Raise your hand if you need support.
Thank you.
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of Order
and Procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at ARM sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive,
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct during others' presentations
is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated,
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals.
Individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being.
Subject to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms,
city of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027.
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of order
and Procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at ARM sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive,
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals, individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in there being subject
to removal from the meeting by the sergeant at Arms,
city of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of order
and procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at ARM sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive,
or disruptive language is not not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals.
Individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being.
Subject to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms
City of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of Order
and Procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at ARM sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals.
Individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being.
Subject to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms
City of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of order
and Procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals.
Individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being.
Subject to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms
City of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of Order
and Procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at Arms sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals, individuals or groups.
Failing to adhere to these rules will be asked
to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being subject
to removal from the meeting by the Sergeant at arms.
Good morning City Council members,
if you can hear my voice, please log into your Eev device.
Please log into your Eev device.
If you need help, please raise your hand
and we will come help you.
Sign in. We'll be starting shortly. Thank you.
City of Chicago City Council, city
of Chicago City Council.
Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023 to 2027
Pursuant to the Chicago City Council rules of order
and procedure Rule 49,
the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules
of conduct to be followed during the public comment period
and the duration of all committee and city council meetings.
Profane, vulgar, threatening, abusive
or disruptive language is not permitted, demeaning,
discriminatory or harassing behavior
and speech directed towards others is not permitted.
Disruptive behavior including disruptive
or disrespectful conduct
during others' presentations is not permitted.
Backpacks, large bags and sharp objects are not permitted.
Clear bags not tinted in color
that do not exceed 12 x six x 12 will be permitted
and are subject to search.
Food and beverages including in metal
canisters are not permitted.
Cell phones must be placed on silent prior
to entering the meeting room.
Individuals must remain seated.
Public comment, speakers are permitted
to stand only when providing public comment.
Small handheld devices may be used only while seated
and the user must refrain from interfering with the view
or hearing of other individuals.
Individuals or groups Failing to adhere
to these rules will be asked to see such disruptive conduct
and failure to comply will result in their being subject
to removal From the meeting by the sergeant at arms.
Good morning. The council will come to order.
Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call.
The voting is now open. The voting is now open.
Please use your eev device.
Mark yourself present The quorum roll call is now. Open
Roll.
Okay, I will now take a roll call for any of those
that have not used the Eev device.
Take a voice vote. Alderman Hopkins not present.
Alderman Robinson not present. Alderman Hall.
Alderman Hall is present. Alderman Mitchell.
Alden Mitchell is present. Alder person. Harris.
Oh, alderman person. Harris is not present. Alder person.
Ramirez. Alder person. Ramirez is present. Alder person.
Gutierrez is present. Alder person.
Mosley not present. Alder person.
Scott not present. Alderman Ccho.
Lopez not present. Alderman. Cardona not present.
Alda Alder person. Rodriguez Sanchez not present.
Alder person. Nugent al the person. Nugent is present.
All the person Napolitano.
All the person Napolitano is present.
All the person Lawson not present.
All the person Hadden not present.
Mayor, we have a quorum.
Thank you very much Mme. Clark.
There are 40 members present.
So we do have a quorum now.
Um, the, yeah, there's a number of individuals that wish
to participate remotely.
Can I get a motion? Um, there are a number of people
who are requested to participate in today's meeting remotely
for reasons stated in Rule 59.
Can I get a motion to approve the remote participation?
It's been moved so they could, we can add it to the quorum.
We have Alders Robinson, Harris,
Mosley, Scott Caledonia, Rodriguez,
Sanchez Lawson,
all those in favor of allowing for virtual
participation requested by these alders
signify by saying aye.
All those opposed say nay in the opinion of the chair.
The ayes have it. Madam Clerk,
please mark those various alders, um, present
as participating remotely for the wrong uh, quorum call.
Let's stand 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 our invocation
and our invocation will be delivered by alder
of the sixth Ward. William Hall,
Let's bow our, let's bow our heads.
