Meeting Events

Meeting: wx4fi3fegma.committee_of_the_whole_5_11_2026

Meeting date: 2026-05-11

Meeting type: committee_of_the_whole

This is a deterministic derived artifact, not official meeting minutes. Related records may be grouped for review while complete machine provenance remains in the JSON artifact.

Decisions and Votes

• Approval of Agenda (Item Number Four) — Passed

  • Summary: A motion to approve the agenda was made.
  • Evidence: “Item number four is the approval of the agenda. Is there such a motion? So moved. Second. Any motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers.”
  • Evidence: “All those in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes.”
  • Source timestamp: 02:14

• Approval of Minutes from April 13th, 2026 (Item Number Five)

  • Summary: A motion to approve the minutes from the Committee of the Whole meeting on April 13th, 2026 was made.
  • Evidence: “Item number five is approval of the minutes from the and the Committee of the Whole meeting on April 13th, 2026. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Johnson.”
  • Source timestamp: 02:20

• Adjournment of Meeting

  • Summary: Motion made to adjourn the meeting.
  • Evidence: “entertain a motion for adjournment. So move. Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by. Alderman Shadle.”
  • Evidence: “All those in favor signify by saying aye.”
  • Source timestamp: 49:56

Procedural Actions

• Meeting Call to Order and Roll Call

  • Summary: The meeting was called to order following the invocation, and a roll call confirmed attendance for several members.
  • Attribution: Madam Kirk
  • Evidence: “Now we’ll call this meeting to order. Madam Kirk, please take the roll. Mayor Miller? Here. Alderpersons, Klemm? Here. Johnson? Here. Simmons? Here. Parker? Here. Stacy? Here. Shadle? Here. Sanders? Here. And Sellers? Here.”
  • Source timestamp: 01:25

• Pledge of Allegiance

  • Summary: The Pledge of Allegiance was conducted, led by Alderman Sanders.
  • Evidence: “And item number three is the Pledge of Allegiance. If you could please stand for that, led by Alderman Sanders. Aye. Public, over which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
  • Source timestamp: 01:25

• Public Comment Period Start

  • Summary: The council moved on to item number 10, public comment.
  • Evidence: “Move on to item number 10, which is public comment.”
  • Source timestamp: 47:26

Presentations and Reports

• Honeywell Earth Day Cleanup and Meal in a Bag Event Summary (Item Number Eight)

  • Summary: The presentation detailed community efforts, including collecting 34 bags of trash during an Earth Day cleanup with Honeywell employees and hosting a third ‘Meal in a Bag’ event.
  • Evidence: “On May 2nd, the Freeport Honeywell team celebrated Earth Day by continuing our tradition of partnering with the local pretzel city pickers. Together, employees and family members actively work to clean litter along the roads and public areas surrounding Honeywell’s main building and other areas in Freeport… In all, 34 bags of trash were collected and employees received a t-shirt designed by one of our own employees… And on May 7th we did our third one and what that means is that we assembled shelf-stable meals to distribute shelf-stables meals, and we put them in a bag, and we distribute them to our local food pantries. […] So we’ve done about 200, would you say 300 bags here?”
  • Source timestamp: 04:21

• Revising Purchasing Policy Presentation (Item Number Nine)

  • Summary: The presentation on revising purchasing policy was given by Director Richter.
  • Evidence: “Item number nine is the presentation regarding revising purchasing policy. Director Richter.”
  • Source timestamp: 08:40

• Revising purchasing policy history and plan

  • Summary: The last City of Freeport purchasing policy was written in 2007 and needed a total redo; the plan is to develop a new policy incorporating other communities’ policies.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “As far as history, our last City of Freeport purchasing policy was written in 2007. It definitely needed an update. It needed a total redo. So our plan is to develop, it’s in process now, a whole new purchasing policy that incorporates I’ve looked at other communities policies.”
  • Source timestamp: 09:04

• Purchasing policy presentation structure and timeline

  • Summary: The presenter plans to first present the topics, chapters, and subtopics for input. The ordinance will require two readings: first reading in June (the first meeting), a potential second committee of the whole (cow) in June, and then second reading also in June.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “How I’d like to move forward with it is I’d like to present to you the topics of the policy, each individual chapters and and the subtopics in each chapter, just to. Just to kind of get your feel for it, I’d like to take your input and make sure those things are addressed in the policy. My plan then is to bring, for first reading, we’re going to be doing this as an ordinance, so it’ll require two readings. I’d like to bring it to first reading in June, the first meeting in June, which would be the sixth, the first, then it’s the first for first reading. Then if we’d like to, there’ll be a cow. If we feel that there’s more discussion needed, we’ll have another cow in June. And then second reading then in June.”
  • Source timestamp: 10:00

