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Intrigue surrounds Rauner appointment, firings, park

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Illinois

The unusual write-in battle for a seat on an obscure water treatment board has become even more strange and convoluted — after Gov. Bruce Rauner quietly made an appointment that could force the whole low-profile election into court.

Just days after last week’s primary, Rauner appointed Republican David Walsh to fill the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District seat that became vacant after the death of Commissioner Tim Bradford.

That comes after Republicans opted not to field any candidates for the seat in the write-in election sanctioned by Cook County officials as part of last week’s primary.

Republicans and Democrats now disagree on whether Walsh will serve beyond the November election, which is expected to feature a Democrat and possibly a Green Party candidate vying for the seat.

Walsh took his oath of office last Friday — three days after the primary — to replace Bradford, who died Dec. 1.

Cook County decided to fill the vacancy with an election. Rauner waited until after the primary to appoint Walsh to fill the vacancy for the remaining two years. And now the whole thing goes to court. What a mess.

Why did Rauner wait so long? Well, the governor was involved in a primary of his own, and that sort of appointment might not have been seen in the best light.

This is, by the way, the third time that Rauner has appointed Walsh to the MWRD…

Commissioner David J. Walsh was appointed September 28, 2015 and reappointed December 12, 2016 by Governor Bruce Rauner to fill a vacancy as a Commissioner at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

* Meanwhile, lips are tight about these developments…

As Gov. Bruce Rauner heads to an event at a casino in East Peoria Wednesday, the Illinois Gaming Board’s top administrator, Mark Ostrowski, was fired.

Why he was let go is not clear. Sources tell NBC 5 he was forced to resign. […]

That’s not the only shakeup — also out Tuesday is the executive director of the Illinois Liquor Control Commission Donovan Borvan. He was forced to resign and walked out of the office. Last week, the Liquor Control Commission’s chief lawyer Sean O’Leary was also let go and walked to the door.

“We appreciate everything that both Donovan Borvan and Sean O’Leary have done in serving the Commission for the past few years,” Connie Beard, the director of revenue and the Liquor Control Commission Board chair tells NBC 5. “It is unfortunate that both personnel actions occurred so closely together, but we wish them all the best in their future endeavors.”

* Ostrowski has been at the gaming board forever, so I’m not sure what the dealio is there, but Don Tracy was appointed by Rauner to chair the gaming board after Tracy went all-out for Rauner in 2014. Tracy is also working closely with Rauner on this stalled Springfield project which includes a fight with organized labor…

As a $15 million renovation of the Illinois governor’s mansion nears completion, a fight over a piece of land across the street has taken Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s long battle with organized labor to his front lawn.

At issue is nearly 2.5 acres owned by the city of Springfield that lies just north of the mansion’s gated grounds. The block has sat vacant for more than a year after the city demolished a YWCA building there. Since then, a nonprofit group backed by Rauner was picked to turn the lot into a park, featuring mounded hills, a sidewalk cafe and pools of water that could feature light shows in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

“They are renovating the mansion and this would provide a Washington Mall-type vista in front of it,” said Don Tracy, an attorney long involved in Republican politics who Rauner recruited to lead the effort. “We hope it would be a destination park to sort of help rejuvenate downtown Springfield, which needs lots more people.” […]

Labor groups want a project labor agreement, which would ensure workers hired to build the park would come from local unions and be paid a “prevailing wage” — the salary level set for public works projects by the Illinois Department of Labor. It’s based on average pay in a county and designed to prevent nonunion employers from placing low bids by paying employees below union rates. […]

“We didn’t ask for a fight with labor, it’ll mainly be a union contract,” Tracy said. “But the project labor agreement basically is less competitive and cedes a lot of control to the union. It’s not about using union labor, it’s about union control.”

I’m old enough to remember the days when newspaper editorial boards demanded that the gaming board chairman act independently of the governor.

* And there’s more to the conflict than just the union fight…

After cutting the city’s budget and raising taxes, [Springfield Ald. Ralph Hanauer] said he could not justify having the city fork over revenue for the park’s utilities. He said Tracy estimated the bill could be $20,000 a month.

“In these financial conditions, we can’t afford to buy a dump truck,” Hanauer said.

The budget director has already predicted a $4 million deficit, he said. One term of the lease would be that the land would continue to be property tax-free.

