* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.
          [I.  Call to Order]
          [00:00:04]
          CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER. 
          PLEASE CALL THE ROLL. 
          COUNCILMAN COLE HERE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? HERE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY. 
          PRESENT. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL. 
          PRESENT. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN. 
          PRESENT. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL PRESENT? MAYOR MOORE WOLF. 
          PRESENT SEVEN. 
          PRESENT AND ABSENT. 
          PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. 
          ALLEGIANCE THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS FOR ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ARE WRONG. 
          WE BEGIN OUR 
          [II.  Appearance of Citizens]
MEETINGS WITH THE APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS. 
          OUR 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 WHEN THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY OF DONE SO. 
          MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS. 
          WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING? PLEASE COME TO THE PODIUM AND YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME. 
          WE DON'T NEED AN ADDRESS. 
          AND WE'LL HAVE A TIMER THAT WE'LL START. 
          UM, MY NAME IS, UH, MATT VILLE. 
          I WAS, UM, WONDERING IF THE, IF, UM, THE CITY OF DECATUR WAS HAVING A CHRISTMAS PARADE THIS YEAR OR IF, UM, IF, UM, ANYBODY WAS, UH, MAYBE, UM, UM, SORRY ABOUT THAT. 
          UM, THAT'S OKAY. 
          UH, WE DON'T, WE USUALLY RESPOND AT THE END. 
          THERE IS A PARADE INDICATOR, UM, THAT THE CITY DOESN'T PUT IT ON. 
          MR. MANAGER, DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW WHEN THE DAY IS THIS SATURDAY? THIS SATURDAY. 
          IT'S, IT'S A NIGHTTIME PARADE. 
          FOUR O' AT FOUR O'CLOCK. 
          THANK YOU, MR. MCDANIEL. 
          ANYONE ELSE COME TO THE PODIUM PLEASE. 
          HELLO, MY NAME IS CONSUELO CRUZ. 
          UM, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, UM, IN REGARD TO THE PROPERTY TAX, UM, LEVY, WHAT WERE THE OTHER IDEAS THAT WERE PROPOSED, UM, TO OFFSET THE REVENUE? UM, AND WHAT IS THE PROCESS AS FAR AS, UM, WHEN YOU ARE BRAINSTORMING IDEAS TO COME UP WITH REVENUE, WHAT, UM, WHAT IS, WHAT DOES THAT PROCESS LOOK LIKE? I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AT SOME POINT WHAT IDEAS THEY PROPOSED. 
          UM, INSTEAD OF, UH, INCREASING THE PROPERTY TAX, WHICH I THINK MOST OF US CAN AGREE, UM, THAT WOULD NOT BE SUSTAINABLE, UM, OVER, UM, TIME TO CONSISTENTLY GO TO PROPERTY TAX INCREASES AS A, UH, FORM OF REVENUE. 
          SO WHAT WERE SOME OF THE OTHER IDEAS THAT WERE PROPOSED AND WHY WERE THEY, UM, NOT SUPPORTED? SO AT SOME POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, MS. CRUZ. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MOYA FOX, CITY MANAGER, MAYOR, COUNCIL PERSONS COUNCIL, CITY CLERK. 
          I WOULD LIKE TO JUST FOLLOW UP WITH WHAT WAS PRESENTED AND SAY THAT I'M A PROUD CITIZEN AND HOMEOWNER, UH, AND RESIDENT OF DECATUR FOR 20 PLUS YEARS. 
          UM, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE 7% INCREASE IS IN GOOD STANDING. 
          THE REASON BEING IS THAT IF WE CONTINUALLY TAX THE WORKING CLASS, IT'S GONNA COLLAPSE WHEN THE SPINE OF THE CITY IS CONTINUALLY TAXED AGAIN AND AGAIN. 
          AND WE WANT NEW HOMEOWNERS AND WE SUPPORT THAT. 
          AND WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO HAVING A FANTASTIC BUDGET, NOT OVERREACHING ON YOUR PERSON'S INCOME, AND WE HAVE TO DECIDE WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO PAY MORTGAGE PLUS HIGH IN, UH, UH, PROPERTY TAX AND THEN SUPPORT A FAMILY OF 2, 4, 6, OUR BUDGETS ARE STRETCHED TO THE MAX. 
          AND GRANTED, I'M STANDING WITH YOU WITH A HIGHER EDUCATION, AND I'VE BEEN HERE IN THE CITY. 
          I'VE WORKED FOR THE CITY, BUT I'M TELLING YOU NOW, HAVING TO HAVE OUR INCREASE OF, WHAT WAS IT? DOUBLE AND NOW HA FACING A 7% INCREASE ON PROPERTY TAX. 
          AND I DON'T LIVE IN AN EXPENSIVE HOME. 
          I LIVE ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE. 
          IT HITS A POCKET, BUT HARD POCKETBOOK HARD. 
          AND 
          [00:05:01]
WHEN I TALK TO MY NEIGHBORS, SOME OF THEM ARE LEAVING BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ANYMORE. 
          DECATUR IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE HERE AND ONE OF THE CHEAPEST PLACES. 
          WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU AFFORD YOUR PROPERTY TAX? BECAUSE THE INCOME IS JUST NOT THERE. 
          THE INCOME'S NOT JUST THERE. 
          AND I WORK TWO JOBS, SO I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. 
          PLEASE RECONSIDER, TABLE IT. 
          LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS. 
          THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR BACKBONE IS LIKE. 
          WE WANT A STRAIGHT BACKBONE. 
          WE DON'T WANT SCOLIOSIS. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU MS. FOX. 
          I'M KAREN. 
          CAN WE HAVE YOUR LAST NAME PLEASE? MES? GOOD EVENING MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. 
          WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE THREE MINUTE RULE, I DO FEEL WHEN A SURVIVOR OF GUN VIOLENCE IS HERE TO SPEAK, MORE TIME SHOULD BE ALLOWED FOR THE CONCERN. 
          I AM HERE TONIGHT ON BEHALF OF THE DICKINSON AVENUE NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO SHOOTINGS ON DICKINSON WITHIN THE LAST THREE WEEKS. 
          THE FIRST EYE WITNESSED THREE TEENS WALKING AND SKIPPING DOWN MY STREET WHILE SHOOTING WEAPONS IN THE AIR. 
          THESE TEENS DID NOT HAVE A CARE IN THE WORLD FOR WHO THEY MAY HURT. 
          ON NOVEMBER 22ND AT 8:22 PM I HAD JUST GONE TO BED AND WAS JOLTED OUT BY A SEMI-AUTOMATIC ROUND SHOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. 
          I WOULD LIKE YOU TO IMAGINE MY VOICE SCREAMING AT MY DAUGHTER TO GET ON THE FLOOR LOUD ENOUGH FOR MY RECORDING DOORBELL TO CATCH IT OUTSIDE. 
          MY DAUGHTER WAS ALONE IN THE LIVING ROOM, SITTING ON THE COUCH. 
          MY HUSBAND HAPPENED TO PARK IN THE STREET AND THE CAR TOOK TWO STRAY BULLETS. 
          HAD HIS CAR NOT BEEN USED AS A SHIELD TO THE SHOOTER, THE BULLETS WOULD HAVE ENTERED MY LIVING ROOM WINDOW AND STRUCK MY DAUGHTER. 
          SHE WOULD NOT BE HERE TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT, HAD HIS CAR NOT STOPPED. 
          THE BULLETS. 
          I WILL SAY I AM ASTOUNDED AT THE SILENCE FROM THE CITY OFFICIALS. 
          MY TAX DOLLARS EMPLOY. 
          WHERE ARE THE PRESS CONFERENCES? WHERE IS THE CHIEF OF POLICE OR THE MAYOR MAKING THEIR STANCE ON GUN VIOLENCE KNOWN TO THE OFFENDERS? THIS IS TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. 
          THE OFFICIAL CITY OF DECATUR CRIME STATS WEBSITE DOES NOT HAVE AN UPDATED TOTAL OF SHOOTINGS. 
          SINCE OCTOBER, WITHOUT NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, WE ARE ALREADY AT 82. 
          MY DAUGHTER MOVED UP TO DECATUR TO LIVE WITH ME DUE TO AN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT IN TAYLORVILLE, I PROMISED HER A BETTER LIFE. 
          I OWE HER THAT YOU OWE HER THAT THIS SHOULD BE A PEACEFUL LIFE. 
          WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO KEEP THIS AREA SAFE? OR ARE YOU ONLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE AFFLUENT AREAS? SOME OF THE HOUSES ON DICKINSON MAY GIVE THE IMPRESSION, WE ARE ALL IN THE PA IN THE POVERTY LEVEL, OR MAY BE BAD PEOPLE. 
          THIS IS NOT THE CASE. 
          WE HAVE MILITARY VETERANS, NURSES, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS THAT LIVE ON THE STREET. 
          YOU KNOW, THE JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN WHEN CITIZENS ARE MORE IN TROUBLE FOR PROTECTING THEMSELVES THAN THE OFFENDERS ARE FOR COMMITTING THE CRIMES. 
          AGAIN, I CLOSE WITH THIS. 
          WHAT ACTIONS WILL YOU TAKE TO STOP ALL VIOLENCE? OR WILL THIS CONTINUE TO BE TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION? THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU MA'AM. 
          UM, UM, HI, I'M BELLA WILLIAMS. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU ABOUT MY EXPERIENCES THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. 
          I HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD TWICE TO GET ON THE GROUND BECAUSE OF SHOOTINGS IN FRONT OF MY HOME. 
          I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RUN FROM MY HOME AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT. 
          IF IT WASN'T FOR MY STEPFATHER'S CAR BEING PARKED OUT IN THE STREET, I COULD HAVE BEEN SHOT AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU MY STORY. 
          I CAN'T GO OUTSIDE AT NIGHT TO TAKE MY DOGS OUT WITHOUT BEING SCARED THAT SOMETHING BAD IS GOING TO HAPPEN. 
          I HAVE NIGHTMARES ANYTIME I GO TO SLEEP BECAUSE OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED. 
          I WANNA BE ABLE TO FEEL SAFE IN MY OWN HOME. 
          WHEN I MOVED UP WITH MY MOM AFTER A BAD EXPERIENCE AT MY DAD'S, I WAS PROMISED A BETTER AND SAFER LIFE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. 
          YOUR PEOPLE NEED TO DO BETTER. 
          THINGS YOU CAN DO TO BE BETTER IS BE MORE CAUTIOUS, CAUTIOUS OF WHO YOU SELL GUNS TO DO BACKGROUND CHECKS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE NO PRIORS. 
          PEOPLE WHO PAY TAXES ARE ALSO PAYING TO BE PROTECTED, BUT FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, THAT IS NOT HAPPENING. 
          YES, THERE ARE COPS WHO ARE AMAZING AT THEIR JOBS AND OTHERS JUST DON'T CARE TO TRY. 
          SINCE THE LAST SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED ON NOVEMBER 22ND, 2024 AT 8:22 PM WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE POLICE. 
          NOT THAT 
          [00:10:01]
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CAUGHT. 
          NOT THAT THEY HAVE FOUND A CAR, NOTHING. 
          I THINK YOU NEED TO ADD MORE PATROL IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL AS SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          PERSONALLY, I WOULD'VE FOUND OUT WHO DID THIS A LONG TIME AGO. 
          YOU AS CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES. 
          YOU NEED TO DO BETTER. 
          THIS TOWN DESERVES BETTER. 
          WE AS HUMAN BEINGS CREATED BY GOD DESERVE BETTER. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL THIS EVENING? SO IMPORTANT WHAT SHE JUST SAID, BUT TONIGHT, UM, DO WE HAVE YOUR NAMES, PLEASE? MICAH RAY. 
          I'M CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR CANDIDATE FOR DECATUR CITY COUNCIL ON APRIL 1ST. 
          NEXT YEAR, I HOPE TO OFFICIALLY JOIN MOST OF YOU IN FRONT OF ME IN PURSUING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS THAT OUR CITY CONTINUES TO FACE. 
          MY NAME IS MICAH RAY, AND I WANT TO BE A RAY OF HOPE FOR DECATUR. 
          I WISH TO QUICKLY ADDRESS TWO ISSUES ON THE MATTER OF RAISING TAXES. 
          ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED IN MY YEARS OF SERVING PEOPLE AS A PASTOR IS THAT IN A PERSON'S PERCEPTION WILL DETERMINE THE REALITY AND THE WAY THAT THEY EXPERIENCE THE REALITY AFFECTS THEIR DECISION MAKING. 
          WHEN I TALK WITH PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, THEIR PERCEPTION IS THAT THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING THROUGH THE ROOF IN A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA THAT IS ALREADY TAXED AT A HIGHER RATE THAN SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. 
          I HAVE HEARD IT EXPLAINED IN PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETINGS THAT FOR THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, THIS 7% RAISE INDICATOR WILL ONLY AMOUNT TO LESS THAN $40 PER YEAR. 
          HOWEVER, ALL THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD IS THE 7% NUMBER AND THEIR MINDS, THIS IS ASTRONOMICAL. 
          THIS TEMPS THEM FURTHER TO RESEARCH LIFE BEYOND DECATUR. 
          7% SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER PERCENTAGE, NUMBER 2.5%. 
          THAT'S THE APPROXIMATE RATE AT WHICH OUR POPULATION IS DECLINING EACH YEAR, FURTHERING THE BURDEN OF THE STATUS QUO ON THOSE WHO REMAIN. 
          PRIOR TO MY FULL-TIME MINISTRY SERVICE, I WAS IN SALES. 
          IT WAS THEN THAT I LEARNED THAT IF YOU WANT SOMEONE TO BE ON BOARD WITH PAYING MORE FOR SOMETHING, IT IS YOUR JOB TO BUILD VALUE IN THAT THING. 
          I FEARED THAT OUR CITIZENS DO NOT PERCEIVE THE VALUE IN RAISING THEIR TAXES. 
          SEVERAL TIMES IN MY LIFE, I'VE HAD OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND VARIOUS FIRST AID CLASSES. 
          AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FIRST THING THAT YOU HAVE TO DO FOR SOMEONE WHO IS SUFFERING A GUNSHOT SLASH OR PUNCTURE WOUND? IT'S NOT PREPPING THE OPERATING ROOM. 
          IT'S NOT TRANSPORTING 'EM TO THE HOSPITAL. 
          IT'S NOT EVEN CALLING 9 1 1. 
          BE IT BY TOURNIQUET OR OTHERWISE, YOU MUST FIRST STOP THE BLEEDING BY WHATEVER MEANS NECESSARY. 
          THE TAX PAYING CITIZENS OF DECATUR ARE OUR CITY'S LIFEBLOOD. 
          AND WE HAVE BEEN HEMORRHAGING OUR CITIZENS FOR YEARS TO SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. 
          RAISING TAXES WON'T STOP THE BLEEDING. 
          IN FACT, IT SQUEEZES MORE FROM THE WOUND. 
          BEFORE WE CAN ATTRACT NEW PEOPLE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE MUST FIRST RETAIN THE HARDWORKING, CONTRIBUTING PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES THAT WE ALREADY HAVE. 
          SOMEHOW WE'VE GOT TO GET CREATIVE. 
          SOMEHOW WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE WITH LESS. 
          AND SOMEHOW WE'VE GOT TO SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THE OTHER TAXING BODIES THAT ALSO PULL FROM OUR NEIGHBOR'S POCKETS. 
          WE'VE GOT TO CHANGE PUBLIC PERCEPTION. 
          WE'VE GOT TO BUILD VALUE IN THEIR MINDS. 
          I WANNA MAKE DECATUR A PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LOVE AND NOT LEAVE. 
          AND ON A LIGHTER NOTE, DECATUR WAS FOUNDED IN 1829. 
          IN FIVE YEARS, WE TURNED 200 YEARS OLD. 
          I WANNA KNOW IF THERE'S ANY PLANS FOR A PARTY. 
          A BICENTENNIAL IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE. 
          IF WE CAN START A PRIVATE FUND THAT BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE ALIKE EVEN START DONATING TO NOW, AND WE CAN START THE PLANNING, IT'D BE GREAT TO DO SOMETHING WONDERFUL FOR THE CITIZENS THAT DOESN'T COST THEM MONEY OUTTA THEIR TAXES. 
          AND WE CAN CELEBRATE. 
          I'M SORRY YOU'RE OUT OF TIME. 
          THANK YOU MR. RAY. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          MY NAME IS DEREK BRADSHAW. 
          AS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DECATUR AND SOMEONE WHO DEEPLY CARES ABOUT THIS CITY, I FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK ONCE AGAIN ABOUT THE PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. 
          OUR RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY PAYING SOME OF THE HIGHEST TAXES IN THE COUNTRY, LEAVING MANY OF THEM TO STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET. 
          ANOTHER TAX INCREASE FEELS LIKE ADDING SALT TO THE WOUND. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, I WAS DISHEARTENED BY YOUR COMMENTS AT THE LAST MEETING, PARTICULARLY YOUR SUGGESTION THAT THIS TAX INCREASE IS ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN BASIC SERVICES SUCH AS RUNNING WATER, ROAD REPAIRS, POLICE RESPONSE, FIRETRUCK REPAIR, AND FIREFIGHTER EQUIPMENT. 
          FRAMING THE ISSUE IN THIS WAY WAS MISLEADING, AS IT'S CLEAR THAT THESE SERVICES CAN BE SUSTAINED WITHOUT THIS PROPOSED INCREASE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, I FELT YOUR REMARKS DISMISSED. 
          THE THE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS OF RESIDENTS SPEAKING TO TAXPAYERS AS THOUGH WE ARE UNINFORMED AND INCAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING THE ISSUE AS DISRESPECTFUL AND UNHELPFUL. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL, I TAKE ISSUE WITH YOUR CLAIM THAT ALL RESIDENTS ARE FEELING THE PAIN OF THIS TAX INCREASE WHEN YOUR OWN PROPERTY IS ON A TAX FREEZE. 
          THIS CREATES A PERCEPTION OF INEQUITY AND UNDERMINES THE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT. 
          TRANSPARENCY AND FAIRNESS ARE CRITICAL IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TAX POLICY. 
          I UNDERSTAND THE CITY'S CLAIM THAT OTHER TAXING BODIES IN OUR COMMUNITY CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES. 
          HOWEVER, I QUESTION WHY THIS 
          [00:15:01]
SHOULD JUSTIFY FOLLOWING THE SAME PATH. 
          LEADERSHIP ISN'T ABOUT DOING WHAT OTHERS DO. 
          IT'S ABOUT SETTING A BETTER STANDARD. 
          WHY NOT BE THE EXAMPLE OF RESPONSIBLE FISCAL MANAGEMENT INSTEAD OF CONTRIBUTING FURTHER TO THE BURDEN? I ALSO TAKE ISSUE WITH THE NOTION THAT RESIDENTS ONLY VOICE THEIR FRUSTRATIONS WITH THE CITY. 
          THIS IS SIMPLY NOT TRUE. 
