Dec 16, 2024 City Council Meeting

I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR SOMEBODY COMMENT IF THERE IS ANY PLAN IN PLACE.

THANK YOU MS. CRYSTAL.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING.

I'M ANN OWENS.

SO I HAVE SOME UPDATES TO GIVE YOU FROM TWO WEEKS AGO.

SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE ME'S FAMILY IS DOING WELL.

I'VE KEPT IN GOOD CONTACT WITH THEM.

WHAT A BLESSING THAT HER HUSBAND HAS BEEN.

THEY, THE FAMILY WENT TO THE NEIGHBORS.

WE WERE, CONNO WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE FOUR BLANK CAMERAS.

THEY MANAGED TO CONVINCE THREE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS AND WE GAVE THEM A CAMERA FOR THE BACK OF THEIR HOME.

SO THAT IS VERY MUCH BOOTS ON THE GROUND ACTION BY SOMEBODY THAT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND I'VE ENCOURAGED THEM THAT THEY MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

WE NEED MORE OF THAT AND I'M WORKING ON FINDING THOSE

[00:05:01]

PEOPLE.

HOPEFULLY NOT BECAUSE THEY'VE HAD A SHOOTING INCIDENT.

HOWEVER, I ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT ATTENDED THE DECATUR PUBLIC SCHOOL'S TAX LEVY MEETING AND MR. CLEVINGER AND DR. CURRY HAVE AGREED THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SIT DOWN IN A GROUP MEETING.

I WOULD SUGGEST JULY OR AUGUST AT THE LATEST, ABOUT HOLDING THE TAXES FOR THE FUTURE.

UM, THEN ATTENDED THE COUNTY BOARD MEETING AND CHAIRMAN AND KEVIN GREENFIELD SAID, WE'RE IN.

WE WANNA SIT AT THE TABLE AND WE WANT TO KEEP THE TAX LEVY AS LOW AS WE POSSIBLY CAN.

SO WITH THAT, ASSUMING THAT THE CITY WOULD AGREE, THAT'S THREE OF OUR LARGEST TAXING BODIES THAT I'VE ALREADY HAD A COMMITMENT FROM TO SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CHAT.

SO I CERTAINLY HOPE FOR OUR CITIZENS THAT THAT HAPPENS.

UM, ON SATURDAY, I WANTED TO REPORT THAT I WAS THE LAST KID TO GET IN TO SEE SANTA CLAUS BEFORE HE CLOSED.

UM, AFTER 320 SOME CHILDREN HAD BEEN THERE JUST ON SATURDAY.

SO WHAT A BLESSING AND HAS BEEN FOR THE IPEW, THEIR APPRENTICES AS WELL AS THE CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAUS DECORATED BEAUTIFULLY.

WE WILL HAVE A FEATURED LITTLE VIDEO TOMORROW NIGHT ON HISTORY OF THE HEARTLAND.

SANTA ALSO RECORDED A SPECIAL MESSAGE, AND I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW, WHEN I WALKED IN THE DOOR, SANTA KNEW ME BY NAME.

HE ALSO ASSURED ME THAT I'M ON THE GOOD LIST.

SO I ALSO ASSURED HIM I HAVE A PRETTY LONG LETTER OF NEEDS AND ONES THAT I WANT TO IMPROVE THIS COMMUNITY.

SO HOPEFULLY I STAY ON THAT GOOD LIST FOR A FEW MORE DAYS.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A GOOD HOLIDAY.

THANK YOU MS. OWEN.

AND I HOPE YOU PUT IN A GOOD WORD FOR COUNCIL 'CAUSE WE COULD USE IT WITH SANTA .

ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? MY NAME IS MICAH RAY, CURRENTLY RUNNING FOR CITY COUNCIL, HOPING TO JOIN MANY OF YOU IN APRIL, IF POSSIBLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, COMMENTS REAL QUICK REGARDING THE ANNEXING OF PROPERTIES THAT GOES AROUND.

I'VE GOT A FRIEND WHO HAS A BIRD SANCTUARY THAT HE'S VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BECAUSE GOING UNDER CITY RULES WE'VE HEARD A COUPLE WEEKS AGO ABOUT PEOPLE SPEAKING ABOUT BEING AFRAID OF SHOOTING THEIR OWN, NOT BEING ABLE TO SHOOT THEIR OWN COYOTES OR BURN LEAVES IN THEIR AREA, AND MANY OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT PEOPLE PURCHASE THEIR PROPERTY IN THE COUNTRY FOR.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE MAY BE A LEGAL STIPULATION THAT IS UNESCAPABLE AND IF THAT HAPPENS TO BE THE ABSOLUTE CASE, IS THERE A CHANCE NOT A LEGAL PROFESSIONAL THAT THERE COULD BE A, UH, ALLOWANCE FOR THEM FOR MAYBE THEM AND AS LONG AS THE HOUSE IS IN THEIR FAMILY'S, UH, POSSESSION INTO THE FUTURE, THAT THEY COULD GET A, UH, GET GRANDFATHERED IN TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE MORE COUNTRY TYPE THINGS SINCE THEY ARE STILL ON THE FRINGES AND EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE TO PAY TAXES IF THEY WISH TO KEEP CITY WATER COULD STILL, IF THERE COULD BE SOME SORT OF CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION THAT A COMPROMISE.

I KNOW YOU'RE VOTING ON MANY THINGS TONIGHT THAT ARE COMPROMISING WITH DIFFERENT TAX THINGS, UH, WITH BUSINESSES THAT ARE GONNA REINVEST IN THEIR BUSINESSES FOR, YOU KNOW, TAX BREAKS, THINGS LIKE THAT.

BUT IF WE COULD REACH 'EM, COMPROMISE WITH SOME OF THESE FOLKS ON THE EDGE THAT ARE GONNA BE PLAYING CHESS, FORCING THEM INTO THE CITY, GONNA, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY CITY TAXES, BUT COULD THEY STILL ENJOY SOME OF THE BENEFITS FOR WHICH THEY PURCHASED THAT PROPERTY OUTSIDE OF CINDY LIMITS? OR MAYBE THEIR COMPROMISE COULD BE REACHED WITH THEM, IF THAT'S EVEN POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER.

ALSO, AS FAR AS THE RAISING OF TAXES DURING THE LAST MEETING, I KNOW MACON COUNTY DECIDED NOT TO, THEY WENT THE OTHER WAY.

AND I KNOW JUST READING THAT, HOW THAT MADE ME FEEL AT A CI CITIZEN OF THIS AREA.

I WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU THAT EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE BE TO HELP OUR CITIZENS LOVE NOT LEAVE DECATUR.

EVEN DURING MY CAMPAIGN OVER THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, THAT'S GONNA BE THE HEARTBEAT OF EVERYTHING THAT I DO.

PEOPLE HAVE TO LOVE AND NOT LEAVE DECATUR.

WE HAVE TO KEEP PEOPLE FROM LEAVING.

AND I KNOW IT MAY ONLY BE $20 A YEAR OR WHATEVER FOR THE AVERAGE TAXPAYER, BUT WHAT MOST PEOPLE HEARD WAS DECATUR'S RAISING MY TAXES AGAIN, AND I'M ALREADY IN THE HIGHEST TAX PLACE IN THE WORLD.

THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK, THAT'S WHAT THEY FEEL.

AND PEOPLE MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON THEIR FEELING OF THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE FACTS, EVEN IF THE FACTS ARE NOT EXACTLY WHAT THEY BELIEVE.

AND AGAIN, UM, LIKE COUNCILMAN HORNE, I DON'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY.

SO EVERYTHING WE DO, WE NEED TO LET PEOPLE LOVE NOT LEAVE DECATUR.

EVERY DECISION WE MAKE, EVERY DIME WE SPEND, EVERY TAX WE LEVY.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST,

[00:10:01]

OUR CITY TURNS 200 YEARS OLD IN FOUR, IN LITTLE OVER FOUR YEARS, 1829, WE WERE FOUNDED.

SO IS THERE ANY PLAN FOR THIS? DO WE HAVE, UH, AN ACCOUNT STARTED WHERE BUSINESSES OR PEOPLE CAN EVEN PRIVATELY FUND, MAYBE BRING BACK FOR ONE YEAR THE DECATUR CELEBRATION OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT JUST FOR MORALE REASONS IN OUR CITY? I WOULD LOVE IF ANYBODY KNOWS OF ANYTHING HAPPENING.

IF NOT, LET'S GET IT ON OUR RADAR.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU MR. RAY.

WOULD ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? OKAY.

A COUPLE OF COMMENTS REALLY QUICKLY, MR. RAY.

WE DID JUST CELEBRATE THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE, UH, LAKE DECATUR ABOUT A YEAR AGO, AND WE HAD A YEAR FULL OF CELEBRATIONS.

SO I'M SURE WE WILL BE, UH, WORKING ON THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF DECATUR A LITTLE BIT MORE IN THE FUTURE, BUT REST ASSURED WE'LL BE DOING SOMETHING.

UM, MR. GLEASON, IS THERE SOMEONE THAT CAN REACH OUT TO MS. CRYSTAL REGARDING THE RULES AND THE UM, UH, ISSUES SHE'S FACING? I WILL MAYOR, UH, THAT'S ACTUALLY, I TOOK THOSE NOTES.

UH, WE WILL REACH OUT TO HER.

UM, MAY NOT AT THE END OF THE DAY BE THE ANSWER THAT SHE WANTS TO HEAR AND, AND MIGHT COME BACK, UH, FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, BUT, UH, DO PLAN ON CONNECTING WITH HER TO EXPLAIN, UH, THE, THE WHY AND THE CONTRACTUAL, UH, OBLIGATION WITH THE CITY.

APPRECIATE THAT.

AND MS. OWEN? UM, YEAH, I'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN.

I HAVE NOT SPOKEN WITH MR. CLEVENGER YET, BUT I WAS SPEAKING WITH SOMEONE TODAY REGARDING POSSIBLY BEING A MODERATOR AT AN EVENT IN THE FUTURE WITH SOME OF OUR OTHER TAXING BODIES.

SO, YOU KNOW, VERY PRELIMINARY.

WE'RE STARTING SOME CONVERSATIONS.

SO, UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? YES, IT'S NO SECRET.

I'M NOT A BIG FAN OF THE ANNEXATION, ESPECIALLY THE WATER SERVICE AGREEMENTS.

HOWEVER, UM, WITH MS. CRYSTAL HERE TALKING ABOUT IT, AND I BELIEVE IF MR. GLEASON REACHES OUT TO HER, I WOULDN'T MIND PUTTING OUT SOMETHING AS WELL.

'CAUSE THERE'S BEEN OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IF I CHANGE IT BACK OVER TO A WELD? AM I STILL UNDER THAT, UM, PURVIEW? SO I THINK SOMETHING EDUCATIONAL, MAYBE PUTTING OUT EVEN ON OUR SITE IF SOMEBODY HAS A QUESTION, UH, FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION OR SOMETHING, UH, 'CAUSE THAT IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME WE'VE HEARD THAT ALREADY.

SO, UH, BUT I DO EMPATHIZE WITH MS. CRYSTAL.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, WE MOVE ON TO

[III. Approval of Minutes]

APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF DECEMBER 2ND, 2024.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION IN A SECOND.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN COL? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS.

UM, AS WE MOVE INTO NEW BUSINESS, ITEM SIX IS BEING PULLED FROM TONIGHT'S AGENDA TO COME BACK AT A TIME IN THE FUTURE.

