Cockroaches are not an unfamiliar sight in Chicago's aging City Hall, but one of substantial size had the nerve Thursday to scale the wall of the City Council chambers — just as the official ultimately in charge of pest extermination was testifying.



"Commissioner, what is your annual budget for cockroach abatement?" asked Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, interrupting the testimony of David Reynolds, commissioner of Fleet and Facility Management. Amid much laughter, all eyes went to the west wall of the chambers, where a large, dark cockroach was set off in stark contrast to its off-white background.



"That is possibly the largest cockroach I've seen at City Hall," said Reilly, only to be told by a colleague that wasn't the case. "You've seen bigger? OK."