WEBVTT 00:00:01.230 --> 00:00:07.870 Good evening. In the absence of the mayor, I'd like to get us moving tonight. Who is here for invocation? 00:00:08.730 --> 00:00:14.870 It's Linda. Excuse me. We're calling the meeting to order. 00:00:16.650 --> 00:00:21.470 Linda Johnson, are you doing the invocation tonight? Okay. 00:00:26.080 --> 00:00:28.860 Let's bow our heads. This is on 1 Peter 1, 3 through 5. 00:00:29.380 --> 00:00:34.840 Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has shown us his extravagant mercy. 00:00:35.040 --> 00:00:39.900 for his formation of mercy has given us new life. 00:00:40.360 --> 00:00:46.420 We are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 00:00:46.420 --> 00:00:51.920 We are reborn into a perfect inheritance that can never perish, never be defiled, and never diminish. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:55.380 It is promised and preserved forever in the heavenly realm for you. 00:00:55.940 --> 00:01:02.860 Through our faith, the mighty power of God constantly guards us until our full salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time. 00:01:02.860 --> 00:01:28.400 Thank you, Father, for your mercy, for your love over everyone here tonight and all in our city. May your peace abound as all things are discussed concerning the welfare of this city. Philippians 2.4, let all things be done without complaining or disputing. Philippians 2.3, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, let each other esteem others better than himself. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:35.120 Let each one look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others. In Jesus' name, amen. 00:01:35.460 --> 00:01:35.780 Amen. 00:01:36.460 --> 00:01:45.780 It is now 6.01. I will call this meeting to order. For roll call, as I mentioned, Mayor Miller is absent. 00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:47.280 Alderpersons, Clem? 00:01:47.780 --> 00:01:48.000 Here. 00:01:48.360 --> 00:01:48.680 Monroe? 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:49.380 Here. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:51.520 Simmons is absent. Parker? 00:01:51.880 --> 00:01:52.120 Here. 00:01:52.720 --> 00:01:53.120 Stacy? 00:01:53.960 --> 00:01:54.280 Here. 00:01:54.700 --> 00:01:55.000 Shadle? 00:01:55.220 --> 00:01:55.400 Here. 00:01:55.740 --> 00:01:56.180 Sanders? 00:01:56.480 --> 00:01:56.700 Here. 00:01:56.980 --> 00:01:57.700 And Sellers? 00:01:57.780 --> 00:01:57.960 Here. 00:01:57.960 --> 00:02:03.160 We do have a quorum, so Alderperson Shadle, would you say the Pledge of Allegiance, please? 00:02:03.160 --> 00:02:20.500 I would pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. 00:02:22.260 --> 00:02:26.920 Alderperson Sellers has offered to chair the meeting tonight. Could I have a motion to that effect? 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:28.040 So move. Second. 00:02:28.040 --> 00:02:58.360 Parker and Shadle, I will call roll on that. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Does Sellers vote on herself? No. Yes, please. Oh, yes. Are you willing? Clem? Aye. Monroe? Aye. And Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The motion passes. Seven to zero. Alderperson Sellers, the chair position is yours. 00:02:59.320 --> 00:03:32.190 Good evening. Could I have a motion for the approval of the agenda, please? So moved. Second. All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Aye. I missed the second, please. Who were you counting? Shadle on that? Yes. Okay. And then we had one no. Okay, is there approval? Could I have a motion for the approval of the minutes for the regular meeting of April 7th, 2025? So moved. 00:03:32.750 --> 00:04:10.310 All in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Aye. Are there any public? We have one public comment on the agenda. It is Rhonda Scott. Good afternoon. I'm here to speak about the appointment of the Planning Commission people and the removal of one. I'm bringing this up because I served on the Planning Commission. I feel it's a very important role in our community. 00:04:10.330 --> 00:04:39.570 and Joshua Atkinson also served on the planning commission. He was voted or recommended by Mayor Miller in April 2024 and you all voted for him. Then he ran for mayor because he thought, you know, boy, he could do a lot more if he could run for mayor. He didn't win, but, you know, 1,800 people from all of our wards had confidence in him. 00:04:41.680 --> 00:05:08.320 Then the mayor, after the election, she chose to appoint somebody else to the planning commission without telling Mr. Atkinson, without asking for his resignation, and then it came as a surprise when the council was recommending a new person and took a vote, come to find out, 00:05:08.320 --> 00:05:40.410 then she fires Mr. Atkinson at her leisure, you know, that's what can be done. But the problem is the person that she has chosen to be the replacement has a criminal record. And I think you all should be aware that somebody who's got not just a DUI, but he has, I don't know how to say it, I'm being embarrassed. 00:05:40.430 --> 00:05:45.710 He's got a violent record of 00:05:45.710 --> 00:05:49.150 I can't think of what it's called 00:05:49.150 --> 00:05:53.410 Shoot 00:05:53.410 --> 00:05:59.320 I'm sorry 00:05:59.320 --> 00:06:00.920 It's slipping my mind 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:02.300 And I had it all in my head 00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:04.520 Anyway, he's got a public record 00:06:04.520 --> 00:06:07.480 And it has not been resolved 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:09.800 And I don't think this person should be 00:06:09.800 --> 00:06:12.680 Serving on the planning commission 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:15.880 And I just think that he should be removed 00:06:15.880 --> 00:06:18.000 And I'm sorry 00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:51.710 I couldn't remember what my thought was but that I can't I don't know the official charge but it was choking a person so you know when you're choking a person and you have a DUI you know that's a serious offense we shouldn't be having someone like that on our Planning Commission we need somebody with a little bit higher character than that thank you okay we'll move to the consent agenda all items on the consent agenda 00:06:51.710 --> 00:07:22.060 consent agenda are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted in one motion unless a council member requests the item to be removed. Hearing none, the consent agenda. Yes, ma'am. I would make a motion that rearrange, rearrange the order of things after item number 16, I would like to follow through with item 23. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:31.500 Joy. Oh, the attorney, I'm sorry. So we're on item number four now, which is the consent agenda. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:42.740 So that's like approval of the bills and I apologize. So that's a first. Stacy. So we've already done the 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:54.120 approval of the agenda. Uh-huh. She voted no. And I voted no, but I did not realize that that was the 00:07:54.120 --> 00:08:27.170 time to voice. It's too late. So it's just, I'm just SOL. Yep, you're SOL. I guess we have to follow the agenda with the consent agenda. That's the next one. But if someone says no, they say no for a reason. Okay. The consent agenda consists of the approval to receive in place on file a board and commission in minutes from Building Commission May 15 and Historic Preservation Commission April 16 of 2024 00:08:27.170 --> 00:08:56.770 for both of those. Library Board, October 9th, November 19th, December 11th, all of 2024, and January 8th, February 19th, and March 12th of 2025. Fire Pension Board, October 30th, 2024. Police Pension Board, October 30th, 2024. Foreign Fire Insurance Board, February 13th, 2025. Liquor Commission, March 13th, 2025. We have an Arbor Day Proclamation dated April 25th, 2025. 00:08:57.170 --> 00:09:20.610 and Police and Fire Department reports both dated March of 2025. Approval of finance bills payable in the amount of $2,479,364.37. Approval of payroll for pay period ending May 5th, 2025, totaling $675,619.51. 00:09:21.450 --> 00:09:24.210 Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda? 00:09:24.210 --> 00:09:25.150 So moved. 00:09:25.350 --> 00:09:25.630 Second. 00:09:25.630 --> 00:09:55.200 Second. All in favor? Aye. Oh, roll call. I'm sorry. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Clemm. Aye. Monroe. No. Parker. Aye. And Stacy. No. The consent agenda is approved 5 to 2. Item number 5 is the second reading of the ordinance. Will you read the? 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:00.000 Ordinance 2025-17 is amending the codified 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:03.540 is amending the codified ordinance regarding residency requirements for certain positions. 00:10:04.100 --> 00:10:12.990 Is there a motion to? 00:10:14.670 --> 00:10:15.630 Oh, okay. 00:10:16.650 --> 00:10:18.370 Thank you, Madam Chair. 00:10:18.910 --> 00:10:32.310 As we discussed at the 4-7 Council meeting, it was discussed that certain positions should not be brought to the ordinance in terms of residency. 00:10:32.730 --> 00:10:34.590 The list is included in your packet. 00:10:34.590 --> 00:11:07.700 We've discussed that to some extent at this point. Many communities do no longer have a residency requirement that enables staff to fill vacant positions more easily and get higher qualified candidates. And so staff is requesting council to move forward with this ordinance. Is there any discussion? Oh, yeah, there's plenty of discussion. I just wanted to know who was going to throw their hands up first. I don't care which. Are you? Are you? 00:11:07.980 --> 00:11:37.780 throwing your hands up? Yeah, I'm throwing my hands up. I don't care what council member proceed to voice their opinion on this particular ordinance because I think it is pertinent to all council to chime in on this particular ordinance. I mean, it's an ordinance and I think 00:11:37.980 --> 00:12:05.280 I think with the fact that we're not doing justice with this ordinance, this ordinance seems like it has disappeared from the council because there's no enthusiasm or encouragement about it or which direction the council wants to talk about or discuss about this particular matter. 00:12:05.280 --> 00:12:30.120 It is a matter, it's a problem, not just a matter, but it's a problem, and I think we went on this talk or discussion on last week, and I think this should not go through for a lot of various reasons, and I think we should move on. 00:12:30.120 --> 00:13:00.120 since I'm looking at the council demeanor that it seems like we're just throwing a vote away for no purpose and no reason but I think what we should do is have another discussion on this particular ordinance so we can really get an understanding of what this ordinance represents and what has occurred since the last time we talked about this particular ordinance and I think it would do the 00:13:00.120 --> 00:13:27.720 Citizens of Freeport Justice to hear from council members about their expressions and opinions instead of being silent sitting here and not discussing the matter of why this ordinance is being asked of us to vote on. And so I just rendered my first one. I might have a second one coming up. 00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:29.860 Is there any other discussion? 00:13:33.410 --> 00:13:33.630 Monroe? 00:13:34.630 --> 00:13:36.550 Thank you, Madam Chair. 00:13:37.150 --> 00:13:42.990 You know, this one is tougher than others, but I will bring up the point again. 00:13:44.170 --> 00:13:49.110 We have, for many years now, avoided following the rules of this city. 00:13:50.010 --> 00:13:51.010 Plain and simple. 00:13:52.110 --> 00:13:58.430 We have a city manager who, in my opinion, has allowed this type of activity to go on. 00:13:58.430 --> 00:14:24.050 he has done things that have violated other ordinances. He doesn't believe in our ordinances unless it fits his narrative, his beliefs. And quite honestly, it's put the city in a really precarious position now with one lawsuit that's been filed against the city. I know of a second one that will be filed shortly and potentially a third one. 00:14:24.050 --> 00:14:54.920 This type of dereliction of duty at the highest levels of this city has said to the employees that the rules don't matter. We will play the rules based on who's our friends, who's not. And we don't want to be like the federal government. Whoever's in power basically leverages the power 00:14:54.920 --> 00:15:25.640 against their competitor and plain and simple we have had a couple of employees fired for less than this and this city manager was on the delivering end of those dismissals and now we're coming back to change the rules and we're doing it in the guise of saying oh this is makes recruiting easier. 00:15:27.420 --> 00:15:56.740 And that's not always the case. We've thrown more money at it. We're changing the rules for it. We bend the rules. We don't follow the rules. And now we're saying, well, let's just change the rules so that way it's okay. And that's not the way that this should work. We have a curfew in the city. And if a 17-year-old or a 15-year-old kid has out past curfew, as has been the case in my neighborhood recently with people going through cars and doing things illegal, 00:15:57.420 --> 00:16:24.360 We want them held accountable. The same as we want our citizens that work for this city to be held accountable. It's not a hard thing to figure out. If you make it a place where people want to come to work and you make that work environment in a manner that they enjoy coming to work, you don't need to change all these rules. 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:54.260 They'll figure it out or they'll come to the council or they'll come to the department or they'll come to you and they'll ask for a waiver or something to say let's let's let that happen. We do that all the time with building codes with other things. But going about changing this rule just so we can cover up what's been happening for the last four to six years is insane because we don't want to hold 00:16:54.360 --> 00:17:24.100 The people that work for the city to the same rules and standards that we ask our citizens to be held to. And I think that's the important piece of this on that part. But on the other part, we want the people who want to live here working in our community. It's no different than the Freeport School District. It's no different than Orangeville School District. If you want to live outside the city, then come up with something that says, look, we are going to pay you less money if you live somewhere else. 00:17:24.360 --> 00:17:55.440 Give up something. I have to pay money for my son to go to Orangeville School District. I do it. And I have my reasons for doing it. But the rules are there to be followed, not to be cast away by a city manager and a mayor who don't want to follow the rules. This is why we got drug problems in this city, because we're not holding people accountable. Plain and simple. I yield. 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:56.520 Manager Boyer. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:57.980 Yeah, I'd like to address that. 00:17:58.040 --> 00:17:59.040 I don't know what you're talking about. 00:17:59.580 --> 00:18:01.100 I've hired two directors. 00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:08.740 Bryan has relocated to city limits and chief was hired by this council knowing he lived in Dakota. 00:18:09.360 --> 00:18:20.440 And the reason why this residency doesn't work is because we cannot promote from within because people locate according to our policies when they live outside of city limits. 00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:26.620 But when they get up to a higher level, we can't promote our good people because they've already established a life outside the city 00:18:26.620 --> 00:18:31.980 This doesn't make any sense, Alderman Monroe, I am sorry, I'm sorry, you do not understand this issue 00:18:31.980 --> 00:18:33.500 Thank you 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:37.680 Alderman Sanders 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:39.400 Go ahead, let him go 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:40.460 No, I get a first 00:18:40.460 --> 00:18:42.500 Oh, I didn't see you, I'm sorry, I saw 00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:44.320 So you, okay, go ahead 00:18:44.320 --> 00:19:06.700 When you say, Manager Boyer, that Chief Shenberger was hired by this council, and Mr. Monroe was a part of that vote, knowing that he did not live in the city, and you voted for it. You're a very eloquent speaker, but there's no substance there. 00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:09.620 Okay, Sanders. 00:19:09.620 --> 00:19:40.940 whatever occurred even during that voting process I wasn't available I can't recall myself voting for that but nevertheless the ordinance is the ordinance and people got to be held accountable for making decisions on even the hiring practice of this particular ordinance you cannot you cannot do hiring if the ordinance does not permit you to do so if the 00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:57.940 If you have not the permission to do so, first of all, the ordinance stipulates exactly what it says. You can't go above it and make your own rules and amend your own rules without 00:19:57.940 --> 00:20:02.600 rules and amend your own rules without the council making that decision to overrule an ordinance. 00:20:02.600 --> 00:20:28.160 So here we are talking about an ordinance that has been, first of all, does not work with the citizens of the city of Freeport because we have no data information for us as council members to even determine had anyone been seen. 00:20:28.180 --> 00:20:56.420 seeking or to apply or was there a promotion put before the public for these particular positions? And we don't have that data. We're handed a bunch of information that's coming orally out of the mouths of individuals. Well, I like to see documentation myself. I like to see data. I like to see the fact that 00:20:58.180 --> 00:21:18.660 this process went through that particular motion. So without any of that, I just want to make sure that we understand that that ordinance, first of all, should never apply to hire anyone outside of the residence of Freeport. 00:21:18.660 --> 00:21:46.460 That ordinance clearly states that you're not prohibited to hire outside of the city of Freeport, but yet it was violated, and I think there should be consequences for these types of actions, ordinances that are blatantly ignored, worked around, pushed through, disregarding the citizens of Freeport 00:21:46.460 --> 00:22:16.280 that has to abide by these ordinances. And then we have a few who decides, well, we're going to ignore what the citizens of the city of Freeport really wants or what their opinions are or what their objections are or whatever the case is. So I think we're doing a disservice as council, directors, staff, and anyone else who doesn't step up and speak up on these particular matters. 00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:45.000 You know, you're just as part of the decision-making in the council. The people look forward to council to make the right decisions and making good decisions. This particular ordinance has a clear violation being imposed upon it, and I think this should not go forward. 00:22:45.000 --> 00:23:14.600 I don't even think we should be even sitting here discussing it. Resonation should be forthcoming and resignation should be delivered to council for the wrong purpose or the wrong procedure processing of out-of-state or out-of-city limits of residencies. So I just think that that's what should happen and we should appeal to that. 00:23:14.600 --> 00:23:43.820 We should make sure that we voice our opinion, because I tell you, we keep going down this road, other things are going to happen, and the disapproval of the citizens of Freeport, we've got to remember, we don't work for ourselves up here, we work for the citizens of Freeport, and what our opinions and decisions make matters to the people of Freeport, it really matters, and so your constituents look for you to be part of a 00:23:44.600 --> 00:23:53.920 organization or the city government that's making good decisions, and we don't need all of this other backdoor stuff going on, so. 00:23:54.360 --> 00:23:55.440 Manager Boyer. 00:23:56.040 --> 00:24:01.600 Alderman Sanders, no one has been violating ordinances. 00:24:01.840 --> 00:24:13.780 We do our utmost to follow all the ordinance to the best of our ability, and it is not appreciated by you or anyone else to denigrate myself or the staff for not following the ordinances. 