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Father God lead this council meeting tonight and every time we meet by your

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Holy Spirit. Let every discussion, let every resolution be good for the people of

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Freeport. Let no burdens fall upon the citizens that will cause any more

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financial hardships. Father God set straight any crooked places and any

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cracks in the foundations of the laws and ordinances set forth in this

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City. Proverbs 2 says, when wisdom enters the heart and knowledge is pleasant to the soul, good sense will look out for you, understanding will keep us. We ask it all in Jesus Christ's name, amen.

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Thank you. So we'll officially call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?

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Mayor Miller?

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Here.

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Alderpersons, Klemm?

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Here.

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Monroe?

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Simmons is absent, Parker?

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Here.

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Stacy?

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Here.

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Shadle?

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Here.

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Sanders?

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Here.

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And Sellers?

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Here.

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And could you please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance in light of Alderman Persons Simmons

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being absent?

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Alderman Parker, would you lead?

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Yes, ma'am.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for

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and Alderman Parker if you would mind chairing this meeting okay well we

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called the meeting to order you can skip down to item number four number four okay

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okay need approval of the agenda so move second Clem and Monroe all in favor aye

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number five you have to ask for a post oh need a vote on that no you're okay just

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ask if anyone opposes oh okay anybody opposed to that agenda

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Thank you. Public comments? You got to do the minutes. Item number five. Approval of the

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minutes from the Committee of a Whole held on March 10th, 2025. So moved. Second.

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Klemm, Shadle? Anybody opposed? Anybody opposed? All them in favor? Aye. Opposed?

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thank you now we'll try this public comments we got three Cheryl Altman you

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got three minutes please give them your name my name is Cheryl Altman my first

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concern is the discussion of the ordinance this ordinance was passed by

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you in 2017 you didn't follow the ordinance but that's not the only

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and the only ordinance that the City of Freeport

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does not follow.

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The fast track, instead of counting on the landlords

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to fix their property, how about the city be responsible

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for their properties?

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Matter of fact, one of your donors, your biggest donor,

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bought a whole bunch of properties on the tax sale.

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And they're the biggest piles of crap

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on the City of Freeport, along with the Raleigh Building.

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My next one is about replacing Joshua

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with the guy that's a criminal.

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You can sit there and smile at me, Mayor.

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I don't care, you smirking, that just shows you

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how much you care about the citizens of Freeport.

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You're placing it with a criminal

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and he's got recent charges on him

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coming up for serious charges.

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So sit there and smirk, all you want.

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But the city of Freeport, the people of Freeport

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will catch up with you.

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Next one is Linda Johnson, a number 11.

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Hi, I'm Linda Johnson, Mayor Jodi and Manager, Boyer & Council. I'm addressing Ordinance 11. I questioned several people in my area, some I know and some I don't know. Following is the information and questions I presented to them as well as the results of those who responded.

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The first thing, I gave them a scenario. A person who has worked several years in a position

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that does not require living within the city limits served faithfully and are advanced

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to a higher position that has the requirement to live within city limits. I asked, should

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that person be required to move if they are not able to move? And the answer was that

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92% said no, 8% said it depends on the circumstance. The second question, should that person lose

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and

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the

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City Council.

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The third question, should the ordinance be changed to remove the stipulation that certain leaders live within city limits except for the city manager?

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Wess, a few that said yes stated that the people in these positions should live either

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within the county 3 to 10 mile radius.

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One said the Fire Chief, Police Chief, and City Manager should live within the city limits.

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Question number four, shall the council be empowered to make exceptions to the rules

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of the ordinance at any time?

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50% said yes and 50% said no.

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Also the argument regarding a person living outside the city limits not supporting this

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city financially is not necessarily true.

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In my working days I worked in a different city than I lived in. I would buy groceries

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and gas and gifts in the city I worked in more than I did in the city I lived in because

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on my lunch hour I could go, it was quick, it was easy, plus there was a different variety

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of stores in the place I lived in. So those who live outside the city probably do provide

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some finances and taxes to the city and gas and food and other things. The bottom line

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is there was an issue with the ordinance. We can't change what happened yesterday, but

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We can take steps today to ensure that it does not happen again.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Okay.

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Next one, you have three minutes, Rhonda Scott.

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Good afternoon, I'm Rhonda Scott.

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I'm here to speak on the Lamb Road TIF.

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I have my statement in writing and with an attachment and I would like to submit it into

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the record if that's possible and we can discuss that later.

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The Lamb Road TIF is a tax increment financing district.

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It is a development that was formed as an industrial TIF in 2003 for the purpose of retaining and creating more industrial jobs which the community was losing.

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The development is located on the south end of town at Lamb Road and Route 26 where we had existing manufacturing including Sega, Tri-State, Metals, Honeywell, and a few others.

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I served on the Planning Commission in 2005 when plans were submitted to build a Walmart Superstore and a Menards Big Store within the boundaries of an industrial TIF.

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At the time there were concerns for the Planning Commission.

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Why were we moving existing Walmart and Menards stores into a Freeport TIF district in an industrial area?

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They both needed bigger stores and the city's strategic plan had already identified that the future retail development site would be Route 20 and Route 26 where the city had invested significant amounts of tax dollars to extend water service and a lift station to make it happen.

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But why didn't it happen?

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The explanation given by the group of developers at the Planning Commission in 2005 was that moving the stores into the TIF, by doing that, those new property tax dollars from Wal-Mart Menards would be redirected from the community for the purpose of generating an industrial manufacturing job complex. To date, the Lamb Road TIF has collected $10 million in property tax and diverted it from our community. These property

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and others.

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Taxes have been used to pay development costs for various expenditures including project

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construction, legal fees, engineering studies and marketing costs.

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And I've got them for you right here, all the people who've been receiving tax dollars.

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In 20 years, no manufacturing plants have received TIF funds to create new jobs.

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Only two existing industrial businesses have benefited, Sega Vending Machine Plant owned

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by Steve Chesney received $175,000 and Tri-State Medals received $475,000.

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The Walmart and Menards stores received $2.5 million in property taxes.

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So now, with projects completed, there is a surplus of $3.8 million.

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The surplus is being misused.

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Freeport Greater Partnership has received $1.3 million without accomplishing the mission

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of creating new manufacturing jobs.

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While they may be doing marketing and promoting for the entire city, the TIF eligible requirements

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limit the cost of marketing projects in the TIF to promoting the project to developers.

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Thank you.

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Thank you.

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Number 7, Greater Freeport Partnership Quarterly Presentation, Ms. Winters.

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We're gonna distribute

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We're going to distribute some materials to you while I begin the presentation, so bear with us.

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You will also receive an updated version of our quarterly report when we mail that over.

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They already got one. Thank you so much. Appreciate that.

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Tonight's presentation will cover highlights from our work in our key strategic focus areas.

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This information has been outlined in more detail in our monthly board reports that you receive,

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and others, as well as our first quarter report that you received in your packets.

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This is a reminder that this is a summary of our efforts in strategic focus areas which

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are identified specific metrics in measuring progress to the goals.

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Just as a reminder, we've broken these.

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These are our key focus strategic, key strategic focus areas, excuse me, and that's how we've

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outlined our work in our quarterly report and that's how we will proceed through this

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and I are here to present this presentation this evening.

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Here are some top-level highlights from the first quarter.

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An existing food manufacturer in Stevenson County has announced plans for an expansion that will create 40 new jobs.

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We will expand the boundaries of the Enterprise Zone to enable this project, and construction is slated for later this summer.

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Many of the workforce for this manufacturing plant are residents of Freeport.

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We hosted a vehicle manufacturer for site tours of existing buildings in Freeport.

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This is a direct result of our efforts promoting existing buildings and sites to intersect Illinois.

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The former visitor center building was sold late last year and is now home to AutoSmart, which opened April 1st.

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This is a high-end

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and

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Sean.

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The business has relocated from a Chicago-Collar County location and is already planning an

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expansion.

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We started our second year of our entrepreneurship program base camp.

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Bill will talk about this more later in the presentation.

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And in February, our annual dinner recognized ten individuals and organizations doing great

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work in the region.

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We were able to connect with and do business visitation visits with 33 businesses this

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last quarter.

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Summation of some of the things that we heard was that geopolitical uncertainties and the

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ever-changing tariff regulations have created interest in some energy but has paused investment

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in others.

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Many are still operating under the wait-and-see attitude.

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Due to this economic uncertainty, our business support programming was really tailored to

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meet the questions that businesses were struggling with. We had the Administrator for the Foreign

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Trade Zone come and talk about the benefits of the Foreign Trade Zone and how that can

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help a business defer tariffs. We also had the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center

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Mayor provide information on their supply chain portal. As businesses try to onshore, reshore,

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alter their supply chain, it's great for them to understand the resources that are there

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so that they can locate other vendors. It's also a great opportunity for our manufacturers

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to list their product and or service on this portal to be match made or matchmaker with

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other manufacturers.

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We assisted nine entrepreneurs in the business development process, plus the four current

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students that are in base camp.

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And we helped four businesses apply for a DCO small grant program.

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That application was just submitted last Monday.

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We hope to know that, we hope to find out that one of them have received some funding,

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if not all, early June.

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And Workforce Solutions, we continue to work on projects and initiatives with our partners

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to build our local workforce pipeline.

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We partnered with Midland Institute's CEO Entrepreneurship Leadership Program to help

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our educational partners and business community.

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This program helps high school students learn how to start their businesses and be community

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leaders.

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The program is currently under development and programming and we're meeting with Freeport

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Miller, Director, High School Admin, as well as teachers, and we plan to launch the fall

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of 2026.

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We had a wonderful meeting that Manager Boyer and Mayor Miller were able to participate

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with executives from Honeywell early in the quarter, and they talked about the planned

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growth for Honeywell here.

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The locations for what Plant 1 and Plant 4 do here are instrumental to their overall

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operation, and they project nothing but growth.

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and many others, but their barrier for growth is workforce and follow up conversation with them. We've connected them with Freeport High School, Career Tech and Highland Community College to talk about and help identify the programs that are already in existence and how Honeywell could partner with them to meet their needs. So we're having a tour of those facilities at different Highland at Freeport High School, talking with some students on Wednesday afternoon.

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and Double ACP Housing Committee as well as the United Way

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to host a series of stakeholder engagement sessions.

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One of the flyers that was distributed to you

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was a notice of a stakeholder engagement session

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that will be May 1st.

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This is your invitation to attend, I hope you do.

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And childcare, we have distributed a survey

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gauging the impact of childcare shortage to our partners.

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Responses will help us develop a public information campaign

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in the second quarter.

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Johnson. In this last quarter, we received 17 new business attraction leads. Eight of

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those leads came from Intersect, Illinois. Five of those leads we were able to respond

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to and submit proposals for existing sites and buildings that we have here in Freeport

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and Stevenson County. Three we could not respond to because we lacked sites that were over

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100 acres, and one because they were looking for an existing building and we did not have

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We had nine leads that were generated from local businesses or government agencies.

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Four of those were new businesses to the area and five were existing businesses that would like to expand or relocate within the area.

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I'm now going to turn it over to Bill who's going to talk about membership.

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Good evening. So membership, we had a good membership quarter. Our membership stayed strong. We added 19, 18 new members to the partnership. And as you can see up on there, the basic breakdown is 249 basic members. That's our base level membership. 120 are not for profit, courtesy or individuals. Courtesy is often government individuals. And then 39 are partner level or government partners.

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We had a very good retention rate of 97, almost 98 percent.

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One of the nice things about a lot of the new members is a lot of them came to us as referrals from other members and that's always a sign, I feel, that they like what we're doing so they want others to join also.

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I want to also talk about Basecamp. Basecamp is a program we created last year to serve entrepreneurs and new and small businesses to provide them, expose them to some of the resources and information that can help them succeed.

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And we all know starting a business is a risky endeavor and we want to make it a little less risky and give them a little more tools.

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What we do is we, this year, we had six classes plus a bonus class for not-for-profits that students could come to.

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They were taught by local leaders.

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And the reason we do that is not only do we want to share the information with those entrepreneurs and business people,

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but we want to help them build their network, help them connect with people that can help them.

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And that's exactly what happened.

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We had the last class last Tuesday and we talked about that and a lot of the members had already reached back out to some of the instructors to follow up on some questions, to work on business plans and things like that.

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So that's the idea. It's not just here's the information, but we also want to help them build that network because we all know that's a big part of what we're doing.

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We had a diverse group again this year covering a lot of different areas of business.

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One of the fun, two fun little points, one business opened their doors during base camp.

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That was the Full Circle Cafe in the library.

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Kate and Amara are part of the base camp and they got to open their doors and have, from all I can see, been doing pretty well.

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Well. Another person, and this has happened both years that we've done base camp, totally

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changed what they were going to do. They changed their mind and they went in a different direction.

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They got some information, started thinking about it, and kind of got some clarity. So

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that's why we do it. We look at an opportunity to help give people some opportunity to know

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what's going on and to kind of think through things before they make big investments. So,

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Now.

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So, and now, Nicole, come and talk about marketing in the region.

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Thank you. I won't spend too much time on bullet one. We passed it all out.

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We created and distributed the Community Guide, the Annual Community Guide,

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which serves as both our member directory as well as our visitor directory.

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We know that there is a lot of ability to cross-promote those two audiences,

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so that's why we put it together in one guide.

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D. Also the creation of the rediscover your downtown brochure. We use this as a tool so that downtown businesses can cross promote each other and also the events that are happening not just on behalf of the partnership, but all events through downtown Freeport. And then that's accompanied with a map as well. So if people are new to the area, they can figure things out. Our talent attract attraction and retention plans for marketing and creating a campaign to keep people here, help employers keep people here and recruit

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Fowler.

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That is we're using a nationally recognized company to kind of put all of our ducks in

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a row.

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So we have a really well developed strategy for who we want to recruit and how best to

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get them here.

00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.720
And that strategy will be brought to all of you in second quarter.

00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:20.320
They've met with all of our stakeholders and they were actually in town last week.

00:21:20.320 --> 00:21:21.759
It was a fantastic visit.

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:25.680
They see a lot of potential in Freeport and we're looking forward to seeing that report

00:21:25.680 --> 00:21:34.680
We co-hosted the Illinois Underground Railroad Exhibit with Lincoln Douglas Society and the Freeport Public Library.

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:41.680
It was a great success bringing new people into the library. It was great to have it over spring break so that families could go take advantage of that.

00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:49.680
There were four accompanying educational programs and all had at least 50 people in the room, which was phenomenal.

00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:53.799
and all of our speakers were very impressed with the people that we were able to bring

00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:56.960
for that program.

00:21:56.960 --> 00:22:02.240
In visitor attraction, our visitor campaigns have been finalized and those will all be

00:22:02.240 --> 00:22:04.340
starting in early May.

00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:07.920
Choose your adventure and rediscover your downtown are our two themes that we continue

00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.840
to stay with here.

00:22:09.840 --> 00:22:15.400
Also despite decreased occupancy rates in 2024 that you have seen on that graph that

00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:19.200
we put on the back page of the quarterly reports.

