WEBVTT

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I haven't heard that. That's exciting.

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Be patient, Tom.

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I will know soon. I forgive you.

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No, that's okay. That's fine.

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I'll tell you if there's a situation in the Senate.

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But whatever works out is fine.

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I will tell you, Tommy. I will find out.

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I know they were putting their permits down.

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Be patient.

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You will have a sub soon.

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Oh, you're shooting me.

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Oh.

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I'm blessed.

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Wait for my diamonds.

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Shoot what?

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Wait until you hit it.

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Come on, man.

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Oh, there's one.

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Good evening. Justin, could you please give the invocation this evening?

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Good evening. Just quickly before I pray, I just wanted to say here, towards the end

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of 2024, it's been about two years, I think, since I've come and prayed monthly and I

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I know there are highs and lows, frustrations and joys to your discussions here, but just

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as one person in Freeport, I'm grateful for you guys' work, Directors, Chiefs, Mayor,

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Mr. Zito, City Planner, I know that it probably doesn't always feel like your work matters

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or is appreciated, but it is, and just thank you, I'm grateful, grateful for your work,

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and all of your work for our city.

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Would you please allow me to pray for you?

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Well, Father, we thank you.

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Lord, I give thanks on behalf of those here tonight for your good gifts that you pour out so freely upon us, your creation, the work of your hands.

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Williams. Lord, I thank you for the different gifts and personalities and abilities and callings

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represented here in this room, the various posts that these men and women occupy, the

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different people that they represent. Lord, we thank you for this city, for our county.

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We thank you for the good work that has been done this year. We know that there is more to do and yet even as we come up on a Thanksgiving holiday in the very near future, Lord we just stop to give thanks and we do say thank you for all that you've strengthened and empowered and given wisdom and gifts to us to accomplish and Father I pray again for tonight's discussions

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Williams, pray for the work in the weeks ahead, even as winter draws near, as things finish

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up in the Public Works Department, as far as summer and fall goes, and transition into

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winter.

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Lord, pray that you would help in terms of equipment and personnel.

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Pray that all involved would have the opportunity to enjoy the upcoming holidays and truly find

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and

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the rest and time to rejoice in the works this past year and again pray that you bless the time tonight. Give wisdom. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

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Thank you, Pastor Justin. And I'd also just like to take a moment to say thank you to Alderman Shadle for carrying out last week's Committee the Whole as I was at the National League of Cities Conference.

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and

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Stacey,

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and

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I'm pleased to be here today to share with you the best practices,

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ideas and solutions with fellow municipal leaders across the

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country. So with that, we'll officially call this meeting to

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order. Madam Clerk, could you please take the role.

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Mayor Miller? Here. Alderperson, Klemm? Here.

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Monroe? Here. Simmons? Here.

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Parker? Here. Stacey? Here.

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Shadle? Here.

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Thomas, and if you could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Stacy.

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and

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the

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next item is the approval of the agenda.

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I believe that as per request of Alderman Monroe,

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he would like to remove item number 30

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and place it on the December cow.

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With that is there a motion to approve the agenda?

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Alderman Monroe.

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I would make a motion to adopt the agenda.

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I would like to make a request that we return

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to live camera feed after the executive session as well,

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though here in the chamber.

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Okay. Kurt, you good? Okay. Yep. Thank you. And is there a second? Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Klemm for the approval of the agenda. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Item number two is approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on November 4th, 2024. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion made by

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by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

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All those in favor signify by saying aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed?

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That motion passes.

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We have quite a few signed up for tonight's public comment.

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We'll start with Kevin Lamb.

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members of council and a mayor city manager I wanted to come before you to

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talk about the agenda tonight not a particular item this this stack

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represents 405 pages. My concern is if I got an agenda that was 405 pages long of minutes, contracts, memos, leases, item after item, I know this is a bigger one than usual, but I cannot imagine an Alderman trying to read all of that from Friday until now, not just to read it, but to know it, to understand it, to talk

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and I have to work with my constituents to be able to figure out, should I be in favor of it, should I not?

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This is a disservice. This is a disservice to the Alderman.

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This is a disservice to the constituents that they represent.

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And again, I would want to return to, you will have an opportunity. You, the Alderman, can change this.

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There's no willingness by the city manager, but you have the power to change this

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and make it so that you get the agenda early enough for you to be able to study it.

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I know there was discussion earlier about being prepared, being represented, reading all the stuff.

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How in the hell do you think you're going to read all of that stuff before this meeting when you got it Friday?

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I haven't the slightest idea, I doubt if anybody here does, and I think you should change that.

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Next on the list is Juliet Matarow.

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Good evening.

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On the agenda this evening is the resolution for Bird City, Illinois, so I wanted to give

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a little background.

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Bird City, Illinois was established for the state of Illinois in 2021 and Freeport was

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is one of the first of three cities to earn this designation,

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alongside Rockford and Waukegan.

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Part of the requirements for Bird City

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is to fulfill a minimum of nine actions,

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including an annual proclamation

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for World Migratory Bird Day, which we do every year in May,

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as well as a passing of a resolution

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for Bird City, Illinois, every three years.

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The requirement is this, to ensure that municipalities

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consistently think of environmental impacts

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when making certain decisions,

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particularly those that affect birds and other wildlife.

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The renewal process also acts as a chance to update and educate current and new council members who may be unaware of the recognition.

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of the Recognition.

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On behalf of the Northwest Illinois Audubon Society

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who led this charge and donated the application fee,

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I wanted to thank the city, the Freeport Park District,

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the Freeport Public Library, University of Illinois

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Extension, Jane Addams Land Park Foundation, Freeport Student

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Garden, Environmental Study Group, Park Hills Golf Course,

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and Bluebird Monitoring Volunteers,

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and the Pretzel Pickers.

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In 2021, Freeport met 18 criteria.

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But this year, thanks to these groups,

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Freeport met 29 criteria.

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I thank the support of the council members

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who see the benefit of being a bird city of Illinois

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and help make our Freeport community healthier

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for birds and people.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Thank you, Juliet.

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Next is Rhonda Scott.

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Good evening.

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I'm here to speak on three agenda items

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and

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I have a couple of questions that you might want to think about

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when you are going over some of these items. The first one was

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item number 14 and that was the one dollar lease of a vehicle

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from the senior citizens, not senior center, the city would

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lease it for a dollar.

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So I just happened to ask an Alderperson, well, do you know

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when you lease it for a dollar? Do you know what you are

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getting into? Do you know the other costs? Because we have

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had this situation where you lease a parking lot to somebody

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and

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Mary,

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and

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I'm

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going to ask you a question.

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What are the costs of the vehicle?

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What are the costs of the vehicle?

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I'm going to ask you a question.

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and others.

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And then there was a fund called the Downstate Operating Assistant Grant, which provides

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funding for, I'm assuming, operation of these vehicles.

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It really just helps public transportation in cities.

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So it's great if we have that budget and it will pay for those costs, but I think as

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Alderpeople, and when I ask a question, do you know how much it's going to cost me as

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a taxpayer to, you know, are you going to increase my taxes so you can pay for the cost

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on this $1 leased vehicle, it'd be nice if you understood what was going on and could

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tell me.

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I did review the notes and the notes asked everybody to go ahead and approve it because

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it'd be a good deal to add that vehicle to our fleet, which I agree with, but when you

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make a memo to other people what we do here is about allocating funds and it

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seems like it should be transparent as to where the money is going to come for

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when you're leasing a vehicle who's going to pay for all those costs and what

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fund it's coming from as a member of the public I would like to know the other

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question the other concern I had was there's going to be a discussion on a

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and I have a grant that was being offered to rehab on a house at 1010 Adams and grants are great. Some of the money is going for rehab, some is going for demolition. This one is going to be rehab. So I went and looked and as we all know a lot of the houses on Adams Street are really suffering because it looks like a lot of them are rentals and the landlords kind of don't care. But this one house looks really good. And so I'm thinking why are we spending $48,000

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and I, and I'm going to be the one to get $10,000 to fix up that house when all the other ones look so bad and probably, you know, do we have any criteria? This person who's getting his house fixed up also, I have been told, owns 12 other properties. So maybe you should be selling. Okay, thank you. Thank you. Thanks a lot. And then we have Molly Doolittle and Candy Colby.

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Good evening everyone. Tonight I would just like to express my support for the ordinance

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which would allow residents of Freeport to use native plants in the home landscaping.

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And I'd just like to outline a few reasons why I think this is a good idea and would

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be worthy of the Council's approval. So generally speaking, a native plant is one which has

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has existed within this region before settlement by Europeans.

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Native plants include ferns, grasses, perennial and annual wildflowers, woody trees, shrubs

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and vines.

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And there are actually many benefits to the use of native plants in the landscape.

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First of all, plants native to the Midwest are adapted to our harshest winters.

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they tolerate drought and they flourish in our local soils.

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They do not require fertilizers or pesticides, so they're inherently low maintenance and

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they can save time and money.

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They require less water than lawns and help prevent erosion.

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And the deep root systems of many native Midwestern plants increase the soil's capacity to store

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water.

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So, native plants can reduce water runoff and consequently flooding, which can sometimes

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overwhelm our storm sewer systems.

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Native plant scapes do not require mowing.

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They provide shelter and food for birds and pollinators, and as many of you know, a lot

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of these species are in decline, unfortunately.

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Native plants promote biodiversity and stewardship

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of our natural heritage.

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Plus, they are beautiful and increase scenic values

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as I think you can see from the photos we're distributing.

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Finally, native plants make healthy places for people.

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The lawns and the bark mulch landscapes

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that we commonly see are notorious

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for requiring profuse amounts of artificial fertilizers and synthetic chemical pesticides

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and herbicides. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the traditional suburban

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lawn on average has 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland. So by choosing

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native plants for our landscaping, we can help wildlife, yes, but we also create a healthier

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Place, for ourselves, our families, and our community.

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I thank you for this opportunity.

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Thank you.

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Next is Ashley Heilman.

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Hello, everyone.

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I am here this evening to speak with no opposition

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for the changes presented this evening for agenda item number

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six.

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I want to first thank Doug with the Community Development

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for working with me to address the issues that were brought to my attention for the

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rental registry. Secondly, I'd like to thank the City Manager, Boyer, for reaching out

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to us for feedback and suggestions to the changes presented this evening. My hope is

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going forward that the continued open dialogue with this registry will help the City as well

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as the landlords. With an open line of communication, it can only make things better. The one ask

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that I have is please make sure that this change is communicated on the newsletter that

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is going out in the coming months from the city. Thank you again and I have no

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opposition to the changes presented this evening. Thank you. Neely. Good evening

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Mayor Miller and thank you for allowing me this moment to speak with the

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honorable council members. My name is Neely Erickson and I am the Government

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Affairs Director for Illinois Realtors. I am here today on behalf of the 1,300

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and members of the Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors.

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We appreciate the discussion being held tonight regarding the proposed changes to the Property

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Rental Registration Program.

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We acknowledge the City's efforts to collaborate with stakeholders, including our members,

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to address concerns and develop a framework aimed at improving compliance with registration

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requirements and addressing problem properties.

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We have no opposition to the ordinance.

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We recognize that the enhanced penalties for non-compliance are intended to encourage greater

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participation in the program, which is the ordinance's goal.

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The success of the ordinance will rely on the City's commitment to active enforcement.

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While mailing notifications to suspected rental properties is a step forward, consistent follow-up

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and enforcement will be essential to bring these properties into compliance.

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We stand ready to assist in these efforts and collaborate with the City to ensure the

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program's effectiveness to minimize the unintended consequences to the housing providers who

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are complying with the law, which is 33%.

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The ordinance employs late fees as a penalty for non-compliance but structures them in

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a way that encourages timely adherence.

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This approach is significant as these fees can, unfortunately, have indirect impact on

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tenants.

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Thank you again for the opportunity to provide comments and to your thoughtful consideration

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on this matter.

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We appreciate the City's work on this issue and look forward to continued collaboration

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on initiatives that support the broader community.

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Thank you.

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That concludes public comments.

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We'll move on to consent agenda.

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The Consent Agenda

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and

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the

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City Council.

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The consent agenda is considered routine and nature

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enacted unless a member of the council would like to have

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something removed for further discussion. Seeing none, the

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consent agenda is approving to receive and place on file the

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boards and commission minutes from the firefighters and the

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police pension funds from July 30, 2024, as well as the liquor

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and Parker.

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The motion passes 7-1.

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The motion passes 7-1.

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The motion passes 7-1.

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The motion passes 7-1.

00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:09.400
Second. A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Madam Clerk,

00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:18.160
would you please take the roll? Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye.

00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:26.260
Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The motion passes seven to one. And item

00:21:26.260 --> 00:21:30.420
number five is the second reading of ordinance 2024-60. Could you please read

00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:35.380
this ordinance approving airport hangar m8 lease with David Hayes thank you

00:21:35.380 --> 00:21:39.060
manager Boyer thank your honor as previously discussed David Hayes is

00:21:39.060 --> 00:21:44.500
interested in leasing hanger m8 the agreement the the cost of this lease is

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:50.940
$165 per month staff recommends approval of this and in addition to that we

00:21:50.940 --> 00:21:55.740
anticipate having a market survey completed by the first meeting in

00:21:55.740 --> 00:22:02.500
December, for neighboring communities with airports approximately the same size in case

00:22:02.500 --> 00:22:08.400
that is a point of concern which was expressed last summer. So staff recommends moving forward

00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:19.860
with this lease. Any discussion? Alderman Stacey, did you? Yeah. Yes. I just want to make sure

00:22:19.860 --> 00:22:30.460
and I. We want to make sure that we the council have the understanding that come the first

00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:44.220
week of December, we will see a new lease, the document itself, so that we can look at

00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:53.260
it go through it if there's any changes so that by the third week of December it's finalized

00:22:53.260 --> 00:23:02.860
so that by January 1st all these hangers will have the proper new lease.

00:23:02.860 --> 00:23:03.860
That's correct.

00:23:03.860 --> 00:23:07.740
You'll have it before that.

00:23:07.740 --> 00:23:08.740
I'll have a...

00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:12.220
You'll have a copy of the lease agreement before that.

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.220
Okay.

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:24.260
Alderman Sanders? Yeah and on that subject as well, on the leasing agreement do we

00:23:24.260 --> 00:23:38.620
have a process that we determine what the assessed value of each hanger when we're

00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:48.740
when we're looking at quoting monthly costs to lease these properties, do we have an analytical

00:23:48.740 --> 00:24:00.100
analysis on why we decide to have these quote monthly costs and then who are the individuals

00:24:00.100 --> 00:24:06.260
or whoever they are is making these determinations.

00:24:06.260 --> 00:24:15.200
We don't have an understanding because we don't know who is signing the lease to allow any

00:24:15.200 --> 00:24:21.740
hangers to be in a position where it can be leased at all.

00:24:21.740 --> 00:24:29.820
So my question is, whose signatures are going to be provided for these clearances for these

00:24:29.820 --> 00:24:35.740
leases on city's property to give that?

00:24:35.740 --> 00:24:40.740
I thought it was something that the aldermen conduct,

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:45.600
not the city manager to determine

00:24:45.600 --> 00:24:49.440
what the rental process of a lease would be.

00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:53.340
Now, if I stand corrected if I'm wrong,

00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:57.940
but if not, I'd like to see how we get to these quote,

00:24:57.940 --> 00:25:02.940
lease rates and that the aldermen are well informed

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:12.300
Well informed on how we got from point A to point B and we should have all of those evaluation

00:25:12.300 --> 00:25:20.400
documents before us that we can assess everything and see what took place and how we process

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:28.720
things because right now I'm having an issue with how we do things here and so if I can't

00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:35.320
to see it and get clarity, then I have a problem with that, and I don't want to point fingers

00:25:35.320 --> 00:25:41.440
at anyone who is responsible for making those things happen.

00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:50.280
So I'm not putting it all on the City Manager, if it's up to him to make all these determinations

00:25:50.280 --> 00:25:57.880
then I want to see the reinforcement behind it all to help him, because he's not just

00:25:57.880 --> 00:26:13.880
He's going to just do this thing solo. It's not what his job responsibility is to do everything solo without discussing it with the Aldermen or the Council. So that's all I have to say.

00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:25.880
Alderman Sanders, are you asking about the amounts that the leases are for? Is that what your question was?

00:26:25.880 --> 00:26:34.519
No, I'm asking the question in regards to how we get from A to B when signing off on leases for anything.

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:36.840
Okay. How do we get there?

00:26:36.840 --> 00:26:38.240
Attorney Zito?

00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:45.240
So, with these leases, generally speaking, is that staff, whether it be the airport manager in conjunction with the city manager, right,

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:53.160
will initially talk to the proposed tenant who wants to, you know, either lease for the first time a hanger or renew their lease.

00:26:53.160 --> 00:27:23.160
you'll talk about what the terms and conditions are the price for the each hanger is set by an ordinance that was previously adopted by the City Council a few years ago so that's where the price comes from certainly if this council wants to change it you guys can change the ordinance and adopt new prices you know as you know times pass you know markets change and everything like that that part's fine ultimately though one staff has a draft lease put together that's what comes before you that's just like it comes to council just like what's in your packet right now there's an ordinance

00:27:53.160 --> 00:27:59.740
then it passes and the ordinance authorizes the city manager then to sign the lease on behalf of the city.

00:27:59.740 --> 00:28:03.080
So, that's kind of the general process.

00:28:03.080 --> 00:28:04.020
All right.

00:28:04.020 --> 00:28:05.480
Alderman Monroe?

00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:09.760
Thank you Madam Mayor. I think the the topics that are being danced around here

00:28:09.760 --> 00:28:15.500
number one are are their lease rates are they are they correct at this time and

00:28:15.500 --> 00:28:19.740
date because this was set many years ago almost six years ago now if I if I recall

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:29.180
and others. I think what Alderman Sanders is trying to point out is that these hangers

00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:36.260
are being occupied before we agree to the lease. And I think that that's the problem

00:28:36.260 --> 00:28:43.620
that's presenting itself this evening. If City Manager, for instance, decided to move

00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:48.380
City Hall to another building, he would do so and then come back and ask for permission

00:28:48.380 --> 00:28:50.380
and

00:28:52.380 --> 00:28:54.380
other people.

00:28:55.700 --> 00:28:57.820
And then the last thing I want to say is we should be working

00:28:57.820 --> 00:29:00.820
with the Council, and that's not really the way this should be

00:29:00.820 --> 00:29:03.820
working. If these are going to come in front of the Council,

00:29:03.820 --> 00:29:07.820
they should come in front of the Council in a timely manner, and

00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:10.820
if we need to, we should probably suspend the rules. Those

00:29:10.820 --> 00:29:13.820
kinds of things should be the order of how things work.

00:29:13.820 --> 00:29:18.820
Fischer, and I'm going to be making a motion to approve the lease agreement.

00:29:18.820 --> 00:29:23.820
I think the process of having contracts two months before we're asked to do it, to agree

00:29:23.820 --> 00:29:28.820
to it, or a month and a half or whatever many days that might be, is problematic.

00:29:28.820 --> 00:29:33.820
So those are the kinds of things that I think need to be addressed.

00:29:33.820 --> 00:29:38.820
There's also a lot of language in this lease agreement that probably isn't germane or valid

00:29:38.820 --> 00:29:44.820
2009, 2010. So these haven't been done in almost 15 years. So, you know, those are

00:29:44.820 --> 00:29:48.380
those are questions that really pop into mind and I think we just need to do a

00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:53.580
better job of managing that on the front end in order to clean up the process

00:29:53.580 --> 00:29:58.020
here. My two cents.

00:29:58.020 --> 00:30:05.420
Any other discussion? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:17.780
Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye.

00:30:17.780 --> 00:30:30.180
and Parker. The ordinance passes 7 to 1. Item number 6 is the first reading of Ordinance

00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:35.880
20-24-62. Could you please read this? Ordinance revising registration deadline and increasing

00:30:35.880 --> 00:30:43.220
landlord registry penalty. Director Duckman. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Just wanted to start

00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:49.100
Start by saying, I apologize, the incorrect memo was attached to the agenda.

00:30:49.100 --> 00:30:53.900
So essentially, I'm going to go over here some of the fines that were finally agreed

00:30:53.900 --> 00:30:54.900
upon.

00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:58.460
The actual ordinance that was part of your packet was correct.

00:30:58.460 --> 00:31:03.980
So in the ordinance, you received the correct fines, correct deadlines, but the memo was

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:04.980
incorrect.

00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:05.980
So I apologize for that.

00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:10.300
It was just we attached the wrong, staff had the wrong memo attached.

00:31:10.300 --> 00:31:12.220
Do you have a copy, Director Duckman?

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:21.060
I do not have a copy of the updated memo, but I do have the, you received the correct ordinance with the right, correct deadlines.

00:31:21.060 --> 00:31:32.260
So I'll go over it slowly and just kind of let you know, there wasn't much that changed from that original memo, so apologies for that.

00:31:32.260 --> 00:31:34.740
Let me just start by saying what's changed here.

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:41.640
So before this proposed ordinance, the deadline for registration was June 31st.

00:31:42.860 --> 00:31:48.940
What's being proposed in this ordinance is a deadline to register of January 31st of each calendar year.

00:31:49.860 --> 00:31:51.180
So that's what's being proposed.

00:31:52.340 --> 00:32:01.560
Now for this current year meaning coming 2025, the deadline is going to be April 1st of 2025.

00:32:01.560 --> 00:32:07.960
and probably wondering why well this is a new change and we're we're trying to give our landlords

00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:14.360
some time to understand the change and to adapt to it but starting in 2026 it's going to be January

00:32:14.360 --> 00:32:23.160
31st from thereafter so now moving on to the proposed ordinance what are our fines or what

00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:29.320
is staff proposing for fines so you're going to be required we already talked about the deadlines

00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:41.320
So if you're 30 days or less, if you register 30 days or less after our deadline, you're going to be charged $100 per unit, and there's going to be a maximum charge of $1,500.

00:32:41.320 --> 00:32:49.320
So my memo didn't contemplate or state that there would be a maximum per property owner of $1,500.

00:32:49.320 --> 00:33:01.320
Now, if the application is filed 30 days, but less than 90, so 31 to 90, after the due date, you're now going to receive a $250 fine per unit.

00:33:01.320 --> 00:33:15.320
The maximum will be $3,000. If you're filed 90 days or more past the due date, you're going to have a $500 fine per unit with a maximum of $6,000.

00:33:15.320 --> 00:33:24.320
Now this changes in the past because there was a fee of $100 per unit, and it didn't change with 30 to 90 days, etc.

00:33:24.320 --> 00:33:31.320
So this is what is being proposed was what I just spoke of with the days and associated increasing fines.

00:33:31.320 --> 00:33:39.320
And then it also states in here that fines which are not promptly paid, and they will have a chance to through administrative review process,

00:33:39.320 --> 00:33:43.640
which is established in our Chapter 299 of our courtified ordinances, which is essentially

00:33:43.640 --> 00:33:47.700
our administrative hearing process for anybody who's not paying, they'll have a chance to

00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:52.000
challenge an administrative hearing process.

00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:55.680
And that being said, staff is recommending moving this forward.

00:33:55.680 --> 00:33:58.960
Is there a motion to move this ordinance forward?

00:33:58.960 --> 00:33:59.960
So moved.

00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.960
Second.

00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:11.760
Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion? Alderman Stacy.

00:34:11.760 --> 00:34:23.680
Yes. I would like to know how many of these landlords are aware of this and have gone

00:34:23.680 --> 00:34:30.760
year after year after year choosing not to register?

00:34:30.760 --> 00:34:38.560
My guess is, this is our analysis, so staff last year, we retained the services of Ptolemae,

00:34:38.560 --> 00:34:43.760
which is a software that allows us to analyze properties and to determine what we suspect

00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:45.480
to be rental properties.

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:50.480
So we've spent the past year looking into that exact question, and what we've determined

00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:59.360
is roughly 3,000 properties that we suspect are rentals, and of those 1,000 registered,

00:34:59.360 --> 00:35:04.680
So that's only one third of what we suspect to be rentals registered. So looking at that

00:35:04.680 --> 00:35:09.280
data, working with, it's pretty, it's a poor performance. We'd like to see more people

00:35:09.280 --> 00:35:15.060
register and one way to, excuse me, enhance registration is to increase the fines. So the

00:35:15.060 --> 00:35:21.020
answer to your question is two thirds, points, you know, 67% of what we suspect to be rentals

00:35:21.020 --> 00:35:25.420
do not register as of right now. And that data goes back from 2020.

00:35:25.420 --> 00:35:35.660
2020. Why are there no registration fees attached? Well, take this back. You certainly can propose

00:35:35.660 --> 00:35:40.580
a registration fee. That's something that can be contemplated tonight. What's been proposed

00:35:40.580 --> 00:35:46.340
before you, as stated, has been discussed with Landlord's representation, has been talked

00:35:46.340 --> 00:35:51.120
with our City Manager, staff has looked at it. We've not contemplated saying that there

00:35:51.120 --> 00:35:58.820
Spence, Kristen, Rachel, Jason, Danni, recommending to you that you all Kumar ああ obviously

00:35:58.820 --> 00:36:06.340
could be discussed yes I would like to point out that the fines have been increased to

00:36:06.340 --> 00:36:10.640
the point where we believe or we'd like to have an opportunity to see if the fines in

00:36:10.640 --> 00:36:15.260
and of themselves are enough to cover expenses related to the Registration

00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:19.720
Alderman, Monroe

00:36:19.720 --> 00:36:26.580
So since we purchased and were trained on the new software this year, how many fines have

00:36:26.580 --> 00:36:30.740
we issued to the community thus far?

00:36:30.740 --> 00:36:36.100
We've not issued any fines yet because it's literally taken up to this point for us to

00:36:36.100 --> 00:36:42.420
get all the data correct, get the software implemented and now what we're hoping to do

00:36:42.420 --> 00:36:46.340
or what we're planning to do is after this is passed is now saying hey you have this

00:36:46.340 --> 00:36:48.980
amount of time or you're going to be fined.

00:36:48.980 --> 00:36:55.140
It truly is challenging to identify okay these properties are identified as rentals we're

00:36:55.140 --> 00:37:00.300
going to move forward with a fine and part of the reason that staff brought forth the

00:37:00.300 --> 00:37:04.840
Ptolemae software is to say we know that people aren't registering, we know it's a problem,

00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:08.340
we want to do a better job verifying who's out there that isn't registering.

00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:12.000
So the answer to your question is we spent this past year implementing the software and

00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:17.200
Moving forward, we want to tighten down on doing a better job with our landlords registering.

00:37:17.200 --> 00:37:18.200
Follow-up?

00:37:18.200 --> 00:37:27.200
We'll need to see if there's anybody else that wants to ask questions first.

00:37:27.200 --> 00:37:31.600
For the second time, no one for the first, Alderman Shadle?

00:37:31.600 --> 00:37:40.560
I just want to comment that if we impose a fee to sign up for this, at least without

00:37:40.560 --> 00:37:47.400
Seeing if these fines are going to work first, we're giving the landlords a reason not to

00:37:47.400 --> 00:37:57.000
sign up. And the objective of this is to know where the rental property is. And you do that

00:37:57.000 --> 00:38:05.800
by getting them to sign up. There's no fee attached. They have no reason not to.

00:38:05.800 --> 00:38:25.800
Go along with what Alderman Shadle said. You know, if there's no fee, if you add charge of fee, it gives the landlord a reason to add more money to the renter. And a lot of the renters cannot afford the fee if it's only to sign up. So I think it forces them to sign up and it doesn't hurt the right people.

00:38:25.800 --> 00:38:26.800
Alderman Sellers?

00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:32.600
I think if the landlords are in agreement with it and they're not opposing it and they've

00:38:32.600 --> 00:38:38.280
sat down and they've talked with and they've been a part of the agreement, I think it's,

00:38:38.280 --> 00:38:42.480
you know, we should at least give it a try and see how that works because they are in

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:44.880
favor of it.

00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:45.880
Alderman Klemm.

00:38:45.880 --> 00:38:50.080
I think Alderman Seller said it right under your nose there.

00:38:50.080 --> 00:38:53.880
We've gone through this more than once in our history and if we're working with the

00:38:53.880 --> 00:39:23.880
Landlord Association. Now, we have to remember that these guys are working with the bulk of the good landlords. It is basically a bunch of landlords out there that are in Chicago, Arizona, wherever, that buys a property that they think is a real good deal and then lets it sit there and rot. Those are the people that really are causing the problem. So I think if we can implement it and everybody can work together on it and agree to it,

00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:26.840
it would be a good situation at that point.

00:39:28.560 --> 00:39:29.760
Any other for first time?

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:32.680
Oh, Alderman Sanders.

00:39:32.680 --> 00:39:36.860
Oh yeah, Alderman Klemm, what would be,

00:39:36.860 --> 00:39:40.100
I didn't catch that last comment you made,

00:39:40.100 --> 00:39:41.320
what would it be?

00:39:42.680 --> 00:39:43.880
No, I- It would be a good,

00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:45.120
it would be a good-

00:39:45.120 --> 00:39:47.240
It would be a good thing to work together

00:39:47.240 --> 00:39:49.580
with the Landlord Association

00:39:49.580 --> 00:39:52.940
because they take and deal with all the good landlords

00:39:52.940 --> 00:39:58.020
or the people, a lot of the people that have access to numerous properties.

00:39:58.020 --> 00:40:04.540
and others to numerous properties, okay? We know that there is more and more in the last

00:40:04.540 --> 00:40:11.380
few years of people, a lot of people out there that own 10, 15, 20 properties, you know,

00:40:11.380 --> 00:40:16.260
that they are just out there and they are really trying to take advantage of people

00:40:16.260 --> 00:40:21.660
and not signing up, not being a part of their association to get what is going on. So I

00:40:21.660 --> 00:40:27.740
think it is the biggest part from the last, like the last time, to give you an example.

00:40:27.740 --> 00:40:57.740
There was a $25 fee put on it. The first thing that happened was certain landlords charged the people $50. That is why when it was brought up about the fee, it was not a matter of that it was not so fair to the landlords, it was not so fair in turn to the people because some of the landlords doubled that fee. So if we can work together, which there was a process before and it kind of went south, but if we can keep working together and try and move it forward,

00:40:57.740 --> 00:41:04.500
Howard. One of the things we have here that you really have to stop and think about is

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:11.300
the number of rental properties and the percentage of rental properties, because all of us know

00:41:11.300 --> 00:41:16.500
the minute that we have a neighborhood that everybody has lived in for 25 years and they

00:41:16.500 --> 00:41:22.180
are all happy and there are three new houses, three houses bought up by somebody and we

00:41:22.180 --> 00:41:26.340
We'll use the term, I'll just use the term of a bad landlord, you know, then you really

00:41:26.340 --> 00:41:33.820
got trouble. You know, if you go to the, on Wayne's other side that he deals with, if

00:41:33.820 --> 00:41:39.540
you go to the side where people that don't mow yards, people that don't clean up stuff,

00:41:39.540 --> 00:41:44.020
people that got stuff all over in their yards and that kind of stuff, there's the other

00:41:44.020 --> 00:41:49.380
asset that he has to deal with when you get bad landlords and stuff. So, if we can all

00:41:49.380 --> 00:41:52.380
All work together, it'll just be helpful, I think.

00:41:52.380 --> 00:41:58.380
Alderman Simmons, is there something more you would like to add before I open it up for a second round?

00:41:58.380 --> 00:42:01.380
I think Alderman Stacy, you had your hand up.

00:42:01.380 --> 00:42:04.380
Yes.

00:42:04.380 --> 00:42:12.380
If it's a big word to be two letters long, we have dealt with this for how many years?

00:42:12.380 --> 00:42:16.380
With no registration fee.

00:42:16.380 --> 00:42:18.080
and it doesn't happen.

00:42:19.280 --> 00:42:22.700
You have a registration fee for everything else for your car.

00:42:25.120 --> 00:42:30.120
So, we have to do something to let them know

00:42:30.760 --> 00:42:33.260
we mean what we say and we say what we mean.

00:42:34.180 --> 00:42:38.120
And even this little 100 and this little 250,

00:42:39.300 --> 00:42:43.680
for the ones that's been here who is aware of this

00:42:43.680 --> 00:42:54.200
and have continued to choose not to do it, I say forget the 100 and the 250 and give

00:42:54.200 --> 00:42:57.520
them a flat 500.

00:42:57.520 --> 00:43:04.540
But you can't just do that for the old timers that continue to choose not to.

00:43:04.540 --> 00:43:10.720
You have to do the same across the board.

00:43:10.720 --> 00:43:16.480
and once we do that and they know we mean business, if we have to make examples out of them, make

00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:22.080
examples out of them.

00:43:22.080 --> 00:43:30.540
They've had how many years with no registration and it has not made a difference.

00:43:30.540 --> 00:43:37.040
They've had how many years with the 100 and the 250?

00:43:37.040 --> 00:43:49.800
I understand what you're saying. I think what we might be talking about that we're missing

00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:58.800
a little here is the goal in this is not to make the landlords, the good landlords that

00:43:58.800 --> 00:44:03.960
are participating in this and working with us to be the one that suffers in the deal

00:44:03.960 --> 00:44:10.120
and some of those landlords own some, a fairly good number of properties. Also keep in mind

00:44:10.120 --> 00:44:16.080
in the last year, or I'll say more than that because it's been the COVID thing, there's

00:44:16.080 --> 00:44:22.040
been a big turnaround in who bought a bunch of properties and who sold a bunch of properties.

00:44:22.040 --> 00:44:26.960
There were a lot of people that were getting up in years that said, I'm selling my property

00:44:26.960 --> 00:44:32.480
and they turned around and sold them to a landlord that didn't go by any rules or anything

00:44:32.480 --> 00:44:37.840
and others. So if we talk a big fee up front, we're talking about the punishing the people

00:44:37.840 --> 00:44:42.920
that we're dealing with and all the people that we don't know about, these little guys

00:44:42.920 --> 00:44:47.920
that got a couple properties here and there, those guys are still going to be on the outside.

00:44:47.920 --> 00:44:54.920
Those are the people you want to try and deal with to get registered and to get involved.

00:44:54.920 --> 00:44:56.920
But the good landlords are registered.

00:44:56.920 --> 00:44:58.920
They are not registered.

00:44:58.920 --> 00:45:02.920
You said regular print, the figure was what, 33%?

00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:06.920
Correct. I said, yeah, that's what we're, 33% of the people are registering.

00:45:06.920 --> 00:45:09.920
And of those, I would say there are good landlords on there.

00:45:09.920 --> 00:45:10.920
Yes.

00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:11.920
Yeah.

00:45:11.920 --> 00:45:19.920
But are you saying that there's also, in the two-thirds, that's not registered good landlords mixed with bad landlords?

00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:36.920
What I will say is the people that are involved with City Manager Boyer, myself, and the association, they are proponents of a Landlord Registry, so they are registering. That's what I can say.

00:45:36.920 --> 00:45:40.920
Alderman Sanders

00:45:40.920 --> 00:45:54.920
Have notifications went out to these landlords, whether they registered or not, to let them know what their responsibilities are and consequences of lack of their responsibility?

00:45:54.920 --> 00:46:09.920
Yes, and as I said, what's going to be better about the program now is with this software we've done a better job of identifying who is a suspected, who's out there that should be registered and isn't.

00:46:09.920 --> 00:46:14.400
who do we suspect is a rental property that currently isn't registered?

00:46:14.400 --> 00:46:20.880
So we have every year we send it out, it would be, so if it's June 31st it would be in May

00:46:20.880 --> 00:46:25.560
we would send a letter out, however now with this new proposal we're going to be sending

00:46:25.560 --> 00:46:30.800
out the letters in December because we're proposing a different date, right, a different

00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:31.800
deadline.

00:46:31.800 --> 00:46:37.600
So to answer your question is yes, people are notified, staff has been working on making

00:46:37.600 --> 00:46:43.340
the process better, identifying who these landlords are. It's a complicated question

00:46:43.340 --> 00:46:49.100
to ask. How do you know who's, is that a landlord? Is that not a landlord? Is it a rental property?

00:46:49.100 --> 00:46:56.880
Is it not? You know, and so we've worked diligently and we've gone out and hired an organization

00:46:56.880 --> 00:47:02.880
to help us resolve that question through data analysis. So the answer to your question is

00:47:02.880 --> 00:47:06.880
we've done it in the past we think we're gonna do a better job moving forward.

00:47:06.880 --> 00:47:16.560
Thank you. Alderman Simmons. So if I'm hearing this correctly, Alderperson, sorry,

00:47:16.560 --> 00:47:22.040
Stacy, you think that the people who are avoiding signing up for this list and

00:47:22.040 --> 00:47:28.480
have gotten notices and reminders rather than and will be still given until April

00:47:28.480 --> 00:47:37.060
April 21st to register should get a $500 fine versus a $150 fine because they

00:47:37.060 --> 00:47:41.040
haven't done it and they've had the opportunity to do it. I agree with that.

00:47:41.040 --> 00:47:48.220
Would you like to make that a motion or how would we do that? So there was a

00:47:48.220 --> 00:47:52.740
motion and a second just to move this forward to second reading so if you want

00:47:52.740 --> 00:47:57.580
to make a motion to make an amendment to the draft motion with what your

00:47:57.580 --> 00:47:58.580
and others.

00:47:58.580 --> 00:48:03.300
The proposed amendment is second on the proposed amendment and then a vote by the council whether

00:48:03.300 --> 00:48:07.900
or not to make that change in the language, which would then, if it passes, then we'll

00:48:07.900 --> 00:48:09.660
make it for the second reading.

00:48:09.660 --> 00:48:10.660
Okay.

00:48:10.660 --> 00:48:16.660
Okay, but I'm a little confused because according to what Director Duckman said, it was $100

00:48:16.660 --> 00:48:22.700
per unit with a max of $1,500 and then after another timeframe, it's $250 per unit with

00:48:22.700 --> 00:48:24.700
and

00:48:25.700 --> 00:48:27.700
John.

