WEBVTT

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is 545, Linda, could you please give the invocation?

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Sure.

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I, Council Mayor, let's bow our heads.

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Dear Lord, we thank you and praise you, Lord Jesus,

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for all that you are.

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We thank you that you are the way that I am,

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that you see all, you hear all, you know all.

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You are in all, you are through all, and you are over all.

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Father, we just invoke your presence here tonight, Father.

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We ask you, Lord, that everything that's done tonight

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will be done decently and in order.

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We ask you, Father, God, that we would honor

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Miller, and and bless those that are around us that we will all look to each other and give each other the respect and honor that's due them. Father, we ask you to move in our midst that all things that are done tonight will be done for your plans and your purposes for this city will be done in accordance with your will, Father, and will help to prosper the city and move it forward in all that you have for it. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

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Mayor Miller, Alderpersons, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers

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Aye. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay just so you're aware items 6 and 7 are resolutions that are just slightly out of order but we wanted to put them right next to the presentation that's why it's that way so we'll start with item number one which is the approval of the agenda is there such a motion? So moved. Second. A motion made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Sellers. Alderman Sanders. Yeah I'd like to

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to dismiss the approval of this agenda

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so that we can bring it up at another time.

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I think that anything that's on this agenda

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has not been approved by council.

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And if council is not approving this agenda,

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then there is no business.

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And since we have not set in motion

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meeting on this agenda to even comprehend what this agenda is about as opposed to just traditionally

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going through the old traditional format of following along. That has to stop. That is my

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and my recommendation that this agenda is dismissed and no other agenda is to be approved unless council approve the agendas and that we need to set a statue where we can meet, talk about the regulation rules and the governing of this body.

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and if you need to get caught up on things to assert yourself into what government and legislating body is all about especially on the ordinance part because we got to be able to validate every ordinance that council submitted not anyone else because ordinances are ruling areas of the body and so this is my motion

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to have this meeting dismissed, all consent agendas to be dismissed, and if anybody wants

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to challenge that, as council, I'm talking about council, where we have debated, talked

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about these ordinances, adoptions, amendments, and anything else that rules this community.

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This community is run by laws and governing and ordinances or bylaws.

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Those are the kinds of things that we have not put in place yet, but we're not going

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to keep flying off on the side playing flag football as if though everybody's on the same

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page and we're not all on the same page.

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Okay, so your motion.

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Are you?

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My motion is for this meeting to be dismissed. That's what my motion is.

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Okay. Yeah, that's okay. So we have a motion on the floor made by Alderman Sanders.

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It's not a voting matter. I can suspend it as well that we won't even have this conversation

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that until we get our head and put it in the right place,

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then we should be able to move forward.

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But as far as governing is concerned,

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legislating is concerned,

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we have not even touched a half of it.

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It's not even the surface.

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And this has been going on ever since 1971.

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And if you wanna ask me why 1971,

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I don't have time to give you a good history lesson

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at this point in time.

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But my thing is, this has been going on since 1971

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when they implemented something called Home Rule

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and then tried to fraud the people with Robber Rule.

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And here's the thing, none of this that I'm talking about

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has been validated or not been validated.

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Prove me wrong that anything that I said

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was already validated with the signatures of council.

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Council has not adopted anything and talked about it

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or collaborated on any issues of this business,

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of the business of the city.

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Until we have gotten together and adopted anything,

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rules of laws and governing bylaws and ordinances,

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we're not even half touching the surface.

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That's all I wanted to say, thank you.

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Okay, so we have a motion on the floor to dismiss all items on the agenda. Is there a second?

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That motion dies for a lack of a second. So now before you is the motion of approval of the agenda.

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Alderman Sanders, please stop being out of order. If it happens again, I will call you out of order.

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Please don't do that. If you have the floor, you are welcome to speak, but you don't have the floor at the moment.

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So right now we have a motion on the floor.

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I ask a question. Sure. Who gives you the orders to say just what you said? That's my job. No, your job does not stipulate that. You can't find that in print where that stipulates your job. Alderman Sanders, you should maybe meet with one of the attorneys and talk about it. I know. I wouldn't dare do that. Why would I do that? Well, because you don't seem to believe me. No, because the attorneys is people we shouldn't be believing. OK, let's get this back on track. Yeah, well, I'm just saying. Your motion dies for a lack of a second. So now before you,

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is the motion to approve the agenda.

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Madam Clerk, please take the roll

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on the approval of the agenda.

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Oh, I'm sorry, I was prepared for a voice,

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but roll call is fine.

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Please.

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Shadle.

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Aye.

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Sanders.

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I'm here.

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Your choices are yes, no, or abstain.

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Yes.

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Sellers.

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Yes.

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Klemm.

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Yes.

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Johnson.

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Yes.

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Simmons.

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Yes.

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and Stacy. Yes. The motion passes eight to zero. Item number two is approval of the minutes

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from the special meeting on November 17th, 2025. Is there a motion to approve? So move.

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I second. A motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Johnson. All those in

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favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Item number three is recognition

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of Service Awards. Chief. Good evening, everybody. Good evening. I have two service awards that

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are pretty substantial this evening. The first officer was unable to make it, but I wanted

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to recognize him anyway. Lieutenant Weichel was hired on December 27th of 2025 and celebrates

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is his 20th, 20th year anniversary this month.

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Lieutenant Weichel has served the city in a variety of positions,

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including the mobile field force, being a member of the ERT or emergency

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response team, who's also the ERT commander.

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He then worked through all of those processes.

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He also worked his way through the rank as corporal, as patrol.

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was Corporal as Patrol and then was promoted to his current position, the Operations Lieutenant,

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on January 16th, 2024.

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Lieutenant Weichel oversees the Patrol Division, including the K-9 officers and the School

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Resource Officer.

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Lieutenant Weichel works hard daily to serve the citizens of Freeport.

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Lieutenant Weichel spends a majority of his time out in the community on the streets solving

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issues and fighting crime.

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Weichel is a law enforcement leader who plays a crucial role in ensuring the Freeport Police

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Department provides professional service to the citizens of Freeport.

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Lieutenant Weichel also does a great job organizing multiple department events, including basketball

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and softball games, wherein, I apologize, Chief, the police department usually wins.

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We do thank Lieutenant Michael for his 20 years of service and for the fun of the

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softball, basketball, and his leadership. Secondly, I'll have Brandy Hillby come up

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here and join me. Brandy Hillby took her oath to serve the citizens of Freeport on

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December 26, 2025. She celebrates 25 years this month.

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Brandy has served the city in a variety of positions, patrol officer, SUV

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Hillby is an integral part of the police department. Her level of dedication to the Freeport Police

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Department over the past 25 years has been extraordinary and incredible. Detective Hillby

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often covers overtime shifts more than probably any other officer in the department. Detective

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Hillby has been acknowledged for a high level of productivity, which goes above

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and beyond that which is required through the years.

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Detective Hillby has consistently participated in community events.

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She's well known by the community and draws quite a large crowd.

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This in particular, when we do shop, uh, cop on a rooftop, sorry, we have shop

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with a cop coming up to, um, cop on a rooftop.

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I happened to be at one of those and, uh, Brandy just kept getting more

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and more, and more people to come and donate, which goes to Special Olympics.

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She's also raised awareness for that Special Olympics during the torch run.

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And she also helps with shop with a cop and she also plays in the charity

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basketball and softball games that we often win.

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Brandy was the department officer of the year in 2023 and her quality of work has only improved.

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So for 25 years, thank you very much, is a job well done and I'm glad to have you for

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at least four more.

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That was inappropriate, Mayor.

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Nice, 25 years.

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That was inappropriate.

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Oh, years.

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You can't do that as an officer.

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Oh, Debbie. Oh, I was like, Oh, Debbie. Oh, big family. Oh, nice, nice, nice. Should be

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Okay, we'll move on to item, um, Darren, can you look and see if there's anything signed

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up?

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No.

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Item number four. There's no one signed up for public comment. We'll move on to the consent agenda

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The consent agenda is considered to be routine in nature and acted as one motion unless there's a member of the council like to have

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Something removed for further discussion

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Seeing none the consent agenda. Yes Alderman Sanders

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Ordinance I

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Have to look at the number on the ordinance

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Do you know which item you want? Yes, I do

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Do you know? Yes, I do know. Are you impatient? Yeah. Well, you shouldn't be. We are here

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to do the business of the people. You ain't. Not yours. Well, that's what I'm doing. Just

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give me time. Okay, let's stop the talk. Which item do you want to have pulled? I might say

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Allerman Sanders, I got agitators in my ear right now distracting me, so I don't care

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for Adjutators.

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Okay I'm going to read it.

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So the consent agenda consists of approving and to receive and place on file the Board

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and Commission meetings from the Joint Review Boards for the Berchard Hills, Downtown Meadows,

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West Avenue and Lamb Road Tiffs for October 25, 2024 is also for the Municipal Compliance

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to be removed twenty and twenty one you have to be more specific because that's

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nothing that I just read well I'm just telling you what number it is are you

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talking about did you say 20 and 21 yes so are you talking about the fair gram

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Graham Agreement and the Land Application for Biosolids Agreement?

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Yes.

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Okay, we're not on that.

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I know, but that's what I'm telling you, that I don't want on the agenda.

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Okay, well it's too late because we've already approved the agenda and you voted yes to approving

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the agenda, so they're there for discussion.

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I did not approve an agenda.

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You did.

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Is the very first thing you said, you said here and the clerk told you, you needed to

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say yes, no, or abstain and you said yes.

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So you approved the agenda already.

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So with that, the consent agenda is as read.

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Is there a motion to approve?

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So move.

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Second.

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A motion by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle, discussion on the consent

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agenda.

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Yeah, I'd like to bring a point of order, put a point of order in motion here.

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and the fact that you're rushing this thing, this agenda

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process, processing going on, I want my councilmen to pause

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for a minute to think about what item 20 and 21 is doing

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because we have, hey, this has nothing to do with that.

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I call a point of order.

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If you don't understand what that is,

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then you need to look it up.

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My thing is the mayor just shot me down

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for consent of agenda, but I oppose that consent.

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Simply.

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and it stopped and now it's reset to four.

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I didn't have a point of order neither at that time when you walked in.

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That was your time of speaking.

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No.

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Okay, I have given the floor to-

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I think with you, Attorney Zito, you do not dictate counsel.

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You are out of order. I'm warning you, if you do it again-

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What you gonna do?

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It is done. That's your warning.

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Okay.

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So please stay in line with council rules. Attorney Zito has the floor.

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you asked for a point of order okay about you wanting to engage with the

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council about items 20 and 21 that you do not agree they should be on the agenda

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we're not on that portion of the agenda the agenda approval of the agenda was

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already done okay and you sounds like you vote in favor of it now the agenda

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item is the consent agenda that's the only thing that should be discussed is

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the consent agenda which is not what you're talking about you're looking for

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C.W.

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So, that's one item.

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You need to be able to approve the consent agenda.

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That's a different item that took place already.

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They are two different things.

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So now before you is the approval of the consent agenda.

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I need to be able to rebut what he just said.

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We're talking about the consent agenda.

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Because I said a point of order, not a consent of agenda.

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order a clarification of the rules procedure I just gave you your clarification okay so

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madam clerk could you please take the role on the consent agenda Shadle aye Sanders no Sellers aye

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Clem aye Johnson aye Simmons as absent Parker aye Stacy sustain you're abstaining I'm sorry I

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I didn't hear you. So we have one, two, three, four, five in favor, one opposed, one abstentia,

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one absent equals eight. Madam Mayor, who had the second on that? Shadle, thank you.

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And the motion passes. Thank you. Item number six is the presentation of Safe Streets for

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for all. Matt and Lexi.

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Should I just dive into it or? Okay. Thank you for having me tonight. My name is Matthew

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Deerdahl. I work for Alta Planning and Design. And today we're just giving a presentation

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and offering adoption of the Freeport Forward SS3 Safety Action Plan. So I'm going to give

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have a high level overview in this presentation of what is in the plan and then discuss some

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next steps.

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And I also want to introduce my colleague, Lexi Petrella, who was the associate or assistant

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project manager on this and I am the project manager.

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So I'm definitely going to cover the slides, but I'm going to kind of go quick and then

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see if there are questions because I know you all have access to the plan and I would

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I'd love to hear any thoughts or questions that you have.

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So overall, I'm going to give a high-level reminder

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of the plan.

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I was last here in February, also during a snowstorm,

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except we were on the front end of it before we left.

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And so just a little bit about why this matters.

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Basically, crashes that are harming or ending people's lives

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are unacceptable, and we want to prevent them.

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that's in a nutshell what we're here to talk about.

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You can see some data on the bottom,

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large increase in crashes over the study period

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for them were fatal.

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And then the more vulnerable users of the road

00:24:33.960 --> 00:24:35.639
are at greatest risk.

00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:39.220
On the next slide, or am I doing the slide?

00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:42.400
Let me check.

00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:44.860
Oh, I can do the slides, okay, cool.

00:24:44.860 --> 00:24:53.180
So, the Safe System approach, as I was discussing, is about identifying the items that are causing

00:24:53.180 --> 00:24:57.380
the most harm on our streets and working to prevent them.

00:24:57.380 --> 00:25:02.700
And so the overall idea is that people are going to make mistakes as they are, walking,

00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:06.519
biking, driving around our communities.

00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:12.619
We don't necessarily think that it's possible to prevent those mistakes from happening,

00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:17.700
But what we want to do is make sure that those mistakes don't end or significantly alter people's

00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:18.700
lives.

00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:21.819
So that's really what this is about.

00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:24.900
And then so that was basically our framework.

00:25:24.900 --> 00:25:28.799
And then the four phases you can see here is assessing the risk through some fairly

00:25:28.799 --> 00:25:35.660
rigorous data and safety analysis, engagement, and then we took those two things together

00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:42.700
Miller, along with some policy and some peer city analysis and developed strategies that

00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:48.519
the City of Freeport can tackle moving forward, along with some specific projects, which we'll

00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:49.779
get to in a second.

00:25:49.779 --> 00:25:54.420
And then the final stage here towards the end of the year has been drafting the plan

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:56.779
that's before you today.

00:25:56.779 --> 00:25:59.420
I got the slide here.

00:25:59.420 --> 00:26:07.059
And so the vision that we are articulating here is a city where everyone can travel safely

00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:09.299
and confidently.

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:17.029
It's fairly simple and something that we believe can happen.

00:26:17.029 --> 00:26:20.289
So I'm going to move into the engagement approach.

00:26:20.289 --> 00:26:23.589
There was a significant amount of engagement effort.

00:26:23.589 --> 00:26:32.549
We developed a transportation advisory committee that I can share kind of the names and representation

00:26:32.549 --> 00:26:35.750
of that committee towards the end if you're interested.

00:26:35.750 --> 00:26:42.309
We had an online survey with an input map and we got a lot of comments on that.

00:26:42.309 --> 00:26:49.670
Staff, Darren and Derek, Fehr Graham, did walk audits of several of the corridors, field

00:26:49.670 --> 00:26:55.069
Dodditz, essentially, of the corridors that rose to the top to get a sense of what the

00:26:55.069 --> 00:27:03.869
issues are. And then we held an open house, again, last February, here in this room. So

00:27:03.869 --> 00:27:09.509
over 150 residents engaged, which we always, you know, we always want more people to engage,

00:27:09.509 --> 00:27:17.470
but we are pretty happy with that in Freeport. And there's a variety of ways that people

00:27:17.470 --> 00:27:20.430
who were engaged as mentioned.

00:27:20.430 --> 00:27:22.269
So speeding was a big thing.

00:27:22.269 --> 00:27:26.430
That was one of the major themes that we heard

00:27:26.430 --> 00:27:27.670
from a lot of people.

00:27:27.670 --> 00:27:30.230
And then also just places where there are no sidewalks

00:27:30.230 --> 00:27:33.269
and places where it's tough to cross the street.

00:27:33.269 --> 00:27:37.110
Those were big themes that we heard in engagement.

00:27:38.190 --> 00:27:41.230
So the role of the TAC to guide each phase

00:27:41.230 --> 00:27:44.190
of development of the plan,

00:27:44.190 --> 00:27:51.630
they helped review each of the analyses and the memos that we developed that are in the appendices

00:27:52.430 --> 00:27:58.190
that are also before you and then helped us think through the locations and what the priorities

00:27:58.190 --> 00:28:04.349
should be. One thing that we were excited about that we sort of added as a part of this trip is

00:28:04.349 --> 00:28:09.710
an implementation workshop with the TAC tomorrow morning and we look forward to that as sort of a

00:28:09.710 --> 00:28:15.349
of a way to say, all right, we did all this work to develop what I think is a robust and

00:28:15.349 --> 00:28:16.349
interesting plan.

00:28:16.349 --> 00:28:22.269
So what are some of the steps that we can do right away next year even to get started

00:28:22.269 --> 00:28:29.970
on implementation and then even look farther into the future?

00:28:29.970 --> 00:28:37.110
So data, the data analysis was fairly robust, lots of different interesting outcomes.

00:28:37.110 --> 00:29:07.110
I think the main plan is about 70 pages, the appendices are like 150. This was a big part of that. And I'm not going to go into all of it. But I want to go back to what I think I said at the beginning, which is a lot of this is how we figured out where the most harm on the streets of Freeport are. And it's one of the I don't want to say good, because we're talking about crashes, but one of the interesting parts of this method, which is identifying where the most harm is on

00:29:07.110 --> 00:29:09.070
and a relatively small amount of roads.

00:29:09.070 --> 00:29:12.789
So the map to the right, especially the red,

00:29:12.789 --> 00:29:15.070
you know, the brighter colors,

00:29:15.070 --> 00:29:19.470
that represents about 9% of streets in Freeport

00:29:19.470 --> 00:29:23.070
that account for about 60% of severe crashes.

00:29:23.070 --> 00:29:26.950
So crashes that end in fatalities

00:29:26.950 --> 00:29:29.769
or people's lives being dramatically altered

00:29:29.769 --> 00:29:33.009
because the crash was very serious.

00:29:33.009 --> 00:29:56.009
I'll move on to the next one. And I think I said some of that here. Discussing, you know, we talked about infrastructure gaps, like sidewalk gaps, things like that. Visibility at night is a big one that we heard as well. And then we looked a lot at vulnerable road users. And usually we mean people walking or biking when we say vulnerable road users.

00:29:56.009 --> 00:29:58.279
So we're talking about walking or biking when we say vulnerable road users or wheelchairs

00:29:58.279 --> 00:30:01.599
or things like that.

00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:08.519
So moving on to the recommendations, this was an interesting one because the city of

00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:17.279
Freeport manages the city streets and IDOT has a lot of really busy roads in Freeport.

