Good evening.
Since it's six o'clock, Evelyn, could you please give the invocation?
Shall we bow our heads?
Heavenly Father, we lift up our city leaders, our mayor, council members, city manager, and our public servants to you today.
We thank you for their willingness to serve our community and ask for your divine guidance in their work.
Hark, Grant them wisdom, discernment and integrity to make decisions that are just, compassionate and for the well-being of all residents.
Protect them from selfish ambition, corruption and temptations of power, keeping their hearts pure in their focus on serving others.
Strengthen them with grace for the challenges they face and provide the ones capable, godly counsel.
Russell.
May their leadership foster unity, peace, and prosperity within our city, reflecting your love and purpose for our community.
Yes, Father.
Help us, the citizens, to pray for them and to be good stewards in our own lives, contributing to a better city for all.
And Father I also ask you to for the wisdom and for the health and strength for the council members and their families keep them safe father for the rest of the year in Jesus holy and matchless name amen amen and we'll call this meeting to order madam clerk could you please when you're done could you please take the Mayor Miller, Alderpersons, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers If you could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Johnson.
Item number four is the approval of the agenda.
Is there such a motion?
So I'll move.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
Aye.
Opposed?
That motion passes.
Public comment, which there are none signed in.
Item number six is update to what became of the funds from the December 13th, 2024 Christmas Wizards Fundraiser that was specifically created to raise money for the new downtown holiday decorations On December 13, 2024, the City of Freeport and the Greater Freeport Partnership hosted a fundraiser.
The purpose of the Christmas Wizard fundraiser was to raise monies for new downtown Christmas decorations.
And many more.
The ticket prices for this event ranged from $25 to $50.
My question and concerns are as follow.
How many tickets were sold?
How much money was raised?
Were there any decorations purchased?
If so, then where are they?
And can you please provide the and others.
If not, then where are the funds currently located and who has control of these funds?
Greater Freeport Partnership or the City of Freeport?
So were you presenting something that you, I mean normally in a presentation you're putting forward an idea or something to move forward what's what are you presenting okay I'm asking a question that I would like answers to okay so pick up a phone no no that's not how it's done it's an agenda item you knew this was coming to the council tonight and so on.
As a matter of fact, I'm so lucky to have the only thing that's on the agenda tonight.
And so why do I not or can I not get answers to my questions?
Okay.
So just so that way everybody has a little bit of back history, let's see, it would have and I, and then I sent an email to Alderman Stacy, and she sent this memo with the questions.
Madam Clerk forwarded it then to me, so I sent an email to Alderman Stacy back to her school email address, and I also copied Andrea Winters, who's the GFP, and City Manager Boyer on that and I wrote to you and I said that Dovie had forwarded this to me and that I had copied those two on it that Andrea is the head of the GFP.
I also explained that there was really no need to have a discussion on the COW because absolutely no funds were received or spent by the City of Freeport and as far as your questions I am sure that Andrea would have no problem answering them.
Also the City's logo was on the flyer simply because the lead singer had contacted me about and Stacey.
And then, that was at 9.13 on Friday morning.
At 11.35 Friday morning, Andrea responded on that same email thread and she addressed you Alderman Stacy and she said that the proceeds from the Christmas Wizards concert were used to purchase Christmas decorations that have been installed on street light poles on Chicago and Stacey.
Those wreaths have been installed by City Crews.
These wreaths and any further wreaths would be purchased from future concert proceeds would be installed annually with the rest of the downtown Christmas decorations.
Then at 1235, Alderman Stacy sent an email to me and did not include Andrea or the City Manager on it, and her response was, okay.
Thank you for your mediocre response.
However, I still want this on the agenda for discussion and I have followed protocol honor my request.
So it is on for discussion.
So not sure why the city would be discussing a GFP event.
There are multiple entities throughout the city that have used the city's logo as a supportive measure.
It does not include funds of any sort received or spent.
So to have something on an agenda that is someone else's responsibility really is kind of a back door to them and the questions should be asked to that entity.
I would not expect the YMCA with their fundraiser, if you had a question about that, to come to the City Council meeting and want us to answer those.
