Good evening. Linda, could you please give the invocation this evening? Let us bow our heads. Dear God our Father, we glorify you and we welcome your presence here. Thank you for your mercy, grace, and your love for this city and and all those who dwell here. Your desire is for peace, unity and prosperity.


As decisions are made here tonight, we pray that they would be in agreement with your desires.


We ask that those things that are in the past will be forgotten and all would reach forward to those things which are ahead.


May all walk in the same rule and be of the same mind. May understanding, patience, respect and unity abound as decisions are made this evening.


We pray for health through return to Dovie and all others who may be ill at this time.


May their strength and their health be restored. And Father, we thank you for those that are being honored tonight and recognized.


It's always a joy to recognize those who serve among us. We thank you, Lord, for all that you are.


In Jesus' name, Amen. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen. Thank you. Now we'll officially call this meeting to order.


Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll? Mayor Miller? Here. Klemm? Monroe? Monroe? Here. Simmons? Parker? Here. Stacy? Here. Shadle? Here. Sanders? Here. Sellers? Here.


And if I could please ask for a motion to allow Alderman Klemm to remote in for this evening's meeting. So second. A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle for remote access.


Discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Alderpersons, Klemm? You have to start with Monroe. Okay, Monroe? No. Simmons? Parker? Yes. Stacy? No. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No.


Sellers aye so there's a three to three tie so you would call the mayor's vote to break the tie Mayor Miller aye so that would create a four four to three Bache, John, William & Mary, Hmmm, is there anyone else?


If not, bring my microphone. Okay. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Klemm, are you here? Yes she is.


Okay. Thank you. So, the next is the Pledge of Allegiance. Okay, thank you. So next is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you could please stand for that led by Alderman Monroe.


I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.


Bush's Executive Session, there was no need for executive tonight, so with that is there a motion to approve?


So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle, Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?


Alderperson is Klemm. Aye. Monroe. Aye. Simmons. Parker. Aye. Stacy. Aye. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye.


Sellers. Aye. Motion passes. Item number two is approval from the minutes from the regular meeting of December 16th, 2024. Is there a motion to approve?


It's all moved. Second. The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll.


Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, Parker, Stacey, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers. Motion passes. and we just have one person signed in for public comment, Steve Carroll.


K. I. M. Steve Carroll. Got to say it because the OMA requires it. So anyway, this is about street lights. Years ago on Oak, where I live, we had great street lights. They were bright yellow lights that gave great coverage and very high definition. About seven or eight years ago, the lights were changed over to LED lights that don't have the coverage and Very Poor definition. This was done as a cost savings measure for the city. However, this was done at the expense of public safety, as recent events have now proven. In the last two weeks on Oak, there's been gunfire in the 1400 block, 1200 block, and finally last Wednesday evening, it appeared at the 800 block where I live. Once again, I watched as the street in front of my house was blocked off as officers were looking for empty shell casings with their flashlight. I don't think the LED street light in front of my house was of much help. I firmly believe that the older yellow lights would have made their job somewhat easier. Crime hides in the shadows and with the current lighting on Oak, they've got plenty of shadows to hide in. The situation on Oak is now very dangerous and I'm no No stranger to Oak Street gunfire, as this has been a problem for years, but right now it is the worst I have ever seen. Sadly, my neighborhood isn't the only neighborhood that


needs better lighting. This is an easy fix. Fix it. I would like to thank Chief Shenberger, because he has been incredibly responsive and helpful. That doesn't happen to me much, D. Maybe on a brighter side. Friday night, about 9.30, I heard some people talking outside.


I heard a dog barking, and I'm thinking, oh, God, what now? I looked outside. There were two or three police cars there. Wow. I walked out onto the sidewalk, and this figure walks across the street and says, hi, Steve, how are you? And I said, okay, who are you? Well, Shenberger. And the thing is, the lighting was so poor, I couldn't figure it out. What are you, 6'5"? Yeah. Not a good day. Yeah. But come on, guys. Let's make this place safer.


Maybe you won't have me in here as much. But anyway. So thanks. Thank you. Thank you.


We'll move on to item number four, which is the consent agenda. The consent agenda is considered to be routine in nature and acted as one motion unless there's a member of the council would like to have something removed for further discussion.


Seeing nothing, the consent agenda consists of approval to receive and place on file Board of Fire and Police Commission dated December 17th, 2024, the Greater Freeport Partnership Report, January 25, the Liquor Commission from November 7, 2024, the Finance Fills Payable in the total of $2,589,777.37, Payroll for pay period ending January 25, 2025, in the total of $565,979.57.


Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.


Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll? Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker?


Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Madam Clerk, could you please let the record reflect that at 6.05 Alderman Simmons entered the meeting?


Yes. and then when you're ready, if you could please read the appointments. Reappointment of Craig Deininger to the Ethics Commission effective through February 22nd, 2027.


Reappointment of Quincy Carter to the Ethics Commission effective through February 22nd, 2027. Is there a motion to approve?


So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


Discussion? Alderman Monroe Thank you Madam Mayor In the past I've been against some of the reappointments I know both of these gentlemen and they tend to be a very high moral fiber I do have some concern because in recent weeks we've uncovered the last one that we got a tongue lashing over Mr. Attorney Steve Cox who happens to be and the City Attorney, Steve Cox, who happens to be one of the City Attorneys, happens to own a business with the Mayor.


None of that was disclosed to the Council. None of that was brought up. None of that was shared.


And it makes me now question a lot more the reappointments and the appointments that the Mayor is performing in this City.


If it weren't... I'd just like to ask, what is that business? Don't please don't interrupt me.


and others. If it weren't for their high quality moral fortitude, if you will, I would probably try to block this as well.


But I think it's disingenuous of you, Mayor, to hide that you've got relationships and it gives the appearance, once again, we've been talking about ethics, which is hilariously funny here, the ethics commission, that this comes up in a time and Mr.


Miller, and I think it's important that you're much more forward and sharing information than you have been in the past.


If I wouldn't have seen it posted online, I didn't think to go look, but I probably wouldn't have found it either, because it's buried within the documents within the state.


So I came here tonight to ask you, on the record, are either For these gentlemen associated with a business that you own.


Well, once again, what is this business that I have with Attorney Cox, because I'm unaware of it.


Would you like me to read the document that you signed? Please enlighten me. Business Entity, Freeport Festivals, Incorporated Corporate Name, Registered Agent Steve Cox, 208 West Stevenson St. 101, Vice President Steve Cox, Director Jodi Miller.


I know what you're talking about and that is not a business that is owned. That is a non-for-profit that was organized to be able to form the Tutti Baker Festival and we named it Freeport Festivals so that way in case it branched out further from Tutti it could actually incorporate anything having to do with Freeport and that's been common knowledge since we started Tutti Baker stuff. This is the third year. Nothing's ever been here. Nobody's ever brought it to the floor. Nobody's ever told us who was involved.


City thing. That's a private nonprofit with four volunteers. There's nothing to hide. Okay. Okay. So if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the role.


Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders, Sellers, aye. Motion passes. Item number six is presentation of employees of the year awards. Manager Boyer. Thank your honor. Each year the city provides recognition for outstanding service to the city from varying departments. Tonight I'd like to start with community development then go to library and then we will talk about police and fire. So thank you Wayne.


Thank you, Manager Boyer. So today I am happy to name Doug Quinn as the City Hall Employee of the Year.


Mr. Quinn has stepped up this year in his role as our Code Enforcement Supervisor and he has implemented significant changes to both our contractor license database and our rental registration.


He has led the charge in making our contractor license renewal process entirely digital. So I can't express how much easier it's made the lives of our contractors as well as our staff.


So very appreciative of that and it was a job well done there. I also want to state that Mr. Quinn has led the charge to completely revamp our rental registry by onboarding the new software platform of Ptolemae.


And he worked tirelessly with their team to ensure that our rental registration process is also entirely virtual.


On top of that, he also helped to identify more than 3,000 suspected rental properties within the City of Freeport, all through using the Ptolemae platform.


and as of Friday, last Friday, we've already began the process of mailing more than 1,500 letters to the owners of all these 3,000 properties.


Finally, I want to state that Doug has kept a professional and positive attitude during a year of turnover.


He's worked with three different nuisance inspectors and he found a way to still produce over 5,000 code enforcement activities for our department.


and he's just done a tremendous job training John Gunther who's our newest Nuisance Inspector and he's already set out to have a record-setting December with over 500 Nuisance Inspection activities.


So Doug, I just want to say congratulations on a job well done. Thank you.


Hicks. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you. Thank you. Our employee of the year is not here, but I'm still going to go ahead and talk about him. So I'm happy to announce Mark has worked at the library since December of 2021 and is the first part-time employee to be voted to win the employee of the year.


