[00:00:01]
AND WITH THAT[I. Call to Order]
CALL, THE MEETING TO ORDER.PRESENT MAYOR, MORE WOLF PRESENT.
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.
WE'RE NOT SINGING PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE.
THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH WE STAND AGAINST ONE NATION UNDER GOD.
INVIS FOR THE LIBERTY AND JUSTICE.
[II. Appearance of Citizens]
BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS.THE POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS.
A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR, EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.
EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.
NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.
CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL WHEN THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY HAVE DONE SO.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT LEAVING? I'M ANN OWENS.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU HIGHLY TO ELIMINATE THE STREAMING TAX.
THAT'S ONE THING THAT WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CITIZENS THAT GAVE UP CABLE IN ORDER TO GET SMALLER BILLS TO GET STREAMING SERVICES.
SO I'M DEFINITELY OPPOSED THAT AND I HOPE THAT YOU WOULD BE TOO.
UM, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, I THINK TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY STAFF AND THE MAYOR TO PERHAPS LOOK AT ARRANGING A PUBLIC FORUM TO ADDRESS THE HERITAGE AND ST.
AND I'M JUST LOOKING AT IT NOT TO DRAW SIDES OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE ALREADY RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ZONING.
SO I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC AND ST.
MARY'S AND HERITAGE, EVERYBODY TO HEAR IT AT ONE TIME, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL.
AND JUST A PUBLIC FORUM JUST REALLY IS AN INFORMATIONAL TOPIC.
AND ALSO, I'M GONNA TELL YOU, I HOPE THAT YOU DO GOOD SUPPORT FOR THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, WHEN CLAY I KNOW IS HERE ABOUT THAT TONIGHT.
I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT ADDITION FOR OUR SENIOR CITIZENS AND IT'S A MUCH BETTER AND SAFER LOCATION.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? IF SO, PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS ABIR MOTIAN.
FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY THERE'S A GUY OVER, HE WENT RIOTING IN JANUARY 6TH, 2021 OVER AT THE CAPITOL NAMED CLEAT DERRICK.
DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY MEMBERS HERE AND HOW MANY RELATIVES OVER IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS HERE BY ITSELF WHO ARE RELATED TO CLEAT? DID YOU KNOW THAT? ST.
LOUIS COUNTY PROSECUTOR, FORMER PROSECUTOR ROBERT MCCULLOUGH, IS RELATED FORENSICALLY AND BY FACIAL RECOGNITION RELATED TO, TO MR. CLEAT, YOU KNOW, AND SO I'M LETTING YOU KNOW.
THEY USED AIS STRATEGIC LLC WHO THE FOUNDER OF THAT GUY.
THE GROUP IS CALLED, UH, HIS NAME IS JEFFREY.
JEFFREY KRAN CONSPIRED IN THE ATTACK OF THE WRITING OVER IN THE CAPITOL.
IT'S FOR, IT'S FOR STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNING.
THEY WORKED ALSO TO DO THE CAMPAIGN, THE STRATEGIC THING WITH THE STABBING OF SHAHEEN OF HANNAN SHAHEEN AND HER SON.
OKAY? THOSE SAME ATTORNEYS FOR HANAN SHAHIN'S HUSBAND ARE THE CRANES.
THE CRANES ARE THE MCCULLOUGH'S PEOPLE OF ST.
SEE, OVER IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI, THERE WAS A GUY IN PUBLIC SAFETY NAMED DREW JUDEN WHO WAS FIRED.
LOUIS COUNTY POLICE RE PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ROSE WAS FIRED.
HE WAS IN PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
[00:05:01]
FITCH WAS FIRED.SO I'M LETTING YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ROSE IN THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND IF YOU DO FACIAL RECOGNITION, YOU'LL FIND THE POLICE CHIEF SHANE BRANDELL RELATED TO MCCULLOUGH.
SO WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU, EVEN THE GEORGE FLOYD CASE TURNS OUT TO BE A STRATEGIC TRICK BY THE, BY THE AGEIST STRATEGIC LLC, WHAT THEY CALL THEMSELVES.
OKAY? AND THEY PAID HIM TO KILL HIMSELF BY POPPING PILLS IN HIS MOUTH.
AND THEN, THEN THEY WANTED TO BA BLAME IT ON THE POLICE.
WELL, THAT POLICE OFFICER, HE JUST GOT STABBED 22 TIMES BECAUSE THEY WANNA SHUT HIS MOUTH UP.
WELL, HE, SOME POLICE ARE GUILTY.
YES, THEY ARE, BUT THAT ONE IS NOT GUILTY.
AND, AND HANAN SHAHEEN, SHE'S NOT GUILTY.
EVEN HANAN SHAHEEN LANDLORD IS EVEN FORENSICALLY RELATED TO LLOYD AUSTIN, WHO IS THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
SO WE HAVE, WE HAVE CORRUPTION RIGHT HERE.
EVEN IN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNING, WE DON'T HAVE A BALANCE.
WE DON'T HAVE A BALANCE AT ALL BECAUSE EVEN CLEAT IS FORENSICALLY OF, OF ROOTS TO DR.
KEVIN CONNOR AND THEN DECATUR FAKE HOMELESS AND WHO, WHO GOES TO JAIL? HIS NAME IS JASON CONNOR THAT'S RELATED TO CLEAT.
ALRIGHT, WELL THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING.
MY, I'M MY, MY NAME IS BRETT ROBERTSON.
I'D LIKE TO URGE THE COUNCIL NOT TO APPROVE THE NEW TAX ON STREAMING SERVICES.
THE PATH OF FINDING MORE AND MORE THINGS FOR CITIES TO TAX IS A PATH THAT HAS BEEN WELL TROD BY OTHER CITIES.
AND WE KNOW WHERE IT LEADS AS COSTS GET HIGHER AND HIGHER.
IT'S THE TOTAL IMPACT OF THESE TAXES THAT EVENTUALLY DRIVES BUSINESSES AND CITIZENS AWAY FROM CITIES.
IT'S A WELL-DOCUMENTED PATH AND I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL THEREFORE TO, TO AVOID, UH, UH, GOING DOWN THIS PATH.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO WISHES TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? UM, ONE NOTE REGARDING THE STREAMING TAX.
WE ARE NOT VOTING ON THE STREAMING TAX TONIGHT.
IT IS A PROPOSAL OF THE CITY MANAGER.
IT IS AN ITEM THAT WOULD COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL AS AN INDIVIDUAL AGENDA ITEM, UH, FOR DISCUSSION AND, AND A DECISION ON THAT.
CINDY, ANYONE ELSE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR REBUTTAL? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE
[III. Approval of Minutes]
ON TO APPROVAL OF MINUTES.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.
COUNCILMAN KUHL? WAIT, I HAVE A DISCUSSION ON THIS.
YOU LEFT ME OFF THE FIRST TWO, UH, COUNCIL MEETINGS.
I THINK IT WAS THE, I DON'T HAVE IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT THE VERY FIRST TWO MINUTES, YOU DON'T HAVE, HAVE ANY ARRESTED AS IN AS IN ATTENDANCE.
AND I WAS IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS.
ACTUALLY ALL THREE THAT WE'RE VOTING ON, BUT I'M NOT LISTED AS IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE FIRST TWO, UM, ON THE MINUTES.
SO WITH THAT CORRECTION, WE'LL CONTINUE THE VOTE RIGHT AS AMENDED.
SO APPROVAL OF MEDS OF NOVEMBER 13TH, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION AS AMENDED.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 15TH, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION IS AMENDED.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 20TH, 2023.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING? I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.
[00:10:01]
AYE.ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
[1. Public Hearing in the Matter of the 2024 Budget]
TO NEW BUSINESS, THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS ITEM ONE, A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE MATTER OF THE 2024 BUDGET.I HEREBY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE MATTER.
MR. WRIGHTON, DO YOU HAVE ANY REMARKS? I GUESS MY REMARKS REALLY ARE NOT ONLY ABOUT THE HEARING, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE, THE ORDINANCE THAT FOLLOWS IT.
REALLY, ONE AND TWO ARE COMPANION PIECES OF THE SAME, UH, ACTION BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, THE BUDGET HAS BEEN AMENDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED BY THE CITY COUNCIL.
IT'S BEEN AMENDED AS WELL TO REFLECT THE, THE LOWER LEVEL OF PROPERTY TAX THAT YOU, UM, UH, UH, CONDITIONALLY APPROVE.
THE ACTUAL LEVY ITSELF AT 3% WON'T, WON'T BE ON YOUR COUNCIL.
IT'S A SEPARATE ITEM, WON'T BE ON THE COUNCIL UNTIL THE MEETING OF, OF DECEMBER 18TH.
ALSO, BASED ON THE DISCUSSIONS, WE'VE MADE SOME, UH, DOWNWARD REVISIONS IN SOME OF THE NEW REVENUES AS WELL.
BUT AS THE MAYOR HAS POINTED OUT, UH, CORRECTLY ACTION ON THOSE IS, IS SEPARATELY HANDLED LIKE ANY OTHER CONTRACTS AND, AND OTHER ORDINANCES AND PROVISIONS OF THE BUDGET ARE ACTED ON SEPARATELY.
UM, AND, UH, AND SO THE, UM, THE PURPOSE OF THE ITEM ONE IS TO HEAR ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS, UH, THAT YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY HEARD AND THEN TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING.
AND, AND THEN, AND THEN TO VOTE ON THE, UH, ON, ON THE ORDINANCE, UH, EXCUSE ME, ON THE ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE BUDGET WITH ALL THE CHANGES THAT, UH, BOTH THAT I'VE SUMMARIZED AND HAVE BEEN SUMMARIZED IN THE PACKET MATERIAL.
AND IF I COULD ASK, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL, WE DID NOT HAVE ANYONE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ABOUT THE, UH, BUDGET DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, BUT WE STILL AFFORD THE PUBLIC THE OPPORTUNITY WITH THREE MINUTES AS PER OUR POLICY.
SO IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING PORTION ON THE BUDGET, YOU'RE WELCOME TO APPROACH THE PODIUM AT THIS TIME, EVEN IF YOU DID NOT INITIALLY SIGN.
DOES ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR? ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? SEE NONE.
I HEREBY DECLARE THE PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED.
[2. An Ordinance Adopting the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget and Appropriating Monies for the Purpose of Defraying the Expenses of Departments and Funds of the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2024 and Ending December 31, 2024]
WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO, AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING, THE EXPENSES OF DEPARTMENTS AND FUNDS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2024, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT? I JUST, UH, I THINK I'VE SAID EVERYTHING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT THE BUDGET.
UM, CERTAINLY WILL BE BACK, UM, WITH COMPONENTS OF IT AND PROBABLY AMENDING IT, UH, MIDWAY THROUGH THE BUDGET OR IN THE SPRING, DEPENDING ON, ON HOW THINGS GO.
BUT I WANT THANK YOU FOR THE TIME, UH, THAT ALL OF YOU GAVE AND THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU PROVIDED, UH, TO GET TO THIS POINT.
ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? DR. HORN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WHILE THE GENERAL FUND REVENUES THAT ARE NECESSARY TO FUND BASIC SERVICES HAVE INCREASED $22 MILLION IN FIVE YEARS, THE NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS IN THE CITY HAS DECREASED, LEADING TO FEWER PEOPLE PAYING MORE TAXES.
AND LIKE WITH EVERY BUDGET THAT I HAVE VOTED ON BEFORE, THE 2024 BUDGET DOES NOT APPEAR TO PRIORITIZE EXPENSES THAT WILL RESULT IN REVERSING ONE OF THE CITY'S GREATEST THREATS, WHICH IS POPULATION DECLINE.
CITIZENS OF ANY CITY EXPECT TO HAVE EXCELLENT POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT WE, UH, HAVE THOSE IN, UH, DECATUR.
CITIZENS EXPECT THAT WE HAVE CLEAN WATER EFFECTIVE SEWER SYSTEMS AND A NAVIGABLE, NAVIGABLE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM, ALL OF WHICH DECATUR HAS.
WHERE DECATUR CAN CONTINUOUSLY FALL SHORT IS IN AN ADEQUATE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT IN NEIGHBORHOODS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO CURRENTLY LIVE HERE WILL WANT TO STAY AND PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING WILL MOVE TO DECATUR AS THEIR DESTINATION CITY.
AND THIS IS ALSO AN EXPECTATION OF EVERY RESIDENCE.
AND SO EVERY YEAR I HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN UNDERSTAFFED AND LACKS THE RESOURCES TO MAKE ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS DESIRABLE PLACES TO LIVE.
AND THIS LACK OF RESOURCES IS PARTIALLY DUE TO THE CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATING FUNDS THAT SHOULD BE USED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZE, NA SORRY, SHOULD BE USED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, BE USED FOR OTHER UNRELATED PURPOSES.
THIS HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY TRUE OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDS WHERE MILLIONS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO WATER PROJECTS WHEN WE HAVE A WATER BOND IN WHICH FUNDS ARE UNSPENT, AND OVER $1 MILLION IN A RP FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, BUT WERE SPENT FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
AND SO WE HAVE THE MONEY TO DO MORE IN 2024, BUT WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO.
[00:15:01]
I'LL BE VOTING NO.ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL ON THE BUDGET? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN HORNE? NAY.
[3. Resolution Authorizing Professional Service Agreement with Sikich LLP for Auditing Services and Non-Audit Advisory Services]
THREE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH SIKICH LLP FOR AUDITING SERVICES AND NON-AUDIT ADVISORY SERVICES.MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UM, CERON LARSSON ALLEN HAS BEEN THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITOR FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
UM, THEY ARE STILL CLOSING OUT THE FISCAL YEAR 2022 BUDGET.
THERE'VE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS, AND I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THE DETAILS OF THAT.
UM, WE EXPECT TO FINISH THAT UP.
I MEAN, USUALLY THE AUDITOR FINISHES THEIR, THEIR WORK BY JUNE OR JULY FOLLOWING THE FISCAL YEAR, ENDING ON THE, THE PREVIOUS DECEMBER 31.
