Jul 20, 2026 City Council Meeting

[00:05:05]

IT'S NOW TIME FOR APPEARANCE

[III. Appearance of Citizens]

OF CITIZENS.

OUR POLICY RELATIVE TO APPEARANCE OF CITIZENS IS AS FOLLOWS.

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

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

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

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

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

IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE COUNCIL, PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM.

WE ALL JUST KINDA TAKE TERMS. .

THAN RESPONDING AFTER SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS.

GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

MY NAME IS MOLLY BERRY.

I REPRESENT, UM, MANY OF THE STAFF AT MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY AS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMISSION AND STUDENT AFFAIRS.

AND I'VE BEEN A, UM, PROUD MEMBER OF THE CITY OF DECATUR FOR 19 YEARS.

UM, ONE ADMISSION BARRIER TO MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY IS THE LACK OF TRANSPORTATION FOR URBAN COMMUNITIES WHERE DAY-TO-DAY TRAVEL FOR FOLKS IS NOT DETERMINED BY A PERSONAL CAR.

AND SO, ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, I VISITED WITH LACEY LC AND SAID, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT GETTING STUDENTS FROM CHICAGO AND ST.

LOUIS TO DECATUR BECAUSE THERE IS NO POINT OF CONNECTION TO THE CITY.

UM, AND SO AFTER MUCH CONVERSATION, SHE LET ME KNOW THAT THE FLIX BUS OPTION WAS AN OPTION THAT WAS COMING AND PRESENTING TO COUNCIL TONIGHT.

AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THAT.

UM, IF WE HAD ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION FOR STUDENTS TO GET FROM, AGAIN, CHICAGO ST.

LOUIS, INDIANAPOLIS INTO DECATUR THROUGH AMTRAK, THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE AN OPTION LIKE THAT.

AND IN FACT, THAT'S A BARRIER OVER AND OVER, IS WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING AND FAMILIES ARE SAYING IS, WE WOULD LOVE TO COMMIT TO MILLIKEN AND TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS.

HOW DO I GET MY STUDENT HERE? WE DON'T OWN A CAR.

HOW CAN I GET STUDENTS FROM THE AMTRAK STATION 40 MINUTES AWAY TO DECATUR WITHOUT RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION? SO THE FLIX BUS WOULD ADDRESS THIS NEED AND WOULD ALSO CREATE A BARRIER FREE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO COMMIT TO CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND THUS COMMIT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

SO I STAND IN FAVOR FOR OUR DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS TO CREATE A BETTER TRANSPORTATION OPTION.

FLIX BUS WOULD STOP INDICATOR ON A, UM, TWO TIMES A DAY BASIS, AND THAT WOULD BE A GREAT OPTION FOR OUR STUDENTS TO CONNECT TO A BETTER URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

UM, SPECIFICALLY ST.

LOUIS.

AND THEN FROM ST.

LOUIS, THEY COULD CONNECT ANYWHERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU, MS. BARRY.

HI, MY NAME IS MAGGIE EMPA, WESTEND, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, WIFE AND MAMA.

THREE.

WE CHOSE TO INVEST HERE BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZED DECATUR'S HISTORY AND POTENTIAL.

THIS ALSO IS A MESSAGE FROM ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE E-D-C-D-P-S AND OTHERS WHO ARE PUSHING THIS MINDSET.

WE HAVE BEAUTIFUL PARKS, HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS, BUSINESSES, NEIGHBORS IN A STRONG COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE PROUD TO CALL IT HOME.

UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF US HAVE WATCHED SOMETHING CHANGED.

WE ARE EXPERIENCING INCREASED RECKLESS DRIVING, SPEEDING, STREET RACING, LARGE, LATE NIGHT GATHERINGS AND GUNFIRE.

I'M ONLY SPEAKING ABOUT THE WEST END, WHETHER THOSE RESPONSIBLE ARE FROM DECATUR OR SURROUND COMMUNITIES, THE EFFECT ON RESIDENTS IS THE SAME.

FAMILIES ARE UNEASY, FAMILIAR STREETS AND PARKS CARRY NEW EMOTIONS, FEELINGS OF DOUBT, AND THIS IS HOME FOR US.

THE MOST HEARTBREAKING REALITY IS WHEN NEIGHBORS MOVE AND ASK US WHEN WE'RE NEXT.

WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.

I'M NOT HERE TO COMPLAIN.

I'M HERE TO ASK FOR LEADERSHIP AND PARTNERSHIP.

PLEASE STRENGTHEN OUR RESPONSE TO RECKLESS DRIVING DANGEROUS VEHICLE ACTIVITY, STREET RACING, ILLEGAL GATHERINGS, AND VIOLENT CRIME.

REVIEW OUR CURTAIN ORDINANCES RELATED TO PUBLIC GATHERINGS AND DANGEROUS VEHICLE ACTIVITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO INTERVENE BEFORE SITUATIONS ESCALATE.

COLLABORATE WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WHEN RECURRING PROBLEMS INVOLVE PEOPLE TRAVELING BETWEEN JURISDICTIONS.

WE JUST WANT PEACE FURTHER.

I DON'T WANT FAIRVIEW AND KIWANIS TO BECOME KNOWN FOR THE SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO MISUSE THEM.

THEY'RE NOT PROBLEMS TO BE MANAGED.

THEY'RE SANCTUARIES.

THEY'RE PLACES WHERE FAMILIES GATHER, PLAY, WALK, RIDE, AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE AND ONE ANOTHER.

YOU AND THE PARK DISTRICT HAVE INVESTED, BUT THE JOB ISN'T TO DROP NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT AND LEAVE.

THESE PLACES NEED TO BE MAINTAINED AND NEED GROUND RULES FOR USE.

WORK WITH PARK DISTRICT TO IMPROVE PARK SAFETY.

ALSO IMPROVE PATHWAYS TO OUR WEST END PARKS ON WEST MAIN, AND EVALUATE TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES.

WE SHOULD HAVE CLEARLY CLARK MARKED CROSSWALKS.

WE DO NOT HAVE THEM FLASHING PEDESTRIAN SIGNS AND PARK SIGNAGE ARROWS ON WEST MAINE TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO USE THOSE PARKS WHILE REMAIN REMINDING DRIVERS THAT THEY ARE ENTERING PLACES WHERE PEOPLE COME FIRST.

I WANT ENTRANCE SIGNAGE, WELCOMING PEOPLE INTO THE HISTORIC WEST END.

FROM BOTH THE EAST AND WESTBOUND APPROACHES.

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS A RICH HISTORY AND UNIQUE IDENTITY THAT DESERVES TO BE RECOGNIZED.

IN OTHER WORDS, HOME TO MANY THINK LONG-TERM.

MANY HAVE CONCERN ABOUT CONVERSION OF OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES INTO INVENTOR OWNED RENTALS.

I WANT THAT NOW.

I WANNA BE CLEAR.

RESPONSIBLE LANDLORDS AND RESPONSIBLE AT TENANTS ARE IMPORTANT MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY.

UM, EXCUSE ME, THIS IS NOT RENTERS VERSUS HOMEOWNERS.

RATHER, IT'S ABOUT A HEALTHY BALANCE.

NEIGHBORHOODS ARE A STRENGTHENED WHEN FAMILIES ESTABLISHED ROOTS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AND ENGAGE.

EXPLORE POLICIES AND INCENTIVES THAT SUPPORT RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY OWNERSHIP.

ENCOURAGE HOME OWNERSHIP WHERE POSSIBLE AND PRESERVE THE UNIQUE CHARACTER OF NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE WEST END.

PUBLIC SAFETY IS ABOUT MUCH MORE

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IT'S ABOUT ASSIGNING NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE SLOW DOWN, WHERE PARKS ARE WELCOMING AND WHILE USED, WHERE FAMILIES FEEL SAFE AT NIGHT.

WHERE KIDS CAN RIDE BIKES WITHOUT FEAR.

NEIGHBORS KNOW ONE ANOTHER AND WHERE PEOPLE INVEST AND THOSE ERODING BRICK STREETS AREN'T HELPING EITHER.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR SERVICE AND YOUR CONTINUED COMMITMENT FOR OUR CITY.

THANK YOU, MA'AM.

HELLO, MY NAME IS CECIL SCROGGINS.

I LIVE ON NORTH COWGILL IN DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

RECENTLY 50 ACRES OF FARMLAND HAS BEEN ZONE RESIDENTIAL AND WE ARE OPPOSED TO IT.

I'VE TALKED TO MY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.

WE WANT OUR STREET TO BE DEAD END.

WE HAVE LIMITED TRAFFIC.

WE DON'T WANT MULTI-FAMILY, UH, RESIDENTIALS THERE.

AND WITH THE INTEREST AND THE, UH, BUILDING COSTS, IT'S ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE TO BUILD NEW HOUSING.

SO WE, WE OPPOSE ANY, UH, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS OUT THERE, AND WE WANT TO KEEP OUR STREET A DEAD END STREET NOT ATTACHED TO ASH OR, OR, UH, MLK OR DAILY.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, SIR.

