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[I. Call to Order]
PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.COUNCILMAN COOPER PRESENT, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? PRESENT, MAYOR MOORE WOLF, PRESENT, SEVEN.
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
ALLEGIANCE IS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL FOR THE LIBERTY OF JUSTICE FOR ALL.
[II. Appearance of Citizens]
OUR MEETINGS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS, A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.
NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.
CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL.
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 MEMBERS MAY MAKE COMMENTS, UH, BEFORE WE INVITE PEOPLE UP TO THE PODIUM.
I DO HAVE, UH, NOTES FROM FORMER CITY COUNCILWOMAN DANA RAY WHO ASKED ME TO, UH, READ THIS TONIGHT.
BUT I WILL TIME IT KEEPING TO OUR THREE MINUTE RULE AND IT READS.
LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT FOR TIM GLEASON AS DECATUR NEW CITY MANAGER.
I, DANA RAY, AS A FORMER CITY COUNCIL MEMBER FOR 10 YEARS, WHO HAS HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH THREE CITY MANAGERS, INCLUDING TIM GLEASON AND EXCITED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF HIS RETURN TO DECATUR CITY MANAGER.
THE CITY MANAGER POSITION IS PIVOTAL IN THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CITY.
THE LEADERSHIP AND FISCAL STEWARDSHIP NEEDED TO UNITE HIS TEAM APPROPRIATELY.
EXPENDED RESOURCES AND REVITALIZE OUR COMMUNITY IS A HEAVY BURDEN TO CARRY.
BUT TIM GLEASON HAS PROVEN TO US THAT HE IS THE MAN THAT CAN SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE THE JOB.
THERE ARE A LOT OF EXCITING PROJECTS ON THE HORIZON, AND HIS FAMILIARITY WITH DECATUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES WILL GIVE HIM AN ADVANTAGE TO CAPITALIZE ON THE PROGRESS WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SINCE HIS DEPARTURE.
TIM GLEASON DID NOT LEAVE DECATUR IN A MESS WHEN HE WENT TO BLOOMINGTON, NOR DID HE HAVE PEOPLE CELEBRATING HIS DEPARTURE BECAUSE HE HAD DONE A HORRIBLE JOB.
RATHER, WE WERE SADDENED WHEN HE LEFT BECAUSE HE WAS DOING AN EXCELLENT JOB.
LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES OFTEN CAUSE US TO TAKE A DETOUR, AND WE SHOULD NOT HOLD THAT DETOUR AGAINST HIM.
I'M ALSO HAPPY THAT LIFE'S CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE BROUGHT HIM BACK TO DECATUR AND HE CAN FINISH THE JOB HE STARTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
ALSO, AS I WORK WITH KONO AND AS A VOLUNTEER OF THE JASPER STREET, GREAT STREET, GREAT NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT, I LOOK FORWARD TO HIS LEADERSHIP AS WE REVITALIZE AN AREA OF OUR CITY THAT REQUIRES AN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VISION OF THE AREA.
SWEAT EQUITY, FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL.
INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT HAVE, HAVE A LOT OF FINANCIAL RESOURCES STILL DESERVE AN INVESTMENT BY THE CITY TO ELIMINATE BLIGHT AND ELEVATE THE OVERALL STATUS OF OUR CITY.
TIM GLEASON, ALONG WITH OTHER CITY STAFF, CAN ACCOMPLISH NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, WHICH WAS SO VERY IMPORTANT TO ME WHEN I WAS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
TIM GLEASON'S RETURN IS A GOOD THING FOR DECATUR, AND I ASKED FOR A UNANIMOUS VOTE IN FAVOR OF HIS RETURN AS DECATUR CITY MANAGER.
AND NOW WE WILL BRING UP ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TONIGHT, AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO GIVE US YOUR ADDRESS.
UH, I ALSO, UH, HAVE ASKED TO SPEAK LATER ON, UH, DURING THE ITEM ON, UH, THE Y-Y-W-C-A.
MY COMMENTS TONIGHT WILL BE IN TWO PARTS AND, UH, YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET A FREE, UH, LEGAL BRIEFING, UH, REGARDING THE DOCTRINE OF WHAT'S CALLED PIERCING THE CORPORATE VEIL.
AND ON THE CITY COUNCIL, YOU GUYS DON'T NEED TO BE LEGAL EXPERTS, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN AREAS WHERE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU HAVE GENERAL LEGAL KNOWLEDGE, UH, IN AREAS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE CITY.
AND ONE OF THOSE AREAS IS, UH, DERELICT BUILDINGS.
BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THESE DERELICT BUILDINGS ARE HELD BY LLCS, UH, LIMITED LIABILITY CORPORATIONS, WHICH PROTECT THE OWNERS OF THE CORPORATION FROM SOMEBODY GOING AFTER THEIR ASSETS.
AND SO AT THE FIRST LEVEL, YOU MIGHT THINK, OH, WELL, THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO.
THIS CORPORATION IS DOESN'T HAVE ANY ASSETS.
WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO? RIGHT? BUT THIS DOCTRINE THAT I'M, I'M TALKING TO TONIGHT OF PIERCING THE CORPORATE VEIL IS HOW YOU GO AFTER THE OWNERS OF THE CORPORATION.
NOW, IT'S NOT TRIVIAL TO GET A JUDGE TO DO THIS BECAUSE JUDGES RESPECT THE REASON THAT CORPORATIONS EXIST.
BUT, UM, OFTEN THEY WILL DO THIS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES.
WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW IS TWO THINGS.
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ONE, THAT THERE IS REALLY NOT A DIVISION BETWEEN THE INTERESTS OF THE CORPORATION AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT OWN THE CORPORATION.FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE FUNDS THAT THE CORPORATION ARE, IS USING TO DO THINGS ARE FLOWING DIRECTLY FROM THE INDIVIDUALS, THAT WOULD BE EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF, UM, THAT LACK OF SEPARATION, IF YOU WILL.
THERE'S OTHER THINGS THAT LAWYERS COULD DO TO SHOW THAT AS WELL.
THE SECOND THING YOU HAVE TO SHOW IS THAT AN INJUSTICE WOULD RESULT IF THE, IF THE VEIL, THE CORPORATE VEIL IS NOT PIERCED.
OKAY? SO LATER TONIGHT, YOU'LL CONSIDER THE CASE OF THE YWCA, AND IN THAT CASE, CLEARLY THE INJUSTICE IS THAT THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY, THE CITY ITSELF, WOULD END UP HAVING TO PAY PROBABLY IN THE END OVER A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE DEMOLITION, DEMOLITION OF THAT BUILDING.
UM, SO WE'LL COME BACK TO, TO TALK MORE ABOUT, WELL, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE COUNSEL? WHAT SHOULD THE COUNSEL DO ABOUT THIS, UH, GIVEN THIS THIS LEGAL DOCTRINE THAT DOES OPEN THE DOOR TO PURSUIT OF THESE, UM, THESE OWNERS THAT ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR BUILDING.
HI, MY NAME'S JUSTIN PHILLIPS.
I'M A LANDLORD HERE IN DECATUR.
UM, I CAME HERE TONIGHT FOR TWO THINGS.
UM, NUMBER ONE, TO ECHO ON WHAT BRETT SAID, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR SHOULD BE SPENDING THAT MUCH MONEY ON DOING WORK FOR AN LLC.
THAT CLEARLY SOUNDS LIKE THEY'VE DONE THE RESEARCH AND YOU COULD PIERCE THE VEIL EASILY.
UM, DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ANYTHING EXISTS OTHER THAN FRIENDSHIPS POSSIBLY ON THE COUNCIL THAT WOULD BRING THAT VOTE UP.
THE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADDRESS IS THAT I HOPE THAT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEW CITY MANAGER, THAT THE ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIPS TOWARDS LANDLORDS, PROPERTY OWNERS WILL GO AWAY.
YOU HAVE A GROUP OF LANDLORDS THAT ARE LIKE-MINDED LIKE ME, THAT ARE UP AND COMING, THAT WANT TO BUY PROPERTIES THAT WANT TO SEE DECATUR THRIVE AND GROW AND DO WELL.
AND WE ARE CONSTANTLY CONSISTENTLY LUMPED IN WITH THE LANDLORDS THAT WE KNOW JUST AREN'T THE BEST.
AND THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WE KNOW JUST AREN'T THE BEST.
I HAVE TALKED TO PAT AND I'VE TALKED TO MIKE WITH THE, THE CODE DIVISION.
WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO WORK BETTER WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT MANAGE TENANTS.
I HAVE 23 PROPERTIES IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
I DRIVE BY THEM AS OFTEN AS I CAN, BUT I STILL GET CAUGHT UP IN STUFF.
I STILL HAVE TENANTS THAT ARE BONEHEADED TENANTS.
IF THEY'RE PAYING THEIR BILL, I'M NOT GONNA EVICT THEM OUT.
WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS FOR THE CITY TO ESTABLISH AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE OF CITIZENS THAT CARE LIKE I DO.
I DON'T LIVE IN THE CITY OF CATER.
I DON'T KNOW IF THAT KICKS ME OUT, BUT LIKE I SAID, I INVEST HEAVILY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
I KNOW THE LANDLORDS THAT ARE BAD.
I KNOW THE LANDLORDS THAT ARE GOOD.
I SEE THE ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS THAT COME ACROSS FROM ME.
SOME OF 'EM MAKE ME SCRATCH MY HEAD AND THE OTHER ONES THAT I UNDERSTAND.
BUT PATTON MIGHT CAN BOTH TELL YOU THAT I JUMP ON 'EM AND I DEAL WITH 'EM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT IT PAINS ME TO NO END TO GET LUMPED IN WITH THESE OTHER PEOPLE.
IT'S, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT RIGHT.
AND YOU GUYS KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
BUT I AGREE WITH PAT AND MIKE.
THE CITY LOOKS WORSE THIS YEAR THAN I HAVE EVER SEEN IT.
LOOK, I DRIVE THE STREETS OF DECATUR EVERY SINGLE DAY.
SOMETHING THAT SOME OF YOU PROBABLY DON'T DO.
AND I SEE IT AND IT'S GETTING WORSE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS HAVE TO BE DONE.
BUT WHAT I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO IS LISTEN TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE FEEDING INTO YOU.
THE DECATUR LANDLORDS ASSOCIATION PRETTY MUCH FELL APART AFTER THE CITY COUNCIL TURNED THEIR BACKS ON THEM ON THE WATER BILLING ISSUE.
HOW MANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING THAT WOULD LOVE TO PARTICIPATE, BUT IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE NEVER LISTENED TO OR NEVER EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED.
AND THE LAST THING THAT I'D LIKE TO SAY, MOVING FORWARD, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH TIM GLEASON.
HOPEFULLY HE CHANGES THE CITY'S CULTURE AND SEE YOU LATER.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF AS YOU WISH ENTERPRISE.
UM, I, UH, ON FRIDAY THREE 15, I WAS NOTIFIED BY MIKE SNEE NEELY THAT I DID NOT WIN ANY OF THE BIDS.
AND I SUBMITTED FOR THE CITY, UH, THE WE DEBATE PROGRAM.
OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THIS PROCESS, BUT I ASKED HIM, WAS THERE ANY WAY HE COULD BE, UH, CONSIDER OR SINCE I DIDN'T MOW OR
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DO ANYTHING IN THE PAST THAT CAUSED PROBLEMS, WOULD HE RECONSIDER? WELL, HE TOLD ME NO.SO I SAID, UH, ONCE THE BIDS ARE IN, THEY'RE IN.
HE SAID, YES, THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I CAN DO FOR YOU.
OKAY? NOW, AFTER THAT, I SAID, WELL, REFERRING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS BID SEVERAL YEARS AGO BEFORE THERY CONTRACT WAS OVER, I BIDED AND I WON EIGHT DISTRICTS.
THE CITY CALLED ME DOWN AND SAID, HEY, YOU WON EIGHT.
THE OTHER CONTRACTORS DIDN'T WIN ANY.
THEY UNDERBID IT OR OVERBID IT OR WHATEVER.
COULD YOU SHARE WITH THEM? I GOT EIGHT DISTRICTS I DON'T NEED TO SHARE.
BUT I DID IN GOOD FAITH, OKAY, I OVERBID IT.
NOW, IF THEY CAN DO THOSE FOR THOSE CONTRACTORS, HOW COME THEY CAN'T DO IT FOR ME? THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING HERE TONIGHT.
SO BY ME, OVERBIDDING, THEY WENT BACK AND THEY GAVE ME A CHANCE TO GET DISTRICT FOUR.
I GAVE AWAY, I GAVE AWAY FOUR.
SO WHY, WHY YOU JUST GIVING ME ONE? OR CAN YOU GIMME SOMETHING EQUIVALENT TO THE FOUR THAT I GAVE AWAY? THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING.
A FAIR CHANCE, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT ASKING FOR INSPECTOR FROM THE PAST TO SAY, HEY, IF YOU DON'T CUT DOWN THOSE, UM, SAPLINGS AROUND A TREE, I'LL MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T CUT ANY GRASS ANYMORE.
I WAS TOLD THAT BY MIKE NEELEY BEFORE HE BECAME WHERE HE IS.
SO I'M ASKING FOR A FAIR CHANCE TO HUNT TONIGHT AS YOU WISH ENTERPRISES ASKING FOR THAT.
I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DO THIS.
SO JUST GIVE US YOUR NAME FIRST.
UM, YOU GUYS ARE TRYING TO ANNEX MY PROPERTY, UM, SAYING THAT I'M SURROUNDED BY THE CITY.
I GAVE THE PAPER TO 'EM THAT YOU GUYS SENT ME, AND YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT MY PROPERTY BUTTS UP RIGHT TO THE OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.
UH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO SAY ABOUT IT.
SO, AND I DON'T WANT TO BE IN, IN THE CITY IF I CAN.
IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ME IN ANY WAY.
IF YOU GUYS HAD SEWER IN MY AREA, I WOULD PRO, I WOULD PROBABLY DO IT, BUT IT'S NOT THERE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO COME DOWN TONIGHT AND I'M A BUSINESS OWNER IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
HAVE A FAIR AMOUNT OF DEALINGS WITH THE CITY AND, UH, AS FAR AS PERMITTING AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I, I WANTED TO COME AND EXPRESS MY SUPPORT FOR MR. TIM GLEASON.
UM, WHEN HE WAS HERE, UH, PREVIOUSLY, I FOUND HIM TO BE VERY, VERY PROFESSIONAL.
UH, USED A LOT OF COMMON SENSE AND WORKED WELL WITH ALL THE GROUPS, UH, THAT HE HAD TO DEAL WITH.
AND I APPRECIATE YOUR SERVICE, UH, MR. WRIGHTON VERY, VERY MUCH.
UM, BUT I I, AND I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF.
I, I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT AS A BUSINESS OWNER DEALING WITH THE CITY, IT'S VERY COMFORTING TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH SOMEBODY THAT IS A KNOWN QUANTITY AND WE KNOW HOW, HOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH HIM.
UM, SO THAT HAVING THAT KNOWLEDGE IS VERY, VERY BENEFICIAL, UM, IN DEALING WITH THE CITY.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO HAVE A UNANIMOUS VOTE TO APPROVE HIM.
I DON'T OWN A BUNCH OF PROPERTY AND STUFF IN DECATUR, BUT I DO OWN A HOME IN DECATUR AND I DO HAVE KIDS, AND THAT'S BEING RAISED IN DECATUR.
AND I'VE PAID ATTENTION TO THE IMPROVEMENTS GOING ON DECAT IN DECATUR.
AND WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT'S BENEFITING THE KIDS HERE.
AND WHEN MR. GLEASON WAS HERE, I DON'T SEE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT HE'S DONE.
I'VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY FOR 20 YEARS.
I'VE WORKED FOR DOC FOR 20 YEARS.
AND I DO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON THAT YOU ARE WORKING WITH, YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT.
AND MR. GLEASON HAD ALL OF OUR LIVES AT STAKE FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO MB EMBEDMENT OUR COMMUNITY, WHICH I
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UNDERSTAND HIS FAMILY COMES FIRST, BUT WHERE DO THAT LEAVE US? AND I WILL SAY THE PERSON THAT'S IN THERE NOW WORKING, STANDING BY Y'ALL TO HELP IMPROVE DECATUR, I DO SEE A LOT OF CHANGES TAKING PLACE, WORKING ON THE LAKE.YOU GOT DEVIN, THE HERE, AND IT JUST TAKES ALL OF US TO PULL TOGETHER AND TO BRING HIM BACK WHEN HE ABANDONED US BEFORE FOR MORE MONEY.
WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSON THAT'S HERE DOING THE SAME THING, THAT IF YOU GAVE THEM A CHANCE, MAYBE THEY COULD DO THE SAME THING THAT MR. GLEASON WAS DOING WHEN HE WAS HERE.
YOU KNOW, THEY STICKING BY SIDES.
THEY CAN USE Y'ALL KNOWLEDGE TO HELP THEM IMPROVE THINGS.
I THINK WE NEED TO USE OUR RESOURCES ON OUR OWN TO SEARCH FOR THINGS WE CAN BRING HERE TO HELP IMPROVE.
THE NAME IS JUST A SIGNATURE HEAD FOR IF SOMETHING GO WRONG, BUT ALL OF US PULLING TOGETHER, IT WHAT MAKES DECATUR DECATUR NOT ONE PERSON GETTING PAID ALL OF THIS MONEY, BECAUSE HE'S NOT GONNA COME UP WITH ALL THE IDEAS ON HIS OWN.
HE'S GONNA HAVE PEOPLE LIKE Y'ALL BEHIND HIM GETTING HIM IDEAS.
HE MIGHT USE HIS TIME TO GO OUT AND SEARCH FOR THINGS, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA BE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY'S GONNA AGREE ON.
AND WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE SAME OLD THING.
DECATUR IS STEADY FALLING TO THE SIDE.
BUSINESSES IS STEADY LEAVING PEOPLE IS STEADY MOVING AWAY.
PRETTY SOON, DECATUR BE A GHOST TOWN.
AND ALL OF US HAVE INVESTED OUR TIME INTO BUILDING CAREERS.
IT'S A NICE PLACE TO RAISE YOUR FAMILY.
WE JUST NEED TO ATTRACT MORE THINGS THAT'S GONNA BRING PEOPLE HERE AND MAKE THEM RESIDE IN DECATUR LIKE IT WAS BEFORE ALL THE VIOLENCE TOOK PLACE.
AND I WOULD SAY, I'M SORRY, SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
ARE Y'ALL GONNA CUT ME SHORT LIKE THIS? YEAH, WE HAVE TO.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR MOORE WOLF AND BELOVED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I HOPE THAT I CAN GIVE MORE THAN THREE MINUTES.
AND SHE SAID, NOPE, SHE SAID NO FAST.
COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, PLEASE? MY NAME IS REVEREND COURTNEY CARSON.
UH, I'VE BEEN, I'M JUST A SIMPLE SERVANT HERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
I SERVE, UH, AT LOVE FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY CHURCH.
I'M EMPLOYED THROUGH RICHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON THIS EVENING.
UM, I STAND HERE TO ENDORSE OUR BELOVED BROTHER TIM GLEASON.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE EXCITING DIRECTION THAT OUR, UH, COMMUNITY AND CITY IS GOING IN, WE MUST HAVE SOMEONE WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THIS AREA, NOT JUST THIS AREA, BUT THIS REGION, UH, WHO IS COMMITTED TO BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN COMMUNITY, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, AND WORKFORCE TRAININGS.
THE NEED FOR A COLLABORATIVE, POLITICAL AND BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT IS EXTREMELY CRITICAL AT THIS EXCITING TIME.
SO WE NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS MAKING, DOING BUSINESS EASY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPANSION GOING ON IN THE CITY RIGHT NOW.
UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT A DM AND LG CHEM AND NO FEED AND TCCI, UH, TILLAMOOK, TILLAMOOK, DID I SAY IT RIGHT? HEY, MAN, I'M TERRIBLE WITH NAMES SOMETIMES.
AND SO MANY MORE BUSINESSES THAT ARE EXPANDING IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
SO WE ARE, AND ALSO WE'RE CURRENTLY LEADING IN ELECTRIFICATION AND AGRI INDUSTRY SPACES.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT BOTH CHAMPAGNE AND THE DECATUR EDCS WORKING TOGETHER, THAT'S JUST MAGNIFICENT.
WE ARE RECIPIENTS OF, UH, TECH HUBS.
WE HAVE WONDERFUL, A WONDERFUL ECOSYSTEM IN ILLINOIS.
UH, SO WE NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS OUR WORKFORCE, NEEDS TO STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMIC VITALITY.
IT'S EXCITING THAT THERE'S SOMEONE, UH, THAT WE BELIEVE CAN EXCEL IN OUR REGION.
SO WE NEED A COLLABORATIVE LEADER AFTER HIM TO CONTINUE THIS WORK.
AND FROM A COMMUNITY STANDPOINT, I REMEMBER WORKING WITH BROTHER TIM ON THE, UH, REVITALIZATION PROJECT.
HE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB AT THAT PROJECT.
AND THEN WHEN HE LEFT, QUITE NATURALLY, BROTHER UH, SCOTT WRIGHT CAME AND, UH, GOT THAT THING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
BUT WHEN TIM WAS HERE, HE HAD GREAT, UH, A GREAT VISION, BIG THINKER KIND OF PERSON.
HE WAS CREATIVE, UH, EXTREMELY CREATIVE IN FIGURING OUT HOW, HOW TO GET THINGS DONE, MAKING A WAY WHEN SEEMINGLY WE HAD NO WAY WITH LIMITED RESOURCES.
AGAIN, I SAY HE HAD A BIG VISION.
HE WAS ABLE TO GET COMMUNITY GROUPS TOGETHER AND HIS OWN STAFF TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO, UH, TRANSITION HIS VISION INTO A REALITY.
AND EVEN WHILE WORKING IN BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS, TIM GLEASON WAS A FRIEND.
I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM REVEREND JACKSON
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AND SAID, WE NEED YOU TO DEMONSTRATE IN BLOOMINGTON.I SAID, WELL, LET ME FIGURE OUT WHO I KNOW DOWN THERE.
I WAS ABLE TO CALL TIM GLEASON WHEN A MOTHER LOST HER CHILD.
AND HE SAW THE VALUE IN THAT WORK.
AND HE ALL BEGA ME THE KEYS TO THE CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR DEMONSTRATION WAS EXECUTED SMOOTHLY AND SAFELY FOR THAT PARTICULAR MOTHER.
I TRULY APPRECIATE YOU LETTING ME SPEAK TODAY.
I COME UP BEFORE THE COUNSELING THE MEITE TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION FOR BEING APPOINTED TO THE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR.
I HOPE I DID A GOOD JOB AND RESPECTED THE, THE POSITION FOR THE YEAR THAT I WAS THERE.
I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T KNOW WHEN IT, I WAS GONNA LOSE MY POSITION.
I'D HAVE COME THERE AND PASS THE TO, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT.
