City Council - Regular Meeting

Whip it around the corner.

Hey Pat, how are you fairing? It was a good weekend. Um, so I made it slides. So PowerPoint still has the slides removed. I think it was dumb, but like there's like an AI tool that like helps you like slides or whatever. Um, and so Google removed that, but Microsoft still has it. So I figured why not spruce up the title page. We really do something about that line though where friends and rivers meet.

Friends might meet here but no rivers do. That's a large discussion. Was it either told me or some somebody told me why the history of that because they really like Jonesville because Jones my dad always says something about

if that was the case.

We really need to change that. I always thought it was nice and poetic, but one minute. I got 6 PM. Everybody ready?

Let's call the Oglesby City Council meeting to order. Roll call, please. Baldridge, here. Cullinin, here. McDermott, here. Moy, here. Currin, here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I am making an amendment to the um what are we making amendments for? Well, I think that number 14 I don't think we need that. Okay. Final comments for council. Okay. I think we need to remove that. Why do you think it needs to be removed? I added it. Last time you wanted it removed because you said something about equitable time. So, I changed it from mayor's final comments to council final comments to make sure everybody has an opportunity to speak.

There's a council. I don't firs the council and then you're the chair. So what I don't know what that means. You're you're the mayor. You're the chair and this this we're the council. Yeah. I don't think it needs to be on there.

I think there needs to be a spot. I'll explain why. um if somebody were to come up during final comments and because this has happened in the past where someone says something or something that we your only options then is to communicate with them directly and sometimes that's not the best spot for it. The best spot for it is after they've left there's an opportunity for us to make comments on something and as of right now I have no other spot to do that. You guys always have the option to add that to your commissioner reports but I don't. That's why it's there. I don't trust that. I don't know if he made the motion. I'll second that motion. Okay. So, you want to make a modification. There is a motion and a second to make a modification to the agenda.

Uh, and to remove number Oh, sorry. I guess before we go No, no. Go around the roof if anybody has any comments. Go ahead. No, I don't have any comments on final comments. Okay. Any other comments? All right. There's a motion in a second. Can we get a roll call? Baldrich. I cin. Hi. McDermott. Hi. Moy. Hi. Currin. I we stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance 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.

Number four, mayor's report. Nothing like having to give your report right after being upset about something and try to be positive. So, number one, uh, first item is we had a great, uh, meeting with IVRD, um, last week. Uh, there's two things I kind of wanted to touch on. Uh, one of them they mentioned about is the amount of calls they've had for structure fires. Um, so the the fire chief was right next to me, so I kind of leaned over and we just had a candid conversation. and I said, "How much is that really affecting uh Ogalsby here?" He says, "Fortunately, not much." So, we haven't had that kind of problem. Uh but other people are. So, talking a little bit about why that is the case. Um space heaters is a concern. He gave me some references to look at some of the state's website. We're going to try to put that out there. The problem is there's so much information. It It's just overwhelming. And I know if we share like a dozen things, the the message will get kind of get lost in translation. So, um I I don't know if that's something maybe if you want to work with the the fire chief if there's a a single single good source to maybe kind of put something out there, but the key thing is a lot of these problems are caused because of space heaters uh being put in locations either next to curtains or or something like that. So, just please be mindful of that uh because that is a problem that's happening around the region. The second thing that we talked about there that was really good is I I there there's going to be an awareness campaign that's going to be coming in about three four months talking about 988. Uh because a lot of people aren't aware of what it is that it even exists. Uh 988 is basically an alternative from 911 for mental health related things. Um we actually it's it's up and running. In fact uh IVRD has a kind of a pilot program that the state's looking at of where we can connect ourselves into even more resources. There'll be more details coming on that, but I just want people to be aware with mental health and and the concerns they have out there, there is plenty of resources uh for people to to reach out

to if they're if they're in help, they need help. Uh number two, uh I want to talk about uh nonprofit events and organizations. Um we have been super fortunate in the city of Oglesby to have a lot of great nonprofits and a lot of different events that are going on. Um you know, so not just talking about like things that the wheelsby does, which is great. uh the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, uh the baseball and softball boards, uh the Elks, just so the the Dickinson Foundation, a lot of great uh organizations that put on different events that people can enjoy. So, a lot of times when we have events, it's businesses. One of the things as a city we try not to do is we don't want to promote certain businesses over certain things, but we can kind of skirt that a little bit when there is a nonprofit organization involved. So, there's two specific things that's going on that I'm very happy about in um in Ogalsby in February. The first one is um the American Legion on the 22nd of February is having the Wild Game Beat. Now, this is a yearly event that we do. I do think it's special and it's unique. If we were living in California or Florida, the vast majority of the public would never have an opportunity to ever try Wild Game. This is the Midwest, so that's not necessarily the case, but it still is a unique opportunity. So, I encourage people to check that one out. And the other one I am super super excited about because as far as I know it hasn't happened in the city of Oglesby and the last time it's happened in our region. I think it was precoid it was um Duffy's would have events of of pair of food pairings with a excuse me food pairings with alcohol. Um and that hasn't happened for many many years. So, there is an event that's going on. Uh, the Illinois Valley Baseball League is putting on a um a nonprofit uh group event. It's happening at Caracle Calacts on 12 February. It's a whiskey food pairing. What I'm excited about this is I'm hoping it's super super successful because it's one more event that might

come more regular back to the area. And to me, that's what it's all about. When these nonprofits are starting to put together events, they're a great way to promote uh getting them funds and fundraising. But I look at it as at the end of the day, it's more events and more activity that's happening in our area. Um, and th those are the only things I have. I will say because I don't have a spot here, I am extremely disappointed that I I I truly believe there needs to be a spot for the mayor to be able to speak and respond to anything that might come up during the meeting. I don't know why this continues to be a problem. Um, I, you know, I'm going to say it here because I'm I'm I'm disappointed. You know, if you look at the the meeting minutes from a month ago, you'll see someone say they want to make sure they're the one that speaks last, but then the option that they say is completely different, that they want equitable time. No problem. So, I put on here uh council final comments. Still

point of order. This is finished business. We cannot discuss finished business under Robert's rules of order. I can speak whatever my No, you cannot, Jason. You are not allowed to speak whatever you want. No, you cannot. I am telling you, Pat, I guarantee you the attorney general does not say whatever he wants. Here's what we're going to do.

