WEBVTT 00:00:01.260 --> 00:00:21.179 Good evening. Evelyn, could you please give the invocation? 00:00:21.179 --> 00:00:52.979 Let's bow our heads. Father God, your word says in 1st Timothy 2.1, therefore I exhort first of all that supplication, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks be made for all men and women. Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I lift every council member that sits in the seat of authority up to you. I pray that you, Father, will give their 00:00:52.979 --> 00:00:53.979 Huffman. 00:00:53.979 --> 00:00:57.140 Thank you, Father, for your wisdom to govern our city with character and integrity. 00:00:57.140 --> 00:01:04.500 Father, thank you for directing our city council members on the five agenda discussions tonight. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:08.340 In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind every hindrance that would try to stop whatever 00:01:08.340 --> 00:01:12.420 your plan is for discussion tonight and in the future. 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:15.939 Father, you know the end of all things. 00:01:15.939 --> 00:01:22.379 Every word spoken by this council, or members of this city, must be spoken with respect 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:35.099 and in order in Jesus Christ holy and matchless name. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Evelyn, and we'll officially call this committee of the whole meeting to order. Madam Clerk, could you please take the role? Mayor Miller? Here. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:51.180 Alderpersons, Klemm? Here. Johnson? Here. Simmons is absent. Parker? Here. Stacy will be marked absent for the moment. Shadle? Here. Sanders? Here. And Sellers is absent. 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:57.980 I'll need a motion for Alderman Stacy to attend remotely. Is there such a motion? 00:01:57.980 --> 00:02:04.579 So moved. I'll second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson. 00:02:04.579 --> 00:02:13.659 They all have to be roll call when somebody's attending remotely, Mayor. 00:02:13.659 --> 00:02:16.620 Okay. Could you please take the roll on that? 00:02:16.620 --> 00:02:24.020 Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Here. Parker? Aye. Shadle? Aye. And Sanders? Aye. 00:02:24.020 --> 00:02:40.439 the motion passes five to zero you want to see if she's on yeah okay then if you 00:02:40.439 --> 00:03:03.590 could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Shadle and 00:03:03.590 --> 00:03:07.590 And item number four is the approval of the agenda. Is there such a motion? 00:03:07.590 --> 00:03:17.879 So moved. Second. 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:19.879 Yeah. 00:03:19.879 --> 00:03:28.189 Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Madam Clerk, could you please take the role? 00:03:28.189 --> 00:03:30.189 Shadle? Aye. 00:03:30.189 --> 00:03:32.189 Sanders? Aye. Klemm? Aye. 00:03:32.189 --> 00:03:34.189 Johnson? Aye. 00:03:34.189 --> 00:03:35.189 Parker? Aye. 00:03:35.189 --> 00:03:37.189 And Stacy? 00:03:37.189 --> 00:03:39.189 What is this vote for? 00:03:39.189 --> 00:03:44.389 The agenda. 00:03:44.389 --> 00:03:45.389 Huffines. 00:03:45.389 --> 00:03:46.389 Do you accept the agenda? 00:03:46.389 --> 00:03:50.560 Yes, ma'am. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:51.840 Aye. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.319 The motion passes six to zero. 00:03:55.319 --> 00:03:57.000 Number five, there's a typo in the minutes. 00:03:57.000 --> 00:04:03.039 It should actually say Joy Sellers encouraged everyone to support the Shoot Hoops Not Guns 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:09.479 event on Wednesday, July 16th, 2025 at Highland Community College sponsored by the Boys and 00:04:09.479 --> 00:04:10.520 Girls Club. 00:04:10.520 --> 00:04:15.159 So with that, I would entertain a motion to approve the minutes from the Committee of 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:16.000 and 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:19.720 the whole meeting held on July 14th, 2025 as amended. 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:20.759 I so move. 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:21.600 Second. 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:26.600 The motion made by Johnson, seconded by Shadle. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.279 Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll? 00:04:28.279 --> 00:04:29.199 Shadle. 00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:30.019 Aye. 00:04:30.019 --> 00:04:30.860 Sanders. 00:04:30.860 --> 00:04:31.699 Aye. 00:04:31.699 --> 00:04:32.519 Klemm. 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:33.360 Aye. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:34.199 Johnson. 00:04:34.199 --> 00:04:35.019 Aye. 00:04:35.019 --> 00:04:35.860 Parker. 00:04:35.860 --> 00:04:36.699 Aye. 00:04:36.699 --> 00:04:37.540 Stacy. 00:04:37.540 --> 00:04:40.019 I did not hear what the mayor said. 00:04:43.740 --> 00:04:44.579 I'm asking for- 00:04:44.579 --> 00:04:45.920 What am I voting on? 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:51.079 I'm asking for an approval of the amended minutes for the committee of the whole. 00:04:51.079 --> 00:05:00.439 There was a typo that just used the word there in the wrong place. 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:03.959 Thank you, and the motion passes six to zero. 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:05.639 Item number six is public comment. 00:05:05.639 --> 00:05:10.600 Rhonda Scott. 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:13.199 Good evening, Rhonda Scott from Fourth Ward. 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:16.500 I'm here to speak about the lift station. 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:19.699 You're going to have a discussion on it tonight, so I wanted to be part of that 00:05:19.699 --> 00:05:20.699 Huffines. 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:24.660 Thank you for that discussion and let you know my opinion that we absolutely do not need 00:05:24.660 --> 00:05:27.459 a Lyft station at this point. 00:05:27.459 --> 00:05:31.120 The Lyft station is being built within the Lamb Road TIF. 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:36.100 Those funds are to be spent on the Lamb Road development. 00:05:36.100 --> 00:05:41.579 That's where Wal-Mart and Menards are and a few industries. 00:05:41.579 --> 00:05:44.019 It was set up as an industrial TIF. 00:05:44.019 --> 00:05:47.180 It has not really grown as an industrial TIF. 00:05:47.180 --> 00:05:55.459 However, the businesses out there have been flushing their toilets just fine for the last 19 years and now we want to spend the 00:05:56.259 --> 00:06:02.100 The excess fund of about three million dollars to put in a lift station. Why? 00:06:02.339 --> 00:06:08.180 This is what you need to really seriously consider. Why are we spending taxpayer dollars? 00:06:08.660 --> 00:06:13.620 So that Fehr Graham can get a project to build a lift station for what? 00:06:13.620 --> 00:06:20.420 I want to let you know that there in the past has been this agenda to put water 00:06:20.420 --> 00:06:26.639 and sewer out to the airport. The way this could fit in is that we would put 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:30.540 the water and sewer out there and then flush the sewer from the airport down to 00:06:30.540 --> 00:06:33.420 the lift station which the taxpayers are going to be paying for with these 00:06:33.420 --> 00:06:40.540 property taxes and then pump it up to our wastewater treatment facility. We do not 00:06:40.540 --> 00:06:45.220 We do not need to be spending any money on a lift station and we definitely do not need 00:06:45.220 --> 00:06:49.980 to be spending more money on water and sewer for the airport. 00:06:49.980 --> 00:06:52.339 This has been a county fantasy. 00:06:52.339 --> 00:07:01.060 It has been propped up by politicians that our county political system has been endorsing 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:08.180 and it's against the taxpayers' best interests and I recommend that we do not spend, it's 00:07:08.180 --> 00:07:13.540 It's in fact a taxpayer abuse to be spending TIF funds to put a lift station out there 00:07:13.540 --> 00:07:18.899 for a development that it's going to be closing that TIF expires in 2026. 00:07:18.899 --> 00:07:23.180 And we're just now talking about putting a lift station to lift crap out of there. 00:07:23.180 --> 00:07:32.639 It isn't right. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:34.040 That ends public comment. 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:39.040 Item number seven is discussion regarding municipal electrical aggregation program presented 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.319 by Mike Mudge, but he's not here. 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:43.319 So what's the pleasure of the council? 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:45.319 and 00:07:46.660 --> 00:07:49.910 I think we moved it to the next September cow or? 00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:55.420 I would say yes. 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.480 Do we need the bow down there? No. 00:08:02.579 --> 00:08:04.579 Okay. We'll just put it on the September agenda. 00:08:06.300 --> 00:08:08.300 And same for item number 8, which is the discussion 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:11.519 regarding community solar with Illinois shines. 00:08:12.620 --> 00:08:14.620 That was also a Mike Mudge presentation. 00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:17.720 So we'll move that to the next meeting as well. 00:08:18.500 --> 00:08:50.480 on Walnut Avenue. Darren Stiegel. Good evening everybody. So I was asked to provide some maps 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:58.360 and some information on the Walnut Road lift station. The proposed location is right here 00:08:58.360 --> 00:09:10.200 at the corner of the landfill. Our current sewer runs from the Lamb Road area through the back of 00:09:10.200 --> 00:09:16.600 the landfill along this perimeter and under the river and ties to a manhole in this vicinity. 00:09:17.639 --> 00:09:24.600 This current line with the settlement of the landfill is inverted and actually pushes uphill 00:09:24.600 --> 00:09:29.899 Hill, right through this area right here. 00:09:29.899 --> 00:09:36.639 We've done numerous inspections on it and flow is continuously trapped here to make 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:38.519 it around. 00:09:38.519 --> 00:09:42.519 Some of our heaviest industrial flows are from the Lab Road District. 00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:47.860 A matter of fact, Snack King is our largest industrial user. 00:09:47.860 --> 00:09:51.220 So the lift station is proposed to be placed here. 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:57.019 There'll be a connection to the Gravity Line that comes from the Walmart all the way to 00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.940 Route 26 line and every business over there that 00:09:59.940 --> 00:10:00.000 and 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:03.000 a 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:06.000 lot of 00:10:07.000 --> 00:10:09.000 people. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:12.000 The 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:27.000 river runs parallel to the river here all the way around the edge of Freeport. Why is this project necessary? The inverted line that's in the landfill that carries all the industrial flow is in the landfill. It would take significant more dollars to dig that line up and 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.200 Parrott. It's very deep. Some of the manholes here in the back of the landfill are over 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:41.159 30 feet deep to access. Plus, if anybody knows anything, landfill two and three was an unregulated 00:10:41.159 --> 00:10:47.440 landfill. So back in the early days of the landfill, anything could be put in that landfill. 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:53.480 Landfill number four was a regulated one and has a liner and a liner cap in it where this 00:10:53.480 --> 00:11:00.679 This is just a clay, two and three are just a clay bottom, so we would have a very tough 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:05.360 situation trying to dig up that landfill to replace those lines. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:13.720 Again, currently all of the flow from the entire Lamb Road district, which includes 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:19.000 all the businesses on Lamb Road, Walmart, Snack King, Menards, all of the flow goes 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:27.159 We're going to go through this line right here by the Veterans Park. 00:11:27.159 --> 00:11:32.840 This would also include our leachate system that comes out of landfill two and three. 00:11:32.840 --> 00:11:37.139 So anybody that doesn't know that, it's the technical term for garbage juice that comes 00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:38.759 out of two and three. 00:11:38.759 --> 00:11:44.919 Because it's unregulated, we have to monitor the garbage juice continuously for what is 00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:47.319 coming out of the unregulated landfill. 00:11:47.319 --> 00:11:53.240 So that system will also be pumped by this new lift station. 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:59.399 Kirk, I think there's some questions on what will be fed by this, if you could go to the 00:11:59.399 --> 00:12:03.319 next slide. 00:12:03.319 --> 00:12:07.799 So this, there's a bunch of numbers on here. 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:13.819 So when we first developed Lamb Road, there was all of this acreage that was in the permit 00:12:13.819 --> 00:12:15.879 to fulfill Lamb Road. 00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.279 So Baileyville is here. 00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:20.200 Yes, this is Airport Road. 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:22.480 This could go all the way out to Mill Race. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.940 So when we resize the lift station, 00:12:24.940 --> 00:12:28.639 the 500 acres here in the green were cut off, 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:33.519 while the 375 acres of Lamb Road, the 570 acres, 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:37.519 to the east, Curt, if you can go to the next slide. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:42.519 And also, the west development was also pulled in, 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:43.759 in case this were developed. 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:46.159 So there's 140 acres here. 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:49.340 There's another 400 acres going to the west. 00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:52.000 There's a 20 acre site that had already been 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:54.159 parceled out up here on the corner, 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:57.539 which the sewer will be running right along 00:12:57.539 --> 00:12:59.019 Forest Road right here. 00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:01.879 And there's another 215 acres to the west 00:13:01.879 --> 00:13:06.059 that will all be able to come to this new lift station. 00:13:06.059 --> 00:13:09.559 Additionally, there's already 200 acres 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:12.759 in this site development that all drain here now. 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:25.319 Snack King is our largest user, they contribute about 140,000 gallons a day just from Snack 00:13:25.319 --> 00:13:26.319 King alone. 00:13:26.319 --> 00:13:32.919 So this line would contribute to one of our heaviest industrial lines that is sent every 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:34.879 day to the city. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:40.879 The new lift station will have pumps that are able to flow 2,700 gallons per minute 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.559 and they're 100 horsepower. 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:44.960 So they'll be open up for future development. 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.399 It also could have a wet well attachment to it 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:50.480 in the future had encased that area grow bigger 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:52.000 that it could just be added, 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.379 like bolted onto it to add more flow. 00:13:55.319 --> 00:13:59.279 The force main is 16 inch and it's about $4,000, 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.639 sorry, 4,000 feet of this project. 00:14:02.680 --> 00:14:07.279 There's also a gravity main that's about 1,500 feet 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:08.879 that's part of this project to tie in 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.279 and basically abandon and place the existing line. 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:15.680 Now the existing line, let's talk about that for a second. 00:14:15.680 --> 00:14:19.950 Curt, can you go back to the first picture please? 00:14:19.950 --> 00:14:23.509 So right back here in the back of the landfill, 00:14:23.509 --> 00:14:26.049 the laterals that come out of the landfill 00:14:26.049 --> 00:14:27.350 connect back here. 00:14:27.350 --> 00:14:30.170 That's how the landfills completely drain now. 00:14:30.170 --> 00:14:33.910 So that line from the laterals on will stay active 00:14:34.970 --> 00:14:37.990 so it can continue to drain like it normally has been. 00:14:37.990 --> 00:14:41.269 The inverted section again runs through here 00:14:41.269 --> 00:14:43.569 and that's something that we just can't overcome 00:14:43.569 --> 00:14:51.889 this time. With that I'll take any questions anybody has. I think I covered 00:14:51.889 --> 00:14:58.460 it all. I'm a manager, Boyer, if you have anything to include in that. I think it 00:14:58.460 --> 00:15:02.059 did a pretty good job communicating what's going on here. I just wanted to 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:06.460 also just highlight the fact that if we're able to as we move on and develop 00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:10.059 areas south of town this will be a necessary piece of infrastructure to 00:15:10.059 --> 00:15:14.059 have in place so we have a place for the water treatment plant to drain as well. 00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:31.059 Yeah, thank you. So I did forget to mention that the new water treatment plant that's being built out at the corner of Forest Road and Park will also go to this landfill that a complete area was designed to drain to this basin as well. 00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:37.059 So then basically you're talking about having real possibility of shovel ready sites. 00:15:37.059 --> 00:16:07.059 Potentially yes. Yep. You got to do this is step one. Step two and three will have water and sewer out there. So now step three and four would be to obtain land or parcels or development area that somebody could go to and between the two sites they there's industrial and residential that are possibilities within that development. We've calculated. I mean, I believe it's you don't go off of every measurement that's on that map, but it's a 00:16:07.059 --> 00:16:10.660 the total of about 1,820 acres total 00:16:10.660 --> 00:16:12.259 that could come to this station. 00:16:12.259 --> 00:16:15.019 So it's a large, large development area 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:17.960 that could benefit Freeport for many years to come 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:20.700 if development were to happen either residentially 00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:23.460 or commercially or industrial in that area. 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:25.899 Alderman Johnson. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:28.579 Yeah, I just had a question or two here. 00:16:28.579 --> 00:16:31.819 What are the adverse effects or dangers 00:16:31.819 --> 00:16:36.819 if this lift station isn't built or isn't in place? 00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:43.779 Did you say you had a few questions first? Yeah and I was I was just going to ask 00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:48.700 doesn't the lift stations help keep the contaminated water from getting in 00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:52.940 mixing with our other water like drinking water too? Don't they help get 00:16:52.940 --> 00:16:59.860 rid of? So I'll answer number one. The dangers are that the landfill lateral 00:16:59.860 --> 00:17:05.339 breaks more or inverts more and doesn't allow the Lamb Road Tip District to drain. 00:17:05.339 --> 00:17:09.720 that would put us in an emergency situation we have no other bypass we 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:15.539 have no other work around for it currently as the landfill settles it 00:17:15.539 --> 00:17:21.900 appears that the inversion is continuing to be more and more and more which you 00:17:21.900 --> 00:17:26.480 know that was installed many years before we were around here so I can't 00:17:26.480 --> 00:17:30.519 speak to when and if but we're already having issues with debris and solids 00:17:30.519 --> 00:17:31.519 Miller. 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:46.920 We're going to be having to get an EPA permit to dig up an unregulated landfill that is 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:50.920 going to create a lot more havoc than this project itself. 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:56.119 So in the long term, this is the best solution not to have to get in the landfill. 00:17:56.119 --> 00:18:01.759 As we've discussed as a group here, the landfill, especially two and three being unregulated, 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:03.599 that's never going away for Freeport. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.160 We can't undo what has been done. 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:11.639 That is going to be a continual carrying cost and a continuing monitoring cost and probably 00:18:11.639 --> 00:18:16.799 even more maximum contaminant levels and things like that that are brought in over time for 00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.720 that landfill itself. 00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:24.480 So the lift station question is protecting waters. 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:30.320 So basically this is a giant pump system to pump sanitary waste to our system to get it 00:18:30.320 --> 00:18:31.799 to the interceptor. 