WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Good evening. Evelyn, could you please give the invocation? 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:23.000 Okay. If you want to bow your heads. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:34.000 Father God, we are meeting again today in these chambers to discuss every important business for the City of Freeport. 00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:41.000 The agenda may be small tonight Father, but everything that is going to be discussed is important to us and to you. 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:47.000 Father, you already know what has to happen in order for our city government to run decently and in order. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:59.000 1 Corinthians 14.40 says, Let all things be done decently and in order. Father, we need resolutions, we need rules and laws to take place according to your will. 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:09.000 Isaiah 22.22 and Revelations 3.7 says, You will open doors that no one can shut, and you will shut doors that no one can open. 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:14.439 Let every council member understand and remember that they are serving every 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:20.480 person in this precious city, my hometown. Father God, you're in charge of all 00:01:20.480 --> 00:01:26.400 governments, but you give man the opportunity to serve well. In Jesus' name, 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:31.240 Amen. Thank you Evelyn. Now we'll call this meeting to order. Madam Kirk, please 00:01:31.240 --> 00:01:37.159 take the roll. Mayor Miller? Here. Alderpersons, Klemm? Here. Johnson? Here. 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:45.159 Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, and Sellers. 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:53.159 And item number three is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you could please stand for that, led by Alderman Sanders. 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:19.280 Item number four is the approval of the agenda. Is there such a motion? So moved. Second. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:25.280 A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. All those in favor signify by 00:02:25.280 --> 00:02:31.199 saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Item number five is approval of the minutes from the 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:36.319 Committee of the Whole meeting on April 13th, 2026. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:37.319 Second. 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:42.639 We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:45.239 All those in favor signify by saying aye. 00:02:45.239 --> 00:02:46.239 Aye. 00:02:46.239 --> 00:02:47.239 Opposed? 00:02:47.239 --> 00:02:48.299 That motion passes. 00:02:48.299 --> 00:02:53.639 Item number six is the recognition of the Director of Community and Economic Development, 00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:56.759 Manager Boyer. 00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:57.759 Thank you, Your Honor. 00:02:57.759 --> 00:03:02.400 Gertrude Heimerdinger is being recognized for excellent work in supporting a sensitive 00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:03.919 matter regarding the state of Illinois. 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:05.919 Gertrude, would you mind coming up? 00:03:05.920 --> 00:03:35.920 While the details can't be discussed, her attention to detail and quick response helped bring this matter to a timely resolution, so Gertrude's work reflects professionalism, good judgment, and strong commitment to the City of Freeport. We appreciate her diligence and the importance of the role that she played helping keeping this matter taken care of. So tonight I'd like to recognize Community Development Director Gertrude Heimerdinger. 00:03:35.920 --> 00:04:01.040 Item number seven is public comment. Darren, can you look and see if anybody signed in? 00:04:01.039 --> 00:04:07.079 Thank you. And item number eight is presentation regarding the trash pickup with Honeywell employees 00:04:07.079 --> 00:04:09.799 and Meal in a Bag event. 00:04:09.799 --> 00:04:17.199 Hello. Well, you've seen the pretzel pickers before, but we had a very important collaboration 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:23.639 with Honeywell. And I'll let Heather Bush tell you more about that. 00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:29.039 On May 2, the Free Fort Honeywell team celebrated Earth Day by continuing our tradition of partnering 00:04:29.040 --> 00:04:36.600 Together, employees and family members actively work to clean litter along the roads and public 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:40.840 areas surrounding Honeywell's main building and other areas in Freeport. 00:04:40.840 --> 00:04:46.960 This initiative reflects our land's long-standing commitment to our community in this hands-on 00:04:46.960 --> 00:04:47.960 way. 00:04:47.960 --> 00:04:53.560 We aim to foster a connection to our local ecosystem and promote sustainable practices 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:55.759 for a cleaner, greener future. 00:04:55.759 --> 00:05:00.980 We had multi generations out working and teaching others the importance of keeping our city 00:05:00.980 --> 00:05:07.079 clean. In all, 34 bags of trash were collected and employees received a t-shirt designed 00:05:07.079 --> 00:05:18.680 by one of our own employees. I'm just really grateful that we were able 00:05:18.680 --> 00:05:24.519 to partner up together. I hope we can do this more and involve families and children to 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:39.699 We also want to give a shout out to the City of Freeport for helping us pick up all those 00:05:39.699 --> 00:05:42.240 bags of trash and disposing of them. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:51.740 We also found a tire and some terrible carpet and that snake. 00:05:51.740 --> 00:05:56.579 That snake was living in the carpet and I picked up that carpet and just got a really 00:05:56.579 --> 00:05:59.220 good scare. 