He is consistent, dependable, and will always have customer, excellent customer service. He has a wonderful sense of humor and the library team loves working with him.


Over the years, I've received several comments, compliments from library patrons about Mark's customer service skills.


They really enjoy Mark being at the library. As a leader, I can say Mark embodies the attitude and work ethic that every boss seeks.


In the past three years have been a blast and I look forward to the years to come.


Congratulations, Mark. Congratulations, Mark. Thank you. Chief Shenberger? Thank you. So we traditionally give out a Civilian of the Year award at the Police Department and an Officer of the Year award.


and I, and I'm going to hand out these awards. We already handed out these awards on our Christmas party last month, so we'll do it again. Craig, you want to step up here?


So, our 2024 Civilian Employee of the Year is Craig Deininger. And I'm just going to read some of the excerpts of letters that people and emails people sent in. So the purpose Dininger as the 2024 Civilian of the Year. Craig received nominations from six different employees at the Police Department. Craig currently serves as the Police Department's Parking Enforcement Officer. However, Craig takes on many other roles and performs tasks most probably don't even notice on a daily basis. Here are some of the letters I received from PD employees regarding Craig's commitment to the department. I would like to nominate Craig Dininger as Civilian of the Year.


Craig does so much around the PD and he always has the biggest smile. His work inside and outside the PD shows his level of dedication to the department and the community.


Craig is always moving, always doing something, mowing, watering, planting flowers, taking care of parking issues, removing seven-day vehicles. Craig does outstanding work and he deserves the recognition. Craig is a multi-tool of the PD and deserves recognition for his efforts. Craig Craig always seems to have a good attitude as well.


He's a stand-up guy, not much else needs to be said. My nomination for Civilian of the Year is Craig Dininger.


Craig has helped me numerous times with tasks at the PD, including hanging up a key box for me in the CO's office, moving cabinets, cleaning out and reorganizing storage, closet from across the evidence room.


Craig is always willing to help out and keeps a positive attitude. I've noticed Craig even comes in on his unscheduled hours and waters flowers and cleans up around from the P.D. Craig is an inspiration to us all and puts me in a better mood every time I see him. I think it's clear that everyone deserves that the Civilian of the Year Award should go to Craig Deininger. The reason he should win the award can be summed up by his typical work day, which is everything but typical. Almost everyone who recommended Craig commented on his great attitude and work ethic. Craig keeps people's spirits high as he walks down on the hallway, greeting everyone in the morning, and very loudly too sometimes, but it makes it hard to be in a bad mood.


It makes it hard to be in a bad mood after talking to him. Craig also works hard during his off hours to keep the downtown looking nice.


Craig volunteers in different aspects of the community, including helping with police department events. He is the first to sign up to ring the bell for the Salvation Army.


He will not hesitate to go up against someone half his age and twice his size in a community basketball game, all with a smile on his face.


Craig goes out of his way to know members of the community and tries to do what he can to help resolve issues.


The perfect example is all the work he did with the parking issues downtown. Craig went beyond marking tires.


He reached out and talked to people to try to resolve the problem. Craig displays a willingness to volunteer and complete any task.


One incident in particular sticks out to me. During the Hosmer incident this year, Craig, before going home for the day, made it a point to check to see if there was anything He could do for all the officers that were on scene.


Craig made runs for pizza and water to make sure all the officers were taken care of.


This was a task that no one would have expected Craig to do, but he did so without hesitation.


So based on all that, we felt that Craig, by far, deserved the 2024 Civilian of the Year Award.


Congratulations. and others. Thank you. and John. Our 2024 Officer of the Year Award went to Corporal Andrew Good.


The purpose of this letter is to formally award Corporal Andrew Good as a 2024 Officer of the Year.


Corporal Good was nominated by several of his peers who submitted letters outlining their reasons why they felt Corporal Good was worthy of this award.


One of the letters submitted consisted of the following, I'd like to nominate Corporal Good for Officer of the Year.


Corporal Good deserves Officer of the Year for numerous reasons. I believe he goes above and beyond his duties on a daily basis.


Corporal Good is always a pleasure to work for and with. He helps keep the shift in good spirits, no matter what may happen each day.


Corporal Good is supportive of everyone on shift and is willing to help anyone he can, even when it's not work-related.


Corporal Good is always assisting with calls and investigations any chance he can and has never made it seem like a burden.


Corporal Good truly wants everyone to perform well at their jobs and is always willing to answer questions No matter how busy he is.


Corporal Good, additionally, is always willing to listen to complaints and concerns to help resolve issues.


As a bonus, his wife, Alyssa, always makes the best food for the chef. So I have also been fortunate to know Corporal Good since he started his career with the department in 2013, and I've witnessed him mature from a rookie patrolman to a leader who is a cornerstone of the department.


Corporal Good serves the department in many different capacities, as a member of the Emergency Response Team, is an officer on the FOP Labor Council, a member of the ILEAS Mobile Field Force, and is a field training officer.


Corporal Goode has also taken the lead to renovate and organize the lounge room area in the basement of the police department.


So based on all this, and you can't find a better person today, definitely deserving of the Officer of the Year Award.


Thank you very much. Duns pop-up line 13. Chef O'Rourke. It is my distinct pleasure to recognize the director of the year.


This year, Director Wayne Duckman has been instrumental in a tremendous amount of work being accomplished, in the of Dangerous Properties and a remarkable 5,144 code enforcement activities.


These numbers, though, do not tell the whole story. Director Duckman worked tirelessly with city staff to combat the issue of noncompliant landlords with the city.


In twenty twenty four, his department implemented the new rental registration software that allowed both the city and the landlords alike to utilize a more comprehensive software that ultimately improves communication and relationships and and John.


He has worked to build relationships with outside agencies to bring new life to Freeport. His ability to show the potential of this city to organizations such as the Northwest Illinois Land Bank has brought new hope for dilapidated homes.


and others. The expertise he has cultivated within his department has secured millions of dollars in grants that even as federal agencies saying what he's doing for Freeport is nothing short of a miracle. I could go on about the accomplishments he and his department reached in 24, but I'd like to end by highlighting the importance of his professionalism and compassion toward the residents of Freeport. Spend an afternoon here at the front desk Hickett City Hall, and you'll see a variety of cases he and his departments encounter on a daily basis. They constantly have to be on their toes to help each unique situation with a tremendous amount of patience and compassion. Director Duckman and his excellently trained department, each has to be ready to assist and for what we are all incredibly grateful as they truly are our first point of contact for many residents here. With that, I thankfully Present Director Duckman with City of Freeport's Director of the Year.


Now with that, I'd like to recognize the City Employee of the Year. Chief, would you join me up here?


This year's Employee of the Year, firefighter, fighter, and paramedic Mark McCullough. He began his decorated career exactly 18 years ago today.


Not only in 2024, but throughout Mark's career, he has shown several qualities and characteristics and Mark. Mark has extensive firefighting experience not only with Freeport Fire Department but with years of service on a Wisconsin Volunteer Fire and EMS Department. Mark is a consummate leader, patient, knowledgeable, self-motivated, ever-training, thorough, and extremely intelligent.


Mark is compassionate and always kind and tough when he has to be. Mark leads by example.


Mark has never walked away from a problem that he could not fix without doing just that.


His knowledge in everything from construction, electrical, and general repair is definitely a bonus for all of us here at the City for the Freeport Fire Department. It's a knowledge that he is always willing to share. Mark's priority is and always has been to leave the and Mark. Mark is a veteran firefighter, and he has learned the fire station better than he found it. Mark takes time with new recruits to demonstrate skills or walk them through how to build, repair, or operate something until both parties are satisfied with the lessons that were learned. This is true whether Mark is working on completing monthly fire inspections, treating a patient as assigned to the ambulance, working as lieutenant for the day, or acting as an engineer of one of the engines.


and the rest of the board. Mark is an example of what all members of the Freeport fire should model themselves. Lastly, Mark can be counted on.


Mark participates in many activities. He accepts overtime when others refuse. He's a member of the tactical EMS team.


He's part of the tactical rescue team and serves as a member of for all you do. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition. Thank you.


and I want to highlight that at the cow next week we'll be giving recognition to our public Works Department. Thank you. Item number seven is recognition of service awards.


Manager Boyer, did you want to start with that one? Yes, I believe we have a fire Fire Department, 20 years with Bradley Cox.


I'd like to invite Lieutenant Cox up to the podium here. So this is my pleasure to introduce Lieutenant Brad Cox.


He began his career with the Freeport Fire Department February 28th, 2005 and was promoted to Lieutenant October 31st of 2018.