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:39.599 So what we would end up having is if we don't put this in place, the Lamb Road area, especially 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:44.220 Snack King, which is our largest provider, could potentially run into an issue of production. 00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:47.779 If we can't take the flows through there, they will back up. 00:18:47.779 --> 00:18:49.779 We will get violations eventually. 00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:52.279 And we're going to have to deal with this one way or the other. 00:18:52.279 --> 00:18:53.279 Wendell. 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:56.920 It's not of a matter of if, it's when we will have to deal with it. 00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:57.920 Thank you very much. 00:18:57.920 --> 00:18:58.920 Appreciate it. 00:18:58.920 --> 00:18:59.920 Alderman Sanders? 00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:09.480 Yes, Darren, when did this proposal come out and when was this study to bring such a proposal 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:16.360 to the council in order for us to recognize this type of a project to make an assessment 00:19:16.360 --> 00:19:19.599 on whether or not it's feasible for something 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:23.720 that's been in existence for over 20 some years 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:27.619 and there has not been any complications during these times 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:32.619 and then to modify the system now 00:19:32.900 --> 00:19:37.259 because of possibilities, that's what we're saying, 00:19:37.259 --> 00:19:42.259 because of other avenues or other developments 00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:44.860 can come in play, we don't cap our hand off, 00:19:44.860 --> 00:19:49.139 but the point of the matter is how long have this study's 00:19:49.139 --> 00:19:53.299 been going on and the purpose of this study at this time 00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:57.500 and how come the council is not read into that study 00:19:57.500 --> 00:19:58.340 and how come. 00:19:58.340 --> 00:20:00.680 to that study and how come we have not seen hard copies 00:20:00.680 --> 00:20:03.519 of that study because you jumping around with these, 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.319 with this laser beam does not impress me at all 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:10.160 because it doesn't tell me anything, okay? 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:14.400 And so my whole thing is if I'm gonna make a decision 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:17.319 or the citizens of Freeport make a decision, 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:20.059 they wanna make sure that their council members 00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:23.480 are very well in tune with what you're doing 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:25.720 and if they come to us, if our constituents 00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:30.720 come to us and ask us, what's going on out there? 00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:36.079 And do we necessarily have to pay for something like that 00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:39.359 if it's not necessary? 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:43.880 I haven't found the reason why we have to modify anything 00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:48.880 at this point this year or anytime soon 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:53.920 until we have done a complete study to prove anything 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:55.920 and the rest of the board. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:59.920 So I'm just wondering, is there anything different than why we, 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:07.920 why so much of an emergency to put this lift station in for any 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.920 pumping at all? 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.920 Because there is no pumping going on out there at this present 00:21:12.920 --> 00:21:14.920 time that I know of. 00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:17.920 And I'm wondering why are we putting in a lift station to do 00:21:17.920 --> 00:21:21.920 any kind of pumping, modifications to get water lifted, 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:25.039 is the only thing I'm listening to from you is 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:27.799 what the possibilities, why it is that we wanna do 00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:29.799 such a thing, but the thing about it is 00:21:31.160 --> 00:21:35.400 council is not well in tune with what's going on 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:39.920 and when did this proposal come to date 00:21:39.920 --> 00:21:41.279 or when it come up? 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.160 I don't recall us ever talking about 00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:46.920 proposing a lift station for that area. 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:51.400 So I'm just wondering why is this that we're moving 00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:56.400 on such a thing and the fact that anyone would entertain that. 00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:01.660 I just don't believe the citizens of Freeport 00:22:01.660 --> 00:22:04.200 would entertain that because they can't find 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:08.299 an emergency reason or a reason for that. 00:22:08.299 --> 00:22:10.740 If it's $3 million or whatever it is 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:14.500 that's going to reconstruct that area, for what purpose? 00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:18.339 For draining sewer water when it's draining already? 00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:23.339 I just can't see the people of Freeport doing that just yet. 00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:27.619 Okay, Alderman Shadle would like to have a response 00:22:27.619 --> 00:22:28.940 and then city manager. 00:22:30.380 --> 00:22:31.220 Thank you. 00:22:32.339 --> 00:22:34.380 Has this been talked about for a year and a half 00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.740 or two years? 00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:39.740 It's been on the floor, been at the council. 00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:42.259 Anybody that's paying attention knows about it. 00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:44.460 Yeah, I resent that. 00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.900 It has been in the capital plan. 00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:48.539 I resent that because you didn't bring me up to date. 00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:50.779 This happened a year or so ago. 00:22:50.779 --> 00:22:53.019 So to retain that kind of information, 00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:54.960 you was just loaded with it. 00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.799 Okay. 00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:56.819 City manager? 00:22:56.819 --> 00:22:58.299 I just wanted to remind everybody, 00:22:58.299 --> 00:23:00.380 it's been in the capital plan for a couple of years. 00:23:00.380 --> 00:23:01.220 So we've not only- 00:23:01.220 --> 00:23:02.539 Yeah, capital for a couple of years. 00:23:02.539 --> 00:23:03.660 That's what I'm getting at. 00:23:03.660 --> 00:23:04.500 That's the part I'm missing. 00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:07.420 Yes, it's been in the capital plan for a couple of years. 00:23:07.420 --> 00:23:10.420 And as we've discussed, as Darren's outlined, 00:23:11.980 --> 00:23:14.539 as far as we have a very heavy water user out there 00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:18.180 that basically we're at limitation on what's available 00:23:18.180 --> 00:23:21.220 in terms of flow because of the inverted section. 00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.980 And that's in part due to the fact 00:23:22.980 --> 00:23:24.579 that they are very diligent in helping us 00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:28.480 by necking down their flow, but the capacity is needed. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.400 And I'm guessing back in the day when this was all done, 00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:33.019 there was always an intent to put in 00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:34.200 some type of lift station here, 00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:36.460 just due to the volume of flow that's available there. 00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:40.099 And so as we build out, we need additional capacity 00:23:40.099 --> 00:23:42.819 so that we can then convey that back 00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:45.380 and the wastewater plant. 00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:48.779 Did you want to add to that or are you good? 00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:51.460 I would echo Rob's and Greg's sentiment. 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:53.940 It's been talked about for two years. 00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:58.180 The project's completely done, designed, permitted, 00:23:58.180 --> 00:23:59.420 ready for construction. 00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:02.220 It's been bid. 00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:06.819 I mean, we've talked about this numerous times. 00:24:06.819 --> 00:24:09.220 This line has issues. 00:24:09.220 --> 00:24:12.279 This isn't a creation just to add another station. 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:14.779 it's a repair and a permanent fix 00:24:14.779 --> 00:24:16.639 to a problem that we're having. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:22.559 Again, it's designed, permitted by the EPA. 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:26.279 We're not going to get a permit to dig up the landfill. 00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:28.860 There isn't another resolution here. 00:24:28.860 --> 00:24:31.139 We have the creek crossing to deal with. 00:24:31.139 --> 00:24:34.599 And frankly, the sewer that was put in there, 00:24:34.599 --> 00:24:36.259 which I don't know the era, 00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:39.019 was not a good plan to put a landfill on top of it. 00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:41.980 So unfortunately, I didn't do that. 00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:43.460 I didn't make the problem. 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:45.579 I'm just trying to help find a solution for it. 00:24:45.579 --> 00:24:48.339 We have a bid that we've already bid the project. 00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:53.339 We have a potential awarder tonight, excuse me, on the 18th. 00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:55.579 And it was brought to this meeting 00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:59.539 to just re-talk about why it is that we're here 00:24:59.539 --> 00:25:03.660 because there's been so much gossip about how we got here. 00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:06.299 So we're here to clarify the error. 