Mar 18, 2024 City Council Meeting

[I.  Call to Order]

[00:00:08]

CALL THE MEETING DUAL ORDER.

MADAM CLERK COUNCILMAN HORN, PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN KUHL.

COUNCILMAN CULP? PRESENT? COUNCILMAN COOPER? HERE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY.

PRESENT.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF.

FIVE.

PRESENT TWO.

ABSENT, PLEASE RISE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEDGE OF INSTITUTE AND FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY JUSTICE FOR OVERALL

[II.  Appearance of Citizens]

THE POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.

NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY THE 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.

UM, BEFORE WE ASK FOR CITIZENS WHO WANT TO SPEAK, I WANTED TO LET MR. BARBIE KNOW IF HE IS HERE.

MR. BARBIE, WE'RE GONNA BE REMOVING ITEM O UNDER CONSENT AGENDA.

AND I KNOW THAT YOU ASKED TO SPEAK ON THAT AGENDA, SO IF YOU WANTED TO SPEAK NOW, YOU WOULD HAVE THREE MINUTES TO DO SO.

NO.

THANK YOU.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL? PLEASE COME FORWARD.

JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME.

OH, MIKE MICHAEL CUMMINGS.

OKAY.

MY NAME'S MICHAEL CUMMINGS.

AND, UH, I WANT TO GIVE THE CITY SOME KUDOS.

NOT NO NEGATIVE POSITIVE FOR THE, UH, LOTTERY OF THE HOUSE, UH, REHABBING.

AND, UH, I WANTED TO JUST GIVE YOU SOME KUDOS AND, UH, THEY DID A FINE, YOU DID A FINE JOB.

AND THE, THE CONTRACTORS DID A FINE JOB.

NEAT AND CLEAN.

AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD THAT THE CITY HAS DONE AND THE CONTRACTORS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MR. CUMMINGS.

IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA GARNER SMITH.

I'M PRESIDENT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNITED ASSOCIATION.

I'M HERE TO VOICE MY CONCERNS ABOUT ALL THE GARBAGE AND ILLEGAL DUMPING IN THE ALLEYS THAT IS GOING ON IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND TO LOOK FOR SOLUTIONS.

THIS IS NOT TO BLAME OR JUDGE ANYONE, BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH.

AND THE TRUTH IS, THE INNER CITY DID NOT GET THIS WAY OVERNIGHT.

THIS TOOK YEARS DUE TO THE NEGLECT OF PAST BOARDS AND DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS NOT WORKING.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S TIME TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK AND THE WAY YOU DO THINGS.

CURRENTLY, WE, WE ARE WORKING WITH PAT AND ROCHELLE FROM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY ARE GREAT, AND SOME THINGS ARE GETTING DONE FINALLY.

BUT IF THIS BOARD KEEPS DOING WHAT CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE FOR YEARS AND YEARS, THAT HAS NOT WORKED.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN.

THIS IS WHAT I WANT.

I WANT LANDLORDS HELD ACCOUNTABLE, AND THAT'S A MOUTHFUL FOR ANOTHER TIME.

BOTTOM LINE, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

I WANT YOU TO GET ALL, ALL, GET UP FROM YOUR SEATS AND START WALKING THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF THIS CITY YOU REPRESENT.

IT'S TIME FOR A VISUAL OF WHAT WE AS TAX PAYING CITIZENS ARE DEALING WITH.

IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN WALKING THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT RESIGNING, RESIGNING OR BEING VOTED OUT.

I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAVE TO BE FOLLOWED, BUT LAST TIME I CHECKED, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES CAN BE CHANGED AND IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE.

THIS IS YOUR INVITE.

COME TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS TRASH ALL OVER THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UNITED AND ALL THE OTHERS ACROSS THIS CITY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK TO THE COUNCIL? I, I'M ANN OWENS.

UM, LISA DID A VERY GOOD JOB OF EXPRESSING SOME CONCERNS THAT WE HEAR REGULARLY AT MEETINGS.

UM, FEBRUARY 22ND.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THAT DATE RESONATES IN YOUR MIND, BUT IT RESONATES A LOT IN MINE.

THAT WAS A ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY FOR OUR ACORN EMPLOYEES.

SO I HAVE WATCHED THEM RISE FROM THE

[00:05:01]

IT WAS A JOB THEY HAD ONLY HAD SINCE THEY WERE 21, OKAY.

HAD WORKED THERE OVER TWO DECADES.

SO WE WORKED HARD TO GET THOSE PEOPLE BACK ON THEIR FEET.

A LOT OF THEM STAYED HERE.

A FEW OF THEM HAVE BEEN RECALLED TO THE NEW, UM, FORMER ACORN PLANT, BUT IT'S STILL A CHALLENGE FOR SOME OF THEM.

SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO EVER BE FORGOTTEN.

THE FEBRUARY 22ND WAS A DAY WHERE WE WATCHED OVER 400 OF OUR CITIZENS FIND OUT THAT THEY LOST THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

UM, I ALSO WANT TO REITERATE FROM KONO THAT I'M CERTAINLY HOPING THAT WE'RE NOW DESIGNING PROGRAMS WITH THE HELP OF SOME FUNDING FROM THE CITY TO HELP OUR INNER CITY RISE FROM THE ASHES.

MUCH LIKE LISA SAID, WE WANT TO SEE THE COUNCIL OUT.

WE SEE CITY STAFF.

I KNOW PAT AND ROCHELLE GET OUT.

I BELIEVE MR. KINS HAS AS WELL.

I'M SURE MR. RYAN HAS AS WELL.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO SEE THE CONDITION OF THE INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT BRETT AND I HAVE WORKED HARD WITH HISTORY OF THE HEARTLAND, WE'VE DEVELOPED A VERY STRONG FOLLOWING ON OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE PAST MONTH.

WE HAVE BEEN FEATURING A WEEKLY FEATURE, STARTS ON MONDAY, RUNS THE WEEK OF A DIFFERENT HOUSE THAT'S IN GOOD CONDITION, BEING TAKEN CARE OF IN A DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD.

SO WE'VE TAKEN THE TIME TO DRIVE AROUND THE CITY.

WE GO TO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONE NEIGHBORHOOD, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ELMS WAS FEATURED FOR ONE WEEK.

WE LOOK UP ON THE HOUSE WAS BUILT.

ALL KINDS OF REALLY POSITIVE THINGS HAVE COME FROM THAT.

ONE OF THE MOST POSITIVE AND AMAZING THINGS IS IN THE PAST 28 DAYS, OUR FACEBOOK PAGE HAS BEEN VIEWED BY OVER 298,000 TIMES.

SO PEOPLE WANNA SEE GOOD THINGS INDICATOR.

I WANNA SEE GOOD THINGS.

THANK YOU, MS. OWENS.

GOOD EVENING, UH, MAYOR PROAM COUNSEL, MAYOR TIM, BEFORE I START, DID YOU GET MY REQUEST? I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK DURING THE, UH, SECOND ITEM OF NEW BUSINESS.

WE, WE HAVE IT.

YOU DO HAVE IT.

OKAY.

VERY GOOD.

UM, TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO SPEAK WITH REGARD TO THE INTER GOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT REGARDING THE FORMER GARFIELD SCHOOL.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM AND HISTORY OF THE HEARTLAND STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THAT, UH, BUILDING AS A MIXED RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROJECT.

UM, AND WE BELIEVE THE CITY COUNCIL WANTS TO DO THE RIGHT THING IN THIS REGARD.

WE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE STATED A STRATEGY WHERE YOU WANT TO REDEVELOP IF POSSIBLE AND DEMOLISH IF, UH, IF IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE, IS THAT THE ACTIONS SO FAR ARE PREDOMINANTLY, IF NOT ENTIRELY ON THE DEMO SIDE.

AND THIS PROJECT IS THE PRI THE PRIMARY REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WITHIN THE PORTFOLIO OF PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE.

AND YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THAT NOW FOR ABOUT 13 MONTHS.

THE CONCERN WE HAVE IS THAT THE PROPOSED INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT IS DEEPLY FLAWED.

IT CONTAINS WITHIN IT THE SEEDS OF A FAILURE.

AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I SAY THAT.

WE DO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE EXTENSION OF THE TIMELINE TO SUBMIT A NEW GRANT FOR THE PROJECT.

UH, PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT THE FIRST GRANT WAS NOT APPROVED, AND NOW THE CITY WANTS TO RESUBMIT, WHICH MAKES SENSE.

HOWEVER, WE TAKE ISSUE WITH THE GRANTING OF A BLANK CHECK TO DEMOLISH THE BUILDING.

IF THE GRANT AS PROPOSED IS DENIED, WE DON'T THINK THAT MAKES SENSE.

CONVICTION IS A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR TO SUCCESS.

CONVICTION MEANS A STRONG BELIEF IN THE VIABILITY OF THE PROJECT, AND AN ATTITUDE OF FIND A WAY OR MAKE ONE CONVICTION DOES NOT INVOLVE BLIND FAITH, BUT IT, IT INVOLVES A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE VALUE OF THE PROJECT, UH, AND A RASH AND ITS RATIONALE FOR ITS FUNDING.

INCORPORATING DEMOLITION AS THE PLAN B,

[00:10:01]

IT CONVEYS DOUBT.

SO, UM, WE THINK, PLEASE, YEAH, PROVE THIS, BUT DON'T APPROVE THE THE BLANK CHECK PART OF IT.

PLAN B INSTEAD SHOULD BE A BACKUP PLAN TO FUND A MODIFIED RESCALE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

IF THIS GRANT DOESN'T GET APPROVED, THE NEW CITY MANAGER, WHOEVER HE IS, OR SHE SHOULD HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A BITE AT THAT APPLE BEFORE DEMOLITION IS CONSIDERED.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND I'LL COME BACK TO TALK MORE ABOUT SPECIFICS THAT WE THINK SHOULD BE INCORPORATED IN PLAN B, UH, DURING THE ACTION ITEM.

THANK YOU.

HI, MY NAME IS ABIR MOAN.

THE OTHER DAY, DURING THE ALL IN MEETING, SOME PEOPLE TOLD ME TO NOT SPEAK.

THIS HERE IS FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK.

THEY CANNOT TELL PEOPLE YOU CANNOT SPEAK.

THE INTERAGENCY PEOPLE WHO WERE IN CHARGE TOLD ME I COULDN'T SPEAK BECAUSE THEY KNEW WHAT I WAS GONNA TALK ABOUT.

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS. THAT IS SOMETHING WE DON'T HAVE IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, RUN BY THE STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WENT TO THE INTER-AGENCY TO SPEAK BECAUSE IT HELPS PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, INCLUDING CHILDREN, INCLUDING CHILDREN WHO DO TROUBLE IN SCHOOLS.

OKAY? THIS IS NEEDED BECAUSE IT'S A DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND THEY OFFER IT FOR FREE, WHICH MACON COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE.

AND I WENT TO THE INNER AGENCY TO BRING THIS UP, AND NO, WE CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR SYSTEM.

I'M NOT SAYING EVERYBODY SAID THAT.

IT'S THE ONES WHO TOLD ME THAT I CAN'T SPEAK.

SO I'M MAKING A COMPLAINT TO YOU ABOUT THAT.

WE ARE ALL EQUAL AND, AND PEOPLE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK.

AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

IT'S BY THE GOVERNMENT OF ILLINOIS AND IT'S AVAILABLE.

AND SECOND, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU FOR DOING THE ABATEMENT FOR THE WHEAT AB ABATEMENT, WHICH EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS THIS INDICATOR.

THERE ARE PEOPLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WHO TAKE FOOD AND DUMP FOOD IN THE CONDEMNED HOUSES SO ANIMALS CAN COME AND SO THAT THEY CAN BLAME THE DAMAGES ON ANIMALS WHEN IT'S THE PEOPLE THEY WANT BUGS TO COME.

ALL KINDS OF ANIMALS COME.

BIRDS AND FLOCKS COME.

WE DON'T NEED THAT.

THEY WANNA DETERIORATE THE BUILDINGS TO BRING THE PROPERTIES DOWN.

IT'S FILTH IS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

AND I AM COMPLAINING TO, TO YOU ABOUT THIS BECAUSE I WOULD LIKE CLEANLINESS.

AND WE ALL WANT CLEANLINESS.

AND THEN ALSO, I WANT EVERYBODY WHO'S LISTENING AND WATCHING TO REALLY CONSIDER ABOUT EPA EMISSIONS.

IT IS BEST FOR OUR LAND, FOR OUR GROUNDS, FOR THE CEMENT AND CONCRETE, FOR THE GRASS, FOR THE BUILDINGS, FOR THE AIR, FOR EVERYTHING.

IT'S NOT WORTH BEING CHEAP BY NOT PUTTING WHAT IT COSTS.

IT COSTS NOT MUCH COMPARED TO WHAT, HOW IT KEEPS CARS AND THE ENVIRONMENT HEALTHY.

WE DO NEED THIS INDICATOR.

IT WILL HELP EVERY SINGLE PERSON.

