Good evening, Madam Mayor, everyone.
Would you please pray with me?
Lord of all, it is the glory of every human being to seek your wisdom and strength.
You are admirable in your power and wisdom and truth and for your mercy and grace.
All well and doing well.
We're glad to meet you.
We're grateful for you.
We're grateful for all of you for being here.
We know every true good thing that we know is sourced in you.
So thank you tonight for your gifts that you've given each one here of life, of health, of community, of gifts for leadership and governance.
Or do we thank you for this City, our home, and for those that you have put in place to Thank you for this Mayor and this Council, for these Department Heads, this City Manager, and for so many others, even in the seats here tonight, that you give their time and talent for the welfare of this city.
Lord, you care about integrity, about wise planning, about justice.
And we ask that you'd give both the leaders of this city and its citizens the humility to seek these things from you and may they find your mercy and grace that you offer freely and so tonight we ask that you'd help each one of us here to act honorably before you and with deference and grace toward each other for you have made us to speak and act with both love and truth I ask all Alderperson, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Absent, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers and we'll wait until Alderman Stacy is able to get up to her chair because she leads the pledge.
Madam Clerk, could you please make note that 603 Alderman Simmons arrived and then if you could all please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Stacy.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
Aye.
Opposed?
That motion passes.
Item number two is approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on July 21st, 2025.
Is such a motion?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.
All those in favor signify by saying aye.
Aye.
Opposed?
That motion passes.
Davis.
Item number three is recognition of service awards.
Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Rick Lineman has been with the city for 10 years.
He started out as a swing shift operator at the wastewater treatment plant.
He is now the chief wastewater operator.
He's also received his Class 1 wastewater license as well as his Class B water treatment license.
We're very appreciative for his service to the city.
Being that he could not make Thank you.
Item number four is public comments.
Madam Clerk, did you have one that you had for reading?
I did.
This one was emailed in and relates to agenda item number 24.
It is from Kelly Hobock.
Please consider the following as my letter of support for grievance 01-2025.
I am writing to emphasize the necessity of stalling curb ramps to ensure accessibility for individuals who use wheelchairs and others with mobility challenges.
Curb ramps are essential for safe and independent navigation across sidewalks and streets.
Without them, wheelchair users face significant physical barriers that can prevent them from accessing public spaces freely and safely.
These barriers not only compromise mobility, but also dignity and independence.
I would also like to reference a previously submitted grievance, 01-2025, specifically concerning the corners of Park Boulevard and Church Street.
The lack of curb ramps at these intersections continues to pose serious accessibility issues for community members with mobility impairments.
While I appreciate any steps taken so far, this location remains a critical area in need of attention.
Installing curb ramps is not only a matter of legal compliance and others under the ADA.
It is a matter of equity and inclusion.
These ramps benefit not only wheelchair users, but also individuals using walkers, strollers, bicycles and delivery carts.
They make public spaces safer and more accessible for everyone.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
I urge you to prioritize the installation of curb ramps at Park Boulevard and Sure Street and take meaningful steps towards creating a more inclusive and accessible environment.
Sincerely, Kelly Hobock.
And then we have Ernestine Edmond on a bid package.
I'm not sure if I said that name correctly.
Did you want to comment on a bid package?
Yeah it's a that's a bid Package.
I just wanted to be here because I am in the midst of all this because we're We're in a rental property, and months ago I got letters saying that the property had been sold.
Okay.
So that doesn't have to do with the bid package.
So if you want to talk about rental properties, then you have to wait until the end.
Okay.
May I address you, please?
Sure.
Thank you.
You guys, stand up.
Stand up.
All of you, stand up.
Which item number are we talking about?
I asked if I could address you and the council.
Okay, according to public comments.
I appreciate it.
Okay, but it doesn't have to do with.
These are you guys' constituents.
These are your constituents that are being and others that are being gentrified out of this town based around properties that have been sold and is increasing their rents.
These are your constituents that are going to be homeless with their children, one of whom has been hurt in one of these pieces of property.
You guys don't want to hear us?
You will hear us one way or the other.
You're going to either hear us today and then not make these people stay here all night.
They've got to go home to their kids and their family and their homes that they will no longer be able to exist.
I'm passionate about this simply because I've been in that situation.
I live in transitional housing.
And I have been in that situation.
I live in transitional housing for 18 months, not in the same conditions that they're going through.
And you guys need to hear them.
All of you need to hear them.
You need to listen to what your constituents are saying and what I'm saying to you guys simply.
If they don't listen to you, get them out of here.
Register, everybody need to register.
Put them out of their seat.
They need to hear you.
If they're Okay, you, you, you are out of order.
It has nothing to do.
Well, then you will be asked to leave.
Could you please escort her out?
For those of you that are standing.
For those of you that are standing I just want to say we are sorry for the hardships that you are going through but please know that the city has you you I want you to know you can talk at the end of the public comment if you'd like You can talk at the end of public comment if you like.
If you would like to be escorted out as well, that's your choice.
Chief, if you could handle this.
For those of you that have stayed I would just like to say I'm sorry for what you're experiencing but please note that the city has no rent control we have no right to govern what another business puts out for a price we don't there's nothing we feel bad that you're being increased but we have no authority to stop them from doing that so we will move on we have other public comments and I'm going to speak on item 14, but I do think that demolition, item 26, is an important issue and that we are demolishing properties that could be turned into useful rentals and that is a concern that we should be talking about.
But I'm here to talk about the lift station.
And others.
And that is a concern that we should be talking about.
But I'm here to talk about the Lyft station.
I was upset about it last time because I've been knowing about the Lamb Road Tiff and this Lyft station which just came up.
But that Tiff has been in existence since 2003.
And Walmart and Menards were forced out there by a handful of white men who bought up land cheap and stuck them out there so that they could collect their property taxes.
This is not Wal-Mart or Menard's fault.
This is this group of creepy men who dictate what happens in Freeport and steal our property taxes and so that's what's happening in the Lamb Road Tiff.
Wal-Mart and Menard's property taxes are now funding a lift station to pump sewage out of there.
Now when that development went in in 2005, I sat on the Planning Commission.
I questioned all of this.
Guess what?
I was kicked off the Planning Commission because they didn't want to hear what I had to say.
That's what happens to people who look up and find out the facts.
So here we are today paying for a lift station.
I just talked to Mr. Stekel, Darren, and I asked, why do we not know how much this is going to cost?
Tonight, you're about to approve $234,000 for engineering services.
Do you know what that means?
It means you're going to pay him to oversee and Stegall.
Do you know how much a lift station is going to cost you?
Do you know how much it costs to run a lift station?
I asked Mr. Stegall and he gave me an answer which I appreciated.
He said it's going to cost around $2.8, $2.3 million, which we do have in the TIF.
But that's not the point.
Why are we spending the money on a lift station?
When they put that development out there, they should have paid for water and sewer.
If they didn't have sewer out there, they had no business putting Walmart and Menards and Mr. Boyer, I'm telling you this for your benefit because you weren't here.
I'm not blaming you.
I'm bringing you historical information that I hope you will appreciate.
So right now we've got this same group of creepy thugs who are running developments who want a lift station to get water and sewer out to Mill Race Crossing, 400 or 500 acres, which they bought the land cheap, had no water out there, and guess what?
Now we're going to pay for with those property taxes that Wal-Mart and Menards are paying that are supposed to be coming to our police, water, not water, we pay for water, our police, fire, schools, city, we're supposed to be using those property taxes to pay for our expenses here, but instead, you're being asked to vote now to approve engineering costs so that we can put a lift station so that these thug developers who are sitting over at the county can run Wal-Mart and Kinsey Graham, Item Number 10 Good evening, Council.
My name is Kinsey Graham with State Line Solar on behalf of Harmony UMC.
I'd like to address you in terms of Item Number 10, the approval of the ground-mounted solar array on the property.
Mostly, I just wanted to answer the questions that came up from the first reading.
That being, why not put solar panels on the roof?
Main reason to not put panels on the roof is because it's due to be replaced soon and that would add extra cost to the church to have to remove them and put them back up at that time.
We also moved it to the back of the property to remain out of sight as per the code request.
And our sizing of that ground-mounted system does comply with the current ordinances as they are today.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Akiya Sanders on item number 23.
Let me try to make this as quick as possible.
It's a lot to cover.
I'm going to show you how God revealed everything on this agenda there that you say that don't have nothing to do with it.
The root is Wayne Duckman.
Wayne is responsible for knocking down these houses that does not have to be knocked down.
We are in a housing crisis right now and we're looking at the man to give him some money, a contract after he quit on Freeport.
He quit, put his two weeks in, don't want nothing to do with us, but he want a thousand dollars for 16 hours a week.
That's insane, insane.
We're in a housing crisis.
Rob Boyer, it's your time to put on a Superman cape.
Try to act like you care about the community.
We are a rural community.
Rural means you guys have made the rules to fit your needs.
Now it's time to make the rules to fit the community needs and what they actually need.
Have you went through those properties and seen if they honestly need to be knocked down?
Wayne Duckman is very vindictive.
He harasses a lot of people.
He gives all kinds of hell to a lot of people only because they are consistent in hustling.
He mad because he got to do a job.
He done left his job five times.
And now you're putting on a contract.
You want to give him some money for begging him to stay.
Feel his position.
Last time you said there was nine people that filled out an application, I can't believe out of those nine people we don't have one that can and others.
He's the reason that we do more than 16 hours a week.
He's the reason that all of our whole community is failing.
He's the reason that the progress for the Eastside projects, he's trying to stop that.
And your whole election was ran off Chicago slum landlords and I ain't going to believe that you can't do nothing about what coming here and trying to fix it.
Make it so it fits the cap.
You cannot do 500 to 1,000.
You cannot make somebody pay that much.
You are in control.
And Booth were here and is now President of Baby contributed 100 million dollarsasting Mrs. Damila.
I'm so snob bj soap awareness, but I'm like say, maybe you guys don't care cuz half of y'all living good but it's people that need help, Social Security, low income job you ain t got no jobs here Rob Freeport Partnership created I don't see.
It's time for somebody to do something that actually can, that's done, for the community.
Keep your topic on and the rest of the community in a way we can't live.
Go through the properties once.
How often do you go over there?
How often do you trail those properties that's being torn down?
Mine, for one, didn't need to be torn down.
It couldn't want to some of these families.
But instead, he wanted to target me, knock it down, and now we in a housing crisis.
Fix it.
Care about it.
Don't look down, look up.
Look at the people you're about to fail.
And John.
You can count your blessings and get out of here.
You can count your blessings and get out of here.. » Cheryl Alderman on item number 23.
» Mine is also concerning Wayne Duckman and Rob.
I have tried to talk to Rob.
I have an 8 unit apartment building that can get fixed up, but because Wayne has got to and Ikea, shake your head yes Wayne, I know it, all these people, 8 units, can you imagine how many families I could put in that 8 unit?
Get off your ass and let us fix this property so that these people have a place to live.
Let's not swear or you're done.
Don't swear at him.
But it's okay that he can rip people off.
What am I talking about?
You're an exception Doe.
But you guys sit here.
These people are looking for homes.
Give me the permit so that I can fix this back up.
You already stole one of my houses.
If you think you're going to get this one, you're going to have a fight.
Next is Joseline Risley.
I'm sure I'm saying that terribly wrong.
Excuse me, I don't know the rules and regulations.
This is my and Dr. Jodi, I don't know the rules and regulations.
This is my first time attending a meeting like this.
I did want to speak on the impact of demolitions and outside takeover. » Okay.
The item that you spoke on is the contract. » Yes.
And that's part of the demolitions, correct? » No. » No.
From 23, 26 and 27? » You wrote down item number 23. » Oh, I'm sorry. » So if you want to talk about is it 20 yeah if you have something specific about bid package stuff you can talk about it yes it's in addition to the the recent rent hikes it also is including the several properties that have been demo demolitioned over the last few years is that's not the appropriate time to speak about that so those items that are on the agenda about demolition there to demo to their voting to accept a bit to demolish a certain group of properties here so if you're and I'm talking about old properties.
No, it's not on point.
If you're talking about these properties, then you can.
That's on point.
It's in addition to that.
It's it's the the big picture of it.
I know that there are additional properties that are proposed to being demolitioned, but it's in addition to what's already been done.
They kind of go hand in hand if you will.
Probably then you can certainly talk about that, but it's probably meant for the public comment at the end of the meeting because it's a non agenda item.
But it's in addition to what and I don't mean to go back and forth with you and waste more and the rest of the city.
It's a really important area of my allotted time.
But it's in addition to the properties that are looking to be demolitioned, because it's causing just a greater strife for the residents of the Freeport community, because it leaves even less areas for them to reside.
And it is related to the rent increase, which of course is not on the agenda.
Yeah, these are specific addresses.
Yes, I understand.
So if you want to speak about rent, then that's going to be at the end of the meeting, isn't it?
I think your comments are going to have to wait till the end because I just don't think they're really not about the bid packet.
The bid packet is who's the lowest bidder?
What's the price to demolish it?
I understand that that's your perspective on it and I will respect that.
So I'd be happy to see that.
I think they're really not about the bid packet.
The bid packet is did who's the lowest bidder?
What's the price to demolish it?
I understand that that's your perspective on it and I will respect that so I'd be happy to speak later in the meeting.
Thank you.
That concludes public comments.
We don't have executive session.
It's always a standing item.
We don't have anything on there.
Just so you know we're not going into executive session okay go ahead my name is Robert Holt I'm the AFSCME Council 31 Staff Representative for Local 3367, the Municipal Employees of the City of Freeport.
I received this letter that they've asked me to read today, so I'll begin.
Over the past few years, Public Works has been promised a $5 an hour increase that they have not received, and now that the City does not want to come through, now the City does not want to come through on their promise.
In 2019, the Local took a 0% increase because the City said they did not have the funds to give us our negotiated increase, and after the city got their COVID money, they only gave it to the police and fire pensions and no one else.
Without the street department, the city would be paying millions more to get streets paved.
Come winter, the streets would not get plowed to ensure safe traveling for our citizens and police and fire.
Without the water and sewer construction crews, we would have to pay someone else thousands to fix main breaks.
You would also have to figure out who was going to run sewer lines when they get backed up and don't flow properly.
Without the telecommunicators, all the calls would be directed to other agencies, which would take even longer to dispatch our officers and fire department personnel.
Without the water treatment crews, there would not be safe drinking water.
If there is a fire, no one would be there to turn up the pumps to help support the water Water Supply needed to put out fires.
So pay us what you owe us, because if you don't pay, we don't stay.
Item number five is the Consent Agenda.
The Consent Agenda is considered to be routine in nature unless there's a member of the council The consent agenda is approving to receive and place on file the board and commission minutes from the Planning Commission May 8th, June 12th, 2025, the Zoning Board of Appeals June 5th, 2025, Board of Fire and Police Commissioners June 24th, July 1st, 2025, Finance and Cash and Investment Reports for June 2025, the Greater Freeport Partnership July 2025, Building Permit, Fire Department and Police Department reports for July 2025.
The finance bill is payable in the total of $5,658,211.16 and payroll for pay period ending July 26, 2025 in the total of $685,042.99 and payroll for ending August 8, 2025 in the total of $671,983.85.
Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Oh, I'm sorry, Ann Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes 5 to 2.
Item number 6 is Appointments.
Could you please read?
Connie Craft to the ADA Commission, effective immediately through May 31st, 2029.
Is there a motion to approve?
So move.
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion?
Alderman Stacy?
Why Connie Craig?
She served previously on an old commission that was stood up years ago.
She expressed interest, asked if she could be a part, and I had an opening.
She's an outstanding citizen in this city?
Is she what?
Is she an outstanding citizen in this city?
She's very involved in this city.
I wouldn't put somebody on I didn't think was outstanding.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Still absent.
And Parker?
Aye.
Motion passes 7-0.
Item number 7 is the second reading of Ordinance 2025-44.
Could you please read this?
Commence amending Chapter 460, Section 460.16, Written Permits Required for Overweight Vehicles of the City of Freeport's Code of Ordinances.
Thank you.
Manager Boyer?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Just following up, we had our first reading in July.
This is our second reading, now in August.
Staff requests moving forward with some changes to the ordinance for oversized vehicles, so that would be creating an overweight and oversized permit form, permitting required within city limits no matter what roads are used within the city.
Also adding $150 for individual one-time permits, $1,200 for an annual permit, that would be for individuals licensed within the city, and then $500 penalty for non-compliance with permitting.
Staff recommends moving forward with this ordinance.
Discussion?
Alderman Shadle.
I had a conversation with Garrett Miller from the Crane Service.
He brought to my attention that the state fee, the yearly fee is $1,400 and he felt ours was excessive at $1,200 and was hoping we could get that somewhere down more towards a $500.
$500 Range any other discussion I would just comment we'll make it whatever the council decides to be Make it whatever the council decides to be.
I did a little bit of research on different types of fees and other communities charged by the overage of weight over the 80,000 pounds.
That would be very difficult for us to do.
We don't have that kind of employees or tracking time.
I tried to, you know, make it a break rather than doing individual permits.
I just like to mention we could probably do something like $500, that's unreasonable to council.
At this time, you know, we don't have anything on the book, so something's better than nothing, so.
Alderman Stacey.
I don't think it's fair to just make up a price here based upon what someone is wanting.
If we need to move it to the next meeting and re-look at this, then let's all re-look at it.
But to sit here and change 1200 to 500 tonight, I don't think that that's right nor fair.
Manager Boyer.
One thing I might wanna mention is I've only been contacted by one Alderman who is concerned and expressed some interest from a local business that will be operating overweight within the city and so from that standpoint we did look at various other options but $500 would be a good start on any kind of annual permit and that would also keep some of the overhead lower for operators that are overweight.
