Cal City officials march divided
BY KIRSTEN SRINIVASAN
kirstens@nwitimes.com

CALUMET CITY | Calumet City officials weren't all marching to the beat of the same drummer during the city's annual Labor Day parade on Monday.

Seventh Ward Alderman Cindi Pallick, who is supporting challenger Pam Cap in the upcoming mayoral election in the spring, walked separately from Mayor Michelle Markiewicz Qualkinbush and other aldermen during the parade.

The mayor told her not to march with them, Pallick said.

"I assumed I'd walk with the city," she said. "I'm worried my residents might think I was disrespecting them when I was not walking with the city. People were asking me left and right yesterday. People were shocked."

Pallick said she is considering running for re-election but not under Qualkinbush's slate. Pallick ended up walking with people from the Cap for mayor campaign in the parade, she said.

Qualkinbush said she and the other officials decided to march without Pallick because they are running as a team in the next election. She is not supporting any particular candidate for the 7th Ward aldermanic race, she said.

"We will be making (an) official announcement shortly," Qualkinbush said. "Alderman Pallick, however, has decided she is supporting the opposing team.

"I don't think Sen. McCain rides on Obama's float," Qualkinbush said. "We decided on walking as a team, and she should walk with the team she's supporting. ... I don't understand why she's complaining."