New Des Plaines council gets wired

When a new administration takes office, it's usually out with the old ways of doing business.

In the case of Des Plaines, the city's new mayor and aldermen are leaping into the 21st century, ditching old-fashioned cellular phones that only make and receive calls. City leaders are now able to send and receive text and e-mail messages from their newly issued Blackberry city cell phones.

"Now, we'll get updates from the city officials of information that is affecting us immediately, so we have answers" for residents, Des Plaines Mayor Martin Moylan said. "Some aldermen use that as their (primary) telephone number" to talk to constituents.

Des Plaines aldermen have been carrying city issued cell phones for years and also used to receive a $14 monthly stipend for any other telephone expenses. That stipend has been eliminated in favor of the new Blackberry phones, city officials said. Their phone numbers are listed on the city's Web site, desplaines.org.

City leaders will now be able to get alerts sent to their phones during storms, flooding and other emergency situations. It also means constituents can reach their elected leaders at all times, City Manager Jason Bajor said.

"Communication is key and when our elected officials are more accessible and in a better position to communicate, that makes government more effective," Bajor said.

City department heads also have Blackberry phones.

Hopefully, they won't be texting while driving.