WEBVTT

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I urge then first of all that requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving is made for everyone, for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

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and the other one is from Psalm 133.

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Oh, how wonderful, how pleasing it is

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when God's people all come together as one.

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It's like the sweet smelling oil

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that is poured over the high priest's head.

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It's like that runs down,

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got some problem here,

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that runs down his beard, flowing over his robes.

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It's like gentle rain from Mount Hermon

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falling on Mount Zion.

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It is there that the Lord has promised

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his blessing of eternal life.

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Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, we just thank you for today. We thank you that we live in a community that can have government, where the people can come and make decisions for the good of us.

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And Lord, we ask that you be with each one of our council members, with our mayor, with everyone that's in authority in this room.

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and Lord we ask that you give them wisdom and knowledge and common sense and good results, a plan for our city that will prosper it and Lord I pray for unity I pray that this community would no longer murmur against each other come against each other but Lord that we would be a praying community just like it is when we enter this building and it says and God we trust we put our trust in you and we praise you and we

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do what your will is and that is to love one another and so we put aside our

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differences and we ask for the good of the community and we ask for brotherly

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love to flow through Freeport and Stevenson County in Jesus name we pray

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Amen. Amen. Now we'll officially call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk please take

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the roll. Mayor Miller? Here. Alderpersons, Klemm? Here. Johnson? Here. Simmons is absent.

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Parker. Here. I thought I saw Stacy. She's out here. She's not at the dais at the moment.

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Shadle. Here. Sanders. Here. And Sellers. Here. Thank you. If you could please stand

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for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Stacy. I pledge allegiance to the flag of

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of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

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And item number four is the approval of the agenda. Is there such a motion?

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So moved. Second.

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Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

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All those in favor signify by saying aye.

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Aye. Opposed?

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That motion passes, number five is the approval of the minutes from the Committee of the Whole meeting held on February 9th, 2026. Is there a motion?

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So moved.

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Second.

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Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. All those in favor signify by saying aye.

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Aye.

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Opposed? That motion passes, public comment.

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I have two, Madam Mayor.

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Received by email in regard to agenda number, agenda item number eight.

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the first is from Joshua Atkinson good evening my name is Joshua T Atkinson a resident of Freeport

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first i want to apologize for not being able to attend the first public comment session this evening

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and due to the limited number of items i don't think i'll make it in before you adjourn i understand

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that i have been critical of the city government at times but even those who have been the target of

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that criticism must admit that i try to be fair i acknowledge the good work that is done and i

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and I speak up when I believe this council can and should do better.

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Tonight, you are discussing amendments to Chapter 660, specifically Section 660.10.

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Under this proposal, the city would allow the Director of Public Works, either within

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30 days notice or without notice, in cases he deems as an emergency.

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What that means in reality is that this council is considering giving someone the authority

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to enter the private property of every resident in this city based on their own judgment, instinct, and unfortunately bias.

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The problem is that Freeport does not currently have a trusted Public Works Director on staff.

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Instead, that responsibility has been outsourced to a third-party engineering firm, Fehr Graham,

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meaning the authority described in this ordinance will effectively fall to Darren Steekle,

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who according to an email received from our own city attorney is not a city employee,

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but an employee of Fehr Graham and more importantly this means that the city takes zero accountability

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or responsibility for Steakle's lack of judgment, integrity, behavior and or actions.

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A title alone does not make someone accountable to the residents of Freeport and unfortunately

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time after time Mr. Steakle has demonstrated questionable judgment in his interactions

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with members of this community.

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Each time this governing body has chosen to excuse it, forgive it, or simply look the

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other way.

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So I want to be very clear tonight.

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Darren Steakl is the last person in the world welcome on my property.

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If there is a legitimate emergency at my home, send trained emergency responders, firefighters,

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hazmat professionals, or police officers.

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And if I am suspected of violating a law, send a trained police officer from the beginning.

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As if Darren Steekle ever steps foot on my property, a police officer is going to have

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to come anyway.

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This ordinance raises serious questions about property rights, accountability, and the wisdom

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of granting enforcement authority to someone who is not even a city employee.

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I urge this council to amend this provision and think carefully about the precedent it

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sets for the residents you represent.

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Thank you for your time, Joshua T. Atkinson.

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The second is from Carol Krupke, Dear Councilmembers and City Officials, Regarding Chapter 660

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of the City Code Hazardous Materials, I am concerned that anyone who is not an employee

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of the City of Freeport being given the right to enter any property for a suspected emergency.

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More specifically, with the City's response to a past issue with Mr. Sekel impersonating

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a hospital employee and harassing a citizen and there being nothing they, the city, could

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do since he wasn't an employee of Freeport, Illinois.

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This is not something I can agree to.

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I do agree, however, that in some instances there could be a need for an emergency entry

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to a property, but as a citizen of Freeport, I believe this should be done by a city employee

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where they are governed by the laws of the city and the city is held responsible for

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or any abuse of power, damages done, or harassment.

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Thank you for reading this.

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Carol J. Krupke.

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Thank you.

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Darren, could you look and see if anybody's signed in?

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Okay, and then, Madam Clerk, could you please note for the record at 6.05, Alderman Simmons

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entered.

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Thank you.

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We move on to item number seven, which is the discussion regarding ordinance amending Chapter 1448 Erosion Control Permits, City Manager.

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Thank you, Your Honor. Everybody's looking at this and wondering why now are we bringing all these modifications to our ordinances related to erosion control and at least illegal discharges and that kind of thing.

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and kind of the purpose is we actually have to maintain a MS-4 permit with the EPA and that is municipal drainage essentially dealing with storm water or whether that's dealing with any kind of runoff situation so years ago we had an exemption from this requirement and then in 2020 we then were notified they had changed the requirements and any community over 10,000 people had to have an MS-4 permit so

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So we've abided by all those requirements at this time and we're looking to the future.

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We're seeing where this is going and we're just simply trying to keep pace with the challenges

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and in the ordinances that need to be updated according to our permit moving forward.

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So the first item on the agenda and so we've got four items here that are related to this

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in various forms and fashion and tonight's a cow so we have plenty of time to discuss

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them and also make edits to them.

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So I thank the individuals who have submitted comments and we can certainly make those adjustments

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as we go forward.

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These are by no means perfect.

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And the reason we're talking about them tonight is so that we can make the appropriate changes

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that are correct for Freeport.

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So moving forward with that, I'd like to talk about item number seven, which is Chapter

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1448, Regulations, Erosion Control, and Land Disturbding Activities in the City of Freeport.

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The ordinance ensures compliance with state and federal stormwater regulations, including

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requirements of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the MS4 permit, and the

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NPDES, that is the National Pollution Discharge Permit that regulates wastewater into receiving

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streams.

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Since its adoption, staff have identified the need to clarify permit classifications

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County, Permit Classifications, Strengthened Plan Requirements, Improved Provisions to

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Better Align with the Current IEPA MS-4 Permit Standards and the City's Enforcement Requirements.

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The proposed amendments here tonight for Item Number 7, which is Chapter 1448, the proposed

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amendments establish clear permit classifications based on project size and type of land disturbance.

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The ordinance strengthens erosion and sediment control plans, requires to ensure appropriate

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best management practices are designed and implemented, and in addition, the ordinance

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expands enforcement authority, including the issuance of stop work orders when necessary.

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These changes ensure continued compliance with IEPA and MS4 stormwater obligations while

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improving regulatory clarity and environmental protection.

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So at this time I'd like to invite Randi Kolbauer up to the podium.

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As I understand in this particular one, you see quite a few changes primarily.

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It kind of streamlines what we, it would streamline our ordinances with communities who have already

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been through a fairly lengthy process and would be, make our ordinance a little more

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clear and easy to understand and enforce.

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But Randi, would you mind going through the proposed changes?

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So Rob has asked that I kind of walk through each section of the ordinance tonight and kind of talk about it and what the changes are.

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So the first part, 14-4801 is scope that just kind of lays out the entire chapter.

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Some of the stuff in the beginning is mostly just legal jargon to your findings.

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Finds that excessive quantities of soil may erode areas undergoing development.

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That kind of just language there talks about what is in our MS4 permit.

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In our MS4 permit we have two sections. There is pre-construction and post-construction.

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We are required to ensure that during pre-construction and post-construction there is no soil eroding into our streams or into our system which would impact our infrastructure.

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So the purpose kind of lays that out as well.

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Well, then it kind of goes into the authority of the City Engineer, which I did notice that

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in this one and in another ordinance we missed updating it to say the City Engineer and or

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their designee.

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General Principles talks about how a permit needs to be sent in for any land disturbance

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and that all waste discarded materials generated at the site shall be prevented from being

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carried off.

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Talks about the placement of concrete and asphalt and similar materials.

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There are a few exemptions that are in here, things like cemetery grave sites, emergencies

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posing immediate danger to life or property, activity where the total area of material

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disturbed or stored is less than 1,500 square feet, any ag or farming activities and any

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Land Lawn Maintenance. Those would just be excessive if we were trying to permit those.

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Then we go into the permit classes. We went from two permit classes to three because we had some

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issues where contractors had a lot of questions and we felt that this system actually kind of

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clarified the system better and would work out better for both staff and contractors.

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So we turned it into class one which is land disturbances that require an EPA permit for

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More than one acre. Class two is land disturbances between 2,000 square feet and one acre and then

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class three is for your utility companies and land disturbances between 2,000 square feet and an acre.

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We went through and did manner of work.

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Work. Basically, this means that while you're doing that work, you need to make sure you're

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doing it in a safe way. Last thing we need is for anyone to end up buried or anything

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like that. We went into erosion control performance standards, which per our permit with the state,

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we have to make sure that contractors are searching out and going after the best management

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Practices, so the BMPs for those. We updated some definitions to kind of

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clarify a few things there. We put in language for the application process and

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permits and documents that were needed and then we did it for each class so

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so that it would be easily understood and easily applied for.

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And then we have 1448-17, which is the erosion

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and sediment control plans.

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This just lays out what you need in your plan.

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There had been questions and we kind of put together

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like a cheat sheet originally, but by putting it in here

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and just kind of having a standard that everyone can see,

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Everyone can have the same information and always have the same looking plan.

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That way it's easier for review and everybody's on the same page.

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Permits are good for a year, which is the same as it was previously.

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Renewal and extensions.

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Basically, after the one year, if or if you think you're going to go over, you're welcome to renew with us or extend the permit.

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Permits can be denied if they don't meet any of the section, which is standard for most of our permits that we issue.

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It goes through standard or conditions of approval. So basically making sure that you've met everything we've asked for or everything that our permit with the state asked for.

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We lay out the responsibilities of the permittee just to make that super clear.

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We talk about who authorizes the permit, and then if you want to change your plan, so your erosion control plan that you've submitted, if any revisions need to be done, we now have a process for that.

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144826 talks about inspections and supervision, which just the state requires that we do inspections

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on site to ensure that everything is going the way you said it would go, nothing's gotten

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away from you, your silt fence hasn't fallen down and you didn't take care of it and that

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kind of stuff.

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Maintenance during construction reports are kind of the same thing.

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Circumstances with recommendation for corrective measures.

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That's just us telling you, hey, you've got this problem, you need to get it fixed.

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If it's fixed, it's not a big deal.

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Maintenance during construction, during and after construction, the contractor is responsible

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or whoever pulls the permit is responsible for making sure that everything is graded

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And then it just goes into compliance and cost of recovery, stop work orders, which we didn't previously have, this just gives us the power that if there is something that's off, whether it's safety wise or it doesn't meet our permit, we can say, hey, you need to stop until this gets fixed.

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Then there's a section in here that talks about requirements for small scale land disturbance.

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It talks about BMPs, everything that was required by our permit to cover just additional things that wouldn't fit into one of the classes.

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That's kind of the quick highlights of everything.

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Thank you, Mr. Teagle.

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I just want to give you the crib note versions city of Freeport is required by

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the Illinois EPA to regulate stormwater discharges one of the reasons these

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things are coming up is I asked Randy to go through our existing codes make

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updates we're getting back into construction season very shortly what I

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want to remind everybody so the city of Freeport is the authority for drinking

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Water. We're also the local authority for wastewater. And since 2017, now we're the local authority for stormwater as well. So if we don't enforce these types of policies, these fines and penalties, if we get a state inspection, will actually come to the city of Freeport. So we are obligated by our permits to enforce these codes and ordinances. Some of the ordinances that were done when this was originally brought in were not complete. It was getting the program started and

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and I have worked together for the last couple years and we've been learning things that

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are good and bad about the ordinances as we have gone along and so that's why you see

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these updates.

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We have to be able to monitor the sites.

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The state of Illinois has always had a program that they monitor an acre.

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that they monitor an acre and larger during construction.

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So you have to get a state permit for that,

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which we honor those state permits if they get them.

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It's when you get under an acre of construction,

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but we don't want to regulate a garden, right?

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We have to have something in the middle

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that we're regulating people

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to make sure the dirt stays on site.

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We're not tracking it down the roads.

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It's not going down the stormway.

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These ordinances, especially this one,

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allows us to effectively communicate

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and effectively codified and inspect these,

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which Randy does the inspections for our city.

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Give you a great example of a project that's been going on

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that we've been inspecting for over a year now

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is the landfill project with the solar panels.

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She goes out there on a regular basis

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and checks their permitting

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and checks to see that they have all their BMPs,

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which is the best management practices

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like the geo tubes and socks in place

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to make sure the runoff's not coming off.

