Good evening, Michelle, could you please give the invocation?

In Jeremiah 29-7, in the NCV version, it says, pray to the Lord for the city where you are living because if good things happen in the city, good things will happen to you also.

So Lord, we come before you in complete surrender to your will for the city.

We lay aside all of our own thoughts, ideas, hurts, and mistrusts, and we pray that you would show us your will for Freeport, that this city may prosper in all things according to your will, and that as Freeport prospers, so do the people that reside here.

I pray that every word spoken here tonight flows from godly wisdom so that the city can accomplish its destiny in you, Jesus.

I pray that your love saturates this place in every heart and mind here tonight.

James 119 says, My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. So we pray this verse over each one of us here tonight. In Jesus name. Amen.

Thank you. We will officially call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?

Mayor Miller?

Here.

Alderpersons, Klemm?

Here.

Johnson?

Here.

Simmons is absent.

Parker?

Here. Stacy. Here. Shadle. Here. Sanders. Here. And Sellers. Here. If you could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Parker.

Item number one is approval of the agenda is there such a motion? So move. Second. Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on June 2nd, 2025. Is there a motion to approve? So move. Second. Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed?

Post. That motion passes. Item number three is the recognition of service awards. Manager Boyer.

Thank you, Your Honor. Tonight we celebrate Doug Van Horn, who's been with the city for 20 years, and we just want to thank him. Although he couldn't be here tonight, we want to thank him for his service to the city.

Thank you. Public comments. We have two that are signed in on agenda items. Rhonda Scott.

Hello, I'm Rhonda Scott, 134 North Harlem, and I'm here to speak about the airport.

We have a resolution being proposed to spend $640,000 on the airport, most of which will come from a grant, but Freeport has to pay its share.

So when I try and look this up and figure out where's the money coming from, the Freeport and the City Manager.

So the budget for the airport share appears to be $32,000 on an airport.

It's for rich private plane owners.

I look on the agenda and I don't really see a line item for the airport.

We've got several budgets and the airport isn't listed as a budget, so there's no way I can tell what's in the fund, where the money's coming from.

and others.

We have a lot of questions about how we can improve the service when we get to item 16 and discuss the airport. When you look at the document that is enclosed, it is asking you to approve some engineering services which add up to 198,000. Again, where is the money coming from?

I am really concerned right now because in our country, we have and John, and we are finding ways to cut those to save money. Yet we are finding ways to find money to pay for airports, little teeny airports in our community for the rich. And this is very upsetting to me. I hope it is upsetting to members of the audience and the taxpayers because I don't know where the money is coming from when Freeport is paying for for it. There's 65 aircraft out there. Very few of them are even from Freeport. So I'm very concerned about this and I would like an explanation of who's paying for it. Thank you.

Cheryl Altman.

Good evening. My name is Cheryl Altman. My first one is number 13, about trying to add to 1% food tax.

You already got a 1% sales tax on everything else.

Do you think the people of Freeport can afford any more giving?

And if you guys vote yes for this, for shame on you.

Because I can go to Monroe, get cheaper up there, everything, tax is cheaper.

So why would I go to Freeport and shop?

Matter of fact, I do a lot of business at Menards, but I won't do it in Freeport anymore.

I'm going to Rockford.

Number 14. You guys want to buy, try to get a new Tahoe for the fire department. First of all, what's the matter with the old ones?

A new Tahoe can cost anywhere from $62,000 to $82,000. For them to drive home and back and in town, that's ridiculous.

There's better ways to spend our money, lights, gun control, and all this, than to spend it on stuff that isn't really necessary.

That concludes public comment.

If you could please let the record show at 6.05 Alderman Simmons entered.

Item number five is the Consent Agenda.

The Consent Agenda considers to be routine in nature and acted as one motion unless a member of council would like to have something removed for further discussion.

The consent agenda consists of approving to receive and place on file Board and Commission minutes from the Foreign Fire Insurance Board April 10th and the Board of Fire and Police Commission May 27th, 2025.

The annual Treasurer Report 2025, the Building Permit Report June 2025, the Police Department Report May 2025, and the Greater Freeport Partnership Report June 2025.

Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson, The motion passes 6-2.

Number six is a presentation of audit report. Thank you.

Well, thank you for having me. First, I'd like to thank Michelle and the entire team for making this yet another successful audit year. Without their help, this is not possible, so thank you. I'm nice to go through the annual financial report with you, which is the thicker We're going to go over the packets you received, and if you turn to page one, you'll find our Waterbach name and letterhead.

This is our independent audit report in which we provide a clean, unmodified opinion.

That's the highest opinion you can receive.

Basically states that we found no issues with internal controls or the numbers as they are presented.

If you flip about three more pages, you'll run into the Management, Discussion, and Analysis.

This section really provides a summary of how the year performed in narrative form.

So if you have questions on fluctuations from year to year, or what the numbers truly mean, this is where you want to go to find those answers.

I'm next going to skip ahead to what would be your individual fund income statement, which which begins on page 24.

About three-quarters of the way down the page you'll notice that the General Fund had an Operating Increase of about $6.5 million.

This was.

and dollars this was further reduced by transfers out to your debt service grants capital projects and your landfill funds so your general fund was left with a net increase of about 1.6 million dollars in the current year.

One other fund I did want to point out to you was the landfill closure fund which is Ft. at the bottom of the of page 28 you'll notice that the landfill fund had a deficit fund deposition of five million dollars is primarily due to the implementation of Gas B-83 which was a few years ago where we now have to put with the long-term liability hypothetically would be to retire that and Bill, which in the current year was re-evaluated at about $5 million. I will also point out that you'll notice that there was a transfer in from the general fund, but it did not cover all the expenses for that fund, which made that deficit increase in the current year.

Where did you say that was? It's on page 28, towards the bottom of that We've got landfill closure at the very bottom, $5 million.

Can you show me?

Oh, but it doesn't say landfill.

Yeah, at the top it says landfill closure in that last column.

The next section would be the notes of the financial statements, which would begin on page 32.

And the notes really provide further detail into how we came up with the figures that we did with supporting schedules.

Within there, you're gonna find your long-term debt and your capital asset schedules.

I'm not gonna go through the notes with you tonight, so I'll have you skip ahead all the way to page 92.

Page 92 is the start of your budgetary information, so if you want to see how a specific fund performed based on what was budgeted, this is where you want to go to see those comparisons.

Does anyone have any questions on the financial statements before moving on?

If not, we also provided a second document called the Management Letter.

We had two current year recommendations.

The first one is in regards to creating a disaster recovery plan for your information technology.

And the second document was a recommendation to perform an inventory count over your proprietary sewer fund.

And of the three prior year recommendations, we'll be working with Michelle and looking for implementation on those in the next year.

Anyone have any questions?

Darren did you have something? Yeah, I wanted to clarify something on the landfill fund. Yeah, so my understanding of the net position was I guess how you look at it increased because of the future cost of Testing and things like that at the landfill that are getting more expensive over the closure time, correct? Correct. Yes. Thank you Thank you. Thank you, Don. All right, thank you. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Director Richter, well done to you and your team. So I'll entertain a motion to receive the report and place it on file.

So moved. Second. The motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Madam Clerk, could you please take the roll?

Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, and Johnson.

The motion is approved 8-0.

Item number 7 is appointments and reappointments.

Could you please read these?

Appointment of Michelle Swalb to the Public Library Board effective through May 31, 2027.

Appointment to stand up the ADA Compliance Commission effective through May 31, 2029.

Boyer, City Manager, Pat Ingram, Rachel Leverton, Joyce Sellers, Elizabeth Priller, Megan Ebert, and Rebecca Peters.

Oh I am not done.

I am so sorry.

Reappointment of Bobby Yount to the Zoning Board of Appeals effective through June 30th, 2030 and the reappointment of Abra Palermo to the Zoning Board of Appeals also effective through June 30th, 2030.

Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Simmons? Parker? Stacey? Shadle? Sanders? Sellers? Klemm? Johnson? And the motion passes 8-0.

Item number 8 is Appointments for FOIA Officers.

This is just really a recap of all of the existing FOIA Officers, but with the retirement of Lieutenant, oh help me, JoLynn Markham, Kurt Schnorr is now also a FOIA Officer at the Police Department, as well as Deputy Chief Travis Davis at City Hall, myself, Deputy City Clerk, Tabriah Pearson, and Executive Assistant, Michelle Nelson, Fire Department, Denise Scudder, Admin Assistant, Hillary Broschus, the Fire Marshal, and at the Library, Ashley Huffins as the Director and Kaia Eckert, Administrative Assistant as her backup.

Thank you.

Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second.

Second.

We have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Johnson.

Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson.

The motion passes 8-0.

Item number 9 is the second reading of Ordinance 2025-39.

