Aug 04, 2025 City Council Meeting

MY NAME IS MAKI OAND.

I'M, UH, ON THE DECATUR SISTERS CITIES COMMITTEE FOR OVER 20 YEARS.

AND I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU SIX FINE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT AMBASSADORS.

SO, UM, OKAY.

OH, HE HAS GIFT FOR YOU.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YEP.

THIS IS FROM THE CITY OF, UM, AVA.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I'M GONNA MENTION, UM, HIS, UM, HOST FAMILY RA KIM AND STEVEN FRE AND ETHAN.

JUST THAT THIS IS A MEDALLION REPRESENTING STEVE.

INDICATED THAT THE CITY WAS NAMED AFTER ERISA RIGO.

AND HER, UH, HOST FAMILY IS CRYSTAL AND ELISE HARDING AND KAMI METTER.

RU ZUKA.

AND HIS HOST FAMILY IS AMANDA AND MITCH DUCKWORTH, JACK, LUKE AND PARKER.

AND I WANT TO MENTION THAT HIS MOTHER CAME TO DECATUR IN ABOUT 30 YEARS AGO AS A SISTER CITIES STUDENT AMBASSADOR.

SO HE'S A SECOND GENERATION AMBASSADOR.

FIRST TIME THAT'S HAPPENED.

IT, IT'S BEGINNING TO HAPPEN BECAUSE IT, WE'VE BEEN IN THIS RELATIONSHIP FOR FIF 60 YEARS NOW.

SO , UH, NOW MAY SATO AND HER, UH, HER HOST FAMILY IS STACY AND MATT VOLCKER AND BRADY KOTO.

WAKAYAMA.

HELLO .

HER HOST FAMILY CRYSTAL AND MIKE SUNDERLAND.

AND THEY HAVE A SPECIAL GIFT FOR YOU MAY.

THIS IS MADE BY US.

OH, THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.

WE'LL DISPLAY IT AT THE CITY.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

NOW, UH, THE LEADER, OH, I'M SORRY.

THE LEADER OF THE GROUP.

CANON WILL MAKE AN A SMALL SPEECH.

[00:05:01]

UH, HELLO EVERYONE.

UH, WE HAVE COME FROM, UH, TO OUR CITY, UH, JAPAN, UH, TO DEEPENS THEIR BONDS BETWEEN OUR SISTER CITIES.

NEXT YEAR, UH, WE MAKE THE SIXTIES ANNIVERSARY, UH, OF THE SISTER CITY RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN, UH, TOWARDS OUR CITY AND DECAY CITY.

UH, WHAT CAN WE LEAVE, UH, BEHIND FOR THE NEXT 60 YEARS WATCHING THE NEWS? UH, IT SEEMS THAT EVEN JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES, WHICH ARE, UH, ONCE CONSIDERED, UH, FRIENDLY NATIONS, UH, GRADUALLY APART, UH, GRADUALLY GROWING APART.

UH, HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT THE COLLECTIONS BETWEEN PEOPLE HAVE REMAINED JUST AS IMPORTANT AS, UH, THEY WERE 60 YEARS AGO.

AND, UH, ISN'T THAT SOMETHING, UH, WE SHOULD STRIVE TO PRESERVE FOR THE FUTURE? UH, IHIN VERY HOPE THAT TOWARDS OUR CITY AND DECATUR CITY WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEIR WONDERFUL RELATIONSHIP FOR ANOTHER 60 YEARS.

THAT'S ALL.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

THANKS.

IF THE FAMILIES WANTED TO GET PICTURES OF THEM, WE CAN PUT THEM IN FRONT OF THE, UH, COUNCIL.

YEAR 2025 MARKS 150 YEARS OF SERVICE NOW, THEREFORE, I, JULIE MAYOR, UH, JULIE MOORE WOLF MAYOR OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, PROCLAIMS SUNDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 2025, AS DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY DAY IN RECOGNITION OF ITS DEDICATED SERVICE AS AN EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THE OKAY.

COME DOWN.

WILL, WILL YOU STAND? YES, YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS.

AND NEXT, IF I COULD HAVE RICK MEYER FROM THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY COME TO THE PODIUM LIBRARY IS CELEBRATING A VERY SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY.

GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY.

WHEREAS ON AUGUST 3RD, 1875, THE CITY COUNCIL OF DECATUR APPROVED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PUBLIC LIBRARY TO SERVE THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR.

