Feb 05, 2024 City Council Meeting

DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL MEMBERS.

THANK YOU MS. OWENS.

SIR, I THINK YOU WANTED TO SPEAK.

PLEASE COME FORWARD IF I MAY.

MADAM MAYOR.

SO, GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR.

I'M WAYLON VANEL AND LIKE MANY OF US HERE, I WEAR A MULTITUDE OF HATS.

NOT ONLY AM I A CANDIDATE FOR A COUNTY OFFICE, BUT I'M A NEWLY INSTALLED PRESIDENT OF THE DECATUR AREA LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION.

UH, SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE KNOWN MY PREDECESSOR HEATHER WHEATLAND, WHO HAS HAD A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL FAMILY RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND SO THE TORCH HAS BEEN PASSED, SHALL WE SAY.

OUR CONCERN THIS EVENING IS ABOUT THE VACANT PROPERTY REGISTRATION.

WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO SOMETHING THAT IS IN VIOLATION OF CITY CODE, BUT WE ARE QUESTIONING SCENARIOS SUCH AS PROPERTY THAT CAN'T BE RENTED BECAUSE OF A POOR POOL OF APPLICANTS.

SO WE'RE HOPING THAT SOME PORTION OF WHAT YOU FOLKS WANT TO ACHIEVE HERE CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME.

THANK YOU, SIR.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? LAST CALL.

MOVING ON TO THE APPROV APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

OH, RATHER, DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANYTHING THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY, MR. CULP? UH, REGARDING MS. COMAN? I'M ASSUMING THERE'S SOMEBODY OVERSEEING THIS, UH, ISSUE.

I'M, BECAUSE PROBABLY PLENTY OF RECEIPTS OR OTHER DOCUMENTATION PROVIDE TO US.

I'M JUST WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE SOMEBODY OVERSEEING THIS.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 16TH, 2024.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE,

[III. Approval of Minutes]

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND, SO I'LL MOVE.

FOR CERTAIN FUNDS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2023.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF A SIX SIS, NO NAYS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MOVING TO NEW

[1. Budget Reconciliation Ordinance Appropriating Additional Monies for the Purpose of Defraying the Expenses for Certain Funds of the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2023]

BUSINESS.

ITEM ONE IS BUDGET RECONCILIATION ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRAYING THE EXPENSES

[00:15:01]

MOTION THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT MAYOR AND COUNSEL, YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE DECISIONS REGARDING THE CLOSEOUT, BOTH OF THE FY 22 FISCAL YEAR, AS WELL AS THE CLOSEOUT OF, OF 23.

IN THE PROCESS OF THIS, WE'RE CHANGING AUDITORS.

UM, THEY HAVE SOME DIFFERENT WAYS THAT THEY WANT THESE THINGS POSTED TO THE GENERAL LEDGER.

AND THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IS, UM, UH, WHERE IT'S IS WE, WE TAKE RECONCILIATION OVER UNDERS TO YOU, NOT JUST IF THEY'RE OVER THE FUND, BUT IN THE CASE OF THE GENERAL FUND, IF THEY'RE OVER THE DEPARTMENT.

I THINK THAT'S A MORE TRANSPARENT WAY TO, TO REFLECT OUR, OUR FINANCES.

SO I SIMPLY HAVE, RUBY AND I HAVE SIMPLY HAVE ADDITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS NECESSARY TO CLOSE OUT THE 2023 FISCAL YEAR.

AND THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN EVERY YEAR.

IT'S A NORMAL COURSE OF BUSINESS.

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

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 51.2.

SIX AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM TWO.

ORDINANCE

[2. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 51.2 Food & Beverage Tax]

FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON.

SO ITEMS TWO, THREE, AND FOUR ARE REALLY ALL THE SAME ITEM, ALTHOUGH YOU'VE ONLY PUT THE FIRST ONE ON THE, ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE THESE THREE REVENUE SOURCES, FOOD AND BEVERAGE, LOCAL MOTOR, FUEL TAX AND AND HOTEL USE TAX ALL HAVE THE NEAR THE EXACT SAME LANGUAGE IN THEIR ORDINANCES THAT PROVIDES FOR A A 1.75, UH, PERCENT DISCOUNT FOR EARLY PAYMENT.

WELL, THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN, EARLY PAYMENT CAN BE THE DAY BEFORE IT'S DUE.

IT'S NOT REALLY EARLY PAYMENT.

AND, UH, THE WAY IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN ADMINISTERED IS THAT IT GETS SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE REMITTING THESE GET IT MIXED UP WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR LATE FEES.

I'M GONNA LET ANTHONY AND RUBY EXPLAIN THIS IN GREATER DETAIL, BUT WHAT'S RECOMMENDED IS THAT WE ELIMINATE THAT LANGUAGE IN ALL THREE OF THE SECTIONS OF THE CODE WHERE THESE THREE REVENUES ARE COLLECTED.

RUBY, ANTHONY, I'M NOT SURE WHO'S GONNA LEAD OFF.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO TWO THINGS TO, UH, BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION IS THAT ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE 1.75 PER UH, PERCENT DISCOUNT IS SUPPOSED TO INCENT IS FOR THE LAST GROUP WHO DOESN'T PAY ON TIME TO TRY AND INCENT THEM TO PAY.

AND IT IS NOT DONE THAT FOR THE YEARS THAT IT'S BEEN IN PLACE.

AND SO WE DON'T SEE THAT IT'S REALLY PROVIDING AN INCENTIVE INCENTIVE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO WOULD ORDINARILY PAY, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING, UH, A DISCOUNT WHEN THEY WOULD ORDINARILY PAY ON TIME.

THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENS IS FOR THOSE WHO ARE PAYING LATE, THEY'RE TAKING THE INCENTIVE WHEN THEY'VE PAID LATE.

AND SO WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR PAYMENT, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THE INCENTIVE IS COMING IN AND THEY, AND THEY HAVEN'T PAID ON TIME.

AND SO THEN IT'S VERY COMPLICATED TO KIND OF GO BACK AND, AND TRY AND GET, YOU KNOW, SAY $10 OR $20, UH, OF A PAYMENT AND, AND TAKE 'EM TO ADMINISTRATIVE COURT TO TRY AND GET THAT PAYMENT BACK.

SO IT STARTS GETTING VERY COMPLICATED TO DO THAT.

AND UM, TODAY WHEN WE LOOK THROUGH IT, UH, ANTHONY AND I WERE LOOKING AT, FOR SOME OF THE LARGEST VENDORS, THIS MIGHT AMOUNT TO ONLY A THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR.

SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO BE A LARGE PAYMENT FOR, WE'RE TALKING LIKE A MCDONALD'S.

AND SO FOR A LOT OF FOLKS, THIS IS NOT GONNA BE A LOT OF MONEY.

THEY'RE GOING TO END UP, UM, PAYING IF THE 1.75% DISCOUNT IS ELIMINATED, BUT IT IS GOING TO, UM, HELP MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS WHO ARE ARE NOT TAKING THE DISCOUNT THAT SHOULDN'T BE GETTING IT.

AND LIKE I SAID, THAT IT DID NOT INCENT WHAT WAS INTENDED BY THIS IS TO GET THOSE WHO DON'T PAY ON TIME TO TRY AND PAY SOONER.

SO IT ISN'T REALLY INCENTING ANY BEHAVIOR.

ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLP? AYE.

AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 54 POINT 51.4.

ITEM THREE.

ORDINANCE

[3. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 51.4 Local Motor Fuel Tax]

LOCAL MOTOR FUEL TAX MOTION, THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

WHAT SHE SAID THE FIRST TIME.

ANYTHING TO ADD RUBY? NO.

ANY QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE.

AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 51.5.

COUNCILMAN CO.

AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.

SIX AYES NO NAY.

ITEM FOUR.

ORDINANCE

[4. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 51.5 Hotel Use Tax]

HOTEL USE TACK MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

NOTHING TO ADD, I'M ASSUMING.

ANY QUESTIONS? SEE NONE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? AYE.

AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 52, ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE OPT.

[5. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 52 Alcoholic Liquor]

THE CITY HAS RENTED THAT FACILITY SINCE THE 1930S FROM THE PARK DISTRICT.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, THIS ADDS LANGUAGE, UM, IN CLASS F, WHICH IS A NOT WIDELY USED, UH, CATEGORY OF LIQUOR LICENSE TO ALLOW FOR PACKAGE SALES FOR CONSUMPTION OFF PREMISES.

UM, AT THE NEW CONVENIENCE STORE THAT IS BEING BUILT IN THE, UM, LAKE MAINTENANCE BUILDING, UM,

[00:20:01]

AND SO THE LANGUAGE THAT'S PROPOSED HERE IS THAT IF THE ALCOHOL IS SOLD FOR CONSUMPTION OFF THE PREMISES OF SAID LICENSEE IS A TENANT OF THE UNIT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AT THE, AT LAKE DECATUR MARINA.

SO I MEAN IT, THIS CATEGORY IS THERE FOR UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

AND SO WHAT ESSENTIALLY THIS LANGUAGE DOES IS UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THEIR TENANTS, IN THIS CASE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, NOT THE CITY, BUT IS ACTUALLY THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT.

UM, THE STAFF REPORT ALREADY INDICATES THAT WE HAVE OTHER LIQUOR LICENSES, UH, IN THIS AREA.

WHAT I THINK IS THE LARGER ISSUE, AT LEAST FOR, FOR ME IN PREPARING THIS, IS THAT THIS WAS REALLY ALL A PART OF THE PLAN FROM THE BEGINNING, FROM THE TIME THAT WE EXECUTED THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT FOR HOW WE WOULD, AND ALTHOUGH THE AGREEMENT IS NOT WITH, I SEE THAT CLAY GERHARDT IS HERE, THE MOU IS JUST BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PARK DISTRICT, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT, THAT THE G AND H MARINE IS A, IS A SIGNATORY TO IT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT A GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.

BUT FROM THE BEGINNING, THIS WAS TO PROVIDE FOR AN INCREMENTAL, UH, DEVELOPMENT OF A FULL SERVICE MARINA.

AND WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN THAT REGARD.

AND, UH, AND THIS IS JUST ONE STEP THAT WAS ANTICIPATED AS, AS A PART OF THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK WE SHOULD MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE WE'VE REPRESENTED THAT WE WOULD SUPPORT THEM AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THE, UH, IN THIS INCREMENTAL YEAR OVER YEAR PROCESS OF, OF DEVELOPING THE FULL SERVICE MARINA THAT YOU HAVE SOUGHT FOR SOME YEARS.

I WAS GONNA SAY THIS HAS BEEN, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO ATTRACT SOMEONE TO RUN A MARINA FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY.

AND THE TIMING IS A LITTLE BIT OFF FOR ME, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, I I'M EXCITED THAT WE'VE GOT MORE DEVELOPMENT GOING ON DOWN AT THE LAKE.

THIS IS CUSTOMARY FOR MARINAS, SHELBYVILLE HAS THIS, THE OTHER MARINAS IN THE AREA.

SO I AM, I AM IN SUPPORT, MR. MCDANIEL.