00:48:29.700 --> 00:48:31.700
And then we move up from there. They've had plenty of

00:48:32.700 --> 00:48:34.700
opportunities to register and have chosen not to.

00:48:35.700 --> 00:48:37.700
Yeah, how do you move up from there if your next one is lower?

00:48:39.700 --> 00:48:43.700
It would be changed to progress and move up versus staying what

00:48:43.700 --> 00:48:45.700
it is. We would say that we would move up from there.

00:48:45.700 --> 00:48:52.660
it would be changed to progress and move up versus staying what it is we would

00:48:52.660 --> 00:48:58.700
start with the first fine being 500 and move up from there okay so right now it

00:48:58.700 --> 00:49:05.020
says if there are 30 days or less after the due date right so you're late 30

00:49:05.020 --> 00:49:09.780
days right now it says it's $100 per unit fine you're saying change that to

00:49:09.780 --> 00:49:10.560
and

00:49:10.560 --> 00:49:11.480
the

00:49:11.480 --> 00:49:12.280
next

00:49:12.280 --> 00:49:21.280
period of time then is from day 31 to day 90 there. What would you, and that's currently at $250 per unit.

00:49:21.280 --> 00:49:36.280
The same as it is, it goes up per 100 per 30 days just as it moves up and progresses as it is written, it should move up those same amounts, but starting at 500.

00:49:36.280 --> 00:49:57.280
So, from $100 it went up to $250, so it went up $150, so you're saying from $500 it should go up to $650, then the next increment where it starts at $300, it should go up to, what was that, a difference of $250 and $300, sorry I don't have my glasses on.

00:49:57.280 --> 00:50:07.480
So, keep the incremental increase the same, just start it at 500 and bump it up.

00:50:07.480 --> 00:50:08.480
The same increment.

00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:09.480
I gotcha.

00:50:09.480 --> 00:50:10.480
Okay.

00:50:10.480 --> 00:50:11.480
So, that's...

00:50:11.480 --> 00:50:12.480
With a max or no?

00:50:12.480 --> 00:50:13.480
Yeah.

00:50:13.480 --> 00:50:14.480
Okay.

00:50:14.480 --> 00:50:15.480
But the original max was 1,500.

00:50:15.480 --> 00:50:16.480
What would you...

00:50:16.480 --> 00:50:17.480
What are you proposing for a max?

00:50:17.480 --> 00:50:23.360
We would increase the max the same as we increased the 500.

00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:25.720
And starting at what?

00:50:25.720 --> 00:50:37.720
We went from 150 to 500, so you went to about 3 times to 1,500, because we're slapping these landlords on the wrist and barely doing that, and they're not registering because they're not taking care of their properties.

00:50:37.720 --> 00:50:39.720
Why would you not register if you are?

00:50:39.720 --> 00:50:46.720
We're not being firm with landlords that are in our city and not following our rules.

00:50:46.720 --> 00:50:53.720
Okay, so my question is, it's 15 times the amount as a max.

00:50:53.720 --> 00:50:58.000
Do you want 15 times the amount of a max? Is that what you're asking? So 15?

00:50:58.000 --> 00:51:03.480
As it is, whatever the, right, to what, as it's written, with the same increases.

00:51:06.680 --> 00:51:14.440
I think I understand what she's saying here, because right now it's $100, first step is $100 per unit fine,

00:51:14.440 --> 00:51:15.440
and St. Louis.

00:51:15.440 --> 00:51:42.200
The top one was 12 times, so I don't understand how, but proportionally it would go up the

00:51:42.200 --> 00:51:43.760
same amount as what she's saying.

00:51:43.760 --> 00:51:50.860
So it's 15 at the first level. It should be 15 across the board if you want to make it.

00:51:59.520 --> 00:52:02.040
Clerk, do you understand what you have for notes on that?

00:52:04.360 --> 00:52:10.040
I believe I'm following, but as I read the ordinance currently, it's 100 with a

00:52:10.040 --> 00:52:11.040
and others.

00:52:11.040 --> 00:52:19.200
This is a 1500 max, so if you had a 20 unit apartment building, it would stop at 1500,

00:52:19.200 --> 00:52:25.120
so there is a logical stopping point because you could have 15 units.

00:52:25.120 --> 00:52:27.080
You would stop at 15 units.

00:52:27.080 --> 00:52:29.840
Director Duckman, I'm not saying that very well.

00:52:29.840 --> 00:52:38.320
The max, that is per unit so that the larger units don't get like a $10,000 on the first

00:52:38.320 --> 00:53:08.320
Fowler, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor

00:53:08.320 --> 00:53:38.320
of what's going on here is they want to start under sub 876 08 section a subsection 1 they want it to be 30 days or later or 30 days or less after due date of what's being proposed is $500 per unit with a $6,000 property max and then they want to go up from there to $650 per unit and then the max would be it looks like maybe $12,000 and then

00:53:38.320 --> 00:53:44.720
it would be 650 plus I mean it's that there's a mathematical equation they

00:53:44.720 --> 00:53:49.160
want to go up but they want to use the same increments from but starting at

00:53:49.160 --> 00:53:55.040
500 does that make sense I that's what I believe is being so the top one would be

00:53:55.040 --> 00:54:02.120
800 with a max of times 30 which is the difference on three so 900 it would be

00:54:02.120 --> 00:54:07.000
900 because it goes up it goes up 400 from the first one so sorry about that

00:54:07.000 --> 00:54:09.640
It would be $500, $650, and $900.

00:54:09.640 --> 00:54:10.760
$900?

00:54:10.760 --> 00:54:11.660
My math was wrong.

00:54:11.660 --> 00:54:12.280
I'm sorry.

00:54:12.280 --> 00:54:14.480
Attorney Zito, did I talk you into that?

00:54:14.480 --> 00:54:17.800
So then it's $900 times $30.

00:54:17.800 --> 00:54:18.760
No.

00:54:18.760 --> 00:54:20.520
It's 12 times.

00:54:20.520 --> 00:54:21.360
12.

00:54:21.360 --> 00:54:22.120
Times 12.

00:54:22.120 --> 00:54:22.840
OK.

00:54:22.840 --> 00:54:24.720
So that's $72,000.

00:54:24.720 --> 00:54:26.080
I'm terrible at math in my head.

00:54:26.080 --> 00:54:29.320
Is that $10,800?

00:54:29.320 --> 00:54:30.400
Or it's $9,000.

00:54:30.400 --> 00:54:31.480
Sorry.

00:54:31.480 --> 00:54:33.040
I got a couple of zeros there.

00:54:33.040 --> 00:54:34.680
Yeah, somebody with a calculator.

00:54:34.680 --> 00:54:35.180
Right here.

00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:40.040
It's 12,000.

00:54:40.040 --> 00:54:42.840
10,800.

00:54:42.840 --> 00:54:44.080
10,800?

00:54:44.080 --> 00:54:45.240
Man, that was good math.

00:54:50.200 --> 00:54:53.200
So what were the numbers again?

00:54:53.200 --> 00:54:56.760
So the first tier would be 500 with a cap of 6,000,

00:54:56.760 --> 00:55:01.520
31 to 90 days, 650 with a max of 12,000 over 90 days,

00:55:01.520 --> 00:55:06.080
900 with a max of 10,800.

00:55:06.080 --> 00:55:08.280
That can't be right because it's not going up.

00:55:08.280 --> 00:55:09.640
It's going up.

00:55:09.640 --> 00:55:13.640
The middle one needs to go up from 500 to 600.

00:55:13.640 --> 00:55:16.800
Because you went from, I think she's using the 100.

00:55:16.800 --> 00:55:20.680
So what I think is being proposed is they're going up.

00:55:20.680 --> 00:55:23.720
They went from 100 to 250.

00:55:23.720 --> 00:55:26.840
So that's adding 150.

00:55:26.840 --> 00:55:29.880
So if you go for the second one, you would go from 500.

00:55:29.880 --> 00:55:32.400
If you add 150, that would be 650 per unit.

00:55:32.400 --> 00:55:44.400
Yes, and before it was $250,000 and $3,000, so that's 12 times $650,000.

00:55:44.400 --> 00:55:51.400
Yep, 12 times $650,000, $7,800, so it'll be $6,000, $7,800, $10,800.

00:55:51.400 --> 00:55:54.400
Would you like me to reread that all in one go?

00:55:54.400 --> 00:56:13.400
First tier, 500 per unit with a max of 6,031 to 90 days, 650 per unit with a max of 7,800, over 90 days, 900 per unit with a max of 10,800.

00:56:13.400 --> 00:56:21.400
Okay, so that's a motion made by Alderman Simmons. I forgot what the order was.

00:56:21.400 --> 00:56:30.960
With all, Madam Mayor, with all the commotion and people about to stand up in their chairs,

00:56:30.960 --> 00:56:38.520
can we, I make a motion, remove this to December cowl so that we can get an understanding on

00:56:38.520 --> 00:56:41.520
this.

00:56:41.520 --> 00:56:44.920
Okay well we have a motion on the floor for an amendment, so we need to deal with that

00:56:44.920 --> 00:56:48.920
first, but I can't remember who made the motion and who made the second.

00:56:48.920 --> 00:56:49.920
Simmons made the motion.

00:56:49.920 --> 00:57:03.840
I would agree wait okay so we have a motion made by Alderman Simmons seconded by Alderman Sanders now

00:57:06.960 --> 00:57:13.840
which we were doing so um are we going to continue with it yes Alderman Klemm. I'd just like to ask

00:57:13.840 --> 00:57:14.840
and others.

00:57:14.840 --> 00:57:18.440
That's the question.

00:57:18.440 --> 00:57:24.680
Understand where you're coming from here, but I think the main goal of this particular

00:57:24.680 --> 00:57:32.620
ordinance here is to register tenant houses, okay?

00:57:32.620 --> 00:57:38.680
The goal is not to find everybody to the hilt like every mom and pop that owns one or two

00:57:38.680 --> 00:57:43.360
houses that don't have a clue about this, that it's going to come up and you're going

00:57:43.360 --> 00:57:50.840
and I'm going to find them $1,000 or $2,000. I mean, I think the main goal is to take and

00:57:50.840 --> 00:57:56.760
get as many people as they can registered first. You can then take and work with fines

00:57:56.760 --> 00:58:02.640
or work with costs, however you want to do it. But meanwhile, these people here with

00:58:02.640 --> 00:58:07.360
two people working for them are going to try and figure out, go around and guess how many

00:58:07.360 --> 00:58:12.600
rental properties you've got in the City of Freeport and they've got software that determines

00:58:12.600 --> 00:58:16.720
Zett. You can look at me like that. That's fine. I don't care. But I'm going to tell

00:58:16.720 --> 00:58:22.680
you something. Think about what your goal is and where you're going here. So if you

00:58:22.680 --> 00:58:30.160
can register 10,000 properties right off the bat with cooperation from an organization

00:58:30.160 --> 00:58:34.760
and then work on getting more, are you farther ahead doing that and getting everybody on

00:58:34.760 --> 00:58:39.480
the same page rather than finding a whole bunch of people and have the guy sitting over

00:58:39.480 --> 00:58:44.160
Over here that owns 400 properties say there's no way in hell I'm going to pay that amount

00:58:44.160 --> 00:58:45.160
of money.

00:58:45.160 --> 00:58:49.200
We're going to go to court because that's what's going to happen.

00:58:49.200 --> 00:58:50.760
We've been through this once.

00:58:50.760 --> 00:58:51.760
Alderman Klemm.

00:58:51.760 --> 00:58:52.760
Alderman Monroe.

00:58:52.760 --> 00:58:55.240
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

00:58:55.240 --> 00:59:01.560
I do think that's a bit on the on the stiff side, but I will remind the alderman that

00:59:01.560 --> 00:59:08.680
he voted to essentially fine people six, seven, eight hundred dollars and tow their vehicle

00:59:08.680 --> 00:59:10.560
for playing the radio too loud.

00:59:10.560 --> 00:59:14.040
So it's got everything to do with this

00:59:14.040 --> 00:59:17.320
because essentially what you're saying is

00:59:17.320 --> 00:59:20.440
we're going to take somebody

00:59:20.440 --> 00:59:22.840
who's got multiple properties in town

00:59:22.840 --> 00:59:25.280
that we want to register their properties

00:59:26.340 --> 00:59:28.420
and hold them accountable.

00:59:28.420 --> 00:59:31.640
And most of those properties are assessed

00:59:31.640 --> 00:59:35.840
under fair market value in this city right now,

00:59:35.840 --> 00:59:38.640
greatly under assessed.

00:59:38.640 --> 00:59:57.320
and others. They're getting $1,000 to $1,500 a month for rent in homes that are worth $20,000, $25,000, $30,000. And they've put in upgrades and things like that. So I'm not sure these numbers are too big, I would agree. But we at

00:59:57.320 --> 00:59:59.320
and the City of Arizona.

01:00:00.320 --> 01:00:04.320
I think that it's a responsibility of us to hold those people accountable.

01:00:05.320 --> 01:00:09.320
I don't care if they live in Arizona, I don't care if they live in California, I don't care where they live.

01:00:10.320 --> 01:00:16.320
At the end of the day, we want to maintain the trust and the trust of the people and the people of Arizona.

01:00:17.320 --> 01:00:21.320
And I think that it's a responsibility of us to hold those people accountable.

01:00:21.320 --> 01:00:51.320
and I live in Arizona. I don't care if they live in California. I don't care where they live at the end of the day. We want to maintain our city. We want to maintain safe neighborhoods and we go back to our strategic vision for the city and we've put money toward this to get this done. Still not done. I have questions if we will do it. I'm starting to wonder if staff is capable of doing what we're giving the money to do.

01:00:51.320 --> 01:01:21.320
It's a challenge. I get it. But these properties are sold and bought every day. They're registered at the county clerk's office. They're registered in the city. We've got the databases to figure this out and it's a responsibility of us to make sure that this happens so that we can then provide the police department or the fire department or whomever with the information that they need and we are able to then start getting people held accountable.

01:01:21.320 --> 01:01:24.480
and others, and it is a conversation that is going to be

01:01:24.480 --> 01:01:27.560
accountable from the standpoint of maintaining their properties

01:01:27.560 --> 01:01:33.660
and not falling on deaf ears. So the realistic probably lays

01:01:33.660 --> 01:01:36.620
somewhere between what was proposed by the community

01:01:36.620 --> 01:01:40.660
development and what was proposed by Alderman Simmons and

01:01:40.660 --> 01:01:44.520
Mr. Sanders. So, you know, I think that's the

01:01:44.520 --> 01:01:47.620
conversation, but at the end of the day, there's got to be some

01:01:47.620 --> 01:01:51.120
teeth to this because if there's not, what do they care?

01:01:51.120 --> 01:01:53.120
, and then the other side.

01:01:54.260 --> 01:01:56.260
That's a hundred bucks a property.

01:01:57.580 --> 01:01:59.580
So they'll collect that in a month.

01:02:01.100 --> 01:02:03.100
So I don't know. It's just my thoughts.

01:02:03.680 --> 01:02:08.420
I would probably say, you know, 250, 500, 750 makes a lot more

01:02:08.420 --> 01:02:10.900
sense to me, but that's just numbers that I kind of came up

01:02:10.900 --> 01:02:14.420
with here, and we just keep it straight 12 times so we don't

01:02:14.420 --> 01:02:16.420
have 15, 12, and 10,

01:02:18.920 --> 01:02:20.920
whatever, but that's my thought.

01:02:21.120 --> 01:02:22.120
Scott.

01:02:22.120 --> 01:02:23.120
Alderman Parker.

01:02:23.120 --> 01:02:29.080
Just to clarify, we're still talking no registration fee, all these numbers are the penalties if

01:02:29.080 --> 01:02:30.080
they don't register, right?

01:02:30.080 --> 01:02:31.080
Correct.

01:02:31.080 --> 01:02:32.080
Okay.

01:02:32.080 --> 01:02:36.560
And I have an agree with Alderman Monroe on the cost, need to reduce it so some of these

01:02:36.560 --> 01:02:37.560
people can afford it.

01:02:37.560 --> 01:02:38.560
Thank you.

01:02:38.560 --> 01:02:41.120
Alderman Sanders, I believe you had your hand up next.

01:02:41.120 --> 01:02:58.600
Yeah, I'm in alignment on the part where it is requested a certain assessment on this ordinance

01:02:58.600 --> 01:03:06.800
and the fact that we should be able to submit amendments to these ordinances where we can

01:03:06.800 --> 01:03:14.700
and actually come to agreement wholeheartedly instead of sitting in council trying to devise

01:03:14.700 --> 01:03:21.460
a plan when we should be already informed on our progress.

01:03:21.460 --> 01:03:31.580
So each time we decide what we should be doing, we should be drafting to ourselves or having

01:03:31.580 --> 01:03:56.640
Co., Co., Co., Co., Co., Co., and so on.

01:03:56.640 --> 01:03:59.680
I agree with what I'm hearing so far.

01:03:59.680 --> 01:04:04.180
I hear different expressions from various people.

01:04:05.240 --> 01:04:09.620
But there's no clarity once we walk out of here.

01:04:09.620 --> 01:04:13.000
There's no initiation or initiative

01:04:13.000 --> 01:04:18.000
to go follow through with anything that we're talking about.

01:04:18.360 --> 01:04:22.120
And if we don't do something, we're just talking

01:04:22.120 --> 01:04:24.920
and it just fans out into the air

01:04:24.920 --> 01:04:29.920
with no substance to it without coming to a conclusion,

01:04:33.760 --> 01:04:35.740
then we just wasting time.

01:04:35.740 --> 01:04:39.340
We have just wasted our time at council

01:04:39.340 --> 01:04:43.520
if we don't come up to talk together

01:04:43.520 --> 01:04:46.240
about the subjects that is before us.

01:04:46.240 --> 01:04:49.200
So I think we're doing ourself a disservice

01:04:49.200 --> 01:04:51.920
if we can't talk to one another,

01:04:51.920 --> 01:04:54.140
to come up with a resolution,

01:04:54.140 --> 01:05:01.040
and to be able to move forward because I don't like the fact that we might be doing injustice

01:05:01.040 --> 01:05:09.600
to tenants or landlords, but what I do want to be able to agree with, with the majority

01:05:09.600 --> 01:05:14.200
that is giving the best solutions, that's my take.

01:05:14.200 --> 01:05:15.200
Manager Boyer.

01:05:15.200 --> 01:05:17.160
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:05:17.160 --> 01:05:21.160
Just let me remind Council where we've been and I think it was already stated that we

01:05:21.160 --> 01:05:51.160
We were in a place where we had really no accountability. We had some semblance of a registry. However, it wasn't complete. Staff was tasked to remedy the situation. We went out, we found software packages that suits our needs, that online, that doesn't burden our staff with the various day-to-day information entering needs. Basically, individuals can fill it out themselves. So we got that done.

01:05:51.160 --> 01:05:52.160
and John.

01:05:52.160 --> 01:05:53.160
We've got a lot of people here, a lot of people.

01:05:53.160 --> 01:05:54.160
We've got a lot of people that are populated with data.

01:05:54.160 --> 01:05:57.520
And what we're asking for here is a step in the right direction, but let's take it a step

01:05:57.520 --> 01:05:58.520
at a time.

01:05:58.520 --> 01:06:02.840
I don't want to trip and fall on the way to the finish line here.

01:06:02.840 --> 01:06:11.520
We've worked together with the Realtors Association to work to a common consensus here.

01:06:11.520 --> 01:06:19.760
They represent the landlords in this town that care and that are the good landlords.

01:06:19.760 --> 01:06:25.920
and I would like an opportunity for us to go ahead and enact what it is here we've put down

01:06:25.920 --> 01:06:30.580
because this wasn't just come out of thin blue air, this came out of back and forth with

01:06:30.580 --> 01:06:32.720
some of our most important property owners.

01:06:32.720 --> 01:06:37.520
Okay, I get it, we want to fix it all, we want it all fixed today.

01:06:37.520 --> 01:06:42.620
But we all know that that doesn't happen with the roads, that doesn't happen with the water,

01:06:42.620 --> 01:06:47.560
that doesn't happen with various structures in town, it's a process.

01:06:47.560 --> 01:06:52.960
So I would just encourage council, let's work on the process, let's take it a step at a

01:06:52.960 --> 01:06:57.800
time, let's move forward with what we have here, and if it's not working, let's revisit

01:06:57.800 --> 01:06:59.440
that and fix it.

01:06:59.440 --> 01:07:03.000
But folks, I don't want to trip at the front of the finish line here is getting this done.

01:07:03.000 --> 01:07:06.840
There's a lot of staff hours involved in this, there was a lot of consultation with folks

01:07:06.840 --> 01:07:08.080
in the community.

01:07:08.080 --> 01:07:11.520
We will get it done, but we got to take it a step at a time.

01:07:11.520 --> 01:07:13.400
So that's all I'd say.

01:07:13.400 --> 01:07:22.760
I just want to say that I truly appreciate the efforts that staff has put forward on

01:07:22.760 --> 01:07:30.120
this. I do not agree at all with comments made that you're not capable of dealing

01:07:30.120 --> 01:07:40.240
with this. I can see obviously you are. It's very well put together. It may not be perfect,

01:07:40.240 --> 01:07:48.120
But I think if you get too quick with too much of a fine, you're going to get a counterproductive

01:07:48.120 --> 01:07:50.520
measure.

01:07:50.520 --> 01:07:57.800
The object of this is to get people registered.

01:07:57.800 --> 01:08:04.480
If you get the fine too much, they're going to walk away from properties and now we're

01:08:04.480 --> 01:08:20.320
We need to get them registered. If it turns out a year from now that there's too many

01:08:20.320 --> 01:08:25.040
people running too late, that the fines aren't enough, let's deal with it then. Let's get

01:08:25.040 --> 01:08:32.200
a little data, let's analyze it, we'll take care of it then. Right now, we need to get

01:08:32.200 --> 01:08:37.240
and I'm registered and the best way to do that is with what's been brought forward.

01:08:37.240 --> 01:08:39.680
Manager Boyer, did you want to add to that?

01:08:39.680 --> 01:08:47.440
I also wanted to make a comment that ideally, you know, it takes about 30 days for an ordinance to go into effect.

01:08:47.440 --> 01:08:55.040
So if we were able to get this passed on December 2nd, that would go into effect January 2nd, we would be in good shape.

01:08:55.040 --> 01:09:01.280
And so that's kind of the timeline I've been working with and I'd like us to hold onto that timeline if possible.

01:09:01.280 --> 01:09:09.080
I have to agree with Alderman Shadle. I think that we should at least give this a chance

01:09:09.080 --> 01:09:14.280
and see how it is, because a lot of times these landlords are putting some of these

01:09:14.280 --> 01:09:21.280
fines and raising the rents on their tenants, and that's what I don't want to see happen.

01:09:21.280 --> 01:09:26.600
I just had a call from a friend who said her landlord just went up on her daughter's rent.

01:09:26.600 --> 01:09:32.240
So I don't want that to happen, and then you have these people staying in these apartments

01:09:32.240 --> 01:09:39.960
that they can't afford, already they're paying $1,200 for some of these rental properties.

01:09:39.960 --> 01:09:46.160
So I think we should at least give them a chance, see how it works, see what we're

01:09:46.160 --> 01:09:50.360
going up against, and then we come back in and reevaluate.

01:09:50.360 --> 01:09:52.960
Alderman Stacey.

01:09:52.960 --> 01:09:57.280
Mr. Duckman, did you say that in December, letters...

01:09:57.280 --> 01:10:07.960
Yes, and a typical year the goal would be to send it out in December.

01:10:07.960 --> 01:10:13.560
I'm obviously this year there's discussion about the proposal, how it's going to work.

01:10:13.560 --> 01:10:19.700
For this particular year, when it's agreed upon for the rates, I will be working immediately

01:10:19.700 --> 01:10:25.560
thereafter to submit a letter saying the deadline if they go with the proposal here would be

01:10:25.560 --> 01:10:54.240
April 1st of 2025. So for this year, obviously, I'm not going to it doesn't sound like I'm going to get a letter out in some point in December, because it's going to be approved, probably, hopefully in December. But typically, in a year, I would be giving out a letter. So in 2026, I'd be sending out a letter one month prior, which would be December, saying, please register your property or you are subject to a fine as of February 1st.

01:10:54.240 --> 01:10:59.240
Okay, and so then no one would have the excuse of saying, I didn't know?

01:10:59.240 --> 01:11:16.240
Correct. Yes, they are going to be notified via mail. Your property is suspected as a rental. You have to register your property by this date, which is to be decided upon. And if you do not register upon this date, here is your fine schedule, your fee schedule.

01:11:16.240 --> 01:11:19.240
And have these letters gone out before?

01:11:19.240 --> 01:11:24.840
The letters have gone out before stating you need to register your property or be subject to a fine.

01:11:24.840 --> 01:11:34.840
What I have said several times is that staff has a better ability now to identify who should be registering, who has not.

01:11:34.840 --> 01:11:42.240
That ability was more difficult in the past because we're trying to identify in our database of properties,

01:11:42.240 --> 01:11:48.440
which over 10,000 parcels of land, we're trying to determine is that a landlord, is that not a landlord.

01:11:48.440 --> 01:11:52.780
has this been sold in the last month to somebody who lived there for 30 years and now is going

01:11:52.780 --> 01:11:54.960
to be a landlord.

01:11:54.960 --> 01:12:00.960
That's a difficult process to do when you're using rudimentary databases and you're using

01:12:00.960 --> 01:12:05.460
multiple databases and trying to figure out, OK, how do we determine if this person's actually

01:12:05.460 --> 01:12:07.220
a landlord or not?

01:12:07.220 --> 01:12:12.940
The software and platform that we're using now has the ability to do a better job of

01:12:12.940 --> 01:12:14.940
and

01:12:15.940 --> 01:12:17.940
John.

01:12:20.460 --> 01:12:22.460
So we're still on the topic of that amendment to the

01:12:23.660 --> 01:12:25.660
amendment. Alderman Simmons, would you like to add something?

01:12:26.960 --> 01:12:28.960
Okay.

01:12:30.140 --> 01:12:32.140
I'll try to make this super quick. You all agree with me

01:12:33.260 --> 01:12:35.260
that we need to get these landlords registered, but you

01:12:36.360 --> 01:12:38.360
don't want to do anything to them for not registering. This is

01:12:39.460 --> 01:12:41.460
for landlords who do not register, have gotten notices

01:12:41.460 --> 01:12:42.460
Fowler.

01:12:42.460 --> 01:12:47.980
It sounds as though those in council that do agree with me think that maybe this might be

01:12:47.980 --> 01:12:53.460
a little steep, so I would compromise and I would draw my motion.

01:12:53.460 --> 01:12:57.020
If you want to remove your motion, then I need to have the second, which is Sanders.

01:12:57.020 --> 01:12:58.020
Concur.

01:12:58.020 --> 01:12:59.020
Okay.

01:12:59.020 --> 01:13:02.180
So now we're back to the original of-

01:13:02.180 --> 01:13:03.180
Mayor.

01:13:03.180 --> 01:13:04.180
Yeah.

01:13:04.180 --> 01:13:08.020
I don't know if I've heard it exactly.

01:13:08.020 --> 01:13:12.380
To be fair, Director Duckman, to say the 67% who are not

01:13:12.380 --> 01:13:14.300
registered, there's a very good chance

01:13:14.300 --> 01:13:16.740
that they have never received a letter.

01:13:16.740 --> 01:13:18.540
And it's possible that they don't even

01:13:18.540 --> 01:13:20.620
know this ordinance is on the books.

01:13:23.860 --> 01:13:25.820
That certainly is possible.

01:13:25.820 --> 01:13:27.700
That certainly is possible.

01:13:27.700 --> 01:13:32.500
We're talking about staff was tasked with the ability

01:13:32.500 --> 01:13:36.140
to say, we want a better rental registry.

01:13:36.140 --> 01:13:40.220
that's what that's what I was the staff was tasked with and so I went into a

01:13:40.220 --> 01:13:43.920
process and looked at it and what was currently being done was letters were

01:13:43.920 --> 01:13:47.420
sent out to people that were previously in the database or who had been

01:13:47.420 --> 01:13:53.100
registered in the past yes that's what we were going on and when somebody comes

01:13:53.100 --> 01:13:57.100
to staff and says I know there's more landlords that person's a landlord that

01:13:57.100 --> 01:14:01.780
pet person's a landlord and I said well I see that as an issue how do I fix it

01:14:01.780 --> 01:14:06.100
how do I go about fixing this issue how do I go about doing it efficiently

01:14:06.100 --> 01:14:11.100
Winn, Michael, Robert, and James, John, and Chris, and my brother, Steve, and my son,

01:14:11.100 --> 01:14:14.540
and I have been looking at this for the last couple of years as well.

01:14:14.540 --> 01:14:21.140
So, I've been looking at the software to analyze all of these properties effectively, and so

01:14:21.140 --> 01:14:25.440
I started looking for softwares that could do this and analyze all of our properties

01:14:25.440 --> 01:14:31.660
and look at it fairly, have logarithms to say what data says that you actually are a

01:14:31.660 --> 01:14:34.180
and here's the other 20 properties that he owns.

01:14:34.180 --> 01:14:35.660
Tracking that down for one person

01:14:35.660 --> 01:14:38.180
is going to take me hours to do that.

01:14:38.180 --> 01:14:42.940
So point that I'm getting at here is, you are correct Dovie,

01:14:42.940 --> 01:14:46.360
Ms. Anderson, pardon me, that I'm used to calling you

01:14:46.360 --> 01:14:47.660
that all the time.

01:14:47.660 --> 01:14:49.740
But anyways, the point I will say here

01:14:49.740 --> 01:14:52.620
is I was tasked with making the process better.

01:14:52.620 --> 01:14:55.020
And I can tell you that the software I'm using

01:14:55.020 --> 01:14:58.140
is making the data analysis better

01:14:58.140 --> 01:15:00.600
and is going to improve who we notify

01:15:00.600 --> 01:15:02.600
and

01:15:03.780 --> 01:15:05.780
John.

01:15:07.360 --> 01:15:09.660
So I think we should be registering as a rental. I will say

01:15:09.660 --> 01:15:11.660
that. But you are correct.

01:15:14.120 --> 01:15:16.040
So you are really saying give it a chance for the software to

01:15:16.040 --> 01:15:18.040
work? Sure. Yeah. Thanks. Yes.

01:15:19.440 --> 01:15:21.440
Okay. But are you also saying...

01:15:22.560 --> 01:15:24.640
I think we have to make sure everybody has had a chance to

01:15:24.640 --> 01:15:26.640
talk. I know you had several in there.

01:15:30.600 --> 01:15:35.320
The last thing I recall was Alderman Stacey saying that she wanted to move this to the

01:15:35.320 --> 01:15:36.320
COW.

01:15:36.320 --> 01:15:40.080
She tried to make that motion, but because we had Alderman Simmons' motion on the table

01:15:40.080 --> 01:15:45.800
that there, so I don't know if Alderman Stacey still wants to make that motion or not.

01:15:45.800 --> 01:15:49.660
Right now, it's moving to the next regular city council meeting.

01:15:49.660 --> 01:15:50.660
That's already out.

01:15:50.660 --> 01:15:53.920
I just have a question for Director Duckman.

01:15:53.920 --> 01:15:54.920
Okay.

01:15:54.920 --> 01:15:57.800
Alderman Stacey, go ahead.

01:15:57.800 --> 01:16:08.040
With the ones that you know are landlords, with the ones that you know have received a

01:16:08.040 --> 01:16:14.040
letter, are they 100% registered?

01:16:14.040 --> 01:16:18.640
No, they're not.

01:16:18.640 --> 01:16:19.640
No, they're not.

01:16:19.640 --> 01:16:26.440
The ones, when we go off of the previous year registries, we do not get 100% back.

01:16:26.440 --> 01:16:30.760
So there are, yes, there are people who are notified and are not registering.

01:16:30.760 --> 01:16:34.200
Alderman Monroe, did you have another point?

01:16:34.200 --> 01:16:36.960
I have a couple, Mayor.

01:16:36.960 --> 01:16:42.280
First question I'll ask, have we reconciled the list that we have sent out to the water

01:16:42.280 --> 01:16:48.880
and sewer billing, number one?

01:16:48.880 --> 01:16:49.880
That process...

01:16:49.880 --> 01:16:50.880
I don't want you to say all of your things.

01:16:50.880 --> 01:16:51.880
That way we don't have these follow-ups.

01:16:51.880 --> 01:16:56.080
Well, because if I do that, then he only answers one of them, and I'd like all of my questions

01:16:56.080 --> 01:17:03.080
Dockman is on 57 water bills, it will go in and say you are renting 57 water bills, you

01:17:26.080 --> 01:17:29.620
or 56 Properties or to assume that.

01:17:29.620 --> 01:17:33.140
That is part of their, part of their, that is part of their logarithm.

01:17:33.140 --> 01:17:39.740
I will tell you that because we know that there's other, we've been through, I don't

01:17:39.740 --> 01:17:43.540
want to go down that issue of who gets the water bill, the landlord water bill thing,

01:17:43.540 --> 01:17:47.580
but that is one of the elements that it analyzes.

01:17:47.580 --> 01:17:51.780
But there are other ones, there are other parts of the logarithm that are, I will say,

01:17:51.780 --> 01:17:54.960
better at gathering, saying, hey, you're a landlord.

01:17:54.960 --> 01:18:03.040
that is part of it yes so the follow-up on that was we spent $20,000 in the 2024

01:18:03.040 --> 01:18:10.440
budget I believe it was ish and that was approved we got the software we got the

01:18:10.440 --> 01:18:16.680
training and now we're coming back thinking okay we're gonna raise the

01:18:16.680 --> 01:18:20.760
fines you know tier one tier two tier three is I'll just call them that for

01:18:20.760 --> 01:18:43.760
Now, my question really is, how do we get to a point where we're actually going to go out and be more proactive in this approach as opposed to sending, you know, and there's businesses that do this and they fail miserably, sending notice to their current set of

01:18:43.760 --> 01:18:46.760
and the rest of them are customers, essentially.

01:18:46.760 --> 01:18:49.760
So the ones that have registered and the few that we know,

01:18:49.760 --> 01:18:52.760
how are we going to get past this point?

01:18:52.760 --> 01:18:55.760
Because we can put as many fines on here

01:18:55.760 --> 01:18:58.760
if we don't know that they're renting their property,

01:18:58.760 --> 01:19:01.760
we have no clue that we should even be collecting these.

01:19:01.760 --> 01:19:04.760
And it comes back to this is more

01:19:04.760 --> 01:19:07.760
than just a small ordinance change, this is a significant ordinance change

01:19:07.760 --> 01:19:10.760
because we have to have a

01:19:10.760 --> 01:19:40.760
We have a meaningful way to go and determine that properties are being leased inside the city limits of Freeport and right now it doesn't feel like we do even though I'm told we do and everybody seems to disagree with me but at this point we're at the same place we were a year ago when we approved the budget for this software so how do we get past this is my question well I'll disagree with you completely because before I didn't have a list

01:19:40.760 --> 01:19:48.920
that would say suspect this list of properties here is suspected as being a um a rental property. I

01:19:48.920 --> 01:19:57.240
didn't have that ability. I did not have that ability before. So this software and what took so long was you had

01:19:57.240 --> 01:20:02.760
Long was you had different like for example the county it took a long time working with

01:20:02.760 --> 01:20:07.040
the county to get their data to integrate with our software that took time for them

01:20:07.040 --> 01:20:12.360
to say here's the scripts that you need to access this data that just takes time it also

01:20:12.360 --> 01:20:17.260
took time to work with the different water bill software that just took time but we didn't

01:20:17.260 --> 01:20:21.820
you know I didn't quit on it I know Director Sutman is tired of hearing me saying when

01:20:21.820 --> 01:20:24.660
am I going to get this information Mr. Monroe is going to ask me about it again he's going

01:20:24.660 --> 01:20:31.100
and I. We worked tirelessly to get all of this data to work. The short answer to your

01:20:31.100 --> 01:20:37.740
question is I could not get that list accurately before. I did not have the ability to do it

01:20:37.740 --> 01:20:40.980
as well as I can now and it took time to get that to work.

01:20:40.980 --> 01:20:47.060
No, that's perfect because that integration is what's going to draw everything in together

01:20:47.060 --> 01:20:52.620
and that's what I wasn't understanding to this point. Really, I think that's the important

01:20:52.620 --> 01:21:22.620
Peece here. You know, look, I still I think most of us agree 1,500, 3,000, 6,000 is not a steep enough amount. And I don't know if the Landlord Association or the Realtor Association would agree or disagree with that. I don't know if we can ask them their thoughts because they've given deep input into this. But you know, if you're if you're talking, you know, somebody that we're maxing it at 12 or 15 properties, if we're going if they've got that many properties, these fines are fairly insignificant.

01:21:22.620 --> 01:21:23.620
and so on.

01:21:23.620 --> 01:21:39.140
So, I'm pretty familiar with the rental properties in town and the rates and that was 10 years

01:21:39.140 --> 01:21:41.340
ago when it was 800 bucks a month.

01:21:41.340 --> 01:21:43.100
So now it's like 1200.

01:21:43.100 --> 01:21:49.980
So I mean we're literally finding them the equivalent of six months rent on six properties

01:21:49.980 --> 01:21:51.980
and others.

01:21:53.700 --> 01:21:55.280
And they also have a one month rent on the properties, not

01:21:55.280 --> 01:21:57.960
six months, one month rent on six properties.

01:22:00.360 --> 01:22:02.300
So, you know, I think now that you've got that, I would be

01:22:02.300 --> 01:22:04.300
interested to see how many properties

01:22:06.880 --> 01:22:08.540
that might be that we would be able to contact, that we've not

01:22:08.540 --> 01:22:10.540
contacted to this point.

