Apr 15, 2024 City Council Meeting

[I.  Call to Order]

[00:00:07]

PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN KUHL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN COLT.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN COOPER PRESENT.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

PRESENT.

SEVEN.

PRESENT.

NONE ABSENT.

NEED TO CALL FOR A MOTION FOR COUNCILMAN KUHL TO PARTICIPATE REMOTELY THROUGH ELECTRONIC ATTENDANCE.

SO MOVE.

SO MOVE SECOND.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN.

SEVEN.

I KNOW THE REST OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ALL TO FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD INVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY.

I JUSTICE FOR ALL.

A QUICK NOTE BEFORE WE GO INTO THE BODY OF THE MEETING.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, UNDER NEW BUSINESS HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THIS EVENING'S AGENDA, SO WE WILL BE SKIPPING THAT ONE.

AND NOW

[II.  Appearance of Citizens]

OUR POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS, A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD AS 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.

AND THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY HAVE DONE SO.

MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.

WE DO HAVE THREE PEOPLE WHO CALLED AHEAD TO SPEAK, UH, DURING TONIGHT'S UNFINISHED BUSINESS ON AN ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY.

YOU ARE WELCOME TO SPEAK FOR THREE MINUTES AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MINUTE MEETING AND THEN AGAIN UNDER THREE MINUTES, UM, UNDER THAT SPECIFIC, UM, ITEM OF BUSINESS.

UM, IF YOU, ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT, COME ON DOWN SIR.

AND WE DO NEED YOUR NAME.

HELLO, MY NAME'S TOM SHEETS.

I'M ONE OF THE OWNERS OF STICKS ON 36.

SOME OF YOU MAY RECOGNIZE ME FROM A TERRIBLE INTERVIEW ON W AND D NEWS, OR YOU MAY REMEMBER I CAME HERE BACK IN OCTOBER AND SPOKE TO YOU ABOUT GAMING.

BUT ANYWAY, MY NAME'S TOM.

I'M AN OWNER OF STICKS ON 36.

AS YOU GUYS MAY OR NOT MAY NOT KNOW OUR UH, DECATUR CHAMBER RIBBON CUTTING IS TOMORROW AT FOUR 30.

I CAME HERE PERSONALLY AND INVITE ALL OF YOU GUYS TO THAT.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

UM, I'D LOVE TO SHOW YOU GUYS HOW FAR WE'VE COME IN SUCH A SHORT TIME.

WE'VE ONLY BEEN OPEN A FEW SHORT MONTHS AND WE'RE SEEING AND HEARING A LOT OF GOOD FEEDBACK ON EVERYTHING FROM OUR FOOD TO THE VENUE.

I'D BE HONORED IF YOU GUYS WOULD GIVE US A CHANCE SO WE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE SAME GREAT EXPERIENCE SO MANY OF OUR PATRONS HAVE ENJOYED.

AGAIN, STICKS ON 36 INVITES ALL OF YOU TO OUR SPECIAL DAY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL THERE.

AND OUR ADDRESS IS 36 45 US EAST, 36.

HOPE GUYS, HOPE TO SEE YOU GUYS THERE.

COME OUT AND CHECK OUT OUR FOOD.

THANKS SO MUCH.

OKAY, GOOD EVENING.

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR.

MY NAME IS VICKI SHEETS.

MY ADDRESS IS 2227 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET ROAD IN DECATUR.

SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW ME AS THE DECATUR ASSESSOR, BUT I'M HERE AS A CITIZEN TONIGHT.

MY SON JUST SPOKE ABOUT HIS NEW BUSINESS AND HE DIDN'T TELL YOU SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AND I'VE ASKED THE, UH, SECURITY HERE TO PASS THIS OUT FOR YOU.

IT'S A COPY OF THEIR MENU IN CASE YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TOMORROW, AS WELL AS A LIST OF SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT THEY'RE ALREADY DOING.

AND ONE OF THE BIG ONES THAT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL WAS AWARE OF IS THE FIRST TWO WEEKENDS IN JUNE, THE WORLD QUALIFYING UH, POOL TOURNAMENT WILL BE HELD AT STICKS.

AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME IT'LL BE BACK IN DECATUR SINCE I BELIEVE 2018.

AND AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS NO PLACE BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD IT.

IT WAS HELD OUT AT THE DECATUR CONFERENCE CENTER AND THEY HAD TO BRING IN POOL TABLES FOR THAT.

AND STICKS IS, THEY'VE WORKED INCREDIBLY HARD, PUT THEIR HEART AND SOULS INTO THIS.

AND UM, SO THAT TOURNAMENT WILL NOW BE TWO WEEKENDS IN JUNE AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN FILL UP DECATUR'S HOTELS AND SUCH AS WE DID BEFORE COVID.

SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL OUT, UH, TO THE GRAND, UM, OPENING, WELL ACTUALLY THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY TOMORROW AT FOUR 30.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WOULD ANYBODY ELSE LIKE TO ADDRESS COUNSEL THIS EVENING? YES.

HAPPY

[00:05:01]

UH, ONCE AGAIN, MY NAME IS LAWRENCE BARBIE.

I'M HERE FOR AS YOU WISH ENTERPRISE.

LAST TIME I WAS HERE, I DIDN'T ACCEPT THE BID THAT THEY GAVE ME, WANTED TO GIVE ME.

AND NOW I'M BACK TO SAY THAT THE CITY MANAGER TOLD ME I ACTUALLY WON THE BID.

SO A FEW MINUTES AFTER HE TOLD ME I WON THE BID, THE DISTRICT DEPUTY, WHATEVER MANAGER SAY, DISREGARD WHAT HE SAID, I AM CONFUSED HERE.

I AM VERY CONFUSED HERE.

IF THE MANAGER SAY I WANT IT, THEN WHAT, WHERE DO I GO FROM THERE? I WAS ONLY HERE BECAUSE NEELY SAID I DIDN'T WIN ANY.

SO THAT'S, THAT MADE ME RAISE THE QUESTION, IF I'D DONE SOMETHING FOR ANOTHER CONTRACTOR, WHY CAN'T THEY DO IT FOR ME? THAT WAS THE START.

THEN LATER ON I SAID, WELL I NEED A, A UPDATE ON WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT YOU GUYS GONNA DO FOR ME? HE SAID, WELL, YOU ACTUALLY WON THAT, BUT THEY GAVE IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO NOW I'M BACK SAYING IF I WON IT, I WOULDN'T EVEN BE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHETHER IT'S ONE DISTRICT OR HALF A DISTRICT.

I WOULD'VE SAID, OKAY, I WON THAT, BUT NOW WE GOT THIS GOING ON.

I I'M CONFUSED, I AM REALLY CONFUSED, YOU KNOW, AND THEY WONDERING WHY I DIDN'T TAKE IT.

I DIDN'T WANNA TAKE NOTHING FROM SOMEBODY ELSE, YOU KNOW, DO ME FAIR.

SO THAT'S ALL I'M ASKING, YOU KNOW, AND THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MR. BARBIE.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE? COUNSEL? COME ON DOWN SIR.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M KEN SMITH.

UH, UH, WE HAVE PROPERTY ON 2081 WEST SUNSET AVENUE.

WE'VE BEEN THERE ABOUT 22 YEARS, 23 YEARS.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR VIEWPOINT OF WANTING TO ANNEX ALL THIS THAT'S SURROUNDED BY CITY PROPERTY.

BUT UH, JUST TO SAY MY OPPOSITION IS, IS THAT WE JUST HAVE A LARGE LAWN BACK THERE, GARDEN TREES, BIKE PATH, RIVER LAKE AND I DON'T SEE ANYTHING IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE THAT'S GONNA BE DEVELOPED BACK THERE.

WE HAVE NO ACCESS BACK THERE AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KEEP IT THE SAME AS THE WAY IT IS TODAY.

AND I DON'T KNOW, UM, AS FAR AS TAX INCREASES WITH THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY, I'M RETIRING NEXT YEAR, LIKE ANYBODY RETIRING WANTS TO KEEP ALL EXPENSES AS LOW AS YOU CAN REGARDING PROPERTY TAXES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT IS A CONCERN OF MINE, BUT I DON'T REALLY HAVE A DOLLAR AMOUNT OR WHO SHOULD I CONTACT TO SEE WHAT THAT DOLLAR AMOUNT MIGHT BE WHEN YOU GO TO TAX, IF YOU ANNEX THIS, IF YOU GO TO TAX THAT PROPERTY.

THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

UH, COUNSEL CAN COMMENT AT THE END AFTER EVERYBODY HAS SPOKEN.

OKAY, GREAT.

THANK YOU SIR.

AND MR. SMITH, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO COME BACK UP WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING THAT ITEM AS WELL.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

THANKS.

HELLO, MY NAME IS RICHARD WEBB.

I LIVE AT 1937 WEST SUNSET AVENUE AND I'M HERE ABOUT THE UH, UH, ANNEXATION OF MY PROPERTY OVER TO THE CITY, IT'S COUNTY NOW IN THE BACK END.

AND I'M HERE TO DISAGREE WITH THAT.

UH, IT WAS FINE UP UNTIL THE CITY DECIDED TO MAKE A DEAL WITH THE CONSERVATION DISTRICT TO GIVE THE LAND TO THE CITY.

WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THAT UNTIL I FOUND OUT THEY WERE IN MY BACKYARD CUTTING EVERYTHING DOWN AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ME I SAID, WHAT'S GOING ON? AND UH, I GOT TO FIND OUT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CLEARING THAT OFF AND THEY'RE NOT.

THEY'RE ONLY ABOUT HALFWAY DONE NOW AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING DOWN TO THE END OF THE PROPERTY LINE.

SO I FIGURED, WELL IF THAT GOES ON, IF IT PASSES, UH, I'LL PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING THE REST OF IT OUT.

WELL, IN A MONTH I'LL BE 80 YEARS OLD AND I'M NOT CLEANING ANY LOT OUT AND I'M UH, I'M A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED ANYWAY BECAUSE I'VE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE CITY.

UH, LIKE I SAY, I'VE BEEN HERE 80 YEARS AND I FOUGHT 'EM FOR SIX MONTHS ON UH, MY YARD BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO PUT AN OPEN DITCH THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF MY BACKYARD AND THREW SIX ACRES BACK THERE AND I WAS, HUH.

YOU DO THAT AND YOU MIGHT AS WELL FORGET IT BECAUSE EVERYBODY WILL LET THAT GROW UP AND THEN YOU'RE GONNA BE A BIG MESS.

SO WE FOUGHT FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE I FINALLY GOT 'EM TO AGREE TO WHAT WE ORIGINALLY SAID WE WOULD AGREE TO, WHICH WAS A FREE EASEMENT AT THE BACK SO THEY COULD PUT A DITCH BACK THERE.

WE GAVE THEM THAT FREE EASEMENT AND THEY NEVER USED IT.

SO NOW IF IT'S GONNA FLOOD BACK THERE, IT'S GONNA FLOOD BACK THERE AND I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED.

AND UH, I, LIKE I SAY, I JUST UH, DON'T UNDERSTAND THE CITY SOMETIMES AND THIS IS ONE SITUATION WHERE I REALLY DON'T.

THANK YOU MR. WEBB.

[00:10:02]

I OWN THE UH, PROPERTY BEHIND 1901 WEST SUNSET AVENUE AND ALSO BEHIND 1909 WEST SUNSET AVENUE, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A DOUBLE PARCEL AND UH, VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS INTENT TO ANNEX THESE PROPERTIES BECAUSE QUITE HONESTLY THEY ARE COUNTY, THEY HAVE NO ACCESS OR EASEMENT BEYOND THROUGH THE FRONT.

LOTS ARE PROPERTY OWNERS.

THERE IS NO MARKETABLE VALUE TO THESE PROPERTIES TO ANYBODY ELSE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T ACCESS THEM.

AND THEY ARE ALSO FLOODPLAIN.

WE'VE HAD WATER THREE FEET DEEP IN THESE LOTS.

SO YOU CAN'T BUILD ON THEM, YOU CAN'T IMPROVE THEM, YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO THEM.

AND ONE OF THE RESPONSES I GOT FROM THE CITY WAS, WELL NOW YOU HAVE ACCESS TO CITY SERVICES.

THERE ARE NO CITY SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THOSE LOTS.

THERE'S NO WATER, THERE'S NO SEWER ACCESS.

ANY OF THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE THROUGH AN EASEMENT FROM THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE FRONT.

SO THEY CANNOT BE DEVELOPED.

YOU CAN'T BUILD A STRUCTURE OF ANY KIND ON IT OTHER THAN A SMALL SHED THAT'S USUALLY PORTABLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY FLOOD.

THEY'RE COMPLETELY LANDLOCKED AND THERE IS NO ACCESS FOR ANYBODY ELSE IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.

AND IF YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN THAT AREA, THERE IS THE BERM ACROSS THE BACK WHICH CONTAINS A MAJOR SEWER PIPE TO THE VORTEX SEPARATOR.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS A BIKE TRAIL.

SO THERE'S REALLY NO WAY EVER TO GET ACCESS TO THOSE LOTS.

AND I CAN'T IMAGINE ANY HOMEOWNER IN THE FRONT WILLING TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT EASEMENT JUST TO SELL A LOT.

SO THERE'S ZERO MARKETABLE VALUE, THERE'S ZERO REASON TO ANNEX THEM TO THE CITY.

I UNDERSTAND IT IF YOU COULD INDEED BUILD A HOUSE ON IT AND OR DEVELOP THOSE LOTS, BUT THEY CAN'T BE DEVELOPED AND THEY'VE BEEN THAT WAY FOR LIKE 60 YEARS.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SIR.

MY NAME IS CINDY SHOAL AND I LIVE AT 1945 WEST SUNSET.

SO I'M FROM THE SAME STREET HE IS, HE SAID PRETTY MUCH WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BUT I DO WANT TO ADD THIS, UH, SANITARY DISTRICT CAME THROUGH PROBABLY A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ON THE TOP OF THE HILL.

I'VE LIVED IN MY HOME FOR 23 YEARS.

THEY'VE NEVER MAINTAINED ANY OF IT ON THE BACK LOT OR ON TOP OF THE HILL.

BUT THE SANITARY DISTRICT, DON MILLER, I GOT AHOLD OF SAID, WE HAVE AN EASEMENT ACROSS THE TOP OF THE HILL.

SO THEY CAME THROUGH AND THEY HAD ONE OF THESE CHOPPERS UP IN THE AIR AND I MEAN HE THREW WOOD PROBABLY 30 FEET ALL THE WAY DOWN THE HILL, ALL OVER THE YARD.

I CALLED HIM TWICE, THEY CAME OUT, I SAID, YOU NEED TO CLEAN IT UP.

I CAN MOW ON MY RIDER.

I CAN'T EVEN WALK OUT THERE 'CAUSE I'M ON OXYGEN.

AND I SAID, YOU NEED TO CLEAN UP THE MESS SHE MADE OUT THERE.

SO I SAID, I CAN'T TAKE MY RIDER UP THERE 'CAUSE THERE'S ABOUT THAT MUCH SIX INCHES OF MULCH AND IT'S ROUGH MULCH LIKE TREE LIMBS, YOU NAME IT.

I SAID, I'LL PUNCHER THE TIRES ON MY RIDER.

AND I SAID, I'M NOT DOING IT.

HE SAID, WELL WE'LL MAINTAIN THE TOP OF THE HILL.

AND I SAID, I'M NOT GONNA HOLD YOU TO IT.

YOU MOW IT.

IF IT'S YOU GOT AN EASEMENT, YOU TAKE CARE OF IT WHEN THE WEEDS START GROWING BECAUSE I GO BACK THERE EVERY YEAR AND I SPRAY ANYTHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA SPROUT SO THAT IT'S CLEANED UP THAT I CAN MOW AND KEEP MY HE MOWED.

'CAUSE I DON'T WANT ALL THE SNAKES AND CRITTERS COMING OVER THE HILL.

BUT ANYWAY, MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, I ALSO GOT A LETTER FROM THE, FROM THE CITY OR COUNTY SAYING THEY WERE GONNA RAISE MY PROPERTY TAXES 257%.

I PAID $36 A YEAR FOR THAT BACK LOT.

IT IS LANDLOCKED.

THERE'S NO ACCESS TO IT.

LIKE THE GUY BEFORE ME SAID IT FLOODS BACK THERE, IT FLOODS BIG TIME.

SO YOU CAN'T BUILD ANYTHING BACK THERE.

IT'S WORTHLESS LAND.

SO I DON'T AGREE WITH IT BEING PUT INTO THE CITY LIMITS.

NO.

AND WE ALL HAVE DEBRIS THAT WE DO BURN BACK THERE OCCASIONALLY.

NOT ALL OF US.

I TRY TO REFRAME FROM IT 'CAUSE I'M ON OXYGEN.

BUT WE DO WITH SO MUCH DEBRIS FROM THE WOODS ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU KNOW, WE DO BURN BACK THERE.

SO IF IT GOES IN THE CITY LIMITS, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR RESTRICTIONS ARE FOR BURNING BACK THERE, BUT I DISAGREE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING.

[00:15:01]

SAMAR ALLEN.

I LIVE AT 1915 WEST SUNSET.

UM, I DO APPRECIATE WHOEVER DECIDED TO SEND US OUT.

THAT PROVIDED US WITH SOME MORE REASONING FROM LAST MEETING.

I SAID WE HAD NO REASONING ON WHY THIS WAS GONNA OCCUR FOR THE ANNEXATION.

I KNOW YOU SPOKE ON SOME OF THE REASONINGS AT THE LAST MEETING AND SOME OF THAT WAS, UM, INCONSISTENCIES IN SERVICE DELIVERY.

ALL THE ADDRESSES ARE CITY ADDRESSES, SAW THE SERVICES, WE PAY TAXES TO THE CITY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS YOU GUYS WERE TRYING TO RECONCILE THROUGHOUT THE CITY WAS THAT IF SOMEBODY IS RECEIVING CITY SEWER SERVICE, WATER, WHATEVER, THAT WE WOULD BE PAYING TAXES FOR THAT.

BUT WE DO BECAUSE OUR ACTUAL PHYSICAL ADDRESS IS IN THE CITY CONFUSION ON THE PART OF FIRST RESPONDERS.

AGAIN, OUR ADDRESSES ARE IN THE CITY, SO THINGS ARE GONNA HAPPEN AT OUR HOUSE OR IN THE BACKYARD.

THE FARTHER BACK PART IN THE COUNTY.

WHAT COULD HAPPEN OUT THERE? WELL, IF SOMEBODY HAS A PHYSICAL AIR HEART ATTACK, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AMBULANCE SERVICES COMING REGARDLESS OF 10 COUNTY FIRST RESPONDERS ARE GONNA COME.

WHOEVER IS CLOSEST REGARDLESS CITY OR COUNTY PARK DISTRICT COMES REGARDLESS CITY OR COUNTY.

IT'S WHOEVER'S CLOSEST.

IF IT'S AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND ONCE THE FIRST RESPONDERS GET THERE, HOW'S THE POLICE OFFICER HERE FOR 10 YEARS? THEN WE SORT OUT WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IT IS.

BUT WE GET THERE, WE TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, WE MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS SAFE AND THEN WE CAN ASCERTAIN WHOSE CALL IT IS SO TO SPEAK.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO FIRST RESPONDERS, I DON'T SEE THAT BEING AN ISSUE THERE, ESPECIALLY WHEN OUR PROPERTY, THE HOUSES, THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURES WHERE MOST FIRST RESPONDERS WILL HAVE TO ACCESS AND THE CALLS COME TO IS IN THE CITY.

STREET MAINTENANCE, AGAIN, WE ARE THE STREETS IN THE CITY, THE HOUSES IN THE CITY, THE SIDEWALKS THAT ARE THERE IN THE CITY.