          RESIDENTS EXPRESS CONCERNS WITH ALL TAXING BODIES, DISMISSING OR BERATING THEIR CONCERNS ONLY CREATES FURTHER DIVISION BETWEEN THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY YOU REPRESENT. 
          OUR FRUSTRATION ISN'T PERSONAL. 
          IT'S ABOUT WANTING TO TRUST THAT OUR LEADERS PRIORITIZE RESIDENTS' WELLBEING OVER THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE. 
          THAT TRUST ERODES WHEN RESIDENTS FEEL DISMISSED AND IGNORED AFTER CAREFULLY CONSIDERING EVERYONE'S INPUT ON THE PROPOSED TAX INCREASE. 
          IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT COUNCILMAN HORNE HAS PRESENTED A STRONG AND CONVINCING ARGUMENT THAT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY. 
          THE BIGGEST REASON BEING THAT TH THAT THIS TAX INCREASE AIMS TO GENERATE APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION. 
          WHILE OUR CITY CURRENTLY HOLDS A CASH RESERVE OF ALMOST 23 MILLION, SURELY WE CAN UTILIZE A PORTION OF THIS RESERVE TO MEET OUR FINANCIAL NEEDS WITHOUT PLACING ADDITIONAL STRAIN ON OUR RESIDENTS. 
          I MUST FIRMLY SAY THAT SUPPORTING THIS TAX TAX INCREASE IS A DISSERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 
          TO THOSE SUPPORTING IT, THE PEOPLE WILL NOT OVERLOOK A DECISION THAT DISREGARDS THEIR WELLBEING. 
          THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS, IT'S ABOUT FAMILIES WHO ARE ALREADY BEING STRETCHED THIN BEFORE RAISING TAXES. 
          I URGE YOU TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES TO STREAMLINE EXPENSES AND REALLOCATE EXISTING FUNDS. 
          USE THE RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE LIKE THE $22.8 MILLION CASH RESERVE AND ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN A TRANSPARENT DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS FINANCIAL NEEDS WITHOUT PLACING MORE STRAIN ON HARDWORKING FAMILIES. 
          MANY RESIDENTS WOULD APPRECIATE SEEING A COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BEFORE BEING ASKED TO PAY MORE. 
          THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          GOOD EVENING. 
          I'M BRETT ROBERTSON. 
          UM, I I WANT TO, UH, THANK, UH, MR. RAY AND MS. CRUZ. 
          UH, MS. CRUZ DIDN'T MENTION THAT SHE'S ALSO RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL AND IN THEIR THREE MINUTES THEY RAISED MORE APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RATIONALE FOR TAX INCREASE, WHICH IS REALLY THE JOB OF THE CITY COUNCIL. 
          SO YOU GUYS ARE ALREADY DOING THE JOB, SO GREAT JOB. 
          UM, DR. HORNE HAS RAISED SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AS WELL, AND I HOPE THE REST OF YOU WOULD JOIN THEM IN HOLDING THE LINE ON PROPERTY TAXES SHOULD NOT BE THE JOB OF THE CITY MANAGER OR THE COUNCIL TO SIMPLY ADD UP WHAT IT IS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE OR WHATEVER TAX, WHATEVER COSTS INCREASES ARE COMING. 
          AND THEN, UH, INCREASING TAXES TO COVER THAT. 
          THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB. 
          YOUR JOB IS TO MANAGE THE, UH, RESOURCES AND THE, AND THE, UH, THE TAX LEVELS THAT THE CITY CAN WITHSTAND. 
          AND THE, THE, THE CITIZENS ARE ALREADY OVERTAXED. 
          SO I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO DO A BETTER JOB. 
          UH, AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE CITIZENS WHO ARE RUNNING, UH, TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK OUT ON THIS MATTER. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          MONTH, SIR. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER, CITY MANAGER AND STAFF. 
          MY NAME IS ANTHONY CHAP AND THERE ARE TWO ISSUES I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS THIS EVENING. 
          FIRST, I WANT TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE COUNCIL'S COMMENTS FROM THE LAST MEETING. 
          COUNCIL MEMBER GREGORY STATED THAT CITIZENS SHOULD GO TO OTHER GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND COMMENT. 
          WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE COMMENTS HERE? THAT WAS VERY CONDESCENDING. 
          SECOND, COUNCIL MEMBER KOOL COLE COMMENT ABOUT CANNABIS CELLS WAS PATRONIZING IN JUVENILE. 
          ANYONE SPEAKING ABOUT COM CANNABIS SHOULD BE AN ADULT. 
          SO A LINE LIKE, JUST BECAUSE OTHER KIDS ARE DOING IT DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD, HAS NO PLACE IN THIS DISCUSSION. 
          YOU NOR REST OF THE COUNCILS ARE OUR PARENTS. 
          SO YOU SHOULDN'T BE AUTOCRATICALLY DICTATING TO US WHAT WE CAN DO. 
          YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT US, LISTEN TO US, AND HOPEFULLY FOLLOW OUR WISHES. 
          THIRD, MAYOR, WHAT EXTRA ISSUES ARE CAUSED BY BUYING CANNABIS IN DECATUR COMPARED TO HARRIS TOWN AND ELSEWHERE? THE ISSUES ARE CAUSED BY THE USE, NOT THE LOCATION OF THE PURCHASE. 
          THE LACK OF LOGIC USED BY THIS COUNCIL AT TIMES IS BEWILDERING AND INFURIATING. 
          IF THE COUNCIL IS BOLD ENOUGH, PLACE A NON BITING REFERENDUM ON APRIL'S BALLOT ASKING THE CITIZENS IF CANNABIS SHOULD BE SOLD IN DECATUR, THE COUNCIL WILL THEN KNOW WHAT ADULTS THINKS. 
          AND COUNCIL MEMBER KOOL WILL STOP TREATING US AS CHILDREN. 
          MY SECOND ISSUE IS EMPLOYING SEC POLICE OFFICERS WHO CAN NOW LIVE 50 MILES OUTSIDE THE CITY. 
          THIS WAS PASSED AT THE OCTOBER 7TH MEETING. 
          IT WAS BROUGHT UP THEN ABOUT INCENTIVES FOR THEM TO LIVE IN THE CITY. 
          WHAT DO, WHEN DOES THE INCENTIVE DISCUSSION START AND WHY WASN'T IT DONE? FIRST TAX DOLLARS GO OUT. 
          WHAT COMES BACK? WHAT DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY? MY PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP TO PAY THESE OFFICERS, BUT THEY PAY NO PROPERTY TAXES 
          [00:20:01]
IN DECATUR. 
          WHERE'S THE LOGIC IN THAT? YOU SAY IT'S A RECRUITMENT TOOL, BUT THIS ISN'T ABOUT RECRUITING, IT'S ABOUT RESIDENCY. 
          WILL CURRENT OFFICERS BE ALLOWED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CITY? FUNNY THING IS, I WAS GOING TO ASK WHAT PERCENTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS LIVE IN THE CENTRAL DECATUR AREA BORDERED BY PERSHING ROAD, LAKE DECATUR, 22ND STREET AND ROUTE 48? I'D STILL LIKE TO KNOW, BUT THAT CAT IS LONG OUT OF THE BAG. 
          MERCENARY SERVING, MERELY FOR PAY OR GAIN HIRED FOR SERVICE IN A FOREIGN ARMY, OR IN THIS CASE A FOREIGN CITY. 
          I FIND IT APPALLING THAT THE CITY WOULD HIRE ARMED MERCENARIES TO POLICE OUR CITY. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL. 
          I'M ANN OWENS. 
          IT LOOKS LIKE I MAY OWE SOME PEOPLE SOME DINNERS. 
          WE HAVE SOME RETURN CUSTOMERS TONIGHT AND WE HAVE SOME NEW CITIZENS. 
          SO I CAME PREPARED WITH A LIST THAT I WAS GOING TO START WITH. 
          UM, I'M ALSO PLANNING TO SPEAK DURING THE TAX LEVY DISCUSSION, BUT I REALLY WANNA SPEAK FROM MY HEART. 
          THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD THINGS ABOUT DECATUR. 
          I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE AT THE THANKSGIVING DINNER, HUNDRED AND 40TH THANKSGIVING DINNER, SERVED AT THE DECATUR CLUB WITH 330 OF OUR NEAREST AND DEAREST FRIENDS, INCLUDING SOME OF YOUR FORMER COUNCIL MEMBERS. 
          IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE CHATS ABOUT WHEN THE THINGS USED TO BE GOOD IN THE CITY, WHEN PEOPLE HAD PRIDE IN THE CITY, WHEN PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, DECATUR CELEBRATION, BROUGHT TOGETHER THIS COMMUNITY. 
          WE HAVE SO MANY ACTIVITIES COMING UP THIS WEEK. 
          THE CHRISTMAS WALK, THE CHRISTMAS PARADE. 
          PARADES ARE SOMETHING THAT I HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART. 
          AND ALSO SANTA IS IN THE TRANSFER HOUSE AND I HAVE A LONG LIST FOR SANTA. 
          AND EVERYTHING ON MY LIST IS WHAT'S GOING TO COME TO DECATUR, ILLINOIS. 
          BUT IT TAKES YOU TO LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE STARTING TO SHOW UP. 
          AS I'VE TOLD ALL OF YOU, I AM ON A MISSION TO GET OUR CITIZENS INVOLVED. 
          THEY ARE GOING TO BE COMING HERE. 
          THEY'RE GOING TO SPEAK, THEY'RE GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT. 
          AND YOU NEED TOT LISTEN. 
          DON'T THINK THAT BECAUSE A CITY MANAGER OR ANYONE ELSE TELLS YOU WE NEED THIS MUCH MONEY FOR A BUDGET. 
          I WILL TELL YOU, I HAVE SAT IN THIS CHAMBER AND HEARD A MAYOR AND HEARD COUNCILMAN DEMAND FOR A 10% BUDGET CUT IN A BUDGET, AND GUESS WHAT? IT HAPPENED. 
          SO IT CAN HAPPEN, BUT YOU HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. 
          AND THE FACT THAT ANYONE IN THIS CHAMBER THINKS THAT THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THEY WANT BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUR VOTES, YOU ARE NOT THE PEOPLE THAT DECATUR NEEDS TO SERVE YOU. 
          FOUR VOTES IS NOT THE VOICE OF THESE PEOPLE, OKAY? YOU NEED TO START LOOKING FOR A CONSENSUS AND YOU NEED TO START LISTENING TO WHAT THE CITIZENS ARE TALKING ABOUT. 
          THANK YOU, MS. OWENS. 
          DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO ADDRESS COUNSEL THIS EVENING? GOOD EVENING. 
          UM, I WANTED TO TELL, UH, COULD YOU GIVE US YOUR NAME, PLEASE? OH, BRUCE BULLMORE. 
          UM, I WANTED TO, UH, DISCUSS, UH, AN ISSUE THAT I HAD WITH, UH, THE CITY. 
          IT'S BEEN ONGOING FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS. 
          IT WAS A VICTIM OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. 
          UM, AND, UH, WHEN, WHEN THE FIRST TIME WHEN THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED, THE POLICE GAVE ME THIS LITERATURE ABOUT IT FROM THE STATE. 
          AND IT SAID, ONE OF THE THINGS IT SAID IS THAT IF I NOTIFIED THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS THAT THEY'LL ALLOW ME, THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW WHEN THE PERPETRATOR WAS OUTTA JAIL, THINGS LIKE THAT. 
          I, UH, CALLED THE NEXT DAY, ASKED FOR THAT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DON'T DO THAT HERE. 
          UH, SO, UH, THAT WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO ME. 
          THE PROBLEM I HAVE NOW IS I HAVE A DOG THAT, UH, THIS INDIVIDUAL NOW TO GET BACK AT ME COMES AND GETS, LET'S IT LOOSE. 
          WHAT, WHAT HAVE YOU. 
          IT'S HAPPENED SEVEN OR EIGHT TIMES. 
          UM, I'VE TALKED TO EVERYBODY THAT I'VE THOUGHT TO. 
          EVEN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
          I'M MORE VERSATILE LAWS THAN I EVER WANTED TO BE, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE LAWS ARE PRETTY CLEAR, BUT THERE'S NO TEETH IN IT. 
          SO THEY JUST KIND OF LET 
          [00:25:01]
THE LAST, UH, THE REASON FOR MY VISIT IS MY DOG WAS PICKED UP THE LAST TIME, AND IT HAPPENED IN, UH, I MADE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL BREAKING MY SCREEN DOOR. 
          I HAD IT ON MY CAMERA. 
          I GAVE IT TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOUR MONTHS AGO. 
          TOOK THEM THAT LONG TO PICK HIM UP, AND THEN THEY RELEASED HIM BACK OUT. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A STATE LAW, BUT 24 HOURS HE RELEASED BACK OUT STRAIGHT TO MY HOUSE, LET MY DOG, UH, BROKE INTO THE HOUSE AND LET MY DOG OUT. 
          UH, KNOWING THAT IT'S GONNA BE PICKED UP BY ANIMAL CONTROL. 
          THIS IS A RECURRING CYCLE. 
          OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 
          I'VE PAID CLOSE TO $2,000 TO ANIMAL CONTROL 'CAUSE OF IT. 
          I'VE TALKED TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ASKED THEM TO CALL MS. W OR SOMEBODY IN LICENSING TO DISCUSS THIS. 
          UH, BUT THEY WON'T TALK. 
          DEALING WITH THE CITY IS KIND OF LIKE DEALING, DEALING WITH SYBIL DEPART, WHAT DEPARTMENT YOU TALK TO, AND THEY DON'T TALK TO ONE ANOTHER. 
          SO I'M JUST VERY UP FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF THIS SITUATION. 
          THIS ANIMAL IS MORE OF AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL TO ME. 
          UH, I GOT HER WHEN THIS WHOLE THING HAPPENED, AND, UM, INDIVIDUALS NOT ABLE TO REALLY PHYSICALLY HURT ME. 
          BUT, UH, PROPERTY DAMAGE IS DEFINITELY, UM, SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO. 
          AND THEY WEAPONIZE THE CITY. 
          UH, I'VE TALKED TO THE POLICE OFFICERS. 
          THEY DON'T, THEY WON'T FILE ANY CHARGES BECAUSE OF THE DOG. 
          THEY DO FILE OTHER CHARGES. 
          THERE'S BEEN A BURGLARY CHARGE, UH, A COUPLE BATTERY CHARGES AND THE INITIAL ONE. 
          SO THEY HAVE DONE THAT. 
          BUT THE DOG, IT'S LIKE, WELL, WE DON'T DO THAT. 
          WELL, WHO DOES? NOBODY EVIDENTLY, EVEN THOUGH IT'S CONSIDERED PROPERTY IN THIS STATE, NOBODY WILL PROTECT MY INTEREST. 
          AND BECAUSE THIS INDIVIDUAL KEEPS DOING IT, I HAVE VIDEO EVIDENCE OF IT. 
          IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S NOT HAPPENING. 
          BUT, UH, THE LAST DATE, THE CITY'S SAYING I OWE THEM, UM, AND THEY WON'T RELEASE THE DOG. 
          $2,000. 
          I'M SORRY. 
          YOU'RE OUT OF TIME, SIR. 
          OKAY. 
          DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? NO FURTHER COMMENTS. 
          OKAY. 
          WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE. 
          OH, I'M SORRY. 
          UH, I ALMOST SKIPPED OVER, UH, RESPONSE FROM COUNSEL. 
          DR. HORN. 
          DR. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          I'LL, I'LL RESPOND TO THE COMMENTS ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES WHEN WE GET TO THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE. 
          SO I WANTED TO ADDRESS, UM, MS. MES AND HER, UH, DAUGHTER BELLA. 
          UM, WHEN YOU WERE SPEAKING, IT REMINDED ME OF, UM, AN ARTICLE IN THE HARALD AND REVIEW BY DR. 
          JANELLE NORMAN. 
          SHE WAS THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE NAACP. 
          AND SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, PRIOR TO COVID, UH, SHE WROTE AN ARTICLE, UH, CALLED TIRED OF BEING TIRED. 
          AND THE ARTICLE DEALT WITH, UM, THE AMOUNT OF GUN VIOLENCE THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY. 
          AND WHAT THIS REMINDS ME OF IS, EVEN THOUGH THE DECATUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF REDUCING, UM, THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS BY OVER 50% SINCE THEIR PEAK IN 2021, THE NUMBER OF SHOOTINGS IS STILL HIGHER THAN IT WAS IN 2019. 
          TEEN. 
          AND SO ONE SHOOTING IN, IN DECATUR IS ONE TOO MANY. 
          ONE PROPERTY THAT IS DAMAGED BY, UM, GUN VIOLENCE IS ONE TOO MANY. 
          AND I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UM, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WITH THE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AND WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS TO MAKE SURE THAT INCIDENCES LIKE WHAT WAS DESCRIBED BY, UH, BELLA AND MS. MERES NEVER HAPPENED AGAIN. 
          AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO RECOMMIT OURSELVES TO NOT HAVING GUN VIOLENCE STAY WHAT IT WAS IN 2019, BUT GOING DOWN SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE. 
          AND I VERY MUCH WANTED TO THANK, UH, BOTH OF YOU FOR COMING IN TODAY TO REMIND US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS ISSUE. 
          AND, UH, MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A, A TOP PRIORITY FOR THE CITY TO ADDRESS SO THAT OUR NEIGHBORS, OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEEL SAFE. 
          MR. KEHL, I HAVE A LOT TO SAY. 
          I'M JUST, UH, GONNA TRY TO KEEP IT SHORT. 
          THERE WAS A LOT TO DIGEST IN ALL THOSE COMMENTS. 
          THE FIRST THAT RESONATED THE MOST 
          [00:30:01]
WERE THE SHOOTINGS. 
          IT'S TERRIBLE THAT THAT'S HAPPENING. 
          I WISH WE COULD HAVE TRIPLE THE POLICE FORCE. 
          I WISH OUR POLICE OFFICERS COULD MAKE WHAT NFL ATHLETES MAKE. 
          IT'S A JOKE WHAT THEY MAKE. 
          THEY DON'T PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, OUR POLICE OFFICERS DO. 
          IT'S A BALANCING ACT TRYING TO FIND THE MONEY TO SUPPORT OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT SUPPORT THIS CITY. 
          WE'VE GOT TWO COMMENTS HERE TONIGHT. 
          DON'T RAISE TAXES, BUT WE WANT MORE POLICE. 
          OKAY? AND THAT'S THE BALANCING ACT THAT WE ALL HAVE TO SIT HERE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT. 
          AND, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S A CHALLENGE. 
          UM, AND I WANT TO DO THE BEST I CAN FOR THIS CITY. 
          THAT'S WHY I RAN FOR CITY COUNCIL. 
          I DIDN'T COME HERE TO RAISE YOUR TAXES. 
          I DIDN'T COME HERE TO INCREASE SHOOTINGS. 
          I DON'T WANT ANY OF THAT. 
          I WANT OUR POLICE TO, TO MAKE OUR RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE. 
          AND IT'S A CHALLENGE. 
