I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
We've noticed, Aaron and myself, Attorney Zito and myself have noticed with some of the most recent City Council meetings, I just wanted to draw the Council's attention to Section 220.10 Rules of Council and note that while we have not in the past strictly adhered to this, we may need to start looking at adhering to the Rules of Council in the future, primarily as it relates to assuring and others.
We have been hearing that we have quorum for purposes of necessary meetings like we unfortunately didn't have tonight for the Finance Committee of the Whole.
The quorum section under rules of council is in subsection 8 and it states at all meetings majority of all Alderpersons elected shall constitute a quorum.
In addition, there is a section entitled frequency of speaking subsection 15 and it states no No member shall speak more than twice to the same general question, no more than once to a previous question without unanimous leave of counsel, nor more than once in any case until every member choosing to speak shall have spoken.
In the past, I think that the City has not necessarily strictly adhered to that particular Seymour has recently talked about the need for more meeting items and they understand plenty easily that kind of direction.
We need to check these other sections under fifteen for frequency of speaking, but we have been contacted by members of the Council, when I say we, I mean thorough Zeto, has been contacted by members of Council just with some concerns about frequency of speaking as it relates to to myself or to Attorney Zito, but we do suggest that the Council continue to adhere to the rules that have been adopted now for many, many, many years dating back to 1977.
So if anyone has any questions, happy to answer those, but just wanted to bring those to your attention.
Thank you.
Item number one is approval of the agenda, and just so you know, we do have executive session tonight.
So is there a motion to approve the agenda?
So moved.
The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
And Simmons?
Aye.
The motion passes 6-0.
And item number two is approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on October 21st, 2024.
Is there a motion to approve?
Somu?
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
And Simmons?
Aye.
The motion passes six to zero.
And there were no public comments signed in so we'll move on to item number four which is the consent agenda.
The consent agenda is considered to be routine in nature and acted as one motion and unless a member of council would like to have something removed for further discussion, is there anything?
Seeing none, the consent agenda consists of approving to receive and place on file the board and commission minutes from the Joint Review Board for the Lamb Road TIF District November 8th, 2022, the Joint Review Board, Downtown West Avenue Meadows and the Berchard Hills, TIF Districts, November 8th, 2022, the Foreign Fire Board, August 8th, 2024, the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, September 23rd and 24th, also is the Greater Freeport Partnership Monthly Report, dated October 2024, the approval of the finance bills payable in the total of $1,845,653.82, and the approval of payroll for pay period Ending, October 19th, 2024, in the total of $651,206.30.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Parker.
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
And Simmons?
Aye.
And that motion passes 6 to 0.
Item number five are some reappointments.
Could you please read those?
Darren Steckel to the Planning Commission, effective through October 31st, 2028.
Andrea Scholl-Swinder to the Planning Commission, effective through October 31st, 2028.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion?
Alderman Simmons.
I feel as though this is a conflict of interest with Darren and Andrea both being on or members, how do I say, employees of companies that we do business with and this being the Planning Commission, sort of like a board.
They shouldn't be part of that.
They should report to that commission.
So I'm confused at why they're on it and why we're reappointing them.
Why would we?
They're active members in the community.
That's what commissions are, people that want to be involved in boards and commissions are just people that care about the community.
So again, seeing as they are employed by companies that the city employs and does business with, that is a, in my eyes, that's a conflict of interest to have them on this planning commission.
If I had to remove people on boards and commissions based on that, I wouldn't have that terrible many people.
I mean, people are involved in many ways.
So that's where that was.
We have a substantial community of people that are qualified.
And getting them to step up and serve is another thing.
It's a big commitment.
Alderman Sanders?
On that notion of the conflict of interest.
It does illustrate a conflict of interest.
Matter of fact, it's a direct conflict of interest.
I don't know who's doing the appointment, but someone is doing the appointment without the consent of the council.
The mayor is.
Well, that's not supposed to be happening.
But anyway, because that's something that is going on, it's got to immediately stop, no more appointing any business, profit organizations or anything without the Council's consent.
You cannot appoint people to any position that directly becomes a conflict of interest to the community and not only that, to the Council.
We're not talking about the administration, we're talking about the council.
And for us to not be able to give the consent of hiring practices, we're going to have to re-evaluate how these things have been, how these things are done.
We need to move forward with it because there's got to be some recalibration.
And you know what I mean when I say recalibration, because we had not had the privilege to get involved in the consent efforts of Darren Steakle that is in direct correspondence with Fehr and Graham, another organization.
We're having too many boards.
We've got too many boards within that we don't have no say so in certain matters.
And that's got to stop.
We're going to put a complaint in enforcing these rules so the city becomes compliant to the way order of the council, the administration of the city, the board of whoever they are because we still haven't nailed that down and that's one of the things that I want to bring address and we need to move forward on those things.
Is not going to lay down easy because it's going to be brought up on each on each matter or each council chamber meetings.
We're going to make that a priority.
That's an absolute thing that we want to talk about.
There's a direct priority that we might that as council we move forward to recognize and evaluate all of the things that I'm stipulating and I have more, I'm not even at the tip of the iceberg and we need to take a very good look at how we're doing things and how things are being done and so we're going to address those.
And so we're going to address those.
I want everybody to be aware of that, especially in our council.
I want us to know that we're going to be vengeance, vigilantly trying to get down to how we orchestrating things.
That's all I have to say, Mayor.
Mayor Miller, just to address some of the comments that have been made by council with regard Fowler.
So these appointments under item five are in fact recommendations by the mayor that then are placed on the agenda for council approval.
So the council is to give advice and consent.
That is the process.
So the mayor makes the recommendation under the appointment process and then the council gets to give advice and consent by way of voting on these two appointments.
If it is the will of the Council not to reappoint Darren or Andrea to the Planning Commission, that's completely within the Council's purview to make that decision that the Council is not going to reappoint these individuals to the Board.
If in fact the individuals that are not appointed to the Board, the positions will then just be vacant until the Mayor then brings forth new names and the Council then provides their advice and consent at that time.
So these are appointments that are being brought to the council for advice and consent and that is the formal legal process that would be required under state's DHU.
With regard to the conflict issue, I would note that we do have a number of in fact even city employees that sit on different boards and commissions throughout the city.
There is not a legal conflict to Mr. Steckel or Ms. Winter to serve on the Planning Commission.
The Planning Commission is a recommending body only.
They make recommendations to the council, but ultimately the council has to make the final determination.
