Daley shakes up Transportation, Water Management departments
May 14, 2010
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Mayor Daley on Friday once again shook up two city departments at the center of the Hired Truck and city hiring scandals.
When the music stopped in Daley's version of musical chairs, Acting Transportation Commissioner Tom Powers was the new commissioner of Water Management. Bobby Ware, Transportation's managing deputy, was the new Transportation commissioner.
And Water Management Commissioner John Spatz was the odd man out. He's expected to be demoted to first deputy.
Powers, Ware and Spatz did not return phone calls.
Ware, 47, is the son of Mitchell Ware, a former deputy police superintendent and former Circuit Court judge who co-founded Chicago's premier minority law firm.
Mitchell Ware's 1998 judicial appointment by then-state Supreme Court Justice Charles Freeman raised eyebrows because the IRS had $318,000 in liens against Ware for unpaid taxes dating back to 1981.
Daley has been under fire for a shortage of African-Americans in top management, particularly after the resignation of Office of Compliance Chief Anthony Boswell, the abrupt retirement of Fire Commissioner John Brooks and the firing of Deputy Water Management Commissioner Tom Talley.
The appointment of Bobby Ware, who is also a lawyer, should appease African-American aldermen. But, the leadership change is somewhat ill-timed. Transportation just kicked off its construction season with Phase Two of the Wacker Drive Drive reconstruction project.
Powers, 42, has been with the department since 1996, spending four years as first deputy and one as acting commissioner. He was never promoted to the permanent job because of the conflict posed by the fact that his brothers work for engineering companies that do business with CDOT. Apparently, no such conflict exists in the Department of Water Management.
Spatz has a background in chemical engineering and used it to focus heavily on water quality. But, Daley views him as a weak manager, sources said.
Spatz was forced to fire Talley after Inspector General Joe Ferguson accused the $127,824-a-year deputy of dispatching city crews to do drain work on private property.
And Spatz has managed to entice just 5,000 homeowners along Chicago's Bungalow Belt to make the switch to water meters instead of paying a flat fee for unlimited use.
Only 1,000 meters have been installed so far, in spite of Daley's seven-year guarantee that water bills during that period will be no higher than they would otherwise have been when the water spigot was flowing freely.
Three years into a $39 million contract, automatic meter readers have now been installed on 140,000 of 162,000 existing meters that measure water usage in tall buildings, businesses and newer homes.
Only after automatic meter readers are up and running can Chicago can begin to cut off the free water spigot by installing meters in the 350,000 households without them.
For months, there has been speculation that Daley may be laying the groundwork to privatize all or parts of Chicago's water system. Some insiders believe Powers may have marching orders to move more aggressively toward that end.
But, top mayoral aides insist that selling off the filtration plants is not in the works and has nothing to do with the changes.
Dave Donovan — brother of Richard J. Daley's longtime patronage chief Tom Donovan — is expected to serve as Ware's operations chief. Dave Donovan currently serves as a deputy commissioner in charge of trades for the Department of General Services.
11 Replies to “Fran Spielman has a massive scoop on Chicago Department of Water Managemnt”
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By John Byrne, Tribune reporter
7:31 PM CDT, May 14, 2010
Mayor Richard Daley demoted the head of the city’s Water Management Department on Friday in the wake of recent allegations that department employees were engaged in illegal side jobs and supervisors hired people in exchange for political favors.
Daley replaced John Spatz with Thomas Powers, who had been acting commissioner of the city Department of Transportation since last year. He also promoted Bobby Ware from deputy commissioner to head the Transportation Department.
The shake-up comes after city Inspector General Joseph Ferguson reported in February that water department crews had done private work with city material and crews while Spatz was in charge. Department workers allegedly did a 2008 private repair project at Nativity of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church, in the 11th Ward, seat of the Daley family’s power.
Tommie Talley, deputy water department commissioner, was fired after Ferguson recommended he be disciplined for the side jobs.
Ferguson also alleged there was a “a broad and sustained effort” by two water department supervisors during Spatz’s tenure to hire people in exchange for political favors, in violation of a federal court order.
