WEBVTT 00:00:10.289 --> 00:00:13.289 Good evening. Linda, could you please give the invocation? 00:00:18.460 --> 00:00:24.460 Dear Lord, we come to you tonight with the problem of finding funding to repair our streets. 00:00:24.460 --> 00:00:28.460 We are asking you to lead us because you already know the path that we should take. 00:00:28.460 --> 00:00:35.460 I release your word from 1 Corinthians 1440. Let all things be done decently and in order. 00:00:35.460 --> 00:00:42.460 And Father, I stand in the gap and offer up repentance for whatever has caused the animosity and mistrust. 00:00:42.460 --> 00:01:11.120 and 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:20.040 Cum, your will be done this night for this city as it is in heaven. Amen. 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:24.299 Thank you, Linda. So now we'll officially call this special meeting to order. Madam 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:30.260 Clerk, could you please take the roll? Mayor Miller? Here. Alderpersons, Clem? Here. 00:01:30.260 --> 00:01:39.379 Monroe? Here. Simmons is absent. Parker? Here. Stacy is absent. Shadle? Here. 00:01:39.379 --> 00:01:46.060 Sanders and Sellers are absent but we do have a quorum. Thank you and if you could 00:01:46.060 --> 00:02:11.389 please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Shadle. Item number one 00:02:11.389 --> 00:02:20.259 is the approval of the agenda is there such a motion so move second the motion 00:02:20.259 --> 00:02:25.680 made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Monroe all those in favor 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:31.639 signify by saying aye aye opposed that motion passes item number two is public 00:02:31.639 --> 00:02:37.710 comments we have three of them the clerk has one to read in first this was 00:02:37.710 --> 00:02:43.469 received by email from Lynette Williams Freeport citizen I watched Monday 00:02:43.469 --> 00:02:50.150 September 18th in caps oh my goodness make a motion get a second talk talk 00:02:50.150 --> 00:02:57.150 talk rescind the motion make a motion no second hot potato hot potato who has the 00:02:57.150 --> 00:03:02.509 hot potato I'm lost and so we're most people trying to follow this discussion 00:03:02.509 --> 00:03:09.629 60% of citizens in the city of Freeport in November 2022 voted home rule in not 00:03:09.629 --> 00:03:11.629 and 00:03:12.629 --> 00:03:14.629 Keeley. 00:03:15.729 --> 00:03:18.830 I am your referendum proponent. Everyone gets a voice. But I feel 00:03:18.830 --> 00:03:23.330 if you put this to referendum two situations will happen. One, 00:03:23.330 --> 00:03:27.330 road work won't be done for 12 to 18 months. And two, I think it 00:03:27.330 --> 00:03:31.330 will fail. You have the authority. 60% of the voters in 00:03:31.330 --> 00:03:35.330 the last election say you do. My suggestion is a motion to 00:03:35.330 --> 00:03:39.330 continue talks through details of possible road funding sources 00:03:39.330 --> 00:04:06.409 Thank you. Next we have Kevin Lamb. 00:04:06.409 --> 00:04:44.439 Alderpeople, Mayor. Look, did you say we have a quorum? Yes, sir. I'm looking at the rules here. It says that the majority of alder persons have to be present. There are nine and five are present. It specifically says alder persons. Madam Clerk, the attorney wants to address that. So under the, I believe under the Illinois Open Meetings Act that for a quorum that yes, you can 00:04:44.439 --> 00:04:47.699 You can count the mayor for purposes of establishing a quorum. 00:04:47.699 --> 00:04:54.319 But wouldn't your city council rules take precedent over general rules? 00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:59.339 My understanding is that the interpretation has been that a quorum for purposes of establishing 00:04:59.339 --> 00:05:05.100 a meeting, you can count the mayor for establishing quorum. 00:05:05.100 --> 00:05:06.660 That's always been my understanding. 00:05:06.660 --> 00:05:07.660 Okay. 00:05:07.660 --> 00:05:09.540 And that also is in line with the IML one rules. 00:05:09.540 --> 00:05:19.600 doesn't say that in your own rules and procedures. 00:05:19.620 --> 00:05:27.779 And then we also have Barbara Vines. 