Richard Mell

Mell was born and raised in Muskegon, Michigan. After college, he settled in Chicago with his wife Marge and opened a spring manufacturing business. He also became active in local politics. In 1972, Mell was an unsuccessful candidate for 33rd Ward Democratic Committeeman, losing by about 500 votes. In 1975, he was elected Alderman of the 33rd Ward of the City of Chicago (map); in 1976 he was also elected ward committeeman. His ward comprised part of Chicago's Northwest Side.

In 1979, Mell was elected by the City Council to serve as the city's vice mayor. He held this position until April 1987.[1]

During the Council Wars of the mid-1980s, Mell was allied with the Vrdolyak 29 who opposed then-Mayor Harold Washington. After the Vrdolyak 29 lost their majority in the city council in the 1986 court-ordered aldermanic elections, Mell offered to cooperate with Washington. Upon Washington's death in 1987, Mell famously stood on his desk in the City Council chambers, demanding to be recognized as the divided council wrestled with the question of who would succeed Washington.

In a 1982 handgun ban ordinance that Mell had himself authored, new pistol registrations had been prohibited with existing handgun registrations prior to 1982 allowed to renew. All new registration attempts since 1982 were disallowed. However, in 2007, Mell failed to re-register his extensive firearms collection (which included handguns) as then required by city ordinance. As a result, Mell, along with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, proposed a one-month amnesty, where the gun registry would be re-opened. Mell claimed that thousands of Chicagoans were in his situation and would benefit, but just 25 people (including Mell) successfully registered guns during the "amnesty."[2][3] Chicago's handgun ban was struck down in 2011 by the United States Supreme Court in McDonald v. City of Chicago.

In December 2008, Mayor Richard M. Daley gave the city council just 3 days to consider the complicated and lengthy contract to privatize the city's parking meters for 75 years. While some alderman expressed dismay at having the proposal shoved down their throats,[4] Mell was dismissive of this criticism, saying,

How many of us read the stuff we do get, Ok? I try to. I try to. I try to. But being realistic, being realistic, it's like getting your insurance policy. It's small print, Ok?[5]

The city council ultimately approved the deal by a vote of 40 to 5.[5]

On July 3, 2013, Mell submitted his letter of resignation,[6] effective July 24, 2013. Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed Mell's daughter Deb as Mell's successor as alderman from the 33rd ward.

Dick and Marge Mell have three children: Patricia, Deborah, and Richard. His daughter Patricia is married to former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. His daughter Deb was elected to the state house of representatives in 2008 and appointed to the Chicago City Council in 2013. Marge Mell died December 3, 2006, of progressive supranuclear palsy, a rare and fatal disease.

• Chicago Council War