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[I. Call to Order]
CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.AJO IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS.
ONE NATION UNDER GOD IN THE THIS LEVEL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICES ALL,
[II. Appearance of Citizens]
WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS.OUR POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS.
A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.
NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.
CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL WHEN THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY OF DONE SO.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.
I WILL NOTE THAT WE DID HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE SIGN UP TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM THAT IS A LITTLE BIT LATER IN THE, UH, MEETING.
SO YOU WILL BE CALLED UP TO SPEAK AT THAT TIME.
YOU'RE ALSO WELCOME TO SPEAK NOW IF YOU WISH.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? SO PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
YOU, UH, DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE YOUR ADDRESS, BUT YOU DO NEED TO GIVE US YOUR NAME.
I'M HERE FROM THE OFFICE OF STATE SENATOR DORIS TURNER.
I'M HERE TO OBSERVE, LISTEN, AND HOPEFULLY BE OF SOME RESOURCE TO THE CITY OF DECATUR.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? GOOD EVENING.
UH, GEORGE BURNS 30 18 LAKE BLUFF DRIVE IN DECATUR, UH, HERE TO TALK ABOUT 31 72 RED LAKE DRIVE.
UM, WE DO WANNA THANK YOU 'CAUSE THINGS ARE PROGRESSING, UH, AT THAT HOME.
UH, THINGS ARE BEING CLEANED UP TO A POINT, BUT WE HAVE QUESTIONS AND THERE WAS FIVE VIOLATIONS AND WE WERE SENT TO THE, UM, CITY WEBSITE TO FIND OUT WHAT THESE VIOLATIONS WERE.
IT'S PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HAVE DETAILS OF WHAT IS BEING REQUESTED OF THE HOMEOWNER TO TAKE CARE OF.
UM, SO IT'S KIND OF A VAGUE THING.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO DO TO CORRECT THE VIOLATIONS, SO WE WANNA WATCH AND MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS DONE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS IS, IS HE HAS A, A HERD OF BIRDS.
THERE'S 20 BIRDS IN HIS BACKYARD, AND, UH, THERE'S DUCKS AND CHICKENS.
AND I'M NOT SURE THE, THE, THE, THE, UH, WEBSITE DOESN'T TELL US HOW MANY BIRDS A PERSON CAN HAVE.
UM, THERE WAS A FENCE THAT WAS ERECTED OVER SEVEN FOOT TALL, SO HE CUT IT DOWN TO THE, UH, SIX FOOT LEVEL, BUT IT'S A CATTLE TYPE FENCE.
AND WE WERE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE PRODUCT TO USE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
UM, AND HE DIDN'T TAKE A PERMIT OUT.
IS HE TAKING PERMITS OUT? SAME THING.
HE BUILT A DECK AND, UH, NO PERMIT WAS TAKEN OUT.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHETHER HE IS DOING THIS AND WHO IS INSPECTING THAT DECK WHEN HE'S DONE, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO GET INSPECTED.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A, THE VIOLATION INSPECTOR THAT DOES THAT, OR IT'S A BUILDING INSPECTOR THAT DOES THAT PART.
I GUESS OUR QUESTION IS, IS WHAT KIND OF A TIMEFRAME CAN WE EXPECT FOR THESE THINGS TO BE CORRECTED? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK BEFORE COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? HI, MY NAME IS ABIR MOIN.
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE JEWISH, HAPPY ROCHE HASHANAH, ORANA TOVA, IME METCA OR ANA TOVA.
AND THEN NOW, UM, I WANTED TO GIVE YOU A KEY WORD BEFORE I SAY ANYTHING IN EVERY RELIGION, IN YOUR RELIGION.
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UM, WHAT'S THE SAME WORD WE HAVE IN THE RELIGIONS? WE HAVE THE WORD AH, AMEN.ARABIC AMIN OR M WHICH M MEANS SECURITY, SAFETY, OR MILITARY.
I'M GONNA SAY, UM, THIS, I ASK FOR A SPECIAL BLESSING ON ALL THOSE THAT ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS FOR THIS ENTIRE WORLD, INCLUDING MILITARY, FIRST RESPONDERS, AUTHORITIES, AND OTHERS.
WE WELCOME YOU MR. NETANYAHU, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND ALSO WE WELCOME IN THE FUTURE M ABBE, MR. AND THE KING ABDULLAH OF JORDAN SYRIAN LEADER, BAHAR AB MICHAEL AND AUN CROWN, PRINCIP, ALMAN AND OTHERS.
WE ALL ARE THANKFUL THAT IRAN RELEASED THE FIVE AMERICANS WHO WERE IMPRISONED.
WE WANT TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY IN AMERICA AND THE WORLD A COMMUNITY OF LOVE AND CONNECTION AND LIFE.
LET US PRAY TOGETHER THAT MR. NETANYAHU AND MANY OF THE LEADERS I HAVE LISTED AND OTHERS, INCLUDING PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND EVERYONE IN OFFICE, AND ALL THE CANDIDATES RUNNING IN OFFICE AND FOR OFFICE POSITIONS IN POLITICS, MAY THEY BE SAFE, MAY THEY BE WELL.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR ALL THOSE PEOPLE INVOLVED IN SAFETY, PEACE, CALMNESS, UNITY, THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AND LIFE, GREAT HEALTH AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
MAY THEY BE SAFE AND MAY THEY BE WELL.
LET US TOGETHER PRAY THAT THERE COMES LOVE AND PEACE IN ISRAEL, PALESTINE, JORDAN, SYRIA, LEBANON, EGYPT, SAUDI ARABIA, AND OTHER COUNTRIES.
MAY WE PRAY THAT TERRORISM NEVER SUCCEEDS AND THAT NO MORE TERRORISM NOR TERRORIST EXIST IN THESE COUNTRIES AND COMMUNITIES AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND WE PRAY THAT THE SPIRIT OF LOVE, LIFE, SAFETY, PURE MONEY, HONESTY, AND GOOD PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER TO HELP BRING TOTAL SAFETY AND COMMUNITY OF LOVE AND CONNECTION.
MAY THIS TIME REMIND US OF HOW MUCH WE MEAN TO ONE ANOTHER.
MAY WE BE SAFE, MAY WE BE WELL, MAY WE ALL BE COMFORTED AND BUOYED WITH ALL LOVE THAT PERMEATES THROUGHOUT THIS COMMUNITY AND THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE WORLD.
MAY WE ALL BE SAFE AND MAY WE, MAY WE ALL BE WELL.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? MR. MANAGER, IS THERE SOME DIRECTION YOU COULD GIVE TO MR. BURNS FOR INFORMATION THAT HE'S REQUESTING? MAYOR, THANK YOU.
I WAS GONNA ASK IF I COULD DO THAT.
I KNOW THAT YOUR PROCESS PROVIDES FOR NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE BEING GIVEN, BUT I'D LIKE TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS IN RESPONSE TO WHAT MR. BURNS HAS HAS SAID.
UM, THIS IS A PENDING MATTER BEFORE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT AND, AND WHATEVER OTHER LEGAL MECHANISMS THE CITY DETERMINES.
AND SO IT'S REALLY NOT APPROPRIATE FOR TO DISCUSS THAT, THE DETAILS OF THAT HERE AT THIS PUBLIC MEETING.
UH, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, WE ARE PROCEEDING IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE, WITH OUR ORDINANCES AND, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN.
THERE, THERE, THERE ARE SOME LIMITATIONS ON IT, MR. BURNS.
BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE CAN EITHER THE OFFICE OF THE, UH, OF THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR THE CITY ATTORNEY COULD, COULD ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, BUT JUST PLEASE KNOW THAT WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
[III. Approval of Minutes]
OKAY.THEN WE MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2023.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
ONE ABSTENTION MOVING IN, UH, NO UNFINISHED BUSINESS TONIGHT.
[1. Treasurer's Financial Report]
BUSINESS, UH, MR. MANAGER, THE TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.THE TREASURER'S REPORT THAT'S BEEN INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET IS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST, NOT, NOT FOR SEPTEMBER.
UH, YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THE KEY FUNDS HAVE BEEN DRAWN DOWN TO, TO ENGAGE IN NORMAL PUBLIC, UM, SERVICES, UH, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH SOME OF THE OTHER CAPITAL EXPENDITURES, UM, THAT YOU HAVE AUTHORIZED.
UM, OUR RESERVES ARE STILL STAYING AT THE DESIRED LEVELS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT ALL OF OUR PREDICTIONS SHOW THAT, UH, WITH THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, THINGS WILL BE MORE STRAINED.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS ARE THAT, UH, THAT THEY WILL NOT BE ON PACE TO, TO BE COMPARABLE TO, UH, TO, TO THIS LAST YEAR.
AND SO WE BELIEVE THAT, UM, THAT A CONSERVATIVE APPROACH, UM, TO, UH, TO CONTAINMENT OF EXPENDITURES, UH, AND, UH, AND KEEPING OUR RESERVES WHERE THEY'RE AT IS APPROPRIATE.
GOING INTO THE F Y 24 YEAR ANTHONY COOLING, WHO'S, UH, KEY IN PRE PREPARING THIS REPORT, UH, IS HERE TONIGHT.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL DIRECT THEM TO HIM.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR THE MANAGER OR MR. COOLING? DR.
COOLING, COULD YOU COMMENT ON THE WATER UTILITY PERFORMANCE IN THE, UM, TREASURER'S REPORT? IT INDICATES YEAR TO DATE, 2022, UH, THE CITY WAS UP $1.7 MILLION,
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BUT, UH, YEAR TO DATE IN 2023, IT WAS DOWN $1.5 MILLION.AND, UH, IN PARTICULAR, I WAS WONDERING TO WHAT EXTENT, UM, THE LOSS OF ACORN MAY HAVE IMPACTED THOSE REVENUES? UH, I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO, UH, LET'S SEE HERE.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE THIS PAGE NUMBER.
THE, UH, MARGIN BEFORE DEBT SERVICE, UH, FOR THE, UH, CURRENT RENTS, ACTUAL FOR THE WATER WATER FUND, WE HAVE 1.5 MILLION IN LAST YEAR.
UH, THAT IS, UH, THAT THERE'S 1.5 MILLION IN, UH, REVENUE OVER EXPENSES BEFORE YOU'VE TAKEN DEBT SERVICE IN FISCAL YEAR, UH, 23 FOR THIS MONTH, AND THEN LAST YEAR FOR, UH, THE ACTUALS IS 1.7 MILLION.
UM, I DID NOT LOOK TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS AS BEST I CAN.
WE DID NOT LOOK INTO SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, THE, THE SPECIFICS OF, UH, WHY THAT ROUGHLY $200,000 DECREASE.
AND I CAN'T COMMENT ABOUT THE LOSS OF, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, A D M RELATED TO THAT.
WELL, IT, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS 1.5 MILLION OF EXPENSES OVER REVENUE.
AND IN F Y 2022, IT'S $1.7 MILLION IN REVENUE OVER EXPENSES.
SO THAT'S A CHANGE OF $3.2 MILLION.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IS THAT KIND OF FLUCTUATIONS, UH, NORMAL FROM MONTH TO MONTH ARE, UH, OUR REVENUES USUALLY COME IN THE WATER SALES ABOUT ABOUT 3 MILLION A MONTH.