• Chapter 1 of the purchasing policy

  • Summary: Chapter 1 will contain an introduction and statement of policy, summarizing that it is a fluid document addressing amendments and explaining that the city has a decentralized purchasing process where each department purchases its own supplies.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “The policy itself, Chapter 1 will just have an introduction and statement of policy. It’s basically a summary of the policy that will say that it’s a fluid document that will address amendments from time to time, it explains that the city has a decentralized purchasing process. So the city of Freeport does not have a purchasing department. There isn’t a one person who’s the purchasing manager that the purchasing agent kind of falls to me as far as an agent, but each department purchases their own supplies and goods and services.”
  • Source timestamp: 11:09

• Chapter 2: Purchasing Code of Ethics

  • Summary: The code of ethics section includes statements regarding maintaining high integrity, considering cooperative purchasing with other local governments or the state of Illinois, and not accepting gifts or favors from suppliers.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Moving into chapter two, which will include the purchasing code of ethics. So there’ll be a section on ethics and included in that section there will be statements such as we will have the highest level of integrity when we’re purchasing items that we will consider cooperative purchasing with other local governments or with the state of Illinois, will not directly or indirectly accept gifts or favors from current or potential suppliers. It will be, we will purchase without favor or prejudice and without the appearance of favor to any one company or agency.”
  • Source timestamp: 12:47

• Conflict of Interest and Gifts/Gratuities in purchasing policy

  • Summary: The policy includes sections on conflict of interest (to prevent employees from working for companies supplying the city) and gifts/gratuities, warning that vendor offers could compromise objective judgment.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “There’ll also be a conflict of interest portion. And so we don’t have a conflict of someone, an employee working for a company that you wanna buy the same supplies from. We do not want that. Highest integrity is what we need here. Gifts and gratuities also be a section on gifts and gratuities. This is just one of the statements that will be in the section. City personnel should be aware that offers of gratitude from vendors could be designed to compromise objective judgment in product or service selection.”
  • Source timestamp: 13:55

• Departmental policy on soliciting prices

  • Summary: The graph at the bottom of the page addresses required price solicitation levels: one verbal quote for an unspecified dollar amount, three verbal quotes for another unspecified dollar amount, and written quotes from vendors at a different unspecified dollar amount. Going out to bid is required at $25,000.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Director Richter, you can go ahead. So, along with that, on the other side of your memo, going back to the front side of your memo, The graph at the bottom of the page addresses how departments are to solicit prices. At what dollar amounts are you supposed to get one verbal quote? At what dollar amount are you supposed to get three verbal quotes? At what dollar amount are you supposed to get written quotes from vendors? And then when you’re supposed to go out to bid, $25,000 is when you’re required to go out for a bid.”
  • Source timestamp: 23:34

• New vendor requirements

  • Summary: New vendors to the city of Freeport are required to provide a W9 form.
  • Evidence: “We have a section on new vendors. It just says new vendors to the city of Freeport are required to provide a W9 form.”
  • Source timestamp: 41:54

• Bidding guidelines and competitive bidding thresholds

  • Summary: Chapter four outlines guidelines for departments on bidding, noting that anything over $25,000 needs to be a competitive bid.
  • Evidence: “Chapter four is all about bidding, competitive bidding. And this is a guideline for the departments on bidding… And that would be over 25,000, needs to be competitive bid.”
  • Source timestamp: 42:14

• Bid opening procedures documentation

  • Summary: The policy will outline requirements regarding who must be present when a bid is opened, the timing of the opening, what must be documented, and procedures for unsealed or late bids.
  • Evidence: “It also designates bid opening requirements. Who has to be there when a bid is opened? When does a bid, what’s the timing of that? What has to be documented when bids are opened? What happens if we get a bid and it’s not sealed? What happens if we get a bid and it’s after the deadline? That’s going to be all outlined in the policy and procedure.”
  • Source timestamp: 43:03