01:22:12.640 --> 01:22:15.540
» Well, there's plenty of time to have more discussions with

01:22:15.540 --> 01:22:17.740
the Real Asset Association if they agree or disagree.

01:22:19.980 --> 01:22:44.980
I want to make sure we're all on the same page. It's $100 per unit. So if I owned 10 residential houses and I didn't register, I'd be fined $1,000. If I owned 10 apartment buildings that had 20 units, I would be fined $1,500 on each of those.

01:22:44.980 --> 01:22:48.860
That's the property, Max, that's not the landlord, Max.

01:22:48.860 --> 01:22:50.780
That's per property, correct?

01:22:50.780 --> 01:22:51.780
No.

01:22:51.780 --> 01:22:56.180
Correct, per property, that's on Ordinance 3, per property.

01:22:56.180 --> 01:22:58.380
That's what I'm, okay, that makes sense.

01:22:58.380 --> 01:22:59.220
Okay.

01:23:00.420 --> 01:23:03.660
I wanted her to say something, cause she's about to.

01:23:10.340 --> 01:23:11.780
Are you, did you want me?

01:23:11.780 --> 01:23:13.540
Yeah, correct me if I'm wrong,

01:23:13.540 --> 01:23:21.580
So if I had 10 apartment buildings that had even 20 units, my property max is $1,500.

01:23:21.580 --> 01:23:26.060
So my maximum fine would be $15,000 for my 10 properties.

01:23:26.060 --> 01:23:27.620
Sorry, it's like a math question here.

01:23:27.620 --> 01:23:33.780
10 properties at, so you have 10 properties and you're saying that each of them is a duplex?

01:23:33.780 --> 01:23:41.540
No, like a, no, like a 12, 20 unit apartment building, but we've maxed it at $1,500.

01:23:41.540 --> 01:23:44.860
So each of those apartment buildings are $1,500.

01:23:44.860 --> 01:23:46.860
That's per property max.

01:23:46.860 --> 01:23:49.140
Yes, that's how it reads.

01:23:49.140 --> 01:23:50.780
It says, I'm looking at it right here,

01:23:50.780 --> 01:23:55.620
and that's exactly how it reads, $1,500 property max.

01:23:55.620 --> 01:23:58.980
And so if I waited more than 90 days,

01:23:58.980 --> 01:24:04.540
I'd be fined $60,000 for my 10 apartment buildings.

01:24:04.540 --> 01:24:05.620
Yes.

01:24:05.620 --> 01:24:08.400
So to me, that's not insignificant,

01:24:08.400 --> 01:24:10.940
but I don't own any, so.

01:24:10.940 --> 01:24:23.700
I think the confusion was is we thought that that was a max for all of the properties instead of the unit. So, okay, that's why we needed a memo. But that's, I think that's kind of a confusing point.

01:24:23.980 --> 01:24:39.380
And fair enough. And I understand that. And I just want to say that the reason for the memo going out late was there was a blast. There was one more meeting that went out and it didn't make, I have to get these memos to Clerk Anderson by that Thursday.

01:24:39.380 --> 01:24:41.580
and this meeting happened after that Thursday.

01:24:41.580 --> 01:24:42.420
So you know what, you can't.

01:24:42.420 --> 01:24:43.240
That's okay, that's okay.

01:24:43.240 --> 01:24:44.080
No, I get it.

01:24:44.080 --> 01:24:46.060
It was a change at the last minute, so.

01:24:46.060 --> 01:24:47.180
That's where the confusion is though.

01:24:47.180 --> 01:24:48.300
Understood.

01:24:48.300 --> 01:24:51.540
Okay, so look at the time.

01:24:51.540 --> 01:24:53.540
It's almost 7.30, we're on item number six.

01:24:53.540 --> 01:24:55.700
We've got 39 total.

01:24:55.700 --> 01:25:00.180
Are we ready to move on to second reading for this

01:25:00.180 --> 01:25:01.400
in December 2nd?

01:25:04.420 --> 01:25:06.800
The phones are always, offices are open

01:25:06.800 --> 01:25:09.740
if you want to talk about detail on more.

01:25:09.740 --> 01:25:10.860
We'll move on to item number seven,

01:25:10.860 --> 01:25:13.420
which is the first reading of ordinance 2024-63.

01:25:13.420 --> 01:25:14.740
Could you please read this?

01:25:16.740 --> 01:25:18.300
It's because it moves on.

01:25:21.580 --> 01:25:26.260
Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriation Ordinance.

01:25:26.260 --> 01:25:27.500
Manager Boyer.

01:25:27.500 --> 01:25:28.340
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:25:28.340 --> 01:25:31.260
So each city fund and department has been presented

01:25:31.260 --> 01:25:34.100
to the Finance Committee of the Whole

01:25:34.100 --> 01:25:35.700
at a series of meetings we've had

01:25:35.700 --> 01:25:39.360
starting September 3rd, 2024 with a public input session.

01:25:39.360 --> 01:25:42.320
So we've had public input session dedicated,

01:25:42.320 --> 01:25:45.280
and we've had public input before each of the budgets

01:25:45.280 --> 01:25:46.920
were read.

01:25:46.920 --> 01:25:51.400
Attached is that fiscal year 2025 in the appropriations ordinance

01:25:51.400 --> 01:25:53.280
format, the following adjustments have

01:25:53.280 --> 01:25:55.800
occurred over the past week and are incorporated

01:25:55.800 --> 01:25:57.220
in the final document.

01:25:57.220 --> 01:26:01.640
Slight increase in the city levy in the amount of $140,400

01:26:01.640 --> 01:26:05.900
due to receipt of estimated equalized assessed value

01:26:05.900 --> 01:26:07.300
with the corresponding decrease

01:26:07.300 --> 01:26:09.620
in the amount of required fund reserve.

01:26:09.620 --> 01:26:12.420
Also, the library budget items have been adjusted

01:26:12.420 --> 01:26:14.980
due to the receipt of the EAV numbers.

01:26:14.980 --> 01:26:16.660
The library will be able to increase

01:26:16.660 --> 01:26:20.700
their property tax revenue by $50,500.

01:26:20.700 --> 01:26:22.580
Staff recommends City Council move forward

01:26:22.580 --> 01:26:25.260
with this ordinance to the second reading

01:26:25.260 --> 01:26:26.500
to December 2nd.

01:26:27.360 --> 01:26:29.100
Is there a motion to move forward?

01:26:29.100 --> 01:26:30.340
So moved.

01:26:30.340 --> 01:26:31.180
Second.

01:26:31.640 --> 01:26:39.240
We have a motion by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion on this ordinance.

01:26:42.600 --> 01:26:48.060
Move on to item number eight, which is the first reading of ordinance 2024-64. Could you please read this?

01:26:48.960 --> 01:26:50.960
Tax levy ordinance.

01:26:51.520 --> 01:26:58.280
Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. So annually the City Council adopts a corporate levy to help finance the city's operation,

01:26:58.280 --> 01:27:28.260
Operation, that is general fund. We have received the estimated 2024 equalized assessed value or EAV as we just discussed from the county. The EAV for our tax district increased as mentioned before, but $15,102,367 or 5.61% over the last year. Based on this information, the city's levy for 2024 paid in 2025 would be $2,977,400.

01:27:28.280 --> 01:27:42.280
an increase of $140,400. A house valued at $100,000 would see no increase in the city's portion of their property tax bill as long as their assessed value has not increased.

01:27:42.280 --> 01:27:48.280
During the past five years, the City Council has kept the tax rate the same or slightly lower.

01:27:48.280 --> 01:27:54.280
Staff recommend City Council to move forward with this ordinance. Second reading on December 2nd.

01:27:54.280 --> 01:27:56.280
Is there a motion to move this forward?

01:27:56.280 --> 01:28:00.960
second in motion made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Sellers

01:28:00.960 --> 01:28:07.200
discussion on this ordinance on to item number nine which is first reading of

01:28:07.200 --> 01:28:13.320
ordinance 2024 81 could you please read this library tax levy ordinance manager

01:28:13.320 --> 01:28:21.200
Boyer or director Huffines we've received the estimated 2024 equalized

01:28:21.200 --> 01:28:31.440
has assessed value from the county. The EAV has increased by $15,102,367 over the last

01:28:31.440 --> 01:28:39.920
year based on the information the library's levy for 2024 paid in 2025 will be $1,062,000.

01:28:39.920 --> 01:28:45.480
The library will see an overall increase of $50,500 in their levy. The library reduced

01:28:45.480 --> 01:28:58.480
We also increased the request for Medicare, liability, insurance, unemployment, and Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund last year in order to spend down prior reserves in these areas.

01:28:58.480 --> 01:29:04.480
At that time, we informed Council that these rates would need to increase when the funds were exhausted.

01:29:04.480 --> 01:29:09.480
This year, we need to increase those levels to cover actual expenses for 2025.

01:29:09.480 --> 01:29:15.760
A house valued at $100,000 will see a slight decrease in the library portion of their tax

01:29:15.760 --> 01:29:16.760
bill.

01:29:16.760 --> 01:29:22.600
Staff request City Council move this ordinance forward for a second and final reading on

01:29:22.600 --> 01:29:23.600
December 2nd.

01:29:23.600 --> 01:29:24.600
Is there such a motion?

01:29:24.600 --> 01:29:25.600
So moved.

01:29:25.600 --> 01:29:26.600
Second.

01:29:26.600 --> 01:29:32.400
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

01:29:32.400 --> 01:29:34.760
Discussion?

01:29:34.760 --> 01:29:41.940
Move on to item number 10, which is a motion to abate. Madam Clerk, could you read all

01:29:41.940 --> 01:29:44.640
of those as one motion?

01:29:44.640 --> 01:29:49.880
Ordinance 2024 is to abate the 2024 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general

01:29:49.880 --> 01:29:57.080
Obligation Bonds, Series 2013A, Ordinance 2024-66 is to abate the 2020-

01:29:57.080 --> 01:30:27.080
is to abate the 2024 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general obligations bonds series 2014 b ordinance 2024 67 to abate the 2024 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the general obligation bonds series 2015 a ordinance 2024 68 to abate the 2024 real estate tax levy for the repayment of the obligation bonds series 2016 ordinance 2024 69 to abate the 2024

01:30:57.080 --> 01:31:05.080
of the General Obligation Bonds Series 2021. Lastly, Ordinance 2024-73 to abate the 2024

01:31:05.080 --> 01:31:10.520
Real Estate Tax Levy for the repayment of the General Obligation Bonds Series 2022.

01:31:11.640 --> 01:31:12.840
Manager Boyer.

01:31:12.840 --> 01:31:17.000
Thank you, Your Honor. When the General Obligation Bonds are issued, they are backed by the City's

01:31:17.000 --> 01:31:22.440
ability to levy and collect property taxes. Therefore, the County automatically levies the

01:31:22.440 --> 01:31:26.600
required annual debt service from the City of Freeport property owners on their property tax

01:31:26.600 --> 01:31:27.600
and others.

01:31:27.600 --> 01:31:32.240
The city has historically abated or canceled, is another word for it, this amount on the

01:31:32.240 --> 01:31:33.520
property tax.

01:31:33.520 --> 01:31:37.920
By passing an ordinance each year, the property taxes that would otherwise be collected from

01:31:37.920 --> 01:31:42.560
the residents is abated and the city instead makes the debt service payments from other

01:31:42.560 --> 01:31:44.320
city revenues.

01:31:44.320 --> 01:31:53.000
So as Clerk Anderson has read to the council, the individual bonds issued are in the table

01:31:53.000 --> 01:31:59.000
We have provided the amounts to be abated and the source of revenue that will be used to make the bond payments.

01:31:59.000 --> 01:32:07.000
We have also included the potential increased cost and property tax on a $100,000 on our home if the bonds are not abated.

01:32:07.000 --> 01:32:17.000
Ordinance to abate these bonds will be, it is before you now, to move on to the December 2nd meeting.

01:32:17.000 --> 01:32:20.000
Staff request we move this on to the December 2nd Council.

01:32:20.000 --> 01:32:21.000
Is there such a motion?

01:32:21.000 --> 01:32:22.000
So moved.

01:32:22.000 --> 01:32:35.000
The motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle, discussion. Item number 11 is the first reading of ordinance 2024-74. Could you please read this?

01:32:35.000 --> 01:32:39.000
Ordinance, approving airport hangar lease M4 with Ken and Paula Erwin.

01:32:39.000 --> 01:32:41.000
Manager Boyer?

01:32:41.000 --> 01:32:47.840
Thank you, Your Honor. Kenneth and Paula Erwin are interested in leasing Hangar M4 at Albertis Airport. The agreement will generate

01:32:47.840 --> 01:32:52.760
$165 per month of city revenue and staff recommends the approval of the Hangar lease.

01:32:53.520 --> 01:32:55.520
Is there such a motion?

01:32:55.520 --> 01:32:57.520
So moved. Second.

01:32:57.600 --> 01:33:05.600
The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm to move Ordinance 20-2474 onto the next regular scheduled meeting.

01:33:05.600 --> 01:33:07.600
Is it Alderman Monroe?

01:33:07.600 --> 01:33:27.600
Manager, Boyer, this is a question for you. Is there is there a need with these to just suspend the rules and get these done? Same meeting, would that make a lot? It makes a lot of sense to me. And actually, I'll just bypass that. I'll just say, I'd like to suspend the rules and move this forward to second reading now. Second.

01:33:27.600 --> 01:33:42.600
Face to wave a motion on the floor made by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Parker for suspension of the rules. Suspension of the rules is non-debatable and must pass by two-thirds majority. Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll on the suspension only?

01:33:42.600 --> 01:33:54.600
Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. Suspension of the rules passes 8-0.

01:33:54.600 --> 01:34:04.600
So now before you, Council, is as if it were the second reading of this ordinance. Discussion on this? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:34:04.600 --> 01:34:18.600
Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. And the ordinance is adopted, 8-0.

01:34:18.600 --> 01:34:23.600
Item number 12 is the first reading of ordinance 2024-75. Could you please read that?

01:34:23.600 --> 01:34:28.600
Ordinance Approving Airport Hangar Lease E1 with Propwash LLC.

01:34:29.900 --> 01:34:30.960
Manager Boyer.

01:34:30.960 --> 01:34:31.800
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:34:31.800 --> 01:34:34.160
If it suits the council, I'd like us to suspend the rules

01:34:34.160 --> 01:34:35.960
on this one as well.

01:34:35.960 --> 01:34:38.240
There's a plane owned by Propwash LLC.

01:34:38.240 --> 01:34:39.680
It's scheduled for repairs,

01:34:39.680 --> 01:34:41.760
which may last three to six months.

01:34:41.760 --> 01:34:45.440
Heritage Arrow currently has no space available

01:34:45.440 --> 01:34:49.640
to store the plane, and Propwash LLC will lease Hangar E1

01:34:49.640 --> 01:34:52.440
for a few months while the airplane's undergoing repairs.

01:34:52.440 --> 01:34:57.760
Staff recommends approval of the hangar lease at $215 per month.

01:34:57.760 --> 01:34:59.760
Is there a motion to move this forward?

01:34:59.760 --> 01:35:01.760
Aye.

01:35:01.760 --> 01:35:05.760
Motion made by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

01:35:05.760 --> 01:35:10.760
Motion to suspend the rules, actually, unless anybody's got questions.

01:35:10.760 --> 01:35:14.760
We have a motion for...

01:35:14.760 --> 01:35:16.760
Okay, you want to wait on that?

01:35:16.760 --> 01:35:18.760
I'll wait, if somebody's got questions.

01:35:18.760 --> 01:35:20.760
Okay, so is there a discussion concerning this ordinance?

01:35:20.760 --> 01:35:28.680
Motion to suspend the rules mayor. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Monroe

01:35:28.680 --> 01:35:32.560
seconded by Alderman Sellers for suspension of the rules again suspension

01:35:32.560 --> 01:35:38.360
of the rules oh it was Stacy I'm sorry yep make that correction seconded by

01:35:38.360 --> 01:35:43.480
Alderman Stacy suspension of the rules is non debatable madam clerk could you

01:35:43.480 --> 01:35:48.800
please take the role on the suspension only. Stacy aye Shadle aye Sanders

01:35:48.800 --> 01:35:58.580
Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons. Thank you for that. Parker? Aye. The motion

01:35:58.580 --> 01:36:04.920
still passes 7-0. Okay, now before you is the final passage for this ordinance. Any discussion

01:36:04.920 --> 01:36:12.720
on that? Ma'am Clerk, could you please take the roll? Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders?

01:36:12.720 --> 01:36:21.360
Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Well, I did it again. Parker? Aye. And the

01:36:21.360 --> 01:36:29.440
ordinance passes 7 to 1. And item number 13 is the first reading of ordinance 2024. 7 to 0.

01:36:29.440 --> 01:36:39.480
7 to 0. Thank you for the correction, 7 to 0. Wait a minute, are you good? No, I'm fine. Okay. Item

01:36:39.480 --> 01:36:44.680
Number 13 is the first reading of Ordinance 2024-76. Could you please read

01:36:44.680 --> 01:36:54.720
this? Ordinance approving two airport farm leases with Matt, Phil, and Will

01:36:54.720 --> 01:37:00.320
Kemple, and a second one with Dan Julius. Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor.

01:37:00.320 --> 01:37:03.860
Staff's been working very hard on getting the farm leases squared away.

01:37:03.860 --> 01:37:11.220
we're coming to you tonight with Matt, Phil, and Will Kempel and Dan Julius. Staff

01:37:11.220 --> 01:37:17.300
recommends moving forward with the two farm leases before you tonight and if so

01:37:17.300 --> 01:37:21.740
inclined please feel free to suspend the rules on this. Is there a motion to move

01:37:21.740 --> 01:37:30.220
this forward? So moved. Alderman Monroe and I didn't catch the second.

01:37:30.220 --> 01:38:00.220
Shadle? Okay. Motion to suspend? Second. Can we have some discussion here? Yeah. Well, actually, we have a motion on the table for suspension of the rules, so that's non-debatable. We have that by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Monroe, so that's what's on the table right now. So, Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll on the suspension of the rules? Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye.

01:38:00.220 --> 01:38:06.700
Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, and Parker.

01:38:06.700 --> 01:38:11.820
So now before you is the second reading of this ordinance discussion?

01:38:11.820 --> 01:38:13.820
Yes.

01:38:13.820 --> 01:38:23.600
So there appear to be a different visual piece of paper called a contract.

01:38:23.600 --> 01:38:26.140
Is that what they're going to look like?

01:38:26.140 --> 01:38:31.980
Is that the final draft of the farmland leases?

01:38:31.980 --> 01:38:32.980
Manager Boyer?

01:38:32.980 --> 01:38:40.780
Alderman Stacy, Alderman Stacy, this farm lease is actually a standard form that is used

01:38:40.780 --> 01:38:48.500
statewide and is recommended by the University of Illinois and the other ag organizations.

01:38:48.500 --> 01:38:54.420
So this is a standard lease that everyone uses and it's accepted because everybody's

01:38:54.420 --> 01:38:55.860
used to seeing it.

01:38:55.860 --> 01:38:59.580
this is a standard lease for land leases in Illinois.

01:38:59.580 --> 01:39:03.420
Okay, I just asked, is that what we have adopted?

01:39:03.420 --> 01:39:04.460
Is that what?

01:39:04.460 --> 01:39:06.100
That's what's before you right now.

01:39:06.100 --> 01:39:07.760
We haven't adopted anything yet.

01:39:08.800 --> 01:39:10.700
That's what your vote is gonna be on.

01:39:12.140 --> 01:39:13.300
Okay.

01:39:13.300 --> 01:39:14.440
Darren.

01:39:14.440 --> 01:39:17.400
I think her question is, is this is the standard format

01:39:17.400 --> 01:39:20.600
that we're gonna use, which it is the format

01:39:20.600 --> 01:39:23.660
that we're planning on using for everyone, yes.

01:39:23.660 --> 01:39:24.500
Thank you.

01:39:25.860 --> 01:39:31.860
There's no further discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

01:39:31.860 --> 01:39:34.860
On final passage, Stacy? Aye.

01:39:34.860 --> 01:39:35.860
Shadle? Aye.

01:39:35.860 --> 01:39:36.860
Sanders? Aye.

01:39:36.860 --> 01:39:37.860
Sellers? Aye.

01:39:37.860 --> 01:39:38.860
Klemm? Aye.

01:39:38.860 --> 01:39:39.860
Monroe? Aye.

01:39:39.860 --> 01:39:40.860
Simmons? Aye.

01:39:40.860 --> 01:39:42.860
And Parker? Aye.

01:39:42.860 --> 01:39:45.860
And that ordinance passes 8-0.

01:39:45.860 --> 01:39:50.860
Item number 14 is the first reading of Ordinance 2024-77. Could you please read this?

01:39:50.860 --> 01:39:57.140
Ordinance of the City of Freeport approving and authorizing a vehicle lease agreement with the Stevenson County Senior Center doing business

01:39:57.140 --> 01:39:58.140
Winslow, Robert, and Tom.

01:39:58.140 --> 01:39:59.140
And now, I would like to introduce our next speaker, Dr. Dr. John Harkin.

01:39:59.140 --> 01:40:00.420
He's the Director of the Steveson County Senior Center, doing business as Senior Resource

01:40:00.420 --> 01:40:01.420
Center.

01:40:01.420 --> 01:40:05.220
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

01:40:05.220 --> 01:40:12.780
So staff, the Senior Resource Center currently holds two vehicles for its own that it uses

01:40:12.780 --> 01:40:18.100
and received through the 5310 Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities

01:40:18.100 --> 01:40:19.100
Program.

01:40:19.100 --> 01:40:24.000
So what this essentially means is they have two vehicles that they received in their ownership

01:40:24.000 --> 01:40:26.380
for that specific program.

01:40:26.380 --> 01:40:31.180
So now one of these vehicles, bus number 23, is not actively used by SRC.

01:40:31.180 --> 01:40:36.440
So what this means is they receive the vehicle for one program and they're not using it.

01:40:36.440 --> 01:40:41.520
And the Pretzel City area transit, which is the program that we operate, we are in need

01:40:41.520 --> 01:40:43.940
of more vehicles.

01:40:43.940 --> 01:40:52.440
And to give a little background here, last year I sent a resolution to work with the

01:40:52.440 --> 01:41:01.360
and I, and it was estimated that that would take two years for the Illinois Department

01:41:01.360 --> 01:41:05.800
of Transportation to bring a vehicle up here because of the backlog of buses that they

01:41:05.800 --> 01:41:06.800
have.

01:41:06.800 --> 01:41:12.080
And so what this background is essentially informing you of is that our program needs

01:41:12.080 --> 01:41:17.680
buses and the Senior Resource Center who operates our program.

01:41:17.680 --> 01:41:22.460
So it sounds confusing, but the Senior Resource Center puts the Pretzel City Area Transit

01:41:22.460 --> 01:41:27.600
on the buses and they're the ones who actually hires the drivers as operating this program.

01:41:27.600 --> 01:41:33.340
And so this bus that we're talking about, bus number 23, it's just being used for a

01:41:33.340 --> 01:41:38.940
different program and it's not being utilized in that program and our staff is saying we

01:41:38.940 --> 01:41:44.480
have a need for vehicles and they said we can lease you that vehicle to meet that need.

01:41:44.480 --> 01:41:47.060
So that's essentially what's going on here.

01:41:47.060 --> 01:41:51.820
and I go a little further in the memorandum and I talk about how we currently have 16

01:41:51.820 --> 01:41:52.820
vehicles.

01:41:52.820 --> 01:41:53.820
This would bring us to 17.

01:41:53.820 --> 01:41:57.700
And one of the issues we have is working with older vehicles because we have a shortage

01:41:57.700 --> 01:41:58.700
of vehicles.

01:41:58.700 --> 01:42:04.260
So oftentimes these vehicles are taken out of the fleet and they're being maintained

01:42:04.260 --> 01:42:06.380
because they're older.

01:42:06.380 --> 01:42:12.900
So that being said, staff is recommending moving this forward.

01:42:12.900 --> 01:42:18.780
As our public had mentioned earlier, this is a dollar lease, and I want to also state

01:42:18.780 --> 01:42:26.420
that anything that is done with the Pretzel City Area Transit Program, it's all being

01:42:26.420 --> 01:42:30.560
approved of and directed by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

01:42:30.560 --> 01:42:35.180
So this particular lease, how it is structured, is directly from the Illinois Department of

01:42:35.180 --> 01:42:42.880
Transportation saying, if you want this bus, you need to do it this way for us to approve

01:42:42.880 --> 01:42:45.480
and Illy, which is just being provided.

01:42:45.480 --> 01:42:47.220
And if it's not been approved it

01:42:47.220 --> 01:42:50.880
because the Downstate Operating Assistance Program

01:42:50.880 --> 01:42:54.920
and the 5311 funds total $1.2 million

01:42:54.920 --> 01:42:57.500
in funding for our public transportation.

01:42:57.500 --> 01:43:01.400
And that basically tells us, you're

01:43:01.400 --> 01:43:04.160
going to run your program this way

01:43:04.160 --> 01:43:05.880
or you're not getting the money.

01:43:05.880 --> 01:43:08.000
And they're very strict on how they do it.

01:43:08.000 --> 01:43:25.640
Do you have what they're requesting or what they're saying is going to have to happen?

01:43:25.640 --> 01:43:26.640
That's right in front of you.

01:43:26.640 --> 01:43:28.720
This lease agreement is exactly that.

01:43:28.720 --> 01:43:31.560
That's exactly what they have told us.

01:43:31.560 --> 01:43:38.920
So we would, we the city would be responsible for the maintenance and the insurance and

01:43:38.920 --> 01:43:39.920
all that coverage.

01:43:39.920 --> 01:43:43.760
It is always, that is how all vehicles are done.

01:43:43.760 --> 01:43:49.720
All vehicles are done that way and yes it is the City of Freeport funded through the

01:43:49.720 --> 01:43:54.300
Downstate Operating Assistance Program and the 5311 Program, which are two grants that

01:43:54.300 --> 01:43:55.580
fund the program.

01:43:55.580 --> 01:44:01.000
So it says City of Freeport is responsible, however the money is coming from the state

01:44:01.000 --> 01:44:02.840
to fund it.

01:44:02.840 --> 01:44:04.720
So it's covered 100 percent.

01:44:04.720 --> 01:44:06.160
That is correct.

01:44:06.160 --> 01:44:10.000
And we have a driver for this bus, 23?

01:44:10.000 --> 01:44:11.000
Yes.

01:44:11.000 --> 01:44:15.180
Because, yes, yes, we have drivers, yes.

01:44:15.180 --> 01:44:20.720
As I was saying, the biggest, the driver for this driver, the initiative behind this bus,

01:44:20.720 --> 01:44:26.720
pardon the pun there, is that we have old vehicles that are out, we have vehicles that

01:44:26.720 --> 01:44:36.720
We need more vehicles for our drivers to operate so we can actually have better service and meet the needs of our people.

01:44:36.720 --> 01:44:43.720
Anyone else?

01:44:43.720 --> 01:44:50.720
Then we will move on to item number 15, which is the first reading of ordinance 2024-78.

01:44:50.720 --> 01:44:52.720
Would you please read this?

01:44:52.720 --> 01:44:58.000
Ordinance Approving Special Use Permit Application at 1161 West Lincoln Boulevard, submitted

01:44:58.000 --> 01:45:04.920
by LGCY Installation Services to examine the special use of an R4 one-family residence

01:45:04.920 --> 01:45:11.400
zoned property to allow for solar energy systems which utilize ground-mounted PV arrays per

01:45:11.400 --> 01:45:12.400
section 1250.01B20.

01:45:12.400 --> 01:45:15.000
B. 20.

01:45:15.000 --> 01:45:16.000
Thank you.

01:45:16.000 --> 01:45:17.000
Director Duckman.

01:45:17.000 --> 01:45:25.920
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

01:45:25.920 --> 01:45:33.800
Staff received a special use permit from legacy installation services for a solar energy system

01:45:33.800 --> 01:45:40.160
that's using ground mounted PV arrays and the address is 1161 West Lincoln Boulevard.

01:45:40.160 --> 01:45:45.040
for some background here when you're in the residential zoning districts you need

01:45:45.040 --> 01:45:49.080
a special use permit to do ground-mounted solar so you do not need a

01:45:49.080 --> 01:45:52.720
special use permit if you're putting it on your roof and if you look at the

01:45:52.720 --> 01:46:01.520
screen here you're gonna see what was what's being proposed here at 1160 at

01:46:01.520 --> 01:46:04.200
1161.

01:46:04.200 --> 01:46:14.560
And so right here is a 10 foot by 30 foot, 300 square foot

01:46:14.560 --> 01:46:16.000
solar mounted array.

01:46:16.000 --> 01:46:18.480
And it's going to be at a maximum height of 10 feet.

01:46:18.480 --> 01:46:23.480
So 10 feet by 30 by 10.

01:46:23.480 --> 01:46:26.480
And that's what, in order to move forward with the building

01:46:26.480 --> 01:46:28.680
permit, when you do this in a residential neighborhood,

01:46:28.680 --> 01:46:31.760
have to go through a special use process.

01:46:31.760 --> 01:46:36.680
And so on November 7th of 2024, we had a hearing,

01:46:36.680 --> 01:46:39.520
our staff had a hearing, and the Zoning Board of Appeals

01:46:39.520 --> 01:46:43.000
recommended approval by a vote of five yeas, zero nays,

01:46:43.000 --> 01:46:47.520
and one abstention to allow, and they recommended approval

01:46:47.520 --> 01:46:50.280
of this special use permit.

01:46:50.280 --> 01:46:52.960
On November 14th, the Planning Commission

01:46:52.960 --> 01:46:55.700
did not recommend approval, and they did so

01:46:55.700 --> 01:46:59.580
by a vote of three yeas, four nays, and zero abstentions.

01:46:59.580 --> 01:47:02.980
I want to state a couple of points here.

01:47:02.980 --> 01:47:08.900
First of all, the hearing who essentially makes the recommendation is the Zoning Board

01:47:08.900 --> 01:47:09.900
of Appeals.

01:47:09.900 --> 01:47:10.900
They recommended approval.

01:47:10.900 --> 01:47:16.780
It is important to note that our Planning Commission had a strong discussion about this

01:47:16.780 --> 01:47:23.580
particular special use permit, and it was a good discussion, and really what it came

01:47:23.580 --> 01:47:53.580
and other members of the public.

01:47:53.580 --> 01:47:55.440
and some of the other concerns that were had.

01:47:55.440 --> 01:47:59.780
At the staff level, when it was presented

01:47:59.780 --> 01:48:00.960
to the Zoning Board of Appeals,

01:48:00.960 --> 01:48:04.040
the staff did not take a recommendation for or against it.

01:48:04.040 --> 01:48:07.040
And there was quite a bit of staff discussion on this as well

01:48:07.040 --> 01:48:10.420
and one of the items that was brought up was,

01:48:10.420 --> 01:48:15.420
you know essentially there is going to be a concern,

01:48:15.880 --> 01:48:18.340
there's potentially a concern for property values

01:48:18.340 --> 01:48:20.220
and enjoyment of the neighbor's property.

01:48:20.220 --> 01:48:23.180
And I say potentially because this is a fairly large,

01:48:23.180 --> 01:48:29.860
you can see it takes up quite a bit of area in their backyard so when we had the same presentation

01:48:29.860 --> 01:48:35.920
to the Planning Commission you know after the Zoning Board of Appeals and that essentially

01:48:35.920 --> 01:48:42.820
is what came up from our two our two commissions.

01:48:42.820 --> 01:48:48.560
And so that being said staff is recommending you know moving this moving this forward.

01:48:48.560 --> 01:48:52.740
So you are making a recommendation I'm sorry no it I take that.

01:48:52.740 --> 01:48:58.300
In terms of, we're recommending moving this forward into our second reading, is what I'm

01:48:58.300 --> 01:48:59.300
saying.

01:48:59.300 --> 01:49:01.380
Because it's a first reading of an ordinance.

01:49:01.380 --> 01:49:04.780
Right, but I think your notes say you're not making a recommendation.

01:49:04.780 --> 01:49:05.780
Correct.

01:49:05.780 --> 01:49:07.740
So when it was presented, sorry, go ahead.

01:49:07.740 --> 01:49:12.700
I think Wayne's just making the recommendation right now to move it forward so that the council

01:49:12.700 --> 01:49:15.020
can then vote on it at the second reading.

01:49:15.020 --> 01:49:16.020
Yes.

01:49:16.020 --> 01:49:18.900
Or they want to vote on it.

01:49:18.900 --> 01:49:27.620
is there a motion to move it forward? I'd make a motion to deny it. Is there a second

01:49:27.620 --> 01:49:33.820
to deny? No, I wanted to move it forward. No, so hang on. So we always want to make our

01:49:33.820 --> 01:49:43.180
motions in the positive there. So if you're against it, then you just won't know. Okay.

01:49:43.180 --> 01:49:46.700
I make a motion to move it forward.

01:49:46.700 --> 01:49:48.780
Is there a second?

01:49:48.780 --> 01:49:50.900
Second.

01:49:50.900 --> 01:49:53.180
Okay, we have a motion made by

01:49:53.180 --> 01:49:56.620
Alderman Stacy, seconded by Alderman Sanders

01:49:56.620 --> 01:50:03.620
to move ordnance.

01:50:03.620 --> 01:50:07.020
Alderman Sanders to move ordinance 2024-78

01:50:07.020 --> 01:50:08.940
onto the next regularly scheduled meeting.

01:50:08.940 --> 01:50:10.600
Is there discussion?

01:50:10.600 --> 01:50:11.660
Alderman Stacy.

01:50:11.660 --> 01:50:12.780
Yes.

01:50:12.780 --> 01:50:17.780
I just feel like if I'm thinking correct,

01:50:20.060 --> 01:50:25.060
we already have approved this for one person in this city

01:50:26.300 --> 01:50:28.940
and I'm big on that.

01:50:28.940 --> 01:50:33.060
If we do it for one, why can't we do it for the other?

01:50:33.620 --> 01:50:41.620
What business is it of ours to tell people what they can and cannot do on their property?

01:50:41.620 --> 01:50:46.620
Why would we do it for others?

01:50:46.620 --> 01:50:50.620
And now, this time, there's a problem.

01:50:50.620 --> 01:50:56.620
I don't know how that balances, why it's okay for this person, but it's not.

01:50:56.620 --> 01:50:58.620
I can answer that.

01:50:58.620 --> 01:51:05.620
So, you have zoning, whether it's residential, commercial, manufacturing, etc.

01:51:05.620 --> 01:51:08.980
You have uses that are allowed by right, which goes exactly to your point.

01:51:08.980 --> 01:51:13.780
In a residential area, if your intended primary use is to build a house, you're allowed to

01:51:13.780 --> 01:51:14.780
do that by right.

01:51:14.780 --> 01:51:19.900
You still have to get a permit, a building permit, but the use itself is allowed by right.

01:51:19.900 --> 01:51:26.620
You're not allowed in a residential area to build an automobile shop.

01:51:26.620 --> 01:51:28.180
You can't fix cars.

01:52:28.180 --> 01:52:58.180
D. C. and I'm going to talk about the land use permit because what we're saying, what is being contemplated in the ordinance is this particular land use needs to be looked at on a case by case basis. It's not a I'm in a residential zoning district. I'm allowed by right to have a house. It's not that simple. Per our ordinance, it requires each case requires to be looked at individually. That's exactly what this is directed.

01:52:58.180 --> 01:53:06.220
There have been complaints from the neighbors on the 10 foot of being 10 feet high?

01:53:06.220 --> 01:53:14.300
One neighbor called, spoke with staff and just wanted information because this was notified

01:53:14.300 --> 01:53:18.620
by a yard and by mail notice to neighbors and they said, okay, sounds good.

01:53:18.620 --> 01:53:19.860
They were told about the hearing.

01:53:19.860 --> 01:53:21.020
They said they weren't going to show up.

01:53:21.020 --> 01:53:22.020
They had no objection.

01:53:22.020 --> 01:53:24.060
There was one call.

01:53:24.060 --> 01:53:54.060
I sit on the Planning Commission and I'll give you the stances from both views. I was on the nayside as I think four people were at the meeting. The other two people that were approved while I have been on the Planning Commission had much, much larger lots and they weren't intrusive to the neighbors where they set these units and there wasn't, the units

01:53:54.060 --> 01:53:55.060
and others.

01:53:55.060 --> 01:54:04.040
This is a very tight lot in comparison to those and one of the comments that was made in the

01:54:04.040 --> 01:54:08.020
nays was this will be no different than a large RV that somebody sets out there and

01:54:08.020 --> 01:54:11.660
lets rust in their yard over the years and it's not going to get moved because it's

01:54:11.660 --> 01:54:14.060
going to be there for 30 years.

01:54:14.060 --> 01:54:19.780
Where a rusted RV, we actually have code compliance that we don't allow that.

01:54:19.780 --> 01:54:25.140
On the yay sides, one comment that was made and I think it was by Mr. Atkinson that was

01:54:25.140 --> 01:54:30.340
on the committee too was he didn't feel like we had a right to tell somebody what to do

01:54:30.340 --> 01:54:32.580
with their property.

01:54:32.580 --> 01:54:39.560
But in respect to that, the reason that it's got to come through council is because the

01:54:39.560 --> 01:54:44.700
forefathers that set these ordinances wanted it to be evaluated case by case.

01:54:44.700 --> 01:54:48.660
If they would have chosen to put this on their roof, it would have never made it to council

01:54:48.660 --> 01:54:49.660
and Stacey.

01:54:49.660 --> 01:54:55.480
It's the ground mounting that is the question whether it fits each purpose.