Ordinance Approving Zoning Map Amendment at 1500 Southwest Avenue, submitted by REA4 asset to examine the proposed zoning map change from a B1.1 restricted retail business to a B2.1 limited service business district.

Thank you.

Director Duckman.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

This is the second reading for a zoning map amendment.

The location would be the old Shopco Optical.

It's actually between the old Shopco Optical and what's now the Flying Puff.

And essentially what's going on here, nothing's changed from the last reading.

So they're looking to go from a B1-2 to a B2-1 and the reason for it is they have a tenant that would like to open up a gym and this petition went before our Zoning Board of Appeals on June 5th and it was recommended for approval by a vote of 5-0 with zero abstentions and on June 12th our Planning Commission also recommended approval by a vote of 6-0 with zero abstentions and in line with the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission staff is recommending approval of the ordinance.

Thank you. Discussion?

Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Simmons? Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye.

Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. The ordinance passes 8-0.

Item number 10 is the first reading of ordinance 2025-40. Could you please read this?

Ordinance providing for additional stop signs at the intersection of Pleasant Street and Miami Avenue.

Thank you.

Manager Boyer.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Staff was notified by two Aldermen, Third Ward and Alderman-at-Large, about an unsafe intersection.

Two stop signs were installed at the intersection of Miami and Pleasant, and staff is asking for approval to codify this in our ordinances as all stop sign locations are included in in our ordinances.

Is there a motion to move this forward?

So move.

Second.

Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

You need a motion for suspension of the rules?

Staff would support that.

I make that motion.

Second.

Second.

Okay, we have a motion for suspension of the rules made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman, Shadle. Suspension of the rules is non-debatable and must be passed by two-thirds majority. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll on the suspension only? Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. The suspension passes 8 to 0. Then before you is the final passage for ordinance 2025-40. If there's any discussion. Alderman, Shadle.

Which street gets the stop on that? Is Miami stopping for Pleasant?

It's a four-way now.

Okay.

Anything else?

Madam Clerk, please.

Anything else?

Madam Clerk please take the roll. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. And the ordinance passes 8-0 as well. Item number 11 is the first reading of ordinance 20-25-41. Could you please read this? Ordinance amending title 8, parking section 480.11 prohibited parking streets adding 80 feet on Oak Avenue in both Directions north and south of Empire. Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor.

As anyone in that neighborhood understands, there is a lot of on-street parking near the intersection because of the width of Oak Street. It makes it difficult for school buses and garbage trucks and any oversized vehicles to make the turn without clipping vehicles that are parked very close to the corner. Staff is requesting a change to the parking Parking Ordinance, and then removing or having no parking for the first 80 feet in either direction off on Oak from Empire.

So on the north side and on the south side of Oak, 80 feet, that'll keep, there's also a appears to be someone who's operating some type of business in that location too that seems to be eating up a lot of the on-street parking.

So we want to make that those first 80 feet either direction prohibited parking.

So staff asked you to move forward with this ordinance.

Is there a motion to move this forward?

So move.

Parker?

I have a question on that.

I have to have it on an ordinance or motion to move it forward.

Okay.

Second.

Okay, so we have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle, Alderman Parker.

Is that on the both the east and west sides of the road?

Yes.

Okay.

I went down there to look at it.

I'm sorry.

Darren, do you want to?

We're asking for 80 feet on the west side only of both intersections.

and the Eastside already has 30 feet by ordinance so we're trying to get people to move back and the designation point that we picked was the first driveway so we really didn't want any parking from the first driveway to the corner.

Thank you for that clarification.

Any other discussion?

I believe you were asking for a suspension on this one.

Motion to approve suspension of the rules.

Second.

made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Parker for suspension and again suspension is non-debatable must pass by two-thirds majority. Madam Clerk would you please take the role in the suspension only. Could you repeat the second please? Parker. Thank you. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye.

Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. The suspension passes eight to zero. So then this would be considered the second reading of Ordinance 2025-41. If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Simmons?

Aye. Parker?

Aye. Stacy?

Aye. Shadle?

Aye. Sanders?

Aye. Sellers?

Aye. Klemm?

Aye. And Johnson?

Aye. And the Ordinance is approved, 8-0.

And Item Number 12 is the first reading of Ordinance 2025-42. Could you please read this?

Ordinance authorizing the City Manager to execute Albertus Airport airplane hangar leases administratively.

Thank you. Alderman Klemm or Alderman Shade?

Certainly. I was an alderman for 18 years and during that period of time we never saw one of the airport leases.

Airport leases are basically based off of nothing more than dollars and cents per square footage.

They're basically reviewed by three to four people before they ever come to us.

They come to us, we sit here and debate them back and forth for hours and what for.

Moore. It really doesn't make a bit of differences in that space. So I believe that the public works person, the airport manager, and the city manager should be able to pick those up without our approval.

The other thing that this has caused in the past is the fact that I know at one point the city clerk had all the leases made out, signed, ready to go, and we didn't agree on and any of them. So they sat there and she had to redo everything. So that's the reason I believe we should change it.

Olin Shadle?

I just would add to that that we have in the last year standardized a new lease and it was approved as a council and the lease rates are established in an ordinance and they're voted and many others.

A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Johnson.

Further discussion?

Alderman Stacy.

Yes.

Alderperson Klemm stated Public Works Director, City Manager, and there was a third person.

The airport manager.

If there's no further discussion, We'll move on to Item Number 13, which is the first reading of Ordinance 2025-43.

Could you please read this?

Ordinance amending Part 8, Business Regulation and Tax Code, Title 4, Taxation, to add Chapter 897 for the purpose of implementing a 1% municipal grocery retailer's occupation tax and a municipal grocery service occupation tax.

Thank you. Manager Boyer.

Thank you, Your Honor. So as part of the fiscal year 2025 state budget, Governor Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly approved the permanent repeal of the state's 1% grocery tax effective January 1, 2026.

This tax had historically supported both state and local government operations through a revenue sharing mechanism.

With its repeal, the state granted home rule municipalities the authority to reintroduce a 1% grocery tax locally via ordinance.

Dozens of communities, especially in northern Illinois, are coordinating efforts to adopt this measure simultaneously to ensure fiscal stability and regional consistency.

For Freeport, the repeal represents a major shift in local revenue responsibility.

Without the adoption of the local ordinance the city will lose a dependable funding stream tied to essential operating costs. Region one Planning Council member municipalities are moving forward with adoption of the local grocery tax in July of this year so that is to preserve revenue continuity. So the financial impact the 1% grocery tax generates an estimated 750 to 800 and O'Keefe are all are able to use the $100,000 per year to the city. We cannot be more specific about that because the way it is compiled, it is part of our total sales tax reimbursement and it is not easily or able to extract that specifically. So staff recommends adopting the event and filing with the Illinois Department of Revenue in October. That is the deadline to have it introduced in July, January. And just a couple of other points I'd like to mention. What does $800,000 represent to the City of Freeport? I will say in general, approximately nine staff, whether that would be police, fire, or public works. It also represents, in terms of road work, I think recently we had an example where we had about a mile of Reconstructed Roadway that was about 900,000 so that's close. Also other communities it represents in let's say Rockford 60 to 80 police officers or 70

to 90 public works employees. In Cherry Valley it also represents something similar and they have a smaller amount but two patrol officers and a yearly Major Street Improvement Program. So as I sit here with you today, I'd recommend moving forward with reinstating the 1% as of January 1st, 2026. It is not an increase. It is simply, the state is currently collecting it and has implemented it and we have the opportunity to continue that. So thank you. Is there a motion to move this ordinance forward?

So move.

Action.

We have a motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Parker.

Discussion.

Alderman Johnson.

I just, just for the audience, people that are listening, this grocery tax, 1% grocery tax is something that we are already paying.

It was at, this state tax was added in 1990 as a part of sales tax reform and proceeds from this tax were distributed to local governments and so that's the $800,000 that Rob was talking about that we are getting from this 1% grocery sales tax now.

So it is not an added tax.

Now it's going to be discontinued or eliminated effective January 1st, 2026.

and other individuals.

It is a continuing tax that we are already paying right now. It is not a new tax. It is one we are already paying.

Correct. And that has been for the last 35 years. Right. Since 1990. Alderman Sellers, I believe you were next. Linda said what I wanted to say.

Thank you for pointing that out, Alderperson, Johnson, where this is an opportunity for us to save our taxpayers that 1%, as Illinois has done away with it, again we say no, we are not going to save you that money, we are going to continue to take it.

Please note who is for this, who has seconded it, who had made the motion for it to even move forward.

We gotta stop taking people's money, and if this is an opportunity to save people, then we should we should take it any other discussion alderman Johnson it's not really that we want to take keep taking people's money the problem is it will put a deficit of eight hundred thousand dollars in our budget that we are using now which means that it could take away the money that we pay for our police department it could take away money that we pay for our expenses of every day to and John.

