Sep 05, 2023 City Council Meeting

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SIX AYES, NO NAYS.

MOVING ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF AUGUST 21ST, 2023.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

[00:05:01]

ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.

SIX AYES.

NO NAYS.

MOVING TO NEW

[1. Resolution Authorizing Approval to Renew Existing Equipment Rental Agreement and Managed Print Services Contract for Five Years with Watts Copy Systems, Inc.]

BUSINESS ITEM ONE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPROVAL TO RENEW EXISTING EQUIPMENT RENTAL AGREEMENT AND MANAGED PRINT SERVICES CONTRACT FOR FIVE YEARS WITH WATTS.

COPY SYSTEMS INC.

MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. BRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, I HAVE VERY LITTLE TO ADD TO THE STAFF REPORT THAT'S ALREADY INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, WATTS HAS BEEN OUR PROVIDER FOR THIS FOR MANY YEARS.

UM, THEY, THEIR CONTRACT PROVIDES FOR RENEWAL.

UM, AND, UH, THEY'VE BEEN SO COMPETITIVE THAT I'M EX I'M RECOMMENDING THAT WE, UH, THAT WE, UH, ACCEPT THAT CONTRACT PROVISION.

ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO ADD? NO, JUST TO, JUST TO ADD THAT, UH, WATTS HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER FOR US.

UM, FROM TIME TO TIME.

WE DO HAVE ISSUES WITH ANY VENDOR THAT WE, WE SERVICE, BUT, AND WATTS IS NO EXCEPTION, BUT THEY ALWAYS STEP UP TO THE PLATE WHENEVER YOU, UH, GET THEM ENGAGED AND GET THE RIGHT STAFF ENGAGED.

UH, ONE SIGNIFICANT THING THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC CONTRACT, IT WAS DONE.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE, UH, HONOR FOR IT, BUT IT WAS DONE, IT WAS STARTED BEFORE I STARTED EMPLOYMENT HERE.

UH, BUT IT HAS PERFORMED WELL AND THEY, THE ORIGINAL CONTRACT WE SIGNED WITH THEM, THEY ACTUALLY, UH, HAVEN'T RAISED THE RATES THE WHOLE EIGHT YEARS AT ALL WITH US.

SO WE'RE NOW GOING THROUGH A RATE INCREASE BECAUSE THE, THE PANDEMIC AND SHIPPING THINGS HAS CAUSED PRINTER COSTS TO GO UP.

WE WERE DUE AT THE FIVE YEAR MARK TO REPLACE A BUNCH OF THESE PRINTERS UNDER CONTRACT.

WE ELECTED NOT TO DO THAT AT THAT TIME, UH, JUST BECAUSE THE UNKNOWN COST OF THAT.

BUT WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA DO IT NOW.

SO TWO THIRDS OF THE, THE PRINTER FORCE WILL BE REPLACED AS PART OF THIS CONTRACT.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? THANK YOU.

SEEING NONE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT.

SIX AYES NO NAYS.

[2. Resolution Authorizing Agreement Decatur Civic Center Authority-Zamboni]

ITEM AM TWO.

DECATUR CIVIC CENTER AUTHORITY.

ZAMBONI.

MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MR. WRIGHTON, BUYING A ZAMBONI IS A NEW ONE FOR ME, MAYOR.

UM, BUT, UM, ESSENTIALLY WHY THIS IS ON YOUR AGENDA IS THAT THE CIVIC CENTER AUTHORITY WAS A SEPARATE UNIT OF GOVERNMENT, UM, CAN GET A BETTER DEAL FOR THEIR FINANCING FROM US.

IT'S IN OUR BEST INTEREST THAT THEY PAY LESS FINANCING BECAUSE WE HAVE TO BACKSTOP THEIR, THEIR, THEIR LOSSES.

AND IT'S PROBABLY A BETTER, UM, RATE OF RETURN THAN WE WOULD GET IF WE WERE JUST, UH, PUTTING IT INTO TO INVESTMENTS.

UH, IT'S, THAT'S ALSO A GOOD DECISION ON ITS FACE BECAUSE IT'S AN ELECTRIC ZAMBONI, SO THERE'S NO FUMES OUT IN THE ARENA.

UM, SO GIVEN THE AMOUNT NOT BEING THAT SIGNIFICANT OF A DRAW ON OUR RESTRICTED RESERVES, IT SEEMED LIKE THE, THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO, BUT IT REQUIRES YOUR APPROVAL.

AND AS A HOCKEY MOM WHO SPENT A LOT OF YEARS ON THE ICE WATCHING THE ZAMBONI GO AROUND AND SMELLING THE FUMES, I THINK THE ELECTRIC IS VERY COOL.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL OR QUESTIONS? PAT? MAYOR, I THOUGHT I, I THINK WE GOT A NEW ONE JUST RECENTLY.

I THINK SNOOPY RIDES IT, RIGHT? YEAH.

WOULD GO FORWARD.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR MR. MCDANIEL, WOULD YOU LIKE TO CLARIFY THAT STATEMENT? WELL, IT'S A CHRISTMAS BIG BALLOON BECAUSE YEAH, SO, OKAY.

IT'S NOT QUITE CHRISTMAS.

STOP DECORATING.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

[3. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with JRH Services for the Demolition of 1031 N. Edward St.]

THREE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH J R H SERVICES FOR THE, THE DEMOLITION OF 10 31 NORTH EDWARDS STREET.

MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO BE PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

TO ELIMINATE THE, UM, UH, TO REMOVE THE, THE, THE GAS CONNECTIONS WHICH IS REQUIRED BEFORE WE CAN DO DO THE DEMOLITION.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON MAYOR COUNSEL, 10 31 NORTH EDWARD STREET IS IN O K O, UM, OLD KINGS ORCHARD NEIGHBORHOOD.

I SHOULD POINT OUT THAT IT IS NOT A PART OF ANY OF THE PROPERTY TRANSFERS, UH, THAT WE ARE, UM, HAVE MADE OR WILL OR WILL MAKE TO THE, UM, GOOD SAMARITAN PROJECT.

IT JUST HAPPENS TO BE IN THE SAME VICINITY.

UM, UM, THE, UM, ITEM THREE AND FOUR TAKEN TOGETHER WITH ALL THE OTHER, UH, DEMOLITIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE NOT OVER THE $20,000 THRESHOLD, ALONG WITH, UM, CONSENT ITEM B TAKEN TOGETHER.

ALL, UM, ARE ITEMS THAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE, , YOU'VE SEEN THESE DEMOLITIONS COME TO YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS.

YOU'VE SEEN A ACTIONS ON UNSAFE STRUCTURES COME TO YOU ON A REGULAR BASIS AND IT'S FOLLOWING THAT ROUTINE.

JUST ONE SIDE COMMENT I WANT TO MAKE, BESIDES THE FACT THAT I'M REALLY PROUD OF OUR STAFF FOR HOW THEY'RE MOVING THESE THINGS THROUGH THE SYSTEM MUCH FASTER.

UM, RIGHT NOW THE BIGGEST IMPEDIMENT TO MOVING THINGS THROUGH FASTER IS THE INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT AMEREN TAKES

[00:10:01]

IN FACT, WE'RE AT NOT FOR ABOUT 40 THAT HAVE BEEN ON THEIR LIST FOR QUITE A WHILE, WE WOULD BE OVER A HUNDRED DEMOLITIONS COMPLETED ALREADY THIS YEAR.

SO THAT ONE IMPEDIMENT, I'M NOT TRYING TO BLAME ANYBODY.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

THE PROCESS IS WHAT IT IS.

BUT, UM, WE HAD, UH, AND, AND I STILL EXPECT THAT WE'LL BE WELL OVER A HUNDRED BEFORE YEARS AND AS WE HAD PROJECTED, BUT THAT SINGLE FACTOR IN GETTING THE AMEREN TO DISCONNECT THE GAS LINES IS SLOWING US UP A LITTLE BIT.

I'M SURE THEY ARE FACING WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS FACING, WHICH IS A SHORTAGE OF EMPLOYEES.

SO IT'S NOT AS EASY SOMETIMES AS TO GET THINGS DONE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

ITEM FOUR RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH SS SCHAFER EXCAVATING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 4 52 WEST MAIN STREET.

SIX AYES NO NAYS.

[4. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with S. Shafer Excavating for the Demolition of 452 W. Main St.]

MOTION TO THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? MR. WRIGHTON? ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SCENE NONE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

SIX AYES, NO NAYS ON

[5. 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.]

THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH SHALL REMOVE ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT TO AGENDA CALENDAR? SCENE NONE.

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

100 BLOCK MERCHANT STREET, NORTHEAST COMMUNITY FUND, AND ITEM B, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ACTION REGARDING UNSAFE STRUCTURES.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

[VI. Other Business]

ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE BODY TONIGHT? DR.

HORN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

THIS EVENING I AM ONCE AGAIN SEEKING CONSENT FROM MY COLLEAGUES FOR A ONE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM ENDING WATER SHUTOFFS OF OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS.

EXCESSIVE HEAT IS ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF WEATHER RELATED DEATH AND HEAT RELATED DEATHS AND ILLNESS ARE PREVENTABLE AND THE CITY CAN DO MORE TO REDUCE HEAT RELATED IMPACTS.

DOES COUNCIL RECEIVED A MEMO FROM CITY MANAGER WRIGHTON AND CITY TREASURER JAMES? UM, REGARDING WHY THE CITY'S POSITION IS AGAINST SUCH A POLICY? AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, DISCUSS SOME OF THE CONTENTS OF THAT MEMO AND HOPE TO ENCOURAGE MY COLLEAGUES TO, AGAIN, ADOPT A ONE YEAR PILOT PROGRAM.

SO AMONG THE THINGS THAT WERE WRITTEN IS THAT SHUTOFF DELAYS FOR HOT WEATHER, EVEN THOSE LASTING FOR ONLY FOUR OR FIVE DAYS, UH, COULD CREATE A GREATER HARDSHIP ON THE CUSTOMER.

WANTED TO BE CLEAR HERE.

THE POLICY AS I'VE PROPOSED IT, IS INTENDED TO SAVE LIVES BY NOT PUTTING RESIDENTS AT INCREASED RISK OF HEAT RELATED ILLNESSES SUCH AS HEAT EXHAUSTION AND HEAT STROKE.

HOW DO WE PREVENT HEAT RELATED ILLNESS AND DEATH? IT'S THROUGH HYDRATION.

THE CITY ALSO TALKS ABOUT IF SHUTOFFS ARE DELAYED FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS, THE ADDITIONAL WORKLOAD IN THE COMING DAYS, WEEKS, AND MONTHS WOULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR STAFF TO CONDUCT IN A TIMELY MANNER.

BUT THE MORE IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS WHY ARE WE HAVING STAFF WORKING OUTSIDE IN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS SHUTTING OFF OTHER PEOPLE'S ESSENTIAL RESOURCE WATER? WE ARE IN FACT PUTTING OUR EMPLOYEES UNNECESSARILY AT GREATER RISK IN THEIR CONCLUSION.

THEY WRITE CITY STAFF UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS PRESENTED DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS.

HOWEVER, DELAYING SHUTOFFS WILL PUT A GREATER STRAIN ON FINANCIALLY STRESSED CITIZENS WITH MULTIPLE PAST DUE BALANCES.

THESE CITIZENS WILL BE PUT IN A MORE DIFFICULT POSITION IN THE COMING MONTHS, WHICH IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST OR THE CITY'S BEST

[00:15:01]

INTEREST.

ENDING WATER SHUTOFFS DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.

IT IS NOT A FINANCIAL ONE FOR THE CITY.

WE SHOULD NOT SHUT OFF WATER AND THEN SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S OTHER PLACES THAT THEY CAN GET WATER.

LIKE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS FOR PEOPLE TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT, NOT TO SHUT OFF AN ABUNDANT RESOURCE AND SAY, GO TO A SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCY WHERE THEY'LL PROVIDE YOU WITH WATER.

DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS, PEOPLE ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF DEATH OR SERIOUS ILLNESS, AND WE SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE PHYSICAL WELLBEING OF THE CITIZENS THAN COLLECTING WATER BILLS.

SHUTTING OFF AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR HUMAN BEINGS AT A TIME OF GREATEST NEED IS SIMPLY NOT SOMETHING THE CITY OF DECATUR SHOULD BE DOING.

IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH ELECTRIC UTILITY POLICY.

IT'S ALSO PERPLEXING, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE AMPLE SUPPLY OF DRINKING WATER WE GET FROM LAKE DECATUR.

THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF WATER.

WATER IS AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE.

IT'S NEEDED DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS.

WE SHOULD NOT BE SHUTTING PEOPLE'S WATER OFF.

AND SO AGAIN, I'M, I'M ASKING FOR CONSENT FROM FOUR OF MY COLLEAGUES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR ONE YEAR THAT WOULD END WATER SHUTOFFS OF OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES DURING EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNINGS.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? MR. WRIGHTON, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? DO, DO YOU WANT ME TO RESPOND? IF YOU WOULD LIKE, UM, I THINK THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HORNE DOESN'T REPRESENT THE MEMO, SO LET ME, UM, MAKE A FEW SIDE COMMENTS ABOUT IT.

UM, I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY, UM, HEAT STROKE OR, OR DEATH INDICATOR.

IN FACT, I'VE, IT'S MY EVALUATION THAT THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WHO, UM, ARE IN DISTRESS SITUATIONS LIKE THAT IS, UH, IS, IS VERY GOOD AND, AND VERY AND VERY STRONG NETWORK.

THE CONCERN THAT WE HAD WAS NOT ONE OF ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR US, UH, SO MUCH AS IT WAS FOR THE, FOR THE CUSTOMER.

BECAUSE WHAT WE DISCOVERED IN THE PANDEMIC PERIOD, UM, WHEN PEOPLE WERE ALLOWED TO NOT PAY THEIR BILLS AND MANY DID, WHETHER THEY COULD PAY OR OR NOT, IS THAT IT CREATED A SUBSTANTIAL BACKLOG THAT THE CITY AND ESPECIALLY THE CUSTOMERS, TOOK A LONG TIME TO WORK THROUGH BECAUSE, UM, THEY WOULD, BECAUSE IT DOESN'T TAKE THE BILL AWAY, IT SIMPLY DELAYS IT TO, TO ANOTHER TIME.

AND WE HAVE SADLY, A CERTAIN PART OF OUR POPULATION THAT HAS DIFFICULTY MANAGING THEIR HOUSEHOLD, UH, BUDGETS.

AND SO, UH, SAYING, WELL, UH, WE'LL ALLOW THIS TO LAPSE OVER IN, INTO THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE.

SEEMS LIKE A GOOD THING TO DO.

BUT IT DOESN'T, IT DOESN'T DO THESE, DOESN'T DO THIS FOLKS ANY FAVORS.

AND THE, AND I WANNA REALLY COMMEND THE STAFF AND THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO WORK WITH FOLKS.

UM, YES, WE HAVE TO HAVE A SHUTOFF POLICY BECAUSE OTHERWISE PEOPLE WOULDN'T PAY THEIR BILLS AT ALL.

BUT WE WORK WITH THEM IN EVERY WAY CONCEIVABLE WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE ORDINANCE TO TRY TO AVOID SHUTOFFS.

UM, AND SOME OF THEM ARE DIFFICULT CASES BECAUSE THE, UM, THE, THE RATE OF INFLATION IS, IS CAUSING MORE AND MORE OF OUR HOUSEHOLDS HERE IN DECATUR TO BE STRAINED.

UM, JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THE NUMBER OF, UM, OF POTENTIAL SHUTOFFS ANYWAY HAS INCREASED.

AND I'M SURE THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE REASON FOR IT.

SO WHAT I WAS TRYING, WHAT RUBY AND I WERE, WERE TRYING TO CONVEY IN THIS MEMO IS THAT THIS IS A DELICATE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE FOR MAKING SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO WORK WITH CUSTOMERS TO SET UP PAYMENT PLANS, TO MAKE OTHER ARRANGEMENTS, TO WAIT EXTRA DAYS WHILE THEY, WHILE THEY GET THEIR FINANCES IN, IN ORDER.

AND WE WORK WITH THEM.

WE TRY TO BE COMPASSIONATE WITH THEM BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S NOT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST OR THEIRS TO, TO, TO DELAY THESE, THESE PAYMENTS INTO ANOTHER TIME.

AND I'M CONCERNED THAT ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN THE NUMBER OF THESE POTENTIAL DELINQUENCIES IS INCREASING, THAT THAT SYSTEM COULD BE SORT OF, UM, DISRUPTED, UM, IN WAYS THAT WERE NOT NECESSARILY ENVISIONED BY HAVING THIS POLICY.

SO IT IS MY REQUEST, UM, THROUGH THIS MEMO THAT, UH, THAT WE BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE TO WORK OUT THESE ARRANGEMENTS WITH, WITH OUR CUSTOMERS.

[00:20:01]

THAT SAID, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDES .

AND SO IF A MAJORITY OF YOU DO WANT TO HAVE THE, UH, ONE YEAR TEST, UH, POLICY, THEN OF COURSE WE WILL DO IT.

UH, BUT I WANTED YOU TO, TO, UH, UNDERSTAND THE RESULTS OF, OF OUR RESEARCH INTO THIS.

AND WHILE I THINK WHAT WE SORT OF MIGHT HAVE HERE IS, IS OUR, OUR, OUR COMPETING WANTS, YES, OF COURSE.

WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO BE DEHYDRATED OR RUN THE RISK OF HEALTH, UH, EFFECTS RESULTING FROM, UM, FROM NOT HAVING ACCESS TO WATER EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT HAS A LOT OF, OF SOCIAL SERVICE NETWORK TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

BUT I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE FINANCIAL STRAINS OF HAVING THESE BILLS BUILD UP AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THEIR OTHER LIVELIHOOD AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT AS WELL.

WELL, UM, AND WE FELT LIKE, UH, THAT, THAT MAINTAINING THIS ARRANGEMENT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CUSTOMER.

AGAIN, IT'S YOUR DECISION AND I DO APPRECIATE THE EXPLANATION WE GOT IN THE, IN THE MEMO.

IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE IT WOULD BE A BIG DEAL TO ME TO SLOW WALK, UH, FOR A FEW DAYS ON, ON THE BILL, BUT HAVING A BETTER UNDERSTANDING, IT'S ALWAYS EASIER WHEN YOU DON'T DO SOMEBODY'S JOB TO HAVE GREAT IDEAS ON HOW IT OUGHT TO BE DONE.

SO ANY OTHER COMMENTS, PAT? WELL, I, I AGREE WITH WHAT THE STAFF LAID OUT.

UH, AGAIN, UM, IT, IT'S, UH, THINGS THAT IF YOU KEEP PILING UP, IT MAKES IT MORE STRESSFUL FOR PEOPLE.

AND THE CITY HAS ALWAYS WORKED WITH, WITH OUR CUSTOMERS WATER CUSTOMERS AND THAT.

SO I APPRECIATE THE, THE, UH, MEMO AND, AND LAYING OUT EXACTLY, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON.

COUNCILMAN COLE, I APPRECIATE WHAT CITY STAFF DOES, UH, WITH THE BILLING AND EVERY CASE OR ACCOUNT AS AS INDIVIDUAL.

BUT JUST TO CLARIFY WITH COUNCILMAN HORNE, YOU'RE ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE PHYSICAL DELAY OF THE SHUTOFF DURING THE HEAT INDEX OR THE HEAT WARNING.

IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

SO YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT GOING ON FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS PAST THAT HEAT, HEAT WARNING OR EVEN INTO THE NEXT BILLING CYCLE.

YOU JUST ACT, TALK ABOUT ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY GOING OUT AND SHUTTING IT OFF DURING THAT HEAT WARNING, WHICH CAN ONLY BE A FEW DAYS AT A TIME.

THAT IS CORRECT.

THANK YOU.

ONE THING I WAS NOT AWARE OF, AND I HAD THIS DISCUSSION WITH THE MANAGER, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO EVERY DAY ARE ON THE LIST TO BE CUT OFF AND IT'S LIKE 40 RESIDENTS PER DAY, OR 45, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

UM, SO IT, IT'S A BIGGER DEAL THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE, UM, AND, AND MUCH HARDER FOR STAFF.

MS. JAMES, DID YOU HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS OR ARE YOU JUST AT OUR MERCY ? UM, I DO HAVE SOME COMMENTS.

GOOD EVENING.

UM, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO I WANTED TO ADD, UH, CLARIFY A COUPLE THINGS.

SO WHEN WE DELAY SOMEONE FOR SAY THREE OR FOUR DAYS, WE CAN'T JUST ADD THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT ABOUT THERE'S ABOUT 40 TO 45 A DAY.

SO THERE'S ALREADY SCHEDULED 40 TO 45 A DAY, SO WE CAN'T ADD THE 40 THAT GOT MISSED IN A, LET'S SAY THREE DAYS.

WE CAN'T JUST ADD THEM TO THREE DAYS AFTER THAT.

THERE'S ALREADY 40 SCHEDULED.

SO WE COULD, WE CAN'T DO 90 SHUTOFFS IN A DAY.

AND SO THEN THEY GET PUSHED TO THE NEXT MONTH.

SO IF WE DELAY FOR, UM, SAY THREE DAYS, THOSE WILL GET PUSHED TO THE NEXT BILLING CYCLE.

AND THAT'S OUR CONCERN IS THAT FOLKS WON'T BE ABLE TO AFFORD, LET'S SAY THEY OWE $120, THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO, TO AFFORD DOUBLE THAT.

AND IF I COULD ADD, WE DID SOME MORE RESEARCH INTO IT AND AS WE LOOK AT JANUARY, WE HAD 400 SHUTOFFS, AND IN AUGUST WE HAD 800 IN A MONTH.

AND SO WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THAT THE CALL VOLUME IS GOING UP SIGNIFICANTLY.

PEOPLE ARE FEELING THE STRAIN OF PAYING THEIR BILLS AND SO FORTH.

AND OUR CONCERN, WE ABSOLUTELY ARE CONCERNED ABOUT FOLKS WHO MIGHT GET SHUT OFF DURING A HEAT WARNING, BUT WE'RE MORE CONCERNED THAT IF WE DOUBLE THE BILL THE NEXT MONTH, THEY WILL GO WITHOUT WATER FOR POSSIBLY A WEEK OR TWO.

AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY GO WITHOUT WATER FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAN AFFORD TO GET THEIR WATER TURNED BACK ON.

SO THAT'S OUR BIGGER CONCERN IS, IS NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, DO THEY GO WITHOUT WATER FOR SAY TWO DAYS? WE'RE WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT NEXT MONTH THEY'RE GONNA GO WITHOUT WATER FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAN FIGURE OUT WHERE THEY'LL GET THE MONEY TO TURN IT BACK ON.

AND THAT DOES HAPPEN.

THE DETAILS ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT.

SO THE, UH, DR.

HORN, I I WILL ONCE AGAIN REMIND MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIFE-THREATENING HEAT AND THAT'S LIFE-THREATENING HEAT FOR OUR WORKERS AND IT'S LIFE-THREATENING HEAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS, MANY OF WHOM NOT ONLY AREN'T ABLE TO PAY THEIR, UM, WATER BILL PERHAPS, BUT MAYBE THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE AIR CONDITIONING.

AND WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS WE'RE GOING TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER AT THE VERY TIME PERIOD WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST.

AND, AND FOR A CITY WITH AN AMPLE SUPPLY OF WATER THAT'S WRONG, WE CAN DO BETTER.

[00:25:01]

ANY OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? DOC? UH, COUNCILMAN COOPER? I HAD A COMMENT ON IT, WHAT WE JUST DISCUSSED.

CERTAIN, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR.

UM, IT DON'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE GONNA GET ANYWHERE WITH THIS, BUT I, I THINK, I DON'T KNOW HOW, I KNOW WE RECENTLY WE VOTED TO, UM, ADD IN WHERE THERE WAS, UM, DEPOSITS THAT HAD TO BE PAID FOR CUSTOMERS THAT WERE CONTINUAL DELINQUENT.

AND HAS THAT KICKED IN YET OR IS THAT STILL PENDING? UM, YOU APPROVED THE POLICY COUNCILMAN.

UM, BUT UM, THE ADOPTION OF IT PROVIDED FOR A REALLY LONG LEAD IN TIME BECAUSE WE HAD SOME SOFTWARE ISSUES AND, AND SOME OTHER, UH, WAYS TO GET IT ON ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT ROUTES.

BUT I'M GLAD THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT BECAUSE UNDER THE POLICY, IF SOMEBODY GETS SHUT OFF, THEN THAT'S ONE OF THE CRITERIA FOR REQUIRING THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE A DEPOSIT EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T HAVE ONE BEFORE.

SO, WHICH IS ANOTHER REASON WHY, UM, MS. JAMES' STAFF WORK SO HARD TO TRY TO KEEP PEOPLE CONNECTED AS LONG AS AS LONG AS POSSIBLE AND, AND WORK OUT ARRANGEMENTS BECAUSE WE, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT SITUATION WHERE IT TRIGGERS, UH, A DEPOSIT REQUIREMENT.

IF, IF IT DOES, IT DOES FOR, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT WERE BEHIND WHY YOU ADOPTED THAT POLICY EARLIER THIS YEAR.

BUT THAT IS HOW THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT IS RELEVANT TO THAT, UM, DECISION THAT YOU MADE REQUIRING, UM, THE, THE DEPOSITS TO BE IMPLEMENTED LATER THIS FALL, OCTOBER 1ST.