00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:22.880
We pay very close attention to data

00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:27.740
because hotel motel tax is the majority of the funding

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:30.039
that we received from the city of Freeport.

00:22:30.039 --> 00:22:33.240
So it's very important to us that we keep a close eye

00:22:33.240 --> 00:22:37.240
on what that fund continues to do in the city of Freeport.

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:40.559
And both the city of Freeport and Stevenson County

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:44.299
saw an increase of 3% of hotel motel tax

00:22:44.299 --> 00:22:46.700
from 2023 to 2024.

00:22:46.700 --> 00:22:50.360
What that means is the average revenue per room

00:22:50.360 --> 00:22:54.660
was higher in 24 than 2023.

00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:58.299
Obviously some corporate rates get a discount.

00:22:58.299 --> 00:23:01.019
So we just had more tourists that pay full rate

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:03.860
and less of those corporate rates coming in.

00:23:03.860 --> 00:23:06.220
So something that we like to see.

00:23:06.220 --> 00:23:09.539
We also organized a passport visitation program.

00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:13.500
One is a renewal of our Northwest Illinois Ale Trail

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:16.300
that cross promotes our breweries with Joe Davis County.

00:23:16.300 --> 00:23:18.100
And also we're very excited

00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:20.220
that our local historical museums,

00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:22.820
we have a, I believe eight,

00:23:22.820 --> 00:23:24.539
and then if you count the Engine Museum

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:26.420
and a couple other, it's 10,

00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:29.460
that are going to be doing their own cross promotion program

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.820
from May through September.

00:23:30.820 --> 00:23:33.019
And we're very excited to be able to help cross promote

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:36.820
all of those really fantastic gems in Stevenson County.

00:23:36.820 --> 00:23:37.940
Thank you.

00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:39.860
We'll take questions now.

00:23:39.860 --> 00:23:40.740
Any questions?

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:56.059
Yes, I have a question. You spoke about AutoSmart opening April 1st. Did you have anything to

00:23:56.059 --> 00:24:01.900
do with that AutoSmart coming? Yes, we met with that business. We talked about the Enterprise

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:08.620
Zone and they are hoping to expand. They filled the building with cars and they want to put

00:24:08.620 --> 00:24:13.340
another building on the lot, but we need to expand the Enterprise Zone to do so. So we're

00:24:13.340 --> 00:24:16.140
and others that were going to help them expand their business.

00:24:16.140 --> 00:24:22.820
I believe there was also some relationships between somebody who was a member of the Board

00:24:22.820 --> 00:24:28.259
of the Ownership Board, the nonprofit that owned the facility, had some connection in

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:35.940
the car industry, the classic car shows with the dealership that was in the Collar Counties.

00:24:35.940 --> 00:24:39.259
How did you say you were going to help them expand?

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:46.740
So the partnership administers the Northwest Illinois Enterprise Zone and I in the few

00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:51.840
months I will probably be coming before you asking to expand the Northwest Illinois Enterprise

00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:52.840
Zone.

00:24:52.840 --> 00:25:01.220
So that's an incentive zone that the state has basically allowed us to have to help incentivize

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:09.180
business development and that expands in areas of Freeport, Stevenson County, and Joe Davis

00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:19.860
County. Okay the 17 new business leads you spoke about. Yes. How many of them have

00:25:19.860 --> 00:25:29.200
committed and are coming? Well the five existing businesses that expand or

00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:34.240
relocate they've committed they're here. So the four new businesses starting are

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:38.940
interested in the area. Without having my sheet in front of you I'm not gonna

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:42.059
and I'm going to give you a number because I'm probably going to misspeak, but I'd be

00:25:42.059 --> 00:25:46.100
happy to follow up with you with the exact number.

00:25:46.100 --> 00:25:51.779
And then as of right now, one of the leads that we had from Intersect Illinois, the business

00:25:51.779 --> 00:25:56.940
I talked about that came to give a tour or we gave them a tour of existing facilities,

00:25:56.940 --> 00:26:01.279
they took that information back to their board of directors and they're evaluating it.

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:06.660
Right now, they're looking at geopolitical situations between Canada and the United States

00:26:06.660 --> 00:26:11.440
to make a determination of whether they're going to relocate some of their manufacturing

00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:13.360
here to Freeport.

00:26:13.360 --> 00:26:16.340
So some factors that are a little bit beyond our control.

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:21.259
Okay, you said base camp.

00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:24.039
Six classes taught by local leaders.

00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:26.180
Who are those local leaders?

00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:30.700
It's a variety of people, including some people from the Community Development Department

00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:33.400
talking about the city regulation.

00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:37.960
We had some local bankers to talk about finance.

00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:43.079
We had the Small Business Development Center talking about how to develop a business plan.

00:26:43.079 --> 00:26:47.599
Ashley came and talked about some of the resources at the library.

00:26:47.599 --> 00:26:53.240
And we had marketing people come and talk about marketing, attorneys, yes, to talk about

00:26:53.240 --> 00:26:57.019
some of the legal issues you have to look at, business structures and all that.

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:58.840
So we had a wide range of people.

00:26:58.840 --> 00:27:06.799
Okay, so how does one find out about these classes we marketed that when when it when enrollment is open

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.759
We marketed it pretty widely

00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.759
We do a lot of advertising

00:27:12.840 --> 00:27:18.360
We do radio we do print we do online advertising to promote it

00:27:20.640 --> 00:27:24.400
Did you all know about these classes, okay

00:27:26.360 --> 00:27:28.360
Any more questions

00:27:28.840 --> 00:27:29.840
Winslow.

00:27:29.840 --> 00:27:30.840
I do.

00:27:30.840 --> 00:27:31.840
Okay.

00:27:31.840 --> 00:27:32.840
Mr. Monroe?

00:27:32.840 --> 00:27:34.720
Thank you.

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:39.519
This is probably going to expand a little bit, but from the last presentation you gave a

00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:44.320
quarter ago, how many of those businesses that you put on the new businesses starting

00:27:44.320 --> 00:27:51.640
or interested in the area have committed to moving to this area?

00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.640
And I apologize.

00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:57.799
I don't have a list right in front of my face, but I know some of the businesses we're working

00:27:57.800 --> 00:28:04.320
We're continuing with, a project is seldom started and finished in one quarter.

00:28:04.320 --> 00:28:09.360
It's often follow-up that we're doing, supplying them with more information, so we continue

00:28:09.360 --> 00:28:10.360
to do that.

00:28:10.360 --> 00:28:14.120
I'd be happy to follow up with you to give you an exact number.

00:28:14.120 --> 00:28:19.720
I'm going to be honest, if a salesperson told me that, they didn't know, and they were talking

00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:25.079
about their territory, I would probably ask them why they're not doing their job.

00:28:25.079 --> 00:28:26.079
Point blank.

00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:28.079
and

00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:31.400
the City of Maryland.

00:28:33.079 --> 00:28:36.619
I'm going to say that the city of Maryland is a little harsh, but

00:28:36.619 --> 00:28:39.800
flat out not knowing who, what, when, where coming to this city.

00:28:39.800 --> 00:28:43.099
That's why we're not getting anything. We're not working

00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:47.039
those leads and opportunities the way we should. Maybe if we

00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:51.280
weren't paying to put elevators in our buddy's buildings and

00:28:51.280 --> 00:28:54.559
putting business money into other entities that exist

00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:27.559
Schultz, and David, and I'm going to talk about the special

00:29:27.559 --> 00:29:32.559
treatment that we have not yet made back yet. So that special

00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:36.559
treatment and funding will stop us from ever being able to bring

00:29:36.559 --> 00:29:39.559
a business here that's meaningful and will bring jobs to the

00:29:39.559 --> 00:29:44.559
community. And we have to get to the bottom of what's going on.

00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:48.559
Already, so we've lost high V. The truck stop sounds like it's

00:29:48.559 --> 00:29:51.559
dead out in Lena now, so Stevenson County, even though it

00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:53.880
to help develop that business, and now we're gonna-

00:29:53.880 --> 00:29:56.920
We didn't give up any of our enterprise zone boundary

00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:58.680
or area to that project.

00:29:58.680 --> 00:30:00.320
We went through the process.

00:30:00.320 --> 00:30:01.320
Fowler.

00:30:01.320 --> 00:30:05.360
We went through the process for the enterprise zone boundary expansion.

00:30:05.360 --> 00:30:10.080
The company that was leading that development decided to stop.

00:30:10.080 --> 00:30:15.240
I encouraged them to finish the application since we were 95 percent done in case they

00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:18.920
wanted to green light the project.

00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:21.080
They decided not to.

00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:27.160
So that is an area that I think was under about five acres, still in the zone.

00:30:27.160 --> 00:30:33.420
I'm not exactly sure what fund unless you're referring to a TIF fund that you're talking about are you

00:30:33.420 --> 00:30:40.640
implying that the partnership is giving money away potentially and the question

00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:44.960
I've got is when we get into the TIF districts and the TIF dollars that's

00:30:44.960 --> 00:30:48.640
going on around the city of Freeport and I start going through documents that

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:54.280
were presented to me I start asking questions ninety five thousand one

00:30:54.280 --> 00:30:54.600
and

00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:54.920
Sagan.

00:30:54.920 --> 00:31:01.600
I would look at another instance of money given to the Wagner

00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:06.040
house for an elevator. And these things are stopping or

00:31:06.040 --> 00:31:12.140
inhibiting our ability to expand upon shovel-ready ground, which

00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:16.440
I have heard for literally almost eight years.

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:18.060
»» I think it's great. One of the things that was mentioned

00:31:18.060 --> 00:31:22.860
about the Lamb Road TIF is it did enable and it did enable the

00:31:22.860 --> 00:31:52.860
and I have been working on this for a long time, and it did enable and help TriStar Metals to expand and build in addition to their facility, which did create jobs. Any TIF redevelopment agreement is not approved by the partnership. It's approved by this governing body that's meeting right here, right now. So you're saying the GFP has no input into where any of that? Oh, I think that we definitely have conversations with city administration and community development and the business about the TIF

00:31:52.860 --> 00:31:53.660
and

00:31:53.660 --> 00:31:54.860
the

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:55.860
Governor's Office.

00:31:55.860 --> 00:31:58.860
TIF is an incentive tool just as the Northwest Illinois

00:31:58.860 --> 00:32:00.860
Enterprise Zone is as well.

00:32:00.860 --> 00:32:05.860
But we can't make decisions on how TIF funds are being spent.

00:32:05.860 --> 00:32:08.860
That's all of your job.

00:32:08.860 --> 00:32:09.860
We can make recommendations.

00:32:09.860 --> 00:32:11.860
We can talk about pros and cons.

00:32:11.860 --> 00:32:13.860
We can talk about when the Enterprise Zone would be more

00:32:13.860 --> 00:32:15.860
beneficial than the TIF district.

00:32:15.860 --> 00:32:17.860
TIF funds can be used differently than Enterprise Zone

00:32:17.860 --> 00:32:18.860
funds.

00:32:18.860 --> 00:32:20.860
We're happy to break those all down.

00:32:20.860 --> 00:32:25.740
then it's a redevelopment agreement would be decided upon by by this governing body.

00:32:27.180 --> 00:32:29.580
Mr. Parker. Yes, Mr. Klemm.

00:32:31.020 --> 00:32:37.180
It's a little unfair to attack Greater Freeport Partnership for a couple of things you mentioned

00:32:37.180 --> 00:32:41.980
because all of that was done through the City Council. Okay, you were not a member of it at

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:47.100
the time and don't know some of the history just so you can pick up on some of the history.

00:32:47.100 --> 00:32:53.780
The elevator project that you talked about came from a revolving loan fund that the City

00:32:53.780 --> 00:32:59.920
of Freeport had. The State of Illinois called all the revolving loan funds back and said

00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:07.400
either use them or turn them back to us at this date. One person applied for that revolving

00:33:07.400 --> 00:33:14.740
loan. Nobody else would apply for it. That person inherited it. The $95,000 that was

00:33:14.740 --> 00:33:19.740
was given to Sega. That is the most controversial thing in the world, and it was all done by

00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:23.460
this Council. So you can own this Council for that.

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:32.460
Mr. Chesney came to the Council and whined that he had been not getting a bunch of money,

00:33:32.460 --> 00:33:38.500
but it turned out that in the process, when he cut a deal with the City of Freeport, the

00:33:38.500 --> 00:33:43.980
following year he applied to get his taxes cut because he didn't agree with them and

00:33:43.980 --> 00:33:48.700
they were so he received monies that really weren't entitled to him if you

00:33:48.700 --> 00:33:53.740
want to look at it that way I was one of the only two opposing votes to this so

00:33:53.740 --> 00:34:00.540
you know these guys City Greater Freeport Partnership doesn't give away

00:34:00.540 --> 00:34:06.380
money if somebody's giving away money it's the eight people up here you know

00:34:06.380 --> 00:34:12.820
any other comments follow-ups that you brought it up I'll read adopted April

00:34:12.820 --> 00:34:19.860
23, 2018, Ayes, Klemm, McClannethan, Smith, Busker, Brashock, Heaster. There was one

00:34:19.860 --> 00:34:23.260
abstention. You flat out just lied on the floor.

00:34:23.260 --> 00:34:34.820
And I did what? You voted yes. For what? That. What is that? Is it a pile of shit or is it something you can talk about? It's a

00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:39.539
FOIA document, buddy. Well, that's okay. You come up with all this crap and you've

00:34:39.539 --> 00:34:44.580
We've done absolutely nothing to do anything to move the City of Freeport forward in the

00:34:44.580 --> 00:34:51.940
last six months other than moan and groan about every member of the City that has employees

00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.940
and their...

00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:53.940
We're going to have to...

00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:54.940
Okay.

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.940
Hey, let's get back to the...

00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:56.940
I'm sorry.

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.940
... subject here.

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.940
Pardon me.

00:34:58.940 --> 00:34:59.940
The liar.

00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:00.940
Rachel's got a comment.

00:35:00.940 --> 00:35:01.940
I do have a question.

00:35:01.940 --> 00:35:02.940
Thank you for your presentation this evening.

00:35:02.940 --> 00:35:05.660
Both of you, thank you for your input.

00:35:05.660 --> 00:35:11.820
My question is though, as is public record, we pay you approximately about $400,000 a

00:35:11.820 --> 00:35:15.539
year upfront that everybody is aware of.

00:35:15.539 --> 00:35:20.600
What return outside of helping people apply for grants have you brought to the city?

00:35:20.600 --> 00:35:25.060
We are looking for industrial jobs, we are not looking for you to piggyback on events

00:35:25.060 --> 00:35:29.500
that have already happened initially that you have started.

00:35:29.500 --> 00:35:33.220
What return can you say that you have brought to the city?

00:35:33.220 --> 00:35:36.860
I think right now in this economy it's what jobs have we retained?

00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:45.500
No, new. That's my question. We have, Honeywell has been here for years. New jobs outside

00:35:45.500 --> 00:35:49.940
of minimum wage fast food restaurants that you've piggybacked on that have already decided

00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:55.700
they are coming here. What new jobs have you brought to Freeport, Illinois?