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So, very important to the City of Freeport that we remain vigilant to this for our stormwater permitting.

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Thank you. Is there a motion to move this ordinance amendments forward to the next city council meeting?

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Second.

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Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm. Discussion?

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Alderman Johnson?

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Okay. I just had a couple of questions and then just a comment.

00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:35.200
Chapter 1448.01 Purpose on Section 2A, the original ordinance states runoff can carry sediment and other pollutants, and Section 2B talks about managing pollutants and water discharges, etc.

00:21:35.200 --> 00:21:41.200
In 2B.3 states we are protecting stormwater, groundwater, water bodies, watercourses, and wetlands.

00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:53.900
The amended document, 1448.03, Section 2, refers to preserving and enhancing water quality by preventing silt laid in water from reaching creeks, channels, streams, wetlands, and public waterways.

00:21:53.900 --> 00:21:57.440
Sediment and silt are two different things and so are pollutants.

00:21:57.440 --> 00:22:08.300
So just wondered why all three are not included on the amended document and why groundwater is not included on the 1448.03, Section 2 of the amended document.

00:22:08.300 --> 00:22:15.700
Second question is, I was wondering what the cost of the permits are, Class 1, Class 2, Class 3, if we have a cost for those.

00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:25.660
And just the comment that I wanted to make, it does appear that the amendment does give the city more leverage to stop projects that are out of compliance.

00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:32.740
If I'm reading that, that's what it sounds like to me, is that correct? So those were the questions I have.

00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:38.900
Do somebody, even if you don't aren't prepared for that answer, you can always get back to the council at a later date too. That's fine.

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:45.820
I might have to get back to you because that I might need that in writing so I can think of what everything you just said.

00:22:45.820 --> 00:22:51.420
Okay. Is there a charge? I mean, do we have a charge for the permits, how much they're going to be or do we not have that?

00:22:55.780 --> 00:22:58.900
But if it's not, then it was something that was missed and needs to be added.

00:22:58.980 --> 00:23:00.580
I believe it's a hundred dollars.

00:23:00.580 --> 00:23:02.700
I would say I believe they're going to stay the same as previous.

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:06.580
A hundred dollars for each one, irregardless of the one, two, or three class.

00:23:06.580 --> 00:23:09.980
Okay, then however you want to get back with when you've got that information, that'd

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:10.980
be great.

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:15.660
Remember, there's still two readings, so there's still time to have these discussions.

00:23:15.660 --> 00:23:17.660
I can type that out and send it to you.

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.660
Sellers, I'm sorry.

00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:26.260
Yeah, I just wanted to ask, I know Darren had said you check the solar panels.

00:23:26.260 --> 00:23:30.300
Are they all the solar panels that are in the area, or is it just the one that's by

00:23:30.300 --> 00:23:37.420
Waterport. So the project I was talking about was just at the landfill but Randy

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:41.940
inspects every project that pulls a permit by this requirement so we get

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:47.620
anybody that does a large construction so another new project well 12 will have

00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:54.700
a what they call a SWP MS4 permit so she'll have to regularly go out and do

00:23:54.700 --> 00:23:59.860
random inspections right at her schedule unless we have a tip-off or a complaint

00:24:29.860 --> 00:24:59.860
I believe we're stating that it is not out of compliance is probably not the word we we would use I think we would say that it's not as

00:24:59.860 --> 00:25:03.600
is effective as what we would like it to be able to be.

00:25:03.600 --> 00:25:08.900
We like to make we what Randy explained is we did more tiers so it was more fair to the

00:25:08.900 --> 00:25:12.580
size of project that you had what what the requirements are.

00:25:12.580 --> 00:25:19.300
And then we also made it more I think a little bit more authoritarian.

00:25:19.300 --> 00:25:25.540
So we had some legs to stand on as a city in case somebody's not doing it right.

00:25:25.540 --> 00:25:29.780
Because the last thing we want to do is have a contractor dragging mud all over down the

00:25:29.780 --> 00:25:35.340
St., or concrete is a big thing right now, concrete washouts.

00:25:35.340 --> 00:25:37.780
There's a professional washout that's required.

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:42.180
A lot of contractors used to just dump it into a gravel pile, pick up the

00:25:42.540 --> 00:25:43.940
spud they called it later.

00:25:44.180 --> 00:25:48.020
And that concrete water just would work its way wherever that's not legal.

00:25:48.020 --> 00:25:49.740
It has to be in a professional bin.

00:25:50.100 --> 00:25:51.460
It has to evaporate.

00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:53.600
There's a whole process to it.

00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:58.380
And we want to enforce that the contractors that are working within the city

00:25:58.380 --> 00:26:02.580
LeMits are taking care of the environment. And you guys should know this isn't just a

00:26:02.580 --> 00:26:06.900
Freeport thing. This is anywhere that's an MS-4 or even if you're not an MS-4, it

00:26:06.900 --> 00:26:12.260
just happens to be that since we are the MS-4 authoritarian, it's up to us to

00:26:12.260 --> 00:26:17.019
provide the guidance and the inspection and also the discipline on it when

00:26:17.019 --> 00:26:24.160
people don't follow it. Alderman Sanders? Forgive my ignorance, but I've never got

00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:28.080
and then you got an opportunity to look up what was in this for.

00:26:29.280 --> 00:26:32.720
Could you explain that part to me before I proceed on?

00:26:33.280 --> 00:26:38.240
Sure. MS4 is just a fancy term the state uses for stormwater.

00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:42.440
Yeah. And I noticed in the I noticed that

00:26:44.080 --> 00:26:49.920
you also specify erosion, but you never specify the list of erosions

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:54.080
or the contaminants that could enter into those storm sewers.

00:26:54.160 --> 00:27:23.160
By way of any form of waterway, whether it's sewer, whether it's somebody's dumping, whether it's runoffs, the things of this nature, I know those things contribute to erosion, but my question is, what are we doing to monitor to make sure those outlets are being effectively, what do I want to say, monitored, tested, lab work, all of that.

00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:31.280
All of these things to make sure these biochemicals are not getting off runoffs because we know

00:27:31.280 --> 00:27:36.860
manufacturers getting the habit of dumpings and things of this nature.

00:27:36.860 --> 00:27:42.520
We need to know who's monitoring these things before we start to tread down this path because

00:27:42.520 --> 00:27:48.920
we don't have data before us to show us who's in violation.

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:53.560
We don't have that before us, at least I don't, I'll put it like that.

00:27:53.560 --> 00:28:16.560
May be others do, but I don't, and I'm the one who's, I'm going to be the one who's going to be looking at who's qualified to do this type of inspection, what agency, what contractors, who are the people that is going to be licensed.

00:28:16.560 --> 00:28:46.560
I don't care about permits but they have to have license to check the meter data and everything else to give us a proper understanding of what has been accumulated in those storm sewer because we used to know back in the day there has been sewer breakage contaminants entering into the water

00:28:46.560 --> 00:29:08.440
Waterways or the storm sewers and have we done a comprehensive exploratory on these areas to indicate to us whether or not these things are looked into to show us some kind of data that check off list I should say that we are able to look at it for

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:14.760
and myself as council members, people of that nature, and who is qualified to do that.

00:29:14.760 --> 00:29:19.400
I know you have this young lady going out doing these inspections, but I need to know whether

00:29:19.400 --> 00:29:26.720
she's licensed to handle all of the criteria of the inspections of stormwater flow.

00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:31.920
Because you talk about sediments, you talk about all kinds of things that might can enter

00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:39.599
and I have been interested in it because one thing we have not done as an exploratory group

00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:49.800
or city is explore those under sewer lines that run under railroad tracks.

00:29:49.800 --> 00:29:56.079
And yeah, we have storm sewers that run under railroad tracks.

00:29:56.080 --> 00:29:58.840
Well, let me answer your questions because I've got five of them here.

00:29:58.840 --> 00:29:59.840
I'm not sure I can keep track of them.

00:29:59.840 --> 00:30:29.840
We've got five of them here, I'm not sure I can keep track of every one of them So currently we have nobody that has compliance issues because we really don't have active constructions at this point, right? We're getting into construction season so there's nobody that's not in compliance at this point There might be a couple carryover permits from last year because MS4 permits or stormwater permits are only good for 12 months from the time they're submitted We do actually do stormwater testing and it's required by our MS4 designation every outfall in Freeport

00:30:29.840 --> 00:30:59.840
Miller. It has to be tested. Randy has a matrix, but they're randomly selected and then she has to go out and take a wet flow and a dry flow and we send those to labs looking for chemicals, constituents, and if we find anything in those, we actually have to track it back up the storm basin to see where that stuff's going. So that's all within our regulations and codes. You asked about metering stormwater. We don't meter stormwater. There's nowhere for it to be metered. We only meter sewer water and we meter water, but we don't

00:30:59.840 --> 00:31:02.840
We don't meter stormwater. All the outfalls are open bases.

00:31:02.840 --> 00:31:06.840
We don't meter stormwater for the actual flows?

00:31:06.840 --> 00:31:07.840
No.

00:31:07.840 --> 00:31:08.840
Why is that?

00:31:08.840 --> 00:31:11.840
Because it's not required by the state to monitor it.

00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:15.840
Okay. Thank you for that.

00:31:15.840 --> 00:31:19.840
All of the testing that you asked about is all regulated by the state.

00:31:19.840 --> 00:31:23.840
So unless we get a bad stormwater sample,

00:31:23.840 --> 00:31:26.840
our testing is done for the quarter and they report it.

00:31:26.840 --> 00:31:28.840
And Randy has to report that annually.

00:31:28.840 --> 00:31:42.440
If we do find something that's out of line, then of course, we've got to track it back upstream to be in a sanitary, a business, maybe even a private party that's dumping oil, something to that nature. So we do do that effects. And that's why they require dry flow.

00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:46.680
Alderman Sanders, you're going to have to let him finish those five points.

00:31:46.680 --> 00:31:49.680
Go ahead. I just wanted to get that in there.

00:31:49.680 --> 00:32:00.180
So, anyway, all that testing is done. Randy does that all. That's part of her. If you haven't met Randy before, she's our environmental compliance and safety officer for the City of Freeport.

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:09.180
She actually has a degree in environmental science and she actually is the person that physically goes out and does this testing, does all the reporting for the City of Freeport.

00:32:09.180 --> 00:32:17.180
That's one of the large components of her job. And do we have enough staff? Yes, at this time, we have enough adequate staff to do it.

00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:25.580
That's what I wanted to know. Okay. There's no for Alderman Stacy. Yes. I thought I had

00:32:25.580 --> 00:32:34.620
saw something in this ordinance that stated weekly, but how often is this test done? So the

00:32:36.780 --> 00:32:43.820
MS4 compliance on a site has to be done weekly. Okay. Or anytime it rains more than a half an

00:32:43.820 --> 00:33:13.820
Inch. That's the state law, right? Now, we don't inspect every site every time it rains a half an inch. That's the contractor's requirement. Miss Kolbauer randomly selects people to check after rainstorms to see that everything's in place. And if she finds things that are out of compliance by state law, that person has 48 hours to correct that deficiency. And if they correct it and move on, it's just a warning. If they are significantly

00:33:13.820 --> 00:33:43.820
Deferent for a long time, or they refuse to fix it, then she can write a compliance ticket that comes to the code hearing. That's the whole process of the way this works. We don't have the manpower to check every construction site in Freeport every time it rains. I'm not going to lie to you about that, and nor can we afford that as the city of Freeport. So I think that expectation would be unrealistic. And that's why it's a random test. Now, if we have people call in and say, you know, Gertrude's construction

00:33:43.820 --> 00:33:47.540
Construction Site has mud running down the street then obviously we're going to send

00:33:47.540 --> 00:33:52.300
Ms. Cole Bauer out to check that specific situation if that's the case.

00:33:52.300 --> 00:33:56.060
We don't receive a ton of those phone calls but occasionally we do on some of the bigger

00:33:56.060 --> 00:34:00.960
projects especially when contractors start dragging mud out of the construction sites

00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:02.300
and down the street.

00:34:02.300 --> 00:34:07.320
That's usually where we start getting tip-offs on it but the reason we get behind these permits

00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:11.440
guys is because when we issue the permits, we enforce the permits, we don't have near

00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:41.440
Alderman Sanders did you have another question well uh yes Dodd uh the capacity of upper flowing through these storms or your good

00:34:41.440 --> 00:34:42.440
and others.

00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:47.720
There are indicators whether or not there's areas within the City of Freeport where there's

00:34:47.720 --> 00:34:57.800
too much of a charge coming into those storms by way of opening manholes, storm drainage

00:34:57.800 --> 00:35:04.680
or whatever the case is, which increase the capacity over at the treatment plant with

00:35:04.680 --> 00:35:12.960
and so on. So it's such a head of a waterfall. Shouldn't we be monitoring those meters to

00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:21.840
see how it's coming on rainy days and measuring one week how much water are we getting through

00:35:21.840 --> 00:35:28.180
storms as opposed to a rainy day? So to answer that question, we're mixing two different

00:35:28.180 --> 00:35:33.340
things here. You're talking about sanitary sewer flows. No, I'm talking storm. But you're

00:35:33.340 --> 00:35:36.940
We're talking about stormwater flows that are going into the sanitary.

00:35:36.940 --> 00:35:40.300
We monitor that at the wastewater treatment plant.

00:35:40.300 --> 00:35:44.780
The question you asked earlier were storm outfalls that discharge directly to the river.

00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:47.980
There is no way to meter those or account for those.

