Thank you. Alderman, Monroe. Thank you Madam Mayor. So why is this being brought forward today and why not sooner? Why has this been kind of an emergency, kind of move forward and get it into 2026?


because we just received all the petitions we need to move forward so we've been in negotiations talking to the residents they've been talking to each other and I was just presented it wasn't last week but the prior week with all the petitions necessary to move forward Alderman Sellers and also the residents they are contributing to to some of this Swerve, correct?


In the big, yes, there's a $400 per year special assessment on each property out there.


I think the total will be about $90,000 when it's all said and done. Actually Alderman Monroe, you, Stacy, Sanders, and Simmons have all spoken twice.


So any further discussion? I was just going to comment that there's several people from the Gladewood area here tonight, one of which Mr. Larson was kind of their spokesperson.


Not for me, I'm not speaking for me, I'm the President, I'm speaking for myself.


During the meetings, he was speaking on behalf of the Gladewood group that came. Not for me, I'm not speaking for myself, I'm not speaking for myself.


Okay, so, if there's no further discussion on this ordinance of setting a hearing, is there a motion to suspend the rule so we can keep that moving forward?


Taking into consideration Attorney Cox's comment, so again, this is just about moving the setting of the hearing forward.


I would probably recommend a motion to amend the ordinance first to set a date and it can be something generic like after, after the COW meeting, you can set it after the COW and then, you know, within, you know, 20 days after the COW or something like that.


So motion second on that amendment. Then once the date is, that range is set, then you can ask for a motion to suspend the rules.


So is there a motion to amend? Motion to amend. To set the meeting dates from 20 to 40 days from now. All right. That would get us past the count.


So we have a motion to amend this, setting this hearing date for 20 to 40 days out.


Is there a second? Second. We have a motion made by Shadle, seconded by Sellers.


Any discussion on the amendment itself? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll on the amendment of adding 20 to 40 days?


Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Nope. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The motion passes 7 to 1.


Okay now now if you want to have a motion to suspend so we can keep moving forward I'll need that if that's your preference. Motion to suspend the rules. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm to suspend the rules again suspension of the rules is two-thirds majority and non-debatable so madam clerk could you please take the role on the suspension only for settings hearing Stacy Shadle aye Sanders no Sellers aye Clem all right Monroe no Simmons no Parker I the motion fails four to four okay well then we will We'll move this ordinance on to the next regularly scheduled meeting.


Item number 16 is the first reading of Ordinance 2025-24, could you please read this?


Ordinance amending the codified ordinances, Chapter 806, Alcoholic Liquor Sales, and deleting Chapter 844, Mechanical and Electronic Games and Devices.


Thank you. Attorney Cox? So, relatively nominal changes here. There's a suggestion from the Liquor Commission that the gaming fees provisions in 806, you'll see the changes on the chart there for the licensing fee.


We currently charge $250 for an annual fee and then $250 per terminal for video gaming.


The Liquor Commission is suggesting that we we institute an issuance fee for new licenses that would only be paid once. Currently we have issuance fees for most tiers of licenses and then that the annual fee be increased to $500 and then $500 per terminal. After some research at the Liquor Commission level it was apparent that we're on the low end of the range for Home Rule communities so So moving it up to the 500 to 500 and 500 kind of brings us more towards the middle, something you would see with the, certainly with the suburbs, we charge much more.


And then Chapter 844 is simply, it's being suggested that we remove Chapter 844 simply because that brings in probably around 100 bucks or 200 bucks of revenue a year and creates and so forth.


So that's a lot of staff time in the clerk's office. There are very few establishments, and Debbie, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's somewhere in the area of a handful of places that have this license where they actually pay a fee.


We waive the fee if they also pay so we don't double dip. If you have a video gaming supplemental license, your fee is waived for mechanical gaming.


So we create a bunch of work in the clerk's office and then don't collect any fees for it and is, I certainly remember, I'm sure most of you do, the reason for the mechanical gaming provisions in the first place were the arcades from the 80s and 90s, that's what those were intended for, those weren't regulated by the state, they weren't, so you had all this local regulation. We don't have those anymore. Now we have video gaming and that's all regulated heavily by the state.


We regulate that locally, we charge fees on that, but we just are not dollars ahead on Chapter 844, so the recommendation is we just get rid of that.


And I'm happy to answer any questions on any of that if anybody has them.


I'll first entertain a motion to move this forward. It's all moved. Second. Motion made by Shadle, seconded by Sellers to move Ordinance 2025-24 forward.


Questions for Attorney Cox? Alderman Sanders? Yeah, you're requesting for the removal of the mechanical part of it.


Is there a reason why you want that to be removed? again it's the the chapter 844 mechanical gaming only applies to as Clerk Anderson indicated I think we have three of those licenses that actually pay for for that license fee generating a few hundred hours for the city yet we take in all those applications and the the clerk's office has to process them okay and it's just not something that we have trouble with something that the staff feels really needs to be regulated at this point again it's not the 80s and 90s where we had our video arcades and pinball and all this stuff this is a few pool tables and dartboards really that we run into okay all right thank you thank you madam mayor I'm gonna put this into you know normal speak if you will do away with 844 which was double dipping as you called it and double the We're going to double the tax on the machines, which is double dipping.


It's mind boggling that we're going to double the rates. the rates and increase of taxes generates $60,000 more in revenue and you know here we are again raising a tax on the citizens of Freeport and we've been doing that over and over and over again and we hide it in the water bill, we hide it in the tax on the machines, we hide it into every tax and you know at some point you have to draw the line and you say enough is enough and the citizens of Freeport, gentleman that was in here earlier is upset about having to pay an extra fee when he's already been paying city taxes on his property.


So these types of things have got to be addressed in a more succinct manner and you just can't say okay well we're going to do away with this but we'll raise this fee.


When this brought in $200 this brings in $60,000 and think you're doing the community good, We're helping two people, Ms. Anderson, who I agree she probably needs the help along with her deputy, but $60,000 a year in increased fees, you know, you got to wonder how it's going to affect the businesses and the bars and everybody else that we're actually bringing additional tax dollars in on, on the beer and the, you know, the food and everything else that they're serving.


Do you want to say anything? Alderman Klemm. That's not quite true, but it sounded real good. There isn't a person in the room here that has to go use a gaming machine. This has been through the Liquor Commission, been talked about, excuse me, in the Liquor Commission for about a year and a half or so. We found that we are completely, completely way under what other cities of our size are charging for these units.


And if you take a look at the gaming board that you can go to and look at everybody's making a nickel, there isn't one of those people going broke and all that we're asking for is a little more fair share for the city.


Thank you. No further discussion? Then we will move this on to the next City Council meeting.


Thank you, Attorney Cox. Item number 17 is the adoption of Resolution 2025-31. Could you please read this?


