32nd Ward Newsletter: February 21, 2025

Dear Scott,

In the newsletter this week is information on the city council meeting this week, UP North meeting for railroad neighbors, upcoming Hamlin Park re-seeding efforts that will require people and dogs to remain outside of the fencing, an update from CPS, the recap from the community meeting last week with new State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke, and an alert from CPD about sexual assaults in Logan Square.

There are many events, including hiring fairs, the monthly AARP meeting, and safety classes coming up in the community as well. Don't forget the YMCA hosting a Community Wellness Fair sponsored by our County Commissioner Bridget Degnen next week.

Have a good weekend,

Alderman Scott Waguespack

Public Safety Section

Community Alert Sexual Assaults Logan Square

Earlier this month, Chicago Police issued a community alert about a man who sexually assaulted three women in the Logan Square neighborhood January 14, 18, and February 2nd. Police are still looking for that person and need the community to help them find and arrest the person responsible for the attacks.

The attacker is described as a male white Hispanic between the ages of 29 and 35 standing between 5 feet 6 and 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 150 to 175 pounds. He is unshaven with short black hair and brown eyes, and wears dark clothing.

CPD says the attacks occurred at the these times and locations:

-3400 block of West Armitage Avenue at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14.

-2800 block of West Bloomingdale Avenue at 3:10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18.

-2600 block of North Troy Street at 3:40 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2.

Anyone with information should call Grand Central Area detectives at 312-746-6554 or submit an anonymous tip at CPDTIP.com and use reference RD# JJ114483, JJ119094, JJ135453.

Chicago Police warn of serial sexual assaults in Logan Square

Today the 14th District and CPD detectives, fellow aldermen along with a couple dozen community members brought more awareness to the community and discussed the attacks during an outdoor roll call near the Square. Police are working to expedite DNA that might be helpful in the case with the Illinois State Police crime lab, working through potential offenders, asking for any additional video footage, and have asked neighbors to continue to reach out to all community members. If you are out late in the Logan Square area or anywhere in the City, don't walk alone, and be aware of your surroundings at all times.

As a reminder, one of our business owners, is offering a self defense class for free - tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. at Salt on Damen.

City Council Recap

This week in the council there was a vote to amend the citywide speed limit to 25 mph. It was voted down 28-21 during Wednesday’s City Council meeting. The last substitute by Ald. LaSpata to pass the ordinance was not accepted by Aldermen and the vote was not enough to get the final version the 26 votes needed to pass.  

City Council also temporarily deferred Mayor Johnson’s $830 million bond deal to finance capital projects and other spending for 2025. While the bond deal did pass the Committee on Finance the week before, it was new information released after the vote that led some of us to change our votes or decide to hold it up at the main council meeting this Wednesday. Choosing to release this information only after the committee meeting is dishonest and further evidence of the lack of transparency practiced by Mayor Johnson’s administration, a hallmark of his approach to governance.

It was not an issue to borrow funds as many municipalities across the United States regularly fund infrastructure and asset purchases through bond deals. Matching deals to the useful life of assets is important in these deals as is the repayment of the funds for the assets. For instance, a bridge may last forty years, while a police vehicle may last just a few years. As these assets depreciate (much like depreciation when taking a new car off the dealers lot) the bond deal repayment schedule should try to match the useful life of those assets.  

However, with the new repayment schedule being released after the committee vote, this infrastructure and capital bond deal defers all principal payments for 20 years, and interest payments on the $830 million until 2028. While this may have been a bad practice a couple decades ago, there is no reason to double down on bad practices, as Mayor Johnson suggests we should. The lack of any principal payments and foregoing the interest until after the next mayoral election would leave a future mayor, council and our kids on the hook for a massive payment in 2045. And as one of my outside finance advisors put it, we are otherwise just starting to pay for stuff in 2045 that is already sitting in a recycling center.

The bond deal originally had language in it to allow funds to be used for “settlements” and “threatened litigation” that we did have removed. Such language was removed in the last couple of administrations to end an old practice that led to the city paying for settlements with expensive bond borrowing. Many of us have also been concerned about the shifting of bond funds for use with other agencies and entities in the City that have their own bonding authority but have used the City’s bonds to fund projects. This language in the bond deals was also amended and will be in all future deals. 

The lack of trust now makes it very hard for many of us to vote in favor of the bond deal, now being pushed through for another vote early next week. The solution would have been to pay for our expenses now, and spending within our means for today. We also need to codify five year plans for spending that would give the council members and taxpayers definitive information about projects and assets being requested during major bond deals like this. While there are plans and information on proposals, many of these have been on the table for years and are not primarily paid for with the bond sources. 

As I stated during council, this deal is putting all of the responsibility for today’s expenses on a future generation, “kicking the can down the road for future generations, for a future mayor and for future city council members to take on a responsibility after we have used up the assets and the funding that we’re voting on today…I don’t have an argument against borrowing. The problem is the lack of transparency, the lack of honesty, and the lack of trust” of the Johnson Administration. 

The vote on this will be deferred until Wednesday the 26th as the Administration scheduled a new council meeting to take the bond vote.  

The council also discussed the Chicago only Rule 59 that was implemented after Covid hit. (All public meetings of the City Council and its committees may be conducted remotely by means of video, audio, telephonic or other electronic connection (“remote meeting”) in accordance with subsection (e) of Section 7 of the Open Meeting Act)

It was implemented for emergency reasons which were based on the Governor’s order allowing for municipalities to hold remote meetings. Chicago seems to be the only city still clinging on to a full out allowance for remote participation, which many aldermen want to be a permanent rule. 

When I first became Alderman, the rules were that you were either present or absent, and had to vote yes or no if present (and still cannot abstain from votes as the General Assembly does). The new rule 59 has allowed aldermen to remain remote which has caused attendance issues at committee and council meetings.

The rule states: If a quorum of the members of the City Council or a committee is physically present, a majority of that quorum may allow a member of that body to attend the meeting by audio or video conference if the member is prevented from physically attending because of personal illness or disability; employment or the business of the public body; or a family or other emergency.

Unfortunately, this has led to many committee meetings being delayed and hundreds of requests for remote attendance for a myriad of reasons. Alderman Beale made an appeal to vote on repealing the Rule 59 at the end of the council meeting but withdrew it to allow for more discussion on the problem. 

While I understand there are emergency needs, the practice needs to be capped or ended. Constant remote participation can also compromise the transparency of government and the public information available regarding attendance of elected officials. While we have meeting obligations that run simultaneously and other issues may arise, we have an obligation to be on the council floor as much as possible. 

Link to the City Council meeting discussing the speed limit, Rule 59 and bond deal from this Wednesday.

Attention Union Pacific North Line Neighbors

On February 24, a contractor hired by Metra is scheduled to begin removing select trees and other vegetation in the Union Pacific Railroad right of way to make way the first segments of the UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison bridge replacement project. The tree removal work will start on the east side of the tracks from Fullerton to Schubert, then on the east side from Belmont to Addison, then on the west side from Addison to Belmont, and finally on the west side from Schubert to Fullerton. It will not include any work between Diversey and Belmont. The work will be done Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is expected to be completed by April 1. No trees or vegetation on private property will be removed, but there will be some limited removal on the public right of way where needed to facilitate access to the work area on the railroad right of way.

The UP North Rebuild: Fullerton to Addison project will replace 11 bridges and several sections of retaining walls between Fullerton and Addison. Construction on the first segment, covering the bridges over Fullerton, Clybourn, and Wrightwood, is expected to start later this year.

Hamlin Park Reseeding and Construction

The Chicago Park District is reseeding the lawn at Hamlin Park. Starting this week, you'll see fences around areas in the park to protect the grass as it regrows. They hope that the fences can come down after several weeks, but that could change. Please DO NOT allow your dog to run or pay on the grass during the seeding or after. Hamlin, like many of the children playlots, requires dogs to be on leash per Park District safety rules. There is a separate dog park for your dog to run.

Also this spring Hamlin Park will be undergoing a new construction project for renovations and improvements. See the map below for some of the upcoming projects including resurfacings, new equipment, and dog park renovation. There will also be repairs to the field house gym. The Chicago Park District is actively working on this now.

You can follow the progress on Hamlin Park's Advisory Council's Facebook page and if you'd like to make a donation click here.

Lincoln Park Sewer Main Project #7158

Weekly Update

Status: (In progress, sewer side only: 68%)

• Schubert from Southport to Lakewood: mainline sewer installed, installation of catch basins completed.

• Lakewood from Schubert to Wrightwood: mainline sewer installed; installation of catch basins and PDs still in progress.

• Wayne from Schubert to 250 feet south: mainline sewer installed; installation of catch basins completed, corrective work completed.

• Greenview from alley north of Altgeld to Lill: installation of mainline sewer, PDs, and catch basins in progress.

• The CDWM sewer crew 1 will continue working on Greenview going north to Lill from Altgeld; this phase should be completed by the end of next week.

• The CDWM sewer crew 2 will keep on working on individual house drains on the 2600 block of Lakewood. There won't be any anticipated shutdowns for water or gas services unless there is an emergency.