01:54:55.480 --> 01:54:59.060
Any other discussion?

01:54:59.060 --> 01:55:04.360
Can you turn the light back on?

01:55:04.360 --> 01:55:05.640
Any other first time discussion?

01:55:05.640 --> 01:55:06.640
Not?

01:55:06.640 --> 01:55:07.640
Alderman, Stacy?

01:55:07.640 --> 01:55:16.320
I just want to say we have allowed this more than once and all the ordinance and all the

01:55:16.320 --> 01:55:21.560
the rules and all the do's and don'ts was not pulled out because it was something you

01:55:21.560 --> 01:55:25.160
all were for.

01:55:25.160 --> 01:55:37.200
And we do it for one, we do it for the other.

01:55:37.200 --> 01:55:43.320
If the neighbors had a problem with this, I believe they would have come forth by now.

01:55:43.320 --> 01:55:44.920
Would that be a true statement?

01:55:44.920 --> 01:55:46.920
Yes, I would agree with that.

01:55:51.200 --> 01:55:57.780
Okay, we'll move on to the next item. Number 16 is the first ring of ordinance 2024-79. Could you please read this?

01:55:58.320 --> 01:56:03.040
Ordinance approving special use application at 1373 South Locust Avenue

01:56:03.640 --> 01:56:08.200
submitted by CINDIO Networks to examine the special use of an R-4

01:56:08.200 --> 01:56:09.200
and others.

01:56:09.200 --> 01:56:13.200
We are also working with the City of San Diego to provide a

01:56:13.200 --> 01:56:16.200
public service service to allow for one family resident zone

01:56:16.200 --> 01:56:20.200
property to allow for a telephone exchange and other

01:56:20.200 --> 01:56:24.200
similar public service uses per section 1250.01 B8.

01:56:24.200 --> 01:56:25.200
Director Duckman.

01:56:25.200 --> 01:56:26.200
Yes.

01:56:26.200 --> 01:56:28.200
And Director Subman, would you mind scrolling down just a

01:56:28.200 --> 01:56:31.200
little bit so they could see the picture?

01:56:31.200 --> 01:56:43.880
So, staff has received a special use application from Cindio Networks and is for the installation

01:56:43.880 --> 01:56:50.080
of a telecommunications distribution cabinet and the address is 1373 South Locust Avenue

01:56:50.080 --> 01:56:53.480
right across from the high school.

01:56:53.480 --> 01:57:00.900
And so, the subject property is in the residential zoning district and the, what's interesting

01:57:00.900 --> 01:57:30.900
Here is the this is for fiber optics running fiber optics throughout this city and what's interesting here is the utility company or the fiber optic company actually purchased the lot as opposed to doing an easement oftentimes you'll have an easement carved out for these pedestals like you'll see here you'll see them they're usually carving out an easement on somebody else's property but in this situation they own the property and in order when you have a residentially zoned property

01:58:00.900 --> 01:58:05.220
So, and that is what brought us to this point.

01:58:05.220 --> 01:58:14.180
The specifications on this is it is approximately a 2 foot by 3 foot by 4 foot high cabinet

01:58:14.180 --> 01:58:15.820
as you see there.

01:58:15.820 --> 01:58:21.000
Now this went on November 7th to our Zoning Board of Appeals and it was recommended by

01:58:21.000 --> 01:58:24.820
a vote of 6 yeas, 0 nays, and 0 abstentions.

01:58:24.820 --> 01:58:31.940
Now, our Zoning Board of Appeals made a point that, and they made a condition, and the same

01:58:31.940 --> 01:58:38.260
condition later on was agreed upon by our Planning Commission, was that a landscaping

01:58:38.260 --> 01:58:43.540
screen had to be approved by staff as part of the special use, and that's allowed in

01:58:43.540 --> 01:58:47.460
our ordinances is to impose conditions on our special use permits.

01:58:47.460 --> 01:58:53.700
So yes, it was recommended for our approval, but with the condition that a landscaping

01:58:53.700 --> 01:58:58.780
Green, and Plan approved by staff would be part of that approval.

01:58:58.780 --> 01:59:04.200
So on November 14th, the Planning Commission also recommended approval by a vote of six

01:59:04.200 --> 01:59:11.880
yeas, one nay, and zero abstentions.

01:59:11.880 --> 01:59:13.380
Is there a motion to move this forward?

01:59:13.380 --> 01:59:14.380
So moved.

01:59:14.380 --> 01:59:15.380
Okay.

01:59:15.380 --> 01:59:22.620
Any motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker?

01:59:22.620 --> 01:59:29.560
on this ordinance. Alderman Monroe. Thank You Madam Mayor. So Mr. Duckman is this

01:59:29.560 --> 01:59:37.100
on the the south side of the property basically right next to just looking at

01:59:37.100 --> 01:59:45.500
the streets I apologize not Locust but the one just looks like an old street

01:59:45.500 --> 01:59:55.260
Deadend. All right, can you, if you look over to the screen on this site plan, this

01:59:55.260 --> 02:00:01.860
would be Locust. Okay. Right here, and then here's the cabinet, and this V is an

02:00:01.860 --> 02:00:04.620
underground vault.

02:00:04.620 --> 02:00:09.100
is an underground vault and you can kind of see that but this is the this is the

02:00:09.100 --> 02:00:25.820
cabinet here. Any other discussion? Alderman Stacey? Yes. I have received phone

02:00:25.820 --> 02:00:34.020
calls from my constituents pertaining to this matter and I have been informed

02:00:34.020 --> 02:00:49.740
that this business was asked or told not to do it and they did it anyway that is

02:00:49.740 --> 02:00:55.780
I would say that's half true they originally proposed putting up a larger

02:00:55.780 --> 02:01:00.100
structure that was around 500 square feet an actual physical it looked like

02:01:00.100 --> 02:01:01.100
and others.

02:01:01.100 --> 02:01:09.900
So, they had a much larger footprint that was going to go there.

02:01:09.900 --> 02:01:17.660
And then we, after discussions with the organization, they scrapped that idea and then showed up

02:01:17.660 --> 02:01:22.100
and thought that they had the right to just put this up a much smaller footprint.

02:01:22.100 --> 02:01:26.780
So, they were told, you can't do that.

02:01:26.780 --> 02:01:29.020
And if even, you know, they were told after the fact.

02:01:29.020 --> 02:01:33.500
So the part that is true is that they did put this up without permission.

02:01:33.500 --> 02:01:38.140
They were told no on a much larger scale development, I would call it.

02:01:38.140 --> 02:01:40.980
They came in with a much bigger footprint.

02:01:40.980 --> 02:01:46.780
They wanted, I think, a 10-foot barbed wire fence around it, and it was a much, much more

02:01:46.780 --> 02:01:49.420
intense project that they were told no.

02:01:49.420 --> 02:01:53.000
Okay, so what is the reality in this?

02:01:53.000 --> 02:01:56.100
Do we let them keep it or do they tear it down?

02:01:56.100 --> 02:01:57.460
I mean, that's the decision today, right?

02:01:57.460 --> 02:02:04.220
I mean certainly if the vote was no, and essentially this is important for their telecommunication

02:02:04.220 --> 02:02:09.100
throughout the city, if the vote is no, then we would be moved forward, we'd work with

02:02:09.100 --> 02:02:15.540
Attorney Zito on some sort of corrective action to have them remove the cabinet.

02:02:15.540 --> 02:02:17.860
But there's no vote tonight, this is first reading.

02:02:17.860 --> 02:02:18.860
Okay.

02:02:18.860 --> 02:02:21.900
Can they be fined?

02:02:21.900 --> 02:02:24.540
Not at this point, no.

02:02:24.540 --> 02:02:42.540
They started the process for compliance. They were given a violation notice and they said you have to apply for a special use permit and they did so. So right now they're in the process of following the rules, of following our rules and regulations.

02:02:42.540 --> 02:02:44.540
Anyone else?

02:02:44.540 --> 02:02:45.540
Alderman Monroe?

02:02:45.540 --> 02:02:51.540
Monroe. So if this is voted down in two weeks essentially at that point they

02:02:51.540 --> 02:02:57.340
would have to remove, is that correct? You are you are correct and if that was the

02:02:57.340 --> 02:03:02.220
case then city staff would be working with Attorney Zito on it on the process

02:03:02.220 --> 02:03:12.860
for how to have them forcibly remove that cabinet. Anyone else? And we will move on

02:03:12.860 --> 02:03:17.580
to Item Number 17, which is the first reading of Ordinance 2024-80. Could you please read this?

02:03:19.500 --> 02:03:24.460
Ordinance amending Chapter 14 of the codified ordinances requiring a contractor license for

02:03:24.460 --> 02:03:29.740
contractors who perform landscaping or lawn care, seal coating, and snow plowing.

02:03:29.740 --> 02:03:33.500
Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Essentially,

02:03:33.500 --> 02:03:39.820
staff is bringing this before the Council to look at the possibility of making a license for

02:03:39.820 --> 02:03:46.460
Landscaper, Snow Removal, and Sealcoat Companies. We have a number of different contractors out there.

02:03:46.460 --> 02:03:52.140
They're all doing different things. We really don't have an idea who they are, and we'd like a little

02:03:52.140 --> 02:04:00.860
bit better visibility on that through the licensing process. So, staff is proposing to Council

02:04:00.860 --> 02:04:07.500
that we amend the ordinance to add those three categories, like was mentioned before, the

02:04:07.500 --> 02:04:15.400
and the landscape seal coating and also snow plowers and I will mention in the in the wintertime

02:04:15.400 --> 02:04:20.200
there's a challenge we have folks all over the city that go and they plow parking lots

02:04:20.200 --> 02:04:25.520
commercially and otherwise they really don't have an idea what it is our ordinances say

02:04:25.520 --> 02:04:30.260
they go and push snow out on the right of way they create more work for our staff when

02:04:30.260 --> 02:04:34.560
some of the commercial customers could just simply they could just push it into the parking

02:04:34.560 --> 02:04:40.520
Lot and Pile It Up over the course of the year. So there is some need for this. However, it

02:04:40.520 --> 02:04:45.120
is Council's discretion as to whether to move this forward or not. So.

02:04:45.120 --> 02:04:53.960
Is there a motion to move forward? So moved.

02:04:53.960 --> 02:04:58.000
Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion?

02:04:58.000 --> 02:05:01.160
Yes, I have one. Alderman Sellers?

02:05:01.160 --> 02:05:07.160
Yes, I would like to also add haulers, you know, people that do dumping and hauling.

02:05:07.160 --> 02:05:12.160
I think that's a really good one that we should add on that list also.

02:05:17.160 --> 02:05:20.160
Just as a point of order, we do license them.

02:05:20.160 --> 02:05:21.160
Oh, okay.

02:05:21.160 --> 02:05:23.160
However, I don't have any.

02:05:23.160 --> 02:05:27.160
The problem is getting them in to get the license, so.

02:05:27.160 --> 02:05:28.160
Alderman Monroe.

02:05:28.160 --> 02:05:30.160
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

02:05:30.160 --> 02:05:40.160
So, so I can understand this better. Is that just one license they would need for if they did all of these or would they need one separate for each?

02:05:46.160 --> 02:05:56.160
They're gonna need a license. This is a new license. They're gonna need a different license. They can't do, so right now if they receive a general contractor's license or an electrician's license,

02:05:56.160 --> 02:06:01.680
Hicks. They're going to need to now do a license for, this is a separate license.

02:06:01.680 --> 02:06:07.560
So it does or does not come under the heading of contractor?

02:06:07.560 --> 02:06:10.880
As I stated, it's new because if you read through this ordinance, there's quite a,

02:06:10.880 --> 02:06:15.480
this is a much more intense ordinance in terms of what they have to do to register. If you

02:06:15.480 --> 02:06:19.400
read through it, they have to start naming what their individual trucks are, what their

02:06:19.400 --> 02:06:25.120
insignias are, they have to provide proof of insurance for individual vehicles, as if

02:06:25.120 --> 02:06:42.720
if you're a general contractor you have to show general liability insurance and that's essentially your main step if that makes sense so this is a different so if you're a general contractor which we have some that also do snow plowing they're going to have to get this additional license and pay for it and follow the additional requirements

02:06:42.720 --> 02:06:58.640
Alderman Sanders? Yeah, I just want to ask a simple question. These are two private entities,

02:06:58.640 --> 02:07:06.560
am I correct? On the snow plowing and seal coatings and things of that nature?

02:07:06.560 --> 02:07:12.240
Yes, yes, you are correct. And everyone should have a permit or license

02:07:12.240 --> 02:07:19.840
to register to do these types of jobs to homeowners or any kind of businesses.

02:07:19.840 --> 02:07:21.280
You don't need a license.

02:07:21.280 --> 02:07:24.960
Not to shovel somewhere off someone's driveway, no.

02:07:24.960 --> 02:07:26.920
Or mow someone's grass.

02:07:26.920 --> 02:07:28.160
Mm-hmm.

02:07:28.160 --> 02:07:30.760
Up comes the price.

02:07:30.760 --> 02:07:32.520
OK.

02:07:32.520 --> 02:07:38.440
Let's see if anybody else has another input before you go on the second.

02:07:38.440 --> 02:07:39.520
Is there anyone for the first time?

02:07:42.240 --> 02:07:54.240
Well then, Alderman, Sanders for your second. I marked the wrong one. My apologies. Alderman, Stacy?

02:07:54.240 --> 02:08:06.240
Okay, I'm hearing two different things. So, if the neighbor guy wants to mow my grass,

02:08:06.240 --> 02:08:19.200
He has to have some type of license or general something to mow grass.

02:08:19.200 --> 02:08:22.900
That is my understanding of this ordinance that a lawn, that would fall under a lawn care

02:08:22.900 --> 02:08:25.740
company and they would have to register.

02:08:25.740 --> 02:08:26.740
That's my understanding.

02:08:26.740 --> 02:08:32.740
Now, I want to, I want to take a step back here and state that what brought this up was

02:08:32.740 --> 02:08:36.160
not Community & Economic Development, what brought this up was our Public Works Department

02:08:36.160 --> 02:08:41.720
is having issues with and concerns with contractors parking their lawn care equipment, parking

02:08:41.720 --> 02:08:46.400
their snow removal trucks, which are basically plow trucks.

02:08:46.400 --> 02:08:52.480
These are businesses that are not registering because they do not need a permit to do so.

02:08:52.480 --> 02:08:54.160
You pointed this point out.

02:08:54.160 --> 02:08:57.800
You've made that point correctly that if they're cutting your grass, if they're plowing the

02:08:57.800 --> 02:09:01.080
snow off your driveway, they do not need a permit for that.

02:09:01.080 --> 02:09:05.640
But what's happening is some of these businesses are throwing the snow into the street or

02:09:05.640 --> 02:09:11.200
Or they're not performing their work correctly, or they're parking their vehicles on curbs

02:09:11.200 --> 02:09:13.400
damaging it and driving away.

02:09:13.400 --> 02:09:20.600
And so I just want to say my department has truly just stepped in here to be saying that,

02:09:20.600 --> 02:09:24.360
okay, we have a registered contractor database.

02:09:24.360 --> 02:09:26.080
Will you help us along with this?

02:09:26.080 --> 02:09:27.820
And that's kind of where I'm at here.

02:09:27.820 --> 02:09:31.560
So I'm answering these questions as they come, but this essentially is an initiative driven

02:09:31.560 --> 02:09:35.160
by a concern from our Public Works Department.

02:09:35.160 --> 02:09:38.560
But you're saying this is for lawn care companies.

02:09:38.560 --> 02:09:39.560
In part, yes.

02:09:39.560 --> 02:09:42.400
That's one company that would have to register.

02:09:42.400 --> 02:09:43.400
Manager Boyer?

02:09:43.400 --> 02:09:44.400
I'd like to clarify.

02:09:44.400 --> 02:09:48.760
I think that if they have a tax ID number, that would qualify them as a company, right?

02:09:48.760 --> 02:09:49.760
If they have a what?

02:09:49.760 --> 02:09:55.000
If they have a tax ID number, if they're, you know, registered as a business.

02:09:55.000 --> 02:09:57.520
Attorney Aceto?

02:09:57.520 --> 02:10:02.040
So under the definition of a lawn care professional or even for a steel coating professional and

02:10:02.040 --> 02:10:03.720
the snow plowing professional.

02:10:03.720 --> 02:10:04.560
It talks about.

02:10:04.560 --> 02:10:10.400
Professional. It talks about a person who employs one or more individuals for the purpose of providing

02:10:10.400 --> 02:10:14.720
landscape maintenance or employs one or more individuals for the purpose of providing seal

02:10:14.720 --> 02:10:20.160
coating services there. So I think as written right now, they're looking at someone who's

02:10:21.200 --> 02:10:26.320
running this operation as a business, right? They have at least one or more employees that are going

02:10:26.320 --> 02:10:32.880
to go out and do this. So I think who's exempted from this is if your neighbor just happens by

02:10:32.880 --> 02:10:47.760
Miller, and I don't think that's what this was meant to apply to there.

02:10:47.760 --> 02:10:58.539
So this was a request by the Superintendent of Public Works and Wayne touched on it but

02:10:58.539 --> 02:11:02.940
it's really due to a lot of Public Works time

02:11:02.940 --> 02:11:07.060
that is chasing these particular people around.

02:11:07.060 --> 02:11:09.780
What ends up happening, snow plowing.

02:11:09.780 --> 02:11:12.860
We have somebody that goes out for profit to plow snow

02:11:12.860 --> 02:11:15.860
and then we end up with ancillary damages at the house,

02:11:15.860 --> 02:11:18.340
two doors down where they push the snow, rip the yard up

02:11:18.340 --> 02:11:21.660
and then Public Works is asked to go fix those yards

02:11:21.660 --> 02:11:23.420
where we have no way of monitoring

02:11:23.420 --> 02:11:25.380
who's plowing where or what.

02:11:25.380 --> 02:11:27.539
So this is just kind of a record keeping thing

02:11:27.539 --> 02:11:33.020
to say that if Wayne's plow business messes up the yard next door, Wayne's business has

02:11:33.020 --> 02:11:39.460
to clean it up, or if Michelle's lawn care throws grass out in the street, they've got

02:11:39.460 --> 02:11:44.340
to clean it up, and right now we have no record keeping for that, and it happens more than

02:11:44.340 --> 02:11:50.039
you know, or they damage curb or sidewalk or something like that in the course of their

02:11:50.039 --> 02:11:53.500
business and it falls back on the city to fix and repair.

02:11:53.500 --> 02:12:00.020
So that is really the issue here, and so we're just trying to get a record keeping of who's

02:12:00.020 --> 02:12:04.060
working where, knowing that we have responsible people working in the community and doing

02:12:04.060 --> 02:12:05.060
good work.

02:12:05.060 --> 02:12:06.620
Manager Boyer?

02:12:06.620 --> 02:12:10.260
Just to add to what Darren said also, you know, you don't think of grass clippings

02:12:10.260 --> 02:12:14.340
in the right of way as being dangerous, but if you have grass clippings spread out at

02:12:14.340 --> 02:12:19.980
an intersection and a motorcycle comes to a stop, I mean, it can cause somebody to lose

02:12:19.980 --> 02:12:20.980
and others.

02:12:20.980 --> 02:12:21.980
There's a bike right there in the intersection.

02:12:21.980 --> 02:12:25.480
So I just wanted to create or mention that safety concern as well.

02:12:25.480 --> 02:12:30.780
Okay, so I get the whole accountability thing, but what I don't understand is, I mean, we

02:12:30.780 --> 02:12:34.380
have lots of general contractors that are busy all summer long, but in the wintertime

02:12:34.380 --> 02:12:35.700
they want to do snow plowing.

02:12:35.700 --> 02:12:38.100
So now we want to hit them again with a different license.

02:12:38.100 --> 02:12:41.840
Why can't it just come under the same license as long as they declare it?

02:12:41.840 --> 02:12:46.380
Well, there's different requirements and we also currently do it so that, let's say you're

02:12:46.380 --> 02:12:48.300
going to be, you're a general contractor.

02:12:48.300 --> 02:12:51.940
if you go to do plumbing work, you have to get a separate plumbing license, pay for that,

02:12:51.940 --> 02:12:55.060
pass that test, prove that you're doing that work.

02:12:55.060 --> 02:12:58.420
If you're going to do electricians, you're going to do electrical work, you have to get

02:12:58.420 --> 02:13:04.260
electrical license, pay for that, so that we currently have that in place.

02:13:04.260 --> 02:13:10.620
And also, I just also want to add that this ordinance is more restrictive than it's not,

02:13:10.620 --> 02:13:13.400
it's just going to be as simple as saying, okay, we're going to declare, there's quite

02:13:13.400 --> 02:13:17.940
a bit of staff time proving that there's insurance for all these vehicles, collecting all that

02:13:17.940 --> 02:13:19.940
and

02:13:20.940 --> 02:13:22.940
John.

02:13:24.060 --> 02:13:26.060
And the other thing is, I think,

02:13:27.180 --> 02:13:29.180
there's a lot of data. There's extra requirements for this

02:13:29.300 --> 02:13:31.300
particular

02:13:33.380 --> 02:13:35.380
.

02:13:36.500 --> 02:13:38.500
So you're actually wanting more data from someone that's mowing

02:13:38.500 --> 02:13:40.500
your grass versus someone that's building your house?

02:13:42.500 --> 02:13:44.500
I don't. That's what's being proposed by our Superintendent of

02:13:44.500 --> 02:13:46.500
Public Works. Yes.

02:13:47.940 --> 02:14:03.500
anyone else that hasn't spoken once yet and so I'll open it up for the second

02:14:03.500 --> 02:14:08.940
time Alderman Monroe thank you madam mayor I can tell you in my neighborhood

02:14:08.940 --> 02:14:13.900
the folks that do the plowing that do the leaf cleanup the lawn mowing they're

02:14:13.900 --> 02:14:17.860
not the ones damaging the property it's the city workers we've actually come to

02:14:17.860 --> 02:14:23.300
to the city where copious amounts of salt was thrown on people's yards killing their

02:14:23.300 --> 02:14:30.220
grass killing the edges of the road plowing them up and those that are doing

02:14:30.220 --> 02:14:36.900
the plowing or the snow blowing or such they're not a problem and I've got two

02:14:36.900 --> 02:14:41.380
neighbors that have complained a significant amount over the last few

02:14:41.380 --> 02:14:45.100
years and none of the work was done to repair their grass to repair the soil at

02:14:45.100 --> 02:14:46.100
and others.

02:14:46.100 --> 02:14:52.820
And, you know, this really seems onerous to me that we're going to go out and say, okay,

02:14:52.820 --> 02:14:59.620
well, you've got to supply all of this information and your business falls under the same insurance.

02:14:59.620 --> 02:15:04.860
You're not going to have insurance for plowing, insurance for snow removal or plowing versus

02:15:04.860 --> 02:15:08.580
grass cleanup versus leaf cleanup versus all of those things.

02:15:08.580 --> 02:15:14.240
And, you know, I think as long as they have annual insurance, it should be one license

02:15:14.240 --> 02:15:16.240
Brown, and the other folks that are doing that type of work.

02:15:18.420 --> 02:15:20.420
They are not making the same amount of money as a plumber or

02:15:20.840 --> 02:15:22.840
an electrician who charge exorbitant amounts compared to

02:15:25.980 --> 02:15:27.980
the lawn guys.

02:15:31.079 --> 02:15:33.079
Just speaking here, but we can call it a license, we can call

02:15:34.600 --> 02:15:36.600
it a fee, we can call it a tax. It's all the same thing.

02:15:38.440 --> 02:15:40.440
We've got to clean this up a little bit and take care of our

02:15:41.540 --> 02:15:43.540
businesses because a lot of those folks are just

02:15:44.240 --> 02:15:45.240
Cochran.

02:15:45.240 --> 02:15:50.720
We are taking care of, my ward especially has a large amount of seniors living there who

02:15:50.720 --> 02:15:58.180
get their lawns done, and I'd hate to see their lawn cleanup go up 10-15 bucks a time

02:15:58.180 --> 02:16:01.560
based on them having to keep applying for licenses and such.

02:16:01.560 --> 02:16:04.320
It just doesn't make sense to me.

02:16:04.320 --> 02:16:05.560
Manager Boyer?

02:16:05.560 --> 02:16:10.160
Just to comment on that and address, I personally do not have any issue with combining them

02:16:10.160 --> 02:16:16.780
and I'm under one license, but I do want to mention that our plow truck drivers are doing

02:16:16.780 --> 02:16:21.760
the very best job they can. As a matter of fact, when you have a cul-de-sac, no curbs,

02:16:21.760 --> 02:16:26.620
you have situations where you've got a 10-ton truck or a 10-yard truck with a plow on the

02:16:26.620 --> 02:16:32.899
front, makes it very challenging. And I believe our snow plow drivers are really fantastic

02:16:32.899 --> 02:16:36.520
at what they do. There's always room for improvement, of course, but there is going to be a few

02:16:36.520 --> 02:16:38.460
There's still a few times you scalp a yard off but, I'm

02:16:38.460 --> 02:16:41.600
I'm quite fine with revisiting this and making it under one license

02:16:41.600 --> 02:16:44.319
thank you.

02:16:45.620 --> 02:16:50.040
Any further discussion?

02:16:50.340 --> 02:16:57.420
Okay we'll move on to item number 18, which is the adoption of resolution 2024%-120%.

02:16:57.659 --> 02:17:02.260
Resolution in support of the Bird City Illinois initiative.

02:17:02.520 --> 02:17:03.640
Manager Boyer.

02:17:03.640 --> 02:17:07.239
Thank you, Your Honor. The Mayor's City staff has been working with the Northern Illinois

02:17:07.239 --> 02:17:12.360
Audubon Society on renewing the Bird City Illinois recognition. It was first given to the City

02:17:12.360 --> 02:17:18.000
in 2022. The City of Freeport is looking to retain its recognition as Bird City Illinois

02:17:18.000 --> 02:17:23.440
community. Thanks to its unique initiatives to highlight and save wildlife in our region,

02:17:23.440 --> 02:17:28.640
according to the Northwest Illinois Audubon Society, Freeport fulfills the following,

02:17:28.640 --> 02:17:30.440
which are necessary for recognition.

02:17:30.440 --> 02:17:36.440
So it provides sufficient bird habitat, promotes pollinator health, is recognized as a Tree

02:17:36.440 --> 02:17:42.899
City USA participant, maintains a public demonstration of gardens to be benefited by birds and wildlife

02:17:42.899 --> 02:17:48.520
and ecosystems, maintains a public golf course that benefits birds, works to mitigate water

02:17:48.520 --> 02:17:54.159
pollution through cleanup events, implements actions to reduce pollution, utilizes integrated

02:17:54.159 --> 02:17:59.520
Pest Management and Natural Pest Control, celebrates World Migratory Bird Day and hosts

02:17:59.520 --> 02:18:07.720
an annual bird day event, increases awareness of birds and their habitats, educates all

02:18:07.720 --> 02:18:12.640
ages on birds and conservation related programs, and works with traditionally underserved communities

02:18:12.640 --> 02:18:19.640
to increase access to environmental education, as well as reduces energy use and carbon emissions

02:18:19.640 --> 02:18:21.460
and promotes green transportation.

02:18:21.460 --> 02:18:26.020
So staff recommends the city adopt the resolution for Bird City USA.

02:18:26.020 --> 02:18:27.860
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:18:27.860 --> 02:18:28.860
So moved.

02:18:28.860 --> 02:18:29.860
Second.

02:18:29.860 --> 02:18:34.979
The motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle, discussion?

02:18:34.979 --> 02:18:35.979
Alderman Stacy?

02:18:35.979 --> 02:18:36.979
Yes.

02:18:36.979 --> 02:18:48.739
So, um, I'm hearing like you're not supposed to, because of the wildlife, like release

02:18:48.739 --> 02:19:14.579
and

02:19:14.579 --> 02:19:21.139
something or someone? Manager Boyer? I believe 12 balloons is okay. As a matter

02:19:21.139 --> 02:19:24.860
of fact we had some concern expressed at one of the events that we're planning

02:19:24.860 --> 02:19:29.979
about a balloon release and that there is some something about the numbers so as

02:19:29.979 --> 02:19:33.460
long as the numbers stay within a certain range I believe it's they don't

02:19:33.460 --> 02:19:36.819
like it per se but they're not against it but they don't like to see those

02:19:36.819 --> 02:19:41.700
massive balloon releases so. But yeah this that's not to do with this or with

02:19:41.700 --> 02:19:52.940
if there's no other discussion and the clerk please take the roll.

02:19:52.940 --> 02:19:53.940
Stacy?

02:19:53.940 --> 02:19:54.940
Aye.

02:19:54.940 --> 02:19:55.940
Shadle?

02:19:55.940 --> 02:19:56.940
Aye.

02:19:56.940 --> 02:19:57.940
Sanders?

02:19:57.940 --> 02:19:58.940
Aye.

02:19:58.940 --> 02:19:59.940
Sellers?

02:19:59.940 --> 02:20:00.940
Aye.

02:20:00.940 --> 02:20:01.940
Klemm?

02:20:01.940 --> 02:20:02.940
Aye.

02:20:02.940 --> 02:20:06.140
Monroe? No.

02:20:06.140 --> 02:20:18.940
Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted seven to one. Item number 19 is the adoption of resolution 2024-121.

02:20:18.940 --> 02:20:28.540
Resolution ratifying emergency backflow preventer repairs to city's wastewater treatment plant dewatering system by Nelson Carlson Mechanical Contractors.

02:20:28.540 --> 02:20:54.540
Thank you, Your Honor. Earlier this year, the staff of the wastewater treatment plant pointed to a problem with the backflow preventer. It was a time-critical issue and needed to be replaced, so we moved forward with the repair, and staff is asking council to ratify the payment of $11,309 for the emergency replacement of the sewer, the check valve.

02:20:54.540 --> 02:20:56.540
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:20:56.540 --> 02:21:04.540
So moved. Second. Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion, Alderman Sanders.

02:21:04.540 --> 02:21:18.540
Yes, Manager Boyer, with this backflow, Preventer, does that have anything to do with the river, the Pecatonic River backflowing,

02:21:18.540 --> 02:21:22.440
Foo and into the plan itself within the plan itself so

02:21:22.500 --> 02:21:28.240
Where these areas that you you're talking about fires repairs to back blow

02:21:28.900 --> 02:21:34.000
Anything to do along with the river back flows that within the city itself

02:21:35.900 --> 02:21:39.020
As I understand it's in the plant it's where you have the

02:21:39.580 --> 02:21:43.220
freshwater line going to an operation inside the plant and

02:21:43.220 --> 02:21:48.660
and the backflow preventer fails and if it does then it has a potential cross-condemnation.

02:21:48.660 --> 02:21:51.860
Okay, I see where you're at, okay.

02:21:51.860 --> 02:21:52.860
Alderman Monroe.

02:21:52.860 --> 02:21:54.460
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

02:21:54.460 --> 02:21:57.780
When was the work done?

02:21:57.780 --> 02:22:00.300
This repair was done in June.

02:22:00.300 --> 02:22:06.860
Why did we wait five months, six months to come back to council?

02:22:06.860 --> 02:22:08.980
Darren?

02:22:08.980 --> 02:22:12.260
We just got the invoice.

02:22:12.260 --> 02:22:14.780
We spent the money in June.

02:22:14.780 --> 02:22:15.860
The parts had to be ordered.

02:22:15.860 --> 02:22:21.020
It was custom made, so it took some time to get, but we just received the invoice last

02:22:21.020 --> 02:22:23.180
week from Nelson.

02:22:23.180 --> 02:22:29.700
Let's see if somebody else has a question first.

02:22:29.700 --> 02:22:32.980
If not, Alderman Monroe.

02:22:32.980 --> 02:22:34.900
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

02:22:34.900 --> 02:22:41.380
You know, I get that it takes time to get the parts in, but waiting six months to come

02:22:41.380 --> 02:22:43.380
Smith, and I'm going to move forward with the spending of

02:22:43.380 --> 02:22:48.640
that money. You had a purchase order in June. We moved forward

02:22:48.640 --> 02:22:52.880
with the spending of that money. It was never appropriated for

02:22:52.880 --> 02:22:59.880
use. I guess my question is why did we wait six months?

02:22:59.880 --> 02:23:05.380
Go ahead. The money for this comes out of the sewer repair

02:23:05.380 --> 02:23:08.880
fees, right, that we typically have budgeted for and the reason

02:23:08.880 --> 02:23:13.520
because it was an emergency and we usually don't present these until we get the invoice for it.

02:23:13.520 --> 02:23:22.520
The sludge presses that we operate five days a week down at the plant cannot run without this backflow device in parallel with them

02:23:22.520 --> 02:23:25.440
because it protects the contamination of the water like Rob said.

02:23:25.440 --> 02:23:31.240
So it became emergent at the time that we needed to order it.

02:23:31.240 --> 02:23:34.000
Nelson Carlson is a custom fabricator.

02:23:34.000 --> 02:23:37.680
So they got the parts in, custom fabricated it and installed it.

02:23:37.680 --> 02:23:41.640
and I can't explain that Nelson's billing cycles,

02:23:41.640 --> 02:23:45.000
but yes, this is way behind a typical bill,

02:23:45.000 --> 02:23:49.200
but we definitely needed it.

02:23:49.200 --> 02:23:52.800
Like I said, the sludge presses that press

02:23:52.800 --> 02:23:56.880
all of our digested sewer will not work

02:23:56.880 --> 02:23:58.120
without this backflow preventer,

02:23:58.120 --> 02:24:00.620
which would put us in a significant bind.

02:24:02.120 --> 02:24:03.720
Alderman Stacey.

02:24:03.720 --> 02:24:15.200
When did the parts come in and when was the work completed?

02:24:15.200 --> 02:24:17.920
From my best recollection, the parts

02:24:17.920 --> 02:24:19.760
were ordered on the PO in June.

02:24:19.760 --> 02:24:22.000
I think they took four weeks to get the parts in

02:24:22.000 --> 02:24:26.120
because we had to get custom flanges built and added

02:24:26.120 --> 02:24:29.040
to this large RPZ.

02:24:29.040 --> 02:24:31.240
And we went with stainless because the original one

02:24:31.240 --> 02:24:34.600
wasn't stainless, and it needs to be corrosion resistance

02:24:34.600 --> 02:24:41.560
because the sludge process of patty caking the sludge

02:24:41.560 --> 02:24:42.600
is very acidic.

02:24:42.600 --> 02:24:48.600
And the environment that this room contains is very acidic.

02:24:48.600 --> 02:24:51.040
And we've had to replace just about every component

02:24:51.040 --> 02:24:54.920
within this building over the course of the last 15 years

02:24:54.920 --> 02:24:56.760
due to the acidic environment.

02:24:56.760 --> 02:24:59.120
So I want to say the parts came in

02:24:59.120 --> 02:25:03.380
and probably mid-July, it was probably installed

02:25:03.380 --> 02:25:06.360
about the 1st of August and we just got the bill last week.

02:25:11.960 --> 02:25:14.520
And you said normally it comes out of what account?

02:25:15.960 --> 02:25:18.520
There's an account in the sewer budget for repairs

02:25:18.520 --> 02:25:20.600
at the wastewater treatment plant.

02:25:20.600 --> 02:25:23.320
So did this come out the sewer budget account?

02:25:23.320 --> 02:25:24.820
Yes, the maintenance.

02:25:24.820 --> 02:25:34.540
there's no further discussion Alderman Monroe actually I do have a question so

02:25:34.540 --> 02:25:42.780
this chrome in that acidic environment I remember studying this back in my days as

02:25:42.780 --> 02:25:48.140
a meteorologist atmospheric scientist is there any concern that chromic acid will

02:25:48.140 --> 02:26:18.140
Stacey, Stacy, Don, Shadle,

02:26:18.140 --> 02:26:48.140
Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons and Parker. The resolution is adopted 8 to 0. Item number 20 is the adoption of resolution 2024 122. Could you please read this? Resolution ratifying emergency HVAC repairs at City Hall by Lesher Heating and Air Conditioning. Manager Boyer. Council, we had a similar situation here at City Hall. The main council chambers

02:26:48.140 --> 02:26:53.460
Air Conditioning Units failed I believe toward the end of September to get us through the

02:26:53.460 --> 02:26:54.780
rest of the summer.

02:26:54.780 --> 02:27:01.980
We approved an emergency repair of the Air Conditioning Units, the total cost being $10,425

02:27:01.980 --> 02:27:05.940
and staff asks council to ratify that invoice.

02:27:05.940 --> 02:27:08.700
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:27:08.700 --> 02:27:09.700
So moved.

02:27:09.700 --> 02:27:10.700
Second.

02:27:10.700 --> 02:27:16.740
Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle, discussion?

02:27:16.740 --> 02:27:20.740
You said it was how much? I'm sorry.

02:27:20.740 --> 02:27:30.740
10,425 dollars.

02:27:30.740 --> 02:27:36.740
And this money has come or will come from?

02:27:36.740 --> 02:27:40.740
It'll come from building maintenance for City Hall PD.

02:27:40.740 --> 02:27:42.700
to combine those under one budget item, so.

02:27:49.080 --> 02:27:51.200
Yes, Alderman Monroe.

02:27:51.200 --> 02:27:55.360
Are we over budget, under budget in that line item

02:27:55.360 --> 02:28:00.360
from last year's budget, approved budget?

02:28:00.680 --> 02:28:01.880
Do you know that answer?

02:28:40.740 --> 02:28:57.740
Item 101-142-6165, Contracted Equipment Repair and Maintenance, still has 7,000 left in that line item, before this bill is run.

02:28:57.740 --> 02:29:06.740
So we will be shy in that line.

02:29:06.740 --> 02:29:18.580
Follow-up? Go ahead. So you're saying there will be like $3,000? Sure. Okay. Correct.