I WONDER IF, UH, CLAY WOULD COME TO THIS PODIUM, MR. GERHARDT, GOOD EVENING.

I HATE TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, BUT YOU'RE IN GOVERNMENT NOW.

SO, UM, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT THE PARK DISTRICT DOES NOT ALLOW DRINKING IN THE PARKS OTHER THAN SPECIAL EVENTS.

AND IT'S USUALLY LIMITED TO A TENT OR, UH, A, UH, BARRICADED AREA.

THAT IS CORRECT.

BUT THE PARK DISTRICT IS PREPARED TO TAKE, UH, AN ORDINANCE CHANGE INTO ACCOUNT, UH, TO ALLOW G AND H TO HAVE, UM, THE ALCOHOL SALES IN NELSON PARK AT THAT LOCATION.

WELL, I, BUT THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO CONSUME IT.

THEY'RE SIMPLY ALLOWED TO BUY PACKAGED LIQUOR.

RIGHT.

AND, BUT THAT'S MY PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A FINE POLICE FOR, THEY CAN'T WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT PARKS AND THEY CAN'T, SO I JUST HAVE A REAL PROBLEM.

'CAUSE YOU'RE JUST ENCOURAGING, UH, YOU KNOW, USING, UH, AND ESPECIALLY NELSON PARK, WHEN YOU SELL IT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA USE IT THERE.

I BELIEVE THE INTENT WOULD BE IS THAT THIS IS FOR THE, THE BOATERS THAT WOULD CONSUME OUT ON THE LAKE.

YEAH, WELL, THERE'S, AT THEIR LEISURE, I WILL TELL YOU THAT I DON'T BELIEVE, UM, IN MY ROLE THAT THIS WILL HAVE ANY FURTHER NEGATIVE EFFECT THAN WHAT WE EXPERIENCE WITH SOME OF THE, UH, FAMILY REUNIONS AND WHATNOT THAT, THAT CHOOSE TO BRING THEIR OWN ALCOHOL.

I MEAN, WE HAVE AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE, BUT FOLKS BRING ALCOHOL TO THE PARKS REGARDLESS, EVEN WITH AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE.

SO WE, WE DON'T HAVE THE PARK POLICE, UH, AVAILABLE TO ENFORCE ALL OF THOSE, UH, PAVILION RENTALS EACH AND EVERY WEEKEND AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO WHEN DID THAT CHANGE? 'CAUSE IT USED TO BE NEVER ALLOWED.

WELL, WE DON'T ALLOW IT.

AND WE, AND WE WILL CONTINUE, BUT I KNOW THAT WELL, BUT WE CAN'T POLICE AT ALL AS WELL.

I KNOW, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE ON THE BOATS, I KNOW THEY'RE DRINKING OUT THERE AND THINGS AND THAT, SO, BUT TECHNICALLY IT'S, IT'S ILLEGAL FOR IT TO HAVE ALCOHOL IN THE PARK IN THE PARKS AS IT IS TODAY.

MR. GERHARD, COULD THIS POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE THE MARINA IF WE SAID WE WEREN'T GONNA DO THIS? BECAUSE, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMON PRACTICE AT MARINAS.

IT IS, IT IS COMMON PRACTICE.

AND IT WAS A COMMITMENT THAT I BELIEVE BOTH THE CITY AND THE PARK DISTRICT MADE TO, UM, G AND H MARINE THAT WE WOULD PURSUE THIS WHEN THE TIME WAS APPROPRIATE.

NG AND H MARINE HAS, UM, UH, CLEARLY THEY HAVE MET ALL OF THE METRICS, UH, THAT WE HAVE PUT IN PLACE.

UH, AND THEN SOME, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO THE MARINE DEVELOPMENT.

SO WE ARE JUST TRYING TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THEM AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS.

AND I DON'T KNOW THIS AS FACT, BUT GENERALLY WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS OFFERED LIKE THAT, IT'S AT A MUCH HIGHER PRICE THAN IF YOU WENT TO A, A WALMART OR A SAM'S BECAUSE OF THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR.

SO, CORRECT.

MORE, UH, AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT PRICING STRUCTURE WILL BE, BUT IF IT'S ANYTHING LIKE THE FUEL THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR BOATERS ON THE LAKE, IT DOES COME AS A PREMIUM BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, IT'S HIGHER OCTANE FUEL.

NUMBER TWO, THE CONVENIENCE FACTOR OF IT'S RIGHT THERE AT THE LAKE AND THE LIABILITY ISSUE OF IT RIGHT THERE AT THE LAKE.

SO, MR. CULP, DID YOU HAVE, OKAY.

MUST'VE BEEN PAT'S HAND.

I APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY, MR. COOPER? YEAH, I, I HAD A PART TWO FOR THE CITY.

OH, OKAY.

NOWHERE ON THE, UM, OUR WEBSITE WHEN IT, UH, ORDINANCE COVERS, UH, ALCOHOL

[00:25:01]

ON BOATS.

I COULD NOT FIND ANY PLACE ON THERE.

UM, IS THERE, IS THERE, DID I MISS SOMETHING THAT, ABOUT ALCOHOL ON BOATS? LIKE THE, LIKE THE, UH, UH, BOAT DRIVERS CANNOT BE DRINKING? YOU KNOW, I, I CAN'T QUOTE CHAPTER AND VERSE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT IS LEGAL TO HAVE ALCOHOL ON THE BOAT.

IT IS NOT ILLEGAL TO OPERATE A BOAT WHILE DRINKING OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

SO OUR, THAT'S WHY OUR LAKE PATROL IS OUT THERE.

AND IF PEOPLE ARE OPERATING A BOAT THEN AND THEY'RE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OR THEY HAVE LIQUOR IN THEIR HAND, THEN THEY'RE SUBJECT TO, TO CITATION.

AND WE DO THAT EVERY SUMMER.

I CANNOT FIND IT ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE OR DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW IT'S STATE STATUTE.

UH, BEEN CHALLENGING FOR ME TO RECONCILE.

MR. COOPER? UH, YES.

I JUST HEARING WHAT YOU JUST INDICATED, I WOULD HOPE THAT, UM, THE MARINA STAFF WASN'T OFFERED THINGS THAT THEY'RE GONNA GET, THEY TAKE OVER THE MARINA.

THERE'S THINGS THAT ARE COMING BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

UH, I HOPE THAT'S, I HEARD THAT WRONG.

SO, UM, I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF, UH, ALCOHOL BEING AT, AT THE, AT THE MARINA.

UM, I THINK YOU'RE JUST OPENING UP FOR PROBLEMS. YOU ALREADY JUST INDICATED THAT THE PARTS STAFF TO STAFF TO BOTH STAFF CANNOT PROPERLY MONITOR NOW WITH THE LIMITED STAFF THEY HAVE WITH ISSUES, UH, YOU SAY YOU CAN'T MONITOR IN THE PARKS, THOSE HAVING, UH, REUNIONS AND ACTIVITIES OUT THERE IN THE PARKS, AND YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH STAFF TO MONITOR THAT.

UM, SO WHY WOULD WE ADD ANOTHER RESOURCE THAT ANYBODY IN THE RIGHT MIND KNOWS THEY'RE GONNA GET, THEY'RE GONNA PURCHASE IT AND THEY'RE GONNA TAKE IT OUT ON THE BOATS.

AND NINE TIMES OUT OF 10, SOME OF THE BOAT DRIVERS, WHICH WAS STATE LAW, THAT YOU CANNOT OPERATE A BOAT UNDER THE INFLUENCE, THEY'RE GONNA OPERATE THE BOAT UNDER THE INFLUENCE.

TO ME, IT'S THE SAME SITUATION WITH A BOAT.

WE OPENED IT UP LIKE YOU'RE ACTUALLY OPEN IT UP.

MORE PEOPLE ARE GONNA OPERATE BOATS WITH ALCOHOL.

UH, I THINK WE'RE DEFEATING YOUR PURPOSE.

UM, IF THEY WANT TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL, THERE'S PLENTY, PLENTY ESTABLISHMENTS INDICATOR TO PURCHASE ALCOHOL.

I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE OPENING UP ANOTHER AREA DOWN IN A PARK WHERE IT'S ALREADY ILLEGAL.

UM, AND IT'S ILLEGAL TO OPERATE A VEHICLE.

IT'S ILLEGAL TO DRINK IN THE PARKS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY WE WOULD TAKE THAT AND GO THAT DIRECTION.

I JUST THINK THAT'S A BAD MOVE TO MAKE.

AND IF THE MARINA WAS, WAS PROMISED THAT THEY WOULD GET THAT AT SOME POINT, BUT WHEN THEY TAKE IT OVER, TOTALLY, THEN MAYBE COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND ASK FOR IT AT THAT TIME TO SEE IF WE CHANGE OUR MINDS.

BUT I CAN'T SEE US, UH, UH, I CAN'T SEE MYSELF APPROVING THAT.

AND I HOPE SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ENOUGH WILL NOT APPROVE THAT AT THIS POINT.

MR. COLE, LISTEN THERE, BAY, I, I, I DO AGREE, UH, WITH SOME COMPONENTS OF THIS, BUT THE COMPONENT OF SAFETY AND, UH, RESPONSIBILITY STILL GOES ON THE OPERATOR OF THE BOATS.

UH, WE HAVE A JURISDICTION HERE AS WELL THAT I'M NOT GONNA TELL THEM FROM ONE JURISDICTION TO ANOTHER HOW TO ENFORCE THEIR RULES.

UH, BUT THEY'RE WILLING TO, UM, TAKE ON THIS AS WELL AS PART OF THE GROWTH OF THE MARINA.

PEOPLE ARE BRINGING ALCOHOL ALREADY.

UH, IF, YOU KNOW, I I WOULD SAY ENFORCEMENT COULD BE AN OPTION.

UH, BUT THE ALCOHOL'S COMING TO THE LAKE ALREADY.

WE, WE WILL ALWAYS ASK AND PLEAD FOR RESPONSIBLE BOAT OPERATORS.

I DON'T SEE WHERE THE SALE OF ALCOHOL AND WILL DETER THOSE WHO ARE GONNA DO IT ALREADY.

UM, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK ABOUT THE FUTURE, JUST LIKE, UH, ANYBODY ELSE HERE WE CAN JUST TRY TO, TRY TO PREDICT FOR THE BEST.

BUT HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS HUMAN BEHAVIOR.

UH, THEY'RE ALREADY BRINGING IT.

UH, THIS IS GROWTH OF A BUSINESS.

I DON'T THINK ANY PROMISES WERE EVER MADE, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF.

I MEAN, UH, THIS IS JUST GROWTH AND, AND I'LL SUPPORT THEIR GROWTH.

'CAUSE, UH, THEY'VE DEFINITELY MADE GOOD CHANGES DOWN THERE.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT SPECIFIC PROMISES WERE EVER MADE, BUT IT'S, THE STANDARD PRACTICE IS GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ICE AND SNACKS AND ROPES AND STICKERS AND OTHER THINGS.

AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THE PEOPLE THAT I SEE THAT ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS ON THE LAKE ARE GENERALLY YOUNG MEN ON JET SKIS THAT ARE HAVING A REALLY GOOD TIME.

THEY'RE NOT EVEN DRINKING, THEY'RE JUST GOING REALLY FAST, ZIPPING IN AND OUT OF THEIR, THEY SCARE ME MORE THAN ANYBODY.

SO, DR. HORN, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE, THE COMMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUES BECAUSE, UH, THIS ISSUE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE THAT HAS,

[00:30:01]

UM, ON, ON THE ONE HAND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE POTENTIALLY PERMITTING ALCOHOL SALES IN THE MIDDLE OF, UH, PUBLIC PROPERTY.

AND I JUST WONDER IF WE SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A C STORE, UM, AT THE TRANSFER HOUSE IN CENTRAL PARK.

WE'RE GONNA SELL ALCOHOL, AND THEN, UM, WE'RE GONNA SAY, YOU CAN'T DRINK THE ALCOHOL IN CENTRAL PARK.

YOU CAN JUST BUY IT.

I THINK THAT, UM, IN MANY WAYS I FIND THIS SITUATION TO BE, UH, PARTICULARLY ANALOGOUS.

ON THE OTHER HAND, UM, YOU CAN BUY ALCOHOL AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS RIGHT NEAR, UM, THIS LOCATION.

UM, RIGHT NOW YOU CAN, UH, GO TO A NEARBY RESTAURANT AND DRINK ALCOHOL WITHOUT ANY, UH, PROBLEMS. UM, I TOO SHARE MY COLLEAGUES' CONCERN THAT ABOUT ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE ACCESSIBILITY, I FEEL THAT IT MAKES IT EXTREMELY EASY FOR YOU TO BUY PACKAGE ALCOHOL AND OPEN IT IMMEDIATELY UPON EXITING THE STORE.

AND SO I DO WORRY ABOUT ENFORCEMENT.

I GUESS MY SPECIFIC QUESTION IS, UM, WILL SIGNS BE PUT UP INDICATING THERE'S NO DRINKING OF ALCOHOL IN THE MARINA IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR? SO IT'S MADE PERFECTLY CLEAR THAT NO ALCOHOL IS ALLOWED ON THE MARINA.

AND THAT MIGHT BE A QUESTION FOR THE DIRECTOR OF DECATUR PARK DISTRICTS.

THE CITY HAS NO OBJECTION TO IT.

UH, FOR THE PORTION OF THE PROPERTY THAT WE OWN.

I SUSPECT, UH, THAT THE PARK DISTRICT, I'M READING HIS CUES HAS NO OBJECTION EITHER.

IT'S, IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO, ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF THE RULES.

YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW.

AND SO I THINK, UH, SIGNAGE IS, UH, IS PROBABLY A PRETTY GOOD IDEA.

MR. MCDANIEL, I'LL, I'LL JUST ADD, I LIVE IN THE WEST END AND I'VE BEEN A RUNNER AND WALKER IN FAIRVIEW PARK FOR OVER 45 YEARS, AND I ALWAYS GET THE BIGGEST KICK THERE AT DREAMLAND LAKE.

BIG SIGN SAYS, DON'T FEED THE DUCKS, AND THE PEOPLE ARE STANDING NEXT TO THE SIGN FEEDING THE DUCKS .

MAYBE WE NEED TO WORK ON READING SKILLS OR SOMETHING.

FURTHER, FURTHER COMMENTS.

SEE NONE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? NO.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? NO.

ITEM SIX, ORDINANCE, CREATING CITY CODE CHAPTER 70.2, REGISTRATION OF AT-RISK PROPERTIES.

COUNCILMAN CULP? AYE.

[6. Ordinance Creating City Code Chapter 70.2 Registration of At Risk Properties]

MOTION THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

REGISTERABLE PROPERTY, THEN HE WOULDN'T HAVE TO REGISTER IT.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

THIS ITEM HAS BEEN DISCUSSED A COUPLE OF TIMES BY THE COUNCIL OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS.

UH, WE BROUGHT AN EARLIER VERSION OF THIS, UH, TO YOU AND COUNCIL DIRECTED THAT STAFF TAKE IT BACK AND MAKE SOME REVISIONS TO IT.

DURING THAT PERIOD OF REVISION AND ANALYSIS BY STAFF, YOU HEARD AT LEAST ONCE FROM ONE OF OUR CONSULTANTS, THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRESS, ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS, UH, THAT THIS BE ONE OF THE MANY STRATEGIES THAT WE'RE USING FOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION.

UM, SO IN ADDITION TO THE PACKET MATERIAL, WE'VE, UH, INCLUDED ON THIS ITEM, WE'VE ALSO LISTED SEVERAL OF THE OTHER ILLINOIS CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED A, UH, VACANT AND FORECLOSED ORDINANCE.

LET ME, UM, JUST BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS THAT THIS IS NOT THE SAME ORDINANCE THAT YOU SAW THE FIRST TIME AND HOW I THINK THAT IT IS CUSTOMIZED AS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAD.

THE FIRST IS THAT THE FEE IS LESS.

THE SECOND IS THAT, UM, WHILE MANAGING ALL OF THIS, IT CAN BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEM.

WE'VE DEALT WITH THAT BY, UH, BY HAVING THIS THIRD PARTY, HER, WHICH IS THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA.

IT'S REALLY A COMPANION PIECE IF YOU PASS THIS ORDINANCE.

AND WE THINK THAT, I THINK THAT'S MUCH CHEAPER TO DO IT THAT WAY THAN IT IS TO A STAFF UP FOR THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT.

AND THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT.

THE ORDINANCE DOES NOT REQUIRE THAT ALL VACANT PROPERTIES BE REGISTERED.

IT REQUIRES ONLY THAT THOSE PROPERTIES THAT ARE REGISTERABLE AND ARE DERELICT, VACANT PROPERTIES AS DEFINED BY THE ORDINANCE BE REGISTERED.

SO IF A PROPERTY IS BEING MAINTAINED PROPERLY, KEPT UP BY ITS OWNER, GREAT.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

UH, AND SO TO SOMEBODY WHO SPOKE DURING APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS, IF SOMEONE HAS, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A LEGITIMATE CONCERN, THAT, THAT MAYBE THEY'RE, THEY'RE HAVING TROUBLE ATTRACTING, UH, A TENANT THAT THEY WANT TO RENT YOU, THAT THEY FEEL CONFIDENT CAN TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTY, THAT'S A LEGITIMATE CONCERN FOR WHY, WHY IT MIGHT BE KEPT VACANT.

IF THE PROPERTY IS MAINTAINED PROPERLY AND IT IS, IT'S UP TO DATE AND IT LOOKS GOOD, AND SO THAT IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION OF DERELICT, VACANT, OR

[00:35:01]

UM, AND THERE'S, AND THERE'S OTHER REASONS THAT ONE MIGHT NOT.

UH, ONE THAT MIGHT HAVE VACANT PROPERTIES, BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL, BOTH IN THE ORDINANCE AND IN MY TRANSMITTAL MEMO.

UH, SO THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REALLY FOCUS ON, ON THE DERELICT PROPERTIES FOCUS, IF I CAN BE BLUNT ON THE, ON PROPERTIES WHERE THERE'S NOT A RESPONSIBLE, UH, PROPERTY OWNER.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE ADDED IS THAT THERE'S, UH, THERE'S AN APPEALS PROCESS.

SO IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THE DECISION BY THE CITY THAT IT'S REGISTRABLE OR DERELICT VACANT, THEN YOU CAN, YOU CAN APPEAL THAT PROCESS.

WE ALSO HAVE A PROVISION THAT, THAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE, GEE, WHAT'S THIS IN HERE FOR? IT PROVIDES FOR VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION AT NO COST.

SAY, WELL, SOMEBODY'S GOT A VACANT BUILDING, WHY WOULD THEY VOLUNTARILY REGISTER IT? WELL, IF I WAS AN OUT OF TOWN PROPERTY OWNER, ESPECIALLY OF A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, BUT EVEN MAYBE A RESIDENTIAL ONE TOO, AND IT'S IN GOOD SHAPE SO IT DOESN'T EVEN FALL UNDER THE DEFINITION, BUT I'M OUT OF TOWN AND I DON'T SEE THE PROPERTY ALL THE TIME.

I LIKE THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO VOLUNTARILY REGISTER IT WITH THE CITY SO THAT THEY KNOW MY CONTACT INFORMATION AND THEY KNOW WHO TO CONTACT IN THE EVENT THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

BECAUSE FAR TOO OFTEN WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO FIND, OFTENTIMES THIS HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S A FIRE OR VANDALISM OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS AND WE GO TO THE PROPERTY OWNERS, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE THE PROPERTY RECORD AND WHAT DO WE FIND A PO BOX IN LOS ANGELES OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO FIND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE.

AND SO REGISTRATION, WHETHER IT'S VOLUNTARY BECAUSE THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER'S TAKING GOOD CARE OF THE PROPERTY, IT'S NOT REGISTRABLE OR IT'S NOT IN GOOD SHAPE, AND WE FORCE THEM TO REGISTER.

IN BOTH CASES, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF GOOD DATA ON WHO THE OWNER IS WITH OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION THAT IS USEFUL TO, TO, TO STAFF.

UH, I THINK THAT IN, I THINK THAT WHAT YOU'LL FIND, WHAT WE FOUND IN COMPARING THIS VERSION OF THE ORDINANCE, THIS MODIFIED VERSION OR BACON AND FORECLOSED 2.0, IS IT'S, UH, IT'S MUCH LESS RESTRICTIVE, UH, THAN MANY OF THE OTHER CITIES THAT ARE ON THE LIST OF CITIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED, VACANT AND FORECLOSED.

AND THAT, AND THAT WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH TOO MANY VACANT BUILDINGS, CAUSING TOO MANY, UH, EXPENDITURES FOR, UH, BOTH FOR EMERGENCY REPAIRS AS WELL AS FOR DEMOLITIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED PROACTIVELY BY HAVING SOME VERSION OF THIS.

THIS IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF OVERREGULATION.

THIS REALLY IS AN EXAMPLE OF UNDER REGULATION.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS VERSION.

COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, MR. MCDANIEL.

UH, WHEN THE CITY MANAGER BROUGHT THIS ITEM UP AGAIN HERE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, UH, I SAID, I SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE WE'RE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE CHANGED IT FROM NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION BECAUSE THAT'S ALL PART OF IT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR BUSINESS DISTRICT.

SO I'M TOTALLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS.

IF WE CAN KEEP, YOU KNOW, MAKE OUR COMMUNITY LOOK BETTER, AND IF WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WE HAVE TO DO IT AND GET IT DONE.

WELL, IT'S NOT FAIR TO THE TAXPAYERS OF THIS COMMUNITY TO PAY TO CLEAN UP SOMEBODY ELSE'S MESS THAT THEY JUST STUCK US WITH.

OTHER COMMENTS, DR. HORN? A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FIRST.

UM, SO MR. WRIGHT, YOU JUST MENTIONED THAT, UH, VOLUNTARY REGISTRATION IS POSSIBLE AND WHEN YOU HAVE REGISTRATION, WOULD THAT INCLUDE ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION, SPECIFICALLY EMAILS AND TEXT AS OPPOSED TO SNAIL MAIL? UH, THIS DATABASE WILL STRIVE TO NOTIFY THE INDIVIDUAL, HOWEVER THEY PREFER TO BE NOTIFIED.

SO IF THEY OPT FOR, UH, A TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION, THEY'LL GET THAT.

IF THEY OPT FOR EMAIL COMMUNICATION, THEY'LL GET THAT.

SO IT'S BEEN PROBABLY ABOUT, UM, FOUR YEARS SINCE WE ORIGINALLY, UH, TALKED ABOUT THIS.

DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR HOW MANY RESIDENTIAL UNITS THIS WOULD CURRENTLY APPLY TO? I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A, A, A GOOD NUMBER ON THOSE THAT WOULD APPLY TO THE DEFINITION OF REGISTERABLE PROPERTIES.

AS SCOTT SAID EARLIER, THIS IS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL VACANT RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL, UH, PROPERTIES.

WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT WE HAVE OVER 4,000 VACANT HOMES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 4,050 200.

AND CERTAINLY THIS WOULD NOT APPLY TO ALL OF THOSE.

THIS WOULD ONLY APPLY TO THOSE THAT MEET THE DEFINITION OF REGISTRABLE PROPERTIES AND REALLY THOSE THAT ARE DERELICT, IF I CAN SAY IT THAT WAY.

SO WE SUSPECT THAT THIS NUMBER, UH, AS OF RIGHT NOW PROBABLY IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 500 AND A THOUSAND PROPERTIES THAT THIS WOULD APPLY TO.

AND IF THE NUISANCE OF HAVING TO REGISTER AND PAY A FEE CAUSES THE OWNERS OF THOSE DERELICT PROPERTIES TO EITHER REHAB THEM OR DEMOLISH THEM, THAT'S THE GOAL.

WELL, I'M NOT OPPOSED TO THIS.

UH, IN FACT, I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF, IT WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT FOUR YEARS AGO.

THERE'S 1500 CITIES THAT ALREADY HAVE ADOPTED THIS TYPE OF ORDINANCE,

[00:40:01]

AND EVERY SINGLE SMALL CITY IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS HAS ADOPTED THIS SINCE AT LEAST, UH, 2009, OR I'M SORRY, 2000, UM, SORRY, 20, UM, 20 AT LEAST.

AN INDIVIDUAL'S NAME, UH, UH, THAT'S ALREADY TWO DAYS, THREE DAYS LATER, WE SEND THEM A LETTER BECAUSE AS SCOTT MENTIONED, OFTENTIMES THERE'S NO, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T GET ANY OTHER CONTACT INFORMATION, UH, UH, ELECTRONICALLY THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATE MORE ELECTRONICALLY OR IN A FASTER PACE.

SO EVERY CITY EXCEPT ATOR, UH, HAS THIS TYPE OF, UM, PROCESS.

UM, MY NEXT QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, THAT THE, THE REAL STRONG, UM, UH, ARGUMENT IS THAT WE WANT TO SAVE PROPERTIES BEFORE THEY GET DECLARED UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.

BECAUSE IF THEY GET DECLARED UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION, CHANCES ARE ODDS ARE THEY'RE GOING TO BE DEMOLISHED AT SOME POINT IN TIME.

SO BASED ON OTHER CITIES' EXPERIENCES, DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR HOW, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CURRENTLY, UM, UM, AT, AT-RISK PROPERTIES THAT HAVE OTHER CITIES HAVE HAD THIS TYPE OF REGISTRATION PROCESS, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THOSE PROPERTIES ARE SAVED? I MEAN, I KNOW WE'RE REGISTERING THESE AT-RISK PROPERTIES.

DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR HOW SUCCESSFUL THAT HAS BEEN IN SAVING PROPERTIES FROM DEMOLITION? I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A, AS SCOTT MENTIONED EARLIER, THERE'S A NUMBER OF NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN, UH, RECOMMENDING THIS AS A RECOMMENDED BEST PRACTICE.

SCOTT MENTIONED, MENTIONED CENTER FOR COMMUNITY PROGRESS.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDED TOOLS, UH, THAT THEY PROVIDED IN THE CODE ENFORCEMENT ANALYSIS THAT THEY PROVIDED TO THE CITY.

ADDITIONALLY, THE CITY STAFF, A NUMBER OF CITY STAFF ATTENDED THE VACANT PROPERTY LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE DOWN IN AUSTIN, TEXAS BACK IN 2021.

UH, THAT WAS HOSTED IN JOINTLY, UH, BETWEEN CCP AND THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES.

UH, THEY RECOMMENDED THIS TOOL AS WELL.

UH, AND, AND THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF, OF DOCUMENTATION WRITTEN FROM DIFFERENT, UH, STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON HOW THIS TOOL IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO ELIMINATE BLIGHT AND TO REALLY CHANGE BEHAVIORS, IF I COULD SAY IT THAT WAY, WHICH IS THE, THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS ORDINANCE.

IT'S NOT ABOUT REVENUE, IT'S ABOUT CHANGING BEHAVIORS.

UH, BUT EVERY ORDINANCE IS DIFFERENT.

UH, AS SCOTT MENTIONED, THIS ORDINANCE IS VERY, VERY TAILORED, UH, UH, MUCH MORE NARROWLY WRITTEN THAN MOST OTHER ORDINANCES.

UH, AND SO TO TAKE SOMEBODY ELSE'S EXPERIENCE, WHETHER IT'S IN ILLINOIS OR OR IN IN ANOTHER STATE, UH, UH, REALLY WOULD NOT BE AN APPLES TO APPLES COMPARISON AT THE END OF THE DAY.

YOU KNOW, THE, THE GOAL OF THE ORDINANCE IS TO ENCOURAGE A PROPERTY TO PUT IT BACK INTO PRODUCTIVE USE, UH, UH, IN A, UH, SOONER RATHER THAN LATER, IF I CAN SAY IT THAT WAY.

EITHER FIX IT UP OR SELL IT TO SOMEBODY WHO CAN FIX IT UP, IS, IS REALLY THE GOAL OF IT.

UH, AND, AND THE FEES THAT ARE PROPOSED, I WILL SAY ARE LOW ENOUGH THAT THEY DON'T ENCOURAGE THAT AS, AS MUCH AS MANY OF THE OTHER ORDINANCES.

OFTENTIMES, MANY COMMUNITIES HAVE A PROGRESSIVE FEE THAT THE LONGER IT'S REGISTERED, THAT FEE INCREASES, UH, UPON EVERY REGISTRATION, SOMETIMES GOING AS HIGH AS $1,500 FOR AN EXAMPLE.

UH, UH, AND THAT TYPE OF ORDINANCE OBVIOUSLY, ENCOURAGES, HAS, HAS MORE, UH, UH, INCENTIVE TO A PERSON TO TURN THAT PROPERTY OVER FASTER THAN, THAN WHAT OURS DOES.

THE BIGGEST BENEFIT OF, OF WHAT THIS WILL PROVIDE TO THE CITY IS, IS THAT IT PROVIDES THAT, THAT CONTACT INFORMATION, UH, UH, REALLY IT'S ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY OF THE OWNER, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS WILL PROVIDE, WHICH OFTENTIMES WILL, UH, UH, ALLOW US TO BASICALLY CONTACT THE PROPERTY OWNER, GET THEM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE BEFORE IT GETS WORSE, AND ULTIMATELY ENDS UP ON OUR DEMOLITION LIST IN THE FUTURE.

SO, AT A MINIMUM, EVEN IF THIS SAVES 0% OF THE HOUSES FROM ULTIMATE DEMOLITION, IT STILL SAVES THE STAFF CONSIDERABLE TIME BECAUSE WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS, THERE'S NOW SOMEONE TO CONTACT INSTEAD OF, AGAIN, A PO BOX IN SOME OTHER STATE.

IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? ABSOLUTELY.

I, I THINK THE, THE BEST EXAMPLE THAT I THINK THAT I, I WILL HIGHLIGHT RIGHT HERE WOULD BE THE GOODS FURNITURE BUILDING.

THE GOODS FURNITURE BUILDING BURNED ABOUT A, ABOUT A MONTH, MONTH AND A HALF AGO, UH, ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, UH, TWO OR THREE O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON, UH, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A FIRE AT THAT BUILDING.

UH, THERE WAS A STRING OF, OF EMAILS, TEXT MESSAGES AMONG STAFF SAYING, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THIS BUILDING? UH, WELL, THE REALITY IS WE DON'T KNOW A, A LOT, THE CITY'S NOT INVOLVED IN REAL ESTATE PROPERTY TRANSFERS.

UH, THERE WAS A RECENT TRANSFER FROM ONE OUT OF TOWN PROPERTY OWNER TO ANOTHER OUT OF TOWN PROPERTY OWNER.

AND SO ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON, THE CITY DID NOT READILY HAVE AVAILABLE WHO TO CONTACT TO HOLD THAT PROPERTY.

UH, OWNER ACCOUNTABLE, REALLY NOTIFY 'EM AND SAY, HEY, YOUR BUILDING BURNED.

IT NEEDS TO BE RE-SECURED.

UH, ALL THE WINDOWS ARE BROKEN OUT, THE DOORS ARE BROKEN OUT, UH, BUT THE FIRE IS PUT OUT.

AND SO OUR NORMAL PROCESS WOULD BE WE GO AND DO TITLE WORK.

UH, UH, WE, WE FIND AN LLC, WE FIND

[00:45:01]

UH, WE MAIL 'EM A LETTER SAYING, HEY, YOUR PROPERTY IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, UH, UH, SOME OF WHICH THEY'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, HAD AN ISSUE YOU NEED TO DEAL WITH IT AT IN THE MEANTIME, UH, THE, THE, THE PUBLIC AND, AND, AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING, WELL, WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT? AND SO, OFTENTIMES CITY STAFF IS GOING OUT.

WE'RE THE, WE'RE USING OUR PUBLIC'S WORK STAFF TO RESECURE THE BUILDING, UH, UH, ALL OF WHICH BASICALLY IS INCURRING MORE, MORE EXPENSES, UH, FROM THE TAXPAYER, UH, TO DEAL WITH THE PROPERTY THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD.

THEY BEEN NOTIFIED IN A TIMELY MANNER.

AND HAD THEY BEEN REQUIRED TO HAVE A LOCAL PROPERTY MANAGER, THEY LIKELY WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THAT ISSUE THEMSELF.

WELL, I'LL JUST WRAP UP BY SAYING, UM, THANK YOU FOR THE CITY STAFF'S PERSEVERANCE AND TRYING TO GET AN AT-RISK PROPERTY REGISTRATION ORDINANCE THROUGH, UM, THERE, THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT, UM, BLIGHT REPRESENTS A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK.

AND WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WHEN WE DEMOLISH STRUCTURES THAT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED WHEN WE CLEAN UP PROPERTIES, WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN CALLS FOR SERVICE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND SO I APPRECIATE US TAKING EVERY STEP POSSIBLE, UM, TO REDUCE THE BLIGHT IN THE CITY.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS, MR. MCDANIEL? UM, MAYOR, UH, JOHN BROUGHT UP THAT, THAT IN SOME COMMUNITIES THEY CHARGE, WHAT, 1500 OR SOMETHING LIKE, I THINK THIS IS A FIRST GOOD STEP, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO REVISIT THIS IN TWO YEARS TO SEE HOW IT'S WORKING.

IF IT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE THINKING IT SHOULD BE DONE, I THINK STEP TWO WOULD TO, AS JOHN SAID, SOME OF THE OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE A HIGHER FEE AND THAT MAKES THEM MORE, UH, UH, PROACTIVE IN GETTING THEIR PROPERTY.

SO, BUT THIS IS A FIRST GOOD STEP.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLP? AYE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH HERRA PROPERTY REGISTRY, LLC, MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SIX AYES NO NAY.

ITEM SEVEN

[7. Resolution Authorizing a Professional Service Agreement with Hera Property Registry, LLC.]

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, THIS IS THE COMPANION PIECE.

AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE GONNA BE OUTSOURCING WHILE THE CITY STAFF, BECAUSE WE'RE OUT IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ANYWAY, WILL MAKE A DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT IT'S DERELICT, VACANT, OR REGISTRABLE.

UM, THE, THE REST OF THE BACK OFFICE SUPPORT OF THIS WILL BE DONE BY HARA.

THE PACKET MATERIAL INCLUDES A BULLETED LIST OF, OF SERVICES THAT THEY PROVIDE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, LET US KNOW.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? SAY NONE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUB-RECIPIENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT AND THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR GARFIELD PARK IMPROVEMENTS.

COUNCILMAN COPE? AYE.

[8. Resolution Authorizing Subrecipient Agreement Between the Decatur Park District and the City of Decatur for Garfield Park Improvements Community Development Block Grant-COVID (CDBG-CV)]

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT.

C-O-V-I-C-D-B-G CV MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

IS THAT ROUGHLY A THIRD OF WHAT IS TODAY, GARFIELD PARK WILL ACTUALLY BE TRANSFERRED TO THE CITY, UM, FOR USE BY THE DEVELOPER TO THE WEST.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT, MAYOR COUNCIL, SOME TIME AGO, YOU APPROVED A RESOLUTION, UM, THAT BROADLY INDICATED OR RATHER APPROVED HOW, UH, THIS ONE TIME CDBG CV FUNDS, THIS IS FROM OLD CARES MONEY COULD BE USED.

UM, WE CAN'T USE THIS MONEY FOR, FOR, FOR DEMOLITION PROJECTS.

FOR EXAMPLE, HUD IS VERY RESTRICTIVE ABOUT HOW WE CAN USE IT.

AND SO YOU APPROVED IT FOR FOUR THINGS.

I THINK WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THIS LIST BEFORE, THE OKO COMMUNITY CENTER, UH, UH, LAND REUSE PROJECT, THE, UH, DOVE, UH, UTILITY, WHICH WE WEREN'T ABLE TO USE BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T DIS DISPERSE IT LOCALLY.

THIS PROJECT AND THEN THE, THE WE WE FOLKS PROJECT, WHICH IS DELAYED AND YOU'VE ASKED FOR IT TO COME BACK TO YOU.

SO AFTER YOU SAID, OKAY, WE'LL APPROVE THESE FOUR PROJECTS, WE HAD TO GO BACK TO HUD AND GET THEIR APPROVAL BEFORE WE CAN ENTER INTO AGREEMENTS, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE ONLY SO FAR ENTERED INTO ONE AGREEMENT WITH OKO COMMUNITY CENTER.

HERE COMES THE SECOND ONE.

SO, UM, THIS AGREEMENT, UH, PROVIDES FOR US TO PAY $250,000 OF CDBG CV MONEY, UH, UH, WITH THE TERMS IN THIS AGREEMENT.

IT, WE'VE MADE IT COMPLIANT WITH, WITH THE HUD RULES.

UM, NOW WE'RE NOT, OR ORDINARILY IN THE PARK BUSINESS, WHY THIS COMES TO YOU IS BECAUSE IT'S NOT REALLY SOME, FROM, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, IT'S NOT SO MUCH A PARK PROJECT AS IT IS A NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION CATALYST PROJECT.

IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL PIECES OF A CATALYST PROJECT, WHICH WE CALL THE GARFIELD CATALYST PROJECT BECAUSE IT INVOLVES GARFIELD PARK AND OLD GARFIELD SCHOOL, THE AREA BETWEEN LELAND AND WEST GRAND AND BETWEEN OAKLAND AND VAN D**E ON THE EAST.

UM, THE OTHER REASON THAT WE'RE PARTICIPATING

[00:50:01]

NOW WE'VE, WE'VE ENCOUNTERED SOME DELAYS, MOSTLY RELATED TO GETTING OUR FUNDING AND TAX CREDIT PROPOSAL THROUGH IDA, AND WE'RE MAKING ANOTHER RUN AT THAT, UH, THIS SPRING.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IN ANY WAY TAKES AWAY FROM THE HOW ALL, ALL THE DIFFERENT PIECES ONCE THEY'RE ALL DONE AND IT'LL, IT'LL TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS TO FINISH THEM.

HOW MUCH OF A CATALYST PROJECT THIS, THIS WILL BE? THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN THE TIME TO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP NEIGHBORHOOD UNITED, AND THEY'VE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF IT.

UM, I WISH I COULD SAY THAT IT WAS MOVING FASTER BE, BUT, BUT ISN'T BECAUSE OF THE I THE I IDA DELAYS, BUT OUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS IS ABOUT 21% OF A TOTAL PROJECT THAT THE PARK DEPAR PARK DISTRICT WILL ENGAGE IN.

THAT'S CLOSE TO $1.2 MILLION.

AND THE DETAIL OF THEIR TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET HAS ALSO BEEN INCLUDED IN THE, UM, IN THE PACKET MATERIAL.

SO, UH, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, IT'S, IT'S A CATALYST PROJECT.

IF YOU HAVE SOME SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE PARK DISTRICT IS PLANNING TO DO HERE, MR. GERHARDT IS HERE TO ANSWER SOME QUESTION, WHATEVER THOSE QUESTIONS MIGHT BE.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

I, I AM ASSUMING MR. GERHARDT, THAT THIS PARK WILL BE LIKE THE OTHER DECATUR PARK DISTRICT PROJECTS OR PARKS AND WE'LL CLOSE AT 10:00 PM SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE, UM, I GUESS I'M CONCERNED ABOUT POP-UP PARTIES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

10 O'CLOCK IS WHEN, UH, ALL OF OUR PARKS CLOSE BY ORDINANCE.

MS. GREGORY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND THE, UM, NEIGHBORHOOD, UH, INPUT OPPORTUNITY THAT YOU HAD FOR THIS PROJECT.

UM, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THEN I GOT TO SEE, UM, ALL OF THE EXCITING, UM, INTERACTIVE, UH, ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GONNA BE INCLUDED IN THIS PARK.

I THINK I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I'M EXCITED FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, BECAUSE THIS TAKES INTO CONSIDERATION THE WAY CHILDREN PLAY TODAY.

UM, NOT LIKE WE PLAYED AS CHILDREN WITH JUST .

WE PLAYED ON DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT.

WE DID, WE PLAYED ON DANGEROUS EQUIPMENT, LIVED TO TELL ABOUT IT.

UM, SO I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE, UM, WHERE THE CITY COMES IN.

UM, AND HOPEFULLY IDA WILL, UM, BE ABLE TO SEE THAT AND, AND FUND THE PROJECT.

AND SO THANK YOU FOR, UM, HAVING THIS VISION FOR THE PARKS AND FOR INCLUDING IT AND FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? WELL, I'M CERTAINLY GOING TO SUPPORT THAT.

IT'S ANOTHER GOOD PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT.

I THINK NOT ONLY DOES THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BENEFIT, BUT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND, AND I STILL WANNA BE ON CLAY'S CHRISTMAS CARD LIST, .

IF I'D SAY NO, IT, I WOULD BE OFF, BUT I'D SUPPORT THIS.

OTHER COMMENTS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, CLAY, I THINK THAT, UM, THE SENIOR CITIZEN BUILDING THAT'S RIGHT THERE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME NEWER ACTIVITIES THAT'S GONNA BE PLACED IN THAT PARK THAT WILL HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS AS WELL.

THE SENIORS.

THERE'LL, THERE'LL BE SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT ARE GEARED MORE TOWARDS SENIORS.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST REQUESTS WE GET IS JUST FOR SAFE WALKING AREAS.

SO AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE NEW PARK, WE'LL HAVE A NEW TRAIL SYSTEM, UH, PUT IN AROUND THE PERIMETER PARK, AND THEN WE'LL ALSO HAVE SOME MORE TABLETOP GAMES FOR THEM TO BE INVOLVED WITH AS WELL.

UM, BUT YEAH, WE'VE, WE'VE SOUGHT COMMUNITY INPUT.

WE'VE HEARD, UH, WHAT FOLKS WANT.

WE'VE LISTENED AND WE THINK THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PARK DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU FOR ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS.

AND I DO WANT TO GIVE A HUGE, A HUGE SHOUT OUT TO CORDERO AND HIS TEAM BECAUSE I KNOW, UM, NAVIGATING THIS AGREEMENT WITH WITH HUD IS NOT EASY.

AND IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE, AND I DON'T BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND HALF THE LANGUAGE IN THE AGREEMENT.

I TRUST THAT OUR LAWYER HAS, HAS, UH, REVIEWED IT WITH WENDY AND EVERYTHING'S GOOD.

BUT, UH, THIS JUST GOES, UH, CONTINUES THAT GREAT PARTNERSHIP WE'VE GOT GOING BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE PARK DISTRICT.

SO THANK YOU.

THAT'S A GREAT PROJECT.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH EL PRUITT COMPANY FOR THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.

ITEM NINE RESOLUTION,

[9. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with E.L. Pruitt Co., for the Decatur Public Library Chiller Replacement Project]

CHILLER REPLACEMENT PROJECT MOTIONS THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. AYE, MAYOR COUNCIL, IN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, YOU APPROVED A $3 MILLION SHORT TERM DEBT NOTE TO DO SOME MUCH NEEDED CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT TWO CITY FACILITIES, THE MUNICIPAL SERVICE CENTER UP ON NORTH JASPER STREET, WHICH NEEDED ROOF REPAIRS AND SOME OTHER BUILDING, UM, UPGRADES AND WORK ON THE PUBLIC LIBRARY BUILDING, WHICH THE CITY OWNS.

AND, UM, THAT INCLUDED NEW ROOFS ON BOTH OF THE BUILDINGS, UH, AN ADDITIONAL CORRIDOR, SOME, SOME RETAINING WALLS, AND, AND THIS CHILLER REPLACEMENT, ALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS THAT WERE A PART OF THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN BID

[00:55:01]

OUT AND APPROVED BY YOU.

AND THEY WERE ALMOST ALL UNDERBID.

