WEBVTT 00:00:00.020 --> 00:00:02.780 We now have a quorum. 00:00:03.380 --> 00:00:03.860 Do we? 00:00:04.660 --> 00:00:04.980 Come on. 00:00:05.860 --> 00:00:09.460 You know, one of those things that's so nice to go with our picture, you know. 00:00:10.900 --> 00:00:12.340 He's sending us a message. 00:00:13.180 --> 00:00:37.690 He's not going to take no more mail without a return to address, either. 00:00:38.050 --> 00:01:10.140 We'll call the special meeting to order, Madam Clerk, if you can call the roll, please say it. Mayor Miller, Mayor Miller present on roll call? Here. Alderpersons, Clem? Here. Monroe? Here. Simmons is absent, Parker? Here. Stacy? Here. Shadle? Here. Sanders and Sellers are absent, but we do have a quorum, Chair. Very good, we, could you join me in the Pledge of Allegiance? 00:01:10.140 --> 00:01:26.290 I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all 00:01:26.290 --> 00:01:28.370 I move that 00:01:28.370 --> 00:01:31.520 I move the agenda 00:01:31.520 --> 00:01:32.360 So move 00:01:32.360 --> 00:01:34.660 Second 00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.580 There was none 00:01:35.580 --> 00:01:42.170 So we move to item 6, which is discussion of the following budget items 00:01:42.170 --> 00:01:57.770 General Fund, Revenue, Government Building, Cemetery, Neighborhoods, Tourism, Debt Service, Health Care, Landfill Closure, Garbage, Downtown Revitalization Loan, and Manager, Boyer. 00:01:59.130 --> 00:01:59.910 Thank you. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.060 All right, good evening, everyone. 00:02:12.060 --> 00:02:44.950 So we're going to talk about revenues tonight and we're going to start with basically everything from 101-000-4000 to 101-000-4960. So the first one, so just, sorry, I'm getting a little distracted there. So we'll start here with the first one, the property taxes. So we budgeted the same amount as last year for property taxes. However, we're still waiting on the EAV to make this correct. 00:02:44.970 --> 00:03:14.950 So right now we've got about $2.8 million budgeted in revenue for property taxes. Income tax, we're looking at about $1.4 million. The portion we received for the income tax is based on the 2020 census figures. So again, this is an estimate. Replacement tax, corporate, we're looking at some reductions, primarily due to the state reallocation of funds from the local government distributed funds. 00:03:14.970 --> 00:03:44.250 and the personal property replacement tax so that will be lower than it was last year. Municipal sales tax about 5.8 million this is not including the 1% that we moved forward last year I'm sorry earlier this year in March and that will be reflected in the street budget in in ensuing meetings. Municipal sales tax the home rule sales tax that's one point 00:03:44.250 --> 00:04:01.210 to 5% and that's 4.6. That's what we're estimating for next year. Special use tax. So this is $599,000. This has been decreasing over the past years due to leveling of the Playing Field Act of 2021. 00:04:01.210 --> 00:04:27.090 We've got video game tax, $605,000. The Illinois Gaming Board website has all the details in our area and how much we collect, so this is continuing to move along. Cannabis use tax, state allocation based on the population, as we don't have a dispensary here in town, so we get an estimate from the state, so that'll be $39,000. 00:04:27.090 --> 00:04:57.070 IDOT reimbursement for maintenance at $85,000 that's yearly that's for maintaining IDOT thoroughfares through town that would be minor repairs and that type of thing pothole patching and such reimbursement for traffic signals 20 25,000 and that's a reimbursement from the state for repairs to traffic signals in state right of way we've got food and beverage about 840,000 that's 1.2 00:04:57.090 --> 00:05:28.380 2-5 local tax directly back to the city of Freeport for food and beverage. Electric tax, we're looking at about $880,000 from ComEd and natural gas, $660,000 from NICOR. Telephone use tax, again, this one is continuing to decrease over the years, so right now we're budgeting for $198,000 for this year, but it will continue to drop. Cable TV, similar situation, we're budgeting for $260,000. 00:05:28.400 --> 00:05:58.380 60,000 this year but it's decreasing as people cut the cord and we'll be evaluating any kind of streaming tax that we can do to to replace that in the future. We've got reimbursement for fire so there's 25,000 that's training and other salary reimbursements and the same thing for police 25,000 and also again salary reimbursements. Small miscellaneous grants we have left blank due to the fact that we don't know what we'll receive so that's 00:05:58.400 --> 00:06:27.500 that is that will change as as the year progresses. And then of course federal grant ARPA is no longer in effect. Sustained traffic enforcement. So that's a grant for the police. So holiday traffic stops and safety related funding there. So about 20,000. And I'll move down here to a few of these other ones. Liquor licenses, we receive about $100,000 in revenue each year for liquor licenses. So 00:06:28.400 --> 00:06:35.600 Approximately $10,000 a piece, and we're receiving income from about 10 different establishments. 00:06:36.980 --> 00:06:47.920 Moving on down to construction and zoning permits, about $200,000 a year in those. And we'll move down to 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:55.900 101, 4620 airport fuel sales. We're receiving about $190,000 a year in fuel sales. 00:06:55.900 --> 00:07:07.000 $46.70 down at the bottom, miscellaneous, other charges for service, that is for grave openings and so forth, so you've got about $20,000 a year coming in from that. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:08.620 What is that from? 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:15.960 That would be the fees that we charge to open graves and inter people when they are interred at the cemetery. 00:07:22.100 --> 00:07:23.240 Let's see here. 00:07:23.240 --> 00:07:34.660 Fines, Traffic, DUIs, Ordinance, and that, about $140,000 per year, so we're budgeting for that through the circuit clerk. 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:48.800 Moving down to $47,30, city ordinance fines, we receive about $55,000 a year in ordinance violation fines, adjudication hearings, and so forth. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:08:15.420 If you don't mind, I'd like to move down to 40-20, water, sewer, in lieu of taxes. So this is paid from the water and sewer to the city, as well as the next three, water and sewer, accountancy fee, and the distribution to corporate fund. So these are all the utility compensating the city for work related to those. 00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:45.400 and then interest income. We're budgeting about $900,000 in interest income. So this is the interest generated from all accounting funds. So this is the interest that we receive from all the accrued funds that are sitting in bank accounts. So we're generating about $900,000 in interest each year. And then transfer from fund 32, that's $778,000. 00:08:45.420 --> 00:09:15.420 and that's from fund 331 capital fire improvement about 54% of the net ambulance revenues. So that our total revenue estimate or revenue budget for 2025 is $25,485,575. That is down slightly from 2024. But there are a few things that we don't have in here yet. As I as I mentioned in the beginning, we we have an update of the 00:09:15.420 --> 00:09:45.400 EAV calculations. So we'll see what happens with that. Yes, Joy. Yes. Excuse me. What is foreign? Is it sheriff or shift or what is that? What code is it? Which one are you looking at? 4705. What is that? Excuse me. Michelle, would you like to comment on that one? I might ask chief too because it comes from the circuit clerk's office. So we get several fees that come through the courts. 00:09:45.420 --> 00:09:59.960 I think it's um maybe something about being served out of the county or something like that we get a fee yeah I honestly I wouldn't be able to tell you because I I never get to see the money coming in but um if that's what you're saying that 00:09:59.960 --> 00:10:31.620 but if that's what you're saying it could be the amounts that we put on warrants when when we serve a warrant yeah oh okay okay thank you I did I I had a couple questions with these zeros like the special event permit and fees right so those are going to be so small we we're not a hundred percent sure what we're going to receive and so we don't bother entering it 00:10:31.620 --> 00:10:42.900 And the federal grant as well? Well, federal grant ARPA is over. If you're referring to fund 4356, that's no longer in effect. It's just a legacy left over from a couple years ago. 00:10:47.800 --> 00:11:06.500 Greg? Hold on. Rob, could you tell us, you kind of went over it, but what is fund 32? It's the one down next to the bottom. Yeah. 4950. Ambulance. Ambulance? Okay. 00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:09.380 So I'm going to have the chief go ahead and fill in on that one. 00:11:10.260 --> 00:11:18.200 That's the proceeds from ambulance billing and transports, whereas the city, by ordinance, takes 54% of that. 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:21.040 So that represents that figure there. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:22.560 Thank you. 00:11:22.620 --> 00:11:23.820 We just donated to that. 00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:24.620 Appreciate it. 00:11:24.800 --> 00:11:25.120 Thank you. 00:11:25.140 --> 00:11:26.240 You guys did a great job. 00:11:26.720 --> 00:11:27.140 Thank you. 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:28.820 Just didn't know what it was. 00:11:28.920 --> 00:11:29.000 Sorry. 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:29.140 Sure. 00:11:31.630 --> 00:11:33.770 I just would like to make a comment on that. 00:11:33.770 --> 00:11:59.550 I feel like we have to, we should be finding a way to milk ourselves off of that, moving that into the general fund just because those pieces of apparatus are so expensive that that money should be, we should be saving that for when those trucks need to be replaced so that we don't go out and borrow money. 00:11:59.550 --> 00:12:09.910 I know that's hard once that funding starts coming into the budget. It's hard to get away from it, but it's something we really need to work at. 00:12:10.730 --> 00:12:19.630 And point of note, we did make an extra contribution or we budgeted for a small process of transferring that back in. Do you recall what that was, Michelle? 00:12:21.250 --> 00:12:22.310 I thought it was a move. 00:12:23.590 --> 00:12:24.890 I'm not sure what you mean. 00:12:24.890 --> 00:12:39.770 On the Fund 32, transfer from Fund 32, we reduced the amount of transfer by, I think, about $100,000 so that we can begin to make that kind of be in line with what Alderman Shadle mentioned. 