal Counsel.
Good morning. Diana Martinez, chief
of Communications and External Affairs.
Good Morning, Glenn Rodriguez, chief
of Scheduling in advance.
Good morning. Peter Ek,
managing editor of City Council Journal.
Good, Mor. Good morning.
Luis Fuentes, director of City Key
Morning. Lori
Probasco, deputy Chief Legal Counsel.
Arian Linton, supervisor of Payment Center.
Uh, Jorge Ramirez, deputy Chief Operating Officer.
Ian Eulenberg, director of Public Engagement. And IGA
Han No with Quant.
16 ELMS Consultant.
Yep. Alright. Thank you much.
Uh, we'll begin with Alman Oay.
Thank you Chairman. Good morning. Good
Morning.
Um, I want to talk a little bit about the Amnesty Program.
Can you kind of take us through the success, um, of
what we've seen with, uh, most recently, uh, amnesty Month?
Yes. So we had our amnesty month.
Uh, the first amnesty month we had was in 2019 that October
after our fines and fees reform.
And we did not, it was very still new.
And so we, I don't have those numbers on me,
but Riley can speak to them.
I, I can't remember, but we did, um, fairly well.
But we learned from those lessons
and implemented them in this April's amnesty.
We also made sure it was, I think it was 30 days in a,
in April, but we had $1.6 million of new revenue
and 15,000 residents come into compliance.
And we actually looked at the data
because we offered the reduced term city sticker as well,
which is around $33 that people could still buy that
and we'd forgive their back charges and late fees.
But a lot of folks purchased one year city
stickers, which is amazing.
'cause once we have them in the system,
we can send them email notices or mail notices,
and eventually when we have text alerts,
we can text them to get into compliance.
And what I heard on the ground from a lot of folks is
that they just didn't have the funds to buy that
because of rising cost of living that they just kind of, uh,
tried to get by without it.
But those tickets were double, were doubling up for them.
And so this is a better way
for them not having to go into debt.
What can we do moving forward, uh,
we being the city council to promote, um, your efforts
to try to recoup some of that money?
What do we have on the horizon for 2026 as it, uh,
pertains to amnesty?
So, great. Uh, question.
We actually have an RMO for this budget to allow us
to do another amnesty.
Uh, so we, once that passes with the budget,
we will start planning for an amnesty month again next year.
Uh, it won't most likely be April, probably another month.
We're also looking at like our mobile city halls, uh,
incorporating some Saturdays
and like evening hours to allow people
to come into compliance
and make it a little bit easier
for them in certain parts of the city.
Uh, and then working with all of you,
you were great about getting it in your newsletters
and all, you know, when you're communicating.
I think that's why we saw such a strong showing is
that it was us, it was all the city council members,
also the community based organizations.
There were a lot of hands on deck to promote.
So it gave people time to come in. Uh, lines were crazy.
So the line management, uh,
but we also will, um, with a new over the counter system
that we're getting technology, eventually we'll be able to
have this part be of our online platform to do online too.
Okay. Um, I held a senior Halloween event two weeks ago.
Uh, your staff was out there.
They were very kind, very professional.
Got a lot of compliments from my seniors.
Uh, many signed up for the city key program.
So I want to thank you for that. Thank you.
Um, anything moving forward
that my office can do to help promote partner, uh, support,
um, please let me know.
And, uh, a thanks to your staff in the box
and those downstairs working hard.
Appreciate all their support
and help with my staff. Thank you. Thank
You, alderman.
Thank you Alderman. Oay.
Any other questions for the clerk? Clerk Alderman Conway.
Um, thank you Madam Clerk for being here today.
Um, may perhaps a simple question.
What is the source of the revenue of the, um,
of the vehicle tax fund?
Is it city stickers or it's something else?
Yeah, so it is our city sticker program, um, that we have.
Um, I believe it's also,
uh, you know, let me go to my chief operating
officer, Riley Boland.
You can further explain.
Uh, good morning. Uh, Riley Boland, chief of Operations.
Uh, so the vehicle tax fund is 300,
however, the daily parking passes that.
And, um, adding the residential zone
to your annual city sticker that sits on 100.
Tho those go. So those go into the,
I just wanna make sure I heard right.
So the city stickers go to the vehicle tax fund,
but those other fees go to the,
essentially the corporate fund? Correct.
Overall. Okay. Um, how do you divide up
what gets put into the budget
for the vehicle tax fund versus the corporate fund?
Like for example, I see for software maintenance
and licensing, you know, 1,056,000 give
or take is on the corporate fund side
and it's an even million for the exact, I mean,
for the a line item of the exact same name
on the vehicle tax fund.
How do you decide which is, which goes into which?
Uh, my chief of staff, Good morning.
Catherine O'Connell, chief of Staff
and first Deputy City clerk.
Thank you for your question.
Um, our office is divided on two funds, 300 and 100.
Typically, our general licensing,
which is all things operations, city stickers,
et cetera, is in fund 300.
So anything associated with, uh,
performing those functions comes out of the 300 fund.
City council and Citykey all sit on the corporate
fund fund 100.
So salaries and contracts that have anything to do
with performing those functions all come out of fund 100.
Got it. Okay. So it's, it's, the software as an example,
is divided up the same way the revenue is
and in some level, correct.
Um, that's great.
Is there, I mean, and maybe this is one to think about.
If there are any fees that some of you think are off,
please don't, uh, you're welcome to respond to that now.
But if there's anything off,
like please don't be afraid to tell us.
I mean, I always, I always think the residential parking fee
at $35 a year seems shockingly low.
I know it went up from $25 a year to $35 a year.
Um, but, you know, maybe, maybe,
'cause I have a small world that ward that's dense,
it looks that way to me.
But if there's anything like that, that you're sort
of saying, Hey, look, this is something you
all want to take a look at.
I can either ask them through the chair,
but if anybody, if you wanna
respond, you're certainly welcome.
Yeah, I think so. We did look at that last year
for our price adjustments
and we made them based on operational costs.
We were able to look at making those changes
because they had not been touched 10 plus years.
But I think we're at a good place
where they cover operational cost.
Um, and so we're good there.
I think one opportunity is when we have the new over the
counter solution built.
I know there was dialogue last year about looking
at the make and model table.
And so that's something that we will look at, um, work
with City Council again as our make and model table too.
Uh, we had a new, uh,
ven decoder enhancement put on this, uh, system
and we were now able to more accurately
price vehicles based on, based on weight.
And so you will see probably,
I think it was like $1.6 million new revenue this year
coming in because of that enhancement we've made.
So we're hoping that could be another opportunity
to make sure we're, we're pricing our make
and model table correctly.
And help me out here. What's the make and model table?
Oh, sorry. The make and model table.
I just assume everyone knows what I'm talking about.
Yeah, the make and model table is the standard of which we,
uh, we set the, the, the city sticker price.
So it's based on the weight of your vehicle
because of how much it can tear up, the tear up the roads.
'cause a lot of folks don't realize the revenue we collect
goes into the road fund,
which paves about 4,000 miles a road every year.
No. Okay. God, I just didn't know
that was the formal name for it yet.
Uh, is I, I will say, um, uh, two,
two very quick compliments to you and your team.
I, I hosted a, a, uh, know Your Rights event, um, uh,
last Sunday and,
and you got a lot of praise for how you were able
to protect the data of Citykey.
So wanted to pass that along from, from my community.
Uh, and additionally, I, you know,
something I had brought up last year about the city sticker,
um, city sticker price for veterans
and the fact that veterans had to, had to, uh,
reprove they're a veteran every year, uh, it appears
that you have fixed that problem or it adjusted that issue.
And I just wanted to thank you for that. Thank you.
Well, and Mr. Chairman, that's all I have. Thank you.
And thank you Madam Clerk. Thank you.
Thank you. Altman Conway. Altman Mosley. Thank you Chair.
And good morning Madam Clerk. Good morning.
Uh, I hope you know that that's the sentiments
that Alderman Conway shared is a, a lot of
what we also see in the 21st Ward.
I wanna ask you, particularly around the E-L-E-M-L-S system,
um, as we were able to make things more tech versus paper.
Um, talk to me about how
that has helped your team's workflow.
I know you got a, a smaller Maori team
that puts in a lot of hours.
And are there areas that, uh, we should focus on
to help improve, uh, our overall system?
Yeah, so first of all, thank you
to everyone who's embraced ELMS.
I know it's not always been easy to,
to change what we're doing.
Um, and I don't even, like,
sometimes my own iPhone doesn't work the way I want it to.
So embracing new technology can be challenging,
but we are in the final stretch.
So this next year we're really working on the backend
of the creation of the journal, um, and change management.
So we'll be working with all of you to get everyone
to a hundred percent use the new system
by the end of next year.
And our goal is to be in 2027, um, completely digitized.
So we will be on the back end
and people don't get to tour my office,
but if you ever wanna see it, we have
stacks and stacks of paper.
We have, uh, proofreaders reading out loud to each other.
All of this will be automated
and our team will become kind
of like data services help desk.
So they'll be able to troubleshoot any questions you have.
Think of like the Apple Genius bar.
They'll have committees
and city council members that they'll be responsible for
checking in and taking those questions.
So they'll still be doing the, um, work,
but it won't be as tedious.
Um, it won't be till they have to be here till 3:00 AM Oh.
Um, on during budget season, they'll be able to, um, work,
uh, an easier flow, a much better flow for our team.
So we're very excited about that piece. I'm
Excited about it too.
Um, I also want to ask with disabled permit parking, um,
that's another system that we're looking to bring online.
Uh, can you talk to me about, um, how, I mean,
it's, it's gonna speed up the process,
it's gonna let residents know if they've made a payment
already, which is a, a, a big thing.
Um, what role will your office play in that process?
Yeah, so, uh, we have the no fee city sticker
for people with disabilities.
And actually my chief operating officer is,
is working on this now of tackling what
that's gonna look like on our end.
Um, and so they're putting pen to paper on kind of
how we're going to be able to do that and make it seamless
and easier because there's certain codes that, um,
you know, need to just be worked out that we need
to make sure we're doing a better job
of training our individuals at all
of our locations at Archer
and Gale, uh, to know how to do this no fee disability
and put more things online so people
with disabilities aren't having to come
inside the office so much.
Yeah. Or take a full day of work.
Um, we are working with that to make it more seamless too.
And, and talking about, uh,
having folks not come into the office
or even just the increase in, in paper costs and printing.
Um, is there a way,
or will we get to a point with residential permit parking,
the guest passes where it could be something similar to, um,
uh, how we do parking in the city of Chicago meter parking
where you can actually pay for it on your phone
or so forth when a meter made
or a enforcement is looking at your plates, they see
that there's an active permit as opposed to the
or as an, an option.
Uh, uh, another option in addition to the sheets
that we currently have now.
Absolutely. Um, we are working on that right now
with the over the, over the counter solution.
Um, we are currently selecting the vendor for this project,
um, that will help, um, be able to do all those things.
Right now our technology system we're using is 10 plus old.
So everything you're building, it's like put together
with like glue and paperclips,
and so you can't really add anything on the new system.
We, we are getting will be able to flex
and adapt with new technology enhancements as they come out.
So virtual stickers, city stickers, uh,
digital daily passes, text alerts,
which will help cut down on paper cost, um,
to like a text chat box
where my data services team can like text from their
computers, you know, all these things to people that I know.
I hate to call and I just press zero
until I can talk to someone.
Uh, so I often will text support back
and forth with someone will be able to,
our team will be able to do that.
So that's gonna be another great addition.
Um, and we're hoping to kick off that project next year
after we have our vendor selection.
Uh, it, it never feels like we have
to press zero when we're calling your team.
They're always responsive. Oh, thank you.
They're always there for us. And I, I can't overstate
how important that is.
Um, and even just last year's budget,
I know we got some additional support.
You've been able to do great things with it.
Um, I'm thinking about the, the Bears, uh, coach Ben Johnson
who uses the, the poem good, better, best.
Um, is there something
that we can do to help you be at your best?
I think the biggest thing is helping me
with the change management of council, uh,
with council modernization, you all embracing that.
Um, helping us give feedback
for the final enhancements of how it needs to work.
Making sure your teams feel comfortable with the system.
We'll be providing a lot of trainings come out
to your office, we'll have videos.
Um, that will be the biggest lift, um,
next year is getting everyone onboarded
to go completely paperless by 2027.
Thank you. Thank you. Madam Clerk, thank you
to the folks in the box
and then also thank you
to the folks downstairs too. Thank you Mr. Chair.
Thank you. Thank you.
Uh, first off, uh, I'm, I'm gonna take a,
I'm gonna have vice chair come up
and, uh, conduct a meeting,
but, uh, just wanna
thank you for the work that you're doing.
You're representing the community as a resident, uh,
does me great pride to know that you're a member of the,
of the Ward and, uh, continue to work.
Uh, we had an opportunity to do one
of those city key events.
I actually got my city key cards, you know, but, uh,
but yeah, we just want to thank you for the work
that you're continue to doing to represent our community.
And, uh, with that, uh, I'm gonna ask, um, chairman, uh, Dow
for the next and then come on up.
Thank you, chairman. Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Good morning, Madame Clerk.
Good morning. I Thought you lived in another ward.
Oh no, I'm still on 28. Okay. Um,
To show love to many.
I know. Okay. Um,
and so in speaking of love, I just wanted to thank you
and your staff for helping us make the online small
claims, um, work better.
Um, it, that should be a real plus when it finally is, uh,
implemented fully.
Um, and it's going to be a great service to the city
of Chicagos who no longer will have to deal
with the paperwork.
And so thank you very much for your help there.
Um, I just have two short questions.
Um, are you able to offer a two year city sticker?
Is is that something you've thought about?
Yes, we have right now the two year city sticker.
The one year city sticker,
and then we have a four month reduced term city sticker.
And do you find that there's, um,
better compliance with the two year?
Yes, I do find that some people just don't wanna
have to think about it again.
Um, and come, I think a tiered approach also is wonderful
in anything that we're doing.
And I think we should even link look it up,
the fees we charge, like the $200 sticker ticket.
That's not, I don't oversee that, that's finance,
but is there another model
that we could look at where it's a tiered?
Because when you give people a tiered option of
payments, they'll make it.
So that's the biggest thing is people wanna come into
compliance, but they can't afford it.
So I think whether we look at business licenses,
tiered approach by how big your business is, I really think
that's the new way
to go forward if we want affordable options
of people to be in compliance.
Okay. And do you have you, so you have the authority
to set the price pricing for our city stickers?
I do not, do not. That is City Council authority.
So I, so the also, one thing
that I think we should look at is the CPI
for city stickers is every two years.
I think it should be every four years.
I might have been overruled, but every four years.
Because if you look at the start, the price
of the city sticker was around $82 when
I started eight years ago.
It's gone up 20% because A CPI is every two
and it's can be a max of 5%,
but it's based on, you know, the cost
of, of what's happening.
So with inflation so high,
it's hit 5% the last two, maybe three times.
So it's gone up 20%
and it's now over a hundred dollars
for a regular passenger vehicle.
And so I do think,
and what I've noticed is
that the revenue has stayed the same.
The only reason you're seeing the increase in revenue this
year from about a hundred and thirty four thirty 5 million,
which we'll probably hit around 140 million,
is one amnesty month, which was 1.6 million.
And that's expanding the pie.
So the more we can expand the pie
and get new residents, um,
that I think that's a better approach.
Uh, number two, it's
because of some of the VIN coder enhancements we've made,
uh, to more accurately price the vehicles.
And number, uh, three,
the price adjustments we made last year has
also increased the revenue.
So I do think for the city sticker,
it's gotten a a little pricey.
We decided this year the RMO
that we have is a, a senior freeze.
So we're freezing the price at $37 for seniors
and it won't be affected by the CPI
because that was also going up with,
uh, CPIs our senior prices.
So when we get this new OTC solution, new technology,
we should think about, um,
the pricing structure based on the make
and model that's all set by, um, city ordinance.
Okay. Uh, uh, just, uh, another thing I want
to throw at you.
Um, you know,
we're always thinking about new revenue sources.
If you have an electric vehicle, uh,
you don't pay taxes for when you go
to the charging stations.
You just charge, you pay the little thing
and then you go, um, I don't know how we could, uh,
maybe collect some taxes off of
electric vehicle charging.
And I was thinking about, uh,
maybe increasing the sticker
amount for that population of cars.
Can you give that some thought? I don't expect. Yeah,
I'm happy to look at that. And
again, that goes back to the price make and model.
Like it, it hasn't been touched since I've been in office,
so eight years and I don't know the last time it was looked
at maybe with the new, um,
when they had the technology come in.
But that's what we should look at.
I also, electronic electric vehicles are heavier
because of their battery.
So they do pay usually, typically more
because of their weight.
'cause the way we look as wait and wait and model the car.
So that's something we could think about.
I didn't even know that they didn't have to pay for a
Charge. Now you just go
to the charging stations, you
pay the charger for the electricity
that you're putting into your vehicle,
but you don't pay any taxes on that.
Whereas if you go to the gas station,
you're gonna pay a tax, gas
Tax. Yeah.
All right. Thank you. Thank you. Future doll.
Uh, chair Harris q
Um, I was rushing to get here so I could get down
and say wonderful things about our city clerk.
Thank you. And her wonderful, magnificent staff who works
so closely with me in my office.
I am appreciative to everybody who sits in the box
and makes life easier for me and my colleagues.
Um, how much we appreciate everything that you do
and the fact that you are available
morning, noon, and night.
Um, I really love you all, so thank you.
Um, I'm happy that we getting a new system.
I am really completely thrilled.
I think, uh, we've let you go a long way too long
and not to give you what you needed to push this through.
So super excited. I'm happy about Amnesty month
and I'm happy that we raised more money.
Do you think it's necessary
to maybe have other amnesty months to allow people
who haven't had the opportunity
or have been kinda lost in the whatever, to be able
to have the opportunity to come back
and have that opportunity
to get caught up without being punished?
Yeah, so I think we definitely, one of the RMOs is
for you all to give us authority to do an amnesty.
And so we would love to do another one next year.
We talked about doing two last year,
but it just was a lot of people power.
We just didn't have to put one of these on.
But I did like that we aligned
it with Department of Finance.
So the Department of Finance, I think did theirs
for three months, uh, for their parking, uh, ticket debt.
And we were able to kind of align together
for the, the first part of it.
And so I think that needs to happen.
I also would say there's a lot of business owners
that I've listened to, um, this summer
and spring about a lot of fines
and fees that they're getting
and their ability to not be able to pay.
In fact, I think one Chamber of Commerce
and Englewood told me they fundraise privately for some
of the businesses to have to pay some other fees.
But we are talking to BACP
and the commissioner seems really open to have conversations
and to hear how we can, um, help some
of our struggling businesses, especially in the time
that we're in right now with the Trump tear of
so many more things coming.
These businesses are, are getting hit.
And so I again, look at that model of affordability to pay.
So with the city sticker, you can get the two year, one year
or the four month and still get a part of amnesty on that.
We need to look at what other models
and other departments that could have,
How many people still have not paid
for their city sticker.
We don't have that data.
Um, we work with the Secretary of State's data,
it's refreshed like monthly.
But the last time we tried to mail the household,
it was just a lot of bad data.
So we still don't have the kind of data we need to do that.
Uh, but again, amnesty is the biggest way we can get people
to compliance by hosting this.
And I'm a big fan of Amnesty.
I wish that we should align it for you.
So if the Department of Revenue does it for three months,
you should have the opportunity to be aligned with them
and do it for the entire three months.
Um, so maybe that's something we need to work on, um,
as a city council to give you the authority to also be able
to do your amnesty program for the same time that,
Well, I think this RMO will allow us to have
that flexibility to make those decisions
and we'll be able to work with the budget department
and Department of Finance talk about that.
And this will be in your, in the budget package.
So with that, I wanna say thank you.
Uh, thank you for everything that you do.
Again, um, you and your staff are just simply amazing.
Appreciate you so much. Thank
You for your partnership.
Thank you Chair Harris. Uh, alderman Lopez.
Thank you chairman
and good morning members of the committee.
Good morning Madam Clerk.
Good morning to you and to your team.
First off, I just want to commend every, almost everyone
for wearing matching lapel pins.
It's very impressive. Um,
Those are actually from Alderman LeVar.
Um, his special pin he had,
You have a connection to Alderman LeVar Yeah.
And his PIN collection that we don't know about. Yeah.
May have a few more Sophie's watching. Thank you.
I'm sure he is watching, but no,
it looks very impressive sitting here.
