i agree w Abe

the questions gutenkaof and pezza asked show a real lack of business experience b y them

In other news The City of Elmhurst is buying 3 Wonder Woman Airplanes, please don't ask where they are parked because they are invisible and hard to see and you will be ridiculed for even asking. Cap locks OMG.

The "Got It Elmhurst" campaign has two years of history and was created at a time when the local business community was looking for some type of marketing and promotional support from the public. Under those circumstances, I am sure not much thought went into benchmarking results associated with these expenditures. However, I think it is appropriate for the City Manager & the Elmhurst Chamber Executive Director provide transparency and accountability for the program expenditures and results (successes & failures). Alderwomen Pezza and Gutenkauf have raised reasonable and legitimate questions. Some of these questions probably don't have answers, but the City & Chamber should respond even if the answer is "I don't know". I think it is reasonable to use public funds to support our local business community. Let's be good stewards of these funds and have an understanding of marketing/promotional program expectations before approval of future business support expenditures.

That's Elmhurst, just throw money at it. Who cares why or how or if it even works. Oh, wait, we won't know if it works because no one can define what that looks like.

Why do people continue to criticize when your elected officials ask questions? Does the public really just want silent warm bodies in these seats?

there's a big difference between asking an intelligent question and grandstanding ("appalled" .. really ?). when you ask a question that is impossible to answer objectively, i would tend to think that one is playing to the crowd. the goal here is to promote our own merchants; is there really a better organization in town to do that than the Chamber ? your move DJ ...

This is soooooo boring, I am really hungry now. Where can I get a decent burrito in this town?

I don't think it's unreasonable to have an accounting of the how the money was spent by the Chamber.

I was a big fan of those Elmhurst Dollar/ Bucks that the City Centre sold before. They were sold at a discount and could only be used at Elmhurst businesses wiling to participate. They use similar programs elsewhere like in Massachusetts where they call them Berkshire Bucks.

@ Voice I agree. These sophomoric questions are a real tell about the inadequacy of Ald. Gutenkauf and her business acumen.

@ Gerrry F I agree with you too. It is a fine idea for the Council to press about how the Chamber does business. But these questions are clearly just for the 'dog and pony show' that is Ald. Gutenkauf.

How about some real questions?

1. What strategies does John Q have if any to take the Chamber to the next level? If he has none, get someone in there that does have a strategy.
2. How do the outcomes two years into the campaign compare to the projected return on investment that was contemplated when the plan was implemented. If John Q. doesn't have the answers, get someone in there that does have a plan.

As for York's posturing on "brand equity" what a bunch of junk! He wouldn't know a marketing plan from a plan to go to the supermarket.

A business precept - control, measure and margin - it is quite understandable whether for a business or for the public directors of a city (aka our Aldermen,) to do the same. Spending again, and not first checking for waste, is pound foolish - say no more!

well ... looks like the Morley campaign is following in the footsteps of his mentor, Petey. Last night, he sends out a Robo Call asking people about the "shut up" comment and more. how incredibly sad is it that he already is going negative. He CLAIMS "ethical leadership" on his web site. IS THIS HIS DEFINITION OF ETHICAL LEADERSHIP ? if Chris Christie can tell the Surgeon General to stuff it, why can't she ?

pretty bold assertion ms chadra; and what facts do you have to prove a negative ? obviously this robo call came from someone associated with, or hired by, one of the three campaigns ... such naivete on your part

@karen how do u base opninion that morley didn't do it
what kind of reporting is it that you say you know but don t give no facs about it

I would love to put together a story about the robocall. Sometimes it takes time to piece things together, and sometimes candidates prefer not to indulge the anonymous attackers here on Patch. Can you blame them? And I'm not just referring to one particular candidate, but many who prefer to deal with people who don't hide behind a fake name that emboldens them. I would also love to DELETE anonymous commenters who throw out accusations as fact. Pretty bold assertion, yourself, "no more sleaze." You have accused Ald. Morley of making the robocall. Where is your evidence of that? This campaign has only just begun and already the accusations and the negativity are rampant. Well, my day is never complete until the name-calling has begun. Happy Friday everyone.

One more comment, then feel free to attack me. I don't know why anyone would want to stick their neck out and go through a bruising campaign to be the leaders of this town, or the school board, when they get attacked incessantly. Ald. Morley, Ald. Gutenkauf and Ald. Mulliner have all been attacked. So have many other candidates and sitting board members. These are your neighbors.

this would make a great case study for my class. my adjunct prof says that m chadra would have worded her statement like this if she worked at an old line newspaper:

" i spoke to mr morley and he states that he did not order the robocall nor does he have any information about who ordered it" it would then continue " i will ask the same questions of the other two candidates", and then "if anyone has any information, please contact me - i will keep it confidential if you so request".

what's also interesting is that m chadra throws insults at the very people she allows to exist: the anonymous ones; maybe stop sleaze has info but they don't want to divulge it. the investigative reporting world would not exist without anonymous figures. remember "deep throat", the former deputy director at the FBI; he was anonymous. without him, Nixon would have never been thrown out of office. so miss chadra, you can start with the Robo call phone number; it is 630-478-8585. now go do your job; make us students proud to enter your field.

This is simple people.

In my opinion the reason the editor of this media will attempt to protect Ald. Morley is because of the money he is spending to advertise on Patch. Look at all the big blue ads the editor is trying to make sure to keep getting paid on. Same is true about Mulliner. Look at the Ads Mulliner has. The only one not spending on here is Gutenkauf so she will continue to be fair game in the eyes of Patch.

This media outlet has no incentive to do hard journalism @ journalism major. Unlike other places, in my opinion this media outlet is about creating revenue streams. Ald. Morley has money to spend, and so long as this media outlet protects him, he will continue to spend. Ald. Morley does things this way.

Always, always, always follow the money. If the editor of this media insults Ald. Morley he pulls his ads. Same with Mulliner.

If the editor protects Ald. Morley but doesn't quote him so he has to deny the robocalls publicly, Ald. Morley continues to run his expensive ads.

If this is the way the reports are done in Patch do not expect this is the media to check for fair and objective facts.

Keep on protecting the ones that pay for the Ads.

Well whoever did the robo call, and it came 2 times, did a really poor job. It was cheaply made embarrasing, and made no sense. I guess ya get what ya paid for. unprofessional or it is a scam, or the latest game in Elmhurst. Lets play 20 questions, see who made the crummy anoying robo call 2 months before the election. Hit a key point though, SHUT UP

This should clear up a few things. http://elmhurst.patch.com/articles/elmhurst-mayoral-consolidated-april-9-election-robocall-press-1-if-you-re-confused-by-this-call