So, we have to get the money out of the department.

If it's not going to operate, it can take money away from every department in the city. That's what the money is being used for now. So, without it, where do we get the $800,000 deficit that we're going to have if we don't continue it?

» There's no further discussion. Move on to item number 14.

25, Chevrolet Tahoe from Carl Auto Group for the Fire Department.

Thank you.

Chief Miller.

Yes, thank you, Your Honor.

The Fire Department has a nearly 20-year-old response vehicle that is utilized to respond to emergencies for both firefighters and its officers.

It's been determined that the vehicle is no longer suitable for a response vehicle.

Due to rust on the frame and suspension components makes it no longer suitable for emergency responses.

The new vehicle proposed would be assigned to the shift commanders, which run about 85% of the calls that we go on, exceeding 6,000 calls per year.

Those current shift commanders have completely outgrown their present Ford Explorer.

They simply need more space for the required equipment that they have to carry.

The Ford would replace the downgraded Chevy Trailblazer.

Kaiser. This would extend the useful life of the Ford Explorer and save the City money.

So funding for this proposed vehicle is accounted for and this year's budget was planned for as part of the vehicle replacement plan. So the Fire Capital Improvement Fund would cover the cost of this vehicle. This is not part of the City's general fund and will not impact any programs the city has currently planned.

So the Fire Capital Improvement Fund is funded by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.

This is not something that the taxpayers would be paying for out of their sales tax or property taxes.

So the fire department is requesting approval of the resolution to purchase the new vehicle for the fire department shift commanders.

Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Second.

Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion on the resolution?

Alderman Sellers.

Chief Miller, you said that this money already comes out of a budget that is for replacement of vehicles.

Correct? Yes, that's correct.

Fire Capital Improvement Fund which is allocated for capital purchases such as vehicles, hose, turnout gear, things of a higher budget consideration. Did you want to use your second time? Yes, and you also, when we talked, you also said in that budget every year that the City takes a certain percentage off of that, out of that fund, right?

That's correct.

So the money that Ambulance Billing generates goes into the Fire Capital Improvement Fund.

And each year in the fall, the city will take 54% of that fund and allocate that to the General Fund.

So we're actually supplementing the general fund, we're not tapping into it.

So the remaining 64 percent goes to fire department capital items.

Alderman Sanders?

Yeah, Chief Miller.

Forty-six percent.

Do we have the cost and the personnel staff that is going to be utilizing this vehicle, Do we have that available for us and to us where we can evaluate and look into, look further to see have we made other options to where we're purchasing this vehicle and how much it would actually cost and is there any discounts along with that or is there any biddings in and wait, is there still anything in place for the vehicle so we can even make comparisons?

sure absolutely all that information you just cited is in your packet and its in memo format and also the bid costs were on there so looking at cost for this vehicle checking locally it went to backer auto group their cost for a very stripped down regular Chevy Tahoe that Tahoe, that any one of us would purchase for our families, not a response vehicle.

That was $61,000 plus the fees for title and processing and all that.

So for a police package response vehicle designed and built for this intention here, pre-wired for light sirens and emergency equipment from the factory, the state, Illinois State purchasing Purchasing Contract for that vehicle was Miles Chevrolet Indicator, that quote was $58,028.

And then Iowa State Purchasing Contract for that same exact response vehicle designed for this use was $52,714.20.

So we have done our research, we've looked into costs, we've found the best possible In my opinion, it's almost dangerous for as much equipment as they have unsecured in that tiny vehicle.

Alderman Sanders, did you want to use a second time?

Yes.

Go ahead.

Chief, I understand that you're out for bids and everything for the best option for the city when purchasing.

My thing is, I'd like for you to define to us the difference between the price tags of a non-response vehicle and a response vehicle.

What's the cost difference in the two?

I know there's going to be a major increase when we're talking about a response vehicle.

It's going to go into thousands, more so that it would probably almost exceed the price of the vehicle.

So, and that's my opinion and my speculation because I don't see anything before me that tells me anything different.

So I'd like for you to kind of like, you know, kind of like define the difference between the two and the cost difference.

Certainly. So, once again, the regular, I guess, standard vehicle that any person could buy from a car dealership, this example is Bakker Auto Group.

So for a regular script on Tahoe, meaning it still has carpet, it still has satellite radio, it has more options than a response vehicle.

The cost of that vehicle is more than $61,000.

So what we are seeking to purchase is a response vehicle that is built and designed for emergency responses.

Specifically, again, it's wired from the factory for lights, sirens, radios.

It has larger brakes for emergency stopping.

It has a larger alternator for all the electronic components it has to power.

It comes with two batteries, one for the motor, one for all the electrical components.

It is rated and designed to be a response vehicle substantially less than Alderman, Stacy, did you have your hand up? Yes. You said that this would come from the The Fire Capital Improvement Fund. Yes, that's correct. And that fund is created from the emulence cause. That's right. That you all receive. Correct. And so you basically budget it for this this year? That's correct. The money's in the budget for this vehicle. It was planned for, it was allocated for, and we were waiting until a vehicle became available to make a proposal or presentation to council.

What I don't understand is why 54% goes into the general fund if it's from the ambulance calls, the medical calls.

That's been set up by ordinance to supplement the general fund.

It helps offset our salaries, our benefits, some of our station maintenance.

So it contributes to the general fund for other uses within the city.

Any other discussion on the purchase?

Seeing none, Madam Clerk, Alderman, Johnson.

Chief Miller, I just was under the understanding also that there's only certain vehicles that you can use for all the equipment that you have and this is one of them, the main one, on this Tahoe that could, that would need to be used because there's so much equipment.

I mean, you showed me when I went to the police department all the equipment they have to carry and it was very cramped in that vehicle that it currently is in, so yes.

Yes, we are seeking a larger vehicle to better accommodate the needs of the shift commanders.

All the equipment that they carry now is just placed in their set down and what we're looking to do is have cabinets and the ability to secure the equipment so forbid they get in a crash as the equipment's not even come bouncing around inside the cab of the vehicle.

Years ago, many years ago, before they had such built response vehicles, we would go to a car dealership, buy something off the lot and put light sirens and radios in that kind of car.

It's not built for that kind of use.

It's not built for that kind of response.

The electrical components were not adequate.

The braking system was not adequate.

And transmission cooler.

So they've come a long way with designing vehicles to last for this intended use.

Thank you.

If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Simmons?

Aye.

Parker?

Aye.

Stacy?

Aye.

Shadle?

Aye.

Sanders?

Aye.

Sellers?

and Johnson. Aye. The resolution is adopted 8-0. Item number 15 is the adoption of resolution 2025-71. Could you please read this? Resolution authorizing an agreement with Fehr Graham to provide construction engineering services for Westward Water Main Extension. Thank you.

Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Fehr Graham designed and permitted the Westward Water Main Extension on Stevenson from Brad Martin to the city limits. Helm or Civil was is the low bidder for the construction project and plans to start the new water main installation in the fall of 25.

Fehr Graham will provide professional construction engineering services to manage the project on behalf of the city and engineering services will consist of full-time observation and inspection, along with project management, construction, survey layout, and staking.

This project consists of infrastructure improvement investment of $631,889.50 to this location and the hot mix asphalt streets will be a full lane patch upon completion of the water main completion.

Professional service engineering services including construction engineering, staking and so on is in the amount of $63,850.

Material QAQC, material testing services are done by a third party at time and material basis and as needed.

And construction engineering was part of the 2025 budget.

So staff recommends to approve the professional engineering agreement with Fehr Graham to move forward with the construction oversight and management.

Is there a motion to adopt?

So moved.

Second.

A motion made by Alderman Seller, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

Discussion on the resolution?

Alderman Stacy?

Okay, to keep it straight and simple. First of all, we're talking about the school, Open Bible. This is the water main for Open Bible. Am I correct?

It would be the water main heading west that includes multiple residents and ends at Open Open Bible. Open Bible. And we've already paid Director Stiegel $69,000 to design it.

And so now we're going to be paying him another $63,850 to do the T&Ms and to be the engineer your contractor on this project, how much money, you know, you were talking about you were seeking grants for this project, how much money did we actually receive for this Watermane, Event, Alderperson, Stacy, we did see grants, we did not receive grants for this one, however, this came in about $250,000 below estimate and it's quite a value to get and I have this much water main done for what it's going to cost, so these construction supervision and management is how we ensure that the project is done to specification on time and on cost.

Would you like to use your second time already Cecelia?

Yes.

Okay, second time.

How is it that we're able to save $250,000 on that project, but no other water main?

Do we save that kind of money?

So how is it that we're able to save so much on that one?

Maybe.

Darren?

Sure.

All of our bids this year came in under estimate for the complete water main projects.

We've got really good pricing this year.

Water main material cost in general has come down slightly from kind of the post COVID years.

And so prices were more advantageous.