His education includes a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Dakota. He's also a paramedic. Some of the other certifications he holds as Fire Service Vehicle Operator, Fire Apparatus Engineer.


He's also a member of the technical rescue team. What that means is there's a lot of specialized rescue certificates.


It consists of rope technician, trench technician, structural collapse, confined space technician, and also he's involved with hazardous materials and incident command.


He also possesses Firefighter 1, 2, and 3 certifications. is a Fire Officer 1 & 2, Fire Service Instructor 1 & 2, Fire Investigator, and even a higher level of Arson Investigator.


And probably most impressive of all, he's received two life-saving awards for operations conducted during structure fires and rescues.


So it's my pleasure to congratulate Lieutenant Brad Cox. Next, I'd like to invite Fire Marshal Hillary Broschus up here.


So Hillary, just like Lieutenant Cox, they've been here a number of years, they've accomplished great things for our department, for the city.


So Hillary began her career February 1st of 2010. She was appointed to Lieutenant October 5th of 2020 and then appointed as Fire Marshal January 19th, 2021.


So the education certificate she holds, Associate Degree in Applied Science as a Paramedic, Certified Paramedic, Firefighter 2 and 3, Hazardous Materials Technician, Hazardous Materials Incident Command.


She also has plenty of specialized rescue certificates consisting of technical rescue, trench technician, structural collapse technician, and rope tech.


In addition, she's also a fire apparatus engineer, fire service vehicle operator, fire officer one and two, instructor two.


She's a fire department incident safety officer. She also participates in the Juvenile Fire Center Intervention Specialist.


Fire Inspector 1 and 2, and she's a fire investigator, and again, more importantly, an arson investigator.


It's a much higher level of fire investigations. And she's here with her husband, Daryl, and kids, Kim, Zach, Hannah, Maddie, Avery, Delaney, and Darren.


They're not all here, are they? Just one, Darren. Well, he made it here tonight.


So it's my pleasure to present this certificate of 15 years to Hillary Broschus. She did relate to me. She's eager to give a speech this evening, too.


Okay, last but certainly not least, I'd like to start by saying congratulations, Michelle, on your 10-year anniversary. Michelle Rector started with the city on February 5th of 2015 and the City Accountant. In 2018 she was promoted to the Deputy City Accountant position under Randy Bukas and in 2020 she took over as Finance Director and has excelled in her role. Some of the most critical city work happens in the Finance Department as Director Richter has led the department, she has worked tirelessly to ensure each fiscal budget is balanced, she has integrated all departments and their budgeting into ENCODE Nunn. She has been described as a compassionate leader who never hesitates to help everyone around her, feels comfortable, and we all appreciate Director Richter for her service, her camaraderie, and all that she does for the City of Freeport. So with that, please join me in recognizing Michelle Richter. Ten years. Ten year anniversary.


Johnson, and Okay, let's move on to item number eight, which is the second reading of ordinance and the City of Washington.


We will move on to item 2025. Madam Clerk, could you please read this for the record?


Ordinance regarding part 14, building and housing code, chapter 1442.14, increasing plumbing permit fees and adding chapter 1477.14, solar interconnection types.


Thank you, Director Duckman. Thank you, Madam Mayor. So to go over a little bit of the history here, in the last item, we have a couple of and from $50 to $150 for any work that is done that connects into a city water service or a city sewer service and then anything else with inside of the actual private property is going to go from $30 to $100.


Any questions concerning this ordinance? Alderman Stacey. Stacy. Okay so what you just presented to us, how is that different than what was presented to us last time? It's exactly the same. Remember last in the first reading I think it was you made a motion to actually make it instead of 150 you said $100 and then that was voted upon and that didn't pass. So I was just clarifying that what was presented last week is exactly the same. That's exactly what you're voting on from last week.


The 150. Yes. If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Oh, yeah.


You're moving too fast. Alderman Shadle. I mean, I'm sorry, Alderman Sanders. Yeah. I realize we talked about that last week.


and there was no, I don't think there was enough feedback on that particular subject.


on that particular subject and where we had tried to make a modification of just that fee or fees.


Did we come to a conclusion on what we determined as Aldermen around the table to work with that fee to talk about it more in depth, to determine whether or not it was feasible to leave it at, because initially it was presented to us at 150.


If that's the case, then what have we done to try as a unit, as a group of officials trying to change that or do we stand fast on what was presented to us?


and So the original ordinance that was presented to you had the 150 in it, right? So then there was a motion made to change it to a lower dollar amount. That motion to change it to a lower dollar amount did not get approved. So that leaves you then with the original underlying 150.


Okay, so the $100 was denied. They were asking to take it from $50 to $150. So why didn't it go back to the $50? It didn't. It's not the ordinance that's before you that's in and the Pack, it's still at that same 150.


So it's just represented itself as it originally did. It's not that it's represented, that's where it was left at, because you remember you start at 150, there was a motion made to change it, to 100, that motion didn't pass, so now you're just left with the same original underlying, that's all.


So it's not being represented, it's what was being presented the first time. Thank you. So the first reading is exactly the same as the second reading?


In case. Alderman Sanders. So that means we're casting a vote on the same presentation of the 150 on the fee to determine whether or not we're going to vote one way or the other?


Yes. To accept it. OK, got you. Manager Boyer? Yes, Alderman Sanders, I just wanted to also mention there was a cost analysis performed on the amount of time it takes and the number of inspections that are done.


And I think our numbers came out to right near 150. was a little bit shy but based on our experience here with inflation what that won't be the case for very long so I think he came into like a little over 130 direct costs for most cases yeah there's no further discussion madam clerk please Let's take the roll.


Klemm? Aye. Monroe? No. Simmons? No. Parker? Aye. Stacy? No. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No. Sellers?


Aye. It's a tie. So you would call the Mayor? Yeah, Mayor. Miller? Aye. Do you need to pass a two-thirds vote?


No. This ordinance to just increase fees is a standard ordinance. So why did the $100 have to pass at a two-thirds vote?


The $100 didn't need to pass at a two-thirds vote. Motion passes five to four.


Thank you. Item number nine is the second reading of Ordinance 2020-507. Could you please read this?


Ordinance approving variance application at 207 West Empire Street submitted by Tim and Vicki Rowe to seek relief from statute 1252.05f1 to allow a front yard of less than 25 feet.


Thank you, Director Duckman. With this being the second reading, just doing a little recap here, what exactly this was referring to, and at 207 West Empire, there was a variation for a handicap accessibility, or mobility accessibility ramp, and I think if you scroll down, you can actually see the ramp a little better.


Miller, and kind of recapping the story here, family member, longtime resident here, his son built the ramp for when he came home from the hospital and somebody had called and we went out and informed them that they would need a building permit, they would also need a variation due to how close they are to the sidewalk.


and so that being said, staff is recommending approval of the variation. Thank you. Is there any further discussion on this ordinance?


I'll turn the light back on. Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm?


Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Motion passes 8 to 0. Item number 10 is the second reading of ordinance 2020-508.


Could you please read this? Ordinance amending chapters 608 and 806 of the Liquor Code. Thank you. Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. As previously discussed, this is kind of a cleanup of existing ordinance modifications to chapter 608 and 806 of the Liquor Code have been identified as portions of the code are and Dr.


Outta Date, such as requiring landline phones, for requiring a certificate of insurance that has been listed in the codes for some time.


All such certificates shall list the City of Freeport as certificate holder. These are all changes, and there are several in there.


But just staff recommends moving forward with the changes to the liquor code. Alderman Parker?


Just for me not understanding, what's the difference between the landline or cell phone? Why do they require...


this is just getting this is getting rid of the requirement for a landline so with most of these places not having landlines anymore we're just taking that cleaning that up also they don't need one right okay thank you there's no further discussion thank you madam mayor this question goes out to the two chiefs chief of police chief of fire do you see any issue with response times or Johnson, David, Joe, and Tom.


And I just wanted to add, you know, at the end of the day, I know that there are a lot of different kinds of responses. If somebody doesn't know the address, you know, who's making a call for an emergency situation, you know, in a panic moment, that this would be a concern not having a hard line with geopositioning of a cellular phone not being as good as it could be in today's age.


and the information that's received at the dispatch center is far more advanced than it was early on when cell phones were just coming into play and landlines were more crucial for that purpose, but my experience has been hearing dispatch and having some conversation with them that they are able to pinpoint and locate people with much greater accuracy now than they could in the past.


No further discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye.


Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Ordinance passes 8-0. Item number 11 is the adoption of Resolution 2025-12.


Could you, yes ma'am? I have a question. Because number 10 involved so much, I thought he was going to hit each section.