Spatz was not accused of any improper conduct in either report. Daley spokeswoman Jodi Kawada said Spatz will be taking another position in the water department.
Powers, 42, was Chicago Department of Transportation first deputy before being named acting commissioner. He also managed the Department of Transportation’s division of engineering. Powers has worked for CDOT for 14 years, according to a city news release.
Ware, 47, has worked for CDOT since 2004 and has been managing deputy commissioner since 2007. He practiced law and was a managing member of two law firms from 1994 to 2004.
JOHN SPATZ WAS AND STILL IS A GOOD MAN.ALL HE IS IS DALEYS SCAPE GOAT. PASS THE BUCK DALEY DOSE IT AGAIN.TOMMIE TALLEY WAS FIRED FOR DOING WHAT DALEY TOLD HIM TO DO.THAT IS DALEYS CHURCH OR WAS AT ONE TIME.THIS GUY IS TRYING TO GET WHAT EVER HELP HE CAN IN THIS COMING ELECTION.PLEASE PLEASE PEOPLE GET THE WORD OUT AND LETS GET RID OF THIS PIECE OF SHIT ONCE AND FOR ALL.
By John Byrne, Tribune reporter
7:31 PM CDT, May 14, 2010
Mayor Richard Daley demoted the head of the city’s Water Management Department on Friday in the wake of recent allegations that department employees were engaged in illegal side jobs and supervisors hired people in exchange for political favors.
Daley replaced John Spatz with Thomas Powers, who had been acting commissioner of the city Department of Transportation since last year. He also promoted Bobby Ware from deputy commissioner to head the Transportation Department.
The shake-up comes after city Inspector General Joseph Ferguson reported in February that water department crews had done private work with city material and crews while Spatz was in charge. Department workers allegedly did a 2008 private repair project at Nativity of Our Lord Roman Catholic Church, in the 11th Ward, seat of the Daley family’s power.
Tommie Talley, deputy water department commissioner, was fired after Ferguson recommended he be disciplined for the side jobs.
Ferguson also alleged there was a “a broad and sustained effort” by two water department supervisors during Spatz’s tenure to hire people in exchange for political favors, in violation of a federal court order.
Spatz was not accused of any improper conduct in either report. Daley spokeswoman Jodi Kawada said Spatz will be taking another position in the water department.
Powers, 42, was Chicago Department of Transportation first deputy before being named acting commissioner. He also managed the Department of Transportation’s division of engineering. Powers has worked for CDOT for 14 years, according to a city news release.
Ware, 47, has worked for CDOT since 2004 and has been managing deputy commissioner since 2007. He practiced law and was a managing member of two law firms from 1994 to 2004.
This officially marks the demise of Water Mangt. Pack your bags, Benchmark is moving in..sorry for all those that don’t have the time or age to get out..good luck to all
Benchmark will not be in control, they will still be doing jobs, as well as the other companies that are now doing them, Illinois American is going to take control, google them and you will see what they “OFFER” to municipalities
oh and if you do not believe me, when you go to their site , you will see that they already have Chicago as a city that they service, just copy and paste this
http://www.amwater.com/ilaw/
Pat: Here is a little tidbit from a dumpster company in Markham,Il that supplies Streets and San..any idea how owns this company?? City of Chicago Contract
Brackenbox has secured a 3 year contract with the City of Chicago. We will be providing dumpster service to the Department of Streets and Sanitation.
JAMES W BRACKEN III 2300 W. 167TH ST MARKHAM 60426
This is a matter of public record so it is ok to post this info (Response) Is Markham in Chicago?
CHUCK GET A LIFE. MR. BRACKEN IS A CITY OF CHICAGO RESIDENT.
google Il sos, then go to business services then corporate/ llc look up then brakenbox it lists his home address as the address in Markham
This is not my fathers water department or mine either for that matter. 10 years ago this still was a decent department. Back then you still had people who cared somewhat and took pride in their work. Now as soon as people are eligible for an annuity they are leaving in droves. Now the sewer dept. and cops are in charge. Need I say more.