02:29:21.580 --> 02:29:25.580
Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Madam Mayor. So basically what you're saying, it doesn't

02:29:25.580 --> 02:29:29.300
matter what we approve in a budget, we're just gonna spend the money and then ask

02:29:29.300 --> 02:29:36.080
for forgiveness later. Is that how this works? Manager Boyer? As you know,

02:29:36.080 --> 02:29:41.240
budget is a planning document and you have to make adjustments as you go along

02:29:41.240 --> 02:29:47.120
upon the reality that happens so when this thing failed I believe it failed

02:29:47.120 --> 02:29:52.200
within a week of a large council meeting so we had the repair done so that we

02:29:52.200 --> 02:29:58.360
could not be sitting in 85-degree weather with 100% humidity in here good

02:29:58.360 --> 02:30:06.160
excuse. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy.

02:30:06.160 --> 02:30:36.160
Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted 7 to 1. Item number 21 is the adoption of resolution 2024 123. Could you please read this? Resolution approving agreement with Richard L. Johnson for architectural services at wall number 12. Manager Boyer. Thank you your honor.

02:30:36.160 --> 02:30:40.560
the City of Freeport is currently in design process of well number 12 that

02:30:40.560 --> 02:30:44.680
would be the last remaining well for us to get off of the old brick street plant

02:30:44.680 --> 02:30:50.960
and get us a contaminant free water system the facility design requires an

02:30:50.960 --> 02:30:55.040
architect for the building component system Richard L Johnson has been a

02:30:55.040 --> 02:30:59.320
strategic partner on design on the design team of well number 12 and also

02:30:59.320 --> 02:31:03.100
with our wastewater treatment plan upgrades the City of Freeport they are

02:31:03.100 --> 02:31:06.180
We're familiar with the state and the city building codes and standards.

02:31:06.180 --> 02:31:10.180
The City of Freeport, with the assistance of Fehr Graham, has received a commitment from

02:31:10.180 --> 02:31:17.900
the Illinois EPA and Congressman Eric Swarmson to fund $13.3 million of originally estimated

02:31:17.900 --> 02:31:20.020
$14 million of the project.

02:31:20.020 --> 02:31:24.660
The project must be bid before March 1st, 2024 to receive the funding.

02:31:24.660 --> 02:31:29.500
Richard L. Johnson has presented a building architecture contract for $195,000 to perform

02:31:29.500 --> 02:31:35.260
from the Plan Specifications and Plan Coordination with our Lead Engineer for the overall project

02:31:35.260 --> 02:31:36.260
design.

02:31:36.260 --> 02:31:40.460
To ensure funding, they have committed to being complete and bid ready by the Illinois

02:31:40.460 --> 02:31:42.460
EPA's bid deadline.

02:31:42.460 --> 02:31:47.560
The City plans to fund this engineering through capital improvement funds until a time which

02:31:47.560 --> 02:31:50.360
we are reimbursed from the Illinois EPA.

02:31:50.360 --> 02:31:55.680
The architect's fees can be reimbursed when the loan project is funded through the EPA.

02:31:55.680 --> 02:32:02.360
So staff recommends the City Council approve the $195,000 contract with Richard L. Johnson

02:32:02.360 --> 02:32:03.760
so the project can move forward.

02:32:03.760 --> 02:32:05.560
Is there such a motion?

02:32:05.560 --> 02:32:06.560
So moved.

02:32:06.560 --> 02:32:07.560
Second.

02:32:07.560 --> 02:32:10.360
A motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

02:32:10.360 --> 02:32:11.360
Discussion.

02:32:11.360 --> 02:32:15.480
Alderman Shadle.

02:32:15.480 --> 02:32:21.060
Manager Boyer, you said that they were, Richard Johnson was involved with Well 12, I believe

02:32:21.060 --> 02:32:23.360
you meant Well 11, they drew that building.

02:32:23.360 --> 02:32:30.280
Yes, well, Levin and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, new upgrades. Thank you.

02:32:30.760 --> 02:32:45.000
Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? No. Simmons?

02:32:45.000 --> 02:32:54.520
Oh, I am so sorry. Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted six to one.

02:32:56.440 --> 02:33:01.920
Hey, item number 22 is the adoption of resolution 2024-124. Could you please read

02:33:01.920 --> 02:33:06.840
this? Resolution approving agreement with Berner-Schober for Mechanical

02:33:06.840 --> 02:33:11.680
Engineering Services at well number 12. Manager Boyer? Thank you, Your Honor. The

02:33:11.680 --> 02:33:16.320
City Freeport, as mentioned before, is in the design process for well number 12. The

02:33:16.320 --> 02:33:22.120
design requires mechanical engineering for HVAC, electrical, supervisory control and

02:33:22.120 --> 02:33:27.440
data acquisition systems, and fire protection and advanced systems. Berner-Schober has been

02:33:27.440 --> 02:33:33.680
an engineer partner on the design team for well number 11 and wastewater treatment plant

02:33:33.680 --> 02:33:38.200
upgrades, and they're familiar with the city codes along with the EPA process standards.

02:33:38.200 --> 02:33:41.840
The City has received a commitment from the Illinois EPA and Eric Sorensen, as mentioned

02:33:41.840 --> 02:33:48.280
before, for $13.3 million and the project must be bid let by March 1st.

02:33:48.280 --> 02:33:53.080
Berner Schober has presented a mechanical engineering contract for $70,000 to perform

02:33:53.080 --> 02:33:58.280
mechanical systems design, specification, and plan coordination with our lead engineer,

02:33:58.280 --> 02:34:01.400
that's Fehr Graham, as part of the overall project.

02:34:01.400 --> 02:34:07.700
So to ensure the funding, they have committed to being complete and bid ready by March 1st,

02:34:07.700 --> 02:34:14.820
the E.P.A. Deadline and staff recommendation that City Council move forward with the $70,000

02:34:14.820 --> 02:34:18.920
contract with Berner-Schover so the project can move forward immediately.

02:34:18.920 --> 02:34:19.920
Is there a motion to adopt?

02:34:19.920 --> 02:34:20.920
So moved.

02:34:20.920 --> 02:34:21.920
Second.

02:34:21.920 --> 02:34:27.540
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

02:34:27.540 --> 02:34:28.540
Discussion.

02:34:28.540 --> 02:34:29.540
Alderman.

02:34:29.540 --> 02:34:36.100
Yes, I heard Richard L. Johnson and I heard Fehr Graham.

02:34:36.100 --> 02:34:42.940
I'm sorry, Bernie, Berners, whoever, Berners, and Fehr Graham.

02:34:42.940 --> 02:34:45.220
So who is?

02:34:45.220 --> 02:34:46.340
Manager Boyer?

02:34:46.340 --> 02:34:48.540
So Fehr Graham is the lead engineer.

02:34:48.540 --> 02:34:50.620
Richard L. Johnson is the architect.

02:34:50.620 --> 02:34:54.420
And Berners Schober is the mechanicals.

02:34:54.420 --> 02:34:56.860
So they will help with design of all the piping,

02:34:56.860 --> 02:34:58.540
electrical work, that type of thing.

02:34:58.540 --> 02:34:59.980
So you've got the building itself,

02:34:59.980 --> 02:35:02.820
and then you've got all the mechanicals inside.

02:35:02.820 --> 02:35:07.820
Okay, so the building itself is costing the $70,000?

02:35:08.760 --> 02:35:10.080
No, that's incorrect.

02:35:10.080 --> 02:35:13.560
The design for the mechanicals within the building

02:35:13.560 --> 02:35:14.860
is $70,000.

02:35:18.640 --> 02:35:19.480
Attorney Zito?

02:35:23.360 --> 02:35:26.000
Right, so this is like, you know, so you got the architect

02:35:26.000 --> 02:35:27.920
who's gonna design the building, right?

02:35:27.920 --> 02:35:30.520
There's a separate company or consultant

02:35:30.520 --> 02:35:31.520
Fowler.

02:35:31.520 --> 02:35:33.680
There's a company that then designs all the heating and air conditioning, all the pipes

02:35:33.680 --> 02:35:37.740
and ducts and vents, electrical, you know, wiring that goes in there.

02:35:37.740 --> 02:35:41.520
There's a separate company that designs that, different than the architect.

02:35:41.520 --> 02:35:43.720
And then Fehr Graham is what?

02:35:43.720 --> 02:35:45.000
They're the engineer on the project.

02:35:45.000 --> 02:35:46.880
So you have multiple consultants.

02:35:46.880 --> 02:35:48.680
So we're going to have three different bills.

02:35:48.680 --> 02:35:49.680
Yes.

02:35:49.680 --> 02:35:50.680
Correct.

02:35:50.680 --> 02:35:51.680
Right.

02:35:51.680 --> 02:35:52.680
Because they're all different disciplines.

02:35:52.680 --> 02:35:54.800
Do you know what those other bills are?

02:35:54.800 --> 02:35:59.000
Oh, from the, like from the dollar amounts?

02:35:59.000 --> 02:36:00.000
Yeah.

02:36:00.000 --> 02:36:16.000
So for the design of the HVAC, the mechanicals, that's the $70,000 to draw it up, then $195,000 was for the architect, the previous resolution you guys adopted, and then I'll defer to Darren as to what the engineering contract is.

02:36:16.000 --> 02:36:25.100
our contract was approved I believe sometime in 23 and I think ours was 1.1

02:36:25.100 --> 02:36:30.880
million for all the piping all the ancillaries all the coordination it's a

02:36:30.880 --> 02:36:35.320
very big project when you're talking about 14 million dollars worth of work

02:36:35.320 --> 02:36:40.880
and you said in 2023 it was approved yeah that was when we originally started

02:36:40.880 --> 02:37:03.320
Chasen, Money for Well 12 and Wellhouse 12, mm-hmm Alderman Monroe Kudos to you, Miss Stacy, because you're the first person that's asked the right question. Basically, if you do a search of Fehr Graham, Richard L. Johnson,

02:37:03.320 --> 02:37:11.440
and Bernard Schober. They work on dozens if not hundreds of projects together. So basically

02:37:11.440 --> 02:37:16.560
they're one and the same. Even though they're separate companies, they bid together on multiple

02:37:16.560 --> 02:37:23.880
jobs. So the money's going essentially into the same space. And the question we should

02:37:23.880 --> 02:37:30.560
be asking is why are we not going out to bid for other entities as well who could also

02:37:30.560 --> 02:37:31.560
and others.

02:37:31.560 --> 02:37:40.440
We're not getting deep bids, we're not getting a lot of offers.

02:37:40.440 --> 02:37:47.200
So we are putting ourselves in a situation that we're no longer getting multiple entities

02:37:47.200 --> 02:37:49.520
coming into us with bids.

02:37:49.520 --> 02:37:54.360
So the price goes up because they're bidding against themselves.

02:37:54.360 --> 02:38:00.520
And these are questions we should ask about all of these bids that come through.

02:38:00.520 --> 02:38:05.440
and John. There's more than one company that does architectural services. There's plenty

02:38:05.440 --> 02:38:12.320
of mechanical engineering services. And I know that being comfortable with each of these

02:38:12.320 --> 02:38:17.640
businesses is great. It's good for the City of Freeport to be able to work with those

02:38:17.640 --> 02:38:22.920
that know our business, but that doesn't mean we get the best dollar for our buck. We don't

02:38:22.920 --> 02:38:27.280
get the best, you know, who knows? Who knows what we would get if we had other people bidding

02:38:27.280 --> 02:38:28.280
and others.

02:38:28.280 --> 02:38:35.040
So I think it's important to ask the question because on these adoptions of these resolutions

02:38:35.040 --> 02:38:38.560
I've not seen where it's gone out to bid.

02:38:38.560 --> 02:38:43.800
And so I'm concerned about that and that's why I voted no on the previous one.

02:38:43.800 --> 02:38:46.360
And this one is the same thing.

02:38:46.360 --> 02:38:51.720
And it doesn't matter if you go to Green Bay or Polo, Illinois or Aurora or Madison or

02:38:51.720 --> 02:38:54.160
where you go, they're all working together.

02:38:54.160 --> 02:38:56.720
They're all getting paid the same.

02:38:56.720 --> 02:39:00.680
So that's the question I would pose to the City Manager, why are we not putting this

02:39:00.680 --> 02:39:02.400
out to bid?

02:39:02.400 --> 02:39:03.400
Manager Boyer?

02:39:03.400 --> 02:39:07.840
I would say best practices is not a bid.

02:39:07.840 --> 02:39:09.520
It's statement of qualification.

02:39:09.520 --> 02:39:10.520
What's your payment?

02:39:10.520 --> 02:39:13.000
Darren, did you own it?

02:39:13.000 --> 02:39:20.020
Well, Aaron can and should weigh in on this, but engineering proposals are not done by

02:39:20.020 --> 02:39:21.120
bid basis.

02:39:21.120 --> 02:39:22.560
That's not legal in Illinois.

02:39:22.560 --> 02:39:25.420
It's done by qualifications basis.

02:39:25.420 --> 02:39:30.900
You can't select an engineer off a bid, you can't even ask for a bid price on a project.

02:39:30.900 --> 02:39:34.180
That I believe is state statute, if I'm correct.

02:39:34.180 --> 02:39:35.660
That's right.

02:39:35.660 --> 02:39:41.900
So for engineers, if you're gonna look for a competitive process, it's called a QBS qualification

02:39:41.900 --> 02:39:44.300
based system for engineers.

02:39:44.300 --> 02:39:45.620
That's just for engineers there.

02:39:45.620 --> 02:39:50.980
I believe then though, for professional services like engineers, architects, lawyers and stuff

02:39:50.980 --> 02:39:54.220
like that though, there's also provision of the code that says that you don't have to

02:39:54.220 --> 02:40:00.900
go out to any sort of a competitive bid or QBS process necessarily if you don't want to.

02:40:00.900 --> 02:40:06.140
It's again, it's your guys' choice there if you have a some sort of an established

02:40:06.140 --> 02:40:07.140
and so forth.

02:40:07.140 --> 02:40:10.900
And so, you know, it's not necessarily some sort of an established relationship or desire

02:40:10.900 --> 02:40:15.380
because you've used them before, so you like what they've done before you in the past and

02:40:15.380 --> 02:40:16.380
stuff like that.

02:40:16.380 --> 02:40:21.300
So, you can, you don't always have to go out to the, a quote or bid process for professional

02:40:21.300 --> 02:40:22.300
services.

02:40:22.300 --> 02:40:23.300
But again, it's up to you.

02:40:23.300 --> 02:40:24.300
If you want to, you can.

02:40:24.300 --> 02:40:25.300
Alderman Klemm?

02:40:25.300 --> 02:40:26.300
Yes.

02:40:26.300 --> 02:40:36.100
Contrary, Mr. Monroe, to what you said, being in the construction trade since 1967 and being

02:40:36.100 --> 02:40:41.780
and estimating since 1984, you'll realize that there are different phases to stuff and

02:40:41.780 --> 02:40:53.340
different engineers and so forth that are better qualified to do things, okay?

02:40:53.340 --> 02:40:59.340
Like you said, they went out in 23 to start working on the money to get this, okay?

02:40:59.340 --> 02:41:01.140
There's part of it, okay?

02:41:01.140 --> 02:41:06.820
You're turning around here and you're having two people work for you that have done absolutely

02:41:06.820 --> 02:41:12.580
excellent on your last two projects with no problems with the design of the building or

02:41:12.580 --> 02:41:15.880
anything else in the construction and how it works.

02:41:15.880 --> 02:41:23.380
You certainly, you know, like Mr. Zito said, you know, you can go out and do that.

02:41:23.380 --> 02:41:27.220
Professional services you don't need to do it on, and I'm not saying you shouldn't do

02:41:27.220 --> 02:41:28.220
it on.

02:41:28.220 --> 02:41:58.220
I'm going to tell you what, when you've got a couple buildings, and you've got 33, 34 million dollars that Fehr Graham has brought into us in grants, and I was at a meeting this morning, where they're going out for another million dollars for lining of sewers and stuff, and can you tell me one project they've done for us lately that's bad? Can you tell me who else you'd go to for another project? Actually, I can. Get your hand off of me first of all.

02:41:58.220 --> 02:42:13.220
I'm sorry, I'm sorry I touch you. You have tonight knocked every department in this city. You finally did the Public Works Department tonight. Two weeks ago or three weeks ago you did the Fire Department.

02:42:13.220 --> 02:42:14.220
We can go back on.

02:42:14.220 --> 02:42:16.220
Last week you did the Police Department.

02:42:16.220 --> 02:42:17.220
Okay, okay.

02:42:17.220 --> 02:42:20.220
Why the hell if you aren't going to run again? Why don't you just goddamn resign?

02:42:20.220 --> 02:42:23.220
Okay, this is off topic. This is off topic.

02:42:23.220 --> 02:42:25.220
So you're going to let this happen?

02:42:25.220 --> 02:42:26.220
No.

02:42:26.220 --> 02:42:27.220
You just did.

02:42:27.220 --> 02:42:29.220
and

02:42:30.340 --> 02:42:32.340
John.

02:42:33.840 --> 02:42:39.840
I want them removed. A, he touched me. B, he swore at me. And C, I don't have to put up with that.

02:42:43.840 --> 02:42:53.840
So what I brought up, and now that he's already put this out there, I'm going to respond. I can get my neighbors on the phone and I can ask them the questions that I brought up tonight.

02:42:53.840 --> 02:42:55.840
and

02:42:56.920 --> 02:42:58.920
John.

02:43:00.380 --> 02:43:02.380
I want to talk about the past.

02:43:04.180 --> 02:43:06.640
I've been on this earth and we've put more roads in than you

02:43:06.640 --> 02:43:08.640
did in your entire tour as a previous Alderman.

02:43:10.560 --> 02:43:12.560
If you want to have a conversation, let's have that

02:43:12.560 --> 02:43:14.560
conversation. My point is this.

02:43:16.560 --> 02:43:18.560
This is about finance. This is about money.

02:43:20.560 --> 02:43:22.560
This is about we keep spending money nonstop and we keep

02:43:23.840 --> 02:43:25.840
and

02:43:26.940 --> 02:43:28.940
Mr.

02:43:30.180 --> 02:43:32.180
Boyer.

02:43:34.280 --> 02:43:36.280
I would like to make everyone aware that this is funded with

02:43:37.380 --> 02:43:39.380
$13.5 million in grant funding that has to be used up in a very

02:43:40.580 --> 02:43:42.580
short period of time for the benefit of the city of Freeport

02:43:43.680 --> 02:43:45.680
and its residents.

02:43:46.800 --> 02:43:48.800
But that doesn't mean we don't spend it in a manner that's

02:43:49.900 --> 02:43:51.900
consistent with being fiscally responsible.

02:43:53.840 --> 02:44:14.080
And that should not mean that we as council people do not have a choice or option of sending

02:44:14.080 --> 02:44:15.960
this out for bid.

02:44:15.960 --> 02:44:17.600
That was not even given to us.

02:44:17.600 --> 02:44:19.200
That option was not given to us.

02:44:19.200 --> 02:44:30.280
you made the decision on your own because they did well 11 to do well 12, when we should

02:44:30.280 --> 02:44:34.800
have had that option, am I correct in saying that?

02:44:34.800 --> 02:44:39.520
We did not have an option, we should not have?

02:44:39.520 --> 02:44:41.520
Manager Boyer.

02:44:41.520 --> 02:44:47.720
Alderwoman Stacy, we don't change horses in the middle of a race.

02:44:47.720 --> 02:44:49.640
No, that's not the question.

02:44:49.640 --> 02:44:55.360
I am sorry, I have to tell you, we have had nothing but excellent outcomes.

02:44:55.360 --> 02:44:59.400
We have had nothing but willingness to correct deficiencies.

02:44:59.400 --> 02:45:01.600
We've had responsive service.

02:45:01.600 --> 02:45:07.920
We have had everything working in our favor and that is why Well 11 went so smoothly once

02:45:07.920 --> 02:45:11.360
we got the well drilled and that is why Well 12 will be similarly smooth.

02:45:11.360 --> 02:45:19.920
and we as a council been given the option to send this job out to be it.

02:45:19.920 --> 02:45:20.920
It's about qualification.

02:45:20.920 --> 02:45:23.840
But that is a yes or no.

02:45:23.840 --> 02:45:24.840
No you don't.

02:45:24.840 --> 02:45:25.840
It's not.

02:45:25.840 --> 02:45:26.840
Not according to what we have.

02:45:26.840 --> 02:45:28.040
It's about qualification.

02:45:28.040 --> 02:45:32.800
How do we know that they're legit engineers?

02:45:32.800 --> 02:45:36.160
How do we know that?

02:45:36.160 --> 02:45:38.840
It's the third time we've done large projects with them.

02:45:38.840 --> 02:45:40.640
They're very skilled in what they've done.

02:45:40.640 --> 02:45:50.640
No, I'm not avoiding your question. You don't go out to bid for engineers. You go out for RFQs, which is qualifications.

02:45:50.640 --> 02:45:54.640
That's exactly what he told you, is qualifications.

02:45:54.640 --> 02:45:58.640
It said that we had the option to go out for bid. We had a choice.

02:45:58.640 --> 02:46:03.640
Not for bid, for qualifications.

02:46:03.640 --> 02:46:21.640
I think what we're describing right now is just terminology, okay? As a baseline concept, engineers, you don't use the word bid, okay? That's a very technical thing, but I think for practical purposes, it's a bid, but it's really called qualification-based system, QBS, for engineers, okay?

02:46:21.640 --> 02:46:31.640
So, yes, it is a competitive process, but is it technically called a bid? No, it's not, okay? So I don't want to get people hung up. Right, I don't want people to get hung up on that.

02:46:31.640 --> 02:47:01.640
but with the QBS process, the main distinction is, when you go through the process and you entertain all these different engineers, right, they can't tell you a dollar amount, okay, because it's not based on price, it's based on who's the most qualified to do the job, you pick the person first based off of who's the most qualified, after you pick them, then you negotiate the price, so that's what's different between what's traditionally thought of as a bid versus QBS, qualification, it just isn't a name, it's based on qualification,

02:47:01.640 --> 02:47:02.640
Fowler.

02:47:02.640 --> 02:47:07.000
So again, that's a distinction there between the two processes.

02:47:07.000 --> 02:47:11.600
That said, I think you were saying what I said, right, engineers go through QBS.

02:47:11.600 --> 02:47:15.600
You have the right to go through a QBS if you want to as a council.

02:47:15.600 --> 02:47:17.280
You guys have that call.

02:47:17.280 --> 02:47:23.640
Staff has presented a name for you guys instead, because you don't have to use the QBS process

02:47:23.640 --> 02:47:25.160
also if you don't want to.

02:47:25.160 --> 02:47:26.720
So ultimately, it's your guys' call.

02:47:26.720 --> 02:47:31.280
If you want to go back and say, hey, thanks for presenting a name, a recommendation, but

02:47:31.280 --> 02:47:34.680
We as a council decide we want to go through the QBS process, you guys can do that.

02:47:34.680 --> 02:47:37.720
Darren, did you want to add to that?

02:47:37.720 --> 02:47:40.280
Yes, just a couple of facts.

02:47:40.280 --> 02:47:47.000
So this is the third project that we've done with RLJ and Berners for Freeport.

02:47:47.000 --> 02:47:49.480
Well House 11 went very well.

02:47:49.480 --> 02:47:56.300
We didn't have in a percentage basis, we barely had any change orders on the job for the end

02:47:56.300 --> 02:47:57.300
of the project.

02:47:57.300 --> 02:48:27.300
So that means the quality engineering was done otherwise your change orders generally go up and also both companies held their price from 2019 for this job which is unheard of since there's that many years of labor increases and so on and so forth so that's something that we did negotiate with them based on the familiarity with Freeport so the fact is they are saving Freeport money because they're familiar with Freeport, they're familiar with our process,

02:48:27.300 --> 02:48:57.300
We're familiar with Public Works, they're familiar with our water quality and what we want to see out of our facilities, so there is a savings to this and I will guarantee you that if you decide to do something different you will pay more than this amount for that engineering because you pay for familiarity with your city and or business. That's just the way it is and you're under a time crunch. We're always under a time crunch.

02:48:57.300 --> 02:48:57.940
and

02:48:57.940 --> 02:48:59.960
the

02:48:59.960 --> 02:49:00.740
city's

02:49:00.740 --> 02:49:01.140
sole

02:49:01.140 --> 02:49:01.680
responsibility.

02:49:01.680 --> 02:49:02.380
Correct.

02:49:02.380 --> 02:49:03.220
That move.

02:49:03.220 --> 02:49:05.020
Alderman Sanders, did you have something to add?

02:49:05.020 --> 02:49:20.000
I had a lot to say, but your interruption and his interruptions and the fact that I couldn't get my point out to get a clear understanding is almost as if you were avoiding me from the

02:49:20.000 --> 02:49:25.000
I point out to get a clear understanding.

02:49:25.440 --> 02:49:28.640
It's almost as if you're avoiding me from talking.

02:49:28.640 --> 02:49:31.600
I had a legitimate question to ask,

02:49:31.600 --> 02:49:36.600
but you got my anxiety moving right about now.

02:49:36.960 --> 02:49:39.680
And the fact that you're making statements

02:49:39.680 --> 02:49:44.680
that only engineers, engineers are not just the sole person

02:49:46.400 --> 02:49:49.120
that is brought into the project.

02:49:49.120 --> 02:49:58.800
Engineers are something of a secondary or sub person or company that comes in to engineer a project.

02:49:58.800 --> 02:50:04.880
My whole thing is, who would be the general contractor for such a project?

02:50:04.880 --> 02:50:06.160
and then you can implement.

02:50:06.160 --> 02:50:08.160
and

02:50:09.360 --> 02:50:12.320
John, and then you can implement whoever you want to decide to

02:50:12.320 --> 02:50:14.320
bring in

02:50:15.560 --> 02:50:19.120
to engineer, to do the architect, all of those things. But who is

02:50:19.120 --> 02:50:23.200
the contractor that is going to oversee this particular project

02:50:23.200 --> 02:50:31.160
that will allow the Council to see who are they? Because under

02:50:31.160 --> 02:50:42.680
Say, because under the term general contractor comes many, many prospects of picking and

02:50:42.680 --> 02:50:45.200
to do bidding.

02:50:45.200 --> 02:50:48.000
Take the engineer out of the subject.

02:50:48.000 --> 02:50:49.600
We're not talking engineer first.

02:50:49.600 --> 02:50:56.320
We're talking contractors, and they are the ones, the general contractors are the ones

02:50:56.320 --> 02:51:05.240
who determines who they want to work on the project, not anyone else, and that's for all

02:51:05.240 --> 02:51:11.600
general contractors who wants to do a bidding for whatever project that goes before it.

02:51:11.600 --> 02:51:18.220
And if we're not allowed to look at other bidders, then that means that we're looking

02:51:18.220 --> 02:51:25.640
from one entity that is creating a monopoly within the city ranks itself.

02:51:25.640 --> 02:51:38.060
and so we want to scrutinize everything that is being proposed from your position, Manager

02:51:38.060 --> 02:51:44.000
Boyer's position, anybody else that is making a comment on this, trying to make this thing

02:51:44.000 --> 02:51:46.740
passive, to pass.

02:51:46.740 --> 02:51:54.760
So let's just open this thing up and make some serious clarity about who's in charge.

02:51:54.760 --> 02:52:00.200
the engineers not in charge so your statement there was very inaccurate mr.

02:52:00.200 --> 02:52:04.440
Sanders I'm sorry the contractor would never be in charge of this project

02:52:04.440 --> 02:52:09.840
because this has to go out to bid to select a contractor that's what I was

02:52:09.840 --> 02:52:15.140
getting to the bid is not done until the engineering is done no wise you have no

02:52:15.140 --> 02:52:19.060
project you can't do one okay okay but Darren has floor right now so let him

02:52:19.060 --> 02:52:24.100
finish talking the way the process works with the EPA money is you have to have

02:52:24.100 --> 02:52:30.340
have an engineer and a design group that designs the project and then it goes to bid for the

02:52:30.340 --> 02:52:36.500
low responsible contractor. That is the way these programs work. We don't select the contractor.

02:52:36.500 --> 02:52:41.620
The city doesn't select the contractor. The low bid process selects the contractor on

02:52:41.620 --> 02:52:47.960
the construction, not on the engineering. That's the way the process works in Illinois.

02:52:47.960 --> 02:52:53.500
That is the way every municipality has to operate or you don't get the funds. That is

02:52:53.500 --> 02:52:59.540
you, the way it works, QBS process or your familiarity with engineers and then you design

02:52:59.540 --> 02:53:05.340
the project, then you go to bid for the low price, the bid, the competitive process is

02:53:05.340 --> 02:53:10.940
based on the contractor bidding the project to construct it.

02:53:10.940 --> 02:53:12.940
Manager Boyer.

02:53:12.940 --> 02:53:19.100
I just also wanted to comment that the design and engineering falls within a certain range,

02:53:19.100 --> 02:53:20.100
and

02:53:20.100 --> 02:53:21.100
the

02:53:21.100 --> 02:53:22.100
City of D.C.

02:53:22.100 --> 02:53:23.100
The

02:53:23.100 --> 02:53:26.100
overall cost of this project is actually well within that range.

02:53:26.100 --> 02:53:33.100
Alderman Shadle, did you have your hand up?

02:53:33.100 --> 02:53:45.900
I did. The engineering, as Darren stated, and the architecture is all the prints or

02:53:45.900 --> 02:53:46.900
and others.

02:53:46.900 --> 02:53:55.660
The project is bid off of those prints.

02:53:55.660 --> 02:53:59.780
What we're talking about is a document that's going to be probably in the neighborhood of

02:53:59.780 --> 02:54:08.260
70 to 100 pages, 300 pages.

02:54:08.260 --> 02:54:15.740
If there's omissions in the engineering, if there's omissions in the drawings, if things

02:54:15.740 --> 02:54:24.980
are not figured correctly if they're not drawn correctly. You get halfway into the project

02:54:24.980 --> 02:54:32.540
and Darren made mention of the fact that on Well 11 there was virtually no change orders

02:54:32.540 --> 02:54:38.340
and those are generated from the mistakes that are made if you hire the wrong engineer

02:54:38.340 --> 02:54:44.860
and the wrong architect.

02:54:44.860 --> 02:54:50.860
Any of you that have not spoken yet, then we'll move on. Alderman Sanders, you can have your second.

02:54:50.860 --> 02:55:09.860
Yeah, thank you for that, Shadle, thank you for that explanation. But yet still, after you get said and done, and done all of the designing and the engineering, you still have to have a contractor to do that job, am I correct?

02:55:09.860 --> 02:55:14.860
Is that correct? I'm asking a question. I don't want you to be saying that's it.

02:55:14.860 --> 02:55:16.860
Ask your question.

02:55:16.860 --> 02:55:21.860
I'm asking. Don't push it. I'm just trying to ask my question. Is that correct?

02:55:21.860 --> 02:55:26.860
Once it's complete, you go out to a formal bid process for the contractor selection.

02:55:26.860 --> 02:55:35.860
And it's not about who's most qualified, because all contractors who are going to bid on this job

02:55:35.860 --> 02:55:41.460
Will want to have their most qualified engineers on this project, am I correct?

02:55:41.460 --> 02:55:52.060
That's not always true on the contractors, and that's why there is an evaluation process for the lowest responsive bidder that's qualified to do the work for construction.

02:55:52.060 --> 02:55:59.060
That's part of the evaluation process of the full design package, what it's called.

02:55:59.060 --> 02:56:03.660
Sorry, who's doing the evaluation?

02:56:03.660 --> 02:56:12.660
The evaluation is usually done by the city and the engineer after the bid process is done and we actually formally get bids.

02:56:22.660 --> 02:56:23.660
I don't understand the question.

02:56:29.660 --> 02:56:31.660
It's not an engineer, Larry, it's a contractor.

02:56:33.660 --> 02:56:43.660
Now we back at the General Contractor and these people have to be qualified even with the low bid contractor.

02:56:43.660 --> 02:56:50.660
So within the bid package is usually an enormous package, probably more than the 400 pages that he referenced tonight.

02:56:50.660 --> 02:56:58.660
Everybody has to give qualifications, they have to give references, they have to give bondability, depending on how big the job is.

02:56:58.660 --> 02:57:03.980
and the job is there is a huge packet that goes through that. We evaluate them after the

02:57:03.980 --> 02:57:07.540
bid contractor. So if you get three bids, you evaluate three packages. If you get two,

02:57:07.540 --> 02:57:12.540
you evaluate two. If you get ten, you evaluate ten. Then there's also things called bond

02:57:12.540 --> 02:57:18.220
inquiries where you can go against or go to firms and ask questions about contractors,

02:57:18.220 --> 02:57:23.820
whether they've had claims against them, whether they've done bad work for somebody else. That's

02:57:23.820 --> 02:57:24.820
and others.

02:57:24.820 --> 02:57:28.700
So, it's all through the bidding process, which is an enormous process, and then we

02:57:28.700 --> 02:57:33.220
go through all of that in the background after it's bid, and then make a recommendation

02:57:33.220 --> 02:57:34.220
to council.

02:57:34.220 --> 02:57:41.420
Now, in order not to select the low bid during the process of a contractor, you have to have

02:57:41.420 --> 02:57:42.420
a reason.

02:57:42.420 --> 02:57:47.580
So, they have had to have done some bad work somewhere, something recorded, it's a process,

02:57:47.580 --> 02:57:52.400
a legal process, and if you don't do it correctly, that process, that contractor could come back

02:57:52.400 --> 02:57:53.400
and sue the city.

02:57:53.400 --> 02:57:58.400
So there is quite a process in evaluating whether someone is qualified or not.

02:57:58.400 --> 02:58:10.400
Okay, so let's rein this in a little bit. You've had way more than two times to ask questions, and there are also Aldermen that haven't asked any.

02:58:10.400 --> 02:58:12.400
Okay, I respect that.

02:58:12.400 --> 02:58:19.400
Those that have not asked any questions, are you wanting to say anything in this moment?

02:58:19.400 --> 02:58:22.800
Because the two that are left, they've already spoken twice. If there's not an

02:58:22.800 --> 02:58:26.560
objection, I'll let it continue. If there is, then according to our ordinance, this

02:58:26.560 --> 02:58:31.720
is, this conversation is ended. Yeah, I respect that.

02:58:35.000 --> 02:58:40.800
Are you allowed me to continue? I'm asking the council if, according to the

02:58:40.800 --> 02:59:06.460
and

02:59:06.460 --> 02:59:10.480
speaking up now if you don't if you want to end the conversation move on to a

02:59:10.480 --> 02:59:15.540
vote second move on okay well according to the ordinance it needs to be

02:59:15.540 --> 02:59:20.580
unanimous so the the conversation for the alderman that wanted to do extra

02:59:20.580 --> 02:59:26.980
discussion is was not approved according to the ordinance yeah this is how we do

02:59:26.980 --> 02:59:32.460
business according to the ordinance yeah I understand madam clerk since unless

02:59:32.460 --> 02:59:35.780
there's a member of the council that has not spoken you still have an opportunity

02:59:35.780 --> 02:59:37.780
Dixon.

02:59:39.780 --> 02:59:43.780
Okay. Then, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

02:59:43.780 --> 02:59:45.780
So you killed it. Stacy?

02:59:45.780 --> 02:59:47.780
No. Shadle?

02:59:47.780 --> 02:59:49.780
Aye. Sanders?

02:59:49.780 --> 02:59:51.780
No. Sellers?

02:59:51.780 --> 02:59:53.780
Aye. Klemm?

02:59:53.780 --> 02:59:55.780
Aye. Monroe?

02:59:55.780 --> 02:59:57.780
Nope. Simmons?

03:00:05.780 --> 03:00:06.280
Ah!

03:00:06.280 --> 03:00:21.120
Parker, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 is enough to pass. The resolution is adopted 5 to 3.

03:00:21.120 --> 03:00:26.200
Move on to item number 23, which is the adoption of resolution 2024-126. Could you please read

03:00:26.200 --> 03:00:29.360
this? Resolution approving a final plat of subdivision

03:00:29.360 --> 03:00:33.400
for plat number 2 of SHOPCO subdivision of the City of Freeport.

03:00:33.400 --> 03:01:03.400
Thank you, Madam Mayor. So this is currently at the True Storage Building, or I'm sorry, it's a CubeSmart. It's old ShopCo. If you're looking for a reference, it's at the intersection of Rosentiel and South Street. So can I give you an idea of where we're at here? And Director Sutman, if you wouldn't mind scrolling down, I can kind of give them, show them

03:01:03.400 --> 03:01:27.400
A photo of this subdivision here. So what's happening is the CubeSmart, which sits right here, okay. They, what they currently own is this parcel. They own two outlots, a lot one and a lot two here.

03:01:27.400 --> 03:01:32.320
here, and at the moment when this was originally designed and platted, which basically means

03:01:32.320 --> 03:01:38.880
it went through the process of a subdivision plat where they divided it into three lots.

03:01:38.880 --> 03:01:44.760
These lots here were intended for future development.

03:01:44.760 --> 03:01:49.400
We obviously know the end of the story here is that these were never developed.

03:01:49.400 --> 03:01:57.360
There was not enough interest to develop these into some sort of McDonald's, etc., some store.

03:01:57.360 --> 03:02:03.000
So what happened is when CubeSmart took over they wanted to and their plan is to extend

03:02:03.000 --> 03:02:07.480
and build outdoor storage in this area.

03:02:07.480 --> 03:02:14.240
Well step one of the process is they need this plat because they need to vacate easements

03:02:14.240 --> 03:02:17.000
to lots that they no longer intend to have.

03:02:17.000 --> 03:02:21.560
So essentially here you have a new plan of business, a new plan for development.

03:02:21.560 --> 03:02:25.280
They no longer see a desire to develop these lots.