00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:24.640
and so we wanted to identify a specific subset of IDOT highways that showed up on the safety

00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:31.000
analysis and one of the big things that we would like to encourage you all going forward

00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:36.660
in the TAC agreed in our most recent meeting is that coordination with IDOT will be really

00:30:36.660 --> 00:30:41.779
important to sort of raise the profile of these corridors to see if we can get some

00:30:41.779 --> 00:30:56.579
We also recognize that the city only has so much power over these corridors.

00:30:56.579 --> 00:31:01.500
Moving on to some of the areas where the city does have control.

00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:06.779
School crossings was an important part of this process, and so we identified just issues

00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:07.779
as school crossings.

00:31:07.779 --> 00:31:18.779
Now these aren't going to necessarily be the major infrastructure projects. A lot of the issues at school crossings can be addressed through striping, signage, you know, things like that.

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:29.779
But it's important to note that that's something that we want to focus on just to make sure kids can safely cross the street and get to school.

00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:38.980
Now, I think this is the most interesting or high level takeaways of the plan is identifying

00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:44.279
the five priority locations. Some of them, most of them are corridors, and then there's

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:51.420
an intersection. And so that's Adams, Cherry, Empire and Walnut intersection, Kiwanis Drive,

00:31:51.420 --> 00:32:00.700
and then Stevenson Street. And we can we can come back to that in a second. And then beyond

00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:05.160
sort of the physical infrastructure projects themselves.

00:32:05.160 --> 00:32:08.279
We included some goals moving forward.

00:32:08.279 --> 00:32:10.119
And I think the main takeaway here,

00:32:10.119 --> 00:32:14.799
other than getting the state roads on IDOT's radar,

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:18.000
is just thinking about safety holistically any time you can.

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:21.880
So thinking about how you program projects in the CIP,

00:32:21.880 --> 00:32:25.880
how you approach grant funding or seeking grants,

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:29.200
staff training, doing things quickly,

00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.799
so we call it the quick build method of implementation

00:32:32.799 --> 00:32:37.799
using lower cost but high value materials

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:42.480
such as ballers, striping, movable items,

00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:46.079
things like that that can be implemented really quickly

00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:49.400
and see some safety improvements.

00:32:49.400 --> 00:32:52.440
Because I think sometimes with plans like these,

00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:54.400
if all the projects are like five years out

00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:56.319
because we have to go write a big grant

00:32:56.319 --> 00:33:00.480
and then you know it's like it's like millions of dollars over five or ten

00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:05.200
years. I think you can lose momentum and so the quick build getting something done

00:33:05.200 --> 00:33:10.200
soon so people can sort of see the change is important and frankly can be

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:18.599
fun and and keep people involved. And then we also included a safety action

00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:23.480
plan dashboard which is essentially a pretty interesting interactive website

00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:30.720
Page, that as you scroll down, a lot of the really interesting findings will appear and

00:33:30.720 --> 00:33:35.279
you can click and zoom and look at different maps and see where the crashes were, see the

00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:40.519
corridors that we identified in a really interacting and interesting way.

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:44.799
And that's a, this is a requirement to have something like this is a requirement because

00:33:44.799 --> 00:33:47.519
transparency is really important.

00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:53.119
And then also evaluation and tracking progress as you go is also really important.

00:33:53.119 --> 00:34:01.309
So this is something that the city can update as time goes by.

00:34:01.309 --> 00:34:04.990
There's just an example, static example, of what's on there.

00:34:04.990 --> 00:34:08.389
And again, like I mentioned, in the website itself,

00:34:08.389 --> 00:34:16.179
you can zoom in on this map and play around as much as you want.

00:34:16.179 --> 00:34:19.980
All right, so the implementation roadmap,

00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:24.659
I think we have a fairly clear roadmap in the plan,

00:34:24.659 --> 00:34:54.659
from Quick Build to permanent projects. There's some information on coordination, again, with the state and with others. And then I'll also note in the plan review period in November, we did add a couple other things on non-infrastructure items. So dozens of people commented on the plan itself, and most of them were more about getting the word out, you know, encouragement, trying to help people slow down, you know,

00:34:54.659 --> 00:35:00.739
and things like that, and so we thought that was a good finding from the engagement period,

00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:07.769
the review of the plan, and so we added that to what's before you.

00:35:07.769 --> 00:35:08.769
So what does adoption mean?

00:35:08.769 --> 00:35:14.470
I think the main thing is that it really helps, it's like the whole point actually, is to

00:35:14.470 --> 00:35:19.429
make you eligible for federal grants to implement some of these ideas.

00:35:19.429 --> 00:35:25.869
So that's the big one, but also it's just important because there are a variety of strategies,

00:35:25.869 --> 00:35:28.670
and a variety of ways that this can be hopefully useful for you.

00:35:28.670 --> 00:35:32.750
And so we think that adoption is helpful from that perspective as well.

00:35:35.230 --> 00:35:39.949
And then in the implementation workshop tomorrow, we're going to assign champions.

00:35:39.949 --> 00:35:43.389
And I think that's such an important part of this.

00:35:44.630 --> 00:35:46.949
I was saying that if you have no champion, you have no project.

00:35:46.949 --> 00:35:50.670
And so basically a champion can be somebody that really like takes something.

00:35:50.670 --> 00:35:55.150
They own it to help make sure that it gets implemented.

00:35:55.150 --> 00:36:01.489
and so we hope to do that tomorrow and then we'll also talk more about annual

00:36:01.489 --> 00:36:07.659
tracking going forward. That's all I have in terms of presentation. I'm very

00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:12.539
curious to see if you all have questions or comments. Thank you Matt. We'll open it

00:36:12.539 --> 00:36:21.309
up. Does anyone have any questions concerning the presentation? Darren? I just

00:36:21.309 --> 00:36:27.070
want to make a brief comment. So I've seen some of comments regarding you know

00:36:27.070 --> 00:36:31.470
A safety action plan being a crime study, I wanted to remind everybody that this

00:36:31.470 --> 00:36:35.470
was grant dollars that we were received from IDOT to do this study.

00:36:35.470 --> 00:36:40.989
So it's based on street safety of traffic pedestrians and bicyclists.

00:36:40.989 --> 00:36:44.269
That was the focus of this entire project.

00:36:44.269 --> 00:36:47.949
And that's, that's why we came up with the list we did.

00:36:47.949 --> 00:36:55.150
And I also wanted to mention that our group and the data kind of came together,

00:36:55.150 --> 00:37:03.670
Miller, the Walnut Empire intersection where the streets are offset has become kind of

00:37:03.670 --> 00:37:08.470
our number one focus of projects that we would like to get implementation money for.

00:37:08.470 --> 00:37:13.710
So the process, the way IDOT works is in order to get implementation money, you had to do

00:37:13.710 --> 00:37:16.550
the planning study in order to qualify.

00:37:16.550 --> 00:37:22.949
Freeport, city of Freeport and the county are the only two municipalities I know locally

00:37:22.949 --> 00:37:28.470
that actually have have gone through this process and the county did receive some implementation

00:37:28.470 --> 00:37:34.869
money to do some some safety action items. So it is a positive benefit to have done this

00:37:34.869 --> 00:37:41.750
and adopt the plan means that the city's supportive of us chasing the implementation money.

00:37:41.750 --> 00:37:43.750
Thank you. Alderman Johnson.

00:37:43.750 --> 00:37:50.510
Yeah, I read through it and it's quite an intensive study that was done. And so thank

00:37:50.510 --> 00:37:54.550
Thank you for all the work that you did. It was a lot of work in recognizing the areas

00:37:54.550 --> 00:38:02.510
that need to be fixed. I did, was curious to see if you did include possibly ages of

00:38:02.510 --> 00:38:07.389
people that were in the accidents or if they were people that lived in the city of Freeport

00:38:07.389 --> 00:38:10.470
or not that were involved in the accidents. I don't know if that's something that was

00:38:10.470 --> 00:38:13.630
included or not in this study.

00:38:13.630 --> 00:38:16.670
So directly connecting with people who had been in accidents.

00:38:16.670 --> 00:38:20.429
Yeah, in accidents. You know, you had the number of accidents. I was just kind of curious.

00:38:20.429 --> 00:38:20.929
Yeah.

00:38:20.929 --> 00:38:23.070
There's people that lived in the city or the age group

00:38:23.070 --> 00:38:28.150
that it might have involved for all the accidents as well.

00:38:28.150 --> 00:38:31.869
Also, I know that the city's been very good lately

00:38:31.869 --> 00:38:34.710
or has had a better relationship with IDOT.

00:38:34.710 --> 00:38:38.389
So I have no doubt that this will help implement some more

00:38:38.389 --> 00:38:42.309
of those dollars coming in to correct the issues that

00:38:42.309 --> 00:38:43.269
are here in this city.

00:38:43.269 --> 00:38:46.230
And I do know also that, and we all

00:38:46.230 --> 00:39:18.369
We all know that the intersection of Park and Stevenson, there did have a lot of work done on it this summer, there's more to do, but it's just, you know, we can see the improvements happening, so that's much appreciated, so thank you for all your work and I believe that it'll go forward and definitely will improve and be better and safety, especially for the kiddos at school. Thank you.

00:39:18.369 --> 00:39:24.409
Resolution of Resolution 2025-143, Madam Clerk, could you please read this?

00:39:24.409 --> 00:39:28.570
Resolution Adopting a Safety Action Plan as a Part of the City's Participation in the

00:39:28.570 --> 00:39:33.090
U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration's Safe Streets for

00:39:33.090 --> 00:39:34.090
All Grant.

00:39:34.090 --> 00:39:35.090
Thank you.

00:39:35.090 --> 00:39:36.090
Manager Boyer?

00:39:36.090 --> 00:39:37.090
Yes.

00:39:37.090 --> 00:39:46.769
I would like counsel to support this moving forward so we can move forward with the Safety

00:39:46.769 --> 00:39:53.889
Streets for All grant is there a motion to adopt a motion made by Alderman Clem seconded by

00:39:53.889 --> 00:39:58.880
made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion on the resolution? Alderman and Stacy?

00:39:58.880 --> 00:40:09.630
Yes. What is this going to cost the city? Darren? At this point, nothing. This is strictly going

00:40:09.630 --> 00:40:14.190
after implementation money, so adoption of the plan doesn't cost anything, just gives us the

00:40:14.190 --> 00:40:21.869
ability to chase grant dollars and bring them back to Freeport. Okay, but still, even through IDOT,

00:40:21.869 --> 00:40:27.309
they only pay a certain percentage and we have to pay a percentage back in return.

00:40:28.750 --> 00:40:35.070
It depends on the grant and each one's different. A lot of times IDOT grants are 80-20, but it

00:40:35.070 --> 00:40:42.190
depends on the specific grant in which dollars you're chasing, but true implementation money.

00:40:42.190 --> 00:40:47.070
So let's say I'm picking a number because I don't know it off the top of my head, but let's say that

00:40:47.070 --> 00:40:49.829
that the Walnut Empire intersection

00:40:49.829 --> 00:40:53.829
would cost $2 million to renovate, straighten out,

00:40:53.829 --> 00:40:58.829
make safer, and they went to an 80-20 match to do that.

00:40:58.949 --> 00:41:00.510
If that wasn't the case,

00:41:00.510 --> 00:41:02.909
we would never be able to afford it as a city.

00:41:03.829 --> 00:41:05.989
But this, remember, this is just about adopting

00:41:05.989 --> 00:41:08.750
the safety action plan, $0.

00:41:08.750 --> 00:41:09.590
Right.

00:41:09.590 --> 00:41:14.590
But when you commit to adopting this plan,

00:41:14.590 --> 00:41:20.829
then you have to accept all that comes with it, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

00:41:20.829 --> 00:41:24.429
Well, each, whatever those pieces are will have to come before council.

00:41:25.630 --> 00:41:28.510
This is just the plan to get us going in that direction.

00:41:29.230 --> 00:41:30.349
That is correct.

00:41:30.349 --> 00:41:39.630
And I'm shocked that West and South Street was not even on that map because you've already said it's

00:41:39.630 --> 00:41:54.670
So, West and South was in the IDOT corridors, but we just received the HSP grant to address

00:41:54.670 --> 00:41:59.469
the sidewalks in that neighborhood of what was at $2.3 million.

00:41:59.469 --> 00:42:05.469
And I will give Matt and Lexi some credit because we had early data on the IDOT corridors

00:42:05.469 --> 00:42:09.550
that they shared with us that we were able to share with IDOT as part of that grant.

00:42:09.550 --> 00:42:15.230
Submittal, showing that that area was in need of having sidewalks, which helped

00:42:15.230 --> 00:42:19.469
our grant application to get the, the history that we just received.

00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:25.559
So I think honestly, we've already seen a benefit from the study, even though

00:42:25.559 --> 00:42:29.519
it wasn't a hundred percent complete because the, um, if you, if you went back

00:42:29.519 --> 00:42:34.000
to the map, the IDOT map that anybody looked at it, a lot of our heavy crash

00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:39.400
data locally surrounds the IDOT corridors, especially near the traffic signals.

00:42:40.800 --> 00:42:46.599
Any further discussion on the action plan? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

00:42:46.599 --> 00:42:56.360
Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye.

00:42:56.360 --> 00:43:04.400
And Stacy? No. The resolution is adopted 7 to 1. Thank you. Item number 7 is the

00:43:04.400 --> 00:43:08.880
presentation of the draft of the 2026-28 strategic plan.

00:43:08.880 --> 00:43:20.820
Eric?

00:43:20.820 --> 00:43:21.820
Good evening, everybody.

00:43:21.820 --> 00:43:25.420
Thanks for having me tonight.

00:43:25.420 --> 00:43:27.300
I'm excited to share this plan with you.

00:43:27.300 --> 00:43:32.139
I have talked to the folks that were

00:43:32.139 --> 00:43:35.099
a part of the planning process a couple times

00:43:35.099 --> 00:43:37.539
and even shared this in some of my emails to all of you

00:43:37.539 --> 00:43:41.579
that when I think back to the very beginning

00:43:41.579 --> 00:43:43.739
of your strategic planning journey,

00:43:43.739 --> 00:44:05.699
I think this was back in 2017 when you did your first plan as a city ever and you look at some of the things that were in that plan. Some of those things are still in there, but that plan was a lot about really basic blocking and tackling, figuring out how to start repairing streets.

00:44:06.059 --> 00:44:10.659
You're going to see some highlights in here about how many streets you've repaired recently anyway.

00:44:10.659 --> 00:44:18.820
B. I'm thinking about it was a lot about tree removal and home demolition and those sorts

00:44:18.820 --> 00:44:22.139
of things and I think you're going to see a different story. Some of those elements are

00:44:22.139 --> 00:44:26.139
in this plan, by the way. There's still more to do. But I think you'll see a different

00:44:26.139 --> 00:44:32.139
story in this plan and it's been exciting to see Freeport continue to work a plan and

00:44:32.139 --> 00:44:38.900
get things done and check those off and make a new plan and continue to have success. So

00:44:38.900 --> 00:44:41.460
looking forward to walking you through that.

00:44:41.460 --> 00:44:43.539
I'm gonna hit highlights.

00:44:43.539 --> 00:44:45.739
I won't read this to you,

00:44:45.739 --> 00:44:48.380
but I will walk you through the plan

00:44:48.380 --> 00:44:50.380
so you can get more familiar with it.

00:44:51.380 --> 00:44:54.220
Tonight, we're just reviewing this draft.

00:44:57.239 --> 00:44:59.960
So the plan itself has components,

00:45:00.840 --> 00:45:03.039
a little bit of an about page here,

00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:07.960
a vision for what Freeport can look like in 20,

00:45:07.960 --> 00:45:25.420
and a mission statement as well and so these reflect where the city is going.

00:45:25.420 --> 00:45:33.800
The vision statement is literally written to be like a person visiting Freeport and here's

00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:35.239
what they would see.

00:45:35.239 --> 00:45:39.920
Freeport is a destination of choice, so they wanted to come here, right?

00:45:39.920 --> 00:45:45.679
Our innovative city boasts a thriving business-friendly economy with vibrant and safe neighborhoods.

00:45:45.679 --> 00:45:49.840
Freeport supports an abundance of educational, cultural, and family-oriented experiences

00:45:49.840 --> 00:45:52.880
for all residents, including visitors.

00:45:52.880 --> 00:45:57.360
Our community is connected, accessible, and welcoming, and there are opportunities for

00:45:57.360 --> 00:45:58.599
growth for all.

00:45:58.599 --> 00:46:01.159
So that's the vision, that's where we're trying to go.

00:46:01.159 --> 00:46:04.820
Each plan walks you towards that vision.

00:46:04.820 --> 00:46:08.860
and then your mission statement is about how you work as a city, as a city government.

00:46:08.860 --> 00:46:15.139
In particular, this is a plan for the city government to execute citizens and partners

00:46:15.139 --> 00:46:17.579
and other folks who will have roles to play.

00:46:17.579 --> 00:46:23.380
But at the end of the day, it's owned by the city of Freeport proper.

00:46:23.380 --> 00:46:27.500
And the mission is to strive to improve the quality of life for all residents living and

00:46:27.500 --> 00:46:33.460
working in this community by maximizing opportunities for social and economic development while ensuring

00:46:33.460 --> 00:46:37.340
and attractive, sustainable and secure environment.

00:46:37.340 --> 00:46:41.220
So that's sort of the basis for the whole plan.

00:46:41.220 --> 00:46:43.300
Everything is about making those things happen

00:46:43.300 --> 00:46:46.179
in this plan, at least incrementally, right?

00:46:46.179 --> 00:46:52.510
As we go along, it's organized into priority areas.

00:46:52.510 --> 00:46:56.849
So you can see here, these priority areas

00:46:56.849 --> 00:46:59.070
are pretty much the same as last year.

00:46:59.070 --> 00:47:02.949
We did change, I think neighborhoods and housing

00:47:02.949 --> 00:47:09.510
has a greater emphasis on neighborhoods and the idea of building strong neighborhoods.

00:47:09.510 --> 00:47:15.070
And I think the rest might have stayed the same as we go along. So they just help you

00:47:15.070 --> 00:47:21.130
sort the plan and bring focus to each area of the plan. I'll hit highlights of each one

00:47:21.130 --> 00:47:28.150
of these as we go through the plan. The first one is safe, inclusive community. And you

00:47:28.150 --> 00:47:35.630
We just took a step to help make that happen by passing a safety plan.

00:47:35.630 --> 00:47:42.309
Some highlights here, when we looked back at the last plan, some of your key strategies

00:47:42.309 --> 00:47:50.829
in the last plan were police department staffing, the idea of adding a social worker, the idea

00:47:50.829 --> 00:48:20.829
Fowler, and then the idea of improving the use of technology, increasing the diversity of the force so that it better represents the community. These are all ideas in the last plan. And you can see in these bullet points, lots of those things have happened. You can see a lot of technology in that third bullet point and then improvements to staffing in the second bullet point there. So just some highlights from the last plan.