UH, SO MOVING INTO NEW

[1. Resolution Authorizing Agreement for Lobbying Services - Highstake 35 LLC DBA Mercury Public Affairs]

BUSINESS ITEM ONE IS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT FOR LOBBYING SERVICES HIGH STAKE 35 L-L-C-D-B-A MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS MOTION TO RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

OPEN THOSE DOORS WITH OUR, UH, FEDERAL, UH, DELEGATION, NAVIGATE, UH, THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS OUT IN, UH, DC AND THEN ALSO WORK WITH OUR, UH, STATE REPRESENTATIVE, UH, PARTNERS AS WELL.

SECOND JUDGE GLEASON MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, AND TO THE COMMUNITY BEFORE I, UH, CALL THE, UH, UH, THE TEAM.

I'LL CALL THE A TEAM, UH, TO THE OPPONENT TO, UH, INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.

I WANT TO EXPLAIN, UH, WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

UH, WHEN I CAME BACK SEVEN MONTHS AGO, UH, I HAD LEFT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAD RECENTLY.

THE TWO YEARS PRIOR, HAD HIRED A FEDERAL, UH, LOBBYIST TO, UH, ACT ON BEHALF OF THE MUNICIPALITY AND TRY TO SEEK FUNDING, UH, FOR DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

AND, UH, I SEE, UH, THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES IN THIS COMMUNITY.

AND IN FACT, UH, WE HAVE, UH, ONE LOBBYIST ALREADY, UH, IN THE FORM OF DR. ANN SNYDER WHEN I WAS HERE BEFORE ACTUALLY HIRED HER.

AND, UH, SHE DOES ASPHALT CONCRETE TYPE OF PROJECTS ALONG WITH TRANSIT.

AND WE HAVE BEEN, UH, EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL.

SO THIS ITEM TONIGHT IN THIS FIRM THAT I'M ASKING COUNSEL TO, UH, SUPPORT, UH, IT'S NOT TO REPLACE ANNE.

IT COMPLIMENTS HER ON HER EFFORTS, UH, THAT SHE IS VERY FOCUSED ON, AND SHE'S DONE EXTREMELY WELL.

BUT I WEAR A COUPLE OF HATS, UH, YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE, UH, CITY MANAGER, UH, POSITION THAT I HOLD IN MY PREVIOUS COMMUNITY.

AND, UH, IN, UH, THIS COMMUNITY WHERE I SERVE ON THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND POLICY COMMITTEE FOR, UH, THE CITY MANAGERS ASSOCIATION.

ALSO, I THINK THE COMMUNITY KNOWS THAT I SERVE ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR, UH, FEMA.

SO I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FUNDING, UH, THAT ARE AVAILABLE OUT IN, UH, WASHINGTON.

DC YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE TO HAVE A PROFESSIONAL IN PLACE, YOU KNOW, THE, UH, STAFF, EVEN IF WE DID HAVE THE, UH, CAPACITY OR THE BANDWIDTH TO, UH, TAKE THIS ON OURSELVES, WE DO NOT HAVE THE RELATIONSHIPS.

AND IT IS CRITICAL TO HAVE THOSE KINDS OF RELATIONSHIPS

[00:15:01]

THIS CONTRACT COST IS FOR 24 MONTHS, AND, UH, IT'S A MONTHLY FEE OF $8,333, WHICH, IF YOU MULTIPLY THAT BY 12, IT'S A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY THE LINE ITEM THAT WAS PLACED IN THE FY UH, 25 BUDGET.

THIS WOULD BEGIN ON JANUARY 1ST OF, UH, 2025.

ANOTHER THING WHEN, UH, WE, UH, WERE TALKING ABOUT ADDING THIS ITEM INTO THE, UH, FY 25 BUDGET, KNEW THAT WE NEEDED TO FIND SOMEONE VERY QUICK.

AND WHEN THEY INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, THEY'RE GONNA SHOW THE, UH, CONNECTIONS THAT THEY'VE GOT TO THE COMMUNITY, THE FAMILIARITY THAT THEY HAVE WITH THE COMMUNITY.

AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A, UH, WIN-WIN, UH, FOR THE CITY.

AND, UH, WE'RE GONNA SEE A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, UH, VERY QUICKLY.

WE WILL DEFINITELY POSITION OURSELVES, UH, UH, TO, UH, BE SUCCESSFUL.

ANOTHER THING AS I INTRODUCE, UH, THE CO-CHAIR, UH, FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN SHERI BUSTOS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMEBODY THAT HAS, UH, A LONG STANDING RELATIONSHIP IN DC VERY WELL REGARDED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, AND IT'S CRITICAL TO, UH, HAVE THAT KIND OF, UH, TEAM AND PERSON REPRESENTING US AS A COMMUNITY.

AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'VE GOT.

WE ALSO HAVE PRESIDENT TONIGHT, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, MICHAEL MORLAND, AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, UH, NICK BUSTOS.

UH, SO I'M EXCITED TO CALL, UH, ALL THREE, UH, PLEASE TO THE, UH, PODIUM.

AND, UH, I SEE, UH, CONGRESSWOMAN, UH, BUSTOS, UH, I'M GONNA TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO YOU.

GREAT.

TRULY EXCITED, COUNSEL.

THANK YOU, MR. GLEASON.

UM, YOUR HONOR, AND TO THE COUNSEL, UH, IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS SHERRY BUSTOS, AND I AM A PARTNER AT MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND I'M THE CO-CHAIR OF THE MERCURY ILLINOIS OPERATIONS.

AND I'M GONNA HAVE NICK AND MICHAEL COME UP AND INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR BACKGROUNDS.

FIRST I'M GONNA START WITH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO I AM, AND THEN I'M GONNA TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FIRM, AND I'LL BE EFFICIENT WITH YOUR TIME.

UM, SO I WAS SITTING IN YOUR SPOT, NOT NECESSARILY IN DECATUR, BUT IN EAST MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

I WAS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER.

IT WAS MY FIRST ELECTED, UH, OFFICE EXPERIENCE.

BEFORE THAT, I WAS ON OUR CITY'S PLANNING AND ZONING COMMITTEE.

SO, I UNDERSTAND WHEN TIM IS TALKING ABOUT AN ROI, I UNDERSTAND THAT SITTING IN YOUR SEATS, YOU'VE GOTTA MAKE SURE THAT ANY INVESTMENT THAT YOU MAKE, UM, IN TAXPAYER DOLLARS, ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND US WHO ARE PAYING, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT DECATUR IS HEALTHY AND UP AND RUNNING AND, AND DO.

AND SO YOU CAN DO ALL THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.

I KNOW YOU'VE GOTTA LOOK AT A RETURN ON INVESTMENT, SO WE'LL GET INTO THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

UM, AFTER I LEFT, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL, I RAN FOR, UH, THE US CONGRESS, SERVED IN CONGRESS FOR FIVE TERMS. UM, INCLUDED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENTED IS PEORIA, UH, THE QUAD CITIES IS, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVED FOR ALMOST 40 YEARS.

AND, UH, ROCKFORD AND IN BETWEEN ALL OF THAT, VERY RURAL, UM, IN FACT, UM, NOT TO GET PARTISAN, BUT I AM A DEMOCRAT AND I WAS IN A TRUMP DISTRICT.

THE REASON I BRING THAT UP IS, UM, WHEN TIM WAS TALKING ABOUT NAVIGATING THINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF YOU ARE A DEMOCRAT IN A TRUMP DISTRICT, YOU BETTER FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA MAKE THINGS WORK.

YOU BETTER FIGURE OUT HOW YOU'RE GONNA WORK ACROSS THE AISLE.

UM, AND I, I THINK THAT THAT WAS, UM, PROBABLY BACK HOME WHAT I WAS KNOWN FOR MOST, UM, NEARLY EVERY BILL I EVER INTRODUCED, I HAD A REPUBLICAN CO-SPONSOR ON DAY ONE.

UM, AND PROBABLY MOST NOTABLE FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE CONVERSATION HERE TODAY, I WAS THE TOP DEMOCRAT AND THIS CLOSE TO BEING THE TOP OVERALL MEMBER OF CONGRESS TO BRING HOME CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING, UM, IN THE CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT THAT I REPRESENTED FOR FIVE TERMS. UM, THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN A FIRM LIKE OURS, YOU WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET THAT RETURN.

AND, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW PRETTY WELL.

UM, BEFORE ALL OF THAT PROFESSIONAL STUFF.

I GREW UP IN SPRINGFIELD, SO NOT FAR FROM HERE.

AND WHEN WE WOULD DO WELL IN SPORTS, WE WOULD END UP PLAYING YOUR HIGH SCHOOLS HERE.

UM, I, BEFORE I WENT TO UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, I ALSO WENT TO ILLINOIS COLLEGE.

SO WE WOULD PLAY MILLIKEN ALSO IN SPORTS.

I WAS A TWO SPORT ATHLETE, PLAYED VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL IN COLLEGE AS WELL.

AND SO, UM, THAT'S MY SPORTS CONNECTION HERE.

ON TOP OF THAT, MY SON, WHO YOU'LL MEET IN A MINUTE, PLAYED HOCKEY HERE.

MY BROTHER PLAYED HOCKEY HERE.

UM, SO WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD SPORTS CONNECTION TO DECATUR.

UM, ALSO BACK IN 1985, I WROTE FOR THE DECATUR HERALD AND REVIEW.

SO THAT GOES WAY, WAY BACK.

UM, LEE ENTERPRISES OWNED, UH, THE OWNS THE DECATUR HERALD REVIEW.

THEY ALSO OWN THE QUAD CITY TIMES, AND THAT'S WHAT TOOK ME TO THE QUAD CITIES.

I WAS A REPORTER FOR THE FIRST 17 YEARS OF MY CAREER.

THEN I REIN CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS FOR A HEALTH SYSTEM.

SO MY BACKGROUND IS ALL IN COMMUNICATIONS AND IN GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

[00:20:01]

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.

UM, LET ME, UH, NEXT INTRODUCE NICK BUSTOS.

UH, HIS LAST NAME IS THE SAME, UM, BECAUSE HE IS MY SON, BUT WE ARE ALSO BUSINESS PARTNERS.

AND THEN AFTER THAT, MICHAEL MORTHAM WILL COME UP HERE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE, THE TWO OF THEM.

THANK YOU EVERYONE.

APPRECIATE IT.

UM, MY NAME IS NICK BUSTOS.

UH, I'M A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

UM, LIVE AND WORK OUT OF OUR SPRINGFIELD OFFICE AT 2 35 SOUTH SIXTH STREET, JUST RIGHT DOWN FROM LINCOLN'S OLD LAW OFFICE.

UM, ALSO SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUT IN WASHINGTON DC PRIMARILY SERVICING CLIENTS IN THE AREAS OF, UH, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS.

I DO STATE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS, UH, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, UH, COALITION BUILDING EFFORTS, AS WELL AS EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT.

UM, BEFORE JOINING MERCURY, I SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR WORKING, UM, AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS FOR AN AG MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF THE QUA CITIES.

UM, THAT TOOK ME TO DECATUR.

I DID ABOUT 17 FARM SHOWS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES EVERY YEAR.

SO FARM PROGRESS HERE EVERY OTHER YEAR.

UM, BEFORE THAT, UM, SPENT TIME IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, UH, WORKING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.

UM, I WAS THE DIRECTOR OF LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES, SO PRIMARILY WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, MAYORS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, UM, ULTIMATELY CONNECTING THEM WITH STATE RESOURCES TO HELP BRING MONEY TO THEIR LOCAL, UM, COMMUNITIES.

