Mayor Daley uses child labor to repair fire hydrants in Chicago

Kids paint Chicago Fire Hydrants I know Mayor Daley is absolutely out of control in Chicago, but this is a new twist. I was called after work Saturday to look into a bunch of kids painting Fire Hydrants in Chicago. The kids were doing a fairly nice job and even took the time to place tape on the threads of the ports. I made sure some police showed up as everyone should when people tamper with the potable water supply. This is a major priority after 9/11 and posters at work inform us to not take this lightly. The kids told me they were doing a project for an Eagle Scout that was not on the site. I got another story about something to do with Alderman Doherty. I am not sure but they said they have written permission from the Alderman of the 41st Ward to paint Hydrants. The Chicago Police showed up after calling the leak desk and I let them know what was going on. The Police officer told me he painted hydrants red, white and blue during the America’s bicentennial when he was a kid. After the cops left, I talked to a man that is a Union 14 painter out of work over one year. It is a shame Daley and Doherty are having kids paint hydrants as working men starve. This is an interesting story; it just depends on your point of view. Is politics involved? I know I do these things on my own time, it shows what a great guy I am! Remember you silly gooses, do not touch the drinking water in Chicago unless you are an employee of the Department of Water Management, a phony minority company approved by Daley, or you have direct permission from the Commissioner of Water Management. Photo by Patrick McDonough

25 Replies to “Mayor Daley uses child labor to repair fire hydrants in Chicago”

  1. So I wonder what would happen if I started painting our hydrant? Would I be charged with tampering with city property? What if I wanted to paint it another color other than red? What if I wanted to ad flashing LED lights to it? Something is not right here.

  2. Well Pat, you’ve finally and officially crossed over into “crank” territory. A bunch of neighborhood kids are painting fire hydrants for an Eagle Scout project and you want to throw the union card out there? You have a problem with neighborhood people improving their own communities? Then you throw out the Homeland Security card? Have you seen some of the characters that the City employs as painters? You think they all have clean backgrounds? Knock it off buddy…or else come clean with your real agenda…your thinly disguised big government, disgruntled political machine hack rants are starting to look pretty dumb.

  3. This article infuriates me! My son was one of the scouts working on this project and his troop had full approval and cooperation with the city and alderman on this endeavor. These boys are not children. They were not forced by our mayor or any adult to help out in their neighborhood. They are young men who chose to take responsibility in their community and help in ways that most of us adults have forgotten or become too lazy to help in. How dare the writer of this article strip the pride of these young boys for the work that they have done. I am proud of my son and the other boys who happily took on this project. I am also proud of our Mayor, Alderman and anyone else who was responsible for entrusting the youth of Chicago with responsibility on this level. This is not an issue of politics. It is an issue of needed encouragement and support on a level that anyone with children understands. These young men are the future of our city, after all. There are so many stories in the news these days about the problems on the street with the teens in Chicago. It is rare that someone takes the time to thank and encourage the ones who are bettering our city and this one opportunity to do so has been tainted by this article. I, for one, wish to thank the scouts and scout leaders for a job well done. The person who wrote this article has too much time on his idle hands. I really wish this had been an article of thanks instead of humiliation and finger pointing..

  4. AMEN to Karen J. Layer. Child Labor? This guy is just a nutcase. The young men who chose a path of responsiblity and concern for their community are certainly to be held in the highest of esteem and every parent/adult should stand behind these young people who are making a positive difference in the world. If EVERY parent encouraged this path, we wouldn’t have the headlines in the newspapers that we do. Sadly no ‘good deed’ goes unpunished.

  5. Hello MS. Layer, First lets go back a little bit here, Union painters are out of work , because of this Mayor. When your boys and any other person is doing work that the city Union workers should be doing, you (they) are taking food off the tables of other city workers. So their recreation work is forcing out hard working union city employees out of their jobs, now suppose the citizens of Chicago decided “hey we could fix the broken pipes underneath the sidewalks” You are forcing out union workers out of a job and creating less food on the tables of others, so yeah that would be a great project HUH? So the goal of these boy scouts are to force out union workers? Wow Great Job boy scouts???????????????????? Very good morals Boy scouts? Very GOOD mom, lets create more unemployment in the city and make more people HOMELESS. Gee Wheezzzz.