THIS ONE WAS NOT.

THIS ONE WAS WAY OVERBID.

AND, UH, UM, THE, UM, I'M NOT SURE THAT I COMPLETELY HAVE AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT.

I MEAN, IT WAS PROPERLY BID.

UH, THESE, THIS, THIS IS SPECIALTY WORK.

UH, AND, AND THE CHILLER IS, IS, UH, HAS JUST TURNED OUT TO BE A WHOLE LOT MORE EXPENSIVE.

AND SO THE, SO THE TOTAL CAPITAL PROJECTS AT BOTH THE MSC AND THE LIBRARY ARE OVER THAT $3 MILLION AMOUNT.

AND SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO ADJUST THAT FINANCING AMOUNT, UH, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF SOME DECISIONS THAT WE MADE LATE IN THE BUDGET PREPARATION FOR 24.

THAT MIGHT TAKE SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE REVENUES OUT.

BUT IT'S STILL RECOMMENDED THAT WE PROCEED WITH THIS.

UM, IT'S BEEN SEVERAL YEARS, SINCE MANY YEARS, I THINK SINCE THE CITY MADE MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS IN THE LIBRARY.

SEARS BUILT A REALLY STOUT BUILDING IN 1968.

UH, AND, UH, AND BY DOING THIS, I THINK THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER PUBLIC USES THE CITY COUNCIL DECIDES TO HAVE IN THIS BUILDING WILL BE, CONTINUE TO BE A, A, A VALUABLE BUILDING IN YOUR INVENTORY FOR DECADES TO COME.

BUT THIS CHILLER IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THAT.

DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, MR. KINSA? JUST IF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? MR. MCDANIEL? UH, WELL COMMENT IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN TO THE DOWNTOWN LIBRARY AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE, IT REALLY, I MEAN, YOU WALK IN AND BOY YOUR EYES, THEY'VE DONE A BEAUTIFUL JOB.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE COMING DOWN THE, THE LINE TO BE FOR RE MAJOR REPAIR? I'M NOT AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT'S MAJOR REPAIR ON THE BUILDING SIDE.

UM, I BELIEVE THAT THE LIBRARY BOARD HAS SOME ADDITIONAL PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS THAT THEY WANNA MAKE ON THE INSIDE, BUT THEY'RE THE, I BELIEVE THEY ARE THE TYPE THAT ARE, THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE FROM THEIR BUDGET.

UNDER THE LEASE THAT THE CITY HAS HAD IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IT SPELLS OUT BASICALLY THAT WE'RE IN CHARGE OF THE BUILDING AND THINGS LIKE CARPET AND SHELVES AND OTHER, UM, REMODELINGS INSIDE THAT AREN'T REALLY AT THE SHELL OF THE BUILDING ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE LIBRARY.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? I BELIEVE THAT SOME OF THOSE ARE STILL PLANNED BY THE LIBRARY, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY LARGE, LARGE TICKET ITEMS NOW, YOU KNOW, A TORNADO CAN CHANGE THAT TOMORROW, BUT I'M NOT AWARE OF ANY LARGE TICKET ITEMS TO THE SHELL OF THE BUILDING THAT YOU FACE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, IS THIS A 99 YEAR LEASE? NO, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TERM OF THE LEASE IS.

IF YOU'D LIKE, I CAN FIND OUT AND RE LET PEOPLE KNOW.

YEAH, YOU JUST WANNA SEND ME AN EMAIL? YES.

UH, IT JUST SEEMS, AND THIS IS ALONG THE LINES OF, UM, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

UM, I, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IN THAT BUILDING.

WE SEEM TO HAVE SPENT MORE IN THAT BUILDING THAN WE HAVE IN ANY OF OUR OTHER MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS.

AND SO I AM HOPING THAT THIS IS THE END OF THE LINE.

THE, UM, THE CARPET CAME TO YOU FOR APPROVAL.

UM, THE, THE, UH, BUT THE LIBRARY PAID FOR THAT, THE SHELVING THE LIBRARY PAID FOR.

SO, UM, I MEAN, YOU, YOU'RE RIGHT.

WE'VE HAD SOME MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS THERE TO MAKE, BUT ALL I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT, IS THAT NOT ALL OF THEM WERE OURS AND OR ALL OF THEM WERE NOT THE LIBRARIES BECAUSE WE STILL ARE INVOLVED IN THAT SECOND FLOOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, WHICH IS IN THE SAME BUILDING, BUT NOT COVERED BY THE LEASE WE HAVE WITH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

RIGHT.

SO I'M THINKING OF MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS LIKE THE PARKING LOT, LIKE THE HVAC SYSTEM, LIKE THE ROOF.

UM, THIS IS A VERY LARGE BUILDING.

THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE ITEMS. MY POINT IS, UM, I HOPE WE'RE DONE.

AMEN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? SEEING NONE.

AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH NORTHEAST COMMUNITY FUND FOR THE SMALL HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

ITEM 10.

RESOLUTION

[10. Resolution Authorizing Agreement with Northeast Community Fund for the Small Home Improvement Program]

MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT.

UM, BASICALLY THIS IS, I MEAN, WE, WE TRY DIFFERENT TYPES OF REHAB PROGRAMS. SOME WORK BETTER THAN OTHERS, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.

THIS ONE WAS VERY WELL RECEIVED AND OVERSUBSCRIBED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AS I BELIEVE.

AND, AND ALTHOUGH PAT CAN GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT, THAT, AND SO NOW THAT THEY'VE WORKED THROUGH MOST OF THE, UH, MOST OR ALL OF THE FUNDS, IT WAS SUCCESSFUL ENOUGH THAT, UH, WE INCLUDED A RENEWAL OF THE PROGRAM IN THE 2024 BUDGET.

AND SO THIS IS THE NEW AGREEMENT WITH NCF.

ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD OR YOU JUST OPEN FOR QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT, THANKS.

GOD TOOK MY THUNDER.

UH, IT USUALLY DOES , UM, ANYONE ON COUNCIL? MR. MCDANIEL? BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S PAT, AS I ABOUT ASKED IN THE PAST ON OTHER PROGRAM, I'D LIKE TO SEE A REPORT, UH, OF HOW IT'S GOING AND HOW MANY PROJECTS WERE DONE AT WHAT COST, JUST TO KIND OF GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT'S BEING DONE.

BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CLEARLY IDENTIFIED.

I'M PRETTY SURE ROCHELLE TEAMS INCLUDE DATA IN THEIR MONTHLY REPORT, UH, ON THIS PROJECT,

[01:00:01]

OTHER QUESTIONS? DR. HORN? MR. PATRICK, JUST TO CONFIRM, THIS IS, UH, ADDITIONAL $400,000 AND IS IT OF A RPA FUNDS? THAT'S CORRECT.

I, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M EXCITED, UH, TO RENEW THIS PROJECT.

I ACTUALLY WAS SURPRISED BY THE NUMBER OF PROJECTS FOR WHICH THERE WAS FUNDING FOR, I, I THOUGHT IT'D BE A MUCH LARGER NUMBER.

I SAW 17 GRANTS OVER A PERIOD OF WHAT LOOKS TO BE 16 MONTHS, SO THAT'S ONE A MONTH.

BUT I THINK OF ALL OF THE THINGS WE'VE DESCRIBED ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND CURRENT HOUSING STOCK, AND I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ONE GRANT A MONTH BEING APPROVED.

SO WHAT, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO GETTING MORE OF THESE GRANTS OUT TO ENTITIES THAT NEED THEM MORE MONEY? SO, LET ME, LET ME TRY TO PAINT THE PICTURE A LITTLE BIT.

SO, UH, NORTHEAST, WHO'S BEEN A GREAT PARTNER WITH US ON THIS, UH, HAD SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE HAD FROM THE BEGINNING WITH OUR OWN OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAM.

UM, AND YOU SHOULD, I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE SMALL, UH, HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, UH, WE ALLOTTED NORTHEAST TO BE ABLE TO PUT UP TO $20,000 PER HOUSE INTO, UH, THAT HOME.

WELL, WHEN YOU TAKE 400,000 DIVIDED BY 20,000, THAT'S ONLY 20 PROPERTIES, SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE 17.

RIGHT.

AND SO, UH, THERE WERE SOME PROPERTIES THAT WE HAD TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE FOR BECAUSE WE COULDN'T LEAVE IT IN THE SHAPE THAT WAS IN.

SO WE HAD TO GO OVER A LITTLE BIT FOR THAT.

UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, 20 PROPERTY IS ABOUT WHAT THIS, THESE DOLLARS AVERAGE OUT TO.

UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, I WILL SAY THAT NORTHEAST, UH, RIGHT NOW, AND ANGELS HERE, UM, SHE CAN SPEAK MORE TO THIS.

I THINK THEY ARE ON THE ROLL.

UH, IN FACT, THEY HAVE SOME PROJECTS ALREADY IN THE PIPELINE THAT, BUT FOR THIS FUNDING, THEY CAN CONTINUE THE, THE REHAB ON THOSE HOUSES.

UH, AND SO WE DON'T HAVE, WE NOT STARTING THIS NEW AGREEMENT WITH SOME OF THE BARRIERS THAT WE STARTED WITH FROM THE BEGINNING.

SO I THINK NOW IT'S JUST, UH, THE, THE TRAIN HAS LEFT.

THE, THE STATION IS RUNNING RIGHT NOW.

WELL, I'LL JUST SAY TO YOU AND MS. LAWRENCE THAT WE HAVE TILL THE END OF 2024 TO ENCUMBER ALL OF OUR A RPA FUNDING.

AND SO, UH, THE TRAIN NEEDS TO STEAMROLL, UH, OVER THE NEXT, UH, 10, 10 MONTHS.

AND THEN MY FINAL QUESTION, AND THIS IS JUST, UH, SOMETHING I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT.

I I, I DON'T THINK YOU'LL KNOW THE ANSWER TONIGHT, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED IN, SO OVER ABOUT THREE YEAR PERIOD, WE HAVE DEMOLISHED ABOUT 200 HOUSES AND INDIVIDUALS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT DEMOLITION, WE HAVE TO REHABILITATE HOUSES.

I'D JUST BE INTERESTED IN HOW MANY HOUSES HAVE BEEN REHABILITATED OVER THAT SAME THREE YEAR PERIOD.

SURE.

USING THE PUBLIC FUNDING WE'VE HAD AVAILABLE.

SURE.

AND I, AND I, I HAVE THAT DATA.

I GIVE THAT DATA TO SCOTT SO HE CAN GIVE OUT TO THE COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

UH, JUST ONE QUESTION.

I KNOW ON, ON THE, UM, PROJECTS THAT ARE THE FIRST SET OF MONIES, IF I RECALL RIGHT, THEY DID THAT BY A, UH, APPLICATIONS OR A POOL OF PEOPLE.

UH, ARE THEY USING THE SAME POOL TO PICK TO USE THIS 400,000? OR ARE THEY GONNA DO A NEW POOL? IT'D BE SAME POOL.

UH, WE, WE HAVE, UH, NORTH SHIELD OVER 800 APPLICATIONS JUST LIKE WE DID.