UM, BEFORE THAT, I SPENT A COUPLE YEARS IN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, WORKING IN SEVERAL CAPACITIES.

UM, BORN AND RAISED IN ILLINOIS FROM THE QUAT CITIES.

AS SHERRY HAD MENTIONED, I HAD, UH, PLAYED HOCKEY HERE WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

I WENT TO ILLINOIS COLLEGE IN JACKSONVILLE.

SO, UH, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.

YOU KNOW, MR. GLEASON, YOU MENTIONED THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT ASPECT.

YOU KNOW, COMING FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AFTER LEAVING GOVERNMENT, IT WAS COMPLETELY EYE-OPENING.

JUST, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANCE OF RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WE DID, OR NOTHING THAT WE SET DOWN THE LINE UNLESS WE KNEW THAT THERE WAS A LEASE, A THREE TO ONE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

UM, SO, YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING, I GUESS ALL THAT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.

IF WE GET THE CHANCE TO WORK WITH DECATUR, I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE WILL WORK OUR HARDEST, UM, TO LEVERAGE AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR, UH, THE CITY OF DECATUR, AND TO BRING AS MUCH MONEY HOME TO YOUR COMMUNITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE THAT SIT BEHIND US HERE AND, AND ITS RESIDENTS.

SO, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'LL YIELD THE FLOOR TO MR. MORLAND HERE.

NICK SAID IT BEAUTIFULLY.

THAT'S ALL I GOT.

UM, GUYS, MY NAME IS MICHAEL MORLIN.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN DECATUR.

UH, AFTER GRADUATING, LEFT AFTER GRADUATING FROM STEPHEN DECATUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, DOUGLAS MACARTHUR HIGH SCHOOL, PLAYED A LOT OF TENNIS, UH, OF COURSE, CHUCK AND, AND, UH, WORKED WITHIN, UH, MR. COLE, COUNCILMAN CO.

I I LEFT, WENT TO UNDERGRAD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS, UH, URBANA CHAMPAIGN LAW SCHOOL IN CARBONDALE.

CAME BACK AND PRACTICED FOR TWO YEARS AT THE, UH, THE AUGUSTINE AND, UH, REVERED, UH, FEATHERS AND GOER STOCKS, FLYNN AND ECK, AND THEN WENT, ENJOYED THE ILLINOIS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AS ONE OF THEIR ASSISTANT COUNCILS.

LEFT, JOINED THE PRITZKER ADMINISTRATION AS A CHIEF OF STAFF AND DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF AT SEVERAL, UH, WELL JUST, UH, THE, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEALTH.

AND THEN JOINED MERCURY ABOUT 18 MONTHS AGO, WHERE I DO LOTS OF STATE GR LOTS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING, STRATEGIC OPERATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.

AND I, I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW HONORED I AM TO, UH, SIT IN FRONT OF YOU AND, AND POTENTIALLY REPRESENT THE, THE CITY THAT THAT MADE ME WHO I AM TODAY.

SO TRULY THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO SHERRY BUSTOS.

ALRIGHT, QUESTIONS BEFORE I TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR FIRM, YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR FIRM AND THEN WE'LL GRILL YOU.

SO, OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SOUNDS GOOD.

SO, MERCURY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR 25 YEARS.

WE JUST CELEBRATED OUR 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN JUNE.

UH, WE HAD ABOUT 150 PEOPLE COME VISIT US AT OUR OFFICE UP IN CHICAGO.

UM, WE HAVE 20 PLUS OFFICES, ABOUT 150 PEOPLE.

OUR ILLINOIS OPERATION JUST STARTED, UH, A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER I LEFT CONGRESS.

I LEFT ON JANUARY 3RD, TWO YEARS AGO.

AND ON JANUARY 16TH, WE STARTED OUR OFFICE HERE IN ILLINOIS.

WE NOW HAVE 20 PEOPLE, UH, AN OFFICE IN CHICAGO, AN OFFICE IN SPRINGFIELD.

UM, WE HAVE A FULL COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITIES.

WE HAVE FULL CAPABILITIES TO WORK OUT OF SPRINGFIELD AND IN WASHINGTON DC UM, OF OUR 20 OFFICES, ONE OF OUR MAIN OFFICES IS IN WASHINGTON, DC.

SO, UM, WHEN I STILL GO BACK AND FORTH TO DC IT IS, UH, WHERE I WORKED ON AND OFF.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I WASN'T HOME, I WAS OUT IN DC AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS.

UH, BUT WE HAVE ABOUT A 25 PERSON OFFICE IN DC AS WELL.

SO AS WE'RE PLANNING THINGS LIKE LOBBY DAYS, WE CALL 'EM FLY-INS, UM, IN WASHINGTON, DC UM, WE HAVE A FULL STAFF THERE THAT, UM, WILL HELP SET ALL OF THAT UP.

MOST NOTABLE ABOUT OUR FIRM IS THAT WE ARE A BIPARTISAN FIRM.

AND I WILL TELL YOU THAT BECAUSE OF THE NOVEMBER ELECTION, I AM REALLY, REALLY GLAD THAT WE'RE A BIPARTISAN FIRM.

UM, I LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE'S NOT A DOOR THAT WE CAN'T OPEN.

NOW.

WHEN I WAS IN OFFICE, I WORKED UNDER THREE PRESIDENTS STARTED WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS IN OFFICE, THEN PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND THEN PRESIDENT, UH, BIDEN.

SO, UM, I DID VERY, VERY WELL

[00:25:01]

OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS HAVING ACCESS TO, UM, A LOT OF MY, ACTUALLY COLLEAGUES THAT I WORKED WITH IN CONGRESS WHO WERE IN THE ADMINISTRATION.

SO NOW, AS YOU SEE THE, UH, NOMINATIONS COMING OUT OF PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP, UM, A FIRM LIKE OURS IS VERY, VERY WELL POSITIONED TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THOSE MEMBERS OF HIS CABINET, JUST AS I'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY AND HAD THE, ALL THE ACCESS THAT WE NEEDED, UM, IN THE CABINET OF PRESIDENT BIDEN.

WHY IS THAT? UM, SUSIE WILES, WHO IS THE, UH, PRESIDENT-ELECT CHIEF OF STAFF, COMES FROM OUR FIRM.

THIS IS WHERE SHE HAS SPENT HER, HER TIME, THE LAST, UH, FEW YEARS OF HER CAREER.

WERE AT MERCURY PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

SHE WILL NOW BE CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

UM, WE HAVE ANOTHER GENTLEMAN WHO WORKS OUT OF OUR DC OFFICE WHO IS VERY INVOLVED WITH THE TRANSITION OF, UH, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP AS HE, UM, HAS HIS NOMINATIONS AS THE CABINET SECRETARY WILL BE CONFIRMED, ET CETERA.

SO, WHERE, UM, SEVERAL OF, UH, THE NOMINEES WERE MY COLLEAGUES, WE'LL SEE IF THEY ARE CONFIRMED.

UM, THOSE WERE PEOPLE THAT I DON'T, WOULDN'T HAVE ANY ACCESS OR ANY PROBLEM, UM, MAKING SURE THAT I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH.

HOWEVER, WHEN THERE ARE, UH, CABINET MEMBERS THAT I DON'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH, WE HAVE PEOPLE IN OUR FIRM WHO DO.

UM, AND SO, UH, I, I SERVED IN HOUSE LEADERSHIP FOR SIX OF MY 10 YEARS IN OFFICE.

UM, SO I'M, I'M CLOSE TO BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND LEADERSHIP AS WELL.

UM, ON THE SENATE SIDE, UH, REALLY IF YOU SEE ANY OF THE HOUSE MEMBERS THAT WENT OVER TO THE SENATE, OR INCLUDING SENATORS DURBAN AND DUCKWORTH, UM, ARE ALL PEOPLE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN REGULAR COMMUNICATION WITH.

SO BASICALLY WHAT I WANNA DEMONSTRATE TO YOU THAT WE'RE A WELL ESTABLISHED FIRM, UM, WE, UH, WE KNOW OUR WAY AROUND WASHINGTON DC IN ILLINOIS, WE, WE KNOW OUR WAY AROUND SPRINGFIELD VERY WELL IS ALSO, SO THAT'S A, THAT'S A QUICK OVERVIEW OF, OF WHO WE ARE AS A TEAM AND, UH, WHO WE ARE AS A FIRM.

AND I WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYBODY WOULD HAVE.

I'LL OPEN IT UP AND MR. MCDANIEL HAS HIS HAND UP.

UM, I'D ASK ANY LOBBYIST YOU, HOW MANY, UH, OTHER CITIES IN ILLINOIS DO YOU REPRESENT? UM, LET'S SEE.

WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET AT IS WE ALL NEED MONEY.

AND IF THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH, WHO'S GONNA GET THE, GET THE MONEY? WELL, THE, UM, AND IF WE'RE ALL ASKING FOR THE SAME SURE.

UM, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, JUST A HANDFUL.

UM, WE REPRESENT EAST MOLINE, WHICH IS WHERE I LIVED.

UM, WE REPRESENT THE CITY OF ROCK ISLAND.

UM, AND I THINK THAT IS IT, CORRECT ME IF I'M WINNEBAGO COUNTY IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY, AT WHICH, YOU KNOW, AT, AT A COUNTY LEVEL, NOT A CITY A LITTLE BIT TOO, UH, CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE REPRESENTED BY BUDZINSKI HERE.

UM, OBVIOUSLY DUR DUCKWORTH OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND THE FACT THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO TAP BUDZINSKI FOR ANY OTHER CITIES AT THE TIME.

SO THEREFORE, REALLY NOT A CONFLICT, UM, OF, UH, FUNDING WE WOULD BE GOING AFTER IN THAT MECHANISM.

DID YOU HEAR ALL THAT ? YEAH.

YEAH.

SO, SO, YOU KNOW, A HANDFUL.

UM, BUT I THINK THE POINT THAT NICK'S TRYING TO MAKE IS, IT'S NOT LIKE WE, IT'S ERIC SORENSON WHO REPRESENTS, UH, IN THE HOUSE, REPRESENTS THE CITY OF EAST MOLINE IN THE CITY OF ROCK ISLAND AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY.

UM, SO, UH, NIKKI BUDZINSKI REPRESENTS YOU.

I KNOW MARY MILLER REPRESENTS A PART OF, UH, THE CITY OF DECATUR.

UM, I'M VERY CLOSE TO NIKKI BUDZINSKI, UH, HOW THE CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING GOES.

UM, MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE HAVE GET, GET 15 UH, BITES AT THE APPLE.

MEMBERS OF THE, THE SENATE HAVE 40.

UM, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF APPLICATIONS THAT COME IN.

AND SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT REVENUE SOURCE, IT'S A MATTER OF FIGURING OUT HOW YOU BREAK THROUGH THAT CLUTTER.

BUT WE DON'T REPRESENT ANY CITIES OR ANY COUNTIES THAT OVERLAP IN, IN CONGRESSWOMAN BUDZINSKI, UH, CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

SORRY, I HAD TO ASK, BUT, OH, THAT'S OKAY.

NO, I THINK IT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

IT'S FAIR.

AND IF I COULD ADD TO THAT, PAT, MOST PROJECTS THAT, UM, APPLY FOR GRANTS OR FOR FUNDING EVERY PROJECT'S UNIQUE AND HOW YOU SHAPE THE CASE ABOUT THAT PROJECT.

YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE ONE THING WHEN WE'RE ALL GOING FOR MONEY TO, UM, HELP WITH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAD PIPES AND ALLEVIATING THAT, BUT WHOEVER HAS THE BEST PACKAGE, BUT YOU STILL HAVE TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT CARRIES THE, CARRIES THE WATER.

OTHERS, MR. KEEL, JUST, UM, COUPLE QUESTIONS A COMMENT.

I, UM, FIRST OF ALL, UH, COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL ASKED THE EXACT SAME QUESTION I WAS GONNA ASK.

SO TWO OF US ARE THINKING ALONG THE SAME LINES.

UH, I AM CONCERNED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR GOVERNOR AND THE INCOMING PRESIDENT.

AND SO I, YOU EXPLAINED THAT THAT WON'T BE A PROBLEM.

I SEE IT AS A PROBLEM FOR OUR STATE, BUT HOPEFULLY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THAT.

DO YOU PROVIDE LIKE MONTHLY REPORTS? YES.

TO US, THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AS TO YOUR PROGRESS? SO HOW WE COMMUNICATE WITH YOU IS KIND OF HOW YOU WANT AS TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU.

UM, IF IT'S A MONTHLY REPORT

[00:30:01]

THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE BEST, AND CERTAINLY WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, HAVE YOU ADVISE US, UM, IF IT'S EVERY OTHER WEEK, WE CAN DO THAT.

UH, WE WILL WRITE A WEEKLY REPORT ABOUT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, WE HAVE A GRANTS DIVISION AT MERCURY.

UM, I DIDN'T TALK ABOUT THE EXPANSIVENESS OF, OF MERCURY AS WELL.

WE HAVE A GRANTS DIVISION, WE HAVE A POLLING DIVISION.

WE HAVE A THINK TANK DIVISION.

UM, WE, I, I TOLD YOU ABOUT OUR COMMUNICATIONS, BUT OUR GRANTS DIVISION IS ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF MERCURY, ILLINOIS.

AND SO WHAT YOU WILL GET FROM, WE'LL PROBABLY SEND IT TO MR. GLEASON.

UM, HE CAN SHARE IT WITH THE APPRO IF, IF YOU ALL WANNA SEE IT, BUT ABOUT THE DIFFERENT FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

UM, AND WE WILL TAKE YOUR DIRECTION AS TO WHETHER YOU WANT US TO GO AFTER CERTAIN GRANTS.

THE OTHER THING, IF YOU RETAIN US, WHAT WE WOULD WANNA DO AS A NEXT STEP IS FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THE STRATEGY LOOK LIKE? WHAT IS, WHERE DO YOU WANT US TO GO AFTER MONEY? YOU'VE GOT VARIOUS POTS OF MONEY.

YOU HAVE 12 APPROPRIATIONS BILLS.

I SERVED ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, BY THE WAY, WHICH, UM, SO THAT MEANS THE, UM, INCOMING CHAIR, UM, TOM COLE, IT WAS THE, UH, WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMITTEE, HE WAS, HE WAS THE, WHAT WAS CALLED THE RANKING MEMBER.

'CAUSE THEY WERE IN THE MINORITY THE LAST COUPLE YEARS.

BUT, UM, HE'S A FRIEND, THE, THE RANKING MEMBER WHO'S NOW THE DEMOCRAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, I WOULD, I CAN WORK WITH THEM AS WELL.

BUT, UM, WE, AS FAR AS OUR COMMUNICATION WITH YOU, IT IS REALLY UP TO YOU HOW YOU WANT US TO COMMUNICATE.

WEEKLY GRANTS MEMOS, WE WILL BE SENDING OUT, UM, WE CAN GIVE YOU A MONTHLY REPORT OR A BI-WEEKLY OR WHATEVER IS YOUR PREFERENCE.

I, I'LL JUST, I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANY OF THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS, SO WE COULD DECIDE WHATEVER, BUT I MEAN, A MONTHLY REPORT WOULD BE FINE FOR ME BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER CONSULTANTS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I EVER GET REPORTS UNTIL EVER, HONESTLY.

UH, AND THE NEXT QUESTION IS, ANN SCHNEIDER.

IS, UH, WOULD SHE BE MORE OF A STATE OF ILLINOIS CONSULTANT AND THIS IS MORE NATIONAL, OR WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO? A COUPLE OF THINGS.

UH, IF, IF YOU DON'T MIND, I'M GONNA COMMENT, HEY, ABOUT THE, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP, UH, THAT IF THIS FIRM, IF APPROVED AND WHAT THE NEXT STEPS ARE.

BUT I WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL THAT THIS HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED YET.

I DON'T WANT TO GET THE CART IN FRONT OF THE HORSE.

BUT, UH, LET'S SAY THIS DOES GET APPROVED TONIGHT.

THE NEXT STEPS ARE, WE'RE GONNA MAKE QUICK WORK OF, UH, HAVING, UH, MERCURY, UH, MEET WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUR VISION IS FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I'M THE, UH, UH, CEO THE CITY MANAGER IN THIS CASE, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT, UH, UH, MAKES THAT HAPPEN.

UH, BUT THOSE ARE THE NEXT STEPS.

AND THEN AS FAR AS THE COMMUNICATION, NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I'VE DONE WHEN I WAS HERE PREVIOUSLY, UH, WITH ANN SNYDER AND JULIE CUR, UH, JULIE CURRY IN THE PAST.

THOSE UPDATES AS PROVIDED TO ME, I PASS ON TO THE COUNCIL, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU WOULD SEE.

BUT THERE ALSO IS THAT FACE-TO-FACE COMMUNICATION, AGAIN, TO, UH, MAKE SURE THAT, UH, UH, WE'RE CAPTURING, UH, WHAT COUNCIL'S VISION IS NOW WITH, UH, ANN SNYDER AND HER CURRENT ROLE RIGHT NOW.

ALSO, TO BE CLEAR, UH, MERCURY, UH, CONSULTING, THEY WOULD BE WORKING EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

NOT THAT WE DON'T HAVE OTHER PARTNERSHIPS AND STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH, POTENTIALLY ASKING FOR, UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT.

BUT UNLIKE, UH, UH, DR. ANN SCHNEIDER, UH, THAT IS A SHARED RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, MACON COUNTY, AND IT IS NOT JUST AT THE STATE LEVEL.

UH, SHE HAS BEEN VERY, UH, UH, SUCCESSFUL WITH U-S-D-O-T AND, UH, HIGHWAY, UH, AUTHORITY.

UH, SO SHE IS REPRESENTING US AND MACON COUNTY, UH, BOTH AT THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

SO THIS, WHILE, UH, YOU KNOW, IF MERCURY IS, UH, HIRED, IT DEFINITELY COMPLIMENTS THAT FOCUS AREA THAT DR.

ANN SNYDER'S PROVIDED.

BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER AREAS, AND I'M GONNA GO AS FAR TO SAY, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT IT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, A MUNICIPALITY CONSIDERS IN, IN ITS OPERATING BUDGET.

THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUNDING, BUT WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE, INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO DC WE NEED TO BE FOCUSED AND UNDERSTAND, AGAIN, WHAT THE VISION OF THE COUNCIL IS AND, UH, REALLY GO AFTER, UH, THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN DC.

LAST QUICK QUESTION, SIR.

UH, THIS IS A BUSINESS TRANSACTION, SO THIS IS A BUSINESS QUESTION.

IS THERE AN ESCAPE CLAUSE IN THIS? OKAY, 30 D UH, NOTICE, UH, THEY, THEY MAY NOT LIKE US AND, UH, YOU KNOW, OR, OR VICE VERSA.

BUT, UH, YES, SIR, UH, THERE IS OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

MS. GREGORY? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

NOT A QUESTION, BUT SIMPLY A STATEMENT, AND I'M GONNA BE VERY TERRITORIAL IN MY STATEMENT.

I WAS PUT HERE BY THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR TO WORK ON PROJECTS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WHILE WE ARE BORDERED BY FORSYTH MOUNT ZION WARRENSBURG, WE HAVE MANY OVERLAPPING TAXING BODIES, SCHOOL

[00:35:01]

DISTRICTS.

UM, I'M VERY FOCUSED ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

IF IT WORKS WELL FOR THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, GREAT.

BUT PRIMARILY, I WANT OUR WORK TO BE FOCUSED ON WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND, AND I THINK, UM, MR. GLEASON'S POINT THAT WE ARE EXCLUSIVE, UM, UNDER THIS ARRANGEMENT, IF YOU ARE TO, UM, AGREE TO THIS TONIGHT, UH, IT WOULD BE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

YOU KNOW, I, I USED TO SAY JUST VERY QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, MY TITLE WAS REPRESENTATIVE, UM, BUT IT WAS ALSO MY JOB DESCRIPTION.

YOU KNOW, YOU FIRST AND FOREMOST REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF YOUR, IN YOUR CASE, YOUR, YOU'RE, DO YOU CALL IT A DISTRICT OR WARD? CITY? THE CITY.

ARE YOU CITYWIDE? YES.

YES.

COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? DR. HORN? JUST A COMMENT.

I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE LOBBYING SERVICES FROM CITYWIDE NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROJECTS TO LARGE SCALE RENEWABLE ENERGY INITIATIVES.

THE CITY HAS OPPORTUNITIES FOR TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEDERALLY FUNDED INITIATIVES.

AND HAVING A LOBBYING FIRM WILL HOPEFULLY BE THE CATALYST THAT IS NEEDED, UH, TO GET THE FUNDS THAT THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS NEED, UH, TO MOVE FORWARD WITH SOME MUCH NEEDED AND OVERDUE PROJECTS.

SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS INITIATIVE.

OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE, OR QUESTIONS BEFORE I CALL THE QUESTION? SEE NONE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF.

TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT, MR. GLEASON AS, UH, FINANCE DIRECTOR, UH, RUBY JAMES APPROACHES THE, UH, PODIUM, UH, SHE HAS, WE'RE WRAPPING UP, UH, FY 24, AND, UH, WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH AWAY.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, WELCOME ABOARD.

WE'LL BE IN TOUCH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING TO KNOW EVERYBODY.

APPRECIATE YOUR CONFIDENCE IN US.

MOVING TO ITEM TWO, THE

[2. Treasurer's Financial Report]

THAT'LL BE IN THE JANUARY REPORT, BUT, UH, WE'RE VERY CLOSE AND HAS SOME UPDATED NUMBERS.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

SO FOR FISCAL YEAR 24, WE HAVE LOOKED AT, UH, THE SUMMARY OF WHERE WE THINK REVENUE IS GOING TO END.

AND WE BELIEVE THAT REVENUE'S GONNA END ABOUT 2.2 MILLION SHORT OF THE BUDGET, BUT EXPENDITURES ARE ALSO GONNA END 2.4 MILLION UNDER BUDGET, AND THAT WILL LEAVE A $200,000 SURPLUS.

SO THIS IS BETTER THAN WE THOUGHT A MONTH AGO.

SO WE'VE TAKEN A DEEPER DIVE INTO WHERE EXPENDITURES WERE AND, AND GIVE US A BETTER PICTURE OF WHERE WE THINK WE'RE GONNA END THE YEAR.

AND LARGELY THE EXPENDITURES ARE FROM SAVINGS AND SALARIES, SO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE GONNA BE IN A GOOD POSITION WITH THAT IN NOVEMBER.

THE CASH, UH, POSITION, I WANNA EXPLAIN THAT IN A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL.

THAT'S IN THE REPORT.

WE'RE AT 23.8 MILLION.

BUT I ALSO WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT, UH, AT TIMES WE HAVE GRANT FUNDS THAT WE'RE WAITING ON.

AND SO THEREFORE, IF THERE ARE FUNDS THAT ARE, UM, UNDER THAT DON'T HAVE CASH TO SUPPORT THEM AT THE TIME, THEN ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS THE GENERAL FUND IS SUPPORTING THAT, UH, WHILE WE'RE WAITING ON FUNDS TO COME IN.

AND SO TRANSIT IN PARTICULAR HAS 5.4 MILLION THAT THEY'RE WAITING ON BUSES, UH, THAT THEY HAVE PURCHASED, AND ALSO OPERATIONS THAT WE ARE WAITING ON FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING FOR.

AND THEN ALSO FOR COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION, WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THAT WE'RE GONNA IDENTIFY FUNDING FOR THAT, UH, IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

SO IN TOTAL, WE HAVE 6.89 MILLION AT THE END OF NOVEMBER, LEAVING US A CASH POSITION OF 16.9 MILLION.

SO THAT PUTS US AT 67 DAYS CASH INSTEAD OF 90 DAYS CASH.

AND AGAIN, POINTING OUT THAT WHEN FUNDS ARE, UH, UNDER THAT, DON'T HAVE CASH TO SUPPORT THEM AT THE TIME.

AND THE GENERAL FUND HAS TO FILL IN FOR THAT WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR FUNDS.

AND SO ALSO IN DECEMBER, WE LOOKED AHEAD TO SEE WHERE WE WOULD BE.

AND IN OUR RESOLUTION TONIGHT FOR THE INTER FUND CASH ADVANCES THAT WE'RE GOING TO SUBMIT, UM, WE ARE AT 7.53 MILLION FOR DECEMBER AS WE ESTIMATE WHERE GRANTS ARE GOING TO BE AND, AND CASH NEEDED, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS FUNDING, NO FUNDS IN, UH, AND WITH A NEGATIVE CASH BALANCE, WE MUST HAVE, UM, ACCORDING TO ILLINOIS STATE STATUTE, WE NEED TO HAVE CASH IN A POSITIVE BALANCE, NOT IN A NEGATIVE CASH BALANCE.

AND SO THAT WOULD PUT OVERALL THE CITY AROUND 16 MILLION FOR THE GENERAL FUND.

AND THAT'S AROUND 16 DAYS CASH.

SO WHAT THIS HIGHLIGHTS, UH, SIX 60 DAYS CASH, SORRY, 16 MILLION WHEN YOU SAID 16 I 60 DAYS CASH.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, SO WHAT THIS HIGHLIGHTS IS THAT, UH, IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A, A CASH BALANCE IN THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IT IS NEEDED AT TIMES.

AND, UH, WHAT THE, UH, GFOA DOES POINT OUT IS THAT THE MINIMUM IS 60 DAYS CASH THAT IS REQUIRED, AND THAT EVERY CITY SHOULD LOOK AT WHAT, UH, WHAT

[00:40:01]

IS NEEDED FOR THEIR CASH BALANCE.

AND ALSO, I WANNA POINT OUT ON PAGE THREE, I'D IDENTIFIED THAT MOODY'S, UH, FOR AA RATING REQUIRES A 25 TO 35% OF REVENUES, WHICH IS AROUND 22.5 MILLION.

AND, UM, THE CITY DOES MAINTAIN AN S AND P RATING OF AA, UH, BONDS.

AND THE, UH, MOODY'S RATING IS A TWO.

SO I HAD INDICATED THAT THE MOODY'S RATING WAS AA AND IT'S ACTUALLY A TWO.

AND THE S AND P RATING IS AA AND THE 60 DAY MINIMUM, THE BEST PRACTICES THOUGH, IS 90 DAYS.

CORRECT.

SO, AGAIN, IT'S, UH, THE MINIMUM FROM, UH, FROM GFOA IS, IS WHAT THEY WANT, BUT A LOT OF CITIES HAVE UP TO 120 DAYS IN, IN FACT.

SO EACH CITY NEEDS TO LOOK AT WHAT IS REQUIRED.

AND, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FOR OUR GRANTS AT TIMES, UM, ESPECIALLY WITH TRANSIT, AS WE'RE FUNDING TRANSIT WITH GRANTS AND STATE, UH, FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS, AT TIMES WE HAVE FIVE TO 6 MILLION THAT WE NEED, UH, FOR THAT, WHICH TAKES US EASILY DOWN TO 60 MILLION.

SO THE 90 DAYS IS, IS, IS FUNDING IT DOWN TO THE 60 DAYS CASH THAT, UH, GFOA IS RECOMMENDING, AND THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A TORNADO ICE STORM OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD GO WRONG.

THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THEN THE SUMMER, LAST SUMMER IN JUNE, WE DID HAVE, UM, A, UH, TORNADO OF SORTS, UH, UH, A MINI TORNADO IF YOU WANNA CALL IT THAT.

AND, UH, THAT TOOK $500,000, UH, IN ONE DAY FOR THE CITY TO CLEAN UP, UH, FOR THAT EVENT.

SO THERE ARE EVENTS, UH, STORMS THAT COME THROUGH THAT CAN COST, UH, YOU KNOW, AN AMOUNT.

AND FEMA BY THE WAY, WE'RE ABLE TO APPLY FOR A, A FEMA GRANT THAT DID PAY FOR THOSE COSTS.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, I THINK THE OTHER THING THAT IS IMPORTANT TO MENTION, UM, NOT ONLY ARE WE RESPONSIBLE FOR, UM, ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT WE PROVIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE ALSO BEAR A RESPONSIBILITY FOR ROUGHLY 456 EMPLOYEES.

UM, AND EVERY TWO WEEKS, WE WANT A PAYROLL THAT RUNS BETWEEN 2.3 TO $2.5 MILLION.

AND SO IF WE WERE TO HAVE A CONCERN OR SOMETHING WERE TO HIT US UNEXPECTEDLY, UM, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR EMPLOYEES TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MEET PAYROLL COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL.

DR. HORN, UM, YOU MENTIONED THAT THE S AND PS, UM, RATING AGENCY LOOKS FOR 25 TO 35% OF REVENUE FOR A CASH RESERVE TO MAINTAIN AN AA BOND RATING.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS THAT OUR S AND P REQUIRES TO MAINTAIN THAT BOND RATING? I DON'T HAVE THAT IN FRONT OF ME.

THERE ARE, AND I DON'T HAVE A LIST OF THAT IN FRONT OF ME, BUT I CAN GET THAT.

I'D, I'D APPRECIATE THAT.

AND WHEN YOU SAY, UM, UH, CASH RESERVE OF 60 DAYS IS S AND P IMPLYING THAT IT CANNOT GET BELOW 60 DAYS AT ANY TIME, OR THAT WE STRIVE TO MAINTAIN 60 DAYS AS BEST WE CAN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR KNOWING THAT THERE'S GONNA BE FLUCTUATIONS.

SO WHEN S AND P IS LOOKING AT THIS, THEY'RE MEASURING IT AT THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.

AND SO THAT'S, THAT'S TYPICALLY THE, THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, THE ACTUAL AUDITED REPORT ON THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.

SO A, JUST TO PUT THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, AND IF A RESIDENT, A RESIDENT COULD SAY, I'D LIKE TO HAVE A CHECKING ACCOUNT BALANCE OF $250, BUT THEY WOULD KNOW THAT SOMETIMES DURING THE YEAR IT WOULD BE LESS THAN $250 AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD BE MORE, BUT THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN THAT $250, IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS, BUT UM, FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, TYPICALLY THE MEASUREMENT DATE IS THE LAST DAY OF THE YEAR.

DECEMBER 31ST.

YES.

FAIR ENOUGH.

AND THEN, UM, ARE THERE ANY OTHER FUNDS THAT COULD FILL IN, UM, FOR, UH, CASE, LIKE WE'VE HAD IN TRANSIT, AND I THINK BACK TO WHEN MR. GLEASON WAS CITY MANAGER, UM, HERE IN DECATUR, AND WE DID NOT HAVE THE SAME LEVEL OF CASH RESERVE, BUT I DO SEEM TO RECALL THAT WE HAD, UH, TO PAY OFF, UH, TRANSIT OR COVER TRANSIT EXPENSES.

SO ARE THERE ANY OTHER FUNDS THAT CAN BE USED IN AN EMERGENCY? SO IN AN EMERGENCY, WE COULD BORROW FROM, UH, THE WATER CAPITAL FUNDS, WHICH THERE ARE WA WATER CAPITAL NEEDS AS WELL, BUT THERE ARE A FEW OTHER FUNDS WE COULD BORROW FROM.

RESOLUTION TO INCLUDE COMPENSATION PAID UNDER AN INTERNAL REVENUE CODE SECTION 1 25 PLAN AS IMRF EARNINGS MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? I DON'T SEE ANY, SO THANK YOU MS. JAMES.

MM-HMM .

MOVING TO ITEM THREE,

[3. Resolution to Include Compensation Paid Under an Internal Revenue Code Section 125 Plan as IMRF Earnings]

SECOND, MR. GLEASON.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER IS GONNA WALK US THROUGH THIS AGENDA ITEM.

GOOD EVENING,

[00:45:01]

MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, THE ITEM BEFORE YOU TONIGHT IS A CONSIDERATION OF AN IMRF RESOLUTION THAT WOULD ESSENTIALLY, UH, PREVENT THE CITY FROM LOWERING AN EMPLOYEE'S REPORTABLE WAGES FOR THEIR MEDICAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND THEIR H-S-A-F-S-A FUNDING.

SO THE WAY IT IS CURRENTLY, WHEN EMPLOYEES MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MEDICAL PLAN, THE DENTAL PLAN, VISION PLAN, OR THEY PUT MONEY INTO A FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT OR A, UH, HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT, THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY IS REDUCED FROM THEIR REPORTABLE WAGES TO IMRF.

AND SO ESSENTIALLY, UH, IN SOME WAYS YOU COULD LOOK AT IT AS A PENALIZING A PERSON FOR TAKING OUT PRE-TAX, UH, MEDICAL EXPENSES.

SO THAT'S THE, THE REFERENCE TO SECTION 1 25 PLAN.

UM, AND SO I THINK THIS IS, GOES IN LINE WITH WHAT THE CITY MANAGER HAS SAID IN THE PAST ABOUT WANTING TO BE AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.

WE'VE LOOKED FOR, LOOKED AT OTHER IMRF EMPLOYERS HERE LOCALLY.

UH, THIS IS NOT TYPICAL OF THOSE OTHER, UH, ORGANIZATIONS.

AND SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY, UH, MIRRORING WHAT OTHER, UH, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT PARK DISTRICT, OTHER, UH, LOCAL EMPLOYERS ARE DOING, WHICH IS, THEY INCLUDE SECTION 1 25 CONTRIBUTIONS AS PART OF THE IMRF, UH, CONTRIBUTIONS, OR EXCUSE ME, THEY'RE INCLUDING SECTION 1 25 CONTRIBUTIONS AS IMRF REPORTABLE WAGES.

THERE IS AN IMPACT TO BOTH THE EMPLOYEES AND THE, AND THE CITY OF DECATUR AS AN EMPLOYER.

UH, AND SO THOSE AMOUNTS THAT ARE CURRENTLY, UH, NOT BEING REPORTED AS IMRF WAGES, UH, THE EMPLOYEE IS NOT PAYING, UH, THEIR PORTION OF IMRF, THE 4.5%, AND THE CITY HASN'T BEEN PAYING, UH, THEIR PORTION EITHER.