God, we first of all say thank you for this day.
God, we thank you that you've given us strength in our
bodies and we thank you
that you've renewed your mercy on this day.
Now God, as we come into this room,
may we represent those who are not here.
May we always remember to keep love on our agenda today
and may our differences do not divide us.
God, we pray that we discover things that we did not know
before, but when it's all said
and done, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
and we ask these things in Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. Thank you. You may be seated.
Adam Clark, please read the call of today's special meeting.
The following call for a special meeting
of the city council was filed in my office on Thursday,
February 8th at 10:36 AM
to the honorable members of the city Council.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hereby call a special meeting
of the city council, the city of Chicago
to Conven convened at 11:00 AM on Thursday,
February 15th, 2024, and the City Council Chamber
and City Hall for the sole purpose of setting the date
and time of the next regular meeting of the city council,
uh, for February 15th, 2024 at 11:30 AM
for no other purpose whatsoever.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, mayor.
Thank you Madam Clerk. This is the portion
of the meeting for public comment.
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 Matthew Conti.
Good morning ladies and gentlemen
of the City Council Johnson.
I appreciate the opportunity to address you today
regarding a crisis, a matter of great concern
to our beautiful city on behalf of the West
of the River Coalition, the issue of unhoused,
tent encampments which have become notorious for drug use
and distribution along with crimes against those
who live and work there.
Has anyone in this assembly been assaulted, beaten,
or robbed by a 10 dweller?
September 11th, 2023, I was assaulted
and battered by a panhandler on the public sidewalk
on Lake Street as if I was trespassing in the
backyard, my office was robbed.
Other attorneys have been harassed and assaulted.
The list goes on and on.
While we understand that our progressive administration is
in favor of these encampments as a solution to homelessness,
it is crucial to acknowledge the negative impact they're
having on our community.
Located west of the river along Lake Street, Milwaukee,
and Fulton Street under the train ox, we ask that you
as the decision makers of our city,
explore alternative approaches
to prioritize both compassion and public safety.
Let's not follow the disastrous policies of
cities like Portland, Seattle and San Francisco.
I witnessed firsthand the drug use distribution at this
homeless encampment and understand like you do, that
perpetuates deadly addictions in an unsafe environment
for the unhoused and those living and working nearby.
On November 10th, 2023, the west
of the River Coalition delivered a petition
to the Honorable Mayor Brendan Johnson
and corresponded the alderman in the district's along
with the Chicago Police Department.
This petition was signed by over 1500
seriously concerned residents asking the city
to relocate this encampment.
On November 17th, 2023, the Honorable 42nd Ward Alderman,
Brendan Riley and 34th Ward Ward Alderman Bill Conway
delivered a letter to the mayor attaching the signed
petition which stays supported.
In response, we received a generic undated reply sent
by Deputy Mayors Johnson
and Gatewood that contain no plan of action
to resolve this crisis.
Should the controversial proposal
to impose an additional three point a half percent transfer
tax on real estate transactions in excess
of $1 million pass in March's referendum,
additional millions will be earmarked
for supporting the unhoused.
Currently there is enough alternative housing available,
yet these 10 dwellers choose to live on city sidewalks
because that's where they conduct their illegal business
and make money to the detriment of our community.
I challenge each
and every one of you to walk north to Lake Street today
after work go west, west of the river to see
for yourself truth in conclusion,
Mr. Conti, thank you
very much for your comments.
However your time has expired.
Our next speaker is Queen Adui.
My name is Queen DUI and I'm representing Color of Change
and the Coalition for Police
Accountability and Transparency.
We thank you for the December vote
to reject arbitrator Ben's arbitration award,
especially in the face
of the police union's bullying and scare tactics.
Today we ask you to oppose this award
again before you vote today.
Please consider the following, one,
police officers should be held to the highest standards
of accountability and transparency, particularly due
to their qualified immunity protections along
with the decades of documented abuses that black Latina,
low income and disabled Chicago intact face
because of the officer's abilities
to violate constitutional rights with impunity.
