WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:29.000 Do you take the role on that? Please don't do that. Please. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? He's over there. The motion to reconvene. Yay or nay? Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:59.000 Monroe is absent. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. And Stacy? Aye. Will that suffice as a roll call for who's present as well or do you want me to take roll after a roll call vote? Okay. Now this is officially roll whether you are here or not. Klemm? Aye. Monroe is absent. Simmons? Here. Parker? Here. Stacy? Aye. 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:09.079 here Shadle here Sanders and Sellers yeah and we have a quorum okay we're gonna 00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:15.840 resume where we left off actually it's a West Avenue TIF Kurt 227 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:19.840 and John. 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:23.840 Yeah, I got different pages. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:27.840 Yeah, it's about 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:31.840 three quarters to the rear. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:35.840 Fun number 227. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:39.840 Okay. 00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:43.840 Okay. 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:48.840 Okay, and we're starting off here with the West Avenue TIF. 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:51.700 Nothing's really been changed with that. 00:01:54.340 --> 00:01:55.380 Got no change there. 00:01:56.820 --> 00:02:00.780 Okay, Burchard Hills TIF, that is Fund 228, 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:02.900 also no changes there. 00:02:05.379 --> 00:02:09.120 Meadows TIF, 229, no changes there. 00:02:11.379 --> 00:02:13.000 The Drug Forfeiture Fund. 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.039 No changes on the drug forfeiture fund 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:20.759 Why is there no changes? 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:25.640 Because when we first presented it it did not change from the first time we presented it 00:02:25.640 --> 00:02:29.159 But is there something that you have a question on? No, I just wonder 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:34.560 Tourism fund no changes 00:02:34.560 --> 00:02:35.560 Thomas. 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:43.319 Why shouldn't that have gone up since, let Greater Freeport Partnership tell it that it's 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:46.840 been so greater this year? 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:50.360 Well, Michelle, do you want to answer that? 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:54.960 As far as revenue or as far as expenses? 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:57.879 Both. 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:09.879 When Rob said no changes, it just, so the last time we presented it in September or October, we have not changed the budget amount. 00:03:09.879 --> 00:03:23.879 It did go up. The budget from 2024 was $240,000 for revenue in the hotel motel tax, and we're budgeting $280,000 for the new year. 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:33.000 Miller, 280,000. We just haven't made any changes since we initially presented it a few 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:39.199 months ago. The highlighted items, so we went through anything that was changed since the 00:03:39.199 --> 00:03:45.159 first time that we presented the budget. This is quite the process. I mean, we've been working 00:03:45.159 --> 00:03:52.199 on this since the beginning of August. And so tweaks do happen. Things do change. I recalculate. 00:03:52.200 --> 00:03:59.480 I get memos from the state saying certain revenues are up that kind of thing so anything highlighted was something that we changed in 00:03:59.640 --> 00:04:04.820 In this one there in the hotel motel fund tourism fund. We didn't make any changes 00:04:07.640 --> 00:04:12.200 Okay, if there are no other questions, we'll go to 318 Street Improvement Fund 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:17.759 This is where we're gonna have the this is where the funds for the 1% 00:04:17.759 --> 00:04:24.819 Tax will reside and these funds have been budgeted for road reconstructions next 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:28.680 year. There have been no changes since we presented it in the capital improvement 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:39.519 plan. Capital Equipment Fund, we have had a few changes and some moving around. The 00:04:39.519 --> 00:04:49.319 The transfer in, we had a little change on that from $726,000 to $196,000. 00:04:49.319 --> 00:04:56.439 We had initially budgeted for, let's see here, some other vehicles that we are no longer 00:04:56.439 --> 00:04:57.439 going to purchase. 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:01.279 Some of those vehicles are for the street department. 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:07.959 So we are going to be purchasing an F550 truck next year instead of several bits of equipment 00:05:07.959 --> 00:05:10.120 that we had already put in there. 