UM, THERE HASN'T BEEN, UH, THAT MUCH CHANGE BETWEEN LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A NEW A AGREEMENT WITH A D M, SO WE HAVE MORE REVENUE, UH, FROM, UH, FROM THEM, SPECIFICALLY A NEW AGREEMENT WITH A NEW WATER METER PUT IN PLACE THAT MORE ACCURATELY, MORE ACCURATELY READS THE, UM, THE, UH, FLOW THROUGH THERE.
ANTHONY, DIDN'T WE HAVE A DEBT PAYMENT IN AUGUST AS WELL? THOUGHT THAT, ANYWAY, UM, THERE WAS A $2 MILLION, UH, DEBT PAYMENT, RIGHT, UM, ON A GEO BOND IN, IN AUGUST.
SO THAT WOULD'VE, THAT WOULD'VE LIKELY HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR A PORTION.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE LOSS OF, OF ACORN WAS THAT SIGNIFICANT.
UM, BUT COUNCILMAN HORNE IS REFERRING TO THE, UH, SECOND PARAGRAPH UNDER THE WATER UTILITY SECTION OF THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO.
IF, IF, IF COUNCIL WOULD LIKE MORE DETAIL ON THAT, WE CAN PROVIDE IT LATER.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR MR. COOLING OR THE MANAGER? NO, NONE.
[2. Resolution Approving the Jasper Street Great Streets Great Neighborhoods Corridor Plan]
MOVING NOW TO ITEM TWO RESOLUTION APPROVING THE JASPER STREET, GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS CORRIDOR PLAN, MOTION TO THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.UM, MR. MANAGER, BEFORE I TURN IT OVER TO YOU, I JUST WANNA MAKE, UH, CLARIFY, WE'RE NOT, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE ADOPTING OR LOOKING AT ADOPTING A CONCEPT AND ANY SPECIFICS THAT WOULD COME ABOUT IN THIS PLAN WOULD COME BACK TO US AND BE VOTED ON.
I THINK THAT'S A VERY ACCURATE CHARACTERIZATION.
SO, UM, TO GIVE US ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND TO SORT OF TEE THIS UP A LITTLE BIT, UM, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, UM, THE, I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DATE, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH, WITH TECA.
UM, AND AT THAT TIME, WE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, UM, BOTH AT THE MEETING WHERE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CONTRACT WAS APPROVED, AND ALSO IN A STUDY SESSION ON NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND REDEVELOPMENT, THE WHOLE CONCEPT OF, OF GREAT STREETS AND APPLYING IT FIRST TO JASPER STREET.
AND IN CONCEPT THE COUNCIL WAS OKAY WITH IT.
AND, UH, AND SO THIS, THIS PROCESS OF CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT AND MEETINGS AND, AND MEETING WITH EXISTING GROUPS TO BUILD CAPACITY TO DO THIS, UH, IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON NOW FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND HAS RESULTED IN THE PLAN THAT IS BEFORE YOU.
AND SO THE RESOLUTION BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL IS TO ADOPT A PLAN.
AND, AND YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT THAT LIKE MANY OF THE OTHER PLANS THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVES, IT SETS A GENERAL DIRECTION.
IT SETS A CONTEXT FOR IMPROVEMENTS, WHETHER IT'S WATER OR SEWER OR ROADS OR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR, OR ANYTHING ELSE.
A PLAN THAT YOU CAN SUBSEQUENTLY MAKE CHANGES TO IN, IN THE FUTURE, BUT PROVIDES A, UM, A FRAMEWORK NOT ONLY FOR YOUR FUTURE DECISIONS, BUT ALSO FOR, UM, THE STAFF STRATEGY TO GO AFTER GRANTS AND GO AFTER PARTNERSHIPS AND AGREEMENTS TO, TO FUND AND, AND TO BRING ON, UH, OTHERS WHO WILL HELP US IMPLEMENT THE PLAN.
UM, SO IT PROVIDES THAT, THAT GENERAL ROADMAP, IF YOU WILL.
AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO, IF IT'S OKAY, IS I'D LIKE TO ASK, UH, UH, SCOTT GOLDSTEIN, WHO IS HERE THIS EVENING FROM TECA, TO MAKE A, A VERY BRIEF PRESENTATION ON THAT PROCESS, SORT OF WHERE THEY'VE BEEN SINCE THEY WERE GIVEN THE
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GO AHEAD TO DO THIS WORK.AND THEN WHEN THAT IS, UH, CONCLUDED, UH, HE CAN HAVE, UH, HE'LL BE HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN SOME Q AND A FROM, FROM YOU.
AND THEN RIGHT AFTER THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE THE CITIZEN COMMENTS FROM THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE CONTACTED THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE THAT THEY WANNA SPEAK ON THIS.
AND THEN COUNCIL SORT OF HAS ALL THE INFORMATION BEFORE YOU VOTE ON THE RESOLUTION.
BUT AGAIN, NONE OF THIS IS WRITTEN IN STONE.
THE COUNCIL CAN, AS WE MOVE FORWARD, EXCEPT OR REJECT ANY PROPOSALS THAT STAFF BRINGS TO US REGARDING THIS PROJECT.
NOT ONLY IS THAT TRUE MAYOR, BUT EACH COMPONENT, LIKE, UH, LIKE A GRANT THAT WE WANNA DO FOR THE RIGHT OF WAY PORTION OF IT, OR A GRANT THAT WE MIGHT DO FOR REHABILITATION OR A PLAN TO, TO HELP A LOCAL BUSINESS.
UH, ALMOST ALL OF THEM COME BACK TO YOU AS SEPARATE VOTES AS AGREEMENTS OR CONTRACTS THAT COME BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND, AND SO THIS WOULD, THIS WOULD, THAT WOULD CERTAINLY BE HOW WE WOULD PROCEED WITH THE JASPER STREET.
OKAY, THEN I THINK YOU CAN MOVE AHEAD WITH THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, MR. WRIGHTON, UM, I WANT TO PARTICULARLY THANK THE RESIDENTS WHO'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THIS PROCESS.
MANY OF YOU ATTENDED, UH, SOME OR ALL OF OF THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE.
WE'LL HEAR FROM RESIDENTS IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
UH, WE ARE, UH, THE TRANSCRIBER, THE FACILITATOR.
UH, WE ARE NOT THE EXPERTS DEFINING THE FUTURE.
I THINK THIS DISCUSSION IS RIGHT.
THE VALUE OF A PLAN IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERALL DIRECTION SO THAT AS YOU PROCEED ON INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS, YOU CAN SEE THE BIGGER PICTURE.
IT'S NOT A REGULATORY DOCUMENT OR AN APPROVAL OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS IN ANY WAY.
SO WE'RE GONNA GIVE, UH, AN OVERVIEW OF THE JASPER STREET, GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS ROADMAP.
UH, TALK ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT.
'CAUSE THIS PLAN IS REALLY A BOTTOMS UP, UH, PLAN.
UM, ENGAGEMENT, UM, IS, HAS BEEN THROUGH, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT MECHANISMS. WE'LL GO OVER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
THE, THE PLAN ITSELF OFFERS CHARTS AND TABLES TO HELP YOU ALL, UH, DISCUSS PRIORITIES OF IMPLEMENTATION.
UM, I, I KNOW THIS IS DIFFICULT TO SEE, BUT IT PROVIDES AN OVERALL TIMELINE.
OVER THE LAST YEAR, UH, WE, WE STUCK TO THE TIMELINE.
UH, THE STAFF WAS VERY CAPABLE AS WELL AS THE RESIDENTS AND THE STEERING COMMITTEE AND RELATED AGENCIES, THE PARK DISTRICT, DECATUR TRANSIT, PUBLIC WORKS, ET CETERA.
UH, TO BE ABLE TO, IN JUST ONE YEAR, DO AN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF ENGAGEMENT, UH, PLANNING DESIGN DRAWINGS.
UH, OUR TEAM INCLUDED EPSTEIN, WHO HAD WORKED ON THE BIKE PLAN, UH, BEFORE WE HAD WORKED ON THE HOUSING STRATEGY.
SO WE'RE ABLE TO GET STARTED, UH, PRETTY MUCH IMMEDIATELY, UH, JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO.
AND HERE WE ARE, UH, PRESENTING TONIGHT.
UM, THIS IS THE COVER OF THE PLAN.
UH, FOR THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE, YOU CAN ACCESS THE PLAN, UH, AT JASPER CONNECT.ORG HAS BEEN THE WEBSITE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, AND ALL PLANNING DOCUMENTS ARE THERE.
UM, THE MAP ON THE LEFT ARE ASSETS THAT THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED AT THE FIRST JASPER FEST IN OCTOBER, 2022.
ON THE RIGHT, IT SHOWS THE CORRIDOR, UH, JASPER CORRIDOR FROM, UH, PERSHING ROAD TO LAKESHORE DRIVE, AND ABOUT A HALF MILE EAST AND WEST, WHICH WOULD BE M L K ON THE WEST AND 16TH STREET ON THE EAST.
THIS IS AN ASSET-BASED PLANT WE DIDN'T SET OUT TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. INSTEAD, WE SET OUT TO BUILD ON THE LOCAL ASSETS, THE RESIDENTS, THE HOUSES OF WORSHIP, THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
SEVERAL LOCAL BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED, BOTH SMALL AND LARGE.
THERE'S A REAL MIX, UH, ALONG JASPER STREET.
UH, THIS ALSO CUTS ACROSS ABOUT SIX DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND, UH, WE'LL BE WORKING, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, TO HELP IMPLEMENT, UH, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY.
LIKE I MENTIONED, THE FIRST JASPER STREET FEST WAS IN OCTOBER OF 2022.
UH, THERE ARE ABOUT 350 PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED.
YOU CAN SEE THE, THE LEVEL OF INPUTS.
THE BOARD ON THE UPPER LEFT WAS MY DREAM FOR JASPER ON THE LOWER RIGHT WAS POST-IT NOTES FROM EACH PERSON OF WHAT THEY'D LIKE TO SHARE THEIR DREAMS FOR JASPER STREET.
SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM THAT FIRST FESTIVAL WAS TO BUILD THE CAPACITY OF THE COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A COMMUNITY LED PROCESS, STREETS SCAPE AND TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
REALLY, IT'S TO MAKE IT A SAFER, UH, STREET FOR ALL USERS.
UH, REALLY PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT HOUSING REPAIRED BEFORE IT DETERIORATES TO, TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS TO, UH, BE DEMOLISHED.
ECO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS, LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE'S A LOT OF BUSINESSES THERE.
THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF RESIDENTS, UH, WHO WOULD LIKE BETTER JOBS AND GO BACK FOR MORE EDUCATION.
AND THEN PLACES FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES TO GO.
THERE'S ALREADY A NUMBER OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUT VERY OFTEN YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE COMMUNITY, UH, TO, TO ACCESS, UH, DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
I'M GONNA GO THROUGH IT IN MORE DETAIL.
UH, BUT THERE'S FIVE PILLARS OF THIS PLAN.
NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND PLACEMAKING.
AND YOU CAN SEE THERE ARE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT I'M GONNA HIGHLIGHT JUST A FEW OF THEM TONIGHT.
UM, ALONG THE WHOLE CORRIDOR, THE IDEA IS TO WEAVE,
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UH, THE CORRIDOR TOGETHER.THERE'S OBVIOUSLY A VIADUCT, UH, IN THE MIDDLE.