UM, AND, UH, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THOSE ISSUES, UH, THE, THE, THE CFO AND, AND I HAVE SOUGHT OUT, UH, A DIFFERENT AUDITING FIRM AND, UH, AND IN FACT, UH, SIKICH, UH, WHO IS THE RECOMMENDED ONE? HAS, UH, HAS BEEN BEFORE YOU PREVIOUSLY WE'VE MENTIONED SOME OF THESE, SOME OF THESE, UH, ISSUES WITH YOU? UH, BOTH AS IT TURNS OUT.
UH, UH, MS. JAMES AS WELL AS I HAVE EXPERIENCED INDEPENDENTLY WITH SIKICH, THAT'S A, IT'S A LARGER, UH, AUDITING FIRM.
THEY, UH, THEY HAVE A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGER GOVERNMENT PRACTICE, WHICH IT PARTICULARLY APPEALS, UH, TO ME, PEOPLE WHO ARE SPECIALIZING JUST IN DOING THIS RATHER THAN DOING GOVERNMENT SOMETIMES THE OF THE YEAR AND DOING TAXES, UH, FOR PRIVATE COMPANIES AND OTHER TIME.
AND I HAVE A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN, UM, IN SIKICH.
AND SO WHAT, UH, RUBY HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO, AND I WANT HER TO TALK A BIT MORE IN DETAIL ABOUT THIS, IS, UH, IS GET PROPOSALS FROM THEM BOTH FOR A ONE YEAR PERIOD OF TIME FOR, UH, FOR THE COMING YEAR TO AUDIT THE 2023 FISCAL PERIOD.
AND, AND THIS IS USUALLY THE WAY IT'S DONE FOR A THREE YEAR PERIOD, FOR 20 FOR THE FISCAL YEARS ENDING 23, 24, AND 25.
THE ANOMALY IS THAT WE HAVEN'T BIDDED OUT, UM, BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN IN THIS SITUATION OF TRYING TO CLOSE OUT THE RECORDS FOR 2022, AND SOME AUDITORS ARE RELUCTANT TO SUBMIT REALLY COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.
SO WE HAVE BOTH OF THEM, AND I'D LIKE RUBY FOR YOU TO EXPLAIN SORT OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO APPROACHES AND SEE WHICH ONE YOU HAVE A, A GREATER LEVEL OF COMFORT WITH.
BUT I WANTED YOU TO KNOW, FIRST OFF, THAT WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND SICK BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE WITH GOVERNMENTAL BODIES LIKE OURS.
THANK YOU, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I'D LIKE TO TALK THROUGH THE PROPOSAL AND ALSO TALK ABOUT A CORRECTION TO THE RESOLUTION THAT YOU HAVE.
SO FIRST I'LL GO THROUGH THE PROPOSAL AND WE'LL TALK THROUGH THAT.
UM, SO AS, UH, THE CITY MANAGER TALKED ABOUT THAT, UH, OTHER AUDIT FIRMS ARE RELUCTANT TO, UH, EVEN GIVE AN, UH, A, UH, RFP TO THE, UH, CITY IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE PRIOR AUDIT DONE.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE AUDIT DONE UNTIL THE, HOPEFULLY THE NEXT, UM, COUNCIL MEETING THAT WE HAVE.
SO WITH THAT, UM, WE WANTED TO USE A, A FIRM THAT WE TRUSTED AND THAT WE'VE USED AND I'VE ALSO, UM, CHECKED WITH THE REFERENCES THAT WE HAVE FOR SICK AND, UM, ALSO OTHER UNIVERSITIES, AND I KNOW THIS IS A MUNICIPALITY, BUT OTHER UNIVERSITIES HAVE, HAVE ALSO USED SICK BEFORE.
SO THEY'RE HIGHLY RESPECTED IN, IN THEIR PROFESSION.
AND WITH THAT, UM, THE REASON THAT, UH, SICK IS RESPECTED IS THEY DIG INTO, UH, ALL MATTERS AND, AND, UH, KNOW THEIR MATTER WELL, WHETHER IT'S A MUNICIPALITY OR WHATEVER THEY'RE LOOKING INTO.
AND I CAN PERSONALLY ATTEST TO THAT THEY KNOW THINGS AND DIG INTO THE BACKGROUND, UM, THAT OTHER AUDIT FIRMS DON'T NECESSARILY DO AND GET A GET AT THE ROOT OF THINGS.
UM, AS I HIRED, UH, SICK EDGE TO DO THE UNIVERSITY SIX YEARS AGO, THEY FOUND A TAX FORM THAT WE WEREN'T FILING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN FILING ALL ALONG.
AND SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT SICK DOES THAT THEY ARE VERY THOROUGH AND, UH, DIG INTO THAT.
AND I EXPECT NO LESS FROM THEM.
I EXPECT THEM TO MAKE A LOT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CITY, UH, THAT WE'VE NOT GOTTEN IN THE PAST.
AND SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT AND WELCOME IT.
AND SO WITH THAT IN THE PROPOSAL, IF YOU LOOK ON PAGE 14, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANNA GET BACK TO IS A NORMAL SCHEDULE AND IT'S PAGE 14 OF THE, UM, SICK AGE PROPOSAL.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THAT, THEY'RE GONNA START IN DECEMBER.
AND THAT'S WHY WE WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOU QUICKLY.
AND A MA AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN TWO WEEKS, I WOULD HOPE TO MEET WITH THEM IF YOU APPROVE THE PROPOSAL, UM, TO GET GOING ON THAT.
AND SO THAT WE WOULD END ON JUNE 30 AS WE SHOULD.
AND, UH, WE PLAN TO GET GOING AS A CITY TO GET GOING ON THE AUDIT AND, UH, START WORKING WITH SICK H RIGHT AWAY.
AND ALSO ON PAGE 18, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ACTUAL PROPOSAL, UM, YOU WILL SEE THAT, UM, THE FIRST YEAR AUDIT WOULD BE $150,000 THE SECOND YEAR, 154,000, AND THE THIRD YEAR WOULD BE 161,500.
IF WE APPROVE, UM, THE THREE YEAR AUDIT, THEN THEY WOULD WAIVE THE FIRST YEAR OF $30,000.
IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF WORK IN
[00:20:01]
THE FIRST YEAR TO BECOME FAMILIAR WITH A, UM, ANY, UH, AUDIT PARTNER THAT THEY WORK WITH.AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, CONTRACTS, DOCUMENTS, DEBT, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO GET USED TO INTERNAL CONTROL DOCUMENTS, CONVERSATIONS AND SO FORTH.
AND SO THEY WOULD WAIVE THAT $30,000 AS A ONE-TIME STARTUP.
IF WE ONLY TAKE THE ONE YEAR CONTRACT, THERE WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL $30,000 THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY.
SO THAT IS ONE, UM, LARGE ADVANTAGE TO TAKING THE THREE YEAR CONTRACT.
AND SO, UM, ALSO I WANTED TO POINT OUT IN THAT FIRST YEAR, YOU WOULD NOTICE THAT THE MASS TRANSIT IS AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT OF MONEY, AND THAT'S BECAUSE WE, UM, HAVE NOT DONE THE JUNE 30TH, 2022 MASS TRANSIT ON IT.
SO THERE ARE TWO YEARS, UH, OF MASS TRANSIT AND THAT'S WHY IT'S A LITTLE, LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE IN THE FIRST YEAR.
SO WE HAVE TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED HERE IN THIS, UM, NEXT SIX MONTHS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
UM, SO THE BIG ADVANTAGE TO USING SICK IT IS, UM, I AM VERY CONFIDENT THEY WILL STAY ON SCHEDULE.
AND ALSO, UM, I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
THERE'S NOT ADDITIONAL CHARGE TO THAT UNLESS OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE, UH, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH THEY'D HAVE TO DO.
BUT WE'RE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM AND GET OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, I'D ALSO LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE RESOLUTION.
AND SO, UM, WITH OUR, UH, LEGAL COUNSEL'S, UH, HELP, UH, IN THE INITIAL RESOLUTION THAT YOU SAW ON THURSDAY THAT WAS POSTED, UH, IT DID SAY THAT IT WAS A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AUDIT AGREEMENT AND ACTUALLY IT IS A PROPOSAL.
SO THAT WORD WAS CORRECTED THAT THIS PROPOSAL, AND THEREFORE I ADDED, UH, SECTION THREE THAT TALKS ABOUT, UH, WITH THE APPROVAL, UH, OF THIS RESOLUTION, THAT THE, UH, CITY MANAGER AND MAYOR WOULD BE AUTHORIZED TO ACTUALLY SIGN THE AUDIT ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT.
UH, THAT WOULD HAVE THE SAME TERMS AS THE PROPOSAL THAT'S INCLUDED HERE.
SO IT IS A PROPOSAL, NOT THE AGREEMENT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU.
AND WE ALSO ADDED IN THE RESOLUTION THAT THIS WOULD BE FOR THREE YEARS BECAUSE WE WILL GET, UH, A FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE TO TAKE THE THREE YEARS.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS IN THE PROPOSAL? SO JUST MAKING SURE EVERYBODY'S CLEAR, WE ARE VOTING ON A THREE YEAR PROPOSAL, CORRECT? NOT A ONE YEAR PROPOSAL? CORRECT.
I'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS, BUT WE HAVE A ONE YEAR PROPOSAL IF YOU PREFER THAT.
UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, LET, LET ME OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL FOR, UH, QUESTIONS AND THEN WE WILL, UM, DECIDE WHICH WAY WE WANNA GO.
DR. HORN, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE, THE TRANSIT AUDIT HASN'T BEEN CONDUCTED FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.
COULD YOU JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT WHY THAT IS? SO THIS LAST YEAR, THIS CURRENT AUDIT WE'RE IN THAT YOU'RE GONNA RECEIVE, UH, HOPEFULLY ON DECEMBER 18TH, THAT'S WHEN THE TRANSIT AUDIT HASN'T BEEN DONE.
AND, UM, WE ARE TRYING TO FINISH UP THE FINANCIAL AUDIT AND THE SINGLE AUDIT.
THE SINGLE AUDIT IS NEEDED TO RECEIVE GRANTS AND, UH, THE CURRENT AUDITORS HAVE NOT, UM, COMPLETED THAT YET.
AND SO WE WANT TO GET THE FINANCIAL AUDIT AND THE CURRENT AUDIT.
WE HAVE A WAIVER THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST FOR THE SINGLE AUDIT FOR GRANTS, AGAIN, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE RECEIVING GRANTS.
AND I'M KEEPING THEM FOCUSED ON COMPLETING THAT TASK.
UH, THE TRANSIT AUDIT, UM, IS NOT SOMETHING THEY COULD GET COMPLETED, UH, BY THE DECEMBER 18TH, AND I DO NOT WANNA ENGAGE THEM.
I DO NOT WANNA ENGAGE, UH, CLIFTON LARSSON TO COMPLETE THE TRANSIT AUDIT.
I'D RATHER KEEP THEM FOCUSED, GET THIS COMPLETED, AND WE'LL GET SICK EACH WORKING ON THAT TRANSIT AUDIT, UH, VERY QUICKLY TO GET THAT DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
OTHER QUESTIONS? MR. MCDANIEL? SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION CHANGING, UH, UH, AUDITORS 'CAUSE THAT MAKES YOUR JOB TOUGHER WHEN YOU'RE NOT GETTING IT AND THEN YOU GET BLAMED FOR IT.
THE LAST TWO YEARS WERE NOT COMPLETED ON TIME.
MR. COOPER? UM, ON THAT SAME, ON THAT SAME WAVELENGTH, UM, IS THERE ANY PENALTY THAT THEY WILL BE ASSESSED TO THEM FOR NOT HAVING, UH, MET THE PAST CONTRACT FOR THE TRANSIT AUDIT? MM-HMM.
I'LL MAKE SURE THAT THE, UM, THE COMPTROLLER IS AWARE THAT WE, UM, ARE NOT ABLE TO FILE THE TRANSIT AUDIT.
WE ARE CHANGING AUDITORS AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS DONE ON TIME IN THE FUTURE.
USUALLY IF YOU MAKE THE STATE AWARE, THEY'RE VERY, THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING IT.
ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE, UM, IN C COMMUNICATION, THEY'LL UNDERSTAND.
I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS, WAS THERE ANY PENALTY TO THE COMPANY FOR NOT HAVING, GETTING IT DONE FOR THE CITY? NO.
UH, I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COUNCIL IF, UH, YOU WANT TO GO PROCEED WITH THE THREE YEAR? UH, IS ANYONE REALLY LOOKING AT THE ONE YEAR COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? THREE YEAR.
WITH EVERYBODY SAVES SOME MONEY.
SO THAT IS, DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE RESOLUTION? OKAY, GOOD ENOUGH.
UH, FURTHER DISCUSSION OR CALL THE QUESTION? IT'S CALL THE QUESTION.
[00:25:01]
FOUR, ORDINANCE[4. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 56 Refuse and Recyclables Removal]
AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 56, REFUSE AND RECYCLABLES REMOVAL MOTION THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
IT MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT, BUT IT'S BEEN NEARLY TWO YEARS SINCE WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING GARBAGE AND POTENTIAL REVISIONS TO CHAPTER 56.
THE, UH, THE LAST INCREASE THAT LOCAL HAULERS HAD WENT INTO EFFECT IN JULY OF 2021.
UM, SO THEY'VE BEEN STAYING AT THE SAME RATE SINCE THEN.
I KNOW THAT WE'VE HAD SOME DISCUSSIONS WITH LOCAL HAULERS ABOUT SOME OF THE EXTRA FEES THAT THAT THEY CHARGED AND, UH, UM, AND I THINK THAT ALL OF THAT GETS WORKED OUT BY THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE CHANGE.
THE, THERE ARE SEVERAL SMALLER REVISIONS TO THE CODE, UM, THAT I HAVE SUMMARIZED SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL ONES IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, UM, INCLUDING I, I GUESS I SHOULD POINT OUT, UH, COUNCILMAN HORNE ACTUALLY BROUGHT IT TO MY ATTENTION THAT, THAT THERE, THERE CAN'T BE ANY, ANY SPECIAL CHARGES UNLESS THE COUNCIL AGREES TO IT.
I THINK I HAD A MISPRINT IN ONE OF THEM AND WE CHANGED THAT IN, IN NOVUS, UH, MID MIDWAY THROUGH.
