Jun 15, 2026 City Council Meeting

[I. Call to Order]

[00:00:03]

CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLL.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY.

PRESENT COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN HORN.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN COLT.

HERE, MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

PRESENT, SEVEN PRESENT AND NONE ABSENT.

PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

WE BEGIN OUR MEETINGS WITH

[II. Appearance of Citizens]

THE POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS.

A 30 MINUTE TIME PERIOD IS PROVIDED FOR CITIZENS TO APPEAR AND EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL.

EACH CITIZEN SPEAKING WILL BE LIMITED TO ONE APPEARANCE OF UP TO THREE MINUTES.

NO IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WILL BE GIVEN BY CITY COUNCIL OR CITY STAFF MEMBERS.

CITIZENS ARE TO GIVE THEIR DOCUMENTS, IF ANY, TO THE POLICE OFFICER FOR DISTRIBUTION TO THE COUNCIL WHEN THE MAYOR DETERMINES THAT ALL PERSONS WISHING TO SPEAK IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS POLICY HAVE DONE SO.

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

IF YOU'D LIKE TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR THREE MINUTES.

WE DON'T, WE NEED YOUR NAME BUT NOT YOUR ADDRESS.

MY NAME IS VERLIN ROSENBERGER WITH THE SAME SONG.

SO PLEASE DON'T PUT YOUR FINGERS IN YOUR EARS.

PLEASE RESCIND THE 99 LEASE AGREEMENT WITH A DM TO ALLOW THEM TO CAPTURE CARBON AND SEQUESTER IT UNDERNEATH THE DRINKING WATER.

IT WAS A BAD DECISION IN MY OPINION, ESPECIALLY SINCE A DM DID NOT DISCLOSE THE ACCIDENTS THAT THEY HAD HAD.

AND NOW THAT YOU HAVE GIVEN, UM, PERMISSION TO BROAD WING ENERGY TO BUILD A POWER PLANT THAT OPENS THE DOOR TO A DATA CENTER, I IMPLORE YOU TO DO A THOROUGH STUDY OF PROS AND CONS OF DATA CENTERS BEFORE YOU'RE MAKING A DECISION.

LISTEN TO THE EXPERTS, NOT NECESSARILY TO THE INDUSTRY BECAUSE THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO KNOW AND NOTHING MORE.

UM, TALK TO THE PEOPLE IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE DATA CENTERS AND ESPECIALLY TALK TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT LIVE NEAR THE POWER PLANTS AND THE COM AND THE DATA CENTER ARE AND ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY THE CONSTANT, UH, NOISE AND THE POLLUTION.

YOU KNOW, DECATUR IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY, AND THAT NEEDS TO BE STRONGLY CONSIDERED.

MORE AND MORE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE ASKING FOR A 12 MONTH MORATORIUM ON A DECISION, AND MANY ARE OUTRIGHT BANNING DATA CENTERS.

SO PLEASE STUDY, TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITIES, MAKE A WISE DECISION THAT WILL BEST PROTECT THE RESIDENTS OF THE ENTIRE DECATUR AREA COMMUNITY.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

THANK YOU MRS. ROSENBERGER.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS STEPHANIE BROWN.

I'M SPEAKING AS A CONCERNED MACON COUNTY RESIDENT.

THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.

I'M THE PERSON WHO E EMAILED YOU A COPY OF THE COMMUNITY GUIDE TO CHALLENGING DATA CENTERS IN ILLINOIS PUBLISHED BY THE PRAIRIE RIVERS NETWORK.

THIS GUIDE IS DESIGNED FOR RESIDENTS AND LOCAL LEADERS WHO ARE CONSIDERING A PROPOSED DATA CENTER.

THE GUIDE DETAILS THE TYPES AND QUESTIONS THAT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENTLY ADDRESSED PRIOR TO ANY HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER APPROVALS.

ALTHOUGH I'M NOT A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT ON ANY OF THESE SPECIFIC CONCERNS, I KNOW ENOUGH TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE WIDESPREAD PUBLIC NEGATIVITY TOWARD LARGE SCALE DATA CENTERS IS QUITE LEGITIMATE.

I'M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER A 12 MONTH MORATORIUM ON IRREVERSIBLE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTER APPROVALS TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY TO EVALUATE WATER AND ENERGY USE, INFRASTRUCTURE STRAIN, ZONING, COMPATIBILITY, AND PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS.

IN LIGHT OF THE MACON COUNTY ZONING BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION FOR A 12 MONTH DATA CENTER MORATORIUM, IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR SHOULD DO THE SAME AND IN A TIMELY MANNER.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MS. BROWN.

HI, I'M DORIS MCKAY, AND I'M BACK AT YOUR JUNE 1ST

[00:05:01]

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ ASKED THE ENVIRONMENTAL, WHAT ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE STATUS OF THIS COMMUNITY WITH BOTH THE US AND THE ILLINOIS EPA? ACCORDING TO THE ILLINOIS EPA, THEY SENT YOU A NOTIFICATION LETTER TO THE MAYOR AND THE MEMBERS OF THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST 28TH, 2025.

DID YOU READ IT? DID YOU QUESTION WHY THE EPA WOULD BOTHER TO NOTIFY YOU ABOUT THE BROAD WING PROJECT? DID ANYONE WITHIN THE CITY PLACE A FOIA REQUEST? DID ANYONE REVIEW THE REASONS FOR DECATUR AND MACON COUNTY STATUS AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY? TONIGHT, YOUR CITY STAFF IS ENCOURAGING YOU TO APPROVE AGREEMENT WITH MCKENNA ASSOCIATES FOR PREPARATION OF A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.

YOU ARE WILLING TO GIVE THEM A YEAR TO DEVELOP THIS PLAN.

IT WOULD BE NICE IF THAT PLAN INCLUDED PROTECTIONS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY ARE WATER AND AIR QUALITY AND NOT JUST ORDINANCES ABOUT THE HEIGHT OF THEIR GRASS AND THE DISABLED BUS VEHICLES IN THEIR CAR YARDS.

PERHAPS THEY COULD MAKE A REAL, TAKE A REAL LOOK AT WHY THE GRASS IS TOO HIGH AND WHY THERE ARE DISABLED VEHICLES IN THEIR YARD.

PERHAPS THEY COULD A ONE YEAR MORATORIUM ON DANA CENTERS MIGHT ALLOW THE PLAN TO ADDRESS PROTECTIONS FOR THE CITIZENS OF THIS COMMUNITY AND OUR WATER AND AIR QUALITY.

TONIGHT, YOU WILL ALSO ADDRESS AN AGREEMENT WITH BURNS AND MCCAN ENGINEERING TO PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE SOUTH WATER TREATMENT PLAN EXTENSION PLAN.

ON PAGE 1 0 5 OF A YEAR PACKET, IT SAYS, AND I QUOTE, OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, ANTICIPATED DEVELOPMENT WOULD ADD NINE TO 12 MILLION GALLONS DAILY OF DEMAND, WHICH WOULD USE THE REMAINING AVAILABLE CAPACITY OF THE SOUTH WATER PLANT IN 2025.

