Jun 05, 2023 City Council Meeting

SECOND.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE EV PLANNING MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS.

MADAM CLERK IN THE UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

NONE.

MOVING ON TO NEW BUSINESS THEN.

ITEM ONE

[1. Resolution Authorizing an Intergovernmental Agreement with the State of Illinois for Electric Vehicle (EV) Planning]

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON MARION COUNSEL, THE CITY OF DECATUR WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE A $240,000 GRANT FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS TO DO EV SYSTEM PLANNING.

UH, AS A PART OF THAT GRANT, WE AGREED TO MATCH IT WITH $60,000.

SO WE'RE, WE HAVE A, A BUDGET OF $300,000 FOR THIS PROJECT.

UM, OF COURSE WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR, FOR THE GRANT.

BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I TALKED VERY, VERY BRIEFLY TO THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.

UH, WE DON'T WANNA BE THE CITY THAT SAYS, WELL, LET'S PUT EV CHARGING STATIONS OVER HERE.

WELL, THIS RESTAURANT SAYS THEY'D LIKE SOME, LET'S PUT 'EM OVER HERE.

WE DON'T WANNA BE AD HOC.

IN OTHER WORDS, WE WANNA DO IT DELIBERATELY.

WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT IT, THAT IT, IT TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION, UM, THE, THE, THE NEEDS OF STAKEHOLDERS WHO MAY HAVE THEIR OWN FLEET PLANNING AND BE PLANNING TO DO MORE EV THEMSELVES.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CHARGING STATIONS ARE PUT INTO LOCATIONS WHERE THE, THE AM AND GRID CAN SUPPORT IT, BECAUSE NOT EVERYWHERE IN INDICATOR CAN AND SO FORTH.

SO, UM, BY DOING THIS PLAN, WE'LL BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE IT INTO YOUR LONG RANGE LAND USE AND FACILITY AND CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING DECISIONS.

UH, FOR, FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

UH, NOT ONLY IS THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO FROM A PLANNING STANDPOINT, BUT IN ORDER TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR SOME OF THE SUBSTANTIAL GRANT MONEY THAT'LL COME ON LATER TO ACTUALLY BUILD THE EV CHARGING SYSTEM, WE NEED TO HAVE THAT, THOSE SORTS OF PLANS IN PLACE.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? DR.

HORN? MR. REEN, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THAT THE STUDY WILL BE COMPLETE BY AUGUST 15TH, 2024.

IS THAT CORRECT? I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY TROUBLE COMPLETING IT BY THEN.

UM, I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOME OF THESE, UH, UH, PLANNING DOCUMENTS CAN SOMETIMES GO BEYOND THAT.

SO I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT THAT'LL FINISH BY THAT TIME.

WE CERTAINLY ARE ANXIOUS TO HAVE IT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, UM, BECAUSE THE SOONER WE GET IT DONE, THE SOONER WE CAN GO TO THE WELL FOR, FOR GRANT FUNDING.

WELL, I WOULD JUST ARGUE THAT ELECTRICAL VEHICLE PLANNING IS VERY IMPORTANT AND IS LONG OVERDUE.

IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, THE CITY'S ALREADY TAKING MODEST STEPS TO BECOME CARBON NEUTRAL.

WE'RE GOING TO BE THE SITE OF SIGNIFICANT CARBON SEQUESTRATION WHERE ONE OF THE CITY'S MANUFACTURING COMPANIES PRODUCES AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT FLEET IS ON ITS WAY TO BEING A ZERO EMISSIONS FLEET.

AND THE STATE'S RECENT CLIMATE LAW MAKES DECATUR A GREEN JOBS HUB.

HOWEVER, UNFORTUNATELY, THE STATE CITY IS STILL YEARS AWAY FROM BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ALREADY HAVE, INCLUDING PUBLIC EV CHARGING STATIONS AND HAVING EV VEHICLES IN ITS FLEET, UM, FEATURES THAT OTHER MODERN CITIES ARE ALREADY MOVING FORWARD WITH.

SO I JUST SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CITY STAFF FOR OBTAINING THE GRANT.

AND THE CITY NEEDS TO MOVE MUCH FASTER ON THESE TYPES OF INITIATIVES.

MR. WRIGHTON, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE EXPLORED TRYING TO GET MORE ELECTRIC VEHICLES EVERY TIME WE'VE HAD OPENINGS, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT DELAYS IN GETTING THOSE VEHICLES, AND SO WE HAVE NEEDED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, UH, TRADITIONAL VEHICLES.

[00:15:01]

THAT IS TRUE.

UM, NOT ONLY HAVE WE HAD TROUBLE GETTING, UM, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES, EITHER EV VEHICLES OR HYBRIDS AS WELL, UM, THERE'S SOME SIGNIFICANT SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS, BUT, UH, I CAN TELL YOU TOO THAT SOME OF THE CITIES THAT, UM, AND THIS IS NOT ANY KIND OF A RATIONALIZATION FOR WHY WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE AT, WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'RE, BUT, UM, IS THAT, UH, SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE INSTALLED, UH, EV STATIONS HAVE INSTALLED TECHNOLOGY THAT'S ALREADY ANTIQUATED.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH STANDARDIZATION YET, BUT, AND I THINK THAT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE HITTING THIS AT, AT A TIME WHEN I THINK WE'LL AVOID THAT KIND OF DUPLICATION.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MCDANIEL? I WAS TELLING SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS I WAS HEARING THE NEWS, WAS IT LAST WEEK THAT A CITY UP IN MICHIGAN, AND I'LL TRY TO FIND OUT.

THEY GOT EV BUSES, NEW ONES AND NONE OF THEM WILL WORK.

SO I'LL CHECK ON THAT.

SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

DR.

HORN EVS MAKE UP ABOUT 10% OF NEW CAR SALES IN THE UNITED STATES.

I THINK IT IS REASONABLE TO ARGUE THAT COMMUNITIES SUCH AS DECATUR SHOULD HAVE 1, 2, 3 PUBLIC CHARGING STATIONS FOR EV VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY AS WE TRY AND COMBAT GLOBAL WARMING.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SCENE NONE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND AGREEMENT WITH CONCENTRIC INTEGRATION.

[2. Resolution Authorizing an Agreement with Concentric Integration, LLC for Water Facilities PLC Upgrades Design City Project 2023-12]

LLL C FOR WATER FACILITIES P UPGRADES, DESIGN CITY PROJECT 2023 DASH 12.

MOTION TO THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND MR. THE NEXT FOUR.

OR MR. NEWELL? SORRY.

THE NEXT FOUR ITEMS ARE YOURS, MATT.

SO TO STAY AT THE PODIUM, UH, MAYOR MEMBERS OF COUNCIL, THIS IS, THIS FIRST ONE IS WITH, UH, CONCENTRIC TO, UH, PERFORM, UH, SCADA IMPROVEMENTS, UH, DESIGNED FOR THE, UH, SOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLANT THEY ARE IN.

THEY ARE PROGRAMMED IN THE BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.

ALTHOUGH WITH THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES GOING ON, IT'S BEST TO GET THEM DESIGNED NOW SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM ORDERS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY INSTALL THEM NEXT YEAR AS, AS PLANNED IN THE BUDGET.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL OR COMMENTS? GO AHEAD AND VOTE ON THAT ONE.

CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

ITEM THREE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MANAGED SUPPORT AGREEMENT WITH CONCENTRIC INTEGRATION L L C FOR SOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLANT SC A SYSTEM MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS.

[3. Resolution Authorizing Managed Support Agreement with Concentric Integration, LLC for South Water Treatment Plant SCADA System]

SECOND, MR. NEWELL.

THIS IS ALSO USING CONCENTRIC, UH, TO HA HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH THEM SO THEY CAN ASSIST THE CITY AS, UH, AS WE NEED SUPPORT, UH, RUNNING, UH, OUR, UH, SC A SYSTEM AND, UH, TROUBLESHOOTING ISSUES AS THEY ARISE.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE? NONE.

AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PAYMENT TO THE MACON COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT FOR THE RELOCATION OF WATER MAINS ON SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET COUNTY HIGHWAY 61.

[4. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Payment to the Macon County Highway Department for the Relocation of Water Mains on South Franklin Street (County Highway 61)]

MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL.

AS, UH, AS SHOWN ON THE DIAGRAM, THE, THE COUNTY WAS, UH, DOING A STORM DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DOWN FRANKLIN STREET ROAD.

UH, THEY FELT, UH, THAT THE WATER MAINS MAY BE IN CONFLICT, BUT, UH, FELT THAT THEY COULD PROBABLY GET BY THEM AS THEY ACTUALLY, UH, UNDERTOOK THE CONSTRUCTION.

THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WATER MAINS WERE, WERE IN DIRECT CONFLICT AND NEEDED TO RELOCATE 'EM, AND IT WAS EASIEST FOR CITY STAFF JUST TO, UH, UH, REQUEST THAT THEY HAVE THEIR CONTRACTOR RELOCATE THE WATER MEETINGS AS THEY'RE PERFORMING THEIR WORK.

SO THIS IS, THIS IS THEN REIMBURSING THE COUNTY FOR THAT.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SAY NONE.

[5. Resolution Accepting Altorfer, Inc. for the Sourcewell Contract Purchase of One (1) 2023 CAT-420-07 Backhoe Loader]

FIVE.

RESOLUTION ACCEPTING ALTA FOUR INC.

FOR THE SOWELL CONTRACT PURCHASE OF 1 20 23.

CAT 4 20 0 7 BACKHOE LOADER MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? YEAH, I HAVE QUESTIONS.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL? I'M SURE THIS WILL GET A LOT MORE QUESTIONS AND SOUNDS VERY EXCITING.

, THIS IS USING, UH, SOURCE WELL, UH, WHICH, WHICH DOES, UH, DO A COMPETITIVE BID PROCESS TO, UH, UH, WHICH THE CITY HAS USED AND AS CITY IS A MEMBER OF TO, UH, UH, PURCHASE A, A BACKHOE FOR THE, UH, WATER, WATER DEPARTMENT.

[00:20:02]

OH, WE DO? SORRY, I HAVE A QUESTION, MR. SCHUL.

SO DO YOU STILL STAY IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH OTHER, UH, GOVERNMENT ENTITIES IN THE CITY ON THESE KIND OF PURCHASES SO THAT OUR GOVERNMENTS AS A WHOLE AREN'T OVER PURCHASING? MAYBE NOT JUST THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, BUT PARK DISTRICT OR WHOEVER THAT NEEDS DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THIS? DO WE LOOK AT SHARING THIS TYPE OF EQUIPMENT STILL, OR WE HAVE ON OCCASION.

I CAN'T SAY THIS PARTICULAR, UH, UNIT, BUT, UH, WE, WE HAVE DISCUSSED THOSE, THOSE ISSUES ON OCCASION.

IT'S, IT'S BEEN, UH, DIFFICULT.

IT'S DIFFICULT TO GET OTHER, OTHER ENTITIES TO, TO SHARE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A HARD TIME SHARING.

THEY HAVE A HARD TIME SHARING.

IT'S, BUT YEAH, WE, WE HAVE, WE HAVE HAD THOSE DISCUSSIONS, BUT, UH, YEAH, I, I GUESS I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE THAT JUST BECAUSE AS IF OUR COMMUNITY IS SHRINKY, THAT MIGHT BE ONE WAY WE COULD SAVE A LITTLE MONEY HERE OR THERE IF WE'RE ALL BUYING THE SAME TYPE OF TRUCK AND SO ON.

WE UNDERSTAND.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MR. COOPER, UM, ON THIS PARTICULAR ITEM, WAS THIS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS IN THE BUDGET PACKET OR WAS THIS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WAS IN INADVERTENTLY LEFT OUT? NO, THIS WAS, THIS WAS, UH, UH, IN THE BUDGET TO, UH, AS A VEHICLE REPLACEMENT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, QUESTIONS? SEEN NONE.

ACCEPTING GARNER HO AUTO BODY FOR THE REPAIR OF 1 20 20 FORD POLICE, INTERCEPTIVE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY VEHICLE UNIT 8 0 2.

[6. Resolution Accepting Garner-Hoadley Auto Body for the Repair of One (1) 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle, Unit 802]

MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL, IS THAT YOU OR MR. WRIGHTON OR THE CHIEF OR ION COUNSEL? THIS IS AN, THIS ONE WAS NOT ANTICIPATED IN THE BUDGET, UH, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, UM, DAMAGE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT REQUIRES MORE THAN $26,000 WORTH OF IMPROVEMENTS.

AND OF COURSE, THAT CAUSED STAFF TO SAY, IS IT WORTH IT? AND EVENTUALLY WE DECIDED THAT THE ANSWER WAS YES.

AND AND THAT'S WHY IT'S BEFORE YOU, IN PART BECAUSE OF AN ISSUE THAT YOU HAVE RAISED HERE ALREADY THIS EVENING.

AND THAT IS THE PROBLEMS OF SUPPLY CHAIN AND, AND, AND GETTING, UH, POLICE VEHICLES BACK IN SERVICE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

AND WHAT HAD CAUSED US TO, I MEAN, A FULLY EQUIPPED VEHICLE, NOT JUST WHAT, WHAT IT COSTS US TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, BUT ALL OF THE AFTERMARKET ADDITIONS THAT, THAT GO INTO POLICE VEHICLES, YOU KNOW, TAKES THAT, THAT VEHICLE WELL OVER $65,000.

SO WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS STILL COST EFFECTIVE TO REPAIR IT.

MR. WRIGHTON, THIS WAS DAMAGED IN AN ACCIDENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? WOULDN'T WE HAVE INSURANCE FOR THAT? UM, WE DO HAVE INSURANCE, BUT UM, AS YOU PERHAPS KNOW, WE ARE SELF-INSURED.

AND SO, UH, ESSENTIALLY WE'RE, UH, I MEAN THE, THE CITY PAYS FOR, UH, LOWER CLAIMS AND FRANKLY, THIS IS A, THIS IS A LOWER CLAIM.

UH, WE, WE CARRY EXCESS INSURANCE FOR REALLY LARGE CLAIMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE, UM, DRAW TOO MUCH DOWN ON OUR, ON OUR RESERVES, BUT IT, IN THE END, IT COSTS US LESS MONEY JUST TO PAY THESE SMALLER CLAIMS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER OR MR. NOELL? MR. KEEL WAS DECATUR AUTOBODY CONTACTED ABOUT THIS.

I NOTICED WE'RE GIVING THIS TO, TO A COMPANY IN FORSYTH, AND I SEE NEWELLS WAS IN ON THAT, BUT THERE'S ALSO A, AT LEAST DECATUR AUTOBODY, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY WERE CONTACTED ABOUT THIS? I, I CAN'T ANSWER THAT AS TO WHETHER I, I KNOW THESE, THESE TWO WERE, UM, UH, AND ONE OTHER, BUT I, I CAN'T SAY EXACTLY WHETHER DECATUR AUTO BODY WAS DR.

HORN.

MR. WRIGHTON, DID YOU SAY THAT THERE ARE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH GETTING THESE VEHICLES? AND DO THEY USE GAS? UM, IN GENERAL, WE HAVE HAD, UH, DELAYS IN GETTING POLICE VEHICLES.

UM, NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE, WHAT THEY'RE PROPELLED BY THE IT WHAT, UM, I THINK DEPUTY CHIEF HURST MENTIONED AT ONE OF THE MEETINGS IS THAT THE HYBRIDS TAKE EVEN LONGER.

AND SO THE PROBLEMS WITH SUPPLY CHAIN IN GENERAL FIGURED INTO OUR DECISION TO ASK THAT YOU GO AHEAD AND MAKE THIS REPAIR HOW THIS VEHICLE IS FUELED REALLY DIDN'T FIGURE INTO, UM, THE RECOMMENDATION THIS EVENING.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SCENE NONE.

SEVEN, ORDINANCE CREATING PACE AREA AND ESTABLISHING ILLINOIS FINANCE AUTHORITY PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR AND BOND ISSUER MOTION AT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BEAT ADOPTED.

[7. Ordinance Creating PACE Area and Establishing Illinois Finance Authority Program Administrator and Bond Issuer]

AND NEW JOBS TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE HAVE A TOOLKIT, IF YOU WILL, OF DIFFERENT INCENTIVES AND PROGRAMS AND, AND WAYS TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES TO COME TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SECOND, MR. MARION COUNSEL, WHEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ARE REACHING OUT OR RESPONDING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS TO BUSINESSES THAT MIGHT BRING ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT

[00:25:01]

YOU'VE, YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH MANY OF THEM.

THE ENTERPRISE ZONE, THE OPPORTUNITY ZONE, CERTAIN TAX INCENTIVES, TAX INCREMENT FINANCING, EDGE CREDITS THROUGH THE STATE THERE, THERE'S A LONG, A LONG LIST OF THEM.

AND THE ORDINANCE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING ADDS ONE MORE TOOL TO OUR, TO OUR TOOLBOX.

UH, PACE IS, IS AN ACRONYM THAT STANDS FOR PROPERTY ASSESSED CLEAN ENERGY.

IT WAS A PROGRAM FIRST DEVELOPED, UH OH, IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED IN MANY OTHER STATES.

UH, ILLINOIS WAS KIND OF LATE TO COME TO THE TABLE AND ADOPTED A PROGRAM IN THE, UH, DURING THE PREVIOUS GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION.

UM, THE WAY THAT IT WAS SET UP MADE IT HARDER FOR CITIES TO ACCESS.

AND SO UNDER THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S ADMINISTRATION, SOME REVISIONS WERE MADE TO IT.

UH, THIS IS NOT A GRANT PROGRAM.

THIS IS A FINANCING PROGRAM, AND IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE TO COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES.

STATE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW IT TO BE USED ON RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.

SO HOW IT WORKS IS THAT A PROJECT TO, UH, AND THAT'S NOT LIMITED JUST TO REHAB ON BUILDINGS, BUT I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY USEFUL WHEN SOMEBODY IS REHABBING A BUILDING AND THAT, THAT'S REALLY GOOD BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF BUILDINGS THAT WE WANT TO TRY TO REHAB.

BUT THE WAY THE PROGRAM WORKS IS THAT UP TO 25% OF A DEVELOPMENT COST CAN BE HANDLED THROUGH PACE.

UM, AS LONG AS THOSE MONIES ARE USED FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY.

COULD BE ENERGY EFFICIENT WINDOWS OR DOORS OR ROOFING OR H V A C SYSTEMS, OR INSULATION OR SOLAR PANEL.