00:48:20.829 --> 00:48:50.829
look forward, are continuing to work on the police census and fire department census, right? The number of staff we have and building that strong team to keep the community safe. Deploying more technology, looking for areas to continue to use technology, you've been having some success in that area. And, and then continuing neighborhood watch programs and some of those those ideas as well. So those are

00:48:50.829 --> 00:48:54.170
and

00:48:54.170 --> 00:49:02.590
you can see every also oops I went too far you can see every section also has

00:49:02.590 --> 00:49:08.190
targets and milestones so we're not just saying what we hope to do we're

00:49:08.190 --> 00:49:14.650
actually outlining exactly how you can measure whether it happens and and you'll

00:49:14.650 --> 00:49:19.789
get regular updates on on how that works so for example you can measure the

00:49:19.789 --> 00:49:25.750
Police Force, Census and Demographics, same with the Fire Department, looking at response

00:49:25.750 --> 00:49:30.029
times, grant dollars that are coming in, things like that will help you know if you're on

00:49:30.029 --> 00:49:35.750
track with this section of the plan.

00:49:35.750 --> 00:49:41.489
In neighborhoods and housing, like I mentioned, this features a little bit of shift to thinking

00:49:41.489 --> 00:49:47.230
more about how neighborhoods can become stronger overall.

00:49:47.230 --> 00:49:52.029
and yet some of those basics that you've been working on in your neighborhoods are showing.

00:49:52.029 --> 00:50:20.000
We have a lot of trees that we've been working on in your neighborhoods are showing up here. So if you look at progress, 422 trees, that's, that's a tree, you know, more than every day being removed and planting 150 to still, you know, keep, we want trees in our town. We just had trees that were, you know, not having a good time and need to go away. So working through those.

00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:24.639
We're going up, we're on track, continuing to make progress in cleaning up neighborhoods

00:50:24.639 --> 00:50:27.199
that need that support.

00:50:27.199 --> 00:50:29.960
So those are things you've accomplished in the past.

00:50:29.960 --> 00:50:36.639
Looking forward, we're looking at how do we support Refresh Freeport even more, expanding

00:50:36.639 --> 00:50:43.500
that cleanup program and incentives that help homeowners and landlords take better care

00:50:43.500 --> 00:50:46.300
of their property.

00:50:46.300 --> 00:50:52.679
Those are kind of the three things that we're looking at in terms of trying to do this and how we've done a lot of progress.

00:50:52.679 --> 00:51:00.739
So we've got, again, doing enforcement and other supports to improve rental property standards.

00:51:00.739 --> 00:51:06.820
A big one there in the middle is completing a development of the Downtown Master Plan.

00:51:06.820 --> 00:51:17.820
We just heard in your safety plan, by having this plan, it helps you attract funding and developers, in this case, and other partners to help you continue to build up your downtown.

00:51:17.820 --> 00:51:35.820
So those are some of the probably the highlights inside of this page. You can see the targets and milestones are also very clear as well. So you can look over the course of the year and say, well, how are we doing? Are people using Refresh Report?

00:51:35.820 --> 00:51:39.940
and the Target of 200 participants by the time we get to the end of 2027.

00:51:40.139 --> 00:51:42.059
You can ask how that's going.

00:51:42.260 --> 00:51:43.579
You know, rental properties being

00:51:43.780 --> 00:51:49.139
registered, external funding, tracking dollars that are coming into the city.

00:51:49.340 --> 00:51:52.579
You know, some of you are thinking about, well, what's this plan going to cost?

00:51:52.780 --> 00:51:55.099
Well, if you bring in a half a million dollars

00:51:55.300 --> 00:52:02.019
to support external funding in the city to help take care of demolition and bright

00:52:02.219 --> 00:52:05.500
and blight work that you're doing, that makes a big difference.

00:52:05.500 --> 00:52:38.570
Huffines, John Huffines. Those are dollars that are coming from outside in the form of grants and not coming from taxpayers here in Freeport. Um those are examples of the kinds of things that we're we're measuring in each area. Uh another category is quality communication engagement. So, this is about how the city communicates uh and engages with citizens overall. Um in the past, you had goals around improving bilingual

00:52:38.570 --> 00:52:46.369
We launched it and actually started producing some bilingual communication tools.

00:52:46.369 --> 00:52:53.090
We also launched quarterly newsletters and the utility bills, using water notices in

00:52:53.090 --> 00:52:58.929
multiple languages, those sorts of things, improving road construction and public notification,

00:52:58.929 --> 00:53:00.329
improving the use of your Facebook page.

00:53:00.329 --> 00:53:07.889
I follow your page and it's pretty interesting to see the information that's happening about

00:53:37.889 --> 00:53:41.889
So it gives a lot of really clear direction about what's going to happen.

00:53:41.889 --> 00:53:50.889
Key strategies in this category going forward, continuing to build on bilingual communications,

00:53:50.889 --> 00:53:56.889
continuing to participate in events and being out and visible in the community,

00:53:56.889 --> 00:54:02.889
creating a dashboard to help you see. So you just saw an example of a safety dashboard.

00:54:02.889 --> 00:54:12.889
We're planning a dashboard that would let you see at a glance how you're doing on some of the most important things that you're working on in any given year.

00:54:12.889 --> 00:54:16.889
And maybe that dashboard gets updated quarterly, for example.

00:54:16.889 --> 00:54:19.889
So those are some of the highlights in this area.

00:54:19.889 --> 00:54:21.889
You can see targets and milestones here.

00:54:21.889 --> 00:54:26.889
I like to look at those because it's kind of, you know, if you're not sure what's going to come out of the strategy,

00:54:26.889 --> 00:54:42.170
G. You can always look at the target milestone and say, Oh, okay, I see, we're going to have more, we're going to count, we're going to have more bilingual communications, or we're going to have a dashboard complete and being utilized quarterly at a meeting. Those are tangible things you can look for and see if they're really happening.

00:54:42.170 --> 00:55:14.889
All right. Next one, reliable, strong infrastructure. The next couple sections are, you know, core to your budget, core to what cities do at city government level. You know, people rely on city government to make sure their sewer and water and garbage and sidewalks and roads, you know, the first things people think about when they think about city government for most people. And this section is all about

00:55:14.889 --> 00:55:23.489
about that. So you can see a lot of progress in the past here. And you'll see even a bigger

00:55:23.489 --> 00:55:28.889
list of things coming up when we turn the page. But you know, if you just tick through this

00:55:28.889 --> 00:55:38.970
one, for example, you've had the Adams Avenue reconstruction, an $11 million project there.

00:55:38.970 --> 00:55:46.829
We've got over five miles of water main, almost four miles of sewer, about the same number

00:55:46.829 --> 00:55:51.389
of linings in the sewer lines.

00:55:51.389 --> 00:55:56.789
The lead service replacement, you guys are leading many cities in the state in terms

00:55:56.789 --> 00:56:05.590
of replacing lead water lines, so 1,902 lead services replaced and a few more to finish

00:56:05.590 --> 00:56:13.230
Shupp, and when we turn the page, you'll see that. You've got new wells online. So these

00:56:13.230 --> 00:56:20.389
are big time infrastructure projects, wastewater treatment plant, getting $5 million in external

00:56:20.389 --> 00:56:25.429
funding. So again, $5 million in external funding means funding that you got a grant

00:56:25.429 --> 00:56:30.989
or some other source to give Freeport money so the taxpayers didn't have to pay for that

00:57:00.989 --> 00:57:07.349
That's what you've done, a whole page almost. And this is what you're going to do. So it's

00:57:07.349 --> 00:57:11.949
a packed page. I'm not going to read all these to you, but you should spend some time thinking

00:57:11.949 --> 00:57:18.869
about all of these. Some highlights though, doubling the funding for residential matching

00:57:18.869 --> 00:57:26.789
grants. So you've been offering citizens $1.50 a square foot to help them replace sidewalks

00:57:26.789 --> 00:57:30.869
with a match, and you're gonna double that to $3,

00:57:30.869 --> 00:57:32.929
and it fits inside of your budget.

00:57:34.429 --> 00:57:36.909
Executing the street improvement plan,

00:57:36.909 --> 00:57:39.710
so continuing to work on streets

00:57:39.710 --> 00:57:43.510
to the tune of 17 and a half miles of streets being paved

00:57:43.510 --> 00:57:45.550
on average over the next five years.

00:57:47.869 --> 00:57:49.750
That's total over the five years.

00:57:51.349 --> 00:57:54.309
So that'll be a big impact.

00:57:54.309 --> 00:58:24.309
partnering with IDOT. You've got IDOT support coming. And if you kind of go down, I think I have that in here where you can see it well. Maybe it's on a different page, though. Anyway, kind of, you know, related to the safety, but also just partnering with IDOT on those thoroughfares to draw in dollars to help you repave those streets as well. Not just make them safer, but

00:58:24.309 --> 00:58:54.309
Huffines, Chris, Chris, John, John, John, John, John, John, John,

00:58:54.309 --> 00:59:00.150
Right? How many dollars of external funding are we bringing in to support this so we can

00:59:00.150 --> 00:59:05.289
offset the cost to our citizens, right? So those are key targets that we'll be measuring

00:59:05.289 --> 00:59:13.690
and tracking and sharing with all of you. Completion of lift stations and stormwater

00:59:13.690 --> 00:59:20.789
basins and things like that as well. So lots of infrastructure, economic development, also

00:59:20.789 --> 00:59:29.610
also a big function of the city. And again, eating up two pages in your plan. So over

00:59:29.610 --> 00:59:39.429
the last few years, you've had land acquisitions, you've developed a pocket park, you've gotten

00:59:39.429 --> 00:59:45.389
site readiness grants and launched a campaign to help attract and retain workforce in the

00:59:45.389 --> 00:59:51.230
community. Just a few highlights, right? It's not everything that's happened.

00:59:51.230 --> 00:59:53.000
and not everything that's happened, too fast, excuse me.

00:59:53.480 --> 00:59:58.480
So here, this one focuses on a few categories

00:59:59.000 --> 01:00:02.280
but it's all about attracting and growing business

01:00:02.280 --> 01:00:05.960
or making sure the infrastructure exists for that to happen.

01:00:05.960 --> 01:00:08.500
So the Greater Freeport Partnership drives a lot

01:00:08.500 --> 01:00:10.699
of your economic development efforts.

01:00:12.679 --> 01:00:16.219
Some of the goals are related to improving retention

01:00:16.219 --> 01:00:18.539
and growth of existing businesses.

01:00:18.539 --> 01:00:19.900
So a big focus on that,

01:00:19.900 --> 01:00:22.440
obviously attracting new businesses if we can,

01:00:23.780 --> 01:00:28.780
expanding retail in and around the metal shopping area,

01:00:29.460 --> 01:00:31.619
building on that $13 million investment

01:00:31.619 --> 01:00:33.420
that's happened in the past,

01:00:35.260 --> 01:00:37.739
creating a five-year economic development plan

01:00:37.739 --> 01:00:38.579
for the airport.

01:00:38.579 --> 01:00:41.699
So the airport's there, how do we leverage that?

01:00:41.699 --> 01:00:45.260
What can we do to have that become an economic driver

01:00:45.260 --> 01:00:47.539
for the community.

01:00:47.539 --> 01:00:49.940
These are just some of the highlights

01:00:49.940 --> 01:00:50.860
I'm just popping through.

01:00:50.860 --> 01:00:53.500
You can read through these more as you go.

01:00:53.500 --> 01:00:57.340
And then, you know, so if we do all that, so what, right?

01:00:57.340 --> 01:00:59.940
Well, you should have more businesses retained.

01:00:59.940 --> 01:01:01.980
You should have more jobs in the community.

01:01:01.980 --> 01:01:03.619
And these are things we can track

01:01:03.619 --> 01:01:05.420
and see if we're making progress.

01:01:05.420 --> 01:01:08.280
For example, shovel-ready sites

01:01:08.280 --> 01:01:10.059
are some of the infrastructure things we can do

01:01:10.059 --> 01:01:13.420
to help an industry or a business relocate or move here.

01:01:13.420 --> 01:01:46.460
Obviously, the airport plan being done. And then, you know, if you want more workers, they've got to live somewhere. So are we developing housing and tracking that in the course of our economic development efforts? Next section is about how the government works. So everything from what these city council meetings are like, and how people can engage in them, and how they actually function to how the staff, you know,

01:01:46.460 --> 01:01:52.179
Delivers the water bill and whether people understand it and can pay it on time, right? So and everything in between

01:01:52.260 --> 01:01:59.739
There's a long range of things in between that go into the city actually being a responsive and efficient government. So

01:02:00.539 --> 01:02:08.380
The first thing that we highlighted here in progress updates is the amount of money you've been able to bring into the community

01:02:09.460 --> 01:02:11.460
I'm not trying to do that

01:02:12.659 --> 01:02:14.659
Over the last few years

01:02:14.659 --> 01:02:44.659
and I. So, 83 million dollars in grants and forgivable loans, right? So, forgivable loans are loans that if you execute them the way you're supposed to execute them over time, you don't have to pay them back, right? They essentially turn into a grant. So, 83 million dollars of grants and forgivable loans have been secured over the past five years from outside the community, and that's gone to streets and fire and police service, water and sewer services, fiber optics neighborhoods,

01:02:44.659 --> 01:02:51.219
and so forth, et cetera. That's pretty incredible and speaks to government efficiency. The other

01:02:51.219 --> 01:02:55.179
side of that is either that work didn't get done, you didn't get the streets and the fiber,

01:02:55.179 --> 01:03:02.579
et cetera, or the community paid for itself. I'd rather have the $83 million if I'm living

01:03:02.579 --> 01:03:08.900
here. Partnership with Fehr Graham has secured $47 million. They come and report to these

01:03:08.900 --> 01:03:12.380
meetings on a regular basis and you're like, man, how much are we paying them? Well, you're

01:03:12.380 --> 01:03:18.059
You're not paying them $47 million. I know that. So you're winning with Fehr Graham.

01:03:18.059 --> 01:03:25.739
Surf Internet is going to invest $15 million. That investment is secured. So these are all

01:03:25.739 --> 01:03:30.860
dollars that the city and IDOT, this is what I was looking for earlier, the partnership

01:03:30.860 --> 01:03:36.300
committed for $3.5 million for overlays and Stevenson and Lincoln and Walnut and Adams

01:03:36.300 --> 01:03:41.619
streets. And I could read all these to you. I just want you to see the impact of these

01:03:41.619 --> 01:03:48.619
and the focus that the city has on bringing them in terms of progress from the past, right?

01:03:48.619 --> 01:03:50.820
But looking ahead, you got to keep doing that.

01:03:50.820 --> 01:03:57.260
So that game's over, new game looking forward, continuing to build on that, increasing forgivable

01:03:57.260 --> 01:04:04.220
loan and grant programs to maximize taxpayer dollars, key strategy, improving collaboration

01:04:04.220 --> 01:04:09.179
and using technology to increase efficiency inside of how we work as a government, key

01:04:09.179 --> 01:04:32.179
Huffines. So, it's a key strategy. Staff development, succession planning, so we've got good talent running and supporting this city. Helping the council, all of you, be more prepared and be involved and engaged is a key strategy as well and hopefully you'll all engage in that as well.

01:04:32.179 --> 01:04:48.739
How much money and grant can we bring in? Are there staff development plans in place, including succession goals? Is that city dashboard I mentioned established so we can share information and you all can see how things are going? Those are some of the key things from that section.

01:04:51.889 --> 01:04:57.849
Connected Accessible Community, another focus area in the plan.

01:04:57.849 --> 01:05:27.849
This is connection, meaning all kinds of things, transportation, primarily, but you know, trails, biking, walking, how do you get around? How do you stay? Get from one place to the other? How connected are you? So big focuses here around accessibility. How can we continue to improve accessibility? How can we continue to improve walkability and being able to bike and, you know, hop on a trail?

01:05:27.849 --> 01:05:32.610
Taylor, those sorts of things for recreation, but also maybe even just to get around town

01:05:32.610 --> 01:05:33.610
better.

01:05:33.610 --> 01:05:40.769
And then can we also explore how to increase maybe even public transportation, right?

01:05:40.769 --> 01:05:43.369
So those are the key strategies you see there.

01:05:43.369 --> 01:05:49.730
By the way, you've been making progress, adding ADA ramps and getting that ADA transition

01:05:49.730 --> 01:05:54.730
in place in terms of that sort of accessibility.

01:05:58.010 --> 01:06:01.590
And then targets and milestones, sorry,

01:06:01.590 --> 01:06:05.210
below the screen here, tracking that, right?

01:06:05.210 --> 01:06:08.489
Are you building those bike and pedestrian ways?

01:06:08.489 --> 01:06:11.529
Are you getting funding to support that?

01:06:11.529 --> 01:06:16.250
Were you able to make route improvements to Pretzel City?

01:06:16.250 --> 01:06:18.869
And then are we making the city more accessible

01:06:18.869 --> 01:06:22.909
By, hitting our target with ADA ramps.

01:06:22.909 --> 01:06:31.220
So those are all measures of this portion of the plan.

01:06:31.220 --> 01:06:32.059
Sorry, excuse me.

01:06:32.059 --> 01:06:36.699
Next section is all about public-private partnerships.

01:06:37.559 --> 01:06:39.179
Cities don't operate in a vacuum

01:06:39.179 --> 01:06:40.800
and they don't get the kind of things done

01:06:40.800 --> 01:06:44.940
you're getting done without being,

01:06:44.940 --> 01:06:48.500
having both public partnerships with state agencies, et cetera,

01:06:48.500 --> 01:06:52.340
but also private partnerships with nonprofit groups

01:06:52.340 --> 01:06:55.239
and even individual businesses in some cases.

01:06:56.239 --> 01:06:59.300
Some of the progress you've seen in the past,

01:07:01.460 --> 01:07:05.599
the yield program, connecting students to opportunity,

01:07:05.599 --> 01:07:09.400
High Hope Freeport and Faith Leaders for Peace partnership

01:07:09.400 --> 01:07:10.840
to address violence.

01:07:10.840 --> 01:07:13.400
You couldn't be doing that on your own, right?

01:07:14.440 --> 01:07:17.679
So those are just a couple of highlights in that section.

01:07:19.239 --> 01:07:21.699
And if you get to the next page,

01:07:22.340 --> 01:07:39.340
Lots of strategies here around partnership, continuing to expand and deepen the partnerships you have around all kinds of categories, whether that's with IDOT, engaging youth and a youth council is a concept in this plan.