AND THEN ALSO WALKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

I INVITE YOU ALL TO COME OVER TO MY PLACE.

I INVITE YOU ALL CITY HALL AND THE CITY LAWYER AND THE CITY MANAGER TO COME TO MY PLACE AND TO MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND INSPECT MY HOUSE INSIDE AND OUT, WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

AND THEN ALSO INSPECT MY STREETS, INSPECT THE HOUSES THERE, INSPECT THE, THE THE VEHICLES THERE, AND INSPECT THE CRACKS ON THE STREETS AND THE CURBS OF HOW THEY DAMAGE IT.

AND I NEED YOU TO PENALIZE ALL THOSE ONES WHO DO IT ON PURPOSE, BECAUSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT CAN BE BEAUTIFUL, IT CAN STAY CLEAN.

ALL THE CRACKS, ALL THE DAMAGES, ALL THE SHATTERING OF CONCRETE, ALL DONE TO DETERIORATE THE ENVIRONMENT.

Y IT'S LIVABLE.

THEY CAN MAKE IT LIVABLE, BUT PEOPLE JUST WANNA MAKE MESSES.

AND I APPRECIATE YOUR HELP AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT WAS NICE SEEING YOU ALL, AND HAVE A GREAT DAY.

THANK YOU.

ANYONE ELSE? ALL RIGHT, APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

OH, THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

IT'S TIME FOR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND KEY STAFF TO MAKE COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR PRO TEM.

UM, I I WANTED TO COMMENT, UH, REGARDING CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, GARBAGE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT THERE IS, UH, TOO MUCH, UM, GARBAGE AND LITTER IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THE PACE AT WHICH, UH, THE CITY IS MAKING

[00:15:01]

I PROBABLY DRIVE ON WEST MAIN STREET BETWEEN OAKLAND AVENUE AND THE JAMES MILLIKEN HOMESTEAD EVERY DAY.

AND THERE ARE GARBAGE CANS.

THERE IS GARBAGE, AND THERE IS LITTER 365 DAYS A YEAR AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

I MEAN, THE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL SAY EVERY DAY IS GARBAGE DAY ON WEST MAIN STREET.

AND, UM, I CAN SAY THAT I HAVE EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO CITY STAFF NUMEROUS TIMES, AND THE CORRECTIVE ACTION THAT IS NECESSARY HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE.

AND WE NEED TO THINK A LITTLE BIT MORE BROADLY THAN JUST HAVING, UM, CITYWIDE CLEANUPS WHERE DUMPSTERS ARE AT THE CIVIC CENTER AND PROVIDE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUPS WHERE DUMPSTERS ARE AVAILABLE AS, AS ONE START.

AND I KNOW WE ARE PILOTING THAT, BUT WE ARE NOT DOING IT AT THE SCALE NECESSARY TO CLEAN UP NEIGHBORHOODS.

SO I WILL JUST SAY I AM AS EQUALLY FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE LACK OF CLEANING UP THE TRASH AS MANY OF THE PEOPLE HERE ARE.

THANK YOU.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

UM, YES, THERE'S OURS.

THERE ARE LANDLORDS THAT DON'T KEEP THEIR PROPERTY UP.

UM, BUT I GET AROUND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS ALL THE TIME, DRIVE THROUGH, AND I SEE A LOT OF HOMEOWNERS THAT HAVE NO PRIDE IN THEIR, IN THEIR PROPERTY AND KEEPING THEM UP.

A LITTLE PAINT HERE, A LITTLE PAINT THERE, PICKING UP GARBAGE.

UH, SO IT'S, UM, IT, IT TAKES THE OLD SAYING, IT TAKES THE COMMUNITY.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE PRIDE IN YOUR, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND IN THE PAST, A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS HAD, UH, ANNUAL OR, YOU KNOW, MONTHLY CLEANUPS AND THAT I DO THAT ON WEST MAIN STREET, UH, ALL THE TIME.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T TAKE ME THAT LONG.

BUT, UH, AGAIN, IT'S, UH, RESIDENTS HAVE A A, A BIG STAKE IN THIS TOO.

THEY HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AND CLEAN UP THE GARBAGE BEHIND THEIR, THEIR, UM, UH, IN THEIR ALLEYS.

AND THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UH, INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE ALLEY IF THEY HAVE AN ALLEY AS FAR AS KEEPING THE WEEDS DOWN AND THAT, SO YES, THERE ARE LANDLORDS THAT AREN'T DOING WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING, BUT ALSO CITIZENS HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN PROPERTY AND MAKING IT LOOK AS GOOD SO WE CAN GET NOT JUST THE INNER CITY, THE WHOLE CITY LOOKING GOOD.

I KNOW WHAT THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, I, I, UH, I GET UPSET SEEING CARS AND TRUCKS PARKED IN, IN THE FRONT YARDS AND THAT, AND, UH, THE CITY STAFF RESPONDED.

THEY SENT OUT A, UH, A SECTION ON FACEBOOK, AND I FORGET WHERE ELSE.

I THINK IT WAS ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ORDINANCE THAT HAVE TO BE ENFORCED CONCERNING GARBAGE, CONCERNING CARS PARKED AND BOATS PARKED IN, IN THE FRONT YARDS.

SO THE CITY IS RESPONDING, BUT WE NEED THE CITIZENS TO RESPOND IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS, TOO.

TWO.

ALRIGHT.

[III.  Approval of Minutes]

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 4TH, 2024.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

AYE.

COUNCILMAN COL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIMM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE.

AYE.

NO NAYS.

DO WE HAVE ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

[1.  Treasurer's Financial Report]

NEW BUSINESS TREASURES FINDING MAYOR PRO TIMM, I'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ITEM 10 OH, BE DELETED FROM THE AGENDA.

YES.

UNDER THE CONSENT ACCOUNT.

CALENDAR NUMBER O WILL BE REMOVED.

THANK YOU.

TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT.

MR. CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, PRETEND.

MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, UH, MY REMARKS ON THE, UH, TREASURER'S REPORT, WHICH IS A TWO MONTH TREASURER'S REPORT FOR BOTH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY ARE INCLUDED IN THE PACKET MATERIAL.

UH, THE CITY TREASURER AND THE BUDGET REVENUE OFFICER ARE BOTH HERE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, DO ANY MEMBERS HAVE QUESTIONS? ALRIGHT,

[2.  Resolution Approving an Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Decatur and Decatur Public School District #61 for Repurposing of the Garfield School Site]

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. MANAGER, MAYOR PERAM AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, THIS PROJECT IS PART OF, UH, A PROJECT THAT WE CALL THE DEC, THE GARFIELD CATALYST PROJECT, AND IS INTENDED TO BE MORE THAN JUST THE NINE AND A HALF ACRE TRACT OWNED BY DPS 61 ON WHICH THE FORMER GARFIELD SCHOOL IS LOCATED.

