May 15, 2023 City Council Meeting

THE LINKS INCORPORATED CHAPTERS IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS INCLUDE CENTRAL ILLINOIS, CHICAGO GATEWAY, HARVARD LIGHTS, HOFFMAN ESTATES, LAKESHORE, NORTHSHORE, QUAD CITIES, SOUTH SUBURBAN COLLEGE, TRI-COUNTY, ILLINOIS CHAPTER WESTTOWN AND WINDY CITY, WHICH ARE PART OF THE CENTRAL AREA RESOLVED IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TO CONTINUE TO A ADVOCATE ON NUMEROUS PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES.

NO SHALEE.

YOU'RE GOOD.

WE JUST HAD SOME AUDIO COMING THROUGH THAT WE WEREN'T EXPECTING.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND EACH OF YOU, CITY MANAGER.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US TONIGHT.

THE LINKS INCORPORATED.

WE ARE THE TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS MEMBERS OF THE LINCOLN INCORPORATED, AND WE WERE ABLE TO CHARTER OUR ORGANIZATION JUST A YEAR AGO.

AND SO WE DO HAVE A PROCLAMATION THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU SIGN TONIGHT, AS WELL AS JUST A QUICK PRESENTATION.

FANTASTIC.

IF I COULD HAVE YOU READ THE PROCLAMATION AND THEN BRING IT UP AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND I WILL INTRODUCE OUR PRESIDENT.

UM, OUR PRESIDENT IS, COME ON, COME, COME FORWARD AND SHE WILL ACTUALLY READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR US.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR JULIE MOORE, HER RU, I'M SORRY, WOLF AND MEMBERS OF THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL.

I'M YVONNE SINGLY, PRESIDENT OF THE TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS.

CHAPTER OF THE LINKS INCORPORATED.

JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.

I HAVE LIVED IN SPRINGFIELD FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND PRIDE MYSELF TO BE A SERVANT LEADER.

OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE WORKED IN BOTH SPRINGFIELD AND DECATUR TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SERVICES THAT ENHANCE BOTH COMMUNITIES.

A FEW YEARS AGO, MAYOR WOLF, YOU PARTICIPATED IN AN EVENT THAT I PLANNED AT THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY TO CELEBRATE CHARTERING MEMBERS IN MY SORORITY.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE BEING WITH YOU THAT DAY AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU WILL BE A PART OF THE TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS CHAPTER LINKS INCORPORATED ACTIVITIES.

I DECATUR FROM HERE ON OUT.

AS MY COLLEAGUE JUST MENTIONED, TRI-COUNTY MEMBERS RECENTLY CELEBRATED A ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY.

OUR SERVICE AREA COVERS LOGAN, MACON AND SANGAMON COUNTIES.

THIS PAST YEAR, WE PROVIDED SERVICES TO THE HI TO THE EMPOWERMENT CENTER THROUGH THE HEADSTART CENTER, THROUGH WHAT WE CALL OUR SERVICES TO YOUTH STORY TIME WITH THE LINKS LITERACY PROGRAM FOR THREE TO FIVE YEAR OLDS.

IT'S MY ENVISION, MY VISION THAT WE WILL EXPAND OUR PRESENCE, I DECATUR, TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO YOUTH IN OTHER AREAS.

IT GIVES ME GREAT PLEASURE TO READ THIS PROCLAMATION THAT WAS RECOGNIZED AT THE ILLINOIS LINKS AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON MAY THE THIRD, WHEREAS THE LINKS INCORPORATED WAS FOUNDED ON NOVEMBER 9TH, 1946 IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AND WHEREAS THE LINKS INCORPORATED IS ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST AND LARGEST VOLUNTEER SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING, SUSTAINING, AND EMPOWERING THE CULTURE AND THE ECONOMIC SURVIVAL OF AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OTHER PERSONS OF AFRICAN ANCESTRY.

AND WHEREAS THE LINKS INCORPORATED HAS MORE THAN 17,000 PROFESSIONAL WOMEN OF AFRICAN DESCENT PARTICIPATING IN 299 CHAPTERS LOCATED IN 41 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, THE COMMONWEALTH OF THE BAHAMAS, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM.

AND WHEREAS THE LINKS INCORPORATED IS UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO LEVERAGE THE COLLECTIVE STRENGTH, RESOURCES, AND ENERGY OF THEIR MEMBERS TO ENSURE THE PUBLIC POLICY BEING CONSIDERED IS REFLECTIVE OF THEIR MEMBERS AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THEY SERVE.

AND WHEREAS

[00:05:01]

AND WHEREAS THE LOCAL CHAPTER, TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS CHAPTER WAS CHARTERED ON APRIL 30TH, 2022 AND COVERS THREE COUNTIES, SANGAMON, LOGAN, AND MACON, WHERE THE CITY OF DECATUR IS LOCATED.

AND WHEREAS TRI-COUNTY, ILLINOIS CHAPTER ACHIEVES THE MISSION OF THE LINKS INCORPORATED BY PROVIDING SERVICES TO COMMUNITIES IN THREE COUNTIES, WHICH INCLUDE THE CITY OF DECATUR.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE MOORE WOLF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS RECOGNIZES THE CENTRAL AREA AND ALL THE ILLINOIS CHAPTERS INCLUDING TRI-COUNTY ILLINOIS CHAPTER ON THEIR FIRST IN-PERSON LINKS DAY ON MAY 3RD, 2023 AT THE STATE CAPITOL AND ITS THEME OF ILLUMINATED ILLINOIS DONE AT CITY HALL ON MAY 15TH, 2023.

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.

IF YOU BRING THAT UP, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

YEP.

IS IT BEST FOR US TO TURN THIS WAY OR IS THIS WAY? OKAY.

WITH APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS.

WE WOULD ALSO LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH, ON BEHALF OF OUR PRESIDENT AND THE LINK, TRI-COUNTY LINKS INCORPORATED THIS PLAQUE THAT SAYS THE BEACON AWARD PRESENTED TO MAYOR JULIE MOORE WOLF 2023.

OH, THANK YOU.

SO WHICH ONE OF YOUR LADIES HAVE THE PHONE? YOU WANT ME TO USE THE PICTURE? THANK YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THAT IS A LOVELY, LOVELY AWARD.

UH, WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS

[III. Appearance of Citizens]

OUR POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS.

A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.

NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.

CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL WHEN THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY HAVE DONE SO.

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING.

I'M ANN OWENS WITH A REALLY BAD VOICE TODAY.

SO I BROUGHT YOU ALL SOME HISTORY, HEART AND UM, LITTLE MEMENTOS.

WE WILL BE HAVING, UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION WEEK STARTS ON SATURDAY.

I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO GET OUT.

WE HAVE TONS OF ACTIVITIES ON THE 23RD.

OUR FIREFIGHTERS WILL BE AT DOOR DOYS AT SIX O'CLOCK.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WHICH WE WILL RECORD.

AND I ALSO WANNA THANK MR. CO WITH THE POLICE BECAUSE IT IS POLICE WEEK AND THE POLICE HAVE ALREADY

[00:10:01]

LET ME KNOW THAT NEXT YEAR WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THE POLICE AT OUR EVENT.

UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE'VE PARTNERED WITH THE PARK DISTRICT AND SO WE'RE WORKING ON THE VANS FIELD NEIGHBORHOOD.

WE'VE PLANNED AN EVENT.

WE'VE GOT SOME COOL THINGS.

ONE OF THOSE COOL THINGS IS A SET OF 10 UNIQUE BASEBALL GUARDS OF PLAYERS THAT YOU WE'VE CREATED.

AND THEY'RE PLAYERS THAT PLAYED HERE.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T KNOW, VANS FIELD WAS MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FROM 1927 TO 1974.

ONE OF THE DEAREST PEOPLE IN DECATUR, ROSE SKIDMORE IS OUR AMBASSADOR.

HE'S ONE OF FIVE LIVING BASEBALL LEGENDS.

HE HAS A PERFECT BATTING AVERAGE WITH MAJOR LEAGUES BECAUSE HE PLAYED 10 YEARS IN THE MINORS, BUT HE GOT CALLED UP TO THE CUBS, GOT ONE IN BATH, GOT A HIT.

SO HE HAS A PERFECT WAY.

HE'S ALL AVERAGE, SO I GIVE HIM ALL THE CREDIT IN THE WORLD.

SO ANYHOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF REALLY COOL THINGS GOING ON.

WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL PARTICIPATE.

WE ALSO WANT TO THANK MANY, MANY VOLUNTEERS THAT SERVE ON ALL OF THE BOARDS OF OUR MUSEUMS. UM, ALL OF THEM LIKE IN HOMESTEAD, THE CULVER HOUSE.

AND SINCE I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME, I'M GONNA MENTION THE CULVER HOUSE.

UM, THEY PUT TOGETHER DALE IRWIN'S, UM, COLLECTION, WHICH SHE, MOST OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW WHO SHE IS, BUT SHE WORKED AT THE LIBRARY.

SHE HAD A COLLECTION OF THINGS THAT WERE MADE INDICATOR.

SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY IN MUSEUM AND THAT WILL BE GRAND OPENING ON SATURDAY THE 20TH.

SO WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU.

THANK YOU MS. OWENS.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? HELLO, MY NAME IS ABI MOTIAN.

PEACE BE BEYOND TO ALL OF US.

I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE, THE KING AND QUEEN ON THEIR BEAUTIFUL CORONATION.

AND I WANTED TO SAY THAT WE ARE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UNITED KEY WORD, UNITED.

THIS IS OUR CHANCE TO MAKE THE WORLD UNITED.

THE KING AND QUEEN WANT TO GO TO ISRAEL.

IS TRYING TO MAKE PEACE WITH WITH THE PALESTINIANS, WITH THE ISRAELIS, WITH THE WORLD AND EVERYONE I AM ASKING AND I'M ASKING MUHAMMAD BIN SAL.

AND I'M ASKING BASHAD AND AND KING AB AND EVERYONE ELSE TO FOCUS AND FOCUS AND WORK WITH MR. NETANYAHU SO THAT WE CAN MAKE A WORLD PEACE SO THAT WE CAN STOP THE UKRAINE WAR AND WE CAN UNITE AS ONE IN THE UNITED STATES AND OVERSEAS SO THAT THE WORLD CAN BE SAFE.

THIS IS THE CHANCE TO START THIS.

WE NEED TO MAKE THE UNITED STATES SAFER AND WE NEED TO MAKE THE WORLD SAFER.

WE NEED TO MAKE THE AIRLINES TRAVEL MORE SAFER.

WE NEED TO MAKE PARKS SAFER EVERYWHERE WHERE THERE'S ANY KIND OF EVENTS, SAFER HOTELS, MOTELS, SAFER BUSINESSES LIKE CITY HALL, SAFER THE WAY THAT WE NEED TO DO THIS.

THIS IS THE CHANCE, THE CHANCE WHERE WE NEED TO STOP THE PROTESTING IN ISRAEL AGAINST NETANYAHU.

AND WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE ISRAEL AND PALESTINE END THE WORLD UNITED AS ONE AND END THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

I ASK THE CITY HALL TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE.

I ASKED THE CITY HALL TO NOT NEGLECT.

I ASK THE CITY HALL TO NOT DISCRIMINATE AND I ASK THE THE CITY HALL TO WORK WITH ME AND TO WORK WITH THE WORLD AS ONE AND TO WORK WITH JOE BIDEN AND DONALD TRUMP AND OTHER PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER AS ONE.

NOW, MR. TRUMP, HE DIDN'T RAPE ANYBODY.

NOT NO DEPARTMENT STORES.

AND THEN, ANYWAY, GENE CARROLL HER PEOPLE ARE SPYING ON ME, BUT I CAN EXPLAIN THAT LATER ON.

SO I JUST WANT US ALL TO WORK ON THE W THE KEY WORD, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INSTEAD OF THE UNITED CRIMINALS OF AMERICA.

THANK YOU ALL.

TAKE CARE AND HAVE A LOVELY EVENING.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT?

[00:15:08]

GOOD EVENING.

OH, UM, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WOLF AND, UH, THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME PLEASE? OH, SORRY, .

MY NAME IS GEORGETTA EUBANKS.

AND UM, UH, IS THAT ALL YOU NEED TO, OKAY.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONSIDER YOU GUYS TO CONSIDER IT, UH, TO, UM, HAVE THE NUMBERS OF SPEAKERS LOWERING THE NUMBERS OF SPEAKERS, YOU KNOW, FOR, UH, YOUR AGENDA THAT HAVE, THAT YOU HAVE, UH, WE NEED, UH, INSTEAD OF HAVING FOUR MEMBERS, I THINK YOU SHOULD TRY TO REDUCE IT FOR, TO LISA HAVE ABOUT LIKE TWO MEMBERS, YOU KNOW, TO HELP DISCUSS THE AGENDA.

CUZ I THINK IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT YOU DO THAT.

AND UH, THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE BETTER, YOU KNOW, FOR EVERYONE INSTEAD OF HAVING, YOU KNOW, A WHOLE FOUR PEOPLE AND, AND IT WON'T TAKE AS MUCH TIME EITHER.

I THINK SO.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LISTENING.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? OKAY.

SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

OH, I'M SORRY.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO HAVE ANY, UH, REBUTTAL OR, OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE TO

[Approval of Minutes of May 1, 2023 City Council Meeting]

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MAY 1ST, 2023.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

COUNCILMAN KEEL? ABSTAIN.

TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT.

ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE UNDER NEW BUSINESS.

ITEM

[1. Treasurer's Financial Report]

ONE.

MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, OUR NEW, UH, CFO AND, UH, CITY TREASURER.

RUBY JAMES IS HERE.

AS IS, UH, ANTHONY COOLING OUR BUDGET AND REVENUE OFFICER AND THEY HAVE PREPARED THE REPORT.

I THINK IN SUMMARY, WE CAN SAY THAT, UH, IT'S STILL ROUGHLY TRACKING WITH WHERE WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE.

OUR RESERVES ARE DOWN EVER SO SLIGHTLY, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING PROJECTS AND SPENDING THE MONEY AS YOU HAVE BUDGETED FOR IT.

I WOULD CONTINUE TO COUNSEL, UH, UM, CONSERVATIVE APPROACHES.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS RUNNING OUTTA MONEY.

THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO OVERESTIMATED THEIR BUDGET AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS.

AND I THINK THAT THIS IS SLOWING THE ECONOMY AND WE NEED TO BE PREPARING FOR THAT BY BEING, CONTINUING TO BE CONSERVATIVE.

BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BUDGET MOVING FORWARD.

BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TREASURER'S REPORT, WE'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL ON THE REPORT? WELL, I DON'T SEE ANY AT THIS POINT, SO, UH, MR. COOPER, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? OKAY.

JUST YOU MOVED YOUR MIC DOWN, I THOUGHT MAYBE I JUST WAS MISSING YOU.

THEN WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM

[2. Resolution Authorizing Professional Service Agreement with CliftonLarsenAllen, LLP for Auditing Services and Non-Audit Advisory Services]

TWO.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH CLIFTON LARSON, ALLEN L P FOR AUDITING SERVICES AND NON-AUDIT ADVISORY SERVICES.

MOTION.

THE RESOLUTION DO PASSED AND BE ADOPTED.

BE DONE BEFORE THEY ARRIVE SO THAT THEY CAN GET RIGHT TO THE AUDIT AND, UM, BE COMPLETED MUCH SOONER THAN, UH, BEFORE.

MR. WRIGHTON, RUBY, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN ME AT THE, AT THE PODIUM.

UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT MS. JAMES, UH, DEALT WITH IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP ON OUR AUDITS.

THE, UH, THE AUDIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 WAS ONLY COMPLETED EARLY THIS YEAR.

JUST AT THE END OF THE, OF THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023, WE HAD SEVERAL, UM, CRITICAL STAFF POSITIONS THAT EITHER CHANGED OVER OR HAD MAJOR MEDICAL LEAVES AND WE WERE DEALING WITH, WITH SOME OTHER PANDEMIC RELATED ISSUES.

AND SO IT WAS LATE GETTING IT TAKEN CARE OF IT THAT IT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, BUT YOU CAN'T DO THE 2022 FISCAL YEAR PERIOD UNTIL YOU'VE COMPLETELY CLOSED OUT 2021.

AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

AND, UH, WHAT, UM, MS. JAMES HAS PROPOSED HERE IS A, IS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT TO HELP US DO THAT.

UH, IN A NORMAL YEAR, WE HAVE THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CLOSED OUT SIX MONTHS OR SO AFTER THE END OF, OF THE FISCAL YEAR.

WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE THAT EVEN WITH, WITH 2022, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET IT DONE A LOT FASTER THAN 2021.

AND, UH, AND SO WE HAVE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENT THAN, THAN WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST WITH, UM, WITH CLIFTON LARSON ALLEN TO DO THIS LAST YEAR IN THIS MULTI-YEAR ENGAGEMENT WE HAVE HAD WITH THEM.

IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FINISH IT IN TIME, WE'RE GONNA BE USING THE SERVICES OF SICH, UH, AS WELL, WHICH IS NOT HERE BEFORE YOU.

THIS IS JUST THE AGREEMENT WITH, WITH C L A.

UM, UH, SH RUBY HAS WORKED WITH SICH, UH, UH, IN, IN, IN HER PREVIOUS POSITION.

I'VE WORKED THEM IN MY PREVIOUS POSITION.

IT'S A, IT'S A, IT'S A VERY GOOD FIRM AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN DO THAT AND THEY'VE DONE SOME, UH, SOME SIDE WORK FOR US IN, IN YEARS PAST.

SO, UM, IT'S MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PROCEED WITH THIS AGREEMENT SO THAT WE CAN EXPEDITE THE CLOSURE OF THE 2022 FISCAL YEAR.

RUBY, IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

WE ARE WORKING VERY HARD AND WORKING ON SCHEDULES AS WE SPEAK, AND I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL HAVE EVERYTHING DONE BY THE TIME CLIFTON LARSON ARRIVES.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GONNA HAVE DONE THAT'S DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

WE'LL

[00:20:01]

SO WE ANTICIPATE WE'LL BE DONE BY SEPTEMBER 30 WITH THE ENTIRE AUDIT.

THANK YOU AND WELCOME TO, UH, OUR TEAM.

UH, QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL ON THIS AGREEMENT.

DR.

HORN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

IN, IN READING THROUGH THE INFORMATION, IT SAID THAT THE, UM, IN 2022, THE AUDIT FEE WAS BUDGETED AT 79,380 AND THE ACTUAL COST WAS $145,358.

AND FOR YEAR ONE, THE COST IS $167,000.

WILL THE COST OF THE AUDIT BE MOVING BACK TO AROUND $80,000 AT SOME POINT IN TIME WITHIN THIS FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT? UM, I THINK, BUT BELIEVE THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN HORN, IS NO, UH, IT SHOULD COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT, BUT, UM, THE INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED AS A RESULT OF, OF COVID.

UM, ACCOUNTANTS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND, SORT OF LIKE POLICE OFFICERS AND WE CAN'T FILL ALL THE POSITIONS.

SADLY, UH, PRIVATE, UH, FIRMS HAVE HAVE TAKEN AWAY SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO DID PUBLIC ACCOUNTING CUZ THEY, BECAUSE THEY PAY MORE.

AND SO ACCOUNTING FIRMS HAVE HAD TO MAKE, UH, ADJUSTMENTS IN THEIR COMPENSATION RATES SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE THE NORMAL RISE IN, UH, IN COSTS.

UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE HAD OUR SCOPE OF SERVICES CHANGE, MAYBE FOR ALL THE GOOD REASONS.

WE HAVE MORE GRANTS WE HAVE TO MANAGE, UH, WE HAVE MORE COMPLIANCE ISSUES WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

UH, RUBY HAS REALLY HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, UH, IN TERMS OF GETTING A HANDLE ON THIS AND, AND BRINGING HER AUDIT EXPERIENCE.

BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE, THAT THE NUMBER, THE NUMBER WILL GO DOWN WHERE IT'S AT, WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THIS EVENING, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE'RE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE A RETURN TO PRE PANDEMIC, UH, RATES, NEVERTHELESS, TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS GETTING THE MOST COMPETITIVE RATE FOR THESE SERVICES.

WE PLAN TO, UH, GO THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PROCESS, UH, FOR THE SELECTION OF THE AUDITING FIRM THAT WILL PROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING 23.

UH, I, I UNDERSTAND INFLATION AND AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PANDEMIC, BUT THIS IS A WELL OVER A 100% INCREASE IN ONE YEAR.

AND SO YOU COULD HIRE SOMEBODY A HUNDRED THOUSAND FOR A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR PLUS BENEFITS, AND THEY, ALL THEY WOULD HAVE TO DO IS ONE AUDIT FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR, UM, ADDITIONAL, UH, AUDITORS IN THE FUTURE.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? I, I, MR. KEEL? MINE'S SKEPTICAL OR CYNICAL, BUT, UH, COHEN'S GIVEN EVERYBODY A REASON TO RAISE EVERYTHING, WHETHER IT NEEDED TO OR NOT.

AND I'M, I'M A LITTLE CYNICAL ON IT AND I'M NOT INSINUATING ANYTHING HERE, BUT I SEE IT ACROSS THE BOARD.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST A GREAT REASON TO RAISE PRICES ON EVERYBODY.

I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

THANK YOU MUCH.

MOVING ON TO, OH, DID WE NEED TO VOTE? YOU NEED TO VOTE? YES, WE DO.

UH, CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

ITEM THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A SERVICE AGREEMENT FOR THE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY FOR RESIDENTIAL AND SMALL COMMERCIAL RETAIL CUSTOMERS UNDER THE MUNICIPAL AGGREGATION PROGRAM.

I WAS JUST SO EXCITED WE HAD OUR NEW PERSON, YOU KNOW, IN PLACE.

SO GLAD TO WELCOME HER.

[3. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Service Agreement for the Electricity Supply for Residential and Small Commercial Retail Customers Under the Municipal Aggregation Program]

AS IN THE PAST, IF, UH, THE CITIZENS DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING UNLESS THEY WERE AN OPT OUT UNLESS CHANGED.

SECOND, MR. MANAGER.

AS COUNCIL MEMBERS PROBABLY KNOW, FOR MANY YEARS, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAD A MUNICIPAL AGGREGATION PROGRAM WHEREBY AGGREGATING, PUTTING TOGETHER ALL THE CUSTOMERS THAT WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS, UM, THAT WE WE COULD SAVE THEM ELECTRICITY COSTS.

AND WE DID YEAR AFTER YEAR.

THAT ENDED ABRUPTLY AT THE END OF 2021.

UM, AND IT ACTUALLY GOT INVERTED SO THAT THE AGGREGATION RATE WAS HIGHER THAN WHAT AMRON WAS CHARGING.

NOW, ARON'S RATES HAD GONE WAY UP TOO, BUT, UH, THEY HAD GONE UP NOT AS, NOT AS MUCH AS THE AGGREGATION RATES.

AND SO WE FOUND OURSELVES IN THE VERY UNFAMILIAR AND UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION OF HAVING TO ADVISE OUR CITIZENS, FOLKS TO SAVE MONEY.

FORGET THE, FORGET OUT, UH, OPT OUT OF AGGREGATION AND JUST PAY WHATEVER THE AMIN RATE IS.

THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG BACK, WE BELIEVE, AND, AND WE'RE JUST A SHORT TIME AWAY, I BELIEVE, FROM BEING ABLE TO SECURE RATES ON AN AGGREGATED BASIS THAT ARE BELOW THE RATES THAT YOU WOULD PAY IF YOU OTHERWISE JUST DEFAULTED TO AMIN.

AND SO THIS RESOLUTION MAYOR, UH, AUTHORIZES THE STAFF AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, CUZ IT'S ONE OF THOSE FLOATING THINGS THAT, THAT MOVES WITH EVEN MORE VOLATILITY THAN INTEREST RATES THAT YOU HAVE TO SEIZE ON IT AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

AND I DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF, OF WAITING FOR THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING TO, UH, TO, TO LOCK IN A RATE, UH, SO THAT WE CAN RESTART THE AGGREGATION PROGRAM.

QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER FROM COUNSEL, MR. MCDANIEL? UH, AS,

[00:25:01]

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

RIGHT.

UH, COUNCILMAN, YOUR, YOUR QUESTION IS, IS THAT IF THE CITY DOES AN AGGREGATION PROGRAM, WOULD RESIDENTS HAVE TO DO ANYTHING? AND THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO.

IF THEY WANTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, IT IS AN OPT-OUT PROGRAM, MEANING THAT THE CITY WILL AUTOMATICALLY ENROLL THEIR ACCOUNTS.

AND THAT IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS RUN FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS, WHICH IS THE ARCADIA SOLAR.

THAT'S AN OPT-IN PROGRAM WHERE RESIDENTS HAD TO, UH, AFFIRMATIVELY GO AND SIGN UP FOR THAT PROGRAM VERSUS THE, THE CITY AGGREGATION PROGRAM WHERE WE WOULD SIGN THEM UP, THEY WOULD OPT OUT.

OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL SAYING NONE.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

MAYOR MOW WOLF.

AYE.

ITEM FOUR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS LAND BANK AUTHORITY FOR ACQUISITION OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES THROUGH ABANDONMENT PROCEEDING MOTION, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

[4. Resolution Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement Between the City of Decatur and Central Illinois Land Bank Authority for Acquisition of Certain Properties through Abandonment Proceedings]

PICTURES AND DOCUMENT IT, UH, SUFFICIENTLY ENOUGH TO, TO MAKE THAT CASE IN COURT.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR, COUNSEL, UM, AS I MENTIONED IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE OUR REHABILITATION GOALS, UH, THROUGHOUT MANY OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE'RE WORKING AT IN THE, IN THE DISTRESSED AND URBAN CORE PART OF THE CITY, WE CAN'T DO ALL THIS OURSELVES.

WE HAVE TO RELY ON CONTRACTS WITH OUTSOURCE PARTNERS.

WE HAVE DONE THAT.

YOU HAVE BEEN VERY WILLING TO ENTER INTO THOSE CONTRACTS.

IN FACT, WE'VE ALREADY DONE ONE WITH THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS LAND BANK AUTHORITY ONCE BEFORE.

AND, AND SO HERE'S ANOTHER ONE.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE IS THAT WE ARE ASKING THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS LAND BANK TO ACT MORE A AGGRESSIVELY USING THE, UH, ABANDONED PROPERTIES AFTER TWO YEARS OF TAX DELINQUENCY, RATHER THAN WAITING FOUR YEARS.

NOW, IT'S, IT'S OBVIOUS WHY GETTING THE, THESE ABANDONED PROPERTIES AFTER TWO YEARS IS BETTER THAN GETTING THEM AFTER FOUR YEARS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO PUSH A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THROUGH THE ILLINOIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT'LL MAKE CHANGES TO SOME OF THESE LAWS THAT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.

UH, SO I'D LIKE JOHN TO EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW THIS MIGHT CHANGE OUR PROCESSES, UH, FOR THOSE, FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT WE ASK THEM TO TAKE THIS STEP WITH.

SO IS THAT, I THINK ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS RESOLUTION IS, IS THAT IT IS ALLOWING THE LAND BANK TO EXERCISE SOME OF THE CITY'S CURRENT AUTHORITY.

UH, THE MUNICIPAL, MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO EXERCISE WHAT THEY CAN.

UH, THE STATE STATUTE CALLS ABANDONMENT, UH, PROCESS, ABANDONMENT PROCESS ESSENTIALLY SAYS THAT IF A PROPERTY IS VACANT, IT'S MORE THAN TWO YEARS TO TAX DELINQUENT AND THE PROPERTY IS CREATING A NUISANCE, OR IT HAS AN UNSAFE CONDITION, THEN THE CITY CAN ESSENTIALLY, THE AUTHORITY, UH, RIGHT NOW THE CITY.

AND THEN THIS, THIS IGA WOULD ALLOW THE LAND BANK TO OPERATE, UH, UNDER THE CITY'S AUTHORITY TO PETITION THE COURT TO ESSENTIALLY, UH, INSERT ITSELF AND TAKE THE PROPERTY AS SOMEBODY STEPS FORWARD AND SAYS, NO, I'M, I'M LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROPERTY.

I HAVE A PLAN TO REHAB IT, OR I'M GONNA DEMO IT.

I'M GONNA DO WHATEVER.

THEN, THEN THE COURT WOULD SAY, OKAY, IT'S YOURS.

YOU HAVE 60 DAYS.

UH, UH, WHATEVER THE COURT WOULD FIND APPROPRIATE IN THOSE INDIVIDUAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

BUT AS SCOTT SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ANOTHER TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX.

THIS, UH, THIS PROCESS, THE UTILIZATION OF THE ABANDONMENT PROCEEDINGS SHOWED UP IN ALL THREE OF THE, EXCUSE ME, BOTH OF THE HOUSING STUDIES THAT THE CITY CONDUCTED OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS.

IT ALSO WAS A RECOMMENDATION COMING OUT OF THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRESS CODE ENFORCEMENT ANALYSIS.

AND SO ALL THREE OF THOSE HAVE REPETITIVELY, REPETITIVELY COME BACK TO, UH, YOU KNOW, EXERCISING ABANDONMENT PROCEEDINGS AT SCALE IS REALLY WHAT THE CITY NEEDS TO DO TO KIND OF TAKE THE UPSTREAM APPROACH, UH, UH, REALLY TO TRY TO SAVE MORE OF THE BUILDINGS AS OPPOSING TO WAITING THE END OF THE FOUR YEAR PROCESS.

AND THEN ALL WE ARE LEFT WITH IS ESSENTIALLY DEMOLITION HOUSES.

THIS WILL ALLOW US TO INSERT OURSELF EARLIER, UM, AND, AND REALLY, UH, ALLOWS FOR THE CITY STAFF TO CONTINUE TO PURSUE PROPERTIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY AND ALLOWS THE LAND BANK TO GO OFF AND PURSUE PROPERTIES THAT THEY DEEM TO BE APPROPRIATE FOR THEIR ABANDONMENT TO REHAB PROGRAM.

QUESTIONS FOR MR. KINS.

WHO ARE MR. WRIGHTON FROM COUNSEL? MR. COOPER? UH, JUST QUICK, JOHN, QUICK ONE QUESTION.

UM, IF THIS WAS ENACT NOW, HOW DO, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA APPROXIMATELY HOW MANY HOUSES, WHERE WERE TO WE TALKING ABOUT THAT WOULD FALL UNDER THAT RIGHT NOW? AND HOW MANY COMMERCIAL PRODUCT, UM, PLACES? WHAT, SO THIS ONLY APPLIES TO RESIDENTIAL.

IT DOESN'T APPLY TO COMMERCIAL.

UH, THE IDA FUNDED FOR THE DATA ANALYSIS FOR THIS TO BE DONE.

WE'VE DONE IT TWO YEARS IN A ROW.

NOW.

AS OF RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE 200 PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR THAT WE BELIEVE TO QUALIFY FOR ABANDONMENT.

MEANING THEY'RE VACANT HOUSES MORE THAN TWO YEARS DELINQUENT IN BACK TAXES, AND THEY ARE STARTING TO CREATE SOME TYPE OF UNSAFE CONDITIONS FOR THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

UH, EVERY ONE OF THOSE, UH, YOU KNOW, WILL HAVE TO BE EVALUATED INDIVIDUALLY, UH, TAKE

[00:30:01]

BUT THE PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS SHOWS, UH, SHOWS THAT.

OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. HORN, MR. KIN, SETH, WITH 200 HOUSES THAT MAY CURRENTLY MEET THESE CONDITIONS, UH, WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE NUMBER OF HOUSES TO BE ACQUIRED PER YEAR? IS IT 200? NO, I, I, I THINK REALISTICALLY, UH, YOU KNOW, WE WILL BE SELECTIVE IN THE UTILIZATION OF THIS PROCESS.

UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF UNDER THE CURRENT ABANDONMENT, UH, TO REHAB PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS PROVIDED TO THE, UH, TO THE LAND BANK, WE'VE BEEN OPERATING AT A $50,000 PER UNIT PER, UH, EXCUSE ME, A $50,000 PER UNIT LOSS.

UM, A $50,000 PER UNIT LOSS ON 200 OF 'EM WOULD BE $4 MILLION A YEAR.

UM, THE CITY HAS NOT PROVIDED THAT TYPE OF FUNDING.

THE GOAL IS NOT TO PURSUE ALL 200 OF THEM.

THE GOAL IS TO CHERRY PICK THE BEST ONES, IF I CAN BE ENTIRELY BLUNT WITH YOU.

UH, AND SO AT THE FIRST BATCH, WE HAVE 17 THAT WE ARE PREPARED, UH, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THE BEST BATCH.