01:07:39.340 --> 01:07:42.500
and then looking at healthcare and park districts

01:07:42.500 --> 01:07:47.500
and senior resources and the list goes on here

01:07:48.699 --> 01:07:51.500
of different partnerships that you can strengthen

01:07:51.500 --> 01:07:56.099
and try to impact the results you're getting as a community

01:07:56.099 --> 01:07:58.880
with the city either taking a lead

01:07:58.880 --> 01:08:02.179
or being a convener of some of these partners often.

01:08:02.179 --> 01:08:04.699
So you can see targets and milestones around

01:08:04.699 --> 01:08:08.139
are we able to increase opportunities

01:08:08.139 --> 01:08:15.139
and others like mentoring or new services or healthcare services or park district experiences,

01:08:15.139 --> 01:08:17.699
et cetera, through these partnerships.

01:08:17.699 --> 01:08:22.100
So that's, that section is about.

01:08:22.100 --> 01:08:30.199
And then I think this is the last section, if I recall, vibrant arts and culture experiences.

01:08:30.199 --> 01:08:36.260
This is something that was not in your first plan and neither was partnerships, by the

01:08:36.260 --> 01:08:39.739
Way, or maybe if it was, it was very small in the first plan.

01:08:39.739 --> 01:08:42.199
So the idea that you can get more done with partners

01:08:42.199 --> 01:08:47.420
or that you can attract and retain people in your community

01:08:47.420 --> 01:08:49.539
through vibrant arts and culture has been something

01:08:49.539 --> 01:08:56.819
that has been building momentum as you've grown as a community.

01:08:56.819 --> 01:09:01.720
And in recent progress, the Arts and Culture Commission

01:09:01.720 --> 01:09:02.340
was formed.

01:09:02.340 --> 01:09:12.140
and that led to the Sculpture Project, I did it, which is a pretty cool amenity for your

01:09:12.140 --> 01:09:21.539
city. There's a speaker that I like, she actually lives in Oaks, North Dakota, which is a town

01:09:21.539 --> 01:09:29.539
of 600 people, and she speaks all over the country about how cities grow, and one of

01:09:29.539 --> 01:09:32.920
One of the things she talks about is this idea of amenitizing.

01:09:32.920 --> 01:09:33.920
She made up that word.

01:09:33.920 --> 01:09:36.100
It's not a real word.

01:09:36.100 --> 01:09:42.340
Amenitizing your community by having things like sculpture or more coffee shops, right?

01:09:42.340 --> 01:09:44.579
Or more things to do.

01:09:44.579 --> 01:09:47.779
This idea that amenities actually make people want to be in your city.

01:09:47.779 --> 01:09:54.600
Schultz, and so on. So you guys are implementing that kind of strategy that we're seeing working

01:09:54.600 --> 01:10:00.199
all over the country. So it's great to see you leading on that. Looking forward, you've

01:10:00.199 --> 01:10:06.859
got an arts and culture commission, which is great. Now how can they start driving events?

01:10:06.859 --> 01:10:12.760
Maybe they could outline an arts and culture district. Arts and culture districts can be

01:10:12.760 --> 01:10:20.539
to be used to attract funding and support, to have more arts and culture events and amenities

01:10:20.539 --> 01:10:23.239
in your community.

01:10:23.239 --> 01:10:26.159
So those are all the kinds of things that are in here.

01:10:26.159 --> 01:10:32.319
Riverwalk development, cultural festivals, those types of things are all in this.

01:10:32.319 --> 01:10:36.000
And we would measure it all, right, to see if it's actually working or are going to keep

01:10:36.000 --> 01:10:40.840
doing things that don't work or don't seem to make an impact.

01:10:40.840 --> 01:10:46.399
So not only how many events you had and who came, but did they make an economic impact

01:10:46.399 --> 01:10:48.319
and how much was that, right?

01:10:48.319 --> 01:10:53.000
So you can see, is it helping businesses grow in and around the arts and culture district,

01:10:53.000 --> 01:10:55.439
for example, if you form one?

01:10:55.439 --> 01:10:58.720
Those kinds of things that you'd be able to measure in the future.

01:10:58.720 --> 01:11:03.720
So these are some of the awards you've gotten over time.

01:11:03.720 --> 01:11:07.520
Just highlighting those in the document this time around.

01:11:07.520 --> 01:11:12.720
This is all of you. You're familiar with who you are. I'll leave it there. Any questions

01:11:12.720 --> 01:11:13.720
or?

01:11:13.720 --> 01:11:25.770
Okay, we'll open it up for discussion on the presentation. Okay, then let's go to the adoption

01:11:25.770 --> 01:11:32.810
of resolution 2025-144. Madam Clerk, could you please read that?

01:11:32.810 --> 01:11:36.850
Resolution approving a strategic vision and goals plan for 2026 through 2028.

01:11:36.850 --> 01:11:38.850
Thank you. Manager Boyer?

01:11:38.850 --> 01:11:52.850
Thank you, Your Honor. You've just seen the presentation on our future strategic plan as we move forward. Staff requests you move forward with resolution to accept the strategic plan.

01:11:52.850 --> 01:11:53.850
Is there a motion to adopt?

01:11:53.850 --> 01:11:54.850
So moved.

01:11:54.850 --> 01:11:55.850
Second.

01:11:55.850 --> 01:12:04.850
Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Klemm. Discussion on the resolution. Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:12:04.850 --> 01:12:05.850
Shadle?

01:12:05.850 --> 01:12:06.850
Aye.

01:12:06.850 --> 01:12:07.850
Sanders?

01:12:07.850 --> 01:12:37.850
Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? No. And the resolution is adopted. One, two, three, four, five, six. Six in favor, one opposed, one abstentia. Thank you, Eric. Item number eight is the second reading of Ordinance 2025-61. Could you please read this? Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriation

01:12:37.850 --> 01:12:47.029
Ordinance. Manager Boyer. Thank your honor. We have gone over the 2026 appropriation ordinance

01:12:47.029 --> 01:12:53.029
and staff recommends moving forward and approving it tonight. Discussion on this ordinance.

01:12:53.029 --> 01:13:02.069
Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Shadle. Aye. Aye. I'm sorry. Sanders. No. Sellers.

01:13:02.069 --> 01:13:14.989
Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Parker, and Stacy. The ordinance passes 6-2. Item number nine

01:13:14.989 --> 01:13:20.710
is the second reading of ordinance 2025-62. Could you please read this? City of Freeport

01:13:20.710 --> 01:13:26.630
tax levy. Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Just to recap, the city will be keeping the

01:13:26.630 --> 01:13:34.029
The tax levy level or no increase as of last year and staff request moving forward with

01:13:34.029 --> 01:13:38.989
the 2025 city tax levy.

01:13:38.989 --> 01:13:39.989
Discussion on this ordinance.

01:13:39.989 --> 01:13:44.189
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:13:44.189 --> 01:13:45.189
Shadle.

01:13:45.189 --> 01:13:46.189
Aye.

01:13:46.189 --> 01:13:47.189
Sanders.

01:13:47.189 --> 01:13:48.189
No.

01:13:48.189 --> 01:13:49.189
Sellers.

01:13:49.189 --> 01:13:50.189
Aye.

01:13:50.189 --> 01:13:51.189
Klemm.

01:13:51.189 --> 01:13:52.189
Aye.

01:13:52.189 --> 01:13:53.189
Johnson.

01:13:53.189 --> 01:13:54.189
Aye.

01:13:54.189 --> 01:13:55.189
Simmons.

01:13:55.189 --> 01:13:56.189
Aye.

01:13:56.189 --> 01:13:57.189
Parker.

01:13:57.189 --> 01:14:00.109
Aye.

01:14:00.109 --> 01:14:03.289
Number 10 is the second reading of Ordinance 2025-63.

01:14:03.289 --> 01:14:04.449
Could you please read this?

01:14:04.449 --> 01:14:07.050
Freeport Public Library Tax Levy.

01:14:07.050 --> 01:14:08.850
Interim Director Myers.

01:14:08.850 --> 01:14:10.050
Thank you.

01:14:10.050 --> 01:14:12.010
The City Council adopts a separate levy

01:14:12.010 --> 01:14:13.850
for library operations each year.

01:14:13.850 --> 01:14:17.609
In 2023, the library reduced the levy request

01:14:17.609 --> 01:14:20.890
for Medicare liability insurance, unemployment, and IMRF

01:14:20.890 --> 01:14:23.930
in order to spend down prior reserves in these areas.

01:14:23.930 --> 01:14:25.810
At the time, we informed council

01:14:25.810 --> 01:14:27.529
that these rates would need to increase

01:14:27.529 --> 01:14:29.109
when funds were exhausted.

01:14:29.109 --> 01:14:34.670
The equalized assessed value for the City of Freeport has decreased by $105,004 over the

01:14:34.670 --> 01:14:35.670
last year.

01:14:35.670 --> 01:14:40.590
Due to this decrease, any additional increment from rising property values is not available.

01:14:40.590 --> 01:14:43.510
The other alternative is to increase the tax rate.

01:14:43.510 --> 01:14:48.270
As the 2023 levy was decreased previously in order to spend down reserves, the library

01:14:48.270 --> 01:14:53.409
would like to increase the rate for 2025 paid in 2026.

01:14:53.409 --> 01:14:57.989
The library may increase their tax rate but only to an amount under 5% of the previous

01:14:57.989 --> 01:14:58.989
level.

01:14:58.989 --> 01:15:07.869
Based on this information, the library's levy request for 2025 paid in 2026 is $1,114,500.

01:15:07.869 --> 01:15:13.069
This increase would generate $52,500 more in property taxes from last year.

01:15:13.069 --> 01:15:16.270
Property taxes make up 84% of the library's income.

01:15:16.270 --> 01:15:22.109
A house valued at $100,000 would see an increase of $6 in the library portion of the tax bill.

01:15:22.109 --> 01:15:25.710
City staff recommends adopting the ordinance.

01:15:25.710 --> 01:15:27.470
Thank you.

01:15:27.470 --> 01:15:57.470
on this ordinance. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? No. The ordinance passes 7 to 1. Item number 11 is this will be a motion to abate all real estate tax levies for repayment for the general obligation bonds. Madam Clerk, could you please read ordinance 2025-62 through 72, please?

01:15:57.470 --> 01:16:08.909
Ondanance $2025.64 is to a bait the $2025 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general obligation bonds, Series 2013

01:16:09.550 --> 01:16:15.729
$2025.65 abates the practical estate tax agree for the repayment of the general obligation bonds series

01:16:16.590 --> 01:16:18.029
$2014 be

01:16:18.029 --> 01:16:19.350
ordinance

01:16:19.350 --> 01:16:25.550
$2025.66 abates the 2025 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general obligation bonds, Series

01:16:25.550 --> 01:16:36.909
For the repayment of the General Obligation Bonds, Series 20-15A Ordinance 2025-67 abates the 2025 Real Estate Tax Levy for the repayment of the General Obligation Bonds, Series 20-16

01:16:36.909 --> 01:16:46.510
Ordinance 2025-68 abates the 2025 Real Estate Tax Levy for the repayment of the General Obligation Bonds, Series 20-18

01:17:16.510 --> 01:17:22.710
Boyer of 2025-72 abating the 2025 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general

01:17:22.710 --> 01:17:26.670
obligation bonds series 2022.

01:17:26.670 --> 01:17:27.670
Thank you.

01:17:27.670 --> 01:17:28.670
Manager Boyer.

01:17:28.670 --> 01:17:29.670
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:17:29.670 --> 01:17:33.229
The bond abatements have been discussed at the Committee of the Whole and also first

01:17:33.229 --> 01:17:37.590
reading at the last council meeting and staff request that the council approve the abatement

01:17:37.590 --> 01:17:39.869
ordinance.

01:17:39.869 --> 01:17:43.380
Discussion on these abatements.

01:17:43.380 --> 01:17:46.539
Madam Clerk, Alderman Stacey.

01:17:46.539 --> 01:17:57.539
Are these payments made through the TIF districts? That these obligation bonds fall in?

01:17:57.539 --> 01:17:58.539
No.

01:17:58.539 --> 01:18:16.149
Any other discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the role. I'm sorry. Michelle. Director Richter.

01:18:16.149 --> 01:18:17.149
Clarification.

01:18:17.149 --> 01:18:19.149
Can you put your microphone down, please?

01:18:19.149 --> 01:18:28.569
Sorry Debbie. There's, I think there's only two. Yeah, on the memo it segregates

01:18:28.569 --> 01:18:34.390
that there's two bonds that portions of them that come from the TIFs. And what

01:18:34.390 --> 01:18:40.550
numbers are those? 2015 A has a percentage because that one's divided up

01:18:40.550 --> 01:18:47.190
among the TIF, the general fund, storm fund, and sewer funds, and then also the

01:18:47.190 --> 01:19:26.880
Settlers, Plum, Johnson, Simmons, Parker, and Stacy.

01:19:28.359 --> 01:19:37.000
The ordinances 64 through 72 are passed by a vote of 7 to 1. Item number 12 is

01:19:37.000 --> 01:19:41.239
the second reading of ordinance 20-25-73. Could you please read this? Ordinance

01:19:41.239 --> 01:19:47.920
authorizing the sale, recycling, donation, and or disposal of certain personal

01:19:47.920 --> 01:19:48.039
and or disposal of certain personal property owned by the city.

01:19:48.039 --> 01:19:51.399
Tonight we have equipment stored at Albertus Airport.

01:19:51.399 --> 01:19:52.880
Minister Boyer.

01:19:52.880 --> 01:19:53.479
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:19:53.479 --> 01:19:55.640
We had first reading at the last city council meeting

01:19:55.640 --> 01:19:59.159
about a surplus inventory at the Albertus Airport

01:19:59.159 --> 01:20:02.600
and staff recommends moving the ordinance forward

01:20:02.600 --> 01:20:05.079
for destruction or sale.

01:20:05.079 --> 01:20:08.689
Discussion on this ordinance.

01:20:08.689 --> 01:20:10.010
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:20:10.010 --> 01:20:10.850
Shadle.

01:20:10.850 --> 01:20:11.350
Aye.

01:20:11.350 --> 01:20:11.850
Sanders.

01:20:11.850 --> 01:20:12.409
Aye.

01:20:12.409 --> 01:20:13.010
Sellers.

01:20:13.010 --> 01:20:13.510
Aye.

01:20:13.510 --> 01:20:14.010
Klemm.

01:20:14.010 --> 01:20:14.689
Aye.

01:20:14.689 --> 01:20:15.369
Johnson.

01:20:15.369 --> 01:20:25.649
Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The ordinance passes 8 to 0. Item number

01:20:25.649 --> 01:20:30.890
13 is the first reading of ordinance 2025-78. Could you please read this? Ordinance amending

01:20:30.890 --> 01:20:37.409
Chapter 1020, Streets Generally, Section 1020.13, Erection of Banner, Signs, etc. to prohibit

01:20:37.409 --> 01:20:44.010
the placement of signage on any city street alley or public way. Thank you. Director Heimerdinger?

01:20:44.010 --> 01:20:48.369
Thank you Madam Mayor, the City Staff Planning Commission and Building Commission are working

01:20:48.369 --> 01:20:52.850
on cleaning up zoning codes and ordinances as it relates to signage.

01:20:52.850 --> 01:20:57.930
Chapter 1020, Section 13 was evaluated by the Planning Commission and a public hearing

01:20:57.930 --> 01:21:02.729
was held during their Thursday, November 13th meeting to discuss the changes.

01:21:02.729 --> 01:21:05.489
The Planning Commission has recommended moving it to Council.

01:21:05.489 --> 01:21:11.569
I'm going to read the current ordinance and then afterwards I'll read the modified what

01:21:11.569 --> 01:21:31.569
The current ordinance reads as follows, No person shall erect, fix, fly, or maintain any banner, sign, flag, advertisement, or other such device, regardless of its height, over and across any street, alleyway, or public way, except with the prior approval of the City Manager.

01:21:31.569 --> 01:21:49.069
Now, the modified ordinance is as followed, no person shall erect, fix, fly, or maintain any banner, sign, flag, advertisement, or other such device, regardless of its height, upon, over, or across any street, alley, or public way within the city.

01:21:49.069 --> 01:22:04.569
The prohibitions of this section shall not apply to the installation of any signage or maintenance of any banner or decoration by the City, nor to any signage erected by another roadway district within its own right-of-way.

01:22:04.569 --> 01:22:15.069
As you can see, these changes do not alter the idea behind Chapter 10, 20, Section 13, which is that signs are not allowed in public way or right-of-way.

01:22:15.069 --> 01:22:20.869
Instead, these changes bring clarity, ensure fair treatment, and address necessary signage

01:22:20.869 --> 01:22:25.310
that is permitted to be in the public way and right of way by the City and other roadway

01:22:25.310 --> 01:22:28.029
districts within the City of Freeport.

01:22:28.029 --> 01:22:32.909
Staff and the Planning Commission recommends moving to a second reading of this ordinance.

01:22:32.909 --> 01:22:33.909
Thank you.

01:22:33.909 --> 01:22:34.909
Is there a motion to move this forward?

01:22:34.909 --> 01:22:35.909
So moved.

01:22:35.909 --> 01:22:36.909
Second.

01:22:36.909 --> 01:22:40.229
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

01:22:40.229 --> 01:22:43.800
Discussion on this ordinance?

01:22:43.800 --> 01:22:44.800
Thank you.

01:22:44.800 --> 01:22:48.760
14 is the first reading of Ordinance 2025-79.

01:22:48.760 --> 01:22:50.159
Could you please read this?

01:22:50.159 --> 01:22:53.479
Fiscal Year 2025 Reappropriation Ordinance.

01:22:53.479 --> 01:22:55.039
Thank you, Director Richter.

01:22:55.039 --> 01:22:57.079
Thank you.

01:22:57.079 --> 01:22:59.359
At the end of each fiscal year, the City Council

01:22:59.359 --> 01:23:01.319
amends the appropriation ordinance

01:23:01.319 --> 01:23:05.319
to take into account necessary revenue and expense

01:23:05.319 --> 01:23:06.760
adjustments.

01:23:06.760 --> 01:23:11.199
I do have several to read, so I'll try and be concise.

01:23:11.199 --> 01:23:21.520
The memo identifies each of the changes and along with the ordinance, there was an exhibit

01:23:21.520 --> 01:23:28.899
A in your packet, which represents all of the changes numerically.

01:23:28.899 --> 01:23:35.500
So we have made adjustments to several of the state revenues based on actual receipts

01:23:35.500 --> 01:23:38.079
from the Illinois Department of Revenue.

