Staying informed is a necessary part of writing this column. Sometimes I come across information I’m not looking for. As a past member of Joliet’s commission that was charged with finding the most cost effective and sustainable alternative water source for Joliet residents, I was surprised when I read an opinion piece that appeared in Crain’s Chicago Business. It was titled: “Should Chicago consider more public-private partnerships?”
The author, Dana Levenson, was a past chief financial officer for Chicago. The basis for the op-ed piece was a review of how well the City of Chicago fared when it sold three of its major assets to private sector companies. Those assets were the Chicago Skyway, Chicago’s parking garages and Chicago’s parking meters.
His conclusion was that Chicago fared well in the ventures and that since then privatizing municipal assets has become more commonplace around the country. He then speculated that two other major Chicago assets that might attract big upfront payments were Midway Airport and the water and wastewater utility systems for Chicago residents. He liked the concept of leasing the Midway asset, but he thought selling the two utilities might not be a good idea because “even a slight mishap could be disastrous.”
Of course, it was an op-ed piece, but I thought it did bring into question an agreement with the City of Chicago to provide access to Lake Michigan water via a pipeline from a Chicago access point. Why? According to the Water Supply Agreement Between the City of Chicago and the City of Joliet, Section 16.5, it states: “Chicago agrees that it will not sell the Chicago Water System during the Term of the Water Supply Agreement, unless otherwise agreed to by Joliet.”
The term of the agreement is 100 years. Call me skeptical but that’s a long time to agree on anything and here we are, just a few months into the agreement, and someone has already raised the issue of a salable Chicago utility asset. True, Levenson doesn’t think it would be a good idea, but that doesn’t sound like a 100-year sentiment. Originally, Joliet considered going it alone and building its own pipeline to Lake Michigan. Maybe my skepticism is not warranted since I’m sure (?) the Water Supply Agreement is an ironclad contract, but still, 100 years IS a long time.
One last thing…
According to the Vietnam War Commemoration website, this will be the fifth anniversary of National Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29. This day will be observed in perpetuity, along with six other military-centric national observances, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. Most Vietnam vets are in their 70’s today. It’s been about 47 years since the official end to that conflict. The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that today there are more than 6 million U.S. Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, along with 9 million families of those who served during this timeframe. Veterans today are a much-respected group in society. Veteran issues are often a focal point for debate in both Federal and State governments. It’s considered patriotic and a form of national pride to support veterans’ needs.
This year, our Nation’s military leaders, along with Vietnam War Gold Star family representatives, will participate in a national joint wreath-laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on the morning of 29 March. You are encouraged to reach out to Vietnam veterans who may be isolated or living in remote locations and those physically unable to attend events, as well as those in assisted living, geriatric, rehabilitative or palliative care facilities. Every American is asked to show their deep gratitude to this generation of warriors. The following link can be used to obtain more information about the March 29 Commemoration: https://vimeo.com/663032183
I am a proud Vietnam War veteran myself but there never seems to be an end for these types of commemorations. The Gettysburg Flag Works website lists 12 major wars in our country’s history, not counting several combat actions that have occurred in our almost 200-year history, such as Grenada, Panama, and the Dominican Republic excursion in the 1960’s.
Our deadliest war to date was the American Civil War with a casualty list of 620,000 war dead and over 421,000 wounded. Next was World War II with 407,316 dead, World War I with 116,708 and the Vietnam War dead of 58,168. Today we are again on the edge of a conflict that threatens the lives of soldiers as well as a large civilian population.
Neither the U.S. nor countries in the rest of the world seem able to move forward for very long without a violent conflict. With the Ukraine war less than three weeks old, a peaceful settlement seems beyond reach. We march into the future facing the same type of conflict the world has endured for thousands of years.
Stay tuned…
Contact Wayne at www.thetimesweekly.com