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HERE, MAYOR, MORE WOLF PRESENT.
PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IN THE LIFE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INVIS WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WE DO ASK THAT YOU TURN YOUR CELL PHONES OFF OR TO SILENT.
[II. Appearance of Citizens]
WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH 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 POLICY HAVE DONE SO.
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL AND KEY STAFF MAY MAKE COMMENTS.
WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO SIGNED UP TO SPEAK ON A SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
YOU ARE ALSO ENTITLED TO THREE MINUTES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING AND WHEN WE CALL THE AGENDA ITEM AND THAT THE WAY THAT WILL WORK IS, UH, CITY STAFF WILL EXPLAIN THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
COUNSEL WILL DISCUSS IT, UM, IF THERE'S A PRESENTATION THAT WILL HAPPEN, AND THEN I WILL CALL YOU UP WHEN IT'S TIME FOR, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO IF ANYONE WISHES TO SPEAK DURING FOUR, THREE MINUTES AT THIS TIME, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.
YOU NEED TO GIVE US YOUR NAME, BUT WE DO NOT NEED YOUR ADDRESS.
MY NAME IS JACOB JENKINS, MADAM MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THIS DISTINGUISHED COUNCIL, I STAND HERE TODAY TO SAY THAT YOU CANNOT REWRITE HISTORY.
DIGGING UP POLITICAL FOSSILS AND PLACING THEM BACK IN CEASE OF POWER WILL NOT CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF DECATUR.
YOU MUST OWN YOUR FAILED POLICIES AND COMPETENCY SIDE DEALS AND MISMANAGEMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S TRUST AND TAX DOLLARS.
YOU BLOCK THE DISPENSARY WHILE CHOOSING TO ACCEPT MILLIONS FOR A PROJECT THAT WAS NOT SUSTAINABLE AND HAS SINCE SHUTTERED ITS DOORS THAT HAS FURTHER EXACERBATED THE DRUG PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY.
BUT ENOUGH ABOUT THE COUNCIL'S DYSFUNCTION BECAUSE I SHOULD NOT ADDRESS THE AUDIENCE DIRECTLY.
I WILL DIRECT MY COMMENTS TO THIS BODY SINCE IT WAS STATED THAT I MADE AN INAPPROPRIATE GESTURE YEARS AGO TOWARD THE COUNCIL AT A PREVIOUS MEETING.
FOR THE RECORD, JULIE AND THE REST OF GILLIGAN'S ISLAND, MY WORDS ARE MORE POWERFUL THAN PROFANITY OR ANY GESTURE.
JULIE, DID YOU KNOW THAT THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR, UH, WHO ARE TRULY UNHAPPY WITH THIS ELECTED BODY AND THE RULES YOU HAVE PUT IN PLACE, INCLUDING THE RECENT RULE CHANGE FROM THREE VOTES TO FOUR VOTES TO GET ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA, CAN NOW START THEIR OWN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE.
UNDER DOING THAT, UNDER ILLINOIS LAW, THEY CAN PERFORM A REDRESS TO YOUR FAILED POLICIES THAT PAC CAN RAISE FUNDS, SEND OUT MAILERS AND HOST INFORMATIONAL STATIONS SESSIONS THAT CLEARLY OUTLINE THE ACTIONS AND INACTIONS OF THIS BODY.
SO HERE'S A CALL TO ACTION FOR EVERYONE HERE, INCLUDING THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SAVE AND HAVE SAFE DRINKING WATER.
BECAUSE WATER IS LIFE, I CALL ON THE RESIDENTS OF TAKEDA TO STOP WAITING FOR PERMISSION FROM THIS COUNCIL TO DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY, ORGANIZE, LEARN THE LAW AND FORM YOUR OWN POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE, RAISE THE RESOURCES, EDUCATE YOUR NEIGHBORS, AND CHALLENGE THIS BODY AT THE BALLOT BOX AND IN THE PUBLIC SQUARE.
IF THIS COUNCIL WILL NOT CHANGE ITS DIRECTION, THEN THE PEOPLE OF DECATUR MUST CHANGE THIS COUNCIL AND I HAVE 50 MINUTES TO 50 SECONDS LEFT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WOLF AND THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS COLIN GRAVES AND I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AT A DM AND HAVE LIVED IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR OVER 30 YEARS.
OVER THE THIS TIME, I HAVE SEEN MANY CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING THE CLOSURE OF MANY BUSINESSES SUCH AS FIRESTONE, WAGNER, CASTINGS AND ACORN, AND INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF HOUSES THAT ARE CONDEMNED AND UNINHABITABLE.
FROM THE YEAR 2000 TO 2023, TOTAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE CITY DECREASED BY 22%, AND DURING THAT SAME TIME, THE CITY'S POPULATION SHRANK BY OVER 16%.
SINCE 2019, THE CITY HAS LOST OVER 4,500 JOBS.
LAST MONTH, A DEMOCRATIC OR A, A DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT PREPARED FOR DPS CALLED THE SCHOOL SITUATION IN DECATUR BLEAK AND NOTED THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS TO WORK WITH THE CITY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
[00:05:01]
THESE FACTS, WHICH I BELIEVE THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD CONS CAREFULLY CONSIDER AS IT EVALUATES INVESTMENT PROJECTS.AS THE, AS A COMMUNITY, WE CAN CONTINUE TO HOPE THAT DECATUR WILL TURN AROUND WITHOUT NEW INVESTMENT, BUT HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY.
I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH LOW CARBON INFRA TO ADVANCE THE BROADWING ENERGY PROJECT AS A CATALYST FOR GROWTH THAT IT BRINGS AS BACKGROUND.
IN 2021 OR 2021, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS SIGNED INTO LAW THE CLIMATE EQUITABLE JOBS ACT, WHICH HAS A GOAL OF TRANSITIONING ILLINOIS TO 100% CARBON FREE ENERGY BY 2050.
AS A RESULT, A DM IS REQUIRED TO TRANSITION ITS FUEL SOURCE FOR ELECTRICAL GENERATION INDICATOR BY 2030 TO COMPLY WITH THE MANDATE.
THERE IS NO FLEXIBILITY ON TIMING.
WHEN WE PARTNERED WITH LCI, WE BELIEVED WE HAD A PLAN TO TURN THE SEA A STICK INTO A CARROT, ONE THAT COULD BE USED TO ATTRACT FUTURE BUSINESSES FOR BOTH A DM AND THE COMMUNITY.
WITHOUT BROADWING AND UTILIZATION OF SAFE CCS ADMS OPTIONS TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE AT OUR DECATUR FACILITY ARE LIMITED.
FOR THOSE THAT YOU THINK THAT THIS IS, THERE ARE EASY REPLACEMENT OPTIONS.
OUR ENERGY DEMAND INDICATOR IS ALMOST FOUR TIMES THAT OF PRIMATE.
WE CAN'T BUILD NUCLEAR AND WIND AND SOLAR DO NOT WORK FOR INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION DUE TO THE HIGH THERMAL REQUIREMENTS OF OUR OPERATIONS.
THIS PROJECT IS A WIN-WIN FOR BOTH BROADWING AND DECATUR AND WILL ALLOW A DM THE ABILITY TO COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
BROADWING WILL CREATE OVER 3000 DIRECT AND INDIRECT JOBS DURING CONSTRUCTION AND ABOUT 30 TO OPERATE THE FACILITY ONCE COMPLETE.
IT WILL ALSO BE A SPARK TO ATTRACT COMPANIES LOOKING FOR LOW CARBON FEED STOCKS AS THEY BUILD OUT THEIR BIO-BASED MATERIALS PORTFOLIOS FOR THE CITY.
IT'S AN ECONOMIC SHOT IN THE ARM THAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND WILL ALSO BRING THE TAX BASE AND WILL TURN TO CREATE MORE TAX REVENUE.
DECATUR SHOULD NOT, DECATUR SHOULD BE EXCITED TO WORK WITH LCI.
WE ARE WILLING TO, THEY ARE WILLING TO INVEST BILLIONS OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN THE COMMUNITY BRINGING BOTH JOBS AND TAX REVENUE.
HOW DECATUR PROCEEDS WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY IS ULTIMATELY UP TO THE COUNCIL, BUT HOW IT VOTES WILL SEND A MESSAGE TO OTHER COMPANIES LOOKING TO EXPAND AND ULTIMATELY DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS PROJECT.
I HAVE THREE POINTS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER.
NUMBER ONE, I RECOGNIZE THAT A DM IS WANTED AND NEEDED FOR THE ECONOMIC WELLBEING OF DECATUR.
SUBSEQUENTLY, IA RECOGNIZED THAT THEY ARE UNDER A VERY TIGHT SCHEDULE BY THE STATE TO STOP BURNING COAL FOR THE PROCESS OF STEAM AND CO-GENERATION FACILITY.
BY THE YEAR 2029, THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO CONTRACT WITH BROAD WING POWER TO SUPPLY BOTH THE STEAM AND THE ELECTRICAL POWER FOR THEIR OPERATION USING NATURAL GAS METHANE BECAUSE IT'S CLEANER THAN COAL.
AND THEY HAVE PROMOTED THIS FACILITY AS AN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PROJECT BY CAPTURING AND SEQUESTERING IT.
POINT NUMBER TWO, EARTHQUAKES GREATER THAN FIVE MAGNITUDE HAVE A 2% CHANCE OF HAPPENING IN MACON COUNTY WITHIN THE NEXT 50 YEARS.
ACCORDING TO THE USGS ANALYSIS, THAT'S ASSUMING THAT IT'S NATURALLY OCCURRING AND NOT CAUSED BY MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF BRINE BEING INJECTED UNDERGROUND USING THE CCS TECHNOLOGY.
A MAJOR EARTH EARTHQUAKE MAY NOT HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT IT IS PREDICTED TO HAPPEN EITHER NATURALLY OR BY THE HYDRAULIC PRESSURE FROM THE CCE INJECTIONS.
THERE HAVE BEEN 30 EARTHQUAKES IN THIS AREA SINCE 1970 WITH THE MOST RECENT ONE OUT.
YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT DOWN 30 MILES SOUTH OF HERE AT A 3.8 MAGNITUDE.
NUMBER THREE POINT IS BECAUSE THE A DM CITY COUNCIL EASEMENT AGREEMENT ALLOWS FOR A 99 YEAR TIMEFRAME FOR THE CCS PROJECT, THERE IS A RISK THAT WE MAY HAVE A MAJOR EARTHQUAKE WITHIN THOSE 99 YEARS THAT WILL DEVASTATE THE WHOLE AREA.
GIVEN THIS RISK AS WELL AS OTHER RISKS, THE 99 YEAR AGREEMENT IS NOT REASONABLE.
THERE MUST BE A LEGAL WAY TO RENEGOTIATE IT.
PERHAPS IT COULD BE A FIVE YEAR AGREEMENT RENEWED PERIODICALLY AS NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR CAPTURING CO2 EMERGE SUCH AS A BETTER CHEAPER TECHNOLOGY LIKE E-E-M-P-A, WHICH ELIMINATES STORING IT UNDERGROUND.
THE ABOVE FOUR MENTIONED RISKS ARE REDUCED.
PLEASE RESEARCH THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND RENEGOTIATE THE 99 YEAR EASEMENT AGREEMENT.
[00:10:01]
THANK YOU, SIR.GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MARK DESLER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION.
THE IMA IS THE NATION'S OLDEST AND ONE OF THE LARGEST STATE MANUFACTURING TRADE ASSOCIATIONS IN THE COUNTRY.
WHILE I'M HERE TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE IMA, I'M ALSO NATIVE OF DECATUR.
RIGHT ACROSS LAS BRIDGE ROAD, ILLINOIS MANUFACTURERS EMPLOY 650,000 WORKERS DIRECTLY AND CONTRIBUTE THE SINGLE LARGEST SHARE OF OUR STATE'S ECONOMY, MANUFACTURING, AND AGRICULTURE DRIVE ILLINOIS' ECONOMY.
BUT NOWHERE IS IT MORE PREVALENT THAN RIGHT HERE IN DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY THAT GETS THE SINGLE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF OUR ECONOMY FROM MANUFACTURING TODAY, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A WIN-WIN WIN-WIN.
THESE PROJECTS DON'T COME AROUND EVERY DAY.
THE BROADWING ENERGY PROJECT WILL RESULT IN ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WITH NEW GOOD HIGH PAYING LABOR JOBS, NEW TAX REVENUE, ENERGY SECURITY AND RELIABILITY, AND A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS.
THE PROJECT WILL PUT THE CATER ON THE MAP WHEN IT COMES TO INNOVATION.
THIS IS A NEW GAS FIRED LOW CARBON POWER GENERATION PROJECT.
50% REDUCTION IN THE CO2 FOOTPRINT, CAPTURING 90% OF CARBON.
LET ME BE CLEAR, CCS IS A SAFE AND PROVEN TECHNOLOGY USED GLOBALLY.
THIS IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND POWER PLANT THAT WILL SUPPLY LOW CARBON ELECTRICITY TO COMPANIES LIKE A DM AND GOOGLE.
YOU HEARD COLIN TALK 650 DIRECT CONSTRUCTION JOBS, 101 HUNDRED SUPPORT STAFF, 3,100 INDIRECT JOBS, $900 MILLION IN LABOR INCOME IN THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS OPERATION.
BROAD WING WILL SUPPORT DOZENS OF PAYING JOBS IN THE NEXT 30 YEARS, PAYING AN AVERAGE OF 70 TO $145,000, 150 JOBS SUPPORTED INDIRECTLY IN $400 MILLION IN LABOR INCOME.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE DECATUR AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN JOBS, COLIN TALKED ABOUT IT.
BUT IF YOU HAVEN'T LISTENED TO PRESTON SMITH PRESENTATION OF THE DECATUR SCHOOL BOARD A FEW DAYS AGO, IT'S QUITE FRANKLY SHOCKING.
HE CALLED IT ONE OF THE MOST NEGATIVE OUTLOOKS THAT HE'S DONE WITH AN ACCELERATING DECLINE.
AN AGING POPULATION, A LARGE DECLINE IN BIRTH RATES, A SLOWING METRO ECONOMY.
AS HE SAID, NO JOBS EQUAL NO KIDS.
WE'VE LOST 4,500 JOBS SINCE 2019.
BUT HE NOTED EMPLOYMENT IS THE SOLUTION.
IT IS THE ENROLLMENT FACTOR TO GETTING KIDS BACK IN OUR SCHOOLS AND GROWING THE TAX BASE.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES WILL IMPACT THE SCHOOLS WITH NEW EMPLOYERS.
HAVING DIRECT RELATIONSHIP TO ENROLLMENT.
TONIGHT, YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO VOTE ON THE FUTURE OF DECATUR AND AFFIRMATIVE VOTE IS A VOTE FOR JOBS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, ENERGY SECURITY.
IN A CLEANER FUTURE, A NO VOTE IS A VOTE AGAINST GOOD PAYING JOBS, A VOTE FOR HIGHER ENERGY COSTS AND A VOTE AGAINST A CLEANER ENVIRONMENT.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR, I RESPECT OR I RESPECTFULLY REQUEST A YES VOTE.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
I WANT TO SUPPORT, I WANT TO START BY SAYING CLEARLY THIS IS A SUGGESTION FOR A SAFETY MORE FORWARD LOOKING ALTERNATIVE BEFORE YOU MAKE YOUR FINAL DECISION.
THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL BURN NATURAL GAS TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY AND STEAM THEN ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE CARBON AFTER THE FACT.
EVEN LABEL LOW CARBON, IT IS STILL FOSSIL FUEL COMBUSTIONS AND STILL CARRIES LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL FIRE FINANCIAL RISK.
BUT THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION THAT DESERVES CONSIDERATION.
WE CAN MEET THE SAME NEEDS, ELECTRICITY, INDUSTRIAL STEAMS USING SOLAR POWER, BATTERY STORAGE, AND ELECTRIC BOILERS.
SOLAR PAIRED WITH BATTERIES CAN RELIABLY SUPPLY ELECTRICITY TO MAJOR USERS LIKE A DM AND GOOGLE.