The ordinance is, as the whole, we discussed it in the COW and then this is the second reading. Was there something in particular?


Miller? Yes, I just had the question that who wanted this change as far as extending the Bound to Jackson in Chicago? Who asked for the Liquor Commission to expand and include the change? For which part? I didn't understand what you asked.


I thought I was on number 10. On one of the agenda items tonight is speaking about extending down to Jackson and Chicago.


Oh, you're talking about for the Festival District? Yes. OK. for the Festival District. Yes.


Okay. So the thought behind that with the Liquor Commission is that it's got an imaginary line that's drawn that is during the Festival District so that way a person can purchase a drink and walk outside during specific times to be able to go to other establishments during an event.


And so there's recently been a new liquor license in the downtown area that wanted to be a part of that Festival District.


So it was a matter of redrawing those lines just slightly so that way it included another business.


Okay. So my question still remains. Who asked for this change? Debbie's Liquor Commission. Huh?


The Liquor Commission. They don't make changes on their own. They can make recommendations and then the Council decides whether it's approved or not.


Okay. Item number 11 is the Adaption of Resolution 2025-12. Would you please read this?


Resolution approving renewal of agreement with Locality Media Inc. first due for Fire Department record management software and modules.


Chief Miller. Yes, thank you, Your Honor. I was asked to bring this up for discussion with Council due to the price increase that has occurred since 2020.


Software was approved by Council back in 2020, and at that time it was presented as a records management tool primarily used for our pre-fire incident planning and fire inspections.


Well, in those five years, many things have changed within our organization and requiring and expansion of our records management system, specifically in the past the hospital EMS system used to provide the records management for our ambulance reports and we also were subscribed to what was called firehouse records management for our daily reporting for our incident reports as well.


So every call we go on we have to do a fire or a basic incident report and also an ambulance Previously, when we were just established, we had two modules. The first module was the ambulance report, so the hospital stopped offering, free of charge, the ambulance reporting software, and then the firehouse software was bought up by another company, and was not as responsive to our needs as we would like to have experienced with them. So this All of our ambulance reports are done through Firehouse.


All of our fire response reports, whether it's for a car crash, structure fire, dumpster fire, it's all part of this first-do software reporting.


And also additional features that this software now offers, all of our dispatch information. So let's see me looking at my phone on occasion after a couple audible tones.


that's every single call that we've dispatched is now part of an application that is available to our cell phones as well as all of our mobile data terminals.


In addition to the software, we use it for our shift scheduling, asset management and inventory, vehicle maintenance tracking, and also we use it for our shift scheduling.


So this module alone by other companies that offer this feature is tens of thousands of dollars. So for $9,000 more in the last five years, this whole suite of software is accommodating every one of our records management needs. So a $9,623 increase over five years based on the use that we're getting out of this I think is an extremely good value and it's is just before you tonight because it represents a higher cost increase from five years ago.


Right. Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.


Alderman Sanders, did you have something? Yes. Chief, what was the price of it five years ago?


Five years ago it was $11,205 and we were only using it for two different disciplines within the fire department. Now we're using it for, I don't know, maybe nine or more and for those additional software packets or modules, it only represents a $9,600 increase over five years. It's a pretty good value in my opinion.


Does that also include the training of that software, because you're increasing something that I'm sure that our department has nowhere, they are not familiar with these type of modules that are being implemented into this software.


So we have been using this, and each year it's been increasing incrementally, but this This year it represented a $9,600 increase, so we have been using this, but we really didn't roll out all these features until about two years ago, and that was out of necessity.


Okay, did we do any kinds of studies of this upgrade that we're doing to make sure that and the Upgraders meeting the specification of what you are requesting or asking for.


Sure, we did. Because there are so many different needs for our records management, we looked into other softwares that were available. Others, even just for the ambulance records management portion, the ambulance reports, was way more expensive. Rockford was using and the other software. They didn't care for it. They were looking to swap out to this software. Belvedere is currently using this as well. So we looked at their operations, what they were doing. They recommended us this is the way to go. And so we have had extensive training. All of our members have. Even the oldest ones who don't grasp computer , none of those'. We support the students that are aren't doing their skills very well. delivering the skills very well. going either at home or they're tablets, at the fire station. so it's very accommodating to what our needs are and we're asking for your approval as well. 對 Moore.


Yes, it is budgeted and you'll find that line item in the IT budget, so it's not even part of the fire department budget, anything that's computer software related comes through IT.


So there's sufficient funds in the IT budget to cover this existing software. I just wanted an opportunity to explain its use and why it's costing more over a five-year period.


Thank you. There's no further discussion. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm. Aye. Monroe.


Aye. Simmons. Aye. Parker. Aye. Stacy. Aye. Shadle. Aye. Sanders. Aye. Sellers. Aye. Resolution is adopted eight to zero.


Item number 12 is the adoption of resolution 2025-13. Could you please read this? Resolution approving purchase of portable handheld Fletcher, and Chris.


Thank you. Chief Shenberger. Thank you. The Freeport Police Department is currently in the fourth year of a five-year plan to replace the portable handheld Motorola radios currently being utilized by all sworn police officers.


The Police Department has up to this point replaced all but 15 portable handheld Motorola radios.


The radios in circulation still function, but they have reached their end of life. At this time, Motorola is the only supplier of portable handheld police radios.


I should add in there, there are other options like Kenwood and other companies, but we utilize it.


We all want to have the same uniform radios. The police department has received a quote to replace 10 Motorola portable handheld police radios and accessories at a total cost of $64,994.82.


for the 10 Portable Handheld Motorola Radios and Accessories is provided in the Fiscal Year 2025 PD Capital Budget 331-302-70.


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


Discussion on the resolution? Thank you, Madam Mayor. Chief, some of the Motorola's have had issues inside of buildings, you know, Sullivan's, you know, inside of some of the downtown buildings.


Are these newer generation radios any better or are we still going to be struggling with that?


I, what we're, what we're looking to buy is what I carry right here and I have pretty good coverage.


I don't, I haven't found too many dead zones within the city. If I go outside the city, I do at times.


And you're right there. but as far as like I've gone into Walmart, I've gone into other places and when it is is dead, it tones out, and I don't...


and I don't I don't haven't had that too many happen in too many places within the city outside the city. It's a different story though. Okay.


Alderman Stacy. Chief Shenberger. We were budgeted for 10 in 2024. Did we buy those?


Yep. Okay, so this 10. Yeah, we've been slowly trying to trying to go through the supply and get the ones that are end of life out of circulation.


So a little bit at a time, 10 at a time, next year will be five and then we'll be done.


How much more was it this year to do the 10 than it was last year?


I don't know how much it was, I can't recall offhand, but I think it was about the same.


Alderman, Sanders, yeah Chief those molar rollers they have not went through a comparisons am I correct no okay and not only that there is other manufacturers with the with technology such as the molar rollers but we have not made any comparisons to those to the ones that we have right now so my question is when and there's many major companies around here in the state of Illinois that sells those items.


Is there any particular reason why you decided to want to go with that addition?


We started transitioning to Motorola APX 6000, we started transitioning to them four years ago, so our intent is to keep everything uniform and the same with those instead of having and I was just going to ask, does that matter? What brand you're using, if the brand has the same quality or more, have we done any comparisons to determine whether it's a uniform type of radio? Sometimes we could be in the market for cheaper radios, but we don't have and Stacey.


And then we would have to have them program differently. We would have another company coming in this way.


We have the same company that works on our radios that programs them and it's just better business for us that way.


Okay. Okay. Thank you. Alderman Stacy? Yes. I just want to make sure that the 331-302-70 was the same 70 was purchased last year in the budget.


We purchased radios last year, I believe it was the same line item, correct? Line item.


So this is budgeted for or do you get a grant? No, this is budgeted for in the capital budget.


In the capital budget. Wow Mr. Boyer you told me today that there was a grant for this. Manager Boyer? I apologize for that miscommunication actually that had to do with their body cameras so I was mistaken it was the body cams we got the grant for and we purchased the radios in the past. Yeah we purchased body cams last year and I was able to get a 50% match grant that we recently got awarded for that. Thank you.


Yep, there's no further discussion. Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye.


Resolution is adopted 8-0. Item number 13 is the adoption of resolution 2025-14. Could you please read this?


Resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement with the Illinois Telecommunicator Emergency Response Task Force. Thank you. Chief Shenberger?


The City Freeport Dispatch Center would like to join the Illinois Telecommunicator Emergency Response Task Force, known as ILTRT.


The ILTRT is currently comprised of 62 active member agencies, 9 associate member agencies, and 220 trained and deployable telecommunicators in the state of Illinois.