SO THERE'S NO NEED OR THAT'S FINE.

I, I'M JUST ANSWERING 'CAUSE I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL ASKING AND I JUST WANNA KNOW HOW TO RESPOND BACK TO THEM ON, SO WHETHER IT BE A NEW POOL OR IT'LL JUST, THEY'LL TAKE, GO DOWN THE, THE, THE 815 THAT PROCESS OF THE POOL OF APPLICANTS THEY ALREADY HAVE.

YEP.

MR. MCDANIEL REMIND ME, THIS IS, UH, UH, OCCUPIED OWNERS ONLY.

IT'S NOT LANDLORDS.

THIS IS OWNER OCCUPIED.

FURTHER QUESTIONS.

SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER, UH, BEFORE I RESPOND, I WANT ALSO THANK SISTER A, UH, APRIL FOR THE WORK THAT THEIR PROGRAM HAS DONE ON THESE ANGEL.

UH, AYE.

RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AGREEMENT WITH WALKER CONSULTANTS, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DOWNTOWN PARKING STRUCTURE CONCEPT DESIGN STUDY CITY PROJECT 2024 DASH 26, MOTION TO

[11. Resolution Approving an Agreement with Walker Consultants Professional Engineering Services for Downtown Parking Structure Concept Design Study, City Project 2024-26]

[01:05:01]

RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHT.

NOW FOR SOMETHING REALLY DIFFERENT.

UM, THE, UH, DOWNTOWN AREA IS, UH, IS A PRIORITY OF THE CITY COUNCILS, AND IT HAS BEEN SINCE YOU BEGAN YOUR CURRENT STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO LOOK AT DOWNTOWN WITHOUT REALIZING THE, THE CENTRAL ROLE PLAYED BY THE TALLEST BUILDING DOWNTOWN.

UH, AND THE ONE ADJACENT TO IT TO MAKE UP THE BARNES CITIZEN BUILDING.

THE BARN CITIZEN BUILDING HAS A NEW OWNER AS OF ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

I THINK MOZY WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT TONIGHT.

HE HAD, UH, SOMETHING COME UP AT THE LAST MINUTE, OTHERWISE HE WAS PLANNING TO BE HERE AND I'M, AND I'M SORRY THAT HE WASN'T HERE.

BUT, UH, BUT THE OWNER OF, OF THE BUILDING, UH, ZAD CON CONSULAR OR JUST MAZI , UH, HAS, UH, HAS A VISION, WHICH IS PUBLIC INFORMATION, REALLY.

UH, AND THAT IS THAT HE WANTS TO CONVERT THE TALLER, THE 12 STORY BUILDING INTO A HOTEL.

THE, UH, THE SHORTER BUILDING, THE FIVE STORY BUILDING THAT IS THE OLDER ONE INTO, UM, 20 APARTMENTS, AND THEN THE FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS OF BOTH BUILDINGS INTO RETAIL AND, UM, UH, RESTAURANT AND OFFICES.

HE'S HIRED AN ARCHITECT.

HE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY.

HE'S ALREADY BEGINNING THE DEMOLITION.

THIS PROJECT DOES NOT WORK WITHOUT A PARKING DECK.

UM, THE FORMER PARKING DECK THAT WAS TAKEN DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS, UH, FALLING APART AND, AND UNSAFE WAS TAKEN DOWN 10 YEARS AGO IN 2014, UH, AND NEEDED TO BE TAKEN DOWN.

BUT SINCE THEN, THE OCCUPANCY OF THE BUILDING HAS BEEN LOW ENOUGH THAT A SINGLE LEVEL PARKING, UH, ON THE EXISTING ASPHALT SURFACE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO OWN TO THE EAST WAS SUFFICIENT.

100% OCCUPANCY OF THE BUILDING, WHICH IS HIS PLAN, HAS TO HAVE AN ADJACENT PARKING DECK, WHICH IS SIMPLE AS THAT.

AND, UM, AND THAT WOULD BE SUPPORTED IN PART BY REVENUE FROM THE PARKING DECK ITSELF, AS WELL AS FROM THE TIFF.

THAT IS, THAT IS PROPOSED FOR YOUR APPROVAL LATER IN THE SPRING.

IN ORDER TO GO TO THE NEXT STEP, UH, WE NEED TO HAVE A FEASIBILITY STUDY DONE.

THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WILL DETERMINE, UH, AN ESTIMATE FOR DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR BUILDING IT.

IT'LL DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE, THE LATEST CODES, NOT THE ONES THAT WERE USED WHEN THE, WHEN THE FORMER PARKING DECK WAS, WAS BUILT, UH, CAN AC ACCOMMODATE THE KINDS OF TURNS AND RAMPS THAT ARE NECESSARY TO BUILD A PARKING DECK.

PARKING DECK TODAY.

IT'LL ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WILL IT NEED TO HANG OUT OVER THE SIDEWALKS TO GET IT DONE? THE PREVIOUS ONE HELD HUNG OUT OVER THE SIDEWALK, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER IT, WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE ME.

UH, SO, AND, AND, AND OTHER ASPECTS RELATED TO HOW IT'LL BE BUILT, AND ESPECIALLY HOW IT WILL TIE IN DIRECTLY TO THE BUILDING, UH, TO THE, TO THE BARNES CITIZEN BUILDING.

THE, UH, OZZIE KNOWS THAT HE'LL BE, UH, BEARING A PORTION OF THIS COST, UH, BECAUSE HE, UH, PLANS AMENITIES ON, ON THE, ON THE DECK AS WELL.

BUT IN ORDER TO, TO ARRANGE FOR FINANCING IN ORDER FOR HIM TO BE, TO, TO, TO GET A CONTRACT WITH A FLAG HOTEL, AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS NECESSARY FOR THIS PROJECT TO PROCEED AND TO BE, UM, REALLY TRANSFORMATIONAL IN THE DOWNTOWN, IT STARTS WITH THIS, IT STARTS WITH, WITH, WITH A FEASIBILITY STUDY.

WE TOOK A LOOK AT, UH, MORE THAN ONE COMPANY AND THOUGHT THIS WAS THE BEST MATCH, UH, IN TERMS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, THEIR SKILLSET, THEIR AVAILABILITY FOR THIS PROJECT.

AND SO I'D, UH, I RECOMMEND THAT WE PROCEED ON WHAT WILL BE A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT HERE AS WELL THAT I HOPE WILL HAVE THIS TRANS TRANSFORMATIONAL EFFECT.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL.

MR. MCDANIEL? UM, I APPRECIATE THIS OWNER HAS A VISION FOR THIS BUILDING.

I DID, UH, TALK TO SOME CONTRACTORS YEARS AGO.

WHAT WOULD IT COST IF THAT BUILDING WAS VACATED AND THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO TEAR IT DOWN? THIS IS A BARGAIN, SO, BUT I'D LIKE, I'M GLAD TO SEE, BUT I, I APPRECIATE THE OWNER AND WHAT HE'S PUTTING MONEY INTO IT AND, AND IT'S GONNA HELP BUT REVITALIZE, YOU KNOW, THAT PART OF THE, UH, OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

DR. HORN, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE WE'RE THIS IS JUST A, UM, ENGINEERING STUDY THAT WILL GIVE US A SENSE FOR HOW MUCH IT WILL COST, RIGHT? AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE STILL WILL BE ABLE TO DO AN ANALYSIS OF EVEN IF, UH, EVERYTHING THAT THE DEVELOPER WANTS TO HAVE PLANNED WILL ACTUALLY RESULT IN A POSITIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT IN THE PARKING DECK.

UH, SO THIS IS, THIS IS SIMILAR TO, UM, WHAT WE DID SOME MONTHS AGO WHERE WE LOOKED AT FEASIBILITY OF BRINGING IN FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT TO THE DECATUR CIVIC CENTER PARKING LOT.

AND, UM, SO I'M, I'M SUPPORTIVE OF LOOKING AT THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS CONCEPT.

OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A

MAYOR MOORE WOLF AYE, SIX'S NO NAYS.

ITEM 12

[12. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with A&R Mechanical Services, Inc. dba A&R Services Inc. for Faries Park Interceptor Relocation Project, City Project 2022-12]

[01:10:01]

CONTRACT WITH A AND R, MECHANICAL SERVICES, INC.

DBAA AND R SERVICES, INC.

FOR FERRIES PARK INTERCEPTOR RELOCATION PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2022 DASH 12.

MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON.

NOW WE GO TO SEWERS.

OH, MAYOR.

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

THIS IS TO RELOCATE A WELL, YOU SEE ON THE, ON THE SCREEN THERE, THERE'S RELOCATED A SEWER THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THE, UH, BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD PROJECT, WHICH WILL ALSO WIDEN FERRIES PARKWAY.

UH, THE SEWER IS OWNED BY THE SANITARY DISTRICT.

THE CITY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE SANITARY DISTRICT, UH, UH, YEAR OR SO AGO.

AND, UH, UH, THAT, UH, THE CITY WOULD, WOULD, UH, DO THE RELOCATION.

WE WOULD, WE WOULD, UH, MANAGE THE PROJECT AND THE PARK OR IN THE SANITARY DISTRICT WOULD RE REIMBURSE US FOR ALL THE COSTS EXCEPT FOR $20,000.

THIS IS ON THE SECTION OF FERRY'S PARKWAY EAST OF BRUSH COLLEGE AS YOU'RE GOING TOWARDS THE, THE A DM MAIN BUILDING.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL FOR MR. NEWELL OR MR. WRIGHTON? SAY NONE.

RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH C HILL CIVIL CONTRACTORS' INC.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF, AYE.

SIX A'S NO NAYS.

ITEM 13

[13. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with C-Hill Civil Contractors, Inc and Appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Rebuild Illinois (RBI) Funds for the Grove Road Bridge over Sand Creek Arm of Lake Decatur, Section Number 19-00934-00-BR City Project 2019-34]

AND APPROPRIATING MOTOR FUEL TAX REBUILD ILLINOIS RBI FUNDS FOR THE GROVE ROAD BRIDGE OVER SAND CREEK ARM OF LAKE DECATUR.

SECTION NUMBER 19 DASH 0 0 9 3 4 DASH ZERO BR CITY CODE 2019 DASH 34.

MOTION TO RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVE SECOND MR. NEWELL.

WE'LL HAVE TO ADD MORE NUMBERS NEXT TIME FOR THAT.

AND SOME DASHES AND EVERYBODY REPEAT THOSE.

THIS IS, UH, THE PROJECT TO REBUILD THE GROVE ROAD BRIDGE.

UH, YOU'VE SEEN PICTURES, I, I THINK WERE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET FOR YOU.

THE, UH, THE BRIDGE IS, UH, THE DECK IS, IS FALLING APART.

THE, UH, THE UNDERLYING STRUCTURE IS ALSO, UH, DISTRESSED.

IT IS A FRACTURE CRITICAL BRIDGE, WHICH MEANS THAT IF ONE OF THE BEAMS, UH, THE CROSS BEAMS IN, IN THE BRIDGE WERE TO FAIL, THE WHOLE BRIDGE WOULD FALL.