00:35:55.700 --> 00:36:00.180
So if a new, if an existing company is expanding, you don't count those jobs?

00:36:00.180 --> 00:36:12.019
And you just want specific manufacturing? Trayback Automotive. Trayback Automation,

00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:18.460
excuse me. They were outside of the city of Freeport. They're a small manufacturing company.

00:36:18.460 --> 00:36:24.420
They were in a really rural location and they now are renting space in the first McNeese building.

00:36:24.420 --> 00:36:28.260
I would like to make a comment about it. Trayback's leaving the city.

00:36:28.260 --> 00:36:48.260
I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah, me too. One more, one more time, go. Can you expand on Trayback? Were they already interested in the city or is this a lead that you reached out to through your work? And if so, how many jobs did that create?

00:36:48.260 --> 00:37:18.260
I think it's a small manufacturing and at the time they had somewhere between like under 10 employees so I can't give you a breakdown right now I don't know and so yes they were in a really rural location and they had a problem with freight getting in and out and so they wanted something that had easier access for transportation they were an automation company that worked with

00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:43.260
Thank you, any more questions? Okay, we'll move on to number eight, unless you had something else to say. Discussion regarding Revision to Fehr Graham Letter of Recommendation to Lead Service Line Replacement, Phase Four, Manager Boyer.

00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:48.620
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On April 7th, 2025, the City Council approved a bid for five-star

00:37:48.620 --> 00:37:55.019
energy for lead service line replacement Phase 4. This memo is for clarification of a conflicting

00:37:55.019 --> 00:38:01.380
amount and so we're clarifying that today. Fehr Graham bid recommendation letter inadvertently

00:38:01.380 --> 00:38:07.920
had a typo in the full project amount that did not match the submitted memo. This was

00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:13.720
is discovered when issuing the Notice of Intent to Award based on the IEPA concurrence of

00:38:13.720 --> 00:38:14.720
the bid.

00:38:14.720 --> 00:38:21.460
To confirm to the original city memo was correct, five-star services LLC at Awakeshaw, Wisconsin

00:38:21.460 --> 00:38:27.640
was the low bidder at $19,731 per base bid total.

00:38:27.640 --> 00:38:36.640
The total contractor project amount for the phase will be $2,525,000 for service replacements.

00:38:36.640 --> 00:38:41.380
This is just being brought to the Council for transparency purposes of the conflicting numbers

00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:43.620
in the previous agenda.

00:38:43.620 --> 00:38:51.160
The City of Freeport will fund the Phase 4 project, approximately $3 million, with 100%

00:38:51.160 --> 00:38:55.560
Illinois EPA forgivable loan funds at no cost to the user.

00:38:55.560 --> 00:39:01.039
The project was accounted for in 2025 and will be accounted for in the 2026 budget.

00:39:01.039 --> 00:39:03.120
This is a reimbursement funded project.

00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:07.920
No changes are reflected in the financials.

00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:08.920
Any questions?

00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:11.119
Yes, Alderman, Stacy.

00:39:11.119 --> 00:39:16.680
In that $3 million, you said 100% forgivable loan.

00:39:16.680 --> 00:39:19.780
So what does that mean?

00:39:19.780 --> 00:39:24.140
What that means is the city will be reimbursed 100% of anything we spend on lead service line

00:39:24.140 --> 00:39:26.460
replacements for Phase 4.

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:29.240
So it will not cost the city nothing?

00:39:29.240 --> 00:39:30.240
Correct.

00:39:30.240 --> 00:39:40.600
is that's been all of the phases it cost the citizens nothing that's correct well

00:39:40.600 --> 00:39:46.519
I'm sorry I just feel like I have to ask each time because we just don't know if

00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:55.920
we don't ask okay no action to be taken on that okay number nine discussion

00:39:55.920 --> 00:40:00.460
regarding Lamrode Tax Increment Financing District presented by

00:40:00.460 --> 00:40:09.260
Financing District, presented by Alderman Stacy Ann Simmons.

00:40:09.260 --> 00:40:13.139
You know, it's already been hit on.

00:40:13.139 --> 00:40:27.740
Council people, you received the two papers before a meeting even started.

00:40:27.740 --> 00:40:42.300
This TIF Fund is being used illegally and it needs to be shut down.

00:40:42.300 --> 00:40:49.740
There's currently $3.8 million in this fund.

00:40:49.740 --> 00:40:59.740
and the Fund would help pay for all the government services that make property tax bills for

00:40:59.740 --> 00:41:02.780
homeowners so high.

00:41:02.780 --> 00:41:09.860
The property taxes from Walmart and Menards should be going to help pay for running our

00:41:09.860 --> 00:41:17.220
community and should not be used as a slush fund.

00:41:17.220 --> 00:41:25.000
I recommend a call to action that the city terminates land relative and return all the

00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:35.019
3.8 million to those that actually need them to pay for police and fire protection, schools,

00:41:35.019 --> 00:41:39.300
parks, library, and the county.

00:41:39.300 --> 00:41:48.579
and let's not forget our roads which is trying to keep the nursing home running so that it

00:41:48.579 --> 00:41:51.500
won't be shut down.

00:41:51.500 --> 00:41:59.860
This money can come back to the taxing bodies and not continue to sit there in a fund and

00:41:59.860 --> 00:42:06.539
continue to be misused.

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:14.300
And I have a question for City Manager Boyer.

00:42:14.300 --> 00:42:18.639
And this question probably should have came first.

00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:29.659
Why are we continuing the Lamb Road Tif when all process projects are completed?

00:42:29.659 --> 00:42:37.539
and why are the funds going, currently going, to fund the Greater Freeport Partnership?

00:42:37.539 --> 00:42:42.940
Well, I'll start with saying the funds are not just sitting there.

00:42:42.940 --> 00:42:47.599
We are working on a lift station at the corner of Lamb and Walnut.

00:42:47.599 --> 00:42:53.099
That is to convey waste and create additional capacity in the Lamb Road to Tiff area.

00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:59.380
And it also will be useful in terms of making, ensuring that there is no issues with the

00:42:59.380 --> 00:43:04.180
B. Wastewater Collection System adjacent to the nursing home.

00:43:04.180 --> 00:43:06.500
So why haven't we done this before?

00:43:06.500 --> 00:43:07.500
Why haven't we done this before now?

00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:08.500
I'm sorry.

00:43:08.500 --> 00:43:09.500
I'm not done talking.

00:43:09.500 --> 00:43:10.500
Let him finish, please.

00:43:10.500 --> 00:43:11.500
He can finish.

00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:12.500
Okay.

00:43:12.500 --> 00:43:13.500
Then good.

00:43:13.500 --> 00:43:14.500
We like to hear him finish.

00:43:14.500 --> 00:43:16.699
Then you can ask the next question.

00:43:16.699 --> 00:43:17.699
Okay.

00:43:17.699 --> 00:43:23.579
And the second part of that was, at this time, I don't have the information in front of me,

00:43:23.579 --> 00:43:24.579
so...

00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:25.579
Of course.

00:43:25.579 --> 00:43:26.579
You always have it.

00:43:26.579 --> 00:43:27.579
Well, I'm sorry.

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.579
I don't have a memo here.

00:43:28.579 --> 00:43:32.579
and I have been provided so there's really no way for me to prepare for this item tonight.

00:43:32.579 --> 00:43:38.579
Okay, so from now on if I put something on the agenda, are you telling me I need to have a memo attached?

00:43:38.579 --> 00:43:42.579
I think you need to provide something so we know what you would like us to research.

00:43:42.579 --> 00:43:46.579
Okay, but that has never been said. My two years on the council, that has never been stated.

00:43:46.579 --> 00:43:47.579
Okay.

00:43:47.579 --> 00:43:55.579
And no one else that has put anything on the council other than you and the directors have ever had a memo.

00:43:55.579 --> 00:44:04.099
so now that I know that and know to do better I will do better thank you so my

00:44:04.099 --> 00:44:11.220
question why is this lift and everything coming up now why why now because we

00:44:11.220 --> 00:44:16.940
want to close the tip no this was in the plan for the last several years but it's

00:44:16.940 --> 00:44:21.820
not down on the we put it in the budget it was in the it was in our master plan

00:44:21.820 --> 00:44:23.820
and

00:44:25.820 --> 00:44:27.820
the

00:44:28.820 --> 00:44:30.820
City Council.

00:44:31.820 --> 00:44:33.820
I am sorry you didn't notice it there, but it was there this

00:44:34.820 --> 00:44:36.820
last year. So who sees the master plan?

00:44:37.820 --> 00:44:39.820
You do. I do.

00:44:40.820 --> 00:44:42.820
Yes. You approved it. And it said a lift station?

00:44:43.820 --> 00:44:47.820
Yes. The capital plan included a lift station for Lambon. And

00:44:47.820 --> 00:44:49.820
how much money was budgeted for this? I don't recall off the

00:44:49.820 --> 00:44:56.260
Tiff. No, it's budgeted for through the Lamb Road Tiff.

00:45:01.619 --> 00:45:08.460
Alderman, Rachel has a follow-up to that. Okay, Alderman Klemm, then? Go ahead. She said go ahead and do you.

00:45:08.460 --> 00:45:16.300
Oh, okay. Attorney Zito, I'd like to ask a question. If the Lamb Road Tiff is being

00:45:16.300 --> 00:45:46.300
To my knowledge, again, this TIF predates me, but to my understanding, since I've been here, I'm unaware of any improper use of TIF funds there that the, for example, using it to build a lift station, there those are public improvements within the TIF district, so that is an authorized TIF use. There were redevelopment agreements that were entered into previous there, you know,

00:45:46.300 --> 00:45:52.699
Reimburseing Developers for TIF Eligible Costs is a allowable use of TIF funds. I'm assuming,

00:45:52.699 --> 00:45:55.579
again, I don't know all the types of costs. I don't know all the agreements because they

00:45:55.579 --> 00:45:59.980
somewhat a lot of them predate me there, but I'm unaware of any improper use of TIF funds.

00:46:01.340 --> 00:46:08.699
So if we were to use that Lamb Road TIF as part of what Manager Boyer brought up,

00:46:08.699 --> 00:46:15.820
and it was to extend water out to the airport, out to Mill Race Crossing, so on and so forth,

00:46:16.300 --> 00:46:20.460
Monies from that could be used from the Lamb Road, too.

00:46:20.460 --> 00:46:25.380
So monies from a TIF district can be used within the TIF district.

00:46:25.380 --> 00:46:27.619
Thank you.

00:46:27.619 --> 00:46:31.099
Did you want to say something?

00:46:31.099 --> 00:46:31.579
Yeah.

00:46:31.579 --> 00:46:33.500
OK.

00:46:33.500 --> 00:46:37.860
So I think the direction we're trying to influence everybody

00:46:37.860 --> 00:46:42.019
to maybe consider is once the lift station that

00:46:42.019 --> 00:46:46.780
that has been budgeted in this budget is completed.

00:46:46.780 --> 00:46:51.780
We have not had any successful real industrial growth

00:46:52.699 --> 00:46:56.860
in that TIF district, which is why we implemented that.

00:46:56.860 --> 00:47:01.019
And that maybe we look at moving that money back to the pot

00:47:01.019 --> 00:47:02.900
so that we can use it for infrastructure

00:47:02.900 --> 00:47:05.059
and what we really need it for.

00:47:05.059 --> 00:47:07.539
I think that is why we brought it up

00:47:07.539 --> 00:47:08.980
so that we can put that in your mind.

00:47:08.980 --> 00:47:11.039
So maybe give it some thought.

00:47:11.039 --> 00:47:13.760
We've already allocated for that money for this year,

00:47:13.760 --> 00:47:16.079
but in the future, maybe thinking about bringing it back

00:47:16.079 --> 00:47:20.199
until we have actual strong leads looking to build

00:47:20.199 --> 00:47:22.800
industrial and bring those type of jobs

00:47:22.800 --> 00:47:24.579
and buildings to the area.

00:47:26.260 --> 00:47:27.199
Alderman Shadle.

00:47:27.199 --> 00:47:28.039
Thank you.

00:47:29.840 --> 00:47:34.079
The lift station at Walnut Street goes back

00:47:34.079 --> 00:47:36.519
at least a year and a half, if not two years.

00:47:37.720 --> 00:47:41.019
It's been revised at least once to include a section

00:47:41.019 --> 00:47:56.860
Mayne by the landfill that was inverted. It's been voted on several times. As far as moving

00:47:56.860 --> 00:48:06.860
money from this, I think at this point in time everybody's number one concern is to

00:48:06.860 --> 00:48:07.920
to get some jobs here.

00:48:07.920 --> 00:48:10.559
It's been mentioned several times tonight.

00:48:10.559 --> 00:48:13.780
And however, there's nothing happening.

00:48:13.780 --> 00:48:16.579
There's a well being drilled

00:48:16.579 --> 00:48:19.199
and pump house being built this summer.

00:48:20.659 --> 00:48:23.840
That's gonna bring a source of water

00:48:23.840 --> 00:48:27.559
sufficient enough to feed industrial users.

00:48:28.699 --> 00:48:33.699
And the expansion on the south side of town

00:48:33.699 --> 00:48:40.180
Johnson on the south side of town is going to need that money.

00:48:40.180 --> 00:48:49.619
I think it would be very short-sighted to fall away from a potential fix to what everybody

00:48:49.619 --> 00:48:53.019
pretty much agrees is the major issue.

00:48:53.019 --> 00:48:57.220
Alderman Rowe and then Alderman Sellers.

00:48:57.220 --> 00:48:58.380
Thank you.

00:48:58.380 --> 00:49:05.300
City Manager, this could potentially be the Director of Community Development and Public

00:49:05.300 --> 00:49:11.739
Works as well. Remind us, where exactly is the lift station slotted to go and where do

00:49:11.739 --> 00:49:14.699
we approve it to go?

00:49:14.699 --> 00:49:23.119
The lift station is designed to go near the corner of Lamb Road and Walnut, near the intersection.

00:49:23.119 --> 00:49:24.739
On the west side, east side?

00:49:24.739 --> 00:49:44.739
it would be on the I guess it would be another side of the intersection. North, East or West? East. So that's not in the TIF district? It's actually going at the corner of the landfill property which I believe is in the district. That's where the drainage all goes to in that basin. Thank you.

00:49:44.739 --> 00:50:00.739
I would like some clarification. Can you take TIF money from one TIF and put it somewhere else and use it somewhere else? Just like how they have the downtown TIF? We can't take the downtown TIF.

00:50:00.739 --> 00:50:04.739
We can't take the downtown TIF and put it somewhere else, Kim.

00:50:04.739 --> 00:50:07.739
Shadle, I mean, Zedal.

00:50:07.739 --> 00:50:09.739
Attorney Zedal?

00:50:09.739 --> 00:50:12.739
I'll confirm this off the top of my head though.

00:50:12.739 --> 00:50:19.739
I believe you can port TIF funds between TIF districts as long as the TIF districts are contiguous.