00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:07.139 Alderman Sanders, did you want to? 00:25:07.139 --> 00:25:09.220 Yeah, it would be very appreciated 00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:12.059 to the citizens of Freeport who relies on 00:25:13.579 --> 00:25:16.259 our understanding of the process 00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.779 when putting projects together 00:25:17.779 --> 00:25:20.299 and bringing us up to date and up to speed. 00:25:20.299 --> 00:25:22.740 The people of the city of Freeport needs, 00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:26.139 they're not sitting in their homes 00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:31.000 with a retainer mindset that they should hold on 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:32.980 to any information for two years. 00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:36.559 That's not gonna happen, but it would be respectful 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:41.559 and considerate of our staff to keep us up to date, 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:44.660 keep us up to breath so we'll know that it's coming. 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:46.539 And one other thing is too, 00:25:48.380 --> 00:25:50.099 I just wanted to find out whether or not 00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:51.299 we voted on this thing. 00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:54.240 If we voted on it, then I don't have no argument with it. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:57.079 If it passed, then I have no argument with it. 00:25:57.079 --> 00:25:59.599 But if it's being reintroduced to us, 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:02.839 then I have a problem with it because we have not set back 00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:08.279 to re-evaluate what it is that we're proposing at this moment. 00:26:08.279 --> 00:26:10.240 Manager Boyer. 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:14.639 Alderman Sanders, we do have any opportunity throughout the month 00:26:14.639 --> 00:26:16.720 to get together and talk about what's on the agenda. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:21.599 I do so with Alderman Shadle and Alderman Klemm 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:29.639 and Alderperson Johnson and also Alderperson Sellers. 00:26:29.639 --> 00:26:35.400 we talk about these things during those conversations and I know we've met but 00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:39.599 it's been a very long time since we've met but we did have a conversation this 00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:43.599 morning or this afternoon briefly that would have been another opportunity 00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.480 however we really need to spend some time with you and me and the mayor going 00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:53.319 over the agendas so that you're not feeling caught flat-footed on what's 00:26:53.319 --> 00:26:57.200 coming before council so and that's why we're having this discussion and I 00:26:57.200 --> 00:27:19.360 You know, I sit back and I listen how Ralph is speaking about how it's been in the capital 00:27:19.360 --> 00:27:26.000 plan for a couple of years now and then he's guessing about this and he's guessing about 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:38.559 about that. And it's like, if you, city manager Boyer, know so much, instead of guessing, 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:51.720 you will be explaining this to us instead of daring. It's crazy how we continue not 00:27:51.720 --> 00:28:03.930 to organize what needs to happen in our city first. We can put this type of money, we can 00:28:03.930 --> 00:28:08.930 into a lift station, but our streets are continue to be crap. 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:19.630 Oh, but we don't have an account for our streets. 00:28:19.630 --> 00:28:24.630 It pisses me off that we have gone 25 plus years. 00:28:26.089 --> 00:28:28.369 Now we're gonna put the car before the horse 00:28:28.369 --> 00:28:33.710 because what if, what if, what if? 00:28:33.710 --> 00:28:37.529 Why aren't we dealing with what's true 00:28:37.529 --> 00:28:38.970 and not the what if? 00:28:38.970 --> 00:28:44.829 And I do have a question. 00:28:44.829 --> 00:28:50.619 How will the nursing home benefit from this lift station? 00:28:50.619 --> 00:28:57.940 Since the nursing home was threw up in my face today, how is it going to benefit the 00:28:57.940 --> 00:28:58.940 nursing home? 00:28:58.940 --> 00:29:01.539 How will it benefit the nursing home? 00:29:01.539 --> 00:29:06.210 Darren, would you want to answer that? 00:29:06.210 --> 00:29:08.210 Their flow will go into the lift station. 00:29:08.210 --> 00:29:09.210 No, City Manager Boyer. 00:29:09.210 --> 00:29:12.730 No, I just directed Darren Siegel to answer it. 00:29:12.730 --> 00:29:18.529 Yes, because City Manager Boyer can't. 00:29:18.529 --> 00:29:22.529 You're out of order. Could you just let him finish and then if Rob wants to add something, he can. 00:29:22.529 --> 00:29:28.610 The nursing home flow will go into the new lift station. 00:29:28.610 --> 00:29:37.059 The nursing home flow would go into the new lift station. 00:29:37.059 --> 00:29:41.059 Manager Boyer, you want to add anything? 00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:45.059 The nursing home flow. The sewer flow. 00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:49.059 Okay. So they wouldn't necessarily 00:29:49.059 --> 00:29:53.059 benefit from it. They would just have a different angle 00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:55.059 to connect to it. 00:29:55.059 --> 00:30:03.829 to connect to it. It's not like the nursing home needs this. 00:30:03.829 --> 00:30:07.750 Their flow goes in the same line that Snack King and everybody else does. 00:30:07.750 --> 00:30:18.470 So if the issues continue to happen, their service will be backed up as well. 00:30:18.470 --> 00:30:20.230 Would you would you like your second? 00:30:20.230 --> 00:30:23.470 Alderman Stacey, would you like your second round of questioning? 00:30:23.470 --> 00:30:25.470 Yes, I want my second round. 00:30:25.470 --> 00:30:27.630 OK, go ahead. Yes. 00:30:27.630 --> 00:30:31.109 OK, you know. 00:30:31.109 --> 00:30:35.829 I'm tired of it talking about who's meeting and who's not meeting. 00:30:36.190 --> 00:30:45.940 I'm willing to meet behind closed doors and not keep my constituents 00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:48.019 and the public informed. 00:30:48.859 --> 00:30:52.380 And that's what meeting behind closed doors do. 00:30:53.740 --> 00:30:58.140 I want stuff addressed on the floor so that the community 00:30:58.140 --> 00:31:01.500 and the constituents know exactly what's going on. 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:13.500 Next year, this tip is scheduled to close, but Lord forbid if you put something back into taxpayers hands. So let's use it up now. 00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:24.140 I should be there, but I can't be there. 00:31:24.140 --> 00:31:34.140 Tired of excuses being made to spend money and not organizing what should be concentrated off first. 00:31:34.140 --> 00:31:53.680 Things are created two and three years ago for such a time as this and they were expected to have all the answers. Some of this stuff started before we were even seated at the table, Alderman Sanders. 00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:55.680 Not all, but some. 00:31:55.680 --> 00:32:15.869 and this is just another way money into a project where everybody is going to be paid well but the constituents of free court. 00:32:15.869 --> 00:32:21.170 Is there any other discussion? 00:32:23.170 --> 00:32:25.170 Alderman Klemm. 00:32:25.170 --> 00:32:38.410 I'd just like to bring up that, you know, over the years and this is many years, there's been a lot of discussion regarding the landfill 00:32:38.410 --> 00:32:42.250 and how it has changed and what we've had to do with it. 00:32:43.569 --> 00:32:47.289 Every few years or possibly there and would know more, 00:32:48.329 --> 00:32:51.610 I remember at one point it was every year, 00:32:51.610 --> 00:32:55.130 the state of Illinois keep coming up with new regulations 00:32:55.130 --> 00:32:58.490 of what had to be done to monitor the landfill 00:32:58.490 --> 00:33:02.670 and the leachate off the landfill and everything else. 00:33:02.670 --> 00:33:06.410 I remember one year we were all ready to grow trees 00:33:06.410 --> 00:33:10.450 on top of it and that was legal with the state and that'd solve all the problems in the world 00:33:10.450 --> 00:33:16.569 and two years later it was to tear all those trees down. We never did that. But this project 00:33:16.569 --> 00:33:22.049 in this area has been discussed for years and years. I want to bring up a little bit 00:33:22.049 --> 00:33:28.730 and it's been mentioned by some people, the airport and some of the facilities out there. 00:33:28.730 --> 00:33:35.730 If we take a look and go back to the presentation that Greater Freeport Partnership did, we 00:33:36.410 --> 00:33:44.410 One of the things that they mentioned was the availability of jobs and the availability of expansion at some of these places. 00:33:44.410 --> 00:33:54.410 Snack King had announced at a business after hours that I was at, probably a year and a half ago or better, that they were looking at putting in a new warehouse there. 00:33:54.410 --> 00:34:00.410 In that thing, we mentioned that Snack King is the biggest user of water out there. 00:34:00.410 --> 00:34:16.409 We've got other facilities out there that use a bunch of water and there is one of the only places in all this acreage around and everything else to build things and to expand on stuff. 00:34:16.409 --> 00:34:22.409 We mentioned the airport, you know, everybody flies in and out with Piper Cubs, it's a little more than that. 00:34:22.409 --> 00:34:52.409 Knapp. If Snack King or Wittner's at the time wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for the airport because Wittner flew in and out of it all the time. Harbor Freight wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for the airport. They used it to fly in and take a look at town and stuff. Sure, Honeywell and those places don't use it, but when we designed the second road to go into the airport, one of the things alongside that road is the layout for all commercial buildings to go up in there. 00:34:52.409 --> 00:34:59.010 there. You know, Cliff at one point talked about a machining operation that would come 00:34:59.010 --> 00:35:03.690 over here from Rockford that was at the airport that would have been one of the places that 00:35:03.690 --> 00:35:08.010 would have taken up a good share of that land, but they couldn't do it because there's 00:35:08.010 --> 00:35:15.130 no water and sewer. There's no toilet facility at the airport. We've got an airport that 00:35:15.130 --> 00:35:21.090 has been built out to add a whole new facility for people that come in and everything else 00:35:51.090 --> 00:35:53.090 and 00:35:55.110 --> 00:35:57.110 John. 00:35:59.110 --> 00:36:01.429 We're going to have to fix issues in that area. They're 00:36:01.429 --> 00:36:03.429 never going to come. Thank you. 00:36:05.409 --> 00:36:07.409 » Is there any other discussion? 