Now, with regard to a potential legal conflict, could it occur if, for example, Ms. Winter had a planning matter that she was involved in and if she served on the Planning Commission, she would then be required to recuse herself if it was something that rose to the level of being in a matter of which she was financially involved.
Illinois law only prohibits conflicts of interest in which there is a financial relationship directly involved by the individual who would otherwise be serving.
So again, these two recommendations are for council's review and for you to decide as a body whether or not you wanna move forward with these appointments.
And just to piggyback on that, the comment of hiring practices, Boards and Commissions are not hired, so you're aware, they're not hired.
So, wait a second, just because of what Attorney Susanowski said about our current ordinance and everybody having an opportunity to speak before the second time, I really need to allow that for others before I call on you, Larry.
Well, I just wanted to address her.
She's making comments.
You can, after everybody else has had a chance.
Wayne, did you?
Do you want my thought to diminish, or whatever you're talking about?
Well, that's not my fault.
I'm trying to go by the ordinance.
Director Duckman?
I just want to say something quick as well.
If there's many matters, variations, special use permits, right now we have a subdivision plat that's going to be going through, and we're required by ordinance Bregman, Secretary, Commissioner, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Norman, Stacy, I feel that their roles place them in a position of power that while beneficial in some ways also present a risk of bias.
We must be cautious in the context of the existing mistrust and concerns surrounding transparency in our local government.
It is crucial that we maintain the public confidence in appointing people to the Planning Commission which such close ties to inferential organizations could only fuel further distrust.
We should err on the side of caution and ensure that we do not give our citizens more reason to distrust the decisions that we make.
So I would just like to say about the transparency.
Every council member is invited to every board, every commission should they choose to go.
The general public is invited.
So no one is hiding anything.
Every piece of agenda is out there.
So that should handle all the transparency.
And before I call on you, I just got to make sure nobody else that hasn't spoken.
Alderman Parker?
Well, one thing, you want to vote on them, you get the chance.
Like she said, they only The thing about it is, I just want to make sure I get my point across, okay?
I don't know the magnitude of your position, but for you talking to the council at this time, that's not something that we have to consider based upon what you're saying without Reines, Neill, John 정ens, Michael, Reyes, Bryan, Benification, II and others from always here, thank you, thank you, thank you, we appreciate you.
Wait a minute, you have the all-new garden city, we haven't seen that yet, but, it's a one-way street, I know we'll make it this way, but I have a water pump machine in my house, it goes in here.
That's not gonna go anywhere.
And others.
So, first of all, when you start doing that, then we have to evaluate you for your action and then your influence on what you're trying to impose upon the council about how without addressing anything that we tangibly can look at for ourselves to see if we can Schleier, Dr. Holt, Dr. Pettis, Dr. Bates, Dr. Rizzo, Dr. Holt, Dr. Holt, Dr. Bates, And besides that, this is totally off-subject of reappointment.
Yes, it's within the confines of what I have to discuss.
It's what I'm discussing.
Okay, let me ask you this.
Is what you're saying relevant to the reappointments?
Okay.
Well, I put it like this here, since I'm being imposed upon about where I should be at.
I know that we're talking about reappointments, but the thing about it is I just want people to know it is not acceptable just for someone to inject their viewpoints into this council for any determination on what we should think and how we should think about it.
Only thing we know is that what's on the agenda and all this other outside conversation that is being made, we haven't found the validity of truth there.
So, but anyway, if we're going to, if we're going to talk about reappointments, then I feel strongly that the council understand the whole significant and details of the reappointment.
We're not just going to, we just don't want to vote on reappointing someone without evaluating their progress.
If we had not done that then we're doing ourselves a disservice as council members and then we're doing the citizens of Freeport a disservice and so we need to be making sure that any reappointment of anything is being scrutinized to the fullest so we can make sure that what we're doing we're making an educated vote we're pursuing what the citizens of Freeport want us to do and we just can't just mishandle their confidence when they have confidence in us to do the right thing or talk about the right thing or to bring the issues out and those kinds of things.
And Stacey.
So I just want to make sure that we're treading that path and that we're not dodging and suppressing information that needs to be brought forward to the council, and I yield my argument.
Is there any other discussion on the reappointment?
Alderman Stacey.
Alderman Parker, I understand how this process works.
I've been at it a little over a year now.
Madam Mayor, there's people out there willing and wanting to be on this committee.
They're just not asked or invited to be.
And the truth remains to have our Public Work Director who's also involved with Fehr Graham's who does 95% of all the work here in the city to have the head person of Greater Freeport Partnership, it's just there's other people out there that can hold that position and can bring something to the table.
When we use these same people over and over and over again, you all start to play in one another's hand, giving each other what they want.
And yes, it's going to come to the council.
And yes, we're going to say yes or no.
And we're going to take a vote.
And guess what?
You will break the tie.
And it will always be what you want.
Well, that's a lot of accusing.
Anything else?
That's what?
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Klemm?
Simmons?
No.
We are tied at three to three.
Attorney Sosnowski, do we need a five to pass this?
Okay, Mayor, what say you?
Aye.
And the motion passes four to three.
Item number six is second reading of ordinance 20-24-57.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance amending boundaries of the joint Northwest Illinois Certified Enterprise Zone for the operation of an Enterprise Zone to add Pearl City Elevator fueling station near U. S. Route 20 and Wagner Road.
Thank you.
Thank you, Your Honor.
This change of the Enterprise Zone came up at the October Committee of the Whole.
It was discussed and had a presentation by Andrea Schultz-Winner, also at the last Council meeting.
This was moved forward for second reading, and staff recommends moving forward with Ordinance 2024-57.
Any further discussion on this ordinance?
Alderman, Sanders, Director Boyer, question, have you guys have did your scope of survey of all of this that is taking place in this particular sector and then I want to ask you, and a question in regards to whether or not this is something that we made a discussion fully about this particular item and I think we're leaving a lot of details out of this thing because we don't know for sure who's running this program or attempting to run and Marshall.
This is a standing ovation.
We have not done enough study in this program without the consent and the action of the Council itself to make a decision on whether or not we should get involved with this particular program.
And so we have not done enough study.
Have the, whoever brought this to us, or this program project to us, has enough study been brought to the Commission or the Council so that can be an in-depth study on all of the Williams, and as a result of the efforts of the Council of People, we have been able to evaluate the things that is required of us as Council of People to evaluate to see if we can make a sound decision whether we should move forward or not.
If not, if we don't have that information before us, then we should think about sustaining this until we do.
Put this on the back burner, move who's running this project and I have to know who's all involved in it, okay, and how we get to that point.
