City Council - Regular Meeting

the whole meeting for the Elgen City Council for December 17th, 2025 to order. Will the clerk please call the role? Council members Alfaro, present. Dixon, present. Good here. Martinez here. Ortiz here. Powell [snorts] here. Stefan here. Thorne here. Mayor Captain here. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of December 3rd, 2025. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any corrections or additions? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alaro? Yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. [clears throat] Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain,

yes. Motion's approved. 90. Uh, we have public comment this evening. Uh, we one person signed up. Sue Webb Sue.

Hi, I'm Sue Webb, um, 322 Adam Street, president of the Southwest Area Neighbors. Um, I'd like to give you our wish list for 2026. it um it still could happen and it may. Um the first thing we'd like to mention is we need advocation for the railroad crossing on National Street. We have had several issues of people not stopping where they should before the railroad track. One issue that was even brought up to me was that uh a person actually vacated their car in hopes that they had enough room for the train to pass. So, if there could be more signage or something at that location, I know working with the railroad is not the easiest. I worked with the state. Um, so we're we're familiar with that. But if we're um having issues with the accident that occurred on the other track location, let's see if we can't solve another one before it happens. So, we need advocation for that. The other wish list that we have is um in around 201 you know 2010 Swan came to the city asking for the Lord sewer basin project to be started and in 2011 it was started. Um we're still waiting for the finishing of that. So, we're hoping to get that progressed, you know, as we can, but um we're, you know, we just want to bring the attention up that it's been quite a while and we may want to focus a little on finishing that project and fine-tuning what we need to now. Um, also, Walnut Avenue, as you know, we still have a issue with that. We'd love to get you all gift cards to Starbucks, but you'd never have coffee left in the cup by the time you get to city hall to drink it. [laughter]

So, I just drove on it the other day. A little choppy. We just want to remind you of those things. And um we know you're trying your best and we're not complaining. We just are sometimes the middle child in the family. So, we just want to remind you that we are still here and we still have some needs before we, you know, before the holes in our shoes get really big. We just want to remind you. So, thank you for listening and have a happy Christmas. Thank you. Same to you. Okay, Mr. Manager.

Thank you, Mayor. Item A is on both agendas, and this is fire protection agreements with Illinois Toolworks and Covestro LLC. City currently has one-year fire protection agreements with both of these companies, both located outside the city's corporate limits. The fire protection services provided under each agreement include the same firefighting response and ambulance services if the property was located within the city's corporate limits. During the past 23 years, the fire department has responded to a total of 112 calls for service under the terms of these agreements, three of which occurred in 2025. Payment to the city under these agreements is derived from a tax rate that currently equates to $210 per $100 of equalized assessed valuation. That means the city is going to be deriving about $98,000 in revenue next year for these agreements.

Okay, move for that doesn't need a motion at this time, but are there any questions for the manager at this time? No.

Okay. Item B is uh Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA flood insurance rate 2026 map revisions and the attendant Kain County stormwater management ordinance amendments. FEMA regularly reviews flood insurance rate maps referred to as firms to identify flood hazards flood hazards assess flood risks and provide accurate data to guide stakeholders in taking effective mitigation actions. The process supports the national flood insurance program and provides the basis for community flood plane management regulations and flood insurance requirements. To maintain Elgen's certified community status, the city must adopt firm revisions and appropriately revise its storm water ordinance. Doing so allows Elgen property owners to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides flood insurance to help reduce economic impact of floods uh by providing an insurance resource that is not typically covered by homeowners insurance.

Move for approval. Second. It's been moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Ortiz.

Thank you. Uh, city manager for the flood maps got redone a couple years ago and all of our downtown on the the buildings on Grove and Riverside Drive are in the flood plane now according to the map. So, their insurance went up. Is there any way since it's impro improvised infrastructure over there? I never see the river overflowing on the east side to like get them to reestablish that or reook at that. when those map revisions were taking place. The city did weigh in with its objections. We hired engineers to help analyze what um FEMA was presenting in those instances, but we were overruled with the with the arguments that we were making. So, unfortunately, the revisions that are in place affecting those businesses, as you properly recognize, have not seen any water from the river in any time in recent history are are located within the flood plane based upon the modeling that FEMA is now using.

All right. Thanks, Anything else, Mr. Stefen?

Yep. Thank you, Mayor. Um, [clears throat] is this related to what we had a presentation on, I believe about a year, a year year and a half ago on the because the memo mentions this involves the Lord's Park tributary in Papa Creek. And I know we looked at some of the flooding issues there. And I I believe we had staff came up with a rough estimate of some of the mitigation costs uh that we didn't incur if we tried to kind of fix some of the flooding issues, most of which were clearing out the under the underpasses below roads and and other things where the creeks go underneath to make sure they're clear. Is this related to that? It is related in the sense that those tributaries and water bodies, you're right, are create creating those impacts. Those revisions that the city is still studying and will eventually be making won't modify the flood map flood plane maps, but they will be able to create conditions that minimize the potential impact from those areas. You're absolutely correct, though.

Thank you. All right. Okay. Anything else? Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion is approved. N zero.

Item C is a resolution committing local funds for various transportation improvement projects under the federal surface transportation or STP funding. The Cane Kendall Council of Mayors about every two years opens a call for projects to apply for federal funding. KCOM's 2026 call for projects will be ranking projects seeking federal surface transportation funds to design and construct transportation improvement projects within the city. To participate in this call for projects, the city must commit local funds to pay for portions of the projects being applied for. This resolution identifies the city's plan to commit local funds for phase one and phase 2 engineering and portions of the construction costs for transportation improvement projects for which it's being applied for. Since 2018, the city's received about 22 and a half million dollars under federal SDP funding commitments. This resolution includes identifies 1, two, three, four, five about 11 different areas for funding, some of which were previously placed on the STP funding contingency list.

Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none, clerk, please call the role. [clears throat] Member Zaro, yes. Yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved 90.

Item D is a joint funding agreement and resolution for improvement under the Illinois Highway Code. It's an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation and this involves the Kimble Street traffic signal interconnect project. This project will be modernizing and coordinating traffic signals along Kimell Street from Dundy Avenue to North Grove Avenue. The city has been awarded a federal congestion mitigation and air quality grant providing 80% of the funding for this project. The CMAC program requires local agencies to provide a 20% funding match. The city's share in this instance will be $135,36 for the total project of just about half million.