Alderman Klemm?
Yes, I know in this, you had eliminated certain vehicles.
The example that Alderman Shadle used is, needless to say, this guy does a lot of work with the cranes, a lot of the around the area, and needless to say, it's got a place in town, so he'd be using it all the time, would there be a possibility of putting him into that group that, with Garbage Trucks, so on and so forth.
I don't believe so.
The cranes he operates are fairly large and completely different than a garbage truck.
They're enormous.
So I don't know if Darren wants to chime in on some of that.
I talked to the one business they called, and they typically run over the weight limit.
That's the size of a crane.
They have multiple cranes, but the one that they, I think, use very regularly is significantly overweight.
Our roads are permitted between 60 and 80,000 pounds.
And I think the unit that we discussed was about 125,000.
So the permitting process is really to control where these vehicles operate within the city.
So for instance, unless we had a crane job at somewhere on Locust Street, I would not permit somebody to go drive a 100,000 pound load down Locust Street, because we just replaced it.
So the whole idea behind this permitting process is to map the exact routes that they're traveling.
It's not just a free pass to do whatever they want, whenever they want.
It is actually to map it out to say, okay, we fixed these streets, so please don't operate on these streets as we move through the network and cycle of it, right?
And that's the people that, cause we actually have an ordinance.
This ordinance is already on the books.
So we do have people that already submit for permits all the time, out of town crane carriers and stuff.
We just don't have any fees tied to this ordinance.
It actually already exists.
I reviewed it with the attorney and it just says the fees will be made up by the Public Works Director at the end of it.
And there was no fee schedule and I didn't feel like it was right to impose a fee schedule that wasn't approved by council.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah, I'm listening to the scenario that you got or the comprehensive conversation that you guys are trying to establish before council.
But we have no comprehensive scaling chart for over the road driving here in the city.
And I think we should establish that.
If we don't have one, we should have one.
Okay.
We have one, it's 80,000 pounds.
No, what I mean is we as council need to be able to examine and do an accessibility of those charts to see if we're within the guidelines of scaling prices, fees, and whatever the nine yards is on that matter.
So what I am saying is before we set fees and others.
We're going to have to set fees and try to impose these fees based upon coming out of our head.
I like to see this in writing.
I like to see a chart mapping of the city where trucks can drive and cannot drive.
And I like to see that visually.
And I think the people of the city would like to see that visually as well.
When they see trucks driving in certain areas, knowing that they have no business in these Fautier and Ken, members of these competition, and I like for us to get this thing prioritized before we decide to allow this thing to be done.
I don't know if there's a time limit on it or whenever you guys want to implement this program or whatever the case may be, but if it's not in effect as of now today, then before we do that, let's have all of our tools in place and making sure that council is very aware and others, and we want to make sure that we don't have to worry about what is being done on these matters and not have us listening to something that may happen or may not have happened and things are changing.
So we want something established where that has some form of foundation that we can go to altogether, not only that, even be placed on our website where people can have accessibility to these kinds of things.
So that's I would just like to make a motion that we move this to the first meeting in September where we can get clarity for those who need clarity or want clarity and I don't think it's fair to start a motion that we move this to the first meeting in September.
For those who need clarity or want clarity.
And I don't think it's fair to start adjusting prices.
That's why our constituents already feel like we support who we want and who we don't, we don't.
This is a prime example of willing to drop from 1,200 to 500 because of one business which Director Darren Steekle said is over 1,000 pound truck.
Okay, we have a motion on the floor to move this ordinance to the next regular scheduled meeting.
Is there a second?
Second.
Mayor?
Sure.
Can I respond to Mr. Sanders comment?
Just for some clarity.
So currently the way the ordinance exists, Anybody can drive anywhere they want without any issue, right?
And so if you're a truck, that's under the legal moving weight, which is 80,000 pounds, they can drive up and down every street in Freeport without any control and it's not illegal for them to do it.
We don't have routes that are cars only or non truck routes, right?
So they can go wherever they want.
This is really for the oversized overweight loads to ensure that they're just not cruising down our streets We're trying to put some teeth to it.
I have done research on this.
What I have proposed is what most communities have.
The fee can, I don't want to say it's negotiable, but it's whatever you guys feel is fair.
I personally, I did not talk to this business, but I talked to other businesses, and the fee that I proposed, they thought it was fair.
So, we're trying to put some teeth to it.
I have done research on this.
What I have proposed is what most communities have.
Felt was fair based on other communities and how they move their loads.
Currently, the way the state moves vehicles around the city, excuse me, the state of Illinois moves vehicles, they fill out a permit and in that permit that they supply to the state, it says you have to get permission or permitting from local jurisdictions.
We have found many trucks that drive down our residential streets with no permitting process that are way overweight.
I'm trying to get control of this because we're investing millions and millions of dollars in the streets that we don't want destroyed.
This is just an extension of our street program.
I will say that the one person that called in now if he's doing an RDA to develop his business in the future we know where he's going to be at so when we reconstruct that street we will make that street of heavier and others.
Johnson.
It doesn't mean that there shouldn't be a permitting process for it.
This is very typical per community.
Some places have automated systems.
We don't have enough truck traffic to have these automated systems to do the work.
So again, just my clarity on it.
Manager Boyer?
The purpose of first and second reading is to allow time for people to have things settle in.
I think this was one of the points that was brought up after the first reading was this seems excessively high.
And because we have nothing now, I personally don't see an issue with lowering it to making it $500 and then we'll see how things go in the future, but whether it's $500 and $1,200, it's not going to change our ability to repair roads and we'll continue to do that.
So staff just recommends moving forward with the amended amount.
I made a motion.
Why are we still talking?
I want to come back to that.
That's why I let them say, as department heads, say what they want to, but we do have a motion on the floor, you're correct.
Okay.
So the motion on the floor, seconded by Alderman and Sanders, is to move this on to the next regular scheduled meeting.
So if there's any discussion on that motion itself, otherwise, Madam Clerk, would you please take the role?
On that?
Yes, on that.
I'm just wondering if it was the first reading on, well, I wasn't here on the committee as as a whole, and that was on 7,714, and so we've had a whole week or so to look over all of this.
I do think that just staying at the 1,200, if that's what they brought it the first time, just staying at that and moving forward to keep things moving, but I think if we already looked at it at 714 and they talked about it as a committee as a whole, why are we.
You're correct.
This is our third meeting of discussion.
On Alderman Stacy's motion to move this, Madam Clerk, could you please take the role on moving it to the next meeting?
May I say something?
If we stick at what was given to us, if we stick at what we've looked at for the last three weeks, I would withdraw my motion.
But we haven't made an amendment yet so are you withdrawing your motion then are we gonna move forward with this as is someone would have to make a make a motion to amend the change no I'm not talking about changing it I'm talking about leaving it at $1,200 to move it That's the way it is right now.
As is.
That's what I was saying.
Alderman Sanders?
That's what I was saying.
Comment on reestablishing what this is, this sounds like it's being placed in a position of hastiness.
That's what it sounds like to me right now at this moment.
And I don't like that kind of feeling that I'm getting.
I like all the data information that Brian is recommending what he is stating right now before us.
All of this data information and related to this issue should be brought before us so we can see that, well, for three weeks we have not seen tangible data.
I'm looking for tangible data, assessment of what we're discussing right now.
And I think it requires more than just us having these small discussions here at council.
These type of things needs to be overviewed by a larger agenda, far as how are we going to get down to the nitty-gritty of all of the things that we're trying to recommend to the city and suggest for the city.
I think there's more variations of data that could be implemented to the council and it's not done.
This is not coming forward.
So I'm just giving, I'm just saying I'd love for a Boyer, Darren, to give us a little bit more information on how we're going to assess all of this and where, and let the people of the city know where the clarity comes in so they can digest what we're trying to do here.
And I'm just saying I don't like us coming to council just talking about something and I also want to direct my attention to our city clerk as much as I can.
Any time that we are having these meetings, I know she has, I know she brings it out in and the Mayor's Office.
And she brings in a format for council to see, not only for council to see or to hear, but she brings it in a format of tangible documents so we can revert back to it, recite back to it, or go back over what it is that we've been discussing.
When I see this kind of format that is happening within the and many more.
We have to have that before us so we can go line by line knowing exactly what was said, how it was said, what was being done and what the citizens of the City of Freeport is listening to.
I think it's more, it brings us back to the center to where all of this came from because right now we have nothing tangible before us and so I would like for us to continue that sequence of documents or data before council before we even start the process of anything on the agenda and let the council be able to briefly look over the things that we have been discussing through council on a weekly basis so we can keep it refreshed in our mind of what we talked about because trying to say that what we've done two weeks ago does not all the time is retained of Information that should be there and and we're talking about it and we're discussing it.
So I think the council should be able to Revert back to it and refresh their memory on things that has been said over the council Chamber and that's that's my recommendation.
I think that should happen and Let's move forward with that because I'm listening to it, but I'm not getting enough data.
That's what I'm not getting We're talking about things that does not have your time Yes, you have a time late.
Manager Boyer, did you want to respond to that?
I did.
Just a quick minute.
Alderman Sanders, we've talked a couple times on the phone.
We've never once discussed this subject.
You've never asked any questions about it.
We have had scheduled times to meet.
We've had scheduled times for a minimum of six to eight months and we had not had a time to sit down.
So I haven't had the opportunity to discuss those questions with you.
And others.
So we have an upcoming meeting and I hope we can get together then.
Okay.
Okay, so back to there's still a motion on the floor.
Alderman, Stacy, what do you want to do with that?
Okay, I have a question.
So if I pull my motion in hopes that it moves forward as it is, but then someone else make a motion to amend it, that can happen?
You know it's like we respect Darren's opinion on everything I mean it's like fairgrounds runs this city he have an opinion on everything and we give him the to express and respect his opinion.
And so I don't understand why it can't be respected now.
So in good faith that we're going to move forward as we have talked about the last three weeks as what has been presented I will remove my motion.
Alderman Sanders, will you remove your second?
I like to do that based upon what our City Clerk presents to us from this day forward.
She's been doing the job.
I commend her for that because it does keep us abreast to the meetings that we are doing.
And she has the only mechanism in place that keeps us abreast on a weekly basis that I like to see continue, to continue.
But yes, I do amend it, but the thing is.
No, I'm asking if you'll remove your second.
Oh, yes, I will remove it.
Okay.
So now we're back to the original ordinance on the second reading.
Is there any discussion?
Alderman Klemm.
Yes.
Darren, this is a question.
Understanding the ordinance, basically, do I see two parts of this?
One is basically the financial end of it, but the main thing is if this goes through, basically, then you're going to work with that person on it, whether it be daily or whatever basis, to plan their route of where they're going with their heavy equipment, correct?
Correct.
Our process, and I've talked to a couple people on that, is they submit an email with their route if they're an annual.
And I, and I'm going to be very clear with their route, if they're in annual, they submit it with the route and we approve it if there's no issues with that route.
If it's, I keep using Locust Street because everybody knows it, if it would be down Locust Street, I would say no reroute and go down West Street, right?
Which we have, with the permit process, we have that opportunity to do that because we're reviewing their path.
You also have to remember, you know, the local people that truck through Freeport all the time, they're moving trucks, you know, O'Neill, 5-6 days a week, so there is time and expense and issues to this and I'm sure a lot of those people would do annual permits.
The one-offs are for people that occasionally come through.
I don't, I guess I tend to agree with City Manager Boyer that I don't think the amount is as important as the process, right, so, but I'm fine with whatever I suggested, what myself and the Public Works team what little research we could do because you have to remember something in a city of Freeport whether we're talking about water or sewer or roads the city of Freeport has its own DNA right our costs are different than other towns costs our staff size is different than other staff size so what may work for one town won't work for another that being said you know I'm flexible we're not trying to drive people out of Freeport we're We're just trying to make it a system that's used and can be monitored and tracked by the public works team and the movements through town to eliminate failing roads and issues.
That's what it's for.
Alderman Johnson.
So like you just said, the main purpose of this is to try to protect our roads that we've already done and try not to break down the roads that we haven't been able to get to to yet to try to make them so they're at least drivable.
Also, you said you've asked other cities kind of what they, you've done some research other places kind of what they charge and that sort of thing.
And again, some of the bigger towns that we have to compare to, they have very sophisticated systems similar to the state, where it's all automated processes.
People get an annual thing, and then they turn in their routes and things like that, and some of them, like Rockford's, if you look at theirs, they pay by the pound.
We don't have scale systems, and those would cost an immense amount of money to put scale systems in, so we actually have the owners figure out their weight on their own and show that to us if they're overweight.
Again, I mean, we spent a lot of time talking about this.
We're probably talking in the neighborhood of five to ten trucks a month, honestly, that are running overweight, right?
Johnson, George.
Most of them run legal weights, and this does not pertain to them.
Okay.
Alderman Johnson, Joy.
Just two more questions.
If we pass it with the amount that we designated at this time, what was it, $1,200 instead of $500, would there be any time possibly that we could change that if we felt like it was, I mean, the Council could come back together and renegotiate that if we felt like that was a problem?
Also I was wondering where does the money from the permits what what does that money go toward when we get get the money for the permits where does that money go sure so yes it could come back to council at any time just like any other ordinance and have the cost change to a lower amount higher amount whatever the pleasure of the council and it just takes city manager the mayor or any Council people to bring that back up to the meeting and then all of our permit fees doesn't matter what department it comes to or goes back to the general funds they're paid in and finance believe brings them all back through the general fund.
Okay thank you much.
Alderman Sanders, you've already spoke twice.
Is there any other discussion?
Alderman Schaefer.
I just would like to reiterate that this gentleman mentioned this because the state fee is $1400, the city came in at $1200, he felt that was exorbitant for what it was, state versus the city.
The $500 he felt would have been more another comment on to our City Clerk that I think she's doing a fine job the notice is on this agenda under item 7 says view memo view state statute and view permit application I think was pretty much everything you were saying if there's no further discussion yeah I'm just saying is it is it prudent that someone makes a derogatory comment to another council sitting right in his ear about something that's not on the agenda that's what I want to make reference to and that and and just because he made that comment I think there should be some kind of discretion being presented when a council does that you know when he has no he's not agenda he's not on the agenda I should not have been implemented in that agenda that's what I'm getting at and he put me there and others.
Alderman Sanders, I think you had indicated that you wanted the clerk to do certain things there.
To give you that information, I think Alderman Shadle was just pointing out the fact that everything that you're asking for is hyperlinked to the agenda by the clerk there.
I think that's all he was saying.
He was kind of answering your question.
Okay.
All right.
I'll accept it today.
I'll accept that.
Okay.
So is there any other discussion?
If not we'll take a vote.
Madam Clerk please take the roll.
Stacy.
Alderman Simmons.
Manager Boyer what is the amendment?
Is it stand as?
There is no amendment it's the way it stands.
Unless you want to make an amendment.
We're voting on an amendment.
No.
You're voting on an ordinance that there's no amendment that has gone forward.
If you'd like to put and and others.
So the ordinance itself, the ordinance that's been presented at COW and First Read and now Second Read, it is an ordinance that is amending the existing ordinance to add a process there.
And in that ordinance that's amending the current version of the code, it has a fee of $1,200 in it.
Tonight's discussion, there were talks about an amendment to the underlying ordinance to change it to 500, but there was no motion to actually change the dollar amount, to tweak the ordinance as presented.
That's what I'm saying.
Right.
Okay.
No, there was no motion, but Manager Boyer agreed to doing it.
No, it can't.
He just said, that's fair, city recommends that.
So as long as that's not being changed.
Correct.
Okay.
Councils.
Manager Boyer, he said that he's fine with it being $500 as a recommendation of his, but it's still up to you guys to decide whether or not you want to make the motion to change, actually implement that $500 change.
That's all I wanted to clarify.
Okay, thank you.
That it wouldn't be changed once we voted yes.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll on the ordinance as is.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Johnson, Simmons, and Parker.
The ordinance passes 8 to 0.
Item number 8 is the second reading of ordinance 2025-48.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance amending chapter 1252 of the Zoning Code of the City of Freeport Concerning Physical Culture Centers.
Thank you Madam Mayor.
So this ordinance, We've had, since, nothing has changed since the first reading, but there were some questions about number of actual physical cultural centers slash gyms that have come into the area, and how often a subject like this would occur, and in the past year we've had four actual athletic centers, physical cultural centers, gyms come through the city of Freeport, we've had, and March 3rd we approved it in council, 18 South Chicago was Magicians Academy, MMA, so that was in March 3rd, then we also had a new gym who's still working on their build out, so they haven't given their name yet, but that was at Cub Foods, so that was July 7th at 25th.
We just recently had the Studio Elan Pilati Studio at 2-6 East Stephenson, that was July 21st, 2025, and then we also had the Freeport Martial Arts at 105107 West Main Street.
So those are, and that was called Freeport Martial Arts.
That was July 21st, 2025.
So that gives a little background on why staff has presented this, what's known as a text amendment.
We brought it to Planning Commission.
We brought it to Planning Commission and we looked at our comprehensive plan and we stated that we're seeing an influx of what is a positive land use, which is physical activity.
There's plenty of complaints that our community doesn't have enough positive activities to do and we're seeing quite a bit of an influx of these gyms, physical cultural centers, and the others, and you know, the the business district.
They're having to go through to city council.
And so, you know, what to consider here is when your constituents say, and it happens, council members will come up to me and say, why are you putting this business owner through all this red tape to open up a gym or a Pallotti Studio and well the answer is well I mean now's your chance to vote for that.