UH, THAT'S A, A, A BARRIER, UH, AND REALLY TRYING TO LOOK AT THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE CORRIDOR IN TERMS OF COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES, IN TERMS OF REHAB, OF HOUSING, IN TERMS OF NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
UH, THERE'S TWO SCHOOLS RIGHT ON JASPER STREET.
UM, AND LINKING THE QUARTER TOGETHER IN A SAFE WAY FOR PEDESTRIANS, BICYCLISTS, CARS, TRUCKS, BUSES, UH, TO BE ABLE TO MOVE SAFELY.
JUST THE OTHER DAY, UM, AUGUST 29TH, UH, WE HAD THE SECOND JASPER STREET FEST.
WE, AGAIN, HAD OVER 300 PEOPLE ATTEND.
THIS WAS DELAYED A WEEK DUE TO THE WEATHER, AND THE TURNOUT WAS STILL GREAT.
IT WAS, UH, A REALLY A LOT OF FUN.
UH, JUST A FEW QUOTES, UH, MORE WALK AND BIKE SPACE, MORE PLACES FOR FAMILIES TO GO TO MAKE THE UNDERPASS MORE APPEALING, MORE LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES.
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY REFLECTIVE OF WHAT WE HEARD, UH, UH, FROM LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF RESIDENTS, UH, ALONG THE WAY.
UM, THE FIRST PILLAR OF THE CAMPAIGN IS NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY.
SO THIS IS BASED ON, UH, A, A REAL TRIED AND TRUE PLANNING PROCESS OF COMMUNITY LED PLANNING.
UH, THAT'S BEEN DONE IN OTHER CITIES IN ILLINOIS, FROM BLOOMINGTON, UH, UH, TO DIFFERENT, UM, SUBURBS AND SMALL TOWNS ACROSS ILLINOIS, AS WELL AS IN ST.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY THE IDEA OF, OF BUILDING A, THE CAPACITY OF THE LOCAL GROUPS TO HELP PARTNER WITH THE CITY.
SO THIS IS NOT A CITY LED PLAN, IT'S REALLY A COMMUNITY LED PLAN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND OTHER AGENCIES.
AND WE CAN TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN THE Q AND A IF YOU'D LIKE.
ONE OF THOSE PILLARS IS TRANSPORTATION.
UM, ON THE LEFT, UM, IS, IS THE CORRIDOR, ALONG WITH THE TWO BUS ROUTES THAT, THAT GO THROUGH THE CORRIDOR ON THE RIGHT, WE GAVE OUT RED DOTS TO PLACES.
RED DOTS SIGNIFIED BARRIERS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE CHALLENGES GOING TO FELT UNSAFE.
GREEN DOTS WERE WHERE IT WAS SAFE, WHERE THE CROSSINGS WERE CLEAR IT WAS SAFE, SAFE FOR A BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN TO GO TO.
AND I'VE NEVER SEEN RESULTS LIKE THIS BEFORE.
NORMALLY IT'S ALL A CHECKERBOARD AND YOU CAN'T REALLY MAKE MUCH OF IT.
UM, HERE IT PRETTY CLEARLY SHOWED PLACES WHERE WE CAN MAKE SOME IMPROVEMENTS TO, UH, IMPROVE LIGHTING, UH, TO IMPROVE, UH, UH, OUTDOOR SPACES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CROSS THE STREET SAFELY AND, AND GET TO WHERE THEY WANNA GO.
AND IT ALSO SHOWS A LOT OF GREEN, A LOT OF PLACES PEOPLE REALLY FEEL, UH, SAFE GOING TO IT.
SO I THINK THAT THAT'S WAS REALLY INTERESTING.
UM, OUT OF THIS, UH, THERE, THERE'S FOUR, UM, ELEMENTS TO THE TRANSPORTATION RECOMMENDATIONS.
AT THE TOP OF THIS GRAPHIC SHOWS THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.
THE UPPER LEFT, IT'S A FOUR LANE ROAD, TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, UM, 60 FEET RIGHT OF WAY.
UM, TWO, UH, STANDARD SIDEWALKS ON EITHER SIDE.
THE PROPOSED RECOMMENDATION, UM, IS TO IMPROVE SAFETY BY ADDING A CENTER TURN LANE.
SO GOING FROM A FOUR LANE ROAD ROAD TO A THREE LANE ROAD, DRAMATICALLY IMPROVED SAFETY BECAUSE THERE'S THEN A PLACE FOR CARS, BUSES, UM, UH, TRUCKS TO SAFELY, UM, WAIT UNTIL THEY CAN TURN WITHOUT CARS COMING FROM BEHIND.
IT HOLDS ABOUT THE SAME CAPACITY AS FOUR LANES.
UM, WE HAVE COORDINATED WITH PUBLIC WORKS AND OTHER AGENCIES.
THE OTHER, UH, IMPORTANT THING ABOUT THIS GRAPHIC IS THE IDEA OF A MULTI-USE TRAIL GOING ON THE WEST SIDE OF JASPER THE WHOLE WAY.
WHAT A MULTI-USE TRAIL MEANS IS THAT BIKES, PEDESTRIANS, WHEELCHAIRS, SCOOTERS, THEY CAN ALL USE THAT SPACE.
IT'S 10 FEET WIDE, SO IT'S WIDE ENOUGH FOR ALL USERS.
YOU'D EITHER BE, UM, AN AN, UH, SIDEWALK THAT'S TOO NARROW.
BICYCLISTS OVER AGE 12 ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON A SIDEWALK OR BE IN A, ON A ROAD, UH, MIXED IN WITH TRAFFIC.
PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE THAT WAY.
SO THERE'D BE A MAJOR AMENITY.
IT'S NO ACQUISITION IS NEEDED.
THIS IS WITHIN THE EXISTING, UH, 60 FEET RIGHT OF WAY.
UH, THE NEXT ROW SHOWS THE EXISTING UC, I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH.
UM, AS WELL AS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS.
THE CITY OWNS THE STREET UNDERNEATH AND THE SIDEWALKS AND CAN PUT LIGHTING CLEAN UP THAT AREA.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXAMPLES WHERE VIADUCTS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED AND PEOPLE FEEL SAFER AND ARE MORE LIKELY, UH, TO GET TO WHERE THEY WANT TO GO, UH, IN A SAFE WAY.
UM, JUST BELOW THAT, UH, IF, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU EXIT THE VIADUCT GOING SOUTH, IT'S NOW A ONE-WAY PAIRED.
SO YOU, IF YOU'RE GOING SOUTH, YOU GO AROUND THE BLOCK, UH, THERE'S NO, THAT IS NOT NEEDED.
UM, THE IDEA IS TO RESTORE A TWO-WAY FLOW OF TRAFFIC THAT FREES UP A SITE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WHERE THE CURRENT ROADWAY IS.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE SOUTHERN SECTION WOULD BE THE SAME AS THE NORTH GOING FROM FOUR LANES DOWN TO THREE.
BUT ADDING A MULTI-USE TRAIL IN LANDSCAPING, HERE'S ANOTHER VIEW OF IT, UM, ON THE RIGHT, IS IT EXISTING CONDITIONS.
UM, IN GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS, YOU CAN SEE THE MULTI-USE TRAIL.
UM, THIS IS BEFORE THE LANDSCAPING REALLY GREW IN.
WE, WE DO A NICER JOB, UH, IN TERMS OF, OF TREES AND, AND LIGHTING.
BUT THE IDEA IS, UH, TO, UH, KEEP THE NON-MOTORIZED
[00:25:01]
TRAFFIC IN A SAFE PLACE.AND HERE'S, UH, AGAIN, MORE VIEWS OF, OF, UH, THE PROPOSED LIGHTING.
UH, IT HASN'T BEEN DESIGNED YET, SO THAT WOULDN'T NEED TO BE ANOTHER PHASE, BUT IT'S A LOT OF INTERESTING EXAMPLES THAT COULD WORK.
THE CURRENT, UH, GATE ALONG THE SIDEWALK IS TOO LOW.
NOW, A BICYCLIST COULD FALL OVER INTO THE ROADWAY.
SO THERE'S SOME JUST BASIC THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE IN TERMS OF LIGHTING AND SAFETY.
UH, AND HERE'S THE, UH, GOING FROM ONE-WAY PAIRS TO RESTORING, UH, THE STREET GRID, UH, SO THAT JASPER STREET WOULD GO NORTH, SOUTH WITHOUT, UH, BEING DIVERTED.
OKAY, THE GOALS FOR, UM, FOR HOUSING, UM, AGAIN, WE GAVE CHOICES.
UH, DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY, UH, WHICH IS THE PREDOMINANT HOUSING TYPE IN THIS PART OF TOWN, UH, DID GET THE MOST DOTS.
THIS WAS SOMEWHAT GENERATIONAL, TENDED TO BE SOME OF THE OLDER FOLKS WHO WERE MORE LIKELY TO DO DETACHED, SINGLE FAMILY.
SOME OF THE YOUNGER HOUSEHOLDS WERE LIKELY TO VOTE, UH, FOR THE OTHER THREE.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE WERE VOTES, UH, FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF HOUSING.
AND IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE QUALITY OF THE PROJECT, RIGHT? UM, AND SO THE IDEA OF A TWO OR THREE STORY, UH, TOWN HOME, UH, ROW HOME OR MULTIFAMILY, IF IT'S WELL MANAGED OR CO-OP, UH, RECEIVED, UH, STRONG SUPPORT.
SO PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SOME OPTIONS, BUT CLEARLY DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING IS THE PREDOMINANT, UM, HOUSING TYPE IN THE AREA.
WE ALSO ASKED PEOPLE TO TALK ABOUT PLACEMAKING.
WHAT, WHAT ARE SAFE PLACES? WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD PEOPLE LIKE TO SEE? WHAT TURNS OUT THE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE DOING AT, AT THESE TWO FESTIVALS WAS WHAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE ALL YEAR ROUND.
UM, AND SO A FOOD TRUCK PARKED THE UPPER LEFT AS WELL AS THE LOWER RIGHT, I MEAN, LOWER LEFT ARE TWO DIFFERENT IDEAS OF FLEXIBLE SPACES.
PAINT, UH, KIND OF LOW TECH APPROACH TO A, A, A NICE GATHERING SPACE.
THE UPPER RIGHT IS A NATURE PLAY AREA.
UH, NOT A TRADITIONAL PLAYGROUND, BUT A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD MAYBE HAVE EDUCATIONAL CLASSES BE ABLE TO, UM, CLIMB ON, ON, ON DIFFERENT NATURAL FEATURES, ET CETERA.
AND THEN A CASUAL SEATING ATMOSPHERE.
THOSE WERE THE TOP FOUR, UM, UH, VOTES.
UH, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, THE DESIGN, THE, THE, THE, THE PLAN INCLUDES, UH, DRAFT DESIGN GUIDELINES.
AND PEOPLE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE QUALITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ATTRACT MORE DEVELOPMENT TO THE AREA OF MORE BUSINESSES AND MORE JOBS.
AND LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU USE FENCING AND, AND, AND PEDESTRIAN, UM, UH, UH, DESIGN, UH, TO, TO IMPROVE THE LOOK OF THAT.
WHAT ABOUT SHARED PARKING? UH, FOR MULTIPLE ACTIVITIES, UH, MULTI-USE STYLE ABILITIES.