00:05:59.220 --> 00:06:13.019 And then we also, on May 7th, oh there we go, on May 7th we held our third Meal in a 00:06:13.019 --> 00:06:42.019 and a bag event and what that means is that we assembled shelf stable meals to distribute shelf stables and meals and we put them in a bag and we distribute them to our local food pantries and on May 7th we did our third one and we've given these bags to various pantries and this time we took them to Joseph's Pantry, Amity, Church of the Brethren, Mount Calvary and New Jerusalem pantries. 00:06:42.019 --> 00:06:49.139 so we've done about 200 would you say 300 bags here let me see my number here 00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:55.219 math isn't my thing yeah each bag has everything you need to make a complete 00:06:55.219 --> 00:07:01.459 meal we put everything in a clear plastic bag and we put the recipe inside to 00:07:01.459 --> 00:07:05.939 explain how to prepare this meal so that the pantries can just hand them out we 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:14.660 We also distributed birthday cake in a bag, so we put in a cake mix, and did you know 00:07:14.660 --> 00:07:18.540 you can make a birthday cake with a cake mix and a can of soda? 00:07:18.540 --> 00:07:20.660 We didn't know this, but it is true. 00:07:20.660 --> 00:07:26.980 We also add frosting, birthday candles, a birthday card, and we put everything in, also 00:07:26.980 --> 00:07:34.740 a disposable baking pan with parchment paper so it doesn't stick, and we put it in a gift 00:07:34.740 --> 00:07:55.740 We've also distributed cereal with shelf-stable milk, macaroni and cheese cups, and ramen noodles, and we've sent these to other food pantries and the District 145 schools. We want to prevent hunger in our community. 00:07:55.740 --> 00:08:10.740 Since the reduction in federal support for SNAP benefits, hunger is a continuing problem in all of our communities, and the pretzel pickers with the help from Mad Men, we do have a representative from Mad Men here, 00:08:10.740 --> 00:08:23.740 and the YMCA who allows us the space to make this happen because it's quite a process. We've made it a priority to address this because we don't believe anyone in Freeport should go hungry. 00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:32.740 So there's some more pictures of us in action. Anyway, thank you for your support and allowing us to let you know about this program. 00:08:32.740 --> 00:08:48.740 Thank you, pretzel pickers. Item number nine is the presentation regarding revising purchasing policy. Director Richter. 00:08:48.740 --> 00:09:02.740 Thank you. Good evening. I'd like to start maybe with just a little bit of history and what I'm hoping to accomplish over the next six weeks or so with the purchasing policy. 00:09:02.740 --> 00:09:16.740 As far as history, our last City of Freeport purchasing policy was written in 2007. It definitely needed an update. It needed a total redo. 00:09:16.740 --> 00:09:44.740 So our plan is to develop, it's in process now, a whole new purchasing policy that incorporates, I've looked at other communities' policies, I've spoke to Attorney Zito, and we're gathering all of the necessary components to go into the policy. 00:09:44.740 --> 00:09:59.139 How I'd like to move forward with it is I'd like to present to you the topics of the policy, each individual chapters and the subtopics in each chapter. 00:09:59.139 --> 00:10:04.139 in each chapter, just to kind of get your feel for it. 00:10:04.259 --> 00:10:09.259 I'd like to take your input and make sure those things 00:10:09.419 --> 00:10:12.419 are addressed in the policy. 00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:18.860 My plan then is to bring, for first reading, 00:10:19.740 --> 00:10:21.899 we're going to be doing this as an ordinance, 00:10:21.899 --> 00:10:23.799 so it'll require two readings. 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:27.100 I'd like to bring it to first reading in June, 00:10:27.100 --> 00:10:31.419 the first meeting in June, which would be the sixth, 00:10:31.419 --> 00:10:34.860 the first, then it's the first for first reading. 00:10:34.860 --> 00:10:36.980 Then if we'd like to, there'll be a cow. 00:10:36.980 --> 00:10:40.860 If we feel that there's more discussion needed, 00:10:40.860 --> 00:10:43.379 we'll have another cow in June. 00:10:43.379 --> 00:10:47.059 And then second reading then in June. 00:10:48.019 --> 00:10:52.579 So we have plenty of time to discuss it, 00:10:52.579 --> 00:10:53.740 take a look at the document 00:10:53.740 --> 00:10:56.100 because the document's over 20 pages long. 00:10:56.100 --> 00:11:04.019 So I, with no further ado, I'll just kind of get into it. 00:11:04.019 --> 00:11:07.340 And I can take questions as they come. 00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:14.939 The policy itself, Chapter 1 will just 00:11:14.939 --> 00:11:18.659 have an introduction and statement of policy. 00:11:18.659 --> 00:11:21.460 It's basically a summary of the policy 00:11:21.460 --> 00:11:25.379 that will say that it's a fluid document that 00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:28.379 will address amendments from time to time. 00:11:29.100 --> 00:11:35.939 It explains that the city has a decentralized, um, purchasing process. 00:11:36.299 --> 00:11:40.620 So the city of Freeport does not have a purchasing department. 00:11:41.139 --> 00:11:46.539 There isn't a one person who's the purchasing manager that, that, um, 00:11:46.579 --> 00:11:52.100 purchasing agent kind of falls to me as far as an agent, but each department, 00:11:52.100 --> 00:11:56.500 Purchases their own supplies and goods and services. 00:11:59.419 --> 00:12:10.980 The city, it also addressed that the city will make every effort to purchase local as long as the item is the same quality. 00:12:11.019 --> 00:12:13.460 You're talking about the exact same item. 00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:18.579 If we had two reams of paper, they're exactly the same. 00:12:18.579 --> 00:12:25.379 and the price here from a local place in Freeport is less than someone in another community. 00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:30.179 We will take the Freeport one, definitely, but it has to be the same item. 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:39.779 The goal of the policy is to assist our staff with procuring quality goods and services at the lowest possible price 00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:47.379 in an impartial, consistent manner with the highest standards of public service. 