THE PLANT'S MAXIMUM DAILY PRODUCTION WAS APPROXIMATELY 24 MILLION GALLONS PER DAILY, WHICH LEAVES JUST 12 MILLION GALLONS PER DAILY OF ADDITIONAL MAXIMUM DAILY CAPACITY FOR FUTURE ECONOMIC GROWTH.

FOR THE WATER SYSTEM TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

IT IS NECESSARY TO DEVELOP AN EXPANSION PLAN NOW.

AND THIS ASSUMES THAT THEY HAVE WATER TO TREAT AND THAT THE WATER USAGE REPORTED BY THE COMPANIES DOING THE DEVELOPMENT ARE ACCURATELY REPORTING THEIR WATER USAGE.

DO YOU HAVE THE MEANS TO RESTRICT THESE BUSINESSES FROM THEIR WATER CONSUMPTION? AND I MEAN, BEFORE YOU ASK THE CITIZENS TO STOP TAKING BATHS.

ALSO, TONIGHT, YOU'LL BE ASKED TO AUTHORIZE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH INTERRA TO PROVIDE THE CITY WITH AN ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLIES UPDATE TO YOU.

AND TO THEIR CREDIT, YOU HAVE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED MANY OF THEIR, I'M SORRY, MS. MCKAY, YOU'RE OUT OF TIME.

ARE THERE OTHERS THAT WISH TO SPEAK? THANK YOU, JERRY.

STOCKS, UM, I'M HERE ON BEHALF TONIGHT OF A COMMITTEE THAT WAS CREATED BY THE MACON COUNTY, UH, CHAIRMAN GREENFIELD OF THE MACON COUNTY BOARD TO STUDY DATA CENTERS.

AND IT'S A PRETTY GOOD COMMITTEE, UH, MYSELF, DWAYNE NOLAN, TOM BRINK, COTTER, STACY YOUNG, UM, UH, JERRY CULP.

UM, UH, GOSH, I'M GONNA FORGET.

IT'S A LONG LIST.

THERE ARE 10 OF US AND, UH, CHRIS LUT, UH, LACEY, UH, DAN SMALLWOOD AND DAN CALKINS.

SO A BROAD ARRAY OF STAKEHOLDERS IN THE COMMUNITY.

UH, WE THANK, UH, THE MAYOR AND THE MANAGER FOR ALLOWING LACEY TO ASSIST US IN THIS UNDERTAKING.

AND OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO REPORT BACK TO THE COUNTY BOARD BY AUGUST.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT, UH, MOTIVATED, I BELIEVE CHAIRMAN GREENFIELD TO, UH, TAKE THIS ACTION IN THE FACT THAT I WAS CALLING HIM AND ASKING HIM, WHY ARE YOU BEING THIS AGGRESSIVE IN TERMS OF A MORATORIUM? UH, HE SAID THAT THERE WAS TOO MUCH HYPERBOLE AND TOO MUCH, UM, UH, FACTS BEING CLAIMED THAT, UH, MAY NOT IN FACT BE FACTUAL.

UH, WE KNOW THESE ISSUES ARE ALWAYS SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING GAINED POLITICALLY OR IN A POLITICAL SEASON.

AND, UH, AND IT'S ALWAYS A DEBATE THAT CAN BE EXPLOITED FOR ONE END OR ANOTHER.

OUR PRIMARY CONCERN TONIGHT, AND WE ASK, WE PLEASE HOPE THAT THE CITY JOINS, UH, IN OUR FUNCTION OR SIMILARLY, BUT I'M GONNA QUOTE FROM, UH, UH, MCKENZIE AND ASSOCIATES, A FAIRLY WELL KNOWN CONSULTING, UH, FIRM REGARDING DEVELOPMENT.

A DEVELOPMENT.

MOR MORATORIUM MAY BE TEMPORARY, BUT REPUTATIONAL DAMAGE CAN BE PERMANENT.

DEVELOPERS HAVE OPTIONS.

THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO INVEST HERE.

WHEN A

[00:10:01]

COMMUNITIES COMPETE FOR CAPITAL AND UNCERTAINTY CAUSES CAPITAL TO MIGRATE ELSEWHERE.

YOU COULD GO TO DATA CENTER MAPS.COM AND YOU CAN LOOK AT A MAP OF EVERY PROPOSED DATA CENTER.

TWO IN CHAMPAIGN URBANA, TWO IN BLOOMINGTON NORMAL, TWO IN PEORIA, ONE IN CHARLESTON, UH, AND TWO IN SPRINGFIELD, AND ONE SOUTHWEST.

DECATUR'S GONNA BE A SPECTATOR WHILE OTHERS PLAY, WHILE OTHERS ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF WHAT COULD BE MASSIVE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND OUR COMMITTEE'S GONNA STUDY AND HOPEFULLY TEASE OUT THE MYTH, AND THERE'S PROBABLY MYTH ON BOTH SIDES OF THIS EQUATION.

AND HOPEFULLY REPORT SOMETHING FROM THOSE STAKEHOLDERS OF THIS COMMUNITY, UH, TO BETTER ADVISE.

UH, OUR, OUR THANK YOU MR. STOCKS.

YOU'RE OUTTA TIME.

HELLO.

GOOD EVENING, COUN HONORABLE COUNSEL.

MY NAME IS DONOVAN SMITH.

I'M THE SENIOR PRINCIPAL WITH MCKINNON ASSOCIATES, AND ALSO ONE OF THE, UH, PROJECT LEADS ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE PROJECT FOR YOU THIS EVENING.

UM, FIRST I JUST WANT TO COMMEND YOU ALL AND THE CITY FOR TAKING UP THE INITIATIVE OF, UH, WORKING ON AND DEVELOPING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.

BOTH ARE VERY LARGE TASK, UM, BUT DOING THOSE SETS THE CITY UP FOR, UH, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING SURE THAT, UH, WE ARE COMPREHENSIVELY AND COHESIVELY PLANNING FOR OUR FUTURE.

UM, AND TAKING UP THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UH, PRODUCING A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT PLAN IS A GREAT WAY TO IMPLEMENT THE CITY'S GOAL.

SO AGAIN, UH, CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU, UH, FOR ALLOWING US TO WORK WITH YOU.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH STAFF OVER THE PAST 30 DAYS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THE PROPOSAL THAT WE PUT TOGETHER IS IN LINE WITH THE VISION OF THE CITY.

UM, AND I WILL BE HERE AND MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS AS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.

ALL RIGHT, GOOD EVENING, AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.

MY NAME'S CALEB SEXTON.

I'M HERE REPRESENTING A DM AS THE DIRECTOR OF TECHNICAL TRAINING, UH, FROM NORTH AMERICA HERE IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT AD'S NEW COLLEAGUE INTEGRATION PROGRAM, WHICH IS OUR FRONTLINE ONBOARDING EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH HOURLY AND SALARY COLLEAGUES ENTERING OPERATIONS THAT WE HOLD RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN DECATUR AT OUR GLOBAL TRAINING CENTER.

YOU GUYS MAY KNOW AS THE OLD PUBLIC LIBRARY, THIS PROGRAM PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE IN HOW WE INVEST IN PEOPLE FROM DAY ONE AT A DM SUPPORTING BOTH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND LONG-TERM COMMUNITY STRENGTH.

