In addition, engaging with congressional representatives regarding future earmarks and appropriations. In conclusion, McGuire Woods is actively identifying and assisting with multiple grants and funding opportunities across transportation, environmental, law enforcement, arts and municipal infrastructure.


They are also supporting the city, state, and federal funding requests for upcoming fiscal years.


So with all that being said, they have not found any money for us yet.


and others that would be coming to a conclusion, so right now we've been studying, looking and providing information to them and they have been continuing to interact with legislators and other program managers.


Yes, but that was known when we first started the project that we were signing with them at the end of the appropriations process and that we would likely see movement in the summer So, how often do you say that they update you and give you an updated memo? How often?


with other updates as necessary. Okay, could you give me a copy of your memo that you spoke of tonight and a copy of the six months worth of updates, please, and thank you.


Okay. Any other discussion on the report? Darin did you have something? I'll make a comment on the McGuire Woods so just so everyone knows and we did a funding forum I think a week and a half ago something like that all federal and state processes right now are have been frozen by the federal government so there will be no money moving that is not already appropriated or allocated all the notice of funding opportunities and many other things that have been frozen until the presidential order changes on that.


There is no funding nominations or ability to get right now other than local, you know, estate funding type stuff that's already been sent out.


Alderman Sanders. Oh, I saw your hand up. Go ahead. Okay. All right, my sister.


Okay, you are not hitting the nail right on the head with your assessment of what state and federal is doing. One question that I have, let me get it right, did we vote as Council for Consulting Services? I'm trying to recollect.


Yes, we did. We did. And was it approved? Was it, it was not approved? I hope so. It was. You're messing with me. Okay. All right. Okay. It was approved. And that's what, that's what my, my concern was. I know we're talking like, um, they're, they're in the mix of doing consulting services for the City of Freeport. And that's what I, that's what my understanding is. They have signed contract yeah okay okay i didn't get a copy of it but that's okay i think you probably did in your packet okay i'll remember no i'll wait mayor i'm good okay i have a question well you let that be like number six for you so council do you mind don't mind okay go ahead okay so why would we Continue. Why would we continue knowing that funds are at a hawk? Why would we continue putting money into something that we're not going to be able to reap any benefits from?


Alderman Sellers. Are we still looking at, didn't you say Darren, there was state funding that they can look at while they're down in Springfield? Is it state? We just can't look at federal, but we can look at state, correct?


Yes and no, like motor fuel tax money, those types of items like that, ITEP, things like that are not frozen at a local level, but anything that has federal dollars attached to it, Robin, I went to a little mini conference today, anything that has any federal dollars attached to it, that includes one dollar, that is all basically in the icebox right now, until further notice.


Alderman, Monroe Thank you Madam Mayor. I actually will go right now because this pertains to this conversation of federal funding. This week our police department decided to put out a trust act letter that essentially will probably block us from most federal funding. And the reason why is because we're refusing to work with federal law enforcement and the Mayor of Chicago.


And I think it's important when it comes to enforcement of civil immigration laws, especially when it pertains to criminal migrants who they are trying to track down.


So, we've seen in the last week or two, both the Mayor of Chicago and the Governor of Illinois and others.


The same is going to happen in Freeport because we have decided to side with the law of Illinois and ignore the federal laws.


So it's disappointing that on one hand we say we're going to hire this firm to go out and I. And on the other hand, without the consent, without the advisement from the council, we're going to go out and put a letter out that then puts us in line with the same people who are now facing federal retribution. And it's very concerning. We have to figure out and John.


We want to go about getting these federal funds because without the federal funds, we can't rebuild our infrastructure.


And someone knows at the President of the United States in a Facebook post without having a discussion in here first to make sure it's the right thing to do, we all agree, we're just going to go out and do it.


and others. It kind of goes against what we as a community have been about. We've worked through most of our issues in here. We don't always see eye to eye. We don't always agree.