00:12:47.379 --> 00:13:00.379 Moving into Chapter 2, which will include the Purchasing Code of Ethics, so there will be a section on ethics. 00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:14.779 and included in that section there will be statements such as we will have a the 00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:21.100 highest level of integrity when we're purchasing items that we will consider 00:13:21.100 --> 00:13:25.539 cooperative purchasing with other local governments or with the state of Illinois 00:13:25.539 --> 00:13:32.539 Will not directly or indirectly accept gifts or favors from current or potential suppliers. 00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:45.539 It will be, we will purchase without favor or prejudice and without the appearance of favor to any one company or agency. 00:13:45.539 --> 00:13:51.539 So that's some language we're using under the purchasing code of ethics. 00:13:51.539 --> 00:14:06.539 Police, there'll also be a conflict of interest portion, and so we don't have a conflict of someone, an employee working for a company that you want to buy the same supplies from. 00:14:06.539 --> 00:14:18.539 We do not want that. Highest integrity is what we need here. Gifts and gratuities, there'll also be a section on gifts and gratuities. 00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:36.539 City personnel should be aware that offers of gratitude from vendors could be designed to compromise objective judgment in product or service selection. 00:14:36.539 --> 00:14:44.539 So, just try and keep in the back of your mind that this is a, like I said in the beginning, this is a guideline for each of the departments. 00:14:44.539 --> 00:14:54.539 Since it's not just one person or two people buying all the supplies for the city, all these things need to be laid out for every department because they apply to every department making purchases. 00:14:54.539 --> 00:15:08.820 One of the important, we have two larger important sections of the policy that I would like some 00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:13.980 conversation on, if possible, if Council feels. 00:15:13.980 --> 00:15:17.379 The first one I'm going to get to is approval of city purchases. 00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:27.379 This has to do with the spending level of a department head versus a finance director versus a city manager. 00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:43.379 As it stands, I did in my memo, and I'm sorry it's the second graph on the memo, that's why I kind of handed those out as well, purchase authority and dollar limit. 00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:54.100 and I'm comparing where it was in 2007 versus what is proposed for this year 2026. 00:15:54.100 --> 00:16:02.100 Purchases 5,000 or let me start at the beginning under 500 in the old policy 00:16:02.100 --> 00:16:12.899 that was the department director between $501 to $5,000. Purchasing agent or City 00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:19.679 City Council Committee, we have been using the department head currently and then at 10,000, 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:26.639 you could see that at the 10,000, 5,000 to 10,000 level, it was City Manager and then 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:32.079 above 10,000, it's City Council. 00:16:32.079 --> 00:16:36.679 We need City Council approval for a purchase of over 10,000. 00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:42.740 If you look at the 2026 column, you'll see that the department director would be eligible 00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:52.460 to purchase under $5,000. The Department Director and Finance Director have to agree and that 00:16:52.460 --> 00:17:03.740 limit then would go up to $10,000. And then up to basically $25,000, $24,999.99 would 00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:09.059 be Department Director, Finance Director, and City Manager. That means all three of 00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:16.339 of those positions sign off on the purchase order for an item for $24,000. 00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:22.900 Anything above 25,000 needs approval by city council. 00:17:27.380 --> 00:17:31.460 So that is the approval of city purchases, that section. 00:17:31.460 --> 00:17:45.299 I do want to say that those authority levels are only items in an approved city budget. 00:17:45.299 --> 00:17:50.980 So for example at the $10,000 level where the Department Director and Finance Director 00:17:50.980 --> 00:17:58.139 are that $10,000 needs to be in the budget if we're buying something for $10,000 it has 00:17:58.139 --> 00:18:04.019 has to be in a board approved budget. 00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:08.259 Is there any questions on that before I move forward? 00:18:08.259 --> 00:18:13.500 I just want to say I like it because the way of the prices of things that have went up 00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:21.700 since this time to now, so I think it's something that is needed to do. 00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:27.700 Thank you. 00:18:27.700 --> 00:18:31.420 Alderman Simmons I'm going to just go ahead right now and say 00:18:31.420 --> 00:18:38.340 that $25,000 without City Council approval is not a number and I'm glad that you're 00:18:38.340 --> 00:18:46.380 open to be flexible that I would agree with because that's why we have Council to oversee 00:18:46.380 --> 00:18:54.980 purchases of this size now I do think it needs to increase from the $10,000 but up to $25,000 00:18:54.980 --> 00:19:09.180 Director Richter, where did the amount $25,000 come from? 00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:10.259 That state statute. 00:19:10.259 --> 00:19:20.820 So it raised, I can't tell you when, sometime between 2007 and now, but that is the state 00:19:20.820 --> 00:19:28.780 of Illinois level for for competitive bidding right so anything over 25,000 has to be competitively 00:19:28.780 --> 00:19:42.420 bid only climb I just wanted to use an example was last month I believe it was we approved 00:19:42.420 --> 00:19:52.219 with a roof repair at the airport for $10,600 or something to that extent, you know, right 00:19:52.219 --> 00:19:53.219 in there. 