01:23:38.079 --> 01:23:47.560
sales tax increased by 323,000. Home rule sales tax increased by 200,000. However, special

01:23:47.560 --> 01:23:56.439
use tax was reduced by 245,000. I'd like to explain this just a little bit. Special

01:23:56.439 --> 01:24:02.800
use tax, you might recall on your personal income tax. There's always a line that says,

01:24:02.800 --> 01:24:07.539
have you bought something in another state, but you wish to pay tax for it now on your

01:24:07.539 --> 01:24:32.600
and

01:24:32.600 --> 01:24:43.600
We've also seen reductions in the areas of electric and natural gas, so there's been adjustments there, and also cable television tax.

01:24:43.600 --> 01:24:58.600
The city does have a tax on cable television, however, people are now moving, personally moving away from cable, and they're streaming, they're just getting internet only, that kind of thing.

01:24:58.600 --> 01:24:59.439
that kind of thing.

01:24:59.439 --> 01:25:02.739
So we have been seeing that over these last few,

01:25:02.739 --> 01:25:03.819
well, several years,

01:25:03.819 --> 01:25:06.939
we've slowly seen reductions to cable television tax.

01:25:08.939 --> 01:25:11.680
School resource officer,

01:25:11.680 --> 01:25:14.100
our agreement to provide a school resource officer

01:25:14.100 --> 01:25:17.619
was reestablished late this past year

01:25:18.600 --> 01:25:20.300
as we didn't budget for it.

01:25:20.300 --> 01:25:22.020
So it has been reestablished

01:25:22.020 --> 01:25:26.939
and so we receive a portion of the salary to the city.

01:25:28.600 --> 01:25:30.239
We received several small grants.

01:25:30.239 --> 01:25:32.960
We don't usually budget for these grants,

01:25:32.960 --> 01:25:34.760
as we don't know they're coming in.

01:25:34.760 --> 01:25:38.119
So we received grants for tasers.

01:25:38.119 --> 01:25:41.119
We received grants for the AED units

01:25:41.119 --> 01:25:44.560
that we purchased in the spring.

01:25:44.560 --> 01:25:51.520
ComEd gave us support to the Streetlight program, $35,000.

01:25:51.520 --> 01:25:58.560
And then also PD is receiving a retail crime grant for $9,000.

01:25:58.560 --> 01:26:13.760
A couple other things, quickly, that we added revenue, overweight, oversight load permits, that was new this year, we've added a new ordinance, we're tracking that revenue separately.

01:26:13.760 --> 01:26:24.560
Airport grant, we increased the amount of funding coming in for airport grants, we're receiving residual grants, grant funding from a couple projects that they're finishing up.

01:26:24.560 --> 01:26:32.560
and the Fencing grant that we're still receiving a little bits of money.

01:26:32.560 --> 01:26:35.560
They're just about wrapped up.

01:26:35.560 --> 01:26:40.560
Spiller fee, we never know if we're ever going to, if we get spiller fee unless an incident happens.

01:26:40.560 --> 01:26:42.560
And so we had a hazmat, it's incident.

01:26:42.560 --> 01:26:50.560
We're able to bill wherever that happened at to recoup the cost of the materials that were used to clean up that incident.

01:26:50.560 --> 01:26:52.560
And insurance proceeds.

01:26:52.560 --> 01:27:05.560
We generally don't budget for insurance proceeds, as it's really unpredictable, but this year we received some insurance proceeds due to the police building and HVAC electrical issue that happened over there.

01:27:05.560 --> 01:27:20.560
On the expense side, in the general fund, you'll see that we've added in the smaller funds, we had additional costs in our medical insurance as our pool required additional funds to be part of the terminal reserve.

01:27:20.560 --> 01:27:28.720
it's a little bit complicated but we're part of a pool we need to have funds in reserve with them

01:27:28.720 --> 01:27:33.119
and they had increased that a little bit it didn't affect the big departments it only affected the

01:27:33.119 --> 01:27:37.920
small departments that only have one or two employees in the department so you'll see that

01:27:37.920 --> 01:27:46.239
throughout my memo. Finance department increase of three hundred dollars for overtime due to tight

01:27:46.239 --> 01:27:53.920
Turnaround Times and Holidays and Vacations, increase to bank fees, decrease in other technical

01:27:53.920 --> 01:28:01.119
services, and an increase to computer software. This year we added the new AP automation module

01:28:01.119 --> 01:28:06.239
in our financial software, so that was just a switch from one line item to another.

01:28:07.760 --> 01:28:13.920
Legal department, we did have to do some increases in this area. We had two bargaining unit contract

01:28:13.920 --> 01:28:43.159
We had to increase the expense line item, where we also increased the revenue line item.

01:28:43.159 --> 01:28:48.760
We had to in government building, we had to increase the capital outlay for the storm windows.

01:28:48.760 --> 01:28:53.159
We thought this project was going to be substantially completed last year.

01:28:53.159 --> 01:28:58.440
So that sometimes happens, you know, and this happens with grants as well, is where you

01:28:58.440 --> 01:29:03.479
think you're going to be 50% done with that project, but you're only 25% done by the

01:29:03.479 --> 01:29:05.779
time the year ends.

01:29:05.779 --> 01:29:14.090
So we have to make small adjustments for those types of things.

01:29:14.090 --> 01:29:17.050
The airport, we've decreased the airport management expense

01:29:17.050 --> 01:29:18.729
slightly.

01:29:18.729 --> 01:29:23.090
We've decreased the contracted building repair and maintenance

01:29:23.090 --> 01:29:26.090
because we are significantly able to reduce

01:29:26.090 --> 01:29:31.649
the amounts of the cost to fixing the hanger roofs out there.

01:29:31.649 --> 01:29:34.529
And then we increased the cost of the grant projects.

01:29:34.529 --> 01:29:38.170
So this is another situation where we increase the revenue

01:29:38.170 --> 01:29:39.690
and we increase the expense.

01:29:39.690 --> 01:29:42.329
they counter cancel each other.

01:29:42.329 --> 01:29:43.000
and other.

01:29:43.000 --> 01:29:48.880
Cemetery, we had some other technical services we needed to adjust for.

01:29:48.880 --> 01:29:55.640
Street lights, these were two big projects, well we added street lighting per one of our

01:29:55.640 --> 01:30:03.979
resolutions earlier in the year and then we also added lights and I might be corrected

01:30:03.979 --> 01:30:08.880
here it had to do with the IDOT corridors or downtown lights I think is what it was

01:30:08.880 --> 01:30:17.640
where this is where we got grant funding back through IDOT.

01:30:17.640 --> 01:30:20.720
Community development, we decreased non-bargaining wages

01:30:20.720 --> 01:30:24.479
due to the departure of the community development director.

01:30:24.479 --> 01:30:26.479
We had some open time there.

01:30:26.479 --> 01:30:29.640
And we had an open grants manager position.

01:30:29.640 --> 01:30:34.600
We increased consulting services to assist with grant compliance

01:30:34.600 --> 01:30:36.720
for a housing rehab grant.

01:30:36.720 --> 01:30:39.220
and then we also decreased education training

01:30:39.220 --> 01:30:41.739
and travel for 9,000.

01:30:41.739 --> 01:30:45.439
Police and fire, there are just a couple changes there.

01:30:47.079 --> 01:30:48.699
With fire, we needed to increase

01:30:48.699 --> 01:30:52.359
the fire pension contribution by 50,000.

01:30:52.359 --> 01:30:54.979
That amount's determined by our actuary

01:30:54.979 --> 01:30:58.939
and we have to, per our agreement, our bond agreement,

01:30:58.939 --> 01:31:01.600
we need to increase that.

01:31:01.600 --> 01:31:05.699
We need to pay what the actuary says is due each year.

01:31:06.720 --> 01:31:14.720
Building Department, increase in health insurance expense and an increase in plumbing inspections.

01:31:14.720 --> 01:31:21.720
Animal control, we had a significant vehicle repair that we needed to cover.

01:31:21.720 --> 01:31:30.720
Animal control is just one person, very small department, so this was kind of an outlying expense that wasn't anticipated.

01:31:30.720 --> 01:31:42.720
Hearing administration was also increased due to increased hearings for rental registration, landlord rental registration, and then interdepartmental.

01:31:42.720 --> 01:31:56.720
We had some other smaller increases in technical services, increase of postage due to postage rate increases, and also an increase of $12,660 for real estate taxes.

01:31:56.720 --> 01:32:00.520
and those are on the 5G cell tower properties

01:32:00.520 --> 01:32:02.039
which we're working on trying

01:32:02.039 --> 01:32:06.039
to get that alleviated or reduced.

01:32:07.439 --> 01:32:09.140
Moving on to neighborhood housing.

01:32:10.680 --> 01:32:15.680
We have an increase in real estate taxes of $600,

01:32:17.159 --> 01:32:20.000
increased to land property acquisition

01:32:20.000 --> 01:32:24.840
for property to be demolished

01:32:24.840 --> 01:32:27.939
and then a decrease to demolition expense.

01:32:29.560 --> 01:32:32.420
Healthcare fund, several accounts needed to be adjusted

01:32:32.420 --> 01:32:33.539
in the healthcare fund.

01:32:33.539 --> 01:32:36.680
This is where all of the payments

01:32:36.680 --> 01:32:40.420
for our medical insurance come into

01:32:40.420 --> 01:32:46.729
and we pay the bill out of bulletproof vest grant.

01:32:48.409 --> 01:32:50.329
We had a slight increase

01:32:50.329 --> 01:32:54.569
because the city has a 50% match.

01:32:54.569 --> 01:32:56.569
so we had to increase that a little bit.

01:32:59.069 --> 01:33:02.250
Let's see, a lot of these are small.

01:33:02.250 --> 01:33:04.890
I'm sorry to keep going on and on.

01:33:10.220 --> 01:33:15.020
ETSB 911, this is a new category for us.

01:33:15.020 --> 01:33:17.460
We just started receiving these funds.

01:33:17.460 --> 01:33:19.380
We keep them tracked separately

01:33:19.380 --> 01:33:22.319
as they're for the 911 Dispatch Center.

01:33:23.260 --> 01:33:25.539
We have found through the past year

01:33:25.539 --> 01:33:31.420
that we just needed to expand the number of categories to track expenses in 911.

01:33:31.779 --> 01:33:33.779
So that's why there was a change there.

01:33:37.380 --> 01:33:44.380
Um, let's see, uh, we've made changes to the EV charger, uh, grant cause we're

01:33:44.380 --> 01:33:48.340
anticipating, um, that to be fully funded.

01:33:49.060 --> 01:33:57.380
Um, the, let's see the library fund, any changes in the library fund were

01:33:57.380 --> 01:34:04.090
are reviewed by the library, and the board approve their changes.

01:34:04.090 --> 01:34:13.729
I'm going to, let's see, the Lamb Road TIF.

01:34:13.729 --> 01:34:18.409
Kind of skipped down just a couple to the Lamb Road TIF.

01:34:18.409 --> 01:34:21.930
I decreased the amount of reserves needed in 2025,

01:34:21.930 --> 01:34:24.310
as the walnut lift station project will not

01:34:24.310 --> 01:34:27.810
be completed in 2025.

01:34:27.810 --> 01:34:29.729
So this is another one of those situations

01:34:29.729 --> 01:34:30.850
where we have to make an adjustment

01:34:30.850 --> 01:34:32.090
at the beginning and the end of the year,

01:34:32.090 --> 01:34:34.670
depending on how far that project is along.

01:34:39.569 --> 01:34:46.819
Slight changes to West Avenue and Meadows Tiff.

01:34:46.819 --> 01:34:48.680
And coming on the last page here,

01:34:49.760 --> 01:34:52.020
Street Improvement Fund.

01:34:52.020 --> 01:34:56.560
I've increased the sales tax revenue by 295,000.

01:34:56.560 --> 01:34:59.479
That's based on actual sales tax receipts

01:34:59.479 --> 01:35:01.920
that the way that they're coming in

01:35:01.920 --> 01:35:06.920
and also reduced electric and natural gas taxes

01:35:07.199 --> 01:35:09.199
as those receipts are dropping.

01:35:11.470 --> 01:35:15.390
But the big thing that we have added here

01:35:15.390 --> 01:35:19.229
was the project on 18th Avenue,

01:35:19.229 --> 01:35:21.750
both the expense and the revenue

01:35:22.710 --> 01:35:24.949
as this will be paid by the solar company.

01:35:24.949 --> 01:35:26.770
I don't remember their name,

01:35:26.770 --> 01:35:30.710
but that project is a wash.

01:35:30.710 --> 01:35:36.430
So we will bill the solar company for that expense.

01:35:36.430 --> 01:35:43.270
And then I did project to use the carryover funds in the street

01:35:43.270 --> 01:35:47.130
improvement fund of $1 million.

01:35:47.130 --> 01:35:50.949
And we do have that in the fund.

01:35:50.949 --> 01:35:57.869
And that's kind of due to the viaduct and the status of where that is.

01:35:57.869 --> 01:36:00.689
We thought we'd be further along last year at the end of the year.

01:36:00.689 --> 01:36:02.729
that's kind of taken a little bit longer.

01:36:05.489 --> 01:36:10.489
And finally, just small changes in the water fund

01:36:12.649 --> 01:36:16.130
and sewer fund, I did decrease the grant revenue

01:36:16.130 --> 01:36:18.409
in the water fund for 8 million

01:36:18.409 --> 01:36:20.970
just because those projects aren't quite here yet

01:36:20.970 --> 01:36:23.609
and those revenues aren't coming in yet.

01:36:23.609 --> 01:36:26.569
That's for the water treatment plant number 12

01:36:26.569 --> 01:36:29.090
which is still in the beginning stages.

01:36:29.090 --> 01:36:32.130
Sorry to be so lengthy.

01:36:32.130 --> 01:36:36.409
Is there a motion to move Ordinance 2025-79 forward?

01:36:36.409 --> 01:36:37.409
So moved.

01:36:37.409 --> 01:36:38.409
Second.

01:36:38.409 --> 01:36:39.409
Oh, Linda.

01:36:39.409 --> 01:36:44.369
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

01:36:44.369 --> 01:36:48.649
Discussion on this Ordinance.

01:36:48.649 --> 01:36:51.850
Item number 15 is the first reading of Ordinance 2025-80.

01:36:51.850 --> 01:36:53.529
Could you please read this?

01:36:53.529 --> 01:36:56.930
Ordinance Adapting Revised Hanger Lease Form.

01:36:56.930 --> 01:36:57.930
Manager Boyer?

01:36:57.930 --> 01:36:58.930
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:36:58.930 --> 01:37:06.210
everyone's well aware we've changed the lease agreement last year. Several of the tenants

01:37:06.210 --> 01:37:11.250
brought forward some concerns about the language and we're adopting the language that they've

01:37:11.890 --> 01:37:19.250
requested the change. It is in paragraph six, repair and maintenance. So essentially it changes,

01:37:19.250 --> 01:37:24.449
it essentially means the city's responsible for the electricity, the repair of the electricity

01:37:24.449 --> 01:37:54.449
and the outside premise. So with that being said, it's fairly minor changes. We're just trying to do our best to work with the current tenants to accomplish their concerns. So there are currently seven un-executed hanger leases which we're working on. Some of these are related to the small portion of the wording for the leases and the current

01:37:54.449 --> 01:38:00.850
Lease Places, the responsibility on the leasee for maintenance of the lease premises, excluding

01:38:00.850 --> 01:38:07.229
the roof and hanger door. The electric and concrete and roof hanger door, these all need

01:38:07.229 --> 01:38:16.449
to be changed moving forward. So staff recommends moving forward with this ordinance for a second

01:38:16.449 --> 01:38:17.590
reading.

01:38:17.590 --> 01:38:18.590
Is there such a motion?

01:38:18.590 --> 01:38:19.590
So moved.

01:38:19.590 --> 01:38:20.590
I second.

01:38:20.590 --> 01:38:25.229
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Discussion on this ordinance?

01:38:26.350 --> 01:38:33.229
Alderman Stacy? What were you saying about the electric portion of this? It's the wiring and the

01:38:33.229 --> 01:38:39.550
hanger was originally not included in the mechanicals and electrical responsibilities of the

01:38:39.550 --> 01:38:48.029
leasee. So we're including the electrical within the hanger. So now the city is responsible for all

01:38:48.029 --> 01:38:51.109
and Bitz.

01:38:51.109 --> 01:38:53.069
So, I just want to know what kind of electrical work that needs to be done at the airport?

01:38:53.069 --> 01:38:57.289
Well, it basically consists of some simple lighting circuits.

01:38:57.289 --> 01:39:01.510
So, they were just wanting to see that included in the lease moving forward.

01:39:01.510 --> 01:39:04.649
And was that included in the budget?

01:39:04.649 --> 01:39:05.649
Yes.

01:39:05.649 --> 01:39:09.420
For a million dollars, I hope so.

01:39:09.420 --> 01:39:11.619
Can I just add?

01:39:11.619 --> 01:39:12.619
Sure.

01:39:12.619 --> 01:39:16.039
Manager Boyer, these were things that we kind of covered anyway.

01:39:16.039 --> 01:39:18.960
We've just now memorialized it in the lease, correct?

01:39:18.960 --> 01:39:20.960
We didn't really add any responsibilities.

01:39:20.960 --> 01:39:23.079
We're just clarifying what the city will do.

01:39:23.079 --> 01:39:23.640
Absolutely.

01:39:23.640 --> 01:39:26.479
This is a clarification of what we always intended to do.

01:39:26.479 --> 01:39:31.359
It just hadn't been in the previous lease agreement.

01:39:31.359 --> 01:39:41.859
So OK, Ms. Anderson, by you saying that,

01:39:41.859 --> 01:39:45.260
Anderson, by you saying that, then you're saying we were covering stuff and committing

01:39:45.260 --> 01:39:52.020
ourselves to stuff that we never even agreed on or never even knew about.

01:39:52.020 --> 01:39:53.020
Sure.

01:39:53.020 --> 01:39:54.340
Not necessarily.

01:39:54.340 --> 01:39:58.720
It's like saying the original lease said we will take care of items one and two, and we

01:39:58.720 --> 01:40:01.300
always did take care of three, four, and five.

01:40:01.300 --> 01:40:02.300
It's no different.

01:40:02.300 --> 01:40:05.699
Now the lease lists items one through five.

01:40:05.699 --> 01:40:15.060
okay so when we redid the lease because we redid the lease image like a year ago

01:40:15.060 --> 01:40:22.060
why didn't it say all that then that's a very good question I mean think things

01:40:22.060 --> 01:40:27.899
come up you know the landlord takes care of certain items and it's just just you

01:40:27.899 --> 01:40:31.939
know you're gonna you're gonna maybe your lease says the landlord's gonna take

01:40:31.939 --> 01:40:36.060
care of your gutters but it didn't mention the downspouts well your your

01:40:36.060 --> 01:40:41.659
Renter, once downspout listed in there. I mean it's it's just kind of obvious things that should should be listed.

01:40:42.779 --> 01:40:47.100
Right, like concrete. Yes, absolutely. That was a very simple example. Right.