BUT THE THREE MAJOR CHANGES AND, AND THE REPRESENTATIVES OF BOTH OF THE LARGEST HAULERS IN TOWN, UH, A GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ARE BOTH IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY.
SO I MAY ASK THEM TO COME UP AND ASK ANSWER QUESTIONS IF THEY CAN DO IT BETTER THAN I CAN, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THERE ARE THREE MAJOR CHANGES THAT YOU'RE VOTING ON APART FROM THE RATES.
AND I'LL COME BACK TO THE RATES IN JUST A SECOND.
THE FIRST ONE IS, UH, HAS TO DO WITH CARTS.
UH, IN THE, IN THE PREVIOUS ITERATION OF THE CHAPTER 56 AND THOSE THAT PRECEDED IT, THERE WAS MORE VARIANCE FROM ONE DISTRICT TO THE NEXT.
AND WHAT KIND OF CART COULD BE USED? THIS STANDARDIZES IT TO A MUCH GREATER DEGREE.
CUSTOMERS EITHER USE A 64 OR A 96 GALLON, UH, PLASTIC, HEAVY PLASTIC WITH WHEELS THAT CAN BE, UH, PICKED UP WITH MECHANIZED ARMS, UM, FOR BOTH THEIR GARBAGE AND FOR THEIR RECYCLING.
THESE SEPARATE, SEPARATE TOTES FOR EACH, FOR EACH ONE.
UM, THE HAULER WILL PROVIDE REPLACEMENTS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE.
ALL THE RENTAL FEES GO AWAY, ALL THE OTHER SPECIAL FEES GO AWAY.
UH, AND SO THE MAJORITY OF CUSTOMERS WILL ACTUALLY SEE NO INCREASE IN THEIR RATES IN IN THE FIRST YEAR BECAUSE THE ELIMINATION OF THOSE CART RENTAL FEES IS EQUAL TO, OR EVEN IN SOME CASES, SLIGHTLY MORE THAN THE, UH, $4 AND 50 CENT INCREASE THAT GOES INTO EFFECT WITH THE FIRST YEAR.
BUT THE KEY DIFFERENCE IS THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO HAVE A TOTE FOR THAT.
IF YOU'VE GOT SOME OTHER KIND OF CONTAINER, YOU CAN HANG ONTO IT, IT'S YOURS, UH, AND YOU CAN USE IT FOR YARD WASTE, BUT YOU HAVE TO USE THOSE, UM, THOSE CONTAINERS THAT MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS FOR BOTH GARBAGE AS WELL AS FOR RECYCLING.
ALSO WITH REGARD TO CARTS, THE CITY'S GONNA BE GETTING OUT OF THE CART BUSINESS HERETOFORE, WE HAVE PROVIDED THE GARBAGE, EXCUSE ME, THE RECYCLING CARTS TO CUSTOMERS AS THEY NEED THEM, AS THEY BREAK, AS NEW CUSTOMERS MOVE INTO THE CITY, WHATEVER IT IS, UH, NOW THOSE WILL BE PROVIDED BY THE HAULER AS WELL.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT'S GONNA GO A LONG WAYS IN REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF LOOSE GARBAGE WE HAVE, BECAUSE I THINK A LOT OF THE LOOSE GARBAGE COMES FROM BAGS LEFT OUT, PUT IN CONTAINERS THAT FALL OVER MORE EASILY ARE, ARE TIPPED OVER BY ANIMALS.
AND, AND THIS CONTRIBUTES TO GARBAGE, UH, BEING IN OTHER PLACES.
AND I THINK THAT CLEANING UP THIS ASPECT OF THE DELIVERY IS ALSO LINKED TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN SOME OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THE SECOND MAJOR CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH ALLEYS, ALTHOUGH ONLY ABOUT 6% OF DECATUR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS COVERED BY THIS ORDINANCE HAVE THEIR GARBAGE COLLECTED IN ALLEYS.
THERE ARE ALLEY, THERE ARE ALLEYS IN PLACES WHERE ACTUALLY THERE'S CURBSIDE PICKUP ALREADY IN THE STREET.
BUT THOSE, ABOUT 6% OF THE CUSTOMERS CURRENTLY HAVE THEIR COLLECTION IN THE ALLEY.
AND OVER THE NEXT, UH, THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, THEY'RE GONNA MOVE THOSE TO THE STREETS, UH, EXCEPT IN, IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE, WHERE THE TERRAIN OR ACCESS TO THE STREET JUST DOESN'T WORK FOR SOME REASON.
AND THAT'LL BE, AND THOSE ARE DECISIONS WILL BE MADE BY THE, BY THE HAULER.
THE THIRD, UH, MAJOR CHANGE HAS TO DO WITH YARD WASTE.
AND, UH, TO EXPLAIN THAT, I WANNA SAY THAT, AND, AND THIS IS MENTIONED AND CALLED OUT PRETTY SPECIFICALLY IN THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.
THAT BASIC SERVICE, MEANING WHAT YOU'RE PAYING THAT $23 AND 50 CENTS PER MONTH BASE FEE FOR COVERS ONCE A WEEK, GARBAGE PICKUP, ONCE A WEEK, RECYCLING PICKUP.
IT COVERS FIVE SEPARATE BULKY WASTE OR LARGE ITEM COLLECTIONS PER YEAR.
AND IN EACH OF THOSE FIVE, YOU CAN HAVE FIVE ITEMS. IF YOU GO BEYOND THAT, THERE'S A, THERE, THERE'S AN EXTRA CHARGE.
AND THEY, AND THE HAULER HAS TO PHOTOGRAPHICALLY DOCUMENT THAT IN ORDER TO CHARGE EXTRA CHARGES.
AND FOR THAT MATTER, IF THEY WANT TO, IF THEY WANT TO CHARGE, WHICH THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DO FOR OVERAGES, FOR PUTTING OUT EXTRA SACKS THAT, THAT, THAT DON'T FIT INTO THE, INTO THE CONTAINER, THEY HAVE TO PHOTOGRAPHICALLY DOCUMENT THAT AS WELL.
SO THE BURDEN OF PROOF OF SHOWING THAT THERE IS OVERAGE IS, UH, RESTS WITH THE HAULER.
SO, AND NOW IT ALSO INCLUDES THAT BASIC CHARGE ALSO INCLUDES YARD WASTE, UH, IN THE SPRING AND IN THE FALL FOR SIX WEEKS.
SO WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS IT, THE OLD ORDINANCE SAYS IT'S SIX WEEKS BEGINNING MAY, EXCUSE
[00:30:01]
ME, APRIL ONE AND NOVEMBER ONE, RESPECTIVELY.BUT BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN CHANGES IN CLIMATE AND WE'VE HAD SOME WEIRD TEMPERATURES, UM, THAT THE ORDINANCE NOW AND PROMULGATED RULES WILL PROVIDE AS WELL THAT, UH, THAT THE CITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SAY, WELL, BASED ON TEMPERATURES THIS YEAR, IT'S GONNA, INSTEAD OF APRIL ONE, IT'LL BE SOME OTHER DATE.
OR INSTEAD OF NOVEMBER ONE, IT'LL BE SOME OTHER DATE BASED ON WHEN MOST OF OUR CITIZENS WILL BE PICKING UP AND MOVING THEIR YARD WASTE TO THE CURBS.
BUT THE BASIC SERVICE ONLY COVERS IT DURING THOSE TWO SEASONAL PICKUPS.
AND IF CUSTOMERS WANT TO HAVE WHAT, WHAT WAS CALLED PREMIUM YARD WASTE OR YARD WASTE COLLECTION AT OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR, DURING THE OTHER 40 WEEKS OF THE YEAR, UM, THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO ARRANGE THAT SEPARATELY WITH THEIR HAULER.
WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THAT THEY CAN ARRANGE THAT WITH THEIR DESIGNATED HAULER OR THEY CAN CALL THE HAULER OF THEIR CHOICE THE HAULERS, WE'RE NOT GONNA REGULATE THOSE PREMIUM CHARGES.
HAULER HAS TO TELL US WHAT THEY, WHAT THOSE EXTRA RATES ARE FOR YARD WASTED OTHER TIMES OF THE YEAR AND DO SO ONLY ONCE A YEAR ON JANUARY 1ST OF EACH YEAR.
UM, BUT THEN THE CITIZENS WILL BE FREE TO SELECT THEIR, UM, IF THEY WANT SOME KIND OF PREMIUM SERVICE AND NEGOTIATE THAT WITH THEIR, WITH WHICHEVER HAULER THAT THEY'D LIKE.
THE SMALLER CHANGES ARE LISTED IN, IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO.
I WON'T GO THROUGH THOSE IN DETAIL.
I WANNA EMPHASIZE AGAIN THAT I THINK THAT THE, WHAT, WHAT THE HAULERS INITIALLY ASKED FOR IN RATE CHANGES IS NOT WHAT IS RECOMMENDED HERE.
WE'VE ASKED FOR, WE, WE, WE'VE COME BACK WITH A LESSER AMOUNT 'CAUSE WE THINK IT'S MORE APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND WE'VE TAKEN SEVERAL STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RATE STAYS MANAGEABLE.
I MEAN, NOBODY LIKES PAYING MORE, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LOT WORSE IF, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD DECIDED, WELL, WE'RE GONNA CHANGE OUT ALL THE CARTS AND HAVE TO AMORTIZE THAT COST, UM, OR, UM, HAVE, HAVE, UH, OTHER SERVICES BUILT INTO IT.
AND, UH, GETTING OUT OF THE ALLEYS I THINK HAS ALSO, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO WASTE MANAGEMENT, WHO HAS MOST OF THE ALLEY COLLECTIONS INDICATOR HAS, HAS KEPT THEIR PRICE DOWN AS AS WELL.
UM, IT'S BEEN DIFFICULT TO DO THIS BECAUSE WE HAVE, ALTHOUGH THERE USED TO BE A WHOLE LOT MORE, THERE ARE, THERE ARE STILL FIVE HAULERS IN TOWN AND WHAT YOU ACT ON WILL APPLY TO ALL OF THEM, NOT JUST ONE.
AND SO MAKING SURE THAT IT WAS GONNA WORK WITH GFL AS WELL AS WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS WITH SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE SMALLER HAULERS HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME.
BUT I THINK THAT THAT ENABLED US TO GET A WHOLE LOT MORE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAD A PUBLIC HEARING ON NOVEMBER 2ND, UM, WHICH ACTUALLY RESULTED IN SOME SUGGESTIONS.
UH, THE PEOPLE OFFERED IN SOME CLARIFICATIONS IN THE LANGUAGE THAT I WAS PLEASED TO GET.
AND WE PUT THOSE INTO THE ORDINANCE AS WELL.
ANYTIME WE'RE DEALING WITH GARBAGE, WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE EVERYBODY HAPPY.
AND IT'S NOT A PERFECT DOCUMENT, BUT I THINK THAT WE HAVE SPENT THE TIME TO MAKE THIS ONE AS GOOD A COMPROMISE AS IT CAN BE.
AND MAYOR, AND MY MY BELIEF IT IS, IT IS READY FOR YOUR ACTION SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN IMPLEMENTING IT AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
WE JUST NEED TO DO A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB OF EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON WHAT'S AVAILABLE TO THEM.
BECAUSE I THINK MOST OF THE GARBAGE CUSTOMERS DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THEY HAD A FREE, YOU KNOW, BULK PICKUP, LET ALONE FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A YEAR.
AND WHAT THAT REALLY MEANT, ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A SET IN TIME, UM, UH, FOR THE, THE YARD WASTE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO A REALLY GOOD JOB OF GIVING PEOPLE A LOT OF ADVANCED NOTICE WITH THAT AND HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS.
SO WE'RE JUST GOING TO, IT'S NOT A ONE TIME THING.
IT'S GONNA HAVE TO BE EASY INFORMATION TO FIND, UM, COMMENTS.
OH, LEMME GET TO MR. MCDANIEL AND I'LL GO TO CHUCK.
THAT, THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING.
IS THERE ANY WAY, BECAUSE I CAN'T REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE HAD THE LAST CONTRACT, CAN CAN THE CITY FORWARD TO EACH OF THE DIFFERENT HAULERS? UH, ALL THE MAJOR CHANGES, SO IT'S ALL CONSISTENT AND THEN THEY CAN ADD, UH, IF THEY WANNA, IF, IF, UH, RESIDENTS WANNA HAVE ALL YEAR ROUND, UH, PICKUP OF YARD WASTE, THERE'S A LITTLE EXTRA THEY CAN ADD THAT TO IT.
BUT I THINK THAT'S GONNA GET TO YOUR, YOUR POINT MAYOR.
THIS WAY IT'S CONSISTENT AND THEY HAVE TO USE, YOU KNOW, SO EMAIL AND THEY CAN PRINT 'EM OFF AND, AND SEND IT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK, UM, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL, UM, AS THE ORDINANCE WAS GOING THROUGH, ITS SEVERAL ITERATIONS TO GET TO THIS POINT.
EVERY TIME WE HAD A MAJOR CHANGE, WE SENT IT TO ALL OF THE HAULERS IN TOWN.
BUT I THINK THAT, UM, YOUR COMMENT REALLY GOES TO THE ESSENCE OF WHAT THE MAYOR WAS SAYING IS THAT NOW THAT WE'RE AT A POINT TO MAKE A DECISION AND TO MAKE FINAL IMPLEMENTATION, WE HAVE TO GO MUCH FURTHER THAN WE EVER DID BEFORE DURING THE DISCUSSION AND DEVELOPMENT STAGE TO HELP, UM, HAULERS UNDERSTAND WHAT WE EXPECT AND WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA REQUIRE, AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITIZENS KNOW WHAT, WHAT OPTIONS THEY HAVE.
AND WE WILL USE THE RESOURCES OF OUR, OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR AND OTHERS TO, TO, TO DO THAT BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO GET OUT THERE.
THEN I MISUNDERSTOOD, I'M SORRY.
THE GARVEY HAULERS NEED TO SEND THAT OUT EXACTLY HOW WE WOULD WANT IT.
YOU KNOW, HERE'S A MAJOR POINT.
SO ALL THE HAULERS HAVE THE SAME THING.
THEY'RE GONNA BE SENDING LETTERS TO EACH OF THEIR, THEIR UM, UH,
[00:35:01]
CUSTOMERS.OKAY? SO THE CUSTOMER, THE GARBAGE CUSTOMER WILL KNOW EXACTLY EACH ONE OF THEM.
EACH, EACH HAULER CUSTOMER WILL KNOW IT'S THE SAME THING.
IT'S, YEAH, WE CAN SEND STUFF OUT, BUT THEY NEED TO SEND OUT IN THEIR LETTER, THEY SEND OUT SAYING THIS IS THE CHANGES AND THAT, AND WE'LL STRESS THE KEY POINTS THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP.
DID WE REQUIRE THEM TO SEND OUT A LETTER? IS THAT PART OF THE AGREEMENT? THEY HAVE TO CONTACT THEIR CUSTOMERS TO SAY, UH, YOU KNOW, WELL, NOT REALLY.
LET ME, LEMME JUST SAY THAT, THAT, UM, I DON'T THINK THAT THE LANGUAGE SPECIFICALLY SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO SEND OUT A LETTER TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, BUT, UM, UH, ERIC OR, OR DAVE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE BOTH HERE.
MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE, UH, A LITTLE BIT OF COMMENTARY TO WHAT YOUR PLAN IS TO, TO MAKE NOTIFICATION TO CITIZENS.
UM, I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT THE, THE COUNCIL IS, IS UNDERSTANDING THAT COMPLEXITY OF THIS AND WANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT CITIZENS UNDERSTAND IT AND THAT YOU ARE A PARTNER IN GETTING THAT INFORMATION OUT.
UH, FOR THE RECORD, I'M DAVE SHAW WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT, THE MUNICIPAL MARKETING MANAGER.
THIS IS DIFFERENT AND NO ONE TAKES CHANGE.
WELL, AND THIS IS A LOT OF DIFFERENCES ABOUT WHERE THE CARTS HAVE TO BE.
WE'RE COMING OUT OF THE ALLEYS, WHAT THE SEASONS ARE, WE HAVE ENVISIONED AN EIGHT PANEL FOLD TOGETHER FLYER THAT IS MAILABLE, WHICH HAS THE FULL LIST OF EVERYTHING TO DO ALL THE DO'S AND DON'TS AND ALL THE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GARBAGE AND SOLID WASTE SERVICE WITHIN CITY.
WE'LL HAVE THAT AVAILABLE FOR YOUR REVIEW NEXT WEEK.
AND FOR YOUR EDITS AND YOUR COMMENTS, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA BASE IT ON.
AND WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THROUGH THE, THE EDITORIAL PROCESS OF THE CITY, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN THERE IS NUMBER ONE COHERENT WITH AND CONGRUENT WITH THE ORDINANCE.
AND IT'S CLEAR ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY AND WE'LL ALL HAVE THE A SAY TOGETHER IN HOW THAT GETS OUT.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED.
I'M GONNA GO TO COUNCILMAN KUHL.
I'VE GOT POSSIBLY THREE QUESTIONS, SO I'M GONNA ASK THEM ALL AT ONCE.
UM, I'M ASSUMING WE STILL KEEP THE BLUE CITY RECYCLE BINS.
SECOND QUESTION, WHAT ARE THE CUSTOMERS SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THEIR OLD GARBAGE CANS IF THEY DON'T WANT THEM? WOULD THAT BE LIKE ONE OF THE FIVE TIMES THAT THEY CAN PICK UP SEPARATE ITEMS? AND MY FINAL QUESTION IS, I DIDN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND THE PREMIUM SERVICE BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE DO WANT YARD WASTE SERVICE, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER, LIKE IN JULY.
SO ARE YOU TELLING ME WE JUST HAVE TO ARRANGE WITH THE HAULER THAT'S ASSIGNED TO US, OR DO WE GET TO PICK THAT HAULER? I WAS UNCLEAR ON THAT, THAT, SURE.
UM, THE FIRST QUESTION HAS TO DO WITH THE EXISTING 64 GALLON BLUE, UH, CITY OF DECATUR SEAL, UH, CONTAINER.
AND YOU KEEP THOSE, UH, AND CONTINUE TO USE THEM, UH, UNTIL THEY WEAR OUT OR BROKEN.
AND, AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, THEN YOUR ASSIGNED HAULER WILL PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE RECYCLING CONTAINER, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S BLUE OR NOT, OR HAS THE CITY SEAL, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, UH, BUT, BUT THEY WILL PROVIDE A RECYCLING CONTAINER, UH, GOING AND WILL CONTINUE TO USE THESE, UH, THAT HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED BY THE CITY FOR AS LONG AS THEIR USEFUL LIFE ENABLES THEM TO BE USED.
YOUR SECOND QUESTION HAD TO DO WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE PURCHASED PRIVATE, UH, CONTAINERS OF THEIR OWN.
WHAT SHOULD THEY DO WITH THEM? IF THEY MEET SPECIFICATIONS, THEN THEY CAN CONTINUE TO USE THEM.
IF THEY DO NOT, UH, THEN IT'S UP TO THE CUSTOMER.
THEY COULD CHOOSE TO USE THEM FOR YARD WASTE OR SOME OTHER PRIVATE USE SINCE THEY BELONG TO THEM.
BUT IF THEY CHOSE TO GET RID OF THEM, THEN WE'VE, UH, PUT IN THESE, IN THESE DETAILS AS WELL THAT THE HAULER WILL PICK THOSE UP, UH, ONCE.
UM, AND THAT THAT'S SORT OF A ONCE ONLY THING THROUGH, THROUGH CALENDAR YEAR 2024.
UM, AND THAT THAT WILL NOT COUNT AS ONE OF THEIR FIVE BULKY WASTE OR LARGE ITEM PICKUPS.
YOUR THIRD QUESTION WAS ABOUT YARD WASTE.
AND, UH, YES, IF YOU, UH, LIKE TO PUT OUT YARD WASTE DURING THE SUMMER, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT EITHER YOUR ASSIGNED HAULER IN YOUR, UH, NEIGHBORHOOD OR ONE OF THE OTHER HAULERS OF YOUR CHOICE AND, AND ARRANGE FOR WHATEVER LEVEL.
MY GUESS IS THAT, AND THEN THIS IS PART OF THE REASON THAT, THAT WE'RE DOING THIS IS THAT THE, THE PROBLEM WITH PREMIUM SERVICE IS THAT ONE SIZE DOESN'T FIT ALL.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE SMALL AMOUNTS, SOME PEOPLE HAVE LARGE AMOUNTS.
AND SO IT SEEMS FAIR TO ALLOW THAT TO, TO GET WORKED OUT WITH THE HAULER BASED ON THE QUANTITY OF PICKUP.
AND SO, UM, SO THAT'S WHAT, SO THAT'S THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.
THAT CLEARLY ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE TO TALK ABOUT WITH REGARD TO G L'S, UM, OBLIGATION TO, UH, INFORM CITIZENS ABOUT YOUR, YOUR CUSTOMERS, ABOUT WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN AFTER COUNCIL ACTS? YES.
UH, WE HAVE ALSO A DRAFT LETTER OR DRAFT LETTERS READY BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE CITY UP TO TODAY.
UH, THEY'RE DIFFERENT IN THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.
[00:40:01]
THE BASICS, SOME HAVE EXTRA GARBAGE THAT THEY CAN SEND OUT.THERE'S DIFFERENT SIZE PROPERTIES.
SO, UH, WE WANNA SEND THOSE TO OUR FOLKS.
WE'D BE HAPPY TO SEND ANOTHER DOCUMENT.
YOU CAN'T OVER COMMUNICATE IN THESE KIND OF SITUATIONS.
SO, UH, SENDING THEM MULTIPLE THINGS, REACHING THEM IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
WERE, WERE FOR ALL THAT IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP.
THE CALLS THAT YOU ALL GET ARE THE SAME CALLS THAT WE GET.
WHY YOU'RE STILL UP THERE AND, UM, TO BOTH HAULERS.
UM, SINCE YOU'RE GONNA DO IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE GONNA DO A PAMPHLET AND THEY'RE GONNA DO A PAMPHLET, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT YOU BOTH CAN GET TOGETHER AND, AND DO A SIMILAR PAMPHLET? SO MAYBE YOUR PAMPHLET SAYS THIS THING, HIS PAMPHLET SAYS SOMETHING ELSE, AND THEN WE GOT CITIZENS CONFUSED.
IS THERE A WAY YOU GUYS CAN GET TOGETHER, MAYBE COORDINATE YOUR PAMPHLETS WHERE THEY'RE PRETTY SIMILAR? WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE CITY.
THE, THE, THE MONOPOLY COMPETITION LAWS KEEP US FROM SHARING A LOT OF INFORMATION.
SO THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH SCOTT FOR THINGS THAT WE EACH WANT TO DO.
AND I'M SURE OUR COMMUNICATIONS, UH, DEPARTMENT WILL BE ABLE TO TAKE THE FACTS AND PUT THE, BECAUSE THAT'S PART OF THE, THE NEW CONTRACT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY CITIZEN HAS THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE THROUGHOUT AND SOME AREN'T GETTING SPECIAL SERVICE WHILE OTHERS ARE GETTING LESSER SERVICE.
AND SO I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE BOTH WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT TOGETHER COMMUNICATION PIECES AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR CUSTOMERS.
AND WE'RE GONNA PRETTY MUCH PUT IT ON RYAN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, EVERYBODY HAS THE SAME MESSAGE.
A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR MR. WRIGHT.
AND, UM, FIRST IN REGARDS TO THE POTENTIALLY NEW 64 OR 96 GALLON TOTES THAT CUSTOMERS WILL BE RECEIVING, IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR THE TOTES THAT THE HAULERS PROVIDE BE IN NEW OR VERY GOOD CONDITION? THERE WAS A WELL-PUBLICIZED INCIDENT IN WHICH THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE LANGUAGE WE CURRENTLY HAVE BEFORE YOU REQUIRES THE HAULER TO PUT, UH, TO PROVIDE NEW ONES.
UM, I, I'M AWARE OF THE SITUATION THAT YOU MENTIONED WHERE A CUSTOMER OR TWO GOT, UM, GOT USED CONTAINERS.
I REALLY THINK I'D JUST SOON ASK, UM, WASTE MANAGEMENT AND GFLI MEAN, IF YOU COULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION, I, I PRESUME THAT MOST OF THEM ARE NEW CONTAINERS BECAUSE USUALLY BY THE TIME YOU GET OLD ONES BACK, THEY'RE JUST SUIT, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUNK.
SO, BUT BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD WITH THE CITY UP INTO THIS PORT, WE ALREADY HAVE, WE HAVE A PRE-ORDER ON ORDER FOR NEW CARTS, FOR TRASH CARTS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS SO THAT THEY ALL HAVE THEM.
IT IS TOUGH TO U TO TO REUSE OLD CARTS FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES.
THEY HAVE TO BE BROKEN DOWN, TAKEN APART, CLEANED, PUT BACK TOGETHER, BUYING NEW, THEY COME IN HUGE STACKS.
SO, SO EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT IN THE REQUIREMENTS, YOU'RE PLANNING ON USING ALL NEW FOR GFL? YES, SIR.
WASTE MANAGEMENT IS, WE'RE NOT REPLACING WHAT'S ALREADY OUT THERE, BUT PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE CHARGE CARDS ARE GOING TO GET, RIGHT.
WHEN, WHEN A CUSTOMER ASKS YOU TO PROVIDE ONE, IT'S GONNA BE A NEW ONE, IN OTHER WORDS, RIGHT? YES.
UM, WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE 60% OF OUR CUSTOMER BASE ALREADY UTILIZING CARTS.
SO THE BALANCE OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, ALL NEW.
UM, I DON'T KNOW OF ANYTHING WE HAVE TAKEN BACK IN FROM ANYWHERE THAT WOULD GIVE US A LARGE ENOUGH POOL TO DEAL FROM.
I'D IMAGINE PROBABLY DISTRIBUTED IN JANUARY, DOCTOR.
SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, IN REGARDS TO ELIMINATING MOST ALLEY PICKUPS, WE DID THAT ALONG WEST MAINE FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS.
THERE WERE GARBAGE CANS OUT IN CITY RIGHTS OF WAYS FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.
SO IS CODE ENFORCEMENT READY TO MAKE SURE THAT STREETS LIKE WEST MAIN STREET, DON'T HAVE GARBAGE CANS EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THE YEAR OUT ON THE STREETS? IS IS CODE ENFORCEMENT READY TO TAKE THAT CHALLENGE ON? AND DR. HORNE, I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER PART OF THE EDUCATION PEOPLE PROBABLY DON'T EVEN REALIZE THEY'RE VIOLATING THE CITY ORDINANCE.
AND, BUT I'LL LEAVE THE REST TO DOC, UH, TO, UH, MR. WRIGHT.
THERE ARE SOME PLACES ALONG WEST MAIN STREET THAT, UH, IN MY OPINION, ARE GONNA BE CANDIDATES FOR CONTINUED ALLEY COLLECTION AND OTHERS THAT ARE NOT AND SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO THE, TO THE STREET.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, IN MY SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR ITEMS, I SAID THAT THE ALLEY COLLECTION WOULD BE TAKE, WOULD BE TAKING PLACE OVER SEVERAL MONTHS.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS THERE, UH, A NEED TO EDUCATE, UM, FOLKS ABOUT, UH, THE, THE DETAILS OF ALLEY PICKUP, BUT ALSO TO GIVE HAULERS SUFFICIENT TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS.
BECAUSE, BECAUSE THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S GONNA BE AN ALLEY PICKUP OR A STREET PICKUP REST INITIALLY WITH, WITH THE HAULER, IF THERE'S SOME DISPUTE THAT HAS TO BE RESOLVED, THE CITY WILL STEP IN.
BUT THE INITIAL DECISION, AND HOPEFULLY ALL THE DECISIONS WE
[00:45:01]
MADE BY THE HAULER, THAT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.WE, UH, I MEAN THE, THE, THE CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS ALREADY INVOLVED IN WHEN, WHEN SOMEBODY DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF THEIR CAR, LEAVES IT OUT IN THE STREET AND SOMEBODY HAS TO MAKE A CALL.