00:19:53.219 --> 00:19:58.179 To me, that should have been able to be handled in-house without going all the way to council 00:19:58.179 --> 00:19:59.179 and waiting for payment. 00:19:59.179 --> 00:20:03.179 and all the way to council and waiting for payment and all that kind of stuff. 00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:10.859 I agree with the mumps like Joy said and also you brought up the fact that 25 may be too 00:20:10.859 --> 00:20:18.179 much but it needs to change from what it was and it looks like the people that you have 00:20:18.179 --> 00:20:26.179 involved in it to get all of them to agree to it, it's going to be pretty straightforward. 00:20:26.179 --> 00:20:56.179 I just wanted to point out a key point that Michelle said not to gloss over but these budget ratios are for items that are not in the budget so council will have already approved these types of purchases within the budget up to $25,000 and of course that's why it takes the sign-offs because when a department director asks for that type of assessment 00:20:56.179 --> 00:21:00.539 Spend, Michelle has to sign off on it because it will, she'll be reviewing the budget to 00:21:00.539 --> 00:21:05.459 make sure it's within the budget before it goes to the City Manager for that type of approval. 00:21:05.459 --> 00:21:17.659 So if it is never within the budget, it would have to come back to council anyway. 00:21:17.659 --> 00:21:25.219 Anderson. Darren, while you're speaking, I I've been in bid openings for nine 00:21:25.219 --> 00:21:32.139 years pre-COVID and post-COVID. Could you just pick out two things, concrete, I know 00:21:32.139 --> 00:21:36.019 concretes through the roof, some of the nuts and bolts that were at well number 00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:39.819 12, I don't know, pick out a couple things just just in nine years or if you want to 00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:46.779 go back to 2007, how costs have gone up? Sure, something I could give you an idea 00:21:46.779 --> 00:22:16.779 and I think the idea of concrete alone I think went from $100 to about $175 since COVID just in cost of materials. Bolts are somewhere from $3 to $9. I mean, almost all of the water and sewer materials have darn near tripled in price from what it used to be curb stop that is at every house in Freeport used to be around $20 now it's about $90 for just that one part so the cost of 00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:46.779 Seeing is that a lot of things that are already within the purchasing grasp of each department, and I'll pick water and sewer, especially because their parts and pieces are, you know, we don't know day to day what we need to buy for that we buy based on what's broken, what needs to be fixed, those parts that almost every order that we have now because of the current purchasing policy has to come back through council, which is it's, it's fine that it does that it's just seemingly that we're bringing business back 00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:23.859 if we if it's needed if it's over if it's like $25,000 and we approve that I mean 00:23:23.859 --> 00:23:28.419 it says the City Council has to be on an itemized list of what that money is 00:23:28.419 --> 00:23:32.219 spent for yeah it'd be the same process that we do now we bring it bring it 00:23:32.219 --> 00:23:36.379 right back to with with whatever that purchase order is or whatever we're 00:23:36.379 --> 00:23:44.859 Director, Richter, you can go ahead. 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:49.419 So along with that, on the other side of your memo, going back to the front side of your 00:23:49.419 --> 00:24:01.019 memo, the graph at the bottom of the page addresses how departments are to solicit prices. 00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:04.539 At what dollar amounts are you supposed to get? 00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:11.359 One verbal quote, at what dollar amount are you supposed to get three verbal quotes? 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:15.899 At what dollar amount are you supposed to get written quotes from vendors? 00:24:15.899 --> 00:24:22.339 And then when you're supposed to go out to bid, 25,000 is when you're required to go 00:24:22.339 --> 00:24:24.219 out for a bid. 00:24:24.219 --> 00:24:31.899 So that is also an important component of the policy, because you can see how with the 00:24:31.899 --> 00:25:01.899 Ashton 00:25:01.899 --> 00:25:10.579 Nees to have a list to itemize whatever it is that we're going to get, whether it's 00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:18.459 500 or less or over. We need to know what is it, what is the purpose and who is, what 00:25:18.459 --> 00:25:24.619 department is it for. We might be speaking the same language. I'm just trying to get 00:25:24.619 --> 00:25:30.979 a much more detailed understanding how this is going to come about and what departments 00:25:30.979 --> 00:25:33.859 are eligible to make these requests. 00:25:35.979 --> 00:25:40.979 So all of the departments will be utilizing this process 00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:46.139 to buy say, for example, like their office supplies. 00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:50.679 But if they're buying, I'm not gonna exaggerate, 00:25:50.679 --> 00:25:55.679 a desk for, I don't know, $1,000, 00:25:58.139 --> 00:26:00.819 they need to get three quotes. 00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:07.819 they need to look three places and something else that we're instituting with this policy 00:26:07.819 --> 00:26:16.579 is that that needs to be documented and recorded that those that you have the written quotes 00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:20.019 or if you did it verbally you're going to need to write it down somewhere. 00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:25.279 So we're going to have a form so that can be documented as well. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:30.479 This all goes towards, you know, being fiscally responsible. 