UH, NOT TOO LONG AGO, YOU TOOK ACTION TO ASSIST THE PARK DISTRICT OF DECATUR ON, UH, COMPLETELY REDOING, UH, A TOTALLY DIFFERENT CONCEPT FOR GARFIELD PARK AND EXCHANGE.

THE CITY'S GONNA RECEIVE A PORTION OF THE SURPLUS

[00:20:01]

THERE.

WE SEE THE CATALYST PROJECT AS BEING EVERYTHING FROM GRAND TO LELAND AND FROM OAKLAND ALL THE WAY EAST TO VAN D**E AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT.

AND REALLY, THE, THE SCOPE OF THIS PROJECT WAS, UM, ANCHORED BY A PROPOSED REVITALIZATION AND REPURPOSING OF THE FORMER GARFIELD SCHOOL INTO SENIOR LIVING, ABOUT 63 64 UNITS.

UM, OUR, OUR APPLICATION TO THE ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY WAS NOT APPROVED.

UM, AND, UH, AND SO WE HAVE MET WITH IDA AND, UH, TRIED TO PERFECT IT.

AND THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNER THAT WE HAD, WHICH IS WATER, UH, REMAINS, UH, VERY OPTIMISTIC THAT IT'LL BE FUNDED, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WHEN, WHEN, WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH, WITH IDA.

IN THE PREVIOUS APPLICATION PROCESSES WITH THE, UH, WITH IDA, WE HAD TO PRESENT DOCUMENTATION THAT WE HAD REACHED A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT WITH DPS FOR THE TRANSFER OF THE SCHOOL SINCE THAT PROPERTY, SINCE WE DIDN'T OWN IT, UM, THAT AGREEMENT HAS SINCE EXPIRED.

AND SO I, I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND SAY, LET'S UPDATE THIS AGREEMENT.

THEY HAVE AGREED TO DO SO, BUT WITH SOME DIFFERENT PROVISOS, UH, NAMELY THAT, UH, UH, I MEAN, BASICALLY THEY JUST WANT TO UNLOAD THE PROPERTY AND, UH, UM, AND IF IT'S GONNA BE REPURPOSED, THEN THE OWNERSHIP WOULD TRANSFER ANYWAY.

AND IF THERE'S GONNA BE OTHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS BEYOND THE RE THE REPURPOSING IN THE REDEVELOPMENT OF THE SCHOOL, THEY'RE GONNA TRANSFER OWNERSHIP ANYWAY.

I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SIMPLY WANTS TO TRANSFER IT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN COOPERATING WITH US, AND FOR WHICH I'M GRATEFUL IN KEEPING THE BUILDING, UM, SEALED UP, MAKING SURE THAT THE, THAT THE PIPES ARE DRAINED AND, UH, THAT, UH, THAT THE GRASSES MOWED AND THE SECURITY ISSUES ARE TAKEN CARE OF, THAT SOMEBODY VISITS IT PERIODICALLY AND SO FORTH.

BECAUSE UNLIKE THE WOODROW WILSON BUILDING, THE FORMER GARFIELD SCHOOL IS INFINITELY SAVEABLE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE'S BRICKS FALLING OFF THAT THAT NEWEST, UH, WALL, UH, THAT'S ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT IS, IT'S STRUCTURALLY IT'S IN GOOD ENOUGH CONDITION.

IT HAS BEEN SEALED UP.

IT HASN'T, THE VANDALS HAVEN'T BEEN INSIDE IT.

AND SO IT, IT CAN BE, UH, IT CAN BE PRESERVED UNLIKE WOODROW WILSON AND, UH, THE OTHER, UH, DERELICT SCHOOL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OVER ON THE EAST SIDE.

SO, UM, AND BYWATER BELIEVE SO TOO.

THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE INSPECTIONS WITH, WITH THE BUILDING.

SO WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS IS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH, JUST SAYING, WE, WE WOULD LIKE IT OUT OF OUR INVENTORY.

AND SO THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THE, UH, THE, THAT THE TRANSFER WOULD OCCUR.

IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE IDA GRANT, THEN GREAT, THEN WITHIN, WE REPURPOSE IT AND WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE CATALYST PROJECT THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN PURSUING, IN, WHICH I'M OPTIMISTIC ABOUT.

BUT IF WE ARE NOT SUCCESSFUL WITH IDA, THEN THE DEAL IS THAT THE CITY AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD SHARE THE COST OF DEMOLISHING AND CLEARING THE SITE IN A VERY WAY, IN A WAY SIMILAR TO THE WOODROW WILSON PROJECT.

I SHOULD SAY THAT BECAUSE THE GARFIELD SCHOOL IS SALVAGEABLE IN THE SENSE, IT, IT, IF THERE'S A REPURPOSING THAT CAN BE MADE, IT CAN, IT, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT STRUCTURALLY DEFICIENT.

IT HASN'T BEEN LEFT OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS FOR DECADES LIKE WOODROW WILSON WAS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY IT, IT, IT CAN BE USED, BUT THIS AGREEMENT DOESN'T FORECLOSE THE CITY FROM, UH, IF THE IDA GRANT IS, IS NOT APPROVED AGAIN, AND THE TAX CREDITS ARE DENIED, THIS DOESN'T KEEP THE CITY FROM PURSUING ANOTHER REPURPOSING IF, IF WE STRIKE OUT WITH THE STATE.

UM, AND BY THE WAY, SORT OF AS AN ASIDE TO THAT, I WANT TO HAVE THE CITY'S SUPPORT IN, IN, IN LOBBYING THE STATE FOR WHY WE SHOULD, WHY WE SHOULD GET THAT FUNDING, UM, AND IDA ASSISTANCE IN, IN, IN THE NEXT MONTH OR AND A HALF OR SO WHEN THEY MAKE THE DECISION.

BUT IF THAT FAILS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO TEAR IT DOWN RIGHT AWAY.

UM, AT SOME POINT WE WILL HAVE TO DO THAT IF THERE'S NO OTHER OPTION.

BUT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL HAVE, AND STAFF WILL CERTAINLY APPLY ITS MIND TO OTHER POSSIBLE USES OF, OF THE BUILDING BEFORE WE WOULD COME TO YOU WITH, WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR ITS DEMOLITION.