00:05:27.779 --> 00:05:31.060 Hello, I had in mind what I was going to say, 00:05:31.060 --> 00:05:33.399 but the letter from Lynette that was read 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:37.379 was so articulate and so echoed my sentiments 00:05:37.379 --> 00:05:41.540 that I'm just going to second what she said. 00:05:41.540 --> 00:05:52.079 And that concludes public comments. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:53.560 So we'll move on to item number three, 00:05:53.560 --> 00:05:56.639 which is the first reading of ordinance 2346. 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.550 Madam Clerk, could you please read this? 00:06:00.550 --> 00:06:07.829 Ordinance Approving 3.25% Increase in the Home Rule Sales Tax. 00:06:07.829 --> 00:06:11.399 Alderman Monroe. 00:06:11.399 --> 00:06:13.040 Thank you, Madam Mayor. 00:06:13.040 --> 00:06:17.480 So last week, as you heard in some of the public comments, 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:20.920 there were some struggles with passing 00:06:20.920 --> 00:06:27.139 an ordinance that approved a 1% increase with additional revenue 00:06:27.139 --> 00:06:32.339 being dedicated to funding salaries, wages, 00:06:32.339 --> 00:06:34.339 and I have been working with the city of New York City to get 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:37.439 those types of things along with the roads. 00:06:40.300 --> 00:06:42.300 That was one of the big holdups to several of the members 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:47.399 voting either yay or nay to the agenda item. 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:52.199 This year, you know, we are in a position right now that we 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:55.319 don't have set-aside funds for the roadways. 00:06:57.339 --> 00:06:59.339 And as you heard also in public comments, it's going to take 00:06:59.339 --> 00:07:01.339 DeVito, Kirsten, Pat, and the rest of the board. 00:07:02.860 --> 00:07:04.860 The next item is the 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:07.959 budget. 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:12.060 The budget is to get a referendum item through all of 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:16.079 the process steps if it were to pass in a public vote in 2024. 00:07:16.079 --> 00:07:18.079 So that would first come up for vote I believe in November of 00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:20.079 2024. 00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:23.500 And then it would have to go through all of the process to 00:07:23.500 --> 00:07:25.500 get the funds set up to move forward. 00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:26.500 Fowler. 00:07:26.500 --> 00:07:31.579 And in an effort to kind of bring people together, and clearly that hasn't achieved its goal, 00:07:31.579 --> 00:07:37.980 was to decrease the ordinance from 1% down to .75%. 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:42.459 It would also keep us in line with what Rockford and other large cities across northern Illinois 00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:43.980 are doing. 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:49.920 It would also fund the road work for the next two years. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:52.660 It would then be sunset when those two years were up. 00:07:52.660 --> 00:07:58.980 and what that means is this is a two year ordinance with a drop dead date at the very 00:07:58.980 --> 00:08:02.899 end of it and the city will speak and tell us what they want to do. 00:08:02.899 --> 00:08:09.060 It's not the way I wanted to go but in an effort to kind of bring sides together I think 00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:15.339 it makes a lot of sense to fund this for the next two years and then move to whatever we're 00:08:15.339 --> 00:08:46.970 We're going to do. If it's a referendum in November of 2024 or some other direction, which seems unclear at this time. Anybody else like to speak? Add anything to it? I, you know, from my standpoint, we have to continue to move forward on the road. We bought a lot of good equipment in the last two years. We've got our crews trained. The Public Works Department is doing a much better job. They're doing a great job. 00:08:46.970 --> 00:08:47.970 Fowler. 