00:50:19.739 --> 00:50:22.739
If they're not contiguous to one another, like they're not touching each other, the two districts,

00:50:22.739 --> 00:50:25.739
then I don't think you can port the funds back and forth.

00:50:25.739 --> 00:50:28.739
But if they're together, I believe you can port them back and forth.

00:50:28.739 --> 00:50:31.739
What do you mean, together, when you say that?

00:50:31.739 --> 00:50:34.739
Oh, okay.

00:50:34.739 --> 00:50:37.739
Okay.

00:50:37.739 --> 00:50:38.739
Thank you.

00:50:38.739 --> 00:50:39.739
Okay.

00:50:39.739 --> 00:50:40.739
Is she done?

00:50:40.739 --> 00:50:41.739
I'm sorry.

00:50:41.739 --> 00:50:42.739
Simmons again.

00:50:42.739 --> 00:50:58.699
What I meant when I said, until we actually really need those funds to develop that area

00:50:58.699 --> 00:51:14.699
Area, I meant no longer being a TIF district. So then that money would not be specifically used for a TIF anymore. That would be money that goes back to the general fund for us to use. That's what I meant, not switching money between TIFs.

00:51:14.699 --> 00:51:18.699
Okay. Alderman Stacey.

00:51:18.699 --> 00:51:22.699
How long can a TIF exist? Is it 23 years?

00:51:22.699 --> 00:51:32.299
I think the good news for everybody is that this thing is sunsets in one year, so this

00:51:32.299 --> 00:51:36.119
conversation is probably going to resolve itself.

00:51:36.119 --> 00:51:39.779
One year of things dead.

00:51:39.779 --> 00:51:40.779
Okay.

00:51:40.779 --> 00:51:46.500
So yes, it's 23 years.

00:51:46.500 --> 00:51:51.619
Alderman Shadle, you spoke about a well.

00:51:51.619 --> 00:51:53.619
Are you speaking of Well 12?

00:51:53.619 --> 00:52:08.099
Okay, so I thought it was said that we were no longer getting that money for Well 12.

00:52:08.099 --> 00:52:16.500
Can someone explain what Soreson said about Well 12?

00:52:16.500 --> 00:52:18.419
That's not factual at all.

00:52:18.419 --> 00:52:30.339
We do have what 13 million secured on in different sources of funding okay but but so the the

00:52:30.339 --> 00:52:35.739
well money is secured we have total of 13 million there's three different funds for

00:52:35.739 --> 00:52:43.339
that IEPA revolving forgiveness then we have emergent contaminant money and we also have

00:52:43.339 --> 00:52:47.259
just short of a million dollars for Merrick Sorensen that has already been appropriate

00:52:47.259 --> 00:52:52.699
The money I think that you're referring to is water main money that was appropriated for

00:52:52.699 --> 00:52:55.179
this year but did not pass.

00:52:55.179 --> 00:52:59.299
And that's the money that was never really allocated.

00:52:59.299 --> 00:53:04.699
It was sent out there but it wasn't approved at the federal level.

00:53:04.699 --> 00:53:06.379
So that's the money you're talking about.

00:53:06.379 --> 00:53:08.699
That was for this year for 2025.

00:53:08.699 --> 00:53:10.179
And that wasn't just for Freeport.

00:53:10.179 --> 00:53:11.939
That was all of the monies.

00:53:11.939 --> 00:53:12.939
Correct.

00:53:12.939 --> 00:53:16.979
All congressionally direct spending was frozen for this year and they said that there'll

00:53:16.979 --> 00:53:20.859
will be reapplied for in 2026, I believe.

00:53:20.859 --> 00:53:24.859
Okay, can you tell me out of the 13 million,

00:53:24.859 --> 00:53:28.779
where is that money being pulled from again?

00:53:29.699 --> 00:53:33.179
We have an EPA revolving loan

00:53:33.179 --> 00:53:35.899
the same way we've done these other projects.

00:53:35.899 --> 00:53:37.379
EPA loan?

00:53:37.379 --> 00:53:41.739
IEPA, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

00:53:41.739 --> 00:53:44.779
We have five million from them in forgiveness.

00:53:44.779 --> 00:53:47.819
We have, I don't know the exact number,

00:53:47.819 --> 00:53:51.899
but it's like $7.2 million from emerging contaminants.

00:53:51.899 --> 00:53:56.719
And then we have 959,000, I believe it is,

00:53:56.719 --> 00:53:58.779
from Eric Sorensen that is appropriated

00:53:58.779 --> 00:53:59.779
towards that project.

00:54:02.679 --> 00:54:05.679
Okay, can you help me understand this IEPA loan?

00:54:09.819 --> 00:54:10.659
Yes.

00:54:10.659 --> 00:54:12.339
And you said five million?

00:54:12.339 --> 00:54:13.159
Yes.

00:54:13.159 --> 00:54:17.719
So this is very similar to how we've done the wastewater treatment plants and other infrastructure

00:54:17.719 --> 00:54:18.719
projects.

00:54:18.719 --> 00:54:25.759
The Illinois EPA has a state revolving fund, it's called an SRF loan, and those are the

00:54:25.759 --> 00:54:31.439
projects that we go after that we get forgiveness off of projects.

00:54:31.439 --> 00:54:37.460
So for instance, if a project costs a million dollars, we can apply and we get basically

00:54:37.460 --> 00:54:39.519
state funding off of that project.

00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:47.559
So in the case of, well, 12, we will get essentially 12 million from the EPA and the other million

00:54:47.559 --> 00:54:53.319
from Eric Sorensen to put towards that project in whole to offset the cost of the taxpayers.

00:54:53.319 --> 00:54:55.039
So that's going to be the 13 million?

00:54:55.039 --> 00:54:56.039
Yes, ma'am.

00:54:56.039 --> 00:55:04.099
So why are we taking a loan out for, did you say 15 million, 5 million?

00:55:04.099 --> 00:55:09.359
We will be taking, the way the Revolving Fund works is you have to take out a loan for the

00:55:39.359 --> 00:55:44.579
of the Forgivable Monies is already booked and in there and everybody's aware of it.

00:55:44.579 --> 00:55:49.679
We build the project, we pay out the funds, and then when we go to sign the final loan,

00:55:49.679 --> 00:55:55.960
they forgive that amount of money that the citizens of Freeport have to pay back.

00:55:55.960 --> 00:56:02.879
I don't have the exact number, but we're probably pushing in the ballpark of 30, 35 million

00:56:02.879 --> 00:56:08.179
dollars of forgivable funds that we've received over the last 10 years to the city of Freeport

00:56:08.179 --> 00:56:09.979
that we haven't had to pay back.

00:56:09.979 --> 00:56:11.639
That's not fair.

00:56:11.639 --> 00:56:14.559
But the five million will pay back.

00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:15.859
We will have to pay back.

00:56:15.859 --> 00:56:19.099
Whatever the project bids at, minus 13 million,

00:56:19.099 --> 00:56:20.699
that's what we'll have to pay back.

00:56:20.699 --> 00:56:25.179
And that's what we're set up through our CIP funds,

00:56:25.179 --> 00:56:28.179
if you will, that we've been incurring

00:56:28.179 --> 00:56:30.659
for several last years for those projects.

00:56:30.659 --> 00:56:42.979
Hicks. I should also state that those, we call them SRF funds, also come with a potential

00:56:42.979 --> 00:56:48.739
30-year loan and 1% interest, which we've done quite a bit of research on that and there's

00:56:48.739 --> 00:56:54.419
nothing that can touch these infrastructure loans for financing.

00:56:54.419 --> 00:56:56.419
and others.

00:56:57.619 --> 00:56:59.619
So I'm going to go to the other person.

00:57:01.939 --> 00:57:03.939
Alderperson, yes, ma'am. Thank you.

00:57:06.199 --> 00:57:08.199
So my question, this goes back to really what I was getting to

00:57:09.319 --> 00:57:11.319
with the GFP is as I look through along the laundry list

00:57:16.059 --> 00:57:22.059
of recipients here of one, almost $2 million, $1.5 million to

00:57:22.059 --> 00:57:24.059
$2 million. Math is a little rough.

00:57:24.419 --> 00:57:25.419
and others.

00:57:25.419 --> 00:57:28.299
We've got 3.85 million in that surplus.

00:57:28.299 --> 00:57:33.419
We've got a bunch of vacant land in areas that we've got water, sewer, electric.

00:57:33.419 --> 00:57:35.299
We've got services in place.

00:57:35.299 --> 00:57:44.559
Why have we done nothing, nothing, in developing that area, which is really a manufacturing

00:57:44.559 --> 00:57:49.799
zone or, you know, behind Menards, behind Walmart, where it really doesn't make a lot

00:57:49.799 --> 00:57:52.819
of sense for housing and things like that.

00:57:52.819 --> 00:57:58.059
Why have we not taken this money and developed that into shovel-ready ground, bought the

00:57:58.059 --> 00:58:04.739
land with this money, and developed industry with it?

00:58:04.739 --> 00:58:10.659
Instead, we would rather do things for our friends.

00:58:10.659 --> 00:58:14.339
That's what I'm trying to get to.

00:58:14.339 --> 00:58:16.939
Can anybody answer that?

00:58:16.939 --> 00:58:23.339
That's fine.

00:58:23.339 --> 00:58:27.500
So I can't speak to specifics, but I can tell you, generally speaking, just with TIFs in

00:58:27.500 --> 00:58:33.019
general, the way that they're typically intended to be used, the funds are usually they're

00:58:33.019 --> 00:58:36.299
a bridging mechanism in the sense that they're an incentive.

00:58:36.299 --> 00:58:42.139
So usually you have some developer, some property owner who is looking to potentially do something,

00:58:42.139 --> 00:58:43.139
right?

00:58:43.139 --> 00:58:46.799
And they might need some assistance in order to make their project viable there.

00:58:46.799 --> 00:58:50.439
and so then that TIF fund is used to incentivize them.

00:58:50.439 --> 00:58:53.880
I'm unaware, I'm not saying that it maybe hasn't happened

00:58:53.880 --> 00:58:55.559
somewhere in the country or in the state of Illinois,

00:58:55.559 --> 00:58:57.539
like I'm unaware of like the city,

00:58:57.539 --> 00:59:00.759
a city that has a TIF district being able to use TIF funds

00:59:00.759 --> 00:59:03.880
to then just go buy the property themselves

00:59:03.880 --> 00:59:07.679
and then to resell it, improve it and then resell it.

00:59:07.679 --> 00:59:09.599
I just haven't seen it, Alderman Monroe,

00:59:09.599 --> 00:59:12.659
I'm not, you know, but usually it's a bridging mechanism.

00:59:12.659 --> 00:59:14.559
So you usually have a developer that comes to you first

00:59:14.559 --> 00:59:15.880
saying, I got an idea.

00:59:15.879 --> 00:59:16.879
and John.

00:59:16.879 --> 00:59:22.239
That's 17 plus the last time 18, that's 35, that we could have done something with this

00:59:22.239 --> 00:59:24.779
money instead of nothing.

00:59:24.779 --> 00:59:28.639
And now we're a year down and maybe we can't buy the land.

00:59:28.639 --> 00:59:29.639
Fair enough.

00:59:29.639 --> 00:59:30.639
That doesn't mean we can't develop it.

00:59:30.639 --> 00:59:35.219
We can put a lift station and a well and other things in with it.

00:59:35.219 --> 00:59:41.699
Why can't we do things to develop it further to bring industry in and make it so GFP actually

00:59:41.699 --> 00:59:47.299
brings real viable jobs to this community instead of a half a million dollars basically

00:59:47.299 --> 00:59:50.099
going away every single year.

00:59:50.099 --> 00:59:55.159
I think we have to, and this is what we've been asking for, I know I have since the day

00:59:55.159 --> 01:00:00.500
I got my first seat here, I've asked for that.

01:00:00.500 --> 01:00:01.500
and others.

01:00:01.500 --> 01:00:02.500
I've asked for that.

01:00:02.500 --> 01:00:04.280
I've asked for ideas.

01:00:04.280 --> 01:00:11.340
From the previous director to the current director, it has been four plus years of nothingness.

01:00:11.340 --> 01:00:12.659
And it's disappointing.

01:00:12.659 --> 01:00:15.380
And we've got this money sitting in this TIF.

01:00:15.380 --> 01:00:19.719
We've got, and I walk through there, there's a lot of property that could easily be developed

01:00:19.719 --> 01:00:26.059
down there in the south side of town that we could use these funds for in that zone

01:00:26.059 --> 01:00:31.639
to make it attractive to somebody who wants to bring meaningful jobs to the citizens of

01:00:31.639 --> 01:00:34.260
Freeport, period.

01:00:34.260 --> 01:00:39.980
And that's, I think they should, everybody should be asking these questions.

01:00:39.980 --> 01:00:41.239
What is the vision?

01:00:41.239 --> 01:00:47.099
We put out these 2040 plans that are field goods.

01:00:47.099 --> 01:00:49.159
We need meaningful development.

01:00:49.159 --> 01:00:53.840
We need meaningful jobs for people to live and survive in the city of Freeport.

01:00:53.840 --> 01:00:54.840
and others.

01:00:54.840 --> 01:01:00.599
Our population for a lot of years has been on the downward spiral and we're doing nothing

01:01:00.599 --> 01:01:03.960
to fix it.

01:01:03.960 --> 01:01:13.239
And here it's absolutely a slap in the face to sit and go, well, we did 10 business retention

01:01:13.239 --> 01:01:16.920
visits.

01:01:16.920 --> 01:01:26.519
and I know as a sales executive that ten visits could be two days, two days.

01:01:26.519 --> 01:01:33.360
I've done 30 meetings in two days and I'm not a superstar, I'm not anything special,

01:01:33.360 --> 01:01:36.940
I'm just a person that lives in the city of Freeport, pays his taxes, spends his money

01:01:36.940 --> 01:01:43.320
in this community and takes it to heart when his money that he worked so hard for that's

01:01:43.320 --> 01:01:45.320
and others.

01:01:46.639 --> 01:01:49.039
And he's just taken from his family, from his friends, from

01:01:49.039 --> 01:01:53.039
his friends' friends, and is this wasted?

01:01:57.039 --> 01:01:59.039
And, you know, we've got this ongoing question about how do we

01:01:59.039 --> 01:02:01.039
do stuff?

01:02:02.340 --> 01:02:04.340
And you brought it up, Alderman Klemm, and we keep wanting to

01:02:04.340 --> 01:02:10.340
run water all the way out east of town and go out to this area

01:02:10.340 --> 01:02:12.340
to develop. I have no idea why.

01:02:13.320 --> 01:02:34.679
and the City of Freeport that is decaying, that we can't even pump enough water for a fire and we want to run brand new pipe out into an area with six farmers along the edge of the road that really don't even want us coming through there so we can put business outside the city limits and not be able to tax it.

01:02:34.679 --> 01:02:38.679
We've got businesses inside the City of Freeport that don't even pay taxes.

01:02:38.679 --> 01:02:40.679
One of them is at the airport.