Um, couple things I want to touch base on,
and oddly enough I'm not gonna start with animals,
so I'll spare you that one so you could switch to the page.
Um, last year in your remarks,
you mentioned that you were cutting half a million dollars
in spending from the budget last year.
And this year you are increasing your
budget. What's changed?
Um, the increase is actually, uh, most of my uh, members,
our team members are part of AFSCME Union.
So all their collective bargaining agreement, uh,
that is also in there.
Uh, the COLA and new salary compression study
adjustments are in that.
Okay. And then as we're looking at from one year
to the next, I know we were talking about, um, the amount
of revenue, uh, uh, that you were able to bring in.
Did we meet the marks in this year's budget
and are we actually expanding beyond that?
Because I know that as we were talking Monday, uh,
and I know I caught the tail end of it in, in one
of the previous, uh, alderman's remarks with regards to
like our, our vehicle stickers and other things.
Ernst and Young reports show that our sticker prices
among the highest and the least mobile in the nation,
but there's also other revenue sources
that we leave on the table.
Has any of that made its way into your budget
or your budgeting projections in terms of revenue, uh,
collection that your office can obtain for fiscal year 2026?
Yeah, so, um, our amnesty month, uh,
brought in 1.6 million.
Our enhancement of our tech enhancement,
which is a vin decoder that helps more accurately price, uh,
our passenger ve large passenger vehicles
that it brought in about 1.5 million.
And then the price adjustments
of our products last year brought in about
3 million this year.
So about 5.8 million was brought in, um, of new revenue.
Next year we still have a price adjust adjustment bump
of another $5 for the annual zone.
So that will probably bring in additional $2 million
projected, obviously we'll see what happens.
So we're gonna be very close to 140 million this year.
Um, not at the end of the year.
So we'll see again what happens.
And one of the things that I think we have room
to grow in is our amnesty program
because that's new residents.
So that's adding to the pie to grow the pie.
'cause we had 15,000 new, uh,
folks come into compliance this year.
So we're hoping with our amnesty again next year,
and as people kind of get used to like once a year,
we're gonna have amnesty month,
more people come into compliance.
'cause what I heard on the, when I was actually in Stephanie
Coleman's ward at a meeting about this, someone,
she was taking care of her elderly PA parents and had kids
and she's like, do I pay for groceries or I pay for rent
or do I get my city sticker?
And these are what people are choosing.
And so I know what choice I'd make.
And so if we can make this pathway to compliance
and affordability piece, more people will come in.
So I think that I, I would say was it roughly two years
ago that you, or three years ago
that we started having the city sticker broken up into
either quarterly or semi-annually
as well? Yeah, we still do that
2019, Is that still an option for individual?
Yeah. Yeah. The reduced derm. So that's $33.
Then we have the year and then then we have a two year
Thing. And are people availing,
availing themselves of that? Or is
Yes. We see a lot of people
taking advantage of
that, uh, option as well.
Okay. Um, the city key,
um, how much are we spending on City Key this year
For 2026, it's, uh, $1,719,733.
And when the program started, we were spending,
Uh, the first year was 925,000 172.
So I have two questions with regards to the city key.
One, I don't believe that we are allowing for City Key to be
as accessible to our residents as necessary.
I, for one known, we've tried to work with your office
and have been canceled numerous times.
But I also see that especially over the last two
and a half years with the migrant crisis,
this has become a priority for them
and not for our residents.
So I would like for your office to refocus its efforts
with the city key, uh, on being available to city residents
to Chicagoans first
and foremost, um, particularly our homeless
and those un long-term undocumented who needs something,
uh, that we can provide.
Uh, second, it's come to my attention that these city keys
as well, uh, expire, uh, every six months. Is that true?
No. It's every five years.
So that was a discussion that we had in a previous
budget conversation where there was an, an expiration
and a need to reapply, uh, for this key.
So I just wanna make sure that all of our com uh,
departments and individuals understand
that this key has a longevity
and that we're also, in terms of the five year marks, since
many of us have been here long enough
to now have expired original city keys.
I just found mine the other day, which is expired.
Um, but to be able to have a way that's cheaper to renew it,
whether like the city, uh, excuse me, the Secretary
of State used to do with like that
five year extension sticker
or whatever, as opposed to having to come in
and renew in person.
Maybe we could do something along those lines if our
information has remained the same.
Okay. Um, that's all I have.
Um, I think we have, uh, some other questions
that we'll provide through the chair,
but, uh, thank you, uh, for trying to find ways
to raise revenue through your office.
Yours is one of the few that actually makes
money for the city of Chicago.
So I commend you all for what you do,
particularly your enforcement agencies that come
and help us with our residential parking, which I know
is always a hassle and, uh, uh, to do,
but appreciate your efforts to do it
and look forward to finding ways to expand the base
of revenue that you have available to you.
We talked about the ev
but I'd also like to talk about down the road, not today,
um, but I know we charge for bicycles.
We have a bicycle tech that we, uh, tag
that we don't and fully enforce.
And with all of the investments that we do, um, I think
that it's time that we start looking
at some of that as well.
So thank you Chairman. Thank
You. Thank you.
Alderman Lopez, uh, we're gonna go
to Alderman Burnett.
Thank you. Um, Madam Clerk, it's a pleasure.
I think like everyone else here, um,
really appreciate the work that you do and your team.
The communication has been awesome for me
so far in the month and a half that I've been here.
And like everyone mentioned, it's just really exciting
to see a department that is focused on technology,
improving our systems
and making sure that life is easier for, uh, our residents.
So I applaud you for, um, leading that charge.
Um, my line of questioning will kind of also center
around the city key
because I do think it's a really cool opportunity, uh,
to show Chicago as a municipality,
be a leader in technology.
Uh, a having one card that allows everyone to have access
to, um, benefits across the city train systems,
but also that identification piece is really,
really fundamentally cool.
Uh, so on that note,
and I know Citykey is new, there are some other cities
and states that are working on a digitization effort
to have identification cards on phone wallets.
Is that something that is, uh,
in the consideration in the clerk's office of
how do we continue to progress
and be a technologically forward city?
Yes. I would love to do that first though.
Um, lemme give you, I, for those that aren't aware
or forgot, because this years felt like five years, uh,
we, last year this,
this council approved an online platform for citykey.
And that did two things.
One, it set up an appointment system, um,
which we are utilizing
and less lines where people can be staggered out and
'cause the lines were outta control.
Remember those days? And number two,
the online platform allowed you to apply online
and, um, have it be mailed to your home.
And so we were able to lift that off about a year ago, um,
get off the ground, but then
administrations chained federally.
And in June we were, uh, given a administrative subpoena
by the federal government for data.
Um, that was just not our department,
but in many other departments,
I wanna commend our corporation council.
They did an amazing job
and they were able to shut down that subpoena
and we did not have to hand over any data.
But when that happened, I had a lot of conversations
with council members, with community based organizations
and ask them, do you want me to pause the online platform,
meaning getting your city key
and having it be mailed to your home,
or should we keep going?
And it was about 50 50 on what people wanted us to do.
So we decided to pause
because we didn't wanna put anyone unintentionally in harm,
especially domestic violence survivors,
whose data we might have
and could be public, which could put them in harm's way.
So we did pause that effort.
So in normal times, any access with digital tools,
especially for people with disabilities, our seniors,
our families would be praised.
Uh, but here we are right now, so any digitizing
of Citykey is on pause for now
because, uh, we're we're still going in person,
we're still having events in person
because when we haven't events in
person, we do not keep a record.
We give all that information back.
And so we we're, we are, um, that's kind of
where we are unfortunately,
but hopefully in the future
that could be somewhere where we go.
Uh, we also are talking to Metro, uh,
before this was happening that we could
print city keys on the senior, uh,
reduced fare and for students.
So then now you'd have it as your reduced fare.
You'd have it as your, your library card,
your prescription discount card, and your government id.
So that was really exciting partnership
that we had in the works.
But again, here we are right now.
Yeah, I understand the nuance.
It's unprecedented times that we're going through right now,
so I appreciate your communication with the other,
with all the auditors on this process
and making these decisions, uh,
and continue on the city key piece.
I know local business partnership is a big portion of what,
uh, the offerings are.
Can you talk about how that partnership base has expanded
over the course of the origination of, of these keys?
Yeah, so we now have 90 business partners,
including the Chicago Fire
and the Chicago Sky that offer a discounted tickets as well.
Um, and discounts for, you know, muse Coffee Studio
to Momentum Coffee to Brown Sugar Bakery to, uh,
Molly's Cupcake or to Sweet Mandy b sorry,
sweet Mandy B's cupcakes, uh, to others.
We, and then we're also looking at
how can we have bigger partnerships, uh, with larger, um,
you know, sports teams.
Um, someone who recently, um,
had a child on my team said like diapers,
but things that our residents could really use, uh,
which I would second that
'cause all those prices are going up.
So we're gonna continue to think about
how do we make our business, uh, package even bigger so
that people who may not need the sneaky card
but are enticed by getting the,
our seniors love the sneaky card 'cause the discounts
and prescription discounts they get.
So we just have to keep thinking through that, um,
marketing it and getting the word out.
Awesome. Uh, I think it's a good opportunity
for our local businesses
to get more marketing and awareness as well.
So I'm looking forward to working with your team
to figure out how we can make it more
beneficial for everyone involved.
So thank you all for the work that you're doing
and with the C Key initiative,
and I'm looking forward to working with you all even more.
Thank you. And if any members
of the council have any businesses they'd like to bring us
that are interested, we can, uh,
have them do a quick DocuSign contract with us
and have them all over our materials
for free. Excellent.
Uh, alderman Wabe.
Thanks chair. Uh, good morning, city clerk.
Um, earlier you mentioned, uh, in terms of, uh, some
of the data that you were getting from the Secretary
of State, it was bad data and I know you don't control that.
So, um, the questions I have are more
around the city sticker
and then, um, how that works
with out-of-state plated vehicles.
Um, do we know the number of out-of-state plated vehicles
that re obtain the city sticker on an annual basis?
I do not. We, I don't know if we keep that.
I'd have to look at that
and see through the chair is fine. Yeah, through the chair.
And then, um, And just so folks know
that even if you have a different, uh, state license plate,
you can still register to get your city sticker.
'cause you, it's, you have a lease here,
you should get your city sticker.
Right. Um, so maybe along that lines,
if you can provide it through the chair, um, if we know
how many renew for the city sticker on an annual basis,
and then how many years in a row they, uh, renew
that sticker for out of state plates.
Um, and then also, um, do you do compliance coordination
with BACP on ride share drivers data?
So when we see an out of state, um, ride share driver,
which we, you know, you can see all the time just driving
around, um, do we track compliance
with BACP in terms of them getting a city sticker?
Because I think originally that was part of the idea was
to make sure that only Illinois drivers
are rideshare drivers as opposed to wherever California,
Texas, New York.
I didn't know that. Um, let me talk to, uh,
my Chief operating officer, Riley Boland.
Hi, um, Riley Boland, chief of Operations.
Um, we, we don't have a, uh,
a current mechanism that we would be able to integrate
with BACP to, uh, to track.
Uh, but with the new OTC SaaS, uh,
task order that we are, uh, currently working on, uh,
the functionality there would be able to, uh,
ideally integrate with other systems to, uh, help us,
you know, bring, uh, more people into compliance.
So in addition to BACP would also be like the Secretary
of State so that we could find the, the individuals
who are currently kind of outta compliance
and bring them into compliance.
Okay. Um, maybe for next year that's, uh,
if you could report back to us
or sometime over the next year, I'd be interested to see
what the potential loss of revenue is there.
And then, you know, because I, I look at it
and I see kind of, you know, there, to me it's a scoff off.
You're coming in from another state
and taking, uh, ride share possibilities from
somebody in Illinois, which is the original intent
of the ride share ordinance,
but also just on the out-of-state, um, plates.
You know, I thought that with the Secretary of State that
I think you can still have your car registered elsewhere,
but if you have a out of state plate
and you're, you know, you're getting a city sticker every
year and you've been there three, four
or five years, it would seem
that you've domiciled here in Illinois.
And yes, you're getting a, maybe you're from Indiana
and you're getting, you know, a third of the price on the,
on the state sticker.
But it would just seem, uh,
that we might be losing potential revenue there for people
who are, uh, not necessarily scoff laws,
but just not playing by the system like everyone else's.
So, okay. Maybe it's something to look at Brad through the,
um, uh, you said the OTC, so I'd be curious
to hear next year or the year
after how we're approaching that.
Okay, great. Thank you very much. Thank
You. I think there's other opportunity
too, alderman ipac too,
that my team's looking into folks that deliver here, like,
um, I won't say their name,
but that they don't register their vehicles
deliberately outside of Chicago.
Yeah. So that they don't have to buy city stickers.
Um, so that's something we're talking to BACP about as well.
Okay. And thinking about the law
and how we could regulate that too.
Yeah. And I know there's, you know, there's students who
kind of filter through every year
and their parents have their car registered elsewhere.
So I know there's some, some lines there that we don't need
to jump over, but there are some
that I think people have brought to us on a continual basis
that, um, it would be interesting
to see over time if we can get those people into compliance
and then perhaps that, you know, that kind
of funding it obviously goes into your budget.
So, um, I was just curious about
That. And the students, we
are looking at that too
with the new OTC system of being like,
could you do a student, uh, city sticker so they don't have
to pay for the full one year, they're not here for the year.
Um, they could do the reduced term,
but that's something else we're looking at
for, uh, college students.
Excellent. Okay. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Don't believe
that there are any other questions,
but I'll add a couple of comments just to say thank you.
Um, your office, you
and your office are always, um, so engaging
and I really appreciate that you, you know, invite s
to come be a part of these conversations
and all of the work that you're doing to make sure that,
you know, um, we're keeping up with pure cities as well.
Um, I echo everything about the amnesty.
I think we need more of that. I think it was really
successful, um, and,
and would look to have more of that
to benefit our residents at the same time.
But, um, in particular, I wanna thank the ci,
the city council division staff who are always here, um,
taking good care of us, making sure that we have all
of our devices, uh, logged in.
We, we really can't do what we do without you.
So, um, thank you to everybody, uh, as well as all
of the people that work downstairs.
Uh, I, I frequently come to come
and get residential permit parking dailies, um,
and I'm looking forward, not
that I don't wanna see your smiling faces,
but it'd be a lot more convenient once we get this, um,
and more of an electronic format.
So thanks and, uh, appreciate all the work that you all do.
Thank you City council for being excellent partners
and embracing council modernization.
Don't forget to have your passwords
and logins for all the council meetings,
but no, seriously, thank you
for being great partners. I appreciate it. Thank
You. Uh, the committee's
gonna stand at ease while we
transition to the next department.
Thank you.
Good morning everybody.
We're gonna reconvene our meeting here.
We have, uh, next up we have the Department
of Human Resources.
First, we're going to allow director Janice OTA Gray from
Kofa to provide their overview of the budget.
Thank you. Vice Chairman Lee Der. Persons and guest.
Good morning. My name is Janice Soda Gray, CAO
of Kofa.
We're gonna do a brief overview on the
Department of Human Resources.
The proposed FY 2026 budget
for DRH totals 12.96 million, representing a decrease
of 0.41 million or 3% from FY 25.
DDHR is 84.3% corporate fund supported
with the remainder primarily from other local funds.
The spending breakdown, we have non personnel of 0.7 million
and personnel of 12.26 million.
Workforce and staffing FTEs budgeted are 119,
that's three down from the prior year.
Looking at appropriations, we have personnel services
that represents the largest share of spending At 94.5%
of the total budget, contractual services had the largest
single category decline.
With the decline of 28.9%.
DHR appropriations remain the same
or decline when compared to the previous year.
Going down to the fund sources, DHR is locally funded
with the corporate fund at 84.3%.
Additional local funding includes the water fund,
vehicle tax fund, and both airport funds, midway and O'Hara.
All local funds increased year over year,
except the corporate fund,
which declined the grant management fund also declined
slightly historical appropriations.
DHR budget levels remained constant through 2022
when the past administration pushed
to ramp up the departmental budget for the 23 budget.
This spike was not totally
dependent on the pandemic funding.
Going to staffing DHR staffing budget mirrored the
appropriation budget with constant levels through 2022
and a staffing ramp up in 2023.
FTEs declined in the current budget by three
FTEs from the previous year.
This concludes CFA's brief summary for the Department
of Human Resources.
Thank you. Uh, director Ode Gray.
Next we're gonna have Commissioner Sandra Blakemore.
Good morning, vice Chairman Lee
and members of the City Council.
I'm Sandra Blakemore
and I'm the Commissioner of the Department
of Human Resources.
Thank you for allowing me to join you today to present
and discuss the 2026 budget for the Department
of Human Resources.
DHR is a partner
to the city's operating departments in hiring
labor relations, training, and employment policies.
The Department of Human Resources is composed
of four divisions, employment services, compliance,
strategic planning and administration, and policy
and labor relations.
DHRs Employment Services Division works together
with departments in hiring talent for the city's operations,
the Department of Human Resources Recruiters promote city
and employment at community job fairs, events
to raise awareness of city employment.
Our recruiters attended 29 job fairs and community events.
This year, our employment services division has screened
and processed 188,953 applicants.
Year to date through October in partnership
with operating departments.
DHR hired 3,708 employees year to date through October.
In partnership with departments,
DHR has led several measures
to streamline the city's hiring process.
We have reduced unnecessary testing over the past two years.
We cut 40% of employment tests.
In many cases, the cost
of administrating these tests outweigh the benefit,
especially when they slowed down hiring for critical roles.
By removing outdated
and duplicative exams, we've opened doors to more talent
and accelerated the hiring timeline.
DHR also moved key job titles to end interview assessments
to reduce time to hire DHR added QR codes
to our weekly city job slash to make applying
for jobs even easier.
This compilation of job postings was sent out to every ward
and other C City key, um, city stakeholders.
D R'S classification
and compensation section has led the work in skills-based
hiring initiative to expand access to city jobs
by updating all specifications
with the experience equivalencies.
Our compliance division oversees the disability office
and the equal employment, uh, opportunity Office.
We have strengthened our capabilities in the disability
office with a new disability officer and increased staffing.
Our EEO division investigates complaints across city
departments and has reviewed policies
and practices to ensure alignment with best practices.
Our strategic planning
and administration division oversees the department's
budget, information services
and training in partnership with the Department
of Streets and Sanitation.
LAUNA 10 0 1 and C-P-S-D-H-R expanded the
laborers training program.
This summer, the 12 week program gave a hundred recent CPS
graduates valuable work experience.
Our training section launched the first Citywide Employee
Performance Management program, which provides departments
with the tools and support for employee performance reviews.
We also developed a new onboarding training
to provide a stronger new employee orientation.
The Policy and Labor Relations Division provides guidance
to departments on labor issues, the city's personnel rules
and operating policies.
This year, our Labor Relations division work with me
to consolidate 27 titles into 14 titles.
This effort enables DHR to hire titles faster
through Universal Postings.
DH R'S 2026. Budget proposal is 13 million.
95% of the budget is personnel costs.
Our non personnel spending has funds targeted
for the Human Resources board, employment services,
and administrative operations.
DHR is committed to delivering the highest quality
of services to city departments and the citizens of Chicago.
I would like to thank the city council
and city departments
for their ongoing partnership and these efforts.
I would also like to thank our employees
for being diligent partners to city departments.
I'll now introduce my team
with me on the day is Katie Doyle, Dean, first Deputy,
and Raquel Rodriguez, Northern Managing Deputy.
In the box to the right is Carmen Rocha, deputy of Finance,
mark Pando, deputy of Policy.
Don O'Neill, director of Labor Relations, Judy Mars, deputy
of EEO and disability.
Dr. Dominique Johns, our EAP counselor.
Judy Martinez, deputy of Employment Service.
And Alex Maza, deputy of Is
and Records Chairman, this concludes my prepared statement.
My staff and I are pleased to answer any questions that you
or the members of the city council may have
regarding our department's 2026 budget.
Thank you Commissioner Blakemore.
We're gonna start with Chair Harris,
Good morning. Good
morning. Good to see you.
Um, first I'd like to give thank yous.
Um, I think that your department is often
invisible to you aren't.
So thank you for everything that you do, uh,
greatly appreciate you.
Um, in, in your opening remarks, you mentioned
that you cut 40% of the testing.
And so what policies
and procedures did you put in place that make it easier
for people to now apply for those same positions in the 40%,
uh, that you cut and
that it make any cost savings in your department?
