A reader sent in the following pic of the dumpster behind the Wilson Men's Club. You can tell it's behind the Wilson Men's Club by looking at the sign for the Wilson L above it. The photo was taken standing on Clifton and looking eastward toward the Wilson L.
I'll remember this when Shiller erects yet another "Curb your Dog" sign in this neighborhood. I wish she'd quit blaming us dog owners for all the rats when these danged dumpsters are overflowing everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWhat really ticks me off is the 46th Ward Street and Sanitation Dumpster that is constantly overflowing out their in our public park.
Why don't we have a Ward Service Yard like every other Ward? Oh, that's right. She gave ours away to Hull House's Housing Resource Center so they could build a new office to (mis)managed their scattered site low income housing units.
Does the Streets and San Dumpster Taskforce even know where Uptown is located? Perhaps we should send a letter of introduction and a map.
ReplyDeleteQuestion:
ReplyDeleteSince the Wilson Club is across the street from Truman, is it legal for conviced sex offenders to live so close to a school campus?
Good question!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is legal because Truman College is not primarily used to provide education to minors.
And that is based upon a very questionable reading of the law that the enforcing agency takes to cover their own asses. From the agency or "community placement" standpoint it always better to let a convicted sex offender live in a questionable location to avoid a lawsuit against the state.
ReplyDeleteThis interpretation of the law could be changed by a court challenge, a media embarassment, or by demanding that the Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affair's or our own State Reps and Senators add a definition in the law that clarifies the law.
The law in question is the Illinois Child Sex Offender Restriction Law. 720 ILCS 5/11-9.4)Section (b-5)states that "It is unlawful for a child sex offender to knowingly reside within 500 feet of a playground, child care institution, day care center, part day child care facility, or a facility providing programs or services exclusively directed toward persons under 18 years of age."
The interpretation of the law turns on how one applies the phrase “exclusively directed toward persons under 18 years of age “ Does it apply only to services or to all the items on the list? Does it apply just to the physical boundaries of the items on the items on the list or the entire campus or building that houses the center or program?
The state takes the broadest possible interpretation saying that the law does not apply to restrict Wilson Club child sex offenders living near child-only programs at Truman college because the college campus services people over 18.
The state takes the broadest possible interpretation saying the law does not apply to restrict Wilson Club child sex offenders living next to the Jesus People Cornerstone Day Care Center because that building also houses and feeds homeless persons over 18.
The state takes the broadest possible interpretation saying that the law does not apply to restrict child sex offenders living at 851 W. Montrose because the DCFS/Columbus Maryville facility at 850 W. Montrose must, every once and a while, retain a mentally retarded child to age 21 under state law.
The state, by its own legal interpretation, has created a loophole big enough to murder a child in.
Excellent explanation, reality chick. Responsible zoning by a veteran alderman would be one way to locally address some of these issues as they arise. However, that has not happened either.
ReplyDeleteGive the Dumpster Taskforce a break. It's really hard to enforce the law in Uptown.
ReplyDeleteFor example, here is the decision tree for enforcing the City of Chicago Municipal Code:
Overflowing Dumpster = Fine
No Overflowing Dumpster = No Fine
Here is the decision tree for enforcing the Uptown Municipal Code:
Overflowing Dumpster:
Condo = Big Fine
Cubicle Hotel = No Fine
Low Income Housing = No Fine unless community complains, then fine dumpster company, unless dumpster company is politically connected "Flood Dumpsters", then fine no one.
46th Ward Dumpster located and overflowing in Lincoln Park = Don't go there.
No Overflowing Dumpster:
Ask Alderman for instructions as to when to fine the innocent.
Re: Decision Tree Rule for 46th Ward Dumpster overflowing in Lincoln Park,
ReplyDeleteYou forgot, this rule: Streets and San Dumpster Taskforce don't fine another branch of your own Department, i.e. 46th Ward Streets and San Ward Superintendent Don Notwatny.