Jul 17, 2023 City Council Meeting

[I.  Call to Order]

[00:00:05]

CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

COUNCILMAN KEEL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN COLE? HERE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? HERE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN HORN PRESENT MAYOR MAR WOLF.

PRESENT SEVEN.

PRESENT AND ABSENT.

PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEDGE OF PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO PLAY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

AND TWO, THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

[II.  Proclamations and Recognitions]

IF I COULD HAVE KATHY WILLIAMS, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.

THANK YOU.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR JULIE MOORE, WOLF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.

MY NAME AGAIN IS KATHY WILLIAMS, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF KNO COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.

I'M, I COME BEFORE YOU TO READ THE OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION REGARDING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION, CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH IN N A T W SPONSORS A NATIONAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1ST, 2023 ENTITLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT CAMPAIGN PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORS IN THE, IN YOUR CITY TO JOIN OVER 38 MILLION NEIGHBORS ACROSS 17,000 COMMUNITIES FROM ALL 50 STATES, US TERRITORIES AND MILITARY BASES WORLDWIDE.

AND WHEREAS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES STRONG PLU, STRONG POLICE, COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD CAMARADERIE TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER AND MORE CARING PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK.

AND WHEREAS NEIGHBORS IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS ASSIST THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THROUGH JOINT COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS AND SUPPORT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2023 AT HESS PARK FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM FOR A TIME OF FUN FOOD GAMES AND GIVEAWAYS.

AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ALL NEIGHBORS OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS COME TOGETHER WITH POLICE AND WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A SAFER, MORE CARING COMMUNITY.

AND NOW, THEREFORE, I MAYOR JULIE MOORE WOLF DO HEREBY CALL UPON ALL NEIGHBORS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR TO JOIN US ALONG WITH THE COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT COMMITTEES AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 1ST, 2023, DONE AT THE CITY HALL, THE 17TH DAY OF JULY, 2023.

AND IF YOU BRING THAT UP, MS. WILLIAMS, I'M HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO CELEBRATE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LOOK FORWARD TO IT.

[III.  Appearance of Citizens]

THE 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.

AND 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 IF YOU HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.

YOU MAY ALSO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES AT THIS TIME.

AND THEN AGAIN, WHEN THE AGENDA ITEM IS CALLED.

WOULD ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? IF SO, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ALAN JACKSON FROM CASTLE WILLIAMS, POST 1 0 5,

[00:05:01]

AND MY NEARLY 30 YEARS IN MILITARY SERVICE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LEARNED IS TO RECOGNIZE MY OWN FAILURES.

UM, I MUST APOLOGIZE TO COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

UM, LAST MEETING, UH, YOU WERE TRYING TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS AND THERE WAS A GENTLEMAN HECKLING YOU FROM THE AUDIENCE HERE.

THAT WAS ME.

I APOLOGIZE.

YOU WERE CORRECT IN STATING THAT, UM, SPRINGFIELD IS NUMBER ONE AND DECATUR IS NUMBER TWO IN THE NUMBER OF VIDEO GAMING MACHINES.

UM, SO I APOLOGIZE FOR INTERRUPTING YOUR REMARKS AND I HOPE YOU ACCEPT THAT.

UM, I DO HAVE A COUPLE OF COMMENTS REGARDING THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO CHAPTER 52.

UM, WHY DOES ANY FUTURE CLASS C LICENSE HOLDER, UH, LIQUOR LICENSE HOLDER HAVE TO BE IN BUSINESS FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS BEFORE THEY CAN APPLY FOR A LICENSE? THAT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE ARE, UH, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS OUT THERE THAT MAY WANT TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES HERE IN DECATUR, BUT YET THEY HAVE TO WAIT FIVE YEARS TO APPLY FOR A LIQUOR LICENSE THAT'S CREATING AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THEM.

UM, AND I WOULD LIKE AN ANSWER TO THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION.

UH, LAST MEETING, YOU ALSO DECIDED TO POSTPONE ANY DECISION ON THAT AND YOU WANTED MORE TIME TO, UH, MAKE A DECISION.

I THROW BACK TO YOU, HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED ASKING THOSE OF US THAT THIS MAY AFFECT TO COME TOGETHER AND BE SHAREHOLDERS IN THE DECISION THAT THIS IS THAT IS BEING MADE? WHY NOT GET DIRECT INPUT INSTEAD OF JUST BEING HERE AT THIS MEETING AND ONLY ALLOWING FOR THREE MINUTES? WHY NOT INVITE SOME OF THE SHAREHOLDERS TO COME TOGETHER TO GO THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR, UM, CHAPTER ORDINANCE, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT THERE, AND GO THROUGH IT POINT BY POINT AND FIND OUT WHERE THE TWO PARTIES MIGHT COME TO AN AGREEMENT ON.

I THINK YOU MIGHT FIND IT BETTER RECEIVED FROM US IF YOU DO ALLOW US THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. JACKSON.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR? GOOD EVENING.

UM, MY NAME IS EVELYN HOOD.

UM, I LIVE AT, UM, 1105 EAST WHITMER STREET IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

AND I WILL LIKE TO, UM, I HAVE A COMPLAINT AND MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT EXCESSIVE FIREWORKS.

UM, ON JULY TUESDAY, JULY EVE, UH, THE FOURTH ON THE EVENING, I LIVED THERE AT THE CORNER OF 1105 EAST WHITMER AND SOUTH ILLINOIS STREET.

UH, AROUND NINE O'CLOCK THAT NIGHT, UH, WE STARTED HEARING FIREWORKS AND MY NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR, I SAID, WELL, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND THEY WERE VERY LOUD.

THEY WERE VIBRATING MY HOUSE.

I MEAN, WE WERE JUST HAVING ALL KINDS OF NOISE THERE.

AND, UM, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY HAD GOT A BLOCK PARTY PERMIT.

I DON'T KNOW IF THE PERMIT ALLOWED THEM TO SHOOT ALL THESE FI FIREWORKS OR NOT.

THEY WERE IN THE STREETS.

UH, I DO HAVE PICTURES.

I DON'T, I DIDN'T GIVE IT TO ANYONE.

I DON'T KNOW WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE THESE PICTURES, BUT I DID TAKE PICTURES.

I HAD TALKED TO COUNCILMAN, UM, MCDANIEL ABOUT THE PROBLEM.