So if I go back to the other three Watermain projects that we've bid, I think in a total they were about a half a million dollars under what we estimated for those projects as well.

So that's been kind of a trend here in 2025.

Alderman Shadle.

I just for clarity would like to mention that however Mr. Steekle is probably a very valued and Employee at Fehr Graham.

He is not the one that we're making a contract with, we're making it with his Employer, Fehr Graham.

Any other discussion?

Alderman Sandman.

Yeah, I just want to announce that there's a failure on the Council to not look into this matter because it has been before us three times now and we had not come up with a resolution.

Matter of fact, as far as my understanding is, it was thrown out of here and we didn't have a vote on it or it was suspended or something to that nature.

But my point, the reason why I'm bringing this up is because this has been rewritten, this has been before us, but now it has a different scenario going on for extension to accommodate the extension of this water main to accommodate this Bible solution or problem that we have been having.

And my question would be is how do we come to that factor?

Who's coming up with the consultation between the group of people that designing this and coming up with the fact that we're making this proposal.

We're making this proposal for the third time.

And if that is the case, then I feel that the council should not weigh in on this or suspend this or throw it back out of here again until we get some complete clarity.

There is no clarity here because what I'm looking at is that we're coming from the back door trying to facilitate another objective.

And that's my hope.

That's my opinion.

I feel that it has compromised the whole thing for this to be brought before us again, and it's been out of the loop for months, maybe almost a year, and while we're entertaining this again from a different perspective, it seems very odd that we would even be approaching this whole thing again, knowing that now the Bible study is going to receive an extension to all of this movement that we're putting together, this proposal that we're putting together, we're including them as well. And I'd like to see how much we're being charged for this extra engineering services that is being provided with this also being an inclusion with the Bible study as an extension because it sounds very fishy to me and I don't like and I'm saying this simply because I can see it and I can visualize what is happening right now at this moment.

That's my first point.

Sure.

So I'll recap.

The City Council voted to design this project.

We designed it.

The City Council voted to permit it.

We permitted it.

The City Council voted to put it out to bid.

We put it out to bid.

We have a contract to award to Helm to do the job and this is the construction engineering contract for it and it's the first time it's been to council.

No it has not been the first time because this is a whole different project with the extension of including the water main along with this project that would extend to the Bible study.

That's what I'm seeing right now, because my question is, we did not come up with the Bradmar, I'm looking at this thing, the other portion of this, Westward, from Bradmar, and I got this, I'm looking at my wrong notes, but the thing about it is, it's a whole different project with an inclusion of the Bible study extension, it's another extension, and to to get this even started. The council has no clue that this projection is even being presented or proposal being presented to the council. And you saying that it's the first time? No, it's another scenario. Yes, the scenario is the first part of it has been, it is the first time. But the fact that, yeah, the westward thing that we're talking about to add on the and others.

So, we're going to add it to the Bible.

That's the first time.

But we had gone over the extension from the Bible study already two times.

Now we're going to add it coming in at the back door.

That should not ever happen without the discussion of the council.

I don't care how we get there, but the council needs to be able to talk about it and discuss it.

Nothing's been done without the council approval.

the record will show that it's been voted on every time and passed the council to move forward to this project point.

I don't know if Dovie has those records, but this council, the sitting council here, with the exception of Linda at the last vote, move this forward to bid.

And so we, the bid, this is the construction engineering part.

The bid is later in the agenda based on the way the agendas are wrote.

Any further, Alderman Simmons?

This is for you, Director Stecco. So yes, you are right. We did pass on the design under the understanding that that was what was needed in order to even apply for the grants that are out there. So my question then to you is how many grants, if any, were applied for to help get this project completed? So as we promised, I believe it was Alderwood and Stacey that asked, we have applied for every grant We've received a lot of grants. Even Mr. Sorensen's money that was appropriated to Freeport with the presidential change, all of those funds were pulled back, which was $4 million from the city that we were anticipating for this year.

So, we did our best to find money. I believe, and I think City Manager Boyer or Mayor Miller will have to let us know, but I believe that Open Bible projected $15,000 to the city towards this project from their coffers, not to include any work on their property.

that's correct chief Miller yes thank you your honor I realize that extending that water service out to the western edge of the city would benefit many people who live out in that area whether it's residential whether it's institutional but what our concerns are at the fire department that extension represents and 7 more fire hydrants. I carry about 800 feet of 5 inch holes which is our considered above ground water main on each truck. So if we had an incident anywhere in that area whether it be a institution or residential we would be scrambling for a water supply sufficient enough to feed our apparatus and effectively extinguish any fires out that way.

Thank you. Alderman Sanders, you've already had your twice. Is there anyone else? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Simmons? No. Parker? Aye. Stacy? No. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? No. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye.

The resolution is adopted 5-3. Thank you.

Item number 16 is the Resolution, Adoption of Resolution 2025-73. Could you please read this?

Resolution approving agreement with Crawford, Murray, and Tilly for Airport Engineering Services related to replacement of Runway 624, Precision Approach Path Indicator, or the PAPI System.

Thank you. Manager Boyer?

Thank you, Your Honor. The Precision Approach Path Indicator or PAPI System, as Dovie just mentioned, is a vital airfield safety feature that provides glide path guidance to pilots using a combination of red and white lights.

The current system on runway 6-24 installed in 2002 has exceeded its design life and is no longer operational and is unsupported by the manufacturer. Recent FAA inspections have documented this delinquency. This project proposes full replacement with FAA L-880 compliant LED systems which will provide visual guidance, increase air navigation safety, and reduce operation and maintenance costs. This project includes removal of the existing PAPI system and installation of the new LED floor box system at both runway ends. Power for both systems will be routed through the airport's existing lighting vault, improving reliability and maintenance efficiency.

Cofford, Murphy, and Tilley, or CMT, has been selected and is our current airport engineer and provides the design, special services, and construction engineering under the IDOT approved agreement. The project is scheduled for bid letting in November of 2025 with contractor work anticipated from May to June of 2026. Engineering work will conclude by August of of 2026. The total cost of the project is $640,000. Of that amount, $608,000 or 95% will be funded through federal and state grants with the city responsible for 5% local matching totaling $32,000. The engineering agreement totals $194,300 for the design, special services, Services, and Construction Fays, and the city is responsible for a total $32,000 that is budgeted in fiscal year 2025 in the airport budget. Staff recommends moving forward with the agreement with Crawford, Murphy, and Tilley as our airport engineer.

Is there a motion to adopt?

So moved.

Second.

motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion.

Alderman Stacey. So if they were to get into this project and something unexpectedly came up, where would that money come from? This is for engineering so they're telling us that's what it's going to cost to engineer the project Stewart, and to complete the project for the city.

and to complete the project for the city. So that is what the city's paying and the total amount is six hundred and forty thousand. The total amount for the city is thirty-two thousand. I understand but the total for the project. Yes it's I it's itemized in the memo six hundred and forty thousand dollars. Okay I mean I'm just I'm just stating for the record.

I just want to add one thing to Rob's point is we are currently having quite a few issues with the lighting system out there.

Manager Jansen's here, but we've been having significantly expensive electrical bills out at the airport because they're not working properly and we have to leave them on overnight.

And so the new system will alleviate some of that issue.

We, we, the guidance system has to be able to turn them on at night and if that's not working then we have to go to leaving them on at night and we've seen significant increase in those electrical costs.

Alderman Sanders.

Yeah, is there a way that we can address that issue by manually turning those lights off when not needed, necessarily needed?

and I.

Is there any reason why we can't be in a, you know, have someone to manage all of that lighting system out there the proper way until we get the system back up and going?

Well, I should answer that question, Manager Jansen said, but I would believe that we're not, we don't staff the airport 24-7, so it would be hard to have somebody turning them on and off.

That's why they have to be left on at night.

I can't, you mean to say it take a staff to turn lights on and off? It does it? It's set up that way?

No, currently I believe it's automatic, but that system is not working.

Okay, so what we're saying is manually we have to conduct that?

Yep, when she leaves for the day, she turns them on. When she comes in the morning, she turns them off.

I see. Okay, thank you.

Alderman Stacy?

Yes. I just want to state that, you know, why is the city paying for the airport? It's not a part of our strategic plan for development. Nowhere on the strategic planning document on the city page is there anything about the airport in our strategic plan even listed.

Why is that, City Manager Boyer?

I'll have to review it, but I thought it is mentioned, but I'd have to double check and review that.

Yeah, we actually talked about it quite a bit last two years ago, and I'm sure we'll discuss it again in our September meeting.

Why is it not on the page?

Actually, I believe there it is listed on there, and I believe it actually one of the to-dos was an economic development plan.

It's not on there.

I would just like to remind everybody that the airport has its own master plan and this is part of the airport's master plan of replacement.