00:24:14.600 --> 00:24:17.440 So, yeah 00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:19.940 Alderman Parker 00:24:19.940 --> 00:24:44.580 Well, I'll tell you, just from being, working for the city for 30 years and realizing you do want important positions like the chief, you do want the best person for it. He has done an excellent job and we've been in violation of that. This is going to fix that. This is now going to fix the mistake or fix the issue and allow him to live where he is and still service as he's been doing. Thank you. 00:24:44.600 --> 00:25:08.580 Okay. I just, I would like to say something for a second. I know that when we hired Chief, we were asked to do the, whatever, the gov, governor, government thing, and go on and look to pay $20,000 to go out and try to find somebody. 00:25:08.580 --> 00:25:38.540 and we had we had him right here and we sat here and we voted yes and he's done a dang good job on his job. He has put bridges back together that was broken down and so he has done his job and he only lives in Dakota which I can even go along with Stevenson County but I just don't I me at this point I would vote 00:25:38.540 --> 00:26:09.050 yes to for this ordinance to go through okay who I mean was it you okay I just have a question for the attorney a clarification if uh if a staff member was hired with the knowledge that you know they weren't going to take the position unless people know that they are living outside of the city of Freeport but yet they're approved then that's an approval made by council just like a variation correct particular situation the council did approve 00:26:10.010 --> 00:26:38.870 You have, okay, Alderman Monroe. Thank you. So, everybody's probably wondering at home, what are these definitions, what does this mean? So, basically, it goes through, in the ordinances, I'll use the police for one instance, 240.31, residency requirement. 00:26:38.870 --> 00:27:07.890 There's a whole bunch of subsections, there's a lot of legal mumble-jumbo, but here's the key, residency is required, each and every officer, unless otherwise exempted by subsection C below, who is designated with the following rank and or title shall be a resident, as that term is defined in subsection A thereof, and shall maintain resident status during his or her period of employment. 00:27:07.890 --> 00:27:13.110 that's the deputy chief, that's the lieutenants of the police department, that's the sergeants 00:27:13.110 --> 00:27:21.630 of the police department, that's the chief of police. And I've got the city manager sitting 00:27:21.630 --> 00:27:26.750 here saying, we don't violate ordinances, we follow the rules. And I've got a former chief 00:27:26.750 --> 00:27:30.870 of police going, well, this will put us back in line so we're in line with the ordinance. 00:27:30.870 --> 00:27:59.850 They don't understand the hypocritical clown circus that that sounds like and the problem is is that all of us in this room are held accountable to the same set of rules and this guy is the first one that will slap a foreclosure or not a foreclosure but a condemned he'll have his guy put a condemned sign on your house the second it's out of you'll start getting fines you'll you you'll be coming in front of a committee in here 00:28:00.870 --> 00:28:30.850 and this is how he runs the city and he goes, well, guess what? I've never broken the ordinances. I've appointed multiple people. He's also fired somebody when he had somebody file a false report saying that that person violated a rule, a safety rule within the public works department and now six months to a year later, I found out that's not true. Also, he could appoint his neighbor because he's following the ordinance. 00:28:30.870 --> 00:28:41.170 Ordinances. Alderman Monroe, let's stay on the topic. I am. Okay. But I'm pointing out this man is a liar and he doesn't follow the ordinances. 00:28:42.750 --> 00:28:59.710 Madam Chair. So essentially the rules are for all of us but not for him, not for his buddies. And I agree that the chief of police, it was voted on. We as a council voted on him. 00:28:59.710 --> 00:29:05.890 All of these should come to the council. If you're going to go against this, who has the authority to hand out 00:29:05.890 --> 00:29:31.010 essentially an approval to go beyond this to get out of this rule? And that's us, the council. And they've been appointing people to positions and expecting us to then come back and change this ordinance. And it doesn't even make sense. They had a six-month grace period. Six months. 00:29:31.150 --> 00:29:47.190 And we wonder why we can't keep people in this city because we're making it easier and easier and pushing people out of the city. And it's these types of things that do that. Plain and simple. 00:29:49.540 --> 00:29:49.740 Any? 00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:50.140 Yeah. 00:29:51.040 --> 00:29:53.020 No, you can't. You did your two. 00:29:53.020 --> 00:29:56.000 Just, if I may, for a point of clarification, the deputy. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:45.650 for a point of clarification. The deputy chief, lieutenants, and sergeants do not, they're not required to live within the city. There's a, there's a radius and they're all in compliance with that. Are there any other? Can you clarify that for us? What's the, I got to look up the section here, so. 240.31. I don't lie. Attorney Zito, are you looking? Okay. And there's a corresponding one for each of the departments. Oops, sorry. So, 00:30:46.050 --> 00:31:18.840 B1 says each and every officer unless exempted under subsection C shall live within shall have a residency and that's the deputy chief lieutenant sergeants but then the exemptions in C talk about C2 any officer holding a rank and or title listed in subsection B1 above which is the deputy chief lieutenants and sergeants prior to the effective date of this ordinance with established residency within 20 mile radius of the police station can maintain that residency. 00:31:18.860 --> 00:31:33.880 as previously established. So if they lived outside of the city prior to this ordinance being adopted, which I think we said last time was in 2017, or they're within 20 miles, then they get to stay there. 00:31:36.980 --> 00:31:38.240 Are there any other? 00:31:39.840 --> 00:31:40.820 Order, Ms. Stacy. 00:31:41.420 --> 00:32:03.070 I just want to say that I was on this. I had been seated at the table when Chief Schoenberger was voted in. I was very, very new. 00:32:03.330 --> 00:32:37.980 Didn't know what all I was doing, but I was a willing vessel. However, it saddens my spirit to know that I cannot take the word of my leaders, that I cannot trust that what they're doing is the right thing. 00:32:39.280 --> 00:33:15.040 Don't none of us know all these ordinance. And if it's not explained that this time we're going to break the ordinance, that part isn't heard of. What's brought to the council is to vote Chief Schimberger in. And we did. Without knowing rules were being bent and broken. And that just means we have more work to do from Friday 00:33:15.040 --> 00:33:28.090 after five till Monday, because we cannot trust the leaders that's in charge to do the right thing. 00:33:28.490 --> 00:33:37.530 I just, I don't know how else to say it. I did not know about this ordinance. I didn't know the stipulations, 00:33:38.030 --> 00:33:51.200 but somebody did, and that didn't matter at the time, and that's why we're where we are today, 00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:53.560 because it should have mattered. 00:33:55.360 --> 00:33:57.500 It should have been forecoming. 00:33:59.040 --> 00:34:01.700 And then maybe two years ago, 00:34:01.900 --> 00:34:04.400 we would have been changing the rules 00:34:04.400 --> 00:34:08.640 instead of where we're at today. 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:16.620 Alderperson Sellers, can I ask a clarification from the city attorney? 00:34:16.980 --> 00:34:17.560 Yeah, sure. 00:34:17.580 --> 00:34:22.080 What's the penalty for the violation of the ordinance? 00:34:22.080 --> 00:34:37.160 and let me take a quick look to see if it's even stated. E, violation pending any officer violating the 00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:42.120 provision of this section is subject to the discipline of suspension without paying to the officers in 00:34:42.120 --> 00:34:50.020 compliance with the section or discharge termination. Are there any other discussion? Can you repeat that 00:34:50.020 --> 00:34:57.940 again? Violation penalty any officer violating any provision of this section is subject to the 00:34:57.940 --> 00:35:03.140 discipline of suspension without pay until the officer is in compliance with this section or 00:35:03.140 --> 00:35:16.280 discharge slash termination. Alderman Shadle. Thank you. At the time that we were discussing hiring Chief 00:35:16.280 --> 00:35:23.840 Shenberger, the fact that he lived outside the city was discussed and it was discussed that there was an 00:35:23.840 --> 00:35:29.940 ordinance saying that he had to live in and that he had said he would not move within the city and we as 00:35:29.940 --> 00:36:01.300 as a council, with the understanding that this would come up in the future to change this ordinance, we as a council voted to hire Chief Shenberger. You can hold the minutes if you want to, but it was discussed and it was understood by myself at any rate and we hired the man and it was with the understanding that this ordinance would be changed 00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:31.680 changed. And for whatever reason, it hasn't come up till now. But here it is. Are there any other ones that have not spoken? Do they want to speak? If not, is there a motion? I do. Oh, okay. I just want to understand you, Alderman Shado. So do I understand you to be saying it was clearly said 00:36:31.680 --> 00:36:52.020 that he would not be moving to town and that the ordinance was discussed and we still voted him in knowing that it was all in violation. 00:36:57.020 --> 00:37:00.520 Yes, go ahead. He wants to respond to me. 00:37:01.420 --> 00:37:02.880 Well, he did speak two times. 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.300 I know, but he's... 00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:06.280 So we got to follow the rules. 00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:07.080 Yep, that's fine. 00:37:07.080 --> 00:37:08.560 Yeah, he spoke twice 00:37:08.560 --> 00:37:10.980 But then I have no answer 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:14.480 But Alderman Sanders wanted to speak again, too, and we didn't let him 00:37:14.480 --> 00:37:17.460 But it was not an answer to the question 00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:19.860 He's trying to answer my question 00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:23.940 I asked the question 00:37:23.940 --> 00:37:27.020 Is there 00:37:27.020 --> 00:37:29.260 How do we handle that? 00:37:29.580 --> 00:37:36.480 Under our rules, if someone wants to speak a third time, the council has to unanimously vote to let them speak a third time 00:37:36.480 --> 00:37:37.160 Okay 00:37:37.160 --> 00:38:07.100 Aye. Is there a motion that we let Autumn and Shadle speak a third time? I make a motion. I'll second that. Okay. So will you call the roll? Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Clem? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. And it is unanimous. Okay, Shadle. Thank you. Yes, it was 00:38:07.100 --> 00:38:36.480 as I stated, it was discussed, and it was understood, I thought, by everybody present, but we were all there, and the understanding, the way I recall, is that this ordinance would get changed, and for whatever reason, it has not come up till now, and here we are. 00:38:36.480 --> 00:38:45.170 Okay, and this is the second reading, so we will take a motion to 00:38:45.170 --> 00:39:09.260 I would like to make a motion that we take a recess and have the clerk retrieve those meeting minutes because I don't remember that. I don't remember that we were just going to change this rule and I quite honestly think that it's ludicrous. 00:39:09.260 --> 00:39:12.980 Oh, Alderman Clam 00:39:12.980 --> 00:39:18.340 Just so you know, to take a little pressure off of Chief Shenberger 00:39:18.340 --> 00:39:22.060 This isn't the first time it's been done 00:39:22.060 --> 00:39:24.340 It's been done for Todd Barclow 00:39:24.340 --> 00:39:27.500 Todd Barclow was police chief two times ago 00:39:27.500 --> 00:39:29.820 Todd Barclow lived in Forreston 00:39:29.820 --> 00:39:34.000 It came up to hire a chief of police 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:37.080 And everybody was in agreement at that time 00:39:37.080 --> 00:39:54.080 to let him live in Forreston for that period of time and to stay there. He had built a new house there, had no intention to build another house in Freeport. So this is not the first time it happened. So if you think you're not only the four people, it's... 00:39:54.080 --> 00:40:13.660 you're not only the four people that sat there and voted somebody in. It's happened before. It was chosen a week and it was a good choice to choose people within our department rather than to spend $20,000 and go out and try and find somebody else. That was the decisions at the time. 00:40:13.660 --> 00:40:17.230 Attorney, Zito? 00:40:17.950 --> 00:40:19.430 No, the Alderman Clem's done. 00:40:19.550 --> 00:40:23.590 So we have a motion and a second about a recess. 00:40:24.070 --> 00:40:37.550 So that's what's on the table right now is just to talk about whether or not the council should take a short recess per Alderman Monroe's request to allow the clerk to go pull the minutes from that prior meeting, I guess. 00:40:38.250 --> 00:40:38.810 May I? 00:40:39.510 --> 00:40:40.110 Yes. 00:40:40.110 --> 00:40:59.710 Yes. Without a date, it will take quite a while to find open session minutes. I have not typed closed session minutes from around the time he was hired. Closed session minutes probably should not be disclosed in open session anyway. 00:41:00.410 --> 00:41:05.730 But don't we have a date when it was on the agenda for him to be hired? 00:41:05.730 --> 00:41:07.530 I don't know when that was. 00:41:07.530 --> 00:41:11.330 Westgate, Chief, Shenberger, in June. 00:41:11.650 --> 00:41:12.550 June of what year? 00:41:12.750 --> 00:41:13.070 23. 00:41:14.330 --> 00:41:16.230 That wouldn't take too terribly long. 00:41:17.490 --> 00:41:23.430 So we're saying that we'd like to just turn this over to another council meeting? 00:41:23.950 --> 00:41:24.350 No. 00:41:24.430 --> 00:41:24.830 What? 00:41:25.050 --> 00:41:25.450 No. 00:41:25.450 --> 00:41:25.770 No. 00:41:25.930 --> 00:41:37.510 Alderman Monroe's motion is to take a short recess, so a pause in this meeting so that the clerk can go find that set of minutes that's been 00:41:37.510 --> 00:41:43.170 that was a motion that was made to recess. It's been seconded. If there's no further discussion, 00:41:43.170 --> 00:41:53.100 then the council needs to vote on whether or not to take the recess. So is there, I mean, there was a first 00:41:53.100 --> 00:42:04.740 and a second, right? To have it. Has everybody had a chance to discuss that? Everybody, yep. Yeah, everybody 00:42:04.740 --> 00:42:34.560 did their on this motion to recess. Can I inject something also while we're on this subject? No, no, no, we got to stay right here. I know, I'm not leaving this. I just want to make sure if we're going to ask for the minutes in regards to Chief Stenberger, then we need the minutes for all those active applications that hired. We need those 00:42:34.560 --> 00:42:57.720 minutes as well because they have to have the same scrutiny up on the hiring practices that we have done whether we need to hear the minutes on the processing of how we went about this. So while you're doing Shenbergers, we need the... 00:42:57.720 --> 00:43:32.760 Right, right now, I think we're, that's the only thing. That's what we're, that's what we're going, that's not the motion. We got to stay with what the motion is. Yeah. Okay, so, do you want to do a roll call on that? Shadle? No. Sanders? Yes. Sellers? No. Clem? No. Monroe? Aye. Parker? No. And Stacy? Aye. The motion fails, three to four. Okay, let's move on. 00:43:32.780 --> 00:43:36.200 Is it with the second reading? Do we just wait for the adoption then? 00:43:36.880 --> 00:43:37.200 Correct. 00:43:37.460 --> 00:43:38.980 The next thing is a whole tip. 00:43:39.720 --> 00:44:00.020 I make a motion that we move this to the May cow then until we can get this information that we're asking for that failed right now that this be held up a couple more weeks ain't gonna make a difference since it's been held up four, five, six years 00:44:00.020 --> 00:44:22.220 So that we can get this information and that we could totally understand what have and has not been happening and what needs to happen for everybody to be successful. So I would like to move this to the Maycow. 00:44:25.360 --> 00:44:27.140 Second it. God bless. 00:44:27.140 --> 00:44:36.860 It's been moved in second for the moving this to the Maycow. Is there a motion? 00:44:37.520 --> 00:44:41.360 There was a motion. That was, Mayor, May I speak? Yes. 00:44:41.540 --> 00:44:47.160 I just wanted to note that this has already gone through two committee of the whole meetings. Just pointing that out. 00:44:48.660 --> 00:45:01.700 Yes, it has. I guess my question is, if it's went through two committee meeting, cow meetings, and we've talked about this for, this is, yeah, but I'm saying, 00:45:01.720 --> 00:45:31.260 Nobody, are you going to pull, are you going to pull it? Usually when we have a motion and a second. So there's a discussion, right, this is discussion on the motion. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I'm doing discussion on the motion. If we went through the cow twice and we've had this on the agenda, this is the second reading. I just want to know where, what more information or why aren't we, we calling in or going in and getting the information that we need so we don't have to keep 00:45:31.720 --> 00:46:01.320 going through the process so we can move on with the whole process and move on to the next thing. Yes? I don't know that it's been two cows because this just came up for first reading April the 7th. Then we had the, excuse me? Yes, 310 and 414. Okay, but everything that's been revealed tonight, things that's been asked for tonight, 00:46:01.320 --> 00:46:07.700 what's not even revealed and asked for at 310 and 4-7. 00:46:11.720 --> 00:46:17.680 So we still lay without. 00:46:18.680 --> 00:46:20.260 No, it has not been four times. 00:46:20.260 --> 00:46:24.440 No, I was reading 4-7, so I'm reading my minutes. 00:46:24.660 --> 00:46:26.000 Okay, but I was talking. 00:46:26.120 --> 00:46:29.400 So when you're saying four something, I don't know. 00:46:29.840 --> 00:46:31.880 Okay, but I can hear you. 00:46:31.880 --> 00:46:35.720 and it's like you're talking over me. 00:46:35.760 --> 00:46:36.520 No, I'm not. 00:46:36.600 --> 00:46:38.040 I'm not because you can't. 00:46:38.520 --> 00:46:39.960 But because you can't? 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:40.960 What did that mean? 00:46:41.020 --> 00:46:46.200 Come on with your process, which you got to talk about so we can move on to the next one. 00:46:46.920 --> 00:46:50.380 My process is that a motion have been made and seconded. 00:46:50.380 --> 00:46:50.600 Right. 00:46:50.840 --> 00:46:52.260 So that's what we're waiting for. 00:46:52.340 --> 00:46:55.720 Who wants to take the role? 00:46:55.720 --> 00:46:58.320 So Monroe is second. 00:46:58.920 --> 00:46:59.480 Oh, you got more. 00:46:59.600 --> 00:46:59.840 Yes. 00:47:00.200 --> 00:47:00.420 Okay. 00:47:00.420 --> 00:47:29.740 So basically we've asked for multiple times and I've asked the city manager for this. How many people does it affect? Which we've gotten half truths on that. We've got one person living outside the state. We know that. I've done some digging on my own. We've got several people that are outside the limits as is in the ordinance. So the question is, we don't know how many people it affects. 