There is great public interest in ensuring
that police officers who commit gross misconduct are
appropriately held accountable
and that gross misconduct is not
shielded or accepted on the force.
Two, Mr. Ben committed a fundamental legal error when he
refused to consider the profound public interest
and welfare in moving open disciplinary hearings
of the worst police misconduct allegations away from an
independent publicly accountable body
with full due process protection over
to a closed door private arbitration process
before arbitrators who have a proven track record
of protecting officers from discipline.
This error violates section 14 subsection H
of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act three, section 12
of the Illinois Union Uniform Arbitration Act requires a
reviewing court to vacate arbitration award if there is
evident partiality by the arbitrator.
There is substantial evidence of partiality in Mr.
Ben's award, which is laid out
comprehensively in our written comment.
Evidence includes his bias accusations
that city leaders violated their oath of office,
his reference to the transparency
and accountability arguments
that were taken into consideration by the council
as quote Chicago's version of the big lie,
comparing these legitimate public interest concerns
with Trump's assertions
that the 2020 elections were rigged his threats
to impose significant sanctions on the city,
which highlights an inappropriate predetermination of
how he intends to rule on grievances resulting from
the city's legal challenges.
His singling out of a specific member of the public,
Craig Suman brief criticism of Mr.
Ben's decision, which was entirely unnecessary
to support the basis of his decision, his reference
to published academic research
by highly respected subject matter experts
as quote, pure nonsense.
Furthermore, Mr. Ben refers
to the city's potential liability from rejecting the award
as quote large and potentially staggering.
Yet he provides no justification
for using such inflammatory language.
Objectively, the number
of individual cases could be affected
by the award is not substantial relative to the total number
of disciplinary matters resolved by the city.
This reference appears directly intended
to scare the city council into accepting the award.
The city's legal challenge stands on solid legal grounds,
protect transparency and accountability
and how growth police misconduct is addressed by voting
to reject the arbitration award
and allow the court challenge to this award.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Krista Noel.
Good morning. Good morning and city council members.
My name is Krista Noel.
I'm with Women's All Points Bulletin, WAPB.
I'm also a member of the Chicago Alliance against Racist
and Political Repression.
I speak to you from my heart.
I have been working against police violence against women
since 2009.
I'm a survivor myself.
I have been going to police board meetings since 2009 too
because when I was attacked by a police officer,
it scared me so I went to police board meetings
because I trusted
that the police in Chicago would protect me
and help me get over the fact that I have been beaten
by a police officer since that time.
We have fought for Reia Boyd,
we have fought for Betty Jones.
We have fought for many, many women who have been killed
by the police and when I say that we fought, we got
before the, we spoke
before the police board almost every
month, every month.
And not only was I able to speak
before the police board to get these individuals fired
that killed these women unnecessarily, so was he.
Every police officer who wanted to speak was able to speak.
It is not an unfair process. Everyone can speak.
It's open, it is transparent.
There's no reason whatsoever for you to vote against, uh,
or vote for arbitration.
Okay? We have had, me
and this guy have had some really good arguments
and we have disagreed.
He disagrees with the fact that Robert Ramo was fired.
I don't, and he was, and that's the way it should be.
We should be able to disagree with the police
in public in front of a body that is making that decision.
There's no reason whatsoever why that should be, um,
contained and not allowed
for both sides to speak out.
And let me say, when it came to Rmo, a lot
of police officers spoke out a lot.
They really thought that it was fair for a grandmother
to open her door and to be shot dead by the police.
They really thought that,
but that's something that we needed to hear.
We needed to hear that.
I appreciate police officers getting up
and saying what they think
and their, you know, weird way
of justifying, killing people.
But it was open
and it did what it needed to do.
So I beg you
'cause I don't have any pride when it comes to this.
I beg you to vote for the police board
to continuous work.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Lan Miana.
Good morning. My name is Lan Mena.