So again, I am I'm sure that Andrea can and will answer those questions if you direct them to her.
And so where is she denied because she's usually at every other council meeting?
I don't set her agenda.
No, of course.
And again, she's she is not a city employee.
She's not directed to be here to be a part of a council meeting.
Well, she comes every quarter and she gives reports.
And I have asked twice and the first one she was still collecting money since she didn't have a grand total I recall but she never came back with answers to the questions even then I recall that you are you are correct and so again ask her pick up the phone go see her I'm sure she's more than willing to give you all those numbers to I would not expect her to speak on my behalf and I won't speak on her behalf.
Well, I mean, you're part of, well, I know City Manager Boyer is on that board.
So, because this wasn't agenda items, even he could have had the answers to those questions for tonight's meeting.
Could have.
He's a board member for Greater Freeport Partnership.
But then it comes back to speaking on behalf of another entity ask her go to one of their meetings he's a part of the entity he's on the board it's $400,000 a year yeah it's not the city yes yes it is yes it absolutely Alderman Sanders did you want to have your four minutes they see is having this conversation which which is out of order, first of all.
Okay, can you start the clock for Alderman Sanders?
Well, you might start the clock for me, but I will.
Me, 근� bounty senior, Mrs. Mayorole, Mrs. Mayorole, Mrs. Mayorole, Mrs. Mayorole, Mrs. Mayorole, Mrs. Mayorole, and I just want to bring that out with clarity and I dare anyone to try to refute what I'm saying because it's not an accusation, it's a proof of facts, but they're a taxpayer, they're receiving tax dollars, they answer and be accountable to this council.
This council is supposed to be a governing body that legislate and determines what policies GFPs are applicable to the citizens of Freeport.
And so for someone to sit here and talk about entity, yes, GFP is an actual entity of the city of Freeport.
Oh, you guys can shake your head all you want, but the point of the matter is, if you don't know a thing, you shouldn't speak out on a thing.
I agree with that yeah if you don't know a thing should speak out on it and making nuances about gesture making gestures as if though you're correct and things of this nature so why you in this why you and Alderman Stacy is going back and forth as a point of order that you are out of order that's my whole point and council directs what is and what isn't don't assume that there's another and we're not practicing our own duties and we're not being accountable.
And we should be having our board with a chairperson.
The board needs a chairperson of itself.
So we don't have these interference and distractions from other administrative bodies that's working against council as opposed with council.
So I just wanted to point that out for now.
So, so people don't misunderstand what part of GFP plays into the city ordinances and things of that nature.
And I will point out, I am the Chair.
Alderman Sellers.
I'm trying to figure out.
We're here because you want to understand the fundraiser and where the money is from the fundraiser that the GFP did to get Christmas decorations for downtown.
Is that correct?
I'm just asking because I mean we're arguing, we're fussing, and it's a simple call, Andrea, get the numbers.
She can give you the numbers, she gave them to me, she's talked to me about it, that's all you have to do is actually go there, sit down, talk with her, get your information.
But calling a meeting, I'm trying to figure it out.
This is the regular scheduled meeting.
Yeah, but there's nothing on here.
Why is there nothing on there?
Talk to Mayor and City Manager Boyer.
But this is not the first time we have it.
If it wasn't the COW, last week we had 21 items.
Okay, Alderman Sellers has the floor, please allow that.
Last week we had 21 items on the agenda.
But that's a regular council meeting.
This is a COW meeting.
If we don't have anything.
And if they wanted something Boyer.
But we don't have anything to talk about.
It would have been on there.
Well, Alderman Stacy, allow Alderman Sellers to finish.
But we don't have anything.
She's talking to me.
But we don't have anything that is worth bringing people out of their homes, away from their families so we can get numbers from our fundraiser.
That's not fair.
Apparently we did.
That is not fair.
Apparently we did.
That is not fair.
And when the draft was sent out, there was other items on the agenda that was conveniently removed.
Okay, okay.
That's not fair.
Alderman Shadle?
Make a motion to table this indefinitely.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker to table this topic indefinitely.
Any discussion on the motion?
Yes.
Alderman Sanders?
