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Alderman O'Connor Responds to The Tribune Article of June 1, 2008

There is an old axiom which states “you can't fight city hall” but city hall's power pales in comparison to the unfettered power of the press. To paraphrase President Abraham Lincoln, the only way one, anyone, can fight a big newspaper is to own another big newspaper with circulation in the same community.

I, along with my wife, were recently the subject of a Tribune article which portrayed us as taking advantage of my position for our personal gain, in a callous, but legal way. Prior to this article being run, I met with the reporters who wrote the story. I provided information from my files and gave them permission to discuss these matters with the City of Chicago Ethics Board by waiving my right to confidentiality under the law.

The article highlighted primarily three projects in our ward. Let me provide you with the information that The Tribune omitted.


2472 W. Foster This project was proposed to me in 2004 by S & S Developers at a meeting which occurred in my office. The subject property was a gas station that functioned primarily as an off-street parking lot for commercial vehicles. Dominick's had expressed an interest in the lot for store renovation and expansion in prior years but after Safeway bought the company and began closing stores, its only interest was to open a Dominick's branded gas station.

After showing the plans for the project at a CAPS meeting, they were approved and the zoning was changed on September 29, 2004 . The Tribune article made one believe that this change contemplated that Baird & Warner, with my wife as agent, were the sellers of this project. This is not true. The original real estate company at the time the project was presented, and while it was being built and sold over the next two years, was @ Properties. This change for S & S Developers was, when the project was proposed, an @ Properties project. After two years, in 2007, the owners of the building went to Baird & Warner to see if sales could be boosted. At the time the zoning changed, unless one was clairvoyant, one could not know that the owner would ever seek to switch realtors after two years.


Edgewater Square On the day Edgewater Hospital announced it was closing, I wrote a letter in December 2001 to the city's zoning administrator asking him what was allowed under the planned development ordinance for the hospital. I was informed that the hospital, having been in existence in our community for so long, was not part of a planned development but was, in fact, a business zoned classification. Each property was zoned for business use, notwithstanding that other than on Ashland Avenue , the property was on exclusively residential streets.

I began a downzoning process with written notification to the residents around the hospital and to the West Edgewater Area Residents (WEAR) neighborhood organization to make the entire property zoned R-3, single family homes only. The goal was to make the surface parking lots less dense and to require community dialogue when the ownership of the rest of the hospital was settled in a court battle between the owners and their bank.

The WEAR organization wrote a letter of support for the downzoning. This all began prior to the property even being sold.

Eight or nine months after the zoning was in place, several companies were seeking to purchase the surface parking lots around the hospital. Only one proposed single family homes, and because the zoning had been changed months previous, that company had the right to build single family homes on the properties in question. Notwithstanding this fact, they met at a community meeting which I hosted, and met with the WEAR group on two additional occasions discussing design, materials and layouts. In addition, because the WANT (West Andersonville Neighbors Together) area is adjacent to this property, I asked the members of their Land Use & Zoning Board to review their plans as well.

In early April 2003, I received letters approving this project from WEAR, WANT, and the Edgewater Development Corporation.

The WEAR Organization and local development boards and the Chamber of Commerce, also, in the same time frame, approved the implementation of a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) district for the hospital properties, which allowed us to set the base line for the district at the pre-construction tax figures, so that we have been able to capture the tax increment increase of the new homes and their effect on the surrounding areas. As a result, we are growing a sizeable redevelopment account to assist in the redevelopment of the remaining hospital property for use in demolition, site preparation. This will give us greater flexibility in the future of that site.