I'm a member of the Chicago Alliance against Racist
and Political Oppression.
And I'm here to demand the city council vote
no to arbitration.
We and the movement know that this attempt
to make the most severe cases of police misconduct be heard
behind closed doors is an affront to democracy,
transparency and accountability.
We know that this attempt at arbitration is a direct
response meant to undermine the huge democratic gains we've
made in this city with the passage
of our empowering communities for public safety ordinance,
which has given people in this city a democratic say on
matters of police accountability like never before.
Really arbitration would be a slap in the face to families
and loved ones killed and tortured by police.
And those of us in the movement who've been fighting
to stop police crimes for decades.
Remember that this is the city of John Burge
and his midnight crew and their successor in Brian P. Berg,
the torture cops who have kidnapped young black
and brown boys off the streets, boy, boys
and girls off the streets and tortured them into
confessing to crimes they didn't commit.
Remember that this is a city where in 2012
CPD officer Dante Servin murdered Rekia Boyd
for hanging out with their friends at a park.
Remember that this is a city where in 2016 CPD officer Jason
Van D**e shot 17-year-old boy Laquan McDonald, 16 times 12
of which happened when he was on the ground.
And with 2023 being a year
where police in the US killed more people than ever,
1,232 people, you can look it up.
Just three years after people in this city
and country hit the streets in record numbers demanding
justice for those killed by police, a vote
to oppose arbitration is the bare minimum city council can
do to show they stand on the side
of justice and accountability.
So again, I implore city council oppose
arbitration all power to the people.
Thank you for your comments.
Our next speaker is Nino Brown.
Peace morning. Good morning. My name is Nino Brown.
I'm a member of Healthy Hood and the party
for Socialism and Liberation.
I'm also a former teacher
and I've lost students to gun violence, friends
and family to police violence.
And this is a struggle that I've
been fighting my entire life.
The facts are clear. We have needed fundamentally cha
fundamental change in how policing is done in the city
and in this nation for decades.
The working class people of Chicago are sick
and tired of old policies that do not work to empower them,
but to disempower them.
The people of Chicago are tired, especially of those
of us in the black community who have been victims
of this police state of raids.
Unlawful stops, excessive use of force and the list goes on.
But let's zoom, zoom out here.
Officers have killed at least 1,232 people last year,
which was the deadliest year for homicides
by law enforcement in over a decade.
And the vast majority of these people are poor
and working class people.
Do the police protect
and serve them when they take their lives?
What are we talking about today?
Arbitration, it's a matter of basic democracy.
Should the public have transparency
and accountability over the police who have the right
to take our lives and our property?
But yet on December 13th, the city council approved the new,
the new police contract,
which doubled the annual pay reasons
for scheduled cops over the next two years.
And we know that the police are some
of the highest paid workers in the city
and they're supposed to be accountable
to the public if they claim to be public servants.
The police, which don't solve crimes, they respond
to it in many ways, end up being criminals themselves
as they murder Laquan McDonald,
Adam Tono and so many others.
And I say if you want to end crime, you have
to end the causes of crime.
Crime is a consequence of a failed social order.
If you want a safer Chicago vote for transparency.
The so-called Union of Rank
and File Officers, they want
to contest firings long suspensions in private
instead of doing it in public.
We intend to continue to push for as many eyes
and ears to pay attention to the matter
of policing in our city.
In the United States, it's rare that a crime report leads
to the police arresting of a suspect
who is then convicted of a crime.
And according to the Chicago report, the data shows
that in reality about 11%
of all serious crimes result in arrest.
And about 2% ending conviction, if I, I used to teach,
if I did my job 2% of the time I would be fired,
I'll be held accountable.
So no other public sector union has these,
these measures in their contracts.
The police are not a part of the working class.
They are a bludgeon used against the working class.
It's the basic history of Chicago.
What they get from arbitration
or negotiation with city lawyers can't be overturned
by a simple majority of the city council.
It requires a three-fifths of all city council members
and that's a result of procop mayors.