Local agencies who belong to the Region 2 Illinois TRT include the Ogle County Sheriff's Department, the Rochelle Police Department, and the Winnebago County Sheriff's Department.


Illinois TRT is utilized during natural disasters and critical incidents. Currently there are telecommunicators who are interested in being part of the Illinois TRT. If approved by Council, the City of Freeport would become an active agency member. Once a telecommunicator is selected, the telecommunicator would be required to fulfill additional training provided by the state of Illinois. The City of Freeport Dispatch Center would only send an Illinois TRT telecommunicator to a call-out if the staffing level in the Dispatch Center is is Allowable. It is a position of the City of Freeport Dispatch Center that an assignment to the Illinois TRT could be a motivator for our current telecommunicators to attain this appointment. By being a member of the Illinois TRT, the Dispatch Center would also be the recipient of additional telecommunicators if there was an unfortunate public safety crisis.


Thank you. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle, discussion on the ordinance, or on the resolution.


Seeing none, Alderman Stacy. Is there a cost to be a part of this organization?


No, it's just our training, once a person is selected, they'd have to go through additional training, but that's provided by the state.


Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm, Monroe, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers. Resolution is adopted 8-0.


Item number 14, could you please read this bid approval? Bid opening on January 21st, 2025, janitorial services for a police station in City Hall.


Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Each year, the city, well, not each year, about every three years, the city rebids the commercial cleaning contract for City Hall and the Police Department. This year, we had three bids. The winning bid was a cleanup cleaning service. They came in roughly half of what we're currently paying for cleaning services. So we've done our homework, checked into the background. And it's a small business that's doing a really good job for a lot of other customers that we've contacted.


So city staff requests moving forward with the recommendation to accept the bid from Canop Cleaning Service.


Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.


Discussion on the bids. Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Madam Mayor. One big concern here, when it comes to cleaning up biohazard situations, often times it contains blood, other bodily fluids, things like that, that can contain very hazardous blood borne pathogens.


What type of training does this Kirk Knop have for that type of cleanup? And what certifications does he have?


and also who's going to transport the waste once it is cleaned up, which is required by the state of Illinois.


Manager Boyer. I'd say that's something completely different. This is just about keeping the city hall clean, vacuuming, mopping the floors, and doing those types of things.


Can you clarify then what's in the memo when it says, let me find the line.


I believe you're a point, he also clarified he agreed to include biohazard cleanup on an as needed basis, you know, yeah, go ahead Darren.


So, thank you, the biohazard that we have called in there is like vomit, those types of items, people get sick here, there's a lot of visitors to City Hall, We're not talking about somebody bleeding out inside of City Hall.


That would be a total specialty type of product. This is just as people get sick, they would come in and clean up the mess.


So city employees don't have to deal with it. We do have that happen, especially we have a lot of visitors that come into it.


It is defined as biohazard, but in the specifications, it's really detailed as vomit, and potentially, possibly, diarrhea type things like that that happen with visitors that that come to City Hall.


Follow up. Thank you. Well, since you brought up diarrhea, I know that you know, there's serious serious things that can come along with that.


That even hospitals don't really deal with well. My question is because I know the chief has probably had a A prisoner or two in their time where somebody's gotten bloody from a fight or something else those those do require a different level of cleaning. I could see the vomit, but I think of Cleaning, I could see the vomit, but I think the diarrhea and the blood, it really needs to be put out there because there is a serious liability to the city if somebody were to get hep C or, you know, C diff or something along those lines, and it takes a special skill set to do those types of cleanings.


Alderman Sanders? and also since there's a recommendation for any cleanup or janitorial whatever the case is in our business or areas they need to be certified, am I correct?


Manager Boyer This is not for any kind of cleanup anywhere. This is just routine vacuuming, dusting, that type of work at City Hall or the police department.


If we had some kind of biohazard thing we'd have to call a contractor in that specializes in that.


So in other words, what you just said was we have to take the time out to call a biohazard contractor to come in just for this particular task and that the janitor is not authorized or Certify to do any of this task work at the current time that it happens.


Now my question would be is the delay of time that this hazard is sitting in our presence at the City Hall or anywhere on the city property, are we, am I assuming that you're going, we're We're going to have to wait for a biohazard individual to come out to clean this or do we have someone in the City of Freeport that is certified to do such things because we just can't rely on delay if this is what is considered.


We just can't, it has to be done with an expeditiously movement, just like a fire or anything else.


Is that what we're also considering along with this particular presentation, or is this something different?


No, this is just for routine cleaning and maintenance of the police department. But it's not routine.


This is not routine. What we're considering here is just the routine maintenance. and City Hall in the Police Department in terms of cleaning. That's it. If we have some blood or vomit or diarrhea or whatever, we'll deal with that at the point that we have to deal with it. There's plenty of companies out there that can come in and handle hazardous situations.


I'd like to make a motion that we strike the language having to do with biohazard and any language associated with that from this agreement.


So we have a motion on the floor to strike that language. Is there a second? Second.


Motion made by Monroe, seconded by Stacy. Any further discussion on striking the language? Let's take the roll. You have a question on the language? Well, yeah, I do I do have a concern about that. What I'm looking at and what I'm hearing, and this sounds like it's being passive to my ears at this moment, and we do not, if it's what it is, it's what it is. If it's biohazard, it's biohazard. There's no other definition right now that I know of that we can change the language of this particular situation.


My thing is I'm concerned about the certification of an individual collecting that biohazard. This is nothing that you can be passive about.


It is something that you have to define what it is and then move forward with it and put Hurt, and I'm going to say that it's a very important issue, and I think that it's a very important issue for the city to be able to do things in operation for it to be considered to take care of this particular problem.


And so I don't want us to be under the presumption that we're going to be passive about the term and the language.


It is what it is, and if it is what it is, then I think we should be very well in tune with what it is, because biohazard is unfortunate.


and others. So being something that is dispensed in our community, I think we have to take precautionary measures.


We just can't let janitors just come in and clean up biohazards and things of this nature if this is what we're leaning to, because if you're changing the language, it's making it permittable for anyone, even myself, to go in there and clean up biohazards.


That's how it sounds to me, and so I don't want to have to go clean up biohazard material, and I don't want anyone that's not certified to go do the same thing.


I don't want a janitor to do it if it's not called for, but if it's something that could be a public problem, then I think we should address it, and I don't think we should be and so on.


So, I'm not going to be passive about any of that and that's the only reason why I have a concern for it.


Attorney Aceto has a comment. Alderman Sanders, I think Alderman Monroe's motion to change the language, to strike the language regarding biohazards is in line with what you're saying.


So then, if the language is removed, any reference to biohazards, then this particular janitor cleaning crew would not be able to do any of the biohazard stuff.


it would have to be done, and Manager Boyer saying that any biohats or stuff would then have to be a separate company that does have the proper training certifications there.


So I think what the motion to change the language is consistent with what you're talking about.


Yeah, but I don't think, I'm not sure whether or not the language nullifies a janitor.


I didn't hear the part where it says two separate companies would have to come in to take care of this issue.


So my understanding of Alderman Monroe's motion is to remove from the scope any reference, the scope of work that this company would be doing, anything that would be biohazard related.


So if that means then they're not going to be allowed to touch that topic.


Okay. Is that accurate, Alderman? that's very accurate you know and I just looked it up OSHA is very clear on what a biohazard and a blood-borne pathogen is so I think you know the city would abide by those standards in the workplace right you know and then this contract with your changed proposal change language if it goes through then it would be out biohazards would be outside the scope of what this contractor would be allowed to do so they wouldn't even touch that stuff so So when we're looking at janitors, when we're looking at janitors, they have a certain classification.


When we're looking at biohazards, they have a certain classification. There's a distinction there. And so we have to know what we're dealing with, even I don't care what language we use and how we use it, there's a clear distinction.


If we're hiring a janitor, he cannot utilize, he cannot provide that service as a certification and Mayor.


So that's all I'm saying. We're making a distinction out of the two and I don't want it to get confused that a janitor can just walk in and just clean up bio hazards.


I just don't want that to happen. So again, this has been stretched. If we go back to the specifications, the bio hazard we're talking about is really if somebody We're to get sick here at work so employees don't have to clean it up.


If you look at the bid items, Canop Cleaning Service bid it at zero dollars and zero cents.