          AND I BELIEVE WE'RE ALL DOING THE BEST WE CAN. 
          AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT AND TELLING US ABOUT HOW YOUR LIFE IS ON DICKINSON STREET. 
          THAT'S TERRIBLE. 
          AND I'M SORRY THAT'S HAPPENING, BUT PLEASE KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST HERE. 
          AND THEN I WANT TO ADDRESS A CANNABIS ISSUE. 
          ONCE AGAIN. 
          I WILL NEVER VOTE FOR A DISPENSARY IN THIS TOWN EVER, ESPECIALLY AFTER HEARING TONIGHT ABOUT THESE SHOOTINGS. 
          IS THAT, IS CANNABIS APPROVING CANNABIS GONNA HELP US WITH OUR SHOOTINGS? THE REVENUE THAT YOU KEEP SAYING TO BRING IN, LET'S SAY IT'S 350,000 OR OUR TOTAL BUDGET FOR THIS WHOLE CITY IS $250 MILLION. 
          OKAY? SO THAT REVENUE THAT YOU BRING IN IS ONE FOURTH OF 1%. 
          IS IT WORTH IT? NOT ON MY WATCH. 
          HOW MANY EXTRA? NOT ON MY WATCH. 
          I'M NOT, I'M NOT GONNA TALK. 
          YOU TALK NOW IT'S MY TURN TO TALK. 
          OKAY? IT'S MY, YOU TALK NOW IT'S MY TURN TO TALK. 
          ALRIGHT? YOU'LL NEVER CONVINCE ME TO BRING THAT IN. 
          THE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU IS I'M DONE IN APRIL. 
          SO YOU FIND YOUR PRO CANNABIS, UH, CANDIDATES AND VOTE 'EM IN, BUT IT WON'T BE ON MY WATCH. 
          UH, PAT, UM, MS. MES, I UNDERSTAND. 
          AND THERE'S, THERE'S SHOOTINGS THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THE INNER CITY IN OUR BUDGET. 
          THE CITY MANAGER HAS REQUESTED SEVEN NEW POLICE OFFICERS. 
          THEY HAVE TO BE PAID. 
          AND YOU ADD ADDITIONAL, UH, POLICE OFFICERS IN THAT YOU GOTTA, WE GOTTA COME UP WITH THE INCOME AND THE REVENUE TO PAY FOR THAT. 
          UH, UNFORTUNATELY, THIS, AND IF YOU, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM ALL ACROSS OUR COM. 
          UH, THE, THE UNITED STATES, IF YOU REMEMBER BACK IN THE 1980S, THE SAME THING WAS GOING ON. 
          YOU HAVE GANGS FIGHTING WITH EACH OTHER OVER DRUG DRUG SALES, AND THEY GET YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE PART OF THEIR GANGS. 
          SO THEY CAN DO A LOT OF THE SHOOTINGS. 
          'CAUSE THEY, THEY, UH, UH, THE LAW DOESN'T COME DOWN ON THEM AS, AS MUCH AS AN ADULT. 
          SO THE CITY MANAGER AND THE, AND THE COUNCIL ARE LOOKING AT THIS. 
          WE NEED, WE NEED ADDITIONAL OFFICERS. 
          BUT IT'S TOUGH FINDING OFFICERS, NOT JUST HERE IN DECATUR. 
          IT'S ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 
          THE PIPELINE FOR OFFICERS AND TEACHERS IS VERY SLIM. 
          SO I UNDERSTAND, UM, UH, YOUR ISSUE, BUT IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER OUR COMMUNITY. 
          AND THE POLICE ARE DOING A, A GOOD JOB WORKING WITH DIFFERENT, UH, GETTING SOME OF THESE GANG MEMBERS OFF THE, OFF THE STREET. 
          BUT AGAIN, THE COURT SYSTEM, UH, DOESN'T REALLY HELP POLICE OFFICERS OR THE COMMUNITIES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. 
          SO I UNDERSTAND YOUR, YOUR PROBLEM. 
          UH, I'M A VIETNAM VETERAN. 
          SOMETIMES I WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT THINKING, IS THAT GUNFIRE OR IS THAT FIREWORKS? SO IT BOTHERS ME. 
          I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THIS TOWN. 
          I LOVE IT. 
          BUT IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM THAT EVERY COMMUNITY, SPRINGFIELD, CHAMPAIGN, SOMETIMES THE, THE SHOOTINGS ARE WORSE IN SPRINGFIELD AND IN CHAMPAIGN THAN IT IS HERE IN DECATUR. 
          THAT'S NO EXCUSE. 
          WE'VE TRIED TO DO WHAT WE CAN. 
          SO, COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, THANK YOU MAYOR TO MS. MES AND BELLA. 
          I WON'T ADD TO THE COMMENTS THAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SHARED WITH YOU, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I HEAR YOU. 
          AND I AM SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD THIS EXPERIENCE THAT YOU WILL CARRY WITH YOU FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR LIFE. 
          UM, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD, UM, TO MR. BRADSHAW. 
          IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT MY INTENT TO BE CONDESCENDING. 
          WHEN I TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET TWO WEEKS AGO, AS I SPOKE ABOUT THE BUDGET, YOU'RE SITTING IT, SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU. 
          ARE MOST OF THE DEPARTMENT HEADS FOR THE CITY. 
          AND AS I LOOKED AT EACH OF THOSE DEPARTMENT HEADS, I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE PAY FOR IN THEIR DEPARTMENTS. 
          [00:35:02]
SO IT WAS AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE CITY BUDGET MUST COVER. 
          AND ALL OF THOSE COSTS HAVE GONE UP LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE. 
          IT IS ALSO, UM, NOT MY INTENT TO BE CONDESCENDING, TO SUGGEST THAT CITIZENS GO TO THE OTHER TAXING BODIES IN DECATUR. 
          UM, BECAUSE I DO HAVE EVIDENCE, UM, FROM CITIZENS WHO DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THE CITY DOESN'T GET A HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE PROPERTY TAX. 
          AND SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, UM, TO SHARE THAT THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE HAVE SHARED HERE AT OTHER COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, A PICTURE OF A DOLLAR BILL THAT IS DIVIDED BY THE PERCENTAGE THAT THE TAXING BODIES IN DECATUR TAKE IN. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHY I WENT DOWN THAT PATH, UM, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OTHER TAXING BODIES HEAR FROM THE CITIZENS. 
          UM, SOMEONE ASKED, WHAT ARE THE OTHER TAXES THAT WE HAVE CONSIDERED? UH, WE HAVE CONSIDERED A STREAMING TAX, AND THAT WOULD BE A TAX ON, UM, FOLKS THAT STREAM MOVIES AND TELEVISION INTO THEIR HOME. 
          UM, VERSUS PAYING CABLE. 
          A LOT OF PEOPLE DROPPED THEIR CABLE BILL BECAUSE THE COST GOT TOO HIGH. 
          AND SO THEY WENT TO STREAMING. 
          AND SO THERE WAS CONVERSATION ABOUT ATTACKS ON STREAMING. 
          THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT TAXING STORAGE UNITS IN DECATUR. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE ME, I HAVE TOO MUCH JUNK IN MY BASEMENT AND I NEEDED SOMEWHERE ELSE TO STORE IT. 
          I WOULD PURCHASE A STORAGE UNIT. 
          AND SO THE CITY TALKED ABOUT A STORAGE UNIT, A TAX ON STORAGE UNITS. 
          WE TALKED ABOUT TAX ON VACANT AND FORECLOSED STRUCTURE FEES. 
          UM, WE'VE ALSO TALKED ABOUT, UM, ASKING ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES TO BE LICENSED BY THE CITY. 
          AND THAT LICENSE WOULD BE A FEE. 
          WE HAVE TAKEN ACTION TO TAKE IN THE GAMING PUSH TAX. 
          AND SO WHEN THE COURTS EVER MAKE A DECISION, AND IF THE DECISION IS FAVORABLE TO MUNICIPALITIES IN DECATUR, WE WILL HAVE TAKEN THE ACTION THAT WE NEEDED TO ACCEPT THOSE GAMING, UM, PUSH TAX FUNDS. 
          LAST MONTH, WE MADE A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR OUR BUSINESSES IN DECATUR ON THE, UM, GAS TAX. 
          UM, AND SOME WOULD SAY CLOSING A LOOPHOLE THAT BROUGHT IN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DOLLARS, UM, TO THE, TO OUR BUDGET. 
          I WANT YOU TO KNOW MS. OWENS, THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT MANY OF THE PAST COUNCILS HAVE DEMANDED A 10% CUT ACROSS THE BOARD, AND THEY'VE GOTTEN IT. 
          AND THAT'S HAPPENED QUITE A BIT, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TONIGHT. 
          SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT A 7% TAX INCREASE MEANS, BECAUSE I OWN A HOME AS WELL, AND, AND I HAVE A BUDGET AS WELL. 
          BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT WE DELIVER SERVICES TO OUR CITIZENS. 
          AND THOSE SERVICES ARE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS AND SEWERS AND WATER, POLICE AND FIRE. 
          THIS IS NOT EASY. 
          IT GETS HARDER EVERY YEAR. 
          UM, SO I JUST, I WANTED TO TRY AND DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT I HEARD THIS EVENING. 
          THANK YOU, MS. GREGORY. 
          I'LL GET BACK TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND. 
          DR. HORN. 
          UM, BELLA, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR COMING. 
          YOU WERE VERY BRAVE, AND THAT WAS A HARD STORY TO GET UP AND TELL, AND IT CAN BE VERY SCARY AND FOR YOUR MOM TOO. 
          AND I AM VERY, VERY SORRY FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE GONE THROUGH. 
          UM, JUST A QUICK NOTE. 
          MO, MOST OF THE GUNS THAT ARE CAUSING THESE PROBLEMS, THEY'RE NOT LEGALLY PURCHASED. 
          THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HOT GUNS OR THEY'RE, THEY'RE BROUGHT INTO THIS COMMUNITY FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE. 
          THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED GUN USERS AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE KIDS. 
          UM, ABOUT A YEAR AGO, OUR MOST DANGEROUS FELON OR WANTED PERSON ON THE STREETS WAS LIKE 14 OR 15 YEARS OLD, WHICH IS JUST REMARKABLE. 
          BUT AS YOU KNOW, COUNCIL MENTIONED TONIGHT, IT'S NOT JUST HERE. 
          AND WE HAVE BEEN TO THE MARCHES, WE HAVE BEEN TO MEETINGS. 
          WE HAVE WORKED WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY GROUPS SUPPORTING DIFFERENT OUTREACH ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO TRY AND KEEP KIDS SAFE AND GIVE THEM AN ALTERNATIVE 
          [00:40:01]
TO JOINING A GANG BEING ON THE STREETS. 
          AND AGAIN, THAT'S SOME OF WHERE THE MONEY GOES IS WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT BALANCING ACT OF SUPPORTING DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT CAN HELP TRYING TO IMPROVE NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET RID OF DERELICT BUILDINGS. 
          AND DR. HORN PROBABLY HAS A MILLION STATISTICS ON WHAT IT MEANS WHEN YOU TAKE DOWN A BUNCH OF DILAPIDATED HOUSES AND YOU IMPROVE A NEIGHBORHOOD AND TRYING TO DO ALL THAT IT, THERE IT COMES WITH A COST. 
          AND IT'S, WE ALL WANT A LOT OF THINGS TO MAKE THIS COMMUNITY BETTER. 
          AND, AND IT IS HARD. 
          IT IS HARD TO FIND THAT BALANCE. 
          BUT I, I DO WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME AND SPOKE TONIGHT. 
          UM, DR. HORN, IT'S, IT'S JUST ONE THING TO SAY ABOUT, UM, PROPERTY TAXES AND, UM, PRIORITIES OF, OF CITY GOVERNMENT. 
          I JUST WANTED TO REMIND, UM, THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A 7% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE AND A 0% TAX INCREASE IS $1.1 MILLION. 
          THIS REPRESENTS 1% OF THE GENERAL FUND EXPENSES IN THE 2025 BUDGET OF GREATER THAN $96 MILLION. 
          AND SO UNEQUIVOCALLY, WE CAN FIND A WAY TO REDUCE SPENDING BY $1.1 MILLION AND NOT IMPACT PUBLIC SERVICE IN ANY WAY. 
          AND I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE RESIDENTS FOR SPEAKING ON THIS ISSUE OF PROPERTY TAXES. 
          UM, WITH A $96 MILLION GENERAL FUND, NEXT YEAR, THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE SPENDING ON AVERAGE $4 MILLION A MEETING OF TAXPAYER MONEY. 
          AND SO I WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR MEETINGS TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWPOINTS ABOUT HOW YOUR TAXPAYER DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT. 
          AND WHILE I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AS THE ELECTED BODY HAS AN, UM, RESPONSIBILITY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR HOW TO, UH, UM, CUT SPENDING OR INCREASED REVENUE, I WOULD ALSO ARGUE THAT CITIZENS HAVE SOME OF THE BEST IDEAS. 
          AND SO THE GREATER ENGAGEMENT THAT YOU HAVE WITH US, I THINK THE BETTER DECISIONS THAT WE'RE GONNA MAKE. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOU SPEAKING TONIGHT. 
          FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL PAT TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET. 
          IF, IF YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS, THE LAST, UH, THIS BE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TAKING AWAY THE, UH, UH, 1% FOOD TAX TAX THAT, UH, MUNICIPALITIES RECEIVE IN 2026. 
          IT'S NOT GONNA HURT THE STATE. 
          IT'S GONNA HURT THE INDIVIDUALS, UH, MUNICIPALITIES. 
          AND I THINK IT'S A LITTLE OVER TWO, A LITTLE OVER $2 MILLION THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR WILL LOSE. 
          NOW, IT'S A 1% TAX. 
          ANYBODY ON SNAP CARDS DOES NOT PAY SALES TAX, SO THEY'RE BEING TAKEN CARE OF. 
          SO IT'S, UH, I THINK CHAMPAGNE IS ALMOST $3 MILLION THEY'RE GONNA LOSE. 
          SO THAT'S ANOTHER, UH, BUDGET HOLE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO FILL WHEN YOU HAVE OVER, OVER $2 MILLION TAKEN OUT. 
          AND THIS WAS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY PAST THIS. 
          SO DEALING WITH THE, UH, STATE IS GONNA GET WORSE, ESPECIALLY IN 2026 WHEN THEY NO LONGER HAVE THE, UH, UH, COVID MONEY AND THEY'RE GONNA BE LOOKING FOR OTHER REVENUE. 
          AND THEY'VE BEEN TAKING IT AWAY FROM MUNICIPALITIES FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          SO THERE'D BE A BIGGER BURDEN ON MUNICIPALITIES TO FILL THE GAP THAT THE STATE WILL NO LONGER, UH, FILL. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          JUST BRIEFLY, I'M NOT, I DON'T WANNA REPEAT EVERYTHING THAT ALL THE OTHER COUNCIL MEN AND WOMEN HAVE SAID, BUT AGAIN, I, I TOO WANT, I WANNA THANK EVERYBODY THAT CAME TONIGHT AND EVERYBODY THAT'S OUT ON ONLINE, UH, LISTENING TO THESE DISCUSSIONS TONIGHT. 
          UM, YOUR FEED FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT. 
          I'LL SPEAK FOR ME. 
          YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO ME TO HEAR WHAT THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR WANT OR WHAT YOUR IDEAS ARE. 
          SO CONTINUE TO COME AND CONTINUE TO BRING YOUR IDEAS AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL DISCUSS THEM AS A COUNCIL AND COME TO SOME RESOLUTIONS THAT ARE BENEFIT. 
          THE BEST BENEFIT FOR 
          [00:45:01]
ALL OF US IN DECATUR, I'M GOING TO, SORRY FOR THE SHOOTINGS THAT'S HAPPENED. 
          UM, I WISH I HAD A, HAD A, UH, A CURE FOR ALL TO STOP ALL SHOOTINGS. 
          UM, UNFORTUNATELY, I, UH, I'M OUT. 
          I CAME OUTTA CORRECTIONS FIELD, SO I KNOW THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. 
          UH, WHEN I WAS IN CORRECTIONS, I WISH I COULD HAVE STOPPED PEOPLE COMING TO PRISON, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. 
          BUT WE CAN'T STOP GIVING UP AND WE CAN'T STOP TRYING TO REDUCE AND STOP THE SHOOTINGS. 
          UH, AS ONE OF THE OTHER COUNCILMEN SAID, YES, WE HAVE STILL HAVE TOO MANY SHOOTINGS IN OUR CITY. 
          UM, SOMEONE HAD CONCERNS ABOUT POLICE, UH, NOT LIVING IN DECATUR. 
          UH, I'M ONE OF THE FEW COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO FELT THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE EXTENDED THE RADIUS, THAT WE SHOULD ALLOW, WE SHOULD REQUIRE OUR OFFICERS TO LIVE IN THE CITY. 
          UH, I KNOW THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE FROM MY BACKGROUND. 
          I KNOW THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. 
          AND HOPEFULLY ONE DAY STATISTICS WILL SHOW THAT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE AND WE NEED TO REVERSE THAT. 
          WELL, WE HAD TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. 
          UM, AS YOU INDICATED, WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO, IT'S LIKE, LIKE WE CAN'T, UM, TEAR DOWN BUILDINGS TO GET OUT OF THE, WE CAN'T CATCH UP AND TEAR DOWN ENOUGH BUILDINGS TO KEEP UP. 
          UH, WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES TO KEEP UP. 
          WE'VE GOT TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY. 
          AND IF WE NEED TO REDUCE AND CUT, WE NEED TO REDUCE AND CUT. 
          UM, UM, WE NEED NEIGHBORHOOD POLICING. 
          UM, THEY SAY WE SHORT OFFICERS, EVERYBODY'S SHORT OFFICERS. 
          SO THAT TELLS ME, YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU GOT, YOU PRIORITIZE WHAT YOU GOT TO THE NEED THAT YOU NEED. 
          THE SHOOTINGS ARE NOT GOING DOWN A QUICK ENOUGH. 
          PRIORITIZING MEANS WE NEED TO PUT MORE OFFICERS IN THE, ON THE STREETS, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          IT'S THAT SIMPLE. 
          EVERYBODY WANTS TO, TO STOP SPEEDY OR SPEEDERS AND ALL THAT. 
          I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          BUT TO ME, A SHOOTING IS MORE, MORE IMPORTANT, RIGHT? THAN A SPEEDER. 
          THAT'S JUST WHERE I'M AT. 
          SO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE AND PUT OFFICERS ON THE STREETS, IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          UH, THAT'S GONNA BE THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GONNA STOP THE CRIME IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          THE CAMERAS ARE GOOD, TECHNOLOGY IS GOOD, BUT A BODY IS BETTER THAT WILL ACTUALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. 
          CANNABIS, I KNOW SOME MEMBERS HAVE SAID THEY, THEY WERE NEVER SUPPORTED. 
          WE HAD A REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT ABOUT IT SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO. 
          THE CITIZENS WANTED IT. 