This motion that has these types of motion is trying to squash the concept of agendas, resolutions, and adoptions.
And amendments.
I told you once before, these idiotic tabling and things of this nature, it is council that runs this city, not the mayor, not the administration, not the city council, and not Alderman's sidelining and conflict of interest because they need to be censured.
Anyone that has not been collectively accountable for their actions and their responsibilities in this council should be held for that tabling something just to trying to squash a point of this meeting is something where we have and I have to reconstruct as council members so we can get this council back where it has never been in place since I've known of it, but the thing about it is the council is not doing the duties of governing, legislating, and if you don't have that knowledge about governing and legislation and policy terms and liabilities and bylaws and Mrs. If you don't have the concept of any of this stuff, you cannot sit systematically and start trying to table things because it doesn't suit the authorities of people that is injecting their views and opinions.
You cannot just sit here as counsel, justify why you're tabling it.
Just like I talked to one of my council members on the last occasion.
And the City of Washington.
I would like for you to be called on records, call before the people of the city and give them an explanation of why you're trying to table something and why you're trying to suspend something simply because we have a legitimate item on the agenda to talk about, to scrutinize, to debate and things like that.
I hate to do this out in public simply because this should be something of a closed session amongst council members.
Council members haven't had a meeting since the day that I was elected here.
And so we should have a closed session talking about reconfiguring the council so it can do its duty because we are lacking our responsibility.
We're following somebody else's agenda.
We're not following the agendas of the council.
The council is the last people to know about anything that is happening within this city.
And that means that we are not being held accountable.
All kinds of fraud and all kinds of oversight, all kinds of theft, all kinds of information that is not scrutinized by council.
It is council responsibility to investigate everything.
It is our job to investigate whether you know it or not.
It is our job to investigate anything, policies, ordinances, bylaws, all of this.
We have not conformed adequately enough to do our job and we need to get back to the business of the people.
I don't even know why we, I don't even understand how we got elected if this is not what your agenda is all about.
And if we're not doing the responsible thing.
Your time has expired Alderman Sanders.
You might say that.
Your time has expired Alderman Sanders.
On what policy and ordinance?
I want to know the ordinance siding.
It is the rules of council.
No, I want to know the ordinance siding.
I'll get that to you.
You need to stop talking.
Do you have the numbers?
Schools of Council 220, Chapter 10 or 11, it's one of those two.
And 10 or 11.
It's one of those two.
Okay.
Who signed off on it?
Was it council?
You don't have the council sign off on that ordinance.
This is your warning Alderman Sanders.
Stop being interruptive.
If you do it again, I will call you out of order.
We have other ones that had wanted to say something.
And I have to tell you, you are correct about your, your positions here.
I know.
Have to do with legislative policy and the problem with the agenda tonight, there's no legislative policy.
Alderman Parker, did you have something?
Yes I think we've answered the question that's a private entity it's nothing to do with the city we have no say on it and it's no different than maybe we telling Newell how to spend their money absolutely we cannot do it we are not responsible we're not accountable you don't know I think we've answered the question so I think we just end this whole thing yeah alderman johnson you were next that's what I was that's what I was referring to I agree with transparency I I understand that I would think that Andrew would be willing to give you an itemized list of the income, the expenditures of the event, of the profit that was made, and itemize where the money went for the decorations.
If you have that, we have answers to all of our questions.
If we don't get those answers, then there maybe is a problem, but I would say try to get the answers to all those questions, and for right now we could table this and see if you get the answers to your questions.
And then Alderman, Sellers, you are next.
No, I was going to also kind of say that if you go in and get your get the information, because this is more of a question than it is a issue for us to sit here and discuss.
It's just a question to go down and get your information.
It's not like anybody's trying to hide anything.
Just go ask your questions and get it done.
Just like everybody else, ask their questions.
You know, we don't have to do it all in front of everybody.
Just go ask your questions and you get your answers.
Just like if I had a question for Michelle, I would call her up, get my answer, and I'm done.
I wouldn't call a meeting to have everybody listen to the question I want to ask Michelle.
So I guess that's what I'm saying.
We're coming together, leaving our homes, our families, and all of that on a question, not for something that is.