BATTERY STORAGE NOW PROVIDE GRIDS STABILITY WITHOUT GAS COMBUSTIONS AND COMPANIES LIKE GOOGLE ALREADY PREFER RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH LONG-TERM POWER PURCHASE A AGREEMENTS FOR STEAM ELECTRIC BOILERS CAN REPLACE GAS FIRED BOILERS ENTIRELY.
INSTEAD OF BURNING GAS, ELECTRICITY HEATS WATER TO PRODUCE STEAM, ELIMINATING ONSITE EMISSIONS EXPLOSION RISK, AND THE NEED FOR CARBON CAPTURE UNDERGROUND STORAGE.
BEFORE APPRO THIS AGREEMENT, I ASKED YOU TO RESPECTFULLY TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION, UH, FORMAL COMPARISONS.
I'M SORRY, I ASKED YOU TO TAKE REQUIRE, UH, KIND OF NERVOUS HERE.
BEFORE PROVING THIS AGREEMENT, I RESPECTFULLY ASK THE CITY TO PAUSE AND REQUIRE A FORMAL COMPARISON ON CLEAN ALTERNATIVES.
PUBLIC INVESTMENTS SHOULD SUPPORT FUTURE READY INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT LOCK DECATUR INTO FOSSIL FUELS.
I'M NICOLE BATEMAN AND I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION FOR DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY.
I'M ASKING YOU TO ZOOM OUT AND LET'S LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.
THINK OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AS A VERY COMPLICATED PUZZLE.
LOTS OF PIECES, LOTS OF MISSING PIECES, AND LOTS OF HIGH DEMAND PIECES.
BROADWING ENERGY BRINGS THREE CRITICAL PUZZLE
[00:15:01]
PIECES TO THE TABLE THAT DECATUR NEEDS TO COMPETE FOR MORE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.ONE, THE ENERGY IS THE COMMODITY.
DECATUR NEEDS TO SHOW THAT WE WILL SUPPORT INNOVATIVE COMPANIES LIKE BROADWING THAT WILL PRODUCE A SUBSTANTIAL SUPPLY OF UNINTERRUPTED ENERGY TO POWER THE GRID PUZZLE PIECE.
NUMBER TWO, THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF ENERGY WILL ALLOW FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LOW CARBON FEEDSTOCK, WHICH IS IN HIGH DEMAND.
TODAY, DECATUR'S CORN WILL BECOME EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE TO THE COMPANIES THAT NEED OUR CORN TO PRODUCE THEIR OWN PRODUCTS.
COMPANIES WILL LOCATE NEAR THEIR MOST VALUABLE COMMODITIES IN THEIR SUPPLY CHAIN AND WE WILL HAVE THOSE, THE FEEDSTOCK AND THE ENERGY PUZZLE.
PIECE NUMBER THREE, BROADWING WILL ALSO INVEST IN A LIFT STATION.
THIS CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT WILL RESOLVE CONSTRAINTS IN OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRIDOR THAT HAS ALREADY RESULTED INDICATOR BEING REMOVED FROM SEVERAL PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS.
THIS PUTS US BACK IN THE GAME AND HALF OF THE LIFT STATION, WHICH CAN BE USED BY NEW COMPANIES, WILL BE PAID FOR BY BROAD WING.
THIS WHOLE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS THE EXACT EXAMPLE OF PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS THAT COMPANIES WANT TO SEE.
IN THE NEARLY 11 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR THIS COMMUNITY, THIS IS THE FIRST $1 BILLION PROJECT THAT WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR BILLION.
WE HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO GET DECATUR A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE WORLD'S LEADING COMPANIES, AND NOW THEY ARE FINALLY WILLING TO INVEST.
PROJECTS LIKE BROADWING ARE LIKE BEACONS.
HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS OR REJECTS OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE IS BEING WATCHED BY EVERY OTHER PROJECT.
CONSIDERING DECATUR RIGHT NOW, THE LANDSCAPE IS TOO COMPETITIVE TO SIT IDLE AND REJECT COLLABORATING ON PROJECTS THAT WILL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
YOUR VOTE TONIGHT WILL SIGNAL IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT GROWING OUR ECONOMY AND BRINGING JOBS.
VOTING NO ON THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TONIGHT WILL SIGNAL TO ALL THE OTHER COMPANIES THAT YOU ARE ANTI-DEVELOPMENT AND ANTI-GROWTH AND THAT WILL ACCELERATE THE DECLINE.
VOTING YES INDICATES THAT YOU WANT OUR LEGACY OF INDUSTRIAL PROUDNESS TO LIVE ON.
YOU WANT MORE COMPANIES TO INVEST HERE.
YOU WANT TO GROW JOB, AND YOU WANT DECATUR TO BE PROSPEROUS.
AGAIN, I NEED YOU TO SUPPORT AND COLLABORATE WITH COMPANIES LIKE BROADWING THAT WANTS TO BE HERE.
THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR SERVING OUR COMMUNITY, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TONIGHT.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR WOLF AND COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS CHRIS LUDD AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AT A DM AND I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF DECATUR FOR MOST OF MY CAREER.
I WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE AT THE RECENT PUBLIC FORUM ON CARBON SEQUESTRATION.
IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO SEE IN THE PUBLIC DISCOURSE THE AMOUNT OF INACCURATE INFORMATION THAT'S BEING PROMOTED OR MISCONSTRUED BY BOTH THE PUBLIC AND BY SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS.
WHAT HAS BECOME CLEAR IS THE NEED TO CORRECT SOME POTENTIAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT CCS.
I WANT TO TAKE THIS SHORT BIT OF TIME TO LAY OUT SOME OF THE FACTS, WHICH CAN EASILY BE VERIFIED BY ANYONE HERE TO OFFER SOME PERSPECTIVE ON THE ROLE OF CARBON CAPTURE.
CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION IS A SUITE OF TECHNOLOGIES THAT CAPTURE CARBON DIOXIDE BEFORE IT ENTERS THE ATMOSPHERE AND THEN SAFELY STORES IT DEEP UNDERGROUND AND SECURE GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS BY DOING THIS.
CCS HELPS REDUCE EMISSIONS FROM INDUSTRIES THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO DECARBONIZE LIKE CEMENT FERMENTATION AND POWER GENERATION, NOT ONLY IN DECATUR, BUT AROUND THE WORLD.
CCS IS BEING PUT INTO ACTION IN THE US AND CANADA.
DOZENS OF PROJECTS ARE CAPTURING MILLIONS OF TONS OF CO2 EACH YEAR FROM INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES AND POWER PLANTS MAKING NORTH AMERICA A GLOBAL LEADER IN CCS NORWAY'S LONG SHIP PROJECT IS CAPTURING CO2 AND STORING IT UNDER THE NORTH SEA WITH PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AIMING TO STORE MILLIONS OF TONS ANNUALLY.
PROJECTS ARE EXPANDING ELSEWHERE TOO.
CHINA, BRAZIL, THE MIDDLE AND EAST AND INDIA ARE ADVANCING.
CCS CARBON SEQUESTRATION INVOLVES SELECTING STORAGE SITES WITH MULTIPLE LAYERS OF IMPERMEABLE ROCK THAT NATURALLY TRAP.
THESE THESE PRACTICES HAVE BEEN USED FOR DECADES IN INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS WORLDWIDE.
THE TECHNOLOGY HERE IN DECATUR STORES CO2 AT DEPTHS AROUND A MILE UNDERGROUND.
WHAT IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS A LEAK WAS THE MIGRATION OF CO2 FROM APPROXIMATELY A MILE DEEP TO APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FOOT DEEP, STILL CLOSE TO A MILE UNDERGROUND AND STILL IN PLACE WHERE IT CAN BE SAFELY STORED.
THE MIGRATION WAS INSIDE OF THE WELL PIPE.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MIGRATION CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.
THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO SURFACE OR GROUNDWATER NOR ANY RISK TO PUBLIC HEALTH.
THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE EXTREME DEPTH OF THE DEVELOPMENTS.
MULTIPLE LAYERS OF SHALE AND OTHER
[00:20:01]
CONFINING ROCK UP TO THE SURFACE AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES.PROTECTING UNDERGROUND SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER, INCLUDING THE LAYERS OF STEEL AND CEMENT ON THE WELLS.
SEQUESTRATION IS A POWERFUL TOOL IN OUR CLIMATE TOOLBOX.
WE ARE CONFIDENT A, THAT CCS WILL ATTRACT EVEN MORE INVESTMENT INDICATOR.
IN CLOSING, WE ENCOURAGE THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND CCS AS WELL AS BENEFITS LIKE BROADWING ON OUR AT OUR LEARNING DAYS, AND WE HAVE REPRESENTATIVES HERE TO PASS ON THAT INFORMATION.
HELLO, MAYOR WOLF COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M A FOURTH GENERATION DECATUR NATIVE AND I OWN TWO BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN.
BOTH ARE HEADQUARTERED HERE WITH MULTIPLE LOCATIONS IN THREE STATES.
MY REASON FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT THOUGH, IS ON BEHALF OF DECATUR REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OUR BUSINESS MEMBERS TAXES, INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES, INCREASED DIESEL FUEL TAXES, ALL THOSE PLAY A HUGE EFFECT ON BUSINESSES THAT ARE LOCATED NOT ONLY IN DECATUR, BUT THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
MY GOAL TONIGHT IS TO ACTUALLY ECHO WHAT NICOLE BATEMAN SAID FROM THE EDC, WE HAVE TO BRING A NEW TAX REVENUE TO THIS TOWN, TO BETTER OUR SCHOOLS, TO BETTER OUR BUSINESSES.
AND IF WE DON'T TAKE AND SEIZE ON OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS BROADVIEW, WE WILL BE LEFT IN THE DUST.
SOME OF THE, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE BEEN READING THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON ARE THAT WE NEED TO CREATE WHILE PAYING GOOD JOBS IN MACON COUNTY.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA DELIVER BILLIONS OF CUMULATIVE ECONOMIC VALUE.
IT'S GONNA SUPPORT CLEAN ENERGY GOALS.
THAT IS THE, YOU KNOW, CARBON REDUCTION MANDATES AND A PHYSICIANS DECATUR, AS NICOLE SAID, AS A LEADER IN THIS AREA.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME WE START TAKING ADVANTAGES OF THESE OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME OUR WAY OR WE WILL NEVER, EVER HAVE THE TAX REVENUE TO SUSTAIN OUR CITY AND COUNTY.
HI, CHAD BOEN BERG ROOTS PROPERTIES.
AND, UH, I GUESS THIS WILL KIND OF SEGUE INTO WHAT WAS BEING DISCUSSED RIGHT NOW.
UH, THAT IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN BEING TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OR NOT, NOT MY FORTE.
HOWEVER, REHABILITATION OR REVITALIZATION OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
UH, WHO CAN I HAND THESE TO? ON THE TOP, YOU'LL SEE THE VISION OUTLINED, AND THIS IS AN AMENDED PROPOSAL, NOT THE FINAL DRAFT.
OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS INVESTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES INTO DEMOLITION.
WHILE DEMOLITION IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY FOR BLIGHTED HOMES.
TOO OFTEN THE RESULT HAS BEEN VACANT LOTS, NO RETURN TO THE TAX ROLLS AND ONGOING MAINTENANCE COST FOR THOSE VACANT LOTS.
OUR PROPOSAL, ONCE AGAIN IS SIMPLE.
JUST GOING BACK BEFORE A STRUCTURE IS REMOVED, ALLOW IT TO BE EVALUATED FOR REHABILITATION.
SOME HOMES CANNOT BE SAVED, BUT SOME CAN.
AND WHEN THOSE HOMES ARE REHABILITATED AND RETURNED TO OWNER OCCUPANCY, PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP TAKES ROOT.
THAT PRIDE LEADS US TO CARE ACCOUNTABILITY, SAFER NEIGHBORHOODS AND STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
THIS PROPOSAL, THIS AMENDED PROPOSAL IS NOT A FINAL PLAN.
WE ARE ACTIVELY DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE THREE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN THAT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THIS COUNCIL FOR REVIEW UPON COMPLETION, YEAR ONE FOCUSES ON STAB STABILIZING NEIGHBORHOODS BY REHABILITATING VIABLE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES AND RESPONSIBLY REMOVING UNSAFE STRUCTURES.
YEAR TWO COMMITS TO NEW RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION ON THOSE VACANT LOTS, BRINGING VISIBLE REINVESTMENT, MODERN HOUSING, AND VALUE BACK TO THE TAX BASE.
YEAR THREE EXPANDS INTO COMMERCIAL REDEVELOPMENT, JOB CREATION, ECONOMIC STRUCTURE.
BECAUSE HOUSING STABILITY AND ECONOMIC ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
[00:25:01]
MUST MOVE FORWARD TOGETHER, URBAN ROOTS PROPERTIES IS NOT ONCE AGAIN SEEKING FUNDING FROM THE CITY.WE ARE SEEKING PARTNERSHIP ACCESS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE THAT RESTORATION CAN BE ACHIEVED.
WHAT DEMOLITION CANNOT DO ALONE.
WE BELIEVE REVITALIZATION SHOULD BE MEASURED NOT BY HOW MANY STRUCTURES ARE REMOVED, BY HOW MANY COMMUNITIES ARE RESTORED.
THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
FOR THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW ME, MY NAME IS JOSH PUNE.
I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE DECATUR BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL.
WE, UH, REPRESENT OVER 2100 MEMBERS AND 24 LOCAL UNIONS IN THE COMMUNITY AND SURROUNDING AREA.
I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DECATUR.
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE CITY.
I WENT TO DECATUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
UH, MY WIFE AND I, UH, MARRIED LIVE HERE, RAISED A FAMILY HERE.
UM, WE, FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING ABOUT THE LAKE, WE DO SPEND ALMOST EVERY WEEKEND IN THE SUMMER ON THE LAKE.
UM, DECATUR'S BEEN AN AREA THAT'S BEEN LOSING JOBS SINCE I WAS A CHILD.
SO MANY FACTORIES LEFT IN THE EIGHTIES, NINETIES AND TWO THOUSANDS.
WHETHER IT'S BORGWARNER XL, WAGNER, FIRESTONE, AND I CAN CONTINUE TO GO ON AND ON AND ON.
UM, WHEN THEY LEFT THE MIDDLE CLASS JOBS THAT THE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY RE RELIED ON, LEFT WITH THEM, THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A $1 BILLION INVESTMENT INDICATOR THAT WILL PRODUCE 650 UNION CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND 30 PERMANENT GOOD PAYING POSITIONS.
I HEAR PEOPLE SPEAK ABOUT, UH, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN ITS TEMPORARY JOBS.
EVERY JOB THAT A CONSTRUCTION WORKER WORKS ON IS TEMPORARY.
WE FINISH A PROJECT AND WE MOVE ON.
THE PEOPLE I REPRESENT ARE YOUR NEIGHBORS, YOUR KIDS LITTLE LEAGUE COACHES, CHURCH BOARD MEMBERS.
THEY SHOP AT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THEY BUY GAS AT DECATUR GAS STATIONS, THEY EAT AT YOUR LOCAL RESTAURANTS AND THEY VOLUNTEER IN THIS COMMUNITY.
THIS IS A HUGE ADVANCEMENT TOWARDS BRINGING BACK SOME JOBS TO DECATUR.
I'M SURE THAT MOST PEOPLE HERE HAVE SEEN THE REPORT FROM THE SCHOOL BOARD, WHICH I EVERYBODY ELSE HAS TOUCHED ON, UM, THAT JOBS WILL BRING BACK FAMILIES AND THAT'S IMPORTANT ALSO.
EVERYBODY COMPLAINED WHEN THERE WAS A 1% PROPERTY TAX INCREASE.
THIS IS A WAY TO OFFSET THAT IN THE FUTURE.
WE NEED NEW WAYS TO INCREASE THE TAX INCOME FOR THE CITY SO THEY CAN DO THE WORK THAT IS NEEDED TO REVITALIZE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SO DESPERATELY IN NEED WITH GROWTH.
WE NEED GROWTH AND WE NEED THESE JOBS TO TAKE US INTO THE FUTURE.
I'M A MEMBER OF THIS COMMUNITY.
I CARE GREATLY FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
I CALL THIS COMMUNITY MY HOME.