AND I WILL SAY, I SAID THIS EARLIER, THAT THIS IS JUST ONE MORE TOOL.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE ARE OTHER OPTIONS, UH, UH, TO, TO TAKE CONTROL OVER THE PROPERTY.

IF THE CITY HAS LIENS.

FOR AN EXAMPLE, WE MIGHT, WE MIGHT OPT TO DO A FORECLOSURE ON THE LIENS ON THE PROPERTY.

AND THAT'S A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROCESS, UH, UH, THAT, THAT HAS SOME VALUE, UH, FROM DOING, FROM DOING THAT PROCESS.

AND SO THIS WOULD BE SELECTIVELY USED, USED FOR THOSE PROPERTIES THAT MAKE SENSE, THAT WE BELIEVE TO BE WORTH THAT TYPE OF INVESTMENT.

AND, AND SO IS 17 HOUSES AS A FIRST BATCH? IS THAT FOR 2023 FOR SIX MONTHS? WHAT'S THE DURATION? GOOD QUESTION.

SO, SO THE CITY HAS, AND THIS IS MENTIONED IN THE, IN THE COVER MEMO THAT THERE, THE CITY HAS ALREADY PROVIDED THE LAND BANK WITH 10.

AND SO WE ALREADY HAVE THE BATCH FOR 2023, THE FIRST HOUSE, UH, THAT IS IN JOHNS HILL.

THAT, THAT PROPERTY IS ESSENTIALLY DONE AT THIS POINT.

IT'S BEEN REHABBED.

IT'S ALMOST READY TO, TO, TO BASICALLY PUT A, A NEW HOMEOWNER IN THERE.

THE OTHER NINE ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF THE REHAB, REHABILITATION PROCESS.

UH, UH, ALL OF 'EM I CAN SAY LOOK BETTER TODAY THAN THE WHEN, THAN THE WAY THEY LOOKED WHEN THE CITY, UH, UH, TOOK POSSESSION OF THEM.

UH, AND, AND SO THIS BATCH WOULD BE FOR 2024 IS, IS REALLY REALISTICALLY WHAT, UH, WE'RE SETTING OURSELF UP FOR.

UH, MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THAT, THE LAND BANK HAS ALSO COMMITTED TO GOING OUT AND FINDING OUTSIDE MONEY.

SO, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IDA'S THE ONE THAT PAID FOR THE DATA ANALYSIS THAT HAS GOTTEN US TO THIS POINT.

UM, BECAUSE IDA, IDA WANTS TO FUND, UH, A PROACTIVE STRATEGY, UH, IN HOUSING, UH, WHICH IS BASICALLY THEY'RE, THEY HAVE THROWN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOWARDS REHAB OVER THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS.

AND ESSENTIALLY ABOUT A YEAR AGO, THEY SAID WE'RE NO LONGER GONNA PAY FOR DEMOS UNDER THE ABA, UH, UH, WHAT THEY CALL THE AP AP PROGRAM.

UH, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE FUNDING STREAMS WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE TO DECATUR THAT THE CITY WAS RELYING ON TO PAY FOR DEMOLITIONS.

UH, IDA ESSENTIALLY ENDED THAT PROGRAM, UH, AND, AND, UH, IT WAS ULTIMATELY RULED, I BELIEVE, UH, UH, UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

UH, WHICH IS PART OF THE REASON WHY THAT THEY ENDED IT.

UM, BUT NOW THEIR APPROACH IS, IS THAT THEY WANT TO FUND REHABILITATION OF, OF HOUSING.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT SAYING, WE CAN BUILD NEW HOUSING UNITS FOR ABOUT A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS PER UNIT, OR WE CAN REHAB 'EM KIND OF LIKE THE DECATUR MODEL, WHERE IT'S 50 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS AND THEY GET A GOOD DECENT, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT CAN BE KEPT IN THE COMMUNITY OF WHICH IT IS.

AND SO THE GOAL IS, IS THAT WE WOULD APPLY FOR THE STRONG COMMUNITIES GRANT.

UH, THAT'S AN UP TO $750,000.

UH, UH, AND THAT'S THE, THE MONEY THAT WE ULTIMATELY WANT TO USE, UH, UH, TO, TO HELP TO BUILD THIS OUT, THIS OUT AT SCALE, TO COUPLE THAT WITH THE, THE MONEY THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY PROVIDED WITH A R P.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN HAVE A REAL POOL OR A POT OF MONEY, UH, THAT CAN, THAT CAN, UH, TAKE CARE OF A NUMBER OF THESE PROPERTIES.

MR. MCDANIEL, UM, I'VE STRESSED FOR YEARS, I WANNA SEE FAMILIES IN HOMES, AND I'VE ALSO STRESSED YOU DON'T PUT PEOPLE IN HOMES THAT CANNOT AFFORD IT.

YOU'RE NOT HELPING THEM.

THEIR CREDIT'S GONNA BE WORSE.

SO I KNOW IN THE PAST, THE UH, STAFF HAS SAID, WELL, WE'LL GIVE THEM, UH, BUDGET LESSONS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE INCOME COMING IN, YOU CAN BUDGET TO THE COWS COME HOME AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE AFFORD IT.

SO I JUST STRESS THAT THAT, UH, UM, THAT THEY, THEIR, UH, INCOME IS REVIEWED AND THAT CUZ YOU'RE NOT HELPING THE FAMILY MAY LOSE THE HOUSE IN A YEAR OR LESS.

MR. COOPER, UM, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S FOR JOHN OR FOR PAT PATRICK.

UM, I KNOW WE'RE DOING WITH, DEALING WITH I THINK 10 HOMES NOW THIS YEAR.

YEP.

UM, AND I KNOW WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTIES GETTING, UM, ENOUGH CONTRACTORS TO DEAL WITH THE HOMES THAT WE HAVE.

UH, ARE WE GETTING

[00:35:01]

ANY BETTER WITH THAT OR HOW WILL WE BE READY FOR DOING 17 MORE NEXT YEAR IF WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH THE 10 WE GOT THIS YEAR? SURE.

GOOD QUESTION.

GOOD EVENING COUNSELING MAYOR, LET ME ADDRESS YOUR CONCERN FIRST, MR. UH, COUNCIL MCDANIEL.

SO, UH, WE, WE ARE CREATING A HOME BUYERS ECOSYSTEM NOW.

SO WE'RE PARTNERING WITH, UM, COMMUNITY INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DECATUR TO DO THAT ALONG WITH SOME OTHER PARTNERS, INCLUDING BANKS AND, AND, AND, UH, LAND, UH, BANKS AND CREDIT UNIONS HERE INDICATED AS WELL, BECAUSE I GET YOUR POINT.

UH, IF WE DON'T CREATE THE PIPELINE, REALLY BUILD PEOPLE CAPACITY TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THESE LOANS AND BE IN POSITIONED TO TAKE ON THESE LOANS AND TEACH THEM HOW TO MAINTAIN A HOME AFTER THEY HAVE THEM, THEN WE'RE GONNA BE, UM, YOU KNOW, IN A, IN A WORSE SITUATION.

SO WE ARE CREATING THAT ECOSYSTEM NOW SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PIPELINE FOR THESE HOMES THAT JOHNS TALKED ABOUT FOR THE ABANDON TO REHAB PROGRAM.

UH, WE'VE KIND, WE'VE KIND OF, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILMAN COOPER, WE'VE KIND OF RETOOLED OR KIND OF CHANGED, UH, THE PROGRAM SLIGHTLY AS IT RELATES TO THE REHAB PROGRAM.

WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT, UM, A A LOT OF GENERAL CONTRACTORS, UM, DIDN'T LIKE THE STRUCTURE AS IT RELATES TO HOW THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED.

UM, AND SO, UH, QUITE FRANKLY, UH, WE, WE FIGURED THAT IT WOULD BE BEST FOR US IF WE WERE ABLE TO GET MULTIPLE TRADES.

SO ELECTRICIAN, PLUMBERS, H V A C FOLKS, ET CETERA.

UH, AND WE KIND OF ACT AS A GERMAN CONTRACTOR FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD GET MORE FOLKS INTO THE PROGRAM.

SO WE, WE DID A CALL TO CONTRACTORS.

UH, I WENT AND GOT A LIST OF FOLKS THAT PULLED PERMITS FROM THE CITY AND I SENT, WE SENT OUR LETTERS TO A 215 CONTRACTOR, ASKED 'EM TO BE A PARTNER FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR OUR REHAB PROGRAM.

UH, WE HAVE GOTTEN, UM, ABOUT 25 RESPONSES FROM THAT LETTER TO DATE.

YOU MAY BE SAYING 25 IS NOTHING COMPARED TO YOU SENT 200 OUT.

WELL, WE HAD THREE BEFORE, SO WE WENT FROM THREE TO NOW 25 CONTRACTORS.

THAT'S, THAT WANTS TO BE PARTNERS.

UH, AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE SENDING OUT THE, UH, ANOTHER ROUND OF BIDS, UH, ON FRIDAY OF THIS WEEK TO THOSE 25 CONTRACTORS.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IS WE ARE GETTING MORE CONTRACTS INVOLVED IN OUR PROGRAM, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO DO THESE PROJECTS MORE QUICKLY.

DR.

HORN, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION OR COMMENT? IS MY MEMORY CORRECT THAT WE ALREADY, UM, HAVE SIGNED THE AGREEMENT WITH THE C I L B A TO ADMINISTER THIS PROGRAM? IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

TO, TO ADMINISTER ABANDON REHAB PROGRAM, YES.

ANYONE ELSE, MR. MCDANIEL? I WAS JUST GONNA SAY FINDING CONTRACTORS ACROSS THE COUNTRIES IS A TOUGH, TOUGH JOB.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SCENE NONE.

AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CRAWFORD MURPHY AND TILLY INC.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF, AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NACE.

ITEM FIVE RESOLUTION

[5. Resolution Authorizing a Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly, Inc. to Provide Final Design Engineering Services for the South Water Treatment Plant Electrical Improvements Project, City Project 2022-18]

TO PROVIDE FINAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE SO SOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLANT ELECTRICAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2022 DASH 18.

AND WERE THERE THAT THE PLANT WAS BUILT IN 1988, UH, AS YOU LONG-TERM RESIDENTS OF THE CITY KNOW.

SECOND, MR. E MARION COUNSEL.

OVER A YEAR AGO YOU CONDUCTED, UM, A LENGTHY STUDY SESSION ON THE LONG TERM DEMANDS AND NEEDS OF OUR WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM.

AND THOSE TWO PARTS OF THE, OF THE WATER SYSTEM WERE INCLUDED IN A LONG-TERM REPORT GENERATED BY CDM SMITH, OUR ENGINEERING PARTNER, UH, THAT, UH, THAT GAVE YOU A PLAN THAT, UH, REALLY EXTENDS OUT TO THE YEAR 2050.

UH, THAT'S REALLY GOOD LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND IN ADDITION TO PLANNING FOR IT ON AN ENGINEERING SIDE, WE'VE TRIED, WE, THE STAFF HAVE TRIED TO, TO ALSO STAY AHEAD OF IT ON, ON THE FINANCING SIDE BY ISSUING, UH, BACK WHEN INTEREST RATES WERE LOW AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

A 25, MORE THAN 25 MILLION BOND FOR WATER AND SEWER, MOSTLY WATER WORK FOR, FOR, FOR PUTTING MONEY FROM, UH, FROM A R P BY ADJUSTING SEWER RATES, BY ALSO FILING APPLICATIONS FOR, UH, FOR THE I EEP REVOLVING LOAN FUND BY PURSUING OTHER WATER GRANTS SO THAT AS SOME OF THESE LARGE EXPENDITURES THAT ARE IN THE CDM SMITH PROJECT ACTUALLY COME DUE TO ACTUALLY BE BUILT THAT WE'VE GOT THE MONEY FOR.

AND WE DON'T HAVE TO SLOW DOWN AND SAY, OOH, WE CAN'T DO THIS PROJECT BE WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

UM, A MAJOR PIECE OF THAT IS AT, AT THE WATER TREATMENT PLANT, AS I MENTIONED IN MY TRANSMITTAL REPORT, UH, THE CONCRETE, THE MASONRY PART OF THE, THE, THOSE, THOSE LARGE BASINS ARE, ARE, ARE BUILT THE LAST A CENTURY, BUT THE MECHANICS AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND, AND THE, UH, AND THE CHEMICAL FEED SYSTEMS AND THE PUMPING STATIONS AND, AND, AND, AND THE, AND THE LAGOONS.

THESE ARE INTERNAL WORKS, MOSTLY MECHANICAL WORKS THAT DON'T LAST A HUNDRED YEARS AND NEED TO BE REPLACED, ROUGHLY SPEAKING EVERY THIRD OF A CENTURY.

[00:40:01]

AND SO THAT'S ABOUT 33 YEARS AGO, SO 34 YEARS AGO.

AND SO, UM, THE, UH, SO WE ARE STARTING THAT PROCESS.

THIS WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET, IT WAS ANTICIPATED IN THE CDM SMITH REPORT.

IT'S A FAIRLY LARGE ENGINEERING CONTRACT.

UH, BUT NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO RE REPLACE MOST OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AS WELL AS DO THIS OTHER WORK THAT IS OUTLINED IN THE, IN THE MEMO, BUT IT'S FAIRLY COMPLEX BECAUSE WE CAN'T JUST TEAR THE ELECTRICAL OUT AND PUT NEW IN.

WE HAVE TO KEEP THE PLANT RUNNING 24 7 .

AND, AND SO THAT, THAT MAKES THAT A COMPLICATED PROCESS AS WELL.

SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN THIS PROCESS, EVEN THOUGH IT IS EXPENSIVE AND, UH, WE PROPOSE THAT THAT MOVE FORWARD WITH A, UM, WITH A CONSULTING FIRM THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH OUT OF SPRINGFIELD, UH, CRAWFORD MURPHY AND TILLY.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. MCDANIEL? YOUR MIC IS ON.

SORRY.

THAT'S OKAY.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

COUNCILMAN MC, MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCIL COUNCILMAN COLT.

AYE.

RESCINDING A LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY AGREEMENT FOR FEDERAL PARTICIPATION OF BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD, FERRYS PARKWAY, RAILROAD GRADE SEPARATION MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MAYOR MAOL AYE.

SEVEN AYE.

SNOW NACE ITEM SIX RESOLUTION

[6. Resolution Rescinding a Local Public Agency Agreement for Federal Participation of Brush College Road/Faries Parkway Railroad Grade Separation]

SO, MOVE SECOND.

MR. WRIGHTON.

WE HAVE A LOT OF ITEMS, UH, THAT ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED.

UH, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO OVER ALL OF THEM AT ONCE AND TRY TO MAKE IT INTO A COMPLETE PICTURE, THEN WE'LL VOTE ON THEM, UH, SEPARATELY.

MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME, UH, INDULGE A FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER PRESENTATION, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO, TO PROCEED.

ITEMS 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, AND 11 SIX ITEMS, UH, HERE ALL IN A ROW ON YOUR AGENDA THIS EVENING.

ALL DEAL WITH DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THE BRUSH, COLLEGE FERRIES, PARKWAY SEPARATION.

SO EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE ONLY PLACED THE FIRST OF THOSE ON THE FLOOR, UM, I WILL DO, AS THE MAYOR HAS INSTRUCTED, AND GO THROUGH EACH OF THEM IN SUMMARY FASHION.

AND PAUL WILL HELP ME OUT THAT WAY.

YOU CAN ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT ALL OF THEM SO THAT YOU SEE THEM IN THEIR TOTALITY, UH, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S USEFUL, UH, FOR, FOR MOVING FORWARD.

AND FOR YOU, UNDERSTANDING THIS PROJECT, THERE IS JUST NO ESCAPING THE FACT THIS IS A VERY COMPLEX PROJECT.

NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

IT IS A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT MAKES IT COMPLEX.

WHAT MAKES IT COMPLEX IS THAT WE GOT THE STATE INVOLVED, WE GOT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVED.

WE MIGHT HAVE GOT HALF A DOZEN DIFFERENT GRANT AGENCIES WITH DIFFERENT RULES.

WE'VE GOT TWO RAILROADS INVOLVED, WE'VE GOT FEDERAL EARMARKS.

UM, IT'S GONE TO, IT'S, YOU KNOW, BID HAS BEEN PREPPED THREE TIMES.

IT'S HAD TO BE REDONE AND THEN REDONE AGAIN.

UH, AND ALL OF THIS MAKES IT EXTREMELY COMPLEX, YOU KNOW, ON, ON TOP OF THE FACT THAT THE RAILROADS HAVEN'T WANTED TO REALLY COOPERATE WITH US MUCH AT ALL.