01:02:40.679 --> 01:02:44.679
And GFP goes out and throws a party for them.

01:02:44.679 --> 01:02:48.679
There's the City Manager. He's out there getting his picture taken and patting them on the back.

01:02:48.679 --> 01:02:52.679
I don't understand it, but I can tell you what I do understand.

01:02:52.679 --> 01:02:56.679
We've got $3.85 million sitting here in a fund that we could develop

01:02:56.679 --> 01:03:00.679
multiple places south of town. We could make citizens that live in this community

01:03:00.679 --> 01:03:07.679
and I have been working with the community to make sure that we are able to bring back to this community a lot of money on their property as well as drive jobs and opportunity and bring Freeport back again.

01:03:07.679 --> 01:03:11.679
But we've got to have the will and the strength to do it.

01:03:11.679 --> 01:03:17.679
And as long as we sit here with no plan, no ethics, no morals, it's not going to happen.

01:03:17.679 --> 01:03:23.679
Because we're going to be friends with our buddies and everybody else be damned.

01:03:23.679 --> 01:03:34.079
Move to number 10, discussion regarding future plans for EV charging stations and discussion

01:03:34.079 --> 01:03:44.159
regarding possibly resending resolution RES-2025-42, approving the agreement with Fehr Graham to

01:03:44.159 --> 01:03:51.920
provide civil engineering services related to EV charging stations installation projects.

01:03:51.920 --> 01:03:55.920
and Stacy Simmons.

01:03:55.920 --> 01:04:01.920
Okay. So this was presented to the Council upon last week.

01:04:01.920 --> 01:04:07.920
And it was presented in two agenda items.

01:04:07.920 --> 01:04:13.920
23 and 27.

01:04:13.920 --> 01:04:17.920
So, long story short,

01:04:17.920 --> 01:04:26.079
and I. And in short, everything on 23 said that the program is 100% funded. So, I won't

01:04:26.079 --> 01:04:41.980
speak on Item 23, but I do want to speak on Item 27 and what we were not told. And so

01:04:41.980 --> 01:04:49.220
so people don't think I'm being harsh and mean, Darren and I talk, and we don't have

01:04:49.220 --> 01:04:56.619
a problem with one another, so don't think I'm trying to make him look bad or throw him

01:04:56.619 --> 01:05:03.320
under the bus because it's not him.

01:05:03.320 --> 01:05:15.239
This project with these EV chargers, when it's all said and done, it's going to cost the

01:05:15.239 --> 01:05:25.039
city right around $200,000.

01:05:25.039 --> 01:05:31.719
How do we have $200,000 for EV chargers?

01:05:31.720 --> 01:05:40.840
We don't have $200,000 for our roads, for our streets, we're told, oh well there's no

01:05:40.840 --> 01:05:52.220
street fund or this or that, why not put $200,000 in our street fund?

01:05:52.220 --> 01:06:03.619
Now you're trying to add out by crate into the, what is it, glade woods, into the solution

01:06:03.619 --> 01:06:14.159
when we get four more years of our own roads before you're saying we will have enough money

01:06:14.159 --> 01:06:17.500
to even complete four more years.

01:06:17.500 --> 01:06:24.059
That's why I made the comment that I made. Do they realize how far back they are? However,

01:06:24.059 --> 01:06:31.860
it was not said about the electrical work and making it A, something ready.

01:06:31.860 --> 01:06:36.500
ADA compliant. ADA compliant, thank you. It was not talked

01:06:36.500 --> 01:06:45.179
about the shape these parking lots are in and how they're going to have to be redone

01:06:45.179 --> 01:06:54.039
and rebuilt and fixed before all of this can even be set up to be a charging unit.

01:06:54.039 --> 01:06:56.019
We did figure out we don't need eight.

01:06:56.019 --> 01:07:04.780
We only need four because it's two hookups per one charger.

01:07:04.780 --> 01:07:18.239
but it's going to cost us $90,730 just to design the doggone thing.

01:07:18.239 --> 01:07:26.340
We need to prioritize some things.

01:07:26.340 --> 01:07:29.579
I don't see how we have $200,000 for this.

01:07:29.579 --> 01:07:43.480
Now, I will say, Mr. Goldratt was here earlier, come in, I will say that there's some more

01:07:43.480 --> 01:07:49.139
money out there that we might qualify for, am I correct?

01:07:49.139 --> 01:07:50.139
Do qualify for you.

01:07:50.139 --> 01:07:58.380
That we do qualify for, but we haven't gone after it yet, and we have not got confirmation

01:07:58.380 --> 01:08:00.219
that we're gonna get it.

01:08:00.219 --> 01:08:01.940
So I can't count on that.

01:08:03.219 --> 01:08:06.920
All I can count on is what's for sure.

01:08:06.920 --> 01:08:11.679
And that's the $320,000 that we know we have.

01:08:15.699 --> 01:08:19.539
I just don't know how this come.

01:08:20.899 --> 01:08:25.140
Is this really something we need to be focused on right now?

01:08:25.140 --> 01:08:29.060
and how do this come before our streets?

01:08:30.140 --> 01:08:35.140
$200,000 could help a whole lot on our roads.

01:08:38.260 --> 01:08:39.659
Thank you.

01:08:39.659 --> 01:08:40.559
Anybody else?

01:08:42.460 --> 01:08:43.939
Go ahead.

01:08:43.939 --> 01:08:45.479
I just wanna add one comment.

01:08:46.359 --> 01:08:50.300
I got a phone call after our last meeting

01:08:50.300 --> 01:08:53.260
when we discussed the chargers

01:08:53.260 --> 01:08:55.260
and others that are located at Freeport Ford.

01:08:55.260 --> 01:09:06.260
I just want everybody to be aware that the company that put those in, installed them, gave warranty service for it, promptly then filed for bankruptcy shortly thereafter.

01:09:06.260 --> 01:09:12.260
So the EV industry is very much upside down and crazy.

01:09:12.260 --> 01:09:20.260
I'm not sure honestly how to proceed with this, but to be honest, I think we have to proceed carefully.

01:09:20.260 --> 01:09:21.260
and John.

01:09:21.260 --> 01:09:23.199
Are electric cars the future?

01:09:23.199 --> 01:09:29.159
A lot of Americans are voting with their pocketbooks and saying no, but there are some that are

01:09:29.159 --> 01:09:31.260
voting and saying yes.

01:09:31.260 --> 01:09:36.279
So do we try to welcome people here that have said yes?

01:09:36.279 --> 01:09:40.960
Do we create opportunities for them to charge their cars?

01:09:40.960 --> 01:09:41.960
I don't know.

01:09:41.960 --> 01:09:48.279
It seems like a lot of money to me, you know, to put these types of chargers in place, especially

01:09:48.279 --> 01:09:56.319
in areas that I haven't seen a lot of EVs downtown and I've done a bit of driving around

01:09:56.319 --> 01:10:00.000
and I just haven't seen them.

01:10:00.000 --> 01:10:01.000
But

01:10:01.000 --> 01:10:27.000
but you know I think one comment I will make is Stellantis who owns Dodge, Chrysler, and the rest of it, their CEO came back and said we're going back to V8 Motors and getting away from EVs but Chevy's doubling down on EVs so take it for what it's worth, I don't know, I'm not a big car guy but I just wanted to put that out there and I was corrected after our last meeting.

01:10:27.000 --> 01:10:47.500
Thank you. Darren? Yeah, I just wanted to clarify a few things if I could. So, please know that the monies that are here are not to fully remodel the municipal lot or the, we call it the Lindo lot, but it's the city lot at State and Main.

01:10:47.500 --> 01:10:55.500
This is just to, uh, the monies that are needed are just to repair the areas that will become the EV charging station, if you will.

01:10:55.500 --> 01:11:04.500
So, um, I also have been working a lot on this over the last few days, trying to figure this out, so I want to give some explanations.

01:11:04.500 --> 01:11:11.500
Um, we just approved the contract last week. It just was returned to me today.

01:11:11.500 --> 01:11:28.500
I haven't been able to dig deep into this yet. This is kind of a design-build type contract, right? Because EV chargers are not our typical type of construction project where we put a plan together and then we put it out to bid and we build it.

01:11:28.500 --> 01:11:29.500
and others.

01:11:29.500 --> 01:11:38.739
So we have strategically partnered with two companies, or will if this moves forward,

01:11:38.739 --> 01:11:42.300
Thayer Energy Solutions out of, I believe it's Belvedere.

01:11:42.300 --> 01:11:49.579
They're one of the leading area places that service and sell chargers.

01:11:49.579 --> 01:11:52.420
They're a very reputable company.

01:11:52.420 --> 01:12:00.739
My research shows that they represent a lot of different charging outfits.

01:12:00.739 --> 01:12:05.340
Something that's important to me if we move forward with these systems would be to be honestly

01:12:05.340 --> 01:12:08.699
on ChargePoint, which is a brand, like a model.

01:12:08.699 --> 01:12:13.699
ChargePoint is one of the national leaders, and when you drive your EV cars around and

01:12:13.699 --> 01:12:18.500
you look for level three charging opportunities, if you're part of their system, which is the

01:12:18.500 --> 01:12:19.500
and others.

01:12:19.500 --> 01:12:28.020
So, I think that's one of the reasons we like them.

01:12:28.020 --> 01:12:30.659
Also, Thayer services what they sell.

01:12:30.659 --> 01:12:35.779
So, they've been in business for a long time, they've led the charge of EB in the market

01:12:35.779 --> 01:12:38.899
and I do trust their judgment.

01:12:38.899 --> 01:12:42.979
Something that is rolling on this because we haven't been able to dig deep into it

01:12:42.979 --> 01:12:49.140
but yet again because we submitted a grant a long time ago to see if we could get money

01:12:49.140 --> 01:12:52.800
to build this and the grant took forever.

01:12:52.800 --> 01:13:00.579
Things have changed in the industry but realistically I can confirm we have the CEJA money which

01:13:00.579 --> 01:13:04.279
is the EV charger money for $320,000.

01:13:04.279 --> 01:13:12.539
We qualify for as of today at 4 o'clock, we qualify for potentially another $500,000 from

01:13:12.539 --> 01:13:19.060
ComEd, because it's based on the grant conditions and the kilowatts. So it's a scale. You get

01:13:19.060 --> 01:13:25.060
basically $1,000 per kilowatt that you're installing. And the grant has many requirements

01:13:25.060 --> 01:13:30.340
that have to be done, which one of them is ADA compliance. I've saw some posts on why

01:13:30.340 --> 01:13:36.020
did we choose the downtown lots. As a municipality, right now, when we submitted the grant, you

01:13:36.020 --> 01:13:40.020
had to own the lots that you put them in, right? It wasn't an option to go throw them

01:13:40.020 --> 01:13:41.020
and Thomas.

01:13:41.020 --> 01:13:42.020
So please remember our 20-year contract with Fehr.

01:13:42.020 --> 01:13:43.020
It's not going to come out at Menards or Wal-Mart.

01:13:43.020 --> 01:13:46.619
Now there's new grants that are out there that allow you to build them at other locations,

01:13:46.619 --> 01:13:53.340
but our grant is locked down for the two locations that were previously selected.

01:13:53.340 --> 01:13:59.819
Whereas I think the project could cost potentially 200,000, we're not far enough along with

01:13:59.819 --> 01:14:01.119
the process.

01:14:01.119 --> 01:14:07.979
I haven't signed a contract with Fehr because we're not sure if you guys want to move forward

01:14:07.979 --> 01:14:08.979
or not.

01:14:08.979 --> 01:14:13.000
We're going to have to go somebody up for a bunch of costs that we're not going to move forward if we are.

01:14:13.000 --> 01:14:16.539
EV Chargers is changing the world.

01:14:16.539 --> 01:14:24.020
I think it was stated at the last meeting, while it would be great if people could use the EV Charger here in town and had a car and wanted to charge,

01:14:24.020 --> 01:14:29.640
the real draw of this is trying to get more people into Freeport to spend money.

01:14:29.640 --> 01:14:32.140
So, there's a couple things.

01:14:32.140 --> 01:14:40.539
Right now, as of today, we have about $820,000 that should be committed to this project between ComEd and the CJA grants.

01:14:40.539 --> 01:14:51.739
I don't have enough information, and I would need at least probably another month to figure out, you know, what the exact costs are and nail them down to close to a penny.

01:14:51.739 --> 01:14:55.739
That's not something I can do overnight, and it's an awful big project.

01:14:55.739 --> 01:15:03.500
The reason the two lots were selected was because we have the municipal lots, our biggest lot, but there's the power requirement.

01:15:03.500 --> 01:15:07.739
These chargers take a lot of power. There's a requirement in the alley at the post office.

01:15:07.739 --> 01:15:16.739
So when we built Chicago Avenue, we actually built the infrastructure under the street to power the chargers at the municipal lot in that corner by the park and the library, right?

01:15:16.739 --> 01:15:18.739
A spot that everybody goes to.

01:15:18.739 --> 01:15:23.500
The other, the state and main lot were picked because the power requirements are right there in the alley.

01:15:23.500 --> 01:15:26.619
We were trying to minimize the cost of the connections,

01:15:26.619 --> 01:15:28.399
the transformers, all those things that go along

01:15:28.399 --> 01:15:29.399
with the project.

01:15:29.399 --> 01:15:33.100
So while I say it's controversial,

01:15:33.100 --> 01:15:35.979
this is a thing that communities our size are doing

01:15:35.979 --> 01:15:38.720
and entertaining and trying to attract new people

01:15:38.720 --> 01:15:39.899
to our community.

01:15:39.899 --> 01:15:41.779
It is progressive.

01:15:41.779 --> 01:15:43.060
It's not perfect.

01:15:43.060 --> 01:15:45.159
I'll be the first to say it's not perfect.

01:15:46.180 --> 01:15:48.699
But we have to work through the process if we wanna do it.

01:15:48.699 --> 01:15:51.220
And I'm being honest with everybody around that.

01:15:51.220 --> 01:15:54.579
there's nothing to hide that we submitted for this grant

01:15:54.579 --> 01:15:56.979
as a group, we received it as a group.

01:15:56.979 --> 01:15:59.699
I wanna say this has been lingering on

01:15:59.699 --> 01:16:02.500
for up to a year and a half, honestly,

01:16:02.500 --> 01:16:05.920
between the grant process and getting awarded

01:16:05.920 --> 01:16:07.300
and the whole nine yards.

01:16:07.300 --> 01:16:11.899
And we did budget $180,000 in the 2025 budget

01:16:11.899 --> 01:16:15.819
to address this project for the construction

01:16:15.819 --> 01:16:18.779
because we knew or thought that there may be some costs

01:16:18.779 --> 01:16:20.699
that would not be covered by the grant.

01:16:21.220 --> 01:16:21.260
Yep.

01:16:21.260 --> 01:16:30.819
Speaker. listening to the lecture that you just

01:16:30.819 --> 01:16:40.819
given us in terms of EV charging. Have you considered a survey of the population here

01:16:40.819 --> 01:16:48.500
in Freeport, to make a real good judgement, whether or not the city of Freeport, needs

01:16:48.500 --> 01:16:50.500
B. and John.