00:08:47.970 --> 00:09:04.809 I'm proud to kind of fund that continued improvement of our infrastructure and at least give the 00:09:04.809 --> 00:09:10.809 city manager and the staff a chance to continue to move forward on fixing our streets. 00:09:10.809 --> 00:09:15.809 And I will say out loud, I really am against new taxes. 00:09:15.809 --> 00:09:21.490 I think new taxes for the City of Freeport put a wet blanket on our economy and I really 00:09:21.490 --> 00:09:27.070 think it hurts some of our businesses but right now the roads themselves are hurting 00:09:27.070 --> 00:09:28.070 our businesses. 00:09:28.070 --> 00:09:32.730 So we have to make a decision, we have to act as grownups and we have to do something 00:09:32.730 --> 00:09:34.690 to move things forward. 00:09:34.690 --> 00:09:43.149 Mayor. 00:09:43.149 --> 00:09:44.149 Further discussion? 00:09:44.149 --> 00:09:56.860 Well, how do you propose we move forward? 00:09:56.860 --> 00:09:59.860 I'm going to make a motion that we adopt... 00:09:59.860 --> 00:10:00.000 and 00:10:01.240 --> 00:10:03.240 the board of trustees. 00:10:04.760 --> 00:10:10.920 I'm going to move the motion that we adopt ordinance 2023-46 00:10:10.920 --> 00:10:16.600 and move it to a special meeting. Can I do that at this point? 00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:22.720 Our normal protocol is you need a motion and a second to move 00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:24.720 the item forward. That's all that would be on it. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:26.760 by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Parker 00:10:26.760 --> 00:10:29.240 to move ordinance 2023-46 00:10:29.240 --> 00:10:44.780 onto the next regularly scheduled meeting. 00:10:44.780 --> 00:10:45.620 Madam Mayor. 00:10:46.540 --> 00:10:47.380 Alderman Klemm. 00:10:49.660 --> 00:10:53.120 Now that it's made a motion and seconded on the floor, 00:10:56.520 --> 00:10:58.580 my intentions are to vote against this 00:10:58.580 --> 00:11:01.260 and I'll tell you why when I do the vote. 00:11:01.260 --> 00:11:03.540 Don't need no whole debate. 00:11:03.540 --> 00:11:09.500 but if we're talking about what we're seeing here we basically have four 00:11:09.500 --> 00:11:15.820 people absent okay we have a couple people one of those persons I know has 00:11:15.820 --> 00:11:21.580 got a husband that's very ill one of them I know had a meeting that that they 00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:26.100 couldn't attend to be at this one I asked at the last meeting that we delayed 00:11:26.100 --> 00:11:32.340 the vote of this because everybody was not here mr. Parker was not here so we 00:11:32.340 --> 00:11:39.100 We didn't have a full array of aldermen and I believe something that's this important 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:41.020 should be. 00:11:41.020 --> 00:11:52.340 However, one of our jobs as being aldermen is to do what we feel is the best thing for 00:11:52.340 --> 00:11:58.700 our community and that's obviously been displayed that that's not happening on either side. 00:11:58.700 --> 00:12:02.460 No how, no way in the leadership, anything else. 00:12:02.460 --> 00:12:11.940 To come back with this, one week after it was voted on to kill it, to move it to a referendum, 00:12:11.940 --> 00:12:17.620 some place people gotta take a look at ethics, groupals, so on and so forth. 00:12:17.620 --> 00:12:19.580 And we've passed that. 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:28.340 I think this, since in my 16 plus years on the council, is probably the biggest mirrored 00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:56.940 Mearns, Pat, Chris, Patrick, Mark, Sam, Chris, Mike, Jim, Jeff, Kofi, Bill, Mike, Vincent, 00:12:56.940 --> 00:12:57.940 Huffines. 00:12:57.940 --> 00:13:05.400 We have sat and looked at the streets of Freeport for 20, 30, 40 years. 00:13:05.400 --> 00:13:07.300 The infrastructure is falling apart. 00:13:07.300 --> 00:13:09.500 I've only been on the council two years. 00:13:09.500 --> 00:13:14.180 And all I've done is try to fix both streets on both east and west side. 00:13:14.180 --> 00:13:19.140 I always constantly hear east side, west side of 26. 