* Also…

Tracy said Rauner is firm on that point – no buildings on the block.

“His vision is to have this block … be a destination park for people, but also be a vista for the Executive Mansion renovation,” Tracy said.

Translation: He wants a nice view from the back porch.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:49 am

Comments

Is the non-profit group paying for the park or tax dollars being used.

Comment by BlueDogDem Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:54 am
Springfield should talk to Chicago about the cost of maintaining Millennium Park. Don’t get me wrong — I love the park, and it’s a huge tourist destination. But the maintenance and security costs for that “free” park have been significant.

Comment by Soccermom Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:57 am
The Walsh appointment is a sideshow: the GOP’s best candidate for MWDR is Shundar Lin.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:58 am
it will be a nice place for folks to bring their drums and bang away… and the buses make for a fun scene too.
Now back why the Gamin’ and Booze Dudes got tossed.

Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 11:58 am
Is the MWRD Green candidate also a write in?? I am not sure State law governing the MWRD allows for this..

Comment by Not Rich Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:03 pm
When the Governor is doing personal business on the back porch, it will be nice to have a pretty view. Just another boondoggle project to deflect from his terrible record on real issues.

Comment by Retired Educator Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:03 pm
Why should Rauner have a say in what downtown Springfield look like? He’s moving to Italy next year.

Comment by Rogue Roni Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:04 pm
–“They are renovating the mansion and this would provide a Washington Mall-type vista in front of it,” said Don Tracy,–

A square-block “vista” to the community college board building? Not quite the three-mile view east from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol.

Maybe overselling it there.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:05 pm
“Tracy said Rauner is firm on that point – no buildings on the block.”

All hail to King Rauner….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm4EdHTqLhQ

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:09 pm
David Walsh is my spirit animal.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:11 pm
Not sure the change in the name from the Executive Mansion to the Governor’s Mansion is about anything but ego.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:17 pm
If they end up making it a park, shouldn’t they transfer the property to the Springfield Park District, since, ya know, they are supposed to be in charge of the parks in Springfield?

Comment by My Button is Broke... Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:18 pm
2 outcomes in that being a park. 1. inundated with the homeless folks from Springfield that will literally be camping out across the street from the Gov’s mansion. 2. Having an open public area for which to have rallies to protest the Governor after they leave the Capitol may not be what he really wants.
Protestors to the Gov may find that having a space right across the street from the mansion is a great way to get some super free press.

Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:19 pm
The comments by Rauner’s spokesperson and Walsh about the appointment are baloney. Walsh created a campaign committee on March 1st as an Independent, presumably to file petitions as an Independent if there were no candidates on the ballot in November. That implies that he thought an election for this vacancy was a valid route. He was only appointed after it was clear Davis received enough write-in votes for the Democratic nomination to muddy the waters, and possibly steal this back from voters in court.

Comment by TopHatMonocle Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:24 pm
At a time with Springfield desperately needs sales tax revenue and property tax revenue that mixed retain/residential development could generate, the governor wants to install a park — sorry, a one-block “vista” — and use scab labor to do it.

Also, any time public land is being developed with private donations, dig deep — especially when one of those private donors is Bruce Rauner. Nothing good can come from this and Mayor Langfelder would be wise to back out of the deal.

Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:25 pm
==Tracy said Rauner is firm on that point – no buildings on the block.==

Then perhaps he should use his considerable personal financial resources and purchase the land. Then he can make such decrees.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:29 pm
I have observed three kinds of Rauner appointees, the highly competent, quasi loyal, but law abiding/ethical,the competent and highly loyal, and the incompetent and highly loyal.
Goldberg,Z, and Mirashko are gone.

Mike Hoffman has been moved to VA

And Chima Enyia has been moved to gaming and liquor control.

Only the highly loyal remain.
They do as told.

Comment by Torda Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:53 pm
There’s gotta’ be something going on there with the gaming and liquor boards.

Comment by Just Me Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 12:55 pm
Maybe an Executive Order creating a new Department of Vice?

Comment by Wylie Coyote Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:09 pm
“Tracy said Rauner is firm on that point – no buildings on the block.” Where does he get off, telling springfield what they can do with their property?

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:11 pm
We MUST put a building on that block.

Comment by Springfield Resident Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:16 pm
So what’s the real deal on the Liquor and Gaming Boards? There are always rumors flying whenever anyone gets canned by Rauner. Now all of the sudden 2 Heads plus multiple staff are canned and crickets?

Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:29 pm
Hopefully a Green. We need more than the two-parties. Gotta start somewhere.

Comment by Duopoly Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:31 pm
Don Tracy, long involved in Republican politics?
I guess he was on political sabbatical when he ran as a Democrat against Senator Larry Bomke.

Comment by Wallinger Dickus Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 1:59 pm
If land in downtown Springfield was valuable, and if the area was growing, it would be great to build something on the Y block. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.

Springfield is shrinking in both population and jobs. The dozens of private, empty, parking lots, owned by local real estate developers, are evidence of bad investments.

The high vacancy rates in commercial developments, the long sale exposure times in for-sale properties, and the empty buildings, everywhere, are evidence of a permanent decrease in demand for retail and commercial space.

The City would be wise to get a free park, or leave the Y block as sod. The Alderman and Mayor, as usual, are living in the 1980’s. The city leadership needs to adjust to a new normal of shrinking population and job losses.

Comment by Native Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 2:04 pm
Is this the same David Walsh who is paid $7,500 a month by Jim Durkin’s Campaign Committee?

Comment by questioner Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 2:27 pm
=====The dozens of private, empty, parking lots, owned by local real estate developers, are evidence of bad investments.====

No, the dozens of private, empty, parking lots, owned by local real estate developers, ARE bad investments.

Cities with far less going for them than Springfield have done far better in creating quality downtowns. It’s where the market is going in much of America. Look at any revitalized area in any city, and you’ll see developers who changed the neighborhood building by building (usually with the city’s blessing and sometimes help).

But when the Springfield city council scares off a private developer from Indianapolis who has the gall to propose dense development, it’s not hard to see why downtown Springfield looks almost exactly the same as it did 15 years (or more) ago.

Comment by Dan Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 2:49 pm
“I think he’s a brilliant guy,” Tracy said of Rauner.

Must explain why the State is flourishing.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 3:30 pm
Mayor Langfelder & the City Council need to nix any deal that gives Governor Rauner (even future Governor Pritzker) any veto authority over what goes in that space. A temporary resident should never have that much say in what the city does with such an important opportunity.

Comment by Concerned Dem Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 3:31 pm
Dan, I agree with you in part, and in spirit.

The private parking lots are owned by the “usual suspects,” being local real estate developers. They bought the land with the hope of flipping it for redevelopment, likely hoping the Dtate would buy it. They did not buy the land to operate parking lots.

Springfield leadership has never cared about property values. If they did, they would have meaningful zoning ordinances, and they would incrntivize redevelopment, instead they incentivize new construction west of town. The new construction reduces the property value of all land owners and has created a glut of vacancy. This vacancy, the empty buildings, will never go away. Eventually, the taxpayers will bail out these failed investments by shouldering demolition costs.

For some reason labor unions prefer working on new construction instead of redevelopment. The city council works for the labor unions. Unfortunately, it’s unsustainable.

The Y block development you reference was a sham. The Indy developer required $17M in TIF (taxes) from the city.

Comment by Native Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 3:32 pm
== We MUST put a building on that block. ==

How about rows of tiny houses and a common shower house for the homeless?

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 5:01 pm
Tracy and Rauner share a common trait; they’re never wrong. They have, though, beat Ossie’s boy like a rented mule on this Y-Block deal. (BTW, who are the other “partners” in this group?) This “veto power” provision is just incredible, as is the absence of a PLA.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 8:23 pm
Unlike many commenters, I live in Springfield. The last time I drove past the “Y block”, it appeared to have advanced a tad bit past the planning and deal-making stage.

Comment by Behind the Scenes Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 9:28 pm
Dan– I believe the development on the block from the Indianapolis firm had a $17 million dollar hole that they asked the City of Springfield to fill. That is why it was voted down.

ALSO Tracy said they are asking the City to kick in $20-25K per month in Utilities, so it is NOT free to the City as reported.

–Behind I believe they are doing repair on the storm sewer system in that area to prevent flooding.

Comment by He makes Ryan look like a Saint Tuesday, Apr 3, 18 @ 10:52 pm
Look at Hud’s wife and Tracy for the firing at gaming.

Comment by Changedname Wednesday, Apr 4, 18 @ 8:34 am