01:16:52.199 --> 01:16:54.020
So I think it's important to understand that when you're

01:16:54.020 --> 01:16:56.020
driving around, you're not necessarily talking about

01:16:58.840 --> 01:17:00.840
charging your vehicle. You're talking about charging your

01:17:02.199 --> 01:17:04.199
vehicle, whether it's a charging station or whether or not

01:17:05.760 --> 01:17:07.760
there's enough EV cars or anything like that that's driving

01:17:09.859 --> 01:17:11.859
around complaining about charging their vehicles.

01:17:13.979 --> 01:17:15.979
And my thing is I can understand the grant if it's

01:17:18.500 --> 01:17:27.500
and I will be taking up on but the thing about it is let us get an insight on what the population

01:17:27.500 --> 01:17:36.399
of Freeport is saying and making sure that the car dealerships here are selling EV cars

01:17:36.399 --> 01:17:45.020
because my studies and my research is that I will say within the next five years these

01:17:45.020 --> 01:17:46.020
and others.

01:17:46.020 --> 01:17:47.699
These things will become obsolete.

01:17:47.699 --> 01:17:53.260
Electric vehicles will be coming obsolete within the next 2030.

01:17:53.260 --> 01:17:56.699
They're going to start phasing out.

01:17:56.699 --> 01:18:05.340
They're going to be just items that are sitting in vacant lots hoping somebody drive through

01:18:05.340 --> 01:18:11.779
the city with an electric car that might want to find an electric charger for convenience

01:18:11.779 --> 01:18:12.939
or whatever.

01:18:12.939 --> 01:18:26.939
My thing is, have we done a survey to understand the magnitude of whether or not we should have these kinds of stations occupying the City of Freeport?

01:18:26.939 --> 01:18:35.940
I'm just asking because if there's something that we can consider that will be beneficial to the City of Freeport

01:18:35.940 --> 01:18:42.140
and if we can if the grant purpose the grants that are coming in for these

01:18:42.140 --> 01:18:48.859
particular items are they solely designed for the EV stations is one of

01:18:48.859 --> 01:18:55.899
the things that I wanted to take on. Yeah so the CEJA grant that we received is for

01:18:55.899 --> 01:19:02.340
EV chargers only we can't use it for anything else out there I believe the

01:19:02.340 --> 01:19:32.340
The answer to the survey question is no and I think the reason that is I guess I can only surmise people that own EV charger cars here in town have chargers in their house or they wouldn't be able to charge them so that's probably not the clientele that we're trying to entertain with exterior chargers is probably not our own people it'd be out of town people trying to draw people to our events to our hotels those types of things to spend money sales tax dollars for

01:19:32.340 --> 01:19:39.460
for Freeport. I forgot to mention something that you kind of remind me of while you were talking.

01:19:39.460 --> 01:19:46.579
So we submitted for this grant, we've accepted this grant, and it will be a black eye on Freeport

01:19:46.579 --> 01:19:53.220
if we decide to return it, which we would have to do if we if we decide not to move forward,

01:19:53.220 --> 01:19:59.619
but it would be a black eye on our community on future grant opportunities because we took dollars

01:19:59.619 --> 01:20:00.979
from some other community.

01:20:00.979 --> 01:20:04.359
took dollars from some other community when it gets returned.

01:20:04.359 --> 01:20:09.019
These dollars that we have here from CEJA and ComEd,

01:20:09.019 --> 01:20:12.699
they need to be spent in 2025 as part of the grant program.

01:20:12.699 --> 01:20:14.699
And that's why we're talking about it now,

01:20:14.699 --> 01:20:17.019
so it gives us enough time to get these in place

01:20:17.019 --> 01:20:18.119
by the end of the year.

01:20:19.379 --> 01:20:20.319
Okay, Rob.

01:20:21.899 --> 01:20:24.739
Just to follow up on that, Alderman Sanders,

01:20:24.739 --> 01:20:27.539
kind of the idea here was we've got people coming

01:20:27.539 --> 01:20:30.539
from Chicago to Galena every single day.

01:20:30.979 --> 01:20:36.579
a lot of them have electric cars not all of them but quite a few of them so the idea here is

01:20:36.579 --> 01:20:41.699
they get off the bypass they come to downtown they charge their car because there's really no other

01:20:41.699 --> 01:20:47.379
place to charge between here and maybe there's a place outside Galena but there's really not that

01:20:47.379 --> 01:20:52.579
much charging infrastructure in this part of the area so kind of the whole idea is for very little

01:20:52.579 --> 01:20:59.139
money the city drives traffic to our downtown then we also collect the charging fees related to

01:20:59.139 --> 01:21:05.659
with Charging. So, you know, we look at $200,000 and we got eight chargers we're potentially

01:21:05.659 --> 01:21:12.019
bringing on here. I look at it as a revenue generating stream that would also help bring

01:21:12.019 --> 01:21:25.819
tourism to our downtown area. Director Darin, I'm sorry if I misspoke about

01:21:25.819 --> 01:21:53.819
when we talked and you had said that we need to put $100,000 for that process, I just thought $100,000, we got to repair the whole lot, but still it's still $100,000 just for preparing the lots and that's not even fixing the raggedy things, okay, thank you.

01:21:53.819 --> 01:22:10.819
Further discussion on Ordinance 2025-17, Amending Codified Ordinance Regarding Residency Requirements for Certain Positions, presented by Alderman Stacey and Simmons.

01:22:10.819 --> 01:22:30.059
Okay. So, I asked the question last week. The City Manager, Boyer, was not able to answer.

01:22:30.059 --> 01:22:48.059
However, I did receive my answer today, and I can tell you that the jobs that were listed last Monday totaled 15.

01:22:48.059 --> 01:23:10.859
10 of the 15 are here in Freeport and 5 are not, but I don't believe that that was really

01:23:10.859 --> 01:23:14.179
the issue.

01:23:14.179 --> 01:23:26.779
The issue was that we have an ordinance that's in place and have been in place but has not

01:23:26.779 --> 01:23:37.159
been properly used, properly acknowledged.

01:23:37.159 --> 01:23:41.059
And this is not my first time saying this.

01:23:41.059 --> 01:23:48.099
We put these rules and regulations in place and then we pick and choose who they apply

01:23:48.099 --> 01:23:49.979
to.

01:23:49.979 --> 01:23:53.059
Not right, not fair.

01:23:53.059 --> 01:24:05.799
No matter how you look at it, it has to be the same across the board.

01:24:05.799 --> 01:24:15.679
I believe if I applied for a job, and after accepting the job, I knew I had six months

01:24:15.679 --> 01:24:26.439
to move, and if I don't plan on moving, why would I take the job. It's an ordinance. It's

01:24:26.439 --> 01:24:34.599
already in place. It's been in place. But what's even bigger than that is why you wouldn't

01:24:34.599 --> 01:25:04.599
Johnson, John, John, John, John, John, John,

01:25:04.599 --> 01:25:18.599
I want to move to Freeport, so behind the scenes, on the side, under the carpet, we'll work out this, and it's all good. Not good!

01:25:18.599 --> 01:25:24.599
And we just got to stop that. Right is right, and wrong is wrong.

01:25:24.599 --> 01:25:31.319
you done can speak okay several years ago it was not enforced and that was under

01:25:31.319 --> 01:25:35.879
Mayor Getz it was not enforced and it should have been taken care of then I

01:25:35.879 --> 01:25:40.479
agree but we want the best person for the job so now we are trying to fix the

01:25:40.479 --> 01:26:00.559
I just can't help but feel that if we had Chief Miller and Chief Shenberger, I don't

01:26:00.559 --> 01:26:10.559
I think ill of you all, we communicate, we talk, but I just think if, I can't say all

01:26:10.559 --> 01:26:19.959
these people, but if the Chief of Police or the Fire Chief or the Deputy Chief of Police

01:26:19.959 --> 01:26:31.679
Sir, maybe if this was their city, other than a job, and not saying that they don't go above

01:26:31.679 --> 01:26:38.679
and beyond because our police have come a long way, but if this was their city, maybe

01:26:38.679 --> 01:26:49.879
there's a extra mile that they would go to secure whatever needs securing in our city.

01:26:57.839 --> 01:27:05.399
Yeah one last I'll add something as well you know I I don't work in the city of

01:27:05.399 --> 01:27:06.399
and others.

01:27:06.399 --> 01:27:09.639
I've always had jobs outside of Freeport, haven't for a long time, always had jobs outside of

01:27:09.639 --> 01:27:13.279
Freeport, have to travel for a living.

01:27:13.279 --> 01:27:21.279
And honestly, where I work now, I only, you know, I don't really care about that community

01:27:21.279 --> 01:27:23.479
where I'm going to work every day.

01:27:23.479 --> 01:27:24.479
I don't live there.

01:27:24.479 --> 01:27:26.799
My family's not there every day.

01:27:26.799 --> 01:27:34.319
And one of the things, and this was, this goes back many, many years to a good friend

01:27:34.319 --> 01:27:35.319
and others.

01:27:35.319 --> 01:27:40.279
He was a chief of police at a much, much larger department who I have a lot of respect for.

01:27:40.279 --> 01:27:48.920
And he fought to get law enforcement officers living in various parts of the community.

01:27:48.920 --> 01:27:53.920
And he got money for them, extra money, significant money, 10 grand a year kind of money to put

01:27:53.920 --> 01:27:55.839
them in the areas.

01:27:55.839 --> 01:28:01.679
And it was very, very successful in bringing crime down.

01:28:01.679 --> 01:28:09.759
and I know our past Chief of Police came in and was very upset because he felt like he

01:28:09.759 --> 01:28:13.500
had been targeted in the community.

01:28:13.500 --> 01:28:20.419
But at the end of the day, I don't think that happens as much as people say it does.

01:28:20.419 --> 01:28:23.359
I know it does happen.

01:28:23.359 --> 01:28:29.979
Because if it did happen, my address wouldn't have been given out to somebody who I reported.

01:28:29.979 --> 01:28:37.459
but at the end of the day we own this community and we can't be fearful of people that want

01:28:37.459 --> 01:28:39.739
to run around and try to bully us in our community.

01:28:39.739 --> 01:28:46.179
We have to love our town, we love our community, we stand up for it and sometimes we take positions

01:28:46.179 --> 01:28:51.719
that are not always well accepted in the community but it's the right thing for the community

01:28:51.719 --> 01:28:54.719
at large.

01:28:54.719 --> 01:29:00.839
and you know I I too wished it had been dealt with but it wasn't and it's

01:29:00.839 --> 01:29:05.719
hypocritical not to enforce the rules equally across the board and that's the

01:29:05.719 --> 01:29:09.399
problem and that's where it in lies and I know we're gonna go back I know it's

01:29:09.399 --> 01:29:16.599
gonna vote it's gonna happen it's gonna pass but it doesn't it doesn't mean it

01:29:16.599 --> 01:29:24.299
was ever right and you really have to be you have to take your oath that you take

01:29:24.299 --> 01:29:25.299
Fremont.

01:29:25.299 --> 01:29:33.299
And that means equal protections under the law, across the board, and our city ordinance

01:29:33.299 --> 01:29:39.420
is essentially a law saying, you live here if you take this position, and if you can't

01:29:39.420 --> 01:29:42.299
do that, then don't take the position.

01:29:42.299 --> 01:29:48.339
But to say, I mean, you're from Freeport, you served as Chief of Police, you know, you've

01:29:48.339 --> 01:29:54.939
You've done a lot of years here, and you know a lot of people, and that buys you.

01:29:54.939 --> 01:29:59.619
That ability to communicate with the community, it's huge.

01:29:59.619 --> 01:30:00.619
It's very huge.

01:30:00.619 --> 01:30:02.619
and

01:30:03.859 --> 01:30:05.859
James.

01:30:07.059 --> 01:30:10.059
We're going to have to do this. It's huge. It's very huge because

01:30:10.059 --> 01:30:14.059
it will let people tell you things because they know you that

01:30:14.059 --> 01:30:17.059
they won't tell somebody that's from out of town. And I think

01:30:17.059 --> 01:30:21.059
that's part of the problem we run into here. When we hide from

01:30:21.059 --> 01:30:25.059
the problems and we don't face those problems direct on, we end

01:30:25.059 --> 01:30:30.059
up in a situation we're in right now where we've got some thugs,

01:30:30.059 --> 01:30:34.539
Didn't think that we would make as big a dent as we have with the challenges that we face

01:30:35.779 --> 01:30:40.099
From our state government, but he's he's done a pretty damn good job

01:30:40.619 --> 01:30:45.140
You know doing what he's supposed to be doing and you know

01:30:45.140 --> 01:30:51.899
But at the same time, I think there's things that we could have done that would have helped the situation along as well

01:30:53.099 --> 01:30:57.659
Rob wants to speak. Do you want him to talk before you or you want to go first? No, I need to go first

01:30:57.659 --> 01:31:16.699
and others. I just want to give the people of the City of Freeport a reminder that when

01:31:16.699 --> 01:31:23.140
Aldermen are sitting, Councils are sitting here making judgments and decisions and people

01:31:23.140 --> 01:31:24.140
and others.

01:31:24.140 --> 01:31:27.979
The people don't understand how do we come up with ordinances.

01:31:27.979 --> 01:31:31.579
They don't understand what we are facing as aldermen.

01:31:31.579 --> 01:31:38.380
They assume that when we're looking at our agenda for today is based up on whatever is

01:31:38.380 --> 01:31:47.059
being said, but to be honest with you, the ordinances are designed to help govern the

01:31:47.059 --> 01:31:50.699
body of the council.

01:31:50.699 --> 01:31:57.779
It also helps the citizens of Freeport to understand that these ordinances are put in

01:31:57.779 --> 01:32:07.539
place so the council can be trusted in following the governmental procedures of our ordinances.

01:32:07.539 --> 01:32:13.539
The ordinance of this city governs this body and the people within the city.

01:32:13.539 --> 01:32:18.439
Violate one of those ordinances as a citizen here in Freeport.

01:32:18.439 --> 01:32:23.439
and others who are subject to be locked up in jail or fined or whatever the case may be.

01:32:23.439 --> 01:32:25.439
Just violate them.

01:32:25.439 --> 01:32:33.439
And so those individuals who don't know all of the ordinance that are applied here in the city

01:32:33.439 --> 01:32:42.439
could get a rude awakening of not understanding how I violated an ordinance.

01:32:42.439 --> 01:32:43.439
and others.

01:32:43.439 --> 01:32:50.479
People of this city have to also understand that you can actually draft ordinances that

01:32:50.479 --> 01:32:54.199
goes before the council to be put on the agenda.

01:32:54.199 --> 01:33:00.840
You as citizens, the council has no jurisdiction in putting ordinances together.

01:33:00.840 --> 01:33:05.359
It comes from the citizens of Freeport who draft these ordinances.

01:33:05.359 --> 01:33:14.039
We have forums where you can make your complaint or issue about something that can be adopted

01:33:14.039 --> 01:33:20.439
as an ordinance or placed on the docket as an ordinance, just like all the hundreds of

01:33:20.439 --> 01:33:25.939
ordinances that we have currently here in the City of Freeport.