THAT'S, THAT'S HANDLED BY THE, BY THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
NOW, MR. COOPER, UM, JUST ONE COMMENT ON, ON TO, UM, TO PRIOR TO, TO RYAN, AS WE'RE PUTTING THAT FLYER TOGETHER, UH, PLEASE, UM, UM, STIPULATE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE THE, UM, LANGUAGE REGARDING THE HARDSHIP PICKUPS.
'CAUSE THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS, UM, THAT'S GOING TO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT.
SO I THINK THAT'S REALLY NEEDS TO BE EXPLAINED ABOUT HOW THEY CAN STILL OBTAIN A HARDSHIP PICKUP FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT CARRY A CARD OUT TO THE STREET.
UM, SINCE COUNCILMAN COOPER MENTIONED THAT, I SHOULD SAY THAT THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE HARDSHIP PICK PICKUP HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, UH, NARROWED AT ALL.
IN FACT, THEY'VE BEEN BROADENED, UM, IN THE EXISTING ORDINANCE.
IT PROVIDES FOR HARDSHIP PICKUP ONLY TO APPLY FOR GARBAGE PICKUP AND NOT RECYCLING.
IT'S BEEN, IT'S BEEN ADDED TO INCLUDE RECYCLING IN THE PROCESS FOR VERIFYING ELIGIBILITY FOR, FOR THAT, FOR HARDSHIP.
PICKUP HASN'T CHANGED EITHER, BUT I DO AGREE THAT LIKE SEVERAL OTHER ASPECTS OF OF THE CODE, IT, UH, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE A PUBLIC INFORMATION CHALLENGE TO OVERCOME AND THAT'S A, AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF IT.
UH, TO THAT POINT, ALL OF OUR PUBLIC FACING LITERATURE AND GUIDELINES FOR THE SERVICE INCLUDES THE FACT THAT IT HAS TO BE OUT BY SPECIFIC TIME AND IN THIS CASE, SIX O'CLOCK.
SO IT'S ASKS YOU TO HAVE YOUR CARD AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE BY SIX, REMOVE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER THE SERVICE, AND THEY HAVE TO BE OFF THE STREET BY A SPECIFIED TIME.
MOST CASES 4:00 PM THAT'S PART OF THE, THE CUSTOMER FACING LITERATURE WE'LL BE DISTRIBUTING.
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T GET HOME FROM WORK UNTIL FIVE? WELL, I MEAN FOUR PM'S A LITTLE BIT EARLY TO EXPECT PEOPLE WHY THIS WILL BE SET CIRCULATED FOR AT ITS BY THE CITY.
YEAH, WE'RE GONNA NEED SOME EDITING.
UM, ED, I DIDN'T NOTICE IT ON THERE.
DID WE EVER TRY TO NEGOTIATE ANY TYPE OF SENIOR DISCOUNT AT ALL? UM, COUNCILMAN CULP, UH, I THINK RAISED, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS AT A PUBLIC MEETING OR MAYBE MAYBE YOU EMAILED IT TO ME AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING ON THE, ON NOVEMBER 2ND.
UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE WOULD CONSIDER ALTERING THE RATES TO PROVIDE FOR A SENIOR DISCOUNT.
AND WHAT I'D MENTIONED, UM, TO HIM AND TO SOME OTHERS IS THAT, UH, IT WAS NOT, UH, A PART OF THE ORIGINAL, UH, UM, RATE EVALUATION.
AND I WOULD BE RELUCTANT TO ADD IT NOW AFTER THE RATES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ACTED ON BY, BY THE HEARING, BY THE HEARING EXAMINER.
I WOULD SAY, HOWEVER, THAT THE BULK OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING THE HARDSHIP, UH, BENEFIT ARE SENIOR CITIZENS.
IT DOESN'T APPLY UNIFORMLY TO SENIOR CITIZENS 'CAUSE THERE HAS TO BE SOME KIND OF A DOCTOR'S NOTE.
UM, BUT THAT, UH, BUT THAT, THAT IS PROBABLY DISPROPORTIONATELY, UM, A SERVICE PROVIDED TO SENIOR CITIZENS.
BUT, UM, YOUR, YOUR REQUEST SORT OF CAME LATE IN THE PROCESS, UH, FOR IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE ALLOCATED TO ALL.
IF, IF WE WERE TO HAVE THAT, THEN THAT WOULD DISPLACE SOME, YOU KNOW, ANOTHER SECTION OF THE RATES.
AND SO IT, IT MIGHT CAUSE US TO HAVE TO INCREASE THE BASE RATE INSTEAD.
SO I WOULD, UM, UH, REQUEST THAT BEYOND THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED TO CITIZENS THROUGH THE HARDSHIP, THAT A MORE GENERALIZED SENIOR DISCOUNT BE DEFERRED UNTIL THIS, UNTIL THIS COMES UP AGAIN IN A COUPLE OF YEARS.
PAT, IS THERE ANY OF OUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR, UH, SMALLER HAULERS HERE, IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, HOPEFULLY THEY KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO BE VOTED ON TONIGHT.
SO I GUESS FURTHER DISCUSSION PLEASE CALL THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN HORN.
ITEM FIVE, SOLUTION SIZE ONE NAY, SORRY.
[5. Resolution Authorizing Funding Support for Senior Center Services]
FIVE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING FUNDING AND SUPPORT FOR SENIOR CENTER SERVICES.MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
FOR SOME YEARS, UH, CERTAINLY EVEN BEFORE I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS YOUR CITY MANAGER, THE IDEA OF COMBINING SENIOR SERVICES HAS BEEN, UH, A POLICY OBJECTIVE, NOT ONLY OF THE CITY, BUT PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY OF OF OTHERS WHO PROVIDE SENIOR SERVICES.
THIS, UM, I THINK GOT A NUDGE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THE, UH, THE SENIOR CENTER, I THINK TECHNICALLY CALLED THE DECATUR, MACON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER THAT WAS UP ON, UH, 22ND STREET JUST NORTH OF DEBBIE'S DINER, UM, HAS GONE DEFUNCT.
UM, THE FACILITY WASN'T MEETING ITS NEEDS AND I WON'T GO INTO ALL THE DETAILS OF WHY THEY DECIDED TO DO THAT.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER.
THE CITY OFFICE HAS BEEN WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE PARK DISTRICT WHO HAS ALSO PROVIDED SERVICES FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME OUT AT THEIR,
[00:50:01]
UH, THE FORMER SCOVILLE, UM, CLUBHOUSE RIGHT ON THE WEST SIDE.AND, AND LP HAS BEEN IN A SEPARATE LOCATION.
AND I WANNA, UH, COMPLIMENT, UH, UH, CLAY FOR REALLY TAKING THE LEAD, UH, 'CAUSE IT WAS HIS FACILITY, UH, FOR, FOR PUTTING ALL THREE OF THOSE TOGETHER IN A PROPOSAL THAT I THINK RE REFLECTS WHAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO IN DECATUR FOR SOME TIME.
AND, UH, AND SO THIS REQUEST, UH, AND I'LL, I'LL LET HIM TALK ABOUT WHAT, HOW, HOW THE SENIOR SERVICE IS GONNA BE DIFFERENT OUT THERE.
BUT THE ESSENCE OF WHAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING IS A RESOLUTION THAT ASKS YOU, NUMBER ONE, TO REDIRECT THE MONEY THAT YOU HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN GIVING TO THE SENIOR CENTER AWAY FROM THAT DEFUNCT ENTITY, AND INSTEAD GIVE IT TO THE PARK DISTRICT FOR THESE EXPANDED SERVICES.
AND SECOND, TO MAKE AN INCREASE, UH, FROM 71,000 TO 99.5 IN THE AMOUNT THAT WE PROVIDE TO THEM.
THE PARK DISTRICT IS NOT ASKING US TO SHARE IN THE CAPITAL COST.
THEY'RE ASKING US TO SHARE IN THE ONGOING OPERATING COSTS, WHICH WILL INCREASE WITH THE SIZE OF THE FACILITY.
BUT I THINK CLAY, IF YOU COULD GIVE SOME MORE BACKGROUND ON HOW THE PARK DISTRICT HAS THOUGHT THROUGH, UM, THE COMBINING HOW IT WOULD WORK AND HOW THAT CHANGES FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGES THE FOOTPRINT OUT ON THE WEST SIDE.
UH, FIRST OFF, THANKS SCOTT FOR HAVING ME, JULIE, AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'LL KEEP MY COMMENTS BRIEF TONIGHT 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A HEFTY AGENDA.
BUT, UM, THIS REALLY COMES BACK TO, UM, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU LOOK AT SEVERAL STUDIES THAT ARE OUT THERE TO SAY, BY 2040, THE NUMBER OF ADULTS AGE 55 UP IN OUR COUNTRY ARE GONNA OUTNUMBER THE NUMBER OF ZERO TO 18 YEAR OLDS IN OUR COUNTRY.
AND IF WE DON'T DO MORE AS A SOCIETY AND AS A COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR TO, UM, KEEP SENIORS INDEPENDENT, ENGAGED, ACTIVE, AND PREVENT THAT SOCIAL ISOLATION PIECE, UM, WE'LL BE HEADED, YOU KNOW, THE FREIGHT TRAIN WILL BE HEADED DOWN FOR A, FOR A TOUGH CURVE HERE IN SEVERAL YEARS.
SO, UM, THIS IDEA OF A ONE STOP SHOP, AS SCOTT MENTIONED, IS NOT NEW.
UM, BUT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT ACCELERATED WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED WITH THE DECATUR MACON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER THAT NOW OUT AT SCOVILLE, WE HAVE ALL OF THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS HISTORICALLY PROVIDED, NOW COMBINED WITH ALL THE SERVICES ASPECT THAT SENIORS HAVE HISTORICALLY GOTTEN AT THE DECATUR, MACON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER, AND SOME OTHER ENTITIES WITHIN TOWN.
SO WE'VE MADE SOME ADJUSTMENTS INITIALLY TO THE, UM, FORMER, UH, UH, GOLF CLUB, UH, GOLF COURSE CLUBHOUSE AT SKOLL, UH, ACTIVITY CENTER, SCOVILLE PARK WEST.
WHOLE LOT OF SCOVILLE NAMES IN THERE.
BUT, UM, EVENTUALLY WE WILL BE BUILDING A NEW, UH, FACILITY FOR SENIORS.
UH, WE APPLIED FOR A GRANT THROUGH THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES CALLED A PARK GRANT, PARC, WHICH IS RECREATIONAL CENTER GRANT.
BASICALLY, UH, MEANT FOR INDOOR, UH, ACTIVITIES, NOT OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.
UM, AND WE'VE BEEN CONDITIONALLY APPROVED FOR THAT.
UH, AND THEN WE'VE GOT SOME OTHER FUNDING THAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS GONNA BE UNDERTAKING THROUGH BOND ISSUES TO SUPPLEMENT THE FUNDING FOR A NEW, UH, FACILITY.
BUT, UM, NONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT ADDITIONAL OPERATING FUNDS.
AND SO AS WE'VE ABSORBED THE STAFF FROM THE DECATUR MACON COUNTY SENIOR CENTER, WE'VE ABSORBED, UM, MOST OF THEIR PROGRAMS AND OFFERINGS THAT THEY WERE DOING THERE.
AND NOW STARTING IN JANUARY, WE'LL BE EXPANDING THOSE PROGRAMS EVEN FURTHER.
UH, WE'RE GONNA NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
AND I WRESTLE WITH THIS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SENIOR SERVICES FALLS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT POCKETS AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE THING WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS CONSOLIDATE THESE SERVICES UNDER ONE ROOF TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR SENIORS TO, TO FIND THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A PARK DISTRICT, UH, WE ALREADY DID A LOT OF THE RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND, AND WHY NOT? AND MAYBE I, THAT'S JUST THE, THE NAIVE YOUNG EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ME.
BUT, UH, STAFF GOT ON BOARD WITH THIS IMMEDIATELY AND ALREADY WE HAVE TWO OF OUR EXISTING SENIOR CENTER STAFF MEMBERS GOING THROUGH THE SENIOR HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM TRAINING TO BE ABLE TO OFFER COUNSELING FOR SENIOR HEALTH INSURANCE, WHICH IS A HUGE NEED.
COMING UP IN JANUARY, WE'LL KICK OFF ALL THE TAX PREPARATION NEEDS FOR, UH, ABOUT FIVE TO 6,000 SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
SO, UM, LOTS OF GREAT THINGS HAPPENING OUT AT SCOVILLE, BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
SO ASKING FOR THIS ADDITIONAL INCREASE, WE'LL JUST EXPAND THE OPPORTUNITIES AND SERVICES FOR OUR SENIORS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
IF I COULD PAUSE YOU FOR ONE MOMENT, JIM, I'VE LOST THE SIGNAL WITH COUNCILMAN KHL.
IT MAY JUST BE MY BATTERY IS TOO LOW TO, TO MANAGE IT, SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LET US KNOW.
FLAG ME OR SOMETHING, BUT OPEN IT UP TO, AND BY THE WAY, THANK YOU FOR POINTING OUT THAT YOU ARE A YOUNG DIRECTOR, UM, AS YOU LOOK AT THE NEW, NEW DIRECTOR.
UM, OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.
UH, MR. COOPER, JUST ONE QUESTION.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE, UH, DIRECTION YOU'RE GOING IN, THE ASSISTANCE YOU'RE DOING WITH THE SENIORS SINCE I'M A SENIOR.
UM, MOST OF US UP HERE ARE MR. COOPER
UM, MY QUESTION THOUGH IS, UM, UH, THE, I KNOW YOU'RE ASKING US, EXCUSE ME, FOR AN ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
UH, IF YOU DID NOT GET OUR ADDITIONAL FUNDING, WHAT, WHAT WOULD THE OF THAT BE? WE WOULD'VE TO SEEK ADDITIONAL DOLLARS FROM OTHER AGENCIES AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE TOUGHER TO, YOU KNOW, SECURE NEW GRANTS.
[00:55:01]
UM, WE DO RECEIVE OR WE WILL RECEIVE THE, THE FUNDING THAT WAS COMING FROM THE MACON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT THROUGH THE, UM, ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT ON AGING AGENCY ON AGING, UH, WILL BE TRANSFERRED OVER TO US.I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT $35,000 THERE.