AND WHEREAS ON AUGUST 10TH, 1875, THE DECATUR FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY OPENED WITH RICHARD LEWIS EVANS AS CITY LIBRARIAN AT THE CORNER OF EAST MAIN AND NORTH WATER STREETS, WITH A COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND PERIODICALS FROM THE FORMER LADIES LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AND READING ROOM ASSOCIATION.

AND WHEREAS THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY HAVE BENEFITED THROUGH SAID COLLECTION AND PUBLIC SERVICE, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL, LITERARY ENTERTAINMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES THROUGH AN EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF PRINT, AUDIO, VISUAL, AND DIGITAL MEDIA, AS WELL AS A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND COLLABORATIVE VENTURES WITH OTHER PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS.

AND WHEREAS THROUGH DEDICATED STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS HAVE PROVIDED COURTEOUS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE MAKING THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY AN INVALUABLE EDUCATIONAL, ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CENTER FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND WHEREAS THE DECATUR PUBLIC LIBRARY REMAINS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING PROGRAMS, RESOURCES, AND SERVICES THAT CONNECT CLOSELY WITH THE PRESENT NEEDS OF DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY.

AND WHEREAS THE

[00:10:01]

THANKS.

IF YOU'LL BRING THAT UP, I'D BE HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

AND IT IS A BIG NIGHT.

NEXT WE HAVE LEANNE BOND, UH, PROCLAMATION ON NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL AND CITY MANAGER.

UM, WHEREAS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH SPONSORS A NATIONAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 2025 ENTITLED NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

AND WHEREAS THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT CAMPAIGN PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEIGHBORS IN OUR CITY TO JOIN OVER 38 MILLION NEIGHBORS ACROSS 17,000 COMMUNITIES FROM ALL 50 STATES, US TERRITORIES AND MILITARY BASES WORLDWIDE.

WHEREAS NATIONAL NIGHT OUT IS AN ANNUAL COMMUNITY BUILDING CAMPAIGN THAT PROMOTES STRONG POLICE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND NEIGHBORHOOD COMRADERY TO MAKE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD SAFER, MORE CARING PLACES TO LIVE AND WORK.

AND WHEREAS NEIGHBORS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR ASSIST THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THROUGH JOINT COMMUNITY BUILDING EFFORTS AND SUPPORT, SUPPORT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT 2025 AT JOHNS HILL PARK FROM FIVE TO 8:00 PM FOR A TIME OF FUN FOOD GAMES AND GIVEAWAYS.

AND WHEREAS IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT ALL NEIGHBORS FROM THE CITY OF DECATUR COME TOGETHER WITH POLICE AND WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD A SAFER, MORE CARING COMMUNITY.

NOW THEREFORE, I MAYOR JULIE MOORE WOLF DO HEREBY CALL UPON ALL NEIGHBORS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR TO JOIN THE COALITION OF NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, THE NATIONAL NIGHT OUT COMMITTEE, AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOWN WATCH IN SUPPORT OF NATIONAL NIGHT OUT ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 5TH, 2025.

AND IF YOU BRING THAT UP, I'D BE HAPPY TO SIGN IT.

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO TOMORROW NIGHT.

IT'LL BE A LOT OF FUN.

WE MOVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS.

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK.

AND NOW

[III. Appearance of Citizens]

THE 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 HAVE DONE SO.

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

WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY? GOOD EVENING.

I'M ANN OWENS.

UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANTED TO SAY AS A MEMBER OF NATIONAL NIGHT OWL COMMITTEE, LEANNE, FOR THE FIRST TIME FOR HER TO BE CHAIR IT, SHE HAS DONE A MARVELOUS JOB.

I'M VERY PROUD OF HER.

WE HAD OUR FINAL MEETING TODAY.

SHE HAS EVERYTHING VERY WELL ORGANIZED, SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING A LOT OF PEOPLE TOMORROW NIGHT.

I'M ALSO HERE TO REMIND YOU THAT AT THE GOVERNOR OGLESBY MANSION, WE DID HAVE OUR WRITTEN CUTTING FOR OUR FREE LIBRARY, UM, DR. HORN HAD ATTENDED.

SO WE REALLY DID THAT BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR HAS A GREAT LOVE OF READING.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE MOST OF HIS COLLECTION OF BOOKS IN OUR LIBRARY.

I HAVE TO HAND ONE TO DR. HORN WHEN HE WAS THERE THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD ACTUALLY SIGNED.

SO HE GOT TO HOLD A BOOK THAT WE KNOW HE HELD.