WE'VE HAD TO FIGHT WITH, WITH, WITH ADJOINING PROPERTY OWNERS WHOSE LAND WE'VE HAD TO ACQUIRE AND SO FORTH.

SO THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA, FIRST OF ALL, THE ONE THAT YOU HAVE ON, UH, HAVE, HAVE PUT ON THE FLOOR.

THIS ITEM IS SORT OF A PAIR WITH THE ONE THAT FOLLOWS, BECAUSE IN JANUARY OF 2022, WE WENT TO STATE BID.

AND AS YOU'LL RECALL, THE BIDS WE GOT BACK WERE HIGH.

THEY WERE 16.5 MILLION OVER THE STATE'S ENGINEERING ESTIMATE.

UH, AND SO WE HAD TO REJECT THEM.

BUT IN ORDER TO GET TO THAT BID OPENING IN J IN JANUARY OF 2022, WE HAD TO APPROVE AN AGREEMENT FOR WHAT'S CALLED THIS FEDERAL PARTICIPATION, UH, AND HAVE A LOCAL AGENCY AGREEMENT.

THE NEXT ITEM,

[7. Resolution Authorizing a Joint Funding Agreement for Construction of the Brush College Road Grade Separation of Faries Parkway]

ITEM SEVEN, IS THE NEW AGREEMENT THAT REFLECTS THE CHANGES THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, INCLUDING IN, IN THE COST AND INCLUDING THE, THE NEW FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO OBTAIN.

BUT BEFORE WE CAN ACT ON THAT ONE, WE WOULDN'T DO THIS IF THIS WAS A LOCAL PROJECT, BUT, BUT THE, BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REQUIRES IT THAT IF WE'RE GONNA SUSPEND AND NOT USE A FEDERAL PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT THAT WE USED, THAT WE, THAT YOU ADOPTED IN THE PAST, WE HAVE TO ACT TO RESCIND IT.

SO THAT'S WHAT THAT ITEM DOES.

IT SIMPLY RESCINDS AN EARLIER AGREEMENT THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA USE BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON THE NUMBERS FROM THE JANUARY 22 LETTING.

SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA NUMBER SEVEN IS THE ONE THAT HAS REVISED CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES IN IT.

AND IF YOU'LL ADVANCE TO, UH, WAIT, I HAVE TWO PICTURES HERE THAT, THAT, THAT SHOW THE, THE, UM, THE, THE PROJECT.

WHY DON'T YOU PUT THE NEXT ONE UP, JIM? THIS ONE, THIS ONE, THIS ONE'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO SEE.

UM, SO, UM, BASED ON THE REVISED ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE, BASED ON THE, ON THE BIDDING FROM JANUARY OF 22 PLUS SOME SCOPE CHANGES THAT, THAT WE'VE MADE AND OTHER UPDATES INCLUDING SOME ENGINEERING ESTIMATES BASED ON ACTIONS THAT YOU ARE YET TO TAKE.

THE NEW PROJECT IS ABOUT 83,000,020 62.5 MILLION OF IT IS JUST THE CONSTRUCTION.

THE DELTA BETWEEN THOSE TWO IS THE LAND ACQUISITION AND THE ENGINEERING AND A LOT OF OTHER COSTS THAT HAVE GOTTEN US TO THIS POINT.

BUT THAT 62.5 NUMBER IS THE NUMBER THAT YOU'LL WANT TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN WE OPEN BIDS.

WHEN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS OPEN BIDS NEXT MONTH IN JUNE,

[00:45:01]

THE, THESE BIDS HAVE JUST BEEN RELEASED.

UH, RATHER THE PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN RELEASED TO CONTRACTORS JUST LAST FRIDAY.

AND SO THEY HAVE A MONTH AND, AND A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE, UH, WE OPEN THE BIDS IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE.

SO WHAT THIS AGREEMENT DOES, AND IT'S REQUIRED FOR ALL THE FUNDING SOURCES, IS IT GIVES YOU A SUMMARY OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF, OF, OF THE FUNDS, WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, WHERE THEY'RE GOING.

AND SO YOU ARE APPROVING THAT.

YOU ARE EVENTUALLY, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY WITH THIS NEXT ITEM, ITEM SEVEN, APPROVING THE UPDATED FUNDING SCHEME.

THE NEXT ITEM,

[8. Resolution Rescinding a Local Public Agency Engineering Services Agreement with AECOM Technical Services for Construction Engineering Services for Brush College Road/Faries Parkway]

ITEM EIGHT IS, IS, IS PAIRED WITH ITEM NINE.

AND IT SORT OF STARTS TO SOUND A LITTLE BIT ALIKE HERE TO WHAT WE DID PRIOR TO THE, UH, THE BID OPENING IN JANUARY OF 22.

WE ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH, UM, AECOM TO PROVIDE THE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING.

CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING MEANS THE SUPERVISION OF THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE.

THEY'VE ALREADY DONE THE DESIGN OR WOULD'VE ALREADY DONE THE DESIGN WORK BY THAT TIME IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY ONSITE CONSTRUCTION FOR THIS COMPLEX PROJECT.

WELL, WE DIDN'T AWARD, SO WE DIDN'T GIVE, SO WE DIDN'T REALLY GIVE THEM A CONTRACT.

ONCE AGAIN, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SAYS, WELL OBVIOUSLY YOU NOW, NOW THAT YOU'RE GONNA REBID THE PROJECT IN JUNE OF 23 AND PRESUMABLY BECAUSE THE SCOPE HAS CHANGED, COME UP WITH A NEW CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CONTRACT FOR AECOM.

BUT YOU HAVE TO RESCIND THE OLD ONE.

SO ITEM EIGHT IS RESCINDING THE OLD AGREEMENT THAT WE NEVER REALLY USED WITH AECOM FOR CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING.

AND ITEM NINE THEN

[9. Resolution Authorizing a Local Public Agency Engineering Services Agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. for Construction Engineering Services for Brush College Road/Faries Parkway Grade Separation Project City Project 2009-33 Section 09-00933-01-BR]

IS THE NEW CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CONTRACT IF WE IN FACT PROCEED WITH, WITH THOSE BIDS, UH, BASED ON HOW THE BIDDING ACTUALLY WORKS, UH, HOW IT ACTUALLY COMES OUT IN JUNE, UH, NEXT MONTH, THE, THEN THE,

[10. Resolution Authorizing Supplement #2 to the Professional Engineering Services Agreement with AECOM for Design Services for the Brush College Road Grade Separation over Faries Parkway and the Norfolk Southern Railroad City Project 2009-33 Section 09-00933-01-BR]

THE NEXT TWO ITEMS BOTH DEAL WITH, UH, ENGINEERING COSTS SINCE THE LAST TIME WE WERE BEFORE YOU ON THIS PROJECT.

IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, IT'S BEEN AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS.

BUT WE HAD A STUDY SESSION ON THE BRUSH COLLEGE FERRYS PARKWAY SEPARATION PROJECT IN 2020.

UH, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME, SO I HEARD FROM SOME OF YOU , THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD LOOKED AT THE, AND REALLY GOTTEN A, A COMPLETE AND THOROUGH UPDATE ON THE BRUSH COLLEGE PROJECT IN SEVERAL YEARS.

AND, UH, SO IT WAS LONG OVERDUE FOR COUNCIL TO HAVE A, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT.

PLUS WE HAD TO AMEND THE ENGINEERING AGREEMENT WITH AECOM.

SINCE THAT TIME, UH, THE, THERE'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL ENGINEERING COSTS.

I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT, , BUT IT'S BEEN DRIVEN BY FACTORS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT OUTSIDE OUR, OUR CONTROL.

SO ITEM 10 IS, IS, IS A, IS AN AGREEMENT WITH AECOM TO SORT OF, TO, UH, TO AUTHORIZE THE PAYMENT OF THOSE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF OR SO AS THE RAILROAD, FRANKLY, UH, CHRISTMAS TREE, THE PROJECT, ONCE THEY REALIZED THAT THERE WAS GONNA BE, UH, FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING AND THAT THEY CAME UP WITH ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT THEY WANTED, UH, ADJACENT TO THEIR RAILROAD PROPERTY, UH, THAT THEY COULD GET WITH, WITH THE TAXPAYERS PAYING FOR IT.

AND THEY REALIZE THAT, THAT IF WE DIDN'T AGREE, THEY, THEY WOULD HOLD UP THE PROJECT.

THE OTHER THING, AND, AND I'M SORRY, THIS REALLY GOES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT TO THE DYSFUNCTION OF THE, OF, OF IDOT, BUT UM, EACH TIME WE TAKE THIS PROJECT TO BID, IT HAS TO BE REVISED.

NOW, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLAN SHEETS ARE OVER A THOUSAND PAGES AND, AND JOHN SCHWALBACH FROM AECOM IS HERE AND HE CAN SPEAK TO IT MORE DIRECTLY THAN I CAN CUZ HE ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH ALL THAT STUFF.

UM, IS HE AND, AND HIS STAFF.

UM, BUT IT IS INCREDIBLE TO ME HOW MANY CHANGES THE STATE CAN MAKE JUST IN THE SPACE OF ONE CALENDAR YEAR.

SO THAT TAKING A PROJECT THAT WHILE THE SCOPE HAS CHANGED A LITTLE BIT, IT HASN'T CHANGED THAT MUCH, BUT STILL IT CAN TAKE A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS IN ENGINEERING COSTS JUST TO PREPARE IT BASED ON CHANGES AND NEW PROCEDURES AND PROCESSES PUT IN PLACE JUST IN THE LAST YEAR BY IDOT.

IT'S INCREDIBLE AND IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THESE, WHY THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE MANAGED IN THIS WAY THROUGH THE STATE, UH, COST SO MUCH MONEY.

AND SO ITEM 10 THEN IS, IS IS AN ENGINEERING CONTRACT THAT REFLECTS OUR NEGOTIATIONS WITH A, WITH AECOM.

AND THEN ITEM 11

[11. Resolution Authorizing Supplement #2 to the Local Public Agency Engineering Services Agreement with AECOM Technical Services, Inc. Section 09-00933-01-BR]

IS, IS A RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZES UH, UH, IT'S A RESOLUTION THAT AUTHORIZES A PORTION OF OUR FUNDS ON THIS ENGINEERING CONTRACT TO BE PAID FOR WITH, WITH MFT FUNDS, WITH WITH MOTOR FUEL TAX FUNDS.

IN SUMMARY, I WANNA SAY THAT EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE PROJECT, UM, AND IT HAS TAKEN A LONG, LONG TIME, UH, AND ITS SCOPE HAS, HAS UNDERGONE SOME CREEP, THE, UM, DEPENDING ON HOW THE BIDS COME IN, AND DEPENDING ON HOW SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING WE HAVE REQUESTED THAT GOES BEYOND FILLING THE GAP, WE HAVE FILLED THE GAP IN ORDER BASED ON HOW THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SAYS WE HAVE TO FILL THE GAP BEFORE WE CAN GO BACK TO BID.

BUT WE HAVE STILL SOUGHT SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING SOURCES THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YET, AND THAT OUR ANNE SCHNEIDER, OUR CONSULTANT IS HELPING US WITH, DEPENDING ON HOW SOME OF THOSE WORK OUT.

UM, AND THE ILLINOIS COMMERCE COMMISSION HAS AGREED TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT FLEXIBLE BASED ON HOW THE BIDS COME IN AS WELL.

SO THERE'S STILL SOME VARIABLES THERE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A RANGE OF WHAT THE CITY'S COST IS LIKELY TO BE.

IT'S GONNA BE SOMEWHERE IN THE FIVE TO 8% RANGE OF THE TOTAL

[00:50:01]

COST.

NOW FIVE TO 8% OF A REALLY BIG NUMBER IS STILL A LOT OF MONEY.

BUT I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT AND AND REALIZE THAT 91 TO 95% OF 92 TO 95% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT COST IS NOT GONNA BE PAID FOR, UH, UH, THROUGH, UH, LOCAL CITY OF DECATUR FUNDS.

THAT'S ON A PROJECT THIS SIZE AND THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD THING.

ANYWAY, SO THOSE ARE THE SIX ITEMS AND I DON'T ANTICIPATE BRINGING OTHER, ANY OTHER ITEMS BACK TO YOU ON BRUSH COLLEGE BEFORE WE HAVE THE RESULTS OF THE BIDDING IN MID-JUNE.

PAUL, WHAT HAVE I FORGOTTEN? I THINK HE COVERED IT ALL.

SEE, CHUCK, THIS MAKES THE AUDIT LOOK LIKE NOTHING.

SO, MR. KEEL, SO I, I'M NOT GONNA GET INTO ANYTHING TECHNICAL HERE.

I JUST, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SO LONG.

DO YOU THINK YOU COULD JUST GIVE THE PUBLIC A SUMMARY OF WHY WE'RE DOING THIS PROJECT? WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO THE CITY? BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING HERE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE NUMBERS, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT SO LONG.

I THINK WE ALL COULD USE A REFRESHER OTHER THAN WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR TRAINS OVER THERE.

I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE THAT ONE.

AND, AND SCOTT, YOU CAN FILL IN WHAT I'M MISSING.

UH, THE RAILROAD CROSSING THAT IS AT BRUSH COLLEGE IN FERRIES IS AT THIS POINT BLOCKED MORE THAN 17 HOURS A WEEK.

THAT IS EXPECTED TO GO TO 24 IN THE NEXT, IT'S PROBABLY AT 18 OR 19 NOW, SCOTT, BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THIS COUPLE YEARS AGO TALKING ABOUT WITH, WITH ANNE, IT WAS AT 17 HOURS.

SO IT'S MORE LIKE 18, 19 HOURS AT THIS POINT THAT IT'S BLOCKED.

AND THAT IS A CRITICAL CROSSING AREA FOR OUR MAJOR EMPLOYERS.

IN ADDITION TO ADM THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY'S LARGEST EMPLOYER, WE NOW HAVE, UM, INOVA FEED GOING IN.

LG CHEM IS PUTTING IN TWO PLANTS.

IT IS OUR GROWTH CORRIDOR.

ADD TO THAT, ALL THE TRAFFIC TO RICHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, WHICH IS TRULY OUR WORKFORCE HUB.

AND THAT IS THE MAIN CENTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN THE TRAINS ARE STOPPED THERE, EVERYTHING STOPS.

AND SO IT'S ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS, I THINK MOST OF US LOOK AT THAT SCARY UNDERPASS, WHICH IS ANOTHER PART OF THIS PROJECT DOWN THE ROAD, SO TO SPEAK.

THAT'S NOT WHERE THE ACCIDENTS HAPPEN.

EVEN THOUGH WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR CAR, THERE'S ALWAYS A SEMI COMING AT YOU AND YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH THINKING IT'S GONNA MAKE YOU SMALLER.

IT DOESN'T WORK, BUT YOU, WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD MORE ACCIDENTS AT THAT INTERSECTION WHERE, WHERE THOSE TRAINS ARE.

SO THAT IS THE PRIMARY REASON IT IS FOR TRANSPORTATION, BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION IS HUGE WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY AS WE AS CONSUMERS GET MORE AND MORE DEMANDING.

BUT IT'S BOTH ABOUT WORK, WORKFORCE, EDUCATION, UM, SAFETY, NAME IT, UH, UH, ONE OTHER THING IN THE INLAND PORT.

WHAT DOES IT DO FOR THAT? IT'S ALL CONNECTED.

AND SO THE INLAND PORT ADDS MORE, YOU'VE SEEN MORE TRAINS, YOU'VE SEEN MORE DOUBLE STACKED TRAINS.

IT'S ALL PART OF OUR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION HUB.

AND ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS IN ADDITION TO, WE ALWAYS TOUT OUR WATER SUPPLY AS BEING A MAJOR REASON FOR COMPANIES TO LOCATE HERE AS WELL AS TO GROW THEIR BUSINESSES HERE.

UM, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF THE, THE COUNTY THERE FOR, FOR GROWTH.

THAT ARE ON HOLD AS WE WAIT FOR THIS PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD? THERE ARE NO KNOWN PROJECTS THAT WE'RE HOLDING UP UTILIZING THAT MONEY.

I JUST, I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH REMINDING THE PUBLIC WHY WE'RE DOING THIS.

I I KNEW MOST OF THIS, BUT IT'S NICE TO GET A REFRESHER BECAUSE WE ONLY TALK ABOUT THE DOLLARS AND CENTS ALL THE TIME.

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE PURPOSE AND THE RAILROADS GET VERY HAPPY, ALTHOUGH THEY'VE NOT BEEN VERY EASY TO DEAL WITH AND WELL, I SHOULD SAY THE STATE IS HAPPY WHEN WE ARE CLOSING, BASICALLY, UM, GOING AWAY FROM EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT GRADE SEPARATION, NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS.

IT'S A RAILROAD CROSSING.

SO, BUT WHEN YOU'RE NOT USING THOSE, IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL.

SO, OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MCDANIEL? UM, I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE OF HOW THE STATE GOES, SO I'M GLAD YOU MADE THAT COMMENT ABOUT DEALING WITH THE STATE.

I THINK NONE OF US ARE, UH, UH, NOT AWARE OF DEALING WITH THE, WITH THE STATE.

I WANNA COMPLIMENT STAFF OVER THE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL PRESENT, UM, ON TAKING ON THIS PROJECT.

IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO.

SO I THINK OVER THE LAST 10, 11 YEARS, UH, THE COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF HAVE BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE IN GETTING SOME THINGS DONE.

IT'S, IT'S GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE, ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTERS AND WE COULD EVEN GET MORE IF THEY CAN GET THEIR TRUCKS IN AND OUT.

SO KUDOS TO CITY STAFF IN OR PAST, PAST COUNCILS AND, AND THIS COUNCIL FOR MOVING AHEAD ON IT.

I THINK OUR FIRST ACTION ON THIS WAS IN 2010.

SO MR. HORN, IN JANUARY OF 2022, THE CITY FUNDS TO BE SPENT WAS ESTIMATED AT 3.9 MILLION.

UM, AND NOW IT IS ESTIMATED AT 6.9 MILLION.

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT'S SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED UPON WHAT THE BIDS COME OUT AT AND ALSO BASED UPON, UM, UH, RECEIPT OF AN ILLINOIS COMMERCE COMMISSION GRANT.

BUT RIGHT NOW, ARE THERE LOCAL PROJECTS

[00:55:01]

IT IS MENTIONED THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE COVERING SOME OF THE COSTS WITH REBUILD ILLINOIS FUNDING IN FUTURE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND IN FUTURE YEARS USE THAT MONEY UNTIL IT GETS REFUNDED.

BUT TO THE POINT OF YOUR QUESTION, I THINK COUNCILMAN HORN CLEARLY, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE, THE LOCAL PARTICIPATION, THAT'S MONEY THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD STAY IN OUR, THAT WOULD INSTEAD BE AVAILABLE FOR OUR LOCAL ROADS, RIGHT? IT'D BE LOCAL ROADS.

UH, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, IN, IN BASICALLY A YEAR AND FIVE, FOUR MONTHS, UM, OUR CONTRIBUTION HAS INCREASED 3 MILLION.

THAT MONEY HAD TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

UH, AND UH, SO I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHERE WE'RE NOT SPENDING THAT 3 MILLION RIGHT NOW.

THE, UM, THE WAY THAT THE FUNDING AGREEMENT ITEM SEVEN SETS THIS UP IS THAT WE ARE THE LAST ONES TO PAY.

UH, WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT, UM, THE GREAT CROSSING PROTECTION FUND OR BUILD ILLINOIS OR THE RAILROADS, I MEAN THOSE ARE ALL GONNA BE SPENT DOWN BEFORE THE CITY HAS HAS THE LAST OF IT.

AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE THESE OTHER GRANTS, WE'RE GONNA KEEP DRIVING THAT NUMBER DOWN.

BUT IN ANY EVENT, THE THE AMOUNT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO PAY WILL BE AT THE, AT THE TAIL END OF THE PROJECT, A PROJECT THAT HASN'T STARTED YET AND WHICH IS PROJECTED TO GO BETWEEN TWO AND A HALF AND THREE YEARS.

SO, UM, THE, THE FULL IMPACT THAT IT COULD HAVE ON, ON OUR STREET PROGRAMS IS, IS, IS SEVERAL YEARS OUT THERE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE TO ENCUMBER ENOUGH IN OUR MOTOR FUEL TAX PLANNING TO MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE OBLIGATED FOR THE FULL AMOUNT.

UM, BUT, UH, BECAUSE THE IMPACT IS GONNA BE THOSE SEVERAL YEARS OUT, I'M NOT IN A POSITION TO SAY, UH, THAT WELL, YOU KNOW, IF BE BECAUSE OF THIS PROJECT, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO THIS PARTICULAR SECTION OF STREET.

OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGERS? EVERYBODY KIND OF CLEAR ON ALL 85 ITEMS ON THIS ONE PROJECT.

MR. WRIGHTON, ANYTHING THAT WE NEED TO HEAR FROM MR. SCHWALBACH? I KNOW HE'S ENJOYING HIS EVENING WITH US.

JOHN, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD TO MY REMARKS AND PAULS? I, I DON'T THINK SO.

I THINK IT'S A, IT'S A NICE SUMMARY.

WE HAVE TO HAVE YOU AT THE MICROPHONE IF YOU'RE GONNA TALK CUZ WE HAVE A WIDE AUDIENCE AT HOME THAT ARE ALL JUST WAITING FOR YOU TO COME AND TALK.

WELL, I I DON'T WANT TO PUSH PAUL OUT OF THE WAY EITHER.

YEAH, YEAH.

THANKS.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN GREAT.

UM, AECOM HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THIS PROJECT SINCE 20 20, 20 10.

UH, THE INITIAL STUDY FOR THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE GREAT CROSSING BLOCKAGES THROUGHOUT THE CITY WAS DONE BY US.

SO IT'S KIND OF, THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE, HOW THE WHOLE PROJECT GOT STARTED.

AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, COMING TO FRUITION.

FINGERS CROSSED HERE.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, NOT ONLY FINISHING UP THE, UH, PHASE TWO DESIGN, THE ACTUAL DESIGN OF THE, UH, OF THE, UH, GREAT SEPARATION, BUT ALSO THE PHASE THREE OF THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT GOING FORWARD TOO.

UM, UH, I'D BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF, UH, NEED BE.

JOHN, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY I APPRECIATE YOUR AGILITY AND AECOM IN REALLY RUSHING TO GET US READY FOR BID THIS TIME BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF HOOPS AND I KNOW IT WAS A LOT OF HOURS AND PEOPLE PUSHING AND IT WAS LIKE A, AN EXTREME DEADLINE.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TEAM AT AECOM FOR GETTING IT DONE.

AND I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST MAKE A NOTICE THAT, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, AECOM IS, IS A VERY DIVERSE ORGANIZATION.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE LEADING THE CHARGE ON GETTING THE JUNE, 2023 WERE ALL WOMEN IN THE, IN THE, THERE YOU GO, IN AUTHORITY POSITIONS WITH THE AECOM.

UH, YOU KNOW, I WORKED WITH ALL OF THEM, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY RAN THAT EFFORT TO GET IT DONE ON TIME.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. SCHWALBACH? WELL, THANK YOU MUCH.

EVERYBODY GOOD? COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

APPRECIATE IT.

OVER TO YOU.

ARE WE READY TO CALL THE QUESTION ON THE FIRST ITEM, WHICH WOULD BE ITEM SIX.

MAYOR MAROL AYE.

ITEM SEVEN RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A JOINT FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD GRADE SEPARATION OF FERRIES PARKWAY.

MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD FERRIES PARKWAY.

ITEM EIGHT RESOLUTION, RESCINDING A LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION

[01:00:01]

WET MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MAYOR MAROL AYE.

SEVEN.

AYE, NO NAYS.

ITEM NINE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES, INC.

FOR CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD, FERRYS PARKWAY GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2 0 9 DASH 33, SECTION ZERO NINE DASH 0 0 9.

33 DASH ZERO ONE DASH B.

SECOND DISCUSSION.

SCENE NONE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF AYE.

ITEM 10 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENT NUMBER TWO TO THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AECOM FOR DESIGN SERVICES FOR THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD GRADE SEPARATION OVER VARIOUS PARKWAY IN THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD CITY PROJECT 2009 DASH 33 SECTION ZERO NINE DASH 0 9 33 DASH ONE DASH B.

MAYOR MAROL AYE.

ITEM 11 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENT NUMBER TWO TO THE LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES INC.

SECTION ZERO NINE DASH 0 0 9 33 DASH ZERO ONE DASH BR.

MOTION TO THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MAYOR MAW WOLF? AYE.

RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH ANTLER EXCAVATING CO, INC.

ITEM 12

[12. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with Entler Excavating Co., Inc. for 2023 Miscellaneous Sanitary & Storm Sewer Improvement Project, City Project 2023-09]

FOR 2023.

MISCELLANEOUS SANITARY AND STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENT PROJECT CITY PROJECT 2023 DASH OH NINE.

MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MR. WRIGHTON SEWERS, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, WE DO A CONTRACT LIKE THIS EVERY YEAR FOR WHAT IS REALLY MISCELLANEOUS SEWERS.

SOME OF THEM, UM, WE, WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE COMING, THEY'RE, THEY'RE PLACES WHERE THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT KNOWS THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE SEWER REPAIRS.

IN SOME CASES WE DON'T BECAUSE IT'S AN EMERGENCY REPAIR.

SO WHAT THIS, THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WILL ABSOLUTELY SPEND THIS AMOUNT OR DO ALL THIS WORK.

IT, IT LOCKS THE CONTRACTOR IN FOR SPECIFIC, UH, ON, ON SPEC SPECIFIC PRICES FOR, FOR THE THINGS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT ARE INCLUDED.

I MEAN, FOR REPLACEMENT OF A MANHOLE OR, OR FOR, OR FOR CONCRETE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT LOCKS THOSE UNIT PRICES IN.

WHAT IS, WHAT IS UNKNOWN TONIGHT IS HOW MANY OF THOSE UNIT PRICES WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA USE.

CUZ THAT'LL DEPEND ON, ON, UH, ON WHAT SORTS OF EMERGENCIES OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAMS ENCOUNTER.

AND EVEN WHERE WE KNOW WE THAT WE'RE GONNA REPLACE A SEWER.

SOMETIMES HOW MUCH WORK YOU'RE GONNA ACTUALLY DO ISN'T FULLY KNOWN UNTIL YOU GET, UNTIL YOU GET THE TRENCH OPEN.

UM, SO, BUT SO, SO HERE'S A WAY OF MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE PRICE, UH, EVEN WHEN WE'RE DOING PIECES OF IT THROUGHOUT THE CONSTRUCTION SEASON.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER SAYING NONE.

RESOLUTION ACCEPTING WOODY'S MUNICIPAL SUPPLY COMPANY TO UPFIT EIGHT DUMP TRUCKS MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

[13. Resolution Accepting Woody's Municipal Supply Co. to Upfit Eight (8) Dump Trucks]

THANK YOU, PAUL, GO AHEAD AND CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON.

PAUL, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THIS ONE.

UM, TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT UPFIT MEANS AND THAT WE'RE SORT OF CATCHING UP A LITTLE BIT ON ONES WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET BECAUSE OF SOME SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

MAYOR COUNCIL, THIS IS, UH, OUR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT PLAN HAS DUMP TRUCKS AND SINGLE AXLE DUAL AXLES INVOLVED.

THEY DON'T COME OFF THE STATE BIN AND THE OTHER BIDDING PLATFORMS, YOU GET THEM WITH THE PROPER EQUIP EQUIPMENT ON THEM.

SO THIS WOULD BE TO PUT THE STAINLESS STEEL DUMPED ON IT, PUT THE PLOW, PUT THE, PUT THE SPREADERS, PUT THE SALT BRINE SPRAYERS, THOSE TYPES OF STUFF THAT YOU NEED TO ACTUALLY DO THE SNOW REMOVAL.

UM, WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE COSTS, IT WAS HARD TO, TO BREAK 'EM UP AND, AND DELIVERY TIMES WERE, WERE UNKNOWN OF THOSE TRUCKS.

WE, YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE SETTLED DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

WE KNOW MORE WHEN WE'RE GETTING THEM.

WE HAVE SOME AND, AND NOW THESE, THESE, THESE SUPPLIERS ARE, ARE, ARE WILLING TO, TO GIVE THE BID TO DO 'EM ALL AT ONCE.

PUBLIC WORKS HAS ALL THE GLAMOR, DON'T YOU? YEAH, WE DO.

SO WE DO ANY QUESTIONS, UH, FROM COUNCIL COMMENTS?

[01:05:01]

14 RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE SOURCE WELL BID OF KEY EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY COMPANY FOR THE PURCHASE OF 1 20 23.

[14. Resolution Accepting the Sourcewell Bid of Key Equipment & Supply Co. for the Purchase of One (1) 2023 Elgin Pelican Street Sweeper]

ELGIN PELICAN STREET SWEEPER MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVED SECOND.

I GUESS YOU'RE BACK ON, HUH? WELL, JUST BRIEFLY, UM, THIS, THIS WAS IN YOUR BUDGET A LITTLE OVER A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS NET AFTER THE TRADE-IN FOR A NEW STREET SWEEPER.

UH, IT, IT, IT WAS WHAT WE EXPECTED IN THE BUDGET AND THAT'S, WE'RE CARRYING THROUGH ON.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANNA ADD? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER KINDA LIKE THE NAME.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE? NONE.

AUTHORIZING A STIPULATED AGREEMENT CONCERNING SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS AT THE AT GRADE CROSSING WITH DECATUR AND EASTERN ILLINOIS RAILROAD AT AIRPORT ROAD MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

[15. Resolution Authorizing a Stipulated Agreement Concerning Safety Improvements at the At-Grade Crossing with Decatur and Eastern Illinois Railroad at Airport Road]

MR. WRIGHT.

UM, AS YOU KNOW OF SOME WORK IS, IS BEING DONE OF, WAS DONE ON THIS SECTION OF 1 21.

SO THIS IS JUST THE RAILROAD CROSSING NORTH OF 36, UH, IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF THAT INTERSECTION.

UM, THIS IS A, THIS IS ENTIRELY PASSED THROUGH SO THERE'S NO CITY FUNDS ON THIS, RIGHT? CORRECT.

BUT WILL WE STILL HAVE TO APPROVE IT UNDER THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT WITH THE STATE? ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE? NONE.

16 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS TO PURCHASE AN EXPANSION FOR THE LENNEL SECURITY ACCESS SYSTEM AND ADD SECURE ID BADGE SECURITY TO FOUR DOORS WITHIN THE CIVIC CENTER BUILDING MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MAYOR MOW WOLFF AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NACE.

ITEM

[16. Resolution Authorizing Expenditure of Funds to Purchase an Expansion for the Lenel Security Access System and Add Secure ID Badge Security to Four Doors within the Civic Center Building]

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNSEL, AS I MENTIONED IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, YOU'VE PROVIDED SOME FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FOR SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS AND UPGRADES.

THIS WILL COME TO YOU PIECEMEAL.

UH, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST OF THOSE PIECES AND I'M GONNA LET JIM TALK ABOUT THE TECHNICAL DETAILS.

SO WE'VE GOT, UH, FOUR MORE DOORS WE'RE GONNA DO WITHIN THE CIVIC CENTER IN ORDER TO SECURE, UM, EMPLOYEE SPACES FROM PUBLIC SPACES TO TRY TO KEEP TRAFFIC FLOW IN THE BUILDING, UH, WHERE IT BELONGS FOR EACH, FOR EACH ENTITY.

AND THOSE DOORS WERE, WERE ADDING, UM, ARE THE HR DOOR, THE LICENSING DOOR, THE WORKS DEPARTMENT DOOR, AND UH, I'VE GOT IT IN YOUR SOMEPLACE.

THE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE IS MOST IMPORTANT OFFICE, SO IF YOU'VE NOTICED YOU'VE, WE'VE ALREADY ADDED WINDOWS TO THOSE DOORS SO YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE THROUGH THE DOOR TO SEE WHO'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DOOR.

SO WHOEVER'S WANTING TO GAIN ACCESS CAN BE GRANTED ACCESS THROUGH A BUTTON.

I'M GLAD YOU SAID THAT CUZ I WAS CURIOUS AS TO WHY WE HAD PUT GLASS UP BECAUSE THAT SEEMED LESS SECURE TO ME THAN, YOU KNOW, A WOODEN DOOR.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL, DR.

HORN? UM, SO, UM, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, IF SOMEONE WANTED TO SEE SOMEONE IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, RIGHT? THEY GO TO THE DOOR AND THAT DOOR IS GOING TO BE LOCKED, IS THAT CORRECT? YES.

AND THEN DO THEY RING A BELL? YES.

AND THEN SOMEONE SEES THEM AND LETS THEM IN? THAT'S CORRECT.

THERE WILL BE A SPEAKER PHONE THERE TOO, SO THEY CAN INTERACT WITH THE PERSON THERE IF THEY NEED TO.

OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? SCENE NONE.

OUR AGENDA IS A MOTION AMENDING CITY COUNCIL POLICIES CONCERNING PLACING ITEMS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

[21. Motion Amending City Council Policies Concerning Placing Items on the City Council Agenda]

WOULD DO THIS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN OUR OTHER AGENDA ITEMS IN THE, UH, THE MANAGER HAS PROVIDED SEVERAL OPTIONS, UH, FOR US TO REVIEW AND DISCUSS AND THEN WE WILL, AFTER WE HAVE HEARD, UH, THE OPINIONS OF VARIOUS ALL COUNCIL PEOPLE, UH, WE WILL DECIDE WHICH, UM, MOTION HAS THE OR WHICH, WHICH OPTION HAS, UH, THE MOST SUPPORT.

MR. WRIGHTON, CAN YOU CLARIFY A LITTLE BIT MORE? THE CITY COUNCIL POLICIES PROVIDE THAT ANY TWO OF YOU CAN ASK FOR REEVALUATION, REASSESSMENT, REVISITING, IF YOU WILL, THOSE POLICIES AND, AND THAT THAT REQUEST WAS, WAS MADE SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER OF, OF, UH, PEOPLE THAT IT REQUIRES.

AND SO I'VE, UH, BESIDES GIVING SOME BACKGROUND, I'VE GIVEN OPTIONS, ONE IS THE STATUS QUO.

OPTION TWO THEN IS, AND TWO AND THREE ARE, UH, A THRESHOLD OF, OF, INSTEAD OF FOUR WOULD BE A THRESHOLD OF THREE OR A THRESHOLD OF TWO.

UM, I SUPPOSE THAT YOU CAN COME UP WITH HYBRIDS, BUT I DIDN'T QUITE KNOW WHAT OPTIONS YOU WANTED BESIDES THESE.

SO THIS IS INTENDED AS A STARTING POINT FOR YOUR DISCUSSIONS.

MR. COOPER, YOU, UH, THIS WAS AT YOUR REQUEST, SO WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE SOME OPENING COMMENTS OR GET OUR DISCUSSION STARTED? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

UH, AND I THINK THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT, THAT WE DISPLAY THAT.

UH, UH, I THANK FOR PUTTING THIS ITEM ON THE GETTING IT ONTO AGENDA AT THIS TIME.

UM, WHEN I CAME ONTO THE, ON THE ON, AND I THINK IT'S AN ITEM THAT I KNOW OUR PREVIOUS, SOME PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD CONCERNS ABOUT.

UM, SO I KNOW IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S NOT NEW TO, TO THE COUNCIL, UM, BUT I DID AS REPRESENTING, I KNOW WE ARE ALL HERE, WE'RE NONPARTISAN AND WE REPRESENT THE, OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

UM, BUT ALSO IT'S NO UNKNOWN FACT THAT, UM, AS FAR AS OUR POPULATION MAKEUP OF DECATUR, WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF, OF, OF WHITES.

WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE OF HISPANICS, WE HAVE A A PERCENTAGE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PERCEPTUALLY APPEAR TO THE CITY AND TO OUR CITIZENS THAT THEY ALL HAVE FAIR REPRESENTATION BY THIS COUNCIL.

[01:30:02]

UM, BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING AS ONE CITY AND EVERYBODY'S VOICE SHOULD HAVE A VOICE ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL.

THEY DO VOTE US IN.

SO THEY EXPECT MUST HAVE VOTED US IN THAT, UM, UH, WE'LL BE REPRESENTING THEM.

UM, I THINK IT WAS A BIT UNFAIR WHEN LOOKING AT, AT THE CURRENT SYSTEM WHERE IT TAKES FOUR, UH, MEMBERS TO GET AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

UM, I REALLY FEEL THAT THAT WAS KIND OF REALLY UNFAIR, UH, TO HAVE IT UP SO HIGH.

UH, I THINK THAT LEFT OUT A GOOD PART OF OUR CITIZENS OF FEELING THAT THEY HAD, UH, OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE INPUT OF, UH, AN ITEM BEING ADDRESSED WITH THE COUNCIL OR BEING JUST OPENLY TO THE PUBLIC TO BE HEARD, UH, AND TO BE CONSIDERED.

UM, TO ME, IF IT'S A LOWER AMOUNT, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, CAUSE IT'S GONNA STILL TAKE FOUR VOTES TO PASS AN ITEM.

SO OBVIOUSLY WE STILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, NO MATTER WHAT AGENDA ITEM PRESENTED, TO BE ABLE TO VOTE THAT ITEM UP OR VOTE THAT ITEM DOWN, UM, WITH, WITH OUR CURRENT SYSTEM.

UM, BUT I THINK THAT THE, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD BE THERE TO BE AT LEAST HEARD ON SOME ITEMS AND IN HEARD VERBAL HEARD, UM, VERBALLY, UM, IN OPEN, IN OPEN SETTING.

UM, I, I DO KNOW IN TALKING WITH MEMBERS THAT THERE'S WAS SOME RATIONALES OR BACKGROUND AS TO WHY, UM, IT WAS RAISED.

CAUSE I THINK AT, AT ONE TIME IT USED TO BE TWO, THEN IT WENT UP TO THREE, THEN IT WENT UP TO FOUR, AND THAT THERE'S SOME BACKGROUND ON WHY THAT WAS DONE.

UM, AND I DON'T WANNA DEBATE THAT HERE TODAY.

UM, I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD SOLID FOUNDATION OF BOARD MEMBERS.

UM, I THINK WE'RE ALL PROFESSIONAL AND I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US, FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN ON MY SHORT TIME HERE ON THE, ON THE COUNCIL, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYONE OF US THAT WOULD BASICALLY MISUSE THE SYSTEM AND JUST PUT FRI ITEMS ONTO THE AGENDA.

I KNOW I WOULDN'T.

SO, UM, IF SOMEONE WAS TO COME TO ME ON THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND ASKED FOR A PARTICULAR ITEM, ME TO SUPPORT AN ITEM TO GO ON THE AGENDA, AND IF I FEEL THAT ITEM IS OBVIOUSLY FURIOUS, UM, THEY WOULDN'T GET MY VOTE TO TO, TO ADD ON.

SO I THINK WE ALL NEED TO, TO CONSIDER THAT, THAT, UH, IT'S A, IT'S A NEW DAY AND I THINK IN THIS, UH, DAY AND WORLD AND THE TIME THAT WE'RE IN, WE NEED TO LOOK AT, UM, ARE WE REC TRULY REPRESENTING OUR CITIZENS AND REPRESENTING ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

SO MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE THAT WE GO WITH OPTION THREE.

UH, I KNOW THAT'S GONNA BE A BIT DIFFICULT PROBABLY TO GET, I THINK WE SHOULD, BUT, UH, MY RECOMMENDATION WILL BE, WOULD GO WITH OPTION THREE THAT'S LATE BEFORE US, WHATEVER IT TAKE TWO MEMBERS TO GET AN ITEM ONTO THE AGENDA.

NOW, I DO UNDERSTAND, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE AGENDA, SO I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, UM, A STUDY SESSION.

SO I WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR.

WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A STUDY, I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A STUDY SESSION.

I'M TALKING ABOUT GETTING AN ITEM ON JUST THE AGENDA, NORMAL AGENDA.

UM, I THINK WE SHOULD GO DOWN TO TWO.

I HOPE THAT FOUR OF YOU WILL, WILL, UM, THREE MORE OF YOU WILL GO WITH ME TO GET IT DOWN TO TWO.

I THINK THAT IS THE FAIREST WAY TO REPRESENT OUR CITY.

UH, I DO NOT, I'M SURE MOST OF YOU PROBABLY BEEN AROUND LONG ENOUGH THAT YOU KNOW HOW THINGS USED TO BE.

AND ALTHOUGH CHICAGO'S IN AN AUTOMATIC SYSTEM AND NOT OUR, OUR SYSTEM, BUT I KNOW YOU ALL REMEMBER THE BOLIC, BUT DOAC SEVEN AND ALL THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAD AT THAT TIME.

WITH, WITH THAT, UM, I DON'T WANT US TO BE, TO APPEAR TO BE A VADO ACT SEVEN.

AND I THINK THAT WE'RE ON, ON THAT BORDERLINE OF, OF BEING SEEN THAT WAY BY HAVING FOUR TO TAKE FOUR VOTES TO, TO GET AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

SO I'M ASKING, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM EVERYBODY, BUT I WOULD LIKE THAT WE REALLY CONSIDER SERIOUSLY OF, OF REDUCING IT DOWN TO TWO.

IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS HAVE THE OP OPPORTUNITY TO BRING IT BACK AND CHANGE IT AGAIN IF THAT, IF, IF THERE BECOMES A PROBLEM.

BUT LET'S NOT ASSUME THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A PROBLEM UNTIL THERE IS A PROBLEM.

THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THANK YOU MR. COOPER.

UM, WHO WANTS TO WEIGH IN NEXT, MR. MCDANIEL? UM, AS FAR AS REPRESENTING OUR, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY, ALL, THERE'S ALWAYS OPPORTUNITY FOR, UH, CITIZENS TO APPROACH THE, THE COUNCIL EVERY COUNCIL MEETING.

SO AGAIN, EVERYBODY CAN BE REPRESENTED AND HEAR THEIR VOICE.

AND, AND A LOT OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS WE'VE HAD, UH, CITIZENS COME TO THE, THE PODIUM AND, AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES

[01:35:01]

THEY'D LIKE TO SEE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, COUNCIL PEOPLE, UH, MEMBERS OVER THE YEARS HAVE LISTENED TO 'EM AND THEY'VE BROUGHT 'EM UP.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE MAYOR OR THE CITY MANAGER TO SEE ABOUT GETTING AN ITEM ON.

AND, UH, SO, UM, A AGAIN, I'M, YOU KNOW, AS I'VE TALKED TO YOU BEFORE, I'VE SEEN IN THE PAST AS A, UH, PAST COUNCILS, THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR ISSUES WITH THIS.

AND, AND AN AGENDA ITEM IS ACTUALLY A STUDY SESSION.

YOU STILL HAVE TO AGENDA.

IT HAS TO BE STUDIED BY STAFF AND BY, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBERS.

SO, UM, I'M, I'M GONNA STAY WITH THE STATUS QUO.

THANK YOU, MR. MCDANIEL.

DR.

HORN.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SO CITY COUNCIL POLICY SHOULD BE CHANGED SO THAT IF TWO MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL CONSENT, AN ITEM WILL BE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.

THE CURRENT MODEL THAT WE HAVE CAN BE ENHANCED AND WOULD BE WITH THIS CHANGE.

WE NEED A DECISION MAKING PROCESS THAT ALLOWS NEW IDEAS TO BE DEBATED FORMALLY AND IMPLEMENTED QUICKLY IF APPROVED AND IMPLEMENTATION OF POLICY REQUIRES GETTING ON THE AGENDA, WHICH CURRENTLY IS UNNECESSARILY DIFFICULT AND IS RESTRICTIVE OF MINORITY VOICES, THERE ARE TWO MAIN ARGUMENTS AGAINST CHANGING THE CURRENT CITY POLICY, WHICH NOW REQUIRES THE MAYOR, THE CITY MANAGER, OR FOUR OF THE REMAINING SIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO CONSENT TO AN ITEM BEING PLACED ON THE AGENDA.

THE FIRST ARGUMENT AGAINST CHANGING IT IS THAT IT TAKES STAFF TIME TO PREPARE AGENDA ITEMS, AND THESE AGENDA ITEMS MAY NOT PASS FAIR ENOUGH.

BUT TO BE CLEAR, IT IS THE CITY COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ESTABLISH POLICY CITY MANAGER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE IT.

AND IT'S ALSO THE CITY MANAGER'S ROLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STAFF ON HAND CAN IMPLEMENT THE CITY COUNCIL POLICIES THAT ARE APPROVED.

THE SECOND ARGUMENT AGAINST CHANGING IS THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES, SUCH AS OTHER BUSINESS AND MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER TO DISCUSS POLICY ISSUES.

HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MENTIONING SOMETHING IN OTHER BUSINESS IS NOT EQUIVALENT, DEVOTING ON A POLICY MATTER AND MEETINGS WITH THE CITY MANAGER ARE NOT EQUIVALENT DEVOTING ON A POLICY MATTER.

SO TO ILLUSTRATE HOW EFFECTIVE DISCUSSING MATTERS WITH THE CITY MANAGER CAN BE, OR MENTIONING THINGS IN OTHER BUSINESS CAN BE.

I LOOK BACK ON MY NOTES TO A CONVERSATION I HAD WITH THE CITY MANAGER NEARLY FOUR YEARS AGO IN JUNE OF 2019 REGARDING TRAIN QUIET ZONES IN THE CITY.

IN ABOUT HALF OF OUR ITEMS TONIGHT HAVE BEEN ABOUT TRAINS.

THIS IS A TOPIC THAT HAS ALSO BEEN BROUGHT UP DURING OTHER BUSINESS AND BUDGET SESSIONS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

BUT FOR FOUR YEARS, WE HAVE YET TO DISCUSS QUIET ZONES FOR TRAINS IN DECATUR AND THEIR BENEFITS AND HAVE CERTAINLY YET TO HAVE IT ON THE FORMAL AGENDA.

THERE'S LITTLE DOUBT THAT LARGE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS ARE WAKING UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT FROM TRAINS BLASTING THEIR HORNS.

IT IS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT DECATUR RESIDENTS HAVE LOST SIGNIFICANT PRODUCTIVITY AT THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF THESE NIGHTLY SOUNDS.

AND CHILDREN'S PERFORMANCE AT SCHOOL IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.

WE'VE HAD THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

YET THE CURRENT SYSTEM OF DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH THE CITY MANAGER, DISCUSSING IT DURING OTHER BUSINESS, DISCUSSING IT DURING BUDGET SESSIONS, HAS NOT RESULTED IN ACTION FOR FOUR YEARS ON A SIMPLE, SOLVABLE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUE IMPACTING HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS.

SO THE REALITY IS THAT THE CURRENT POLICY IS FAILING TO BRING IMPORTANT AND TIMELY POLICY ISSUES UP FOR A VOTE.

AND WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT IF WE CHANGE COUNCIL POLICY, AT LEAST THESE ITEMS CAN BE VOTED ON AND THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR DESERVE THAT.

I'M WORKING MY WAY IN MR. CULP.

WELL, I, I WILL SAY THAT THE TWO YEARS I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL, I HAVE SEEN THE AGENDA ITEMS

[01:40:01]

AND THERE IS A LOT OF WORK BEING DONE BY CITY STAFF FOR EACH OF THESE ITEMS. AND IT'S JUST NOT MEMOS, IT'S A LOT OF RESEARCH, IT'S A LOT OF COMPARISONS.

AND TO ADD AGENDA ITEMS FOR THEM TO CONTINUE WORKING, WE, WE DO NEED TO CONTINUE PRIORITIZING, WHICH I FEEL WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHY WE STAND WITH OPTION ONE, MR. KEEL.

SO, UH, I CONSIDER MYSELF A VERY REASONABLE PERSON, BUT HONESTLY, I CAN'T REMEMBER THAT MANY INSTANCES WHERE SOMEBODY'S CALLED ME UP AND ASKED ME, WOULD YOU CONSIDER PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA? I JUST, I DON'T, AND UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCILMAN HORN, IF YOU EVER ASKED ME ABOUT TRAINED QUIET ZONES, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE, IF YOU HAVE, I DON'T REMEMBER.

UM, I'M NOT SAYING I WOULD PUT IT ON, BUT I DON'T RECALL YOU ASKING ME.

UM, I, I GUESS FOR ME, WELL, I'M, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF ANY CHANGE, AND I THINK, MAYOR, I'LL ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

IF I HAD SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANTED TO PUT ON THE AGENDA AND I COULD CONVINCE JUST YOU TO DO IT, WE COULD PUT IT ON THAT WAY.

IS THAT CORRECT? ABSOLUTELY.

SO IN ESSENCE, IN A WAY, YOU DO HAVE A WAY WITH TWO PEOPLE, ONE COUNCIL MEMBER AND CONVINCED THE MAYOR, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, MCDANIEL MENTIONED ALSO THE CITY MANAGER, BUT REALISTICALLY, I THINK THE CITY MANAGER WOULD PROBABLY RUN IT BY THE MAYOR FIRST.