• Professional services bidding exception

  • Summary: Professional services are by nature not adapted to award by competitive bidding.
  • Evidence: “There is a section on requests for professional services, and we’ve kind of talked about this one quite a bit professional services by their nature are not adapted to award by competitive bidding.”
  • Source timestamp: 43:51

• Contract review requirements

  • Summary: Contracts need to be reviewed by legal counsel.
  • Evidence: “And then I think the last couple sections are about contracts and that they need to be reviewed by legal counsel.”
  • Source timestamp: 44:36

• Glossary of terms inclusion

  • Summary: Chapter five is a glossary of terms defining concepts like alternate bid, award, bid, bid bond, etc.
  • Evidence: “Chapter five is just a glossary of terms. So what do we need mean by alternate bid, an award, a bid, a bid bond, a bid bond check, who is a bidder, bid documents.”
  • Source timestamp: 44:56

Metrics

• Trash Collection Metrics (Earth Day)

  • Summary: During the Earth Day cleanup, 34 bags of trash were collected.
  • Evidence: “In all, 34 bags of trash were collected and employees received a t-shirt designed by one of our own employees.”
  • Source timestamp: 04:55

• Meal Distribution Metrics (May 7th)

  • Summary: On May 7th, meals were distributed to Joseph’s Pantry, Amity Church of the Brethren, Mount Calvary, and New Jerusalem pantries.
  • Evidence: “And on May 7th we did our third one and we’ve given these bags to various pantries and this time we took them to Joseph’s Pantry, Amity, Church of the Brethren, Mount Calvary, and New Jerusalem pantries.”
  • Source timestamp: 06:27

• Meal Distribution Quantity (May 7th)

  • Summary: Approximately 200 to 300 bags were distributed.
  • Evidence: “So we’ve done about 200, would you say 300 bags here?”
  • Source timestamp: 06:27

Discussion

• Local purchasing preference in policy

  • Summary: The city will make every effort to purchase local if the item is exactly the same quality, citing an example where a local Freeport price was lower for two reams of paper.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Smith. It also addressed that the city will make every effort to purchase local as long as the item is the same quality. You’re talking about the exact same item. If we had two reams of paper, they’re exactly the same and the price here from a local place in Freeport is less than someone in another community, we will take the free port one definitely. But it has to be the same item.”
  • Source timestamp: 11:55

• Purchase Authority and Dollar Limits comparison (2007 vs 2026)

  • Summary: The presenter compared the purchase authority limits from 2007 to proposed levels for 2026. Under 500 was department director in both years; $501-$5,000 was department head/purchasing agent in both years; $10,000 was city manager in 2007 vs. agreement between department director and finance director in 2026.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Purchase Authority and Dollar Limit and I’m comparing where it was in 2007 versus what is proposed for this year, 2026. Purchases 5,000 or let me start at the beginning, under 500. In the old policy, that was the department director. Between $501 to $5,000 purchasing agent or city council committee, we have been using the department head currently. And then at 10,000, you could see that at the 10,000, 5,000 to 10,000 level, it was city manager. And then above 10,000, it’s city council. We need city council approval for a purchase of over 10,000. If you look at the 2026 column, you’ll see that the department director would be eligible to purchase under 5,000. The department director and finance director have to agree. And that limit then would go up to 10,000. And then up to basically $25,000, $24,999.99 would be department director, finance director, and city manager. That means all three of those positions sign off on the purchase order for an item for $24,000.”
  • Source timestamp: 15:36

• City Purchase Approval Authority Levels

  • Summary: Purchases over $10,000 require city council approval; department director eligibility is under $5,000, requiring agreement from the finance director. The limit up to $24,999.99 requires sign-off from the department director, finance director, and city manager.
  • Attribution: Clerk Anderson
  • Evidence: “And then above 10,000, it’s city council. We need city council approval for a purchase of over 10,000. If you look at the 2026 column, you’ll see that the department director would be eligible to purchase under 5,000. The department director and finance director have to agree. And that limit then would go up to 10,000. And then up to basically $25,000, $24,999.99 would be department director, finance director, and city manager. That means all three of those positions sign off on the purchase order for an item for $24,000.”
  • Source timestamp: 16:29