BUT ALSO IN AUGUST ON EVERY WEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY FROM TWO TO FOUR, WE PARTNERED WITH A DECATUR QUILTER SCALE AND THEY HAVE OVER A DOZEN OF ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS QUILTS THAT ARE ON DISPLAY THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM.

SO WE'RE OPEN FROM TWO TO FOUR.

[00:15:01]

AND ON THE 30TH, WHICH IS ON A SATURDAY AT TWO O'CLOCK, ONE OF THE LADIES FROM THE QUILTERS HILL IS GOING TO GIVE A TALK ABOUT CRAZY QUILTS.

CRAZY QUILTS ARE SOMETHING THAT MOST OF US, PROBABLY OUR GREAT-GRANDMOTHERS WOULD'VE MADE.

THEY'RE IN THE ERA OF THE 1880S WHEN THE GOVERNOR WAS IN THE MANSION.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE OF THOSE QUILTS THAT BELONG TO DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE QUILTER SCALE ON DISPLAY.

SO SHE'S GOING TO GIVE A TALK EXPLAINING THE IMPORTANCE OF CRAZY QUILTS, AND WE CERTAINLY INVITE ALL OF YOU TO ATTEND.

DOES ANYONE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? GOOD AFTERNOON OR EVENING EVERYONE.

MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE CITY MANAGER? I'M KATHY WILLIAMS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO ECHO THE SAME COMMENTS FROM ANN ABOUT THE GREAT JOB LEE ANN AND THE, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT COMMITTEE HAS DONE.

I'M ALSO ON THE COMMITTEE AND THEY HAVE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB, ESPECIALLY LEE IN FILLING IN.

SO I, WE THINK TOO THAT TOMORROW WILL BE ONE OF THE BEST NIGHTS FOR NATIONAL NIGHT EVER.

AND THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE NICE.

SO WE LIKE THAT.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT, UH, THURSDAY, THIS THURSDAY THAT SIA SOUTHSIDE IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION WILL HAVE THEIR REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING.

IT IS STARTS AT FIVE 30 AND WE TRY TO KEEP OUR MEETINGS TO AN HOUR LIKE WE DO AT KONO BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE IN A MEETING ALL NIGHT.

SO WE TRY TO KEEP IT MOVING.

JUST A HINT.

UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THE SIA COMMUNITY GARDEN.

I'M ONE OF THE CHAIRPERSONS OVER IT.

AND WE WORKED IN THE GARDEN TODAY CLEANING SOME THINGS UP.

BUT IT LOOKS GOOD.

THE FLOWERS LOOK GOOD OVER THERE.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL THAT THE CHILDREN HAD PLANTED FROM JOHNS HILL SCHOOL.

WE, I GET COMMENTS ALL THE TIME ABOUT HOW BEAUTIFUL THEY LOOK, BUT ALSO I AM SO HAPPY THAT THE ADVANCEMENT FROM THE CITY THAT THEY GAVE US FOR OUR GARDEN TO START, IT WAS $25,000.

THAT MONEY'S BEEN GONE.

BUT ONE OF OUR BIG PROJECTS WAS TO HAVE A FENCE PUT UP.

AND SO IT'S A LOT OF WORK WITH A GARDEN THAT I FOUND OUT.

BUT THIS WEEK A LANDSCAPER'S GONNA CUT DOWN THE TREES ALONG THE FENCE LINE AND CLEAN UP THE STUMPS THERE.

AND THEN NEXT WEEK THEY WILL BE PUTTING UP A FENCE, A NICE, BEAUTIFUL BLACK FENCE.

SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT.

I'M ALSO THANKFUL FOR THE FAITHFUL PEOPLE BECAUSE I'M NOT A REAL GARDENER.

I LOVE BEING THERE.

WE MEET A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I LEARN A LOT.

IT'S HARD WORK, VERY HARD WORK, WHICH GOOD EXERCISE.

BUT I LIKE THE PLANNING SIDE OF IT AND I LIKE TO SEE THINGS COME TO AN END.

AND IT'S NOT THAT IT'S GOING TO END, BUT THE BIG PROJECT, THE FENCE WAS OUR LAST BIG PROJECT.

SO I'M THANKFUL FOR THAT AND I'M THANKFUL FOR, UH, THE SUPPORT THAT WE HAVE HAD FROM THE COMMUNITY.

ABOUT $130,000 RENOVATING AND TOOK A BATH ON IT WHEN THEY SOLD IT.

THANK YOU, SIR.