00:13:19.140 --> 00:13:26.700 It is a way to try and push a divide between people based on the color of their skin. 00:13:26.700 --> 00:13:28.860 and I've got a real problem with that. 00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:30.100 I've got a problem with people 00:13:30.100 --> 00:13:32.160 that don't wanna fix our streets. 00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:35.860 And I'm disappointed that 16 years on the council, 00:13:35.860 --> 00:13:39.320 I've seen very little in the way of roads getting repaired. 00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:41.000 What we've done in the last two and a half 00:13:41.000 --> 00:13:43.180 to three years is incredible. 00:13:43.180 --> 00:13:45.840 We've cleaned up Chicago street. 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.800 We've done major construction. 00:13:47.800 --> 00:13:50.320 We're seeing that now on some of our streets 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.360 that support some of the biggest businesses in our town. 00:13:53.360 --> 00:13:57.120 and now we run the risk of going to referendum 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:00.680 two years from now, being able to put money 00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:03.280 towards something, the Hancock Bridge could fail. 00:14:03.280 --> 00:14:05.800 If that fails, those businesses, those people 00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:08.280 are cut off from a lot of services. 00:14:08.280 --> 00:14:11.760 You have a major fire, major disaster there, they're stuck. 00:14:11.760 --> 00:14:13.720 Sorry, only trucks that can get through there 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:14.960 are the Freeport Fire Department. 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.400 No other outside agencies can. 00:14:17.400 --> 00:14:19.060 And this is disappointing. 00:14:19.060 --> 00:14:21.560 This is disappointing because this isn't about 00:14:21.560 --> 00:14:22.560 the east or west side. 00:14:22.560 --> 00:14:25.560 and the rest of the people who are here today. 00:14:25.560 --> 00:14:27.560 This is about the city of Freeport. 00:14:27.560 --> 00:14:30.560 This is about doing the right thing by the people. 00:14:30.560 --> 00:14:32.560 And here we sit, four people. 00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:33.560 I understand. 00:14:33.560 --> 00:14:34.560 It's hard. 00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:37.560 I missed a lot of meetings myself with health issues. 00:14:37.560 --> 00:14:39.560 But the second I could get back, I was here. 00:14:39.560 --> 00:14:43.560 And this isn't a difficult task. 00:14:43.560 --> 00:14:44.560 I've made phone calls. 00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:45.560 I've sent texts. 00:14:45.560 --> 00:14:47.560 And I've gotten nothing back. 00:14:47.560 --> 00:14:48.560 Huffines. 00:14:48.560 --> 00:14:51.960 She's the only one to try to call me back. 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:55.320 The rest, MIA. 00:14:55.320 --> 00:15:04.640 I've done a lot of research, and I'm fired up, I'm angry, I'm just beyond, I can't even 00:15:04.640 --> 00:15:10.460 say how I feel because, you know, the decorum of this room is much more important. 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:18.160 But I did a FOIA request, 16 years, Alderman Klemm, you've sat on this council, nobody 00:15:18.160 --> 00:15:31.930 has held the Freeport School District accountable, 33,391 pages of emails between two people 00:15:31.930 --> 00:15:37.610 who are gym teachers, one member of this council, and another member of the Freeport School 00:15:37.610 --> 00:15:42.810 District about election interference and election stuff going on. 00:15:42.810 --> 00:15:47.770 We are not holding anybody accountable, specifically the people in this room. 00:15:47.770 --> 00:15:52.650 And that's what I ran for office because I saw it happening and I sat back for years. 00:15:52.650 --> 00:15:58.290 Eighty-six percent increase in this Freeport School District annual expenditures. 00:15:58.290 --> 00:16:01.610 Meanwhile, the city of Freeport up only forty-four percent. 00:16:01.610 --> 00:16:02.610 Forty-four percent. 00:16:02.610 --> 00:16:04.970 I've got the numbers right here. 00:16:04.970 --> 00:16:07.450 We've held our taxes in check. 