I CAN SAY THAT DECATUR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS AGREEMENT AND BROAD WING ENERGY.
THANK YOU, SIR ALYSSA TO COUNCIL.
MAYOR, MY NAME'S WILL WETZEL AND, UH, TWO PIECES.
FIRSTLY, TO BE CLEAR, I'M HERE SPEAKING TO YOU AS MYSELF AND NOT A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DPS 61 SCHOOL BOARD.
THESE WORDS AND THOUGHTS ARE MY OWN.
SECONDLY, I'M NOT SPEAKING TO ANY SPECIFIC AGENDA ITEM.
LAST TUESDAY, THE DPS 61 SCHOOL BOARD RECEIVED A FINAL DEMOGRAPHIC REPORT.
THIS REPORT IS DEEPLY CONCERNING AND DIRECTLY IMPACTS US ALL.
IT SHOWS THAT NOT ONLY IS OUR STUDENT BODY SHRINKING, BUT THE CITY ITSELF AND ITS POPULATION CONTINUES TO DECLINE.
DPS 61 OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS WILL SHRINK BETWEEN SEVEN AND 9.4%.
SPECIFICALLY IF WE DO NOTHING.
THE DEMOGRAPHER, AS PEOPLE HAVE SAID, HAS SAID, UH, STATED THAT THE DISTRICT AND CITY'S OUTLOOK IS BLEAK.
I DON'T BELIEVE THIS GOES FAR, FAR ENOUGH.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN A DEATH SPIRAL.
THE GOOD NEWS, HOWEVER, IS THAT BY WORKING TOGETHER, WE CAN REVERSE THIS.
THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE HERE.
IT WILL TAKE THE COMMUNITY, IT WILL TAKE THE SCHOOL BOARD, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU.
YOU ARE THE CONDUIT FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
YOU ARE THE CONDUIT FOR BUILDING SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
YOU ARE THE CONDUIT FOR CRIME REDUCTION.
IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS COMMUNITY DOES NOT DO WELL IN INTER, UH, INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT.
NOW, THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE A TALL ORDER, TURNING THE CITY AROUND, BUILDING IT BACK UP AND BUILDING A COMMUNITY WE CAN ALL BE PROUD IN IS HARD.
BUT THE GREAT THING IS OTHER COMMUNITIES HAVE DONE THIS.
COMMUNITIES LIKE OUR OWN THAT SEE US AT THE END OF THE MANUFACTURING CENTURY HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY WANTED TO FLIP.
AND IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT PLACES, YOU CAN LOOK AT DUBUQUE, IOWA, EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, AND ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHERS, UH, THAT YOU CAN LOOK AT AS WELL.
IF THEY CAN DO IT, WE CAN DO IT TOO.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ALL SIT ON BOARDS, NOT BECAUSE FOR OURSELF AT OWN A SELF AT GRAND AGGRANDIZEMENT BECAUSE WE WANNA MAKE
[00:30:01]
SURE THAT THE CHILDREN OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE CHILDREN OF OUR LIVES, HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAN OURS.IT'S TIME TO MOVE THINGS FORWARD.
I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN ALL STEP UP THE PLATE TO THE PLATE TOGETHER TO TURN THIS COMMUNITY AROUND.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY, UH, I'LL BE HERE AFTER THE MEETING.
I'LL BE AVAILABLE VIA, UH, CELL PHONE OR EMAIL, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TO SPEAK.
UM, I KNOW I WON'T GET ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, BUT PLEASE THINK ABOUT THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU ALL MAKE A DECISION ON THE POWER PLANT.
I'M NOT AN ECONOMIST, AND SO I DON'T KNOW THESE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS, BUT I HOPE YOU GUYS DO KNOW THEM.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, A DM HAS SEQUESTERED ROUGHLY 4.5 MILLION TONS OF CO2 UNDER THE LAKE.
AND BROADWAY ALONE IS ESTIMATED TO SEQUESTER, UH, POTENTIALLY 2 MILLION TONS ANNUALLY.
THE AMOUNT THAT A DM HAD SEQUESTERED HAS BEEN OVER 10 YEARS.
AGAIN, I'M NOT A SCIENTIST, SO I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS, BUT WHAT IMPACT COULD SUCH A HUGE INCREASE HAVE ON THE LAKE AND THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THE LAKE? WHAT IF THERE, AGAIN, I'M NOT A SCIENTIST, SO I DON'T KNOW, BUT WHAT IF THERE ARE FISSURES AND THERE END UP BEING LEAKS FROM THIS SEQUESTERING? CAN IT CONTAIN THAT MUCH UNDER THERE AND DISPERSE THAT MUCH WITHOUT LEACHING INTO OUR LAKE? UM, I KNOW MATTON'S, UH, ALGAE BLOOM ISSUE WAS FOR A DIFFERENT REASON, BUT ARE WE PREPARED TO HAVE SUCH A SITUATION SHOULD A LEAK LIKE THAT OCCUR? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE THE ANSWERS.
UM, I'M SURE YOU HAVE PROBABLY BEEN GIVEN SLIDE DECKS AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE.
UM, BUT ONE THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT IF THAT IS ALL YOU GUYS HAVE LOOKED AT, IS THAT CORPORATIONS ARE KNOWN TO DO ONE THING, AND THAT IS LIE DECEIVE AND TWIST FACTS.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THE CITY HAS DONE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH INTO ANYTHING THAT HAS BEEN FED TO YOU GUYS, BUT I SURE HOPE IT HAS BEEN DONE AND YOU GUYS HAVE THOSE ANSWERS.
UM, ANOTHER POINT IS THE WATER USAGE.
UM, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE 3 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER USED PER DAY AT THIS POWER PLANT.
I KNOW LATE LAST FALL, UH, SORRY, LATE LAST SUMMER INTO THE FALL, UM, WE WERE ALL NOTIFIED THAT WE NEEDED TO BE MINDFUL AND VOLUNTARILY CUT BACK ON OUR WATER USAGE SO THAT THE CITY DIDN'T HAVE TO IMPLEMENT HARD WATER, UH, HARD CAPS ON OUR WATER USAGE.
IS OUR WATER SUPPLY READY TO SUPPORT SUCH A BIG INCREASE IN THIS WATER USAGE? UM, DOES THE DECATUR FIRE DEPARTMENT HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO HANDLE SOME SORT OF NATURAL GAS DISASTER THAT MIGHT HAPPEN AT THIS LOCATION? AND IF SO, UM, WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON RESIDENTS THAT MAY HAVE EMERGENCIES IF, UM, SUCH SITUATION WOULD OCCUR AND THEY HAD TO RESPOND TO THAT? UM, I DO HAVE MORE POINTS, BUT I HAVE I REQUESTED FOR MORE TIME BEFORE THE AGENDA ITEM, SO I'LL SPEAK ON THOSE THEN.
IT IS USUALLY NOT QUITE THIS WARM IN HERE, BUT LOTS OF PEOPLE
GOOD EVENING, MADAM MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS AND GENERAL LEADERSHIP HERE IN DECATUR AND TO ALL OF THE BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT.
I'VE BEEN TO ANOTHER COUNCIL MEETING AND THERE WEREN'T VERY MANY OF US HERE, AND IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE SHOWING UP.
UM, AND I THINK IT'S ALSO, UM, INDICATIVE.
OH, CRYSTAL, CRYSTAL BERG FIELD.
UM, I ALSO THINK IT'S INDICATIVE OF WHAT WE, HOW IMPORTANT THIS DECISION IS THAT YOU ALL ARE MAKING, AND I'M NOT IN YOUR POSITION TO MAKE YOUR DECISION.
UM, BUT WHAT I SEE IS SOME AMAZING PEOPLE IN DECATUR.
I MOVED HERE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO AND I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY SON AND I'VE MADE IT MY HOME AND I HAD THE BEST NEIGHBORS.
I'VE, AND I'VE LIVED AROUND THE WORLD,
I HAVE THE BEST NEIGHBORS HERE IN DECATUR.
UM, I FEEL SAFE IN MY HOME AND AROUND THE PEOPLE, ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT I MEET IN DECATUR.
UM, BUT I ALSO SEE THE SUFFERING, RIGHT? AND WE, I WATCHED THE, UM, UM, SCHOOL BOARD MEETING THE OTHER DAY ABOUT THIS STUDY.
SO, UM, SO I OBSERVE THESE THINGS.
OUR POVERTY RATE IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, RIGHT? AND SO
[00:35:01]
I'M JUST ASKING TONIGHT THAT WHEN YOU ALL GO TO MAKE THIS DECISION THAT YOU THINK ABOUT THESE AMAZING RESIDENTS OF DECATUR AND PUT THEM FIRST, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT MAYBE THIS, UM, CORPORATION IS ACTUALLY LIKE GOOGLE UNDERNEATH, SO WE'RE TALKING LIKE SUGAR DADDY, MONEYSO IT'S IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, LIKE WE ALL OF THESE RESIDENTS HERE, HOW IS, HOW ARE THE DECISIONS THAT WE'RE MAKING TO BRING SUCH A GREAT CORPORATION? IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S REALLY GOOD THINGS THAT COULD COME FROM IT, BUT HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TAKEN CARE OF? NOW, I'M NOT GONNA GET A JOB
I'M NOT, I'M NOT IN THAT AREA.
I KNOW IT'S NOT NOT GONNA AFFECT ME IN THAT WAY, BUT HOW COULD IT AFFECT ME? YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WHEN OR WHEN YOU ALL ARE MAKING DECISIONS THAT IT'S GOING TO AFFECT US ALL IN A POSITIVE WAY? AND SO YOU ALL ARE IN MY HEART AND MY MIND, AND I KNOW IT'S AN IMPORTANT DECISION, AND WE TRUST THAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE PEOPLE OF DECATUR AND THE CHILDREN OF THE FUTURE OF DECATUR.
I AM A PRIVATE CITIZEN OF DECATUR.
I AM ALSO RUNNING FOR COUNTY BOARD, SO I'M GREATLY INVESTED IN THIS COMMUNITY.
UM, I ASK FOR PATIENCE AS I DIDN'T PLAN ON SPEAKING THIS EVENING, BUT I HAVE GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE UPCOMING PROJECTS.
I TOO OBVIOUSLY CARE DEEPLY FOR THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS WHY I'VE BEEN INSPIRED TO PUBLIC SERVICE.
I SPEND MY LIFE INVESTING IN OTHERS AS A HEALTHCARE WORKER, AS DOES MY PARTNER WHO'S A MILITARY MEMBER AND ALSO WORKS IN PUBLIC HEALTH.
I CARE DEEPLY FOR THE CITIZENS HERE.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE WATCHED DECATUR CITY COUNCIL AND OTHER DECATUR ENTITIES CHOOSE CORPORATIONS AND THOSE WHO ARE WELL OFF IN OUR COMMUNITY, OVER THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING POVERTY OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
I SEE THIS AS SOMETHING THAT IS FAIRLY SIMPLE AT ITS CORE.
YOU HAVE THE CHOICE THIS EVENING OF VOTING TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL BENEFIT CORPORATIONS AND WILL BENEFIT THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE ALREADY DOING WELL.
THESE ARE NOT MEMBERS WHO ARE SENDING THEIR STUDENTS TO DECATUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE BLEAK OUTLOOK OF OUR CURRENT SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY CAN AFFORD TO DO SO.
THE JOBS THAT WILL BE CREATED BY THIS, THESE 30 JOBS THEY SPEAK OF ARE SUPPOSED TO BE WELL PAYING.
IF THEY ARE INCREDIBLY WELL PAYING, AS THEY'RE SAYING, THOSE PEOPLE WILL ALSO NOT BE SENDING THEIR STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE OF THE BLEAK OUTLOOK.
WHILE I UNDERSTAND THAT WE WANT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE HONEST CHOICE IS DO WE WANT TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ENRICH THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE MONEY? OR DO WE WANT TO ENRICH THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING? UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE SEEN COMMENTS RECENTLY WHO HAVE BLAMED THE VIOLENCE ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY ON THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY EXPERIENCING POVERTY AND SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION.
I AM SO INSANELY DISAPPOINTED IN THAT CHOICE, AND I ASK YOU TO INSTEAD LOOK AT THE POLICIES YOU ARE IMPLEMENTING THAT ARE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR SOCIETY, DETRIMENTAL TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING AND REEVALUATE THAT INSTEAD OF BLAMING THEM FOR WHAT THEY'RE FACING.
SO THIS EVENING, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE CHOOSE THE CITIZENS OF DECATUR, NOT THE CORPORATIONS.
YOU SHOULD NOT BE CHOOSING SOMETHING THAT WILL DETRIMENT THE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY LIVE HERE AND BENEFIT THOSE WHO ALREADY MAKE MONEY.
DO SOMETHING THAT IS RIGHT FOR THE CITIZENS AND NOT THE CORPORATIONS.
DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL AT THIS TIME? DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE ANY COMMENTS REGARDING, UH, THE SPEAKERS THIS EVENING? DR. HORN? I'LL RESERVE MOST OF MY COMMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BROAD WING DEVELOPMENT WHEN WE GET TO THAT AGENDA ITEM.
BUT I DO NEED TO ADDRESS, UH, ONE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM A DM COMPANY, UH, SUGGESTING THAT, UM, PUBLIC AND RESIDENTS ARE MAKING MISLEADING STATEMENTS.
AND I, I WOULD BE REMISS IN NOT POINTING THIS OUT, IT'S VERY CLEAR TO ME THAT A DM FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MATERIAL FACT DURING ITS NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE CITY OF DECATUR REGARDING, UH, THE LEAK.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE, UM, PERHAPS RESULTED IN, UM, A DIFFERENT DECISION BEING MADE ABOUT SEQUESTRATION UNDER THE LAKE.
AND FURTHERMORE, I WOULD ARGUE AS GROUNDS FOR RESCISSION OF THE
[00:40:01]
CO2 SEQUESTRATION EASEMENT UNDER LAKE DECATUR.IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT A DM VIOLATED THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT FOR SEVERAL DIFFERENT REASONS.
AND SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMPANIES AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, I WOULD ARGUE THAT NOT VIOLATING THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AND NEGOTIATING IN AN HONEST MANNER ARE TWO THINGS THAT WE WOULD EXPECT.
SECOND THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS IT WAS BROUGHT UP MULTIPLE TIMES REGARDING THE COMMUNITY REVITAL, I'M SORRY, REGARDING THE DPS REPORT THAT CAME OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS TO LOOK AT THE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PLAN THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS PUT OUT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.
AND I WOULD ARGUE THAT WHAT THE CITY OF DECATUR IS PROPOSING DOES NOT IN ANY WAY, UH, MEET THE MAGNITUDE AND THE GRAVITY OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE FACING.
AND SO IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PLAN, IT REALLY NEEDS TO MEET THE NEEDS THAT HAVE BEEN OUTLINED IN THAT DPS REPORT.
AND FINALLY, I'LL MENTION THIS IN THE MEMO ASSOCIATED WITH BROADWING ENERGY, UH, UH, AGENDA ITEM, IT SUGGESTS THAT THERE WAS NO KNOWN OBJECTIONS BY THE CITY STAFF.
IT IS CLEAR THAT THERE IS A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT OBJECT.
AND REALLY WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE, WHAT WAS SUGGESTED, UH, TO THE BROAD WING, UH, ENERGY CENTER REPRESENTATIVES, WHAT WAS SUGGESTED BY A COUNCIL PERSON WAS TO HAVE A STUDY SESSION TONIGHT AND THEN VOTE ON THIS, UH, AT A LATER DATE.
AND THIS REALLY WOULD'VE ALLOWED US, UH, MORE THOUGHTFUL AND DELIBERATE DISCUSSION.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? ANY FURTHER COMMENTS? YES.
COUNCILMAN COOPER? YES, IF POSSIBLE.
I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES WE SPEAK BEFORE THE, UM, ALL THE, UH, CITIZENS SPEAK ON, ON THE NEXT ROUND OF CITIZENS, AND I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, UH, THE NEXT ROUND OF, OF SPEAKERS BEFORE WE MAKE OUR DECISION.