I'd like to know all of those things and I don't speak for everyone, but I'm just versing my own study and opinion about it and I believe that we can get further down the road if I I had more information so I can make a conscious decision with it.
Alderman Parker?
Yes, this here is a thing we're doing for Pearl City Elevator because they're in the enterprise zone.
Down the road, we may have a project we want in Freeport and they would have to approve it for us.
So we don't want to cut our own throats by telling them no on this.
So I think we need to move it forward, pass it and let them get it going, my opinion.
Manager, Boyer, did you have something you wanted to say?
Alderman Sanders, we have gone through all of this.
It's essentially, it's just adding two parcels that exist in Alena to the enterprise zone that originally weren't incorporated.
This isn't expanding the footprint of the enterprise zone.
And there's many other communities have to pass this as well.
So my recommendation is to move forward with it.
Alderman Stacey?
Yes.
What or who is the TIF district that this is used for?
It's not a TIF district, it's an enterprise zone.
And the enterprise zone is made up of eight different governing bodies.
Village of Lena, Stephenson County, Joe Davis County, Hanover, Freeport.
I'm missing some.
Lena?
Did you say Stephenson County?
Stephenson County.
There are several governing bodies that make up the enterprise zone.
And so that many of them have already passed this and so that way they can get moving.
It's no different than when we wanted to extend the Meadows Shopping Center into the Enterprise Zone.
We had to get them to buy in and pass so that way we could extend the Enterprise Zone.
So it's a give and take on multiple levels of government organizations.
Anybody else have something before I call a second round of questions?
Alderman, Sanders, if you'd like to have your second opportunity.
Yeah, Mayor, I noticed that you're very well versed in the activities of this particular project.
And my thing is, since you're so versed into it, why isn't it that the Council is reverberating the things that you're talking about?
That's what I'm evaluating.
And all of the things that you know, council should know.
You should not have the opportunity to sit before us and tell us the story of a project that I expect my city manager, my developers and people of that nature to be giving us the whole concept of this whole project.
I don't expect you to be sitting there in your chair trying to direct us in what's taking place.
It is not your place to be telling us this because we need to have this information before us.
We don't need you to read off of a, whatever you're reading from or demonstrating from.
We need to see that for ourselves.
So we are not here in the council trying to wreck our brains on how did we get from A to B. And that's where we at right now.
So I just want to make sure that a complete evaluation study has been made, survey has been made, the things that you're talking about and discussing with council that we have this literature before us.
I don't see it and I don't have it.
Actually you do.
It's all in your packet.
I read it off of the ordinance just like you have the ability to do.
And I didn't read a script.
Yeah, but it doesn't allow me much time to sit here and try to read.
Well, this is the second reading of this ordinance, so you've actually had a good several weeks to bring your questions before the council.
Several weeks?
Several weeks, this is the second ordinance, the second reading, so we're going to move on to Alderman Stacy, your second one.
Yes, the cost of this project is $4.5 million.
Is it costing the City of Freeport anything?
No.
Okay.
And it says that it will generate 5.6 million in property taxes.
Is it bringing our city anything?
You want my opinion on that?
Boyer, yours?
I don't care.
Whoever.
Care, whoever.
I am just asking, is it going to bring anything into our city?
Are we going to reap any benefits from this project?
Well, the benefits are many.
I mean, it is about working together.
They could have, all of those taxing bodies could have said something contrary when we wanted to extend our enterprise zone.
What did they have to gain from us doing that?
No different than what do we personally and John, and I'm not saying that we're not going to gain.
It doesn't matter.
It's about being a good partner.
I don't know that they did or didn't.
That's why I'm asking the question.
If there is anything for us to gain.
Well, we've had many enterprise amendments and we've never had an issue.
Manager Boyer?
I just wanted to say, Alderperson, We work with other communities for the benefit of the Enterprise Zone.
They work with us.
Meadows Mall was an example that was brought into the Enterprise Zone and that does benefit us.
So in this particular case, there's no direct benefit to the City of Freeport outside of the fact that we are able to work together as a community to improve our total economic picture.
Anyone that has not spoken yet?
No one has anything further on their second?
Well Alderman Sanders you've spoken twice and I'm trying to adhere to the rules that the council have and that was explained by Attorney Sosnowski at the beginning of the meeting.
You spoke twice.
When?
On this particular subject and the last subject.
On this particular subject?
That's correct.
So if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
Thank you.
Item number seven is the second reading of Ordinance 20-24-58.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance amending newly revised building code to 2018 ICC additions.
Thank you.
Director Duckman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
Presented this last week.
No major changes.
Just kind of give you a recap here.
So the City of Freeport adopted the 2018 edition of the ICC building codes and we did that back in August of this year and in reviewing this recent ordinance, staff saw a few changes that they would like to make, mostly clerical, and based on that, in line with last week, staff's recommending amending chapters 14, 20, 26, 29, and 82 of our codified ordinances for the 2018 ICC building codes Code Editions.
Thank you.
Is there any further discussion on this ordinance?
Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And that ordinance passes 6-0.
Thank you.
Item number 8 is the second reading of Ordinance 2024-59.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance approving two airport Starnock Diggers Colonel Hickelбurt Hello, I'm Commissioner Kempel boot on the Airport farm leases one with the Kempel family and one with Dan Julius.
Thank you.
Manager Boyer?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Staff's been working on all the farm leases at the airport and we would like to move forward on two of them, one with the Kemple family and one with the Julius's family.
Both of the parcels are relatively small, but they make sense for their standpoint because they have contingent farmland.
So staff is recommending moving these two farm leases or approval of these two farm leases.
Discussion?
Session, Alderman, Stacy.
Yes, so this 481 is for the entire year?
481?
Yes, that's correct.
Anyone else?
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Klemm?
Aye.
And Simmons?
No. Attorney Sosnowski, do we need five on this one?
Okay, the motion passes four to two.
Thank you.
Item number nine is the first reading of ordinance 2024-60.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance approving airport Hanger M8 Lease with David Hayes.
Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
David Hayes is interested in renting Hanger M8 at Alberta's Airport.
The agreement is for $165 per month.
Staff recommends moving forward with the lease.
Is there a motion to move Ordinance 2024-60 onto the next regularly scheduled meeting?
It's all moved.
We have a motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion on this ordinance?
Alderman Stacy?