I'm going to see speak whatever I want because it's freedom of speech. If you want to, you're more than welcome to reach out to the attorney general's office. And you think if the attorney general says that the mayor cannot give speak what he wants to when it's his turn to talk, I'll see what he says. I guarantee you nothing trumps freedom of speech. Nothing trumps it. So, go ahead and do that. But in the meantime, we're going to be professional and we're going to carry forth. All right, that's all I have. Number five, public comment on agenda items only. Seeing that there's none, we will move on. Number six, approve minutes from the December 15, 2025, January 5th, 2026, and January 20th, 2026 regular meetings. If there's no additions, corrections, or modifications, can I get a motion to approve the minutes? I will move that we approve minutes from the December 15th, January 5th, and January 20th, 2026, well, December 15, 2025, January 5th, 2026, and January 20th, 2026 regular sessions.

I would like to ask that some uh changes be done to those to make them correct. Okay. Do you have some modifications? I don't have those available right now, but there's some things in there that I didn't believe to be true. Can we I said this at the last meeting uh as well but can we ensure that if there is an issue with those I mean that something is said prior to the council meeting itself. I I asked at the last few meetings um if we can make them very general and uh they're not general enough. No. Okay. Not general. Okay. Well, if if something can be articulated to Jen, that's possibly something she can fix over the weekend in anticipation for the meeting. So,

yeah. I would say if there's an issue with that, I mean because here we are at the council meeting, they're not approved, which is which is fine. Anybody can for whatever reason, but I still don't have an action to give direction to somebody on how they should modify that. So to me, this isn't a discussion item right now, but I mean, we need to come up with a method of how we're going to get that. If if somebody's legitimately not happy with minutes, we need to talk about a method of how that information is going to be communicated so we can improve the process to where we have something that a majority can uh approve. So I have one person that's not but there is a motion on is there a second to approve them?

Okay, there's not a second so the motion will die. Do we want to just table this for now or does do people want to go around and talk communicate about it? I don't know what the issue is. So Okay. I'm not sure either. You're not sure what the issue is, but you're But I'd be interested to hear what it was. Same. Yeah. You're not moccur anything. I concur. Both concur, but don't have anything to give, but we're not motioning to approve the minutes. Got it. Okay, Rich. I I said before I think they need to be more general. They need to be correct.

Okay. Uh well, I know they were more generalized. Um I don't know what more we can do on that. Maybe we'll have to put a topic on for the next uh meeting to discuss how we're going to be able to give that information to the clerk so we can get minutes that everybody's going to be happy with instead of waiting to a council meeting to not approve them. Um can I get a motion to table it then? Make a motion to table the minutes. I'll second that motion. Roll call, please. Uh Baldrich, I Colin, no. McDermott.

I current. Number seven, approve bills presented for payment in the amount of $565,924.79 for normal monthly and EFT bills of $59,969.70 for Viscerin Construction for a total of 1,75,000 $8949. If there's any additions, corrections, or modifications uh to the bills uh or if I can get a motion, can I ask a question?

Absolutely. So on the credit card statement there was a and this is this is I okay so on the credit card statement there was a line item for gift cards and this immediately makes me raise red flags like this is public funds used and gift cards are often treated as cash. So, I'm just wondering, is there some kind of authorization or policy in place about purchasing gift cards? Are the gift cards for you, John? And that's your Wh whose card is What card is that? Becky's

Yeah. Okay. I mean, I don't think that's something we've done in the past. Does anyone know? Is that authorized? They have I looked through um my opinion. Okay. So, Santa gift cards. There it is. Is there policy or procedure in place for that? I'm just curious. Gift cards. I mean, because it is a gift card. Yeah. I I mean, I guess it depends on what it's for. I don't know what those were for. So, it looks like there's a 50. Sorry. Go ahead. Oh, yeah. No, I I know they got them from local businesses. I believe from Garzellies and I think it was an appreciation thing. And I'm not necessarily saying that I'm not appreciative of that, but

I see three of them. Were they Were they given as a prize or something like that? No, it we just instead of paying Santa and Mrs. Claus, we gave them a dinner out. Unerstood. So it's Oh, so when it says Santa gift card, it literally means a gift card for Santa. Yeah. Okay. Is that good question? That answer your question? Yeah. So, I guess I mean is there policy or procedure in place going on how we pay Santa? Well, gift card transactions are they're sketchy.

So, the I don't know if we necessarily have a policy for that. There is some I'll give you an example of one that's a little strange. So, when the hags come, right, if you were to look at that, I I don't like how it's labeled uh because essentially we pay the hags for their their time. However, they don't want to be paid. They don't want to be paid. So, instead, we they want to give a donation to somebody on their behalf. So, we give a donation. What I don't like about that is if you look at our books, it looks like we took money to give a donation to an entity, but we really didn't. It was a payment for those services. I look at the same thing as, you know, Santa,

come on now, let's be real. uh when when we're paying, you know, when when we have Santa come in for services, you know, it's it's a way to pay him. Why we're paying it through gift cards? Now, if you're saying we need to probably have a different policy of paying somebody differently than gift cards, we could. I don't think it's enough to to raise a flag over. I think the policy that's in place is that everybody gets a copy of the credit card statements and we approve the bills at the meeting. I mean, you could have somebody, but who authorizes who authorizes the dollar amount? Let's just the city council the city council ultimately authorizes the bills. So, speaking of which, on uh the the bills there, I've asked numerous times for that H Heartland Bank Visa uh bills to be presented to the council. The Heartland Bank visas in the shared folder.