Move approval. Second move and second for approval. Discussion hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 9 and zero.

Item E is an intergovernmental agreement with Hanover Township for winter maintenance services. The city and Hanover Township have been operating under the terms of a 2017 intergovernmental agreement designed to enhance snow and ice control efficiencies for both respective agencies. Under the IGA intergovernmental agreement, Hanover Township has access to and may store up to 500 tons of road salt in the city's Shales Parkway storage facility. In exchange, Hanover Township provides winter maintenance services on certain roadways under the city's jurisdiction. The current IGA, as I said, originally executed in 2017. It has a number of annual one-year extensions. Um, if the city approves this extension for the 202526 season, plans to present a revised multi-year agreement will be presented in the later half of 2026.

Move for approval. Second. Moved and seconded for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none, clerk, please call the role. Council member Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor, Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 90. Item F is the acceptance of public improvements at 1007 North Randall Road. That's the location of the most recent Starbucks coffee in Elgen. This resub subdivision in the Valley Creek subdivision was completed to accommodate the development at this location. The public improvements to be accepted include a sanitary main and its respective impertinances. Move for approval. Second. Second.

Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council members Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion is approved. 90.

Item G [clears throat] is change order number one for bid 25-043 relating to parking, structure repairs, and painting. Spring Street parking deck, which is now more than 40 years old, requires ongoing maintenance to protect its structural components and concrete surfaces from continuous exposure to the elements. This project included the removal and replacement of joint sealants, the application of new traffic coatings, and minor concrete floor repairs. When the project was initially bid, concrete repair work was included, but the preliminary inspections did not indicate that numerous tendons were broken beneath the surface of the concrete. To maintain the structural integrity and protect the longevity of the parking deck, these tendons must be repaired. These repairs are required to provide safety for the patrons using the deck and to preserve this aging structure. All work is now scheduled for completion by the end of April 2026.

Move for approval. Second. Moved to second for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Ortiz. Uh city manager for the Fton Street parking deck. Are we ever going to open up the top two floors? because during uh high traffic events at Festival Park, we run out of space and those top two floors are usually empty and it's gated right now. So, can we at least open them up during those events?

Yes, I would like to have them opened all the time. So, that's something that we can revisit. We had um instances, it was closer during the pandemic where the upper floors were being used by persons in vehicles as a little raceway and creating issues in the downtown. I think it's something we can talk to the police department land management to see what we can do to utilize those those upper floors. So, I think it's time to revisit that. Thank you for that reminder. Anything else? Clerk, please call the role. Council members Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Hampton,

yes. Motion's approved 90. Item H is the fourth amendment to the current agreement with Steuart spreading for the removal and disposal of [clears throat] water treatment lime residuals. The city's water treatment plants produce these lime residuals and they're stored at two lagoons. The lime residuals in these lagoons must be regularly removed to provide sufficient capacity. The city's been contracting with Steuart Spreading since 2021 to remove the lime residuals and then repurpose that product for agricultural soil replenishment. Approving this amendment will authorize Steuart Spreading to continue the removing and land application during 2026. Move for approval. Second. It's moved and second for approval. Any discussion?

Hearing none. Please call the role. Council member Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefen, yes. Thorne, yes. Mir Captain,

yes. The motion's approved 90. Item I is first amendment to an existing engineering services agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. for the lead service replacement program year five improvements. Elgen has been replacing lead service lines on an ongoing basis since 2020. The year five program will be using IEPA funds and other funding sources to replace about 900 services and to also uh replace about 20,000 ft of water mane. EI has prepared and is planning to bid six contracts for this year's program. This amendment is for construction and engineering services along with daily oversight of those six contracts. Move for approval. Second.

Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefen, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion's approved 90 announcements from the council. Miss Self Faro,

I just want to wish everyone a happy holidays and also give a special thank you to everyone who's trying to make these holidays as special as possible for people who are helping the nonprofits who are making sure children have toys, families have food on the table, etc. The warming shelter, every thing that everyone's doing because it has been a brutal cold winter so far and we haven't even started winter. Um, and thank you to everyone who's been patrolling our streets and trying to protect our community. So, thank you and happy holidays,

Mr. Ortiz. Um, even though my White Socks never do the best in the past like 20 years, they got the first round pick next year. So, hopefully we get three more games under our belts victories than none. So, and I appreciate everything uh Miss Alfaro said. I was going to say some stuff along the same lines, but she beat me to it. So, I agree with her. Okay. Anything else from the council of Miss Martinez?

Thank you, mayor. I would just like to congratulate the King County Clerk's Office and the King County Board. Uh today there was a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new King County satellite office. Um it is located at 2170 Point Boulevard, Sweet 600 on the northwest side of Elgen. To be precise, um it's located off of I90 and Randall Road. you turn into Point Boulevard. If you're like me, you ask what are the nearby restaurants and it's you turn right where the or you turn east where Jimmy's Charter House and it's actually across the street from Cafe Roma. Y

So, I just would like to congratulate them. Please look on their website and uh they have um very uh very logical and easy access and the hours are great. They even have one time when they're open till 8:00 p.m. So, this is good for us in Elgen and the northern part of um King County. Thank you, Mayor. Mr. Thorne.

Thank you, Mayor. Well, I know uh Councilwoman El Faro alluded to this, but I'd just like to wish a happy holidays to all the Elgen residents and especially Elgen seniors. Uh the holiday time is when no one should be alone out there. So if anyone out there listening, watching on TV in the audience, even today, if you know a senior that's by themselves, pay them a visit, give them a call. Uh even if you stop by, shovel their walk, something. There's a lot of seniors in Elgen that are all by themselves and uh you could brighten their day. The best thing you can give a senior often is your time.

Thank you. Okay. Anything else? Okay. Melson from staff. Thank you, Mayor. I'm asking for Chief Lai to provide an update on the police department's continuing investigations relating to the ICE enforcement activities occurring in the 1600 block of Maple Lane on Saturday, December 6th. Okay.

