Chicago Ald. Joe Moore (49th) caused a stir at the city council's Human Relations committee meeting yesterday when he refused to consider a resolution on whether there should be an elected school board. Ten council members put their support behind a referendum on this November's ballot as to whether the school board should be elected, instead of appointed by the mayor.
It was to be considered at yesterday's committee meeting, but Moore refused to call the resolution, stating that resolution sponsor Ald. John Arena (45th) filed the needed paperwork three hours too late. Moore acknowledged that he spoke with Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office before making his decision.
As the Tribune pointed out, Moore was once arguably the most vocal foe of former Mayor Richard Daley, but he has been an ardent supporter of Emanuel.
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It was three minutes, not three hours. The paperwork was due at 10:00 and was timestamped at 10:03. Please correct the story.
The aldermen's paperwork was timestamped for Thursday, July 19, 2012 at 10:03, which was 95 hours and 57 minutes notice. The Illinois Open Meetings Act requires that public bodies give 48 hours notice for public meetings and changes to agendas. The City interprets the Open Meetings Act as being 48 business hours. According to the Attorney General's office, 48 hours under the Act literally means 48 hours. Aldermen could have filed paperwork as late as Saturday, July 21st at 10:00 am, and still been within the bounds of the Open Meetings Act.
Valerie, the City has always interpreted the 48 hour notice requirement to be 48 business hours. To interpret the requirement otherwise would lead to the incongruous result that allows you to post a notice for a 9 a.m. Monday meeting at 4:59 p.m. Friday. Given that City Hall closes at 5 p.m., Friday and remains closed through the weekend, the "notice" would be meaningless.
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