DO MEMBERS OF COUNCIL HAVE COMMENTS? WE KNOW THAT MR. ROBINSON WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LISTEN TO HIM BEFORE COMMENTS? ALRIGHT, MR. ROBERTSON, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK.

SO, UM, MR. WRIGHT, JUST EXACTLY WHY THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO NEED TO, UH, TO WRITE THIS BLANK CHECK FOR DEMOLITION.

UH, DPS IS OUT THERE.

THEY'VE, UH, APPARENTLY THEY'RE READY TO COMMIT TO HALF THE COST OF DEMOLITION.

SO AN ALTERNATIVE WOULD JUST BE TO GET THEM TO COMMIT THAT SAME COST TO REHABILITATION AND, UH, AND NOT WRITE THAT BLANK CHECK.

NOW, UM, A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND TO IMPROVE THE ODDS OF SUCCESS FOR THIS PRO PROJECT IS TO ASSIGN A FULL-TIME PROJECT MANAGER.

[00:25:01]

PLAN B WOULD ONLY COME INTO EFFECT IF PLAN A, THE, THE CURRENT GRANT APPLICATION FAILED.

THAT WAY WE'D HAVE PLAN B READY TO GO INSTEAD OF DEMOLITION.

WE'D HAVE, UH, UH, A, A PROJECT ON, ON A SMALLER SCALE.

NOW, THE PROJECT MANAGER, WE'D RECOMMEND YOU JUST SIMPLY REASSIGN SOMEBODY FROM THE CITY STAFF THAT COULD HELP OUT WITH THAT.

UM, AND YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT WE JUST DESCRIBED AS THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET BUY-IN FROM DPS ON USING THOSE FUNDS FOR REHABILITATION COULD BE AN ASPECT OF THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE THERE.

SECOND, UH, WE THINK THE CITY SHOULD REALLOCATE RESOURCES.

UH, VERY SIGNIFICANT CONSULTING RESOURCES FUNDS ARE NOW BEING SPENT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE FULLY AWARE OF THAT, BUT, UM, IF YOU ARE, UH, YOU MAY NOT BE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT THE, WHAT THE EFFECT OF THOSE, UH, CONSULTING RESOURCES IS.

AND SO WE'D RECOMMEND THAT RATHER THAN SPENDING THIS ON GENERAL CONSULTING FACILITATION, THAT YOU ALLOCATE THOSE FUNDS TO A REHABILITATION ARCHITECT WHO COULD HELP THE CITY COME UP WITH A VERY SPECIFIC PLAN B, LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD IT COST? HOW COULD WE DO A SEVEN FIGURE PROJECT INSTEAD OF AN EIGHT FIGURE PROJECT IF IT COMES TO THAT, RIGHT? IF WE, IF, IF WE NEED TO HAVE, IF WE NEED THAT NOW, NOW HOPEFULLY THEY'LL APPROVE THE GRAND AS IT'S WRITTEN, BUT, UH, AS MR. WRIGHT HAS STATED, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.

SO IT IT BEHOOVES US TO HAVE A PLAN B.

UM, SO WE URGE YOU TONIGHT TO MODIFY THE PROPOSED INTERGOVERNMENT INTERGOVERNMENT AGREEMENT.

JUST REMOVE THE BLANK CHECK FOR DEMO AND INSTEAD ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN B IN CASE THE PROPOSED GRANT IS DENIED.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. ROBERTSON.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIELS.

WELL, CONCERNING MR. ROBINSON, UM, STAFF AND I'M SURE HAVE BEEN WORKING AND TRYING TO FIND OTHER GRANTS AND OTHER POSSIBILITIES, BUT CORRECT ME IF I'M AT, AT THE END OF THAT SIX MONTHS, THE, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT COULD WALK AWAY AND THEN THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TEAR DOWN IF IT HAS TO BE DONE.

NOT EXACTLY.

UH, COUNCILMAN THE SIX MONTH PROVISION SIMPLY SAYS THAT THE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF YOUR APPROVAL OF THIS, THIS AGREEMENT, THE SIXTH MONTH, IS NOT TIED TO THE DEMOLITION.

OKAY? UM, SO I, UH, THIS GOES BEYOND YOUR QUESTION, BUT LET ME SAY THAT NEITHER THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WITH WHOM I'VE HAD THESE DISCUSSIONS, NOR THE CITY OF DECATUR WANT TO TEAR THIS BUILDING DOWN.

UH, NEITHER OF US, UH, WANNA SPEND THOSE, SPEND THE FUNDS FOR DEMOLITION.

WE WOULD RATHER SPEND IT.

UH, I'D RATHER SEE THIS PROJECT REPURPOSE THIS BUILDING BECAUSE IT'S, UH, STRUCTURALLY OKAY, MOST OF IT, UH, REPURPOSED INTO SOMETHING ELSE.

AND, UH, I BELIEVE THAT, THAT, UH, THE STAFF WILL, UH, WILL EXAMINE ALL POSSIBILITIES FOR THAT IF WE ARE UNSUCCESSFUL WITH IDA.

BUT IF WE ARE NOT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEN THIS AGREEMENT, MAKE SURE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS PAYING HALF OF IT ALONG WITH THIS RATHER THAN LEAVING US WITH THE WHOLE, UH, UH, DEMOLITION BILL.

AND I THINK ALL OF US IN THE COUNCIL, YOU KNOW, IF IT CAN BE REPURPOSED, UH, ECONOMICALLY, YES, I THINK THAT'S TRUE, BUT I THINK EVERYBODY IN THIS AUDIENCE KNOWS THAT, UH, THE OLD ROACH SCHOOL WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SENIOR CENTER.

THEY DIDN'T GET THE CREDITS.

GUESS WHO GOT TO TEAR IT DOWN? UH, WOODROW WILSON, SAME THING.

GUESS WHO GOT THE TEAR IT DOWN TAXPAYERS.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UM, UH, THE, UH, IT'S BEEN NAMED THE, UH, CENTENNIAL, UH, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

GUESS WHO GETS TO TEAR THAT DOWN THE CITY AT OUR COST.

AND THE OLD DURPHY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS REPURPOSED FOR A WHILE, AS A CHURCH, GUESS WHO GETS TO TEAR THAT DOWN AT TAXPAYER? SO, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA BE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAXPAYERS' MONEY AND YES, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALL FAITH IN THE, IN THE, UH, CITY STAFF THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TRY TO FIND OTHER, UH, UH, POSSIBLE FUNDING.

AND FROM WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING, A LOT OF THE FEDERAL GRANTS AND EVERYTHING ARE BEING CUT BACK.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR, UH, ANY CITY, INCLUDING DECATUR.