EACH YEAR, WE TRAIN OVER 400 NEW COLLEAGUES, MAKING IT ESSENTIAL THAT WE GET ONBOARDING RIGHT FOR SAFETY, PERFORMANCE, AND RETENTION.

THIS IS A STRUCTURED NINE DAY PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENTS.

IT FOCUSES ON THE FUNDAMENTALS THAT MATTER MOST IN OUR FACILITIES, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS, QUALITY, COMPLIANCE, AND FOOD PROCESSING.

ABOUT 70% OF OUR EXPERIENCE IS HAND-ON, HANDS-ON, WHICH GIVES COLLEAGUES THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN BY DOING, NOT JUST BY LISTENING.

IMPORTANTLY, THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE TODAY SUPPORTING INDIVIDUALS FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE PROUD TO PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION, WHICH HELPS SUPPORT WORKFORCE TRAINING THROUGH EMPLOYER INCENTIVE PROGRAMS, UH, AND GRANTS THAT ARE WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

THESE PARTNERSHIPS STRENGTHEN OUR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN DECATUR AND HELP ENSURE WE CONTINUE BUILDING A SKILLED AND JOB READY TALENT PIPELINE.

THIS PROGRAM GOES BEYOND DELIVERING INFORMATION AND WE'RE BUILDING REAL CAPABILITY IN TODAY'S COMMUNITY.

THE HANDS-ON APPROACH ALLOWS COLLEAGUES TO APPLY WHAT THEY LEARN IMMEDIATELY, WHICH INCREASES RETENTION, BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND IMPROVES READINESS BY, BY STANDARDIZING THIS EXPERIENCE, WE REDUCE VARIABILITY, MINIMIZE EARLY RISK, AND PREPARE EMPLOYEES, EMPLOYEES TO CONTRIBUTE SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY FROM DAY ONE.

THE END GOAL IS SIMPLE TO ENSURE EVERY COLLEAGUE THAT ENTERS OUR FACILITIES IS CONFIDENT, COMPETENT, AND ALIGNED.

WITH A DM SAFETY FIRST CULTURE, THIS LEADS TO SAFER WORKPLACES, HIGHER QUALITY OPERATIONS, AND STRONGER COMPLIANCE, BENEFITING BOTH OUR COMPANY AND THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

IT ALSO CREATES LONG-TERM OPPORTUNITY BY GIVING EMPLOYEES A STRONG FOUNDATION TO BUILD MEANINGFUL CAREERS.

AT A DM, WE BELIEVE THAT INVESTING AND PEOPLE UPFRONT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.

WHEN WE GET

[00:15:01]

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONTINUED SUPPORT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT HERE IN DECATUR.

APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

MR. SEXTON.

HELLO, I'M, UH, LUCAS COOLING.

I'M A MILLIKEN STUDENT AND I'M HERE ABOUT THE ISSUE OF DATA CENTERS, PARTICULARLY THE ONE AS IT WAS, UH, REPORTED IN THE DECATUR TRIBUNE OFF, UH, 2,500 NORTH COMMERCE PARK.

THIS IS, UH, THIS IS OFF NORTH 22ND STREET BY, UH, RICHLAND.

AND I WANNA SAY THAT THE FRAMEWORK BY WHICH WE DEBATE THESE DATA CENTERS IS THAT CITIES LIKE OURS ACROSS THE US ARE HAVING TO WEIGH THE BENEFITS OF THE, THE PERMANENT JOBS OR ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT THEY BRING AGAINST THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY COSTS INHERENT IN THEIR OPERATION.

BUT THIS FRAMEWORK IS UGLY, AS IT ALREADY IS, IS STILL INACCURATE, IF NOT AN OUTRIGHT LIE FED BY THE CORPORATIONS, UH, AND POLITICIANS PROMISING THE EXPLOSION OF JOBS IN INDUSTRY.

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE DATA CENTERS DON'T EMPLOY A LOT OF PEOPLE AFTER CONSTRUCTION.

SO YOU'D SEE A BOOM FOR A YEAR OR TWO, AND THEN IT WOULD ALL GO, UH, OVERSEAS OR JUST COMPLETELY DRY UP.

UM, YOU'D HAVE MAYBE 10, 20, 30 PEOPLE PERMANENTLY EMPLOYED.

AND, UH, AS I SAID, WE'RE NOT SURE HOW MANY OF THOSE JOBS WOULD BE, UH, UH, TAKEN BY DECATUR LOCALS.

UM, I'M SURE LOADS WOULD BE PROMISED IN TAX REVENUE, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR THE CITY.

HOWEVER, UH, AS WE'RE SEEING, UH, IN OTHER PLACES, UM, A LOT OF THAT DEPENDS ON THE ESTIMATED VALUE OF THE PROPERTY AND HOW MUCH, UH, THE CORPORATION IS GETTING IN TAX BREAKS FOR HOW LONG.

SO YOU'D BE LUCKY TO SEE, YOU'D BE LUCKY TO SEE REALLY HALF OF WHAT THEY'RE, THEY'RE PROMISING YOU.

UM, AND REALLY, I, I DON'T UNDERSTAND FOR WHAT, UM, EVERYBODY'S ELECTRICITY COSTS WOULD GO UP.

UH, THE HEALTH RISKS, THE NOISE POLLUTION, THE GRID STRAIN, THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY ON LAKE DECATUR.

UM, AND ULTIMATELY, UH, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S JUST A TRAGIC IRONY THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE DATA CENTER COULD BRING WHEN THE AI MODELS IT WOULD SUPPORT WOULD ONLY CONTINUE TO REPLACE HUMAN WORKERS NATIONWIDE AND GLOBALLY, AS THEY ALREADY ARE MORE THAN WE COULD EVER HOPE TO EMPLOY HERE IN DECATUR.

UM, 40% OF THE WORLD'S DATA CENTERS ARE ALREADY IN THE US.

WE HAVE OVER 4,000 OF THEM, FOUR TO 5,000 OF THEM, WHICH IS NEARLY EIGHT MORE THAN THE, UH, UNITED KINGDOM AND 10 TIMES MORE THAN CHINA.

UM, AND THE AVERAGE AMERICAN, OR THE AVERAGE DECATUR RESIDENT WOULD HAVE, UH, VERY LITTLE, IF ANYTHING, TO SHOW FOR IT.

THERE IS QUITE FACTUALLY ZERO REASON, WHICH IS BENEFICIAL TO THE RESIDENTS OF DECATUR OR MACON COUNTY AT LARGE FOR THERE TO BE A DATA CENTER LOCATED HERE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. COOLING.

SORRY.

OKAY.

GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS.

MY NAME'S KATIE, AND I'M A DECATUR RESIDENT.

I'M HERE TONIGHT.

WE HAVE YOUR LAST NAME TOO, PLEASE BURNS.

I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

I'M HERE TONIGHT BECAUSE THE PROPOSED BROAD WING ENERGY CENTER REPRESENTS AN UNSAFE, AN ASYMMETRIC GAMBLE WITH OUR CITY'S FUTURE.