That's why we're getting so much grant funding towards it and I think we talked about this before with the resealing of the pavement but we have taken quite a bit of money in federal grants towards the airport and we need to keep the airport up to federal standards or we will end up having to pay that money back over time.

Any other discussion?

Alderman Johnson?

I'm just wondering, what would the ramifications be if this is not done?

I don't know if Angie would like to speak to that, being that she's a little more, she'd have a better understanding of the ramifications.

Basically, ramifications on it, basically it could be shut down.

And if the airport is shut down, there's millions and millions and millions of money that has and others.

We are not making parts for it.

We are going to make parts for it.

It has to be paid back.

So that is bottom line.

That is the ramifications of it.

As it stands right now, Darren was correct in a lot of what he was saying.

Our actually the PAPI system right now is not working at all.

So it is like it was said that we cannot, we cannot make, or there is not parts for it anymore.

They were making parts for it and we are to the point now that we are past that.

So again, that could be the last result.

and the City of Washington.

And it could shut the airport down, which is not a good thing for everyone, for the city and everyone.

Alderman Johnson. So it's not usable right at this moment? That is correct.

Is that what you're saying? Yeah, that's why this is in the process of trying to get the new ones.

Thank you. Thank you.

Alderman, Sellers. Just want to know, how long because of everything with the bid letting and stuff like that.

It's supposed to be completed, I believe.

Manager Boyer ended up saying that.

I believe it's next year, yeah.

Yep, it'd be.

And sometimes it does get moved up a little quicker.

We can always cross our fingers.

But it will be as of next year.

The thing is, is what the state looks at and the feds look at is at least it's in the process.

That's what they care about, that it's going to happen.

But if there's nothing in the process, that's when we have an issue.

Yeah, is this project budgeted? Yeah, the city's portion. We have the grants and everything. The grants are already done, yep. They're done and we're moving forward with everything at this time. Yep. Okay, I could ask more questions but I'm going to leave it at that for now.

if there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Simmons, Parker, Stacy, Shadle, Sanders, Sellers, Klemm, Johnson. The resolution is adopted 8-0. Item number 17 is the adoption of resolution 2025-74. Could you please read this? Resolution ratifying Emergency Police Department HVAC system repairs by GeoStar Mechanical. Thank you, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Over the last Just three years, the city's police department has had reoccurring HVAC or air conditioning issues.

The facility air conditioning system, which is original to the building, has had compressor loss at alarming rates, so I think we've gone through three compressors at this point.

So due to the last two compressors only lasting nine months and the replacement only lasting one week, Darren, from Fehr Graham, as the Public Works Director-Consultant, requested We requested getting a professional third-party electrician involved and also a generator specialist for total system evaluation.

And during the research and discovery phase, all internal police station electrical demands and wiring were checked.

After this was complete, the city requested that ComEd bring in a team of specialists to evaluate the facility and the transformer load rating on the building with specialized monitoring equipment.

ComEd monitors proved that the police department was being deprived of full electrical power during sporadic levels of demand.

After more research, it was found that an adjacent building that was upgraded three years ago had added sufficient demand on these transformers, which changed the load and was and others, causing our local Transformers to not supply sufficient power to the police station under high demand.

So the monitoring equipment proved when all of their systems hit in the new upgraded building that the power lines at the same time the Transformers couldn't keep up and comment representatives told city staff that the city can file a claim for all costs associated with the event.

So that is the plan currently.

Director, Richter, is compiling all of the city's costs for these events over the last several years for a claim.

ComEd responded with new larger transformers after the power shortage was uncovered and the police station has not had any power related issues since then.

So the city will pay GeoStar $55,804.15 for the emergency repairs.

Furthermore the staff will file a claim with ComEd for all costs and expenses related to these incidents due to the lack of supply required for our air conditioning system at the City Police Department.

So staff recommends approve the GeoStar emergency invoice and we will continue to recover our costs with ComEd in the coming weeks and months.

Is there a motion to adopt?

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

Discussion?

Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacy? Aye. Shadle? Aye. Sanders? Aye. Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. The resolution is adopted 8-0. Item number 18 is approval of bid. Could you please read this?

There was a bid opening on June 13th, 2025 for the Westward Water Main Expansion.

Manager Boyer?

Thank you, Your Honor. So, Fehr Graham designed and permitted the new 12-inch Graham designed and permitted the new 12-inch water main installation for West Stevenson Street from Radmar to the city limits. That would include Open Bible and a public bid opening was held on Friday, June 13th at 10 a.m. at City Hall. City staff received four local bids for this important project from Kelsey Excavating, Northern Illinois Service Company, Helm Civil, and Fisher Excavating. Helm Civil was the low bidder at $631,889.50. This project was for the water main, gate valves, water services, and fire hydrants to this corridor that don't currently have city water available. City restoration will be limited to the water main trench only and the low bid and all four bids were under the engineer's estimate. I believe that was north of $900,000. So this project will will be paid for with CIP funds and staff recommends approval of the bid with Helm Civil.

Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

Discussion on the bid?

Alderman Sanders?

Yeah.

It goes back to where we started with this whole conversation.

I think we were back two resolutions ago, that this resolution should not pass simply because we still don't have a resolution for how we even got to this position of having a new, and I understand, I don't know what the protocol is for replacement of water main, but I didn't know replacement of water main start at one section and then goes all the way to the city limits.

Limits. I didn't quite understood that part, and where did that city limit became a part of the expansion, became a part of the expansion of Bradmar, westwardly, westwardly. And so I can understand if it's old and ancient and dilapidated, which I know it isn't because that development area is not all that old to have a new replacement of water main. But But anyway, it's here in this resolution for replacement of a water main that we have not had any understanding why would that water main out there in the Bradmar location needs to be replaced.

We have not talked about that, nor have we got any clarification, but the thing that bothers me is the fact that it all is coming back to the city limits.

The City Limits is at a certain point where it passes right back to where we started with the Bible study, extensions and things of that nature.

So what it is doing is repeating itself and why we have a position where contractors want to bid on this project, it needs to be understood how do we even get to this point to bring Bradmar and the city limits all together to understand that this water main is now in the formation of being bedded on and council has not discussed these matters.

Well clue me in to how we got to this point where Bradmar is asking for a replacement of water main and we have not had a discussion on the matter and the fact that I know we out there playing titterly winks with the extension of the Bible study extension for Watermain to be included.

Help me to understand why it is that now we're talking about all of it being meshed together and we don't know exactly where the funding is coming from and the council has not even made an appeal or discussion on this issue.

I know we're talking parts of it.

We're talking part, and then we're going to put them all together, and that should not be the case here. And I don't feel that we should be trying to approve a bidding opening for anything at this point when it's in this kind of form and being brought to the Council for an approval. I don't get that. It just dumb-founds me how we even get to this point.

for you guys to insult the intelligence of the council to bring this before us.

I think it's a matter of injustice or some kind of ludicrous formation that is being put together to do whatever you want to do.

I just don't get it, but anyway, that's my opinion and that's how I feel about it.

Manager Boyer?

Just to speak to you a few points, just to recap, 20 years ago, there was a handshake agreement with the then Fire Chief and the water utility that said we'll pursue the construction of this structure if we get water service out there within a period of time.

Those people have either died, retired, or have moved on to other issues.

We had a change of the State Fire Marshal who upon inspection noticed that none of the fire suppression systems within the facility that is one of our largest young child care facilities had no operational sprinkler system.

So staff began the work with City Council's permission to put together a design, which we did.

Then we pursued grant funding, which we were unsuccessful in getting.

then we brought it back to Council to go ahead and have it bid. That was approved by Council.

We went ahead and had it bid and we are now bringing this before Council for approval.

And I want to remind everyone here that this is not serving a single child care facility.

It's also providing water for 11 different homes along Stevenson that don't have access and others, and it's also providing water for Highland College and also Freeport School District. So I hope that clears it up, but it was approved by council to move forward with this bidding process.

And I believe we've been talking about this for about a year now. And the water main doesn't actually I have the floor. Well, you can't have the floor. So just to let you know that Fowler, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor, Mayor and I was not done. Well you've actually are done with your piece of it so Alderman Shadle would you like to be next? Yeah I just I'm not understanding why this is so hard to understand. Bradmar had a new water main last summer. We're tying into the corner of Stevenson and Bradmar to extend the water main west. This is a new and I have a new water main because there is nothing there.

Radmar is not getting a new water main.

They got a new water main last summer.

Anyone else? Alderman Stacy?

Yes.

All of this mix-up and confusion started when it was brought to the Council because 25 years ago, let's put that out there, whoever the community director was told the principle of open Bible that the city would take care of them getting water out there.

and I. And it was never brought to the council floor. It was never dealt with nor talked about on the council floor. And so now when they got busted at the last inspection for not having a working water sprinkler, they were given a grace period, and I don't remember I remember if it was a year or if it was six months, but it ended in March, I do know that, and so where we had spoke about this in 2024, and where it had even failed on vote, then once you got re-elected, Mayor Miller, everything came back up again.

because you would have the votes to push you to and pass it so this is why a piece here and a piece here and a piece here now we just talked about this water main up here and you keep changing the name now it's West whatever Now it's West, whatever, but why couldn't both of those numbers be put back to back?