• City Purchase Approval Authority Levels

  • Summary: All authority levels mentioned are only valid if the items are included in an approved city budget. For example, a $10,000 purchase must be in a board-approved budget.
  • Attribution: Clerk Anderson
  • Evidence: “I do want to say that those authority levels are only items in an approved city budget. So, for example, at the $10,000 level where the Department Director and Finance Director are, that $10,000 needs to be in the budget. If we’re buying something for $10,000, it has to be in a board approved budget.”
  • Source timestamp: 17:32

• City Purchase Approval Authority Levels

  • Summary: Alderman Simmons stated that $25,000 without City Council approval is not acceptable, emphasizing the need for council oversight.
  • Attribution: Alderman Simmons
  • Evidence: “Alderman Simmons? Yep. I’m gonna just go ahead right now and say that 25,000 without City Council approval is not a number. And I’m glad that you’re open to be flexible, that I would agree with, because that’s why we have council to oversee purchases of this size. Now I do think it needs to increase from the 10,000, but up to 25 is too much without oversight.”
  • Source timestamp: 18:20

• State Statute for Competitive Bidding

  • Summary: Director Richter stated that the $25,000 figure comes from a state statute regarding competitive bidding in Illinois.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Director Richter, where did the amount 25,000 come from? That state statute, so it raised, I can’t tell you when, sometime between 2007 and now, but that is the state of Illinois level for competitive bidding, right?”
  • Source timestamp: 18:47

• Airport Roof Repair Cost Example

  • Summary: Director Richter cited a recent roof repair at the airport costing $10,600 as an example of purchases that should not require going all the way to council.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Last month we approved a roof repair at the airport for $10,600 or something to that extent. To me that should have been able to handled in House without going all the way to council and waiting for payment.”
  • Source timestamp: 18:47

• Inflationary Cost Increases (Concrete)

  • Summary: Clerk Anderson noted that concrete costs increased from $100 to about $175 since COVID, and bolts increased from $3 to $9.
  • Attribution: Clerk Anderson
  • Evidence: “concrete alone, I think went from $100 to about $175 since COVID just in cost of materials, bolts are somewhere from $3 to $9.”
  • Source timestamp: 21:40

• Inflationary Cost Increases (Water/Sewer)

  • Summary: Clerk Anderson stated that water and sewer materials have nearly tripled in price, noting curb stops increased from around $20 to about $90.
  • Attribution: Clerk Anderson
  • Evidence: “almost all of the water and sewer materials have darn near tripled in price from what it used to be. Uh, curb stop that is at every house in Freeport, um, used to be around $20. Now it’s about $90 for just that one part.”
  • Source timestamp: 21:56

• Water and Sewer Repair Funding Mechanism

  • Summary: Clerk Anderson noted that water and sewer repairs, which are necessary regardless of budget status, currently require coming through council due to purchasing policy.
  • Attribution: Clerk Anderson
  • Evidence: “Those parts that almost every order that we have now because of the current purchasing policy has to come back through council, um, which is, it’s, it’s fine that it does that. It’s just seemingly that we’re bringing business back here. That’s already been approved through the annual budget that, that wouldn’t need to come back here because it’s, if we have to replace a water main, uh, uh, parts and pieces or do a repair, we have to do it regardless. That’s why we have the budget item for doing it.”
  • Source timestamp: 22:27

• Itemized List Requirement for Large Purchases

  • Summary: Alderman Johnson asked if an itemized list would be provided when approving a purchase of $25,000 or more.
  • Attribution: Alderman Johnson
  • Evidence: “So when we approve, like say we approve something $25,000 or more, we would get like an itemized list of what all that money is for in a certain department if it’s needed?”
  • Source timestamp: 22:55

• Itemized List Process Confirmation

  • Summary: The process for receiving an itemized list for large purchases would be the same as current procedure, requiring the purchase order or request.
  • Attribution: Alderman Johnson
  • Evidence: “Yeah, it’d be the same process that we do now. We bring it bring it right back to with with whatever that purchase order is or whatever we’re requesting to buy.”
  • Source timestamp: 23:25

• Itemization of expenditures for approved funds

  • Summary: When approving spending of $25,000 or more, an itemized list detailing what the money is for in a certain department would be provided.
  • Attribution: Alderman Stacy
  • Evidence: “So when we approve something $25,000 or more, we would get like an itemized list of what all that money is for in a certain department if it’s needed? If it’s over?”
  • Source timestamp: 22:55