DECATUR HAS ALREADY FACED A POPULATION LOSS OVER THE YEARS.

IF WE RISK OUR ONLY WATER SOURCE, WE WILL ACCELERATE, ACCELERATE THAT DECLINE.

FAMILIES WILL NOT STAY IN A CITY WHERE THEY CANNOT TRUST THE TAP.

WE ARE BEING ASKED TO TRADE OUR VERY SURVIVAL FOR A CORPORATE TAX BREAK.

I URGE THE COUNCIL TO HALT THIS PROJECT UNTIL THREE SEVERE UNMITIGATED RISKS ARE ADDRESSED.

FIRST, ABSOLUTE WATER INSECURITY AND POPULATION RISK.

BROADWING IS AN EVAPORATIVE COOLING FACILITY THAT WILL PERMANENTLY VANISH THREE TO 8 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER EVERY SINGLE DAY FROM LAKE DECATUR.

THAT'S A MASSIVE 27% SPIKE IN OUR CITY'S DAILY USAGE.

LA DECATUR IS OUR ONLY DRINKING SOURCE, AND IT REGULARLY FACES DROUGHTS.

WHEN THE N SEVERE DROUGHT HITS GOOGLE'S BANK ACCOUNT CANNOT REFILL OUR RESERVOIR.

IF THE LAKE BRU DRY OR RESIDENTIAL UTILITY PILLS SKYROCKET TO PAY FOR EMERGENCY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IT WILL DRIVE A MASSIVE EXODUS OF RESIDENTS OUT OF THIS TOWN.

SECOND, THIS PLANT REQUIRES A NEW HIGH PRESSURE NATURAL GAS PIPELINE AND SITS NEXT TO A DM CARBON INJECTION.

WELLS THAT I'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED, SORRY, I'VE ALREADY EXPERIENCED, DOCUMENTED UNDERGROUND LEAKS.

[00:20:01]

THIRD, FINANCIAL ACE IMAGERY.

WE ARE TOLD THIS PROJECT BRINGS A BUNDLED $13 MILLION IN REVENUE, BUT ONCE CONSTRUCTION ENDS, IT LEAVES BEHIND ONLY ABOUT 30 PERMANENT JOBS.

MEANWHILE, THE DEVELOPER RECEIVES MASKS AT PROPERTY, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THROUGH OUR ENTERPRISE ZONE AND UP TO $170 MILLION A YEAR IN FEDERAL SUBSIDIES.

EVERYDAY FAMILY SHOULDN'T BEAR 100% OF THE RISK WHILE A TRILLION DOLLAR COMPANY GETS THE REWARDS.

MY CONCLUSION IS THAT IF GOOGLE WANTS OUR WATER, THEY MUST PROTECT IT.

I ASK THE COUNSEL TO DENY OR PAUSE THESE PERMITS JUST UNTIL THE DEVELOPS OR LE DEVELOPERS ARE LEGALLY MANDATED TO SWITCH TO 100% DRY AIR COOLING TO SAVE OUR LAKE WATER LEGALLY, BAR ANY PIPELINES FROM RUNNING UNDER LAKE DECATUR OR THE SANGAMON RIVER, ESTABLISH A MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR CORPORATE ESCROW FUND TO SECURE OUR WATER FUTURE.

DO NOT TRADE OUR WATER FOR OUR CHILDREN TO DRINK.

OKAY, AND MY, THERE'S REFERENCES FOR EVERYTHING THAT I'VE SAID.

THANK YOU, MS. BURNS.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS JOHN JON GRUBB, G-R-U-B-B, FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR LABOR'S LOCAL 1 59.

I'D LIKE TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION ON THE AGENDA, FIVE DASH SEVEN D AND FIVE DASH SEVEN E, WHICH ARE BOTH RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF AN AGREEMENT WITH STEVE'S TRUCKING.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FOUND THAT STEVE'S TRUCKING WAS IN VIOLATION OF INCORRECTLY REPORTING CERTIFIED WAGES ON THE YWCA DEMOLITION JOB HERE IN DECATUR.

THIS JOB WAS MONITORED REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

MANPOWER WAS DOCUMENTED AND STEVE'S TRUCKING WAS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION.

I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO GO TO THE ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE'S TRACK, UH, FOR STEVE'S TRUCKING, AND IT IS POSTED AS NOT IN GOOD STANDINGS IN OUR POSITION.

ANYTIME YOU SEE HUGE DIFFERENCES IN BID PRICES, IT AUTOMATICALLY THROWS UP RED FLAGS.

EQUIPMENT IS EQUIPMENT, MATERIAL IS MATERIAL.

THE COSTS TO DO BUSINESS ARE THE SAME FOR CONTRACTORS.

LABOR IN GENERAL IS THE ONLY PLACE THAT COSTS CAN BE CUT.

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MENTION THAT THE CITY'S 18% MINORITY REQUIREMENT WAS NOT MET ON THIS JOB.

UH, THIS BRINGS ME TO ANOTHER TOPIC.

IF THE CITY OF DECATUR WOULD IMPLEMENT A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT ON ALL CITY PROJECTS, IT WOULD CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE MEN AND WOMEN OF DECATUR.

IT WOULD BRING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GREAT PAYING JOBS WITH BENEFITS SUCH AS HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES.

AND A DIVINE PENSION PLAN.

MINORITY REQUIREMENTS WOULD BE MET MORE YOUNG PEOPLE FROM THE CITY WOULD GET MORE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN OUR APPRENTICESHIPS AND HAVE GREAT CAREERS.

SPRINGFIELD HAS A PLA, BLOOMINGTON HAS A PLA.

SIMPLY PUT, PLA LANGUAGE WILL GREATLY HELP THE PEOPLE OF DECATUR.

WE NEED A PLA HERE IN DECATUR.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. GRUB.

YEAH, MY NAME, MY NAME'S DON CARMICHAEL.

I WAS HERE A COUPLE WEEKS AGO AND, UH, EXPLAINED TO YOU WHY I WAS GROWING MY PRAIRIE GARDEN INSECT FARM IN MY BACKYARD.

A FEW DAYS AFTER THAT, I GOT A, UH, CITATION FOR HAVING GRASS TOO LONG.

OKAY, I UNDERSTAND ALL THAT.

BUT, UH, WHAT I'M HERE TONIGHT FOR IS TO TELL YOU THAT PLANET EARTH CONTINUES TO HEAT UP, UH, EVERY YEAR BREAKING NEW RECORDS.

THIS IS SUICIDAL FOR ALL OF US.

ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE MANY REASONS IT'S HEATING UP IS BECAUSE OF THE ZILLION ACRES OF MONOCULTURE GRASS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, BUT AROUND THE WORLD ALSO.

NOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS CAN SIT THERE AND JUST LISTEN TO ME AND IT'D BLOW ME OFF AND OH, SO WHAT? BUT I'M TELLING YOU, I'VE GOT 11-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER, GRANDDAUGHTER, AND A 6-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER, AND THEY BOTH LIVE IN FRANCE.

BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE, FRANCE IS STILL IN ON PLANET EARTH.

