WEBVTT 00:00:00.690 --> 00:00:19.400 6, 3, 2, 1, and 4, 3, 2, 1, and 4, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 5, 3, 2, 1, and 5, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 2, 3, 1, and 5. 00:00:19.400 --> 00:00:21.240 I'm getting the sheet, you're done. 00:00:21.240 --> 00:00:23.240 Did somebody else do it? 00:00:45.350 --> 00:00:45.950 Hi. 00:00:45.950 --> 00:00:47.450 Yeah. 00:00:47.450 --> 00:00:49.390 Do you want a seat? 00:00:49.390 --> 00:00:50.470 Do you want a seat? 00:00:50.470 --> 00:00:51.030 Yeah. 00:00:51.030 --> 00:01:03.970 Yeah. 00:01:03.970 --> 00:02:17.910 Okay, since it's six o'clock, Ruth, could you please give the invocation? 00:02:17.910 --> 00:02:33.550 Good to be here after my short retirement. You guys are wonderful. Thank you for having me. I just want to read something from Psalm 116. It says, 00:02:33.550 --> 00:02:46.610 I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my supplications. Because he has inclined his ear to me, therefore I shall call upon him as long as I live. So let's all pray together and call upon the Lord. 00:02:46.610 --> 00:02:56.530 Lord, our Heavenly Father, God, we are so thankful for the spring weather today, for the thoughts of new beginnings. 00:02:57.530 --> 00:03:10.230 Lord, we thank you that you are omnipresent. Father, we know that you are within the city, that you are looking over Freeport, and we know you're within these walls at this meeting tonight. 00:03:10.230 --> 00:03:38.150 So our Heavenly Father, I just pray that we all open our hearts to you because you have all the wisdom and you know the plans you have for this city. And so Father, give us that wisdom. May our words give glory to you with whatever we say. May we show love for one another. And may Lord, we represent our wards well. 00:03:38.150 --> 00:03:41.310 well, our department heads teams well. 00:03:43.580 --> 00:03:49.540 Father, you have given us so much to be thankful for, and yet there's so much yet to be done. 00:03:50.540 --> 00:03:54.700 And so be with all of these here at this council. 00:03:56.080 --> 00:04:00.340 Lord, thank you for their willingness to serve you in this manner. 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:07.060 Thank you, Lord, for their families who give up this evening, for them to be here to represent 00:04:07.060 --> 00:04:35.180 to represent the city, to represent you, Lord. Thank you, Father, that you are in control, even when we don't know what that means. We don't have to be in control because you are, Father. I thank you again, Lord, for our mayor, our city manager, our beautiful city clerk, all our elder persons, all our department heads and their teams. 00:04:35.180 --> 00:05:05.160 Williams. I've had the privilege, Lord, of working with them, and I know how hard they all work, and I know the love they have for this city. So now, Lord, bless this agenda. May it bring glory to you, Lord, and may it prosper the city of Freeport in a mighty way. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thank you, Ruth. So now we'll officially call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, would you please take the role? Mayor Miller? Here. Alder Persons Clem? Here. 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:15.220 Monroe, here, Simmons, here, Parker, here, Stacy, here, Shadle, here, Sanders, is absent, Sellers, here. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:19.500 If you could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Monroe. 00:05:19.500 --> 00:05:34.700 To the flag of the United States of America, and the super republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty. 00:05:38.060 --> 00:05:40.000 And Alderman Monroe, the meeting is yours. 00:05:40.760 --> 00:05:41.460 Thank you, Madam Mayor. 00:05:42.340 --> 00:05:48.080 So we'll move on to item number four, approval of the agenda. Do I have a motion? 00:05:49.660 --> 00:05:50.300 So move. 00:05:52.200 --> 00:05:58.020 Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Parker. All in favor? 00:05:58.260 --> 00:05:58.580 Aye. 00:05:58.760 --> 00:05:59.000 Aye. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:06.780 Motion passes. Sorry. Any opposed? Motion passes. 00:06:07.340 --> 00:06:19.490 Item number five is the approval of the minutes from the committee of the whole meeting held on February 10th, 00:06:19.490 --> 00:06:52.440 2025. Do I have a motion to accept those? So moved. Motion by Alderman Sellers. Second. Seconded by Alderman Parker. All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. Item number six is public comments for agenda items. This is limited to three minutes per person. We have several people signed up on the public comments. We'll start with 00:06:52.560 --> 00:07:01.240 Matt Summers with comments about item number 13. Sir, the podium is yours for three minutes. 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:22.540 Hello, my name is Matthew Summers. I'm from the second ward. I'm a resident. I just want to talk quickly and briefly about the residency requirements, and I'm going to end with a little story. This ordinance is antiquated. It should be removed. We're one of the only communities that I'm aware of that still require this that are small communities like this. 00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:51.300 this. Nobody really knows. There's a couple people in the room that have had the honor to wear the chief's badge and do different things. And I've seen this ordinance used as an attack on officers, both at the fire department as well as the police department. When we haven't wanted somebody in a chair, we say, hey, you've got to live in the city. When we want somebody from who doesn't live in the city says, I'm not going to move there, it's all right, we'll change the ordinance. You can live where you want to live. 00:07:51.300 --> 00:07:58.460 And now we're down to, again, attacks on people and the negativity that goes along with that. 00:07:59.200 --> 00:08:02.600 I had a lot written down that I wanted to share, but I knew I only had three minutes. 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.600 So I just want to share a little story, my story. 00:08:08.380 --> 00:08:11.280 The reason I left the police department is I couldn't get away. 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:20.630 I couldn't go to my kids' football games without somebody sitting next to me and saying, 00:08:21.130 --> 00:08:22.970 when are you going to get that boy that shot my brother? 00:08:22.970 --> 00:08:58.440 yard. I couldn't play catch with a football in my yard without people driving by throwing some hand signals out the window. We had a 12 and 13 year old boy and I were playing catch and they had to look at me and go, what's that all about? Do they know who you are? And I had to explain to them, they knew who I was and that's why they were there. I had to start walking at four o'clock in the morning because people would flag me down and I couldn't even go for a walk. And even at four o'clock in the morning, four and five o'clock in the morning, people just 00:08:58.760 --> 00:09:32.020 pull up next to me slow and want to talk. Sometimes I didn't know who was pulling up next to me and I had to start carrying some protection with me because I didn't know what was going to happen at four or five o'clock in the morning and I'm not sure how many people that is going to affect. It took somebody very, very close to me to point out what was going on with me and how I was killing myself, trying to be a good father, just to see my boys and keep the job of my dreams. And again, this thing, these ordinances, 00:09:32.380 --> 00:10:00.000 are used for a tax just because we don't like somebody who's sitting in a seat. And I'll tell you what, to the people that I've worked with, my colleagues, yes, in transparency, Chris Shenberger is a very good friend of mine. I've known him for 29 years. I've worked with him for about 28. And that man has never missed anything that I'd ever ask him or where to go. So those of you who 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:31.040 So those of you who feel like you're being attacked just because we don't have anything else, let them attack you, let them attack your integrity, Chief, I know, but a lot of other people stand up here and talk, so he can call some officers over here and drag me out of here if he needs to, but there's been, you people put up with so much, and to be attacked for that, let them attack you, let them attack your integrity, let them attack your character. 00:10:33.230 --> 00:10:37.560 because it's not going to do anything with you. 00:10:37.560 --> 00:10:41.200 Let them show us who they really are when they want to attack everyone. 00:10:41.200 --> 00:10:46.720 Just because you live somewhere and you can't be a parent or a father 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:51.560 because of an ordinance because they don't like the seats you sit in, 00:10:51.560 --> 00:10:57.340 that ordinance needs to go. 00:10:57.340 --> 00:11:05.280 Gary Melke, Pro for County Fair. 00:11:05.280 --> 00:11:05.940 Good evening. 00:11:05.940 --> 00:11:08.000 For those of you that don't know me, I am Gary Melke. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.140 I am president of the Students and County Fair Association. 00:11:11.140 --> 00:11:41.120 have held that position for seven years, been involved with that fair for over 30. I also sit on the Illinois State Association of Agricultural Affairs as vice president. We govern 104 county fairs. We answered the director of ag, Jerry Costello. But I'm here on the item 12. Stevens County Fair is a non-for-profit. We are a 501c6 agriculture. We've been in this county fair has ran for 170 years. 00:11:41.140 --> 00:12:10.900 years and has been very beneficial to this community and county so I'm here just to answer questions the door at the fairgrounds is always open if any of you wish to come down see something have a question I'll be glad to meet anytime anywhere and talk take you around the fairgrounds whatever you you wish but I've seen this was on the agenda today so I wanted to say I'm here to represent the Stevenson County Fair and answer your questions. 00:12:11.140 --> 00:12:13.300 Thank you very much. Thank you. 00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:18.240 Abra Palermo, Pro for Tutty Baker. 00:12:20.650 --> 00:12:25.290 Hi, my name is Abra Palermo. I'm one of the committee chairs for Tutty Baker Festival. 00:12:26.070 --> 00:12:29.690 And I just wanted to, I saw this was on the agenda tonight, I wanted to point out a few things. 00:12:30.290 --> 00:12:37.570 And what other event in the community brings 40,000 to 50,000 people into our community? 00:12:37.570 --> 00:13:06.610 Many people, as I've worked in real estate since 1998 in the Freeport area, ask what is there to do in Freeport and Stevenson County? Companies, people who want to live here, people who want to relocate here. We had people from all over the region and from 26 different states that came here. Some of them were coming back for family get-togethers. Some of them were born and raised here and they were coming back to see the festival that had not happened in over 20 years. 00:13:06.610 --> 00:13:35.790 Some of those people might think about, do I want to relocate here? Do I want to come back home? Not to mention the people that stayed for two, four, five, six hours. Most people stayed for over two hours. 45% of the people said they stayed for three to four hours. We did surveys after the event. 32 people said they stayed for over five hours. How much money did those people spend in retail, in restaurants, hotels, things like that? 00:13:35.790 --> 00:14:04.610 So how much money did that bring into the city? The first year back it was 30,400 people attended that weekend. Second year 41,000 people attended that weekend just in a three-day weekend festival. And it's all ranges from people 18 and older to little children. So it's something that retirees enjoy, adults enjoy, parents and families enjoy. The whole mission of the non-profit organization is for family friendly. 00:14:05.790 --> 00:14:35.790 downtown businesses that we surveyed after and other businesses that participated as vendors we asked them how many people do they think came into their store many of them said anywhere from 50 to 500 people some of them said everyone that walked by came in and we asked them how many people do you think were new people that came into your store they were all saying a good majority of those people were new to their businesses and new to their stores that had never been in before so how many of those businesses stayed in business because of that 00:14:35.790 --> 00:15:05.770 that one weekend because of the revenues they made? How many of those businesses had new business continue and good exposure for their business? Not to mention the exposure that it brought for the city. Many people even thought the city put that event on. They got credit in a lot of different avenues that the city, thank you to the city for bringing this, you know, event. So we're happy to answer questions and I'm here if you need anything. It's a very small committee that helps coordinate this event every year and a few other volunteers. 00:15:05.790 --> 00:15:12.330 here is that form the crafters and the vendors and things like that, and thank you for your time. Thank you. 00:15:13.950 --> 00:15:23.420 Next person up on item number 12 as well is Mike Martin. Good evening, everybody. Thank you, Mayor 00:15:23.420 --> 00:15:29.320 Miller, council, city staff. Appreciate all the hard work you guys put into every Monday, every day. 00:15:29.800 --> 00:15:34.600 Really means a lot to me. Again, I'm Mike Martin. I was previously on the board of directors for the 00:15:34.600 --> 00:16:04.600 Greater Freeport Partnership. I served two terms, and I was on there for six years. I'm currently on the Highland Foundation Board for the college, and I'm also on the Winneshek Theater Board. For the last 10 years, my wife and I have also been the proud owners of Mort's Bar and Grill here in downtown Freeport. I'm obviously joining you, as Alderman Monroe said, to speak about Agenda Item 12. As a small business owner, I understand the reality of finding ways to cut costs, to streamline processes, produce efficient results, and maintain 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:34.580 a strong bottom line. I think about this daily. But I have been able to achieve these goals without jeopardizing my product or customer experience. Over time, I realize that not every investment can be quantifiable or even tangible. Most dollars and cents can be accounted for, but it's the intangibles that make a long-lasting impact. When it comes to the direct impact that events like Music on Chicago, Wine Fest, Brew Fest, and Tutty Baker Fest have on my business, 00:16:34.600 --> 00:17:05.880 business, it's upwards to 200% positive increase in gross sales for that day, that weekend, sometimes even more, and because of that added revenue, I am able to invest in my business, my community, and my city. I have extra funds for building upgrades, employee bonuses, and that added sales tax goes right back to the city for your investment in our infrastructure and hopefully our safety. Indirect impact comes in 00:17:05.880 --> 00:17:35.880 We're here to help customers, both local and not local, that come to downtown to be shown a great experience. Now that produces some pressure on us to make sure that experience is fulfilled, but as always taught, pressure is privilege, and I look forward to these chances. They make a trip here, and they see the charm, the history, and the progress that they might not have noticed without these said events. New and reoccurring customers' base is a long-term investment worth 00:17:35.880 --> 00:18:05.860 We're not worth realizing. They keep coming back. They spend money not only at mort's, but they buy gas. They stay in hotels. They go to other restaurants. The ROI of added revenue and positive perception of our city because of these events is infectious. With that, I just want to thank you guys one more time. Your hard work does not go unnoticed. All their people, council, mayor, I just want to be able to keep using these opportunities to show the positive impact that we can do as community 00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:14.340 Members for small business for the city, both quantifiable and intangible. Thank you for your time. Thank you. 00:18:16.080 --> 00:18:37.380 And that concludes public comments. Item number six. Mr. Chair, Madam Clerk, would you please let be known on the record it was 6.06 when Alderman Sanders is in attendance? I did get that. Thank you. Thank you. Item number seven, discussion regarding Nordic residential and small business. 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:48.040 Small Business Electrical Aggregation Contract, presented by Mike Mudge, Rock River Energy, and I believe Mike is on the phone, is that correct, Director Suttman? 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:48.620 Yes. 00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:50.220 Awesome. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.580 Yes, I'm here. 00:18:53.760 --> 00:18:56.460 Awesome. Mike, would you like to speak? 00:18:58.240 --> 00:19:06.800 Yes, very much. Wanted to give a brief summary of why we're back, talking about this, when we signed it through the contract with Mordick. 00:19:07.400 --> 00:19:09.980 and then discuss the action item we needed? 00:19:14.470 --> 00:19:15.550 I didn't get that. 00:19:16.750 --> 00:19:17.770 None of us did. 00:19:18.150 --> 00:19:25.110 Can everyone hear me okay? 00:19:25.690 --> 00:19:26.750 We can, now. 00:19:28.110 --> 00:19:28.470 Okay. 00:19:28.970 --> 00:19:38.330 I'll briefly give a summary of why we're back talking about this when we signed the contract last May for a three-year contract. 00:19:38.330 --> 00:19:46.460 So what happened after the contract was signed, we're going to be switching people over in August. 00:19:46.460 --> 00:19:58.000 During that interim period, PTM, the people that operate the grid, had a capacity auction, those capacity auction results came out, and 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:06.480 results came out at the end of July, the first part of August. Nordic notified us, along with 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:11.680 three other governmental agencies that signed contracts with Nordic, stating that they could 00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:22.610 not adhere to those price increases. We started looking for alternatives. One of us tonight 00:20:22.610 --> 00:20:27.810 is an agenda, and I believe Curt was going to put that up on the screen. 00:20:29.190 --> 00:20:35.220 Oh, okay. 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:45.120 There's an agenda item that I sent last week to Debbie and to Rob, the city manager, and it simply 00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:56.380 states that we do not want to, the replacement cost that Nordic offered us for the next 12 00:20:56.380 --> 00:21:17.390 wants that replaces the three-year contract that we had at $8.315. The council thought that it was prudent to sign a contract for three years knowing that energy rates were going to go up. 00:21:17.390 --> 00:21:30.860 We talk about what capacity rates are and what that has to do with our energy rate. Capacity is a rate that all rate payers pay, all kind of rate payers, 00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:38.340 and also from states from Illinois all the way to the East Coast and 13 states all together. 00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:55.520 Capacity is a charge that we all pay to ensure that there's adequate generation, that the present existing plants are maintained and as an incentive for new plants being constructed. 00:21:55.520 --> 00:22:26.800 So we're having no supply And that rate came back tenfold That's knocking the whole market out of whack What we needed to do was find, okay, if Nordic was going to do that, what would the replacement rate be? And it took time to do that We also looked at what other suppliers would do And we're also looking at what the comment rate was 00:22:26.800 --> 00:22:31.140 and to determine what the best options are for the city. 00:22:32.280 --> 00:22:51.220 The first piece is to pass this resolution that was before the council stating that we do not want to accept Nordic's replacement offer 00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:56.340 and drop us from their contract. 00:22:56.340 --> 00:23:20.290 We can go to a different supplier, we can go back to ComEd, or there's a third program that MC Squared has that says we will give you a price guarantee that our price will not be any more than ComEd. 00:23:21.330 --> 00:23:28.810 And where the market's at, the uncertainty and the volatility of the market, that would be our next, our second. 00:23:28.810 --> 00:23:44.960 Tonight we would need to have the resolution go to the full council for your full review and discussion. Any questions? 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:50.260 Any questions. Alderman Stacy. 00:23:50.260 --> 00:24:07.580 Okay, so are you saying that the price you offered us when we agreed to a two-year account is no longer on the table? 00:24:09.820 --> 00:24:10.840 That's correct. 00:24:10.840 --> 00:24:31.950 Nordic cannot hold that price, nor can ComEd if they were at that price or any other supplier hold that price because of the capacity cost that's a regulated item is passed on to everyone. 00:24:31.950 --> 00:24:52.550 so we're running back to square one but Nordic wants us to notify them in writing that they do not want us to accept a replacement offer which is higher than other suppliers and currently it's higher than ComEd. 00:24:52.550 --> 00:25:19.460 Okay, so why not cancel the two-year contract and release the citizens back to comment, just like a letter came out, and if we did not say no, we were automatically changed. 00:25:19.460 --> 00:25:51.000 so now a letter needs to come out putting us back into the hands of ComEd and if we don't want that then we have to say no but the two the two-year contract is in violation am I correct it was a three-year consolation at the rate of 8.315 cents and that 00:25:51.000 --> 00:26:08.420 That contract is, like, NOIC is not going to, cannot hold that price, or they'll virtually cease to exist, because they just can't, they can't afford that. 00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:31.870 So, we need to pass the resolution that releases them, in other words, but for lack of a better term, no, we do not want your contract, nor your thing, so our residents and the council is free to look at an alternative 00:26:31.870 --> 00:26:49.750 So, Mike, it sounds like we need two motions tonight, one motion to do away with the Nordic Agreement and a second motion to have staff look at a secondary option for electrical supply for Freeport. Is that correct? 00:26:50.850 --> 00:26:56.070 That's correct. And that's what the other three entities are currently doing also. 00:26:57.470 --> 00:26:58.430 Alderman Sanders? 00:26:58.430 --> 00:27:15.170 Yeah, what about individuals, suppliers with Nordic, does that affect, I know we're talking about the city, but does that affect individuals that have signed up with Nordic, and is that the same thing? 00:27:15.170 --> 00:27:16.250 Yeah, that goes away 00:27:16.250 --> 00:27:17.410 That goes away 00:27:17.410 --> 00:27:22.490 Okay, because I've been having trouble with Nordic just here recently 00:27:22.490 --> 00:27:35.030 And I had to turn them in to the ICC of Illinois simply because some shady things were happening with my account 00:27:35.030 --> 00:27:43.510 And I had to, what I want to say, I had to make a complaint to the ICC department 00:27:43.510 --> 00:28:13.510 and they're working on this issue at this current time and so I am I am I would be glad to cancel my service with them if the ICC department does not follow the complaint and everything but the thing about it is the way that you're bringing it to the council and to the community of Freeport 00:28:13.510 --> 00:28:35.830 I think you've been a little disingenuine about the contract agreement with Freeport and the citizens of Freeport. I don't think we have all of the detailed information regarding to how you guys are providing service. 00:28:35.830 --> 00:28:58.210 and now I'm looking at the fact that the rate can possibly go from six point to ten point and I understand that you want to cancel this but the point is we had an agreement until what month was that, May, for two years? 00:28:58.210 --> 00:29:27.970 Two more years. It's a three-year agreement. Three years. And you want to cancel that. Well, are you being fair to the people at that rate when ComEd is trying to and other suppliers are trying to raise that rate at least 10 above and we don't even know how we're going to deal with another supplier? Is that a problem I believe that we're going to have down the road, down the line? 00:29:28.210 --> 00:29:55.990 and so if that is the case it would be appropriate to receive a letter in writing that your reasoning for justifying what you want to do and as far as I am concerned council is not really obligated to be doing this today we can suspend this or sustain this if not okay Mike we have to move it to a regular 00:29:55.990 --> 00:30:17.140 We have to move it to a regularly scheduled council meeting. Council meeting. Okay. Yep. Well, I tell you what, I am going to wait for that to happen. Alderman Stacy. I would like to ask City Manager Boyer, this piece of paper that he's speaking about that was received that we're supposed to be looking at, do you all have it? 00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:38.480 I'm going to refer to Mike on that one. Essentially what we're doing here is Nordic is saying they can't support the contract that was previously approved. They're asking to be voluntarily released from their contractual agreement and we're looking at whether or not A, to release B, then what do we do from there? 00:30:38.480 --> 00:31:04.860 Okay, I understand all that, but I'm asking about the piece of paper that he said that he sent to you and Ms. Dovie Anderson, and why isn't that paper available for us to see? We, the council, and the citizens deserve the right to see the breakdown and understand exactly what he's saying. 00:31:04.860 --> 00:31:35.720 So what is it going to take for us to get a copy of that paper? Adjudicator. Yeah, that's what we're going to need. We're going to do so. We'll get it to you right away. Thank you. Thank you. So with that said, do we, it sounds like we need a motion to, Attorney Zito, go. Right. So I think what Mike is asking for is a motion be made that a resolution be put on the next council agenda. 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:42.760 basically, for lack of a better term, ending the agreement with Nordic and then authorizing 00:31:42.760 --> 00:31:48.560 staff to move forward at looking at alternatives to potentially replace Nordic. 00:31:49.940 --> 00:31:51.740 Quick question for city manager. 00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:53.140 One second. 00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:56.420 That's correct. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:31:57.360 That's correct. 00:31:57.600 --> 00:32:02.820 You'll be able to see this agenda item on the full council. 00:32:02.820 --> 00:32:09.060 and then also we can discuss alternatives. 00:32:10.060 --> 00:32:28.440 My thinking with the way the market is and so on and so forth, ComEd or a company guaranteeing a price guarantee with the same price as ComEd would be a good place to be in the next year because there's a lot of uncertainties out there in the market. 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:49.580 and the best thing that we can do for the citizens and the small businesses of the city of Freeport is to look at ComEd or price guarantee from the supplier as a safe harbor until the whole energy market activity settles down. 00:32:49.580 --> 00:33:22.150 That's just my opinion, and we want to do the best. We want to do the best for that. And as far as the comments about, no one expected the auction results that was fully regulated to come out so high as what they would normally be, which essentially is going to add three cents on to the comment rate. 00:33:22.750 --> 00:33:26.350 and it's adding $0.03 on to the supplier's cost. 00:33:29.370 --> 00:33:32.190 So that's the real world that we're in. 00:33:32.510 --> 00:33:38.680 No one had any control over that time. 00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:47.310 Yeah, I think there's two things that have really impacted this significantly. 00:33:47.530 --> 00:33:52.850 A, the adoption of, you know, electric automobiles, things like that, 00:33:52.890 --> 00:33:57.790 but these data centers that are being spun up for AI-driven information 00:33:57.790 --> 00:34:27.790 are expanding at rates that are unbelievable in some areas around us and they're drawing an intense amount of energy but there's other reasons too but I think what we need now is a motion to put this on a regularly scheduled agenda item to do away with the agreement we have currently with the current provider and with Nordic, thank you, and also a 00:34:27.790 --> 00:34:56.790 and we'll deal with that one first. So moved. Second. Okay. And then we'll also along with that get a motion for staff, city manager and staff to come up with a plan B for us kind of moving forward. Is that still so moved? Second. Alderman Clem and Alderman Simmons. Sellers? Or Sellers, I'm sorry. I had the S right. 00:34:56.790 --> 00:35:15.730 and we have a question. Yes, let me, yeah, can we move this to executive session? No. We can't do that. Okay, so it'll be the next council meeting. The next council meeting. Okay. Anybody else before we, I'm going to go ahead and take a roll. Okay. 00:35:17.210 --> 00:35:28.220 We are doing roll or just voice? What attorneys do? Okay, sure. Do you want to start it? I would be happy to. Thank you, ma'am. 00:35:28.580 --> 00:35:58.560 to vote first. Sure. What do you say? Aye. Simmons. Aye. Parker. Aye. Stacey. Abstain. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Clem. Aye. The motion passes. Six to one with one absentia. Seven zero one. Thank you very much. You're welcome. Math in my head is not my strong suit. That's awesome. So that'll carry over to the next regularly scheduled meeting. 00:35:58.580 --> 00:36:04.920 Item number, Mike Mudge, thank you again for joining us remotely and explaining kind of the situation to us 00:36:04.920 --> 00:36:11.820 Thank you everyone for providing me the time to go down this path and share it with you, thank you 00:36:11.820 --> 00:36:13.460 Thank you, sir, have a good night 00:36:13.460 --> 00:36:18.720 Item number eight is a discussion regarding firefighter health and safety screenings 00:36:18.720 --> 00:36:25.540 Presented by Chief Miller, there's a memo as well as a screening of UDS screening view agreement 00:36:25.540 --> 00:36:55.120 or Chief Steakle. Says Miller on here. Yeah. Thank you, Alder, Perce Monroe. I'm here tonight to, on Chief Miller's behalf, he's finishing up with the COVID and will be able to return to us here shortly, but this was very important to our members and he wanted me to make sure that we presented this to you. 00:36:55.540 --> 00:37:25.420 I'll probably need a little assistance from Mr. Zito in what this will may or may not have to form into in the end but I'll just go forward with Chief Miller's thoughts. To the Honorable Mayor and members of City Council from Scott Miller, Fire Chief, dated March 4th, this subject is firefighter health and safety discussion. The background, Freeport Fire Department has been proactively taking measures to 00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:55.400 to identify and minimize potential exposure to occupational hazards within the fire service. PFAS, or known as forever chemicals, have been identified as potential carcinogenic sources. Discussion. The department has adopted several policies to diminish exposure to various carcinogens. Current practices include prompt extracting, which is laundering of our turnout gear after every fire, changing out our protective hoods that protect our head and neck. 00:37:55.420 --> 00:38:25.400 neck areas and inhalation pathways of smoke particles via our SCBA. Additionally, the fire department has eliminated all storage and use of toxic firefighting foam and replaced with an environmentally safe class A firefighting foam. The department has also been budgeting for the last two budget cycles to replace firefighting turnout gear that has been identified as having our current gear as having trace amounts 00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:54.920 of PFAS fibers within the outer shell in the internal vapor barrier. The fire service has yet to develop a set, in the textile industry, a set of turnout gear that is completely free of these PFAS fibers to date. We are monitoring the development currently of turnout gear and closely meeting with representatives from each manufacturer to try to understand the timeline. 00:38:55.420 --> 00:39:01.740 for when we can possibly purchase the safest gear available. Members of the department and the 00:39:01.740 --> 00:39:06.600 safety department safety committee have researched this topic and have found that the Freeport Fire 00:39:06.600 --> 00:39:16.000 Department has adopted to now industry best practices. In addition to reduction of PFAS exposure, monitoring 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:23.400 and testing of air quality have proven to reduce firefighter mortality by early testing and health 00:39:23.400 --> 00:39:29.660 examination specifically related to firefighting operations. Such examinations include blood 00:39:29.660 --> 00:39:37.280 testing, x-rays, and ultrasound examination of certain organs. The request we are making, members of the 00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:42.720 department have looked into various health and safety testing companies and have approached the 00:39:42.720 --> 00:39:49.740 department's foreign fire insurance board to authorize and sponsor health exams for the testing of 45 members 00:39:49.740 --> 00:39:53.780 of our department. The safety committee is recommending contracting. 00:39:53.780 --> 00:40:21.680 Committee is recommending contracting with United Diagnostic Services, UDS, for on-site firefighter health screening. Funding. Funding would be available from the Foreign Fire Insurance Board. The total cost is estimated to be $14,625. The Foreign Fire Insurance Board has approved the expenditure to not exceed the sum of $16,000. 00:40:21.680 --> 00:40:33.440 Dollars. This meets with a strategic plan for safe and inclusive community. And I'd be happy as much as I am able to answer any questions you might have. 00:40:34.560 --> 00:40:35.720 Alderman Sanders. 00:40:35.720 --> 00:40:51.460 Yeah, just wanted to understand that at the current state right now, are we going through the screenings on an annual? 00:40:51.680 --> 00:41:21.660 How is it done? After every fire? How is that process? Currently, we do not do this type of screening. So UDS is an ultrasound cancer screening that detects the 10 most common health conditions and cancers found in the firefighters. This is an early detection screening. Once the screening is done, if there are any health concerns or issues detected from the screening, this company will also help the firefighters. 00:41:21.680 --> 00:41:51.560 Firefighters out by letting them know and know the next steps and help them to find the right person. Cancer right now is one of the most prevalent things in firefighting right now. I believe 72% of what are considered line of duty deaths are related to cancer right now in this industry. Go ahead. And to finalize, to answer your question, we do not currently do any 00:41:51.560 --> 00:42:21.440 screening of this type within our business. Okay. The committee, the board or whoever, is this request something that you guys are making after we're discussing this matter tonight? Are you guys are going to continue screenings and have a regular type of scheduling program going on that will subject all of the firefighters to these types of screenings where they're, you know, 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:41.060 Since the insurance is there and the funding is there, it would be appropriate for us to continue a regular type of schedule on the screening process because we don't want guys sick and not notifying anyone about what's going on in our lives. 00:42:41.060 --> 00:42:50.900 Yeah, thank you. Thanks for asking that. This is currently the first screening. We have yet to determine whether or not this will be annual or 00:42:50.900 --> 00:43:20.140 every two years. This will be the baseline. This will be the first for us. But it is the hopes of the safety committee that we can continue to do this in an ongoing basis. This will keep our people safer in the long run. And it will, you know, any cancer that's caught early is much easier to manage and to deal with if you find it early rather than you're into stage three or stage four. 00:43:20.140 --> 00:43:49.980 absolutely not aware of that so all right yes that's chief chief Stiekel a question for you so many years ago we went through something similar you know in buildings with wrapped pipes you know the same type is washing the gear is consistently treating and does the gear need to be replaced more often is it is it like dislodging the fibers you know is it presenting a greater 00:43:49.980 --> 00:44:19.260 risk doing some of the things that we're doing or do we know yet? That's a loaded question and I'll answer it as best as I'm able to. So we are taking seriously our gear. Some of what we're experiencing with the PFAS is baked in the cake, literally. Anything that makes firefighting gear waterproof so that it sheds water or it doesn't allow 00:44:19.980 --> 00:44:49.740 petrochemicals to be absorbed into the material, things like that are the very products that have the PFAS in it. PFAS is essentially any forever chemicals is what makes something waterproof. And so the industry is trying at all speed to deal with this. I'm aware of the fact that I believe the state of Illinois is going to make it illegal to purchase 00:44:49.740 --> 00:45:18.760 turnout gear that is not PFAS free in the year 2027. With the caveat, if the technology has not been found yet in the textile industry to make that possible, they would extend that on a year by year basis. This seems to be where the industry is heading. It is happening with great certainty out on the East Coast. Large cities are already pushing this forward. 00:45:18.760 --> 00:45:48.740 they recognize on our department we're taking the steps to get guys out of their gear if they're not in a fire if it's not necessary fire once conditions are safe you know get your gear off and stuff like that the things that we can change out that touch our skin that's mostly exposed our necks and our heads and stuff like that you know we're putting greater emphasis in on cleaning after the fire with wipes as soon as we get done putting all our gear back to the fire. 00:45:48.760 --> 00:46:16.200 together and we're back in shape, getting back to the stations and showering. You know, we're utilizing all the best practices we can. Some fire departments are putting saunas in because that's where the industry is going. That's not where we're at right now, but we're doing everything short of that. So again, we're already meeting with manufacturing reps. We're trying to find out where the industry is at, where it will go. 00:46:16.200 --> 00:46:42.660 There is a lot of language out there that suggests that gear, no additional PFAS is added, known PFAS, a key term, but they won't, no one will actually tell you that their gear is PFAS free right now. And I actually believe personally that if the golden unicorn were to be found, everybody would be the path to its door. 00:46:42.660 --> 00:47:15.160 Thank you. Any other questions? Do we have a motion to move this forward? So moved. Second. We have Alderman Clem. Yes, because there's an agreement with U.S. UDS. UBS. UDS. That wouldn't be approved by the Foreign Fire Board? It already was, right? They've authorized the payment there, but the agreement, there's an agreement with the city of Freeport also. Okay. So we have Clem and Sellers. 00:47:15.580 --> 00:47:18.700 voice vote okay for this one. 00:47:19.520 --> 00:47:21.360 All of those in favor, please say aye. 00:47:21.600 --> 00:47:21.900 Aye. 00:47:22.460 --> 00:47:22.920 Opposed? 00:47:23.640 --> 00:47:24.540 Motion carries. 00:47:24.660 --> 00:47:25.200 8 to nothing. 00:47:25.540 --> 00:47:26.920 Thank you very much, council. 00:47:26.940 --> 00:47:27.200 Welcome. 00:47:27.360 --> 00:47:27.760 Thank you. 00:47:28.860 --> 00:47:39.060 Discussion regarding ordinance amending various parts of city of Freeport code of ordinances regarding the regulation of wells and septic systems presented by the 00:47:39.060 --> 00:47:40.960 other Steekel tonight from Fair Graham. 00:47:42.140 --> 00:47:42.620 Yes, sir. 00:47:43.480 --> 00:47:45.560 So I want to give just a hair of agia. 00:47:45.580 --> 00:48:15.560 background before I get into the memo. So the city of Freeport currently we do have some wells and septics within the city limits. Those are at residence mostly that are grandfathered in until they don't work anymore. So we already have within our codes and ordinances that you can't replace a septic and you can't replace a well at this time. So I'll get into the background here. The public works staff of the city of Freeport conducts ordinance audits throughout the year. 00:48:15.580 --> 00:48:45.200 I've been pretty adamant about doing this here in 2025. I have one of our staff members combing through all of the water and sewer ordinances. A recent audit determined that the ordinances concerning private wells and septic systems within the city of Freeport show they are outdated and pose potential risks to the city's water supply. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is requesting all municipalities renew codes and ordinances to limit potential contamination and liability 00:48:45.200 --> 00:48:52.100 to city serve drinking water aquifers by updating these ordinances to 2025 protection standards. 00:48:52.760 --> 00:49:07.260 Freeport has recently invested over $20 million in drinking water wells due to forever chemical contamination issues and this ordinance revision is another method in securing the water supply for all the residents and businesses in Freeport. 00:49:07.720 --> 00:49:15.180 I also would like to remind you that we're on the cusp of bidding a new well and well house as well that doesn't even count in those estimates. 00:49:15.200 --> 00:49:45.200 So the discussion point is the city's making significant progress in improving water quality and continually seeks to provide citizens with safe and clean drinking water. To achieve this, the city adheres to strict regulations and guidelines set forth by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, excuse me, and the Federal United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Department of Public Health. The proposed changes to this ordinance align with the regulatory agencies and enhance our city's ability to manage 00:49:45.200 --> 00:49:51.880 and its stressors and competing demands for our water supply and address potential pollutant sources. 00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:55.380 potential pollutant sources. These changes will also eliminate the possibility of potential 00:49:55.380 --> 00:50:01.860 contamination from unidentified sources within the city. So essentially we're trying to protect our 00:50:01.860 --> 00:50:07.940 investment in our water. The city and the residents and the council have made significant improvements 00:50:07.940 --> 00:50:14.340 and we want to make sure that we stay there. There is no financials for this. This is just updating an 00:50:14.340 --> 00:50:22.240 ordinance that's currently on the books, and the staff recommends that we move forward at the next 00:50:22.240 --> 00:50:28.580 meeting and adopt this, and it will support the other codes and ordinances that we already have in place 00:50:28.580 --> 00:50:34.440 throughout the codified ordinances now. It's just not really clear to people that are coming to town that 00:50:34.440 --> 00:50:43.520 we don't allow wells or septics. Alderman Sanders. Is it so for discussion? Yeah. Okay. 00:50:43.520 --> 00:51:08.460 Director, Darren, what prompting this when you're talking about contaminations and the fact that we're ready to invest so many millions of dollars to do a relocation of the existing well, what is prompting this? 00:51:08.460 --> 00:51:26.040 because I heard the term contamination. Are we having a contamination issue at this current time with our water supply and the distribution of our water supply throughout the city? Are we having an issue with that? 00:51:26.900 --> 00:51:31.640 No. Unequivocally, no, we don't have an issue. We had an issue. It's been resolved. 00:51:31.800 --> 00:51:32.580 It has been resolved. 00:51:32.580 --> 00:51:54.700 Yep, and we've been talking about that for several years with the addition of Well 11, then when it came online, we have completely eliminated those sources, they're in emergency standby, that's why we still need one more water plant, right, so we currently do not serve Brick Street to the system unless there's an emergent need, so it's kept on standby only 00:51:54.700 --> 00:52:04.420 Yeah, there is a funding program to install this new well that you're requesting that we're opting to do 00:52:04.420 --> 00:52:12.160 There is a lot of funding in place, not completely funded, but $13.2 million is what we've secured for the new well 00:52:12.160 --> 00:52:16.060 And this is not going to cost the taxpayers anything at this time 00:52:16.060 --> 00:52:20.640 This ordinance change is just a housekeeping event for the city of Freeport 00:52:20.640 --> 00:52:48.920 This has nothing to do with anything but protecting the city water supply within the city. The county also has ordinances which right now they have a setback of a thousand feet around the perimeter of the city line so nobody can drill a well within this thousand feet of the city and this is just something that is not clear to people that are coming here because it's embedded within some of our other codes and we want to be clear that wells and septics will no longer be acceptable in the city. 00:52:48.920 --> 00:53:12.940 We serve, I did a quick little study, which I know you're going to be proud of, right? We serve, without the exception of the west end of Stevenson Street, we serve water to almost every corner of Freeport, or we have the ability to get water there now. With the exception of that one leg of Stevenson Street, that's the only kind of area that we don't connect city water to right now. 00:53:12.940 --> 00:53:16.040 So there is a study in progress at this time. 00:53:16.120 --> 00:53:16.880 It's right up here, buddy. 00:53:16.960 --> 00:53:17.780 It's right up there. 00:53:18.540 --> 00:53:20.400 What if you're not here tomorrow? 00:53:21.560 --> 00:53:22.780 You'll remember it, right? 00:53:24.100 --> 00:53:35.700 Well, my thing is, my thing is, we did a complete survey of the land, property, and everything that we want to do to installation and all of these things. 00:53:35.700 --> 00:54:07.300 there's, um, um, what I want to say, planned and scheduled for, for the progress to move it, proceed with it. We have all of that. That's why we approved it last week. Oh, okay. Okay. All right. Alderman Stacy. Yes, I have a couple questions. How many septic tanks do Freeport house? It's an unknown number. I would say 00:54:07.300 --> 00:54:16.560 We have about roughly 11,000 customers in Freeport, maybe, I don't know, maybe 5%. 00:54:16.560 --> 00:54:24.800 We still have some areas in the arcade I know that are still on septic. 00:54:25.560 --> 00:54:32.940 We had areas like Oak Hill where Greg lives, they were completely on septic until we did that. 00:54:33.060 --> 00:54:36.960 I believe some of the houses on Meadowbrook are still on septic that I know of. 00:54:37.300 --> 00:55:05.540 um that there's certain pockets of town that that still have septics are you saying that there's a potential risk if this language is not certainly yep and I'll explain that so please anybody that has a residential well those are not monitored by the city of Freeport directly those are homeowners property so anybody could go open one of those well caps unbeknownst to us 00:55:05.540 --> 00:55:11.000 Gover, you know, dump antifreeze or whatever they want. That would eventually silt down into the city's aquifer. 00:55:11.240 --> 00:55:17.700 That is the primary reason. It's health and water safety protection. The city of Freeport, our public 00:55:17.700 --> 00:55:24.080 work staff checks our water seven days a week. Various spots throughout the system to make sure that all 00:55:24.080 --> 00:55:30.360 the water is up to EPA standards, safe and drink, you know, drinking water. Somebody that could 00:55:30.360 --> 00:55:35.060 potentially contaminate or throw a bucket of oil down in the aquifer, that could cost the city 00:55:35.060 --> 00:55:41.440 residents millions of dollars just by look at what PFAS has done. We've spent 20 million now and we're 00:55:41.440 --> 00:55:46.300 heading for another 20 million. So what we're trying to do is make sure that the aquifer that we're taking 00:55:46.300 --> 00:55:52.100 our primary drinking source water out of has no contaminants, no potential. That's why the 00:55:52.100 --> 00:55:57.860 ordinances that we already have say wells that were within the city, once your well dries up or it needs 00:55:57.860 --> 00:56:02.120 repair, we're capping it off and you've got to connect to city water because we've already invested 00:56:02.120 --> 00:56:08.540 included in that city water. The other thing is an ancillary source of our drinking water is our fire 00:56:08.540 --> 00:56:13.480 protection, right? So if you are not on the city drinking water, you're really not paying for that 00:56:13.480 --> 00:56:17.420 infrastructure that's going in front of your house, but yet we're going to use it to put your house out. 00:56:17.780 --> 00:56:23.200 Everybody inside the city needs to share that cost, right? That's why we have the ready-to-serve fees 00:56:23.200 --> 00:56:28.500 that we've passed. This is just bringing everything all together, saying if you're in the city of Freeport, 00:56:28.500 --> 00:56:34.640 You're going to eventually connect to the city, right? Because your well is not going to last forever. Nobody's does. 00:56:36.340 --> 00:56:57.160 Alderman Clemmas, no, I was on turn. Okay, go ahead, I'm saying. Yeah, wasn't there a program to do the very thing that we're talking about right now in regards to septics and wells and the program was mandated by the federal government or, yeah, the state or? 00:56:57.160 --> 00:57:08.060 That was the Unsewered Communities Grant we've got. They want all septics and wells within corporate limits to be eliminated in every town, plus that 1,000-foot buffer. 00:57:08.460 --> 00:57:22.400 Okay, so what I understand you saying earlier that there was a 5% of those items still exist in the ground at this point in time. What are we doing to eliminate those? 00:57:22.400 --> 00:57:49.560 So actively we can't do anything until their systems fail. They're grandfathered in. They can keep their system as long as it's active, but septics don't last forever. So once they go to a replacement. Don't we have an ordinance? We can't force them to connect if they were already grandfathered in. But once they go for a renewal, we don't issue any more permits for wells or septics within the city, so they can't renew. Okay. Okay. Paul McClendon. 00:57:49.560 --> 00:57:59.300 However, if work's done in that area and the new water and sewer goes through there, they have the option to hook up at that time. 00:57:59.700 --> 00:58:07.340 Yeah, correct. So, stepping back, I should have, I guess I explained this. When we did Bradmar in town, there was people out there with wells and septics. 00:58:07.440 --> 00:58:19.440 When we do new installations of water and sewer, at that time, we do heavily discounted and even basically free connections of water and sewer at that time to the house. 00:58:19.440 --> 00:58:20.760 You didn't say free, did you? 00:58:20.760 --> 00:58:43.660 Well, we do it free to the right of way. We don't do it free on their property. It's up to each person to spend that money from their house to the street to connect, but we stub it to their house for nothing as part of the project. But there's also connection fees that we have, and connection fees are real fees that people pay to connect to the municipality's water or sewer system. 00:58:43.660 --> 00:58:59.340 When we're in an area and we renew the entire street, we run services to every property and we give them one time to connect that we don't charge them those fees. If they choose not to connect at that time, then they have to pay them the next, whenever they do hook up, they have to pay them at that time. 00:58:59.340 --> 00:59:08.000 Do we have a program for homeowners, residential property owners at the time that this kind of construction takes place? 00:59:08.000 --> 00:59:38.000 and if so that you find a lot of homeowners just can't pay that fee there should be a mechanism in place or program or something of that nature where they want to connect to the municipality but they can't afford to we need something in in orbit to allow them to do so people you know we've faced this throughout some of the projects we've done Alderman Sanders 00:59:38.000 --> 00:59:50.000 Realistically, that's a lending option from a bank. That's their choice to go to. The utility doesn't have the money nor the financing mechanism to finance homeowners on a five-year payment. 00:59:50.000 --> 00:59:54.020 owners on a five-year payment plan for their connection. You'll see the city, when we go 00:59:54.020 --> 00:59:59.660 through and do these connection plans under new, we are very reasonably charged for the work as in 00:59:59.660 --> 01:00:05.620 comparison to somebody renewing this with a contractor just doing it on their own. It's very, very expensive 01:00:05.620 --> 01:00:12.540 anymore. You can't hardly even do a sewer repair anymore without it costing $6,000. So we're very 01:00:12.540 --> 01:00:18.200 We are cognizant of that. We advertise. We get out. We publicly let people know, hey, we're coming. 01:00:19.040 --> 01:00:24.820 Now's the time to connect. We've had some people fight it, and they find out that it ends up costing 01:00:24.820 --> 01:00:29.700 more later. But this ordinance really brings everything full circle, right? We all live here. 01:00:29.760 --> 01:00:34.920 We want to protect the water. We don't want our water rates and sewer rates to continue to climb. 