City Council meeting, October 11, 2023
- When: Wed, Oct 11, 2023, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Body: full City Council
- Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/873407280
- Transcript: full text (6,015 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.
At this regular City Council meeting, public comment focused largely on Alderperson Debra L. Silverstein proposed resolution regarding the October 7 attack on Israel, with speakers both urging its passage and opposing it while describing conditions in Gaza; one speaker also asked for $300 million for reparations in the 2024 budget. The Rules Committee report was deferred and published, the agreed calendar was adopted, and Budget Chair Jason C. Ervin described the budget hearing schedule. Alderperson Debra L. Silverstein said a technical issue prevented introduction of her resolution and that a special meeting would be held October 13 to discuss it. Alderperson Brian Hopkins moved to limit public testimony at that special meeting to virtual participation and close the gallery, citing safety, but the chair ruled the motion out of order under the Open Meetings Act; the next regular meeting was set for October 16, 2023.
Topics: Israel and Gaza resolution, Public comment, Open Meetings Act, Council security, Budget hearings, Reparations, Rules Committee report
Agenda items discussed
- 1:30:14 Public comment: discussed
- 1:56:36 Committee on Committees and Rules report referring items to the Committee on Finance: deferred
- 1:57:32 Agreed calendar resolutions: passed
- 1:58:15 Budget hearing schedule announcement: discussed
- 2:01:19 Resolution in solidarity with Israel, to be taken up at a special meeting on October 13: deferred
- 2:01:50 Ordinance setting the next meeting for October 16, 2023: passed
- 2:04:18 Motion to limit public testimony at the October 13 special meeting to virtual only and close the gallery
Alderpersons who spoke
- Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Presented the Rules Committee report recommending that items one through seven be referred to the Committee on Finance. (1:56:36)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Announced the budget hearing schedule and assignments, saying hearings would start at 10 a.m. daily and electronic budget books were available. (1:58:15); Answered a question by saying printed budget books were not yet ready and would be distributed when received. (1:59:25)
- Debra L. Silverstein (alderperson): Said a technical issue prevented introducing her resolution in solidarity with Israel and that a special meeting would be held October 13 to discuss it. (2:01:19)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Sided with Hopkins, citing the safety of some Council members, and asked the chair to reconsider while still allowing virtual testimony. (2:05:50)
Exchanges between members
- 2:05:52 Sposato said he sided with Hopkins on closing the gallery for safety reasons.