I DO UNDERSTAND THAT IF YOU HAVE AN ISLAND IN THE CITY WHERE THEY ARE RECEIVING CITY SERVICES AND THEY AREN'T PAYING FOR CITY SERVICES, I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT RATIONALE.

I UNDERSTAND YOU STARTED THIS IN 2020, WHICH MEANS YOU FELT LIKE SOMETHING HAD TO CHANGE.

MAYBE YOU LOOK AT IT AGAIN AND SEE IF FURTHER CHANGES OR FURTHER AMENDMENTS CAN BE MADE IN THIS PROCESS BECAUSE WE ARE ALWAYS EVOLVING.

YES.

NO COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH.

I KNOW THIS IS A LEARNING PROCESS, IT'S SOMETHING YOU GUYS JUST STARTED, BUT REVISIT IT.

I HAVE ANOTHER THREE MINUTES LATER ON AND THERE MAY BE SOME PROBLEMS OR SOME THINGS YOU MAY WANNA LOOK AT WITH THE, UM, THE, UH, 6 25 ILCS, WHICH DEALS WITH THE ANNEXATION OF MUNICIPALITY PROPERTIES.

IF IN FACT WE DO HAVE THAT EASEMENT, UM, AT THE BACK OF THE SANITATION DISTRICT, THAT MAY BE AN ISSUE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MR. ALLEN.

HI, UH, MY NAME'S KATHY GRACE.

I LIVE AT 2 37 NORTH 19TH STREET.

SORRY, I JUST MOVED HERE, UM, DECEMBER 19TH.

AND MY PROBLEMS AREN'T AS BIG AS THESE ANNEX ASIAN PROBLEMS, BUT UM, I'VE BEEN HERE 15 WEEKS AND WASTE MANAGEMENT WILL NOT PICK UP MY GARBAGE ALL THE TIME.

SOMETIMES THEY WILL.

THEY'VE EVEN GIVEN ME PICTURES TO SAY, WELL, WE DIDN'T PICK IT UP BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T PUT IT OUT.

HERE'S YOUR HOUSE.

IT'S NOT MY HOUSE.

THEY WON'T PICK UP MY GARBAGE.

NOW MOVING HERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN WONDERFUL.

THE PEOPLE, I MEAN ARE I I CAME FROM CHICAGO.

PEOPLE AREN'T NICE UP THERE LIKE THEY ARE DOWN HERE.

I MEAN, I ASK FOR DIRECTIONS.

I MEAN, PEOPLE ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP.

THE ICE SKATING RINK AMAZING.

THE LIBRARY'S AWESOME.

WASTE MANAGEMENT SUCKS.

MONKEY BALLS.

THAT'S IT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY PLEASE CAN SOMEBODY I CALL MOYA EVERY WEEK OR DANIEL AND THE WHATEVER THE SANITATION PLACE I CALL WASTE MANAGEMENT EVERY WEEK.

AND I MEAN, I'M FIGHTING FOR THEM TO PICK UP MY GARBAGE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DO ANYTHING, BUT IF YOU CAN, I'D APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MS. GRACE.

UH, HI.

MY NAME IS ZELDA TINDEL.

I LIVE AT 1929 WEST SUNSET AVENUE.

UM, I LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT ARE WONDERING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS INCLUDING THE TAXES AND WHAT GOOD IT'S GOING TO DO US WITH THE ANNEXATION OF THE PROPERTY, BUT ALSO I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE WHOLE FACT THAT THE CITY MANAGER'S ALREADY WRITTEN A LETTER ABOUT THE FACT THAT IT WOULDN'T DO NOTHING FOR THE CITY AND HOW YOU'RE WRANGLING WITH ALL OF THAT DURING ALL OF THIS, UH, TIME VOTING ON IT.

SO THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

[00:20:10]

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU ALL DOING WELL.

I WANTED TO ASK YOU ALL, UM, REMEMBER ABOUT THE EPA EMISSION TESTING THAT I WANTED HERE IN MACON COUNTY.

EPA JUST AWARDED $20 BILLION FOR PROJECTS LIKE THIS TO BE DONE.

AND I WANTED YOU TO HELP TO PULL AND ASK FOR THE PROJECTS WITH THE EPA 20 BILLION GRANT THAT THEY ARE OFFERING SO THAT WE CAN HAVE THE EMISSION TESTING FOR VEHICLES AND MACHINERY AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THAT'S VERY ESSENTIAL FOR US, THE PEOPLE AND THE BUILDINGS AND THE STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS AND THE ENVIRONMENT AND EVERYTHING.

AND SO I THINK THEY JUST, UM, THAT CAME UP I THINK APRIL THE FOURTH.

SO I WANTED YOU GUYS TO SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN ASK FOR THOSE PROJECTS AND GET THOSE GRANTS, WHATEVER PORTION THAT WE CAN GET IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, AND MACON COUNTY, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ALSO, I WANTED IN THAT GRANT, I THINK THERE'S ALSO THE, THE, UM, ENERGY EFFICIENCY SAVINGS PROGRAM.

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND AND LANDLORDS MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.

AND I, I THOUGHT DURING YOUR ADVERTISEMENT WITH COMMUNICATIONS, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT IT ON YOUR CHANNEL TO WHERE YOU CAN TEACH THE PEOPLE AND LANDLORDS THAT IS, IT IS FREE TO THE LANDLORDS, IT IS ENERGY EFFICIENCY TO KEEP THE HOUSES GREAT, THE BUILDING'S GREAT TEMPERATURE WISE.

INSULATED RIGHT, SEALED RIGHT, NO CRACKS, NO CREVICES, NOTHING LIKE THAT.

AND IT'S FREE.

THE, THE LANDLORDS DON'T HAVE TO SHOW THEIR INCOME IF IT IS NEEDED.

ALL, ALL THAT IS ASKED FOR IS THE, THE OWNERS TO SHOW PROOF OF OWNERSHIP.

THAT'S IT.

AND THAT THEY AUTHORIZE, FOR EXAMPLE, AMERIN TO COME INTO THE HOUSE AND TO DO THIS.

AND SO I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU CAN MAYBE ADVERTISE, HELP ADVERTISE THAT IN ADDITION SO THAT LANDLORDS CAN UNDERSTAND IT'S A DIFFERENT, MAYBE THERE IS ONE THAT THAT REQUESTS THAT THE LANDLORDS SHOW THEIR, THEIR INCOME, BUT THIS ONE DOES NOT REQUIRE THE LANDLORDS TO SHOW THEIR INCOME.

AND SO WHY CAN'T THE BUILDINGS BE GOOD ? WHY CAN'T WE TAKE, WHY, WHY CAN'T PEOPLE WANNA TAKE CARE OF BUILDINGS? THEY SHOULD.