The other two people, I believe, bid it at a hundred dollars. So just the scope in general would show you that if it was a true biohazard cleanup, for instance, if someone got shot here, there was blood all over something like that, would not be that kind of cleanup and the city would not be able to hire a cleaning service like this to do it. James, you were in that business. You would know it. So again, if you look at the bid price, nobody's asking anybody to clean up body organs for $100. This is just a cleaning service. The cleaning service actually performs at nighttime hours when the City Hall is not open. Right? That's what they do. We've had this going on for years. This is an annual contract for not only City Hall but the PD. Our current service provider is was time to renew their contract they did not bid on this contract and there had been issues so just stating the obvious here the the current low bidder I got a question today was asked if they're registered as an Illinois business they are not they have Wisconsin and Illinois tax number and there is no requirement for cleaning Services to be registered as a business in Illinois.


They're a local company. They've been in business for five years. I called all 10 of their references.


They had 10 business references, three personal references. look we had three personal references, I had at least seven businesses call me back said they're the best cleaning company they've ever had.


Two of them are local businesses here in Freeport. And really this is about oh if you have a problem a kid walks in throws up on the floor the admin doesn't need to clean it up they'll just come and take care of it.


Yes and we had a response time of a couple hours. I think you're missing the point though and you know you're right, I did work in the business even throw up can have issues whether they're going to throw up can be cleaned up with bleach and gloves. And, you know, not every scene I'm trained in it actually, because I used to be a coach at the high school. Anybody that's trained can clean up that type of product with rubber gloves, chlorine splay. We did it at basketball games all the game all the time. And the games continue. We're not asking them to remove body parts from City Hall. Okay, so the motion on the floor or is just one thing, striking the language of biohazard.


So if there's no further discussion on striking that language, Madam Clerk, would you please take the role on just that portion?


Klemm? No. Monroe? Aye. Simmons? No. Parker? No. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? No. Sanders? No. Sellers?


No. Fails. Okay, so now before you is the original bid, the way it was presented. Any further discussions on the original? Alderman Stacey. My biggest concern was the difference in the price. One for both buildings was $14,500. The other one for both buildings was $89,000.


and a middle person was $55,100. How? Yes, Darren. The difference in bids reflect brick and mortar businesses versus mom and pop shops. The other two bidders are bigger businesses with bigger overheads and the company that was low bid is a mom and pop shop with three and others. So, I think that's the difference between the low bidder and the employees and, you know, growing, right? So, that's your difference in price. I will also say the low bidder also FOIAed what we currently pay for a contract because that's legal and so they knew the price they needed to be to get the contract. The other two did not.


B.E.B.B.I.D. bonds of 10%, performance bonds and payment bonds, so they are fully bonded. They also supplied their insurance certificate as well, which pending approval tonight will go to Aaron for review.


We have specific language that goes into the chain of insurances to cover all the city employees including the board members.


That is something that they will need to alter on their chain of insurance before a final agreement is signed.


Okay, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Klemm? Aye. Monroe? No. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye.


Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Resolution? Oh, no. Bid approval. Okay, item number 15, there's another bid approval.


could you please read this? Bid opening on January 28, 2025, 2025 sewer cleaning for sewer lining bid.


Thank you, Manager Boyer. Yeah, thank you, Your Honor. The City of Freeport does quite a bit of lining every road work project. We're lining the sewers as we go. City staff had a bid opening for the Cleaning & Inventory of Sanitary Sewer for the 2025 Year Paving Program. The low bid was from National Power Rotting at $60,820. That was below projection. Darren, could you remind me, what was, how far below projection was that?


23,000 yep so out of 23,000 below projection and city staff requests city council move forward with the agreement with National Power Riding. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers, Alderman Sanders. Yeah how much coverage area, how many miles of Seward Lining that we're expecting to have taking place.


Who am I talking to, Rod? Seward Lining or cleaning? This bid is for cleaning.


Oh, okay. Or sewer lining. Okay, the bidding is for just cleaning? This is for cleaning and TVing and identifying point repairs and lines that can be lined.


We annually budget about $400,000 to $500,000 a year for lining, which usually gets us about $20,000, I believe.


Okay, when we come, sorry, when we're coming into cleaning, we're talking about, as far as cleaning is concerned, we're talking about covering the whole Freeport, the city of Freeport when it comes to sewer cleaning, am I correct?


No, this contract is specifically only for the streets that we intend on working on in the next year to two years so we can identify point repairs. This this contract would be probably over a half a million dollars or more to clean the entire town.


Okay so there any other discussion? Madam Clerk please take the roll. Klemm, Monroe, Rowe, Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, approval of the passes.


Item number 16 is discussion regarding reappropriation of funds to address street lighting and high and my crime areas in the 5th Ward, identified by a list by Chief Shenberger, presented by Alderman Stacy and Monroe.


Yes, Chief Shenberger and I kind of started this last year and it kind of fell on the wayside.


However, I picked it back up and it's my desire to run with it as far as the lighting here in Freeport. As Mr. Carroll spoke earlier, we did have 150 watt Bubs, ComEd came in with the LEDs and we went down to 35 watts and it's just not enough.


When I made the request a couple weeks ago for state and Iroquois, an additional 55 watt Bob was added to that area and it's still dark and I am asking that funds be made available To go through this list that I received from Chief Shenberger, the concerned crime areas that's dark.


And with all the talk the last two weeks on Oak Street that has added an additional 10 Schoenberg.


We have a number of different crime areas on Oak that Chief has added to this list that needs additional lighting.


Chief Shenberger, can you? Yeah, I talked to Alderman Stacy Friday night, I believe it was.


We talked about this. I was out there on Oak for a while. there's ten lights I've suggested in between Broadway and Empire so there's ten lights there and obviously as mr. Carroll talked about earlier that area does get dark especially on the sidewalks at nighttime so so I have spoken with Chief, Shenberger, I've spoken with Mr. Gaurab, ComEd, and I've spoken with Darren, who kind And it gave me an ideal of what we were looking at for the now 13 areas, concerned areas.


And so it is, I don't know, Darren, if you have anything you would like to say on this matter.


This is Ms. Stacy. This is, Mrs. Stacy is correct. We did talk about this almost a year ago.


Originally there was some concern about dark streets and I asked Chief Shenberger to put a list together of higher crime areas of Freeport that were consistent with the calls that we have.


And at that time we went to ComEd and we, City Manager Boyer and I asked ComEd to please consider Sutter, coming out, looking at these areas, evaluating the lights, and then look to add different lights with more strength back in.


And at that time, and that was Mr. Galrap that came out, he came out and did light surveys at night on the streets.


He came back and said, based on the lights that we currently have, they're emitting what they're supposed to, and if we want, as a community, to have greater light, then we have to pay for the fixture replacement, and then we have to coordinate with ComEd.


We can't just shut those ComEd lights on and off. They have continuous power, so they have to be shut down by ComEd to change the heads out, but we would have to pay for that. It's a pay item.


We also asked about new poles and new lights mid-blocks. Those were costed out, too, and I believe it was a year ago, but I believe that was around $13,000 a pole with the light and electrical to add them mid-blocks or in between existing poles.


So the thought by Chief and I was it would be cheaper to replace lights than to add new poles and I believe originally, and again, that was a year ago before the areas had shifted, we were looking at about $25,000 worth of light replacements in the streets list that he had at that time.


If it's the desire of the council to look at this further, then we should do that. But that's a direction we need to be given.


Okay, so I actually spoke with Mr. Galrapp today as well, and just so you're aware, we've actually been talking with him for months about being on a, that right now we are not on a list as a distressed community. However, we are up, we should be back on that list to be considered again, so that kind of puts us in a different spot. But we are working with ComEd, have for months. And so it is just kind of a waiting game to see if we get on that list and what that impact could be for us. So I guess my question is kind of twofold to you, Alderman, Stacy, is where are you suggesting that the funding comes from because it has to be removed somewhere in order to make that difference up? And then secondly would be obviously the Chief has places probably all and I have taken this bull by the horn and it is my desire, my intentions to get something done and not allow it to fall to the wayside again.


Right. So, so there's going to be other areas that's going to need and there too will be fixed.


Well and my challenge to you then is that needs to be an entire council decision not just put forward by one Alderman.


Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you. Alderman Monroe. So basically, we just saved $23,000 on the sewer lining bid.


So that almost makes up the $25,000. My suggestion, and while I agree with Alderman Stacy that the Fifth Ward has got some of the darker spots, is that the Chief and Public Works and the City Manager kind of come up and I have a couple of things I would like to say to all of you who are on the top of the list, try to reuse the 23,000 we just saved and go for the hottest spots where we would get the biggest bang for the buck and I think we have to start somewhere. I agree 100%. I live on a street that's, we've got three lights on our street. It's barely lit.


and many more. This is a safety issue for citizens. You look at pizza delivery drivers. They have been robbed in the past just because things are not lit. This is a much, much bigger issue than just trying to figure things out. We spent significantly more money on things that are less of a need and more of a want than this is. This is a need that needs to be addressed.


and others. We will be back on the list of being a distressed community and see where that raises it to be.