SO, BUT I DID APPRECIATE IT AND I HOPE I SERVED IT WELL.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME? AND MR. POLLIN, I KNOW YOU SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
YOU CAN HAVE THREE MINUTES NOW AND THREE MINUTES ON THAT AGENDA ITEM IF YOU WISH.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY A VERY QUICK, UH, LESS THAN THREE MINUTES.
THANK YOU ALL FOR SERVING IN THIS ROLE.
UH, IT BRINGS ME GREAT JOY TO COME BACK INTO THIS ROOM HAVING TRAVELED, UH, QUITE FREQUENTLY RECENTLY, AND SEE THAT THERE ARE TRADITIONS THAT ARE BEING UPHELD.
I APPRECIATE YOU SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND YOU'RE JUST DOING THE THINGS THAT MAKES DECATUR GREAT.
SO THANK YOU ALL FOR, FOR BEING PART OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UM, I ALSO WANTED TO ADD MY VOICE IN SUPPORTIVE MR. GLEASON.
I THINK HE'S DONE A GREAT JOB FOR SMALL BUSINESS.
HAVING BEEN PAST PRESIDENT OF 300 BELOW HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY, UM, THERE HAVE BEEN OBVIOUSLY THINGS THAT COULD BE IMPROVED ABOUT THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
UH, BUT THAT'S NOT ABOUT THE MAN.
AND SOME OF THE, UH, YOU KNOW, RULES IMPROVEMENTS THAT COULD BE ADDED OVER TIME.
BUT THAT ASIDE, TIM GLEASON IS A GREAT CHOICE IF THAT'S WHO YOU ARE, UH, DECIDING TO SADDLE UP WITH.
SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, FOR BACKING HIM, FOR BACKING OUR COMMUNITY, AND I WISH YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY EASTER.
MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TONIGHT REPRESENTING NOBODY BUT CITIZEN OF DECATUR.
UH, I THINK I'VE BEEN AT CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS MORE THAN ANYBODY HAS.
I'VE COUNTED, USED TO KEEP COUNT AND PASSED THAT.
NOW I'M NOT REPRESENTING ANYBODY TONIGHT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU MY EXPERIENCE THROUGH THE YEARS I'VE WORKED WITH MANY CITY MANAGERS, MANY COUNCILS, AND I THINK I WANNA COMMEND THE COUNCIL TONIGHT FOR SELECTION FOR TIM GLEASON.
HE WORKED WELL WITH DEVELOPERS, THAT'S MY AREA, DEVELOPERS ENGINEERING.
UH, AND I THINK I WORKED FOR MOST OF THE LAND DEVELOPERS IN DECATUR.
TIM WAS, WAS INTERESTED IN THAT AREA.
HE WORKED WITH US, HE WORKED WITH DEVELOPERS, AND I THINK HE'S A GREAT CANDIDATE FOR THIS.
AND I COMMEND THE COUNCIL FOR COMING UP WITH THIS SELECTION.
UM, I, MY NAME IS SADIE BRONSON.
I'M JUST HERE 'CAUSE YOU'RE TRYING TO ANNEX ME INTO THE CITY OF DECATUR.
AND I'M THINKING YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR A MISTAKE THAT WAS MADE IN 2010 BECAUSE EVERYBODY UP TO FIGHT STREET IS ANNEXED.
AND THEN YOU MISTAKENLY ANNEXED A HOUSE THAT WAS BEYOND IT.
BUT NOBODY ELSE BEYOND IT IS ANNEXED INTO THE CITY OF DECATUR.
WELL, UM, YOU DON'T PLOW MY STREETS.
YOU STOP AT FIGHT STREET BECAUSE THAT'S THE END OF THE CITY.
UM, AND ANNEXING MY HOUSE SEEMS LIKE POINTLESS.
'CAUSE YOU GET ONE MORE FOR THE CENSUS.
SO I JUST DON'T SEE WHY YOU SHOULD WASTE YOUR TIME IN ANNEX, SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T WANNA BE ANNEXED INTO THE CITY AND WHERE NOBODY ELSE IS TO CORRECT A MISTAKE THAT SEEMED TO HAVE MADE IN 2010 WHERE YOU SHOULD HAVE DID A HOUSE ON FIGHT STREET THAT'S ON THE CORNER, I THINK IS THE MISTAKE THAT WAS MADE.
DO YOU, IF YOU, I CAN SHOW YOU THE MAP IF YOU WANNA SEE IT.
YOU SENT IT TO ME SO YOU KNOW WHAT HOUSE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
UM, DID YOU NEED THAT OR, BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WANNA ANNEX ME, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M GONNA GAIN FROM THE CITY BY ANNEXING ME.
CAN ANYBODY ANSWER THAT FOR WE ANSWER QUESTIONS AFTER EVERYBODY IS DONE SPEAKING? OKAY.
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HI, HARRY JACKSON.UM, YOU, UH, I OWN THE PROPERTY.
SIR, COULD YOU PUT THE MICROPHONE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO YOUR MOUTH SO THAT THEY CAN PICK IT UP AT HOME? THANK YOU.
I OWN THE PROPERTY AT THE CORNER OF BOSHE BOWSER.
AND, UH, ROUTE 48, IF YOU'RE COMING FROM, UH, SAY WALMART OR, UH, FARM AND FLEET, I'M SORRY.
AND GOING TO SAY MILTON UNIVERSITY, JUST AS YOU CROSS UNDERNEATH THE ST.
LOUIS BRIDGE, THE RAILROAD BRIDGE, THE ROAD TURNS TO THE RIGHT.
AND IF YOU GO STRAIGHT, THAT CORNER PROPERTY IS THE PROPERTY I BOUGHT AT A TAX AUCTION 25 YEARS AGO.
UH, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH YOU ANNEXING THE PROPERTY.
IT'S JUST A VACANT PROPERTY SITTING THERE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, 23 YEARS AGO, I BOUGHT IT AS A, YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA BE A REAL ESTATE TYCOON AND, AND, UH, BUT, UH, DIDN'T WORK OUT.
I, I MOVED TO, UH, LAKE SHELBYVILLE ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO.
SO THAT'S THE ONLY REAL TIE THAT I STILL HAVE TO DECATUR OTHER THAN FAMILY.
AND, BUT, UM, I WAS CONTACTED, UH, SEVERAL MONTHS AGO BY A GENTLEMAN, I BELIEVE IN THE, UH, WORKS OFFICE, PUBLIC WORKS OFFICE.
AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IMPENDING SITUATION, AND I ASKED HIM IF THE, UH, I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE, UH, FOR A WELCOME TO DECATUR, WELCOME TO HISTORIC WEST END, OR MILLIKEN, OR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT THERE, RIGHT WHEN YOU COME AROUND THE CORNER, IT'S THAT HOLE, AND IT'S ALMOST A HALF AN ACRE RIGHT ON THE CORNER.
UM, SO I ASKED HIM, I, I SAID, COULD YOU CHECK INTO AND, AND SEE IF MAYBE THE CITY WOULD LIKE TO BUY IT FROM ME? CHEAP, YOU KNOW, UH, I'VE BEEN PAYING TAXES ON IT FOR 20 YEARS, AND I'VE GOT A COUPLE OLD WORK TRUCKS STORED THERE, SO THEY NEED, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO GET THEM OUT OF THERE.
BUT, UH, BUT IT'S A HALF, YOU KNOW, A HALF ACRE AND IT'S RIGHT THERE, UH, ON THE CORNER.
SO I NEVER GOT 'EM, I NEVER GOT HEARD.
SO, UH, THAT'S WHY I'M ATTENDING TONIGHT.
I'M JUST WONDERING IF, IF THE CITY WOULD BE INTERESTED IN IT.
UH, I JUST WANT $4,000 FOR IT, WHICH IS LESS THAN, YOU KNOW, THE TAXES I'VE PAID OVER THE YEARS.
UM, I THOUGHT THAT THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, I, YOU WOULD THINK IF YOU WERE THE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, YOU WOULD WANNA BUY IT.
AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO SELL IT TO 'EM FOR YEARS, AND THEY JUST CAN'T COME, COME UP WITH THE MONEY.
UM, I THINK OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IF I OWNED THE HOUSE, I WOULD CERTAINLY WANT THE HALF ACRE NEXT DOOR TO ME, YOU KNOW, BUT, UH, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH IT.
AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO OFFER THAT TO THE CITY AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, I I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT PLACE FOR A WELCOME TO DECATUR SIGN, OR WELCOME TO, YOU KNOW, UH, THE, HIS HISTORIC WEST END, OR, YOU KNOW, MILLIKEN DISTRICT, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT.
YOU KNOW, AS IT AS MILLIKEN CONTINUES TO EXPAND THAT WAY, YOU KNOW.
I'M HERE ABOUT SOME PANICS THING YOU'RE WANTING TO DO ON THE WEST END.
I THINK THERE'S, UH, 16 TRACKS ALTOGETHER.
IT'S BASICALLY ON 2095 WEST SUNSET.
UH, THERE'S, UH, BASICALLY THERE'S NO EXCESS WHAT THEY ARE, THEY'RE THE BACK LOTS TO ALL THEIR HOUSES.
I'VE TALKED TO A FEW OF THE NEIGHBORS.
THERE'S REALLY NO EXCESS TO IT EXCEPT ON WEST LAWN, AND I THINK ON THEM LOTS THAT WAS, UH, DIVIDED BETWEEN THE TWO OWNERS.
UH, I KNOW I'M GETTING, I'M A LITTLE BIT PAST RETIREMENT.
I'M READY TO GO NOW, BUT THERE'S A FEW OF 'EM RETIRED.
SO OUR CONCERNS ARE THE TAXES.
UH, THERE'S NO ACCESS TO RETIREMENT.
THE MAIN THING ON MINE, I'M ON THE, I GOT THE TWO LOTS ON THE WEST END.
TWO THIRDS OF THEM LOTS ARE IN THE A HUNDRED YEAR FLOOD PLANT.
AND I GAVE HIM SOME MAPS, IF YOU WANNA LOOK, THE MAPS.
BUT THERE'S, UH, AS FAR AS THE CITY WATER AND SEWER, I DON'T SEE ANYTHING BEING PUT BACK THERE ON MY CASE.
SO MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THE TAXES BASICALLY KIND OF KEEP 'EM LOW
BUT, UH, LIKE I SAY, THERE'S NO EXCESS.
UH, I DON'T SEE BUILDING ANYTHING, PUTTING WATER OR NOTHING ON THERE.
[00:30:01]
MY NAME IS ABIR MOTIN.NO MATTER HOW HARD IT IS, WE SHOULD WORK TOGETHER AND WE SHOULD STAND TOGETHER AND WE SHOULD STAND BY EACH OTHER.
NOT IN BAD, NOT TO DO BAD, BUT TO DO GOOD.
AND THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO WANT PEOPLE TO GET OUT.
THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WHO ANNOY YOU BOTHER.
YOU BRING TRASH AND DUMP IT RIGHT BY YOUR YARD.
THEY'LL FEEL, THEY'LL BRING FLOCKS OF BIRDS TO FLY AND ANIMALS TO COME.
AND THEN YOU'LL, THEY GOT ME BIT.
WHY SHOULD WE GO? THEY NEED TO GO.
THEY JUST BURNED A HOUSE THE OTHER DAY ON THE 24TH AT 8:00 PM ON SUNDAY BY DELIBERATION.
IF, IF THEY THINK, I DON'T KNOW WHO DID IT, WHO DID IT,
SO LIKE I'M TELLING YOU, I NEED, I'M ASKING FOR ALL OF YOU TO WORK WITH ME.
WITH THE INJUSTICES AND THE OVERWHELMING SITUATIONS THEY PUT ME IN, THEY HAVE BURNT, THEY INTENDED TO BURN THE ELECTRIC ELECTRICAL POLE IN MY BACKYARD WITH THE TRANSFORMER ON TOP.
THEY DUMPED A WHOLE TRASH CAN THAT'S, HAS A LOT OF BUGS AND STUFF RIGHT IN THE SIDE, CLOSE TO THE HOUSE.
THEY HAVE PUT A HOLE IN MY ROOF AND EVEN AFFECTED ELECTRICITY IN THE HOUSE AND CUT OFF SOME ELECTRICITY ON PURPOSE.
AND I WANT YOU ALL NOT TO GIVE UP ON ME.
AND WHAT I ASKING RIGHT NOW IS FOR US AND AMERICA IS, SAFETY COMES FIRST.
AND THERE'S PEOPLE JUST WANNA ANNOY EACH OTHER, PESTER EACH OTHER, HURT EACH OTHER, KILL EACH OTHER.
I I DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO BE LIKE THAT.
AND IF YOU HAVE THAT TENDENCY, I DIDN'T GROW UP LEARNING TRICKERY.
SO I JUST LEARNED ALL THAT WE DO GOOD.
SO THE TRICKERY THINGS THAT I SEE IS TOO MUCH
AND SO I AM ASKING YOU TO NOT GIVE UP ON THE COMMUNITY AND TO HEAR WHAT WE HAVE TO SAY AND TO PLEASE, IF YOU CAN HELP US TO REMOVE THE OBSTACLES AND THE HARDSHIPS AND THE OPPRESSION AND THE SUPPRESSION AND THE HATE CRIMES, AND THE PRESSING AND THE DISCRIMINATION, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN MY WAY AND OTHER PEOPLE'S GOOD WAYS WHO ARE GOOD.
WE WANT GOOD PEOPLE IN DECATUR.
AND IT WAS, IT WAS WONDERFUL SEEING YOU ALL.
YOU TAKE CARE AND HAVE A LOVELY DAY.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE? COUNSEL? COME ON DOWN, MA'AM.
I MUST SAY YOU HAVE AN IMPRESSIVE CROWD TONIGHT.
LIVING LEGENDS OF THE BOYCOTTERS FAMILY.
MR. COCHRAN IS CERTAINLY A LIVING LEGEND HERE, AND MR. TAYLOR WILL ALWAYS BE THE CITIZEN OF THE YEAR.
UM, I FIRST WANNA LET YOU KNOW SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE CONTACTED ME.
MR. HORN HAD ME, UM, SEND OUT SOME INFORMATION TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE YARD WASTE.
I'M SURPRISED THAT'S NOT BEEN A CONVERSATION THAT I, UM, OPTION NUMBER ONE WAS THE VERY FIRST CHOICE OF ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE, INCLUDING FOUR PEOPLE THAT DECIDED TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH ME WHILE I WAS VOLUNTEERING AT CATHOLIC CHARITY SATURDAY.
UM, ON MAY 11TH, KONO, WE WILL BE SPONSORING A PUBLIC SAFETY PANEL, AND I'LL BE AT THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT ARE ALREADY CONFIRMED.
KAREN EER FROM WND WILL BE THE MODERATOR, AND IT WILL BE FROM TWO O'CLOCK TO FOUR O'CLOCK IN THE CHILDREN'S AUDITORIUM.
YOU'LL BE SEEING MEDIA INFORMATION ABOUT THAT.
I ALSO WANNA MENTION THAT THIS PAST SATURDAY, THE CITY OF PRAISE CHURCH, UH, PARTNERED WITH KONO.
THEY WERE OUR FIRST GRANT RECIPIENT FROM THE MONEY THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE CITY.
WE HAD DOZENS AND DOZENS OF KIDS THAT WERE THERE FOR AN EASTER I CAN.
AND FOUR KIDS WENT AWAY WITH BRAND NEW BICYCLES.
SO THAT WAS A PRETTY GOOD EASTER FOR THEM.
[00:35:01]
TO MENTION THE LANDLORDS, UM, HAD THREE PHONE CALLS FROM DIFFERENT LANDLORDS TO WHICH ARE PEOPLE THAT I WORK FOR, AND THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THE NEW RULES.THAT WAS KIND OF NOT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ME.
UM, I'M CONFIDENT THAT HE'S GOING TO SET UP SOME TYPE OF A CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD, SO THAT WILL CERTAINLY BE GOOD.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MR. GLEASON BEING HERE.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING CREATIVE VISION, SPENDING TIME, HAVING VISION FOR OUR CITY AND NOT WHAT I CALL, JUST ALL THE STUFF.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT I'VE SPENT WITH MR. BRIGHTON.
WE CERTAINLY DON'T ALWAYS AGREE, BUT THAT'S THE WAY LIFE GOES.
I DON'T ALWAYS AGREE WITH ALL OF YOU, BUT I RESPECT ALL OF YOU FOR SERVING.
I LIVE ON THE WEST END, ON WEST SUNSET.
UM, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE ANNEXATION THAT SOME OF THE OTHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT.
UM, I TALKED WITH ABOUT 10 OTHER NEIGHBORS WHO, UM, SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE HERE.
I APPRECIATE THE ONES THAT HAD COME AND EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN ABOUT IT.
THE ONES THAT I SPOKE WITH, UM, DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THAT THEY WOULD BE HEARD.
THEY FELT LIKE NOTHING WAS GONNA HAPPEN IF THEY CAME AND SPOKE, OFFERED THAT WE COULD START A PETITION.
AND THEY FELT LIKE THAT WOULDN'T DO ANY GOOD.
UM, AND WHILE THROUGH THE COURTS, YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO GO THROUGH, DO THIS.
I EXPRESSED TO THEM THAT MAYBE THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION WOULD MATTER TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
UM, MANY OF US BOUGHT BACK THERE FOR THAT REASON, BECAUSE WE HAVE COUNTY PROPERTY BEHIND US, BECAUSE OF SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES WE ENGAGED IN THAT CAN'T BE OCCURRED IN THE CITY.
A CONCERN OF MINE, AS WELL AS THEIRS, WAS THAT WE WEREN'T GIVEN A REASON WHEN WE WERE GIVEN THE NOTICE.
THERE WAS NO REASON AS TO WHY THAT YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE PROPERTY THAT WE BOUGHT, OR IN MY CASE, STILL IN THE PROCESS OF PURCHASING WHY YOU WANT TO CHANGE IT.
AND WITHOUT THAT REASONING, IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO SWALLOW EVEN WHEN YOU TRY TO FORCE IT UPON US, IF THAT IS YOUR CHOICE.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION IF A PETITION WOULD HELP AND BE BENEFICIAL TO SHOW YOU THAT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY DO NOT WANT THIS ON THE WEST END, AS WELL AS PROVIDING US SOME TYPE OF REASONING OR RATIONALE ON WHY YOU WANT TO CHANGE OUR PROPERTY OR THE PROPERTY WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO PURCHASE.
BECAUSE AS AMERICANS, WE TRY TO OWN, WE TRY TO HAVE THAT AMERICAN DREAM.
AND WHEN WE THINK IT'S OURS, WE WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT BENEFIT IS IT GOING TO INCUR TO CHANGE IT.
SO PLEASE TAKE THAT CONSIDERATION BEFORE YOU GUYS VOTE ABOUT THE PETITION AND GIVING US A, A VERY VALUABLE REASON, A VIABLE REASON ON WHY THIS NEEDS TO OCCUR.
MY NAME IS, MY NAME IS DAVID M. JONES.
I LIVE AT 7 47 WEST GROVE ROAD, DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
EVERY ONE OF YOU LOOK AT ME AND TELL ME WHERE THAT'S AT.
CAN ANYBODY GUESS? NO, PROBABLY NOT.
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A GOLF COURSE, ALONG WITH THE CITY AND THE CATER PARK DISTRICT, 12 YEARS AGO, DECIDED TO BUILD A GOLF COURSE.
THEY CLOSED TWO OTHER ONES DOWN AND, AND BUILD A NEW ONE.
WE HAD NO SAY IN ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
'CAUSE YOU PARTNERED WITH A-D-M-A-D-M BROUGHT THE FARM PROPER PROPERTY, THEY HAD THE MONEY, YOU PARTNERED WITH THEM AND BUILT A GOLF COURSE.
MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HERE DO NOT WANT THEIR PROPERTY ANNEXED.
DECATUR, CITY OF DECATUR CANNOT TAKE CARE OF WHAT THEY ACTUALLY GOT TO TAKE CARE OF RIGHT NOW.
LOOK AT THE ROADS AND STREETS, BRICK ROADS, I CAN TELL YOU ONE OVER HERE ON, ON 17TH STREET NORTH OF EL DORADO STREET, THERE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN REDONE 25 YEARS AGO, AND IT STILL LOOKS LIKE GARBAGE.
UH, AS FAR AS I, I'LL HAVE NOTHING TO GAIN BY THE ANNEXATION.
YOU WILL EXTRA TAX MONEY, UH, RULES AND REGULATIONS.
I BUILT HOUSES FOR 45 YEARS HERE IN, IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
AND WE PUT UP WITH THE CITY DECATUR FOLLOWING REGULATIONS AND RULES AND EVERYTHING.
AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT BECAUSE WE ALWAYS DID THAT PLUS MORE.
UH, LET'S SEE, TO GET OPPORTUNITY TO GET, OKAY.
AND I, I REALIZE YOU NEED MORE MONEY.
[00:40:03]
I WOULD PARTNER WITH MR. HOWARD BUFFET AND HAVE HIM PUT $10 MILLION A YEAR IN THE CITY, DECATUR, BECAUSE HE'S GOT THE MONEY.MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE EXTRA MONEY.
THERE WAS A TIME I WORKED THREE OR FOUR JOBS JUST TO KEEP UP AND BARELY AND BARELY PAY TAXES.
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN IS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
MY GRANDPARENTS BUILT IT, AND I'VE GOT SOMETHING THE CITY DECATUR DOES NOT HAVE.
IF WATER SYSTEM GOES DOWN THE CITY, DECATUR, YOU'VE GOT NOTHING FOR A WHILE.
I'VE GOT A WELL THAT'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS TOO, AND I, IT JUST AMAZES ME THAT THE ONLY THING THAT IT'S BEHIND IT BASICALLY IS TO MORE MONEY, MORE TAX MONEY AND MAYBE A POPULATION GROWTH.
BUT THE POPULATION'S BEEN GOING DOWN IN DECATUR SINCE THE EARLY SEVENTIES, FROM 104,000 TO 60 TO 70,000.
NOW YOU'VE GOT TO WORK ON POPULATION GROWTH SOMEHOW.
UH, AND JUST BY ANNEXING CERTAIN PROPERTIES RIGHT AROUND THE CITY OF DECATUR IS ONLY GOING TO GET A FEW HUNDRED.
UH, DECATUR HAS ALWAYS HAD A, WELL, NOT ALWAYS HAD A PROBLEM BACK WHEN I, MR. JONES, I'M SORRY, BUT YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? UM, BEFORE I OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION, MR. WRIGHTON, WOULD YOU MAYBE MAKE SOME REMARKS ABOUT THE ANNEXATIONS AND SOME RATIONALE? I'D BE PLEASED TO DO THAT, MAYOR.
SO ONCE A YEAR, UM, YOU, YOU HAVE ANNEXATIONS ON YOUR AGENDA ALMOST EVERY MEETING.
UH, BUT ONCE A YEAR, WE, WE DEAL WITH ALL OF THE FULLY SURROUNDED PARCELS OF ANNEXATION TOGETHER.