WE WILL HEAR FROM THE NEXT ROUND OF SPEAKERS BEFORE WE MAKE THE DECISION, BUT WE DO WANT TO HAVE THE PRESENTATION FIRST AND THEN WE WILL DISCUSS AND YEAH, WE, WE WILL HEAR FROM THEM BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE.
COUNCILMAN? WELL, I WANNA OPEN IT UP FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I WANNA HEAR FROM COUNCIL FIRST, BUT THEY WILL HAVE AMPLE TIME, I ASSURE YOU.
[III. Approval of Minutes]
TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES.APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JANUARY 20TH, 2026.
ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.
[1. Resolution Authorizing Appointment - City Manager]
NEW BUSINESS ITEM ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE CITY MANAGER.MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
MS. HAN, DO YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT YOUR APPOINTMENT OR SHOULD WE, UH, JUST OPEN IT FOR DISCUSSION? I THINK WE'RE ALL PRETTY WELL VERSED THAT YOU HAVE, UH, BEEN THE CHOICE OF COUNSEL.
UH, SO IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT WE APPOINT YOU AS OUR NEXT CITY MANAGER.
I WILL OPEN TO ANY DISCUSSION OR COMMENTS.
YES, MS. CRUZ? UM, I, I HAVE TO VOTE NO FOR THIS AND IT IS NO ASPERSION TO MELISSA, WHO IS A HARD WORKER AND WHO I LIKE.
UM, BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCE, THE DECATUR CITY GOVERNMENT HAS INSUFFICIENT WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCESSES THAT PROTECT AND PROMOTE FAIR WAGES AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, POLICIES WHICH INCLUDE A SCORECARD, RUBRIC, AND OTHER PROCEDURES TO REDUCE AFFINITY BIAS MUST BE CREATED FOR FUTURE HIRING, UH, PROCESSES.
OTHER COMMENTS? PAT? UM, I'M PROUD TO, UH, SAY THAT I'M GOING TO BE VOTING FOR MS. HAN.
I THINK SHE'S DONE US A, A, A GREAT JOB.
SHE'S VERY CALM, COOL, AND COLLECTIVE.
UH, WE'VE LOST, UH, UH, A MANAGER AND TWO MANAGERS, UH, AND ANOTHER ONE WAS GOING TO LEAVE BECAUSE OF, UH, SOME OF THE DEALING WITH COUNCIL PROBLEMS. SO I HAVE FAITH IN MS. HAN THAT SHE CAN HANDLE IT.
SO I'LL BE, UH, UH, EXCITED TO VOTE YES AND, AND WORK WITH HER AS WE MOVE THE CITY FORWARD.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? SEE NONE.
PLEASE CALL THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.
[00:45:01]
COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.[2. Resolution Authorizing Employment Agreement - City Manager]
ITEM TWO, RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, CITY MANAGER, MOTION TO RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.MS. HANH, ANY COMMENTS? ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS? MR. HORN? A QUESTION REGARDING, UM, SECTION 5.1, WHICH, UH, DEALS WITH A DISMISSAL BY THE CITY FOR CAUSE.
UM, UNDER THIS SECTION, IF THE CITY MANAGER VIOLATES ARTICLE TWO, WHICH IS CALLED OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY MANAGER, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE CITY MANAGER WAS NOT IN COMPLIANCE OF SECTION 2.2 OF THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, WOULD THIS BE GROUNDS FOR TERMINATION BY THE CITY FOR CAUSE WHEN I READ THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, IT, I, I DON'T HAVE AN ACCURATE UNDERSTANDING OF THAT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THAT SECTION, UH, DEALS WITH, UM, SOME OF THE STANDARDS OF WORK AND, UM, SO IS VIOLATION OF THAT CAUSE FOR DISMISSAL BY THE CITY.
I, I THINK I IN THE EMAIL EX TRIED TO EXPLAIN I CANNOT REPRESENT THE CITY AND THIS AS REPRESENTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL VERSUS THE CITY MANAGER.
SO I AM NOT ABLE ETHICALLY TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.
SO MS. MORLAND, UH, WHAT WOULD THE REMEDY BE? THE CITY WOULD HAVE TO HIRE AN ATTORNEY AND BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS ALL OVER AGAIN.
WELL, IF YOU'RE ASKING OR SUGGESTING YOU WANT AN AMENDMENT, YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CANNOT BE INVOLVED IN NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO PARTIES.
BARN, WHO WAS THE ATTORNEY THAT NEGOTIATED THIS AGREEMENT, AND ARE THEY PRESENT TONIGHT? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ATTORNEY THAT YOU, YOUR, UM, SEARCH FIRM NEGOTIATED THE TERMS, UH, BETWEEN THE, UH, BETWEEN MS. HAHN AND THE CITY COUNCIL.
AND THIS IS FAIRLY STANDARD LANGUAGE THAT WE HAVE HAD IN OTHER CITY MANAGER CONTRACTS.
IT'S THE SAME ONE I THINK YOU'VE USED FOR THE LAST THREE.
SO IF THIS WAS, UH, VAGUE IN PREVIOUS, UM, CONTRACTS, THEN IT CONTINUES TO BE VAGUE, IF THAT'S YOUR OPINION.
UM, ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THAT, MR. COOPER? NOT ON THAT, BUT MY COMMENTS ARE, UM, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH, UM, MS. HUN BEING THE, HAVING BEEN VOTED AS, AS I VOTED TO APPROVE HER AS THE CITY MANAGER.
I HAD NO ISSUES WITH THAT, THAT WE HAD SOME COUPLE REAL GOOD QUALIFIED CANDIDATES, UM, AND SHE WAS SELECTED TO BE THE CITY MANAGER AND I FEEL THAT SHE CAN DEFINITELY HANDLE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND WILL BRING, UM, SUCCESS TO OUR CITY IN WAYS THAT WE HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST.
SAYING THAT HOWEVER, I WAS NOT, UM, IN FAVOR WITH THE, UH, NEGOTIATED WAGES AND SALARIES THAT WAS PR THAT WAS VOTED ON AND APPROVED AND THAT WE ARE APPRO TONIGHT.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL NOT BE VOTING APPROVAL OF THE CONTRACT, BUT I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH HER AS BEING THE CITY MANAGER, BUT I THINK THAT THERE WAS SOME INAPPROPRIATENESS DONE REGARDING, UM, THE WAGES THAT WE, UH, ENDED UP PUTTING INTO THAT PARTICULAR CONTRACT.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL? SEEING NONE, PLEASE CALL THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.
[3. Budget Reconciliation Ordinance Appropriating Additional Monies for the Purpose of Defraying the Expenses for Certain Funds of the City of Decatur, Illinois for the Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2025]
ORDINANCE APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL MONIES FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEFRA THE EXPENSES FOR CERTAIN FUNDS OF THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31ST, 2025.MOTION THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
[00:50:02]
THANK YOU MAYOR COUNCIL.UH, THIS IS OUR, UH, STANDARD ORDINANCE THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR TO RECONCILE THE BUDGET, UH, APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR OPERATIONAL EXPENDITURES THAT WERE NOT ANTICIPATED AT THE TIME.
THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED THE BUDGET IN 2024 FOR THE 2025 FISCAL YEAR, JANUARY ONE THROUGH DECEMBER 31ST AS OUTLINED, UM, IN THE, UH, COUNCIL PACKET.
THESE ADDITIONAL BUDGET APPROPRIATIONS ARE OFFSET BY BUDGET EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS AND, UM, ITEMS THAT WERE LISTED, UM, THERE, SUCH AS STATE MOTOR FUEL TAX FUND DUE TO PROJECT EXPENDITURES NOT INCURRED PUBLIC TRANSIT FUNDS FOR EXPENDITURES, NOT INCURRED SEWER FUNDS FOR EXPENDITURES NOT INCURRED, AND WATER FUND FOR EXPENDITURES NOT INCURRED.
AND THOSE WERE ALL RELATED TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
UH, WITH THAT, UM, WE WILL OPEN IT UP IF WE HAVE ANY, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, AN INTERIM FINANCE DIRECTOR GREG ZENER IS HERE AS WELL.
AND JUST A NOTE, THIS IS SOMETHING WE TEND TO DO IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY FOLLOWING THE END OF A FISCAL YEAR.
SO THIS IS NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF COUNCIL? SEE NONE.
ITEM FOUR, RESOLUTION APPROVING A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS AND BROAD WING ENERGY, LLC MOTIONS, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND, MADAM HAN, MADAM MANAGER, IS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SAY, BUT LET'S TAKE IT.
UH, WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND BROADWING ENERGY.
THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT, UH, WILL BRING ABOUT A FIRST OF ITS KIND POWER PLANT THAT WILL SUPPLY LOW CARBON ELECTRICITY AND STEAM FOR PROCESSING OPERATIONS AT ARCHER DANIEL MIDLAND.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE AGREEMENT IS FOR A WATER MAIN SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION AND FORCE MAIN.
AND WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IN THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT IS THAT THE WATER MAIN, THAT BROADWING WILL REQUIRE, THEY WILL PAY A HUNDRED PERCENT FOR THAT TO BE INSTALLED.
THE CITY WILL OVERSEE THE DESIGN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH BROAD WING AS WELL AS THE INSTALLATION.
UH, BUT THIS WILL BE, THIS COST, UH, WILL BE A HUNDRED PERCENT COVERED BY BROAD WING.
THE OTHER PORTION OF THIS IS A SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION IN FORCE MAIN.
UM, THIS WILL, UM, COME BY, UH, BROAD WING, ALLOCATING THE LAND TO THE CITY FOR A DOLLAR, AND THEN, UM, SPLITTING THE COST 50 50 WITH THE CITY.
SO WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE TOTAL COST OF THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION TO BE ABOUT $24 MILLION.
SO THE CITY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR 12 MILLION OF THAT.
THIS WILL ALLOW, UM, AS, AS SOME HAD SPOKE ABOUT, THIS WILL ALLOW FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN THIS AREA.
IT WILL ALLOW OTHERS TO CONNECT TO THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION, UH, FOR BROADWING OPERATIONS.
AND WITH THAT, I AM GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO JONATHAN WES FROM BROADWING ENERGY, WHO HAS A PRESENTATION.
IT'S A PRIVILEGE TO BE IN FRONT OF YOU AND TO, UH, TALK ABOUT OUR EXCITING PROJECT.
I, I FOUNDED LOW CARBON INFRASTRUCTURE BACK IN 2018, AND, YOU KNOW, I SERVED IN THE ARMY FOR EIGHT YEARS AS AN ARMY RANGER, AND I'VE SPENT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS WORKING ON THIS BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING I BELIEVE IN AND YOU ALL HAVE, YOU KNOW, ADDRESSED THAT THERE'S CHALLENGES IN THE COMMUNITY AND VARIOUS THINGS YOU'RE TRYING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, HANDLE.
I SEE DECATUR AS A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY AND WE LOOKED AT MANY DIFFERENT AREAS, UH, TO DO THIS.
WE'VE LOOKED IN DOZENS OF STATES TO TRY TO DO A SIMILAR, SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT.
AND WE ALWAYS CAME BACK TO DECATUR BECAUSE OF THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S HERE.
DECATUR KNOWS HOW TO DO HEAVY INDUSTRY.
THEY KNOW HOW TO DO THINGS THAT ARE HARD, AND YOU HAVE THE INTERSECTION OF SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES WITH NATURAL GAS, WITH, UH, SEQUESTRATION, UH, CAPACITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, A COMMUNITY THAT IS, HAS DONE THIS MANY TIMES AND, AND DONE HARD THINGS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO.
WE'RE GONNA BUILD SOMETHING VERY EXCITING.
IT'S FIRST OF A KIND, UM, BUT IT'S BEEN DONE BEFORE IN ITS OWN PIECES AND WE'RE PUTTING IT TOGETHER.
SO CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? UM, THE, THE PROJECT ITSELF IS A CO-GENERATION FACILITY WHERE WE'RE GONNA GENERATE STEAM AND POWER.
AND WHEN I STARTED THE COMPANY, I WAS TRYING TO FIND A WAY THAT WE COULD COM WE COULD INVEST AND DO THINGS THAT WERE DIFFERENT, THAT WERE EXCITING, THAT COULD BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, ENABLE THE ENERGY TRANSITION.
AS WE LOOKED AT THIS SITE AND STARTED WORKING IN 2019 WITH, UM, A DM, WE TRIED TO FIND WHAT IS THE WAY THAT WE CAN DECARBONIZE THE SUPPLY OF STEAM AND, AND POWER TO THEM.
AND WE LOOKED AT CERTAINLY SOLAR PLUS BATTERY STORAGE.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE GRID TIME OF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH TO SUPPORT 24 HOUR OPERATIONS.
[00:55:01]
THERE'S NOT SU SUFFICIENT, UM, CAPACITY ON TRANSMISSION LINES TO SUPPORT THAT.UM, AND THE COST WAS A HUNDRED TIMES WHAT THIS IS.
AND SO IT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, WAS, UM, FEASIBLE.
AND AS WE WORKED THROUGH ALL THOSE DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES, WE LOOKED AT EVERYTHING WITH, WITH A DM, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT COULD WE DO THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, ALLOW FOR THIS TRANSITION, UH, TRANSITION OFF OF COAL AND A TRANSITION TO CLEAN NATURAL GAS.
AND SO WE, UM, AFTER LOOKING AT ALL THESE TECHNOLOGIES, ENDED UP PARTNERING WITH, UH, MITSUBISHI.
SO OUR EQUIPMENT IS COMING FROM MITSUBISHI, UH, MUCH OF IT'S MANUFACTURING IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.
AND, UH, MITSUBISHI IS THE WORLD'S LEADER IN NATURAL GAS TURBINES.
SO WE ARE ORDERING, IF YOU EVER TURN ON THE NEWS, CNBC OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT POWER SUPPLY SHORTAGES.
AND WE'RE ORDERING, UM, AND HAVE ALREADY ORDERED AND HAVE A, UH, YOU KNOW, Q POSITION FOR A NATURAL GAS TURBINE THAT IS THE MOST IN DEMAND TURBINE IN THE WORLD.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE ON FOUR YEARS BACK ORDERED AND DECATUR'S BEEN ON, ON THE MAP WITH A MITSUBISHI TURBINE, UM, FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS BECAUSE 'CAUSE OF WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
UM, SO MITSUBISHI IS THE BEST IN CLASS WHEN IT COMES TO, UH, NATURAL GAS TURBINES.
IN ADDITION, THEY'RE THE ONLY COMPANY THAT ALSO OWNS THE CAPTURE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE'RE GONNA USE.
SO THEY DEMONSTRATED CAPTURE IN TEXAS AT THE PETR NOVA PROJECT, AND THAT'S WHERE, UM, THEY SHOWED THAT IT CAN BE DONE AT SCALE.
AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING AT BROADING IS WE'RE PUTTING THOSE TWO PIECES TOGETHER AND BUILDING A FACILITY THAT'S WELL OVER A BILLION DOLLARS, UM, GONNA BRING A TON OF JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY AND PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER IN A UNIQUE WAY THAT'S SHOWING THE WORLD THAT YOU CAN DECARBONIZE NOT ONLY HEAVY INDUSTRY, BUT YOU CAN DECARBONIZE ELECTRICITY.
AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT.
THESE PLANTS ARE BEING BUILT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.
AND, UH, CARBON CAPTURE AT THIS SCALE IS SOMETHING THAT IS, IS EASILY DONE, BUT IT HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.
AND IT'S BEEN THE VISION OF OUR COMPANY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT.
AND WE'RE DOING IT RIGHT HERE WITH YOU ALL.
WE'RE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO BE DOING IT.
UM, THE CONSTRUCTOR OF THE PLANT IS GONNA BE KIEWIT KIEWIT'S BUILT A LOT OF PLANTS IN ILLINOIS, BUILT THE JACKSON GENERATING STATION, WHICH WAS THE FIRST MITSUBISHI, JAC TURBINE BUILT IN ILLINOIS.
AND, UM, SO THEY'VE, THEY'VE DONE PROJECTS THAT ARE THE SECOND LARGEST, UM, CONSTRUCTOR OF EPC FOR CONSTRUCTION OF POWER PLANTS IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, WE ARE OWNED BY I SQUARED CAPITAL.