          WE HAVEN'T GOT A COUNCIL YET THAT WILL APPROVE IT. 
          SOMEBODY SAID THAT ABOUT THE FOUR VOTES. 
          YEAH, WE NEED TO BE MORE OPEN ABOUT DISCUSSING THINGS ABOVE, ABOVE THE FOUR VOTES BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CITIZENS WANT THAT WE MAY NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT OUTSIDE THE BOX. 
          SO, UM, DO WE NEED TAX INCREASE TO 7%? NO, WE DON'T. 
          I THINK WE GOT 105. 
          DO WE NEED 5%? NO, WE DON'T. 
          UH, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA GET BELOW THAT WITH, WITH THE FOUR MAJORITY, BUT DO WE NEED IT? NO, WE DON'T. 
          UH, I AGREE WITH DR. HORN. 
          WE NEED TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET. 
          AS I LIVE WITHIN MY BUDGET AND WITHIN MY OWN HOUSEHOLD. 
          WHATEVER MONEY I GOTTA COMING IN, I GOTTA LOOK AT MY MONEY COMING IN AND I GOTTA SET MY BUDGET AND LIVE ON THAT, THAT MONEY THAT'S COMING INTO MY HOUSEHOLD. 
          WE NEED TO DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR CITY MONEY. 
          WE NEED TO LIVE WITHIN OUR BUDGET AND NOT DO ALL THE INCREASES. 
          WE HAVE FOUR OFFICERS THAT ARE IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS, NOT OPPOSED TO PUTTING OFFICERS IN THE SCHOOLS WHERE THE BUDGET IS. 
          ACTUALLY TO RAISE THAT TO FIVE. 
          MY POSITION ON THAT, THE PRIORITY WHERE WE NEED OFFICERS AT RIGHT NOW, AS EVERYBODY SAYS IT'S ON THE STREETS. 
          THE PRIORITY SHOULDN'T BE PUTTING FIVE IN THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW. 
          THOSE OFFICERS NEED TO BE OUT ON THE STREETS TILL WE FILL THE POSITIONS ABOVE WHAT WE NEED ON THE STREETS, THEN WE ADD TO OUR SCHOOLS. 
          THAT'S MY COMMENTS. 
          ANY FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? SEEING 
          [III.  Approval of Minutes]
NONE, WE MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES. 
          APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 18TH, 2024. 
          CITY COUNCIL 
          [00:50:01]
MEETING. 
          I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. 
          COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? MCDANIEL AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR MOORE WOLF. 
          AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE. 
          MOVING INTO 
          [1.  Resolution Authorizing Collective Bargaining Agreement for Pay and Benefits - AFSCME Council 31 and Local 268, General Service Employees]
NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR PAY AND BENEFITS. 
          AFSCME COUNCIL 31 AND LOCAL 2 68 GENERAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES. 
          MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, MR. GLEASON. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          UH, AND TO THE COMMUNITY. 
          THIS IS, UH, TO, UH, WHAT'S BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS TO APPROVE, UH, ONE OF OUR THREE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, UH, WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THREE UNIONS THAT WE HAVE, UH, WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION. 
          THIS IS OUR, UH, AFSCME, UH, BARGAINING UNIT THAT, UM, ACTUALLY COVERS A VARIETY OF POSITIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION. 
          CRITICAL KEY POSITIONS IN THE ORGANIZATION. 
          WHEN I WAS BROUGHT IN, UH, SEVEN MONTHS AGO, ONE OF MY MARCHING ORDERS WAS TO, UH, TRY TO MAKE THE, UH, ORGANIZATION AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE. 
          UH, WE HAVE HAD, UH, MAJOR PROBLEMS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, UH, RECRUITING AND THEN RETAINING, THERE'S A COST IN ALL OF THIS, AND WE DO WANT TO HIRE THE BEST. 
          UH, SO THAT BECAME A PRIORITY AS I NEGOTIATED THE POLICE CONTRACT THAT WAS APPROVED A MONTH OR SO AGO. 
          UH, CURRENTLY IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE FIRE UNION. 
          UH, BUT WE, BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS, UH, THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH, UH, AFSCME THE REPRESENTATIVE OUTTA SPRINGFIELD. 
          AND HE'S HERE. 
          AND I'M GONNA ASK, UH, THESE GENTLEMEN TO COME TO THE PODIUM HERE IN A MINUTE. 
          IT'S MICHAEL, UH, WILMORE, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM THAT ARE ACTUALLY CITY EMPLOYEES OF ROBERT FLACK. 
          AND, UH, TIM WILDMAN. 
          UH, EXCELLENT, UH, NEGOTIATION, UH, PROCESS. 
          WE, WE'VE GOT A GROUP OF EMPLOYEES, UH, THAT WANT TO BE PAID, UH, COMPARATIVELY TO, UH, COMPARABLE COMMUNITIES LIKE A BLOOMINGTON, A CHAMPAIGN, BECAUSE WE REALLY ARE THAT SIZE. 
          BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE MAY NOT HAVE, UH, THE ECONOMICS, UH, OF THOSE COMMUNITIES. 
          SO WHAT'S THAT HEALTHY BALANCE SO THAT WE CAN, AGAIN, RECRUIT, RECRUIT AND RETAIN OUR EMPLOYEES? A METHODOLOGY OF TRYING TO BE WITHIN 10% OF THE SALARY RANGE, UH, WE FELT, UH, WAS KEY AND SOMETHING THAT WE COULD, UH, NEGOTIATE SUCCESSFULLY WITH, UH, THE EMPLOYEES. 
          AND THEN SHOWING THE COST OF LIVING THE BENEFITS THAT WE, UH, UH, ALLOW OR PROVIDE AS AN ORGANIZATION. 
          YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE, UH, A CUT ABOVE, UH, SOME OF THE OTHER EMPLOYERS, OTHER COMMUNITIES. 
          SO, BEFORE COUNCIL, SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, WITH THIS CONTRACT, IT'S A FOUR YEAR CONTRACT. 
          IT'S A 4% INCREASE EACH OF THE FOUR YEARS OF THE CONTRACT. 
          AND THEN ALSO, UH, WITH THIS, UH, UH, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT LIKE, UH, THAT OF POLICE, WE'VE EXPANDED THE, UH, RESIDENCY OUT TO A 50 MILE RADIUS THAT THE EMPLOYEES COULD LIVE IN. 
          AGAIN, THIS IS A TREND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. 
          IT IS HARD TO RECRUIT PEOPLE INTO A MUNICIPAL SERVICE. 
          UH, IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD HERE IN DECATUR. 
          FELT THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 
          WE APPROVE THIS WITH, UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          AND THEN NOW WITH THE AFSCME, UH, WE'VE OFFERED THE SAME THING. 
          NOW THIS COMMENT THAT I'VE MADE IN THE PAST, I THINK IT CAME UP EARLIER THIS EVENING ABOUT TRYING TO INCENTIVIZE EMPLOYEES TO LIVE IN THE CITY. 
          THAT DAY'S COMING, BUT IT'S A LARGER CONVERSATION THAN A SINGLE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. 
          SO BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING IS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT WITH, UH, AFSCME. 
          IT'S A FOUR YEAR AGREEMENT, AGAIN, 4% EACH OF THE FOUR YEARS, AND IT WILL EXPAND THE RESIDENCY, UH, OUT TO 50 MILES. 
          MIKE, ROBERT, TIM, IF, UH, AND I'M NOT, I DON'T WANNA PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, UH, BUT REALLY WOULD LIKE TO, UH, HAVE YOU COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, AND AGAIN, IN, IN NEGOTIATIONS IN A LABOR MANAGEMENT, UH, RELATIONSHIP, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME. 
          IT'S, AND I SAY THIS INTERNALLY AND I'VE SAID THIS, UM, MANY COUNCIL MEETINGS WHERE CONTRACTS HAVE COME BEFORE COUNCIL TO APPROVE. 
          IT'S BIGGER THAN THE CONTRACT THAT WE'RE SETTING AT THE TABLE AND NEGOTIATING. 
          IT'S ABOUT THE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP, UH, WITH THE EMPLOYEES. 
          AND, UH, THIS TRULY WAS, UH, A PLEASURE TO, UH, NEGOTIATE. 
          AND I THINK YOUR TURNOUT OF THE MEMBERSHIP WAS MORE THAN YOU'VE EVER HAD. 
          AND IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THE, UH, THE APPROVAL WAS, UH, THE RATIFICATION WITHIN, UH, THE UNION WAS LIKE 76 TO TWO. 
          SO I'LL TURN THE FLOOR TO YOU AND THE MAYOR, IT'S GONNA COME BACK TO YOU. 
          HELLO, CITY COUNCIL MAYOR, MR. GLEASON. 
          THANK YOU FOR HAVING US IN TODAY. 
          UM, 
          [00:55:01]
I DO WANNA, UH, ADDRESS THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S DIFFICULT TIMES. 
          WE UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, AS SOMEBODY THAT WORKS WITH AFSCME, THAT WORKS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF CITIES AND COUNTIES AND STATES. 
          UH, I KNOW THAT PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING MORE WITH LESS. 
          YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBERS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES DECLINE OVER THE YEARS, UH, BECAUSE OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS WHERE, UM, YOU KNOW, CITIZENS WANNA BE SURE THAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING A GOOD DEAL. 
          I, I DO WANNA SAY THAT, UH, LOCAL 2 68 AND ROBERT FLACK, AND TIM WILDMAN BEING THE PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL, WORKING WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS, I, I AM PROUD AND I CAN SAY TO THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY THAT THEY BRING COST CUTTING IDEAS TO THE TABLE. 
          REGULARLY WHEN WE MEET WITH MANAGEMENT, THEY EXAMINE THINGS LIKE CONTRACTS, UH, WHERE THE CITY IS, IS TRYING TO GET WORK DONE, UH, TO TRY AND CONTRIBUTE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT TOO AND SAVE THE CITY MONEY. 
          I'VE SEEN THEM DO THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER. 
          UH, SO I HOPE THAT THE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND THAT THESE FOLKS THAT, UH, DO SO MUCH OF THE VITAL WORK OF THE IN INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE CITY ALSO CARE ABOUT THE COST AND, AND THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS FOR CITIZENS IN THE CITY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GONNA BE THE ONES HERE IN, UH, PROBABLY NEXT WEEK, , WHO ARE PLOWING THE STREETS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE ONES WHO MAKE SURE THE TRAFFIC SIGNALS FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY AND PEOPLE AREN'T GETTING INTO ACCIDENTS, SO THEY WORK VERY HARD FOR THIS CITY. 
          UM, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT, UH, OVER TIME INFLATION HAS BEEN ROUGH ON EVERYBODY IN THIS COMMUNITY, UH, INCLUDING THE FOLKS THAT WORK HERE. 
          UH, AND SO THIS CONTRACT, UH, WHILE, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS GOT EVERYTHING THEY WANTED FOR SURE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, THERE WERE DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE. 
          UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE ALSO A LOT OF VACANCIES. 
          AS MR. GLEASON MENTIONED, THEY WERE HAVING TROUBLE HIRING PEOPLE HERE BECAUSE THE PAY WAS LOW COMPARED TO THE PRIVATE SECTOR. 
          SO WE LOST A LOT OF FOLKS. 
          UM, AND WHILE AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS AGREEMENT WASN'T THE, THE BEST I'VE EVER SEEN, UH, IT WASN'T EVERYTHING WE EVER WANTED. 
          UM, MR. GLEASON AND HIS TEAM CAME IN WITH AN HONEST APPROACH AND HONEST NUMBERS, AND SO OUR TEAM FELT GOOD ABOUT THE NEGOTIATIONS AND KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS WAS AN HONEST DISCUSSION AND BOTH THE CITY AND THE EMPLOYEES AND THE CITIZENS ARE GETTING A GOOD DEAL FROM THIS. 
          SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN. 
          OPEN FOR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL. 
          DR. HORN. 
          I WAS, I'M SURPRISED. 
          YEAH, NO, FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE, UM, THE REPRESENTATIVES OF AME AS WELL AS THE WORKERS OF ASC MES FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS, I, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT OUR, OUR PUBLIC WORKS, UH, WORKERS ARE THE UNSUNG HEROES OF DECATUR. 
          SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. 
          UM, I WAS HOPING THAT MR. GLEASON OR THE REPRESENTATIVES, UH, COULD TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT RESIDENCY AND, UM, WHY IT WAS IMPORTANT FROM A PERSPECTIVE, FROM THE WORKERS' PERSPECTIVE, AS WELL AS FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE TO INCREASE THE, THE DISTANCE. 
          I'LL GO FIRST. 
          UM, MICHAEL, UM, TRY WHEN WE CAN TO HAVE A TEMPLATE OR SOME UNIFORMITY REALIZE, UH, THAT YOU'RE NEGOTIATING WITH THREE DIFFERENT COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS. 
          AND THEN ALSO I HAVE MY NON-UNION STAFF TO, UH, CONSIDER. 
          UH, AND SOME OF THE, UH, CONVERSATIONS, OR IN SOME OF THE CONTRACTS, IT WAS COUNTY ONLY SOME IT WAS 40 MILES. 
          UH, THE IDEA OR THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND THIS, AND IT COULD BE FLAWED. 
          YOU KNOW, WE COULD BE BACK THE NEXT NEGOTIATING TABLE, UH, FOUR YEARS FROM NOW AND, UM, YOU KNOW, BE IN A MUCH BETTER PLACE, UH, YOU KNOW, AND TRY TO SHRINK THE, UH, RESIDENCY. 
          WE MIGHT FIND THAT WE NEED TO EXPAND IT, BUT THE IDEA FOR TODAY AND FOR NOW WAS TO GET BEYOND, UH, THE CHAMPA URBANA RADIUS, THE SPRINGFIELD RADIUS OF BLOOMINGTON NORMAL RADIUS AND, AND ALL THOSE POINTS IN BETWEEN TO TRY TO RECRUIT, YOU KNOW, OPEN THIS POOL OF RECRUITMENT UP AND BE ABLE TO EXPAND, UH, THOSE THAT, UH, MIGHT CONSIDER EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          SO IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO FILL SOME POSITIONS WITH THE CURRENT 
          [01:00:01]
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT? I'M GOING TO SAY THAT, UH, SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT I RECEIVED FROM HR, I THINK, UH, MICHAEL'S GOING TO COMMENT TO THIS, UH, THAT WE'VE GOT SOME EMPLOYEES, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, UH, LIVE OUTSIDE, BUT ARE ON A PROBATIONARY PERIOD. 
          BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE PASSED BECAUSE OF THE, UH, UH, HAVE PASSED BECAUSE OF THE RESIDENCY THAT WE HAVE. 
          SO, YES. 
          UM, I, I JUST WANNA AGREE, UH, AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE WERE A LOT OF POSITIONS THAT WERE UNFILLED, UM, AND IT GETS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THE WORK OF THE CITY, UH, WHEN THAT'S THE CASE WHEN, WHEN YOU'VE GOT UNDERSTAFFING. 
          UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, UH, I ABSOLUTELY BELIEVE IT WAS A FAIR CONTRACT. 
          UH, BUT THE WAGES OF THE CITY WORKERS ARE STILL BELOW THOSE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR. 
          SO, SO YOU HAVE TO FIGURE OUT OTHER WAYS TO RECRUIT PEOPLE AND EXPANDING THAT, UH, THAT RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT WAS, WAS PART OF THAT TO TRY AND BRING PEOPLE IN. 
          UM, I ALSO WANNA SAY THOUGH, JUST TO, UH, DISPEL, UH, THE NOTION, YOU KNOW, ALL OUR FOLKS DON'T LIVE IN SPRINGFIELD OR SOMETHING, RIGHT? I MEAN, MOST OF OUR CITY WORKERS AND LOCAL 2 68 ARE PROUD TO LIVE IN DECATUR, UH, LIVE HERE, WORK HERE. 
          THEY'RE PROUD OF THE CITY. 
          THEY WANNA MAKE THIS THE BEST CITY POSSIBLE. 
          SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT AS WELL. 
          YES, THE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT IS LARGER. 
          THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ALL LIVE OUTSIDE THE CITY. 
          MOST OF THEM LIVE IN THE CITY. 
          MR. KEHL, I'M JUST GONNA TIE THIS IN AND CIRCLE BACK TO COUNCILMAN COOPER'S COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, OUR POLICE RESIDENCY. 
          I A HUNDRED PERCENT AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN COOPER. 
          I WISH WE COULD HAVE IT THE WAY THAT HE WOULD LIKE IT FOR OUR CITY POLICE. 
          I WISH ALL THE ASKS ME, UH, EMPLOYEES WOULD LIVE IN DECATUR, BUT IT'S JUST NOT REALITY. 
          AND I, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THESE EBB AND FLOWS OF THESE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS. 
          AND, AND RIGHT NOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE LEVERAGE. 
          AND UNTIL WE HAVE A LOT OF POLICE OFFICERS WANTING THESE JOBS OR PEOPLE, UH, IN DEMAND OR PEOPLE COMPETING FOR THESE JOBS THAT WE CAN'T FILL, THE RESIDENCY IS GONNA HAVE TO BE LOOSER INSTEAD OF TIGHTER, UH, UNTIL WE GET TO THE OTHER END OF THAT. 
          MR. MCDANIEL, WELL, IT'S JUST NOT THE CITY. 
          LOOK AT, LOOK AT CATERPILLAR. 
          THEY USED TO HAVE TO BUS PEOPLE INTO DECATUR AND STILL DO TO GET EMPLOYEES. 
          SO IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM NOT JUST WITH, WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, BUT IT'S ALSO, UH, PRIVATE BUSINESSES AND THAT. 
          SO, UM, IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE ANSWER? I DON'T KNOW. 
          WE GOT MORE AND MORE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANNA WORK AND WHEN THEY DO TAKE A JOB, THEY DON'T STAY LONG. 
          THEY, THEY MOVE ON OR THEY'RE NOT REALLY QUALIFIED, AND WE DON'T WANT UNQUALIFIED PEOPLE TAKING SOME OF THESE POSITIONS WHEN THEY, ESPECIALLY WITH, WITH, UH, DANGEROUS MACHINES THAT THEY'RE ON. 
          SO, UH, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S, IT'S A PROBLEM ALL ACROSS THE BOARD. 
          ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT THE CONTRACT? MR. COOPER? THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          JUST ONE COMMENT. 
          UM, LIKE I SAY, AS AGAIN, WE'RE RE EXPANDING THE RESIDENCY, SO I KNOW THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN. 
          UM, I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE TALKED ABOUT, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT REVENUES. 
          'CAUSE I GUESS MY, ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT, UH, THE FURTHER OUT, THE MORE PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIVE IN DECATUR, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT PAYING ANY TAXES IN DECATUR. 
          UM, AND WE MAY PICK UP SOME MONEY IF THEY GO OUT AND BUY A LUNCH WHILE THEY'RE HERE OR WHATEVER. 
          UM, SO I DO THINK WE DO NEED TO LOOK AT SOME OTHER OPTIONS FOR THOSE THAT, UM, GONNA BE LIVING AWAY AND NOT IN OUR CITY. 