AND SO I WANNA ALSO TO ENCOURAGE PLEASE, IF YOU CAN STOP THE DISTURBANCES AND POP-UP PARTIES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE GOT THAT PROBLEM IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND IT'S GOTTA STOP.

THEY DO IT FRIDAYS, THURSDAYS, FRIDAYS ESPECIALLY, AND SUN AND SATURDAYS AND IT, IT'S LINKED WITH DRUGS TOO.

AND YOU KNOW, WE DON'T, WE DON'T, I DON'T DO DRUGS AND I DON'T WANT PEOPLE AROUND ME TO DO DRUGS.

SO, UH, I WAS WONDERING IF YOU GUYS WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP IN THAT ASPECT.

AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU TAKE CARE AND HAVE A LOVELY EVENING.

THANK YOU MS. MOAN.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? UM, ARE THERE RESPONSES FROM STAFF OR COUNCIL MEMBERS? MR. WRIGHTON? UM, MAYOR, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME THE LADY FROM 19TH STREET TO DECATUR, UM, AND TELL YOU THAT FROM YOUR DESCRIPTION, WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH WASTE MANAGEMENT.

WE'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE THOSE, BUT FROM YOUR DESCRIPTION, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT WASTE MANAGEMENT MAY HAVE THE WRONG HOUSE.

I'VE ASKED THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER TO GET SOME DETAILS FROM YOU ABOUT YOUR EXACT LOCATION, MAYBE WHERE THE HOUSE IS.

I DOCUMENTED IT AND, AND, AND WE CAN FIX IT FOR YOU.

OH, IF, IF, IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL ASSIST YOU, YOU'RE GOD, BECAUSE NOBODY ELSE WE CAN DO IT.

IF, IF YOU'LL, IF YOU'LL FAVOR HIM WITH SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE HE'S, HE'S RIGHT HERE AND WE WILL TAKE CARE OF IT.

SO THANKS.

I'M SORRY THAT YOU HAD TO COME IN TO TAKE CARE OF IT.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

OH NO, THAT'S WELCOME.

WELCOME TO DECATUR.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL ON ANY OF THE ITEMS PRESENTED TONIGHT? MR. MCDANIEL? THE, UH, GENTLEMAN, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOESN'T ASSESS PROPERTY THAT'S DONE BY EITHER THE COUNTY, COUNTY OR THE TOWNSHIP.

SO DO ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL BEFORE MOVING ON THIS AGENDA? OKAY.

UM, SEEING NONE

[III.  Approval of Minutes]

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 1ST, 2024.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS UNDER UNFINISHED

[1.  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]

WE HAVE ONE ITEM.

IS THAT CORRECT, MADAM CLERK? THAT'S CORRECT.

ALL RIGHT.

ITEM ONE IS AN 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, LOT SOUTH OF 1937.

UH, SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1929.

WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1915

[00:25:01]

WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1893 WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1873 WEST, WEST SUNSET LOT SOUTH OF 1853.

SUNSET.

WE'LL NEED A MOTION TO TAKE THE ITEM FROM THE TABLE.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES.

NO NAYS.

AND THEN WE NEED A MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

MR. MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE SOME, UH, COMMENTARY FOLLOWING LAST, OUR LAST MEETING? I'LL BE BRIEF.

UH, MAYOR, UM, YOU TABLED THIS ITEM AT THE LAST MEETING SO THAT STAFF COULD DO SOME ADDITIONAL CHECKING ON, UM, ON THE NATURE OF ITS SURROUNDING AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS, UH, UH, STIPULATED BY STATE STATUTE WERE WERE RIGHT.

WE SENT YOU A BETTER MAP, I THINK, TO VERIFY THAT IT IS SURROUNDED.

YOU ALSO REQUESTED THAT WE SEND A LETTER TO PROPERTY OWNERS EXPLAINING SOME OF THE CITY'S RATIONALE.

SOME OF THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING HAVE ALREADY REFERENCED THAT WE, THAT WE SENT THAT OUT.

I WOULD SAY JUST IN SUMMARY, UH, THAT, UM, UH, THE, THIS WAS ONE OF, OF NEARLY, UH, 20 ANNEXATIONS THAT WERE, UH, INTENDED TO CLOSE HOLES, UM, IN THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE IT WAS FULLY SURROUNDED.

UM, THE, UM, UH, IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, UH, THAT THE ARGUMENTS THIS EVENING WARRANT, UH, AN EXCEPTION IN THIS CASE, THAT'S, THAT'S THE, THE CITY COUNCIL'S PREROGATIVE, OF COURSE.

UH, BUT OUR RATIONALE FOR IT WAS, WAS NO MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.

IT'S ONE OF THESE 21 PLACES THAT WERE, THAT WERE ALL BEING DEALT WITH IN EXACTLY THE SAME WAY THROUGHOUT THE CITY, SO THAT THERE WEREN'T, UM, HOLES IN THE CITY'S BOUNDARY.

UM, THE, UM, THE AREA IS PARTIALLY FLOODED, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, PARTLY IN THE SANON RIVER FLOODPLAIN.

THAT'S REALLY NOT A REASON FOR NOT ANNEXING IT.

IN FACT, IT COULD BE A REASON FOR DOING SO WITH, BECAUSE YOU WANNA MANAGE THE FLOODPLAIN AND SOME OF THE OTHER PROBLEMS THAT HAVE BEEN TALKED ABOUT THIS EVENING.

BUT, UH, BUT ULTIMATELY IT'S, IT'S YOUR, YOUR YOUR CALL AND OUR, OUR RATIONALE FOR DOING IT WAS JUST WHAT I SAID.

AFTER I OPEN, UH, THIS FOR DISCUSSION AMONG COUNCIL MEMBERS, WE WILL BE BRINGING THE THREE PEOPLE OR OFFERING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY THAT, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.

SO WE'LL OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL.

ANY COMMENTS, MR. MCDANIEL? WELL, NOT NECESSARILY.

AND, AND FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, AS WE'RE DOING MORE ANNEX, ARE WE GOING TO START PUTTING A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPLANATION ON THE LETTERS THAT GO OUT? YES.

I THINK THAT WAS, UH, COUNSEL'S CLEAR DIRECTION.

WASN'T THAT IT JUST GO OUT ON THIS ONE.

I THINK THAT YOU'RE, I I CERTAINLY INTERPRETED YOUR INTENTION AND YOUR COMMENTS AT THE LAST MEETING IS SAYING THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD GO BEYOND WHAT THE STATUTE REQUIRES AND EXPLAIN, EXPLAIN THESE THINGS FURTHER.