01:40:49.500 --> 01:40:54.380
Staff recommends moving this on to second reading. Yep, we have the first and second to move forward.

01:40:55.260 --> 01:41:00.939
Item number 16 is the adoption of resolution 2025-145. Could you please read this?

01:41:00.939 --> 01:41:06.539
Resolution Establishing a Ceremonial Sister City Relationship with Littitz, Pennsylvania

01:41:06.539 --> 01:41:07.539
Thank you.

01:41:07.539 --> 01:41:08.539
Manager Boyer?

01:41:08.539 --> 01:41:09.539
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:41:09.539 --> 01:41:13.260
Freeport's recently developed a growing connection with Littitz, Pennsylvania.

01:41:13.260 --> 01:41:17.460
They share many similarities with Freeport, the German heritage, strong downtown activity

01:41:17.460 --> 01:41:20.180
life and a well-known pretzel identity.

01:41:20.180 --> 01:41:25.220
Tim Connors has served as the informal local ambassador to Littitz and has proposed the

01:41:25.220 --> 01:41:30.899
city consider a ceremonial resolution establishing a sister city relationship.

01:41:30.899 --> 01:41:35.680
The mayor of Lidditz has also expressed interest in moving forward with this partnership.

01:41:35.680 --> 01:41:41.199
A sister city designation would recognize the goodwill already formed between both communities

01:41:41.199 --> 01:41:43.000
and the purpose is simple.

01:41:43.000 --> 01:41:47.079
Build friendships, share ideas, celebrate shared heritage, and look for opportunities

01:41:47.079 --> 01:41:49.319
that strengthen both cities.

01:41:49.319 --> 01:41:54.439
Possible areas of collaboration include tourism, cultural events, youth activities, historic

01:41:54.439 --> 01:41:57.520
preservation, and resident engagement.

01:41:57.520 --> 01:41:58.520
This action is ceremonial.

01:41:58.520 --> 01:41:59.520
O'Neill.

01:41:59.520 --> 01:42:02.199
It does not commit the city to program, staffing, or funding.

01:42:02.199 --> 01:42:08.000
Any future activities will be voluntary, community-driven, and brought to council if they require approval.

01:42:08.000 --> 01:42:12.039
The next step would be a joint statement of friendship and continued communication with

01:42:12.039 --> 01:42:13.039
Lidditz.

01:42:13.039 --> 01:42:14.319
There's no direct financial impact.

01:42:14.319 --> 01:42:17.560
Any future costs will be evaluated separately.

01:42:17.560 --> 01:42:22.039
Staff recommends moving forward with the resolution establishing a sister city relationship with

01:42:22.039 --> 01:42:26.199
the city of Freeport in the borough of Lidditz, Pennsylvania.

01:42:26.199 --> 01:42:28.279
Is there a motion to adopt?

01:42:28.279 --> 01:42:55.960
I don't know if you, City Manager Boyer, done your homework, but I did mine, and I don't

01:42:55.960 --> 01:43:05.060
see what we have in common with this city.

01:43:05.060 --> 01:43:29.239
It consists of about 9,700 people, Asian non-Hispanic 2.2%, other Hispanic 1.55%, white Hispanic

01:43:29.239 --> 01:43:33.710
Huffines.

01:43:33.710 --> 01:43:42.020
Black or African-American, 1.1%.

01:43:42.020 --> 01:43:51.020
White, non-Hispanic, 89.8%.

01:43:51.020 --> 01:43:53.020
Really.

01:43:53.020 --> 01:43:58.489
Other than a pretzel, what do we have in common?

01:43:58.489 --> 01:44:04.409
We're going to be joining something, I think it needs to be something that we're compatible

01:44:04.409 --> 01:44:11.909
to. And while we're on this, I would like to make a motion that this topic be removed

01:44:11.909 --> 01:44:12.909
indefinitely.

01:44:12.909 --> 01:44:24.710
Well, there's a motion on the floor for this to be removed indefinitely. Is there a second?

01:44:24.710 --> 01:44:31.390
The motion made by Alderman Stacy, seconded by Alderman Simmons. Discussion on removing

01:44:31.390 --> 01:44:32.390
indefinitely.

01:44:32.390 --> 01:44:34.829
I have a question.

01:44:34.829 --> 01:44:35.829
Sure.

01:44:35.829 --> 01:44:42.829
Is it just because of the nationalities? Or what is it?

01:44:42.829 --> 01:44:46.590
What do we have in common? What do we have in common with this city?

01:44:46.590 --> 01:44:50.590
Well, would you mind if I answer that?

01:44:50.590 --> 01:44:55.829
There's a lot of shared roots here of the German-American heritage.

01:44:55.829 --> 01:45:00.750
There's a lot of shared pretzel, which is really about craftsmanship

01:45:00.750 --> 01:45:03.670
and the tradition that both cities embrace.

01:45:03.670 --> 01:45:14.350
This is about a resolution that encourages the practices of exchanging ideas in business, arts, culture, and tourism.

01:45:14.350 --> 01:45:25.310
Plans are actually, we're planning on moving forward with different aspects through the GFP to explore cross promotional events,

01:45:25.310 --> 01:45:29.109
heritage tours, collaboration, branding efforts.

01:45:29.109 --> 01:45:33.270
They have the oldest first pretzel factory.

01:45:33.270 --> 01:45:40.470
We have discussions of bringing them here for sale. There's actually it's much greater than just

01:45:41.430 --> 01:45:46.550
we don't have a lot in common as far as population. They have their stuff together. Oh boy, do they

01:45:46.550 --> 01:45:55.170
have their stuff together. We're the ones that don't. We're the ones that don't. But if you feel

01:45:55.170 --> 01:46:00.369
they have their stuff together, why wouldn't we want to work with them to get our stuff together?

01:46:00.369 --> 01:46:05.010
That's what I can't understand. If they have their stuff together and you feel that they're

01:46:05.010 --> 01:46:35.010
they have their stuff together we don't right so they're not even in a place to even consider joining forces but with this little rich yes let me finish but evidently they must feel something the reason why they want to sister with us i mean if they were so good at what they were doing and and you feel that they're so great and they got their stuff together they're saying hey we'll help you get your stuff together well they only saw part of the neighborhoods but it's not they didn't see the whole Freeport they saw the downtown

01:46:35.010 --> 01:46:40.329
there's more to Freeport than downtown let's look at the whole city well they

01:46:40.329 --> 01:46:44.930
loved what they saw so of course they did before us is the removal of this

01:46:44.930 --> 01:46:48.689
indefinitely if there's no more discussion on this particular motion

01:46:48.689 --> 01:46:55.489
madam clerk please take the role on yeah I second it I don't need a second well

01:46:55.489 --> 01:47:00.770
she made a motion did she yeah I already have a second she's seconded okay so if

01:47:00.770 --> 01:47:05.869
you could please take the role on the removal of the sister city ordinance.

01:47:05.970 --> 01:47:06.470
Shadle?

01:47:06.670 --> 01:47:07.170
Resolution.

01:47:07.529 --> 01:47:08.170
Sanders?

01:47:08.329 --> 01:47:08.829
Yes.

01:47:09.010 --> 01:47:09.569
Sellers?

01:47:09.609 --> 01:47:10.109
No.

01:47:10.409 --> 01:47:10.909
Klemm?

01:47:11.270 --> 01:47:11.770
No.

01:47:11.869 --> 01:47:12.510
Johnson?

01:47:13.170 --> 01:47:13.869
Simmons?

01:47:15.170 --> 01:47:15.869
Who likes that?

01:47:17.649 --> 01:47:18.310
That was an I.

01:47:19.310 --> 01:47:19.810
Parker?

01:47:20.189 --> 01:47:20.689
No.

01:47:20.810 --> 01:47:21.390
Stacy?

01:47:24.029 --> 01:47:24.529
Yes.

01:47:27.670 --> 01:47:29.310
The motion fails three to five.

01:47:29.609 --> 01:47:30.470
Of course it does.

01:47:30.829 --> 01:47:33.810
So then before you is the passage of the resolution.

01:47:33.810 --> 01:48:06.119
any further discussion on the resolution? Madam Clerk please take the roll. Shadle? Yes. Sanders? No. Sellers? Yes. Klemm? Yes. Johnson? Yes. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Yes. Stacy? No. And the resolution is adopted 6-2. Item number 17 is the adoption of resolution 2025-146. Please read this. Resolution approving a capital improvement plan for

01:48:06.119 --> 01:48:13.559
26, 2029. Director Richter. Thank you, Your Honor. As our community continues to grow

01:48:13.559 --> 01:48:18.440
and evolve, it's essential that we plan carefully for the maintenance, replacement, and improvement

01:48:18.440 --> 01:48:23.680
of our public infrastructure and facilities. To accomplish this, we are proposing the Attached

01:48:23.680 --> 01:48:30.720
Capital Improvement Plan, which is a long-term planning and budgeting tool designed to guide

01:48:30.720 --> 01:48:34.840
We have two major investments in major community assets.

01:48:34.840 --> 01:48:40.479
A capital improvement plan is a multi-year roadmap that identifies and prioritizes major

01:48:40.479 --> 01:48:46.399
projects such as road repairs, water and sewer upgrades, public buildings, and other infrastructure

01:48:46.399 --> 01:48:48.239
investments.

01:48:48.239 --> 01:48:53.539
It outlines what needs to be done and when it should be done and how much it should cost

01:48:53.539 --> 01:48:56.039
and how it will be funded.

01:48:56.039 --> 01:49:03.600
It is important to have a capital improvement plan for strategic and transparent planning,

01:49:03.600 --> 01:49:10.960
efficient use of resources, financial stability and predictability, accountability, and supporting

01:49:10.960 --> 01:49:14.119
economic development.

01:49:14.119 --> 01:49:21.279
Attached is the City of Freeport's capital improvement plan for years 2026 through 2029.

01:49:21.279 --> 01:49:25.880
Each of the items identified will come before council prior to purchase.

01:49:25.880 --> 01:49:32.059
You are not approving the purchase of the items at this time.

01:49:32.059 --> 01:49:33.899
This is a living document.

01:49:33.899 --> 01:49:39.680
It's fluid and will change year over year as it reflects the city's changing needs, priorities

01:49:39.680 --> 01:49:40.180
Beeson.

01:49:40.180 --> 01:49:43.279
and many other cities changing needs, priorities, and financial realities.

01:49:43.279 --> 01:49:49.600
Changes to this plan are necessary as projects are completed, delayed, or re-scoped each

01:49:49.600 --> 01:49:56.000
year, designs are finalized, or costs are clarified, budgets and timelines will need

01:49:56.000 --> 01:49:58.140
to be updated.

01:49:58.140 --> 01:50:04.159
Construction costs change, requiring adjustments to project budgets, and new regulatory requirements

01:50:04.159 --> 01:50:12.479
may create new infrastructure needs or technology changes, which can make older projects obsolete

01:50:12.479 --> 01:50:20.000
or asset condition changes. Each year, the updated plan will be presented to council requesting

01:50:20.000 --> 01:50:26.399
adoption. The strategic plan alignment is responsive, efficient government and staff

01:50:26.399 --> 01:50:33.600
Staff Request Approval of the Resolution Adopting the 2026 through 2029 Capital Improvement

01:50:33.600 --> 01:50:34.600
Plan.

01:50:34.600 --> 01:50:36.600
Is there a motion to adopt?

01:50:36.600 --> 01:50:37.600
So moved.

01:50:37.600 --> 01:50:38.600
Second.

01:50:38.600 --> 01:50:43.000
The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

01:50:43.000 --> 01:50:44.000
Discussion on the resolution?

01:50:44.000 --> 01:50:47.659
Alderman Stacy?

01:50:47.659 --> 01:50:57.220
All these things that says pending loan, pending loans, like we're going to take loans out

01:50:57.220 --> 01:51:04.220
for all of this, or the ones that's already out there.

01:51:04.220 --> 01:51:08.500
Those projects, I think it's mostly

01:51:08.500 --> 01:51:13.500
under water and sewer is where you're looking,

01:51:13.500 --> 01:51:15.579
would be IEPA loans.

01:51:19.020 --> 01:51:23.140
But if I remember, if I'm looking at this, all of these

01:51:23.140 --> 01:51:25.979
are projected out a year also.

01:51:25.979 --> 01:51:33.739
so they are pending loans but like I said it's fluid you know if we come across a grant that's

01:51:33.739 --> 01:51:38.140
going to pay for it or we're going to get some forgiveness or something like that that will

01:51:38.140 --> 01:51:45.739
change we're not locked into these loans at this time IEPA loans have to come to council

01:51:45.739 --> 01:51:53.420
but if we agree to do the project and we don't get any money in then we're locked into that loan

01:51:53.420 --> 01:52:26.520
Gabbard. We wouldn't start a project without knowing where the funding is coming from and approval by council with these dollar values and please the years 2026 are budgeted in the budget that was just passed this earlier 2026 2027 and further out those you know that's our those are our goals those are you know the the projects we have that we know we need to get done but it

01:52:26.520 --> 01:52:44.409
My problem with all of this is that we have so much, so many irons in the skillet.

01:52:44.409 --> 01:52:49.930
We got so much already started and so much that you're planning on to get started when

01:52:49.930 --> 01:52:59.560
this that we've already started is not even finished and complete.

01:52:59.560 --> 01:53:02.279
And I just feel like it's just too much.

01:53:02.279 --> 01:53:07.850
There's too much.

01:53:07.850 --> 01:53:08.850
Any other discussion?

01:53:08.850 --> 01:53:11.810
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:53:11.810 --> 01:53:12.810
Shadle?

01:53:12.810 --> 01:53:13.810
Aye.

01:53:13.810 --> 01:53:14.810
Sanders?

01:53:14.810 --> 01:53:15.810
No.

01:53:15.810 --> 01:53:16.810
Sellers?

01:53:16.810 --> 01:53:17.810
Aye.

01:53:17.810 --> 01:53:18.810
Klemm?

01:53:18.810 --> 01:53:19.810
Aye.

01:53:19.810 --> 01:53:20.810
Johnson?

01:53:20.810 --> 01:53:21.810
Aye.

01:53:21.810 --> 01:53:22.810
Simmons?

01:53:22.810 --> 01:53:23.810
Aye.

01:53:23.810 --> 01:53:24.810
Parker?

01:53:24.810 --> 01:53:25.810
Aye.

01:53:25.810 --> 01:53:26.810
And Stacy?

01:53:26.810 --> 01:53:27.810
No.

01:53:27.810 --> 01:53:28.810
The resolution is adopted 6-2.

01:53:28.810 --> 01:53:29.810
Item number 18 is the adoption of resolution 2025-147.

01:53:29.810 --> 01:53:31.210
Could you please read this?

01:53:31.210 --> 01:53:36.050
Resolution authorizing the write-off of uncollectible water and sewer balances aged 7 years and over

01:53:36.050 --> 01:53:42.689
Alder. Thank you, Director Richter. Thank you, Your Honor. The write-off of utility balances is

01:53:42.689 --> 01:53:47.890
necessary when a resident's balance is considered to be uncollectible. If the balances are not

01:53:47.890 --> 01:53:53.010
written off, the city will carry an accounts receivable balance that overstates the amount

01:53:53.010 --> 01:53:59.649
of outstanding customer balances. By writing off the accounts yearly, we more accurately reflect

01:53:59.649 --> 01:54:05.890
our financial position. Despite efforts to collect these outstanding balances, we propose to write

01:54:05.890 --> 01:54:12.770
off all balances prior to July 1st of 2018 at this time. This would leave seven years

01:54:12.770 --> 01:54:23.329
of balances on the books. The proposed total to be written off is $75,556.46. Please note

01:54:23.329 --> 01:54:28.970
we are able to track prior balances that have been written off in our computer system if

01:54:28.970 --> 01:54:35.369
future utility service is requested in the name of an account that was previously written

01:54:35.369 --> 01:54:40.569
We will collect prior to new service starting.

01:54:40.569 --> 01:54:46.010
The resident is also required to pay a higher deposit on the account if an old balance was

01:54:46.010 --> 01:54:48.649
not paid.

01:54:48.649 --> 01:54:52.609
The strategic plan alignment is responsive, efficient government.

01:54:52.609 --> 01:55:02.170
Staff request approval of the resolution to write off $75,556.46 of water, sewer, storm,

01:55:02.170 --> 01:55:05.250
and garbage receivable balances at this time.

01:55:05.250 --> 01:55:30.880
The detail of the write-offs is contained in Exhibit A. And I'd also like to point out at the end of Exhibit A is a total amount of revenue that was taken in in FY 2018 per our audit report was 11 million, a little over 11 million.

01:55:30.880 --> 01:55:45.640
Millian, and so at this time we're writing off 0.682% that's less than 1% of balances

01:55:45.640 --> 01:55:46.640
at this time.

01:55:46.640 --> 01:55:49.890
Is there a motion to adopt?

01:55:49.890 --> 01:55:50.890
So moved.

01:55:50.890 --> 01:55:51.890
Second.

01:55:51.890 --> 01:55:55.329
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

01:55:55.329 --> 01:55:56.329
Discussion on the resolution?

01:55:56.329 --> 01:55:58.329
Yes, Alderman Sellers.

01:55:58.329 --> 01:56:00.010
I just have a quick question.

01:56:00.010 --> 01:56:03.890
How long are these residents' names?

01:56:03.890 --> 01:56:13.170
How long do they stay on the list if they want to come and reapply for water, sewer,

01:56:13.170 --> 01:56:14.329
or whatever?

01:56:14.329 --> 01:56:15.649
How long is their name on there?

01:56:15.649 --> 01:56:18.210
Is it on there indefinitely or?

01:56:18.210 --> 01:56:19.489
At this point, it's indefinitely.

01:56:19.489 --> 01:56:28.289
We just switched to a new computer system five years ago, but even the old stuff from

01:56:28.289 --> 01:56:52.659
How many of these are businesses? Landlords? I'm going to pick out one. I pulled out Banker's Trust Company of California. Why do we even have Banker's Trust Company of California owing us $485,000?

01:56:52.659 --> 01:57:04.899
Why do we even have Bankers Trust Company of California owing us $485. It was

01:57:04.899 --> 01:57:12.880
foreclosed on. Property foreclosed on? Yeah the mortgage wasn't paid on the

01:57:12.880 --> 01:57:18.460
property it went back to the bank and so we tried to charge the they would be

01:57:18.460 --> 01:57:26.300
We considered the owner at that time and our CIP charges on the water and sewer accounts

01:57:26.300 --> 01:57:34.380
at this time, I would like to point out back before 2019, there were five years of CIP

01:57:34.380 --> 01:57:39.340
charges that would go on an account even if the water was turned off.