01:33:25.939 --> 01:33:30.880
We just have ordinances all over the place.

01:33:30.880 --> 01:33:34.819
And the thing about it is who's creating these ordinances?

01:33:34.819 --> 01:33:42.140
and I think the people of Freeport don't understand that the ordinances are drafted by someone.

01:33:42.140 --> 01:33:47.659
Someone has to be accountable for introducing these ordinances.

01:33:47.659 --> 01:33:55.699
And so we as a citizen, the citizens of Freeport has to understand how the development of ordinances

01:33:55.699 --> 01:34:04.960
and others come to mind or come into the city government by citizens of the city of Freeport.

01:34:04.960 --> 01:34:10.279
There's a process. I want you to know that there's a process that you go through in order

01:34:10.279 --> 01:34:16.559
to file for ordinances that you feel that is dear to your heart or complaints or whatever

01:34:16.559 --> 01:34:25.659
the case may be that you have the rights to draft ordinances. We sit here every day looking

01:34:25.659 --> 01:34:30.579
and others with ordinances in them that guides us through the process.

01:34:30.579 --> 01:34:37.840
And if we can't violate that ordinance because it's already set, try an ordinance that is

01:34:37.840 --> 01:34:44.199
not on the agenda and violate one of them as a public citizen.

01:34:44.199 --> 01:34:45.659
You have to answer that.

01:34:45.659 --> 01:34:49.340
You are going to be accountable for that.

01:34:49.340 --> 01:34:53.819
We're getting back to that stuff about not all ordinances and the attorney's got something

01:34:53.819 --> 01:34:54.819
to come.

01:34:54.819 --> 01:35:24.819
I'm saying what I'm saying. I'm saying what I'm saying because I want to, I want to give an, this is informative, this is informed information. I want people to know where, where it's not always the council's objection to make things seem like we can't be trusted. No, we have to go according to the, by the bylaws ordinances that are set before us. I just want the people of Freeport

01:35:24.819 --> 01:35:25.819
Schaedtel.

01:35:25.819 --> 01:35:32.260
And I'm still, no he doesn't because I hold the floor.

01:35:32.260 --> 01:35:33.420
No he doesn't.

01:35:33.420 --> 01:35:35.300
No he does not.

01:35:35.300 --> 01:35:39.699
You got to learn your chart of organization before you make that speech.

01:35:39.699 --> 01:35:43.859
Well the thing about it is I don't want you to interfere with what I'm trying to talk

01:35:43.859 --> 01:35:44.859
about.

01:35:44.859 --> 01:35:54.300
Look, look, look, okay, okay, I'll say something different for you, Shadle.

01:35:54.300 --> 01:36:03.180
and others. Just remember, you have a right as a citizen to draft an ordinance and don't

01:36:03.180 --> 01:36:09.779
let the council bring the ordinance to you. You make sure that your ordinances are on

01:36:09.779 --> 01:36:13.939
the docket. I don't care how many times it is. I just want to make sure the citizens

01:36:13.939 --> 01:36:21.739
of Freeport understand that they have a right to bring ordinances just like council does.

01:36:21.739 --> 01:36:30.739
Well, I hope it's done and your remarks does not enthuse me at all.

01:36:30.739 --> 01:36:36.739
Okay, so my thing is again, if you want to interrupt me again, I will keep on talking.

01:36:36.739 --> 01:36:37.739
Okay.

01:36:37.739 --> 01:36:38.739
Respect everybody.

01:36:38.739 --> 01:36:40.739
Well, you interrupted me.

01:36:40.739 --> 01:36:42.739
Rob, you had something to say?

01:36:42.739 --> 01:36:44.739
Who's saying that?

01:36:44.739 --> 01:36:45.739
I did.

01:36:45.739 --> 01:36:47.739
Goodbye, Wendy.

01:36:47.739 --> 01:36:48.739
Goodbye, Wendy.

01:36:48.739 --> 01:36:49.739
Okay.

01:36:49.739 --> 01:36:58.819
I just want to remind the council please that we have to stay on topic okay the

01:36:58.819 --> 01:37:02.059
topic that was on the floor for discussion right now is about the

01:37:02.059 --> 01:37:05.699
residency ordinance I'm just reminding people to keep all their comments about

01:37:05.699 --> 01:37:13.579
the residency ordinance thank you thank you I just want to make one statement

01:37:13.579 --> 01:37:19.380
about our police fire and the folks that are impacted by this residency

01:37:19.380 --> 01:37:28.000
and I want to just say, number one, the residency in this environment is very challenging because

01:37:28.000 --> 01:37:30.319
we are not, we're in a different area.

01:37:30.319 --> 01:37:32.979
We have a different generation now.

01:37:32.979 --> 01:37:37.979
We are all fighting for the same small pool of policemen and firemen.

01:37:37.979 --> 01:37:45.579
And I also want to support the firemen and police, they do care very much.

01:37:45.579 --> 01:37:50.819
And living in Freeport is not an indication about how much they care.

01:37:50.819 --> 01:37:55.819
They come in, they give of their life, and they give of their energies every single day

01:37:55.819 --> 01:37:57.539
to this city.

01:37:57.539 --> 01:38:02.779
And I think it's not appropriate to be talking about them in those terms.

01:38:02.779 --> 01:38:08.899
So I just wanted to say that although this is kind of a vestige of a bygone era when there

01:38:08.899 --> 01:38:14.100
was plenty of people to work and Freeport was a very competitive wage-wise employer,

01:38:14.100 --> 01:38:19.340
Today, we appreciate everything that our officers, police and fire are doing as well as public

01:38:19.340 --> 01:38:26.140
works, but we need to be able to have a little bit of an open policy so that folks can live

01:38:26.140 --> 01:38:30.819
where they feel safest and also where it makes the most sense.

01:38:30.819 --> 01:38:35.779
And that'll make us able to be more competitive in terms of the folks that we hire, getting

01:38:35.779 --> 01:38:39.300
the most qualified people in those positions when they come open.

01:38:39.300 --> 01:38:40.300
Thank you.

01:38:40.300 --> 01:38:43.619
One quick statement, and then Stacy wants to talk, but I'm going to make one quick one.

01:38:43.619 --> 01:38:48.619
I got a phone call the other day, Belvedere and the City of DeKalb have also eliminated residency.

01:38:48.619 --> 01:38:51.619
I'm just going to say that. It's your turn Cecelia.

01:38:51.619 --> 01:38:55.619
Okay, we're not Belvedere. And you said who? Who else?

01:38:55.619 --> 01:38:57.619
Belvedere and DeKalb.

01:38:57.619 --> 01:39:03.619
We're not Belvedere, we're not DeKalb, we're not Rockford, we're Freeport.

01:39:03.619 --> 01:39:15.840
City Manager Boyer, I don't know if you have had hands on in hiring any of these people

01:39:15.840 --> 01:39:21.539
that's in this position.

01:39:21.539 --> 01:39:29.899
And with that said, if it was said, I missed it because I don't think anyone was putting

01:39:29.899 --> 01:39:39.380
Down, Chief Miller, nor Chief Shenberger as if they were not doing their job.

01:39:39.380 --> 01:39:47.739
I heard that Chief Shenberger was applauded for the changes and the difference he has

01:39:47.739 --> 01:39:49.779
made.

01:39:49.779 --> 01:39:57.220
So please don't paint a picture that anybody is putting anybody down.

01:39:57.220 --> 01:39:59.220
Are they able to do what they do because you let them?

01:39:59.220 --> 01:40:15.960
and James, thank you, and I'd like to remind the City Manager that it also applies to Public

01:40:15.960 --> 01:40:23.500
Works who seems to be an afterthought of this administration and quite honestly they deserve

01:40:23.500 --> 01:40:28.780
anything, it's just as much pats on the back as anybody, they've worked hard.

01:40:28.780 --> 01:40:33.820
I know I've been really hard on them but at the same time what I've been really hard on

01:40:33.820 --> 01:40:36.220
is we haven't staffed them appropriately.

01:40:36.220 --> 01:40:37.659
We haven't paid them appropriately.

01:40:37.659 --> 01:40:42.220
We haven't done the things that we've done for the other two departments.

01:40:42.220 --> 01:40:48.980
So this residency requirement is very, very important to deal with for them and quite

01:40:48.980 --> 01:40:56.740
honestly they probably it matters least to the city about them just because they're not

01:40:56.740 --> 01:41:03.740
I have one quick question. If this was to pass and be gone, would that also apply to our 9-1-1 dispatchers? I think they're labeled TC's. Would this also apply to them?

01:41:26.740 --> 01:41:37.740
Residents, the number of miles outside the center of Freeport is dealt with through the contract, so if you have people in public works, the contract stipulates that.

01:41:37.740 --> 01:41:45.740
If you have people in TC's, if you have fire officers or you have police officers, that's all in the contract.

01:41:45.740 --> 01:41:50.740
What we're talking about is individuals who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

01:41:50.740 --> 01:41:52.740
So we've got to open it up for everybody.

01:41:52.740 --> 01:41:55.740
Okay, Aaron?

01:41:55.740 --> 01:42:02.140
So currently this ordinance just deals with for lack of a better term your your department heads, okay right now this ordinance

01:42:02.140 --> 01:42:04.140
That's on the table now

01:42:04.300 --> 01:42:06.140
your police

01:42:06.140 --> 01:42:10.300
For the most part. I'm generically saying that but for most rights the department heads, okay

01:42:10.860 --> 01:42:18.820
Or your supervisory levels your police department is governed by the their own contract fire departments covered by their own contract police union

01:42:18.820 --> 01:42:25.239
It's covered by their own contract. I believe police and fire contracts already removed the residency requirement

01:42:25.740 --> 01:42:33.180
and Public Works is up for bargaining coming up, you know, or soon there.

01:42:33.180 --> 01:42:37.200
So that potentially could be discussed during bargaining there, so.

01:42:38.100 --> 01:42:38.460
Okay.

01:42:38.700 --> 01:42:38.860
Yeah.

01:42:39.360 --> 01:42:44.280
Number 12, okay, number 12, discussion regarding status

01:42:44.280 --> 01:42:50.579
of Landlord Registration Deadline ending April 1, 2025, Alderman Stacey and Simmons.

01:42:50.579 --> 01:43:06.260
Okay, so, as you all may recall, we had a lot of landlords that were not even registered

01:43:06.260 --> 01:43:18.820
in the City of Freeport last year, so a letter was composed and sent out to all landlords

01:43:18.820 --> 01:43:31.760
and they had till April the 1st to comply. Well, today is April the 14th. And I would

01:43:31.760 --> 01:43:39.520
just like an update on this matter. Where we're at, who complied, who didn't, are we

01:43:39.520 --> 01:43:51.520
Finding People, and where did we go from here?

01:43:51.520 --> 01:43:52.960
Yeah, sure.

01:43:52.960 --> 01:43:56.000
Good news is we doubled our participation rate.

01:43:56.000 --> 01:43:59.320
72% of landlords in this town have registered.

01:43:59.320 --> 01:44:06.039
That's 2003 registered properties.

01:44:06.039 --> 01:44:07.480
Last year, we had 1,000.

01:44:07.480 --> 01:44:13.920
So, I really want to thank the council for supporting the Ptolemae software.

01:44:13.920 --> 01:44:15.640
It made this possible.

01:44:15.640 --> 01:44:21.800
Right now we have 763 properties in violation and we are in the process of issuing the fines.

01:44:21.800 --> 01:44:26.560
And where we go from here is sit back, relax, and I guess let the fines come in.

01:44:26.560 --> 01:44:39.800
Also, there's an ordinance or a law or a rule that says any landlord that's 20 miles outside

01:44:39.800 --> 01:44:49.480
of Freeport must have a rental organization over their property.

01:44:49.480 --> 01:44:50.480
Is that correct?

01:44:50.480 --> 01:44:51.480
Correct.

01:44:51.480 --> 01:44:54.800
Our software takes care of that, yes.

01:44:54.800 --> 01:45:03.680
is that happening as I said earlier our software takes care of that yes thank you that's good news

01:45:04.960 --> 01:45:13.680
okay number 13 discussion regarding appointment of Dustin Wilkinson to the Planning Commission

01:45:13.680 --> 01:45:17.400
and replacing Josh Atkins, Stacy and Simmons.

01:45:22.239 --> 01:45:27.239
Last week on the agenda, last week agenda,

01:45:27.239 --> 01:45:54.600
On the agenda, last week agenda, we were asked about appointing this person, Dustin Wilkinson,

01:45:54.600 --> 01:46:08.159
to the Planning Committee. However, what we were not told was that there was no open position

01:46:08.159 --> 01:46:18.600
on the Planning Committee. You know, we see these things just like you do, so when someone

01:46:18.600 --> 01:46:24.960
is being appointed by the Mayor, we think there's an open position. We don't think

01:46:24.960 --> 01:46:35.560
that someone is being fired because that's never exposed. However, Tuesday, Joshua Atkinson

01:46:35.560 --> 01:46:46.400
received an email being terminated from his position on the Planning Board and replaced

01:46:46.400 --> 01:46:52.560
by this guy, Dustin Wilkinson.

01:46:59.360 --> 01:47:04.039
I'm not going to talk about him and what all he is

01:47:04.039 --> 01:47:09.280
and what all he don't do and the trouble that he's in.

01:47:09.280 --> 01:47:10.360
Look him up.

01:47:10.360 --> 01:47:13.079
It's public information, and it's out there.

01:47:16.400 --> 01:47:31.100
I don't understand why, well maybe I will talk about it, why a drug addict, a felony,

01:47:31.100 --> 01:47:42.520
a domestic violence person is made to be such a good person who's in trouble facing charges

01:47:42.520 --> 01:47:54.300
now, to where you would ask the council, not knowing who he is, I know who he is now, to

01:47:54.300 --> 01:48:01.680
vote him in and not even say because I want to get rid of Joshua Atkinson or I plan on

01:48:01.680 --> 01:48:03.800
firing Joshua Atkinson.

01:48:03.800 --> 01:48:09.800
You bring him to the council like there's an open position and there isn't.

01:48:09.800 --> 01:48:21.539
And there's an ordinance on this matter and guess what, Madam Mayor, you can't do that.

01:48:21.539 --> 01:48:29.119
The ordinance tell how someone will be removed from a committee.

01:48:29.119 --> 01:48:30.840
You put them on the committee.

01:48:30.840 --> 01:48:34.739
We have to accept who you choose.

01:48:34.739 --> 01:48:45.900
but there's a law on how and when and why he can be removed so I don't want a drug addict,

01:48:45.900 --> 01:49:03.260
a wife beater on a committee for the city like he's all of that when you know he's not.

01:49:03.260 --> 01:49:11.500
These positions are supposed to be filled with pride and just anything won't do.

01:49:11.500 --> 01:49:18.780
I don't care if it is just the planning committee.

01:49:18.780 --> 01:49:33.100
Shame on you for doing that to us and making me have to call you out on it.