UM, THE MAJORITY OF OUR ANNEXATIONS, AND YOU SEE THEM MEETING AFTER MEETING OUR VOLUNTARY ANNEXATIONS, UH, WE DO THESE, UM, THESE INVOLUNTARY ONES MAYBE EVERY OTHER YEAR OR EVERY 18 MONTHS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN A GROUP.

AND SO, UM, UH, THE, UH, AND SO THE, AND THEY'RE DIFFERENT FOR THAT REASON BECAUSE THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER HASN'T REQUESTED THE ANNEXATION.

AND SO THESE MAILERS WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION WITH THOSE THAT HAVEN'T HAD MUCH CONTACT WITH THE CITY AND ARE WONDERING WHY THEY'RE BEING ANNEXED AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHERS WHO ARE REQUESTING ANNEXATION.

GIVEN SOME OF THE DISCUSSION FROM, UM, THE RESIDENTS TONIGHT, THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE THERE ARE LOTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OR THERE ARE SERVICES THAT WOULD BE HAPPENING BEHIND THEM, SUCH AS SEWER OR WATER.

UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY, OTHER THAN JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IN THE CITY, WHY IT'S BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY TO HAVE IT, THAT IT WOULD OUTWEIGH THE RESIDENT'S CONCERNS? WELL, THE, THE FACT THAT THERE MAY NOT BE DEVELOPMENT ON IT.

UM, I MEAN, WE, WE ANNEX A LOT OF PROPERTY THAT, THAT, THAT ISN'T DEVELOPED OR MAY NOT BE DEVELOPED IN THE FUTURE AGAIN FOR, UH, UM, CONSISTENCY OF SERVICE THAT THERE CAN BE GRASS FIRES AS WELL AS BE STRUCTURE FIRES.

AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE QUESTIONS ABOUT, ABOUT WHERE FIRST RESPONDERS SHOULD GO.

UH, THE AREA DOWN THERE IS, UM, IT'S, IT'S IN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S IN THE SANGAMON RIVER FLOODPLAIN.

UM, MUCH OF THE FLOODPLAIN IS ALREADY ANNEX.

SOME OF IT IS NOT.

UM, AND, UH, PROPERLY REGULATING IT IS DIFFICULT TO DO OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION WHATSOEVER OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS.

UM, IF YOU WANTED TO PRO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO BURN, UM, OUTSIDE THE CITY, THEN I SUPPOSE THEN THIS PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.

SO IN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION, MAYOR, I WOULD SAY THAT BEYOND THE ARGUMENT OF, OF CONSISTENCY AND OF CLOSING THE HOLES WHEREVER IT SEEMS MOST APPROPRIATE TO DO SO AND CONTROL OF THE FLOODPLAIN, UH, THO THOSE WOULD BE THE PRIMARY ARGUMENTS.

AND IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, THAT, UH, THE OFF THE ARGUMENTS OFFERED BY THE RESIDENTS THIS EVENING WARRANT AN

[00:30:01]

I MEAN, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S YOUR CALL.

MR. HORN, YOU HAD A COMMENT OR QUESTION? MAYOR, I'LL, I'LL RESERVE COMMENTS TILL AFTER I HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS, BUT, UM, MR. WRIGHTON, CAN YOU JUST REMIND THE COUNCIL WHEN THIS PROPERTY BECAME SURROUNDED, IF, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, WHAT'S THE HISTORY OF THAT? IT BECAME SURROUNDED LAST YEAR WHEN THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT ANNEXED PARCELS.

THEY, THEY ANNEXED A BUNCH OF PARCELS INTO THE CITY, ALL OVER THIS, ALL OVER THE PERIPHERY OF THE CITY WHERE THEY OWNED PARCELS FOR THE SAME WE'D ASKED THEM TO AS A PART OF AN AGREEMENT WE HAD REGARDING A BUNCH OF OTHER EXCHANGE OF SERVICES, AND THEY DID SO, AND THAT RESULTED IN THIS SECTION BEING, BEING SURROUNDED AT THAT TIME.

SO IT'S SURROUNDING IS FAIRLY RECENT.

MAKE ONE BRIEF COMMENT.

SURE.

AND, AND THAT IS THAT I WOULD MAKE THE ARGUMENT THAT PROPERTY THAT THE DECATUR PARK DISTRICT OWNS SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANNEXED INTO THE CITY OF DECATUR YEARS AGO.

AND SO IN MANY WAYS, UM, WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED YEARS AGO AND WASN'T.

AND, AND I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

WAS IT ANNEXED IN BECAUSE OF THE BIKE TRAIL? BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE FOR THE, THERE WOULD BE AN ACTUAL THING THEY WERE DOING, WHICH WE ARE NOT PLANNING TO DO ANYTHING.

UM, THE TECHNIC I WOULD SAY THAT THE SHORT ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION IS NO.

ALTHOUGH THE PARK DISTRICT IS CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF HAVING, UM, SEGMENTS OF THE BIKE PLA OF THE BIKE ROUTE IN THE CITY BECAUSE IT HELPS FOR EN FOR, UH, ENFORCEMENT, FOR, FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ISSUES.

BUT THE, UM, AS YOU MIGHT RECALL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, WE DID A INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH THE PARK DISTRICT WHEREBY THEY AGREED TO GIVE US SOME EASEMENTS AND, AND WE MADE FINAL ADJUSTMENTS TO THE, WHAT THEY OWED US FOR, FOR STORMWATER FEES.

AND THEY BROUGHT PROPERTIES INTO THE CITY.

IT WAS A, WAS A, IT WAS A COMPREHENSIVE SETTLEMENT WITH THE, WITH THE PARK DISTRICT ON SEVERAL OUTSTANDING ISSUES.

ONE OF WHICH WAS THAT THEY WOULD ANNEX ALL OF THEIR PROPERTY THAT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY, INTO THE CITY, EXCEPT FOR SOME LARGE PARCELS EAST OF THE AIRPORT.

AND THIS ONE CAME IN AS A RESULT OF THAT.

SO IT DIDN'T COME IN, ALTHOUGH THERE'S CERTAINLY AN ARGUMENT THAT I THINK CAN BE MADE FOR WHY BIKE TRAILS SHOULD BE IN THE CITY.

THAT WAS NOT THEIR MOTIVATION FOR BRINGING THIS ONE IN.

DOES THAT ANSWER THE QUESTION? OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? OH, MR. KUHL? YES.

CAN YOU HEAR ME, MAYOR? SURE CAN.

I JUST DIDN'T SEE YOUR HAND UP, BUT NOW I SEE IT.

YEAH.