AND SO BOTH OF THE, UH, BOTH THE CITY AND THE EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE TO PAY A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE IMRF, UH, TO MAKE UP FOR THIS ADDITIONAL REPORTABLE WAGE.

UM, BUT WE BELIEVE THIS IS WHAT, UH, WILL HELP US TO, TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER, UH, OTHER AREA EMPLOYERS.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL THAT THIS IS KIND OF SCARY, BUT IN THE PAST, UH, STATE LEGISLATURES HAVE, UH, AND ADMINISTRATION, UH, HAVE TRIED TO BLEND THE ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND INTO THE STATE FUNDS.

UH, AND THAT'S KIND OF SCARY AND THAT STILL COULD HAPPEN DOWN THE ROAD.

OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? SEEING NONE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

RESOLUTION FOR THIRD TRANSIT MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS AGREEMENT AMENDMENT WITH MV TRANSPORTATION, INC.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS.

ITEM FOUR,

[4. Resolution for Third Transit Management and Operations Agreement Amendment with MV Transportation, Inc.]

MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

AND WE NEED 46 TO BE FULLY STAFFED.

SECOND, MR. PLEA, AND I'M GOING TO PASS THIS ONE OFF AS WELL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, UH, TO, UH, MUNICIPAL TRA UH, TRANSIT DIRECTOR, LACEY SEY.

LACEY.

GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.

UM, TONIGHT I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THAT I DO HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM IN THE ROOM.

SO I HAVE OUR DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, UM, BRUCE WITHERS, AND THEN OUR LOCAL TEAM, LIONEL GRIFFITH, OPERATIONS MANAGER, AND NICK STANDERFORD, OUR GENERAL MANAGER.

SO, UM, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS AN OPERATIONS CONTRACT WITH MB TRANSPORTATION TO DO OPERATIONS WITH TRANSIT.

UM, THAT INCLUDES THE BUS DRIVERS, THE ADMINISTRATION STAFF OVER THERE, SO DISPATCHERS, ET CETERA.

SO THEY ARE PART OF THE AMG GATED TRANSPORTATION UNION OR THE A TU AND THEIR BARGAINING AGREEMENT WAS UP THIS YEAR.

IT'S ON THE SAME CYCLE AS THE CITIES.

SO, UM, MV RECOGNIZED THAT THEY WERE HAVING ISSUES WITH THEIR BARGAINING AGREEMENT BECAUSE C-D-C-D-L WAGES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THE MEDIAN CDL WAGE FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

WE ARE IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE CDL MARKET.

UM, SO MV APPROACHED US FOR A THIRD AMENDMENT TO HELP BRING IN HIGHER WAGES FOR THE CDL DRIVERS.

THEY HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH, UM, WITH OPERATIONS THIS YEAR DUE TO LOSS OF CDL DRIVERS FOR OUR BUSES.

UM, THOSE DRIVERS, WE HAVE LOST THEM TO ALL TOWN BUS SERVICE AS THEY HAVE INCREASED WAGES, AS WELL AS CATERPILLAR, A DM, ET CETERA.

WE BELIEVE THAT THIS THIRD AMENDMENT, UM, WHICH WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1.2 MILLION OVER, SPREAD OVER THREE YEARS, SO THAT'S APPROXIMATELY 400,000 A YEAR, WILL GO DIRECTLY TO CDL WAGES, UH, FOR THE BUS DRIVERS WILL HELP US BRING IN MORE BUS DRIVERS.

SO AT THIS POINT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS, OPEN IT UP FOR DISCUSSION.

ANY QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. COOPER, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.

MM-HMM .

UM, WHAT'S THE STAFFING OF THE BUS DRIVERS AND HOW CURRENTLY, HOW LOW ARE THEY FROM WHAT THEIR BUDGETED FOR? WE ARE CURRENTLY STANDING AT ABOUT 28 DRIVERS,

[00:50:01]

SO, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL MR. HORN? UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID RECENTLY IS WE MOVED THE MECHANICS OVER TO BECOME CITY STAFF, UM, AND THAT MAY, UM, HAVE RESULTED IN BETTER OVERSIGHT, EFFICIENCIES, AND OVERALL COST SAVINGS.

IF MY MEMORY IS CORRECT IN READING THE TRANSPORTATION REPORT FOR THIS PAST MONTH, UM, THE UNION AND MV HAVE ALREADY RATIFIED THESE INCREASES THAT WE'RE VOTING ON TONIGHT.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, HAVE WE THOUGHT ABOUT WHETHER IT WOULD CREATE BETTER OVERSIGHT, EFFICIENCIES, AND COST SAVINGS IF WE MOVE THE DRIVERS OVER TO THE CITY? I'LL LET YOU COMMENT TO THIS REAL QUICKLY.

SEE, UH, BUT THIS, THIS IS, THIS HAS BEEN A CONVERSATION, UH, IN THE PAST AND, UH, IT'S NOT ONE THAT, UH, WE FEEL IS APPROPRIATE TO, UH, ADVANCE AT THIS TIME.

THE RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE.

IT'S ETU, CORRECT? UH, YES.

AND, UH, THE RELATIONSHIP WITH ETU AND JUST SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, WERE RECENTLY, UH, UH, CONCLUDED OR, UH, COMPLETED.

AND, UH, BUT, UH, TO THAT POINT, COUNCILMAN HORNE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT, UH, IN THE FUTURE, UH, BUT IT'S NOT, UH, AN IMMEDIATE, UH, UH, ITEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING ON.

I MEAN, LACEY, SHARE ANYTHING ELSE? I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD.

OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS ISSUE? SEE NONE.

AUTHORIZING DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, AND SIX ON 36 LLC MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF, AYE.

SEVEN AYES KNOWN NACE ITEM FIVE, RESOLUTION

[5. Resolution Authorizing Development Agreement between City of Decatur, Illinois and Stixon36 LLC]

THEY HAVE AGREED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT TO INCREASE THE ANNUAL FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAXES THAT WE RECEIVE 3% EVERY YEAR.

SECOND, MR. GL.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

AND COUNCIL, BEFORE I HAND THIS OVER TO, UH, CORPORATION COUNCIL, WINNIE MORLAND TO, UH, SPEAK TO THE SP UH, SPECIFICS.

THIS IS SOMETHING GOING BACKWARDS FOR THE COMMUNITY'S SAKE.

UH, THIS IS ACTION THAT THE COUNCIL TOOK COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

UH, THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAVE WITH, UH, STICKS ON 36.

UH, WE'VE HEARD QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY HERE AND THE NEED FOR A VIDEO GAMING LICENSE.

SO COUNCIL TOOK THE VERY PROACTIVE ACTION TO, UH, SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY, UH, TO CREATE A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, WENDY, WENDY, UH, RAN THE POINT ON AND TRULY GOT THIS ITEM ACROSS THE, UH, FINISH LINE.

AND I'LL SAY, UH, IT WAS, UH, AT TIMES A CHALLENGE, UH, NOT ANYBODY'S FAULT, BUT THIS IS AN INVESTMENT THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN MADE IN THIS, UH, IN THIS BUSINESS.

AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIND THE THINGS THAT WERE VERY UNIQUE, UH, ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY.

AND, UH, IT WAS CAPTURED, UH, IN THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.

TOM AND AMBER SHEETS, UH, IF YOU GUYS DON'T MIND, UH, THERE THEY ARE.

THERE'S TOM.

UH, THEY, UH, ARE THE OWNERS, UH, AND HAVE, UH, BEEN VERY, UH, GOOD TO WORK WITH.

WENDY, IF YOU WOULD WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGH POINTS, PLEASE.

UM, THIS IS A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT.

THEY CURRENTLY HAVE A CLASS G, WHICH REQUIRED AN A CLASS G LOOKER LICENSE, WHICH REQUIRED, UM, A 200, MINIMUM $250,000 INVESTMENT OVER, UM, THE, UH, I THINK IT, THE LEASEHOLD INTEREST THEY CAN USE FOR THE FIRST FIVE YEARS OF THAT IN THEIR BUSINESS.

BUT NONETHELESS, IT'S A $250,000 MINIMUM INVESTMENT.

SO IN ADDITION TO THAT REQUIREMENT THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THIS AGREEMENT, DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS A THREE YEAR AGREEMENT.

UM, THEY, UM, IN SITTING DOWN AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WHAT, UM, THEY WERE COMFORTABLE IN DOING, UM, THEY AGREED THAT IT WOULD INCLUDE INCREASING THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, UM, OF THEIR BUSINESS, WHICH WE FELT WAS IMPORTANT FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY.

THEY ARE GOING TO, IN ADDITION FOR SOME OF THOSE EMPLOYEES, UM, PROVIDE OR PAY FOR FOOD MANAGERS, UM, LICENSES, UM, FOR THOSE PERSONS THAT, UM, THEIR JOB CLASSIFICATIONS ARE RELEVANT FOR THAT THEY'VE AGREED TO HOLD A MINIMUM OF 50 REGIONALLY ADVERTISED AMATEUR PULL TOURNAMENTS PER YEAR AT THEIR PREMISES.

UM, I KNOW THAT WE QUESTION THAT AS SOME OF YOU HAVE, AND, UM, THEY ARE VERY COMFORTABLE, UM, WITH THAT NUMBER.

UM, IN ADDITION,

[00:55:01]

SO AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR AGREEMENT, UM, THOSE FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAXES PAYABLE TO THE CITY OF DECATUR, UM, WILL BE INCREASED, UH, BY 9%.

THEY'VE ALSO AGREED TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM OF 10,000 SQUARE FEET, UM, FOR THE PREMISES, INSTALL NEW BUSINESS SI SIGNAGE, INCREASE THEIR DINING ROOM CAPACITY BY 50%, WHICH, UM, WILL HOPEFULLY ALSO INCREASE THEIR FOOD AND BEVERAGE AND, UM, INVEST NO LESS THAN $250,000 IN ADDITION OVER THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.

SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE HIGHLIGHTS.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL? CHUCK? SO WALK ME THROUGH HOW ALL THESE REGULATIONS WILL BE MONITORED.

AND SO I BELIEVE THEY HAVE TO HAVE 50%, UH, OF FOOD SALES, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DROP TO 45% A MONTH AND THEN THEY'RE 55 AND THEN THEY'RE 40 AND SO ON? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WELL, UNDER OUR, OUR NEW, UH, REGULATIONS, UH, WELL AS FAR AS, AS A A, A RESTAURANT, UM, 50% OF THEIR BUSINESS MUST BE IN LIQUOR AND FOOD.

AND IF THEY DO NOT MEET THAT, AND WE'LL BE DOING AUDITS PERIODICALLY, UH, THEY WILL LOSE THEIR, UH, LIQUOR LICENSE.

WELL, I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF IT'S JUST ONE MONTH, I MEAN, WHAT, HOW OFTEN WILL WE BE DOING AUDITS? WELL, THEN JUST PERIODICALLY YOUR MIC'S OFF PAT.

SORRY.

PERIODICALLY, I MEAN, AGAIN, UH, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT A SCHEDULE AND HOW TO DO THAT AND, AND, UH, BUT YEAH, AGAIN, THAT JUST KEEPS EVERYBODY HONEST.

UH, AND THAT, SO IF YOU LOSE YOUR LIQUOR LICENSE, YOU LOSE YOUR, UH, UH, VIDEO GAMING UNDER STATE LAW.

BUT TO CHUCK'S POINT, I, I DON'T THINK THAT'S GONNA BE LIKE EVERY, NO, LIKE YOU HAVE A BAD MONTH BECAUSE IT'S BAD WEATHER OR WHATEVER.