Now you're considering does every gym, as every Pallotti Studio, every aerobics studio, you know anything in this city should they go through a special use permit or do or does councils see it as our Planning Commission sees it and that this is a use where we they should be allowed to do it by Wright, and certainly anybody in this city is subject to building codes.
They would still have to get their certificate of occupancy.
They would still have to pass their fire code inspections, etc.
So that's really what's before you today.
Thank you.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah.
Are you receiving complaints from these business owners?
I would say 9 out of 10 business owners complain on any permit they have to fill out.
Okay, and so does the permit stipulate exactly what the criteria is for them to meet certain things with inside of this permit?
Is that presented with inside of the permit itself?
Every permit states what is requested and what's going to be reviewed, yes.
So why are we, why are we listening to people that is trying to alter the permit if they don't want to work inside of the guidelines of the permit, why are we allowing the permit to be altered to be convenient to some and not to others?
That's not true.
Well, that's what I'm hearing.
I can explain again.
Well, you may be able to explain that, but what I'm saying is it's not anything that if our permit is not stipulating with guidelines that a business owner wants to open up their business and understand that these are the parameters of this permit and I have to meet all of the things that are within this guideline, why are we having a complaint issue Plattie, and Eric, the other members of the Board of Trustees.
So, I'm going to take a moment to take a few comments from your perspective.
I brought four physical cultural centers before council this year.
And I will gladly do four more, 20 more.
This department will stand by and bring every single Jim Plattie Studio to City Council.
That's what's before you today.
And it simply was brought because when a land use, when you see an influx of people wanting to start gym studios and you're looking at it and saying does every gym that opens up, it does that warrant having to come to council and delay opening their business every time a gym comes to the city to get their proper permits and we've seen four people do it in and the last year, if that's what the pleasure of council is, I'm not arguing that.
Mr. Duckman, the permits are self-explanatory.
Sure.
And we are.
And there's no argument.
And the fact that you are, I understand that you have to listen to the business owners and things like that.
If it's better to serve them in a particular way, I can understand the alterations in permits ShFrade.
So if it's all agreed upon, especially coming from the council, if there's any changes in the permit that satisfy them all together, I don't want it to be one side and the other side.
And if that's the case, we need to be able to look at it again.
Have another assessment about it.
Talk about it again and the comments that you're making.
I don't like to drive people out of business neither.
I want them to be able to be comparable in what they're doing and being able to serve the city of Freeport.
And so when we're doing that, that's all I wanted to do is bring clarity to and let the people know and not only let the council know, but let the citizens of Freeport know and others.
So that we are looking into these matters with our eyes open, you know, that kind of thing.
So that's all I'm saying.
I understand that.
I respect that.
Alderman Johnson.
I just have some information because I know we had a question of what Physical Culture Center means.
The definition is a place dedicated to the systematic cultivation of physical fitness and health through various exercises and practices.
And others.
The concept is rooted in the belief that physical development and health are interconnected with cultural values and contribute to a holistic sense of well-being.
And I just went through and hunted how many of these are in the city of Freeport.
And what I could find online, there was 22.
That includes your martial arts, that includes exercise places, that includes yoga places.
So just to let you know, there are 22 already in the city.
So I have a question, is there a place where they can open up these without having to come to the Council for rezoning, without having the permit?
There is, it's more restrictive because anytime you have, right now it's in the B2, B3 or manufacturing districts, so anytime when you're creating a plan of your city, when you get Get into more intense business districts, B2, B3, the city is going to typically have smaller areas where you could have factories or more intense uses, body shops, et cetera.
Right now, physical cultural centers are considered by our zoning the same as a body shop, the same as manufacturing, and what we're seeing is staff is seeing it and we think that that's and to our community, we're just trying to be more business friendly to say, we shouldn't have to bring these, every single gym that opens up would be bringing it to council for approval.
Thank you.
Yep.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
No.
Simmons?
No.
Parker?
Aye.
The ordinance passes 6 to 2.
Item number 9 is the second reading of ordinance 2025-49.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance amending chapter 1252 of the Zoning Code of the City of Freeport concerning service of alcoholic liquors.
Director Duckman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So nothing here has changed yet.
Nothing has changed on this since the first reading.
And so essentially what this is is our codified ordinances state serve and not sell alcohol.
So currently what we're saying is that you would not need to get a special use permit if you are in a BYOB, bring your own alcohol establishment because our current ordinances say sell as opposed to serve.
So what this is essentially, this is a cleaning up of the language review by our legal counsel saying that we're trying to be, we're trying to hold our BYOB establishments to the same standard that our bars and restaurants in town are and that's, so to make sure that they would still have to get a special use permit.
Any additional discussion on this reading, Alderman Sanders?
Can you repeat that again on the last thing that you said about bringing their own BO program?
So, you know we've had plenty of discussions over the past year.
Over the past year and meeting halls are typical use where you're going to have a bring your own alcohol establishment and you're going to serve it.
You're not going to charge a fee.
You're not going to go buy a glass of wine or a beer.
And so all of the liquor licenses are required to have a special use permit first.
So there's a loophole that currently exists where if you're in a BYOB or you're not charging per drink, they are not, it's a loophole, it's we're cleaning up the language that says, it says sell alcohol.
So since that establishment, the meeting hall is not selling alcohol, they would not have to go get the special use permit.
And our attorney did a review of the, our code and said we really should clean this up to make sure that they're on the same playing Field, to make it fair.
What you're saying is at these meeting halls, I'm trying to get the interpretation of where this product can be served.
Is it meeting halls or is it in any other establishment type of venue or establishment that this BYOB?
BYOB.
Yeah.
And do we have the correct meaning of interpretation of where this can be served?
I mean, is that established?
Have we established that?
Because we need to be able to make a differentiation of which one is which.
And that's why we're here, that's why this is here, is that it's been reviewed and anywhere that's serving or selling, either one, and others.
They're going to have to be on the same playing field.
That's why this is here, to make sure we're fair and we're doing every, treating everyone the same.
Okay.
Now, now my question also is, did you want to use your second time Alderman?
Yeah, let me do that.
These meeting venues or meeting places, as you make reference to, are not always established and other people who are actually in those meetings.
They're not just restaurants, what we call bars or whatever the case is, and people are just out having a convention or an event.
But they're actually in those type of meetings, alcohol is being served, but they're also being charged.
What's the difference between the two?
And I have a question for you.
The venue already established a prop bar for sale.
Is there a problem there?
Yes.
There are two different classes of liquor licenses.
If a meeting hall gets their BYOB liquor license, they are not allowed to sell alcohol.
And John.
So that takes care of your concern.
You know, as soon as you say I'm going to sell a drink to you as a bar or restaurant, that's a different class of liquor license.
Well, I'm referring to any venue, meeting hall that sets up a bar.
When at a meeting people want to have something at the bar and and the City of Michigan.
Thank you.
I'm going to go to the next item, which is the requirement for a permit for that.
Am I correct?
You are correct and they do.
Yeah.
And how do we determine whether they are eligible to do so?
We have, well, that's part of this, right?
We have a Liquor Commission.
And if somebody wants to sell alcohol, serve alcohol, they know what they would like to do.
They come to City Hall.
They talk to my department.
You have to go through a special use permit process, which is through the Community Development Department.
What this is saying is the language is clearing up from sell to serve, because some establishments don't charge for alcohol.
Right.
My point is there are a lot of them that does.
And I like to know whether or not they're receiving permits that allows them to be eligible to do so because in that same, in that same sector, a BYOB, whatever that is, I don't know the right term, might want to be able to walk into an establishment of that nature and bring his own liquor without propping, without notifying the bar, whoever to find out whether they're eligible or not.
And John.
And I think that the responsibility is okay to bring their own liquor into an establishment or an event that they're in, that there's a bar in place, which one governs over the whole event when it comes to sale of liquor or service of liquor.
» I'm sorry.
I don't understand. » Madam Clerk, would you like to say something?
Fowler.
We are not going to require them to get a meeting hall license for their banquet room.
It was decided that places that sell liquor are pretty heavily regulated and we would not put them through the meeting hall process.
So if they are a bar or a restaurant, they are not a meeting hall.
And the other thing is, if they are a meeting hall, they have the option to have a BYOB.
Or there can be a meeting hall that doesn't have BYOB.
But if you are bringing your own liquor.
My point is how do you establish that?
How does a person not knowing what the establishment permitted, if they don't have a and When a person come off the street and want to attend this event, they need to know whether they can.
Okay.
Wait a minute.
Alderman Sanders, you've actually spoken like four times now.
Oh, have I?
Yeah.
So, if you want to.
Well, I just wanted to bring that up.
I just needed clarity on that.
That's all I wanted.
Well, I mean, yeah.
Rest assured that it's a process.
We have a Liquor Commission meeting and anybody who is serving or selling alcohol is regulated Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Shadle, Sanders, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, and Parker.
The ordinance passes 7 to 1.
Item number 10 is the second reading of ordinance 2025-50.
Could you please read this?
Ordinance approving special use permit application at 2600 West Pearl City Road submitted by Harmony UMC to examine the special use of an R3 one family residence zone property to allow for solar energy systems which utilize High's Ground-Mounted PV Arrays per Section 1250.01b20.
Alderman Shadle, or who wanted to present this?
Director Duckman, is it you?
I guess I would just bring it, I'll speak on behalf of this.
So essentially this was brought originally to council on July 21st and it didn't, it essentially was brought to the floor and there was no motion made on it for a vote or discussion at all, it was just brought and there was never a motion or a second to discuss it so what we're talking about here it's been brought again to council and essentially Essentially what we have here is, this is the church here, and you can see these are the existing panels on a shed roof, which is allowed by right, they don't have to go to council to ask for permission here, but they're asking for 120 feet here, I'm sorry, it's 120 feet from the property line here, which is, you have a natural barrier of trees, and you have the building line here, and you can see that the solar panels Back further away from the view screen from the road here.
So essentially this is Pearl City Road here as you come down.
Originally the developer or the church and State Line Solar were discussing filling this entire area with solar panels as well as this entire area with solar panels.
It's a lot of a lot of electricity there.
A lot of electricity there.
Um, they now are down to this small area right in here, so, um, it's been brought again on the floor, um, and it's up for approval.
Any discussion?
Alderman Johnson.
So this will not be seen from Pearl City Road, right?
It's pretty well hidden.
I would say you'd really have to look for it, you know what I mean?
You know what I mean you see where if you're coming down here you'd have to like you might get a shot of it right through there but you'd really have to be you know what I mean you'd have to be looking for it because you're going by here so fast and then from the other direction if your eyes are focused I don't think you would see it going eastbound okay thank you you're welcome standards then they're not asking for major changes there in that area my opinion my opinion is no you can see these are the changes see that little No, section of solar panels right there, that's what they're asking for.
Yeah, so that's not an eyesore or anything.
Not in my opinion.
Okay.
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
No.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
No.
Passes, 5, 6,611, thank you.
Item number 11 is the first reading of ordinance 2025-51, could you please read this?
Ordinance amending part 4, traffic code, title 8, parking, chapter 480, parking generally, section 480.24, disabled persons and veterans of the codified ordinances of the city of Freeport at 304 to 310 West Garfield.
Thank you, Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Mayor.
Mayor, the tenant at 304 through 310 West Garfield contacted the city requesting an accessible parking space.
The actual property doesn't have a driveway and they have on-street parking only in that location.
The neighbors generally park along the street edge and block the only accessible sidewalk there is, walkway to the residence, and staff is inspected and is making the recommendation know we move forward with adding a parking restriction which includes the disabled parking spot on Garfield.
So also staff is requesting suspension of the rules so we can move forward with this.
Is there a motion to move this forward?
So move.
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle to move this ordinance forward.
Alderman Shadle.
Yes, the only question I I have, I'd be all for this.
We need to take care of people that need that.
The only question I have is in our ordinances, is there any stipulations that as these people, if they would move or if they would, I guess, ultimately not be disabled anymore, is there any provisions for them to contact us so that we can move this back into a normal parking space if it's no longer needed.
Yeah, and I agree with that.
I'm not aware of any, but maybe the clerk has.
I don't think he does.
I'm not aware of any requirement for them to notify the city that they've moved.
Just saying maybe we should think about that.
Yeah, understood.
Alderman Stacey.
Is this something that would be considered, no matter where you lived in the city, do everybody have this right?
Well, if you're mobility challenged, I think we've got to do our due diligence to ensure that we can do this for them because, I mean, there are a lot of people here in town that we've done this for.
This person doesn't have a driveway, correct?
This person does not have a driveway.
Okay, but I'm just saying, would this apply to everyone that had mobility problems that lived in this city, regardless of where they lived?
Well, so far, we have not had very many requests, and of the ones that we've had, we've granted.
Yeah.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah.
I am very aware of that, and the fact that it's been done expeditiously, considered, I think, like the recommendation for all citizens in the City of Freeport that has immobility to manage their exiting, their entry and exit to be efficient enough for them to get in and out of their property.
And I like the fact that Alderman Shadle brought up the fact that if there's any changes in their status, will it go back to normal status of that property or that particular area.
I like that.
I think that should be something that we should continue to look at and to continue to consider.
And I think it should be applied to all people in that condition, in that situation.
Alderman Klemm.
I make a motion to suspend the rules.
Second.
The motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle for suspension of the rules.
Suspension of the rules is non-debatable.
It must pass by two-thirds majority.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the vote on the suspension only?
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes 8-0.
And before your council, is the final passage for this ordinance, is there any further discussion?
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Simmons Parker and the ordinance passes 8 to 0 as well and item number 12 is the first ring of ordinance 2025 52 could you please read this ordinance authorizing the sale recycling donation and or disposal of certain personal property owned by the city police department abandoned personal property and bicycles and an old chair in my office.
Police Department.
Thank you Madam Mayor.
The background is the Freeport Police Department is currently in need of disposing property at the Freeport City Yards 1001 North Island Avenue and auction off abandoned property being held by evidence and property.
In discussion there are abandoned bikes that have been in the possession of the Freeport Police Department for at least six months being stored at the Freeport and others.
The City of Freeport has been in the custody of the City of Freeport for six months.
There are also items being held by evidence and property that can be considered abandoned property.
These items have been in the custody of the police department for at least six months.
The owners of the items have been notified to pick up the property, however the owners have been unresponsive.
The Freeport Police Department would like to use PropertyRoom.
Com to auction off abandoned property.
Any proceeds earned would go to the City of Freeport General Fund.
Additionally, the clerk has one office chair that can be added to the disposal list.
Funding, there is no funding necessary.
Request, staff is requesting to recycle the bicycles, dispose of the clerk's chair, and auction off the abandoned property.
Strategic plan alignment for responsive and efficient government.
Is there a motion to move this forward?
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Klemm.
Discussion on this ordinance.
Yes.
Alderman Shadle.
I'm sorry, Alderman Sanders.
Forgive me.
I was going to ask you if you want to wear a pair of these here.
Just got to turn my hearing aids up.
Well, I wanted to ask is this the notification that went out to the community that you guys are going to do this disposal or auctioning and and things of that nature where they can get more data information about if they want to come take a look to see if they want to take an opportunity to look at items that could be sold or things that needs to be disposed.
And I just wanted to make sure that we are, our community is well informed about this and not only that, whatever the proceeds are that is generated from that, I think we should let the community know exactly what we've received from those donations, those sales that we're making.
Is that okay with you?
So to answer your question, this is the notification that we're doing.
If anybody in the community would like the opportunity to bid on those items, they are and others that are on, or will be on, PropertyRoom.
Com, PropertyRoom. Com, when items sell, they then provide record of what it was sold for, what the amount was, and then that, those funds go back to the city, period, so.
That's all.
Any further discussion?
Alderman Parker?
Motion to suspend the rules.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Klemm for suspension of the rules.
Well, before we do a suspension of the rules, Mayor, that's what's on the motion right now.
Yeah, I know the motion has been made, but are we done having a discussion before?
We can come back to it if you want.
Okay, that's what I'm getting at because.
So a suspension of the rules must pass by two-thirds majority.
Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll on the suspension only?
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Tracy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Sint, and Parker.
The suspension passes 7-0.
So now before you is the second reading.
So Alderman, Sanders, did you have another question?
You know, Mayor, when I get interrupted like that.
Well, there was a motion on the floor, so if we want to come back to you, we can.
Stacey, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, Parker, The ordinance passes 7-0.
Item number 13 is the adoption of Resolution 2025-86.
Dupont, Dupont, Zitt, Program.
So, I've looked through the proposed budget.
It's been approved with through the Illinois Department of Transportation and staff is recommending approval of this resolution.
Is there a motion for approval?
So moved.
Second.
Any motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Sellers?
Discussion on the resolution?
Sanders.
The grant, how is that prioritized throughout the city and who's receiving this grant and how it's going to be beneficial to the constituents of the city where when everyone should have the opportunity to utilize, to utilize all of the services of this grant opportunity I just don't want it to be a targeted type of grant for any particular department entity or whatever the case may be I want to know how we prioritize in all of these kinds of things okay so this city manager would you like to address that please yes I would alderman sanders I just wanted to reassure you this is pretzel city transit everybody has access to it and that is what this is for well you may make a short statement like and I, and I'm making a comment that is making a reference to what I'm talking about already.
And my point of the matter is, if he's going to say stuff like that, I should be able to rebut it.
That's all I'm saying.
I should be able to rebut what he is saying without using my own question.
Okay, so you're using your second turn.
So is there anything more?
I'm not using a second turn.
Okay, then we're going to move on.
Do we have anything else on this?
You know what?
Alderman Stacy?
Explain to me what this grant agreement consists of.
Who weeps the benefits from it and what does it do for our city?
Sure.
The short answer, to not complicate things, but I'll get complicated later, the short So we've gotten this grant before.
