Journal Editor

Concern expressed by City Council members Monday night that a lack of communication may have contributed to problems associated with the awarding of billboard rights to a single area company has triggered an internal review to determine what happened and to head off any similar problems in the future.

During a special City Council meeting Monday night, City Manager Dave Niemeyer briefly spoke about the "personnel portion" of the city's involvement in the awarding of billboard rights to Premere Outdoor Inc. in 2003.

On Tuesday, Niemeyer explained that aldermen have expressed their concern about a lack of proper follow through on the part of some city staff members involved in the awarding of billboard rights to Premere in 2003.

"That appears true," said Niemeyer. "To what extent, we won't know for a few weeks." Niemeyer declined to elaborate until he can further review the matter. He also called "premature" whether or not any staff member will be disciplined.

"What I can say now is that the Council would like to see the staff handle some issues better that what we did on the billboard issue," added Niemeyer. He would not say what issues aldermen identified.

A city official, who asked not to be identified, said Wednesday that aldermen are upset about the staff's failure to keep them adequately informed about the billboard matter as it unfolded beginning in November 2002. For example, while important information may have been given to one staff administrator about the proposal to erect 10 billboard's by Premere, other administrators and aldermen were kept in the dark.

"People have to held accountable," said the official. "We need to know who sees what documents. The aldermen want to know what happened," adding that Niemeyer has been directed to review the paper trail of who knew what and when on the billboard issue.

Finance Committee chairman Ald. Dick Sayad (4th), a strong advocate for the billboard agreement inked by the city last year, refused comment when contacted by the Journal Wednesday.

"It's all under review. I don't want to talk about it now," said Sayad.

It was Sayad who in April 2003 strongly urged council members to approved the proposed billboard agreement saying the city would reap $25,000 per year for three years to pay for local fireworks displays. In addition, the city would generate other revenue in the form of inspection and impact fees over a 20-year time frame.

Earlier this year, questions were raised about the agreement. At that time it was learned that billboard companies that controlled the large outdoor advertising signs along local tollways could charge advertisers as much as $10,000 to $20,000 a month. Also, city officials became concerned when they learned that James Dvorak, a former Cook County undersheriff and Republican Party chairman, who was convicted of income tax evasion and bribery, was a shareholder in Premere Outdoor. Dvorak and Bill Schneider, the city's Economic Development director and acting city manager until earlier this year, have been close friends for years.