  6. In our society today, there are two kinds of people, Patriots and the “scum” who walk our streets. Mr. McDonough, I’m glad that you have brought to our attention these small compounding infractions that are prevalent in our great city. However, this is not one of those issues. This is clearly a work of civic duty that is needed to bring back the values of yesterday. To return to that state where the City of Chicago was a clean and prosperous city, “the city of big shoulders”. It would seem sir that you have small shoulders, and clearly you do not value the work that other people do for their community. Especially the time honored tradition that the Boy Scouts of America have been living by for the past 100 years. These kids go out of their way to help the community, and you decide that it is apparently “political work”? These boys were obviously not instructed by any political leaders, since this was for a Boy Scout Eagle Project. They showed great leadership in carrying out this project and should be greatly appreciated.

  7. The audacity of your statements are simply astonishing. Not only do you look upon the Boy Scouts of America, one of the greatest forces for good in the world today, as some sort of lackey for the mayor. But, indeed you look upon the most basic American quality of self determination as a negative trait. There was a time in this country when these young boys would have been expected to do work such as this, but instead the voluntary good deeds of a dedicated member of the Chicago community have been turned into a rallying point around which you can push an agenda that quite frankly has nothing to do with bettering our society. You should be ashamed, not only of your actions but of your words. You have destroyed the merit of a dedicated youth, and discredited an organization which has performed services to the community for long before the era of the Daley political machine. To dislike Daley is one thing, but to allow this hatred to cloud your reasoning is absurd.

  8. I don’t think that you truly understand what it takes to become and Eagle Scout. It takes great leadership and commitment for people to be granted the highest honor in Boy Scouts. Thank you so much for supporting the Boy Scouts of America by posting on this so called blog of yours that only fuels your addiction to get in people’s business. This just shows that you have poor morals and you are against community service. (Response) You and your friends have written back and forth to each other despite none of your comments being published. I find these post by you folks ridiculous. Please post the eagle scouts name and when he got written permission by Alderman Doherty. You folks need to remember why this was posted and what the name of the website is. I think the boy scouts have enough problems with a lack of support by the community. I was a boyscout, so calm down and stop talking to yourself.

  9. Dear Silly Goose, if you are going to act like you are a eagle scout parent or some upset person, make sure you go to a different computer when you make these posts. Please! You defeat the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish.

  10. Dear silly goose,
    That wasn’t just one person posting to your blog, those were many people who we showed your article to at the Niles Public Library. I sat back because I didn’t have a librarby card, but now it’s my turn. You claim that city workers will STARVE because a small number of fire hydrants out of the city’s thousands were painted. The fact of the matter here is that the fire hydrants will be painted again by the painters union, whether already painted or not. You think you have all the answers, but next time let’s use a little common sense before trying to push a political agenda.

  11. To the the Anonymous post dated August 31, 2010 11:25 AM. Do you actually believe that the “goal” of these fine boy scouts is to to force out union workers?
    Get a life! My son is in the process of choosing his Eagle Scout project. It is not an easy task to find a project and have it approved by the councel and the the city. Maybe more people should try to volunteer for a charity or to help clean up a neighborhood in the city. I think Chicago and all neighborhoods would benefit. Try doing something productive with your life and stop criticizing those who try to make their neighborhoods better. (Response) The Alderman said he did not give permission to paint hydrants.

  12. Since when is any government has the responsibility for the employment of anyone? I would rather see that citizens volunteer to do the community work to keep our neighborhoods clean and attractive. Not only will this give citizens pride in their community, but it also keeps my taxes down and leave me with additional funds that I could use to hire a painter, plumber, etc. to do work on my property that I would want a professional to do the work or any other personal spending options. This is an ideal project for boy scouts to learn about volunteering for the benefit of the neighborhood community. Boy scouts of the world are great kids and we need more of these. Also, any boy who attains the rank of Eagle Scout should be commended!
    As for the unemployed painters, etc. finding work is your problem, not anybody else and that includes governments. That is the American way and if you don’t like that, there are plenty of socialist countries that you can select and move there. (Response ) The Alderman said he never gave permission to anyone to paint the firehydrants.