But we have to work together as a community in order to get these funds that are going to build our community back. We have no hope from the state of Illinois who is now billions Fowler.


We have millions and billions of dollars in debt, hopelessly in debt. It's a race to figure out between us, California, and a couple of other states who's going to file bankruptcy first.


But these federal funds and this organization that we're talking about here, who is now going out and fundraising, essentially, consulting us for lobbying and government relations, is and others.


And that is now in the middle of our politics. We put our politics on the front page.


And now this organization is stuck trying to fight through that, and we've put ourselves and aligned ourselves in a way that, quite honestly, may prohibit us from getting federal funding.


That's where my problem is. It's that point. Okay, so that was totally off topic. Chief, would you like to respond?


Sure. Just in response to the reason why that was released, I was approached by our School Resource Officer. There was some angst in the school. I was also made aware of people in the community thinking we had a pretty heavy presence on Oak for a long time and and still do and seeing us out there in plain clothes with vests on, thought that immigration was in town, I was just clarifying what the rule of law is, how we're governed at this point and that, you know, there were no ICE agents in Freeport, just to put the facts out there instead of having this fester and cause problems within the school, in the community and so that was the reason for that.


Thank you. Is there any other discussion concerning the McGuire Woods report? Seeing none, we'll move on to department head reports, which would be finance.


I'm right here. What? You can't hear me? No, you're not at your seat. I can't...


Do I have to be at my seat? Well, I believe that's kind of...nobody will be able to hear you, Larry.


Well, if I go back to my seat, I won't have time to go to the other seat.


I don't know what to tell you no there's not been any motion it was just an ask for an update of a report and so that's what the city manager was doing thank you finance thank you your honor I would just like to take a moment to To congratulate Gladys Hilton. She retired today after 25 years of service to the city of Freeport. We're so happy for her and she will be greatly missed.


We agree. Community Development. Community Development? Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor. Thank you. Public Works? I have one thing. The street superintendent asked me to relay some information. There was quite a few Facebook book posts on Friday, so we want to clarify some information.


The street department is not scheduled like fire police departments. We don't have people on shift 24 hours a day, but we do have people on call 24 hours a day.


Friday's event was a winter weather warning for our area. We all knew it. It didn't come in the same time as they predicted.


The City issued a snow emergency earlier in the week. When these are ordered, it's strongly encouraged for people to stay home during the squall events.


That being said, we... and Chris. That being said, we had six guys that were called in to plow priority routes.


Those six guys promptly came in at 7.30 on Friday night to do primary routes. Everyone came in again at 4 a.m. on Saturday morning and plowed all the streets, parking lots, cul-de-sacs, primary alleys, along with the city-owned sidewalks. Pat was hired to be resourceful as possible when spending taxpayers' money. It's not feasible to be out wasting Salt and overtime money during a squall event at night. We're best off to wait till after it runs its course the best we can and then attack it at night when people are not around. I want to give a little history of the plowing that happened last week. The guys worked from 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. They worked 4 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday. They were called back in at 730 to 11 o'clock on Friday and the rest of the group.


They were in again at 4 a.m. to 11 30 on Saturday to remove all the snow and ice again. Due to OSHA standards, we have to have to let the guys have time off to rest because they have CDL licenses required by law and also we were trying to be good partners to them to give them some time with their Valentine partners that they hadn't seen since they were at work at 4 a.m.


I just want to remind everybody that we have our rescheduled board meeting tomorrow night from last week.


We have a very lean crew and they deserve times with their family too. And if people are out risking their own lives during a snow event, that choice is on their own.


Thank you. Thank you. Boyer? Nothing this evening. Thank you. Police? I have no report. Thank you. Thank you. Library?


I just want to remind everybody that we have our rescheduled board meeting tomorrow night from last week. So it'll be at the library at 6 p.m. Thank you.


