Here is the agenda this morning: We could see some interesting things come before the body: Police misconduct settlements, dollar store regulations, accessibility in public housing, the police contract is back with arbitration on the agenda again. chicago.documenters.org/documents/agen…

Follow along with me.

There was a proposed ordinance for a Ceasefire in Palestine. But, some Alders thought it would conflict with honoring Holocaust Remembrance, though activists disagree the two are incompatible. “The legacy of the Holocaust compels us to call for a ceasefire." -@IfNotNowChi

See Mariah Woelfel for WBEZ wbez.org/stories/city-c…

And see @MariahWoelfel in the lobby of city hall, just now, too. https://twitter.com/MariahWoelfel/status/1750184082942611487?t=GMlx21iGEO-vBuN89PXpsw

@MariahWoelfel Here is some of that advocacy for a Ceasefire in front of City Hall. https://twitter.com/uspcn/status/1750164313304641854?t=vwYsYrrkh78p-xTebgjRyg

@MariahWoelfel The livestream inside council chambers is up at Things haven't begun just yet, so stay tuned! chicityclerk.com

@MariahWoelfel Open meeting regulation watch 👀@_ToniaHill reporting that press can no longer bring backpacks to council meetings https://twitter.com/_ToniaHill/status/1750183866281669068?t=xOHw1kSZGH05TmGTJl4Fng&s=19

The livestream is at 299 viewers, plus everyone inside the building. No official business has been conducted just yet.

Okay, public comment has begun. The speaker is advocating a Ceasefire. "The only way to stop the war is to stop the war."

Next speaker is @QueenAdesuyi from Color of Change. She is discussing an error in the judge's ruling that the FOP has a legal right to arbitration. She is discussing a law called the PLRA, which provides consideration of the circumstances that can preclude private arbitration.

@QueenAdesuyi Next speaker is speaking in favor of a ceasefire. They are discussing misinformation, and the support of Jewish organizers. They say, "The safety of one people cannot depend on the obliteration of another."

The next speaker is Sophia Perez from Subject to Change. She are advocating against arbitration. She also speaks in solidarity with the ceasefire coalition. She speaks to the urgency of the situation, and says, "The people have spoken. And they demand a ceasefire now!"

Fred Hamptons words ring out in the chamber. "All power to the people."

The next speaker is Omar from the United States Palestinian Council. He is speaking against arbitration for the Chicago Police Department. He is speaking to the urgent need to secure a ceasefire.

Denise Yvette Serna, of the 11th ward, is advocating jointly for a ceasefire in Gaza and a no on arbitration.

Our next speaker is connecting the IDF training police forces, saying that it is telling that these two issues: Police misconduct, and Israeli aggression, are not isolated from one another. They are also saying that a ceasefire is the bare minimum of what we must do.

They conclude, "Stand on the side of Justice and Self-Determination."

This is the end of public comment. Chair Brandon Johnson is moving briskly to resolutions. The Lane Tech Girls Flag Football Team won the state championship, and there is a resolution to congratulate them.

Look out for that special whiplash that comes from the conversations that the public is asking for, and the studied indifference those conducting the meeting that follows. Ald. Matt Martin speaks first. Alds Moore, Lee, Napolitano speak as well.

Alds Sposato, Vasquez and the Mayor speak as well. Brandon Johnson invokes the Bears, saying, "Thank you for bringing a football championship back to the city of Chicago."

Next resolution, this one is to honor Pastor Reginald Wayne Sharpe, the father of Pastor Sharpe of Fellowship Chicago, who passed away. Alds Moore, Dowell, and Robinson speak in association. The Alders are giving condolences to Pastor Sharpe.

There is a rising vote, and electeds stand in support.

The last resolution is to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day. Ald Silverstein starts us off.

Ald Silverstein @50thWardChicago "They saw the destruction of their entire world. Yet they had the courage to build back a life for themselves."

@50thWardChicago Silverstein is speaking about a teacher in the concentration camps who hid and saved children's art, which survives.

@50thWardChicago Ald Silverstein is speaking against the comparison of the Holocaust with "current events." There is noise in the chamber, and the Alderwoman says, "I will have order."

@50thWardChicago The next section of the Alderwoman's speech repeats, "Never again." The crowd upstairs is speaking up again, trying to express their dissatisfaction with the way the Alderwoman is trying to compare their movement to antisemitism.

@50thWardChicago The mayor is asking for decorum, appealing to people's "decency." Ald Sposato speaks in favor, saying that he is there for his colleague.