SO WE HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE.

AND I, I'D RATHER THAT THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT BE PART OF TEARING IT DOWN.

I KNOW THEY WANNA GET RID OF IT, AND THAT'S BEEN THE PROBLEM ALL ALONG WITH ALL THESE OTHER SCHOOLS THAT THEY'VE, THEY'VE, UH, SOLD OR JUST SAT THERE.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

UH, I'D LIKE TO ELABORATE A LITTLE FURTHER ON MY COLLEAGUE,

[00:30:01]

UM, COMMENTS HERE.

THERE ARE NO SHORTAGES OF LARGE BUILDINGS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR THAT NEED TO BE DEMOLISHED OR REHABBED IMMEDIATELY.

UH, NOT ONLY DOES THAT APPLY TO GARFIELD SCHOOL, BUT THINK OF THE FORMER YMCA AND YWCA BUILDINGS.

ONE OF THEM HAS BRICKS FALLING DOWN ON LDO RIGHT NOW, AND WE'VE HAD TO CLOSE THE SIDEWALKS.

THE OTHER ONE HAS GAPING HOLES IN IT.

UM, AND, UH, YOU CAN PURCHASE THAT FOR $150,000 IF YOU, IF YOU SO DESIRE.

UH, THESE BUILDINGS ARE BLIGHT WITHIN OUR CITY.

AND, UH, AS WE KNOW, UH, FROM THE JOHNS HILL NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT, WHEN WE REDUCE BLIGHT, WE REDUCE CALLS FOR SERVICE TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND WE IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY.

I WOULD BE THRILLED IF THE CITY WERE TO, UM, UH, DO AS MUCH AS IT CAN TO INVITE DEVELOPERS, UH, TO LOOK AT OUR OLDER BUILDINGS TO SEE IF THERE ARE REHAB, UH, POSSIBILITIES.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, UH, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO REMOVE THESE DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES AND IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY.

AND FURTHERMORE, UH, SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS, UH, WE KNOW WHO THE OWNERS ARE.

THEY HAVE OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE PUBLIC HAS TO BEGIN ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER THEY WANT TO SUPPORT BUSINESSES OWNED BY THE SAME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE LETTING THEIR OTHER PROPERTIES, UH, BE, UH, DILAPIDATED.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT CONSUMERS HAVE TO STEP UP AND DO, AND RESIDENTS HAVE TO STEP UP AND DO SO THAT US TAXPAYERS DO NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR THESE PROPERTIES.

SO, I UNDERSTAND THE ARGUMENT THAT WE WANT TO DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO REHABILITATE PROPERTIES.

IT'S A FAIR ARGUMENT, IT'S A VALID ARGUMENT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE CANNOT LET DECADES LONG DETERIORATING PROPERTIES JUST STAY AND EXPECT THE CITY OF DECATUR TO BECOME REVITALIZED.

COUNCILMAN CULP, YOU MENTIONED INSPECTIONS.

WHEN WAS THE LAST INSPECTION FOR THIS PROPERTY? UM, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LAST INSPECTION WAS, UH, ON THAT PROPERTY.

THE, UM, BUT I WANNA SAY THAT UNLIKE THE DERELICT BUILDINGS THAT COUNCILMAN HORN MENTIONED, UH, THE OLD COPEN BARGER CENTENNIAL SCHOOL, THE OLD DFE SCHOOL, THE YWCA, UM, THAT THE PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE JUST BEEN DERELICT AND WALKED AWAY FROM THEM AND EXPECTED THE PRO, THE, THE, THE TAXPAYERS TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THAT'S A CHARACTERIZATION THAT'S, THAT THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR GARFIELD SCHOOL.

AS I SAID, THE, THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT KNOWING THAT WE WANTED TO PURSUE THE REHAB OF THIS BUILDING HAS, UM, HAS SECURED THE BUILDING AND, AND, UH, BOARDED IT UP AND DRAINED THE PIPES AND, AND HAS PICKED UP THE BRICKS AND MOWED THE GRASS AND IS DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN TO SORT OF, SORT OF FREEZE IT OR, OR SEAL IT IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION SO THAT A REHAB CAN TAKE PLACE, UH, BY WATER.

THE, THE, THE DEVELOPER HAS SAID, OH, WE'VE, WE'VE REHABBED SCHOOLS THAT ARE A LOT WORSE THAN THIS THIS ONE'S IN GOOD SHAPE.

UM, AND SO BECAUSE THAT'S THE STATUS OF A COUNCILMAN CULT, THERE REALLY HASN'T BEEN A NEED TO GO INSPECT THE BUILDING.

IT'S SORT OF JUST FROZEN IN, IN THIS CONDITION UNTIL A DECISION IS MADE.

ABOUT IS THE, IS THE, UH, THE HOUSING PROJECT GONNA PROCEED IN A WAY SIMILAR TO THE, TO THE SUCCESSFUL ROOSEVELT PROJECT? SO IT HASN'T BEEN INSPECTED IN A LONG TIME, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE OUT, I THINK LOOKING AT THE, AT THE WALL THAT'S, THAT'S BEEN RECENTLY SHEDDING BRICKS ON THE, ON THE WEST SIDE, THAT'S KINDA WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS YOU MENTIONED THERE WAS AN INSPECTION, BUT NOW IT'S BEEN SOME TIME.

ARE WE TALKING ABOUT YEARS, UH, MONTHS? AND IF THERE'S THOSE PROBLEMS, DO WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF SOME PROBLEMS NOW SO THEY DON'T GET WORSE? I MEAN, WE BOARDED UP AS MUCH AS WE CAN, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YOU GOT BRICKS FALLING OFF AND YOU GOT KIDS OUT THERE THAT STILL USES THE PARK.

UM, THAT'S JUST SOME CONCERNS I HAVE, AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT WE HAVE A PARTNER IN THIS PROGRAM.

I REALLY DO, BECAUSE OFTENTIMES WITH THE BUILDINGS THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HORNE AND COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL MENTIONED, AND WE WERE ON THE TAIL END OF THAT RECEIPT, SO THIS IS A NICE PARTNERSHIP, BUT I AM, WHEN YOU SAY INSPECTIONS, I'M KIND OF HOPING IT WOULD BE A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT IN HERE, BUT I DIDN'T SEE IT.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

UM, COUNCILMAN HOR, YOU KEEP BASHING THE CITY.

YOU DON'T THINK CITY STAFF IS NOT TAKING LEGAL ACTION IN A LOT OF THESE BUILDINGS.