00:12:40.090 --> 00:12:54.190 I know we're less than what we have budgeted this year, but it's truly based on the ordinance, and there's a set formula on how that's supposed to be done, 54%, like you say. 00:12:54.890 --> 00:13:27.420 comes back to the general fund. Another thought with that was the way that I've had with the city manager is perhaps that should be or a portion be earmarked for public works equipment because they are having the same problem as buyers have in two about being able to replace those big trucks. Certainly. Questions? Thank you. Alderman Clement. When was the ordinance changed? I thought. No. Sorry. 00:13:28.280 --> 00:13:37.000 I thought the percentage was changed maybe back in 19 or so, but I would have to look it up. I'm sorry. 00:13:37.560 --> 00:13:55.480 Okay. Would you, just for curiosity, thank you. Can I ask a question, can they repeat what the transfer from fund 32 means? Who was talking about it? 00:13:55.480 --> 00:14:25.300 Sure, sure. Michelle, would you mind explaining that too? So fund, it says 32, but it's 332 since we changed the new account, the new software. But 332 brings in all the ambulance revenue for the fire department. And some of the equipment needs for the fire department are expensed out of that department, out of that fund as well. And there's an ordinance that exists on the codified ordinances that 00:14:25.300 --> 00:14:32.680 but 54% of the net revenue generated in that fund comes back to the general fund. 00:14:33.460 --> 00:14:35.920 So that's what I'm doing because it's an ordinance. 00:14:36.640 --> 00:14:40.520 It's in stone for now. 00:14:41.300 --> 00:14:48.840 You would like to see, can you explain that to me a little better because I'm a little better. 00:14:48.840 --> 00:14:56.220 This money that's taken in in this fund is supposed to be used as it was originally written, 00:14:56.220 --> 00:15:04.920 was supposed to be used for fire department apparatus, new trucks, as they come for need. 00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:06.400 We have a funding source for that. 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:17.360 And through the course of time, some of that money, 54%, has been diverted from that fund into the general fund. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:45.080 and I'm just saying that we need to I feel we need to look at getting things back to keeping that money in the fund so that when these trucks do wear out that a quarter of a million dollars we're not borrowing money that we've got the money saved for it and I just feel that's something we need to put on our radar and revisit. 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:58.900 Okay, and do we know out of the 54% what that amount was, you know, so that I can kind of know what the 54% of that was that went into the general fund? 00:15:58.900 --> 00:16:00.200 That it would be the 778. 00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:03.560 Oh, okay. That went into the general fund? 00:16:03.880 --> 00:16:04.000 Yeah. 00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:04.540 Oh, okay. 00:16:05.400 --> 00:16:07.120 May I add to that as well, please? 00:16:07.540 --> 00:16:07.960 Absolutely. 00:16:08.420 --> 00:16:14.620 So, yes, Alderman Shadle is correct. It was intended for apparatus, but that's the Fire Department Capital Fund. 00:16:14.620 --> 00:16:20.860 that is also much broader used for that fund. 00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:23.200 It's also paying for central fire station. 00:16:23.200 --> 00:16:30.820 It's paying for hose, equipment, support equipment for the fire department. 00:16:31.140 --> 00:16:35.620 So that takes pressure off the general fund. 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:43.880 So within 332, it's accounted for apparatus, the large trucks. 00:16:44.620 --> 00:17:07.320 Cars, ambulances, again the stations, various lengths of hose, firefighting foam, so everything that a great deal of things that we need for operations, consumables comes out of that fund. And then the one-on-one fund, the general fund, is largely for salaries and benefits. 00:17:07.320 --> 00:17:33.100 So we did do a study, an amortization study of what it would cost per year out of that fund to allow for replacement of apparatus and not having to finance anything. So if we started this year up until when all the other apparatus that we have need to be replaced, a little over a million dollars, everything would be planned for, a million dollars each year. 00:17:33.100 --> 00:17:38.720 So 20 years from now and the big expensive ladder truck needs to be replaced, money's there. 00:17:39.120 --> 00:17:43.380 Seven years from now and these new ambulances need to be replaced, the money is there. 00:17:44.060 --> 00:17:52.320 So a new pumper that if we were to order today, pay for it in four years, that money would be there and be replaced. 00:17:52.320 --> 00:17:56.240 We wouldn't have to bond out any more of this expensive stuff. 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:59.400 It would all be planned for, accounted for, and saved for. 00:17:59.400 --> 00:18:03.360 Go ahead, go ahead 00:18:03.360 --> 00:18:19.820 No, I just wanted to know, what, what called, and you said there was a, what caused the change to make us do that, to take the 50% off and put it in the, in the general fund, why can't it just stay the way it was, I guess 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:28.460 We've been doing this as long as I've been here, and that's 10 years, the ordinance goes back to 2008, originally, so this isn't new 00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:58.120 Oh, okay. Um, maybe the percentage, it looks like the percentage was changed just briefly from, you know, up to a higher, um, percentage from 18 to 19, but otherwise it's the same. Oh, okay. Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Alderman Shadle. Uh, you know, that, that would be great if it were used and utilized in a manner that would make sense. The problem is, is we're still running, you know, $3 million fire engines out to every ambulance call. 00:18:58.120 --> 00:19:05.360 been asking about this for almost four years now. This is on top of all of the funding that the fire 00:19:05.360 --> 00:19:09.780 department's already asked for out of the general fund this year. We've replaced a ladder truck. We've 00:19:09.780 --> 00:19:16.420 replaced an engine. We've replaced three ambulances. Have we not? And we've replaced a bunch of hose and 00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:21.520 other equipment. So it's important that we kind of put this into perspective because we've got other 00:19:21.520 --> 00:19:27.740 things in the meantime that we need to address. And by moving that money back into the fire 00:19:27.740 --> 00:19:57.720 Fire Department, it doesn't really free up money, it actually puts strain and stress on the other assets of the city, so right now we're already having problems with public works, we're having problems with the police department at times, and we have to replace a lot of equipment, that money is important, but it's not really a fire department slush fund, and that is something we need to avoid as we go through the coming years, because look, I mean, we've got a new chief vehicle, I mean, I could go on and on and on, the stuff that we've bought in the last 00:19:57.720 --> 00:19:57.980 for 00:19:57.980 --> 00:20:15.860 and on and on the stuff that we've bought in the last four years. It's important. I was just throwing it out there for future debate. Yeah, well, that's fine, but, you know, the problem is is it puts into perspective. We can debate that further when we debate it. I was just throwing the idea. Yeah, well, I'm throwing a different idea out there, so. 00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:24.060 Alderman, or Manager Boyer. Chief, would you like to speak to that point? Sure, if I may. Yeah. 00:20:24.060 --> 00:20:53.980 We don't run fire apparatus on every ambulance call. Absolutely not. But when we do run fire apparatus on ambulance calls, it's because we don't have enough ambulances in service. Our ambulances are already at the hospital or transporting somebody else. So somebody dials 911, an ambulance is not available. A paramedic staffed and equipped fire truck, not the latter truck, will go until an ambulance can free up from the hospital and respond to pick up the patient. 00:20:54.060 --> 00:20:58.920 But we cannot delay patient care, obviously, until an ambulance gets in service. 00:20:59.540 --> 00:21:03.140 So on the other rare occasions, some advanced. 00:21:03.140 --> 00:21:03.340 Rare? 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:04.520 Pardon me? 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:05.420 You said rare? 00:21:08.310 --> 00:21:12.450 On an occasion when, yes, rare for the ladder truck. 00:21:12.790 --> 00:21:14.590 I'm not saying ladder, I'm saying an engine. 00:21:14.770 --> 00:21:15.590 I didn't say ladder. 00:21:15.590 --> 00:21:24.530 An engine will go when an ambulance is unavailable, or as I was saying, it's an advanced life support call, full cardiac arrest, or a bad trauma, or something like that. 00:21:24.530 --> 00:21:45.910 two paramedics on an ambulance is not enough staffing, not enough manpower to address a critical advanced life support call. So we make that determination based on the call type that comes in. We're very conservative of what calls we send the fire apparatus on because of the wear and tear, because we want to preserve the life of that apparatus. 00:21:48.010 --> 00:21:49.990 Thank you. Manager Boyer. 00:21:49.990 --> 00:21:56.350 Okay. If there's no more questions on revenue, let's move on to build it. Yep. 00:21:57.350 --> 00:22:06.630 So would you be in favor of leaving it as it is or in not the general fund getting that 54%? 00:22:07.630 --> 00:22:18.070 Well, I see the merits both ways. Alderman Monroe is correct that by lessening the 54% contribution to the general fund 00:22:18.070 --> 00:22:25.930 would put more demands on the general fund to pay for salaries and benefits. However, it would better 00:22:25.930 --> 00:22:31.750 position the city and the fire department, because the fire department's part of the city, for future 00:22:31.750 --> 00:22:37.610 acquisitions. And when we replace this stuff, it's not because it's nice and shiny. It's because it's all 00:22:37.610 --> 00:22:45.790 old and falling apart, and the staff vehicle that was replaced is because a 2005 Trailblazer, the frame 00:22:45.790 --> 00:23:17.150 rusted it out and it's unsafe to drive any longer. So these are things that have been replaced through wear and tear and attrition that have been neglected in the past. So yes, we're making great steps to position the fleet for long-term use and to reduce these large expenditures going forward, but we're doing it because it's been necessary. So to answer your question, I guess, yes, in a perfect world, it'd be great to be able to amortize more of that. 00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:51.490 to save it for future expenditures and not have to go out and borrow money and pay interest rates for that kind of that kind of purchase but there's limited amount of money that's available so as elected officials we have to use it you have to determine to use it wisely all right let's move on to 101 142 6155 that's 00:23:51.490 --> 00:24:21.610 Government Buildings. So as far, this is mostly expenses. In 2020, on this first one, 6155, in 2024, we spent about $135,000 fixing the windows. So we could then replace the windows or put storm windows on this building. One of the biggest challenges here is keeping this place heated due to the fact that it's all electric. 