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CommentaryWimpy snowstorms cripple commerce...By James Pluta I laughed when I heard an obviously seasoned Chicago television reporter remark the other day that city and suburban folks “are a bunch of wimps” if they think this latest onslaught of snow in the Midwest and beyond is shocking or too much to handle. Ten or 12 inches doesn’t stop vehicular or pedestrian traffic in these parts, nor should it, mind you. As always, we are born and bred in these parts to trudge through it and (quietly, usually mumbling obscenities at anyone in earshot), er, politely complain. Like many longtime area residents, I remember some pretty big snowstorms that shut down streets and sidewalks for a while, but not for long. Most people I know embrace the frigid temps, piled-up and drifting snow and see it as a challenge. Others, meanwhile, whine, as though doing so will make it all go away. It’s certainly a pain in the posterior, but we deal with it — just like our losing sports teams or other seasonal headaches like, let’s say, road construction or taxes. After all, we’re supposed to be tough as nails here in Chicago and the suburbs (despite what our city friends portend). We get out more than them to salt, shovel and blow, and we don’t have to protect our nicely cleaned personal spaces with lawnchairs and old furniture. But we can pick on our neighbors to the east and north anytime. The folks I want to pick on live far south of here, and I don’t mean Posen or Dixmoor. I’m talking way south, in Tennessee and Alabama, where I spent my holidays and a recent weekend. Talk about a blizzard! Whew! Record Rock-bottom temps! Oh ... my ...gosh. As soon as word circulated that a major snowstorm was headed our way, backed up by plummeting thermometer readings, icing up highways like never before, they shut down schools, shuttered businesses and food establishments — even barricaded roads leading to highways headed out of town. By the first morning of the 2 to 3-inch “storm” the entire town had been shut down. There was a run on bread and milk (like our winter of ’67), most streets were impassable (no plows or salt trucks), you couldn’t use a drive-thru for food or money, you couldn’t even buy gas in some places. And the only coffee shop in town was even locked up. People were freaking out and blaming me — the only “yankee” around — for bringing the Chicago snow with me and I only reminded them that back home we were receiving a foot or more. Even with plows, they surmised, Chicagoans must be holed up in their homes for weeks. Yes, I said, there are those few back home who just can’t handle the stuff and let everybody know it every chance they get. Maybe they should move to Alabama. _________________________________________________________________________ Why chaos reigns in Summit I have been observing and writing about the topsy-turvy, upside-down, chaotic world which exits in Summit’s village government. I finally found the answer as to why it exists posted on the bulletin board in the lobby of the Village of Summit Municipal Facility, located at 7321 West 59th Street. It all came together, in plain view, with the organization chart posted on that bulletin board. The chart puts Mayor Joseph Strzelczyk at the head of government with the village board of trustees reporting to him. The chart also shows that the heads of all village departments report to Village Administrator Judy Rivera. What is wrong with this picture, with this organization chart? Contrary to the belief of some who did not take civics in high school, the mayor of any municipality is the chief executive officer of that municipality and he or she reports to the village board or city council, not vice versa. A chief executive, such as a mayor or village president, executes the laws passed by a city council or village board of trustees (governing body) and carries out all lawful orders of the governing body. In Summit, Mayor Strzelczyk frames and makes all motions, contrary to municipal law and Robert’s Rules of Order. Rarely will a village trustee make a motion such as “I move that we pay the bills and salaries.” One of the village trustees will say “So move,” after Mayor Strzelczyk incoherently frames a motion. Village Clerk Tichacek refuses to tape record our open meetings, so as not to disclose that Summit village trustees almost never make motions. Motions simply are not made legally in Summit, jeopardizing many projects which call for a formal approval by our board of trustees. One of the other peculiar and illegal acts occur when the mayor requests a motion that the board of trustees “make,” not “approve,” appointments of village officers. Under Illinois law, mayors are supposed to make all appointments of officers and the board of trustees approves those appointments. This is another example of the topsy-turvy, upside-down government that exists in Summit. Another interesting feature of our village’s organization chart is that department heads, like Chief of Police Les Peterson, report to Village Administrator Judy Rivera. Well, folks, Summit has a “village” form of government and not a “village manager” form of government. The latter would require Summit voters to pass a referendum to adopt a village manager form of government like exits in the villages of Lyons, La Grange, La Grange Park, Oak Lawn and Oak Brook. In a village manager model, heads of departments report to the village manager. A village administrator is not a village manager. Judy Rivera is paid a salary of $63,000 annually to be a village administrator. That position has no powers, duties or responsibilities under the Summit Village Code or the Illinois Municipal Code. So department heads, like Chief of Police Peterson can tell Judy Rivera, “I don’t take my orders from you. I am supposed to take my orders directly from Mayor Strzelczyk.” The topsy-turvy, upside-down world in Summit could have been created by Lewis Carroll, author of “Alice in Wonderland.” At every village board meeting, those who attend go down the rabbit hole. In the future, I will have more to say about Summit’s “Alice in Wonderland” existence. Ted Bojanowski Village of Summit tbojo2@gmail.com |
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