UM, I WANTED TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER, UH, HE'S, HE'S GIVEN US SOME REASONING AND TALKED ABOUT THIS FLOODPLAIN, BUT COULD YOU ELABORATE OR IS THERE ANYTHING MORE TO ELABORATE ABOUT THE REGULATION AND MANAGING OF THE FLOOD PLANE MORE EFFECTIVELY AND CONSISTENCY CONSISTENTLY, AS IS MENTIONED IN THE MEMO? IS THERE ANYTHING, CAN YOU JUST TELL ME WHAT EXACTLY THAT MEANS TO MANAGE THE FLOOD PLANE? WELL, FROM THE CITY'S STANDPOINT, AND, AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UM, MAYBE AS A SIDEBAR THAT I'M NOT SURE THAT THE CITY HAS DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB OF MANAGING THE FLOODPLAIN IN THE FIRST PLACE.

UM, BUT ONE OF THE KEY COMPONENTS OF MANAGING A FLOODPLAIN ANYWHERE A DECATUR OR ANY PLACE ELSE, IS MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE NOT INAPPROPRIATE, UM, ENCROACHMENTS ON THE FLOODPLAIN, USUALLY IN THE FORM OF DUMPING, UH, WHETHER IT'S CLEAR FILL OR NOT, BECAUSE THAT DUMPING CHANGES THE CALCULUS FOR WHERE THE FLOOD WATERS GO WHEN THERE IS, WHEN, WHEN THE WATERS ARE HIGH.

UM, BUT REGARDLESS OF, OF, UH, UM, WHETHER IT'S, UM, INTRUSIONS INTO THE LAND, INTO THE FLOODPLAIN, OR WHETHER IT'S CONTROLLING VEGETATION ON THE FLOODPLAIN OR ACCESS TO THE FLOODPLAIN, WE, WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION IF IT'S OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS.

MR. COOPER, UH, CITY MANAGER, JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON ONE OF YOUR JUST RECENT COMMENTS.

UM, AND IF I RECALL FROM LISTENING TO THE CITIZENS, AND YOU'RE SAYING ABOUT THE DUMPING, UH, I'M NOT SURE THAT IN THIS AREA THAT DUMPING IS AN ISSUE.

IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S NO ACCESS FOR ANYBODY TO GET TO ANYTHING IN THE BACK OF, IN THAT AREA TO DO ANY DUMPING.

AND IS THAT NOT CORRECT? WHILE WE HAVE HAD SOME DUMPING PROBLEMS IN SOME OF THESE PARCELS THAT YOU ANNEXED, UM, I'M NOT AWARE THAT THERE'S ANY DUMPING ISSUES ON, ON THESE, ON THIS TRACT OF LAND.

I HAVEN'T WALKED ALL OF IT, BUT I'VE NOT SEEN OR, OR BEEN MADE AWARE OF ANY ISSUES OF IT AT THE SUNSET LOCATION AT THIS TIME.

IF IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH COUNSEL, I'LL ASK THE CITIZENS TO COME BACK.

UH, MR. ALLEN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK, YOU HAVE AN ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES.

UM, AS LONG AS I'VE LIVED BACK THERE AND SPOKEN WITH THE RESIDENTS BACK THERE, THEY, WE'VE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE DURING ANY ILLEGAL DUMPING, UM, OF ANY KIND.

UM, AS WELL AS THE, WHEN IT TALKS ABOUT ANNEXATION, IT'S 6 25

[00:35:01]

IT TALKS IN THE BEGINNING ABOUT WHAT IS CONSIDERED CONTAGIOUS TO THE MUNICIPAL MUNICIPALITY.

AND NOTWITHSTANDING THAT TERRITORY, WHICH IS SEPARATED FROM THE MUNICIPALITY BY LAKE RIVER, OTHER WATERWAY, AND IT GOES ON DOWN AND SAYS RAILROAD OR OTHER PUBLIC UTILITY RIGHT AWAY.

SO WE HAVE TWO PUBLIC UTILITY RIGHT AWAYS.

ONE IS GONNA BE THE SANITATION DISTRICT, WHICH IS BEHIND OUR HOUSE, WHICH YOU GUYS JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHERE THEY CLEARED OUT.

SO THAT'S ONE RIGHT OF WAY, THAT'S PART OF OUR PROPERTY.

UM, AND SO WHAT THIS IS SAYING IS THAT IT'S NOT CONSIDERED CONTAGIOUS, NOTWITHSTANDING THESE, THE OTHER ONE IS THAT THE POWER LINES THAT RUN THROUGH OUR BACKYARDS WOULD ALSO BE CONSIDERED A RIGHT OF WAY.

UM, WHEN I SPOKE WITH COUNSEL BRIEFLY, THEY SAID THIS COULD BE AN ISSUE AND THIS COULD BE SOMETHING THAT WE COULD GO WITH.

THE OTHER PART WAS, UM, THAT WHEN I SPOKE WITH THEM, THEY SAID THAT TRYING TO CHANGE IT FROM A TERRITORY, WHICH IS OUR, EACH SINGLE TERRITORIES AND TRYING TO BRING US A TRACK ALL TOGETHER IN ORDER TO MAKE IT ALL CONTAGIOUS AS A WAY AROUND IT, UM, COULD BE AN ISSUE.

HE DOESN'T KNOW THE CASE LAW ON IT YET, AND OBVIOUSLY HE'S NOT GONNA LOOK IT UP UNLESS WE RETAIN HIM, BUT THE, THAT'S HOW IT GOES, RIGHT.

HOWEVER, BUT JUST MAKE SURE YOU GUYS ARE AWARE OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR LEGAL TEAM IS AWARE OF THOSE ISSUES THAT COULD COME UP.

I JUST, AGAIN, GO BACK TO CODE ENFORCEMENT, FIRST RESPONDERS, SO ON AND SO FORTH.

UM, THERE'S AN MOU BETWEEN THE PARK DISTRICT, DECATUR PARK, UH, POLICE AND THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT WHERE ONE CAN GO AND HELP THE OTHER OUT, WHETHER IT'S ON PARK DISTRICT PROPERTY OR THE PARK DISTRICT.

POLICE CAN COME AND HELP OUT IN THE CITY WHERE NEEDED.

YOU'RE RIGHT, IF WE HAVE A GRASS FIRE BACK THERE, THAT MIGHT BECOME AN ISSUE.

BUT IF IT'S DRY ENOUGH TO HAVE A GRASS FIRE, THAT MEANS IT'S GOING BACK TO WHERE ALL THE FORESTRY IS, WHICH MEANS THE CITY'S FIRE IS GONNA COME OUT ANYWAY.

SO, UM, I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING TALKED ABOUT WITH POLICE COMING IN, OR I'M ASSUMING I WAS CORRECT ABOUT THE SERVICE DELIVERY WHEN IT COMES TO SEWER, BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING FOR THAT.

AGAIN, THE PROCESS THROUGH WHICH YOU ARE DOING, THIS IS A NEW PROCESS.

