... people. (laughs) They're just funny.
I mean, there was a traveling group that came in and did some stuff for
time. And it was, uh, it was a group of people that did, um, I think
it was like an acapella group or something that did the... They came and they did like seven different songs for us. And they were all very different styles. But they all sounded good. They were all great. Um, but one stood out because they were the most different. (laughs) (laughs)
Oh, amazing.
And we were talking about them afterwards, and I said, "You know, if those people
knew how to play an instrument or something, they'd be in a lot of bands."
I know. That's a traveling group. It's probably Chris Barry.
Yeah, Chris- I mean
Pat Berry.
Pat Barry. Okay, yeah.
Barbony.
Yeah, they were, they were the Mares Traveler, uh, sound guys.
Oh, okay.
Which is cool, huh? That's... I see them on the news sometimes.
Oh, yeah?
Like in, like in passing. You'll, you'll see like Chris or you'll see
Mason. Mason's like a taller guy.
White guy?
Uh, I think he's Puerto Rican.
Oh, yeah.
We did an installation there at the office for them.
Was it
seven...Good
morning,
everybody.
I'm calling the Committee on Transportation and Public Way to order.
We will now have a roll call to establish a quorum.
Will the aldermen please make sure their microphones are unmuted?
Please note that your yes or present response will be deemed to be a yes
vote when the quorum roll call is used as reference vote for later items.
Thank you. Uh, Chairman Mitchell,
present. Alderman
Basques. Alderman
Conway. Alderman
Irving. Alderman
Fuentes. Alderman Gutierrez.
Alderman Harris. Alderman Hopkins. Alderman Moore.
Alderman Mosley. Alderman Nugent.
Alderman Rodriguez. Alderman Wadasback.
Alderman Yancy.
There are seven members present. We have a quorum.
... has requested Route, um, 59. That was right now
Right. Yeah, that's, that's my question.
So that ƒ (23:03) .
So make a motion to settle.
You want to do it now?
Participation. Yeah.
Um...
Just not on there.
Yeah. Alderman Fuente, Jessica Fuentes, Alderman Mosley
and Alderman Rodriguez has requested to participate via Route
59. Can I get a motion to accept the, to accept this
motion? So moved by C- uh, Alderman Wadasback.
All those in favor say aye. Opposed, no.
In opinion of chair, the I's have it.
At this time, we will begin the public comment period.
Out of respect for everybody's time, public comment will be limited to 30 minutes
and each speaker is limited to three minutes.
Speakers, in accordance with Rule 58 of the City Council Rules of Order,
please refrain from profane language, obscene conduct or
disruptive comments.
They won't get to speak.
Okay.
Got it?
He said he don't want...
Yeah, I did see him raise his hand.
Okay. Okay.
Uh, George Blakemore,
uh, submitted to speak, uh, but has, has, uh, decided not
to. Um,
so then that just, that concludes the, uh, public comment
period. Now I move to approve the Rule 45 report for the Committee
on Transportation and Public Way meeting held on October
8th, 2025. Can I get a motion to recommend approval of this
item? Alderman Waldenspac so moves on the
motion. All in favor say aye. Oppose, no.
In the opinion of the chair, the I's have it.
Today, guys, we have five items on the agenda.
W- going out of order on page two is a substitute ordinance for
an amendment
to...
Going back to it.
Yeah, yeah, no. Going out of order on page two is a substitute ordinance for an
amendment. Two, going out of order on page five, item nine is
a direct introduction for a miscellaneous item located in the 42nd
Ward. Item three, going out of order on page six, item two is a
direct introduction for a miscellaneous item located in the 45th
Ward. Can I get a motion to accept the substitutes and direct introduction into
committee?
Alderman Hopkins so moves on the motion. All in favor say aye.
Oppose, no. In the opinion of the chair, the I's have
it. Page two, amendment of
municipal code chapter 10-28, substitute ordinance
20250019944. A
minu- amendment of municipal code chapter twos- two d- two-
10-28, by modifying various sections to establish full
year and partial year outdoor dining street permit options in the
49th Ward.
Um,
here to speak on this... Here to speak on this item is Leslie from the
forty... Leslie, what's your last name? I'm sorry.
P- Perkins from the 49th Ward. Go ahead, Leslie.
Sure. Uh, Leslie Perkins, Chief of Staff to Alderwoman Hadden.
Uh, this amendment would allow, uh, us to establish
outdoor dining for, um,
Glenwood between Morrison Farwell.
We have a business there that has been operating since,
um, 2020, an outdoor dining area, and this would
establish, uh, uh, permit them to do it year
round. Um, this ordinance we worked with the Department
of Transportation, Streets and Sanitation, the Department of Law, and
Stephanie from your committee. Uh, and this would allow
aldermen to submit and consider on
a street by street basis instead of citywide, and would
work with the commissioners, um, in order to
address any concerns such as snow removal,
street sweeping. Um, it would still, you know, have
the same regulations as the traditional outdoor dining,
but extend it-
(?) . ... to year round. Um, if there's any emergency work that
needs to be done, businesses would obviously have to,
uh,
remove the, the structure to allow for work to be done in the public
way.