Yeah. Um the problem is I've asked and requested numerous times for page two and uh yeah, it was included I believe, but it was the back of the page. So, I don't know if we're trying to hide something. I saw all four pages in there. There's five pages total. And the second page is is the back of the paper. That's That's what page two is. That That's all it is. I can I can get the I think I have it right here, Rich. And it's actually four pages. So, here it is for you. This is money. So, yeah, let's put it on the thing there. So, I mean, I don't want people to feel uncomfortable about money.

Got page one there. It's page two there. It's page three there. It's interesting to me on official documents usually have the neighbor number of the page on the page. Why doesn't it have page? I don't work for H Heartland Bankridge, so I don't exactly I don't exactly know that's the case. It's common practice. Why isn't it on Why isn't page three or four? Page three of four right there. Okay. I I understand that and I agree. Where's page 204? That's page 204 right there. Well, that seems like it's the back to me. Okay. She just said she said it was the back of Yeah, they go the front is one, the back is two, the front is three, the back is four. But as far as you know, all pages are everything pages are included. Yeah. Okay. Okay. The back aren't numbered for some reason, right?

So, I mean, if you're not happy with the sorting, I get that. But you have you do have 58 pages of documentation there. So, to me, the first thing is the most important is to make sure people have access to see all funds. That was one of the things that that hasn't been done very well over the previous administration. So, now everybody has access to see everything. I get it. It it might be jumbled a bit. I mean, I see the ladies have highlighted the actual charges amount, so it makes things a little bit easier, but a lot of the stuff that we have for the actual payments, I mean, I'm seeing the ones I'm seeing for the digital stuff that we approve, I am seeing a full copy of the receipts. Now, granted, I don't like I have to scroll and get this little window to try to look at everything, but it is there.

Okay. Are we done with the gift card discussion? Well, I mean it's I mean I mean I just from an auditor perspective seeing a gift card on a municipal credit card seems fishy. Well, I don't I don't know. I mean I guess but I mean I mean Illinois you could have you you could have somebody uh I mean if you really wanted to get into it, you could have somebody purchasing software and laundering software. I mean I mean you can't possibly uh but public use for public funds. I mean, well, credit cards are treated as cash. We're just sure, but I mean, they're on the bank statement and they're on the bills, so it's not like

I just don't see what the issue is.

So, and again, I understand from transparency point of view, you know, many many years ago, um, it used to be to where like when we would have the Christmas party, we would have a Christmas party for all board members and not just council, but I mean, I'm talking everybody. and a $10 gift card was I mean we're talking like plan commission zoning board all these everybody uh and there'd be a lunchon and everybody would get like a little $10 gift card thing. We don't have that anymore because I I do recognize how it looks as I said I mentioned the hags thing. I mean if you justify it and you can we can you can make an annotation of what the reason is if you were to just look at the accounting data. Yeah, I don't like that because it's it makes it look like we're doing something that we don't normally do. I get the idea that it's gift cards. It does say Santa gift card. I mean to me I look at it as

I got a question and I I'm I apologize. I didn't mean to interrupt. Are you referring to you're wanting to know who authorized to give them the credit? Well, I guess when you're using city funds, there should always be authorization in place.

So I will tell so I will tell you I I feel like it is authorized, but I'm going to make an effort that we're going to handle this a little bit better for appropriations. what I asked for the late from the our event coordinators is so we do have a budget in place for when events are whatever right what I'd like to do is I want to put something in our appropriations next that breaks down every single event right so that way there's a total line amount number so that way technically the council has a say in it and to me all of the stuff that happens for like the winter events and stuff like that that's included you know we paying for Santa the sleigh all these things that we have for a cost. I do believe that that is paid that that is approved by the council, but we can find a way to definitely make it more official by by putting those as specific line items in the appropriation.

Also, in my viewpoint, there's two other instances that I was able to pull up immediately of gift cards. So, back in 20 back in 2013, there's gift cards for doc workers um which was $100. And then back in 2021, there was donations for schools for grocery and gas gift cards for $3,000. No, I'm not disagreeing. But as far as Thea, that's not you. I couldn't find it. So, it must have been coded differently if it's been past practice. But all I was doing was asking where's the authorization?

Yeah, I'm just saying that we've given gift cards in the past to people and it's been built to the city. And so, the authorization is that we get the credit card statements, we get the bills, the bills save right here. Santa gift card $50. Santa gift card 5150. Santa gift card 5150. And then we approve it. But who's authorizing it? The city council is authorizing it when or the city council is acknowledging at least that we who hands them out. Well, is that what you're asking him? Paying the service. This is the thing. This is the thing is I I feel we're no

who author who authorizes the purchase of Staples Mac? I mean, at the end of the day, somebody has to have admin executive or administrative authority to purchase things. And so, I get what we're saying here, but I Well, I mean, I think we're making I think we're making much to do about nothing. Sorry. Hold on. Did you have something you want to say? Well, can Hillary give out a gift card and Rich and me? Yeah. You have that authority. I don't think so. I don't know how that would work. So you have executive authority to spend up to X amount from that according to Illinois State. I think there's two things here. Hold on. 18.