SO, UM, MY NEIGHBOR AND I WERE DISCUSSING BECAUSE WE DID NOT SIGN, UH, THE PETITION THAT, THAT THE MAN HAD THAT I FOUND OUT THAT LIVED DOWN BELOW ME.

BUT LAST YEAR I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FIREWORKS.

UH, THEY BURNED MY TREE UP.

OKAY.

AND THEN THE YEAR BE PROBABLY BEFORE THERE WAS A SHOOTING RIGHT DOWN THERE AND THE VICTIM CAME THROUGH MY YARD.

WE DO HAVE A CAMERA STANDING UP THERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S THERE FOR, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE CAN'T GET ANY HELP IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH SOME OF THESE PROBLEMS THAT WE'RE HAVING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS.

SO I HOPE THAT THE COUNCIL CAN HELP ME OUT TONIGHT.

AND I KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE FIREWORKS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BUMS AND I DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE VIBRATING MY HOUSE.

UM, IF SO, LET ME LIVE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL THE FIREWORKS OVER.

BUT ANYWAY, THAT CONTINUED ABOUT, OH, MAYBE TWO OR THREE HOURS.

AND THEN THEY HAD A STREET FIRE FROM THE FIREWORKS.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS ALL THAT WAS PERMISSIBLE DURING THE, UM, JUNETEENTH, I MEAN, NOT THE JUNETEENTH, EXCUSE ME, THE 4TH OF JULY.

I KNOW YOU'RE

[00:10:01]

SO, UM, I JUST NEED YOU TO HELP ME OUT WITH THAT PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.

WE LIVE IN JOHNS HILL COMMUNITY.

WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP IT BEAUTIFUL AND THE NEIGHBORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT WE ARE HAVING THERE.

MM-HMM.

.

SO I THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT SOME OF THESE PHOTOS THAT I BROUGHT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO DO SO.

UM, WE WERE PRETTY, PRETTY, UH, SURPRISED ABOUT ALL THE THINGS WERE HAPPENING THERE, BUT WE ARE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS THERE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WE HOPE THAT YOU WOULD HELP US OUT A LITTLE BIT THAT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. HUD.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL? NO.

HELLO, MY NAME IS ABI MOAN AND I'M HERE TO REPORT A COMPLAINT.

BEFORE I START, I WANTED TO REMIND YOU OF JANUARY 6TH WHEN THEY HARMED ME IN THE BUS.

THE SAME TIME THEY ATTACKED THE CAPITOL AROUND THAT TIME IN FRONT OF THE HOLY LUTHERAN CHURCH.

HOLY LUTHERAN CROSS CHURCH, UM, AROUND THE CORNER OF MOUND ROAD AND WATER STREET.

THERE, THERE'S A RESTAURANT ACROSS, AND THERE WERE TERRORISTS SUPPORTERS IN THAT RESTAURANT.

BUT BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE RESTAURANT ACROSS OF IT, THEY HAD A PERSON TAKE A BRICK, A WHOLE BRICK, THROW IT AT THE BUS.

AND IT HAD TO DO WITH MEMBERS OF THAT CHURCH ALSO WITH THE TERRORISTS IN THAT RESTAURANT.

I JUST FOUND THAT OUT JUST RECENTLY.

AND I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THAT BUS DRIVER WHO DID HARM ME ON JANUARY 6TH IS RELATED TO TIM MACKIN AND TIM MACKINS RELATED TO MERCY HOSPITAL OF ST.

LOUIS, NAMED STEVEN MACKIN.

AND THEY'RE RELATED TO MIDWEST PETROLEUM, JAMES MCNUTT AND THEIR RELATED TO MY FORMER EMPLOYER, BOB SASSER WITH DOLLAR TREE AND DEAL STORES.

THEY COORDINATED EFFORTS TO HARM ME FROM JULY, FROM JUNE 13TH THROUGH THE 26TH.

AND THEY ALSO WORKED WITH PEOPLE IN THE MACON COUNTY HEALTH CENTER, SOME EMPLOYEES THERE.

THEY, THEY HELD ME AGAINST MY WILL, LIKE A PRISONER OF WAR TRYING TO DEFAME ME, TORTURE ME, TRY TO KILL ME SEVERAL TIMES.

AND THERE WERE WITNESSES, ALL RETALIATION.

WHY? BECAUSE OF POLITICS, POLITICAL AND NATIONAL PO CORRUPTION PLUS ALSO FOR TERRORISTS, ALSO RELAYED TO THESE PEOPLE'S ATTORNEY, JAMES HACKING.

AND JAMES HACKING IS TRYING TO SACRIFICE WOMEN AND KILL WOMEN SO HE CAN WORK THE TERRORISTS.

THAT'S NOT FAIR AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

AND I'M MAKING THIS COMPLAINT TO YOU BECAUSE I AM NOT WEAK AND I AM NOT AFRAID.

BUT I DO WANT YOU ALL, I'M THE COMMUNITY AND WE'RE ALL HERE.

WE'RE THE COMMUNITY.

EVERYBODY HAS A RIGHT TO LIFE.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO DIE BECAUSE OF POLITICS.

I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO STRUGGLE BECAUSE OF POLITICS.

WE'RE HERE, WE'RE ALL COMMUNITY, WE'RE ALL FAMILY.

WE NEED TO, TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER, NOT KILL ONE ANOTHER.

WHEN IS THIS KILLING AND THIS FIGHTING AND THIS CHALLENGING? WHEN IS IT GONNA STOP? I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE, I MEAN, THE LAST MEETING HERE, I WASN'T EVEN ABLE TO ATTEND IT BECAUSE I WAS TORTURED.

AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE THEY WANNA DEFAY MY NAME, DEFAY MY NAME.

WHEN IS THIS GONNA STOP? I'M HERE FOR THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE STILL FAMILY.

WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING AS ONE.

I JUST HOPE THAT YOU GUYS CAN CHANGE YOUR MINDS AND, YOU KNOW, HELP TO STOP THE CORRUPTION AND ESPECIALLY THE NEPOTISM IN THE SYSTEM.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? GOOD EVENING MAYOR.

MORE WOLF COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS AUSTIN UZI.

I'M A 30 YEAR OLD MOTHER OF TWO KIDS IN THIS, UH, COMMUNITY.

I'M AN INVESTED MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY.

I WASN'T QUITE EXACTLY PLANNING ON THIS, SO PLEASE EXCUSE ME.