00:24:21.610 --> 00:24:51.610 and the older windows because of historic building it's pretty drafty and they're only single pane so next year we're hoping to put storm windows on that are acceptable to the historic building folks and so anyway moving on we have contracted equipment repair and maintenance for essentially for $50,000 that's essentially more more just some budget put there in case we have any more issues with the PD 00:24:51.610 --> 00:25:21.170 building. We're looking at other options for another PD. However, at the current time, we have to make what we have work until we are able to find and move into a new location. So we've gone ahead and budgeted about $50,000 for that. Obviously, we've got natural gas, building supplies, janitorial, and so forth, other, and then we've got capital outlay. And so that capital outlay there, that $200,000 is 00:25:21.170 --> 00:25:24.650 for City Hall, and the primary one being the storm windows. 00:25:27.330 --> 00:25:33.250 Is the tuck point making it in this year, or is that pushed off another year? 00:25:33.550 --> 00:25:40.550 We're going to hold off on that one more year because I want to get, we just recently fixed, repainted, and cleaned all these windows on the outside. 00:25:40.730 --> 00:25:47.190 I want to get the storm windows put on so that's all preserved and doesn't flake off, you know, and peel and get weathered. 00:25:47.310 --> 00:25:48.950 So I want to kind of preserve that work. 00:25:48.950 --> 00:26:16.040 The tuck pointing is necessary. However, I think the windows are going to do two things. It's going to preserve the work that we invested in this year. It's also going to lower some of our costs in terms of heat. So without the drafty windows. All right. With that, I'd like to move on to the cemetery care fund. This one's pretty straightforward. 00:26:16.040 --> 00:26:46.020 Board. We receive revenue in two forms in the Cemetery Care Fund. One is to grave and earn purchases, and the other one is interest income. So we're expecting about $9,200 in grave and earned purchases, and that's just based on previous activity that could go up depending or down depending on the activity. And then as far as expenses, contracted building repair and maintenance, currently we don't have anything planned for cemetery in terms of for major repairs. 00:26:46.040 --> 00:27:00.520 repairs out there. We've replaced all of the roofs on all of the mausoleums that need to be replaced, and the garage is doing okay, so there's really nothing we need to worry about in that regard. So, any questions on the Cemetery Care Fund? 00:27:01.960 --> 00:27:15.940 I do think it needs the fence that's facing Lincoln. It could get a nice paint job. 00:27:16.040 --> 00:28:03.490 Okay. Well, I'm sure we can accommodate that. It looks kind of like creepy. Yeah. Yeah. I think it would look nice with a nice pink job or something. Okay. Okay. With that, we can move on to Neighborhood Housing Fund. So, Neighborhood Housing Fund revenue side, starting with $4125. So, this is a local tax from property transfer tax of $2 per $500 of consideration when buying a property. So, we're receiving about $210,000 00:28:03.490 --> 00:28:33.470 in revenue there. And then interest income of about $15,000. And then fund balance transfer. So plan on using the remainder of this fund here on the Neighborhood Housing Fund. Pretty much all we use this for is not all, but primarily this is used for demolitions. So if you see here in the expense items, about $20,000 for economic development projects and $605,000 for demolitions. 00:28:33.490 --> 00:29:05.550 the lion's share of that is for the the plan demo of the union school we're going to continue to look for grants on that but we're going to go ahead and budget that for for next year to tear it down oh well yes it'll kind of come in two phases want to be as best as remediation and then demo of the school so will any of this go ahead well any of this also be for some more homes and stuff coming down also or 00:29:05.550 --> 00:29:12.050 or this is what union school is going to cost? Sure. Wayne, did you have any comments on that? 00:29:12.850 --> 00:29:18.890 Sorry. On the neighborhood housing fund or any of these funds going to use for other demos besides the union school? 00:29:18.890 --> 00:29:28.950 Well, sure, yes, it could be used for other initiatives, but, I mean, we're looking at some pretty hefty, you know, that's a hefty budget item. 00:29:29.070 --> 00:29:35.530 So a typical house is going to cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 to demolish, and we're looking at right now, 00:29:35.550 --> 00:29:39.550 anywhere from $2,000 to $250,000 to demolish the union school. 00:29:40.170 --> 00:29:49.790 So when we have money in the fund and we currently own the property, staff thinks it's a good idea 00:29:49.790 --> 00:29:54.430 to have the money budgeted to demolish it because otherwise we're going to be preserving it. 00:29:54.930 --> 00:29:56.270 I personally have walked in. 00:29:56.270 --> 00:30:19.110 I personally have walked through the building and I can tell you there's no hope for it being redeveloped and truly we should have the money budgeted here. Would it be nice to get a grant? Yes. Is the city going to work towards grant funds to demolish it? Yes. But I do think that the city should be prepared to demolish this structure. Go ahead. 