Resolution ratifying agreement with United Diagnostic Service or UDS to provide firefighter health and safety screenings.


Good evening Madam Mayor, Manager, Board and Councilmembers. Before you is a request for adoption ratifying an agreement with United Diagnostic Services, LLC, to provide firefighter and health safety screenings.


This resolution was discussed at the March 10th Committee of the Whole meeting and was previously placed on the agenda for March 17th Council meeting for adoption but was not able to be completed due to scheduling, completed before the scheduled date of the screenings.


The screenings have since taken place and were provided to 45 members of the department.


The dates of the screening were established on three consecutive days, March 20th, 21st, and 22nd.


These screenings again utilized ultrasound to look for conditions related to cancers, related to thyroid, liver, gallbladder, bladder, prostate, proper heart functioning, and assessment of the aorta and carotid arteries.


These screenings have now established a baseline for our department, and we hope to continue them, the recommended every two years.


The cost of the screenings was $14,625, that is $325 per individual, and the full cost was covered by funding from the department's Foreign Fire Insurance Board Fund.


Thank you. Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. Motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, Parker, The Resolution is adopted 8-0. Item 18 is the Adoption of Resolution 2025-33, could you please read this?


O'Rourke, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor Pass is an ordinance which adopts the transportation services within Freeport and Stevenson County.


The next step is a resolution authorizing an application to be made with the Office of Intermortal Project Implementation, which is IDOT, for financial assistance under the two grants.


And that's what we're talking about in this particular resolution. The subsequent resolution is going to be about accepting a special warranty for public transportation and I'm not going to get to that right now and then finally after our applications been submitted there has to be a resolution accepting that the City of Freeport is participating in these grant programs. So there's several steps that are laid out for us to successfully operate our Pretzel City area transit program. So in this step staff is recommending a resolution authorizing an application to be made for these grant applications.


Thank you. Is there a motion to adopt? So I'll move. Second. A motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Sellers.


Discussion on the adoption? Alderman Sanders? Well, I really don't want to inject because it's such a valuable tool and I just wanted to commend you for getting involved in this with the grant processing and that it is so so much needed for those that are unfortunate to be able to be mobile is as accessible that they like to be.


And so, yeah, just keep up the good work on that. I like what the whole concept is.


Thank you. I appreciate that. But I do want to thank Sadie Grande. She's our transportation planner.


She does a done a great job with this program, keeping everything on track and also Director Richter does a great job helping us as well there's a lot there's a large amount of financial work involved helping this program keep going but the support of council is greatly appreciated thank you very much. Any other discussion? Madam Clerk please take the roll.


Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. and Parker. The resolution is adopted eight to zero. Item number 19 is the adoption of resolution 2025-34. Could you please read this? Resolution accepting the special warranty for public transportation funding for the federal 5311 grant for Pretzel City area transit. Director Duckman. Thank you Madam Mayor. So as promised earlier this is the subsequent resolution that would accept the special warranty for public transportation funding. This affirms that Transit employees will be treated fairly and equitably under the terms of the warranty. So in line with this, staff is recommending approval of this resolution.


Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion on this resolution. Madam Clerk, please take the role. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted, 8-0. Item number 20 is the adoption of resolution 2025-35. Could you please read this? Resolution adopting a certificate of authority to vote regarding Rock Salt Contract Joint Participation Agreements with the State of Illinois. Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. The City of Freeport buys rock salt for snow removal operations every year. We are part of the state bid and they've made some changes, so we need to approve things a little earlier than in the past. So staff requests council move forward with this joint participation agreement so that Freeport can become part of the state rock salt program. Is there a motion to adopt? Motion to approve. Second.


Shadle? We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion on the resolution? Alderman Sanders?


Yeah, Manager Boyer, looking at the rock salt, we're just finalizing some roads that we're just installing.


and my question is which we know that salt rock can be very, very destructive on roads and especially on new roads that have not settled within, within the frame.


and the framework that we got everything placed on the surface. My thing is, my question would be is, is there any other resources or source that is more gentle on roads and still be able to be effective for the snow conditions and the road condition? I don't know if they have that or not, if it's going to cost us, I like to hear the difference between the comparisons and things of that nature.


Just to answer your question, I think there's nothing more cost effective per ton than rock salt. Obviously the city used sand for a number of years. Sand plugs up the stormwater system.


We end up having a lot more maintenance doing that. And there's some other melt products and Stacey.


They're far more expensive than rock salt, so I hope that answers your question. Yeah, it does.


There's no further discussion. Alderman Stacey. What does joint participation consist of? It's essentially the commitment to the city to work with the state on this rock salt program in the past.


We essentially order it and what's happened is some communities didn't need it backed out so they're adding this change so that they can make sure that everybody who participates Johnson, John, John, John, John, that's correct for the most part we we use everything we order it's hard sometimes to to guess because it all depends on the weather but we've been somewhere in the 300 ton range for some time there's no further discussion Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, and Parker. The resolution is adopted 8 to 0. And item number 21 is the adoption of resolution 2025-36. Could you please read this? Resolution ratifying emergency repairs of a blower at the city's wastewater treatment plant by precision drive control. Manager, Thank you your honor. Recently we had a failure, bearing failure on one of our


large blowers that services the BAF building or the biologically activated, I'm sorry, the biological air filtration system. So this particular project to have it rebuilt is about $17,000. That's compared to $41,000 to replace it so we're repairing it and staff is asking City Council just to Radify this Emergency Equipment Repair.


Is there a motion to adopt? Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Discussion on this resolution? Madam Clerk, please take the role. Stacy? Can I ask a question?


Sure. How old is this blower? Oh, gosh. and Parker with one abstentia the resolution is adopted. Item number 22 is the adoption of resolution 2025-37 could you please read the resolution?


Resolution Approving the Purchase of Streetlight Fixtures from Electrical Resource Management Manager Boyer Thank you, Your Honor.


Now the City of Freeport has an annual maintenance agreement for the traffic signals and streetlights in I-DOT corridors.


Many of the streetlights on top of the traffic signals are failing due to age and require replacement.


Parts of the incandescent lights are more complicated to find and expensive, and the City staff submitted a grant proposal to ComEd and was awarded $20,000 toward the 70 light replacement project, which includes changing to LEDs.


Each light will be 252 watts, as requested by IDOT specification, and the city needs to replace 70 of these aging street lights, which are metal halide, that are still dim and failing in the IDOT corridors.


We're talking primarily about West Street, Galena, and South Street. As part of the maintenance agreement, the project was planned for 25 due to the large number of lights that are experiencing issues.


The city crews can self-perform these installations to these lights as the signals have power shut off that are accessible to staff.


Public Works Department can charge IDOT for our installation. The costs include traffic controls that are needed.


