Streets & Sans (Wrongly) Takes the Blame for Mural Snafu

By Marcus Gilmer in News on May 19, 2009 6:40PM

Leave it to a connected alderman to punish someone else for his mistake. With the controversy over Ald. Balcer's painting over of a mural on private property still simmering, the Dept. of Streets and Sanitation may have been directed to fall on the sword in response to backlash from the public. WBEZ has the statement released by Streets & San, which states, "The removal of the mural was a miscommunication between the Alderman’s office and the Department of Streets and Sanitation. The owner of the building should have been notified," and ends with, "The representative of the Department of Streets and Sanitation received disciplinary action."

As WBEZ points out, the question is raised: who's fault is it? Because Balcer certainly didn't mince words about the end result, saying, "Yeah, I'm the alderman here. I was told about it and I okay'd it and I stand by it." So...where's the miscommunication again? Alderman says do it, city worker does what he's told, city worker disciplined after outcry against alderman's decision from the public. Makes perfect sense to us.

Update: Mayor Daley has responded to the whole ordeal and his response is pure MayDay.