THAT'S WHY THERE'S 21 OF THEM ON YOUR AGENDA.
AND I WAS GONNA SPEAK ANYWAY BECAUSE THERE'S, BECAUSE SIX OF THOSE HAVE CHOSEN TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
IN ALL CASES, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM, THEY ARE FULLY SURROUNDED.
AND OUR LEGAL TEAM AND OUR ENGINEERING TEAM HAVE TAKEN PAINSTAKING TIME TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FULLY SURROUNDED.
UM, MS. MORLAND, I THINK ONE OF THEM GAVE YOU A, A MAP.
IS THERE ANY QUESTION IN YOUR MIND ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE FULLY SURROUNDED AND MEET ALL OF THOSE STATUTORY OBLIGATIONS? UH, THE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED IS A PUBLIC WORKS DETERMINATION.
UM, I, I WOULD NEVER OFFER JUST BASED ON THAT MAP, WHETHER IT IS OR NOT, BUT PUBLIC WORKS DID THE, ALL OF THE RESEARCH FOR COMPLETELY SURROUNDED, UH, I MEAN, ALL I CAN SAY IS WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THESE FOR, FOR MONTHS,
IF, IF, IF THEY'RE NOT, THEN IT'S NOT A VALID ANNEXATION.
UM, THE, THE REASON FOR DOING THESE EVERY YEAR AS A, AS A GROUP, UH, BESIDES THE FACT THAT THEY'RE FULLY SURROUNDED, THEY'RE, THEY'RE LIKE THE, THE HOLES IN THE SWISS CHEESE IS THAT IT'S FUNDAMENTALLY UNFAIR TO HAVE SERVICES PROVIDED IN, YOU KNOW, IN ONE LOCATION AND NOT IN THE OTHER.
THAT MIGHT BE RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
IT ALSO CREATES CONFUSION FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, UH, TO SEE IS THIS HOUSE IN, OR IS THAT HOUSE IN, UH, AND, AND THAT KIND OF CONFUSION CAN, CAN COST, UH, PRECIOUS TIME IN AN EMERGENCY.
UM, AT LEAST ONE OF THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING ALSO ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF, WELL, THAT, THAT, THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A SEWER OR WATER WELL, UM, UH, AND, AND ROAD SERVICE.
WE DON'T PROVIDE THAT OUTSIDE THE CITY.
AND ANNEXATION COMES FIRST RATHER THAN THOSE, THAN THOSE SERVICES.
AND WHILE THESE 21 ARE IN, ARE IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY, CERTAINLY IT HAS HAS BEEN OUR PRACTICE, THE ONES THEY ARE IN THE CITY, WE, WE UPDATE WHERE WE, WHERE WE CAN MAKE OR SHOULD MAKE THOSE SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS, UH, BASED ON THE ANNEXATION DECISIONS THAT YOU, THAT YOU MADE.
UH, IT, THIS IS NOT PRIMARILY A POLICY DECISION DRIVEN BY, UH, BY MONEY.
THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX FROM THESE IS RELATIVELY SMALL.
IT'S, IT'S ONE DRIVEN BY A CONTINUITY OF OUR BOUNDARY, UH, OF, OF FAIRNESS AND EQUITY AND CONSISTENCY AND LACK OF, AND, AND ELIMINATING CONFUSION WITH FIRST RESPONDERS.
AND THAT'S WHY THE STATE STATUTE DOESN'T ALLOW US TO ANNEX UNLESS IT IS FULLY SURROUNDED AND ALL FOUR SIDES.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S AN ISLAND IN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY.
MR. MCDANIEL, I'VE GOT TWO QUESTIONS, BUT ON THIS, UM, DID WE PUT, DID THE STAFF PUT ON THE LETTER THAT WE SEND TO THESE INDIVIDUAL, UH, RESIDENTS STATING WHY THEY'RE GOING TO BE ANNEXED? I BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WHO SPOKE IS PROBABLY CORRECT.
UH, I'LL, THAT, THAT THE, THAT THE RATIONALE FOR THE ANNEXATION PROBABLY WASN'T ARTICULATED IN THE NOTICE.
UM, MS. MARLIN, DO YOU WANNA COMMENT ON THAT? YEAH, IT, WE FOLLOW STA WHATEVER THE STATUTE REQUIRES US, AND IF IT SAYS IT'S COMPLETELY SURROUNDED UNDER 60 ACRES, THAT'S WHAT THE NOTICE WOULD SIGN.
[00:45:02]
BUT SO THERE IS SOMETHING BASICALLY ON IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, WELL, I, I THINK THE, UM, WHAT MS. MORLAND IS SAYING IS THAT WE FOLLOWED THE STATUTE AND THE STATUTE DOESN'T REQUIRE THAT, THAT, THAT WE GIVE A REASON.THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE COULDN'T HAVE DONE IT.
UH,
AND I SUSPECT THAT THAT, UH, THE FACT THAT, UM, THAT THIS PERSON IS SAYING THAT WASN'T THERE IS PROBABLY TRUE.
WE ANNEXED SURROUNDED PARCELS FOR CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS AND TO ELIMINATE THOSE, THOSE LITTLE HOLES.
UH, BUT WE DIDN'T, BUT I SUSPECT THAT THERE, THAT THAT SPEAKER IS RIGHT, THAT WE DIDN'T PROVIDE A RATIONALE BEYOND THAT.
YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT I THINK WE REALLY, UH, TO KEEP BEING UPFRONT, WE NEED TO START PUTTING THAT IN THE LETTERS, YOU KNOW, SO I APPRECIATE THAT.
I MEAN, THE STATUTE'S VERY CLEAR.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ADDITIONAL NOTICE OR LETTER, BUT, UM, THE NOTICE OF INTENT THAT YOU ACTED ON A FEW COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO, AND THEN THE NOTICES THAT ARE SENT, UM, ARE SPECIFIC THAT IT'S TO ANNEX SURROUNDED TERRITORY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE THE OTHER POLICY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WENT INTO THE STATUTORY PROVISIONS WHEN THE LEGISLATURE ENACTED IT.
AND ALL OF THOSE THAT THE MANAGER JUST, UH, TALKED ABOUT ARE THOSE THAT THE LEGISL STATE LEGISLATURE WOULD'VE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.
BUT IT SAYS IT'S BECAUSE IT'S COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.
I HAVE ONE THING, UM, I APPRECIATE THE LEGAL, UH, COUNSEL FROM CITIZENS ON, ON THE ITEM, UH, UH, ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON THIS COUNCIL FOR, UH, 11 YEARS.
UH, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD COMPETENT AND KNOWLEDGEABLE, UH, CORPORATE COUNSEL, UH, THAT, UH, IS WELL AWARE OF MUNICIPAL LAW AND ILLINOIS LAW.
AND, UH, SO, UM, UH, WHEN WE TAKE ACTIONS AS WE ARE TONIGHT, IT'S, UH, ALL LEGAL AND THERE'S REASONS FOR IT.
AND IT'S ALSO TO PROTECT THE CITY FROM MAJOR LIABILITY DOWN THE ROAD, UH, INSTEAD OF WAITING TO GO THROUGH THE COURTS AND THAT WHICH COULD TAKE YEARS, IT COULD BE, UH, VERY DANGEROUS FOR, UH, CITIZENS, UH, GOING BY SOME OF THESE, UH, BUILDINGS THAT, UH, THAT WE NEED TO TAKE DOWN.
AND, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S OUR LEGAL, UH, OBLIGATION TO DO THAT.
ARE THERE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE REMARKS? COUNCILMAN KHL? YOU'RE RIGHT THAT WE'VE, UH, DONE THESE ANNEXATIONS EVERY MEETING, BUT THIS ONE, UH, KIND OF SET ME BACK HERE.
I WASN'T EXPECTING ALL THESE COMMENTS TONIGHT, AND I'M NOT REAL COMFORTABLE VOTING ON 21 ANNEXATIONS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I DON'T EXPECT OUR CITY COUNCIL TO GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.
SO I'M KIND OF TORN AS TO WHAT TO DO.
ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAID HIS PROPERTY WASN'T SURROUNDED.
I THINK HE SAYS ONE SIDE WAS, UH, COUNTY OR SOMETHING.
I, I, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HEARD HIM SAY THAT.
DID I? I THOUGHT ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN SAID HIS PROPERTY WASN'T SURROUNDED.
SO I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO.
I, I'M NOT COMFORTABLE, UM, VOTING FOR 21 ANNEXATIONS WHEN WE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE UNHAPPY.
BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I WILL TELL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNHAPPY, I'M NOT GONNA GUARANTEE THAT I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR THE ANNEXATION.
I JUST FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN BLINDSIDED A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT ON THESE.
AND, UM, SO I, I GUESS WE'LL SEE HOW THE MEETING GOES, BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL.
UH, SINCE THE YEAR 2020, THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL HAS ANNEXED HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES.
AND IN FACT, WE HAVE MADE IT A POLICY THAT WHEN SOMEONE HAS A WATER SERVICE AGREEMENT AND THEY BECOME NEXT TO THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF DECATUR, THEY WILL BE ANNEXED.
AND WE'VE ALSO MADE IT A COUNCIL POLICY THAT WHEN A PROPERTY IS ENTIRELY SURROUNDED, IT WILL BE ANNEXED.
AND IN FACT, MANY OF THOSE HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES THAT WE ANNEXED SINCE 2020, THOSE PROPERTIES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANNEXED DECADES AGO.
UH, THIS IS A ISSUE OF TAX EQUITY FOR THE 69,000 RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.
AND THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE, UH, IT'S JUST NOT EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF TAXES.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND INDIVIDUALS' FRUSTRATIONS, UH, THAT ARE BEING ANNEXED ABOUT WHAT THE BENEFITS TO THEM ARE, UM, I WILL SAY I'M, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO LIVE IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE BEST FIRE DEPARTMENT, UH,
[00:50:01]
IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS RESPONDING TO CALLS.I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE BEST POLICE DEPARTMENT RESPONDING TO CALLS.
AND I THINK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS SECOND TO NONE.
AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I THINK THAT THERE IS, UM, THE CITY COUNCIL DESPITE, UM, THE, WHAT ARE DEFINITELY SOME, UH, REALLY HEARTFELT MESSAGES.
WE HAVE TO STICK TO A POLICY THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING SINCE 2020 IN ANNEXING HUNDREDS OF PROPERTIES.
CAN I FOLLOW UP, MR. YES, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING COUNCILMAN HORN SAID.
UM, I'M JUST, I JUST FELT LIKE THESE PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED TONIGHT.
AND, UM, I'M NOT SURE THEY GOT ALL THE INFORMATION THAT MAYBE THEY NEEDED THAT.
THAT'S WHAT I'M READING INTO THIS.
PAT, YOU LOOK LIKE YOU DON'T FEEL THAT WAY AT ALL.
I'D BE HAPPY TO HEAR WHAT YOU SAY, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M READING.
THESE PEOPLE WERE TAKEN SOMEWHAT BY SURPRISE.
MS. MR. COOPER, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES.
I'M GONNA GONNA RESPOND TO SOME OF SOME OF THE COM COMMENTS NOW, UM, BASED ON WHAT SOME INDIVIDUALS INDICATED, UM, TO SAVE TIME WHEN WE GET TO THE, A COUPLE AGENDA ITEMS. AND, UH, SEVERAL OF YOU, UH, ADDRESSED COMMENTS ABOUT THE, THE NEW CI, THE CITY MANAGER, AND, UM, THE PROS AND CONS OF RECOMMENDING WE CONSIDER BRINGING, UH, THE RECOMMENDED CANDIDATE BACK AND WHY, AND OTHERS INDICATED WHY NOT.
AND OTHERS I'VE SEEN ON, ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND EMAILS AND TEXAS AND ALL ABOUT THE PROS AND CONS OF BRINGING THE CITY MANAGER BACK.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE MY COMMENTS NOW BEFORE WE GET TO THE VOTE.
UM, MY BASIC COMMENT IS, I, I AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE PROCESS OF HOW WE SELECTED THE CITY MANAGER.
AND AS SOME OF YOU HAVE INDICATED, I FEEL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE OPENED IT UP AND GOT MORE CANDIDATES.
ALL THE CURRENT CITY, CANADA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE CURRENT HERE, EXCEPT MYSELF, HAVE EITHER WORKED WITH HIM BEFORE, SO THEY KNEW HIM.
I WAS THE LONE ONE WHO DID NOT.
SO I'M NOT GONNA, I'M NOT GONNA SAY HE IS, HE'S GOOD OR HE'S BAD 'CAUSE I HAVEN'T WORKED WITH HIM.
BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS I THINK THE OPPORTUNITY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TO REVIEW ANY CANDIDATES THAT WERE INTERESTED IN THE POSITION.
SO I WOULD HAVE A BETTER IDEA TO COMPARE HIM WITH OTHER CANDIDATES.
HE MAY VERY WELL BE THE BEST CANDIDATE.
UM, BUT IT'S HARD TO DETERMINE THAT WHEN YOU HAD NOTHING TO COMPARE IT AGAINST.
I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT IF THE CURRENT ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER WANTED TO APPLY THAT HE DIDN'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO APPLY.
HE MAY NOT DECIDED TO APPLY, BUT I FEEL HE SHOULD HAVE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BE CONSIDERED BY US AND ANYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY, IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, WHO MET THE QUALIFICATIONS, WHO WANTED TO SUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION AS WELL AS ANYBODY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR.
SO I FELT THAT THAT PROCESS, WE MISSED IT ON THAT PROCESS THAT I FELT WOULD'VE BEEN A BENEFIT TO THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR.
I HOPE IF THIS SITUATION HAPPENS AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, IF I'M ON THIS COUNCIL AT THAT TIME OR NOT ON THE COUNCIL AT THAT TIME, I HOPE WE GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF ALLOWING THOSE CANDIDATES WHO WOULD LIKE TO APPLY TO, TO APPLY AND THEN WE DECIDE WHO WE FELT IS THE BEST POSITION PERSON FOR THE POSITION.
THAT'S ALL I'M GONNA SAY ON THAT MATTER.
SO I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PROCESS.
THE OTHER ISSUE IS WITH THE, THE PACKAGE, UM, I FELT THAT THE PACKAGE WAS UNFAIR AND I HAVE ISSUES WITH THE PACKAGE OVERALL.
HOWEVER, WHATEVER DECISION I DECIDE TO MAKE TONIGHT, I WILL MAKE IT BASED ON WHAT I FEEL ABOUT THE PERSON, WHETHER HE CAN DO THE JOB OR NOT DO THE JOB.
BUT I THINK WE COULD HAVE DONE SOME THINGS MUCH BETTER IN THIS COUNCIL.
THESE ARE SOME SERIOUS ISSUES IN, IN, IN THE PACKET.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE HAD PROPER APPLE TIME TO OBVIOUSLY SAT DOWN AND REALLY DISCUSSED THE ISSUES AS A COUNCIL, WHICH WE DID, WE WOULD NOT DO IN ALL CASES BECAUSE THINGS CHANGED AS, AS FAR AS THE DAY, DAY AWAY, THINGS CHANGED, BUT WE HAD NO OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS THE CHANGES.
[00:55:01]
AT THAT TIME.I THINK EVERYBODY WHO GAVE FEEDBACK, AND I THINK EVERYBODY WHO GAVE FEEDBACK, UM, ON TONIGHT FOR BEING HERE AND THOSE ONLINE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I DON'T KNOW IF, UH, THIS IS INFORMATIVE OR NOT.
UH, WITH REGARD TO THE ANNEXATIONS, THE STATUTE HAS A PROCESS THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW.
THE FIRST STEP AFTER, UM, MONTHS AND MONTHS OF RESEARCH BY THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT IS FOR THIS GROUP TO, UM, PASS A RESOLUTION, UM, OF AN INTENT TO ANNEX, WHICH YOU DID, I THINK THREE COUNCIL MEETINGS AGO, THE FIRST MEETING IN MARCH.
FOLLOWING THAT, WE ARE REQUIRED TO, UH, SEND NOTICE TO ALL TAXPAYERS OF THE PROPERTIES OF RECORD.
WE ALSO TRY AND NOTIFY OWNERS IF THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
WE'RE NOT REQUIRED TO, BUT WE TRY AND DO THAT.
UM, WE HAVE TO SEND NOTICE TO EVERY TOWNSHIP OFFICIAL, UM, EVERY MEMBER OF THE MACON COUNTY BOARD, EVERY MEMBER OF A LIBRARY DISTRICT IF IT'S DIFFERENT, UM, EVERY MEMBER OF A FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT.
SO, UM, THERE IS EXTENSIVE NOTICE, UM, THAT IS PROVIDED PER STATUTE, I WOULD SAY.
SO I'M JUST GONNA PICK ONE BECAUSE THERE'S MANY, BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, THE LAST NAME WAS LOT.
I THOUGHT IT WAS DANIELLE LOT POSSIBLY, AND SAID HIS PROPERTY WASN'T SURROUNDED.
SO IS IT, OR IS IT NOT? AND AND HOW DO I VOTE ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN THERE'S DOUBT THAT IT'S NOT EVEN SURROUNDED? WELL, I'M NOT SURE.
I MEAN, WE RELY ON PUBLIC WORKS TO DO THAT PORTION OF THE WORK.
THEY HAVE SPENT MONTHS DOING IT AND GOING THROUGH IT.
UM, AND IF IT'S, AS THE CITY MANAGER SAID, IF SOMETHING IS NOT ACCURATE, THEN BY LAW IT'S NOT COMPLETELY SURROUNDED AND IT WOULDN'T BE, YOU KNOW, AND I'M SURE THAT, UH, MR. NEWELL HAS WRITTEN THAT DOWN AND WILL VERIFY AND DOUBLE CHECK, BUT OKAY.
I, I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON HERE A WHILE AND I'VE BEEN THROUGH A LOT OF ANNEXATIONS AND WHENEVER THERE'S ONE THAT'S CONTROVERSIAL, I USUALLY GET EMAILS ABOUT IT.
I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE EMAIL ON ANY OF THESE ANNEXATIONS, AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD TONIGHT IS ALL OF A SUDDEN OUTTA THE BLUE, WE'VE GOT EVERYBODY UPSET OVER IT.
AND I, I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THIS COMING.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL AT THIS TIME? OKAY, WE WILL MOVE
[III. Approval of Minutes]
ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE, APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF MARCH 18TH, 2024.ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
[1. Resolution Authorizing Appointment - City Manager]
BUSINESS ITEM ONE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPOINTMENT CITY MANAGER.SECOND, UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, UH, A CITIZEN WHO HAS REQUESTED TO SPEAK AT THIS TIME.
UH, WE WILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF DISCUSSION AND THEN BRING MS. PHILLIPS UP SO WE, WE WON'T FORGET YOU, BUT OPEN THIS TO DISCUSSION FOR ITEM ONE.
AND IT WOULD BE TO APPOINT, UM, TIM GLEASON AS THE NEXT CITY MANAGER.
MAYOR, I HAVE COMMENTS, BUT I'LL DEFER TO THE CITIZENS FIRST.
IS THAT ALL RIGHT IF WE BRING, OKAY.
SHE WAS OUT IN THE HALL A MOMENT AGO.
MR. WRIGHTON, DID YOU WANNA MAKE ANY COMMENTS ON THE APPOINTMENT OF CITY MANAGER? I, WELL, I DIDN'T THINK SO.
WE HAD A LITTLE TIME TO FILL, SO I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, ALL THIS, THIS DECISION IS YOURS TO MAKE ENTIRELY AND, AND YOU'VE MANAGED IT.
UH, WELL, I, I JUST WANNA ASSURE THE CITY COUNCIL THAT, UH, THAT MY OFFICE AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS OF OUR STAFF WILL WORK DILIGENTLY.
IN FACT, HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO WORK ON, ON A SMOOTH TRANSFER FROM WITH WHOMEVER YOU CHOOSE AS THE CITY MANAGER.
ALRIGHT, WELL, WELL WE WAIT TO SEE IF, UH, THE CITIZEN IS HERE.
WE'LL, UM, OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS ON THE APPOINTMENT OF TIM GLEASON TO RETURN HIS DECATUR CITY MANAGER, DR. HORN.
I WELCOME BACK MR. TIM GLEASON TO THE CITY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH HIM IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE PROCESS BY WHICH MR. GLEASON WILL BE HIRED EXEMPLIFIES ONE OF THE LONG-TERM CHALLENGES OUR CITY FACES.
THE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOP POSITIONS AMONG UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS AND THOSE WITHOUT TIES TO OUR CITY.
[01:00:01]
LEAST FOUR OF SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL WANT A CANDIDATE, THEY CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH A PROCESS THAT DOES NOT SEEK APPLICATIONS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES, DOES NOT INVOLVE INTERVIEWING MULTIPLE CANDIDATES, YET DOES PROVIDE AN EXCEPTIONAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE TO THE INDIVIDUAL.SELECTED PROCESS MATTERS FOR EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER TAKEN A MATH COURSE.
TO EARN FULL CREDIT, YOU MUST SHOW YOUR WORK AND GET THE CORRECT ANSWER.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PROCESS FOR SOLVING A PROBLEM, YOU MAY GET THE WRONG ANSWER THE NEXT TIME.
AND TO BE CLEAR, THE PROCESS THAT WAS USED TO HIRE THE CITY MANAGER CAN BE USED TO ADVANCE FUTURE POLICIES THAT ARE NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF OUR RESIDENTS.
THE APPOINTMENT OF A CITY MANAGER WITHOUT COMPETITION IS UNEQUIVOCALLY NOT IN THE CITY'S BEST INTEREST.
THE MAJORITY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS SENT A MESSAGE TO WOMEN PERSONS OF COLOR, CURRENT CITY EMPLOYEES AND EXECUTIVES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT OUR BEST OPPORTUNITIES ARE NOT FOR YOU.
AND THE TOP POSITION IN CITY GOVERNMENT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO YOU REGARDLESS OF YOUR INTEREST, BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS.
THE PROCESS CHOSEN BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL IS THE ANTITHESIS OF THE COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCESS USED FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ANNUAL CITY SPENDING TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS RECEIVE THE BEST PRODUCTS AND SERVICES AT THE BEST PRICE.
THE PROCESS CHOSEN BY THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL IS THE ANTITHESIS OF THE CITY'S MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE ORDINANCE THAT WAS DEVELOPED TO ENSURE THAT CONTRACTORS ON PUBLIC WORK PROJECTS MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT FOR MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES TO BE PROVIDED WITH SUBCONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES AND PERSONS OF COLOR TO WORK ON PUBLICLY FUNDED PROJECTS.
IN FACT, THE CITY COUNCIL MADE NO EFFORT AT ALL, LET ALONE A, A GOOD FAITH EFFORT.
TO BE CLEAR, THE CITY MANAGER'S CONTRACT INCLUDES A $230,000 SALARY, $22,000, 800 ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO A DEFERRED COMPENSATION PRO, UH, PROGRAM, THE EMPLOYEE'S PORTION OF THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND AT $10,350, 30 DAYS OF VACATION LEAVE, AND 20 DAYS OF SICK LEAVE PER YEAR, PLUS $20,000 IN RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AND REIMBURSEMENT TO ATTEND THE HARVARD KENNEDY BUSINESS SCHOOL.
SO THE QUESTION RESIDENTS SHOULD ASK IS, WOULD THE CITY OF DECATUR BE ABLE TO ATTRACT A LARGE NUMBER AND DIVERSE SET OF OUTSTANDING CITY MANAGER CANDIDATES WITH A TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE OF OVER $260,000 A YEAR PLUS 10 WEEKS OFF EACH YEAR? AND I WOULD ANSWER A RESOUNDING YES TO THAT QUESTION.
SO, DESPITE MY STRONGEST OBJECTIONS TO THIS PROCESS, I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MR. GLEASON AND I KNOW HIS KNOWLEDGE AND BACKGROUND OF DECATUR SHOULD SERVE OUR RESIDENTS WELL.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? OH, CAN I GO TO CHUCK FIRST? MR. KHL? OH, DENNIS, THANK YOU COOPER.
REAL QUICK, I SAID I WASN'T GONNA SAY ANYTHING ELSE, BUT I I, I'M ELECTED TO SAY THIS AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THE WAY I VOTE TONIGHT ON THIS IS BECAUSE I'M LOOKING FOR THE BEST INTEREST OF OUR CITY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PROJECTS GOING ON.
I THINK OUR CURRENT CITY MANAGER HAS DONE A GREAT JOB MOVING US TO A, A, A GOOD DIRECTION IN, IN DECATUR.
AND I THINK THAT WE NEED TO NOT DELAY ANY LONGER THAT PROGRESS THAT WE HAVE HAVE MADE AND THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE BECAUSE I'M, WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITY.
SO IF I VOTE FOR MR. GLEASON, I'M VOTING FOR HIM BECAUSE WE NEED TO NOT DELAY THE PROGRESS THAT WE ARE HAVE, HAVE AT THIS TIME AND TO CONTINUE IN THE EFFORTS IN WHICH WE ARE GOING.
I AS, AGAIN, WITH, I CONCURRED WITH EVERYTHING THAT DR. HORN JUST SAID.
HE IS EXACTLY CORRECT ON EVERYTHING HE SAID, AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL DO BETTER THE NEXT GO ROUND IF, WHEN IT GETS TO THAT TAPE.
SO THE WAY I LOOK AT THIS, THE, THE REAL PROCESS IS
[01:05:01]
AN ELECTION OF SEVEN INDIVIDUALS UP HERE.WE HAVE A MAYOR AND SIX CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AND A MAJORITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, WHEN WE GOT WIND THAT TIM GLEASON WAS INTERESTED WERE IN FAVOR AND FULL SUPPORT OF TIM.
SO, IN MY MIND, THERE WAS NO REASON TO GO THROUGH ANY PROCESS AT ALL, UH, TO PUT THIS OUT.
UH, THIS WASN'T TO SLIGHT ANYONE OF ANY BACKGROUND AT ALL.
IT WAS REALLY THAT WE HAD A KNOWN QUALIFIED, PROVEN CANDIDATE WHO HAD WORKED HERE BEFORE WHO WAS WELL RECEIVED BY THE COMMUNITY IN THE PAST.
AND FOR ME, IT WAS A NO BRAINER.
AND, UH, HE'S, HE'S QUALIFIED.
HE'S A GREAT PERSON FOR THE CITY.
I DO HOPE WE GET A SEVEN OH VOTE, BUT I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THERE WASN'T ANY REASON TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS.
WE HAD A MAJORITY OF COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WERE FOR TIM GLEASON, AND, UH, THAT'S HOW I SAW IT.
MR. CULP, I'VE KNOWN MR. GLEASON FOR SEVERAL YEARS WHEN HE SERVED HERE PREVIOUSLY.
AND I, I WAS A CITIZEN HERE IN DECATUR AS I STILL AM TODAY.
BUT I'M IN A POSITION WHERE, UM, WHEN I HEARD HE WANTED TO COME BACK, THAT MADE ME FEEL GOOD AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT ALSO AS A MEMBER OF DECATUR, UH, THAT WE HAVE THAT MUCH TO OFFER, UH, THAT WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS ON THE HORIZON.
AND THE TIM GLEASON STORIES STILL RESONATE TODAY FROM WHEN HE WAS, UH, SERVING HERE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS WHERE HE WOULD COME OUT AND CHECK LIGHTS HIMSELF.
HE WOULD MEET, UH, CIVIC GROUPS AND MAYBE FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE PRESENT, BUT HE WOULD TAKE THAT.
UH, BUT THE DEPARTMENT HEADS AS WELL, UH, THE LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE HE GAVE TO OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS WAS SECOND TO NONE.
AND, UH, MR. WRIGHT DID A WONDERFUL JOB WHEN HE WAS, UH, HERE IN THIS POSITION AS WELL.
BUT THE LEADERSHIP HE GAVE WAS, WAS PHENOMENAL.
AND I'M, I'M HONORED THAT HE WOULD EVEN CONSIDER US AGAIN.
I'VE KNOWN TIM TO BE A MAN OF GREAT INTEGRITY AND PROFESSIONALISM, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.
AND TO CONTINUE THAT LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? UH, MARSHA PHILLIPS, DID YOU COME BACK IN THE ROOM? APPARENTLY NOT.
SO, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE WE CALL THE QUESTION? CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.
SIX AYES ONE ABSTENTION ITEM TWO.
[2. Resolution Authorizing Employment Agreement - City Manager]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT.THE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WAS, UM, OUTLINED IN THE PUBLIC PACKET THAT WENT OUT ON THURSDAY.
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT, DR. HORN HAD, UM, HIT A LOT OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT WERE IN THAT.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[3. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 56 Refuse and Recyclables Removal Concerning Yard Waste]
CITY CODE CHAPTER 56.REFUSE AND RECYCLABLES REMOVAL CONCERNING YARD WASTE.
SO, UM, THIS ONE WILL PROCEED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY, MAYOR, IF YOU DON'T, IF YOU DON'T MIND.
UH, INSTEAD OF PUTTING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, I'D LIKE TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT, UM, UH, THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS RETURNS TO YOU.
WE HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM.
AND AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION, I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU PUT ONE OF THEM, UH, ON THE FLOOR FOR ADOPTION AND PROCEED TO A VOTE ON MARCH 4TH.
UH, YOU HAD A, A LIVELY AND ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, YARD WASTE.
AND, UH, AND AT THE END OF THAT DISCUSSION, YOU DIRECTED STAFF TO COME BACK WITH, UH, MUCH MORE SPECIFIC NUMBERS AND RULES AND PROTOCOLS FOR, FOR TWO, FOR TWO OPTIONS.
THE FIRST OPTION, AND IT IS IDENTIFIED IN THE PACKET MATERIAL AND IN THE, UM, AND IN THE BACKGROUND MATERIAL AS OPTION ONE.
OPTION ONE WOULD PROVIDE FOR A, AN ADDITIONAL FEED PAID BY ALL CUSTOMERS, WHETHER THEY USE YARD WASTE SERVICE, UH, EXTRA YARD WASTE SERVICES OR NOT.
UM, AND, UH, IT WOULD PROVIDE FOR IT, UH, AT CURBSIDE EVERY SINGLE WEEK.
UNLIMITED, UH, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JANUARY AND FEBRUARY WHEN, ALTHOUGH THIS YEAR WAS AN EXCEPTION, HISTORICALLY, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY COLLECTIONS ARE, ARE SMALL, THAT PEOPLE DON'T PUT MUCH OUT AT ALL.
BUT UNDERSTANDING THAT, UH, THAT MAY CHANGE AND THAT PEOPLE STILL WANT ACCESS TO IT.
UH, THE ARRANGEMENT IS THAT BOTH GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT WILL PROVIDE ONCE A MONTH YARD WASTE SERVICES, UH, DURING
[01:10:01]
JANUARY, ONCE IN JANUARY, AND AGAIN IN FEBRUARY, IT'LL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE RESPECTIVE WASTE HAULER TO CLARIFY TO THE CUSTOMERS WHICH WEEK THEY'RE SCHEDULED FOR.THEY'LL BE PICKING UP YARD WASTE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH, BUT, UH, PEOPLE ON THE EAST SIDE MIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT WEEK.
THERE'S THOSE ON THE WEST SIDE AND SO FORTH, AND IT'LL BE THE, THE HAULER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO CLARIFY THAT.
SO FROM UNDER, UNDER THIS OPTION, UH, THE HAULERS OFFERED TO DO IT FOR $3 A MONTH, UH, IN ADDITION TO THE 2350.
THAT'S THE IN BASE SERVICES, IF WE DO THE BILLING AND $3 AND 25 CENTS, IF THEY DO THE BILLING, 25 CENTS ISN'T WORTH IT FOR US TO DO THE BILLING
AND I'VE BEEN SPENDING THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS TRYING TO CONVINCE BOTH GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT STOP TELLING PEOPLE TO CALL THE CITY
THEY'RE, THEY'RE CALLING ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE, AND YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR CUSTOMER SERVICE LINES ARE, ARE MORE RESPONSIVE IN THAT WAY SO PEOPLE DON'T GET FRUSTRATED AND CALL THE CITY WHEN IN FACT YOU'RE BOTH PROVIDING IT.
AND THE BILLING, WHEN I FIRST ASKED THE WASTE HAULERS FOR THIS OPTION, OF COURSE, THEY, THEY CAME IN AT A HIGHER NUMBER AND WE HAD, WE HAD TO PUSH THAT DOWN THROUGH SEVERAL WEEKS OF, OF NEGOTIATION.
I EXPECTED IT TO BE HIGHER AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, BECAUSE YOU HAD DIRECTED PRIOR TO ACTION IN DECEMBER THAT WE TRY TO KEEP THAT BASE FEE AS LOW AS POSSIBLE, UH, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO, WHO MAY HAVE A LESSER MEANS TO, TO PAY THE BILL.
UM, BUT I WAS, UH, PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET DOWN TO THREE AND A QUARTER BECAUSE ALTHOUGH EVERYBODY WOULD PAY IT, INCLUDING THOSE WHO MAY NOT USE IT, IT WOULD ENABLE YOU TO, TO USE IT AS YOU WISH.
AND HAVING THE SERVICE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY IS LIKELY TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE, PROBABLY NOT ELIMINATE, BUT AT LEAST SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ILLEGAL DUMPING.
IT'S FAIRLY COMMON THAT SOMEBODY WILL SAY, WELL, I I I DON'T WANT PREMIUM SERVICE, OR I DON'T WANT RECYCLING SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE I MAKE MY OWN ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DISPOSAL OF THOSE THINGS.
WELL MAKE MY OWN ARRANGEMENTS IS OFTEN CODE FOR ILLEGAL DUMPING.
AND SO IF EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO IT AND EVERYBODY USES IT, THEN ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE AN EQUITY ISSUE FOR YOU TO CONSIDER IF W WITH OPTION ONE, THAT THAT WOULD BE THE ADVANTAGE OF, OF, UH, OF HAVING OPTION ONE.
OPTION TWO IS BASICALLY A, UM, GENTLER VERSION OF WHAT WE HAD BEFORE.
UH, THE, UH, THE, THE FEE COMES IS, IS IT A HUNDRED DOLLARS? YOU CAN PAY IT, UM, EVERY OTHER MONTH RATHER THAN ALL AT ONCE, BUT YOU DO HAVE TO MAKE A FULL YEAR CONTRACT OBLIGATION, UH, AND IT'S UNLIMITED PICKUP AT, AT, UH, AT CURBSIDE, BUT ONLY FOR THOSE WHO OPT TO PAY THE EXTRA PREMIUM SERVICE.
AND INCLUDED IN THAT PREMIUM SERVICE WOULD BE THE SAME PICKUP ARRANGEMENT FOR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY THAT I DESCRIBED FOR OPTION ONE, IT WOULD ONLY BE AVAILABLE ONCE A MONTH, UH, IN JANUARY AND ONCE A MONTH AGAIN IN FEBRUARY.
BUT, BUT WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT OPTION ONE AND OPTION TWO IS THAT IF YOU HAVE OPTION TWO, YOU'RE ONLY GETTING THAT SERVICE IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND THE REST OF THE YEAR, EXCEPT FOR THE SIX WEEKS IN THE SPRING AND THE SIX WEEKS IN THE FALL, IF YOU PAY THE EXTRA OPTIONAL SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE FEE, I THINK THE REST OF THE DETAILS ARE, ARE IN THE, IN THE MATERIAL.
AND I DON'T WANNA REPEAT THEM, BUT I, I WANTED TO REALLY COVER JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS AND I THINK THAT IS THE HIGHLIGHTS.
AND SO, MAYOR, I WOULD REQUEST THAT YOU, UH, MANAGE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THOSE AND ONCE YOU THINK THAT IT'S CLEAR AS WHICH OPTION YOU WANNA SELE, UH, SELECT, YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND JUST TO CLARIFY ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS, BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SOME QUESTIONS, IT'S NOW A HUNDRED DOLLARS FEE CORRECT? IF YOU DID UNDER OPTION TWO.
AND AS OPPOSED TO 120, AND IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID THAT, IT WOULD, AND WE DON'T GO WITH THAT OPTION.
LIKE IF WE WENT WITH OPTION ONE, THOSE WHO HAD PAID WOULD GET CREDIT ON THEIR BILLS.
THE, UH, I, I'VE SPOKEN TO BOTH THE HAULERS AND MADE SURE THAT THEY WILL GIVE CREDITS ON, ON YOUR ACCOUNT, UM, FOR WHATEVER AMOUNT THAT YOU'VE PAID FOR PREMIUM SERVICE IN THE PAST.
UM, I WANNA THANK BOTH GFL AND, UH, WASTE MANAGEMENT FOR MAKING SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATIONS ON CORRECTING THE, A PROBLEM THAT WE HAD AND, AND MR. WRIGHT AND HIS STAFF FOR, UM, CONSTRUCTING THIS OPTIONS ONE AND TWO.
UH, I'VE HEARD FROM NUMEROUS CITIZENS, I'VE LOOKED AT NUMEROUS COMMENTS ON THE, UM, SOCIAL MEDIA, UM, TALKED TO PEOPLE IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, AND BY FAR 90% OF THE INDIVIDUALS HAVE INDICATED THEY WERE PER OPTION ONE.
SO I I WOULD HOPE THAT MAY, HOPEFULLY OUR COUNCIL WILL NOT SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, I THINK THIS IS GONNA CORRECT THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAD AND CORRECT IT.
WELL, AND I THINK IT'S FAIR TO EVERYBODY.
AND I, I DO WOULD SAY WE GO WITH THE 3 25, I AGREE WITH THE, UH,
[01:15:01]
CITY MANAGER.I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD BE GETTING INTO US COLLECTING PAYMENTS, UM, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY GONNA OPEN UP MORE PRO PROBLEMS FOR STAFF DOWN THE CITY HALL THAT WE DON'T HAVE STAFF TO HANDLE ALL THOSE CALLS AND CALLS WILL TRIPLE OR, OR, OR, OR, OR, OR DOUBLE, UM, IF WE TAKE ON THIS RESPONSIBILITY.
SO I'D ASK THAT WE TAKE OPTION ONE, GO WITH 3 25 AND I THINK OUR PROBLEM IS SOLVED.
AND THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING AS YOU WERE SPEAKING THAT YOU WANTED THE 3 25.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? MRS. GREGORY? NOT MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT COUNCILMAN COOPER SAID, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE OPTION ONE PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
I WOULD PREFER OPTION ONE AS WELL.
I HAVE A QUESTION TO ASK SOMEONE.
SO I'M, I THINK IT MIGHT BE FOR THE GARBAGE HAULERS.
UM, UH, WHAT, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH SOMEONE THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY GARBAGE? BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS EVERYONE WHO HAS THE RESIDENCE IS REQUIRED TO PAY GARBAGE SERVICE.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
SO DO WE HAVE ANY BACKUP PROCESS FOR PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD IT? UM, ERIC OR DAVID, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK ABOUT THAT? UH, IF YOU, I I DON'T KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS YOU HAVE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIFFICULTY PAYING OR PAY ON INSTALLMENTS.
GOOD EVENING FOR THE RECORD, DAVE SHAW WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT.
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN.
UM, IT IS UNIQUE INDICATOR THAT THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES, OR THERE IS AN ORDINAL REQUIREMENT FOR CITIZENS TO HAVE VERIFIABLE SOLID WASTE SERVICE.
AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, A REQUIREMENT THAT WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO EVERYONE WITHIN OUR GEOGRAPHIC TERRITORY.
AND THAT THEN IF WE SAY, OKAY, WE'LL HAVE AN OPT OUT FOR YOU, WELL, WE'RE OPENING UP AT OUR, AT OUR OWN EXPENSE IN OPPOSITION TO THE ORDINANCES.
SO RIGHT NOW, AND WE'LL WORK WITH ANYONE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN IN TERMS OF DIFFERENT TERMS OR LONGER TERMS OF PAYMENT OR A SINGLE PAYMENT VERSUS MONTHLY WHATEVER.
WE CAN, HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, THE RATES ARE SET BY ORDINANCE.
THE SERVICE LEVELS ARE SET BY ORDINANCE, AND WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE WHEREWITHAL OR THE LATITUDE TO SAY WE'RE GONNA, WELL, WE'LL MAKE A SEPARATE DEAL IN, IN THIS MARKET.
IT'S, UH, EVERYONE GENERATES SOME SOLID WASTE.
OUR RATES ARE SET BY THE AVERAGES THAT THE ENTIRE CITY GENERATES.
SO WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT LATITUDE.
UH, THANK YOU BECAUSE I'VE HAD THAT COMMENT FROM CITIZEN WHO HAVE TOLD ME THEY CAN'T AFFORD AN INCREASE OF ANY KIND.
SOME PEOPLE WEREN'T PAYING FOR A GARBAGE SERVICE, NOW THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I'M GONNA GO FOR, FOR OPTION ONE, BUT I WOULD JUST HAVE TO SAY, AND I WAS TALKING TO COUNCILMAN HORN, THIS IS SEPARATE SUBJECT, BUT I'VE BEEN PAYING, UH, TAXES TO OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT MY WHOLE LIFE, AND I CHOSE TO SEND MY CHILDREN TO FAITH-BASED SCHOOLS AND NEVER WERE ABLE TO USE IT.
AND SO THOSE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HELP, THAT ARE GONNA HAVE TO PAY A GARBAGE FEE WHERE THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY IN THE PAST, I THINK WE'VE ALL HAD TO DO THAT SOMEWHERE.
AND I'M JUST TRYING TO SHOW YOU MY EXAMPLE OF WHERE I HAD TO PAY OVER THE YEARS, DR. HORNE.
SO THE SHORT ANSWER, MAYOR, IS I AM SUPPORTIVE OF OPTION ONE AT 3 25, BUT I DO WANNA ELABORATE ON A, ON A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, TO, UM, JUST ECHO WHAT, UH, COUNCILMAN KUHL MENTIONED, I I THINK THE CITY AT LEAST NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE HOW IT'S GONNA WORK TOGETHER WITH SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES TO MAKE SURE THAT INDIVIDUALS THAT CANNOT AFFORD GARBAGE SERVICE, UH, WILL GET IT.
AND THE REASON I SAY THAT IS ESSENTIALLY SOME INDIVIDUALS IN OUR CITY HAVE GONE FROM EFFECTIVELY PAYING $0 PER MONTH FOR GARBAGE TO PAYING $26 AND 75 CENTS IF WE PASS THIS ORDINANCE.
AND SO, UH, THAT IS AN OVER $300 PER YEAR COST THAT NOT EVERYBODY MAY BE ABLE TO AFFORD.
SO I JUST THINK OUR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO, UM, WORK WITH THE SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES AND BE AWARE OF THAT.
UH, SECOND, WHILE I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF OPTION ONE, I WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CONTINUES TO GET A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT SERVICE, UH, FROM SOME OF OUR GARBAGE HAULERS.
AND THERE IS STILL WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO GET BETTER SERVICE FOR DECATUR RESIDENTS AS A GENERALIZATION.
[01:20:01]
UM, AND SO EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION MULTIPLE TIMES IN COUNCIL CHAMBERS ABOUT HOW SERVICE IS GOING TO IMPROVE THAT, IT'S NOT BEEN DEMONSTRATED, AT LEAST IN THE COMMENTS THAT WE'RE GETTING.UM, FINAL THING THAT I'LL MENTION IS, WHILE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ADDING AN ADDITIONAL $39 TO THE YEARLY COST OF EVERYONE'S BILLS, THERE ARE DEFINITE ADVANTAGES TO YEAR ROUND YARD WASTE OF PICKUP FOR ALL CUSTOMERS THAT MAKE THIS A STRONG CHOICE FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND FOR THE CITY.
AND THE BOTTOM LINE FOR ME IS ULTIMATELY MOTHER NATURE WILL DECIDE WHEN IT IS TIME FOR CITIZENS TO PICK UP YARD WASTE.
AND THE SYSTEM OF SIX WEEKS OF UNLIMITED WASTE IN THE SPRING AND FALL WAS SIMPLY UNTENABLE AND CONFUSING TO RESIDENTS.
I MEAN, IF THE HAILSTORM THAT WE GOT LAST NIGHT HAPPENED IN FEBRUARY OR JUNE, WHAT EXACTLY WERE WE GONNA DO WITH ALL THE YARD WASTE THAT FELL DOWN? AND SO IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY.
AND FINALLY, UH, LIKE DENNIS COOPER, COUNCILMAN COOPER SAID, I JUST WANNA THANK EVERYONE THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THE REEXAMINATION OF THIS YARD WASTE PROGRAM.
THIS MAY BE THE BEST EXAMPLE OF HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD WORK.
RESIDENTS IDENTIFIED A PROBLEM, THEY INFORMED THE COUNCIL ABOUT IT.
THE COUNCIL LISTENED TO THE PUBLIC, ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO PROVIDE OPTIONS.
THE CITY MANAGER NEGOTIATED WITH THE COMPANIES.
THE CITY COUNCIL THEN ASKED FOR FEEDBACK ON THE OPTIONS, AND THEN BASED ON LISTENING TO OUR RESIDENTS, WE'RE GONNA SELECT THE BEST OPTION.
AND SO PERHAPS IN THE FIRST TIME IN SEVEN YEARS, I FEEL THAT THIS PROCESS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS WORKED WELL AND AN ISSUE THAT I BELIEVE WILL BENEFIT ALMOST EVERY RESIDENT.
WE DO HAVE A CITIZEN THAT, UH, REQUESTED TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
IF IT'S OKAY WITH COUNSEL, WE'LL BRING HIM IN AT THIS TIME.
YOU'LL AGAIN HAVE, UM, THREE MINUTES.
I AM A CURRENT ACQUISITION PROGRAM MANAGER WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE.
MY COMMENTS TONIGHT DO NOT REFLECT THE DOD OR THE MILITARY.
UM, WHILE DECATUR RANKS IS A TOP 10 CITY FOR FLEEING RESIDENTS, I BELIEVE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO RETAIN OUR NEIGHBORS BY IMPROVING MUNICIPAL SERVICES.
CITY SERVICES SHOULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO ENCOURAGE REMOTE WORKERS TO HOME BASE HERE IN OUR TOWN.
OVER A DECADE AGO WHILE SERVING OUR MILITARY AT THE PENTAGON, I WORKED WITH RACHEL HOLT AT UBER TO LAUNCH DEFENSE INNOVATION NETWORK.
FAST FORWARD A FEW YEARS, I'D RETURNED TO DECATUR AS SHE ROSE TO GM OF THE US FOR UBER, AND WE HIT HATCHED A PLAN TO BRING UBER TO DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
SHE CONVINCED HER STAFF TO APPROVE OUR ROLLOUT.
UBER IS STILL HERE TODAY CONNECTING THOUSANDS OF FIVE STAR RIDER TO DRIVERS, BUT IF YOU TRY TO ACHIEVE THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE BY CALLING FOR A TRASH TRUCK ON YOUR PHONE, YOU'LL FIND THAT THIS EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EXIST IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT FIVE STARS.
I BELIEVE WE SHOULD CHANGE HOW WE APPROACH TRASH COLLECTION INDICATOR.
BY REVIEWING NEIGHBORHOOD COMPLAINTS ON NEXTDOOR.COM, I'VE REALIZED MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IS SHARED BY MANY OTHERS, WHICH UNDERSCORES DISSATISFACTION WITH GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS SYSTEMIC FAILURE TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
MY FRUSTRATION IS NOT UNIQUE, NOR IS MY A UNNECESSARY FINANCIAL BURDEN AS OF JANUARY, GFL TACKED ON EXPANDED SERVICE, EVEN THOUGH MY VIDEO CAMERAS SHOW OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS THAT THEIR TRASH TRUCKS FAILED TO SHOW UP AT MY HOME ON TRASH DAY FOR PICKUP.
I RARELY USE ONE BIN YET I'M BEING CHARGED FOR TWO.
AS OF JANUARY, WHILE I WAS AWAY FOR MILITARY TDY TEMPORARY DUTY, I WAS CHARGED FOR UNREQUESTED AND UN RENDERED SERVICES COUPLED WITH NON-RESPONSIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM PENNY AT GFL.
MY PERSONAL SITUATION IS, BUT ONE EXAMPLE OF A SYSTEM THAT LACKS FLEXIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF SERVICE IS BAD, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CHOOSE ANOTHER VENDOR.
FOR RESIDENTS LIKE MYSELF WHO EARN A LIVING THROUGH REMOTE WORK OR MILITARY SERVICE, WE MIGHT WANNA PAUSE OUR TRASH SERVICES DURING EX EXTENDED ABSENCES DUE TO WORK, VACATION, OR MILITARY DUTY.
THE CURRENT 90 DAY MAX IS ARBITRARY FAILS TO ACCOMMODATE THE REALITIES OF OUR LIVES.
IF OUR RESIDENTS WANT A ROAD TRIP AROUND THE US FOR A FEW MONTHS, SHOULD THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY FOR TRASH SERVICE? I DON'T THINK SO.
DRAWING FROM MY EXPERIENCE IN HELPING BRING UBER TO DECATUR, I PROPOSE WE APPLY THE SAME PRINCIPLES OF CHOICE AND ON-DEMAND SERVICE TO OUR WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TODAY.
WE IMPROVE COMMUNITY SERVICES BY ADOPTING OPEN SOURCE DATA STANDARDS.
IMAGINE IF ANY LICENSED LOCAL HAULER COULD BE SUMMONED VIA AN APP.
SO ANY VENDOR CAN WORK IN A COMMON PLATFORM.
RESIDENTS CAN REQUEST PICKUPS WHEN NEEDED, PAYING ONLY FOR THE SERVICES THEY USE.
WE COULD KEEP OUR MONEY IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY, NOT WITH A LARGE CORPORATE HAULER THAT SUCKS MONEY
[01:25:01]
OUTTA DECATUR, BUT BY HIRING LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS TO DO PICKUP SERVICES.WHAT ABOUT LANDSCAPING COMPANIES? LOCALLY, THEY COULD EARN ADDITIONAL REVENUE BY HAULING YARD WASTE AND AGGREGATE FOR THEIR CLIENTS.
A FLEXIBLE SYSTEM ALIGNS WITH BOTH INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND REDUCES UNNECESSARY SERVICE RUNS.
IT ALIGNS WITH DECATUR'S SUSTAINABILITY GOALS.
AND WE CAN REDUCE FUEL WASTE INSTEAD OF RUNNING LARGE GAS GUZZLING TRASH TRUCKS ALL OVER TOWN TO BINS THAT ARE NOT EVEN FILLED ON.
DEMAND ELIMINATES THAT PROBLEM.
JUST IMAGINE A FUTURE IN THE PALM OF OUR HAND, ENABLING US TO REQUEST TRASH SERVICES ON DEMAND LIKE HALEY NEUER TODAY.
I'M SORRY, MR. POLLAN, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
QUESTION TO, UH, CITY MANAGER.
THANK YOU FOR THE FEEDBACK BY THE WAY.
UM, THE REST OF THE, UM, THE, THE ORDINANCE, THE WAY THE, THE CONTENTNESS OF THE ORDINANCE REMAINS THE SAME.
IS THAT CORRECT? I KNOW WE HAD A CLAUSE IN THERE ABOUT IF THE SERVICE WASN'T PROVIDED APPROPRIATELY FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD FOR A EXPERIENCED PERIOD OF TIME, YOU COULD REMOVE THEM AND GET ANOTHER THAT, THAT ALL STILL IN, IN THE ORDINANCE, CORRECT? COUNCILMAN COOPER? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, THE MATERIAL THAT YOU HAVE FOR OPTIONS ONE AND TWO ONLY AMENDS THOSE PROVISIONS OF CHAPTER 56 THAT ARE RELEVANT TO THE TWO OPTIONS THAT ARE, THAT ARE BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
AND THE BULK OF CHAPTER 56 WASN'T CHANGED BY THIS CONSIDERATION.
AND THAT LANGUAGE THAT IS, THAT IS NOT ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING, INCLUDES WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
AND THAT IS, UM, LANGUAGE THAT GIVES THE CITY MANAGER, UM, THE AUTHORITY TO IDENTIFY PATTERNS OF POOR SERVICE, UH, OF POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE, UH, OF SIMPLY LACKING TO PICK UP AND THESE SORTS OF PROBLEMS THAT, THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEMS WITH.
I THINK THAT THE GFL AND WASTE MANAGEMENT ARE GETTING BETTER, BUT THERE IS A MECHANISM THAT DIDN'T EXIST IN THE ORDINANCE BEFORE, WHICH I THINK IS YOUR POINT, THAT THAT ENABLES THE CITY TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
UH, AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY EVEN HAVE TO BE CITYWIDE IF THERE'S A PROBLEM IN A CERTAIN AREA OR WITH ONLY ONE HAULER TO SORT OF DEAL MORE SURGICALLY WITH THAT ONE.
AND, AND IF AND IF NECESSARY, EVEN GO TO THE POINT OF SAYING, OKAY, WE'VE HAD ENOUGH, WE'RE GONNA BID IT OUT, UH, AND, AND GET A DIFFERENT, A DIFFERENT HAULER.
AND THOSE REMEDIES, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER REMEDIES, UH, THAT SOLVE SOME PROBLEMS THAT EXISTED BEFORE ARE STILL IN THE, ARE STILL IN THE ORDINANCE.
I I WANNA SAY THAT, THAT THE, I, THIS, THIS GOES BEYOND YOUR, YOUR QUESTION COUNCILMAN COOPER, BUT THE, THE, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKER POINTS OUT SOMETHING THAT, UH, REALLY WE, WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT.
AND THE FACT THAT IS THAT THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTS TODAY WITH SENSORS AND RFID TAG THINGS TO, TO, TO TELL GARBAGE HAULERS REMOTELY WHEN YOUR CONTAINER IS FULL.
UH, THE, THE PROBLEM IS THAT, UM, BESIDES THE COST OF THAT TECHNOLOGY, THE REAL PROBLEM IS, AND THIS IS WHY THE ORDINANCE INDICATOR REQUIRES EVERYBODY TO HAVE GARBAGE SERVICE.
AND THERE ARE OTHER CITIES THAT DO THAT TOO.
NOT ALL OF THEM DO, BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER CITIES THAT, THAT ALSO SAY, IF YOU'RE IN THE CITY AND, AND YOU'RE A RESIDENT OF A CERTAIN CATEGORY, THEN YOU HAVE TO BE, YOU HAVE TO HAVE GARBAGE SERVICE.
BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MAKE THAT REQUIREMENT, PEOPLE MAKE ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENTS.
AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE WE ARE THE PROUD OWNERS OF HUNDREDS OF VACANT LOTS AND OTHER PARCELS AROUND TOWN, WE TAKE OFF THE MACON COUNTY TRUSTEE LIST, WHICH WE DO BECAUSE IT FITS OUR COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION POLICIES.
AND WHEN WE, AND WHEN WE CLEAR PROPERTIES, WE ARE CONSTANTLY FIGHTING OPEN DUMPING IN THESE LOTS.
AND SO, UH, I BELIEVE STRONGLY AS WELL AS FROM MY EXPERIENCE ELSEWHERE, THAT MAKING GARBAGE A REQUIREMENT, WE'LL REDUCE THAT BECAUSE THERE, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE THE INCENTIVE FOR YOU TO TAKE WHETHER IT'S GARBAGE OR RECYCLING OR YARD WASTE AND MAKE ALTERNATE ARRANGEMENTS FOR IT ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROPERTY.
UM, SO I WOULD SO THAT THAT MAY BE SEEN AS UNFAIR, BUT IT IS.
BUT IT'S THE ENVIRONMENT THAT, THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH.
AND, UM, UM, AND, AND I, AND THAT'S, THAT'S ONE OF THE ARGUMENTS, I GUESS IN FAVOR OF OPTION, OPTION ONE.
I WENT BEYOND YOUR QUESTION, BUT I WANTED TO MENTION THAT.
IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS, I WOULD WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO PLACE OPTION ONE ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE THIS EVENING.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN DOUGY QUESTION, MR. COOPER, DO WE NEED TO INDICATE WHICH AMOUNT? 'CAUSE THERE ARE TWO AMOUNTS IN OPTION ONE, ACTUALLY.
OPTION ONE WAS WRITTEN TO BE 3 25.
IT WOULD REQUIRE AN AMENDMENT TO WHAT YOU HAVE.
IF YOU WANTED TO GO BACK TO $3, YOU'RE NOT GONNA LISTEN TO THE COMMUNITY OR ANYTHING ON THIS.
UM, ARE WE, IS THERE OTHER DISCUSSION? I'M SORRY, SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER.
THIS JUST SHOWS THAT YOU
YOU'LL VOTE TO SHOW YOU'LL VOTE TO DO ASBESTOS REMOVAL ON PREP PUBLIC MONEY.
THIS IS, IS THE FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM COUNSEL ON THIS.
[01:30:01]
WHAT MR. COOPER SAID EARLIER.THE MAJORITY OF THE EMAILS, THE MAJORITY OF THE PHONE CALLS AND THE MAJORITY OF THE STOPS THAT I'VE HAD AT THE GAS STATION AT THE GROCERY STORE HAVE SAID TO ME THEY PREFER OPTION ONE.
SO IN MAKING THAT MOTION TO PLACE THIS ON THE AGENDA, I HAVE LISTENED TO MY COMMUNITY, MR. CULP, I'M ONLY GONNA ADD THE GENTLEMAN WALKED OUT, MR. PHILLIPS, HE'S GOT SOME VALID POINTS, HE'S FRUSTRATED.
BUT IF WE WERE TO HAVE AN AGENDA ITEM BASED ON CUSTOMER SERVICE, I THINK THIS ARENA, I'M SORRY, THIS FOYER AND THE ICE RINK WOULD BE FULL.
UH, AND THAT'S A MESSAGE WE'VE PASSED ON YOU GUYS IN THE PAST.
TAKE IT UP YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
UH, WE EVEN HAVE, PEOPLE CAN'T WORK YOUR SITE AND TRY TO DO IT ONLINE.
AND WHEN THEY GO TO PHONE CALLS, THEY, THEY GET HUNG UP ON DISCONNECTED.
IT'S HAPPENED TO ME AND OTHERS PERSONALLY.
SO PLEASE TAKE IT UP THE CHAIN.
I KNOW YOU GUYS, WE DON'T WANNA BEAT UP ON YOU, BUT IF THIS WAS A CUSTOMER SERVICE AGENDA ITEM, WE COULD NOT, WE COULDN'T HAVE EVERYBODY HERE.
SO PLEASE PASS THAT ALONG AND WE WILL PAY ATTENTION TO THE ORDINANCE AND WE NEED TO HAVE BETTER OPTIONS.
OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS ITEM? IF NOT, CALL A QUESTION, PLEASE.
[4. Resolution Accepting a Proposal from Triple A Asbestos for the Abatement of Asbestos from Vacant Buildings Located at 436 N. Main (Former YWCA)]
ACCEPTING A PROPOSAL FROM AAA ASBESTOS FOR THE ABATEMENT OF THE ASBESTOS FROM VACANT BUILDINGS LOCATED AT 4 36 NORTH MAINE.THE FORMER YWCA MOTION TO RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I AM NOT EXCITED ABOUT BRINGING THIS ITEM TO YOU AT ALL.
UH, THIS IS A PARCEL THAT HAS BEEN NEGLECTED BY ITS OWNER FOR DECADES.
UM, AND, UH, IT'S GOTTEN WORSE LATELY BECAUSE PARTS OF, UH, ONE OF THE TWO BUILDINGS ON THAT SITE AT THE CORNER OF EL DORADO AND MAINE IS SPING OFF ONTO THE SIDEWALK.
CREATING A, A HAZARD, UH, REPEATED, UH, COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE OWNER HAVE NOT RESULTED IN, IN ANY IMPROVEMENT.
AND SO, AS I INDICATE IN THE, UH, IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO, UH, ANY OPTIONS WE HAVE FOR LEGAL ACTION AG AGAINST THE OWNER, WE WILL CERTAINLY PURSUE, UH, AS VIGOROUSLY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.
BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE, UM, WE HAVE TO HAVE A, UH, STANDING, AND THAT STANDING IS ACHIEVED BY, UH, EXPENDING FUNDS TO ABATE THE NUISANCE AND THE HAZARD.
AND THAT BEGINS, IT DOES NOT END, SADLY.
IT BEGINS WITH THE, THE REMOVAL OF ASBESTOS.
UM, AND, UH, WHAT, WHAT OFTENTIMES HAPPENS IS THAT WE END UP ACQUIRING THE, THE PROPERTY AS A RESULT.
BUT THE PROPERTY VALUE FAR TOO OFTEN COMES, YOU KNOW, DOESN'T COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE COST OF THE ABATEMENT HERE.
BUT, UH, THE, THE ALTERNATIVE IS, IS THAT THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION THAT I THINK IS, IS NECESSARILY, UH, ONE THAT I, I WANT TO RECOMMEND, BUT I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE NO CHOICE EXCEPT TO ABATE THE NUISANCE, WHICH HAS BEEN THERE FOR, FOR, FOR MANY, MANY, MANY MONTHS.
AND, AND NEGLECT IT'S BEEN THERE FOR, FOR DECADES.
AND SO WE TOOK COMPETITIVE BIDS FOR THIS, AND I RECOMMEND THE LOW BIDDER, MR. WRIGHTON, DO WE HAVE THE OPTION OF, IN SOME WAY SECURING THE BUILDING OR FORCING BY ORDINANCE FOR THE OWNER TO SECURE THE BUILDING AND THEN WE JUST CLOSE IT UP.
I MEAN, IT'S, THIS IS A LOT OF MONEY FOR A PRIVATELY OWNED PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT, YOU KNOW, IS SOMEHOW NOW BECOMING OUR PROBLEM.
AND, AND THAT JUST DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.
I MEAN, I I'M SURE WITH THE CODE VIOLATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, THERE OUGHT TO BE A WAY FOR THEM TO AT LEAST SEAL IT OFF, SECURE IT, DO SOMETHING THAT, WHAT ARE OUR, OUR OTHER OPTIONS THERE? THERE HAVE TO BE MORE THAN ONE OPTION.
UM, WELL, I SUPPOSE THAT, UH, I MEAN THE, THE OWNERS HAVE NOT COOPERATED.
UH, YOU MENTIONED THAT AS A STARTING POINT WITH ANYTHING WITH, WITH SEALING IT, WITH, UH, WITH, WITH ELIMINATING THE, THE, THE NUISANCE THAT EXISTS ON EL DORADO STREET WITH, WITH AGREEING TO, TO, TO PAY EVEN FOR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VALUE OF THE LAND AND, AND THE ABATEMENT COST.
SO, UM, IS IT AN OPTION FOR US TO JUST, UH, TO EXPEND CITY FUNDS TO, TO, TO CLOSE IT UP TO, TO DO WHAT THE OWNER SHOULD HAVE DONE? UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE COULD HAVE LOOKED AT.
UM, THE, UH, ULTIMATELY AT, AT SOME POINT, SOMEBODY, WHETHER IT'S THE OWNER OR THE CITY OR SOMEBODY ELSE OR OR PROSPECTIVE OWNER IS, IS GONNA HAVE TO ABATE THE ASBESTOS AND REMOVE THE BUILDINGS.
THEY, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THEY'RE SALVAGEABLE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN LET GO FOR, FOR SO LONG.
SO THE OPTION IS TO, UH, MAYBE LOOK AT SOME OTHER LEGAL OPTIONS OR, OR TO DO THE MINIMAL AMOUNT NECESSARY TO CLOSE IT UP WITHOUT DOING THIS.
I, I SUPPOSE THAT THAT WOULD BE THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.
WELL, I, I MEAN, HAVE THEY BEEN FINED FOR VIOLATING ORDINANCES
[01:35:01]
OR, I, I KNOW YOU'VE BEEN, BEEN TRYING TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM, BUT HAVE WE ISSUED FINES FOR CODE VIOLATIONS OR OTHER THINGS REGARDING THIS? BECAUSE I MEAN, THE PARTS THAT ARE COMING OFF ARE UNSAFE AND THERE'S GOTTA BE A WAY THAT DOESN'T STICK THE TAXPAYERS WITH THIS.SO WE DID FIND THEM OR WE DIDN'T FIND THEM.
YEAH, THERE, I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS EVER A PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE VIOLATION CASE THAT WAS EVER REQUESTED.
SO IT HASN'T GONE TO WHAT WE WOULD TRADITIONALLY, UM, REFER TO AS HOUSING COURT TO SEEK THAT.
COUNCILMAN MCG GREGORY, I THINK IT NEEDS TO GO THROUGH HOUSING COURT.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF REALLY LARGE BUILDINGS HERE, UH, RECENTLY FALL DOWN, AND WE'VE, THE CITY HAS DONE ITS DUE DILIGENCE IN GOING AFTER THE OWNER.
WE'VE MADE, UM, THE PROPER SERVICE OF NOTICES AVAILABLE, UM, THE PROPER PHONE CALLS.
UM, AND I TOO AM NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING OUR TAXPAYERS PAY FOR ASBESTOS REMOVAL AND FOR DEMOLITION.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THE L IT WOULD BANKRUPT THE LLC, BUT THERE ARE ASSETS OUTSIDE OF THE LLC.
I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF THE NORTH SIDE OF THAT BUILDING FELL DOWN INTO THE STREET, UM, WHAT'S THE LIABILITY AND WHO'S RESPONSIBLE? THAT'S A LEGAL QUESTION.
UM, UH, MY GUESS IS THAT IT'S PROBABLY A COMBINATION OF THE OWNER AND THE CITY BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE ALLOWED IT FOR, FOR QUITE A WHILE.
WELL, WE HAVE ALLOWED IT, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAVE, UH, STARTED WRITING ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS LIKE WE WOULD ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY.
MR. COOPER, I CONCUR WITH THE, UH, CITY COUNCILMAN GREGORY AND OTHERS WILL SAY IT.
I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED BEFORE SITTING HERE TODAY THAT WE HAD, WE HAD WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS OF VIOLATING THEM FOR WHATEVER VIOLATIONS.
SO IT'S KIND OF SHOCKING ME RIGHT NOW THAT WE, WE, WE DIDN'T DO THAT PROCESS.
UH, I, UM, TO ME THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST NOTICE TO THE OWNER THAT WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT, YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY, UM, BY TAKING THEM WITH VIOLATIONS AND THEN TAKING THEM TO COURT.
I'M SURE THEY'RE IN VIOLATION OF A CITY LAW OR STATE LAW, UH, PROPERTY THAT THEY CAN THEN BE, WE CAN PURSUE 'EM THROUGH THE COURT SYSTEM.
AND SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE HAD DONE THAT FIRST BEFORE WE WOULD BE PAYING X NUMBER OF THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DEMO WITHOUT ANY OF THAT HAVING BEEN DONE.
SO I WOULD SAY THAT WE NEED TO START THERE, IN MY OPINION, AND, AND GO BACK AND DO THAT IN THE FUTURE ON ANY KIND OF PROPERTY THAT'S IN THAT SITUATION.
AND THEN MR. MCDANIEL, I'M GONNA AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COOPER.
I, I HAD THE ASSUMPTION AS WELL I'D, I, I DON'T WANNA KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
THIS IS AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE, BUT I'D REALLY LIKE TO POSSIBLY MAKE A MOTION ON THIS TO TABLE IT AND HAVE LEGAL TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS.
UH, THERE'S A LOT THAT I BELIEVE MS. MORTON'S DEPARTMENT COULD HAVE BEEN DOING OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO DO OR PURSUE THAT COULD HAVE PRESENTED US A BETTER CASE.
UM, AND I, WE HAVE EXPERTS IN THIS BUILDING, AND I'D LIKE TO HAVE MS. MORLAND TAKE A LOOK AT THIS AND AT LEAST PRESENT A CASE OR PURSUE SOMETHING LEGALLY.
PAT, I DON'T THINK THESE ORDINANCE REALLY GIVE A RATS PETITE ABOUT THAT BUILDING.
UM, IF YOU EVER GONE BY IT FOR OVER 20 YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A SIGN UP FOR SALE, FOR LEASE, OR FOR REMODEL.
WELL, OBVIOUSLY NOBODY WAS INTERESTED OR THE THE OWNERS WANTED TOO MUCH MONEY.