AND THAT'S, THAT'S, UH, REQUIRES SPECIAL INSPECTION BY THE CITY EVERY, UH, TWO YEARS TO, UH, TO INSPECT.

SO THE, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO REPLACE THE BRIDGE AND, UH, THE COST IS $1.3 MILLION.

AND THIS, THIS ALSO INCLUDES THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS TO, UH, UH, FUND A CONTRACT WITH WHKS ENGINEERS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN MONITORING THE PROJECT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. NEWELL? PAT, JUST, JUST TO COMMENT, I THINK THE BROOK BROOKLYN BRIDGE WAS BUILT LESS THAN 1% OF THIS COST, SO IT'S GONE UP ON BRIDGES.

UH, ANY FURTHER COMMENT FROM, OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL OR WHO WANTS TO GO OVER THAT ONE? NOBODY CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WHKS AND COMPANY AND APPROPRIATING MOTOR FUEL TAX REBUILD ILLINOIS RBI FUNDS FOR THE GROVE ROAD BRIDGE OVER SAND CREEK ARM OF LAKE DECATUR.

[14. Resolution Authorizing a Construction Engineering Services Agreement with WHKS and Co. and Appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Rebuild Illinois (RBI) Funds for the Grove Road Bridge Over Sand Creek Arm of Lake Decatur Section Number 19-00934-00-BR City Project 2019-34]

SECTION NUMBER 19 DASH 0 0 9 3 4 DASH ZERO DASH BR CITY PROJECT 2019 DASH 34.

MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL.

NOTHING FURTHER ON THAT, REALLY.

I'M SORRY, BUT THANKS FOR STICKING AROUND.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. NEWELL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH HAN BRO INC.

[15. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Contract with Reyhan Bros., Inc. dba Sangamo Construction Company and Appropriating Motor Fuel Tax Funds for the West Mound Road Bridge over Stevens Creek, Section Number 19-00935-00-BR City Project 2019-33]

DBA SANGAMO CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND APPROPRIATING MOTOR FUEL TAX FUNDS FOR THE WEST MOUND ROAD BRIDGE PROJECT BRIDGE OVER STEVENS CREEK, SECTION NUMBER 19 DASH 0 0 9 3 5 DASH BBR CITY PROJECT 2019 DASH 33.

MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MR. NEWELL, TELL US ABOUT THIS BRIDGE.

THIS BRIDGE IS ON MOUND ROAD.

IT IS, UH, WEST OF MACARTHUR.

THE, UH, THE DECK WAS, OR THE, THE DECK OF THE BRIDGE WAS REPLACED MAYBE 10 YEARS AGO.

THE, UH, THE PIERS ARE, ARE SUFFERING NOW, UH, UH, AND, AND NEED TO HAVE A MAJOR WORK DONE ON THEM, THAT THAT'S WHAT THIS PROJECT IS, IS ABOUT.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. NOEL? SCENE NONE.

COUNCILWOMAN

[01:15:01]

GREGORY? AYE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SIGN LOAN DOCUMENTS FOR A FIVE YEAR LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 20 20 20 23 DASH 20.

[16. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Sign Loan Documents for a Five-Year Lead Service Line Replacement Project, City Project 2023-20]

MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL, AS, UH, THE COUNCIL IS AWARE AND WAS, UH, WAS PROVIDED IN THE, UH, IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, THE, UH, CITY IS EMBARKING ON ON LEAD SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS.

THE, UH, WE INTEND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO USE STATE, UH, REVOLVING LOAN FUNDS AND THE STATE IS ALSO CURRENTLY OFFERING A LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR, FOR A PORTION OF THOSE LOANS.

WE FEEL THAT IT'S, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET INTO THE QUEUE FOR RECEIVING THOSE, THOSE LOANS.

THIS, THIS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZES THE CITY MANAGER TO DO THE PRELIMINARY PAPERWORK OR TO SIGN A PRELIMINARY PAPERWORK AS WE GO THROUGH THE LOAN PROCESS.

WHEN THE FINAL LOANS ARE RECEIVED BY THE CITY, THEY WILL COME BACK TO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR AUTHORIZATION, AS WILL ANY PROJECTS THAT TO GO FORTH.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR MR. NEWELL? DR. HORN FIRST I JUST WANNA RAISE A GENERAL POINT, WHICH IS THAT, UM, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENCES OF INDIVIDUALS GETTING LEAD POISONING FROM THE DRINKING WATER.

UM, WE DON'T HAVE ANY HEALTH AGENCIES AS FAR AS I KNOW, LIKE THE MACON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT OR HOSPITALS, OUR CLINICS THAT HAVE, UH, IDENTIFIED A CONCERN WITH LEAD IN OUR DRINKING WATER.

WE TREAT OUR WATER WITH CALCIUM TO REDUCE ANY POSSIBLE RELEASE OF LEAD IN OUR LEAD GOOSENECKS.

AND IF YOU READ, UM, THE DOCUMENTATION THE CITY PROVIDED, IT MAY COST COLLECTIVELY $69 MILLION OVER 20 YEARS TO REMEDIATE A PROBLEM THAT WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IS A PROBLEM.

UM, AND SO I, I FEEL GIVEN SOME SIGNIFICANT ADDITIONAL STRESSORS THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY FACING, THAT UM, ASKING, UM, TO PAY FOR OUR TAXPAYERS TO PAY $69 MILLION IS A VERY STEEP, UM, ASK FOR US.

UM, BUT WITH THAT SAID, I, I DO COMPLIMENT, UH, THE CITY FOR TAKING THE PROACTIVE STEP OF TRYING TO, UM, BE INVOLVED IN PROGRAMS, UH, FOR WHICH THERE'LL BE LOAN FORGIVENESS.

AND SO THAT OF COURSE IS THE ABSOLUTE SAFEST THAT WE COULD BE.

BUT, BUT JUST TO CONFIRM, WE DO HAVE ABOUT 6,900 SERVICE LINES THAT MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AND CITIZENS THAT WANT TO KNOW, UH, WHAT INFORMATION THE CITY HAS AVAILABLE.

IS IT TRUE THEY CAN CALL THE CITY MUNICIPAL SERVICE CENTER AT 2 1 7 8 7 5 5 7 0 5? UH, I'D HAVE TO CALL .

THAT'S, WE COULD JUST CALL DAVID HORN.

HE'S GOT THE NUMBER HE'LL PUT YOU IN.

HE'LL TAKE CARE OF IT.

WE WILL BE, WE WILL, WE ARE UNDER THE OBLIGATION BY THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TO GET THIS ALL ONLINE BY APRIL OF APRIL.

AND, UH, SO, UH, BY APRIL, A PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO ONLINE, LOOK AT THEIR SERVICE, AND SEE IF IT IS ONE OF THOSE SERVICES THAT IS, THAT IS OF, OF A DISTRESS.

AND THEN WE WILL HAVE ALL THE CONTACT INFORMATION AND, AND IF ANYBODY'S CONCERNED, NOW THEY CAN CALL THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT AT, UH, 2 1 7 4 2 4 2 7 4 7.

WE'LL, WE'LL GET THEM TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

UH, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH THE CITY.

SO IF YOU ARE CONCERNED, I, I'VE JUST LIKE THE PUBLIC KNOW IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WHETHER YOUR LINE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A POSSIBLE LINE.

THERE IS ASSISTANCE.

NOW, UM, MR. NOELL, THE NEXT QUESTION I HAD WAS, DOES THE CITY OFFER ANY WATER TESTING SERVICES? WE DO NOT.

WE, UH, WE DO GIVE PEOPLE, UH, A LIST OF, OF VENDORS THAT DO PROVIDE THAT, BUT THE CITI HAS NEVER REALLY PROVIDED WATER TESTING SERVICES.

UH, THIS JUST MIGHT BE SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.

I MEAN, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A 20 YEAR PROJECT OVER, YOU KNOW, A 20 YEAR PROJECT AND FOLKS POTENTIALLY HAVE A LEAD LINE, BUT A LEG GOOSENECK, UH, BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, MAY NOT WANNA WAIT 20 YEARS PER PERHAPS GIVEN THE COST OF TESTING COMPARED TO THE, TO COST OF ACTUAL REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE GOOSENECK, THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THE CITY COULD CONSIDER.

AND IF I AM WRONG AND THERE IS A HEALTHCARE SYSTEM INDICATOR THAT HAS DATA,

[01:20:01]

I I THINK IT'D BE IMPORTANT TOO.

THANKS, PAT.

IF REPLACING THESE CITY, REPLACING THESE LINE, DOES THAT AFFECT ANY OF THE HOMEOWNERS THAT LINES THAT GO INTO THEIR HOMES OR ANYTHING? YES, IT IS FROM THE, UH, FROM THE CITY, MAINE IN THE STREET TO THE, TO THE HOME.

AND WASN'T THERE SOME KIND OF FUND TO HELP PAY PART OF THAT? WE CREATED A, A SHARE A SYSTEM WHERE IF, IF PEOPLE ARE REPLACING IT ON THEIR OWN, UM, MAYBE THEY'RE MAKING UPGRADES ANYWAY, OR, OR THE LINES COLLAPSE THEN, UH, NOT JUST FOR LEAD, BUT WE HAVE A SH UH, UH, A PROGRAM WHERE WE'LL SHARE THAT COST WITH THEM.

UM, THAT WAS ONE OF A COUPLE OF MEASURES WE TOOK TO TRY TO GET AHEAD OF THIS, OF THIS UNFUNDED MANDATE.

FURTHER QUESTIONS.

SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO

[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.]

THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNSEL WISH TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THIS LONG LIST? C NONE.

ITEM A ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 9 19 90 EAST GROVE ROAD, ITEM B, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY 29 0 9 SOUTH LAURA STREET, ITEM C, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY 2234 MESA DRIVE, ITEM D, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY 2180 SOUTH SHORES DRIVE, ITEM E ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY 30 62 TEMPE DRIVE, ITEM F ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 56, REFUGE AND RECYCLABLES REMOVAL ITEM G RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING ACTION REGARDING UNSAFE STRUCTURES, ITEM H RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH STEVE'S TRUCKING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 1242 NORTH MONROE STREET.

ITEM I RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH STEVE'S TRUCKING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 2052 EAST WILLIAMS STREET.

ITEM J RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH STEVE'S TRUCKING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 9 45 EAST WILLIAMS STREET.

ITEM K RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH STEVE'S TRUCKING FOR THE DEMOLITION OF 5 24 SOUTH HOWARD STREET.

ITEM L RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH LISA BONNET.

ITEM M RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF A SOURCE WALL CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ONE BACKHOE LOADER FROM ALTOR FOUR INC.

ITEM N RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF A SOURCE WELD CONTRACT FOR THE PURCHASE OF ONE CHIPPER FROM FIRMER SALES AND SERVICE AND ITEM O RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A LETTER OF AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY FOR THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2009 DASH 33, SECTION NUMBER ZERO NINE DASH 0 0 9 3 3 DASH ONE.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

MAYOR MORA WOLF.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE GROUP TONIGHT? SEE NOW WE NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILMAN CULP? AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.