00:47:30.420 --> 00:48:00.200 Quite honestly, those people could have been suspended for not from the six-month point after accepting the position to now. And none of that was done. We don't know any of this information. This could affect nobody. We don't know. It could affect just the chief, for all I know. And quite honestly, I think all of us would have been okay. But the problem is, is we keep asking the same questions over and over again, trying to get answers. Those aren't happening. And your statement that we should call in and ask, 00:48:00.200 --> 00:48:30.180 I'm still waiting on three things that I've asked for for over two almost three weeks now and one I asked for last week has been delayed because it's much more cumbersome to pull the data but plain and simple it's not unfair to ask for this type of information to put it forward and to find out you know really is there anything to this nobody knows because we keep 00:48:30.180 --> 00:49:03.030 keep getting kind of stonewalled, if you will. Yeah, I just don't want it to have the perception of council allowing things to be passive. The way that I hear people's opinions and their comments and their remarks lead us to believe that we'd rather 00:49:03.030 --> 00:49:31.790 to be passive about an ordinance that's in effect that can be affecting everyone here in this city. And to my listening ear, that's exactly what I feel that is what's happening. And that shouldn't be something I'm having this thing where we're doing injustice to the citizens of Freeport by being passive or ordinances without any consequences for violating ordinances. 00:49:31.790 --> 00:49:51.530 and we need to get right down to the bottom of it. What's the process? What's the next move that needs to be made for those that are causing consequences of ordinances and violations of ordinances? 00:49:51.530 --> 00:50:19.980 and violations of ordinances. We need that to be spelled out. That's the reason why we're requesting data information and not verbal information. Everything that we're talking about should be documented, should have printouts where we can go along, follow the narratives of everything that is being talked about, even on today or before we had come in to talk about this during our agenda time. 00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:36.500 So my thing is, it's poor service to the council when we're not sitting here with data information and then everyone is assuming we're guessing about what happened this particular day and that day. 00:50:37.640 --> 00:50:42.160 HR could have spilled all of that out for us for time, dates, and all of these kinds of things. 00:50:42.160 --> 00:51:08.720 and I made those requests that I have these applications of people that are getting hired, I wanted them in my files, I wanted to be able to read them to see when the time, date of hiring practice took place for non-residencies of Freeport and I still have not received those documents nor the recording procedures and so that is another problem. 00:51:08.720 --> 00:51:18.540 We're not being responsible for getting the additional request information to council 00:51:18.540 --> 00:51:26.500 We have to stay on topic with the cow being all this going to the cow 00:51:26.500 --> 00:51:29.340 So is there, you want to read the motion? 00:51:30.240 --> 00:51:33.020 We have a motion to move to the May cow 00:51:33.020 --> 00:51:34.600 Ready for a roll call? 00:51:35.520 --> 00:51:35.720 Yes 00:51:35.720 --> 00:51:36.460 Shadle 00:51:36.460 --> 00:51:37.020 No 00:51:37.020 --> 00:51:38.100 Sanders 00:51:38.100 --> 00:51:38.660 Yes 00:51:38.660 --> 00:51:48.620 Sellers, no, Clem, no, Monroe, yes, Parker, no, Stacy, yes, the motion fails, four to three. 00:51:49.060 --> 00:51:59.370 So now you're at the second reading on the underlying motion. 00:51:59.630 --> 00:52:01.050 And is this a two-thirds vote? 00:52:01.930 --> 00:52:03.870 No, just a majority vote. 00:52:07.300 --> 00:52:14.160 So now we're back at the second reading of the ordinance of 2025-17. 00:52:15.520 --> 00:52:17.100 Are you ready for the roll call then? 00:52:17.240 --> 00:52:17.540 Go ahead. 00:52:17.680 --> 00:52:46.820 Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No. Sellers? Aye. Clem? Aye. Monroe? No. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? No. The motion passes, or the ordinance passes four to three. Oh, motion fails. I need five. One, two, three. I have four yeas and three nays. Correct. You need five votes, a concurrence of five votes to pass an ordinance. You are right. 00:52:46.820 --> 00:53:14.180 I'm so sorry. I forgot that one. Okay. So now we move that to, um, it'll go back to. Nope, that's it. Okay. That's it. You move on to the next agenda item. Okay. So now item number six, second reading of ordinance 2025 dash, I think it's 19. Yep. Ordinance amending various parts of city of Freeport code of ordinances regarding the regulation of wells and septic systems. 00:53:14.180 --> 00:53:19.220 That will be presented by Darren Stiekel 00:53:19.220 --> 00:53:22.620 Yes, thank you 00:53:22.620 --> 00:53:30.100 This is the fourth meeting that this item has come to 00:53:30.100 --> 00:53:35.100 It's amending the ordinance for wells and septics within the city of Freeport 00:53:35.100 --> 00:53:40.240 At the last meeting, Mr. Sanders asked for more data 00:53:40.240 --> 00:53:42.440 So we put four attachments in here 00:53:42.440 --> 00:54:12.420 here. Excuse me, one was the memo and three attachments, an EPA advertisement asking for ordinances relating to well and septic protection within the city. And since it's the fourth meeting, I will take any questions on this. But we've reviewed it. AWWA supports it. IEPA supports it. The Illinois Department of Public Health supports it. And so should the city of Freeport. This is for the protection of our 00:54:12.420 --> 00:54:37.170 Water and Well Water that we drink every day. Is there a motion to accept? Nope. Nope. This is second reading, so it's just discussion. Go ahead, Sanders. Go ahead. Question. Well, not a question, but, well, I guess it will roll into a question eventually. 00:54:37.170 --> 00:55:07.150 There's various variations of things that have been brought to my attention in regards to the project of implementing a whale and septic evaluation survey or whatever that you have done to come to the decision or the reason for 00:55:07.170 --> 00:55:37.150 for us introducing a new well and all of these things. I understand that we have not seeked out the area for contamination. We have not done any surveys for the proper installment of the well to determine whether or not there have been any research for the installation of a well. 00:55:37.170 --> 00:56:06.490 Well and the septics that may be possibly around it to determine if there's any contamination with even the installation of those wells. And then I also wanted to learn something about where's this money coming from to do the implementations of these wells and septics and the whole project. I'd like to know where's the monies at? 00:56:07.170 --> 00:56:33.530 who's funding this project, whether there's grants, whether there's anything that is in our budget that, because I saw in here where something talked about $20 million to do this operation, is that if I stand corrected, 00:56:33.530 --> 00:57:02.610 If I'm not, if I, if I read this wrong, then, you know, I will read it again. But the thing about it is, I'd like to know where this money coming from. How did we get to this place? And how did we discuss this matter, where the money come from, and how we come up with this budget to put in a new will, a new project? 00:57:02.610 --> 00:57:04.650 I'll try to answer you. 00:57:04.790 --> 00:57:08.770 So there is no contamination, so I'm not sure what you're speaking of. 00:57:09.730 --> 00:57:16.050 The well systems, the water systems in this community are safe. 00:57:16.210 --> 00:57:23.690 This is an ordinance only to establish a protection zone in the city limits for our drinking water. 00:57:24.170 --> 00:57:30.270 The number referenced in the memo is the amount of money that we have been spending on our well systems. 00:57:30.270 --> 00:57:37.290 We designed and built Well 11, and we're in the process of bidding Well 12 right now. 00:57:37.590 --> 00:57:39.590 We've discussed that at the last meetings. 00:57:39.790 --> 00:57:47.470 There's $13 million worth of funding towards that project, and the rest of it will be paid by the residents of Freeport for Well 12. 00:57:48.050 --> 00:57:58.810 Again, the discussion and the memo referenced protecting our established drinking water within the city for 23,600 residents. 00:57:58.810 --> 00:58:27.350 There is no contamination that we're avoiding, there's no funding for this project, this is just an ordinance and it would go into place. We already have ordinance on the book in separate locations within the city of Freeport that we don't allow wells and we don't allow septics. This is bringing it full circle so it's easy for anybody to find in the community. Illinois EPA is requesting that we do this. Illinois Department of Public Health asking that we do this. 00:58:27.350 --> 00:58:55.970 AWWA is recommending that we do this. So our Title 35 actually requires it, which is the guidance from EPA, it requires the setback. I provided all that with the memo. So all of the documentation there, all this is saying is nobody can drill a well or put a septic in that already doesn't have one in the city unless the city of Freeport authorizes that, which we would not if water is available to them or sewers available to them. 00:58:55.970 --> 00:58:57.730 That is all that this does 00:58:57.730 --> 00:58:59.350 Okay, I'd like to 00:58:59.350 --> 00:59:00.670 Just a second 00:59:00.670 --> 00:59:04.270 Yeah, I'd like to 00:59:04.270 --> 00:59:07.050 But wait, we gotta let Alderman Stacy 00:59:07.050 --> 00:59:09.390 Cause she had her hand up 00:59:09.390 --> 00:59:11.310 So, Director Segal 00:59:11.310 --> 00:59:12.910 Are you saying 00:59:12.910 --> 00:59:17.680 Are you saying that we are in violation? 00:59:18.400 --> 00:59:20.360 We are not in violation 00:59:20.360 --> 00:59:23.180 But the Source Water Protection Plan 00:59:23.180 --> 00:59:25.760 That is required by Title 35 00:59:25.760 --> 00:59:49.960 request that all communities and it went it's a tiered system based on how many people we have in our community and it's in 2025 we're supposed to establish a well and septic ordinance that is very clear to the state that we're not going to let somebody just come and drill a well without permission from the city and so that is all we are doing here we already have this on the books it's clarifying it for every 00:59:49.960 --> 01:00:17.980 books. It's clarifying it for everybody. So it's a living document that we can send to all the state agencies saying we are already doing this. Here's our document. So source water protection is so great. Anybody that listens to the news, there's water issues all over the country. There's billions and trillions of dollars being spent on clean source water. We have had source water issues in Freeport. So we're trying to protect our investments so we don't end up right where we started from at the beginning. 01:00:18.000 --> 01:00:47.360 of this. So again, this doesn't really hurt anyone at Freeport. Cecilia, you called me today and you asked me about a particular street. If water is available on that street and a gentleman or lady has a well, they will not get a permit to renew that well. They will be asked to connect to city water. And my example is if there's already water on those streets, those people are getting the source water protection of fire. 01:00:48.000 --> 01:00:53.600 right? If their house starts on fire, we're going to use city water to protect their house or the 01:00:53.600 --> 01:00:58.900 neighbors' houses. If they don't pay into the system and contribute to the system, they're still going to 01:00:58.900 --> 01:01:04.820 get fire protection. We also already backed this up with ready-to-serve fees for people that, as we place 01:01:04.820 --> 01:01:10.400 new water in areas, that people have that time free to connect or they have to pay charges in the future. 01:01:10.580 --> 01:01:15.280 We've already done lots of ordinances that we're building to the source water protection. 01:01:15.280 --> 01:01:45.260 You can ask Attorney Zito. I'm sure this is very familiar in every community we're dealing with. This is just the next step in the process. I provided all the backups from AWWA, the EPA memo requesting that every community provide setback protection. I also provided the Title 35 documents, which is that's the living guideline for water systems. You have to meet those conditions in order to serve public water to residents. 01:01:45.280 --> 01:01:57.280 That is the Bible that all water systems in Illinois run by, and it depends on your size. There's different rules for different size communities based on how many people you're serving, right? 01:01:57.280 --> 01:02:15.260 So as long as their well is working, they're grandfathered in, but if that well was to stop and they had access to city water, they would not have a choice. 01:02:15.280 --> 01:02:45.260 but to connect to connect yes and that being said people should know that there are not that many wells that exist within the city of Freeport any longer as we built out the water main systems people have connected there's still a few out there it's also illegal to have well water and city water at the same time that's called a cross connection and EPA does not allow that because if if somebody had contaminants in the well it could be sucked back into the potter 01:02:45.260 --> 01:02:53.120 Water System. So you should just know that as we have done Bradmar in town, we've made all those 01:02:53.120 --> 01:02:58.060 connections available to people. That was an area that it wasn't fully serviced before. That is our 01:02:58.060 --> 01:03:03.460 mission here is to fully serve our community. Right now we have, I'm going to call it two donut holes 01:03:03.460 --> 01:03:10.680 that we would have trouble servicing with water. And one is the westward open Bible expansion that 01:03:10.680 --> 01:03:15.640 direction. We would have trouble serving that without an extension. And the other one is the Woodside 01:03:15.640 --> 01:03:20.320 Drive area because of all the trees and networks. We don't have a water system or a sewer system that 01:03:20.320 --> 01:03:25.760 extends all the way through the woods. The city's never invested in that. So those are the two areas. 01:03:25.760 --> 01:03:34.400 Everywhere else in town, I believe we can service. Okay. Is the old water system on Brick Street still 01:03:34.400 --> 01:04:03.920 in operation? Correct, it is, but it is not, it is functional, but we do not use it daily. What you mean, what you mean by? So it is, right now we have wells, I think, I don't remember the numbers, but Brick Street, we have in a reserve capacity. So, for instance, if we had a major fire or a major water break, it's ready to serve the residents, but because of the four-nated compounds, it's only in reserve. We do not use it daily, and I don't believe we've used it. Is there a reason why? 01:04:03.920 --> 01:04:10.900 we're not using it. Because it has plaforinated compounds in it, trace amounts, which are being 01:04:10.900 --> 01:04:17.780 regulated by MCL. We can serve it to residents. We're choosing not to because plaforinated compounds have 01:04:17.780 --> 01:04:24.760 been proven to have issues. So that well system at Brick Street is totally in reserve. If we had a 01:04:24.760 --> 01:04:30.360 major emergency, it would get pumped to the system and residents would be notified about it. But we do 01:04:30.360 --> 01:05:00.340 not use it and have not used it ever since Well 11. Now that well that well that you're referring to you're trying to say it never had any problems and the reason why we have to change our strategy on how we use that well are you saying that there's no problems with that well in our system and I'm trying to find out what prompt this whole thing about the well that needs to a new well that needs to be installed that the old well 01:05:00.360 --> 01:05:30.340 Will is used for emergency needs and why is that? Are you? Are you? No, I'm saying that we're getting off topic on we're just supposed to vote on these ordinances right here. Oh, okay. And that's what I'm. Okay. So is there a, we don't have to do a motion, we just do a vote, correct? Okay. To accept these or these regulations. 01:05:30.360 --> 01:06:10.860 Stations, right? Correct? Okay. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No. Sellers? Aye. Clem? Aye. Monroe? No. Parker? Aye. Stacey? The ordinance passes 5 to 2. We move on to second reading of ordinance 2025-23. Ordinance establishing a special service area, Gladewood subdivision. Manager Boyer? 01:06:10.860 --> 01:06:40.840 Thank you, Madam Chairperson. As we've been discussing for a few meetings, the Gladewood residents, there's a confusion over who maintained the street of Gladewood. It came to light on the plat that there was a document or there was a verbiage on the plat that said essentially until these improvements were made at the time the subdivision was built that the city would not receive that road until those improvements were made. Those improvements have been made, but over a number of years, 01:06:40.840 --> 01:07:10.800 It's been very confusing and I think the residents assumed that it was a city street since they were in the city and once we found this information we discussed it with the residents of Gladewood at this time to move forward and we've talked to that we've received enough petitions to move forward with a special assessment area that would allow the residents to contribute to the improvements of that road in the future but in the meantime there are several emergent issues one is the entry 01:07:10.800 --> 01:07:40.180 way about 200 feet and the exit at 200 feet. Very bad, full potholes. But it's necessary for us to move forward with a special service area so that we can then have them contribute to these repairs and the future repairs. So before you is to adopt the special service area, a public hearing must be held to allow for objections and the ordinance before council tonight simply sets that hearing. So we are simply setting a hearing 01:07:40.180 --> 01:07:56.040 date for the discussion of having the special service area. Nothing more. It's going to be an open public session for that. So anyway, if that is the reason for moving forward with this ordinance, this second reading. Yes. 01:07:56.040 --> 01:08:03.820 Alderman, I think Alderman Stacy had her hand up before you did. 01:08:03.820 --> 01:08:23.070 City Manager Boyer, you just stated that they were asked to make improvements and that those improvements were made. 01:08:23.070 --> 01:08:25.150 No, I did not say that. 01:08:25.150 --> 01:08:31.450 What improvements were made? Because to my understanding, none were made. 01:08:32.170 --> 01:08:39.150 I'm sorry if you misheard me or I misspoke, but the improvements on the plat required certain improvements that were never made. 01:08:39.970 --> 01:08:41.650 That were never made? 01:08:41.710 --> 01:08:41.910 Correct. 01:08:41.910 --> 01:09:06.220 Okay, you said that were made, and so this hearing would be a hearing to see if the city takes on Gladewood and they become part of our city. 01:09:06.940 --> 01:09:19.900 The hearing is required by state statute for a special service area, so what this would be is it would be a public setting where people can discuss the merits of becoming a special service area, 01:09:19.900 --> 01:09:27.600 Therefore, they would participate in the cost share of future improvements and things to the road. 01:09:28.600 --> 01:09:40.840 Okay, so what about the things that were supposed to happen, like the streets and the curbs and all that, that did not happen? 01:09:42.180 --> 01:09:48.000 Well, at some time in the future, when that road is reconstructed, not today, 01:09:48.000 --> 01:10:14.400 and that road is reconstructed, not today or not in the five-year plan, obviously, we will have to review the potential of doing a rural cross-section to that area to provide drainage and so forth for that road. But at the current time, what we're looking for and what we're looking at doing is just some emergent repairs to the entry and exit of Gladewood to remediate the vast majority of the pavement quality issues. 01:10:14.400 --> 01:10:22.380 Well, isn't it fair to say that those repairs have already happened? Haven't they already went out and blacktopped the holes in the roads? 01:10:22.380 --> 01:10:31.500 No, that's not it. We're talking about a reconstruction, repair of the base, and a repaving of the first 200 feet on both ends of Gladewood. 01:10:32.480 --> 01:10:35.680 Before our city streets and our five-year. 01:10:35.680 --> 01:10:55.720 Okay, so there'll be 400 feet of repairs, a combined total of 400 feet, okay, so we're not reconstructing Gladewood, we are simply making repairs to the entry and exit sufficient to make, get rid of the potholes and the degraded pavement in those areas, it's the worst areas in that, that neighborhood 01:10:55.720 --> 01:11:14.760 I just want to say, at this time, we're just trying to do a notice of hearing, right, for the special service, so it's not where anything is going to get done, we're having a hearing to see what people have to say about the, is that what you're saying to us? 01:11:14.760 --> 01:11:15.300 That's correct. 01:11:15.440 --> 01:11:15.540 Okay. 01:11:15.840 --> 01:11:16.720 Well, I'd like to. 01:11:16.720 --> 01:11:18.680 Let me get Monroe. 01:11:18.940 --> 01:11:19.320 Oh, okay. 01:11:20.900 --> 01:11:21.820 Alderman Monroe. 