What is Mayor Daley doing about filling the 1st Ward Aldermanic seat?

Many rumors are circulating about filling the 1st Ward Aldermanic seat vacated by Manny Flores, on Jan. 15, when he left to become the Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.  The rumors include the number of and names of persons who are "being considered"; what the process and timing for filling the position are; and why Mayor Daley might not choose one of Flores' recommendations.

There are eight confirmed facts:

• Mayor Daley, by state rule, has 60 days from Jan. 15 to fill the post.
• After his appointments for the 1st and 29th wards, Daley will have appointed nineteen of the fifty current aldermanic positions.
• According to the City website, the Mayor is requesting interested candidates to apply by Friday, Feb. 19.
• Two people were recommended to Daley by Flores. They are Raymond Valadez, who served as the 1st Ward's Chief of Staff, and Joe Moreno, who is a businessman, activist in the community, and former candidate for State Senate in 2008.
• At least one person has confirmed applying for the position.  Mona Noriega who has been working on a Ph.D. in Public Administration confirmed that she has applied. Her intent was brought to light in a Windy City Times story and confirmed to this reporter.
• Daley "people" are meeting with prospective appointees but not divulging to those appointees, what the process and timing are.
• Consistuents are concerned/anxious about not being able to get ward business to move forward without the signature of an alderman.
• Three candidates have shared their backgrounds and interest in the position with Our Urban Times. They are Valadez, Moreno and Noriega.

Raymond Valadez

Raymond Valadez began working in the 1st Ward for Manny Flores in 2003. He met Flores while they both worked for Luis Gutierrez, U.S. Representative 4th District.

In addition to his duties as operations manager in the alderman's 1st Ward office, Valadez manages all zoning and development issues in the ward.  Those issues were often part of his other responsibilities for handling service inquiries and requests for building permits, landmarks and historic preservation, traffic safety and infrastructure improvements. While he manages the 1st Ward's legislative initiatives he also works collaboratively with the ward's chamber of commerce's and special service areas.

First interested in history and government while attending Chicago's St. Patrick High School, Valadez has a BA in Political Science from the University of Illinois and a MA in International Affairs from the American University in Washington, D.C. A blend of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage, Valadez and his wife live in Humboldt Park and have one daughter.

He is interested in continuing the plans and programs that Flores and his staff have laid out for the rest of the term. "I, of course, have things that I would do or do differently but I am interested in continuity."

Joe Moreno

Joe Moreno has lived in the community longer than Valadez and Noriega. He moved here after college where he studied art and business, interning in a union print shop in Galesburg, IL. That experience led to employment in a small union Chicago printing house that has subsequently grown substantially. Moreno pursued a graduate degree at night and is now the Vice President of Buhl Press.

His work ethic appears to tie to his family history. "My father came to this country from Mexico and married my mother who was from a poor farm family near Galesburg.  When my mother hears me say that the family was low middle income, she reminds me that we were poor."

"It is true that we didn't have much money," says Moreno, "but we had a lot of love and we were very much in the progressive Dorothy Day Catholic worker traditions dealing with issues like homelessness." His family traditions of social consciousness has impacted his other activities too. "While I am a pragmatic business I have a track record as community activist. I believe it is important to bring both together for the sake of the community."

Moreno, a single father, serves on the de Diego Local School Council. He is also on the board of a Humboldt Park social service agency that provides various programs. He is particularly enthusiastic about a new model they are developing. It is a supportive housing center that includes job training and placement on site.

Though the position of Alderman is considered to be a part-time job, Moreno feels it is more than a full-time job and he would leave his printing business position. "The Alderman's position is an over-time job. It is more than being available to constituents on Ward Night. It is a job where the Alderman and Ward staff need to be in the community, involved in all types of events and functions. People are busy and they can not always make it to the Alderman's office but they need services and accessibility to the alderman."

In addition to providing services to constituents and being accessible, he believes that economic development across all socio-economic levels as well as public safety and awareness are key to a healthy community.  He believes that it is important for the alderman to "…encourage and support, the area's uniqueness and flavor.  It can not be lost, if we are to continue to be a destination."

Mona Noriega is a seven year resident of the ward who is interested in residents having the opportunity to be involved in their community.  At the WPB (SSA #33) meeting Tuesday night, she expressed her appreciation of the involvement of community members on the commission, "I like this, there should be more opportunities for people to participate."

When asked about her involvement in the community, she indicated that she has been focused on school for the last few years.

As the founding co-chair and senior bid consultant for Chicago 2006, Inc., Noriega mobilized hundreds of volunteers, raised thousands of dollars, and created partnerships with municipal and state governments aimed at supporting Chicago's bid for hosting the Olympics. Prior to those efforts, she served as assistant publisher for Windy City Times.

Having helped to open the Midwest Office of Lambda Legal Defense in 1993, she more recently served as the Regional Director of the office, which advances civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgendered, and people living with HIV or AIDS throughout the Midwest.

In stating why she would warrant the appointment, she stated that she has a vision for the ward.  Mentioning the importance of economic development and housing for a stable community, her emphasis went back to the importance of getting people involved.  Though she expressed that Flores did a good job, she feels that there is more that can be done. 

Speculation about why the Mayor might not appoint one of Flores' recommendations are based on the fact that Flores, on several occasions, opposed Daley's agendas.

With the ever increasing pile of disasters surrounding the Mayor, including the ever expanding parking meter debacle, dipping into the skyway privatization funds in attempts to balance the budget, Meigs airport closure in the middle of the night, and now the rift with two major airlines over O'Hare expansion, many locals are hoping that Daley does not give them an additional reason to hope he does not run again in 2011.  They hope he chooses between Valadez and Moreno.