  13. Hello Mr. Anonymous: I’m not sure why you are specifically addressing me in your rebuttal as I feel in good company with most of the others that have posted at this page. Your comments to me do not cause me to waver in my convictions. One has to ask, why was this project even recognized by our scouts if the union workers are doing their jobs so efficiently? Our fire hydrants have been peeling and sun-rotted for quite some time and I am not surprised that the scouts saw the need to step in and help out in this simple way. Where are all these starving union workers that you speak of when these jobs need to be done? At this time, I feel need to admit that I weeded, fed and mowed the city property near the bus stop at the end of our block for a full summer because it was gravely in need of it and none of the city union workers seemed to be doing it. No, I did not call my alderman or mayor to get the job done for our block. I did it myself because I care about my neighborhood and am not allergic to work for the good of myself and others..and I did it out of pocket and without pay or compensation of any kind. I suppose I, along with the boy scouts have also aided in putting less food on the tables of city workers by helping in the simple ways I know how to. I assure you however, that I, nor any of the boy scouts, support any agenda by doing so. We do it out of the goodness of our hearts and because jobs need to be done on occasion. We do it because it is our nature to help when we see a need that is not being met. What about the river-cleanup programs that are done by our high schoolers each year? Is that a slap in the face to the union workers of Chicago as well? How about all of the garbage I pick up when I’m walking down the streets of Chicago? Should I leave that in place to keep our union workers busy? We are a community of people depending on one another to make this over-crowded city a better place to live in. That is the only agenda I live by and I know that I speak for the boy scouts when I say this because in many ways, they are the ones that have taught me this way of thinking about my community. I am proud of my son and his fellow scouts regardless of what anyone with a different agenda might think, so no more words need be said to me Mr. Anonymous. They will be wasted on me because I listen only to my heart when it comes to our city and the people in my community. Note to these fine young scouts in Edison Park: Never let anyone make you feel bad or wrong for the good that you do for others and your community in your lifetime. Remember that for the few that try to hurt you, there are many posting on this page that feel you have done great work!
    (Response) OK everyone, time for a group hug for karen.

  14. Dear silly goose,
    That wasn’t just one person posting to your blog, those were many people who we showed your article to at the Niles Public Library. I sat back because I didn’t have a librarby card, but now it’s my turn. You claim that city workers will STARVE because a small number of fire hydrants out of the city’s thousands were painted. The fact of the matter here is that the fire hydrants will be painted again by the painters union, whether already painted or not. You think you have all the answers, but next time let’s use a little common sense before trying to push a political agenda.

  15. Who cares what the Alderman thinks or says about Boy Scouts painting the fire hydrants. That is just as stupid as saying the President of France saying he never gave permission to have anyone paint the fire hydrants. Of course the Alderman didn’t give permission for the fire hydrants to be painted, it is not part of his job description. The responsibility for giving boy scouts the permission to paint the fire hydrants I would assume will be someone with City of Chicago Department of Water Management, perhaps even Mr. Thomas H. Powers, P.U., Acting Commissioner of Water Management. If so, kiddos to Mr. Powers for 1) letting boy scouts perform community work, 2) saving the citizen of Chicago from have to pay out of the taxes to have the hydrants painted. The “Response” posted after my comment shows a lack of understanding of the proper role of governments and the elected officials.

  16. Well said, Kiel.
    From my perspective, you, Mr. McDonough, are writing purely opinion with that opinion including a rather grim outlook on the Boy Scouts of America. I don’t appreciate your insinuations that the Boy Scouts are stealing food out of the mouths of grown men who can take care of themselves. I also don’t appreciate your lack of writing prowess, and would prefer that you keep all condescending remarks to yourself. Didn’t your mother teach you that if you don’t have something nice to say then you shouldn’t say anything at all?
    Please, Mr. McDonough, for the sake of all your readers, take a journalism class. (Response) I try to write to the level of my readers.