GOOD EVENING.

MY NAME IS MELISSA AUER AND I SERVE AS ADMS HR DIRECTOR SUPPORTING OUR GLOBAL OPERATIONS HERE IN DECATUR AS A DECATUR NATIVE WHO GREW UP AND WENT TO GRADE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL, AND I'VE CHOSEN TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE IN DECATUR.

I'M REALLY PROUD TO SHARE SOME EXCITING NEWS AROUND A DM THAT I THINK WILL BE IN INTEREST TO YOU.

AND THE, THE CITY OF DECATUR.

ON JUNE 25TH, A DM WAS RECOGNIZED OF ONE OF THE NEWEST INDUCTEES INTO THE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING HALL OF FAME DURING A CEREMONY IN CHICAGO WHERE THEY CELEBRATED COMPANIES, PRODUCTS, AND INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE MADE A LASTING IMPACT IN MANUFACTURING IN ILLINOIS.

WE VALUE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ILLINOIS MANUFACTURING ASSOCIATION AND WE'RE TRULY GRATEFUL TO BE INDUCTED.

IN ADDITION TO BEING INDUCTED, A DM WAS ALSO RECOGNIZED WITH THE IMA WORKFORCE EXCELLENCE AWARD, HONORING OUR COMMITMENT TO EXISTING WORKFORCE AND EFFORTS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF MANUFACTURERS AMONGST HUNDREDS OF NOMINATIONS.

A DM WAS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS COMMITMENT TO BUILDING A TALENT PIPELINE FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR BY ENGAGING IN LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL EFFORTS, AS WELL AS OUR COMMITMENT TO INNOVATIVE WORKFORCE PROGRAMS SUCH AS PRAIRIE LAND FAME.

PRAIRIE LAND FAME PROVIDES A UNIQUE PROGRAM THAT AIMS TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF SKILLED MANUFACTURING PROFESSIONALS THROUGH A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH THAT COMBINES INDUSTRY DRIVEN EDUCATION AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE.

OUR GOAL THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN EDUCATION AND INDUSTRY, ENSURING THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT ONLY JOB READY, BUT ALSO EQUIPPED TO DRIVE INNOVATION WITHIN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR.

WE'RE OFFERING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO NOT ONLY EVOLVE WITH THE MANUFACTURING LANDSCAPE, BUT ALIGN WITH INDUSTRY DEMANDS.

THIS WILL PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE FAST PACED, TECHNOLOGY DRIVEN ENVIRONMENT THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S WORKFORCE.

AT A DM, WE'RE THRILLED ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER IN ILLINOIS THAT ENCOURAGES INVESTMENT SUPPORTS MANUFACTURERS AND EMPLOYERS, AND E CREATES JOBS FOR GROWTH FOR YEARS TO COME.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONTINUED SUP SUPPORT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INDICATOR.

THANK YOU AND OUR CONGRATULATIONS, UH, FOR THOSE GREAT AWARDS.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL? MY NAME IS DANIEL RAY PICKEL, AND I'M GONNA BE VERY AMBITIOUS TONIGHT.

I'M GONNA TELL A TALE OF TWO CITIES IN LESS THAN THREE MINUTES.

FIRST STORY IS A SIMPLY SWEET STORY.

SOMEONE SAID, LET'S DE LITTER DECATUR CITY EMPLOYEES WERE OUT EVERYWHERE.

LITTER PICKING TOOLS, CITIZENS WERE PICKING UP LITTER.

SUCH A SWEET STORY.

SECOND STORY, UM, I USED TO BE A TRAVELER.

TRAINS, PLANES, UH, BUSES AND BIKES, UH, SKATING.

OH, I LOVE SKATING.

AND SKATING IS A REAL SLOW WAY TO MEET A TOWN.

YOU'RE, YOU'RE AN INTERESTING PERSON.

SO PEOPLE COME OUT AND TALK TO YOU AND YOU, YOU WANNA SLOW DOWN BECAUSE YOU'RE TIRED OF GOING INTO TOWN.

SO I, I WAS SKATING AROUND CENTRAL OHIO, CAMPED OUT, WAS PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE.

THEN I PICKED UP THE MAP.

THERE WAS SOME LITTLE PODUNK TOWN 30 MILES AWAY I WANTED TO REST, BUT BY CURIOSITY, THE

[00:15:01]

MAN THAT I GO CHECK OUT THIS SMALL LITTLE TOWN GOT UP THERE, NOTHING PARTICULAR LITTLE 700 PEOPLE TOWN.

BUT THEIR PARK, THEIR PARK WAS PLUSH.

A LITTLE TINY STREAM GOING THROUGH.

AND THERE WAS TWO FOOT BRIDGES AND ALL SORTS OF BASEBALL DIAMONDS AND AMENITIES.

THIS LITTLE TOWN IS 700.

SO I ASKED THE FIRST PERSON I SAW, I WAS JUST LIKE, DID YOU GET A GRANT? HE SAID, NO, NO, NO.

IT'S BETTER THAN THAT.

YOU GOTTA MEET OUR TOWN HISTORIAN.

HE HAD ALL THE NEWSPAPERS A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO.

A FLOOD CAME THROUGH, PULLED EVERYTHING OUT OF THE, THE PARK JUST JUST TO DESTROYED IT.

THE, THE, THE, THE FOOTBRIDGE.

WHEN THEY TRIED TO FUNDRAISE PEOPLE SAID, UH, YOU CAN JUST WALK DOWN TO THE STATE HIGHWAY AND WALK ACROSS THE CREAM AND THEN WALK BACK INTO THE PARK THE NEXT YEAR, JUST AS BASEBALL, UH, SEASON IS PICKING UP NEW OWNER ALONGSIDE, UH, OWNS THE, THE CORNFIELD WHERE THE, UH, UH, HOME RUN BALLS GO, FIRST BALL OUT, KID'S READY TO RUN INTO THE CORNFIELD TO GET THE BALL BACK.

AND THE NEW OWNER SAYS, MY BALL TRESPASSING.

YOU GO AFTER THAT BALL OR ANY BALLS THIS SEASON.

I WILL CALL THE COPS WHAT TO DO.

BUT THEY HAD A GOOD VILLAINOUS STORY AND A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEY HAD TWO BRIDGES.

THEY HAD ALL THESE AMENITIES.

THEY TURNED THE BASEBALL DIME AROUND, PUT A BIG OLD FENCE UP SO NO BALLS WENT INTO THE PARK, BUT NONE WERE HEADED TOWARDS THE CORNFIELD.

I PREFER THE SWEET STORY THAT DECATUR HAS, BUT, UH, THERE ARE SOME VERY UNFORTUNATE, UH, REASONS WHY I THINK OF THE SAD STORY OF WHY IT TOOK A BITTER VILLAINOUS STORY TO CREATE A A, A GREATER GOOD.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU, MR. P OH OH.

HI, MY NAME IS MATT ECK.

I'M VICE PRESIDENT OF CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE AT A DM.

I'M HERE TODAY TO REITERATE AD'S INVITATION FOR MEMBERS AND OBSERVERS OF THE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY TO ATTEND COMMUNITY CCS LEARNING DAY AT RICHLAND TOMORROW FROM THREE TO 6:00 PM AT THE NATIONAL SEQUESTRATION EDUCATION CENTER.

UH, LEARNING DAY IS A SELF-LED EXPO THAT FEATURES EXPERTS IN CCS GEOLOGY, PERMITTING, SAFETY, EDUCATION, AND FUTURE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.

EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY IS WELCOME.

HOPEFULLY YOU NOTICE BILLBOARDS ADVERTISING THE EVENT AROUND TOWN TO MAYBE EVEN FACEBOOK ADS ACROSS YOUR FEEDS.

THE SPIRIT OF LEARNING DAY IS TO GIVE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY ACCESS TO THE SAME EDUCATION THAT I DID WHEN I STARTED THIS JOB, UH, ALMOST TWO YEARS AGO.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BLURBS ON SOCIAL MEDIA CAN BE MISLEADING EVEN IF UNINTENTIONALLY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE NOTICED A FACEBOOK POST LAST WEEK THAT SHOWED A GRAPHIC FROM OUR EPA PERMIT APPLICATION THAT WAS COMPLETELY MISREPRESENTED.

IT PURPORTED TO SHOW A CO2 PLUME UNDERNEATH ALL OF DECATUR.

BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE.

THAT IS NOT AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF, OF WHAT THAT GRAPHIC MEANT.

THIS IS, AGAIN, WHY COMMUNITY LEARNING DAYS ARE IMPORTANT.

THERE.

YOU'LL MEET PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY, MAINTENANCE, PERMITTING, COMPLIANCE AND OPERATION OF OUR CCS FACILITY.

AND YOU CAN GET FACTS ABOUT CCS DIRECT FROM THEM.

WE KNOW IT'S A CHALLENGE TO WORK AROUND SCHEDULES TO GET TO CCS LEARNING DAYS.

SO IF YOU ARE PART OF A COMMUNITY GROUP THAT'S INTERESTED IN C-C-S-A-D-M IS HAPPY TO SHOW UP AND DISCUSS CCS AT ONE OF YOUR MEETINGS.