• The Lead Service Line Replacement Program (water crew) is scheduled to start next week on the 1300 block of Schubert.

• The last phase of the installation of the sewer mainline could possibly start on Altgeld and Greenview on Thursday 2/27. There could possibly be a water service shut down (working hours only) scheduled on Thursday 2/27 to complete a cut/cap on the 6” water main of Greenview from Altgeld to Montana. Homeowners will be notified at least 24 hrs before the shut down.

Traffic Control:

• Greenview from the alley north of Altgeld to Lill will remain closed during the week.

• The 1300 block of Schubert and 2600 block of Lakewood will remain closed during working hours. There could possibly be nightly closures during the week.

• No parking signs are posted on all these streets.

Earth Day Site Captain Signup

2025 marks the 40th anniversary of Friends of the Parks’ citywide Earth Day cleanups! For four decades, Friends of the Park has partnered with the Chicago Park District to gather Chicagoans all over the city each spring to restore and beautify our beloved parks. On Saturday, April 26, we are aiming to make this the biggest Earth Day yet, reaching more parks than ever before.

To make this possible, they are recruiting Site Captains to organize and lead cleanup efforts in local parks. Click here to sign up! (For a list of parks that already have captains, click here.)

From Chicago Public Schools Leadership

Dear CPS Colleagues, Families, and Supporters,

This week marks one month since the start of a new presidential administration in our country. A lot has happened in these first few weeks, and I know that many in our CPS community are uneasy about how changes at the federal level could impact Chicago’s schools — from targeting families based on their immigration status, to threats to withhold federal funding.

As federal policy changes, my team and I are constantly working with our partners to protect our school communities — so students and staff can stay focused on learning. We will continue to keep you informed about our response to any changes that are impacting our District. Please visit cps.edu/newadminguidance for the most up-to-date information.

I know that there is a lot of valid uncertainty among our families and staff right now. But you can be certain of this — CPS will remain a welcoming school district where everyone is valued, and where the different cultures and communities we see in our schools are celebrated as one of our District’s greatest strengths.

We will continue to provide our students with learning environments where they feel welcome, safe, and supported.

• We will continue to remove barriers to student success, and extend opportunity to all children in all communities.
• We will continue to include all of our students’ cultures, history, and lived experiences in our curricula.
• We will stay true to our values and our mission — to provide all students with a rigorous, joyful, and equitable daily learning experience that affirms and celebrates their identities.

There are laws and policies in place to protect our students. We will continue to rely on the protections enshrined into law, including the Illinois Human Rights Act, Illinois TRUST Act, Chicago Welcoming City Ordinance, and a resolution by our own Chicago Board of Education, which serve as barriers to policies that would seek to discriminate against our students or staff based on race, immigration status, sexual orientation, and many other protected classes.

Dr. Tony Sanders, Illinois’ State Superintendent of Education, said it best in a letter to school districts this week:

“In Illinois, we strive to affirm, uplift, and support all our students and their families. Nothing in any Executive Order or Dear Colleague letter should change that.”

I am grateful for your partnership and your trust as we navigate these challenging times together. We will provide you with updates regarding any impact to our schools based on changes at the federal level, and invite you to visit cps.edu/newadminguidance for more information on the protections we have in place for our students.

Sincerely,

Pedro Martinez

Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Public Schools

Mimosas and Momentum

Kick off International Women’s Day with Mimosas & Momentum, a morning of inspiration, connection, and celebration! This exclusive networking event is designed for women entrepreneurs, business leaders, and professionals looking to expand their networks in a welcoming and empowering environment.

Learn more and register here!

The Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce (LPCC) is thrilled to announce the return of Savor Lincoln Park, featuring twenty-seven (27) participating restaurants and bars. This highly anticipated indoor food festival will take over the entire Theater on the Lake (2401 N. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.) on Wednesday, March 19, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., offering an expansive space with more seating, more flavors, and an incredible culinary tour of Lincoln Park.

Wednesday, March 19

6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Theater on the Lake

2401 N. DuSable Lake Shore Dr.

Reserve your tix here!

Community Wellness & Resource Fair

Our office will be at Commissioner Degnen and the Lakeview YMCA Wellness event to help answer questions and/or take service requests. You can also always call our office at 773-248-1330 or email us at info@ward32.org for service requests as well.

Community Meeting With State's Attorney Eileen O'Neill Burke Recap

Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke attended an event in Bucktown this past week where she spoke to a group of neighbors about the changes and reforms taking place in the Cook County State's Attorney office after she took over from Kim Foxx.