Rich, did you say have something you want to say? No. I think there's I think there's two things here. One, we're talking about the idea that it's gift cards, right? I I get that. I get that what that looks like, but what I'm saying is it's still a point of sale, right? It's a point of sale of of paid for service, whether it's a gift card, whether it was a cash receipt, whatever, whether it was petty cash that was given to them from how they were paid. I don't think that's a I really don't think that's Hold on a second. That's the part that Austin is talking about that everybody has that ability to do that. You can pay for bills and pay for stuff like that, right? I think what you're asking is what's your thoughts about paying for bills as far as gift cards

or using public funds to give to private individuals? What where is that? Where's the line? I mean, do we So, I mean, I'm I I feel like we do I mean, that's not everything in the city is is public. I mean, well, it should be. Well, that's that's that's not what I'm talking about. When I say public, I mean, you know, we can uh for instance, um we have Pat Barry uh on retainer as our city attorney, but Pat Barry himself is not an an employee of the city of Ogulbyspe. He's somebody we hire to serve as a city attorney.

And so therefore, we are using public funds to pay Pat Barry and Pat Barry's firm. That's that's a public that's Well, yes. And I would also argue that um paying Santa to or showing a token of appreciation to Santa for showing up to an event is also a public use of funds. It's going to a private individual just as it's going to a private business in the case of Pat Barry. Um but it is still public funds for public purpose. But shouldn't that be authorized before somebody hands him a gift card?

And what I'm saying is I believe that is because we approve our events that we have. And I'm telling you, I will make this a little bit more clear because of these issues that have come up. And I think we will get a detailed amount. Well, I shouldn't say detailed because then you're going to say why I wasn't listened in there. My thing is winter events, whatever it is that we spent on it. I don't know if it was $1,000 or whatever that would be included in that group. I mean, do we approve the very specific spending that we do for everything that happens in funfest? There's there's about $100,000 worth of bills that go out that we pay people. We pay each band whether it's anywhere between $1,500 and $8,000. We pay for the different services for all that that come in for all these different things that happen. Nobody, we don't sit here and approve the individual bill ahead of time. What we do is we we've approved that we're going to have spending for that event and then we approve all the bills like we're doing here for everything.

Um, correction on the celebration days or the funfest. I do believe it was uh stated here that the council didn't actually approve anything. We approved the appropriations which apparently gave permission to spend $120,000 on the FundFest which I don't I don't think that's discussed how it's impractical to uh authorize every purchase possible for Funfest. I think it's impractical to not have to put tell somebody what you're going to do with $120,000 of the taxpayers's money. That's what I think is impractical. Okay. Well, let me ask you a question. How do you So, thanks for clerk's office needs a ream of paper tomorrow. How How are we doing that purchase? Yeah. Who authorizes it?

Is it authorized that they have a certain amount that they can spend in there? Is $120,000 authorized by anybody in this council to take a purposely spend that by themselves that they don't need any authorization from the council. An appropriation is not an is a an acknowledgement from the council that you can spend out to $120,000 or 134 whatever it was. Rich, what do you object to? What do you object to? You guys are making trivial like it's just some paper in the office. What do you object to about what was spent for Funfest? I'm not objecting to anything. You're sitting here acting like this piece of paper that they buy in the office is the equivalent of Well, we discussed this already at a service. Yeah, we've discussed this already. I mean, I Okay, that being said,

we're just approve we're approving we're approving the bills. I think everything's been explained. If somebody has a problem with how we add that to another thing to disc I don't think it needs to be discussed, but if we've answered all the question, I'd like to just approve the bills tonight and go from there. There's any more questions about the bills in front of us today? Okay. Can I get a motion to approve the bills? I will motion that we approve the bills um for both uh the monthly EFT and for vising for a total of 1,75,8949. I'll second. Roll call, please. Baldridge. I. Coin. I. McDermott. I. Moy. I. Currin.

Hi. Mate. Approve payroll for January 30th, 2026 in the amount of $63,72518. If there's no additions, corrections, or modifications, can I get a motion to approve the payroll? I'll make a motion to approve the payroll. I'll second. Roll call, please. Waldrich, I. Cullinin, I. McDermott, I. Moy, I. Currin, I. Number nine, old business. Uh, I think we probably should have maybe out of order, I think, presentation, but it's fine. There's no old no old business items anyways. So, uh, we'll move on. Number 10, uh, Kevin Lynman, NCICG presentation. Hi, Kevin. How are you? Good. Thank you.

Here to talk about your your next item on your agenda is your comprehensive plan. You need to pull the the little the there's a little tab. If you just pull it, it's on. It's on. That way people at home can hear you. All right. Thank you, sir.

All right. So, we were hired to review the comprehensive plan with the planning commission last spring. It started in April and we've wrapped it up uh for the public hearing on uh January 14th with the uh planning commission. We reviewed the chapters of demographics, natural hazards, goals, strategies and tasks implementation and in doing that we also made updates to the introduction chap chapter and the executive summary. So those changes would been on the our website and linked to your website since December. Um had the public hearing in January 14th. We had one page of changes made. I believe those were given out. Were they not? Uh

yes, I believe they were in they they were sent in their packet. We should have those. There were minor changes made as a result of the public hearing comments and it's it's here for your approval and answer any questions you may have. Excellent. We'll go there if anybody has any questions. Austin uh not at the moment now. Hillary, is this is this what was in the packet? I didn't see this in the packet. Austin, is this what was in there? I'm not sure. Okay. Is this what you're referencing, Kevin? Okay. I didn't see it in the packet either, but it was it was it was sent earlier to everybody. Oh, okay. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Kevin.

Thank you. Did you have any other questions, Heather? No. No. I'm sorry, Mac. No. What I do, Rich? Nothing. Kevin, I appreciate you guys taking the time. You know, updating the the comprehensive plan. and I know it can be kind of a monumental task and a lot of parts go into it. Uh and it's you know it's a document that we end up using for uh the next foreseeable years when we reference things new businesses and things like that. So I appreciate all your time and effort to uh put it together for us. Thank you.

