Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting, October 26, 2023
- When: Thu, Oct 26, 2023, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Budget and Government Operations
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8925576/video/878097310
- Transcript: full text (68,216 words, official captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Budget and Government Operations held 2024 budget hearings for the restored Department of Environment, the Department of Water Management and the Chicago Department of Transportation, after public comment from speakers who addressed reparations and migrant spending and from two shared scooter operators who asked the city to revisit its scooter license fees. Members asked the Department of Environment about its small initial staff, its lack of regulatory and enforcement functions and the timeline for moving positions from other departments; the Chair said he expects a regulatory component to be proposed before the 2025 budget. Water Management questions focused on lead service line replacement, minority contracting and workforce diversity, notification of water shutoffs, restoration and cave-in repair times, and flooding on the West Side. Transportation questions covered bike lane decisions, street resurfacing and lighting, contractor quality and payment times, minority participation, vacancies and traffic safety. No votes were taken, and the committee recessed until the next morning.
Topics: 2024 budget hearings, Department of Environment, lead service line replacement, flooding, minority contracting, workforce diversity, street restoration, bike lanes, traffic safety, scooter license fees
Agenda items discussed
- 17:02 Public comment: discussed
- 33:58 2024 budget hearing: Department of Environment: discussed
- 2:07:20 2024 budget hearing: Department of Water Management: discussed
- 5:46:24 2024 budget hearing: Chicago Department of Transportation: discussed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Jason C. Ervin (chair): Said he expects the Department of Environment's regulatory component to be brought in around the third quarter of 2024, before the 2025 budget. (1:13:52); Said the council has prioritized the Department of Environment for several years and anticipates the department returning to request more staffing and regulatory power. (1:53:32); Asked about a trainee plumber path in Water Management meant to help diverse candidates who are not yet journeyman plumbers. (2:36:28)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Asked about plans to move environmental permitting and inspection responsibilities into the Department of Environment. (45:13); Asked whether the missing supply line items in the department's budget will be corrected. (46:56); Asked about decarbonizing city buildings and using Inflation Reduction Act direct pay options. (48:03)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said eliminating the Department of Environment was a mistake and welcomed bringing it back. (1:08:07); Asked how $500,000 in professional and technical services will be spent and requested a list of vendors. (1:08:51); Asked about the roles of the new director of public affairs and recovery plan director positions. (1:10:04)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked when the environmental governance study will be released and how it will guide the department's growth. (1:15:07); Asked about the hiring strategy and policy scope of the new policy analyst position. (1:17:33); Noted the department has no grants listed and asked what other grants it might pursue. (1:19:29)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Requested job descriptions for Department of Environment positions and the plan for migrating positions from other departments. (1:21:59); Asked for the timeline to finalize the migration plan. (1:23:19); Asked what statutory powers the department will have and whether code amendments are recommended. (1:24:21)
- Matthew J. Martin (alderperson): Requested a list of departments and staff working with the Department of Environment on Inflation Reduction Act direct pay. (1:34:40); Asked whether the department will be responsible for policies on migratory bird deaths such as those at McCormick Place. (1:35:00); Asked why positions recommended in the governance study are not in the proposed budget. (1:38:29)
- Ruth Cruz (alderperson): Asked how the Department of Environment will coordinate climate goals across agencies such as CPS and City Colleges. (1:41:56); Asked about adding environmental inspectors and coordinating with the Bureau of Forestry. (1:44:10); Said some contractor alley work in her ward is poor quality and asked CDOT to inspect and hold contractors accountable. (7:36:17)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Asked about the Department of Environment's legislative goals for next year. (1:46:51); Asked whether the electrical grid can handle a transition away from natural gas. (1:51:09); Encouraged the department to revisit its budget to ensure sufficient resources. (1:52:58)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Asked how the Department of Environment incorporates youth voices and the arts in building a green economy. (1:55:28); Raised concerns about a proposed migrant base camp on land that may not be environmentally safe. (1:58:09); Thanked CDOT for work after a fatality on Broadway and asked about equitable transit-oriented development coordination. (7:40:47)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Asked about Water Management's minority spending and said African American participation of about 8.5% is unacceptable. (2:28:54); Asked how alders can connect residents to the laborer apprentice program and said job notices are not reaching ward offices. (2:33:26); Thanked CDOT for work near the United Center and Medical District and asked about a new Brown Line station at Division. (6:19:39)
- Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Suggested Water Management educate homeowners over the winter about upcoming lead service line work to avoid long street closures. (2:41:44); Agreed with the Chair on increasing trainee plumber positions and asked the department to hold hiring fairs. (2:44:02)
- Marty Quinn (alderperson): Asked about parkway restoration contracts and cave-in repair times, saying 34 days seems long. (2:51:44); Asked how many lead service line replacements are completed per day. (2:55:26); Recommended coordinating with CPS high schools to build a pipeline of plumbers and laborers. (2:55:55)
- Matthew J. O'Shea (alderperson): Asked about investment to date and jobs completed in lead service line replacement. (2:59:13); Said residents wait too long for restoration after pipe work. (3:00:21); Described frequent flooding in his community and praised the department's response. (3:01:04)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked Water Management to ensure critical notices reach aldermanic emails and to designate a government liaison. (3:05:16); Asked how many project managers oversee contractor restorations and who is assigned to his area. (3:07:37); Asked whether a sewer cleaning contractor is refusing work over nonpayment and about street resurfacing on Green between 79th and 83rd. (5:02:29)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Submitted about two dozen requests through the Chair and asked about grant and loan funding shown for Water Management. (3:17:56); Asked what the department will do for communities like West Englewood where stalled work tied to state litigation left roads deteriorating. (3:19:55); Said unfinished work turns residents' views negative and urged a focus on improving quality of life. (3:21:57)
- Anthony V. Napolitano (alderperson): Said long waits for sinkhole and washout repairs are a problem in his ward and offered to help the department get more staff. (4:15:06)
- Emma Mitts (alderperson): Said the July flood was a disaster in her ward and that the budget does not address the West Side. (4:17:00); Said she had to call the department herself for sewer cleaning and asked it to show compassion for residents. (4:19:13); Questioned whether downspout disconnection and a $3 million pilot will solve flooding and asked the age of sewers. (4:21:50)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Asked whether the city could fund a reimbursement program for residential flood control systems. (4:27:39); Disagreed that downspout disconnection helps much during heavy storms. (4:30:04); Asked about reimbursing homeowners who hire their own contractors for lead service line replacement. (4:30:26)
- Peter Chico (alderperson): Asked how many laborer apprentices Water Management hired this year. (4:32:29)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Said the acting CDOT commissioner should be made permanent. (6:27:09); Asked who decides bike lane and bump-out placement and criticized barriers placed on a street in need of resurfacing. (6:27:46); Asked whether bond-funded work is being completed and requested spending broken down by ward. (6:30:47)
- Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Asked how CDOT can better coordinate safety capital projects with CPS and sister agencies. (7:02:58); Raised safety concerns on state roads such as Cermak and asked about infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists. (7:05:36); Requested the number of laborers for potholes and repaving and urged more local hiring. (7:08:14)
- Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Asked how CDOT will fill 241 vacancies with more minority hires, calling diversity numbers dismal, and requested salary data. (7:24:24)
- Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (alderperson): Thanked CDOT and said she looks forward to paving streets in her ward that have not been resurfaced in decades. (7:34:27)
Exchanges between members
- 1:13:52 The Chair said Reilly's point about bringing regulatory functions to the Department of Environment was well taken.
- 1:14:57 La Spata said his question built on Reilly's point about the department's structure.
- 1:38:48 Martin referenced Reilly's comment about the department returning next year with more positions.
- 1:53:06 Lee cited Vasquez's question about the department's $4,500 equipment line in urging a budget review.
- 2:44:02 Harris agreed with the Chair that the number of trainee plumber positions should increase.
- 3:09:43 Moore echoed Reilly's point that aldermanic offices lack staff to chase down unfinished work.
- 4:15:06 Napolitano said his questions had been covered by Quinn's and emphasized the same restoration concerns.
- 4:27:44 Sposato referenced Napolitano's earlier effort to start a flood control program.
- 6:54:58 Vasquez responded to Moore's comments by saying bike lane placement should not be left to individual alders.
- 7:15:19 Hadden shared Moore's disappointment about delayed Ashland Avenue resurfacing.
- 7:22:22 Hadden cited Mitts's description of flooding in her ward in urging CDOT to focus capital planning on hard-hit areas.
- 7:40:59 Manaa-Hoppenworth thanked Martin's office for working with hers on safety at a Broadway intersection.