01:11:22.280 --> 01:11:24.160 Thank you, Alderman Sellers. 01:11:24.160 --> 01:11:29.760 So quick question for the city manager or the public works or whoever has the answer to this 01:11:29.760 --> 01:11:37.660 Have all of the citizens living in that neighborhood been paying taxes up to this point, the normal taxes? 01:11:39.660 --> 01:11:43.060 I can't answer that. I don't know. I assume so. 01:11:44.760 --> 01:11:45.980 You can't assume. 01:11:45.980 --> 01:12:14.940 So, yeah, so the reason I asked that question, here we're moving forward to potentially take over the road, which we've been taking care of as well as the rest of the streets in Freeport, to officially take over doing the roadways, and now we're potentially adding additional fees onto the residents that live there that potentially could have been paying taxes the entire time, so the road 01:12:15.980 --> 01:12:35.980 was potentially, I don't even know how to say this at this point, we've been plowing it, we've been taking care of it, we've been salting it, we've been patching holes here and there, but yet now we've been doing that for X amount of years and now we're saying, well, it really wasn't our road. 01:12:35.980 --> 01:13:05.700 so it tells me we don't know which roads are ours and which ones aren't um and we may tack on an extra fee to them four hundred dollars per year is it four hundred dollars a year yes sir so we may do that so that we could fix a road that they've already been paying for out of their property taxes if they're paying but you know um so that it well try to I'm not understanding I guess I'm really confused 01:13:05.980 --> 01:13:32.060 because if somebody's already paying the full taxes and some legal, nothing different than what we're doing with the public works, fire, police, everybody else that is supposed to be following the ordinances, well, why are we tacking on to $400 to each household and then doing it? I guess explain to me, I'm missing something. 01:13:32.060 --> 01:14:01.240 Well, in the city of Freeport, there are a number of private streets. This was one of them that we were not aware of until recent title work was performed related to the Gladewood Bridge. Once we discovered that, we then held off on any pavement operations until we were able to come to a resolution with the residents. So we do have a tentative resolution with them, but we need to go through the process, and the first step of the process is 01:14:01.240 --> 01:14:07.640 a session, a, you know, public hearing. So what we're asking for tonight is just to move forward with the public hearing. 01:14:09.560 --> 01:14:28.340 Aldrin, Darren, let me. Yeah, isn't there a state regulation that private property or plots, as you might refer to them, has a duty of being annexed into the city? 01:14:28.340 --> 01:14:35.380 because they're not annexed into the city. No, they're not. Show me that in a document file or whatever. 01:14:36.220 --> 01:14:45.400 Well, I need to see that before you make that comment. I'm asking the question, I asked that last week. 01:14:47.320 --> 01:14:57.060 It doesn't matter. That doesn't tell me nothing. I'm asking. No, that does not validate anything. 01:14:57.060 --> 01:15:26.820 But my point is from the director, is there an annex of that private area into the city of Freeport before we start doing maintenance, any kind of special services, tax levying, any kind of monies that is generated from this process, are they annexed into this so they would be eligible for any future 01:15:27.060 --> 01:15:57.020 maintenance services, and we can't put the cart before the horse, so which one is it? Are we annexed? Is this place annexed? Yes. If I could just answer that. Yes. Yes. The residents of Gladewood were annexed into the city, so they are part of the city, but there are, like I mentioned earlier, there's a number of private roads in the city, even though they exist in the city, they are not city streets, so all we're doing here is 01:15:57.020 --> 01:16:08.980 asking to move forward with a public hearing to discuss the opportunity to bring in Gladewood as a receive Gladewood as a city street. 01:16:11.780 --> 01:16:12.500 Director. 01:16:13.200 --> 01:16:13.420 Yeah. 01:16:13.680 --> 01:16:22.260 I just want to give you a little bit more background here to support Manager Boyer's information. 01:16:22.260 --> 01:16:48.020 So in the plat, which plats are the governing guidelines behind the subdivision, it specifically had a special note on this plat that is a little unusual to plats, and it said basically that the subdivision developer would establish curb, drainage, etc. within the community for the city to accept the streets. 01:16:48.020 --> 01:17:09.320 So, in the research of the documents, when Gladewood became an issue, this has been going on, I believe, for the better part of two years, the negotiations, we dug up the documents. Everybody in Freeport that comes to the city says, every problem within the city's, the city's problem, whether it is or not. 01:17:09.320 --> 01:17:37.900 And so Manager Boyer has challenged all the directors to dig into these problems to make sure before we're spending money that they are truly city problems. So we're spending taxpayers' monies effectively. In our research, this note was discovered, which is unusual on Platts. And so therefore, we got the attorneys involved and the attorneys agreed that since they didn't make the improvements, whether the subdivision was the next in or not, 01:17:37.900 --> 01:18:07.900 the city never accepted the roadway because the improvements were made to the city standards which were required that is the whole argument here right if the improvement wasn't made it doesn't matter what they did or what taxes they paid the developer never finished for the city to accept it manager Boyer has been working with attorney Cox on a resolution that would benefit everyone without going to court over this situation and again everybody's 01:18:07.900 --> 01:18:36.640 have been bringing minds and ideas together to fix the situation. The city has installed water and sewer to this subdivision. I believe the original plaque goes back to the 60s, if I'm not mistaken. 50s, 60s? 63. So again, it's a long term what Darren Steakl terms as a ghost problem in Freeport that started under many, many, many mayors ago that we're trying to get to a final resolution 01:18:36.640 --> 01:18:44.060 that everybody can agree on so we don't ever have to talk about it again. And I can't tell you how many of 01:18:44.060 --> 01:18:51.320 these have happened in my last three years of helping this council move on from issues that have been coming 01:18:51.320 --> 01:18:57.600 from other leaders of the community that are now saddled and burdened to this administration. But 01:18:57.600 --> 01:19:02.020 instead of us just kicking the can down the road and going out there and throwing some patch down and say 01:19:02.020 --> 01:19:07.040 were done. We're trying to be wise stewards of taxpayers money and go by the rules. And so 01:19:07.040 --> 01:19:13.480 everybody's upset about us just trying to do the right thing at the right time and not push it down 01:19:13.480 --> 01:19:19.660 the road. So instead of everybody being upset, I think maybe look at the other side of the coin that 01:19:19.660 --> 01:19:26.800 we're trying to be responsible and do the right thing for everyone involved here. There is no bound 01:19:26.800 --> 01:19:45.860 agreement that they ever fulfilled for the city to accept the street, right? And yes, other city managers, other mayors, directed staff to maintain it, but just because we did something wrong in the past doesn't make it right now. And so we're trying to fix those issues. 01:19:45.860 --> 01:19:57.700 And so we're trying to fix those issues and be fair to everybody so it can be resolved with a positive benefit to the residents who want roads fixed and the city who doesn't want to accept the full burden of something that happened from the 60s. 01:19:58.920 --> 01:19:59.960 That's all I have to say. 01:20:02.740 --> 01:20:03.620 Alderman Monroe. 01:20:04.060 --> 01:20:05.020 Thank you, Alderman Sellers. 01:20:05.020 --> 01:20:07.780 I don't think we're, you know, up in arms. 01:20:07.880 --> 01:20:09.380 We're just trying to understand the problem. 01:20:09.380 --> 01:20:39.360 and you know typically in Illinois when an annexation takes place man and tell me if I'm wrong the roadways are annexed in even if they're private should be at that point in time but the problem is a lot of the documents I can't even get documents from director Richter before 2017 so we don't know if the city accepted or didn't accept in some instances but I can verify that there is no document that we have found 01:20:39.360 --> 01:20:46.520 anywhere, and we have to dig, big, deep diving, even Dovie has, that says that we have ever accepted the roadway. 01:20:47.640 --> 01:20:50.180 So, otherwise, we wouldn't be having this discussion. 01:20:51.740 --> 01:20:58.260 You see why we're asking the questions. It's not to be, it's not to be hard, but it's just trying to 01:20:58.260 --> 01:21:05.540 understand the issue, and you're about to tack on $400 a year for 15 years, which comes out to a healthy 01:21:05.540 --> 01:21:31.300 sum of money on top of taxes, which are already some of the highest in the country, and not everybody on that street was around in 1963, 65, 70, and so the issue that was kicked down the road, which is so many of the problems here in Freeport, I think we're just trying to understand so that, you know, we protect those citizens. 01:21:31.300 --> 01:21:37.220 We're responsible for everybody, even if it's not in our ward, to make sure that we do the right thing. 01:21:38.140 --> 01:21:46.540 So, you know, I think just trying to understand the issue and where it's coming from is really where we're at on this. 01:21:46.540 --> 01:21:59.890 To be fair, we have done a lot of preliminary research on the area and some street evaluations and cost estimates for replacing all of it. 01:21:59.890 --> 01:22:16.750 So, you know, there's probably close to a mile worth of roadway if you counted every, you know, every stitch of road throughout that segment. So, city manager has had us do a lot of legwork on this property to try to be the fair to all parties. And that's all we're trying to do. 01:22:16.750 --> 01:22:19.350 Alderman Space. 01:22:19.750 --> 01:22:29.890 So I know that there's, I believe, 17 families, 17 houses, or 17 residents. 01:22:32.530 --> 01:22:36.970 Did you or did you not say they were paying city taxes? 01:22:42.710 --> 01:22:45.090 Taxes are handled by the Stevenson County. 01:22:45.230 --> 01:22:46.790 That wouldn't be records we'd hold. 01:22:47.790 --> 01:22:48.250 Is that fair? 01:22:49.510 --> 01:22:53.610 So no one knows? 01:22:54.010 --> 01:22:59.870 Well, the Stevenson County Clerk would be the one who, or treasurer, would have that information. 01:23:00.730 --> 01:23:01.010 Okay. 01:23:01.790 --> 01:23:09.130 I'll just, that's just a little odd to me that we're here now, and that simple question can't be answered. 01:23:10.410 --> 01:23:14.570 So is there a motion to move this? 01:23:15.090 --> 01:23:15.950 This is, this is. 01:23:15.950 --> 01:23:16.710 Oh, we have the motion. 01:23:16.890 --> 01:23:18.130 This is second reading, so you know. 01:23:18.130 --> 01:23:18.410 Okay. 01:23:18.610 --> 01:23:18.830 All right. 01:23:18.910 --> 01:23:21.990 So if there's not discussion, then you can, then it'd be ready. 01:23:21.990 --> 01:23:23.570 Is there any other discussion we have? 01:23:24.010 --> 01:23:28.510 Two from Stacy, two from Monroe, is there anyone else that has anything to say? 01:23:29.650 --> 01:23:32.630 I need to understand something. 01:23:36.350 --> 01:23:45.070 So we have this hearing, and we find out that they are not paying city taxes. 01:23:46.910 --> 01:23:51.230 After this hearing, we're adopting them in anyway. 01:23:51.690 --> 01:23:52.550 Is this what? 01:23:54.670 --> 01:23:55.510 Manager Boyer. 01:23:55.590 --> 01:23:58.590 I think we could ask Attorney Cox, who's standing right here, 01:23:58.590 --> 01:24:32.480 if he wants to talk about the process and can we ask him questions well in just in in response to the question about paying the taxes they are absolutely within the city of Freeport's taxing district so I think what you're hearing is clerk Anderson saying well I can't confirm specifically that they are paying the taxes because somebody might not be but they're being assessed taxes for the city of Freeport they're within the city of Freeport they were annexed in the 1960s so since then 01:24:32.480 --> 01:25:01.140 there have been city of Freeport property taxes levied against that property and then as to the as to the process here what what happens with the hearing the hearing is really a preliminary step which you have is actually a petition from a majority of the landowners in Gladewood subdivision so they're actually asking the city to set this for hearing because that's the first step in the establishment of a special service area so 01:25:02.480 --> 01:25:32.340 as Darren pointed out, as Director Steakle pointed out, City Manager Boyer and I have engaged in significant discussions with the landowners in terms of, well, this might be something that would be palatable in the form of a recommendation to council and, on the other hand, also palatable to the property owners. 01:25:32.480 --> 01:25:38.720 in other words, a compromise resolution here to a situation that's existed since the 60s, sort of in limbo. 01:25:38.880 --> 01:26:01.700 So trying to just bring this to a conclusion so we all know where we stand. So what would happen with the hearing is that's a preliminary step where the plan is laid out in the ordinance, would be introduced, anybody would have an opportunity to ask questions, and that's anybody within the community, and not necessarily just within the Gladewood Subdivision, 01:26:01.700 --> 01:26:26.200 and then any objectors within the Gladewood subdivision, if they're going to be subject to this tax and they don't want to pay it, they would have an opportunity to object and that's really what where the there's a 60 day waiting period after the after the hearing where if you're a resident of the Gladewood subdivision, you can object and if a majority of the owners object, then it never even comes back to council. 01:26:26.200 --> 01:26:52.520 Council, it just fails. We wouldn't have the authority to pass that. So the residents of Gladewood really do have some direction over their own destiny here. Assuming, because we have the petition of a majority, unless one or more flips their position, we have an assumption that this will come back to Council eventually after that 30 days if we don't have a majority of objections. 01:26:52.520 --> 01:27:00.480 and then this council will really be considering for the first time whether this is a good idea or not. 01:27:00.560 --> 01:27:02.440 That's when the merits really get considered. 01:27:03.500 --> 01:27:09.060 So you could have a situation where this doesn't come back because it fails because of an objection. 01:27:09.980 --> 01:27:14.800 You receive more information because of the, you know, the public hearing process. 01:27:14.800 --> 01:27:18.020 You would have the opportunity to attend that and ask any questions at that point. 01:27:18.020 --> 01:27:30.080 So this is a very, very preliminary step and in no way binds the council. It's just a matter of taking the first step in this process to even evaluate if it's a good idea. 01:27:31.000 --> 01:27:44.180 Okay, I have a question for you. At the 4-7 meeting, there was some Claywood people in the audience and there was a gentleman back there. 01:27:44.180 --> 01:28:06.520 And when the statement was made that they represent, he was like, they don't represent me, I don't, you know, all that. And so if this is to their advantage, why would he respond like that? 01:28:06.520 --> 01:28:36.100 Well, I saw the same reaction. I was here and I noted that. What we have is a majority at this point. And when you have a majority, that's not necessarily a unanimous position. So you could have some dissenters. The way the statute reads is if a majority want this matter to come forward to council, it will. If a majority don't want it to come forward to council, it just fails. I mean, we don't even have the ability to establish a special service area at that point. 01:28:36.100 --> 01:28:43.760 so I would guess that the gentleman who was expressing some dissatisfaction was probably on the side of the dissenters. 01:28:44.040 --> 01:28:46.480 And that's pertaining to the $400 tax? 01:28:48.100 --> 01:29:04.320 That I don't presume to know that because it could be the scope of the work agreed to. It could be any number of things. There's a lot in that ordinance. But I presume, if I were forced to guess, I would say it's to the payment of the taxes. 01:29:04.320 --> 01:29:18.290 Have taxes been levied for the subdivision over there? You say they have been paying taxes is what has been said? 01:29:18.290 --> 01:29:31.310 So we just looked it up while Attorney Cox was talking. Sorry, I talked to you too much. And I looked right on my laptop. They pay city taxes just like everybody else within the city. 01:29:31.310 --> 01:29:42.790 Okay, so that's a benefit for that subdivision when the city steps in to do any kind of special service work in that area, is that correct? 01:29:42.790 --> 01:30:11.000 Is that correct? And they are paying their full extent of their property taxes or taxes to the city of Freeport and the investment that the city makes within that subdivision is a benefit to them and everything should be okay as far as moving forward to allow them to receive the special service in that area. Is that what we're saying? 01:30:11.000 --> 01:30:16.600 Well, in terms of everything okay, I think that's kind of up to them and then up to this council. 01:30:17.040 --> 01:30:32.560 Well, the thing is, why is it left up to the council if they want to petition for it? And who's hosting this hearing? Who's the people that are hosting it to get the outcome? 01:30:32.560 --> 01:31:02.440 are we what is this just something that the city puts on that we operate within that structure of a meeting with the with that subdivision it it would be hosted or the city the city taxpayers or the citizens of the city of Freeport that can be part of this whole scenario well certainly anybody who wants to attend would would would be entitled to it's the the meeting is it's 01:31:02.440 --> 01:31:23.560 It's deemed a public hearing, it's more in the nature of a town hall, you know, where anybody can show up and ask questions about the plan. And again, the idea is that anybody who is interested in the outcome of the special service area has the opportunity to attend and ask questions. And then, again, the residents of Gladewood would then have the opportunity to object. 01:31:23.560 --> 01:31:53.560 Who's hosting? Somebody from the council hosting or the city manager or someone that is making sure that everything is flowing accordingly? Or you. Someone has to be there to make this establishment happen and the taxpayers should not have to make an investment to put on a town hall meeting if they have to pay an 01:31:53.560 --> 01:31:59.460 individual to host this thing. I don't know how it's governed at this particular time. 01:31:59.460 --> 01:32:04.040 Well, I would anticipate that that would be staff, you know, probably salaried staff. That's going to be 01:32:04.040 --> 01:32:12.420 Manager Boyer. That's going to be Director Duckman, probably Director Stiegel. And so that's a, 01:32:13.380 --> 01:32:18.440 again, it would be, I think hosted is a strong word, moderated. 01:32:18.880 --> 01:32:20.760 Moderator, I should say moderator, yeah. 01:32:20.760 --> 01:32:34.640 Typically, we do those here. I mean, City Hall is just set up well for it. We can do it in Council Chambers, and it's just on an off night when Council Chambers aren't otherwise being used. So we would set that up and then invite anybody who wants to attend to be here. 01:32:36.080 --> 01:32:41.640 And the majority determines whether or not this moves forward? 01:32:42.360 --> 01:32:50.440 The majority of the, let me clarify the question, a majority of this Council or the majority of the landowners? 01:32:50.760 --> 01:32:59.440 of the town hall. So there's not a vote taken at the town hall. Town hall is just informational. Okay. So 01:32:59.440 --> 01:33:05.080 that's an opportunity, again, to ask questions and learn more about the project. The residents of 01:33:05.080 --> 01:33:12.400 Gladewood, those 17 residents, are the only people that really have a vote. Yeah. They would have, more 01:33:12.400 --> 01:33:17.020 specifically, they have an opportunity to object. So it's not really a vote-taking process. They would 01:33:17.020 --> 01:33:24.100 have to file an objection within that 60-day objection period. So if I live in Gladewood and I don't like it, I have to file. 01:33:24.100 --> 01:33:45.960 What would be a purpose of objecting? Why would that particular subdivision object to anything when they're getting free services or I'm not going to say free services, taxpayer services to maintain their roles and the conditions of their property and things of this nature? 