City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to
2027. Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council's Rules of Order
and Procedure, the Sergeant at Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for
members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing
gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.
All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon
request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one,
when entering or exiting the gallery.
Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for
that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the
City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive,
or defamatory behavior or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or
the Sergeant at Arms, may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly
conduct of the meeting is not permitted.
Disruptive or distracting actions, such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms,
throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other loud utterances are
not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the Sergeant at Arms,
such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting.
Any item that poses a potential safety hazard, as determined by the Sergeant at
Arms, is prohibited in the gallery.
Such items include but are not limited to, one, any pointed objects, including
knives of any kind. Two, banners, flyers, or other forms of signage.
Three, food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.
Four, backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages.
Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12
are permitted and subject to search.
And five, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun
guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons.
Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent
mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that
does not interfere with the ability of other individuals to view or hear the
proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be
subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms.
Good morning, members of the City Council. The meeting will begin shortly.
Please remember to log in your devices.
Got any, uh...
Is this the only guy?
That's it?
I couldn't hear you.
Who didn't hear me?
You were speaking just now.
Well, where's your guy saying keep it down in the audience?
Beale?
Is he coming up?
You need this for her?
Good morning, members of the city council.
The meeting will begin
shortly.
Please remember to log in to your devices. Thank you.
You're going to do the
F1.
City of Chicago, City Council, Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings, 2023 to
2027. Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order
and Procedure, the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for
members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing
gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.
All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon
request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one,
when entering or exiting the gallery.
Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for
that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the
City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive,
or defamatory behavior or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or
the sergeant at arms, may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly
conduct of the meeting is not permitted.
Disruptive or distracting actions, such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms,
throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other loud utterances are
not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms
such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting.
Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at
arms, is prohibited in the gallery.
Such items include, but are not limited to, one, any pointed objects, including
knives of any kind. Two, banners, flyers, or other forms of signage.
Three, food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.
Four, backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages.
Good morning. The council will come to order.
Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call.
Quorum is now open. Please use your devices to mark yourself present.
If you are having difficulty, please raise your hand and we'll be happy to help.
Okay, we'll now call on those who have not yet marked themselves.
Alderman Lospada, not present in chambers. Alderman Hopkins.
Alderman Hopkins is present. Alderwoman Doll. Alderman Doll is present.
Alderperson Robinson. Alderperson Robinson, not present in chambers. Alderman Hall.
Not present in chambers. Alderman Mitchell. Alderman Mitchell is present.
Alderman Beale. Alderman Beale is present.
Alderwoman Gutierrez. Alderwoman Gutierrez is present.
Alderwoman Coleman, not present in chambers. Alderman Moore.
Alderman Moore is present. Alderman Curtis. Alderman Curtis is present.
Alderwoman Taylor, not present in chambers.
Alderman Rodriguez. Alderman Rodriguez is present.
Alderwoman Tabares, not present in chambers.
Alderman Sigcho-Lopez,
not present in chambers. Alderperson Fuentes. Alderperson Fuentes is present.
Alderman Burnett. Alderman Burnett is present.
Alderwoman Rodriguez Sanchez. Alderwoman Rodriguez Sanchez is present.
Alderman Villegas. Alderman Villegas is present. Alderman Vasquez.
Alderman Vasquez is present. Alderman Riley. Alderman Riley is present.
Alderwoman Clay,
not present in chambers. Alderwoman Silverstein, not present in chambers.
Alderman Robinson.
Here.
Alderman Robinson is here.
Okay.
Everyone in chambers has been acknowledged. Okay, quorum is now closed.
There are
41 members that are present. We do have a quorum. There are 42 members present.
We do have a quorum.
The following alders have requested to participate in today's meeting remotely for
reasons stated in Rule 59.
The following alders. Madam Clerk, could you confirm their presence?
Tavares, Silverstein, Laspada, Taylor,
Coleman, and Hall.
Alderwoman Silverstein? I am present. Alderwoman Silverstein is present.
Alderwoman Tavares?
Present.
Alderwoman Tavares is present. Alderman Laspada?
Present.
Alderman Laspada is present. Alderwoman Coleman?
Present.
Alderwoman Coleman is present. Alderwoman Taylor?
Here.
Alderwoman Taylor is present. Alderman Hall?
Good morning.
Alderman Hall is present.
Very well. All members have confirmed their presence online.
Can I get a motion to approve their remote participation?
Very well. All those in favor of the remote participation of the following alders
that were listed, signify by saying, "Aye." Any opposed, say, "Nay." And opinion of
the chair, the ayes have it. Chair recognizes Alderman Sancho Lopez.
Mr. President, I just want to be added to the roll call.
Thank you. Madam Clerk, could you add Alderman Sancho Lopez to the quorum roll
call? Chair recognizes Alder Clay.
Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, would like to be added for roll call.
Thank you. Can you add Alderwoman Clay to the quorum roll call?
Please rise for the pledge of allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the
Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with
liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for the invocation, which will
be delivered today by Pastor Billy Evans.
Gracious and almighty God, we come before you today with humble hearts and grateful
spirits. Thank you for the gift of life, for the city of Chicago, and for the
opportunity to serve and represent its people.