01:57:39.340 --> 01:57:42.619
That was changed to one year in 2019.

01:57:42.619 --> 01:57:49.020
So if you're there, you know, there's higher balances on some of these accounts because

01:57:49.020 --> 01:57:53.020
those CIP charges stayed with the home for five years.

01:57:53.020 --> 01:57:54.600
They don't stay with the home anymore.

01:57:54.600 --> 01:57:57.180
For five years, it's only one year.

01:57:57.180 --> 01:58:03.810
Could you please take it?

01:58:03.810 --> 01:58:12.649
Landlords that have water in their names, are they on this list?

01:58:12.649 --> 01:58:21.940
are we allowing landlords to get their bills paid and I didn't go through and I don't

01:58:21.940 --> 01:58:27.579
know if every single one of these is a property or a landlord. Is that something that can

01:58:27.579 --> 01:58:37.300
be easily determined through all this technology system that we have? We did go through this

01:58:37.300 --> 01:58:41.979
list to make sure there were no active accounts that we could transfer these balances to.

01:58:41.979 --> 01:59:07.649
Yeah, but can we through, maybe I need to be asking the gentleman at the back. Can we determine what is landlords and what is the people? City Manager Boyer?

01:59:07.649 --> 01:59:14.850
We can definitely discuss it right now, just moving forward with the write-offs. We'd like

01:59:14.850 --> 01:59:19.850
to move forward with this one and we can carry on that conversation outside of the meeting.

01:59:19.850 --> 01:59:27.890
I think it kind of comes back to the director's point of none of these names are active. So

01:59:27.890 --> 01:59:33.690
if that's the case, none of them would be landlords right now with that bill going on.

01:59:33.690 --> 01:59:37.690
Well, we'll see, because...

01:59:37.690 --> 01:59:43.319
because I don't like being blew off with this and I just know from last year and

01:59:43.319 --> 01:59:50.619
the year before when we went through all that list that landlords were getting

01:59:50.619 --> 01:59:59.979
over like fat rats and I don't know if it was buddies, friends, I don't know but I

01:59:59.979 --> 02:00:12.260
but I just know that they still had apartments and their name was on the list because it

02:00:12.260 --> 02:00:15.300
had been outstanding for seven years.

02:00:15.300 --> 02:00:22.100
Director, I guess I just would like to make sure you know that we do not choose favorites

02:00:22.100 --> 02:00:23.819
in the water department.

02:00:23.819 --> 02:00:31.739
I have never been ordered by any of my superiors to do right off any balances because someone

02:00:31.739 --> 02:00:39.899
is a landlord. I would also, I would just like to continue. We did check every one of

02:00:39.899 --> 02:00:45.659
these to see if they had an active account currently. And if they did, we moved it to

02:00:45.659 --> 02:00:52.180
the active account. So we did look to see if they're active. Now after seven years,

02:00:52.180 --> 02:00:59.159
as my understanding, you can't, I can't take them to court after seven years. But I do

02:00:59.159 --> 02:01:04.619
to try to collect, and we collect several, lots of dollars for someone who maybe was

02:01:04.619 --> 02:01:08.659
here in the community, left a balance, and now came back again.

02:01:08.659 --> 02:01:10.539
We look everybody up when they come in.

02:01:10.539 --> 02:01:16.899
We ask for maiden names, we look them up to see if there's an outstanding balance prior

02:01:16.899 --> 02:01:18.100
to setting up service.

02:01:18.100 --> 02:01:23.409
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

02:01:23.409 --> 02:01:24.409
Shadle?

02:01:24.409 --> 02:01:25.409
Aye.

02:01:25.409 --> 02:01:26.409
Sanders?

02:01:26.409 --> 02:01:27.409
Aye.

02:01:27.409 --> 02:01:28.409
Sellers?

02:01:28.409 --> 02:01:29.409
Aye.

02:01:29.409 --> 02:01:30.409
Klemm?

02:01:30.409 --> 02:01:31.409
Aye.

02:01:31.409 --> 02:01:42.500
and Stacey. The resolution is adopted 8 to 0. Item number 19 is the adoption of resolution 2025 148.

02:01:42.500 --> 02:01:47.619
Could you please read this? Resolution approving agreement with Fehr Graham to provide consulting

02:01:47.619 --> 02:01:54.979
services for landfills 2-3 and landfill 4. Manager Boyer. Thank your honor. As we all know,

02:01:55.539 --> 02:02:02.579
we own several landfills, all of them capped but have legacy costs related to monitoring

02:02:02.579 --> 02:02:07.439
for Contaminants and that will go on for quite some time.

02:02:07.439 --> 02:02:15.199
So the City of Freeport has an annual engineering requirement for these services for 2, 3, and

02:02:15.199 --> 02:02:19.720
4 and as part of the Illinois EPA protection closure process.

02:02:19.720 --> 02:02:26.159
The engineering contract is required for the IEP mandated routine sampling, lab analysis

02:02:26.159 --> 02:02:30.359
and various reporting and upkeep of landfill and leachate system.

02:02:30.359 --> 02:02:35.479
Jodi approves a required landfill engineer contracted for the annual needs of the three

02:02:35.479 --> 02:02:37.880
city-owned dumps we already discussed.

02:02:37.880 --> 02:02:42.840
Fehr Graham is the licensed Freeport landfill engineer, and their environmental team specializes

02:02:42.840 --> 02:02:45.000
in landfill monitoring and closures.

02:02:45.000 --> 02:02:49.920
Fehr Graham has been the landfill engineer since it originally closed, and this contract

02:02:49.920 --> 02:02:55.239
requires significant landfill sampling, lab analysis, leachate system outkeep, and reporting,

02:02:55.239 --> 02:02:58.520
which an Illinois licensed engineer must perform.

02:02:58.520 --> 02:03:04.800
This 2026 contract reflects an increase in the IEPA required sampling parameters and

02:03:04.800 --> 02:03:10.159
the cost of professional certified lab testing. A contingency line is set up for unforeseen

02:03:10.159 --> 02:03:16.079
regulatory work mandated by the leachate system issues, i.e. we've had various concerns with

02:03:16.079 --> 02:03:25.159
jetting or cleaning and monitoring those and other EPA permitted directives. These items

02:03:25.159 --> 02:03:31.119
Williams can only be approved for addition by the City Manager, me, and funding for this

02:03:31.119 --> 02:03:36.079
annual landfill engineering agreement is included in the 26th budget. Staff recommends City

02:03:36.079 --> 02:03:39.779
Council move forward with the landfill engineering contract with Fehr Graham.

02:03:39.779 --> 02:03:40.779
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:03:40.779 --> 02:03:41.779
So moved.

02:03:41.779 --> 02:03:42.779
Second.

02:03:42.779 --> 02:03:50.600
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion. Madam Clerk,

02:03:50.600 --> 02:03:51.600
please.

02:03:51.600 --> 02:03:52.600
Yes.

02:03:52.600 --> 02:03:53.600
Alderman Sanders.

02:03:53.600 --> 02:04:06.279
Yeah. I'm listening to all of this, but who's hiring Fehr Graham? First of all, I'm not

02:04:06.279 --> 02:04:17.760
asking a question right now. I'm just going to bundle it together, couple it together,

02:04:17.760 --> 02:04:30.989
so I'm not cut off. I'm making my point. When hiring Fehr Graham to do this study, this

02:04:30.989 --> 02:04:34.050
Farnsworth, Paul, Ben, and

02:04:34.050 --> 02:04:36.229
our last speaker, John Harkin.

02:04:36.229 --> 02:04:37.890
I will give you a little bit of a

02:04:37.890 --> 02:04:39.829
brief introduction to this project.

02:04:39.829 --> 02:04:41.789
It is a very interesting project.

02:04:41.789 --> 02:04:44.670
You're bringing this to us, but we haven't

02:04:44.670 --> 02:04:49.750
talked about the cost assessment of all of

02:04:49.750 --> 02:04:52.770
the studies that are being done for this

02:04:52.770 --> 02:04:54.289
particular project.

02:04:54.289 --> 02:04:56.689
I don't have no problems with it.

02:04:56.689 --> 02:04:59.890
It's just the fact that we have not heard

02:04:59.890 --> 02:05:00.890
Boyer.

02:05:00.890 --> 02:05:08.090
I don't have any financial report study estimation cost or whatever to even do this study.

02:05:08.090 --> 02:05:19.130
What I'm wondering is, and I heard Director Boyer spoke that he was making that decision.

02:05:19.130 --> 02:05:24.770
He don't make that decision when it comes to making reportings onto council.

02:05:24.770 --> 02:05:26.770
Let's get that straight.

02:05:26.770 --> 02:05:32.850
If anybody does any reporting agencies or estimated cost financial budgeting and everything

02:05:32.850 --> 02:05:38.390
like that, that has to pass through council.

02:05:38.390 --> 02:05:43.789
Director Boyer brings us up to date of what the discoveries are to talk about it with

02:05:43.789 --> 02:05:45.789
council.

02:05:45.789 --> 02:05:52.270
Then council has the leverage to debate that issue and then come up with other kinds of

02:05:52.270 --> 02:05:56.590
alternatives or conclusions, not just no one individual.

02:05:56.590 --> 02:06:05.149
is a council's responsibility. I don't mind it's coming forth, but I like for it to be exposed

02:06:05.149 --> 02:06:12.430
unto council where we have a clear understanding where this particular project is moving and how

02:06:12.430 --> 02:06:17.310
it's going to be financed and things of that nature. So I don't have no problem with that.

02:06:17.310 --> 02:06:24.270
It's just that how it's being presented on the floor is if though we have to accept it immediately

02:06:24.270 --> 02:06:26.270
and

02:06:28.270 --> 02:06:30.270
John.

02:06:31.770 --> 02:06:37.270
I don't know what the cost is going to be like for a certain

02:06:37.270 --> 02:06:40.270
project just like any other project. We just can't throw

02:06:40.270 --> 02:06:44.270
that thing out there in the sky and say this is what we want to

02:06:44.270 --> 02:06:48.270
do and things of this nature without coupling it with a cost.

02:06:48.270 --> 02:06:53.270
If there's a cost, if there's a goal, if there's a goal, if

02:06:53.270 --> 02:07:00.729
Foss, if there's a grant brought with this project, then let it be known to the council

02:07:00.729 --> 02:07:06.430
that we can look at it from a different perspective, and that's all I wanted to say on that.

02:07:06.430 --> 02:07:10.229
So that's what I'm getting at.

02:07:10.229 --> 02:07:17.050
I want things to continue to be transparent right now so we can see where the dollars

02:07:17.050 --> 02:07:19.050
and

02:07:20.050 --> 02:07:22.050
John.

02:07:23.149 --> 02:07:27.149
We have a lot of people who are receiving these dollars and what

02:07:27.149 --> 02:07:29.149
kind of timetable to get these projects done.

02:07:31.250 --> 02:07:33.250
That's what I'm looking at right now.

02:07:34.350 --> 02:07:36.350
I don't have no argument with any agency as long as they're

02:07:37.449 --> 02:07:39.449
getting the work done.

02:07:40.850 --> 02:07:42.850
I just like the fact that it needs to be brought to counsel

02:07:43.949 --> 02:07:45.949
before any decision making is being made.

02:07:47.050 --> 02:07:52.890
Well, never mind. I won't criticize nobody in council today, but that's it. That's all I wanted to say.

02:07:53.890 --> 02:08:00.609
Alderman Sanders, you are correct. It's not the city manager's job to approve it. It's his job to bring it before you.

02:08:00.609 --> 02:08:00.930
Yes.

02:08:00.930 --> 02:08:02.529
And it's your job to approve it or not.

02:08:02.529 --> 02:08:03.770
Thank you. I know that already.

02:08:03.770 --> 02:08:05.770
So, Darren, you have something to add.

02:08:05.770 --> 02:08:15.489
Yeah. In the packet today, every cost for the services was outlined specifically by unit price. It's established by unit price.

02:08:15.489 --> 02:08:19.690
Settlers, the only items that could be added are contingency items that are unknown at

02:08:19.690 --> 02:08:21.090
this time.

02:08:21.090 --> 02:08:22.750
So the permit's been issued.

02:08:22.750 --> 02:08:24.409
So we know what the requirements are.

02:08:24.409 --> 02:08:29.390
If some condition changes during the calendar year, the DPA directs us that we have to do

02:08:29.390 --> 02:08:35.250
additional sampling or, you know, God forbid something happens out there that, you know,

02:08:35.250 --> 02:08:38.770
a sink or something extra happens.

02:08:38.770 --> 02:08:43.270
We have contingency money that is only placed for that to address emergencies and it can

02:08:43.270 --> 02:08:49.029
can only be approved by the city manager through this contract above and beyond what is already listed.

02:08:49.029 --> 02:08:53.869
So that will come back to you as an emergency authority, just like everything else that we've done.

02:08:53.869 --> 02:09:00.789
But every every cost center is identified in both at each landfill individually.

02:09:01.109 --> 02:09:03.949
And if the line items don't get used, they don't get charged.

02:09:04.149 --> 02:09:08.989
OK, thank you. I will also like to tell counsel that Jake,

02:09:08.989 --> 02:09:15.229
which is our landfill manager, the guy that does the sampling and runs the

02:09:15.229 --> 02:09:20.470
testing. He went above and beyond this year for the city. We filed numerous

02:09:20.470 --> 02:09:25.109
letters with the EPA to reduce sampling at all of the landfills trying to reduce

02:09:25.109 --> 02:09:29.390
this contract and save the city costs because we know this is an expensive

02:09:29.390 --> 02:09:34.309
contract. We have several letters back that they've denied the reduction in

02:09:34.309 --> 02:09:37.909
sampling but we did that at no cost.

02:09:37.909 --> 02:09:38.699
and Sampling but we did that at no service cost to the city just trying to reduce the

02:09:38.699 --> 02:09:44.819
cost because lab sampling is getting extremely expensive and is probably close to 50% of

02:09:44.819 --> 02:09:47.979
this contract cost alone.

02:09:47.979 --> 02:09:48.979
Thank you.

02:09:48.979 --> 02:09:51.869
Thank you.

02:09:51.869 --> 02:09:53.869
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

02:09:53.869 --> 02:09:54.869
Shadle.

02:09:54.869 --> 02:09:55.869
Aye.

02:09:55.869 --> 02:09:56.869
Sanders.

02:09:56.869 --> 02:09:57.869
Aye.

02:09:57.869 --> 02:09:58.869
Sellers.

02:09:58.869 --> 02:09:59.869
Aye.

02:09:59.869 --> 02:10:00.869
Klemm.

02:10:00.869 --> 02:10:01.869
Aye.

02:10:01.869 --> 02:10:02.869
Johnson.

02:10:02.869 --> 02:10:05.689
Aye.

02:10:05.689 --> 02:10:06.689
Simmons.

02:10:06.689 --> 02:10:07.689
Aye.

02:10:07.689 --> 02:10:18.779
Abstain. The resolution is adopted 7-0 with one abstentia. Item number 20 is adoption of resolution

02:10:18.779 --> 02:10:25.579
2025-149. Please read this. Resolution approving an agreement with Fehr Graham to provide

02:10:25.579 --> 02:10:31.340
Alberta's airport stormwater inspections and reports. Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you,

02:10:31.340 --> 02:10:35.979
Your Honor. The city-owned airport is required to have quarterly inspections and annual reporting

02:10:35.979 --> 02:10:41.659
for required stormwater pollution prevention by a licensed stormwater inspector and professional

02:10:41.659 --> 02:10:42.659
engineer.

02:10:42.659 --> 02:10:48.539
Again, Fehr Graham has brought forward and has assisted the city for several years on

02:10:48.539 --> 02:10:52.500
this, and we would like to bring that before council.

02:10:52.500 --> 02:11:01.260
The total cost of the program is $7,300, and staff recommends moving forward with the stormwater

02:11:01.260 --> 02:11:03.180
inspection reporting project.

02:11:03.180 --> 02:11:04.180
Project.

02:11:04.180 --> 02:11:06.100
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:11:06.100 --> 02:11:07.100
So moved.

02:11:07.100 --> 02:11:08.100
I second.

02:11:08.100 --> 02:11:11.579
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson.

02:11:11.579 --> 02:11:12.579
Discussion on the resolution.

02:11:12.579 --> 02:11:15.859
Madam Clerk, please take your roll.

02:11:15.859 --> 02:11:16.859
Hold it, hold it.

02:11:16.859 --> 02:11:18.260
Mayor, you're moving a little bit.

02:11:18.260 --> 02:11:20.220
You gotta pause for a minute.

02:11:20.220 --> 02:11:25.260
You gotta pause, Mayor, because I'm pausing to see where my colleagues are.

02:11:25.260 --> 02:11:28.380
Okay, Alderman Sanders, did you want to speak?

02:11:28.380 --> 02:11:29.380
Is that, were you asking for the floor?

02:11:29.380 --> 02:11:30.380
I'm speaking to you directly.

02:11:30.380 --> 02:11:32.380
That's who I'm speaking to.

02:11:32.380 --> 02:11:33.380
Okay.

02:11:33.380 --> 02:11:39.380
No, I'm talking to you directly. I'm not posing a question in regards to the...

02:11:39.380 --> 02:11:47.380
Okay, I'm the chair. If it's silent, I can move things forward. If you have something to add in discussion, then add the discussion.

02:11:47.380 --> 02:11:49.380
Before you rush the discussion...

02:11:49.380 --> 02:11:51.380
Would you like to add something to discussion?

02:11:51.380 --> 02:11:52.380
Yes, I would.

02:11:52.380 --> 02:11:53.380
Okay.

02:11:53.380 --> 02:12:02.380
Yeah, but the point of matter is, let's everybody else chime in. It's not just a one-off thing here.

02:12:02.380 --> 02:12:22.670
I wanted to table this or suspend this thing, but I'm just going to table it for now because

02:12:24.510 --> 02:12:31.949
my colleagues are not on the court with anything that we're discussing tonight, especially in areas

02:12:31.949 --> 02:12:37.710
that's costing millions of dollars. The concern should be millions of dollars that should be

02:12:37.710 --> 02:13:07.710
Huffines, Chris, Chris, John, John, John,

02:13:07.710 --> 02:13:13.869
We're not going to be rushed through council, so anyway, I just wanted to stay on topic

02:13:13.869 --> 02:13:25.430
about the whole way that we're processing this and how we come to the data or the project

02:13:25.430 --> 02:13:37.510
of testing storm and water out at the Alberta's airport and what brought that matter up.

02:13:37.510 --> 02:13:45.569
What I'm saying is, if there was no problem out there, and it definitely doesn't describe

02:13:45.569 --> 02:13:52.489
as a problem that I'm looking at, what is the implementation of this study?