Thank you, Chief Ley. Good evening, mayor and city council members and the Elgen community. So, the department is continuing its investigations relating to the US immigration and customs enforcement activities that occurred in the 1600 block of Maple Lane on Saturday, December 6th. On December 6th, the police department's emergency communication center received over 50 calls relating to the incident, and the department has contacted each caller to ensure that any other information that they wish to provide is taken. As of December 16th, the department has taken 11 police reports related to this incident that include a traffic crash in the 1600 block of West Highland and an incident in which a subject that was taken into custody by federal agents on December 6th on Maple Lane that entered into an apartment in the same location that he did not reside at and reports of also people being struck by pepper balls and people being exposed to other chemical irritants. The department has been in contact with the Kang County State's Attorney's Office who is in the process of further reviewing several of these incidents for potential criminal charges. I would like to stress that if anyone wishes to report any incident related to the matter or provide any information as it relates to immigration enforcement action, please contact the department at 847-289-2700. Additionally, if you wish to provide any video or media footage, including pictures as it relates to this incident or any other immigration enforcement activity, you can submit these items at the link that was provided by the city in their press release. Additionally, you can go to our transparency site and you can find the link there as well. I also want to mention and I want to say that I understand the concern and sentiment in some parts of our community

who are asking for elgent officers to do more when immigration enforcement actions are being taken. I want to stress to the community that it is not by choice that the officers are not doing more but by guidelines and parameters that are set forth in the trust act. During a very difficult and contentious situation, Elgen officers conducted themselves within the tenants of respect and compassion, understanding and recognizing the parameters in which they must perform their duties in, which I'm extremely proud of. And as displayed during the incident, officers responded to any requests for service, assisted with providing medical aid, and are now in the process of conducting investigations into allegations that have been brought forward to the department, working in conjunction with the K County States Attorney's Office. I also want to stress that I understand the magnitude and gravity of this very difficult position that many are faced with and hope as a community we can continue to work with each other to understand each person's perspective limitations and concerns. The department and I remain committed to our community. Even when I know that these words may not provide comfort for some people or an outcome that they may want, it is still very important to me that the Elgen community hears this from me. I want you to know that our commitment and our dedication to our community remains steadfast and unmovable.

Thank you. Okay. Anything else? Nothing, mayor. Thank you. Okay. Uh entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved. Second [clears throat] move and a second to adjurnn. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zelaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. [clears throat] Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. We are adjourned. We'll reconvene at the regular council meeting at 7 p.m.

[bell] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat.

[music] [music]

Heat. Heat. [music]

[music]

Hey, [music] hey, hey. Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat.

[music] [music]

Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] down.

[music] [music] Down.

[music] [music]

Hey, [music] hey, hey. Hey, [music] [music] hey, hey. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [bell]

[music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey.

Hey. Hey. Hey.

[music]

Down. Down. Beautiful. [music] [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Heat. Hey, Heat.

[music] [music]

Heat. Heat. [music] Down. [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Hey. [music] Hey. Hey.

[music] Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] [bell] [music] [bell] [music]

We'll call a regular meeting of the Elgen City Council for December 17th, 2025 to order. 2025 to order. That's why she chose to leave every Friday morning. Sir, you don't have the podium and I got free speech. I'm going to I've given you a warning. I'm giving you a warning. You're the meeting has to go on. People have a right to speak. We have a right to conduct the meeting. Have you just started the meeting though, right? I just started the meeting. I called the meeting to order. about the person who should be here. I call the meeting to

the leadership. I call the meeting to order. I'm going to advise you one time. If you don't conduct yourself here in a nice manner, we're going to ask you to leave the meeting. Okay? Be respect. Be respectful to the people that are here. Have I trusted you? Have I said anything but use my voice? No. Be respectful to the people that are here and let us conduct the meeting. You can't be that touchable. You can't

I'm going to declare a 10-minute recess. [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat.

[music] [music]

Do you remember? [music]

[music]

D. Hey. Hey.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music]

[music] The pledge of allegiance. All right.

I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. Will the clerk please call the role? Council member Zaro present. Dixon present. Good here. Martinez here. Ortiz here. Powell here. Stefan here. Thorne here. Mayor Captain here. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting of December 3rd, 2025. So move second. Moved in the second for approval. Any corrections or additions? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alaro, [clears throat] yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain,

yes. The motion's approved. 90. We have one communication this evening. I've asked Miss Powell to uh stand in for me. That's a proclamation uh remembering uh Resa Jones if Dr. Barber and the board members that are here can join me here at the podium and staff. It's an honor to read this. Uh Rhysa Jones was uh a dear member of our community. Uh someone I considered a colleague and a close friend. I can't believe it's been a year since since she's left us. So it gives me great pleasure to read this proclamation on her behalf. Whereas the city of Elgen and the culture arts community lost a valued member and leader on December 7th, 2024 with the death of Dr. Risa Don Jones. And whereas Rhysa was a well-renowned member of the Elgen community where she dedicated her time to her nonprofit Hamilton Wings program which was created to encourage atrisisk children to find their wings and excel in the performing arts. She worked with local schools for children's art programs, created score, where she counseledled students from diverse backgrounds to write, stage, and perform their own operas. She performed with many charitable organizations using her talent of singing. I'm gonna pause right there because if anybody ever heard Rhysa Jones sing, you were in for a treat.

She had a beautiful voice. Risa served on the board of directors for the Elgen YW.CA from 1995 to 2001, where she was involved in the youth and women's leadership programs and served on the Elgen Community College Board of Trustees from 2012 to 2013 where she left an unerascable mark during her tenure. And whereas Rhysa deeply valued education and service while serving on the Elgen YWAC board of directors, Elgen Community College Board of Directors, partnering with Muheres Latinas Unides and Artre Einestar Kofi and Padres Kodair. Rhysa was 2013 recipient of the Margaret Hills Award and had been recognized March 2024 by the Elgen Area Chamber as volunteer of the month. And whereas Rhysa's kindness, dedication, energy, leadership, [clears throat] and graciousness enrich enriched the arts and culture of Elgen. Her guidance and profound impact on our community will be unforgettable. Now therefore, I, Tish Powell, on behalf of David Captain, mayor of the city of Elgen, Illinois, do hereby extend its sincerest condolences to Dr. Rhysa Don Jones's family, friends, colleagues, and our Elgen community. The city recognizes Dr. Rhysa Jones do Dr. Rhysa Don Jones's achievements, contributions, and commitments that have made Elgen a better place to live in. I do hereby proclaim Saturday, January 10th, 2026 as Dr. Risa Don Jones Day in the city of Belgian. Thank you. [applause]

Okay, that brings us to the portion of the meeting where we allow people to speak for up to three minutes on issues of uh importance to them. And because of the number of people that have signed up tonight, I'm going to hold you strictly to the threeminut time limit. Uh first person to sign up uh this evening is Joseph uh Vanine I believe.