MY NAME'S MARK A BIRCH LIFELONG RESIDENT, DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

YOU RECEIVED A, A, A BRIDGE VERSION OF THE, THE FOIA INFORMATION THAT I GOT ON THE HOUSE AT 8 0 4 WESTWOOD STREET.

AND I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE MAYOR TO HELP ME IN MY QUEST TO GET THIS HOUSE TORE DOWN.

I'VE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS HOUSE SINCE 2012.

UM, THERE'S 16 DIFFERENT CODE VIOLATIONS, UH, IN THIS FOYER THAT YOU SEE THE BRIDGE VERSION OF AND A DEVICE MY MOTHER GAVE ME YEARS AGO.

I'M ASKING FOR YOUR HELP.

'CAUSE THE WORST YOU CAN DO IS SAY, NO, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T KILL ME AND EAT ME.

SO, UM, WHAT I'M HOPING IS THAT IF, AND I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICS OF DEMOLITIONS, THERE'S WAY MORE HOUSES THAT DESERVE TO BE DEMOED THAN THERE IS MONEY.

BUT WHAT I'M HOPING IS IF YOU ONLY DEMO ONE HOUSE, THAT THIS ONE GETS TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.

AND I WOULD ASK IF, IF YOU HAD TIME IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS FOR THE NEXT CITY COUNCIL MEETING THAT YOU DRIVE BY 8 0 4 WESTWOOD AND LOOK AT THE HOUSE AT EIGHT 14 WESTWOOD, WHICH MY PARENTS AND I GREW UP IN, AND I HAD TO BUY FROM THE STATE BECAUSE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO MARKET IT WITH A HOUSE THAT SET NEXT DOOR TO IT.

MY PARENTS BOUGHT AT MY DAD'S RETIREMENT, THE AGE OF 80, BOUGHT THE HOUSE AT 8 26.

WESTWOOD SPENT

[00:20:01]

AND IF, IF THEY LIVED LONG ENOUGH, THEY PROBABLY WOULD'VE DONE THE SAME THING WITH THE HOUSE ON THE CORNER.

BUT THIS HOUSE NEEDS TO BE DEMOED AND IT NEEDS TO GO TO THE TOP OF THE LIST, INCLUDING MY NAME AND PHONE NUMBER IF YOU WANTED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION I CAN PROVIDE.

BUT I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL IF THERE'S ONE HOUSE DEMOED THIS SUMMER THAT THIS ONE GETS TO THE TOP OF THE LIST.

BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, IT'S A, IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE THIS HOUSE TO BE IN A HISTORICAL DISTRICT.

THE GUY THAT THE, THE, THE ONE OF THE SHEETS THAT YOU HAVE, 2015, THE ROOF COMPLETELY CAVED IN AND IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BROUGHT UP TO CODE.

AND IT'S, IT'S, YOU COULD THROW A STATEMENT ART THROUGH THE HOLES IN THE ROOF THAT THEY'RE, THEY, THE FIX ON IT WAS THROW SOME SHEETING ON IT AND SOME SHINGLES, WHICH IS NOT THE PROPER METHOD.

SO FROM 2015 TO TODAY'S DATE IS THAT CODE VIOLATION HAS NOT BEEN, UH, ADDRESSED.

AND WHEN I FIRST STARTED CALLING IN ABOUT THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY, I DIDN'T GIVE MY NAME.

AND APPARENTLY SUSAN SEGGER, THE CURRENT CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT PERSON CALLED ME, ASKED TO, CALLED ME BY NAME.

APPARENTLY YOU HAVE CALLER ID, UH, AND SAID, MR. BIRCH, THE, THE REASON I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING.

'CAUSE THE MAN WAS AN OWNER THAT WAS ELDERLY AND HILL HEALTH.

SO THAT'S NOT A REALLY GOOD REASON FOR NOT BID BY CITY CODE.

THERE'S NO OPPORTUNITIES.

THANK YOU MR. BIRCH.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS ABIR MOTIAN.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO MENTION TO YOU THAT, UM, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAVE AUTHOR CHANGED SOME BILLS TO WHERE THEY ARE GIVING PEOPLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EMPLOYMENT.

I HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER IN THE MAIL AND IT DIRECTED ME TO GO TO WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS INVESTMENTS.

I WENT THERE, THERE WAS NOTHING, THEY EVEN HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO DO.

I WENT FOR NOTHING.

THIS IS WHAT'S WRONG WITH DECATUR.

AND I FOUND OUT WHY.

FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA BRING UP SOMETHING SO I CAN EXPLAIN FAMILY TREES, OKAY? UM, HANNAN SHAHEEN WAS STABBED BY JOSEPH ZBA.

ZBA IS FOR, IS SHORT FOR ZBA, WHICH MEANS STORM.

HE IS FORENSICALLY RELATED TO SUHA.

RAFFA'S WIFE'S FATHER UD.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY PALESTINIAN, OKAY? BUT THEY'RE GETTING AWAY WITH PALESTINIAN.

SHE, SO SHE BAED HIS FOODS AND DRINKS AND HE DIED.

SO JOSEPH ZBA IN FRONT OF AMERICA IS PRETENDING TO BE AMERICAN AND HE'S NOT AMERICAN.

NOW THERE IS AN ATTORNEY GENERAL ISRAEL, SHE'S FIRED.

HER NAME IS MIERA.

MIERA IS FORENSICALLY RELATED TO SU, NOT AL.

MOTHER'S NAME IS RO WAND HOA, WHICH MEANS AIR, IT MEANS WAND TV AIRING.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM.

THERE IS CORRUPTION HERE, INDICATOR LINKED WITH TERRORISTS COMING FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY'RE PALESTINIANS, BUT THEY'RE NOT.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM.

AND SO THIS IS AMERICA.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE RUSSIA.

AND HER C CONNECTION IS RUSSIA.

THAT IS RUSSIA.

THEY ARE PER PORTRAYING THEMSELVES AS PALESTINIANS.

AND THEY'RE NOT.

BUT SEE, THERE, THERE'S TOO MANY FAKE PALESTINIANS IN PALESTINE AND THAT'S WHY THEY LIKE TO DO THE ROWDINESS AND THEY CALL THE ARABIC .

THEY EVEN HAVE A, AN EGYPTIAN MOVIE CALLED MAD WHERE THEY'D LIKE TO DO ROWDINESS IN SCHOOLS.

I WANT THIS TO CHANGE EVEN SIT, EVEN SITTING IN FRONT OF ME.

THERE ARE PEOPLE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME, I AM LOOKING AT WHO ARE RELATED TO .

SHE'S NOT PALESTINIAN.

AND WE GOTTA FIX THIS PROBLEM.

WE GOTTA STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT.

ONE MORE THING I WANT TO MENTION IS DONALD TRUMP AND JB PRICKER CAN GET ALONG.

THEY BOTH HAVE THINGS IN COMMON SUCH AS HOTELS.

THEY'RE BOTH BUSINESSMEN.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND.

WHY DO JB PRICKER CAN'T INVITE DONALD TRUMP TO ILLINOIS? I INVITE DONALD TRUMP TO ILLINOIS.

I WANT EVERYBODY ELSE TO DO IT.

EVERYBODY SHOULD TREAT PEOPLE EQUALLY.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GREAT EVENING.

THIS IS FOR MR. GLEASON.

AND AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT ALL OF Y'ALL TO TELL ME HAPPY BIRTHDAY BECAUSE ON EIGHT THREE I WAS 83.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? MY NAME IS JAMES TAYLOR

[00:25:01]

NOW SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, .

[IV. Approval of Minutes]

WE'LL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 21ST, 2025.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

SECOND.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS.

ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MOVING THEN TO

[1. Resolution Authorizing the Execution of an Agreement for the Natural Gas Supply for the City of Decatur Accounts]

NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH AN NATURAL GAS SUPPLY FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR.

ACCOUNTS MOTION, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

THAT NATURAL GAS CONTRACT ENDS NOVEMBER 1ST, 2025.

SECOND, MR. GLEASON.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

AND COUNSEL, UH, I'M GONNA ASK, UH, SHELBY DUPONT, UH, REPRESENTATIVE WITH UH, CQI TO COME TO THE PODIUM.

AND WHAT THIS ITEM IS, UH, WE HAVE A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, CQI.

UH, YOU MIGHT RECALL THAT SHELBY WAS HERE, UH, A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

UH, THEY TAKE CARE OF, UH, OUR ENERGY, UH, ACCOUNTS THAT WE HAVE.

UH, THIS ONE IS, UH, AUTHORIZING IF APPROVED, AUTHORIZING ME TO BE ABLE TO BE SIGNATORY FOR, UH, UH, AN AGREEMENT RELATED TO NATURAL GAS.

I'D ASK, UH, SHELBY JUST TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE VOLATILITY OF, UH, THE NATURAL GAS MARKET AND, UH, WHY WE'RE DOING THIS IN ADVANCE OF THE, UH, CONTRACT, UH, CONTRACT EXPIRING.