All right. Uh you certainly can sir commission position. First of all I want to thank the plan commission for the nine months of work put in on the comprehensive plan and I want to I'm a little bit disappointed that we didn't get more public input from people who are interested in moving forward. We didn't get that public input but we worked with what we had and I think the commission did a good job of putting that whole thing together.

Like to thank you Ken. I know Ken uh uh put in his uh resignation from the board. He stuck around for a little while. We're going to probably do something recognizing that at the next meeting. Um I do appreciate that you guys put together a a survey. So I know it can be frustrating not getting the amount of input that you really want. Uh there was a survey that was put out. So there was some uh that comes in for it, but I know we always want more. But I appreciate frustrated results. I appreciate all the efforts. Ken,

uh Mr. Feick, I'd like to ask a question here. Here it says page 12-2 moving of tasks to goals explore the best form of government set up for Oglesby to be moved to its own goal. The page 12-2 addition under new goal continue to educate the citizens of Oglesby on different forms of government. Did you guys add those or I'm going to say that that should be an ongoing thing. We should always be looking how to make the city better and if changing the form of government will do that then that's what we should be looking at but it should be a constant thing. It shouldn't just be something once the shelf and I think should be ongoing

and that's what the commission decided. So incorporation. Yeah. So onethird of your guys' uh suggestions to move the city forward is to change the form of government or even look into changing the form of government and educating the citizens. Okay. What do you mean by one third, Rich? Well, you have six six topics. Those are just changes. These are changes. There's many many more things in the plan. Six. They have six suggestions that'll change. Those were six changes that were as a result of the public hearing. There was many more changes that were made by the planning commission throughout the process that was in the document on the website. Okay. Thanks for clarifying.

As as I said, yeah, it looks like there's up, for example, there's a removal here, develop a dog park because that was a goal that the city developed and and did that. And in the in the la the latest draft that we did, we did not remove that. So that's why we were just clarifying these were final changes that were made once the public draft was put out in end of December. We had the public hearing. There are some things we need to correct. There's conversations, some things that we missed, some things that the planning commission decided we want to change how this looks. Anything else, Ken?

No, I was just going to say that that we did remove those things were no longer pertinent and those things have been accomplished from the 2020 plan. So that's Yep. Appreciate that. Ken, anybody have anything else? I'd like to thank the planning commission and uh thank you, Mr. Physic. All right. Excellent. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Number 11, new business. A discussion and possible action on updated comprehensive plan. Cullinin. Uh yeah. So, I suppose I I didn't really Jen, you placed this on there. I assume that this would be us approving the new comprehensive plan.

Yeah, it's been recommended by the plan commission after months and months of work. Anything else? Mac. Well, like I've said, I appreciate the planning commission. Thank you, Mr. Physic. I'm follow Rich, I do appreciate their time and efforts, but uh I think I will be going with the 678 folks that voted this last election.

Okay. Um no, I just want to say I appreciate it. I know this document a lot of times it gets reviewed. Um we look at it, we we read through it and then a lot of times it doesn't get looked at again. It's used more as a reference, right? We always constantly reference anytime a new business comes in to say, "Does this fall? Yeah. Is there anything okay? Yeah. Oh, sorry. I'm sorry. I just didn't see the website. I I didn't know if I missed an email with the new updated comprehensive plan there. I was asking Austin to put it up. So, yeah. It's I don't see it on the drive. No. Okay. You said it's on the website. Yeah. Where's it on the website? I guess I should ask the question here just to make sure because I'm I think we're going to take the recommendation to approve it. Has everybody had a chance to look at the at the updated documents?

I have not. No, not this entirely. I had not even that's why I was confused. I thought maybe I missed an email. One suggestion would be you take a look at looked at it. I think so. I I mean even though it's the recommendation I the council in my opinion needs to have eyes on it then if that's the case. So I'll make a motion to table it. Okay. There's a second. Go ahead. Hold on. Is there more discussion? Can Jen can you print me a hard copy because I do much better with hard for sure. Not a problem. Okay. Any other discussion? There's a mo motion to the table. Can I get a second? Second. Roll call, please. Baldridge. I Colin. Hi. McDermott. I Moy I. Currin.

I. Okay. Just an administrative thing. Hopefully we'll we'll get that approved at the at the very next one. Hopefully it won't be an issue. Um B discussion on employee record placement. Currin. So I hate to this really should be under old business because we we've talked about this in the past and I thought this was was settled um because we had everybody here in agreeance. Um but then I have found out recently that I don't have everybody in agreeance now that they don't want to have a central repository for employee records. Um I I'm I'm grossly concerned about that. Um to me the only exceptions for that was the police department even though all their pay records are here. Police department has their own thing when it comes to discipline evaluations all that kind of stuff. So there's a there's a spec specified place for that at the police department. Um, the only other secondary thing that could be related is the the qualifications for the ambulance staff apparently get updated so frequently uh to where it might not be feasible to make sure that every time an updated gets gets into their record. I still think that's possible, but my recommendation was as long as their primary C is there and updated CSS. My understanding is I guess the ambulance director needs to send these CSS off to different u either ambulances or hospitals or stuff like that as we transport people. So there is a need for him to have access to to local files. Um I other than that though every other employee in the city I I don't think we can be having discipline records or counselings or certifications or things locally in a drawer somewhere. I think there needs to be under lock and key uh at a central spot to me and I thought we solved that uh but apparently that is not the case. So I wanted to introduce the conversation again so we can get this to bed for once and for all. I'll go around the room.

Commissioner Con.