UH, THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE VIDEO GAMING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

UM, I UNDERSTAND IT IS A HARD TUSSLE WITHIN THE CITY.

UH, YOU HAVE PARLORS THAT ARE NOT REGULATED THAT LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULDN'T BE THERE.

I UNDERSTAND THAT.

UM, MY CONCERN IS, AS A MOTHER OF TWO IN THIS COMMUNITY RAISING TWO LITTLE KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY IS HOW IT'S GONNA AFFECT MY CHILDREN DOWN THE ROAD.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS CONCERNS WITH THE GAMING GAMBLING PARLORS WITHIN PEOPLE WHO HAVE ADDICTIONS WITHIN THAT.

THERE ARE ALL ALSO PEOPLE THAT HAVE ADDICTIONS TO ALCOHOL THAT CONTINUE TO GO TO PAR TO BARS.

SORRY, I'M NERVOUS.

I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS.

UM, MY CONCERN IS, IS THAT IF WE DON'T REGULATE IT IN SOME WAY, BUT WE CAN STILL ISSUE LICENSES FOR GAMBLING PARLORS, THERE ARE STILL WAYS TO REGULATE IT.

IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER COMMUNITIES SUCH AS TAYLORVILLE, MONTGOMERY, OSWEGO, PLACES UP NORTH THAT

[00:15:01]

SOME MUNICIPALITIES ALLOW IT TO BE 24 TO 36 SIGNS OUTSIDE OF THE PARLORS THAT SHOW THAT THERE IS VIDEO GAMING INSIDE.

SO I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE CONCERN OF HOW IT LOOKS UPON OUR CITY.

THERE ARE WAYS TO REGULATE THAT.

MY CONCERN IS IF WE DO NOT FIGURE OUT A WAY TO HAVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH VIDEO GAMING PARLORS OR BARS OR RESTAURANTS OR BREAKFAST PLACES, THAT WE DO NOT COME TO THE HAPPY MEDIUM TO WHERE OUR COMMUNITY IS TAXED.

THAT DOESN'T AFFECT ME RIGHT NOW.

MY CONCERN IS, IS IF MY KIDS DO NOT, IF MY KIDS CHOOSE TO LIVE WITHIN THIS CITY OF DECATUR LIMITS, THEY'RE GONNA BE AFFECTED BY THAT LONG TERM.

I'M NOT GONNA BEAT A DEAD HORSE.

YOU GUYS HAVE YOUR OPINIONS.

I HAVE MINE.

THAT IS OKAY.

I'M, I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH THAT.

I'M JUST COMING HERE AS A MOTHER OF TWO LITTLE KIDS AND HOW THAT'S GONNA AFFECT THEM LONG TERM AND THE PRICE THEY'RE GONNA PAY IF WE CANNOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO HAVE THAT HAPPY MEDIUM.

I PERSONALLY, I'VE SEEN PARLORS TO WHERE I'M JUST LIKE, WHY IS THAT THERE? I GET THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THE CONCERN, BUT I KNOW THERE'S A WAY TO COME TO A HAPPY MEDIUM TO WHERE WE CAN WORK WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITHIN THE AREA AND FIGURE THAT OUT.

UM, IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, YOU GUYS ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO EMAIL ME AT ANY TIME AND CONTACT ME.

UM, BUT YEAH, THAT'S, THERE'S MIA'S MOM, SO, BUT YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

I BELIEVE THERE'S A GENTLEMAN.

YEAH, COME ON DOWN.

HELLO, MY NAME IS, UH, DWAYNE JONES.

UH, AND I'M JUST KIND OF ECHOING WHAT MRS. HOOD WAS SAYING.

I STAY IN THAT SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND, UM, I WAS JUST TRYING TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THESE FIREWORKS.

UM, AS SHE STATED, THEY STARTED AT NINE, THEY PROBABLY STOPPED PROBABLY ONE 30 IN THE MORNING.

UH, UM, SAME FIREWORKS THAT YOU SEE DOWN AT THE LAKE.

THESE ARE FIREWORK, THE SAME TYPE OF FIREWORKS THAT ARE LIT IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

UH, MY WATCHED, UH, FIREWORKS BEING SHOT OVER THE ROOFS OF PEOPLE'S HOUSES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BEING RECKLESS ABOUT IT.

UM, AND AS SHE SAID, THE, UH, A FIRE, UH, WELL ACTUALLY THERE WERE TWO FIRES THAT WEREN'T IN THE STREET.

UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND, AND PUT OUT ONE.

UM, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROCESS IS FOR THESE PEOPLE TO GET THESE FIREWORKS OR IS THERE A LIMIT ON WHAT TIME THEY CAN, THEY COULD FIRE 'EM OFF.

UM, I JUST, I KNOW IT'S, UH, IT'S TOO BIG OF AN ISSUE FOR THE, FOR THE CITY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

UM, CAUSE THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT FIREWORKS GOING ALL OVER THE CITY AND THEN YOU HAVE SOME PEOPLE REPORTING GUNSHOTS.

CAUSE SOME PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GUNSHOT AND THE FIREWORKS.

AND, UH, SO JUST SAYING WHAT COULD BE DONE, UH, TO TRY AND DETER, I KNOW IN, UH, I WAS SPEAKING TO ONE OF MY FRIENDS OF MINE, FRIENDS OF MINE THAT STAYS, UH, IN THE SOUTH SUBURB OF CHICAGO.

AND HE SAID THAT, UH, SINCE THEY IMPOSED THE, UH, I THINK HE, I BELIEVE IT WAS A $1,500 FINE FOR SHOOTING ALL FIREWORKS.

UH, UH, IT DETERRED A LOT OF IT.

YOU STILL GOING TO HAVE SOME, BUT I THINK THAT WOULD GET SOME PEOPLE'S ATTENTION.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MR. JONES.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO'D LIKE TO COME? SURE.

COME ON DOWN, MA'AM.

HELLO? HI, MY NAME IS MONICA CRUZ.

I LIVE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AS, UM, MR. DWAYNE AND MS. UM, HOOD.

UM, YEAH, IT WAS HORRIBLE.

UM, IT KNOCKED THE FIREWORKS, KNOCKED THE CLOCK OFF MY WALL, AND MY CHILD CANNOT SLEEP.

HE'S TWO YEARS OLD AND I COULD HAVE SWEAR THEY ALMOST CAUGHT MY HOUSE ON FIRE.

I WAS LOOKING AT MY SECURITY CAMERA AND IT WAS SMOKE AND YEAH, IT WAS JUST HORRIBLE.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GETTING THESE, THEY SOUNDED LIKE BOMBS JUST REPEATEDLY, SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. CRUZ.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COME BEFORE COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? SEEING NONE, I WANNA OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL.

MR. HL.

SO ON 4TH OF JULY, UH, WE USUALLY JUST GO DOWN BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO THIS LITTLE BRIDGE OVER SOUTH

[00:20:01]

AND, UH, THERE'S A LITTLE AREA YOU CAN PARK CARS AND A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST GO DOWN THERE TO WATCH FIREWORKS.

SO WE'RE WATCHING THE, THE CITY FIREWORKS AND IT'S PRETTY, IT'S PRETTY PANORAMIC.

YOU CAN SEE FIREWORKS ALL OVER TOWN.

BUT THERE WAS THIS ONE AREA TO THE LEFT OF THE CITY FIREWORKS THAT FRANKLY WAS PUTTING THE CITY FIREWORKS TO SHAME.

I MEAN, THIS, THIS WAS ROCKING AND I DON'T, AND I SAID, THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S OVER BY JOHNS HILL OR SOMETHING.

AND SOMEBODY ELSE SAYS, NO, THAT'S WARRENSBURG.

I SAID, I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SEE WARRENSBURG FIREWORKS FROM HERE.

I SAID, I SAID, I THINK THAT'S OVER BY JOHNS HILL.

SO IF THIS IS WHAT THESE FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT, I CAN'T BLAME HIM BECAUSE IT WAS A LOT GOING ON.

I DON'T KNOW ALL OUR RULES.

OKAY.

AND I KNOW THAT ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS IS OUR POLICE OFFICERS HAVE SO MUCH GOING ON AND THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE SHOOTING FIREWORKS OFF.

I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS MAYBE WE NEED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR NEXT YEAR TO SOMEHOW REGULATE THIS.

AND I, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH TALKING ABOUT.

WE MIGHT HAVE TO LOOK AT SOME SORT OF VERY, YOU KNOW, EXTENSIVE FINE BECAUSE IT, IT IS A PROBLEM EACH AND EVERY YEAR.

UM, I'M ASSUMING THAT THESE FIREWORKS WERE PROBABLY NOT ISSUED A PERMIT TO DO IT.

UM, MOST, I I DON'T THINK WE HAD MORE THAN THREE OR FOUR PERMITS THAT WERE ISSUED FOR FIREWORKS.

WERE ALSO IN A DROUGHT.

SO SHOOTING THEM OFF ANYWHERE WAS A BAD IDEA.

SOME COMMUNITIES EVEN, UM, HAD A PROBLEM AND, AND CANCELED THEIR FIREWORKS.

UM, AS FAR AS WHAT TO DO, IT, IT IS A PROBLEM FOR POLICE BECAUSE, AND ANECDOTALLY I DON'T HAVE DATA ON THIS, JUST IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, POLICE OFFICERS OVER THE YEARS, YOU KNOW, NEIGHBORS CALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND COMPLAIN BY THE TIME POLICE ARE ABLE TO GET THERE, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH, UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY OVER CELEBRATING AND, UH, TRYING TO KEEP THE PEACE.

ON THE 4TH OF JULY, QUITE OFTEN WHEN POLICE OFFICERS WOULD GET TO A FIREWORKS DISPLAY, THE DISPLAY IS OVER AND THEN THE NEIGHBORS DON'T WANNA FILE A COMPLAINT CUZ NEIGHBORS JUST REALLY WANT THE FIREWORKS TO STOP.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S DANGEROUS.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOING IT.

WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME ALTERNATIVE OR SOME GO TO THE LAKE, WATCH THEM DOWN THERE.

IT'S, IT'S, UM, BETTER FOR ALL OF US.

PAT, UH, TURN YOUR MIC ON, PLEASE.

I AGREE.

I MEAN, I, I THINK THIS YEAR I'VE HEARD IT WAS LIKE BOMBS AND MR. JOHNSON AS A VIETNAM VETERAN, I SIT UP IN BED THINKING, IS THAT GUNS OR IS THAT FIREWORKS? SO THAT BOTHERS ME IN THAT.

AND, UH, UM, MRS. UH, HOOD AND I HAVE TALKED SEVERAL TIMES, AND YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COME OUT TO PUT OUT FIRE ON THE ASPHALT ROAD IN THAT, AND IT IS HARD TO, NOW I KNOW FIREWORKS ARE, UH, CANNOT BE SOLD IN ILLINOIS.

ARE FIREWORKS ILLEGAL? TECHNICALLY, YES.

OKAY.

SO, AND THERE WERE ONLY FOUR PERMITS THIS YEAR THAT WERE ISSUED BY THE, UH, FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR FIREWORKS.

SO, BUT IT IS, IT'S BE IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.

BUT NOW THEY ARE, I AGREE WITH THEY'RE USING LARGER, BUYING, LARGER, UH, FIREWORKS.

OTHER COMMENTS, MR. COOPER? UM, I TOO AGREE WITH THE COM ALL THE COMMENTS THAT'S BEEN SAID SO FAR, AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO BEFORE THIS TIME NEXT YEAR.

BUT JUST FOR THOSE IN THE JOHN SEALS AREA, IT WAS NOT JUST JOHNS SEALS AREA.

UH, I LIVE OUT NORTH AND MINE WENT TO 4:00 AM IN THE MORNING AND THEY WERE JUST AS BAD.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN, UM, AS A COUNCIL IN THE CITY, WE CAN LOOK AT SOMETHING AND DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO TRY TO AT LEAST REDUCE IT.

I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO POLICE IT AND SOLVE IT BECAUSE IT'S ALL OVER TOWN.

UM, AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT GONNA BE REALISTICALLY POSSIBLE, BUT MAYBE YOU CAN IDENTIFY THOSE THAT ARE THE BIGGEST, BIGGEST ONES AND GET THEM TO BE ELIMINATED WITH FINES.

AND MAYBE WE ALSO CAN LOOK AT NOT AUTHORIZING, UM, ANY BLOCK PARTIES ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY OR WEEKEND.

WELL, GOOD DO KIND OF HATE TO TAKE AWAY A BLOCK PARTY FOR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WANNA CELEBRATE THE RIGHT WAY.

BUT YEAH, THOSE WERE, THOSE WERE NOT LEGAL FIREWORKS.

MS. GREGORY, IN THIS INSTANCE, WE DO HAVE, UM, PERMISSION FOR A BLOCK PARTY.

SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE HAVE A NAMES ATTACHED TO THAT PETITION.

UM, WE ALSO NOW HAVE PICTURES, UM, THAT ARE PRETTY CLEAR.

I'M SURE THAT IF THE CHIEF WERE TO LOOK AT THEM, HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT WAS LEGAL AND WHAT WASN'T.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS CERTAINLY WORTH A FOLLOW UP CALL, UM, SIMPLY TO SAY, UM, YOU WERE OUT OF LINE, UM, AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF ACTIVITY THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA TOLERATE.

AND IF THERE ARE FINES THAT CAN BE ASSESSED AFTER THE FACT, GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE WHAT YOU NEED TO SUBSTANTIATE THAT, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT CITY STAFF LOOK INTO THAT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? LET MR. CULP JUST ONE ADDITION TO THAT,

[00:25:01]

IT SEEMS LIKE FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER.

WE HAVE NIGHTS OF THIS OR WEEKENDS OF THIS AND, AND WE HAD SAME IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE.

UH, BUT YEAH, A GOOD FOLLOW UP CALL MAY NOT HURT WITH ESPECIALLY NAMES AND PICTURES AND SO FORTH.

ON A SEPARATE NOTE, UM, I MAY BE DEPARTING THE COUNCIL MEETING EARLY TONIGHT FOR A FAMILY VISITATION.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. HORN? SORRY.

WELL, I, I CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND, UM, UH, COUNCILMAN HLS CALL FOR SOME SORT OF EVALUATION OF WHAT PERHAPS BEST PRACTICES THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IN REGARDS TO REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF, OF FIRES TAKING PLACE.

I HAPPEN TO BE IN A RIDE ALONG WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON JULY 4TH, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, AND IT SEEMED LIKE EVERY BLOCK, UH, IN THE CITY HAD SOMEONE SHOOTING OFF FIREWORKS.

AND, UM, I I, I KNOW PERSONALLY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR PERSONAL PROPERTY BURNED DOWN AS A RESULT OF FIREWORKS.

AND SO WE THINK OF THESE AS KIND OF JUST FARM WORK.

FIREWORKS TO SE CELEBRATE INDEPENDENCE DAY, BUT SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF PROPERTY HAS TAKEN PLACE.

THANK YOU.

OKAY, MOVING ON TO

[IV.  Approval of Minutes]

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 20TH, 2023.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN KEEL.

ALL RIGHT.

COUNCILMAN COLE.

AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS TONIGHT? NONE.

MOVING TO NEW BUSINESS ITEM

[1.  Treasurer's Financial Report]

MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE FINANCIAL POSITION, UH, THAT THE REPORT THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET, UM, MIRRORS REALLY, I THINK THE COMMUNITY'S OVERALL FINANCIAL CONDITION IN GENERAL.

AND I WOULD SUMMARIZE IT BY SAYING THAT IT'S OKAY, BUT IT'S PLATEAUING.

UM, SOME OF THE KEY REVENUES ARE PLATEAUING.

THEY ARE NOT TANKING.

THAT'S, THAT'S THE GOOD NEWS.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IT, UH, IS COMPATIBLE WITH OUR GENERAL STRATEGY OF, UH, MAINTAINING REASONABLE RESERVES WHILE ALSO BEING CONSERVATIVE IN OUR SPENDING AND ADOPTION OF NEW PROGRAMS. I, THAT'S HOW WE CONTINUE.

WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE ABSENT A DIFFERENT DIRECTION FROM YOU BOTH, UH, UH, INTO THE BALANCE OF THE YEAR, AS WELL AS IN THE PREPARATION OF THE, UM, OF THE 2024 BUDGET.

AND I THINK THIS, UH, REPORT IS ON TRACK WITH THAT.

IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OF THE, THE TREASURER'S NOT HERE, BUT, UH, BUT ANTHONY WHO HELPED PREPARE THIS REPORT IS IF YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? SCENE? NONE.

WE DON'T NEED TO APPROVE IT, SO THAT'S OKAY.

WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.

ITEM

[2.  Ordinance Annexing Territory 4469 Commercial Crossing]

COMMERCIAL CROSSING MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

THIS ITEM FOR AN ANNEXATION AT 44 69.

COMMERCIAL CROSSING IS A COMPANION WITH THE ITEM THAT FOLLOWS AT ITEM THREE.

UM, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER THEM AS, AS TWO PARTS OF THE SAME ITEM.

THE, UH, OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, UH, PROPOSES TO DEVELOP IT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES.

UM, THE REASON WHY THIS ANNEXATION IS NOT ON YOUR CONSENT AGENDA IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT A ROUTINE ANNEXATION, UH, IN PART BECAUSE IT'S LINKED WITH THE REZONING THAT COMES UNANIMOUSLY TO YOU FROM THE PLAN COMMISSION.

BUT ALSO BECAUSE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE CITY, UM, OFFERED SOME WATER AND SEWER ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE PROPERTY DOESN'T ACTUALLY HAVE IT DIRECTLY.

IT'S, IT'S NOT THAT FAR AWAY.

UH, BUT IT'S NOT ACTUALLY AT THE PROPERTY LINE.

IN EXCHANGE, BOTH FOR ANNEXATION AND FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER PROVIDING SOME ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY FOR THE PLANNED EAST BYPASS, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE COUNTY TO TRY TO PIECE TOGETHER SOME OF THESE PARCELS, UH, SO THAT THE BYPASS CAN, UH, MOVE TO THE NEXT STAGE OF LAND ACQUISITION AND FINAL DESIGN.

UM, SO BECAUSE THAT'S A FAIRLY UNIQUE FEATURE OF WHAT WOULD OTHERWISE BE, A FAIRLY ROUTINE REZONING AS WELL AS A ROUTINE ANNEXATION, I PUT IT ON, UH, ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. WRIGHTON FROM COUNCIL? SCENE? NONE.

COUNCILMAN HL AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM THREE, ORDINANCE

[3.  Ordinance Rezoning Property from R-1 Single Family Residence District to M-1 Intense Commercial/Light Industrial District – 4469 N Commercial Crossing]

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

MR. RIGHTON, I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD.

ANY QUESTIONS? SCENE NONE.

COUNCILMAN KEEL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM FOUR, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING

[4.  Resolution Authorizing Contract for Pay and Benefits for I.A.F.F. Local 505 Fire Association]

[00:30:01]

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL IS MY REQUEST THAT YOU APPROVE THE, UM, RESOLUTION, UH, AUTHORIZING THE ME TO EXECUTE THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR THE FIRE UNION.

I'M NOT GONNA GO THROUGH ALL THE DETAILS OF IT, IT'S 60 PAGES LONG.

UM, AND YOU'RE ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH A LOT OF THE KEY ELEMENTS AND I PROVIDED A HIGHLIGHTS, UH, UH, SUMMARY IN THE PACKET.

IN ADDITION, I CAN SAY THAT, UH, THE, THE CHIEF AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM DURING THE COURSE OF NEGOTIATIONS WERE HAD A SEPARATE TEAM THAT MADE SOME MORE TECHNICAL AND, AND, UH, LESS CONTROVERSIAL LANGUAGE REVISIONS.

AND, UH, SO HE WAS INVOLVED IN THAT.

AND SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK, UH, THE, THE DETAILS OF ANY OF THOSE, IF YOU WISH.

BUT I THINK THAT THEY'RE PRETTY WELL LAID OUT IN, IN THE MATERIALS.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO INSTEAD IS, IS TALK ABOUT JUST TWO THINGS THAT, THAT, UM, AREN'T, UH, DISCUSSED IN DETAIL IN THE COUNCIL PACKET MATERIAL THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED.

AND THAT IS WHY THIS AGREEMENT TOOK THREE AND A HALF YEARS TO FINALIZE AND WHAT THE PRINCIPLE ISSUES WERE.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT, UH, NOT ONLY YOU AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL, BUT OUR STAFF AS WELL, UH, GREATLY APPRECIATE THE WORK, UH, THE SACRIFICE, THE COMMITMENT THAT OUR FIREFIGHTERS, UH, HAVE.

UM, AND, UH, AND, AND, UH, THERE IS NEVER, THROUGHOUT THIS THREE AND A HALF YEARS, ANY, ANY REDUCTION OR DIMINUTION OR MINIMIZATION, WHATEVER OF, OF OUR HIGH REGARD FOR THE WORK THAT POLICE, THE, THE FIRE OFFICE FIREFIGHTERS DO.

UM, SO WHY DID IT TAKE THREE AND A HALF YEARS? I MEAN, DURING THE, THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS, UH, COUNSEL WAS FREQUENTLY ASKED THIS QUESTION, SO IT CERTAINLY SHOULD BE ANSWERED.

UH, CERTAINLY THE, THE HARDWORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DECATUR FIRE DEPARTMENT NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

SO WHY IT TOOK SO LONG IS BASICALLY THREE REASONS.

THE, THE FIRST IS THAT AT ALMOST EVERY TURN, UM, WHEN IT WAS TIME FOR GETTING TOGETHER, AGAIN, IT WAS THE CITY THAT HAD TO PULL THE UNION BACK IN INTO NEGOTIATION.

SOMETIMES THREE MONTHS WOULD GO BY FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS.

AND IN ONE CASE AN ENTIRE YEAR, UH, WHEN WE WOULD ON A MONTHLY BASIS THROUGH OUR, UH, LABOR COUNCIL ATTORNEY SAYING, IT'S TIME TO GET BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

LET'S HAVE A MEETING.

UH, AND IT WAS, IT WAS ALWAYS THE, THE CITY TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, PULLING, PULLING THE UNION BACK, UH, TO THE TABLE.

UH, TO THEIR CREDIT, THEY CAME.

BUT, UH, UH, THAT, THAT HAPPENED COUNTLESS TIMES.

AND SOMETIMES FOR, AS, LIKE I SAID, FOR MUCH OF A YEAR, THAT, BUT THAT WASN'T THE ONLY REASON FOR THE DELAY.

MIDWAY THROUGH THE, THE NEGOTIATIONS, THE LEADERSHIP OF THE UNION CHANGED, WHICH IS THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT.

SO THE BARGAINING COMMITTEE DECIDED THAT THEY WERE ALSO ENTITLED TO THROW OUT THE PREVIOUS TENTATIVE AGREEMENTS AND TO START AN ENTIRE NEW PROCESS OVER AGAIN FROM SQUARE ONE.

NOW, WHILE DOING THAT IS NOT ILLEGAL, IT IS UNETHICAL AND IT'S AN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE.

UH, AND IT TOOK A LOT OF TIME BECAUSE WE, BECAUSE IT, IT, WE LOST TIME AND HAD TO REGAIN ALL OF THAT GROUND, AND THAT TOOK MONTHS.

THE THIRD REASON THAT IT TOOK SO LONG IS THAT AT A DIFFERENT POINT IN THE NEGOTIATING PROCESS, SOME OF THE UNION LEADERS BEGAN INDIVIDUALLY LOBBYING COUNCIL MEMBERS GOING AROUND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS AS IT WAS SET FORTH IN STATUTE, AND I THINK REPRESENTED TO THE UNION MEMBERSHIP, THAT THEY COULD SOMEHOW OVERTURN THE NORMAL PROCESS IN THIS WAY.

AND SO THAT ALSO ADDED TO THE PROCESS, UH, IN, IN, IN TERMS OF TIME.

NOW, THAT'S NOT ILLEGAL EITHER, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, AN UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE.

UH, SO THE CITY FILED UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE CHARGES WITH THE STATE LABOR RELATIONS BOARD LATER ON IN THE INTEREST OF REACHING A SETTLEMENT, UH, WITH THE UNION.

IT WAS LATER WITHDRAWN, BUT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, 90% OF THE DELAYS THAT, UH, RESULTED IN THIS THREE AND A HALF YEAR TIMELINE WERE CAUSED BY THESE THREE THINGS, OR SOME COMBINATION OF THEM.

THE GOOD MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW AN ANSWER ABOUT WHY THAT TOOK SO LONG.

AND I GENUINELY AND SINCERELY HOPE THAT THEY CAN OBTAIN ANSWERS FROM THEIR LEADERSHIP AS TO WHY THAT HAPPENED.

TO THE ISSUES FROM THE BEGINNING OF UNION NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRE UNION, THERE WERE REALLY ONLY TWO ISSUES THAT MOTIVATED THE CITY.