EVEN THE NEW TIFF DISTRICT THAT WE'LL BE, WE WILL BE VOTING ON IT INCORPORATES

[00:35:01]

AND AGAIN, IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BUSINESS, UH, ANYMORE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INCENTIVES.

AND THE TIF DISTRICT WILL, WE, IF WE ADOPT THAT, IS, WILL TAKE CARE OF SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS.

BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING A LITTLE TIRED OF YOU BASHING, UH, CITY STAFF AND, AND WELL, YOU'RE ALSO BASHING THE CITY COUNCIL.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

WELL, UM, FIRST OF ALL, IF WE THINK, UH, BACK TO ALLOCATION OF AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING, UH, WE ALLOCATED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, UH, TO OTHER SOURCES, UH, SUCH AS WATER FOR WHICH WE HAD AMPLE FUNDING.

UM, AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDS NEED TO BE SPENT OR NEED TO BE, UH, APPROPRIATED BY THE END OF THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, AND WE COULD HAVE USED THAT MONEY TO FUND MULTIPLE OF THESE LARGE BUILDING PROJECTS HAD WE, UH, DONE SO.

SO THERE WAS, THERE IS AMPLE MONEY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COULD HAVE ALLOCATED TO NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT WE CHOSE NOT TO.

I HAVE CONSISTENTLY SAID THAT THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT IS COMPLETELY UNDERSTAFFED AND UNDERFUNDED, AND THAT IS THE FAULT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

BUT THAT DOES NOT AT ALL, UM, UH, UH, MATTER IN TERMS OF THE FACT THAT IT'S WHATEVER DECISIONS THAT THE COUNCIL MADE, WE STILL FIND OURSELVES IN A, A POSITION WHERE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUE TO BE UNACCEPTABLY BLIGHTED.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CENTRAL TIFF DISTRICT, UH, THAT'S BEING PROPOSED, WHILE THE GOAL, THE NUMBER ONE GOAL IS TO IMPROVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT THE REDEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SUGGESTED TO DATE HAVE BEEN, THEY DO NOT IMPACT THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND MR. MANAGER, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, IF I CAN BE SO BOLD, I THINK WE'VE STRAYED FROM THE ACTUAL ITEM THAT'S ON THE AGENDA, WHICH IS, UH, WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH DPS 61 THAT ESSENTIALLY SAYS, I MEAN, IT'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SEVERAL PAGES THAT THE ATTORNEYS HAD TO WORK ON, BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT IT SAYS IS, UM, WE WILL IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TAKE OVER THIS PROPERTY AND ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WE'RE GONNA BE RESPONSIBLE, GO FORWARD GOING FORWARD.

EITHER IT BECOMES, UH, AN IDA FUNDED, UM, UH, SENIOR LIVING PROJECT WITH OTHER PHASES, OR IT BECOMES SOMETHING ELSE, UH, OR IT, OR IT GETS DEMOLISHED.

AND IF, IF IT DOES GET DEMOLISHED, THEN WE HAVE BEEN, UH, SUCCESSFUL IN THIS AGREEMENT IN SHARING THAT COST WITH, WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S THE ITEM BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL THIS EVENING.

MR. COOPER.

ONE QUESTION, UH, MANAGER ON THAT ITEM, UM, JUST FOR CLARITY PURPOSES, SAY AT THE END OF THE SIX MONTHS, UM, AND WE COME TO THE END OF THE SIX MONTHS WHERE THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WANTS TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED WITH, IF WE DECIDE TO SAY THIS DEVELOPMENT IS NOT GONNA GO, BUT WE, WE MAY WANNA PURSUE LOOKING AT OTHER, OTHER THINGS.

DOES THE CITY, ARE THEY OUT OF IT? TOTALLY AFTER THE SIX MONTHS, IF WE DON'T DEMOLISH AT THAT POINT, UM, IF WE DEMOLISH 12 MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, THEY, THEY HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY.

IS THAT WHAT I'M HEARING? NO, UM, SORRY THAT, THAT'S NOT MADE CLEAR.

THE, UM, AND, AND, UH, COUNSEL, YOU CAN, UH, CORPORATION COUNSEL, YOU CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

THE SIX MONTHS DOES NOT OBLIGATE US TO TAKE THE BUILDING DOWN IN SIX MONTHS.

IT REQUIRES US TO CLOSE ON THE PROPERTY AND TRANSFER IT FROM DPS 61 TO THE CITY WITHIN SIX MONTHS.

UH, WE CAN TAKE CONSIDERABLY LONGER THAN THAT AS WE NEED TO.

WE'RE NOT LIKELY TO KNOW THE OUTCOME OF THE, UH, IDA GRANT UNTIL JUNE.

UM, THAT, THAT, THAT'S JUST THE STATE'S SCHEDULE.

IF IT DOESN'T GO IN OUR FAVOR, THEN WE NEED EVEN MORE TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW IT WOULD, WOULD BE REPURPOSED IF AFTER WHATEVER TIME IT TAKES, AND WE ARE NOT BOUND BY A SIX MONTH DEADLINE ON THAT, UH, THAT WE ULTIMATELY DECIDE WE CAN'T FIND A, AN APPROPRIATE, UM, AND FEASIBLE REPURPOSING OF THE BUILDING AND DEMOLITION IS THE ONLY, UM, SOLUTION, THE ONLY THING WE WE CAN DO, THEN WE WOULD INVOKE THE CLAUSE IN THE, UH, IN THE AGREEMENT THAT SAYS THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD SHARE THAT WITH US.

DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? THERE ARE NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

MADAM CLERK CALL THE ROLL.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN CULP? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIMM GREGORY AYE.

FIVE EYES, NO.

AS

[3.  Resolution Authorizing License for Underground Pipelines, Cables, and Conduits with the Illinois Central Railroad on Faries Parkway at Brush College Road]

[00:40:01]

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. MANAGER NEWELL, CHIEF NEWELL, MAYOR PRO TIM, AND MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

THIS IS FOR A, UH, TO INSTALL A, A STORM SEWER, UH, ACROSS THE, UH, THE CENTRAL ILLINOIS RAILROAD AT, UH, BRUSH COLLEGE AND FERRIS PARKWAY.

COUNCIL.

HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? MADAM CLERK, PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIM GREGORY AYE.

FIVE AYES NO NAYS RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE VAN DEVANTER ENGINEERING COMPANY PROPOSAL FOR THE PURCHASE OF A WASH WATER RETURN PUMP.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

MR. MANAGER OR MR. NEWELL? MATT? TRYING TO FIND MY MEMO HERE.

THIS IS FOR A, UH, A PUMP AT THE, UH, THE, I BELIEVE WE, UM, EXCUSE ME.