01:33:45.960 --> 01:33:56.180 Why would anyone be in that area objecting? Is it fearful that they may have an increase in their tax property when that happens? 01:33:56.740 --> 01:34:06.540 Well, again, Alderman Sanders, I wouldn't presume the answer for anybody that lives there, but typically when we see an objection, it's, well, I'm being taxed too much. 01:34:06.660 --> 01:34:09.540 Yeah, that's what I was leading to. 01:34:09.540 --> 01:34:33.380 But, but again, anyone could object for any reason, you know, maybe they, maybe they don't like the road surface, it's being included, or whatever, but, but, or just for no reason whatsoever, I mean, if I, if I'm a resident out there, I could just file something saying, well, I object, period, and that's good enough, and that's what determines whether this council ever gets this back. 01:34:33.860 --> 01:34:36.920 Mike, Mike, oh, go ahead. 01:34:36.920 --> 01:35:06.020 Well, with the public hearing process, the city would run that, and it's more of a discovery process rather than, and it's called a hearing, but people can come in and give their input, that input's recorded, and then that'll be brought back to the council, so then if the members of Gladewood or the community of Gladewood decides they want to move forward, then we would bring you that with the discovery with, hey, people were in favor of this or people were not in favor of it, and then it's up to the council to make the decision whether that moves forward or not. 01:35:06.020 --> 01:35:30.340 Do I understand that there was a fundraising of a certain amount of dollars that they had accumulated for what purpose the dollars was raised for? What was the whole purpose of raising something like $90,000 or something like that, if I believe that was the right, correct figure? What would be the reason for them doing that? 01:35:30.340 --> 01:36:00.340 I can't speak intelligently to that I I'm not aware that they fundraised anything yeah I only received that information is because it was it showed up here on my on my agenda and I'm just asking questions to the reason I think he's referring to the special assessment I believe that manager boy here so the idea here is if we get the special assessment set up it would basically equate over 15 years to $90,000 that's where the 90,000 01:36:00.340 --> 01:36:29.720 came from, and it's basically a cost offset to the work we do out there, right, so it's saying, hey, this is a, it's unclear as to, well, it's clear on the plat, but it's unclear how this would make it through court, and this is just a way for us to say, hey, we're going to ask for this much in return for your cooperation moving forward, and it certainly would keep us out of a much more expensive litigation moving forward, 01:36:29.720 --> 01:36:57.860 if for whatever reason there's a legal argument that says, no, city, you have to take this. This would save us a lot of time and energy through the legal process in determining that. So that's kind of the reason why we're moving this direction is to create the SSA so that we can kind of stay away from legal battles back and forth where nobody, you know, ends up doing well. So we're just saying, hey, do what you can for us and then we'll do what we can for you kind of situation. 01:36:57.860 --> 01:37:25.320 Yeah, because what I don't want to see happening is that the appearance of impropriety taking place with the fundings that are being raised, and if there's something of we're making a payoff or bribery or some form of activity with the raising of the funds, I'd like to know what the $90,000, I would like to know where it ends up at. 01:37:25.320 --> 01:37:39.180 It will end up back in the road, but we'll get it $400 a year per property at a time, so it'll be 15 years before it comes through all the way, but that'll go back into the road repair to offset whatever cost we deal with. 01:37:39.180 --> 01:37:54.700 Okay. And I think that this public hearing, a lot of the questions that you want to ask, I guess the people that live there on Gladewood would be at this meeting, so you probably would get a better understanding. 01:37:55.320 --> 01:38:25.200 of what's going on and how they feel and, you know, instead of, you know, asking some questions here that, you know, I, I, you know, I resent that observation that you demonstrate. Yeah, but, but you're talking, yeah, well, you can't, you can't demonstrate that before the council. Let me finish because you are, well, you keep talking, let somebody else talk. So right now, so that's what we really want to do is just get a motion of a hearing date set 01:38:25.200 --> 01:38:28.120 so this can be put into place. 01:38:28.700 --> 01:38:30.840 Auderman Stacy, you have another question? 01:38:30.840 --> 01:38:33.540 What time of day would this hearing be? 01:38:34.900 --> 01:38:38.680 Typically, they're late afternoon or early evening when we set those. 01:38:38.760 --> 01:38:41.000 That's what we're trying to set now, a time and a day. 01:38:41.000 --> 01:38:48.460 No, I understand we're trying to set it, but they have their way and their time of doing things. 01:38:48.460 --> 01:39:18.460 so I'm just asking a question what time of day are we looking at for something of this nature I think I think certainly council could could set that you can specify what time we're trying to set a time and a date may I this might be a good time at the last meeting we did have a motion in a second to set this 20 to 40 days from the April 7th meeting is that sufficient to fill in that blank in the ordinance it is okay and the I think 01:39:18.460 --> 01:39:25.140 if a specific time wants to be. Yeah, I'm not talking about time as far as this date to this date. 01:39:25.340 --> 01:39:31.620 I'm talking about is this going to happen at three o'clock in the evening or is this something that's 01:39:31.620 --> 01:39:39.870 going to happen at one o'clock in the afternoon? That's what I want to know. I'll alter me. I mean, 01:39:39.870 --> 01:39:41.910 not alter me. City manager. 01:39:41.910 --> 01:39:49.520 Alderman. City Manager, Boyer. Thank you, Madam Chair. It could, I mean, if you have a real strong, a real strong thought on that, I'm sure we could accommodate it. 01:39:50.320 --> 01:39:55.160 We'll have it in the evening. So if you have a specific time you'd like to see, I'm sure we could work on that. 01:39:55.280 --> 01:40:06.820 I just want you to be considered a people working. I don't want 10 of these residents show up and the other seven are working and can't make it. 01:40:06.820 --> 01:40:14.920 Alderman Stacy, I think right here it says something about 5 o'clock p.m. in the City Council Chambers. 01:40:15.240 --> 01:40:17.080 Okay, well he did not say that just now. 01:40:17.080 --> 01:40:19.080 No, I'm just saying I just read it right here. 01:40:19.980 --> 01:40:21.220 It does say it. 01:40:21.220 --> 01:40:23.580 That's probably, that's a plug number that's in the form of this. 01:40:23.580 --> 01:40:25.940 Oh, okay, okay, I didn't know, okay. 01:40:25.940 --> 01:40:34.200 The standard protocol is, you know, typically in the evening so that we don't, you know, you said something at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, it's hard to get attendance at that sort of thing. 01:40:34.200 --> 01:40:45.880 so try to stay away from, you know, working hours and holidays. Thank you. Is there any more discussion? If not, call the roll. 01:40:46.940 --> 01:40:58.680 Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Clemm. Aye. Monroe. Aye. Parker. Aye. And Stacy. Aye. The ordinance passes seven to zero. 01:40:58.680 --> 01:41:28.820 we move on to agenda number eight and is the second reading of ordinance 2025-24 ordinance amending the codified ordinances chapter 806 alcoholic liquor sales and deleting chapter 844 mechanical and electronic games and devices and that will be presented by attorney Steve Cox I didn't have to go very far so I think we talked about this last time this is 01:41:28.820 --> 01:41:58.820 an increase in the fees payable by operators of video gaming terminals within the city and an elimination of the mechanical games section of the ordinance, which is frankly underutilized or completely unutilized currently. So that's just a matter of better of convenience and fitting regulation to practice. So I'm happy to answer any questions. I can go back over whatever the 01:41:58.820 --> 01:42:30.260 Council would like to hear but I think we pretty much hashed through that last time. Are there any questions on this agenda item? If not, we'll do a vote. Just a vote. Okay. Shadle. Aye. I don't usually wait. What do you want me to do? Okay. No. Go ahead. Call the roll. Go ahead. Shadle. Shadle. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Clem. Aye. 01:42:30.260 --> 01:43:01.980 Monroe? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? No. The ordinance passes five to one. We'll move to agenda item number nine is the first reading of ordinance 2025-25. 01:43:02.740 --> 01:43:14.740 Ordinance approving special use permit application at 1601 to 1645 Southwest Avenue submitted by Family Dollar to examine the special use of a B3 commercial and wholesale business district 01:43:14.740 --> 01:43:20.000 Zone property to allow restaurants, taverns, packaged liquor stores, and any other establishment 01:43:20.000 --> 01:43:29.040 selling alcoholic beverages for consumption on or off the premises, according to Chapter 1252.01B11. 01:43:30.040 --> 01:43:31.940 Presented by Director Duckman. 01:43:32.600 --> 01:43:34.240 Thank you, Alderpers and Sellers. 01:43:35.280 --> 01:43:42.460 Staff received a special use permit application from Family Dollar located at 1601 Southwest Avenue. 01:43:42.460 --> 01:43:49.060 and essentially what's going on here is they want to sell packaged liquor which requires a special use 01:43:49.060 --> 01:43:57.820 permit prior to their organization applying for a liquor license so this subject property 01:43:57.820 --> 01:44:05.040 went before our zoning board of appeals on April 3rd and it was recommended for approval by a vote of 01:44:05.040 --> 01:44:11.980 seven to zero with zero abstentions on April 10th our planning commission recommended approval excuse me 01:44:11.980 --> 01:44:17.860 by a vote of eight to zero with zero abstentions, and staff is recommending moving this forward 01:44:17.860 --> 01:44:18.740 to a second reading. 01:44:21.990 --> 01:44:23.230 Motion to move it forward? 01:44:23.670 --> 01:44:23.950 Second. 01:44:24.870 --> 01:44:26.230 Is there any discussion? 01:44:28.740 --> 01:44:30.100 If not, call it wrong? 01:44:31.160 --> 01:44:34.520 Nope, it's just first read, so all we need is a motion and a second. 01:44:34.520 --> 01:44:37.320 Okay, so now we'll move on to number 10. 01:44:38.080 --> 01:44:44.340 Is the first reading of ordinance 2025-26 presented by Manager Boyer? 01:44:44.340 --> 01:45:15.890 I'm going to read it in first if I can butt in ordinance authorizing the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency public water supply loan program and loan agreement for lead service line replacement phase four. Thank you, Madam Chair. So the city of Freeport recently had a bid opening for phase four of the lead service replacement program. The EPA water loan program requires a current city of Freeport authorized debt ordinance for the project. This is part of every 01:45:15.890 --> 01:45:45.870 every IEP funding project regardless of whether the community receives 100% forgiveness or not. The IEPA project management is required a new lead service remediation debt ordinance to be passed for the phase four project since the city has to pay the awarded contractor and wait for IEP reimbursement is required to have this in place to receive the final EPA loan agreement. Staff is also asking for the suspension of the rules on this item so we can 01:45:45.870 --> 01:46:15.850 expedite the program, and this project is funded through an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency state revolving loan fund. The project is fully funded with 100% loan forgiveness of $3,027,000. And staff recommends council suspend the rules and move forward with the debt ordinance. Is there a motion to suspend the rules? No, we need a motion. We need a motion to move it forward first. Oh, move it forward. Okay. We need a motion. 01:46:15.850 --> 01:46:17.250 to move it forward first. 01:46:17.350 --> 01:46:18.210 Jared has it. 01:46:18.390 --> 01:46:18.550 Yeah. 01:46:18.750 --> 01:46:19.350 Oh, I'm sorry. 01:46:19.450 --> 01:46:21.810 And Clem, we need the motion first. 01:46:22.150 --> 01:46:23.070 Clem, and. 01:46:23.870 --> 01:46:25.230 And I think, was it you, Monroe? 01:46:25.510 --> 01:46:25.730 Sure. 01:46:25.910 --> 01:46:26.250 Oh, okay. 01:46:26.330 --> 01:46:27.010 Thank you. 01:46:28.590 --> 01:46:29.850 But I have questions. 01:46:30.370 --> 01:46:31.330 Yeah, before we suspend. 01:46:31.910 --> 01:46:33.950 Right, so now would be discussion. 01:46:34.470 --> 01:46:34.750 Okay. 01:46:34.810 --> 01:46:41.570 Yeah, so if I can just interject, it's very important that this suspension of the rules happen tonight 01:46:41.570 --> 01:47:07.010 for this item because it reserves our $3,027,000 for this project. If we don't get it reserved, it will go on to another borrower that's waiting in line. So I just wanted to, we'll answer any questions you have, but it's very important that the suspension happens tonight so we can reserve this money before the end of the EPA fiscal year. 01:47:07.010 --> 01:47:14.430 Otterman, Monroe. Thank you. So I've got multiple questions here. How much of this money is going to 01:47:14.430 --> 01:47:21.970 Fairgram? About $400,000 with the design and with the inspection. This requires full-time 01:47:21.970 --> 01:47:30.840 inspection for all the service line replacements. $400,000. Yep. And the rest goes to the contractor 01:47:30.840 --> 01:47:43.260 that's putting it in? Yes. Okay. It's a unit. This bid is a unit price bid. So they get exactly paid for what 01:47:43.260 --> 01:47:48.500 units they install. So if it's 100 feet, they get paid for 100 feet. If it's 200 feet, they get paid for 200 01:47:48.500 --> 01:47:55.540 feet. It's a unit price bid on every item that's used within the service material. And again, we already 01:47:55.540 --> 01:48:03.500 had a debt ordinance for $12 million, but this program's been going so long that we had to re-up this to get the 01:48:03.500 --> 01:48:10.820 final $3 million, because I think we're over year five here. Alderman Klemm, did you? Motion to suspend. 01:48:11.300 --> 01:48:17.280 Oh, okay. Well, then just one second. We're still in discussion. Yeah, because Stacy had her. 01:48:17.280 --> 01:48:24.320 That's fine. Alderman Stacy had her. Okay, go ahead. You know, why 01:48:24.320 --> 01:48:31.740 is this just coming to the council tonight because we just approved the bids at the last meeting 01:48:31.740 --> 01:48:38.140 you can't you can't do the debt ordinance without having the bid and we just approved the bid at the 01:48:38.140 --> 01:48:48.720 last full meeting so it would be natural that it would come to this meeting okay is there a motion 01:48:48.720 --> 01:48:56.640 to suspend the rule so moved second oh let me see okay it was may I give the rhetoric chair 01:48:56.640 --> 01:49:02.080 Mayor. Suspension of the rules requires a two-thirds majority vote and it is non-debatable. 01:49:04.480 --> 01:49:20.860 Okay. Call the roll. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Sellers. Aye. Clem. Aye. Monroe. No. Parker. Aye. And Stacy. 01:49:59.200 --> 01:50:42.370 Stacy, the suspension passes six to one. So now before them if there's no further discussion would be the final vote on the ordinance. Okay. Do I have a motion for the final vote for the ordinance? No, you don't need a motion. It's just if they're ready to vote then they can vote. Call the roll. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Clem. Aye. Monroe. No. 01:50:43.090 --> 01:50:59.150 Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The ordinance passes six to one. Okay, we'll move on to first reading of item number 11, reading of ordinance 20, 25, 27. 01:50:59.810 --> 01:51:12.690 Ordinance approving hangar leases, C5, Jeff Modica, K9, Mike and Kim Robison. Manager Boyer? Thank you, Madam Chair. As we've been doing with all airport leases, 01:51:12.690 --> 01:51:42.690 we brought these two before you for approval it is as the clerk had stated it was C5 with Jeff Monica and K9 with Mike and Kim Robinson so staff recommends moving forward with the suspension of the rules motion to move forward second it's been moved in second is any other all in favor nope just discussion discussion and then 01:51:42.690 --> 01:51:45.210 If no discussion, then a motion for suspension of the rules 01:51:45.210 --> 01:51:47.350 Okay, so there's a 01:51:47.350 --> 01:51:48.750 So move 01:51:48.750 --> 01:51:49.470 Second 01:51:49.470 --> 01:51:50.110 Second 01:51:50.110 --> 01:51:56.200 Suspension of the rules requires a two-thirds vote and is non-debatable 01:51:56.200 --> 01:51:58.500 Are you ready for the vote, Chair? 01:51:58.640 --> 01:51:59.080 Yes, go ahead 01:51:59.080 --> 01:51:59.500 Shadle 01:51:59.500 --> 01:52:00.100 Aye 01:52:00.100 --> 01:52:00.940 Sanders 01:52:00.940 --> 01:52:01.600 Aye 01:52:01.600 --> 01:52:02.400 Sellers 01:52:02.400 --> 01:52:02.740 Aye 01:52:02.740 --> 01:52:03.380 Clem 01:52:03.380 --> 01:52:03.760 Aye 01:52:03.760 --> 01:52:04.240 Monroe 01:52:04.240 --> 01:52:04.740 Aye 01:52:04.740 --> 01:52:05.500 Parker 01:52:05.500 --> 01:52:05.960 Aye 01:52:05.960 --> 01:52:06.740 And Stacy 01:52:06.740 --> 01:52:07.460 Aye 01:52:07.460 --> 01:52:10.360 Suspension is approved, 7-0 01:52:10.360 --> 01:52:11.820 Is there 01:52:11.820 --> 01:52:14.320 Now we go ahead and make the motion to 01:52:14.320 --> 01:52:17.600 No motion, just if they're ready to vote, just the final vote 01:52:17.600 --> 01:52:18.860 Okay, final vote for 01:52:18.860 --> 01:52:20.500 Shadle 01:52:20.500 --> 01:52:21.900 Aye 01:52:21.900 --> 01:52:23.100 Sanders 01:52:23.100 --> 01:52:23.540 Aye 01:52:23.540 --> 01:52:24.300 Sellers 01:52:24.300 --> 01:52:24.720 Aye 01:52:24.720 --> 01:52:25.220 Clem 01:52:25.220 --> 01:52:25.760 Aye 01:52:25.760 --> 01:52:26.280 Monroe 01:52:26.280 --> 01:52:28.120 Aye 01:52:28.120 --> 01:52:28.740 Parker 01:52:28.740 --> 01:52:29.260 Aye 01:52:29.260 --> 01:52:30.060 And Stacy 01:52:30.060 --> 01:52:30.660 Aye 01:52:30.660 --> 01:52:33.060 The ordinance is approved 7-0 01:52:33.060 --> 01:52:37.240 Okay, we move on to the adoption of resolution 01:52:37.240 --> 01:52:41.800 R-2025-40 01:52:41.800 --> 01:52:57.660 24. Resolution accepting a safety grant from the Illinois Public Risk Fund grant and authorizing the use of the grant funds to purchase automated external defibrillators or AEDs from Zoll Medical Corporation for use by the city. 01:52:59.800 --> 01:53:11.660 Director Richter. Thank you. The city of Freeport's workmen's compensation carrier is the Illinois Public Risk Fund or IPRS. 01:53:11.800 --> 01:53:16.240 They offer an annual safety grant to members that are in good standing. 01:53:16.440 --> 01:53:19.500 There's not an application process to receive these funds. 01:53:20.200 --> 01:53:29.080 However, the funds must be used on an item or items from a designated listing of safety items provided by IPRF. 01:53:30.300 --> 01:53:39.020 The City of Freeport's award amount for this program for 2025 is $14,419. 01:53:39.020 --> 01:54:07.040 dollars, and the city would like to utilize these funds to purchase seven automated external defibrillators for various city buildings. AEDs are used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. It is a sophisticated yet easy to use medical device that can analyze the heart's rhythm and if necessary deliver an electric shock or defibrillation to help the heart reestablish an effective rhythm. 01:54:07.040 --> 01:54:13.340 The device is designed to be user-friendly with clear instructions on how to use it in case of emergency. 01:54:13.780 --> 01:54:23.260 It's important for our staff to be aware of what an AED is and how to use it as it can make a difference in saving someone's life. 01:54:24.080 --> 01:54:35.400 We've attached a quote from Zoll Medical Corporation to purchase these seven units, and it is the request of the Finance Committee for the City Council to approve the purchase. 