02:13:52.489 --> 02:13:56.369
Have we had a problem out there with the storm and sewer, whatever the case is that we're

02:13:56.369 --> 02:13:57.850
looking at?

02:13:57.850 --> 02:14:05.890
Has there been a problem that prompted city manager to look into these matters?

02:14:05.890 --> 02:14:16.289
What do we discover? Was there a discovery with the storm and water program on this item?

02:14:16.289 --> 02:14:22.210
Was there an issue there? That issue should be brought to the council where we can understand

02:14:22.210 --> 02:14:29.569
why it is that we're hiring someone to do a study if we have not even talked about the

02:14:29.569 --> 02:14:34.729
study and the reason why that study should be even relevant at this time.

02:14:34.729 --> 02:14:45.449
So that's what I'm trying to do. That's the reason why I've tried to pause for council to inject their viewpoints as well as my own.

02:14:45.449 --> 02:14:54.010
So my thing is, are we engaged to just let things happen? That's my point of view of things.

02:14:54.010 --> 02:14:58.090
Okay, so you want to make a motion to table? Is that correct, what I'm hearing?

02:14:58.090 --> 02:15:02.729
No, I'm not going to table this. I thought I would, but I'm not going to do it.

02:15:04.729 --> 02:15:07.930
Okay. And just for a point of clarification, we're not talking about millions of dollars,

02:15:07.930 --> 02:15:14.970
we're talking about $7,300. I know on that particular one, but I said, as we go along,

02:15:14.970 --> 02:15:19.289
it's going to get into the millions. You didn't hear that part. So, Darren, did you want to?

02:15:20.010 --> 02:15:25.850
So this is a stormwater inspection that's required by the EPA and the airport due to the jet fuels

02:15:25.850 --> 02:15:32.090
that are used out at the airport. There's nothing suspicious about this. This is an annual contract

02:15:32.090 --> 02:15:33.090
Weirich.

02:15:33.090 --> 02:15:36.970
It's time and material, and usually this is worst case scenario.

02:15:36.970 --> 02:15:39.810
It's usually much cheaper than this by the end of the year.

02:15:39.810 --> 02:15:42.970
It depends on if there's anything found in the water or not.

02:15:42.970 --> 02:15:48.289
There hasn't been anything found for the last year and a half to my knowledge.

02:15:48.289 --> 02:15:49.289
And we do quarterly inspections.

02:15:49.289 --> 02:15:52.850
You have to do a wet inspection and you have to do a dry inspection.

02:15:52.850 --> 02:15:58.109
So and the paperwork's all reported up to the EPA and to the airport managers.

02:15:58.109 --> 02:16:01.810
The better job that they do at the airport, the less work needs to be done.

02:16:01.810 --> 02:16:28.449
Item number 21 is the adoption of resolution 2025 150. Please read this. Resolution approving

02:16:28.449 --> 02:16:33.149
in agreement with Cinegro Central for the loading, transporting, and land application

02:16:33.149 --> 02:16:37.049
of biosolids generated by the city's Hancock Wastewater Treatment Plant.

02:16:37.049 --> 02:16:39.049
Manager Boyer.

02:16:39.049 --> 02:16:40.049
Thank you, Your Honor.

02:16:40.049 --> 02:16:44.530
The treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant, as a byproduct, creates two end products.

02:16:44.530 --> 02:16:51.129
One of those is clean water, and the other one is biosolids.

02:16:51.129 --> 02:16:53.090
The biosolids is a solid matter.

02:16:53.090 --> 02:16:57.010
After it's gone through the treatment process, it has been dewatered and stored in a biosolid

02:16:57.010 --> 02:17:01.809
Ford, Michael, and Fred, and the man who was in charge of the construction of the new

02:17:01.809 --> 02:17:03.809
waste waste treatment plant.

02:17:03.809 --> 02:17:09.170
Once the storage area is full, staff call a contracted hauler, Synegro, to land apply

02:17:09.170 --> 02:17:11.170
that biosolid.

02:17:11.170 --> 02:17:16.290
Synegro contracts and coordinates with farmers in the area so that the biosolids can be land

02:17:16.290 --> 02:17:20.530
applied to agricultural fields and used as natural fertilizer.

02:17:20.530 --> 02:17:25.809
Synegro is then responsible for keeping records and contracts with the participating farmers

02:17:55.809 --> 02:18:01.170
The contract between Synegro and the City of Freeport is set to expire December of 2025.

02:18:01.170 --> 02:18:07.370
The new contract ensures continued compliance with our National Pollution Discharge Permit.

02:18:07.370 --> 02:18:10.270
And Biosolid Land Application is a special service.

02:18:10.270 --> 02:18:17.170
It's very difficult to find qualified bio-application companies.

02:18:17.170 --> 02:18:21.870
Staff solicited bids from four Midwest companies that perform these land applications and no

02:18:21.870 --> 02:18:23.489
one else submitted a bid.

02:18:23.489 --> 02:18:30.170
This is required as a prevailing wage service for the municipality.

02:18:30.170 --> 02:18:32.809
The current contract was signed to set to expire in December.

02:18:32.809 --> 02:18:40.010
The original contract price was $46.99 a cubic yard for an estimated 3,300 cubic yards.

02:18:40.010 --> 02:18:46.170
The amendment would adjust the price to $48.21 per cubic yard effective January 1st to $26

02:18:46.170 --> 02:18:51.729
through December 31st to $28 when the contract expires and staff recommends moving forward

02:18:51.729 --> 02:18:58.450
Howard, with the resolution to approve of Cinegro for a hollage of biosolids.

02:18:58.450 --> 02:18:59.729
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:18:59.729 --> 02:19:00.729
So moved.

02:19:00.729 --> 02:19:01.729
Second.

02:19:01.729 --> 02:19:05.930
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

02:19:05.930 --> 02:19:06.930
Discussion on the resolution?

02:19:06.930 --> 02:19:14.489
I'm coming, Mayor.

02:19:14.489 --> 02:19:16.489
I'm looking at you.

02:19:16.489 --> 02:19:17.489
Yeah.

02:19:17.489 --> 02:19:23.909
I'm coming because, like I said, I wanted to pause, let my colleagues chime in and see

02:19:23.909 --> 02:19:25.209
where they're at.

02:19:25.209 --> 02:19:28.209
That's what I'm trying to do, be respectful.

02:19:28.209 --> 02:19:33.969
Sanders. Did you have some discussion? Yeah, I do. I do. Well, then.

02:19:33.969 --> 02:19:41.459
Well, anyway, by any chance, Manager Boyer, how many people contract, I mean, how many

02:19:41.459 --> 02:19:50.559
employees working for CentroGro to do the hauling for the city of Freeport and who is

02:19:50.559 --> 02:19:56.200
maintaining the program?

02:19:56.200 --> 02:20:00.760
Who's taking care of the whole project and are these people staffed at the city waste

02:20:00.760 --> 02:20:08.440
Cinegro is a private entity that is contracted for services for land

02:20:08.440 --> 02:20:14.219
application of biosolids. Okay, give me more. You're leaving things out. Give me

02:20:14.219 --> 02:20:18.479
more. I don't know how many people work for Cinegro. Yeah, it's more than that.

02:20:18.479 --> 02:20:21.959
There's no way I could know what their payroll is or how many

02:20:21.959 --> 02:20:27.239
people work there. And you can't know how much we're paying them for the

02:20:27.239 --> 02:20:29.920
and the year of their services.

02:20:29.920 --> 02:20:30.920
That you didn't ask.

02:20:30.920 --> 02:20:31.920
No, I didn't.

02:20:31.920 --> 02:20:38.280
But that's the reason why I'm trying to encourage you to give more detail.

02:20:38.280 --> 02:20:41.799
All right.

02:20:41.799 --> 02:20:45.239
Essentially it depends on our wastewater.

02:20:45.239 --> 02:20:51.479
Essentially we're talking about our average is 3,300 tons per year at ...

02:20:51.479 --> 02:20:52.479
48.

02:20:52.479 --> 02:20:53.479
46.

02:20:53.479 --> 02:21:05.440
Director Richter has some.

02:21:05.440 --> 02:21:10.440
I do have a number for 20, in 2024, we paid Cinegro 123,000.

02:21:13.840 --> 02:21:15.040
So it's last year.

02:21:15.040 --> 02:21:17.319
Okay, so how long have we been in business

02:21:17.319 --> 02:21:20.430
with this contractor?

02:21:20.430 --> 02:21:24.590
Very long time, since I've been here, we have.

02:21:24.590 --> 02:21:26.549
So we put the bid out to four other places,

02:21:26.549 --> 02:21:28.190
we only got one bid back.

02:21:28.190 --> 02:21:29.750
Okay, okay.

02:21:31.350 --> 02:21:32.350
Darren.

02:21:32.350 --> 02:21:35.270
So one of the issues with finding waste haulers

02:21:35.270 --> 02:21:40.469
is, um, people that spread biosolids contract fields and if they contract,

02:21:40.469 --> 02:21:43.909
they, you know, it's hard to bring a contractor from a long ways out of the

02:21:43.909 --> 02:21:47.829
area to contract land around here to spread it and then do all the paperwork

02:21:47.829 --> 02:21:48.549
requirements.

02:21:48.549 --> 02:21:53.790
And, uh, I believe Cinegral, I, they've done it for at least the last eight

02:21:53.790 --> 02:21:55.670
years that I know of, maybe longer.

02:21:55.670 --> 02:21:57.430
They've done a great job.

02:21:57.790 --> 02:22:04.270
Um, part of the cost here, uh, that is really, um, change things is the

02:22:04.270 --> 02:22:07.709
and the Prevailing Wage, which the state weighed in on it and said, this is a

02:22:07.709 --> 02:22:11.409
Prevailing Wage function and we must do certified payrolls for this job.

02:22:11.590 --> 02:22:15.149
That's changed the spreading business and it's put a lot of the small

02:22:15.149 --> 02:22:18.590
haulers that would have ever thought about doing this out of business.

02:22:20.709 --> 02:22:21.670
Second question.

02:22:21.950 --> 02:22:22.290
Sure.

02:22:23.190 --> 02:22:33.809
Um, how much, well, um, director Richter already stated how much per year, uh,

02:22:33.809 --> 02:22:34.809
and

02:22:34.809 --> 02:22:35.809
the

02:22:35.809 --> 02:22:36.809
city.

02:22:36.809 --> 02:22:37.809
What

02:22:37.809 --> 02:22:38.809
financial

02:22:38.809 --> 02:22:41.809
obligation does this

02:22:41.809 --> 02:22:47.809
contractor have with the city when it comes to financing chemical-based

02:22:47.809 --> 02:22:55.250
lab, chemical-based for solids and things of this nature for the production for putting

02:22:55.250 --> 02:22:59.329
that solid out in the farmers' field.

02:22:59.329 --> 02:23:01.329
What does it cost the city?

02:23:01.329 --> 02:23:03.649
You talked about how much it costs for them to

02:23:03.649 --> 02:23:11.110
to be contracted, how much does it cost the city to buy the chemical, or do we provide

02:23:11.110 --> 02:23:21.930
the chemical to help this state of biosolids to be formulated, to be put out on the field?

02:23:21.930 --> 02:23:26.510
Because that's a cost within itself, you know, throughout the year.

02:23:26.510 --> 02:23:27.510
So I don't know.

02:23:27.510 --> 02:23:29.549
I know it's a cost factor.

02:23:29.549 --> 02:23:34.950
The city has all the chemical costs in our own bids and it's part of our process.

02:23:34.950 --> 02:23:38.950
They just haul the bio sludge, they rent the fields and they spread it.

02:23:38.950 --> 02:23:39.950
That's their service.

02:23:39.950 --> 02:23:44.790
And it's by the ton because our tonnage changes.

02:23:44.790 --> 02:23:50.430
So now we're talking about the chemical that actually creates the bio solid.

02:23:50.430 --> 02:23:51.809
That's the cost.

02:23:51.809 --> 02:24:00.729
How much are we spending to do that for contractors to come in to make sure that these solids make

02:24:00.729 --> 02:24:02.290
it out to the field?

02:24:02.290 --> 02:24:11.809
It takes chemical material to create this type of form for that.

02:24:11.809 --> 02:24:15.770
Do we have a cost factor for the chemicals that are going in there?

02:24:15.770 --> 02:24:26.569
Foss, that's a major cost to transform sewage into a biosolid, you know, that's a serious

02:24:26.569 --> 02:24:33.370
change in the financial impact on the sewer department or the city itself.

02:24:33.370 --> 02:24:34.690
Dearon?

02:24:34.690 --> 02:24:37.250
It has nothing to do with this contract, so it's...

02:24:37.250 --> 02:24:43.329
No, not the contract, I'm talking about the chemical base for the haulers to be able to

02:24:43.329 --> 02:24:44.329
haul it.

02:24:44.329 --> 02:24:53.549
The city has to be able to break it down so it can be hauled.

02:24:53.549 --> 02:24:59.829
What chemicals are being financed to do that and how much is it costing?

02:24:59.829 --> 02:25:04.469
Well, like Darren said, this has nothing to do with this agreement.

02:25:04.469 --> 02:25:08.770
So if you have questions concerning the agreement, let's get back to that.

02:25:08.770 --> 02:25:11.569
Alderman Stacey?

02:25:11.569 --> 02:25:16.889
But I'm with Alderman Sanders on this.

02:25:16.889 --> 02:25:21.239
There is another fee.

02:25:21.239 --> 02:25:24.399
And what is that fee?

02:25:24.399 --> 02:25:25.399
Attorney Zito?

02:25:25.399 --> 02:25:30.799
If I think I'm understanding the question right, and so I'll pose this as a question

02:25:30.799 --> 02:25:35.159
to you, Darren, because I think they're asking about when the chemicals, right, to create

02:25:35.159 --> 02:25:37.440
the biosolids, right?

02:25:37.440 --> 02:25:39.520
That's our normal treatment process, right?

02:25:39.520 --> 02:25:45.959
our normal waste treatment process, the end result is this biosolid or through our normal

02:25:45.959 --> 02:25:46.959
treatment process.

02:25:46.959 --> 02:25:51.120
Now it's just a matter of every time we treat waste, there's always going to be this residue.

02:25:51.120 --> 02:25:52.680
What do we do with that residue?

02:25:52.680 --> 02:25:57.799
Cinegro hauls it away and spreads it on farm fields.

02:25:57.799 --> 02:26:02.399
So it's our normal treatment process anytime we treat sewer waste.

02:26:02.399 --> 02:26:10.030
So there's nothing that's our that causes the cost of us treating waste.

02:26:10.030 --> 02:26:42.079
Clerk, please take the roll. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons is absent. Parker? Aye. She's here. Oh, and your vote? Parker said aye. Aye. And Stacy? Aye. The resolution is adopted 8-0. Move on to department head reports. Finance? Nothing, your honor. Thank you. Community Development? Public Works?

02:26:42.079 --> 02:26:48.379
nothing tonight thank you fire thank you no report this evening nothing from the

02:26:48.379 --> 02:26:58.840
police department library nothing thank you and IT thank you city manager

02:26:58.840 --> 02:27:03.399
nothing tonight your honor and I don't have anything to add either so move on to

02:27:03.399 --> 02:27:09.440
council announcements Alderman Shadle I just would like to thank all of our city

02:27:09.440 --> 02:27:16.600
and the City employees, police, fire and street department especially for handling a very

02:27:16.600 --> 02:27:20.700
trying weekend in a very fine manner.

02:27:20.700 --> 02:27:23.489
Thank you.

02:27:23.489 --> 02:27:24.489
Oldman, Sanders?

02:27:24.489 --> 02:27:25.489
Nothing.

02:27:25.489 --> 02:27:26.489
Oldman, Sellers?

02:27:26.489 --> 02:27:27.489
Nothing.

02:27:27.489 --> 02:27:28.489
Oldman, Klemm?

02:27:28.489 --> 02:27:40.379
If I could Mayor, Chief, at our neighborhood watch the other night, it came up about the

02:27:40.379 --> 02:27:46.219
Shope with a Cop. And there were some people interested in giving and we passed the information

02:27:46.219 --> 02:27:51.100
on. Is there anything that you can tell that if somebody wants to give, how they could

02:27:51.100 --> 02:27:58.100
contact you guys or who would be the person? Sure. So we'll be doing shop with a cop on

02:27:58.100 --> 02:28:03.420
Saturday morning. We'll be taking donations anytime, particularly this week. Donations

02:28:03.420 --> 02:28:08.200
can be made to the Fraternal Order of Police. That's who ultimately funds the shop with

02:28:08.200 --> 02:28:38.200
Johnson, Nothing to Nightmare, Alderman, Simmons, Parker, just a couple one is a shot with a cop is a great program. We've been doing it for years. That's good. The other is want to just echo what Alderman Shadle said about the employees for this past weekend. And I think that's a good point. And I think that's a good point. And I think that's a good point. And I think that's a good point.

02:28:38.200 --> 02:28:57.500
to the many cause and constituents who called me pertaining to leaf pickup Tuesday night

02:28:57.500 --> 02:29:08.739
and Wednesday. I did the best I knew to do. I don't know where we go from here because

02:29:08.739 --> 02:29:19.010
because now the leaves are in the snow and I do wish we could have been more productive

02:29:19.010 --> 02:29:27.829
Wednesday with the leaves being picked up in areas where they had never been touched, however

02:29:27.829 --> 02:29:32.010
they were already flipped over to snow plows.

02:29:32.010 --> 02:29:40.200
Snowplow. So I don't know, City Manager Boyer, how many phone calls you received, you gave

02:29:40.200 --> 02:29:48.600
me permission to give them your number, and I did. But I don't know where we go from here

02:29:48.600 --> 02:30:04.940
come spring, because the leaves, they're going to be there.

02:30:04.940 --> 02:30:08.540
Okay. Move on to public comments. Tommy?

02:30:08.540 --> 02:30:24.510
I wanted to tell you, you know about World Siding and Freeport, it's empty buildings.

02:30:24.510 --> 02:30:28.860
You know what they're going to do with it?

02:30:28.860 --> 02:30:36.620
And so you know you do a good job, and so Stacy, we wanted to tell you, I got a new

02:30:36.620 --> 02:30:44.780
house at the solar program in Freeport.

02:30:44.780 --> 02:30:54.540
and I want to tell Tom Quinn he does a good job at Alderman and Freeport and he knows everything.

02:30:54.540 --> 02:30:55.860
Any other public comments?

02:30:55.860 --> 02:30:58.260
I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

02:30:58.260 --> 02:30:59.260
So moved.

02:30:59.260 --> 02:31:00.260
Second.

02:31:00.260 --> 02:31:02.860
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

02:31:02.860 --> 02:31:03.860
All those in favor?

02:31:03.860 --> 02:31:04.860
Aye.

02:31:04.860 --> 02:31:05.860
Opposed?