LAST WEEK, I MET A GROUP OF RETIRED MEN IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR BREAKFAST AND DID EXACTLY THIS.

YOU CAN EMAIL ADM CCS@ADM.COM TO CONTACT US AND ARRANGE THAT IF YOU WISH.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ARE THERE OTHERS THAT WANNA APPEAR BEFORE COUNCIL TONIGHT? GOOD EVENING MAYOR COUNCIL.

YEAH, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT SESSION.

I WAS AT THE LAST A DM SESSION ON CARBON KE UH, SEQUESTRATION TRAINING AND, UH, WAS VERY, VERY VALUABLE TO DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ACTUAL GEOLOGY THAT'S INVOLVED WITH, WITH CARBON SEQUESTRATION.

AND WE NEED YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, BRETT ROBERTSON.

AND, UH, IT CERTAINLY, UM, MADE ME MORE COMFORTABLE AND ANSWERED SOME OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD ABOUT THAT TECHNOLOGY.

UM, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL THAT, UH, THIS WEEKEND I'LL BE TRAVELING TO TEXAS TO, UH, VISIT SEVERAL DATA CENTERS.

I'LL BE TRAVELING WITH ONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY BOARD, UH, TO SEE DIFFERENT DATA CENTERS THAT ARE BEING BUILT AND THAT ARE ALREADY

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IN OPERATION IN TEXAS.

IT'S, UH, BRINGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF INVESTMENT, UH, AND JOBS TO, UH, TO THOSE COMMUNITIES ACROSS TEXAS RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I'LL BE SURE TO REPORT TO YOU WHAT, UH, WHAT WE FIND.

UM, AND LASTLY, I I DO WANNA REITERATE A CONCERN THAT, UH, WAS EXPRESSED EARLIER.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M IN DECATUR, I HAVE TO FLIP A SWITCH.

I HAVE TO DRIVE DIFFERENTLY WHEN I'M AT THE INTERSECTION.

I CAN'T, WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN, I CAN'T DRIVE INTO THE INTERSECTION.

YOU KNOW, I GOTTA WAIT A FEW SECONDS JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S NOT SOMEBODY FLYING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION.

AND IT'S A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE, BUT THESE PEOPLE ARE MAKING, UH, DEC ROADS HAZARDOUS, IN MY OPINION, IS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE EXAMPLES OF SOME OF THESE PEOPLE.

THANK YOU, MR. ROBERTSON.

GOOD EVENING COUNSEL.

I'M STILL ANN OWENS.

SO FIRST OF ALL, I WANT HIS INC, UM, CITY MANAGER HAN, FOR GETTING BACK TO ME ABOUT THE REQUEST FOR AMERICAN FLAG.

SO I'VE BEEN TOLD THEY WILL REMAIN UP THROUGH VETERANS DAY.

I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN I POSTED AD ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE, IT WAS A VERY FAVORABLE REACTION AND PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT, UH, CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE.

BUT REALLY WHAT I'M HERE TO TELL YOU ABOUT WAS HOW MY MORNING STARTED ON THE SATURDAY.

SO WE HAD SIX NEIGHBORHOODS.

LACEY, ELSIE AND MIRANDA LAMBERT HAD TAKEN THE LEAD FROM THE CITY TO ARRANGE NEIGHBORHOOD CLEANUP FOR COMMUNITY IMPACT DAYS.

SO WE KIND OF SECRETLY PUT SOME DUMPSTERS IN INAPPROPRIATE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE SELECTED SIX AND WE ALLOWED THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP TO KNOW.

SOME OF THEM WENT DOOR TO DOOR, SOME OF THEM DID GROUP TEXT, EMAIL, WHATEVER.

SO I WILL SAY OUR SUPERSTAR OF SATURDAY'S CLEANUP GOES TO JASON BUTTER AND HIS CREW AT KLO PARK.

THAT'S A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WE RARELY HEAR VERY MUCH ABOUT.

UH, REPRESENTATIVE DEERING BROUGHT 11 VOLUNTEERS FROM OKO.

SO WE HAD A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WALKED THE STREETS, A CLOKE PARK AREA, AND PICKED UP A LOT OF TRASH.

MIRANDA AND HER CREW.

UM, ALSO WASTE MANAGEMENT.

THEY WERE VERY HELPFUL, HAD A GREAT CREW.

THEY HELPED LOAD SOFAS, MATTRESSES, WHATEVER.

SO WE DID A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE A DM DONATED A HUNDRED BOTTLES OF WATER FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS.

KIM AT HOMEGROWN COLLECTIVE WAS THE PICK PLACE FOR GARBAGE BAGS DONATED BY BEAUTIFY DECATUR.

UM, I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE A AARON UBANK FOR HELPING IN THE EFFORT.

AND MIKE'S NEARLY GETS A GOLD STAR 'CAUSE MIKE WAS THE ONE THAT WORKED WITH, UM, A MANAGEMENT TO PICK THE PROPER LOCATIONS FOR OUR DUMPSTERS.

WE CERTAINLY WANNA THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS, BUT I DO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG MEN.

SO THERE'S A YOUNG MAN, TRAYVON, WHICH I MET ONCE, AND HE GOT A GROUP OF YOUNG MEN TO CLEAN UNION AND CHURCH OFF OF GRANT.

SO THEY DID THAT ALL ON THEIR OWN.

AND I THINK WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

OTHER COMMENTS, MR. HORN? FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA CONGRATULATE THE DECATUR AREA, AUDUBON SOCIETY AND BEING NAMED A A BIRD CITY.

DOES ANYONE ELSE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE COUNSEL TONIGHT? SEE NONE.

WE'LL GO ON TO APPROVAL OF THE MINUTE.

I'M SORRY.

AND I, I DID HAVE A COMMENT AS WELL.

UM, I SHARE THE CONCERNS THAT WERE RAISED ABOUT, UM, ISSUES THAT HAPPENED OVER THE LAST WEEKEND AND ACTUALLY THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS IN THE WEST END.

AND, UM, WE WILL BE TALKING WITH POLICE CHIEF ALLEN, THE MANAGER AND I WILL BE ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP THIS.

AND QUITE HONESTLY, IT'S HAPPENED IN OTHER PARTS OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE PAST SIX OR SEVEN YEARS, HONESTLY.

AND, UH, BUT NOW IT'S ALSO HAPPENING IN THE WEST END.

AND SO I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF NEIGHBORS THAT LIVE IN THAT PART OF THE CITY WHO ARE ALSO CONCERNED AND PEOPLE JUST NEED TO, OH, I DON'T KNOW, NOT BE DRIVING, UH, THE WAY THEY ARE, UM, ALONG WITH GUNFIRE AND OTHER ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING.

BUT OUR POLICE HAVE THEIR HANDS FULL.

SO,

[00:25:02]

I MEAN, TO BE THE FIRST BIRD CITY, UH, SOUTH OF I 80 IS QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT.

AND, UM, IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE WONDERFUL NATURAL AREAS THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR HAS.

UM, AND, UH, SO CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE INVOLVED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

UM, TO MS. EMCA REGARDING INCREASED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY IN THE WEST END.

I MEAN, THERE ARE CERTAINLY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.

UM, WE HAVE ALREADY AUTHORIZED STATIONARY CAMERAS.

THOSE HAVEN'T BEEN INSTALLED YET, BUT THEY SHOULD BE INSTALLED HOPEFULLY SOON.

THE COUPLE YEARS AGO, WE, UH, AUTHORIZED THE PURCHASE OF, UH, CAMERAS THAT CAN BE USED, UH, WHERE THERE'S LARGE CROWDS THAT MAY BE DEVELOPING.

IF WE NEED MORE OF THOSE CAMERAS, WE CAN GET THOSE CAMERAS AND WE CAN PLACE THOSE STRATEGICALLY.

UM, THE RADAR SIGNS THAT ARE FUNCTIONING RIGHT NOW, THEY SEEM TO BE WORKING WELL AND THEY SEEM TO BE SLOWING DOWN TRAFFIC.

I TALKED TO A POLICE OFFICER EARLIER THIS WEEK AND WHERE THOSE SIGNS ARE, HE INDICATED THAT TRAFFIC HAS BEEN SLOWING DOWN.

SO THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE A SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING WHEN CROSSWALKS NEED TO BE REPAINTED AND WHAT SIGNS ARE NEEDED, WE CERTAINLY CAN DO THAT.

SO THERE ARE WAYS TO IMPROVE, UM, SAFETY IN OUR CITY, UH, THAT WE CAN DO AND CAN DO FAIRLY QUICKLY.

UM, IN REGARDS TO, UH, MR. CALIP'S COMMENTS ON CCS LEARNING DAYS, I TOO ENCOURAGE THE COMMUNITY TO GO TO THOSE.

I'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL OF THOSE, UH, PARTICULAR EVENTS AND HAVE ALWAYS FOUND THEM TO BE INFORMATIVE.