01:49:33.100 --> 01:49:42.579
So I don't know where we're going to go from here, but as I said, it was not done properly.

01:49:42.579 --> 01:49:45.140
He cannot be fired.

01:49:45.140 --> 01:49:48.020
It just don't happen like that.

01:49:48.020 --> 01:49:57.180
And I ask that this matter be resolved ASAP and that Joshua Atkinson is put back onto

01:49:57.180 --> 01:49:58.180
to that committee.

01:49:58.180 --> 01:50:01.180
and

01:50:01.180 --> 01:50:03.720
Dustin Wilkinson

01:50:03.720 --> 01:50:05.340
is removed.

01:50:05.340 --> 01:50:08.820
Any other comments?

01:50:08.820 --> 01:50:09.619
Okay.

01:50:09.619 --> 01:50:11.020
1 to 14,

01:50:11.020 --> 01:50:12.460
which is

01:50:12.460 --> 01:50:14.140
public comments.

01:50:14.140 --> 01:50:16.539
Anybody want to make public? Okay, Mr. Scott.

01:50:16.539 --> 01:50:20.619
Name in three minutes.

01:50:20.619 --> 01:50:25.020
Ron to Scott, I have to follow up on something that was said tonight.

01:50:25.020 --> 01:50:29.820
You all brought up this $60,000 grant, or it wasn't a grant.

01:50:29.820 --> 01:50:32.539
It was money given to the Wagner House for an elevator.

01:50:32.539 --> 01:50:34.140
I have receipts on this.

01:50:34.140 --> 01:50:37.100
It was not a loan, it was not a revolving loan.

01:50:37.100 --> 01:50:40.780
I only happened to find this out by accident.

01:50:40.780 --> 01:50:47.579
There was a $1 million bond taken out of the downtown TIF.

01:50:47.579 --> 01:50:49.700
And when I looked at the TIF report,

01:50:49.700 --> 01:50:53.340
I show the actual amount of that bond for financing

01:50:53.340 --> 01:51:01.680
is 1.3 million dollars, there you go, so I asked the city what was this money used for

01:51:01.680 --> 01:51:07.039
because it didn't say in the TIF report and I had to do a FOIA to find out because nobody

01:51:07.039 --> 01:51:12.900
really know because nobody was here in 2018 except for Mayor Miller and maybe you Mr.

01:51:12.900 --> 01:51:18.100
Klemm I'm not sure and Mr. Chesney abstained.

01:51:18.100 --> 01:51:21.280
So I want to let you know what happened.

01:51:21.280 --> 01:51:26.760
One million dollars was used with a bond that the TIF paid for.

01:51:26.760 --> 01:51:36.659
So when that bond paid Wagner House $60,000 for an elevator, the TIF paid for it.

01:51:36.659 --> 01:51:43.420
The other expenditures that that one million dollar paid for was mostly demolitions, which

01:51:43.420 --> 01:51:47.700
were for properties that belonged to Zajec.

01:51:47.700 --> 01:51:52.260
the other the other loan the only loan in that one million dollars went to Mahoney

01:51:52.260 --> 01:51:55.820
and I can say this because it's on public record when you borrow public money

01:51:55.820 --> 01:52:00.500
it's a public record of that hundred and thirteen thousand dollar loan by Mahoney

01:52:00.500 --> 01:52:04.980
he still owes 95,000 so I'm just letting you know when we're applying ordinances

01:52:04.980 --> 01:52:09.900
to people we pick and choose when we're giving out public tax money to people

01:52:09.900 --> 01:52:14.159
we're picking and choosing and you all didn't know because you weren't here in

01:52:14.159 --> 01:52:16.159
and

01:52:17.159 --> 01:52:23.159
the City Council voted to give $1 million and $45,000 to fund a bond and you know what it was for?

01:52:23.159 --> 01:52:31.159
For redevelopment to improve the downtown for projects and to make loans to improve downtown.

01:52:31.159 --> 01:52:37.159
Didn't say what the projects were for, didn't say how it was going to be paid for and I'm just letting you know,

01:52:37.159 --> 01:52:40.159
this is the kind of crap that goes down in the city.

01:52:40.159 --> 01:52:44.380
Moore, and I'm just letting you know this is the kind of crap that goes down in this

01:52:44.380 --> 01:52:45.460
city hall.

01:52:45.460 --> 01:52:47.539
And yes, you're right.

01:52:47.539 --> 01:52:50.020
Somebody does write up this ordinance.

01:52:50.020 --> 01:52:51.700
Somebody wrote up that ordinance.

01:52:51.700 --> 01:52:54.440
Chesney abstained.

01:52:54.440 --> 01:52:57.100
And yes, City Council passed it, but what did they pass?

01:52:57.100 --> 01:53:01.220
They passed because they wanted to redevelop and improve downtown.

01:53:01.220 --> 01:53:02.820
But what got improved?

01:53:02.820 --> 01:53:03.820
Nothing.

01:53:03.820 --> 01:53:08.220
We tore down $800,000 worth of property belonging to Zichek.

01:53:08.220 --> 01:53:13.860
We paid Wagner House $60,000 for an elevator, did that improve downtown?

01:53:13.860 --> 01:53:18.420
We paid Mahoney $113,000 for a loan and he still owes on it.

01:53:18.420 --> 01:53:21.579
That's where our money goes, that's why we don't improve downtown.

01:53:21.579 --> 01:53:26.820
I'm sick of it, and Representative Jeff Keischer is sick of it, he's passed two...

01:53:26.820 --> 01:53:28.340
Your time has expired.

01:53:28.340 --> 01:53:31.340
I'll continue later.

01:53:31.340 --> 01:53:45.659
Good evening, City Council. I'd like to piggyback on Rhonda a little bit here. I want to talk

01:53:45.659 --> 01:53:51.700
about existing TIP dollars that aren't going in other areas of the city. If you look up,

01:53:51.700 --> 01:53:57.860
if you Google TIP, you'll see an area that talks about TIPs can help revitalize areas

01:53:57.860 --> 01:54:01.940
are struggling with economic declines.

01:54:01.940 --> 01:54:04.980
They can create jobs and increase private investment.

01:54:04.980 --> 01:54:06.860
They can improve public service.

01:54:06.860 --> 01:54:08.619
But what they're not telling you is

01:54:08.619 --> 01:54:11.300
that in the reinvestment portion of TIFFS,

01:54:11.300 --> 01:54:14.980
it's a public infrastructure improvement for streets, sewers,

01:54:14.980 --> 01:54:19.740
water lines, redevelopment of, catch this, blighted properties,

01:54:19.740 --> 01:54:24.460
attracting new businesses or expanding existing ones,

01:54:24.460 --> 01:54:27.100
and cleaning up pollution.

01:54:27.100 --> 01:54:32.860
Now, I brought this to your attention simply because in Chicago they have a community tip

01:54:32.860 --> 01:54:36.220
fund and they have a business tip fund.

01:54:36.220 --> 01:54:41.460
Money goes into the community as far as businesses are concerned and then other monies are put

01:54:41.460 --> 01:54:46.700
in a lottery and the lottery is drawn up, an individual who owns a piece of property

01:54:46.700 --> 01:54:52.800
in Chicago then is receiving a grant to fix up their properties.

01:54:52.800 --> 01:54:59.960
So we need to understand that no money has ever gone into any individual citizen's house

01:54:59.960 --> 01:55:01.880
or property.

01:55:01.880 --> 01:55:02.880
First thing.

01:55:02.880 --> 01:55:09.360
Second thing, we're talking about bringing some charging stations into Freeport because

01:55:09.360 --> 01:55:11.600
we've got people coming from Chicago going to Galena.

01:55:11.600 --> 01:55:13.960
Well, let's tell the truth about that.

01:55:13.960 --> 01:55:18.760
The average person that comes from Chicago going into Galena passes us up and goes straight

01:55:18.760 --> 01:55:19.760
into Galena.

01:55:19.760 --> 01:55:21.760
They don't come through Freeport.

01:55:21.760 --> 01:55:24.039
I've got friends that go to Galena every year.

01:55:24.039 --> 01:55:26.760
They didn't even know if Freeport was on the map.

01:55:26.760 --> 01:55:28.119
So you can stop that.

01:55:28.119 --> 01:55:29.380
Stop it.

01:55:29.380 --> 01:55:30.920
Because they don't have to come through Freeport

01:55:30.920 --> 01:55:32.640
in order to get to Galena.

01:55:32.640 --> 01:55:35.240
Everybody sitting around here knows better than that.

01:55:36.440 --> 01:55:38.760
When we start talking about residential,

01:55:38.760 --> 01:55:40.820
the police and the fire department,

01:55:40.820 --> 01:55:42.240
I have absolutely no complaints about

01:55:42.240 --> 01:55:44.840
what our police department is doing at this point.

01:55:45.720 --> 01:55:46.940
I do think that there are certain things

01:55:46.940 --> 01:55:48.240
that could be done better.

01:55:48.240 --> 01:55:59.240
Our fire department is on the ball. My biggest issue is with this is that tax dollars that we're paying into their salaries are going outside of our city.

01:55:59.240 --> 01:56:04.240
There are no property taxes being paid on their properties in Lena or any place else.

01:56:04.240 --> 01:56:10.240
I do also understand that there are certain people that were given certain options as to whether or not they can move here.

01:56:10.240 --> 01:56:14.240
And it's in writing and I won't talk about that because it was shared with me.

01:56:14.240 --> 01:56:20.240
But simply this, we need to look out for what is happening with us here in this town.

01:56:20.240 --> 01:56:23.240
We need to start building up our communities.

01:56:23.240 --> 01:56:26.240
Mr. Boyer, you said something last week that kind of pissed me off.

01:56:26.240 --> 01:56:34.240
And what you said simply was is that we can't seem to find people that are willing or capable of doing a job in this city.

01:56:34.240 --> 01:56:37.240
Let me tell you guys the honest God's truth.

01:56:37.240 --> 01:56:39.240
Nobody wants to work for this administration.

01:56:39.240 --> 01:56:42.240
You guys have a revolving door that is as bad as Vitna's.

01:56:42.240 --> 01:56:56.740
Good evening. My name is Micaiah Stacy. What makes me upset about the entire Dustin thing,

01:56:56.740 --> 01:57:02.840
not the fact that Josh was improperly fired, but the fact that we have a drug problem that

01:57:02.840 --> 01:57:08.280
is known in this city. And this council, maybe you guys didn't vote against it, I don't

01:57:08.280 --> 01:57:10.280
and I, and I know it was last year.

01:57:10.280 --> 01:57:14.140
It was said that the council didn't need to be drug tested.

01:57:14.140 --> 01:57:15.140
And we live in Illinois.

01:57:15.140 --> 01:57:18.600
Nobody cares if you smoke a little weed, like whatever.

01:57:18.600 --> 01:57:22.119
But to bring a man with an Alderman, Stacy,

01:57:22.119 --> 01:57:25.740
I don't know if that calling him an addict was a proper term,

01:57:25.740 --> 01:57:29.159
but a dealer, a meth dealer who, yeah, went to jail

01:57:29.159 --> 01:57:32.020
however many years ago, maybe he is reformed.

01:57:32.020 --> 01:57:35.539
But to bring a former meth dealer into this town

01:57:35.539 --> 01:57:38.180
and put him on a planning committee

01:57:38.180 --> 01:57:40.940
is such a big FU to everybody here.

01:57:42.820 --> 01:57:46.560
I don't know the exact percentages or whatever,

01:57:46.560 --> 01:57:49.180
but a lot of people die from meth.

01:57:49.180 --> 01:57:52.760
If I was to walk out on the street, kill someone,

01:57:52.760 --> 01:57:55.280
and then apply for a committee 20 years later,

01:57:55.280 --> 01:57:56.960
would you appoint me?

01:57:56.960 --> 01:57:59.100
No, you would not.

01:57:59.100 --> 01:58:00.659
Meth dealers are murderers.

01:58:00.659 --> 01:58:03.900
Why is there a murderer on any committee in this town

01:58:03.900 --> 01:58:05.220
that has a drug problem?

01:58:05.220 --> 01:58:18.220
I was told last week that the chief moved out of Freeport because he, like a safety issue, I was told that he got flipped off, I don't know how accurate that is, whatever.

01:58:18.220 --> 01:58:31.220
But personally, I feel like you can't really lead a town or see the exact problems in a town from a town that's 20 minutes away, you always have that separation.

01:58:31.220 --> 01:58:35.920
When I lived in Des Moines and mom would call me and say, oh, the committee's doing this, this, this, or the council's doing this,

01:58:35.920 --> 01:58:41.119
I'd say, oh, that sucks, and then I could get off the phone and go back to my life and do my homework

01:58:41.119 --> 01:58:45.720
because I had that degree of separation, and that wasn't healthy because I moved back here

01:58:45.720 --> 01:58:50.119
and I got thrown face first into whatever the hell goes on in this building.

01:58:50.119 --> 01:58:54.320
So I know it's probably like a little too late to be like, hey, maybe you should move back to Freeport,

01:58:54.320 --> 01:59:00.920
but a lot of people are feeling like, how can someone that doesn't live in the town that I live in properly lead me and know what I need?

01:59:00.920 --> 01:59:04.920
Any more public comments?

01:59:12.920 --> 01:59:16.920
I just have a quick comment. Last week, Joy, you were called out

01:59:16.920 --> 01:59:20.920
because you were sitting there flipping through a magazine

01:59:20.920 --> 01:59:24.920
and when Stacy, Alderman Stacy was talking

01:59:24.920 --> 01:59:28.920
and Simmons and Monroe, you were picking your fingernails and looking at your phone

01:59:28.920 --> 01:59:58.150
I sat there and watched you the whole time. It's right now you're flipping through. And just a quick comment again. Last time when IKEA was here and having this big fight, you and the mayor should shut your mic off. And before you start calling people out and talking bad about them. Because I still got that. Keep smirking, Mayor. Keep smirking. Anybody else? Tommy?

01:59:58.150 --> 02:00:13.590
Dickens, we got a class. Do you update the holiday and people ask me? Well, no vacancy

02:00:13.590 --> 02:00:17.970
there, Tom. Are they going to get it? What's that? Are they going to get it, Don? We're

02:00:17.970 --> 02:00:21.730
going to get it, Tommy. We're going to get it. And Don Parker, you did a good job doing

02:00:21.730 --> 02:00:30.830
that one in the meeting and Joey Miller you don't forget that that cutting cut

02:00:30.830 --> 02:00:39.850
in the weather and coming up Monday okay there's no more ones we can have in a

02:00:39.850 --> 02:00:54.370
Motion for adjournment. So moved. Sellers and Shadle. All in favor. Aye. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it. I think it's over. We're not done. We're not done. Yeah, we're done.

02:00:54.370 --> 02:01:05.570
The business of the council have not made an appropriate announcement. Stay here and talk Larry, we're leaving. Have a good one. You're out of order.

02:01:05.570 --> 02:01:07.570
It's not the first time.

02:01:07.570 --> 02:01:09.570
Totally out of order.