03:02:25.280 --> 03:02:29.440
Therefore, they no longer need this access easement to these two lots.

03:02:29.440 --> 03:02:33.400
They're going to combine it into one large lot.

03:02:33.400 --> 03:02:39.680
So in line with the ordinance, which has been also distributed in your agenda packet, this

03:02:39.680 --> 03:02:46.460
goes before the Planning Commission to have a preliminary plat review and a final plat

03:02:46.460 --> 03:02:49.160
review.

03:02:49.160 --> 03:02:54.480
And the preliminary plat was recommended for approval on November 14th.

03:02:54.480 --> 03:03:00.680
and it was by a vote of 6 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 abstention and the final plat was recommended

03:03:00.680 --> 03:03:06.100
for approval by a vote of 6 yeas, 0 nays, and 1 abstention.

03:03:06.100 --> 03:03:08.920
And staff recommends approval of this resolution.

03:03:08.920 --> 03:03:09.920
Is there a motion to adopt?

03:03:09.920 --> 03:03:10.920
So moved.

03:03:10.920 --> 03:03:11.920
Make a second.

03:03:11.920 --> 03:03:18.040
Moving motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

03:03:18.040 --> 03:03:19.040
Discussion on the resolution?

03:03:19.040 --> 03:03:20.040
Alderman Sellers?

03:03:20.040 --> 03:03:23.040
I just have a quick question.

03:03:23.040 --> 03:03:28.040
I would just like, is that the parking lot then? You know, because they have a very big parking lot.

03:03:28.040 --> 03:03:36.040
It's, yes, so this would be the front. This is kind of where you would pull into the cube, this rosentile.

03:03:36.040 --> 03:03:43.040
You'd pull in here, and this is actually the front of the store, the front of CubeSmart.

03:03:43.040 --> 03:03:48.040
And what, like, you know, you were saying, that's a big parking lot.

03:03:48.040 --> 03:03:52.960
now, they, if things would have gone according to plan they would have had two tenant spaces

03:03:52.960 --> 03:03:59.120
towards South Street, things didn't go according to plan, they're pivoting and now they're

03:03:59.120 --> 03:04:04.380
saying ok we're going to put outdoor storage in that parking lot area.

03:04:04.380 --> 03:04:07.120
Alderman Stacy.

03:04:07.120 --> 03:04:12.120
So you're speaking behind what was Shapko?

03:04:12.120 --> 03:04:13.120
No.

03:04:13.120 --> 03:04:14.120
No.

03:04:14.120 --> 03:04:17.240
That's South Street right off of it.

03:04:17.240 --> 03:04:30.240
Here would be South Street. You know that they have a large parking lot in the front here. I'm saying the front. It's the north side of the parcel.

03:04:30.240 --> 03:04:36.240
South Street's up here. It's down the hill. You're looking down the hill.

03:04:36.240 --> 03:04:43.600
Downing, across the street from Dairy Queen, and the electric horse, yeah, it's from that, yeah, it's

03:04:50.640 --> 03:04:52.640
There's no further discussion

03:04:53.000 --> 03:04:55.120
Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacey?

03:04:55.840 --> 03:05:00.880
Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? No.

03:05:01.520 --> 03:05:05.240
Monroe? No. And Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye.

03:05:05.240 --> 03:05:11.760
the resolution is adopted six to two item number 24 is approval of a bid could

03:05:11.760 --> 03:05:19.700
you please read this a bid opening was held on November 7th 2024 for CD 009 2024

03:05:19.700 --> 03:05:24.880
for rehabilitation of single home at 748 East Center Street thank you director

03:05:24.880 --> 03:05:28.960
doctor thank you madam mayor so the city of Freeport has been awarded the

03:05:28.960 --> 03:05:37.440
Community Development Block Grants of which a total of $550,000 of which $64,000 is allocated

03:05:37.440 --> 03:05:43.740
to Grant Administration and $486,000 goes to the rehabilitation of homes.

03:05:43.740 --> 03:05:49.900
City of Freeport held a bid opening on November 7th of 2024 for the construction of rehabilitation

03:05:49.900 --> 03:05:52.920
services of 748 East Center Street.

03:05:52.920 --> 03:06:00.160
received one bid in the amount of $54,775 by CMM and Associates.

03:06:00.160 --> 03:06:05.280
The scope of work that has been agreed upon by the City of Freeport and the property owner

03:06:05.280 --> 03:06:08.360
includes the following construction rehabilitation services.

03:06:08.360 --> 03:06:14.360
This is a new roof, new bathroom fixtures, new bathroom floor, and siding repairs.

03:06:14.360 --> 03:06:20.800
Staff recommends issuing a contract to CMM and Associates in the amount of $54,775 for

03:06:20.800 --> 03:06:25.560
Construction, Rehabilitation Services at 748 East Center Street.

03:06:25.560 --> 03:06:27.880
Is there a motion to approve this bid?

03:06:27.880 --> 03:06:28.880
So moved.

03:06:28.880 --> 03:06:29.880
Second.

03:06:29.880 --> 03:06:34.320
The motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

03:06:34.320 --> 03:06:35.320
Discussion?

03:06:35.320 --> 03:06:36.320
Alderman Monroe?

03:06:36.320 --> 03:06:39.280
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

03:06:39.280 --> 03:06:42.440
What's the square footage on the property?

03:06:42.440 --> 03:06:44.360
I don't have that information right in front of me.

03:06:44.360 --> 03:06:45.360
I can't get...

03:06:45.360 --> 03:06:49.680
The only reason I ask is, you know, for the cost, you know, kind of estimating the cost

03:06:49.680 --> 03:06:50.680
of roof.

03:06:50.680 --> 03:06:53.840
I'm not sure how much they're putting in in siding repairs.

03:06:53.840 --> 03:06:55.680
Is that a significant amount?

03:06:55.680 --> 03:06:57.680
I have that in the packet.

03:06:57.680 --> 03:06:58.640
I can get that to you.

03:06:58.640 --> 03:07:00.280
But it's a significant amount of work.

03:07:00.280 --> 03:07:02.880
And I think one of the biggest issues and concerns here

03:07:02.880 --> 03:07:07.000
is early on when we had some of the contractors

03:07:07.000 --> 03:07:08.680
come in to look at it, a lot of them

03:07:08.680 --> 03:07:11.020
end up walking away because you have to be a license led

03:07:11.020 --> 03:07:13.840
contractor in order to qualify for this grant.

03:07:13.840 --> 03:07:15.720
So you have to do an additional license.

03:07:15.720 --> 03:07:20.520
And early on, we had several contractors interested,

03:07:20.520 --> 03:07:23.440
and they all walked away from some of the higher requirements.

03:07:23.440 --> 03:07:29.040
So I do think that some of the restrictions from the state make it a little more restrictive

03:07:29.040 --> 03:07:31.020
on what we're getting.

03:07:31.020 --> 03:07:36.420
And then also I think that that's just in particular, but it is a whole new tear off

03:07:36.420 --> 03:07:37.420
of the roof.

03:07:37.420 --> 03:07:42.600
I know it's an entire tear off and a full new roof installation.

03:07:42.600 --> 03:07:43.600
Any other discussion?

03:07:43.600 --> 03:07:44.600
Alderman Stacey.

03:07:44.600 --> 03:07:49.000
This is part of the Community Development Block Grant?

03:07:49.000 --> 03:07:53.000
Correct. That housing rehabilitation grant for the $550,000, yes.

03:07:57.000 --> 03:08:01.000
The homes on Adams and along Adams Avenue corridor.

03:08:03.000 --> 03:08:06.000
Any further discussion? One more question.

03:08:06.000 --> 03:08:09.000
Is the home privately owned or is it owned by?

03:08:09.000 --> 03:08:17.080
Every home that's in this grant goes through a highly restrictive, high vetting process

03:08:17.080 --> 03:08:21.920
and they have to be owner occupied. So they have to be owner occupied. So there were some

03:08:21.920 --> 03:08:27.080
concerns about landlord owned properties. A couple things I want to state there. They

03:08:27.080 --> 03:08:33.680
have to be owner occupied and the grant is need based. So there's a scoring system that

03:08:33.680 --> 03:08:39.160
they have that the state provides and certain more points are given to the elderly and more

03:08:39.160 --> 03:08:45.440
points are given to people with disabilities. So if somebody is owner occupied, disabled

03:08:45.440 --> 03:08:50.360
and elderly, their house may look nicer than the one next to them, but the scoring that's

03:08:50.360 --> 03:08:55.920
based on the state has to follow those guidelines. So it's not necessarily that's a bad house

03:08:55.920 --> 03:08:59.760
that you get the money. It's not, that's not how it's scored.

03:08:59.760 --> 03:09:02.080
Okay. Thank you.

03:09:02.080 --> 03:09:32.080
Sanders. Yeah, I think I may have asked this question once before, I'm not sure, but I ask again, what makes you what makes you eligible? Again, I know I know you, but what actually makes you eligible? So at the time in 2021, I was not here for this application when these were originally submitted. But at the time, it had to do with the geographic region, which is a census block tract, which is a fancy way of saying that our

03:09:32.080 --> 03:09:37.600
federal government divides our of our many maps that overlap each other there's census block

03:09:37.600 --> 03:09:43.760
tracks that they do statistics on for our communities and and when this grant application was done you

03:09:43.760 --> 03:09:49.200
had to live within the census block tract i say the adams avenue corridor because it's easier

03:09:49.200 --> 03:09:55.920
than saying census block track number 75 just people don't think like that so you had to live

03:09:55.920 --> 03:10:01.520
within the census block tract which was and it has a certain sense of call statement of qualifications

03:10:01.520 --> 03:10:06.240
for Income and Elderly.

03:10:06.240 --> 03:10:07.240
and others.

03:10:07.240 --> 03:10:12.240
The application was originally submitted to the region 1 planning council.

03:10:12.240 --> 03:10:17.080
So you had to be in that geographic area and then you had to submit an application.

03:10:17.080 --> 03:10:20.320
This is an ongoing project.

03:10:20.320 --> 03:10:21.320
Not right now.

03:10:21.320 --> 03:10:25.380
The application's deadline was done.

03:10:25.380 --> 03:10:33.120
Region 1 planning council was hired to grade all of the applications based on the factors

03:10:33.120 --> 03:10:34.440
that I stated.

03:10:34.440 --> 03:10:40.360
So Region 1 was retained as a Planning Council on the suggestion of the state.

03:10:40.360 --> 03:10:43.380
They reviewed and scored all of these applications.

03:10:43.380 --> 03:10:44.960
So this is not open right now.

03:10:44.960 --> 03:10:45.960
Okay.

03:10:45.960 --> 03:10:46.960
All right.

03:10:46.960 --> 03:10:47.960
Thank you.

03:10:47.960 --> 03:10:48.960
Stacy, did you have a second one?

03:10:48.960 --> 03:10:49.960
Yes.

03:10:49.960 --> 03:11:12.720
know that they truly qualify and that there's no hidden agendas, not that you're hiding

03:11:12.720 --> 03:11:14.440
but that they're hiding.

03:11:14.440 --> 03:11:27.240
How do we know that financially they are able to even receive this money?

03:11:27.240 --> 03:11:33.640
Well I do know for the one, I do know that I have obviously been asked to, and it's on

03:11:33.640 --> 03:11:36.080
later on so I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about it, but I was asked about

03:11:36.080 --> 03:11:42.440
one property in particular, and I do know that income verification is done at several

03:11:42.440 --> 03:11:48.580
points along the way. So, the state has contemplated this being an issue. Do I think somebody could

03:11:48.580 --> 03:11:52.420
lie? People lie about everything. So, do I think if somebody was committed to doing it

03:11:52.420 --> 03:11:57.480
and could lie and possibly sure it's done everywhere. But my point is the state has

03:11:57.480 --> 03:12:03.840
contemplated that this being an issue. So, for example, on income verification, I have

03:12:03.840 --> 03:12:10.000
seen social security statements that the people are willing to share with the city and I've

03:12:10.000 --> 03:12:13.840
I've seen income tax returns.

03:12:13.840 --> 03:12:16.360
So people are trying, and what I'm seeing,

03:12:16.360 --> 03:12:17.920
people are trying to be honest,

03:12:17.920 --> 03:12:19.160
they're showing their information,

03:12:19.160 --> 03:12:22.000
which is not easy for a lot of people to share,

03:12:22.000 --> 03:12:25.440
and they're showing they're being honest on their,

03:12:25.440 --> 03:12:26.720
from what I'm seeing, they're being honest

03:12:26.720 --> 03:12:27.880
on their applications.

03:12:33.040 --> 03:12:33.880
Anyone else?

03:12:33.880 --> 03:12:41.880
Is it acceptable for a third round for Alderman Stacy?

03:12:41.880 --> 03:12:43.880
I thought I only spoke once.

03:12:43.880 --> 03:12:48.880
Well, I thought I had written down, but go ahead. I might have made a mistake.

03:12:48.880 --> 03:12:58.880
Okay. Item 24 and Item 25 is a factor of my Item 31.

03:12:58.880 --> 03:13:24.600
and I would like to make a motion that they are put on the December cowl for further discussion.

03:13:24.600 --> 03:13:28.200
Right now, you want to take 24, 25, and 31?

03:13:28.200 --> 03:13:29.440
31?

03:13:29.440 --> 03:13:38.840
I cannot get to it until we get through everything else, but 31 is a part of 24 and 25.

03:13:38.840 --> 03:13:40.120
So am I hearing you correctly?

03:13:40.120 --> 03:13:43.960
You want to move 24, 25, and 31 onto December COW?

03:13:43.960 --> 03:13:51.800
I want to move 24 and 25 to the COW.

03:13:51.800 --> 03:13:57.640
Is there a second to that motion?

03:13:57.640 --> 03:14:00.200
I second it.

03:14:00.200 --> 03:14:07.920
Okay, so the topic now is moving these items to the December COW for more discussion.

03:14:07.920 --> 03:14:13.480
Is there discussion on that particular part?

03:14:13.480 --> 03:14:14.480
Madam Clerk, could you?

03:14:14.480 --> 03:14:21.520
Oh, just could I ask the question, will it hinder the time where the contractor is going

03:14:21.520 --> 03:14:27.200
to do the work. Yes. Because the money is already there and already approved and

03:14:27.200 --> 03:14:31.200
already... Yes, at the basic level it's putting a roof on a house. So if you're

03:14:31.200 --> 03:14:35.440
put if you delay putting a roof on a house you go to December. I can't read

03:14:35.440 --> 03:14:38.560
the tea leaves on the weather. Alderperson Monroe could do a better

03:14:38.560 --> 03:14:42.800
job at that, but I can tell you that it's not good that when you want to put a

03:14:42.800 --> 03:14:47.860
roof on a house you get colder in a year it doesn't you can't there becomes a

03:14:47.860 --> 03:14:51.380
point when it starts getting cold enough you can no longer put roofs on houses so

03:14:51.380 --> 03:15:07.380
So this would essentially put this back another until spring. At least, probably April. Okay, so if there's no further discussion on that particular motion, Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll to see if it's acceptable for 24 and 25 to move to the December call?

03:15:07.380 --> 03:15:20.380
Stacy? Aye. Shadle? No. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? No. Klemm? No. Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? No.

03:15:20.380 --> 03:15:29.060
the motion fails three three to five okay so we're back to the approval of this bid

03:15:29.060 --> 03:15:35.780
on 748 East Center Street is there any more discussion on 748 East Center I'd

03:15:35.780 --> 03:15:39.980
like to make a motion Madam Mayor I would like to make a motion to suspend

03:15:39.980 --> 03:15:43.860
the rules well actually we don't need to we can oh that's right it's enough

03:15:43.860 --> 03:15:51.240
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

03:15:51.240 --> 03:15:52.240
Stacy?

03:15:52.240 --> 03:15:53.240
No.

03:15:53.240 --> 03:15:54.240
Shadle?

03:15:54.240 --> 03:15:55.240
Aye.

03:15:55.240 --> 03:15:56.240
Sanders?

03:15:56.240 --> 03:15:57.240
No.

03:15:57.240 --> 03:15:58.240
Sellers?

03:15:58.240 --> 03:15:59.240
Aye.

03:15:59.240 --> 03:16:00.240
Klemm?

03:16:00.240 --> 03:16:01.240
Aye.

03:16:01.240 --> 03:16:02.240
Monroe?

03:16:02.240 --> 03:16:03.240
Aye.

03:16:03.240 --> 03:16:04.240
Simmons?

03:16:04.240 --> 03:16:05.240
Aye.

03:16:05.240 --> 03:16:06.240
And Parker?

03:16:06.240 --> 03:16:07.240
Aye.

03:16:07.240 --> 03:16:08.240
The motion passes 6-2.

03:16:08.240 --> 03:16:11.380
And item number 25, could you please read this bid approval?

03:16:11.380 --> 03:16:19.420
There was a bid opening on November 7th, 2024 for CD0102024 for rehabilitation of a single

03:16:19.420 --> 03:16:22.940
home at 833 South Adams Street.

03:16:22.940 --> 03:16:24.940
Director Duckman.

03:16:24.940 --> 03:16:25.940
Thank you Madam Mayor.

03:16:25.940 --> 03:16:31.620
So at 833 South Adams, this property is also part of the Community Development Block Grant

03:16:31.620 --> 03:16:37.900
for Housing Rehabilitation and the City of Freeport held a bid opening on November 7th,

03:16:37.900 --> 03:16:43.980
24 for the construction rehabilitation services of 833 South Adams and received one bid in

03:16:43.980 --> 03:16:52.540
the amount of $39,075 by CMM and Associates and this scope of work has been agreed upon

03:16:52.540 --> 03:16:56.060
by the City of Freeport and the property owner and it includes the following construction

03:16:56.060 --> 03:17:03.060
rehabilitation services, 8 new windows, softened fascia repairs, upgraded electric, deck repair,

03:17:03.060 --> 03:17:09.060
New, Gutters, and staff recommends moving forward by issuing a contract to CMM and Associates

03:17:09.060 --> 03:17:15.620
in the amount of $39,075 for the construction rehabilitation services of 833 South Adams

03:17:15.620 --> 03:17:16.620
Avenue.

03:17:16.620 --> 03:17:18.140
Is there a motion to approve this bid?

03:17:18.140 --> 03:17:19.140
So moved.

03:17:19.140 --> 03:17:20.140
Second.

03:17:20.140 --> 03:17:24.860
We have a motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

03:17:24.860 --> 03:17:27.380
Discussion on this bid.

03:17:27.380 --> 03:17:28.380
Alderman Sanders.

03:17:28.380 --> 03:17:55.380
Who evaluated this home with the list of items that needs to be improved? How do we generate that cost and where are we shopping for material things to make sure that the cost is not being driven by a particular one company or whatever? How do we get there?

03:17:55.380 --> 03:18:02.340
again very specific so on this particular grant we had a what is called it is a

03:18:02.340 --> 03:18:07.500
mandatory walkthrough on October 18th mandatory cannot move forward if I do not

03:18:07.500 --> 03:18:13.220
if city does not host this walkthrough so we have a consultant MSA is our

03:18:13.220 --> 03:18:17.940
consultant and they're our grant administrator through that consultant

03:18:17.940 --> 03:18:23.780
was at the house on October 18th we have a sign in for that our building inspector

03:18:23.780 --> 03:18:29.420
was present and more importantly part of this grant requires what's known it

03:18:29.420 --> 03:18:34.500
requires a housing inspector that's certified through this grant and that we

03:18:34.500 --> 03:18:39.260
have that person it's a contracted housing inspector that creates a scope

03:18:39.260 --> 03:18:43.620
of work that hands out the scope of work at that particular meeting so they're

03:18:43.620 --> 03:18:47.300
saying here's what has been decided upon that need that what you're bidding on so

03:18:47.300 --> 03:18:53.180
that's a requirement of this of this grant so that's the evaluation process

03:18:53.180 --> 03:19:05.300
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

03:19:05.300 --> 03:19:06.300
Stacy?

03:19:06.300 --> 03:19:07.300
No.

03:19:07.300 --> 03:19:08.300
Shadle?

03:19:08.300 --> 03:19:09.300
Aye.

03:19:09.300 --> 03:19:10.300
Sanders?

03:19:10.300 --> 03:19:11.300
Aye.

03:19:11.300 --> 03:19:12.300
Sellers?

03:19:12.300 --> 03:19:13.300
Aye.

03:19:13.300 --> 03:19:14.300
Klemm?

03:19:14.300 --> 03:19:15.300
Aye.

03:19:15.300 --> 03:19:16.300
Monroe?

03:19:16.300 --> 03:19:17.300
Aye.

03:19:17.300 --> 03:19:18.300
Simmons?

03:19:18.300 --> 03:19:19.300
Aye.

03:19:19.300 --> 03:19:20.300
And Parker?

03:19:20.300 --> 03:19:21.300
Aye.

03:19:21.300 --> 03:19:22.300
The motion passes 7-1.

03:19:22.300 --> 03:19:32.800
This bid opening was held on November 14th, 2024, CD012-24, demolition of nine residential properties.

03:19:32.800 --> 03:19:33.800
Director Duckman.

03:19:33.800 --> 03:19:35.800
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

03:19:35.800 --> 03:19:43.800
So, the City of Freeport held a bid opening for the demolition of nine properties.

03:19:43.800 --> 03:19:51.800
It was held on November 14th at 9 o'clock in the morning, and the City of Freeport received bids from four contractors.

03:19:51.800 --> 03:20:06.200
An analysis was provided in the memorandum to our council, and after reviewing the bids, it was, you know, the city elected to go with the lowest bid per actual individual property, and it's

03:20:06.200 --> 03:20:10.360
Per Actual Individual Property, and it's shown in that analysis.

03:20:10.360 --> 03:20:18.760
And based on that, staff is recommending that Klechner excavating be granted $21,145 for

03:20:18.760 --> 03:20:24.360
the demolition of 622 East Winnipeg and 626 East Winnipeg.

03:20:24.360 --> 03:20:31.760
Fisher excavating be awarded $91,495 for the demolition of 217 North Henderson, 425 South

03:20:31.760 --> 03:20:39.680
Float, 441 South Benton, 634 North Warren, 706 East Winnipeg, 712 South Pine, and 1208

03:20:39.680 --> 03:20:41.440
South Rotsler Avenue.

03:20:41.440 --> 03:20:45.640
All the funding from this grant is going to come from the IDA Strong Communities Program

03:20:45.640 --> 03:20:50.079
grant, which is commonly known as the grant for $300,000.

03:20:50.079 --> 03:20:51.560
Is there a motion to approve?

03:20:51.560 --> 03:20:52.560
So moved.

03:20:52.560 --> 03:20:53.560
Second.

03:20:53.560 --> 03:20:57.680
Is there a motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle?

03:20:57.680 --> 03:20:58.680
Discussion on the bid?

03:20:58.680 --> 03:20:59.680
Alderman Simmons.

03:20:59.680 --> 03:21:29.440
Alderman Simmons. Director Duckman, why isn't the house across the street from 626 on Winnipeg? That's all boarded up. Why isn't that on this list, but the two across the street from that that that I mean that they're both in bad condition, but

03:21:29.680 --> 03:21:32.680
the one that's been boarded up. Why is that not on this list?

03:21:32.680 --> 03:21:42.680
The short answer to that, just going off memory, and I actually drove down, I posted the signs on Winnishek for these because my inspector was out that day

03:21:42.680 --> 03:21:51.680
and I went down and asked him the same question and he reminded me that it was a particular owner that fought tooth and nail with the city against any action we had.

03:21:51.680 --> 03:22:21.680
So sometimes these take longer because as we move through this process they can file a complaint but I will I'm being honest with you and I tell you I told my inspector I want that one moving forward because I said I don't want to keep going through knocking the ones down around it without missing that particular house but that's that's the answer why is that the some property owners even though when the writing is on the wall they fight the demolition of their properties

03:22:21.680 --> 03:22:23.680
Alderman Sanders

03:22:23.680 --> 03:22:27.680
Yeah, how many properties are we talking about?

03:22:27.680 --> 03:22:31.680
Nine properties, nine properties on this PIDL

03:22:31.680 --> 03:22:34.680
on this grant, on this award.

03:22:34.680 --> 03:22:39.680
And we all, we all, we do have a demolition contractor to do the job.

03:22:39.680 --> 03:22:46.680
Correct, so what you're voting on, what you would be voting on is two of them are for Kleckner and nine of them are for

03:22:46.680 --> 03:22:50.680
two of them are for Kleckner, seven of them are for fisher excavating.

03:22:50.680 --> 03:22:52.680
Okay

03:22:53.800 --> 03:22:56.400
Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy?

03:22:59.159 --> 03:23:06.280
Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye.

03:23:06.920 --> 03:23:10.159
And Parker? Aye. The motion passes 8 to 0.

03:23:10.880 --> 03:23:14.640
Item number 27. Can you please read this discussion ordinance?

03:23:15.240 --> 03:23:20.600
Discussion regarding ordinance amending part 6 general offenses chapter 694 weeds and grass

03:23:20.680 --> 03:23:27.780
of the codified ordinances by adding a new section 694.08 to be entitled Vegetation and

03:23:27.780 --> 03:23:34.840
Managed Natural Landscape and amending chapter 694.01 nuisance declared for the purpose of

03:23:34.840 --> 03:23:39.600
allowing planned natural landscaping while prohibiting uncontrolled growth of vegetation.

03:23:39.600 --> 03:23:41.300
Manager Boyer.

03:23:41.300 --> 03:23:42.360
Thank you, Honor.

03:23:42.360 --> 03:23:45.960
This was up for discussion at the last Committee of the Whole.

03:23:45.960 --> 03:23:54.360
The proposed ordinance identifies natural landscape options for homeowners and for property owners.

03:23:54.360 --> 03:23:58.040
City staff is requesting to move forward with this.

03:23:58.040 --> 03:24:04.180
It provides us some flexibility, allowing for pollinators, allowing us to have various

03:24:04.180 --> 03:24:12.280
plant scapes and at the same time giving us the ability to help regulate those.

03:24:12.280 --> 03:24:18.960
So staff is requesting moving this on to the December council meeting for first reading.

03:24:18.960 --> 03:24:20.960
So move.

03:24:20.960 --> 03:24:21.960
Second.

03:24:21.960 --> 03:24:27.200
We have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle to move this ordinance

03:24:27.200 --> 03:24:29.400
on for first reading.

03:24:29.400 --> 03:24:31.840
Is there discussion on Alderman Sanders?

03:24:31.840 --> 03:24:41.079
Yeah, how soon are we anticipating on moving on this particular ordinance?

03:24:41.079 --> 03:24:56.800
Alderman, Alderman, Alderman, Alderman Clem If I could, I was happy that they brought

03:24:56.800 --> 03:25:04.300
the pictures tonight of the different places of the different grasses and flowers.

03:25:04.300 --> 03:25:11.980
I'll show them next time but I brought a couple slides for Kurt if we needed to look at them.

03:25:11.980 --> 03:25:18.380
I think one of the problems is if you remember how beautiful the roundabout was before it was

03:25:19.260 --> 03:25:25.659
changed to grass, never mowed, never taken care of, never anything done, my concern is you're

03:25:25.659 --> 03:25:31.500
going to see that in people's yards and I brought a picture of a couple of fences but we don't need

03:25:31.500 --> 03:25:38.380
and I need to look at it, but I look forward to some discussion either before then or then.

03:25:38.380 --> 03:25:41.180
This has been initiated more by Public Works, correct?

03:25:41.180 --> 03:25:45.420
This is not a hey, you've got long grasses, right, so I just want to make sure we're not

03:25:45.420 --> 03:25:46.420
. . .

03:25:46.420 --> 03:25:47.420
No, no, I understand.

03:25:47.420 --> 03:25:51.720
Yeah, my department is more than ready to cut some tall grass, so don't worry about

03:25:51.720 --> 03:25:52.720
it.

03:25:52.720 --> 03:25:58.700
No, no, I understand that 100 percent, but I know what we can come up with, so.

03:25:58.700 --> 03:26:22.700
Yes, this ordinance did not say anything about native plants. So, I'm asking for clarity. Is this for native plants, like what we were given? Or is this just sprinkle some seeds out and let them grow?

03:26:22.700 --> 03:26:23.700
Manager Boyer?

03:26:23.700 --> 03:26:24.700
We can get that for you.

03:26:24.700 --> 03:26:26.700
Excuse me?

03:26:26.700 --> 03:26:32.360
We can get that for you. What does that mean? We can provide that for you with the

03:26:32.360 --> 03:26:39.420
council packet before the next meeting. This isn't a definition of native species.

03:26:39.420 --> 03:26:45.140
I understand, but I asked if this ordinance was talking about native plants.

03:26:45.140 --> 03:26:53.820
Oh yes, yes. You know, I don't get what's funny. I don't get what's what's tickled

03:26:53.820 --> 03:27:00.700
about my question.

03:27:00.700 --> 03:27:03.860
If there's no further discussion, you had something?

03:27:03.860 --> 03:27:10.940
So I did get an email after this was referred to this discussion, further discussion here

03:27:10.940 --> 03:27:19.980
from Randy, who was the one who put this forward here, suggesting that we add a definition

03:27:19.980 --> 03:27:26.460
of native plantings are a description of what kind of plants are typical native plantings,

03:27:26.460 --> 03:27:34.060
so I would want to make that change, that next, you'll see that list of what native plantings are.

03:27:34.060 --> 03:27:36.300
Thank you, I'm glad I made sense to somebody.

03:27:39.659 --> 03:27:45.020
Then we will move on to item number 28. Do we need to vote on that, Mayor?

03:27:45.020 --> 03:27:49.180
No, we don't need to vote moving forward. Because this just says discussion, I don't want,

03:27:49.180 --> 03:27:52.500
because it's specifically on the agenda as discussion only.

03:27:52.500 --> 03:27:54.780
I don't want to take a vote because we haven't announced,

03:27:54.780 --> 03:27:57.420
we didn't post for that.

03:27:57.420 --> 03:27:59.820
We just meant vote on moving forward to the next meeting.

03:27:59.820 --> 03:28:02.260
Yeah, I think I'd rather just have it put on the agenda

03:28:02.260 --> 03:28:04.420
for first reading and then they can vote

03:28:04.420 --> 03:28:07.180
to move it forward from there.

03:28:07.180 --> 03:28:08.860
Did you have something else?

03:28:08.860 --> 03:28:13.140
The reason Public Works was requesting this change

03:28:13.140 --> 03:28:15.860
is because we have issues in the right of way

03:28:15.860 --> 03:28:18.860
where people are putting plantings that are growing up

03:28:18.860 --> 03:28:21.860
and others that are out beyond visibility standards

03:28:21.860 --> 03:28:24.860
or we can't push snow back, things like that.

03:28:24.860 --> 03:28:27.860
It's really a maintenance cleanup issue.

03:28:27.860 --> 03:28:30.860
We don't have any mechanism right now to enforce it.

03:28:30.860 --> 03:28:33.860
And so we're trying to enforce that the right-of-ways

03:28:33.860 --> 03:28:36.860
stay cleaned up and mowed well

03:28:36.860 --> 03:28:40.860
and also allow for these native plantings within landscapes.

03:28:40.860 --> 03:28:44.860
So it's really just a cleanup process.

03:28:44.860 --> 03:28:47.860
Because we're getting into a season where we need to be able

03:28:47.860 --> 03:28:51.060
we need to be able to control the height of corners

03:28:51.060 --> 03:28:53.220
and intersections where plantings are

03:28:53.220 --> 03:28:55.180
to make sure that we have visibility.

03:28:58.300 --> 03:29:00.300
Okay, so we'll move on to item 28.

03:29:00.300 --> 03:29:02.340
Could you please read the next discussion?

03:29:03.320 --> 03:29:06.579
Discussion regarding evaluating updates to city ordinances

03:29:06.579 --> 03:29:08.920
requiring drug testing for elected officials

03:29:08.920 --> 03:29:11.140
and director level employees in the city.

03:29:12.380 --> 03:29:13.220
Alderman Monroe.

03:29:14.420 --> 03:29:15.780
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

03:29:15.780 --> 03:29:45.780
I think as a city that hires and does drug testing, all new hires, that it's important that we as community leaders set the example and basically provide for an environment that's safe, healthy, well-being of all employees are covered and that drug and alcohol abuse can have significant impacts on decision-making

03:29:45.780 --> 03:30:01.780
and I'm all for the same purpose of making as well as, you know, understanding of things in the Council and, you know, a lot of cities have this type of an ordinance already in place and I think it's important that we, you know, set the example as leaders.

03:30:01.780 --> 03:30:07.980
of you know a city you know we've had instances

03:30:07.980 --> 03:30:21.980
We've had instances where people have tested positive after an event or an accident of some sort and I think it's important that we start to reel that in.

03:30:21.980 --> 03:30:36.980
Drug use in the workplace is never a good thing. It's even more so in a city like ours and I think that by setting the example it will be easier to make changes down the road overall as the city goes for all the departments.

03:30:36.980 --> 03:30:43.860
Sanders, you know, and I'm ready to kind of kick it off. I don't know if Alderman Sanders

03:30:43.860 --> 03:30:48.180
would like to add anything to that. But you know, I think I think it's very, very important

03:30:48.180 --> 03:30:55.980
that we, you know, at least start in the direction of testing, you know, so that we can protect

03:30:55.980 --> 03:31:00.980
the citizens and the property of the community at large. Mr. Sanders.

03:31:00.980 --> 03:31:12.740
Yeah, with something of that significance to have the citizens of Freeport realize that

03:31:12.740 --> 03:31:19.460
we're here to serve them, that we want to do it honorably, we don't want to be under

03:31:19.460 --> 03:31:28.740
some kind of a hit, I can't say it, I got so many ways to put it, but we don't want

03:31:28.740 --> 03:31:41.740
and I want them to feel that we've been hypnotized within our own council to the point where we can't make decisions affirmatively because of the state of mind that we in us.

03:31:41.740 --> 03:31:51.740
I feel very confident when I know that the guy that's working in capacity of the city, he's competent.

03:31:51.740 --> 03:31:52.740
and so on.

03:31:52.740 --> 03:32:02.980
And so I think this is not inundated by drugs, drinking, smoking, whatever the case may be,

03:32:02.980 --> 03:32:10.780
that we can assure all of our employees have everything going for them to keep a liability

03:32:10.780 --> 03:32:15.900
from factoring in while on the job performing duties and making decisions.

03:32:15.900 --> 03:32:21.700
And so I think this, because of the fact this is the norm, it's not something that any

03:32:21.700 --> 03:32:51.700
is pulling out of their hat. It is a norm that we get in line putting our employees and staff and elected officials and people of that nature in that same, under that same umbrella. So I think it is something that we should look at. It hasn't been considered all the years that I've been living here in Freeport. It is something we should adopt. It is something that we should move forward with.

03:32:51.700 --> 03:32:56.500
Smith, and I think the city should look into it.

03:32:56.500 --> 03:33:02.620
We should look very closely about it, look into these kinds of things, because we don't

03:33:02.620 --> 03:33:04.140
know.

03:33:04.140 --> 03:33:09.180
And that's the reason why these things happen, these kind of drug tests happen, because we

03:33:09.180 --> 03:33:14.060
don't know, we don't know you like that, you know, that kind of thing, so until you show

03:33:14.060 --> 03:33:20.620
up on a test lab or something like that, then we can understand who you are, you know, so.

03:33:20.620 --> 03:33:27.620
Doesn't the employee handbook already address that, where they can be drug tested?

03:33:27.620 --> 03:33:35.620
Yes, Madam Mayor, the policy of the City is that all employees are subject to random error analysis.

03:33:35.620 --> 03:33:48.620
So it already is in place. So my question, I suppose, to the two of you would be, if this is pointed at an elected official, I mean, drug test me all day long, I don't care, but what's the outcome?

03:33:48.620 --> 03:33:52.620
What's the outcome? What do you want to happen as a result? Because you can't have someone

03:33:52.620 --> 03:33:59.020
removed from office because they fail a drug test. It doesn't happen. So what are you hoping

03:33:59.020 --> 03:34:05.620
to have for, what's the goal? Well, my thing is, my thing is, it's not open

03:34:05.620 --> 03:34:13.660
up for discussion with you, Mayor, at this time. We should, we're just putting it out

03:34:13.660 --> 03:34:21.660
out there, let the Council think about it, talk about it, bring it to the next reading,

03:34:21.660 --> 03:34:28.900
because until we understand how we're going to go through the process of doing this particular

03:34:28.900 --> 03:34:35.340
thing, this kind of mechanism needs to be put in place. Why hasn't it not been put in

03:34:35.340 --> 03:34:43.540
place is the question. We are not running an honor system that I can detect, which we

03:34:43.540 --> 03:35:13.540
Cooney, John, Ken, Avery, Hun, D. Avery, you know, all of the other people, the people who are going to be the judge, we are going to be the judge. You know, I can't tell you how many people are going to be the judges, how many of them are going to be the judges, how many of them are going to be judges. The judges are going to be judges.

03:35:13.540 --> 03:35:14.540
and others.

03:35:14.540 --> 03:35:22.540
I was headed with this is, you know, we do have, you know, a general drug policy online

03:35:22.540 --> 03:35:23.540
in our handbook.

03:35:23.540 --> 03:35:28.500
You know, where I was headed with this was as an example, as elected officials and directors

03:35:28.500 --> 03:35:34.620
that, you know, we would have an annual drug test and that would be my motion is to move

03:35:34.620 --> 03:35:39.820
forward with an annual test in January for all elected officials and anybody taking a

03:35:39.820 --> 03:35:45.620
A seat after they've been elected to office, you know, because it is important that we

03:35:45.620 --> 03:35:52.540
set the example and we are the leaders of each of these departments, this community.

03:35:52.540 --> 03:35:59.020
And it's important that we maintain that transparency and allow our public to understand that, you

03:35:59.020 --> 03:36:01.060
know, we are putting our best foot forward.