00:26:30.479 --> 00:26:36.579 And we have a software program that we can, for those departments that choose, some departments 00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:40.399 are going to want to keep all that information because maybe next year they're going out 00:26:40.399 --> 00:26:43.439 for a desk and they want to know who they bought it from. 00:26:43.439 --> 00:26:46.000 You know, that'll be good information for the departments to keep. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:50.639 It'll also be good information to put into our software system along with the final invoice 00:26:50.639 --> 00:26:57.279 and saying that we did our job and we checked for the lowest price, does that help? 00:26:57.279 --> 00:27:15.279 Yes, somewhat. Who's going to manage all of this movement in the departments to make sure everybody is coordinated and everybody is on point with what is required of them? 00:27:15.279 --> 00:27:37.179 While the department heads will all be responsible for signing off that they receive the new policy once it's done, they have to sign off that they've received it and they'll be responsible to push this information down to the appropriate personnel in their department so that they follow all the guidelines as well. 00:27:37.179 --> 00:27:45.779 So this is kind of a kind of a road map for them a way to get their purchases made so they can follow a procedure on how to get it done. 00:27:45.779 --> 00:27:49.779 Okay, okay. Thank you for that. 00:27:55.779 --> 00:28:01.779 Just a comment, there's very few people within departments that have the ability to make these purchases. 00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:06.779 It's very limited right now and still will be limited within the departments. 00:28:07.179 --> 00:28:27.179 So purchases over $25,000 will go to Council as an individual item, but just like we do now, anything under that will still be on the Consent Agenda every time, correct? You can still find the list of purchases at the lower amounts. 00:28:27.179 --> 00:28:57.179 I'll move on. The next section is buying local. I kind of referred to that already on the previous slide. But all items being equal. The item is exactly the same. We definitely will purchase from the vendor in Freeport at the lower price. But we need to be fiscally responsible. 00:28:57.179 --> 00:29:09.179 We need to make sure everything is on a similar playing field. We need the same item. 00:29:09.179 --> 00:29:24.179 Waiver of competitive bidding. We bring to council when we have sole source procurements. 00:29:24.179 --> 00:29:44.179 So that's when we're waiving competitive bidding so we can buy it from the sole source and we have that come up quite often where there's only one person we can get that particular piece of equipment or item and we do bring those to council. 00:29:44.179 --> 00:29:53.459 The policy would say if it's a sole source item under $25,000 as it's written now, the 00:29:53.459 --> 00:29:59.139 City Manager would allow a sole source procurement under $25,000. 00:29:59.139 --> 00:30:11.139 Under 25,000. However, over 25,000 would have to come to council. That dollar value still holds. Council still has to approve it, even if it is a sole source procurement. 00:30:11.139 --> 00:30:28.459 We call it waiving the competitive bid process because you don't have to go out for bids 00:30:28.459 --> 00:30:32.699 if there's only one place that makes that. 00:30:32.699 --> 00:30:37.539 We have an emergency purchases policy within the document. 00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:39.579 We've brought those to council before. 00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:42.219 who would be at the $25,000 threshold. 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:46.859 Sole source purchasing, there's some items 00:30:46.859 --> 00:30:49.239 outlined in the policy. 00:30:49.239 --> 00:30:54.239 Sole source also applies to utility services, 00:30:56.199 --> 00:31:00.119 things that you don't have a choice, the cost of a stamp. 00:31:00.119 --> 00:31:03.159 You don't have a choice of what those types of things are. 00:31:05.259 --> 00:31:09.279 There's also items in here where there's 00:31:09.279 --> 00:31:14.239 Compatibility Issues, that would also be considered a sole source purchase. 00:31:14.239 --> 00:31:15.239 Alderman Stacy? 00:31:15.239 --> 00:31:16.239 Yes. 00:31:16.239 --> 00:31:28.039 You said if there was only one person selling a product, like, in what situation would there 00:31:28.039 --> 00:31:29.559 be one person? 00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:31.519 I might refer to Darren a little bit. 00:31:31.519 --> 00:31:54.519 actually Aaron Zeta was gonna oh I'm sorry that's one example 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:12.999 The next section I have competitive bidding exemption and solicitation of competitive quotes. 00:32:12.999 --> 00:32:17.659 There is a section in here, so what if you buy, I'm going to use Curt as an example, 00:32:17.659 --> 00:32:23.959 he buys, you know, his quota in his budget of laptops for the year in January and he 00:32:23.959 --> 00:32:28.199 finds out in December he still has budget so he's going to buy a few more, but that 00:32:28.199 --> 00:32:31.539 That puts him over the 25, it's 25,000. 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:35.019 So you buy some at the beginning of the year and you buy some at the end of the year. 00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:37.819 You didn't know you'd need more. 00:32:37.819 --> 00:32:44.959 There is a statement in here that the city manager can determine whether it is a issue 00:32:44.959 --> 00:32:47.339 to do that. 00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:56.179 However, there is also a statement in here that you cannot purposely buy things in two 00:32:56.179 --> 00:33:04.979 separate purchases to go over $25,000 to avoid bringing it to council or bringing it 00:33:04.979 --> 00:33:08.139 up through the through the purchasing process. 00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:12.299 That is a violation that is it says strictly that is a violation of the policy. 00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:20.259 You cannot buy two different orders for the same thing two different times to keep the 00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:25.259 price below $25,000. 