YOU GOT STARTED IN 2020.

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS COOKIE CUTTER APPROACH MAY BE DIFFERENT IN THIS INSTANCE.

AND JUST TO LOOK AT EACH ONE AS THE CITIZENS COME UP AND TALK ABOUT IT.

AND THIS MAY BE A CASE WHERE YOU SAY, OKAY, WELL MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

UM, SO JUST PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.

THANK YOU, MR. ALLEN.

UM, KEN SMITH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO REITERATE WHAT THEY, WHAT THEIR, THE REST OF THE NEIGHBORS HAVE TALKED ABOUT.

AND WE TOO.

WE HAVE IN THE BACK, WE HAVE SEVERAL LARGE TREES THAT HAVE JUST DIED IN THE PRIOR LAST YEAR.

SO WE'RE PLANNING ON TAKING THEM OUT, BUT WE DO THAT WORK OURSELVES.

SO IN THE MEANTIME, WHAT WE DO IS THEN ONCE WE CUT AND DROP, THEN WE'LL BURN IT THROUGH.

WE HAVE FAMILY REUNIONS EVERY YEAR AT OUR LAWN IN THE BACK AND FALL WIENER ROW.

SO I'M NOT SURE HOW ANNEXATION WOULD, UM, FALL ON THIS REGARDING BURNING, BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS DIFFERENT THAN THE CITY.

WE DO ENJOY HAVING ALL THE CITY AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE, BUT THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT THE PROPERTY BACK IN THOSE MANY YEARS AGO IS BECAUSE WE DID HAVE CITY HOUSE, ALL THAT, BUT WE ALSO HAD THE COUNTY, WHICH IS A LITTLE MORE PRIVATE THAN NORMAL AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS BEHIND THE BARRIER BACK THERE.

AS THE LADY SAID EARLIER, THEY DID COME THROUGH AND, UM, WE DID RECEIVE A LETTER PRIOR TO THAT, BUT, UM, OURS IS NOT TOO BAD, BUT THEY DID THROW LARGE CHUNKS OF WOOD ALL THE WAY BACK INTO THE BACKYARD, WHICH I'M ABLE TO CLEAN UP, BUT I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE ARE NOT.

SO THAT'S AN ISSUE THERE TOO.

BUT, AND AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PLANNING ON WITH THEIR LANDSCAPING.

HE TOLD ME, I TALKED TO THE GUY TOO, THAT THEY WERE GOING TO PUT POMPOUS GRASS AND THOSE TYPE OF THINGS ALONG ON TOP OF THAT BERM TO MAKE IT LOOK A LITTLE BETTER BECAUSE NOW IT'S PRETTY DARN BARE AND WE'RE NOT USED TO THAT.

I'M ALWAYS USED TO JUST WOODS IN THE BACK AND ALL THAT.

BUT, UH, OTHER THAN THAT, UM, I THINK THAT'S JUST THE MAJOR OPPOSITION.

SO MAYBE YOU COULD CONSIDER THAT, BUT IT'S JUST KIND OF PRIVATE BACK THERE AND THAT'S HOW WE'D LIKE TO KEEP IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU MR. SMITH.

UH, WE ALSO HAD ZELDA TINDELL WHO, UH, REQUESTED SPEAK.

COME BACK.

SORRY, I DIDN'T CATCH YOUR NAME THE FIRST TIME, SO I GOT IT NOW.

THAT'S OKAY.

THANK YOU.

THAT'S OKAY.

UM, ON TOP OF ALL THE TAXATION AND ANNEXING IT AND EVERYTHING, UH, I KNOW FOR THE COUNTY SOME OF THE LAWS ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FOR WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT.

FOR INSTANCE, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO GETTING A BEEHIVE BACK THERE SO THAT WE COULD, UH, WORK ON OUR OWN BEEHIVE AND TRY TO DRAW OUT SOME HONEY FROM LOCAL FLOWERS THAT WE WERE GOING TO PLAN ON PLANNING.

AND SO NOW WE'RE REALLY KIND OF WORRIED ABOUT THE FACT THAT WITH THE CITY ANNEXING THIS LOT, WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY

[00:40:01]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MR. HORN? WELL, WELL, THERE'S SEVERAL REASONS THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ANNEXATION.

I'VE LIVED IN THE WEST END FOR 19 YEARS NOW.

UNEQUIVOCALLY SUNSET IS A PART OF THE WEST END.

IT'S SIMILAR TO RIVERVIEW, IT'S SIMILAR TO FOREST, IT'S SIMILAR TO WEST LAWN, IT'S SIMILAR TO THE REST OF SUNSET.

THIS STREET IS PART OF THE WEST END OF DECATUR.

QUITE FRANKLY, THIS ANNEXATION LIKE HUNDREDS BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO.

AND IN MANY WAYS IT WAS THE REASON FOR THE DELAY WAS BECAUSE SOME OF OUR GOVERNMENTAL PARTNERS HAD NOT ANNEXED THEIR PROPERTY INTO THE CITY OF DECATUR.

I'D LIKE TO STRESS THAT THE DIFFERENT LAWS BETWEEN THE COUNTY AND CITY CREATE A LACK OF EQUITY BETWEEN RESIDENTS OF WEST SUNSET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WITH WEST RIVERVIEW, WITH WEST FOREST, AND WITH SUNSET TO THE EAST.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY MAY HAVE DIFFERENT LAWS REGARDING EXOTIC ANIMALS.

SO, UM, ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW SERVS IN THE BACKYARDS OF WEST SUNSET BECAUSE THE COUNTY ALLOWS SERVS, BUT THE CITY OF DECATUR PROPER DOESN'T? ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW THE SHOOTING OF FIREARMS IN THE BACK OF THESE PROPERTIES BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENCES IN FIREARM LAWS BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY? ARE WE GOING TO ALLOW FIREWORKS IN THE BACKYARDS OF THESE PROPERTIES BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CITY AND IN THE COUNTY? AND ARE WE GONNA ALLOW LEAF BURNING AT THESE PROPERTIES? FUNDAMENTALLY, GEOGRAPHICALLY, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE SOUTH OF THESE PROPERTIES AND WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE NORTH OF THESE PROPERTIES.

AND SO IT IS DEFINITELY A LACK OF EQUITY FOR THE OTHER RESIDENTS THAT HAVE LIVED IN THE WEST END FOR AS LONG AS THESE RESIDENTS AND SUNSET HAVE.

IN ADDITION, I WILL JUST REMIND THE COUNCIL THAT IT WOULD BE ARBITRARY AND CAPRICIOUS TO THE HUNDREDS OF DECATUR RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN ANNEXED SINCE 2020 FOR SIMILAR ISSUES.