I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE COMPANIES LIKE A DM NOT TO REDACT DOCUMENTS THAT ARE IN EPA PERMITS OR DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FILINGS.

AND SO FOR EXAMPLE, UM, THERE IS A FIGURE THAT DOES SHOW THAT THE AREA OF REVIEW FOR CCS IS UNDER ALL OF DECATUR AND MOST OF MACON COUNTY.

THE AREA OF REVIEW IS DIFFERENT THAN THE PLUME, THE CO2 PLUME, AND THAT IS CORRECT.

SO WHY NOT SHOW THE CURRENT PLUME OF CO2 AND WHY NOT SHOW THE PROJECTED PLUME OF CO2? AND I THINK THAT THAT TYPE OF OPENNESS, UM, WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELPING RESIDENTS TO DECIDE WHETHER CO2 SEQUESTRATION IS RIGHT FOR THEM.

AND THEN, UH, TO MR. ROBERTSON, I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU'RE GONNA BE VISITING DATA CENTERS IN TEXAS.

YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S TALKED ABOUT WITH DATA CENTERS IS JOB CREATION, PARTICULARLY CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND PERMANENT JOBS.

BUT ONE OF THE CONCERNS ABOUT THE USE OF AI HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE POTENTIAL LOSS OF JOBS.

IF YOU LOOK AT US CENSUS BUREAU DATA FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, UM, AND YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER, WE'RE SEVERAL THOUSAND INDIVIDUALS SHORT.

AND SO THE QUESTION BECOMES IF WE EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY THAT DATA CENTERS ARE BRINGING, HOW MANY JOBS NET ARE LOST, UH, DUE TO HAVING THESE DATA CENTERS, PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

SO THESE ARE THE TYPES OF QUESTIONS THAT I KNOW THAT, THAT, UH, COUNTY AD HOC COMMITTEE IS GONNA BE LOOKING INTO, AND IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO KNOW, UH, WHEN THEY PRESENT THEIR RESULTS LATER THIS SUMMER.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL? OKAY.

SEEING NONE NOW WE WILL MOVE ON TO APPROVAL OF

[IV. Approval of Minutes]

THE MINUTES.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF JULY 6TH, 2026.

CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

I NEED A MOTION AND A SECOND.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GRIZ? AYE.

BUSINESS ITEM ONE RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A BUS STOP SERVICE AGREEMENT WITH FLIX BUS INC.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES, NO NAYS, ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? NONE.

MOVING INTO NEW

[1. Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Bus Stop Service Agreement with FlixBus, Inc.]

MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THIS AGREEMENT BEFORE YOU, UM, THIS EVENING TO HELP ESTABLISH AN INNER CITY BUS SERVICE THAT WILL IMPROVE, UH, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONNECTIVITY FOR DECATUR.

SECOND MADD MANAGER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

WE'RE

[00:30:01]

AND WITH THAT, I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, LACEY ELSIE.

GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UM, EXCITED TO PRESENT THIS, UH, BUS STOP AGREEMENT FOR YOU TONIGHT IF APPROVED.

UM, THE FLIX BUS SERVICE WOULD PAY THE CITY ANNUALLY $3,000 A YEAR, UM, TO UTILIZE OUR STOP TO HELP OFFSET ANY, UM, MAINTENANCE COSTS IN THE FUTURE.

UM, EITHER SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS ARE THAT EITHER PARTY HAS THE ABILITY TO TERMINATE THE AGREEMENT WITH 90 DAYS NOTICE.

FLIX BUS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR INSURANCE AND INDEMNIFICATION.

UM, MOST IMPORTANTLY, SERVICE WOULD WANT WOULD RUN TWICE DAILY, SIX DAYS A WEEK WITH THE POTENTIAL TO BE INCREASED TO SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, DEPENDING ON THE VOLUME OF RIDERSHIP.

UM, THOSE STOP TIMES WOULD BE 12:45 PM AND 7:55 PM DAILY.

WE WOULD BE ON THE CHICAGO TO ST.

LOUIS, UM, ROUTE.

AND ONCE IN ST.

LOUIS, THOSE, UH, INDIVIDUALS USING THE SERVICE COULD CONNECT TO STOPS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

AND WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER FOR QUESTIONS.

UM, WILL IT BE MAKING STOPS IN OTHER ILLINOIS COMMUNITIES LIKE CHAMPAGNE OR BLOOMINGTON WHERE THERE IS AMTRAK CONNECT CONNECTIVITY? IT WILL, UM, IT WILL, IT WILL HAVE VARIOUS STOPS ALONG THE WAY.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

WHAT TIMES AGAIN, ARE THEY GONNA BE 12:55 PM AND 12:45 PM AND 7:55 PM THAT'S NOT REALLY GOOD HOURS.

THAT'S ONE REASON, UH, UH, THAT, UH, EVEN YEARS AGO WHEN I USED TO FLY OUT AT DECATUR ALL THE TIME, IT'S TERRIBLE TIMES TO, TO LEAVE OR GET BACK IN.

BUT IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO CATCH A TRAIN OR WHATEVER, THOSE ARE NOT REALLY GOOD HOURS.

WELL, THEY WON'T BE CATCHING A TRAIN FROM DECATUR BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE AMTRAK .

BUT, UM, IF WE ARE ABLE IN THE FUTURE TO EXTEND MICRO TRANSIT, THIS DOES ALLOW THEM TO AT LEAST BE AT THE TRANSIT CENTER TO BE ABLE TO GET CONNECTIVITY IF THEIR STOP IS DECATUR.

OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. COOPER? JUST ASKING A QUESTION SOME CITIZENS HAD, UM, ADDRESSED, UM, HAVE, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, INFORMATION FROM THE COMPANY ON, I ASSUME THEY WERE OPERATING IN OTHER PLACES ALREADY.

UM, SINCE THEY'RE COMING FROM CHICAGO AND COMING FROM ST.

LOUIS, UH, HAVE THEY HAD ANY, UH, EXPERIENCE OF HAVING ANY, UH, UPPED ISSUES REGARDING SECURITY AS FAR AS, UM, UM, GANG ACTIVITY OR GUNS COMING IN ON, ON THOSE BUSES FROM THOSE LAKE LOCATIONS OR ANY TYPE OF ACTIVITY THAT THE POLICE HAD TO GET INVOLVED WITH? DO WE HAVE ANY INFORMATION AT ALL ON THAT? WE DO HAVE INFORMATION ON THAT.

SO I DID REACH OUT TO THE OTHER TRANSIT AGENCIES THAT HAVE FLIX BUS SERVICE, UM, LIKE CHAMPAIGN BLOOMINGTON.

THEY HAVE NOT SEEN AN UPTICK IN CRIME WITH THE, UM, AGREEMENTS WITH FLIX BUS SERVICE.

I ALSO ASKED FLIX BUS SERVICE IF THEY HAVE HAD ISSUES OR COMPLAINTS AND THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

MR. HORNE? FIRST OF ALL, MS. ELZE, CONGRATULATIONS.

UM, YOU KNOW, DECATUR IS A CITY WITH GREATER THAN 65,000 PEOPLE.

AND SO TO HAVE INTERCITY BUS SERVICE RETURN TO THE CITY OF DECATUR AFTER MANY, MANY YEARS IS A VERY EXCITING, UH, DEVELOPMENT.

UM, THESE BUSES ARE MUCH NEEDED AND DECATUR RESIDENTS NOW HAVE AN ADDITIONAL OPTION, UH, TO GET TO SOME OF THE LARGEST CITIES IN THE MIDWEST, UM, VERY CONVENIENTLY.

AND SO, UM, CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU AND YOUR STAFF.

UH, FOR THIS.

MY QUESTION IS, UM, WHEN WILL FLEX BUS BEGIN OPERATIONS IN DECATUR? YES.

SO I TOUCH BASE WITH THEM TODAY.

IF APPROVED TONIGHT, IT WILL START IN AUGUST AND WE WILL HAVE A FIRM DATE ONCE WE GET THEIR AGREEMENT BACK TO THEM.

PAT, UH, WE USED TO HAVE THIS SERVICE ALL THE TIME.

MM-HMM .

UH, WHEN DID IT END? I AM NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN IT ENDED.

I JUST WANTED, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK, LOOK INTO THAT.

WE'VE HAD IT FOR FOR YEARS, SO IT'S NOTHING.

THIS IS

[00:35:01]

IT.

I'M GLAD IT'S COMING BACK, BUT WE'VE HAD IT FOR YEARS IN THAT.

SO ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? CALL THE QUESTION PLEASE.

COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A TICKET, RESELLER AGREEMENT AND ADDENDUM WITH FLIX BUS INC.

MAYOR MORE WOLF? AYE.

SEVEN AYES NO NAYS RESOLUTION

[2. Resolution Authorizing Execution of a Ticket Reseller Agreement and Addendum with FlixBus, Inc.]

MOTION THE RESOLUTION TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND MS. HANH.

UH, NO OPENING COMMENTS.

JUST GONNA TURN IT RIGHT BACK OVER TO LACEY.

THIS AGREEMENT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, RESELL TICKETS FOR FLIXBUS.