SO I, I COULDN'T SAY THAT YOU COULD TALK THE CITY MANAGER INTO IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK HE WOULD PUT IT ON WITHOUT TALKING TO THE MAYOR.

SO IN SOME RESPECTS, THERE IS A WAY FOR, UM, OPTION, UH, THREE HERE FOR TWO MEMBERS, YOU AND THE MAYOR, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY COUNCILMAN, I'M IMPRESSED.

THAT WAS PRETTY GOOD.

IT WAS, IT WAS REASONABLE, IT WAS RATIONAL.

UM, IT WAS UNDERSTANDABLE.

UM, COUNCILMAN HORN, WILL YOU PLEASE READ THAT ONE LINE IN YOUR STATEMENT THAT SAID, NOT A SINGLE ISSUE, SOMETHING, SOMETHING ABOUT IMPROVING CITIZENS? I DON'T THINK I, I REALLY NEED TO HEAR THAT AGAIN, PLEASE.

I, I DON'T RECALL WHAT YOU, UM, I DON'T RECALL THIS PARTICULAR LINE THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO.

I THINK WHAT I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT IS WE ARE, UH, POTENTIALLY COMMITTING 80 MILLION TO THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD BYPASS PROJECT, WHICH WILL IMPROVE, UH, DRIVE TIMES AND PRESUMABLY PRODUCTIVITY OF EMPLOYEES.

UM, YET WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT TRAINS DO NOT WAKE PEOPLE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

THAT ALSO IMPACTS PRODUCTIVITY.

OKAY? UM, OUR CITIZENS ARE REPRESENTED AND, UM, I DON'T, WHEN THEY COME TO ME OR EMAIL ME OR PHONE CALL ME OR SEE ME IN THE GROCERY STORE, WE STOP AND TALK AND I DO MY BEST TO RESOLVE IT.

UM, AND THAT IS REACHING OUT TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT HEAD WITH A COPY TO THE CITY MANAGER, UM, TRYING TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.

UM, AND SO I THINK THAT THERE IS THIS LINE OF THINKING THAT THINKS THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO NEEDS TO BE ON AN AGENDA.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S ACCURATE.

A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO, I WOULD SAY A LOT OF, I'LL JUST SPEAK FOR MYSELF, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHERS DO.

A LOT OF THE WORK THAT I DO IN REPRESENTATION OF CITIZENS IN THIS MUNICIPALITY ARE DONE OUTSIDE THE PURVIEW OF A PUBLIC AUDIENCE.

UM, I JUST REALLY WANT TO BE A SERVANT AND TO BE ABLE TO RESOLVE CITIZENS PROBLEMS WITHOUT HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL.

IF IT WARRANTS THAT, THEN YES, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT A, AT IT, UM, AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL.

BUT I CAN TELL YOU, AS I LOOK BOTH TO MY RIGHT AND MY LEFT, IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR ME TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL SOMEBODY AND SAY, I GOT AN ISSUE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WILL YOU SUPPORT ME IN IT? AND WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS BACK AND FORTH.

SOMETIMES THEY SAY, YEAH, I DON'T AGREE WITH YOU, I CAN'T SUPPORT THAT.

BUT THAT'S PART OF OUR JOB TOO, IS WORKING TOGETHER COLLABORATIVELY.

AND I DON'T NEED TO HAVE THAT COLLABORATION IN A PUBLIC MANNER.

FOR ME, IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE JOB DONE IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

[01:45:02]

UM, I THINK PARTICULARLY I'M LONG ENOUGH IN THE TOOTH TO COUNCILMAN COOPER TO REMEMBER THE RIDAC SEVEN.

UM, AND THERE MAY BE SOME PEOPLE THAT LIKE TO MAKE THAT COMPARISON HERE ON THIS COUNCIL.

UM, I DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY AT ALL, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T SEE, UM, MANY OF US VOTING THE SAME WAY FOR POLITICAL REASONS OR FOR A KICKBACK ON THE BACK END, OR, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF YOU APPROVE THIS LICENSE IN MY WARD, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO YOUR WE, THAT IT JUST DOESN'T HAPPEN HERE LIKE THAT.

I THINK THAT YOU SEE, UM, WHAT WE REFER TO AT THE STATE LEVEL AS VOTING BLOCKS, BECAUSE THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY PUT THE IDEOLOGY THE SAME IDEOLOGY, PLACE THEIR TRUST IN THE SEVERAL OF US SITTING HERE.

AND SO FOR THAT REASON, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE, UM, REPRESENTING THEM VERY WELL.

I TAKE GREAT OFFENSE TO THIS CONSISTENT USE OF RESTRICTIVE OF MINORITY VOICES BECAUSE QUITE FRANKLY, I DON'T CHECK WHO'S CALLING ME.

UM, AND ASKING FOR HELP.

UH, IT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

I DON'T REPRESENT JUST BAYSHORE.

BOY, DO I WISH I WOULD BECAUSE HOW EASY WOULD THAT BE? OKAY, I'M GONNA SHOW UP AND SAY YES, BUT I DON'T, I REPRESENT THE INNER CITY AS WELL, AND WHAT IS GOOD FOR THEM IS GOOD FOR THE REST OF THIS CITY.

AND SO I, I AM CONSISTENTLY HEARING THAT AT THIS COUNCIL LEVEL, AND IT JUST REALLY, I LOOK AROUND AND I WONDER WHO IS DOING THAT? I DON'T SEE ANYBODY HERE DOING THAT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE CITY MANAGER AND THE JOB THAT HE HAS TO DO, YOU COULD NOT PAY ME A MILLION DOLLARS TO SIGN UP TO HAVE SEVEN BOSSES.

WHAT A NIGHTMARE.

AND THEN I'LL LOOK AROUND THIS TABLE AND I THINK, WHOA, WHAT A REALLY BIG NIGHTMARE.

OKAY? SO WHEN YOU HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY MANAGER, HE HAS TO STOP AND THINK, OKAY, UM, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, WHEN, UM, ANNE SCHNEIDER WAS AT THE PODIUM MENTIONED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A POT OF MONEY FOR QUIET ZONES AND REACTIVELY, SHE ASKED ABOUT THAT, AND THEN COUNCILMAN HORN ASKED ABOUT IT, WELL, THAT'S TWO OUTTA SEVEN.

IF I FELT STRONGLY ENOUGH ABOUT IT, I'D HAVE CALLED COUNCILMAN KEEL, I'D CALLED THE MAYOR.

I'D HAVE GONE, I'D GONE RIGHT DOWN THE LINE, EXCEPT FOR PAT WASN'T HERE, THEN HE WAS TAKEN A LITTLE HIATUS.

UM, BUT I WOULD'VE WORKED TO GET THAT ON THE AGENDA.

IT WOULD'VE BEEN THAT IMPORTANT TO ME.

I DON'T, I CHOOSE, UM, THOSE ITEMS THAT I'M WILLING TO FIGHT FOR.

SO IF I REALLY WANTED QUIET ZONES, YEAH, THAT WOULD REALLY BE GREAT, PARTICULARLY AT THREE 15 EVERY MORNING.

BUT IT, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS FOR ME IN THE CITY THAT ARE MORE IMPORTANT.

AND THEN I JUST WANT TO END WITH THIS IDEA THAT THERE ARE NOT SINGLE ISSUES ON OUR AGENDA THAT IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS.

I COMPLETELY REBUFF THAT STATEMENT.

EVERYTHING WE DO HERE IS FOR MEMBERS OF THIS COMMUNITY.

WE DON'T HAVE FRIVOLOUS AGENDA ITEMS ON HERE THAT DON'T DO THINGS TO ADVANCE, UM, THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS OR THE STATE OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, NONE OF US HAVE A MAGIC WAND WHERE WE CAN JUST WAVE IT AND FIX ALL THE PROBLEMS AT ONCE.

I WISH WE DID.

I WISH THAT EVERY BOARDED UP HOUSE WAS GONE.

I WISH THAT OUR GREEN SPACES, THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND TO MAKE THEM THE BIGGEST AND THE BEST.

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE ADVANCING THIS WITH THE OLD CLICHE, WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO EAT AN ELEPHANT? AND IT'S ONE BITE AT A TIME.

AND WE ARE DOING THAT EVERY TIME THAT WE COME TO THIS MEETING.

IF I DIDN'T BELIEVE THAT I WASN'T MAKING A DIFFERENCE WHEN I SHOWED UP AND TOOK MY SEAT HERE AND I MADE A VOTE, I WANNA BE HERE.

AND I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ELSE

[01:50:01]

HERE ON THIS COUNCIL WOULD.

SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE, THE ITEMS THAT WE VOTE ON MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

AND I'M GONNA WORK IT JUST LIKE YOU WATCH, IF YOU'VE EVER SET IN THE HOUSE GALLERY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE CHAOS, FOLKS, IT'S NOT CHAOS.

IT'S MANY LEGISLATORS WORKING WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM SO THAT IT CAN BE ON THE AGENDA SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE IT FORWARD.

WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT HOW WE WORK TOGETHER.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT NOT TO SAY THAT BECAUSE IT TAKES FOUR, WE'RE NOT WORKING TOGETHER.

UM, THIS COUNCIL DOES WORK TOGETHER.

WE DON'T ALWAYS GET WHAT WE WANT.

THAT'S LIFE.

SO I AM IN FAVOR OF OPTION ONE.

THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN.

UH, NOW TO ME, UM, I, I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE REASONABLE PEOPLE.

WE'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA DISAGREE.

I MEAN, LISA AND I DISAGREE ON THINGS ALL THE TIME.

I MEAN, THAT'S JUST, THAT'S COMMON.

I MEAN, THAT, THAT'S HUMAN NATURE AND IT'S US TRYING TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE FACED WITH AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO NAVIGATE IT.

I'M ALSO OPEN FOR NEW IDEAS BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT ALL, IF WE HAD ALL THE ANSWERS AND THE ANSWERS HAD ALWAYS BEEN THERE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO WORK SO HARD.

UM, I, I DO REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.

IF, IF, IF I WERE IN CAHOOTS WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WE JUST REFUSED TO PUT ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA THAT ANYBODY WANTED THERE, IT WOULD BE, SHOULDN'T BE A HARD FEAT FOR FOUR COUNCIL PEOPLE TO SAY, NO, WE WANT THIS ON THE AGENDA.

AND IT MIGHT BE SIX SAYING, PUT THIS ON THE AGENDA.

YOU'RE NOT LETTING US HAVE A SAY.

I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN, OVER THE YEARS, MANY TIMES WHEN IN OTHER BUSINESS, WHICH IS KIND OF BEING DISCOUNTED AS NOT A BIG DEAL, SOMEONE HAS BROUGHT UP AN IDEA THAT IT'S BEEN LIKE, YEAH, WE SHOULD DIS WE SHOULD DISCUSS THAT.

THAT'S PROBABLY, IT NEEDS TO BE A SU A STUDY SESSION OR IT NEEDS TO BE A DISCUSSION ITEM.

OR, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT'S NOT THAT, THAT, THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA SOLVE A PROBLEM.

LET'S, LET'S PUT THAT ON AN UPCOMING AGENDA.

SO I REALLY, IT PAINS ME TO THINK THAT PEOPLE FEEL THEY DON'T HAVE A VOICE WHEN I THINK WE DO HAVE A VOICE.

BUT TO LISA'S POINT, WE WORK IT.

AND IT'S, I MEAN, I TRY TO REACH OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHERE PEOPLE ARE ON CERTAIN ISSUES, CUZ I DON'T ALWAYS KNOW.

AND IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT HARD.

IT'S, WE ARE AVAILABLE.

I, I DO AGREE WITH LISA AS WELL, AS FAR AS A LOT OF THE WORK WE DO IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

UH, IT'S, IT'S JUST NOT, IT'S, IT'S ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES WORK AND, AND TO THE, THE, UM, TRAIN NOISE ISSUE.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH ANNE SCHNEIDER BEHIND THE SCENES.

IT WOULDN'T BE READY FOR AN AGENDA ITEM ANYTIME SOON.

BUT LOOKING FOR, WELL, WHAT CAN BE DONE? WHAT'S THE FUNDING? WHAT'S THE PUSHBACK? HOW, BECAUSE IT, THE RAILROADS ARE NOT THE EASIEST TO WORK WITH.

AND SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR, YOUR CAPITAL, YOUR POLITICAL CAPITAL ON SOMETHING THAT'S BIGGER.

AND SO THERE ARE ALWAYS MOVING PARTS GOING ON.

UM, I'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, I USED TO COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS KIND OF LIKE PAT LONG BEFORE I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND WATCHED A LOT OF THINGS THAT WENT ON.

AND IT WASN'T A LOT OF PROGRESS.

I MEAN, OUR AGENDA TONIGHT HAD 21 ITEMS AND THEY WERE BIG ITEMS. AND WE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TONIGHT.

WE SPENT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TONIGHT TRYING TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY BETTER.

I DON'T THINK ANYTHING ON HERE WAS FRI FRIVOLOUS, EVEN THOUGH THAT ONE STREET SWEEPER WAS NAMED PELICAN, WHICH I REALLY KIND OF LIKED.

UM, BUT IT'S IMPORTANT WORK AND, AND I WANT EVERYONE ON THIS COUNCIL TO FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A VOICE AND THEY ARE REPRESENTING THE PEOPLE THAT PUT US IN THESE SEATS BECAUSE THIS IS, MOST PEOPLE DON'T GET TO SIT HERE.

MOST OF OUR CITIZENS WILL NEVER SERVE ON THE CITY COUNCIL, BUT THEY GAVE THIS JOB TO US.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO WORK TOGETHER TO FURTHER THIS COMMUNITY AND WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO, BUT WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF WORK DONE AND WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF THAT.

SO, MR. WRIGHTON, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? MAYOR, THIS IS YOUR CITY COUNCIL POLICY AND OF COURSE THE, THE STAFF WILL IMPLEMENT WHATEVER YOU, YOU CHOOSE.

BUT I THINK, UH, I WANTED TO WEIGH IN, UM, ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE, OF THE QUIET ZONES.

COUNCILMAN HORN HAS OFFERED IT AS AN EXAMPLE FOR WHY YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE POLICY.

I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW THINGS ACTUALLY WORK.

UM, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, UH, COUNCILMAN HORN BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION SEVERAL YEARS AGO, AS HE HAS RIGHTLY SAID.

I DIDN'T ASK, DO YOU HAVE SUPPORT, UH, UH, FROM FOUR PEOPLE ON THE CITY COUNCIL? I SAID, WE'D LOOK INTO IT.

AND WE DID.

UM, WE FOUND OUT THAT THE, THAT THE NS WAS, WAS GOING TO FIGHT US NO MATTER WHAT THE, UH, THE, THE FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENT WAS.

WE FOUND OUT THAT THE, UM, THAT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, UH, UH, DEAL WITH THE RAILROADS WAS THAT IF WE HAVE

[01:55:01]

QUIET ZONES, THAT, UH, THAT UNLESS THERE'S A DIFFERENT DEAL DONE WITH THE RAILROAD, THEN WE HAVE TO ASSUME LIABILITY GOING FORWARD IN PERPETUITY FOR ANY ACCIDENTS THERE.

I ALSO, F I ALSO TOOK THE TIME TO FIND OUT WHETHER OR NOT, UM, THE UNIVERSITY, UH, WAS WILLING TO SHARE IN SOME OF THE COSTS, WHICH OFTENTIMES HAPPENS IN QUIET ZONE PROJECTS, IS THAT THERE'S, UH, THOSE WHO ARE STAKEHOLDERS PARTICIPATE.

AND AT THIS, THAT PARTICULAR TIME, THEY DID NOT.

I, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS, I DIDN'T DO ANY KIND OF POLLING WITH THE COUNCIL TO FIND OUT WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT THERE WAS IN MY ONE-ON-ONE DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU.

I BROUGHT IT UP ANYWAY, UH, BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT COUNCILMAN HORN'S DISCUSSION OF THIS ITEM WAS CERTAINLY A MATTER OF PUBLIC INTEREST THAT, THAT THAT BOAR TAKING AT LEAST SOME TIME TO INVESTIGATE IT.

UH, AND WITH THOSE BARRIERS, UH, THE UNIVERSITY DIDN'T WANT TO WANT TO GO THERE.

THE, THE RAILROAD WAS GONNA FIGHT US.

THE, THE LEGAL LIABILITY ISSUE HADN'T BEEN, HADN'T BEEN RESOLVED YET.