THAT MEANS, LIKE, UH, EITHER OFFICES OR RESIDENTS ABOVE ONE STORY OF, IT COULD BE A RESTAURANT, IT COULD BE A LOCAL, OTHER TYPE OF LOCAL BUSINESS.
AND THEN ACTIVATION STREETSCAPE.
YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN THE DOWNTOWN.
PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME OF THAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL.
UM, LIKE I MENTIONED, THERE'S DESIGN GUIDELINES.
THEY'RE NOT REGULATORY IN ANY WAY, BUT IT'S A WAY FOR STAFF TO SIT DOWN WITH A PROPOSED DEVELOPER AND SAY, THESE ARE THE TYPES OF DESIGN FEATURES THAT CAME OUTTA THE COMMUNITY PROCESS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE IN YOUR PROPOSAL.
AND IT'S A WAY TO RAISE THE LEVEL DESIGN, UM, IN A, IN A VOLUNTARY WAY.
UM, BUT IT WOULD, IT, IT, IT'S, IT, IT TENDS TO ELEVATE THE, THE TYPE OF DESIGN TO BE MORE RESPONSIVE TO, UH, WHAT THE, WHAT THE PLAN CALLS FOR.
THE WAY LIGHTING IS DESIGNED, YOU KNOW, REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
SO WHETHER IT'S REALLY BRIGHT LIGHTS OR SOMETHING MORE SENSITIVELY DONE, UH, AGAIN, PEOPLE FEEL MORE LIKELY TO, TO WALK OUTSIDE IF THEY FEEL SAFE WITH THE LIGHTING AND IT'S DONE IN AN ATTRACTIVE WAY.
AND THEN THE LAST PIECE IS AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
SO WE HAD THE STEERING COMMITTEE MARK IT UP AND TALK ABOUT WHO ARE THE PARTNERS.
SO IT LISTS EVERY RECOMMENDATION IN THE PLAN, UM, AS WELL AS POSSIBLE PARTNERS.
UM, AND IT ALSO TALKS ABOUT SHORT VERSUS MEDIUM LONG TERM.
SO THE, UM, THE IDEA IS A ROADMAP, UH, FOR THE FUTURE.
AND HERE'S, UH, JUST FOR QUESTION AND ANSWER SOME OF THE PHOTOS FROM THE RECENT, UH, SUMMER FEST THAT WE HAD OUT AT JASPER STREET.
DID YOU WANT COUNSEL TO ASK QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT OR BRING UP THE, UM, MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO TALK, UH, YOUR, YOU YOUR PLEASURE.
I THINK YOU SHOULD DO BOTH BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
WITH BRINGING UP THE RESIDENCE AT THIS POINT? OKAY.
UM, THE FIRST PERSON, UM, UH, THAT HAS REQUESTED TO SPEAK IS DR.
DANA RAY, FORMER COUNCILWOMAN.
UM, AND I AM FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, I'M ALSO A PART OF CLOAK KEY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
MY CHURCH LIFE CHANGERS CHURCH IS IN THE CLOAK KEY NEIGHBORHOOD AREA.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN A PART, OUR CHURCH HAS BEEN IN THAT AREA FOR ABOUT 20 YEARS NOW.
UM, AND AS MY NEW, IN MY NEW ROLE AS CAMPUS PASTOR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS BEEN VERY
[00:30:01]
IMPORTANT FOR US IS TO GET MORE INVOLVED IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.SO I WANNA START OFF BY SAYING, UM, NUMBER ONE, AS A FORMAL COUNCIL MEMBER AND KNOWING WHAT YOUR GOALS WERE AS FAR AS NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, THIS HITS A LOT OF THOSE BOXES THAT YOU WANTED CHECKED OFF.
YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY HAVING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO BIKE TO GET MORE OUT INTO NATURE, TO EXERCISE.
UM, THE ISSUE AS FAR AS ADDRESSING BLIGHT AND REHABBING HOUSES OR TEARING DOWN HOUSES, IS ALSO THAT BOXES CHECKED WITH THIS.
UM, WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, HAVING THAT SENSE OF OWNERSHIP, THIS CHECKS THAT BOX.
SO THIS PROJECT IS REALLY GOOD AT BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS ALL THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD AS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AS FAR AS WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO TO REVITALIZE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I'M A PART OF THIS PROJECT BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY WANTED TO SEE DONE WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL.
I'M NO LONGER ON CITY COUNCIL, BUT I CAN BE A PART OF THIS PROJECT.
UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT COULD REALLY TRANSFORM THIS AREA, UM, SHOWING OUR CITIZENS THAT WE ARE INVESTING IN, THEM, INVESTING IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY LIVE AND WORK.
UM, AND THIS IS GOING TO, WITH THAT SENSE OF OWNERSHIP THAT THEY WILL RECEIVE BY THE PRIDE FROM SEEING ALL THE ADVANCES THAT'S GONNA TAKE PLACE.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD CHANGE COMPLETELY.
WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT CRIME RATE DECREASE, UM, AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE THE INVESTMENT, THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN THAT AREA.
UH, NEXT WE HAVE KATHY WILLIAMS. GOOD EVENING MAYOR.
JULIE MOORE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF.
MY NAME IS KATHY WILLIAMS AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF KNO COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.
KNO, AS YOU KNOW, IS AN UMBRELLA GROUP OF ALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND I AM HERE TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF.
ALSO, I AM SPEAKING ON THE BEHALF OF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL BE POSITIVELY AFFECTED DUE TO THEIR BOUNDARIES OF THE GREAT STREETS GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD, JASPER STREET QUARTER PROJECT.
I LIKE TO SAY THE NAME 'CAUSE I LOVE GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT'S WHAT THE PROJECT IS ALL ABOUT.
THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS ARE S I A, CLOKE PARK, TORRANCE PARK AND FANS FIELD.
IN ADDITION, HESS PARK, WABASH CROSSING, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND BUSINESSES.
FROM THE, FROM SOUTH LAKE SHORE DRIVE TO NORTH PERSIAN ROAD TO EAST 16TH STREET TO MARTIN LUTHER KING TO THE WEST.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DECATUR.
I WENT TO WASHINGTON SCHOOL, JOHNS HILL AND EISENHOWER.
AND MY CHURCH IS LOCATED IN THE SOUTH SIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE LATE DOROTHY WALKER AND I, OR THE, ARE THE CO-FOUNDERS OF THE SOUTH SIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION IN 1992.
SO I'VE BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD JAS STREET QUARTER PROJECT OVER A YEAR AGO, I COULD TELL YOU I WAS EXCITED.
I COULD JUMP UP AND KICK MY HEELS.
I WAS SO HAPPY BECAUSE THIS IS A PROJECT THAT THE NEIGHBORHOODS, THE NEIGHBORS ARE EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO AFFECT THEM POSITIVELY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON AS NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOREVER, IT SEEMS LIKE.
SO FINALLY, IT'S BECOMING TRUE.
WE HAVE STRUGGLED FOR A LONG TIME.
THE GREAT STREET GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT IS THE VISION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
IT IS A DREAM THAT'S COMING TRUE FOR ALL THE VOLUNTEERS THAT HAVE WORKED SO HARD.
THE JASPER STREET CORRIDOR WILL BECOME A BEAUTIFUL PROJECT FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.
THE CITY IS GONNA LOOK ELOQUENTLY BEAUTIFUL.
IT'S GONNA BE A SAFER PLACE TO DRIVE, TO WALK, AND TO LIVE.
ON BEHALF OF CONAL, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS AND THE THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS ACROSS DECATUR, WE, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU VOTE YES ON THIS PROJECT.
WE INTEND TO MONITOR CLOSELY YOUR POSITION ON THIS MATTER AND YOUR VOTE.
LASTLY, ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE I'M REPRESENTING TONIGHT, I WANNA THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, MS. WILLIAMS. I'M SORRY, WE HAVE TO CUT YOU OFF.
[00:35:01]
THANK YOU.DEPUTY WRIGHTON AND CITY COUNCIL.
I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE UP HERE AS A GROUP.
UH, WHAT'S INTERESTING, KNO STARTED BACK IN 1992 AND INVOLVED APPROXIMATELY 17 NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED.
THEY'RE NOT ACTIVE MAYBE, BUT THEY ARE ESTABLISHED AS BORDERS.
AND YOU CAN SEE THAT CITY MAP UP ON THE THIRD FLOOR.
AND IT'S KIND OF NICE THAT THE CITY HAS TAKEN THIS APPROACH TO LOOK AT THIS THING AS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW NEIGHBORS CAN BECOME INVESTED.
AND I'M SURE I'M PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING WHEN, WHEN YOU BUY A HOUSE, YOU BUY A NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU JUST DON'T BUY A A PLACE TO SIT AND PUT YOUR REMOTE IN YOUR HAND AND WATCH TV.
YOU WANNA HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AND INVESTING IN.
AND I LOOK AT THIS THING AS A GOOD INVESTMENT PROJECT BECAUSE WE CAN SEE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NEIGHBORS REALLY WANNA COME OUT OF THEIR HOUSE AND, AND FIND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM.
AND I THINK, UH, SPEAKING TO, UH, THE PROJECT AND KONO, UH, KONO IS TO ME, A CONDUIT BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE NEIGHBORS.
AND AS WE GET INVOLVED IN THIS, THEY CAN SEE THE RESULTS OF THE CITY TAKING INTEREST IN THEM.
AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY MAKES IT SO IMPORTANT THAT, THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVE TAKEN A CONCERN AND INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE THAT WE'RE GONNA LIVE HERE FOR MOST OF THEIR LIFE.
AND IF THEY MOVE AWAY, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S SAD TO SEE 'EM GO, BUT WE DO HAVE A, A GREAT, UH, TO ME A GREAT EXAMPLE OF WHAT SOMEBODY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.
AND I THINK THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS AS A POSITIVE THING, AS A BEST WAY TO PRESERVE OUR HOUSING STOCK AND TO MOVE FORWARD.
OKAY, UH, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF DOVE, INC.
TO SPEAK, UH, ON, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY THAT THE, UM, THAT LIES AHEAD FOR REVITALIZING THE JASPER STREET CORRIDOR.
AS A MEMBER OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE, IN MY ROLE AS C E O, I WAS ABSOLUTELY THRILLED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT THE PROJECT AND THEN SEE, UM, THROUGH ALL OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF, UM, UH, AND INCLUSION OF THE CITIZENS, UH, AND GETTING THEIR INPUT FOR THE PROJECT WAS REALLY HEARTWARMING TO ME.
UM, I AM A NEARLY LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
NOT AS LONG AS, UH, SOME PEOPLE.
BUT IN, UM, GROWING UP, WHEN WE FIRST MOVED HERE TO DECATUR, I, UH, LIVED ON WEBSTER STREET AND, UM, WENT TO ST.
AND SO THAT AREA IS VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO ME.
UM, AND FOR, UH, THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY NOT KNOW, I WAS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AT HOMEWARD BOUND ON EAST CLAY STREET FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
AND SO I KIND OF, UM, HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK IN THE CONVENT OF ST.
UM, AND BEING IN THAT AREA, I SEE THE PRIDE, YOU KNOW, I SEE, UM, UH, THE PEOPLE IN THAT COMMUNITY, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, BETWEEN, UH, JASPER STREET AND MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND HAVING, UH, ALSO SEEN SOME OF THE PEOPLE WITHDRAW INTO THEIR HOMES, PEOPLE LEAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL BRING THAT BACK, THAT IT WILL BRING THE PR PRIDE BACK.