00:36:08.510 --> 00:36:12.510 » Yeah. I just wanted to top it off after what he just said. 00:36:12.510 --> 00:36:16.510 » Then we will move on to item number 10. 00:36:16.510 --> 00:36:18.510 » Sure. 00:36:18.510 --> 00:36:34.510 So we're trying to get everybody back up to speed and understanding of why the project need is, what the project is, how you decide to move forward is however the council decides to move forward. 00:36:34.510 --> 00:36:45.510 It is a needed project for that area and this station was designed to last a lifetime, not just, you know, a throwaway project. 00:36:45.510 --> 00:37:03.510 This would be a permanent lift station. We currently have nine within the city. Due to our elevation restrictions, it's just unnecessary. We do not try to design lift stations. We try to design gravity systems. There's just no way to pull this change off through a gravity system. 00:37:03.510 --> 00:37:13.510 Okay, so we'll move on to item number 10, which is discussion regarding the construction of ADA ramps at the intersection of South Park Boulevard and Church Street. Darren. 00:37:13.510 --> 00:38:05.099 So the council, I believe it was a little over a month ago approved an ADA commission through our transition plan that we've put together for the city and before we had the committee stood up, I received the very first grievance from a lady that lives over on Pearl City Road. 00:38:05.099 --> 00:38:12.699 I handed out some packets so you guys can see it a little better up front but we've also put this 00:38:12.699 --> 00:38:19.260 little presentation together. So this is the intersection of Church Street and Park Street 00:38:19.260 --> 00:38:27.500 and it is currently not ADA permissible and it doesn't meet PROAG standards and I'm going 00:38:27.500 --> 00:38:33.340 to kind of go through the ramps with you just so you get an understanding of why. So this is 00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:37.739 and this is actual Monroe Clinic eye care back here. 00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:42.500 This is what we would call their carriage ramps on page one. 00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:45.460 Their carriage ramp is illegal by standards. 00:38:45.460 --> 00:38:48.260 You can no longer send a handicapped person out 00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:51.900 into traffic with no crossing across the street from them. 00:38:51.900 --> 00:38:54.940 In this particular instance, 00:38:54.940 --> 00:38:57.019 there isn't one across the street from them. 00:38:57.019 --> 00:38:59.820 So if we did a construction project in this area, 00:38:59.820 --> 00:39:02.420 we would remove this ramp permanently 00:39:02.420 --> 00:39:05.260 because a handicapped person would not know 00:39:05.260 --> 00:39:07.139 that they couldn't cross the street 00:39:07.139 --> 00:39:08.619 with that type of ramp now. 00:39:08.619 --> 00:39:11.380 So those are deemed illegal by PROAC standards. 00:39:13.179 --> 00:39:16.059 Curt, can you please go to the next page? 00:39:16.059 --> 00:39:19.340 So this is the corner over by St. John's Church. 00:39:19.340 --> 00:39:20.619 I just wanted to highlight 00:39:20.619 --> 00:39:23.099 that ramp doesn't exist here like it should. 00:39:23.099 --> 00:39:27.000 And then St. John's at one time installed a sidewalk 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:28.940 to nowhere, it actually stops. 00:39:28.940 --> 00:39:31.860 It's never been connected nor the school system 00:39:31.860 --> 00:39:33.220 that's down here, Carl Sandburg. 00:39:33.220 --> 00:39:34.699 They don't have a sidewalk either, 00:39:34.699 --> 00:39:37.360 but it does start at the end of the residential property 00:39:37.360 --> 00:39:38.980 all the way down on Church Street. 00:39:38.980 --> 00:39:41.420 So this is a connectivity issue 00:39:41.420 --> 00:39:43.380 for mobility challenge people 00:39:43.380 --> 00:39:45.460 that we have to overcome in Freeport. 00:39:45.460 --> 00:39:47.320 But currently our ordinances say 00:39:47.320 --> 00:39:49.940 that St. John's Church own this issue 00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:52.340 and Carl Sandburg owns the issue on their property. 00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:54.220 The city does not own the sidewalk. 00:39:54.220 --> 00:40:02.320 This is the corner of St. John's Church. 00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:06.579 As you can see, we have full head curb rounding the entire intersection. 00:40:06.579 --> 00:40:12.679 This would need to be a lowered elevated ramp with a truncated dome tile in order for it 00:40:12.679 --> 00:40:14.539 to be transversable. 00:40:14.539 --> 00:40:17.719 This particular wedge here goes out onto Park Street. 00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:20.960 again, these are not legal pro by pro ag standards 00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:22.719 because there's no sidewalk connection 00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:24.159 across the street from this. 00:40:24.159 --> 00:40:27.000 So again, having a ramp here sends somebody 00:40:27.000 --> 00:40:30.900 that's disabled out into traffic with nowhere to go. 00:40:30.900 --> 00:40:34.599 Currently handy or excuse me, disabled people 00:40:34.599 --> 00:40:36.760 that try to use this ramp can't go up it. 00:40:36.760 --> 00:40:39.079 So they actually go out here in traffic 00:40:39.079 --> 00:40:40.599 and head north on Park Street 00:40:40.599 --> 00:40:43.079 till they get to the first driveway out in traffic. 00:40:43.079 --> 00:40:45.460 That's their only option to access here. 00:40:45.460 --> 00:40:52.760 the next slide please so this is that same intersection from a distance so 00:40:52.760 --> 00:40:58.219 someone that's going across the street cannot get across this ramp and then this 00:40:58.219 --> 00:41:01.940 is an illegal ramp so they actually drive their mobility scooter or 00:41:01.940 --> 00:41:06.579 wheelchair actually right down the roadway here Park Street's one of our 00:41:06.579 --> 00:41:13.340 heaviest and fastest streets in town and the grievant provided this intersection 00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:18.440 specifically as a problem for their loved one to actually 00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:20.880 access this area. 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:23.320 Next slide, please. 00:41:23.320 --> 00:41:27.079 So this is the ramp on the corner. 00:41:27.079 --> 00:41:29.880 So here's another ramp that goes to nowhere. 00:41:29.880 --> 00:41:31.960 These are illegal. 00:41:31.960 --> 00:41:34.119 Currently, the grievance is trying 00:41:34.119 --> 00:41:38.659 to access this through a mobility scooter 00:41:38.659 --> 00:41:41.119 to try to get out onto the street. 00:41:41.119 --> 00:41:43.880 As you can see, this sidewalk here is raged. 00:41:43.880 --> 00:41:46.519 The city owns this piece of the sidewalk 00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:48.519 of the ADA corner at every intersection. 00:41:48.519 --> 00:41:51.719 We are responsible for this mechanism right here. 00:41:51.719 --> 00:41:54.320 So this tilted up sidewalk, 00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:58.480 this platform has to be 2% in each direction 00:41:58.480 --> 00:41:59.739 in order to meet code. 00:41:59.739 --> 00:42:01.000 This does not. 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:03.619 This leg of the ramp has to be, well, this one's illegal, 00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:05.460 but it would have to be under 8%. 00:42:05.460 --> 00:42:07.880 This kind of crook in it is totally illegal. 00:42:07.880 --> 00:42:14.599 can you go to the next slide please so this is looking south on this street so 00:42:14.599 --> 00:42:20.119 here we have another ramp area that is not created for a handicapped person to 00:42:20.119 --> 00:42:26.199 come off that's a full curb head and you can see the the slope of the condition 00:42:26.199 --> 00:42:30.760 of the existing concrete ramp here so neither side of this crossing is 00:42:30.760 --> 00:42:35.519 considered legal to the city standards or to the pro-ag standards that being 00:42:35.519 --> 00:42:41.599 said, they're legal as is, they just don't meet our standards for mobility challenge 00:42:41.599 --> 00:42:42.599 people. 00:42:42.599 --> 00:42:46.800 This is why the grievance process and the committee was formed to address these type 00:42:46.800 --> 00:42:47.800 of issues. 00:42:47.800 --> 00:42:49.760 Next slide, please. 00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:55.840 So I wanted to show you just for your information, these are a couple pictures of areas that 00:42:55.840 --> 00:42:59.019 are compliant that have had replacements. 00:42:59.019 --> 00:43:03.199 So this is the kind of sidewalk crossing that we would suggest at park. 00:43:03.199 --> 00:43:08.599 going out into park but coming across church. Here's the truncated dome. These are required 00:43:08.599 --> 00:43:16.480 by law at every crossing now and as you can see the ramps are sloped down to under 8% 00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:22.519 and have a resting spot for people that are mobility challenged as they cross streets. 00:43:22.519 --> 00:43:28.559 It should be noted that this area here also has to be under 2% and the crossing that goes 00:43:28.559 --> 00:43:30.559 Rhoads, John, and the others. 00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:35.400 The number of those across the street here has to be under 5%. 00:43:35.400 --> 00:43:37.400 Next slide, please. 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:39.400 Here's another one that we did last year. 00:43:39.400 --> 00:43:43.400 We had some record photos of ones that have been replaced. 00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:46.400 Again, this is a fully compliant sidewalk. 00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:49.239 A lot of the new series have these, so they call them head 00:43:49.239 --> 00:43:51.239 walls on them. 00:43:51.239 --> 00:43:53.320 That's for people that have sight issues so they can tap 00:43:53.320 --> 00:43:55.320 those as they know they're getting up to the truncated 00:43:55.320 --> 00:43:57.320 dome. 00:43:57.320 --> 00:44:01.519 Going straight across and they feel for the other side of the ramp when they come across 00:44:01.519 --> 00:44:04.199 to make sure that they're getting there. 00:44:04.199 --> 00:44:05.360 Next slide please. 00:44:05.360 --> 00:44:07.719 Here's another one that was done recently. 00:44:07.719 --> 00:44:12.920 Again, you can see a typical double crossing, so this would be something that will go on 00:44:12.920 --> 00:44:13.920 each side. 00:44:13.920 --> 00:44:19.559 Again, the city's responsible by PROAG codes is that we have to fix this entire corner 00:44:19.559 --> 00:44:25.079 and 15 feet back in each direction on the sidewalk as the updates are done. 00:44:25.079 --> 00:44:26.079 That is the standard. 00:44:26.079 --> 00:44:27.679 that's a federal standard. 00:44:27.679 --> 00:44:29.639 Anytime we use state or federal money 00:44:29.639 --> 00:44:32.619 on any street project, even local money now, 00:44:32.619 --> 00:44:36.480 we have to make that upgrade as we hit those intersections. 00:44:38.279 --> 00:44:40.699 And here's, this is an alternate, 00:44:40.699 --> 00:44:43.619 this is considered somewhere that has an open space. 00:44:43.619 --> 00:44:46.500 So this I believe might be over by Westwood 00:44:46.500 --> 00:44:49.079 where it opens up for school kids. 00:44:49.079 --> 00:44:52.139 Again, see how the truncated dome goes all the way across? 