00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:52.300
We can take guesses off of rainstorm events on what's going through there, but they're

00:35:52.300 --> 00:35:54.460
too big a discharge to meter.

00:35:54.460 --> 00:36:00.500
We do monitor how much stormwater comes into the sanitary sewer and we do that based on

00:36:00.500 --> 00:36:15.340
Every time it rains, there's a computer program that's linked up that shows how much the average rainfall was and how much our inflow comes in and how many days is projected out. And due to the all the lining that we've been doing in Freeport for many years, that has gotten significantly better.

00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:16.700
Okay, thank you.

00:36:16.940 --> 00:36:21.460
Thank you. I'm sorry, Alderman Stacy, you've already gone twice. Anyone else?

00:36:23.060 --> 00:36:24.900
I didn't think there was a limit at the cow.

00:36:26.060 --> 00:36:26.539
There is.

00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:34.539
Okay, but so you are more than welcome to pick up the phone that we want your questions answered. It's just that's the that's the rule. Yes.

00:36:37.539 --> 00:36:48.539
Okay, then this will be moving on to the next meeting. Thank you, Randy. Item number eight is discussion regarding ordinance amending part six of the general offenses code. Manager Boyer.

00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:50.300
Code Manager, Boyer.

00:36:50.300 --> 00:36:50.900
Thank you, Your Honor.

00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:52.980
And just a point.

00:36:52.980 --> 00:36:56.579
Each one of these items on the agenda tonight are all related.

00:36:56.579 --> 00:36:58.700
So if you have questions, we're going

00:36:58.700 --> 00:37:01.740
to have an opportunity to ask those.

00:37:01.740 --> 00:37:08.660
So just going over this one is Chapter 660, the MS4 Stormwater

00:37:08.660 --> 00:37:11.420
Additional Hazardous Material.

00:37:11.420 --> 00:37:15.300
And Chapter 660 of the City Code regulates additional hazardous

00:37:15.300 --> 00:37:15.900
materials.

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:18.059
Staff has reviewed the existing language,

00:37:18.060 --> 00:37:22.860
has identified areas that require clarification, modernization and administrative updates to

00:37:22.860 --> 00:37:29.620
improve consistency with current practices and the updates from the MS for storm water

00:37:29.620 --> 00:37:30.620
requirements.

00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:34.420
The proposed amendments are intended to update the code, eliminate outdated provisions and

00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:38.820
ensure the ordinance reflects current operational procedures.

00:37:38.820 --> 00:37:44.460
The proposed amendments revise specific provisions within Chapter 660 to clarify regulatory requirements

00:37:44.460 --> 00:37:47.060
and improve administrative efficiency.

00:37:47.060 --> 00:37:50.620
change updates the language for consistency within the code and at this

00:37:50.620 --> 00:37:55.840
point I'd allow Randy if you would kindly just kind of go take it walk us

00:37:55.840 --> 00:38:01.460
through the proposed changes to section 660. Sure. So part of the updates to our

00:38:01.460 --> 00:38:06.340
MS4 was to increase enforcement opportunities for hazardous materials,

00:38:06.340 --> 00:38:11.060
illicit discharge, a couple of the other things that you're seeing tonight. So

00:38:11.060 --> 00:38:16.640
with this one we went through and we redefined a lot of the definitions to

00:38:16.640 --> 00:38:25.640
We added the layout for administrative hearings and how that looks.

00:38:25.640 --> 00:38:35.640
You'll see the access to premises. This also needs to have the and or designee added to it.

00:38:35.640 --> 00:38:52.440
that was missed in the draft, this section basically is if there's an issue such as ones that we've had in the past that we haven't had good enforcement measures for were people dumping sewage in their backyard,

00:38:52.440 --> 00:38:59.280
Um, gentlemen dumping oil in the driveway because that's what they used to do.

00:38:59.760 --> 00:39:04.160
Um, it's situations like this where we can go look at what's going on.

00:39:04.160 --> 00:39:04.440
Okay.

00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:08.000
Does this like create a hazard for public health?

00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:11.420
Does this create a hazard that could get into our drinking water?

00:39:11.800 --> 00:39:12.960
Does this create a hazard?

00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:16.460
Somebody's dumping something down their drains at home and now we're killing

00:39:16.460 --> 00:39:18.100
the bacteria at the wastewater plant.

00:39:18.700 --> 00:39:20.619
Um, so that's the intent of this.

00:39:20.619 --> 00:39:32.460
it's not really access into a home necessarily it's more so just the ability to go and look at what's

00:39:32.460 --> 00:39:40.860
happening inspect and see just how bad it is. There's the notification of the discharge where

00:39:41.820 --> 00:39:46.539
we have to notify you of what's happening or you have to notify us if you have a hazardous materials

00:39:46.539 --> 00:39:56.539
Discharge, language on notice of violation and how that happens, suspension of activities

00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:59.820
for emergency situations, non-emergency situations.

00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:13.059
and then language for the abatement. So the kind of the layout for how we require anything

00:40:13.059 --> 00:40:21.019
to be fixed and who has to bear that cost. Again, this is for anything from major hazardous

00:40:21.019 --> 00:40:26.820
material spills where we call Fire Department in to assist to, again, the people that are

00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:29.539
Using a bucket instead of the bathroom and dumping it in the backyard.

00:40:31.960 --> 00:40:36.420
Different spectrums, but both have safety concerns for drinking water,

00:40:36.420 --> 00:40:38.220
wastewater, and just public health in general.

00:40:39.539 --> 00:40:40.580
Manager Boyer.

00:40:40.580 --> 00:40:43.260
I just wanted to also comment.

00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:47.980
This also is so that if we have any industrial runoff or anything like that

00:40:47.980 --> 00:40:53.539
happens to get into the sanitary or into our stormwater system, then, you know,

00:40:53.539 --> 00:40:59.539
We have the ability to backtrack to those sources. Something similar happened years ago in a different

00:40:59.539 --> 00:41:04.580
community where a large industry partner was cleaning out what's called fracking tanks. He

00:41:04.580 --> 00:41:10.100
used a lot of acid to do the actual cleaning and then the contractors doing the cleaning just

00:41:10.100 --> 00:41:16.260
released all that acid into the sanitary system. In this case it actually killed the plant for a

00:41:16.260 --> 00:41:46.260
Stiegel, Mr. Stiegel, Mr. Stiegel

00:41:46.260 --> 00:41:57.180
Two issues of people putting wastewater on their property on top of the ground in their rear of their properties that we we had to deal with.

00:41:57.500 --> 00:41:57.980
And

00:41:59.660 --> 00:42:01.220
Excuse me. Okay, we'll take five.

00:42:02.340 --> 00:42:10.220
That's even better number. We also had an issue in Cecelia's ward of a commercial contractor dumping

00:42:10.220 --> 00:42:40.220
For a method of clean out that was caught doing that, the real evidence behind this is to protect our drinking water and our waterways. That's what it's for. When people put oil or greases or other foreign materials into the sanitary collection systems, everybody in the city of Freeport pays for that. Every gallon of clear drinking water or clear storm water that goes into the sanitary collection systems.

00:42:40.220 --> 00:43:10.220
the sewer costs two and a half times to clean at the wastewater treatment plant that drives our cost up that will come all to the end users. So these ordinances are not about Darren Steakle or somebody from Public Works skiing on our property. This won't even pertain to 99% of the issues in this town. This is for the one percenters that are creating havoc or destroying our environment within the property. Again, these people that have been dumping wastewaters on properties, we're

00:43:10.220 --> 00:43:14.220
We're not asking to go into their residence per se. We're asking to look in the backyards.

00:43:14.220 --> 00:43:26.220
It's a violation of many different codes, but in order for us to enforce it, our codes have to be rigid enough to allow our inspectors like Randy to be able to run the enforcements.

00:43:26.220 --> 00:43:33.220
Okay, so is there a motion to move this ordinance forward to the next meeting regarding Part 6?

00:43:33.220 --> 00:43:35.220
So moved. Second.

00:43:35.220 --> 00:43:39.220
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

00:43:39.220 --> 00:43:48.160
Alderman, Sanders, yeah Mr. Stegall in order to be effective with what your talk

00:43:48.160 --> 00:43:54.060
what you just stated in order to be effective you have to be preemptive in

00:43:54.060 --> 00:44:00.019
order to do that and you can't we can't rely on citizens of the city of Freeport

00:44:00.019 --> 00:44:07.180
to be our investigators we can't we can't put them in a situation where they

00:44:07.180 --> 00:44:08.180
and others as well.

00:44:08.180 --> 00:44:10.019
These are very important things to do.

00:44:10.019 --> 00:44:11.019
We have to be very careful.

00:44:11.019 --> 00:44:16.380
We need to be very careful in the way we conduct our inspections that we do our inspections

00:44:16.380 --> 00:44:17.380
on our neighbors.

00:44:17.380 --> 00:44:22.700
We don't want to be a snitching on their neighbors and things of this nature.

00:44:22.700 --> 00:44:25.900
We can't rely on that.

00:44:25.900 --> 00:44:30.780
People are violating any ordinance, as far as that is concerned.

00:44:30.780 --> 00:44:35.300
And the fact that the matter is that when I asked about whether or not we have enough

00:44:35.300 --> 00:44:42.380
Formation or business company or whatever is making improper dumping and things of this nature.

00:44:42.380 --> 00:44:49.100
So, so I'm just curious are we are we able to do that because we have to be preemptive. These things we

00:44:50.340 --> 00:44:55.980
we'll find out at the end of the at the end of the treatment plant that somebody had been

00:44:57.020 --> 00:45:04.700
putting bad chemicals with inside of the structure of the manholes or the storm. It's too late.

00:45:05.300 --> 00:45:35.300
Now we have to do an all out investigation to determine where this flow came from and my thing is if we do preemptive of all companies that have this type of any kind of chemical that they're discharging or putting in the waterways that they receive some kind of notification I'm talking about any business that does that I know you probably get that in in your plans but the thing about it is I like for us to be more

00:45:35.300 --> 00:45:44.180
Vigilent about that because you are right, my time here, yes, storms and sewer lines were

00:45:44.180 --> 00:45:53.220
definitely contaminated and infiltrated with all kinds of crap. And so I just want us to be

00:45:53.220 --> 00:45:59.780
cognitive of all of those things that once we start down this path we have the right manpower

00:45:59.780 --> 00:46:08.660
to whether or not if we have to inspect not just on a regular basis but you know these companies but

00:46:08.660 --> 00:46:13.619
periodically to go around and have these things checked because you can see the residue

00:46:13.619 --> 00:46:20.980
of some of these things like from MicroSwitch, a potato chip company, all of those kinds of places

00:46:21.940 --> 00:46:29.140
was spewing all kinds of contaminants within the city's sewer lines and storm sewers and

00:46:29.140 --> 00:46:35.539
and I'm and I'm one that went out testing and monitoring these systems to validate whether or

00:46:35.539 --> 00:46:40.980
not this is going on because why it shows up at the treatment plants these things demonstrates

00:46:41.700 --> 00:46:47.380
comes out at the treatment plant and I know they have to do that based up on storm sewers simply

00:46:47.380 --> 00:46:56.100
because it's hitting the waterways and it is killing the the plants and whatever that's going

00:46:56.100 --> 00:46:57.100
and others.

00:46:57.100 --> 00:46:59.060
It's doing the same thing.

00:46:59.060 --> 00:47:05.460
So whether it's storm or sewer, we need to have indicators that allow us to know whether

00:47:05.460 --> 00:47:12.180
or not waters that we're dumping back into the river is taken care of properly and that

00:47:12.180 --> 00:47:21.220
we have already notified the citizens of Freeport any kinds of improper dumping results and

00:47:21.220 --> 00:47:26.020
fines, possibly jail, you know, that kind of thing.

00:47:26.019 --> 00:47:56.019
So let me break that down just a second. So yes, while you've been on council, we we conducted a local limit study and we passed that we've enforced it. So we have local limits expectations for all of our commercial users. The significant industrial user discharges are checked regularly. And they also have to report regularly and we take independent samples and send those in. So that's part of our original process. When it gets to the residential end. Yes, it's much tougher, but we

00:47:56.019 --> 00:48:02.019
We find evidence in manholes or storm basins and we track those backwards to try to figure out where that's coming from.

00:48:02.019 --> 00:48:14.019
Again, you know, if somebody wants to affect our environment or damage or pour something down there, it's going to be very hard for us to stop them.

00:48:14.019 --> 00:48:25.019
We're not relying on the snitchers of the world, but yes, they're helpful to stop the damage and we do respect people for their time and their investment in helping us protect the city of Freeport.

00:48:25.019 --> 00:48:31.620
Fort, and so we take those responsibilities very seriously and Randy does the best job

00:48:31.620 --> 00:48:35.619
we can monitoring them and I believe in the time that I've been sitting in this chair,

00:48:35.619 --> 00:48:40.820
we've done a significant job in cleaning up a lot of these issues and making this environment

00:48:40.820 --> 00:48:41.820
better.

00:48:41.820 --> 00:48:44.980
Finally, I'll tell you that how do we measure this?

00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:51.020
We measure it because the state requires us to do river testing before and behind the

00:48:51.020 --> 00:49:21.020
Alderman, Stacy, since I'm limited to questions I would like reports on the last week.

00:49:21.020 --> 00:49:47.020
and reports on when they were spotted in my ward, and how would you have even of known that something had been put through the storm drain if it was not seen and reported?