Earlier this year, we had a discussion about all these hangers and the screwed up leases, if you Will, and we were supposed to be able as a council to get a clean cut lease to view and see that it was designed as it needed to be, and that has yet to happen, yet we continue to be given Hanger's lease to approve when the lease have not, to our knowledge, all the scribble and whatever on this have not even been, it's still redlined.
Are we doing here?
Are you addressing me?
Yes sir.
At the request to the airport manager, we are enacting a new lease format at the end of the year.
That was a request by the airport manager.
So the new lease format will be approved and we'll discuss it.
So why wasn't that brought to the council that it's not going to be November now it's going to be the end of the year well it's essentially the first of the year where the new leases will take effect so we'll approve the year yes the first of the year the end of 2024 beginning of 2025 the new lease format will go into place and then we'll approve those leases Miller, Mayor, Mayor Miller, yeah, mm-hmm, yep, because it's gonna apply to both.
Okay, gotcha.
I apologize, we need to go back to item number eight.
The item did fail.
I just pulled the statute.
The requisite section is 11-76-1, and it states for leases, there does need to be the this power should be exercised by an ordinance passed by three fourths vote of the corporate authorities.
And it's the corporate authorities of the city then holding office.
So not what that means is the corporate authorities as a whole, not the corporate authorities that happen to be present.
It is the corporate authorities then holding office.
So item eight failed as it did not have the requisite number of votes to pass.
It isn't even necessary to call the mayor's vote in this particular case, because we would not be able to reach the number of votes needed.
So item eight failed.
For item nine, council should be aware, it does require a three fourths majority vote for passage.
I apologize for being wrong the first time.
I didn't have a second to pull the statute up right away, so I've got it up now and I see that it's a three fourths majority vote for both item eight and item nine.
So item eight did fail.
And so are you saying that every council member needs to be present when there's an instance like this?
No, but it does have to be three-fourths of the public authorities of the city then holding office, so you would have to have six, voting in the affirmative in order for it to pass.
So, how do we do this?
So, item eight didn't fail.
Okay.
What do we do on number nine?
Keep discussing?
You can still discuss that.
Oh yeah because it's it's the first reading anyway right okay okay so um was there more discussion on this particular hanger yes okay Alderman Sanders we're talking about 2024-60.
Is that the one we're referring to?
Hangar M-8.
My question is, My question is, who's determining or evaluating what the value is for the leasing?
Who's doing that?
Who has the authority to do that and then do not bring it to the council to let them know that that's what they would like to present and other people, and I think that's what we're doing.
We're not doing this to present instead of giving us this right on an agenda to make decisions on.
If we're not doing that, if that's not what we're doing, then why are we discussing this matter when we had not had an opportunity to discuss it as a whole?
As a whole.
I mean, we just get saying yes to Stipulations of these leases and how we got to 1.8.
B. Is that what we're doing?
Well, I have a problem with that.
So I just want to know that those kinds of actions are not something that council should be considering when it comes to making sound decisions and right now we're discussing something that is ready to be fired off to be paid, not looked into because $165 for a hanger.
I'd like to understand what was the previous leases on this particular property.
I do believe that the leases were set by council.
Well, that's what I want to know.
Council set those leases.
So if you're wondering that would be the council.
Okay, did we sign off on that?
Well, it would have been done 2021.
Yeah.
Okay, so we're gonna move on to Alderman Shadle.
Okay, it's before our time, okay.
I just wanna mention that fact that these are governed by the amounts are governed by an ordinance and it's been discussed several times on the floor in the past.
That was before our time.
2021?
Yeah that's what they said.
It was before our time.
This topic has been discussed.
Yeah, the topic of how the numbers have arrived, we've talked about that before, but you are correct.
Those specific numbers were set in 21 as far as what those leases are.
So, you obviously weren't sat in that seat in 21, but we've talked about how that comes about several times.
Just before you, is there anybody that hasn't spoken yet that would like to?
Then Alderman Stacy?
Yes.
We have talked about it.
However, we did not make any decisions on the cost, but I understand the cost.
I don't have a problem with the cost.
I'll even say I agree with the cost, but the bigger picture here is that this gentleman is already in that hangar as of, was it October 11th?
Yes.
So, do this need a three-thirds vote to pass?
Yes.
But the person is already in there before it even came to the council.
He's been in there since October 11th.
It came to the council today.
And this is the things that keep happening that has to stop.
Now, do we make the customer, the one who's in need of, the ones who's paying suffer?
That's not fair either.
And let's say he came on the spot.
He wanted it.
This one was open, so he got it.
The very next council meeting, that should have been in our face.
Not today.
Because now we don't have three-fourth vote even available for it to pass, but it's already happening, so it done passed.
Boyer.
First I'd like to say that this hanger lease was signed with our airport manager who was going through surgery.
So she moved forward so this person could get into a hanger and we did not receive this at City Hall until she was well enough to come bring it to us.
We are simply approving a hanger lease for $165 We are working on the farm leases as requested by Council.
We are bringing all of the leases before Council, and we will give Council the updated hanger rates when we have an opportunity to get that data collected.
So I am a little bit incensed that I am being accused of something here that is not correct.
Any further discussion Alderman Sanders your second time okay my second time Manager, Boyer, you may think that we might be harsh with our comments or our opinions what the point of the matter is.
If these things were brought to our attention beforehand, consideration for anyone having any issue in their personal lives should not be affecting the council at any given time.
It's either that we put it on hold, I don't know who's signing off on it, did we sign off as a council on this particular hanger?
I understand you're saying that the airport manager or whatever has signed off on this hanger.
But did the council, the city hall, did we sign off on this issue or this hanger or this lease?
I don't know.
That's the reason why the question is being asked.
So, you know, if you can explain that to us, then we can move forward.
And and Johnson, Michael, Chris, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, process.
The first is we authorize it through the ordinance and then through the resolution we enacted.
Staff recommends moving forward with resolution 2024-112.
Thank you.
Is there a motion to adopt?
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion?
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Sanders, Klemm, and Simmons.
The resolution is adopted 6-0.
Item number 11 is the adoption of resolution 2024-116.
Could you please read this?
Resolution accepting 53-11 grant award for Pretzel City Transit.
Thank you.
Director Duckman.
Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So looking at the Pretzel City area transits, every year we need to receive funding from and two different sources, mainly it's the.
Booth, John, Mike, John, Goofman, Beeney, and it's also the downstate operating assistance program DOPE, the acronym there.
And there's three major steps that Council has to go through to accept these funds.
So we are currently on step three.
Step one was an ordinance adopting transportation services within the city of Freeport as well as Stephenson County.
We've gotten past that.