Always.
And all of this 2.1 million goes to Pretzel City.
Yes.
And that's how they've been able to exist all this time in Freeport?
That is correct.
That is a hundred percent correct.
Okay, so why wouldn't the memo say that?
Keep it plain, make it simple, make it plain.
It says we need this for pretzel city to exist without it there is none I thought it was clear in the memo but I can say it more I said it more plain now I can certainly make it more plain next time next round I like to make us yeah I hope what I said earlier was not ignored okay because of the fact that I asked the and the priorities of entities that are going to be utilizing this grant.
That's what I did bring to the floor.
I wanted to make sure that we had clarity to what entity in this city is using that particular grant, not just to Pressell City, but whether or not any other department or whatever that's throughout the city going to be utilizing this grant.
That's the part that I want to stay focused on.
And others.
I don't discard that or dismiss it like I didn't even mention it.
I would like to know if there's any other establishment or department heads or whatever department are going to be using this grant.
And I hear Pressell City.
I understand that.
But the breakdown of this grant, is it just for the Pressell City or any other governing body?
Fowler, Wichita, Joseph, Thomas, Cedric, Michael, Mr. D'Angelo, and Ryan.
That grant is specific for rural communities, which we are, per their grant guidelines.
It is for public transportation.
This grant money is only used for Pretzel City Transit.
That is all it can be used for, and we apply for it every year.
Petzl City Area Transit provides on-demand transportation services within Freeport and Stephenson County.
Funding to provide transportation services are obtained through annual applications under the State of Illinois 5311 and Downstate Operating Assistance Program grants.
So to your point, Alderperson, Stacy, that's where I had said it does not exist with the and the City of Freeport.
Then I go on to discussion and say as part of our annual transportation grant application to the State of Illinois under the 5311 Transportation Program and Downstate Operating Assistance Program, the City of Freeport is required to have Council approve the following.
One, an ordinance adopting transportation services within Freeport and Stephenson County.
Two, a resolution authorizing an application to be made to the Office of Intermodal Project of the City of Freeport.
That is what you are on right now.
Items one through two were approved prior to the submittal of the transportation grant applications.
Resolution authorizing the execution of the Downstate Operating Assistance Program grant is now presented to accept and enter into the grant agreement.
And the recommendation is staff recommends approval of the resolution in order to move forward with the grant agreement.
Thank you.
Alderman Shadle, did you have more?
I just would like to say that I, that was in the memo hyperlinked by our City Clerk again.
Mayor, you've already spoke twice.
Yeah, but you didn't ask me if I had more.
You did not ask me if I had more.
Well, that's because you just interrupt all the time.
Yeah, well, you can't say that.
My point is, when I was on the board.
Alderman Sanders, will you please wait until you are called on?
Yeah, but you didn't ask me if I had more to say.
You're being disruptive.
Please don't make me call you out of order.
Alderman, Stacy, did you have something?
Is there any other discussion on this particular resolution?
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The resolution is adopted 8-0.
Item number 14 is adoption of resolution 2025-87.
Could you please read this?
Approving an agreement with Fehr Graham to provide construction engineering services for Walnut Avenue Lift Station.
Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Just to touch on Walnut Street Lift Station, the idea is would the and I are going to be talking about the lift station.
The idea is the lift station we put near the corner of Land Road and Walnut Road.
The purpose of the lift station is to convey waste under pressure from that location to the interceptor on the other side of the bridge on Walnut Road to the north side.
The reason this is necessary is because we currently have industry in that area that Utilize a very old lateral that connects to the interceptor that if ever failed it would be very challenging to work on due to its depth of over 20 feet and its proximity to the landfill.
Therefore, that is one aspect.
The other aspect is there's additional development that needs to be done there.
There's empty lots that need to be brought online.
And when we add additional demand on the system, we will be challenged to convey that waste to the Interceptor.
And lastly, as we build the Well 12 project on Forest Road, designs are including the Walnut Street lift station as a way to convey the waste from that area of Walnut and Lamb to the interceptor.
So with that being said, we need to have a construction over supervision contract so that we can make sure that the lift station is built appropriately.
And Fehr Graham is designed and bid the Sanitary Sewer Lift Station, forced main piping and gravity piping, improvements on the Land Road Area Sanitary Sewer Flow.
The sewer system on Land Road District carries a significant flow to the City Interceptor on the daily basis and a public bid was opened and was held on Tuesday, July 22nd at 1030 in the morning.
I might also add that our largest water customer Miller uses this section of lateral every day to dispose of the waste for the processing of food.
This is very important because they go through a lot of water and their contribution to our utility is what helps keep our utility rates at a reasonable level.
The Fehr Graham Scope Service will provide professional full-time on-site construction engineering and observation as well as a contract management services for the City of Freeport.
Fehr Graham shall additionally provide GIS survey collection, staking layout for the sewer piping, roadway boring, and road improvements.
Construction observation will include materials, shop drawings, field construction engineering, required documentation, specification adherence, and the required QAQC methods.
Fehr Graham will ensure the project is built in accordance with the city, state, and county Sanders, along with filling all required documentation in accordance with IEPA water pollution policies.
Buy America, Build America certification and material compliance will be tracked to infrastructure requirements, geotechnical testing services for aggregate density, and hot mix asphalt QAQC testing will be provided by Fehr Graham through a third-party professional geotech agency as required.
The city plans to fund the $224,250 construction engineering contract through the Lamb Road TIF.
Staff recommends moving forward with the contract with Fehr Graham.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the resolution?
Alderman Sellers.
Could you also explain what TIF, the money for TIF out there at the Lamb Road can only be used for economic development.
Yes the TIF money is for economic development and this is necessary infrastructure as we move forward with additional economic development.
So you also the TIF money cannot go to any any of the city citizens or anything the money has to go Fowler, and I'm going to go to redevelopment of that area.
Correct?
Yeah.
In line with TIF, the use of TIF funds that can be used for economic development incentives, it can be used for infrastructure improvements, but things that are related to the land road TIF in the form of economic development.
Lawrence Sanders?
Yeah I I've been been studying this whole process and far as I am concerned we don't have the historical fact of that development area I'm talking about council I'm directing this information and things like that to council since we're the ones that are voting to to move forward on this on these matters and and I don't hear no one speaking out on the real issues that are being considered here and we have not evaluated.
And I feel that we are being incompetent not looking into these matters because obviously that's the reason why I always want the clerk from this point on to submit to council what we discussed previously.
And the fact that we're not hearing what they're talking about.
We're just being passive at this point of not really getting down to the real point of the matter, whether or not we should be moving forward, whether or not we're not addressing the historical facts about that whole area, that whole development area and why it's there and is it causing the city and others.
We have not discussed any complication that creates the taxpayers to have to fund these particular matters.
We have not discussed how much material stuff that's going to be involved, how much it's going to cost.
We have not talked about who's running the project.
We know that we have engineers who's doing a survey of it, but my point is who's in charge of the project.
So we have not established our own understanding of what's going on out there because we have no clue to why these things are put in place or trying to implement these things to put them in place.
Is it necessary?
Absolutely.
If it's necessary, I can understand it.
I understand what Brad Boyer was talking about.
Future development.
This thing has been in for over 30, 40 years.
There has not been a disruption.
There has not been any complication.
I don't even know if they're still doing monitoring which I know that the city used to monitor those areas and then not only that go into those areas of the sectors and the sanitary and all these.
They usually and others.
These are the things that we need to do.
We need to constantly monitor these things and there should be reports, data on who's keeping this type of material before the people of the City of Freeport.
I know these things are in place, but are we getting the right proper information at this current time to establish why we should put a lift station that's only going to serve We're not talking about that.
Is it necessary?
If we're not talking about that, then why are we setting up a lift station that we have no understanding of why we need this because of lack of capacity or lack of industries that have not utilized the capacity of the flow that's supposed to be pushing through these force mains or through these lift stations?
And others.
So to put a lift station in at this current time does not have us in a position where we should be voting for something to move forward on this until we have done an assessment, evaluation to understand the whole historical point of it all.
Thank you, Alderman.
Your four minutes is up.
Did I?
Four minutes?
Yep, your four minutes is up.
Alderman Shadle?
Is all coming about because when Snack King does their washout, this does run at virtual capacity.
That's why we're here.
No, that is not why we're here.
And.
Please stop lying.
Stop lying.
I would at this point, as the fact of the matter I was called a liar sitting on the floor, I would like to ask Manager Boyer or Mr. Steele to clarify my statement, please.
I think what you're talking about, Greg, is the fact that we have a human dependent process at Snack King.
And if that human dependent failed at any time that would complicate things substantially there at the corner of Lamb and Walnut Road right near an important facility on the county nursing home so in addition to the benefits of having the proper capacity for existing industry having the availability for the build out of future industry and also the convenience of wastewater backwash from the new Well 12 and then a potential for build out along the and then a potential for build out along Forest Road.
I mean, these are all the reasons that this is an important project.
Alderman Parker.
We already have it.
Alderman Stacy.
Okay.
I need some real numbers.
Miller.
Not a portion, because truth be told, the $234,000 is engineering fees only, am I correct?
There is 11 other processes that have to be completed, and they're not little things, they're big things.
So we can approve this $234,000, but to have this project completed in full with all these things that's not mentioned, that's not talked about to the public, the traffic studies, the permit fees, the utility locates, the restaking, all of it, what are we looking Net, cost-wise to have this done because up to this point, SNAP King is still functioning.
We haven't had no issues.
There's no government, nothing that we're violating.
So do we need this now?
Can we afford this now?
No we cannot.
Darren, did you want to address those questions?
Certainly.
So with every contract there's always exclusions that are put on there for unforeseen.
But realistically this project should come in at this amount with our fees or even under.
We have lots of projects where we get a fee here and we end up coming in under and not charging the whole amount.
So we put those exclusions in, we wrote a scope that we think will complete the entire project.
But we always have to put exclusions because I can't put those items in on every thing without charging more, every contract without charging more money.
We don't need a traffic study.
We don't do restaking.
We only stake one time and then the contractor is responsible for it the second time.
So those are expenses that don't come back to the city but we have to clarify that in and a contract so we know where we stand and we know what the city's paying for.
Okay, so shouldn't we put on the side, not needed, do not apply?
That's what an exclusion is.
It's assume that it's not needed.
Assuming it's not needed.
Correct.
Well, you have to make assumptions.
We're working underground.
So I can tell you right now, we don't need a traffic study.
We already met with the county, the county owns the road.
They're not asking for a traffic study.
So that won't be one that's applied.
Reistaking, we always exclude that because the city's not going to pay for it twice.
We pay for it once, and then if it has to be restaked, it's on the contractor to pay for it the second time.
So we put exclusions in there to protect the city, not to provide other costs.
And I mean, you can ask anybody involved with the city, we typically never come back for additional costs.
We try to write good scopes that include everything from the get-go.
So, I can tell you that the amount that we put here should complete the construction.
The $234,000 should complete this whole project.
Yes, it's already been designed and bid.
This is the construction, resident, engineering services.
This is the quality assurance, the construction part of getting the station built and getting all the piping in the ground for an active running station.
And all this money is coming from the Land World TIF.
Okay, so let me remind you when the back and forth.
So if you have several questions, you should ask them all at once.
That is correct.
And there's no debt on that TIF?
Is there a debt on the Lambroke TIF?
Is there an existing debt?
I can't answer that, but I believe there's no debt.
I know there's no debt.
It's $2.3 million is what you're having to pay for it.
So there's actually money in the bank.
There's no debt service that I'm aware of on that.
I actually think it's closer to three minutes.
Shadle, did you have?
I did, please.
Manager Boyer mentioned the future expansion.
This new well that we're putting out, well, 12, there's gonna be sewer added, water added out.
This is the opportunity that we've been looking for for quite some time to have shovel ready land for development.
One of the main reasons we haven't seen a new factory in this town is we don't have a place shovel ready to put it.
We can put the sewer pipes in, we can put the water pipes in, but if we don't have this lift station, there's not enough capacity in the existing to handle the future development.
That's why we need this.
Yes, that's called forward thinking.
Alderman Sanders.
Yeah, well, Alderman Shadle was making these comments about something that has not had a survey to them, first of all.
And he does not have a, what we call a prediction, a pendulum or crystal ball.
He don't have any of those things before him.
And the city is not just Boone, and Andy, come from a big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big, big city that's going to have items sitting out in the field for God knows for how long waiting for a manufacturer to show up to make a development or whatever the case is that the council don't have no clue about any of this city needing all kinds of grant program fundings and things of this nature.
And we just got done listening to part of our constituents here in the city complaining about other items that has not been looked at.
So I think what we have not done was looked at the whole scope of the matter, whether or not we're using the money considered here to put on these projects for future, for future advancements.
And I don't think that should be something that we should be doing at this time.
If it's not an emergency need, if it's not anything that is gonna help the city currently, right now kind of project, then there shouldn't be shovel readies to come in unless we have perspective prospects that are considering moving to this city.
And then we would make those alterations and the City of San Diego.
I think it's important to keep all of those changes as necessary and as needed.
But before then, the funds should not go anywhere until these things are absolutely needed.
That's my opinion on that and I think that's how we should move forward.
» DARREN, DID YOU WANT TO ADD TO? » Yes.
So you're entitled to your opinion, but I would like to give you some facts.
And the day it was constructed because the waste from all of the Lamb Road TIF district would be going into that as soon as it was built because we have the need now.
The line, the capacity of that line is at max capacity.
We've even had to go to Snack King and ask them to throttle down their flow so we can effectively serve that entire district.
I would like to put another question out there.
I've heard numerous times mentioned in the last two weeks, because we talked about this at the COW, this station is not built for millrace.
Millrace will never be an opportunity.
It was a once, once in a lifetime deal with the county money.
The county's expended all of their money.
There is no way the city of Freeport nor the county can effectively cost to run out to millrace.
It would require two or three more lift stations to even get that far.
So that project's never going to to happen in our lifetimes unless somebody comes and gives us a massive gift of free money.
This station is truly to service the Lamb Road District area and probably some development probably from Baileyville Road and then maybe on Forest Road.
That is what this station will serve.
The City of Freeport currently has nine lift stations in service that we service flow from all different areas of the town because of our elevations.
This is adding another lift station to our capacity.
We do and have talked for years since I've been around here about having shovel ready sites that we currently don't have.
If we don't want to have shovel ready sites, we don't want any expansion, then we should just fold up because we're not going to get more business here.
We don't have ground available for somebody to build that we can put in place.
For somebody to build that we can put the waste into, and if we don't have that ready, no one's going to come here.
They're not going to wait for us to say, hey, we can construct this in a year and a half if you come.
That's not the way shovel-ready sites work.
And so those are just facts.
Everybody's entitled to their own opinion, but the facts are that the TIF money is for and Frank, and we are the TIF money for the Mill Race.
Excuse me, talking too many subjects.
The TIF money is for the Lamb Road District.
They created this.
This lift station is to service that area that they created the money from.
And so that's why it's an eligible expense.
If we were trying to put this in for a project at Mill Race or at the airport or something, the funds would be ineligible.
We just created the station big enough to handle expansion which is just good planning.
That is all it is.
There's no further discussion?
Yeah.
You've already spoken twice.
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the role.
You didn't have to cut me off like that.
I don't agree with what you just did.
Madam Clerk, would you please take the role?
Stacy?
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
No.
Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes five to three.
Item number 15 is the adoption of resolution 2025-88.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving acceptance of a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation Aviation Fuel Tax Program.
Thank you.
Manager Boyer?
Thank you, Your Honor.
The city's received the aviation fuel tax grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation for the past three years the grant does not require a match and the grant funds are to be used by local governments for airport related purposes in the case of the city of Freeport we have utilized the funds as a reimbursement of expanded airport management expenses there's a small table in the memo for your for your review the city of Freeport has received a notice of grant award for the 2025 2024 aviation fuel tax grant in amount of 49,078.77 cents.
There is not a requirement for the match and once approved by City Council, City will submit invoices and proof of payment of airport management expenses in order to receive the grant.
Upon review and approval of the invoices submitted to IDOT, allocations will be distributed to the City of Freeport and staff request approval of the Resolution, moving forward with the Fiscal Year 2024 Aviation Fuel Tax Grant.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion on the resolution?
Alderman Stacy?
What is the match?
You keep saying there's a match.
What is the match?
Zero.
You said there is no match?
That's correct.
But when you were speaking and was reading, you said match.
Gotcha.
It is in the memo, it is written, and I said it in the same way I read it from the memo, so there is no match.
Any further discussion?
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
I'm sorry, did I miss your vote?
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The resolution is adopted, 8-0.
Item number 16 is the adoption of Resolution 2026 Co., 2590.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving redevelopment agreement with Kendall and Grace at 712 West South Street.
Thank you, Director Duckman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So what we have before you currently is a redevelopment agreement.
The name of the company is Kendall and Grace, but this is Whit Plastics.
Right behind Aldi, to kind of give you a little Fowler, So, staff has reviewed this proposed development and sees that it is eligible for TIF financing and it's in particular it's within the Meadows TIF district and what staff is proposing is in line with our other redevelopment agreements upon completion of this project staff would provide a $5,000 and reimburse the developer $5,000 and upon the lifetime of of the TIF District, which sunsets in 2037, they would be eligible for the TIF increment they produce.
So once this structure is built, it's assumed and it's reasonable to assume that their taxes are going to increase and they would receive 75% of that increase in taxes over until 2037.
There's a cap on how much money they can get and that would be $50,000 and this is typical for the lifetime of a redevelopment agreement.
The reason you have these caps is some developments will drastically increase the taxes on a parcel and a city does not want a developer to receive a windfall of an economic development incentive.