IT? Thank you. City Manager? I'd just like to echo Michelle's comments about Gladys. Gladys, you will be missed. Thank you. Yeah, that was exactly what I was going to say too. So yeah, 25 years of service with the city, so we appreciate her. Alderman, I So I think it would be Simmons who you were at the start?


No, but thank you, no. Alderman Parker? I'm going to keep my mouth shut on one subject, but I do want to thank the Street Department.


They did an excellent job. Thank you. Alderman Stacy? No, thank you. Alderman Sanders, I'll wait till you get to your chair.


OK. Or your seat. Yeah, I have an array of things I want to comment on or statement.


Thank you. Alderman Sellers. Alderman, Sellers. Yes, I got a text message that would like me to let everyone know to join the Citizens Utility Board, CUB, Environmental Study Group, and State Representative Jab Cabello to learn about how to reduce your utility bills and tap into money-saving clean energy G. Programs, it will be Thursday, March 6th, 530 to 730 at the Freeport Public Library.


And she would like everyone to come out and bring some of your utility bills that they could also look at and help you out on.


Thank you. That's about it. Yeah. Thank you for mentioning that. I forgot also with Representative Cabello, he is doing an event here at City Hall on Friday.


I believe 830, the entire business hours of City Hall for I-Pass, where you can turn in your old I-Pass and get the new, however they had that worked out, I'm not sure of the details, but anyway you can come here, that's an event sponsored by Representative Cabello as well.


What time? and his wife. All right. We have a lot of time, all day, Friday, all day here Friday.


Alderman Klemm? I would just like to add a couple things. Kudos to the street department.


And thank you to the guys that really worked hard on the water main breaks that we had and things going south on a couple of those.


As we all know, they go out in pretty inclement weather. and the others, and we appreciate their work. Also, March 5th, mark your calendars. There's going to be a candidate for them again at the Eagles Club. Whatever you do, please get involved. Whatever you do, vote. Thank you.


Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Madam Mayor. I would like to thank all those people that and others that were able to fight their way home after work so that they could pay their taxes to the City of Freeport and they made it home safe as best they could.


I probably should thank myself for working 12 hour days, five days a week as well because that's what the Public Works Department wants to do.


We have a responsibility to this city. We pay a ton. I want to add a word in front of that to add a little color to it. A ton of taxes.


and you know I think about half the public works probably doesn't even live in the city of Freeport but we all do and we all pay taxes well some of us do and don't but with that said you know the expectation is is when the snow is two inches deep on the roads that somebody's out plowing them and that we know that's coming we've got partners in the federal government that know it's coming and they tell us it's coming we got apps that tell us we've got the and others.


The weather service, the Stevenson County Sheriff's Office app tells you, but it's dangerous. And those people have to get home.


And to expect them not to get home during a rush hour, as we would call it here in Freeport, even though compared to Chicago, it's not really a rush hour, they still have to get home from work.


They have to get home from the store, wherever it may be. And to not have the main thoroughfares at least getting touched is a problem.


And I think it's time that we expect more of our government. We're seeing that happen at the federal level.


We should expect the same at the state and local level as well. And that means you have to work and sometimes you have to work really hard and sometimes you get to work a little bit easier.


All of us do the same thing. The fire department, they do the same. The police department, although the police department tends to run from call to call a bit more.


That's a lot of work and those those agencies were stretched as well. But I think we've got to think outside the box and come up with a plan.


We've got a lot of CDL drivers in this city who could potentially help us out in these events who could come in and help out.


And I think we need to look at some of those options kind of moving forward.


Thank you, Mayor. Next is public comment. Are there any public comments this evening? Go ahead.


Hi, my name is Cheryl Altman. I wanted to touch on the lighting system for everybody that has a child that's been shot because you guys, you say you got $13,500, you're telling me that your child's life wouldn't be worth that $13,500 to put a light up?


I'm a mother who lost her son at 21 years of age, she was, and I guarantee you any mother that next time you find a child that's been shot on there, you go tell that parent that Dugman.