01:00:35.100 --> 01:00:40.540 If we get more contamination, I mean, it's up to all of us to pay for it. So this type of ordinance 01:00:40.540 --> 01:00:48.940 protects our system from anybody dumping anything into the ground. We have a lot of different codes that 01:00:48.940 --> 01:00:54.180 relate back to this type of ordinance, and really it's just a house cleaning item to make sure that it's 01:00:54.180 --> 01:00:59.700 very confident. And I will tell you, I didn't make this up on my own. I worked with Attorney Zito and 01:00:59.700 --> 01:01:03.980 Attorney Cox to come up with this, along with the compliance officer, and we all agreed that 01:01:03.980 --> 01:01:06.580 this met the matrix that we think we need. 01:01:07.920 --> 01:01:08.980 Autumn and Stacy. 01:01:09.860 --> 01:01:10.360 Yes. 01:01:10.720 --> 01:01:15.620 So are you saying rates are climbing due to contamination? 01:01:18.200 --> 01:01:18.840 No. 01:01:19.100 --> 01:01:29.200 I'm saying that we had to invest in new wells and new water plants, A, because they're 100 years old, and B, because of the location that they're at. 01:01:29.200 --> 01:01:59.100 the PFAS showed up in those wells and obviously as Scott just mentioned PFAS is the hot button for EPA anymore we can't we can't serve that in drinking water there's actually legal limits that you can serve we we've chosen not to do that to the residents and that's why we've shut that plant off and only have it in emergency backup we're we're trying to be as safe and as resident conscious as possible so that's why we we test that plant we actually flush that plant and don't turn the water over to the citizens we actually 01:01:59.100 --> 01:02:06.500 dump it just to keep it for emergency. Once Well 12 is completely done online and operating well, the Brick Street 01:02:06.500 --> 01:02:13.320 plant that has become the nemesis of it will be completely shut down and we'll have to go after 01:02:13.320 --> 01:02:24.210 a grant to remove it completely and whole. Any other questions, comments? No, I'm asking that you guys move this 01:02:24.210 --> 01:02:29.530 forward to the next meeting and I would like at the next meeting to ask if it's potential that we could 01:02:29.530 --> 01:02:31.070 Let's suspend the rules and adopt this. 01:02:31.730 --> 01:02:32.510 So moved. 01:02:32.870 --> 01:02:33.330 Go ahead. 01:02:33.530 --> 01:02:33.890 Second. 01:02:34.430 --> 01:02:35.330 I'll do the second. 01:02:35.990 --> 01:02:38.810 So we have Sellers and Clemm. 01:02:40.250 --> 01:02:44.070 Any additional conversation before we take a vote? 01:02:44.450 --> 01:02:58.680 I would like to make a motion that we gather and collect more information, we understand what the ordinance is saying and what is being asked, 01:02:58.680 --> 01:03:09.500 and at the meeting next week we can skip the rules or waive the suspension. 01:03:09.500 --> 01:03:12.000 Well, that's when we're not suspending the rules tonight. 01:03:12.180 --> 01:03:13.960 We have to do that at that meeting. 01:03:14.480 --> 01:03:17.380 But I don't want them to say, oh, at the cow, you are ready. 01:03:17.780 --> 01:03:19.600 No, it doesn't count. 01:03:20.300 --> 01:03:20.740 Correct? 01:03:21.060 --> 01:03:21.460 Correct. 01:03:21.720 --> 01:03:21.920 Okay. 01:03:22.920 --> 01:03:27.120 So tonight we'd just be moving this forward to the next regularly scheduled meeting 01:03:27.120 --> 01:03:31.980 and then we would have to take a vote to suspend the rules at that time when that meeting comes around. 01:03:33.040 --> 01:03:47.900 The only thing I would ask, and I'm fine with that motion totally, if you have questions please reach out to me during the week so we can get those answered because if you ask me next Monday I might not be prepared for the questions so I'm fine to get any answers you wish, I just need to know what they are. 01:03:49.020 --> 01:03:50.040 Okay, thank you. 01:03:50.080 --> 01:03:50.540 Sounds good. 01:03:51.320 --> 01:03:52.480 Regular voice vote? 01:03:53.660 --> 01:03:56.640 All of those members in favor say aye. 01:03:56.640 --> 01:04:22.690 Aye. Opposed? Motion carries 8-0. Item number 9, discussion regarding ordinance amending various, oh, wrong one. Item number 10, discussion regarding bike path status update involving the Freeport Park District, Highland Community College, and City of Freeport, presented by Alder Persons, Monroe, and Stacy. Do you want to start us off? 01:04:22.690 --> 01:04:54.270 Yes. I just wanted some discussion on where we're at with this matter. It was brought to the council. It failed. It was brought back to the council with Mayor Miller breaking the tie. It passed. The people running for Highland are talking about how it's already moving forward and in the process of 01:04:54.290 --> 01:05:01.430 and nothing has even been said or brought back to the council. So I would just like some information 01:05:01.430 --> 01:05:10.970 on where we're at with this. Manager Boyer. Thank you. As far as our current status, we applied for the ITEP 01:05:10.970 --> 01:05:22.500 last year. I believe that was August? Thereabout. Thereabout August. This is a two-year cycle and 01:05:22.500 --> 01:05:28.300 there hasn't really been any updates and we haven't received confirmation that the ITEP grant has been accepted. 01:05:28.680 --> 01:05:34.460 So you're saying it takes two years to find out if? 01:05:34.880 --> 01:05:44.980 I'm not saying it takes two years to find out but it's like a two-year process so as far as the acceptance is concerned I'm sure we'll hear something at some point very soon. 01:05:45.140 --> 01:05:52.400 Yeah we didn't submit till fall and we don't expect to hear I believe their time frames that they even put out is like summer of 01:05:52.400 --> 01:05:58.060 of 2025 before we'll find out and then you get two years to do it. So as the status of Freeport, I'm 01:05:58.060 --> 01:06:02.760 surprised by what you heard because I'm the main communication person and I've heard nothing and 01:06:02.760 --> 01:06:08.680 said nothing about this project. So the only thing that's moved forward is the memorandum of understanding 01:06:08.680 --> 01:06:14.040 that if we get the grant that all three partners would contribute to the match money. That is the 01:06:14.040 --> 01:06:19.520 only thing that's happened. There has been no design moving forward. There has been no action because 01:06:19.520 --> 01:06:26.320 there's no project without a grant. I thought you did a design. We just did a concept preliminary of the 01:06:26.320 --> 01:06:32.040 route, but we haven't done any design money or anything with that. You can't, IDOTs, their type 01:06:32.040 --> 01:06:37.580 of grants that they do, you can't do design, you can only do concepts. If you do grant, or if you do 01:06:37.580 --> 01:06:42.800 designs before the grant, you eliminate yourself from receiving the grant, so you actually have to 01:06:42.800 --> 01:06:48.760 pause and wait till you're awarded. Okay, so the $90,000 we paid you to do a design was not a design. 01:06:49.520 --> 01:06:53.300 I don't think you've paid me $90,000 for this. 01:06:53.700 --> 01:06:55.960 I don't believe we... 01:06:55.960 --> 01:07:01.860 You had said it was going to take six to eight months to do a design. 01:07:01.980 --> 01:07:05.040 They voted on just the design. 01:07:07.720 --> 01:07:08.260 I'm sorry. 01:07:08.420 --> 01:07:10.000 I don't know what you're talking about. 01:07:10.360 --> 01:07:11.160 When was it? 01:07:14.720 --> 01:07:19.540 There was no vote taken on you doing a design only. 01:07:20.120 --> 01:07:20.480 No, ma'am. 01:07:22.060 --> 01:07:26.230 Not on that project. 01:07:27.390 --> 01:07:31.210 Okay, so can you tell me what project am I mixing this up with? 01:07:31.310 --> 01:07:32.390 It might be the water main. 01:07:33.190 --> 01:07:33.670 No. 01:07:34.110 --> 01:07:34.330 No? 01:07:34.850 --> 01:07:35.130 No. 01:07:39.160 --> 01:07:40.420 Maybe you're right. 01:07:41.260 --> 01:07:44.560 The $90,000 sounds like the... 01:07:45.840 --> 01:07:47.300 Designed for the water main? 01:07:47.320 --> 01:07:48.180 For the water main, yeah. 01:07:48.380 --> 01:07:49.200 Forgive me. 01:07:49.780 --> 01:07:50.040 Yeah. 01:07:50.480 --> 01:07:51.020 Forgive me. 01:07:51.020 --> 01:07:52.280 I mean, it sounds close to that number, yeah. 01:07:52.280 --> 01:08:01.280 So it could be another year and a half before we even find out if we get that grant for the bike path 01:08:01.280 --> 01:08:10.400 I will say that I think we will find out sometime in the summer of 2025 whether we are awarded or denied, one of the two 01:08:10.400 --> 01:08:15.780 And then we'll have up to two years to design it and get it to construction 01:08:15.780 --> 01:08:17.240 That's the way those grants work 01:08:17.240 --> 01:08:19.280 Alderman Sanders 01:08:19.280 --> 01:08:21.580 Director Darren 01:08:21.580 --> 01:08:51.580 speaking of that bike route what I assume what I understood the last time we had this discussion is that this bike path is supposed to be something that highlights the whole city of Freeport or the residents of Freeport to have access to this bike path and that is not 01:08:51.580 --> 01:09:01.620 it's not designated for a particular area because there's no plan. If there's no plan, it's not set in stone yet. Am I correct? 01:09:02.540 --> 01:09:20.680 Not exactly. And I'll clarify because when you approved the grant submission for this particular project, there was a concept plan put out there. And this particular grant had, I believe, two or three key components. You had to tie to schools, you had to tie to neighborhoods, and you had to tie to shopping. 01:09:21.580 --> 01:09:47.960 and so the project that was laid out at that time was connecting from I'm going to call it West Cherokee Hills, Sandy Point area where there's the bike path out there going around Highland back down Pearl City Road through Reed Park and going out the back of Reed Park to connect to the mall area and then there was another leg that was shown that would connect out to the Walmart. 01:09:47.960 --> 01:09:51.320 was shown that would connect out to the Walmart segment, so there was actually walking or barry park. 01:09:51.400 --> 01:09:51.840 You mean Cray Park? 01:09:51.840 --> 01:09:52.800 Cray Park, yeah, excuse me. 01:09:52.800 --> 01:09:55.180 Okay, so that is not serving all of Freeport. 01:09:56.420 --> 01:10:01.220 We're talking about residential as well, am I correct? 01:10:01.860 --> 01:10:02.300 Yes. 01:10:02.300 --> 01:10:09.100 That is what my mindset was on when I last talked to you about that. 01:10:09.100 --> 01:10:19.880 does it cover the Freeport residents here in Freeport where it's not placed in a particular area where it only serve a few? 01:10:20.640 --> 01:10:27.660 And so my understanding was when we talked is that it will serve the residents of Freeport. 01:10:28.900 --> 01:10:30.380 That's my understanding. 01:10:30.460 --> 01:10:32.080 There's residents all over Freeport. 01:10:32.100 --> 01:10:32.920 Yeah, I understand. 01:10:32.920 --> 01:10:38.180 And that map was supplied with the packet that you voted on. 01:10:38.180 --> 01:11:08.160 we never give any of that without the packet so that was the entire route was laid out in the packet for the grant so I can't speak to what we talked about eight months ago but that path was completely laid out and that's what we voted on was the grant with those three partners because remember we're using Highland to help pay for the Highland portion we're using the park to help pay for the park portion right because we can't single-handedly absorb that much match money and or grant money. 01:11:08.180 --> 01:11:13.600 at the same time, so we had to bring partners. So what is the city portion of this discussion? 01:11:15.760 --> 01:11:21.980 What do we talk about then? Because if we're talking about shares, if we're talking about shares, then 01:11:21.980 --> 01:11:29.720 when you start... I believe it's a total match of $360,000, right? Yeah, but all of it, regardless 01:11:29.720 --> 01:11:36.440 where you're getting the grant, if the city of Freeport has to participate, are we a part of that 01:11:36.440 --> 01:12:00.420 Grant. If the city is part of that grant and inclusion of the residents, if this is coming from the city, whatever share the city is implementing for this program, we're talking taxpayers' dollars and more. Am I correct on this? 01:12:00.420 --> 01:12:02.580 I don't understand your point. 01:12:02.580 --> 01:12:12.420 My point is if the city begins to implement in this project program, it takes funding to do so. 01:12:12.880 --> 01:12:16.340 And if that is the case, where do those funds come from? 01:12:16.780 --> 01:12:21.580 So we committed $120,000 out of the $360,000 match in the city. 01:12:21.680 --> 01:12:23.900 Each partner's match, I believe, was $120,000. 01:12:24.900 --> 01:12:26.740 But where's the funding coming from? 01:12:26.880 --> 01:12:28.220 That's what we need to know. 01:12:28.220 --> 01:12:34.960 General Fund, City, Freeport General Fund, that was what was assigned in the MOU that the council approved. 01:12:35.520 --> 01:12:36.800 Okay, okay. 01:12:37.140 --> 01:12:43.760 And that's what's in the budget for when the project, if we are awarded the, if we're not awarded, then it won't be used. 01:12:43.760 --> 01:12:45.140 It's year over year. 01:12:45.480 --> 01:12:49.300 It'll revolve back into the central. 01:12:49.740 --> 01:12:55.160 Well, these types of grants are only available every other year. They're not available, they're only available on the even use. 01:12:55.160 --> 01:12:56.680 I'm talking about the city funding. 01:12:56.680 --> 01:13:26.660 yeah so when we did this strategic planning of the budget we budgeted some money in 25 and some money in 26 to spread it out because it's not going to get done in one year right and the way these grants work is the city has to expend their match money and Highland and the park would have to expend their match money before you'd get any grant money right the the match money gets spent first okay yep any additional questions any comments this does not 01:13:26.660 --> 01:13:55.660 Do not need a motion to move forward, so we will move on to item number 11, discussion regarding status update on the water main extension on West Stevenson Street, including open Bible. Alderman Stacy, would you like to? Thank you. Yep. Alderman Monroe, and it should have read, discussion regarding status update on the open Bible water main. 01:13:56.660 --> 01:14:30.240 That's what it should have read. And so I would like to know where we're at with that process. Director, Darren, our city manager, Boyer. Sure, I'd be happy to update you. First of all, the water main extension, it does provide water to Open Bible, but it also provides water to approximately 10 households and also Highlands Project 01:14:30.240 --> 01:15:00.220 project research field there. With that being said, the permit was submitted. What was that last part? Highland is working on a field, like a research field there to the east of the Open Bible property in between the park and Open Bible. So there's going to be bathroom facilities and things that that water would go to. With that being said, the permit was approved by the IEPA and we're currently 01:15:00.220 --> 01:15:33.160 working on a plan to bring to before council to construct that. Okay, so when were we going to find out that it was approved? When was it approved? We're just saying the permit was approved, not construction. So Illinois EPA has to approve our design plans to be constructible, which they've done. Nothing else has been done. Okay, that's what I'm saying. When was the design plans approved? 01:15:33.380 --> 01:15:55.040 Uh, January, I believe. Huh? In January, they were approved, and we've been looking for funding since then. And so why couldn't we receive an update on that? And it's like you've already planning, and we have not gone that far. You're planning for Stevenson Street, you're planning for Open Bible, now you're planning for Highland. 01:15:55.040 --> 01:16:04.640 Council approved the putting together the plan submitting for the permit with the IEPA that's what we've done 01:16:04.640 --> 01:16:13.400 we approved for the design Darren did only we we approved for design and that was part of submitting to the EPA to get a permit 01:16:13.400 --> 01:16:23.660 okay but you just named three different avenues that's moving forward I simply redefined the title of this which is 01:16:23.660 --> 01:16:35.460 Yes, Open Bible. It's also several, probably seven homes and Highland College's research plot. So I just wanted to make sure that was clear. 01:16:35.460 --> 01:16:52.620 Okay. You can make sure that that's clear. However, when it was brought to the council, we were asked to put in a water main at Open Bible because 25 years ago, 01:16:53.660 --> 01:17:41.840 the public works person shook hands with a principal and said the city would do it for free. And when we didn't go for it, then you started adding Stevenson Street, then you started adding nine or 10 other residents. And my questions, Director Darren, 01:17:41.840 --> 01:18:04.920 about this ordinance and the language change was all due to this question because what's going to happen now to open Bibles well so that we don't have no choice but to give them a water main? 01:18:04.920 --> 01:18:34.900 so just to be absolutely clear with everyone item number nine has nothing whatsoever to do with open Bible or their well they have a well they are grandfathered in to have that well and they can have it as long as it works it has nothing to do with this item whatsoever that other ordinance pertains to everything within the city limits I had nothing in mind with open Bible whatsoever with this situation so I want to 01:18:34.900 --> 01:18:54.260 I want to be absolutely and totally clear. One has nothing to do with the other. Open Bible gets to keep that well as long as they don't have city water, because when we bring water up there, they'll have the ready-to-serve fee if they don't connect, which obviously they will, but until we bring it there, they have the right to keep that well. 01:18:54.500 --> 01:18:58.260 And anybody that connects is at their expense 100 percent? 