AND THAT'S BASED ON THE SERVICE CREDITS THAT WE DO AND HOW MANY SENIORS WE ENGAGE PER MONTH.
UH, IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT RATE.
UM, BUT WE WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE TO KIND OF RETHINK HOW WE WERE GOING TO DO, ESPECIALLY EXPAND SENIOR PROGRAMMING COME, COME JANUARY, FEBRUARY IF WE DON'T GET THAT FUNDING.
I WAS JUST WONDERING, IS THIS A A ONE-TIME REQUEST OR IS THIS GONNA BE IN OUR BUDGET EVERY YEAR? HOW DOES THIS GET APPROPRIATED FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR? NOT THIS COMING YEAR, BUT THE FOLLOWING YEARS.
THE, UH, THE RESOLUTION, UM, IN AUTHORIZED IT FOR A YEAR.
I MEAN, IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A YEAR TO YEAR OBLIGATION.
THERE, THERE IS NOT A MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT, BUT IN THE INTEREST OF TRANSPARENCY, UH, CERTAINLY MY RECOMMENDATION THAT WE FUND THIS, AND CERTAINLY I THINK, UH, MR. GERHARD'S EXPECTATION IS THAT AS LONG AS THEY DOCUMENT, UH, ALL THE GOOD THINGS GOING ON AT THE, AT THE SENIOR CENTER, THAT THEY WOULD BE COMING BACK ASKING FOR THE SAME AMOUNT IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS.
IT'S, IT'S SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION EVERY YEAR.
I JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHAT OUR OBLIGATION WAS MOVING FORWARD AFTER THIS YEAR.
OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. CULP? NO QUESTION.
I WANNA THANK MR. GERHARD FOR SHOWING UP TONIGHT AND ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF A GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND PARTNER DISTRICT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE BULL BY THE HORNS, SO TO SPEAK, AND TAKING CARE OF OUR SENIORS OUT THERE.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR COMING TO US AND I DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS.
AND I WILL ADD TO THAT I DO APPRECIATE THE WORKING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PARK DISTRICT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S AN EXPECTATION OF THE TAXPAYERS, THAT WE WILL WORK TO BE EFFICIENT AND WORK TO GET ALONG, RATHER THAN BEING IN SILOS.
SO I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE QUESTION? SEEING NONE.
[6. Resolution Authorizing Payment of the 2024 Central Illinois Regional Dispatch Center Invoice - User Fees for the Decatur Police Department and Decatur Fire Department]
SIX, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PAYMENT OF THE 2024 CENTRAL ILLINOIS REGIONAL DISPATCH CENTER.INVOICE USER FEES FOR THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND DECATUR FIRE DEPARTMENT MOTIONS.
THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SO THIS IS JUST THE, UH, ANNUAL INVOICE THAT WE HA WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THE DISPATCH SERVICES FOR THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS IS PRETTY SIMPLE AS THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL ON THIS ITEM? MR. COOPER? OKAY.
SAW YOU MA, MOVE YOUR MIC QUESTIONS.
[7. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of a Mobile Overtime Parking Enforcement System from Minuteman Security and Life Safety for the Decatur Police Department.]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF A MOBILE OVERTIME PARKING ENFORCEMENT SYSTEM FROM MINUTE MEN SECURITY AND LIFE SAFETY FOR THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.MOTION TO THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
MR. WRIGHTON, OR CHIEF? CHIEF? CHIEF? ALL RIGHTY.
UM, SO WE HAVE TWO PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, TWO PARKING ENFORCEMENT CARS.
AND, UM, WITHIN THOSE CARS IS THE COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT, UM, UH, IS AN LPR AND A GPS BASIC TECHNOLOGY.
THAT'S JUST THE LAYMAN'S VERSION OF THAT.
UM, ONE OF THE SYSTEMS IN OUR CURRENT IN, IN THE CARS IS DOWN.
UM, AND WE HAVE TO, UH, OUTFIT, UM, A NEW CAR.
SO WITH THE TWO CARS, ONE OF 'EM STILL HAS THE OLD TECHNOLOGY, THE TECHNOLOGIES BETWEEN THE TWO SYSTEMS WILL COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.
AND THEN OUR INTENT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IS ONCE THAT OTHER OLDER TECHNOLOGY, UH, FAILS OUT ON US, THEN WE ARE GONNA REEVALUATE AT THAT TIME BECAUSE WITH THE TWO PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, WE USUALLY USE ONE DOWNTOWN AND THEN ONE ON THE OUTSKIRTS, UH, HITTING, UH, HANDICAP VIOLATIONS AND THINGS LIKE THAT AROUND TOWN.
SO, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM NOW.
SO WE, SO WE'RE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE THE OTHER ONE GO DOWN AND THEN WE CAN'T DO ANY PARKING ENFORCEMENT DOWNTOWN.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL COUNCILMAN COOPER? UH, YES.
UM, SO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, IF WE GET THIS PARTICULAR SYSTEM, WE ACTUALLY WILL HAVE ONE VEHICLE THAT HAD THE SYSTEM AND ONE THAT'S STILL WILL NOT HAVE IT.
SO IF WE GET THIS SYSTEM, WE'LL HAVE ONE WITH THE NEW SYSTEM AND ONE WITH THE OLD SYSTEM.
SO WOULD IT BE MORE COST EFFICIENT NOW TO PURCHASE TWO SYSTEMS AND, AND DO BOTH VEHICLES VERSUS WAIT A YEAR OR TWO FOR NOW AND WE'RE PAID DOUBLE AT THAT TIME FOR WHAT WE'RE MAKING, PAY LESS FOR NOW.
WELL, IT'S ALWAYS CHRISTMAS WHEN THE CHIEF SHOWS UP, SO, YOU
[01:00:01]
KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S ALMOST LIKE BEING CLAY, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, NOT QUITE, UM, YOURS ARE MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THIS.UM, THE, THE THING IS, THE SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE NOW WORKS.
UM, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT COULD GO OUT AT ANY POINT IN TIME AND IF IT GOES OUT TWO MONTHS AND I'LL, THE, THE ISSUE IS, IS I DON'T KNOW THAT I'M GONNA NEED THE SECOND ONE AND THAT'S WHY I'M NOT NECESSARILY ASKING FOR IT BECAUSE OUR, THE WAY WE'RE STRUCTURING OUR PARKING ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS IS ONE IS DOWNTOWN AND WE NEED THE SYSTEM.
THE OTHER ONE IS OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN AND WE DON'T NEED IT.
SO THAT'S REALLY WHY I'M NOT ASKING FOR THE SECOND ONE.
OTHERWISE, TO BE QUITE FRANK, I WOULD, AND HE FEELS BAD EVERY TIME HE SEES THE FIRE CHIEF.
UH, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
[8. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Cradlepoint Routers and Antennas from CDW for the Decatur Police Department]
AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF CRADLE POINT ROUTERS AND ANTENNAS FROM C-W-C-D-W FOR THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT MOTIONS, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.SO, SO THIS IS PART ONE OF A TWO PART UPGRADE OF THE TECHNOLOGY WITHIN OUR SQUAD CARS.
UM, THIS HAS ALSO BEEN PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST THORNS IN MY SIDE SO FAR THIS YEAR.
UM, AND, AND BASICALLY WHAT THESE ROUTERS DO, THESE CRADLEPOINT ROUTERS TO BACK UP A LITTLE BIT, EACH OF OUR SQUAD CARS HAS IN-CAR VIDEOS THAT IN-CAR VIDEO HAS TO BE OFFLOADED.
WE OFFLOAD THAT VIDEO WIRELESSLY.
IT CAN BE DONE THROUGH A HARD DRIVE, BUT THAT'S USUALLY ONLY DONE IF THE VEHICLE MAYBE IS INVOLVED IN A CRASH OR IT'S STUCK AT A SCENE AND WE HAVE TO GET THAT VIDEO RIGHT AWAY.
OTHERWISE, IT'S OFFLOADED WIRELESSLY.
THE PROBLEM IS, IS OUR VIDEOS, UH, OUR INK, OUR CARS WILL ACCUMULATE HOURS OF VIDEO EACH DAY, EACH SHIFT.
AND SO WHEN THEY ALL COME INTO HEADQUARTERS AT THE SAME TIME, THEY'RE NOT THERE LONG ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO OFFLOAD.
AND THEN WE'RE BOGGING OUR SYSTEM DOWN.
SO WHAT THESE ROUTERS DO IS THEY ALLOW THE, THE CARS, WHEN THEY'RE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE CITY TO, UH, HIT THE 5G NETWORKS AND THEY CAN OFFLOAD INSTANTLY.
SO AS SOON AS THEY HIT STOP, BOOM, IT STARTS TO OFFLOAD IN WITHIN MINUTES.
THE, THE VIDEOS ARE OFFLOADED.
WE'VE TESTED THIS SINCE MAY, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET IT, GET IT SQUARED AWAY.
WE FINALLY GOT THE, UH, UH, IT INFRASTRUCTURE READY FOR IT.
WE TESTED IT WITHIN SQUAWK CARS.
THIS IS ALSO, UH, UH, LIKE I SAID, THIS IS PART ONE.
PART TWO IS REPLACING OUR VIDEO PROCESSING UNITS.
THOSE ARE GETTING OBSOLETE, UH, TO BECOME OBSOLETE.
THAT IS IN OUR 2024 BUDGET TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO ONCE WE GET THE CRADLE POINTS DONE, THEN WE'RE GONNA START THE VPU PROCESS AND THAT THEN IS THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE WE'RE GONNA NEED FOR THOSE BIG TICKET ITEMS. I'M GONNA COME AT YOU MAYBE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
COULD AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS BE USED TO, UH, FOR THIS EXPENSE? IT COULD BE.
UH, I MEAN, THERE'S A, THERE'S A, THERE'S A WIDE RANGE OF THINGS THAT A RP MONEY CAN BE USED FOR.
WE'VE CHOSEN TO JUST FUND THE THINGS THAT COUNCIL HAS PUT IN THEIR ALLOCATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SAY NONE.
[9. Resolution Authorizing Amendment No. 4 for Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Northwater Consulting for Lake Decatur Watershed Management Plan City Project 2019-38]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NORTH WATER CONSULTING FOR LAKE DECATUR WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN, CITY PROJECT 2019 DASH 38.MOTION THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, MAYOR COUNCIL, YOU'VE, UH, SEEN CONSULTING AGREEMENTS, UH, BEFORE YOU IN THE PAST FROM NORTH WATER RESOURCES.
UM, THIS ONE IS A TWO YEAR AGREEMENT.
UH, THE ANNUALIZED COST IS GOING DOWN.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY, UM, THAT THEY ACTUALLY SPEND VERSUS, UH, UH, WHAT IS AUTHORIZED IS, IS, UM, IS LESS, UM, EACH TIME.
UH, BUT SOMETIMES WE DON'T KNOW ALL OF WHAT, WHAT WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE ENCOUNTERING.
AS I'VE MENTIONED TO YOU IN, IN THE PAST.
AND AS, UH, MATT AND, AND JEFF BECKLER, BOTH OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY TO ANSWER SOME OF YOUR QUESTIONS AS WELL ABOUT THIS, THIS PROJECT, WE'VE BEEN STAFFING UP TO HANDLE SOME OF THIS BECAUSE, UH, SOME OF THE WORK THAT CAN BE DONE BY STAFF CAN BE DONE CHEAPER THAN BY STAFF.
UM, MAKING THAT TRANSITION TAKES A WHILE.
AND I DON'T WANNA SLOW DOWN THE RATE AND THE SPEED WITH WHICH WE ARE GOING AFTER THIS.
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT, UM, UM, AND EROSION ABATEMENT IN PART BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW GOOD, UM, PERFORMANCE TO
[01:05:01]
THE GRANTING AGENCIES IF WE GO TOO SLOW.I'M CONCERNED THAT IT MIGHT AFFECT OUR ABILITY TO GO AFTER GRANTS.
WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL AT GETTING NEARLY, UH, SOMEWHERE IN EXCESS OF 10 MILLION IN, IN, UH, IN GRANTS.
AND SO WE'RE SORT OF TRYING TO FIND THAT, THAT RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN, UH, IN HOUSING SOME OF THESE SERVICES AND DOING IT OUT OF HOUSE.
BUT, UH, THIS IS FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
AND, UH, UH, IF YOU'D LIKE, WE CAN GIVE A MORE DETAILED EXPLANATION OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, BUT I KNOW THAT YOU HAVEN'T NECESSARILY WANTED TO DIVE INTO THOSE DETAILS AT THE COUNCIL MEETINGS.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL DR. HORN, ONE COMMENT, THEN A QUESTION.
THE, THE COMMENT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PLAN ADDRESSES ONE OF THE CITY COUNCIL'S KEY GOALS AND STRATEGIES TO MEET THE GOAL, WHICH IS TO IMPLEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS OF A LAKE MANAGEMENT PLAN SO THAT THE QUANTITY OF SEDIMENT, SILT, AND NITRATES ENTERING LATE DECATUR IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED.
AND SO, WHILE I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OUR WORK WITH NORTHWATER CONSULTING AND INCREDIBLY PLEASED, THE CITY HAS RECEIVED OVER $10 MILLION IN GRANTS TO PROTECT OUR WATERSHED, THE LACK OF PROGRESS IN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF SEDIMENT AND NITRATES IS OF CONCERN.
HALF OF THE SEDIMENT REACHING LATE DECATUR IS FROM MACON COUNTY PROPERTIES, PARTICULARLY FARMLAND AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES FOR REDUCING SEDIMENT LOSS AND NUTRIENT RETENTION ARE WELL UNDERSTOOD.
AND SO THE KEY IS MOVING FORWARD MUCH FASTER WITH IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS SCALABLE.
UH, FURTHERMORE, THE FUNDING NEEDED TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE SEDIMENT AND NITRATES ENTERING LATE DECATUR IS APPROXIMATELY 50% OF THE NEED IDENTIFIED BY NORTH WATER IN ITS 2021 REPORT WITH APPROXIMATELY $10 MILLION MORE NEEDING TO BE ALLOCATED.
AND SO IT'S CRITICAL THAT BOTH NORTH WATER CONSULTING AND THE CITY OF DECATUR PROPOSE THE PROJECTS NECESSARY TO SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE SEDIMENT AND NITRATES AND FOR THOSE PROJECTS TO SHOW A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THESE WATER POLLUTANTS.