She gave some background on her experiences, and spoke about having been on both sides of the system, serving as a defense attorney as well as prosecutor and a judge. She spoke of several of the policy changes her office is implementing including the changes pertaining to assault weapons. From now on, the office will ask for detention in cases including a firearm that has an extended magazine, switch, etc. rather than the slap on the wrist by the previous administration. She also spoke of properly enforcing crimes including retail theft, going back to prosecuting thefts above $300 as a felony rather than the $1,000 limit that the previous admiration was doing. Stores were having to increase security due to criminal behavior having been accelerated due to the law not being enforced. The plan is to deter crime by enforcing the law. She also spoke of the office having been understaffed; she is implementing staff training, focusing on courtroom skills, making it a training ground for trial attorneys.

The floor was then opened up to questions from the audience. It was asked how she will improve transparency. She mentioned the dashboard on the State’s Attorney’s website- the previous one was outdated; she wants to make sure it’s accurate and is bringing in data analysts to upgrade/update the dashboard properly. She also wants better communication with different branches of government and to get out in the community at events like this to get info to residents.

Domestic violence was brought up. She related that 4 out of 10 murders are related to domestic violence. Different governmental offices have not coordinated well in the past and she wants to make sure agencies like the State’s Attorney office and the Sheriff’s office communicate better to provide better services. She is planning on having stakeholder meetings to address this.

She was asked about police policy especially pertaining to pursuits. Chicago’s pursuit policy is determined by the consent decree, but there are workarounds that the department has looked at. Helicopters aiding in pursuits, Cook County Sheriff patrols and suburban patrols are not under the consent decree and have provided assistance to the CPD. She mentioned the State’s Attorney’s office needing to have a trusting working relationship with the police, which hasn’t always existed in the past. Meetings will be held with executive staff and police command staff to build trust between the police, State’s Attorney, and the community.

Regarding restorative justice vs. incarceration- Violent crimes vs. nonviolent crimes need to be looked at differently. There will be specific programs for low level, nonviolent offenses such as retail theft, damage to property, etc focusing on why this person doing this- if recidivism is less using these programs, then the plan is to double down on them. For violent crime, alternative programs are not appropriate. The previous administration was considering gun crimes to be low level- this administration will properly prosecute gun cases and does not consider them to be low level.

It was asked how success will be measured/how will her office be held accountable. The safety act was mentioned- you cannot buy yourself out of jail- if you are a danger to the public, her office will ask for detention; if you are not a danger, you will not be incarcerated before you are tried. A petition to detain a person will be based on their crime and history- is there a history of this person not showing up to court, were they armed, was injury caused, etc- her office will ask for detention.

Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in violent crimes committed by juveniles. All juvenile crimes except murder and sexual assault are prosecuted in juvenile court. There is a pilot program- Choose to Change- that will place juveniles who would have otherwise been detained. Most crimes committed by juveniles tend to occur between 3:30pm-10pm- this is when juveniles enrolled in this program will be attending. As part of this program, juveniles will take part in cognitive behavioral therapy and will receive wraparound services pertaining to mental health. The goal is to solve the problem before they become an adult offender. The program is being piloted in Lawndale- if it shows to be successful (ie participants are not arrested again, lowered absenteeism rates, etc)- the program will be expanded.

It was asked what she will do for Bucktown and what citizens can do. Her office wants to be partners with the community, including attending events and speaking about new policies and practices. Citizens can promote a change in the perception of Chicago as a violent city; this perception makes businesses and tourists less likely to come here. But this requires community participation.

A basic function of government is providing safety to its citizens. The State’s Attorney’s office is working on policies for approaching crime including working on prosecuting public corruption and cybercrimes that the federal government doesn’t. Her office will be meeting with the FBI, ATF, etc to work with them.

The meeting was fruitful and provided us with a look into how the new State's Attorney is already making changes to the agency, while taking steps to transform it into an office that works for our communities. Thanks to Pulaski Elementary for hosting the space , and to Jim Zouras, Tim Kincaid and Jeff Kulwin (moderator) for hosting the event.

City News

• Chicago Council Delays $830 Million Bond Vote Amid Scrutiny - Proposed schedule won’t start paying down principal until 2045
• Group of Teachers Aims to Oust CTU President Stacy Davis Gates, Shake Up Leadership
• Mayor and Allies Obstruct Inspector General Reforms –“Outright Hostility to Ethics and Oversight”
• Why Chicago Teachers Are Suing Their Union
• Mayor Brandon Johnson Escalates Push for CPS to Pick Up Pension Payment, Borrow More Money
• Council to Consider 25 MPH Speed Limit Ordinance, $830M Bond Authorization, Abolition of Remote Meeting Participation
• City Council Delays Mayor’s $830M Bond Plan for Infrastructure Projects