I MEAN, CERTAINLY THE UNION BROUGHT THEIR ISSUES, UH, TO THE TABLE AS, AS IS PROPER.

NOW, ANY UNION NEGOTIATION INVOLVES SALARY.

THAT'S, THAT'S JUST A GIVEN.

BUT APART FROM THAT, THERE WERE, THERE WERE TWO ISSUES.

THE FIRST ONE HAD TO DO WITH AN ATTEMPT BY THE CITY TO, UH, PURSUE SOME MODEST PENSION REFORM.

AND THE SECOND HAD TO DO WITH OUR DESIRE TO HAVE A UNIFIED, MORE UNIFIED THAN WE HAD BEFORE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS STRUCTURE.

UM, IN APRIL, UM, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL AND I WERE IN A, UH, HOUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE MEETING, PACKED STANDING ROOM ONLY OVER AT THE CAPITOL WHERE THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE WAS MAKING A PRESENTATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATE RESTORING, UH, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT'S PERCENTAGE ON L G D F.

AND, UH, UM, NEITHER, UH, MR. MCDANIEL OR I GAVE TESTIMONY, UH, AT THAT TIME.

BUT THE, UH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE IML, BRAD COLE, HAD ARRANGED FOR 15 MAYORS TO GIVE TESTIMONY REPRESENTING THE, THE BROAD GEOGRAPHIC AND CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC DIVERSITY OF OUR STATE.

AND ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM SAID, DON'T

[00:35:01]

AND THE CHIEF UNFUNDED MANDATE THAT, THAT THEY ALMOST ALL 15 OF THEM MENTIONED, WAS THE INCREASING COST OF PUBLIC SAFETY, UH, PENSIONS.

UM, SO, UH, THE, UM, THIS IS A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND WHILE WE CAN'T FIX THE, UH, SOME OF THE STUFF THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONTROLS AND THEY SHOW NO INTEREST IN MAKING ANY SERIOUS CHANGES, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN DO.

UH, AND SO WE TRIED TO INSTITUTE SOME OF THOSE IN A WAY THAT, UH, AFFECTED NO EXISTING MEMBER OF, OF THE FIRE UNION.

UM, AND, UH, UH, I AM, I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THAT, THAT BECAUSE WE EVEN SUGGESTED SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT WE WERE ACCUSED OF, OF BEING ANTI FIREFIGHTER, WHICH IS NOT TRUE.

VERY PRO FIREFIGHTER.

THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY THROUGH THE YEARS OF VERY INVESTED IN, IN NEW FIRE STATIONS AND EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY, UH, AND OTHER WAYS TO, TO, TO SUPPORT THE FIRE OPERATION.

BUT THE ASSOCIATED FIREFIGHTERS OF ILLINOIS HAS THIS THING THAT THEY DO.

THEY, IF, IF YOU QUESTION THE, THE PENSION, THEN YOU'RE AGAINST PENSIONS.

YOU DON'T WANT POLICE FIREFIGHTERS TO HAVE PENSIONS AND, AND YOU, UH, UH, AND YOU'RE AGAINST FIREFIGHTERS.

NONE OF THOSE IS TRUE, BUT THAT'S SIDE OF, THAT'S THE POLARIZATION THAT WE FACED.

THE, THE, THE UNION HAS, OVER THE COURSE OF THREE AND A HALF YEARS, FIERCELY RESISTED THESE CHANGES, EVEN THOUGH NO EXISTING EMPLOYEES WERE DISPLACED BY SOME OF THE MODEST PENSION REFORM PROPOSALS THAT WE OFFERED.

UM, AND EVEN THOUGH THE HEALTH PLAN THAT EVERY OTHER CITY EMPLOYEE HAS WAS A BETTER AND, UM, HAD MORE OPTIONS, UH, UH, THAN, THAN THE ONE THAT THEY WANTED TO RETAIN, EVENTUALLY THE CITY COUNCIL INSTRUCTED ME TO SETTLE FOR, UH, BE BECAUSE IT, IT HAD TAKEN THREE YEARS AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE, UH, NEED TO FIND SOME MODIFIED OR IMP INCREMENTAL WAY OF GETTING THERE.

AND SO, AND SO WE DID EXACTLY THAT.

UM, WE DIDN'T ACHIEVE ALL OF OUR OBJECTIVES.

UM, WE ACHIEVED SOME, EVEN THE REDUCTION OF ONE OF THE 40 HOUR FIRE INSPECTORS SAVES THE CITY CLOSE TO 1.8 MILLION JUST IN PENSION COSTS OVER THE NEXT, UH, 25 YEARS.

SO, SO WE HAD SOME PROGRESS.

THE EVENTUAL AGREEMENT, WHICH IS REFLECTED IN THE SUMMARY THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET, UM, DOES NOT ILLUSTRATE ALL OF THIS, UH, DRAMA.

UM, IN ORDER TO HANG ON TO THEIR 17 YEAR OLD HEALTH PLAN, THE UNION SETTLED FOR ONE, WITH FEWER BENEFITS AND FEWER OPTIONS IN ORDER TO RESIST EVEN SOME OF THE MODEST PENSION REFORMS. THE UNION ENDED UP SETTLING FOR A LESSER SALARY ADJUSTMENT THAN HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ON THE TABLE, BUT WE CLOSED THE CONTRACT AND IT IS CLOSED NOW FOR ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF BECAUSE THE CURRENT, UH, THE CONTRACT THAT IS BEFORE YOU NOW RUNS THROUGH, UM, THE END OF DECEMBER OF 2024.

SO, UH, ANOTHER YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS AGAIN.

AND IT, UH, AND I THINK THAT THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO, UH, SAY, LET'S JUST BRING THIS TO AN END AND DO WHAT WE CAN AND THEN, UH, DEAL WITH THE, WITH OTHER STEPS, UH, DURING THE NEXT NEGOTIATING SESSION, ACKNOWLEDGES THE FACT THAT THE CITY JUST HAS TO, UH, TRY TO ACHIEVE ITS LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES, MORE INCREMENTALLY.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.

AND WE HOPE THE NEXT ONE GOES A LITTLE QUICKER.

THAT'S ALL WE CAN.

QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER ABOUT THE CONTRACT OR COMMENTS, MR. CULP? NO QUESTIONS.