Why is one up here in 14 or 15 or 16 and then one down here at 18?

And it's just to, I don't know, I don't know, I'm not confused, but are you trying to confuse the council?

Are you trying to confuse the people?

What really are we doing here?

Well, the order of agenda is set by ordinance. Madam Clerk, would you like to explain that?

Okay, so there's an ordinance that said we could not talk about this until 18?

That would be correct. There's an order. Madam Clerk, would you like to explain that? We just passed it at the last meeting.

Well, we keep changing these ordinance.

No, it's not. Go ahead.

Yeah, you just passed the last meeting.

It's an order of how our agendas are set up.

Is there any other discussion?

Yeah.

Alderman Sanders.

Yeah, first of all, I don't know who's creating the order of our agenda.

So one portion of it ends up at the deep last ending of the agenda.

So it doesn't get discussed as much.

and so on.

I don't know much, but my whole point is, and just to elaborate on some things, to do a replacement, to even discuss something of that magnitude, we need to see the paperwork that brought that into view, that a resolution for water main evaluation analysis updates and the reason why, because everything is scheduled.

These domains are usually scheduled throughout the year, decades, or whatever the case is, for new upgrades and all these kinds of things.

But the thing that bothers me is that, if we don't have the monies where it's supposed to be, and I hate for people to be, when they're regurgitating things, to have a different viewpoint of opinion or how it was addressed the very first two times.

If we're going to talk about this, then the city clerk should be talking about what it was that we approved and did not approve of.

We should be able to reiterate all of those things that we talked about the first two, three meetings and the disagreements of why we didn't want to approve that first extension to the Bible study.

Well, the thing about it is now we have roped it to include it back into a proposal, but first of all, we have not discussed the fact that it matter whether or not the Bradmar extension or replacement water main was even relevant. We have not discussed that. Who does the study and get all the data and the information that shows us that we're having and water main issues that needs to be replaced in the Bradmar sector.

And if we don't have that, then we can't make an informed decision on how we want to go and vote on these matters simply because the information is not coming to us.

And that's the reason why we're sitting here paused at what is being said.

And so my whole thing is, what are we going to do when it comes to making these payments?

Who's going to cover the bill when we don't have the monies and we talked millions of dollars just to extend that water main to the, yes, we did, we talked about, I remember that really clearly, that we talked, it was about 1.2 million dollars to extend it from one intersection to the Bible study, that's what my last recollection was.

and until we go back and review that whole discussion, from this point on, I'm not accepting anything that is being said until we have had an opportunity to review the matters of things that we have discussed and that's why we're sitting here right now with scratching I hear is on how we got here, and now we're trying to put bidders in place to do the construction work of it.

I just don't get it.

It sounds like a three-wing circus to me, and it should not be going on like that.

That's my opinion, you know.

So anybody can rebut me, challenge me, or they can help me to understand is what is needed.

Darren?

Yes.

So I'll try to explain this another time.

There is no water main or no study to do going to the west of Bradmar because water main does not exist there currently and has never existed.

It's an area of town that is unserved.

Last year, I believe it was last year and the year before, we replaced the water main at Bradmar and town as part of the city project.

This project came to the Council the first time it was denied.

It was brought back.

It was approved to design.

We designed it.

We permitted it with Council's approval.

We bid it at Council approval.

Just happens to be that you were not at the meeting that the Council approved to go out to bid.

That's probably why you don't recall that.

That was about a month ago.

And now here is the bid for approval.

Any other questions on the bid?

Seeing none, Alderman Simmons?

So, again, Mr. Stiegel, this is all under the premise that these are so many grants out there that we would be sure if I were to get one.

And I would just like to ask, can you name one that you applied for?

Yes.

Community Development Block Grant, CDBG grant, we tried to get that grant.

We went after Congressional Direct Spending.

We sent a request to John Cabello.

We sent requests to Eric Sorensen.

We sent letters.

The mayor sent multiple letters out asking for help with this project.

Unfortunately, it's not a project that really qualifies.

It's not that big of a project in the scope of a big, large water main project.

And again, we're not redoing the entire road.

We're only doing the trench.

You've already spoken twice, Larry.

Okay.

Oh, I had asked for a deadline for the application. I'm glad that you noted reaching out and asking people, but I mean actual grant applications, so you did name the community development grant, but I would like the deadline that had to have been turned in by as well.

Sure, it would have been, because we've been working on this for a year, so it would have been last cycle, which would have been, I have to look it up, but it was the end of 2024 for CDBG. It's only offered once a year.

If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the vote on approving the bid.

Simmons? No.

Parker? Aye.

Stacy? No.

Shadle? Aye.

Sanders? No.

Sellers? Aye.

Klemm? Aye.

Johnson? Aye.

The motion is approved five to three.

Item number 19 is another bid approval. Could you please read this?

There was a bid opening on June 24, 2025 for the MFT routing and crack filling program for 2025.

Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. So as our ongoing pavement maintenance program exists, we have probably 20 miles or so in town that we've reconstructed in the last several years.

As part of maintaining that, we need to do crack filling and other maintenance things to make sure We have requested a bid on crack filling services. The city received these two local bids for this specialty pavement project from Denlar Inc. and SKC Construction. SKC Construction of West Dundee was the low bidder at $76,178.49.

SKC was awarded the contract the last time the city did crack sealing maintenance and did a very nice job for us and we're very happy with their work.

So the low bid was actually under engineer's estimate and as I mentioned, 76,000 is a very low bid and the project will be paid for through our motor fuel tax funding for 2025, and staff's recommendation is to approve the SK construction bid.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

Discussion on the approval of this bid.

Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Simmons?

Parker?

Aye.

Stacy?

No.

Shadle?

Aye.

Sanders is absent, Sellers? Aye. Klemm? Aye. And Johnson? Aye. The motion passes five to two.

Next is reports of department heads, finance? Thank you. Community development? Nothing tonight, Madam Mayor. Thank you. Public works? Some street and water main updates. Cleveland started this This week with point repairs happening tomorrow, Cleveland from Burchard to Empire will be closed most of the day tomorrow.

Weir will be closed most of the day tomorrow.

Black Hawk Water Main started today, starting at Dewey Street, moving north, should be under construction probably at least the next month, and then they should be moving to Willow Street.

Carroll is under construction from Empire to Galena.

They should be working on water services this week and then transferring to the other side of the street, working towards Adams.

Williams, there'll be a lot of construction going on within the city limits moving forward for the rest of the summer so please be cautious and courteous around the road closures and also the traffic control devices to make sure the contractors and our city workers are safe.

Fire?

Yes, thank you, Your Honor.

Last week the fire department responded to 124 calls for service.

of those days of the week, I'll describe what our crews went through on the 4th of July.

They began their shift in the afternoon with a car crash that resulted in one adult fatality, one child in critical condition that was flown out to Rockford. Then later in the evening they responded to a fire on Madison Street, a residential fire, which was started by a and and Mr.

L.

K.

In 2022 when the state of Illinois passed the safety act, it required officers to fulfill training mandates by July 1st of 2025.

Some of those trainings were scenario based trainings, de-escalation.

and others.

We have a lot of training training, scenario-based training, de-escalation. These courses have to be renewed on an annual two-year, three-year basis. I'm happy to report that all of our officers were able to get all the required training done by July 1st of this year. Something that not every department was able to do. It was a lot of work for us to organize that. I'm just glad that, I'm proud of them for Certifications Needed, Library, I just want to make sure everybody knows that the library is closed on Saturday for Teddy Baker days, that's it, IT, Airport, City Manager, thank you honor I would like to take a few minutes and thank our dedicated crews that responded to I believe 11 water main breaks this last last week, they are correlated with maintenance that we're doing in the system and the installation of hydropneumatic tanks that we've put in place and preparing for the repainting of the Birchard Tower.

Also I would like to highlight a major service, police department, I greatly appreciate the work that's gone on there as well recently with a major drug bust and recovery of dangerous Weapons. So thank you very much on that Chief. So that's all I have tonight. And I just wanted to thank you to everyone that participated in the resource party in the Church on the Street put by High Hope Freeport and the next event will be on Saturday the 19th at Knowlton Square. Alderman Simmons, Alderman Parker, Nothing Allerman State Nothing Alderman Shadle Like to mention the neighborhood watch for Sixth Ward was moved from last Thursday to this week July 10th 6 p.m. Schwartz and Park Boulevard. Alderman Sanders Nothing Alderman Sellers Nothing Alderman Klemm I just wanted to bring up like Alderman Shadle who have a neighborhood watch the last Tuesday of the month.