01:18:58.260 --> 01:19:28.240 to yeah they will have to connect from the right-of-way so again when we build water mains we run new water main which is our responsibility and the services we run them to every house to the right-of-way that is our responsibility as a city that's what we own and then the connection from that piece to the house that becomes the owner's cost no matter who it is we we can't that's spending public money on private property and we can't do that. 01:19:28.260 --> 01:19:32.530 Alderman Sanders? 01:19:33.010 --> 01:19:36.570 Um, let me, let me help you out. 01:19:37.570 --> 01:19:37.890 Um. 01:19:38.330 --> 01:19:39.210 I need a lot of help. 01:19:39.510 --> 01:19:39.810 Yeah. 01:19:40.130 --> 01:19:43.790 Yeah, because as we're speaking, things are changing. 01:19:43.790 --> 01:19:45.990 The same, uh, the same, uh. 01:19:45.990 --> 01:19:53.680 the same the same information we talked about last year about this particular program and we did not go forward with it. 01:19:54.480 --> 01:19:56.720 The languages are still changing. 01:19:57.320 --> 01:20:00.480 What was said back then is not being said today. 01:20:01.160 --> 01:20:02.480 But my thing is. 01:20:04.760 --> 01:20:12.020 What is prompting this water main at one point some million dollars to be installed? 01:20:12.020 --> 01:20:41.780 first of all, what is prompting this taxpayer's dollars for running such a water main if we're not obligated to put a water main down this particular, I don't know how many feet it is or whatever it is, but whatever it is, it's not something that taxpayers just want to take 1.7 million dollars and just stick it in the ground just to stick it in the ground unless we're 01:20:42.020 --> 01:20:56.300 unless we're requested to do so, a purpose for it, unless we're obligated, if there's a mandate that the city is liable to do this, where is this coming from? 01:20:57.040 --> 01:21:07.360 Who is making this motion that we do such a thing to install something in the ground that specifically don't serve anyone 01:21:07.360 --> 01:21:17.060 before it is even put in the ground at one point some million dollars. My thing is, why are we opening up the ground 01:21:17.060 --> 01:21:25.620 for one point some million dollars just to stick a pipe in there? I'd like to answer that. Yeah, go ahead. 01:21:25.620 --> 01:21:32.860 So there is absolutely some confusion with this council, and it's getting very taxing. No, I'm talking right now. 01:21:32.860 --> 01:22:02.720 You can respond. There is no intent to build this main at this time. Nobody's asked to build it. Nobody has ever said we're building it. We designed it so we could have it shovel ready, which is where we're at right now. If you go back to the comments from when we approved the design, we said we would move it forward, get it shovel ready, get it EPA permitted, and look for funds to do it. That is where we're at. That is what we've done. We've fulfilled our promise. 01:22:02.860 --> 01:22:21.260 Nobody's asking to build this today. Nobody's asking to build it tomorrow. We're trying to figure out a way to get it done. We have been weekly shopping, if you will, for grants, looking for any avenue to get this paid for, and we have not been successful so far. So that's the status. 01:22:21.260 --> 01:22:50.720 Well, my thing is, why are we investing our time trying to install a water main that's not going to serve nobody currently, or what's the purpose of it for, it's not going to serve, why are we sticking it in the ground, that's 1.4 million or whatever million dollars that we're using of taxpayers' dollars to install something in the ground just to let it sit there until someone decides they want to connect to it, why are we doing that? 01:22:51.260 --> 01:23:08.280 Well, because if we build it, Open Bible's going to connect to it immediately because they've requested it. So you asked who requested it, they requested it. They requested it 25 years ago. There's 12 other residents of the city of Freeport that live in that corridor, and they will connect. 01:23:08.280 --> 01:23:16.700 They did not request that 25 years ago. It doesn't matter what they requested. Yeah, it does. No, it doesn't. It does matter. We have a responsibility. No, no, no. It does matter. Let them answer. 01:23:16.700 --> 01:23:42.380 We have a responsibility as the city of Freeport to feed our constituents water, potable water, if they want it. We have a responsibility. That's what these ordinances are right. They can't just go drill new wells. We're not going to let them. We have a responsibility to serve water and sewer to anyone within the city limits that wants it. That is our job as a municipality. That's why we charge for it. That's what utility rates are all about. 01:23:42.380 --> 01:24:12.360 What? Well, from my discussion and everything about this, they didn't want this water main to connect to initially. I don't know why you're digging up stuff that is not true. That's not true. Oh, okay. They wanted it. They wanted it. Okay. But they wanted it for free. Okay. They wanted it, but they wanted it for free. They wanted it at taxpayers' money, at dollars, and it's a not-for-profit. 01:24:12.380 --> 01:24:42.360 organization. My complaint was all the time is do the city accommodate any establishment entity at all if they're not for profit? We're in the business of installing things like that when it comes to other not for profit entities to invest taxpayers dollars to put in the ground just for the notion that an open Bible might want to connect to it because they still 01:24:42.360 --> 01:24:49.620 may not want to connect, as far as I know, but the point of the matter is, there's money going into the ground. 01:24:50.260 --> 01:24:50.880 Not yet. 01:24:51.200 --> 01:24:56.140 Yeah, well, that's the whole requesting, the whole premise of our discussion. 01:24:56.140 --> 01:24:58.760 Let me let Mayor Miller have a moment. 01:24:58.760 --> 01:25:02.780 I just want to bring a little clarity, just in discussions that I've had with the director there. 01:25:03.080 --> 01:25:05.280 They've never asked for something for free. 01:25:05.680 --> 01:25:11.460 They've always had the intent that when the line is there, they would be like anyone else, any other business, 01:25:11.460 --> 01:25:17.640 any other resident, any other school, whatever, that they will pay to connect up once we get it in that 01:25:17.640 --> 01:25:27.560 position. So they've never asked us to do it for free. I'm just curious if we're actually having 01:25:27.560 --> 01:25:32.800 discussion on the update of this or whether we're arguing in the point that isn't even in front of us 01:25:32.800 --> 01:26:08.030 Well, we're discussing the update. However, when it was first brought to the council, city manager Boyer asked us to do this for Open Bible for free. That's what he was asking, because we needed to respect what this community development person had to do. 01:26:08.050 --> 01:26:36.690 had promised, but as long as they were getting those inspections waived for not having a sprinkler system, it was okay, but when it came down to our firemen doing the inspection and realizing there was no water sprinkler, then the ball changed, and that was the 25 years later. 01:26:36.690 --> 01:27:07.610 Yeah, so I think we have discussed this area a lot and everybody involved, which is I think no one here admits that there's a major error 25 years ago that this didn't get pulled forward. We can't blame people that aren't here anymore and we fully take responsibility for it. 01:27:07.610 --> 01:27:16.470 I take responsibility for calling it the Open Bible Water Main Extension. That's completely my fault, 100% Darren Stiekel's fault. I called it that. 01:27:16.650 --> 01:27:18.130 That's what it was originally. 01:27:18.330 --> 01:27:20.690 That's because I didn't have a better name for it at the time. 01:27:20.950 --> 01:27:23.030 But that's what it came to council as. 01:27:23.410 --> 01:27:33.170 Yeah, but, but, so I just picked the name to put on the permit set. It wasn't a title. It wasn't a mission. It was just a name of the project. 01:27:33.170 --> 01:27:35.290 just like we named Adams Avenue. 01:27:36.290 --> 01:27:39.190 Is the city liable for that water main to be installed? 01:27:39.530 --> 01:27:42.390 Is there an ordinance saying that we're liable for that? 01:27:42.530 --> 01:27:44.190 We are responsible to serve water. 01:27:44.190 --> 01:27:45.570 No, answer my question. 01:27:45.790 --> 01:27:46.970 It's not a liable thing. 01:27:47.110 --> 01:27:47.970 Nobody else can install it. 01:27:47.970 --> 01:27:52.770 Are we liable as taxpayers to put that water main in that ground? 01:27:53.070 --> 01:27:53.970 Are we liable? 01:27:54.230 --> 01:27:55.110 Answer that question. 01:28:02.510 --> 01:28:07.830 I'm not going to get into it on open floor as to whether or not the city's obligated, responsible, 01:28:07.830 --> 01:28:12.590 be liable for something because that's not to the city's advantage to admit anything whatsoever, okay? 01:28:13.330 --> 01:28:21.750 So, but I will say that there are potential obligations of the city based off prior acts, comments, affirmations made by city staff back then. 01:28:22.490 --> 01:28:27.170 Whether or not a judge would say that we are absolutely responsible for it, I don't know unless until we're in court. 01:28:27.730 --> 01:28:33.030 I don't want to find out if we're in court, you know, necessarily. I don't think the city wants to necessarily go that route, but maybe it does. 01:28:33.030 --> 01:29:01.010 That's where you guys decide at the end of the day. There's a lot of talk around this project talking about, you know, should we do this? Are we obligated to do this? You know, from what was said in the past. At the end of the day, it really doesn't matter what happened in the past. It's good to know. I'm not saying that we should not talk about what happened in the past. But what it all boils down to is what the elected city council wants to do now. If you don't want to extend the water, don't extend the water. If you want to extend the water, extend the water. 01:29:01.010 --> 01:29:14.990 You can have whatever reason you want for it. Justification for how you vote, that's fine. But that's the bottom line. If the council votes to not move it forward, then you don't move it forward. But if you guys choose the majority says build it, then you build it. That's it. It's simple. 01:29:14.990 --> 01:29:44.050 Well, let me interject this miscaritization of what this is all about and what we're talking about to even be talking about it at this time on the floor. We have already visited that area. And what we're trying to do is bring something up where misinformation is being provided at this time. And so my thing is, I object to the fact that this is being brought before. 01:29:44.050 --> 01:30:01.960 that this is being brought before us again. Without understanding whether we are liable or there's an ordinance that we promised something or made an agreement, we have not seen anything in writing, we need to explore this a little bit more before we commit the taxpayers' money. 01:30:02.520 --> 01:30:03.620 We're not there, honey. 01:30:03.880 --> 01:30:04.120 Yeah. 01:30:04.240 --> 01:30:04.780 We're not there. 01:30:04.780 --> 01:30:05.980 We're not there yet? 01:30:06.100 --> 01:30:06.320 Okay. 01:30:06.480 --> 01:30:07.240 We're not there. 01:30:07.240 --> 01:30:08.520 I'd like to point out that- 01:30:08.520 --> 01:30:08.780 Hold on. 01:30:08.860 --> 01:30:09.820 Attorney Zito's on the floor. 01:30:09.820 --> 01:30:39.280 Sure. So at this time, Alderman Sanders, there's nothing being moved forward. What's on the agenda right now was simply an update. The nutshell summary of the update is that Fehr Graham has gone and designed the work, which is what was authorized by council, and then the permit's been issued, and now they are looking for funding for that. That was all that was agreed to back then, a few months ago there. 01:30:39.280 --> 01:31:04.480 If they find no funding, then it's going to have to come back to the council and say, hey, we didn't find any funding, what do you guys want to do? And then the council will decide, okay, well, if we didn't find funding, then maybe we vote and say, no, we're not moving forward. Or the council can say, well, even without funding, you know, we're going to find the money somewhere and we're going to move forward with it. That's up for you guys to decide at that time. That's not right now. 01:31:04.480 --> 01:31:33.560 I have to object with you, Attorney Zito. Rocky, that's how it is, honey. No, no, it isn't. That is how it is right now. Oh, okay. Well, what I'm trying to say is this. We're speaking as though we're going to make a move or vote for something that we have not even... We're not. Okay. Nothing's happening tonight. It was just a status update, where we're at, what's going on. 01:31:33.560 --> 01:32:02.820 That's all it was supposed to be. So we will move on to item number 12, discussion regarding the costs and impact of events on City of Freeport Services, presented by myself and Alderman Sanders. I'll start this off if that's okay. So there's been a lot of discussion about different events and things happening, you know, that in a lot of ways would require council 01:32:03.560 --> 01:32:33.540 You know, approval, as well as spending money on services, may it be police, fire, whatever it might be, city services, blocking roads, doing all the types of things it takes away from our daily tasks, the planning meetings, things like that. So the questions that really came to my mind, you know, what were the actual costs to the city for these events that we've done? You know, I've heard a lot of different things, you know, kind of back and forth, questions 01:32:33.540 --> 01:33:03.300 I had popped up was overtime, you know, things like that. Were there overtime? Were people scheduled to work those shifts? Did we bring in extra patrols? You know, did we, you know, put city services at, you know, a point that we, you know, probably needed more, you know, or was everything okay? And that's why I put this on here, put an end to the discussion and the concerns, hopefully be able to get to the bottom of where we are and, you know, what it actually cost us. 01:33:03.540 --> 01:33:33.360 and if this is something we should budget in on a regular basis or have discussions about, you know, moving forward because I have heard from a couple of people that, you know, I've heard, yes, we would approve anything for anybody who brought a festival or something forward, but I've also heard from other people that said they've been denied these services. So the question that I'm bringing to the table now is to have a conversation about, you know, what we spent on each of these, you know, what we kind of did and that's why, you know, 01:33:33.360 --> 01:34:04.940 I put on here, you know, just a couple just to have a conversation about city manager, mayor, fire chief, police chief kind of go over this because I, you know, I think our public works even, you know, because we are blocking streets are we are taking time to do things. There are clean up things like that. And I just wanted to make sure all of it was captured. Do we? I don't know if staff had a chance to kind of take a look and see if staff has actually not had a chance to look this over. 01:34:04.960 --> 01:34:12.940 and do the research necessary, and if it's council's will to move forward with an effort to do so, I'll be happy to comply. 01:34:13.420 --> 01:34:15.610 Ask a question. 01:34:15.770 --> 01:34:16.010 Sure. 01:34:17.010 --> 01:34:18.950 Why are we just picking these two? 01:34:19.030 --> 01:34:27.750 Why wouldn't we also want to look at what it would cost for, like, don't they do, like, cruise night, paint the port, you know, all those different activities that we have? 01:34:27.830 --> 01:34:31.310 That also takes city time, too, so why just these two? 01:34:31.310 --> 01:35:01.290 I think these two, it was more of a, I picked the two bigger events, the one that was, you know, out the county fairgrounds, we do have a lot of city police officers, we, you know, auxiliary other pieces, I know auxiliary doesn't have a cost to it, but just trying to understand from that kind of a standpoint, it was not necessarily to isolate these two organizations, it was more of just to pick one that was a for-profit, which I didn't even know before I started looking into this, that Stevenson County Fair wasn't part of Stevenson. 01:35:01.310 --> 01:35:07.670 County, it's a Stevenson County Fair Association, which is a for-profit entity, not a not-for-profit 01:35:07.670 --> 01:35:10.230 entity, and Freeport Festival, because it's... 01:35:10.230 --> 01:35:12.130 The gentleman says wrong. 01:35:17.510 --> 01:35:26.710 Okay, interesting. So that would be wrong on there. Okay, understood there. But the other was the Freeport 01:35:26.710 --> 01:35:33.190 Festival does take a lot more, well, I would say cruise night also takes quite a bit. So, you know, I would 01:35:33.190 --> 01:35:38.350 I'd like to make a motion, at least at this point. I know you've got questions, but I'll let you ask a question. 01:35:38.470 --> 01:35:59.930 Yeah, I just wanted to chime in on this one to find out who's organizing the festivals and cruise nights and things of this nature because there's fundings that has to be exhausted in order to conduct these type of events. 01:35:59.930 --> 01:36:21.050 So my thing is who's organizing it, what committee that's in charge of it, and any monies that are being fundable to these particular programs or these events, where the funding's coming from, and who's the oversight or overseers of these particular events. 01:36:21.050 --> 01:36:50.510 I like to get right down to the basics of how we got here. How we got here and how it was organized, that explained a lot of things to me, to understand what is really happening and how we get where we're at and why we're having these events and who's constructing them. That's what I like to understand. Who are the individuals that are making these proposals that we should have these events? I like to get right to the basics. 01:36:50.510 --> 01:37:20.090 of the foundation of it, you know, and which right now we're just floating over things and just letting it happen and we can't do that. We have to, we got to hold whoever it is responsible for the outcome and not only that, the managing of the funds and how it is dispersed. Where, where's these funds coming from? Because taxpayers that are involved in this some kind of way, but I have not explored it completely. 