01:54:35.400 --> 01:55:05.400 and just a little PS we do have one of these devices it's over here in this white cabinet so you can see about how big it is a few years ago all the staff had training on how to use that device so once these ones are purchased we've talked to the fire department about doing that again even though they're easy to use I think a training would be warranted so that is the request okay 01:55:05.400 --> 01:55:35.380 Do you have? We need a motion and a second. Oh, we need a motion. So move. Second. Okay. Parker and Shadle. Parker and Shadle? Are there any questions? Yes. Discussion. Is there any, how many units did you say? We're requesting to buy seven of them. Buy seven? For the $14,000. So there's designated areas for these seven devices? Yes. Already? Could you tell 01:55:35.380 --> 01:56:05.550 so please tell us where they're located? Well, the proposed areas were on Island Avenue in the office, Construction Shed, Wastewater Treatment Plant Control Room, Bertschord Water Plant and the Wastewater Treatment Plant Maintenance Area. We've also had requests from the police department for the individual cars for the police officers. We've also had requests from the police department for the individual cars for the police officers. 01:56:05.550 --> 01:56:12.790 request from the fire department for additional units in the offices, in the buildings themselves. 01:56:13.610 --> 01:56:26.730 So that's way more than seven. So we're going to have to prioritize and, you know, since, you know, maybe because some places have one closer, you know, we'll have to prioritize where we put them. 01:56:26.730 --> 01:56:39.270 So this is standard equipment for the city overall administration, location areas, departments, I should say. 01:56:39.830 --> 01:56:46.570 Well, we haven't had this many units before, but we also haven't had a grant to pay for them. 01:56:46.570 --> 01:56:46.990 Okay 01:56:46.990 --> 01:57:00.610 And this grant, it happened to be in their newsletter this month as well, a whole page on how important AEDs are and the ease of use, so we thought it was a good use of those funds 01:57:00.610 --> 01:57:03.550 Okay, okay, thank you 01:57:03.550 --> 01:57:10.090 I just have a question, how many do we have right now? Do we have that one and where else do we have any? 01:57:10.090 --> 01:57:15.630 I believe Ashley has two at the library and there's one at the police department 01:57:15.630 --> 01:57:22.570 Okay. Okay. Thank you. Are there any other questions? If not, can we take a vote? 01:57:23.630 --> 01:57:35.470 Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Clemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The resolution is adopted 7 to 0. 01:57:35.470 --> 01:58:06.720 Now we move to the, what was that, I'm at 13, yes ma'am, okay, adoption of resolution R-2025-45, resolution approving a proposal from Tomcat Consultants for rental of temporary portable hydropneumatic tanks during Birchard Water Tower painting project, manager Boyer, thank you madam chair, so we have a annual maintenance contract 01:58:06.720 --> 01:58:36.720 where we basically pay a company several or a certain amount of money every year and then at various maintenance intervals they come in and they will perform that maintenance so it's time to get the Birchard water tower painted it's kind of an extensive process and because we have to take the water out of the tower we need to put in a hydropneumatic a temporary hydropneumatic tank that would allow us to paint the interior and paint the exterior so staff 01:58:36.720 --> 01:58:44.020 has put forward a resolution for you to move forward with the funding of the pressure vessel. 01:58:44.360 --> 01:58:46.460 And this was budgeted in the utility budget. 01:58:47.080 --> 01:58:49.690 Do we do a motion? 01:58:50.010 --> 01:58:50.270 Yes. 01:58:50.430 --> 01:58:50.670 Okay. 01:58:50.910 --> 01:58:52.570 Is there a motion to approve? 01:58:53.430 --> 01:58:53.790 Second. 01:58:54.690 --> 01:58:55.350 Thank you. 01:58:56.110 --> 01:58:56.470 Can I... 01:58:56.470 --> 01:58:57.450 Do we do all in favor? 01:58:57.950 --> 01:58:58.690 Can I ask... 01:58:58.690 --> 01:58:59.730 This will be roll call. 01:59:00.050 --> 01:59:01.050 Oh, it'll be roll call. 01:59:01.490 --> 01:59:01.890 Discussion? 01:59:02.250 --> 01:59:02.430 Yeah. 01:59:02.430 --> 01:59:02.730 Okay. 01:59:03.130 --> 01:59:07.630 Can I ask you, is this an annual schedule? 01:59:07.630 --> 01:59:37.610 How often do we do this? Is this scheduled for this type of project on a yearly annually or about every 10 years every 10 years? Yeah. So how long has that tower been in in place? I don't know 25, but I think it go ahead there. It's 12 years. Okay. 12. So it's scheduled. It should be scheduled scheduled for this July. It was actually scheduled for last July. 01:59:37.610 --> 01:59:37.930 and we. 01:59:37.930 --> 01:59:53.980 We actually scheduled for last July, and we pushed it because we were just getting the water plant finished, and we didn't want to interfere with that construction and finishing that project, and so we actually pushed it to this. It was scheduled to start the first week of July and take four weeks, four to six weeks. 01:59:53.980 --> 02:00:23.980 okay all right thanks yeah that was my question as far as how often is this painted because I thought it came to the council last year but you're saying it did not happen um yeah so the the item that you're discussing was the logo changes for that tower as part of the painting projects and again we pay the maintenance contract so it was the city of Freeport's choice to push last year because I couldn't get these tanks under rental as well as the 02:00:23.980 --> 02:00:53.960 as well as we were finishing birchard restorations and all that stuff. So there's very few companies that do this type of water tank, hydropneumatic tanks. And so as people get booked up, it's very hard to get them placed. So again, the last time we painted this, I believe was 12 years ago. It should have been scheduled for last year. We pushed it to this year, which is no problem. It's under the maintenance contract. You do the exterior about every 10 years and you do a full tank painting about 02:00:53.960 --> 02:01:03.820 about every 20 years. And it's very expensive. I mean, a full tank painting is close to probably $400,000 for this type of tank. 02:01:04.400 --> 02:01:10.040 So when we budgeted for it last year, what did we do with that money? 02:01:10.700 --> 02:01:13.860 It stayed in the surplus and we rebudgeted for it this year. 02:01:13.960 --> 02:01:15.280 And this is to put that? 02:01:15.280 --> 02:01:18.500 Yeah, and this is cheaper than what we budgeted for the total rental. 02:01:19.420 --> 02:01:20.940 This is to put that leaf? 02:01:20.940 --> 02:01:42.850 No, we did not approve that. It's going to stay looking just like it is now. It's just a re-over-scarifying and re-coating of the entire tank. And the painting is part of our annual contract, so we pay a fee annually that's in the budget for that tower. That's the only one that has a maintenance contract. 02:01:43.370 --> 02:01:47.680 And this funding is coming from what? 02:01:49.280 --> 02:01:51.660 The utility budget we budgeted from. 02:01:52.160 --> 02:01:53.480 It's budgeted in operations. 02:01:53.480 --> 02:01:56.820 Yeah, I believe we budgeted $60,000 for it 02:01:56.820 --> 02:01:59.640 Is there any other discussion? 02:02:00.420 --> 02:02:01.680 If not, is there a roll call? 02:02:02.520 --> 02:02:03.580 Shadle? Aye. 02:02:03.960 --> 02:02:04.920 Sanders? Aye. 02:02:05.180 --> 02:02:06.080 Sellers? Aye. 02:02:06.380 --> 02:02:07.140 Clem? Aye. 02:02:07.480 --> 02:02:08.780 Monroe? Aye. 02:02:09.580 --> 02:02:10.500 Parker? Aye. 02:02:10.820 --> 02:02:12.780 And Stacy? Aye. 02:02:12.780 --> 02:02:15.400 The resolution is adopted, 7-0. 02:02:17.630 --> 02:02:21.830 Move on to item number 14, approval of bid. 02:02:21.830 --> 02:02:32.440 bid opening on April 15th, 2025 for Fuel Island Concrete Pavement. Manager Boyer. Thank you, Madam Chair. 02:02:33.020 --> 02:02:38.960 The City of Freeport is currently working on an upgrade to the fuel system that is required by upcoming 02:02:38.960 --> 02:02:49.440 environmental requirements, so we'll bring it up to specification, but on April 15th, 2025, the City 02:02:49.440 --> 02:03:17.940 We had a public bid opening for the concrete portion of the job. It was a 12 inches full depth concrete installation for the fuel station. Once the fuel equipment work is done, the project has three bidders have pulled the plans and all three bids. The lower bidder was the DPI construction in the amount of $77,933.87. This bid was under the engineer's estimate and staff requests city council approval of this bid. 02:03:17.940 --> 02:03:52.910 Motion to approve. Second. Second. Okay. Shadle, Tom, thank you. Is there any discussion? Madam Chair, I would like to say on this item, I would give a lot of credit to the Public Works Department. I believe we budgeted $170,000 for this item this year, and with the spring weather, we've been having the Public Works team do all the removals and all the aggregate placement to save the city money, so we're likely going to end up saving 02:03:52.910 --> 02:04:24.350 somewhere around $70,000 on this item this year. Did you say $78,000 or $77,000 or $8,000? We budgeted $170,000. I imagine by the time we're all done with this with electrical and things, we'll probably be right around $100,000, so we should have about $70,000 savings. Good deal. Thank you. Is there a motion? So move. We've got Shadle and Clem. Okay. Call the roll. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. 02:04:24.350 --> 02:04:39.520 Aye. Clem. Aye. Monroe. Abstain. Parker. Aye. And Stacy. Aye. The motion passes six to zero with one absentia. 02:04:40.040 --> 02:04:54.520 We'll move on to item number 15, the approval of bid opening on April 16th, 2025 for 2025 citywide tree removal. 02:04:54.520 --> 02:05:22.840 Manager, Boyer. Thank you, Madam Chair. Each year, we've been systematically going through town, marking the most large and dangerous trees that are outside of the size that we can safely manage with our forestry department. This year, we had two bidders. One was, let's see here, it was, pardon me for a second, as I recall, it was Homer Tree Service and, oh gosh, our local one there, Ingram. 02:05:22.840 --> 02:05:38.820 area tree. Anyway, the Homer's bid was lowest at $73,167.50, and we budgeted for that in the 2025 budget, and staff recommends moving forward with the Homer tree service bid. 02:05:40.500 --> 02:05:41.460 Is there a motion? 02:05:43.620 --> 02:05:44.740 I'll second it. 02:05:44.980 --> 02:05:48.100 Okay, so is Clem and Monroe, thank you. 02:05:48.560 --> 02:05:49.040 Question. 02:05:49.260 --> 02:05:50.440 Is there any discussion? 02:05:50.960 --> 02:05:51.100 Okay. 02:05:51.100 --> 02:06:18.700 City Manager, did we have Homer Tree Service do the removals last year as well? I believe we did. And how did that go? Very fast. Very complete. Yeah. Okay. They did a good job. Yeah, they removed about 30 trees last year in probably a little less than two weeks. Wow. So I would like to also mention just this contract is a significant savings for the City of Freeport when we don't have to take down emergency trees. 02:06:18.700 --> 02:06:48.680 we would probably get about 10 to 12 trees done instead we're going to get 31 done for the same for the same price emergency trees cost a lot more money so this program has been very effective in saving long-term money to the city so if we were doing them as emergencies like we've done in the past we would only get about 12 trees probably done for this amount where we're in this contract we'll get 31 done 02:06:48.680 --> 02:06:50.320 and then Studd. 02:06:53.350 --> 02:06:55.150 Audubon Sanders, didn't you have one? 02:06:55.150 --> 02:06:57.670 Yeah, I have one, but I'm going to pass. 02:06:57.750 --> 02:06:58.110 Go ahead. 02:06:59.190 --> 02:07:00.710 So is there a motion to? 02:07:00.950 --> 02:07:01.750 We've got Clement. 02:07:02.130 --> 02:07:05.870 Okay, so now it's, oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you, Ann. 02:07:06.070 --> 02:07:06.430 Come on. 02:07:08.310 --> 02:07:17.780 The two companies that bid it, there was a $50 difference. 02:07:17.780 --> 02:07:27.940 would the other company have been willing to give us the 30 whatever you said? 02:07:29.220 --> 02:07:47.720 So by bid rules it would be illegal for us to ask them to match prices that's why we do an open bid process and our city of Freeport procurement standards that we govern with don't allow us to negotiate with the second bidder 02:07:47.720 --> 02:07:53.460 We have a process here, and we have to go with the low bidder if they're responsible to do the work. 02:07:53.920 --> 02:08:06.860 Homer performed the work last year without any issues, so we are bound by our bidding rules to accept that low bidder, and if we don't, it could possibly open us up to litigation. 02:08:06.860 --> 02:08:20.460 Okay, I wasn't asking to have the other company underbid to match this company. I'm saying it was just $50 difference. 02:08:20.680 --> 02:08:23.540 Correct. It was the tightest bid I've ever seen. 02:08:23.920 --> 02:08:29.880 Okay, so what I'm asking is, would they have given us, what did you say, 32 trees? 02:08:29.880 --> 02:08:32.340 Yeah, they both bid the same, 31 trees. 02:08:32.340 --> 02:08:38.740 31 trees. Yep, we actually went out and a map was given exact locations of these trees and they were 02:08:38.740 --> 02:08:45.440 invited to go out and look at them and measure them themselves. We go out, there's a long story, it's a 02:08:45.440 --> 02:08:50.120 tree process, we actually go out and we have to measure the inches of the tree at four foot high, 02:08:50.200 --> 02:08:54.780 it's an IDOT rule and that's what they bid on, that's the basis of bid, so it's a total of so many 02:08:54.780 --> 02:09:02.140 inches for 31 trees. The largest tree on this is 56 inches around, so it's a very large tree. 02:09:02.340 --> 02:09:04.460 Have we ever used the other company? 02:09:04.760 --> 02:09:07.120 Yes, we use area tree service all the time. 02:09:07.440 --> 02:09:14.540 I'm just a little surprised that we would go to Lockport where we had someone right here. 02:09:15.700 --> 02:09:22.340 So the city staff had that discussion and we have to live by our procurement standards. 02:09:22.580 --> 02:09:23.780 That's why we don't have a choice. 02:09:23.780 --> 02:09:26.300 You always choose the one with the less. 02:09:26.300 --> 02:09:36.020 That is our procurement standard is to select the lowest responsive bidder unless the city has some justification for not 02:09:36.020 --> 02:10:07.130 some justification for not choosing them say if they hadn't done a good job before or we had litigation with them or we had some track record of they weren't going to perform well on the job and we don't have that in this case to be able to eliminate them. Any other question? Call the roll. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Clem? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The motion passed. 02:10:07.150 --> 02:10:39.200 Passes, 7-0. Now we're at number 16, Explanation of Removal, or Josh Atkins, for Planning Commission, presented by Alderman, Stacy, and Monroe. You know, I'd just like to say how convenient for the mayor not to be here tonight. You know, April 7th, that first meeting, 02:10:39.200 --> 02:11:12.140 Council was asked to accept someone to the planning committee and I asked the question, like I always ask, why this person? Thinking that there was an open position on that committee, well, that was the furthest thing from the truth. 02:11:13.420 --> 02:11:46.020 because that happened on Monday and Tuesday. Joshua Atkinson was fired from his position. And that's not how it works. Again, another ordinance and rules are not followed. I don't know who all knew that there was not an opening. 02:11:46.020 --> 02:12:22.720 the way it was brought to the council was that of an opening but now we can't even trust that and it states that any member of the planning commission may be removed by the mayor subject to confirmation of such removal by the council did not happen. For purpose of this section missing three consecutive meetings 02:12:22.740 --> 02:13:00.520 of the Planning Commission shall be deemed to be due cause of removal. Did not happen. In his time served on this committee, he may have missed one meeting. And so my purpose for putting this on the agenda tonight was for Madam Mayor 02:13:00.540 --> 02:13:14.110 to explain why she would violate this ordinance and proceed to do what she did unlawfully. 02:13:14.110 --> 02:13:20.690 It has got to stop. 02:13:25.290 --> 02:13:36.170 Violation of ordinance by choice just because has got to stop. 02:13:36.170 --> 02:14:13.290 We open up every meeting with prayer, say we gonna do the right thing. I wish some of you were in my shoes, and then you would know my heart and understand my frustration. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. 02:14:13.290 --> 02:14:47.340 and this is just not right no matter how you look at it yes oh I have to uh Attorney Zito thank you madam chair so I I obviously I can't speak for the mayor I'm not going to try to speak for the mayor as to whatever explanations and I wouldn't want you to thank you um but what I can speak to is just what the rules were and the law is okay so you did 02:14:47.340 --> 02:15:11.640 did cite from a section of the code there that deals with the removal of a planning commission member, and you're accurate that if there's a sitting member, like, that they're within their term, that if they're going to remove, the mayor can initiate the removal process, and then that removal is subject to confirmation by the city council, so that part is accurate for someone who's currently sitting that's in the middle of their term, okay? 02:15:11.640 --> 02:15:41.640 My understanding is that Mr. Atkinson's term expired, I want to say in October of 24. So this was a reappointment situation. And so the mayor chose to reappoint someone different. So follow up, please. You know, I'm, I'm, I'm sorry that you came with that. So I must read an email from April the 02:15:41.640 --> 02:16:11.640 15th, 2024. Appointment to the Planning Commission. Effective immediately, I hereby appoint Joshua T. Atkinson to the Planning Commission to fill the seat held by Jane somebody who expires 02:16:11.640 --> 02:16:40.840 October 31st, 2024. Same email. This appointment shall be effective through October 31st, 2024 and automatically be reappointed to fulfill the next four years seat term. 02:16:43.170 --> 02:17:15.260 dated the 15th day of April 2024 respectfully submitted Jodi Miller, Mayor of Freeport. So she did state that he was filling a seat but then she turned right around in the same email and says that October the 31st he would fill 02:17:15.280 --> 02:17:53.060 a four-year term, 24, 25, 26, 28, and then he receive a letter of termination. Yes. Joy? Attorney Zito? Go ahead, attorney. So I'm aware of that letter, and I'm aware of that even on the agenda when Mr. Atkinson was on the agenda for his appointment initially to fill the remainder of the unexplained 02:17:53.060 --> 02:18:22.880 expired term until October 31st, 2021 that the agenda heading actually also did say then mentioned the immediate reappointment for a successor for your term. That was probably an oversight. I'll be first to say that I'll take my plane and my portion of the blame and not catching it at the time of that appointment. But the appointment can only be per our ordinance can only be for the remainder of the expired term. The mayor, the council didn't have the authority 02:18:23.060 --> 02:18:43.580 to do the successor part. On the 31st, there should have been, or whenever the closest meeting was next available after the October 31st, there should have been a reappointment at that point, but that didn't happen. So basically what I'm saying is the automatic successor appointment didn't have legal standing. It probably should have never happened that way. 02:18:43.580 --> 02:18:45.500 But how many times have it happened? 02:18:46.020 --> 02:18:46.740 I don't know. 02:18:47.060 --> 02:18:49.260 Well, that's something we need to find out. 02:18:49.260 --> 02:19:04.480 And certainly if it's happened, if that successor situation was like kind of done anywhere else, the mayor would need to make reappointments or fill those appointments again, you know, so it would need to be corrected again. 