Each intersection area has a varying allowable percentage of established replacement in cost share on the schedule between 30 and 100 percent and that's per our maintenance agreement with IDOT.


This is a quick hitting project that must be completed by June of 2025 and that is primarily due to the fact that we are working with that ComEd grant.


So the project cost for the fixtures are currently estimated to be less than $10,000 but it will Costs the City less than $10,000 after the ComEd Grant and the IDOT share reimbursement are completed and the City Street Department budgeted $20,000 for street lights in 2025.


$10,000 was anticipated to fund this project. However, please note the City has spent $23,000 on the new crime reduction lighting recently.


So staff recommends moving forward. Is there a motion to adopt? So move. Second. Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion? Alderman Sanders?


Yeah, this will be a contract even though a grant is being presented. We'll be contracting this out if we are awarded a grant. How does that work?


No, the staff is going to reduce the cost of the installation by doing it ourselves.


we're going to do the in-house we're going to do it in-house we have our own what i want to say skill guys that can go out and do this work and we do we have a lot of projects to be working on all the time but this one is really necessary and it's a good use of so would that cover all of the street lights throughout the city no no the the map that's included with your Taylor, John, O'Rourke, Dan, John, Uswine, Patrick, and 70, 70 of them. And we're getting 20,000 from ComEd and IDOT?


Yeah, we'll get approximately 20,000 from ComEd, and then I think IDOT's a cost share depending on the cost of each intersection.


So the total project's around 40,000. We should get a little over 20,000 from ComEd. If we can complete by June, there's a little bit of a, they call it a kickstart bonus.


and then we can cost share the rest through our IDOT maintenance agreement so our public work staff will keep track of their time and materials and we'll be able to bill that out to IDOT.


Each intersection in Freeport, so these are the lights that are on top of the traffic signals.


Each one of them in town has a different cost center so one intersection might be 30%, the next one might be 50 and the next one might be 100.


We have an Excel spreadsheet that shows that so we can take our hours and let's say just for simple math we had $100 to put this intersection in or $1,000 and it's a 30% so we can bill them $300 of our time and we get to mark our time up like we're a contractor so it's a good benefit to us Okay so how much is this going to cost the city? It will be less than $10,000 I can't gauge that until we have the time to put it up but we'll get 20 from comments and we should be able to bill out of the remaining 20 at least 10 if not 15 tied up.


And this is coming out our original this 10 or less is coming out our original streetlight fund? That was the plan in the budget. It's the plan. Alderman Sanders?


Yeah do we have the manpower to get this in at a time period where we do not have have to pay for any additional costs because of late installments.


We do, I talked to the Public Works Superintendent, the Street Superintendent, and he said that they'll make time to get it done.


Even if we went into overtime ranges to get it done, we can build the overtime out because our guys don't make the same as what union contractors do, so we'll be able to build that out just like we normally would in our wages.


also. and others. Speaking with him, we are a little short staffed at the moment. We had a couple turnover positions, but he's committed to get the resources to get it done to get the grant because we don't have another way to pay for the lights. And we are, we were, we're spending more than $10,000 a year trying to fix these lights with parts and pieces that are just not acceptable anymore. These are, these are, they're called seven-pin lights, so they unbolt. You shut the electric down, you unbolt them, you slide them on, bolt them Backup, Test Power. It's a relatively simple process outside of traffic control and our equipment which is the bucket truck that we already own.


Okay, thanks. Alderman Stacey. Director Darin, I am a little concerned using our street light money on that project because of the amount of areas we still need to fix. And there's money available for our streetlights and polls where there's not money available for our streetlights. Am I making sense?


I think I understand what you're saying. I think you're talking about more money for exchanging more crime-ridden area lights, right?


Yes. Yeah. But there's no funding out there for us with that. No. And is there some more funding we can go after for?


We can reapply next year for the Select Communities grant. This is the select or whatever the heck they're calling it this day.


That is what this grant is. that's the $20,000 that's coming from ComEd for it.


We can continue on the light exchanges, but as I told you before, those are gonna be roughly about $400 a piece installed, and we can order as many of them as we want as council approves, it's just we have to find a funding source for that if we're gonna continue to do it.


Exactly. Yep. So do we have to do all 70 of them at once? So the issue is we applied for them all at once to make it advantageous for ComEd to help us fund it.


And we're having issues on most of the lights. And if you went around town right now and you looked in the IDOT corridors, the lights that are up there are not the right size wattage right now because we just tried to fill them in with something that we had on hand because we couldn't afford to go buy the new light replacements.


So I would say at this time, we're not going to get a better deal to do this in the future.


these lights should last per their warranty at least 10 years of life so it's a longevity and it will help us in the future because we'll have less maintenance cost in the IDOT corridors because they actually pay us annually to maintain these as part of our it's about two hundred and thirty eight thousand dollars we get from them okay so long as the rest of the council understand that ten thousand of that money for those who wanted more than 5th Ward, 10,000 of that kitty is going to have to go to this project which is going to limit what we could do for the rest of the year. Yeah I you guys get to decide what you want to do I was just stating that when Rob and I and the Street Department worked on the budget we had set 10,000 in that budget for and others who are involved in this project because we knew that we're having a tough time repairing them with public works.


Even just getting the materials anymore is difficult. Any other discussion? Alderman, Sellers. So we're getting $20,000 from ComEd, correct?


Yes ma'am. And then we just have to put the 10 with it to take care of.


And then IDOT is given what? We reimburse us. So again, my example is if we had $1,000 for a four-legged intersection to change the lights, depending on the intersection, because every one of them has a different reimbursement amount, some of them are 30%, some of them are 50, some of them are 70, it depends, we can bill them for the city's time and material, just like we are a contractor to get that additional $20,000. It might get down to $5,000 by the time we're done. I just, I can't predict how much it's going to take to get it done.


Remember, these are in I-DOT corridors, so we have to have full traffic control. So we're gonna have to have four to five guys out doing these to get them replaced.


There's no further discussion. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders?


Is absent. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. Fowler. Item number 23 is the Adaption of Resolution 2025-38.


Could you please read this? Resolution authorizing a letter of commitment to the Interstate Renewable Energy Council to become a charging smart designated community.


Darren? Yeah. So we were contacted last month by Region 1 out of Rockford. Taylor, a community development resource, and they asked us if the City of Freeport was interested in becoming a Charging Smart designated community.


The program is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Charging Smart is committed to transforming the transportation system in ways that positively benefit the environment, the economy, through access to charging infrastructure.


the discussion is they're asking us to be part of the program there is no financials for it their team will help us develop codes ordinances and technical assistance on providing charging areas to the city of Freeport whether it be city of Freeport or private development they'll even help us with code resources for homes something that we've talked about at the council level most of these charging units that are in people's homes are the equivalent and a couple of other things.