01:37:20.510 --> 01:37:26.270 But the thing about it is we need to know where the nuts and bolts are that's operating this machine 01:37:26.270 --> 01:37:28.410 So 01:37:28.410 --> 01:37:36.950 So what would you need, Manager Boyer, to kind of move forward with direction on this to kind of pull forward at least 01:37:36.950 --> 01:37:44.410 Since it sounds like everything is not for profit, to pull forward, you know, what each of these events cost the city 01:37:44.410 --> 01:37:49.550 How much time would you need, you know, what would it take to pull this together 01:37:49.550 --> 01:37:55.550 I think just the authorization to direct staff to do the research and come back with the report. 01:37:56.130 --> 01:37:57.170 How much time? 01:37:58.050 --> 01:37:58.830 A couple of months. 01:37:59.290 --> 01:38:01.850 It could be a little while. I'm not precisely sure. 01:38:03.810 --> 01:38:07.510 And just for a point of clarity, are you talking about everything that's permitted? 01:38:10.360 --> 01:38:13.720 By state, I don't understand the question. 01:38:13.720 --> 01:38:32.000 Well, the clerk receives a lot of permits from the Memorial Day Parade to, you know, music on Chicago stuff to, I mean, there's just a ton of things that are permitted that are you looking at, I mean, if you're going to evaluate, you might as well evaluate everything 01:38:32.000 --> 01:39:01.980 Sure. Well, my one concern is the taxpayers are involved in these events. To what extent? To what extent are the taxpayers are paying for these events? I don't care what it is that the city is doing, what entity, whatever organization doing anything, where does the taxpayers at the end of the day, where are their fundings, where are the fundings for these events? 01:39:02.000 --> 01:39:31.860 and programs. Where is it coming from? Go ahead. I'd just like to, as long as we're discussing this and adding everything in the world into it that we've never talked about before, I'd like to also see how much money this brings into the city of Freeport for all the businesses and everything else that's been mentioned by the two or three people that spoke beforehand. Tourism dollars are a big thing here and last year I believe we bought 01:39:31.860 --> 01:39:42.000 $50-some million worth in. So I think that justifies some of this, but as long as we're looking at what everything costs and why we're doing everything, let's 01:39:42.000 --> 01:40:09.980 and why we're doing everything. Let's take a look at how beneficial it is to us. Yeah, I don't disagree with that. I think the concern right now is that we don't know if we spend $10 or, you know, $10 million. We have no clue how many dollars are being spent on these events, personnel, hours, you know, vehicle time, you know, all of that. And I do think there, you know, whenever you're running a business, there is a cost-benefit analysis that goes into this. And, you know, we want to make sure 01:40:09.980 --> 01:40:39.800 that what we're doing is in the best interest of Freeport. And quite honestly, Cruise Night, this is my opinion, everybody's got an opinion, Cruise Night used to be a lot better than it is. Now it's all spread out. It's not as tight. There used to be a lot more stuff going on downtown. It was kind of an afterthought. But I think what we've had, some of these events have been really positive for the city. Others haven't been. And I think it's wise to at least step back and at least have the conversation. 01:40:39.980 --> 01:41:06.880 to look into do we want to continue to do all of these different events and are we using a fair amount of taxpayer dollars to make these happen that we could be putting toward, you know, the question came up a few weeks ago about $25,000 for lights. Where's that going to come from? Well, if we're spending $25,000 on something that isn't bringing as much to the city as we'd like, that would make a lot of sense. 01:41:06.880 --> 01:41:36.860 So there's opportunity to spend the money more wisely. I think that's the only conversation that's coming up. And at least make sure what we're doing, you know, because even with 503C1s, you know, you do have the potential for money to be paid out to individuals. And I think it's important that we ensure that if we're providing something at no charge to these entities, that we, they're not taking capitalizing on the 01:41:36.880 --> 01:41:43.280 event for themselves. I think that's a smart thing to do. You know, there are rules for all of these things 01:41:43.280 --> 01:41:50.840 within the IRS and everything else. Under certain amounts, things are not reportable, and I just want 01:41:50.840 --> 01:41:54.820 to make sure that what we are doing is the best interest of the city of Freeport and its citizens 01:41:54.820 --> 01:42:03.220 and every tax dollar that we spend. Alderman Sellers? I just want to say also that we know that you have 01:42:03.220 --> 01:42:32.280 to spend money to make money. And you know that anytime you have any events within our community, we're going to have to have police and fire. We're going to have to have these people working to make sure that it's safe. We want to have events in our community to draw people into our community to see what we have. I mean, you don't want us to, I mean, I think Tutty Baker Days or whatever, Freeport Festival, whatever they want to call it, 01:42:32.280 --> 01:43:02.200 It has brought a lot of people into our community. The fair has brought a lot of people. What is it? The cruise night. I mean, paint the port. All of those things have. And we have to spend money to make money. And we know that. So I think it's just something we're just kind of fussing about. I mean, when has it ever come up before? That's what I want to know. 01:43:02.280 --> 01:43:17.300 when has these items with cruise night as long as it's been, night on Chicago, how long has that been, all these different nights, how many, how many, when did it ever come up before? That's what I just want to know. Why is it such a problem now? 01:43:17.300 --> 01:43:46.660 Well, there's new sheriffs in town, you know, you can't keep doing things the old way. Sometimes you got to go with the change of the atmosphere. And my thing is, when someone says, I need a permit for this, I need a permit for that. And then the city gets involved in what these permits for whatever committee entity or whatever, that's information, that is data information. 01:43:46.660 --> 01:44:10.840 that if we as council wants to know who are these permitters and who are requesting permits for any event or anything that is happening, then council has a right to ask the question and get the answers of who are the permittees and then we can follow up from there and how things are organized. 01:44:10.840 --> 01:44:13.480 We've given out permits without organization. 01:44:14.160 --> 01:44:16.180 I don't believe that I'm hearing this. 01:44:16.900 --> 01:44:24.280 And if it's not organized, if something that we want to do is not organized, we've got to have a permit to do so. 01:44:24.280 --> 01:44:30.540 So I'd like to know who are these individuals who are getting permits to do anything throughout the city. 01:44:31.040 --> 01:44:32.740 And I'll put this out there. 01:44:33.260 --> 01:44:40.080 So if I, as an employee at a company, I go to a national convention. 01:44:40.840 --> 01:44:45.800 and there's a group of people from my company goes to that national convention. We know down to the penny 01:44:45.800 --> 01:44:53.000 about everything that was spent at that event. Thank you. And we are accountable for that spending. 01:44:53.000 --> 01:44:59.240 And here in the city of Freeport, we are not. And the question that I've got for you, I'll tell you why 01:44:59.240 --> 01:45:05.660 it's got to change. Because I keep getting told it's another cup of coffee that I'm going to get charged 01:45:05.660 --> 01:45:18.020 for a $200 water bill, for a $150 fee to have some clown from Chicago roll out here and look at my pipe connected to my house that it's not going to backwash into the sewer. 01:45:18.840 --> 01:45:24.580 All of the costs come to me, the people putting these festivals on need to pay for them themselves. 01:45:25.720 --> 01:45:27.300 That's where it's coming from. 01:45:27.680 --> 01:45:33.560 And what we've gotten ourselves into a hole, and you're defending, which it doesn't surprise me. 01:45:33.580 --> 01:45:34.080 I'm just sorry. 01:45:34.080 --> 01:45:40.680 No, no, no, no, no. I'm telling you why. I'm giving you the why. No, is it because 01:45:40.680 --> 01:45:40.920 It's because 01:45:40.920 --> 01:45:48.940 It's Rand, Jodi, and the Stevenson County Fair is Rob's wife. Is that the reason? I'm just asking. 01:45:49.860 --> 01:45:55.860 That's a fair question, and I'm telling you straight up. I think all of them have to be questioned. 01:45:55.980 --> 01:45:56.720 Okay, that's what I want. 01:45:56.720 --> 01:46:07.980 And the reason why is if I'm going to pay for it, I need to know what my costs are as a person who lives in this community and pays his fair share of taxes. 01:46:08.460 --> 01:46:15.280 I bought a used vehicle, $1,800, boom, taxes. Congratulations. Where's that money go? I have no clue. 01:46:15.280 --> 01:46:23.140 But trust me, I know we've raised all the fees for that. That's why this is coming up, 01:46:23.140 --> 01:46:30.340 because the people in this community want our leaders held accountable, and we've not been doing a good job. 01:46:30.640 --> 01:46:37.940 Part of that, I take as much credit as anybody would get on that. I should have been holding people more accountable from the get-go. 01:46:38.100 --> 01:46:39.480 There's not enough. 01:46:39.600 --> 01:46:44.300 What I'm saying is, why wasn't the question saying for every event? 01:46:44.460 --> 01:46:46.160 Well, I just put these down as examples. 01:46:46.160 --> 01:46:46.820 Not enough transparency. 01:46:47.020 --> 01:46:47.660 Yeah, I'm trying. 01:46:49.020 --> 01:46:51.380 There's not enough transparency. 01:46:51.500 --> 01:46:52.060 That's where I'm at. 01:46:52.060 --> 01:46:55.440 Yeah, so once we establish transparency 01:46:55.440 --> 01:46:57.540 Alderman Clemens, he's got the floor, sorry 01:46:57.540 --> 01:46:59.460 Then we might get somewhere 01:46:59.460 --> 01:47:00.460 Alderman Clemens 01:47:00.460 --> 01:47:06.280 I'd just like to, as everybody's tallying up all this stuff, okay, for everybody 01:47:06.280 --> 01:47:09.900 Keep track of how much time you waste and how much it costs you 01:47:09.900 --> 01:47:13.020 Because every one of you guys got another job to do also 01:47:13.020 --> 01:47:17.960 So when you ask for this X amount of ounce, ask for something down the line 01:47:17.960 --> 01:47:26.780 and they say, I can't, I'm working on how much it costs to have the fire department have a fire truck downtown that you guys got that too. 01:47:27.660 --> 01:47:35.880 Let's stop and think where we're really going here. First, you've got a motion and you've got a second. You haven't passed it to move forward yet. 01:47:37.460 --> 01:47:38.060 Alderman Shadle? 01:47:40.600 --> 01:47:41.600 Was there a motion? 01:47:41.920 --> 01:47:42.200 Not yet. 01:47:42.360 --> 01:47:43.300 I don't think so. 01:47:43.640 --> 01:47:44.000 Not yet. 01:47:44.780 --> 01:47:45.920 We're having a discussion. 01:47:45.920 --> 01:47:48.260 I make a motion to table it indefinitely. 01:47:49.820 --> 01:47:51.880 Well, that's your opinion 01:47:51.880 --> 01:47:54.520 Yeah, you don't get your request like that 01:47:54.520 --> 01:47:55.560 Is there a second? 01:47:56.180 --> 01:47:56.660 No 01:47:56.660 --> 01:47:57.880 Second 01:47:57.880 --> 01:48:04.180 We have a motion to table it from Alderman Clem and a second from Alderman Parker 01:48:04.180 --> 01:48:05.700 Discussion 01:48:05.700 --> 01:48:06.940 Discussion 01:48:06.940 --> 01:48:08.540 Actually 01:48:08.540 --> 01:48:10.740 Discussion just on the motion 01:48:10.740 --> 01:48:11.720 Just on the motion 01:48:11.720 --> 01:48:13.220 Anything? 01:48:13.840 --> 01:48:15.060 No, we just 01:48:15.060 --> 01:48:17.680 I think we can throw that motion in the garbage 01:48:17.680 --> 01:48:18.780 We just allowed 01:48:18.780 --> 01:48:27.320 Boyer a month or so to get information gathered up for us, and he committed to that. 01:48:27.480 --> 01:48:31.100 Well, that wasn't the direction of the council, though, so it hadn't gotten to that point. 01:48:32.060 --> 01:48:35.000 We need a resolution for this. 01:48:35.840 --> 01:48:36.820 We need a resolution. 01:48:36.920 --> 01:48:37.620 Hang on one second. 01:48:37.620 --> 01:48:37.940 Okay. 01:48:38.140 --> 01:48:38.340 Okay. 01:48:38.900 --> 01:48:47.460 So, Alderman Monroe had asked about wanting to, he said, I want to make a motion to direct 01:48:47.460 --> 01:49:14.060 staff to look into the cost, sounds like the revenues as well, of all festivals there, he asked Alderman Boyer, how long do you think it would take, he says he wasn't sure, you know, it could take a little bit, there, but you didn't actually make that motion, and there wasn't, because conversation was still discussing, there, so there wasn't a motion yet made on that, okay, you would agree? I would agree. So make the motion. I can't, now he's tabled it. 01:49:14.060 --> 01:49:40.040 Of course you can. Well, he's made a motion. Alderman Clem now has made a motion. But you can make a motion on top of a motion. No, not these motions yet. So you have to deal with this subsidiary motion first there. So he has a motion to postpone indefinitely, seconded by Alderman Parker. We're in discussion on that. If that passes, then the item is postponed indefinitely. If it doesn't pass, then you guys are right back to where we were and Alderman Monroe came there. 01:49:40.040 --> 01:49:45.260 where we were, and Alderman Monroe can then make his motion to instruct staff to look into this, okay? 01:49:46.460 --> 01:49:47.600 This is a trip. 01:49:47.980 --> 01:49:53.660 What's on the floor is just a motion to table indefinitely. 01:49:54.360 --> 01:49:54.940 That's the motion. 01:49:55.140 --> 01:49:55.300 Yeah. 01:49:55.960 --> 01:49:57.740 So I have something to say. 01:49:58.980 --> 01:49:59.240 Go ahead. 01:49:59.600 --> 01:49:59.880 Go ahead. 01:49:59.880 --> 01:50:00.340 Sure. 01:50:00.820 --> 01:50:02.100 It has to be on the table. 01:50:02.560 --> 01:50:03.200 It's about. 01:50:03.200 --> 01:50:19.340 Um, other, um, person, Clem, would you be willing to withdraw your motion to table if the request was just for what did the city directly write a check towards versus all the indefinite costs? Would you be willing to have that information revealed? 01:50:20.820 --> 01:50:23.140 Say that exactly what you said again. 01:50:23.260 --> 01:50:24.160 Say it in your mic. 01:50:24.160 --> 01:50:29.460 versus being buried with numbers and information. 01:50:30.000 --> 01:50:34.520 We really just would like to know what amount has the city given? 01:50:34.720 --> 01:50:42.020 Like we voted to give a large amount to the Tutty Baker Day organization to make sure that that happened. 01:50:42.020 --> 01:50:47.620 If we're asking for those amounts, how much did the city actually pay towards this or that, 01:50:47.760 --> 01:50:54.140 which would eliminate a lot of work for city staff, but it would still answer the question of what is the 01:50:54.140 --> 01:51:24.680 City directly contributing. If you're asking for no, is the answer there. No, you're just not going to answer. I made a motion. I mean, we can vote on it. Sometimes it's good to be silent. Why don't you try it once? Sometimes it's just that. Yes, Alderman Sellers. 01:51:24.680 --> 01:51:37.200 So, are you also saying, Alderman Simmons, just on these two things to find out how much we're paying? Or for any event, what do we do? 01:51:37.200 --> 01:51:46.880 If the city has written a check to that organization to help sponsor that event, yes. I doubt there will be that many events that fall under that category. 01:51:46.880 --> 01:52:16.860 I don't. Yeah, that it's not. Yeah, I to see what what we have given any event. OK. W you want to. OK, you start us off Monroe. So this is just so everyone knows what we're voting on right now. This is strictly the motion to postpone this topic indefinitely. OK, a no vote would be to vote against tabling it. Correct. A yes vote is in favor of tabling it. 01:52:16.880 --> 01:52:53.450 Monroe. No. Simmons. No. Parker. Aye. Stacy. No. Shadle. Sorry, am I interrupting you? No. I can make my own motions. I can move. I'm not bothering you. I believe you are. Oh, you got a problem. Sanders. No. Sellers. The only reason why I'm saying no is because I would like to see 01:52:53.450 --> 01:52:55.610 what we have given other ones, so. 01:52:56.490 --> 01:52:56.930 Clem? 01:52:57.210 --> 01:52:58.550 Why do you have to give the next blue? 01:52:58.570 --> 01:52:59.810 Because I want to. 01:53:00.330 --> 01:53:02.030 Don't worry about what I do, man. 01:53:02.130 --> 01:53:03.250 That's what I want to do. 01:53:03.770 --> 01:53:04.250 Shhh. 01:53:05.810 --> 01:53:07.070 Alderperson Clem, what say you? 01:53:07.930 --> 01:53:08.270 All right. 01:53:09.130 --> 01:53:10.170 Yeah, go to the bathroom. 01:53:10.770 --> 01:53:12.910 It fails five to three. 01:53:13.490 --> 01:53:14.270 Well, wait a second. 01:53:14.670 --> 01:53:15.950 Is that the correct terminology? 01:53:15.950 --> 01:53:16.350 Yeah. 01:53:16.350 --> 01:53:17.630 Yeah, the postponement fails. 01:53:20.510 --> 01:53:21.630 Don't leave the room yet. 01:53:22.330 --> 01:53:23.770 Save yourself 30 seconds. 01:53:23.770 --> 01:53:26.010 I'm going to make a motion 01:53:26.010 --> 01:53:29.810 Can I interrupt? I took the floor 01:53:29.810 --> 01:53:32.630 a substantial amount of time ago 01:53:32.630 --> 01:53:34.890 never said a word 01:53:34.890 --> 01:53:37.550 got interrupted with a motion 01:53:37.550 --> 01:53:39.310 so we just took care of that 01:53:39.310 --> 01:53:41.830 can I at least 01:53:41.830 --> 01:53:43.510 have a chance? 01:53:43.510 --> 01:53:44.590 I gave you the floor 01:53:44.590 --> 01:53:46.350 well and I got interrupted 01:53:46.350 --> 01:53:48.870 so here we are 01:53:48.870 --> 01:53:50.910 I was going to make a motion 01:53:50.910 --> 01:54:08.850 to give staff ample time to get this figured out in amongst their daily workings and bring it back at, say, the June or July cow and talk about it then. 01:54:13.560 --> 01:54:16.020 If you have a motion, then you have to ask the question. 