00:44:52.139 --> 00:44:55.579 That's the signal to somebody that's mobility challenged 00:44:55.579 --> 00:44:56.579 Huffines. 00:44:56.579 --> 00:45:04.460 And then our standard requires, actually Proag does as well, the new sidewalks have to be 00:45:04.460 --> 00:45:10.980 put at five feet wide and then reduced back to whatever's there so you can kind of see 00:45:10.980 --> 00:45:16.500 the changes that were made at this intersection. 00:45:16.500 --> 00:45:21.779 The reason the commission was created was to address issues like the one we're talking 00:45:21.779 --> 00:45:22.779 about. 00:45:22.779 --> 00:45:24.699 and Jodi can file a grievance. 00:45:24.699 --> 00:45:26.260 Once the grievances are filed, 00:45:26.260 --> 00:45:29.139 it will go to the ADA commission. 00:45:29.139 --> 00:45:31.260 And we're just talking about this tonight 00:45:31.260 --> 00:45:33.380 because on the next meeting, 00:45:33.380 --> 00:45:38.039 there's going to be a proposal to repair park and church. 00:45:38.039 --> 00:45:42.179 We currently don't have funding for that in the budget. 00:45:42.179 --> 00:45:46.099 So it's the council's pleasure to help find funding 00:45:46.099 --> 00:45:47.860 or what we're gonna do. 00:45:47.860 --> 00:45:52.380 I have talked to the petitioner and they understand 00:45:52.380 --> 00:45:56.119 they would be excited to see this change happen 00:45:56.119 --> 00:45:58.639 and as a community we should want it to happen. 00:45:58.639 --> 00:46:02.639 The park and church intersection has a handful of items 00:46:02.639 --> 00:46:04.079 that I wanna point out. 00:46:04.079 --> 00:46:07.320 A, it's next to a church, it's next to an eye doctor, 00:46:07.320 --> 00:46:09.039 it's in the safe routes to school 00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:13.800 and the petitioner lives less than 900 feet away 00:46:13.800 --> 00:46:15.139 from this intersection. 00:46:18.019 --> 00:46:19.059 Alderman Sanders. 00:46:19.059 --> 00:46:21.179 Yeah, Darren, 00:46:21.179 --> 00:46:50.179 I have to agree with you on a lot of your points that you're making and it would be efficient for us as the city to look at that to give you an honest proposal to go forth with something of that nature to reconstruct those areas for remodification 00:46:50.179 --> 00:46:55.179 and not only that, to make sure that those sidewalks 00:46:57.779 --> 00:47:02.779 and those ADA ramps are meeting the slope of those ramps. 00:47:05.539 --> 00:47:10.380 I can see where it starts off 00:47:10.380 --> 00:47:13.300 and then I can see the slope of those ramps. 00:47:13.300 --> 00:47:14.860 Now I'm looking at the slopes, I'm saying, 00:47:14.860 --> 00:47:19.019 well, that's too fast for a person for a wheelchair. 00:47:19.019 --> 00:47:24.019 even with some folks, if they're just running or trotting, 00:47:24.779 --> 00:47:26.179 it would be a little bit too fast, 00:47:26.179 --> 00:47:27.779 it can lose their footing. 00:47:27.779 --> 00:47:31.980 But I agree with you when it comes to reconstructing 00:47:31.980 --> 00:47:36.300 those areas, especially the part where sidewalks 00:47:36.300 --> 00:47:41.019 have no, the sidewalk to no end or however you put that, 00:47:41.019 --> 00:47:43.500 I see that all over the city. 00:47:43.500 --> 00:47:46.460 And I think we should look at that even more, 00:47:46.460 --> 00:47:50.739 you know, for homeowners, residents, or whatever, 00:47:50.739 --> 00:47:54.019 who would love to have sidewalks to be connected 00:47:54.019 --> 00:47:56.179 from one block to the next block, you know, 00:47:56.179 --> 00:47:58.059 I can see that happening. 00:47:58.059 --> 00:48:01.539 And so I think we should look at all of the areas 00:48:02.579 --> 00:48:06.460 and find the fundings, look where the fundings 00:48:06.460 --> 00:48:10.619 could be accumulated from and work from there. 00:48:10.619 --> 00:48:12.579 But one thing I do like for you to do 00:48:12.579 --> 00:48:15.340 if you don't mind doing that, 00:48:15.340 --> 00:48:16.340 and John. 00:48:16.340 --> 00:48:21.260 So, we're keeping us abreast to all that you're coming up with, yeah, you know, just bringing 00:48:21.260 --> 00:48:26.139 it to us, let us know where you're at, what your intents are, and that kind of thing. 00:48:26.139 --> 00:48:31.220 So part of the ADA commission is the commission can't move forward with any repairs without 00:48:31.220 --> 00:48:35.739 council approval, so every one of these grievance or petitioners will come to the city after 00:48:35.739 --> 00:48:37.940 it goes to the ADA commission. 00:48:37.940 --> 00:48:41.739 You will actually make the final decision, the commission's just a recommendation to 00:48:41.739 --> 00:48:42.739 fix. 00:48:42.739 --> 00:48:49.019 A couple points I want to make from some of your questions there. So the City of Freeport has over 00:48:49.019 --> 00:48:57.880 1,500 ADA ramps. We only have about 25% compliant currently. Rob and I went to a 00:48:57.880 --> 00:49:07.279 meeting with the District 2 IDOT. Last year they replaced 300 ramps in our 00:49:07.279 --> 00:49:12.480 entire district, which our district is very large. It goes from East Butte to 00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:17.760 Rockford to Peoria to the Quad Cities. The city of Freeport has replaced 322 00:49:17.760 --> 00:49:21.360 ramps in the last three years not counting any that we've replaced this 00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:26.199 year and I will tell you there's been a lot of complaints in town that that 00:49:26.199 --> 00:49:30.519 Fehr Graham or I designed ramps wrong and they have to be ripped out. That is 00:49:30.519 --> 00:49:36.279 strictly untrue. The ramps that have been replaced were built by the contractors 00:49:36.279 --> 00:49:41.400 wrong and our inspection practices that you pay us for make us go out and check 00:49:41.400 --> 00:49:46.279 and the contractor removes and replaces those for free when they build them wrong. 00:49:46.279 --> 00:49:48.480 That's the quality assurance of the inspection. 00:49:48.480 --> 00:49:51.880 We had one project last year that had 76... 00:49:51.880 --> 00:49:52.000 and 00:49:53.000 --> 00:49:55.000 John. 00:49:56.280 --> 00:49:58.280 I have a question about the 00:49:59.380 --> 00:50:02.480 project last year that had 76, two years ago, excuse me, had 76 00:50:02.480 --> 00:50:05.480 ramps on it and 38 of them had to be replaced at no cost of the 00:50:05.480 --> 00:50:08.980 city based on them being built wrong. That has nothing to do 00:50:08.980 --> 00:50:11.980 with your engineer. That's the quality assurance you're paying 00:50:11.980 --> 00:50:15.980 us to make sure it happens on the jobs. One other thing I'd 00:50:15.980 --> 00:50:19.980 like to point out to something that you said. The city has a 00:50:19.980 --> 00:50:23.340 I believe we have 20,000 annually. 00:50:23.340 --> 00:50:27.659 We do removals for free and we pay up a portion 00:50:27.659 --> 00:50:30.659 towards the new sidewalk that is put in 00:50:30.659 --> 00:50:32.880 if you replace your whole sidewalk. 00:50:32.880 --> 00:50:35.860 We don't have a ton of participation in that program. 00:50:35.860 --> 00:50:39.139 We are going to try to revamp it for 2026 00:50:39.139 --> 00:50:40.800 and advertise it more. 00:50:40.800 --> 00:50:43.920 We have a lot of sidewalk that is owned by homeowners 00:50:43.920 --> 00:50:45.719 that needs to be addressed. 00:50:45.719 --> 00:50:48.659 The city has codes and ordinances 00:50:48.659 --> 00:50:50.460 that we can back that up with, 00:50:50.460 --> 00:50:52.420 but we haven't got to that point yet 00:50:52.420 --> 00:50:54.780 because we know that it's a problem 00:50:54.780 --> 00:50:57.039 for people to replace so much sidewalk. 00:50:57.920 --> 00:50:59.980 But we have to look at connectivity. 00:50:59.980 --> 00:51:03.139 People that have disabilities have just as much rights 00:51:03.139 --> 00:51:06.539 to transverse those towns as anybody that walks, 00:51:06.539 --> 00:51:09.179 and we have to provide access to them 00:51:09.179 --> 00:51:13.179 to whatever means necessary to get them from A to B. 00:51:13.179 --> 00:51:15.500 And so that is part of the plan, 00:51:15.500 --> 00:51:18.659 but just so you know too, Larry, 00:51:18.659 --> 00:51:23.260 we are replacing ramps as we do street projects 00:51:23.260 --> 00:51:25.300 and they're expensive, right? 00:51:25.300 --> 00:51:28.280 They're somewhere between 12 and $20,000 00:51:28.280 --> 00:51:29.760 to replace each corner. 00:51:29.760 --> 00:51:32.579 Those are incorporated into our 1% street plan 00:51:32.579 --> 00:51:35.159 and we are executing that where they exist 00:51:35.159 --> 00:51:38.760 because it's required by law, okay? 00:51:38.760 --> 00:51:40.980 So outside of that funding, 00:51:40.980 --> 00:51:43.079 we don't have other funding sitting around 00:51:43.079 --> 00:51:45.800 to just go pick other ramps to do. 00:51:45.800 --> 00:51:47.840 I don't have the exact number, 00:51:47.840 --> 00:51:50.639 but I think we're doing around 40 ramps this year 00:51:50.639 --> 00:51:53.000 between all the different street and water main projects. 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:55.840 So we are doing a significant amount of ramp work. 00:51:55.840 --> 00:51:56.679 Very good. 00:51:56.679 --> 00:51:57.679 Any other discussion? 00:51:59.239 --> 00:52:01.639 I just wanted to add that also the nursing home 00:52:01.639 --> 00:52:03.280 is right by there that I used to work at 00:52:03.280 --> 00:52:04.860 and we use those streets a lot 00:52:04.860 --> 00:52:06.980 when we walk people outside to give them fresh air. 00:52:06.980 --> 00:52:10.739 So that's important also. 00:52:10.739 --> 00:52:12.539 Okay, then we'll move on to item number 10, 00:52:12.539 --> 00:52:13.980 which is the discussion regarding 00:52:13.980 --> 00:52:15.579 transportation services agreement 00:52:15.579 --> 00:52:18.500 to sell Pretzel City Transit punch Cards at the library. 00:52:18.500 --> 00:52:19.420 Director Huffines. 00:52:19.420 --> 00:52:20.340 Thank you. 00:52:20.340 --> 00:52:22.579 The library is always seeking collaborations 00:52:22.579 --> 00:52:24.659 and partners to help improve the services 00:52:24.659 --> 00:52:27.780 and resources that we provide to our community. 00:52:27.780 --> 00:52:31.559 Pretzel City Transit is heavily used by library users. 00:52:31.559 --> 00:52:34.619 We are seeking to make access to ride vouchers 00:52:34.619 --> 00:52:36.739 and punch cards more accessible 00:52:36.739 --> 00:52:40.420 by becoming a location for people to purchase vouchers 00:52:40.420 --> 00:53:04.980 and 00:53:34.980 --> 00:53:40.219 We provide inventory reports to the city upon request and the library will compensate the 00:53:40.219 --> 00:53:43.980 city monthly for all vouchers and punch cards sold. 00:53:43.980 --> 00:53:49.539 There's no financial impact to the city or the library and the city staff recommend approving 00:53:49.539 --> 00:53:55.940 the agreement with the Freeport Public Library and in the strategic plan, it supports strong 00:53:55.940 --> 00:53:58.340 public and private partnerships. 00:53:58.340 --> 00:54:00.300 a couple of things to note. 00:54:00.300 --> 00:54:05.300 The vouchers are $3 a piece and punch cards are $60. 00:54:07.199 --> 00:54:11.119 The punch cards are available for up to 21 rides. 00:54:11.119 --> 00:54:14.300 You get 21 punches on those cards. 00:54:14.300 --> 00:54:19.099 We are just in another place to purchase. 00:54:19.099 --> 00:54:20.320 That's what we're seeking. 00:54:20.320 --> 00:54:24.139 So currently you can purchase at Highland Community College 00:54:24.139 --> 00:54:27.099 and Pretzel City Transit office, 00:54:27.099 --> 00:54:30.279 but those are the only two locations in the city to purchase. 