But that day is ending. It's ending with the movement
for police accountability.
We hope it ends with Brendan Johnson
and the progressive movement in the city.
And I say to you that we demand true accountability now all
power to the people justice
for every single person who's been victims
by police brutality, gun violence.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Dave Gelfand.
Good afternoon. Good morning. My name is Dave Gelfan.
I serve as both a homeowner
and a property manager at 176 unit building located on
Clinton between Lake and Fulton.
I'm reaching out today to express deep concerns of myself,
the residents, the businesses in our neighborhood
regarding the current state of affairs on our block,
having managed the building for 17 years, I've witnessed
concerning escalation of issues in our area.
While there have always been homeless people in sporadic
crime, the situation has now reached a critical point
characterized by rampant gang activity, drug dealing,
and other criminal behavior.
What was once a place the homeless sought shelter has
transformed into a dangerous drug encampment, both
with drugs, individuals armed with weapons,
and responsible for multiple deaths.
Over the past year, the prevalence
of gang graffiti at drug marking territories on our
buildings and ever present risk to residents, the bus
and the businesses have created an untenable situation.
Residents have moved out, units listed for sale
and are not at an unprecedented rate for this time of year.
And leases have been broken.
Businesses are struggling to survive
as patrons avoid the area out of fear for their safety.
The pers pervasiveness of open needles and open drug market
and the site of individuals overdosing
and dying on our sidewalks have been disturbingly common
occurrences at all times of the day
and night as residents are walking their dogs,
their children, and otherwise navigating the neighborhood.
When I, while I commend the efforts of Alderman Riley
and Alderman Conway and their staff
and addressing the neighborhood concerns
through weekly site visits from streets
and sanitation, I stand
before you today urging the mayor's office
to take decisive action.
The current state of affairs is unacceptable
and there is risk every, every day.
The city fails to act. Let me be clear.
Our plea for action is not a condemnation on homeless.
We support efforts to provide resources
and assistance to those in need.
However, individuals occupying the encampment
are not merely homeless.
They're drug dealers
and addicts who have repeatedly refused offers
of housing and assistance.
It is evident that the current approach is insufficient
and in addressing the specific issue, the city's policy
of enforcing the now sunsetted Bryant agreement
to protect the rights
of the unhoused has converted into a barrier for the removal
of this drug encampment from the public way,
these tent encampments have been largely commandeered
by those dealers who have a vested interest in keeping the
encampments in place as a thrive market for narcotics,
which currently is under the protection of the city.
This approach allows predatory predatory criminal abuse
by the unhoused population at this location,
which now poses a real danger to our protecting the unhoused
and, and is in fact leading into an environment
where there's good intent being hijacked
by criminal elements that endanger the homeless as well
as law abiding citizens of this neighborhood.
We implore the mayor's office
to implement immediate measures
to address the drug e epidemic plaguing our neighborhood,
Mr. Gel Fund.
Thank you very much for your comments.
However your time has expired.
Our next speaker is David Lincoln.
Hello members of council. My name is Mr. David Lincoln.
I just want to say a brief, uh,
give y'all a brief information of who I am.
I'm a torture survivor. I was wrongly convicted
back in 1982.
I was a kid 15 years old.
I was kidnapped from one project to another project
and beaten torture then sent to the police station.
But I say this to say, say this, most of you aldermans that,
uh, that's here.
Y'all already know. Y'all already know what's going on
with this, with this corrupted police.
We got, we got, we got people in jail that we still fighting
to get out because of John Burgess.
Uh, sometimes I don't even like talking about it.
You know, I was wrongly convicted.
I was tortured into something that I didn't do
and they still looking for the gun.
Now this is 1982. I was a kid, 15 years old.
I'm 52 years old now.
Just retired from Streets and Sanitation.
And I asked all the all the Mr. Do y'all job. Job.
They be getting away for this for years.
We still fighting brothers,
innocent people in jail right now
that we fighting for right now.