00:05:10.120 --> 00:05:12.399 And then also the enterprise leases 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:15.159 are paid out of this, as well as police vehicles. 00:05:15.159 --> 00:05:19.279 So we're purchasing three police vehicles. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:21.240 Any questions on capital equipment fund? 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:31.959 Fire improvement fund, a few minor bookkeeping things, 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:34.799 a fund reserve transfer. 00:05:34.799 --> 00:05:35.939 We put that in. 00:05:35.939 --> 00:05:39.300 we have a better idea now of what that should be and so that's been added and 00:05:39.300 --> 00:05:49.220 then that's essentially the only change that we've seen there. Moving on to Debt 00:05:49.220 --> 00:06:03.659 Service Fund, no changes there. Police Pension Fund, no changes there. Fire 00:06:03.660 --> 00:06:14.900 Fire Pension Fund. No changes. And Foreign Fire Fund. No changes there. Moving the landfill 00:06:14.900 --> 00:06:22.060 closure fee during the budgetary process. So we got gigged on the last auditor. Basically 00:06:22.060 --> 00:06:30.540 the landfill closure fund is essentially we're building that up at the request of the auditors 00:06:30.540 --> 00:07:00.540 to get that squared away. So we're budgeting $362,155 to add to the road closure or the landfill closure fund. And then under contracted infrastructure repair and maintenance, we reduce that from 150 to 300. That had to do with inflow or had to do with pumps and all the pumps right now are working pretty well. So we reduce that to 30,000. So if anything was to pop up, we have some money on hand. But right now there's really nothing that needs to be done out there. 00:07:00.540 --> 00:07:08.620 Yes, I have a question on the landfill closure. Yes. Where are there other, are there any 00:07:08.620 --> 00:07:16.000 other places that people can take their waste besides paying that fee that they would have 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:22.820 to pay to Gills, whoever the people are? So our landfill is closed completely. The only 00:07:22.820 --> 00:07:28.920 thing that's there is Gills runs the transfer station. So if you're talking about normal 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:35.900 Ruffalo, Garbage, and that type of stuff. That it goes there. If you're talking about yard waste, that's a different thing. Are you? Which one are you thinking of? 00:07:35.900 --> 00:07:43.280 Yeah, I'm doing the yard waste. I had calls on what do they do with their yard waste? Why? Why isn't there somewhere for them? 00:07:43.280 --> 00:07:56.560 There is. I mean, the woody yard waste either goes down to the city yards. There's an impound there or out to the wood lot on Walnut Road. So it's right next door to landfill for. 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:26.560 now grass clippings we don't take although we are working on a composting permit so we can kind of generate our own topsoil and in that case we might we might start accepting grass clippings there because it'll allow us the nitrogen you need to mix in with the decomposing leaves to create the proper balance there to create potting soil so they can take their leaves and debris to the to the woodland to the okay yeah okay right there across on walnut we're at the city yeah okay thank you now the leaves don't go 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:56.559 They go to the, the city yards. They go to the, they go to the wood lot. The brush. Yes, the brush. The yards. If you have brush, you can take it to the city yards or, or the wood lot, but leaves specifically go to the wood lot. Wood lot. Yes. It's only open 8 to noon. Yep. Okay. For any other special garbage or waste that requires not your normal, your, your normal 00:08:56.560 --> 00:09:07.520 Woods, you know, typical household garbage. Where, how does that become stored or disposed 00:09:07.520 --> 00:09:20.120 of if the landfill is only going to take specifics, what happens to anything else that's not garbage 00:09:20.120 --> 00:09:21.120 from your household? 00:09:21.120 --> 00:09:28.120 Well, you would take it to the transfer station and there'd be a tipping fee or some nominal fee per day. 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:29.120 Well, you can take it out to the landfill. 00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:31.120 You can take it to the transfer station, yes. 00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:32.120 Transfer station. 00:09:32.120 --> 00:09:34.120 Yeah, that's right there where the landfill is. 00:09:34.120 --> 00:09:37.120 And so if I wanted to take a chair, per se, and just... 00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:41.120 Yes, you can take that out. They'll have to charge you for it, but you can take it there. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:42.120 They'll charge you. 00:09:42.120 --> 00:09:43.120 Yes. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:44.120 Okay. 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:49.120 And just in the interest of time, I'm happy to talk about those in much more detail. 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:54.120 however like to kind of keep on going with the budget. Any questions on the 00:09:54.120 --> 00:10:01.840 landfill closure fund? Okay. Health and Environmental 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:08.840 Health and Environmental Fund, nothing changed there. 