00:54:32.260 --> 00:54:33.559 Any discussion? 00:54:33.559 --> 00:54:34.559 Alderman Sanders? 00:54:34.559 --> 00:54:36.500 Yeah, just a quick question. 00:54:38.300 --> 00:54:43.300 When did this come into form for the library? 00:54:43.820 --> 00:54:45.860 About a week or two ago. 00:54:45.860 --> 00:54:46.679 About a week or two ago? 00:54:46.679 --> 00:54:47.519 Yep. 00:54:47.519 --> 00:54:49.840 Is that a notification that was distributed 00:54:49.840 --> 00:54:51.260 throughout the city? 00:54:51.260 --> 00:54:52.099 No. 00:54:52.099 --> 00:54:54.920 So before we do any type of marketing 00:54:54.920 --> 00:54:58.980 or telling anybody that we're looking into doing this, 00:54:58.980 --> 00:55:01.940 we need to make sure that the city's on board. 00:55:01.940 --> 00:55:04.579 So that's why we bring it to the COW. 00:55:04.579 --> 00:55:06.739 And if you guys are agreeable to it 00:55:06.739 --> 00:55:08.779 and we're not getting a lot of dissension, 00:55:08.779 --> 00:55:10.980 then I'm gonna move forward 00:55:10.980 --> 00:55:12.460 and take it to the library board. 00:55:12.460 --> 00:55:17.460 There's no diverting from this regular work ethics 00:55:19.579 --> 00:55:23.239 of the transit present personal duties. 00:55:23.239 --> 00:55:24.639 They're still gonna be functioning 00:55:24.639 --> 00:55:30.199 throughout the city, regardless of whether they're being used for the library or not. 00:55:30.199 --> 00:55:33.279 They're going to be functional all throughout the city. 00:55:33.279 --> 00:55:34.279 Correct. 00:55:34.279 --> 00:55:35.279 Okay. 00:55:35.279 --> 00:55:40.840 So, we're just a place that is, people are often calling for rides or dropped off at 00:55:40.840 --> 00:55:41.840 the library. 00:55:41.840 --> 00:55:46.199 So, it's just a logical space in place for them to buy the vouchers. 00:55:46.199 --> 00:55:47.199 Okay. 00:55:47.199 --> 00:55:48.199 That's all it is. 00:55:48.199 --> 00:55:49.199 Okay. 00:55:49.199 --> 00:55:50.199 Thank you. 00:55:50.199 --> 00:55:51.199 Mm-hmm. 00:55:51.199 --> 00:55:52.199 Lemon Johnson? 00:55:52.199 --> 00:55:56.480 Deer, for one thing, because a lot of people, they could come downtown, go to the library, 00:55:56.480 --> 00:56:00.000 whatever, with getting the vouchers there and get their vouchers there. 00:56:00.000 --> 00:56:05.720 And I did discuss with Ashley, too, I know a lot of times when you ride the pretzel bus, 00:56:05.720 --> 00:56:09.199 you have to register, and I asked her if they would have to register there before they get 00:56:09.199 --> 00:56:14.000 their vouchers, and she said no, that when they would call for their rides and set up 00:56:14.000 --> 00:56:18.079 the times for their rides, that's when they would register their name and all the information 00:56:18.079 --> 00:56:23.000 that they have to have when you ride the Pretzel City bus. 00:56:23.000 --> 00:56:27.079 So I do think it's a good idea for the people. 00:56:27.079 --> 00:56:29.000 It'd be handy for the people to come to the library 00:56:29.000 --> 00:56:31.159 to get the vouchers there. 00:56:31.159 --> 00:56:33.360 Also, I wanted to ask one question. 00:56:33.360 --> 00:56:36.199 Do you know, does it take more than one voucher 00:56:36.199 --> 00:56:39.320 to go certain distances, or is it just one voucher per ride? 00:56:39.320 --> 00:56:40.199 Do you have any idea? 00:56:40.199 --> 00:56:40.800 I didn't know. 00:56:40.800 --> 00:56:42.840 As far as I'm aware, the voucher would 00:56:42.840 --> 00:56:46.039 be used in the city limit. 00:56:46.039 --> 00:56:49.360 but outside the city limit, it might take more than that. 00:56:49.360 --> 00:56:52.559 Yeah, I didn't know if you knew, I wasn't sure, so, okay. 00:56:52.559 --> 00:56:55.639 Make sure to address that, yeah. 00:56:55.639 --> 00:56:56.720 Any other discussion? 00:56:58.279 --> 00:56:59.119 Thank you, Ashley. 00:56:59.119 --> 00:57:01.079 Then we will move on to item number 12, 00:57:01.079 --> 00:57:02.880 which is public comment. 00:57:02.880 --> 00:57:06.079 Madam Clerk, you have something to read to the record. 00:57:06.079 --> 00:57:11.079 Yes, this one was received via email from Rebecca Peters. 00:57:11.760 --> 00:57:14.760 I appreciate this opportunity to address the comments 00:57:14.760 --> 00:57:18.920 made by Alderman Sanders regarding Alderman Parker 00:57:18.920 --> 00:57:21.360 during the July 1st City Council meeting. 00:57:21.360 --> 00:57:23.860 I need to acknowledge that this is not the first time 00:57:23.860 --> 00:57:26.639 any council member has made inappropriate comments 00:57:26.639 --> 00:57:31.019 during a meeting, and Alderman Sanders is not the only one 00:57:31.019 --> 00:57:32.360 who has made them. 00:57:32.360 --> 00:57:34.960 However, the remarks made on the 21st 00:57:34.960 --> 00:57:37.199 were particularly offensive, rude, 00:57:37.199 --> 00:57:40.000 and had no bearing whatsoever on what was happening 00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:41.159 during the meeting. 00:57:41.159 --> 00:57:44.159 I'm not going to repeat them, but they were unnecessary 00:58:14.159 --> 00:58:15.159 Huffines. 00:58:15.159 --> 00:58:23.519 Thank you for your time and attention in this matter, Becky Peters. 00:58:23.519 --> 00:58:24.519 Thank you. 00:58:24.519 --> 00:58:25.519 Are there other public comments? 00:58:25.519 --> 00:58:26.519 Rhonda? 00:58:26.519 --> 00:58:34.849 In the first comments, I gave you my opinion, now I want to give you some facts. 00:58:34.849 --> 00:58:42.210 First of all, Mr. Stegall, which presented the presentation with his laser and a map, 00:58:42.210 --> 00:58:48.349 He is not an engineer and he didn't bring you any studies showing that we have a problem 00:58:48.349 --> 00:58:50.389 with solid waste getting stuck there. 00:58:50.389 --> 00:58:52.610 If he has them, they should be brought. 00:58:52.610 --> 00:58:58.409 But we need studies proving that there's a need for this project. 00:58:58.409 --> 00:59:03.269 What he is is he's a salesman for Fehr Graham who pitches projects to you all so you will 00:59:03.269 --> 00:59:07.210 vote to give his company money, the company that pays him. 00:59:07.210 --> 00:59:13.289 It's a conflict of interest for him to be sitting here as our public works person recommending 00:59:13.289 --> 00:59:17.289 to you what projects we need for the people of Freeport. 00:59:17.289 --> 00:59:20.789 He is paid by Fehr Graham and this is wrong. 00:59:20.789 --> 00:59:25.970 The second fact is this has not been brought before for two years. 00:59:25.970 --> 00:59:27.329 It's on the cow. 00:59:27.329 --> 00:59:28.650 It's up for discussion. 00:59:28.650 --> 00:59:30.809 This has not been on the agenda. 00:59:30.809 --> 00:59:31.809 This was a lie. 00:59:31.809 --> 00:59:32.809 This is BS. 00:59:32.809 --> 00:59:35.150 Quit lying. 00:59:35.150 --> 00:59:41.550 In order to do a project like this, with Lamb Road TIF funds, it must be included in the 00:59:41.550 --> 00:59:46.150 Lamb Road TIF report that is filed with the State Comptroller. 00:59:46.150 --> 00:59:49.989 You can look at those reports, every report, up to the one that was current. 00:59:49.989 --> 00:59:52.280 We report up to the one that was currently filed in 2023. 00:59:52.280 --> 00:59:56.880 There is not a single mention of a lift. 00:59:56.880 --> 00:59:59.199 This is total BS. 00:59:59.199 --> 01:00:04.639 And yes, there is no need for one because we are losing industry out there. 01:00:04.639 --> 01:00:05.880 We lost Honeywell. 01:00:05.880 --> 01:00:11.880 We do not have anybody coming asking to put a factory or anything out there. 01:00:11.880 --> 01:00:13.659 So this is total BS. 01:00:13.659 --> 01:00:15.239 Do not buy into it. 01:00:15.239 --> 01:00:18.960 Now, what's the sales pitch from our marketing person over here? 01:00:18.960 --> 01:00:20.840 It's for the future. 01:00:20.840 --> 01:00:22.480 People are going to want to come to Freeport. 01:00:22.480 --> 01:00:26.079 Look, we've got 500 and 400 acres we could develop. 01:00:26.079 --> 01:00:28.719 We've got an airport that could be something. 01:00:28.719 --> 01:00:32.920 How many years have we heard this BS about the airport, how it's going to be the future 01:00:32.920 --> 01:00:34.000 of Freeport? 01:00:34.000 --> 01:00:36.119 People, we are dying. 01:00:36.119 --> 01:00:41.639 We are shriveling up, and we've got a clique of five here who are ruining our city. 01:00:41.639 --> 01:00:45.079 Take a look at those Lamb Road TIF reports. 01:00:45.079 --> 01:00:49.780 is not a lift station in there, they should not even be allowed to use those funds without 01:00:49.780 --> 01:00:55.519 that going into the TIF report with public approval and that meeting is every October 01:00:55.519 --> 01:00:56.800 of the year. 01:00:56.800 --> 01:00:57.800 Thank you. 01:00:57.800 --> 01:00:58.800 Next. 01:00:58.800 --> 01:01:10.500 Hi, my name is Cheryl Altman and I'd like to thank a few, at least three Aldermen's 01:01:10.500 --> 01:01:12.239 for sticking up for us. 01:01:12.239 --> 01:01:15.820 When you guys stand up and say the Pledge of Allegiance, it's liberty and justice for 01:01:15.820 --> 01:01:17.280 all. 01:01:17.280 --> 01:01:23.559 This has meaning of being treated fairly and properly, not happening. 01:01:23.559 --> 01:01:30.039 Some of you aldermen just are here to kiss the city's butt, but you know, that's okay. 01:01:30.039 --> 01:01:36.800 Also the sidewalks, it's a great idea, but in 95% of your pictures, did you see the potholes? 01:01:36.800 --> 01:01:40.800 Can you imagine a blind person or a wheelchair trying to get a hold of those potholes getting 01:01:40.800 --> 01:01:43.000 stuck or tripping? 01:01:43.000 --> 01:01:46.880 The sidewalks are great, I agree with that, but until the streets are fixed, what good 01:01:46.880 --> 01:01:53.920 What is it? Also, Rob, next time you guys come on my property, better make sure I'm 01:01:53.920 --> 01:02:00.679 there. Because when I talk to you, you did me dirty. So you got two of my houses on winter. 01:02:00.679 --> 01:02:04.679 One tenant moved out, didn't know about it. The next house next door, you guys thought 01:02:04.679 --> 01:02:09.760 was mine, but I sold it. So you're trying to come at me. So next time you guys better 01:02:09.760 --> 01:02:14.599 have somebody there, you better come with warmth. That's all I'm telling you. Because 01:02:14.599 --> 01:02:23.599 There's a lot of people on here. Mayor, you're one of them. Rob, Wayne, and some of the aldermen. You're about as useless as tits on a board. 01:02:23.599 --> 01:02:47.039 Next. Good evening, Freeport. I want to start this off on a positive note. I want to thank you for your support. 01:02:47.039 --> 01:02:55.039 I'm talking to the director of the library. Your support for the coloring books that you have bought. 01:02:55.039 --> 01:03:00.679 that symbolizes the heroes in our community that have been killed or 01:03:00.679 --> 01:03:07.440 murdered or in an accident that was never a justice was never brought forth. 01:03:07.440 --> 01:03:14.679 Money isn't enough to cover the life of my nephew. Neither is it enough to cover 01:03:14.679 --> 01:03:19.800 the lives the life of a young man named Michael who mother is a hairdresser here 01:03:19.800 --> 01:03:23.960 across the street from all these. So I want to thank you for the support that 01:03:23.960 --> 01:03:24.960 Huffines. 01:03:24.960 --> 01:03:26.519 Thank you very much for giving this family. 