Um, cutting the 40% really reduced, um, the time to hire
for those positions 'cause testing, um, normally took six
to eight weeks, so, um, that was a big savings in terms
of speeding up the hiring process.
Um, and then it mixed it, you know, we collaborated,
of course with, um, departments on the titles to ensure
that, ensure you we were aligned, um,
before we removed, uh, the testing.
Alright, I'm an easy button. That's it for me.
I want to thank you again for everything that you do
and appreciate all that you do for the City of Chicago.
Thank you. Thanks,
Chair Harris. Uh,
questions from Alders
Alderman Conway. Yeah.
Uh, commissioner Blakemore, I appreciate your, um,
uh, your remarks regarding
making onboarding more efficient.
Um, these adjustments, how much do you think
that they have shortened the time to onboard somebody?
We had, we had heard, and it may not be accurate,
that it takes nine months to onboard somebody.
How much has this shortened that,
if that's even the right number?
Um, yes. Um, the time to hire, um, has, um,
gotten better year over year in 2023.
It was 123 days to hire someone in 2024,
it was 116 days and 2025, it's 92 days.
And we put in three key strategies to improve the time
to hire across the city.
I just talked about, um, testing reduction. Mm-hmm.
And then we worked with AFSCME in consolidating titles.
So you no longer, for example, had four levels
of librarians.
It went down to two levels.
So, and, you know, taking out, um, you know, titles
that can speed up, uh, the hiring process.
Uh, and then we worked very well with our infrastructure,
uh, department partners in creating, uh,
nine new universal job postings this year, for example, um,
now you can post for a carpenter
and then, um, water could use that CDO could use
that two fm can use that job posting.
So that cuts, um, down on a lot of rework, uh, tremendously
by having these universal postings.
And we really appreciate the partnership
that we received from the infrastructure portfolio.
That's great. I Now, I noticed in your budget on onboard,
it looks like the number of onboarding specialists is going
from seven last year to five,
and that's in, um, uh, in under employee processing.
Do you think I, I have some concern just based on the
title of that position that that would cause some
that to go the other direction.
I just don't know how you respond to that.
Um, we have a six onboarding specialist.
We did, um, as a part of the, um, budget,
we reduced two vacancies in the onboarding area.
But I do feel that we will continue to provide, uh,
the service that we need for the, uh,
to fill the current vacancies for 2026.
Okay. Uh, madam, uh, vice chairman, that's all I have.
And thank you commissioner for your, for your focus on
that important issue.
Thank you. Thank you.
Vice Chair Conway, uh, alderman Robinson.
Commissioner, can you, uh, first of all,
uh, it's good to see you.
Um, thank you for the work that, uh, you
and your team are doing.
Uh, my first question is
how do we not miss
opportunities for competent staff at the City
of Chicago when it takes us,
from my understanding from other departments,
three to six months?
I, I think that Chairwoman Harris started this question.
I would just like you to circle back and so I apologize.
But how do we bring that timeframe down
where we're missing talented folks
because it's taken three to six months
to get them on board, is my first question.
Um, yes. Um, really our time
to hire has improved over the past three years.
Um, as I said, in 2023, it was 123 days.
2024, it went down to 116,
and now it's, um, for 2025, it's at 92 days to hire,
um, an individual from job posting
to the person being in the seat.
Um, so we feel that, you know, we,
we always wanna get better,
but we have done a lot of work over the past two years to,
uh, decrease testing, add more universal postings,
and consolidate titles to, um,
speed hiring up and the city.
We have a very good, um, internal mobility rate.
50% of our hires are people who are city employees moving
to new city jobs.
So that speaks to, um, the culture that we have
and the opportunities that we have
for our current city employees.
Thank you. Commissioner. Uh, I'll use CDPH as an example.
Are there specific departments within the city of Chicago?
Again, I'll use CDPH that should be able
to do this work internally.
So again, they can onboard staff
more quickly.
Um, well, hiring, you know,
when I look at hiring at the city of Chicago,
it really is the ultimate team sport.
It's not just DHR doing the work of hiring.
Uh, when you step back and look at it, first hiring starts
with O-B-M-O-B-M has to open up a vacancy, uh, enable
so that departments can hire into IT.
Departments decide what vacancy they wanna fill
and when they wanna fill it.
DHR does the job postings, creates the eligibility list
and provides that to the departments.
Departments, conduct the hirings
and make the conditional job offers.
And then DHR finishes up with the background checks.
So really you're looking at several touch points across
multiple, multiple departments for hiring.
Um, so I don't think additional decentralization would
help by having departments do everything themselves.
Uh, in fact, we're looking at centralizing more within the
Department of Human Resources so that we can, um,
add value to the timeline.
Thank you, commissioner. My last question is how, um,
is your office working with some of our sister
agencies, for example, city colleges
and Chicago Public Schools?
We have quarterly meetings with, um, the sister agencies,
which include CPS and, um, city colleges.
And I know, um, with certain departments, they may, um,
have courses at city colleges that help
with on-ramps into certain positions.
Commissioner, thank you very much. Thank you.
Thank you, alderman Robinson.
Next we're gonna go to Alderman Napolitano.
Thank you Madam Chair. Appreciate it. Hi Commissioner.
How are you today? I'm
Well, how are you? Very good,
thank you. I just got
a, a couple really quick questions.
Um, mine is, is based on, on the vacancies.
Um, and what I've noticed in, to be honest,
in the last 26 years working for the city,
that we have this large amount of vacancies, um,
that never seem to get to get filled.
Um, so my question is, is when we have these vacancies,
whether it's what, on that whatever department is,
do we have the ability through you,
through through the chair?
'cause this would probably be a, a task to find out
how many people have applied for what vacancies
that we have listed and how many people have been accepted
and for what reasons they have
been accepted or not been accepted.
Do we have the ability to get those numbers,
say LA last five years or so,
That might be a stretch
for our current information systems Alderman.
'cause I'm sorry, we're still working Gotcha.
Heavily, um, in Excel.
That's why I'm very hopeful
with this new enterprise resource planning system
that we're collaborating as a partner with DTI on
that we would be able to slice and dice this type of data.
But, um, it, it, it would be a challenge.
We can, you know, I would ha I'd be happy to look,
but it, it would be a challenge for the systems that we have
because of the way it's, uh,
it's just the way those systems are.
They're very, um, old and not as, uh, flexible. Okay.
Fair enough. And, and I,
I realize technology does limit that.
So if it's something we can look at possibly if there's,
if there's an avenue to getting that,
I would love to see that through the chair.
For, for me and my colleagues, we just get so many
of these app, these positions,
and I know a lot, a lot of people are applying to some
of these positions and we hear from in our office
that they've applied and they didn't get accepted
and, you know, and then sometimes it seems like these
positions go completely unfilled.
And I just like to see if there's, you know,
sometimes positions come up, but then budgets drop
and it's a different change and no one, I get that,
but some of these positions seem like they're purposely not
filled, doesn't fall on you,
doesn't fall on your department.
Um, but I, I think that's something we'd like to see.
I mean, in some positions
or some departments you have 4, 3, 4, 5, 600 vacancies.
Um, why is that?
And on our side, we know of people that are applying
for these jobs and not getting them.
So that's all I got. Um, commissioner.
So anything that you could do on
that avenue would be a great help to us sitting over here.
Okay. And I really appreciate that
and I do appreciate all that you guys do in your department.
It's, uh, it's quite, it's a tough department to be in
and you have to deal with the entire city.
So appreciate all you do. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Alderman Napolitano.
Alderman Waba, did you have questions? Go ahead.
Morning commissioner. Good morning.
Um, just a few questions on, um, you know,
just looking at the report that you had there, um,
can you tell us what the majority of the roles were
that were added the 37 additional employees from 2020 to 20?
I think it was 24 through 26.
It's, uh, about 40, 37 to 40 additional employees.
Like what, what is the makeup of what they do,
Uh, for the Department of Human Resources?
Yes. Um, that was a, um, in 2023,
there was an increase in employment services area
to add more recruiters, uh, to the department.
Okay. But for this year, for 2026 budget, we are losing,
um, three vacant positions as a part of the budget.
Okay. Um, when Ernst and Young
or EY came to Chicago, did you work
with them on the report that they produced?
Uh, we were, DHR was one of the departments
that was interviewed, uh,
participated in focus groups in a time in motion study.
Okay. So one of the things we've been talking about
for several years, or some of us have is, uh,
the duplication of HR work throughout
many different departments.
Some departments spend, you know, a million, 2 million
or more per department, um, on HR services.
And the EY report said that, um, the specifically said
that a significant number of budgeted positions of appear
to be noncritical, things like that, managerial span
of control emerged as a key area for improvement.
Your office or your department has, uh, one to, uh, four
employees, and that the back office functions,
including human resources, are decentralized
and inconsistently structured across several departments.
This leads to duplicated efforts, process inefficiencies,
and missed opportunities for budget optimization.
Can you talk about, um, what you spoke to about, with EY to,
um, change that change the existing system
to reign in those duplications
and inefficient expenditure of city funds?
Yes. The, um, EY report will be the foundation
for our strategic work next year for the Department
of Human Resources.
And, and I thought a lot, uh, this year over the, um,
decentralization versus centralization of DHR.
And I think I have a unique perspective
because I've been a, a commissioner
of an operating department,
and I'm currently commissioner of Department
of Human Resources,
and I see a lot of opportunity to centralize
more functions into the Department of Human Resources.
When you look at a comparable size city such as Houston,
they have 350 personnel within their
human resource department.
We have 119 staff
servicing 32,000 city employees.
So there's really an opportunity for us to, um, centralize
and put into the Department of Human Resources, more
of the functions from, uh, the operating departments.
How many other employees are there doing HR services
and all about other departments.
I don't have that information.
I think that's some information that needs
to be looked at across the departments.
'cause often the titles don't necessarily tell you
that the person is doing, um, human resource work.
Yeah, I was looking at quite a few of 'em
and, uh, you know, found some very interesting titles
that are, you know, doing things, um, for instance,
administrative hearings.
Um, they have a couple people doing, uh,
human resource consulting.
Um, I'm curious to know, how much do you spend on contracts
for outside human resource, um, uh,
capabilities, if anything?
I mean, we don't use consultants within, um,
the Department of Human Resources,
But the other departments do.
And I I don't have any, um, uh, awareness of that.
Okay. Well, that they do.
So the problem I have with this is
that you're doing the work.
You say you do policy.
We've been talking about this for several years.
We have decentralized human resource, uh,
staff throughout every department.
And to the tune of millions
and millions of dollars, I think EY confirms
what we've been saying for several years.
And at the on top of that, departments are hiring through
contracting for outside HR responsibilities.
And I just find this baffling
that we can't seem to reign this in.
So will your report that you're doing next year,
even though we'd like to see it this year, um,
or immediately done, will you report address these issues
of, uh,
Yes. That's
Both decentralized spending in the millions
that taxpayers don't need?
Yes, that's a critical issue with the, um, decentralized
decentralization versus centralization.
And I said I support moving more into the Department
of Human Resources
because I think it's a benefit to all of Chicago
to have a stronger Department of Human resources.
We can remove some of the, um, HR work from departments,
let them focus on their core competencies of doing X, Y,
and Z operations,
and we can be the leaders in human resources.
Okay. Well, hopefully we can see that within this year.
I know that ey, um, we had a, you know, a conversation
with them on a couple days or well, uh, this week.
And, um, it just didn't seem like we were getting anywhere
with, uh, the overall need to move quickly
and to act on what Alderman had been saying in this
council for many years.
So I hope you are able to do that.
And then finally, um, I'll just throw in there,
I'm still waiting for my ward soup, and it's been three
and a half months going on four months,
so hopefully we can get that ironed out quickly.
Thank you very much. Mm-hmm.
Thank you. Waiting on the war suit.
Uh, must be something wrong with her.
I'm just messing with you. All right. Very well.
You can't drive, I mean, hey, we, we sometimes we folks in
as our own war suits, uh, getting out there, getting down
to dirty in these alleys, you know, you have,
we have third world problems, you know, in, in some
of our communities, but, we'll, we'll, we'll get there.
Um, next advice, sir, do you have anything?
Uh, yes. Just real quick, um, most
of my questions were already asked.
I just, we, we've talked a lot, um, also about span
of control, and I know that that's sort
of done more department by department,
but could you just opine a little bit on
how a more centralized HR department might be able to,
um, reign that in a little bit more?
We do look at, uh, spans
and layers, uh, with when we review positions, um,
at departments, but usually it's within a section.
Our, we have a whole, we have a classification
and compensation section that are experts in that work.
But I think what we wanna do now is pull back
and look at whole departments,
because there are some departments
that just have too many layers.
And so that will be the focus of our work in 2026.
Thank you. Um, through the chair, are you able to provide,
um, even if it's just a point in time breakdown of, um,
vacancies by department this year?
Uh, we can, but vacancies really controlled by the Office
of Budget Management,
but we can, um, work with them to get you,
You can work with them to get that.
I think this is just kind of piggybacking on what, uh,
my colleague Alderman Napolitano is asking about.
Um, you know, we do get people that will apply
for positions at the city,
and sometimes they don't hear back one way or another.
So I mean, that's, that's more of a, you know,
whatever we can do to improve communications even.
It's just to notify folks, um, where they stand
or if they, they haven't, uh, gotten the job.
Um, or if their application just, you know, they,
they weren't even eligible for an interview that would be,
um, most desirable.
Um, as, as people, um, you know, we refer people constantly
to the, to the city website, um, for jobs.
And, um, we just wanna make sure that we're,
we're closing the loop with folks. Um,
Yes. And we, um,
DHR does send out communications if you're not,
if you don't get onto the eligibility list.
But departments handle
that communication if someone is rejected
after the interview stage. Okay,
Great. Um, and
I do wanna just give a, a shout out
to the partnership with the CPS and Streets and Sands.
Um, we really, a couple of really great young men, uh,
work in the 11th ward with our ward superintendent.
I think that's a great program. I think whatever we can do
to create more, um, like that where we, uh,
are bringing in young people
and creating a pathway to full-time jobs, uh,
I think is a really, uh, great effort.
So thanks for all that. You all do appreciate it.
Every time I call for anything, when I do need to, uh,
reach out to somebody, uh, you're very responsive.
So really appreciate all
of you for all the work that you're doing. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. Vice chair Lee Altman. Scott,
Good morning. Good
Morning, commissioner. Um,
I have one question.
Um, what programs are in place, if any, um,
for retention for employees?
Uh, we've had different departments
that have a high turnover rate.
And so do you, do HR do any kind of programs
for retention for our CO or for our employees?
Well, when you look at the numbers across the city,
our attrition rate is very low.
It's 5%. And we have a high,
very high internal mobility rate.
Like I said, 50% of our hiring is city current,
city of Chicago employees moving into new, uh, positions.
So we feel that we do have a culture that is,
if you wanna call it sticky,
that when people get into the city, they see
that there's opportunities across a variety
of experiences that they can move into.
So, um, we don't specifically have, um, retention
programs 'cause we feel that, you know, right now the,
the culture is, uh, performing very well.
So even the departments just say, um, D case, for example,
who've had such a high turnover.
Is it anything that you, that you do cross, um, departments
or programming to help facilitate, um, in that department?
Well, actually, um, with dks we're working with the new,
um, acting Commissioner Merit,
and, um, we are providing, um, a host
of foundational training that can help, uh, the department.
We are having our EO uh, trainers come in,
our labor relations training.
Uh, and then there will also be a separate time
and attendance training to give them some fundamentals
to have a good, uh, start with the new acting Commissioner.
Thank you. That's all that I have.
Thank you all. Ms. Scott. Uh, sdo.
Thank you Chairman. Good morning,
commissioner and friends.
Uh, always a pleasure. Uh, first off,
appreciate your responsiveness to me.
I know I call you kind of often, at least it seems like it
and you always respond and you
always know I'm looking for something.
So I appreciate it. Uh, thank you. Quick question.
I know we're, we touched on, uh, about, um,
little quicker turnaround and,
and I believe there's a reason we can't turn around quickly,
so, um, 'cause we have to investigate these people.
So do you,
do you just refer people like I'll use like police
and fire for example, you just referral list.
Do you scrub 'em for anything more
than the do not hire list?
So when you give them a referral,
do you do any scrubbing other than if they're on
the do not hire list or not?
Uh, PSA handles the processing for, uh,
public safety positions.
So DHR is not, uh, involved with that. Oh,
Okay. So you don't you,
but you refer a list to them?
Yes, yes. And,
and in that list, do you scrub
for anything other than the the do not hire?
No, we give the referral list over to the Office
of Public Safety, and then they're the ones who do the, um,
onboarding and they do all of the background checks.
They usually, they're doing it through their IAD
or, um, BA Okay.
BAI sections.
Um, we are checking the ineligible for rehire list,
but that's the only component of the background check
that we do for
Yeah. Public safety
positions. Yeah.
And in this world we live in
today, you can't be careful enough.
I know we all like to see it happen quicker and,
and my colleague touched on, uh,
if we could get a little bit better with letting people know
that, sorry, we're not interested in you for the job
because they obviously call us
and say, I applied 2, 3, 6 months ago.
I didn't hear anything. Um, is there any departments that
you guys, other than refer to them, like let's say Streets
and Sand, for example, do you give them a referral list
and they take it from there?
Or do you say you can hire these,
you know, 10 people or whatever?
Um, no, with other departments, um, you know,
we provide them a list of candidates, um,
who have the minimum qualifications for the position.
Okay. And then you guys scrub them for criminal or,
or financial or whatever? We do
Background checks. Um,
Okay. Yeah. So you need, you
need people to do that
and that's, that's why sometimes these
processes take a while.
Um, but that's it, that's all.
I just wanted to double check on that.
Appreciate you, appreciate all your, all you do.
And, uh, we'll be seeing,
we'll be talking to you soon, I'm sure.
Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Uh, thank you all this Aldo.
Any other questions for the DHR? Okay.
Uh, from the conversation testimony today, it looks
as if there, there needs
to be a move towards centralization in a lot of departments
to do what they do best and is not hr, um,
working in on their respective, uh, functions, uh,
centralization, a will, I believe save us time, effort,
energy and resources in, uh, moving people
through their processes in a, uh, in a cleaner
and more timely fashion.
So to the extent, and I think it is also documented in the
EY report, look like you all are making strides as far
as the positions and giving, uh, people, uh,
cross departmental, uh,
as you talked about carpenters reducing the number
of steps in a, in a particular title.
Uh, those are things I think that are all, uh,
key in moving in the right directions.
Um, I think when you inherited a system
that was basically a bunch of silos
and now you're trying to break those silos down to make it,
uh, more into the reality of today versus
what it was 30, 40 years ago.
So again, um, you, you have our support in,
in making those things happen.
And, uh, we look forward to your continued work and
and effort on bringing us into the 21st century.
So thank you. And with that,
the committee will stand in recess until the conclusion
of our 11:00 AM budget committee meeting, which will,
uh, begin shortly after we get a switch over from,
uh, Komal and Company.
And we will have to reestablish, we'll establish a quorum
for our 11 o'clock meeting.
And then when we finish that meeting, we'll come back
to our subject, our, uh, budget committee, uh, meeting.
So, okay, so this committee will stand a recess
to the conclusion of the 11:00 AM budget committee meeting.
Good morning. The regular meeting
of the committee on the budgeted government operations
scheduled for 11:00 AM will come to order.
Uh, we will establish a quorum with alders, uh,
Irvin Lee, Lata do Robinson, Yancy Harris,
OSHE, Burnett Cardona Spto
Nugent, I got him.
Napolitano
Quinn and Mosley.
15 members being present,
16 members being present.
Uh, we have a quorum. Uh, we'll begin. Uh, public comment.
Uh, I have one public comment
or any others, uh, prepared for public comment today
or would like to make public comment for this meeting.
Okay, with that being said, um, chairman,
I'm on, this is Deborah Silverstein.
I got you. Gimme a second.
Um, we're gonna have a public comment by, uh,
one public commenter George Blakemore.
Mr. Blakemore.
Yeah, they can go back now if they
Want. Good morning
chairman. Okay.
And to the staff
and to the Alman,
we have one public, uh, speaker.
How did you reach out
and inform the citizens
about this particular meeting?
When you don't know better, you do better.
So with all you
or Ultimates, your primary job is
to educate your constituents.
And Mr. Ys is sitting down talking to the, the,
the white lady over here.
I think she's the only white lady Altman that's here
instead of this other, uh, white Jewish lady.
So again,
what's your job?
Chairman? Chairman, I'm telling you your job,
and you, you might not agree.
You might think that you're a political hack,
but your job is, is, is a educator
to inform your constituents.
You want, you want to have an enlightened constituent.
You don't wanna have a meeting, but that nobody shows up
but you and the other alt
you part of civics.
Do you come where all of you, all of you, all of you,
your job is to educate, inform, enlighten,
and engage your constituents.
Now, why didn't you do that?
What motivated you to not do that?
Are you a political hat
or are you a public servant?
This is disgraceful.
And when the people don't show up, you can take advantage
of your job.
You didn't know your job was you just like a teacher, sir,
all of you, all of you are like teachers.
You must educate, inform, and enlighten your constituents.
And if, I don't know, you supposed to help me, you supposed
to show me, but you keep me dumb.
Uninformed, unengaged where you can do your corruption.
When the people don't know any better,
they can't do any better.
You, all of you. This is disgraceful.
This is un-American. This is not democratic at all.
Having one public speaker,
what motivates you to do things like you do each one
of you Altimas.
What? Money,
power, grieve.
Now, uh, Conway, you, they say you the
Thank you, uh, Mr. Blake Boyer for your comment.
We also wanna recognize Alders, uh, Scott
and Conway for the purposes of quorum.
We also have a Rule 59 request from
Alderman Silverstein can get a motion to, uh, and
Alderman Moore.
Okay, for, uh, alderman Silverstein and Alderman Moore.
Uh, so moved by Alderman Dowell,
all the favors seconded by saying aye.
Any opposed? Any appearing that chair ayes have it.
And both alders, uh, Moore
and Silverstein will be added to the role of,
of virtual participation.
Alright, the committee will now vote
to approve the monthly Rule 45 report for September, 2025,
which was transmitted electronically to all members.
Can they get a motion to accept?
So moved by Alderman la spot.
All in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed?
And appear the chairs, the ayes have it.
And the, uh, we will, uh, file that matter.
The committee will now move to consider item number one
of our agendas of communication, recommending adoption of,
I'm sorry, item number two, I'm sorry.
Item number two, proposed ordinance
concerning the redevelopment agreement
with 50 50 Prairie LLC
to provide neighborhood opportunity fund assistance
for mixed use development at 50 56 through 50 44
and 50 46 South Prairie in the third ward,
we have, uh, Mr.
Bumpers from DPD to make the presentation.
On behalf of the department, you may
proceed. Thank you, chairman.
Good morning, chairman Irvin
and members of the Committee on Government, um, budget
and government operations For the record,
my name is Robert Bumpers,
financial Planning Analyst in the Department
of Planning and Development.
I'm here today to request your approval
of a redevelopment agreement between the city
and KLY development LLC for the purpose of
authorizing $4,339,060 in NOF funding.
The NOF grant will be used for the, in the creation
of the 50 50 Prairie Project,
which will be a 66,000 square foot mixed use development
containing market rate apartments
with onsite affordable residence,
residential ordinance apartments, as well
as a commercial space for a new restaurant.
The subject property is located at 50 40 50 56 South Prairie
Avenue within the Grand Boulevard community area.
In the third ward, Southeast planning region,
Alder Woman Dowel supports the project
property is located at the northwest corner
of East 51st Street and South Prairie Avenue shown here.
Shown here is the property in its current condition.
The property is currently vacant.
The project team is led by Carrie Young, co-founder
and CEO of KLY development.
The team also includes general contractor Carlson
Construction, 1919 architects
and a new restaurant by Kaela Canard
of Let's Eat to Live.
KLY development is proposing the redevelopment
of the property into a 66,000 square foot mixed use
development containing 44 market rate apartments
and five onsite a RO apartments with a commercial space
for a new restaurant that will stimulate development in an
otherwise undeveloped community by providing housing
and retail options.
Total project cost is approximately 15
and three quarter million dollars.
The project will be financed by a combination of equity debt
and the requested NOF grant shown here as a site plan,
it's an exterior rendering of the completed project.
If approved, the redevelopment agreement will reimburse the
developer for up to the requested NOF
eligible construction costs.
The construction reimbursement will be
provided as three progress payments
during construction and a final payment.
Upon the issuance of the certificate of completion,
the city's investment will be protected
by provisions in the RDA.
They require the project to be occupied for occupied
and operating for no less than five years.
If these conditions are not met, the city has the right
to recapture previously dispersed funds.
Additionally, the developer must achieve the typical
construction compliance requirements of prevailing wage MWBE
and City Residency.
Overall, DPD is highly supportive of the proposed project.
The grant will aid in the community
and the activation of a vacant parcel provide housing,
retail, and increased property taxes.
Thank you for your favorable consideration of this request.
I am joined here today by Carrie Young of KLY development,
and we are happy to answer any questions that you may have.
Thank you, Mr. Bumpers. Uh, Altman down anything?
Yes. Thank you Mr. Chairman. Uh, first I want to thank Mr.
Bumpers for his work on this project.
I want to thank, uh, Carrie Young
and KLY for, uh, the investment into the
Grand Boulevard Bronzeville community.
Um, and you know, also to acknowledge his patience
as we've tried to move this project over the finish line.
I ask, uh, the committee to support this effort.
It is a transit oriented development
near the 51st Street, uh, green Line Station,
and it is a catalyst for the redevelopment of 51st Street.
Uh, so I asked for favorable
consideration by the budget committee.
Thank you Al Mcow. Any other questions?
We do pass Alderman, I'm sorry, hold on. Hold your motion.
Uh, alderman Conway. What was,
What was the unit count again? I'm, I'm
Sorry, I missed 44.
44, yes.
44 units and five a RO units. Offite.
Wonderful. All right, thank you.
Yeah, I I join in my colleague's motion.
Alright, uh, commotion by, uh, both Alderman Lopez
and Alderman Conway.
Uh, moved through. Pass al the favor.
Seat of depart saying aye. Any opposed?
Any appear that says the ayes have this matter will be
reported out our next city council meeting on this Friday.
Congratulations, Altman, do congratulations, uh,
to the development team.
We look forward to, uh, checking out the new joint. Sure.
Alright, thank you Mr. Bumpers.
Uh, the committee will now consider items three to 10
of our agenda, which is our transfer of funds ordinances.
Substitutes have been proposed for three
of the eight transfers towards 10, 13 and 47.
Uh, can I get a motion to accept the substitute ordinances?
So move bottom and La Spota.
All in favor sign by saying aye. Any opposed?
Independent cha And the substitutes are now before us.
The committee transfers, uh, are as follows, A transfer
of funds within the TIFF Ward Wage
and Automatic expense account.
12th Ward, uh, wage allowance and automatic expense account.
13th Ward wage allowance and automatic expense account.
43rd Ward, wage and allowance
and automatic expense account, the 44th Ward wage allowance
and automatic expense account, the 47th Ward wage allowance
and automatic expense account,
and the transfer of funds within the committee on zoning
landmarks and building standards
and a transfer of funds within the Committee on
Environmental Protection and Energy.
Any questions? Your motion?
So move bottom and Lopez All in favors. Barbara saying aye.
Any opposed? Any opinion?
The chairs, the ayes have it in this matter.
Will, will be reported out at our next city council meeting
on November 14th.
Uh, there being no further business
before the committee can get a motion.
The General So move by Alderman Quinn.
All in favor, Sigma of saying aye. Any opposed, chair? Aye.
This meeting is adjourned.
All right. We will return to our
budget hearings for the 2026, uh, annual appropriation.
Uh, we have before us, the Board of Ethics
and the Executive Director of Steve Berlin.
Uh, prior to that we'll have a brief overview from Chloe
from our COVID team,
after which we'll have, uh, Steve Berlin, uh,
make his introductions and introduce those that are with him
and give his, uh, do an opening statement on him.
Yes. Just short along.
Uh, Alright.
And then he'll give us open a statement
and then we'll proceed in the questions. Chloe?
Thank you, chairman. Good morning, chairman Irvin,
vice Chair Lee and the members of the City council.
This is Chloe e Maine with the Council Office
of Financial Analysis.
I'm here to provide a brief summary of the Board of Ethics
for fiscal year 2026.
The board of AS six has a proposed budget of $0.93 million.
That represents a 6.1% decrease from fiscal
year 2025.
The department is fully corporate funded
with $0.87 million allocated for personnel
and $0.06 million for non-personnel expenses.
Staffing remains steady at a full-time equivalent positions
looking at the more detailed breakdown
of appropriation by category.
So only decrease is in personnel services
by 6.65%.
Now looking at the 10 year trend, the Board
of Essex budget has remained relatively stable, fluctuating
between 0.8
and $1.0 million since FY 2017.
And as stated previously, it is fully corporate funded.
Also, the staffing level has also remained stable,
keeping at a full-time equivalent positions
for the past 10 years.
This concludes COFA summary. Thank you.
Thank you, Chloe, Director Berlin. Thank you Mr.
Chair. Uh, good morning, chair Irvin
and Honorable members of the Committee on Budget
and Government Operations.
I'm Steve Berlin, the executive director at the Board
of Ethics, and I appreciate the opportunity
to address you now in our 38th year, the board
of ethics administers interprets and forces
and recommends changes
to the city's governmental ethics ordinance.
We promote integrity and accountability in city government
by giving thousands of pieces
of confidential advice annually, educating city employees
and officials, vendors, lobbyists
and others subject to the ordinance,
regulating their conduct
and enforcing the ordinance
by adjudicating cases involving apparent ethics violations.
The board has five major program areas.
The first is education.
To date 92% of the city's employee workforce, 65%
of the city's appointed officials, 47 elected officials,
including 45 older persons
and all registered lobbyists have completed their required
2025 online ethics training program created
and administered by our agency.
The deadline for employees
and officials to complete that training is before January.
The first violators are subject to daily $250 fines
and having their names and violations made public.
We found 58 employees
and officials in violation of the law for failing
to complete their 2024 online training
and find them a total of $8,500.
That I'm happy to say is a vast improvement.
Over the previous year when we found 162 employees
and officials in violations
and assessed $16,100 in fines,
we found eight lobbyists in violation for failing
to complete their online training program
and find them a total of $1,500.
Our three new all, uh,
our three all new online programs will be available in March
of 2026.
Since May of 2024, we resumed twice weekly in-person classes
for the classes for the approximately 3,600 employees
and officials required to complete them.
As we suspended classes during the pandemic to date,
3,100 have attended
and those classes will continue through 2026.
We revise all educational programs annually
and all of our educational training programs
cover sexual harassment.
We also offer personalized training for community groups,
ward offices, vendors, and city departments upon request.
And we have 37 educational guides on our website
and we update those regularly.
The second most important program is
confidential guidance or advice.
In my decades with the city, I will say
that the most effective way to prevent misconduct
and foster a culture of ethical conduct is to enable and,
and encourage people to seek confidential
advice before they act.
Thus, our advisory function, coupled with education,
is our most critical responsibility.
Since November, 2024, we've issued 4,132.
Confidential informal advisory opinions.
80% went to city personnel.
Uh, we issued the most to city council, followed
by the mayor's office, and then the
Chicago Police Department.
11% went to lobbyists or potential lobbyists.
The remainder went to attorneys, contractors, candidates,
and campaign contributors.
We issued one formal opinion as required by law.
We publish all formal opinions on our website
with confidential information redacted.
That's a common practice
among governmental ethics agencies in North America.
We have a searchable index
and a summary of all 926 plus formal opinions
that have been issued by the board since its
inception in 1986.
It includes links to all those opinions, full texts.
Anybody who receives a board opinion can rely on it in the
event of an ethics investigation.
We work with other city departments
and sister agencies on their own ethics policies.
We meet regularly with ethics officers from the city's
sister agencies, the CTA, the CPS City colleges,
C-H-A-M-W-R-D, park District, cook County Assessor,
and Cook County Board of Ethics to discuss matters
of mutual concern.
Third program is financial disclosure.
4,026 employees
and officials have to date filed annual statements
of financial interests.
We distribute, collect,
and make these publicly available on our website.
Going back seven years in 2025, we found 96 employees
and officials in violation of the law for failure
to timely file those
and assess a total of $8,500 in fines in 2026.
We will again work with all
of our ethics liaisons in each department and ward office
and city council committee to attempt
to ensure maximum compliance.
Fourth program is lobbying regulation.
All individuals who lobby city government have to register
with the board annually.
There's a $350 registration fee
and a $75 fee per client after the first.
But the board waives these fines for those
who register on behalf,
or those who lobby on behalf of not-for-profits.
And then they have to file quarterly activity reports.
Currently 790 individuals are registered representing more
than 3000 clients.
We've collected 363, uh,
do 363, 420 $5 and 25 20 25.
Registration fees
to date in 20 25, 100 lobbyists were determined
to have violated the ordinance for failure
to timely register or file activity reports.
And we have assessed so far $22,250 in
fines for such violations
and made all violators names and fines public.
In fact, just recently, quarterly, uh,
third quarter reports were due
before October the 21st last week on November 7th,
we find seven lobbyists
and suspended their lobbying rights until they comply.
Also note that the city's lobbying laws changed
significantly in the summer of 2024.
And the board has a published guide
to the changes to these laws.
The last program is enforcement.
Uh, we have two types of enforcement.
The first is adjudications
of Inspector General Investigations.
Since November the first of 2024,
the Inspector General has submitted 11 completed ethics
investigations to the board.
The board has found probable cause in nine two
of these will be taken up, uh, at our meeting next Monday
for probable cause findings.
Subjects have a right to meet with the board to attempt
to reverse any probable cause finding.
If they are unsuccessful,
then the board can find violations, assess fines,
and publicly settle matters,
or the parties can proceed
to a confidential administrative hearing,
after which the board will make a final determination based
solely upon the hearing's written record.
In one of these cases, uh, the board determined
that the subject committed a a minor violation in 10 cases,
including some that were still pending as
of January the first of this year, the board voted
to determine that the subjects had violated the law
and assessed a total of $139,500 in penalties.
In total, the board also dismissed one matter that had gone
to a confidential administrative hearing.
And all of these cases are described in
detail on our website.
The last type of enforcement are board
generated enforcement actions.
The board finds probable cause
and this is a confidential finding
where evidence made available to it
or in the public domain indicates
that the ordinance might have been violated,
but no factual investigation
by the Inspector General is needed.
After the board makes that probable cause finding,
which is not a finding of a violation,
the board affords the subject the right to rebut
that finding and they can meet
with the board confidentially with counsel.
If that finding is not rebutted,
the board can find violations
and publicly settle those matters for fines
or if no settlement is reached,
make its determination public
and oppose impose appropriate fines.
All final board determinations are appealable
to the Cook County Circuit Court, the chancery division
since November 20, 24.
The board has handled two such cases in one.
The board determined that the subject committed a minor
violation of the law.
In the other, the board found probable cause it met
with the subject and the subject's counsel.
Uh, in that matter, we do expect the board to take
that up at next Monday's meeting
and make a determination as
to whether the subject violated the law.
All of these cases are also described in detail on our
website, consistent
with the board's confidentiality requirements,
detailed information about all enforcement matters,
and a guide to ethics enforcement procedures are available
on our website and updated regularly.
And names are made public only as permitted by law.
And with that, I welcome your questions.
Thank you, uh, director Berlin.
Any questions for, uh, director Berlin?
I'm Lopez.
Thank you Chairman and members of the committee.
Sorry, changing real estate here. Um, welcome director.
Thank you to you and your, uh,
I forgot to introduce my staff.
Oh, That's bad ahead. Can I let me, I'm sorry.
Please let me do that. Sitting next to me is Doha Jackson,
assistant to the director.
In the witness box is Lauren Mantis, our deputy director,
and Lina Bailey, our program director.
I'm, I'm sorry for that oversight.
Well, there just went the whole tone of my comments now
that you forgot your staff.
Um, no thank you to you
and your team, uh, especially keeping on all of us to be,
uh, compliant with our, our ethics and our training.
Um, try to do that very well.
Um, but I have a question for you.
I don't think it's really a budget question,
but I have a que an ethics question nonetheless.
Um, and it's, I feel like we're entering uncharted territory
right now in government,
in politics, you name it.
Because so much is evolving as we speak.
In your opinion, do you feel as though we are addressing
that evolution in a way that keeps our ethics
and principles above board?
Or are we kind of floating adrift from
where our ethics ordinance is versus to
where democracy is taking us in this moment?
And like by way of example, you know,
we see the rise of social media.
I know that's always been a challenge for ethics
and this body to understand how to bifurcate
personal social media versus, uh, professional.
But we're also seeing where our actions both personal
and professional, are really skating
down that narrow line in a very dangerous fashion.
So I would just like a, a moment
or two for you to opine on where you think we're at
and what you would suggest us needing to do to help clarify
that, uh, in a way that keeps us all above board.
Well, that's a, that's a good, that's a good
and kind of a long, I could,
I could give a very long-winded
answer, but I'm not gonna do that. You've
Got two Minutes. I, I will just, uh,
as far as, as far as social media goes,
I will just say that, um,
the Supreme Court issued an opinion,
actually two opinions in March of 2024.
Um, the main opinion being the Lin Key versus Freed case,
which arose out of, um, case a federal case in Michigan.
And, um, I don't know that the Supreme Court has formally,
uh, in a sense ended all, uh, potential challenges to people
who feel that they've been improperly blocked.
But they did clarify the law substantially.
So I don't see that social media right now, at least
that aspect of it is a major problem.
That said, um, as you know, everything we do, um,
can be filmed and everything
that's filmed gets put on social media.
So one of the things that the board has, uh, explored
and is actually recommended to the city council is to, is
to add a provision to the law.
And this is in our recommendations
that we made both in 2019,
last year when Mayor Lightfoot took effect.
And, um, in 2023 when Mayor Johnson took effect is
to add a provision
to the city's governmental ethics ordinance,
which would be kind of analogous to fiduciary duty,
which is misuse of authority.
Um, and there are some other jurisdictions that have that.
And, uh, I would be happy to expound on that.
And if I may, is the misuse of authority provision is
that what's sitting in, that was in that multi
sectional ordinance
that is currently just sitting in the
rules committee? That's
Correct. That's where it is,
yes. Okay. Yes.
And we've gone, I will say that we've gone through, uh,
numerous drafts of that, and
that was the latest draft that we had.
So, and we submitted that, uh, I believe in January of 2024.
Okay. I think, uh, it was resubmitted by myself as well
with others who have been trying to get the committee
to take some of that up.
Um, but I think, um, I appreciate,
and I hope that many of our newer members, uh,
avail themselves of your service in the land
of the hypothetical, um, as well as review what's possible,
because I think that allows many people
to avoid pitfalls thinking
that they're doing things correctly and not.
Um, but I would, um, hope that we could find
as we're moving forward, uh, a way to enact some
of the things that you have oftentimes talked about.
Because I think the fact
of the matter is when you have an ordinance
that has multiple, um, ethics enhancements
at a time when we've actually seen
the moral license go the opposite direction from individuals
who claim to be above politics as usual
and then slip backwards, you know, we need to figure out how
to institutionalize exactly what you've been saying.
And the fact that the same ordinance has been introduced
twice over almost a five year span, shows that
this body hasn't taken it at your recommendations
as seriously as we should.
But I hope that we can move forward with some,
even some of those items.
For example, what you just referenced would be at least a
good step in the right direction.
So thank you for at least continuing to push thank you
to your team for keeping us honest and above board.
Um, and thank you for updating your training modules, um,
that I see when we talk about Alderman from the 51st Ward
and, and your scenarios.
Because when I first was elected, I,
it was like looking at the Tim Evans jury duty
video from the 1980s.
Um, but I'm glad that they're more relevant now. Thank you.
Thanks Alderman Lopez. Thank you.
Any other questions for ethics?
Nah, you don't need to go again.
Think you've, uh, think you've set a record, uh, for our,
for our hearings this time.
Again, uh, we know your, uh, your work is, uh, different
and, um, um, I, I think though we have, uh,
utilized you in a, in a way
to help keep everybody above board.
So we appreciate the advice that you continue to give, uh,
members of council and members of the, um,
of the executive branch as well.
Um, as they say, Hey, no news is good news.
So just keep doing what you're doing, uh, with
that committee will stand at ease while we bring chairman,
our next department Chairman, I'm sorry,
chairman, can I just say?
Sure. Uh, go ahead. Alderman Silverstein,
Honestly, I, I don't have a question,
but I do just wanna say thank you Steve.
Um, you are always there for me whenever I need it.
Uh, answering any questions And I truly appreciate, um,
you getting back to me so quickly all the time.
So thank you to you and your staff. Thank
You.