So, I'm going to go into four households, so it could put quite a strain on our network of infrastructure as they come on.


We all know that the state and federal governments are pushing them with rebates, and so eventually we will see more.


There's another item on here talking about EV chargers. This one particularly is just helping us establish codes and ordinances and some baseline for of the City of Freeport because while if we become charge smart or not, we're still gonna have people that wanna have charged cars in this community that we're gonna have to deal with and right now we really don't have anything on the books for it.


So again, there's no financial and we're recommending that this would be the time that we would move forward being part of this.


The only investment is staff time to help work with them to get the codes and ordinances in place that would come to you guys for final approval.


Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. A motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Discussion on the resolution, Alderman Monroe? No it's, thank you Darren. You know, I think the question I've got is as we scroll down to item number 27, resolution approving agreement with Fehr Graham to provide civil engineering services related to EV charging station, there actually are charges associated with where we're going with this, is that is there any key hours butterflies specially just with BlueD arrival?


Are you talking too salty hay? There's grants with that and if we move forward 27, I don't want to skip too far ahead but those will be paid for charging.


They won't be free chargers, but these are just establishing the best practices to be a charging community.


Director Duckman? I did want to add too because I was put in the email chain with Region 1.


because they're both talking about charging. They look similar. They could be connected, but honestly what happened was is Isaac Guerrero is their Community Development Director and Services Director in Region 1.


He reached out to us and said, hey, this is an opportunity. We're reaching out to all communities looking for support to become a charge smart community and then that would help us down the road.


If we wanted to apply for grants, they would essentially help. We'd essentially be getting their help down the road.


So while they look similar, they are, they are different items. Thank you. Mr. Sanders?


You know, I'm looking at, I was looking at this and I, I had a time, I had a chance to kind of like evaluate what this, what this is talking about and I understand you'd like to change them out, do away with them because they're not available parts and things of this nature.


Have we decided, am I on the wrong subject? This is not- We didn't move to 23, honey.


Oh, 23. Okay. I was in the manager room. Okay. Sorry about that. Yes. Okay.


Okay, so, I understand that this is 0% funded, no financials currently, but as codes and updates come and is needed, I mean we could get it free this year and next year it costs us ten thousand dollars to upgrade everything to be active and powerful. Not in this program it would not cost us anything and there would be no required updates to the solar ordinances unless the council felt that that was necessary. This is just We're just trying to make sure that we get some guidance and some expertise helping us make sure that we're doing the right codes and ordinances originally to get this section set up.


Most communities don't have charging codes or ordinances established, so they're trying to help communities. That's why it's funded by the Department of Energy.


But it won't ever cost us anything? Should not. Nope. And if it would come back to where it would cost money, we could opt out of it at that point, but the only time when I talked to them and we had meetings, the only thing is the investment of our time to work with them. That's it.


What is the demand? How great of a demand is it here in Freeport with electric cars?


So I don't have a ton of experience with it but I do know that we get calls frequently if not weekly for people looking for places to charge. I believe right now there's one or two spots in Freeport that they can charge which is I believe at the Ford dealership and at the Chevy dealership. Those are the only two that I'm aware of right now. There's probably some people that have EV cars that may or may not have a charger in their house already that you know we wouldn't be aware of because we don't have any ordinance that says they have to tell us.


Thomas. Can we move this to the COW until we find out more information pertaining to how many people or the number, the need?


Certainly can move it to the COW. I just don't know how I'll be able to answer that question.


Even then? I don't know how to give you the resource. I can't tell you what the demand is but but because the demand really comes with 27 this is just about establishing codes and ordinances we know that people in the community have chargers already because there's hybrid cars out there that would require them so we already know people have chargers in town we just don't have the option for people to charge in our community as a as an asset like a gas station or something else like that we don't have that ability currently.


Allen, Klemm Yes, I was at an event Saturday night and a guy came up to me and talked to me about this and he said, keep one thing in mind when you are talking about chargers in the City of Freeport. You aren't talking about chargers for the people that got electric cars here. Every one of them has got one in their house. You are talking about people that are traveling, like you want them to go through. I know as We move down here, we talk about them being in the city lot or around, but it's an asset for people traveling between point A and point B. It's not necessarily totally used by the people here because they've got them in their houses.


You're accurate. Alderman Sellers. So this is something that's just, it's free, but it's just getting us prepared for having it.


Okay. So if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take your vote. Stacy? I'm reluctant because I don't know enough about this, but...


Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Resolution is adopted 6-2. Item number 24 is the adoption of resolution 2025-39. Could you please read this? Resolution approving the purchase of fire hydrants from J&R Supply.


Derren? Yes. Annually we do fire hydrant replacements within the City of Freeport. We were wanting to buy 12 hydrants this year, but we went back through the budget and we don't have the money to buy 12 this year, so in the budget we're looking to buy five replacements. Kurt, if you wouldn't mind bringing that back up, when would you get the light for me please. So this is a map that I wanted to show you guys just quickly. This is hydrants within the city of Freeport that currently the red ones which there's only two currently don't work. There's, sorry I'm struggling to read that, there's the beige color that...Kurt can you zoom into that a little bit?


The beige color ones are ones that are currently ones that need to be replaced and then the yellow ones are ones that have four inch branches so in the fire stance if they don't have a steamer port a fire engine can't hooked up to them for the yellow ones there so as you can see they're spread all over the community it's not one resources so the city has an annual program that we go out and try to fix and replace on and I have our own because it's much more cost prohibitive.


I believe, I don't have the memo pulled up, but I believe we have 87 fire hydrants currently that are older than 1960.


And I believe we have around 47 of them that are still from 1930 era.


So those don't have steamer nozzles. So like I said, our crews are pretty efficient about putting them in, but we did look through the budget and we only had enough budget for 50,000 this year.


So that's the proposals in front of you. Kennedy Hydrant is our preferred manufacturer for the City of Freeport for hydrant replacements.


And we're asking for approval of this so we can get the materials on hand for summer construction.


Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. The motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Any discussion on the resolution? Orrin, Sanders. Do we still have the flushing program going on? Yes. And that's during a particular part of the year that we do that or is that all seasonal? Spring and fall. Spring and fall. And are we making discoveries of those conditions of those hydrants at that time? Yep. And we're taking an assessment of what's needed to be done. Are any of those those hydrants that that is being mapped out up there could they be rehabbed no they're they're not 200 hydrants that are shown up there are are too old they're 1960 area they don't they don't make the parts anymore okay I I see what you're saying okay thanks there's no further discussion and clerk please take the role Stacey aye Shadle aye Sanders aye Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted, 8-0. Item number 25 is the adoption of resolution 2025-40. Could you please read this? Resolution approving a proposal from OEC for repairs and upgrades to the Albertus Airport fuel station payment system. Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. So the city-owned Albertus Airport has been


have been experiencing issues with our credit card fuel payment system. The system has been attempted to be fixed several times, but it's basically antiquated and requires upgrading.