03:36:01.060 --> 03:36:07.140
We are setting the example within the City of Freeport and, you know, I think the cost

03:36:07.140 --> 03:36:11.140
and the rest of it is negligible compared to other things that we're doing and you know

03:36:11.140 --> 03:36:17.860
from that standpoint it would set the example that not only are we willing to do it but

03:36:17.860 --> 03:36:22.980
that you're eligible for it as well as an employee of the City of Freeport so that would

03:36:22.980 --> 03:36:28.780
be my motion is that we would have a have it drawn up so that we're automatically tested

03:36:28.780 --> 03:36:33.660
every January by the end of the month and move forward from there.

03:36:33.660 --> 03:36:39.020
you say everybody who are you implying elected you know all of us sitting in

03:36:39.020 --> 03:36:45.580
this room at these tables director level and above alderman and you know mayor and

03:36:45.580 --> 03:36:57.020
so forth okay so there's a motion on the floor okay you want to address it your

03:36:57.020 --> 03:37:01.860
motion just to clarify though your motion was just to is it to basically

03:37:01.860 --> 03:37:31.860
and I have to say that I need to directly direct staff to look into this and draft an ordinance there because, which is fine, right? There to say, hey, let's keep working in looking into this there. The only reason why I asked for the clarification is because I need to look into this for the legality of it. There, you mentioned that there were other communities. If you could share those with me just so I can kind of, you know, reach out to them and kind of see,

03:37:31.860 --> 03:37:36.180
They've done their, I'm unaware, again, not that I'm the end all be all there.

03:37:36.180 --> 03:37:42.140
I'm unaware of other communities requiring elected officials to be drug tested.

03:37:42.140 --> 03:37:49.300
I know that there was a, many years ago there was the General Assembly.

03:37:49.300 --> 03:37:53.900
There was a bill proposed to require House representatives and

03:37:53.900 --> 03:37:59.140
Senate members to be drug tested as a part of being able to file nomination papers.

03:37:59.140 --> 03:38:01.020
that bill was shot down.

03:38:01.020 --> 03:38:03.660
It didn't pass there.

03:38:03.660 --> 03:38:06.540
My concerns looking with just doing this,

03:38:06.540 --> 03:38:07.620
and again, I don't have a problem

03:38:07.620 --> 03:38:08.460
if this is what you guys wanna do.

03:38:08.460 --> 03:38:11.100
I just wanna make sure that it's legal to do it.

03:38:11.100 --> 03:38:13.140
There is that you're changing the qualifications

03:38:13.140 --> 03:38:15.700
of office basically or potentially.

03:38:15.700 --> 03:38:18.660
You're trying to say that, hey, if you fail the drug test,

03:38:18.660 --> 03:38:23.300
is the repercussion that then you can't serve there.

03:38:23.300 --> 03:38:25.880
And I just have to see if that's allowed to be done

03:38:25.880 --> 03:38:29.340
or if that is something that is left to the General Assembly

03:38:29.340 --> 03:38:32.460
to be able to write in that additional qualification.

03:38:32.460 --> 03:38:35.580
So again, I don't, policy wise, this is up for you guys.

03:38:35.580 --> 03:38:37.100
I just wanna make sure that you guys are allowed,

03:38:37.100 --> 03:38:39.580
have the authority to make that policy.

03:38:39.580 --> 03:38:41.460
There, and I don't know the answer off the top of my head.

03:38:41.460 --> 03:38:46.460
Okay, but his motion was to drug test

03:38:46.460 --> 03:38:51.460
every elected official and director here every January.

03:38:51.500 --> 03:38:53.080
That was the motion, so.

03:38:53.080 --> 03:39:23.080
So I think to Manager Boyer's point, I think the all employees are subject to drug testing. I think you're narrowing, getting a little more specific in saying that, hey, because right now it's kind of random. It's up to to the city decide or the manager decide when when a drug test of department heads might be necessary there. You're saying you're trying to narrow that scope and say, hey, department heads are going to get drug tested along with everybody else.

03:39:23.080 --> 03:39:25.120
List, David Lewis, David Perlman, Walgreens,

03:39:25.120 --> 03:39:26.920
ents, I know the city does.

03:39:26.920 --> 03:39:28.860
The reason we set the example every meal, every

03:39:28.860 --> 03:39:31.360
elected official, every January one.

03:39:31.360 --> 03:39:35.560
You know, I mean, we, we, as elected leaders and

03:39:35.560 --> 03:39:38.820
department heads are using our facilities, we're

03:39:38.820 --> 03:39:41.800
using our vehicles, we're, we're doing things.

03:39:41.800 --> 03:39:45.140
And the daily activities of our jobs.

03:39:45.140 --> 03:39:47.800
And it's important that we, you know, do set the

03:39:47.800 --> 03:39:50.640
example and that we, you know, it is for the

03:39:50.640 --> 03:39:52.100
overall health of the city.

03:39:52.100 --> 03:40:08.100
and many other legalities of it all but you know I think you know kicking somebody out of office probably isn't but you know there are options to get people help I mean you know the language is in yeah you know the employee handbook it doesn't say you're terminated

03:40:08.100 --> 03:40:09.100
and so on.

03:40:09.100 --> 03:40:14.020
I don't want to say you're terminated upon a positive test, but there are those types

03:40:14.020 --> 03:40:15.020
of things.

03:40:15.020 --> 03:40:24.540
I think from a standpoint, it does make a lot of sense from the handbook's kind of teeth,

03:40:24.540 --> 03:40:29.100
if you will, that if we're all going to abide by the same rules as they are, I don't know

03:40:29.100 --> 03:40:33.940
of an Alderperson or an elected official or a department head that's ever been drug tested

03:40:33.940 --> 03:40:36.820
in my time as an Alderperson.

03:40:36.820 --> 03:40:49.820
So, really what you want is an ordinance to reflect it.

03:40:49.820 --> 03:40:50.820
Alderman Parker.

03:40:50.820 --> 03:40:54.820
I don't have no problem with the employees when they're out there driving our vehicles,

03:40:54.820 --> 03:40:57.820
doing the work in a dangerous situation, being drug tested.

03:40:57.820 --> 03:41:01.820
But drug testing the alderman is asinine.

03:41:01.820 --> 03:41:03.820
I've been drug tested twice.

03:41:03.820 --> 03:41:08.420
Bates, once I went in the military, once I become a cop. Other than that, I never have.

03:41:08.420 --> 03:41:13.260
I'm totally against it, and I'm not going to do it. So, thank you.

03:41:13.260 --> 03:41:18.320
Okay, so we do have a motion on the floor, would be to, I'm guessing you're tasking

03:41:18.320 --> 03:41:20.340
Attorney DeZito to come up with an ordinance, right?

03:41:20.340 --> 03:41:22.020
Yeah, I would like that. Yes, please.

03:41:22.020 --> 03:41:24.380
Okay, so we have a motion. Is there a second?

03:41:24.380 --> 03:41:25.380
A second.

03:41:25.380 --> 03:41:33.780
So we have a second made by Alderman Sanders. If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk,

03:41:33.780 --> 03:41:36.180
Do we take a vote on that?

03:41:36.180 --> 03:41:39.740
Yeah, this is just to task me with looking into this more.

03:41:39.740 --> 03:41:40.660
Yeah, great.

03:41:40.660 --> 03:41:44.020
So Madam Clerk, did you, yeah.

03:41:44.020 --> 03:41:48.180
Yeah, what we're trying to do is set a standard that's

03:41:48.180 --> 03:41:50.620
supposed to be in place already.

03:41:50.620 --> 03:41:52.820
We're not bringing anything in new.

03:41:52.820 --> 03:41:56.020
I just want to get that out of everybody's mind.

03:41:56.020 --> 03:42:02.220
It is something that just has not been activated or been used.

03:42:02.220 --> 03:42:06.580
according to the mayor,

03:42:06.580 --> 03:42:10.580
stating that we got something like that in place

03:42:10.580 --> 03:42:15.580
and if you wanna object to that, that's on you.

03:42:17.300 --> 03:42:21.300
But my thing is we're not setting a new standard

03:42:21.300 --> 03:42:23.340
if it's already in place.

03:42:23.340 --> 03:42:25.860
If someone has already been asked,

03:42:27.100 --> 03:42:29.860
I know that this has happened out in the field

03:42:29.860 --> 03:42:47.860
of Construction Workers, making accusation of someone that may have been consumed by drugs by one of our elected officials or directors or whoever have made that statement.

03:42:47.860 --> 03:42:50.860
So I know that it has been done.

03:42:50.860 --> 03:42:56.620
Dunn. I don't know if we got it in writing or anything like that, but I think it resulted

03:42:56.620 --> 03:43:07.540
in someone's termination here at the city. So if that's not correct, then I stand corrected.

03:43:07.540 --> 03:43:13.820
But if that conversation happened, then we should look into the fact that this thing

03:43:13.820 --> 03:43:17.420
should be taken at face value all the way across the board.

03:43:17.420 --> 03:43:22.900
Alderman Shadle, did you have something? I just wanted to say that you are in fact

03:43:22.900 --> 03:43:29.980
wrong again. Okay. The added portion of this would be the elected officials. It

03:43:29.980 --> 03:43:34.820
doesn't matter. Well, you said you weren't reinventing anything and you know

03:43:34.820 --> 03:43:38.820
changing anything. No. And in fact you are. Well, if I am, that's your opinion.

03:43:38.820 --> 03:43:42.820
We have a first and second motion and a second.

03:43:42.820 --> 03:43:44.820
We pass the bill to draft an ordinance.

03:43:44.820 --> 03:43:49.820
Madam Clerk, would you please take the role on this particular discussion?

03:43:49.820 --> 03:43:51.820
Stacy?

03:43:51.820 --> 03:43:52.820
Aye.

03:43:52.820 --> 03:43:55.820
I'm sorry, I didn't see your hand.

03:43:55.820 --> 03:43:59.820
So, okay, is it already part of whatever ordinance you think it is?

03:43:59.820 --> 03:44:00.820
Employees.

03:44:00.820 --> 03:44:06.820
Okay, so, okay, and if you're concerned about older people and elected officials, is there

03:44:06.820 --> 03:44:12.080
is there something in the ordinance that says if, you know, somebody, Alderperson A shows

03:44:12.080 --> 03:44:14.860
up inebriated, they'll be removed?

03:44:14.860 --> 03:44:15.860
No.

03:44:15.860 --> 03:44:16.860
Oh.

03:44:16.860 --> 03:44:21.380
That's why I was questioning what, what's your end goal?

03:44:21.380 --> 03:44:22.380
I don't know.

03:44:22.380 --> 03:44:23.380
Director Richter?

03:44:23.380 --> 03:44:32.380
I'd just like to clarify a little bit, and if I'm wrong, Attorney Zito, the handbook,

03:44:32.380 --> 03:44:35.940
I believe, is due to reasonable suspicion.

03:44:35.940 --> 03:44:37.940
,

03:44:39.940 --> 03:44:41.940
and

03:44:43.940 --> 03:44:45.940
I'm not in a random pool. I just wanted to clarify that.

03:44:47.940 --> 03:44:49.940
» Madam Clerk, will you please take the roll?

03:44:51.940 --> 03:44:53.940
» Stacy? » Aye.

03:44:54.940 --> 03:44:56.940
» Shadle? » No.

03:44:58.940 --> 03:45:00.940
» Sanders? » Aye.

03:45:02.940 --> 03:45:04.940
» Sellers? » No.

03:45:05.940 --> 03:45:16.220
We move on to item number 29, could you please read this discussion?

03:45:16.220 --> 03:45:22.020
Discussion regarding investigation into unauthorized disposal of city documents in the Freeport

03:45:22.020 --> 03:45:25.860
City Cemetery and purpose of that disposal.

03:45:25.860 --> 03:45:26.860
Alderman Monroe.

03:45:26.860 --> 03:45:28.020
Thank you, Madam Mayor.

03:45:28.020 --> 03:45:33.700
It's come to my attention as an Alderperson for multiple people now that there was at

03:45:33.700 --> 03:45:38.700
at some point in time in the 2010 to 2020 range at least

03:45:41.020 --> 03:45:44.580
that there were holes dug in the city's sedimentary

03:45:44.580 --> 03:45:46.860
and documents were dumped into those holes.

03:45:46.860 --> 03:45:49.100
And we're not talking small amounts of documents,

03:45:49.100 --> 03:45:51.820
we're talking very large amounts of documents.

03:45:51.820 --> 03:45:56.820
My question is knowing how documents are typically disposed

03:45:56.820 --> 03:46:02.180
was, you know, documents are typically disposed of, you know, from being in

03:46:02.980 --> 03:46:09.440
classified environments, as well as other environments in the military, and since being in the military, that, you know,

03:46:10.040 --> 03:46:14.180
appropriate behavior would be to shred those documents, dispose of them, burn them, whatever it may be.

03:46:14.540 --> 03:46:19.600
It's not to dig a hole in the city cemetery and dump a bunch of documents in, and then call it good.

03:46:20.340 --> 03:46:25.800
The people that have approached me with this information, I believe,

03:46:25.800 --> 03:46:36.780
and I believe it's important that we at least look into if information was dumped and if

03:46:36.780 --> 03:46:44.800
that information was dumped, was it done so as a standard practice or if it was done so

03:46:44.800 --> 03:46:52.020
to cover something up or if, you know, information that somebody has out there could be gathered

03:46:52.020 --> 03:46:57.620
from those documents. Not knowing the details behind it, I felt it was important enough

03:46:57.620 --> 03:47:02.620
to come to the city and at least have the conversation so that the public is understanding

03:47:02.620 --> 03:47:10.300
of what was, you know, put there. And I think it's, it's, it makes sense to at least take

03:47:10.300 --> 03:47:16.020
a look. We don't need to necessarily go digging in the cemetery. There's ways to use ground

03:47:16.020 --> 03:47:21.300
penetrating radar and other methods that are easily done without disturbing any of the

03:47:21.300 --> 03:47:44.580
and so on. I think it's at least worth a conversation to figure out why it was put there. If the

03:47:44.580 --> 03:47:52.040
you know the city would like to maybe share with the older people, you know what what the what the reasoning behind it was.

03:47:52.520 --> 03:47:58.140
Um, I felt like it was important enough to kind of come in front of the council, have the conversation. It shouldn't be too difficult

03:47:58.980 --> 03:48:00.660
and go from there.

03:48:00.660 --> 03:48:02.660
Manager Boyer

03:48:04.420 --> 03:48:06.900
Thank you, Ms. Alderman. The

03:48:07.920 --> 03:48:09.340
situation the cemetery,

03:48:09.340 --> 03:48:16.060
We interviewed the Sexton's for the last 20 years and both of whom said there was never any incident that the

03:48:16.580 --> 03:48:18.580
of that kind

03:48:20.860 --> 03:48:22.780
Only Clem

03:48:22.780 --> 03:48:26.300
Between 10 and 20 that appears to be a good number of years

03:48:26.300 --> 03:48:33.260
It be do you have any idea what administration it was or who you could go back to do find out and see I?

03:48:34.300 --> 03:48:38.900
Was on all those years. I don't believe I wasn't on from 18 on you were there then

03:48:39.340 --> 03:48:47.580
but I find that to be entirely ridiculous thank you yeah three of those years are

03:48:47.580 --> 03:48:56.460
under my seat I have no knowledge of any of it so is there so I understand

03:48:56.460 --> 03:49:00.460
everybody's reluctance and I understand everybody's position but is it not worth

03:49:00.460 --> 03:49:05.260
at least looking into would you well I think that's what manager Boyer did yes

03:49:05.260 --> 03:49:11.120
Yes, we looked into it and we interviewed the sextants that were there at the time and they

03:49:11.120 --> 03:49:15.980
have both said that there was never anything interred in the cemetery matching the description

03:49:15.980 --> 03:49:18.340
that you made being some kind of documents.

03:49:18.340 --> 03:49:19.340
Who are the sextants?

03:49:19.340 --> 03:49:21.020
I have no idea who they are.

03:49:21.020 --> 03:49:23.180
One is Todd Marsh.

03:49:23.180 --> 03:49:27.700
He was our sextant for many years and the previous sextant, I don't know him personally,

03:49:27.700 --> 03:49:30.020
but he was interviewed also.

03:49:30.020 --> 03:49:31.500
What did the sextants do?

03:49:31.500 --> 03:49:32.500
I'm confused.

03:49:32.500 --> 03:49:34.620
The sextants in charge of the cemetery.

03:49:34.620 --> 03:49:45.460
from working with the state archivist burial of documents I know is an acceptable disposal method I

03:49:45.460 --> 03:49:53.140
don't I don't know what you're referring to here but I know burial is acceptable when we had wet

03:49:53.140 --> 03:50:04.340
records from a flood that the shred people would not take them when they were wet although you're

03:50:04.340 --> 03:50:08.100
You're not implying that, you're just saying that's, that would be a normal, correct?

03:50:08.100 --> 03:50:12.720
that would be a normal correct that's acceptable it's an acceptable method

03:50:12.720 --> 03:50:18.580
yeah whether this happened or not I I don't know but Alderman Sanders yeah I

03:50:18.580 --> 03:50:26.020
just wanted to say that we're not in a position to investigate it with the

03:50:26.020 --> 03:50:32.980
biases that we might be carrying simply because it's in our agenda but you got to

03:50:32.980 --> 03:50:46.980
Remember, the City of Freeport was like a revolving door with elected salary positions, officials, many different administrations, and things of that nature.

03:50:46.980 --> 03:51:01.980
So any of the things that are on this agenda could have occurred, but it's not our position to state our opinion on something that we can't validate as Council,

03:51:01.980 --> 03:51:10.380
Nor can we say that no one that works for the city has any knowledge about any such things.

03:51:10.380 --> 03:51:25.980
But we can't say that and for us to not be scrutinizing the whole proposal that was being made about investigating, looking into these kinds of things.

03:51:25.980 --> 03:51:40.980
For whoever might be objecting to it, don't know the full scope of all the details from the time that it was done or whatever, whatever was done.

03:51:40.980 --> 03:51:48.980
It has just been brought to our attention. We can't just put a date on it. We just can't do that.

03:51:48.980 --> 03:51:54.780
Manager, Where? I would just like to respond to that if you have something you'd like to share with me

03:51:54.780 --> 03:51:56.780
I'd be happy to act on it

03:51:56.780 --> 03:51:59.660
Only Clem. Yeah, I just wanted to say why don't you

03:52:00.340 --> 03:52:06.340
Reveal your sources and we can go talk to them if they know so much. So you can put your hands on them like you did me

03:52:10.340 --> 03:52:16.180
I'd go to the police department, but they won't do it. Okay. Okay. Okay. Is there any other discussion concerning these?

03:52:16.180 --> 03:52:46.180
Yes, ma'am. I'd like to make a motion that we at least look into examining a little further. Once again, very small cost to look and see if we, and I will get a better location so that we have that location, but we will, we'll at least get that together and have the conversation and see if it's worthwhile. I don't know what the cost of ground penetrating radar is, but I've seen it used in the

03:52:46.180 --> 03:52:48.180
and

03:52:49.260 --> 03:52:51.260
the other.

03:52:52.800 --> 03:52:54.800
I think it's a good thing that we have a

03:52:56.280 --> 03:52:58.280
lot of people that have been involved in the past and it does

03:52:59.400 --> 03:53:01.400
work very, very well. If there was something there, it would

03:53:03.500 --> 03:53:05.500
show up, even if it wasn't a state of decay. I don't know the

03:53:07.600 --> 03:53:09.600
but it seems pretty odd to me that people would come up and

03:53:10.700 --> 03:53:12.700
say this for no reason.

03:53:12.700 --> 03:53:17.260
that we look into a further okay you know I don't think there's any harm in that

03:53:17.260 --> 03:53:22.700
you know and at least you know validate or invalidate I don't know what we'll

03:53:22.700 --> 03:53:27.460
find but I know two people that came forward and said something about it and

03:53:27.460 --> 03:53:31.980
they don't want to say anything because they you know they don't want anybody to

03:53:31.980 --> 03:53:38.460
come back on them okay so there's a motion on the floor I find it funny you

03:53:38.460 --> 03:53:45.540
do we have a second okay so we have a motion made by Alderman Monroe seconded

03:53:45.540 --> 03:53:52.040
by Alderman Sanders to look further into examining the validation of the

03:53:52.040 --> 03:53:59.320
allocations I don't know so Mike correct on what I just sure if you'd like I'll

03:53:59.320 --> 03:54:04.040
come back at a later date with a location and a map and put a red X on it

03:54:04.040 --> 03:54:34.040
for people. So it's easier to look, you know. We have a motion. So we have a motion. I mean, this is just basically like a consensus. But given the fact that I don't know how a voice vote is going to play out as far as I got a consensus as to whether or not the council wants to look into this further or not look into this further. I just take off. So do we want to look into this further? That's the that's the question. Madam Clerk,

03:54:34.040 --> 03:54:35.080
Would you please take the roll?

03:54:35.080 --> 03:54:36.080
Stacy?

03:54:36.080 --> 03:54:36.760
Aye.

03:54:36.760 --> 03:54:37.440
Shadle?

03:54:37.440 --> 03:54:37.960
No.

03:54:37.960 --> 03:54:38.640
Sanders?

03:54:38.640 --> 03:54:39.360
Aye.

03:54:39.360 --> 03:54:40.160
Sellers?

03:54:40.160 --> 03:54:40.720
No.

03:54:40.720 --> 03:54:41.440
Klemm?

03:54:41.440 --> 03:54:42.080
No.

03:54:42.080 --> 03:54:42.580
Monroe?

03:54:48.440 --> 03:54:48.940
Unreal.

03:55:04.040 --> 03:55:19.200
Aye. Simmons is absent. Parker? No. Four? Wait a second. One, two, three to four. I always

03:55:19.200 --> 03:55:25.960
state that wrong. I'm sorry. The motion fails. Am I wrong, Mayor? One, two, three, four wrong.

03:55:25.960 --> 03:55:33.960
At four nos, one, two, three yeas. She's here. Can she vote? Oh, but we've had

03:55:33.960 --> 03:55:47.480
I have Klemm, Parker, Shadle, and Sellers as noes, Monroe, Stacy, and Sanders as yes,

03:55:47.480 --> 03:55:53.200
7, failing 3 to 4.

03:55:53.200 --> 03:55:54.200
Is that?

03:55:54.200 --> 03:56:03.080
Okay, we'll move on to item number 30, which is another discussion.

03:56:03.080 --> 03:56:27.080
I think we moved this to the calm, Madam Mayor. I'm sorry, yes, I meant to say 31. 31? Okay, my mistake. Discussion regarding concerns related to the Community Development Block Grant Housing Rehabilitation recipient for 1010 South Adams Avenue Rehabilitation Grant. Alderman Stacey.

03:56:27.080 --> 03:56:38.840
Through my research, I was able to find that this particular applicant for the 1010 South

03:56:38.840 --> 03:56:57.880
Adam, property has a total combined real estate portfolio of $312,690, was, slash, is anyone

03:56:57.880 --> 03:57:00.840
from this city aware of this?

03:57:00.840 --> 03:57:02.320
Yes.

03:57:02.320 --> 03:57:08.160
If you did and they were still approved, then shame on you.

03:57:08.160 --> 03:57:16.400
If you didn't know and they were still approved, then shame on you.

03:57:16.400 --> 03:57:27.060
I would think a portfolio of that size would deem them over-asset or are assets not a part

03:57:27.060 --> 03:57:30.480
of the determined factor for approval.

03:57:30.480 --> 03:57:33.560
We don't know.

03:57:33.560 --> 03:57:41.400
I went on the city website to download a copy of the CDBG sample application and a listing

03:57:41.400 --> 03:57:49.380
of accepted documents, but the information was no longer available.

03:57:49.380 --> 03:57:57.880
So to ensure that the CDBG, Adam Avenue Housing Rehabilitation Grant Fund, which are still

03:57:57.880 --> 03:57:59.880
Winslow.

03:58:01.880 --> 03:58:20.880
I make a motion that all taxpayer dollars are being distributed with fairness and equity, as well as to provide a further safeguard against any potential misconduct.

03:58:20.880 --> 03:58:25.880
all CDBG Adams Avenue Housing Rehabilitation projects

03:58:27.580 --> 03:58:31.740
until the council have been completely educated

03:58:31.740 --> 03:58:36.420
on the application and selection process

03:58:36.420 --> 03:58:41.420
and all other participants' requirements.

03:58:41.420 --> 03:58:53.380
So, this was on for discussion only, right?

03:58:53.380 --> 03:58:58.740
So you actually have like a motion to basically put like a moratorium on the issuance of any

03:58:58.740 --> 03:59:03.540
further grants, right, CBGB grants here there.

03:59:03.540 --> 03:59:09.060
I think we can put it on an agenda, but four so that you can vote on it there, but because

03:59:09.060 --> 03:59:13.860
Because we have this just for discussion on here tonight, I don't think we can vote on

03:59:13.860 --> 03:59:19.140
the motion that you made because you're actually looking to take actual action as far as placing

03:59:19.140 --> 03:59:24.900
a moratorium on the issuance of any further grants under this program.

03:59:24.900 --> 03:59:28.660
Well, I can't help that the word discussion was added.

03:59:28.660 --> 03:59:35.420
However, when I called in and said I wanted this, I said why I wanted this.

03:59:35.420 --> 03:59:44.000
because this 10-10 property, this family have 10 other properties here in Freeport plus they

03:59:44.000 --> 03:59:55.820
have two properties in German Valley and it is no way that they're eligible for this $48,000

03:59:55.820 --> 04:00:04.380
and so I don't know who knows who or what is going on but clearly something is going

04:00:04.380 --> 04:00:05.380
on.

04:00:05.380 --> 04:00:07.380
You've already approved it though, right? You know that.

04:00:07.380 --> 04:00:37.380
I do want to add some light to that because I can tell you're upset you and I've talked about this. It's not ten properties. I investigated it again today. I went to the tax records and looked at it. The German Valley House, I believe, was sold somewhere around 2006. And it's not ten properties. I went to the tax records and looked at it. The German Valley House I believe was sold somewhere around 2006. And it's not ten properties.

04:00:37.380 --> 04:00:44.980
As of 2023, the person we are talking about has paid taxes on a total of 8 properties.

04:00:44.980 --> 04:00:51.820
One of them is a vacant lot and another one of them is their actual residence.

04:00:51.820 --> 04:00:58.620
All of their, again, I have to be careful about what I say because some of this information

04:00:58.620 --> 04:01:04.800
is off of their tax returns, but I will say that this has all been accounted for and I

04:01:04.800 --> 04:01:08.600
and I stand by it, you know, somebody else will come in here and have a different opinion,

04:01:08.600 --> 04:01:13.520
a different professional opinion, that's fair, I stand by that, somebody else's professional

04:01:13.520 --> 04:01:17.280
opinion, but I do know when I looked at that tax return, all these properties have been

04:01:17.280 --> 04:01:21.940
accounted for, the person who's part of this applicant has worked with me greatly and said

04:01:21.940 --> 04:01:28.000
anything they can do to put somebody's mind at ease, but owning, you're talking about

04:01:28.000 --> 04:01:33.060
the difference between assets versus how much money they make on their income statement,

04:01:33.060 --> 04:01:42.380
and their tax returns. You told me that, Director Duckman, you even offered me to come talk

04:01:42.380 --> 04:01:48.060
to them, but then you never followed up. I asked you Friday, and you were not here, but

04:01:48.060 --> 04:01:54.940
I asked you for a copy of the pre-walkthrough that happened on October 10th and any photos

04:01:54.940 --> 04:02:01.460
taken, and that could not even happen. We can do that, absolutely. We can still do that.

04:02:01.460 --> 04:02:05.960
I have all that information here, I just have to be extremely careful about what information

04:02:05.960 --> 04:02:13.680
is given because at some point if this person says, hey, my tax information, my tax ID got

04:02:13.680 --> 04:02:17.920
out or hey, I didn't want, so I consulted at today's department head meeting, I talked

04:02:17.920 --> 04:02:22.180
with Attorney Zito and I said, what's our best course of action to put somebody's mind

04:02:22.180 --> 04:02:28.360
at ease and when I spoke with the applicant today, they said, I'll comply all day, I just

04:02:28.360 --> 04:02:30.720
to have certain information that I do want redacted.

04:02:30.720 --> 04:02:34.240
And so there's two sides that have two fair requests.

04:02:34.240 --> 04:02:36.560
But as I say, as a professional, I

04:02:36.560 --> 04:02:39.280
stand behind anything you'll look at on their records.

04:02:39.280 --> 04:02:41.360
And they're willing to work with whomever.

04:02:41.360 --> 04:02:44.360
So I brought it up at the department head meeting

04:02:44.360 --> 04:02:46.600
to make sure everybody was protected and safe.

04:02:46.600 --> 04:02:49.320
And however it is we end up looking at it,

04:02:49.320 --> 04:02:51.880
I do know Attorney Zito will be present to make sure

04:02:51.880 --> 04:02:54.360
whatever needs to be redacted is redacted.

04:02:54.360 --> 04:02:59.360
and I genuinely look forward to putting your mind at ease

04:02:59.400 --> 04:03:03.140
or anyone else's, but I do hope that as we move forward,

04:03:03.140 --> 04:03:05.880
this grant has taken three years to implement

04:03:05.880 --> 04:03:09.000
and that we don't delay people's projects

04:03:09.000 --> 04:03:10.920
that are reliant on it, you know,

04:03:10.920 --> 04:03:11.840
because there's questions

04:03:11.840 --> 04:03:15.280
on this one particular grant application.

04:03:15.280 --> 04:03:17.700
When I spoke with you last Monday,

04:03:17.700 --> 04:03:21.800
you stated that you had seen the 2020 income tax.

04:03:21.800 --> 04:03:24.240
Have you seen the 2023?

04:03:24.240 --> 04:03:29.000
yes I saw it today I have it today right I have it right here okay yes I have so

04:03:29.000 --> 04:03:36.040
then I would like to set up a meeting with you and Zito and if the homeowners

04:03:36.040 --> 04:03:42.160
want to come so be it all I'm saying is right is right and wrong is wrong I

04:03:42.160 --> 04:03:49.840
agree anybody that owns 8, 10, 12 properties and they qualify for this type

04:03:49.840 --> 04:03:56.120
Kappa, Grant Money, when we got property on these streets that look worse than theirs.

04:03:56.120 --> 04:04:00.360
Let me just stop though quick because that's bad information to put out into the public.

04:04:00.360 --> 04:04:05.680
I'm not insulting you at all, but putting out bad information is not good for the public

04:04:05.680 --> 04:04:11.540
to hear because I did state earlier that if you drive down Adams Avenue and you say why

04:04:11.540 --> 04:04:16.760
does that house look bad and this person got their house fixed, on the grant application

04:04:16.760 --> 04:04:25.320
and that the state gives, it has a scoring system of points that we, as the director,

04:04:25.320 --> 04:04:30.280
I talked to the state and said, I do not want a city employee to be accused of having friends

04:04:30.280 --> 04:04:32.680
or favorites, cloak and dagger tactics.

04:04:32.680 --> 04:04:34.720
I said, how can we avoid that?

04:04:34.720 --> 04:04:39.640
And it says, you can hire a local planning council, region one planning council, to review

04:04:39.640 --> 04:04:45.020
objectively on a state identified ranking system all of the applications.

04:04:45.020 --> 04:04:48.940
and that is what we did through council that was approved through council so every one of

04:04:48.940 --> 04:04:55.500
these properties excuse me was the highest the highest weighted factor I'll just read

04:04:55.500 --> 04:05:00.900
all of them owner occupied for 10 years or longer you get 10 points for that owner occupied

04:05:00.900 --> 04:05:05.940
for five years or longer you get five points for that if you pay 35 percent or more of

04:05:05.940 --> 04:05:12.920
your income on your housing that's 10 points if you are elderly 62 or older you automatically

04:05:12.920 --> 04:05:13.920
Fowler.

04:05:13.920 --> 04:05:18.600
So that doesn't matter if your house is falling down in the ground or if it's brand new.

04:05:18.600 --> 04:05:22.320
If you're elderly in this grant, you get an extra 20 points.

04:05:22.320 --> 04:05:25.220
If you're disabled, 20 points.

04:05:25.220 --> 04:05:27.920
If you're a single head of household, that's 10 points.

04:05:27.920 --> 04:05:31.320
If you have a large family, five or more, that's five points.

04:05:31.320 --> 04:05:33.640
And now they have listed incomes.

04:05:33.640 --> 04:05:37.600
This does not have anywhere on here about assets, does not say assets.

04:05:37.600 --> 04:05:45.160
it talks about your income and verifying your income and based on the what region you're

04:05:45.160 --> 04:05:52.260
in these income levels are set by the state it says if you have very low income which

04:05:52.260 --> 04:05:58.540
is 50 to 30 percent of the area's median income you receive 15 points if you are extremely

04:05:58.540 --> 04:06:04.140
low income which is less than 30 percent of the area's median income which is determined

04:06:04.140 --> 04:06:08.220
By the state, and there's a graph here, you get 20 points.

04:06:08.220 --> 04:06:13.100
So nowhere in here in this ranking system does it say, well, my house is worse looking

04:06:13.100 --> 04:06:14.100
than your house.

04:06:14.100 --> 04:06:19.500
So it's very important to state that every one of these applications was not graded on

04:06:19.500 --> 04:06:21.660
is your house worse than my house.

04:06:21.660 --> 04:06:22.660
Not at all.

04:06:22.660 --> 04:06:24.980
So that's wrong for people to believe this.

04:06:24.980 --> 04:06:30.540
This is what the state of Illinois is going to look at for every one of these.

04:06:30.540 --> 04:06:36.900
So when we look at any application, that is how an independent organization reviewed these

04:06:36.900 --> 04:06:37.900
applications.

04:06:37.900 --> 04:06:41.480
So I think it's very wrong to tell the public that that's how this grant was administered

04:06:41.480 --> 04:06:42.540
because it was not.

04:06:42.540 --> 04:06:51.680
When this house was chosen, when it came to council, I asked, why this house?

04:06:51.680 --> 04:06:55.100
Why this one first?

04:06:55.100 --> 04:07:00.420
And you talked about that point system and they applied, they're on the list, they qualify

04:07:00.420 --> 04:07:03.460
Fier, they this, they that.

04:07:03.460 --> 04:07:07.220
True, I did say that and I stand by that.

04:07:07.220 --> 04:07:11.580
I stand by that if this ever was audited however you want to go by this and however attorney

04:07:11.580 --> 04:07:16.060
Zito is determined legally can show this information, this information will be showed.

04:07:16.060 --> 04:07:17.700
I've looked at it multiple times.

04:07:17.700 --> 04:07:22.580
I've looked at our contractor who reviewed these applications and we went step by step

04:07:22.580 --> 04:07:27.900
by step with the state on how to administer this and that's exactly what we did.

04:07:27.900 --> 04:07:32.140
So you can't accuse the city of saying, well, Wayne gave ten points here because that's

04:07:32.140 --> 04:07:33.140
his favorite.

04:07:33.140 --> 04:07:34.140
No, we hired a professional.

04:07:34.140 --> 04:07:35.220
I never said that.

04:07:35.220 --> 04:07:38.980
But I'm just stating that that is how this grant was.

04:07:38.980 --> 04:07:43.860
I'm saying I want to understand the grant and I want to understand your little point

04:07:43.860 --> 04:07:52.420
system and I want access to the state government pertaining to this grant.

04:07:52.420 --> 04:07:56.020
You could certainly call and ask the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and

04:07:56.020 --> 04:07:57.020
and so on.

04:07:57.020 --> 04:07:58.700
So, whatever information they can give you, they will.

04:07:58.700 --> 04:08:01.740
I don't control that, you know, the DCEO and what they do.

04:08:01.740 --> 04:08:07.500
Okay, we're ready to move on.

04:08:07.500 --> 04:08:14.060
Alderman Stacy, you technically made a motion, given the fact that you're going to have a

04:08:14.060 --> 04:08:17.460
meeting, do you want to withdraw your motion just to clean that part up?

04:08:17.460 --> 04:08:24.760
I really would like to have everything stopped until there's a total understanding on these

04:08:24.760 --> 04:08:39.140
and that, that the application wasn't filled wrong.

04:08:39.140 --> 04:08:45.480
So if you want to consider that, that stop then because it was written on here as a discussion

04:08:45.480 --> 04:08:51.860
at the very next council meeting that can be put on for as a motion to be made and seconded

04:08:51.860 --> 04:08:56.220
to have basically impose a moratorium on the issuance of any further grants under this

04:08:56.220 --> 04:08:58.140
application, or under this program.

04:08:58.140 --> 04:09:03.700
Do we treat that like the last one and take a vote on if it moves forward to the next

04:09:03.700 --> 04:09:04.700
council as a...

04:09:04.700 --> 04:09:07.020
No, it's going to move forward.

04:09:07.020 --> 04:09:11.220
I think, because she can always, any two Aldermen can always ask for something to be put on

04:09:11.220 --> 04:09:12.220
the agenda.

04:09:12.220 --> 04:09:15.940
So that's basically what I'm suggesting that if Alderman Stacy and another Alderperson want

04:09:15.940 --> 04:09:18.540
to have that item put on the agenda, they can have it put on the agenda.

04:09:18.540 --> 04:09:24.540
Okay, so that would be for discussion. You're not tasking Attorney Zito to draw up some thing.

04:09:27.180 --> 04:09:28.140
Am I correct on that?

04:09:32.300 --> 04:09:34.860
What I asked for you saying I can't have.

04:09:35.900 --> 04:09:39.500
Not tonight because of the heading on the agenda.

04:09:40.220 --> 04:09:42.380
So it can go on to another agenda.

04:09:42.380 --> 04:09:44.140
For discussion, how does that change?