I love you all, but I'll say that to say this.
Uh, we need, we need when, when, when stuff happens,
when people get killed by the Chicago policemen,
everybody wanna talk about transparency,
you know, that's out of it.
You know, we need a better, uh, we need a better board
and a better,
you know what, sometimes I don't even like talking about it
'cause it take me all the way back.
Like, like, like it's happening right now. You know?
Uh, we asking the, the committee to vote no
because it seems like they say serve
and protect, they protect themselves and they serve us.
And all this killing that's been going on
with the Chicago police officers
and they getting away with high murder,
it don't, it, it don't make no sense.
Excuse me, y'all gotta, excuse me, I'm not used
to talking about this here
because I get emotional, but bear with me.
Also, I'm a member of Chicago Alliance
and also I'm also a political, uh, a political prisoner.
God bless you all.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Frank Chapman in
Morning, everybody.
Good morning. David is also
a member of the Chicago Alliance Politic ion.
Those are the people that we work with.
Those are the members of our organization.
But I wanna talk about, uh, accomplishments.
This, this body, this, this city council
few years ago voted, if
I recall correctly, 33 votes, four
and 13 votes against empowering
communities public safety.
That was a historic achievement.
It was reported in all the major newspapers across the
country as a historic achievement.
So I'm not just talking about my opinion, law professors,
Chicago, uh, uh,
community organizations.
Everybody applauded this as a, as an as,
as a, as an advancement.
Now we don't need that undermined,
we don't need to take a step backwards
and that's exactly what we would be doing
if we go with this arbitration.
So I'm gonna encourage all of you to vote on it.
Take the stand that you took originally
and that was a stand to give our people in the community
a democratic option to say who, who police,
who polices their communities
and how their communities, the police.
We voted for transparency.
That's why we have a commission now.
That's why we have district councils,
elected district councils so that it can be out in the open.
No, nobody who's charged with a crime is allowed
to negotiate in private.
So why should a police officer,
we need to know what you're doing
because Chicago has lived under police tyranny long enough.
We crossed rivers of blood to get to
where we at right now in terms of our democratic rights.
And we're not gonna give this up for anybody.
So we're gonna continue to fight for that.
And I, once again, I encourage you
to vote no on the arbitration.
We don't need a secret chamber Justice, thank you very much.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Zoe Lee.
This whole system is rigged
so it really don't even matter,
but I know you aren't real fond of the police
and you're definitely entitled to that
because sometimes I'm not either.
However, shot spotter is something
that you should not get rid of after the DNC conviction.
That's probably not gonna make it here because Biden
and Harrison is not getting back in office
unless they find Black Americans.
Reparations Shot Spotter helped find the killers
of Officer Preston and helped put a white supremacist like
Alexander Hodney, who is currently out on bond
and was found in Inglewood with a shotgun three handguns,
an AR 15 style semi-automatic rifle.
Hundreds of rounds of an ammunition and a hatchet.
Since you refuse to put money back in the community
or if you do, it has to do
with the illegal immigrants like finding 17 million
to feed them because you went to a few black restaurants.
We are supposed to be happy when it's been three
to five illegal mass evictions in our communities.
Black families are being evicted every day across the street
at the Daily Center and can't get any rental
as rental assistance.
But you're focused on making a promise
on ending shot spotter.
Why? So you can use that money to continue
to help the illegals in the Latino community.
I mean, you're at almost a billion dollars
and our communities still look like a war zone.
I will tell you this, these kids are gonna continue
to come downtown and up north and it's gonna get worse
because they're gonna join the Venezuelans
and it's gonna be a time
because you care nothing about these kids.
And I've reached out to a few older people as well
because other than y'all playing with my generational wealth
and the wrong black family, I actually have compassion
and love children and they're hurting
and need attention and money.
I'm not sure if you're gonna go back to Jason and Tony
and see what the next orders are since you want
to be a social media influencer, influencer so bad.