LOOK, YOU GUYS NEED, YOU NEED TO TAKE ME SERIOUS.

[00:25:01]

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. DALE.

I I GAVE THESE GUYS, UH, BOOKS.

I GOT TWO BOOKS ON IRELAND THAT I WROTE MYSELF.

IF ANYBODY WANTS A COPY, I'VE GOT TWO LEFT.

I DON'T WANT TAKE 'EM HOME.

ANYBODY CARE FOR A COPY? SURE.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YOU WELCOME.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR COUNCIL.

I'M BRETT ROBERTSON.

UM, FOR DECADES, YOU KNOW, UH, CITIZENS OF DECATUR HAD BEEN WORRIED ABOUT THE TREND OF DECLINING POPULATION, UH, FEWER JOBS IN A SHRINKING ECONOMY THAT SLOWLY BUT STEADILY HOLLOWED OUT OUR CITY.

AND THE GREAT INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES OF THE PAST ARE NOT GONNA RETURN TO BE RESURRECTED INDICATORS.

SO IF WE INTEND TO REUSE THE VAST TRACKS OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY ON THE EAST SIDE THAT NOW STAND EMPTY, WE NEED TO LOOK TO NEW INDUSTRIES THAT ARE GROWING AND THAT NEED A LOCAL FOOTPRINT.

THE DATA CENTER INDUSTRY IS THAT OPPORTUNITY.

DATA CENTERS ARE BRINGING IN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT, HIGH PAID CONSTRUCTION AND SERVICE JOBS.

THE SERVICE JOBS GO ON INDEFINITELY, AND A STEADY SOURCE OF TAX REVENUE NORTH 22ND STREET FACES TWO POTENTIAL FUTURES.

ONE IS BRIGHT AND ONE IS BLEAK.

AND NOW'S THE TIME FOR THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES IN DECATUR WITH SUPPORT OF CITY COUNCIL TO MAKE AS THEIR FIRST PRIORITY TO ENGAGE WITH DATA CENTER COMPANIES, TO INVITE THEM TO THE CITY, TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC TYPES OF DATA CENTERS THEY'RE WANTING TO BUILD AND TO PITCH TO THEM THE GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE ADVANTAGES THAT DECATUR OFFERS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S A LOT OF DISINFORMATION, UH, THAT'S BEING, UH, PROMULGATED ABOUT DATA CENTERS.

AND WE'RE LEARNING THAT, THAT THE MONEY BEHIND THIS IS COMING FROM CHINA.

AND THE, THE REASON THAT CHINESE WOULD WANT US TO SLOW OR STOP OUR INVESTMENT IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, I THINK IS, IS, UM, PRETTY OBVIOUS.

THEY WANNA CATCH UP AND PASS, PASS US IN THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RACE.

NOW, WE ALL ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO CREATE A FIRST IMPRESSION.

AND PASSING A MORATORIUM IS EXACTLY THE WRONG MESSAGE TO SEND.

WE NEED TO SEND OUT AN INVITATION, NOT A MORATORIUM.

WE'VE ALL SEEN TEAMS THAT DECIDE TO PLAY NOT TO LOSE INSTEAD OF PLAYING TO WIN.

AND THAT RARELY WORKS OUT WELL.

IT'S TIME FOR DECATUR TO PLAY, TO WIN OUR SHARE OF THE DATA CENTER MARKET BY PUTTING OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, MR. ROBERTSON.

GOOD EVENING, COUNSEL.

NO WORRIES.

I'M GONNA LIGHTEN THE MOOD NOW.

UH, SO GONNA LET YOU KNOW WE'RE GONNA GO FULL CIRCLE TWICE IN THIS THREE MINUTES.

FIRST OF ALL, HOW MANY OF YOU KNEW THAT BEHIND LOCKS STOCK BARREL WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL BASEBALL DIAMONDS FOR BASEBALL? SO, MR. ROBERTSON HAS WRITTEN A BOOK, CHAMPIONS, FOUNDERS, CONS AND THIEVES.

SO EVEN BACK IN THE 1860S TO 19 HUNDREDS, WE HAD CHAMPIONS, WE HAD CONS, AND WE HAD THIEVES.

IT'S PRETTY INTERESTING READING.

YOU CAN LEARN A LOT ABOUT SOME EARLY BASEBALL DIAMONDS THAT YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT, BUT TO BRING THAT FULL CIRCLE RIGHT NOW, AS OF TOMORROW NIGHT, SIX 30, FIRST PITCH FOR THE BEAN BALLERS, WE'RE OVER AT WORKMAN FIELD.

UM, MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY HAS A WONDERFUL FACILITY THERE.

ALL OF OUR PLAYERS ARE JUST REALLY COOL YOUNG MEN.

I VISITED WITH MOST ALL OF THEM, AND IT'S REALLY FASCINATING HOW EXCITING THEY, HOW EXCITED THEY ARE TO BE IN DECATUR TO PLAY.

PAUL, I KNOW SEVERAL OF YOU HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO GAMES.

IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME, JUST LET ME KNOW AND WE'LL MAKE THOSE ARRANGEMENTS.

NOW WE'RE GONNA GO ON ANOTHER CIRCLE.

SO, TONIGHT BEING THE HISTORY PERSON THAT I AM, I HAVE THE DECATUR PLAN FROM 1920.

NOW NOTICE THIS IS A HARDBOUND BOOK, AND IT'S PRETTY FASCINATING.

HAS ALL THE MAPS, RAILROAD MAPS, ALL OF THEM FOLD OUT OF THIS.

UH, IT'S

[00:30:01]

BUT THE INTERESTING THING WHEN I READ IT, KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING PLANS IS ONE OF THE LAST CHAPTERS IS THE CARRYING OUT OF A PLAN.

DECATUR'S PLAN WILL BE CARRIED OUT IF THE PEOPLE OF DECATUR WILL IT.

THE FIRST STEP IS TO INTRODUCE THE PLAN WITH CAREFUL ORGANIZATION, EDUCATE THE PEOPLE TO THE BENEFITS OF THE PLAN, THE THOROUGHNESS WITH WHICH THE PEOPLE ARE TOLD.

THE BENEFITS OF THE PLAN WILL BE REFLECTED UPON THE ATTITUDE OF THE PLAN, AS WELL AS THE ATTITUDE OF ADMINISTRATORS AND STAFF.

SO I THINK IT'S PRETTY FASCINATING THAT IN 1920, THEY UNDERSTOOD AND THAT YOU REALLY NEED TO EXPLAIN THINGS WELL TO PEOPLE, AND YOU NEED TO TELL THEM THE BENEFITS, LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, AND THEN THEY'LL GET ON BOARD.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

THANK YOU, MS. OWENS.

AND THAT IS A FUN READ.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO, UH, APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? OKAY, I DON'T SEE ANYBODY.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL, MR. MCDANIEL? UM, I HOPE THE COUNCIL WILL, UH, BE OPEN TO LISTENING TO WHAT COMES, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT COMES BACK FROM, UH, THE, UH, COUNTY, UH, COMMITTEE.

I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING THAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE JUST CAN'T SAY NO ALL THE TIME.