The airport clients have complained about not being able to purchase fuel as the system cuts out routinely and the current system was last upgraded in 2015-16.


So the airport manager, Angie, has been working with vendors on the update replacement and and we're working with OEC on resolving the fuel system payment issues.


Angie selected the proposed system upgrade to match the public works fuel system currently at use on Island Avenue.


The airport system will be cellular cloud-based instead of the phone line that is currently there, and the fuel master and OEC state that this will be a more secure system for payments and transactions.


Additionally, the cellular system will not have the lag in information that is creating all the payment issues for the fuel purchasing. So the total cost of the upgrade is $14,954 and the Fuel Master software will have a reoccurring software update fee of $1,400 annually. So this contract is budgeted in the 2025 airport budget and Staff Request Council approved this contract for the payment equipment. Is there a motion to adopt? Motion to adopt.


So, second. Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm. Discussion on the resolution, Alderman Stacy.


Wasn't this budgeted like in 23 for this? No, I don't think so. It was budgeted in 24. It was budgeted in the There's a budget in this year's budget.


I think you're mistaken the fuel upgrade down at the city yards, which is just about ready to start.


That's the fuel master system or the fuel upgrades that we used to all of the city employees and public work staff.


Police fire, get their fuel from this is specifically at the airport. OK. There's no further discussion.


Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm?


Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? And Parker? Aye. Resolution is adopted 7 to 1. Item number 26 is the adoption of resolution 2025-41.


Could you please read this? Resolution approving agreement with Fehr Graham to provide civil engineering services related to Water and Sewer Equipment Rehabilitation and Electrical Upgrades at Laurel Lift Station, Galena Lift Station, and Well Number 8.


Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. The City of Freeport is planning utility upgrade projects for 25.


The Laurel Lift Station and Galena Lift Stations were originally built in 67. While the building facilities are in acceptable shape for their age, the old equipment is failing due to lack of availability of parts and beyond its useful life.


and So electrical systems are outdated, unsafe, and in need of updates. Additionally, the City utility needs to have automatic power generation at lift stations per IEP requirements for redundancy within the permitted sanitary sewer system.


Furthermore, the water production well 8, so that's Carroll, in the low zone requires generator backup as part of the water capacity redundancy plan and efforts.


So city staff proposes utilizing the existing building enclosures, wet well, dry vaults, infrastructure to fully replace the pumping system equipment, electrical controls, and repair the building interiors.


Fehr Graham Design Team will provide plans and specifications for the completed rehabilitation of the existing lift stations including a new pump, new pumping system, full control panel, SCADA ready so that's the over-the-air computer control system, and level transducers, backup floats, alarms, lights, electrical systems, and startup training. Additionally, a backup generator and automatic transfer switch will be sized and specified for both lift stations and for well number eight at the Carroll Water Tank.


These projects will be designed specifically and bid in one package so the work is consistent.


And the synergy of the bid pricing will give us a little bit better pricing.


So overall, the cost of this additional design work will be $125,000 and $25. And the city staff recommends moving forward.


Just as a side note, this was budgeted in the 2025 utility budget. Is there a motion to adopt?


So moved. Second. James, was that you? Motion made by Alderman Monroe, seconded by Alderman Sellers.


Alderman Shadle, did you have a question? Sanders, I'm sorry. Yeah. I'm sorry. I do not look like this guy.


Anyway, anyway, question is about the pumps. Are we, I know at any point in time it can be an emergency situation because of the seasonal time and the rainy period times and things like that when these stations really can break down on you and things of that nature.


but did I hear you say something about additional generators at certain, do we have generators in place at these facilities at this point in time?


No. Okay, so it is an emergency situation. Right. Because the reason why I'm saying that, I know the people over there by Laurel and other places with these wells and things of this nature have been experiencing some serious backup problems because of breakdowns and things of this nature.


and who is doing the overall work for these types of projects? Who is scheduled to set up the computers, the electrical and where we're buying our pumps and things of this nature?


We have all of these things lined up ready to go like yesterday. We should have all of this ready to go like yesterday already.


Ready. But I'm just saying this simply because this is the season for this. And I like to know that we're on top of it. We're actually going to be, we got all our team players ready to go to replace these parts and replace these pumps and things of this nature. So if that That is the case, who is the overseer, the people that's going to be monitoring the installation of these water pumps?


Just to address what you're saying, we need to get the plan together first and that's what this is.


Okay, this is get the plan together, figure out the scope of work, get the generator size, get everything lined up, and then we'll move forward with a bid, with a contractor, with a plan that everything's already been thought out, but this is basically one of the issues Fries, as you noted, is we have a lot of remote sites in the system. We only have one portable generator. There's a few sites that have back up generator, but only like Berchard or Field Circle and maybe a couple other lift stations. But the rest of them, you have to drive all the way around the city with this generator in the middle of an emergency because you have no power. So we're trying to very systematically go through, update all these remote sites and ensure that they have their own backup capacity if they need it.


Can we have a planning operation? Yes, that's what this is. That's what this resolution is.


And we will hear about this next meeting. Well, when we get the design together, we'll go out to bid on that.


We get this design and everything, because it's an emergency. Some people may not think it, but whenever a breakdown breaks down, you at the mercy of almighty you know that kind of thing right you don't want to be solving your problem yeah yeah exactly all right there's no further discussion madam clerk please take the role Stacy Shadle Sanders Sellers I Clem Monroe I Simmons Parker I the resolution is adopted 8-0.


Item number 27 is the adoption of resolution 2025-42, could you please read this? Resolution approving an agreement with Fehr Graham to provide civil engineering services related to EV charging station installation project.


Manager Boyer. Thank you, your honor. So the city is receiving $320,000 in 2025 for EV charger grant funding through the Illinois EPA Climate and Equitable Jobs Act program.


and also incorporated EV chargers in two locations, the municipal lot and the southwest corner of the, I'm sorry, it would not be the southwest corner, it would be the Lindo lot.


Each location is planned to have four chargers. Additionally, comments, grants now available for the interconnect for each location for which Freeport will qualify up to $240,000.


Each interconnect installed on each interconnect's installation. These grant opportunities are good only through 2025. So the City needs to design and bid the EV Charger installations and site for this project. Fehr Graham will complete the detailed reconnaissance of the two EV Charger locations and collect TAPO survey on each site. This information will be used to create a full civil site layout plan as well as develop proposed electrical drawings. The Charger selection, specification, and station layout will be Coordinated between Fehr Graham and Thayer Energy Solutions and the selected local EV supplier.