So it's capped to say that they will never, you know, if the tax is increased astronomically from this development, they would be capped for a lifetime of $50,000.
So this is a great opportunity for our community, a long-time developer, and staff is recommending approval of the resolution.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Making motion made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Parker discussion on the resolution yes Johnson I have about three questions here um where exactly on the property there as you're showing it there is that building going to be placed back and you have more than one question you want yeah I have three okay go ahead and how do they get in and out of that building and will it be the and the third one is what is the benefit to the city by them having this building several so okay I'll try to answer them in sequence the location is going to be this is Aldi down down here the guardrail you can see the guardrail there that's your Aldi and then there's the and the drive behind Aldi that's going to take you up here, and they own the, so you come in, you turn right, and then this would be your view right here, and then this parcel here is where they're going to be putting this facility, this 5,000 square foot storage facility.
A couple different, and you're going to say, well, how are they going to get there?
Well, they've agreed to pave this area in here, so they won't be dragging gravel in and out of our city streets.
So they've already agreed to pave this area.
So that's how they're going to be accessing it and then obviously they would be coming back out onto this road and then heading towards South Street.
Benefit to the city, several economic development benefits here.
I've talked with the owners, they're lovely, delightful people.
They're building and expanding and they're running out of room.
One of the biggest complaints as Alderpeople, as a Community Development Director, you're We've got a better deal.
So this is the city working to keep its business in the city of Freeport.
That's one.
Number two, the business owners have told me that they're also looking to add a few employees to also help this.
They're getting busy.
They need more room.
They need more space.
It's going to also help potentially add jobs, not just directly for the plastic, with plastics, Also, you know, the company that's going to end up building this is going to have construction jobs back into the economy as well.
So that's something to keep in mind anytime a redevelopment agreement comes up.
When your constituents say to you, why are businesses leaving?
What are you doing?
And the answer is, well, you have a choice to vote to help people expand and keep their business in the community.
So that's my answer to that question.
That's my answer to that question.
Alderman Sellers.
I would just like to know, I know that you said they're gonna be coming in and out of south.
Already right there by Aldi's is a lot of congestion.
Yes.
You know, just getting in and out.
How are they gonna make that easier?
Because I've seen even some people driving, trying to come out of Aldi's because it's such a tight turn.
They have went over the cliff a couple of times.
So how can we make that wide enough where it won't be so much congestion there with this business coming in and out of there also.
Well, we can't change the congestion.
We know that Aldi is a very successful business.
They're going to have many people coming in and out.
So this development is not going to, you know, this is not going to be able to change the traffic.
The only thing that it can do is add some paving to the area and it could help them add more storage for their facility.
They've stated that they want to stay here.
They want to stay in Freeport.
They want to expand at their location.
And they're looking for the city to partner with them.
But I'm not going to sit here and tell you that this is going to aid in the traffic issues we have at Aldi, this development is not going to be able to do that.
Alderman Sanders, did you have?
Yeah, first of all, I don't like the fact that when you are addressing counsel that someone is expressing their sentiments about how we're proceeding on any measures and talking about on anything, because I can hear it by the conversation that you had with her, she had and a complaint.
It was subtle, but it was a complaint on top of it.
Now, working with the city is one thing.
We can talk about the possibilities and whether or not the city wants to look into these matters, but we don't even know what type of business.
We don't even know what the purpose of it is all about.
We don't have no objection for anyone trying to bring in a business, but to make it a business that sounds like it's putting us under pressure to make something happen, because that's your sentiment that I feel that you're presenting to us right now at this time.
Is there conversation with you, and you're expressing it here at the Council, and I reject and I. I would like to be able to talk to a person so we can come to a conclusion or resolution where we can move further down the road.
But I don't like the expression that you're presenting to Council when anyone is talking to you about what we should be doing, that kind of thing.
No, no, I'm still talking.
And the fact that we are not listening or we have not acted on something that we don't have privy to yet.
And my point is, is that a private property?
I wanted to ask that question.
Is that private property?
Why is the city looking into complying with someone that has that type of view?
And I just wanted to make sure that I see it very clearly in my own head that this is what this particular business owner and others.
We have a lot of things that we want to do.
We want to do things that the council wants to be able to do without any agitation, without any over expressing, or any of those kinds of things, because the council has an antenna.
And when that kind of rhetoric starts filtering in through the council, our antennas goes up.
But then you should not present it here to council.
That's all I'm saying.
I'm not against it.
It's just a fact that I just didn't like the way that it was presented.
Any other discussion?
Alderman Stacy.
So, you know, Culver's the biggest fast food place here in Freeport.
They took advantage of this money through a tax cut Now here we come again with a different tip.
So is anybody that wants to advance their establishment going to be able to use tip money and get a yearly salary or yearly whatever to do what they want to do for their business with our tax dollars?
The answer is yes please wait clarify this is not about tax dollars this is this is tax yes this is the tip this is tax increment financing I can go back and answer it anybody looking if you have a business within the geographic area of a TIF district you are eligible for TIF financing when you're expanding your business and you're saying every year you're going to get dollars that's what Well when you go above, if you create and you build and expand your business, your property taxes are going to increase, correct?
That's correct.
That's why we're having this redevelopment agreement is to provide incentives for businesses to expand.
Businesses are wanting we're trying to read that's economic development we're trying to retain businesses we created TIF districts to have for two reasons to allow business to keep it to keep businesses to allow them to expand and the second reason is to attract new businesses you would want to come in and see visit the city staff and make sure what you're doing is an eligible eligible expenses but potentially yes so again it has to do with your property tax assessment if you're saying I would like to paint the inside of my building my answer to you would be you're not doing an improvement that's going to increase the tax assessment so you wouldn't be Taylor, and John, and I'm going to talk about the taxes.
The taxes are going to be eligible for any dollars.
So you have to essentially improve your business so that your taxes, your property taxes are going to increase because you're paid on the increment of those taxes going up.
Okay.
So this business is investing $150,000 to expand their business.
Their taxes are going to go up and they're going to be eligible for that Money comes from the taxing body of the group that like like the lamb roll it comes from the money of all the industries out there like downtown it comes from the taxing of the the stores and stuff downtown and usually downtown you would only be able to do like a facade like the outside yes can't do the inside and make it bigger and all that it's just the outside so you can't and John.
So, we are not going to get the taxing dollars and it doesn't come from the citizens.
It comes from the taxing of the people that are in that TIF district.
So, you have a geographic area.
This is the Meadows TIF district.
There is a map.
And essentially when this would have, the TIF district was created, they did a study.
You hire a professional Ferties, there's properties that are lacking development.
And so what happens is, at that time, there's a TIF base value for the tax assessment.
And so any time that the property taxes go above that TIF base, it goes back and stays within the TIF district.
That money stays to the city within a TIF district, and it has guidelines on how the money can be spent.
It could be spent for business expansion, it could be spent for business retention, professional services, things of that nature.
Alderman Shadle?
The essence of this is they're getting back 75% of an increase in their taxes.
So if this building generates a tax bill of $2,000, their taxes would be $500.
There's still going to be taxes collected.
They're going to get a return from their property taxes of $1,500 out of the hypothetical $2,000.
We're not laying out money to them.
We're We're just diverting taxes back so that they have an incentive to make this investment.
An investment that's always going to be there when the 75% sun sets out, we get all that tax money then.
And it's on the increase.
Where I shouldn't say we, the taxing bodies, get it.
It's on the increase.
Alderman, State.
Alderman, City Increase.
Alderman Stacy.
So, are you telling me that this business paid into the Meadows TIF?
Yes.
Their property taxes are paying into the Meadows TIF, yes.
There's no further discussion.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Don't light up.
Stacy?
I'm sorry, was that abstain?
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The resolution is adopted 7 to 0 with one abstentia.
Item number 17 is adoption of resolution 2025 and Chris.
Resolution approving the purchase of polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE membrane discs for wastewater facility aeration basins from Dryden Equipment.
Thank you, Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
I don't know how familiar everybody is with wastewater treatment, but this is one step in the wastewater treatment process.
It's called aeration.
There are Mechanicals in the bottom of the aeration tank that send bubbles of air through the effluent as it goes through the treatment process.
Every seven to ten years these need to be replaced and we are at that time where we need to replace them.
They are specific to the equipment that's in the aeration basin and the city's received an estimate from SSI aeration.
For $20,048.
I'm sorry, from Dryden Equipment.
The project was budgeted in the wastewater budget for 2025 and staff recommends moving forward with the membrane purchase.
Is there a motion to adopt?
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson.
Discussion on the resolution?
I just wanted to comment that we had $60,000 in the budget for this year and so we got a good price on doing the total amount that we needed.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah, I know this is very necessary.
It is something that we should have no problem with.
And if it's an annual thing or is it not?
I think it is an annual thing that we go through.
It's not an annual thing.
What is it, every five years or something?
Seven to ten.
Seven to ten years, okay.
But I know it's necessary.
I don't know what the cost is.
Do we have a cost factor for all of that?
Do we have a.
Yes, $20,000.
And Stacey.
Okay.
Well, anyway, I know it's necessary, so I just wanted to see where we were at with that.
Alderman Stacy.
So, if it's going to cost $20,000, but Gary, you said we have 16.
Sixty.
Six zero.
Okay.
That's what was budgeted for this year.
And this is just materials only.
Our crews actually do the replacement themselves.
But all of it to complete this project has been budgeted for yes ma'am there's no further discussion madam clerk please take the role Stacy Shadle Sanders Sellers is currently absent Klemm Johnson Simmons and Parker I the resolution is Bickle, Michael, Frank, Michael, Craig, and more.
The item number 3 was adopted 7-0.
The item number 18 is the adoption of resolution 2025-92.
Could you please read this?
Resolution authorizing payment of an invoice from T&T iron and metal for electronic recycling services.
Director Bridge?
Thank you, your honor.
Oh, I'm sorry.
That's okay.
So so that we don't have to ask these questions.
And I. I'm one of the three to four people here in City Hall that was in charge of getting an electronic recycling event together.
Not only that, but I'm also tasked with kind of getting out to the public not only stuff for electronic recycling, but also Refresh Freeport, which is our monthly dumping event that we do.
The City of Freeport conducted an electronic recycling and the City of California.
This event could bring electronic devices such as televisions and computer monitors to be disposed of.
The City utilized the services of T&T iron and metal to dispose of the electronic devices.
This event was planned in coordination with other dumping events such as refresh Freeport.
And others.
At the event, they collected 1,096 screens and 3.2 total tons of electronic waste.
Roughly 400 residents took advantage of this service and the city received positive feedback from residents and surrounding communities.
The full amount of the invoice has been budgeted for and will be paid from the Health and Environment Fund, which the cost of this specific invoice is and the budget is in the $300,000 range.
Thank you.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.
Discussion on the resolution?
Alderman Sanders.
Where's the dumping ground is that with this material?
So the event was held at the fairgrounds on July 19th and the dumping grounds, I do not know the specific area, the company, TNT Iron and Metals, took the stuff away from Freeport.
So are they currently still established as just one time event or how does that work?
That's a good question.
Are currently working towards a more regular event of this sort.
Yeah, and I know that there should have been a notification that went out to the general public about this.
We broadcast this and everything.
Yeah, plenty of people showed up.
OK.
And I'd like to see who's doing the collecting of anything.
Is there residuals that comes from this?
You're talking about money?
Yeah, because there's a lot of gold.
There's a lot of gold and a lot of other material that can be broken down and be converted into monetary value.
The city of Freeport is not.
We're not just giving the factory away, are we?
This is scrap metal that they're giving away.
Yeah, that's what I thought.
But we're not looking at the real intricate parts of that electronic equipment because there's value in there where the city could be recouping from or gaining something from it.
I don't care if it went to a charity or back to the TIF or TIF or whatever the case is.
We're not doing a complete assessment of how this program should be brought up because we're saying we're going to give you all our electronics that got gold and aluminum, whatever copper, whatever the case may be, we're going to give all that to you.
We don't, we just gonna just let you dispose of it and we don't have any recoup or residuals from all of that because it belongs to the city, it belongs to the citizens of Freeport.
I don't care who picks it up, who gets it or whatever the case is.
That is, that is a fortune that is being sent out of here.
You know, that's all I'm just saying.
Are we in a position to recoup anything?, Mmm.
And then the residents of Freeport took their own stuff to the event.
In all respect, that's the way the event was organized.
And so we have full confidence that the residents of Freeport understand what they're giving up.
Okay.
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Shadle?
Sanders?
Sellers?
Klemm?
Johnson?
Simpson?
Simmons, and Parker.
I and if I may before I move on tire recycling event this Saturday same deal tires if you need more information website Facebook email thank you thank you oh at the fairgrounds yes and do you have a time eight o'clock thank you item number 19 is adoption of resolution 2025 93 could you please read Resolution Approving Transportation Services Agreement with Pretzel City Transit to Sell Punch Cards at the Library Thank you, Director Huffine.
Thank you.
The library is always seeking collaborations and partners to help improve our services and resources for our community.
Pretzel City Transit is heavily used by library users.
We are seeking to make access to ride vouchers and punch cards more accessible by becoming a location for people to purchase ride vouchers and punch cards for Pretzel City Transit.
Although the Freeport Public Library is a department of the City of Freeport, we are a separate taxing district.
It is important to demonstrate the Library's commitment to selling these vouchers to IDOT, so we are entering into a formal agreement.
The City of Freeport's responsibilities under this agreement are to provide reliable on-time transportation to the Freeport Public Library users in a timely manner, Sander, the City Manager of the Freeport Public Library with vouchers and punch cards for sale at the library.
The Freeport Public Library is responsibilities under this agreement are to maintain an inventory of vouchers and punch cards to notate the vouchers to indicate they were purchased at the library to maintain accurate inventory on hand and sold vouchers and punch cards in provide in inventory reports to the city upon request.
The library will compensate the city monthly for all vouchers and punch cards sold.
There is no impact on the city or library finances.
The city staff recommend approving the agreement with the Freeport Public Library and the strategic plan that supports strong public and private partnerships.
Thank you.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the resolution?
Seeing none.
Stacey, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, and Parker.
That resolution is adopted 8-0.
Item number 20 is adoption of resolution 2025-94.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving purchase of two refurbished power load systems from Rowland Energy Refurbished Equipment and Clock Emergency Vehicles for the Fire Department.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Before you this evening is the request to approve the purchase of power load systems for Ambulances 3 and 4.
Ambulances 3 and 4 are in need of power load systems which securely fasten the stretcher to the back of the ambulance.
When the vehicles were purchased in 2015 and 2016, the floors of the vehicles were built to accept this system, but the cost of the system was too excessive and was not added when the vehicles and others were ordered.
So the power load system consists of an arm that extends out of the back of the ambulance and loads the stretcher into the ambulance avoiding any manual lifting.
More importantly, it also safely secures the stretcher to the floor of the ambulance ensuring crash and rollover protection for a patient that may be on the back of that stretcher.
Our two newer ambulances are equipped with this feature.
So that being said, it's important that the ambulances have the same similar equipment to avoid any confusion or operational errors during emergencies.
We want each vehicle to be outfitted exactly the same, all the equipment is located in the same cabinets in the back of the ambulance.
So the initial plan or budget provided funds to purchase one new power load system.
The key is new.
New Power Load System for this year for Ambulance 3, and then we'd re-budget another one for Ambulance 4 next year.
So my guys did some research on this, and as we were obtaining pricing, we discovered that we could purchase two refurbished units for less than the cost of one brand new unit.
So the refurbished ones also come with a one-year warranty, so do the new ones.
So it makes perfect sense to save money and buy some refurbished ones that operate just as well as the newer ones do.
So the financial component of this is the Fire Capital Improvement Fund will cover the cost of the power load system and the installation.
The total cost for two refurbished power load systems installed $34,217.96.
So comparatively, the cost for one new power load system is $35,857.
So we're already about $1,600 less expensive for twice the equipment.
So no dollars from the general fund will be used for this purchase.
So the fire department is requesting approval of the resolution to purchase two refurbished power load systems for the back of the ambulance, three and four.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So move.
Motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the resolution.
Alderman Parker.
This is almost mandatory as a major safety issue for our firemen.
And that 13, 34,000, if one of our officers break his back trying to do it, it's going to cost us more than that to take care of it.
So this is a great issue, and I'm very much in favor.
There's no further discussion.
Madam Clerk, yes, Alderman Sellers.
I just want to know how long will it take for these refurbished systems?
How long will it take to get all this where they're already ready?
So they have them in stock already.
We've already looked into it and confirmed that installation is available locally from the ambulance provider we purchased our two new ones from.
So this is ready to go as soon as we have your approval.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah, these are not new items, am I correct?
When you say, when this is refurbished, that means that we're purchasing used items at one point in time.
And I'm just curious, we couldn't budget new platform Johnson, David, and John, and I'm just curious why we're venturing into a refurbished type unit and whether or not it would be feasible one way or the other.
Can we guarantee, because if there's anything that's been refurbished that had been or that was an issue the very first time when it was brand new.
So I'm just curious.
I would like to know if you can bring some little clarity to me on that part.
Sure, I understand your concerns and I had the same myself initially, but looking into it these are as good as factory replacements.
So they've gone back to factory, they've been completely reworked, rebuilt, repainted, and to make us feel more comfortable they offer a one-year warranty and even the brand new ones have a one-year warranty.
So this is being fiscally responsible getting two for less than the price of one.
There's no further discussion.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
Parker?
Aye.
The resolution is adopted, 8-0.
Item number 21, adoption of resolution 202595.
Could you please read this?
Resolution Approving Purchase of Ferris ISX 2200 Mower with Kawasaki Motor and 60 Inch Mower Deck from Peabuddy's North, Pecatonica, Illinois, for the Fire Department.
