Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight
July 21, 2021 City Council Meeting
ORDER REGARDING AID TO BE PROVIDED TO THE CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL
WHEREAS, media reports have unveiled multiple allegations of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment with the ranks of the Chicago Park District's lifeguards; and
WHEREAS, those reports have alleged that such conduct has been prevalent within the ranks of the Chicago Park District's lifeguards for decades, indicating a systemic issue at the Chicago Park District; and
WHEREAS, the Inspector General of the Chicago Park District has indicated that her office's investigation of those allegations has been hampered by a lack of investigative resources; and
WHEREAS, the Office of the Inspector General of the City of Chicago is a very high functioning investigatory office, as evidenced by its many years of work in uncovering fraud, waste, abuse, and criminality; and
WHEREAS, Section 2-56-030(i) ofthe Municipal Code ofthe City of Chicago allows for the Office of the Inspector General of the City of Chicago to exercise its investigative powers with sister agencies through intergovernmental agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Chicago Park District is a sister agency of the City of Chicago, as provided by Section 1-23-010 of the Municipal Code ofthe City of Chicago;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDERED, that the Office ofthe Inspector General ofthe City of Chicago negotiate and bring before the City Council of the City of Chicago an intergovernmental agreement between it and the Chicago Park District and its Office of the Inspector General; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that such intergovernmental agreement provide for the Office of the Inspector General of the City of Chicago to provide aid and investigative capacity to the Chicago Park District's Office of the Inspector General in their investigation of sexual assault, abuse, and harassment among the Park District's lifeguards; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the aid outlined in such intergovernmental agreement shall take precedence over other investigations within the Office of the Inspector General of the City of Chicago, except for those investigations involving fraud, sexual harassment, or criminality; and
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BE IT FURTHER ORDERED, that the Office ofthe Inspector General ofthe City of Chicago shall provide reports every 60 days on what aid has been provided to the Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight until such time as the investigation has concluded and its results released to the public.
Aldennan Scott Waguespack
32nd Ward- Chairman, Committee on Finance
Michele Smith
43rd Ward- Chairwoman, Ethics Committee