Well, folks, it’s almost that time of year again: time for the “Taste of Park Ridge,” that annual street festival that started as a joint effort of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce and the City of Park Ridge before it was taken over a few years ago by the private “Taste of Park Ridge, NFP” corporation (“Taste, Inc.”).
Almost a year ago (in “Time For A Transparent ‘Taste’,” 07.07.08, and “Time For A Transparent ‘Taste’ – Part II,” 07.09.08), we expressed our opinion that the Taste is a fine community event, but that we wondered about Taste, Inc.’s penchant for secrecy concerning its operations and finances – especially because Taste, Inc. enjoys a de facto monopoly of Taste, the event; and because it appears to utilize substantial City resources, for which we cannot determine the level of reimbursement it provides to the City, if any.
Now, a year later, we continue to wonder why, if everything’s on the up and up, Taste, Inc. remains so secretive.
How about a public statement from Taste, Inc. president Dave Iglow (Pines Mens Wear) and vice president Albert Galus (Academic Tutoring Centers) detailing Taste, Inc.’s operations over the past few years? And how about Taste, Inc. treasurer Jim Bruno (Chase Bank) reporting publicly on Taste, Inc.’s finances? For that matter, why aren’t Taste, Inc.’s finances posted on its nifty website, or on Guidestar?
And while they’re at it, maybe those gentlement could explain why Taste, Inc. – with Mr. Iglow as its registered agent – was “voluntarily dissolved” on February 20, 2009, only to be incorporated again on March 4, 2009, with new registered agent Leo G. Aubel of the Loop law firm of Deutsch, Levy & Engel. What was that all about?
If Taste, Inc. remains close-mouthed, however, how about Taste (the event) committee member Kim Uhlig stepping up and giving the taxpayers a peak behind the Taste, Inc. curtain? After all, she’s also the City’s Economic Development Director, so she owes a duty of truth-telling to the taxpayers who pay her salary. She has to know something more about Taste, Inc. than the rest of us do, since the rest of us know virtually nothing. How about it, Ms. Uhlig?
In addition to Taste, Inc.’s secrecy, we are positively bumfuzzled by the news that Rainbow Hospice as one of Taste (the event’s) “sponsors,” According to Taste, Inc.’s website, even the lowest level sponsorship runs $1,500 – and can run up to $10,000 for an “event partner.”
As you might recall, Rainbow Hospice is one of those private local organizations getting those over-budget handouts of tax dollars from the City. It’s scheduled to receive $5,000 this budget year, which causes us to wonder whether those City tax dollars are just being shuffled over to Taste, Inc. in sponsorship fees? We also wonder just how much labor from City employees (like Ms. Uhlig) on the taxpayers’ dime goes to Taste activities, and whether – and how much – Taste, Inc. reimburses the City for that labor.
We would have expected that, by now, the Taste, Inc. operators would have done the right thing and made all of their operations and finances totally transparent to the taxpayers who make Taste (the event) a success each year. But the deafening silence that continues from Taste, Inc. suggests that transparency and accountability aren’t much of a priority to those folks.
11 comments so far
I really don’t get this. The City and the Chamber give up running the Taste festival and, instead, give that festival concession to a private company run by individual Chamber members who get a (no bid?) contract each year to close down city streets and make money, using city services? And then they don’t even disclose what they are making, and who is getting what from the profits? And only PW and PRU question it? No wonder Park Ridge is such a sucker town.
Why won’t Taste Inc. respond? Cat got Tastee’s tongue?
Fred,
Taste Inc. chose a gas light for their logo. Coincidence? Maybe.
Where is Mayor Dave (our hero) on this issue?? Is he not mister no closed meetings and transparency in government? Last year it was easy to hang this on the Frimark culture. There was no comment from then Alderman Dave on this issue I can recall. I do recall him serving me at the beer tent. Now this year he is mayor and still no comment. One could surmise he does not see this in the same way you do.
OK… is it too much to ask that Mr. Transparency, our own Mayor David Schmidt, poke his nose into this issue?
Seeing as how “openness” and “transparency” were two of his key issues during the recent campaign, and seeing as how his/our city staff and resources are being expended in no small way to make TOPR happen… well, Mr. Mayor, you ought to be getting to the bottom of some of these issues.
And, getting to the bottom of these issues doesn’t necessarily mean anything bad happens to TOPR the event… it just means that someone (Mayor Schmidt or City Manager Hock encouraged by Mayor Schmidt) shines a light on the goings on between TOPR and the City of Park Ridge.
Who could reasonably object??
To: Are you there Mr. Mayor?? on 06.23.09 11:54 am.
Who could object? How about all those under the radar types running “Taste, Inc.” who tell us nothing except how wonderful they are and all the things they voluntarily do for the City and its residents, as if they are all Mother Teresas?
I commented last summer when Watchdog first raised thses questions, and none of them have been answered by the people in the know, like Iglow, Galus and Bruno. Hell, we don’t even know how much of our tax money goes into this event for the services and personnel the city provides.
To: Anonymous on 06.23.09 12:21 pm
You missed my sarcasm.
And the word “reasonably”.
I maintain that if Schmidt or Hock decides and wants to get some anwers to the questions posed by PW and folks as far back as last year… how could the TOPR hotshots reasonably object?? Point is, given the percieved use of PUBLIC resources, if they do object they are not being reasonable, are they? And if those questioning the use of PUBLIC resources are wrong or the use of the PUBLIC resources is so minimal that it should not matter then why not say so?
TOPR… guys… gals… helloooooooooooooooo.
Excuse me but I think and have thought since this issue first came up that the questions are being directed at the wrong people. If you are so upset about what TOPR is doing then you should rephrase your comment to …… Mayor, Aldermen, Hock…… guys… helloooooooooooooooo. TOPR is under no obligation to have all of this information available for all to review on their website. Considering this became a visible issue last year and they have done nothing, I would say they are not inclined to do so.
It is the city (elected officials and city employees) who entered into, continue and manage this relationship with TOPR. Are you telling me that Hock has no idea what the expenses for the city of PR are for this event? I would think they Mayor knows as well or at least he should know. They are hard dollars that they keep track of (traffic control, clean up etc)or I hope they keep track of. Are you also telling me that Hock and or the Mayor/Aldermen have no idea whether they are compensated by TOPR for these services. These are two of the main questions that most keep screaming about – your elected officials know the answers to these questions and they have not shared it with you.
ANON,
I respectfully disagree with you. I think any groups that gets public funding, especially a not for profit, is under an obligation to make their information available to all. Putting that information on their website would be the smart thing to do. I can only guess that the inside money deals going on they would rather hide.
I do agree that at least our elected people should be getting this information if the TOPR isn’t doing what they should.
Your both right. Taste should disclose, and city gov’t should make them if they don’t.
Look, I never said that TOPR should not disclose. I said it appears they are not inclined to do so and are not (at this point) required to do so. Neither of you directly answered my question. Are you telling me that not a sole in GOVT knows what it currently costs us to provide services to TOPR and whether or not we get compensated for it?? How about rather that “forcing TOPR to disclose they tell us what they already know???
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