And Alderman Johnson stepped out. So that leaves us with public comment. Robert Holtz.

Mayor, City Council, Hello, my name is Robert Holt and I'm the AFSCME Staff Representative for Local 3367, the Municipal Employees of Freeport, Illinois.

I come to you today due to the actions of the city's administration silencing the voices of our members by disciplining a member for engaging in legally protected activity.

Union concerted activity allows members or a member acting on behalf of others to voice and Here are the facts.

According to the Stevenson County ETSB, the city must have two dispatchers on duty and currently there are two shifts where there are only two telecommunicators staffed.

But that does not mean that there are always two telecommunicators dispatching emergency calls.

During their shift when a telecommunicator takes the contractually obligated break or for lunch, there is a telecommunicator actively responding to 911 calls, answering the non-emergency phone line, and assisting citizens at the front window.

It is the policy of the city that when an emergency medical 911 call comes in and there are no available ambulances in the city, that 911 dispatchers have been instructed to place those emergency calls on hold to reach out to a third-party medical provider.

Those statements are facts.

And for bringing those facts to this body out of the concern for the public and the liability placed on the dispatchers, our member was disciplined.

She received discipline for voicing not only her concerns, but those of her fellow co-workers.

Unfortunately for the City of Freeport, we believe that that action taken against her is Illegal.

The local and myself are more than willing to resolve this issue within the grievance procedure, but if that's not the case, then we will, then we are and we will be prepared to file an unfair labor, or unfair label charge, unfair labor charge with the Illinois Labor Relations Board to ensure that our members made whole.

Thank you.

and Melissa. Melissa Schnepper, 2019 West Laurel. I'm in the I'm in the process of moving back to Freeport. I grew up here, lived here most of my life, got married, moved to Wisconsin.

And I was very much looking forward to moving back to this town.

But I recently paid my property taxes and was horrified by the amount that I am paying.

And a lot of questions about what it is that I am paying.

What I see the we've got the 1% proposed tax on groceries I mentioned that to some friends in Evansville this weekend and they laughed at me and I told them how much we were paying in sales Tax, they thought it was a joke. Is that the kind of reputation you want the city to have a laughable overtax community I love Freeport and I was really looking forward to coming back here, but the taxes here are incredibly high and I. You're taxing people out of places to live. What, as I'm looking at my tax bill, I'm wanting to know what the home rule tax is. What does that money go toward? I've asked and nobody can answer that for me. And what is the, regarding property taxes, Freeport City Corporation tax, what is that? I have no idea what that is. What are the, what's What is the assessment process on our properties?

That seems to be a mystery to me as well.

You talk about how we are, with the 1% tax, we're gonna get, we're gonna bridge the gap of an $800,000 deficit for this budget in this town.

Well, for saving money on the water main materials, why is there a deficit?

That doesn't make any sense.

or Road Improvements.

That doesn't make any sense to me either.

We're taking in all this tax money.

Where's the money going?

Where's it going?

I don't understand.

We keep raising taxes and the roads still look like garbage.

It's embarrassing.

Where's the 20 miles of improvements?

Somebody please look at me.

I'm talking to you.

Where's the improvement?

I don't know where it is.

And who is JoLynn Miller?

Who is Jolin Miller? Because Jolin Miller is making $100,000 according to the 2024 annual Treasurer's Report on the Finance Committee website?

I had to respond to, I'm Rhonda Scott again, I had to respond to the 1% tax that Alderman Simmons brought up, we are taking money from people and we have been taking it since 1990.

In 1990, we were more well off in Freeport. We had more people. The town looked better.

In 1994, I moved here and all the stores downtown were filled. We had a mall that was filled with Hallmark Stores. Every store was filled. Now it's 2025, and we are paying still the 1% tax, which is producing $800,000. And what are we doing with that money? We're spending over a million dollars to extend our infrastructure out to Open Bible, where my daughter went to Preschool from 2002 to 2004.

They had water back then.

Now, there's fire suppression system is down.

But is this the only way you can take care of fire suppression?

My daughter was there, and they had fire suppression.

And they must have had a well.

But we're spending over a million dollars to extend our infrastructure when our population has decreased to 23,000 people.

And our property taxes are ridiculous.

and more than most communities where the standard of living is much higher.

This is ridiculous, $800,000 is being collected from our grocery bill and yet we're spending over $600,000 on an airport.

Why is Freeport with 23,000 people funding a regional airport so that 65 individuals can keep their aircraft out there and we're paying for it with our grocery money?

It's ridiculous.

Wendy?

Good evening Council, City of Freeport, my name is Wendy Pearson, I live at 1323 South Chicago Avenue.

I've got a couple of questions and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to get any answers but I'm going to put them out there anyway.

I'd like to know how we how do we get to the place where we are the citizens of Freeport are being held hostage to a million dollars should the airport shut down is that based around matching grants that we'd have to pay back where is it coming from and if it should shut down where are we getting the money to to replace this, $32,000 for an airport that none of us utilize and as she stated you see the individuals that are utilizing are all corporate individuals that we're paying for them to be out there and I want to know how much they're paying us to have their planes anchored there, how much are they paying us for runway costs and maintenance and repairs, how much are we getting from those 80 plus people that have the opportunity to fly a Plain, into this very small town that we don't need.

As far as Open Bible is concerned, we don't have a problem with supplying water to individuals who own homes and are paying taxes as well.

20 years ago, 30 years ago, when you had a verbal agreement with nothing on paper stating that this is what we were supposed to be doing and promising those individuals out at Open and Michael. We have a problem with putting an extension onto a piece of property that is a private entity that is making quite a bit of money. And not only are they making quite a bit of money, they are also receiving quite a few grant dollars and government funding for that school. So we don't have a problem with supplying water to people that are supplying and we do have a problem with paying for entities that already have government dollars floating out there for those children and sometimes not in the best conditions because I've been told that sometimes kids come home pretty dirty.

Now let me take it a little bit farther.

Chief you talked about buying a new vehicle.

I'd like to know how much this administration is gonna pay based around the Washington, D.C.'s administration, and I will not acknowledge the person that's sitting there, and tariffs, because it was basically exposed that when the new cars came out, the tariff dollars was gonna kick anybody in their butt that was buying a new one.

So I'd like to know how much of that money is a tariff tax that has been placed on vehicles, and how much are we paying?

As far as ordinances are concerned, ordinances have been changed, ma'am.

Your time has expired, Wendy, thank you.

Just to make it clear to you, your time has expired.

Thank you.

Next.

Yes, ma'am.

Christina Rice, I live on Staver Street.

All right.

So I do, you guys actually got me off off the couch tonight.

So grant money is at a minimal right now and we keep spending $32,000, $90,000 to have things engineered and it's not coming through so what's happening with that money since you've put $32,000, we've given you $32,000 and I'm looking at you and are we getting our money back?

and the rest of the board.

Do you work for Freeport or do you work for Fehr Graham?

You get paychecks from both?

Okay.

Let's not go back and forth.

And also, I came here seven years ago about the lighting issue in Freeport, and then it's kind of a slap in the face that nothing was done until this year, and then all of a sudden and I. And then all of a sudden the airport comes up and we do something about it. Who's more important, our citizens or the airport? Put timers on the lights. Okay. And then we've also had $1.7 million for what, a building downtown to be torn down and it's still there.

and where is the money? Then we also had $400,000 for safe streets. Where is the money? So I want to know why you guys don't have itemized grant lists. What happens with the grant money itemized on your website? Because I think you at least owe us that. And if, how much How much time do I have left? If they need help with the fire department, answering the telephone calls, and if you can't help them, then it's Mayor Jodi Miller's responsibility, and it's Rob's responsibility, because you guys are our leaders in this city.

And that's all I have to say.

Kim Sims, 23 West Empire Street. I was wondering about Teddy Bakers. Does anybody know who brought Teddy Baker back, this festival they're putting before the Stevenson County Fair? Why are we doing that? Why are we doing that?

that. Because the Stevenson County Fair is what gives our kids scholarships and all that.

But what does Tuddy Baker give them? Who gets all the money from Tuddy Baker? Where do the proceeds go? Can somebody tell me that? Where do the proceeds go from Tuddy Baker?

Did somebody answer that? No? Okay, so nobody knows where the money goes. Excuse me. Ma'am, Public comment is not for discourse back and forth, it's not for dialogue, but you are free to express your opinion.

Where we can find out who runs Huddy Baker, where the money goes, and maybe we can get that money and give that to the children of our city.

Give them something to do during the summer, besides run the streets and cause trouble.

There's no place for these kids to go. No place.

Next.

Paige Kerr, 103 Arbor Drive.

Over the past few months I brought concerns to this council, especially around the relationship between certain members and perceived conflict of interest.