The engineering firm will coordinate the layout and proposed EV charging station utility interconnect with ComEd and lead the efforts on the grant initiatives for connections. The Fehr Graham team will provide contract bid documents and project specifications for a bid letting project in accordance with the City of Freeport and state requirements. The cost of these services This is $90,730. This Charger Project was budgeted in the 2025 year budget and staff recommends moving forward with the EV Charger Design program.


Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Was that Klemm? Yeah, I moved to move it forward.


I was just trying to guess it happened too quickly it was it was okay all right so we have a motion made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Klemm discussion on this resolution Darren I just want to clarify one thing so the by the time the memos were due I wasn't able to change this but while the memo says the southwest corner of Walmart I had a discussion with the funding manager Manager.


funding manager for the project from the state and we have to stick with our original selections because that's what they approved which were the municipal lot downtown and also we call it the Linda lot but it's the lot of state in Maine those were the two areas that were selected because ComEd power has has the juice required to run these chargers and the what Freeport has selected is level and three chargers so we can have people come in and charge quickly, maybe get a bite to eat and be ready to go or shop downtown or something like that.


That was the intent of this program and they also required and this was per the requirement of the grantee that you have to put at least four up per bank and they have to be ADA accessible.


Alderman, Monroe, Just making one comment, actually those might be better locations at this time just because we already have several at Freeport Ford which I think are the only ones in the county, is that, I think Bakers has one now too, does Bakers have one now too, oh yeah, two, if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll, Stacy, Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons?


Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted 8 to 0. Item number 28 is the adoption of resolution 2025-43. Could you please read this? Resolution approving Illinois Department of Transportation resolution for the 2025 motor fuel tax or Mayor, MFT, HotMix Asphalt Materials.


Thank you. Darren? Yeah, this is annually we get an allotment from IDOT through the Motor Fuel Tax Fund.


The last couple years we've chose to use that money to buy HotMix for our crews.


This is how we are paving streets. Last year we did about, I believe about 16,000 tons.


We did the calculations for this year and it's about 14,500 tons. In order for us to go out to bid, we have to pass this resolution through the Council.


So we have a resolution number for IDOT. This will be paid for with the IDOT money that we receive in 2025.


So it's our recommendation for Council to approve this so we can get it out to bid tomorrow.


So move. Thank you. Is there a motion to adopt? Sellers in. All right. We have a motion moved by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Monroe.


on this resolution. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. The resolution is adopted, 8-0. And for item number 29, could you please read the approval of a bid? A bid opening was held on March 18th, 2025 for lead service line replacement, Phase 4. Thank you, Manager Boyer.


Thank you, Your Honor. The City of Freeport has been working on reducing and eliminating lead water service lines for nearly five and a half years and that came through about $12 million in forgivable loan funds through the EPA.


The City has estimated that we started with about 2,300 lead services in the system and we have currently replaced more than 1,350 services to date with IEPA loans and received $9 million so far in funding.


Thanks to the help of our engineer for Graham the lead service line program phase four has secured an additional three million twenty seven thousand dollars in EPA forgivable loan funds for this phase bringing the total to twelve million dollars on March 18 2025 the city held a bid opening for the lead service line replacement program phase four the engineer has several seven contractors pull plans and specifications five contractors submitted final bids Woods, and Five Star Energy Services LLC out of Waukesha, Wisconsin was a little better at $19,731 per base bid. The total contract project award for this phase will be $2,525,000 for service equipment, I'm sorry, for service replacements. The additional funds will reimburse for the city for design and required construction engineering per IEPA rules.


Five Star Energy is the current construction contractor on Phase 3, which has approximately $400,000 of work remaining and the city plans to fund the $3 million project with 100% IEPA forgivable loan funding and no cost to the users and this project was accounted for in 2025 and will be accounted for in the 2026 budget.


this is a reimbursable funded project. So staff recommends City Council approve the low bid from Five Star Energy Services, LLC in the amount of $2,525,000, allowing the project to proceed to construction and once we receive the IEPA concurrence.


Motion to approve as stated. Second. Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Sellers, discussion on the bid.


Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, and Parker.


The motion passes 8-0. Item number 30, could you please read the next bid? Another bid opening was held on March 21, 2025 for installation of video cameras in public transportation vehicles for Pretzel City Transit.


Thank you Madam Mayor I want to take a minute again to thank Sadie Grande for doing a great job on this project because actually the city was awarded this grant money back in 2022 and we've been working tirelessly with the state back and forth and finally we were able to put this out to bid again and so the city held a bid opening on February 9th of 2025 I'm sorry it was published on February 9th and the bid opening was actually held on March 21st at 10 a.m.


And essentially what this bid opening for is to put security cameras on our pretzel city area transit buses so staff received total of five bids two of them were disqualified and reason you would have a disqualifying bid is that Anytime you have a bid opening Occasionally if you need to change language Or specifications before the bid opening you have to have an addendum signed saying you receive the addendum Proof of insurance is another there's different items in a bid package that if you don't supply it at the bid opening your bids Disqualified which is common practice for any bid opening so staff provided a matrix of the results of the bid opening and The lowest responsible bidder was Angel Tracks Cox, they had a bid of $36,000, a little over $36,000.


They also provided a few options and the options were to add cameras at the front of the bus as well as also having a wireless access point in their parking lot.


That added another $4,600. That kept them still as the lowest responsible bidder at $41,000 and staff is recommending Moving Forward with Angel Tracks for this project.


Is there a motion to approve? So move. Second. A motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Discussion on the bid. Alderman Sanders. Well, this is not directly a discussion on the bid.


The bid is... Wait a minute. Wait a minute. So that... Yeah, it's part of a...


So it's about the... Yeah, it's part of the bid. Okay, it's going to be about the bid, right?


Installing cameras in the bid, right? Yeah, that's what I'm about to talk about. Okay, alright.


Y'all trying to second-guess me. I don't like that. But you stated it yourself all day.


Well, I may have said it like that, but I didn't mean it like that.


But anyway, the cameras will provide security part of the bidding. It's part of the bid and others.


We also have the bid that the cameras are going to be also subject to security for the transportation vehicles when they're at the company or whatever the case is.


We also would have that available for possible vandalism or something of that nature. Cameras would be installed for those purposes as well.


Yes. That's part of the bid, am I correct? These are security cameras for vandalism, inappropriate behavior, et cetera.


See, I told you, man. Okay. Okay. Any other discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.


Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Plem? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. And Parker?


Aye. The motion is approved, eight to zero. Item number 31 is discussion and possible adoption of resolution 2025-32.


Could you please read this? The resolution, if adopted, is terminating a contract with Nordic for residential and small business electrical aggregation.


Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. I kind of were behind a little bit on this one.


Apparently Nordic has already, Exter's Day have already canceled this agreement. so the residents that are on the citywide aggregation program will be transferred back to ComEd so there's really no action to take tonight on this.