I'M SORRY.

WE SKIPPED NUMBER FOUR.

YEAH, THERE WE'RE.

COULD WE GO BACK TO NUMBER FOUR? SURE.

JUST FOR MR. NEWELL.

[4.  Resolution Accepting the Bid Price of S&R Marine and Equipment for the Purchase of One (1) 2024 SeaArk VFX 2072 Deluxe Patrol Boat, Trailer and Accessories]

ARC V FX 2072.

DELUXE PATROL BOAT TRAILER AND ACCESSORIES.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

THIS IS, UH, MAYOR, UH, MAYOR PRO TEM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL.

THIS IS TO, UH, REPLACE THE CITY'S, UH, AGING, UH, PATROL BOAT.

UH, WE HAVE THREE OF THEM AND THIS IS, THIS IS THE SECOND IN THE, IN THE THIRD YEAR REPLACEMENT PLAN.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK? COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIMM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE AYES, NO NAYS.

LET'S

[5.  Resolution Accepting the Vandevanter Engineering Company Proposal for the Purchase of a Wash Water Return Pump]

RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE VANDEVANTER ENGINEERING COMPANY PROPOSAL FOR THE PURCHASE OF A WASH WATER RETURN PUMP.

NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. NEWELL? THIS IS, UH, THIS IS A PUMP OF THE SOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLANT THAT RETURNS WATER THAT, UH, WE USE TO CLEAN THE FILTERS.

THEN IT'S RECYCLED BACK INTO THE PLANTS PROCESS.

THE, UH, OUR, OUR NEW, UH, MAINTENANCE MANAGER HAS, HAS BEEN REVIEWING THE PUMPS AND HE FEELS THAT, UH, SINCE THE EXISTING PUMPS HAVE BEEN REBUILT SEVERAL TIMES THEMSELVES AND FEELS THAT WE NEED A NEW ONE TO BE ORDERED AND, AND ON THE SHELF FOR WHEN THE, UH, WHEN ONE OF THE OTHERS DIES OUT.

SO THIS IS HIS RECOMMENDATION, WAS THAT WE PURCHASE A PUMP FOR THE QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

MADAM CLERK? COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM NUMBER SIX,

[6.  Resolution Accepting the Bids and Authorizing the Execution of Purchase Orders for Furnishing Ammunition to the Decatur Police Department]

I A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT YOU MAY REMEMBER SEEING.

IT HAPPENS ANNUALLY.

WE BUY THE AMMUNITION FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN BULK.

AND SO AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THAT, IT, IT TRIGGERS, UH, IT'S FAIRLY EXPENSIVE AND IT TRIGGERS YOUR, YOUR REVIEW.

UM, CHIEF BRANDELL REGRETS THAT HE CAN'T BE HERE.

HE IS ON A SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT HERE IN TOWN DEALING WITH, UH, WITH AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRED HIS ATTENTION.

AND SO, LIEUTENANT UH, KUHL HAS, HAS COME TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MR. MCDANIEL THERE FOR A WHILE? IT WAS TOUGH TO GET AMMUNITION THE SUPPLIER BACK.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS PART OF THIS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN NORMAL TO MAKE UP FOR THAT TIME DURING COD WHEN WE HAD A CUTBACK, 'CAUSE WE COULDN'T GET AMMUNITION.

WE'RE ALSO SWITCHING DUTY AMMUNITION AND WE'RE DOING SOME ADDITIONAL TRAINING THAT'S GONNA REQUIRE MORE AMMUNITION.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK? COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM NUMBER SEVEN,

[7.  Resolution Authorizing the Execution of a Three-Year Agreement and Payment to Lexis Nexis for their Desk Officer Reporting System]

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

THE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ITEM IS IN YOUR PACKET.

UH, PERHAPS LIEUTENANT KUHL OR FOR THAT MATTER, JIM EDWARDS, WHO IS ALSO FAMILIAR WITH THESE PROGRAMS, CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ABOUT EITHER THIS ITEM OR THE ONE THAT FOLLOWS IT ON THE AGENDA.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAM CLERK? COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN CULP? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE AYES NO.

NAYS.

ITEM NUMBER A

[8.  Resolution Authorizing Payment to Central Square for Software Maintenance Fees]

[00:45:01]

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MR. MANAGER? SECOND.

YES.

SO BASICALLY, UH, THIS IS A A, A SHORTENED AGREEMENT.

IT'S GONNA LAST ONLY SEVEN MONTHS BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE SWITCHING OUR CAD SOFTWARE TO TYLER.

SO THIS IS A SHORTENED AGREEMENT, BUT TYPICALLY THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR, BUT THIS ONE'S SHORTENED BECAUSE OF THAT.

RIGHT? THANK YOU.

NOT NOT OUR CAD SOFTWARE, BUT THE CAD SOFTWARE OF THE C-I-R-D-C.

ALL RIGHT.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? MADAME CLERK? COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

MAYOR PRO TIM GREGORY.

AYE.

FIVE EYES, NO NAYS.

ITEM NUMBER

[9.  Resolution Amending Intergovernmental Agreement - County of Macon, the Village of Mt. Zion, the Village of Forsyth and the Village of Long Creek - Decatur Macon County Enterprise Zone]

COUNTY OF MACON, THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT ZION, THE VILLAGE OF FORSYTH, AND THE VILLAGE OF LONG CREEK DECATUR.

MACON COUNTY ENTERPRISE ZONE.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO SECOND, MR. MANAGER.

MAYOR PORT TEMAN.

COUNCIL MEMBER IS ASSUMING THAT THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT ARE LISTED IN THE ITEM THAT YOU JUST READ, ALL CONCUR, THAT WOULD RESULT IN CHANGING THE ENTERPRISE ZONE BOUNDARY FOR THE DECATUR MACON COUNTY ENTERPRISE ZONE TO INCLUDE THE PARCELS THAT ARE IN THE MAPS, UH, IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL.

UM, IT IS, UH, NORMAL THAT THERE WOULD BE FROM TIME TO TIME AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD BRING IN ADDITIONAL TERRITORY.

WE'RE HOLDING THE EXTRA TER THE EXTRA ACREAGE, UM, THAT THE STATE ALLOWED THE DECATUR ZONE, UM, UNTIL WE NEED, UH, ADDITIONS JUST LIKE THIS.

UM, THESE ARE, UM, THE RESULT OF THE OWNER OF THE LAND OR, OR IN SOME CASES THE, THE, THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SAYING AND IDENTIFYING THAT THIS IS A, A PROJECT OR THE LIKELY PROJECT FOR DEVELOPMENT.