October City Council: Inspector, gangs, and rules aplenty

In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben heard and assessed meetings of the Chicago City Council in October 2021.

In the standard version of the episode, Dave played audio from the meeting of the Committee on Budget and Government Operations that took place on Oct 8. In the audio, outgoing Inspector General Joe Ferguson warned council members about things to come after he is gone.

In the premium version of the episode, Dave played an excerpt from an Oct. 13 meeting of the Committee on Public Safety. Committee members discussed a proposal by the administration of Mayor Lori Lightfoot to create an appeals process for folks who want to get out of the Chicago Police's so-called gang database.

Also in the premium version, Dave played an excerpt from the council's full meeting on Oct. 14, wherein it extended the life of a tax-increment financing district near the Lincoln Yards development.

The premium version featured another excerpt from the Oct. 14 meeting. In this excerpt, South Side Ald. Anthony Beale of the Ninth Ward continued to try to move two ordinances that have languished in the council's rules committee for months. Plus, Dave played his post-meeting interview with Ald. Beale about how Beale felt about what had gone down.

Also in the premium version, Dave played audio from the full council's Oct. 25 meeting, wherein the South Side's Ald. Ray Lopez of the 15th Ward tried a parliamentary maneuver similar to one that downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly made at the September meeting—but Lopez failed.

In other Oct. 25 meeting audio in the premium version, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 Pres. John Catanzara pressured aldermen to vote in favor of an ordinance that would shift power—from the mayor to the council—to put police officers on no-pay status if they don't report their COVID-19 vaccination status. Catanzara spoke during the meeting's public comment period.

Length 9.5 minutes standard, 52.4 minutes premium.

Music: "Boxcar Blues" by Videvo

Standard audio:

Premium audio:

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