ABSOLUTELY.

THANK YOU MAYOR.

COUNCIL, CITY MANAGER FOR HAVING ME.

SHELBY DUPONT WITH CQI ASSOCIATES.

FEW MONTHS BACK WE DID THE ELECTRIC SUPPLY AGREEMENT, NOW WE'RE ONTO NATURAL GAS.

TYPICALLY WE DO IT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS IN ADVANCE, BUT WITH THE MARKET MOVEMENT AND UH, JUST THE UNCERTAINTY OF IT RIGHT NOW IS PROBABLY THE PRIME TIME TO START TONIGHT I'M ASKING FOR THE COUNCIL TO APPROVE AN EXTENSION CONTRACT WITH CONSTELLATION GAS FOR A 12 TO 36 MONTH UNDER 55 CENTS A THERM.

NOW I WILL SAY THAT WILL BE A SLIGHT COST TO INCREASE COMPARED TO CURRENT CONTRACT, BUT IT'LL GET US THROUGH THIS WINTER.

UM, IF APPROVED, I'M GONNA TAKE THIS BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD WITH CONSTELLATION, HOPEFULLY FROM NOW TILL SEPTEMBER ONE WITH A NOVEMBER ONE START TO GET THE BEST PRICE POSSIBLE AND NEGOTIATE WITH THEIR UPPER MANAGEMENT.

UM, WITH, LEMME SEE IF THERE, YEAH.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW? YEAH.

OPENING UP TO COUNCIL FOR QUESTIONS.

YOU MUST HAVE DONE A REALLY GOOD JOB.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.

AND NOW TO THE

[2. City Manager Update]

CITY MANAGER UPDATE.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, JUST HAVE A FEW SLIDES.

THIS IS THE, UH, FIRST MEETING OF THE MONTH.

SO IT'S, UH, PRIMARILY ABOUT THE CITY EMPLOYEES, UH, NEW HIRES WE HAVE, UH, TODD LAWRENCE WAS, UH, HIRED AS A SERVICE WORKER IN PUBLIC WORKS.

MASON CAREY HAS AN ENGINEERING TECH AT THE PUBLIC WORKS.

THOSE HAVE BEEN HARD TO, UH, COME BY.

SO WE, UH, VERY MUCH WELCOME MASON.

A BOARD DONE MORE, UH, TRANSIT LEAD FLEET MECHANIC, UH, IN THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN INTERNAL APPOINTMENTS.

UH, WE HAVE, UH, AARON THAT WAS, UH, MOVED INTO A GRANTS ADMINISTRATOR POSITION IN ECD LEANNE BOND THAT'S IN THE AUDIENCE.

UH, READ THE PROCLAMATION FOR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AS A GRANT SPECIALIST PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE ECD DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN ALSO LEIA, UH, WAS A MOVED FROM FINANCE TO ECD AND IS THE GRANTS, UH, SPECIALIST REPORTING AND FINANCIAL COMPLIANCE.

THEN WE HAVE TWO PROMO, UH, PROMOTIONS.

BRIAN ALLISON, UH, PROMOTED TO POLICE SERGEANT WITHIN, UH, THE, UH, POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN MATT MOORE WAS, UH, PROMOTED TO EQUIPMENT OPERATOR WITHIN UH, PUBLIC WORKS.

THEN THE LAST SLIDE IS, UH, JUST UH, SHARING, UH, NATIONAL NIGHT OUT.

I KNOW WE READ A PROCLAMATION, BUT THIS IS TOMORROW NIGHT AT, UH, JOHNS HILL.

AS WE HEARD UNDER, UH, PUBLIC, UH, COMMENT.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE WEATHER IS GONNA COOPERATE.

IT'S GONNA BE A GREAT EVENING.

IT'S GONNA BE DRY, LOW EIGHTIES.

AND, UH, SHOULD BE UM, UH, A GOOD TIME FOR ALL.

ITEM A RECEIVING AND FILING OF MINUTES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO

[3. 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.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA? DIDN'T THINK SO.

MADAM CLERK

[00:30:01]

ITEM B ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR IN CENTRAL PARK, DECATUR AREA ARTS COUNCIL ARTS AND CENTRAL PARK 2025 ITEM C.

RESOLUTION APPROVING APPOINTMENT LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

SECOND.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE OTHER BUSINESS TO BRING BEFORE THE BOARD TONIGHT? SCENE THEN WE MOVE FOR A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

SECOND.