AGAIN, I'M WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AND I'M ALSO WANNA HEAR FROM THE EXPERTS.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THE FIRST DATA CENTER WAS SET UP IN PHILADELPHIA IN 19, SEE, WAS IT 1946? AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY IMPROVEMENTS, AND WE'VE SEEN AS MR. ROBINSON, THERE ARE EVEN MORE CHANGES COMING WHERE THEY DON'T USE WATER.

AND, AND, AND, UH, SO I LISTEN ACROSS TO, UH, DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, WHAT'S GOING ON.

SOME ARE REJECTING 'EM, SOME WISH THEY HADN'T.

SO I'M WILLING, I I HOPE EVERYBODY WILL HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND WILL LISTEN TO EVERYBODY AND, UH, AND, AND SEE WHAT WE'LL DO AGAIN, UH, AS FAR AS JOBS GO, ANYMORE, 30, 40 JOBS THAT, THAT YOU CAN GET, WE'LL TAKE IT THE DAYS THAT WE'RE GONNA GET THOUSANDS OF JOBS COMING INTO THIS COMMUNITY.

'CAUSE A NEW MANUFACTURER, THEY'RE USING AI, SO THERE'S FEWER.

SO I'LL TAKE 30 JOBS.

I'LL TAKE 40 JOBS FOR DECATUR.

ANYONE ELSE HAVE COMMENTS ON COUNSEL? MR. HORN? THANK YOU, MAYOR.

SEVERAL COMMENTS ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOPICS.

UM, UM, SO, UM, MS. ROSENBERGER, YOU, YOU ASKED ABOUT RESCINDING THE 99 YEAR EASEMENT WITH A DM COMPANY.

UM, THERE, THERE'S NOT FOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL CONSENT TO RESCINDING THE EASEMENT AT THIS TIME.

UM, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, UH, CERTAINLY I HAVE ADVOCATED FOR ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS.

I ALSO NOTE THAT THERE WAS A CHANGE.ORG, UH, PETITION THAT, UH, WAS SENT TO THE COUNCIL ABOUT THAT VERY THING.

AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE INDIVIDUALS TO, UM, WRITE LETTERS TO THE ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, UM, REGARDING THE BROADWING ENERGY CENTER'S, UH, AIR POLLUTION PERMIT, THE DEADLINE FOR THAT IS JUNE 22ND AND MAKE AS A CONDITION OF THAT PERMIT THAT A DM COMPANY, UM, GET U-S-E-P-A APPROVAL FOR THE CO2 SEQUESTRATION PERMIT.

THAT PERMIT WILL NOT EVEN BE UP FOR REVIEW UNTIL AT THE EARLIEST NOVEMBER OF THIS YEAR.

AND SO FOR THOSE THAT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CO2 SEQUESTRATION, THERE ARE STEPS THAT YOU CAN TAKE RIGHT NOW, UM, REGARDING THAT.

UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, MR. CARMICHAEL'S, UM, UH, MENTION OF CONCERNS OF MONOCULTURE GRASSES, UM, AS HE, IT LIKELY KNOWS, THERE ARE MANY, MANY COMMUNITIES THAT ALLOW PRAIRIE GARDENS, UH, IN THEIR CITIES, AND CERTAINLY THE CITY OF DECATUR IS BEHIND WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.

UM, IN REGARDS TO, UM, DATA CENTERS, AS I'VE MENTIONED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, I AM CERTAINLY, UM, IN FAVOR OF PAUSING CONSIDERATION OF DATA CENTER PROPOSALS UNTIL,

[00:35:01]

AND I WILL JUST GIVE YOU ONE EXAMPLE.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK A LOT ABOUT, UH, THE USE OF WATER, UH, IN DATA CENTERS.

AND SOME WILL ARGUE THAT DATA CENTERS NOW HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY FOR CLOSED LOOP SYSTEM.

UH, BUT OTHER DATA CENTERS, A MEDIUM-SIZED DATA CENTERS MAY USE 300,000 GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.

LARGE DATA CENTERS MAY USE UP TO 5 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER A DAY.

AND SO WE NEED GUIDELINES TO ESTABLISH HOW MUCH WATER A DATA CENTER CAN USE.

AND AS WE'RE ABOUT TO TALK ABOUT IN A COUPLE OF AGENDA ITEMS, THE CITY OF DECATUR, ONCE BROADWAY GOES ONLINE, AND IF AND WHEN FUYAO EXPANDS ITS FACILITY, THERE IS NO EXTRA WATER AVAILABLE FOR ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO THE ARGUMENT THAT, UM, WE HAVE WATER TO SUPPORT A DATA CENTER IS PREDICATED ON THE CITY DEVELOPING GUIDELINES FOR HOW MUCH WATER A DATA CENTER CAN USE.

AND SO IT IS GOOD GOVERNANCE TO PAUSE ON DATA CENTERS, UH, AND IN REVIEWING DATA CENTER PROPOSALS UNTIL WE HAVE A, A BETTER STANDARDS FOR THINGS SUCH AS WATER USE.

AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF MANY ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP WITH DATA CENTERS.

THANK YOU.

OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? I WILL SAY I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPORT BACK FROM THE, UH, CITIZENS OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE CHAIRMAN AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT POTENTIALLY HAVING A JOINT MEETING OF THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNTY BOARD AT THE SAME TIME FOR IT TO BE PRESENTED.

SO IT WOULD ALLOW FOR A LOT OF, UM, ALL OF US RECEIVING THE SAME INFORMATION AT THE SAME TIME AND HAVING OUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED.

OKAY.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, MOVE ON TO THE APPROVAL OF

[III. Approval of Minutes]

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JUNE 1ST, 2026.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY ABSTAIN.

COUNCILMAN CRUZ? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLE? AYE.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SIX AT ONE ABSTENTION.

ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MOVING INTO NEW BUSINESS ITEM

[1. Treasurer's Financial Report ]

THE TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT.

MS. HANH.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNSEL.

UH, THIS IS THE TREASURER'S FINANCIAL REPORT FOR MAY OF 2026.

WE ENDED THE REPORTING PERIOD WITH A TOTAL CASH POSITION OF 111.6 MILLION.

UH, THIS WAS UP FROM, UM, THE LAST END OF THE LAST PRIOR MONTH WHERE WE ENDED THE CASH POSITION OF 110.2 MILLION.

THE GENERAL FUND ENDED THE REPORTING PERIOD WITH A CASH POSITION OF 22.9 MILLION.

THIS IS UP FROM OUR 75 DAY CASH RESERVE POLICY OF 20.4 MILLION AND WAS UP FROM, UM, THE PRIOR END OF THE PRIOR MONTH, WHICH ENDED AT 21.2 MILLION.

THE GENERAL FUND IS CURRENTLY IN A SURPLUS POSITION.

UM, I WILL HIGHLIGHT FROM THE, UH, REPORT THAT, UH, THIS IS DUE TO, UM, SOME STAFFING VACANCIES AND SOME SLOWER SPENDING AT THE BEGINNING OF THE, THE FISCAL YEAR.

SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT, UH, WE WILL NOT STAY IN A, IN A SURPLUS POSITION AS, UM, POSITIONS GET FILLED AND THEN PROJECTS ALSO GET APPROVED.

AND, UH, WE START SPENDING FOR OUR REVENUE STREAMS, WE ARE STILL, UH, LOOKING FAVORABLY IN AREAS SUCH AS SALES TAX REVENUES, STATE INCOME TAX, UTILITY TAX, STATE, PPRT, CABLE TV, AND LOCAL USE TAX.

WE ARE STILL KEEPING AN EYE ON FOOD AND BEVERAGE, VIDEO GAMING, HOTEL MOTEL, AND THE LOCAL GROCERY TAX.

UH, I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ON THE LAST PAGE THE, UH, TAX LEVY IS NOW CERTIFIED AND THE EQUALIZED ASSESS VALUE, UH, WAS INCREASE WAS AN INCREASE OF 7.63% VERSUS THE PREVIOUS YEAR.

EAV.

THIS DID EXCEED WHAT WE WERE PROJECTING AND WHAT WE USED FOR, UH, THE BASIS FOR THE 2025 CITY PROPERTY TAX LEVY.

UH, WE WERE ESTIMATING THAT IT WAS GONNA COME IN ABOUT 1.198 BILLION, AND IT CAME IN AT 1.208.

UH, THE CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE, UH, IS AT 1.38467 PER A HUNDRED DOLLARS OF EAV.

AND THIS IS LOWER THAN WHAT WE ESTIMATED AT THE 1.39607.

AND THIS WAS A RESULT OF THE HIGHER THAN PROJECTED EAV.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE MANAGER? MR. COOPER? JUST A QUICK QUESTION ON THE 75 DAY RESERVE.

DIDN'T WE LOWER THAT? YES.

SO WE WERE

[00:40:01]

OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM TWO RESOLUTION

[2. Resolution Authorizing Payment Under an Agreement for Technical Planning Services between the Decatur Urban Area Transportation Study (DUATS) and McKenna Associates, Inc. for a Comprehensive Plan]

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN MOTION, THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVED.

SECOND, MS. HANH.

THANK YOU MAR COUNSEL.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

UH, AS WE HAD OUTLINED AS PART OF THE REVITALIZATION PLAN, THIS WAS ONE OF THE GOALS, UH, TO UPDATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, UM, ALREADY, UH, THAT STAFF HAS BEEN ABLE TO ALREADY GET THIS BEFORE YOU, WHEN THAT PLAN WAS JUST ADOPTED IN APRIL.

AND WHAT, THAT'LL TURN IT OVER TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR LEE CLZ.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

I'M EXCITED TO PRESENT THE AGREEMENT WITH MCKENNA AND ASSOCIATES TONIGHT.

THEY HAVE, UM, GONE THROUGH A RIGOROUS AND, UH, RFP PROCESS, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.

WE ISSUED THAT IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

UM, WE PUT TOGETHER A PANEL OF INTERVIEWERS, UM, WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UM, OUR CITY'S LEGAL DEPARTMENT, AND IOT, WHO IS GOING TO BE SUPPLYING THE FUNDING FOR THIS.

SO THIS IS 100% GRANT FUNDED, UM, THROUGH DOT.

SO WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THAT PARTNERSHIP AND CONTINUED INVESTMENT FROM THE STATE.

THE, UM, MCKENNA WENT THROUGH, UM, TWO DIFFERENT INTERVIEW ROUNDS OF INTERVIEWS.

SO WE WERE SUBMITTED SIX DIFFERENT PROPOSALS.

WE NARROWED IT DOWN AND INTERVIEWED FOUR, AND THEN FROM THERE DID A SECOND INTERVIEW WITH TWO, UM, FINALISTS.

AND WE FOUND THAT MCKENNA WAS THE MOST RESPONSIVE TO OUR NEEDS AND REALLY UNDERSTOOD AND CAPTURED WHAT THE CITY WAS LOOKING FOR WHEN LOOKING TO UPDATE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

UM, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WILL ESTABLISH A SHARED VISION FOR THE COMMUNITY'S FUTURE AND PROVIDE A ROADMAP FOR GROWTH, REDEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE, INVESTMENT HOUSING, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, AND LAND USE DECISIONS.

SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A SMALL DOCUMENT AND IT WILL TAKE QUITE A BIT OF TIME.

UM, IF APPROVED TONIGHT, WE WILL BEGIN KICKOFF IN JULY.

AND WITH PLANS TO HAVE FINAL ADOPTION BY DECEMBER OF 2027, THEY WILL BE PERFORMING A PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY STAFF, UM, RIGOROUS AND ROBUST COMMUNITY INPUT.

SO THERE WILL BE MANY DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE INPUT AND FEEDBACK.

UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID LIKE THAT WAS PRESENTED WAS THE, UH, A CHARETTE.

AND SO A CHARETTE IS AN INTENSE PLANNING WORKSHOP, AND WE PLAN TO HAVE A FEW OF THOSE, UM, THAT WILL EVEN INVOLVE THE HIGH SCHOOLS AND THE HIGH SCHOOLERS BECAUSE THIS ROADMAP WILL ULTIMATELY AFFECT WHAT THEIR FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE IN 10 YEARS.

SO AT THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, NICE WORK.

UH, QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. HORN? MS. ELSIE, A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

SO, UM, THE FIRST QUESTION IS, IT LOOKED LIKE THE OVERALL COST FOR THIS AND THE ORDINANCE DEVELOPMENT WAS $200,000.

AM I CORRECT WITH THAT? FOR FOR BOTH THIS? FOR BOTH.

AND THE UDO? NO.

OKAY.

WHAT ARE THE COSTS? WHAT IS THE COST FOR DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN? THE COST PER DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN IS $200,000.

AND THEN IN READING THROUGH THE AGREEMENT IS ULTIMATELY THE FUNDS ARE GOING TO DOTS.

COULD YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHO IS DOTS? DO THEY HAVE ANY CITY EMPLOYEES AND WHY ARE THEY THE ONES THAT ARE OVERSEEING THAT? SO TS IS THE DECATUR URBANIZED AREA TRANSPORTATION STUDY.

AND WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE THE CITY IS THE SEAT OF TS.

AND SO THAT IS A METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION.

SOMETIMES THEY ARE A STANDALONE PLANNING ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, IS IN THE COUNTY.

UM, AND LIKE I SAID, WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE HAVE A, A STRONG PARTNERSHIP AND THEY ARE THE FUNDING MECHANISM THAT WILL PAY PAY FOR THIS.

SO THIS IS NOT COMING OUT OF GENERAL FUND.

UM, THE CITY WILL BE ISSUING PAYMENTS TO MCKENNA, BUT WILL BE REIMBURSED THROUGH DUETS, WHICH IS FUNDED BOTH FEDERALLY AND BY THE STATE.

AND SO, UM, THE PLANNING ORGANIZATION ALLOWS US TO UTILIZE DOLLARS IF VOTED, VOTED FOR ON THE DUETS COMMITTEE, UM, FOR PLANNING INITIATIVES.