00:30:19.110 --> 00:30:34.590 I know that this year we had that $300,000 for demos and then we also had wasn't it some other money that came in that was going to be a grant or something? 00:30:34.590 --> 00:30:48.350 So $300,000 is a strong communities grant program that has to be residential housing so it has to be dilapidated actual residential properties the union school is not going to qualify for that grant because it's a you know 00:30:48.350 --> 00:31:18.350 former school so anytime we're using the strong communities program grant funds that's going to be for houses duplexes that's that's at all that's all that would qualify that's all that qualifies for that grant okay I just would like to know about how much how much do we have left in that grant from what we've done this this year we will probably end up with when I excuse me when I end up requesting for a grant extension there will probably end up being $50,000 00:31:18.350 --> 00:31:48.350 Not Spent that I would be asking for an extension on and that would be at the best case scenario. Right now I have by the end of the year I anticipate spending all that money. Okay. So unfortunately or fortunately how you look at it there's I have enough properties to put through that grant to use that money so just in residential vacant properties. Thank you and just my math on this shows that 00:31:48.350 --> 00:31:58.930 if you take out the $250 that you're budgeting for demolition of the union school, that's still leaving about the same $350 that we had last year. 00:31:59.070 --> 00:32:10.210 Yes, that would leave the same amount for demolishing houses, but in addition, we're also working on taking down the hotel as well on 20th, 00:32:10.210 --> 00:32:18.070 so there's some bigger items there that we would like to have that money set aside in case we can move forward with that demolition. 00:32:18.350 --> 00:32:48.350 another reason why it's beneficial for a community to purchase properties off the tax sale like the union school is that the union school is now in the city's ownership and when we have the budget item to demolish the union school we're ready to do so because we own it we bought it for the tax off the back taxes with the hotel we're right now in a legal process trying to we're petitioning the court for the right to demolish that hotel so that's because it's owned by a problem property 00:32:48.350 --> 00:32:53.210 owner, and we're trying to force a demolition there. However, we either way, we need to have the money 00:32:53.210 --> 00:32:58.970 funded for some large-scale demolitions coming up. Sure. So that's one of the reasons we're asking for 00:32:58.970 --> 00:33:05.510 some more funds here. Oh, okay. One more question. Yeah, just, oh, I'm sorry. Another question with that, 00:33:05.510 --> 00:33:10.690 is that also a lot of asbestos in there also? That is budgeting for asbestos, yes. 00:33:10.690 --> 00:33:19.450 Old Amendment, Monroe. Thank you. So I'm going to ask a question that many Freeport residents have asked me. 00:33:20.070 --> 00:33:24.110 Why do we keep ending up with all these properties and having to pay to tear them down ourselves? 00:33:24.470 --> 00:33:30.930 Why aren't we holding previous owners accountable for this and going after them? 00:33:32.010 --> 00:33:38.750 Sure. Well, I mean, at some point, what ends up happening here is it's like it's going after bad credit, right? 00:33:38.750 --> 00:33:44.650 they just stopped paying so we do take them through their admin court we do eventually any of these 00:33:44.650 --> 00:33:49.150 properties that are being forced into demolition they get what's known as a chronic nuisance and they 00:33:49.150 --> 00:33:56.190 start accruing bad debt on them okay so they've they know they own a bad property they're receiving 00:33:56.190 --> 00:34:01.650 the violations and eventually the city's saying look they're not fixing the property they're not 00:34:01.650 --> 00:34:07.990 paying for it it's a public nuisance and that's the last step is to demolish it and we're saying 00:34:07.990 --> 00:34:17.970 I'll answer that question we do file a lien on the property and we do go to um bill collections but if 00:34:17.970 --> 00:34:23.630 they're not paying they're not paying it's a bad debt at some point if that makes sense so when we tear down 00:34:23.630 --> 00:34:30.390 the building yes there's a lien on that property but we just tore the person's property down odds are 00:34:30.390 --> 00:34:36.070 they're not going to end up paying on that bad debt follow-up so this is a consistent problem it's been 00:34:36.070 --> 00:34:41.530 going on for many years. And it's not just an individual bad debtor. It's actually the people 00:34:41.530 --> 00:34:49.610 before that. Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times both ran articles about local landowners here in Freeport 00:34:49.610 --> 00:34:55.670 many years ago who were basically buying properties, running them into the ground, and then dumping them 00:34:55.670 --> 00:35:01.810 on people that couldn't afford it. Those people knew that these properties were in this manner, 00:35:01.810 --> 00:35:31.130 and we continue to go ahead and do it. I mean this is costing us over a period of 10 years millions and millions of dollars and I think somebody needs to be held accountable for this and it needs to stop or we need to put an ordinance in place that says you know what you why are we letting them sell them is a million dollar question. And if I could just jump in on this one Alderman Monroe we do occupy a special role which is we can go after and receive grant money 