CMAP meetings.  At 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, the CMAP Board will meet.  Click here for Board meeting materials.  Prior to the Board, CMAP's Programming Coordinating Committee will meet at 8:00 a.m.  Click here for committee materials.  Immediately after the Board meeting, the Executive Committee will meet.

CMAP funding.  We seek your assistance to help resolve a potentially damaging funding issue CMAP is experiencing with the state.  As you are aware, a couple of weeks ago Governor Quinn announced his proposed Fiscal Year 2010 budget.  What you may not be aware of is that in that budget, the Comprehensive Regional Planning Fund (where CMAP gets $3.5 million to match federal funds and do non-transportation planning) was zeroed out.  We have spent the last two weeks trying to get more information as to why and how this happened and what we need to do to remedy it. 

We didn't want to escalate this unless we had to, and we were obviously hoping that it was an oversight.  However, after a lot of follow-up calls, it appears that the elimination of funding for the Comprehensive Regional Planning Fund was not accidentally omitted. We've learned that it was intentionally removed from the budget because of some misinformation that the line item was a legislator initiative.

Since confirming that last Friday, we have been working diligently to clear up this misinformation and identify the steps to move forward.  So, as supporters of the CMAP mission and of our agency, we are asking for your assistance.  Please see the "call to action" fact sheet and the sample letter to help you make appropriate contacts with the Governor's office, leadership in the General Assembly, and your legislators, as well as for you to share with your colleagues as you see fit.

Capital funding.  This week, the "mini" capital bill passed the Senate and House.  I'm encouraged by this, as it's an important downpayment on the larger capital program that is so desperately needed.

IOC Visit.  As you must have heard, the International Olympic Committee is in town this week.  Exciting though the visit is, it would pale in comparison to the announcement in October if Chicago is selected as the 2016 host city. 

Reminder:  RTA call for projects.  The Board of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has approved funding programs for which application materials will be available beginning on April 8, 2009. By responding to the Call for Projects, applicants may seek funds for planning, operating, and capital transit projects. Proposals should take innovative approaches to increasing transit usage, improving efficiency and effectiveness of the region's current transit system, providing better mobility for seniors and people with disabilities, or improving job access. See the RTA Funding Programs web page.

Beyond Burnham web timeline.  Chicago Public Radio has launched an interactive web timeline marking milestones in our region's development.  The feature is part of the Chicago Matters "Beyond Burnham" series, sponsored by the Chicago Community Trust.

Reminder: DRI comments.  A second version of the proposed Developments of Regional Importance (DRI) process is open for public comments through April 6, 2009. For more information, contact Tara Fifer (tfifer@cmap.illinois.gov or 312-386-8758). Please send comments via email or postal mail to Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, Attention: DRI Public Comments, 233 South Wacker Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.

GO TO 2040 Community Conversations. Please see http://www.goto2040.org/conversations.aspx for an updated list of Community Conversations that CMAP has scheduled for residents to discuss the GO TO 2040 campaign. Next week, we will host a meeting with University of Illinois Chicago at CUPPA Hall (412 S. Peoria, Room 262, Chicago) on Friday, April 10 from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. (For more information, please contact Ylda Capriccioso at 312-386-8670 or ycapriccioso@cmap.illinois.gov).

Burnham event.  Attend a conversation about community engagement and urban poverty reduction in Chicago and Manila on the occasion of Daniel H. Burnham's centennial celebrations for the Plan of Chicago and the Plans of Manila and Baguio. Admission is free to the "Daniel H. Burnham meets Vincent de Paul" event, which will be held on Thursday April 9, 2009, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the DePaul University Conference Center, 1 East Jackson Blvd., Room 8005.  Learn who these important figures are and what we can learn from them today. Share global urban poverty reduction resources and strategies on how to get involved. Visit the Burnham Plan 100 website for more details, and RSVP to Liz Wilp at ewilp@depaul.edu.

Save the Date: Bike the Drive.   On Sunday, May 24, 2009, about 18,000 bicyclists will ride along 15 miles of Lake Shore Drive in the Bank of America "Bike the Drive" event.  Use the code FOR6A5 to save $5.00 off your paid registration, which supports the Active Transportation Alliance's work for bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit advocacy.  The ride begins at Butler Field in Grant Park (Lake Shore Drive and Jackson) and lasts from 5:30 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., with a post-ride festival from 8:00 a.m. to noon.