Thank you. Alright, with that, uh, again,
you've, uh, set a record.
Uh, next time you may be able to phone it in, uh,
depending on what's going on.
But again, thank you for your, uh, effort.
Thank you for your work and thank you for all that you
and your team do, uh, CDO
with standard at ease while we bring our next department in.
I
Okay.
We're back on, uh, for the, uh,
next department's Office of the City Treasurer.
Uh, with this, uh, since we're related, I am going to, uh,
step down, uh, from chairing this meeting.
For this portion of the meeting, I'm gonna ask Chairman Doll
of the, of the finance committee to chair this portion
of the meeting, uh, for the Office of the City Treasurer.
Hello, Chris Afternoon. Thank you.
Yeah. Yeah. Great Gray.
All right. Uh, thank you. Uh, we will begin with, uh,
OTA Gray, giving us the kofa analysis
of the Treasurer's Office.
Chairman Dow. Chairman Irvin Al. Persons and Guest.
Good morning. My name is, oh, good afternoon.
My name is Janice Oda, gray, chief Administrative Officer
for the City Council Office of Financial Analysis.
I'm going to do a brief summary for the Office
of the City Treasurer.
The proposed budget for FY 26 is 6.5 million.
The change is negative 0.03 million,
corporate funded 50% spending breakdown
personnel services for 0.28 million non personnel services,
2.23 million total
FTEs budgeted under the FY 26.
Plan is 40, that's down three from FY 25.
Appropriations Personnel Services comprised the largest
portion of the treasury's budget, followed
by contractual services.
Looking under funding.
The Office of Treasury is 50% corporate funded
and also funded by the Tax Increment Financing
Administration fund, the Water Fund, the Sewer Fund,
and both Airport Fund Midway and O'Hara
appropriations.
Historical data, when you look at the appropriations,
the Office of the Treasure has been pretty much consistent,
uh, all the way through 2017 through 2021.
You see a spike in 2022,
and then it goes up from 23, 24, 25,
and then down a little bit in 26.
When you look at the funding, there's local funding
by the corporate fund
and also the other local funding sources.
Staffing, staffing reflected FTEs in the corporate fund
as well as other local funds.
Staffing trends flat through FY 21,
increasing in 22 and 25, 22 through 25.
And then currently we're reflecting a decrease in the
current budget of three FTE.
This concludes CFA's brief summary
for the Office of the City.
Treasure.
Uh, thank you, Ms. Gray.
Good afternoon, Madam Treasurer Afternoon.
How are you today? Wonderful, thank you.
Um, can you please, uh, make an opening statement
and introduce the members of your staff
and those in the box?
Yes. Um, so good afternoon everyone.
Thank you so much, chairwoman.
Do, um, chairman Irvin, vice Chair Lee,
and all the members of the committee
and the Body of the City Council.
Um, I will introduce the, those that are with me.
First of all, sitting beside me is Craig Slack,
our Chief Investment Officer.
You've seen him for a number of years now.
Um, in the box we have James Ramos, Katrina,
if you all just wave your hand.
James Ramos, Katrina Walker, Amanda Brown,
Denita husband, Danielle Frim,
Zachary Martin, Cherise, Bradford Cherita Chiles,
and Belinda Kadi.
Thank you. Um,
and actually on this afternoon,
before we talk about our budget presentation,
I do have a short
but very important announcement, um, as my heart
is broken, as everyone else is in this chamber,
that our fellow citizens have been terrorized these past few
months, tear gas in the neighborhoods.
During Halloween parades, guns drawn on US citizens
with outright lies as to why they needed to do it.
A daycare teacher ripped out
of a school while kids were right there watching
the thugs that are roaming our streets are doing so
at the direction of the President
of the United States of America.
And so, beginning today, I have
directed my staff in the Chicago Treasurer's Office
to boycott the purchase of the United States
Treasury Securities.
I have also directed my team that we will work
with this body to ensure that we are exploring ways of
how we can construct our portfolio of changes in the future.
As an example, our money market funds earn interest on US
treasury securities,
and in the past three years, our office has held
over $200 million in treasury securities.
We will not invest in the authoritative regime
of Donald Trump while he wages a war on Chicago.
Chicago's money should work for Chicagoans
and not to bankroll attacks on our communities.
Now, we face an extraordinary challenge,
and we have to meet this moment
with an extraordinary response.
And so, as treasurer of Chicago,
I cannot sit idle while the people of Chicago's rights
and freedoms are under threat.
I'm going to continue to work
with my colleagues in this room,
and we will continue to send a response across the nation
and to Washington that we will match our money
with our values while ensuring the security
of Chicagoan's hard earned tax dollars.
Now I'll transition to briefly a high level of
what we have done in the Treasurer's office.
In his second year, the Chicago Star Wars expanded from
recognizing 38 small businesses
to celebrating 60 outstanding businesses across Chicago.
Now in its fifth year, our building wealth today
for tomorrow's summit achieved a record breaking milestone
with approximately 7,000 Chicagoans registered, the highest
participation since its inception
through Money Matters Institute and Community Outreach.
Our office has served more than 12,000 Chicago residents,
including seniors, returning citizens, youth,
small business owners, and first time home buyers.
Briefly about our investment performance summary.
Our office continues
to deliver record breaking investment performance
generating over $1 billion in investment
earnings over the past three years.
In 2025, we successfully managed 11
over $11 billion in assets, representing an increase
of $1.6 billion from 2023
and 1.85 billion.
Since 2019, our investment portfolio
produced more than $400 million in returns,
more than double the earnings from two years ago.
Underscoring our un our disciplined
and strategic financial management.
Now we are proudly to also state
that over 55.7% of our $10 billion
now $11 billion in assets of trading activity
was executed through minority women disabled
and veteran-owned brokerage firms.
That's the high level.
Well, thank you for the high level Madam Treasurer.
Thank you. Uh, can you give us a little bit
of more detail on the investment returns specifically
for 2025? Yes.
So we are expecting nearly
$400 million in investment returns
for 2025.
Is that better than last year?
Yes. Last year was 200, hold on.
Thank you.
2024. Oh, okay.
It was 220 by the time we came to budget,
but actually year end 3 83.
380 million.
Okay. Okay. So that is better.
Um, chairman you
the, the most seniority you wanna start first?
That's unusual. Uh, first off, I wanna thank you
for the work that you're doing, uh, in the office.
Uh, I know that part
of your mission has been working toward, um,
financial empowerment for communities across our city
that have traditionally been disinvested in.
And I want to, uh, thank you for, for that effort
and the work that you all are doing.
Uh, I've had an opportunity to attend some of the sessions,
uh, with, uh, money Matters Institute, as well
as the building wealth today for tomorrow Summit.
And, and quite frankly, I think you all have outgrown the,
um, um, the forum,
even though you would be moving out of the 28th Ward.
Um, I do know that, um, that
that event has definitely grown in size, uh,
and the number of people that talk about the work
and how they've been able to be financially helped,
uh, is, is tremendous.
So we want you to stay on that path
of helping people help themselves
and, uh, build for their futures.
Because again, um,
and one thing that that came out
of the last one they talked about, uh,
especially in African American community collective wealth,
uh, the net net worth being zero, yet
there's a $15 trillion spend in how we can, uh,
bring that, uh, bring that in.
So, um, again, great information, uh,
empowering information.
Again, just want you, want you all
to continue doing the work that you're doing.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you, chairman, uh, alderman Lopez.
Thank you, uh, chairman and members of the committee.
Good afternoon, Madam Treasurer to you into your office.
I was upstairs
and I thought my ears deceived me.
Did you just say you're going
to disinvest from the United States,
United States Treasuries?
Correct.
Are we not an American city? We are.
Is not our oath to the United States.
Yes.
You're asking me? Yes. Do we not take an oath?
Oh, I thought you were gonna ask a question.
That's the question.
If you wish to be
confrontational about what you just said.
I, I, I'm trying to make sure I understand why an American
city, which 53 members
of its elected body, take an oath
to the United States Constitution to support, defend
that is our values, and to say we're not going to
invest in our values saying that we no longer as a city
support the United States of America.
So I actually,
I, is that something that you have the unilateral action
to do, or is that something
that City Council can actually direct you so
that if you are going to go down this path,
we can direct you to reinvest our tax dollars
and where it's most in the best interest of our taxpayers?
So I actually believe that not in investing
in the authoritarian regime of Donald Trump
is investing in the value of the residents of Chicago.
So I happen to disagree.
So the United States of America,
which has duly elected representatives in both the House,
the Senate, and the presidency, regardless who is president,
who has confirmed members of the cabinet,
including the Secretary, re, uh, the Secretary
of the Treasury, those are all duly elected
and confirmed individuals. Correct?
It's a bold statement, isn't it?
Well, it's, and we need to
Be bold. Actually. I think it's
a very dangerous
and reckless statement to be perfectly honest
with you, Matt Treasurer.
Because I believe that your goal is
to manage our investments
and things that actually produce money.
Does the treasury investments produce money
for our investments? There
Are many instruments that produce money.
Do they, does that produce profits?
And for our investments
The same as corporate bonds, the same
as money market accounts, the same
as asset-backed securities.
There are many instruments that produce a rate of return.
And just as this year,
As guaranteed as the treasuries investments, there
Are many competitive instruments.
Absolutely. But the treasuries
instruments are guaranteed. Correct.
There are many instruments.
Are the treasuries instrument
Guaranteed? I'm, I'm answering the question.
Alderman. You're
Referring to many. I'm asking about
one in particular,
The treasury, and we're going to invest in others
that will provide a competitive rate of return.
Alderman Lopez. But
It, but to my question,
are the treasuries returns guaranteed?
To your question, we will continue to invest
in securities that offer a competitive return,
and we will not compromise the safety of the assets,
the liquidity of the assets, or the rate of return.
So I'm glad that you asked that question.
We will invest in the value of the residents of Chicago
and Chicagoans.
Do not want us to bankroll the regime,
the authoritarian regime of Donald Trump
where he has waged a war on our city.
Okay. The agents in this city have pepper sprayed a
1-year-old
Ohio. Does, does that mean that,
Get back to, Thank you.
This save the campaign speech for leader
Leader on this particular item. Thank you,
Mayor. Chairman is not
related to the budget discussion we
are having right now. She
Brought it up. So
why isn't it related? Well, we,
You've had your discussion about it.
Okay. And she, you've asked her questions.
We know your point of view. So then she's answered,
we know her point of view.
So can we go back to the questions that we have for her?
Does that mean on her 2026 budget?
So does that mean that the previous investments
for the previous administration
that allowed 15 million people
to manipulate asylum was our values when
you were making those investments?
What did you just ask? Can No, I didn't hear you.
No, let's go to the questions on the budget.
How many of your positions have been offloaded
to other invest, uh, and to other enterprise funds?
We would need to get that through the chair.
Why? Because we do.
No, you don't. I didn't ask for it through the chair.
It's in the budget. How many
of your positions have transferred from your office
to enterprise funds this year?
So if you know, the an I don't know that answer. Okay.
That's why I just say we need to put it through the chair.
Okay. Thank you, chairman. Alright.
Thank you. Alderman Lopez.
Uh, alderman, you know,
I don't have a seniority sheet up here,
so I'm kind of guessing.
Um, alderman Quinn, do you have any questions? Okay.
Alderman Sato followed by Alderman Napolitano.
Alderman Sdo, do you have any questions?
Uh, I don't really have a question. I just a comment.
I'm not, I wasn't here to pick a fight.
I was here to listen, other than I'm disappointed.
I mean, we're not at war with the president of our country.
I mean, let's get all the facts about what happened.
You know, tear gassing a little 1-year-old going into a
daycare center, dragging a woman outta there.
I mean, that's it. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you. Alderman Napolitano, followed by
Alderman Cardona.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Uh, I think I'm in the same boat
with Alderman Spto and Alderman Lopez.
Um, I really didn't have any questions.
Um, but I'm, I'm more appalled at your statement.
Um, I feel like you came in here on a campaign instead
of a, a budget report.
And I don't think that this is the forum for that.
I don't think your statement should come in here
and make a judgment for the entire city
of Chicago based on your political views.
And I think that what you did was completely wrong.
I had to actually walk outta the room
because I was so upset about it.
Whether you're on one side or the other side,
or in the middle, in the end,
we're supposed to be one country.
And like my colleague, alderman Lopez said,
we should be looking for ways to invest more in our country
and support our country more separate from our
ideologies and political views.
I, I, I have to tell you, I I,
in my short 11 years down here,
or 10 years down here, I've never been so upset
or so angered by a statement that someone had said.
And there's been a lot of terrible things
said down here in the past.
I don't need you to respond, Madam Chair.
I appreciate the opportunity just to say
what I had to say right now.
Uh, and I'll end it at that.
Thank you, alderman.
Um, I'm gonna call on Vice Chair Alderman Cardona.
I'm gonna call Vice Chair Lee,
and then we'll go to you followed by Alderman Conway
and Alderman Scott to end, will we come back around to me?
Just 'cause I just walked in. Oh, you just walked in. Okay.
So Alderman Cardona has no questions. Alderman Conway.
Oh, did, did Alderman Lee have questions or
He has to come back around?
Okay. Got, got. So I'm directing. Yeah, you,
I, I would say, for what it's worth, I think that
as the elected treasurer of the City of Chicago,
I think it is within your purview
to have a fairly wide latitude on investment decisions.
Now, I would caution you though that, uh,
it is pretty well known, uh, Axiom,
that the United States Treasury is by far the most liquid
and secure, uh, dead instrument in the history of the world.
So perhaps, um, you may, you may wanna, uh,
should your portfolio, uh, have that need for, for
debt instruments, you, you perhaps may wanna rethink
that decision, uh, over time.
Um, one thing I would ask about it though is, is noting
what I said about, uh, flexibility of investment.
I suspect there's some things within the city code that
prevent that flexibility.
And, and you mentioned, um, producing 400 million
of returns on an $11 billion portfolio,
that itself is a 3.6% return, uh,
which is very low.
Heck, the 10 year treasury trays above a 4%,
a risk-free, a risk-free instrument.
What, um, what could this body do
to help improve the investment returns under your purview?
A as you know, alderman, our, the way that we construct
and invest our portfolio is basically mimics that
of a core fixed income portfolio.
And by the way, our investment returns
that we have under my leadership
is actually more than the other for the previous treasurer.
So I wanna make certain that we note that.
Now, if you're comparing us to the stock market,
obviously there's a difference.
And obviously we cannot invest taxpayers dollars as such.
We need safe instruments,
and we need liquid instruments while also
a competitive rate of return.
And so the record breaking $1 billion
that we have earned over the past three years, again,
is record breaking.
Well, I don't know whose record that broke,
but if we're only getting a three point return, uh, yeah.
Well, it sounds like we have had some lackluster treasures
in the past because if we're having a investment return
that is lower than that of the 10 year treasury, that's,
you know, that does not, does not speak well.
I mean, heck, we could have put the whole thing in a, uh,
in a et in a very liquid ETF, the trades treasuries
and the returns would've been,
would've been higher than that.
But, but I do, I do think that,
I suspect there are some things within the city code
that are, um, that are
forcing your investment decisions
and how perhaps can this body, uh, help in that regard.
And as you know, alderman, that's also a topic that you
and I have had in the past,
and even just within the past few months, that we would like
to review our investment policy
to see if there are other avenues
and instruments that we can invest in.
While also keeping in mind though, that we do need
to be safe liquid with a competitive rate of return.
But you know, that I can agree with you that we do need
to review that, but in doing so, I do not want to brush over
the record breaking billion dollars in investments that we,
under my leadership have earned.
But I do understand and agree with you.
Okay. Yeah, I won't, I won't belittle the point on 3.6%
versus what you can make it a lot, a lot, lot
of other places, uh, in a safe way.
I think I've made my point on that.
Do, um, something that I remember it was kind of, of
of great, um,
concern last year is I saw it looked like your last year
your security was paid for outta the water fund.
I remember that was a little bit of a controversial thing.
It looks like that's not the case this year.
Is that something that's been moved elsewhere
or, or what has happened?
Uh, what has happened with that?
We do not have that in our budget.
Okay. I do, I don't that I purposely do not want
to ask more questions on that in that regard.
But, um, uh, madam, uh, chairwoman, that's all I have.
Uh, thank you Alderman Conway, uh, Madam Treasurer,
just on the, uh, decision regarding these, uh,
bonds or whatever it is, um, you have had a legal review
of your authority to do that
and of the, uh, legality of what you are recommending
that your, the action that your office will take Yeah.
Per code. As long
as we are investing within the constraints of the,
of the code, of the ordinance, as well
as our investment policy, there are many instruments
that we can invest in and we will
Alderman Scott.
Hello, Madam Treasurer. Hello.
Um, I have a few que I have a a few questions.
Um, how are city investment programs being
used to support community development in neighborhoods
like North Lawndale?
So I think the building wealth today
for tomorrow is a perfect example of what we're doing to try
to help our residents of Chicago,
especially those in underserved communities,
the record breaking registrants of BWTT building,
well today, for tomorrow, this year, was very hopeful.
I think for us as a city that 7,000 residents
attended, were interested in changing their lives.
I think what has happened is
that many residents have felt left out
as we know from our communities.
But I think what's also intricate in our building world
today, for tomorrow, our financial empowerment program, is
that we also come out to the community year round.
We were actually in Pilsen last month,
north Lawndale a few months prior.
Austin Community, Pullman, Chinatown,
Bronzeville, you name it.
We are all across the city.
And we do that during the hours that's convenient
for residents, evenings, weekends.
And we cannot tell you how many residents have testified
to us that their credit scores have been increased,
that they have had the ability to be pre-approved
for a mortgage just by attending our programs.
And by the way, home ownership is the quickest
and easiest way
to build generational wealth in our communities.
Um, with that, um,
how, how are you using, um,
your financial, well, the financial wealth to ensure
that everything is done in a more equitable
and transparent way?
What tools do you use to make sure that the public know
how you invest and what's the rate of return?
And I'm glad you asked that
because we can use, definitely use the support
of City Council to help get the word out,
because you all are the ones that are closest
to your residents.
You all have so many tools to communicate
with your residents, like email, texts, et cetera.
Now we, within the Treasurer's office, we have tools
as well, but certainly as council members,
you have even greater access to your residents.
So right now, we send email communications,
other communications, we send press releases to the media
to ask that they also promote it.
But we will certainly, we can certainly use the help
of city council members to help us get the word out.
We will continue to market as we do,
including on our website as well.
One more, one of my final question.
What kind of, um, initiatives do you have with the youth
for investments, um, to creating more, uh, knowledge
and more investments for our youth?
Yes. We actually partner with Chicago Public Schools.
And we have a number of times, even this year
had all day summits, half day summits,
where we've brought high school students in from
around the communities to be able to come in
and we talk to them and we give them financial empowerment.
They have their own financial empowerment workshops
that we do with them, not only throughout their school year,
but this year for the first time with our building world.
Today for tomorrow's summit, we had a separate track
just for our high school students.
Thank you. That's all that I have. Thank you.
Thank you Alderman Scott, uh, I see that, uh,
alderman Waba Nugent and OSHA have appeared in the room.
Do you all have any questions for the treasurer?
Alderman Wapac.
Thank you, chairman. Um, good afternoon, treasurer.
Um, I apologize for being, uh, late.
I was in economic development, um,
but it was, uh, brought up, I think earlier
that you were divesting from US Treasury.
Mm-hmm. Um, what is the policy behind that?
Can you elaborate? Um, well, did you, so the, um,
I've always thought that these, uh, rates, uh,
for us treasury bonds were, uh, pretty stable.
And, um, they were yielding around 4% from
what I'm looking at here, and 3.5 over 30 years.
Um, so I was wondering if we were seeing a drop
in those key rates
and that was why we're divesting from them,
or is there another reason?
Uh, treasurer, I don't think he heard your
announcement at the beginning, so I think
If I, if I missed it, maybe.
So he's asking, well, you can repeat your own question.
Uh, I, it was brought up to me
that we were a divesting from US treasury
bonds Yes. And treasury
Securities. They've
always been, as far as I've been born,
a very stable investment for
anyone in the United States.
So I was just wondering why we're moving away from that.
If we're moving, are we moving away from it?
We are. Okay. And why we
Have other avenues.
So let me, let me repeat this statement. So I apologize.
As you say, you weren't here earlier.
Yes. Sorry about that. So, just number one,
there are other ways for us to invest fixed income,
core fixed income,
and we will, with competitive rates, we will not compromise
the safety, liquidity,
or competitive rate of return in this divestment.