00:35:31.130 --> 00:35:36.270 that we can then go and acquire these properties, take them down. We're budgeting for this this year 00:35:36.270 --> 00:35:42.130 because we're budgeting for it. We own it. We want to get it down. However, we're going to look after all 00:35:42.130 --> 00:35:48.690 kinds of other ways to fund this that doesn't take money out of the city's back pocket. But at the end 00:35:48.690 --> 00:35:54.590 of the day, if there's no other choice, then we've at least budgeted for it. So I just want you to know 00:35:54.590 --> 00:35:59.210 that right at the end of the day, we are the ones, we're basically the ones that end up getting stuck 00:35:59.210 --> 00:36:05.130 with these properties, right? I think there's going to be a further conversation with other folks on this 00:36:05.130 --> 00:36:10.990 particular one, but it's not something I can really get into at this time, so, but I will say we're going 00:36:10.990 --> 00:36:18.130 to pursue other opportunities to, at minimum, defray the city's expenses related to this, so we will be 00:36:18.130 --> 00:36:25.580 pursuing those options. That, what do you mean, pursuing those options? I'll be happy to talk 00:36:25.580 --> 00:36:32.980 offline about it. So whether it's going out and receiving grant funding to help us take these 00:36:32.980 --> 00:36:41.520 things down or opening up a conversation with other units of government, I think we'll be opening up those 00:36:41.520 --> 00:36:45.980 discussions. But we've got a budget for it if we want to get it down within the next year, and it's a huge 00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:53.240 nuisance. It provides safety concerns for the people in the community. And so we're going to seek as many 00:36:53.240 --> 00:36:57.860 other resources as possible, but in the meantime, at least we've got it budgeted and we can begin the 00:36:57.860 --> 00:37:02.760 process of getting rid of it. I think I speak for a lot of people in Freeport. A huge nuisance is the 00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:09.180 second highest taxes in the country as far as property taxes go. That's a huge nuisance and it's 00:37:09.180 --> 00:37:14.460 hurting our growth and our potential to grow back. That's $605,000. I could have gone to something else. 00:37:14.780 --> 00:37:29.870 That's true. Okay, with that, I'd like to move on to tourism fund. So our revenue on this fund is hotel 00:37:29.870 --> 00:37:59.850 Motel tax, approximately $280,000, and it earns about $5,000 a year in interest. So this is a local tax remitted to the city of Freeport. It's 5% on hotel stays. On the expense side, about $248,000 goes to our Economic Development Agency, GFP, and then we also have some miscellaneous expenses related to some of the downtown events, and then also we've got the transfer out to General 00:37:59.850 --> 00:38:09.770 Fund to pay for the part of the Communication Director's salary. Any questions on the Tourism Fund? 00:38:11.510 --> 00:38:11.710 No. 00:38:14.840 --> 00:38:38.450 Okay. All right. With that, let's move to Debt Service Fund. So in this particular fund, we're transferring in funds from the General Fund to pay for our debt service. So we'll be bringing in about $3.4 million 00:38:38.450 --> 00:38:49.270 dollars for the 2016 City Hall and 2020 pension bonds to support the payment of those. I'm also transferring in 00:38:49.270 --> 00:39:02.490 $120,000 to pay for the 2015 A bond which is library and then the transfer in for streets which is 477,000 that's for 00:39:02.490 --> 00:39:31.430 the payment on bonds 2019-A and 2021. Both of those funded street repairs at the city and they are paid for with the $2 that you pay in your water bill. Transfer in for the TIF, you got $112,000. That's paying for the 2018 and 2015-A bonds. And then transfer in from the Fire Improvement Fund, that's $340,000. 00:39:31.430 --> 00:39:53.990 that pays for 2013-A, that's the central fire station in the 2022 aerial fire truck. So I'm kind of repeating myself here through the expenses, but you've got $2 million going for the city hall bond, $270,000 going to the fire improvement fund. That's, as I mentioned, for the fire. 00:39:53.990 --> 00:40:22.160 That's, as I mentioned, for the fire truck. $88,000 going to the library to pay for the library bond. $365,000 going for the street bond. $81,000 for TIF principal. Then we've got interest, $1.4 million for city hall, $70 for fire improvement library, $31,000 streets is $112 and TIF is $31,000. 00:40:22.180 --> 00:40:25.860 $1,000, so any questions on that? 00:40:27.460 --> 00:40:28.300 Alderman, Sellers. 00:40:28.600 --> 00:40:30.920 Yes, I'd like to know how many bonds you got for the library? 00:40:31.720 --> 00:40:34.020 Oh, I'm sorry. 00:40:34.580 --> 00:40:36.480 How many bonds do you have for the library? 00:40:36.840 --> 00:40:38.320 Michelle, could you make sure, could you go ahead? 00:40:39.700 --> 00:40:44.740 We just have one, and it's the 2015 A1. 00:40:44.900 --> 00:40:51.060 It's pretty old, and it's just a small portion of that bond is still paying for the library. 00:40:51.060 --> 00:40:59.600 So what you're seeing there is the principal and interest payments. They appear separately, but it's so you can tell the difference, how much we're paying for principal, how much we're paying for interest. 00:41:00.040 --> 00:41:03.200 Okay. So the interest was the 88? 00:41:05.260 --> 00:41:06.020 80-80. 00:41:07.940 --> 00:41:19.940 Excuse me, Elder Person Stacy, could you please pull your microphone down? That helps with the people that are here, the people that aren't here, and then we type the minutes from that. So please remember to speak into the microphone. 