00:49:47.020 --> 00:49:48.780
So I can answer that for you right now.

00:49:48.780 --> 00:49:55.340
So we likely won't have any reports for this last week because we don't test like that.

00:49:55.780 --> 00:49:59.700
We would have quarterly reports because that's how we do the storm.

00:49:59.700 --> 00:50:06.660
that's how we do the storm basin testing and you're right in your specific instance had

00:50:06.660 --> 00:50:11.220
somebody not have reported what happened in your ward we would not have caught that because

00:50:11.220 --> 00:50:15.860
we can't be everywhere all the time if people want to make illicit discharges and they're

00:50:15.860 --> 00:50:21.280
going to do it at night after hours wherever we can't be everywhere we don't have cameras

00:50:21.280 --> 00:50:29.060
all over town we would never be able to suspect we find that we're talking about large discharges

00:50:29.060 --> 00:50:35.140
is what we're going to catch. So that was not a large discharge? No. And it was 10 o'clock in the morning?

00:50:35.140 --> 00:50:42.820
Right. But again, it was at one storm basin in the middle of 139 miles of streetway. That's pretty

00:50:42.820 --> 00:50:48.820
hard for us to track that down. But with the person that called us, we were able to get over

00:50:48.820 --> 00:50:53.220
there and take a sample. And we didn't quote enforce that. I don't want to name the contractor,

00:50:53.220 --> 00:50:59.700
but we did code enforce them and I think we find them five or six thousand dollars in damages for

00:50:59.700 --> 00:51:05.300
that dumping so that and that sent them a message that we weren't going to allow that to happen.

00:51:05.300 --> 00:51:16.100
So if I get copies of reports it would show a difference that month or that quarter compared

00:51:16.100 --> 00:51:22.340
to the most recent? I think it's going to show that our stormwater quality in general is good

00:51:22.340 --> 00:51:52.340
and a lot of other good that's going out out of our basins, right? I don't I don't think you're going to see it's not like there's a scientific measurement. It's either the water quality is good or it's not and we have not had any storm water quality issues because we're trying to correct these issues as we can. Remember that dumping that happened that day in your ward was let's say a thousand gallons in the middle of the city of Freeport.

00:51:52.340 --> 00:51:57.900
and the Wishing Well, honestly, but it does translate that that went into the river somewhere

00:51:57.900 --> 00:51:59.980
as storm discharge flows.

00:51:59.980 --> 00:52:01.620
But it could have been 3,000.

00:52:01.620 --> 00:52:04.420
They said it was one.

00:52:04.420 --> 00:52:05.420
Right.

00:52:05.420 --> 00:52:06.420
Okay.

00:52:06.420 --> 00:52:07.420
Alderman Johnson?

00:52:07.420 --> 00:52:08.420
Yeah.

00:52:08.420 --> 00:52:17.420
Under 660.05 prohibition, it looks like maybe, I know this is a rough draft, but it looks

00:52:17.420 --> 00:52:20.820
to me like the first sentence there might have some repetitive statements we need to

00:52:20.820 --> 00:52:22.500
to work on.

00:52:22.500 --> 00:52:28.180
Also under 660.09, it talks about injunctive relief and administrative hearing letter.

00:52:28.180 --> 00:52:31.820
How long do we wait for the injunctive relief or how many days of fines?

00:52:31.820 --> 00:52:38.020
I guess I just want to see what is the progression once someone is caught or we suspect that

00:52:38.020 --> 00:52:39.480
there's hazardous dumping.

00:52:39.480 --> 00:52:40.480
What is the progression?

00:52:40.480 --> 00:52:43.060
Do we find them starting on day one?

00:52:43.060 --> 00:52:49.700
Do we do the injunctive relief administrative hearing or what is the progression of what

00:52:49.700 --> 00:52:53.060
Williams, and so I want to answer to that.

00:52:53.060 --> 00:53:01.340
And also, the violation fine is $250 not to exceed $750, violation each day shall constitute

00:53:01.340 --> 00:53:03.260
a separate violation.

00:53:03.260 --> 00:53:09.420
So I'm wondering is this how much, you know, this is stating that can be $750 up to that

00:53:09.420 --> 00:53:11.200
amount per day.

00:53:11.200 --> 00:53:16.060
What determines whether it's $250 or whether it's $750 or what the amount is that's charged

00:53:16.060 --> 00:53:18.860
for the violation for that day?

00:53:18.860 --> 00:53:24.140
So just if you could clarify those two things for me, I would appreciate it.

00:53:24.140 --> 00:53:31.460
So as far as the amounts, a lot of times we look at how many times have, are you a repeat

00:53:31.460 --> 00:53:32.460
offender?

00:53:32.460 --> 00:53:36.320
Is this something, you know, we've talked about you, we've educated you, we find you

00:53:36.320 --> 00:53:39.080
and you just continue to do so.

00:53:39.080 --> 00:53:43.580
That will make it go up every time we've talked to you.

00:53:43.580 --> 00:53:48.020
We try to shoot for, you know, depending, it's a lot of it's case by case, you know,

00:53:48.020 --> 00:53:53.220
What did you dump in there? What does it look like? What are the circumstances? Can I educate

00:53:53.220 --> 00:53:58.860
you first and gain compliance that way? Is it someone that just really honestly didn't

00:53:58.860 --> 00:54:06.620
know? That's what we shoot for, educate compliance. After that it goes into, okay, you knew about

00:54:06.620 --> 00:54:12.180
her, now you get a fine for $250 and then we work from there. Ideally, if it's a situation

00:54:12.180 --> 00:54:19.620
they can clean up great have you clean it up and we'll mosey along if it's something that we can't

00:54:19.620 --> 00:54:27.780
clean up or something that has a large impact on public health or on our drinking water or anything

00:54:27.780 --> 00:54:35.220
like that then it's a little more serious and we look towards fines first. So the progression is

00:54:35.220 --> 00:54:43.120
Files, Finds First. Case by case, usually I try to educate first and then go to Finds.

00:54:43.120 --> 00:54:46.420
It just kind of depends on what the scenario is.

00:54:46.420 --> 00:54:47.420
Okay.

00:54:47.420 --> 00:54:50.420
Just one more.

00:54:50.420 --> 00:54:51.420
Sure.

00:54:51.420 --> 00:54:59.340
I appreciate all this, but also what I'd like to see is some proactive things like maybe

00:55:29.340 --> 00:55:32.540
I'm hoping to get those out now this summer so we can get those. Okay thank you.

00:55:33.180 --> 00:55:38.700
Okay so we have a motion made by Alderman Shadle seconded by Alderman Sellers to move this forward.

00:55:39.820 --> 00:55:47.660
All those Alderman Sanders. Can I ask one question? Sure. Piggybacking off of what Sister Johnson was

00:55:47.660 --> 00:56:00.780
is just saying. Is this an ordinance on the 660? Is that an ordinance? Yes, it's item

00:56:00.780 --> 00:56:08.060
number eight. It's the ordinance change on those parts. And it's asking us to amend it

00:56:08.060 --> 00:56:15.460
to what was discussed tonight. What we discussed tonight. Right. I think we should make sure

00:56:15.460 --> 00:56:23.460
We're not sure that we put more into what Mrs. Johnson was just stating.

00:56:23.460 --> 00:56:25.460
Yeah, we've got two more sessions, Alderman.

00:56:25.460 --> 00:56:26.460
Do we?

00:56:26.460 --> 00:56:27.460
Yeah.

00:56:27.460 --> 00:56:28.460
Okay.

00:56:28.460 --> 00:56:29.460
This is just the cow.

00:56:29.460 --> 00:56:30.460
We're not voting on anything.

00:56:30.460 --> 00:56:31.460
We're just saying, do we want to move it forward?

00:56:31.460 --> 00:56:32.460
Okay.

00:56:32.460 --> 00:56:33.460
All right.

00:56:33.460 --> 00:56:38.460
I just wanted that to be noted because there's a lot of things that can be implemented into

00:56:38.460 --> 00:56:39.460
that.

00:56:39.460 --> 00:56:47.380
Okay, so, Alderman Simmons, did you want to share something?

00:56:47.380 --> 00:56:49.380
No.

00:56:49.380 --> 00:56:52.180
Alderman, or Mr. Stiegel?

00:56:52.180 --> 00:57:01.020
Yeah, just as part of Randy's everyday role with the city is she's one of our education officers as well.

00:57:01.020 --> 00:57:07.060
So she educates on water, sewer, stormwater, everything resulting in this.

00:57:07.060 --> 00:57:37.060
We've been started a quarterly newsletter where we're releasing information quarterly out to everybody through their water and sewer bill, trying to educate people on these different facets of the utility business. So I would recommend that everybody look to there for information because there's lots of tidbits that we're constantly putting in there. And it's usually a two to four page pamphlet that we're putting out with education materials like this. And by the way, that's required as part of our discharge permits.

00:57:37.060 --> 00:57:37.900
and

00:57:37.900 --> 00:57:39.060
the

00:57:39.060 --> 00:57:40.060
next

00:57:40.060 --> 00:57:41.060
item is

00:57:41.060 --> 00:57:42.060
item number

00:57:42.060 --> 00:57:43.060
seven

00:57:43.060 --> 00:57:44.060
.

00:57:44.060 --> 00:57:45.060
We will take a vote on this.

00:57:45.060 --> 00:57:47.060
All those in favor of moving this ordinance changes forward signify by saying aye.

00:57:47.060 --> 00:57:48.060
Opposed?

00:57:48.060 --> 00:57:51.060
And then if we can just back up to item number seven.

00:57:51.060 --> 00:57:52.060
I forgot to take a vote on that.

00:57:52.060 --> 00:57:59.060
We had the motion to move that ordinance forward concerning the erosion control made by Alderman

00:57:59.060 --> 00:58:01.060
Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

00:58:01.060 --> 00:58:04.060
All those in favor signify by saying aye.

00:58:04.060 --> 00:58:05.060
Opposed?

00:58:05.060 --> 00:58:12.540
We're going to move on to item number nine which is the discussion regarding ordinance

00:58:12.540 --> 00:58:19.020
amending part 10 with the streets utilities and public service code as well as section

00:58:19.020 --> 00:58:25.500
1040.07a as well as b.

00:58:25.500 --> 00:58:26.500
Manager Boyer?

00:58:26.500 --> 00:58:31.660
Thank you your honor and I want to everybody put a put a pause on what our conversation

00:58:31.660 --> 00:58:32.660
has been.

00:58:32.660 --> 00:58:39.780
We're going to come revisit it with item number 10, but we're going to get out sequence just slightly

00:58:39.780 --> 00:58:46.100
and discuss new Julie laws that require new requirements from us moving forward with

00:58:46.740 --> 00:58:54.340
utility locates. So in 2020, the 2026 amendment to the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities

00:58:54.340 --> 00:58:59.220
Damage Prevention Act requires that all newly installed or replaced water and sewer service

00:58:59.220 --> 00:59:05.300
Lines will be electronically traceable and locatable. This is now the law as of January

00:59:05.300 --> 00:59:10.900
2026 and all communities must comply. In the past, certain private service laterals were

00:59:10.900 --> 00:59:16.580
not required to include tracer wire or any other locating technology which creates difficulty

00:59:16.580 --> 00:59:23.740
during excavation and utility marking. Excavation work must continue to be coordinated through

00:59:23.740 --> 00:59:30.140
Julie, Inc., and the updated law expands the responsibility of private service owners to ensure

00:59:30.140 --> 00:59:34.940
that underground infrastructure is properly installed, locatable, and maintained in the

00:59:34.940 --> 00:59:40.060
right-of-way and on private property for all new installations or repairs. So the purpose of this

00:59:40.060 --> 00:59:45.580
ordinance amends and updates the city code to reflect these state requirements. The changes

00:59:45.580 --> 00:59:53.340
will require tracer wire or approved locating technology for applicable water and sewer service

00:59:53.340 --> 00:59:59.020
Lines, and Make Compliance a Condition of Permit Issuance, and Final Inspection, aligning

00:59:59.020 --> 00:59:59.780
local regulators.

00:59:59.780 --> 01:00:04.180
Aligning local regulations with state law and so on. So essentially what we're

01:00:04.180 --> 01:00:09.500
looking at here is we're asking, we're asking for you to consider moving this

01:00:09.500 --> 01:00:14.180
forward. Essentially what it's going to do is require any new sewer service line

01:00:14.180 --> 01:00:20.300
or water service line to be marked with electronic tape. It's basically a foil

01:00:20.300 --> 01:00:25.260
tape or a wire that you can hook on to a locating device and specifically find

01:00:25.260 --> 01:00:27.260
Fowler, John, and John.

01:00:27.260 --> 01:00:31.260
And I think we're going to have to look at those utilities that are buried underground.

01:00:31.260 --> 01:00:34.260
So with that, I'd like to just open up with comments.

01:00:34.260 --> 01:00:38.260
I think Randy, Randy's going to sit tight for until the next agenda item.

01:00:38.260 --> 01:00:40.260
But yeah, any comments?

01:00:40.260 --> 01:00:41.260
Yes.

01:00:41.260 --> 01:00:45.260
So is there a motion to move this ordinance amending part 10 forward?

01:00:45.260 --> 01:00:46.260
So moved.

01:00:46.260 --> 01:00:47.260
Second.

01:00:47.260 --> 01:00:51.260
We have a motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

01:00:51.260 --> 01:00:52.260
Discussion.

01:00:52.260 --> 01:00:54.260
Alderman Sanders.