UH, AND, UH, AND SOME OTHER DESIGN ISSUES THAT, THAT WERE IMPEDIMENTS, IT SEEMED LIKE THERE WASN'T SUPPORT TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.

BUT, UH, THAT IS HOW MANY, MANY ITEMS ACTUALLY WORK, YOU CALL IT, BEHIND THE SCENES.

SO, SO, SO THIS EXAMPLE ACTUALLY ILLUSTRATES HOW MANY THINGS NEVER GET TO THE AGENDA, NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY'S BLOCKING IT.

UH, OFTENTIMES YOU AND I CHOOSE TO PUT THINGS ON THE AGENDA.

WE'RE NOT EVEN QUITE SURE WHAT'S WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT THERE IS, BUT THERE'S A DECISION TO BE MADE, THERE'S A CONTRACT TO BE APPROVED THERE, THERE'S AN OPTION TO PICK.

AND, AND SO WE PUT IT ON THE AGENDA.

THIS, THIS IS AN EXAMPLE THAT THERE WAS, IN THE END, THERE WAS REALLY NOTHING TO BRING TO COUNCIL AS AN ACTION ITEM.

AND THAT REALLY ILLUSTRATES HOW MANY OF THE ITEMS, UH, YOU KNOW, WORK OR, AND, AND AS COUNCIL COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY SAID, HAPPENED BEHIND THE SCENES AND NEVER GET TO THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.

AND I, I COULD JUST ADD A LITTLE ADD-ON TO THAT.

UM, OUR CITIZENS CARE DEEPLY ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY WANT TO BE HEARD AND HAVE A VOICE.

HOWEVER, I THINK SOMETIMES THERE IS, UM, A MISPERCEPTION OF WHAT WE CAN DO AND AS COUNCIL PEOPLE.

AND SO HEARING FROM CITIZENS WHO MIGHT WANT THIS ON THE AGENDA, IT'S, IT MAY BE OUT OF OUR PURVIEW, OUT OF OUR JURISDICTION, NOT SOMETHING WE CAN LEGALLY DO, NOT SOMETHING THAT IS THIS GOVERNMENTAL BODY'S JOB.

AND SO SOMETIMES HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO IS ALSO SOMEWHAT OF A LEARNING CURVE.

SO, MR. COOPER, YES, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

SO I'M GONNA APPEAL TO YOU BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE.

UH, I KNOW HOW YOU'VE INDICATED YOU PROBABLY WILL GO, BUT I'M HOPING THAT, UM, YOU WERE RECONSIDERED BEFORE WE TAKE THE VOTE.

UM, A LOT OF TIMES YOU, WE COMPROMISE OR YOU ARE ASKED, WILL YOU COMPROMISE? SO I GUESS I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO CONSIDER COMPROMISING HERE TONIGHT.

AND IF I KNOW YOU, MOST OF YOU INDICATED OPTION ONE OR REMAINING THE SAME.

SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO COMPROMISE, AT LEAST TAKE OPTION TWO.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA HURT ANYTHING MORE THAN WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW.

IT MAY HELP, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA HURT ANYTHING OR HURT RATHER, IT'S OPTION MORE THAN OPTION ONE.

SO I'M GONNA ASK YOU BEFORE WE TAKE YOUR VOTE TO LEAST CONSIDER, UM, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITIZENS TO KNOW, AND HERE WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE ALL THE TIME.

AND WE, THEY, EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA AGREE ALL THE TIME.

THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH DISAGREEING.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S FINE.

IF WE AGREED ON EVERYTHING, WE GOT A PROBLEM.

UM, IF WE WERE TO AGREE ON EVERY ITEM WE WERE, THEN SERIOUSLY WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB.

SO BEFORE WE TAKE OUR VOTE, UM, JUST APPEALING TO YOU, UH, TO, TO, BEFORE YOU VOTE, TO CONSIDER TAKING AN OPTION, UM, A CONSIDERATION OF BEING LEASE, GOING TO OPTION TWO, WHEREVER REQUIRED THREE VOTES, UH, OF, OF THREE MEMBERS TO GET AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

THANK YOU, MR. HORN.

WELL, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT, UH, COUNCILMAN COOPER'S UH, STATEMENT, BUT I WILL ALSO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT AS PER CITY COUNCIL POLICY IT ONLY REQUIRES TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO BRING THESE CITY COUNCIL POLICIES TO THE GROUP FOR REVIEW.

AND SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, WE SHOULD GIVE, UH, CHANGE IN CITY COUNCIL POLICY A CHANCE.

IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, IT JUST TAKES TWO PEOPLE TO BRING IT BACK TO A CITY COUNCIL AGENDA AND IT CAN BE CHANGED SOON THEREAFTER.

AND SO, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT STAFF TIME, IF YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT, UH, FRIVOLOUS ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, AS SOON AS WE CHANGE THE POLICY, YOU'LL BE ABLE TO DETERMINE FOR YOURSELF WHETHER IN FACT FRIVOLOUS ITEMS ARE BEING INTRODUCED TO THE AGENDA.

OR ALTERNATIVELY, IF IDEAS THAT AND,

[02:00:01]

UM, POLICIES THAT REALLY HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE ATTENTION THEY DESERVE ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT FORWARD TO COUNCIL, UH, FOR A FORMAL VOTE.

AND SO I'LL REMIND EVERYONE THAT IT IS VERY EASY TO CHANGE COUNCIL POLICY IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT WELL AT THIS POINT.

UM, I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD, JACK.

I, I JUST FOLLOW UP.

I JUST, UH, WANT TO TELL MY TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS TO MY LEFT THAT I RESPECT BOTH OF YOUR OPINIONS.

AND, UH, MY MOTHER ONCE SAID THAT IF EVERYBODY THOUGHT ALIKE, IT'D BE A BORING WORLD.

SO THAT'S WHAT SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME.

BUT, UM, AS MUCH AS I RESPECT WHAT YOU'VE SAID, YOU HAVEN'T CONVINCED ME THAT A CHANGE, UM, IS WARRANTED.

UM, I I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT'S BEING WEFT OUT, UH, THAT'S NOT BEING BROUGHT FORWARD.

UM, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK ME, UM, AND YOU'D, AT LEAST I'M A REASONABLE PERSON AND I WOULD LISTEN TO ANYTHING YOU SAY.

I RESPECT BOTH OF YOU.

AND, UM, THAT'S REALLY ALL I CAN SAY.

ASK ME.

AND, AND IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK'S, UH, VIABLE, I'D BE HAPPY TO SUPPORT YOU.

PAT, ANY CHANGE IN YOUR POSITION? NO.

ED, NO.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? NO.

I DO.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

HI.

I'VE ENJOYED WORKING WITH YOU.

YOU BRING A VERY DIFFERENT SKILLSET THAN I HAVE, AND I RECOGNIZE THAT AND I APPRECIATE THAT.

UM, BUT ON THIS ONE, UH, BECAUSE I THINK IT IS, UM, NOT DIFFICULT TO GET AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I JUST, I DON'T SEE A NEED FOR A CHANGE.

BUT I WANNA, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS CONVERSATION WITH ME.

AND I WOULD ASK FOR A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION ONE OR DO, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL.

IS THAT ALL THAT WE NEED TO DO? SO A MOTION TO APPROVE OPTION ONE.

PLEASE CALL A QUESTION.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? NAY.

ANY ITEMS MOVING ONTO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR THAT ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISHES TO HAVE REMOVED MR. HORN? ITEM D, ANY OTHER ITEMS? SEEN NONE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? NO.

[22. Consent Calendar: Items on the Consent Agenda/Calendar are matters requiring City Council approval or acceptance, but which are routine and recurring in nature, are not controversial, are matters of limited discretion, and about which little or no discussion is anticipated. However, staff’s assessment of what should be included on the Consent Agenda/Calendar can be in error. For this reason, any Consent Agenda/Calendar item can be removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar by any member of the governing body, for any reason, without the need for concurrence by any other governing body member. Items removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar will be discussed and voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda/Calendar.]

ITEM A ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 2264 MESA DRIVE, ITEM B RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF PAYMENT TO STEVE'S TRUCKING FOR THE EMERGENCY DEMOLITION OF VACANT BUILDING AT SEVEN 12 WEST PACKARD STREET.

ITEM C, RESOLUTION APPROVING APPOINTMENT CITY PLAN COMMISSION.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS IS PRESENTED, SO MOVE SECOND.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL FUND DISTRIBUTION TO CROSSING HEALTHCARE AND HERITAGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER FOR USE OF OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS.

MAYOR MOORE WOLFF AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO AYS

[D. Resolution Authorizing Additional Fund Distribution to Crossing Healthcare and Heritage Behavioral Health Center for Use of Opioid Settlement Funds]

I NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.

MS. MR. DR.

HORN? ANY DISCUSSION I NEED TO STAIN ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? SCENE NONE.

COUNCILMAN HORN STAIN? COUNCILMAN KEEL? AYE.

COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TONIGHT? MR. COLT? AS IT WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER WITH CITIZENS COMMENTS TODAY, OUR NATION FLUIDS, COLORS HAVE STAFF FOR PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AS WE START THE REST OF THE WEEK, IT'S GONNA BE NATIONAL POLICE WEEK.

[VII. Other Business]

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO REMEMBER OUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WHO HAVE DIED OR HAVE BEEN DISABLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

AND IN CLOSING, I'M JUST VERY THANKFUL TO BE PART OF A CITY COUNCIL AND A COMMUNITY WITH SUCH, UH, GREAT LAW ENFORCEMENT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND I WANT TO THANK THEM.

I SECOND THAT.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT TO OUR FULL ATTENTION, OTHER BUSINESS.

CHUCK, I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER IF HE COULD, UH, LOOK SIX TO EIGHT WEEKS OUT AND TELL US OUR MEETING AGENDA OR HOW YOU SEE IT FOR THE NEXT MONTH.

JUNE, DO YOU MEAN DATES? DATES? YEAH.

UH, COUNCILMAN KEEL, WE HAD ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO HAVE A STUDY SESSION IN JUNE ON WATER SUPPLY AND WATER, UH, MANAGEMENT ISSUES.

UH, THAT IS NOT GONNA BE READY FOR JUNE.

SO I DO NOT HAVE A STUDY SESSION AGENDA FOR JUNE.

UM, AND SO THE ONLY MEETINGS THAT YOU'LL HAVE IN JUNE ARE THE REGULAR FIRST AND THIRD MONDAYS.

WE'RE

[02:05:01]

STILL WORKING ON TRYING TO FIND A DATE THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY FOR THE, THE BIENNIAL RETREAT, WHICH WOULD NOT BE AN EVENING MEETING.

THAT'S USUALLY LIKE HALF A DAY.

AND WE HAVEN'T FOUND A GOOD DATE YET.

AND I STILL NEED TO TALK WITH, UH, WITH COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY ABOUT, ABOUT THE FACILITATOR.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO GET SOMETHING IN THE LATTER PART OF JULY, UM, THAT, THAT DOESN'T CONFLICT WITH YOUR SUMMER VACATION SCHEDULES.

ALSO, UM, JUNETEENTH, WHAT IS THE CITY HOLIDAY FOR JUNETEENTH? UH, MONDAY, THE WHATEVER THAT MONDAY IS THAT THIRD MONDAY? IS THAT THE 19TH? SO THAT WOULD PUT OUR COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 20TH.

THAT THAT'S CORRECT.

THANK YOU FOR CORRECTING ME ON THAT.

JUNE 20TH, WHICH IS A TUESDAY, WILL BE THE COUNCIL MEETING IN JUNE.

COUNCIL MEETING.

PAT, UM, CITY MANAGER, UH, WITH THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, UM, HAVING, UH, SPORTS BETTING ONLINE AND OTHER CITY MUNICIPALITIES DON'T GET ANY OF THAT, DO THEY? NONE.

NONE THAT I'M AWARE OF.

WELL, I'M JUST A NEWS ITEM THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK IN NEW JERSEY THERE'S LIKE, UH, 35 BILLION BET, UH, PHIL OR, UH, PENNSYLVANIA'S 20 BILLION BET.

SO I JUST WONDERED SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA.

I THINK WE SHOULD GET A PART OF THAT, ALL OF IT.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS, MR. COOPER? A COUPLE THINGS.

UM, UH, IF I RECALL RIGHT, YOU HAD INDICATED POSSIBLY THE ABILITY OF, UH, US TALKING TO THE, UH, OR HAVING IN THE WASTE HOLDERS COME IN AND TALK TO THE COUNCIL.

UH, I MAY BE INCORRECT ON THAT, BUT I THOUGHT YOU HAD INDICATED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, UM, THE WASTE HAULERS, UM, SERVICE WITH OUR COMMUNITY IS, IS TAKING A TURN TO THE WORST, UM, BOTH COMPANIES.

SO I HOPE THAT, UM, WE HAVE SOME SERIOUS DISCUSSIONS REGARDING, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE MADE WITH THE WASTE HAULERS AND HOW THEY'RE TREATING OUR CITIZENS.

UM, THE OTHER THING IS, UM, IS THERE ANY STATUS ON THE, UM, FIRE PENSION, FIRE CONTRACT? UM, IS THAT, WHERE IS THAT? MAYBE GET A QUICK UPDATE? WHERE THAT'S AT THE DOCUMENT IS WITH THE FIRE UNION.

UH, IT'S, IT'S UP TO THEM TO HAVE THEIR INFORMAL AND INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS AND VOTE ON IT.

ONCE THAT'S DONE, THEN IT COMES BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN COOPER, WITH REGARD TO YOUR COMMENTS ABOUT THE LOCAL GARBAGE HAULERS? UM, I CERTAINLY HAVE, UH, NO DISAGREEMENT WITH YOU.

UH, THE LOCAL HAULERS, ESPECIALLY THE TWO LARGEST ONES, GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT IN PARTICULAR, THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER HAVE NOW HAVE OVER 95% OF THE RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR HAULERS AND THEY HAVE TAKEN INAPPROPRIATE, UH, LIBERTIES WITH SOME OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE, UH, OF THE GARBAGE CODE.

AND WE HAVE, UM, BEEN IN REGULAR CONTACT WITH THEM.

UH, WE'VE HAD TO TELL THEM TO, YOU KNOW, BACK CHARGES OFF THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE AUTHORIZATION TO DO.

AND SO, UM, THIS HAS CERTAINLY RESULTED IN US THINKING ABOUT ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE IN A REVISED ORDINANCE, UH, IN, IN AMENDING CHAPTER 56 TO, TO REFAMILIARIZE COUNSEL.

THE OTHER PART OF YOUR QUESTION, UM, THEY HAVE PETITIONED FOR SOME CHANGES IN RATES AND WE HAVE SAID WE WILL CONSIDER THOSE IN RELATIONSHIP TO SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, SERVICE AND SCOPE CHANGES THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IN INFORMALLY.

THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE NOW ON THE BOOKS REQUIRES THAT, THAT KIND OF A CHANGE FIRST GO TO A PUBLIC HEARING.

UM, AND, UH, SO MY PLAN IS, AND I THINK I'VE MENTIONED THIS TO SOME OF YOU, UH, IN OUR ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS, IS THAT THOSE CHANGES, UH, AS WELL AS THEIR, THEIR RATE ADJUSTMENTS WILL, WILL IN, IN SORT OF AS A PACKAGE GO TO THAT PUBLIC HEARING.

UM, YOU'RE, YOU, YOU OF COURSE WILL BE INVITED TO THOSE PUBLIC HEARINGS TOO, BUT YOU WON'T BE, YOU KNOW, SITTING UP HERE ON ON THE RECEIVING LINE OR, OR THE, OR THE FIRING LINE REALLY, UH, ABOUT THAT.

UM, AND THEN AFTER THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETE, IT WILL, IT WILL COME TO THE CITY COUNCIL.

SO I WOULD JUST SAY THAT, UH, I DON'T DISAGREE WITH ANYTHING THAT YOU'VE SAID OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERIZATIONS THAT YOU'VE MADE.

AND, AND THOSE HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO INFORM HOW WE NEGOTIATE WITH THOSE HAULERS AND, AND MAKE CHANGES IN THE LANGUAGE OF, OF THE, OF THE ORDINANCE SO THAT, UM, WE CAN HAVE MORE ACCOUNTABILITY IN GOING FORWARD WITH WHATEVER THE NEW ARRANGEMENT LOOKS LIKE.

ANYONE ELSE? SCENE.

NONE.

COULD I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.