AND THIS SHOULD TAKE PLACE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
AND SO WITH THAT, I HAVE TWO UH, QUESTIONS.
UM, FIRST, HAVE THE REDUCTION GOALS FOR SEDIMENT AND NITRATES BEEN QUANTIFIED? AND SECOND, WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT THOSE REDUCTIONS? I'M GONNA HAVE TO REFER THAT TO JEFF, I THINK, OR TO JENNIFER.
SO TO THE FIRST QUESTION, UH, WOULD YOU PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD? SO THE CLERK HAS IT.
JEFF BECKLER NORTHWATER CONSULTING.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR FIRST QUESTION, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL AT REDUCING SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT LOADINGS, NOT AT THE LEVEL THAT WE NEED.
UM, WE ARE BEHIND ON EXECUTING THAT $10 MILLION GRANT.
'CAUSE WE'RE STILL IN LIMBO WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THAT MONEY HASN'T EVEN STARTED GOING OUT THE DOOR YET.
IT'S SLATED TO START GOING OUT THE DOOR IN MARCH.
SO FOR THE FALL PLANTING SEASON.
UH, BUT I DO HAVE SOME STATISTICS AND I THINK SOME OF THESE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BEFORE.
UH, BUT JUST LOOKING AT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMPLETED, LET'S SEE HERE.
SO OVER THE LIFESPAN OF PROJECTS THAT WE'VE PUT IN PLACE WETLANDS AND THEN A STABLE GDY STABILIZATION ON PRIVATE PROPERTY NEAR THE LAKE, OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THAT, THOSE PROJECTS, WE ARE ALREADY ACHIEVING 8,300 TONS OF SEDIMENT REDUCTION, 4,500 POUNDS OF PHOSPHORUS REDUCTION AND 16,500 POUNDS OF NITRATE REDUCTION.
AND THAT, THOSE ARE JUST FROM THE PROJECTS WE'VE GOTTEN ON THE GROUND AND THE BIG MONEY ISN'T GOING OUT THE DOOR YET.
SO WE EXPECT THAT IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THAT REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.
THEN EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S COMING IN IS ADDITIONAL BENEFIT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE OUR, GET CLOSE TO OR ACHIEVE THE REDUCTIONS THAT WE WANT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, LIKELY A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.
SO IF I HEARD YOU CORRECTLY, MM-HMM,
[01:10:01]
OF THE MONITORING THAT WE'RE DOING IS HELPED INFORM THIS.SO IF, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, WE'RE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 7 65 TO 76,000 TONS PER YEAR DELIVERED TO THE RESERVOIR.
IF WE HAVE A BAD WATER YEAR, THAT COULD BE MORE.
LAST YEAR WAS HIGHER THAN THE YEAR BEFORE.
WE'VE REVISED OUR ESTIMATES UPWARDS, UH, IN TERMS OF LOADING HIGHER THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED BASED ON MEASURED DATA.
SO THE MINIMUM ESTIMATE IS 65,000 TONS PER YEAR? YES.
AND WE HAVE STOPPED 8,300 TONS YEAH.
OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THAT PROJECT.
OH, OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE PRO.
THAT TO ME SAYS WE'VE GOT A LONG WAY TO GO.
AND AGAIN, UM, WE, WE KNOW WHAT PRACTICES WILL REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WATER POLLUTANTS ENTERING OUR LAKE.
WE NEED TO GET THEM ON THE GROUND ON THAT PRIVATE GROUND AND WORK WITH THE CITY ON CITY GROUND AS WELL.
AND I WILL REMIND EVERYBODY THAT THEY'RE ANOTHER THREE OR 400 TONS WILL BE REDUCED AS SOON AS THIS SHORELINE STABILIZATION OCCURS.
THAT WILL BE HOPEFULLY THIS FALL OR EARLY SPRING.
SO, OTHER QUESTIONS, MR. MCDANIEL? UH, I REMIND THE COUNCIL AT TWO DIFF OR TWO DIFFERENT MEETINGS, THE BUDGET MEETING, AND THEN THE ONE MEETING WE HAD OUT AT THE WATERWORKS WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE GETTING, UH, THE FARMERS ALONG THE TRIBUTARY AND STAFF CAME BACK AND SAID, THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, BUT IT'S A REALLY A TOUGH SELL.
SO, UH, I JUST WANNA REMIND EVERYBODY WE'VE HEARD TWICE WHAT ONE OF THE REASONS IS.
SO THEY'RE WORKING ON IT, IT'S PRIVATE LAND AND CONVINCING THOSE STAKEHOLDERS IS NOT THE EASIEST JOB.
IT'S A VOLUNTARY THING, SO WE HAVE TO INCENTIVIZE 'EM WITH BIG DOLLARS.
UH, AND IT'S A CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT.
SO WE KNOW THAT THE ISSUES ARE COMING FROM THE AREAS THAT AREN'T PRACTICING CONSERVATION, WHICH MEANS WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE WAY, YOU KNOW, INCENTIVIZE THE WAY PEOPLE ACTUALLY RUN THEIR BUSINESSES AND MANAGE THEIR OWN GROUND.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.
[10. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with Burdick Plumbing and Heating Company, Inc. for Water Sampling Stations, City Project 2023-13]
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH VERDICT, PLUMBING AND HEATING COMPANY FOR WATER SAMPLING STATION CITY PROJECT 2023 DASH 13.MOTION, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, MATT, UH, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THIS IS, UH, WE, WE HAVE TO, UH, SAMPLE THE CITY'S WATER YEARLY.
AND, UH, HERETOFORE WE HAVE BEEN SAMPLING IT AT, UH, PRIVATE, UH, LOCATIONS, USUALLY BUSINESSES, SOME RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, WHEN COVID HIT THAT KIND OF DISRUPTED OUR ACCESS TO, UH, TO GET WATER.
PLUS, WE ARE AT THE MERCY OF THE OWNERS OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY AND, AND THE WAY THEY USE THEIR WATER.
AND, UH, IT IS BEEN RECOMMENDED BY CDM SMITH IN THEIR, IN THEIR REPORT TO US THAT, UH, WE, WE GET ACTUAL SAMPLERS SAMPLING MACHINES, UH, UH, INSTALLED DIRECTLY TO THE WATER MAIN SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER, A BETTER SAMPLE TO PROVIDE TO THE, UH, TO THE IAPA PLUS WITH ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS THAT ARE COMING FORWARD THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT AS BETTER FOR US TO, UH, TO GET A CLEANER SAMPLE FROM OUR SYSTEM.
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? COUNCILMAN MCG GREGORY, JUST A SIMPLE QUESTION.
IS IT HARD TO FOLLOW THE CHIEF WHEN EVERY TIME HE COMES UP TO THE PODIUM WE DOUBLE WHAT HE ASKS FOR? I WAS GOING TO, UH, SEE IF I COULD ENLIST HIM TO DO PUBLIC WORK ASSIGNMENTS.
[11. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with A & R Mechanical Services, Inc. DBA A & R Services, Inc. for the Oakland and Grand Area Sewer Separation Project-Fairview Park Storm Sewer, City Project 2021-01]
ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH A AND R, MECHANICAL SERVICES, INC.FOR THE OAKLAND AND GRAND AREA SEWER SEPARATION PROJECT.
FAIRVIEW PARK, STONE STORM, SEWER CITY PROJECT 2021 DASH OH ONE MOTION, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SEE, MATT HAS ALL THE FUN WITH SEWERS, SO FORGET THE FUN STUFF AND THE EQUIPMENT.
HE'S GOT SEWERS, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
THIS ITEM, UM, MAY NOT SEEM LIKE IT AT FIRST, BUT THIS IS ALSO AN EXAMPLE OF THE PARK DISTRICT IN THE CITY COORDINATING THEIR WORK.
UM, YOU'VE AUTHORIZED THIS MAJOR STORM SEWER PROJECT, WHICH WILL DRAIN
[01:15:01]
AREAS WELL NORTH OF US 36 AND THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRACKS, UM, TO TAKE THE LOAD OFF OF THE, TO, TO REDUCE, UM, COMBINED SEWER OVERFLOWS AND SO FORTH.AND THIS NEW SEWER GOES RIGHT THROUGH FAIRVIEW PARK.
UH, THE PARK DISTRICT HAS BEEN, UH, GOOD TO WORK WITH AND ACCOMMODATING IN THAT REGARD.
BUT AS A RESULT OF PLANNING FOR THIS, THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, UH, CLAY SAID, WELL, GEE, SCOTT, WE'VE GOT THIS PLAYGROUND.
AND AS IT TURNS OUT, THEY HAD PLANNED TOTALLY UNRELATED TO THE SENATE, TO THE STORM SEWER PROJECT, A COMPLETELY NEW PLAYGROUND SOUTH, SORT OF DOWN THE HILL FROM THAT MAIN PAVILION IN FAIRVIEW PARK.
AND SO WHAT'S BEFORE YOU IS NOT THE ENTIRE PROJECT, IT IS JUST THIS SEGMENT.
AND IF YOU COULD ADVANCE, UH, JIM TO THE, THE SLIDE THAT SHOWS THIS AND THIS MAP IS IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL.
I THINK IT'S SUPPOSED, THERE'S SUPPOSED TO BE A MAP IN THE NEXT SLIDE.
BUT THIS MAP IS ALSO IN, IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL.
SO WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU TO APPROVE THE ENTIRE STORM SEWER PROJECT.
THAT, THAT, THAT'S NOT READY YET.
UH, WE JUST WANT TO DO THE 900 FEEDER, SO THAT'S UNDERNEATH THIS AREA.
SO, UM, I THINK CITIZENS SOMETIMES COMPLAIN THAT WE'RE NOT COORDINATING ENOUGH THAT WE, WE PUT DOWN NEW STREETS AND ALLOW UTILITIES TO TEAR THEM UP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UH, AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE CLAY'S STAFF PUT IN A BRAND NEW, UH, UH, PLAYGROUND AND THEN TEAR IT UP FOR THE, FOR THE STORM SEWER, UH, OR PUT THE STORM SEWER IN AND, AND THEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT DELAYS HIS CAPITAL PROJECT.
SO WE'RE JUST IN THIS SECTION THAT'S, THAT'S ALL THAT YOU'RE ACTING ON IS JUST THIS ONE SECTION.
AND THEN, SO THAT'LL HAPPEN HERE FAIRLY SHORTLY, AND THEN LATER IN 2020 NEXT YEAR, FOUR, WE'LL COME TO YOU WITH, WITH THE REST OF THE PROJECT.
BUT THIS WILL ALLOW HIS, THIS, THE PARK DISTRICT'S PROJECT TO PROCEED.
AND THEN WHEN THE REST OF IT HAPPENS, WE'LL JUST HOOK ON TO THE, TO, TO THE ENDS OF THE, OF THE LINE THAT'S TO BE INSTALLED HERE.
AND SO THAT SEWER PROJECT WHEN IT HAPPENS, WILL NOT BE DISRUPTIVE.
WELL, I MEAN, IT'LL STILL CLOSE EL LAREDO STREET, BUT IT WON'T BE DISRUPTIVE TO THE, TO THE PLAY AREA TO THE END OF THIS NEW PLAYGROUND THAT HE'S PUTTING IN BELOW THE MAIN PAVILION.
AND JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, WE'RE NOT PUTTING IN THE PLAYGROUND THE PARK DISTRICT IS PUTTING IN THE PLAYGROUND.
MATT, ANY FURTHER COMMENT? OR DID HE PRETTY MUCH COVER IT? HE DID A GOOD JOB.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.
[12. Resolution Rescinding a Portion of Resolution No. 2022-95 Accepting the State of Illinois Joint Purchasing Contract Holder Bid Price of Rush Truck Centers for the Purchase of Two (2) Tandem Axle Truck Chassis and Three (3) Single Axle Truck Chassis]
RESOLUTION, RESCINDING A PORTION OF RESOLUTION NUMBER 2022 DASH 95 ACCEPTING THE STATE OF ILLINOIS PURCHASING CONTRACT HOLDER BID PRICE OF RUSH TRUCK CENTERS FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO TANDEM AXLE TRUCK CHASSIS AND THREE SINGLE ACTION TRUCK CHASSIS.MOTION THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
UM, THIS ITEM AND THE NEXT ONE, ALL TWO SEPARATE ITEMS BOTH RELATE TO, TO PUBLIC WORKS.
AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE REVISIONS TO THE BUDGET THAT WE MADE, THERE ARE SOME REDUCTIONS IN ORDER TO BALANCE THE BUDGET IN SOME OF THE MAJOR VEHICLES.
THESE ARE VEHICLES THAT FOR THE MOST PART HAVE BEEN HELD OVER FROM A PREVIOUS YEAR, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'VE HAD SERIOUS SUPPLY CHAIN PROBLEMS. AND SO WE'RE BEHIND JUST IN GETTING THESE.
AND SOME OF THESE ARE CRITICAL AS WELL TO OUR, TO OUR SNOW REMOVAL FLEET AND SO FORTH.
SO, UM, MATT, IF YOU HAVE OTHER COMMENTS, BUT THE USE OF THESE, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE AND THE ONES THAT WE HAD TO MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS FOR IN THE 24 BUDGET.
SO FOUR FOUR, UH, OF THE DUMP TRUCKS, UH, ARE FROM 2022 THAT WERE ORDERED THAT, UH, UH, THE PURCHASE ORDER WAS, WAS PRESENTED TO THE, UH, TO RUSH, UH, UH, TRUCK CENTERS.
AND THEY WERE NEVER, UH, NEVER REALLY, THE ORDERS WERE NEVER INPUT TO THE, TO THE, UH, TO, TO THE MANUFACTURER.
AND, UH, SO WE HAVE NO MANUFACTURING DATES, UH, FROM RUSH.
UH, THEY FEEL THAT IT'LL BE 2025 BEFORE THEY COULD GIVE US EVEN, UH, A BUILD DATE FOR THESE.
SO, UH, WHEN WE ALSO COULD NOT GET, UH, RUSH TO, UH, GIVE US A NUMBER FOR THE 2023, THE THREE, UH, TRUCKS WE HAD ORDERED FOR 20, OR WE NEEDED TO ORDER FOR 2023, WE DECIDED TO JUST GO OUT FOR A BID AND, UH, AND PUT IT OUT.