However, with this divestment,
we will not invest in the authoritarian
regime of Donald Trump.
He has waged a war on the city of Chicago,
and we will not bankroll taxpayer dollars
into that regime.
We will, however, bankroll taxpayer dollars
into safe liquid competitive rate of return fixed income,
while still respecting the values of our residents.
So, um, I, I understand that.
I guess the question is follow up question A,
does he benefit if we,
does he personally benefit if we are investing in
those US treasury bonds?
And b, if he's no longer president, will we go back to
that safe place immediately?
Or, um, would we be stuck
on these new investments for 5, 10, 20 years?
So I wanna make this, I'm so glad you're asking me
that question because I wanna repeat and say this again.
We are not and will not
compromise the competitive rate of return
that we are receiving.
I'm going to say this again
and again in every statement that I will make,
because as we have shown you, we know how
to invest taxpayer dollars.
We know of other fixed income securities,
that we are able to invest taxpayer dollars.
We have a record breaking $1 billion.
There are many other avenues we invest in.
Secondly, this is the moment that we are in right now.
Extraordinary moment, call for extraordinary action.
Our taxpayers are asking us to do something now,
and my hope is that other municipalities will follow
because we cannot
invest in this.
Now, as far as the next president, we would only hope
that this is not the case.
This is a decision that's being made at this moment.
Um, what are those other fixed income securities
that we would be looking at? That's
The corporate bonds, and it's not looking at,
because we're in it already, corporate bonds, money market.
Let me get this for you. Where is it at?
And while she's, uh,
while the treasurer is getting this list together,
alderman Emma Mitt has joined us in under Rule 59,
and can I get a motion to allow her So moved
by Alderman Nugent.
Thank you, Madam Chairman. All those in favor
signify by saying aye.
Aye. Opposed? Okay, alderman. Mitch, you're in the meeting.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
So, other asset classes, commercial paper,
corporate bonds, agency bonds, municipal bonds,
corporate asset backed security, that's to name just a few.
There are so many core fixed income asset classes.
So we would be totally divesting from, from US treasury,
bonds and shifting percent, uh, any percentage that you have
to all these other, uh, money market,
commercial paper, et cetera.
Can you, uh, through the chair give us a breakdown of, uh,
the percentages of all those Absolutely.
As, as well as their, uh, return rates
and projected return rates over the next, um,
four years, please?
Absolutely. Through the chair. Thank
You. And by the way, these
asset classes that I just mentioned,
our record breaking $1 billion is
because of the diversity of these asset classes.
We're already doing this, but we'll get it to you
Treasurer when you do that information through the chair.
He asked for percentages and, uh, the yield,
but can you also include how much was invested in those?
Um,
You ask treasurer, Um, uh, instruments.
Thank you for that. Uh, in 2025.
Thank you, chairman. Um,
seeing no other questions from the body, uh, treasury, want
to thank you for coming before us this afternoon.
I'm sure you've made the news, I'm
Sure. But, but let me
say this in closing, you,
you don't need to be nervous.
This is what we do every day.
We know how to invest money to make money for taxpayers.
So thank you very much.
And with that, I appreciate the afternoon. All
Right. Thank you very much.
Uh, Mr.
Chairman, did you want to stand at ease
or did you want to go to another
lunch or stand?
Thank you. Uh, committee will come back to order.
Uh, we will, uh, stand in recess
until 1 30, 1 30 pm
and we will begin with, uh, Copa at 1:30 PM
Clear the chamber.
Clear the chamber, please
clear the chamber.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Good afternoon, everybody.
The committee's going to reconvene here.
Um, we are here for, uh, the, um, civilian Office
of Police Accountability.
But before we get started, um, I would like
to yield the floor to Alderman Lopez is going to, uh,
acknowledge some dignitaries we have visiting.
Thank you chairman, and good
afternoon, members of the committee.
Good afternoon. Uh, to our departments, please allow me
to take a moment to recognize the Vice Mayor of Kasha Italy.
Marco Amil, who is joining us here today, along
with his translator, Alicia di Dio, father
Guino Castano rector of the Basilica of St.
Rita. And Father Romero Sanchez, pastor of St.
Rita Parish here in the city of Chicago.
They are all here as part of a pre delegation, uh,
to do a passing of the torch for peace
and, uh, forgiveness.
Thank you. Uh, between our two cities, I was remarking
that we probably should have a benediction of peace
and forgiveness in this chamber post budget.
Um, but they will be here again in March
and in May, celebrating this historic occasion
between the two parishes and our two cities, uh, next year.
But wanted to take a moment
to welcome them in their first official visit here
to the city hall, to this most historic, uh,
chamber in the most American of American cities.
So welcome to you all. Thank you.
I'm gonna give it a try. So I'm just gonna say
Grae, uh, for visiting.
That's my Italian English.
I don't know that there's a chinglish version of that
for Italian, but that was my attempt.
Thank you so much for being here,
and we look forward to having you visit us again.
With that, we're gonna, um, have Katie from cofa, um,
provide their overview,
and then we will go hand it over to Copa.
Right. Thank you. Um, good afternoon, vice Chair Lee
and members of the city council.
My name is Katie O'Toole. I'm with kofa.
I will provide a brief overview of the proposed budget
for the civilian Office of police accountability.
The recommended budget for fiscal year 2026 is
15.78 million.
This is 0.69 million more, um,
than the appropriations from fiscal year 2025
or a 4.6, uh, increase.
Um, COPA receives 100%
of its appropriations from the corporate fund
out of the proposed spending.
Um, for next year.
The majority around 14 million is allocated
to personnel spending.
COPA is budgeted 150 full-time equivalents for FY 2026.
This is for, um, FTEs less than 2025.
Um, also to note, as a key oversight agency,
COPA has a mandatory budget floor of at least 1% of annual
appropriations, of non non-grant funds
for the Chicago Police Department.
Here you can see a breakdown
of the recommended budget for 2026.
Spending on personnel make up makes up the largest increase,
um, with nearly 7% in increase,
despite losing, um, for positions.
Proposed spending for 2026 is lower in all other categories.
Travel sees the largest percentage decline
with a 40% decline in spend.
However, the largest dollar amount decline is 120,000
in category, um, uh, 9,200 purposes as specified,
which is directed to the consent degree appropriations code.
Looking at his historical trends
for COPA appropriations year over year, um,
appropriations have remained fairly consistent, hovering
around 14 to 15 million since 2018,
with the highest funding in 2024, nearing 17 million.
And, um, historical trends for COPA full, um,
employees staffing levels have remained
stable as well over the years.
Around 115 50 FTEs, um,
reflecting the increased appropriations in 2024.
COPA had the highest number of staff, um, then
and around 1 57.
Um, that concludes co COFA summary. Um, thank you.
That's not gonna be confusing, Kofa and copa.
Um, next we're gonna have LaQuinya White interim Chief
Administrator, uh, read her statement
and introduce, uh, the folks
that are here on site with her today.
Thank you, vice Chairman Lee,
um, and members of the committee.
My name is LaQuinya White
and I am the interim Chief Administrator of copa.
Sitting next to me is acting Deputy Chief
Administrator Shannon Hayes.
And sitting next to her is acting General
Counsel Angela Snail.
In the box, I have Deputy Chief, uh, administrator,
Angela Harts Glass.
I have acting Deputy Chief Administrator Stephanie Reno.
I have Deputy Chief Administrator Justin Escamilla.
I have Director of mediation, Isha Muhammad.
I have Director of Investigations for the Special Victims
squad, Kimberly Estro Schiller.
I have Acting Director of Investigations
for Intake Wilbert Neal.
I have Acting Assistant General Counsel, Cindy Erno.
I have Director of Information Services, Sal Va.
I have Director of Public Affairs, Carlos Revis.
I have Director of training, Charlotte Seiler.
And then I have Chief Investigative Law
Officer, Matthew Jones.
That was a lot. Sorry.
So thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today.
Cope With's vision has always been rooted
in one core belief.
True accountability builds public trust.
Our goal is to set the standard for police oversight
by conducting fair
and thorough investigations,
while shaping a stronger culture of policing
and strengthening the bond between law enforcement
and the communities they serve.
In 2025, we have taken deliberate steps to ensure
that COPA remains effective, efficient, and responsive.
While we understand every department must do more with less,
we have made responsible management a priority.
Introducing new internal controls,
modernizing our operational systems,
and directing re directing resources strategically
so the public continue to receive timely
high quality oversight.
Today, COPA has 579 open cases.
This level has remained steady since the completion
of our timeliness initiative in early 2024.
Maintaining this equilibrium means our investigators are
able to deliver more thorough investigations
without allowing backlogs to reemerge.
When this happens, everyone benefits
complainants receive faster resolutions.
CPD receives clearer outcomes,
and the city's overall exposure is reduced.
In the last quarter alone, our top categories
of allegations remain consistent with our historical trends.
Allegations related to operational and personnel violations.
Excessive force and improper search
or seizure continue to lead in that same period.
COPA closed over 150 cases
and continued to work tirelessly to meet both internal
and external timeless benchmarks.
Additionally, with transparency as a key pillar,
each older person now receive monthly reports
that include summaries of our posted final summary reports,
and a breakdown of complaints received and closed.
And the districts they represent.
We are preparing to launch next phase
of our mediation pilot program.
Evidence consistently shows mediation can resolve eligible
complaints more quickly while improving satisfaction
for both complainants and officers
by letting them see each other's perspective.
This is accountability initiative
that has a direct fiscal benefit.
Shifting certain eligible matters to mediation means fuel,
full investigations, fuel lengthy disputes,
and fewer dollar spend on extended case time.
This is a more human approach
and a more responsible financial solution.
We are also laying the groundwork
for a more consistent disciplinary landscape.
Instead of individual matters being viewed in isolation.
We are working to develop a roadmap so that both CPD
and the community can reasonably anticipate recommendations
before they are issued.
Consistency is not only fair,
but it also reduces the likelihood of disputes, grievances,
or prolonged litigation.
We know accountability does not exist
inside our walls alone.
COPA continues to expand it.
Its presence in neighborhoods across the city
through community outreach presentations,
and most recently, our fifth iteration
of COPA People's Academy held in Inglewood.
This allows community members
to understand our process firsthand
and become accountability stewards
within their own neighborhoods.
These engagements deepen trust, improve legitimacy,
and create more informed access to our agency.
Our policy research
and analysis division, which is our pride division,
has since ramped up leading to more comprehensive insights
and stronger policy recommendations.
This includes us working collaboratively with CPD on pattern
and practice reviews to identify
and address trends early and prevent harm.
This is where long-term savings for the city exists,
reducing both human costs and financial costs.
Finally, I will be remiss if we did not stop
and thank the hardworking members of COPA staff
as a 27 year veteran of oversight in Chicago,
understand firsthand what the job entails
and the unbelievably strong emotions it can create.
Despite its challenges, our staff continues to show up
to the work and strive towards building a city that is just
and safe for all.
Thank you for the opportunity to share CPA's work.
We remain committed to transparency, to innovation,
and to doing our part to manage public
resources responsibly.
We welcome continued dialogue with the members
of City Council and thank you
for your partnership and its effort.
Thank you. Uh, interim chief administrator, white boy.
That's a mouthful. Uh,
any, uh, questions from the, uh,
committee? Alderman Conway?
Thank you. So, um,
this is a, this is a a question,
and I don't mean it to sound critical in any way,
but if it comes off that way, I don't mean
that in, in, in that way at all.
So there's a lot of, there's a lot of different agencies
that have some role in police oversight.
There's, you know, you, there's internal affairs.
There is, uh, C-C-P-S-A who we're gonna hear from,
there's the police board to the extent that there,
that allegations are criminal in nature.
You might have the state's attorney's
office, you might have the ag.
Um, and,
and I will tell you as a little bit of background on me, as,
as I worked at the state's attorney's office
for seven years, and in that role, I charged, tried
and convicted three, three police officers that, uh,
that really had it coming by the way.
Um, so I, so I'm, I'm definitely, uh,
believe in the mission, but based on sort of the numerous,
uh, numerous organizations
that have some role in police oversight, how do you think
that you best fit in?
Or what do you think sort
of your core competency is versus them?
Well, first we all have different roles. Mm-hmm.
So, uh, as you know, with copa,
our jurisdiction is different.
We investigate assess of force, um,
fourth amendment violations, denial of counsel,
domestic incidents, and I think I'm missing one.
Um, however, and officer involved shootings, of course.
Yeah. So that is our role.
BIA pretty much investigates everything else C-C-P-S-A,
I know they'll be here and they can speak to what they do.
They have the re you know, they give us our goals
and they evaluate policies.
And then you have the, uh, um,
inspector General's office as well too.
It's true. And they have, you know,
other city employees too.
And sometimes it might be CPD,
just depends on the situation.
I feel like we have been doing this role effectively,
and we are engaging with the community
to teach transparency,
because a lot of people to teach accountability, I'm sorry,
a lot of people don't know what COPA does, let's be honest.
Right. But the goal is to teach them not only just
to teach 'em about what we do,
but to teach 'em their rights as well too,
and things that officers are allowed to do
or maybe are not allowed to do.
And one way we try to do this is
through our Copa People's Academy.
So we have different various ways where we can help
and engage the community.
But with me and my office,
I feel like we are a partner in public safety.
And one of our main goals should be
to strengthen the relationship
between a community and between the police.
So how do, um, you know, you mentioned kind of each
of those different lanes that exist
amongst all these agencies.
How do you go about de conflicting versus, you know,
versus these other bodies?
And what do you mean by deconflict?
Oh, I mean, let's say something, if, if, are you in touch
with these other folks that if something comes in
and doesn't fit your lane, that you refer it
to one of these others or not?
Yes. So we are the clearing house.
So we accept all complaints, all complaints come through us,
and we refer those complaints to the appropriate bodies.
So most of the time we refer all, well, all the time,
we refer all complaints to internal, um, internal affairs,
and we work closely with them as well too.
Um, in cases where there's Inspector General,
we do refer cases as well too.
However, people are also allowed
to make complaints with them as well.
So, um, when it comes to, uh,
working with Internal Affairs, since you mentioned it,
did you do, do the, does the complaint usually come to you
and then you go to go to IAD or is it like a two-way street?
Depending on how it comes in,
Um, comes in sometimes differently too.
So typically the complaint comes through us,
through either phone, through, uh, our online web complaint,
um, through of course mail.
And then sometimes we get complaints through CPD
as well too, because supervisors have to, uh,
initial complaint numbers when
a complaint is being told to them.
So once we get that complaint, we share the same system,
the complaint goes straight over to an internal affairs.
Got it. Okay. And so, and your and is, and
and your budget is, is is, that is yours, that's one,
that's 1% of CPD?
Yes. Is that right? Right. Okay.
I'm sorry, I missed, that was probably
in the kofa presentation.
Nope. I'm sorry I missed, uh, madam,
uh, vice chair, that's all I have.
And, and thank you very much. Uh, thank you very much.
Thank you. Thank you.
Um, I'll, I'll go ahead
and just, um, ask a couple questions myself, uh,
while others are still kind of gathering in here.
Um, appreciate all of the, the work that COPA does, uh, and,
and wanna really acknowledge your community team
who is at really every single event that I attend, I,
I see big smiling faces.
Um, and we definitely appreciate their presence, um,
every year at our, um, 11th ward job fair.
Um, so it was really great to, to see the presence.
And I, I hope that that has continued
to educate the public on the work that you do.
Um, I have had, uh, a handful of my constituents, um,
participate in the academy as well.
Um, so, you know, I think great job on that.
Um, what have your vacancies been like this year?
So right now we have 33 vacancies.
Um, and next year we are projected to have 29, um, out
of those 33 vacancies, uh, six RN leadership,
which also includes the permanent chief
administrator role as well.
Okay, great.
And, um, so you've got, uh,
it sounds like you've got some people
in the pipeline right now.
You have offers out to folks.
Uh, we don't Getting there, right? We're
Gonna get there. We're gonna get there. Yeah.
Well,
One of the recurring things that we've been talking a lot
about just through these budget hearings is just
how long it takes to hire.
So I'm wondering if, uh, what some of the challenges are,
um, with hiring in those positions.
Have those vacancies been there pretty much throughout the
year, or is that kind of, does it up
and flow depending on it?
It goes up and down. Uh, right now people leave
for promotional opportunities.
We have a lot of staff leaving for CPD
or other departments as well too.
And with that, sometimes that puts a hole on our hiring, uh,
because we have to wait 60 days if they go
to another department before we can fill that vacancy.
Oh, I wasn't aware of that.
Um, through the chair, can you provide,
unless you have the information here, um, just a breakdown
of what, where the current vacancies are, um, by job title?
Yeah, we can move, add that chair.
Okay. Um, oh yeah, a few of them.
You guys are so prepared. I love it. Thank you.
And I'll read 'em all to you. All right.
Let's do it. So we have the chief administrator job.
We have a senior help desk technician,
a senior information analyst, a digital forensic analyst,
first deputy chief administrator.
We have another deputy chief administrator,
we have an admin assistant.
We have an intake aid position,
three investigator positions,
one special victims investigator,
two deputy chief administrators.
So that's a total of three by the way.
Uh, one staff assistant, one attorney,
one associate staff attorney, uh,
another deputy chief administrator.
And I just wanna be clear, that is, those roles are for the,
um, the chief of staff, the general counsel,
and then two deputy chiefs.
That's how it's classified.
A senior public information officer,
community outreach coordinator, freedom of information, um,
officer four, but we just actually field one
and then we have a senior performance analyst.
Great. Um, if you can just share that through the chair so
that we can share it with all the, uh,
committee members, that'd be great.
Um, and so with
what you have currently, how big is your staff?
Um, totally. Like how many full-time, uh, FTEs are you,
um, budgeted for
This year was supposed it's 154.
Um, next year is gonna go to 150. Okay.
Okay. So 30 is not horrible.
Um, you, you guys are managing, okay, I'm looking, I'm now,
I'm looking over your shoulder to check
with the, the faces over there.
Well, I have a lot of people working in dual roles.
I think, you know, I said acting a lot throughout my
presentation, um, when I made the
introductions, but we're making it work.
Um, the goal is to continue to do this work
and push the agency forward.
Gotcha. Um, can you say a little bit more about the,
the 60 day waiting period before you can hire somebody?
Uh, that might be a best a question.
Best suited for OBM
and I don't have my, um, my chief of staff,
she's not in today and she's also my director of human
resources, but I can provide that information.
She got, got a busted,
she's got a boot like me, but she can't drive with it.
I heard. Yeah. Sorry about that.
No, it's okay. But I can provide you
that information from the
Chair. Yeah, yeah. I'm just, I'm,
I'm curious to understand that,
you know, if the 60 day waiting period, does that mean
that you, you can't hire somebody,
but could you start looking for somebody not even,
Not even be, and I can speak a little bit on it
because they can always come back as well too.
Okay. So they might not like the role at the new agency? No.
Okay. And they have the opportunity to come back
because they are union employees. Pretty
Good Return policy.
Alright. Um, I will be excited
to read more about, uh, all of that.
Um, does anybody else have any questions
for our friends at Copa?
Got one. Oh, you forgot. I forgot one.
It's, it's, it's actually a real simple one.
Hold way, please. So there's been a few, a few departments
where, um, the budget is staying, uh,
relatively level and there's not it changing too much,
but it seems like personnel is going up significantly while,
while a lot of, uh,
more technology investments are dropping significantly.
And so while it's not a, your,
your department's not big relative to the city budget,
but I see for example, like your professional
and technical services are going down significantly,
your technical meeting costs are going down significantly.
Uh, so the question was kind of in, in the case
of your department, what's driving that?
Is that 'cause you've purchased machinery, you don't need
to do it again, or are you going back to carbon paper
or, it's a joke, I hope.
Uh, so yeah.
So what's driving that significant, uh, budget decline,
I guess in, and the two lines are 0 1 4 0
and 0 1 6 9.
And I don't mean it as a gotcha question at all, just see it
'cause it's kind of a canary in a coal
mine for other departments.
That's what made me think about it.
Can you repeat those lines? Yeah.
So they're, I can tell you that they're professional
and technical services and then technical meeting costs,
but they're 0 1 4 0
and 0 1 6 9 and 1 4 0.
You'll see you're going from last year you had 252,000,
you're going down to 79,000
and a technical meeting costs,
you're going from 87,000 to 29,000.
And even you could even see at the bottom there,
your contractual services are like being cut in half. So
Yeah, so for 0 1 4 0, it's just
that the cost went down per month.