          AND I KNOW AT ONE TIME WE TALKED ABOUT A VEHICLE TAX AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE MAY NEED TO, TO REALLY CONSIDER LOOKING AT, AT LEAST GETTING SOME, SOME FUNDS FROM THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CHOOSING NOT TO LIVE IN THE CITY. 
          UM, ALTHOUGH WE'RE PAYING THEM A BIG SALARY AND WE'RE PAYING THEIR PENSIONS OUTTA OUR CITY MONEY. 
          FURTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS PLEASE CALL THE QUESTION. 
          COUNCILMAN COLT. 
          AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS. 
          OUR NEXT 
          [2.  Public Hearing in the Matter of the 2024 Tax Levy]
ITEM IS A PUBLIC HEARING IN THE MATTER OF THE 2024 TAX LEVY. 
          HEREBY OPEN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND I'LL GO FIRST TO, UH, MR. GLEASON FOR A BRIEF OVERVIEW. 
          RUBY, I THINK I'M GONNA GIVE THE FLOOR TO YOU, AND IF, UH, THERE'S ANYTHING ADDITIONALLY FOR ME TO SAY, I WILL. 
          VERY GOOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          AND GOOD EVENING TO THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL. 
          UH, WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THAT, UM, FOR THE, UH, TAXES WE IN ON 
          [01:05:01]
NOVEMBER 4TH, WE DID ADOPT THE, UH, RESOLUTION ESTIMATING AMOUNTS NECESSARY TO BE RAISED BY THE 2024 TAX LEVY. 
          AND WE INDICATED A 7%, UH, TAX LEVY ON THAT. 
          AND I BELIEVE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS, WE WANNA MAKE SURE EVERYONE DOES THAT. 
          WE ARE NOT HELD TO THAT. 
          WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DISCUSSION TONIGHT, AND WE BROUGHT FORWARD THREE PROPOSALS OF, UH, 7%, 6%, AND 5% FROM THE CITY STAFF FOR YOU TO CONSIDER WITH THAT, WHAT'S PAID WITH THE TAX LEVY IS THE POLICE PENSIONS, UH, FIRE PENSIONS, THE DECATUR LIBRARY, MUNICIPAL BAND, AND, UM, DEBT FOR THE CITY. 
          AND WITH THAT, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THE PENSIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE, UH, AS WE WANNA KEEP UP WITH BEING ABLE TO PAY THOSE OVER TIME AND MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS. 
          UM, AND THAT DOES INCREASE, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY OVER TIME AND AS WE SHOULD MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS WITH THOSE. 
          AND SO, UM, IF THERE, UM, AREN'T ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, I, WE HAVE SUMMARIZED AND, AND YOU HAVE SCHEDULES FOR WHAT ALL THAT MEANS, UH, WITH THAT, DO, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS, UH, BEFORE, UM, WE GO INTO THE PUBLIC HEARING? JUST FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC? UH, RUBY, IF YOU COULD TALK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE 7% WOULD COST THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, THE 6% AND THE 5%. 
          SO EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT A YEAR IT MEANS. 
          IT'S NOT A GENERAL, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP 7%, THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE PROPERTY TAX IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. 
          AND THAT PART IS, BUT I'M ASKING YOU TO, YES. 
          FOR A $134,000 HOME, THE 7% INCREASE WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $14 A YEAR, AND THE 6% INCREASE WOULD BE $7 A YEAR. 
          AND THE 5% INCREASE, UM, WOULD BE, UH, NO INCREASE FOR $134,000 HOME. 
          THIS IS AN ESTIMATE, OF COURSE, UM, FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TOTAL TAX INCREASES. 
          AND IT IS ALSO AN ESTIMATE ON WHAT, UH, WE'RE ASSUMING THAT MACON COUNTY THE, UM, ASSESSED VALUE IS GOING TO BE, BECAUSE THAT ISN'T DETERMINED UNTIL MARCH. 
          SO THERE WILL BE A CHANGE IN THE ASSESSED VALUE THAT THAT IS TRUE. 
          AND SO, UM, IF NO ONE IN THE ENTIRE, UH, TAXING DISTRICT INCREASE THEIR TAXES WHATSOEVER, UM, PROPERTY TAXES ARE EXPECTED TO GO UP, UH, DUE TO THE ASSESSED VALUE. 
          I DO WANNA MAKE THAT CLEAR. 
          AND OUR ESTIMATE OF THE ASSESSED VALUE GOING UP, UH, IS AROUND 4%. 
          AND AGAIN, THAT'S AN ESTIMATE. 
          QUESTIONS FOR COUNSEL FOR THE TREASURER, DR. HORN, I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM TO THE PUBLIC, SO WHEN, UH, THE TREASURER SAYS THAT IT'S ESTIMATED THAT IT'S, THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP X NUMBER OF DOLLARS, THAT ASSUMES THAT YOUR ASSESSED VALUE HASN'T CHANGED. 
          BUT MY GUESS IS IF I RAISED, HAD EVERYBODY RAISED THEIR HANDS, WHETHER THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY HAS GONE UP RECENTLY, UH, THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WOULD RAISE THEIR HANDS THAT THEIR ASSESSED VALUE IS GOING UP. 
          AND SO IF THE PROPERTY TAX RATE STAYS THE SAME, BUT YOUR ASSESSED VALUE GOES UP AND WE TAX AT THE ASSESSED VALUE, YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP. 
          AND SO I, I JUST WANNA MAKE THAT STATEMENT CLEAR BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY PUBLICATIONS IN THE MEDIA TODAY THAT TALKED ABOUT HOW MUCH PROPERTY TAX RATES WERE GONNA GO UP, BUT IT WAS BASED UPON ASSUMPTION THAT YOUR PROPERTY VALUES WEREN'T GOING TO GO UP. 
          BUT THEY ARE. 
          AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT TO MAKE MR. GLEASON, I A COUPLE OF THINGS. 
          UH, AND, AND RUBY DID AN EXCELLENT JOB, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, SAYING EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE SAID FOR SEVERAL MEETINGS. 
          NOW, UM, I'M GOING TO REPEAT A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN SAID JUST FOR CLARITY, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT A PROPERTY TAX BILL, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST CONFUSING THINGS THAT YOU CAN TALK ABOUT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MUNICIPAL REVENUES, UH, TO COUNCILMAN HORN'S, UH, COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, WRITING, UH, THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES, THAT'S A GOOD THING FOR A COMMUNITY. 
          UH, BUT TO HIS POINT, HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. 
          HE CAN TALK ABOUT PROPERTY TAX RATE, WHICH IS, UH, YOU KNOW, A, UH, PERCENTAGE, A PORTION ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL. 
          AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO TALK ABOUT THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HAVE BEEN TALKING, UH, ABOUT, AND THEN WE BREAK IT DOWN. 
          WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, UH, WE TRY TO COMMUNICATE AS BEST THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. 
          WHAT THIS IS GOING TO MEAN FOR THE AVERAGE PROPERTY OWNER IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT OWNS A HOME OF $134,000. 
          SO AGAIN, 7%, WE'VE ADJUSTED OUR NUMBERS DOWN 
          [01:10:01]
A LITTLE BIT FROM WHEN WE WERE FIRST TALKING ABOUT THIS, THE LAST FEW MEETINGS WHERE IT'S GONNA BE ROUGHLY A $14 INCREASE ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX BILL FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THAT PROPERTY TAX BILL. 
          THAT'S LESS THAN A DOLLAR A MONTH IF WE ADOPT A RATE AT 6%, WHICH HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND PREPARED FOR COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE A STAFF THREE DIFFERENT RATES THAT REALLY SEEM TO BE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY. 
          SO AT 6% IT WOULD BE ABOUT A $7, UH, INCREASE ANNUALLY, OR 50 PER 50 CENTS ON, ON YOUR PROPERTY TAX, I'M SORRY, 50 CENTS PER MONTH, UH, FOR THAT 6% EXAMPLE. 
          NOW, AGAIN, KEEP IN MIND THAT THE CITY IS ONLY 16% OF YOUR ENTIRE PROPERTY TAX BILL. 
          SOME OF THE COMMENTS, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND THE COMMENTS, BUT, AND MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE SAID THIS AT THE END OF PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT IT'S FRUSTRATING. 
          AND, AND I'M GONNA CONFESS THAT IT'S FRUSTRATING FROM MY VANTAGE POINT AS THE CEO OF THIS ORGANIZATION AS THE CITY MANAGER AND BEING ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE, NOT CHANGE MINDS, BUT TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN ON A PROPERTY TAX BILL. 
          ALSO, THE INTEGRITY OF THIS, YOU KNOW, I DO NOT WANT THE COMMUNITY TO THINK THAT THERE'S A SHELL GAME GOING ON WITH, UH, THE NUMBERS AND THE REVENUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, BUT ALSO THE ELECTED OFFICIALS, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON MANY TOPICS. 
          AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ACTUALLY ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT THIS JOB IS, UH, YOU KNOW, HEARING THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER. 
          BUT ON THIS TOPIC OF NEW REVENUES, THIS COUNCIL HAS BEEN VERY BOLD IN SHUTTING DOWN A NUMBER OF IDEAS THAT HAVE COME ACROSS THEIR DESK OR THIS DAIS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS. 
          AND WE LANDED ON TWO TO INCREASE, UH, REVENUE, NEW REVENUE STREAMS FOR THE CITY. 
          IT WAS A GAS USE TAX THAT WE ADOPTED A MONTH AGO. 
          AND THAT PICKED UP, UH, SOMETHING, AGAIN, A LOOPHOLE THAT'S NOT OUR WORD, THAT CAME FROM THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. 
          AND THAT WAS TO ADDRESS THE ROUGHLY 200 BUSINESSES OUT OF THE 1200 BUSINESSES THAT WERE USING THIS LOOPHOLE. 
          WELL, THAT WAS CLOSED A MONTH AGO, AND THAT INCREASED A REVENUE STREAM THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING TO BE ABOUT $3.7 MILLION. 
          IF WE ADOPT THIS PROPERTY TAX RATE AT 7% THIS EVENING, THAT'S GOING TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL, UH, $1.1 MILLION OR ABOUT 300,000 MORE THAN IF A 5% INCREASE WAS ADOPTED. 
          ALL THAT TO SAY, THAT'S ABOUT $4 MILLION OF NEW REVENUE STREAM FOR OUR FY 25 BUDGET. 
          ALL THAT TO SAY THAT ABOUT 2.7 MILLION OF THAT $4 MILLION IS BEING PLEDGED AND DEDICATED TO COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT BEFORE THIS UPCOMING YEAR, DID NOT HAVE LOCAL TAXPAYER DOLLARS THAT WERE FUNDING ANY OF THE THINGS THAT WE WERE DOING, UH, IN THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT. 
          IT WAS A RP FUNDS, IT WAS FOUNDATION MONEY, AND IT WAS OTHER GRANTS THAT ARE PROVIDED AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL. 
          SO WE SEE ABOUT A $1.3 MILLION INCREASE IN NEW REVENUES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A GROWING ORGANIZATION, WHICH INCLUDES, AND TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENTS THIS EVENING, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, CHIEF BRANDELL AND HIS TEAM, THEY DO AN AMAZING JOB. 
          AND I DO KNOW THAT PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM REALIZE THAT, BUT WE HAVE SHRUNK FROM 163 SWORN FROM WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE, DOWN TO 148. 
          THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON THE PATROL SIDE ARE WORKING 12 HOUR SHIFTS, WHICH IS THE MOST EFFICIENT SHIFT THAT YOU CAN POSSIBLY WORK. 
          BUT IT'S A LONG SHIFT BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH OUR BOUNDARIES ARE GROWING, OUR POPULATION IS SHRINKING THE SEVERITY OF CALLS THAT THOSE MEN AND WOMEN RESPOND TO, IT'S, IT'S DANGEROUS OUT THERE, AS EVERYBODY KNOWS. 
          SO THIS, UH, IN THIS, UH, BUDGET FOR 25 INCREASES BY SEVEN SWORN OTHER POSITIONS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, IS AN ADDITIONAL, UH, DEPUTY, UH, CHIEF FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO INCREASE THE TRAINING FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN THAT SERVE OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT, AN HR MANAGER, AGAIN, TO SPEAK TO, TRYING TO BE THAT EMPLOYER OF CHOICE, TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO RECRUIT, TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE INTERVIEWS AND ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO AS AN ORGANIZATION. 
          AND AGAIN, I'M BACK TO MY FRUSTRATION IS THAT I DON'T HAVE THE 
          [01:15:01]
TIME OR THE VENUES, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THOSE IN 25 TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE ALL THESE THINGS. 
          AGAIN, NOT TO CHANGE ANYBODY'S MIND, BUT TO BE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY SHARE WHAT ACTUALLY IS GOING ON AND HOPEFULLY INCREASE THAT LEVEL OF TRUST THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS AND HOW THIS COUNCIL AND THE CITY STAFF ARE SPENDING LOCAL TAXPAYER DOLLARS. 
          SO TONIGHT, PROPERTY TAX 7% INCREASE IS, UH, ABOUT A DOLLAR PER MONTH INCREASE FOR SOMEBODY THAT OWNS AN AVERAGE HOME OF 134050 CENTS A MONTH AT, UH, AT, UH, 6%. 
          AND WE ARE 16% OF THE OVERALL PROPERTY TAX BILL. 
          AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS EARLIER. 
          I REALLY DO, UH, BECAUSE IT TRULY, UH, GIVES ME, UH, YOU KNOW, IT GIVES ME AN IDEA OF WHAT I NEED TO DO, UH, FOR THE BUDGET CYCLE NEXT YEAR. 
          BUT IT'S BEEN A VERY QUICK SEVEN MONTHS FOR ME AND, UH, VERY PROUD OF THE FY 25 BUDGET THAT WAS ADOPTED AND BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, TONIGHT IS THAT LAST ITEM AS WE BUTTON UP, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR THE 2025 BUDGET. 
          THANKS, MAYOR, FOR A COUPLE EXTRA MINUTES. 
          YOU KNOW, IF I COULD HAVE MY WAY, WHICH I CAN'T, UM, BUT IT WOULD BE IDEAL IF WE COULD SIT DOWN AS A COUNCIL WITH EVERY OTHER TAXING BODY IN THIS COUNTY AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU ALL REALLY NEED? BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE DO TONIGHT, WHETHER IT IS A $14 INCREASE ON A HOMEOWNER OR NO INCREASE, FROM OUR STANDPOINT, THE OTHER TAXING BODIES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONTROL OVER THEM. 
          WE DON'T HAVE A VOICE WITH THEM TO SAY, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU DOING WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO HERE? AND WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. 
          WE CAN'T HAVE ALL THE POLICE OFFICERS. 
          WE NEED THE, THE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION. 
          WE NEED THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          AND NOT CONSIDER RAISING TAXES BECAUSE YOU, YOU, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE THINGS THAT WE DO. 
          MANY OF THE THINGS THAT THE TREASURER OUTLINED, WE DON'T HAVE A SAY OVER REALISTICALLY AS FAR AS THE PENSION COSTS, WE'RE OBLIGATED, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE LIBRARY A A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE CAN'T JUST SAY, YEAH, WE'RE GONNA CUT 10% OUT OF THAT. 
          IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. 
          AND I DON'T WANNA PAY HIGHER TAXES EITHER. 
          MY TAX BILL IS THROUGH THE ROOF. 
          I MEAN, ASTRONOMICALLY WENT UP AND THE LAST THING I WANNA DO IS PAY ADDITIONAL TAXES. 
          BUT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS SOMETIMES, AND THIS JUST REALLY ISN'T EASY BECAUSE WE WANT A STRONG POLICE FORCE. 
          WE WANT CLEANER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE SAFE FOR EVERYBODY TO BE ABLE TO GO TO SLEEP OR WATCH TV IN THEIR LIVING ROOM AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING SHOT. 
          BUT YOU CAN'T BE FOR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND THEN NOT WANNA FUND IT. 
          WE DON'T HAVE THE FEDERAL MONEY ANYMORE. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COMMENTS. 
          NO, PARDON ME, PUBLIC HEARING. 
          PUBLIC HEARING IS UNDERWAY. 
          AND SO WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC. 
          WE DO HAVE TWO, UH, PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. 
          UH, BUT ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ARE WELCOME AS WELL. 
          WE CAN START WITH ANN OWENS, IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND. 
          SO AMAZINGLY, MAYOR, THE TOP THING ON MY LIST FOR THIS PORTION WAS TO, TO SAY, TODAY I HEARD YOU ON THE RADIO. 
          AND I THOUGHT, WHAT A BRILLIANT IDEA. 
          SHE SAID, WHAT? SHE JUST TOLD US, WE SHOULD SIT DOWN WITH ALL THE TAXING BODIES AND NEGOTIATE. 
          THAT MEETING NEEDS TO HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. 
          I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SOMEBODY LIKE MR. GLEASON TO GET PEOPLE TOGETHER AND THE MAYOR AND SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE. 
          BUT THE REALITY IS THIS EVENING YOU HAVE TO MAKE A VOTE. 
          AND I'M AWARE OF THAT. 
          SO THAT'LL BE FOR THE FUTURE. 
          UM, I ALSO WANNA COMMENT ABOUT LEASES. 
          SO ABOUT THE DOLLAR BILL. 
          SO TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE MEETING I MENTIONED YOU NEED TO BE BETTER AT TELLING THE STORY. 
          I KNOW WHEN RYAN GOT BACK FROM VACATION, THE DOLLAR BILL APPEARED. 
          AND SO PEOPLE LIKE MR. KINS, CORDERO, THEY'RE ALL EXCELLENT PEOPLE. 
          I'VE HAD MEETINGS WITH ALL OF THEM ABOUT EXPLAINING THINGS. 
          EXPLANATIONS ARE GOOD. 
          OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS EXPLANATIONS. 
          IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE. 
          SO I'LL TELL YOU TONIGHT, THE AME PEOPLE, I WAS SO IMPRESSED. 
          HERE'S ONE THING THAT YOU SHOULD MAKE A NOTE OF MR. LEASON. 
          TAKE NOTE, FIND OUT FROM THE MANAGERS HAVE AME THOSE COST SAVING IDEAS THAT THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE GIVING. 
          AND THEN PROMOTE THAT TO THE CITY SAYING, 
          [01:20:01]
LOOK, WE HAD AN EMPLOYEE THAT SAID, HERE'S HOW WE CAN SAVE $50,000. 
          THAT'S GREAT. 
          I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH BYRON AND RICK OUT OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES, TALK ABOUT INTELLIGENT COST SAVING PEOPLE. 
          THEY'VE EVEN SAVED THE INDICATOR COLUMNS FOR ME FOR FUTURE USE. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST A LOT OF THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ARE SMALL THINGS. 
          BUT ACTUALLY I WOULD SAY THAT THEY END UP BEING BIG THINGS. 
          UM, I CERTAINLY DON'T PRETEND TO KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS. 