01:54:16.660 --> 01:54:17.460 Is there a second? 01:54:17.840 --> 01:54:20.840 So when he had a motion, why wasn't the question asked? 01:54:20.840 --> 01:54:25.600 I got her interrupted as well, so I 01:54:25.600 --> 01:54:28.980 Yeah, and then I think you said, well, I'll wait to make a motion 01:54:28.980 --> 01:54:31.280 Because of discussion 01:54:31.280 --> 01:54:33.800 He asked, he said that 01:54:33.800 --> 01:54:38.850 Because I had a couple of hands, that's why 01:54:38.850 --> 01:54:39.590 Yeah 01:54:39.590 --> 01:54:43.670 Do we have a second to that motion? 01:54:46.380 --> 01:54:47.500 Second to Shadle's? 01:54:48.040 --> 01:54:49.260 I'll second it 01:54:49.260 --> 01:54:55.280 So we have Shadle made a motion, Clem seconded 01:54:55.280 --> 01:55:31.230 the motion is to delay until July June I don't know whenever is it July or June let's say July for clarification okay discussion to do what so to basically to instruct staff to look into the costs of all the various festivals and events no matter so discussion Alderman Stacy 01:55:31.230 --> 01:55:58.330 Yes, I don't think we should wait until June or July. As I recall, one council meeting, we had 460 plus pages that we had to read through and be prepared from 540 on a Friday, and we had to be prepared Monday. 01:55:58.330 --> 01:56:30.340 What we're asking should not be that hard. And I don't see why we need four or five months to get that answer. If we take a month, we take a month. But four or five months is absolutely ridiculous compared to what is expected of us as alder people. 01:56:30.340 --> 01:56:33.820 Alderman Clem? 01:56:34.360 --> 01:56:42.860 Yeah, if I'd take a look at this agenda, as of Wednesday or so, there were four items on it. 01:56:43.920 --> 01:57:00.520 There are certain people that it's Monroe in this or Monroe in that or Sanders in this and Stacy in that that have brought up at least eight items in an executive session that we've had no time to repair for, no information to look at. 01:57:00.520 --> 01:57:19.220 We never know when there's an executive session. We never know until after we adjourn and it said executive session. And I have asked that it be stated on the agenda that we know in advance when there's an executive session. 01:57:19.600 --> 01:57:29.500 And I understand that you guys asked for one. I don't know nothing about it. So all these eight things that you brought up from Friday or whatever, 01:57:29.500 --> 01:58:01.490 Board are all new to all of us. So we're just discussing them just like you went to. Executive session, it tells you the last bullet point tells you what the executive session is about. It's right there on the agenda. Any other conversation about this one? Could you repeat that? Could you repeat it? So basically, this is a vote to look into the expenditures associated with 01:58:01.490 --> 01:58:08.730 with the actual costs to the city of Freeport for all of the events that we, you know, each and every event. 01:58:09.170 --> 01:58:29.490 Yeah. Well, yeah, I wanted to make sure that the people that are in charge of these events give us some kind of acknowledgement that such an event is going to take place and who's in charge, who's or what organization is running these committees and things of this nature. 01:58:29.490 --> 01:58:59.470 What is the breakdown of how much it would take taxpayers' involvement in these particular programs? And I like to know who's the committee or organizations that are running these programs. That's what I like to know. And if council know anything about that, I would appreciate them talking to council members so we're not out here on limbo land trying to figure out 01:58:59.490 --> 01:59:29.350 what is going on with festivals and events? Alderman Sanders, that's what we're trying to find. That's what we're doing. I know, I know, I know that's what we're trying to find. So let's move forward with Mr. Dobby. But I like to get out there, I want the public to hear that. Yep. I just want them. We're going to take a vote. I just want them to hear that. So this is on instructing staff to gather info to be reported at the July Cow. Monroe. No. Simmons. No. Parker. Aye. Stacey. No. Dadle. Aye. Sanders. 01:59:29.490 --> 01:59:37.910 No, Sellers, Aye, Clem, Aye, We have a four to four vote, Mayor, Wilson, 01:59:37.910 --> 02:00:02.000 Mayor? Well, since I am the president of one of these organizations, I will stay in. Oh, you are? Oh, that's news. Not new, Alderman Sanders. That ain't old news. That was a lie. I make a motion that we move forward with what? Alderman Simmons. Yeah, that was a strategy move. 02:00:02.000 --> 02:00:10.340 acts. Yes. The motion fails for lack of a majority. Yeah, that was a strategy move. 02:00:12.980 --> 02:00:20.740 So just I think a point of clarity here. Had the city spent any money towards any festival, 02:00:21.280 --> 02:00:25.180 it would have had to come past this council to get approved. Absolutely. I kind of think that's a 02:00:25.180 --> 02:00:30.200 ridiculous question in nature. No, it is not. It is absolutely. You would have had to approve it. 02:00:30.200 --> 02:00:53.740 Hey, so, so the authorization of using vehicles, gas, trucks, your department was one of the ones that actually did support that we don't, we do know that it drove all the way to Chicago and back. So, yes, it is happening. The police department has brought in extra patrols. 02:00:54.180 --> 02:00:58.660 That wasn't the question. It was on the, if the city has wrote checks to these was the question. 02:00:58.660 --> 02:01:01.840 That's not the question that was asked between just now. 02:01:02.080 --> 02:01:02.800 It was expenditures. 02:01:03.220 --> 02:01:03.780 Alderman said. 02:01:03.780 --> 02:01:05.620 That's what she brought it up, but that's not what. 02:01:05.640 --> 02:01:06.480 But that's the answer to that question. 02:01:07.020 --> 02:01:08.360 Make your motion. 02:01:08.860 --> 02:01:11.160 Make your motion that was skipped over. 02:01:12.200 --> 02:01:13.260 It's not going to pass. 02:01:13.320 --> 02:01:15.880 So at this point, we know where we're at. 02:01:16.280 --> 02:01:20.160 So we'll just, I'm just going to move on to item number 13. 02:01:20.160 --> 02:01:25.180 So then we're still expecting that information from City Manager Boyer. 02:01:25.180 --> 02:01:25.380 No. 02:01:25.380 --> 02:01:29.380 You had a chance to vote it through and you voted it down 02:01:29.380 --> 02:01:30.600 Let's go to the next 02:01:30.600 --> 02:01:35.140 So, but that did clear up something though 02:01:35.140 --> 02:01:38.560 Discussion of codified ordinance section 240.31 02:01:38.560 --> 02:01:42.280 Residency requirement for specific members of various departments 02:01:42.280 --> 02:01:44.780 And failure to adhere to the ordinance 02:01:44.780 --> 02:01:47.000 Various ordinances 02:01:47.000 --> 02:01:50.060 And this is presented by myself and Alderman Sanders 02:01:50.060 --> 02:01:51.820 I've received federal 02:01:51.820 --> 02:01:53.060 Several 02:01:53.060 --> 02:01:54.060 Several 02:01:54.060 --> 02:02:24.040 contacts with respect to employees that do not live in the city. We heard earlier from the former chief of police saying, you know, voicing his opinion, but right now, and I was a little bit shocked to read into the ordinances a little bit further, that certain members of departments are required to live within city limits, and some are required to live within a radius, 02:02:24.060 --> 02:02:53.720 of the City of Freeport. It has been brought to my attention that there are more than 10 that are in violation of the ordinance, and I wanted to bring this forward to at least have a conversation. I know that we have changed the ordinance as it relates to the, as I call them, boots on the ground, the men and women on patrol, you know, with each of the various entities, with the unions, 02:02:54.060 --> 02:03:18.460 that they no longer have that requirement. I don't know if we went to a mileage distance. I'm going to defer to the attorney, but there's only one ordinance that's issued here is 240.31, which I believe goes to the police. And then there's also a fire that's 242.25 or 26, something along those lines. 02:03:18.460 --> 02:03:47.660 and at least the fact that it's been brought up via contact with email and a letter sent to myself I thought it was worthwhile to have the conversation on the floor and see about what changes or what we do about it. Can you kind of I'll let you head the floor to explain what the ordinances say and then so currently right now in a nutshell just looking at the police one is the example. 02:03:48.460 --> 02:04:18.440 there the chief of police there's a requirement that the chief of police reside within the city limits and then for certain ranks deputy chief lieutenants and sergeants they have to live within a certain radius of city of the fire of the police station excuse me there the code then goes on to provide though that if those particular officers lived outside or outside of those radius areas prior to that ordinance back then being adopted they were allowed to still 02:04:18.440 --> 02:04:48.340 stay there. They didn't have to go move or buy a new house or anything like that. Alderman Roy, I think what you and I discussed ahead of time was, you know, does this ordinance make sense to even have on the books anymore there or does it make more sense just to get rid of the residency requirement? Because as you noted, for in our police union contracts and our fire contracts and our ASME contracts that used to have the residency requirement, we ultimately negotiated those out there because we found that they didn't make sense anymore to have them. Again, I think 02:04:48.340 --> 02:05:18.320 that only applies right now to, as you called it, the boots on the ground, the rank and file there. So the question now is, do we want to apply, does the council want to kind of make it uniform and say, hey, this applies to department heads and then the other officers that are not rank and file, the lieutenants, the sergeants, etc. There. Good synopsis. Any comments, any thoughts? I missed it. So basically, the conversation is about the 02:05:18.320 --> 02:05:48.300 residency requirements for sergeants, lieutenants, battalion chiefs, deputy chiefs, chiefs of police, chiefs of fire, you know, and other department heads actually too. Yeah, and department heads. Do we want to at least have a conversation to kind of move forward with either updating this based on, you know, current situation within the city limits of Freeport? You know, are there, you know, because right now the way it reads is 02:05:48.300 --> 02:06:18.300 says any officer hired to a rank or title listed in the subsection has to within the effective date of accepting the position they have six months to meet the residency requirement or it can be extended for an additional six month period based on the city manager's approval. So the question that I've got is 02:06:18.300 --> 02:06:28.460 we want to reevaluate kind of the situation or, you know, you know, at least have a conversation about where we're at right now. 02:06:31.960 --> 02:06:34.800 I'd like to make the motion to move it on to reevaluate it. 02:06:35.240 --> 02:06:37.040 Whether it's to keep it or get rid of it. 02:06:37.360 --> 02:06:37.800 Second. 02:06:39.480 --> 02:06:40.620 It makes sense. 02:06:45.480 --> 02:06:54.660 Can I just question, I guess, I have as to Alderman Parker's motion there, because are, because your motion is 02:06:54.660 --> 02:07:24.640 to say to to reevaluate it like to have staff come back with a recommendation is that what you mean or are you making a motion to say amend it this way to okay amend it to get rid of it oh okay so you to get rid of the residency requirement for the department heads the chiefs the the everybody but the city manager okay okay yeah yeah he didn't say motion you did 02:07:24.660 --> 02:07:54.410 No, he said a motion and I second She seconded He said a motion and I said a second You have to remember, this isn't passing anything, this is just saying to bring it forward, okay? Just to the next meeting. For discussion. Yeah. So I have that discussion about it. Do we want, I mean, are you basically asking staff to provide their input into this or, because right now we're having the discussion. Yeah. 02:07:54.410 --> 02:07:58.630 If staff wants to give their input, that would give them time to do it. 02:07:58.970 --> 02:08:00.530 Otherwise, we, go ahead, Rob. 02:08:00.730 --> 02:08:02.930 Yeah, I'm in, I'm in agreement with your proposal. 02:08:04.820 --> 02:08:09.120 Can I, can I clarify, are you saying to the next COW or the next City Council meeting? 02:08:09.400 --> 02:08:09.600 City Council. 02:08:09.600 --> 02:08:10.660 City Council, thank you. 02:08:20.780 --> 02:08:22.200 No, it's, it's already seconded. 02:08:22.940 --> 02:08:24.500 Okay, you mind if I ask a question? 02:08:25.400 --> 02:08:27.920 You know, we've had this on the books for a while. 02:08:28.040 --> 02:08:29.940 Why haven't we been enforcing that? 02:08:29.940 --> 02:08:52.180 Number one, there's been a number of personnel that have been outside of the area, and it was staff's intention to bring that before council to get this adjusted, changed, so we just hadn't gotten that far along yet, and was looking forward to doing that 02:09:02.110 --> 02:09:07.410 Okay, so we have a motion and a second, I'm going to have Dovie go ahead and 02:09:07.410 --> 02:09:16.940 We're good 02:09:16.940 --> 02:09:34.880 Monroe. Aye. I'm sorry, that was yes. Aye. Okay. Simmons. Aye. Parker. Aye. Stacey. Aye. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. And Clem. Aye. Motion passes. Eight to zero. Next one. 02:09:34.880 --> 02:09:52.200 next one discussion regarding resolution R 2025 30 authorization authorizing an agreement with MSA professional services to provide IHDA home repair and accessibility program grant writing services and use for new structures inside the city of Freeport 02:09:54.040 --> 02:10:03.780 this was brought forward because the last council meeting we had a question was asked to the city manager about new structures and it was something that had been thought about 02:10:03.780 --> 02:10:33.780 about. In recent days the mayor came out and said we're absolutely this is what we're doing and so the question I have is I'm just trying to get some clarification into it sounded like we'd already gone down the road a little bit of the way with you know building new houses on on city lots city owned lots at this point is and that was a just happened to see a video on so 02:10:33.780 --> 02:10:42.540 social media. You spoke somewhere. I forget. Was it the Eagles Club, or I don't remember where it was? 02:10:44.620 --> 02:11:03.540 Well, I will say that infill housing is an important priority to kind of redeploy the vacant lots that are owned by the city, especially in some of our more challenged wards, you know, third, fifth, seventh ward, a lot of vacant lots. That was not the idea behind this IHDA home repair and accessibility. 02:11:03.780 --> 02:11:33.020 program and I believe that that these funds can't be used for new construction but I would ask for Wayne to follow up on that. I mean the short answer is just no you can't use Ida a trap funds for it okay I mean that's the short answer so I mean I'm for I would for building new homes you can't do it you can't do it I mean I've got a couple thing grant slides here I can show you 02:11:33.780 --> 02:11:52.180 just to kind of put your mind at ease, but I wish we could use some money to, you know, help people build new homes, at least partially fund new homes, because I know we had a housing plan done in 2022, and I think there's many people that would like, you know, funding that would help them start to build new homes. 02:11:52.180 --> 02:12:19.460 The good news is being directed by council, when we look here, the Illinois Housing Development Authority, the Housing Rehabilitation and Accessibility Program, these activities, the program aims to preserve existing affordable housing stock, provide investment in underserved communities, improve the health and well-being of occupants, help low-income and disabled or mobility and impaired persons in their homes. 02:12:19.460 --> 02:12:53.020 if you go to the next slide there's really three project types here and then I give a source that you can go to to kind of hold up I can't see anything up there okay so I'll be sorry this grant and they talked about this at the presentation there's full rehabilitation projects which is that you get fifty thousand dollars to help with your home rehabilitation you have accessibility projects which 02:12:53.020 --> 02:13:23.000 which discusses accessibility if you have mobility issues and all sorts of other disabilities and then you also have roof only projects that's really that's really all you can I that answers everything okay I didn't know yeah that's all you can okay perfect Alderman Stacy you have a can you tell me if that's covering all underserved areas in Freeport yes everybody in the city would be and we're not going 02:13:23.000 --> 02:13:28.520 to be able to serve everyone. The need, you know, outweighs the resources, but everyone would be 02:13:28.520 --> 02:13:35.360 available to apply. There's no eligibility requirement. Based on income. We talked about that at the last 02:13:35.360 --> 02:13:42.200 meeting, but there's eligibility requirements, and if you go through their IDA manual, they actually have 02:13:42.200 --> 02:13:49.900 their own income statement that they require. They have their own form, and then when this, when it's 02:13:49.900 --> 02:14:19.760 presented to the city, Ida has to approve the scoring for any income. So anyone that feels they're eligible can sign up. They can sign up, certainly, but they have to meet the income requirements, and we talked about that at the last meet. Yeah, we talked about that. Right. Alderman Stacy. When will these applications be available for our constituents? I'm hoping soon. I know you voted 02:14:19.760 --> 02:14:48.880 against it, but I'm really hopeful that. Oh, you had to put that in there, didn't you? Well, you asked and you voted against it. I vote against a lot. That don't mean it doesn't pass. So since it passed. I mean, I just, you asked the question. I still want information. I understand it. We're getting, we're writing our application now. We're writing our application now and we're hopeful to hear back by August. Duckman, you're toying with me. I don't play with toys. I'm too old. Okay. 02:14:49.760 --> 02:15:19.760 Oh boy. Um, any other questions? So when is the application coming out? We're going to find, Ida says, what Ida is saying now is that they plan to let communities know between June and August. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Perfect. Any other questions, comments? We can put that one to bed. Uh, item number 15, discussion regarding status update on contracts with both fire and public works unions 02:15:19.760 --> 02:15:24.200 or actually being asked for from myself and Alderman Sanders. 02:15:24.620 --> 02:15:25.800 I know we've got both of those. 02:15:27.360 --> 02:15:28.260 Okay, perfect. 02:15:28.760 --> 02:15:40.990 So with regards to the fire union contract with IAFF, our current contract is good through December 31st of 2025. 02:15:41.690 --> 02:15:45.450 So we wouldn't begin to bargain until 90 days prior. 02:15:45.610 --> 02:15:47.070 That's what the contract calls for. 02:15:47.310 --> 02:15:51.910 So that wouldn't be until October 31st when we could even get a request to bargain from the union. 02:15:51.910 --> 02:16:21.890 so we're still we're still good right now on the fire contract okay on the public works contract that's what they asked me there so they gave us a request to to bargain and that first the very first and only so far negotiations took place in February there so just this past February they had the first meeting and they gave us just a handful of non-economic points there they 02:16:21.890 --> 02:16:27.550 have more coming there so we are just waiting for them to provide us with their other non-economic 02:16:27.550 --> 02:16:32.670 proposals there and then we'll be able to start dealing with those and addressing those and bringing 02:16:32.670 --> 02:16:37.970 those forward to council but they they have not given us a complete list they've only given us like a very 02:16:37.970 --> 02:16:43.750 handful of their proposals they're still working on the rest of them so as we get all of those and 02:16:43.750 --> 02:16:49.870 that's not even the economic proposals yet there so it's in process but we've only had one meeting 02:16:49.870 --> 02:17:29.820 since, uh, uh, in February so far. Awesome. Okay. Any questions? Anybody got anything on that one? Sorry. Uh, next meeting is scheduled for March 20th. 320. Perfect. Um, so that takes us to item number 16, which is public comments, agenda or non-agenda items, limited three minutes per person. Uh, we have Willie Graham who has signed up first. Oh, oh, sorry. I didn't know you had one. 02:17:30.240 --> 02:18:10.080 Yes. I'm sorry. I should just go. That's okay. First, I'd like to say good evening to everyone. My name is Willie Graham. I live in the Third Ward here in Freeport, and I have some complaints, and I would ask for y'all to listen to me and consider my complaints. First of all, I want to start off with I need a house that I 02:18:10.320 --> 02:18:44.200 about a year or so ago that I was trying to get tore down and I had a private contractor to do it. That didn't work out for me because I found out that he wasn't the right kind of person that I wanted to do the work for me. And I'm not able to do it myself. And I hear that the city charged so much money and so I won't say how much I was told because I don't know what it's right. 02:18:44.220 --> 02:19:16.880 or not. But I'm not able to get it towed down. I got three lots right there. The house I'm living in is in pretty decent shape. I had to have some work done on it, and I still got some more to do on it, but I think I can do that myself. But the house that needed towing down that I had a letter telling me that they haven't put any signs or anything on it yet, but 02:19:17.040 --> 02:19:33.250 I think they're going to warn me that I need to do something with it. I'm not able to do it. So to get it towed down, I'm going to need some help with it. 02:19:33.250 --> 02:20:05.150 I'm going to need some help with it. And I've been talking to some other people that got their house towed out and they charged a fee to do it that I just don't have to do it. I wanted to keep them and I also wanted to keep the lot and with it to my kids. I need some information how to do that and I need someone to help me 02:20:05.150 --> 02:20:32.990 out with this. I know that you guys, I've heard, I don't know, I've heard that you guys have helped other people out. Well, I'm one that need help out. I try to keep the lots in pretty decent shape, all three of them. I'm not able to cut the lots, but I try to get someone to cut the grass and try to keep as much stuff up off the lots as I can. 02:20:32.990 --> 02:20:38.950 Okay, if someone will provide me with that information, I'd appreciate it. 02:20:39.610 --> 02:20:50.590 Also, I had, I got a pickup truck that's not in running condition right now, and my wife has a car that's not in running condition. 02:20:51.710 --> 02:20:56.150 Now, we had planned on trying to get that done, and they were sitting on the side of the street. 02:20:56.510 --> 02:20:58.970 Mr. Graham, your time is up, sir. 02:20:58.970 --> 02:21:05.170 If you stick around after the meeting, I'm sure we can chat with you and see what we can do to help you out, sir. 02:21:05.510 --> 02:21:06.550 Oh, okay. Thank you. 02:21:06.850 --> 02:21:15.020 Very welcome. Thank you for coming. That's all I've got that's signed up with any... Yes, ma'am. 02:21:15.940 --> 02:21:16.680 Wait, Dovie. 02:21:16.700 --> 02:21:19.580 Oh, wait, Ms. Dovie. Let Dovie go first, if that's okay. 02:21:19.640 --> 02:21:21.880 I probably should have said it earlier. I'm sorry. 02:21:22.040 --> 02:21:22.260 Yes. 02:21:22.260 --> 02:21:30.260 I apologize. I received two public comments by email. One last week came in from Amber Patterson. 02:21:30.860 --> 02:21:39.080 Dear City Council, Animal Control Department, I am writing to express my concern regarding the welfare of animals at the Freeport City Pound. 02:21:39.500 --> 02:21:48.940 As a concerned citizen slash resident of Freeport, I believe it's crucial to ensure that all animals in your care are treated humanely and provided with adequate resources. 02:21:49.820 --> 02:21:58.360 Specifically, I would like to address the following living conditions, the cleanliness of kennels, access to clean water and food, and adequate shelter from the elements. 02:21:58.360 --> 02:22:28.360 what are the daily cleaning and sanitation protocols how often are animals provided with fresh water and food veterinary care is there access to veterinary care including vaccinations spaying neutering and treatment for illnesses or injuries what veterinary services are available on site or through contracted providers what is the protocol for addressing medical emergencies are animals provided with opportunities for exercise and socialization what enrichment activities are provided to prevent boredom and stress 02:22:28.360 --> 02:22:58.120 adoption and rehoming. What are the adoption rates, adoption procedures, and efforts to find suitable homes for the animals? What procedures are in place to screen potential adopters? What outreach efforts are being made to promote adoption? Euthanasia policies. What are the criteria for euthanasia? Are all other options exhausted before euthanasia is considered? I understand that animal control facilities face many challenges, and I appreciate the work that your department does. 02:22:58.120 --> 02:23:04.340 However, I believe that open communication and transparency are essential for ensuring the well-being of the animals in your care 02:23:04.340 --> 02:23:11.160 I'm also interested in exploring ways that the community can support the pound, such as through volunteering, donations, or fostering 02:23:11.160 --> 02:23:13.880 Thank you for your time and consideration, Amber Patterson 02:23:13.880 --> 02:23:20.260 The second email was received today from a Gmail address from Richard Chesney 02:23:20.260 --> 02:23:22.800 Received at 2.55 this afternoon 02:23:22.800 --> 02:23:25.960 The subject was public comment, 3.10.2025 02:23:25.960 --> 02:24:10.930 the salutation began high the remainder of the email was determined to be too personal and libelous to be read during public comment okay yes ma'am good evening City Council officials of Freeport I've got three points possibly four that I'd like to make the first one is is that in the process of talking about the houses I've heard seven to ten houses 02:24:10.930 --> 02:24:40.910 The next thing we heard was 9 to 11. How many really is there? What are we talking about when we keep changing the numbers on how many houses you're talking about building on a land that you've bought from, put it this way, on lots that you've bought. How many houses are we talking about? This is the second time I've heard about housing. I heard a program that was supposedly going to happen with somebody 20 houses where individuals who came in to buy those houses would not have to pay taxes for a year. 02:24:40.930 --> 02:24:46.350 So now we've got two different programs here that that and I'm wondering what the heck is going on here 02:24:46.350 --> 02:24:50.410 The other thing I'm asking is is I'm saying to you is simply this 02:24:50.410 --> 02:24:59.970 Do you think we're stupid that we don't realize that the votes that you guys are doing are happening and you're trying to put them off until after the elections? 02:25:01.770 --> 02:25:02.770 Think about it 02:25:02.770 --> 02:25:10.210 You want to totally not tell us how much money was spent to clean up the town after major events? 02:25:10.210 --> 02:25:28.850 It should be the easiest thing in the world to do. You should have a ledger that talks about what was brought in and what went out after the fact that we had to clean up, pay for police, pay for firemen, pay for gas so that the mayor could ride around in a buggy downtown, a golf cart. 02:25:28.850 --> 02:26:01.470 The next thing I'd like to say is, for as much as I appreciate you and like you, Amber talks about there being somewhere between 40,000 to 50,000 people attending Teddy Baker, okay, but how much they loved it, how much the out-of-towners loved it, but here's what you need to understand, all of us need to understand this, what they didn't see is the deterioration, the shootings, the lack of diversity, 02:26:01.470 --> 02:26:31.470 the manner in which our kids move away and don't come back. What they didn't see is the lack of transparency and trust in the city council and the city officials in this town. What they didn't see is the eyes of the people who live here and have to dodge a bullet walking down the street or dodge a rock that's being thrown at a car by Latin kings. I've asked the question over and over again and I'm waiting on an answer and I'm sure I'll get it because I asked 02:26:31.470 --> 02:27:01.660 asked the chief for this answer. We have an ordinance on the book. That ordinance is called bad building ordinance. That's what we know it is. And you guys know what ordinance I'm talking about. Why is it that a citizen like me has to put her life on the line to shut down buildings in this town that are shooting, gambling, selling drugs? Why do I have to put myself out on line to ask you to shut a building down, to shut a house down? 02:27:01.660 --> 02:27:13.880 Ms. Pearson. I want the city council to take responsibility for shutting down the house in the 900 block of oak that continues to cause this town problems. Why haven't you done it? 02:27:18.570 --> 02:27:36.320 Tommy. Jodi Miller, you did a good job being mayor of sleep. I want to ask, uh, uh, uh, Dwayne Dickerman, you got an update about the Jodi. Ms. Jodi, Mike, in sleep. 02:27:36.320 --> 02:27:50.120 You know what, Tommy, I think you got a better update. I saw a picture of you outside with that sign, and I was pretty impressed. So, I'm looking forward to a sandwich pretty soon. That sign looks pretty good. So do you in front of it. 02:27:51.500 --> 02:28:02.620 And Chief, I want to tell you, you do a good job, too. You're the best police department in the world, and a whole bunch of police departments do a good job, too. 02:28:02.620 --> 02:28:04.580 Thank you 02:28:04.580 --> 02:28:13.560 How you doing? My name is Akiah Sanders 02:28:13.560 --> 02:28:23.360 The last time we spoke about my house, which everybody is familiar with, the 402-404, Shawnee, Wayne Duckman spoke on, it was an emergency because there was a fire in 2021 02:28:23.360 --> 02:28:31.040 I wanted to point out and ask him, what about 476 Kenwood? That also set fire February 15th of 2021 02:28:31.040 --> 02:28:36.180 You took that down, but guess what the difference was? You brought that in front of the council for approval 02:28:36.180 --> 02:28:38.780 My house wasn't brought in front of the council 02:28:38.780 --> 02:28:42.440 And then your buddy next to you, he plain just said 02:28:42.440 --> 02:28:47.060 If you spend money in the city of Freeport, it has to come through the council first 02:28:47.060 --> 02:28:50.720 So every time you open your mouth, you contradict something 02:28:50.720 --> 02:28:54.580 Then what about the other house on Kenwood, down the street a little ways 02:28:54.580 --> 02:28:56.120 It caught fire in 2022 02:28:56.120 --> 02:28:59.340 A man passed away in there that was an abandoned house 02:28:59.340 --> 02:29:01.660 His family still has to look at that house standing 02:29:01.660 --> 02:29:06.140 It's not even in the phases of your fast track emergency or anything like that 02:29:06.140 --> 02:29:31.980 I want you to just be honest. You targeted me. The people under you told me you said you was going to knock down everything that I own or have something to do with. And you went out of your way to knock my house down that was not approved by council, that wasn't on the list at all. And you made some big presentation. And I want this not to be rocket science for a bunch of you that agree with them. You cannot use a state law. 02:29:31.980 --> 02:30:10.570 You cannot use a state law for an ordinance. Thank you. Any other comments? Hearing your discussion on funds, I just want to clarify the city does not fund the Steams County Fair at all. We pay our way. We have police protection from the Sheriff's Department, Mounted and City Auxiliary. We pay them. Same thing, city water out there to the road, we pay to ran everything. 02:30:10.590 --> 02:30:45.020 and everything in our property. So we stand on our own. You can check the books, but we do stand on our own, and 65,000 people attended last year's fair between Farm and Fleet, Walmart, gas stations. They all benefit. So thank you for the time. Yes, ma'am. I just, good evening, council and staff and Mayor Miller and 02:30:45.020 --> 02:31:15.000 Lawyer Zito. I just want to make you aware there's also another organization in Freeport that works as a non-profit organization. I'm grateful to hear about the housing money that you're trying to receive, the grant, and so forth. And this one is called Rebuilding Together, Stevenson County. And they work together. You can look it up on Facebook and also on their website. And they have lots of community links that are working together to 02:31:15.020 --> 02:31:45.020 to make this happen. They've received grant monies from, I think, to help even with veterans' homes, and their mission statement is this, to bring volunteers from numerous organizations together to build communities that improve the lives of low-income homeowners. The vision is to work hand-in-hand to address the growing blight and make Stevenson County, Illinois, safe and vibrant, and to repair homes in Stevenson County, Illinois, falling into disrepair for owners who cannot afford to 02:31:45.020 --> 02:31:47.020 D.C. 02:31:47.020 --> 02:31:50.020 Now right now they mainly have to do with the outside of buildings. 02:31:50.020 --> 02:31:54.020 I don't know that they can do a lot of the inside work on them, but I do know 02:31:54.020 --> 02:31:58.020 that there's a lot of, they've done porches, they've helped get ramps put in, 02:31:58.020 --> 02:32:03.020 and obviously there's also an application process one needs to go through, 02:32:03.020 --> 02:32:07.020 but it's not that extensive or complicated that I understand. 02:32:07.020 --> 02:32:12.020 And I just wanted you to be aware of that, and their phone number, 02:32:12.020 --> 02:32:37.880 their phone number, a contact number is 815-235-2824, so if there's anyone in the community, you might want to check in about that to get on their schedules for this next coming year. I don't know if it's filled up yet, but it is the whole of Stevenson County. It's not just Freeport, so I just wanted to share that information with you all tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? 02:32:37.880 --> 02:32:43.480 Ms. Dovie, yes ma'am 02:32:43.480 --> 02:32:45.120 Ready for closed session 02:32:45.120 --> 02:32:46.240 We are 02:32:46.240 --> 02:33:02.240 Tonight we have pursuant to 5 ILCS 122C1 the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of the public body including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee to determine its validity 02:33:02.240 --> 02:33:23.200 Committee. Also pursuant to 5ILCS 122C11, litigation where an action against, affecting, or on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and is pending before a court or administrative tribunal or when the public body finds that an action is probable or imminent, in which case the basis for the findings shall be recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed meeting. 02:33:24.480 --> 02:33:26.140 Do I have a motion to go to executive session? 02:33:26.140 --> 02:33:26.620 So moved. 02:33:27.260 --> 02:33:27.920 Do I have a second? 02:33:28.520 --> 02:33:29.140 To do what? 02:33:29.540 --> 02:33:30.740 To go to executive session. 02:33:31.680 --> 02:33:32.120 Second. 02:33:32.240 --> 02:33:38.940 That's a nice. Second. We have a first and a second. Stacy is the second. Sellers is the first. All in favor? Aye. 02:33:38.940 --> 02:33:58.560 What? Oh. Monroe. Aye. Simmons. Simmons. Aye. Parker. Aye. Stacy. Aye. Shadle. No. Sanders. Hold it for a second. 02:33:58.560 --> 02:34:03.120 Sellers 02:34:03.120 --> 02:34:04.480 Aye