City Council meeting, December 11, 2024

When: Wed, Dec 11, 2024, 10:00 AM (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/showcase/6277394/video/1037967783
Transcript: full text (16,112 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 City Council heard public comment on topics including a proposed fur sales ban, the proposed quantum computing park on the Southeast Side, immigration, and a call to shift Chicago Police Department vacancy funds to public health and youth programs. The 2025 revenue ordinance and the main 2025 budget ordinances, including the annual appropriation ordinance, were deferred and published, while ward and committee fund transfers passed (read as 48 yeas, 0 nays). In the zoning report, a motion by Alderman Raymond A. Lopez to table two landmark items failed (read as 19 yeas, 29 nays) and the items passed, along with a Block 606 tenant right-of-first-refusal amendment, map amendments and signs; the meeting was recessed for a fire alarm before resuming. After returning, Aldermen Beale, Reilly and later Coleman addressed a public speaker's remarks toward Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman, and the mayor said the individual would receive a formal letter. Alderman Scott Waguespack objected that a zoning item voted down in committee had not been reported out; after extended debate he withdrew his motion to disapprove the report, Alderman Brendan Reilly withdrew a motion to suspend the rules, and the zoning report and journal were approved.

Topics: 2025 budget, revenue ordinance, zoning report dispute, committee reporting rules, public comment decorum, landmark districts, police vacancy funding, fur sales ban, quantum computing park

Agenda items discussed

39:01 Public comment
1:11:29 Acknowledgement honoring Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael: discussed
1:13:54 Communications from the mayor and city clerk
1:15:30 Substitute ordinance amending revenue provisions and authorizing the 2025 property tax levy: deferred
1:16:22 2025 budget ordinances including the annual appropriation ordinance, budget corrections, motor fuel tax expenditure and CTA/Cook County agreement: deferred
1:17:46 Ward and committee fund transfer ordinances: passed
1:21:47 Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee report: routine traffic items: passed
1:22:44 Text amendment modifying tenant right of first refusal in the Block 606 district pilot program: passed
1:25:19 Landmark items: demolition of a non-contributing building in the Fulton-Randolph Market district and Newport Avenue district boundary amendment: passed
1:26:09 Motion by Alderman Raymond A. Lopez to lay the landmark items on the table: failed
1:33:54 Recess due to fire alarm
3:16:43 Zoning map amendments in multiple wards: passed
3:27:43 Objection that a zoning item voted down in committee was not reported out; motion to disapprove report and motion to suspend the rules withdrawn: discussed
4:19:26 Large sign permits in multiple wards: passed
4:20:22 Agreed calendar resolutions: passed
4:20:55 New business introductions, including a budget amendment to reallocate police vacancy funding to youth employment and peace programs
4:24:28 Approval of the journal of the December 2, 2024 meeting: passed
4:26:53 Motion to adjourn: passed