Alderman Sellers. First of all, I want to say that this lighting problem has been going on probably when George Goldrath was Mayor.


So I know that Alderman Ronnie Bush had led trying to get lights in the city.


had led trying to get lights in the third ward back when he was Alderman at that time because there was a lot of crime.


Then when Patrick Sellers presented his crime bill, that was one of his big issues, was the lighting in the certain areas.


And we did have a meeting with George Gorap down at Township. and like the mayor said, there's this, we were not on the list for a distressed community and the city of Aurora was on this list and they got, because of their high crime in Aurora, they got a lot of help from ComEd because they were on this list.


So if we wait to get on this list, it will cost us less money and we can probably get more done.


So that's what the thing is. So this isn't something that, oh man, on Oak Street, I've lived on Oak Street for 34 years.


And so I know how Oak Street is. And yeah, we've had crime in the last few weeks or whatever, but we have big oak trees on Oak Street.


So I do know that there is some crime going on on Oak Street, but I also know that I've been there for 34 years and felt safe.


So I know that we need lighting, but even around my house, I do have a nice bright light.


of course if we get some of those big oak trees down we can we can probably have a brighter light but this this problem has not just been going on in the last two years it's been going on probably 20 years so if we give ourselves some time and let George get us on this list we probably could get more money because it would be less for us to pay out so that's what I'm saying so you say we've We've been waiting 20 years to get on this list.


No, we never knew about the list until we had that meeting with George Gorel.


So just wait another year and then another year and just let it continue to fall.


It's up for 2025. We will be on this list. Manager Boyer. I would like to clarify a few things.


Number one, the old street lights were metal halide and they cast a 180 degree pattern that went both ways down the street and beneath them.


the new LEDs don't we have been we've actually the what the mayor mentioned distress communities we were in 2020 we were a distressed community we exercise the entire use of that program to brighten up downtown that's why we have the new LEDs that we have there saving money because all those down there were metal halide and use a lot more wattage when we say 150 watt or 250 watt that doesn't equate directly to lumens you know we could have a hundred Williams, and so I just correct some of that or mention some of that information.


Yes, so we really need to think about that before we just start re-appropriating funds.


Alderman Sanders. Yeah, I just wanted to know, since this has been brought up, have we decided on a working solution as a whole, because it sounds like something that should take place.


Have we been able to get together, to bump heads, to talk, to comment about getting on this list?


Have we come to that resolution on that part, if we're going to move forward on it?


I think that just talking about it here, is there any actions being taken place?


Manager Boyer? I spoke with George Galrapp this morning about it. He said that we are on the list to move forward.


There hasn't been a confirmation of the select community status, but he expects that to move forward.


But there's no confirmation at this time, but that's going to have a huge cost impact to any upgrades we do anywhere in the city.


And you know, we all want better lighting, that's, we just, all of us would agree with that.


Darren? The city staff has been working on this for staff has been working on this for since it was brought up the last time a matter of fact people probably have forgot about this but we wrote letters to representative Cabello, Sorensen, downstate we filed many letters asking to get these deeper discounts because there was many communities that were on the list that are far better off than ours and it's just a process anything at and John.


This level takes a lot to get done, and it is a significant savings on the grants if we do get designated in that bucket, which we currently weren't.


It's a much deeper discount on lights. But again, we have been working on that for a year.


We were told that in order to get back into the community level that we wanted to be at, that we had to work with, through our representatives, that ComEd just would not turn us back to to that program automatically, and we're happy to provide copies of those letters because we sent them out, it's got to be nine months ago.


Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Madam Mayor, I've got several questions along those lines. Since we've been working that so hard and diligently since nine months ago, how much money have we put forth to set ourselves up for if we get on this list?


and others. What have we done to forward think through and have money available for us on that list and I've got a follow-up beyond that once.


Go ahead. Michelle, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we have, do we have $20,000 in the Street Lighting Program?


Yeah, that's what I just thought. So yeah, so that $20,000 will go significantly farther if we're on the select community's status.


So we sent a letter nine months ago. Have we followed up on that? I've done that multiple times.


Times, and that's through? I spoke with them this morning. Okay. That's how recent I've followed up on that. Okay. I just want to say that I took the list that was has given to me from Chief Shenberger, and I am appalled of the way you, Jodi Miller, has come at me and not respected.


I didn't make this list. I did not make up this list, just like you want us to respect your opinion and your desires and what you want, respect what the chief gives me to bring to the council.


Be supportive of that. I'm not disrespecting you, I was just asking you where the money was coming from and I I asked you why you would not consider that to be a citywide versus just your ward that's all I was asking there's no further discussion move on to department heads finance thank you community development yes I just want to report back on the letters that went out to suspected rentals we had 80 letters go out Friday and today I spoke with the actually I spoke last week with our Consultant, InfoSend, and they said that 1,498 are going to go out today, so.


Thank you. Community, or I'm sorry, Public Works. Yeah, a couple things. I'd like to apologize to the Utility and Streets Department that I did not get the invitations out early enough for tonight's meeting, so we will have those presentations next week.


and I. I apologize to those people. Also I would like to recognize next Monday night at the COW we will have ALTA planning coming to Freeport. They will be doing a short presentation on the SS4A program for Freeport that they have been working on. That is a safe streets for all. There is a lot of different parts and pieces of it, but what that means is it is transportation related, so it's cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, also could include lighting.


So at the council level, they'll be giving a short recap. On Tuesday night from 530 to 730, we'll be having a public open house for residents and council members here at City Hall.


It'll be an open house. There won't be a huge presentation, but there'll be areas that you can be involved, surveys that you can give and more inclusiveness.


There is also a plan if you can't make that, that down the road here we'll also be having online surveys that community members can fill out.


I wanna be clear though at next week's meeting, it is not for city staff, it's really for council members and people from the public to be here to put their input in without influence from city members.


So please join us if you can. and that's all I have thank you fire yes thank you your honor as I'm sure everyone is aware Friday the 24th January we had a major structure fire in town Milton Motors initially we had some traffic control challenges we were able to work through those we're very fortunate we had no injuries whatsoever and the Building is a total loss and it's currently under investigation.


Our Fire Marshal will be meeting with two insurance agency fire investigators on Wednesday. So they're going to compare their notes and their findings and then hopefully make a correct determination.


Thank you. Police? Yeah. I had a meeting this morning with Alderman Sellers and she just asked that I touch on and some of the stuff that we're doing in regards to this uptick on Oak and give a little history about what we've done last year.


So for the past three months, going from October 19th to January 15th, during that timeframe, we had one incident of shots fired and that was in December on Conkel.


And just to clarify, that's still unacceptable. We aspire to have zero shots fired incidents.


Right now, there's efforts being made by the police department to counter gun violence. At the last council meeting, the end-of-year report was presented.


In 2024, the police department took 82 firearms, seized 82 firearms during investigations and also made 51 arrests for unlawful use of weapons.


So far this year, just in the first month, adds seven firearms to that total, which I I guess it would be on pace for more than last year, seven firearms that we've taken off the street.


PD staff is utilizing crime reduction measures we've talked about on this floor to deter these incidents.


Some of them include saturation patrols. We've been trying to have a heavy presence on Oak right now.


Utilizing our technological resources, which was sound thinking, which has, and others. It's covered, that area is covered, utilizing LPR cameras and intelligence from TIPS and other sources of information, making efforts to work with the families of those who we believe are involved in this.


And most importantly, if you see something, report it. We can't solve this issue alone.


It's going to take all of us. And as always, attend neighborhood watch meetings. It's a good source of information.


and Sergeant Leverton who spearheads that, puts information out there that not just shots fired but other issues that we're dealing with at this time.


Thank you. Library? I just wanted to let you know that our One Book, One Free Port is going well.


I put books on your tables. And then we also are doing our series in Lectures in American History, which we do every winter.


and our next one is on Thursday, February 6th at 6.30 and it's about Jane Addams.


So it's relevant to our community, so if anybody wants to go. Thank you. IT?


Welcome tonight. Thank you. City Manager? Thank you, Your Honor. I just wanted to reflect on the refreshed report this weekend in January.


I think we had 17 tons of garbage dropped off. And in February, so Saturday, last Saturday, we had 24 tons dropped off. So pretty significant increase. And especially compared to what we anticipated, we were thinking between three and 10 tons. So we're definitely and by the way, we had 54 mattresses dropped off too, which is huge. Apparently, those are kind of a specialized item that reduce the density of the hauling. So anyway, that's good. That's less work that we have to deal with. And hopefully that lessens illegal dumping.