Okay. Uh, thank you. Um, Alderman, uh, any questions from
Aldermen?
It's that. Alderman Wadasback.
Thank you, Chairman. So, uh, Leslie, this would just affect the 49th
Ward? This-
This would affect one street in the 49th Ward.
One street,
Yeah, so, um, what this would do though, if other alders have
businesses, you know, that would like to take advantage of this, you can kind
of work with your local Chambers of Commerce and commissioners to see if it would
be a suitable location as well for, uh, year round outdoor dining.
Okay, thank you. Um,
unless there's any other questions, move to pass.
Um, I'll hold that motion. I, I do have a qu- a clar- a clarifying
question. Um, Counselor, I, I know the question was just asked
that, um, it's specific to the 49th Ward.
In reviewing the substitute ordinance-There's, I, if-
I missed it, there's, I don't see anything very, being specific to the
49th Ward.
So I...
Good morning, Chairman. Good morning.
Paul Bussister, Corporation Counsel with the Department of Law.
Okay.
Um, so in section three of
the substitute ordinance, it creates a new section
10-28-600. This, uh,
provides that specific locations are approved, uh, contingent upon
application and approval by the Commissioner of Transportation,
uh, to expand beyond the current limitations to a
full year, uh, dining permit. And as you can
see, under the column, uh, headed with the
term Location, it has a specific location, that being North Glenwood
Avenue between West Morse Avenue and West Farwell
Avenue. That's the only location contemplated in this new
section. As Leslie mentioned, uh, alders would have the
opportunity in the future to amend this section to add additional
locations. But, uh, as is, only this one location
in the 49th Ward is covered.
Thank you for that clarification.
Okay.
'Cause reading is- is fundamental.
(laughs) All right.
Uh, asking Alderman Watchia to renew his motion.
Uh, so moved, Chairman.
Uh, all those in favor, say aye.
Aye.
Opposed, no. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it. Thank you, guys.
Thank you.
Um...
Yep.
Pages three through six include 29 ordinances for miscellaneous
items introduced by the local aldermen, uh, from Wards
one throo- through three, 13, 19, 22, 26,
27, 29, 30, 32, 36, 38 through 40,
42 and 45. Can I get a motion to recommend approval of these
items?
Alderman Nugent so moves. On the motion, all in favor, say aye.
Aye.
Oppose, no. In the opinion of the Ch- the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have
it. Um, I wanna, uh, I,
two things. I want to add Dale Gutierrez, uh, to the roll for purposes of
quorum, and I would like to, uh,
give our public speaker, uh, George Blakemore an opportunity to
speak, uh, for 30
minutes.
... (speaks indistinctly) He was born over.
But you were bullied
by the, by the system.
You're bullied by the system. You want to fit
in. You are a relatively new
alderman and you know the rules and you know that
I- I asked this question to you, why would you have two committees
at the same time and at the same place?
And y- even though you say, "Mr. Blakemore, it's your time to
speak." You, uh, you- you have a quorum, and then they walk out
and leave and play musical chair.
So, uh, I don't let people bully me.
I bully the bully. So you want to fit in
w- with- with these other aldermen. You're new.
And so you- you, they gave you chairmanship, so they telling you
how the game should be played. You make up your own rules, and I'm
glad you did. He say, "No, you can't talk."
(laughs) Our Black, some of our Black, uh, men and
women, uh, they know better, but they trying to fit in
with, with a corrupt system, and some of them
depend on this system for food, uh, clothes and
shelter and everything. Uh, uh, maybe I'm a free Black
man, with my poll A.
Maybe I'm freer than- than- than some of
us. This must stop,
having these meetings the same day, the same
time, the same place.
When you knew about Lawson, uh, committee and he knew
about yours, y'all was supposed to sit down and leave some
time, uh, for the citizen. I've been hollering and
cursing and saying F you and all kind of
things. Not you personally, the whole system.
And the re- way they can get along with that, the people
are... Don't you think that it's nobody here?
Don't you see it's nobody here?
Because you want the people away. You don't want them to be
involved in everything and
involved.
Something-
You don't want that. You keep the people dumb and ignorant
and then with this here, and you can do your dirty work.
Not you personally. All of you. Look, look, look,
look.
Yo, it's terrible. And I say F you,
all of you.
Mm-hmm.
W- why would you do that? Mr. Blakemore, you can't change it.
They know what you saying is true. They
know what you saying is true. But why they don't
change? Because they selfish. They don't care about
us. So we must have a revolution.
And it shouldn't be peaceful. Kick 'em out.
All of them. By Malcolm X say, "By any
means necessary." You talking about violence.
(beep)
Thank you, Mr. Blakemore. We'll take that under
advisement. Okay.
There being no further business before the committee, can I get a motion to adjourn
by the same roll call vote as applied to determine quorum?
So moved by Alderman Gutierrez. On the motion, all in favor, say aye.
Oppose, no. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it.
The meeting of the Committee on Transportation and Public Way is now adjourned.
Thank
you.