IT'S A, UH, OVER 50 BILLION, UH, $40 BILLION A UM UM, INVESTMENT FUND.
ALL THEY INVEST IN IS, IS, UM, HEAVY INFRASTRUCTURE.
AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR TOTAL AMOUNT OF ASSETS DEPLOYED, AND WE INCLUDE DEBT, INCLUDE DEBT, IT'S OVER 200 MILLION DEPLOYED.
SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IS SERIOUS.
WE, UM, HAVE BEST IN CLASS PARTNERS IN, UH, MANUFACTURING IN, UH, OUR CONSTRUCTION.
AND WE'RE READY TO PUT THESE GUYS TO WORK.
WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE.
THIS IS A MASSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEST IN CLASS PARTNERS IN A DM FOR OFFTAKE.
WE GOT BEST IN CLASS PARTNERS IN GOOGLE FOR THE OFFTAKE OF POWER, WHICH IS GONNA GO TO THE GRID.
UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A, UM, THESE, THESE OPPORTUNITIES DON'T COME ALONG AND, YOU KNOW, THESE TURBINES ARE, UH, ON BACK ORDER.
AND THE, THE REASON I SAY THAT IS, IS IF WE DON'T PUT THE TURBINE HERE IN DECATUR, IT'S GONNA GO TO ANOTHER TOWN, RIGHT? AND THE OPPORTUNITY IS NOW WE WANNA MOBILIZE IN THE FALL TO SITE, WE WANNA START CONSTRUCTION AND WE WANT TO GET GOING.
AND THIS IS NOW, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.
THIS IS A, A, A SITE LAYOUT AND AN OVERVIEW.
YOU CAN SEE, UM, THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE HERE, UM, TO, TO ORIENT YOU, YOU KNOW, BEHIND THE, THE PLANT THERE.
THE, THE TOWER IS NUMBER THREE.
SO NUMBER ONE IS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING.
NUMBER TWO IS WHERE THE, THE POWER PLANT ITSELF IS.
THE NEXT IS YOU'RE, IS YOU'RE WORKING YOUR WAY, UM, FROM THAT TOWARDS THE LARGE NUMBER THREE TOWER.
THAT NEXT THING IS THE, UM, UM, WHERE WE MAKE THE STEAM AND THEN THE EMISSIONS FROM THAT ALL GO INTO THE TOWER AND ARE CAPTURED.
AND SO CARBON CAPTURE IS NOT ANYTHING NEW.
I'VE MANAGED A HALF DOZEN OF THESE FACILITIES.
THERE'S TENS OF THOUSANDS OF 'EM GLOBALLY.
IT'S, IT'S A, IT'S A COMMON, IT'S IT CHEMICAL THAT'S USED TO CAPTURE CARBON IN INDUSTRIES FROM UREA TO AIMING TO, TO NATURAL GAS CAPTURE.
SO THIS IS, THIS IS NOTHING NEW, WE'RE JUST DOING IT AT A LITTLE BIGGER SCALE AND THAT'S HOW WE HAVE TO DO IT IN ORDER TO DECARBONIZE, UM, HEAVY INDUSTRY.
UM, SO THAT, THAT'S WHAT THE TOWER IS THERE AT NUMBER THREE.
UH, AND THEN FOUR AND FIVE ARE THE COOLING TOWERS AND THEN OUR SUBSTATION, AND THEN OUR POWER GOES ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE AMEREN SUBSTATION AND AMEREN PUTS IT ON THE GRID AND SOME GOES BEHIND THE METER TO, TO, UH, A DM.
SO THE PROJECT ITSELF IS, IS, LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, WELL OVER A BILLION DOLLARS.
UM, WE'RE BRINGING A LOT OF JOBS TO THE COMMUNITY.
UH, WE WANNA PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO BRING THOSE JOBS.
OUR CONTRACTOR HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE IN ILLINOIS WORKING WITH THE UNIONS AND DOING THINGS RIGHT.
AND, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DO.
[01:00:01]
I'VE REITERATE, REITERATE, REITERATED IT BEFORE, BUT WE'RE OWNED BY A FUND THAT HAS THE CAPITAL IS READY TO DEPLOY IT NOW, AND, AND WE'RE READY TO MOVE FORWARD.SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE HERE, UM, SEEKING YOUR APPROVAL.
WE'RE PAYING FOR THE, THE MOST OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED, WHAT WE'RE NOT PAYING FOR, USING FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL CAPACITY FOR EXPANSION, FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IN DECATUR.
UM, SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY AT THIS POINT.
I WILL OPEN IT UP TO COUNSEL FOR QUESTIONS.
JONATHAN, YOU MIGHT WANNA STAY CLOSE BECAUSE YOU MAY BE ASKED A QUESTION OR TWO.
UH, AS I'VE SAID MANY TIMES 80% OF THE MUNICIPALITIES IN ILLINOIS HAVE LOST POPULATION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.
SO IT'S JUST NOT DECATUR, WHICH MEANS, YOU KNOW, UH, LESS WORKERS.
UH, AND THAT, UM, IT'S BROUGHT UP ABOUT SOLAR POWER AND THAT IT'S UNSUSTAINABLE.
OTHER STATES ARE FINDING OUT THAT'S, THAT'S AN ISSUE, UH, OVER IN EUROPE.
THEY FOUND OUT YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T GROW THE ECONOMY.
WE HAVE THE, UH, PRESENT ADMINISTRATION, STATE ADMINISTRATION AND, UM, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY HANDING OUT, UM, GRANTS TO ATTRACT NEW BUSINESSES WITH ONE HAND.
AND THE OTHER HAND THEY CREATE, THEY CREATE, UH, MORE RESTRICTIONS AND HIGHER TAXES.
SO CORPORATIONS ARE MOVING OUT OF, OUT OF ILLINOIS.
AND, UH, IF YOU KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY COMPANIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE BEEN LAYING OFF PEOPLE JUST IN THE LAST THREE OR FOUR MONTHS, WE'RE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE AN INDUSTRY THAT WANTS TO COME TO ILLINOIS AND, AND DECATUR.
SO, UM, UM, IT'S, IT DOES BRING SOME JOBS, IT'S OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, DECATUR HAS TURNED DOWN MANY THINGS OVER THE YEARS AND WE'VE REGRETTED IT.
AND, UH, SO I APPRECIATE ABOUT EVERYONE'S INPUT.
UH, BUT I WILL BE SUPPORTING THIS BECAUSE IT, IT WILL PROVIDE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY AND WE'LL MAYBE GET MORE INDUSTRIES MOVING INTO DECATUR BECAUSE IT'S BEEN MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN THE FOREFRONT WITH A DM AND, AND DOING THIS AND, UH, WE'RE WELL KNOWN AROUND THE WORLD.
AND YOU MAY HAVE SAID THIS, UM, YOU ARE, UM, WORKING WITH OUR LOCAL LABOR UNIONS AS A PARTNERSHIP, CORRECT? SO THAT'S CORRECT.
THEY HAVE YOUR FULL SUPPORT UNION JOB.
I KNOW WHAT THE COING CENTER, THERE'S ESTIMATED USE OF WATER AND THERE'S A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, WORK BEING DONE.
BUT WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT ANNUALLY, AND WHEN YOU ANSWER THAT, I MAY CIRCLE BACK TO THE CITY BECAUSE IT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP AS FAR AS RESIDENTS CONCERNS OR EVEN OUR CURRENT LAKE LEVEL ABOUT THE USAGE.
AND DO WE HAVE THE, UH, CAPABILITY TO PROVIDE THE COOLING FOR THEM? YEAH, SO FOR WATER USAGE, UM, WE HAVE FACTORED THAT IN.
UM, AS AS MENTIONED, IT IS GOING TO, UM, USE UP A, A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF OUR SURPLUS.
SO WE WILL HAVE SOME SURPLUS, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
UM, WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK AT THAT AND WHAT WE WOULD NEED TO DO, UM, IN SPECIFIC DROUGHT CONDITIONS.
SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE WATER DEPARTMENT IS STILL CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
BUT YES, WE CAN CURRENTLY PROVIDE WHAT THEY'RE NEEDING WITH THIS PROJECT.
IT'S JUST GONNA REQUIRE THAT ADDITIONAL, UH, WATER MAIN COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS.
MS. GREGORY? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
WE, UM, LISTEN TO A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM THIS COUNCIL, PARTICULAR MEMBERS ABOUT THE LOSS OF POPULATION.
UM, YET WE HAVE HEARD TONIGHT THAT THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE POPULATION.
WE HEAR FROM THE SAME COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH DPS 61, YET IT'S DPS 61 THAT SAYS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE MORE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THAT JOBS EQUAL FAMILIES.
AND SO THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO PLACE MORE CHILDREN IN OUR SCHOOLS.
WE HEAR A LOT FROM CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, REGARDING TAXES THAT WE NEED TO REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR CITIZENS.
WE REDUCE THE TAX BURDEN ON OUR CITIZENS WHEN WE INCREASE OUR POPULATION.
WHAT WE ARE DOING THIS EVENING SIGNALS TO OTHER BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY THAT DECATUR IS A WELCOMING PLACE TO BRING YOUR BUSINESS, TO CREATE MORE JOBS, UM, NOT ONLY IN CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO IN PERMANENT JOBS.
UM, SO I WOULD REFER YOU BACK TO, UM, COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT MR. DESLER SAID ABOUT WHAT A NO VOTE ON THIS
[01:05:01]
PROJECT STANDS FOR.WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL, I GREW UP IN THE CITY OF DANVILLE.
UM, IT'S A COMMUNITY THAT, UH, I STILL THINK FONDLY OF.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT LIVING IN DANVILLE, IT'S WHERE I MET MY VERY BEST GIRLFRIEND WHO LIVED DOWN THE STREET FROM US.
AND HER DAD WAS A PHYSICIAN AT THE GM PLANT THAT WAS IN DANVILLE.
DANVILLE THRIVED BECAUSE OF THAT GM PLANT WHEN IT LEFT, DANVILLE STANDS AS IT IS TODAY, AND THAT IS NOT A PLACE WHERE I WANT TO SEE THE CITY OF DECATUR.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THIS PROJECT TO HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE PAID FOR BY BROAD WING THAT INFRASTRUCTURE LEVERAGES ADDITIONAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO THAT CORRIDOR.
UM, DON'T MAKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MORE DIFFICULT BY VOTING NO ON THIS PROJECT.
OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, DR. HORN? MAYOR, I, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR MR. WES, BUT I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY.
SHOULD I JUST BEGIN WITH MR. WES, WHATEVER MAKES SENSE TO YOU? ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.
UM, MR. WES, DOES THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BROADWING AND A DM AND BROADWING AND GOOGLE, DO THEY REQUIRE THAT CO2 SEAT QUE TAKE PLACE UNDER THE CITY OF DECATUR, INCLUDING LAKE DECATUR? OUR, OUR POSSESSION OF CO2 ENDS IN OUR FENCE LINE.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE BUILDING A POWER PLANT.
UM, DOES THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BROAD WING AND TALL GRASS REQUIRE THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE TO GO UNDER LAKE DECATUR? WE RECEIVE NATURAL GAS AT OUR FENCE LINE, AND THAT'S WHERE OUR CONTRACT STARTS.
UM, IS BROAD WING, FULLY AWARE OF THE CURRENT WATER CAPACITY AND DROUGHT RESILIENCY THAT THE CITY OFFERS? RIGHT NOW? WE'VE NEGOTIATED OUR AGREEMENTS WITH, WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND WITH THE CITY, UM, FOR THE CAPACITY WE NEED.
WE HAVE NOT, UM, YOU KNOW, UM, PRESSED THE CITY ON, UM, DROUGHT STANDARDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING IN GOOD FAITH WITH THE CITY.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, RIGHT NOW, THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS ABOUT 80% DROUGHT RESILIENCY WITH THE MODERATE GROSS SCENARIO THAT WE'RE USING OF 38 POINT MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT THAT SUGGESTS THAT WE NEED TO ADD MORE WATER, UM, STORAGE CAPABILITIES WITH BROAD WING? THAT'S CORRECT.
HAVE YOUR, UH, FACILITIES THAT ARE OPERATED BY ALL OF THE COMPANIES THAT YOU HAVE MENTIONED, HAVE THEY EVER EXPERIENCED, UH, AN EXPLOSION OR HAD AN ACCIDENT THAT INVOLVED INJURY TO A WORKER? ARE YOU ASKING IF POWER PLANTS AROUND THE COUNTRY HAVE EVER HAD AN EXPLOSION? WHAT ARE YOU ASKING THE COMPANIES THAT ARE PART OF THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT? RIGHT, SO YOU'VE GOT BROAD WING ENERGY, WHICH IS OWNED BY A DIFFERENT COMPANY.
NO, THERE'S NO, THERE'S NEVER BEEN AN EXPLOSION FOR BROADWING LCI OR ANY OF OUR, UM, SUPPORTING COMPANIES.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EXPLORED THIS, BUT HAVE YOU, IS THERE SPECIALIZED, UM, PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT? AND HERE I'M TALKING ABOUT FIRE DEPARTMENTS IN PARTICULAR, UM, APPARATUS OR EQUIPMENT THAT WOULD BE, UH, NECESSARY IN THE EVENT OF AN INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT? UH, A A DM HAS CURRENTLY BEEN LEADING THAT.
I THINK WHEN OUR OPERATIONS START, WE'RE GONNA, WE'RE GONNA PARTNER WITH THEM CERTAINLY.
THERE'S A FACILITY IN TEXAS THAT, UM, IS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH, UM, EXXONMOBIL AND TRAINS FIREMEN AND HOW TO HANDLE, UM, CO2 AND HOW TO OPERATE IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.
AND SO, WE'LL, WE'LL CERTAINLY SUPPORT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND, AND THEIR ABILITY TO BE TRAINED.
PAT MAYOR, I WANNA REMIND, UH, THE PUBLIC, THE CITY FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS, EVEN BEFORE I CAME ON, THE
[01:10:01]
COUNCIL HAD BEEN LOOKING FOR OTHER WATER SOURCES AND WE'VE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.UH, YES, IT'S GONNA COST, BUT AS I ALWAYS SAY, THE NEXT, UH, WAR WILL BE FOUGHT OVER WATER AND NOT, UH, NOT OIL.
SO, UM, COMMUNITIES AROUND THE, UH, THE, THE, THE NATION HAVE BEEN WORKING TO FIND ADDITIONAL AND WE'VE BEEN VERY UPFRONT AND VERY PROACTIVE IN FINDING ADDITIONAL, UH, WATER SOURCES.
SO THAT, THAT'S ONE GOOD THING YOU CAN SAY ABOUT THE COUNCILS.
OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN PRO, PRO PROACTIVE, NOT ONLY FOR OUR CITIZENS, BUT FOR OUR INDUSTRY.
ANY OTHER, UH, COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL OR QUESTIONS FROM MR. WILLIAMS? I HAVE A QUESTION.
DOES THE CITY HAVE A PLAN TO TEST THE WATER FOR ANY CHANGES IN LAKE DECATUR AFTER THE PIPELINE IS IMPLEMENTED? I'M NOT SURE ON WHAT PIPELINE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.
WILL, WILL ANY ADDITIONAL TESTING BE ADDED TO THE WAY THE CITY IS TESTING CITY WATER? WELL, THERE'S NOTHING IN THIS AGREEMENT FOR A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.
I, I WAS JUST ASKING, DO YOU, DO YOU HAVE, FOR THE BROADER PROJECT, IS THERE ANY ADDITIONAL TESTING THAT WILL BE ADDED TO THE LAKE TO TEST THAT WATER OR TO MONITOR POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION? UM, I CAN DEFER TO TO MATT IF, IF I'M INCORRECT, BUT FROM MY KNOWLEDGE THERE, WE WON'T BE, I MEAN, WE DO OUR REGULAR, REGULAR TESTING, SO WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THE, THE TESTING THAT WE, UM, HAVE CONTINUED TO DO AS FAR AS THE WATER, UM, EVEN WITH THE CURRENT PIPELINES THAT ARE UNDER THE LAKE.
SO NO ADDITIONAL TESTING AFTER THIS PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT DOESN'T HAVE THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.