01:00:54.260 --> 01:01:15.100
and other people that they're doing that now because that was talked about years ago to do just what you just incited. But what I like to know is the old method of how we went about doing it. We're not playing, we still have to keep that in place, right?

01:01:15.100 --> 01:01:45.100
Yeah, we're still going to be locating city utilities. And if there's a house, for instance, that doesn't have locating wire on their service, we'll continue doing what we normally do, which is we find where the service connection comes in the street, and then we'll, you know, basically paint a T heading toward the house. However, with all the new ones, we'll be required to locate it up to the house once that tracer wire locates up is installed.

01:01:45.100 --> 01:01:48.620
and others.

01:01:48.620 --> 01:01:57.740
Televised inspections will result into the placement of connected services to the sewer

01:01:57.740 --> 01:01:59.460
main and things of that nature.

01:01:59.460 --> 01:02:04.100
Yeah, that is something you know quite a bit about, so yes.

01:02:04.100 --> 01:02:05.100
Okay.

01:02:05.100 --> 01:02:06.100
All right.

01:02:06.100 --> 01:02:07.100
Thank you.

01:02:07.100 --> 01:02:08.100
Alderman Johnson.

01:02:08.100 --> 01:02:09.100
Okay.

01:02:09.100 --> 01:02:10.100
Johnson.

01:02:10.100 --> 01:02:11.100
Okay.

01:02:11.100 --> 01:02:15.940
Under Section 2B, I just want to make sure I have understanding of this.

01:02:15.940 --> 01:02:23.320
It's regarding existing houses, structures, factories, et cetera, that have the ability

01:02:23.320 --> 01:02:28.820
within 200 feet, I believe it is, to connect to our sewage system, that they're given

01:02:28.820 --> 01:02:35.720
a notice within 180 days that they should connect to the city water sewage.

01:02:35.720 --> 01:02:39.960
and once they're given that notice, they don't have any choice in the matter.

01:02:39.960 --> 01:02:41.840
They have to connect to the city sewerage.

01:02:41.840 --> 01:02:43.320
Is that, am I reading that right?

01:02:43.320 --> 01:02:44.320
Is that correct?

01:02:44.320 --> 01:02:45.320
Well, that is correct.

01:02:45.320 --> 01:02:49.600
So once, so this is a little bit outside of the scope of this particular discussion.

01:02:49.600 --> 01:02:56.080
But yes, once the individuals in town are notified that they need to hook up to city

01:02:56.080 --> 01:03:00.680
sewer, because maybe they weren't originally, or they were originally in the county and

01:03:00.680 --> 01:03:05.520
the city annex, the men, when we're doing a project, the time to get people hooked up

01:03:05.520 --> 01:03:09.600
is when we were doing the construction part of it. So we would send them a notice saying, hey,

01:03:09.600 --> 01:03:15.600
we need you to hook up to the sewer. And then so much time goes by and then they need to be hooked

01:03:15.600 --> 01:03:22.240
up. Yeah. Follow up question. Okay. So, Alderman Johnson, the language that you're asking questions

01:03:22.240 --> 01:03:26.240
about that's existing language right now. So it's really not on topic as to what we're talking about

01:03:26.240 --> 01:03:31.200
tonight, which is the Julie requiring the tracer line. So the area that you're reading from is all

01:03:31.200 --> 01:03:34.320
All existing language in the ordinance.

01:03:34.320 --> 01:03:35.320
It's already in the ordinance.

01:03:35.320 --> 01:03:36.320
Right.

01:03:36.320 --> 01:03:37.320
It's the current ordinance.

01:03:37.320 --> 01:03:41.240
Only the stuff that's underlined and emboldened is the new language that's adding the requirement

01:03:41.240 --> 01:03:42.240
of the Julie Tracer wire.

01:03:42.240 --> 01:03:43.240
Okay.

01:03:43.240 --> 01:03:46.680
So, I'm not saying your claims aren't valid, they're probably but not appropriate for this

01:03:46.680 --> 01:03:47.680
topic right now.

01:03:47.680 --> 01:03:48.680
Okay.

01:03:48.680 --> 01:03:49.680
Because they're existing now.

01:03:49.680 --> 01:03:50.680
All right.

01:03:50.680 --> 01:03:51.680
Thank you.

01:03:51.680 --> 01:03:52.680
Okay.

01:03:52.680 --> 01:03:58.160
So, we have a motion made by Alderman Klemm, seconded by Alderman Shadle.

01:03:58.160 --> 01:04:01.160
All those in favor of moving this forward signify by saying aye.

01:04:01.160 --> 01:04:02.160
Aye.

01:04:02.160 --> 01:04:03.520
Opposed?

01:04:03.520 --> 01:04:04.980
That motion passes.

01:04:04.980 --> 01:04:15.000
Item number 10 is discussion regarding ordinance amending part 10 concerning section 1046.59

01:04:15.000 --> 01:04:19.200
and section 1050.08.

01:04:19.200 --> 01:04:20.200
Manager Boyer?

01:04:20.200 --> 01:04:21.200
Thank you, Your Honor.

01:04:21.200 --> 01:04:27.120
So section 1046.59 prohibits stormwater, groundwater, sump pumps, and other clear water sources

01:04:27.120 --> 01:04:52.080
from Discharging into the Sanitary Sewer System. Section 1050.08 addresses illicit discharges

01:05:22.080 --> 01:05:27.200
and Terry Seuer and strengthen the city's authority to require corrective action.

01:05:27.200 --> 01:05:33.000
The amendments in 1050.08 update the definition of illicit discharge and reinforce the city's

01:05:33.000 --> 01:05:36.160
authority to investigate and enforce violation.

01:05:36.160 --> 01:05:41.060
And these recommendations are necessary to continue with our compliance with MS4.

01:05:41.060 --> 01:05:44.000
So Randy, if you would walk us through those changes.

01:05:44.000 --> 01:05:45.000
Sure.

01:05:45.000 --> 01:05:46.000
So starting with 1046.59.

01:05:46.000 --> 01:05:51.320
So we went through and added prohibited acts.

01:05:51.320 --> 01:05:58.440
This says that you can't change any natural or manmade water flow. So you can't place or deposit any

01:05:58.440 --> 01:06:05.480
debris or fill any construction such as ditch pipe, culvert, coursework.

01:06:07.320 --> 01:06:12.680
It's not permitted to fill, obstruct, dam, divert, or otherwise change natural or artificial flow of

01:06:12.680 --> 01:06:24.760
with water, prohibits excessive vegetation and debris, pretty much anything that might

01:06:24.760 --> 01:06:27.920
change how water is moving.

01:06:27.920 --> 01:06:31.960
We did put in there a correction of existing conditions, so if there is something already

01:06:31.960 --> 01:06:36.560
out there, ideally it needs to be rectified.

01:06:36.560 --> 01:06:40.900
This ensures that water continues to flow and get out to the river instead of getting

01:06:40.900 --> 01:07:00.900
We went through, there's acts that are permitted, it talks about the permitting process, there's penalties and corrective action, and then we go into 10-50-08, which is illicit discharge and connection prohibited.

01:07:00.900 --> 01:07:23.900
So, illicit connection prohibitions, so nothing can go into the stormwater except for normal stormwater, construction for continued existence of illicit connections are prohibited,

01:07:23.900 --> 01:07:33.900
The person is considered in violation of this section if a person connects a line conveying sewage to the stormwater.

01:07:33.900 --> 01:07:45.900
Basically, it's just protecting what can go in there and what can be sent out to the rivers.

01:07:45.900 --> 01:07:48.900
We do have some discharges that are exempt in here.

01:07:48.900 --> 01:07:59.340
here, things like firefighting flows, landscape irrigation, air conditioning, condensation,

01:07:59.340 --> 01:08:04.860
that kind of stuff, stuff that won't cause or should not cause any kind of harm to the

01:08:04.860 --> 01:08:05.860
environment.

01:08:05.860 --> 01:08:13.120
We then have a section in there for suspension of MS4 access, meaning if you were to violate

01:08:13.120 --> 01:08:16.900
any of this, we can say, hey, you're done, you're not going to send anything else to

01:08:16.900 --> 01:08:46.900
Mr. Stiegel, yeah, one of the reasons this is important is because the putting more teeth to this, we need to prevent clear water drainage from being pumped into the sanitary sewer. Per EPA, that should be pumped back onto the ground. When it gets co-mingled in with our sanitary, again, we pay to clean it up. So that's kind of the basics of the changes.

01:08:46.900 --> 01:08:52.520
and that clean water at the wastewater treatment plant, which increases our user costs for

01:08:52.520 --> 01:08:54.980
everybody in the system.

01:08:54.980 --> 01:09:02.060
These changes allow Ms. Kolbauer to be more effective in allowing checking for illicit

01:09:02.060 --> 01:09:03.720
hookups.

01:09:03.720 --> 01:09:12.220
We know that they probably exist within Freeport and we are continuously looking for them.

01:09:12.220 --> 01:09:18.420
It's very hard to find them throughout, but this ordinance allows her to make sure that

01:09:18.420 --> 01:09:22.560
clear water that we should not be sending to the wastewater treatment plant is going

01:09:22.560 --> 01:09:27.619
back on the ground as runoff to our sanitaries and back out to the waterways.

01:09:27.619 --> 01:09:32.860
Okay, so is there a motion regarding this ordinance change amending Part 10?

01:09:32.860 --> 01:09:33.860
So moved.

01:09:33.860 --> 01:09:34.860
Second.

01:09:34.860 --> 01:09:39.780
A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Klemm.

01:09:39.780 --> 01:09:40.780
Alderman Sanders?

01:09:40.780 --> 01:09:59.500
Yeah, I'm glad you're talking about what it is that we can't see, but my problem is sometimes when developers and contractors are involved, building homes with garages.

01:09:59.500 --> 01:10:07.939
Homes with Garages, they have the propensity to want to install sewer for runoff when people

01:10:07.939 --> 01:10:14.779
are washing cars or whatever mechanical machinery work that they're doing in their garage.

01:10:14.779 --> 01:10:23.300
And they're using that by way of discharging whatever they're using.

01:10:23.300 --> 01:10:25.739
And I'm not saying detergent is one of them.

01:10:25.739 --> 01:10:34.140
but the fact of the matter is when you have a car wash or car washes or garages, private

01:10:34.140 --> 01:10:43.859
garage areas that's using storm insertions to discharge water from the property or whatever,

01:10:43.859 --> 01:10:49.340
you're right, there's no way to evaluate that but here's the thing.

01:10:49.340 --> 01:10:58.859
New Development, if we're going to start amending things and encouraging people to not just discharge

01:10:58.859 --> 01:11:05.340
any kind of solvent water, clear water, whatever, we must let them know at the time of birth

01:11:05.340 --> 01:11:11.979
of a home that you have to be legal with these new storm drains that you want to put in your

01:11:11.979 --> 01:11:14.659
garage and your homes or whatever the case is.

01:11:14.659 --> 01:11:37.020
I'm just putting that out there simply because I know these things happen, and this is the reason why we never could find who's doing a lot of the dumping, improper dumping, and it's just another way of saying we'd like to notify developers who are constructing new homes and things of this nature, you just can't do that.

01:11:37.500 --> 01:11:38.100
Mr. Stiegel?

01:11:38.100 --> 01:11:43.939
Yeah, that's all part of the building code and permit process now and mandatory inspection for

01:11:43.939 --> 01:11:49.220
all buildings that we work hand in hand with community development to do. Nothing gets built

01:11:49.220 --> 01:11:55.380
anymore without full compliance. We even have resources from Elgin that we bring in plumbing

01:11:55.380 --> 01:12:00.659
and sewer and other things that we need to do. So that's all ensured through new construction,

01:12:00.659 --> 01:12:06.100
which we don't have a lot of, but hopefully that will change soon. Yeah. Anyone else? Thank you.

01:12:06.100 --> 01:12:13.579
Alderman Johnson Yeah, Chapter 1046.59 letter D2, Line 2 seems

01:12:13.579 --> 01:12:18.260
to have some repetitive statements, may need to be restructured.

01:12:18.260 --> 01:12:25.420
And under the violations and penalties, H Permit 1, it says permit required, no person

01:12:25.420 --> 01:12:30.840
shall do any of the acts prohibited in subsection D without a permit.

01:12:30.840 --> 01:12:34.500
I just want clarification, how does that happen?

01:12:34.500 --> 01:12:36.460
and Diaz, things that are not permitted.

01:12:36.460 --> 01:12:39.100
So I just want that explained what that means.

01:12:55.380 --> 01:12:57.659
Would either one of you wanna just get back with that?

01:12:57.659 --> 01:12:59.420
No, I mean, I can answer it.

01:12:59.420 --> 01:13:02.619
So you're talking about, I just wanna clarify,

01:13:02.619 --> 01:13:06.439
1046.59 D.

01:13:06.439 --> 01:13:08.720
It's H, H permit.

01:13:08.720 --> 01:13:11.479
And it says number one beside it, permit required.

01:13:11.479 --> 01:13:13.920
No person shall do any of the acts prohibited

01:13:13.920 --> 01:13:16.479
in subsection D without a permit.

01:13:16.479 --> 01:13:17.319
Right.

01:13:17.319 --> 01:13:18.140
Yeah.

01:13:18.140 --> 01:13:20.800
So this is addressing people that may already

01:13:20.800 --> 01:13:23.000
have a structure, but illegally hook up

01:13:23.000 --> 01:13:25.880
without our knowledge, but then are caught

01:13:25.880 --> 01:13:28.640
during code enforcement or something that was wrong.