So there is a motion for tabling indefinitely made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Parker.
If there's no more discussion on the motion itself.
Madam Clerk, do you want to take a roll or should we just do a voice?
Well, hold it before you do that.
I have a question.
You've actually had your twice to speak.
Twice?
Yes, sir.
Mayor, I am calling a point of order.
You have not been called to speak on the floor.
I want you to know that I have a motion for a point of order, whether the mayor knows it or not, whether you know it or not, I have a point of order here, motion, because I have something to say to council.
Okay, so if you have something new to say to council, then- Yes, I do.
Every time, but I don't need to have this debate with you.
It is not your discretion to make that call, the point that I like to continue to make is this.
The suppression of the information that is being considered of the GFP acknowledging all of the information regarding to this agenda item.
If we're not knowing the formality and procedures of how to obtain that because we could have made a request that someone sitting here saying that that there are no entity oh yes when they're receiving taxpayer dollars they have the answer to the governing body of this council is because you have not been and others.
We're not being educated in this.
That doesn't mean everybody else has not been.
And so, ones that are sitting here trying to sabotage and derail this item of agenda, then you need to be censured too.
Everyone that's opposing the taxpayers' vision of what this council should look like, and We're not being held accountable for the things that we're saying and the comments that we're making.
Everything that is, if it's not based upon what the citizens are recommending, remember, you have to remember, you are an elected official.
You're part of the governing body of this city.
And we should have board meetings to work out the errors and problems within the board itself.
And so we should, and the fact that the question came up, that opens up a lot of variables.
There's a lot of variables going on with the fact that this item is on the agenda.
And if everybody would start thinking, governing and legislating and learning the policies of this governing body and recognize the authority and the power that this council wills throughout the city.
We are the voice of the people of the city and there's no other entity here in this city has the voice other than council because we are the ruling body.
We are the legislators.
We set the policies.
Until we understand that, we're going to be like this for years and years simply because no one wants to change.
It's been like this for decades.
It's been like this for a long time, but no one wants to step up and acknowledge it.
That's the and I'm sitting here for the last two, three years watching this confusion going on about what governing and legislating is all about.
We just can't keep doing the same routine things that we consider as right in our own eyes and doing what is right for the board and the commission of the city.
And until then, we have to be able to be accountable for our own action and be responsible for the actions of why we have agendas and calling on these agendas without council consent.
There shouldn't be an agenda posed on this.
There shouldn't be no agenda itemized ordinance resolution or an adoption should be on this Sajenda, until council put it there.
If we're not putting it there, it don't get there.
Remember that.
That's expired Alderman, Sellers, or Sanders, sorry.
Madam Clerk, please take the role on tabling indefinitely.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
No.
Parker?
Aye.
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
And Klemm.
The motion to postpone indefinitely passes five to three.
Item number seven is public comment.
Are there any public comments this evening?
I just want to start off with I may be a little jumpy, a little irritable right now because I've been up for 15 hours.
I worked a 12-hour shift and then I went over and had to re-plow my mom's yard or her sidewalks because the plowing is is Terrible, and I understand that, let me back up, let me back up, sitting here watching you talk to Alder people like that, I can't control how you talk to all these other people, but my mother, absolutely not, you should be embarrassed, this is not high school, I know you're not, and you never are, that's the problem now, anyway, the plan needs work, there's an obvious difference when you drive between the east and the west sides, I understand the first snow is a big one, but I shouldn't have to slip and others.
You want to talk about there being no agenda items, here are some.
Acknowledging the homeless woman who died and how do we prevent that as a city.
Discussion on what the city can do in the event of SNAP benefits being withheld again.
But we're too busy praising a couple who moved here from California, obviously one of the most expensive states in the country, getting a damn sister city.
You're going to talk about pretzels and we have a leaf on our water tower.
We're not the Freeport leaves.
Anyway, and asking the GFP to be straightforward yet again.
But I guess that can just be a phone call, right?
It's embarrassing to only have one agenda item.
It's also embarrassing to see new concrete poured for EV chargers and parking lots with pocket holes big enough to make me want to get out and check my truck suspension.