UH, IF YOU REMEMBER THE SITUATION WE HAD OVER ON JASPER STREET AND CANTRE WHERE THAT BUILDING WAS IN BAD SHAPE AND FINALLY FELL, FELL ON THAT WAS, WHAT, TWO YEARS AGO? AND, BUT NOW WE'VE GOT JASPER'S VERY BUSY, BUT ELDORA IS EVEN BUSIER.
SO YEAH, I DON'T WANNA SPEND OUR MONEY, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST STEP, UH, THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
REMEMBER WOODROW WILSON, WE HAD TO GO IN ASBESTOS FIRST, AND WE TORE IT DOWN.
THANK GOODNESS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT STEPPED FORWARD MAYBE WITH SOME PRESSURE.
UH, AND THEY PAID FOR HALF THE, UH, UH, DEMOLITION COST IN THAT.
SO, UM, YEAH, I, I WANT THE CITY BE PAID, BUT IF THIS, IF WE DO THIS MAYBE THAT THE, IF WE GO TO COURT, THAT'S GONNA BE MORE IN OUR FAVOR BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WE HAVE LEGAL LIABILITY AS A CITY HAVING, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE, ON THE NORTH SIDE, YOU KNOW, THE SIDEWALK IS EMPTY, WHICH MAY OR, UH,
[01:40:01]
IS BLOCKED.SO RESIDENTS, THEY'RE AT SAFETY, UH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY CAN'T USE THAT SIDEWALK.
SO, UM, WE, THINGS NEED TO BE DONE AND THE, THE OWNERS DON'T.
THEY'RE GONNA FIGHT US TOOTH AND NAIL BECAUSE IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, ONE OF ONE OF THE OWNERS IS A LAWYER.
UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CITY, UM, HAS LIABILITY IN THIS.
WE HAVE A DUTY UNDER THE LAW TO MAINTAIN OUR PROPERTY IN A REASONABLY SAFE CONDITION.
UM, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE THAT BLOCKED OFF, UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE CITY WOULD ULTIMATELY HAVE ANY LIABILITY.
IT WON'T PREVENT US FROM GETTING SUED, BUT ULTIMATE LIABILITY, UM, AND THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN INVOLVED.
I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE ANY CONFUSION.
WE DO HAVE A JUDGMENT FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT TO, UM, DEMOLISH THIS PROPERTY.
THE OWNERS CONSENTED TO THAT JUDGMENT IN EVERY DEMOLITION THAT WE DO.
UM, REGARDLESS OF HOW, UM, IT GETS THERE, WHETHER IT'S COURT ORDERED, WHETHER IT'S ONE OF PROPERTIES THAT WE OWN, UM, WHETHER IT'S ADVERSARIALLY IN COURT OR THEY CONSENT, WE ARE REQUIRED BY THE IEPA.
WE HAVE FOR, UM, 30 YEARS NOW TO PERFORM AN ASBESTOS SURVEY, WHICH IS DONE IN EVERY DEMOLITION CASE.
AND DEPENDING ON THE RESULTS OF THAT SURVEY, UM, DETERMINES WHAT ABATEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED.
THAT COST IS ADDED ONTO THE COST OF DE DEMOLITION, UM, ALONG WITH SERVICE FEES, OTHER MISCELLANEOUS COSTS THAT WE THEN, WELL, FOR SURE THEY'RE GONNA BE A LIEN AGAINST THE PROPERTY AND THAT WE SEEK TO COLLECT FROM THE OWNER OR OWNER OR, OR OWNERS.
SO THE ASBESTOS IS A LARGE AMOUNT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO DO IN EVERY SINGLE DEMOLITION CASE.
WELL, AN ASBESTOS SURVEY IS ONE THING, BUT YOU KNOW, NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WE DID THE SURVEY OKAY.
AND NOW WE'RE DOING THE ASBESTOS REMOVAL, AND THEN WE'RE GONNA GET STUCK WITH THE DEMOLITION.
YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE A REAL HARD TIME WITH THIS MR. K, UH, FIRST THING I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, THIS IS OWNED LOCALLY.
THE, THE, THE, THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS OF OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THEY LIVE HERE NOW, CORRECT? YES, SIR.
SO A LOT OF TIMES THIS HAS BEEN A CASE WHERE WE'VE HAD OUTTA TOWN OWNERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THESE, UH, OWNERS WHO LIVE IN THE CITY, AND THAT'S FRUSTRATING TO BEGIN WITH.
AND THEN WHAT PRECEDENT ARE WE SETTING IF, IF WE END UP KNOCKING THIS BUILDING DOWN? I DON'T, I'M NOT GONNA VOTE FOR THIS TONIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER ANGLES WE HAVE, BUT I'M NOT SPENDING $250,000 AND WE HAVE A LOCAL RESIDENT WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS TO OVERSEE THIS BUILDING, AND THEN YOU'RE THROWING IT ON US.
AND SOMETHING WE NEED TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF OTHER ANSWER.
FIRST, A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THEN A, UM, UM, A COMMENT HERE.
SO IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE BUILDING IS OWNED BY AN LLC, BUT DOES THE CITY KNOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE THAT OWN THE LLC? AND IF SO, WHAT ARE THEIR NAMES? THE PROPERTY IS OWNED BY C DEDRICK DEVELOPMENT, LLC.
AND IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WHO OWNS IT? I MEAN, THERE'S A PERSON THAT OPERATES THE LLC, CORRECT? THE LLC OWNS IT.
I, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE OFFICERS OF THAT CORPORATION.
I'D HAVE TO CONSULT THOSE PAPERS, BUT C DEDRICK IS, IS IS A LOCAL NAME.
YEAH, I, I MEAN, IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT THE CITY WOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE LLC.
IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? YEAH, IT'S PUBLIC RECORD.
I JUST THINK MR. WRIGHT IS SAYING HE DOESN'T PERSONALLY KNOW IT'S CAN BE LOCATED ON THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S, UM, ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE'S WEBSITE.
AND I DON'T KNOW SITTING HERE WHO IS LISTED AS THOUGH, BUT THE ATTORNEY HANDLING IT CERTAINLY DOES.
I I MEAN, WE, WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
I'VE TALKED WITH C DEDRICK AND, AND HER FATHER.
I MEAN, WE, WE, WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
ALL I'M SAYING IS THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHO'S THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT, SECRETARY OF THE CORPORATION.
CINDY DIEDRICH, IT'S FAIR TO SAY, IS A PART OF THE OPERATOR OF THE LLC.
UM, SECOND QUESTION IS, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT ABATING THE ENTIRE BUILDING AS A NECESSARY, UH, TYPE OF SITUATION.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO JUST ABATE A PORTION OF THE BUILDING AS A FIRST STEP?
[01:45:01]
YES, I THINK IS THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.UM, BUT IT MIGHT MAKE IT MORE OF A MESS THAN IT IS NOW.
I MEAN, WE COULD DEMOLISH THAT PORTION OF THE NATATORIUM THAT'S IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO EL DORADO STREET, WHICH IS FALLING ONTO THE STREET AND DEMOLISH IT BACK TO A POINT WHERE IT'S NO LONGER A THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY ON THE RIGHT OF WAY.
I, I THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD LIKELY RESULT IN, IN A, IN A WORSE EYESORE THAN, THAN WE HAVE NOW.
UM, LET ME ALSO MENTION, UH, IN MAYBE AN ANSWER TO A QUESTION OR A COMMENT, COUNCILMAN KUHL THAT YOU MADE ABOUT THE PRECEDENT.
I MEAN, WE'RE, IF YOU WANT US, US TO GO TO, TO BACK UP AND MAKE MORE CODE CITATIONS BEFORE THIS MOVES ANY FURTHER, THAT'S FINE.
WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL, STAFF WILL DO WHAT COUNCIL WANTS.
BUT THE, THE PRECEDENT, IF THERE IS ONE, IS THAT THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON WHERE WE'LL HAVE TO COME IN AND ABATE, UH, ASBESTOS OR OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS AND THEN TEAR IT DOWN AND THEN ACQUIRE THE PROPERTY, UH, BY PUTTING LIENS ON THE PROPERTY TO RECOVER A PORTION OF OUR COST.
UH, WE ACTUALLY DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
UH, WHAT MAKES THIS ONE DIFFERENT IS THAT IT'S JUST A LOT BIGGER.
MS. GREGORY, A COUPLE OF THINGS.
I I WOULD REALLY PREFER THAT WE START GOING, UM, BY CODE VIOLATIONS.
SO ISSUING CITATIONS AND I GUESS FOR, UM, LEGAL COUNSEL IS HAVING THE ASBESTOS SURVEY ENOUGH TO SUGGEST THAT THE COURT WOULD SUGGEST THAT THE OWNERS NEED TO TAKE THE BUILDING DOWN.
I DON'T THINK IT PLAYS ANY PART, SIGNIFICANT PART IN THAT.
AND, AND THE COURT HAS GIVEN US AN ORDER.
WE HAVE A SIGNED COURT ORDER ALLOWING US TO DEMOLISH.
AND PART OF THAT DEMOLITION IS WHETHER IT'S DONE THIS WAY BY A SEPARATE CONTRACT, UM, OR OFTENTIMES THE CONTRACTOR WHO RECEIVES THE DEMOLITION BED WILL DO, UM, SOME OF THE ABATEMENT WHATEVER'S REQUIRED.
HORLEY DO, WE DO HAVE A CITIZEN WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK.
WOULD YOU MIND IF HE SPOKE FIRST AND THEN WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU? UH, BRETT ROBERTSON HAD REQUESTED TO SPEAK.
IF YOU COULD COME FORWARD NOW, PLEASE.
AND, UM, YOU'RE SPOT ON WHAT THE CITY NEEDS AS LEVERAGE AGAINST THESE OWNERS.
AND THESE OWNERS HAVE DEEP POCKETS BECAUSE THIS IS NOT YOUR TYPICAL SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE ANY RESOURCES THAT COULDN'T DO THIS.
AND THE QUESTION IS, HOW DO YOU GET LEVERAGE? AND ONE WAY YOU COULD GET LEVERAGE IS BY IMPLEMENTING YOUR, YOUR SCHEME FOR THE CODE VIOLATIONS YOU'VE ALREADY PUT IN PLACE.
ANOTHER STRATEGY WOULD BE A LEGAL STRATEGY THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, THE OPTION TO PIERCE THE CORPORATE FAIL THAT WOULD REQUIRE A MORE COMPLEX, UH, LEGAL EFFORT AND PROBABLY SPECIALIZED LEGAL EXPERTISE.
BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU, MANY PEOPLE ARE WATCHING WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO.
AND IF YOU GO AHEAD AND SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON THIS PROJECT ON THE CITY'S EXPENSE, THAT SETS A PRECEDENCE AND IT'S A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT.
SO I WOULD URGE YOU TO TABLE THIS.
WE DON'T NEED TO SOLVE THIS TONIGHT.
YOU DON'T NEED TO SOLVE THIS TONIGHT.
LET MR. GLEASON GET ON BOARD AND LET HIM TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE LOOK AT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH THIS BUILDING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, DR. HORNE.
UH, UH, JUST TO COMMENT, I, I THINK RESIDENTS OF DECATUR ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT TO BE AT UPSET AT THE PROSPECT OF PAYING A QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS TO REMOVE ASBESTOS FROM A DILAPIDATED BUILDING THAT THE CITY DOES NOT OWN, AND THE OWNERS CAN BE IDENTIFIED AND HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO REMEDIATE.
AND SO SIMPLY PUT, PROPERTY OWNERS MUST BE HELD FINANCIALLY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND ONE WAY THAT CITIZENS CAN RESPOND, UH, IS BY EXPRESSING THEIR DISPLEASURE THROUGH THEIR WALLETS.
UM, THE YWCA BUILDING AS WELL AS OTHER BUILDINGS SUCH AS THE FORMER DOWNTOWN YMCA BUILDING, WHICH WAS DECLARED UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION RECENTLY, ARE OWNED BY INDIVIDUALS THAT OPERATE SMALL BUSINESSES IN DECATUR.
AND IF RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED THAT THE CITY WILL SPEND $249,000 TO REMOVE ASBESTOS FROM A BUILDING IT DOES NOT
[01:50:01]
OWN, PERHAPS IT'S TIME FOR RESIDENTS TO CONSIDER HOW SUPPORTING THE OWNER'S BUSINESSES IS IMPACTING THE CITY OVERALL.IT CAN ONLY HARM DECATUR'S REPUTATION WHEN THE FIRST BUILDING ONE SEES WHEN THEY ENTER OUR DOWNTOWN IS AN EYESORE THAT THREATENS PUBLIC SAFETY WITH BRICKS FALLING FROM ITS SIDE, AND IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR DECADES.
YOU GO TO YMCA BUILDING, NOW THERE'S HOLES, AND IF YOU LOOK INSIDE THOSE HOLES, IT'S GONNA LOOK REALLY BAD INSIDE.
AND SO I UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATIONS OF CITIZENS FOR SAYING, WHY SHOULD WE SPEND 250, 40 $9,000 OF OUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS TO DO ASBESTOS REMEDIATION AND TO DO DEMOLITION? I WOULD SAY IT'S TIME FOR ORGANIZATIONS AND FOR CITIZENS TO DO WHAT YOU DO BEST AND TO ACT, TO SAY TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT OWN THESE DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES, WE NO LONGER SUPPORT YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE BROUGHT ONTO OUR DOWNTOWN A GEM OF A LOCATION, BLIGHT DILAPIDATION, AND A PUBLIC SAFETY RISK.
THE REASON THAT I AM, UM, OPTIMISTIC ABOUT, UM, COUNCILMAN COPE'S CALL TO TABLE IS NOT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE LEGAL STANDING TO DEMOLISH, AND IN FACT, THAT BUILDING DOES NEED TO DEMOLISH.
BRICKS ARE FALLING ONTO A SIDEWALK.
IT NEEDS TO GO, BUT IT IS TIME TO GIVE THE PUBLIC THE LEVERAGE THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, TO SPEAK WITH THEIR WALLETS AGAINST SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO ARE BRINGING BLIGHT TO OUR CITY.
AND SO LET'S SEE WHAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN DO BEFORE THE CITY OF DECATUR SPENDS A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
MR. MCDANIEL, I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYONE'S SAYING, BUT REMEMBER WHEN, UH, THE NEIGHBORS OR AROUND WORLD RULE WHI WILSON OR MATTER MATTERING THE HORNET, TEAR IT DOWN.
WE HAD TO SPEND MONEY ON ASBESTOS HAD TO BE REMOVED.
SO THE PUBLIC SPOKE OF THAT, GET RID OF IT, OKAY? AND WE DID.
AND THAT COST THE CITY, AND THANK GOODNESS THE, UH, CITY MANAGER GOT THE, UH, SCHOOL DISTRICT TO, UH, UH, HELP, UH, SPEND THE MONEY ON THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ELECTED.
EVERYONE KEEPS SAYING WE WERE ELECTED TO DO, WE HAVE A, WE HAVE AN EYESORE, WE HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, AS THE CORPORATE COUNSEL, THERE IS SOME LEGAL LIABILITY IF WE ALLOW BRICKS TO GO ON THAT AND, AND THAT SOMEBODY'S GONNA GET SUED AND THEY'RE GONNA LOOK FOR THE DEEP POCKETS.
AND I HAVE A FEELING THEY'LL COME AFTER THE CITY FIRST, BEFORE THEY'LL COME AFTER THAT LLC.
SO AGAIN, JUST TAKE WOODROW WILSON, THE NEIGHBORS WERE STATIC THAT THE CITY TOOK STEPS TO ELIMINATE THAT EYESORE AND A DANGEROUS EYESORE.
DR. HORN, FIRST OF ALL, I WAS SUPPORTIVE OF THE DEMOLITION OF WOODROW WILSON AS WELL.
IT WAS DILAPIDATED, IT NEEDED TO COME DOWN.
I THINK THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE, UM, IS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED LOCAL OWNERS WHO AT LEAST APPEAR TO HAVE THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO, UM, MY QUESTION TO COUNCILMAN COPE IS GOING TO BE, I MEAN, WHAT METRIC DO WE NEED? IF WE TABLE IT TONIGHT, WHAT METRIC DO WE NEED TO BRING IT BACK? I MEAN, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT IS, UM, I'M ENCOURAGING CITIZENS TO SPEAK WITH THEIR WALLETS AND SAY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR PROPERTIES, PERIOD.
AND SO I'M WILLING TO GIVE THAT PROCESS A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'VE GOT A DEMOLITION ORDER.
IT IS A DETRIMENT TO OUR DOWNTOWN TO HAVE THAT BUILDING PRESENT.
AND SO WHAT'S GONNA BE THE METRIC TO GET IT OFF THE TABLE AND TO VOTE FOR IT? WELL, AND THEN THE NEXT QUESTION IS, AND HOW MUCH IS THAT GONNA COST TO NOT JUST SPEND $249,000
[01:55:01]
ON ASBESTOS, BUT TAKING DOWN THAT BUILDING IS MR. WRIGHT, DO YOU HAVE, I I, WHICH IS NOT A FAIR THING TO DO, BUT ARE WE TALKING A MILLION DOLLARS TO BRING IT DOWN OR 500,000? MR. SETH, MAYBE.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.
I'D LIKE TO JUST, WE DO KNOW THE NUMBER FOR, FOR DEMOLITION.
I WON'T ANNOUNCE IT HERE TONIGHT, BUT IT IS LESS THAN A HALF A MILLION DOLLARS.
UM, IT'S CLOSER TO THE HIGHER BID FOR THE ASBESTOS.
BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT I THINK ARE BEING, UH, JUST TAKING A LITTLE BIT OUTTA CONTEXT HERE TONIGHT, WHICH IS LAST YEAR WE SPENT $4 MILLION DEMOLISHING PRIMARILY PRIVATE PROPERTY.
UM, AND SO THIS ONE REALLY IS NO DIFFERENT.
UH, THE DIFFERENCE ON THIS ONE IS, IS THAT WE DO KNOW WHO THE PROPERTY OWNER IS, AND WE KNOW THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS THE RESOURCES, BUT DELAYING IT SIMPLY ALLOWS THAT SAME PROPERTY OWNER THAT YOU WANNA HOLD ACCOUNTABLE TO MOVE THOSE ASSETS OUT OF THAT SAME DEVELOPMENT.
WE KNOW THAT THIS DEVELOP THE SEED DEDRICK DEVELOPMENT, LLC OWNS PROPERTIES JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE CIVIC CENTER HERE, UH, ON PRAIRIE STREET.
UM, AND THE LAST TIME THAT WE DELAYED THINGS LIKE THAT, IT ALLOWS THE LLC TO MOVE OTHER VALUABLE ASSETS OUT OF THE LLC IN ME.
IN OTHER WORDS, MAKING IT A SINGLE ASSET LLC, WHICH MEANS THAT WE WILL GET NOTHING OTHER THAN THE PROPERTY.
UM, THE REALITY OF THIS IS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND PUBLIC DOLLARS BEFORE WE'RE HARMED, WHERE WE CAN THEN SUE THAT LLC AND, AND TRY TO RECOVER THAT MONEY.
UH, WE, WE DO KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY WILL COST MORE TO CLEAN UP THAN THE LAND WILL EVER BE WORTH.
UH, THE LAND IS WORTH APPROXIMATELY $400,000.
IF IT'S CLEANED UP, IT'LL PROBABLY COST $700,000 TO GET IT CLEANED UP.
THAT DELTA IS, IS WHAT, UH, SCOTT AND I MET WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND OFFERED TO BASICALLY CLEAN UP THEIR MESS IF THEY WOULD COVER THAT DIFFERENCE.
UH, THEY ULTIMATELY REFUSED THAT OFFER, WHICH IS WHY WE WENT THROUGH THE LEGAL PROCESS TO FORCE THIS ISSUE.
UM, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT THERE, THERE'S A LOT MORE OF THESE TO COME.
UH, THERE WAS, THERE'S THE TWO SCHOOLS, UH, THE TWO SCHOOLS WERE BID OUT.
UH, WE HAVE THE PRICES FOR THE TWO SCHOOLS, AND THE NUMBER IS FAR, FAR GREATER THAN TWICE THE COST OF THIS.
THE YWCA THAT COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT.
ULTIMATELY, IT'LL BEYOND THE AGENDA AT YOUR NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN TWO WEEKS, UH, THAT'S NORTH OF, UH, THAT'S ALMOST $2 MILLION.
AGAIN, CLEANING UP PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT IF WE DON'T DO IT, WHO'S GONNA DO IT? UM, THERE'S NOTHING THERE OTHER THAN THE LAND.
UH, AND THE CONCEPT OF, OF HOLDING INDIVIDUALS ACCOUNTABLE, IT SOUNDS GOOD IN THEORY, UH, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS THE CITY'S TRACK RECORD TO CLEAN THAT UP OR TO ACTUALLY COLLECT THE MONEY IS LESS THAN 10%.
UH, BUT THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT WE DO GO AFTER PERSONAL JUDGMENTS WHEREVER WE CAN.
OFTENTIMES ALL WE EVER GET IS THE LAND.
AND THE LAND IS WORTH FAR LESS THAN WHAT THE PROPERTY IS, OR EXCUSE ME, FAR LESS THAN WHAT THE DEMOLITION IS.
LAST YEAR, THE CITY DEMOLISHED OVER A HUNDRED HOUSES.
WHAT DID WE HAVE TO SHOW FOR? WE HAVE ANOTHER A HUNDRED LOTS IF WE GO THROUGH THE COST OF FORECLOSING ON MANY OF THOSE.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE WE HAVEN'T COLLECTED A LOT OF, OF, OF MONEY BACK FROM ALL OF THOSE DEMOLITIONS.
BUT AGAIN, IF WE DON'T DO IT, WHO'S GONNA DO IT? PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT GONNA BUY A DILAPIDATED STRUCTURE AT THIS POINT AND SAY THAT I'M GONNA CLEAN IT UP, UH, BECAUSE THEY WOULD RATHER WAIT FOR THE PROPERTY TO BE CLEANED UP THAN WE WILL SEE SOME TYPE OF INTEREST BEING GENERATED IN THAT PROPERTY.
UH, BUT AS WAS STATED EARLIER, THAT PROPERTY'S BEEN SITTING THERE WITH A SIGN IN FRONT OF IT FOR LEASE, UH, WHATEVER IT SAYS ON IT FOR 20 YEARS.
WE KNOW THAT PEOPLE HAVE INTEREST IN DOWNTOWN DECATUR, BUT THEY ALSO KNOW THE SAME ECONOMICS THAT I JUST DESCRIBED.
THEY CAN BUY THE PROPERTY FOR 300, $400,000, PUT $700,000 IN TO CLEAN IT UP, AND THEY'RE STILL ONLY ON, ON A GOOD DAY LEFT WITH A, A, A BLANK PIECE OF PROPERTY THAT THEY COULD HAVE PAID 400 IF IT HAD ALREADY BEEN CLEARED.
AND SO, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF THE WHERE WE'RE AT.
