http://blogs.e-rockford.com/sweenyreport/2008/05/16/the-mayor-should-select-the-police-and-fire-chiefs-with-city-council-approval/ The Sweeny Report takes you into the murky world of local, state and national politics. Political Editor Chuck Sweeny will try to de-mystify things for you -- once he figures it out himself, that is. Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:21:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/sweenyreport/2008/05/16/the-mayor-should-select-the-police-and-fire-chiefs-with-city-council-approval/#comment-504 LGC Mon, 19 May 2008 14:43:27 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/sweenyreport/2008/05/16/the-mayor-should-select-the-police-and-fire-chiefs-with-city-council-approval/#comment-504 Bring back Bill Fitzpatrick. Bring back Bill Fitzpatrick.

]]> http://blogs.e-rockford.com/sweenyreport/2008/05/16/the-mayor-should-select-the-police-and-fire-chiefs-with-city-council-approval/#comment-495 unmanager Sat, 17 May 2008 11:01:48 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/sweenyreport/2008/05/16/the-mayor-should-select-the-police-and-fire-chiefs-with-city-council-approval/#comment-495 Some thoughts... the Board,I believe, DOES represent the mayor's selection...they are appointed by the mayor and usually have more experience in campaign work than public safety. As far as Council approval.... I believe the Council,as is, has lost effectiveness in providing any true check/balance/accountability...face it, weekly the council spends millions of dollars, enacts legalese-worded ordinances all in a span of 30-45 minutes. These are PART-TIME PAID elected officials...I question how much thorough understanding they have of many issues between fielding calls about neighborhood problems,petitions for "Tent Sales",etc. AND (in most cases) holding a full-time job... Is that an answer? Probably not...just some points to ponder.... Some thoughts…
the Board,I believe, DOES represent the mayor’s selection…they are appointed by the mayor and usually have more experience in campaign work than public safety. As far as Council approval….
I believe the Council,as is, has lost effectiveness in providing any true check/balance/accountability…face it, weekly the council spends millions of dollars, enacts legalese-worded ordinances all in a span of 30-45 minutes. These are PART-TIME PAID elected officials…I question how much thorough understanding they have of many issues between fielding calls about neighborhood problems,petitions for “Tent Sales”,etc. AND (in most cases) holding a full-time job…
Is that an answer? Probably not…just some points to ponder….

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