But tonight, I'm here with a solution.

Artificial Intelligence.

Now before that phrase makes anyone uneasy, I want to say something I believe to be true.

I have a feeling some of you sitting here today already know AI is coming.

Maybe you've seen early reports, maybe you've been part of the conversations.

So this isn't about pushing a radical idea, it's about guiding what's already unfolding.

Fowler.

I want to introduce a bold but grounded proposal.

Let's use AI to promote accountability where it matters most.

Not to surveil everyday citizens, but to monitor decision-making at the top, where power is held and where corruption hides.

Rather than fearing artificial intelligence, let's consider how it can serve the public good, especially when it comes to government transparency.

A.I. is capable of monitoring those in positions in power, ensuring funds are allocated properly, promises are tracked, and corruption is flagged early.

Imagine public dashboards visually showing where city money is going and where the gaps exist.

Just for an example, residents could see that one neighborhood received three times more funding for road repairs rather than another, prompting clear, data-backed decisions.

Not only that, but AI can triage complaints from the public, prioritize the most urgent ones like a broken street light near a school, and even predict maintenance needs before they arise.

But above all else, AI is an unbiased tool, one that can enhance your positions, hold you accountable, and begin to win back public trust.

And understand this, we're not jumping into the unknown.

is proposing $55 million in A.I. capacity grants to help cities responsibly experiment with these tools. San Jose is already running civic sandbox pilots. These aren't hypothetical.

They're happening. So why not lead? Open A.I., Google, Palantir, these companies already have had closed door discussions with city officials across the country. You might already be aware of this. This might be your last chance to lead the city of Freeport through through this transition, and be remembered as the council that embraced truth, transparency, and innovation.

You can take this moment to lead, or you can wait and let AI decide for you.

Next Good evening again, my name is Cheryl Altman, Alderman Johnson. When we were talking about the one percent, you know what I heard? I heard you say you were worried about the city of Freeport. I didn't hear you say you were worried about the citizens who are going You're gonna have to pay that extra money again.

Not once did you care about the citizens.

Who put you in that seat?

You're wrong.

Second of all, the budget.

Smile Mayor, keep smiling.

But you know what?

We all have to live in a budget.

The city, when they don't get to what they want, they raise the taxes, raise sales taxes, and it continues.

You buy new public work trucks, why?

Use the old ones until they can't run.

Chief, they did.

But you're not.

Second of all, Public Works.

You're working with Fehr Graham.

That's kind of a conflict of interest, big time.

And why can't we look at somebody else besides Fehr Graham like Willett and Hoffman, who do the same thing that you do, and probably will do it cheaper.

But there's a connection between you working for the Public Works and Fehr Graham.

and that's why Fehr Graham gets all this, and it's wrong.

You know, like again, I said, you know, the rest of us live on a budget, the city should too.

Mayor, you can smell all you want, but you know what?

People are catching up to you.

They're onto your sneaky little crap.

Hi, I'm Sue Cook. Gosh, where do I live? I live in Freeport. As far as this one percent tax, I thank God that Governor Pritzker lifted and others.

I'm not so happy that you all are going to be putting it back on.

That's because when you are looking at taxes, when you did your 3% tax, it was a little bit different in the city.

It was a little bit different climate.

People weren't losing their jobs like crazy.

People weren't having companies closed like, you know, little dominoes, but that's happening now.

That's happening, and that's why the governor took the 1% off the grocery tax, to give the and the people a little bit of breathing room.

And by God, who put the tax back on?

It surely wasn't the Democrat.

It surely wasn't Governor Pritzker.

It was the party that says the Democrats tax like crazy.

I about died, I about fell over.

I was like, what?

This does not make sense.

We have savings.

Darren said we're saving on certain things.

Maybe we could look at that. Maybe we could look at other pet projects that maybe shouldn't be done and put them off to the side. At least until the country gets back on its feet, we get back on our feet.

Maybe some people get different jobs or jobs actually start to come back into the market.

The other thing I want to say is thank you for creating the ADA Grievance Board. That is amazing.

And I have your first grievance. By closing that parking lot down there as early as you did, which was because we're going to have Teddy Baker Day starting on Friday, you closed the parking lot off to everybody today. Yes, they wanted to park their little stuff in there.

But we could wait till Thursday because there's four handicapped parking spots, One that has two of them that have a crater the size of the moon But they there are four there and you block them off to the public so To the ADA grievance board, please. Will you open the parking lot till maybe Thursday?

Thank you very much Are there any other public comments?

My name is Micaiah Stacy. I live in Freeport. For how long? I guess nobody really knows.

I just got back here and I'm ready to leave already.

I was watching on my phone. I was at work. And the best thing I've heard all meeting is that we're buying a Tahoe from Carl because I worked at Carl while I went to school.

And they're good people. Kind of sucks that they have to get dirty money.

How many times do us as citizens have to get up, Stand in front of this council, stand in front of our mayor and say, hey, it really sucks to live here.

Property taxes are going up.

Every place we have to rent is either a slumlord or it's skyrocketed out of the roof.

This is not Chicago by any means.

No one should be paying over a thousand dollars for an apartment.

That's a little crazy.

And every day we wake up and there's a new tax.

Kind of like Sue was saying, oh, all the Democrats bring up all the all the taxes.

and then we get back here to Freeport who has potholes and Teddy Baker days and poor people that can barely pay their house taxes and we say, yeah, you can buy a $30 wristband and have a little bit of fun and maybe not pop your tire on a pothole going out. When are you actually going to listen to the people and what we need and not the top tier rich and many other people in this city, because I promise you, there's a lot more of a slum in it than it is with full bank accounts.

And I think we've kind of forgotten the plot here.

This group of people matters more than this group. You're supposed to listen to us.

We voted you in. I didn't vote you in. We voted you in.

and we expect it to be taken care of and all I can see is people taking care of their friends and patting their own pockets and leaving the rest of us garbage, nothing, so we get up here every week and we look at you in the face and we say can you please be a good person and you slam that gavel down and say hell no and then we say dang maybe next week and then we get back up here and you're tired of looking at my face and I'm tired of talking to you but I won't stop because it's annoying and I know it is.

Until you can recognize what your town actually is and get out of your head that living over on that side of town where nothing really even happens is the best part of Freeport.

And Freeport isn't that bad. We will get nowhere. There has to be some give. I'm willing to have a little bit of give. But there also has to be give with the people in power. Thank you.

You started my time before I spoke, but that's cool too.

I want to just say I appreciate Mrs. Stacy, Larry, and Rachel, I'm always going to recognize them.

This won't take long, don't point it out.

Rob, I want you to keep my lawyer's name in my name out your mouth, okay?

That lawsuit sticking, whatever you think, you ain't a lawyer, are you?

You're supposed to be a city manager, but I wonder why you can't figure out how to turn and a light switch off to save the city some money, you know, and we wouldn't be so against you if we wasn't, if the city wasn't washing money through you.

We are paying $90,000 for you to scribble on some paper, give me $90,000, I can get you a lot of money.

Spence.

Wonderful.

My house has cameras on it.

Bet you I ain't know that.

You always getting called up, slippin'.

That's harassment at the end of the day.

Smell all you want to.

I know smellin' is nervousness.

Yeah, do all that. Clown.

But anyway, I want to speak up on all the money you guys are taking from people.

You guys got us beat now. I try to tell my people, you got us beat.

We got three people up here for us, but I swear to God, I will not sleep in 2027 when it's time to get rid of some of this shit.

Any other public comments? We will move on to Alderman Stacy.

Alderman Stacy, as I said many times before, we start in prayer, we can end in Prayer. And my scripture for tonight is Psalms 121-1. I will lift up my eyes unto the hills from which cometh my help. Father God, in the name of Jesus, I come to you seeking your face. I seek you, O God, with this declaration of faith. I trust you as the source of all Fowler, Father, God, for you sit high and you look low, and you know more than we could ever tell you, so I'm asking you, Father, in the name of Jesus, to take back control over this your city.

We're trusting and we're depending on you, and we're not going to stop, we're not going to give up.

We know, God, if you don't do it, it won't be done. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Next is Executive Session. Madam Clerk, could you please read this?

We will go in for two different exemptions. Pursuant to 5 ILCS, 122C3, the selection Oh, that's not right. Pursuant to 5-ILCS-122-C5, the purchase or lease of real property for the use of the public body, including meetings held for the purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should be acquired, and pursuant to 5-ILCS-122-C21, discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed under the- We're still having a meeting. Please keep it down. Whether for purposes of approval by the body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes.

as mandated by Section 2.06.

Is there a motion to enter into Executive Session?

So moved.

Second.

We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

Roll call.

Simmons?

Aye.

Parker?

Aye.

Stacy?

Aye.

Shadle?

Aye.

Sanders?

Sellers?

Aye.

Klemm and Johnson.