Okay. So that's why that line item went down.
And then 0 1 6 9 was the other one.
Yeah.
And this is a, I mean it's
0 1 6 9.
Um, I can provide you that answer through the chair.
Okay. I was looking kind of see if there was some sort
of broader trend of you shift perhaps shifting more stuff
to persons instead of
technical things or anything like that.
I didn't mean it as a gotcha question at all.
We've just seen this with a few departments,
so I thought you might be able to shine
some, some light on that.
Madam Vice chair at this time, I promise you I'm done.
I mean, uh, you don't get a 60 day return policy on this.
So you're done,
You know, this year, who knows?
I suspect we got a 30 day one though. Um,
So it is part of the, the increase, uh, budget.
Is it, is any of how much of that, if any, is related
to wage schedules
or just, uh, increases in, uh, I don't know how much
of your workforce is represented.
Um, that might help to shed some light on it too. Or
The which line? I don't or
This across the board, the personnel. Yep. Yeah.
Um, so,
uh, some of this is due to schedule increases too,
because we have a lot of union staff,
so they have their step increases and non-union gets
Colas. Okay,
great.
Um, if there are no other questions going once, going twice,
three times, thank you so much for being here with us today.
Uh, and for all that you do.
Um, I, I, y'all are responding at a lot of different times
of day and, uh, in very difficult situations.
Uh, just know that we appreciate the work that you do, um,
every day to work with, uh, the city
to keep everybody safe and accountable. Thank
You. Vice chair. Thank
You. We're, uh, the committee's
gonna stand at ease while we
transition to our next department, which is going to be, uh,
the com uh, community Commission
for Public Safety and Accountability.
Good afternoon everybody.
Uh, I wanna acknowledge who we have, uh,
in the council chambers with us today.
Former Alderman. Uh, I'm so sorry.
Rod Sawyer. Like I got totally, I got the clump there.
I didn't realize I was so sad that you're con thank you
for being with us today.
Um, up next we've got the Community Commission
for Public Safety and Accountability,
even a bigger mouthful than the last one,
but we don't have the rhyming, COFA and copa mm-hmm.
Combination. But first we're going
to have a COFA analysis from Chloe.
Um, over to you please.
Thank you, vice chair.
Good afternoon, vice Chair Lee
and the members of the city council.
This is Chloe I, Maine with cofa,
and I'm here to provide a brief summary on the Community
Commission for Public Safety
and Accountability for a fiscal year 2026.
C-C-P-S-A has a proposed budget of $4.03 million,
which is a 1.02% increase from the previous year.
C-C-P-S-A is fully funded by the corporate fund
with $3.69 million for personnel
and $0.34 million for non-personnel spending.
It's staffing increases slightly
to 29 full-time equivalent positions up
by one FTEs from last year.
Looking at the more detailed breakdown of appropriation
by category and fund,
there has been a slight increase in personnel services
and a decrease in contractual services, travel and commodity
and materials in total.
That's a $0.04 million increase in appropriation compared
to FFY 2025.
Looking at the recent trend, CC
PSA's budget has stabilized at
around $4 million since fiscal year 2024,
following its initial funding
of $3.43 million in
20 20 20 22.
And as stated previously,
the departments funded fully by corporate fund.
And lastly, looking at the recent trend of staffings,
C-C-P-S-A has expanded its staffing level from 14 FTEs in
2022 to 29 FTEs in fiscal year 2026.
And this concludes COVA summary. Thank you.
Thank you, Chloe. Um, we're next going to go
to executive director Adam Gross for his statement
and introductions of his staff. Yeah, I'm sorry.
No worries. Thank you so much, chairman.
Good afternoon, city Council members,
thank you for this opportunity.
Just quickly wanted to introduce myself.
I am the newly elected president of the Community Commission
for Public Safety and Accountability.
My name is Ramil Terry.
I'm a lifelong Chicagoan and I hail from Chicago's west side
and I will hand it over to our executive director,
Adam Gross, to provide his statement.
Thank you President Terry.
Uh, good afternoon, vice Chair Lee
and members of the committee.
I'm Adam Gross and I'm the Executive Director
of the Community Commission
for Public Safety and Accountability.
Uh, in addition to, uh, being joined by President Terry,
we have members of the department staff in the box.
I'll go from, uh, right to left.
We have our first Deputy Ayana Thomas, uh, uh, deputy
Director for the commission.
Brian Kenner, deputy Director
for the District Councils Charlie Isaacs,
our General Counsel, Charles Wright, our Director
of Community Engagement and Public Affairs.
Nicole Garcia, our, uh, director of Administrative Services,
Krisa Boatman, and, uh, director of uh,
research Policy and Planning.
Cody Stevens. Um, thank you all for joining us.
The department was created to provide support
to the community commission, which is made up
of seven appointed officials
and to 22 district councils, each of which is made up
of three people elected in each
of the city's police districts.
The district councils were sworn in in May of 2023,
and the permanent commission began its work in June of 2024.
So the district councils
and the commission are still relatively new
and they were both created from scratch without a playbook
in a short amount of time.
These new elected
and appointed officials have had to figure out how
to use their powers and carry out their
duties most effectively.
And these new bodies as well as, uh, as, uh,
the police department, Copa
and the police board have had to figure out how
to work together to increase public safety
and accountability in the new system
that the city council voted
to create back in 2021 in the last year.
They've come a long way
and I'll share a few examples of that progress.
Uh, first the commission.
One of the commission's most important responsibilities is
setting police department policy by ordinance,
the commission is required to work
with CPD to develop policy.
Any new or revised CPD general order needs to be approved
by a majority of the commission in order
to become official CPD policy by ordinance.
There's one exception.
Policies under the federal court consent decree are
outside the commission's policymaking jurisdiction.
However, the commission is now engaged in a unique process
that may bring an important policy.
Traffic stops into the consent decree framework.
In 2023, the consent decree independent monitor recommended
to the federal court that CPDs traffic stops policy be added
to the consent decree.
Right now, the commission has the authority
to make traffic stops policy,
but commissioners saw potential benefits
to including traffic stops in the consent decrees oversight
and accountability structure.
So the commission worked closely with CPD
and the Department of Law
and entered into a memorandum of understanding, providing
that if traffic stops are incorporated in the consent
decree, the commission will continue
to play a major role in shaping the policy.
The commission is now working on Traffic Stops policy on
two parallel tracks.
They're working with the Independent Monitor,
the Illinois Attorney General's office
and CPD to see if those parties can come to an agreement
to include traffic stops in the consent decree.
At the same time, commissioners are working on the policy
directly with CPD, so
that progress will continue even if there isn't agreement
about including traffic stops in the consent entree.
The commission's engagement work on Traffic Stops policy has
been incredibly extensive.
Six listening sessions, multiple webinars
and targeted focus groups, meetings with dozens
of subject matter experts
and thousands of responses
to the commission's online and feedback forms.
It stands to reason that the commission would
do this much work.
This level of outreach reflects the scale
and the significance of the issue.
CPD conducts hundreds of thousands
of traffic stops policy, sorry.
Hundreds of thousands of traffic stops every year.
So whatever your views on traffic stops policy,
there is a lot at stake.
The commission is working collaboratively
to develop a policy that reflects as best
as possible constitutional standards,
national best practices, and the broad range of ideas
and concerns that people across the city
have shared with the commission.
There are strong opinions and strong emotions on all sides,
and against that background, it's encouraging
to see the commission and CPD sitting at the table together,
working collaboratively
and respectfully to craft a policy that as thoughtfully
as possible, does the most to protect civilians
and police officers in our city.
Another key commission power is
that it plays a central role in selecting
and removing public safety leaders.
In 2023,
you'll recall the commission led the national search
that resulted in the selection
of CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling.
Now the commission is doing similar work
with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Last year, the commission received
troubling complaints about copa.
The commission launched an inquiry
that included extensive interviews with COPA staff members.
In February of this year, coppa chief administrator
resigned, and now the commission is leading the search
for a permanent chief administrator.
Commissioners have worked extensively to understand
what kind of leadership COPPA needs now to succeed.
They have received input from hundreds of people.
Commissioners held four listening sessions across the city.
Commissioners also held two meetings
that were open to all COPA staff.
Commissioners also reached out to all of the police unions
and met with those that were interested.
The commission created different online feedback forms
for community members, COPA employees and CPD members.
Commissioners also received input from more than 20 local
and national subject matter experts.
Commissioners also got input, uh, in targeted focus groups,
including meetings with young people
and with traffic safety advocates.
Staff reviewed all the input
and some very clear themes emerged about the qualities
and characteristics that the next COA chief
will need to succeed.
The commission developed an application
that emphasized those qualities and characteristics.
The commission received 24 applications
from candidates around the country.
And as commissioners are evaluating candidates,
they're placing a high value on the qualities
and characteristics that people emphasized
most frequently throughout the process.
So the next co chief will bring to the job the skills
and qualifications and values that were highlighted,
highlighted by a broad swath of people
who are deeply familiar with the agency.
By law, the commission nominates one candidate to serve
as COPA Chief Administrator,
and the city council votes on whether to confirm them.
Once the city council confirms the next chief administrator,
the commission will have additional tools
to hold the chief accountable.
The commission will set annual goals
for the chief administrator
and meet regularly to assess progress.
The commission can also set policy for copa.
So with a well-informed selection process, a strong pool
of candidates and a powerful set of accountability tools,
commissioners are hopeful that the next COPA chief will lead
with unwavering integrity, strengthen accountability,
and earn the trust of those
who bring allegations against COPA
and those who are the subject of COPA investigations.
Now, let's focus on district councils.
District councils are also making great progress.
In September, members of the 19th
and eighth District Councils made a presentation
to the City Council's Committee on public safety.
They proposed creation of a pilot program
that would have civilian parking enforcement aids from the
Department of Finance respond
to low priority 9 1 1 calls about parking violations
that could free up Chicago police officers to focus more
of their time and resources on higher priority.
Calls and projections show
that the program wouldn't just pay for itself,
it would generate revenue for the city.
An ordinance to create a pilot program has been introduced
and district council members are now engaged
with city departments to work out a few important details.
Several committee members described the program
as a no-brainer, but of course, a huge amount of thought
and care went into the proposal.
District council members got mountains of data on calls
for service, rigorously analyzed it
and discovered that a relatively high percentage of calls
for service are related to parking violations.
They worked closely with community members
who helped to develop the proposal.
They brought a deeply thought through proposal to CPD,
the Department of Finance and other relevant city
departments, and worked with them to refine the proposal
and address concerns.
And as a result of that work,
when the district council members presented
to the Public Safety Committee,
A CPD representative told committee members, um,
that she hoped the pilot would be implemented, uh,
and then expanded citywide.
Similarly, district councils have worked
to strengthen the process
for creating district strategic plans.
As you know, every police district in the city creates an
annual district strategic.
For much of the last year,
many district council members worked
to increase public participation in the planning process.
They also developed a toolkit their constituents could use
to participate in the process more
thoughtfully and effectively.
They talked to their constituents together,
input about the process, and then came together across
districts and created a proposal
to significantly improve it.
The proposal includes a range of specific recommendations
designed to engage more people in the process,
improve the content of the plans,
and strengthen implementation.
The proposal also includes accountability mechanisms
that will make it more likely that the plans will be put
to good use, and it lays out a robust role
for district council members.
The proposal, one, support from every police district in the
city, including every district council member in 16
districts, a majority of district council members,
and four more districts, and one, one member each.
In the remaining two districts,
district council members are also working together
to expand restorative justice community courts,
which are a research driven tool that reduces recidivism
and results in more satisfaction for both offenders
and victims, and to help shape
and implement COP'S mediation program,
which is a voluntary program
to handle low level misconduct complaints more efficiently
and with outcomes that are often more satisfying
for both complainants and police officers.
These are all great examples of community driven reform.
District councils are conducting broad
and deep community engagement.
They're identifying systems
where there is lots of room for improvement.
They're building support and strength within
and across districts.
They're digging into research and data.
They're collaborating with city departments
to move plans forward.
They're imagining a better way to address critical needs
and make our city safer,
and they're creating effective strategies
to turn great ideas into real change.
We have a small staff to support all that work.
We currently have 26 positions filled.
We were on track to fill all 28 of the positions
that were budgeted for this year
until the hiring freeze went into effect.
We're grateful that the proposed budget retains those two
positions, uh, that we weren't, uh,
didn't have an opportunity to fill plus one new position,
which will strengthen the essential community engagement
work that's so essential for the commission
and district councils to succeed.
The ordinance creating the commission
and District Council says that they exist
to increase public safety, strengthen accountability,
build trust, and improve interactions
between the police department and the people it serves.
Encourage community-based
and evidence-based approaches to public safety,
increase efficiency in the use of public safety resources,
and help to bring the city into compliance
with the consent decree.
That is an ambitious agenda,
and this budget will help us to advance it.
Thank you very much, and we look forward to your questions.
Thank you very much, director Gross.
Um, I'll, uh, I'll give a shout out to my, uh,
district counselors who work so frequently with us.
Um, uh, we have, uh, in the ninth District, uh,
a very involved, uh, group of, uh, district counselors, uh,
Erin Vogel in particular, uh, with her, uh,
community engagement.
And of course, uh, we have our others, um, as well
that are holding these meetings on a monthly basis.
Um, you know, I,
I wonder if you can comment just since we've gotten a couple
years under our belts now, um, what sort of, uh, what sort
of improvements, aside from the things
that you've already highlighted, which I think are great in
terms of just the, the policy things
that they're getting involved in.
Um, so I know one of the challenges,
and I don't know that this has been worked out yet, is, uh,
from a pub, uh, open Meetings Act perspective,
they can't talk to each other, um, outside of the, outside
of a a public meeting setting.
And to me that that feels really sort of, um,
counterproductive, um, at the end of the day.
Um, can you talk at all about sort of what's happening in
that world to try to fix that somehow for them?
If there's a way to do that from a legislative perspective?
Uh, thank you. Vice Chair Lee.
There has been, uh, an effort in Springfield to try
to make change to the Open Meetings Act to allow
district council members to communicate, as you say,
it's extraordinary, extraordinarily challenging for them to,
uh, to do their jobs, um, to collaborate
with their fellow district council members.
Given the way the OMA is currently written, um, so far, uh,
we haven't made sufficient progress in Springfield,
and we have to operate within the,
within the confines of the ordinance.
So there's a lot of work, especially between, uh,
between district council members and staff.
Uh, individual district council members
can communicate directly with staff.
Staff can then communicate back out
with district council members.
So there's some ways to work around the limitations
of the Open Meetings Act.
Um, uh, but, uh, it continues to be a significant challenge
and, uh, and there will be continued efforts
to try to amend the law.
Oh, I appreciate that.
Um, just for their sake to be able to,
to operate a little bit more efficiently would be,
would be really, um, wonderful.
Have we done any, um, just surveying at all.
Have the district counselors d done any surveying of, um,
constituents in their districts?
Just about how, how the work of the district councils is,
uh, going so far?
Like I, I know that, uh, I,
I'll talk about the Ninth District a lot
'cause most of my ward is in the ninth District.
Um, and, uh, you know, we're,
we're always trying to get people to come to meetings,
obviously, to engage politically.
But I wonder if, um,
how those numbers are looking over time.
Are we getting more people to come out
or more people being engaged, especially with the various
and sundry things that are going on in our city these days?
Yes, absolutely. The, uh, the general trend is, uh,
is very positive across the
vast majority of district councils.
We're seeing, um, increased participation in some cases,
significantly increased participation in their, uh,
in their monthly meetings.
And we're seeing more people coming out to the range of, um,
activities that that district councils are participating in
and sponsoring outside of their monthly meetings.
Um, and then, and then I'd also highlight
what I talked about in my opening remarks, the,
the really extraordinary work that
district council members are now doing, uh,
that really ramped up this year,
working across districts trying to identify, uh, ways
to improve public safety across the city, um, including
with things like pilot programs or, um,
or local efforts within their districts that might, um,
that might then be able to be scaled up. Great.
Thank you. Um, questions from the committee
members? Alderman Conway?
I, I, I do actually, Madam Vice chair.
I was gonna ask kind of along the same line of questions
that you were, and just, um, and,
and to that end, maybe, maybe zooming out a little bit,
you know, as the district councils evolve,
how do you think we should be thinking about success in
that, and whether that's something we should continue
to invest in or, or perhaps determine
that it was a failed experiment?
I, I don't know.
Uh, sure. So I mean it not as a Gotcha.
Just sort of be thinking like what's, you know, the goal
and do you think it's meeting that, and
what do you think we should be thinking about
as the people that fund
That? Yeah, absolutely.
So I think two primary purposes
of the district councils that,
that are set out in the ordinance,
creating the district councils are to, uh, uh, are
to work within a district to
improve police community relations, um, and, uh,
and also to strengthen accountability within the district.
And I think we're seeing, uh, both of those things, uh,
play out as intended across districts.
And we're seeing improvements, um, on, on all
of those fronts, uh,
including significant efforts over the course
of the last year to, uh, increase, um,
communication between district council members
and district commanders.
More frequent meetings between district council, uh, members
and, uh, and district commanders.
Uh, and, and then again, the work
that we described developing these, uh,
these public safety focused programs.
So, uh, I think it would be totally appropriate for you
to look to see continued growth on both those fronts.
And, and when you, uh, I,
I completely get the first one about relations, uh,
and engagement, the engagement side.
How do, when, when you say accountability,
what do you Yeah, what do you mean by accountability?
I guess I'll just ask Fine.
Yeah. In that. So, um, it's, it's a good question.
And accountability means, uh,
different things in different contexts in the, uh,
in the context of the district council work, uh,
I think it's, it's about, uh, working to, uh,
to drive public safety efforts within a district
in a way that reflects the concerns of residents
of those districts.
Um, and so, so one way that we see that kind
of work playing out is, uh, in the work
that many district councils across the city did
to increase participation in the police districts, uh,
district strategic planning process, um,
and in the district council's proposals, uh,
to further strengthen that process
and to increase participation in it.
Okay. So I, I, um, so an account, a part
of accountability is not necessarily reporting
bad police behavior.
What, how would you feel about your role in, in, in that,
That? So, uh,
so that's certainly something
that district councils can do to the extent
that they're getting those kinds of complaints.
Um, and, uh,
and when they're getting those complaints,
we're generally making appropriate referrals
to COPA into the Bureau of Internal Affairs, um,
usually first through copa,
and then COPA splits things off between COPA and BIA.
The, uh, the Citywide Commission plays a different role in
the accountability infrastructure.
The, uh, the commission, um, works
to advance accountability in a variety of ways.
That includes, you know, the process
that the commission is involved in now, selecting the Chief
of the Chief Administrator of COPA
and working to ensure that in that position, uh, is someone
who is, um, working every day to advance,
uh, advance accountability in, um, in powerful
and effective ways.
The commission also sets annual goals for copa, uh,
and sets annual goals for the police superintendent.
And, um, and often woven into those, uh, goals are things,
um, related to accountability in, um,
in more traditional forms.
So, uh, so the commission has a range of tools both
through the selection of, uh, of public safety leaders
and in, uh,
and its work to set policy for, uh,
for the police department and, uh,
and COPA especially, all of which can work
to advance accountability in a more traditional sense.
That's, that's great. You know,
because I know we're, we're kind of going through all these,
uh, departments back to back, so it's good
to hear from each one of them about
how they think they fit into the broader architecture of
police oversight, if you will.
So, I, I greatly appreciate your response
and Madam Vice chair, that's all I have.
Thank you. Alderman Conway, uh, alderman Nugent.
Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Uh, I just wanna take a minute and thank Adam.
He always answers all of my calls
and, um, discusses policy with me and,
and goes through all the options.
And so, uh, very grateful for you, always taking my call
and having really thoughtful responses.
So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Chairwoman.
Alderman Knudsen. Oh, I'm sorry.
Do you mind, we'll, well, we'll go in reverse order.
We'll, we'll go with the less senior people. We'll save
The, it's very, it's very Common. The
statesman for last chair. Go ahead, alderman. K
I'll be quick too. I just,
since, um, we've got some time, I think I wanted
to say thank you to Adam.
I also want to highlight that I feel very lucky
to be an award with two strong sets of district counselors,
um, different sets, but both very engaged and strong
and respectful, and their meetings are well attended.
That's the 18th district and the 19th district.
And I understand that not all of my colleagues have
that same exact collaborative experience with,
um, uh, their counselors.
So I just want to note
how amazing it is when you have counselors that truly work
for the community, um,
and, uh, say thank you for building that.