WHAT WE'RE, WHAT WE'RE AGREEING TO, WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON TONIGHT, RIGHT.
I'M REFERRING TO THE BROADER PROJECT.
SO TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE WILL BE NO DIFFERENT TESTING, UM, IF THERE WERE TO BE AN ADDITIONAL PIPELINE ADDED UNDER THE LAKE, AND WE WOULD CONTINUE TO DO THE TESTING AS WE ALWAYS HAVE.
MR. COOPER, DID YOU HAVE YOUR HAND UP? UH, I JUST WANTED TO, I DO WANNA SAY SOMETHING, BUT I WANNA WAIT TO AFTER, UM, THE NEXT ROUND THE CITIZENS TALK, AND THEN I'M GONNA STILL RESERVE MY SPACE THEN TO HAVE MY FINAL COMMENTS.
YOU WILL HAVE ALL THE TIME YOU NEED.
DR. HORNE, DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR MR. WEEMS STILL, OR TO MOVE INTO THE ONE QUESTION? OKAY.
ONE MORE QUESTION FOR MR. WEEMS. UM, WILL YOUR FACILITY BE REQUIRED TO CHARGE THE MUNICIPAL GAS USE TAX TO THE BUYERS OF THE ENERGY? SO YOU'VE GOT TWO BUYERS, A, D, M, AND GOOGLE.
WILL THEY BE REQUIRED TO PAY THE CITY'S MUNICIPAL GAS USE TAX? WE CAN TRACK DIRECTLY WITH THE PIPELINE, AND SO THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT IS IN OUR SCOPE.
DOES ANYBODY FROM THE CITY KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION? SO FOR ANY USERS OF, ONCE AGAIN, I JUST WANNA REITERATE, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE AGREEMENT THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING THAT DEALS WITH THE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE.
UM, IF THERE ARE USERS OF NATURAL GAS THAT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS AS OUTLINED IN THE CODE, THEN YES, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE GAS USE TAX AS, AS OUTLINED IN THE CODE.
WELL, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION BECAUSE, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE, AS A REMINDER TO FOLKS, UM, ACCORDING TO CITY CODE 51.6, UM, IN A SALE AT RETAIL, AT THE RATE, UH, BASICALLY, UH, THERE IS A TAX AND A SALE AT RETAIL AT THE RATE OF FOUR AND ONE QUARTER CENTS PER FIRM TO A MAXIMUM OF 40 MILLION.
THE, UM, I RECOGNIZE RIGHT NOW THERE'S A CAP AT 40 MILLION.
THE, BUT THAT IS CERTAINLY THE PREROGATIVE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR TO CHANGE.
SO IF YOU DO A ROUGH CALCULATION OF 1.2 MILLION THES TIMES 365 DAYS MINUS THE CAP OF 40 MILLION THERMS TIMES 4.25 CENTS PER THERM, THAT'S $16.8 MILLION MORE IN NATURAL GAS USE TAX REVENUE.
AND SO THIS IS A, AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT INCREASED REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WATER, AND IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SEWER REVENUE, IT'S ABOUT NATURAL GAS
[01:15:01]
REVENUE.SO IS IT POSSIBLE TO GET AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION, WHICH I ASKED EARLIER TODAY? UNLESS I MISUNDERSTOOD? I THOUGHT MS. HAHN ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
I JUST A YES OR NO WOULD BE HELPFUL HERE? YES.
IF THERE ARE USERS THAT, THAT ARE, THAT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THAT, THEN YES, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THE, TO THAT GAS TAX.
WE'VE NOT HAD DISCUSSIONS REGARDING GAS USE FOR THIS PROJECT BECAUSE IN NEGOTIATIONS, WHAT WE'VE BEEN NEGOTIATING WAS THE WATER MAIN THAT WAS NEEDED AND THE SANITARY SEWER LIFT STATION AND FORCE MAIN.
SO, UM, AS I HAD RESPONDED IN MY EMAIL EARLIER, YES, IF, IF THEY MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CODE, THEY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO THAT GAS USE TAX, SO THERE COULD BE ADDITIONAL REVENUES IF, IF THAT WERE THE CASE.
IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING DURING THIS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
AS, AS PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, I, I WOULD JUST POINT OUT THAT AT ABOUT $17 MILLION A YEAR AND A 30 YEAR AND A 30 YEAR LIFESPAN OF THIS PROJECT, THAT'S, THAT'S $500 MILLION IN REVENUE.
UH, SO I, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO KNOW YES OR NO WHETHER THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENT.
DID YOU HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE CITY OR CITY? YES.
ANY OTHER QUESTION FOR MR. WILLIAMS? YOU CAN SIT DOWN.
OKAY, DR. HORN, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
YES, THE CITY IS PROJECTING ANNUAL NET REVENUE OF APPROXIMATELY 1.97 MILLION PER YEAR IN 2030 FOR, UM, UH, SEWER USAGE FEE AND 10.96 MILLION FOR WATER USE FEE.
BUT THE NET AMOUNT OF WATER THAT MY UNDERSTANDING BROADWING IS SUPPOSED TO USE IS, UM, 3 MILLION GALLONS PER DAY, BUT THE, UH, ESTIMATE IS FOR SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS A DAY.
AND SO WOULDN'T THE BETTER ESTIMATE OF NET REVENUE BE THE 3 MILLION GALLONS A DAY INSTEAD OF THE SEVEN AND A HALF MILLION GALLONS PER DAY? UM, ONCE AGAIN, AS I HAD SHARED EARLIER IN MY RESPONSE TO, TO THIS QUESTION, WE'VE NOT HAD DIRECT CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER USERS IF THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE REDUCTIONS IN THEIR USE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY THAT WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE CALCULATIONS.
WHAT WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER WERE THE CALCULATIONS OF USAGE BY BROAD WING AND THEIR PROJECT.
UM, THERE, THERE WAS, UH, PROJECTIONS GIVEN TO US THAT THIS COULD HAVE REDUCTIONS OF OTHER LARGE USERS, BUT WE DID NOT HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
AND SO THAT WAS NOT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THESE CALCULATIONS BECAUSE THAT HAS NOT BEEN VERIFIED.
SO I THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT LET'S CALL IT $11 MILLION IN WATER REVENUE THAT BROADWING IS PURCHASING, BUT IT'S REALLY A NET OF 3 MILLION GALLONS AS ASSUMING IT'S THE SAME TYPE OF WATER, PROCESSED WATER VERSUS INSTEAD OF RAW WATER.
REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR WATER REVENUE, A VERY ROUGH ESTIMATE IS AN ADDITIONAL $4 MILLION A YEAR.
AND THEN I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER, UM, THE SANITARY SEWER WILL ALSO REPLACE THE NEEDS THAT A DM HAS.
I THINK IT IS FAIR TO SAY THOUGH, THAT THESE NUMBERS ARE IN TERMS OF REVENUE ARE, ARE HIGHER THAN, UH, WHAT WE MIGHT EXPECT GIVEN NET SEWER USAGE IN NET WATER USAGE.
UM, I GUESS THE, THE NEXT QUESTION I HAVE, UM, FOR THE CITY, UM, IS, UM, JUST TO CONFIRM THAT, UH, WELL, I GUESS THIS IS THE WAY TO ASK THIS QUESTION.
IS THIS CITY COMFORTABLE WITH BEING 80% RESILIENT
[01:20:02]
FOR A, A MAXIMUM DROUGHT? I WOULD SAY THAT WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE IN PROVIDING THE WATER TO BROAD WING, WE HAVE THE SUPPLY AND CAPACITY TO PROVIDE THAT.AND AS I MENTIONED, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR DROUGHT RESILIENCY AND LOOK AT OTHER SOURCES AND HOW WE CAN INCREASE OUR WATER SUPPLY AND AND CAPACITY.
SO I THINK THAT WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THIS PROJECT WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT FOR FUTURE PROJECTS, YES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT, UM, IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR, OUR SUPPLY AND, AND SYSTEM CAPACITY.
S SO IT'S, IT'S FAIR TO SAY, WELL, NUMBER ONE, IT'S ULTIMATELY THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION IS TO HOW RESILIENT WE WANT TO BE, RIGHT? SO IF WE WANT TO BE A HUNDRED PERCENT RESILIENT, WE'RE GOING TO NEED NEW, UH, WATER CAPACITY.
IT'S ALSO FAIR TO SAY THAT, UM, TWO OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT ARE, UM, A WATER PIPELINE FROM THE DEWITT COUNTY WELL FIELDS, UM, WHICH ESTIMATES ARE GREATER THAN $20 MILLION OR A WATER PIPELINE, UM, FROM THE HARRIS TOWN FORMER VULCAN PIT, WHICH I'M CONFIDENT WILL BE MORE THAN $20 MILLION.
AND ALL OF THOSE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENTS, IF THE CITY OF DECATUR CHOOSES TO MAKE THEM, UM, WILL ESSENTIALLY, UH, HELP PROVIDE 100% RESILIENCY, BUT THEY ALSO TAKE AWAY FROM THE NET REVENUE OF THIS $1 BILLION ECONOMIC INVESTMENT TO THE CITY.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? MS. GREGORY? THANK YOU, MAYOR.
UM, I WANNA GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL SAID, UM, ABOUT COUNCILS DOING A GOOD JOB AT ENSURING THAT THIS COMMUNITY HAS SUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLY.
I FIND THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING REALLY QUITE IRONIC.
COUNCILMAN HORNE, SINCE YOU HAVE, UM, OPPOSED MOST OF OUR EFFORTS TO SECURE ADDITIONAL WATER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
MR. HORNE? YEAH, J JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'VE BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE OF THE CITY OF DECATUR'S, UM, PURCHASE OF THE FORMER VULCAN PIT IN HARRIS TOWN.
THERE'S A STRONG, UM, UM, SET OF, OF EMAILS BEING AN ADVOCATE OF THAT FOR A LONG, LONG TIME THAT I'M HAPPY TO HAVE THE CITY OF DECATUR RELEASE, UM, IF, IF YOU WANNA VERIFY THAT.
BUT THE POINT IS THAT, UM, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSION ABOUT, UM, NEED FOR ADDITIONAL WATER SUPPLY, AND IF WE PROVIDE THAT PARTICULAR WATER SUPPLY, IT REDUCES THE NET REVENUE, UH, FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND, BASED ON MR. WEED'S RESPONSES, THAT THE, THE BROAD WING IS FULLY AWARE OF HOW MUCH WATER WE HAVE AND IS COMFORTABLE IN MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS BEFORE I BEGIN BRINGING THE CITIZENS BACK UP? OKAY.
UH, WE HAVE NICOLE BATEMAN, IF YOU WOULD LIKE, YOU'RE DONE.
UH, MANKY, MALLARD OR MILLARD, AND I'M SORRY IF I MISPRONOUNCED YOUR NAME.
MY NAME IS, I GOTTA PUT MY GLASSES ON.
MY NAME IS MANLY MALLARD, A PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF MUSIC AT MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY AND A 40 YEAR RESIDENT.
I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE ILLINOIS PEOPLE'S ACTION.
I'M DISAPPOINTED IN THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TO SIGN A 99 YEAR LEASE WITH A DM, ESPECIALLY UNDER SUSPECT CONDITIONS AS WE HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED.
ALSO, I'M HERE TODAY TO ASK THE COUNSEL TO MOVE TO NULLIFY THAT AGREEMENT.
SINCE WE KNOW NOW KNOW, A DM DID NOT INFORM COUNSEL ABOUT LEAKS BEFORE THEY SIGNED THE AGREEMENT.
FURTHERMORE, I ASK THAT YOU DO NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT WITH BROAD WING BROADWING.
GOOGLE PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PLANT, ALONG WITH A DM WILL DUMP 2 MILLION TONS OF CO2 UNDER LAKE DECATUR EVERY YEAR.
THE RESULT OF THIS OVER 22 TO 30 YEARS COULD BE UPWARDS TO 60 MILLION TONS OF CO2 WASTE.
THE CO2 CARBON CAPTURE CAPTURE IS AN UNPROVEN TECHNOLOGY.
[01:25:01]
PROJECT IS HIGHLIGHTED AS FIRST OF ITS KIND FOR COMBINING NATURAL GAS POWER WITH CCS.AND THOUGH A DM PROMISED IT'S SAFE AND PERMANENT, IT IS NEITHER A DM SAID IT DIDN'T AFFECT THE WATER, BUT THE FACTS ARE THAT THEY VIOLATED THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT IN A TIME WHEN WE ALL SEE THE HORRIFIC EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ALL OVER THE WORLD CAUSED BY BURNING FOSSIL FUELS.
I FIND IT DISTURBING THAT A DM AND BROAD WING WANT TO BRING NATURAL GAS POWER TO DECATUR.
IT SEEMS ANTITHETICAL TO WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS TO OUR HEALTH, SAFETY, AND ENVIRONMENT.
NOT ONLY WILL THERE BE MORE POLLUTION IN THE AIR, BUT ALSO VARIOUS SERIOUS RISKS TO OUR WATER SOURCE.
BROADWING EMPHASIZES CAPTURING OVER 90% OF THE CO2 ADMISSIONS.
HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE UNION OF CONCERNS SCIENTISTS, THE MAIN POLLUTANTS RESULTING FROM NATURAL GAS ELECTRICITY GENERATION ARE NITROGEN OXIDES, OR NOX.
NOT ONLY DOES NOX CAUSE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS, BUT IT ALSO REACTS WITH OTHER SUB SUBSTANCES AND PRODUCING PARTICULATE MATTER.
IN OZONE, NOX CAUSES ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, HEART ATTACKS, PREMATURE DEATH, AND THE LIST GOES ON.
UH, IF GO GOOGLE NEEDS A 400 MEGAWATT OF ENERGY, WHY NOT BUILD MORE WIND AND SOLAR FARMS? AMAZON HAS SOLAR PROJECTS WITH 13.6 GIGAWATTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT.
META HAS 100% RENEWABLE POWER DATA CENTERS IN EAGLE MOUNTAIN FACILITY IN UTAH.
MICROSOFT CONTACTS CONTRACTS HUNDREDS OF MEGAWATTS FOR, UH, SOLAR INSTALLATIONS ACROSS THE US.
UM, IF YOU GO FORWARD WITH THIS BROADVIEW PROJECT, IT CAN, CAN YOU GUARANTEE THERE WILL BE NO ACCIDENTS OR SUFFERING, UH, FROM THE EXPOSURE TO THE LEAKS INTO THE WATER.
SO I REQUEST THAT YOU DO, DO THE RIGHT BY CITIZENS OF DECATUR.
DO NOT SIGN THE CONTRACT WITH BROAD WING.
UH, SO THAT BRINGS US TO LY ROSENBERGER.
MY NAME IS LYN ROSENBERGER AND I'M A LONGTIME MEMBER OF ILLINOIS PEOPLE'S ACTION.
I UNDERSTAND THAT OR NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT CAPTURING CARBON DOES NOT ELIMINATE AIR POLLUTION, AND THAT POWER PLANTS EMIT OTHER POLLUTANTS BESIDES CARBON DIOXIDE THAT AFFECT AIR QUALITY AND PUBLIC HEALTH, ESPECIALLY FOR NEARBY NEIGHBORHOODS.
EPA USES A THREE MILE BUFFER ZONE FROM POWER PLANTS.
HERE THERE ARE 19,611 PEOPLE IN THIS SACRIFICE ZONE.
AND OF THIS NUMBER, 44% ARE LOW INCOME.
30% ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR, 5% ARE CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE, AND 18% ARE OVER 64 YEARS OF AGE.
NITROGEN OXIDE SEVERELY IRRITATES THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM CAUSING COUGHING, WHEEZING, SHORTNESS OF BREATH, WORSENING ASTHMA, AND INCREASING INFECTION RISKS LEADING TO PNEUMONIA.
HIGH LEVELS OF NITROGEN OXIDE LEADS TO FLUID IN THE LUNGS AND EVEN DEATH.
IT REACTS WITH SUNLIGHT AND OTHER COMPOUNDS TO FORM SMOG, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH BRONCHITIS, REDUCED LUNG FUNCTIONS AND INCREASED HOSPITAL VISITS FOR RESPIRATORY ISSUES.