We'll move on to Council Announcements. Alderman Klemm, Alderman Monroe. Thank you, Madam Mayor. Thank you, Madam Mayor. You know, good job to the Fire Department on that response. I saw several agencies there. Traffic control, that's something we probably should work out if we're going to have situations like this, especially in our main thoroughfares, Galena and 26, especially.


and others. But I am very disappointed tonight, and it was hard to bite my tongue.


The fact that, you know, we've waited nine months, the shootings are continuing, the police department's doing all they can do, they're getting guns off the street, but it really doesn't feel like this is our number one priority to get out there, fix these street lights, improve the community in the places that need to be improved.


And we've got to work better. You know, Public Works saved $23,000 on the lining.


We've got $20,000 set aside. I just don't see the harm in trying to figure out how to address at least some of these most likely areas before we wait for ComEd or the state of Illinois or whoever makes the final decision.


And waiting another nine months or a year, I mean, how many people have got to get shot?


We've got to continue to work forward and try to improve. and putting our feet down and saying well you know we've sent letters we've been talking to them we hope to be on there everything I've ever learned in life hope is not a plan you've got to have a plan and execute on that plan and I think we've got to at least start taking some of the control over as the city and that's why we've got home rule to make these types of decisions and move Forward. That's all I have, your Mayor.


Alderman Simmons? Nothing, thank you. Alderman Parker? Just one thing, I was only a couple blocks from the fire down there at Norton Motors and I really want to tell how much I appreciate the fire department. They, it was amazing, it's the worst fire I've ever seen in my life and they did a great job. Thank you.


Alderman Stacy? I want to say today that I was told and I won't say who said it to and a safe face. So Darren, I'm just going to look at you. I was told that lighting these areas was not going to fix the crime. Again, I say we have to start somewhere. And Chief Chief Shenberger, I want to thank you for Friday. I won't even go into details about it because it wasn't their neighborhood, so what do they care? But thank you for the fast reply when and I called you Friday for that situation.


Alderman Shadle? Alderman Sanders? Yeah, I have two parts here, but let me address a notification that could be implemented when we're talking about crime prevention.


on how do we come up with solutions to deliver to the citizens of Freeport so they can be on alert.


What is our mechanism for addressing these kinds of issues that can address them when things are added into the mailbox from the publishers of advertisements and things of of that nature that sends out McDonald flyers, Burger King flyers, any flyers that hits your mailbox.


These are notifications that they send out. And this to bring the awareness that McDonald's, Burger King, all of them got a sale going on and things like that, they're being notified.


and they have a solution to reach the people and reaching the people is what we're trying to do to alert them about the high crimes or crimes that are being in their area so my thing is are we trying to develop a solution for this I know we're talking about it but what would be something that we can and so on.


We can immediately get the people involved in as far as awareness is concerned, where they can talk about it even in our, what do you call it, neighborhood watches and things like that.


Now these items come directly to your mailbox, whether you like it or not, you know.


I mean, if that can come to our mailbox at a moment's notice or weekly notice or whatever the case may be, that is another solution that we can utilize in order for people to be aware that these things are going on in your neighborhood and what to do about it.


How do we have them to make these reports when you say, see something, say something and that kind of thing. Well sometimes we have to reiterate those kinds of public notice or notices to our citizens of Freeport to let them know we still got to be vigilant and keeping up the task, keeping up the work for the city of Freeport. So that is one of the things that I think we need to try to talk about here in our own council or wherever our media department is or or whatever the case is, how do we get an ad into the Burger King Flyers and McDonald's and everybody else's to be added to the mailbox, because people are reading these things. They're looking at it. For those that don't have internet and media coverage, social coverage or whatever, you know, we're not trying to shove anything down their throat, but the fact of the matter is it helps us because that's what Chief Shenberger was saying they can't do everything but at least we can put a notification together and send it out or whatever the case is on these types of things and not only that in addition to my second part I was addressed I wanted to address this to Manager Boyer and putting emphasis on how people are to make the disposals


To their upload, a visit to Don, Don's house. So, I want to say, I've been reading your comments really deeply about private disposals, forestry, or whatever that is needed throughout the city.


You know, we need to keep people abreast to all of these things, so they would know that, oh, I remember we can drop whatever and I, and that right there educated me on where I should go with my disposals and things like that.


So, that's the kind of thing I wanted to address and what can we do about it.


If we can get flyers out, stick them in, I don't say stick them in the mailbox, but if If McDonalds can get a flyer collectively together, then I think the city should be able to do the same.


Darren? Yeah, I'll just respond to that. The best way to get information is through the city's website.


Brian is really good about putting information out, and as his report, I believe last week, we put out a lot of social media posts on leafs, branches, garbage pickup, garbage drop-off.


That is our one-stop shop for information for the residents of Freeport and has been very effective, so if you're not on it, sign up for it.


Alderman Sellers? Yes, I'm going to say something. First of all, I just want everybody to know that Freeport is my home.


This is where I live. I love it. Staying here, me and my husband have invested in our home on Oak Street.


So we're here. So this lighting problem and the crime areas, they are a concern to me and I have been on this battlefield for having a safe community, like I said, for a long time. And no, just getting lights is not going to stop the crime because it was crime back, Like I said, when Alderman Ronnie Bush was, at the time, trying to get lights, there were people getting shot and dying back then.


So right now, we all have to, it's a process, and it's not going to happen right away.


And we have been working on this process. And in that crime bill that Pat Sellers put together, and it was there, part of the crime is getting rid of these dilapidated houses.


Thank you, Community Development. You have been doing that. And that's part of it. Part of it is having our police force back to a strong police force.


Thank you, Chief. You have been doing that. So we have... and the other agencies to come together and talk and find out how we can all work together. That was part of it. So we are working, trying to get it together. It's going to take time. And we have to come together and talk with compassion, but also with respect, like you said. We have to respect everybody. But we can't sit here and blame us now for the lights that have been there for our communities.


and the lights that have been there for, like I said, many of years we've been trying to fight for it. But thank you, Lord, that we are getting on this list and we're going to be able to take care of some of the lighting. Just like we've gotten money to take care of the housing. We got money to get the police force. So we are doing a lot of those things that it said to help us get a safe community, that's part of it I want to keep saying whatever I have to say because this is my home, this is where I live, this is the place I love.


Item number 21 is public comment. Is there any public comment this evening? Linda? Yeah, I just had one regarding the biohazards, the contaminated body fluids. CDC has guidelines and procedures of how to take care of those things.


and it would be very easy to write a policy and a procedure for whatever buildings they're cleaning, they could be available for everyone, there are also blood spill kits and things like that available that you can buy and have here for anyone that comes across those, they just read how to do it and it's right there, shows them how to do it, not that everyone's going to want to do that, you know, not everyone wants to clean up body fluids, but that would be a solution and train those people, whoever Fowler.


Thank you. is, and they should be able to take care of those issues. The other thing I was wondering, I'm not an electrician or anything by any means, but I was wondering on the street lights, could you have something like a bar light like they do in the stadiums for ball games that would light up, I mean use the same pole and use like a bar light that would in certain places to light up really dark places?


Just a thought. Okay. Thank you. Any other public comments? Tommy? Jodi Miller got a medal for Special Olympics.


What's your medal, Tommy? Third place for the basketball tournament. Nice job. Jodi Miller, Tommy!


Dwayne Dickens. We got a question. What about this Halloween speech? We're working on it, Tommy.


And Moe, you did a good job speaking. Is there any other public comments? Yes, three minutes.


Good evening. Thank you, Madam Mayor, City Council, City Manager, City Staff. Josh Atkinson here.


I just want to take a moment and address the last part of the meeting here about the lighting.


I want to start with when you set your goal to become a distressed city, to be listed as a distressed city, guess what you're going to become.


You're going to become a distressed city. We're not there yet. So what I heard tonight was, hold on guys, just wait a little bit more. We're going to run it into the ground to that point where we become a distressed city.


We found the money. We found the money tonight. Alderman Rowe, you pointed it out, $20,000. We've got another $20,000 in the budget for it.


We've got a budget for it. We've got another 23 that we saved. We can get to work on some of this stuff. We just have to want to do it.


And the response to, I don't want to do it in Fifth Ward because we better be getting it on the west side of town, doesn't fly anymore.


It doesn't. It doesn't work. People are getting shot. People are getting robbed. Old ladies are buying tasers trying to figure out how to use them in their homes.


It's not okay. It's not okay. Figure it out, please. Any other public comments this evening?


Undertain a motion for adjournment. So moved. Second. A motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.


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


Weeding is adjourned at 8.04. I want to stay another half an hour. I think we should debate another half an hour.