We also have to have a resolution authorizing Staff recommends moving forward with this resolution to accept.
Is there a motion to adopt?
Yes.
So moved.
We have a motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Klemm.
Discussion on the resolution?
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
And Simmons?
Fierro.
Item number 12 is the adoption of resolution 2024-117.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement with Stephenson County regarding sharing the cost of an electronic ticketing system.
Thank you.
Chief Shenberger?
Thank you.
Excuse me.
The Stephenson County Circuit Clerk is moving to an electronic ticketing platform in 2025.
Staff from the Freeport Police Department, the Stephenson County Sheriff's and the City Clerk's Office and Stephenson County's Circuit Clerk's Office evaluated two platforms, a Digiticket and QuickIt.
After evaluating both, the agencies determined that QuickIt would be the best fit for the law enforcement agencies in Stephenson County and has an overall lower cost.
There have been proven benefits for law enforcement to utilize electronic ticketing systems.
One of those benefits, or some of the benefits include the following, an and others.
We are also working to reduce the time for officers by using less time detaining motorists on traffic stops.
Electronic ticketing systems reduces the amount of errors associated with handwritten tickets.
Electronic ticketing systems streamline the citation process and demands less time for clerical staff to process citations compared to paper citations.
And after the initial investment, moving to an electronic ticketing system could be more and the state of Illinois allocates funds to law enforcement agencies to help cover the cost of maintaining an electronic ticketing system.
Many law enforcement agencies throughout the state of Illinois have already moved to an electronic ticketing system.
Moving to an electronic ticketing system would digitize traffic citations, non-traffic citations, and crash reports.
And the Freeport Police Department to transition to an electronic ticketing system would include the following, $9,450, which would include the cost of the equipment, 10 Zebra printers, and equipment for nine squad cars in the main booking room at the police department.
$7,000, This is an annual cost made payable to the Stevens County Circuit Clerk due the 15th Wakefield, John, Dave, and John, and his wife.
This agreement can be canceled with 60 days notice.
The Stevens County Circuit Clerk is going to assume the initial implementation costs of $40,000, which is due in January, 2025.
The Freeport Police Department has budgeted $5,000 in 2024 and in 2025 to cover the cost of purchasing paper citations.
This budget has been exhausted in 2024.
Further, the state of Illinois has allocated a total of $8,549.87 to the Freeport Police Department since 2020 to implement a digital ticketing system.
Staff intends on utilizing the $8,549.87 in digital ticket funds plus an additional Brothers.
The above mentioned an additional $5,913 from DUI funds to cover the start-up cost of the equipment purchase.
Starting in 2026, staff intends on using the $5,000 traditionally budgeted for paper citations plus $2,000 for a combination of digital ticket funds and DUI funds to cover the annual costs to the Stephenson County Circuit Clerk.
Is there a motion to adopt?
I've got a question, please.
I have to have a motion to adopt first.
To adopt.
Second.
The motion by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Alderman Parker, what's your question?
My question, me just being ignorant to this, what is the offender going to have in his possession to tell him to go to court or whatever?
Sure, so there's going to be a printout that would explain the citation, what's being issued, if it's a mandatory court appearance or not, how to take care of the ticket.
Sometimes you can Johnson, Mark, and Kim.
So I would recommend that you go to the online platform.
You can just pay for it.
And that can be done on the online platform or at the clerk's office or if it's a must appear.
≫ He will be handed a paper copy.
≫ Yeah, there will be a paper copy.
Same with accidents.
So right now we use LexisNexis for our accident platform.
And that's been a struggle at times.
And all the parties that were involved which would help out the motorists who were involved in accidents.
Thank you.
Alderman, Sanders.
Oh yeah, Chief.
Could you give us, I know Alderman Parker was just asking about the ticket, electronic ticket.
How does that actually work so we can give the constituents an opportunity to visualize it?
Sure.
Of how it will be administered, will it be like an old ticket issue, somewhat, you know, with same information and everything, and on the site, will tickets be done right on the site?
Yes.
And so forth.
So that's part of the $9,450, which would include printers that would be in the vehicle in a squad car and in the booking room.
So what we're trying to do is get rid of the paper, the carbon copy paper citations, which are handwritten.
Handwriting can sometimes Beesloppy.
This way license can be scanned in and then it's a web-based platform so all that information is immediately uploaded or not well when it's done it will be uploaded and then transferred to the clerk's office so they have that information and then the the person who's getting the citation would then get a printout that would have all the important information that they would need to take care of that properly.
Follow-up?
Well we have to allow everyone else to have an opportunity first.
Alderman, Stacy?
Okay, I heard something about $40,000 and I heard something about $7,000.
Yeah.
And the $40,000 is paid every year in January?
No.
The $40,000 that's being paid by the clerk's office, that's to get it started.
So that's just a one-time cost for them.
The $7,000 a year will be split between us and the sheriff's department.
And since we already spend at least We're going to invest $5,000 a year on paper citations.
We're going to just use that money that we budget to go towards our $7,000, plus we get roughly $2,500 or so a year to implement a digital ticketing system.
And we also have a DUI fund that we can use this.
So we don't want to have an increase in our budget that's going towards us.
We want to use the same money that we've been using to purchase tickets, but then utilize the money that we're getting from the state to supplement the cause.
Has anyone that has not had a chance to speak yet?
Alderman Sanders, would you like to give your second opportunity?
Yeah.
Chief.
Yes.
Would this device be administered to all vehicles?
To our Mark Squad cars.
Yeah.
And this is what it would total up to yeah the 9,450 yeah that's for the printers to go in the squad cars so and then we'll have one in our main booking room all right thank you Alderman Stacey yes I understand that the 9,450 is for for the actual supplies for all nine squad cars.
But what is the fee, the yearly?
$7,000.
So every year is $7,000?
Correct.
And will this $9,450 even get us through a year of supplies?
Yes.
That includes the print.
And I. So that includes the printers to get things started.
It also includes the paper.
Yeah, there will be more additional costs with paper and stuff, but we can, like I said, we can utilize the digital ticket money that we get from the state as well as the money that we get from our, into our DUI fund.
So then that way we're not taking or asking for more in our budget.
We can utilize those monies to help pay for the system.
And If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, would you like me to ask for counsel to have, it needs a unanimous vote for you to speak again, Larry.
Do you want me to do that?
Yeah.
That's a new ordinance, right?
No, actually it's an ordinance that's been in place for a long, long time.
It's just.
We have not used it.
Right.
And so we are using our ordinances correctly.