Hello everyone. I'm Joe Van Dyk. Um I don't have a speech prepared so this might be a little jumbled but um I just wanted to talk about ICE again. I work in a hospital a couple hours away from here. Every day I go to work, I wonder if today's going to be the day that I get a call that ICE is coming for my family or friends. Well, today was that day. My girlfriend owns a restaurant in Elgen, [snorts] and I got the call that three masked ICE agents with guns were in the restaurant. They walked right in, started demanding ID from all of the customers. She wasn't there at the moment. It was her day off, and they refused to leave because the owner wasn't present and telling them to leave. They stopped at all the tables of the brown people and skipped every table that had white people. Not a single white person was uh forced to provide ID. One customer recorded it. It's all on video. Then [snorts] they demanded his phone, demanded his ID. Wasn't until that she got there and told them they had to leave that they finally left. And then I sat there for more hours. Left the hospital I work at in the middle of the shift. had to tell them, hey,

family emergency because of that. And then you have to sit here and wonder, are they going to come back when? Then they look left and they went to Fresh Market and kidnapped someone else. I just I don't know how you can see what's anybody can look at what's going on right now and not clearly point and see who the bad guys are. Like if you can't do that, then you're in the head. Like something's wrong with you. You are the bad person. And I think Elgen City Council needs to be blunt with the public about what Elgen PD can do to help us. Is there anything physical, anything they can do to protect you in the moment? Is there any line that ICE agents can cross that LGD would stop them? Is it only stuff in the line of duty or can can an ICE agent go in a restaurant and could they just do beat beat up everyone in the restaurant if they wanted? I'm not saying they would. Is there a line that they can cross that LGD can step in and arrest them or do anything to help? And if not, tell the public, hey, if you call the police, we'll send police out, but all they're going to do is record it. And whatever ICE decides they want to do to you in that moment, they're still going to do it. that might help people with their decisions on how they want to handle this situation.

I'd like to respond to that because Illinois.

Ma'am, you're going to have to sit down. We have to have decorum in this and you can you don't have the right to speak. He's got the podium. Go ahead and finish, please. So, um, that's mostly what I wanted to say. I just, again, I don't see how, whether you're Republican or Democrat, how you can look at what's happening and not point out and see exactly who the bad guys are, like I said. Um, and I'm disappointed in anybody that doesn't stand up and and and help each other. That's the only way that we're going to get through this. If you see somebody dealing with ICE agent, record. Help them. Don't Don't stay quiet. You That's all I got. I I don't know what else to say.

Okay. Thank you.

Lynn Hutchkins. I didn't hear the name. Good evening. My name is Lynn Hutchkins. In June of this year, after the sudden notification of the 890 Gulf Boulevard project, I read the proposal to the city from the Umaya group describing their plans for the temple complex they plan to build there. One thing that caught my attention and that of my neighbors was the statement that the people of both the Sherwood Oaks and Oakridge subdivisions had been informed of the temple project and that we were all essentially happy with it and behind it. Needless to say, this is totally untrue. We at Oakidge had only just found out about the project and we are all definitely not happy about it. The statement is indicative of all of our dealings with the group and their lawyer. They have not been forthcoming or transparent with their plans. Uh informational meetings both of which were planned before the zoning meetings where the plan was being reviewed. They have tried to imply that we only need to deal with daily traffic and one major holy day a year. However, one of our neighbors who is herself Hindu called them out on this at the second meeting, pointing out that the other festivals uh all the other festivals celebrated throughout the year we would have to deal with. During the second meeting, they showed the changes to the design. They chopped off one wing of the temple building, removed the four-story condo building and a couple of the town homes. This leaves a large open area of green space conveniently in position to allow them in the future to add back what was removed from the design with little or no oversight or controlled by the city of Elgen. This idea was questioned at the secondformational meeting and we are told there were no such plans. But we

have no faith in what we are being told by this group or their lawyer. It's just not appropriate to the area. It's going to cause serious impact on local traffic on Lake Street as well as our ability to easily enter and leave our own subdivision. It will also impact the resale value of our homes and even our ability to sell our homes because who is going to willingly buy a home next to a humongous, noisy, gated, and walled complex that will cause so much disruption to the area. We have already shown our opposition to this. [clears throat] And I want you to understand one thing. This morning I received a diagnosis of cancer, but I am still here tonight to speak against this project. That is how important this issue is to me and to all of our neighbors. When this comes before you, I urge you, please, to vote against it. And I also would urge you to please drive through our area, take a look at what we've been talking about, see for yourself the impact that it's going to have on all of us, including all the people, not just in our subdivision, but around uh in the surrounding area. Anyone who travels Lake Street is going to be impact. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Jesse Astrug. Jessica Estro.

Good evening, mayor and city council members. My name is Jessica Astre and I have been a resident of Elgen since two. I grew up having gone to Huff and Lords Park Elementary, Lararsson Middle School, and Elgen High School. Proud graduate of the class of 2000. I chose to purchase a house in Elgen to stay close to my mom who still resides here and raise a family here. When I moved in, I had been told that the land behind our house was protected land. Nothing could be built on it. It was at one point supposed to have been a continuation of the Oakidge community. The Oakidge subdivision is safe, quiet, and a place I look forward to coming home to every day. I also invite you to please come out to see the neighborhood to see Route 20. We frequent Elgen's downtown residents and event restaurants and events. However, if this proposed development at 890 G Boulevard is allowed to build behind our homes, our lives change for the worse. You've heard it from our neighbors who have spoken here at city council me meetings and you've seen two planning and zoning meetings where you've heard from three different neighborhoods who are all in opposition of the build from safety issues, massive traffic concerns, and the incompatibility with our neighborhoods based on Elgen's own comprehensive plan and those factors. The development is not fit for this location. This past May, when we found out about this development, I started a petition in opposition that still stands today. We have over 200 Oakidge and Sherwood Oak residents in opposition. Your constituents have clearly voiced that this is not wanted in our neighborhood. It has nothing to do with religion. It has all to do with the magnitude of what is being proposed despite the changes made to from the group. Your own planning and zoning commission spoke the first time by denying the petition and a second time when there was no majority vote in favor. In fact, the commissioners stated that the land should stay vacant. They have been down Route 20 and know what type of traffic we combat with daily, which is expected

to get worse with the ID dot overhaul. Nothing of this size is acceptable. The Umaya group's own social media shows every single event they've held has been outdoors with loudspeakers and colored smoke flares. They continue to compare themselves with BAPS and Bartlett, and per BAP social media and local news outlets, their events draw over 10,000 people. The tiny corner behind our neighborhoods is not appropriate for a build of this size. There are well over 200 people saying they are opposed. There are traffic concerns, safety issues, environmental issues, incompatibility issues, but the loudest issue should be the negative impacts to our quality of daily life. Please listen to your residents when we ask you to deny the build at 890 G Boulevard. If I may approach, I have copies of the petitions for you.