MICROSCOPIC SOOT PARTICLES CALLED PARTICULATE MATTER, CAN PENETRATE DEEP INTO THE LUNGS AND ENTER THE BLOODSTREAM.
THEY ARE LINKED TO HEART ATTACKS, RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, AND PREMATURE DEATH.
YEARS AGO, THE CITY COUNCIL AT THAT TIME ENACTED A NO BURN ORDINANCE WITHIN THE CITY OF DECATUR, WHICH HOLDS TO THIS DAY.
IT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF ER VISITS TO BOTH HOSPITALS.
ALL OF THESE HARMFUL EFFECTS ARE WORSE FOR CHILDREN WHOSE AIRWAYS ARE STILL DEVELOPING EARLY LIFE EXPOSURE TO, UH, NITROGEN OXIDE IS ASSOCIATED WITH POORER ATTENTION.
COGNITIVE ISSUES, INCREASED RESPIRATORY ILL ILLNESSES AND REDUCED LUNG FUNCTIONING EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY INCREASES.
THE RISK OF PRETERM BIRTH IN THE
[01:30:01]
ELDERLY.EXPOSURE IS LINKED TO HEART ATTACKS, HIGHER RATES OF STROKES AND NEURODEGENERATIVE ISSUES.
I URGE YOU TO LEARN ALL THE FACTS AND TRUTH REGARDING HEALTH RISKS BEFORE YOU MAKE AN AGREEMENT WITH BROADWING ENERGY.
YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE COUNTING UPON YOU TO PROTECT THEM.
I ASK YOU TO SAY NO TO ANY AGREEMENT WITH BROAD.
DIANE, IF YOU WOULD COME TO PODIUM, PLEASE THANK.
HELLO, MY NAME IS DIANE SPANIEL.
I HAVE QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE RESOLUTION AND PROVING THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DECATUR AND BROAD WING ENERGY LLCI COME WITH MY QUESTIONS, WHICH I HOPE YOU'LL BE ABLE TO, UM, FOLLOW ALONG AS I GO THROUGH THEM, UM, BECAUSE MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF THIS AGREEMENT THAT'S ON THE TABLE TONIGHT.
FIRST IS THE CITY PROJECT 2026 DASH ZERO FOUR.
THAT'S ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA ENTITLED NORTHEAST QUADRANT WATER SYSTEM CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT AT $1 MILLION.
IS THAT SEPARATE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BROAD WING
WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF INCREASED WATER USE BY BROAD WING ON AGRICULTURE IN OUR AREA WITH WATER NEEDED BY OTHER INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING ENT, CATERPILLAR AND OTHERS, BUILDING A PIPELINE TO CARRY WATER? BUT WHERE WILL YOU FIND THAT WATER? WHY SHOULD DECATUR TAXPAYERS BE RESPONSIBLE TO HELP A DELAWARE CO COMPANY WITH OFFICES IN TEXAS? WHY ARE WE RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR WHAT YOU WOULD CALL NORMAL BUSINESS EXPENSES FOR A PROFIT MAKING BUSINESS? WHY DO US CITIZENS HAVE TO DO THAT AT A COST TO BROAD WING OF APPROXIMATELY ONLY $40 MILLION? THEY WILL BENEFIT TO THEIR PROJECT'S, TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT LISTED IN THE COUNCIL MEMO AS $1 BILLION.
THAT'S A RETURN ON AN INVESTMENT THAT ANYONE WOULD WISH FOR.
I'M A MEMBER OF IPA, A NEW ONE, AND I'M HERE TO ADDRESS ITEM FOUR ON THE AGENDA, THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT WITH BROADWING ENERGY.
I'VE BEEN CONCERNED THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE A CLIMATE ON THIS BOARD OF THAT DISCOURAGES YOU FROM ASKING QUESTIONS.
YOU ASK YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A RIGHT, A RESPONSIBILITY AND A, AND A TRULY SACRED OBLIGATION TO ASK QUESTIONS.
THAT'S WHY YOU WERE ELECTED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
I'M SURE THAT BROADWAY AND A DM WANT YOU TO APPROVE THE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT TONIGHT, AND IF NOT TONIGHT, AT YOUR NEXT MEETING, YOU ARE NOT OBLIGATED TO ADJUST TO THEIR TIMELINE.
JUST A FEW QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THE ANSWER TO ARE.
ONE, WHY IS BROADWAY LINKING TO ROXY'S EXPRESS PIPELINE WITH THEIR 20 INCH 16 MILE LATERAL? HE SAYS IT ONLY COMES AT THEIR DOOR, AND THAT'S HIS RESPONSIBILITY.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, YOU CAN'T RUN
[01:35:01]
A PLANT, A NATURAL GAS PLANT WITHOUT NATURAL GAS.SO HE HAS TO CONTRACT WITH SOMEBODY.
WHY TWO? HOW MUCH WATER WILL BE THEY USING DAILY, MONTHLY AND ANNUALLY? I THINK YOU'VE ANSWERED THAT.
I DIDN'T KNOW THAT BEFORE I WAS DOING THIS, BUT I DO APPRECIATE DR.
WHY IS GOOGLE WITH ALL THEIR RESOURCES AND NET ZERO GOALS BACKING BROAD WING'S, FOSSIL FUEL DEPENDENT POWER PLANT? YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THAT 99 YEAR AGREEMENT THAT A DM HAS HAS OPENED A FLOODGATE.
THIS IS JUST THE FIRST OF MANY REQUESTS THAT YOU ARE LIKELY TO RECEIVE, ASKING YOU TO GREENWASH A CORPORATION'S POLLUTION.
A DM HAS ONE INJECTION WELL WORKING AT THIS TIME, BUT THEY'RE SEEKING APPROVAL ON THREE WELLS, A DM OVERBUILT THE INJECTION SYSTEM SO THAT THEY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO INJECT FAR MORE CARBON DIOXIDE THAN THEY'RE PRODUCING.
IDEALLY, I'D LIKE TO SEE YOU VOTE AGAINST BROAD WINGS DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
THIS VENTURE PUTS YOUR CONSTITUENTS HEALTH AND SAFETY AT RISK.
IF YOU CAN'T SEE YOUR WAY CLEARLY TO OPPOSE THIS ACTION TONIGHT, POSTPONE IT.
YOU ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO SPEED THINGS ALONG.
ONLY BUSINESS PEOPLE SAY TIME IS MONEY.
THAT'S NOT TRUE FOR, FOR PE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY TAKE ALL THE TIME.
YOU NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS OF BROAD WING IPA AND CITY STAFF, BUT MOST OF ALL, SPEAK TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
PLEASE DON'T BE PUSHED INTO A DECISION THAT YOU MAY REGRET.
PLEASE READ ALL THE INFORMATION THAT IPA HAS PROVIDED YOU.
NEXT WE HAVE ALAN WADE, ALAN WADE.
UM, BEFORE I GET BACK INTO MY QUESTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE POINTS THAT I WAS PLANNING ON TOUCHING ON, AND, UH, COUNCILMAN HORNE HAD BROUGHT A COUPLE OF THESE THINGS UP.
ONE OF THOSE WAS THE MEMO THAT WENT OUT THAT SAID THAT STAFF WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS POWER PLANT.
UM, I HAVE A REALLY BIG PROBLEM WITH THE FACT THAT THE, UH, CITY OF DECATUR FACEBOOK PAGE HAS COMMENTS TURNED OFF THAT IS THE MOST ACCESSIBLE WAY FOR THE CI CITIZENS OF THE CITY TO EXPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE STAFF TRULY THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE NO OBJECTIONS, BUT IF THE, UH, COMMENTS ON POSTS WERE ON, IT WOULD'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT PEOPLE HAD OBJECTIONS TO THAT.
UM, ANOTHER THING THAT, UH, COUNCILMAN HORNE MENTIONED WAS SOME OF THE MISCONDUCT THAT A DM HAS, UH, HAD OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
THE ONE THAT HE MENTIONED WAS THE CO2 LEAK.
ANOTHER ONE UNRELATED, BUT SHOWS A HISTORY OF, UH, MISCONDUCT IS THE RECENT SEC PROBE THAT LED TO, UH, THE CEO VIKRAM LU VIKRAM LUTHER RESIGNING AND ENDED UP BEING SETTLED, UH, QUIETLY.
UM, THEY HAVE A HISTORY OF CORNER CUTTING LIES, DECEIT AND MASKING MISCONDUCT.
AGAIN, NOTHING DIRECTLY AGAINST A DM, BUT REMEMBER, COMPANIES, CORPORATIONS LIKE TO LIE AND COVER THINGS UP AND MAKE THINGS SEEM WAY BETTER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE.
UM, ANOTHER POINT, UH, IT WAS STATED VERY CLEARLY THAT THIS IS NOT FOR A DATA CENTER, BUT IT IS A POWER PLANT.
WHY WOULD BA UH, GOOGLE BE BACKING THIS IF IT WASN'T FOR A DATA CENTER? IT'S NOT A DATA CENTER THAT'S BEING BUILT, BUT THAT POWER IS GOING TO BE USED FOR A DATA CENTER.
IF IT WAS CLEAR THAT THIS WAS FOR A DATA CENTER, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT, AND THIS WOULD, THERE WOULD'VE BEEN A LOT MORE BACKLASH.
SO I'M JUST ASKING FOR TRANSPARENCY ON THIS.
THEY FRAME THIS LIKE THEY SEE DECATUR AS HAVING THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEY'RE GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY, BUT THE WAY I SEE IT IS PEOPLE DON'T LIKE DATA CENTERS.
AND IF THEY WERE TO TRY AND OPEN A POWER PLANT JUST FOR THAT, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THE BACKING.
SO THEY SAW THE OPPORTUNITY, HEY, WE SPLIT THIS WITH A DM, NOW IT'S TWO COMPANIES THAT ARE GETTING THIS, NOT JUST ONE.
AND IT WOULD GET MORE SUPPORT.
UM, I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME AND I HAVE SO MANY POINTS TO MAKE.
UM, I'M GONNA START WRAPPING THIS UP.
I THINK WITH SOME OF THE COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS THAT WERE MADE BY CITY COUNCIL AND THE QUE SORRY, THE ANSWERS THAT WERE GIVEN TO IT, THERE IS A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDING.
[01:40:01]
STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT ARE IN UP IN THE AIR AND I DON'T THINK IT'S READY TO BE VOTED ON.AS SHE HAD JUST MENTIONED, POSTPONE THIS IF NECESSARY.
I THINK IT'S QUITE RIDICULOUS THAT THERE WAS NOT A DISCUSSION BEFORE THE MEETING TO VOTE.
NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM MR. LUT.
MARK DENZLER, DO YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL COMMENTS? NOPE.
SO I PROMISED TO GO TO COUNCILMAN COOPER AS SOON AS WE WERE DONE WITH, UH, CITIZENS' COMMENTS.
SO I WILL TURN THE MICROPHONE OVER TO YOU.
THANK YOU, UH, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, I JUST WANT TO, I WANNA FIRST THANK ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL YOU WHO CAME OUT HERE TONIGHT TO ADDRESS YOUR COMMENTS.
UM, IT'S ALWAYS GOOD FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED WITH DECISIONS THAT HAS TO BE MADE FOR OUR CITY.
AND IT'S GOOD THAT YOU CAME OUT TO ADDRESS THOSE COMMENTS.
WILL NOT ALWAYS AGREE, BUT IT'S OKAY TO AGREE TO DISAGREE.
BOTTOM LINE IS WE'VE GOTTA STILL DO WHAT WE THINK IS RIGHT FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
AND THOSE ARE TOUGH DECISIONS.
THIS IS NOT AN EASY, AT LEAST FOR ME, THIS IS NOT AN EASY DECISION HERE TONIGHT.
UM, I DID ASK FOR A STUDY, A STUDY SESSION ON THIS.
I STILL FEEL WE NEED A STUDY SESSION JUST BY LISTENING TO EVERYTHING HERE TONIGHT.
BY LISTENING TO EVERYTHING HERE TONIGHT.
IT, IT IS A ISSUE THAT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED OR AT LEAST WOULD HELP FOR EVERYONE'S SAKE.
UM, UM, WHETHER WE HAVE THAT OR NOT, UH, I, I CAN'T DECIDE THAT ON MY MYSELF, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS THING THAT WE NEED TO DECIDE ON.
I GOT A LOT OF EMAILS, I GOT A LOT OF PHONE CALLS.
I HAD A LOT OF UP THE FRONT CONVERSATIONS.
UH, A LOT OF LOOKING ON THE INTERNET, SEARCHING, READING TO TRY TO COME TO THE BEST DECISION THAT I CAN COME TO REGARDING THIS MATTER.
SOME LIFELONG, LIFELONG RESIDENT ALSO AT DECATUR.
AND I, AND I PLAN NOT TO LEAD DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
WE HAVE LOST RESIDENTS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THE POPULATION IS DOWN.
AND I, AND I'M GONNA GO ON RECORD AGAIN TO SAY SOME OF THAT IS DUE TO OUR OWN DOING AND REDUCING THE POPULATION AND REDUCING THE ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WITH THEM LOSING, NOT HAVING KIDS IN THE DECATUR 61.
BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T ALLOW, YOU DON'T DEMAND THAT PEOPLE LIVE IN THE CITY, YOU ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT.
AND OUR POPULATION IS GONNA CONTINUE TO DROP.
SO YOU, YOU, WE TALK ON ONE SIDE THAT WE WANT TO INCREASE POPULATION, BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, WHAT ARE WE DOING TO INCREASE POPULATION? ARE WE ACTUALLY REALLY HELPING TO INCREASE POPULATION? MY ANSWER TO THAT IS NO JOBS.
UH, FOR FIRST TWO OR THREE YEARS, THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF JOBS AFTER THAT.
THERE'S ONLY VERY FEW 30 JOBS WITH THE SALARIES THAT THEY'RE SAYING THESE JOBS ARE GONNA BE.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THAT THOSE JOBS ARE GOING TO, GOING, GOING TO GO TO A SELECT FEW INDIVIDUALS AND A SELECT FEW ECONOMIC RANGE OR ACADEMIC RANGE.
WE HAD THE, THE, THE KEY, THE THE PEOPLE HERE IN DECATUR AND COMING OUTTA OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS QUALIFY FOR THESE JOBS.
IF I WAS ASKED THAT TODAY BASED ON THE STUDY, I WOULD SAY, NO, WE WON'T.
SO THERE WOULD BE THOSE JOBS FILLED, BUT THEY WOULD THEY BE FILLED BY DECATUR CITIZENS? I DOUBT IT.
I'M ASKING JOSHUA, I KNOW HE'S HERE.
UM, THIS IS THE PRIME OPPORTUNITY.
IF WE APPROVE, IF THIS IS APPROVED TONIGHT, THIS IS A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO HELP THE LOWER INCOME AND THE, AND THE YOUTH IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WHO ARE ON THE BREAK OF FAILURE TO HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITIES.
WE, WE NEED TO HAVE YOU GET WITH THE DECATUR 61, GET WITH RICHLAND, GET WITH MILLIKEN, DEVELOP SOME INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS AND SOME APPRENTICE APPRENTICE PROGRAMS NOW
[01:45:01]
TO READY THOSE STUDENTS WHO WOULD QUALIFY TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE TYPE OF JOBS THAT'S GONNA BE HANDED OUT TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN THOSE, UM, SEVERAL HUNDRED JOBS.THAT'S GONNA BE THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS.
THOSE SENIORS OR JUNIORS WHO ARE COMING OUT NOW, OR THOSE, UH, TWO YEAR STUDENTS COMING OUTTA RICHLAND THAT ARE BE COMING OUT, THE SCHOOLS CAN TELL YOU WHICH STUDENTS ARE ACADEMICALLY QUALIFIED TO MEET THOSE JOBS.
SO CAN YOU TAP INTO THOSE, THOSE STUDENTS NOW AND GET THEM INTO THOSE PROGRAMS SO THEY CAN BECOME UNION WORKERS IN THOSE TRADES? AND WE WILL HAVE A BUNCH OF YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO WILL REMAIN HERE IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS, WHICH WILL ADD TO THE POPULATION BECAUSE THOSE ARE GONNA BE THE ONES WHO ARE GONNA HAVE KIDS TO POP POPULATE OUR CITIES ONCE AGAIN.