The city didn't want to put up these lights, but yet they can go and spend all this money on snow plow, which you could have used, snow spreader, if it was hit, you could have got insurance money.


So, you're telling me that kids' lives are important, or the citizens of Freeport are important.


More important is you swatching that little tiny dollar, but we all pay taxes here.


Second, I'm going to address this to Wayne Dugman. You keep saying that the building you tore down on Shaw knees that belonged to Akia Sanders was in terrible shape.


It was bad shape. But why aren't you putting a sticker on the Rowley building that's been in that condition for years?


You refused to tear that down. It had asbestos in it. You won't tear that down because you're thinking you might get something along.


That train might come through and you might be able to sell that property. and like Albers, you gave all this, you gave Albers a chance to buy that other Raleigh building for a hundred bucks.


And then you tore down her place and you and I know and you're not going to like this mayor but it's who you know and who your friends are because I know who your friends are.


I went to school with you. Are there any other public comments? I'm Makia Sanders along with Tiffany Sanders.


I own 404 and 402 Shawnee. You gotta wonder how would you need your permission to, need the council's permission to pay for a demolition and you didn't even need their permission to address the situation first.


And every time you open your mouth Wayne, you helped me out. You sat up there and told Monroe that you didn't get served a stop demolition order. That was a lie. If anybody want copies, I have the time, I have a video of speaking to you before you demoed my house, after I served you papers, stating that I served you papers you're going to knock my house down anyway.


Hennett, by the Wagner House. Somebody got shot and I know for sure it was because of the light issue and they can't find the shooter.


And I watched you go to an event where that family celebrated celebration of life and you, that statement, you attending that and smiling was diabolical to me.


And this is the weakest display of leadership I've ever seen to wait and say let's become and John.


I'm a distressed city. Less sand, less weight to somebody else gets shot, beat up or killed. What the heck? Nice going.


Y'all doing a real great job up here. Nobody likes you though. Next. I moved out of Freeport in 2020 to Ames, Iowa and spent four years there getting my degree.


I recently went to Des Moines and talked to my friends that live in Des Moines, even one in a trailer park, and told them what's happening in Freeport and they were flabbergasted at the least.


I love this city. I want to continue living in this city. I want people my age to not feel like we have to leave.


So when there's little things about, oh, shouldn't all the city get lights? Yeah, duh, that's not the problem.


The problem is we're focusing on all these small, other petty things to be like, oh, look at our crime rate compared to Chicago.


Look at the crime rate compared to Des Moines. I pulled it up. It is astonishing.


And even downtown Des Moines lit up like a Christmas tree and that helps, but even the trailer park and my friend lives in.


She could go stand on the street and I can see her in a trailer park.


We can't do the same for our streets. I don't wanna leave here again, but this council and the city in general is making it very hard to wanna stay for my safety and the safety of my family.


My mom has put roots down here. My brother may have put roots down here.


I don't wanna spend the rest of my nephew's life only seeing him once a month, like I did from 2020 to 2024.


Can we please figure something out for the love of the city? Not for our own well-being or whatever it is.


You love the city, you want to live in it, you want to be the mayor, please do something about this.


Thank you. Is there any other public comment? Tommy? Roy Dickinson. You got another thing, but the Holiday Inn is week four.


Holiday Inn is not open, Tommy. We are working on getting that one torn down as well.


What about that Lincoln, what Don Parker said, that Lincoln, Lincoln Sink, right Don? That Lincoln School in Chicago, that old school.


Oh, we're working on demolishing that one as well, Tommy. and we that shows he Mike was looking good it's why by that Jersey Mike right but yep by the old GameStop yep there we're still working on that one as I had a talk to our building inspector they're full steam ahead on that one so okay I hope you're hungry are there any other public comments not out to entertain a motion for adjournment so move motion made by Alderman Sellers Sanders, seconded by Alderman Monroe, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe.