In this country, and especially in Illinois, holiday parades have traditionally been an excuse for politicians and political organizations to see and be seen. Park Ridge’s annual Memorial Day parade is no exception.
This past Monday gave us Mayor Howard “Let’s Make A Deal” Frimark riding in a convertible while the City Council members walked a safe distance behind. Maine Township and Park Ridge Park District officials marched under their respective banners, the latter tossing promotional t-shirts to the crowd. Rumor has it that Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky was also on hand, but she must have flown under our radar.
One new thing on the Cumberland Avenue parade route this year was the presence of signs voicing opposition to the Cumberland Avenue extension championed by Mayor Frimark. Another new thing were smaller signs that read: “We Welcome P.A.D.S.”
We here at PublicWatchdog favor anything legal that promotes the open discussion of ideas, especially public policy issues and any project or plan that will significantly affect our community. We hope that both sets of signs displayed Monday will further that goal.
Although if those pro-PADS signs end up in house windows, we’d much prefer that they read: “Homeless Welcome Here,” perhaps with the image of an open door showing that the occupants are willing to host a homeless person for an evening.
Then maybe we could end the PADS debate and focus on the Cumberland extension.
9 comments so far
Where was the WatchDog float?
I was hoping to see the editors marching under the banner of truth, justice and transparency.
Perhaps next year?
Don’t you just hate it when you can’t get one issue off the table before another one jumps up and slaps you in the face?! The city had a lot of balls in the air right now and all it seems to be doing is ticking more and more residents off.
I think the idea is to overwhelm residents to the point of submission. But that maneuver is certainly backfiring. It is however getting residents to open their eyes and pay attention. Not such a bad thing in my opinion. It would however be nice to get some of these issues wrapped up for the summer. That is if it ever gets here.
Right on! Not only is Frimark and Staff pushing Cumberland and PADS, but they’ve still got the police station and R-5 zoning waiting in the wings. I sure hope those St. Mary’s people and those Cumberland people can stay the course so that the rest of us can keep F & S honest on the other things.
Hope They overwhelm enough people where some may wanna move.
Is that what they want to happen?
Not sure they are afraid of residents moving out of PR in this economy.
Our U.S. Representative was indeed on hand for the Memorial Day parade. She made the pilgrimage to the steps of City Hall and determinedly sought out and shook hands with every veteran and every politician up there (except for the one or two who turned their backs on her again this year; albeit less obviously than last year). Then she rejoined her group in the parade. I guess being cut dead by most of the elected officials last year was the reason she decided not to be seated with them this year. Fortunately, a majority of our elected officials seem to have belatedly remembered that Rep. Shakowsky is OUR elected representative to Congress, whether or not one voted for her, and as such has some usefulness to the citizens of Park Ridge. (Can you say “grants,” anyone?) Or else they were just afraid to cut her dead in front of half the population of the City, some of whom know how to read.
We still have a hard time understanding how our supposedly non-partisan mayor can slam, on a clearly partisan-Republican basis, Cong. Schakowsky and then expect her to send him/us federal (as in “not our money”) grants – especially to fund such goofy things as a “study” of Frimark’s Cumberland underpass/overpass idea.
As a member of the Save Cumberland Coalition I can assure all who blog here that we are firm in our resolve. We are in it for the long haul and strategies are being developed for responses to our City Council. Visit me at http://cumberlandpatriot.blogspot.com/
We apologize for failing to report one of the most significant features of the Memorial Day Parade: the Grand Marshal was former City Treasurer Carl Brauweiler, who served as a Ranger with the Army in Europe during WWII, earning both a Bronze Star and the Croix de Guerre for valor under fire.
Thanks, Carl.
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