00:16:07.450 --> 00:16:09.170 We've done all we can. 00:16:09.170 --> 00:16:14.090 Meanwhile, the city's been fleeced by the Freeport Township, the Freeport School District, 00:16:14.090 --> 00:16:18.770 and they continue to take money out of this economy that could help us get back on our 00:16:18.770 --> 00:16:27.770 feet. It's disappointing. $23,000 per student. The highest of anybody in Northern Illinois. 00:16:27.770 --> 00:16:32.610 The highest. And we have the lowest rated school in all of North Central and Northwest 00:16:32.610 --> 00:16:40.410 Illinois, and we can't get $3.5 million to fix the road into this city. It's beyond. 00:16:40.410 --> 00:16:42.510 Johnson, Excuse me. 00:16:42.510 --> 00:16:46.130 Mr. Mayor, I have been asked to come back and speak to you. 00:16:46.130 --> 00:16:48.910 I am a very committed, committed to the state of Illinois. 00:16:48.910 --> 00:16:51.390 This is beyond believable at this point. 00:16:51.390 --> 00:16:52.470 We sit here. 00:16:52.470 --> 00:16:56.550 We argue about a 3.15% increase to get the roads fixed. 00:16:56.550 --> 00:17:01.050 Meanwhile, 86%, $85 million goes to the Freeport School District 00:17:01.050 --> 00:17:02.730 and they turn out some of the worst students 00:17:02.730 --> 00:17:03.950 in the state of Illinois. 00:17:03.950 --> 00:17:04.990 That's not me. 00:17:04.990 --> 00:17:07.150 That's the education department of the state of Illinois 00:17:07.150 --> 00:17:07.670 saying that. 00:17:07.670 --> 00:17:09.910 Alderman Monroe, you have to stay on topic. 00:17:09.910 --> 00:17:12.150 and 00:17:12.190 --> 00:17:13.690 I will say that it is a 00:17:13.710 --> 00:17:14.530 huge 00:17:14.550 --> 00:17:15.290 problem. 00:17:15.330 --> 00:17:17.090 We don't know what is going to 00:17:17.130 --> 00:17:17.830 happen. 00:17:17.850 --> 00:17:18.850 This is disappointing. 00:17:18.890 --> 00:17:21.090 The fact that nothing is going to 00:17:21.130 --> 00:17:23.190 get done for two years plus because it will 00:17:23.230 --> 00:17:25.269 take us to get going. 00:17:25.290 --> 00:17:26.930 What are we going to do? 00:17:26.970 --> 00:17:28.930 Our fire department will be able to 00:17:28.970 --> 00:17:29.970 fight fires. 00:17:30.010 --> 00:17:31.410 We've got water and sewer that is 00:17:31.430 --> 00:17:31.970 failing. 00:17:32.010 --> 00:17:33.269 How many times 00:17:33.310 --> 00:17:35.850 do we go and put a tanker truck or 00:17:35.870 --> 00:17:38.350 hit to run water out of the Peck River? 00:17:38.350 --> 00:17:45.030 and I can't believe that we can't come together to come up with a solution for 00:17:45.030 --> 00:17:50.310 this and if your vote no we're done here. First of all we all have to come to the 00:17:50.310 --> 00:17:57.110 table and that's obvious tonight that that's not happening. No. So Attorney Zito. 00:17:57.110 --> 00:18:00.910 So I just wanted to go back to the quorum Mr. so I did have a chance to check our 00:18:00.910 --> 00:18:04.510 code so I appreciate Mr. Lam bringing that to our attention so our code is 00:18:04.510 --> 00:18:05.510 and others. 00:18:05.510 --> 00:18:06.510 So, I think it's important to note that our code is actually specifically different than 00:18:06.510 --> 00:18:10.350 what is typically state statute. 00:18:10.350 --> 00:18:13.950 Our code actually deviates from what is what I will say the majority of communities do 00:18:13.950 --> 00:18:19.269 and actually what even IML as recently as last week had chimed in as to what our quorum 00:18:19.269 --> 00:18:20.269 is. 00:18:20.269 --> 00:18:21.850 Normally, they say you count the mayor. 00:18:21.850 --> 00:18:22.850 That's the normal calculation. 00:18:22.850 --> 00:18:28.350 However, our specific code of ordinance says that all meetings, a majority of other persons 00:18:28.350 --> 00:18:30.150 elected shall constitute a quorum. 00:18:30.150 --> 00:18:32.309 So it references a majority of the older men. 00:18:32.309 --> 00:18:34.210 So it actually doesn't include the mayor. 00:18:34.210 --> 00:18:38.809 So because of that, we actually do not have a quorum for tonight's meeting, so. 00:18:38.809 --> 00:18:40.530 I make a motion to adjourn then. 00:18:40.530 --> 00:18:43.740 Second. 00:18:43.740 --> 00:18:44.900 Is there a second? 00:18:44.900 --> 00:18:48.100 Motion made by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Shadle. 00:18:48.100 --> 00:18:49.100 All those in favor? 00:18:49.100 --> 00:18:50.100 Aye. 00:18:50.100 --> 00:18:50.120 Aye.