UM, AND THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT WE HAVE TO SPEND THE MONEY BEFORE WE CAN GO AFTER THE LLC TO ULTIMATELY RECOVER THE MONEY THAT WE SPENT.
BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN HARMED YET UNTIL THE PUBLIC ACTUALLY SPENDS THEIR MONEY.
WE DON'T HAVE A CASE TO BASICALLY, UH, TAKE THROUGH COURT.
I'M SURE LEGAL CAN ARTICULATE IT BETTER THAN, THAN, THAN I DID, BUT THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE REALITY AND WHY WE'RE ASKING TO SPEND THE MONEY FIRST, UH, BEFORE WE, WE GO THROUGH, UH, THE, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT VIOLATIONS AS TO, YOU KNOW, HOLDING THE, THE, THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNER ACCOUNTABLE WITH CODE VIOLATIONS.
THE REALITY OF IT IS, IS THAT THOSE VIOLATIONS ARE RELATIVELY WORTHLESS.
TAKING A PERSON THROUGH ADMIN COURT AND FINING THEM IS, IS GONNA DO LESS THAN BASICALLY INCURRING THE DEMOLITION EXPENSE AND THEN ULTIMATELY FORECLOSING AND TRYING TO RECOUP THAT MONEY.
BECAUSE IF THEY, IF THEY HAD THE MONEY, UH, TO, TO DEAL WITH IT, THEY WOULD HAVE LIKELY, THEY WOULDN'T SHOW UP IN ADMIN COURT, UH, UH, AND WE WOULD'VE JUST DELAYED OURSELF 30 DAYS, 60 DAYS, 90 DAYS,
[02:00:01]
ET CETERA.ADMIN COURT CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE, UH, ON SMALLER CODE ENFORCEMENT CASES.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO INTERPRET MR. KIN'S REMARKS AS SAYING THAT ADMIN COURT AND OUR CODE ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS AREN'T, AREN'T EFFECTIVE.
THEY ARE, AND THEY CAN BE MORE.
SO IT'S JUST THAT THIS PARTICULAR CASE IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE OF ITS SIZE AND ITS LOCATION.
ACTUALLY THIS PROPERTY CLEARED HAS MORE VALUE THAN A LOT OF THE PROPERTIES THAT WE, THAT WE CLEAR.
UH, BUT UNTIL WE INCUR SOME COSTS, WE DON'T HAVE, HAVE A CAUSE OF ACTION.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE SOMETHING THAT I PUT IN MY TRANSMITTAL MEMO, BECAUSE OF COURSE YOU ALL SAW IT, BUT MAYBE THE GENERAL PUBLIC DIDN'T.
I CERTAINLY THINK THAT THIS IS AN OFFENSE TO THE TAXPAYERS OF DECATUR, AND YOU HAVE SAID THAT IN DIFFERENT WAYS THIS EVENING.
UM, AND I'VE ALSO SAID IN THE TRANSMITTAL MEMO THAT TO THE EXTENT LEGALLY POSSIBLE, WE WILL PURSUE ANY AND ALL LEGAL OPTIONS TO WHETHER IT'S PIERCING THE CORPORATE VEIL OR, OR TAKING SOME OTHER ACTION TO, TO GO AFTER ASSETS.
UM, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHERE THERE IS, WHERE THERE ARE NO ASSETS, THE, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS NOTHING.
IT'S LIKE TRYING TO GET BLOOD OUT OF A TURNIP, THEN, THEN WE DON'T WASTE TIME WITH IT WHERE THERE IS, UH, WHERE THERE ARE ASSETS, THEN WE WILL TAKE A DIFFERENT TACK.
AND I BELIEVE THAT HAS BEEN OUR, BEEN OUR APPROACH IN THE PAST.
AND THIS ONE WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE STANDING UNTIL WE INCUR COST.
AND THE COST OF THE ASBESTOS SURVEY DOESN'T COUNT.
MR. KEEL, JUST A SIDE QUESTION.
ARE THE PROPERTY TAXES CURRENT ON THIS, UH, PROPERTY? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THEY ARE, YES.
MS. GREGORY, I GUESS FOR ME NOW, IT'S A, I'M CURIOUS AS TO THE TIMELINE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE OWNERS ARE PROBABLY PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS CONVERSATION, AND SO WE TAKE A VOTE TONIGHT.
WHAT'S TO STOP THEM FROM MOVING ASSETS TOMORROW MORNING AT 9:00 AM UM, AND WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED.
UM, I, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK WE SHOULD, AND I, I, I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE SAID THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN, UM, ISSUING CITATIONS ALL ALONG.
UM, THERE'S NO REASON WHY ANY OWNER SHOULD GET A PASS
CERTAINLY THOSE PEOPLE WITH 13 INCH GRASS DON'T GET A PASS.
AND I REALIZE THAT THE LIABILITY FOR THIS IS FAR GREATER.
SO I'M A LITTLE, UM, I GUESS JUST PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION, CAN THEY MOVE ASSETS TOMORROW? DOES OUR ACTION TONIGHT MAKE A DIFFERENCE? THEY COULD MOVE, THEY COULD MOVE ASSETS TONIGHT.
THIS ALSO WOULD NOT BE AN ADMIN COURT CASE.
AND IT'S NOT, UM, ABOUT FINES, IT'S ABOUT ABATEMENT.
YOU KNOW, THE ADMIN COURT AND CIRCUIT COURT AREN'T ABOUT FINDING PEOPLE.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING, UM, GETTING CODE VIOLATIONS CORRECTED.
AND THAT WOULD BE THE, UM, WELL, THERE'S CERTAINLY FINES ASSOCIATED WITH BOTH.
IT'S ABOUT GETTING CODE VIOLATIONS CORRECTED.
AND SO DOES OUR ACTION TONIGHT IMPINGE OR HINDER THEIR ABILITY TO MOVE ASSETS? AND IF WE LOST WHAT WE HOPE TO GAIN.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANY, ANY ACTION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
UM, IT DOESN'T PROHIBIT THE MOVING OF ASSETS, UM, UP UNTIL, I MEAN, UP UNTIL THE DAY OF A CITATION TO DISCOVER ASSETS, WHICH COULD BE MANY, MANY MONTHS.
WHAT ASSETS ARE IN THERE? WHAT, WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? WELL, I, I'M NOT SURE.
GENERALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS, UM, ONCE A JUDGMENT IS GRANTED AND THE COURT AUTHORIZED THE AUTHORIZES THE AMOUNT AFTER WE'VE DEMOLISHED IT WITH ALL OF OUR COSTS, AND THERE'S A FOLLOW UP COURT PROCEEDING WHERE IT'S BASIC, BASICALLY A CITATION, DISCOVER ASSETS WHERE PEOPLE UNDER OATH IN FRONT OF THE COURT WILL DISCLOSE ASSETS.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU DETERMINE, UM, HOW WELL OFF SOMEONE IS OR IF THEY HAVE THE ASSETS.
WHAT OTHER ASSETS MAY OR MAY NOT BE IN THE LLC? I'M SORRY, I HAVE TO ASK THIS.
THEIR ASSETS OUTSIDE THE LLC, IS THAT WHAT THEY HAVE TO DISCLOSE? IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME? POTENTIALLY, POTENTIALLY.
SO IT'S NOT THE ASSETS IN THE LLC, IT'S THE ASSETS OUTSIDE THE LL, EVERYTHING THAT THEY HAVE TO DISCLOSE.
IT'S EVERYTHING THAT YOU POTENTIALLY THINK THAT YOU'RE ENTITLED TO DISCOVER IN ORDER FOR THE COURT TO MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO PAY.
UM, BUT LISTENING TO EVERYONE, LEGAL AND JOHN AND OTHER COUNCIL COUNCILMEN AND WOMEN, UM, I AND I, AND ABOUT TABLING, AT FIRST
[02:05:01]
I THOUGHT MAYBE TABLING IS FINE AND WHATEVER, BUT THE MORE I LISTEN TO PACIFICS, UM, I'M NOT SURE TABLING IS GONNA DO ANYTHING OTHER THAN DELAY IT.AND WHO KNOWS HOW LONG, AND OBVIOUSLY WE DELAY IT.
WE'RE GONNA, I THINK WE'RE GONNA END UP HAVING TO DO THE ASBESTOS AND PROBABLY DE DEMO AT SOME POINT.
AND THE COST IS ONLY GONNA GO HIGHER IF WE, THE LONGER WE WAIT, UM, THE ASBESTOS COMPANY'S GOING TO, THEY'RE GONNA RAISE THE, THE MONEY IF WE COME BACK TO 'EM.
SO I, I THINK AT THIS POINT, WE PROBABLY DON'T HAVE NO CHOICE, BUT IN MY OPINION, TO GO AHEAD AND GO WITH THE ASBESTOS, UH, REMOVAL AND COME BACK, UH, WITH, UH, LATER AND LOOK AT WHAT, WHETHER DO, HOW QUICKLY WE NEED TO THEN DEMO OR DEMO PART OF IT TO CLEAR UP THE STREET.
DR. HORN, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT? YES.
UM, I, I CONCUR WITH COUNCILMAN COOPER.
UM, THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES TABLING DO? BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY IS DISPUTING THAT THE BUILDING NUT NEEDS TO COME DOWN.
THAT IT IS A BLIGHT ON OUR DOWNTOWN.
IT'S AN EYESORE AND IT'S A SAFETY HAZARD.
AND IF WE VOTE TO HAVE ASBESTOS REMOVAL OR NOT TONIGHT, I THINK FOR ME, IT DOES NOT CHANGE MY EMPHASIS ON MAKING SURE THAT THE CITIZENS ACT WITH THEIR WALLETS.
IT DOES NOT CHANGE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THAT OWN DILAPIDATED PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNSAFE, THAT WE CAN GET THE NAMES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND THE RESIDENTS CAN ACT APPROPRIATELY.
AND THE REALITY IS, IF THE CITIZENS IN FACT DO ACT, WE MAY VERY WELL HAVE THE LEVERAGE TO GET OUR MONEY BACK FOR EVEN THE ASBESTOS REMEDIATION.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE, THE REALITY IS, DO WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE THE FIRST IMPRESSION OF DOWNTOWN DECATUR BE A BUILDING THAT HAS BRICKS FALLING OFF OF IT? OTHER, OKAY.
REMINDER THAT NORTH WALL HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN SINCE LAST YEAR, AND THE, AND THE OWNERS OF IT HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING.
IF, IF, IF I MAY, YEAH, IF I MAY JUMP IN.
MAYOR, THE ONE THING THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED IS, IS THE, THE EAST WALL IS ACTUALLY FAR WORSE THAN THE NORTH WALL.
UH, THERE'S ACTUALLY A TUNNEL THAT CONNECTS THE, THE CITY'S PARKING DECK TO THAT BUILDING.
AND THAT IN THE LAST INSPECTION THAT THE CITY HAD OF THE PARKING DECK, THAT TUNNEL IS COLLAPSING.
UH, THE ENTIRE EAST WALL FACING THE PARKING DECKS IS, IS COLLAPSING AT SOME POINT, IT WILL START TO IMPACT THE PARKING DECK JUST FROM A MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE.
CERTAINLY THERE'S NO QUESTION TO THE INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE PARKING DECK, BUT THAT TUNNEL THAT CONNECTS THE TWO BUILDING IS ALREADY BASICALLY STARTING TO COLLAPSE AND WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE THE PROBLEM GROW WORSE.
AND THAT IS A CHALLENGE THAT WILL HAVE TO BE WORKED THROUGH WHEN THEY GO FOR THE DEMOLITION.
AND THEN THE LAST THING I WOULD SAY MY MISSTATEMENT EARLIER, THE TWO, A OTHER TWO ASSETS TO, TO YOUR QUESTION, UH, COUNCILMAN KEEL IS IT'S FIVE 19 AND 5 29 EAST PRAIRIE, WHICH ARE BASICALLY THE TWO BUILDINGS DIRECTLY DIAGONAL ACROSS THE CIVIC CENTER PARKING LOT, UH, JUST ON THE, TO THE WEST OF THE, THE NEW DISTILLERY THAT'S BUILT THERE.
MR. CULP, YOU GENTLEMEN ARE CORRECT.
I WANTED TO SEE WHAT LEGAL COULD ASSIST ON.
AND THE MORE I HEARD MS. MORLAND TALK, SHE, WE NEED TO HAVE A LOSS OF SOME TYPE OR SHOW SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO INTO COURT WITH.
I I GRANT YOU THAT I DRIVE BY IT EVERY DAY AND IT'S, I DON'T WANNA KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.
I DON'T WANT TO COLLAPSE ON THE EL LOREDO STREET.
I DON'T WANT AN ISSUE LIKE THAT.
I THINK WE ALL WANNA DO RIGHT THING.
I THINK IT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW.
'CAUSE WHEN YOU GET THESE DEMO ORDERS, WE'RE DOING ASBESTOS ABATEMENT ALREADY.
THEY'RE JUST SMALLER PROJECTS AND SMALLER AMOUNTS, AND I THINK WE ALL GET THAT.
IT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW THIS DOLLAR AMOUNT FOR THIS.
UM, I WILL DENOUNCE, UM, OR DISAGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN HORN'S COMMENT.
EVERY BUSINESS PORTFOLIO IS DIFFERENT.
I'M, I'M NOT A BUSINESSMAN, NEITHER ARE YOU, BUT I SH I AM A SMALL BUSINESS FAN HERE LOCALLY.
I'M NOT GOING TO, UM, CREATE A LIST OR ENCOURAGE A LIST OF NOT WHERE YOU SHOULD NOT AND PARTICIPATE OR SPEND YOUR MONEY.
AND I'M, I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT THAT
[02:10:01]
EVEN WAS BROUGHT UP.UH, FOR THE CITY MANAGER, JUST CLARIFICATION.
SO WE IN YOUR OPINION, WILL BE IN A MUCH STRONGER POSITION TO POSSIBLY GET OUR MONEY BACK IF WE APPROVE THIS TONIGHT VERSUS IF WE DON'T APPROVE IT, WE'RE IN A WEAKER POSITION.
THAT'S WHAT I'M GETTING OUT OF THAT.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL NIGHT.
ANY FURTHER COMMENT BEFORE WE CALL THE QUESTION? SCENE? NONE.
COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY IRRITATED.
COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL AND I'M GLAD WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION.
MAYOR MAR WOLF AND I'M FRUSTRATED THAT WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION.
CAN'T WAIT FOR THOSE SCHOOL ISSUES TO COME BEFORE US.
[5. Resolution Accepting the Bid and Authorizing the Execution of a Construction Contract with Lourash and Mahannah Excavation, LLC for the Oakley Sediment Basin Drainage Improvements, City Project 2022-04]
TO ITEM FIVE RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WITH LARA AND MEHANNA EXCAVATION LLC FOR THE OAKLEY SEDIMENT BASIN DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS CITY PROJECT 2022 DASH OH FOUR.MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MR. WRIGHTON, OR STRAIGHT TO MR. NEWELL? MR. NEWELL, IT'S ALL YOURS.
THIS IS TO ESTABLISH POSITIVE DRAINAGE, UH, AT THE, UH, OAKLEY SEDIMENT BASIN.
I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, MR. NOEL, I I JUST WANTED TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON, UH, GETTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
UH, THE VERY FIRST STEP TO PUTTING THE OAKLEY SEDIMENT BASIN BACK INTO PRODUCTIVE USE, WHETHER AS A RESTORED NATURAL AREA, AS AG LAND OR A SOLAR FARM, IS TO DRAIN THE BASIN.
AND IT'S SIMPLY NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF DECATUR RESIDENTS FOR HUNDREDS OF ACRES OF TAXPAYER LAND TO GO UNDERUTILIZED.
SO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[6. Resolution Authorizing a Contract Change Order with Burdick Plumbing and Heating Co., Inc. for the William Street Pump Station Improvements]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER WITH VERDICT PLUMBING AND HEATING COMPANY, INC.FOR THE WILLIAMS STREET PUMP STATION IMPROVEMENTS MOTION, SHOULD THE RESOLUTION BE PASSED AND BE ADOPTED? SO MOVED.
SECOND, MR. NEWELL, I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS OF COUNSEL.
QUESTIONS FOR MR. NEWELL? SEE NONE.
[7. Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Purchase Order Between the City of Decatur, Illinois and Master's Transportation Inc. for State of Texas Contract #230204, for Two (2) Ford Transit Vans]
AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, AND MASTER TRANSPORTATION INC.CONTRACT, UH, NUMBER 2 3 0 2 0 4 FOR TWO FORD TRANSIT VANS.
MOTION TO RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
I THINK THE PASSES TO YOU, LACEY.
UM, THIS IS FOR THE PURCHASE OF TWO FORD TRANSIT VANS.
SO THESE ARE GAS POWERED AND NOT HYBRID OR ELECTRIC.
HOWEVER, WE WERE AWARDED LAST YEAR IN A JOINT APPLICATION TO THE 2023 LOW NO EMISSIONS, UH, GRANT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
UH, FOUR OF THE SAME MODEL, FULLY ELECTRIC AND THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE.
WE'VE HAD SOME CRITICAL FAILURES WITH OUR PARATRANSIT FLEET.
SO BRINGING THESE ARE AVAILABLE NOW.
SO BRINGING THESE IN, WE DO NEED THEM.
IT WILL ALSO ALLOW OUR STAFF A CHANCE TO TRAIN ON THEM AS THEY ARE A DIFFERENT ENTRY.
IT IS A REAR LOADING, UM, A DA ACCESSIBLE VEHICLE.
THE MODELS THAT WE HAVE NOW ARE SIDE ENTRY, BUT FURTHERMORE, THESE VEHICLES ARE A SMALLER SIZE FROM WHAT WE HAVE.
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL NOW CUTAWAYS.
SO THESE ARE FORD, FORD TRANSIT VANS.
THESE WILL ALLOW FOR, UH, COMMINGLING BETWEEN A DA PARATRANSIT OR OUR OPERATION UPLIFT SERVICE.
AND IN THE FUTURE, THE MICRO TRANSIT SERVICE.
SO THIS IS A FIRST STEP IN THAT JOURNEY ON IMPLEMENTING MICROT TRANSITS FOR US.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? PAT, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? NO, I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
I JUST CAUTION THE CITY TO BE, UH, EVEN THOUGH WE, WE MAY PASS UP SOME GRANTS TO GET ELECTRIC, UH, UH, TRANSPORTATION, IF YOU SEE ALL THE NEWS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN MANY CITIES, WHETHER IT'S BUSES, SCHOOL, BUSES, THEY'RE HAVING ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS. AND REMEMBER, WITH, WITH OUR WEATHER, WHETHER IT'S HOT OR COLD, THAT REALLY MESSES UP ELECTRIC BUSES AND VANS AND, AND CARS.
IT MAY SOUND GOOD, BUT IT'S A, IT BECOMES A REAL MISERY.
[02:15:01]
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DR. HORN? I, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT WE ALSO NEED TO GET INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTRIFICATION OF OUR VEHICLES.10% OF ALL NEW VEHICLES SOLD ARE NOW ELECTRIC.
UH, WE HAVE A, A MAJOR MANUFACTURER WHO'S WORKING ON PARTS, COMPONENTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UM, SO WE NEED TO FOLLOW THE LEADERSHIP THAT OUR PRIVATE INDUSTRY IS DOING.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. COOPER? UH, THANK YOU.
UM, COUNCILMAN MCDANIELS? UH, I FOLLOW THE, I FOLLOW THE ELECTRIC STUFF ALL THE TIME THROUGHOUT ONLINE, EVERYWHERE.
AND I'M SURE AT SOME POINT IN TIME, DR. HORN, THEY'RE, THEY'RE GONNA GET, UM, MADE AND THEY'RE GONNA BE A GOOD AND, AND A GOOD SERVICE AND A GOOD WAY TO GO.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ARE NOT THERE NOW.
UM, THEY, THEY, THEY, SO WHEN THEY GET THERE, I THINK WE'LL BE READY TO GO THERE.
AND WE SHOULD HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO GO THERE.
WE DON'T EVEN HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NOW TO EVEN, TO EVEN CONSIDER ELECTRIC CARS ANYWHERE IN TOWN.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS, AND I THINK AT SOME POINT WE WILL GET THERE, BUT WE ARE NOT, THEY'RE NOT, THEY ARE NOT THERE YET.
THEY MAY GET THERE, BUT THEY, UNFORTUNATELY, THE ELECTRIC CARS ARE NOT THERE YET AS FAR AS HOW THEY HOLD UP.
UM, PEOPLE'S BATTERIES ARE STILL EXPLODING ALL THE TIME.
AND THEN PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE A BATTERY.
MR. MCDANIEL, JUST BASED ON, UH, WHAT MR. COOPER LAST WEEK WAS NOW ANNOUNCED THAT FORD AND CHRYSLER, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, I FORGET WHAT THE NEW NAME IS, IS CLOSING, UH, THEIR FACTORIES OR REDUCING, UH, PRODUCTION IN, IN SEVERAL OF THEIR, UH, UH, MANUFACTURING BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SELLING AND THEY'VE GOT ALL KINDS OF PROBLEMS. SO, ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I CALL THE QUESTION? SEEING NONE, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.
SEVEN AYES NO NAYS UP NEXT IS THE CONSENT
[8. 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.]
CALENDAR.DOES ANYONE ON COUNSEL HAVE AN ITEM YOU WOULD LIKE TO PULL? MR. COOPER? I'D LIKE TO, UH, PULL ITEM K AS IN TIGHT.
ALSO, UH, BEFORE WE MOVE ON, WE DID HAVE, UM, A CITIZEN WHO REQUESTED TO SPEAK ON ITEM P.
NIKKI TRELL HAD NOT DECIDED WHETHER OR NOT TO SPEAK IS NIKKI TRELL HERE.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SIR? TAKE ME A MINUTE TO GET THERE.
SO WE WILL, UM, HAVE MR. TRELL COME DOWN AND SPEAK AND THEN WE'LL, UH, SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ITEM P.
WE CAN PUT THE ITEM ON THE FLOOR.
WE'LL NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.
CAN WE HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND? SO MOVED.
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, MY PURPOSE FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT IS TO SPEAK BASICALLY AN OBJECTION TO ANNEXATION, UH, PROPERTIES THAT I HAVE LEARNED A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT THAT ARE SURROUNDED BY THE CITY.
UH, DON'T TAKE THIS IN THE WRONG LIGHT, THAT'S CITY'S PROBLEM.
PROPERTY I LIVE ON HAS BEEN THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS.
PROPERTIES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED, TAXES HAVE BEEN PAID.
WE'RE CURRENTLY PAYING TAXES TO SOUTH WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP.
AND MY INITIAL FEELINGS WERE DISCUSSED, BUT THEN I GOT TO THINKING ABOUT IT.
I THOUGHT THE CITY'S A CITY AND THEY'RE GONNA DO WHAT THEY'RE GONNA DO.
THEY GIVE YOU A BRIEF HISTORY.