I MEAN, ANYTHING THAT REALLY FALLS UNDER THAT GENERAL CATEGORY OF, OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT.

AND, AND OFTENTIMES ON THE REHAB OF EXISTING BUILDINGS, THAT THAT OCCUPIES A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, OF THE PROJECT.

THE WAY IT WORKS IS THAT INSTEAD OF GETTING THAT 25% OF THE PROJECT COST FROM, UH, A TRADITIONAL BANK COMMERCIAL LOAN OR SOME OTHER KIND OF FINANCING MECHANISM, THEY ESSENTIALLY VOLUNTARILY SELF-ASSESS THEMSELVES BY ADDING A SURCHARGE ONTO THEIR PROPERTY TAX FOR THAT BUILDING.

AND, AND BECAUSE, UH, ALTHOUGH IT CAN BE FINANCED, UH, AND, AND THE BOND PROCEEDS ADVANCED THROUGH THE CITY, IT MAKES MORE SENSE THROUGH A SPECIAL FINANCE AUTHORITY, WHICH THE STATE HAS FUNDED FOR, UH, FOR, FOR THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS.

SO, UH, BUT, BUT TO BE ELIGIBLE, YOU AS THE CITY COUNCIL HAVE TO ADOPT AN ORDINANCE CREATING PACE, WHICH WE'VE WRITTEN AS THE ENTIRE CITY OF DECATUR, AS LONG AS IT'S ZONED AND USED FOR, FOR INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES.

UM, WE'VE HAD SOME INTEREST IN THIS PROGRAM ALREADY, UH, CHIEFLY BY NO SURPRISE, UH, PROJECTS THAT ARE REHABBING EXISTING BUILDINGS WHERE THIS KIND OF CLEAN ENERGY IS, UH, IS IMPORTANT.

UH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE BAR AND CITIZENS BUILDING, THE FOLKS WITH TILLAMOOK HAVE, HAVE ASKED US ABOUT IT.

UM, AND, UH, SO IF YOU'LL APPROVE THIS ORDINANCE, THEN YOU WILL ADD ONE MORE TOOL TO OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLBOX.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR THE MANAGER? DR.

HORN? MR. REEN, JUST TO CONFIRM, THIS WON'T CREATE ANY LIABILITY FOR THE CITY, CORRECT? DOES NOT CREATE A LIABILITY.

UM, UH, AND PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE IT THERE'S NOT A FINANCIAL LIABILITY.

WE HAVE TO, IN FACT, WE WILL PROBABLY.

THERE, THERE'S A, THERE'S A CHARGE IF, IF, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS, ALTHOUGH IT'S A FAIRLY NOMINAL CHARGE.

SO THIS IS, THIS IS NOT, UM, UH, SOMETHING THAT THE CITY'S GONNA POUR MONEY INTO.

BUT, UH, FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THEIR FINANCING, WHICH IS A BIG ISSUE ON REHAB PROJECTS, IT GIVES THEM AN EXTRA OPTION.

WELL, KUDOS TO THE CITY STAFF ARE ESTABLISHING THIS PROGRAM.

UH, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND THE USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY ARE CRITICAL IN OUR EFFORTS TO REDUCE GLOBAL WARMING.

AND THIS FINANCING PROGRAMMING IS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WANNA REDUCE THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT.

SO, GREAT JOB.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? SCENE NONE.

AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A GRANT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM EIGHT RESOLUTION

[8. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Grant Agreement between the City of Decatur and State of Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity for Community Development and Violence Prevention]

MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION DE PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO, MOVE SECOND.

MR. WRIGHT MAYOR, COUNSEL, ITEMS EIGHT,

[9. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate Terms and Execute an Agreement Between the City of Decatur and Good Samaritan Inn for an Urban Ag Project]

[10. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate Terms and Execute an Agreement between the City of Decatur and Old King's Orchard Community Center for an Urban Ag Project and Community Services]

NINE, AND 10 ARE REALLY ALL A PART OF THE SAME ITEM.

AND IF WITH YOUR PERMISSION, I'D LIKE TO TALK THROUGH ALL THREE OF THEM AND INVITE SOME FOLKS, UH, TO SPEAK BETTER THAN I CAN TO THEIR ROLE IN THIS IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIP.

THE SLIDE UP ON THE, ON THE VIDEO SCREENS, I KNOW IS A LITTLE BIT HARD TO READ, BUT IT'S, UH, BUT IT ILLUSTRATES IN ONE SLIDE HOW THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS ALL FIT INTO THIS, TO THIS SINGLE, UH, CATALYST PROJECT IN THE OLD KING'S ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WE HAVE, UH, THE ITEM THAT IS NOW ON THE FLOOR THAT THE CLERK READ IS, UM, IS TO AUTHORIZE ME TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE, UH, FOR A, A GRANT

[00:30:01]

AGREEMENT.

UH, YOU, YOU'RE USED TO DOING A LOT OF GRANT AGREEMENTS.

THIS ONE IS THE ONE THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE LOCALLY CALLED THE TURNER GRANT BECAUSE SENATOR DORIS TURNER WAS, WAS, UH, WAS REALLY ON THE BALL WITH THIS AND, AND, UH, PROVIDED A GRANT FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

AND SO THIS DEALS WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SIDE OF IT.

AND YOU SEE WHERE IT SAYS UP THERE, SENATOR TURNER GRANT.

UH, SO IT'S A, IT'S A MILLION DOLLAR GRANT, HALF A MILLION DOLLARS GOES FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS O K O PROJECT.

THE OTHER HALF MILLION WILL BE WI IN OTHER PROGRAMS, AND WE WILL COME BACK TO YOU AT A FUTURE MEETING WITH THAT.

IT HAS TO DO WITH, WITH VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND WITH SOME SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, BUT IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE TURNER GRANT.

SO HALF OF THE TURNER GRANT IS INVOLVED IN THIS DISCUSSION.

AND BACK IN FEBRUARY, WE HAD, UH, A LITTLE OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN ONE TIME COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK CV, UM, UH, COVID MONEY.

THIS WAS MONEY FROM THE, UH, UH, CARES GRANT THAT WAS THE TRUMP ERA RELIEF GRANT MONEY.

AND, UH, AND SO WE HADN'T SPENT IT ALL.

AND SO HERE WAS AN, UH, EXTRA MILLION DOLLARS AND WE BROUGHT TO YOU SOME DIFFERENT PROJECTS AND YOU APPROVED A RESOLUTION SAYING WHERE THOSE FOUR WOULD, WHAT THOSE FOUR PROJECTS WOULD BE AT A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS A PIECE.

ONE OF THEM IS THE O K O PROJECT AS WELL.

SO THE CDBG CV MONEY IS GOING TO, UH, IS RECOMMENDED TO GO TO THE, UH, OLD KINGS ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR A PROJECT THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE, UH, COUNCIL PACKET MATERIAL.

AND THE HALF MILLION DOLLARS DOESN'T GO TO, DOES NOT GO TO GOOD SAMARITAN.

IT GOES TO PAY THE CITY'S COST TO GET THIS BLOCK AND A HALF OF LAND THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED IN THE NAME OF THE CITY, READY TO BE TRANSITIONED, UH, FROM, UH, LARGELY VACANT SPACE NOW, BUT FORMALLY SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL INTO, UH, AN AGRICULTURAL SITE, MUCH LARGER THAN ANY OF THE MERCY GARDENS THAT, UH, THE GOOD SAMARITAN, UH, UH, MANAGES NOW.

UH, SO WHAT'S COMMON ABOUT THESE TWO SEPARATE FUNDING PROGRAMS RUN THROUGH, UH, WITH PARTNERSHIPS WITH TWO SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS, IS THAT BOTH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS ARE PRESENT IN THE OLD KINGS ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND IT UNDERSCORES, UH, WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THIS PARTICULAR PART OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM.

UNLIKE JOHNS HILL, UNLIKE NEIGHBORHOOD UNITED IN MANY OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE WE'RE INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN, IN REHABILITATION AND RENOVATION OF, OF EXISTING STRUCTURES, THIS IS ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE IT'S LIKELY NOT GOING TO BE RESIDENTIAL AGAIN.

AND SO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AND APPLY OUR MINDS TO WHAT IS AN APPROPRIATE REPURPOSING OR REUSE OF THIS PROPERTY.

AND, UH, THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PARTIALLY ANSWERED BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF NON-PROFITS THERE, SOME OF WHICH HAVE EXPANDED THEIR, THEIR SITE IN ORDER TO MAKE BETTER USE OF SOME OF THE ABANDONED PROPERTIES.

I TIPPED MY HAT TO GRACE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOR HOW THEY'VE DONE THAT, BUT ALSO THE PRESENCE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT ONLY OF GOOD SAMARITAN AND OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT ALSO GOD'S SHELTER OF LOVE, WHICH ALSO HAS SOME OF THEIR SIGHTS THERE.

AND SO THIS KIND OF INSTITUTIONAL AND, AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMMING SEEMS LIKE A LOGICAL REPURPOSING.

SO, UM, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING OF AN EXPERIMENT.

I WANNA SAY RIGHT OUT, RIGHT OUT THE BOX.

AND, UM, UH, WE WILL BE, UM, UH, FINDING OUR WAY.

WE'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH, UH, I'VE, I'VE INCLUDED A RESEARCH PAPER DONE BY A GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF, UM, OF INDIANA, INDIANA UNIVERSITY, WHO HAPPENS TO LIVE HERE IN DECATUR AND IS IN THE AUDIENCE TONIGHT, I THINK, IF YOU HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT IT.

UM, BUT, UH, WE'RE GONNA PREPARE THE LAND FOR OLD KINGS ORCHARD, UH, SO THAT IT IS READY TO GROW CROPS ON AND THEN TRANSFER IT TO THEM IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS THAT I'VE MENTIONED.

UM, AND, UH, WE'RE GOING TO, WE'RE NOT GONNA TRANSFER LAND TO O K O COMMUNITY CENTER BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE THE LAND.

WE, WE WORKED OUT A SWAP OF LAND WITH TOM KOA, UM, SO THAT HE TAKES ALL THE, ALL THE LAND SOUTH OF MARIETTA, WE TAKE IT ALL NORTH, WHICH GAVE MUCH MORE CRITICAL MASS TO O K O THAN THEY HAD BEFORE, AND GAVE MUCH MORE CRITICAL MASS TO THE CITY NORTH OF MARIETTA THAN WE EVER HAD BEFORE.

A SITUATION THAT IS UNIQUE TO THIS NEIGHBORHOOD IN NO NEIGHBORHOOD IN DECATUR, DOES THE CITY OR A NOT-FOR-PROFIT OWN SUCH A LARGE CONCENTRATION OF VACANT PROPERTIES IN ONE PLACE.

SO GIVEN THAT THAT CHARACTERISTIC EXISTED IN O K O, WE SAID, OKAY, WELL, HOW CAN WE USE IT? AND THIS IS OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR HOW TO MOVE FORWARD.

THESE, THESE PROGRAMS AREN'T JUST ABOUT, UM, REPURPOSING LAND.

UH, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I WANNA SAY TO YOU, I THINK THEY'RE ALSO ABOUT CHANGING LIVES.

AND, AND IN, IN THAT VEIN, I WANT TO ASK, UH, FIRST, UH, CHRIS ELLIS, WHO IS THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF OAK KINGS ORCHARD, UH, COMMUNITY CENTER, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, HOW HE PROPOSES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS GRANT IF IT'S APPROVED.

AND THEN I'M GONNA ASK THE SAME THING OF, OF GOOD SAM.

THANK YOU, MR. MANGER.

UM, MY NAME IS CHRIS ELLIS.

UM, I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD RECENTLY AT OLD KINGS ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER.

[00:35:01]

TO MY LEFT IS DEVON JOINER.

HE IS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

UM, I'LL BE BRIEF, EVERYTHING IS OUTLINED IN THE MATERIALS, BUT WE ARE BEYOND EXCITED ABOUT A COUPLE OF, OF NEW DEVELOPMENTS WE HAVE GOING ON AT THIS COMMUNITY CENTER.

MR. WRIGHTON REFERENCED MR. TOM KOA.

UM, TOM DONATED A NUMBER OF VACANT PROPERTIES TO US IN AND AROUND THE O K O COMMUNITY, BUT IN ADDITION, HE MADE A LARGE FINANCIAL GIFT TO WHAT I'LL REFER TO AS, UM, O K O.

WHEN HE AND I MET ABOUT THAT GIFT, HE SAID, LOOK, YOU CAN DO IT AT WHAT YOU WANT, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU DO SOMETHING TO HELP THESE KIDS LEARN A SKILL, A LIFE SKILL.

AND WHEN MR. WRIGHTON REFERENCES TRANSFORMING LIVES, THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

WE'VE CREATED A PROGRAM CALLED O K O GREEN THIS MORNING WAS OUR FIRST MORNING OF, OF OUR SUMMER PROGRAM, AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN AND MEET WITH APPROXIMATELY 20 JUVENILES, NONE OF WHICH ARE FROM THE O K O COMMUNITY, THAT AREA, FROM THAT SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY'RE PART OF A, A PROGRAM CALLED JUVENILE REDEPLOYMENT FROM ALL OVER DECATUR.

IT'S PART OF MACON COUNTY.

THE EXCITEMENT IN THE ROOM FOR THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE PAID A WAGE TO DO A JOB, TO MARKET WHAT THEY'RE GONNA START AT O K O GREEN TO LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF LAWN, TO GO DOOR TO DOOR, TO THE FAMILIES THERE TO FIND SENIORS AND DISABLED PEOPLE AND OFFER FREE LAWN CARE SERVICE.

AND THEN ALSO TO TRY TO MAKE SOME MONEY WHEN, UH, WHEN IT'S POSSIBLE.

BUT I, I ASKED 'EM, I SAID, WHAT IF YOU HAVE A SINGLE MOM, YOUNG KIDS, NO MONEY? THEY SAID, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF HER.

AND I THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH O OKAY.

O GREEN SPEAKING WITH MR. WRIGHTON, UM, ABOUT THIS AGRICULTURE IDEA REALLY GOT US EXCITED BECAUSE THE IDEA IS WE WANT TO COMPLIMENT WHAT GOOD SALMON'S DOING.

WE WANT TO TRY TO GROW SOME TYPE OF CROP THERE THAT CAN BE USED IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY WILD WILDFLOWERS AND GIVING THEM TO SENIORS AND, UH, NURSING HOMES AND PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POTENTIALLY PUMPKINS HANDING OUT A HALLOWEEN.

THEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER CROPS THAT CAN POTENTIALLY BE SOLD.

ALL OF THAT PLANNING IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW.

AND THE MONEY WE'RE ASKING FOR THE 135,000 WOULD BE TO DO THE SOIL TESTING, DO THE FENCING, BUY THE CROPS, AND IT REALLY IS A PILOT PROJECT.

THAT'S SOMETHING NEW WE'RE TRYING TO DO.

WE HAVE OVER 40 VACANT LOTS RIGHT IN THAT AREA, AND WE'VE GOTTA DO SOMETHING WITH THEM.

AND THEN THE OTHER PROPOSAL, WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED O K O SPORT.

WE HAVE A PROPERTY JUST SOUTH OF THE COMMUNITY CENTER, AND DEVON'S BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE STAFF FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME ABOUT CREATING A SPORTS FIELD THERE.

NOW, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF SPORTS FIELD AROUND DECATUR, BUT THERE AREN'T ANY IN THAT URBAN CORE.

BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO DIFFERENT BY CREATING THIS, OKAY, O SPORT IS A GOAL WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAVE KIDS WHO CAN PLAY FREE OR AT A GREATLY REDUCED RATE.

AND THEN WE GET YOUNG KIDS WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I KNOW DEVON, THIS WAS HIS VISION.

IT'S LIKE COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE DISTRICT.

THE IDEA BEING WE GET 'EM WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG, BEFORE JUNIOR HIGH, BEFORE THOSE BAD THINGS START TO HAPPEN.

WE HOLD THEM TO THE SAME ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS YOU WOULD HAVE IF YOU'RE PLAYING JUNIOR HIGH SPORT.

WE LEARN ABOUT THEIR GRADES.

WE DO EVERYTHING TO TRY TO GET THESE KIDS, AND THEY'RE EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND WE THINK FOR 115,000 WITH THE BIDS WE'VE HAD COMING IN, WE CAN DO THE PROJECT.

WE CAN PUT TOGETHER.

IT'S NOT GONNA BE TURF, IT'S NOT GONNA BE STATE OF THE ART, BUT IT'S GONNA BE SOMETHING.

AND WE'VE GOT PRIVATE DONORS WHO I'VE MET WITH ALREADY, WHO ARE WILLING TO CREATE A REAL SPORTS PROGRAM THAT WE CAN USE IN THAT COMMUNITY.

DEVON, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? JUST BRIEFLY.

WE KNOW THAT IN GETTING CRIME, UH, CRIME PREVENTION REALLY OFF AND RUNNING, YOU GOTTA START AT AN EARLY AGE AND YOU HAVE TO MOLD CHILDREN YOUNG.

UH, ONCE THEY START GOING THROUGH THE CHANGE OF LIFE THAT'S AROUND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, STARTED DEVELOPING THEIR OWN, UM, THOUGHT PROCESS, THEIR OWN VIEWS, IT'S KIND OF HARD TO CHANGE THAT.

SO WE WANT TO GET IN AT THAT, UH, ELEMENTARY AGE, UH, FIRST GRADE, SECOND GRADE, THIRD GRADE, AND, UH, BRING IN NOT JUST COACHES, BUT TUTORS AND MENTORS.

UM, WHAT WE PLAN ON DOING IS HAVING A CONNECTION WHERE THEIR, THEIR GRADES ARE BEING CHECKED.

UH, WE FORM A CONNECTION WITH THE KIDS.

WE FEEL CHILDREN CAN CONNECT MORE WITH THEIR PEERS.

SO THE KIDS THAT ARE DOING WELL, WE WANT THEM TO HELP THOSE THAT ARE NOT DOING WELL.

WE FEEL OVER TIME THAT WILL FORM A BETTER CONNECTION WITH THE KIDS.

SO WHEN THEY GROW A LITTLE OLDER, THEY MIGHT BE MORE APT TO GET ALONG THAN NOT GET ALONG.

SO THAT'S THE FOCUS TO GET TO THAT AGE GROUP WHERE THEY'RE NOT QUITE UNDERSTANDING WHERE THEIR PLACE ARE AT, AND HELP THEM MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION.

[00:40:01]

MR. JOINER, MR. ELLIS, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

THIS IS AN EXCITING AND LIFE ALTERING PLAN AND PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS YOU'VE GOT, UH, HEADED FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

AND I, I KNOW MR. JOYNER WELL, AND HE DOES AN AMAZING JOB IN O K O.

AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION TONIGHT.

THIS IS, IT'S SO EXCITING.

IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT, IT'S BEEN BUILDING AND, AND COMING, AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE YOU'D REALLY LIKE TO TELL THE WORLD.

AND WE REALLY COULDN'T UNTIL THIS POINT.

SO IT'S AN EXCITING NIGHT FOR ALL OF US.

I WANNA OFFER YOU OUR THANKS AND OUR CONGRATULATIONS IN THIS.

AND THEN I'LL OPEN IT UP IF, UNLESS YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, JUST ONE I FORGOT TO ACKNOWLEDGE.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS WHO CAME HERE.

WE'RE ACTUALLY HOLDING OUR BOARD MEETING DOWNSTAIRS.

SO WE ALL WANTED TO BE HERE, I GUESS.

AND THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE, FOR THE, AND THANK ALL OF YOUR BOARD MEMBERS AS WELL.

ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. ELLIS OR MR. JOINER? MR. KEEL, JUST A TRIVIAL QUESTION.

SO THE BUSINESS MODEL WITH THE AGRICULTURAL, YOU SAID YOU MIGHT PRODUCE PRODUCTS TO ACTUALLY SELL.

YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT? POSSIBLY, YES.

AND WHO, WHO WOULD YOU SELL 'EM TO OR RIGHT? THE, THE INITIAL CONVERSATIONS ARE THEY'D BE SOLD IN THE COMMUNITY OR AT A, AT A, AT A FARMER'S MARKET, NOT SOMETHING COMMERCIAL THERE.

OUR IDEAS BEING KICKED AROUND ABOUT THE IDEA OF URBAN INNER CITY SOD IN THE FUTURE TAKES A LOT OF WATER.

WE'RE NOWHERE THERE YET, SO WE'RE GONNA CRAWL FIRST.

I THINK PRIMARILY IT WILL BE GIVING AWAY, ESPECIALLY IF WE HAVE THE DONOR SUPPORTING IT, WHICH WE BELIEVE WE WILL.

AND I'M JUST GONNA SAY THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

THANK YOU, MR. COOPER.

UH, JUST ONE COMMENT.

UM, I JUST WANNA APPLAUD YOU, YOU BOTH, AND, AND, UH, MR. JOYNER FOR STARTING AT AN EARLY AGE.

YES, SIR.

UH, I WORKED IN JUVENILE CORRECTIONS 32 YEARS, AND YOU HAD TO HIT, HIT THEM EARLY IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE 'EM TO KEEP 'EM OUT OF, UH, CRIME AND, AND, AND ADULT INMATES.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR LOOKING AT THE AGE AND STARTING AT AN EARLY AGE.

CAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT NEEDS TO START.

INCREDIBLY INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING TO MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WE NEED IT.

OTHER COMMENTS? MR. EDWARDS, WOULD YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDES TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, GENTLEMEN, TO THE, TO THE MAP.

OKAY.

SO THIS MAP IS IN YOUR PACKET.

UM, BUT THE AMBER OR ORANGE COLORED, UH, PARCELS THAT ARE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THIS MAP ARE THE ONES THAT, ACCORDING TO OUR LAND RECORDS, ARE OWNED BY OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER.

THEY ALREADY HAVE THESE PARCELS, SO THEY'LL BE SELECTING THE, I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL NOT CONVERT ALL OF THESE TO URBAN AGRICULTURE, BUT THEY'LL BE SELECTING FROM THESE.

UM, AND OF COURSE, THE, THE FIELD THAT, UH, THAT WAS MENTIONED WILL ALSO BE ON SOME OF THESE.

SO YOU GOT AN IDEA OF THE EXTENT OF THE LAND THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE.

THE LARGER PARCEL TO THE NORTH, THE ONE THAT HAS THE, THE THICK BLACK BOUNDARY AROUND IT IS THE ONE THAT THE CITY CURRENTLY OWNS AND HAS ACQUIRED QUIETLY FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF OR SO.

UH, WE ALREADY HAD SOME OF THE PARCELS, BUT WE NEEDED SOME TO FILL IT IN.

AND, UH, THIS IS THE PARCEL THAT WE WILL, UM, GET READY WITH THE $500,000 GRANT AND THEN, AND THEN TRANSFER TO, UM, GOOD SAMARITAN INN.

SO AT THIS POINT, I'D LIKE TO ASK NIKKI BESSER, SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GOOD SAMARITAN INN.

AND, UH, TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THEIR PLANS.

I, I, I CAN TELL YOU THAT, UH, UH, THAT SHE'S ALREADY APPLIED FOR ADDITIONAL GRANTS AND, UH, AND BOTH, UH, MS. BESSER AND I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OTHER POTENTIAL PARTNERS WHO I THINK ARE IN A POSITION TO TAKE THIS FARMING PROJECT EVEN FURTHER, UH, PERHAPS WITH, UH, WITH INDOOR FARMING LATER ON.

AND SO, UM, WHILE THIS IS STILL SOMETHING OF AN EXPERIMENT AND, AND WE WILL FIGURE THINGS OUT AS, AS WE GO ALONG, I THINK THAT, UH, NIKKI AND HER TEAM HAVE PUT, TO HAVE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE.

THANKS FOR JOINING US, NIKKI.

YEAH.

HI.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY I HAVE BEN BACK HERE.

HE WILL NOT TALK TO A MICROPHONE, BUT I'M SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, HE'S THE ONE THAT RUNS OUR MERCY GARDEN.

SO HE'S THE ONE TO ASK THE AGRICULTURE QUESTIONS IF YOU WANNA KNOW WHAT WE'RE GROWING.

THAT'S NOT, THAT'S NOT MY, THAT'S NOT ME.

UM, AND, UH, THE NEXT THING I WANTED TO SAY IS THAT THE OLD KINGS ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, THEY ALWAYS INSPIRE ME.

IT'S AMAZING THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING, THE PROGRAMMING THEY'RE DOING.

UM, I THINK IT'S SO COOL, AND I THINK THERE'S SO MANY WAYS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PARTNER TOGETHER AS WE, UH, LAUNCH THESE TWO SEPARATE VENTURES.

THERE'S A LOT OF, UM, INTERTWINING AND, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LARGELY THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

YOU KNOW, WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR 40TH ANNIVERSARY.

WE'VE BEEN AROUND SINCE 1982, AND MOST PEOPLE KNOW US FOR OUR NOON MEAL PROGRAM.

WE FEED THREE, UM, PEOPLE, 365 DAYS A YEAR, A LUNCH FOR FREE, NO QUESTIONS ASKED.

UM, WE DON'T DO A LOT OF PROGRAMMING.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME, UM, SORT OF INVESTMENT AND THE, AND THE, UM, INTERPERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH PEOPLE LIKE OLD KING'S ORCHARD DOES.

AND SO, UM, BUT WHAT I CAN OFFER IS, UH, OUR PROGRAMMING AND STRUCTURE,

[00:45:01]

UH, AND I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW OUR MERCY GARDENS PLAYS INTO THAT AND HOW WE HOPE TO PARTNER WITH PROGRAMS LIKE OLD KING'S ORCHARD AND OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.

SO, UM, THE FIRST THING IS, UH, WE'VE HAD MERCY GARDENS SINCE, UH, 2015.

LAST YEAR ALONE, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE 49,600 SERVINGS OF FRESH FRUIT VEGETABLES IN HERBS TO THOSE IN NEED FOR FREE.

WE USE THOSE, UM, PRODUCTS IN OUR NOON MEAL, BUT WE'VE ALSO, UH, GIVE THEM TO PARTNER FOOD PANTRIES, INCLUDING THE SALVATION ARMY NORTHEAST, UH, COMMUNITY FUND, AS WELL AS, UM, CATHOLIC CHARITIES.

AND IN THIS YEAR, WE'VE ALSO ARE WORKING WITH THE CROSSINGS HEALTHCARE PRESCRIPTION PRODUCE PROGRAM, WHERE WE'LL BE PROVIDING, UH, A LARGE MAJORITY OF THE PRODUCE THAT THEY WILL BE GIVING OUT.

AND SO THE MERCY, THE GOAL OF MERCY GARDENS IS SIMPLY TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE FOR EVERYONE.

UM, AND SO, UH, WE'RE CALLING THIS THE MERCY GARDENS URBAN AGRICULTURE AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, OR MUD, WHICH WE CALL FOR SHORT.

UM, OF COURSE, I HAD TO COME UP WITH A CATCHY NAME, AS HE SAID, UM, AS I APPLIED FOR SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.

THE GOALS OF THE MUD PROGRAM ARE TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH NUTRIENT DENSE PRODUCE WITH THE PRIORITY IN FOOD DESERTS, CREATE EMPLOYMENT, ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL AG ENTREPRENEURS.

EDUCATE, ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT LOCAL EMERGING AGRICULTURE ENTHUSIASTS AND ENTREPRENEURS.

BUILD CAPACITY AND PARTNERSHIPS TO SERVE AS AN AGRICULTURAL DISTRIBUTION HUB FOR LOCAL FARMERS.

BRING FUNDING IN TO SUSTAIN OUR OWN MERCY GARDENS PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THIS SERVICE AND OF COURSE, BE EDIFY AND INVEST IN THE OLD KING'S ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, HERE IN DECATUR.

AND SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS YOU ASK THEM IS, WHERE ARE YOU GONNA SELL YOUR PRODUCE? WELL, THEY MENTIONED FARMER'S MARKET.

WE JUST LAUNCHED OUR MERCY MARKET LAST WEEK, UM, A LOCAL FARMER'S MARKET DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS SUPPLEMENTING THE CURRENT DOWNTOWN MARKET.

UM, THAT WILL BE ONE PLACE, UM, NOT ONLY THAT THEY CAN SELL, UH, WE CAN SELL OUR PRODUCE, BUT ALSO WE ARE BRINGING SNAP AND LINK BENEFITS THAT INCLUDES A TRIPLE MATCH.

SO SOMEONE SWIPES THEIR LINK CARD FOR $20, THEY WILL GET THOSE $20 FOR ALL SNAP ELIGIBLE ITEMS, BUT THEN THEY GET AN ADDITIONAL $40 IN VOUCHERS FOR FREE TO SPEND ON PRODUCE.

SO THIS IS JUST ONE WAY THAT WE'VE SHOWN OUR COMMITMENT TO INCREASING THAT ACCESS TO PRODUCE.

UM, THE OTHER THING ABOUT OUR PROGRAM IS THAT AS WE GROW, WE WILL, UM, BE ALSO PUTTING A, A STRUCTURE ON THIS PROPERTY.

SO WE'LL HAVE A WASHING STATION, YOU KNOW, A PLACE FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORK THERE, BATHROOMS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

BUT ALSO A LARGE AMOUNT OF REFRIGERATION AND SPACE FOR LARGE, UM, TRUCKS TO COME UP.

SO WE CAN START TO GROW OURSELVES AS A, A DISTRIBUTION HUB.

WE DO PARTNER WITH FARMED.

WE HAVE IF, UM, MANY OF YOU ARE ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM, UM, THAT'S ONE PARTNERSHIP THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM AND PERHAPS BECOME SORT OF A DISTRIBUTION CENTER ALONG WITH THEM TO GET OUR, GET DECATUR'S PRODUCE, YES, LOCALLY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, BUT ALSO TO HELP LOCAL, UM, FARMERS TO, UH, GET THAT AGRICULTURE, OTHER PLACES TO INCREASE THE BUSINESS FOR SMALL, UM, FOR SMALL LOCAL PRODUCERS.

UH, AND SO WE CAN SERVE, I THINK, A LOT OF, UM, PEOPLE THAT WAY AS WELL AS WITH OUR, UH, COMMITMENT TO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

SO WE WILL, AS WE ARE PRODUCING MORE, WE WILL NEED MORE WORKERS AND WE HOPE TO GET THOSE WORKERS FROM EXISTING WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

I HAVE NO BUSINESS, UH, HAVING MY EMPLOYEES TEACHING RESUME BUILDING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY, ALTHOUGH WE VALUE THOSE THINGS.

WE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF PROGRAMS THAT ALREADY EXIST THAT ARE DOING THOSE THINGS.

WE JUST WANT TO PROVIDE PAYING JOBS FOR THEIR PARTICIPANTS.

AND SO THE IDEA WOULD BE MAYBE WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, WORKFORCE AND THEY HAVE SOMEONE THAT WANTS TO DO OUR PROGRAM.

WE WILL GIVE THEM A PAYING JOB WITHIN OUR PROGRAM AND PERHAPS ALSO PAY THEM TO SPEND ONE TO TWO HOURS IN A CLASSROOM LEARNING FROM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROFESSIONALS, UM, ABOUT THOSE OTHER SOFT SKILLS THAT THEY CAN GAIN.

AND OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAVE A FEW OF OUR OTHER VENTURES OUTSIDE OF THIS, INCLUDING, UH, DO GOOD DONUTS, WHERE WE WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A CUSTOMER SERVICE FACING, UM, SORT OF PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT WHERE THEY CAN THEN GO ON TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS PERMANENTLY.

SO I'LL STOP THERE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF BIG PLANS.

UM, WE DID DO A PRETTY DETAILED, UM, EXPLANATION OF ALL THE, UM, NUTS AND BOLTS OF THIS PROGRAM, SO I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH ANYBODY.

YOU CAN EMAIL ME AND I'LL SEND YOU OVER THE GRANT PROPOSAL THAT I DID.

IT HAS MORE OF THE, UM, THE BUDGETING AND THE STRUCTURE, UM, DOWN TO EVEN, UM, HOW WE WOULD PAY OUR WORKERS OVER TIME.

SO I'D BE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT WITH ANYBODY WHO WANTS EVEN MORE INFORMATION.

AND I WILL PERSONALLY VOUCH FOR THE DONUTS.

THEY'RE AMAZING.

AND I DO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE GROWING.

IT'S, IT'S ANSWERING THE FOOD DESERT ISSUE AS WELL AS HEALTHY FOODS, WHICH WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY HELP, UH, SOME OF OUR LEAST FORTUNATE, UM, RESIDENTS EAT BETTER SO THAT THEY ARE HEALTHIER AND, AND THEY'RE HAVE A BETTER OPPORTUNITY AT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

SO, QUESTIONS, UM, FROM COUNSEL, FROM MS. BESSER, MR. WRIGHTON, IN, IN ADDITION TO

[00:50:01]

THE LOCAL BENEFITS THAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED, I REMEMBER THAT IN ONE OF OUR MANY CONVERSATIONS LEADING TO THIS POINT, YOU'D MENTIONED THAT, UH, YOU'D ALSO HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH US FOODS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MAJOR PROVIDERS OF FOOD TO INSTITUTIONS IN RESTAURANTS IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

UM, WHAT I CONTINUE TO HEAR IS THAT THOSE SORTS OF, UH, PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT ARE SUPPLYING THAT FOOD INCREASINGLY WANT LOCALLY GROWN OR ORGANIC OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IS, IS THAT A, A CONVERSATION THAT YOU THINK WILL FIT INTO THE BUSINESS PLAN IN THE FUTURE? I MEAN, WE'RE OPEN TO ANY AND ALL OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAKES SENSE FOR OUR PROGRAMMING.

SO OF COURSE THAT WOULD, I KNOW THAT THAT'S SOMETHING FARM FED IS ALSO DOING.

I THINK FOR US, THE IMPORTANT THING WILL BE TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT WE ARE ABLE TO PRODUCE THE FOOD, THE NUMBER OF WEEKS A YEAR THAT THAT REQUIRES, WHICH WILL BE, WE'LL HAVE TO WORK TOWARD THAT.

WE DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN INTENSE NEED IN AREAS LIKE CHICAGO THAT AREN'T PRODUCING ENOUGH FRESH FOOD, AND THEY'RE WILLING TO PAY A LOT OF MONEY FOR IT.

DO WE WANNA SEND ALL OF OUR FOOD TO CHICAGO? NO.

DO WE WANT PEOPLE IN CHICAGO TO PAY US A LOT OF MONEY SO I CAN GIVE FOOD HERE TO PEOPLE FOR FREE? SURE.

SO, UM, I THINK THOSE ARE, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT OUR PRIORITY IS INCREASING ACCESS TO PRODUCE HERE FOR EVERYONE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, UTILIZING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO DO THAT.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR U S D A GRANT, WE ASK FOR MONEY TO BUY A REFRIGERATED TRUCK.

MAY I DRIVE THE TRUCK? MAYBE WILL WE POSSIBLY JUST LOAN OUR TRUCK TO FARMED WHO DOESN'T HAVE A REFRIGERATED TRUCK SO THAT THEY CAN INCREASE THE DISTRIBUTION OPPORTUNITIES, NOT ONLY FOR DECATUR, BUT ALSO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, MAYBE, UH, EVEN SPRINGFIELD, BLOOMINGTON CHAMPAIGN, AND ALL THE SMALL TOWNS IN BETWEEN.

AND THEN HELP, UH, LOCAL FARMERS INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS.

THERE ARE ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES.

THAT'S PART OF THE EXPERIMENT, I THINK, TO A CERTAIN EXTENT.

, I'D, I'D LIKE TO MENTION TO COUNSEL, BECAUSE IT'S IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL THAT THERE'S, UH, THE RESEARCH PAPER THAT WAS DONE BY THE STUDENT, UH, UH, SHAUNA ELLI, I THINK SHE'S HERE IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY IF YOU HAVE, I DIDN'T TELL HER SHE HAD TO SPEAK, SO IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT HER WORK, SHE, I'M PROBABLY BE WILLING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

I THINK THAT IT'S A, IT'S A VALUABLE PIECE OF WORK BECAUSE IT GOES TO THE POINT ABOUT THIS IS AN EXPERIMENT.

WE, WE'VE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT IT.

WE'VE GOT BUSINESS PLANS, BUT THEY'RE GONNA CHANGE.

UH, AND, UH, THIS IS, THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WILL, THAT WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO BRINGING YOU UPDATES ABOUT IT.

MAYOR AND COUNSEL, THE, UM, THERE'S THREE SEPARATE ACTIONS BEFORE YOU.

THE FIRST ONE, WHICH IS ON THE TABLE NOW, IS, IS AN AUTHORIZATION FOR ME TO FINALIZE THE AGREEMENT WITH THE STATE FOR THE GRANT.

THE SECOND AND THIRD ITEMS ARE, UH, THE SAME AUTHORIZATION FOR AGREEMENTS WITH, UH, UH, GOOD SAMARITAN IN AND WITH OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER.

AND THOSE AGREEMENTS, ONCE THEY'RE FINALIZED, INCLUDE THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT ARE ON PAGE TWO OF THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE AGREEMENTS ARE GONNA BE, BASICALLY, UH, SAYING IN SUMMARY FORM.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MCDANIEL? I SUGGEST, UH, IF YOU GROW RED GRAPES, THERE'S BEEN A SHORTAGE OF RED GRAPES THROUGH ALL THE GROCERY STORES IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

DR.

HORN, JUST A COMMENT.

UH, THANK YOU SENATOR DORIS TURNER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN SECURING FUNDING.

UH, THANK YOU TO CITY STAFF FOR, UH, THE WORK THAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING IN COORDINATING THESE PROPOSALS.

AND THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU TO GOOD SAMARITAN INN AND TO THE OLD KINGS ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR YOUR WORK THAT WILL ULTIMATELY REMOVE BLIGHT, REPURPOSE LAND IN OUR URBAN CORE AND GIVE AT-RISK YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE.

THESE PROJECTS WILL MAKE THE CITY BETTER AND MAKE OUR CITIZENS SAFER.

FRIDAY, JUNE 2ND WAS GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY.

AND SADLY, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS SEEN A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN GUN VIOLENCE BEGINNING IN 2020 AND LAST MONTH, MAY, 2023, WE HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF SHOOTINGS IN THE MONTH OF ANY MAY SINCE AT LEAST 2018 TO DATE, UH, THROUGH MAY, 2023.

THERE HAVE BEEN 52 SHOOTINGS THROUGH MAY OF 2019.

BY COMPARISON, THERE WERE 20 SHOOTINGS.

THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IS FIREARM INJURY.

AND IT IS ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE.

GUN VIOLENCE DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN LOW HOUSEHOLD INCOME, ZIP CODES, AND DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTS BLACK AMERICANS.

WELL, ONE SOLUTION TO REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE THAT HAS BEEN VERIFIED IN MULTIPLE NATIONAL STUDIES IS THE REMOVAL OF BLIGHT IN THE CREATION OF GREEN SPACES.

THE OLD KING'S ORCHARD

[00:55:01]

NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE SECOND MOST BLIGHTED NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY.

TO GIVE YOU PERSPECTIVE, THE BLIGHT SCORE IS 0.51, WHICH TRANSLATES TO THERE IS A 51% PROBABILITY THAT A HOUSE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A SIGN OF BLIGHT.

AND AT LEAST PRIOR TO 2019, THE OLD KING'S ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD HAD THE SECOND HIGHEST LEVEL OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

SO RIGHTFULLY SO, THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL IS ASKED TO DO MORE WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE AND BLIGHT REMOVAL, REPURPOSING OF LAND AND THE CREATION OF GREEN SPACE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO THAT THIS PROJECT DOES, AND THAT WE HAVE SUBSTANTIAL FINANCIAL RESOURCES RIGHT NOW TO DO MORE AND TO DO IT IN AN ACCELERATED MANNER.

AND SO I THANK GOOD SAMARITAN IN, I THANK OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS ABLE AND WILLING TO DO EVEN MORE.

SO.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, MR. COLT? UH, NO QUESTIONS.

I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, THE COUNCIL, I'M SORRY, THE, UH, BOARD FOR O KOO AND GOOD SAMARITAN FOR COMING TO SUCH, WITH SUCH A GREAT IDEA.

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE FEEL GOOD MEETINGS THAT YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING WELL, UH, ACTUALLY WONDERFUL.

SO I WANTED TO THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF EVERYBODY FOR DOING THAT.

AS FAR AS THE GUN VIOLENCE AND DR.

HORN MENTIONED IT IS, UM, ALARMING, BUT I ALSO NEED TO GIVE OUT A KUDOS TO DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR CLEARANCE RATE.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY GIVEN FAMILIES CLOSURE, BUT THEY'RE GETTING DANGEROUS FELONS OFF THE STREET.

THEY ARE REACTING TO THESE CRIMES AND REACTING VERY WELL, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR WORK AS WELL.

THANK YOU.

FURTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, WE ARE VOTING ON ITEM EIGHT.

COUNCILMAN MC? COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NACE.

ITEM NINE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE TERMS AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND GOOD SAMARITAN INN FOR AN URBAN AG PROJECT.

MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, ANYTHING FURTHER? ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE NONE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE TERMS AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND OLD KING'S ORCHARD COMMUNITY CENTER FOR AN URBAN AG PROJECT AND COMMUNITY SERVICES MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND.

ANYTHING FURTHER? SCENE NONE.

NEXT IS THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS UP

[11. 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.]

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SCENE NONE.

ITEM A ORDINANCES AUTHORIZING CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR ON PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY.

2200 BLOCK EAST HICKORY STREET BETWEEN NORTH 22ND STREET AND NORTH 23RD STREET, DECATUR LODGE 4 0 1 IN THE BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF THE ELKS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA BIKE NIGHT, JUNE 15TH, 2023.

ITEM B, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY 30 18 TEMPE DRIVE.

ITEM C, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY 1585 EAST GROVE ROAD.

ITEM D, RESOLUTION APPROVING APPOINTMENTS.

LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

ITEM E, RESOLUTION APPROVING REAPPOINTMENT.

LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

WE'VE GOT GREAT NEWS TO END THIS GREAT MEETING ON LATE THIS AFTERNOON.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS UNDER OTHER BUSINESS.

[VI. Other Business]

A NEWS RELEASE WENT OUT FROM, UH, SENATOR DICK DURBAN AND TAMMY DUCKWORTH AND, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN BUDZINSKI THAT, UH, DECATUR WILL BE RECEIVING A 16 MILLION GRANT TOWARD OUR RUSH COLLEGE PROJECT.

BIDS WILL BE OPENED ON THAT JUNE 16TH.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE WILL, UH, COME BACK AS, BUT WE ARE EXCEPTIONALLY CONFIDENT GIVEN THIS GREAT, UH, GRANT AGREEMENT.

WE HAVE WORKED FOR MANY YEARS AND WE'VE COME VERY, VERY CLOSE ON SOME OF THESE MAJOR GRANTS.

WE'VE BEEN COBBLING AND PUTTING TOGETHER GRANT MONIES FROM VARIOUS AREAS FOR MANY YEARS, AND, UM, WE'VE HAD SOME COST OVERAGES, BUT, UH, THIS IS, WE'VE HIT A HOME RUN.

NOT ONLY DOES THIS PLUG THE GAP, WHICH YOU'VE SAID, UH, BUT IT'S ALSO LIKELY TO REDUCE THE LOCAL SHARE, WHICH

[01:00:01]

WE ALWAYS LIKE.

DOES ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL HAVE SOMETHING, MR. HORN? YEAH.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

TH THERE'S A RESPONSE TO MR. HARTWIG AND MR. ROBERTSON'S COMMENTS, UH, REGARDING BOTH, UM, CONCERNS ABOUT INCREASED TAXES, AS WELL AS, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO GET THINGS ON THE AGENDA.

AND MR. HARTWIG, I, I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED TAXES.

AND SO, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN THE CITY OF DECATUR REFUSES TO HAVE A CANNABIS DISPENSARY, UH, HAVE A CANNABIS, UM, UM, CANNABIS CULTIVATION CENTER, WE'RE LOSING OUT ON TAX REVENUE THAT LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES LIKE HARRIS TOWN ARE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS GOING TO BE RECEIVING.

AND WE'LL SEE HOW THAT LOSS OF REVENUE THAT THE CITY COULD EARN, UH, IMPACTS US.

AND MR. ROBERTSON.

THIS WILL NEVER COME BEFORE A CITY COUNCIL MEETING AS AN OFFICIAL AGENDA ITEM FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER TWO YEARS.

AND SO, WHILE IT'S ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED, UH, VIA A VOTE, A REFERENDUM THAT THE MAJORITY OF CITIZENS WANT A CANNABIS DISPENSARY, IT WILL NOT COME BEFORE A VOTE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ANYTIME SOON.

MS. GREGORY, JUST A LITTLE CORRECTION.

THE, UM, MAJORITY OF PEOPLE THAT YOU SPEAK TO, DR.

HORN, CAME FROM THE DECATUR TOWNSHIP, AND THE DECATUR TOWNSHIP DOES NOT OVERLAP THE MUNICIPALITY OF DECATUR.

THEREFORE, ONCE AGAIN, YOU TAKE LITTLE PIECES OF A TRUTH AND YOU TURN IT INTO SOMETHING THAT IS NOT.

SO, I JUST WANT TO ALSO SAY REGARDING A CANNABIS DISPENSARY, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THIS COUNCIL DISCUSSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.