Chief Miller.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Again, before you this evening is the request to approve the purchase of a commercial lawnmower for the Fire Department.
So, the Central Fire Station has nearly two and a half acres of land that we maintain ourselves.
Each Friday, the lawn is cut by our members that are on duty and only interrupted by emergency calls.
So, in 2018, the Fire Department acquired the lawnmarts you see up on the screen from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, IDNR.
What they had at the time was an excessive property program that offered used or government equipment to municipalities that requested consideration.
They applied for this.
So we did receive that lawnmower and is now 15 years old and is experiencing several system failures.
So the hydraulic system is what's used to steer each of the rear wheels.
That's why you'll see it looks Winslow.
So, it looks like handlebars by the seat, one steers the left rear wheel, that one steers the right rear wheel.
So there is, it's hydraulically driven and the left steering mechanism, left wheel is starting to fail.
So as you're going in a straight line, your hands are dissimilar, you're not like this, your arms are like this.
So that's a hazard to the person who's operating that lawnmower.
Also the frame and the mower deck have been repaired and welded numerous times in the past.
So again I'd like to remind council that this moor does not belong to this city.
It was obtained from the IDNR and it will need to be returned once we do acquire a replacement.
So discussion on this, the moor is 15 years old and struggles to complete weekly mowing Tasks, we have been fortunate.
We have been fortunate that it has serviced our needs for the past seven years at no cost other than maintenance and repairs.
So we looked into this and yes, the mower does have to be returned to the IDNR, but that program no longer exists.
We went to them trying to get a second free lawn mower and they said, no, we don't do that anymore.
So, we have to return that to their excess property program and so the finances of this acquisition, seven different more manufacturers were looked into and staff has determined that the Ferris 2200 model, the Kawasaki motor, best suits our needs and will accommodate us well into the future.
So the cost of this commercial lawnmower is $12,348.
So there's money in this year's budget for this purchase and it's also be funded by the Fire Department Capital Improvement Fund using no dollars from the general fund for this purchase.
So also I'd just like to add that this is the same brand of more that they use in city yards for for city properties.
They stock various belts and filters and have experience working on this model.
So we did compare this to John Deere.
And this was the least expensive more as well.
So that's why we chose this one.
And we're proposing it to you this evening for approval.
Sir, motion to adopt.
Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion?
Alderman Sanders.
Chief, for the more we're considering the one that you put on the agenda here, would Would this only be utilized for fire department areas and not being loaned out to other departments for their program or property or whatever the case is?
Are we just going to designate this directly to the fire department usage?
That would be my intent, yes.
Okay.
All right.
Alderman Stacey.
I was just wondering, why can't Public Works go mow the lawn?
So, that is a question that I had considered and discussed it with Manager Boyer.
And we realized that the folks that do the cutting, the lawn cutting for the city, Two of them are part-time summer employees and the other ones are mostly used in resurfacing streets and doing sewer work and so they all have their other priority tasks to do.
I've got my staff that are there.
If they're not out running emergency calls, they can be perched on that lawn mower and they'll take care of it.
It would be nice though to have our firemen area taken care of.
And I hope you get it and I hope it lasts 15 years plus.
Thank you.
There's no further discussion.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The resolution is adopted 8-0.
Item number 22 is adoption of resolution 2025-96.
Could you please read this?
Resolution, Approving to Accept the Conveyance of the Property Commonly Known as 17 West Stephenson Street from Marianne Garbens.
Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Kurt, if there's any way you could do a Google map of the area, I'd appreciate that.
Marianne Garbens has offered to convey 17 Stephenson Street to the City of Freeport for $1.
We have an adjacent city-owned parcel that's right next door.
Or used to be the Wave Salon Aved Books location.
This property will qualify the site for significant outside grant funding for a new downtown pocket park.
The acquisition will complete site control, enabling the city to pursue park and placement grants.
Also recently, Greater Freeport Partnership secured a large T-Mobile grant, I believe it was $50,000.
So Ms. Garvin's request that the park be named after the historic building once located on the site and a small raised flower garden be included in the design for her use.
Staff recommends honoring these and all other minor requests consistent with city policy.
Upon approval, staff will proceed with the acquisition, update the plan to reflect these features and apply for the Oslade grant, which is the one I am referring to.
So staff requests approval of the acquisition of 17 Stephenson Street for $1.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
The motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Parker.
Discussion on the resolution.
I do have one more.
Sure.
And I do want to thank the GFP for their effort leading that, that transfer.
Thank you.
There's no discussion?
I would like to just say.
Okay, Alderman Stacy.
I just want to say that this lady is a giver.
We all make mistakes.
We all lose our cool.
But to give this property for a dollar speaks volumes.
And so I hope that that be acknowledged and recognized in more ways than one.
And I I want to be the first one to say, thank you.
Alderman Sanders?
Yeah, I have an awareness factor forming in my frontal lobe, I should say.
I see you, I see you, Parker.
But I have a question in regards to the fact that it was given for a dollar, but what's the initial reason why it was given and the generosity that the city is supposed to look at this as a generous kind of thing, We have not looked at the cultural background of what I'm reading here in the memo of the people that are running this and we're not looking at the full scope of why we're inventing taxpayers' dollars until we do an investigative of what's going on and I'm looking at this memo and I'm looking at the wordings and I'm looking at the I'm hoping the interpretation is not what I'm thinking it is but from my position if we're not aware of certain things we should not vote on things until we have a complete clarity of the background nature listen to what I just said, the background nature and cultural aspect of this, even to give it as a generosity, what is, what will the city get in return?
Because remember, the city cannot put itself in a position where it becomes a label to something that is not conducive to the city at Larger, you might say, well, he's talking in coding.
Yeah, well, there is coding in there.
And that's the reason why I'm bringing this awareness point up is that we should be looking into these kinds of things and see it before we decide to do anything with any property for any reason.
And I just wanted to make sure that council is very astute and others.
We are very astute to what is being talked about here today on this matter, on this particular matter.
Oren Parker.
Greater Freeport Partnership, this lot, there's three sections in it.
They just had a grand opening and got a big grant to fix the weather to make it a park.
This is just adding 30 feet to it.
So it's a great thing that she did for us and I'm sure it will help Greater Freeport Partnership and it will make the area room for more people.
Well, I put it like this here, obviously you weren't listening to me, no, that's my point, you weren't listening to me, so you didn't hear all the subscripts or the subject matter that underscores the things that I was talking about that comes out of this discussion memo that I'm looking at and if we have not looked at this memo this memo clear enough to understand the interpretation of certain things and the interpretation of certain things, whether it's given to us or not.
But what I am saying is we don't want to venture into something or be labeled something that is supporting something that is put in this memo.
That's my whole point.
And if we have not done a background study of the things that have been put in this memo and don't know who the characters are, we don't understand the process and the culture of this character and the background of this character.
We need to do our study more efficiently because words do matter, you know, words do matter, and I just want you to know everything that we sometimes supposed to look at, we're supposed to define certain things that we don't understand.
That's all I'm saying.
Thank you.
That's all I'm saying.
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons, and Parker.
Aye.
The resolution is adopted seven to one.
Item number 23 is adoption of resolution 2025-99.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving independent contractor agreement with Ultimate Surveying Application Corp for Wayne Duckman for consulting services for Community and Economic Development Department.
City Manager.
Thank you, Your Honor.
As many of you know, Wayne has submitted his letter of resignation as a Community Development Director.
I asked him to stay on and we worked out about 16 hours a week until we get his position filled, which is currently being evaluated and we're in the process of interviewing candidates.
So Mr. Duckman, for his own ease of accounting and so forth, asked that we use his LLC, which and many others, and we're going to continue to work with them to make sure that we're able to do that, which is Ultimate Serving Applications Corp, as essentially to pay for his services at 16 hours a week through that way.
So staff recommends moving forward with an agreement with Ultimate Serving Applications Corporation on basically a week by week until we get the Community Director position filled.
And others that are required so far.
We haven't asked for anything, but if some emergent issue comes up, I wanted to make sure to include that in case we need his services in addition.
Is there a motion to adopt?
It's all moved.
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the resolution.
Alderman Stacy?
So do I understand?
Stacy, can I just remind you to try to put all your questions together instead of the back and forth, please?
So do I understand you to be saying that we have agreed to, because I believe it's already happening, pay Duckman $1,040 for 16 hours?
$140,000?
No, $1,040.
Oh, yes, per week.
For 16 hours.
Yes, that works out to about as current pay and benefits at this time.
And also that you had nine applicants, qualified applicants that have applied.
So why haven't they, the interviewing process started?
And why don't we have someone, knowing that he was leaving on the 31st of July, lined Dup to pick up the pieces and carry this load because if he go over that 16 hours then it goes up to how much an hour?
I mean it goes to $90 an hour if we go over 16 hours a week.
So the other question was Wayne tendered his resignation and we began the process of posting in the job very shortly thereafter within days in our conversation you told me that you had nine qualified applicants yes my question is why haven't we started we have started the interviewing process yes it's a multi-phase process what does that mean there's more than one interview any other discussion madam clerk please take the role stacy no Shadle?
Sanders?
Sellers?
Klemm?
Johnson?
Simmons?
Parker?
The resolution is adopted 6-2.
Item number 24 is the adoption of resolution 2025-100.
Could you please read this?
Resolution approving the American Harkins with Disabilities Acts Grievance Commission to repair certain sidewalks in the city and authorizing the City Manager to budget for such repairs.
Good evening.
This is the same topic that we talked about at the COW, just bringing it back for a formal vote.
We have the ramps at Park and Church that are not compliant.
We also had a petitioner write a letter to the Council that was read in public comment.
I will review anything that anybody wants to discuss.
I'm not going to go through the entire thing again.
The intersection is not compliant.
We started the 88 grievance policy to address situations like this.
The commission voted unanimously to bring this to council for a resolution.
And currently, we don't have funding marked because this program started in the middle of the year.
I do think we might be able to have city construction Worker's do these intersections later this fall as time permits otherwise they would be pushed to spring but it is a necessary outcome that needs to happen here again we have in the state safe routes of school zone we're next to an eye doctor Parkview nursing home this route connects to the park systems and we have a petitioner that's actually driving his mobility device out in the Street to have safe access for him and his family during their enjoyment of the community.
So I think this is a needed project and I appreciate your support.
Is there a motion to adopt?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion on the resolution.
Alderman Sanders.
Daren, Mr. Stegall, Sir, I'm looking at your map and I remember talking about the fact that we had this discussion last week, I believe it was, Sidewalk to Nowhere kind of program and then I look at the agenda here today and I notice something was added in this particular and others.
So, I think that's the agenda on this particular article resolution, I should say.
Just let me clarify that.
Nothing's changed.
This is exactly what was presented at the COW word for word.
It's the same.
Okay.
Okay, if nothing's changed, then when we're specifying certain things about the public property, I'm going to put it like that, sidewalks are public property, right?
And the ADA corners.
Just only because that's not what it specifies inside of this ordinance agenda.
That's the reason why I'm bringing it up.
It doesn't specify or designate every aspect of what this is supposed to accommodate.
And the reason why I ask that question is it feasible for a homeowner or public citizen Public Citizen to make a formal complaint about a sidewalk that sometimes, you know, sometimes they are lifted and you can trip and fall and break your leg, break your knee or whatever the case is.
This is public property.
When does it become ownership property and and not only the ownership property, how do we take care of the concerned adjacent property owners?
Concerns about people walking down this path or this sidewalk and possibly tripping because we heard the story for many years.
We know that's out there and that's the reason Whyte brought this subject up.
Will we be tentative to most residents or public property or public streets or sidewalks that will get attention to be rectified so these kinds of incursion does not cause any hazards or anything of that nature to the general public?
That's basically what I'm asking because because if homeowners or whoever wants something to be looked at it's our obligation to make sure it's not about well where do where does that come in at well we just we covered that at the cow okay the homeowners in Freeport own the sidewalks in front of their residents okay Hicks in front of their residents or their businesses.
We only own the ADA corners.
The city.
Well, when I talked about sidewalk to nowhere, that's someone's property.
Sidewalk to nowhere.
And you're making a declaration of extending sidewalks.
Well, that's what I'm getting.
That's how I'm understanding that.
If I'm understanding it wrong, then it must be worded St. Louis, and the City of Washington.
So, this is a sidewalk to nowhere.
There's no ramp that crosses the street to go out here.
This is called a carriage walk and they were popular back in the 90's, 80's, but they're no longer legal because a handicapped person that is visually impaired could go down this and Mr. Miller.
Okay.
That subject, that right there did not come up in the last discussion.
Yes, we discussed it.
I know it came up for discussion, but it was addressed as a sidewalk to nowhere according to what I was listening to, and that's the reason why I'm mentioning it, because there's a lot of residents throughout the city that have sidewalks to We're addressing it now because if you can do that, if you can address it here at the council, that means that it must be something that we're considering doing.
That's what I'm looking at.
Our current ordinances have the ability to cite homeowners and our businesses for not extending their sidewalks.
We have never chosen to do that in the city of Freeport.
Financially, it's not feasible for all these people, but the city could cite someone for not connecting their sidewalks.
Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, Parker, the resolution is adopted 8-0.
Item number 25, approval of a bid.
Could you please read this?
Opening on July 22nd, lift station on Walnut Avenue.
Manager Boyer.
Thank you, Your Honor.
Fehr Graham designed and bid sanitary sewer lift station forced main piping and gravity improvements for the land road area sanitary sewer flow at the request of the city.
The existing sewer system has an issue, a significant issue near the landfill perimeter and cannot be accessed for repairs due to IEP regulations, landfill closure requirements and extreme depth of the sewer main from grade.
Seward area carries a significant flow to the city's interceptor on a daily basis and a public bid opening was held on July 22nd at 10:30 AM City staff received four bids for the project from Martin and Company and Trek Group, Kelsey Excavating and Fisher Excavating.
Fisher Excavating was missing required bid item so it was deemed non-responsive and Kelsey's excavating was is the lowest responsible bidder at $2,847,451.50.
Kelsey Excavating is currently working on the 2025 City Street project and has completed other sewer force main work for the city of Freeport with positive results.
The project completion is estimated for June, 2026, taking into account equipment lead times.
This project is planned to be paid for with Land and Road TIF funds, and staff recommends moving forward with this bid.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the bid.
Alderman Sanders.
On the bid?
Okay, I feel absolutely, absolutely feel that there should not even been a bid entertained, first of all, on the landfill excavation pro-bid far as work that is going to be supposedly done without a complete survey and evaluation to determine the future of the landfill.
Fils that are out there at the landfill on Walnut, there has to be information to the reason why we're working on a landfill sewer line that is possibly connected to the interceptors and I don't think a bid should go out for any of that kind of a project until we have We've done a complete evaluation and study on that particular landfill and bids should not even be considered before we have done our own homework here at the council and until that happens then we're walking into a blind, wooded area, that's my assessment of it and I think the people of the City of Freeport should know that there's sewer lines out at the landfill that has not had a study to determine its existence and that thing could be still open to the city, the public, causing all kinds of habits and problems so I think it needs to be reevaluated.
I don't like this, I don't like an incomplete study to determine whether or not we should be bidding on anything and I'm surprised a bid like that even hit the floor, hit this council floor.
I am so surprised and the derelict of duty that we have not done anything to make that discovery happen and I'm looking at it here on the agenda and I'm saying to myself, where's Where's the rest of the background noise?
Where's the rest of the background information?
Why haven't we had a formal discussion about these issues?
We're just throwing money away without doing what we should be doing here, and I don't like the fact that it's been dismissed as if though we don't have a problem that could cause us problems within the near future, Are you asking us to vote tonight on giving Davis, Illinois, $2,847,451.50 that's the bid I can't I can't believe I'm here help me understand it's not Davis Illinois that's where the contractor that's their home address is Davis Illinois it's Kelsey excavating they're already doing work for the city of Freeport they're doing our street projects and they were the low responsive bidder to the project so yes that is exactly what we're asking is to who award money to them as the low bidder.
Any other discussion?
I would like to clarify something if I might.
We had an entire meeting at the COW last week that we went over these exact topic with the council that was here.
We went through the flow and the gallons and this has been an issue since City Manager Bucus was on the staff.
He's actually the one that started the project and there is a need for sewer flow enforcement out there and it's resulting in the landfill, not because of the landfill, the flow problem is through the landfill.
This station will bypass the landfill and all the landfill flow from the leachate system will go into the station, as well as all of the Lamb Road Tifta stick and any expansion that happens in either direction.
And the expansion that happens in either direction east or west.
Mike?
Okay, now remember this is about the bid.
Well, he wasn't talking.
Oh, well.
All right, Mayor.
You know, this stuff can become comical if you don't know exactly what is being said and then it'll just fly right over your head is if though you understood just what he was just saying.
I'm just gonna, if it's not about the bid, I just wanna make a comment about what he just said.
Is that okay?
Without the term, without the word of bidding coming out of my mouth, I just wanna make a comment about what he just said.
Is that okay?
Because he makes comments about what we say.
Okay, go ahead.
All right, all right.
And John.
That whole landfill situation, going around the situation, but you never talked about how you're going to disconnect from the interceptors or how you're going to abandon that whole system throughout the whole process of doing anything.
We're just going to abandon and others.
So, we're going to make an investment to divert the line away from its normal path already to accommodate what type of flow are we trying to demonstrate here because if it's not broke and why trying to reroute something that is not broke, I just don't get it.
And so if we're closing the landfill down, if the landfill is being closed down and excavation and all these kinds of things are going to take place over at the landfill, then we must do something about the existing sewer lines that are flowing to the interceptor out of of all places, and not talking about the disconnect, there has to be a disconnect there because if not, there could be infiltration at the intercept, wherever this thing dumps off to.