AND, AND THEN, SO FROM, FROM

[00:45:01]

IS THAT CORRECT? BECAUSE IT'S STATE GRANT FUNDED? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND THEN, UM, TWO MORE QUESTIONS.

UM, WILL PROPOSED OR POSSIBLE DEVELOPMENTS, UH, BE DELAYED UNTIL THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS COMPLETE? THERE'S TWO THINGS THAT COME TO MIND.

UH, ONE, THERE WAS A RFP TO HAVE A NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT NEAR MILLIKEN.

AND TWO, UH, THE PUBLIC HAS JUST BEEN TALKING ABOUT DATA CENTERS QUITE A BIT DURING OUR PUBLIC COMMONS PERIOD.

WILL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS BE DELAYED AS WE ARE DEVELOPING THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? I CAN SPEAK TO THAT.

UM, I WOULD SAY FOR LIKE THE RFP THAT WE DID FOR HOUSING, UM, NO, NOTHING WILL BE DELAYED.

SO IF THERE'S ANY DEVELOPMENT PROPOSALS, WE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH DEVELOPERS.

AND IF WE NEEDED TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS ALONG THE WAY, WE WOULD, WE WOULD DO THAT FOR THE, UH, DATA CENTER CONVERSATIONS.

AS FAR AS WHAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN, THERE'S BEEN SOME HIGH LEVEL CONVERSATIONS.

I'VE LET INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT WE'RE IN, THAT WE'RE INQUIRING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT OUR ZONING ORDINANCES AND, UM, THAT, YOU KNOW, I I, WE'RE NOT REALLY SURE AT THIS POINT HOW THAT'S GONNA, UM, PROCEED, BUT WE'VE NOT HAD ANY PROPOSALS OR DEVELOPMENTS BROUGHT TO THE CITY FOR CONSIDERATION.

AND THEN ONE FINAL QUESTION.

SO, AND MY READING OF THE INFORMATION WAS THE LAST PLAN WAS APPROVED IN 2009.

HAS ANYBODY LOOKED AT THE 2009 PLAN? DID WE SUCCEED IN WHATEVER OUR OUTCOMES WERE? I MEAN, WERE, WERE WE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR PLAN? SO THE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT HAS LOOKED AT IT, BUT WE HAVE NOT DONE A COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION OF WHAT GOALS WERE ATTAINED OR WHATNOT.

SOME OF THE ITEMS IN THERE MAY OR MAY NOT STILL BE RELEVANT BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH SINCE 2009.

AS A BEST PRACTICE CITY SHOULD UPDATE THESE PLANS EVERY 10 YEARS OR MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED.

THEY SHOULD BE A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT.

AND WE HAVE DONE THAT.

UM, AND THEN WE RAN INTO ABOUT THE TIME WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN REALLY STARTING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

THE COUNTRY WAS HIT WITH THE PANDEMIC, WHICH REALLY, UH, CHANGED EVERYTHING.

MM-HMM .

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL FOR MS. ELSIE? OKAY.

ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? AYE.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

MAYOR, MORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS.

AND THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM THREE RESOLUTION

[3. Resolution Authorizing the City of Decatur to Enter into an Agreement with McKenna Associates, Inc. for the Preparation of a Unified Development Ordinance]

FOR PREPARATION OF A UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE.

MOTION.

THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SO MOVED.

SECOND.

WE'RE GOING STRAIGHT TO LACEY OR TO YOU, MS. HAN.

YOU OKAY? TAKE, YEAH, JUST QUICKLY, ONCE AGAIN, I WANTED TO, WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND, UM, JUST COMMENCE STAFF FOR HOW QUICKLY THEY WERE ABLE TO, UM, GET THIS DONE.

THIS WAS, AGAIN, ONE OF THE, UM, GOALS OUTLINED IN THE REVITALIZATION PLAN THAT WAS JUST ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN APRIL.

AND, UH, SO JUST WANNA COMMEND THEM FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND EXCITED TO HAVE THIS BEFORE.

COUNCIL.

ANYTHING FURTHER YOU WANNA ADD? UM, JUST THAT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT WE WILL BE UPDO UPDATING THE ZONING ORDINANCE TO THE UNIFY UNIFORM DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE, UM, WHICH WILL IMPROVE CLARITY AND CONSISTENCY AND WILL STREAMLINE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESSES, REDUCE REGULATORY CONFLICTS, AND PROVIDE GREATER PREDICTABILITY FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES, DEVELOPERS, AND STAFF.

QUESTIONS FOR MS. ELSIE? FROM COUNSEL MR. HORN? UM, MS. ELSIE, SO IS THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE $133,540, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.

AND, UM, THIS, HOW IS THIS BEING PAID FOR? IS THIS ALSO THROUGH, UM, STATE GRANTS OR IS THIS COMING FROM GENERAL FUND TYPE OF DOLLAR? THIS IS COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS BUDGETED, WASN'T IT, MS. HAHN? SO WE EXPECTED TO BE PAYING FOR THIS.

UM, SO ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I HAVE IS, THERE'S A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW CITY STAFF WAS SUCCESSFUL IN ADDING A NEW AGRICULTURAL ZONE TO OUR ZONING ORDINANCE.

AND

[00:50:02]

UM, WHAT, WHAT IS PREVENTING, UM, OUR CITY STAFF FROM MAKING REVISIONS TO THE ZONING CODE THAT WE HAVE NOW? I MEAN, I, I CAN GO AHEAD AND ANSWER THAT.

I, I BELIEVE THAT YOU'LL SEE THROUGHOUT THE ZONING CODE THERE HAVE BEEN UPDATES AS NEEDED.

SO THAT HAS OCCURRED, BUT THIS IS KIND OF REALLY LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY AND LOOKING AT EVERY PIECE AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE STAYING CURRENT WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF DEVELOPMENTS THAT MAY BE ALONG THE WAY, HAVEN'T BEEN ADDRESSED.

AND IT, AND IT REALLY IS THE PERFECT TIMING WITH OUR UPDATE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, KIND OF HOW, HOW THE COMMUNITY HAS DEVELOPED ORGANICALLY OVER TIME AND MAKING SURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING THINGS IN THE WAY THAT THE, THE COMMUNITY IS GROWING.

AND THEN ALSO HOW WE WANNA SEE IT GROW IN THE FUTURE.

AND I WILL SHARE THAT MANY, MANY YEARS AGO I SERVED ON THE COMMITTEE TO OVERHAUL THE ZONING ORDINANCE AND IT WAS BASICALLY LAY PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTISE IN THIS.

SO I APPRECIATE HAVING PROFESSIONALS THAT CAN REALLY LOOK AT THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW TO LOOK AT, AND IT WAS A LEARNING CURVE AND TOOK A LOT OF TIME.

SO, OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL, MR. HORN? SO ANOTHER QUESTION I HAD WAS, IS WHY, WHY CAN'T CITY STAFF, UM, BE IN, I MEAN, CREATE THIS UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT ORDINANCE? I MEAN, IF I LOOK AT A COST OF $133,000, I MEAN, THAT'S A $90,000 SALARY PLUS 30% BENEFITS, UM, FOR SOMEONE TO WORK ONE YEAR FULL TIME.