WE HAD MUCH DEBATE ON THAT, THAT ISSUE.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, I AM NOT INTERESTED IN SELLING THE SOUL OF OUR CITIZENS FOR A LITTLE BIT OF CANNABIS MONEY.

AND ON THAT NOTE, THE CANNABIS MONEY BASED ON THE NUMBERS IN PEORIA COMMUNITY THAT IS LARGER THAN US, AND THEN, UM, MEASURING IT OUT FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT AND AND FOR WHAT THE CITY WOULD RECEIVE, WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $300,000.

MR. WRIGHTON, IS THAT CORRECT? WE ESTIMATED IT WOULD BE BETWEEN THREE AND $400,000.

I THINK YOUR, YOUR REFERENCE TO PEORIA SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT, UM, SCALING THAT TO DECATUR WOULD BE ABOUT WRIGHT, AND I THINK AS, AS MR. KELA HAS BROUGHT UP NUMEROUS TIMES, WE'D BE BETTER OFF WITH A CHICK-FIL-A.

SO, MR. KEEL, WELL, I, I'M GONNA ADDRESS THAT BECAUSE WE, WE'VE TALKED THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND I WANT EVERYBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE TO KNOW EXACTLY HOW I FEEL IN THIS.

AND A MAJORITY OF THIS COUNCIL FEELS I'M NOT INTERESTED IN A, IN A CANNABIS DISPENSARY IN THIS CITY.

I DON'T CARE IF THEY PUT IT IN HARRIS TOWN.

GO AHEAD.

YOU CAN HAVE IT.

I'M NOT HERE.

I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO LET OUR YOUTH KNOW THAT WE APPROVE A PRODUCT LIKE THAT, BECAUSE WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IS IT IS FOR 21 YEAR OLDS, AND THEN IT'S GONNA JUST DRIFT DOWN INTO THE 18, 17, 16 YEAR OLDS.

AND, AND JULIE TOOK MY THUNDER.

IT IS, IT'S THE SAME TAX REVENUE AS A, A CHICK-FIL-A.

OUR BUDGET'S $250 MILLION AND YOU'RE TALKING $300,000.

IT'S MINUSCULE.

IT'S MINUSCULE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE TAX REVENUE, IT'S NOT EVEN WORTH DISCUSSING.

IT'S REALLY A PRINCIPLE THING.

AND COUNCILMAN HORN, YOU'RE SO MUCH AGAINST VIDEO GAMING AND THEN YOU'RE SO PRO CANNABIS.

IT JUST MAKES NO SENSE TO ME.

MR. MCDANIEL, UM, COUPLE THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS TALK ABOUT SUPPLY CHAIN, UH, ALL THE, UH, UH, DOCKS ON THE WEST COAST.

UH, THE WORKERS HAVE WALKED OUT, SO BE PREPARED FOR MORE SUPPLY.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS THERE.

UH, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAS, UH, ENDED FOR THIS SESSION.

THEY'LL BE BACK IN THE FALL.

OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, I HATE TO PUT, CAN YOU THINK OF ANYTHING? A COUPLE THINGS THAT, UH, THAT THEY PASSED THAT MIGHT BE GOOD FOR, UH, MUNICIPALITIES AND, UM, THERE WERE 6,500 PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS, UH, INTRODUCED IN, UH, UM, AT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS YEAR.

OBVIOUSLY THESE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PEOPLE NEED SOMETHING MORE TO DO, JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST PASS LAWS TO SAY, LOOK WHAT WE'VE DONE.

BUT CAN YOU, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE REPLACEMENT TAX, UH, ANYTHING THAT'S POSITIVE FOR, UH, DECATUR AND THE RIVER REST OF MUNICIPALITIES, WELL, THERE'S THE INCREASE IN L G D F, BUT MR. WRIGHTON, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO CALCULATE WHAT IT MIGHT MEAN? IT'S A MODEST INCREASE, BUT AT LEAST IT'S GOING THE RIGHT.

AND THAT'S THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, UH, DISTRIBUTIVE TAX I HAVE TO LG FUND L G DF? YES.

USUALLY WE MEASURE OUR SUCCESS IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY ALL THE BAD BILLS

[01:05:01]

THAT WE'RE ABLE TO KILL IN COMMITTEE OR ARE NOT ALLOWED TO GET OUT.

AND, AND FRANKLY THIS YEAR IS, IS NO DIFFERENT IN THAT REGARD.

MOST OF THE SUCCESSES OF THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE ARE PREVENTING, UM, LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE SERIOUSLY DAMAGING TO THE, TO THE CITY OF DECATUR OR WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT THE LEGISLATURE LIKES TO PUSH ON CITIES, UH, OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BESIDES THE L G D F, I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE LEGISLATURE PASSED, UH, AND I BELIEVE IT'S STILL SITTING ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK, UH, SENATE BILL, UH, 1675, WHICH IS ONE THAT WE HAD A PARTICULAR INTEREST IN.

SO I'M VERY PLEASED AT THAT PASSED.

IT'S ONE THAT WE WORKED ON WITH ROCKFORD AND PEORIA AND KAKI IN CHICAGO TO, UM, UH, BECAUSE THOSE ARE ALL CITIES THAT SHARE OUR PROBLEM OF HAVING DISTRESSED PROPERTIES AND VACANT PROPERTIES AND, UH, THAT THIS WILL MAKE IT EASIER FOR US.

AND, AND I'VE NOT ASSESSED YET.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S STILL TOO NEW AND I DON'T THINK THE GOVERNOR ASSIGNED IT YET, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THERE'S GONNA BE ANY PROBLEM WITH HIM DOING SO.

SO WE'VE NOT ASSESSED EXACTLY WHAT ITS IMPACT IS GONNA BE IMMEDIATELY IN, IN INDICATOR BASED ON THE ENROLLED VERSION.

BUT IN GENERAL, IT'S GONNA ENABLE US TO GET TO INTERCEPT SOME OF THESE STRUCTURES THAT OTHERWISE WAIT FOR THREE AND FOUR, IN SOME CASES, LONGER PERIODS OF TIME WITH TAX BUYERS WHO HAVE NO INTENTION OF DOING ANYTHING WITH THEM EXCEPT TRYING TO EXTRACT AS MUCH MONEY OUT OF THEM.

WHAT WE WANNA DO IS WE WANNA GET THOSE STRUCTURES, UH, THOSE THAT HAVE STRUCTURES ON THEM SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

BECAUSE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GETTING THEM SOONER IS WE CAN REHAB THEN IF WE WAIT TOO LONG, THEN THEY END UP JUST BEING DEMOS.

AND SO, UM, THE, UH, SO TO YOUR POINT AS WELL, THE, UH, ONE OF THE, UH, PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT THE MUNICIPAL LEAGUE WAS ABLE TO STOP WAS VERY HARMFUL CHANGES TO TIFF LEGISLATION.

YES, THAT'S TRUE.

SO, UM, BUT I HAVE NOT, UH, BEEN ABLE TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEYOND THAT.

WELL, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, WITH MR. HARTWICK, YOU NEED TO GO OVER TO, UH, SPRINGFIELD, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM OF ILLINOIS.

IF WE COULD GET RID OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, UH, HERE'S A, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE.

HERE'S AN EXAMPLE THAT WHAT MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

IT'S NOT EASY.

UM, A SENATOR, UH, BELL INTRODUCED A BILL 8 95 WOULD RESTRICT THE ABILITY OF COUNTIES, UH, UH, UH, ROAD DISTRICTS AND MUNICIPALITIES TO COLLABORATE ON SHARING RESOURCES ON AN IMPROVEMENT OF PROJECTS THAT CROSS COUNTY LINES.

AND THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY GOOD HERE THE LAST, UH, SEVERAL YEARS WORKING WITH THE COUNTY, UH, WITH MOUNT ZION AND OTHER TWO, YOU KNOW, JOINT PROJECTS THAT ARE WORKING.

WE SAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT IT IS REALLY TOUGH DEALING AS THE CITY MANAGER, THE UNFUNDED MANDATES THAT, THAT MUNICIPALITIES HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT COME OUT OF THE, UH, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONSTANTLY IN THAT.

SO, BUT ANYWAY, I JUST THOUGHT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WE'RE DOING WHAT WE CAN IN THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, BUT IT'S A TOUGH, TOUGH TO DEAL WITH THIS LEGISLATION.

THEY JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO AND THEY JUST KEEP COMING UP WITH THIS STUFF THAT JUST MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL.

AND BOTH YOU AND THE MAYOR ALLUDED TO THIS, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH EMPHASIZING.

AND THAT IS THAT YOU HAVE HELD THE LINE ON PROPERTY TAXES EVERY YEAR TO THE, TO THE EXTENT THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR'S PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL TAX BILL KEEPS REDUCING BECAUSE YOU'RE HOLDING THE, THE LINE WHILE THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE INCREASING THEIR, UH, THEIR, THEIR, THEIR PROPERTY TAXES.

SO WE IN, I, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU SAID.

PLEASE LOOK AT THE DETAIL AT THE LINE ITEMS AND, AND SEE, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE THE TAXES, YOU KNOW, BREAK DOWN BECAUSE IT'S NOT THE CITY THAT'S INCREASING THE, THE, THE NET TAX THAT YOU SEE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT HAND CORNER.

NOW I WAS TRYING SO HARD TO END THE MEETING ON A VERY HIGH NOTE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY, YOU HAD A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SECOND.