Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 1, 2, 7, 10, 11 and 18 regarding management, structure, powers and functions of various departments and agencies (2025 Municipal Code Management Ordinance), as amended

Votes › Budget and Government Operations

Record number: SO2024-0013673
Type: Ordinance; category: Municipal Code Amendments
Status: Final
Sponsor: Johnson, Brandon
Committee: Committee on Budget and Government Operations
Introduction Date: Oct 30, 2024
Final Action Date: Dec 16, 2024
Official record: Office of the City Clerk

Roll call: Passed Dec 16, 2024

34 yea, 16 nay. This was a divided vote. On motion of Alderperson Ervin, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed. Voted at the City Council meeting of Dec 16, 2024.

Nay (16): Brian Hopkins (2), Anthony Beale (9), Peter Chico (10), Nicole T. Lee (11), Marty Quinn (13), Derrick G. Curtis (18), Matthew J. O'Shea (19), Silvana Tabares (23), Monique L. Scott (24), Felix Cardona Jr. (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Samantha Nugent (39), Anthony V. Napolitano (41), Brendan Reilly (42), James M. Gardiner (45), Debra L. Silverstein (50)

Yea (34): Daniel La Spata (1), Pat Dowell (3), Lamont J. Robinson (4), Desmon C. Yancy (5), William E. Hall (6), Gregory I. Mitchell (7), Michelle A. Harris (8), Julia M. Ramirez (12), Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (14), Raymond A. Lopez (15), Stephanie D. Coleman (16), David H. Moore (17), Jeanette B. Taylor (20), Ronnie L. Mosley (21), Michael D. Rodriguez (22), Byron Sigcho-López (25), Jessica L. Fuentes (26), Walter R. Burnett (27), Jason C. Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ruth Cruz (30), Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez (33), William Conway (34), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Nicholas Sposato (38), Andre Vasquez Jr. (40), Timothy R. Knudsen (43), Bennett R. Lawson (44), Angela Clay (46), Matthew J. Martin (47), Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (48), Maria E. Hadden (49), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (former member)

Plain-language summary

Written by AI (@cf/openai/gpt-oss-120b) from the ordinance text only: SO2024-0013673 Management Ordinance as Amended.pdf. AI can make mistakes; the official document always wins.

The ordinance updates Chicago’s municipal code to change water and refuse fee rules, add many water charge exemptions, create and define the Corporation Counsel’s duties, expand the Chief Sustainability Officer’s authority, and tighten building energy benchmarking enforcement. It also sets new penalties for late payments and code violations and outlines processes for police superintendent selection and training agreements. These changes affect city agencies, property owners, seniors, nonprofits, hospitals, schools, and building occupants across Chicago.

Senior citizens 65+ receive a 50% discount on refuse collection fees and a 1.25% monthly late-payment penalty may apply.
Various entities-including city property, schools, colleges, certain hospitals, museums and qualifying nonprofits-are exempted from all or part of water service charges under new criteria.
The City creates an Office of Corporation Counsel with defined powers, duties and contract-signing authority.
The Chief Sustainability Officer now oversees environmental programs, utility franchise agreements, the opt-out electricity aggregation program, and inherits building-energy-benchmarking responsibilities.
Building owners must benchmark energy use; violations can be fined up to $100 for the first offense and $25 per day thereafter.

Money

$1,000,000 threshold for 100% water charge exemption for certain hospitals
$10,000,000 threshold for 60% water charge exemption for certain hospitals
$100 maximum fine for first building-energy-benchmarking violation
$25 per day additional fine for ongoing violations
1.25% monthly late-payment penalty rate for overdue refuse fees

Who: The changes affect senior residents, property owners, city departments, nonprofits, hospitals, schools, museums, building owners and tenants, and the broader Chicago public.

Where: City of Chicago

Timeline

Oct 30, 2024: Referred, City Council. The matter was Referred to Committee.
Dec 10, 2024: Recommended to Pass, Committee on Budget and Government Operations. The matter was recommended to Pass by controlling legislative body.
Dec 10, 2024: Substituted, Committee on Budget and Government Operations. The matter was substituted in committee.
Dec 11, 2024: Deferred and Published, City Council. On request of Alderperson Ervin and Alderperson Dowell, the matter was Deferred and Published.
Dec 16, 2024: Passed, City Council (34 yea, 16 nay), at the City Council meeting. On motion of Alderperson Ervin, and unsuccessful motion to reconsider by Alderperson Mitchell, the matter was Passed.
Dec 17, 2024: Signed by Mayor, City Council. The matter was Signed by the Mayor.