OVER THE YEARS, GROVE ROAD IN FRONT OF MY PROPERTY WAS MAINTAINED BY SOUTH WHEATLAND TOWNSHIP FOR FOREVER.
AND THEN THEY WENT DOWN THROUGH THERE AND THEY TOOK THE OPEN DITCHES AND CLOSED THEM UP AND MADE A MESS.
AND THEN TIME WENT BY AND SOMEBODY SAID, GUESS WHAT? THEY'RE GONNA BUILD A GOLF COURSE AROUND YOU.
I SAID, OH, REALLY? I BELIEVE THEY HAD A PUBLIC MEETING AT THAT TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WERE INFORMED THAT'S WHAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN THAT HAPPENED.
AND MY CONCERNS AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS TAX MONEY.
YOU KNOW, I PAY A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY TWICE A YEAR FOR PROPERTY TAXES.
IF MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO BE INCREASED DE APPRECIABLY BY BEING ANNEXED, THEN IF, IF YOU FOLKS MAKE THE DECISION TO APPROVE ANNEXATION, NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT RIGHT NOW.
[02:20:01]
HAVE CITY SEWERS.I HAVE, I HAVE WATER ACCESSIBLE TO ME, BUT I'M NOT A, I'M NOT HOOKED INTO IT BECAUSE I'VE GOT WELL WATER AND I, I SPENT $10,000 ON A NEW SEPTIC FIELD.
SO THERE'S NO ADVANTAGE TO ME BEING ANNEXED FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SEWERS.
I'M GONNA HAVE TO SPEND FOUR OR $5,000 TO GET CITY WATER TAPPED INTO MY HOUSE.
SO THAT'S MY, IF I SAY THAT'S MY OPPOSITION TO IT IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THERE FOR A HUNDRED YEARS, A HUNDRED YEARS, AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN A MOVE, NEVER BEEN A MOVE TO ANNEX THAT PROPERTY INTO THE CITY BECAUSE OF THE GOLF COURSE.
I THINK THE WHEELS STARTED TURNING AND THEY SAID, WELL, WE'RE SURROUNDING THOSE PROPERTIES WITH THE, WITH THE GOLF COURSE, WHICH I ASSUME IS IN THE CITY.
UH, THE MAP I GOT IN MY MAILER SHOWS THAT THE PROPERTIES TO THE WEST OF ME ARE APPARENTLY IN THE CITY, WHICH I DIDN'T KNOW.
UH, THERE'S LIKE A CHURCH AND A RESIDENCE AND A COUPLE RESIDENCES AT THE BACK OF THAT PROPERTY.
WELL, MY NEIGHBORS TO THE EAST AND WEST, BUT MY PROPERTY, THE ONE GENTLEMAN, I WON'T SPEAK FOR HIM.
HIS TAX BILL'S PROBABLY GONNA INCREASE QUITE A BIT.
SIR, I'M SORRY, SIR, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.
UM, ON THE CONSENT, UM, ITEMS BEFORE WE, UM, VOTE ON THIS ITEM, AND WE'LL NEED TO READ THE ITEM, CORRECT? MM-HMM,
IS THERE ANY, ARE THERE ANY OTHERS? WE WE'RE DISCUSSING P BECAUSE HE'S ON, HE WAS P.
BUT MY, MY QUESTION OR FOR DISCUSSION, BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION WHETHER WE WOULD WANNA TABLE THE ITEMS TONIGHT REGARDING, BUT I, I'M NOT EVEN SURE HOW TO PROCEED HERE BECAUSE I WANT TO SOMEHOW GET ALL THESE ANNEXATIONS INTO ONE AREA AND THEN, YOU KNOW, THE, A FILING OF MINUTES AND THE OTHER ITEMS, UH, X, Y, ZA, X, Y, AND ZI DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WANT TO DO THAT.
AND I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH EVERY, I DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH EVERY ONE OF THESE ANNEXATIONS EITHER.
I JUST HAVE GENERAL COMMENTS ABOUT ALL THE ANNEXATIONS.
I DON'T HAVE INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS ABOUT ALL THESE MAYOR CAN THE STAFF, IF WE PASS THIS, ALL OF THEM, BUT THEN DO DUE DILIGENCE AFTERWARDS ON SOME OF THESE THAT, UH, IF WE STAFF TOOK NOTES, AND THEN IF WE FIND THAT YES, THEY HAVE A A, A GOOD REASON THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE IN NEXT, THEN WE CAN, UH, I THINK YOU'VE MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT, UH, IF WE FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THE CITY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN NULL AND VOID THAT, THAT ACTION.
I KNOW WHAT THE PROCEDURE WOULD BE ON THAT.
I, I'M PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT STAFF HAS DONE THE WORK NECESSARY TO VERIFY THAT ALL OF THESE ANNEXATIONS C THROUGH W WHICH ARE ALL OF THE INVOLUNTARY ANNEXATIONS ARE, ARE FULLY SURROUNDED.
IF FOR SOME REASON, AND, AND MS. MORLAND CAN SPEAK TO THIS, IF FOR SOME REASON WE HAVE MADE AN ERROR AND IT'S NOT FULLY SURROUNDED, THEN THAT THEN THE ORDINANCE ISN'T VALID
UM, SO, BUT UM, UH, IN TERMS OF OTHER RATIONALE, I MEAN IT HASN'T BEEN COUNCIL CAN DO AS IT WISHES BECAUSE IT'S YOUR, IS YOUR POLICY.
BUT I MEAN, IT HASN'T BEEN OUR PRACTICE IN THE PAST TO SAY, WELL, UH, UH, YOU MADE ONE EXCEPTION, UH, OVER ON, UH, EXTREME WEST MAIT OF MARIETTA AREA WAY OUT WEST BECAUSE A PROPERTY OWNER HAD REALLY LARGE TRACT OF LAND THAT WAS REALLY BARELY UNDER THE 60 ACRES.
AND THEY DO, AND THEY WERE DOING SOME AGRICULTURE AND SOME SPECIAL THINGS THAT, THAT WANTED TO BE TREATED DIFFERENTLY.
THAT WAS SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN WE WERE HAVING OUR MEETINGS IN THE THEATER.
OTHER THAN THAT, YOU HAVE CONSISTENTLY, UH, ANNEXED THEM, UM, BECAUSE IT'S FULLY SURROUNDED.
IF, IF, IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO INITIATE A NEW SET OF POLICIES WHERE YOU, WHERE YOU DECIDE, WELL MAYBE THERE ARE OTHER REASONS BESIDES BEING SURROUNDED THAT THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.
I'M NOT SURE IF I'M ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION THOUGH.
YEAH, I, AGAIN, I TRUST STAFF, BUT THERE WAS A COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT MAYBE YOU COULD JUST DO A LITTLE FOLLOW UP AND THEN IF WE FIND, YOU KNOW, UH, UH, SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AMISS, UH, BUT GO ON AND PASS 'EM AND THEN WE CAN NULL AND FIND, YOU KNOW, IF WE FIND IN IT, IT'S 99.9% OF THE TIME WAS NOT A PROBLEM, BUT I'M JUST, SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE HESITANT, SO I'M JUST TRYING TO LOOK FOR A COMPROMISE.
IF IT'S, IF THE ORDINANCE, IF IF SOME REASON THE PROPERTY THAT THE GENTLEMAN, MR. LOT SAID WAS NOT SURROUNDED IS NOT ORDINANCE NOT VALID AND WE WILL PROBABLY CLOSE, WE WOULD PROBABLY CLOSE THE LOOP BY COMING BACK HERE
[02:25:01]
AND RESCINDING THE ORDINANCE.UM, YOU HAVE, UM, AN ITEM ON THE FLOOR, MAYOR, UH, FOR P IN THIS MATTER.
SO WE NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM P AND THEN, UM, DO THE REST OF IT COME BACK TO ITEM K THAT MR. COOPER HAD PULLED? CORRECT.
[P. Ordinance Annexing Territory Entirely Surrounded by the City Limits - 775 W. Grove Road, 747 W. Grove Road, 865 W. Grove Road, 805 W. Grove Road, 815 W. Grove Road, and Lot West of 815 W. Grove Road]
WE NEED TO READ ITEM P? YEAH, I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ IT.ORNA ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
7 47 WEST GROVE ROAD, 8 65 WEST GROVE ROAD, 8 0 5 WEST GROVE ROAD, EIGHT 15 WEST GROVE ROAD AND LOT WEST OF EIGHT 15 WEST GROVE ROAD.
COUNCILMAN KUHL? I'M CONFUSED ON WHAT WE'RE ON.
SO AT THIS POINT NOW WE NEED, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM K, WE WILL BE VOTING ON EACH OF THE OTHER.
YOU WILL READ EACH OF THE REST.
WE DID HAVE A REQUEST TO SPEAK FOR
[X. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement with Azuish Enterprise LLC for 2024 Weed Abatement]
ITEM X.LAUREN, I'M SORRY, IT WAS PAGE TWO.
UM, MR. BARBIE, ARE YOU STILL HERE? YES, MA'AM.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK AGAIN ON, UM, ITEM X? YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT ITEM X WAS, BUT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EX.
DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME TO COME DOWN AND SPEAK AGAIN.
WE NEED TO PUT A MOTION ON THE FLOOR FOR THIS ONE AS WELL.
MR. BARBIE, I'M GETTING LAID OUT.
YOU, YOU'RE, YOU COULD STAY THERE.
I JUST NEED TO HAVE A MOTION IN A SECOND.
NOW, MR. BARBIE, YOU'VE GOT THREE MINUTES? YES.
UM, IF THAT'S NOT EQUIVALENT TO WHAT I GAVE AWAY, I DON'T WANT IT BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE NOW AND GIVING IT TO ME.
THAT'S NOT FAIR, YOU KNOW, BUT IF THEY CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE, EXCUSE ME.
IF THEY CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE EQUIVALENT TO THE FOR, I'LL TAKE THAT.
MAYOR, IF I COULD CLARIFY THAT THIS ITEM, UM, ITEM W IS RECOMMENDED FOR AWARD TO HIS COMPANY.
UM, SO SORRY, DID I SAY YOU SAID WI SAID WI STAND FOR RECORD.
UH, X IS RECOMMENDED TO HIS COMPANY.
SO HE'S NOT ARGUING AGAINST THE MOTION FOR IT TO, FOR IT TO BE APPROVED.
HE'S ARGUING THAT HE WOULD LIKE ADDITIONAL CONTRACTS WHICH ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA.
HE JUST SAID HE DON'T WANT IT.
BUT I, MY UNDERSTANDING FROM WHAT HE JUST SAID WAS THAT HE DIDN'T WANT THIS ONE IF HE COULDN'T HAVE ADDITIONAL ONES.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. BARBIE? CORRECT.
IF THAT'S, I'M SORRY, I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT.
IF, IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF THE AGENDA AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU WITH, UH, WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR AWARD TO ONE OF THE OTHER BIDDERS.
ANY OTHER ACTIONS YOU WANNA TAKE BEFORE WE MOVE THROUGH THIS MASSIVE LIST? OKAY, MADAM CLERK, ITEM A, RECEIVING AND FILING A MINUTES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.
ITEM B, ORNA, ANNEXING TERRITORY 30 70 TURIN ROAD ITEM C, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
32 26 DESERT N ROAD ITEM D ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
32 10 NORTHWEST LAWN AVENUE AND 2112 SOLAR AVENUE.
ITEM E ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
ITEM F ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
31 70 NORTH WESTLAWN, ITEM G ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
LOT WEST OF 35, 55 WEST CATHERINE, ITEM H ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
ITEM I ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
1205 NORTH MOFFITT LANE, 10 0 3 NORTH MOFFITT LANE, 32 0 4 WEST MARIETTA STREET AND 32 14 WEST MARIETTA STREET.
ITEM J ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
ITEM L ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS LAW EAST OF 1302 WEST BACHER, ITEM M, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
24 20 HEWLETT DRIVE, 24 49 HEWLETT DRIVE, 24 6 5 HAINES HILL ROAD AND 24 48 HEWLETT ROAD.
ITEM N ORDINANCE, ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY, ENTIRE ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
[02:30:01]
HEWLETT DRIVE, ITEM O ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.1850 FERRIS DRIVE IN 1930, FERRIS DRIVE.
ITEM Q ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
29 33 DANNY DRIVE, 29 13, DANNY DRIVE, 29 14 DANNY DRIVE AND 29 34 DANNY DRIVE.
ITEM R, ORDINANCE, ANNEX AND TERRITORY.
ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
30 11 DANNY DRIVE, ITEM S, ORDINANCE, ANNEX AND TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
1604 SOUTH SHORES DRIVE ITEM T ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
36 43 EAST CORMAN STREET, ITEM U ORDINANCE, ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
1424 SOUTH 37TH STREET, 1434 SOUTH 37TH STREET, 38 47 EAST CORMAN STREET LOT EAST OF 38 47 EAST CORMAN STREET, 1531 SOUTH 44TH STREET, LOT EAST OF 36 43 EAST CORMAN STREET, 1495 SOUTH 37TH STREET AND LOT SOUTH OF 1466 SOUTH 37TH STREET.
ITEM B ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
1645 SOUTH 44TH STREET AND 1685 SOUTH 44TH STREET.
ITEM W ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
LOT NORTH OF 41 48 EAST FERRIES PARKWAY AND LOT WEST OF 41 52 EAST FERRIES PARKWAY.
ITEM Y RESOLUTION AUTHORING AUTHORIZING ACTION REGARDING UNSAFE STRUCTURES.
ITEM Z RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF DECATUR, MACON COUNTY, VILLAGE OF FORSYTH, VILLAGE OF MOUNT ZION, AND ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE PURPOSE OF COORDINATING TRANSPORTATION, LAND USE, AND OTHER RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING IN THE DECATUR METRO METRO METROPOLITAN PLANNING AREA.
I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS IS PRESENTED.
[K. Ordinance Annexing Territory Entirely Surrounded by the City Limits - 1803 W. Sunset Ave., Lot South of 2081 W. Sunset, Lot South of 2069 W. Sunset, Lot South of 2021 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1945 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1937 Sunset, Lot South of 1929 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1915 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1901 W. Sunset, Lot South of 2011 Sunset, Lot South of 2095 Sunset, Lot South of 700 S. Westlawn, Lot South of 1909 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1893 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1873 W. Sunset, Lot South of 1853 Sunset]
ITEM ITEM K.ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY ENTIRELY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY LIMITS.
1803 WEST SUNSET AVENUE, LOT SOUTH OF 2081 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 2069.
WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 2021 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1945.
WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1937.
WEST 1937 SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1929 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1915 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1901 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 2011 SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 2095.
SOUTHWEST LAWN LOT SOUTH OF 1909, WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1893 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1873 WEST SUNSET AND LOT SOUTH OF 1853.
SUNSET MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
MR. COOPER, UH, THANK YOU MAYOR ON THIS ONE.
THE GENTLEMAN WAS HERE TONIGHT THAT, UM, OWNS THE PROPERTY OF 1915 WEST SUNSET AND UM, HE'S ALSO SENT, I DON'T KNOW IF EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SEEN IT YET, BUT HE HAS SENT SOME DOC SOME CORRESPONDENCE TO US REGARDING THAT PROPERTY.
AND AFTER LISTENING HIM AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE CORRESPONDENCE, I THINK IT WOULD BE ON THE RIGHT AND FAIR AT THIS TIME THAT WE TABLE THIS PARTICULAR ONE AND HAVE THE UM, UM, WHATEVER DIVISION HAS TO DO THE SURVEY, GO OUT AND DOUBLE AND RE RE RECHECK THAT PARTICULAR LOT, 1915 WEST SUNSET AND SEE IF IT INDEED IS THAT INDEED DO FIT THE, UM, UH, THE ORDINANCE, I MEAN FIT THE REQUIREMENTS OF BEING ANNEXED.
UM, AND I I ALSO WILL SAY, AND THIS WILL COMPLY WITH ALL THE OTHER ORDINANCES, I THINK IN THE, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE LETTER THAT THEY, THE CITIZENS GET.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE A COURT HAVE WRITING IN THERE THAT THEY, WHAT THEIR APPEAL PROCESS IS.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD EITHER ASK THAT THEY, UM, IN THE FUTURE THAT WE CAN REALLY LOOK AT, UM, PUTTING MORE FACTS IN THERE AS FAR AS WHY THEY'RE BEING ANNEXED AND UH, I WOULD ASSUME I DON'T, I I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE TAKING SOMEBODY'S PROPERTY THAT WE DON'T HAVE A, A WAY THAT THEY CAN AT LEAST APPEAL THE ISSUE BEFORE IT'S TAKEN.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF MAYBE THAT CAN BE LOOKED INTO AS WELL, BUT THAT'S WHERE I'M AT.
I MEAN, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO.
WE, IT'S STRICTLY STATE STATUTE AND WE ARE REQUIRED TO STRICTLY, UH, FOLLOW STATE STATUTE AND I'M NOT SURE THERE'S AN ISSUE WITH REGARD TO THESE PROPERTIES.
THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THEY ARE COMPLETELY SURROUNDED.
WELL I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT EARLIER YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T KNOW FOR SURE, YOU DIDN'T LOOK AT IT.
OTHERS HERE SAID THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT IT.
WHOEVER LOOKED AT IT WASN'T EVEN HERE TO PROVIDE US INFORMATION THAT THEY LOOKED AT IT.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF, IF IT WAS LOOKED APPROPRIATELY LOOKED AT 'CAUSE NOBODY WAS HERE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.
AMAN, COULD I HAVE A QUESTION? WHEN YOU HAVE, WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE THAT'S NOT IN OUR PROCEDURE.
[02:35:01]
PROPERTY ON 2081 TOO.AND I UNDER IMPRESSION, I'M SORRY, YOU'RE OUT OF ORDER SIR.
WE HAVE TO STICK TO OUR RULES.
UM, SO WE IS THAT A MOTION TO TABLE? I I'M JUST FRUSTRATED THAT
I JUST, UM, I JUST FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST A LITTLE BIT LOST ON SOME OF THIS TONIGHT.
I'M JUST CAUGHT OFF GUARD AND, AND WITH COUNCILMAN COOPER SAYING THE SAME THING.
I-I-I-I-I JUST OUT USUALLY WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHEN THERE'S, AND YEAH, I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYBODY UNTIL TONIGHT.
IT'S FRUSTRATING AND I, YOU KNOW, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT MAKES ME ANGRY AND I'M, I DON'T WANT TO BE MAD AT ANYBODY.
I'M JUST SAYING IT'S FRUSTRATING IF NORMALLY WHEN WE HAVE ANNEXATIONS AND PEOPLE ARE UNHAPPY, I GET EMAILS FROM PEOPLE, WELL WHERE WERE THESE EMAILS? DID THEY NOT, I MEAN, IF THEY WERE INFORMED, ARE THEY JUST GETTING MAD TONIGHT? I MEAN THEY, IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN TONIGHT.
THAT'S MY FRUSTRATION, MR. HORN.
WELL, I'M, I'M FRUSTRATED AND DISAPPOINTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES, UM, AS WELL, BUT FOR A DIFFERENT REASON.
SINCE 2020 WE HAVE HAD A POLICY OF ANNEXING PROPERTIES THAT WERE NEXT TO A PROPERTY AT THE CORPORATE LIMITS WERE ENTIRELY SURROUNDED TODAY ABOUT SIX INDIVIDUALS EXPRESSED THE SAME THING.
THEY WERE CONCERNED, THEY WERE DISGUSTED, THEY'RE, THEY'RE ANNEXATION WOULD PROVIDE THEM WITH NO ADVANTAGE FOR ONE OF THE SIX PROPERTY OWNERS.
WE ALL VOTED NO TO THE ANNEXATION BUT TO FIVE WE SAID YES.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, IT SHOULD BE INSULTING TO THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ANNEXED THAT WE CHOSE THIS PROPERTY TONIGHT AND SAY, WELL YOU'RE DISGUSTED.
THE SECOND ISSUE IS IF OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT THESE PROPERTIES AND THEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THEY ARE ENTIRELY SURROUNDED, I HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE ENTIRELY SURROUNDED AND THE LANDOWNERS HAVE THE LEGAL RECOURSE TO INVESTIGATE WHETHER IN FACT THAT'S THE CASE.
AND AS HAS BEEN MENTIONED BY OUR CITY MANAGER, IF IN FACT THEY ARE NOT ENTIRELY SURROUNDED THE ORDINANCES VOID ANYWAY.
AND SO THERE'S RIGHT TO BE DISAPPOINTMENT.
THERE'S RIGHT TO BE FRUSTRATED AND UH, IT'S BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BASICALLY, UM, BEEN WISHY-WASHY ON ITS OWN POLICY AND IT HAS BEEN ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS ON WHO WE'RE GONNA ANNEX AND WHO WE'RE NOT TODAY.
WELL, I'M JUST GONNA SAY THAT WHEN THESE OWNERS COME IN AND AND PUT QUESTION WHETHER THEY'RE ACTUALLY SURROUNDED BY THE CITY, I THINK WE NEED TO AT LEAST LISTEN TO 'EM.
I DON'T THINK IT'S THAT HARD THAT WE CAN'T TABLE THE ONES THAT PEOPLE THINK MAYBE THEY'RE NOT SURROUNDED AND GIVE 'EM TWO WEEKS AND THEN WE CAN ANNEX 'EM IF THEY'RE WRONG.
BUT THERE'S NO REASON WHY WE CAN'T LISTEN TO 'EM AND GIVE 'EM A COUPLE WEEKS.
WE MAY BE ANNEXING ALL THE, THIS GENTLEMAN ON SUNSET, BUT LET'S GIVE HIM THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT FOR TWO WEEKS.
SO MR. COOPER WAS YOURS A MOTION TO TABLE ITEM? K UH, UM, MAYOR, I WILL MAKE A OFFICIAL MOTION.
I WILL MAKE A MOTION THAT ITEM NUMBER K BE TABLED AND BE LOOKED AT FOR THAT LOCATION.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
SO HAVE WE COVERED THE ENTIRE CONSENT AGENDA? WE HAVE.
WE ALMOST WENT INTO ANOTHER ALPHABET.
[VI. Other Business]
UH, DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL I HOPE NOT HAVE ANY OTHER BUSINESS? JUST SHORT NOTE.MAYOR, UH, JUST A NOTE THAT THE ATTORNEYS FOR LLC WERE LEFT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AGO.
I JUST, UH, REAL QUICK, I WANTED TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE DECATUR CITY ACIDIC CENTER STAFF FOR BRINGING IN THE ILLINOIS KIDS WRESTLING FEDERATION AT THE LAST MINUTE, A FEW WEEKENDS AGO.
I BELIEVE THIS HELPED, UH, FILL OUR HOTELS AND OUR RESTAURANTS AND OUR FOOD TRUCKS AND IT BROUGHT IN ABOUT 6,000 PEOPLE INTO OUR CITY AND IT WAS A LAST MINUTE, UM, ACTIVITY, SO THANK YOU.
CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED.
SECOND COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.
[02:40:01]
AYE.COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.