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:18.840 Water Fund, we had a few changes. Revenue, we included some of the grant revenue that increased that from $5 million to $9 million. 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:29.840 In addition, we were expected to see some of the settlement law, the porflornia compound lawsuits this year, so we included that. 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:36.840 We basically were estimating about $800,000 total. We put $400,000 in water and $400,000 in sewer. 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:40.840 That's item 4661, Other Revenue. 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:50.840 Then under interest income, after reviewing everything, it looks like we will end up receiving more interest income than we had initially thought. 00:10:50.840 --> 00:11:01.840 Under expenses, we just cleaned up all the payroll and all the withholdings and made everything as close as we possibly could get there. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:12.840 Under contracted equipment, repair and maintenance, we went from 120 down to 50 and that's basically going to pay for our pressure tank over at Burchard Hill this year when we paint the Burchard tank. 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:28.840 Contracted Infrastructure Repair and Maintenance, you'll see there, it was at 3.4 million, it's 1.9, that's the Lead Services Program, I believe that's 3, so that is budgeted for the Lead Service Line Program. 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:31.840 Alderman Boyer, or Manager Boyer, I'm sorry. Yep. 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:34.840 Could we bump back up to Water Fund? 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:35.840 Sure. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:38.840 You've got highlighted the... 00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:40.840 400,000. 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:43.000 0-0-0. 00:11:43.000 --> 00:11:44.279 Yes. 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.120 Yeah, the $400,000 that's. 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:48.040 So we're putting in as a placeholder 00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:53.180 what we think we're going to get for in 25 for the forever 00:11:53.180 --> 00:11:54.680 chemicals settlement. 00:11:54.680 --> 00:11:55.680 OK, the lawsuit. 00:11:55.680 --> 00:11:57.680 We're just trying to account for it a little bit. 00:11:57.680 --> 00:12:02.120 We think we'll get something this year, or in 25. 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:04.720 Thank you. 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:05.879 Any other questions? 00:12:05.879 --> 00:12:07.320 OK. 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:10.480 If you will, skip down to 6315. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:25.480 We took engineering from $500,000 to $383,000, and then we also adjusted fee in lieu of property tax from, I'm sorry, equipment building and plant outside from $35,000 to $30,000. 00:12:29.480 --> 00:12:39.480 We've got supplies, mains, and manholes. We had a real look at this. Generally speaking, supplies, mains, and manholes are going to be materials that we purchase that would go into the water system. 00:12:39.480 --> 00:13:09.480 Valve Boxes, Valves, that type of thing. So we had a look at that. We made some changes there. So we took means and manholes down from 135 to 85. And then meter equipment, we took from 60 to 50. So moving down plant maintenance, we took that down about 5000. And then vehicles, we took 2000 off of that. We made a necessary adjustments where we needed to software, we were reviewing some of the software 00:13:09.480 --> 00:13:14.200 that we needed and we were able to make some changes there. So we went from 112 to 56,000. 00:13:15.640 --> 00:13:22.840 And the land and property acquisition you've got 100,000 but we moved that from the water budget 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:29.960 over to the mixed assets category. So that's that's not actually zero that just got moved 00:13:29.960 --> 00:13:36.280 to another place in the budget. Any questions on water? 00:13:39.480 --> 00:13:51.480 Okay. With that, let's move on to the wastewater. So again, just scooting down here, not a whole 00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:57.280 lot changed here, but we've got 4661 on the revenue. Again, you'll see another 400,000 00:13:57.280 --> 00:14:03.080 there as we're anticipating about 800,000 coming in from the forever chemical settlement. 00:14:03.080 --> 00:14:08.840 Again, also, the payroll was adjusted appropriately and withholdings were adjusted appropriately. 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:10.840 Fowler. 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:17.480 Skipping down to 6170, contracted infrastructure, repair and 00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:23.400 maintenance. This is our sewer lining, and this was reduced. 