A cynic might say, “Ah, but how did this company just happen to pick Baird & Warner and Barbara O'Connor for the real estate sales.” The answer is simple and straightforward. At the time the downzoning occurred, no one knew who the ultimate buyer would be, or when a sale would occur. Few developers look at larger city lots and think single family homes but the neighborhood, through WEAR, had already made that decision. The developer who bought the property had, as one of its partners, a resident of the 40 th Ward. He had sold his old house and bought a new house through Baird & Warner previously, and the company had consulted with her regarding market analysis and property reports in the past. Baird & Warner got the listing and Barbara and another 40 th Ward resident at Baird & Warner sold the homes. Copies of all the notices, letters of approval, and time sequences were provided to The Tribune prior to their story.


6000 N. Ravenswood This is a senior housing center. It consists of rental apartments. Baird & Warner was not involved in the purchase or sale of this property.

The company that developed this site has worked on market rate condo developments with Baird & Warner and Barbara for at least five years prior to the start of this project.

This company built the senior housing on Granville and California in the couple of years prior to building on Peterson in our ward. I toured that facility, along with members of our community, prior to approving the project and after public community meetings. The only issue that we were not happy with was that parking was going to be tight. It remains an issue today.

When the developer applied to the City of Chicago to build this senior housing project, I went to the City's Ethics Board. I told them of the company's interest in developing senior subsidized rental apartments on the site and that they had, in market condo sales, used the services of Baird & Warner and my wife. The Ethics Board makes legal determinations for city employees, including the City Council, for compliance with our laws regarding conflicts of interest. They responded that because there was no business involvement in this project for me, Baird & Warner, or my wife, that I could advocate for this subsidized senior rental building without any constraints.

The letter from the Ethics Board and permission to speak with the executive director were given to The Tribune reporters prior to the article being written.

These few words can go no where near the circulation of the recent news article, but for constituents who read this, it may at least give you pause when reading articles going forward.

I wanted you to have an opportunity to hear the expanded version of the events described in the paper. This is a very different and, in my opinion, better neighborhood than it was when I first became its aldermanic representative. It is due to a great deal of hard work on the parts of many but, also, as a result of sound decision making on my part in conjunction with community groups and individuals.

Barbara, on the other hand, has grown her business from scratch working first in the community in which she has lived all her life, and expanding throughout the north side. Businesses, like individual homeowners, do not put their largest assets at risk by engaging the services of real estate professionals without proven track records. When people choose to work with her, they do so because they are getting the best.

COMMUNITY NEWS


O'CONNOR ACCEPTS NEW RESPONSIBILITIES IN COUNCIL REORGANIZATION Following his election to a seventh term as 40th Ward Alderman, Patrick J. O'Connor was appointed Chairman of the Chicago City Council Traffic Committee. He has served as Chairman of the Committee on Education for nearly 20 years. In that position, O'Connor was instrumental in bringing Northside College Prep to the 40th Ward, securing funding for additions to and or renovation of Mather, Sullivan, and Amundsen high schools, and Jamieson, Budlong, Peterson, Trumbull, Hayt, and Kilmer elementary schools.

Nationally recognized as a leader in public education, Alderman O'Connor has received countless awards from teachers and school administrators alike. In his first year as Chairman, Pat was a key figure in negotiating a settlement to the longest teachers' strike in more than three decades. His efforts as an advocate for education funding in Springfield have resulted in better pay for teachers and an unprecedented period of cooperation between the Chicago Board of Education and labor unions that serve the school children of Chicago.

O'Connor's leadership in school safety issues resulted in the placement of metal detectors and assignment of uniformed police officers in all Chicago high schools. As a member of the City Council, Pat continues to work closely on education issues. He recently secured more than $30 million in funding to be used for a total renovation of Mather High School, his alma mater.

His appointment to Chairman of the Committee on Traffic increases his responsibility in the area of traffic and pedestrian safety throughout the city. The new post includes an appointment to the Chicago Plan Commission (an advisory body that reviews all substantial development proposals in the city).