          IT'S NOT MY JOB TO KNOW THE ANSWERS. 
          BUT WHAT I DO KNOW IS I TRY TO BE VERY HELPFUL AND VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY. 
          I ALSO KNOW I'VE LIVED HERE EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. 
          MY FIRST COUNCIL MEETING THAT I ATTENDED, I WAS SIX YEARS OLD. 
          I CAME AS A GUEST, A MAYOR REP, MAYOR REP WHO WAITED AT THE END OF EVERY PARADE FOR ME TO BE THERE SO HE COULD HUG ME AND TAKE ME BACK TO MY MOTHER. 
          SO I HAVE A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THIS COMMUNITY AND I EXPECT EVERYBODY TO GIVE 100% IN 2025. 
          ALRIGHT, THANK YOU MS. OWEN. 
          UH, CONSUELO CRUZ ALSO, UH, SIGNED UP TO SPEAK. 
          SHE'S STILL HERE. 
          OKAY. 
          UH, WE'LL OPEN IT TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC BODY IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD. 
          UH, GOOD EVENING, BRETT ROBERTSON. 
          UH, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED THAT, UH, THE PROPERTY TAX AMOUNT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, UH, CONSTITUTES ABOUT 1% OF THE BUDGET. 
          AND SO WHILE YOU GUYS CAN CLAIM THAT, HEY, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T, UH, HIRE ANY MORE POLICE OFFICERS, WE CAN'T DO THIS, WE CAN'T DO THAT. 
          THE REALITY IS, ALL YOU GOTTA FIND IN ORDER TO HAVE 0% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IS 1% OF THE BUDGET. 
          IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT, YOU'RE NOT DOING YOUR JOBS. 
          PERIOD. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU. 
          DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO SPEAK IN THE PUBLIC HEARING? I JUST GOT A, A QUICK COMMENT IS WE'VE LIVED IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT PLACES. 
          MOST OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, UM, THE PROPERTY VALUES GO UP AND I HEAR ABOUT THE PROPERTY GOING, VALUES GOING UP, BUT DECATUR IS NOT NEAR THE LEVEL OF PROPERTY VALUES IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE I LIVE, LIVE AROUND MILLIKEN. 
          UH, IN FACT, THEY'VE PROBABLY BEEN GO, REALITY IS THEY'VE PROBABLY BEEN GOING DOWN. 
          SO, AND THEN I'M HEARING THAT EVEN NEW EMPLOYEES DON'T WANNA LIVE IN DECATUR. 
          UH, I THINK YOU'RE PUTTING THE, THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE. 
          UH, YOU SHOULD FIRST WORK ON MAKING DECATUR MORE LIVABLE AND HAVING PEOPLE WANT TO MOVE HERE AND ALL THESE PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          ANYONE ELSE? MY NAME IS MICAH RAY. 
          AND, UH, EARLIER IN MY OPENING STATEMENTS, I GUESS I TR TRIED TO WAX TOO ELOQUENT, BUT THE MAIN TWO POINTS I WAS TRYING TO MAKE REGARDING THIS SUBJECT IS THAT I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE BEEN COMMUNICATED WITH WELL ENOUGH. 
          IF YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD VALUE IN CHARGING THEM MORE FOR LIVING HERE, THEN PUT OUT PIE CHARTS OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEM UNDERSTAND. 
          IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S ONLY, WELL, I THOUGHT LAST TIME IT WAS SAID THAT IT WAS $35 A YEAR FOR AN AVERAGE HOMEOWNER, AND NOW IT'S GONE DOWN TO 14. 
          SO I OBVIOUSLY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE MATH 'CAUSE THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME HOW IT CHANGED. 
          I'M FAIRLY SHARP AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT SHOWS SOME PIE SHARPS SHOW, YOU KNOW, IN SCHOOL WHEN YOU HAD TO, UH, DO MATH PROBLEMS, THEY SAID SHOW YOUR WORK OR ELSE IT DOESN'T COUNT. 
          UH, WE NEED TO SHOW THE WORK, AND IT MAYBE IF WE COULD BUILD VALUE IN PEOPLE'S MINDS, IT'S LIKE, OH, IT'S ONLY GONNA COST ME $14 A YEAR AND I CAN BE SAFER. 
          THAT MAKES SENSE, BUT IT'S NOT MAKING SENSE TO PEOPLE. 
          AND TO THE OTHER POINT THAT I MADE EARLIER, IF YOU ARE BEING SQUEEZED FOR MORE MONEY, AND THAT'S ALL YOU'RE THINKING IS THERE'S A 7% TAX HIKE, THEN MAKES DECAT A LESS AND LESS DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE. 
          AND YOU HAVE TO STOP THE BLEEDING. 
          WE HAVE TO STOP HEMORRHAGING CITIZENS THAT ARE SEEING THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE. 
          IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S $3 A YEAR. 
          PEOPLE HERE, MY TAXES ARE GOING UP. 
          SO DECATUR CITY COUNCIL MEET WITH THESE PEOPLE. 
          THE OTHER TAXING THE MOSQUITO PEOPLE, ALL OF THEM MEET WITH THEM AND SAY, WE GOTTA GET TOGETHER, MAKE THIS PLACE A MORE PALATABLE PLACE TO LIVE AND NOT LEAVE. 
          I THINK IT'S THE PRINCIPLE THE MATTER MORE THAN IT IS THE $1.1 MILLION, WHICH BY THE WAY, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU PULL ONE POINT AN EXTRA, $1.1 MILLION OUT OF JUST PEOPLE SPENDING THEIR MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITY TOO? THAT'S ANOTHER SIDE TO THINK ABOUT IT. 
          I THINK IT'S THE PRINCIPLE, THE MATTER, WE, WE, WE NEED TO JUST LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS AS COUNCILMAN COOPER AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS SAID, 
          [01:25:01]
ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW. 
          AND WE NEED TO SHOW THE LEADERSHIP TO THE OTHER TAXING BODIES OF WHAT CAN BE DONE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING. 
          AND EVERY TIME A CITIZEN MOVES OUT OF OUR COMMUNITY, WHETHER IT BE TO INDIANA OR TO FORSYTH, THAT RAISES THE BURDEN ON THE REST OF US AGAIN. 
          AND OUR GEOGRAPHY'S SPREADING DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT ANNEXATION, AND I PROBABLY SHOULD EVEN CUT THAT BACK SO WE CAN HANDLE WHAT WE GOT INSTEAD OF TRYING TO BITE OFF MORE. 
          WE, IT'S THE PRINCIPLE OF THE MATTER. 
          WE, WE'VE GOTTA, WE'VE GOTTA CONTROL THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION THAT WE'RE ON THEIR SIDE. 
          THAT DECATUR IS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE GONNA FIGHT FOR YOU. 
          YOUR LEADERSHIP'S GONNA FIGHT FOR YOU. 
          AND WHAT MATTERS TO MOST PEOPLE IS THEIR MONEY IN THEIR POCKETS. 
          I UNDERSTAND IT GOES TO IMPORTANT THINGS, BUT WE NEED TO DO THE IMPORTANT THINGS AND PRESERVE THE CITIZENRY THAT WE HAVE. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU, SIR. 
          DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A COMMENT FOR COUNCIL TONIGHT ON THIS? OKAY. 
          HEREBY CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING 
          [3.  An Ordinance Levying Property Taxes for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Purpose of Raising Revenue to Meet Certain Necessary Expenses of the City for the Fiscal Year  Beginning January 1, 2025, and Ending December 31, 2025 (7% Option)]
AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM THREE. 
          AN ORDINANCE LOVING PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING REVENUE TO MEET CERTAIN NECESSARY EXPENSES OF THE CITY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2025, AND ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, 7% OPTION IS THE FIRST THING WE WILL BE DISCUSSING TONIGHT. 
          SO MR. GLEASON, DO YOU HAVE COMMENTS? I NEED A MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, MR. GLEASON, JUST REAL QUICK, UH, MAYOR, I WANTED TO EXPLAIN THE AGENDA. 
          SO GIVEN SOME OF THE FEEDBACK FROM COUNCIL, UH, STAFF PREPARED A 7% OPTION, WHICH IS AGENDA ITEM THREE, UH, 6% OPTION AGENDA ITEM FOUR, A 5% OPTION, UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE, LET'S SAY AS AN EXAMPLE, UH, THIS FIRST ONE PASSES AND THERE IS NO NEED FOR ITEMS FOUR AND FIVE. 
          UH, IF THIS ONE'S VOTED DOWN AND, UH, ITEM NUMBER FOUR, THEN, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY, UH, ITEM NUMBER FIVE WOULDN'T BE NEEDED. 
          BUT THERE'S ALSO A RIPPLE EFFECT ON WHAT COUNCIL DECIDES HERE RELATED TO SOME CONSENT ITEM, UH, CONSENT ITEMS, UH, THAT ARE ALSO ON THE AGENDA. 
          AND WE'LL ADDRESS THOSE ONCE WE HAVE AN ANSWER ON THE NEW BUSINESS ITEM. 
          OKAY, EVERYBODY CLEAR ON THAT? I WILL OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL. 
          MR. HORN. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR. 
          UM, A LARGE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IS UNNECESSARY. 
          THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD FOCUS ITS ATTENTION ON REDUCING UNNECESSARY SPENDING. 
          AND A PROPERTY TAX INCREASE OF $0 IS FAR MORE APPROPRIATE. 
          I WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE CAN REDUCE SPENDING BY $1.1 MILLION AND HAVE NO IMPACT ON MEETING PENSION OBLIGATIONS, FUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, OR INCREASED NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS AND, UH, FIREFIGHTERS, PERIOD. 
          LET ME GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE. 
          UM, IN, UH, DECEMBER OF 2021, UH, WE HAD A CASH RESERVE OF 39 DAYS OR $7.6 MILLION. 
          TODAY WE HAVE A CASH RESERVE OF 95 DAYS, WHICH IS $22.8 MILLION. 
          THIS IS A CASH RESERVE WELL ABOVE ONE INDUSTRY STANDARD THAT'S CITED BY THE CITY MANAGER OF APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, WE HAVE $7 MILLION IN CASH RESERVES MORE THAN AN INDUSTRY STANDARD FOR TYPES OF ENTITIES SUCH AS THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          THIS CASH RESERVE WAS ACCUMULATED USING TAXPAYER MONEY. 
          AT THE SAME TIME, RESIDENTS WERE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT INFLATION. 
          SO NOW THAT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL FOOTING HAS IMPROVED, WE ARE UNNECESSARILY PUTTING MORE FINANCIAL PRESSURE ON RESIDENTS, SOME OF WHOM ARE FEARFUL, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT PAY THEIR BILLS. 
          RIGHT NOW, 40% OF MACON COUNTY RESIDENTS, THAT'S OVER 40,000 PEOPLE CANNOT RIGHT NOW, UM, UH, BASICALLY MEET THEIR DAY-TO-DAY FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS. 
          THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE PAYING THEIR BILLS. 
          AND SO WHETHER IT'S $8 
          [01:30:01]
OR $30 OR A HUNDRED DOLLARS, THE REALITY IS THERE'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO RIGHT NOW CANNOT PAY THEIR BILLS. 
          SO A FIVE OR A 7% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE IGNORES THE CHALLENGES OF OUR RESIDENTS, WHO I WOULD ARGUE DO NOT HAVE A 90 PLUS DAY CASH RESERVE AVAILABLE TO THEM. 
          I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT PROPERTY TAX TAXES RIGHT NOW ARE ALREADY TOO HIGH INDICATOR. 
          ACCORDING TO ONE ESTIMATE, WE ARE THE 10TH HIGHEST EFFECTIVE PROPERTY TAX RATE IN THE UNITED STATES. 
          EVEN IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE THAT PARTICULAR ESTIMATE, OR YOU WANNA USE ANOTHER ONE WHO IS ARGUING THAT PROPERTY TAX TAXES AREN'T TOO HIGH, WE DO NOT HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES AT ALL. 
          AND IT IS HIGHLY UNCLEAR HOW RAISING PROPERTY TAXES A PENNY WILL CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF OUR CITY, WHICH SINCE 2010 HAS LOST 10% OF ITS POPULATION. 
          AND SINCE 2010 HAS HAD A 20% DECREASE IN ITS WORKFORCE. 
          IN FACT, RAISING PROPERTY TAXES, EVEN A PENNY MAY, UM, HAVE RESIDENTS THINK ABOUT OTHER PLACES TO LIVE, THINK ABOUT NOT INVESTING IN THEIR PROPERTIES, AND MAY HINDER THE ABILITY OF THE CITY TO ATTRACT NEW RESIDENTS. 
          SO I AM IMPLORE MY COLLEAGUES TO REJECT A 7% INCREASE, A 6% INCREASE, A 5% INCREASE, AND LET'S THINK ABOUT A 0% INCREASE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL, MR. CITY MANAGER, WOULD YOU REVIEW? UH, AGAIN, THE LAST SEVERAL YEAR YEARS WE'VE JUST BEEN GOING 3%. 
          WE DON'T MAKE BRING IN ENOUGH TO OUR OBLIGATION, AS THE MAYOR SAID, FOR OUR PENSIONS AND WHAT WE HAVE TO TAKE OUT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS, UH, TO MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL. 
          YOU, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY FIGURES THERE, BUT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT BEEN, UH, HAVING ENOUGH PROPERTY TAX TO BE ABLE TO PAY THE PENSION SWITCHERS, AS THE MAYOR POINTED OUT, IS, UH, AN UNFUNDED MANDATE THROUGH THE, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND ALL, UH, MUNICIPALITIES, AS SHE MENTIONED, OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND FIRE, UH, UH, FIRE STAFF, THEY DESERVE THEIR PENSIONS. 
          AND THEY ARE GROWING. 
          I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S AN EPIDEMIC ACROSS THE COUNTRY, BUT YOU GOTTA BRING IN ENOUGH MONEY TO, UH, PAY THE YEARLY OBLIGATIONS FOR THESE PENSIONS, WHICH MEANS IF WE DON'T BRING ENOUGH IN TO COVER IT, WE HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT OF OTHER DEPARTMENTS, WHICH CUTS DOWN SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS. 
          I SORT OF THINK HE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION THAT I, THAT I WAS TO COMMENT TO. 
          UH, I CAN CALL RUBY, UH, JAMES TO THE PODIUM, BUT, UH, OUR, UH, OUR PROPERTY TAX INCREASE HAS BEEN FLAT FOR, UH, YOU KNOW, IF NOT THE RATE ITSELF REDUCED LAST YEAR. 
          UH, WE'RE AT A LOWER RATE THAN WHERE WE WERE IN 2022 BY THE ACTION THAT THIS COUNCIL TOOK LAST YEAR. 
          UH, BUT TO YOUR, UH, POINT, I'VE BEEN GONE FOR SIX YEARS, I DO THINK IT'S BEEN, UH, RELATIVELY FLAT ON THE, UH, PROPERTY TAX SIDE AT THIS POINT. 
          DOES COUNSEL WANNA WEIGH IN ON, UM, WHERE YOU ARE AS FAR AS THE TAX INCREASE? BECAUSE I THINK THAT'LL PROBABLY BE THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THIS, PAT. 
          UM, I'M ALL ABOUT COMPROMISE. 
          WE'RE A LEGISLATIVE BODY AND YOU GOTTA HAVE A COMPROMISE. 
          NOBODY WANTED THE 9%. 
          OKAY, I UNDERSTAND THAT. 
          UM, THERE WAS SUPPORT FOR, UH, 7%, BUT THAT HAS KIND OF GONE DOWN THE DRAIN. 
          UH, I WOULD SUGGEST A 6% WOULD BE A GOOD COMPROMISE. 
          UH, THERE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE SOME, UH, SOME CUTS, UH, IF WE GO DOWN TO 6%, BUT IT'S NOT 7%. 
          PERSONALLY, I WAS HAPPIER WITH THE 7% WHEN IT BECAME $14 A YEAR THAN THE 34 35, WHICH I KNOW IT ALL ADDS UP AND ONE ON TOP OF ANOTHER. 
          BUT, UM, MR. CULP, DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE? WELL, WITHOUT ANSWERING JUST DIRECTLY, MY BRIEF BACKGROUND WITH THIS IS JUST WHAT WE HEARD TONIGHT FROM AME. 
          UM, IT'S NOT ABOUT EXPANDING RESIDENCY, BUT IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE RIGHT WORKERS HERE. 
          IT COULD BE POLICE, FIRE, PUBLIC WORKS. 
          THOSE ARE 
          [01:35:01]
SKILLED POSITIONS. 
          THOSE WERE PEOPLE WITH QUALIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE OUT SEEKING A STRONG WORKFORCE. 
          WITH THAT BEING SAID, THEY HAVE INCREASES ON THEIR WAGES THAT ARE STILL UNDER SOME OF OUR COMPETITORS IN NEARBY CITY. 
          SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO, BUT WE NOW HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO BRING THOSE PEOPLE IN. 
          THE BIGGEST PART OF ANY BUDGET IS PERSONNEL. 
          AND THAT'S, THAT'S NOT A MYSTERY. 
          AND, UH, WE HAVE PENSIONS THAT POLICE AND FIRE WORK TOWARDS AND HONORABLY AS THEY SHOULD, ALTHOUGH ALL POORLY LABELED EARLIER, UH, WHAT THEIR DUTIES ARE. 
          UM, I WANNA SUPPORT THIS, BUT WE ALL LIVE IN DECATUR. 
          WE ALL HAVE BUDGETS. 
          WE'VE ALL HIT ON THAT ALREADY. 
          UH, I DID NOT LIKE NINE. 
          I WAS, UM, I WAS HAPPY SEEING THEM PREPARE A SEVEN, SIX, AND FIVE. 
          WHERE I'M AT, SHORT ANSWER WOULD BE I'M AT 6% BECAUSE I DO NOT WANNA LEAVE BEHIND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THAT'S BEEN TAKEN CARE OF OVER THE YEARS. 
          THE MONEY'S NO LONGER THERE, AND I DO DON'T WANNA TAKE A CHANCE TO LEAVING THEM BEHIND. 
          PAT GOING BACK FOR ONE MINUTE. 
          DID YOU SAY SEVEN OR SIX? SIX SIX, MS. GREGORY, FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT I MENTIONED TWO WEEKS AGO AND SOME THAT WE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT, UM, SIX, CHUCK, WELL, I'M GONNA REPEAT SOME OF MY COMMENTS BEFORE I'M AT 5%. 
          UH, THE REASON IS THAT WE DID BRING IN 3.7 MILLION WITH THIS NEW GAS TAX, WHICH I NECESSARILY WASN'T NECESSARILY FOR, BUT COMPROMISED. 
          AND ONCE WE TALKED TO SOME OF THE ENTITIES THAT WERE GONNA BE AFFECTED, I VOTED FOR THAT. 
          WE'VE HAD A LOT OF ANNEXATION, SO WE'VE BROUGHT IN A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO THE CITY AND THEIR, THEIR TAXES ARE GOING UP BECAUSE WE'VE ANNEXED THEM. 