As we begin this meeting of the city council, we ask for your wisdom, your
guidance, and discernment. Grant our elected officials the courage to listen, the
patience to understand, and the integrity to make decisions with fairness and
compassion. Help us to remember that behind every ordinance, policy, and decision
are real people, families, children, seniors, workers, business owners, and
communities who call Chicago home.
Give us hearts that are attentive to their needs and committed to the common good.
Bless our mayor, the members of the city council, city employees, and everyone who
contributes to the work of this great city.
May our discussions be productive, our disagreements be respectful, and our actions
be guided by justice, accountability, and a genuine desire to serve.
We pray for peace and safety throughout our every neighborhood.
May this city continue to be a place where people can live, work, worship, raise
their families, and pursue their dreams.
Lord, order our steps, guard our words, and guide our decisions.
May everything be accomplished today to contribute to the betterment of this city
and to the people we have been entrusted to serve.
We ask all these blessings in the name that has given me comfort, Jesus the Christ.
Amen. Thank you. You may be seated.
Will the clerk please read the call of today's special meeting?
The following call for a special meeting of the City Council of the City of Chicago
was filed in the office of the city clerk on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026 at
9:33 A.M. "Dear Clerk Valencia, We, the undersigned members of the City Council of
the City of Chicago, do hereby call a special meeting of the City Council of the
City of Chicago to be convened on Friday, September 25th, 2026 at 10:00 A.M.
in the City Council chamber in City Hall for the following purpose and for no other
purpose whatsoever, for the immediate consideration of
SO2026-0025407, a substitute ordinance
authorizing the approval of ownership transfer pursuant to the Chicago Metered
Parking System Concession Agreement.
Sincerely signed, Pat Dowell, alderperson of the Third Ward, Nicole Lee,
alderperson of the 11th Ward, Scott Waguespack, alderperson of the 32nd Ward."
Thank you. Public comments.
The council will now begin the public comment period, which is limited to a maximum
of 30 minutes. Each speaker is limited to three minutes.
Speakers cannot yield or transfer their time to another speaker.
Any written comments that have been submitted will be posted and made available for
automatic review. The first speaker today is George Blakemore.
I cannot believe it. The only speaker is Mr. Blakemore. Several years ago, Mr.
Blakemore was here with that parking saga, and he's here today.
Fake news, put that out. Put it out, fake news, the
press, that they only have one speaker.
The power of one.
One star can light up the darkness.
God sent me here for this duty.
All Democrats. Trump don't have a thing to do with this.
But Waguespack say he was here when they sold out the street,
and now they're getting ready to try to buy the streets back.
Where are the people? The streets all empty of men.
What then? Where are all the housing unions and protesters, where are
they? Godsend it. Fake news, make it go viral.
Make it go all over the world. They had a meeting today, and they had
one public speaker. Last week, that man denied me from speaking, lottery and all,
and all of you all was silent.
The committee comes up and you say each committee chairman can make his own rules.
No, they can't. These rules have to be unified. I'm sent by the Most High.
You see me, and you see me down empty seat. So maybe Mr.
Blakemore is crazy, or maybe the system is broken.
Voting one Democrat out and another Democrat in.
The system is a culture of corruption here, and I'm enjoying
every minute of it. Run and tell it, all the mountains and the hills that
Chicago didn't. Where's Reverend Wright? Where's Goree?
Where are all these union people? Where? Where here? Shut up.
Shut up. Shut up. Yes, I got it. Tell him to shut up inside interfering with
me. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. I don't know nothing, I got this mic.
Shut up. Nothing gonna change here. Nothing gonna shift here.
Mr. Blakemore, continue to direct your comments this way. Mr.
Blakemore, direct your comments this way.
30 seconds.
Yes.
20 some, 28 seconds. All right, now, there's a culture of corruption here.
The Black ones, the white ones, the Hispanic, the Asian.
It's a one-party system here, and Trump has nothing to do with this.
It's not DC, it's right here.
Right here. Now Chicago is the laughing stock. Laughing stock?
What are you saying? People are looking at Chicago.
Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments.
Your Honor, there are no further speakers-
I just got moved out of public speaking period
... this concludes our public comment period.
As
set
forth in the letter calling for this special meeting, the only item up today for
consideration is SO2026-0025407.
This is a substitute ordinance authorizing approval of ownership transfer pursuant
to Chicago Metered Parking System Concession Agreement.
Because this item is with the Committee of Finance, the chair recognizes chair of
the committee, Chairwoman Dowell.
Thank you, Mr. President and members of the city council.
The City Council's Committee on Finance at a meeting held on September 22nd, 2026
and reconvened on September 24th, 2026, considered a substitute
ordinance authorizing the approval of the ownership transfer pursuant to the
Chicago Metered Parking System Concession Agreement.
This item received a do pass recommendation in committee. Mr.
President, Alderman Waguespack joins me in moving to defer and publish this item.
Very well. This item has been
moved for defer and publish. Alderman Waguespack, do you confirm your second?
Sure.
All right, then this item will be deferred and published.
Just a second.
Given there's no other business before this body, Alderman Mitchell, a motion
to adjourn.
Set a date and time for the next meeting?
It's already been set.
That's right. Mr. President, if there's no further business before this body, I
move that we adjourn.
Hearing no objections, so ordered. This meeting is adjourned.