IT KICKS IN OCTOBER 1ST.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, I GUESS MY PO MY POINT IS, UM, PRACTICALLY I THINK WE CAN SAY THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A NUMBER OF, OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GONNA ALWAYS BE DELINQUENT.

UM, I MEAN I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GIVEN.

IT'S PROBABLY THE SAME PEOPLE THAT GET THE WATER CUT OFF ON AND OFF, ON AND OFF.

IT'S THE SAME GROUP OF PEOPLE, UH, THAT'S GONNA ALWAYS BE THERE.

THERE'S GONNA ALWAYS BE THAT NUMBER OF 30, 40, 50 PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GONNA HAVE ISSUES WITH WITH WATER TURNOFFS.

THAT'S JUST IN REALITY.

UM, BUT I DO THINK THAT, UH, DR.

HORN HAS A POINT AND I THINK THAT WE, WE AS A COUNCIL SHOULD CONSIDER IN TIMES OF, OF EXTREME HEAT, EXCESS OF HEAT, UM, WARNINGS THAT, UH, WE SHOULD BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO NOT TURNING OFF SOMEONE'S WATER.

UM, I THINK THAT'S THE ONLY APPROPRIATE THING TO DO AS A CITIZEN AND AS US REPRESENTING THE CITIZENS THAT, UH, WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND.

I MEAN, YOU DON'T, IT'S NOT LIKE YOU GOT THAT GOING ON A HUNDRED TIMES A A YEAR.

UM, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE HIGH-END INDEX AND IT'S GOING TO PROBABLY HAPPEN MORE AND MORE AS THE YEARS COME UP, IF BASED ON CLIMATE CON CLIMATE CONTROL, UM, WHAT'S HAPPENING EVERYWHERE, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA HIT US HERE IN DECATUR ALSO JUST AS MUCH AS IT'S HITTING OTHER PLACES UNEXPECTEDLY.

UM, SO I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE CONSIDERATE TO, UM, NOT SHUTTING OFF SOMEBODY'S WATER IN THOSE EXTREME TEMPERATURES.

I THINK THAT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO IN MY OPINION.

UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT IT MAY CAUSE SOME ISSUES WITH MORE PEOPLE.

I THINK THE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE GONNA BE THE SAME INDIVIDUALS.

I'M NOT, I'M NOT THAT CONVINCED THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A, A CREW OF PEOPLE THAT CURRENTLY NOW PAY THEIR WATER BILL ON TIME, UH, GONNA STOP PAYING THEIR WATER BILL ON TIME.

UM, I, I THINK WE'RE STILL GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT THE SAME GROUP THAT DON'T PAY NOW.

AND NO MATTER WHAT WE DO, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY THEN EITHER.

UH, NO MATTER WHAT PROCEDURES WE COME UP WITH OR WORKING WITH THEM, IF THEY DON'T PAY NOW, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, THEY'RE NOT GONNA PAY.

IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LIKE A, UH, UH, SOMEBODY'S PAYING RENT IN A SLUMLORD.

THEY, THEY, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T, THEY DON'T WANNA PAY RENT AND THEY DON'T PAY RENT AND THEY'RE GONNA STAY IN THERE UNTIL THEY EVENTUALLY GET PUT OUT BY THE COURTS.

SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THAT SAME SITUATION WITH WATER BILLS IF PEOPLE'S GONNA NOT GONNA PAY AND PEOPLE ARE NOT GONNA PAY.

BUT I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THE, THE BULK OF OUR CITIZENS WHO DO PAY, WHO DO PAY TIMELY.

AND, AND IN EXTREME IN SITUATIONS, I THINK WE SHOULD BE MORE ACCOMMODATING TO HELP OUT THOSE THAT EVEN IF THEY DON'T PAY, UH, WE SHOULDN'T WANT THEM TO GET OVERHEATED AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING WATER.

I THINK WATER IS JUST A CRITICAL, UM, THING THAT SOMEBODY NEEDS IN A, UH, A HEAT HOT HEAT SITUATION, EXCESSIVE HEAT.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'M AT WITH IT.

UM, I MAY NOT GET FOUR PEOPLE TO GO ALONG WITH THAT, BUT I REALLY THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE MORE ACCOMMODATING IN, IN EXTREME HEAT SITUATIONS.

ANY FURTHER COMMENT? SEE NONE.

COULD I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT?

[00:30:01]