That's our goal.
Okay.
So, did you want me to call for a unanimous vote or are we moving on?
Well, no.
I can do it another time.
Okay.
So there's no further discussion.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Simmons, aye.
The motion passes five to one.
Item number 13 is the adoption of resolution.
I'm sorry.
Oh, the adoption of resolution 2024,118.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving electrical General Supply Agreement with a Supplier to be Determined Tomorrow or Tonight Yet for Downtown Street Lights for Three Locations.
Thank you.
Manager Boyer?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Every so often we have electrical aggregation contracts come up for Council for approval.
Tonight we have one such contract coming to expiration and we need to renew it.
We've looked at the bids from Constellation, Dinergy, AEP, and MC2.
These are all electrical aggregators.
And the Constellation numbers are coming in low, but city staff would request staff allow us to engage in an aggregator contract for the lowest rate tomorrow when the rates come out.
Staff asked Council to move forward with allowing staff to sign for that aggregator contract.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Is there a second?
Second.
We have a motion on the floor made by Alderman Sanders, seconded, I'm sorry, made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sanders.
Further discussion?
Can we just have a minute to look at this?
Okay.
Go ahead, Mayor.
These are example numbers that came out today.
Tomorrow they'll be different.
In addition, we will be moving forward with the 24-month column due to the fact that it'll help us line up the other aggregator contracts at a similar time period in 2026 so that when they all expire, they'll be expiring around the same amount of time and we can be more are efficient about doing these kind of contracts in the future.
Alderman Sanders.
Are we doing according to this discussion that I'm reading, are we following through with comparisons on this item?
Yes.
On this item?
Mm-hmm.
What we're doing?
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the role.
Parker.
Stacey, Shadle, Sanders, Plem and Simmons.
The resolution is adopted 6 to 0.
Item number 14 is approval of the bid.
Can you read this please?
Bid opening on October 24th, CD 010-2024 for Rehabilitation of Single Home at 1010 South Adams.
Thank you.
Director Duckman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So the City of Freeport, as we know, has been awarded the Community Development Block Grants, Housing Rehabilitation.
We've been awarded $550,000, where $64,000 is allocated to our Grant Administration, and nearly $500,000 goes into the rehabilitation of homes.
On October 24th, we had a bid opening for rehabilitation services of 1010 South Adams Avenue.
We received one bid in the amount of $48,225 by CMM and Associates.
The scope of work has a few highlights.
This property owner will be receiving a new furnace, a new hot water heater, a new central air conditioning unit.
They will have their gutters replaced, which includes gutter guards for the leaves, and the entire house will be painted.
So, staff recommends issuing a contract to CMM and Associates in the amount of $48,225.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sanders.
Discussion.
Alderman Sanders.
How does one qualify to have their home rehabilitated and where do they get the information and how do they go through the process?
It's closed now.
Now, so and this was a 2021 grant.
Okay.
And right now we're at the point of implementing the the people who applied back in 2021.
So right now there is no applications.
We don't, we do not have a current grant open for this.
Follow?
Well, as soon as if there's anybody else has a question.
That's what I'm talking about.
That very thing.
I'm not.
Is there any?
With my thought.
I'm not done with my thought.
And I will give you the floor back if no one else has a question.
Alderman Sanders, would you like to have your second round?
It's a routine thing every year.
Alderman Sanders, would you like to have your second?
Yeah, I would probably like to have a third too, but you know, you're disqualifying me at that point.
But anyway, I didn't damn near forgot I'm trying to get I'm trying to get used to it I'll get back with you I made contact with you later if there's no further discussion madam clerk please take the role Parker I Stacey I Shadel I Sanders I Klemm and Simmons the motion Passez, 6-0.
Next, if it is acceptable to the Council, I would like to deviate from the agenda just for a moment to allow Chairman Helms to do a short presentation.
Are we okay with that?
Yes.
Well, I would have put it on, but I didn't know his timeframe of when he would be here.
So I guess we could have it abode if we need to.
No.
It is not on the agenda.
Who wants to talk?
I didn't catch.
He wants to give two minutes of a presentation.
Is it acceptable?
No, we following rules, we following rules.
Madam Clerk, would you please take the role?
I have a question.
Sure.
So it says, you know, that we take a vote if a council member says no, it's not on the agenda.
Where do it say you could just take a vote like that?
Well, it's like anything else that someone would just want to come and just say something kind to us for once.
Mayor.
Go ahead.
We could cover this item under agenda item number 19 which is just after the reports of department heads, manager's report and mayor's report.
Anyone can speak during public comments So, the individual could speak under item number 19.
So, are we moving into taking a vote or are we going to move?
There would need to be a motion to amend the agenda.
I suppose to move the public comment up to above reports of department heads.
If there is a motion to amend the agenda, then it would go under item number 19.
So do we have a motion to amend to allow County Board Chairman to have a couple minutes to speak now?
Is there a second?
Second.
Any discussion on this particular motion?
Live, andisted یہ to speak that it is not about you speaking at all it is just that if we are following rules from a to b we are following rules from a to b.
So Madam Clerk, could you please take a moment?
I'm sorry.
Did you have something?
Yes, she made a motion not to do this.
And then you asked for someone to make a motion.
Well, she didn't make a motion, but she made a statement in case she would have had to say that.
Which is one of the reasons why we have a motion.
And the statements.
So she would have had to say, I make a motion that we not do this.
No, she can just vote now.
Anyone who doesn't wanna move it can just vote now.
Ma'am Clerk.
This is most, it's recommended to put most motions in the positive.
Attorney Saznaz, would you agree?
It's just seemed like tonight we are making so much up and I have never done before.
I don't even know who wants to speak.
Whoever it is, I think it can be done at public comments.
Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?
Aye.
I'm sorry I was out of voting sheets here.
I'm going by shorthand.
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Plem?
Aye.
And Simmons?
No.
We have a tie at three to three.
Mayor, Mayor, what say you?
Aye.
The tie is broken, four to three, the motion passes.
Mayor Miller, Council Members, thank you very much, for those of you who don't know who I am.
My name is Scott Helms, I am the Stephenson County Chairman of the Board.
From 2005 to 2013, I sat in, I think that spot right there, a different building.
I have a unique perspective of serving on the Freeport City Council as well as the County Board.
And in that time, it was not lost on me how little the city and the county worked together.
Collaboration was virtually non-existent.
When I was elected to the County Board in 2016, it continued.
So when I became chairman of the board two years ago, I vowed to make sure that this county worked lock and step with the City of Freeport as exactly half of our board resides within the City of Freeport.