  17. Hello Mr. Anonymous: I’m not sure why you are specifically addressing me in your rebuttal as I feel in good company with most of the others that have posted at this page. Your comments to me do not cause me to waver in my convictions. One has to ask, why was this project even recognized by our scouts if the union workers are doing their jobs so efficiently? Our fire hydrants have been peeling and sun-rotted for quite some time and I am not surprised that the scouts saw the need to step in and help out in this simple way. Where are all these starving union workers that you speak of when these jobs need to be done? At this time, I feel need to admit that I weeded, fed and mowed the city property near the bus stop at the end of our block for a full summer because it was gravely in need of it and none of the city union workers seemed to be doing it. No, I did not call my alderman or mayor to get the job done for our block. I did it myself because I care about my neighborhood and am not allergic to work for the good of myself and others..and I did it out of pocket and without pay or compensation of any kind. I suppose I, along with the boy scouts have also aided in putting less food on the tables of city workers by helping in the simple ways I know how to. I assure you however, that I, nor any of the boy scouts, support any agenda by doing so. We do it out of the goodness of our hearts and because jobs need to be done on occasion. We do it because it is our nature to help when we see a need that is not being met. What about the river-cleanup programs that are done by our high schoolers each year? Is that a slap in the face to the union workers of Chicago as well? How about all of the garbage I pick up when I’m walking down the streets of Chicago? Should I leave that in place to keep our union workers busy? We are a community of people depending on one another to make this over-crowded city a better place to live in. That is the only agenda I live by and I know that I speak for the boy scouts when I say this because in many ways, they are the ones that have taught me this way of thinking about my community. I am proud of my son and his fellow scouts regardless of what anyone with a different agenda might think, so no more words need be said to me Mr. Anonymous. They will be wasted on me because I listen only to my heart when it comes to our city and the people in my community. Note to these fine young scouts in Edison Park: Never let anyone make you feel bad or wrong for the good that you do for others and your community in your lifetime. Remember that for the few that try to hurt you, there are many posting on this page that feel you have done great work!

  18. Response to: *(Response) I try to write to the level of my readers.*

    You try to write to the level of your readers? That must be a joke. Do you think everyone that is on this blog is a minuscule elementary school child? I’m sorry but this is not an argument on “Youtube” or any other site where any type of grammar usage is appropriate. Everyone that is on this blog has enough sense to use proper English and also has enough sense not to use ridiculing names such as “silly goose”. That is just childish. It seems that every post on this blog has been adequately above (as you put it), “the level of your readers.”

  19. Now we see Pats true self. He takes photos and then either makes up stories or changes the facts to either:

    1. tie and and everything to his obsession with Daley

    2. make it look like he is being harassed while uncovering bad deeds of others

    3. or inflate his self importantance. Ofter he does this on work time

    In January I ran Pats entire webpage by a team of lawyers who handle sueing people like Pat for these tyepes of posting for daminging people reputations.

    Their opinion was that 80% of Pats post ar actionable but since his website gets so little traffic damages would barely cover legal costs.

    Best advice is to ignore this blowheart. Of if you get the chance confront him in public, he then just runs away but beware he will just make up another story here.

  20. I feel bad about the way that we are all attacking you Mr. McDonough. This seems to have taken a personal turn. I believe that this is only because behind every boy scout, there are active parents that take the organization and all of their son’s accomplishments and hard work to heart. It is not easy to be a boy scout and even harder to make it to Eagle Scout stature. At this time, I do want to let you know that our troop did get the permission of the alderman and we have the documentation to prove it. I received an email from the scout’s parent with the following quote.
    “Yes, Alderman Dougherty had to sign (name of future eagle scout) paperwork for permission to do work in this district. It’s all in his Eagle project binder. He even has to include that blog as “community feedback”.”
    If you need to see the documentation to further this argument, please let me know. I do so love a good debate and would be happy to continue! I know that you do too..grin. Good day to you..

  21. THERE IS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN EAGLE SCOUTS. WELL DONE. AT LEAST YOU ARE DOING SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE FOR THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS MORE THAN DALEY DOES.

  22. THAT IS NOT WHAT I SAID! YES I COMPLIMENTED THE EAGLE SCOUTS FOR WHAT THEY WERE DOING, PLEASE HELP ME!

    1. Sir, why would you be posting on this website about boyscouts when you have another adjenda? Try to talk about the story if it possible. You are not helping your candidate with hate speech.

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