IT WILL, UH, BRING THE PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BACK OUT.
IT WILL HELP TO GROW, UM, UH, THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, I CANNOT FULLY EXPRESS HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT THE PLANS.
PLANS THAT WILL ENHANCE NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY, CREATE AND BEAUTIFY OPEN SPACES FOR COMMUNITY USE, UPGRADE TRANSPORTATION ROUTES ALONG THE CORRIDOR, IMPROVE EXISTING HOUSING STOCK, DEVELOP INNOVATIVE HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES, AND LASTLY, PROVIDE EDUCATION AND CAREER ENRICHMENT, WHICH WILL BOLSTER ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE WHO WE SERVE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS INITIATIVE, UM, IS DIRECTLY IN LINE WITH DOVE'S
[00:40:01]
MISSION TO COORDINATE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS UNMET NEEDS FOR THE COMMUNITY.WE ARE THRILLED ABOUT THE INCREASE IN OPPORTUNITIES FOR THOSE NEIGHBORS THAT WE PROVIDE SERVICES TO.
WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM TO THEIR NEEDS.
WE ARE A HUNDRED PERCENT COMMITTED TO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE THE SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECTS AND THE PARTNERSHIPS ALONG THE WAY.
BE WOLF CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
I AM, UM, THE HUSBAND OF JUANITA MORRIS.
UH, I WAS, I'M SO PRIVILEGED, UH, BECAUSE I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO MARRY WITH THE SMARTEST WOMAN I KNEW FROM DECATUR.
UM, IN REGARDS TO THIS, UH, GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS PROGRAM, UM, WE HAVE, UM, OPENED A BUSINESS SOME SEVEN YEARS AGO ON JASPER STREET.
WE FOUND A PLACE WE LOVED, WE FOUND A PLACE FOR US.
SUBSEQUENT TO THAT, WE DECIDED TO OWN PROPERTIES, UH, IN THE JASPER STREET CORRIDOR, BOTH ON CLAY STREET AND ON WILLARD STREET.
THIS PROGRAM IS NEAR AND DEAR TO US BECAUSE IT INCENTIVIZES US IN, IN INVESTING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
I'M ALSO THE SECOND VICE PRESIDENT FOR THE SOUTH SIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION.
WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PRIDE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FROM CANVASSING, FROM SITTING IN WITH, UH, DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THE NEEDS ARE.
I'VE SEEN THAT LEVEL OF PRIDE.
AND THIS PROJECT WILL ALSO GIVE OUR RESIDENTS IN THE SOUTH SIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION, AS WELL AS ON THE JASPER JASPER STREET CORRIDOR, AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF PRIDE.
I URGE YOU TO BE ON THE SIDE OF HISTORY THAT SAYS WE WANT TO IMPROVE JASPER STREET AND THE JASPER JASPER STREET CORRIDOR.
I URGE YOU TO BE ON THE SIDE OF HISTORY THAT SAYS, WE WANT TO GIVE STUDENTS A SAFE PASSAGE FROM HOME TO SCHOOL.
I URGE YOU TO APPROVE, UH, A SAFE PASSAGE FROM LAKE SHORE DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO PURGING ROAD.
THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I URGE YOU TO APPROVE THIS WITH FULL CONFIDENCE.
UM, NOW, MR. MANAGER, OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MAYOR.
UM, BEFORE I BRING SCOTT BACK UP TO THE PODIUM FOR Q AND A, I JUST WANTED TO MENTION A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT, UH, YOU MIGHT BE ASKING ABOUT.
UM, THE, THE CONCEPT OF, OF ROAD DIET FOR JASPER IS NOT FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU'VE ALREADY APPROVED FROM A DESIGN STANDPOINT ON 51.
UH, AND FURTHERMORE, PUTTING, UH, AN OFF ROAD TRAIL AS, AS WAS DESCRIBED BY MR. GOLDSTEIN, IS ALSO REFLECTIVE OF THE EPSTEIN, UM, CONSULTANTS, UH, HIKE BIKE TRAIL.
SO THAT WAS, THAT WAS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL AS WANTED TO ANTICIPATE THAT QUESTION.
BUT SCOTT, IF YOU'D COME BACK TO THE PODIUM TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COUNCIL'S Q AND A AND DISCUSSION, AND I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
CHUCK, MINE'S FAIRLY SIMPLE, BUT, UH, IT LOOKS LIKE THE, UH, PREFERRED OPTION FOR THE BIKE PATH IS TO HAVE THE GREEN SPACE BETWEEN THE BIKE PATH AND THE ROAD.
AND THEN YOU HAVE AN ALTERNATE SOLUTION DOWN HERE WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, SOME TYPE OF LOW PROFILE CONCRETE BARRIER BETWEEN THE BIKE PATH AND THE ROAD, WHICH I WOULD NOT BE IN FAVOR OF.
AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHY IS THAT OPTION ON THERE? IS THAT BECAUSE OF MONEY? IS THAT WHY THAT IT MUST BE CHEAPER TO HAVE THIS, UH, EVANSTON, ILLINOIS ALTERNATE ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION FOR BIKE PATH? I, UH, YOU KNOW, BUT STANDARD TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, AL ALWAYS LOOKS AT ALTERNATIVES.
UM, THAT ALTERNATIVE IS A LITTLE LESS EXPENSIVE, BUT THOSE WERE THE ALTERNATIVES WE, WE PUT OUT THERE.
AND THERE WAS PRETTY MUCH UNANIMOUS CONSENSUS THAT PEOPLE DON'T FEEL SAFE ON THE ROADWAY ITSELF.
UM, AND THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM TO PUT THIS IN HERE WITHIN THE EXISTING 60 FEET.
SO, SO, UM, THIS IS THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE.
SO WHEN YOU GO FOR A GRANT, YOU HAVE TO SHOW ALTERNATIVES AND THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT YOU DID.
UM, DEFINITELY FOR THE PREFERRED OPTION.
YOU KNOW, I, I JUST WAS WONDERING LIKE, IS THIS LIKE A, YOU KNOW, FEW MILLION DOLLARS LESS EXPENSIVE FOR THE OTHER ONE, AND ARE WE GONNA GET CORNERED INTO HAVING THE, UH, LESS DESIRABLE SOLUTION? AND SO I WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, REALLY WANTING TO PUSH FOR THE PREFERRED OPTION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE BEST WAY.
AND REMEMBER, THOSE OPTIONS WILL COME BACK TO US TOO.
OTHER QUESTIONS, LISA? UM, JUST A COUNCILMAN KHL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD OR NOT.
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THAT IS A 10 FOOT WIDE WALK BIKE PATH, AND I HAVE, UM, UTILIZED A FEW OF THOSE AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEM AT ALL.BOTH ROLLERBLADING WALKING AND BIKE RIDING.
THEY'RE SO MUCH SAFER LOOKING.
THE OTHER ONE IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD.
I WOULDN'T FEEL, I WOULDN'T, TO ME THAT DOESN'T EVEN, MIGHT AS WELL JUST HAVE IT ON THE ROAD AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.
THE OTHER ONE DOESN'T EVEN LOOK THAT SAFE TO ME.
NO OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DR.
HORN? FIRST A COMMENT AND THEN QUESTIONS.
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO'S BEEN INVOLVED IN THE GREAT STREETS GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANNING EFFORT, JUST LIKE THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GREAT STREETS GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT PLAN WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL TO THOSE WHO LIVE THERE.
MY QUESTION IS, A LOT OF THE DISCUSSION HAS FOCUSED ON BOTH THE GREAT STREETS PART OF THIS PROJECT AND THE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
AND WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET AND TIME IMPLICATIONS THAT IS IN THE CITY COUNCIL PACKET QUOTE SAYS, IF APPROVED FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT FOR $10 MILLION, THE CITY WILL HAVE TO MATCH THIS GRANT AT 20%, 2 MILLION OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS.
COULD SOMEONE FROM THE CITY STAFF OR TECA OUTLINE SPECIFICALLY WHAT THE $10 MILLION, UH, GRANT, UH, IS FOR SCOTT? IF YOU COULD GO TO THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE THREE DIFFERENT COLORS, UM, OF THE IMPROVEMENTS.
I THINK YOU KNOW WHICH ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, THIS ONE.
SO, UM, THIS IS A SUMMARY SLIDE THAT SHOWS THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS TO THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE COMPONENT.
I MEAN, I, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH THAT IT'S A GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THOSE AREN'T TWO SEPARATE PROJECTS.
THOSE ARE, UH, MARBLED TOGETHER, UH, TOGETHER.
UH, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT, THAT INTERLOCKING FABRIC IS WHAT MAKES THIS PROJECT WORK.
UM, BUT WE HAVE ALREADY IDENTIFIED, EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVEN'T EVEN APPROVED THE, UH, THE PLAN YET, WE'VE ALREADY IDENTIFIED ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE FUNDING SOURCES WE CAN USE IF, IF THIS PROJECT IS APPROVED AND IT RELATES JUST TO THE RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, SO THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT THE RIGHT OF WAY, THE PROJECT IS MUCH BIGGER THAN THAT, BUT THIS PARTICULAR GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS THE RIGHT OF WAY.
AND IN SUMMARY, THE, THE RIGHT OF WAY PRO, UH, UH, PROPONENTS, AND I THINK SCOTT TALKED ABOUT THIS A LITTLE EARLIER, INVOLVE NORTH OF, NORTH OF MARIETTA STREET, IT'S, UH, THREE LANE INSTEAD OF FOUR WITH, UH, THE BIKE LANE ON, ON THE WEST SIDE, AND THE SAME TREATMENT SOUTH OF NORTH STREET, ROUGHLY.
AND THEN IN BETWEEN NORTH AND MARIETTA, UH, YOU HAVE THE CENTER SECTION.
THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL AS CREATIVELY AS WE CAN, GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE JASPER VIADUCT, UM, AND TO ELIMINATE THE TWO AND A HALF BLOCK DETOUR WHERE YOU GO OVER TO ILLINOIS STREET.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S TRANSPORTATION.
THAT'S TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND THERE'S A PROGRAM, UH, IN, IN THE NEW BIDEN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL THAT FUNDS EXACTLY THIS KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND FURTHERMORE, EXACTLY THIS KIND OF INFRASTRUCTURE THAT IS, UH, PREFACED BY EXACTLY THE KIND OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INTERACTION PROCESS THAT YOU'VE GONE THROUGH.
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT, UH, ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT JUST, IT, IT SEEMS LIKE THEY DESIGNED THAT GRANT PROGRAM TO FIT JASPER STREET CORRIDOR.
UM, SO, UM, UH, AS COUNCILMAN HORNE CORRECTLY SAID, THERE'S A 20% MATCH REQUIREMENT.
UM, THE MATCH DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PRODUCED WITH WITHIN A 12 MONTH TIMEFRAME BECAUSE THE, IT'LL TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO DO THIS, JUST LIKE THE HIGHWAY 51 PROJECT BETWEEN EL DORADO AND PERSHING.
THERE'S A DESIGN PHASE, AND THEN THERE'S A LETTING PHASE, AND THEN A CONSTRUCTION PHASE, WHICH WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS.
AND WE WILL HAVE TO IDENTIFY OUR 20% MATCH.
WE HAVE, UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY SOME, UH, TRANSPORTATION, UH, TRANSIT FUNDS THAT, THAT COULD LEVERAGE IT BECAUSE THERE'S TRANSIT INVOLVED IN IT.
WE COULD USE, UM, M F T MONEY IF WE WANTED TO.
THERE'S SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES.
WE, WE, WE COULD LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT MONEY IN THE INTERIM AS WELL.
UH, BUT IT IS ACCURATE TO SAY THAT WE HAVEN'T IDENTIFIED EXACTLY WHERE THE, WHERE THE MATCH WILL COME FROM AT THIS, AT THIS TIME.
BUT WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO, TO WORK THAT OUT.
I CERTAINLY DON'T INTEND TO RECOMMEND TO YOU, ALTHOUGH IT IS ELIGIBLE THAT YOU, YOU COULD USE A R P OR C D B G, BUT I DON'T RECOMMEND THAT.
I THINK WE SHOULD RESERVE OUR C D B G AND A R P FUNDS FOR THE REVITALIZATION AND, UH, AND REHABILITATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT YOU HAVE CONSISTENTLY ALLOCATED IT FOR.
[00:50:02]
DR.SO THE $10 MILLION THAT'S BEING PROPOSED AS A POSS IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THE GRANT IS GO, SEEMS TO BE FOCUSED ON THIS TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR THAT'S, THAT'S ON THE SLIDE HERE.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE REHABILITATION OF HOUSES, DEMOLITIONS, GREEN SPACES, PLACEMAKING SPACES, POTENTIAL NEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OVER, OVER A ONE MILE WIDE STRETCH SURROUNDING JASPER, SEEMS TO ME THAT'S GOING TO COST MORE THAN $10 MILLION.
AND DOES THE CITY HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR HOW MUCH THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE? IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE D U S D O T GRANT THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT, THAT'S JUST ONE COMPONENT OF THE OVERALL GREAT STREETS GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS PROJECT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT, UH, FOR, FROM THE ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY THROUGH THE, UH, CENTRAL ILLINOIS LAND BANK FOR MORE REHAB.
UM, WE'VE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL, AND I REALLY TIP MY HAT TO OUR STAFF FOR ALL THE EXTRA FUNDING THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO, TO GET HALF A MILLION DOLLARS HERE, $300,000 THERE FOR REHAB AND, AND FOR REVITALIZATION OF, OF PRIVATE PROPERTY.
AND, AND FOR SOME OF THE PARTNERSHIPS THAT WE'VE DONE WITH, WITH SEVERAL OF THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS AROUND TOWN, TO LEVERAGE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.
UM, THIS PLAN IS AN, IS A, IS A OVERALL CONTEXT FOR ALL OF THOSE.
AND THE TRANSPORTATION GRANT THAT WE'RE PURSUING THE END OF THIS MONTH IS SIMPLY ONE OF MANY OF THOSE COMPONENTS.
SO, UH, WHAT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THE, THE TIMEFRAME OF THIS PROJECT FROM BEGINNING THEN, IS THIS A FIVE YEAR, 10 YEAR, 20 YEAR PROJECT? I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO IT.
THIS IS JUST ONE, THIS IS JUST A TRANSPORTATION, THEN COUNCILMAN HORNE HAS ALL HIS CONCERNS.
SO THIS IS A LONG-TERM PROJECT THAT THE CITY'S GONNA HAVE TO CONSISTENTLY FUND OVER MANY YEARS.
IS THAT HOW YOU'RE SEEING IT? YES, I DO.
UH, COUNCILMAN KUHL AND, AND BECAUSE NOT ALL OF THE FUNDING HAS BEEN LOCKED IN AT THIS VERY EARLY STAGE, IT'S, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY THAT IT'LL BE THREE YEAR, FIVE YEAR, SEVEN YEAR, BUT, BUT, UM, BUT GIVEN THE KINDS OF, UH, PRELIMINARY EXPECTATIONS WE HAVE FOR WHAT THE FUNDING MIGHT BE, I THINK THERE WOULD BE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS, NOT COMPLETION.
I'M NOT SURE IF WE EVER HAVE COMPLETION ON A PROJECT, LISA.
I, I THINK THAT A, A COURT OR, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT LIKE THIS IS ONGOING, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT YOU WOULD START TO SEE SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS WITHIN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME.
UH, BUT THAT'S JUST AN ESTIMATE BASED ON THE FACT THAT AS I FREELY CONCEDE, WE DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE FUNDING WORKED OUT YET.
MR. CULP, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? OTHER COMMENTS? DR.
HORN? MR. PATRICK, I'M GONNA REPHRASE MY QUESTION JUST A LITTLE BIT.
SO THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECT, WHICH BY ALL ACCOUNTS HAS BEEN A COMPLETE SUCCESS, BEGAN WITH A $1 MILLION GRANT FOR LAND CLEARING DEMOLITIONS PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS, THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD, SMALLER THAN WHAT IS, UH, THE JASPER STREET GREAT STREET'S GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAM.
IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT IF WE KNOW THE AMOUNT OF LAND SPACE THAT IS THE JASPER STREET CORRIDOR, UM, WE CAN EXTRAPOLATE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO DO THIS FIRST STEP OF, UM, DEMOLITIONS LAND CLEARING PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
AND THEN IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ESTIMATE WHAT IT'S GONNA COST FOR PLACEMAKING SPACES AND WHAT IT'S GONNA COST FOR GREEN SPACES AND GIVEN WELL, I'LL STOP THERE.
I'VE GOT ANOTHER QUESTION, BUT I'LL STOP THERE.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH AN ESTIMATE? MAYOR CITY COUNCIL? GOOD EVENING.
UM, I, I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY BECAUSE I DON'T, I DON'T THINK WE THAT FAR, UH, WITHIN THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW.
I WILL TELL YOU THOUGH, THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS YOU JUST MENTIONED ARE THINGS WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW, UH, IN THIS AREA, RIGHT? SO WE'RE DOING DEMOLITIONS, WE'RE, WE HAVE THE OWNER OUP OCCUPY REHAB, WE HAVE THE SMALL HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.
ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS ARE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITHIN THE JAZZ RETREAT PROJECT AREA ITSELF, RIGHT? WHAT THIS DOES FOR US THOUGH, IS, UH, IT REALLY ALLOWS US TO
[00:55:01]
KIND OF TARGET IN ON THOSE SPECIFIC NEIGHBORHOODS WITHIN THOSE AREAS TO DO THIS WORK MORE INTENTIONALLY, IF THAT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT? THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE WON'T DO DEMOLITION REHAB AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COMMUNITY, BUT WHAT THIS IS, WHAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS SAID IS THAT THOSE THINGS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM, RIGHT? AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING, HAVING THE INTENTION AND TARGETED EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN THOSE FIVE OR SIX DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.I THINK AS WE GET MORE INTO THIS PROJECT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, WHEN WE START WORKING WITH THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND WITH KONO, THEN WE'LL BEGIN TO PUT MORE OF A SENSE OF HOW MUCH THINGS IS GOING TO COST FOR THINGS, PARTICULARLY ON THE, ON THE GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE OF THE PROJECT.
BUT WE WON'T STOP DOING ALL THOSE THINGS EVEN NOW IN THESE NEIGHBORHOODS WHILE WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T DO THE, IF WE DON'T DO THE FIRST STEP, WHICH IS BUILD CAPACITY, IS WHAT THE ROADMAP CALLS FOR, UM, WE GONNA FIND OURSELVES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE DOING WORK IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT THE FOLKS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE NO REAL SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OF WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND SO WE GOTTA BUILD THAT OWNERSHIP WITH THEM FIRST, RIGHT? IN ORDER FOR THESE THINGS TO TAKE PLACE.
UH, DO, DO WE HAVE ENOUGH MONEY RIGHT NOW BETWEEN A R P AND C D B G AND SOME OTHER STUFF TO DO THIS WORK? ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THE PROPER FRAMING OF THE QUESTION PROBABLY IS, SHOULD WE BE THINKING NOW HOW WE SUSTAIN THIS WORK 3, 4, 5 YEARS FROM NOW? RIGHT? BUT RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT, WE HAVE ENOUGH DOLLARS TO EXECUTE, UH, AND CONTINUE TO EXECUTING ON THIS PROJECT.
I, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE OTHER ANSWERS TO THE COUNCILMAN HORNE'S QUESTION IS NO IN A DIFFERENT WAY.
UM, HIS QUESTION IS PREDICATED ON THE NOTION THAT WHATEVER THE PER SQUARE BLOCK COST OF JOHNS HILL IS CAN BE EXTRAPOLATED INTO THIS ONE.
AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT CAN.
EVERY ONE OF THE THINGS WE SAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHEN WE TALK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION IS THAT EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IS DIFFERENT.
AND NOT ONLY IS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD DIFFERENT, UH, TRUE HERE, BUT THE FUNDAMENTAL STRATEGY IS DIFFERENT AS WELL.
IN, IN JOHN'S HEALTH IN JOHN'S HILL THROUGH THE, UM, THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF THE HOWARD BUFFETT FOUNDATION, THEY MADE A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS IN SOME OF THE DEMOLITION AND, AND AND CLEARING.
AND WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE FOR THAT.
AND, AND THE OBJECT WAS THAT IF YOU DO THAT, THEN WON'T THAT HAVE THE TRANSFORM TRANSFORMATIONAL EFFECT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S WORKING.
I THINK THAT, UH, JASPER STREET IS DIFFERENT, AND THAT IS WE'RE FOCUSING ON A CORRIDOR AREA, UM, WITH, WITH THE BELIEF NOT UNLIKE SOME OF OUR OTHER CATALYST PROJECTS, THAT IT WILL HAVE A CATALYST EFFECT AND RESULT IN AN ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT, ESPECIALLY IN SMALL BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES, UH, THAT ARE NEAR THE, THE JASPER RIGHT AWAY.
AND SO I THINK IT'S A DIFFERENT MODEL, UH, AND A DIFFERENT APPROACH ENTIRELY.
AND I THINK THAT IT, THAT IT'S ONE THAT, BUT IT'S ONE THAT FITS THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHILE I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS, I WILL JUST SAY THAT, UM, IT, THERE ARE WAYS TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST TO DO THE GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS PORTION OF THIS PROJECT, RIGHT? THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD STARTED WITH A CERTAIN BLIGHT SCORE.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH IT COST TO DO THAT FIRST STEP, AND WE CAN, WE ALREADY KNOW THE BLIGHT SCORES FOR ALL THESE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, TIMES OF THE ESSENCE HERE, OKAY? WE KNOW NATIONAL STUDIES AND THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT FROM BOTH THOSE THINGS, WE KNOW THAT BLIGHT REMOVAL REDUCES CRIME.
THE LATEST CITY PERCEPTION SURVEY THAT WAS DONE, UM, WHICH WAS I BELIEVE WAS COMPLETED IN MARCH, INDICATES APPROXIMATELY 40% OF DECATUR RESIDENTS DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE CITY.
IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY THREE YEARS TO CHANGE THE CRIME DATA IN THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FIVE YEARS, 10 YEARS TO MAKE THESE TYPES OF CHANGES.
SO I JUST RESPECTIVELY DISAGREE WITH THE STAFF ON THIS.
AND THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY HERE BECAUSE RIGHT NOW THE CITY HAS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR THIS TYPE OF TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT.
THEIR GENERAL FUND HAS A SURPLUS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
WE SAW IT IN THE TREASURER'S REPORT.
OKAY? WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECT RESERVE FUND THAT CAN BE USED.
[01:00:01]
KEEP THINKING ABOUT A R P FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION WHEN WE HAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN A R P FUNDS THAT ARE ALLOCATED TO WATER WHEN WE HAVE A $20 MILLION WATER BOND PROCEEDS THAT WE HAVEN'T SPENT A DIME ON.AND SO THE LONGER THAT WE SAY THIS IS GONNA TAKE YEARS, THE MORE LIKELY THAT THE NEIGHBORS THAT DESERVE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT.
IT'S SIMPLY UNNECESSARY FOR THEM TO WAIT THIS LONG.
SO I, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE WON'T KNOW THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, WHAT IT'S GONNA COST TO IMPLEMENT.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE'RE NOT THERE YET, RIGHT? UM, THERE WILL COME A TIME WHEN WE GONNA COME TO THIS COUNCIL AND SAY, TO DO X IN THIS AREA OF THE GREAT STREET'S GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS GONNA COST THIS, AND WE NEED THIS.
IN FACT, YOU'RE GONNA SEE BUDGET DOLLARS IN THE C Y 24 BUDGET AS IT RELATES TO IMPLEMENTING THIS PROJECT.
IT'S GOING TO BE THERE, UH, ON SOME OF SOME OF THESE THINGS, PARTICULARLY ON THE GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD SIDE.
UH, I, I, I THINK, UM, THE NOTION THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE YEARS IS, IS NOT TRUE.
AND I, I JUST MENTIONED, IN FACT, WE'VE STARTED IMPLEMENTING THIS PROJECT ALREADY.
WE STARTED IMPLEMENTING, SO IT'S NOT GONNA TAKE YEARS.
IN FACT, WE HAVE A KICKOFF MEETING TOMORROW WITH KONO AS IT RELATES TO THE CAPACITY BUILDING, WHICH IS PART OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY, WHICH IS THE FIRST GOAL AS PART OF THIS PROJECT.
SO WE'RE NOT TAKING YEARS TO DO THIS, RIGHT? WE'RE DOING THIS RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, WE WE'RE LITERALLY STARTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? BUT THERE ARE STEPS THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE, UH, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR THIS THING TO BUILD UP TO WHAT'S NEXT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND THE FIRST PIECE OF THIS IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD CAPACITY.
WE GOTTA BUILD CAPACITY IN NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE WHOLE REASON WHY WE CALLED IT GREAT STREETS, GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS AND PUT THOSE TOGETHER IS BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS IN THIS AREA, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE FOR STAFF TO WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH EACH OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS.
20, 30 DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS GREW ACROSS THE CITY.
WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO THAT.
SO HOW DO WE BRING NEIGHBORHOODS, MULTIPLE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND A COMMON THEME? WELL, IT IS THE ROADWAY.
AND SO NOW THESE SIX NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE SAID, THESE ARE THE FIVE GOALS IN OUR AREA THAT WE WANNA FOCUS ON.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO S I A, SEPARATE FROM CLOY PARK, SEPARATE FROM TORRANCE PARK, SEPARATE FROM FANS FOR FANS, FEEL ABOUT WHAT WE GONNA DO IN THIS AREA.
THEY'VE ALREADY AGREED ON WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN THIS AREA.
NOW WE GOTTA BUILD THEIR CAPACITY SO THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT IT, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.
AND OUR FIRST STEP WOULD BE TO MOVE AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS PLAN TONIGHT.
WE GET GOING WITH IT INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR IT.
IS EVERYBODY READY? FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO HERE? YEP.
[3. Resolution Authorizing Property Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
ON TO ITEM THREE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROPERTY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOST SHOULD THE RESOLUTION BE PASSED AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
ITEMS THREE THROUGH 10 ARE EIGHT DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF OUR OVERALL LIABILITY, WORKERS' COMP AND, AND OTHER TYPES OF INSURANCE PROTECTION.
IF YOU'VE READ THROUGH THE RESOLUTIONS, UH, YOU KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM REFERENCE A SPECIFIC POLICY AMOUNT.
OTHERS SAY AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED BECAUSE WE'RE STILL NEGOTIATING THESE THINGS.
THE THE ANNIVERSARY DATE IS OCTOBER ONE.
THIS IS ALWAYS AN 11TH HOUR DEAL BECAUSE THE CARRIERS WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO EVALUATE THIS.
AND, AND OF COURSE WE'RE NEGOTIATING TRYING TO GET THE LOWEST, UH, AMOUNT POSSIBLE.
UM, SO THESE ARE, THESE ARE THE EIGHT DIVISIONS OF, OF COVERAGE.
THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO THE DIVISIONS WE HAD LAST YEAR.
SADLY FOR THE REASONS THAT ARE MENTIONED IN MY STAFF REPORT, THEY'RE MORE MONEY THAN LAST YEAR.
BUT THAT'S JUST WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY AND, AND I RECOMMEND THAT ALL THE RESOLUTIONS BE APPROVED.
AND SO I'M REALLY MAKING THESE COMMENTS ABOUT THREE THROUGH 10.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? SEEING THAT, OH, I'M SORRY, CHUCK.
I, I DON'T KNOW WHERE, I KNOW WE'VE GOT ALL THESE RESOLUTIONS.
I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THESE AND THAT WAS, THERE WAS ONE THAT DOUBLED, IT LITERALLY DOUBLED IT WAS EXCESS PROPERTY.
SO AT SOME POINT I'D LIKE AN EXPLANATION.
I THINK THAT MAY THIS THE ITEM FOUR.
SO JUST WAIT TILL WE GET TO THAT ONE.
WE'LL DOUBLE CHECK, BUT I THINK IT IS ITEM FOUR.
SO ON ITEM THREE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[4. Resolution Authorizing Property and Liability Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
FOUR, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR POLICY.OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.
MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION BE PASSED, WOULD BE ADOPTED.
MR. MANAGER, IS THIS THE ONE THAT DOUBLED OR ARE YOU SEEING IT?
[01:05:02]
IS THIS, THERE WAS A CHART INVOLVED.IT'S, IT'S, IT'S IN THE COVER MEMO, ACTUALLY, IT'S NOT EMBEDDED IN EACH OF THE RESOLUTIONS.
YOU GO IN, IN THE COVER MEMO, IT MENTIONS WHAT THE COSTS ARE AND GIVES YOU A COMPARISON TO WHAT WE PAID IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR, OR RATHER THE PREVIOUS, UH, OCTOBER ONE TO SEPTEMBER 30, UH, POLICY PERIOD AND, UH, EXCESS PROPERTY.
UM, WE WE'RE SELF-INSURED FOR MUCH OF OUR EXPOSURES.
AND SO WHAT THAT REALLY MEANS IS WE, WE DON'T PAY EVERYTHING.
WE PAY EVERYTHING UP TO AN ATTACHMENT POINT.
AND WHAT THAT IS VARIES BASED ON WHAT THE POLICY COVERAGE IS, UH, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING, CLAIMS OF LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS WE'RE PAYING.
AND SO WE BUY COVERAGE FOR WHAT REALLY AMOUNTS TO LARGE CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS SO THAT THAT DOESN'T, SO THAT ONE REALLY LARGE CATASTROPHIC CLAIM DOESN'T WIPE OUT OUR RESERVES AND, UH, THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, THESE TYPES OF POLICIES, UM, ARE GOING UP A LOT IN PART BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF CATASTROPHIC CLAIMS. UM, AND, UH, AND, AND I'VE MENTIONED SOME OF THOSE IN, IN THE COVER MEMO.
THIS IS ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE ARE STILL TRYING TO NEGOTIATE A LOWER NUMBER ON.
AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UH, UP UNTIL JUST AS, AS RECENTLY AS A WEEK AGO, IT WAS A LOT HIGHER THAN, THAN, THAN WHAT IT'S COME DOWN TO.
UM, SO, UH, I MEAN, I MEAN I, I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO, TO, TO SEVERAL LARGE CLAIMS ELSEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES WHERE INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE TRYING TO RECOUP THEIR LOSSES.
UM, BUT IN GENERAL, UM, THE, UH, THE LIABILITY IS HAS THERE HAVE BEEN MORE AND MORE CASES THAT ARE, THAT ARE HIGHER THAN, THAN THE ATTACHMENT POINTS.
NOT FROM US, BUT FROM OTHERS THAT, THAT ARE COVERED BY THE SAME PROGRAMS AND WE ALL PAY THE PRICE.
THAT ONE JUST JUMPED OUT AT ME, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I NEEDED TO ASK.
[5. Resolution Authorizing Excess Liability Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
ITEM FIVE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXCESS LIABILITY COV INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[6. Resolution Authorizing Cyber Liability Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
ITEM SIX, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CYBER LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOTION THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEE NONE.
[7. Resolution Authorizing Excess Liability Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1 2024]
ITEM SEVEN, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXCESS LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.DO YOU PASS AND BE ADOPTED? SO MOVE.
[8. Resolution Authorizing Crisis Protection Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
ITEM EIGHT, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING CRISIS PROTECTION INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[9. Resolution Authorizing Auto Physical Damage Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AUTO PHYSICAL DAMAGE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[10. Resolution Authorizing Excess Workers Compensation Insurance Coverage for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Policy Period October 1, 2023 to October 1, 2024]
ITEM 10, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXCESS WORKERS' COMPENSATION INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE POLICY PERIOD OCTOBER 1ST, 2023 TO OCTOBER 1ST, 2024.MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[11. An Ordinance Amending the 2022 Budget Reconciliation Ordinance of the City of Decatur, Illinois]
ITEM 11, AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE 2022 BUDGET RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AMENDING A BUDGET OF A FISCAL YEAR THAT YOU'VE ALREADY CLOSED MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS AGO IS FAIRLY UNORTHODOX AND THIS IS THE SECOND TIME WE'RE GONNA DO IT THIS YEAR.
UM, THE REASON HAS TO DO WITH CHANGING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE US TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
UM, AND THAT'S EXPLAINED IN THE COVER MEMO THAT RUBY AND I WROTE.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS ACTION IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM ALTERS IN ANY RESPECT THE SPENDING PLAN AND THE ALLOCATION THAT YOU PROVIDED, UH, IN THE FIRST YEAR AND THE SECOND YEAR AND, AND CONTINUING FORWARD.
YOU, YOU'VE, YOU'VE MADE IT CLEAR WE HAVE A SPECIAL APPENDIX IN THE BUDGET AS TO WHERE THE A R P MONEY IS, UH, IS GOING AND, AND THAT IS NOT GONNA BE ALTERED.
UH, BUT WHAT HAS BEEN ALTERED BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT ARE SOME OF THEIR COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS THAT THEY KEEP CHANGING THE RULES IN THE MORE THAN TWO YEARS SINCE THE, SINCE A R P WAS, WAS FIRST ADOPTED BY CONGRESS AND AND APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT, THERE WAS THIS FEATURE CALLED, UM,
[01:10:01]
REVENUE REPLACEMENT, WHICH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT MANY CITIES DURING THE PANDEMIC HAD A SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN REVENUE AND CERTAINLY WE DID AS WELL.AND SO THAT A PORTION OF THOSE FUNDS COULD BE AT THE, AT THE CITY'S DISCRETION USED TO REPLACE, TO REPLACE THOSE LOSSES AS WELL AS FOR ELIGIBLE EXPENSES.