And Ms. Dovie.
Replying to a FOIA request with a document that is 99% blacked out is the reason why there's still a glaring mistrust in the city government, especially with the Mayor and the way that she acts.
It really feels like some of the council thinks this town is full of idiots and it has and will continue to come back and bite you in the ass.
Thank you.
And I can bite you in the ass.
Thank you.
Any other public comments?
Yes.
I'd like to talk about one other thing that council or anyone or department heads or directors or people of this nature, We had a conflict of embarrassment over the week and the thing about it is I am surprised that no one is talking about on this subject the fact that I received double payments in my account and we have not been able to scrutinize who's at fault for these fraudulent payments that was administered, that was submit to us over the week.
I'm quite sure every councilman receive these statements, increase on the account.
Now, the part that this is where the governing body comes into play.
When an incident like that happens on that level, where people are getting double payments, there's a problem within our system.
Why isn't this been brought to our attention?
It's because there are people in the background that's suppressing this information.
If we don't get a handle on this, we need to be able to scrutinize it to the limit because if fraud is taking place, then we need to have our oversight committee in place to make a determination where things are going on and not only that, we need a secretary of agency within our own structure of governing.
We don't need people that are working independently, neutral, supposedly, outside of the council.
That includes our mayor, that includes our clerk, that includes our city director.
No one in this council should be looking forward to getting the answers from the things that we should know about.
And so until we make an appeal to understand why these kinds of things happen, we don't Don't know what else is going on within the city, like contracts, invoices, things that we have not discovered as council.
We have not done a full investigation of this administration part of it.
And until we do, things are going to be, as they put, tabled, suspended, topics that should to be part of the subject of the city, understanding how the moneys of Freeport is being spent.
And for someone to sit here and say that.
Your time has expired.
Thank you.
Oh, yeah?
Oh, okay.
All right.
And that's the part that needs to be changed right there.
Yeah.
So I don't normally suggest there be any response to public comment, but Michelle, if you would like to defend the finance department just because there was a lot of accusations made there, you're welcome to.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Thank you for allowing me to speak.
I would just like to address Alderperson Sanders' accusation about fraud regarding the payroll incident that happened on Friday.
Had absolutely nothing to do with the City of Freeport.
We didn't push the button twice.
We didn't send the email twice.
It was a bank error.
It had to do with our bank.
Those payments, we contacted everyone as fast as we could, let the employees know what happened, and the bank recouped those, the exact same funds.
We did not receive any calls today that there were any issues, like, you know, that was taken back twice or anything and others.
Directly to the auditors.
A third party.
So please, when you get that form, fill it out if there is something that you are suspicious of.
But to my knowledge, you have not filled out a form the last two years you've been here.
That's what you say.
And that concludes tonight's meeting.
I'm taking motion for adjournment.
Oh, I'm sorry.
As Fifth Ward Alderwoman, I will not be told what I can and cannot put on an agenda.
I don't have to go to a third party.
I'm coming direct to you, City Manager Boyer, and to you Mayor Miller.
I don't work for you, you work for me, I work for the people.
The people are asking questions, and I trying to get them answers.
And so if you have a problem with it being openly discussed, that's something you have to work out within.
We have the same Christmas tree decorations hanging on the poles that we've had for the for the last 50 years and half of the lights don't even light up anymore but that's our glorified downtown.
I want to talk about meeting with you City Manager Boyer and how it's always made so and I, and I am not going to be dictated, I'm not going to be caught up in a room with you and the mayor coming at me.
So when you talk about me not meeting with you, tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
You won't meet with me and another council person because you bring the mayor and that's the only way you're willing to meet with me.
Truth be told, I'm not allowed to talk to any of the directors.
If I call Michelle tomorrow and ask her a question, she cannot give me an answer.
We have to call Rob Boyer so that he can give me the answer.
I don't work for you, City Manager Boyer.
You work for me.
Just like I asked for the second list for the lighting from Police Shenberger, Chief Shenberger, before he retired, and you were going to get City Manager, Boyer, I will take a motion for adjournment.
So moved.
Second.
All those in favor?
Aye.
Have a good evening.