SO THEY DO NOT SELL PHYSICAL TICKETS ANYMORE.

IT IS ALL ONLINE.

UM, WITH THIS AGREEMENT, IT WOULD ALLOW PASSENGERS TO PITCH, PURCHASE THE TICKETS IN PERSON AT, UH, THE TRANSIT CENTER, AND RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR TRIP PLANNING AND ACCESS SUPPORT IF THEY ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH OR UNABLE TO UTILIZE ONLINE BOOKING PLATFORMS. AND THEN WE WOULD RECEIVE 10% OF ANY TICKET SALES TO HELP OFFSET OUR COSTS.

ANY QUESTIONS ON THAT FOR MS. SALSEY? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

ORDINANCE AMENDING CITY CODE CHAPTER 51.5.

[3. Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 51.5 Hotel Use Tax]

HOTEL USE TAX MOTION THAT THE ORDINANCE TO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

THEN MY FINAL QUESTION IS, UM, DO WE HAVE A SENSE FOR HOW MUCH MONEY THE CITY COLLECTS ANNUALLY ON THE APPROXIMATE 40 AIRBNBS THAT ARE LICENSED? NO, I, I MEAN I HAVE THE TOTAL THAT WE COLLECT AND, AND HOTEL MOTEL TAX, BUT NOT SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE, BUT I CAN GET THAT AND SHARE IT WITH COUNSEL.

SECOND AS MANAGER.

THANK YOU MAYOR AND COUNCIL.

UH, THIS, UH, AMENDMENT TO THIS, UH, ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE BEFORE YOU TONIGHT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, REACH OUT TO ALL OF THE DIFFERENT ONLINE HOSTING SITES THAT, UH, PEOPLE MAY BE LISTING LIKE WITH AIRBNB AND VRBO.

UH, FOR THOSE THAT MAY NOT BE REGISTERED AND OR MAY NOT BE PAYING THE, UM, LOCAL USE TAX, UH, THAT IS REQUIRED.

SO WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE ABOUT 42 PROPERTIES REGISTERED, BUT THIS WILL HELP US, UH, WE BELIEVE TO GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING IF THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT REGISTERED.

SO, UM, WE CAN, UH, REACH OUT TO THOSE FOLKS AND THEN ALSO, UM, ASSIST WITH ANY REMITTANCE OF THAT LOCAL TAX IF THEY'RE NOT ALREADY DOING IT.

QUESTIONS FROM COUNSEL? MR. HORN? UH, SO JUST AS BACKGROUND, IT WAS ON APRIL 17TH, 2023 THAT THE COUNCIL VOTED THAT ALL SHORT TERM RENTAL PROPERTIES IN DECATUR NEED TO PAY AN ANNUAL FEE OF $25 FOR A LICENSE AND TO COLLECT THE SAME TAX THAT TRADITIONAL HOTELS AND MOTELS PAY, WHICH IS ABOUT 8%.

UM, I GUESS MY QUESTION, FIRST QUESTION IS, WHAT, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT THE CITY HAD TO OVERCOME OVER THESE PAST THREE YEARS TO GET FROM THE CITY COUNCIL PASSING AN ORDINANCE TO CREATING THIS MECHANISM FOR COLLECTING THE HOTEL MOTEL TAX? UM, I CAN'T REALLY SPEAK TO THOSE THE, THE TIME BEFORE THAT I WAS HERE.

UM, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING, UM, THAT WE DID IN ANOTHER COMMUNITY THAT I WAS IN, AND I BELIEVE IT JUST PROVIDES US WITH AN ADDITIONAL TOOL.

SO, I MEAN, WE MAY FIND THAT WHEN WE DO, UM, YOU KNOW, IF THIS IS PASSED AND THAT WE DO REACH OUT TO THOSE ONLINE HOSTS, WE MAY FIND THAT EVERYBODY THAT'S WITHIN THE, THE LIMITS, CITY LIMITS OF DECATUR ARE REGISTERED AND ARE PAYING.

AND THERE MAY NOT BE ANYTHING ADDITIONAL, BUT IT AT LEAST GIVES US THAT OTHER, OTHER TOOL TO USE.

AND SO, IN THEORY, ONE COULD GO TO AIRBNB PERHAPS RIGHT AFTER THIS MEETING AND LOOK UP DECATUR, ILLINOIS AND LOOK UP HOW MANY PROPERTIES HAVE LISTED, UM, UH, THEIR PROPERTIES AS AN AIRBNB OR VRBO SITE OR WHATEVER IT HAPPENS TO BE.

I MEAN, DO WE, HAS ANYBODY FROM THE STAFF LOOKED UP HOW MANY CURRENT AIRBNB LISTINGS ARE TO GET A SENSE OF WHETHER IT'S MORE THAN 40? I THINK, I THINK ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS UNLESS YOU BOOK THE, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MS. HAN, UNLESS YOU BOOK, UH, AN AR AND UH, AIRBNB, THEY DON'T GIVE YOU THE ADDRESS RIGHT AWAY.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND ALSO, IF YOU GO TO, UM, THE SITES AND YOU TYPE INDICATOR, IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU EVERYTHING FOR DECATUR, FORSYTH MOUNT ZION, YOU CAN'T RESTRICT IT BY THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY.

SO IT'S JUST GONNA GIVE YOU, I MEAN, AND THERE I THINK ARE SOME, EVEN IN BLUE MOUND I SAW.

SO I, IT JUST KIND OF GIVES YOU EVERYWHERE IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT OR, I MEAN, NOT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DEEM WITH WHAT'S POSTED ONLINE.

AND THAT'S CORRECT.

THEY DON'T ACTUALLY GIVE YOU THE ACTUAL ADDRESS UNTIL YOU ARE BOOKED AND STAYING AT THAT LOCATION.

[00:40:02]

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? SEEING NONE, COUNCILMAN HORNE? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF PROPOSALS FOR THE CITY COUNCIL COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM.

[4. Resolution Authorizing Approval of Proposals for the City Council Community Grant Program]

MOTION THAT THE RESOLUTION DO PASS AND BE ADOPTED.

SECOND, MS. HAN.

I KNOW THE APPLICANTS ON THAT LIST, AND I KNOW THAT THEY CAN DESCRIBE VERY WELL, UM, THEIR PLANS AND THEIR WORTHY MISSIONS.

THANK YOU MARIN COUNCIL, UH, WE'RE EXCITED TO HAVE THIS BACK BEFORE YOU TONIGHT.

UM, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, YOU APPROVED ON, UH, MARCH 2ND, THE RESOLUTION, ESTABLISHING THE CRITERIA APPLICATION AND SCORING PROCESS.

UH, THERE WERE A TOTAL OF, UM, THERE WAS A TOTAL OF $70,000 ALLOCATED TO THE PROGRAM.

UH, AFTER ALL OF THE SCORING WAS SUBMITTED FOR ALL OF THE GRANT APPLICATIONS, UH, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED, UH, THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FUNDING THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS. UM, AND, AND THERE IS MORE THAN JUST, UH, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA DO AT SEVEN, AT 10,000, BECAUSE A COUPLE OF THOSE DID REQUEST UNDER, UH, THE THE 10,000 LIMIT.

SO WE ARE, UH, PROPOSING THAT THE DECATUR YMCA BE AWARDED $5,000 GOD'S PLACE OF DELIVERANCE CHURCH BE AWARDED 6,500 BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, 8,500 GOOD SAMARITAN IN 10,000 DECATUR AREA ARTS COUNCIL, 10,000 CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, 10,000 MRI 10,000 AND UNITED WAY BE AWARDED 10,000 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM COUNCIL.

MS. GREGORY, I HAVE, UM, A PREPARED STATEMENT.

YOU'LL RECALL THAT WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THIS CALENDAR YEAR 2026 BUDGET, WE MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION NOT TO RAISE TAXES.

WE REQUIRED EVERY DEPARTMENT HEAD TO CUT THEIR BUDGETS EVEN FURTHER.

YET TONIGHT, WE ARE DISCUSSING GRANTS THAT WHILE SMALL AND CONTEXT OF THE FULL BUDGET REPRESENT TAXPAYER DOLLARS DOLLARS THAT TAXPAYERS EXPECT TO BE USED FOR CORE CITY SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE, NOT DISCRETIONARY GIVEAWAYS.

I'M GONNA BE UNEQUIVOCAL.

ELECTED BODIES SHOULD NEVER BE SCORING OR AWARDING GRANTS.

WHEN POLITICIANS TAKE ON THAT ROLE, THE PROCESS BECOMES EXPOSED TO BIAS, BACKDOOR INFLUENCE, AND UNAVOIDABLE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.

IT TURNS PUBLIC MONEY INTO A POLITICAL TOOL.

SOME OF YOU ARGUE THAT THESE TAXPAYER FUNDED GRANTS HELP MEET COMMUNITY NEEDS, BUT ONCE POLITICIANS BEGIN SELECTING WHO GETS FUNDED, POLITICS INEVITABLY TAKES PRIORITY OVER MERIT, PROMISES ARE MADE FAVORITES EMERGE, AND DECISIONS START REFLECTING PERSONAL AGENDAS RATHER THAN THE PUBLIC GOOD.