Do you know how soon that will happen? My guess would be very shortly within the next month.


Alderman Sanders. About to ask you, I'm about to ask you, okay, just getting my thought process in place.


Nordic is canceling. Yes. There's no other suppliers that the customers, the city of Freeport can have in adopt, as opposed to commit.


Are there other suppliers that will be available to the residents of Freeport. Well, not at the moment, but we're going to re-bid this thing, if it's council's will to do so, and then we'll have some other options.


But not right this minute, no. OK, we'll move on to item number 32, which is discussion regarding the structure fire of the storage building on East Stevenson.


Deputy Chief. Thank you, Madam Mayor. It's been a few weeks since the fire occurred, but we wanted to give you a report on the actions of that evening so that you guys were in the loop on it.


On Saturday afternoon, March 22nd, at approximately 416 p.m., units from the Freeport Fire Department were dispatched for a grass fire that was reported to be located at 607 E. Stevenson Street here in Freeport.


arrival first in crews located fire in a lot located on the west side of the 100 block of South Sherman located directly to the south of a church that was located there initial size up revealed the grass fire had spread from a fire pit and was increasing in both size and intensity and was now involving a nearby structure this structure was located at 525 East Stevenson Street at At 4.28 p.m., it was confirmed that a working structure fire was present in the rear of a 450-foot-long structure located there.


Fire suppression efforts were established, however, due to the growing intensity of the fire and its path of travel, location, and accessibility.


Off-duty personnel were immediately recalled to the scene to assist with additional manpower and equipment needs.


Despite all initial efforts, the fire within the rear of the first involved structure advanced westward into the rear of the second and much larger structure, also located at 525 East Stevenson.


This was determined to be the main building of the complex. At 5.06 p.m. a Mavis division box alarm, that's an all call for area departments around us, was placed through City Dispatch requesting additional resources of manpower and apparatus to the scene from surrounding communities.


and others who specifically requested were an additional ladder tower and pumper water tankers from 10 area departments that would assist with supplying water to the elevated master streams and hose lines that were deployed in various locations to battle this fire.


Firefighting efforts continued throughout the rest of the evening and into Sunday morning, and by 2 a.m. an excavator from Fisher Excavating arrived on scene and was utilized to gain safe access throughout the main structure, thus assisting our crews with overhaul and final extinguishment efforts.


These efforts were completed by 3.30 a.m. and all units had cleared the scene by 4.30 a.m.


factors that our command staff and personnel were called to deal with at this large scale event included a rapidly developing fire conditions dealing with differing types of building construction in in several structure with large footprints the condition of those structures proximity and accessibility issues positioning fire apparatus and personnel around the Structure, there was a lot of overgrowth and stuff surrounding the property, ensuring protection for all the nearby structures, accountability for all unseen personnel, not just ours but also those that were attending and making sure that they had instructions based upon safe operations. Establishing traffic control along Stevenson Street and Henderson Road, or a lot of people that wanted to see what was going on.


And of course that was flooding into our operations as we were trying to put down water supply lines.


Securing of utilities, we needed to come in to secure this facility from electric while we did our operations.


And assessing our water systems capabilities versus the amount that would be required for extinguishment.


As well as logistical issues related to establishing tanker supplied water operations. We don't do, because we have a hydrant in the city, we don't do as much with water tankers and everything, but we do train annually with these groups and that proved helpful in us keeping this up.


We have large master stream devices like water towers and stuff. They can flow 2000 gallons a minute and the hydrants in that area are not substantial to meet the needs of three different water towers that are all flowing at once.


If you were to imagine if we had a bottle of pop here and we put six straws in it, it's not going to last very long.


and I have been in the Department of Transportation for a long time. We've had to deal with the same thing, which is why we had to have additional water supplied to us from other departments with their tankers. We had to deal with the potential need to refill apparatus on scene due to the length of the incident, also the feeding and rehabbing of the personnel that and others.


The fire was a major fire that took apart the structure so fire overhaul and extinguishment of the fire could occur.


In entirety, this event spanned, like I said, 13 hours. It involved nearly 120 individuals and required roughly 2.3 million gallons of water to achieve final extinguishment.


It's an estimate based upon calculations of what we know that the equipment there could flow.


During the course of this event, three firefighters sustained minor injuries. All were assessed by on-scene EMS, and were determined not to require transport.


And that is our report on that fire. Thank you. And I'm guessing we're going to move on to the department head reports.


Finance? Nothing, Your Honor. Thank you. Community Development. Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor. Thank you. Public Works.


Nothing. Fire. Do you have more? No. Police? just real quick last year the council approved the purchase of new body-worn cameras and when I presented that memo I said that I was gonna apply for a grant so I applied for a federal small rural tribal grant and it was about a month ago or so we received about $25,000 towards that purchase so thank you for and Mr.


Miller. Thank you. Okay. Then we will move on to City Manager Report. No report tonight.


I'm sorry, Kurt. No. And given the time, I'm going to pass on mine as well.


Alderman Stacy? No. Alderman Shadle? Nothing to that. Alderman Sander? Alderman Sanders Yeah, I would like to make a comment since I didn't get a chance to make it earlier.


I just wanted to bring it to our attention. I want counsel to know it as well because there was a violation with one of the ordinances had to do with our residency ordinances.


And the fact that it was a violation, and it took effect, it was played out anyway, and nobody is held accountable for the violation of this ordinance.


And I wanted to visit that to get clarity with that since it had been brought to our attention.


But I wanted the public to know that there was an ordinance violation and we need to adhere to that and take another look at it.


I don't know if we put it on the agenda for the next time, but the fact of the matter is, it is something that needs to be looked into.


that needs to be looked into and I think me addressing it now will give it will give everybody an opportunity to look into the matter because the resident see problem shouldn't never happen first of all because there was an ordinance in place and if that ordinance is in place we got to be held accountable for that ordinance and not violate that ordinance and that's what I wanted to bring to the Attention. Alderman Sellers? No, nothing. Alderman Klemm? I'd just like to publicly thank all the personnel that worked on putting out the fire on the east side. As the Chief mentioned, you know, there was, as the Chief mentioned, there were about 125 people involved and, and Rob and I had a meeting next Tuesday in with the Chief, Chief Miller, and really got some good insight in everything. But you know, the things that you forget on all this stuff is what the police department did, what Public Works did, what the street department did in closing these off, and to place off. And like he mentioned, one of the big hazards were the people that were coming over to look at it. And there's one example, and fortunately we don't have a lot of them here, but there's Here is one example of a large building that was built years ago that had everything in


the world stored into it and everybody kind of forgets about it until somebody does a dumb move.


But thank you guys for all the work that you did. We appreciate it. Alderman Monroe?