Yeah. I mean, to my knowledge, uh, I can't really speak to how most other places, most other workplaces handle this sort of thing, but, um, I I'm pretty sure everywhere I've been professionally in education, it's the district office that controls the personnel records. It's not the individual school that controls the records. And so, uh, I believe that I've said, um, that I think whoever has the responsibility to fulfill foyer requests as it relates to employee records should ultimately have access to those employee records if necessary. And frankly, I mean, if there is a foyer request and even if somebody doesn't necessarily want their records being in city hall, city hall is going to get their records. uh it's going to happen because unless you want to have a different foyer authority for every department that's that's how it's going to have to be. So that's my two cents.

Okay, Hillary.

Okay. Well, there's a couple things that I'm a little concerned about. First of all, ambulance specific I'm going to speak only to my departments because I don't know what goes on in other departments, but specifically ambulance is 24 hours staffed. So, in the event that someone needs to document something in their personnel file on the weekend or in the middle of the night because there was an incident, they can't get into city hall. Secondly, if there was a fatality or some kind of OSHA involved thing that happens in the ambulance, they're going to have to have access to those records immediately and unless someone from city hall is going to come and unlock it two in the morning because OSHA decided to show up or on a holiday or for weekends, etc. Um, as far as foyer, I would feel uncomfortable if someone foyed some kind of personnel records for the ambulance for their qualifications, etc. without the director weighing in and what you're looking at because that is his purview. It is his knowledge. It is I don't think anyone I'm not trained to be able to say what a paramedic requires. I don't think anyone in the clerk's office knows all the certifications required, etc. Um, so those are the big things. And as far as lock and key, there is lock and key at the fire department.

Okay. Anything else, Matt?

Well, everybody could have a lock and key as far as being for I agree with Hillary. Um, my question would be how many people would have access to these files? I mean, would it be open for all the commissioners and the mayor and everybody here or who know? I don't think somebody needs their personal files going through. Hey, look, this guy was recommended to stop doing this. They had a ride up. This one had this. I don't think we're all commissioners. We're all grown adults. even the people that were working for the city. I don't think we need everybody in the council to go and look and see who's got written who got trouble for this or whatever. That's just my if you I understand lock and key. Okay. And I agree with it. But you got you can't just let everyone go in and look at it. Rich,

I concur with Commissioner McDeran. That's it. Okay, that' be my

So, to answer your question, um, who has access to employee records? Well, the clerk's office in that capacity. And if the council needs to make decisions on employees that they would have access to, I I I mean I when you say discipline records, I mean we talked about this and you know why I don't want to divulge close session type stuff. We've we've talked about this in the past that there there has been um employees not in this administration in the previous administration that were protected um and the council was unaware of some of these employees shortcomings and we talked about that as that's why it's important for the council to have oversight over that kind of stuff. So, I I I don't understand why it'd be somebody would think it would be a good idea for if somebody had a counseling on them or or their certification or stuff, why it'd be stuck in a drawer uh not in a central location. I mean, I don't even know why we're having this conversation. Um, but I mean, it's I don't know. Pat, do you have any guidance or recommendation when it comes to employee records? It's legal from a legal standpoint. I suppose

well I I've never researched it Jason but my off-the cuff opinion is they should be stored in a secure location in a central location if at all possible. Um you know some of those things Hillary could be scanned I think and you know available both here and there. I I don't know. Maybe those records are so sensitive or there's such an immediate need for them that they should be kept down there, but certainly everything in the clerk's office should be secured under lock and key for all the other employees. And I think all of you have a right to look at those. I mean, you're the employers here. You have a right to look at those records every day if you want to. Um the mayor and all the council members and if there's disciplinary things in their map, they can be foyed that that can be made public. Mhm.

So, you know, there's no sense in hiding them. They're employee records and they're discoverable. Anybody has anything else?

Yeah, I uh as far as Well, there's two points that Hillary made. I'll start with the second one. The director uh having kind of input on a foyer. Um I I don't think that it's bad practice. I think it's actually probably a good practice if there is a foyer request filed for something like that for the city clerk to reach out to the commissioner it would affect and maybe the department head it would affect and say hey this is kind of what came in you know making you aware of it you know what's kind of the deal here and get on the same page with it. I I think that's even better than frankly um you know what we have now which is where we just you know well I don't even want to say what we have now because Jen's consulted me on when foyers have come in but I I know that we have on our list of things we want for the meeting packets we have foyer requests I actually think it would probably be more proactive and it would be a better idea for when a foyer request does come in that foyer request is shared with the uh applicable commissioner and applicable department heads and then that discussion can be had And so I think that would alleviate that concern. Um the other thing I would say as far as um yeah getting into city hall at any hours I mean I mean if there in case of an emergency you know if the code needed to be provided to somebody to go in the city hall into the office and get those. I mean, you could do that, but I I honestly think what Pat said probably is the best idea, which is just that you would have copies available of those in both locations. Uh, but you just have a central repository of that information as well. So, I I think that solves those two issues. Um, and I would also I I don't necessarily think it's good practice for any of us to be willy-nilly going combing through employee records. Um, but I I would I would echo what you kind of said and that I do think that we

all have the rights to inspect any records at any time if we so wish. You absolutely do. Yeah. As far as I I don't know what somebody would need an emergency record for other than like a certification. So to me certifications if they need to have the copies of those locally someplace that's fine but there needs to be a central repository. You we can't have discipline especially if there's something that's foable. Anything that's foyable needs to be in a a central location. I mean, we have FOYA officers. FOY officers need to have access to those records. Simple as that. I mean, go ahead. Well, I guess it was my turn. It kind of went back to you. Okay. Well, it's open, but go ahead.

But I mean, in the case of a FOYA, we've been operating this way all this time. Why? What is prompted the change? This is what I'm trying to figure out is I mean the ambulance director did say there was a foyer and it was he was reached out the foyer was completed. Not a big deal. I mean it wasn't about personnel records but No. Have we been operating this way all this time? I mean maybe the ambulance has. I don't necessarily think that all the other city departments have been though. I don't think that's the case. Uh and so I I think something's changed but it's I'm not sure. It's not on our end. So, um I I don't know what that is, though.