IT'S MORE OF AN AVERAGE.

YEAH, THAT'S MY QUESTION.

IS THIS A YEARLY REPORT? IS IT SIX MONTHS? OR IS IT JUST WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM YET AND WE'RE FIGURING IT OUT? NO, AGAIN, IT JUST P PERIODICALLY AUDIT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, WE, AND THAT, AND YEAH, IT'LL BE BASED ON YEARLY SALES.

OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, MR. COOPER? JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS, I GUESS.

UM, YEAH, I INITIALLY HAD CONCERNS ABOUT, UM, 50 TOURNAMENTS, UH, ADVERTISED REGIONALLY IN A YEAR.

'CAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE 52 YEARS, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, 52 MONTHS.

52 WEEKS IN A YEAR.

AND, UH, I WAS THINKING WHEN I READ THAT, I SAID 50, I SAID, THAT'S BASICALLY GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A TOURNAMENT EVERY WEEK, UH, EXCEPT FOR TWO.

UM, BUT I WAS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, YOU MAY HAVE THREE TOURNAMENTS AND ONE WEEKEND, AND, UM, SO YOU SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM MEETING THAT.

SO, BUT THAT IS GOOD.

UM, AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT YOU WOULD BE BRINGING AND EXPOSING INTO OUR CITY, UM, I THINK THAT IS, UH, UH, GREAT.

AND I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO DO THAT MUCH.

UM, MY ONLY OTHER CONCERN WAS THAT YOU NEED TO INVEST, UH, 250,000, I THINK, UM, IN IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PLACE.

AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, UM, THEY'LL BE INCLUDED ON WHAT ALREADY HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS DAY AND THEN MEET THAT GOAL GOING FORWARD.

SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT WE HAVE THAT UNDERSTANDING.

THANK YOU MR. GLEASON.

JUST A COUPLE OF, UH, FOLLOW UP COMMENTS TO, UH, COUNCILMAN KEEL.

UH, YOU KNOW, TO YOUR QUESTION, AND IT WAS A GOOD QUESTION, WHILE WE ARE FORMULATING, UH, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE INSPECTION, THE COMPLIANCE WOULD LOOK LIKE, ALSO, SOMETIMES THINGS ARE COMPLAINT DRIVEN, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT OUR BUSINESSES TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND, UH, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, UH, UH, PENALIZE SOMEONE, UH, IF THEY'RE NOT COMPLIANT, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY A MONTH AT A TIME.

SO WE'RE GONNA DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET COMPLIANCE AND, UH, SEE THE SUCCESS FOR THIS ENTITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE OTHER THING THAT I WAS GONNA SHARE IS, UH, YOU KNOW, IN, IN CRAFTING THIS AGREEMENT, AND IT'S, UH, A VERY GOOD AGREEMENT, UH, THAT'S BEEN, UH, DEVELOPED, UH, WITH WENDY, UH, RUNNING THE LEAD ON THE, UH, CITY SIDE.

WE ALSO DIDN'T WANT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, WE HAVE HEARD AT THIS DI YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS CONCERNS, UH, MAYBE EVEN CRITICISMS ABOUT SOME OF THE VIDEO GAMING ALLOWANCES.

SO THIS FIRST DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, WAS GOING TO BE CRITICAL THAT, UH, WE HAD TO CAPTURE THINGS THAT SHOWED, UH, THE SUCCESS, THE UNIQUENESS OF SOMETHING, BECAUSE IT BECOMES THE TEMPLATE FOR WHAT MAY BE, UH, WHAT MAY COME IN FRONT OF, UH, COUNCIL IN THE FUTURE.

SO THIS WAS AN IMPORTANT ONE, VERY

[01:00:01]

SATISFIED WITH THE, UH, PRODUCT.

THAT'S WHY IT'S TAKEN A LITTLE BIT LONGER.

VERY MUCH APPRECIATE, UH, TOM AND AMBER'S, UH, PATIENCE WITH US, BUT WE HAD COMMUNICATION EVERY STEP OF THE WAY AND EXCITED TO, UH, BRING THIS IN FRONT OF COUNCIL TONIGHT.

MR. SHAQUILLE, SORRY, JUST A FOLLOW UP, JUST THE REASON I'M ASKING THIS IS BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TRYING NOT TO ADD VIDEO GAMING TO THIS COMMUNITY.

AND SO WHEN THIS GETS OUT TOMORROW, OH, ANOTHER VIDEO GAMING LICENSE IS GONNA BE APPROVED.

EVERYBODY'S GONNA ASK US, WELL, I THOUGHT YOU WERE CUTTING BACK ON VIDEO GAMING, SO THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING THAT.

I HOPE WE, WE HAVE TO STAY ON TOP OF THIS AND MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL SO THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ADDING THIS TO INCREASED BUSINESS.

WE'RE NOT JUST GIVING VIDEO GAMING LICENSE OUT.

AGAIN, DR. HORN, MULTIPLE QUESTIONS.

UH, FIRST, DIDN'T WE ALREADY START AUDITS FOR ENTITIES WITH VIDEO GAMING LICENSES? WE HAVE, IT'S AN AREA THAT WE'RE GONNA PUT MORE FOCUS, UH, AND BE MORE INTENTIONAL, UH, IN THE FUTURE.

BUT YES, WE WEREN'T ABSENT AUDITS, BUT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB.

UM, IN REGARDS TO THE INVESTING NO LESS THAN $250,000 IN THE PREMISE, IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE STICKS ON 36 DOES NOT OWN THE BUILDING.

SO ARE THEY INVESTING IN A BUILDING THAT THEY DO NOT EVEN OWN? OR COULD THIS BE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BUSINESS? IT'S BOTH.

IF THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO THEIR SPACE AS A RESULT OF THEIR, UM, DISCUSSIONS WITH THE LANDLORD, THAT POTENTIALLY, UM, IF THEY HAVE EQUIPMENT, UM, THAT HAS TO BE PURCHASED, IF THEY'RE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO, UM, NON FIXTURE ITEMS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED.

THAT'S OVER THE TERM OF THE AGREEMENT.

MAKE THEIR CHOICE, BUT WE AS A COUNCIL CAN ALSO MAKE A DECISION.

SO, UM, IT, IT, IT WOULD SEEM THAT THE LANDLORD ITSELF, THEY WOULD WANT TO MAKE INVESTMENTS TO MAKE STICKS ON 36 SUCCESSFUL, UM, AS OPPOSED TO, UM, STICKS ON 36, INVESTING A QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS PARTICULARLY INTO THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY DON'T OWN.

UM, I'D LIKE TO JUST BRIEFLY MENTION, UH, COUNCILMAN K'S POINT, UM, REGARDING GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2023, THERE WERE 87 GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS AND, UH, CITIZENS LOST $3.72 MILLION, UH, THAT MONTH.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2024, THERE WERE 85 GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS, A REDUCTION IN TWO, BUT CITIZENS LOST $3.8 MILLION, UH, LAST MONTH FROM GAMBLING.

AND SO THE, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS ONLY, AT BEST, MARGINALLY, UH, DECREASED THE NUMBER OF GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY OF DECATUR, UM, IN ONE YEAR'S TIME.

AND WE'LL BE ADDING ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT, UH, WHICH WOULD BE GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION IN SOMETHING THAT THE PUBLIC HAS SAID.

WE WANT LESS GAMBLING ESTABLISHMENTS.

AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IF, IF THE CITY COUNCIL THINKS THAT HOSTING 50 AMATEUR POOL TOURNAMENTS PER YEAR IS A VALUE TO THE CITY, AND I PERSONALLY THINK THAT THAT IS A VALUE TO THE CITY, I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OTHER ENTITY THAT IS DOING THAT, THEN WHY NOT INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES FOR NOT HAVING GAMBLING IN THEIR PREMISE? AND SO, AS ONE POSSIBILITY THAT I UNDERSTAND NEEDS LEGAL REVIEW, UM, WHY NOT REBATE FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX FOR THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION? WHY NOT ELIMINATE PROPERTY TAX? UH, FOR, UH, THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION, AT LEAST THE CITY OF DECATUR'S PORTION, WHAT WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS, WE KNOW YOU'RE STRUGGLING, AND SO WE'RE GONNA ADD GAMBLING, AND THAT'S GONNA MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

BUT THE VALUE OF STICKS ON 36.

ONE OF THE UNIQUE VALUES OF STICKS ON 36 IS THE POOL TOURNAMENTS.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO KEEP THAT PART OF THE BUSINESS GOING TO MAKE THEM SUCCESSFUL? AND I, I FEEL THAT WE ARE USING THE WRONG TOOL HERE.

YOU KNOW, I CAN ENCOURAGE CITIZENS NOT TO GO TO ESTABLISHMENTS THAT HAVE GAMING, AND I CAN DO THAT, AND CITIZENS WILL

[01:05:01]

WE ARE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE BUSINESSES THAT DON'T HAVE GAMING BY GIVING THEM TAX RELIEF.

AND SO I THINK THAT IS THE BETTER APPROACH THAN WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.

OTHER COMMENTS, MR. MCDANIEL? I WILL SAY THERE'S BEEN HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN OVER THE YEARS THAT HAVE BROUGHT IN THOUSANDS OF, UH, SPORTS FANS, UH, PARENTS, UH, KIDS.

SO MANY OF OUR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

SO IF THEY BRING THAT IN, THAT'S FINE, BUT THERE'S OTHER BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN DOING THE SAME FOR YEARS.

CHUCK, I'M GONNA VOTE FOR THIS TONIGHT, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT WE'RE OPEN TO A LITTLE BIT OF A FLOODGATE.

WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON TRYING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

SO I'M NOT OBLIVIOUS TO ALL THE EFFORTS WE'VE PUT INTO THIS, BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT, OH, WELL THEY GOT IT.

SO NOW WE'RE GONNA DO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN.

SO I GUESS I WANNA MAKE THIS AS TOUGH AS POSSIBLE.

I DON'T KNOW HOW ELSE TO SAY IT.

AND I DON'T WANT JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN 10 PEOPLE COMING IN TOMORROW, HEY, IT'S, IT'S TIME TO OPEN ANOTHER BUSINESS.

SO THAT, THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? YEAH, CHUCK, I AGREE WITH YOU THERE, BUT I THINK, AND I THINK WE CAN DO THAT BY, AND I THINK DR. HORNE AND OTHERS HAVE BROUGHT, HAVE BROUGHT IT UP WHERE WE BROUGHT IT UP BEFORE, UM, BY DOING A CAP ON EVERY SINGLE ESTABLISHMENT ON EVERY SINGLE ONE, DO A CAP AND THAT WILL MAGLEY SOLVE IT FROM GOING OVER THE CAP.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR COUNCILMAN COOPER.

DO YOU MEAN A CAP ON THE NUMBER OF MACHINES IN THE BUSINESS? YES.

THE STATE SETS THAT, NOT US, NOT THE CITIES, BUT WE COULD SET IT LOWER, CORRECT? WE COULD DO THAT, YES.

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

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN ABSTAIN.

MAYOR MORR WOLF.

ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

SIX AYES, ONE ABSTENTION.

ITEM SIX HAS BEEN PULLED FROM THE A AGENDA.

WE GO NOW TO ITEM SEVEN,

[7. City Manager Update]

UH, VERY BRIEF, UH, THIS EVENING.