O'CONNOR SEEKS SEVENTH TERM AS DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEEMAN Alderman Patrick J. O'Connor announced that he will seek a seventh term as 40th Ward Regular Democratic Committeeman. O'Connor is unopposed in his bid to retain the unpaid post as democratic leader in the ward. As a twenty-four year veteran on the County Central Committee, one of his duties is to screen candidates seeking the endorsement of the party, including judicial candidates.

“Involvement in the party has afforded me the opportunity of presenting quality local candidates to the central committee for consideration,” O'Connor stated. “As an attorney it is important to me that we, as a party, ensure the quality of judicial candidates. I appreciate the support and trust placed in me by the Democratic residents of the ward and recognize the serious responsibility of the committeeman seat.”


CHICAGO CARE VAN OFFERS FREE IMMUNIZATION SHOTS Alderman O'Connor, the Chicago Park District, Department of Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois have assembled a free immunization program for babies and young children.

On June 12, August 14, October 9, and December 11, 2008 from 10a.m. - 3p.rn., the Mobile Immunization Clinic will be visiting Schreiber Park , 1552 N. Schreiber (773-262-6741) to offer FREE shots. “It is typical that many parents believe that immunizing children in time for school is sufficient to keep them safe, but doctors recommend that all children receive the full series of shots by age two to maximize their protection from disease,” says Barbara Dever, park supervisor of Schreiber Park.

Shots Offered
Polio Vaccine Diphtheria Tetanus,Pertussis - (DTaP)
Tetanus & Diphtheria (td) Measles, Mumps & Rubella
Hepatitis A & Hepatitis B Haernophilus Influenza
Type b (Hib) Vaccine Chicken Pox Vaccine
Pneumoccal-Conjugate Vaccine




40TH WARD IMPROVEMENTS

LINCOLN POINT PHASE II TO BEGIN THIS SPRING The Chicago City Council approved sale of the former Lincoln Motel property to the Lettvin Development Company in December. The ordinance paves the way for completion of the Lincoln Point Condominium Development located at Lincoln and Whipple. Phase I of the project was completed nearly three years ago. Phase 11 was to begin shortly after but was delayed by legal maneuvering that prevented the city from delivering the property to Mr. Lettvin as provided for in an agreement. During the period of delay, Mr. Lettvin purchased and developed Lincoln Crossing Condominiums at the southwest corner of Lincoln and Bryn Mawr. He also looked at other sites on Lincoln Avenue . “Mr. Lettvin's company builds quality market rate condominium units and prices them reasonably. As a result, he is able to continue building in a tough real estate market. There are still a couple of units left in the Lincoln Crossing project, but overall they sold very quickly,” Alderman O'Connor stated.

Lincoln Point Phase 11 construction will begin in the Spring. A 32 unit building, identical to the existing structure, will be joined by a landscaped patio over the garage level of the building. The garage will provide an additional egress point onto Sacramento , and existing landscape treatments will be continued throughout the project. Pre-construction pricing is now being offered for Phase 11 of Lincoln Point at a sales center located at 5582 N. Lincoln.



MENU PROGRAM Each ward in the City of Chicago is allocated funds for public improvements annually in the city budget. The Menu Program addresses infrastructure problems such as broken curbs or streets and alleys that need paving. Menu options also include park improvements, lighting, and speed humps. The following is a list of improvements accomplished in 2007 through the program:

Park Improvements
$200,000 River Park : Playground equipment

Park Activities
$5,000 Summer concert and movie series in various 40th Ward parks

Alley Resurfacing
$100,000 Farragut - Bowmanville Western - Oakley Sawyer - Kedzie Berwyn - Balmoral

Street Resurfacing
$100,000 Hermitage Ridge to Granville Hermitage Highland to Devon

Speed Humps
$25,000 Various streets and alleys

Curbs and Gutter Repair
$200,000 - 100 locations throughout the Ward.

Lighting Improvements
$750,000 to be spent throughout the ward which will be an ongoing program until every street in the ward has been addressed

Sidewalk Construction
$150,000 Peterson Ave Western to Ravenswood