00:14:23.400 --> 00:14:27.600 I believe we're pursuing some sewer lining grants through the 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:33.600 EPA. Is that correct? And it's moved to capital instead of being 00:14:33.600 --> 00:14:37.600 in the expense items. So it's a way of looking at it. So it's 00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:44.039 Fischer, the life of the lining is 20, 30 years, so it really doesn't belong in the 00:14:44.039 --> 00:14:48.600 expense side, and it belongs in the asset side. 00:14:48.600 --> 00:14:58.200 Let's see here, depreciation expense, we made an adjustment there, and, you know, lab testing 00:14:58.200 --> 00:15:05.120 vendors, we're going to do what we can to take a little, reduce that somewhat. 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:21.120 We're hoping that we'll get to a point with the lead services that our lead service line testing will have be getting less expensive over time because we've replaced so many of them and we'll be on the home stretch probably at the end of next year. So we're excited about that. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:31.120 Miller. A few other adjustments, construction and equipment supplies, lift station supplies, 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:38.240 mains manhole supplies, and then plant maintenance supplies. So the idea there is we should have 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:45.600 a pretty significantly new plant pretty soon, hoping. So hoping we spend a little less on 00:15:45.600 --> 00:16:15.600 and others that we've been working on our plant maintenance with and because we'll have a new plant and computer software again reflected a similar change to what you saw on the water side and that's it for wastewater. Any questions on wastewater? The changes are very similar to the water side so 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:38.200 I saw the new water plant structure, utility area, chemical area. Is that what we're upgrading? Some similar with new machines and things like that to work with our waste treatment water? 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:44.200 Right, so we're installing a chemically enhanced primary treatment to handle the inflow and infiltration problem. 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:52.700 We're installing new headworks with new pumps, screens, grid screens, and handling equipment there for placing the lab and the UV treatment. 00:16:52.700 --> 00:16:58.200 We're getting rid of the chlorine disinfection and putting in UV treatment at the wastewater treatment plant. 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:12.200 That lagoon, that's not in there anymore is it? We're not utilizing that. I'm sorry, I don't know what lagoon you're talking about. 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:14.200 I may be saying it wrong. 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:19.200 Aeration tank? 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:27.200 No, the, I call it the lagoon. I don't know why I'm calling it that. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:31.200 Let's talk after the meeting. Let's finish this last bit and then I'll stay over. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:35.200 Okay, with that being said, we'll just finish up here with stormwater. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:39.200 Again, you see the same changes in the payroll and the withholdings 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:43.200 as you did the other two. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.200 Depreciation expense, and I'll have to leave that to Michelle 00:17:47.200 --> 00:17:51.200 to give me a little bit of background on that one. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:55.200 So on the 60-215, could you add on that? 00:17:55.200 --> 00:18:05.200 I think it was incorrect. If you noticed the year before, it was probably a key punch error, so we fixed it. 00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:12.200 And then engineering, we originally had $150,000 in there for stormwater, and we took that to $50,000. 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:18.200 So that completes the 2025 budget. 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:23.680 and I was hoping to have you guys out of here by 730. I am available now or after 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:28.180 the meeting or any time this week. Please feel free to call me if you have any 00:18:28.180 --> 00:18:32.640 questions on it or whatever, but thank you for your patience. It can get a 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:36.720 little dry, but we've been able to provide you with a balanced budget. Thank 00:18:36.720 --> 00:18:38.840 you. 00:18:38.840 --> 00:19:07.840 Thank you. Is there any other discussion on revisions? Nothing about the budget, it's just a comment to make. To Monday I was able to make it to two veterans programs, one at Carl Sandburg School, one at the high school, and they put on an excellent program and made the veterans feel real proud. So I just wanted to make the comment that it was Monday at the schools. 00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:13.840 Item 11 is public comments, agenda, or non-agenda. Wendy? 00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:22.840 Good evening. 00:19:24.840 --> 00:19:33.840 I just want to basically make a comment in regards to issues that are at hand, in regards to one's ability to speak. 