And it's critically important that we all work together and find areas of commonality to make sure that the citizens of this county are treated fairly and correctly.
As soon as I became Chairman, I notified the Mayor that I had a strong intent of making sure that the County worked for crime suppression with the City of Freeport, which we've been very successful at so far, and as economic development.
And again, through Greater Freeport Partnership, I feel we've done a reasonably good job with that.
To the credit of the Mayor, she found another item of collaboration, which was Locust Avenue here in Freeport, and the complete renovation of that project using county funds, half a million dollars worth.
So while I know it's unorthodox to have me speak now, I do appreciate it, I understand your meetings are quite lengthy, but what I would like to do is thank the Mayor for her leadership on this in recognizing that this was an excellent opportunity for both the city and the county to work towards and to present this check for a half a million dollars.
Thank you, Mayor.
Appreciate your leadership very much.
The city is lucky to have you.
Well, thank you very much.
And I would just like to say it's been a pleasure meeting with you on a regular basis and being able to work together to accomplish something far greater for the entire city of Freeport, and so without that, without your participation in that, Locust would not have gotten done, so thank you for that.
So Finance Director, I'll be happy to give you this check when the meeting's over.
I'll be waiting for it.
We will move on to reports of Department Heads, Finance.
Nothing this evening.
Thank you.
Community Development?
Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor.
Thank you.
Fire?
Nothing from Fire.
Thank you.
Police?
I have no report.
Thank you.
Library?
Nothing tonight.
Um, nothing from Communication, IT?
Alright, then we will move on to the City Manager's report.
Thank you, Your Honor.
I'd just like to report that the city crews have started leaf season.
They actually started late last week, so make sure your leaves are raked to the curb in a continuous line, and don't park vehicles adjacent to the leaf piles, and we should have a very efficient and effective year this year.
Thank you.
And then I just have three things actually that I wanted to touch briefly on.
Before the council, I put a map on each one of your desks with the last five years worth of projects, mainly infrastructure projects with a little bit of blight reduction mixed in there as well as some tree removal.
So you'll be able to see by the map, it's all specified to each ward and so Alderman Klemm for Ward 1.
In the last 5 years, $4.6 million has been spent for Ward number 2 with Alderman Monroe, $2.2 million.
Alderman Simmons in Ward 3 has been $16.6 million spent.
Alderman Parker in Ward 4, $3.5 million.
Alderman Stacy, Ward number 5, there's There's been 10.4 million spent, Alderman Shadle in Ward 6, 8.2 million, Alderman Sanders in Ward 7, 3.5 million, and at large across the city to benefit all has been an additional $70.9 million spent.
So the numbers don't lie, they're right there.
And so to be able to bring that before you as a huge success in infrastructure within and the City of Freeport in the last five years.
And then also, the second thing is, just wanted to give a little attention to, I have been in contact with the captain that is over the 333rd on our National Guard.
They were deployed a little while ago.
They were sent to Alaska.
I talked with the captain and I just said, you know, I'd like to, as a community, be able to support these men and women that are serving and what could possibly be their need.
And so he quickly got back to me and had a list of things that they were in need of.
As you can imagine, Alaska is very cold this time of year.
They need toiletry items, hand warmers, snacks, wool socks and batteries.
And so we are collecting here at City Hall, right here in the council chambers to be able to bring whatever those needs might be.
There are 62 of them.
And so if you would like to donate to that project, you have the month of November to be able to do that.
And then my last piece is tomorrow is the election.
Please do your duty and vote.
So we will move on to Council Announcements.
Alderman Parker.
Nothing tonight, Your Honor.
Thank you, Alderman Stacey.
Yes, I do have something.
Last week, I sent an email to Director Richter and I had four questions.
How many bank accounts does the city currently have?
The answer was 30.
What is the total of all these accounts?
The answer was $183 million.
Do we have an Illinois Fund commingo account?
The answer was yes.
If so how much is in that account and the answer is $27 million in April 2019 memorandum from City Treasurer Randy Bukas to then City Manager Laurel Crowe states that the city had 45 accounts that they reduced to 41.
In that same 2019 memorandum, the total dollars amount in those 41 accounts was 78 million dollars.
As of October 2024, we have 30 banks account and the total of those account Now, $183 million.
This is an increase of $105 million collected over the past five years.
The Average Out and the City Council.
The average out to be $21 million of tax revenue collected by the city per year.
Councilmen, I've been receiving questions from my constituents.
I even overheard the conversations of some of the attendees at the Mayor's so-called budget input meeting, questioning how much money is our revenue.
And I have a question for you.
What is our city spending and what really are they spending the money on?
This leads me to a comment by Alderman Monroe who I wish was here at our last council meeting when he said, I asked this question a couple of years ago, where did all the money go over the last 30 years?
And I never got an answer.
To see line items of where the money was spent as I too desire to see a line item document showing where monies have been spent.
I agree with Alderman Monroe.
We need to know exactly where taxpayer's dollars are being spent.
Monroe also said that records only go back to 2017.
Before that, we can't even get accurate, clear information as to where these monies have been spent.
Really?
Councilmembers, this We are collecting and spending taxpayers' money, imposing sales tax increase, denying referendums to be placed on ballots, and can't even get a clear, accurate information on how this money is being spent.
It was March of 2017 when the city stated collecting capital improvement from, started collecting capital improvement from our residents.
Based on the information that I get from Finance Director Richter, the city has 15 million in its capital improvement fund.
And so that leads me to another question, Director Richter.
Can you tell me how much money we have spent out of the Capital Improvement Fund since 2017?
Would you like to get back to her?
I can tell her right now.
Okay.
Please and thank you.
Alderperson, Stacy, I really wish you would have asked me prior to this meeting what exactly these accounts are because $61 million is fire pension and $55 million is police pension which you can't touch.
As far as the CIP funds, I have an Excel spreadsheet that I'd be happy to send to you that details every dollar that went into the CIP fund and went out.
Please contact me at any time.
I'd be happy to sit down and meet with you, as I have not met with you.
Alderman Shadle?
I'm not done.
And William. Council, in order for us and taxpayers to gain a full understanding as to where their tax dollars are being spent, I feel it is necessary for this council to request a forensic audit to be conducted, starting with the capital improvement fund.
From March 1st, 2017 through December 31st, 2024.
This is the only way that we will get the truth of how tax dollars are being spent.
Truth be told, the hidden agenda, the lies, they must stop.
I will be bringing this recommendation before the council for approval in January 2025.
