Monday’s post about the Taste of Park Ridge, run by Taste of Park Ridge NFP, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation, provoked so many questions and comments that we thought the topic deserved a second discussion – which we will devote primarily to questions raised by previous comments:

Question 1: Did the Chamber of Commerce willingly give up “the Taste” (event) in 2005; and, if so, why (lack of profit, too much work, lack of volunteers)?

Question 2: Who elects/selects the officers of Taste of Park Ridge NFP (especially if, as commentator and former 5th Ward Ald. Joe Baldi insists, it has no shareholders)?

Question 3: Why isn’t the Taste of Park Ridge NFP identified on the “Taste” website as the owner/operator of Taste (the event)?  Is it a secret?

Question 4: Since Taste (the corporation) effectively is receiving a monopoly from the City to run a festival that closes off one of our main business streets and receives ample assistance from the City and the Park District, why doesn’t it publicize its financials on its website as a show of good faith and in gratitude for its government-sanctioned monopoly?

Question 5: Because there is so much emphasis on “volunteers” for the Taste (the event), do any of the Taste corporation’s officers or directors, or any of the committee members, receive any compensation for their services, or any contracts to provide event-related services (insurance, security, fencing, etc.)?

Question 6: Why did Taste (the corporation) contribute $1,000 to Friends of Bob Dudzyc on September 10, 2007?  What other “contributions”/”donations” has Taste (the corporation) made since 2005?

Question 7: How many “scholarships” has Taste (the corporation) given out, in what amounts were they, were they all awarded in connection with essay contests (like the 2007 one), who have been the winners/recipients, and where can we read the winning essay(s)?

Question 8: Why is there no mention of the essay contest, winners or general information on the Taste website, especially since (as Joe Baldi helpfully pointed out) the March 22, 2007 Herald-Advocate article reporting the contest contained the direction: “For general information on the event, visit www.tasteofparkridge.com or call (847) 297-2510, Ext. 237)?

Question 9: Who has provided the insurance for Taste (the event and the corporation) from 2005 to the present?

Question 10: Who are all the vendors and how much are each of them paid?

Now, we’re sure these questions and the comments that follow are going to upset some people.  That’s not our purpose, but it is an acceptable collateral benefit if it gets more of our resident “sheep” to start looking out for those who want to shear them.  

Because a “Culture of Corruption” can’t exist without a “Culture of Secrecy.”