But I will stop listening to them
because Tony needs
to worry about why people can go into the deeds office
and change deeds around with no identification or nothing.
And Jason doesn't need to advise anyone
but his mother instead
of making sure Starks is gonna court
cases to make sure they stay.
That I stay outta city council
meetings for almost three months.
It's a genocide right here in our communities.
Cease fire, happy black history.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Rhonda Smith.
Hello, my name is Rhonda Smith.
I am a member of the Chicago Alliance against Racist
and Political Repression.
I'm here to ask that you vote no to arbitration.
It is not a good thing and we all know it.
You all should know it.
It's not a good thing we've got,
I'm just gonna, I know.
I just wanna say for years and years
and years there have been racist
police to join, uh, the academy.
We all know that when you see police officers,
they don't have racist
painted across their face.
You don't know. You just see people. You just see people.
So when they've been charged, when they
do misconduct, it's only right
that they be held accountable.
We are human. We are human.
Every community, everybody in each, in every community,
we are human police are supposed to serve and protect us.
And when they commit misconduct,
they should be held accountable.
I shouldn't have to keep repeating this.
You all should feel this. It is not right.
It's not right. We've seen it
through the years we've seen them get off of murder.
I mean, it's on camera.
You look at George Floyd, this whole world saw that.
And there's so many incidents where this happens.
So they should be held accountable.
That should go without saying. It should go without saying.
We know that police officers are human too.
And that's why when some of them by whatever way
are made to become racist, for one,
they shouldn't be police officers if they can't be fair.
And for the other, we know that people have issues.
And if you discover, if you really,
if they really look at themselves
and say, Hey, you know, I'm not treating people equally,
you know I'm not doing right, then you should leave.
You shouldn't be a police officer.
So this is the way that there should be held accountable.
The community has spoken.
You all hear it, you hear it from us.
We've spoken so I've got more
time, but still it's wrong.
Please vote no to arbitration.
We don't want any behind closed doors deals where
bad cops get off.
Stop, stop covering up for your partner.
You know that they're racist and they're doing wrong.
Stop covering up. Thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments, your Honor.
There are no further speakers
who have timely signed up for the public.
Thank you very much. Thank you to all our public speakers
as set forth in the letter calling for special meeting.
The only item up today for consideration
and a vote is an ordinance setting.
The date and time for the next regular meeting
of the city council for February 15th, 2020 11,
30 am Alderman Mitchell,
Mr. President, I've handed
up an ordinance
to the clerk setting the date and time of the next meeting.
Thank you very much. Mad clerk, please read the ordinance.
Okay, the
Next Next regular meeting of the city council, city
of Chi, city of Chicago shall be held on Thursday,
February 15th, 2024, beginning at 11:30 AM
and the council chamber on the second floor in City Hall
1 21 North LA South Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Any other ordinance sign the date
and time of the next regular meeting
of the city council is superseded by this ordinance.
Section two, the ordinance shall take effect
and be enforced from here and after its passages, passage.
Gregory Mitchell, alderman Seventh Ward.
Thank you Alderman Mitchell. Mr.
President I move passage Okay. Of the ordinance.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
All those opposed signify
by saying A, any dependen of the chair.
The ayes have it alderman. And the motion to reconsider Mr.
President, motion to reconsider the vote.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
All those opposed say nay. Aye. The motion fails.
So the next regular meeting
of the city council will be February 15th, 2024,
11:30 AM instead of February 16th, 2024,
10:00 AM the chair recognizes Alderman cardia to president.
I would like to be present for quorum purposes.
Please add Alderman cardia
to the quorum roll call was Alderman Scho Lopez also added.
The chair recognizes Alderman Scho Lopez.
Thank you Mr. President. I think I
was, I was added, but just for the
Record. Very, very good.
Thank you very much.
Um, alderman Mitchell on a motion to adjourn Mr.
President, there being no further business for this body.
I move that we adjourn hearing No objection.
So order, this meeting is adjourned.
Just gonna take a three minute pause so that tech,
the technology can reboot.