Thank Thank you. Delaney Hernandez. Good evening. My name is Delanie Hernandez. I'm a community member who is very involved in bettering my town. But at this moment, I'm very scared, hopeless, frustrated, and to be quite honest with you, I'm mad. I'm just as mad as everybody else in this room. just containing myself. I am seeing my community under attack by ICE agents who are running wild in the streets in our streets. I asked for transparency from the city and the police at this time about what can be done from the people in charge and how far is enough? When is it really enough? My brother was shot in the face at 2 feet distance. My blood. somebody who's also a member of the community, who helps the community, who volunteers at soup kitchens with me, who helps youth, orphans, elderly people. We're not just people that live here. We're people that try to make this town better. And we're young people at that, too. I was teargassed and pepper- sprrayed alongside neighbors children. Some people may say, "Why were they there?" They live there. A person was grabbed, beat, and piled on top of. And that's not okay. Simply because of the color of our skin simply because we're brown. 90% of Elgen is my or is made of minorities. Excuse me. And in this time, we don't feel safe. We don't feel heard. We don't feel protected. I need to know what can we do? What will you guys do? What will the police do to keep me, my family, our children, the next generation safe? because the head the way that it's headed right now is not good. I can tell you. So, please take into consideration that

we're good people and the color of our skin should not matter if we're getting protected by the police or not. Our tax dollars pay for the police to protect and serve us. In this time, we're being told we can call the police, but we cannot call the police because they're not coming to save us. You're not.

Some of you can call the police because of the color of your skin and you don't know that you have that um entitlement, but you do. Some of us can't call the police because they won't come or if they come, they'll just watch. All of us in this room bleed red. We are all the same and we deserve respect and we deserve to be safe in the town that we work on to make so much better. Excuse me, but I'm quite nervous.

I don't like speaking in front of people, but this is how important this is. And I'm going to continue to speak. I'm going to continue to fight for my people because every single person in my community that is a brown person, that is a black person, would give the shirt off their back for you. It doesn't matter what color you are. We all work together in this time. We're taking care of us. We're backing us up. We need to know that we the people who elected you are going to have you guys protect us too.

Thank you, [applause] Linda. Linda Cersi.

Linda Cersi. Good evening. I was a senior in El in high school living in Rockford when the consent decree was formulated in 1967. I came to Elgen after graduating from college, married, purchased a home in the historic district and had three children and lived there for 18 years. At that point, we were ready for a change. A neighborhood which was quieter and had some land. Sherid Oaks offered the ability for our children to continue their education at their current schools, and we got to live in a quiet acre uh lot uh that had mature trees. When we moved, there was no Oakidge. We were cocooned in acres and acres of wildlife, including fox, coyotes, deer, bats, etc. And it was quiet and peaceful. Now I have in my possession the 23-page consent decree modification which allowed the subdivision now known as Oakidge to be developed. This agreement stipulates how the land will be developed right down to the size of the lots and the cost of the homes bordering the two subdivisions. We weren't talked at or talked or told what to think. It was a legally binding mutual agreement. The first time the position to reszone 890 Golf Boulevard came before the planning and zoning committee, numerous falsehoods were presented as truths in the section entitled inappropriate current zoning. The Temple Group's lawyer was called out on these erroneous accusations and asked on numerous occasions by several individuals to file a statement of purpose and compliance correcting these misinformation. In his current submission under

inappropriate current zoning section 3.1 through 3.7, he does much of the same. He expects that his every word will be believed and unquestioned. While you can outright lie and you can lie through omission, both exist in this latest proposal. But what disturbs me most is the wild card written into the proposal which would give the petitioners card blanc on adding anything they deemed necessary or desirable without anyone's approval. Well, goodbye green space and hello to the return of the fourstory condo buildings with all of its amenities. The applicants can look at Elgen's comprehensive plan. They can look at Elgen's growth plan. They can look at Elgen's zoning documents under general provisions, purpose, and intent. They can call it a mixeduse residential religious proposal. They can call it a PCF and a PMFR and try to make it fit within the LEAL factor. But what they can't do is make it safe and workable, no matter how much they distort the truth, and they won't ever get either subdivision's approval to terminate the consent decree. For all of those who find themselves traveling down Lambert, Route 20, Shales Park, Wan Hillard, please vote down this petition to reszone. You'll be safeguarding lives. Thank you for your time.

Thank you,

Fel Blackwood. My name is Fel Blackwood. [cough] I'm 21 years old. I have lived in Elgen my entire life. I went to school in the city through 12th grade. I attend college here. And now I have been teargassed here. The show of unity that greeted ICE on December 6th was heartening. The community response was large and swift. Blankets were thrown to the balcony where ICE had cornered the man. Citizens allowed others into their homes to use their restrooms and warm their frigid hands and get warm refreshments. It wasn't enough. He was still taken. ICE still threw people to the ground and illegally attacked us with chemical munitions. What are we actually doing to protect our neighbors? What is truly being done to protect the community? I was there for 3 hours and others double that. And those gas canisters just weren't kept on ice belts by our shouts. Our words didn't stop them from shooting a citizen in the face with a pepper bowl. That can kill someone. We've tried words. We've tried filming. We've tried protesting. None of it has made a difference. If this is not the time to defend our rights with force, what is? Plus, we wait for ICE to open fire into a crowd, to crack someone's skull open on the pavement, to crush a protester on the vehicle, what is the line? Stop enforcing state law banning open carry outside of schools and government buildings. That is the next deterrent. if they are truly so bold as to violate our rights openly while looking upon a crowd three times as large them jeering and shouting and telling them telling them they are breaking the law and documenting everything they do from four different angles. That's not enough. Sure, we can sue them. We should. But that won't undo the gas and pepper spray burning our eyes and stinging our throats. And it sure as hell won't

happen stop it from happening again. I know that legally your hands are tied regarding impeding ICE. Fine. I don't expect that to change. This is not that. This is taking measures within your power to give us the rights to defend ourselves and our neighbors when ICE decides to show up to brutalize us and illegally arrest someone again. We don't have three more years. We don't have that kind of time. We need to do more than tell ICE to leave that their families are disappointed in them. We need to take our community's defense seriously. And that means citizens greeting tyranny was something to back up our will. Thank you.

