The Harvey City Council met Monday for the first time since it voted to apply for Financially Distressed City status Oct. 16, and became a forum for residents to give voice to their anger and frustration with the city administration under Mayor Christopher Clark.
Harvey furloughed about 40% of its city employees last week in response to the city’s financial crisis. A group of workers wearing the green of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees were present Monday.
The City Council meeting was preceded the city’s Finance Committee, which also turned contentious. Resident Sharron McGee criticized the members for continuing to approve expenses as normal when the city was in financial crisis.
“We’re on fire, and you’re telling me it’s all OK, when you’re steady pouring gasoline by voting yes,” McGee said. “It is ridiculous what you guys are doing to us.”
Sixth Ward Ald. Tyrone Rogers, the committee chair, shouted at McGee as she concluded, calling her wrong and misinformed. McGee was eventually escorted out by police.
Fourth War Ald. Tracy Key, and 2nd Ward Ald. Colby Chapman echoed McGee’s concerns. Chapman said the city should put an immediate hold on new spending until there was more transparency about the city’s finances.
“I’m asking this council to freeze all spending on expenditures until you see a rough report, until you see a cash net, a profit and loss statement, invoices, until the fiscal audit is done from 2021, and until we know something more about this financial distress,” Chapman said.
The committee voted to approve two lists of the city’s bills, one from its Aug. 25 meeting and one from Monday’s meeting.
First Ward Ald. Shirley Drewenski said it was unrealistic to suggest the city should not pay its bills, regardless of the financial situation.
“The fact of the matter is, we still have bills, and these bills still must get approved, whether we like it or not,” Drewenski said. “Even though we’re applying to be in distress due to the lack of taxes being received, business doesn’t stop. Our doors are still open. We still are accruing cost.”
The City Council voted to ratify both lists. A motion to call the question was brought on both lists, cutting off debate and forcing an immediate vote on the issue. Chapman attempted to have the list from Monday’s meeting referred back to the Finance Committee, but the motion to call the question passed.
The one item of new business before the City Council was an agreement for a proposed redevelopment of city-owned properties by a company called Turlington Homes. Third Ward Ald. Telanee Smith immediately called the question for a vote, preventing any debate. The council voted 3-2 in favor of approving the redevelopment agreement, with Rogers, Drewenski and Smith voting in favor and Key and Chapman voting against.
Members of the public spoke out against the agreement during public comment.
“It just feels like we’re doing a fire sale to some legal friends downtown,” Amanda Askew said. “We just continue to act like this is a liquidation sale for the city of Harvey.”
Julian Rucker, who said he has purchased and rehabbed multiple Harvey properties, said he applied for a city program for interested Harvey residents to acquire and renovate city-owned properties, but hadn’t heard anything since submitting his application in August.
“No returned calls, no emails. So I’d just like somebody to tell me what’s going on,” Rucker said. “This Turlington investment, I don’t know if that has something to do with this, but after just finding out, I am concerned.”
Public comment was unanimously critical of the Clark administration, and each comment was met with a round of applause from the audience. Multiple community members urged others to vote in 2027, when Clark will next be up for election.
Despite the public discontent, Clark closed the meeting on an optimistic note.
“The city of Harvey is still on a path forward,” Clark said. “Just like in your household if you run out of money and all these things happen, that don’t mean you stay where you are in your household. You’re gonna make some changes, you’re gonna do what you need to do, you’re gonna tighten up that belt, OK, and do what needs to be done there, so then you don’t have to stay in the situation that you’re in.”
elewis@chicagotribune.com