Board of Aldermen 08-10-2021 Page 30
Then the last element of this amendment would have let voters decide whether they wanted somebody with a public
health background who didn’t work for the city to be a member. | think my intentions speak for themselves. | wasn't
trying to replace any existing members. | was trying to expand the board. | was trying to improve its ability to train new
members and manager the crisis that we’re experiencing. | also think my timing was pretty awful because not only did |
plow into a similar amendment with the Police Commissioner being highly contentious but the Board of Health is not the
Police Department. They’re not as big. They don't get uniforms to clearly identify themselves to the public and give them
the credibility that comes from centuries of law enforcement. Instead, they have to focus on their decisions having the
wait themselves of credibility. Because of that and because at the emergency meeting that we had last week, it was
impression that people who are seeking to undermine the credibility of the Board of Health were at the same time trying to
use this as a wedge. | don’t think this is a good time to mess with it.
| agree with the comments that they’ve made that they have an effective board right now. | think the timing would be
unfortunate were the amendment to proceed to the votes because then they would have to if they continue to disagree,
they’d have to approach voters and that’s not a fair position to put them in in order to make their case. If it did pass
through the referendum, then that means that we would have to be looking at a change in a dynamic in the middle of
winter when we’re likely still going to be dealing with after effects of COVID-19. Hopefully after effects. So for those
reasons, | want to thank everybody who supported me in terms of moving this forward but | think the best thing at this
point is to indefinitely postpone it and then take it up in a future term where | am able to engage the Board of Health right
out of the gate and make sure that they fully support an amendment moving forward.
President Wilshire
The motion before us is for indefinite postponement. Is there further discussion on the Motion? Will the Clerk please call
the roll.
A viva voce roll call was taken which resulted as follows:
Yea: Alderman O’Brien, Alderman Klee, Alderwoman Kelly, Alderman Dowd,
Alderman Caron, Alderman Clemons, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Tencza,
Alderwoman Lu, Alderman Jette, Alderman Schmidt, Alderman Cleaver,
Alderwoman Harriott-Gathright, Alderman Wilshire 14
Nay: 0
MOTION CARRIED
Resolution R-21-152 declared indefinitely postponed.
R-21-155
Endorsers: Mayor Jim Donchess
Alderman-at-Large Michael B. O’Brien, Sr.
Alderman Patricia Klee
Alderman Richard A. Dowd
Alderman-at-Large Shoshanna Kelly
RELATIVE TO THE TRANSFER OF $75,000 FROM DEPARTMENT 194 “CONTINGENCY”, ACCOUNT 70100
“GENERAL CONTINGENCY” TO DEPARTMENT 198 “INTERFUND TRANSFERS”, ACCOUNT 89725
“TRANSFER TO CITY RETIREMENT TRUST FUND”
Given its second reading;
MOTION BY ALDERMAN DOWD FOR FINAL PASSAGE OF R-21-155, BY ROLL CALL
ON THE QUESTION
Alderman Dowd
Yeah this is just a normal transfer of funds that we do. We put money in contingency and this particular one has to cover
retirement that’s come up recently. It is a normal transaction of city government.