UH, WANTED TO, UH, SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY, UH, WHAT'S BEEN SET IN MOTION AND, UH, THIS, UH, OPPORTUNITY THAT'S OUT OF THE ECONOMIC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS THE $20,000 GRANTS, UH, FOR, UH, UH, CHILDCARE, UH, UH, GRANT OPPORTUNITIES.

17 APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, UH, UP TO THIS POINT.

AND I'M GONNA REWIND THE CLOCK.

SO AFTER I FIRST GOT HERE, THE, UH, WE FOLKS CHILDCARE DISCUSSION IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, COUNCIL HAD BEFORE THEM.

UH, THIS WAS, UH, THE USE OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF, UH, A RP FUNDS.

THE IDEA IS, UH, THE LOCATION IS WHAT MADE IT IDEAL, UH, FOR, UH, COUNCIL TO CONSIDER THIS.

ALSO, THE FACT THAT, UH, THE PLAN IS FOR IT TO BE A 24 HOUR DAYCARE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT OTHER, UH, DAYCARES IN THE COMMUNITY? IS THERE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, TO OPEN EARLIER TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION? MAYBE TO STAY OPEN A LITTLE BIT, UH, LATER.

WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO, UH, ATTRACT, UH, OTHER, UH, CHILDCARE, UH, CENTERS IN THE COMMUNITY TO DO THIS? AND WE FOUND THAT IT WAS MONEY.

AND, UH, WE TOLD THIS COUNCIL ABOUT FIVE, SIX MONTHS AGO THAT WE WOULD STAND UP A, UH, SMALL GRANT PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS.

SO JUST PROVIDING A, A QUICK UPDATE.

AND THEN SECONDLY, UH, JIM, PLEASE, THE SECOND SLIDE.

THIS MERRY CHRISTMAS, I MEAN, AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

LAST CHANCE TO, UH, SAY THIS AS, UH, CITY STAFF TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND, UH, WE ARE WRAPPING UP WITH THIS LAST COUNCIL MEETING OF, UH, 2024, A VERY PRODUCTIVE YEAR.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ALRIGHT, MOVING NOW

[8. Consent Calendar: Items on the Consent Agenda/Calendar are matters requiring City Council approval or acceptance, but which are routine and recurring in nature, are not controversial, are matters of limited discretion, and about which little or no discussion is anticipated. However, staff’s assessment of what should be included on the Consent Agenda/Calendar can be in error. For this reason, any Consent Agenda/Calendar item can be removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar by any member of the governing body, for any reason, without the need for concurrence by any other governing body member. Items removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar will be discussed and voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda/Calendar.]

TO THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ITEMS? MR. COOPER? UM, ITEM NUMBER A, ANY OTHER ITEMS? OKAY, SEEING NONE, MADAM CLERK ITEM B RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL CARBON PUR 20 24 13 ITEM C RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL CARBON DIOXIDE, PUR 20 24 13.

ITEM D RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL CHLORINE PUR 20 24 13.

ITEM E RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL HYDRO FURIC ACID PUR 20 24 13.

ITEM F RESOLUTION.

[01:10:01]

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL LIME PUR 20 24 13.

ITEM G RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL, SODIUM CHLORIDE, PUR 20 24 13 ITEM H.

RESOLUTION.

ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL SODIUM CHLORIDE, PUR 20 24 13.

ITEM I RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A PURCHASE ORDER.

FURNISHING WATER TREATMENT CHEMICAL, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE, PUR 2024 DASH 13 ITEM J RE, ORDINANCE REZONING PROPERTY FROM B ONE NEIGHBORHOOD SHOPPING DISTRICT TO PD PLAN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT 1326 AND 1336 WEST EL DORADO STREET, ITEM K RESOLUTION, ACCEPTING THE BID AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A CONTRACT WITH ANTLER EXCAVATING COMPANY, INC.

FOR THE 2024 STORM DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 20 24 30 ITEM L RESOLUTION, APPROVING AND DETERMINING THE NEED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY OF MINUTES OF CLOSED MEETINGS.

AND ITEM M RES RECEIVING AND FILING OF MINUTES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

MAYOR MOR WOLF.

AND YOU DID THOSE CHEMICALS REALLY WELL.

I USED TO HAVE TO DO THOSE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF DECATUR TO PROVIDE AN INNER FUND CASH ADVANCE TO CERTAIN FUNDS TO AFFECT A POSITIVE CASH POSITION AS THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS AS OF DECEMBER 31ST, 2024.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

THEY'RE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.

ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.

YES, THANKS.

SEVEN I'S, AND NO NAYS.

SO THEN WE'LL MOVE TO THE

[A. Resolution Authorizing the City of Decatur to Provide an Interfund Cash Advance to Certain Funds to Affect a Positive Cash Position as of the Close of Business as of December 31, 2024]

MOTION AT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

UH, YOU'RE GOING TO, UH, HAVE THINGS THAT ARE HIGHLIGHTED EVEN MORE, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL IS FULLY AWARE OF, UH, WHAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY WITH OPERATIONS, NOT JUST ON A TOPIC LIKE THIS, BUT, UH, IN OTHER AREAS, UH, AS WELL.

SECOND, MR. COOPER.

UH, THANK YOU, MAYOR.

MY, UM, I GUESS SOME QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS OR WHATEVER I HAVE HERE.

UM, AND READING THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAD BASICALLY A $1.2 MILLION O OVER SPINACH IN, IN AN AREA.

AND, UH, I THINK A LOT OF THAT WAS DUE TO, UM, DEMOTIONS AND ET CETERA.

UM, AND I GUESS MY, WHAT I NEED TO KNOW IS, TO ME THIS IS A BIG OVERAGE, AND I'M NOT ALL SURE WHO'S AT FAULT, BUT OBVIOUSLY SOMEBODY'S AT FAULT TO HAVE A $1.2 MILLION MISTAKE.

SO HAS WE, HAVE, WE PUT ANYTHING IN PLACE THAT COME NEXT YEAR? UM, WE DON'T RUN INTO THE SAME TYPE OF SITUATION OR SAME TYPE OF AIR BY, UH, STAFF OR WHOEVER.

UM, MISSING SOMETHING TO THAT DEGREE.

UH, I THINK JUST, UH, UNFORTUNATE TO THE TAXPAYERS THAT, UM, THEY'RE BASICALLY PAYING, UM, TAX MONEY FOR THIS TYPE OF OVERAGE DUE TO SOMEBODY NOT TRACKING EXPENDITURES APPROPRIATELY.

AND ALL THE EXPEND, ALL THE REQUESTS DO COME TO US, BUT WE DO DEPEND ON, UH, THOSE STAFF TO BE SUBMITTING TO US THINGS THAT ARE WITHIN THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE APPROVED FOR THEM TO OPERATE WITH THEM.

I'M GONNA TAKE THE, UM, UH, FIRST STAB AT THIS AND I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA GET BY WITH JUST SAYING YES.

UH, WE'RE GONNA DO A BETTER JOB.

UH, I'M GOING TO BACK UP A LITTLE.

AND THIS WAS DEFINITELY A PART OF OUR FY 25, UH, BUDGET DISCUSSION.

IT'S BEEN A PART OF, UH, SOME OF THE TREASURER'S REPORTS, UH, IN THE PAST.

AND, UH, THE CITY, UH, RECEIVED ABOUT, UH, $34.9 MILLION IN ERP FUNDS.

UH, THIS WAS, UH, AN AREA THAT WAS PLEDGED, UH, TO A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION, UH, DEMOLITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONE IN THE PAST.

AND IN FACT, UH, THE OVERAGE WAS MORE THAN THE, UH, $1.2 MILLION AMOUNT THAT IS IN THIS CONSENT ITEM, BUT IT HAD BEEN RECONCILED THROUGH SOME OF THE TIF FUNDS AND, UH, OTHER AREAS.

AND THIS IS A LESSER AMOUNT, AND THAT'S BEEN DISCUSSED IN THE PAST.

NOW, AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT STAFF HAVE BEEN DOING, UH, THAT, UH, UH, THAT FUND WAS, UH, LOCKED DOWN SEPTEMBER 1ST BY MYSELF.

AND WE DID NOT ALLOW ANY, UH, ADDITIONAL SPENDING IN THE, UH, LAST MONTH OF THE THIRD QUARTER IN THE ENTIRE, UM, UH, THIRD, I'M SORRY, FOURTH QUARTER EXCEPT FOR, UH, SOME, UH, APPROVED, UH, NEEDED, UH, DEMOLITIONS.

I THINK THE TOTAL WAS, UH, 12.

SO THERE IS OVERSIGHT IN PLACE NOW ON THE OVERSPENDING.

YOU KNOW, IT, IT COULD BE SAID THAT, UH, UH, STAFF HAD MADE, UH, COUNSEL AWARE AND, UH, IN FACT, IF IT WAS, YOU KNOW, A, A COMMENT OR IF IT WAS, UH, A SENTENCE IN A MEMO, UH, MY PLEDGE TO, UH, THIS COUNCIL, AND I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE,

[01:15:01]

SO, UH, COUNCILMAN, UH, COOPER, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, UH, THINGS WERE LOCKED DOWN EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST.

UH, WE'RE RECONCILING THE, UH, OVERSPEND AND I'M CONFIDENT THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

AND, AND RUBY, ANYTHING ADDITIONALLY THAT YOU WANT TO ADD? NO, I THINK YOU COVERED IT.

READY TO CALL THE QUESTION.

MADAM CLERK COUNCILMAN KUHL? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS.

AND NOW MOVING ON TO OTHER

[VI. Other Business]

BUSINESS.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE SOMETHING TO BRING BEFORE THE BODY THIS EVENING? OH, CHUCK, SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE.

I JUST WANT TO THANK TERRY HAMILL AND THE DECATUR AREA CONVENTION VISITORS BUREAU FOR PLACING THE ORNAMENT PHOTO DESTINATION.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT I WOULD CALL IT IN CENTRAL PARK.

UH, AND I BELIEVE THE IBEW HELPED INSTALL THAT AS WELL, BUT THAT'S A NICE ADDITION TO, TO CENTRAL PARK.

AND JUST OF NOTE, I BELIEVE IT WAS SPONSORED BY EARTH MOVER CREDIT UNION AND IT WENT THROUGH, UM, THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU MENTIONED THEM OR NOT, BUT KUDOS TO ALL DR. HORN.

I JUST WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO HERITAGE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER FOR RECEIVING A $43.8 MILLION GRANT FROM THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTHCARE AND FAMILY SERVICES AND THE ILLINOIS CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT BOARD TO RENOVATE ITS NEWLY ACQUIRED NORTHGATE PROPERTY.

UH, THIS REMODELING PROJECT WILL POSITIVELY TRANSFORM HOW SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO OVER 7,500 INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FOR YOUR AMAZING INVESTMENT IN DECATUR AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS FAMILIES.

UH, WE LOOK FORWARD TO A STATE OF THE ART FACILITY THAT SERVES THOSE IN NEED WITH EXCEPTIONAL CARE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

WE ARE SO APPRECIATIVE.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS? UH, MR. COOPER, UH, JUST WANT TO GIVE, UH, KUDOS TO THE, UM, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR THE, UM, GREAT ARTICLE THAT JUST CAME OUT.

WE RECEIVED IT TODAY REGARDING THE, UM, AWARDS YOU GOT, UM, FOR THE GREAT STREETS PROJECT AND, UM, AND FOR THAT OVERALL PROJECT, HOW IT'S BEEN, UH, ACCEPTED AND MOVING RIGHT FORWARD.

SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FINISHED PRODUCT.

AND A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN KUHL AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? AYE.