02:19:04.480 --> 02:19:33.760 So, again, here we said a simple ordinance that you can't even follow. And so now I'm going to need to know who's on what committee, when and how they were appointed to that committee. And I'm going to even take it a step further because it's 02:19:33.760 --> 02:19:34.020 Choo. 02:19:34.020 --> 02:20:13.180 because it's troubling that this committee where we have a young black gentleman would be removed. Are we going DEI on our committees now? Up? But she's not here to answer that question and you can't answer it for her. I'm just saying. Diversity, equity in what she did, she said a lot. 02:20:13.200 --> 02:20:45.860 and she did a lot and it's not and should not be accepted. Is there anyone else? Yeah. Attorney Zito, in an event of this nature, how do we make this whole again? How do we reestablish or reinstate 02:20:45.860 --> 02:21:07.620 a situation where it could have been a wrong situation that was done, and how do we correct it? I would expect you to probably be able to give us some consultation on that matter, if possible. Yes, yes. Joy. 02:21:08.620 --> 02:21:09.660 Tony Vito. 02:21:09.660 --> 02:21:46.380 So ultimately right now you have someone who's sitting in that spot, Mr. Wilkinson, so he's sitting in that spot right now, so one possible method is that the mayor could initiate removal of Mr. Wilkinson that would be subject to advice and consent of the council, that could be one thing that happened, not saying that's how it's going to happen, that could be one way there, and then at that point there would be a vacancy in the spot, 02:21:46.700 --> 02:22:16.700 the mayor could then make another appointment of whoever she wants to appoint to fill the spot and that would be subject to advice and consent if the council approves that then that person sits there so that's one possible scenario another possible scenario again I use the word possible is what you have on later on in the agenda at the request of of Alderman Stacy there is a motion to rescind the advice and consent that you previously gave that this council previously gave to Mr Wilkinson 02:22:16.700 --> 02:22:52.650 there and so that's coming up on the later in the agenda there so I don't I won't jump ahead to that but that that'd be another potential route to go and when that comes up I'll discuss the potential pitfalls with that I would like to recommend that added to this ordinance someone that is interested in committees should have to come to the council 02:22:52.650 --> 02:23:32.700 Council and present and explain why they would like to be a part of that committee because clearly we cannot respect the judgment of the city mayor anymore. So I would like to see that change and see that added into the ordinance. So there's not an ordinance right now that's before you tonight. 02:23:32.700 --> 02:24:06.230 tonight. So I'm off topic. Right. So if you wanted to go through that process to request the change to the ordinances, you can either talk to Rob about having that drafted so he can direct me to draft something or whatever. But that'd be a conversation. I will be contacting you for that draft. If nothing else, let's move on to department head reports, finance. Nothing tonight. Okay. Public works. 02:24:06.250 --> 02:24:36.250 just one thing just wanted to make residents aware starting either late tonight or tomorrow you'll be receiving a text an email or possibly a letter from the city of Freeport we are required to send an email out about the PFAS detection that we had in 2017 on the brick street wells this is a move by EPA without all communities 02:24:36.250 --> 02:25:06.250 within Illinois. We have been notifying the citizens of Freeport since 2017 so we're way ahead of the curve this is just a requirement we will be doing it through the electronic communication to save the city money we could send mailers out but the mailers would cost a significant amount of money to mail them so we're going to do a brief notice nothing to panic about and then in your next water bill you'll get the full notices 02:25:06.250 --> 02:25:35.090 sent out. But again, the city's water is safe to drink. We have no issues. It's an EPA requirement based on the new PFAS rules that were put down that we have to notify all of our customers, even though we've been addressing this for over five years and are really, you know, leading the charge to remove those wells from the system. Also, if you have any questions, please contact our Environmental Compliance Officer, Randy Kohlbauer. 02:25:35.090 --> 02:26:05.090 her name and number will be on the city's website if you have questions she'll be the best resource to answer anything for you thank you fire yes thank you madam chair I'd like to share with council that recently the fire department acquired a new aerial drone device that has latest technology and also has thermal imaging capabilities we were able to acquire this device due to a generous donation from the 02:26:05.090 --> 02:26:34.570 Marvin Stiekel family estate. The fire department would like to thank the families of Deputy Chief Scott Stiekel and his brother Darren for their generous donation and support of our operations and equipment. So thank you. Thank you. Police. Thank you, Madam Chair. Just an announcement. We are holding our spring drug take back event this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the police department. So 02:26:34.570 --> 02:26:39.290 So, if you have prescription drugs that you want to dispose of, you can do that at that time. 02:26:39.770 --> 02:26:53.510 It's also important to note that we do have a receptacle in the lobby, well, the vestibule of the police department, so it can be done at any time of the year, but this is a big one that we do for people to drop off any unused prescription drugs. 02:26:54.890 --> 02:26:55.290 Library? 02:26:56.390 --> 02:26:57.190 No report. 02:26:59.470 --> 02:27:00.890 We have managers. 02:27:01.930 --> 02:27:03.150 Curt, IT. 02:27:03.150 --> 02:27:06.150 Oh, I was going to say communications, but, or IT. 02:27:06.330 --> 02:27:38.060 do we do communications I don't think he's okay nothing for airport so now we have city manager thank you madam chair I just want like to thank the council support for all the things we were able to move forward tonight thank you okay we'll go with the Alderman shadow thank you I've been noticing a lot of the 02:27:38.060 --> 02:28:07.160 public comments in the last few meetings where there's things being said that aren't necessarily true and they are not necessarily informed comments. And it's a little disheartening when I have the neighborhood watch meetings and I get three to five people show up when there's people there to answer questions and to inform people. 02:28:08.060 --> 02:28:21.420 That being said, Thursday, May 1st, at Schwartz on Park Boulevard, 6 p.m. will be a neighborhood watch meeting for the sixth floor. Thank you. 02:28:22.060 --> 02:28:23.220 Audermann Sanders. 02:28:24.220 --> 02:28:36.780 Oh, yeah. Public service announcements. I want to invite everyone out May 24th to meet in the park day. 02:28:36.780 --> 02:29:05.540 is where we demonstrate events and food fun for the entire city of Freeport that wants to come out and share this event in the third ward at Taylor Park. I'd like to see the cooperation of the city being part of it. It's going to have music fun and games and all kinds of entertainment that can be provided. 02:29:05.540 --> 02:29:31.980 So I just wanted to let the public know that they are invited to come out and be a part of this demonstration that we're going to do for May 24th starting at 12 noon. I'm just really guessing right now but I'm going to say 12 noon and hope to see everybody out there. I would just like to let everybody 02:29:31.980 --> 02:29:47.620 I would just like to let everybody know that the tulips at the Boys and Girls Club are coming out and ride by and see how beautiful they are. And also, we did have some daffodils and tulips by fire station number two. So check them out and just see how pretty they are. 02:29:48.700 --> 02:29:49.320 Audermon Clem? 02:29:49.520 --> 02:29:49.880 Nothing. 02:29:50.960 --> 02:29:51.800 Audermon Monroe? 02:29:55.140 --> 02:29:56.140 Nothing tonight. 02:29:56.940 --> 02:29:57.820 Audermon Parker? 02:29:58.180 --> 02:30:00.820 Just our neighborhood watch meetings next Monday night. 02:30:00.820 --> 02:30:04.500 So, we hope everybody comes, thank you 02:30:04.500 --> 02:30:06.660 Auderman Stacy 02:30:06.660 --> 02:30:11.840 Nothing tonight 02:30:11.840 --> 02:30:16.740 At this time, are there any public comments? 02:30:19.870 --> 02:30:21.610 I guess I saw your hand first 02:30:21.610 --> 02:30:22.210 I guess so 02:30:22.210 --> 02:30:27.760 Josh Atkinson, hi gang 02:30:27.760 --> 02:30:32.600 I really didn't want to speak on this at all, but here we go 02:30:32.600 --> 02:30:34.680 The appointment, okay 02:30:34.680 --> 02:30:39.760 And Mr. Shadle, I want to make sure that this is very truthful and informed for you, okay 02:30:39.760 --> 02:31:05.900 All the mayor had to do was call me and say, hey, do you mind resigning because this was a rough campaign? And I would have said, absolutely, I understand. And that would have been the end of it, because that's the kind of person I am. Instead, she showed the city of Freeport the kind of person that she is. Now, with that appointment, yes, attorney, I understand you're in a weird position there. You know, October 31st, 2024 was the end of that appointment. 02:31:05.900 --> 02:31:06.900 T.J. 02:31:06.900 --> 02:31:07.900 Hi. 02:31:07.900 --> 02:31:08.900 Hi. 02:31:08.900 --> 02:31:09.900 Here's your appointment. 02:31:09.900 --> 02:31:12.900 Per her appointment, the one that you guys voted on unanimously by the way, it was supposed 02:31:12.900 --> 02:31:14.520 to go for another four years. 02:31:14.520 --> 02:31:16.660 I get what Attorney Zito is saying. 02:31:16.660 --> 02:31:17.660 Here's the issue. 02:31:17.660 --> 02:31:20.300 Nobody cared about that for the past six months while I was going to those meetings, though, 02:31:20.300 --> 02:31:21.360 did you? 02:31:21.360 --> 02:31:22.360 Okay? 02:31:22.360 --> 02:31:27.260 I don't want the job back, but I want you to put somebody in there that the city of Freeport 02:31:27.260 --> 02:31:30.260 doesn't have to have, be concerned about. 02:31:30.260 --> 02:31:31.260 Okay? 02:31:31.260 --> 02:31:32.440 Residency. 02:31:32.440 --> 02:31:33.560 No offense to chief. 02:31:33.560 --> 02:31:34.600 I respect you. 02:31:34.600 --> 02:32:04.480 I love what you do. Here is my take on this because you guys are about to make the same mistake again for the next four years because you've done it for the past eight. You spent eight years blaming the previous mayors. You blamed the previous councils on things that happened. We just keep kicking the can down the road. We said that a couple times tonight. All that's going to happen is come May 13th, this will be right back on the agenda, right? It failed tonight. 02:32:04.600 --> 02:32:33.480 So now we have a residency requirement. Come May 13th, or shortly thereafter, this will be right back on the agenda, and they will have the votes to do what they want. Understand that. Learn this. I've been watching here every, well, three Mondays a month for the past year. I know how this works. Trust me on this. And I'm not saying that's wrong. But here's what you just told the people of Freeport tonight. That we are violating an ordinance. That we've been violating an ordinance for the past eight years. 02:32:34.600 --> 02:32:41.380 One day, I didn't shovel my sidewalk this past winter, and boom, I got a warning letter real quick. 02:32:41.840 --> 02:32:43.920 Luckily, it had already melted by the time I got the letter. 02:32:44.020 --> 02:32:46.120 How many people out here have gotten in trouble by the city? 02:32:47.060 --> 02:32:53.600 Well, now we have our entire senior staff, high-ranking police department and high-ranking fire department, 02:32:53.860 --> 02:32:56.880 now eligible to live wherever they want. 02:32:58.080 --> 02:32:59.680 No, I'm sorry, they're not eligible. 02:32:59.800 --> 02:33:03.380 They're not allowed to, but they can because we're going to ignore the ordinance. 02:33:03.380 --> 02:33:32.900 What I hope happens is that you folks go into executive session, and you grant the man a waiver, or I think there's five people, I don't know who those five people are, grant them a waiver so that you're not talking about this again, give them a waiver, let it go through, they're grandfathered in to whatever, yes, we've broken the rule, shame on us, but now moving forward, anybody that's hired follows this ordinance, unless you guys change the ordinance, because you know what's going to happen, you may think that we, you know, you won, that, you know, 02:33:32.900 --> 02:33:52.820 They're going to start following the rules, but they're not. But immediately they're going to go out there and they're going to start ticketing this summer for people growing their grass too high. Probably out of time, yeah? Is that what we're checking on? I know, you want me to sit down. All right. You guys, fix it. Use some common sense here. You know what's coming down the road. Fix it once and for all. All right? Thank you, Chief. 02:33:52.820 --> 02:34:04.100 Ronda Scott, I got a little flustered when I spoke at first about the Planning Commission appointment of this Dwayne Wilkinson. 02:34:04.980 --> 02:34:24.560 You know, I take this position seriously about making decisions for the community and the future of our community, and I think we can do better than somebody who has an arrest record for domestic violence, for restricting the blood and airflow of another human being, and a DUI on the same night on June 9th, 2024. 02:34:24.560 --> 02:34:31.000 Ford. This is not ancient history. This is something that is serious. You know, I don't want a person like this 02:34:31.000 --> 02:34:37.080 making decisions on our future for Freeport, and we can do better. My next concern, though, has to do with 02:34:37.080 --> 02:34:43.020 these EV chargers that we talked about recently, and the comment was made that this is going to be 02:34:43.020 --> 02:34:49.500 something that's going to benefit the downtown because people driving from Chicago to Galena will 02:34:49.500 --> 02:34:55.780 stop here and shop downtown. When I mentioned that to my husband, he says, what store is somebody from 02:34:55.780 --> 02:35:02.640 Chicago going to shop at downtown? And I counted, we have seven stores and two jewelry stores. They're 02:35:02.640 --> 02:35:09.320 almost always closed on Sunday. So we would be paying to have people, well, people from Chicago 02:35:09.320 --> 02:35:14.020 aren't even going to come. And I have an electric vehicle. I charge it in my driveway. This is a huge 02:35:14.020 --> 02:35:44.000 It's a waste of money and we are spending $90,000 for an engineering study to look at this when I can already tell you it's a waste of money and so we have to ask ourselves why are we paying this fee of $90,000 when we used to pay a city engineer $98,000 for the entire year for the city to make engineering decisions and this same engineer could have done this study and he could do a lot more and he did. 02:35:44.020 --> 02:36:07.920 did a lot more. I cannot understand why we got rid of this city engineer and went to a contractor who now has somebody sitting over here pretending to be our public works person and taking contracts for the business that he works for. It's a major conflict of interest and we need to do something about it. This has got to stop. 02:36:07.920 --> 02:36:43.940 Good evening. My name is Cheryl Altman. I want to touch on the ordinances. Rob Boyer, you were saying that you guys don't violate your own ordinances. Please, check yourself at the door. You will fast track anybody in here whose property you think is no good. Because you have Wayne do it, then he has his little flunkies do it. But you won't hold yourself accountable for your own property, like the Raleigh building. I will bring that sucker up every time. 02:36:43.940 --> 02:36:55.220 Plus, when I had, a couple years ago, my one property, the house, it's a vacant house, that you guys were doing work on in Chicago, it flooded my basement completely 02:36:55.220 --> 02:37:03.600 I called and made a complaint with you, and you accused me of going outside, turning the freaking water on at the curb 02:37:03.600 --> 02:37:11.500 Now please tell me, and then you say that you're not responsible, give me a break, because I know, because my son was working and he was taking care of it 02:37:11.500 --> 02:37:20.880 You know, and the mayor's probably not here tonight because she was out eating Mexican food with the guy she just was trying to hire to replace Joshua. So maybe she got food poisoning. 02:37:37.590 --> 02:37:56.590 My name is Akia Sanders. I would spend my three minutes just completely laughing about this whole council almost, except for a few. I mean, it goes all the way back to first grade or kindergarten. I mean, pay attention in class. You guys don't even take this thing seriously at all. I mean, nobody's watching, nobody's concerned except for the couple people that care. 02:37:56.590 --> 02:38:25.350 and I can point them out, James Monroe, Stacy, Larry, Sellers, I don't know how I feel to be somebody that, you know, we thought you was coming for us and I don't mean us as black people, I mean us as a community, I try genuinely to come in here with an open mind and say, okay, maybe I'll, you know, inbox her, see what she do, inbox you, no response, I got about four or five people that did the same thing, I don't care about your magazines, you don't affect me, I'm not a public figure, 02:38:25.350 --> 02:38:55.330 here. I didn't go to sit in that seat. It's kind of a hot seat right now. The whole community think this is a laughing matter. The council is a laughing matter because nobody is actually owning up to anything, answering any questions. James check y'all every time he come up in here. Y'all act like y'all seen a ghost. Y'all can read. Then y'all tell Larry, read it. Then y'all say do the homework. Now and then, Rob, I hope since you put your Superman vest on and said, 02:38:55.350 --> 02:39:23.770 you abide by all ordinances, no against the police or anything. I hope you got some letters ready to suspend a few people because that's what you would do to me. That's what you would do to me. Everything I violate, everything I do is always under a magnifying glass. You offered me a job. I respectfully declined. This is a clown posse that I do not want to be a part of. Hopefully you get it together one day. Thank you. 02:39:25.350 --> 02:39:26.750 Is there anyone else? 02:39:30.670 --> 02:40:02.800 Hi, Paige Kerr. First, I'd like to remind you all that this is a Freeport. Excuse me, ma'am. What did you say your name was? Paige Kerr. Paige Kerr. Yep. First, I'd like to remind you all that this is a Freeport City Council. This is not Alina City Council, nor is it a Forreston City Council. The City Council is created by the people for the people, and it's only fair to ask that those in positions of power reside within the city. 02:40:02.800 --> 02:40:30.520 Additionally, I'd like to challenge the council on their activism and marketing to include the youth and working class into getting involved with open positions. There's an importance in educating and setting up our citizens for success rather than robbing them of an opportunity. Also, I support bringing documentation to the council to show if our water is contaminated or not. The public should be regularly notified. As a citizen, I've received a letter from my electric, but never about the quality of my water. 02:40:30.520 --> 02:40:38.510 Lastly, I'd like to take a stance on my disinterest in Jodi Miller's involvement with the Greater Freeport Partnership. 02:40:39.170 --> 02:40:46.090 It's a scam on the lives of the citizens. The involvement directly brings the power of political contributions and public grants together. 02:40:47.110 --> 02:40:56.190 There's a power circle within the board and the Greater Freeport Partnership. It encourages biased opinions and rewards those involved. We see it on display often here. 02:40:56.190 --> 02:41:26.190 To add to that, the events hosted by the Greater Freeport Partnership directly pulls money back from the taxpayers into that same power circle. It's a double whammy on the citizens. There should be no relationship between the city mayor and this organization. It's a clear conflict of interest, and I would imagine fraud as well. As a citizen, I ask for you to follow the money. I ask for you to hold them accountable. I ask for you to honor the city's history. And I ask for you to remember that this city council was created by the 02:41:26.190 --> 02:42:00.330 people for the people. Thank you. My name is Micaiah Stacy. Speaking of saying things incorrectly, I do want to apologize. I spoke to the chief and I would be a hypocrite if I said I didn't understand why he didn't live in the city. He gave me his reasoning. It's not my business to put out there. About the ordinances, when we were raised, and I was raised in church, I was told that Jesus loves me and that the truth is very important because lies will send you to hell. Not that exactly. 