          NOW WE'RE GONNA INCREASE 'EM MORE. 
          THAT DOESN'T SEEM QUITE RIGHT, DOESN'T SIT WELL WITH ME. 
          I A HUNDRED PERCENT SUPPORT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          I JUST, WE'VE, WE'VE NEVER FULLY STAFFED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, AND I'D RATHER JUST STAY AT 1 48 AND FILL THAT AND THEN GET TO 1 55. 
          I'M, I'M ALL FOR 1 55. 
          IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME TO BUDGET FOR 1 55 WHEN WE'RE NOT EVEN FILLING 1 48. 
          UM, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN HORN THAT OUR CASH RESERVES ARE SOLID. 
          UM, WHETHER WE'RE GONNA STAY AT NINE, IT ALWAYS, AT THE VERY END OF THE YEAR, WE SEEM TO GO RIGHT BACK TO 90. 
          RIGHT NOW, I THINK WE'RE AT 95, SO I'M NOT SURE WHERE WE'RE AT, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, BUT STILL, OUR CASH RESERVES ARE, ARE 90 DAYS. 
          BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU KNOW, INFLATION CAUSES EVERYTHING TO GO UP. 
          WE, WE HAVE TO INCREASE A LITTLE BIT AND, UH, I'M JUST AT 5%. 
          DR. HORN, YOU'RE AT ZERO. 
          AND MR. COOPER, UM, AT STUDYING THIS AND LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC AND TALKING TO THE PUBLIC AND LISTENING TO COMMENTS HERE TODAY AND, UH, THROUGH THE WEEKS, UM, I THINK I, I DO DO BELIEVE, AS DR. HORN HAS INDICATED THAT THE, WE HAVE THE 90 DAYS CASH RESERVES. 
          I FEEL WE COULD REDUCE THAT DOWN TO 60 DAYS, REAL SIMPLE AND NOT HAVE TO RAISE TAXES AT ALL AND STILL ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING THAT WE WANNA ACCOMPLISH IN THIS 2025 BUDGET. 
          SO I'M GONNA BE AT A 0% AT THIS TIME, AND I WOULD PREFER 7%, BUT I WILL BE, UM, I WILL VOTE FOR A 6% IF THAT'S THE BEST CONSENSUS WE CAN HAVE. 
          UM, SO AT THIS POINT, WE'LL CALL THE QUESTION ON THE 7% INCREASE. 
          COUNCILMAN COLE? NO. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER. 
          NO. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? NO. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? NO. 
          COUNCILMAN HORNE? NAY. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? NO. 
          MAYOR MOORE WOLF, NO. 
          ZERO EYES SEVEN NAYS. 
          MOVING 
          [4.  An Ordinance Levying Property Taxes for the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Purpose of Raising Revenue to Meet Certain Necessary Expenses of the City for the Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2025, and Ending December 31, 2025 (6% Option)]
THEN TO ITEM FOUR, AN ORDINANCE LOVING PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS. 
          FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING REVENUE TO MEET CERTAIN NECESSARY EXPENSES FOR THE CITY, UH, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING JANUARY 1ST, 2025, ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025, 6% OPTION MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. 
          ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR JUST CALL THE QUESTION? LOOK TO CALL THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN COLE. 
          AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? NO. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? NAY. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? NO. 
          MAYOR MOORE WOLF. 
          AYE. 
          FOUR AYES. 
          THREE NAYS. 
          SO THE ITEM PASSES AND THERE'S NO NEED TO VOTE ON ITEM FIVE, WHICH WILL BE REMOVED, AND WE 
          [6.  Resolution Authorizing a Professional Engineering Services Agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc., to Provide Engineering Services for Asset Management System Selection Assistance, City Project 2024-32]
WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM SIX. 
          RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH BURNS AND MCDONALD ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC. 
          TO PROVIDE ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS SELECTION ASSISTANCE 
          [01:40:01]
CITY PROJECT 2024 DASH 32. 
          MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION. 
          DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, MR. GLEE. 
          THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          THIS ITEM, UH, BEFORE COUNCIL THIS EVENING, AND I'M GONNA CALL, UH, CITY ENG ENGINEER PAUL CASWELL AND THE IT DIRECTOR, UH, JIM EDWARDS, UH, BEFORE TO THE PODIUM. 
          UH, BUT THIS IS A ENGINEERING AGREEMENT, UH, TO HELP US BE ABLE TO SELECT, ASK THESE INTERNAL QUESTIONS AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PROCESS IMPROVEMENT EFFICIENCIES, UH, THROUGH, UH, SOME AUTOMATION AND SOME IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE LONG OVERDUE HERE. 
          AND IT ALSO LENDS ITSELF TO, UH, LARGER POSSIBILITIES AND JUST THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT. 
          BUT FOR NOW, I'M GONNA TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO, UH, PAUL OR JIM FIRST, WHICHEVER ONE DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE TO ME. 
          IT'S AN IMPORTANT PROJECT THOUGH, IF I CAN KEEP MY, UH, MY LITTLE . 
          SO SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, THERE'S BEEN INITIATIVES DONE, UM, SPAWNED BY DEPARTMENTS AND SPAWNED BY IT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CONSOLIDATE THINGS AND HOW WE CAN MAKE OUR, UH, UH, IT SOLUTIONS RUN SMOOTHER AND BETTER. 
          ONE BEFORE YOU. 
          TONIGHT IS A, A FAIRLY BIG PROJECT IN THAT WE'VE GOT EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS ASSETS AND EVERY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS TO MANAGE THEM, BUT YET WE'VE GOT FIVE, SIX DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS JUST TRYING TO MANAGE 'EM. 
          AND WE CAN'T GET THE BIG PICTURE PULLED TOGETHER WITHOUT A LOT OF EFFORT. 
          I'M TALKING ABOUT HOURS OF EFFORT. 
          SO REALLY WHERE THE RUBBER MEETS THE ROAD IS TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A COMMON DATABASE MODEL THAT WE CAN BRING ALL OF OUR ASSETS INTO AND MANAGE 'EM IN ONE PLACE. 
          IN THE NUTSHELL, THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECT. 
          I DON'T HAVE TOO MUCH MORE TO ADD OTHER THAN ASSET MANAGEMENT'S JUST A PHILOSOPHY THAT, THAT THE INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO, TO TRAVEL DOWN IN THESE TYPE OF PROGRAMS CAN TAKE YOU TO THE NEXT STEP. 
          YOU KNOW, WE WROTE IN THE MEMO, JUST THE MINOR CHANGES IN, IN YOUR WORKFLOWS CAN, CAN, CAN TURN INTO BIG DOLLARS WHEN YOU'RE MANAGING THE ASSETS WE'RE MANAGED AND, AND THIS, THIS, THESE CONSULTANTS, THESE EXPERTS CAN REALLY HELP COME IN AND SET THE TONE FOR, FOR THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, YEARS OF IMPLEMENTING THIS, THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM. 
          QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? THAT WAS EASY. 
          SEEING NONE. 
          COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS. 
          ITEM SEVEN, 
          [7.  Resolution Authorizing Real Estate Purchase Agreement City of Decatur, Illinois the Good Samaritan Inn, an Illinois Not-For-Profit Corporation Vacant Properties Generally Located South of West Grand Avenue, East of North Edward Street, West of North Union Street and North of West Packard Street]
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AGREEMENT. 
          CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, THE GOOD SAMARITAN INN AND ILLINOIS, NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION. 
          VACANT PROPERTIES GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF WEST GRAND AVENUE, EAST OF NORTH EDWARD STREET, WEST OF NORTH UNION STREET, AND NORTH OF WEST PACKARD STREET. 
          MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SOLE MOVED. 
          MR. GLEE. 
          THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          AS THE DEPUTY CITY MANAGERS APPROACHING THE PODIUM, I WILL SAY THAT THIS IS, UM, UH, A PLAN THAT'S BEEN IN ACTION. 
          UH, AND THIS IS, UH, THE NEXT STEP IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOOD SAM AND THE MANY GOOD THINGS THAT THEY DO. 
          WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND SOME OF THE, UH, BOARD THAT ARE PRESENT. 
          UH, I ACTUALLY WANT TO TAKE A QUICK MINUTE TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR PATIENCE WITH ME. 
          YOU KNOW, I WALK INTO THIS POSITION, UH, WAS TOLD TO, UH, HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. 
          WE WORK THROUGH THOSE. 
          I DEFINITELY APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. 
          DEPUTY CITY MANAGER REALLY HAS BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN RUNNING POINT ON THIS. 
          I'M GONNA LET YOU, UH, JOHN, WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE, UH, DETAILS FOR COUNCIL. 
          GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. 
          AS, AS TIM STATED, THIS IS A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT THAT REALLY STARTED IN 2022. 
          UM, BUT REALISTICALLY, I THINK IT STARTED, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS A DECADE OR SO, UH, FURTHER BACK THAN THAT. 
          UH, GOOD SAM HAS BEEN DOING THE MERCY GARDENS IN THE OKO NEIGHBORHOOD FOR, UH, MANY, MANY YEARS. 
          UH, AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE CITY HAS BEEN AS FUN AS FUNDS ALLOWED FOR, HAS CONTINUED TO, UH, DEMOLISH DELIC STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES THERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          AND THERE'S PERHAPS NO NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IS MORE, UH, HOLLOWED OUT, IF I CAN SAY IT THAT WAY. 
          UH, THEN, THEN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          AND SO AS PART OF THE, UH, IMAGINING NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION AND WHAT DOES THE CITY DO WITH MORE AND MORE VACANT LOTS AS WE CONTINUE TO DEMOLISH DERELICT STRUCTURES, UH, THIS URBAN AG PROJECT IS ONE OF THE PROJECTS THAT CAME TO THE FOREFRONT. 
          UM, AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ENTIRELY, UH, UNIQUE TO THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          IT IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE EXPERIMENTED IN DIFFERENT WAYS. 
          UH, BUT I THINK THE WAY THAT THE DECATUR CAME TOGETHER WITH THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN AND, AND PARTNERED WITH A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND, AND A SOUP 
          [01:45:01]
KITCHEN IN THIS, UH, IN THIS STYLE OF, OF PROJECT IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY, UH, VERY UNIQUE. 
          UM, AND, AND, AND I THINK THAT, UH, WHEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UH, TANYA MELENDEZ COMES, COMES UP LATER, UH, YOU KNOW, SHE CAN TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, UH, THOSE SPECIFIC PARTNERSHIPS AND, AND THE INTEREST THAT IT HAS GENERATED, UH, FROM OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          UM, BUT REAL REALISTICALLY, IN 2022, UH, THE CITY RECEIVED A-D-C-E-O GRANT, UH, SPECIFICALLY, UH, THAT WAS, UH, IN PART FOR THIS PROJECT. 
          AND WE UTILIZED THAT MONEY TO, UH, STRATEGICALLY ASSEMBLE A CONSOLIDATED AREA, A BLOCK AND A HALF PROPERTY, UH, BOUNDED BY THE STREETS THAT THE MAYOR READ EARLIER. 
          AND WE COM REMOVED ALL OF THE STRUCTURES WITHIN THAT, UH, BLOCK AND A HALF AREA, EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT CHOSE NOT TO SELL. 
          UM, THEY HAVE SINCE, UH, REMODELED THE HOUSE A LITTLE BIT AND, AND, AND FIXED IT UP. 
          UM, NOW THAT IT'S THE ONLY REMAINING STRUCTURE THERE THAT'S PRIVATELY OWNED. 
          AND, UH, SO THIS NEXT STEP WOULD BE ESSENTIALLY TURN THE PROPERTY OVER TO GOOD SAMARITAN IN TO, FOR THEM TO, UH, TO CONTINUE THE PLAN AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN 2022, WHICH IS TO EXPAND THEIR MERCY GARDENS, ALLOW THEM TO DO URBAN AGRICULTURE AT SCALE, AS OPPOSED TO DOING IT IN RAISED FLOWERBEDS. 
          UM, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY MUCH MORE LABOR INTENSIVE. 
          THEY CAN DO MORE TRADITIONAL FARMING WITH TRACTORS AND PLOWING, UH, UH, UTILIZING THE AT GRADE, UH, UH, AT THE AT GRADE SOIL THAT'S ALREADY THERE. 
          UH, WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW IS, IS THE FIRST COVER CROP WAS PLANTED, UH, APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AGO. 
          UH, A LOT OF THAT HAS, HAS NOW SPROUTED. 
          UM, AND THEIR INTENTION WOULD BE TO DEFENSE THE PROPERTY AND, AND ULTIMATELY BEGIN PLANTING, UH, AGRICULTURE THERE, UH, AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR POTENTIALLY, UH, IF THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS THE TRANSFER OF THIS PROPERTY. 
          UM, BUT THE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY WILL ALSO ALLOW THEM TO, AS I SAID, FENCE IN THE PROPERTY, BUILD SOME STRUCTURES FOR THEIR EQUIPMENT, AND THEN ULTIMATELY FOR THE PRODUCE THAT WOULD BE GENERATED, UH, FROM THIS, UH, THIS SITE. 
          UM, BUT I WILL INVITE, UH, TANYA TO COME UP. 
          I WILL RECOGNIZE THAT THEIR BOARD PRESIDENT, MR. WEST, AND, AND, UH, UH, BOARD MEMBER MR. UH, BROWN IS IN, IN IN THE AUDIENCE AS WELL. 
          AND THEN CERTAINLY BEN FRAZIER, UH, HAS BEEN, UH, WORKING ON THIS PROJECT ALL ALONG. 
          HE IS THE FARMER THAT ULTIMATELY HAS BEEN, UH, UH, THE ONE OF THE VISIONARIES BEHIND DOING THIS URBAN AG PROJECT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          SO GOOD EVENING, MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL AS A TRUE HONOR TO STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY AS WE CONTINUE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF URBAN AGRICULTURE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR. 
          SINCE THE COUNCIL MEETING IN JUNE, 2023, REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN INN HAVE ENGAGED IN THOUGHTFUL AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE OF THE SEVEN ACRE PARCEL EARMARKED FOR THE EXPANSION OF OUR MERCY GARDENS IN TODAY, I AM HERE TO MAKE A PROPOSAL THAT OWNERSHIP OF THIS LAND BE TRANSFERRED FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR TO THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN WHEN THIS IDEA WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO CITY COUNCIL IN JUNE OF LAST YEAR, IT WAS REFERRED TO AS AN EXPERIMENT, WHICH WAS INITIATED OUT OF THE SHARED VISION OF THE CITY OF DECATUR AND GOOD SAMARITAN IN TO INCREASE ACCESS TO FRESH, LOCALLY GROWN PRODUCE. 
          WHAT WE COULD NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED A YEAR AGO WAS THE REMARKABLE MOMENTUM THAT HAS DEVELOPED SINCE THEN. 
          OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE GOOD SAMARITAN IN HAS TAKEN MEANINGFUL ACTION, DILIGENTLY PLANNING AND INVESTING IN THIS VISION, NOT JUST FOR OUR ORGANIZATION, BUT FOR THE FREE SHARE OF DECATUR. 
          IN LATE 2023, WE SECURED A $350,000 GRANT FROM THE USDA, WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO PURCHASE ESSENTIAL TOOLS LIKE A TRACTOR FOR EFFICIENTLY MANAGING THE LAND SHIPPING CONTAINERS FOR PRODUCE STORAGE, A WASH AND PACK STATION, AND REFRIGERATED BOX TRUCK TO SAFELY TRANSPORT OUR PRODUCE. 
          ADDITIONALLY, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024, THE ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU APPROACHED US WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER ON A COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT THROUGH THE USDA AND RCS. 
          THIS IS A TWO YEAR PARTNERSHIP THAT INCLUDES BOTH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND IN KIND SUPPORT TO ASSIST WITH INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, PROCUREMENT OF FARM SUPPLIES, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENTS, AND PERHAPS EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT CONNECTS US WITH A LARGER FARM FARMER NETWORK, WHICH WILL HELP BETTER POSITION US TO IDENTIFY OUTLETS FOR OUR PRODUCE, LEARN FROM OTHERS EXPERIENCES, AND CREATE A STRONGER FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH. 
          AS YOU CAN SEE, THE SEVEN ACRE PARCEL HAS EVOLVED FROM AN EXPERIMENT INTO A DEEPLY INVESTED INITIATIVE, NOT JUST FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR AND THE GOOD SAMARITAN INN, BUT FOR NATIONAL AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE USDA AND THE ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU. 
          WITH THESE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS IN PLACE, WE ARE ASKING FOR THE CITY'S CONTINUED SUPPORT 
          [01:50:01]
TO FULLY INTEGRATE THIS PROJECT INTO YOUR STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESSES, ENSURING THAT WE CAN SUSTAIN THIS FORWARD MOMENTUM TOWARDS SUCCESS. 
          LEASING THE LAND COMES WITH LIMITATIONS MOST SIGNIFICANTLY UNCERTAINTY. 
          AND AS WE CONTINUE TO SEEK ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND PARTNERSHIPS, OWNING THIS LAND WILL PROVIDE THE STABILITY AND SECURITY THAT POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS LOOK FOR IN LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS. 
          NOW, WE ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONCERNS AND RISKS THAT THIS PROPOSAL MAY PRESENT TO THE CITY. 
          HOWEVER, WE SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN OUR PARTNERSHIP AND CONTINUE THE COLLABORATION THAT STARTED MORE THAN A YEAR AGO. 
          TOGETHER WE CAN ALIGN OUR OBJECTIVES AND COMBINE RESOURCES AND EXPERTISE TO CREATE AN URBAN FARM THAT BRINGS PRESTIGE AND PRIDE TO THE CITY THAT YOU REPRESENT. 
          THAT IS WHY I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO URGE YOU TO TAKE THIS CRITICAL STEP. 
          TRANSFERRING OWNERSHIP OF THE LAND IS A POWERFUL STATEMENT OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE, AND WE ARE HONORED TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH ADVANCING OUR SHARED VISION. 
          THANK YOU. 
          THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT. 
          THIS IS SUCH AN EXCITING PROJECT AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT LONGER THAN IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, KNOWN, BUT IT'S, IT'S, IT'S JUST VERY EXCITING AND I'M GLAD TO SEE THAT WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT. 
          UH, COUNSEL, HOW, ANY QUESTIONS? DR. HORNE? I JUST WANNA THANK GOOD SAMARITAN INN FOR YOUR VISION AND YOUR LEADERSHIP. 
          UM, GIVEN THE INCREASED NEED THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN DECATUR, UH, TRANSFERRING THIS LAND TO, UH, GOOD SAMARITAN INN IS VERY TIMELY AND WILL LIKELY BENEFIT DECATUR RESIDENTS FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. 
          AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION THROUGH URBAN AGRICULTURE, UH, MAY IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. 
          SO THIS IS A VERY EXCITING PROJECT, ONE THAT WILL IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY, INCREASE JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND HELP FEED THOSE MOST IN NEED. 
          SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS. 
          THANK YOU, PAT. 