• Process for approving expenditures

  • Summary: The process for approving spending, even at $25,000, would be the same as currently done.
  • Attribution: Alderman Stacy
  • Evidence: “If it’s like $25,000 and we approve that, I mean, it says the city council has to be on it. Yeah, it would be the same. Would you get an itemized list of what that money is spent for? Yeah, it’d be the same process that we do now.”
  • Source timestamp: 23:16

• Requirement for itemized documentation of all expenditures

  • Summary: Regardless of the dollar amount or method (quote, bidding), every event needs an itemized list detailing what is being purchased, its purpose, and which department it serves.
  • Attribution: Alderman Sanders
  • Evidence: “It doesn’t matter what dollar amount is being requested or considered, whether it’s one quote, three quotes, bidding or whatever the case may be. Each event needs to have a list to itemize whatever it is that we’re going to get, whether it’s 500 or less or over. We need to know what is it, what is the purpose and who is, what department is it for.”
  • Source timestamp: 24:37

• Documentation of purchases

  • Summary: All purchases must be documented; written quotes are required, or if verbal, they must be written down on a specific form.
  • Attribution: Alderman Sanders
  • Evidence: “something else that we’re instituting with this policy is that that needs to be documented and recorded You have the written quotes or if you did it verbally, you’re going to need to write it down somewhere. So we’re going to have a form so that can be documented as well.”
  • Source timestamp: 25:33

• Departmental responsibility for policy implementation

  • Summary: Department heads will be responsible for signing off on receiving the new policy and pushing this information down to appropriate personnel within their department.
  • Attribution: Director Richter
  • Evidence: “Well, the department heads will all be responsible for signing off that they received the new policy once it’s done. They have to sign off that they’ve received it and they’ll be responsible to push this information down to the appropriate personnel in their department so that they follow all the guidelines as well.”
  • Source timestamp: 27:12

• Purchase thresholds for council review

  • Summary: Purchases over $25,000 will go to council as an individual item; anything under that amount will still be on the consent agenda.
  • Evidence: “Okay. So purchases over $25,000 will go to council as an individual item, but just like we do now, anything under that will still be on the consent agenda, every time correct.”
  • Source timestamp: 27:58

• Buying local policy requirements

  • Summary: When buying local, items must be on a similar playing field to ensure fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars.
  • Evidence: “But all items being equal. The item is exactly the same. We definitely will purchase from the vendor in Freeport at the lower price. But we need to be fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars and when buying local, that item needs to, you know, we need to make sure everything’s on a similar playing field.”
  • Source timestamp: 28:23

• Sole source procurement thresholds for waiving competitive bidding

  • Summary: The policy states that sole source procurements under $25,000 can be allowed by the city manager. However, any sole source procurement over $25,000 must come to council.
  • Evidence: “Powell. The policy would say if it’s a sole source item under $25,000 as it’s written now, the city manager would allow a sole source procurement under $25,000. Kierman, under $25,000, however, over $25,000 would have to come to council.”
  • Source timestamp: 29:41

• Sole source applicability

  • Summary: Sole source purchasing applies not only to certain outlined items but also to utility services and situations involving compatibility issues.
  • Evidence: “Sole source, um, also applies to, um, utility services, um, things So you don’t have a choice, the cost of a stamp, you don’t have a choice of what those types of things are. There’s also items in here where there’s compatibility issues that would also be considered a sole source purchase.”
  • Source timestamp: 30:38

• Sole source purchases justification

  • Summary: Sole source purchasing can be justified if there is only one vendor for a product, citing police radios made by Motorola as an example.
  • Evidence: “Like the police radios out there. It’s pretty much only Motorola that makes those Star Trek police radios. So you pretty much have to buy them. They don’t really want to sell them. They make them. That’s one example.”
  • Source timestamp: 31:30

• Competitive bidding exemption and solicitation of competitive quotes rules

  • Summary: A violation occurs if purchases are intentionally split into two separate orders to keep the price below $25,000.
  • Evidence: “However, There is also a statement in here that you cannot purposely buy things in two separate purchases to go over $25,000 to avoid bringing it to council or bringing it up through the purchasing process. That is a violation.”
  • Source timestamp: 32:22

• Joint purchasing and state programs for competitive bidding exemption

  • Summary: Reasons to waive competitive bidding include when another entity has already sourced the item, such as using Sourcewell or the state of Illinois’s purchasing program.
  • Evidence: “So those are also reasons why you’d waive the competitive bidding process. Someone else has already done it for us.”
  • Source timestamp: 33:52