Thank you, [applause] Caroline Hernandez.

Caroline Hernandez. Good evening everyone. I am here to tell you that there is absolutely a way to prevent all of this from going on. All the pepper spraying, all the ICE nonsense. And what that is is ending the illegal non ICE nonresponse policy of Chief Anna Lai. That directive is illegal. It violates over 128 Illinois statutes. So when this city council sits up here with at least three attorneys who should know better and know the law and try to tell you that there's nothing that can be done, they are absolutely lying to you. And I can promise you that they are going to be held accountable. They're going to be held accountable civily and they're going to be held accountable criminally because the police department has an obligation to respond. Right now, what is going on that everybody here is describing is there is a twotier discrimination, a two-tier policy that if you're white or non-Hispanic, 100% of your 911 calls are going to be answered. But if you are Latino, they are not. We constitute 50% of the population of Elgen, 50% of the tax dollars. That means that our police services and protections are being stolen every single day when Latinos call and our phone calls go unanswered.

Not only that, the Illinois legislature has already indicated through the Illinois Attorney General's Office that they can investigate what's known as a pattern in practice of a violation of civil rights. Our civil rights are being violated when we are not being treated equally as everyone else. Every single 911 call needs to be answered. Every single one. And just so you know, the violations imposed per violation are $50,000. And that could be attributable to every single 911 call that is not answered. Do the math. Over 30 calls on December 6th went unanswered. So 30 times $150,000 just right there. This city council right here is ignoring the law. And let me go ahead and tell you, I'm an attorney. On November 5th, I told them about this. On November 19th, I prepared a 74page notice of 1983 action. And that is a document that indicates to them that I am going to reign the civil rights. I'm not done yet. Where's Marco?

Marco is next. Okay. And Marcos is going to ask me to speak on his behalf as his attorney so I can finish. Okay. He has three minutes. You have three minutes.

I would like for Carolina Hernandez to take my time. So I prepared what's called the equal protection for everyone ordinance. That ordinance specifies and identifies six duties. Everybody is looking at this ICE situation like it's an immigration situation. It is not. It is a civil situation. It is a police accountability situation. We are requiring that these six duties which are required by Illinois state law be fulfilled. That the Elgen Police Department serves everyone every single 911 call. That they verify the identity and warrants of everyone at a scene. That they intervene against abuse. That they document all activity. that they report all violations, which now include the Illinois Accountability Act, and that they protect everyone equally. Let me go ahead and tell you that there are cities that are doing this right, like Evston, who is also a city manager state. They are doing things the way they're supposed to be done. Same trust act, same statutes, and they are getting it. So, what does this mean for the city council? First of all, check your stockings because there are a bunch of city el uh no, I'm sorry, not city elves. There are a bunch of attorney elves that have worked quite quite extensively to put in complaints for oh so many regulatory agencies that are naming each and every one of you individually. You are going to be accountable for your

actions. And these these actions have taken place for over eight years. For over eight years, there has been a policy of nonresponse to ICE. Well, let me go ahead and tell you that is a bastardization and a perversion of the law because the Trust Act prohibits police from assisting the federal immigration enforcement. It does not prohibit them and it never intended to prohibit them from police presence, from police response, from police protection or from police documentation. The Elgen Police Department and this entire city council that it ratifies this every time it's brought up by all the people that show up here have abandoned the 50,000 residents who keep asking where is the police. This is going to end. And I can tell you that if anybody had died on December 6th under federal statute of the deprivation of rights under color of law, this city council, not having addressed anything, could be responsible for 10 years in jail. If someone had died, you'd all be looking at life. Why? Because you've been put on notice multiple times. multiple times with extensive extensive citation of case law. There are there's a worthless city attorney here who can't even write an ordinance worth to save his life. But there are three attorneys on here who should know better. The law cannot be more clear that you have an obligation for the police department of this city to respond and serve and protect

everyone equally. Please start wrapping up your comments. [applause] Angel Martinez who We're not going to get sensitive [applause] now, right? We're not going to get sensitive now, right? You have three minutes. All right. Cuz this morning I'm saying little morning, right? Yep. Got a little sensitive there, right? Are we good? Can I start my time? You got your three minutes. All right. This is the This is who we're facing.

All these people are for up for reelection up soon. So, let's remember their ugly ass faces. All their faces. The Hispanics that work under this council is disgusting. Really disgusting. I started off this meeting by calling off that chief lately should be here. And what did what did they decide to do? Call a 10-minute recess because their feelings got hurt. I didn't cuss anybody out. I didn't say anything. I'm a loud ass Mexican. This is my voice. you like it or not.

So, let me present myself as I have it the past two times I've been at this council meeting. My name is Angel Manuel Martinez. I am a kinera dance instructor in this ugly ass city right now. On December 6, the city of Belgian and this leadership failed us. Amen. This council, the police force. Come on now. Chief Ley was awarded a 2025 leadership award. That's what's funny about all of this.

That leadership showed that day. Her failed leadership and her so-called accountability led to a lot of our neighbors being pepper sprayed, a lot of tear gas being released onto our streets, and it ended up with me being laid on the ground with multiple days at the top of me. I got a friendship rap because of it. I had to take two weeks off of work, no paid leave because the city decided to fail us. The city, the police say they were not involved. There was a moment where the cities were closed. How is it all of a sudden our streets opened up if it wasn't from the help of them? Our streets were closed. So, how is it that they say that they did not help out on December 6th? They say they helped out because they helped a couple people that got pepper sprayed. My partner being one of them because we were speaking on our neighbor who is not a criminal. He has one thing on his record, a traffic violation taking care of 2014. That is our neighbor. He is not a criminal. And every one of you that sit here with your stupid ass outfits because it's Christmas around the corner, we don't have that same. Our kids are asking us, are you coming home today? Our kids are asking us, is it going to be you today?

You guys failed us. You could make a video the day of and say, "I'm with you guys." But your actions at the beginning of the council meeting when I asked for Chief Anel to be standing here showed otherwise. Please resign.

