When a massive tree blocked a local street after the June tornado and storms, the Chicago Forestry Department and Streets and Sanitation removed and disposed of it within 24 hours.
What stood out wasn’t the speed. It was that city workers clearing debris for 12-hour shifts were dealing with power outages, flooding, and tree damage at their own homes.
Ward Superintendents Mo Zadan (13th Ward) and Al Cacciottolo (23rd Ward) coordinated with Alderman Marty Quinn (13th) and Alderman Silvana Tabares (23rd) to deploy crews where they were needed most. Both aldermen worked around the clock answering calls, entering 311 requests, and assessing neighborhood damage on foot and by car to prioritize response.
On Sunday, June 14, Tabares’ staffer Jason Sanchez procured chainsaws from Home Depot to help clear blocked entrances and sidewalks…