01:13:28.640 --> 01:13:32.720
So obviously addressing our existing structures

01:13:32.720 --> 01:13:35.439
that are already built when we do inspections.

01:13:35.439 --> 01:13:36.479
Okay, so.

01:13:36.479 --> 01:13:38.840
So when we do new construction,

01:13:38.840 --> 01:13:40.520
we're in control of that all the way through,

01:13:40.520 --> 01:13:44.420
but obviously we have 11,500 homes and businesses

01:13:44.420 --> 01:13:46.279
that are already built within town.

01:13:46.279 --> 01:13:47.640
So we have to account for people

01:13:47.640 --> 01:13:50.359
that may already be connected illegally

01:13:50.359 --> 01:13:53.359
as we figure that out or find that out.

01:13:53.359 --> 01:13:55.680
So then they have to get a permit for that.

01:13:55.680 --> 01:13:56.640
They have to get a permit

01:13:56.640 --> 01:14:14.720
Alderman, Stacy, So people who runs a sock pump out of their basement, are you saying

01:14:14.720 --> 01:14:22.079
that they need a permit to have a sock pump in their basement?

01:14:22.079 --> 01:14:52.079
are you going to need a permit to wash your cars so there's a difference let me do number two first there's a difference between a commercial car wash and somebody just washing one car two cars at their house on their driveway so that effort at your house is not permitted when we're talking about a commercial establishment like any of the car big car washes in town they are permitted only because they have to have a rewashed cycles they have to

01:14:52.079 --> 01:14:55.119
They have, they use a lot more soap than most people do.

01:14:55.319 --> 01:14:58.539
It's not always biodegradable and they have recycled tanks under the ground.

01:14:58.539 --> 01:15:01.779
And those are all part of the codes and ordinances when those places are built.

01:15:02.279 --> 01:15:04.380
Um, your first question on sump pumps.

01:15:04.380 --> 01:15:07.119
Sump pumps are illegal to be hooked up to the sanitary sewer.

01:15:07.319 --> 01:15:11.479
That water is supposed to be returned to the ground and pumped outside of your home.

01:15:11.819 --> 01:15:15.319
Uh, anybody that has those connected with the CNF report that would already be

01:15:15.319 --> 01:15:20.000
considered by code an illegal connection for any sump pump in a house.

01:15:20.000 --> 01:15:23.079
we don't pump basement water into the sanitary.

01:15:23.079 --> 01:15:25.720
Again, that's clean water and it should be directly discharged

01:15:25.720 --> 01:15:27.880
outside of your home to run on the ground

01:15:27.880 --> 01:15:31.579
and infiltrate back into the, to the groundways, stormways.

01:15:35.399 --> 01:15:37.239
We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle

01:15:37.239 --> 01:15:38.800
seconded by Alderman Klemm.

01:15:38.800 --> 01:15:40.840
All those in favor of moving this forward signify

01:15:40.840 --> 01:15:41.800
by saying aye.

01:15:41.800 --> 01:15:42.640
Aye.

01:15:42.640 --> 01:15:44.239
Opposed?

01:15:44.239 --> 01:15:45.239
That motion passes.

01:15:45.239 --> 01:15:48.479
Item number 11 is discussion regarding overview

01:15:48.479 --> 01:15:52.380
of the 2026 Road Work, Mr. Stiegel.

01:16:05.720 --> 01:16:08.960
So council members, I printed out packets for you

01:16:08.960 --> 01:16:11.000
because I didn't know how well this would show up

01:16:11.000 --> 01:16:12.039
on the big board.

01:16:13.760 --> 01:16:15.960
And I want everybody to know this is just,

01:16:15.960 --> 01:16:16.800
yeah, I think we're done.

01:16:16.800 --> 01:16:18.960
Let's just be more of a general conversation.

01:16:25.600 --> 01:16:29.920
So we're anticipating a very busy construction here in Freeport this year.

01:16:29.920 --> 01:16:34.319
And I just wanted to start off on this slide to remind council members because I know you guys

01:16:34.319 --> 01:16:41.039
don't do it every day. The city has 140 miles of streetway that we take care of. Just about 60

01:16:41.039 --> 01:17:11.039
County, 50 miles of alleyways, five wells currently. We're soon adding what 12 probably in about two years. The groundbreaking was today out of those five wells. Two of them are in reserve. Those are the wells that we have the PFAS traces in and they are not used to the water system. Currently they are in reserve only in case we had a major fire catastrophe and we needed to have extra water supply. Currently in our distribution system,

01:17:11.039 --> 01:17:16.039
137 miles of water main, 127 miles of sanitary sewer.

01:17:17.079 --> 01:17:21.600
We have about 2,800 sanitary manholes.

01:17:21.600 --> 01:17:24.000
We also have nine list stations

01:17:24.000 --> 01:17:27.359
with another one on Walnut being built right now.

01:17:27.359 --> 01:17:29.720
We have one large wastewater treatment plant

01:17:29.720 --> 01:17:33.720
capable of treating 16 million gallons a day.

01:17:33.720 --> 01:17:37.319
We have 50 miles of stormwater within the city limits.

01:17:37.319 --> 01:17:40.579
We actually have 20 stormwater basins,

01:17:40.579 --> 01:17:44.140
which basins are what lead to the waterways

01:17:44.140 --> 01:17:45.939
that take the water out to the river.

01:17:48.060 --> 01:17:51.779
We have almost 2,700 stormwater manholes.

01:17:51.779 --> 01:17:54.060
We have one bridge, the Hancock Bridge,

01:17:54.060 --> 01:17:56.439
and we have three closed landfills right now.

01:17:57.380 --> 01:17:59.060
And while I was putting this together,

01:17:59.060 --> 01:18:01.979
I wanted to remind people our staffing levels

01:18:01.979 --> 01:18:02.859
that we have currently.

01:18:02.859 --> 01:18:06.279
So currently we take care of nearly 200 miles

01:18:06.279 --> 01:18:08.260
and we have 10 street employees.

01:18:08.260 --> 01:18:10.840
So that's about 20 miles per employee.

01:18:11.399 --> 01:18:16.239
We have three forestry people and we took down nearly 300 trees last year.

01:18:16.600 --> 01:18:19.680
So that's, you know, quite an effort.

01:18:19.680 --> 01:18:24.720
That's more than a tree per day out of the 300, or I think it was like 285.

01:18:24.720 --> 01:18:27.079
We only contacted about three of those trees out.

01:18:27.359 --> 01:18:28.640
Our crews did the rest.

01:18:29.119 --> 01:18:33.000
We have two members of our crew that do painting and sweeping.

01:18:33.000 --> 01:18:36.300
Street sweeping is done very early in the morning and at night.

01:18:36.300 --> 01:18:43.300
and those guys are responsible for painting the lines that you see on the streets annually out of the paint budget.

01:18:43.300 --> 01:18:50.300
We have one cemetery full-time employee that takes care of the grounds and maintenance, also digs the cemetery plots.

01:18:50.300 --> 01:18:58.300
We have two full-time mechanics that is something that City Manager Boyer has really pushed forward

01:18:58.300 --> 01:19:03.300
that has saved the city tens of thousands of dollars in outside equipment repairs.

01:19:03.300 --> 01:19:33.300
We currently have eight construction crew members, we have a young crew, but learning, we have three service technicians, those are part of the meter and water departments, so those are shutoffs, turn-ons, meters that are installed, MIUs that are installed, operations team, we run operations 24-7, 365 here, we have eight members of our operation crew right now,

01:19:33.300 --> 01:19:37.300
Running the water plants, the sewer plants and everything in between.

01:19:37.300 --> 01:19:46.300
We have three full-time lab workers that do our lab sampling and our required water sampling daily.

01:19:46.300 --> 01:19:52.300
We have one utility worker position and we have three maintenance positions right now.

01:19:52.300 --> 01:19:59.300
So our maintenance people take care of our water plants, our lift stations, our wastewater treatment plant.

01:19:59.300 --> 01:20:03.619
Wastewater Treatment Plant, uh, doing the preventative maintenance schedules, uh,

01:20:03.619 --> 01:20:06.220
that saved the city quite a bit of money from hiring that out.

01:20:06.579 --> 01:20:10.260
And then we have three summer mowers that, uh, I believe the

01:20:10.260 --> 01:20:14.260
number is around 80 properties, uh, that we have to mow.

01:20:14.579 --> 01:20:18.860
Uh, we obviously we can't mow 80 properties weekly, but you can see

01:20:18.860 --> 01:20:22.420
why three people are having a heck of a time keeping up with all the

01:20:22.420 --> 01:20:25.239
lots that we have all over town to maintain.

01:20:25.239 --> 01:20:30.000
So we're trying to make plans to, um, uh, move some of them, uh, lots over to

01:20:30.000 --> 01:20:32.560
residential people, next slide, please.

01:20:37.600 --> 01:20:41.560
Um, so the next map is, uh, pretty congested.

01:20:41.940 --> 01:20:46.640
This is the overall 2026, uh, map of projects that's going to happen.

01:20:47.000 --> 01:20:50.440
Um, I'm going to break that down in the next few slides, but I wanted everybody

01:20:50.440 --> 01:20:54.039
to see how much work is going to be happening all over the city of Freeport.

01:20:54.039 --> 01:21:10.039
We have water main replacement, street reconstructs, mill and overlays, we have some additional projects that were added. We have crack sealing that's going to happen. We have several IDOT streets in main corridors that are going to get paved.

01:21:10.039 --> 01:21:18.039
We have, we call them STU streets. There's some special federal funding that we've been able to get for some streets.

01:21:18.039 --> 01:21:25.079
And then we have cleaning and lining that we're doing within our sanitary sewers.

01:21:25.079 --> 01:21:32.720
Additional projects that really couldn't show up on here is we still have about 200 remaining lead service lines after the last inventory was done last week.

01:21:32.720 --> 01:21:42.320
We're working on airport terminal design for that build out. We're also working on the PAPI light program at the airport.

01:21:42.320 --> 01:21:54.320
and some crack seal and also we have various building repairs that are going to happen between the fire department and City Hall and then we've already contracted 31 trees to come down on top of our crews.

01:21:54.320 --> 01:22:00.320
Those trees are the large dangerous trees that our crews don't have the equipment to take down.

01:22:00.320 --> 01:22:02.320
Next slide please.

01:22:02.320 --> 01:22:05.320
So kind of trying to break this down a little bit.

01:22:05.320 --> 01:22:14.319
So this next sheet shows the water main replacements and street constructs and mill and overlays that the city crews are planning on doing this year.

01:22:14.319 --> 01:22:19.319
This is a full complete list of everything that we've gone over.

01:22:19.319 --> 01:22:26.319
We have bid projects A, B and C that are currently out on the two of them around the street.

01:22:26.319 --> 01:22:31.319
The other one goes out Wednesday and those bids will all be coming to council in April for approval.

01:22:31.320 --> 01:23:01.320
I'm just going to say we're doing Concord Drive, we're doing Seminole Drive, we're doing South Demeter, we're doing the Gladewood Entrances, we're doing North Stewart Drive, the Police Alley, the large municipal lot downtown, South Benton Avenue is getting done, South Carroll is getting done, Pershing is getting done, and Dewey is getting reconstructed

01:23:01.320 --> 01:23:12.320
So that's our list of City Street projects for this year, and I want to remind everybody, this is probably about six, six and a half million dollars worth of work.

01:23:12.320 --> 01:23:24.320
Our streets budget annually is about three million dollars from our one percent, and we get about, we might be three and a half tops, and we get about a million dollars from MFT that we buy materials with.

01:23:24.320 --> 01:23:39.320
The next slide please. So this, this shows some additional projects that we've been able to get to Freeport. This summer, they're planning to bid Galena Avenue from Park Street to Clark Street.

01:23:39.320 --> 01:23:51.320
That's going to be an entire mill and overlay of the section. It's about three and three quarter inch mill and overlay. They're also going to replace somewhere around 75 ADA ramps in the corridor.

01:23:51.320 --> 01:23:56.840
Harder, and I was, I found out at a meeting last week that they're also planning to replace

01:23:56.840 --> 01:24:04.119
all of the stop signals with the new ADA detectable signals that beep and talk to people as they

01:24:04.119 --> 01:24:15.280
as they cross because that is a high traffic area of Freeport for our handicapped travelers.

01:24:15.280 --> 01:24:19.340
And then the other project that a lot of people know about is South Street.

01:24:19.340 --> 01:24:24.180
We got a commitment from IDOT, a memorandum of understanding that if the City of Freeport

01:24:24.180 --> 01:24:29.100
replaced the ADA ramps in that corridor that they will repave that and we're planning on

01:24:29.100 --> 01:24:32.900
having that done this fall as well.

01:24:32.900 --> 01:24:38.739
We're in the close stages to bidding the ADA ramps out now and the project's supposed to

01:24:38.739 --> 01:24:41.739
go to bid in July of this year.

01:24:41.739 --> 01:24:44.659
Next slide please.

01:24:44.659 --> 01:24:48.680
Additional projects, some of these are already under construction.

01:24:48.680 --> 01:24:57.640
We're looking at the Galena, Laurel, or Park Street some people call it, lift station renovations.

01:24:57.640 --> 01:25:01.340
We're also planning on doing Sierra Tank renovations this year.

01:25:01.340 --> 01:25:05.560
That's our 2 million gallon storage tank out on the west side of town.