I'd like to know how you're going to reroute it and reconnect it, whatever you're thinking about doing.
I'm just baffled with all of that.
So if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, did you have something?
I wanted an answer.
The answer is it's all in the plan, and it's in the details.
But the details are too great to explain at a council meeting.
These questions should be asked throughout the week so they can be answered not at this floor.
That discussion would take hours.
But you haven't asked me any questions except for here.
I won't, because I won't.
Alderman Sanders, you need to stop being out of order, please.
OK, I'm sorry.
I apologize, Mayor.
If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
No.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
No.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
No.
Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes five to three.
Item number 26 is another bid.
Could you please read?
Bid Opening on July 30th, CD007-2025, Demolition of 8 Properties.
Thank you Madam Mayor, excuse me, 8 Properties were published in the Journal Standard on July 24th for a bid opening that occurred on July 30th at 9 o'clock in the morning at City Hall and it was for the demolition of 8 blighted properties and on July 30th staff have received bids from four contractors.
And based on the submitted bids, staff is recommending issuing a contract for the demolition of all eight properties to Albert and Sun Earthworks for the amount of $100,610, as they are the lowest responsible bidder.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the bids.
Alderman, Stacy The money used for these demolitions are coming from what?
So yeah, I put that in the memo as well.
Scroll down here a little bit.
Better yet.
Yeah.
And I were at a good meeting at the library.
There was money that we had from the east side of town.
Money and grants that were given to us to destroy property over there.
Park Street, Crocker Street, Wilbur Avenue, Adelbert Avenue are all on the east side of town.
We had money we had to use or lose.
Why are we using that money to destroy property over there?
For those streets where we have money that we have to use or lose.
I'll make it a little easier to see because it's a little bright outside, but maybe you can see it a little easier now.
Funding for the demolitions comes from FEMA floodway grant programs.
Okay, but wasn't that FEMA floodway grant program for housing on the east side of town?
Correct.
So the demolitions are funded by the FEMA floodway grant programs and then these are the houses that the property owners receive money for for selling their property and the city is demolishing it now as part of the FEMA program.
But Carroll, Prospect Terrace, Pleasant Street, and Williams Road, wherever that is, it's not in the FEMA, it's not in the area where the FEMA money was granted.
So, funding for the demolitions comes from the Illinois Housing Development Authority Strong Communities Program, which the city has now spent most of it, but there's still money left.
That program is $300,000 for the demolition of blighted properties and the FEMA Floodway Grant Program.
So, if it's on the east side and eligible, it receives the FEMA Floodway Grant Program money.
If it is not, it has fallen into the IDA Strong Community Program and that's where the funding comes from.
But what about the, what was it, 10 or 12 houses that was not on the east side of town, that were scheduled to come down this year, and none have come down?
I have no idea.
Well, you'd have to give me specific properties.
We now have 17 properties that are, this is at first eight, and I have another nine.
And this department, I believe, has another bid opening coming for 10 more properties.
I spoke with you and City Manager Boyer and I asked for a list.
So are you telling me this is 8 of the 17 on the list?
I would say probably yes.
I don't have that list in front of me, but I don't know what properties.
I'm still waiting for it to.
I don't know what, I mean, I could tell you that there's eight properties being demolished in this bid package.
There's about to be nine more coming up after this, and then my staff is working on another ten.
There's going to be another bid opening.
So that would be twenty-seven properties probably in the next two months that are going to be demolished.
Okay.
Madam Clerk, Alderman Klemm?
Just because it was mentioned before, Wayne, many of us know about the properties on the east side, but could you explain, because some of the renters have come forward and could some of these houses be rebuilt, so on and so forth, tell them the status of what these houses, the condition of them, just so we.
Well, the short answer is any property on the east side, these properties, I've walked through the majority of these personally, because I have to let in our asbestos contractor.
So many of these properties have a water line through the house actually on the walls.
Many of them do.
Many of them also have soggy floors from water damage.
So practically speaking, they're beyond repair.
But then if you want to go into actual government regulation, FEMA at the federal level is not going who let a government entity like the city issue permits for fixing a property for, excuse me, for more than 50% of its value.
So there's a practical implication which basically says the buildings are gone too far, but there's also the federal government which is saying you cannot redevelop it.
Another common complaint, I've read some of the complaints from our community is that there's poor living conditions.
The truly unfortunate part is many of these properties are picked up, now the ones up here that were talked about, the non-FEMA Eastside properties, the sad thing is many of these properties are picked up for back taxes, they're not properly repaired and people are renting them and then the city ultimately comes by, has to do inspections and finds out that these properties that are so far gone are not completely repaired to an adequate level and it's sad that and our community is actually renting these properties.
Is actually renting these properties so many of these properties are all of these properties are so far gone that they cannot be repaired thank you very much I appreciate it you're welcome Sanders and what you're also stipulating that there that that these properties are since they are at the and the point of demolition, there shouldn't be any occupiers even in those buildings as we speak today.
Is that what you're saying?
Yes, that is correct.
And that we should be moving forward to having those property tore down.
Have we had any complaints about any of the properties that we're tearing down to be reconsidered for Rehab, or Rehabilitation and that kind of thing.
Have we had that kind of expression down at the development, at the community development to reconsider anything that someone was interested in?
All of these eastside properties here that you're seeing here were purchased at a closing.
Paperwork was signed and the property owners, if they lived, they received appraised value plus $31,000 if they lived in the property during the time of the flood.
The other properties up here are either fast track demolitions or they are purchased off of the back or purchased from the county for back taxes.
So any property up here that is purchased for back taxes was owned by the county, the city owns it, there's not going to be a complaint.
Any property that is a fast track demolition has had proper notice and there's due process for that property owner to file a complaint and stop demolition.
So at any point in time, every one of these properties has had an opportunity to talk about development, et cetera, and they're no longer at that point.
Alderman, Sanders, please remember we're talking about a bid.
Huh?
This is about approving a bid.
Okay.
You know sometimes I have to navigate myself through the process, even though it might be inconvenienced to a lot of folk that are listening, but the thing about it is, we're sticking to the bidding portion of it all, the only thing I like to know is, when you're looking and Bids for these properties that are supposed to be demoed and people have not any complaints about these property and reconsideration.
Are you receiving anything about these properties that should make you say, hmm, question it or reconsider or anything?
Is anybody making any kind of proposals to the community about these properties?
No, there's nothing substantive about these properties that's being proposed for redevelopment, etc.
Okay.
All right then.
Okay.
Alderman Johnson?
I just wondered what makes the difference in the price of the bid?
Is it just the size of the house, the material it's made out of, or what makes the difference between the prices?
Your biggest, sorry, go ahead.
I apologize.
No, that's it.
Your biggest, truly the biggest gap that you're going to see up here on prices, majority of it's going to be asbestos abatement.
So every single property on here has an asbestos inspection and on the bid packet there is a list from a contractor that says what has asbestos on the property and if there's asbestos within the property that could more than double the price of a demolition.
So if a property doesn't have asbestos it's going to be a quick, it'll be a much lower price.
Thank you.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll on approving the bid.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Aye.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes 8 to 0.
Item number 27 is another bid approval.
Could you please read this?
Bid opening on July 30th.
C. D. 008-2025 Demolition of Nine Properties Director Duckman excuse me thank you madam mayor as promised here are the other nine properties that are up for demolition and these nine properties were published in the journal standard on July 24th and the bid opening was held at City Hall on July 30th and 915 city staff received bids from four contractors and this Based on the submitted bids, the lowest responsible builder was Alber and Sun Earthworks and they submitted a bid for $121,570 to demolish all properties and staff recommends issuing them the contract as the lowest responsible bidder.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.
Discussion on the bid.
Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, Simmons, and Parker.
Who is absent?
The motion passes 7-0.
Item number 28 is another bid, could you please read?
Bid opening on August 1st, 2025, CD009-2025, Fence Installation and Board Up at 114122 Delph, Liberty Avenue.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So talk a little bit about what we have going on here.
We have a site plan here.
Kind of showing what's going on at the Raleigh complex.
As everybody knows, the Raleigh building is in poor condition.
There has been some stone falling off into this alley.
We've also broken windows around the area and recognizing that staff has worked with City Manager Boyer and discussed options on how we can better secure the site and so we put out to bid a site plan illustrating what we could do to secure the site so essentially there is a six foot high chain link fence that's going to go around the Raleigh Complex.
It's going to connect.
There's an existing garage here.
And I'm also going to include a board up, so I've drawn in red the building, the, okay, it's going to full screen mode.
Essentially I showed the, essentially it's going to be all of the first floor windows on the Raleigh Complex are going to be, I highlighted in red here what it's going to look like.
These windows will be boarded up, and then if you scroll up there will be a few more that will be boarded up.
Basically essentially all of the windows on the first floor will be boarded up and so the city staff at the bid opening it was published in the Journal Standard on July 27th and the bidding bid opening occurred on August 1st at 10 AM at City Hall and city staff received bids from three contractors Fence Peoria was eliminated as they did not submit the required all the required documents and The lowest responsible bidder was Winter Construction at a proposal of $78,000 and staff is recommending moving forward with Winter Construction for the installation of a fence and board up of all of the first floor windows at the Raleigh Building.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion, Alderman Stacy?
If we're putting up a fence, why do we have to worry with the windows if there's going to be a fence around it, the whole building?
And better yet, why not just tear it down?
Well, the demolition would probably push close to $10 million.
So with budget season coming up, might be a good idea for you possibly propose that.
But until then, securing the site is the best, best plan of action.
Other than just a fence, it's important that staff is trying to secure the area as much as possible.
So we have broken windows and glass, and it's an easier way that if somebody were to get in through the fence, they could still climb into the building.
So we're doing everything we can.
Staff wants to do everything they can to secure the site and protect it from further vandalism.
So this is going to be what, a four foot fence?
Six foot high fence.
6-Foot high fence.
Link or?
Chain link.
Alderman, Sanders.
Pullerman, Sanders.
Mr. Duckman, that building been in place for how many years?
Probably close to a hundred years.
Yeah and the main reason why and I want the general public to know the main reason why it hasn't been considered to be Demold at this time and what's the outbreak or the outcome or the environment that this particular building could bring onto the city and why haven't we made proposal for grants to do it the proper way and if there's a reason why that is, kind of educate us a little bit on why this building is still standing and we're talking and I have been taking $5 to try to mend it up with Band-Aids.
And there should be appropriate grants for this kind of hazard.
This building is a complete hazard.
It's been here, like you say, over 100 years, but been out of commission, I'm gonna say, about over 50 years, that kind of thing.
But the point that I'm making is, how come we have not looked into this particular matter instead of throwing band-aids up against it and see what the outcome is that we're considering because that building has been an eyesore to the city of Freeport for decades and we need to be trying to be tentative or even about that as opposed, if we can take $10 million and find grants for $10 million to tear down a building, we should be able to take $10 million to erect housings, and a couple of things.
Well, you had a lot there.
So I'll try to get it.
I'll try to address all of your comments.
The first comment is when you walk down this alley, I don't know last time you walked down this alley, it's full of stone.
And what it is is the cap up here is likely people we know people are breaking into the here, it's likely people, we know people are breaking into this area.
We have evidence of that.
We have proof of that.
There's quite a bit of vandalism for people breaking in and it's likely that they're pushing all of the cap and stone into this alley.
And right now, after observing and knowing that, I find it just irresponsible to continue studied, and they paid for their work.
The work was done at that time as a way to allow God forbid somebody walks down there and that stone hits a person.
So, at that point, the most immediate action to do is to lock off this alley in the surrounding area.
Boyer, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor Yes, and we can investigate that.
Yes, that takes time.
Yes, it takes time.
Other part to that is brownfield reuse.
Other communities have had success in redeveloping, this is a brownfield site, an old industrial building that has lacked use in 50 years, let's say.
Okay, I have been part of bringing developers, potential developers into this site with ideas and I have.
It's a tough sell.
I'm not going to sit here and tell you that that's an easy sell.
So the tough decision city staff has is and should should also look at in parallel at the same time is looking to redevelop it, which would eliminate the need for a demolition or also and parallel so at the same time and also investigate grants for its demolition.
And that's what we're doing.
That's a and so on.
I'm glad to hear that we are on the move with that as something that has been put on the back burner for decades and nobody has brought the subject matter up and I think it's a good time for the whole community to take that into consideration and say, well, hey, we're doing everything else, we're throwing lift stations and water wells and places like that and we're getting grants for all these kinds of things but one thing that we have not focused on is the haphazard things that is being in our community that it really is an environment problem.
It's not going to go away and the thing about it is we need to pursue grants that rectifies and take care of these kinds of things that we need to get rid of.
I can see that.
I can see the environment of these building cause health breathing problems within the city without the city doing a full evaluation of the air of the city.
I don't even think we test our air here in the city of Freeport.
To be honest with you, we should start, but you know I don't think we do but just to get just to get an idea what a building can do to the city without knowing that certain agents are floating it floating around out there in the community we need to do a study on that as well I'm just venting right now but understood we want to get back to this is about a bid Alderman Johnson do we have any bids at all how much it would We've not, but what was our demolition, what was the, what did we just receive for two, the dry cleaner downtown?
So the, yeah, the dry cleaner in the building next door that the city owns is going to cost a little over $1.2 million to demo just those two buildings and they're not built anywhere close to the solidness of this structure.
And I wanted to remind everyone when we got the 1.7 million dollars that was the by far largest award in the state of Illinois to take down any buildings they don't have grants of 10 million dollars to take down a building this size so the city will be footing the bill at some point along with a grant to take something like this down it's a very large cost here it's a complete concrete structure Johnson.
The low bidder that bid, they didn't include some information.
Can we not ask them for that information?
That's not something we can do.
We looked and actually I looked into that matter with council and discussed it at length and we looked through our rules and regulations and it was determined that that's not it's not fair to the you know during the open bidding in an open bidding process it wouldn't be B. Fair to have everybody else submit a complete submittal, and this happens quite a bit where somebody forgets and document and they can't come back later and submit it.
That's common practice in not just Freeport but any community.
We list out if there's 10 items you have to submit, you have to submit all 10 items or else you're thrown out of the open bid.
Alderman Sellers?
Yes, I just want to know when all the fencing and everything is around, are we also going Johnson, Klem, Johnson, Simmons, Parker.
So we have six to one passes.
Item number 29 is another bid.
Could you please read this?
Bid opening on August 1st, CD 010-2025, asbestos abatement for hanger D at 2155 East and Dr. Duckman.
Thank you, Madam Mayor.
So I have a couple pictures coming up here shortly, but essentially what we have is hangar D is at the Alberta's Airport and it's quickly deteriorating building and It truly needs to be demolished and staff is Going to self-perform this Public Works Department will self perform the demolition however, asbestos abatement has to be done by a licensed contractor for that work and so staff put out a bid for asbestos abatement for Hanger D at Alberta's Airport and it was published in the Journal Standard on July 27th and the bid opening was held August 1st at 1015 and staff.
At 1015 and staff received bids from two contractors and the one contractor did not submit a bid bond as required and so therefore their bid was eliminated and the staff is recommending going with the lowest responsible bidder of Environmental Management Services of Iowa and they submitted a bid of $27,750.
Is there a motion to approve?
So move.
Second.
Made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.
Discussion on this bid.
Alderman Sanders.
I understand that bid, but there's an environmental issue with that bid.
And what you're saying, they are certified to do the asbestos for demolition.
They are certified to do that.
Yes, that was part of their submitted, they were required to submit their licenses as part of this bid.
So when we opened it and Clerk Anderson was a witness, can attest to it, had seen that they submitted their proper licensing.
Okay, any other city property have received any bids for Demolition with Asbestos.
Okay, we're not going there.
This is about this particular bid at the airport, not all the other stuff.
I don't like what you just said.
You know what?
You keep going on in a direction that's not according to what is on.
I'm talking about a bid.
You just asked about a bid for the entire city.
I don't care.
So we are talking about a bid at Hangar D. What goes for one property goes for all property.
I'm asking a question about a bid.
Would you like to ask a question about Hangar D?
Why are you directing my focus to just Hangar D?
Because that's what the agenda is.
Hangar D is not the only problem.
It is the only thing that's on this bid.
Okay.
All right, Mayor.
You are asserting yourself into.
Is there any other discussion?
If not, Madam Clerk, could you please take the role?
You can't be doing that, Mayor. Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders?
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes 7 to 1.
Item number 30 is another bid approval.
Please read this.
Bid opening on August 13th.
Resurfacing of 18th Avenue.
Manager Boyer?
Thank you, Your Honor.
Recon Corporation worked with the City of Freeport to reach an agreement for the development of the solar field at the end of 18th Avenue that's in the arcade.
As part of the agreement, Recon Corporation was to assist with roadway improvements to 18th Avenue because the idea is they'll be using 18th Avenue to do the installation, they'll be running trucks in and out of there, and the road was somewhat deteriorated and the point is to restore the road once they're completed with the solar field project.
So as part of the agreement, Recon Corporation will contribute $440,000 toward improvements on 18th Avenue and provide the City of Freeport with improvement plans prepared by Bowman for the improvements to 18th Avenue.
A public bid opening was held on August 13th at 10 AM at the City of Freeport.
City staff received three bids for the project, one from Martin & Company, one from Helm and Fisher's Excavating.
Fisher's Excavating was the lowest responsible bidder at $511,212.0.
Fisher Excavating is currently working on the 2025 City Water and Streets projects and has completed other street improvements within the City of Freeport with positive results.
Project completion is estimated for October of 2025.