The other comment I wanted to make is the clerk's office is an administrative recordkeeping office. Yes, they have all of the records required to do their functions, payroll, make sure insurance, that they're they're licensed, and all of that kind of stuff, but they're not HR. They Why would they not be? Who Who is HR then? Well, I think it would go back to the commissioner for their specific department. I mean, I would say as far as discipline's concerned, yeah, I think it would go to the commissioner for their department, but I mean, you could say a component of HR is processing payroll, and they do that. So, I mean, they do perform some components of what typically you consider to be HR. So,

is there anyone here trained in HR or we just uh pick that up and go with it, too? I I think uh I I think uh we've kind of had this discussion or I think uh former city clerk Kleiner uh sat up there the one day and spoke uh and said uh none of us up here are really qualified to do any of the jobs that we do. Well, that wasn't my question, Austin. Not at all. I just think if you want to go that far, but Well, you can think that all you want, but my question was, is anybody up here certified to be in anything at HR? Acting like someone is, but they're not. So, we just shouldn't have anybody do HR related. So you're saying I'm not making the suggestion. So you're saying if nobody is trained,

therefore there should not be a central rep. I don't I'm trying to understand your logic on that. You're saying if nobody has training in it, therefore there should not be a central location where HR records are kept.

I was trying not to go into this one, but what I see as a problem here, Jason, is if you'll recall back to about I think uh August of 2023, there was an incident that occurred in one of my departments where someone was disciplined. Um, within a couple weeks, uh, not only was that information leaked, but we had a resident come up to the podium here and and call out that person and me tried to at that time. And I believe the information came from HR, who at the time was you, and that's who I told that information to. So, that's one of the reasons that I just don't see a central location here being of any good. August of 2023, first of all, right around there. Yeah. I don't know what you're referring to, but it sounds like you're insinuating that I somehow

No, you did. I You want me to get into it further? I'll tell you. Yeah, please go ahead. When Dom came up here and said that I I got uh what what is it? Harassed or I got uh I backed down or whatever whatever it was. He came up here and said about the incident, which was false as well because the incident did stay on their file for one year. Well, Rich, you voiced your concern to me before about people leaking stuff out of close session and and it happened again. Well, yeah. And you and you said it wasn't even myself or the mayor. You said it was one of the other people sitting up here. And so well, the mayor said in the last section,

so I'm I'm just saying I mean we seem to have an issue I would even say it's necessarily an HR thing. I would say we seem to have an issue with uh um uh loose lips in close session. So I would agree like the 90% deal. Yeah. Remember that one? Oh, I think there was a lot of loose lips. I agree with you totally. Okay. So, what is it that we've done before that we want to change? Exactly. I think we need to go back to having a central repository for all employee records. I I don't know. I don't know why that's complicated. I mean, anything that's foyable. Um I mean, we've had employees try to go get their records from the clerks. The reason this is coming up, I think that was one of your questions actually. Yes.

Why one of this came up is, you know, I I found out that the records are not being kept at city hall anymore. Uh an employee came in, wanted his his certification records. uh and they didn't have it here. So then they go, it says, "Oh, it's maintained at the at the department." And they go to the department, nobody can find them. Why can nobody find them? To me, that shouldn't have been the case. It should have been the records are here. They go to city hall. So that way city hall I I think it'd be much more responsible that somebody goes to the clerk's office and say, "Why is that why is that piece of paper not in the clerk's uh purview? Your job is to have control of it." Well, if they never got it, they never got it. So to me that's that's why this is that's where this is coming from.

That's what started it. And then I found out that that people's disciplinary things that were being done on people are not making their way to city hall. They're being held in somebody's drawer down there without even the employees knowledge. I'm like, "Oh my god, we can't be doing this." I would also ask too, and I I I this is partially my fault to be entirely honest because uh when we went to hire um two part-time girls and we went to hire a Jen on the job application, I had listed submit applications to either my email or Jason's email or whoever's emails uh as opposed to one central repository which would be the clerk's office. The other thing, and I have mentioned this before too, but this is a concern for me. I know that we had um a streets department position that we had posted for and I know that we had a building maintenance position that we had posted for. Are those job applications and those materials which are public record being stored uh in your departments?

They're being stored on the news tribune site. As far as I know, what I mean the materials you received resumes? received uh one one resume. And so we're keeping those. Yeah. We're keeping them in your department. We're not not in city hall. Correct. Was anybody in city hall hiring them? Was there any need for someone to have possession of it? No, I'm just I just had it get lost or just so we're all on the same page because those items are the ambulance already storing their applicants in city hall. So that's the only applicant I got recently I gave to city hall. Okay. Wait. So we're storing ambulance After they hire, they put all of them. They give them to the But they get turned into the ambulance. Yes. Okay.

Or I don't I'm not even sure. They may be turned into here. I'm sure if one showed up here, they're going to call them and say, "Here you go." Yeah. Uh I don't think that's a bad policy. I I think turning it into the to the department head and then submitting the materials afterwards to to city hall so they have those if they need them is probably good policy. Okay. Uh is there any other discussion on this topic? I feel like we keep beating the same one to death. I we do I will sum it up and then I will say that I I do think we should have a central repository for these things but I I agree that the the vibe in the room is uh contrary to that. So okay I don't have a problem with having a central location. I have a problem with uh everybody walking in and looking at other people's files. If what's your definition of everybody?

