Personal Attacks At Elmhurst City Council?

ELMHURST, IL — Two Elmhurst alderman got into a dispute at Monday's City Council meeting, with one questioning whether the other was engaging in personal attacks.

The argument occurred during a budget discussion over whether to include money for advanced life support on city fire trucks.

At a meeting last week, Alderman Michael Bram, who represents the city's northeast Ward 3, called for including money in the budget for a "rapid response" vehicle for the city's north side. The city's only such vehicle, which provides advanced life support, is on the south side.

At Monday's council meeting, Bram suggested what he considered an even cheaper way to provide advanced life support to all sections of town — equipping all fire trucks with advanced life support. That, he said, would be a onetime cost of $75,000, compared with $165,000 a year for a rapid response vehicle. He said he wasn't proposing doing away with the rapid response vehicle on the south side.

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Bram, who has announced plans to run for mayor in the April 6 election, thanked four aldermen who proposed that a council committee examine how the city could more efficiently provide fire and emergency medical services. Earlier in the meeting, the council approved the proposal — known as a "referral" in city jargon.

"This is why I led the discussion, bringing it up again this year like I did last year, as I brought this topic up during past budget discussions," Bram said.

More than three minutes into Bram's comments, Alderman Mark Mulliner, another mayoral candidate, raised a "point of order."

"I believe we are getting in a discussion that is outside the realm of the budget," said Mulliner, who represents the city's southwest Ward 7. "I think at this point we are discussing the budget and right now we seem to be arguing on a point of personnel and further servicing, which is being directed to a committee."

Mayor Steve Morley, who is not running again, allowed Bram to continue.

"The budget has 4,000 line items and basically covers every single thing we do here in the city," the mayor said.

Bram proposed the city add $75,000 to the budget to buy advanced life support equipment for all fire trucks. But his proposal died when no other alderman seconded his motion.

Alderman Michael Honquest, who represents the city's southeast Ward 6, then spoke, seeming to refer to Bram's comment about taking the lead.

"In my experience as an alderman, generally, if a person takes a lead, their name would be on a referral. I think that's how it works," Honquest said. "I also would like to comment that if you're going to take a lead for the city of Elmhurst, you would normally be able to get a second when you make a motion, so I'm not saying this specifically to any alderman."

Bram then asked for a "point of order."

"Are we doing personal attacks here?," he said.

"I'm talking, I'm talking, I'm talking," Honquest protested.

Morley let Honquest continue, saying the alderman wasn't attacking anyone by name. Honquest said he was just commenting on leadership roles.

"When we get into particular topic areas, leadership needs to come from a person through motions and our activities on or off the dais, moving items forward for the city of Elmhurst," he said.

Council members took part in the meeting both in person and virtually. Bram and Honquest were connected remotely, while Morley and Mulliner were in the council chambers.

The other announced mayoral candidate is Alderman Scott Levin, who represents Ward 5.