AND SO BECAUSE OF THESE RE REPORTING CHANGES, WE HAVE TO AMEND THE BUDGET BECAUSE OF, BECAUSE OF HOW EXPENSES, EXPENSES WERE, UH, CATEGORIZED IN 2022.
UH, THIS IS AN ACCOUNTING ADJUSTMENT ONLY, UH, FOR PURPOSES OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT.
IT IN NO WAY CHANGES WHERE YOU'RE, WHERE YOU HAVE ALLOCATED A R P MONEY EITHER IN THE PAST OR MOVING FORWARD.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? SEEN NONE.
[12. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with S. Shafer Excavating for the Demolition of 1540 N. Main]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH S SCHAFER EXCAVATING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 1540 NORTH MAY MOTION IF THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.MR. WRIGHTON, I HAVE NOTHING TO ADD, UH, BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE STAFF REPORT.
[13. Resolution Authorizing Funding Assistance to Child 1st Center/Macon County Heals for Crisis Response Program with the Decatur Police Department]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FUNDING, FUNDING ASSISTANCE TO CHILD FIRST CENTER, MACON COUNTY HEELS FOR CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM WITH THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNSEL, YOU APPROVED, UM, AN EXPENDITURE IDENTICAL TO THIS WITH A R P MONIES, UH, LAST YEAR.
AND SO, UH, THE CHIEF IS HERE TO TELL YOU HOW THAT MONEY WAS USED SO SUCCESSFULLY THAT HE'S ASKING THAT WE RENEW IT AGAIN IN THE SAME AMOUNT.
SO YEAH, THIS, I'M, I'M SIMPLY ASKING AT THIS POINT, UM, FOR THE SAME AMOUNT THAT WE DID LAST YEAR, 30,000 TO HELP TO HELP FUND THIS PROGRAM.
AND ESSENTIALLY THE PROGRAM, UH, IT ALLOWS US TO CONNECT, UM, THOSE THAT ARE INVOLVED INTIMATELY WITH VIOLENT CRIMES, UH, TO TRAUMA SERVICES MUCH MORE QUICKLY.
AND, AND BY DOING SO, UH, YOU HAVE A, A HIGHER SUCCESS RATE OF FOLLOW-UP SERVICES AND, UH, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DIRECT CORRELATION GENERALLY WITH THOSE WHO EXPERIENCED TRAUMA, WHO LATER THEN IN LIFE, UH, WILL BE INVOLVED IN IT AS WELL, EITHER AS AN OFFENDER OR AS A VICTIM.
SO THIS IS ONE OF THOSE LONG-TERM STRATEGIES IN TERMS OF CRIME REDUCTION.
AND WE DID, WE HAVE SEEN, UH, IMPROVEMENTS WITH THOSE, UH, THE CONNECTION AND SERVICES, WHICH IS WHY WE WANT TO TRY IT, UH, FOR ANOTHER YEAR.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE CHIEF? THANK YOU, CHIEF.
UM, THERE WAS A SURVEY OF 59 RESPONDENTS AND 40 68% WERE GIVEN NO ASSISTANCE.
I WAS WONDERING IF SOMEONE COULD COMMENT ON, ON THAT.
ARE THEY REFUSING ASSISTANCE OR ARE THEY, IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING? SO, SO, UH, GENE IS WITH, UH, MAINE COUNTY HILLS, BUT I CAN TELL YOU, UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, I MEAN, WE OFFER THE ASSISTANCE, WE TRY TO CONNECT THE ASSISTANCE, AND OFTENTIMES THAT IS REFUSED OR IT'S NOT FOLLOWED UP UPON, UH, UPON.
UH, IF DEAN, YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT, GO FOR IT.
SO, SO SERVICES WERE OFFERED AND IF, UM, IF THEY REFUSE, THEN THAT, THAT WOULD BE WHY THAT WAS QUESTIONED.
UM, WE, AND, AND THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU, I'D LIKE TO ADD THAT I THINK WE'VE HAD 10 MORE RESPONSES EVEN IN THE LAST MONTH.
UM, BUT YES, SO THOSE WHO HAD REFUSED SERVICES OR REFUSED TO LET PATROL, UM, INCLUDE US.
COULD YOU SPECULATE A LITTLE BIT? WHY, WHY ARE NEARLY 70% OF THE RESPONDENTS HERE? LET'S SEE.
RE REFUSING, WHAT I WOULD ARGUE IS ARE IMPORTANT SERVICES.
I'M TRYING TO FIND WHICH NUMBER YOU'RE REFERRING TO.
ARE YOU ON? I I THINK THE BEST WAY I CAN ANSWER THAT IS YOU'RE ASKING A LOGICAL QUESTION TO A CHAOTIC AND VERY UNORTHODOX SITUATION AND OFTENTIMES THERE ARE NOT, THERE ARE NOT ANSWERS I CAN PROVIDE THAT MAKE ANY SENSE? I MEAN, THAT'S THE WORLD THAT I LIVE IN OR WE LIVE IN.
IT'S, IT'S THE BEST WAY I CAN PUT IT.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE DO HAVE A CRISIS TEAM TO HELP IN THE SITUATIONS, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE DID NOT HAVE.
SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND HOPEFULLY, UM, AS PEOPLE BECOME MORE COMFORTABLE WHEN THEY DO HAVE A CRISIS, THEY WILL REACH OUT TO YOU.
SO YOU, FOR WHAT YOU'RE DOING, INFORMATION AVAILABLE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[14. Resolution Authorizing the Proposal from E.L. Pruitt Co. for Replacement of Galvanized Piping at the Decatur Public Library]
14 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PROPOSAL FROM THE EL PRUITT COMPANY FOR REPLACEMENT OF GALVANIZED PIPING AT THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[01:15:01]
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE PIPES ARE LEAKING.QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER? YEAH, SEEING NONE.
HOW'S THE PARKING GOING OVER THERE? JACK? STICK TO THE TOPIC.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
OH, LISA, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? I DO.
YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WE'VE PUT IN A LOT OF MONEY INTO CAPITAL INTO THE LIBRARY.
UM, THE, UM, IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU AUTHORIZED, UM, WORK FOR THE, TO REPLACE THE ROOF, TO REPLACE THE CHILLER, TO REPLACE, UH, SOME OF THE RETAINING WALLS AT THE LIBRARY.
AND, UM, SINCE YOU, UH, MADE THAT APPROVAL AND WE'VE ENTERED IN THE 2023 CALENDAR YEAR, FISCAL YEAR, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON GETTING ALL THAT READY TO GO TO BID AND IT'S NOW IT'S ABOUT READY TO GO TO BID.
AND, UM, SO, AND JUST RECENTLY, A COUPLE OF MEETINGS AGO, YOU AUTHORIZED SHORT TERM FINANCING FOR IT.
SO THAT PIECE IS YET TO GO AND IT, IT ECLIPSES THIS SMALL AMOUNT.
UH, BUT ONCE WE ARE DONE WITH THOSE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH I EXPECT WILL BE CLOSER TO $2 MILLION, UM, THE, THEN I THINK THAT WE ARE, WE'RE GOOD TO GO FOR A WHILE AT THE LIBRARY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU SAID THAT OUT LOUD.
SO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM? SEE NONE.
[15. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with Burdick Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc. for 2023 Annual Water Main Replacement Project City Project 2023-10]
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH BUR PLUMBING AND HEATING COMPANY, INC.FOR 2023 ANNUAL WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2023 DASH MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THE, UH, THIS WATER WORK IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE TWO PICTURES THAT ARE UP ON THE VIDEO SCREENS.
THIS IS WATER WORK THAT WE HAD PLANNED TO DO.
UH, I'M PLEASED THAT THE ENGINEER'S, UH, ESTIMATE, EXCUSE ME, THAT THE, THAT THE LOW BID WAS, UH, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE AND I RECOMMEND WE PROCEED.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[16. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with the Norfolk Southern Railway Company for a Water Main Crossing City Project 2023-10]
16 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY FOR A WATER MAINE CROSSING CITY PROJECT.MOTION IS THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT YOU JUST APPROVED IS WATERLINE WORK ON WOOD STREET UNDERNEATH THE RAILROAD CROSSING, UH, JUST WEST OF OAKLAND.
UM, SO IN ADDITION TO AUTHORIZING THAT WORK IN CONTRACT, WE HAVE TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT AS WELL WITH THE, WITH THE, WITH THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
HORNE? MR. WRIGHTON, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THERE ARE, UM, SOME KIND OF INTERESTING, UM, CONTRACTUAL SITUATIONS THAT OCCUR WITH RAILROADS.
IS THIS A FAIRLY NORMAL, STRAIGHTFORWARD AGREEMENT? COUNCILMAN HORNE? THERE IS NOTHING STRAIGHTFORWARD OR NORMAL WITH ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
UM, AND, UM,
UM, I'M PLEASED THAT THEY ARE, THAT THEY HAVE AGREED TO THIS, UH, TO THIS WATERLINE WORK WITHOUT THE NORMAL AMOUNT OF DISRUPTIONS AND DELAYS THAT WE USUALLY HAVE FROM N MSS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.
[17. 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.]
ON COUNCIL WISH TO REMOVE ANY ITEM FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SCENE NONE.ITEM A ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 2226 LILAC DRIVE.
ITEM B ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 25 90 SOUTH SHORES DRIVE.
ITEM C RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUPPLEMENT NUMBER ONE TO THE LOCAL PUBLIC AGENCY ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH AECOM TECHNICAL SERVICES INC.
SECTION ZERO NINE DASH 0 0 9 3 3 DASH ZERO ONE DASH I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[VI. Other Business]
ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THIS BODY TONIGHT, DR.HORN? WELL, OUR, I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS CONTINUE TO BE WITH THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INJURED AT A D M RECENTLY.
THERE HAVE NOW BEEN AT LEAST THREE INCIDENTS IN RECENT MONTHS THAT HAVE INVOLVED INJURY.
THIS FREQUENCY OF WORKPLACE INJURIES IS, UH, VERY CONCERNING AND I THANK THE ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR INVESTIGATIONS INTO THESE MATTERS.
[01:20:01]
A THOROUGH INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION, UH, WILL RESTORE CONFIDENCE TO OUR CITY'S LABOR FORCE THAT THE CITY IS A SAFE PLACE TO WORK.I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR OUR DECATUR CITY COUNCIL TO ONCE AGAIN CONSIDER ISSUING BUSINESS LICENSES, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE REGULAR BUILDING INSPECTIONS FOR CERTAIN BUSINESS CATEGORIES.
THIS CONCEPT WAS INITIALLY PROPOSED AS A WAY FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDING OWNERS TO REMEDIATE STRUCTURAL ISSUES BEFORE THOSE STRUCTURES FALL INTO DISREPAIR.
HOWEVER, WITH RECENT EVENTS, BUILDING INSPECTIONS MAY FURTHER ENSURE THAT BUILDINGS ARE SAFE FOR THEIR INTENDED ACTIVITIES.
AND SO THE CITY CAN AND SHOULD DO MORE TO ENSURE WORKER SAFETY.
AND I HOPE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCIL TAKES UP SOON.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS? I GET A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.