Alderpersons who spoke

William Conway (alderperson): Honored Bears Hall of Famer Steve McMichael, who is fighting ALS, and introduced former teammate Tom Thayer to accept the acknowledgement. (1:11:41)
Pat Dowell (alderperson): Reported the substitute revenue and 2025 levy ordinance from the Finance Committee and moved with Chairman Jason C. Ervin to defer and publish it. (1:15:18)
Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Reported the 2025 budget ordinances, including the appropriation ordinance, and moved with Chairwoman Pat Dowell to defer and publish them. (1:16:12); Said disapproving the entire zoning report would cause all its items to fail and suggested resolving the disputed item at the meeting two days later. (3:35:46); Said Alderman Scott Waguespack motion effectively asked the council to pass the project for him and asked whether he wanted it or not. (3:55:48)
Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Pointed out that a budget report item referenced 2024 motor fuel tax funds instead of 2025. (1:21:17); Citing concern about inaccuracy in the committee report, moved to lay the two landmark items on the table. (1:26:09)
Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Presented the zoning committee report, including the Block 606 text amendment, landmark items, map amendments and signs. (1:22:27); Said the disputed project was held because there was no distinct committee vote and to give the developer and alderman more time, citing its jobs, investment and green space. (3:31:30); Noted the project includes 124 affordable housing units and that the alderman who moved to vote it down now suggested working it out. (3:46:07)
Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Pointed out that a zoning item he had on the agenda, voted down in committee, was not included in the report and moved to disapprove the report unless it was included. (1:23:21); Said not reporting out an item voted on in committee is untoward and sets a slippery slope, citing Rule 44 that reports shall be made. (3:28:39); Said the developer would not build the affordable housing without a 100% tax reduction over 30 years and had not offered counterproposals. (3:34:03)
Anthony Beale (alderperson): Asked to be recorded as voting no on the Block 606 ordinance, consistent with his earlier vote. (1:24:47); Said the council was not informed of the emergency during the fire alarm, called for tighter procedures, and said the person who insulted Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman should have been removed. (3:22:42); Asked whether an agreement could be reached among the community, alderman and developer before Friday's meeting to move the project forward. (3:43:43)
Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Called the remarks directed at Alderman Stephanie D. Coleman reprehensible and asked that Rule 49 be strictly enforced to keep the individual out of the chamber. (3:24:08); Said the simple remedy was to suspend the rules to add the item, noting a project of his own was in the report but the precedent mattered more, and moved to suspend the rules. (3:40:04); Said the issue was council precedent rather than the project's merits and that he would defer to the local alderman on his motion. (3:49:42)
Stephanie D. Coleman (alderperson): Thanked colleagues and staff for acting on the disrespectful remarks directed at her and asked the council not to allow anyone to disrespect members, especially women. (4:25:02)

Exchanges between members

3:23:46 Beale spoke up about Coleman being called out of her name by a public speaker.
3:24:08 Reilly followed up on Beale's remarks about the comments directed at Coleman.
3:35:46 Ervin said disapproving the whole report as Waguespack proposed would affect all items and suggested another approach.
3:42:39 Waguespack said he would defer to Reilly and accept the motion to suspend the rules.
3:43:43 Beale asked Waguespack whether an agreement could be worked out before Friday.
3:44:34 Waguespack answered Beale's question about negotiations with the developer.
3:45:31 Beale proposed a meeting with the developer, the city and Waguespack before Friday.
3:46:07 Burnett noted Beale's suggestion to work the project out and agreed that was the purpose of holding it.
3:46:44 Waguespack responded to Burnett that the affordable housing is tied to a large property tax reduction.
3:49:53 Reilly said Burnett's description of the developer's points was immaterial to the procedural question.
3:55:48 Ervin questioned whether Waguespack wanted the project approved.
4:16:20 Reilly withdrew his motion based on Waguespack's wishes.
4:16:30 Ervin apologized to Waguespack for his earlier statement.
4:16:57 Beale asked whether Waguespack intended to bring the item back Friday.
4:17:10 Waguespack told Beale the rules would not allow the item back by Friday and he would work on it outside that time frame.
4:25:02 Coleman thanked Beale for speaking up about the remarks directed at her.
4:25:02 Coleman thanked Reilly for speaking up about the remarks directed at her.
4:25:06 Coleman thanked Chairman Michelle A. Harris in connection with the response to the remarks.

Roll-call votes at this meeting

Transfer of funds within 22nd Ward Aldermanic Expense Account for Year 2024 (SO2024-0013380): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
Demolition of historical landmark building at 906 W Fulton Market (Fulton-Randolph Market Landmark District) (Or2024-0013555): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent
NW Side Housing Preservation Ordinance Amendments (O2024-0014256): Passed 48 yea, 1 nay, 1 absent
Technical amendment to Newport Avenue Chicago Landmark District boundaries to reflect relocation of contributing building at 945-953 W Newport Ave (O2024-0013662): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay, 1 absent