00:19:33.840 --> 00:19:44.220 As an elected official, your job is to the citizens of Freeport. It is to ask questions 00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:53.460 and it is to get answers. Limiting the ability to speak doesn't get anything done when people 00:19:53.460 --> 00:19:58.579 allow their feelings to play a part in the decisions regarding the well-being of this 00:19:58.579 --> 00:20:01.820 and many more. 00:20:01.820 --> 00:20:09.820 My understanding is this is being based on an ordinance that is as old as dirt and has never been used before. 00:20:09.820 --> 00:20:14.820 We have too many of those ordinates still sitting on the books and they need to be wiped off, 00:20:14.820 --> 00:20:19.820 including the one if you spit on the ground you get a fine that's still sitting on the books. 00:20:19.820 --> 00:20:32.820 I don't believe that anybody here is in a position where they can make every determination for what goes on in our lives. 00:20:32.820 --> 00:20:39.820 You're not living our lives and most of you don't have a conversation with us to even know what's going on in this community with individuals 00:20:39.820 --> 00:20:45.820 because you don't walk the streets, you don't knock on doors, you don't talk to people and you expect them to come to you. 00:20:45.820 --> 00:20:54.100 your job is to come to us and and I'm really sick of this you know I've been 00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:58.540 in City Council's meetings that have lasted longer than three hours you took 00:20:58.540 --> 00:21:05.020 oath of office to serve us no matter how long it takes for that to come about and 00:21:05.020 --> 00:21:10.860 we want that to happen I'm probably as calm as I've ever been standing at this 00:21:10.860 --> 00:21:15.420 microphone but I'm gonna let you guys know that this doesn't work it's not 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:16.420 and others. 00:21:16.420 --> 00:21:23.300 We need to stop looking for something that's not there based around somebody saying that 00:21:23.300 --> 00:21:25.580 something was there 20 years ago. 00:21:25.580 --> 00:21:29.880 We haven't found that information from Open Bible as of yet. 00:21:29.880 --> 00:21:33.500 We need to start looking at the people in this community. 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:38.580 Each and every last one of you Aldermen need to start reaching out to your constituents 00:21:38.580 --> 00:21:41.780 and finding out what they think about what is happening in here because they're not coming 00:21:41.780 --> 00:21:42.780 in here. 00:21:42.780 --> 00:21:43.780 They're sick of you guys. 00:21:43.780 --> 00:22:13.780 We got an election coming up next year, and I would say to each and every last one of you, if you want to serve as a City Council Alderperson, if you want to serve as the person that is Alderman at large, then take the responsibility to go and talk to the people that have voted you in, because that's the only way you're going to find out what our needs are and how your decisions are affecting us physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially. That's what your job is. 00:22:13.780 --> 00:22:16.780 and I shouldn't have to remind anybody of that. 00:22:16.780 --> 00:22:18.780 Some of you have sat here for years. 00:22:18.780 --> 00:22:22.780 I ask that you work with the new city council members 00:22:22.780 --> 00:22:24.780 to help them to understand what the process is 00:22:24.780 --> 00:22:27.780 without them having to go back and forth all the time 00:22:27.780 --> 00:22:30.780 with somebody who doesn't agree with what they don't understand. 00:22:30.780 --> 00:22:34.780 Their understanding will bring about an understanding to the community. 00:22:34.780 --> 00:22:38.780 You guys fighting and not helping them isn't helping us 00:22:38.780 --> 00:22:41.780 to become a better city, citizen, city. 00:22:41.780 --> 00:22:47.780 when we have things that are more important that are pertinent in this community, including what happened on Halloween, 00:22:47.780 --> 00:22:56.780 where we have racism open to everybody, for our kids to see, for people in nursing homes to see, for people going to the park to see. 00:22:56.780 --> 00:23:00.780 Two schools, a nursing home, and a park that is very well known. 00:23:00.780 --> 00:23:05.780 That should never be there, even though we know that we can't stop them from putting things on their personal property. 00:23:05.780 --> 00:23:09.780 But we can put enough pressure on them so that it doesn't happen and it never happens again. 00:23:09.780 --> 00:23:16.620 and I would submit that you guys pull together and put an audience out that talks about discriminatory 00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:21.780 practices on lawns and any place else in this city that is offensive to the people of this 00:23:21.780 --> 00:23:27.260 city and it didn't just offend my culture of people, it offended a lot of people. 00:23:27.260 --> 00:23:32.320 And if you want to know the truth, there were 7,000 hits on that live stream, which doesn't 00:23:32.320 --> 00:23:39.320 make us look real good in Freeport, 7,000 people looked at that and were disgusted. 00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:41.320 Thank you for your time. 00:23:41.320 --> 00:23:45.320 Thank you. Item 12 is adjournment. 00:23:45.320 --> 00:23:47.320 We've got nothing further. 00:23:47.320 --> 00:23:51.320 We have a motion by Sellers. 00:23:51.320 --> 00:23:53.320 Second by Parker. All in favor? 00:23:53.320 --> 00:23:55.320 Aye. 00:23:55.320 --> 00:23:57.320 Opposed?