• Adherence to budget policy

  • Summary: Purchases cannot be made unless they are in an approved budget; otherwise, a budget amendment must be requested from council.
  • Evidence: “There’s a section specifically, adherence to budget. So you cannot purchase items unless they’re in an approved budget. If it is not in the budget, you need to come to council and ask for a budget amendment to make sure that there’s funds in the budget to make that purchase.”
  • Source timestamp: 34:10

• Exclusions from competitive purchasing process

  • Summary: Items exempt from competitive pricing include dues and memberships, advertising in newspapers or periodicals, postage, property, utility services, copyrighted materials, electrical services, etc.
  • Evidence: “You can’t go out and ask for competitive prices on dues and memberships, advertising in a newspaper. Or Periodicals, Postage, Property, Utility Services or Copyrighted Materials, Electrical Services, that type of thing.”
  • Source timestamp: 34:41

• Disposal of city property policy

  • Summary: When trading in used vehicles, the full value of the item being purchased must still be brought to council for approval.
  • Evidence: “If you are doing a trade-in for a vehicle worth $10,000 and your new one is now only going to cost $15,000 because you’re doing a trade-in, you still have to bring it to counsel for the full value of the item that you’re trying to purchase.”
  • Source timestamp: 35:44

• Departmental spending timing policy

  • Summary: Department directors are responsible for expensing goods or services in the fiscal year they are received; bills cannot be pushed into the next year.
  • Evidence: “Department directors shall be responsible for ensuring that they are expensing against the fiscal year in which the goods or services are received. So this is kind of up to the department heads or their designee or office staff that helps us with accounts payable.”
  • Source timestamp: 36:59

• City’s sales tax exemption number usage

  • Summary: All departments must use the city’s tax exempt number because the city does not pay Illinois sales tax.
  • Evidence: “Very important for all the departments to use our tax exempt number as we don’t pay Illinois sales tax.”
  • Source timestamp: 37:34

• Change order policy thresholds

  • Summary: A change order must be presented back to council if it increases or decreases a contract cost by $25,000 or more, or if the completion time extends more than 180 days.
  • Evidence: “So if there is, we have, we’re working on percentages and dollar amounts to, if it goes over a certain percentage of what council was told, it has to come back to council again to approve that change order. So that is also a significant section of the policy. There is also in here a city council shall be notified of a change order if there’s an increase or decrease in either the cost of a contract by a total of 25,000 or more, or if the time of completion extends more than 180 days.”
  • Source timestamp: 38:44

• Change order notification requirements for contracts

  • Summary: A city council shall be notified of a change order if there is an increase or decrease in either the cost of a contract by a total of $25,000 or more, or if the time of completion extends more than 180 days.
  • Evidence: “There is also in here a city council shall be notified of a change order if there’s an increase or decrease in either the cost of a contract by a total of 25,000 or more, or if the time of completion extends more than 180 days.”
  • Source timestamp: 39:02

• Purchasing card usage and approval

  • Summary: The city generally uses credit cards for travel-related things like hotels and meals, or for emergency purchases below a certain threshold. The City Manager approves all issued credit cards.
  • Evidence: “We generally use our credit cards only for like a travel related thing, a hotel thing, you know, hotel and meals while you’re gone, or maybe an emergency purchase that’s a lower or Threshold on the credit cards. The city manager approves all credit cards that are issued.”
  • Source timestamp: 40:02

• Receipt requirements for purchasing statements

  • Summary: All items on purchasing card statements must have a receipt unless there is an affidavit of waiver explaining why the receipt is missing.
  • Evidence: “And there are strict rules when we get those statements in that all, everything has to to have a receipt unless we have an affidavit of waiver of why that receipt is missing and an explanation on that.”
  • Source timestamp: 40:38

• Purchase order thresholds for required approval levels

  • Summary: The proposal is that anything over $5,000 will require a purchase order. For amounts between $5,000 and $10,000, the department director and the speaker are needed; anything over $10,000 requires the department director, the speaker, and Rob for all departments.
  • Evidence: “What I’m proposing is anything over $5,000 will have a purchase order. Since we looked at those purchasing levels a little bit ago, if there’s a purchase order for anything between five and 10,000, it’s gonna need the department director and me. Anything over that is gonna need department director, me and Rob for all departments.”
  • Source timestamp: 41:07