SO ASK YOU TO REALLY CONSIDER THAT.
WE'VE ASKED ABOUT THAT FOR A LONG TIME, BUT NOTHING'S EVER DONE.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY NOW WITH THAT TO DO SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HELP INCREASE OUR POPULATION.
UM, AND I'M HOPING WE CAN DO THAT SO THAT WE HAVE THOSE WE CAN BE, WE CAN HELP.
UH, WET SOLDIERS WHO WAS HERE THAT SPOKE, THAT'S ONE WAY WE CAN HELP DISTRICT 61 WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY'RE HAVING WITH THE STUDENTS IN OUR DECAT SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT CAN BE A POSITIVE, PROACTIVE POSITION TO TAKE.
UH, LET'S NOT ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THE BAD THAT'S GOING ON.
IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO GOOD THAT'S GONNA IMPROVE EVERYBODY'S SITUATION.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I WANT, I WANT TO SAY THAT MAYOR, THE COUNCIL, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE A TOUGH DECISION FOR US TONIGHT, BUT WE ALSO GOT TO LOOK AND BE PROACTIVE AND HELP THE SITUATION AND NOT HURT IT.
OTHER COMMENTS? OH, I'M SORRY.
CAN I GO TO PAT FIRST? UM, YOU KNOW, ILLINOIS HAS ALWAYS, ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR INDUSTRY AS FAR AS HAVING INEXPENSIVE POWER.
WELL, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING ANYMORE.
UH, THE, UH, GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE, OF THE, UH, THE STATE IS PUSHING GREEN POWER.
WELL, WIND AND SOLAR CANNOT SUPPORT INDU, UH, INDUSTRY.
SO THEY'RE GONNA GO, INDUSTRY IS GONNA GO WHERE THEY CAN FIND THE ENERGY.
WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO NOT ONLY THIS COMPANY, BUT ALSO OTHER COMPANIES LOOKING AT DECATUR FOR THAT ENERGY.
SO YOU WANNA INCREASE POPULATION, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE CORPORATIONS MOVING TO DECATUR, AND THEY WILL ONLY COME HERE IF THEY HAVE THE ENERGY TO BE ABLE TO PRODUCE WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO PRODUCE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE, UH, NEED TO REALLY LOOK AT.
DR. HORN, MAYOR, I'M ABOUT TO, UM, MAKE A REQUEST TO TABLE THIS ISSUE, BUT IF WE DO NOT, I'LL STILL HAVE SOME COMMENTS.
SO, UM, IN, IN MY VIEW, WE SHOULD VOTE ON THIS AT OUR SECOND MEETING IN FEBRUARY.
UM, I HAVE TWO MAJOR REASONS WHY, UM, FIRST OF ALL, WHEN CITY STAFF PUTS OUT A MEMO THAT SAYS THERE'S NO KNOWN OBJECTIONS, AND THIS COUNCIL CHAMBERS IS STANDING ROOM ONLY WITH A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM HAVING OBJECTIONS, IT SENDS A MESSAGE THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR IS NOT AWARE OF THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS.
THE SECOND THING IS CITY STAFF DOES NOT KNOW THE ANSWER TO A $500 MILLION QUESTION, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE NET REVENUE BENEFITS TO THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.
I MEAN, WHETHER GOOGLE AND A DM HAVE TO PAY A NATURAL GAS USE TAX IS PRETTY IMPORTANT.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THAT ADDITIONAL REVENUE, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT BECAUSE IF THE A DM DOES NOT HAVE TO PASS, UH, DOES NOT HAVE TO PAY A NATURAL GAS USE TAX, WELL THAT MEANS THAT THERE'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT A DM IS CURRENTLY PAYING A NATURAL GAS USE TAX THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE TO PAY.
[01:50:01]
AND THAT INFLUENCES THE NET REVENUE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.AND FOR THOSE REASONS, I MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE.
IS THERE A SECOND? A SECOND MOTION.
[4. Resolution Approving a Development Agreement by and between the City of Decatur, Illinois and Broadwing Energy, LLC]
SO, UH, GIVEN THAT, UH, THIS, THAT WE ARE GOING TO VOTE, UM, I WILL PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL COMMENTS.I'M GONNA PUT ON MY ROLE AS A MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR WHO TEACHES A COURSE CALLED, UH, CREATING A GREEN SOCIETY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT IN THIS CLASS IS, UM, SOURCES OF ENERGY.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TALK TO MY STUDENTS ABOUT IS THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NO ENERGY SOURCE THAT IS NOT WITHOUT RISK.
THERE'S NO ENERGY SOURCE THAT'S NOT WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.
A DM IS TAKING A COAL BURNING POWER PLANT AND CONVERTING IT INTO A NATURAL GAS PLANT.
NATURAL GAS IS LESS HARMFUL THAN COAL WHEN IT COMES TO FOSSIL FUEL EMISSIONS.
SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE, IT'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT.
IF WE WANNA HAVE WIND ENERGY, EVERY TURBINE IS GOING TO KILL ONE TO SEVEN BIRDS PER TURBINE PER YEAR.
IF WE WANT SOLAR ENERGY AT 400 MEGAWATTS THAT BROADWING IS PROPOSING, IF YOU ASSUME SEVEN ACRES OF LAND PER, UM, MEGAWATT OF ENERGY, WE NEED TO FIND 2,800 ACRES OF ARGUABLY THE BEST CROP LAND ON PLANET EARTH TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
AND THAT MAY VERY WELL NOT BE ENOUGH ENERGY TO MEET THOSE INDUSTRIAL DEMANDS, PARTICULARLY IN CONDITIONS THAT ARE NOT CONDUCIVE TO THAT TYPE OF POWER.
ULTIMATELY, BROAD WING ENERGY CENTER IS A POTENTIAL GLOBAL MODEL FOR HOW FOSSIL FUEL EMISSIONS CAN BE REDUCED.
50% REDUCTION IN CO2 EMISSIONS, 90% OF ITS EMISSIONS WILL GO THROUGH CARBON CAPTURE STORAGE TECHNOLOGY.
AND I WILL MENTION THAT GLOBAL WARMING IS A SUBSTANTIAL THREAT TO HUMAN WELLBEING.
AND WE DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION IN THE SHORT TERM FOR HOW WE ARE GOING TO REDUCE, UH, GLOBAL EMISSIONS.
AND THIS IS A WAY FOR, UM, THAT TO TAKE PLACE RIGHT HERE IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
AND I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT THAT WHETHER WE VOTE YES OR NO TONIGHT, CARBON SEQUESTRATION UNDER LAKE DECATUR IS GOING TO BE DETERMINED BY THE U-S-E-P-A AND WHETHER IT APPROVES A PERMIT, WHETHER WE VOTE YES OR NO, UH, TONIGHT, UM, IT IS STILL THE CITY COUNCIL'S DECISION AS TO WHETHER THEY WANT TO SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL TO HAVE RESCISSION OF THE 99 YEAR EASEMENT.
AND SO, UH, FROM THOSE PERSPECTIVES, IT IS STILL INCUMBENT UPON THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN THIS ROOM THAT ARE OPPOSED TO SEQUESTRATION UNDER LATE DECATUR AND QUITE FRANKLY, THE CITY OF DECATUR AS A WHOLE.
UM, IT'S STILL INCUMBENT UPON THEM TO WORK ON THOSE PARTICULAR AVENUES.
I THINK WHAT'S NOT REALLY STATED IN OUR CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CARBON SEQUESTRATION, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ADMS APPLICATION AND YOU LOOK AT THE CO2 PLUME, IT'S NOT JUST UNDER LAKE DECATUR, IT IS UNDER THE ENTIRE CITY OF DECATUR.
AND SO IT, I STILL URGE OUR RESIDENTS TO, UM, WORK TOWARD NOT HAVING SEQUESTRATION UNDER OUR LAKE, OUR URBAN AREAS OR OUR GENERAL POPULATION.
[01:55:01]
THAT, WITH, WITH THAT SAID, WE ARE AT A TIPPING POINT WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND BROADWING ENERGY CENTER IS PROPOSING A SOLUTION THAT MEETS OUR ENERGY DEMANDS WHILE BEING MORE CLIMATE FRIENDLY.AND SO FOR THAT PERSPECTIVE, I'M VOTING YES.
ARE THERE FURTHER COMMENTS TONIGHT? CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.
EXPERIMENTAL COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE CITY MANAGER UPDATE.
WE WILL PAUSE FOR JUST A MOMENT WHILE THE COUNCIL CHAMBER'S CLEAR IF YOU ALL COULD BE A LITTLE MORE QUIET AS YOU EXIT.
WE ARE STILL CONDUCTING OUR MEETING.
WE MOVE ON TO THE CITY MANAGER
[5. City Manager Update]
UPDATE.HAVE A COUPLE OF, UH, STAFF UPDATES TO SHARE THIS EVENING.
SO WE'VE GOT, UH, FIRST SHEILA DOLAN, UH, HAS BEEN HIRED IN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PUBLIC WORKS ENGINEERING.
THEN WE ALSO WANNA CONGRATULATE JOEY BET FOR BEING APPOINTED AS AN EQUIPMENT OPERATOR IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT APPOINTED JANUARY 15TH.
AND THEN WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE DETECTIVE ROBERT MURRAY, UH, WHO IS, UH, ON HIS RETIREMENT.
HE HAS WORKED FOR 26 YEARS AT THE CITY OF DECATUR, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THEM.
THEN I HAVE ONE FINAL UPDATE I WANTED TO SHARE THAT, UH, STAFF SENT ME, UH, LATE TODAY, UH, JUST TO PROVIDE COUNCIL AND UPDATE ON THE OAKWOOD, UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OAKWOOD BUSINESS SURVEY.
WE, THE SURVEY HAS CLOSED WITH 864 RESPONSES, SO GREAT, GREAT LEVEL OF RESPONSE FOR THAT.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE VERY HAPPY WITH THAT.
AND THAT TAKES US TO THE CONSENT
[6. Consent Calendar: Items on the Consent Agenda/Calendar are matters requiring City Council approval or acceptance, but which are routine and recurring in nature, are not controversial, are matters of limited discretion, and about which little or no discussion is anticipated. However, staff’s assessment of what should be included on the Consent Agenda/Calendar can be in error. For this reason, any Consent Agenda/Calendar item can be removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar by any member of the governing body, for any reason, without the need for concurrence by any other governing body member. Items removed from the Consent Agenda/Calendar will be discussed and voted on separately from the remainder of the Consent Agenda/Calendar.]
CALENDAR.DOES ANYONE ON COUNCIL WISH TO REMOVE ANY OF THE ITEMS ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? B AND C? ANYONE ELSE? SEEING NONE.
ITEM A ORDINANCE AMENDING ORDINANCE NUMBER 2006 100, ADOPTING TAX INCREMENT FINANCING FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.
EASTGATE COMMONS REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA ITEM D RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CRAWFORD MILLE AND TILLEY INC.
FOR NORTHEAST QUADRANT WATER SYSTEM CAPACITY IMPROVEMENT CITY PROJECT 2026 DASH ZERO FOUR ITEM E RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AGREEMENT WITH PULSE MARKETING LLC FOR CITY WEBSITE SERVICES.
I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.
SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS RESOLUTION AMENDING RESOLUTION 2023 DASH ZERO EIGHT IN THE PURCHASE AND RENOVATION AGREEMENT WITH DOVE INC.
FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 8 0 5 EAST JOHNS AVENUE.
MOTION OF THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
DAVID, HAS THIS FACILITY ALREADY BEEN RE REHABILITATED? NO.
WE PURCHASED, UM, THE PROPERTY AND THEN WE'VE BEEN HOLDING ONTO IT WAITING FOR DOV TO GET THEIR GRANT FUNDING.
IT'S BEEN KIND OF UP AND UP AND DOWN, UH, WITH THEM GETTING THE FUNDING.
IT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW THEY ARE FINALLY IN THE FINAL ROUNDS AND SO US BY GOING AHEAD, UM, AND JUST, UH, TRANSFERRING THE PROPERTY TO THEM, UM, OBVIOUSLY THE, THE CITY WILL REDUCE THEIR MAINTENANCE COST AND THEN ALSO IT WILL, UH, GIVE THEM INCREASED, UH, POINTS ON THEIR APPLICATION.
ALRIGHT, SO WE MADE THE AGREEMENT, DOVE WAS LOOKING FOR FINANCING, CITY FOUND ADDITIONAL FUNDS AND THEREFORE WE'RE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PROJECT.
SO WE'VE NOT FOUND ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
THEY ARE IN THE FINAL ROUNDS OF GETTING THEIR IDA FUNDING.
SO IT SAYS THE PROPERTY WILL BE SOLD TO DOVE FOR $10.
ARE ARE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE RENOVATIONS? YES.
THEY WILL BE RENOVATING THE PROPERTY.
OKAY, SO WE ARE LOWERING THE COST THAT DOVE
[02:00:01]
HAS TO PAY.ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THAT? SEEING NONE.
SEVEN AYES NO NAYS RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION AND AGREEMENT OF THE LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION GRANT PROGRAM.
MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.
SECOND DAVID ONE, CONGRATULATIONS TO CITY OF DECATUR ON RECEIVING $1.4 MILLION FOR LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION.
UH, WHAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION IS THAT THE MACON COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS REPORTED MORE THAN 80 ACTIVE CASES INVOLVING CHILDREN UNDER SIX WITH 70 FAMILIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY AFFECTED.
AND THEN I NOTICED THAT THIS GRANT WILL PROVIDE, UM, FUNDING FOR ABOUT 10 HOMES.
JUST BRIEFLY, COULD WE EXPLAIN $1.4 MILLION 10 HOMES THAT WE'RE HELPING? YEAH.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR LACY LZ.
GOOD EVENING MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, FIRST I WANNA SAY WE ARE FIRST TIME RECIPIENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR THE LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION GRANT, WHICH IS REALLY EXCITING.
UM, WE ESTIMATED THESE NUMBERS VERY CONSERVATIVELY BECAUSE LEAD HAZARD REDUCTION IS VERY EXPENSIVE.
THE GRANT IS ALSO ALL INCLUSIVE OF STAFF'S TIME AND UH, SALARIES.
AND THERE IS ALSO MANDATORY TRAININGS THAT WE'RE, WE ARE REQUIRED TO SEND STAFF TO TWICE.
UM, SO ALL OF THAT GETS FIGURED INTO THE COST OR THE GRANT AMOUNT OF THE $1.4 MILLION.
UM, THERE'S ALSO THE LEAD TESTING, THE RADON TESTING AND MITIGATION COSTS.
SO THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OTHER ELEMENTS BESIDES JUST THE LEAD REDUCTION THAT GOES INTO THAT.
AND LEAD CAN MOST PRI LEAD IS PRIMARILY FOUND IN WINDOWS DOORS, ALL IN HOUSING THAT'S PRE 1970.
SO CITING A LOT OF ITEMS THAT ARE VERY HIGH COST ITEMS WHEN WE'RE DOING REHABILITATIONS.
ALSO, THE CONTRACTORS HAVE TO BE LEAD CERTIFIED.
UM, THEY HAVE TO CARRY CERTAIN LEAD REDUCTION INSURANCE.
ALL OF THIS INCREASES THE COST OF LEAD MITIGATION FOR US.
UM, WE DEFINITELY HOPE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MITIGATE, UM, ADDITIONAL HOUSES ASIDE FROM THE 10 AND WE ARE EXCITED TO DO A GREAT JOB ON THIS AND HOPEFULLY BE FUTURE RECIPIENTS FOR ADDITIONAL GRANT FUNDS.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? CALL THE QUESTION.
COUNCILMAN CRUZ? AYE MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.
SEVEN AYES NO NAYS UNDER OTHER BUSINESS.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE DECATUR FIRE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR PINNING CEREMONY AND BRINGING BACK A WONDERFUL TRADITION, SEVERAL OF US WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
SO I'D LIKE TO, UH, CONGRATULATE THE CHIEF AND THANK HIM FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
AND I BELIEVE THEY'RE GONNA DO IT AGAIN IN MAY.
SO ANY OTHER BUSINESS? I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.