THE CURRENT COURTING AND AWARD PROCESS HAS CREATED SERIOUS ACCOUNTABILITY PROBLEMS. WHEN COUNCIL MEMBERS SIT ON REVIEW PANELS OR HAVE PERSONAL PROFESSIONAL TIES TO APPLICANTS.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST ARE NOT JUST POSSIBLE, THEY ARE INEVITABLE.

THESE GRANTS ALSO EXPAND THE WORKLOAD OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, WHICH WAS ALREADY STRETCHED THIN BEFORE THIS GRANT OVERSIGHT WAS ADDED TO THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

AND THIS SIMPLY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE.

EVERY TAXPAYER DOLLAR STEERED TOWARD A GRANT AS A DOLLAR PULLED AWAY FROM ROADS, POLICING CLEAN WATER OR OTHER ESSENTIAL CITY FUNCTIONS.

OUR JOB IS TO SAFEGUARD DECATUR'S LONG-TERM FINANCIAL HEALTH.

SHORT-TERM GRANT PROGRAMS OFTEN CREATE LONG-TERM OBLIGATIONS, AND WE HAVE ALREADY HEARD CONCERNS FROM CERTAIN COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN YEAR TWO OF THESE INITIATIVES.

THE DECATUR CITY COUNCIL IS NOT A PHILANTHROPIC ORGANIZATION.

I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO ASK YOURSELVES WHETHER YOU HAVE PERSONALLY WRITTEN A SUBSTANTIAL CHECK TO ANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS ON TONIGHT'S LIST.

IF NOT, YOU SHOULD THINK TWICE BEFORE TREATING TAXPAYER DOLLARS AS IF THEY WERE YOUR OWN.

BECAUSE I FUNDAMENTALLY REJECT THE IDEA THAT THIS COUNCIL SHOULD ACT AS A GRANT MAKING BODY.

I DID NOT SCORE ANY APPLICATIONS AND I WILL NOT VOTE TO SUPPORT THIS NEXT ITEM.

[00:45:02]

BUT THE TRUTH REMAINS, TAXPAYERS DID NOT ELECT US TO DISTRIBUTE THEIR MONEY TO OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS.

THEY ELECTED US TO GOVERN RESPONSIBLY AND PROTECT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL INTEGRITY.

THANK YOU COUNCILWOMAN.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? UH, I COULDN'T SET IT BETTER.

UM, I, I TOTALLY AGREE, UH, THAT, THAT THE CITY SHOULD NOT GET INVOLVED IN THIS.

UM, I WAS A, A, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ALMOST NINE YEARS, BUT NOT-FOR-PROFIT INDICATOR.

UH, WHEN I TOOK OVER THE JOB, UH, MY, MY, UH, GOAL AND I WAS ASKED TO SAVE IT AND I WORKED WITH MY, THE BOARD, UM, WE INCREASED MEMBERSHIP, WHICH BROUGHT IN DOLLARS.

WE, UH, WENT, I WENT AFTER A PRIVATE FOUNDATION GRANTS, UH, WE CUT EXPENSES WE GOT RID OF, OF, UH, PROPERTY THAT WAS LOSING.

SO THERE'S THINGS THAT, THAT ALL NOT-FOR-PROFITS CAN DO, UH, IN THAT.

BUT, UH, I, I AGREE WHOLEHEARTEDLY WHAT, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN SAID, AND, UH, SO I WILL NOT BE VOTING ON THESE OTHER COMMENTS THIS EVENING.

MR. HORN.

MANY ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS CITY ARE FACING INCREASED DEMAND FOR SERVICES AND RISING COSTS TO PROVIDE THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY REVENUE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IS NOT KEEPING PACE WITH DEMANDS AND COSTS.

AND THIS HAS RESULTED IN MULTIPLE ENTITIES MAKING EMERGENCY APPEALS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT AND SOME ENTITIES CLOSING THEIR DOORS TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY.

AND ABOUT THE LAST YEAR, DOVE, WHICH HAS, UH, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER NEEDED EMERGENCY FUNDING TO KEEP ITS DOORS OPEN.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN INN, WHICH PROVIDES LUNCH TO EVERYONE WHO WANTS IT 365 DAYS A YEAR.

UM, THEY ASKED FOR SUPPORT TO KEEP THEIR DOORS OPEN.

THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, WHICH PROVIDES AFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR OUR YOUTH, TEMPORARILY CLOSED, BUT IS NOW THANKFULLY REOPEN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

THOSE ORGANIZATIONS, UH, SADLY HAVE AT PERMANENTLY CLOSED.

AND SO, GIVEN THAT THE NEED FOR THESE COMMUNITY GRANTS IS FAR GREATER THAN THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE, AND GIVEN THAT THE SERVICES THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE PROVIDING CANNOT BE PROVIDED BY OTHER ENTITIES, NOT ONLY DO I CONGRATULATE ALL IN THE CITY, UH, WHO WERE INVOLVED IN MAKING THIS COMMUNITY GRANT FUNDS HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, WE REALLY NEED TO INCREASE THE GRANT FUNDING THAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE.

I'LL POINT OUT THAT THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR IS APPROXIMATELY $100 MILLION.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT TOTAL FUNDING, TOTAL SPENDING FOR THE CITY OF DECATUR, IT'S EXPECTED TO BE $325 MILLION THIS YEAR.

AND SO DO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO FUND PROGRAMS OR PARTIALLY FUND PROGRAMS THAT ARE HELPING THE MOST IN NEED? ABSOLUTELY.

REMEMBER, THIS IS A CITY THAT RIGHT NOW, IN AN EXCESSIVE HEAT, WARMING, WARMING WARNING, WE'RE GONNA SHUT OFF THEIR WATER FOR UNPAID BILLS.

IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE WATER SHORTAGES THAT WE CAN'T PROVIDE WATER FOR A RESIDENCE.

AND SO IF WE ARE GOING TO THINK ABOUT SOME ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS TO HELP RESIDENTS, PERHAPS WHAT WE NEED IS A MODEL LIKE LIHEAP FOR FUNDING ELECTRICITY COSTS TO HELP RESIDENTS IN NEED FOR WATER, WHICH ABSOLUTELY IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY HAS COMPLETE OVERSIGHT OVER.

COUNCILMAN COOPER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

FIRST OFF, I WANT TO, UM, COMMEND THE CITY MANAGER AND STAFF THAT TOOK ON THIS, THIS PROGRAM.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT, UM,

[00:50:01]

IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST ORGANIZATIONS WITHIN OUR CITY WHO INDEED ARE TAXPAYERS.

NONE OF THEM ARE NOT TAXPAYERS.

SO, UM, I THINK THEY INDEED HAVE A RIGHT TO RECEIVE FUNDING FOR THE CITY FOR VARIOUS PROJECTS.

UM, I THINK THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A, I THINK IT WAS DONE VERY, UH, INDEPENDENTLY AND VERY FAIRLY, UM, BECAUSE FIRST THE CITY HAD STAFF THAT RATED NUMEROUS APPLICANTS THAT WERE RECEIVED AND SCORED THOSE APPLICANTS EVENTUALLY REDUCING THEM DOWN TO, I BELIEVE IT WAS 18, UH, APPLICANTS THAT THEN THEY SUBMITTED OVER TO THE COUNCIL FOR US TO INDEPENDENTLY RATE, UM, EACH OF THOSE APPLICANTS.

SO I THINK THE RATING WAS DONE VERY FAIRLY, VERY INDEPENDENTLY.

UH, I DON'T KNOW WHERE ANY POLITICS CAME INTO THE RATINGS.

UM, AT LEAST I KNOW I DIDN'T HAVE ANY POLITICS COME IN.

I DIDN'T HAVE ANY APPROACH ME ABOUT RATING THEIR APPLICANT OR WHATEVER.

SO I THINK IT WAS DONE VERY INDEPENDENTLY.

I'M HOPING THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT WE'VE DONE THIS, UM, TO THIS DEGREE.

AND I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE IT, UH, NEXT YEAR, UH, WITH A DIFFERENT SET OF APPLICANTS.

I, I STRONGLY PUSH THAT ANYBODY WHO GOT THE GRANT THIS YEAR NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO GET IT NEXT YEAR.

BUT, UH, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE MANY ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED ASSISTANCE IN THE TIMES THAT WE'RE IN.

SO I'M HOPING THAT WE WILL CONTINUE THAT NEXT YEAR AND IF, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, UM, HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO EXPAND IT FROM JUST TO $70,000.

SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, OF THIS, UM, THESE GRANTS AND, UH, APPROVING THESE GRANTS.

AND I THINK IT'S NEEDED FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE, UH, IN THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE ACCESS AND, AND SUBMITTED US APPLICATIONS TO REVIEW MR. MCDANIEL.

UM, AGAIN, AS A, UH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ALMOST NINE YEARS OF NOT-FOR-PROFIT, I UTILIZE THE POLICE, THE FIRE, UH, THE ROADS, NOT-FOR-PROFITS, DO NOT PAY PROPERTY TAX.