01:03:26.519 --> 01:03:34.880 As far as the issues that we're talking about in regards to mill race, I have to wonder 01:03:34.880 --> 01:03:45.860 how much of a connection this Lyft is going to have or has with the mill race project, 01:03:45.860 --> 01:04:05.860 We have a lot of issues with the airport, with putting water out there, with the weed farm, all of which is taxpayer dollars that have been, are being negotiated at these tables to come out of our pockets, most of which we don't use. 01:04:05.860 --> 01:04:09.579 of that area that used the airport are business people 01:04:09.579 --> 01:04:12.059 who are in the 1%. 01:04:12.059 --> 01:04:15.220 Most of us here aren't in the 1%. 01:04:15.220 --> 01:04:19.820 I'd like to also say that we pay taxes in this town. 01:04:19.820 --> 01:04:24.579 And when you ride down Iroquois, and I invite any of you 01:04:24.579 --> 01:04:28.659 that are willing to look at the truth to ride down Iroquois. 01:04:28.659 --> 01:04:30.139 And when you ride down Iroquois, 01:04:30.139 --> 01:04:34.460 you're gonna see two houses sitting on a corner 01:04:34.460 --> 01:04:36.220 across from each other. 01:04:36.220 --> 01:04:39.500 One of them is so filled with trees and weeds and bushes 01:04:39.500 --> 01:04:41.260 that you can't see the address on the house 01:04:41.260 --> 01:04:43.539 and you can't see the house. 01:04:43.539 --> 01:04:46.820 It goes from around the corner on Iroquois, 01:04:46.820 --> 01:04:48.139 back around the corner, 01:04:48.139 --> 01:04:50.199 and these bushes are taller than I am. 01:04:51.179 --> 01:04:56.179 It is horrible that when things are not being taken care of 01:04:56.880 --> 01:05:00.659 in this city, it appears that they always happen 01:05:00.659 --> 01:05:04.500 or don't happen on the east side and the west side of town. 01:05:05.539 --> 01:05:08.760 As a child, I couldn't walk on the west side of town. 01:05:08.760 --> 01:05:11.880 I couldn't knock on a door and I couldn't live on Carroll. 01:05:11.880 --> 01:05:13.880 When I bought my first house, I bought it on Carroll 01:05:13.880 --> 01:05:15.559 because of that. 01:05:15.559 --> 01:05:20.000 Not knowing that I was buying myself into a drug addicted 01:05:20.000 --> 01:05:24.460 area with drugs and shootings occurring almost every day. 01:05:25.880 --> 01:05:28.239 Freeport, you need to understand that there is something 01:05:28.239 --> 01:05:30.739 that you can do to stop these shootings, 01:05:30.739 --> 01:05:32.659 the ones that are occurring on Benton, 01:05:32.659 --> 01:05:34.539 the ones that are occurring on Pleasant, 01:05:34.539 --> 01:05:36.659 the ones that are down the street from the school, 01:05:36.659 --> 01:05:39.099 the ones that are happening on Mark Drive, 01:05:39.099 --> 01:05:42.059 the ones that are happening on Porches on Spring Street, 01:05:42.059 --> 01:05:44.179 the ones that are happening on Walnut, 01:05:44.179 --> 01:05:46.500 that haven't occurred, but we have marches. 01:05:46.500 --> 01:05:49.179 I'd like to say to you Freeport, stand up. 01:05:49.179 --> 01:05:51.820 Don't allow them to keep doing what they're doing 01:05:51.820 --> 01:05:53.860 to us in this town. 01:05:53.860 --> 01:05:55.720 Are there any other public comments? 01:05:55.720 --> 01:06:11.699 All right, Alderman Sanders. 01:06:11.699 --> 01:06:20.400 You know, I take honor in listening to our constituents and when they come to this podium 01:06:20.400 --> 01:06:32.619 to express opinions, give their acknowledgment, give their message to council and to anybody 01:06:32.619 --> 01:06:41.619 else, when I hear public sentiments are addressing issues, we just can't cast them to the side. 01:06:41.619 --> 01:06:49.220 and I, and act as if though we didn't hear them and not take it into consideration. 01:06:49.220 --> 01:06:58.579 When I, from now on, when counsel bring up a point about negating anything another councilman 01:06:58.579 --> 01:07:07.940 says without any official reports to back up his substantiation of anything that he might 01:07:07.940 --> 01:07:17.159 and I say, he or she better have themselves backed up with facts and fiction and that 01:07:17.159 --> 01:07:22.820 goes for everybody on this staff and this administration because from this day on after 01:07:22.820 --> 01:07:30.619 listening to what I heard today, that's exactly what councils or myself or anybody else is 01:07:30.619 --> 01:07:35.619 is gonna be pursuing those factual conversation 01:07:35.619 --> 01:07:40.460 that takes place in this government body in the council. 01:07:40.460 --> 01:07:43.920 So when you open your mouth and you make a false statement 01:07:43.920 --> 01:07:47.760 and you don't have the answers to back it up, 01:07:47.760 --> 01:07:51.940 you have to make sure that you talk to your constituents 01:07:51.940 --> 01:07:54.699 because public is gonna acknowledge your lies 01:07:54.699 --> 01:07:58.099 and misconception and deceptions and things of that nature. 01:07:58.099 --> 01:08:07.380 So, from here on out, I would appreciate council appreciating public sentiments, public announcement 01:08:07.380 --> 01:08:12.920 and stop casting them to the side, to the side of the road as if though they have no 01:08:12.920 --> 01:08:20.960 stake in this whole process and they do have everything to say about and we teach, we look 01:08:20.960 --> 01:08:25.239 at them as if though, oh, they don't know what they're talking about, oh, we have some 01:08:25.239 --> 01:08:26.239 Huffines. 01:08:26.239 --> 01:08:31.340 There are some intelligent people that comes to this council to vent in their frustration 01:08:31.340 --> 01:08:33.840 of what council is not doing. 01:08:33.840 --> 01:08:38.640 And the thing about it is some of us got our hands tied. 01:08:38.640 --> 01:08:39.880 Why? 01:08:39.880 --> 01:08:45.440 Because the voting apparatus does not balance. 01:08:45.440 --> 01:08:50.359 And so people can say what they want and do as they want and get away with these kinds 01:08:50.359 --> 01:08:51.359 of things. 01:08:51.359 --> 01:08:52.359 Huffines. 01:08:52.359 --> 01:09:03.039 If our public comments and the public are listening tentatively about what is being said up here, 01:09:03.039 --> 01:09:04.840 they have put it all together. 01:09:04.840 --> 01:09:12.640 Don't assume that they're not understanding what is being said and what is taking place. 01:09:12.640 --> 01:09:15.800 We have a lot of educated people throughout this city, but a lot of them don't come forth. 01:09:15.800 --> 01:09:18.440 Thank you Alderman Sanders, your time has expired. 01:09:18.440 --> 01:09:20.359 Is there any other public comments this evening? 01:09:20.359 --> 01:09:34.109 Good evening, Michelle Swalve. I just wanted to thank the library for their summer reading program and their Make It Mondays that they had this summer. 01:09:34.109 --> 01:09:45.109 My daughter and I got to enjoy a lot of the Make It Mondays and the summer reading program. I just wanted to applaud Ms. Amanda. She did such an awesome job with those kids. 01:09:46.000 --> 01:10:16.000 it was so busy down there because she had like 40 some kids wouldn't you say in that room but she still took the time out for each one of them to like take the time with them and it was just warmth in my heart that she cares so and then they had end of the year party and even though it was really really hot Director Huffines and her staff they did such a wonderful job putting that on and I just appreciate all the 01:10:16.000 --> 01:10:17.000 and so forth. 01:10:17.000 --> 01:10:27.039 And I can say one more thing, sorry, and just say that we do sit out here and we do hear 01:10:27.039 --> 01:10:35.760 what is being said and we hear that there is a lot of people, some of you not doing 01:10:35.760 --> 01:10:39.279 your research before you come here and wasting our time. 01:10:39.279 --> 01:10:44.640 So I mean we are educated out here. 01:10:44.640 --> 01:10:56.640 Bates, and I want to thank you for your work. I'm so grateful that you guys got to start doing your research and you got to stop making rude remarks for all these people. They're doing their jobs. Start doing yours and do your research. You're getting paid. 01:10:56.640 --> 01:11:14.460 Any other public comments? Yes, ma'am. 01:11:14.460 --> 01:11:20.460 Oh, well, I'll just let it dangle there. It's a new fashion statement look. There we go. 01:11:20.460 --> 01:11:25.659 Drive. This is going to be kind of different for me, but I just wanted to say thank you 01:11:25.659 --> 01:11:33.180 to whoever it was that filled in the potholes in the handicapped parking spaces down in 01:11:33.180 --> 01:11:37.539 the municipal lot, because I think I came up here and I ragged about that quite a bit. 01:11:37.539 --> 01:11:42.579 So I want you to know that, you know, the squeaky wheel, sometimes somebody hears that 01:11:42.579 --> 01:11:49.699 squeaky wheel and they fill in the potholes. We now have four beautiful handicapped spots 01:11:49.699 --> 01:11:50.699 Johnson. 01:11:50.699 --> 01:11:55.739 They're not exactly marked, but they're perfect down in the municipal lot. 01:11:55.739 --> 01:11:57.779 So that's great. 01:11:57.779 --> 01:12:07.180 Thank you very much for bringing in the ADA ramp because of reasons and for watching how 01:12:07.180 --> 01:12:13.260 the ramp ends when you go into the street because it will fling somebody out of a manual 01:12:13.260 --> 01:12:14.260 chair. 01:12:14.260 --> 01:12:17.699 I don't know if it will fling them out of a power chair, but if you're in a manual 01:12:17.699 --> 01:12:19.699 and 01:12:20.699 --> 01:12:22.699 John. 01:12:24.100 --> 01:12:27.340 And I know this because of experience. Also, there is one 01:12:27.340 --> 01:12:30.659 thing that someone said to me, and that was the beeping sound 01:12:30.659 --> 01:12:35.439 that you might want to look at for sight. So that when they 01:12:35.439 --> 01:12:38.960 come down, not only do they feel with the cane, the two sides, 01:12:38.960 --> 01:12:43.060 but they also hear that sound. And that was something that a 01:12:43.060 --> 01:12:45.060 friend brought up to me and said, you know, I hear this in 01:12:45.060 --> 01:12:46.340 and a friend brought up to me and said, 01:12:46.340 --> 01:12:47.699 you know, I hear this in Chicago, 01:12:47.699 --> 01:12:49.739 but we don't have it in Freeport. 01:12:49.739 --> 01:12:54.739 We have the ability to make Freeport a place to come 01:12:56.220 --> 01:12:57.979 and take a look for tourism. 01:12:57.979 --> 01:13:00.119 And I'm saying that again, Mayor Miller, 01:13:00.119 --> 01:13:02.619 because I do believe that Freeport has a way 01:13:02.619 --> 01:13:04.420 to bring people in for tourism. 01:13:04.420 --> 01:13:06.340 But with tourism comes a lot of people 01:13:06.340 --> 01:13:10.619 that are in wheelchairs or visually impaired 01:13:10.619 --> 01:13:13.619 or have problems with hearing. 01:13:13.619 --> 01:13:16.020 So the beeping is a really thing. 01:13:16.020 --> 01:13:17.739 I keep motioning here because this 01:13:17.739 --> 01:13:21.100 is the person I usually talk to about the potholes. 01:13:21.100 --> 01:13:23.140 Anyway, thank you very much for that. 01:13:23.140 --> 01:13:26.600 And thank you for thinking. 01:13:26.600 --> 01:13:29.939 Also watch for the service dogs. 01:13:29.939 --> 01:13:32.180 Any other public comments this evening? 01:13:32.180 --> 01:13:34.340 Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion for adjournment. 01:13:34.340 --> 01:13:35.699 So moved. 01:13:35.699 --> 01:13:36.340 Second. 01:13:36.340 --> 01:13:38.239 We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, 01:13:38.239 --> 01:13:39.539 seconded by Alderman Parker. 01:13:39.539 --> 01:13:41.340 Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll? 01:13:41.340 --> 01:13:42.899 Oh, I forgot about roll. 01:13:42.899 --> 01:13:59.619 I'm so sorry. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Do we still have her? Aye. Yeah, she said aye. Aye. Okay. Thank you. Motion.