04:09:44.140 --> 04:09:48.420
George.

04:09:48.420 --> 04:09:52.860
For the next agenda, it can be, you know, discussion slash, you know, motion or motion

04:09:52.860 --> 04:09:58.700
to, you know, motion for to instruct, you know, attorney to draft moratorium.

04:09:58.700 --> 04:10:01.860
That's what I wanted clarity on.

04:10:01.860 --> 04:10:06.020
But that's ultimately however, you know, Alderman Stacy wants to phrase it.

04:10:06.020 --> 04:10:07.300
or half the moratorium then.

04:10:07.300 --> 04:10:09.300
and

04:10:11.300 --> 04:10:13.300
the

04:10:15.300 --> 04:10:17.300
Mayor.

04:10:19.300 --> 04:10:21.300
I would like for you to do just that.

04:10:22.300 --> 04:10:24.300
So it will be on the agenda.

04:10:25.300 --> 04:10:29.300
And I make a motion right now that it be put on the agenda without the word discussion.

04:10:30.300 --> 04:10:32.300
So you're tasking him to write this up?

04:10:33.300 --> 04:10:35.300
Yes.

04:10:35.300 --> 04:11:05.300
I'm saying that you don't need to make a motion tonight, okay, if you want, because, right, we have the rule that says any two Aldermen can have something placed on the agenda, right, but then what if, what if December, two, three more properties come to move forward with a roof or whatever is needed, and you could vote against, I mean, they were voted right, you voted against, right,

04:11:05.300 --> 04:11:12.340
it's going to be five to three or four to four and then the mayor's going to vote and she's going to vote for it.

04:11:13.940 --> 04:11:18.660
Wayne, do we have like is it likely between now and December the first meeting of December?

04:11:18.660 --> 04:11:23.860
I don't think I have to double check our schedule. I have to double check to see where we're at on the next

04:11:23.860 --> 04:11:28.180
because as as stated before before these can move forward we have to schedule the

04:11:29.380 --> 04:11:35.060
we have that hired independent contractor and he actually had an accident in his family

04:11:35.060 --> 04:11:40.020
So, he was missing some time, so we had to delay some of the inspections, but I'll double

04:11:40.020 --> 04:11:42.900
check to see where we're at on those independent inspections.

04:11:42.900 --> 04:11:47.500
So I was told Wednesday that there had been a halt put on 1010, so are you telling me

04:11:47.500 --> 04:11:49.460
you're moving forward now?

04:11:49.460 --> 04:11:55.820
1010, okay, so 1010, the short answer to your question is the contractors not had started

04:11:55.820 --> 04:11:59.140
work, and I told them to stop, and they've stopped at 1010.

04:11:59.140 --> 04:12:04.560
I've asked them to stop because I said there was an agenda item where, and there was concerns

04:12:04.560 --> 04:12:10.480
About the application and I said I needed to talk with our older people and our attorney because when I talked to our

04:12:10.660 --> 04:12:17.100
Consultant about it at the staff level our consultant meeting MSA myself we scoured the

04:12:18.220 --> 04:12:20.860
Income records I had a meeting with the property owner

04:12:20.860 --> 04:12:27.380
And I said I can't find anything that would disclose that would preclude this person from moving forward with the grant they followed all the rules

04:12:28.220 --> 04:12:33.580
and I said I can't and our consultant could not find a reason to stop it, but I said

04:12:33.580 --> 04:12:38.460
said, and our consultant actually suggested, and I agreed, they said if something is going

04:12:38.460 --> 04:12:41.260
to move forward, it's going to have to be legal action, talk to your attorney because

04:12:41.260 --> 04:12:43.220
I can't see a reason to stop it.

04:12:43.220 --> 04:12:48.100
So I said, yes, please put it on halt until we can figure out what we're doing.

04:12:48.100 --> 04:12:54.300
So from the staff level, I did tell the contractor to stop working on the project until this

04:12:54.300 --> 04:12:55.660
is figured out.

04:12:55.660 --> 04:13:01.540
For 1010 Southat, I've told them to stop.

04:13:01.540 --> 04:13:02.540
Until it's figured out.

04:13:02.540 --> 04:13:32.540
Okay, so we have a motion, do we, I forgot, did we have a second on that, to halt, to task Attorney Zito to draft, halting all, a moratorium, yeah, right, there, so I guess, right, so this will be similar to like what we did on just a few, yeah, a few other ones as to whether or not the council wants to move forward with basically looking into this more, by having my office put something together for your guys' consideration. Okay, so is there a second on that.

04:13:32.540 --> 04:13:42.900
Yeah, I just have a question. So if we were to stop this, that would stop the people that

04:13:42.900 --> 04:13:48.940
are getting the roofs, that's getting the windows, that's getting all that stops 10-10

04:13:48.940 --> 04:13:59.540
only. No, but you took a vote on it and it didn't pass.

04:13:59.540 --> 04:14:05.380
What you just said for a motion, we haven't voted on it yet. Your motion was to ask him

04:14:05.380 --> 04:14:15.320
to halt all CBDG projects. Yes. We haven't voted on that yet. But 24 and 25 would stop

04:14:15.320 --> 04:14:21.580
all that. Yeah. That's what I'm saying. Would we want to stop? Is this a state grant? Okay,

04:14:21.580 --> 04:14:27.180
so pardon me? Yes. This is a state grant. Yes. The money is already there, right? Yes.

04:14:27.180 --> 04:14:34.540
deadlines by the way yeah and that's why i'm saying what deadlines i originally this um grant had a

04:14:34.540 --> 04:14:41.020
deadline of november of this month of this year and so i'd say i think it was back three months

04:14:41.020 --> 04:14:46.700
ago i started the process of a grant extension and had a multitude of reasons on why we needed a

04:14:46.700 --> 04:14:52.300
grant extension so the state of ill this is one of the most restrictive grants you're going to

04:14:52.300 --> 04:14:57.280
to find, I've worked with several different communities in looking, you know, I'm going

04:14:57.280 --> 04:15:04.280
back when I started, when I was hired on here, going on three years, one of my biggest dedications

04:15:04.280 --> 04:15:08.460
I've done for this community is working on a way to unlock this money for these homeowners

04:15:08.460 --> 04:15:13.020
because the state was like, every step of the way I would say, hey, can I move forward

04:15:13.020 --> 04:15:14.020
with this?

04:15:14.020 --> 04:15:18.860
And they would say, okay, here's 10 more, here's 10 more roadblocks you have to get

04:15:18.860 --> 04:15:20.940
through before you can get the people this money.

04:15:20.940 --> 04:15:21.940
and others.

04:15:21.940 --> 04:15:22.940
There's another 10 roadblocks.

04:15:22.940 --> 04:15:24.700
And so I would get to a point and then there would be more roadblocks.

04:15:24.700 --> 04:15:28.380
And then, you know, we got to a certain point and then it was like, hey, hire this consultant.

04:15:28.380 --> 04:15:29.380
Where can we go?

04:15:29.380 --> 04:15:31.340
You know, how can we get the people to aid?

04:15:31.340 --> 04:15:36.220
And it really kind of seemed like the state was trying to just put all these bureaucratic

04:15:36.220 --> 04:15:39.460
roadblocks in front of us so that we would hit the deadline.

04:15:39.460 --> 04:15:44.580
But our consultant was really great and it really helped us put together an extension,

04:15:44.580 --> 04:15:46.900
not from November, but they got it done for May.

04:15:46.900 --> 04:15:50.820
So my staff has done a tremendous amount of work.

04:15:50.820 --> 04:15:56.580
I looked at the binder today and it was probably about 16 inches tall which is paperwork for

04:15:56.580 --> 04:16:03.100
this actual grant application. So the answer to your question is the grant is currently,

04:16:03.100 --> 04:16:12.100
I believe the extension goes until May of 26. And I will say that, I'm sorry, May of

04:16:12.100 --> 04:16:20.700
25. It feels like time flies when you're having fun. So I would state that when in

04:16:20.700 --> 04:16:27.700
In working with the DCEO who administers this grant, they said if you continue to show progress,

04:16:27.700 --> 04:16:32.860
there's a very good chance you'll get another extension in May to bring all the people this

04:16:32.860 --> 04:16:33.860
aid.

04:16:33.860 --> 04:16:40.220
So certainly delaying the process and putting a moratorium is going to put more of a strain

04:16:40.220 --> 04:16:45.300
on staff to make sure that we can get the rest of the people the aid they need for this

04:16:45.300 --> 04:16:46.300
grant.

04:16:46.300 --> 04:16:47.300
Alderman Sellers.

04:16:47.300 --> 04:17:11.220
Alderman Sellers. Yes. Didn't you guys go out and your staff go out door to door in that whole area and ask each one each how homeowner that qualified in that area? My under sorry that no, I'm just saying I remember I don't know if it was was it.

04:17:11.220 --> 04:17:31.220
Kirsten. Yeah, I know it was Kirsten, but I'm saying I don't know if it was people from the NAACP or somebody wanted to help you push and help you promote it and you had enough staff members to go out and you guys went home to home asking people did they want to qualify to be a part of this.

04:17:31.220 --> 04:17:42.720
That is to help you clarify what happened there. So I think anytime there's a grant and people think that there's money to be had, I think there's a lot of misinformation that's going out.

04:17:42.720 --> 04:17:54.220
So one thing, there's a couple things to remember here. Many of the people who submitted these grants to me, they said, I'll work with you all day. Please don't, I don't necessarily want my neighbor to know how much money I make.

04:17:54.220 --> 04:18:00.720
I don't want my neighbor to know where am I getting my money. Those are specific requests as sometimes the information is being handed to me.

04:18:00.720 --> 04:18:08.500
So it's a challenging grant from a lot of different aspects and you're working with people also would say that

04:18:09.760 --> 04:18:14.940
You know, there's just people would say well don't let don't trust him. Don't trust it. There's money to be had

04:18:14.940 --> 04:18:19.700
So there's going to be some mudslinging I think going on but the answer to your question is I had I

04:18:20.460 --> 04:18:26.560
Had to when I came in all of the grant applications the process you're talking about had been done. It was closed

04:18:56.560 --> 04:19:02.560
and inspired to take a moment and say, if you try this and you're just willing to take a break, then this is what you are going to do.

04:19:02.560 --> 04:19:10.080
But as a publicist, what I'm going to do is I'm going to use a channel of information that goes into the public's mind and

04:19:10.080 --> 04:19:17.060
what happens is if somebody foyers this information, I will have to give certain parts of it away and they all understood that I would do my best.

04:19:17.060 --> 04:19:19.800
And that's what happened with that situation.

04:19:19.800 --> 04:19:26.340
to write this up for halting all projects. Madam Clerk, would you please take the

04:19:26.340 --> 04:19:36.520
roll? Stacy? Aye. Shadle? No. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? No. Klemm? No. Monroe? Aye.

04:19:36.520 --> 04:19:39.520
Simmons?

04:19:49.800 --> 04:19:56.920
so you want all projects stopped that's what the motion is first and Stacey

04:19:56.920 --> 04:20:01.640
everything he's bringing it to me by the 1st of December the first meeting in

04:20:01.640 --> 04:20:09.200
December so my understanding of the motion is that you wanted

04:20:09.200 --> 04:20:13.440
My understanding of the motion is that you wanted me, if this motion goes through, it

04:20:13.440 --> 04:20:21.760
would be to direct me to place a moratorium on all CBGB projects.

04:20:21.760 --> 04:20:25.000
That would even include the ones approved prior.

04:20:25.000 --> 04:20:27.480
Yes, all is all.

04:20:27.480 --> 04:20:31.160
That's my understanding of the request.

04:20:31.160 --> 04:20:56.560
So we get a total understanding on these applicants and how they're really working.

04:20:56.560 --> 04:21:06.440
I don't, I agree that questions need to be asked if you feel like something is being done incorrectly.

04:21:06.440 --> 04:21:12.720
However, the people who did qualify and are getting work done...

04:21:22.720 --> 04:21:24.720
I'm sorry.

04:21:26.560 --> 04:21:52.560
No. Parker? No. The motion fails. Three to five. Okay, we'll move on to item number 32, reports from department heads. Finance. Nothing, Your Honor. Thank you. Community Development? Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor. Public Works?

04:21:52.560 --> 04:22:01.560
That's one thing. Today we had a public hearing for a CDBG grant. Great topic for sewer lining here in Freeport.

04:22:01.560 --> 04:22:13.560
It's a million dollar grant with no match by the city. We're proposing sewer lining in the fourth, third, fifth, and seventh ward due to income levels.

04:22:13.560 --> 04:22:20.560
Lines are yet to be determined. The reason I bring this up tonight is there will be a resolution that has to be passed on the December 2nd meeting

04:22:20.560 --> 04:22:25.720
Leading in order to submit for the grant on December 4th. Again, it's a million dollar

04:22:25.720 --> 04:22:32.200
grant with no match from the city, something that we've mined up and is a very good opportunity

04:22:32.200 --> 04:22:33.200
for Freeport.

04:22:33.200 --> 04:22:34.200
Fire?

04:22:34.200 --> 04:22:35.200
Nothing this evening.

04:22:35.200 --> 04:22:36.200
Police?

04:22:36.200 --> 04:22:37.200
No report.

04:22:37.200 --> 04:22:38.200
Library?

04:22:38.200 --> 04:22:39.200
Nothing tonight.

04:22:39.200 --> 04:22:40.200
IT?

04:22:40.200 --> 04:22:41.200
City Manager?

04:22:41.200 --> 04:22:50.200
I'd just like to compliment the staff on their professionalism.

04:22:50.200 --> 04:23:20.200
and I just have a couple of things I just want to thank the city crews for putting installing all the downtown Christmas decorations just in time for Missile to walk which is this Saturday from noon until 8 p.m. Everything from a hot chocolate to s'more station and horse drawn carriage rides and then at 5 o'clock is the lighting of the tree at the courthouse and in line with Christmas decorations mark your calendars and purchase your tickets now for the December 13th at 7 o'clock

04:23:20.200 --> 04:23:25.880
Rock, is the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Tribute Show at the Masonic Temple, and the proceeds

04:23:25.880 --> 04:23:33.520
from this show will go to purchase Christmas decorations along the Chicago Avenue corridor.

04:23:33.520 --> 04:23:40.240
And then also there is still time to drop off items for the 333rd National Guard Care

04:23:40.240 --> 04:23:45.560
Package. Sixty-two men and women were deployed out of Freeport, and the items that they are

04:23:45.560 --> 04:23:46.320
and

04:23:46.320 --> 04:23:47.560
the rest of the community.

04:23:47.560 --> 04:23:50.560
We are taking donations through the rest of this month.

04:23:50.560 --> 04:24:01.560
We move on to Alderman Stacy and Alderman Shadle.

04:24:01.560 --> 04:24:11.360
I would just like to say that some things were said earlier in the direction of Community

04:24:11.360 --> 04:24:19.680
Development Director Duckman that I thoroughly disagree with. He has a level

04:24:19.680 --> 04:24:27.160
of honesty and integrity that I would put second to none and I feel there is

04:24:27.160 --> 04:24:34.880
absolutely no reason to doubt anything that he did with those grants. It is not

04:24:34.880 --> 04:24:43.960
totally the way it was specified by the state. Alderman Sanders? Alderman Sellers?

04:24:43.960 --> 04:24:50.060
Alderman Klemm? I just want to mention we have a November 26th neighborhood watch

04:24:50.060 --> 04:24:58.200
meeting. That's it. Alderman Monroe? Thank you Madam Mayor. I'd like to apologize to

04:24:58.200 --> 04:25:02.880
David Hayes, item number five, on not suspending the rules and getting that

04:25:02.880 --> 04:25:26.880
I would encourage everybody to stick around for item number 38 as we come out of Executive Session, should be an interesting conversation, as well as, you know, my disappointment overall in not wanting to look into certain items just because, you know, it doesn't feel comfortable.

04:25:26.880 --> 04:25:30.840
and I think it's time that we start investigating some of the things that have been said around

04:25:30.840 --> 04:25:33.040
the city for many years.

04:25:33.040 --> 04:25:39.280
I've been coming to a realization that there are several people in this community who don't

04:25:39.280 --> 04:25:44.440
have Freeport's best interest in mind and I've started to speak out against it and as

04:25:44.440 --> 04:25:51.520
you saw here tonight, it's not very comfortable at times but sometimes it's important to bring

04:25:51.520 --> 04:25:53.440
the uncomfortable up.

04:25:53.440 --> 04:26:01.400
So I'd like to thank everybody for tuning in and listening in and more to come.

04:26:01.400 --> 04:26:03.800
Alderman Simmons?

04:26:03.800 --> 04:26:09.120
Just a reminder of our Third War Community Meeting on this Friday coming up November

04:26:09.120 --> 04:26:12.360
22nd at 4 o'clock at the library.

04:26:12.360 --> 04:26:14.200
Alderman Parker?

04:26:14.200 --> 04:26:21.480
Just to agree with Alderman Shadle reference, Mr. Duckman here, he's done a great job.

04:26:21.480 --> 04:26:22.320
and

04:26:22.320 --> 04:26:23.320
I'm going to go to number one.

04:26:23.320 --> 04:26:24.840
Number 136 is public comment.

04:26:24.840 --> 04:26:26.260
Take one at a time.

04:26:33.540 --> 04:26:35.940
So back to speak about number six.

04:26:35.940 --> 04:26:38.620
I just want you to know that what is on

04:26:38.620 --> 04:26:42.600
or what was added to the ordinance is even more of a fine

04:26:42.600 --> 04:26:46.580
than you already have in place of $100 per unit.

04:26:47.580 --> 04:26:51.300
You currently have a fine of $100 per unit

04:26:51.300 --> 04:26:53.300
and others, and I think that's the way it is.

04:26:53.300 --> 04:26:56.300
It's not something that you're going to find in your ordinance

04:26:56.300 --> 04:26:59.300
that you're not collecting on or that nothing has been collected

04:26:59.300 --> 04:27:03.300
on this year. So the request for it to be the way it was when it

04:27:03.300 --> 04:27:06.300
was presented to you as the ordinance was something that

04:27:06.300 --> 04:27:10.300
people were discussed with and agreed upon knowing that it was

04:27:10.300 --> 04:27:14.300
more than what was already in the ordinance as it stands today.

04:27:14.300 --> 04:27:16.300
Thank you.

04:27:16.300 --> 04:27:32.060
I'm not here to accuse anybody of any wrongdoing. I think that everybody does their best and

04:27:32.060 --> 04:27:41.380
I don't think that any one person knows everything. But in my experience, every government program

04:27:41.380 --> 04:27:46.380
that's offering financial help always considers assets.

04:27:46.540 --> 04:27:48.500
I've never heard of this.

04:27:48.500 --> 04:27:52.060
Now I believe that the Community Development Director

04:27:52.060 --> 04:27:54.500
probably did hand out the applications

04:27:54.500 --> 04:27:57.460
and he looked at him and to the best of his ability

04:27:57.460 --> 04:27:59.100
he complied with all the rules.

04:27:59.100 --> 04:28:03.340
But what I wanna do, I'm going to research this grant

04:28:03.340 --> 04:28:08.080
thoroughly and find out actually are they seriously

04:28:08.080 --> 04:28:11.260
not considering a person's assets?

04:28:11.260 --> 04:28:18.400
Every program I'm familiar with, health care, housing, every government program, they want

04:28:18.400 --> 04:28:23.460
to know what your assets are. These people shouldn't have even been handed an application.

04:28:23.460 --> 04:28:27.200
So I would like to know, I'd like to come to the office of the Community Development

04:28:27.200 --> 04:28:31.960
Director and find out, you know, bring my notes, exactly what the name of the program

04:28:31.960 --> 04:28:37.980
is. If you've got a notebook, I'd like to just borrow it and look at it. I could sit

04:29:07.980 --> 04:29:37.980
Thank you Mayor Miller. Nealey Erickson with Illinois Real Tours. So I want to thank Alderman Klemm for bringing up some history about the registration fee because the City Council had removed the registration fee because they realized that it impacted compliant property owners and so the real focus about the registration was to go after the

04:29:37.980 --> 04:30:07.980
and John compliant and so that's why the registration fee was removed by that City Council also I want to bring back to your attention the overall rental registration ordinance because it's a larger animal and after the definitions the immediate first implication on your ordinance is required registration property owners landlords in your community cannot rent to tenants unless their properties are registered and so we recognize

04:30:07.980 --> 04:30:09.140
that there are no.

04:30:09.140 --> 04:30:26.140
We recognize that there are non-compliant individuals, and when we were discussing the fee structure, we designed the fee structure to ensure compliance and protect your contendence exactly from what you said, Alderwoman Sellers,

04:30:26.140 --> 04:30:31.200
Sanders, and that we wanted to make sure that they did not take the brunt of the overall

04:30:31.200 --> 04:30:37.420
burdensome of that fee, because you have to remember, if the property owner can't pay

04:30:37.420 --> 04:30:43.460
the fee, they then cannot register the property, and what is the tenant supposed to do?

04:30:43.460 --> 04:30:49.900
And so that is the reason why the fee is designed in order to encourage compliance without extreme

04:30:49.900 --> 04:30:53.380
penalization of that individual and the tenant.

04:30:53.380 --> 04:30:59.620
and so Ashley and I, Ashley is with the Landlord Association, I am with the Realtor Association

04:30:59.620 --> 04:31:04.980
and so when we worked on this proposal back and forth with the City Manager and with the

04:31:04.980 --> 04:31:10.980
City, we wanted to make sure that the implications were minimal and that it focused on the problem

04:31:10.980 --> 04:31:16.840
property owners in your community and that is what the core goal of this ordinance is

04:31:16.840 --> 04:31:18.660
that was in front of you today.

04:31:18.660 --> 04:31:23.260
So we hope that you see that in the next couple of weeks that you remember these words, it

04:31:23.260 --> 04:31:25.260
and so forth.

04:31:25.260 --> 04:31:34.260
We want to make sure that we have the right to the city, not just to focus on problem property owners, but to protect your tenants in your community because they bring value here too.

04:31:34.260 --> 04:31:40.260
And we don't think that you don't think that they do, but we always have to remember how it trickles down.

04:31:40.260 --> 04:31:48.260
And we also want to make sure it's perfectly clear that throughout this, we have brought ideas to the city outside of the rental registration system.

04:31:48.260 --> 04:31:53.120
E. Z. to create another document that says at the signing table, letting that person

04:31:53.120 --> 04:31:56.940
know who's purchasing the property, that if you're going to rent this property, there

04:31:56.940 --> 04:32:02.420
is a registration system with the City of Freeport and you are obligated to follow it.

04:32:02.420 --> 04:32:07.860
And at that point in time, they know also with the water bills, the tenant is responsible

04:32:07.860 --> 04:32:13.100
to sign up for the water to ask a simple question, are you a tenant or not?

04:32:13.100 --> 04:32:15.100
Necklin, you can update about beef, but wozade.

04:32:15.100 --> 04:32:17.100
Wozade is right, Tommy?

04:32:17.100 --> 04:32:19.100
Yeah.

04:32:19.100 --> 04:32:21.100
My question is, what is the

04:32:21.100 --> 04:32:23.100
difference between beef and wozade?

04:32:23.100 --> 04:32:25.100
I think the difference is that

04:32:25.100 --> 04:32:27.100
the beef is the same as the

04:32:27.100 --> 04:32:29.100
beef.

04:32:29.100 --> 04:32:31.100
The beef is the same as the

04:32:31.100 --> 04:32:33.100
beef.

04:32:33.100 --> 04:32:35.100
The beef is the same as the

04:32:35.100 --> 04:32:37.100
beef.

04:32:37.100 --> 04:32:39.100
The beef is the same as the

04:32:39.100 --> 04:32:41.100
beef.

04:32:41.100 --> 04:32:51.100
My understanding is that a restaurant is submitting their permits, a good restaurant that you will probably enjoy.

04:32:51.100 --> 04:32:59.100
Anyone told Jodi Miller that she gets a good job to meet with people and go Packers?

04:32:59.100 --> 04:33:04.100
Go Packers. Are there any other public comments?

04:33:04.100 --> 04:33:13.940
I'll make this very very quick. I really enjoyed the debate especially on the

04:33:13.940 --> 04:33:19.700
landlord situation and I don't want to pick on this poor man but it's not

04:33:19.700 --> 04:33:25.460
totally working properly. When they came in investigated some garages in my

04:33:25.460 --> 04:33:31.900
neighborhood that were bad which I kind of pointed to the fact rather than repair

04:33:31.900 --> 04:33:35.100
of the Garages, they tore them down.

04:33:35.100 --> 04:33:39.700
All of a sudden, my property values are less, not more.

04:33:39.700 --> 04:33:42.980
That property value is less, not more.

04:33:42.980 --> 04:33:50.220
So we need to think, like the people that just pointed out,

04:33:50.220 --> 04:33:54.260
what we do, we are destroying more than we're creating.

04:33:54.260 --> 04:33:58.180
We're demolishing more than we're rebuilding.

04:33:58.180 --> 04:34:01.660
And I think we've got to get on that track.

04:34:01.660 --> 04:34:04.580
We're trying to hold our property taxes down.

04:34:04.580 --> 04:34:09.540
I put something in there and I would have liked to kept the level the same,

04:34:09.540 --> 04:34:12.620
which would have increased to another $18,000.

04:34:12.620 --> 04:34:18.460
I don't care about the $18,000, but if we can get our property taxes

04:34:18.460 --> 04:34:22.360
up in my neighborhood, it should reduce the property taxes

04:34:22.360 --> 04:34:24.820
in the other areas as well.

04:34:24.820 --> 04:34:29.900
So we need to manage our property as well as we can.

04:34:29.900 --> 04:34:34.540
Anyway, the job on the budget has been pretty remarkable.

04:34:34.540 --> 04:34:36.240
A lot of work went into it.

04:34:36.240 --> 04:34:37.980
I know Michelle went through hell.

04:34:37.980 --> 04:34:39.980
I went through hell, looked at the numbers.

04:34:39.980 --> 04:34:41.940
They come out halfway decent.

04:34:41.940 --> 04:34:44.500
There are some things that you shouldn't take notice of.

04:34:44.500 --> 04:34:47.380
Most of you got my documentation.

04:34:47.380 --> 04:34:50.740
Look forward to solving those few problems,

04:34:50.740 --> 04:34:52.900
and I think we'll be in very, very good shape.

04:34:52.900 --> 04:34:55.880
The capital budget project that he put together

04:34:55.880 --> 04:34:57.780
is a doable thing.

04:34:57.780 --> 04:34:58.940
Goodbye.

04:34:58.940 --> 04:35:03.940
Are there any other public comments?

04:35:03.940 --> 04:35:06.020
Okay, we'll move on to item number 37.

04:35:06.020 --> 04:35:07.540
Could you please read this?

04:35:07.540 --> 04:35:11.780
Pursuant to 5 ILCS 122C2, collective negotiating matters

04:35:11.780 --> 04:35:13.820
between the public body and its employees

04:35:13.820 --> 04:35:16.460
or their representatives or deliberations concerning

04:35:16.460 --> 04:35:20.300
salary schedules for one or more classes of employees.

04:35:20.300 --> 04:35:23.220
Is there a motion to enter into executive session?

04:35:23.220 --> 04:35:25.780
So moved.

04:35:25.780 --> 04:35:28.860
Do we have a second?

04:35:28.860 --> 04:35:32.580
We're waiting on Klemm.

04:35:32.580 --> 04:35:33.580
Do we have a second?

04:35:33.580 --> 04:35:34.580
Yeah, we're waiting on Klemm.

04:35:34.580 --> 04:35:41.860
Okay, so we've got a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker.

04:35:41.860 --> 04:35:46.460
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?

04:35:46.460 --> 04:35:47.460
Stacy?

04:35:47.460 --> 04:35:48.460
Aye.

04:35:48.460 --> 04:35:49.460
Shadle?

04:35:49.460 --> 04:35:50.460
Aye.

04:35:50.460 --> 04:35:51.460
Sanders?

04:35:51.460 --> 04:35:52.460
Aye.

04:35:52.460 --> 04:35:53.460
Sellers?

04:35:53.460 --> 04:36:16.980
Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, Parker, Motion passes 6 to 2

04:36:23.460 --> 04:36:27.460
Can you leave the door open?

04:37:23.460 --> 04:37:25.460
Good night!

04:37:53.460 --> 04:38:08.460
He directed all of that work. He did all of it. He went out and told the counter counter, go do this, and then he called us and said I told him to do that. It's work for work. I know that man. Adam Holder was one of my best friends.

04:38:23.460 --> 04:38:52.460
Oh, is he getting ready?

04:38:52.460 --> 04:39:11.460
I asked Scott if he was in there. I asked Scott if he was in there. He was like, I'm leaving. And he just left. I was like, okay.

04:39:52.460 --> 04:40:08.900
and many more.

04:40:08.900 --> 04:40:12.900
The lights are off upstairs. I hope she didn't go home.

04:40:16.900 --> 04:40:18.900
The lights are off upstairs.

04:40:24.900 --> 04:40:26.900
Oh here she comes. She went downstairs.

04:41:38.900 --> 04:41:39.900
and more.

04:41:39.900 --> 04:41:49.900
Smashing, Alderslash, Larry, Chief Manager, R.M.G., from Milwaukee came down here to give $9 million to the program.

04:41:49.900 --> 04:41:55.900
They had to hire a person to write it up. They were still paying for it.

04:41:55.900 --> 04:42:02.900
It's a good thing. Every time there's a new community, if you think it's going to be changed twice, just get your first person.

04:43:02.900 --> 04:43:17.900
I have not heard of any of these. My reputation is that they have no reason not to trust me with what I do.

04:43:17.900 --> 04:43:21.900
I don't think they all want the same thing.

04:43:21.900 --> 04:43:26.900
The person that's important to me, I don't have to deal with things here.

04:43:26.900 --> 04:43:28.900
just ask your questions.

04:43:28.900 --> 04:43:30.900
Here's my answer to all of you.

04:43:30.900 --> 04:43:31.900
You may know it.

04:43:31.900 --> 04:43:33.400
I'm 247 over the world.

04:43:33.400 --> 04:43:34.900
I answer every call.

04:43:34.900 --> 04:43:37.900
Everybody I call, I answer your question.

04:43:37.900 --> 04:43:38.900
Everybody.

04:43:38.900 --> 04:43:41.900
There are people who are most comfortable with the phone.

04:43:41.900 --> 04:43:43.400
Do you want to do it?

04:43:43.400 --> 04:43:43.900
Do it.

04:43:43.900 --> 04:43:44.400
Everybody.

04:43:44.400 --> 04:43:45.900
I know I do.

04:43:45.900 --> 04:43:46.400
Great.

04:43:46.400 --> 04:43:47.900
But I'm going to do it.

04:43:47.900 --> 04:43:50.900
I just don't want to have to answer your questions

04:43:50.900 --> 04:43:53.900
because I don't know how long this is going to take.

04:44:53.900 --> 04:45:00.900
and so forth, and so what you're going to get is everybody's going to get a phone call,

04:45:23.900 --> 04:45:30.900
Do you know what a simple thing it was?

04:45:53.900 --> 04:46:15.900
I think it's something to do with student, because it's all he's supposed to do. And actually, obviously, he had an essay, and our one did, so it was separate parties, so it wasn't for the one who did. They checked the bars, and said, oh, it's better to say it to a student.

04:47:45.900 --> 04:47:54.900
8, 12, 10, but that's what I was going to tell you.

04:47:54.900 --> 04:48:10.900
I just want to say that's probably how it's happening.

04:48:10.900 --> 04:48:11.900
and others.

04:48:11.900 --> 04:48:12.900
So that's what it is.

04:48:12.900 --> 04:48:13.900
That's what it is.

04:48:13.900 --> 04:48:14.900
That's what it is.

04:48:14.900 --> 04:48:17.900
I mean, their pocket is going into the company's pocket.

04:48:17.900 --> 04:48:20.900
I mean, that's exactly what I'm saying.

04:48:20.900 --> 04:48:22.900
That's exactly what I'm saying.

04:48:22.900 --> 04:48:28.900
Well, I hate to say it, but this is going to sound sick,

04:48:28.900 --> 04:48:31.900
but you can't blame people for playing the moves that they're good at.

04:48:31.900 --> 04:48:32.900
Right?

04:48:32.900 --> 04:48:33.900
You can't blame them.

04:48:33.900 --> 04:48:34.900
Well, right.

04:48:34.900 --> 04:48:36.900
I mean, seriously, they're just playing the game.

04:48:36.900 --> 04:48:38.900
If they check the boxes, right?

04:48:38.900 --> 04:48:39.900
Right.

04:48:39.900 --> 04:48:47.900
Now, the next question is, does it mean they just need to change the rules for that?

04:48:47.900 --> 04:48:49.900
The answer is no.

04:48:49.900 --> 04:48:53.900
Okay, so the next question is just where we are now.

04:48:53.900 --> 04:48:55.900
Is there something we can look into?

04:48:55.900 --> 04:48:59.900
The only thing that you can't do is you might have to stop the program.

04:49:29.900 --> 04:49:33.900
I'm sure you've heard about some of our guys before.

04:49:33.900 --> 04:49:34.900
Hey, we both told them.

04:49:34.900 --> 04:49:35.900
Is that part of that?

04:49:35.900 --> 04:49:36.900
Yeah.

04:49:36.900 --> 04:49:37.900
All right.

04:49:37.900 --> 04:49:39.900
I feel like this is going to happen.

04:53:07.900 --> 04:53:12.900
and Al, because just to get your company to show up and do it, I don't know.

04:53:12.900 --> 04:53:15.900
But everything I can do, I'll do it.

04:53:15.900 --> 04:53:17.900
I just want to know that they were...

04:53:17.900 --> 04:53:20.900
I don't have an appreciation for being in a sort of game right from the last night.

04:53:20.900 --> 04:53:21.900
Yeah, yeah.

04:53:21.900 --> 04:53:22.900
So that's...

04:53:22.900 --> 04:53:23.900
Oh, yeah.

04:56:23.900 --> 04:56:38.900
We're going to go back to your question. Where's the money? Where's the money? That's what I want to know.

04:56:38.900 --> 04:56:44.900
Oops, I'm sorry, sister.

04:56:44.900 --> 04:56:46.900
You're fine.

04:56:46.900 --> 04:57:01.900
Okay. All right. We're recording. It is, it is 1056. Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll in returning to open session?

04:57:01.900 --> 04:57:12.900
Madam Mayor, Alderpersons, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons.

04:57:12.900 --> 04:57:25.880
Sanders, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers.

04:57:25.880 --> 04:57:32.180
Item number 38 is adoption of resolution R2024.119.

04:57:32.180 --> 04:57:33.819
Could you please read this?

04:57:33.819 --> 04:57:38.420
Resolution ratifying collective bargaining agreement with the Illinois Fraternal Order

04:57:38.420 --> 04:57:41.860
of Police Labor Council, local number 884.

04:57:41.860 --> 04:57:42.860
Thank you.

04:57:42.860 --> 04:57:43.860
Manager Boyer.

04:57:43.860 --> 04:57:46.380
Thank you, Your Honor.

04:57:46.380 --> 04:57:53.420
Just before the Council tonight is the negotiated contract with the Fraternal Order of Police.

04:57:53.420 --> 04:58:01.540
It includes a three-year contract with three step increases at eight for 2025, seven for

04:58:01.540 --> 04:58:04.340
2026, and seven for 2027.

04:58:04.340 --> 04:58:27.340
7. It also includes a Uniform Allowance Increase totaling approximately $11,000 in total impact and a bilingual bonus. It also removes language related to the PEP medical plan, which is valued at about 1.5%. Thank you.

04:58:27.340 --> 04:58:29.340
Is there a motion to adopt?

04:58:29.340 --> 04:58:30.340
So moved.

04:58:30.340 --> 04:58:31.340
Second.

04:58:31.340 --> 04:58:35.340
We have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

04:58:35.340 --> 04:58:38.340
Discussion on the resolution. Alderman Monroe.

04:58:38.340 --> 04:58:44.340
City Manager Boyer, what is the total impact on the city for this, if this were to go through this room?

04:58:44.340 --> 04:58:50.340
Approximately a million and a half dollars.

04:58:50.340 --> 04:58:51.340
Any other discussion?

04:58:51.340 --> 04:58:56.340
And we still have yet how many more contracts to discuss?

04:58:56.340 --> 04:59:00.340
We don't have any this year.

04:59:00.340 --> 04:59:06.460
but what contracts how many contracts do we have coming up? Well we have AFSCME

04:59:06.460 --> 04:59:15.620
coming up and then fire following that. Any other discussion? Madam Clerk please

04:59:15.620 --> 04:59:17.860
take the role.

04:59:18.020 --> 04:59:22.220
Oh I'm sorry I didn't see you, Alderman Klemm, sorry.

04:59:22.220 --> 04:59:30.800
I don't think we can afford this either way but I'll say aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye.

04:59:30.800 --> 04:59:45.380
Stacey? No. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? I don't

04:59:45.380 --> 04:59:49.380
I don't think we can afford this, either way, but I'll say aye.

04:59:49.380 --> 04:59:50.380
Simmons?

04:59:50.380 --> 04:59:51.380
Aye.

04:59:51.380 --> 04:59:52.380
Parker?

04:59:52.380 --> 04:59:53.380
Aye.

04:59:53.380 --> 05:00:01.380
The resolution is adopted, 6-8, 6-2 for a total of 8.

05:00:01.380 --> 05:00:02.380
It's late.

05:00:02.380 --> 05:00:06.380
Okay, since it is 11 o'clock, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn.

05:00:06.380 --> 05:00:07.380
Second.

05:00:07.380 --> 05:00:10.380
Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

05:00:10.380 --> 05:00:12.380
All those in favor signify by saying aye.

05:00:12.380 --> 05:00:13.380
Aye.