For my final request, let the record show that I am asking for, in PDF form, copies of all itemized and regular invoices of all work between the City of Freeport and Fehr Graham.
These files need to represent information from January 1st, 2024 to present.
Thank you.
Alderman Shadle.
I think it's best I pass.
Alderman Sanders.
Yes, I have something I'd like to elaborate with what I just heard.
It's nothing new to me.
I was not surprised with the reading that Ms. Alderman Stacy was reporting.
I just like to say, when I heard the numbers of accounts that the bank, that the city holds, and we don't see these accounts in our financial reports, and well, I don't see, yeah, but it doesn't talk about what bank's accounts that these are, yeah.
Oh well if it is then I need to see more of it maybe I'm not here enough to no don't don't don't do that don't do that you you're making yourself a nuisance so don't do that please don't speak to our department heads that way wait a minute they deserve respect well you tell her that you're accusing her of something you are accusing her and she has I have not accused her of anything and Mr. Allen.
I have not accused her of anything.
So don't you even go there.
But you can't direct me when I'm talking.
That's my point.
You always interjecting when you're not supposed to be doing that.
And Stacey.
I would like to receive that information.
I'm inquiring about it right now.
Okay?
I'd like to get a copy of all of that myself.
Not just Alderman Stacy, but I, Alderman Sanders would like to get a copy of what that report was all about and you're making it sound like you hand it that is in this thing here all the time.
In the consent agenda.
Oh, okay.
In the consent agenda.
Okay.
Alright.
Well, that's a new discovery to me, so I'm just going by what I know, and what I know is that I have not heard about 40-some bank accounts that we deposit taxpayers' dollars in, and we need to do an itemization on that, so I need to know every transition that took and Stacey.
So that's what needs to be done, it needs to be brought to the floor as one of our priorities that we hear this stuff many times before because we're speaking before our tax payers and they're concerned about it too.
The council is not the only ones that are concerned about it, but the constituents out and others.
And they need to know how we're governing the finances of tax dollars.
And they need to hear this on a regular basis.
And they need to be trained to understand and educated on every aspect of what the city is governing.
And so that's the reason why I'm injecting that simply because we need to reveal anything that has been brought up.
I mean, I mean, I mean, it's not like you are trying to hide anything.
I'm not saying that, but the thing about it is if it's available to us, then if we're requesting for it, then it should be presented to us.
That's all I'm saying.
Thank you.
I yield.
So I would like to say you should probably start by reading the agenda because twice a month the consent agenda is on there and every detail is available to you.
Alderman, Klemm, would you like to have anything to say Alderman, Klemm?
Your comment was not necessary.
Thank you.
Alderman Simmons.
A couple of things.
So I would just like to comment on tonight's meeting and we are not doing the city any Service by behaving the way that we behave.
I understand and appreciate the quorum.
It's a way to keep the meeting fair and timely.
Miller, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor Better, not to silence who we don't want to hear.
My official comment for the night is though, Third Ward, please stay tuned, we are having a meeting at the library again on Friday, November 22nd, and we'll start at four o'clock.
So again, I will keep bringing that up and hopefully I can see y'all there.
Then that concludes Council Announcements Public Comments.
Go ahead.
I wasn't going to say anything tonight, but this debate brought me up to a point that something must be said.
And my ward is Stacy, and we talked a little bit before, and I did mention that $173 million is a portion of the police and pension funds.
And before that, that was totally reported.
We're still reporting that.
I would suggest that we would report just the city funds that we control and the pension funds as a separate sub-item to prevent some confusion.
Thirdly, as I went through this budget completely, and the budget is in fair shape, there are some issues with it.
I did find an issue with transfers not being totally balanced by 750,000.
But when I put everything together, we're going to probably invest almost $70 million in infrastructure this year.
We have the ability to do that based upon this sheet that was presented by the City Manager.
And the City Manager and it is all entirely possible.
We might have to go through this capitalization listing to see and prioritize it to determine what comes first and how fast it can come so that we can actually maintain our cash flow.
When it's all said and done, we're going to start off with, in our governmental funds, a little over $41 million.
We will end up with $34 million after it's said and done with the loans, the grants, and the difference between that, we're going to be investing and reducing our fund reserves by $7.8 million.
All of this is possible if we work together and make it all happen.
She's doing a pretty good job.
I had been able to take all of the documents, bring them into a system, model it, and I can produce reports in many different formats, which is what we probably don't have available here at the city, unfortunately.
Having said that, I'm optimistic moving forward.
I will be in the hospital for a couple of weeks, so I won't be at the next meeting.
That's why I presented this today.
And what happens after I get out?
Maybe it won't even matter where we go in the budget.
One other final thing on the budget, and I'll get out of it, property taxes.
You're probably not interested in raising that.
And I looked at it from a perspective.
I live with 63 feet of road which is maintained by the state.
Mr. Margala, your time is exceeded.
Thank you.
Is there any other public comments?
Tommy.
Dickerman, the beefy roof is open.
Yes.
And Jodi Miller, you did a good job.
Thanks, Tommy.
I went, I had the beefy roof but those were heating and it was good food in there.
Thank you, Tommy.
Is there any other public comments this evening?
Yes, ma'am.
Hi, last week, last week I was, I had heard, not last week, the week before, I heard Alderman Sellers mention something about parking lots and there was a discussion about it and possibly and we have divots that are the size of a car in the handicap parking area, as well as other places.
And I remembered Alderman Sellers saying that she was supposed to rank on one over across from Lickies.
So rather than waiting until maybe 2026, if you could possibly look at that budget item and see if those parking lots, especially municipal lot who you have the Stewart Center and all these beautiful buildings to shop in.
It's our prize, it's our huge parking lot.
To come out of a car and twist your ankle in a pothole isn't fun.
So if we could possibly think of that for 2025 instead of pushing it off until 2026, that was the only thing I was asking.
I actually took pictures.
I was gonna show you a picture but I didn't know how to do that.
So if you wanna see them, I have them.
But thank you very much, I appreciate this.
Are there any other public comments this evening?
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, could you please read item number 20?
We have executive session pursuant to 5 ILCS 120 slash 2C2, collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or their representatives or deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more classes of employees.
Is there a motion to enter into executive session?
It's all moved.
Is there a second?
Second.
We have a motion made by Shadle, seconded by Parker.
Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Klemm?
Eric, does it look like Klemm is still connected?
Okay Simmons we still have a vote of five to zero to enter closed session thank you and more.
Thank you.
Wow.
The big one.