          UH, I, I'VE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER FOR THE, UH, THE GOOD SAMARITAN OVER THE YEARS. 
          I GREW UP IN ONE OF THE NINE NEIGHBORHOODS. 
          I GREW UP IN DECATUR, BY THE TIME I WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WAS THE OLD KINGS ORCHARD, AND IT WAS GOING DOWNHILL THEN. 
          SO I'M GLAD TO SEE SO MANY VACANT LOTS ARE GONNA BE UTILIZED TO BENEFIT. 
          AS COUNCILMAN HORNE SAID, YOU KNOW, JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND THAT, AND, UH, PHILIP AGAIN, UH, HAVING THINGS GROWN ON VACANT LOT LOTS IS BETTER THAN JUST SITTING THERE. 
          SO CERTAINLY SUPPORT THIS. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ANYONE ELSE? SIGN COUNCIL CALL THE QUESTION. 
          COUNCILMAN COLT. 
          AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES NO NAYS. 
          ITEM EIGHT, RESOLUTION 
          [8.  Resolution Authorizing Real Estate Purchase Agreement Andrew R. Weatherford and Josie D. Luedke-City of Decatur, Illinois-412 S. Franklin Street]
AUTHORIZING REAL ESTATE PURCHASE AGREEMENT. 
          ANDREW R WEATHERFORD AND JOSIE D LUD, KEY, CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, FOUR 12 SOUTH FRANKLIN STREET. 
          MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND, MR. GLEANER, ARE WE GOING STRAIGHT TO MR. KIN? I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUICK COMMENTS. 
          UH, THIS IS, UH, THIS PROPERTY IS LOCATED, UH, IT WOULD BE, UH, EAST OF THE MACON COUNTY JAIL, AND IT'S PART OF OUR, UH, TRANSIT, UH, COMPLEX, UH, THE PLAN THAT WE, UH, THAT COUNCIL HAS BEEN WORKING TOWARDS. 
          UH, THERE'S BEEN OTHER PROPERTY ACQUISITION FOR THE LARGER TRANSIT, UH, PLAN MANY, UH, ADDITIONAL STEPS, UH, THAT WILL COME BEFORE COUNCIL, UH, FOR APPROVAL BEFORE WE GET TO, UH, THAT, THAT END GOAL. 
          UH, BUT THIS IS TRULY THE NEXT STEP. 
          THE PROPERTY OWNER, UH, WILL, UH, SELL THE PROPERTY THEN, UH, RENT BACK FROM THE, UH, UH, CITY, UH, FOR I BELIEVE SIX MONTHS. 
          AND THEN ALSO THAT PROPERTY, WHILE IT, UH, YOU KNOW, IS BEING HELD, UH, FOR A LARGER PLAN FOR THE CITY, IT COULD ACTUALLY BE USED, UH, FOR SOME OF OUR OVERFLOW NEEDS WITH, UH, PERSONNEL IN THAT SPACE. 
          JOHN, PLEASE FILL IN ANY BLANKS. 
          UH, YEAH, I THINK TIM, TIM REALLY CAPTURED MOST OF IT THERE. 
          AS TIM SAID, YOU KNOW, THIS KIND OF STARTED WHEN THE CITY, UH, ACQUIRED THE TO, UH, TOMMY HOUSE PROPERTIES AND REALLY STARTED TO ASSEMBLE A CAMPUS AREA THERE. 
          YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THAT WE'VE NOW LOOKED AT THAT, UH, PROPERTY AND SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, IT LIKELY WILL SERVE A NEED GREATER THAN JUST TRANSIT. 
          UH, THAT THERE ARE OTHER, UH, NEEDS WITHIN THE CITY THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE PLACED THERE ON THAT SITE. 
          AND WE CAN GET ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCIES, UH, BY CONSOLIDATING SOME OF THE CITY SERVICES AT THAT PARTICULAR LOCATION. 
          ALSO, AS TIM SAID, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PROPERTY, WE DO HAVE A, UH, ANTICIPATED LEASE THAT WOULD FOLLOW IT, AND THERE REALLY IS NO TIMEFRAME, 
          [01:55:01]
UH, FOR THE, FOR THE CURRENT OWNER. 
          UH, THEY INTEND TO CONTINUE TO RENT IT FROM THE CITY WHILE THEY REMODEL ANOTHER DOWNTOWN BUILDING, UH, BEFORE THEY MOVE IN THERE. 
          UH, IT COULD BE SIX MONTHS, IT COULD EVEN BE LONGER. 
          UM, AND, AND WE HAVE HAD GOOD UTILIZATION OF THE EXISTING PRO, UH, BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE ACQUIRED ALREADY, UH, AS OVERFLOW STORAGE. 
          UH, A NUMBER OF THOSE FACILITIES ARE BEING USED, UH, BY CITY OPERATIONS ALREADY. 
          QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL, MR. KALP? WELL, I'VE BEEN BEHIND THIS FOR A COUPLE YEARS AS FAR AS GIVING US ANOTHER FOOTPRINT FOR CITY SERVICES. 
          ARE WE ABLE TO GET FUEL AT THIS AREA YET? I, I KNOW IT'S A LITTLE OFF TOPIC, BUT AS FAR AS THE LARGER, UH, SPECTRUM OF THE CAMPUS, THE, THE, THE NEW MASTER CAMPUS PLAN DOES CALL FOR A NEW FUELING STATION, UH, THAT WOULD SERVE NOT ONLY TRANSIT, BUT ALL OF THE CITY FACIL, UH, CITY NEEDS, BUT PARTICULARLY POLICE DEPARTMENT. 
          UH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ON THE FAR SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY. 
          UH, THEM HAVING THEM HAVING TO RUN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE JASPER STREET FACILITY IS INEFFICIENT. 
          UH, SIMILARLY, UH, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS WE'VE BEEN STORING SALT, UH, IN, IN THE PROPERTIES THAT WE'VE ACQUIRED. 
          UH, THE, WHEN THE PUBLIC WORKS CREW SERVICES, THE SOUTH SHORE AREA, OR THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, HAVING TO AGAIN, RUN ALL THE WAY UP TO THE JASPER STREET FACILITY IS A LONG RUN. 
          UH, AND SO HAVING A, A PLACE THAT'S CLOSE, MORE CENTRALLY LOCATED, LOCATED CLOSER TO DOWNTOWN, ALLOWS US TO SERVE THOSE AREAS BETTER. 
          UM, AND SO THAT IS IN THE, IN IS IN THE MASTER PLAN. 
          UM, BUT THAT MASTER PLAN, BECAUSE WE ARE CURRENTLY USING THE PROPERTY FOR TRANSIT OPERATIONS, HAS TO BE DONE IN PHASES. 
          UM, BECAUSE WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES WHILE WE BUILD A NEW FACILITY TO REPLACE THE EXISTING FACILITIES THAT ARE THERE. 
          AND SO THE PHASING IS, IS THE PART THAT'S BEING WORKED THROUGH, UH, CURRENTLY. 
          HOW FAR OFF ARE YOU ON THE FUELING PORTION OF IT? AS FAR AS ANOTHER OPTION, REALISTICALLY, WE HAVE USED OUR EXISTING FUELING. 
          UH, OUR EXISTING FUELING STATION NOW HAS BEEN UTILIZED BY OTHER, OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS IN EMERGENCIES. 
          UH, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'VE REGULARLY USED. 
          UH, I THINK THAT IT, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE AN INTERIM SOLUTION WHERE THEY USE THE EXISTING, UH, FACILITIES UNTIL THE NEW ONES IS TO BE BUILT. 
          UH, THE NEW ONE WOULD WOULD COME IN THE SECOND PHASE, NOT THE FIRST PHASE OF THE TRANSIT CAMPUS. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SALE OF THIS PROPERTY OR PURCHASE? SEEING NONE. 
          COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR MOORE WOLF. 
          AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, WHICH 
          [9.  City Manager Update]
BRINGS US TO THE CITY MANAGER UPDATE. 
          THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING IN, UH, DECEMBER. 
          SO WE HAVE, UH, SLIDES ON NEW HIRES, AND I'M GONNA WALK THROUGH THESE AND PROMOTIONS, RETIREMENTS. 
          DEREK CHAR, UH, NEW SERVICE WORKER AT, UH, THE MSC ALYSSA GARNER, A NEW ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT AND, UH, PUBLIC WORKS, BUT THE WATER SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND WELCOME NEW HIRES. 
          SO YOU'RE MOVING ME ALONG WAY TOO QUICK. 
          JIM. 
          UH, NICK, UH, SINE AND MATTHEW, UH, GARVER EQUIPMENT OPERATORS FOR PUBLIC WORKS, UH, DEPARTMENT, BUT IN WATER SERVICES. 
          NEXT SLIDE. 
          WE HAVE, UH, TINA WEEKLY, UH, WATER PLANT OPERATOR, UH, IN THE WATER PRODUCTION, UH, SIDE OF THINGS. 
          WE HAVE STEPHANIE MILLER, COMPLIANCE OFFICER IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE PROMOTIONS. 
          UH, WE HAVE MATT THACKER, THAT'S A FIRE LIEUTENANT. 
          UH, RECENT PROMOTION, UH, ENDING, UH, SIX MONTH, UH, PROBATION PERIOD. 
          AJ COMER, UH, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR AND MUNICIPAL SERVICES WAS, UH, PROMOTED TODAY. 
          AND WE HAVE OTHER, UH, RETIREMENTS, UH, PAIGE GRIFFEY, FIRE CAPTAIN SCOTT GILLEN, UH, FIRE CAPTAIN BRYCE MCCLARY, FIREFIGHTER STEVEN. 
          UH, AND I'M NOT PEN PENAL HALLIGAN. 
          AND ACTUALLY, UH, RYAN HAD THAT FOR ME. 
          SO, UM, STEVEN, UH, PENN HALLIGAN, UH, FIREFIGHTER, RETIRED BEN, UH, BILL STINGER, UH, EQUIPMENT OPERATOR. 
          AND SEAN BOWSER AS A POLICE OFFICER THAT, UH, RECENTLY, UH, RETIRED. 
          AND THEN THAT'S ALL I HAD. 
          MAYOR. 
          THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 
          THANK YOU. 
          WHICH BRINGS US TO 
          [10.  Consent Calendar:   Items on the Consent Agenda/Calendar are matters requiring City Council approval or acceptance, but which are routine and recurring in nature, are not controversial, are matters of limited discretion, and about which little or no discussion is anticipated. However, staff’s assessment of what should be included on the Consent Agenda/Calendar can be in error. For this reason, any Consent Agenda/Calendar item can be removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar by any member of the governing body, for any reason, without the need for concurrence by any other governing body member. Items removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar will be discussed and voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda/Calendar.]
THE CONSENT CALENDAR. 
          AND MR. GLEASON, DID YOU NEED TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR? ACTUALLY, KIM, DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT? UH, DO YOU KNOW THE ONES TO PULL? SURE, I DO. 
          YEAH, WE'RE GONNA REMOVE WE'RE ITEMS H, J, AND L FROM THE AGENDA. 
          AND ARE THERE ANY ITEMS ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISHES TO REMOVE C? NONE. 
          OKAY. 
          ITEM A ORDINANCES, ANNEXING TERRITORY 34 33 NORTH TAYLOR AVENUE, ITEM B, ORDINANCE ANNEXING TERRITORY TERRITORY 2250 TO 2270 SOUTH SHORES DRIVE, ITEM C RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID FROM ERIC BECK AND SUN 
          [02:00:01]
EXCAVATING AND TRUCKING INC. 
          FOR THE LAKE DECATUR NORTH WETLAND PROJECT ITEM D AND ORDINANCE ABATING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL, GENERAL OBLIGATION 2014 SERIES BONDS. 
          ITEM E AND ORDINANCE ABATING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GEN GENERAL OBLIGATION 2015 SERIES BONDS. 
          ITEM F AND ORDINANCE ABATING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2016 SERIES BONDS. 
          ITEM G AND ORDINANCE ABATING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL, GENERAL OBLIGATION 2018 SERIES BONDS, 6% OR 7% OPTION ITEM I AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2019 SERIES B BONDS ITEM K AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2019 SERIES BONDS, 6% ITEM M AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2020 SERIES BONDS. 
          ITEM N AND ORDINANCE EVADING THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR GENERAL OBLIGATION 2022 SERIES BONDS. 
          ITEM O AND ORDINANCE DISSOLVING THE SPECIAL TAX ALLOCATION FUND AND TERMINATING THE DESIGNATION OF THE CITY OF DECATUR OLD TOWN TAX INCREMENT REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA WITHIN THE CITY OF DECATUR, MACON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 
          AND ITEM P, RESOLUTION APPROVING APPOINTMENT. 
          A LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 
          I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED. 
          SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. 
          COUNCILMAN CULP. 
          AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE. 
          MAYOR MOORE WOLF. 
          AYE. 
          SEVEN IYES. 
          NO NAYS. 
          WHICH 
          [VI.  Other Business]
BRINGS US TO OTHER BUSINESS, MR. MCDANIEL. 
          I KNOW WE WANNA GET OUTTA HERE, BUT I WANTED TO COMMENT ON THE, UH, UH, IT'S NOW THE CITY HAS WORKED OVER THE YEARS WITH, UH, OTHER, UH, TAXING BODIES IN THIS COMMUNITY TO, UH, WORK TOGETHER ON THIS SIMILAR PROJECT. 
          SO WE CAN SAY EACH OF US CAN SAVE MONEY TRYING TO GET, UM, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, TRYING TO GET THESE TAXING BODIES TO CUT, CUT BACK IS, YOU KNOW, ON THE, IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN ON HOWARD BUFFET SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, TRIED TO GET A LOT OF THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN THIS TOWN THAT DO ALMOST THE SAME THING TO COME TOGETHER BECAUSE HE, HE WAS GONNA BE LEAVING TOWN. 
          HE'S NOT GONNA GIVE IT MORE MONEY, BUT OH NO, WE, WE DO IT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. 
          WE GOT SO MANY NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN THIS TOWN DOING THE SAME THING. 
          IT'S THE SAME WITH TAXING BODIES TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. 
          UH, I THINK ILLINOIS RANKS, UH, NUMBER ONE IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE MOST TAXING BODIES OVER 6,000. 
          AND, UH, LIKE I SAID, I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE OF GROWING HAIR AGAIN THAN ANY OF THOSE BEING GONE BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM LIKE TOWNSHIPS, I DON'T WANNA STEP ON ANY, UH, FEED OUT OUT HERE IN THAT. 
          BUT, UH, THERE'S ONLY BEEN ONE TOWNSHIP ELIMINATED, AND THAT WAS MCHENRY, UH, ILLINOIS. 
          UH, BUT THEY HAD TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. 
          UH, CAN TOWNSHIPS BE, I THINK THEY'RE GOOD IN RURAL AREAS, NOT NECESSARILY IN, IN, UH, METROPOLITAN AREAS LIKE DECATUR AND THAT, BUT NOBODY ONCE, ONCE, UH, IT'S JUST LIKE TAXES, ONCE TAXES ARE ARE PASSED, IT'S HARD TO GET RID OF THEM. 
          AND IT'S THE SAME WITH THESE, THESE TAXING BODIES. 
          AND UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE, WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, WITH THE DIFFERENT, UH, TAXING BODIES TO WORK ON PROJECTS JOINT PRO. 
          AND THAT'S BEEN VERY GOOD THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          I'M VERY PROUD OF THE CITY AND, AND THE OTHER, UH, PARK DISTRICT AND, AND, UH, OTHER, UM, CITIES, YOU KNOW, LIKE MOUNT ZION WHEN WE HAVE THE SAME CONNECTING ROADS AND STUFF, STUFF LIKE THAT. 
          SO, BUT AGAIN, THAT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN. 
          YOU CAN DO ALL THE TALKING YOU WANT, BUT EVERYBODY, UH, IS, IS, UH, THESE TAXING BODIES ARE NOT GONNA GIVE UP THEIR POWER AND THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE, WANT TO BE TOLD, UH, THAT THEY HAVE TO BRING THEIR TAXES DOWN. 
          IT'S NOT GONNA HAVE PROPERTY TAX DOWN. 
          SO, AND YOU KNOW, ANOTHER THING TALKING ABOUT POPULATION, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'VE MENTIONED IT BEFORE, 80% OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN ILLINOIS HAVE LOST POPULATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. 
          PEOPLE MOVE ON. 
          THE NUMBER OF, UH, PEOPLE I'VE KNOWN RETIRE AND THEY WANNA GO TO WARMER CLIMATES, THAT'S PART OF THEIR POPULATION. 
          PEOPLE DIE. 
          IT'S HAPPENING. 
          COMPANIES MOVE SO THE EMPLOYEES GO WITH THEM. 
          SO THERE'S A VARIETY OF REASONS WHY POPULATION, YOU KNOW, UH, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM HERE, PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE TRYING TO DO THEIR BEST, BUT IT'S STRUGGLE. 
          BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T WANNA PUT THEIR CHILDREN IN DECATUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND WE ALL KNOW THAT. 
          SO, UH, THEY'LL LIVE OUTSIDE OF DECATUR IF THEY CAN'T FIND AN AREA WITHIN DECATUR THAT HAS ANOTHER, UH, SCHOOL 
          [02:05:01]
DISTRICT. 
          SO LET'S BE REALISTIC. 
          THERE'S ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY DECATUR'S LOSING POPULATION AND OTHER ILLINOIS C CITIES ARE LOSING POPULATION. 
          IT'S A COMBINATION OF MANY THINGS. 
          OTHERS ON COUNCIL. 
          CHUCK, I WANNA BRING UP A STICKY WICKET IN THIS COMMUNITY. 
          AND, UM, WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SAY SO FAR IN THIS ISSUE, BUT I DID SEE THAT, UH, CROSSING WAS GONNA VACATE SOME OF THEIR PORTION OF THEIR PROPERTY OR THEIR CAMPUS. 
          AND I'M JUST WONDERING IF, AND I'M ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, I'M NO EXPERT IN THIS AREA. 
          I WONDER IF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE LOOKING AT HERITAGE AT POSSIBLY LOOKING AT THIS, UH, VACATED PORTION OF THE CROSSING AND PAIRING IT WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION TO MAYBE MOVE TO THAT CAMPUS INSTEAD OF GOING OUT NORTH BY ST. 
          TERESA. 
          BECAUSE IF THEY MOVE TO OUT BY ST. 
          TERESA, THEY'RE GONNA, THERE'S GONNA BE A LAWSUIT. 
          THERE'S GONNA BE A LAWSUIT AND I'M JUST, MAYBE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY LOOKING AT THIS AND I'M BEHIND, BEHIND ALREADY, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THEY SHOULD LOOK AT. 
          THANK YOU. 
          ALRIGHT, ANYBODY ELSE? HOW ABOUT A MOTION TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED. 
          SECOND. 
          COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE. 
          COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE. 
          COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE. 
          SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS. 
          WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was created by voice-to-text technology. The transcript has not been edited for errors or omissions, it is for reference only and is not the official minutes of the meeting.