00:33:25.259 --> 00:33:44.179 Joint Purchasing. We've talked about this one before. We've talked about, I'm going to say source well. We talk about source well a lot. That's the place that they already go out and determine the lowest price for certain equipment. 00:33:44.179 --> 00:33:52.739 and others, that SourceWell and the state of Illinois has, I believe, their own purchasing 00:33:52.739 --> 00:33:57.739 program that also goes out and determines the lowest cost of an item. 00:33:57.739 --> 00:34:03.179 So those are also reasons why you'd waive the competitive bidding process. 00:34:03.179 --> 00:34:05.699 Someone else has already done it for us. 00:34:05.699 --> 00:34:11.819 So we're able to use SourceWell and we use, like I said, we use those places a lot for 00:34:11.819 --> 00:34:13.659 for some of our equipment purchases. 00:34:15.219 --> 00:34:19.179 There's a section specifically, adherence to budget. 00:34:19.179 --> 00:34:21.380 So you cannot purchase items 00:34:21.380 --> 00:34:23.940 unless they're in an approved budget. 00:34:25.859 --> 00:34:27.739 If it is not in the budget, 00:34:27.739 --> 00:34:31.139 you need to come to council and ask for a budget amendment 00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:34.019 to make sure that there's funds in the budget 00:34:34.019 --> 00:34:35.539 to make that purchase. 00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:39.259 There are exclusions. 00:34:39.259 --> 00:34:43.059 There's a section on exclusions to competitive purchasing process. 00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:46.179 And like I said, those, I kind of referred to it a little earlier. 00:34:46.179 --> 00:34:52.819 Those are the things that we do not have, uh, you can't go out and ask for, um, 00:34:52.899 --> 00:35:00.739 competitive prices on dues and memberships, advertising in a newspaper, um, subscriptions 00:35:00.739 --> 00:35:10.539 Other Periodicals, Postage, Property, Utility Services or Copyrighted Materials, Electrical 00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.980 Services, that type of thing. 00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:17.579 So there's a little section in on that. 00:35:17.579 --> 00:35:24.179 Chapter 3 has some miscellaneous purchasing policies and guidelines. 00:35:24.179 --> 00:35:32.539 Section, and we're still working on this one, I think, disposal of city property. 00:35:32.539 --> 00:35:37.019 And it's kind of odd to think, why is it in your purchasing policy? 00:35:37.019 --> 00:35:41.019 It kind of seems like it's not a place where you'd think this would be. 00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:50.059 But the instance I'd like to bring up is turning in a used vehicle or swapping out police vehicles. 00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:58.960 If you are doing a trade-in for a vehicle worth $10,000 and your new one is now only 00:35:58.960 --> 00:36:04.099 going to cost 15 because you're doing a trade-in, you still have to bring it to counsel for 00:36:04.099 --> 00:36:07.539 the full value of the item that you're trying to purchase. 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:12.099 So that's kind of why this is in here. 00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:19.099 I think we're also checking with Attorney Zito on, you know, is there a nominal value 00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:26.139 of items that we can dispose of without coming to council. So like $200 or $500. I don't 00:36:26.139 --> 00:36:29.739 know if that's something we can do or not. We're still investigating that. And the only 00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:34.420 things I'm thinking of is an office chair. You know, we've had a broken office chair 00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:38.579 sitting around, you know, in our office because we haven't, you know, finance doesn't have 00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:44.059 a lot of stuff to surplus. So is there a nominal value that council would be comfortable with 00:36:44.059 --> 00:36:57.500 to get rid of items with very smaller values. 00:36:57.500 --> 00:37:01.619 We have a section on purchases near the end of the fiscal year. 00:37:01.619 --> 00:37:05.059 This is really for the department directors. 00:37:05.059 --> 00:37:11.639 Department directors shall be responsible for ensuring that they are expensing against 00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:15.639 and others, the fiscal year in which the goods or services are received. 00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:23.639 So this is kind of up to the department heads or their designee or office staff that helps us with accounts payable. 00:37:23.639 --> 00:37:31.639 If you buy something, you receive it in December, you receive it December 31st, that bill goes to December 31st. 00:37:31.639 --> 00:37:35.639 You can't take that bill and push it into next year, I'm afraid. 00:37:35.639 --> 00:37:39.639 So that's just put into the purchasing policy. 00:37:39.639 --> 00:37:50.199 A section on use of the city's sales tax exemption number, very important for all the departments to use our tax exempt number as we don't pay Illinois sales tax. 00:37:50.199 --> 00:37:53.399 So that is in here. 00:37:53.399 --> 00:38:03.639 There's a section on department director acknowledgement. Like I mentioned before, all the department directors will need to sign off that they received the policy. 00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:10.639 We've added a change order policy. 00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:18.639 We have a couple tweaks going to it, but change orders, these are more for our bigger, maybe 00:38:18.639 --> 00:38:23.679 construction projects, or it could even be for a vehicle purchase. 00:38:23.679 --> 00:38:27.199 I'm thinking of maybe an engine. 00:38:27.199 --> 00:38:31.579 There could be a change order to the end of the production of something like an engine 00:38:31.579 --> 00:38:35.659 that we needed to add on some equipment or something like that. 00:38:36.579 --> 00:38:41.699 And this is outlining a dollar amounts that those need to come back to council. 00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:45.579 So if council has already approved one hundred thousand dollars to purchase 00:38:45.579 --> 00:38:50.219 an ambulance, which isn't right, it's about two fifty, right, four fifty. 