Chicago statue review committee not making transparent decisions, Better Government Association reports

Mayor Lightfoot had Columbus statue removed last summer

ByABC 7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo
Saturday, March 6, 2021
Chicago statue review committee not making transparent decisions: BGA
The Chicago Monuments Project committee is not making decisions transparently, according to the Better Government Association.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago committee making decisions about the city's monuments is doing so behind closed doors, according to the Better Government Association.

BGA senior investigative reporter David Jackson joined ABC 7 Chicago Saturday morning to talk about his latest report on transparency.

The monuments project committee was formed after last summer's protests to assess the public art that could be removed across the city. The committee chose 41 city monuments, but made those decisions privately, according to the BGA.

RELATED: 41 Chicago monuments under review for possible removal; city launches website seeking feedback

Chicago residents are being asked to weigh in on 41 monuments around the city following last summer's protests.

Jackson filed a Freedom of Information Act request and received a 24-page packet of the committee's agenda and minutes but no documentation on anything else.

The city said the committee is not a public body, and therefore doesn't fall under the Open Meetings Act, but others disagree.

Read Jackson's full story at bettergov.org.