Thank you. Thank you. Over to you, chairman.
Thank you, chairman. Um, just wanna start out, uh,
Adam Ramel, appreciate all your hard work.
Um, I think, uh, it shouldn't be lost on any of us.
That was your organization that took the time
and effort, um, to organize the, uh,
identifying possible candidates
to serve as the superintendent.
And, uh, you did an unbelievable job in finding
superintendent Snelling, uh, the job
that he has done in supporting, uh, the men
and women who serve, uh,
but then also holding them accountable.
Um, he's done an unbelievable job,
and, uh, I think we're all very lucky, uh, to have him, uh,
the superintendent of our Chicago Police Department, um,
the current people holding the position, um,
in each district, that is a four year term,
Correct.
So we're coming up on, would
that be on the 2027 municipal ballot?
Yes. So we're getting up to the point where, um,
some of those folks would have to decide to run again,
or hopefully those that decide not to run again,
we find other people, uh,
active in communities that wanna serve.
What can we do to make sure that we have, um,
strong candidates in each and every one of our district?
Uh, that's a great question.
I can tell you a little bit about what the department is
planning and have some thoughts about ways that, uh,
that members of the city council and, uh,
and others can participate as well within the department.
So we understand that, uh, that with the first elections,
uh, this was a brand new role, uh,
and a a lot of people knew very little about
what the district councils were and what they could do.
Um, uh, you had some districts, even a small number where,
uh, where fewer than three people ran for the position.
Some of the positions were, um, were more contested.
So we're planning over the course of 2026, uh,
and have some money built into the budget for this purpose,
uh, to do a pretty extensive educational campaign, uh,
to help spread the word across the city.
Um, and, and we'll look particularly in the districts
where there may be less information about
what the district councils are and, uh,
and what they can do.
So we hope that we'll have more people running in 2027
who understand what the role
of a district council member is, understand
what their legal authority is, um,
and we hope those will be, uh,
those will be very competitive elections.
Um, we're, uh, we'll also continue to do work
to provide support to existing district council members, uh,
to help them, um, uh, uh,
do their work more effectively.
There are a bunch of ways in which staff provide, uh,
provide support to do that with regard to what members
of the city Council might do.
Um, I think really the most important thing is,
is spreading the word, encouraging, uh, strong candidates
to, uh, to participate.
Um, people who have strong feelings about these issues,
who have the, um, uh, the kind of skills that it takes
to bring people together around, um, uh,
challenging issues that people feel deeply, uh, about.
But, um, but where there's often some shared sense
of purpose around the need to create stronger
and safer communities, um, the, uh,
the more district council members, we can get committed to
that, uh, vision.
The, the better we'll all be.
And I would just add to that, um, another way
that City Council members can help is by inviting us out.
Like you heard about Nicole Garcia,
who heads up our public affairs division.
And so inviting us out to talk about this work
before we even get into 2026, if the opportunity allows, so
that people are aware and familiar with this body,
and what opportunities are available for them
to engage in this work.
Thank you, director Gross, president Terry.
Appreciate, uh, all your hard work to everybody in the box.
Um, that's it, chair.
Thank you. Uh, chairman,
there are no other questions from members.
Uh, I'll just end with, uh, my thanks
and appreciation for all the work that you all do, um,
to all of our, uh, all of our district counselors, uh,
who ran for elected office
and now have joined our ranks in that way.
Um, and for the very, very, very, very, very,
very small compensation that they get.
Uh, really, thank you. Thank you for all of the work
that you put in it.
It is, uh, um, we know, um, uh, you have to be passionate,
um, about the work to take on a role like these.
So, um, we definitely, as a, as a fellow constituent, uh,
appreciate the work that's being put into, um, helping
to reshape how we, uh,
view community safety and how we do it.
Um, so I'll be looking forward to continuing to work more
with you all, um, in the, in the coming year.
Uh, and thank you for your time. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Thank you. Uh,
the committee's gonna stand at ease while we transition
to the next, uh, hearing, which will be
for License and Appeal Commission.
I'll be all official about it, too.
Good afternoon, everybody. We're gonna reconvene here, um,
for our next hearing, which is
for license appeal Commission.
We're first going to have, uh, the COFA review with Alex.
Alex, take, uh, take it away.
Thank you. Vice Chair Lee.
My name is Alex, and I am with the City Council Office
of Financial Analysis.
And today, we are joined today by License Appeal Commission.
The, uh, LY Appeal Commission has a proposed budget
of $0.21 million.
That is a 1.63 increase, uh, from last year,
or roughly $3,364.
It is a hundred percent corporate funded.
A little bit about the spending breakdown.
It is, uh, roughly 0.12 million personnel
and roughly 0.09 million in non-personnel.
Currently, they're budgeted for one full-time employee.
That is a 0% change from last year.
Uh, we see kind of very, uh,
little reductions in any changes from last year's budget.
Here. We do see a 0.1, uh, million
increase in personnel SER services,
but, uh, contractual services and commodities
and materials remain the same.
So we see about a roughly 1.63% change.
Uh, once again, that is 100% corporate funded.
Uh, a little bit about the appropriations on the
historical side here.
Um, we see a roughly about
0.3 million increase here within the past nine years,
but relatively remains solid the entire time.
So that is my breakdown here,
and I'll return back to Vice Chair Lee. Thank you.
Thank you, Alex. Um, next we're going to hear from chair
of the License Appeal Commission, Ms. Laura Perry.
Thank you. Um, good afternoon.
I'm Laura Perry, chair of License Appeal Commission,
and I have with me today our staff assistant,
Michelle Guzman Flores, licensed PO commission,
or LAC was established in 1935,
and we commemorated our 90th anniversary
as a city commission this year.
A brief thank you. It's,
it's a, it was established by the, um, liquor Control Act
of 1935 by the state of Illinois.
We have a brief timeline that we have added to our webpage
with some photographs of, um, the places
where LAC has been housed.
If you are interested in history, LAC hears appeals
of decisions regarding the issuance
and discipline of liquor licenses made by the Department
of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection.
Local Liquor Control Commission
state law requires a municipality with a population
of a half million or more like Chicago.
And in fact, Chicago is the only one in Illinois at this
point to provide an independent license appeal commission
to hear those appeals.
There are three commissioners by state law.
One commissioner is appointed by the city,
and the two other commissioners are members
of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission, who are appointed
and paid for by the state.
Appeals are brought to challenge revocation, suspensions,
or fines of existing liquor licenses imposed
by the local Liquor Control Commission.
And in these matters, the disciplinary proceedings are
reviewed and appellate arguments from the parties are heard.
LAC also hears appeals stemming from applications for new
or renewal of existing liquor licenses, unlike revocation,
suspension, and fine appeals,
where there's only oral argument
and a review of the materials
or record from the disciplinary hearing.
These appeals are conducted via trial de novo or new trial.
They generally consist of opening statements, documentary,
evidence, testimony, photographic,
and occasionally video evidence followed
by closing arguments.
In all cases, a detailed written decision
is made by the commission.
Parties may file appeals in state court for review
of decisions made by the LAC
through the Department of Finance.
LAC has collected $375 in filing fees to date.
The commission is budgeted for, for one full-time position,
and there are no vacancies.
As always, our office will work with the Office of Budget
and Management,
and members of City Council to continue
to monitor operational costs
with an eye toward equity in our systems
and our contracting.
Thank you. Thank you, chair Perry.
Um, I, I feel like we've gotta work on your filing fees.
We we're need a little bit more revenue than $375.
Just kidding. I'm just not, that's not, not looking for you
to, it's a tough room here today.
Um, uh, thank you, um, for that.
And, and, um, I, I appreciate that you have zero vacancies.
I I don't know that we have any other department
that has zero vacancies, so awesome for you.
Thank you. It's great.
Um, I, I'm not as, um, as familiar with all of the work
of the, in the volume of cases that you see.
Can you talk a little bit about how many appeals we, we get,
um, that come through your, uh, your commission?
So it varies from year to year.
Um, this year, I think we've only had three appeals come
through from, um, the, the, uh, local,
local commission decisions
that have been levied in the
disciplinary and the applicant cases.
Um, we have seen
that there are more hearings happening at the MLDC Mayor's
License Discipline Commission,
which could potentially mean we will see more
hearings coming from there.
Um, but we have no way of knowing
how many appeals we're gonna get at in any given time
because we don't know how many of the applicants whose, um,
applications are denied are going to appeal,
or how many of the licensees
who have been disciplined are going to appeal that.
Good. Um, are there questions from other committee members?
I'll just say congratulations,
because clearly with so few questions at the hearing,
it means you are running this ship quite nicely.
Um, and it's a sign of a, a good thing.
So thank you so much for leading. Thank
You. Thank you. Alderman Knutson,
alderman, OSHA chairman, osha.
Uh, just to comment, uh, Laura, Michelle,
appreciate all your hard work.
Um, the fact that you fly under the radar, um, is a sign
that you are doing a good job.
Um, appreciate your hard work.
And, um, I don't have anything else.
Okay. Thank you. Thank you.
Well, does that mean we beat, um, ethics record? You did.
I, I, I think that you did.
I wasn't here for ethics earlier,
but I'm, I'm almost guaranteed you did.
'cause sorry, Steve,
They can pontificate.
I can get one of them down here.
Thank you so much, uh, for everything, for being here
and for being patient with us today.
I know it was a little bumpy with the schedule,
but, um, with that, thank you.
We're gonna stand at ease.
The committee's gonna stand at ease as we bring in the next
and final, um, hearing for the day
of the Chicago Police Board.
Thank nice to meet you. I appreciate it.
Thank you for all.
Good afternoon, everybody.
The committee's gonna come back together for our last
and final hearing of the day for the Chicago Police Board.
We're first gonna hear from Kofa, uh,
on their analysis of the budget.
Alex Murup.
Thank you. Vice Chair Lee, members of the city council.
My name is Alex. I'm with the City Council Office
of Financial Analysis,
and today I'll provide a brief overview
of the Chicago Police Board.
So, um, this year's proposed
budget is about a half a million.
Uh, that is a small reduction, about 2.3% from last year's,
and it is a hundred percent corporate funded.
Um, the spending breakdown includes about 0.32 million in
personnel, while the remaining 0.18
in non-personnel spending.
Uh, this year's budgeted for two FTEs.
Uh, that is a 0% change from last year.
We do see some reductions going into the appropriations by,
uh, we see contractual services down by 0.2 million.
Meanwhile, uh, commodity materials, we see a, uh,
33% reduction at zero.
So, and then total there about 2.3% reduction.
So, uh, once again,
that is a hundred percent corporate funded.
And moving forward here with the appropriations
of un historical is a minimal change from last year.
As we can see here, it's relatively stayed pretty consistent
within the range of about 2.2 million.
And, uh, that is my rundown. Thank you.
Thank you, Alex. Uh, we're gonna hear next, um, from, uh,
Claudia Badillo, uh, vice President
of the Chicago Police Board
and Board President Kyle Cooper, or no,
Kyle's not here.
I'm just like, I just read ahead. Sorry.
No problem. Thank you. Uh, good afternoon.
Uh, chairwoman Lee, members of the City Council.
Um, as you heard, my name is Claudia Badillo.
I am actually the Vice President
of the Chicago Police Board Board President Kyle Cooper
apologizes for not being here.
He sends his regards.
Um, he's currently outta the country for work.
So, as you know, the question of Arbitrability
and what the arbitration process
for serious police discipline cases might ultimately entail
remains a significant issue
for both the police board and the city.
By way of background, in March of 2024,
a Cook County Circuit Court judge ruled that rank
and file Chicago police officers may elect
to have the most serious disciplinary cases decided
by an arbitrator rather than by the police board.
Now, while the police officer's union the Fraternal Order
of Police, um, also known as the FOP,
has appealed the ruling requiring arbitration hearings be
open to the public, the city did not challenge the court's
establishment of the arbitration option.
And the Illinois Appellate Court recently affirmed the
requirement of public arbitration.
And we should find out soon whether the Illinois Supreme
Court will review the fops appeal of this decision.
This litigation is brought to a standstill, um,
the consideration of the vast majority
of cases in which the recommendation is
to discharge the accused officer from the
Chicago Police Department.
In fact, 21 police board discharge cases are
currently on hold.
These cases include charges of unjustified police shootings,
eight of those cases, domestic violence, five cases,
excessive force, two cases and illegal searches.
One case there can be no police board hearings
regarding these cases without the consent
of the accused officer.
And there will be no arbitration hearings
regarding these cases until there is agreement on an
arbitration process that complies with the court order.
Now, while these cases remain at a standstill,
the board continues
to be active in carrying out its other responsibilities
mandated by the municipal code
and collective bargaining agreements.
Notably, we have five discharge cases, um,
that are moving forward at the police board.
Three, because of the accused police, uh,
members are supervisors and not FOP members.
And two, because the accused police officers elected
to have a police board hearing rather
than wait for arbitration.
Individual board members continue to rule on disagreements
between the civilian Office of Police Accountability, COPA
and CPD regarding the discipline of officers.
As of the date of this hearing,
the individual board members, our individual board members,
have ruled on four disagreements in 2025.
Additionally, our police board president, Mr. Cooper,
is leading an effort to review
and update the CPDs Rules of Conduct.
And this project is intended to make improvements
to the current version of the rules,
which the board adopted in the 1970s that will more clearly
and effectively communicate to officers
and the public how CPD members
are required to conduct themselves.
The board also continues to consider appeals by applicants
for a probationary police officer position
who have been removed from the eligibility list due
to the results of a background investigation,
the board has decided 25 of those appeals thus far in 2025.
Finally, our monthly public meetings provide an important
opportunity to keep the public informed on a variety
of community safety issues.
This past month, we had Deputy Mayor Gary
and Gatewood speak about what the city is doing
to protect Chicagoans in response
to the troubling actions of federal agents.
And we had Chief Angel Nivalis provide the public
with information on the CPDs response
to incidents involving ICE
Police Board meetings are carried live by CAN tv,
which does an excellent job live streaming,
um, and televising them.
Our meetings generate significant public interest.
Can TV reports that the meetings consistently attract
several thousand live views?
The police board's modest budget request
for 2026 is designated to ensure
that we carry out these legally required responsibilities
efficiently and effectively.
Notably, for the second year in a row,
our budget request is lower than the current year's
appropriation, reflecting the board's acknowledgement
of the city's economic realities
and our ongoing efforts to be a responsible steward
of taxpayer dollars.
Thank you very much for your consideration of my comments
and the police board's budget.
Uh, myself and executive director Max Caponi are happy
to respond to any questions that you may have.
Thank you very much. Um, vice president, I'll look to, uh,
my colleagues if there are any questions for, um,
the Chicago Police Board while they're here.
Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, chairman. I am just bouncing
around this room here today.
Uh, but thank you, uh, chairman, members
of the committee thank you to the police board.
Uh, and thank you for your report.
I have one question, and it's the same question I've always
asked the police board.
Uh, aside from your administrative duties
to adjudicate cases with the police, part
of your charge also is to come up
with policies for the department.
Um, going back to Lori Lightfoot,
the police board has always been a little bit light,
no pun intended, on policies, uh, for the police department.
Um, can you share with us what depart, what policy
recommendations you have made to the department,
uh, in the past year?
Sure. I sep separate from the consent decree stuff.
Yes, I know, I know, uh, our president, Carl Cooper,
has been working on several things.
I think maybe our executive director can answer that.
Yeah. So, uh, in the past year,
the the board has not made any final policy recommendations.
Um, uh, two, the Superintendent of Police, it is working
on one, um, policy recommendation regarding, uh,
residency cases and investigations
of alleged residency violations.
And those stem from a couple of cases
that the board has decided this past year.
So, as you may know, um, oftentimes, uh,
the board will recognize a need for a policy recommendation,
um, stemming from a case that has decided.
So that's one area.
Um, a more significant area related to policy is, um,
the rules of conduct revisions that, um,
vice President Badillo mentioned in our opening statement.
So, um, the board is charged with the, um, adoption of rules
and regulations for governance of the department, um,
by the municipal code.
And the rules of conduct that lay out, um,
expressly prohibited acts, um, such as prohibiting,
making false reports, prohibiting
engaging in excessive force.
Those were drafted, um, largely in the 1970s.
And President Cooper is leading an effort to update, uh,
those, to make them, uh, more, um,
more effective in communicating to, uh, the public
and to officers what conduct is required.
So that's a significant, um, undertaking.
Uh, it's a goal that he has with C-C-P-S-A for this year.
It's going to extend into next year,
and we'll be reaching out to, um, stakeholders,
including city council members as that, um, is ready
for public, uh, disclosure.
And so we're looking
at possibly next year.
Yes, I would say, um, certainly next year
Because I've had the pleasure of, of serving in this room
for nearly a decade and
probably have brought this question up
eight outta 10 times roughly.
Um, and to hear that we have policies that haven't been
updated since
before I was born really begs the question of
what we are doing with regards
to the statu statutory authority of the board
to come up with policies and revisions and address things
before they are problematic.
I appreciate trying to deal with the adjudication part,
but I think we oftentimes get lost in that universe.
Um, I feel as though that there's plenty
of opportunity along the
multilayers of policing that we've created here in the city
of Chicago, and that we constantly get lambasted about
for having, for us to be able to address
and update rules, regulations, policies,
and procedures to have a 21st century
constitutional police force.
It's very frustrating for someone like myself
who supports law enforcement, supports our officers to know
that while we're saying that we are making sure
that we have all these levels,
it does in fact seem very duplicitous when we're,
we have a hole that you could drive a Cadillac
through when it comes to policies
and being able to effectuate some of the changes
that we wanna see and address in law enforcement.
So I would hope that, uh, as we look into 2026,
that we can start focusing on, on addressing some
of these issues, uh, addressing the new reality
that we find ourselves in, in the 21st century, uh,
with bringing some mod, modern mod
modernity to what we're doing.
Um, because I think really at that point, if
we are not using every lever in the toolbox
to accomplish those goals, then we really need
to start looking back and seeing what we need to claw away
and why do we have all
of these layers if they are not adding to the conversation
in the way that I think the law allows
that conversation to proceed.
So thank you for what you do.
Thank you for present presenting, uh,
and look forward to that ongoing conversation.
Thank you, chairman. Thank you,
Alderman. Thank you Alderman
Lopez.
Uh, any other questions from the committee?
Um, I'll ask one. Uh, so I know that, uh, we've got a,
a great number of cases that are being held up at this
point, do, and it says here in your,
and I in your opening statement, um, that you're waiting
for the ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court.
Do we have any idea about when we expect that,
Um, the, uh, ruling from the Illinois Supreme Court?
Yes. Uh, that should come later this month.
They will decide whether to accept the case for appeal.
Uh, it's my understanding that, um, it's up to them as
to whether to accept the case.
If they accept the case for appeal, I would, um,
think it will be well into 2026
before this issue is resolved.
If they do not accept the case for appeal,
then the Illinois Appellate Court decision, um,
confirming public arbitration will stand,
and then the next step will be for the city
and the union to agree on a process
that complies with the court order.
So it could be, uh, fairly soon,
but if the case is accepted for review,
it's gonna be sometime yet.
Got it. And in the meantime, the disposition of the cases
that are in this holding pattern, those officers are
what's happening with those officers?
Um, so there's 21 cases, um, that are
where the officer is elected arbitration.
Mm-hmm. And the cases can't go any place.
Um, 12 of those officers are suspended without pay.
Another four are inactive,
so they might be on the leave of absence.
Okay. And then five are active and being paid. Okay.
And it's up to the superintendent to decide whether
to suspend an officer or not. Okay.
Great. Got it. Understood. Um, that was really helpful.
That was really my only question.
Um, I just like, um, the other folks that we've,
we've had here this afternoon, I,
you don't take these positions on for, for, for,
for the glory or all of the free time that you get.
Um, so I, I wanna thank you, um, for, for your time
and commitment to service to the city
and to the people of City of Chicago.
Um, it's not a small thing that you do, uh,
and we know how important it's, so thank you very much
for your time and your, for your effort.
Thank You're welcome very much. It's much appreciated.
Thank you. And with that, uh, the committee's going to,
well, that's the end of the day.
Uh, we're going to stand at ease until tomorrow morning,
nine 30 tomorrow.
Yes. Uh, you'll, for everybody,
it's in your email, but the, the rundown
for tomorrow is going to be administrative hearings, board
of elections, animal care and Control law.
So law, budget, uh, the CFO
and Department of Finance are gonna be back in.
Okay. Thank you.
The big day tomorrow.