00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:58.059 So if there is we have we're working on percentages and dollar amounts 00:38:58.059 --> 00:39:03.500 to, if it goes over a certain percentage of what council was told, it has to come back 00:39:03.500 --> 00:39:08.139 to council again to approve that change order. 00:39:08.139 --> 00:39:21.380 So that is also a significant section of the policy. 00:39:21.380 --> 00:39:25.219 There is also in here, City Council shall be notified of a change order if there's an 00:39:25.219 --> 00:39:38.219 We need to know if there's an increase or decrease in either the cost of a contract by a total of 25,000 or more, or if the time of completion extends more than 180 days. 00:39:38.219 --> 00:39:47.219 So if a project is taken a little bit longer, we need to let you know that it's going to take more than 180 days. 00:39:47.219 --> 00:39:51.219 Also in here is our purchasing card policy. 00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:58.579 The city does already use credit cards. A lot of cities call them purchasing cards. 00:39:58.579 --> 00:40:01.739 Purchasing Cards, kinda interchangeable, 00:40:01.739 --> 00:40:03.579 purchasing cards, credit cards. 00:40:05.019 --> 00:40:08.860 Some cities use them to a higher extent than we use them. 00:40:08.860 --> 00:40:10.940 We generally use our credit cards 00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:14.179 only for like a travel related thing, 00:40:14.179 --> 00:40:18.139 a hotel thing, you know, hotel and meals while you're gone, 00:40:18.139 --> 00:40:20.380 or maybe an emergency purchase 00:40:21.539 --> 00:40:26.360 that's a lower threshold on the credit cards. 00:40:28.579 --> 00:40:33.380 The City Manager approves all credit cards that are issued. 00:40:33.380 --> 00:40:39.699 Right now, it's, this is just FYI, not in the policy, but Department Directors have them 00:40:39.699 --> 00:40:43.940 and a few designated staff that have to deal with purchasing items. 00:40:43.940 --> 00:40:49.619 And there are strict rules when we get those statements in that all, 00:40:49.619 --> 00:40:53.699 everything has to have a receipt unless we have an affidavit of waiver 00:40:53.699 --> 00:40:57.460 of why that receipt is missing and an explanation on that. 00:40:57.460 --> 00:41:04.460 Something a little bit new in the policy is issuance of purchase orders. 00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:12.460 So right now, Public Works generally issues the most purchase orders. 00:41:12.460 --> 00:41:18.460 They have it as a tracking mechanism for their department and it works well. 00:41:18.460 --> 00:41:24.460 What I'm proposing is anything over $5,000 will have a purchase order. 00:41:24.460 --> 00:41:35.960 Since we looked at those purchasing levels a little bit ago, if there's a purchase order for anything between $5,000 and $10,000, it's going to need the department director and me. 00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:45.460 Anything over that is going to need department director, me, and Rob for all departments. 00:41:45.460 --> 00:41:57.460 Because we don't have a purchasing department, purchase orders were not used very heavily, but I'd like them to be started for anything $5,000 and above. 00:41:57.460 --> 00:42:07.460 We have a section on new vendors. It just says new vendors to the City of Freeport are required to provide a W-9 form. 00:42:07.460 --> 00:42:13.119 that just tells me the business status and whether I have to send them IRS 00:42:13.119 --> 00:42:18.019 documents at the end of the year and helps us get them set up in our computer 00:42:18.019 --> 00:42:27.980 system. Chapter 4 is all about bidding, competitive bidding, and this is a 00:42:27.980 --> 00:42:31.819 guideline for the departments on bidding. Not every department does a lot of 00:43:01.819 --> 00:43:05.739 and here for the draft the copy when we vote on it in June. 00:43:09.500 --> 00:43:10.779 I think we're in the homestretch. 00:43:12.900 --> 00:43:17.739 It also designates bid opening requirements. 00:43:17.779 --> 00:43:19.980 Who has to be there when a bid is opened? 00:43:20.259 --> 00:43:23.619 When does a bid, what's the timing of that? 00:43:23.940 --> 00:43:27.299 What has to be documented when bids are opened? 00:43:27.299 --> 00:43:29.779 What happens if we get a bid and it's not sealed? 00:43:29.779 --> 00:43:33.779 What happens if we get a bid and it's after the deadline? 00:43:33.779 --> 00:43:38.779 That's going to be all outlined in the policy and procedure. 00:43:43.779 --> 00:43:47.779 Council would receive a draft of those documents. 00:43:47.779 --> 00:43:54.779 Yes. You'll have the whole thing of what the policy will hold. 00:43:54.779 --> 00:43:58.779 I thought maybe you wouldn't want me to read through it all. 00:43:58.779 --> 00:44:27.779 Let's see. There is a section on, I'm going to kind of skip through the end, through the bid process. It ends here with rebidding. You know, sometimes there are cases where you have to rebid, you didn't get any bids, nobody submitted, and you have to rebid. So there's a section on that. 00:44:28.779 --> 00:44:34.779 There is a section on requests for professional services, and we've kind of talked about this one quite a bit. 00:44:34.779 --> 00:44:42.779 Professional services by their nature are not adapted to award by competitive bidding. 00:44:42.779 --> 00:44:53.779 And so there's a whole, there's a paragraph on that explaining about professional services. 00:44:53.779 --> 00:45:02.779 And then I think the last couple sections are about contracts and that they need to be reviewed by legal counsel. 00:45:02.779 --> 00:45:10.779 And then we have a section at the end, Chapter 5 is just a glossary of terms. 00:45:10.779 --> 00:45:21.779 So what do we mean by alternate bid, an award, a bid, a bid bond, a bid bond check, who is a bidder, bid documents. 00:45:21.779 --> 00:45:27.460 Smiths. So some of these aren't normal terms to everyone, and so we just included a glossary 00:45:27.460 --> 00:45:44.259 at the end. And then I don't have them done yet, but I want to also develop the standard 00:45:44.259 --> 00:45:48.940 purchase order format. So the format we're using for purchase orders look exactly the 00:45:48.940 --> 00:46:13.940 I'll also attach a copy of our tax-exempt form and a document for the departments to use to record their verbal quotes or their written quotes, record those when they have to get those verbal quotes, they can write down the words that they want to use to record those. 