02:42:00.930 --> 02:42:30.770 But every time I walk in this building and I watch on my phone because I don't get off for work until 7, it's constant lies or yeah, this ordinance exists and I'm going to read it out. Alderman Stacy reads out an ordinance and it's, well, we didn't do this right. What the hell are we doing? What are we up here for? Are we going to do our jobs correctly or are we going to do our jobs for our friends? Like Ms. Page just said, you are here for the city. I don't care 02:42:30.770 --> 02:43:14.070 No matter what party you're voting for, where you live, if you're not voting for the interests of this city, then get out. If you don't want to be in this seat, if you don't want to hear me talk, get out. If you don't want to listen to this city, get out. I don't know how many times we have to say it. This is a very respectful position. I'm going to need you guys to have some respect for yourselves. Thank you. Is there anyone else? James Monroe, Santa Fe Drive. I've been at this council room for 02:43:14.070 --> 02:43:44.050 for four years now, and I've uncovered things are very, very disheartening for the city of Freeport. The corruption behind the scenes is unreal. Clown newspaper article writers like Dan Stevens sitting over here literally basically project lies upon members of the community, members of this council, they spread half-truths, and they attack people, all for political gain, for certain political gain. 02:43:44.070 --> 02:44:14.070 I've uncovered in the last six months close to two and a half million dollars a year in property tax decreases that were given out to certain members of this community. Two and a half million. All of our property taxes are going up. Theirs is going down. There's a building downtown that pays less property tax than some of the homeowners in my ward. You're stepping in defending the lady that sets up 02:44:14.070 --> 02:44:45.330 up there, and it's disappointing, because you represent yourself as a godly woman, and I will tell you that that person sitting up there is not who she puts herself out to be. I have contacted everybody and anybody who will listen and take action. There will be people held accountable in this room. I will not stop fighting. I will not give in. I have uncovered where the money's been going, how the GFP plays in, and these people are starting 02:44:45.330 --> 02:45:14.430 to help out. They're diving in. The people of the city of Freeport are waking up. You can't burn a house down or tear a house down based on the fact you don't like somebody. That's not how this community works. That's not what we're about. I may not like the choices Akiah makes in life. I don't care. But what I care about is when somebody's done wrong and this man in the suit up front decides to sit there and enforce only the ordinances 02:45:14.430 --> 02:45:44.430 that he feels need to be enforced in violation of his oath of office in violation of his contract and we will deal with that and I have one choice and one choice only and that is now to ask that the legal system gets involved and claw back the pay of everybody who doesn't live within the legal guidelines of the ordinance not something that's going to be fun not something 02:45:44.430 --> 02:46:06.570 that's not something that's going to be cheap, but we are going to get to the bottom of all of the issues in this community, and we're going to start with the people in this room, and unfortunately for some of you, the people that are supporting me, they have a lot more money and a lot more power than I do, so enjoy your time in office, because it won't last much longer. 02:46:06.570 --> 02:47:00.520 Cecelia Stacy, you know, I have put off doing something that I know I was charged to do because what is people going to think? What is my fellow older people going to say? And so I go home knowing that I was charged to do something that I didn't do. 02:47:00.540 --> 02:47:16.990 So tonight, I'm going to do it. Just like we open up every meeting and prayer, it's not where you start, it's where you end. 02:47:18.430 --> 02:47:27.870 Father God, in the name of Jesus, I come to you tonight, Lord Jesus, asking for your guidance, oh God. 02:47:27.870 --> 02:47:56.530 Father God you know what this city was created to be you know what this city needs to be oh God it was not called Freeport for no reason at all so Lord Jesus I pray and I ask you to take control of this your city and help us become what we are supposed to be 02:47:57.870 --> 02:48:04.650 that of a free city. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 02:48:05.370 --> 02:48:23.400 Is there anyone else? If not, we will adjourn to the executive session. 02:48:27.140 --> 02:48:38.440 We've been requested for two executive sessions tonight pursuant to 5ILCS 122C1, the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees. 02:48:38.500 --> 02:48:44.280 including hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee to determine its validity. 02:48:45.060 --> 02:48:51.920 Secondly, pursuant to 5ILCS 122C3, the selection of a person to fill a public office as defined in this act 02:48:51.920 --> 02:48:57.160 including a vacancy in a public office when the public body is given power to appoint under law or ordinance 02:48:57.160 --> 02:49:02.600 or the discipline, performance, or removal of the occupant of a public office when the public body is given power 02:49:02.600 --> 02:49:04.960 to remove the occupant under law or ordinance. 02:49:04.960 --> 02:49:15.390 Aye. Is there a motion to go into executive session? So moved. I ask that we vote on them separately. 02:49:17.530 --> 02:49:27.980 Two separate motions. Executive session for 02:49:27.980 --> 02:50:04.110 have a motion to go in the executive session for just the first item under 2C1. Do I need to read it again or just refer to the exemption one personnel exemption? Okay. What about Clemm's motion? Right. So is there a second then to go in the executive session for 2C1? Yep. So we need a second to go in for personnel. So this is the one. This is the city. Thank you. This is the top 02:50:04.110 --> 02:50:05.710 that would be the city manager review. 02:50:09.810 --> 02:50:11.010 So do you take the roll call? 02:50:11.270 --> 02:50:11.570 Yes. 02:50:12.430 --> 02:50:15.630 What was that last comment you just made? 02:50:17.910 --> 02:50:24.190 So we'd be going into executive session for personnel reasons to give an update on city manager review. 02:50:24.870 --> 02:50:25.850 That's the topic. 02:50:27.070 --> 02:50:30.690 And then we will be coming back out for item 23. 02:50:31.510 --> 02:50:32.550 Well, no, we're going to. 02:50:33.550 --> 02:50:38.030 After this motion, then there'll be another if there's another motion, 02:50:38.030 --> 02:50:44.410 because you wanted to take them separately about whether or not to go in for under the appointment 02:50:44.410 --> 02:50:51.690 to fill a public office and if that passes then we would have that conversation while we were in there 02:50:51.690 --> 02:50:56.250 if it doesn't then we won't have that conversation while we're in there to talk about the city manager 02:50:56.250 --> 02:51:03.530 part so we're not coming in and out of the room is what I guess my point so are you saying we can just 02:51:03.530 --> 02:51:25.810 serve 23 out here? No. No. We'd have to see if there's a motion made to go in. If we have a motion to go in, then we would go in, and then we would do 23 afterwards, but if there's not a motion to go in, then we wouldn't. Then we would just go to 23. We'd go in to do 2C1 first, and then we'd come back out and do 23. 02:51:25.810 --> 02:51:28.610 Oh, and then we have to go back in 02:51:28.610 --> 02:51:29.350 No, well 02:51:29.350 --> 02:51:29.770 No 02:51:29.770 --> 02:51:30.690 No, so 02:51:30.690 --> 02:51:33.090 So right now we're just talking about 2C1 02:51:33.090 --> 02:51:36.510 And there was a motion and a second to go in 02:51:36.510 --> 02:51:38.930 For the city manager review update 02:51:38.930 --> 02:51:39.790 Shadle 02:51:39.790 --> 02:51:42.760 No 02:51:42.760 --> 02:51:43.720 Sanders 02:51:43.720 --> 02:51:44.340 Aye 02:51:44.340 --> 02:51:45.560 Sellers 02:51:45.560 --> 02:51:46.160 No 02:51:46.160 --> 02:51:46.840 Clem 02:51:46.840 --> 02:51:47.560 No 02:51:47.560 --> 02:51:48.320 Monroe 02:51:48.320 --> 02:51:50.320 Aye 02:51:50.320 --> 02:51:51.680 Parker 02:51:51.680 --> 02:51:52.200 No 02:51:52.200 --> 02:51:53.600 And Stacy 02:51:53.600 --> 02:51:54.280 Aye 02:51:54.280 --> 02:52:04.590 one, two, three, four. The motion fails three to four. So we're not going to go into executive 02:52:04.590 --> 02:52:12.570 session then to discuss 2C1. So now then there would need to be a motion to go into executive 02:52:12.570 --> 02:52:22.490 session under 2C3, which is to discuss the appointment to fill a vacancy, which is related to item number 02:52:22.490 --> 02:53:06.980 23 on the agenda about the appointment to the planning commission. So is there a motion? Is that what we're looking for? Yes. Make a motion. Is a second? So he just made a motion to go into executive session for 2C3. And if we don't go into executive concession, it will be discussed here? You got it. So is there a second to go into executive session for 2C3? Okay. If not, then that motion dies 02:53:06.980 --> 02:53:51.290 for a lack of a second. So we're not going into executive session at all. Go to the last item on the agenda. Second to last, sorry. Motion to rescind advice and consent of counsel to the appointment of Dustin Wilkinson to Planning Commission presented by Stacy and Monroe. You know, I hate the wording on this. I guess we have to be Robert's Rule compliance. 02:53:51.830 --> 02:54:29.900 but to rescind advice and consent of counsel, I feel that it should say that we're rescinding the mayor's choice for various reasons and I am asking for the rescinding of the position that Dustin Wilkinson on the planning committee commission 02:54:30.540 --> 02:54:39.140 be removed, voided, revoked, rescinded. 02:54:49.590 --> 02:55:02.410 That's a motion to rescind the appointment, or the, I'm sorry, a motion to rescind the advice and consent of the council to the appointment of Dustin Wilkinson to the Planning Commission. 02:55:02.690 --> 02:55:06.050 So that's a motion that's been made by Alderman Stacey that would need a second. 02:55:07.230 --> 02:55:08.170 I'll second it. 02:55:08.170 --> 02:55:09.570 So 02:55:09.570 --> 02:55:13.480 Voting to remove him 02:55:13.480 --> 02:55:24.020 Voting to rescind their advising consent. Remember, appoint, and once we get to discussion, I'll go through the legal components of it. 02:55:25.540 --> 02:55:28.480 Alderman, 60, is your motion just basically what's written on the paper? 02:55:36.520 --> 02:55:41.620 To rescind him from the commission, the planning commission. 02:55:44.060 --> 02:55:49.620 So they, basically, you want to, you want the council to, you guys gave a blessing originally, 02:55:49.980 --> 02:56:21.130 Okay, I'm going to use that term, Lucy. You gave your advice and consent. Because we didn't know what we were giving to. That's fine. So you're looking to rescind that advice and consent. Yes. So that's what they're asking for, clerk. But that does not revoke the mayor's appointment, correct? Correct. The appointment is still. As long as you understand that. Yeah. So he's still in this position. He would not have, if this rescission goes through, he wouldn't have the advice and consent of the council at that point. 02:56:22.090 --> 02:57:05.860 there so the appointment's made then there are rules that would follow then what happens when an appointment's made but it doesn't receive the advice and consent of the council but James you gave a second right yeah okay so we're in discussion and can I thank thank you all right so I just want to give some procedural background here okay so that everyone understands what's before you guys all right number one appointments are made by the mayor okay I don't care 02:57:05.860 --> 02:57:35.140 what the appointment is, if it's the Planning Commission, Zoning Commission, Liquor Commission, those appointments belong to the mayor. The appointment does. All that means is that the mayor gets to pick the name. The mayor gets to put forth a name. The council then has the right and the authority to give their advice and consent. That's what the council has the right to do. The mayor puts forth the name, council gets to then say, we approve of the name or we don't approve of the name. 02:57:35.860 --> 02:58:00.980 So in the case of Mr. Wilkinson, the mayor put forth his name, the council then gave their advice and consent, okay? That happened at a previous meeting, okay? What Alderman Stacy now has brought, just like with any decision that's approved by the council, you guys can rescind that advice and consent that you guys previously gave, okay? 02:58:00.980 --> 02:58:30.980 there and so that's what's been put on the agenda and that's what's before you guys is this motion to rescind the council's advice and consent meaning you guys are rescinding your blessing of his appointment okay the consent that you guys previously gave okay so hang on one second just a little bit more so as you guys may recall then from when Nancy Sylvester came and gave the Robert's Rules 02:58:30.980 --> 02:58:58.920 discussion. I'm just bringing this out for you guys so that you guys take it into consideration just so you have a full understanding of all the rules that might be in play, okay? While, yes, there is such a thing as a motion to rescind, there are times when a motion to rescind can't be done or has no practical effect or shouldn't have any practical effect, okay? And the example that Nancy Sylvester gives is you can't rescind something if it's already then taken place, okay? And I'll give you a quick example. 02:58:58.920 --> 02:59:06.880 let's say there was a motion to approve an ice cream social okay on Monday council votes and it says we 02:59:06.880 --> 02:59:14.760 approve the ice cream social on Monday Monday comes along the ice cream social happens on Wednesday the 02:59:14.760 --> 02:59:19.280 following Wednesday the council can't say motion to rescind the ice cream social we don't think we 02:59:19.280 --> 02:59:24.580 should do the ice cream social well it's already happened so you can't rescind something that's 02:59:24.580 --> 02:59:25.980 already happened or 02:59:25.980 --> 02:59:32.160 that's already happened or has already started to move in process, okay? So the deviation in that 02:59:32.160 --> 02:59:40.440 scenario is motion to approve the ice cream social and hire the ice cream company to make all the ice 02:59:40.440 --> 02:59:49.940 cream, okay, for Monday. Ice cream company starts making all the ice cream in reliance of that approval. 02:59:49.940 --> 03:00:19.860 later motion to rescind we don't want to do the ice cream social anymore well that creates problem if you try to rescind it now because that ice cream company reasonably relied on the fact that you previously approved the ice cream social and them making all the ice cream so that's another scenario where rescission arguably is not appropriate because someone the ice cream company ready started down the path based off of the first approval okay so having you guys keep all that in mind in this particular case you have 03:00:19.940 --> 03:00:41.420 Mr. Wilkinson, who's already been seated, attended a planning commission meeting, voted on, voted on items, so it complicates things, okay, so I just want you, I'm letting you guys know that so that you guys have this information that arguably a motion to rescind right now might not be appropriate there. Again, vote as you will on it. 03:00:44.860 --> 03:00:48.260 So that's the background, that's kind of the lay of the land on this. 03:00:51.250 --> 03:00:53.490 Oh, go ahead. 03:00:55.270 --> 03:01:11.350 Question, Zito, you said the Robert Rules gives her the authority or the consideration to appoint someone on a committee or something like that. 03:01:11.350 --> 03:01:40.830 is that how is it that she is able to appoint anyone to anything before council could give consent consulting or whatever the case is? Explain that part too. Sure. Yeah. So that's per state statute and that's also per our city ordinances that provides that specifically planning commission is appointed the person to fill 03:01:41.350 --> 03:01:51.710 The positions on the planning commission are appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the city council. That's what our city ordinance says, and that also mirrors what state statute says. 03:01:51.710 --> 03:02:12.580 Okay, so what about this appointment should have ended October 31st, 2024, but it continued November, December, January, February, 03:02:12.600 --> 03:02:28.520 Mary, March, April, six months. He attended meetings. He cast the vote. Joy? Yes, attorney. 03:02:29.880 --> 03:02:37.360 So upon the expiration of a term, so our ordinance says that appointments can be to fill only the 03:02:37.360 --> 03:02:42.560 unexpired term, right? And so we had this conversation earlier about the fact that arguably the trying to do 03:02:42.560 --> 03:02:47.680 the automatic appointment for the successor four-year terms was probably out of order. 03:02:47.820 --> 03:02:54.040 was probably improper there, okay? So what happens when an appointment doesn't happen? Let's say come 03:02:54.040 --> 03:03:01.260 October 31st, the term ended, and you're supposed to do a reappointment at that time. If that doesn't 03:03:01.260 --> 03:03:07.680 happen for various reasons, and it happens more than you think in many communities, that person that sits 03:03:07.680 --> 03:03:15.020 in that spot at that time is what's called a holdover. So they hold over until such time as a 03:03:15.020 --> 03:03:47.840 replacement, a new appointment is made. So it's fine that Mr. Atkinson sat there and continued to go to meetings. He was a holdover. And then at such time as the mayor makes a new appointment and the city council approves that with advice and consent, then that new person takes over. So this is a holdover situation. But we did not know, we had no idea that a person of his nature would be presented 03:03:48.600 --> 03:04:15.980 to the council as someone fitting for this committee. And I can't speak to that part as far as like, I can tell you guys what the law is, whether or not, you know, a person's qualifications or anything, I can't speak to that. That's for you guys as a council to decide whether or not to give your advice and consent to somebody. 03:04:15.980 --> 03:04:37.040 Well, several times I've wanted to speak and have tried speaking with Nancy, the lady you spoke about, so if you have her information, can you give that to me? Because no one else seems to be able to. We still have a motion and a second to take a vote. 03:04:38.660 --> 03:04:48.800 All right, so this would be a motion, the motion that's before you guys, just so everyone's clear, is to rescind the advice and consent that was previously given to Mr. Wilkinson, who's there. 03:04:49.220 --> 03:04:57.760 So if you vote yes, you want to rescind the advice of consent. If you vote no, you don't want to rescind your prior decision. 03:05:04.710 --> 03:05:06.030 On what grounds? 03:05:09.250 --> 03:05:14.970 Yeah, I'm serious. Because you think he's not qualified. 03:05:14.970 --> 03:05:45.800 Do you think I would be qualified for the planning commission if I had a severe DUI and if I choked someone out to the airflow and their blood stopped but I could come on a city council committee and make decisions for this city and that's what's not even a year old. 03:05:45.800 --> 03:06:15.360 is about six, seven months old. And the record is as long as my arm. It goes deeper. I'm not trying to go there. So please don't make me. I'm not trying to put his history out there. It's all public information. Look it up. I just can't believe someone of his nature was even brought to the council to even consider. 03:06:15.360 --> 03:06:47.420 here. And this is what I talk about when we're blindsided. And I ask the question, why him? Oh, well, he's lived here 38 years. He's a part of this community. He wants this and he wants that. But he has a felon. You can choke someone until the airflow stop in their blood. And that's okay. 03:06:48.300 --> 03:07:00.660 and that's the type of person we want on our committees. Help me understand. I guess call for the vote. 03:07:05.700 --> 03:07:25.240 Shadle. No. Sanders. Yes. Sellers. No. Clem. No. Monroe. I can't even speak right now. Come on. Monroe. Yes. Simmons. Good. Call yourself. Parker. No. And Stacy. 03:07:25.720 --> 03:07:26.780 Yes 03:07:26.780 --> 03:07:28.620 I can't believe this 03:07:28.620 --> 03:07:29.340 There you have it 03:07:29.340 --> 03:07:30.540 The motion fails 03:07:30.540 --> 03:07:32.560 Oh, wait, wait, wait 03:07:32.560 --> 03:07:33.040 You see 03:07:33.040 --> 03:07:35.200 You see 03:07:35.200 --> 03:07:38.400 You see 03:07:38.400 --> 03:07:40.020 You see 03:07:40.020 --> 03:07:41.280 Motion to adjourn 03:07:41.280 --> 03:07:41.640 Second 03:07:41.640 --> 03:07:43.540 You see what we got for the next four years 03:07:43.540 --> 03:07:44.480 All in favor? 03:07:44.860 --> 03:07:46.280 No matter how hard we try 03:07:46.280 --> 03:07:47.280 You see 03:07:47.280 --> 03:07:49.960 Sellers, enjoy 03:07:49.960 --> 03:07:51.100 Enjoy your way out 03:07:51.100 --> 03:07:52.700 You're not going to get away