Nothing to nightmare. Alderman Simmons? Yeah, I just want to second what Klemm said. I was going to say that, too.


It was amazing watching all of y'all fight that fire and put it out. So thank you for that.


And also, thank you for being here. I want to say that too, it was amazing watching all y'all fight that fire and put it out so thank you for that and also thank you for clarifying why you didn't use the fire hydrants right there on Stevenson Street because that caused a lot of confusion so thank you for that.


Alderman Parker? Nothing to thank your honor. Public comment, is there anyone for public comment?


Good evening, city officials. I was home sick, but I couldn't sit in front of YouTube and listen to what was going on down here. One of the first things I'd like to talk about is this situation with residency. Some of you know that I've been talking about residency in Freeport for years. I have an issue with with individuals working here, getting paid by us, and taking their dollars someplace else. Tax dollars, property taxes, so forth and so on. But I also have another issue in talking to with anybody else that comes into this city should be living in the city and their tax dollars, property tax dollars, should be coming back within this community.


That's the one thing I want to talk about. The other thing is on the east side, I was over there during that fire and yeah, they did a wonderful job, but nobody's talking about the hydrants that have been removed from over there.


I know of two that have been taken out. We also know that there had to be additional waters brought in because hydrants weren't and the other side of town where the hydrants weren't working.


Are you going to put them on the other side of town where they've been taken out? There's no fire hydrants in front of Bucky's shop anymore. There's no fire hydrant in front of Taylor Park school anymore. They've been removed. As far as the situation with the As far as the situation with the private road, I want to make it very clear to everybody sitting in this audience and everybody that's listening to my voice.


That private road has been a private road forever. But for 30 years, we thought it was a part of the city.


So we've been maintaining, we've been plowing, we've been doing all of this stuff for 30 years on a road that is not a part of our city, that is a private road.


and now we're being asked to contribute, not with our money, but with theirs. The fact of the matter is, we couldn't ride down that road.


We couldn't drive our cars through there because it's a private road that we've been maintaining.


So let's tell the truth and shame the devil, because we've been maintaining that road for 30 plus years thinking it was ours and it isn't.


It appears to me that everything that happens in this town, no offense to Aaron, but Graham has their fingers in it.


Your time has expired. Thank you. Pardon me? Nobody else is speaking. Appreciate you. Alright.


Is there any other public comment? Yes. Good evening. I wanted to say thank you for the lights that were played. Could you please state your name? Could you please state your Altman, drove down Iroquois Street. We have eight streetlights on the whole street of Iroquois.


Drove down Chicago in the four blacks and there are 60 streetlights. And I can only assume why they're there, but we'll let that go. Also, talking about driving vehicles, I have been to Lena Made Meats in Lena and saw the city trucks, public works truck up They're buying meat so that you guys can have a cookout.


Next, in your little pamphlet that you so gave out to the people, my renters, on the good side of town, but not on the east side of town.


They didn't get any of these little flyers, this little paper that you so sent out, but that's okay.


Because on here, you're tootin' your horn because you guys tore down 51 properties. Right here in the paper.


but the worst problem is after I got thinking about this, then you comment that the city's gonna buy them on the tax sale.


It's all right here in black and white if you don't believe me. The worst thing is you're gonna take taxpayers money to buy this stuff and then you're gonna put houses on it to compete against the taxpayers who have property here and who are landlords.


The second thing is why am I paying taxes on my electric and gas bill for the city?


What am I getting for that? I don't see anything, no roads, no nothing. And we're talking about the buses.


You guys get grant money for these buses, but what do you do with the money when you sell them?


No answer there either, I guess. My other thing was, your opponent that ran against you, you said that he was funded by slumlords.


So in other words, you're calling anybody in here that's a landlord that funded him and voted for him a slob lord.


Please take a look at yourselves, because you guys own the Raleigh Building. Wasn't it four or five years ago that we had to shut Liberty Street down because the bricks were falling?


I was told by one of Wayne's employees, any houses that have a hole or window is broke will be fast-tracked.


So why is the Raleigh building not fast-tracked, that you go up and down those alleys, there's thousands and thousands of broken windows, glass all over, and trees growing through it and the roof caving in.


But that Raleigh building sits there and that's more of a hazard than anything in this Freeport.


So, you know, I appreciate you calling the people of Slumlord. That shows you how much you really care for the people of Freeport.


How are you doing? I'm Mekia Sanders. I just want to say thank you, James, for always sticking up for what you truly, truly believe in for the people.


And I don't like the fact that you guys took a lot of credit for Cecelia and Stacy fighting for those lights.


I mean, I seen the Chief on there, you took a little bit of credit, but nobody applauded Cecelia for bringing it and actually getting it done and standing on what she believed in as well.


Then I want to say something about that residency. The part that bothers me is that people are here that don't care, don't know people, like he said.


And then the fact that you guys hired Wayne Duckman, for a matter of, I truly don't know where he is, you know, I ain't trying to offend him with that.


but he came here and he walked you right into a lawsuit. Somebody is still going to pay me for what he did and use his poor judgment, disrespected the council, not brought the matter that spend city money on a property that he tore down. Then he asked y'all to pay for it after the fact that it was already done. And for that I mean I truly don't know why he leaving but You kno- I really don't know why he leaving, but, you know, all of a sudden you leaving now, but that's a great thing, because you really are tearing everybody up in Freeport, and Rob Boyer, I don't know why you just keep cooling them for that, you either, you spoke on it, y'all tearing people homes up, y'all tearing down the history of Freeport, everywhere, and don't care about nobody here, and then the fact that, let's speak on how y'all don't never follow y'all rules, I wouldn't want to live here either, y'all are a mess up here, more than half of you, Nobody knows what they doing, dude sitting next to you.


He don't never do his job until somebody calls him out and actually look him in the eye and tell him, hey, what's this mean, what's this mean?


Robert's rules have been violated on this council since I've been here, since I've been coming here.


You can't ask for a city ordinance to be followed if y'all ain't following them.


Are there any other public comments? Hi, my name is Micaiah Stacy. I just want to ask the council for a little bit more respect.


Just recently, when Akia was talking, I watched Joy Sellers pick up her phone and I watched Gregory Shadle, who has his phone in his hand right now, as I do, pick up his phone and scroll. And I know a couple weeks ago, there was a comment made that I don't work for the and other people.


I'm just asking when we're talking, please listen. I know you don't want to be here. It's been, what, three and a half hours or whatever. I've been up since 6 a.m. too. I don't want to be here. But in order for us to feel like we're being listened to and feel like we're respected, I ask that you give your undivided attention. Thank you.


Engine. Thank you. Any other public comments? And I will entertain a motion for adjournment.


So moved. Second. We have a motion by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle. All those in favor? Aye. Have a good evening.