Please. It would do our community a whole lot better because again, like it was stated before, we Latinos are LJ. We are the domain and it's not just us, but we are we can get these other individuals out of office and there needs to be something in place so we can decide who serve in our police force. Please start wrapping your comments up. Jason Les stole a bank. He gave up locations early October of where to find our people and those locations weren't the ones that they were targeting. Please start wrapping up your comments. Use your three minutes.

Don't be a snow. Thank you.

She said to these type of people. So why is she mentioning? You've used your three minutes. Thank you very much. You've used your three minutes. Thank you very much. Thank you.

We have two other people that have signed up. Uh they wanted to talk about the tax increase. I always give them a a chance to uh they can either speak now or wait until that time comes. Leave it to you, David Tease. Hello. Thank you for letting me speak today. I just want to start out by saying I am a lifelong resident of Elgen, born and raised here. Uh watched Elgen grow, uh develop, change, some amazing changes, great changes. I know we haven't had a property tax increase for 11 years. It means you guys are doing a good job. Everybody's been doing a good job for 11 years. We don't raise our property taxes, but one of the things is is that ECC hit us with 4.6% property tax increase. King County hits us. Uh, every year we're getting hit by taxes and it's it's

it's starting it's starting to hurt us. I mean, I know that if you come out and say that it's like $12 a month and all that stuff, but I just got my yesterday my new mortgage statement. I'm on a fixed thing uh a fixed mortgage and it went up $200. Yeah, my home insurance went up as expected. But my question is over the last 10 years new revenue has came into Elgen video poker. I know Carpentersville is smaller than Elgen, but I know their intake is uh I don't know what Elgen numbers are, but I know that their intake is $750,000. That's what their cut is. They got one pot dispensary. That's new revenue eight years ago. I know Elgen passed to have a pot dispensary here in Gartner's bill. 1.1 million is their cut. I don't know what Elgens is. I can't say it. I should looked it up. got a lot of stuff to do, but we got another one that's being built now, too. More revenue has been coming in the last 10 years with pot dispensaries and with video poker. And my question is, is there any other options? Could we negotiate the percentage? Because I got a lot of elderly people. I'm on the Elgen Township Committee for Seniors, and one of their questions for me is, is our taxes going to keep going up every year? I mean, they're struggling as it is now. They're on fixed income. That's why I'm on the committee for seniors because we're allocating money for programs for them to help them with their utility bills to help them with uh living cat food, dog food. It's a lot of donations of cat food and dog food. I got a family.

I'm not rich. I don't make a lot of money. I'm a blue collar worker. I'm a plumber. I'm a I'm I work by myself. I own the company, but we don't make a lot of money when you're by yourself. I don't have a big crew. So, I'm asking city council start looking around. look for other options because believe it or not, $12 a month does hurt us when we're just going to get hit and hit year after year. Our taxes keep going up. Our mortgage payments are going to keep going up. Food prices are at an all-time high. I got a 5 foot7 13y old kid at 150 pounds and he's eating me out of house at home. Really? Literally. I mean, uh, all I'm just saying is we have to come we have to stop this. I mean, there's other ways. Raise uh uh gas tax a little bit. Gas is coming down. I mean, we got to come up with some other solutions here instead of doing this. I mean, 11 years, that's a great record. I like it, but we have to come up with other solutions. We're struggling. Thank you very much for your time.

Okay. Thank you, [applause] Don. Don Seringini. Dawn Serenini. Don Seringini. Okay. I believe she left. No justice. No justice. Justice. Who do you protect? Who do you protect? Who do you do you protect? Who do you protect? Who do you protect? Who do you? Please be quiet. Who do you protect? who protect.

Please be quiet or we're going to have to clear the room. Noice. No racist. We're going to have to ask you to leave the meeting. No racist. Noice. Okay. Who you protect? Declare a 10-minute recess. Please clear the room. Protect you.

Who you protect? Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. [music] Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [bell] [music] [music] [music] [bell]

[bell] [music] [music] [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N.

[music]

Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] down.

[music]

Hey. Hey. Hey. [music]

[music] [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music]

[music]

Heat. Heat. N. [music] [music] [music] Heat. [music] Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat.

[music]

Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat.

Hey. Hey. Hey.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Do you

[music]

Hey, [music] hey, hey. Hey there.

[music] [bell] [music] [music] [music] [music] [bell] [music] [music and bell]

Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat.

[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] [music]

Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. [music] Heat. Heat. N. [music]

[music] [music] [music] [music]

[music] [music] brings us to bids. We have one bid tonight. Bid number 25-058, water treatment chemicals. Mr. Mayor, I'll make the motion that we award this bid to the 10 vendors who are going to supply our water department with 14 chemicals, 12 of new 12 of which we had new pricing this year in the total amount of 4,5,930. Second. It's been moved and seconded. Any discussion

hearing? None. Clerk, please call the role. Council members Al Faro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion's approved. 90. Brings us to other business. The first item is an ordinance adopting the 2026 budget in lie of passage of an appropriation ordinance. Move for approval. Second. moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Al Farrell, I just want to say at the last council meeting, I voted against the property tax increase and for that reason, I will be voting against this. Okay. Anything else? Clerk, please call the role. Council members Alfaro, no.

Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefen, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion's approved. 81. Item two is an ordinance for the levy and assessment of taxes for the fiscal year beginning January 1st, 2025 and ending December 31st, 2025 of the city of Elgen, Kain, and Cook County, Illinois. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Al Faro. Similar to the last one, I'm voting against the property tax increase. So, I will be voting no on this one to be transparent with the community. Anything else? Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, no. Dixon,

yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stephen, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion's approved. 81. Item three is an ordinance establishing fees for various city services, permits, licenses, use of facilities, and other matters. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Farrell,

I have some questions for for staff on um the packet in page 46. Um I believe it's the refuse collection. Um it's slightly going up for 2026. Um it's going up for the disposable stickers. It's going up 16 cents. And I was just wondering the rationale for making it go up to 16 cents. Are we just going is there a percentage that we're utilizing to increase the tickets? Oh, it's part of the contract. Council member was part of the contract. That was prior to my being on the council. So, thank you for that clarification.