00:41:19.940 --> 00:41:20.900 Sorry 00:41:20.900 --> 00:41:32.140 I was asking if the $88,800 was interest from the 2015 bond 00:41:32.140 --> 00:41:33.740 No, that is principal 00:41:33.740 --> 00:41:34.820 Principal 00:41:34.820 --> 00:41:38.940 And so where's the interest? 00:41:39.640 --> 00:41:41.860 It's item 8075 00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:42.540 The 31? 00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:44.460 31,000, yes 00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:46.760 It's interest alone 00:41:46.760 --> 00:41:47.180 Yep 00:41:47.180 --> 00:41:53.590 Okay 00:41:53.590 --> 00:42:23.590 with that I'd like to move on to the health care fund so this fund manages the health care expenses for the city employees and retirees we anticipate a one point eight percent increase in medical insurance expense and six point eight in dental insurance so the revenue comes in through individual contributions about four hundred seventy one thousand also various 00:42:23.590 --> 00:42:53.590 you got the police and fire contributions at various levels and AFSCME then you've got employer share so the employees contribute 2.3 million and then the retirees contribute 192,000 so your total revenue there is 3.1 million then your expenses going out you've got voluntary life premium 7600 vision 4500 retiree premium is 305,000 00:42:53.590 --> 00:43:32.200 and then 2.8 for employee premiums. Any questions on the health care fund? Okay, with that, I'd like to move on to the landfill closure fund. This is one of the requests from our auditor is we need to start contributing. Right now, it shows as a debt, basically, and we're trying to contribute every year to fully fund that landfill closure fund. It's not something we can do all at once, 00:43:32.200 --> 00:44:02.180 but we are taking steps to make sure that those funds are there when we need them off into the future when the landfill actually closes so on the revenue side we are transfer the transfer station rents about twenty nine thousand so that's the money we receive from gills to run the transfer station and then we've got a solar lease we'll be receiving about eleven thousand dollars from Amoresco or whoever the eventual owner will be there then we get another thirty thousand 00:44:02.180 --> 00:44:31.040 on interest. And then we also transfer in another $500,000 from general fund. And then on the expense side, so contracted infrastructure repair and maintenance, about $150,000. This is basically to maintain the IEPA requirements. And then we've got the landfill closure expense. So this is for monitoring the landfill itself. So any questions on landfill closure fund? 00:44:31.040 --> 00:44:34.240 What is the solar lease again? 00:44:34.640 --> 00:45:05.050 So earlier this year we've been moving forward with installing solar panels on the landfill cap of landfill two and three and as part of that agreement we receive not only the maintenance we will no longer have to maintain the mowing in that on landfill two and three but this is also an outright payment annually that we'll receive from Amoresco for the use of that property. Did I get there right? Any other questions? 00:45:08.810 --> 00:45:40.490 All right, with that, I'd like to move on to health and environmental funds. This is a garbage collection. So the $14,500 is Gill's reimbursement for property taxes on the transfer station. Also, we receive $2.6 million in recycling fees and waste collection fees. We get about $25,000 in income and the fund balance transfer is about $363,000. 00:45:40.510 --> 00:46:02.110 $200,000. So this is $300,000 is to fund a special bulky waste pickup in $25,000. That was one of the things that we talked about as far as being able to help keep people from dumping in town. So we're budgeting for about $300,000 to have the ability to set dumpsters out and have folks fill them up. 00:46:02.110 --> 00:46:20.590 Bad debt expense, about $20,000. Disposal and recycling, we're kicking out about $2.9, and then real estate and revenue collection services are about $30,000. Any questions on garbage collection? 00:46:20.590 --> 00:46:22.890 Alderman, Sellers. 00:46:23.330 --> 00:46:42.190 Yes, Rob, I guess you kind of, when you were talking, your voice started high and it ended really low and I couldn't hear what the end of the fund balance, you said something about recycle dumpsters, helping stop dumping and dumpsters, I didn't hear that story. 00:46:42.190 --> 00:46:54.830 We're budgeting $300,000 for bulky waste pickup for 2025. So it's just a measure that, you know, we talked about trash busters and that type of thing. 00:46:54.870 --> 00:46:55.330 Oh, okay. 00:46:55.430 --> 00:47:00.110 I don't know. It's not exactly trash busters, but it's something along the lines that will help keep our streets cleaner. 00:47:00.490 --> 00:47:02.290 Yep. Thank you. 00:47:04.580 --> 00:47:14.330 Any other questions on the garbage? All right. And we're down to our last one for tonight, downtown loan fund. 00:47:14.330 --> 00:47:58.450 So the downtown loan fund, we receive about $5,000 in interest and the fund balance transfers about $40,000. Right now Mahoney is repaying on a downtown loan. So that's essentially where we're at with that one. Other than that, are there any questions? Okay. Further discussion? None. Seeing none, we have public comments if there's any. Seeing none, I'd take a motion. 00:47:58.470 --> 00:48:08.910 motion for adjournment. So moved. Motion by Parker, second by Sellers. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Opposed?