• Document timeline and agenda placement

  • Summary: The document will be ready soon, allowing it to potentially be on the agenda for the first meeting in June.
  • Evidence: “And that’s really all the components of it, but like I said, I wanted to present it. So you have plenty of time to start thinking about the document. And like I said, we’ll get the document out as soon as the draft’s done. So then it can be on the agenda, hopefully for the first meeting in June.”
  • Source timestamp: 46:19

• Chapter 4: Competitive Bidding Process Enhancement

  • Summary: The notes being added to Chapter 4 regarding competitive bidding are enhancements that mirror existing daily processes and are superior to most community practices.
  • Evidence: “Yeah, I just wanted to make a note on Chapter 4, which was the competitive bidding. So I know Larry asked a question during that section. By and large, we follow that format and the notes that we’re adding are actually in addition to the draft of things that we do every day. So our bid process between who’s at the bids, who opens the bids, how we record the bids, all that is superior to even most communities that do it. So we just basically enhance that section to mirror what we’re already doing.”
  • Source timestamp: 46:44

Public Comment

• Electrical Service Line Damage and Street Safety Concerns
  • Summary: Christopher Parker reported that a semi-truck ripped off his electrical supply line on multiple occasions over the last two years at 937 East Clinton Street. He requested action, suggesting signage to prevent trucks from passing through.
  • Attribution: Christopher Parker
  • Evidence: “Well the reason I’m addressing this council is I really feel like something needs to be done. On Friday at four o’clock in the afternoon a semi truck rolled down through the street and ripped my electrical supply line off the wall of and I am still currently without power due to that and in the last two years since I have lived at said address, this is the fourth time I had to do it when I first bought the house and I have had to do it two other times and then now and I’m also getting it, not that it’s the council’s fault, but I’m also getting the run around from said trucking company about whether or not they’re going to pay for the damages. The other three times I’ve had to do this out of my own pocket. I’m getting tired of it. Something needs to be done. And Tri- I’m speaking frankly and I’m trying very very hard not to cuss because I do cuss like a sailor. Truck drivers typically do. I’m trying to be very professional here. I don’t know if I’m succeeding or not but this is unacceptable. Something needs to happen. A sign that says no trucks passed, like the the business revamp is down the street from my house. The trucks could turn around in there because I’m like the right there by revamp and the old original Adam Street Snack King, that’s just down the street from my house.”
  • Source timestamp: 47:42

Proclamations and Recognitions

• Director of Community and Economic Development Recognition
  • Summary: Gertrude Heimerdinger was recognized for excellent work supporting a sensitive matter regarding the state of Illinois.
  • Evidence: “Item number six is the recognition of the Director of Community and Economic Development, Manager Boyer. Thank you, Your Honor. Gertrude Heimerdinger is being recognized for excellent work in supporting a sensitive matter regarding the state of Illinois.”
  • Source timestamp: 02:42

Follow-ups

• Nominal value for disposal of city property

  • Summary: Investigating if there is a nominal dollar value (e.g., $200 or $500) below which items can be disposed of without council approval.
  • Evidence: “I think we’re also checking with Attorney Zito on, you know, is there a nominal value of items that we can dispose of without coming to council. So like $200 or $500.”
  • Source timestamp: 36:02

• Standard purchase order format development

  • Summary: The speaker plans to develop a standard purchase order format so that all departments use the same uniform look for their purchase orders.
  • Evidence: “And I don’t have them done yet, but I We want to also develop the standard purchase order format, so the format we’re using for purchase orders look exactly the same across all departments, even though the different departments might be preparing their own. We want them all to be uniform.”
  • Source timestamp: 44:56

• Documentation of verbal/written quotes

  • Summary: A document will be provided for departments to use to record verbal or written quotes, requiring signatures and dates from vendors contacted.
  • Evidence: “I’ll also attach a copy of our tax exempt form and a document for the departments to use to record their verbal quotes or their written quotes to record those when they have to get those verbal quotes, they can write down what vendors they contacted and how much sign and date and it’ll be documented.”
  • Source timestamp: 45:47

• Policy document presentation timeline

  • Summary: The policy document will be ready for the agenda hopefully for the first meeting in June.
  • Evidence: “So then it can be on the agenda, hopefully for the first meeting in June.”
  • Source timestamp: 46:36