AND THAT ALWAYS BOTHERED ME THAT WE WERE TAKING, YOU KNOW, JUST THE MUSEUM WAS USING ALL THESE SERVICES OF THE CITY, BUT WE WERE NOT PAYING PROPERTY TAX.

SO, UM, THAT IS ONE THING THAT, THAT THE NOT-FOR-PROFITS, UH, BENEFIT FROM ALL THE SERVICES, BUT THEY DON'T PAY FOR IT.

SO, AND MO THE ENTITIES, ORGANIZATIONS ON THIS LIST ARE VERY WORTHY.

AND I THINK THEIR REQUESTS, UH, SOME, YOU KNOW, UH, THERE WAS A $10,000 LIMIT.

SOME HAD A REALLY, UH, DIFFERENT VIEW OF WHAT $10,000 WAS.

BUT, UM, I, I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN GREGORY'S REMARKS BECAUSE REALLY, UM, THIS IS NOT REALLY OUR LANE.

AND WHILE ALL OF THESE ENTITIES CAN USE FUNDING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS STRUGGLING, UM, I WILL SUPPORT THE GRANTS TONIGHT BECAUSE THESE ORGANIZATIONS HAVE GONE THROUGH, UM, THE EXERCISE WE LAID OUT FOR THEM WITH THE INTENTION THAT WE WOULD, WOULD DELIVER THIS GRANT MONEY.

HOWEVER, WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGET TIME FOR ALL OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT FROM, UM, MY COLLEAGUES THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR JOB TO DO, WHICH IS PUBLIC SAFETY, IT'S CLEAN WATER, IT IS, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE.

I THINK WE NEED TO STAY IN OUR LANE.

AND THIS, UH, RENEWAL COMES UP.

I, I WON'T SUPPORT IT.

OTHER COMMENTS? SEE? NONE.

WE'LL CALL THE QUESTION COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILMAN GREGORY? NO.

US TO THE CITY MANAGER UPDATE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL? NO.

[5. City Manager Update]

THANK YOU MARIN.

COUNCIL.

UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK AGAIN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT FOR CLEANING UP ALL THE LIMBS AND DEBRIS.

AFTER THE STORMS THAT WE HAD, WE HAD OVER, UH, 1000 TOTAL PICKUP REQUESTS AND CREWS HAVE SPENT THE LAST FEW WEEKS CLEARING IT ALL AND THEY ARE CLOSE TO WRAPPING UP ALL THOSE REQUESTS.

SO ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO THEM.

AND THEN WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT STAFF FROM THE COMMUNITY IMPACT DAYS.

WE HAD TWO GROUPS OF CITY VOLUNTEERS THAT CLEANED UP TRASH AND LITTER ON FRIDAY THE 17TH.

ONE GROUP WENT UP AND DOWN MAIN IN WATER STREETS NORTH OF EL DORITO AND THE OTHER GROUP COLLECTED FROM THE DOWNTOWN AREA.

WE ALSO HAD KONO THAT HELPED SET UP ORGANIZED ACTIVITIES IN FIVE DIFFERENT DECATUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND, UM, LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING AND EXPANDING THESE PROGRAMS IN THE FUTURE.

SO, UM, IT'S GREAT TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE OUT, UH, MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR COMMUNITY.

[00:55:01]

AND THE NEXT, JUST AGAIN, WE WANTED TO SET A REMINDER ABOUT NATIONAL NIGHT OUT, UH, TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH, FIVE TO 8:00 PM IN DANSBY PARK.

AND THEN FINALLY, THE FALL FRENZY HIGH SCHOOL FISHING TOURNAMENT WILL BE, UH, HELD ON AUGUST 29TH AND 30TH.

OPEN HIGH SCHOOL ANGLERS FROM AROUND THE STATE, AND THEY CAN REGISTER NOW THROUGH AUGUST 17TH BY CONTACTING JENNIFER GUNTER.

AND HER EMAIL IS J-G-U-N-T-E R@DECATURIL.GOV.

AND THAT BRINGS 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 ITEM FOUR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION.

C NONE ITEM A RESOLUTION OF APPROPRIATING ADDITIONAL MOTOR FUEL TAX FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD FOR THE BRUSH COLLEGE ROAD GRADE SEPARATION PROJECT, CITY PROJECT 2009 DASH 33 SECTION ZERO NINE DASH NINE THREE.

ITEM B RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CLARK DIETZ INC.

TO PROVIDE DESIGN ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE NORTH SUMMIT AVENUE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS CITY PROJECT 2026 DASH 18 ITEM C RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING LAKE DECATUR WATERSHED FARMLAND CONSERVATION PROGRAM AGREEMENT FOR A STREAM BANK IMPROVEMENT WITH RONALD R HELM AND GENE E HELM AND ITEM D, RECEIVING AND FILING OF MINUTES OF BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS.

I NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ITEMS AS PRESENTED.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY AYE.

COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ? AYE.

OTHER BUSINESS FOR THIS EVENING? COUNCILWOMAN CRUZ, I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

MAYOR MOORE WOLF.

AYE.

SEVEN AYES? NO NAYS.

ANYONE ON COUNCIL HAVE

[VII. Other Business]

UM, I NOTICED, UM, MANY NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS HAD, UH, HOSTED THE DUMPSTERS THAT ANNE TALKED ABOUT.

UM, WAS THAT PAID FOR THROUGH KONOS BUDGET OR DID THE CITY PURCHASE THOSE? THOSE WERE FUNDED THROUGH THE CITY AND DONATION AS WELL.

SO A DONATION FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE CITY.

YEAH, I MEAN, I'VE, TO ANSWER YOUR, TO ADDRESS YOUR QUESTION, COUNCILWOMAN CRUISE, I WOULD SAY THAT IF THE CITY OF DECATUR WANTED TO HAVE X AMOUNT OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT IN REGARDS TO A-A-C-C-S EMERGENCY, THEN WE WOULD BE ABLE TO PUT THAT INTO AN AGREEMENT.

UM, WOULD WE STILL BE ABLE TO DO A CITY SPONSORED DUMPSTER DAY MAYBE IN THE FALL, WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER? UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT BUDGET TO DO IT CITYWIDE.

UM, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT, LIKE I SAID, DOING OTHER EVENTS AND, AND TRYING TO PROMOTE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES WITH THE DUMPSTERS AND UM, WHY THEY WERE KIND OF SELECTED AND, AND PLACED IN THE AREAS THEY WERE IS DUE TO THE LIMITED FUNDING.

AND THEN WHEN WE DO HAVE THEM, WE HAVE TO PAY FOR STAFF TO BE THERE TO REGULATE WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING PUT IN THE DUMPSTERS.

COULD YOU SHARE THE COST PER DUMPSTER WITH ALL OF THAT TO COUNSEL? I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MUCH IT COST.

I BELIEVE THERE ARE ABOUT 20,000 A PIECE, BUT I WILL, I'LL VERIFY THAT AND WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU.

UM, MY SECOND QUESTION, UM, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT SWIMMING IN LAKE DECATUR IS ALLOWED FROM A BOAT OR A PRIVATE DOCK.

UM, THIS LIMITS ACCESS TO THE MAJORITY OF DECATUR RESIDENTS FOR SWIMMING.

CAN A PUBLIC ACCESS AREA BE CREATED THAT I I DON'T KNOW, I WOULD HAVE TO CHECK WITH STAFF.

PAT, WOULD THAT BECOME A LIABILITY FOR THE CITY? WE'D HAVE TO SUPPLY.

UM, LIFEGUARDS MOST LIKELY, YES.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? UH, CAN I GET A, I WAS DRIVING AROUND AND I'VE NOTICED, UM, ONE OF OUR LONGSTANDING PROJECTS AT THE OLD SCHOOL ON THE CORNER OF, UM, OAKLAND AND GRAND, THEY CALL IT DIFFERENT NAMES NOWADAYS, BUT UM, THAT'S WHERE A HOUSING PROJECT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE GOING IN, ET CETERA.

AND IT LOOKED LIKE THEY, SOMEBODY HAD STARTED SOMETHING BUILDING OR WORKING INSIDE THE BUILDING AND ALSO TEARING DOWN SOME OF THE BUILDINGS.

UM, CAN WE GET A UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THAT PROJECT? UH, THAT'S A BIG PROJECT.

AND GOING FORWARD, I WOULD LIKE IF WE COULD AT WHEN THOSE PROJECTS, UM, KICK OFF, IF WE COULD GET AN UPDATE, UM, TO, TO THE COUNCIL ON, UH, UPDATED STATUS.

SO WE ARE AWARE THAT A BIG PROJECT LIKE THAT IS KICKING OFF.

YES.

AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE GARFIELD SCHOOL, AND I THINK WE SENT OUT A TIMELINE, BUT WE'LL GET AN UPDATED, UM, TIMELINE AND GET THAT SENT OUT TO YOU.