Um, let's see. And then I have a few more, so bear with me. On page 48, Bluff City Cemetery, um, it's expensive to bury loved ones and the fees go up here. So, is that also tied to a contract? Is that why the fees are going up? I can't say specifically why the fees are going up, but we do have a contract that provides all of the burial services. So, I would imagine that that's the result of it. I just can't tell you that with definitive certainty at this time. Okay. Everything

let's see um parks and rec um the lawyers park and park aquatic centers. The where is it? Um, oh no, that was fine because only the non-residential went up. Um, 107, it was on the golf. Uh, the um the fees are the same for um resident and non-resident. And so I was curious, that's for the individual unlimited golf and cart and individual unlimited um golf green fee only. Um all the others have a differentiate between non-resident and resident. I was curious on why those two were similar for resident and non-resident

without asking golf director Mike Leman knowing that the golf is golf uh golf fund is an enterprise fund there's a recognition that the the cost for those differences there's no distinction between we're here to attract non-residents as well for all of those venues so that's why there isn't the so it's one of those like you get them in and then the other things are correct knowing that there's a benefit for living in the city for having these courses that are still designed to to serve a broad swath of the Chicago metro area. Okay.

Um and then lastly, um for the Elgen Art Showcase, um the one day rental is the same for resident and non-residents, but everything else like the one-day rental. Um the Friday is Sunday rental is there's different prices. So, is that the same rationale is just to attract more people to run out um for a one-day rental? That's what I would have to imagine. again in the absence of being able to ask Amanda Harris specifically. So, I'm sorry. I just don't have that that granular information. Yeah. Thank you. Okay, that's all I had. Okay. Anything else? Okay. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes.

Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved 90. Item four is an ordinance uh for the levy of assessment of taxes for the fiscal year ending December 31st, 2025 in and for the city of Elgen special service area number 19. Move for approval. Second. Move the second for approval. Any discussion? Miss Faro.

Um so this is a question for the city manager just if I'm interpreting this correctly and for transparency to the community. Um although it says here that it the total is 55,230 the majority of that if not all of that if I read this per um correctly that total proian total revenues come from other taxation correct so if you could just clarify.

Sure. A special service area is there's there's a benefit that the city helped finance that's that's uniquely um benefits a particular geographic area. In this instance, it's an industrial park that wanted to create a traffic signal to benefit its users and that was something that again worked in conjunction with the city to make that installation and they're paying us back over the years with that and that comes through additional payments on their property taxes. It's basically all and that's something they've been fully aware for quite a while. That is correct. Okay. Thank you for clarifying that. Okay. Anything else? Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell,

yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved 90. Item five, five is a resolution adopting the three-year financial plan. Move for approval. Second. moved and second for approval. Any discussion, Mr. Al Faro? Just similar to transparency for the community, given that this um three-year plan includes the one year where we're proposing property tax increase. Since I voted against the property tax increase, I'll be voting against this given that's included in this three-year plan. Okay, please call the role. Council members Alaro, no. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Yes. Thorne. Yes. Mayor Cton.

Yes. Motion's approved. 81. Item six is an ordinance amending or an ordinance amending ordinance number G65-24 establishing a pay plan for certain part-time and seasonal employees of the city of Elsa. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alfaro. Yes. Dixon. Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez. Yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain,

yes. The motion's approved 90. Item seven is an ordinance amending ordinance number G66-24 establishing a pay a pay plan for certain part-time and seasonal employees of the city of Elgen Parks and Recreation Department. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. The motion is approved. 90. Item eight is a resolution authorizing a fire protection agreement with the Illinois Toolworks. Move for approval. Second.

Moved and second for approval. Any discussion hearing? None. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell? Yes. Stefan? Yes. Thorne? Yes. Mayor Captain? Yes. Motion's approved. 90. Item nine is an a resolution authorizing a fire protection agreement with Covestro LLC. Move for approval. Second. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain.

Yes. The motion's approved. 90. Item 10 is an authorization for payment to make Mon County Law Enforcement Training Center for Police Academy tuition. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council members Alfaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor, Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 90. Item 11 is an authorization for payment to Westside Tractor. Move for approval. Second. Moved and seconded for approval. Any discussion? Mr. Farro.

I just want to say thank you to staff who was listening to the feedback from the the residents and and from council on the importance of getting those signs done faster. And so, thank you to staff for moving this along. I know it was a whole team that put into the work. And so, thank you for all staff for for moving that along. Okay. I think you got ahead of us by one. Want a tractor? On the tractor. We're voting on the tractor. We're voting on the tractor. We're one before. Oh my god. Yes, I did. You got ahead. You got ahead of us by one. My apologies. Don't retract them, though. A nice track. So, please keep those comments for [laughter] the next. Okay. Any discussion on item 11 on the tractor? No. Sorry. Okay. My apolog. Council member Alvaro? Yes.

Dixon? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez. Yes. Ortiz. Yes. Powell. Yes. Stefan. Yes. Thorne. Yes. Mayor Captain. Yes. Motions approved. 90. Item 12 is authorization for payments to signs by tomorrow. Okay. So, I just now my comments regarding to that. My apologies for the mistake. Um, thank you for staff for listening to the residents um during public comment and and from city council and understanding the need to get that done faster. And so thank you for the initiative for staff for getting that done um and having those available in a timely manner. Thank you. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. And we still have 500 signs downstairs. So people uh please start picking them up. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez,

yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 90. Consent agenda. Move for approval. Second. Move the second for approval. Any discussion hearing? None. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zelf Faro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefen, yes. Thornne, yes. Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 90-0. Miscellaneous business. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Zero, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez, yes. Ortiz, yes. Powell, yes. Stefan, yes. Thorne, yes.

Mayor Captain, yes. Motion's approved. 90. Um, miscellaneous business. Move for approval. Second. Moved and second for approval. Any discussion? Hearing none. Clerk, please call the role. Dispersement report. We already voted on that. We did. We voted on. Yeah, we already getting ahead of myself. Yeah, we're all doing that today. Okay, bring us to announcements. The next committee of the whole meeting will be Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in the city council chambers. The next regular meeting of the Elgen City Council will be Wednesday, January 14th, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the city council chambers. I entertain a motion to adjurnn. So moved.

Second. Moved and second to adjurnn. Clerk, please call the role. Council member Alaro, yes. Dixon, yes. Good. Yes. Martinez. Yes. Ortiz. Yes. Powell. Yes. Stefan. Yes. Thorne. Yes. Mayor Captain. Yes. Motion's approved. 90. Uh, everybody have a on the council and in the uh community have a merry Christmas and a happy new year and everybody stay safe. [music]