This project is planned to be paid with the $440,000 in funds from the Solar Developer Recon Corporation with the remaining amount through local funds.
It should be noted that $133,000 of Fisher's total bid is contingency for unsuitable soils that may be encountered during the construction.
Staff recommends moving forward with the bid.
Is there a motion to approve?
So moved.
Second.
Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.
Discussion on the bid.
Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.
Stacy?
Aye.
Shadle?
Aye.
Sanders is absent.
Sellers?
Aye.
Klemm?
Aye.
Johnson?
Aye.
Simmons?
Aye.
And Parker?
Aye.
The motion passes 7-0.
Item number 31 is reports of department heads.
Finance?
Oh, none tonight.
Public Works?
Fire?
Yes, thank you, Your Honor.
I know it's been a long meeting, but I feel I have the need to acknowledge and recognize two of my paramedics from a job well done.
On August 14th, Ambulance One was dispatched for an elderly male who a gas station at Shell Gas Station in Galena, those folks thought something just isn't right with this gentleman.
So our paramedics responded there, they took the time to have a discussion with the gentleman, find out why he was in our area here, where he was from, and then they looked even further to gather his name and phone number for family members.
So one of the paramedics phoned police dispatch, ran the gentleman's name.
It turned out that he was endangered and missing from city Chicago for four or five days.
He had no idea how he got out here, why he was here.
So they checked him out.
They phoned the gentleman's daughter.
They were elated that he's finally been located and he's safe.
The ambulance crew, Adam Holtz and Nathan Stepp transported the gentleman to the hospital just to be checked out.
And that's where the reunion of his family members took place.
So 84-year-old gentleman disoriented didn't know how he got to Freeport from City of Chicago.
So those turn out to be a good outcome for the gentlemen of my paramedics.
Thank you.
Police?
Nothing from the Police Department.
Library?
Nothing tonight.
Community Development?
Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor.
IT?
Airport?
City Manager?
Just one thing, Mayor.
I just want to reflect on the the wonderful work and I, and we're going to be doing a lot of work that was done on 18th Avenue.
I know it was kind of the last thing on the agenda, but that is one way the city was able to use our work with the various solar contractors to flip that around and turn that into new infrastructure.
So I just want to thank all the staff that were involved with that negotiation.
It's an excellent job.
I want to remind everyone about take advantage of the tire recycling if that's something that it could be helpful to you and then reminder of two events this weekend is Paint the Port is on Friday night as well as Eats and Beats is Friday night and Saturday night.
So two great events in the downtown at the Art Plaza and in the streets.
Alderman Stacey?
Nothing.
Alderman Shadle?
Yes, thank you.
Last week the Committee of the Whole meeting There was mention made at public comment at the end that statements that myself and Director Steekle had made that were to quote lies and it had to do with the lift station on Walnut Road.
Our comments were that it has been talked about for two years and I just wanted to mention that I did a little digging and there was a Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday January 9th of 2023 where there was discussion regarding Walnut Lamb Road, Forest Main, and Lyft Station.
And a week later on Tuesday January 17th of 2023 it was passed to a resolution approving engineering agreement with Fehr Graham for design services, so that's all, thank you.
On that particular note that I was just hearing with other issues, nothing has not been conformed completely.
We have incomplete work that needs to be reevaluated and to be studied.
And I don't care how many times we talk about the subject matter, it doesn't matter as long as we are understanding what it is that the city is trying to push the citizens of Freeport into.
And we need to not only evaluate what council is doing, but we need to evaluate ourselves as far as anything else.
Are we cohesive on any matter that the city might have on the agenda and do we all conform together to come to a resolution of anything and that's what I've been I've been sitting here for over two years now and and I and I watched I learned I figured out how the game is pretty much played and and we need to change our thinking and this is why and I. Thinking.
And this is why, I don't know how many minutes I got, but if you shut me down, I'm going to go up to the podium and talk some more.
But the thing is, we need to re-look at ourselves in the mirror every day to say, are we doing this Citizens of Freeport justice, because I sit here and I listen to lies sometimes.
People flagrantly lie about things and don't come out and tell the whole truth about things.
I don't call no names but the point of the matter is you know who you are and if you're not serving the people of the city of Freeport you should get off the council.
You should go do something else with the rest of your time and die off into the wood and maybe grab a fishing pole or something like that and dwindle away the rest of your life.
But this is how I feel at this point and I'm quite sure a lot of our constituents feel the same way.
Are we looking at, are we considering the people that we're here, that voted us in here to make a decision making, proper decision making?
You know, that's something that needs to be reevaluated amongst ourselves.
And we should ask ourselves that same very question.
And you're going to hear me talk about stuff like this on occasion when I feel that we're doing things that is not within, in the finds of the people and they can criticize, people can criticize me that stands opposition of what I'm talking about, which I don't care.
I don't care about none of that stuff.
It's just the fact that am I talking to the people to gain their trust about whatever I learned that I will expose to them or divulge to them so they will be as educated as I am because Thomas, I'm learning, I'm learning the ropes around here and we need to stop it.
Alderman Sellers?
I would just like to say I know we had a lot of people that came in and was talking about you know the housing and the rents and all those things and I totally get it and I understand because I've been on both sides.
I've been a single mom renting and I've also been a landlord so I do understand but we We have no control of what people charge on their rents.
That's just like if I wanted to sell my house, they can't tell me how much I can sell my house for.
So I do understand and my heart goes out because I hate that it's happening.
But we as city council, we cannot tell people what they can charge for rent.
And my heart goes out to everybody.
But like I said, I've been on both sides.
I've been a single mom renting and I've been a landlord.
So I just wanted everybody to know that we do have, we have compassion on what's going on but we have no control.
Alderman Klemm?
I agree 100% with Joy, thank you.
Alderman Johnson?
My heart also does go out for those that they've raised their rent on, it's a horrible thing.
I also wanted to remind Second Ward, we have neighborhood watch meeting at 3002 Farmedale Lane at 6:30 PM on Thursday evening.
Alderman Simmons?
No.
Alderman Parker?
Yes.
Just a reminder, we have our neighborhood watch next Monday night at 6 o'clock.
That concludes to public comment.
Okay.
We probably should do the other people first.
I have an email from Carol Krupke.
I have lived in Freeport my entire life and I have lived in my current location for almost 22 years.
I have lived here for so long because Carol Krupke.
That's what I was gonna say.
There is a before you say that you can't do nothing.
You guys probably should dig and see what you can do.
It's easy to get up here and say what you can't do.
You guys do research for everything else.
We had so many ordinance passed, so many things looked at, Dugan for the benefit of the other side, let's quote that.
It's amazing that you can get up here and honestly say that you can't do anything and you can research it.
You can find out exactly what's happening because whether you believe it or not, this guy is going to come through, his plan is to get Section 8 people from Chicago and if you think the crime rate is going to go anywhere but up, this is going to affect more than every and others.
They might move next door, down the street, around the corner from all of you.
Opposed to the ones that, let's say, let's see the home rule benefited that you guys don't have to live here anymore.
Or say, or whatever you do.
And that means that you guys can't use home rule to benefit the community, but you can use it to say that Mayor Miller doesn't have to live here, Wayne don't have to live here.
You guys can use it for all of that.
And I'm so tired, let's get on another topic, I'm so tired of hearing shovel ready sites, nobody is coming here, is this, you gotta be rocking, nobody is coming here, this is a public online meeting and it looks a mess, we got Darren impersonate himself as FHA worker, we got Wayne tearing down the city for no reason at all, and we got a bunch of neighborhood watch meetings and ain't nothing to get watched, I'm just trying to figure this out, this ain't Rockets Science, man, dig in and do the due diligence for the community, or like he said, get up and move around.
You have something to do, you have a job to do, you work for us, they, Rob, he's such a nonchalant attitude, he don't care about nothing, nothing.
You have proved that so many times, you have to be inviting to walk up to, nobody wants Winslow.
You sit up there like an angry ball right now because you're getting your name wrong out.
You get read every time somebody says something that you want to speak on.
You have to be approachable.
Nobody wants to talk to you, bro.
That's just period.
You have to be approachable, not have an attitude when somebody asks you a question that you have to repeat.
Repeat it!
Next.
My name is Cheryl Altman.
My question is, why is Wayne getting, well, for 16 hours at $62.50 an hour?
That is three to four times more than what an average person makes in this town.
And it's a shame, but you guys voted for that.
You're wrong.
Also, $2.1 million for Pretzel City Transit.
It's $3 in town, each way.
Out of town, it's $6 each way.
But the worst thing is you forgot to mention that all those vans and buses are given to the City of Freeport for free.
And then not even to mention all their donations, because I used to drive the bus.
I could bring in $400 in donations every two weeks.
Easy.
So where's that money?
The worst part is you're making that money and you got people out here are ready to strike but you won't give them a raise.
For shame on you guys.
And next, Wayne, you say that you walked through all these buildings?
Wrong.
You made me get an engineer, a structural engineer.
You didn't like what he said because you said my building was structurally sound more than most.
But yet you sit there and gonna bash and tear my place down you've got the the roofs are falling in on the rally building you got frickin trees plus you already got a five hundred thousand dollar grant for that place so what you do with that and why are we getting Elbers and sons because Mayor Miller you related to him your mom was an Elber that's a conflict of interest you have your nieces matter of fact I got a picture with you and Sherry at her your nephew's invitation and I'd be glad to show it to you any day if you wanna see it.
You know, it's really a shame that it's who you know around here and I don't know who's more smug or arrogant, either you or Rob Boyer, but I don't know why, if we got a mayor, why do we need a city manager?
Miller.
If we got him, why the heck do we need you?
Next.
How I just want to introduce myself and talk a little bit about what's going on and see what we all can do to come together and help.
My name is Jocelyn, I'm a mother and a long-time Freeport resident.
And someone who is now along with many others fighting just to keep a roof over our family's heads.
I want to thank you Mayor Miller for responding to my previous emails and suggesting that I fill out the inspection request form here at City Hall.
I do appreciate the acknowledgement and the apology for my hardship, but respectfully, sympathy does nothing to.
Perfectly, Sympathy does nothing to provide housing, it doesn't stop evictions, and it does nothing to prevent the rent hikes that are already being enforced right now creating a monopoly of sorts.
Many of us are now being told to sign new fixed term leases within seven days or face a 30 day notice to vacate.
The rent increases are as high as 50%.
These are not proposed numbers.
These are actually happening.
Some families are seeing jumps in rent from $650 to $1,300 overnight.
These are imposed with promises to do light maintenance.
And to look further at the math, Freeport has an average wage of about $15 an hour or roughly $2,400 a month before taxes.
That's not enough to cover the rent increase, especially when you factor in groceries, utilities, child care, gas, and health care.
It's just not realistic.
Hick, in addition to these points that I've come here to make, we are working families and we can't meet these necessary requirements.
How are individuals on social security or fixed income supposed to do that?
The point is that they can't.
These requirements are designed to push people out and understand that there's only so much that can be done because the state of Illinois bans a rent control.
It means that what's happening here is completely legal and that's the problem.
But that doesn't mean that the council is powerless.
I'm here to ask you to act and urgently.
Some things that you can do are pass a local ordinance requiring 60 or 90 days to notice before significant rent increases or lease terminations.
Also, you could conduct immediate inspections of properties with sharp rent hikes to ensure that they meet health and safety codes, especially for any property raising rent by more than 10%.
You could even host a public forum with tenants and landlords so our voices are heard and to hopefully avoid the lack of actions done by landlords to help tenants with what matters to those living in these properties.
My last suggestion is to pass a resolution urging the state of Illinois to lift the rent control ban and return the power to cities like ours.
I'm not asking for special treatment.
I'm asking for fairness for families, seniors, and working people who just want to stay in their homes, especially as we send our children back to school.
We deserve better than the, we deserve better than to be pushed out of the city that we've helped build.
Thank you.
Anyone else?
Thank you.
Anyone else?
Thank you for giving me this opportunity.
I noticed I've never been here to a meeting before.
Can you state your name please?
Ernestine Etman.
I've never been here to a meeting before, I've watched you guys sometime on TV, but I didn't notice that you have prayer before you began, is that right?
I am a believer in Christ.
I don't know what's going to happen from this day because my heart is just so heavy right now after seeing all those comments of people that it's going to have to leave from where and some other people who are living right now because they can't afford it.
And I just want to say, I'm not going to talk too long, but I want to say this to all of you.
I stayed, I stayed, and I listened to all that you guys had to say.
And those are some important things.
But to me right now, what's most important is not seeing kids out in the streets.
Hicks.
Nowhere to go.
That's what hurts me.
That's what's important to me right now.
And so if you believe in the God of heaven, I want to see all of you do more than what you're doing.
I know you may not can pull a string here or there, but it is something you can do as our leaders in this community.
And I want to say this and I'm done.
I know that but none of you are in these positions because somebody just voted you in.
I know that the God of Heaven allowed you to be in these positions and He expects you to do what you're supposed to do.
This is not going to be good for nobody in the city of Freeport.
There's a lot of families, a lot that has been hurt by this and so in the days to come you're gonna feel it we might feel it but you're gonna feel it too and I want you to keep that in your mind that you're not here just because somebody voted you in you're here because God put you here thank you anyone else Hi, my name is Sue Cook, Winchester Drive.
I was home, and I was watching online, and, but no, no, no, there are children, there were children standing here, begging for their home in Freeport.
We've never been a distressed city before.
Don, you know that.
This city was flourishing and beautiful and huge and good and there were homes and places for people.
There were not children standing in front of the City Council begging for their homes.
I know you can't do anything with the landlords.
You can talk to them.
I know you can talk to them, Rob.
I know you can.
You may not be able to tell them where, excuse me, to put or how much to charge, but you can keep the kids and these people in their homes.
You can, you're powerful.
You cannot say that you're a pastor and not be able to do this.
You are powerful.
You are the City of Freeport Council.
You are powerful and Freeport cannot be distressed.
And here we stand distressed.
The second thing, for God sakes, for the people that are disabled in this town, don t take 911 away from them.
Rob, give them the five bucks.
Five bucks are a life.
It could be my husband, it could be me, it could be Cece, it could be the mayor.
We ve had head-ons.
Here I am crying.
I m sorry.
I m really sorry.
But we ve had head-ons.
We've had multiple head-ons.
I've driven that road.
I've had to drive off the road to avoid head-ons.
Guys, we can't have no 9-1-1 in Freeport.
We can't have roads where our cars go into the potholes and we have to pay $3,200 for an undercarriage, which has happened.
We can't be distressed and we can't let kids be out in the street and these people lose and Jodi.
We never were distressed, Jodi.
Excuse me, Mayor Miller, we never were distressed.
We never were distressed.
We don't have to be distressed now.
Thank you for letting me stand here and cry.
I'm very sorry.
Anyone else?
Yeah, I'd like to make a public comment.
Well, then you have to get up to the podium.
Do I?
You want to speak as a citizen.
That's the question.
I'm sorry.
And a citizen.
That's the protocol?
Yeah.
It's a public comment.
Okay.
All right.
I don't want to take up too much time, but I feel the compassion of the members.
I feel the compassion of those that are in distress and if we have a heart or any empathy for what the community brought to us tonight, we should look, like I said earlier, we should conform as council people for the greater good of the people.
We should perform to come together on a topic issue that is hurting folk.
If it's hurting people within our community, we should stand up and lend our voice to all of the causes and distress and the anxiety that folks are going through because of this one particular issue.
I like to see us all gather together, have an executive meeting on issues.
It doesn't have to be an executive, it could be the whole force of the city of Freeport.
Having a common cause to rectify something that we have, as they say, the power we have to come together to help folk who are having issues.
My heart went out.
I'm like this woman.
I'm about to shed tears because of what we lack of doing.
We have avenues.
We have pathways.
We have areas that we can go into to seek out whatever it is that our community needs.
And the fact that they don't know, they're not educated and I are educated to finding these programs and we're not lending our opportunity to help establish any programs that actually help people.
I have not heard anything from our council that talks about a program that can benefit everyone that has a desire to want to better themselves in this community.
I don't want to see people talking about I'm I'm going to be homeless, how do you come to the Council of Freeport and someone standing before you talking about I'm losing everything and I don't have no place to go, how could we just sit in our seat and after we adjourn tonight have no way of talking to one another, calling each other up, say hey we need to get up, we need to have a hall, a town hall and I have a meeting or some form or something to talk about that helps to help people.
I'm talking, and if there's something like that going on, everybody should be involved.
Your time has expired.
Thank you.
Anyone else?
Cecelia?
May I do it from here?
Yes, I think that would be an exception.
You know, I don't know what we can do.
I know that there's things that we have to do.
I know that there's apartments out there that's not worth half of what they were already charging, and to go up double is ridiculous, but as renters you have rights.
And you had it right I don't know we might need inspectors to come in and look at these houses because they have to be valued at a level to be charged what they're charging and so I don't know what we can or can't do I'm gonna find out what we can or can't do but one thing I know how to do and that's pray so Father God In the name of Jesus, hear the hearts and the cries of your people.
Father God, make a way out of no way.
We're looking to you for a miracle.
Yeah, you change is not.
So just like you fed many with five fish and two loaves of bread, I'm asking you to work a miracle in this city on behalf of these, your children, your people.
Help us as a council to do any and everything we can do to make that difference.
To show ourselves strong, to show the value we have and the value that we carry.
Give us the words to say and the ability to do what needs to be done and we'll be sure to give you all honor, glory, and praise in advance for victory is ours.
And I stand on that.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Is there any other public comments?
I'll entertain a motion for adjournment.
So moved.
Second.
We have a motion made by Shadle, seconded by Parker.
All those in favor, signify by saying aye.
Aye.
Good night.