I THOUGHT WE HAD ONE NOT TOO LONG AGO WHERE THEY WERE HOPING TO BE LEASING BY NEXT SPRING, BUT IS THAT THAT CORRECT? THAT JUST KIND OF STUCK IN MY HEAD.

MS. CRUZ.

UM, IF, IF A LIFEGUARD IS REQUIRED, THEN SHOULD WE HAVE LIFEGUARDS NOW SINCE PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY SWIMMING IN THE LAKE? I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

I WOULD HAVE TO, TO CHECK WITH WHAT OUR CODE SAYS AND WHAT'S

[01:00:01]

CURRENTLY ALLOWED.

MR. HORNE, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? COUPLE ITEMS. UM, FIRST AT, AT OUR LAST MEETING ON JULY 6TH, UM, I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO AGREEMENT BETWEEN A DM AND THE CITY OF DECATUR THAT WOULD PRECLUDE THE CITY FROM DISCUSSING CARBON SEQUESTRATION ACTIVITIES, UH, THAT ARE TAKING PLACE.

HOWEVER, IN NOVEMBER OF 2025, I WAS INFORMED BY THE INTERIM CITY MANAGER THAT THE CITY OF DECATUR COULD NOT PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM ANOTHER STATE REGARDING CARBON SEQUESTRATION ACTIVITIES IN THE CITY BECAUSE IT MAY OPEN UP THE CITY TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION RISK.

MY QUESTION IS, WHY CAN'T THE CITY DISCUSS CARBON SEQUESTRATION ACTIVITIES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE WITHOUT OPENING UP THE CITY TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION RISK? WELL, I CAN GO BACK AND, AND LISTEN TO THE LAST MEETING.

MY, I GUESS WHAT I HEARD THE QUESTION AT THE LAST MEETING BEING, CAN CARBON SEQUESTRATION BE DISCUSSED PUBLICLY? NOT SPECIFICALLY TO AN AGREEMENT, NOT SPECIFICALLY TO AN AGREEMENT WITH ONE SPECIFIC ORGANIZATION.

UM, BUT I WILL GO BACK AND, AND LISTEN JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT I, UH, DID HEAR THAT ACCURATELY DURING THE MEETING AND THE REQUEST FOR STAFF TO BE ON A CALL WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY TO DISCUSS AGREEMENTS WITH A DM OR THE, THE SEQUESTRATION, AS I HAD MENTIONED, UM, THE EASEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE A DM IS PUBLIC INFORMATION.

ANYBODY CAN ACCESS THAT THROUGH FOIA OR OBTAIN THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF TO BE ON CALLS DISCUSSING THOSE ACTIVITIES BECAUSE WE DO NOT ISSUE PERMITS FOR CCS, UH, NOR DO WE REGULATE IT.

SO I I DID NOT FEEL THAT IT WAS, UH, APPROPRIATE FOR STAFF TO BE ON THAT CALL WITH ANOTHER COMMUNITY.

BUT I I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL LITIGATION RISK.

I MEAN, WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH A DM COMPANY, WE HAVE AN EASEMENT GOVERNMENT OF THE PUBLIC OR OTHER GOVERNMENT ENTITIES MAY WANT TO KNOW.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT EASEMENT AND THE TERMS OF THAT EASEMENT.

I MEAN, WHY WOULD THAT OPEN US UP TO POTENTIAL LITIGATION RISK? WELL, WHAT I WOULDN'T WANNA DO IS HAVE SOMEBODY GET ON AND, AND MISSPEAK TO EITHER THE AGREEMENT OR WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE OCCURRING AT ANOTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATION BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED, WE'RE WE ARE NOT PERMITTING OR REGULATING, UM, THE, THE SEQUESTRATION.

AND SO OUR AGREEMENT IS FOR THE EASEMENT.

THAT AGREEMENT IS PUBLIC.

UM, I, I DON'T SEE THERE, THERE WOULDN'T BE A REASON FOR STAFF TO BE INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CO2 SEQUESTRATION BECAUSE THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REGULATING AND, AND WOULDN'T WANT TO GET US INVOLVED IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT THINGS THAT, THAT WE DON'T, COULD NOT ACCURATELY SPEAK TO.

I MEAN, I GUESS I WOULD, I'M ASK ASKING MYSELF WHY WOULDN'T WE REGULATE? I MEAN IF, IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG OR IF IT'S UNDER THE LAKE OR THERE'S SOME EMERGENCY THE SAME WAY THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE KIND OF DOING FOR THE MORATORIUM WITH THE DATA CENTER, SHOULDN'T THERE ALSO BE SOME TYPE OF COLLECTION OF INFORMATION FOR AN ASSESSMENT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG? COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY FIRST WE DON'T HAVE A MORATORIUM ON DATA CENTERS.

RIGHT.

I MEANT BECAUSE THE WAY THAT THERE'S BEING A GROUP PUT TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THAT, WOULDN'T YOU ALSO DO THAT FOR, UM, CARBON SEQUESTRATION SINCE THE POTENTIAL OF A HAZARD IS THERE, AND I MEAN IF IT'S UNDER THE LAKE, IF SOMETHING HAPPENS, UM, WILL YOU HAVE TO RUSH TO KIND OF COME UP WITH A STRATEGY AS OPPOSED TO BEING PREPARED FOR THAT AHEAD OF TIME? WELL, AS FAR AS ANY SORT OF EMERGENCY, I KNOW THAT FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH A DM.

SO I MEAN THEY ARE AWARE AND, AND MY UNDERSTANDING OF, YOU KNOW, THEY KEEP THOSE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN, BUT FOR ANY EMERGENCY, UM, AS FAR AS PERMITTING OR REGULATING IT, NO, THAT'S DONE THROUGH THE EPA SO THAT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE AS THE CITY WOULD, WOULD PERMIT AND OVERSEE THAT.

ANY OTHER, OTHER BUSINESS? OH, MR. HORN?

[01:05:01]

I DON'T THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE REGULATED AT THE STATE OR FEDERAL LEVEL.

UM, BUT THAT, THAT'S JUST TO RESPOND TO YOUR QUESTION.

UM, WHEN I GO TO A DIFFERENT TOPIC, WHICH IS FIRES IN DECATUR, THE NUMBER OF FIRES IN THE CITY HAS INCREASED 36% BETWEEN JANUARY TO JUNE OF 2026 WHEN THERE WERE 233 FIRES COMPARED TO JANUARY TO JUNE OF 2025 WHEN THERE WERE 171 FIRES.

AND AT THIS RATE, THE CITY IS ON PACE FOR 466 FIRES.

BY WAY OF COMPARISON, DECATUR HAD 355 FIRES IN 20 25, 372 IN 20 24, 244 IN 20 23, 243 IN 2022, AND 259 IN 2021.

IN OTHER WORDS, SIX MONTHS INTO 2026, DECATUR HAS HAD APPROXIMATELY THE SAME NUMBER OF FIRES AS ALL OF 2122 OR 2023.

I MEAN, WE'RE AVERAGING WELL OVER A FIRE CALL A DAY IN THE CITY OF DECATUR.

AND EVEN BEFORE THIS RISE IN FIRES, UM, WE WERE ALREADY NUMBER ONE IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS FOR FIRE CALLS.

UM, TO THIS DATE, TO TO DATE, THERE'S BEEN NO ACTION STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT FORWARD TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO ADDRESS THIS RAPID INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FIRES.

SO I HAVE THREE QUESTIONS, HOPEFULLY THE STAFF CAN GET BACK TO, TO THE COUNCIL.

UM, BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING.

ONE, AS THE NUMBER OF FIRES HAS GROWN, HAS THE NUMBER OF STRUCTURE FIRES GROWN? TWO, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STRUCTURE FIRES ARE TAKING PLACE AT VACANT PROPERTIES? AND THEN THIRDLY, WHY AREN'T BURNT DOWN PROPERTIES CONSIDERED CANDIDATES FOR EMERGENCY DEMOLITIONS? AND THE REASON I BRING THIS UP IS IT SEEMS LIKE FREQUENTLY IN DECATUR HOUSES THAT HAVE ALREADY BURNT DOWN SOMEHOW CATCH ON FIRE COUPLE WEEKS LATER.

AND SO CLEARLY THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCED RISK.

SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET THAT INFORMATION BETWEEN NOW AND OUR NEXT MEETING.

I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, MS. CHRIS SO IS, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE CITY COULD SAY A CERTAIN VOLUME IS ALLOWABLE, LIKE A HUNDRED MILLION METRIC TONS IS ALLOWABLE AND NOTHING BEYOND THAT? I, I DON'T KNOW.

I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING WE WOULD, WE WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO.

I CAN'T SPEAK TO THAT.

SO THAT COULD BE A POSSIBLE REGULATION FROM THE CITY.

I DON'T KNOW.

I, I WOULD HAVE TO LOOK INTO THAT IF YOU COULD LET ME KNOW.

I'D APPRECIATE THAT.

ANYONE ELSE? I SEE NONE.

I NEED A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

COUNCILMAN HORN? AYE.

COUNCILMAN COLT? AYE.