@50thWardChicago Ald La Spata, 1st ward, is next. He is a cosponsor of the Ceasefire resolution as well. He quotes the Talmud and calls on us to see God's face in all of humanity. Ald Lawson is next, and speaking of Danny Wolf (sp?), a Holocaust survivor who came here from Czechoslavakia.

@50thWardChicago Alds Napolitano and Lopez also rise in support. Lopez is asking Brandon Johnson to "remove the individuals" that, in his view, aren't maintaining "decorum." They mayor says, "Please continue, Alderman."

@50thWardChicago Ald Lopez says, "It is obvious when we have to stand up," appearing to say that the council should not stand for those upstairs to come and speak up to try to end the genocide in Gaza. That those who speak from Palestinian liberation are somehow calling "a people...evil."

@50thWardChicago Ald Vasquez (40th) is next. "When I hear never again," he says, we need to foster an environment that does not seek to marginalize people.

"We are not different." He says that one way to remember is to act.

Next to speak is Byron Sigcho-López, 25th Ward, is next. As he is often seen, the Alderman is wearing a keffiyeh today. He says that we must prevent atrocities. He says, "It is not antisemitic to stand up for human rights."

He is speaking against the rhetoric being parroted By some of his colleagues, saying we should stop funding war and despair.

Ald Moore, 17th, is next. He is rising in support, saying that conversations are so important and that silence cannot be the way forward. He says, "Let's not rewrite history."

Ald. Villegas, 36th ward, is next. He is speaking about the horrors of Aucshwitz and ends with, "today and everyday, we remember."

Mayor Johnson is speaking now, "We are honoring the memory and the legacy of Holocaust Survivors."

Ordinance passes. The next item is communications. This is the Mayor's opportunity to introduce legislation, which will be referred to the relevant committee. Many of these are for TIF use and land sales.

There are a couple of appointments as well. Tom Carney for Transportation, Jose Tirado for the Office of Emergency Management, and couple others.

The clerk is also discussing publication of documents as required, which are available at the city council.

Committee reports are next. Finance is first. Chair Pat Dowell is reading her report.

There is a roll call vote, unanimous in favor of items that were voted for in committee.

The next item is for a Settlement for Police Misconduct for $300,000 for Brown V Bryant.

A roll call vote has been called for. Item passes, 33-16.

The next settlements for $375,000, $2M, and $5M all pass, with a couple of dissenters for each, notably Ald Conway.

Many of these settlements are for misconduct by the same officers over and over. See Jared Rutecki and Heather Cherone for WTTW news.wttw.com/2024/01/22/rep…

The next committee to report is Chaired by Gil Villegas, the committee of Economic, Capital and Technology Development. He is introducing the appointment of Ciere Boatwright as head of the Department of Planning and Development.

Ald Moore is standing in support, saying that Ms. Boatwright is "pro-development" and that he wants to be a part of a city that builds things and provides jobs.

Ald Ervin is next to speak. He says that he feels that communities will get opportunities to move things forward. He says the new commissioner has a sense of urgency around breathing new life into communities that have been waiting for investment.

Ald Beale is next, speaking to Boatwright's history with CNI (the chicago neighborhood initiative). Ald Sposato speaks in favor.

Ald Lopez says that if we have friends in common, "you are all good with me." The thread seems to be relief that the previous DPD head, Maurice Cox, was criticized for moving too slowly. We have heard many pro-business sentiments from many pro-business Alders here.

See David Roeder and Fran Spielman for the Sun-Times chicago.suntimes.com/business/2023/…

Alds Conway and Gardiner chime in. Gardiner commends the mayor for bringing local people into these positions of power.

Ald Mike Rodríguez, Ald Coleman also speak in support. "We look forward to cranes in the sky."

Alds Fuentes, Clay, Lawson speak in support. Lawson says being pro-growth and pro-equity are not in conflict, and that he is glad the Commissioner agrees.

Alds Hadden, Dowell, Curtis, Vasquez, Manaa-Hoppenworth rise in support. There is more enthusiasm for getting to work. For local power. Black women in power. For the vision for the city - development that is creative and builds equity. This is a lot of support and expectation.

Alds Robinson, Mosley, Hall, Burnett rise in support. One example of, not DPD inaction specifically, but a lack of investment in the building stock here in town. Here is Mick Dumke @mickeyd1971 for Block Club blockclubchicago.org/2024/01/11/the…

And we are going to a roll call vote here. And one correction. I have been misspelling Commissioner Boatright's name. There is no w. Apologies!

It is unanimous in favor. Ciere Boatright is now the council confirmed commissioner of the Department of Planning and Development and a member of the Community Development Commission.