01:25:05.560 --> 01:25:11.239
The Public Works Department is building a new $800,000 salt shed that we've already committed

01:25:11.239 --> 01:25:12.239
to.

01:25:12.239 --> 01:25:18.520
Um, Galena Avenue, we're also doing about 87 manholes of storm and, um, um,

01:25:18.760 --> 01:25:24.360
sanitary, uh, repairs to, um, city hall is having a hundred thousand dollars

01:25:24.360 --> 01:25:25.920
worth of tuck pointing done this year.

01:25:26.600 --> 01:25:31.079
Uh, the Hancock bridge is supposed to go out to bid in July of this year.

01:25:31.119 --> 01:25:35.720
Um, that will be nearly a two and a half million dollar project, um, for

01:25:35.720 --> 01:25:40.720
renovations to the deck, um, wastewater treatment plant, we're in the middle,

01:25:40.720 --> 01:25:47.280
maybe a little bit over the middle of Phase 1, Phase 2 is in design and the city crews are planning to do

01:25:47.280 --> 01:25:53.360
clarifier equipment upgrades this year in-house and we're also looking at some blower building

01:25:53.360 --> 01:25:59.360
replacements because the old boiler there is beyond its useful life and we need to go to gas heaters

01:25:59.360 --> 01:26:06.000
in the blower building. It's much cheaper than replacing the boiler. Hancock Vidoc, we're in the

01:26:06.000 --> 01:26:10.619
In the midst of that project, I know there hasn't been a lot of action there, City Manager

01:26:10.619 --> 01:26:14.000
Boyer and I had a meeting with Helm Group last week.

01:26:14.000 --> 01:26:17.199
They're supposed to be doing test borings there tomorrow to see if the frost is out

01:26:17.199 --> 01:26:21.000
of the ground and we hope to see some action there shortly.

01:26:21.000 --> 01:26:26.000
I will say that that project based on the asphalt plants opening, I do not see it being

01:26:26.000 --> 01:26:29.840
completed until the end of May of this year.

01:26:29.840 --> 01:26:33.600
I know it's an inconvenience, I know we had a resident here earlier that is very upset

01:26:33.600 --> 01:26:48.600
There's nothing we can do about it, I can't open the asphalt plants, Helm can't open their plant, and they typically don't open until May season for paving. There's still underground work to do there, and I know it's an inconvenience for all.

01:26:48.600 --> 01:26:53.600
Well, number eight, we're doing a generator. The pad was poured there today.

01:26:53.600 --> 01:26:57.600
Obviously we're doing the ADA ramps on South Street.

01:26:57.600 --> 01:27:02.600
Meadowbrook Lane is going to get new sewer and street this year.

01:27:02.600 --> 01:27:04.600
This will be a fall project.

01:27:04.600 --> 01:27:09.600
And West Demeter Drive is also looking at new street and storm.

01:27:09.600 --> 01:27:12.600
Well 12, we have the groundbreaking today.

01:27:12.600 --> 01:27:18.600
And the Walnut Lift Station is already under construction and should be finished late summer.

01:27:18.600 --> 01:27:23.159
again we have the lead service lines the work at the airport and the trees that

01:27:23.159 --> 01:27:28.320
were just too much to make this list additional streets these are kind of

01:27:28.320 --> 01:27:33.159
bonus streets we were able to get some federal dollars to help with what the

01:27:33.159 --> 01:27:37.039
City of Freeport calls the FAU routes and this is something that was determined

01:27:37.039 --> 01:27:43.640
by IDOT many years ago and so we tried to figure out a way with IDOT that we

01:27:43.640 --> 01:27:51.320
We could get as many miles as possible done The targeted streets that are in approval right

01:27:51.320 --> 01:27:56.920
now is South Walnut from Empire to South Street.

01:27:56.920 --> 01:27:58.920
Again, these are mill and overlays.

01:27:58.920 --> 01:28:00.380
They're not full reconstructs.

01:28:00.380 --> 01:28:03.159
That street was determined it could be mill and overlay.

01:28:03.159 --> 01:28:08.119
And then we have Lincoln Boulevard from Locust to West this year.

01:28:08.119 --> 01:28:12.440
And then we're hoping for Lincoln the second part to be on next year's schedule.

01:28:12.440 --> 01:28:16.940
We don't have a commitment to that yet and then Stevenson Street basically from Locust

01:28:16.940 --> 01:28:22.159
all the way to where we stopped at Sunset on a mill and overlay.

01:28:22.159 --> 01:28:27.199
I can't 100% guarantee these projects will move forward this year but it looks like in

01:28:27.199 --> 01:28:34.020
all likelihood they're going to from the advanced communication that we had there could be a

01:28:34.020 --> 01:28:40.520
slight possibility that they all push to 2027 and as a reminder we will not only be doing

01:28:40.520 --> 01:28:47.520
We've been working the surface pavement on all these streets to smooth them out, but we'll also have to replace all the ADA ramps.

01:28:47.520 --> 01:29:00.520
Michelle and I went over the numbers this afternoon, and that's approximately $3 million worth of work, and the city has a 20% match to do that work, and it was kind of a surprise that these streets got pulled forward.

01:29:00.520 --> 01:29:05.520
We were kind of planning on them possibly being extra.

01:29:05.520 --> 01:29:07.520
Next slide please.

01:29:07.520 --> 01:29:11.520
So this is a list of streets that we're doing crack sealing on this year.

01:29:11.800 --> 01:29:15.260
As I've told you in the past, the city of Freeport has not done a lot of crack

01:29:15.260 --> 01:29:19.560
sealing, crack sealing is effective on streets after they've been constructed

01:29:19.560 --> 01:29:25.960
between 12 and 24 months, those original cracks and just so everybody knows all

01:29:25.960 --> 01:29:29.840
streets crack, whether they're new, whether they're old, they're going to crack.

01:29:30.079 --> 01:29:34.760
The sooner that we can crack seal them in the next season or two, the sooner we

01:29:34.760 --> 01:29:37.720
keep water out of them, water's the enemy to making potholes

01:29:37.720 --> 01:29:39.260
and making streets bad.

01:29:39.260 --> 01:29:42.400
So we have made it part of our platform to come back

01:29:42.400 --> 01:29:44.680
and do the crack sealing every couple of years.

01:29:44.680 --> 01:29:46.360
This year is an awful large package.

01:29:46.360 --> 01:29:50.600
This is about $150,000 worth of crack seal.

01:29:50.600 --> 01:29:53.000
These are all two streets that have already been done

01:29:53.000 --> 01:29:54.319
in the last couple of years.

01:29:54.319 --> 01:29:56.400
So this kind of shows you how much work we've done

01:29:56.400 --> 01:29:58.600
in the city of Freeport over the last couple of years.

01:29:58.600 --> 01:29:59.440
And so we're.

01:29:59.440 --> 01:30:00.780
over the last couple of years.

01:30:00.780 --> 01:30:03.960
And so we're making it a point to try to maintain that

01:30:03.960 --> 01:30:05.720
so it lasts as long as possible.

01:30:09.080 --> 01:30:10.460
Cleaning and lining.

01:30:10.460 --> 01:30:14.040
So sanitary sewers within the routes that we're doing,

01:30:14.040 --> 01:30:17.020
we're having an evaluation done by a company

01:30:17.020 --> 01:30:19.180
of all the sewers looking for point repairs,

01:30:19.180 --> 01:30:21.540
things that might need to be dug up

01:30:21.540 --> 01:30:23.600
prior to doing the streets.

01:30:23.600 --> 01:30:27.600
And then we have a half a million dollar budget for lining.

01:30:27.600 --> 01:30:35.880
I don't think it's going to get all these streets done, but we'll prioritize them based on what the worst sewers are and just doing inspections on Galena Avenue.

01:30:35.880 --> 01:30:46.240
We have 16 manholes on Galena that are brick and they all need to be lined prior to IDOT doing their project, or we would potentially have failure in those old brick manholes.

01:30:46.240 --> 01:30:48.480
Those are probably original to that section.

01:30:50.840 --> 01:30:52.480
Next slide, please.

01:30:52.480 --> 01:31:00.480
So this is just the same slide as we started with and no changes, but I wanted to end on it.

01:31:00.480 --> 01:31:05.480
There's not an area of Freeport here that is not getting some type of work.

01:31:05.480 --> 01:31:11.480
There is going to be havoc. We're trying to make an internal communication.

01:31:11.480 --> 01:31:18.480
So fire, police, school districts on the same page as far as construction is going for this season.

01:31:18.480 --> 01:31:23.100
and we'll do the best we can and we'll try to coordinate with the emergency

01:31:23.100 --> 01:31:24.920
people as much as possible.

01:31:24.920 --> 01:31:25.920
Question.

01:31:25.920 --> 01:31:31.980
Actually, we're not done with the presentation yet, so just wait a second.

01:31:31.980 --> 01:31:36.900
Alright folks, there's a lot, there's a lot up here.

01:31:36.900 --> 01:31:40.980
It's going to take every bit of our effort to get this done this year and it is going

01:31:40.980 --> 01:31:45.120
to require complete support of council.

01:31:45.120 --> 01:31:59.120
We've got some items that didn't make it into the budget in August that we will have to somehow pay for and we'll be coming back to you on those fundings that we need to do to complete this construction plan.

01:31:59.120 --> 01:32:11.120
I will not say that we can't reschedule some of this and we probably could, but I believe this is what everybody in this council chamber wanted and we've been working very diligently to provide.

01:32:11.120 --> 01:32:16.240
I ask simply that if you feel that this is too ambitious, then let's let's look at it.

01:32:16.240 --> 01:32:20.240
However, if you feel like this is what we're supposed to be doing, I need your

01:32:20.240 --> 01:32:24.320
support. I need when community members have challenges driving through

01:32:24.320 --> 01:32:29.280
construction zones, when they move the barricades or they're just slowed down,

01:32:29.280 --> 01:32:33.800
just remind them that this took a tremendous amount of work to get this

01:32:33.800 --> 01:32:39.920
together. Logistically, funding-wise, and it takes basically every bit of all of

01:32:39.920 --> 01:33:04.720
Taylor,

01:33:04.720 --> 01:33:34.720
We've got to do a better job of zooming in zooming out with these bad boys because it's hard for us to even look at the paperwork to decipher what it is that we're reading if you can just make enlarge these mappings so we can have a better understanding of what it is that we're reading if you can just make enlarge these mappings so we can have a better understanding

01:33:34.720 --> 01:33:40.560
Go along with you so we can read it for ourselves because there's a lot of us sitting here wondering

01:33:41.120 --> 01:33:48.640
Whether we should bring binoculars the next time. You know, I'm just saying I'm just saying that I I'm just making a request

01:33:48.640 --> 01:33:50.640
Can we do better than this?

01:33:50.760 --> 01:33:52.760
thing up here. Thank you.

01:33:54.840 --> 01:33:56.640
Alderman Klemm

01:33:56.640 --> 01:34:02.200
Yes, a couple things. Thank you for the the maps and the overall view of this

01:34:02.200 --> 01:34:08.280
I know one of the most important parts of this also that wasn't you didn't really

01:34:08.280 --> 01:34:13.160
mention up front here but is a cooperation with the citizens in getting

01:34:13.160 --> 01:34:16.760
this done. This is going to be a massive undertaking. I've been in the

01:34:16.760 --> 01:34:20.600
construction trade all my life and I've always said there's two seasons there's

01:34:20.600 --> 01:34:24.920
winter and construction and when it comes time for construction you can only

01:34:24.920 --> 01:34:30.800
do so much in such amount of time. Dear Leonard, Rob, one of the things kind of

01:35:00.800 --> 01:35:04.100
are going to want to get moving sooner than later.

01:35:04.100 --> 01:35:05.640
For instance, the municipal lot,

01:35:05.640 --> 01:35:07.960
we've already seeded Tristan starting that

01:35:07.960 --> 01:35:11.420
in the next couple of weeks, if the conditions allow.

01:35:11.420 --> 01:35:13.400
You know, we have to remind everybody

01:35:13.400 --> 01:35:15.080
it's still early March.

01:35:15.080 --> 01:35:17.740
We're still going to probably have a snow or two.

01:35:17.740 --> 01:35:20.080
We don't want to get going too early,

01:35:20.080 --> 01:35:25.180
but Rob and I strategically have been trying every year

01:35:25.180 --> 01:35:28.520
to move the bid cycle up a little bit farther.

01:35:28.520 --> 01:35:30.500
These, I looked this up just recently,

01:35:30.500 --> 01:36:00.500
The bids that we took out last year were not until late April, were, you know, a good month, month and a half ahead of that. You should have approvals in April. So we would like to see construction starting in May, which is about as soon as anybody can start. Some of the removals and things like that can start. But the street construction is really tough before May, especially I know last year there was lots of complaints about why we're waiting, why we're not moving. Water construction, when you're replacing water mains and water valves, we have to wait till the ground is unfrozen because we're digging

01:36:00.500 --> 01:36:04.300
and very large and deep holes to put that stuff in.

01:36:04.300 --> 01:36:06.540
It's not just like paving out on Route 20

01:36:06.540 --> 01:36:09.260
where there's no utilities and you're buzzing the top off

01:36:09.260 --> 01:36:10.620
and you're putting more pavement down.

01:36:10.620 --> 01:36:13.500
That's, you know, I don't wanna call it simple

01:36:13.500 --> 01:36:15.860
but that's the easiest kind of infrastructure you can do.