AND, UH, YOU SEE THE BIDS ARE PRESENTED HERE.
UH, UH, GOING WITH THE SECOND, WE RECOMMEND GOING WITH THE SECOND LOW MIDWAY FREIGHT LINER WHO CAN PROVIDE US TRUCKS.
THEY SAY, UH, BY MAY OF NEXT YEAR, UH, FOR, UH, $1,500 MORE, UH, UH, TOTAL FOR THE, UH, FOR THE, UH, UH, THE SINGLE AXLE AND 2000 FOR THE TANDEMS. SO WE, WE RECOMMEND GOING WITH MIDWAY FREIGHT LINER TO FOUR DUMP TRUCKS.
QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SAY NONE.
[13. Resolution Accepting the Bid for (5) Single Axle Dump Trucks and (2) Tandem Axle Dump Trucks]
THE BID FOR FIVE[01:20:01]
SINGLE AXLE DUMP TRUCKS AND TWO TANDEM AXLE DUMP TRUCKS.MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
ANYTHING TO ADD? NOTHING FURTHER.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.
[14. 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 ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? CALENDAR FOR INDIVIDUAL, UH, CONSIDERATION MR. HORN.ITEM B RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS.
ALUM CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH 0 0 6 ITEM C.
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, CARBON CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM D.
ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, CARBON DIOXIDE CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM E.
ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, CHLORINE CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM F.
ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, HYDROFLUORIC ACID CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM G.
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS.
LYME CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH SIX ITEM H.
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, SODIUM CHLORIDE CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM I.
RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION, BUT PURCHASE ORDER FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, SODIUM CHLORIDE CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM J.
RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.
FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICALS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE CITY PROJECT PUR 2023 DASH ZERO SIX ITEM K, ORDINANCE ANNEX AND TERRITORY 28 0 2 SOUTHLAND ROAD, ITEM L RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AGREEMENT INCLUDING THE TRANSFER OF REAL ESTATE, MIRACLE VALLEY CITY OF DECATUR.
9 0 1 DASH 9 0 5 EASTWOOD STREET, AND 1921 NORTH RAILROAD AVENUE.
I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS RESOLUTION.
[A. Resolution Authorizing the Purchase of Graykey License Renewal from Magnet Forensics for the Decatur Police Department]
AUTHORIZING THE PURCHASE OF GRAY KEY LICENSE RENEWAL FROM MAGNET FORENSICS FOR THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT MOTION.THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
DR. HORN, IS THERE A BENEFIT FINANCIALLY TO A LONGER TERM AGREEMENT, UM, AS WE'VE DONE WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE FLOCK CAMERAS? AND SECOND, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO USE A RP MONEY, UM, FOR, UH, TO FUND THE GRAY KEY FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 31ST, 2025 TO DECEMBER 31ST, 2025? SO TWO QUESTIONS.
FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE TO A LONGER TERM AGREEMENT.
AND SECOND, ARE WE ABLE TO USE A RP FUNDS FOR THAT LONGER TERM AGREEMENT? COUNCILMAN HORNE, I'M GONNA ASK ANSWER THE SECOND QUESTION FOR, FOR YOU.
UM, I THINK THAT THE CHIEF IS BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION.
THE, UM, THE FIRST QUES THE SECOND QUESTION WITH REGARD TO THE FUNDING.
AS, AS YOU SAW IN THE CHIEF'S MEMO, IT'S BEING SPLIT BETWEEN, UH, UH, GENERAL FUND SOURCES, WHICH INCLUDES A RP IN THIS CASE, UH, AND, UM, SOME DRUG ENFORCEMENT FUND MONEY IN THE ORIGINAL ALLOCATION FOR A RP MONEY THAT THE COUNCIL ADOPTED SOME TIME AGO, AS YOU WILL RECALL, WE HAD, ALTHOUGH MOST OF IT WENT TO, UM, TO WATER SEWER AND TO COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT, THOSE TWO TOGETHER MORE THAN 85% OF THE TOTAL, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION NEVERTHELESS THAT WENT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND ONE OF THE PROJECTS WAS THIS GRAY KEY.
IT WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WAS LISTED AS, AS, AS THE ONE, AS ONE OF THE, UH, LAW ENFORCEMENT PROJECTS THAT WE SET ASIDE SOME A RP MONEY FOR.
SO THAT'S, THAT IS, THAT IS PART OF THE FUNDING MIX.
NOW IT WASN'T IN THE OTHER ONE YOU ASKED ABOUT BECAUSE THAT ONE SORT OF HAS COME ALONG MORE RECENTLY AFTER THE CITY ALREADY HAD ITS A RP ALLOCATIONS IN PLACE.
I'LL LET LET YOU ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION.
SO, SO THIS IS THE TECHNOLOGY'S TO, UH, SO YOU KNOW, IT'S THE TECHNOLOGY WE USE TO CRACK CELL PHONES.
UM, THERE'S AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE WITHIN CELL PHONES AND,
[01:25:01]
AND IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T GIVE US THEIR PASSCODE, WE HAVE TO CRACK THE PHONE.AND SO THIS IS WHAT THIS DOES.
THE REASON WE DON'T DO, OR WE HAVEN'T DONE LONG-TERM CONTRACTS 'CAUSE THE COMPANY DOESN'T OFFER IT, NUMBER ONE.
AND EVEN IF THEY DID, THIS IS SUCH LIKE, UM, INTERESTING, UNIQUE TECHNOLOGY THAT IT CHANGES SO OFTEN THAT OFTENTIMES WHAT, WHAT IS GOOD AND WHAT THEY USE THIS YEAR IS NOT GONNA BE WHAT'S USED.
IF, IF APPLE ALL OF A SUDDEN CHANGES A LOT OF THINGS THAT THEY'RE DOING, UM, THEN MAYBE THAT TECHNOLOGY'S NOT WHAT WE NEED.
WE NEED TO GO WITH A DIFFERENT COMPANY WHO'S BUILT A BETTER PRODUCT.
EVEN SO, UM, THIS IS ONE OF THE FEW COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT DOES IT.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHY WE USE THEM RIGHT NOW.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEE NONE.
[VI. Other Business]
HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT? UH, MR. WRIGHTON, YOU HAVE SOME OTHER BUSINESS? I DO.UM, THIS, WHAT I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT IS ALREADY KNOWN TO YOU BECAUSE, UH, AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, 'CAUSE I RAISED IT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO WHEN WE MET IN EXECUTIVE SESSIONS, SO IT'S MORE OF A PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT 'CAUSE YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT.
AND, AND MY ANNOUNCEMENT IS THAT I PLAN TO RETIRE FROM THE CITY MANAGER'S CHAIR IN MID-MAY OF, OF 2024.
UM, MY DECISION MIGHT'VE CAUGHT, CAUGHT SOME OF YOU A LITTLE OFF GUARD, UH, WHEN I TALKED, BROUGHT IT UP TWO WEEKS AGO.
BUT, UH, BUT PLEASE KNOW, IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF ANY DISCONTENT ON MY PART REALLY FAR FROM IT.
I'M IMMENSELY GRATEFUL FOR THE TRUST IN THE CONFIDENCE THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE PLACED IN, UM, IN ME SINCE MY APPOINTMENT, WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO.
AND, AND FOR THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE IN ME, WHICH CONTINUES TO THIS DAY, ARIAN COUNCIL, WE HAVE, UH, WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF.
WE'RE MAKING, UH, I THINK GOOD PROGRESS ON SOME OF THE COUNCIL'S KEY GOALS, ESPECIALLY IN THE AREA OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND RECRUITMENT AND IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
UM, AND IT HAS REALLY BEEN MY PLEASURE TO BE A, A PART OF IT.
UH, AND IT'S BEEN IMMENSELY SATISFYING.
IF I WAS 10 YEARS YOUNGER, I'D BE HAPPY TO STAY ANOTHER 10 YEARS.
BUT IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST MY, IT'S MY TIME.
I HAVE VERY LITTLE PATIENCE WITH THOSE WHO BADMOUTH TO CATER.
AND SO SINCE I'M GONNA BE, UH, CONTINUING TO LIVE IN DECATUR AFTER I, AFTER I RETIRE IN MID-MAY, I HAVE COMMITTED TO EACH ONE OF YOU THAT I'M GONNA STAY TILL A SUCCESSOR IS, IS NAMED AND, AND IN PLACE SO THAT THAT TRANSITION THAT YOU'LL BE MANAGING IS AS SEAMLESS AS IT CAN POSSIBLY BE.
UM, YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF BALLS IN THE AIR, IN, IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW, AND I WILL ENDEAVOR TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, NONE OF THEM ARE DROPPED.
SO MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH MR. WRIGHT.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.
AND, UM, PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY AT THIS POINT, UH, FOR AGREEING TO SUCH A, A SEAMLESS TRANSITION, UM, IN THE PAST 20 YEARS OR SO THAT I CAN REMEMBER, MOST CITY MANAGERS, UM, HAVE LEFT US FOR BIGGER AND BETTER OPPORTUNITIES.
AND WE DIDN'T ALWAYS HAVE VERY MUCH TIME TO FILL THOSE SHOES, UH, WHICH, UH, LEFT US, UM, KIND OF TREADING WATER AT SOME POINTS.
AND SO I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT THIS GIVES US AMPLE TIME TO, UH, START A, A SEARCH FOR YOUR REPLACEMENT.
UH, WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE FIRM THAT HAS HELPED, WELL HELPED BRING US YOU, UM, OR BRING YOU OUT TO US, I SHOULD SAY.
UH, BUT, UH, AS MANAGER HAS MENTIONED, WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON AND THIS TRANSITION OF SEVERAL MONTHS ALLOWS US TO, UM, GET THOSE PROJECTS ON, UM, EVEN MORE SOLID FOOTING, MAKING SURE EVERYBODY IS VERY COMFORTABLE WITH THE DIRECTION THAT WE'RE GOING, UM, AS WE TRANSITION TO A NEW LEADERSHIP AND NEW ERA FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE DONE AND THAT YOU WILL STILL BE WORKING ON FOR THE NEXT, UH, MANY MONTHS.
UH, I'M GOING TO PAT FIRST AND THEN I'LL GO TO MR. KHL.
PAT, I WANNA SAY, UH, CITY MANAGER, I APPRECIATE YOU LIGHTING A FIRE UNDERNEATH, UNDERNEATH THIS EVEN MY FIRST TERM.
AND THEN NOW IT'S THINGS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MOVED FORWARD AND, UH, YOUR DIRECTION AND YOUR UH, UH, YOU ALWAYS ASK, YOU KNOW, OUR OPINIONS ON, ON EVERYTHING AND MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON BOARD INSTEAD OF WASTING TIME FOR THE CITY STAFF WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE THE VOTES.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT CONCEPT THAT YOU'VE BEEN DOING.
BUT THANK YOU FOR MOVING US AND, AND, UH, ALONG, BECAUSE I THINK IN THE PAST A LOT OF TIMES THE COUNCILS DID NOT WANNA MOVE AND, AND YOU WERE THERE TO LEAD US AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY MANAGER.
I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE TIME TO SAY MORE THANK YOUS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT, UH, I'VE WORKED WITH SCOTT OBVIOUSLY SINCE HE GOT HERE.
I'VE HAD ZERO PROBLEMS WITH SCOTT.
HE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ROCK THE BOAT SOMETIMES IN THIS CITY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.
[01:30:01]
YOU KNOW, PUTS PEOPLE IN IN A SITUATION THEY DON'T WANT TO BE IN OR THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH YOU.BUT, UH, FROM MY EXPERIENCE, YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW I APPRECIATE IT.
THANK COUNCILWOMAN MCG GREGORY, I WANT SECOND WHAT COUNCILMAN KUHL SAID.
AND, AND SOMETHING THAT I SHARED WITH YOU EARLIER TODAY.
I THINK INDIVIDUALS THAT WANNA SIT IN YOUR CHAIR PRETTY MUCH ARE, UM, A DIME A DOZEN, RIGHT? BUT TO FIND SOMEBODY THAT CAN SIT IN THE CHAIR AND DO THE JOB AND THINK VERY DIFFERENTLY, UM, WITH GREAT SUCCESS, BUT CAME ALONG A A LOT OF TIMES, UM, IT WASN'T EASY.
UH, THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS THAT I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD HAVE DONE, UH, WITHOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE OR WITHOUT YOUR ABILITY TO THINK CRITICALLY ABOUT HOW TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND COULD WE ADD THAT PART OF YOUR TENURE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN UNFORESEEN PANDEMIC AROUND THE WORLD, SO, UH, THROW THAT INTO THE MIX AND, AND MR. COOPER, UH, JUST DITTO WHAT MY OTHER COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN HAVE INDICATED.
SO DON'T WANNA REPEAT EVERYTHING, BUT I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL, SCOTT, WORKING WITH YOU.
I THINK YOU HAVE DONE, UH, WONDERS FOR THE CITY.
UM, AND I KNOW AT TIMES YOU HAVE FELT, UH, UNAPPRECIATED, UM, AT TIMES.
BUT, UM, AS I'VE LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO, WHEN WHEN YOU'RE IN A TOP POSITION, UH, YOU, YOU'RE NOT GONNA ALWAYS GET ROSES AND FLOWERS, BUT BUT BE, BUT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT YOU HAVE DONE MUCH WORK AND GREAT WORK FOR OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE, OF THE CITY IN THE TOWN, PEOPLE LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
UM, YOU'VE THOUGHT OUTSIDE THE BOX ON ITEMS. UM, OBVIOUSLY WE DIDN'T ALWAYS AGREE ON EVERYTHING, BUT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH AGREEING TO DISAGREE AND THAT'S HOW YOU'VE OPERATED AND YOU'VE ALWAYS KEPT US WELL INFORMED AND INVOLVED WITH, UM, DECISIONS THAT YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT OR MAKE OR ACCESS TO CONSIDER.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU, UM, ENJOY YOUR RETIREMENT AND WE HOPE WE'LL CONTINUE TO USE YOU AS LONG AS WE CAN UNTIL WE GET THE PROPER REPLACEMENT FOR YOU.
IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS, I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.