CAUSE I THINK WE'D BE HERE ALL NIGHT, JUST A STATEMENT.

THAT BRIEF IS GREAT.

UH, UNNEEDED.

IT WAS POSTED.

LET'S MOVE ON.

LET'S VOTE ON IT.

WE'RE ONLY HEARING ONE SIDE OF THIS AND SPEAKING DRAMA.

WE JUST PLAYED INTO IT BY DOING THAT.

YOU DON'T SPEAK FOR ALL OF US.

I APPRECIATE IT, DR.

HORN.

WELL, RATHER THAN BLAME ENTITIES FOR HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR NEGOTIATIONS TO BECOME FINALIZED, I JUST WANTED TO THANK EVERYONE INVOLVED IN THE NEGOTIATIONS FOR YOUR VERY LONG HOURS AND YOUR TIRELESS EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE AN AGREEMENT THAT WAS AGREED TO BY BOTH SIDES.

I ALSO WANNA THANK THE DECATUR FIREFIGHTERS FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY DAY TO PROTECT THE LIVES, THE SAFETY, AND THE PROPERTY OF OUR CITIZENS.

DECATUR CITIZENS ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE SUCH DEDICATED AND COURAGEOUS PUBLIC SERVANTS.

I HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED DECATUR FIREFIGHTERS SAVE PEOPLE'S LIVES UNDER CHALLENGING CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND I HAVE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND VERY DIFFICULT CHALLENGES THAT FIREFIGHTERS HAVE FACED.

AND I, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE DEPTH OF 30 YEARS OF THOSE TYPES OF EXPERIENCES AND HOW THAT IMPACTS PEOPLE.

AND FINALLY, I WOULD JUST MENTION THAT IN AN ERA OF CITIES POPULATION DECLINE, THE NEED FOR FIREFIGHTERS CONTINUES TO INCREASE.

WE HAD A RECORD NUMBER OF ALARMS LAST YEAR, AND THAT NUMBER IS ON TRACK TO BE BROKEN AGAIN THIS YEAR.

SO

[00:40:01]

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE NONE.

COUNCILMAN KEEL.

AYE.

COUNCILMAN CULP? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES KNOWN AS ITEM FIVE

[5.  Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Twelve (12) Opticom GPS Intersection Radio Units and Accessories from Traffic Control Corporation for Emergency Vehicle Preemption Systems]

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. RIGHTON.

AS YOU MAY RECALL, THE UM, UP UPGRADE OF INTERSECTIONS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN WORKING ON, UH, FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF ABBOTT.

UM, SO IF YOU COULD GIVE US SOME SENSE OF WHERE WE'RE AT IS, ARE THESE THE LAST 12 OR WE HAVE SOME MORE TO GO.

THE, THESE WILL BE THE, THE LAST 12 OF OUR GOAL OF AROUND 50.

AND THEN FROM HERE ON OUT, IT WOULD BE ONE OR TWO OR THREE A YEAR, WHATEVER WE IDENTIFY AS BEING A PROBLEM INTERSECTION.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR CHIEF ABBOTT? SO THIS IS A COMPANION ITEM.

THERE'S, THERE'S ACTUALLY TWO HERE.

THEY, THEY RELATE TO THE SAME 12 INTERSECTIONS.

UH, ONE IS TO BUY THE EQUIPMENT AND THE OTHER IS TO HAVE A, HAVE A DIFFERENT, UM, CONTRACTOR DO THE INSTALLATIONS.

MR. KEEL.

SO HOW ARE THEY WORKING NOW THAT YOU HAVE ALL THESE OVER, OVER TOWN? THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT WITHOUT CHALLENGES.

UM, LIKE RE WE HAVE SOME ISSUES WITH DOWNTOWN AND, UH, WE WORK WELL WITH PUBLIC WORKS.

PUBLIC WORKS, GOES OUT AND TRIES TO FIX 'EM AND, AND FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO, TO GIVE YOU A SHEET OF PAPER AND SAY, HERE'S THE RESPONSE.

TIME CHANGES.

BUT BECAUSE OF MOVING FIRE STATIONS AND CHANGING OUR RECORD MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, I DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO TELL YOU THAT THIS IS IMPROVED.

ANECDOTALLY THOUGH, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T TAKE A GENIUS TO FIGURE OUT IF I DON'T HAVE TO STOP.

RIGHT.

I'M GETTING THERE QUICKER.

AND I THINK WE HAVE SURROUNDED MUCH OF THE JOHNS HILL AREA, NOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE CITY CHOSE TO, UM, UH, CONCENTRATE ON NEIGHBORHOOD REDEVELOPMENT.

BUT WHEN THEY MOVED STATION ONE ALMOST 30 YEARS AGO, THEY CREATED A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP OVER IN JOHNS HILL AREA WHERE WE, WHERE WE GET THERE AND WE ALL GET THERE ABOUT THE SAME TIME, BUT THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A GAP FROM FIRE STATION.

SO THIS ALLOWS THE GUYS FROM STATION ONE, STATION SIX, STATION TWO TO, TO CONVERGE IN JOHNS HILL MUCH QUICKER.

SO I THINK IT'S BEEN A SUCCESS, BUT IT DOES HAVE ITS CHALLENGES.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL CHIEF WITH, UH, PEOPLE RUNNING RED LIGHTS, HAS THAT BEEN A PROBLEM? WHEN THE LIGHTS CHANGE RED, I THINK THAT'S A PROBLEM WHETHER YOU'RE GOING TO AN EMERGENCY OR NOT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WAS SPRINGFIELD JUST RECENTLY, SOMEBODY RAN THROUGH AND KNOCKED OVER THE FIRETRUCK ON ITS SIDE.

THAT'S HOW FAST SHE SHE WAS GOING AND THAT SHE RAN A RED LIGHT IS WHAT WE HAVE.

WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T YIELD TO EMERGENCY VEHICLES.

WE HAVE PROBLEMS WHO, WITH PEOPLE WHO JUST STOP IN FRONT OF THEM.

SO AS FAR AS A RED LIGHT, I DON'T THINK WE'VE HAD AN INCIDENT YET WHERE SOMEBODY'S RAN A RED LIGHT AND HIT THE FIRE APPARATUS, BUT WE HAVE HAD 'EM HIT FIRE APPARATUS THAT ARE PARKED ON SCENE.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? THANK YOU CHIEF.

SEEING NONE.