00:46:13.940 --> 00:46:43.940 Record those when they're they have to get those verbal quotes they can write down what vendors they contacted and how much sign and date and it'll be documented and that's really all the components of it but like I said I wanted to present it so you have plenty of time to start thinking about the document and like I said that we'll get the document out as soon as the drafts done so then 00:46:43.940 --> 00:46:48.940 it can be on the agenda hopefully for the first meeting in June. 00:46:51.059 --> 00:46:51.900 Thank you. 00:46:51.900 --> 00:46:52.719 Thank you. 00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:53.819 Very good. 00:46:53.819 --> 00:46:54.659 Aaron. 00:46:54.659 --> 00:46:57.179 Yeah, I just wanted to make a note on chapter four 00:46:57.179 --> 00:46:59.380 which was the competitive bidding. 00:46:59.380 --> 00:47:03.900 So I know Larry asked a question during that section. 00:47:03.900 --> 00:47:06.860 By and large, we follow that format 00:47:06.860 --> 00:47:10.179 and the notes that we're adding are actually in addition 00:47:10.179 --> 00:47:12.579 to the draft of things that we do every day. 00:47:12.579 --> 00:47:24.259 So our bid process between who's at the bids, who opens the bids, how we record the bids, all that is superior to even most communities that do it. 00:47:24.259 --> 00:47:31.779 So we just basically enhance that section to mirror what we're already doing. 00:47:31.779 --> 00:47:36.819 Thank you. Move on to item number 10, which is public comment. 00:47:36.819 --> 00:47:48.259 Tommy. Jodi, my birthday is coming up June. 00:47:49.300 --> 00:47:51.699 June 2nd is your birthday. You're going to be 63. 00:47:51.900 --> 00:48:02.739 Yeah. And Darin, how's that, that, that Queen move? 00:48:03.460 --> 00:48:05.219 It's going down brick by brick. 00:48:06.819 --> 00:48:12.659 so they got it it's a down that can ground it's right down to the face in the 00:48:12.659 --> 00:48:18.179 face I have the face of the building left any other public comments this 00:48:18.179 --> 00:48:31.380 evening you could please state your name my name is Christopher Parker I live at 00:48:31.380 --> 00:48:36.300 937 East Clinton Street which is at the corner of Clinton Street and Clinton's 00:48:36.300 --> 00:48:43.139 Place. Directly across from the former Frontier Building. Well, the reason I'm 00:48:43.139 --> 00:48:49.380 addressing this council is I really feel like something needs to be done. On 00:48:49.380 --> 00:48:54.260 Friday at four o'clock in the afternoon, a semi truck rolled down through the 00:48:54.260 --> 00:48:59.619 street and ripped my electrical supply line off the wall of my house. And I am 00:48:59.619 --> 00:49:04.260 still currently without power due to that. And in the last two years since I 00:49:04.260 --> 00:49:07.619 I have lived at said address, this is the fourth time. 00:49:07.619 --> 00:49:09.440 I had to do it when I first bought the house 00:49:09.440 --> 00:49:13.019 and I have had to do it two other times and then now, 00:49:13.019 --> 00:49:16.539 and I'm also getting, not that it's the council's fault, 00:49:16.539 --> 00:49:19.099 but I'm also getting the run around from said trucking 00:49:19.099 --> 00:49:21.340 company about whether or not they're gonna pay 00:49:21.340 --> 00:49:22.779 for the damages. 00:49:22.779 --> 00:49:24.840 The other three times I've had to do this 00:49:24.840 --> 00:49:27.099 out of my own pocket, I'm getting tired of it. 00:49:27.099 --> 00:49:29.599 Something needs to happen. 00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:32.880 This is absolutely unacceptable. 00:49:32.880 --> 00:49:39.199 and I don't know why a semi truck is sitting at that intersection trying to get to modern 00:49:39.199 --> 00:49:40.519 plating off a Hancock. 00:49:40.519 --> 00:49:45.760 I don't understand why he wouldn't just come off a state highway 75 and turn on Hancock 00:49:45.760 --> 00:49:46.760 and be done with it. 00:49:46.760 --> 00:49:48.119 I'm a truck driver myself. 00:49:48.119 --> 00:49:53.279 I park at my house and I've never torn anybody's power line down. 00:49:53.279 --> 00:49:56.159 I don't understand why it's so hard. 00:49:56.159 --> 00:49:58.519 I guess I'm speaking frankly and I'm trying 00:49:58.519 --> 00:50:04.119 I'm speaking frankly and I'm trying very, very hard not to cuss because I do cuss like a sailor. 00:50:04.679 --> 00:50:09.320 Truck drivers typically do. I'm trying to be very professional here. I don't know if I've succeeded 00:50:09.320 --> 00:50:14.759 or not, but this is unacceptable. Something needs to happen. A sign that says no trucks passed, 00:50:16.759 --> 00:50:21.400 like the the business revamp is down the street from my house. The trucks could turn around in 00:50:21.400 --> 00:50:27.800 there because I'm like the right there by revamp and the old original Adam Street snack king 00:50:27.800 --> 00:50:34.280 that's just down the street from my house i don't understand because where he's at where he what he 00:50:34.280 --> 00:50:40.440 was trying to do was turn from clinton place on the clinton street go down the alley to Shawnee 00:50:41.159 --> 00:50:46.840 and then turn under that railroad overpass uh at Shawnee and Hancock that's been under construction 00:50:46.840 --> 00:50:51.880 for a while that underpass i don't know if it's if it's been being changed due to the construction 00:50:51.880 --> 00:50:56.679 but it was 11 foot six a semi truck with a van trailer is not going to go under that anyway 00:50:56.679 --> 00:50:59.759 Standard Trailer is 13 foot 6 inches tall. 00:51:00.039 --> 00:51:02.800 So what in the world was he trying to do in the first place? 00:51:04.280 --> 00:51:08.800 And this is, like I said, the fourth time this has happened in two years. 00:51:09.159 --> 00:51:13.199 I'm getting tired of spending money that I shouldn't have to spend 00:51:13.480 --> 00:51:16.079 to do the same thing I've already done three times. 00:51:20.880 --> 00:51:23.039 Thank you. Any other public comments this evening? 00:51:23.039 --> 00:51:28.639 Seeing none, I'll entertain a motion for adjournment. 00:51:28.639 --> 00:51:31.400 So move. 00:51:31.400 --> 00:51:37.000 Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Shadle, Alderman Shadle. 00:51:37.000 --> 00:51:39.119 All those in favor signify by saying aye.