01:36:15.860 --> 01:36:17.700
When you get into water and sewer,

01:36:17.700 --> 01:36:19.380
we're gonna have a lot of contractors

01:36:19.380 --> 01:36:21.420
and we gotta figure out how to space this out

01:36:21.420 --> 01:36:23.260
so we're not tripping over each other

01:36:23.260 --> 01:36:25.460
and that, you know, we don't have Stevenson closed

01:36:25.460 --> 01:36:26.920
at the same time Lincoln's closed.

01:36:26.920 --> 01:36:32.640
So there's going to be a lot of scheduling and a lot of discussions after we actually

01:36:32.640 --> 01:36:37.400
have contractors that are bid about what we are going to let them do and what the timeframe

01:36:37.400 --> 01:36:38.880
it takes.

01:36:38.880 --> 01:36:45.040
The street construction, we're really limited to that, say, May to, you know, we'd like

01:36:45.040 --> 01:36:51.380
to be done by November 1st, nothing later than that, especially on our city street stuff.

01:36:51.380 --> 01:36:55.220
We want to be done by that because we run into leaf season and we just operationally

01:36:55.220 --> 01:37:25.220
and they don't have enough people to do it so that's kind of our goal is to the three and a half miles or 3.2 miles that the city has to pave we'd like to see us actually done by October with with all that paving citywide so we'll push the contractors to get that some of these bid out projects with Galena and South that's going to be determined by IDOT because we're using their dollars so they're going to help determine I can't tell you that some of this might not push to next year it just depends on how many bids go out on these

01:37:25.220 --> 01:37:55.220
We've requested for it to be done this year, but honestly, if some of it pushed, we don't want to get into a weather situation. We're trying to pave on frozen ground. So you have to remember a lot of those IDOT areas as well. They're going to go faster than our typical construction, because they're not taking it all the way down and removing the base and putting that all back in. Those streets have already eight, nine inches of pavement on it. They're taking three, three and a half off, putting three and three and a half in.

01:37:55.220 --> 01:38:25.220
Hap back on. But it is considered a long term fix for us. And I'm not going to exaggerate we we went to bat very hard for the city of Freeport to get this extra work done. And I'm afraid that if we don't move forward with it, between the state and the federal government, this money might not have a second chance at it. So it would really behoove us to get as much as possibly done this year as possible while the while the funding is there. Alderman Johnson.

01:38:25.220 --> 01:38:30.820
What could the citizens of this city do to help to cooperate and keep moving this forward?

01:38:30.820 --> 01:38:36.180
I've got mine you can give yours.

01:38:36.180 --> 01:38:37.740
That's a great question, Linda.

01:38:37.740 --> 01:38:39.100
One thing is be informed.

01:38:39.100 --> 01:38:44.100
We'll be working with Bryan, our Communications Director, we'll be pushing out timely updates

01:38:44.100 --> 01:38:50.380
and communications related to what's going on and where, but I think the main thing everybody

01:38:50.380 --> 01:38:52.240
Winslow, Paul, Michael, John, Matt, and

01:38:52.280 --> 01:38:53.080
Chris.

01:38:53.120 --> 01:38:58.080
So, we're gonna go over what we can do is kind of map out your week before you leave,

01:38:58.120 --> 01:39:01.980
kind of review what's out there in terms of communications on what's under

01:39:02.020 --> 01:39:06.320
construction for the week, and do your best to avoid those areas, make your way

01:39:06.360 --> 01:39:07.320
around.

01:39:07.360 --> 01:39:12.500
I mean, we do have, as you can tell up there, a lot of east-west corridors that

01:39:12.540 --> 01:39:16.260
are gonna be under construction, and we're gonna do our best to stage those so that

01:39:16.260 --> 01:39:36.260
will be impacting at a minimum the day-to-day travel habits, but you're just going to have to keep your head in the game, be patient, plan extra time, and let our guys know they're out there doing a good job. That is their work space, and we want them to be safe in it. So, slow it down, and also be patient as you navigate.

01:39:36.260 --> 01:39:38.260
Alderman Parker

01:39:38.260 --> 01:39:40.260
I just want to thank both of you for this excellent map

01:39:40.260 --> 01:39:42.260
We started getting phone calls from our constituents

01:39:42.260 --> 01:39:44.260
Now we have something to relate to

01:39:44.260 --> 01:39:46.260
Show them

01:39:46.260 --> 01:39:48.260
This is what our plan is

01:39:48.260 --> 01:39:50.260
Thank you both

01:39:50.260 --> 01:39:52.260
Alderman Sellers

01:39:52.260 --> 01:39:54.260
I also want to say thank you for all of this

01:39:54.260 --> 01:39:56.260
But I also want to ask

01:39:56.260 --> 01:39:58.260
Do you think it's possible

01:39:58.260 --> 01:40:15.260
I think it's possible, I know like sometimes what Rockford does, they'll put on their, on the news that this street from here to here will be closed or whatever, just to, you know, some people to be informed that don't really look at their, on the internet or whatever.

01:40:15.260 --> 01:40:21.659
Yeah. So we have been thinking very hard about what's the best way to communicate.

01:40:21.739 --> 01:40:27.900
And honestly, Freeport doesn't get as much news traffic as probably Rockford

01:40:27.900 --> 01:40:32.300
with having all the stations there. I believe this year our intent is to use

01:40:32.300 --> 01:40:38.140
Bryan Bridge with the Freeport Facebook social media post. We've been using that.

01:40:38.140 --> 01:40:42.699
It was very successful last year and we'd like to steer all the constituents to that

01:40:42.699 --> 01:41:12.699
Ryan's really effective about getting it out quickly, and we can update it quickly when things change. And as you all know, and Tom's been in construction forever, things change every day in construction, and just depending on the weather, right? And so I think that's the best way to do it. I would also like to mention that these, these sheets that we put out tonight, they'll be available on the city website, we'll post them up there, give us a couple days, and they'll be all up there for people to look at.

01:41:12.699 --> 01:41:15.500
There's nothing but transparency.

01:41:15.500 --> 01:41:18.100
A lot of dollars, a lot of taxpayer dollars being spent,

01:41:18.100 --> 01:41:22.400
a lot of tax dollars coming back to the community

01:41:22.400 --> 01:41:23.780
to get this stuff done.

01:41:25.860 --> 01:41:27.860
It's not gonna be an easy season.

01:41:27.860 --> 01:41:28.699
It's not.

01:41:28.699 --> 01:41:31.360
And we're anticipating a lot of people being upset.

01:41:31.360 --> 01:41:33.159
I know there's a lot of people upset,

01:41:33.159 --> 01:41:35.060
but we can't make it better

01:41:35.060 --> 01:41:36.460
without making it worse first.

01:41:36.460 --> 01:41:38.199
That's construction.

01:41:38.199 --> 01:41:40.060
It's going to be a pain.

01:41:40.060 --> 01:41:42.060
As Rob said, plan your routes,

01:41:42.060 --> 01:41:47.260
and others, try to stay out of our way, there is no, I will guarantee you there is no town

01:41:47.260 --> 01:41:52.739
the size of Freeport doing this much work in the community for this type of a season.

01:41:52.739 --> 01:41:57.100
This is really a challenge for us, but we're going to try to make it happen.

01:41:57.100 --> 01:41:58.860
Alderman Klemm?

01:41:58.860 --> 01:42:05.500
Just to follow up, I know on Demeter there are some areas that have people still have

01:42:05.500 --> 01:42:09.220
their own septics and wells and stuff.

01:42:09.220 --> 01:42:17.100
are we going to address that in this construction on Demeter? Well Tom yes

01:42:17.100 --> 01:42:24.060
that's the that's the idea here is when we do let's see what that Demeter the

01:42:24.060 --> 01:42:29.579
east to west Demeter by the by the park the idea there would be prepare that

01:42:29.579 --> 01:42:33.480
area for connections to the sewer service there's a lot of people on

01:42:33.480 --> 01:42:37.960
subject over there as you noted and wells and we'll be sending out those

01:42:37.960 --> 01:42:51.400
Yeah, okay. Something that's different than other projects that we've done. So this is

01:42:51.400 --> 01:42:59.680
fully funded Freeport projects for sewer water. We can't use private dollars on or excuse

01:42:59.680 --> 01:43:03.840
me, public dollars on private property. So some of those other projects that we did that

01:43:03.840 --> 01:43:07.480
included connections to the house that is not something that's feasible with public

01:43:07.480 --> 01:43:13.640
Ballers, unless we're getting grant money. And so we've already put notices out to the residents on

01:43:13.640 --> 01:43:18.280
Meadowbrook and Demeter that sewer was coming so they could make plans and they could have

01:43:18.280 --> 01:43:25.159
conversations. And I've actually had conversations with many of the people in those areas about sewer

01:43:25.159 --> 01:43:30.680
connecting. It's going to be a difficult challenge for some people. But ultimately,

01:43:30.680 --> 01:43:37.020
Finally, some of the ordinance that Linda read tonight about the connections and the

01:43:37.020 --> 01:43:42.600
spacing and all that stuff has been in our ordinance and it behooves everybody to get

01:43:42.600 --> 01:43:48.840
as many people in Freeport on the city water sewer as possible sharing the cost.

01:43:48.840 --> 01:43:52.119
Fire protection that's provided is for everyone in town.

01:43:52.119 --> 01:43:55.720
So those water mains go in front of those properties, whether they choose to hook up

01:43:55.720 --> 01:43:56.720
or not.

01:43:56.720 --> 01:43:57.720
Alderman Sanders.

01:43:57.720 --> 01:44:09.640
Thank you gentlemen. Next we'll move on to item number 12 which is public comment. Is

01:44:09.640 --> 01:44:13.159
there any public comment this evening? Tommy.

01:44:13.159 --> 01:44:29.600
I want to tell Stacy, you're the best of Alderman and Freeport and Sellers, Sanders, and Darren,

01:44:29.600 --> 01:44:35.880
you said the cleaners is going to take down or something?

01:44:35.880 --> 01:44:41.520
The cleaners in 1719 Main Street is going to start coming down on Friday if it's not

01:44:41.520 --> 01:44:50.119
Rainey. Any other public comments? Is that is that a yes? Okay.

01:45:11.520 --> 01:45:24.699
Hi, my name is Sue Cook, and I have a question about the sign that is in front of the observatory.

01:45:24.699 --> 01:45:34.840
And it appears like there might be construction of a cell phone tower directly in front of

01:45:34.840 --> 01:45:35.840
the observatory.

01:45:35.840 --> 01:45:55.840
It's going to be a very tall cell phone tower in front of the observatory which is a wonderful tourist attraction for Freeport because we are the only one that has the Deep Space Telescope in this area and that includes over into Chicago.

01:45:55.840 --> 01:46:01.840
Is that correct? In Chicago.

01:46:01.840 --> 01:46:05.840
The word observe is actually in that observatory,

01:46:05.840 --> 01:46:07.280
and this is gonna be built right there.

01:46:07.280 --> 01:46:09.400
The people that are tracking the sky

01:46:09.400 --> 01:46:11.239
that come out for various events

01:46:12.199 --> 01:46:15.920
sometimes line the parking lot with their telescopes.

01:46:15.920 --> 01:46:17.720
And as they're moving it across, here we go,

01:46:17.720 --> 01:46:19.640
beautiful, beautiful, oh, cell phone tower,

01:46:19.640 --> 01:46:21.199
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

01:46:22.560 --> 01:46:24.079
Is there any place else,

01:46:24.079 --> 01:46:26.300
and I know that there's going to be some sort of meeting,

01:46:26.300 --> 01:46:29.119
but unless you can get right up on the sign,

01:46:29.119 --> 01:46:30.640
you can't really read it.

01:46:30.640 --> 01:46:36.640
Is there going to be another chance for possibly another place to place this instead of in front

01:46:36.640 --> 01:46:40.440
of the observatory?

01:46:40.440 --> 01:46:48.840
And so I just wondered if maybe there was a possibility of placing it elsewhere as opposed

01:46:48.840 --> 01:46:54.440
to that spot, just so that it would not obstruct view there.

01:46:54.440 --> 01:46:55.440
That's it.

01:46:55.440 --> 01:46:56.440
Thank you.

01:46:56.440 --> 01:46:57.440
Thank you.

01:46:57.440 --> 01:46:58.440
I'm sure Manager Boyer can speak to you privately.

01:46:58.440 --> 01:46:59.440
Okay.

01:46:59.440 --> 01:47:00.440
That's great.

01:47:00.440 --> 01:47:30.440
I just have a public announcement. On Wednesday, March 25th, at 530 in the council hall here, we will be having a public meeting for the Hancock Bridge replacement. So anybody's invited to come to that that wants. It's just a question and answer session. There'll be two paper advertisements that's going out in the post

01:47:30.440 --> 01:47:33.920
We'll also be on the city's website, but I wanted to make sure that everybody knew that

01:47:33.920 --> 01:47:39.720
that public meeting is not only required, but we're going to have it here on the 25th.

01:47:39.720 --> 01:47:40.720
Thank you.

01:47:40.720 --> 01:47:44.760
Any other public comments this evening?

01:47:44.760 --> 01:47:46.320
I will entertain a motion to adjourn.

01:47:46.320 --> 01:47:47.320
So moved.

01:47:47.320 --> 01:47:48.320
Second.

01:47:48.320 --> 01:47:50.840
The motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.

01:47:50.840 --> 01:47:52.600
All those in favor signify by saying aye.