Who's everyone? Everybody on the council. Well, I mean, okay, the the attorney just told you that everybody on the council has that capability, legal right, and authority to do so if they wanted to. If that's your I agree when you say everybody, you're right. Not all employees need to have access to other employees records. 100% 100% agree with that. But if your concern is the council, like you just said, that is the legal right of the council, the management to be able to look at that and make determinations. And as I've said before, there has been problems in the past because that wasn't followed um where where other commissioners did not know about things going on with certain employees and it allowed problems to continue.

How did it go from one to the other to begin with? What was the reasoning for that? What do you mean one to the other? Okay. Apparently, you're saying that one time it was at city clerk's office, then it went to each department. Why did it end up going to each department? I think that's a question for members of this council. That's that's a great question because I don't know. That's that's when it became apparent to me that we did not have all the records at city hall. I thought we did and then I found out that discipline reports on people are being not held here as well. So that's a problem. Does that make sense? Yeah. Having executive and legislative oversight of my departments. I don't feel that they need to be shared with the uh community.

I mean discipline. Do we we share everybody's discipline? Yeah, that's exactly what'll happen. Just like it happened before. And then loose lips sink ships. Okay. I I I don't I mean I mean I don't have a problem. I don't know who has the ultimate authority. As far as I know, it's the majority vote. Uh unless there's a different I don't even know if there's a higher authority than what the council wants to do. So I don't think there is, Jason.

So that means if the majority wants to do what you want with the records, I think the majority has the right to do what they want with the records. I just I I don't know, Pat. I mean, maybe this isn't a question for you. Maybe this is more of an HR question, but I guess maybe I'll seek a legal perspective on it. Um, but have you ever heard of uh there being maybe a system in place where when somebody's record is accessed, let's say, I mean maybe stored physically, but let's say stored digitally because that'll be that's easier to do. if it was stored digitally and somebody's uh employee personnel file is accessed that there is like an audit log that shows that this person pulled this record at this date. So there is some sort of accountability.

I think it's a great idea. Okay. So that could solve that potential issue. Sounds similar to my suggestion for the uh closed session meeting minutes. Interesting. Yeah, I guess that that probably would be a long as long as they're secured. I have no problem if you want to create an audit file of who had access to something. But I wouldn't put them on the cloud though, I guess, is what I'm saying. They would have to be in a in in city hall itself. So, but they're still in city hall. Yeah. And they should be accessed during business hours. Okay. I think it's important that they be stored in a central repository primarily because of the affordable nature of them all. Yeah, I would agree. Okay. Okay. Um well

so then can we uh that's people's thoughts and that's what the attorney's recommendation is but again the council has the ultimate authority of what they want to do with that I suppose unless we somehow hear from a higher level authority that changes that which I don't know who that is. So what's the council want to do? Is there a motion to keep it at city hall? There isn't even a action on there. It says well yeah I guess it's a discussion. So I let me know do do we need to make this a motion at the next meeting or is this is this a dead issue because I say can I make a motion to close the discussion. There you go. Second. Well, everybody has to have the opportunity that they've spoke on it. Everybody has. So there's a motion to close the discussion. Is there a second? Second. Roll call to close the discussion. Uh Baldrich I.

Colin. Hi. McDermott. Hi. Moy. Hi. Curran. I. And since discussion is closed and there's no action, we move on. See, discussion and possible action on special use permit for body art studio. Cullinin. Okay. Yeah. So again, um I don't know Pat, if you want to speak to this real quickly and then I'll give my two cents on it.

Well, um so the plan commission met, what date was it? the 28th, I guess, just this past week to entertain a request for a special use permit that was filed by a gentleman who indicate an address down the block here um and gave us a legal description for that address. Their application at the top says an owner. At the bottom it says an owner. But the question became, is it the owner of the business or the owner of the building who needs to be involved in that? And it was so unclear that we decided that he could move forward particularly if he allowed the owner of the building to co-sign the application for him.

And S has come in and signed. He has come in. Yeah, I came in the next day.

There was some confusion about the address because the building has two different addresses. I think one was 114, one was 116. He I think he put 114 on his application, but he really is want going to want to use the space at 116. I really thought that was a dimminimous problem because everybody was aware of what the legal description was and essentially where the property was and nobody showed up and even talked about it or complained. So, at the conclusion of the hearing, um the plan commission unan unanimously agreed to recommend that the council approved the special use permit for the body out studio at what is going to be 116 uh West Walman Street in Ogal Street.

Okay. Uh yeah. So, as far as I'm concerned on this, um, I mean, I I first of all, uh, I want to thank the plan commission for the work that they do,

um, and for being there for that plan commission meeting. Um, but as I was sitting in that plan commission meeting, I kind of just wondered why this was even why a body art studio would even require a special use permit for an area zoned. I think it would be B1 downtown commercial district. I have it circled right there. It just kind of seemed odd to me that they would have to kind of come in front of the planning commission and kind of do a song and dance in order to, you know, uh, ultimately get their business off the ground. Um,

yeah. Well, I can tell you that that all comes out of your land development code. Yeah. Lots of work went into approving the code and deciding what needed a special use permit in any given district. And that's what it says.

Yeah. And so I had that here. This is going to be messed up formatting wise though because it's on my phone. So, let me flip it. But I saw that. Uh, and so this is uh, so B1 is what it's zoned. And so just to go down to commercial uses, I'm going to lose B1. So B1 is that row right there. So I'm just going to put my finger over it. So B1, uh, so a college or university would require a special use permit. I don't anticipate any of those suddenly popping up. Um, a hospital. Don't anticipate that happening. A place of public assembly. I'd be very curious as to know what that would even exactly be. A post office, public safety services, a religious assembly. I thought that was kind of interesting that something like that would require a special use permit. Um, but anyway, social club or lodge. Um, so I assume something um like the Elks or the Masons or whatever if they wanted to be in that space would require a special use permit. Um, scrolling down, um, art gallery would require a special use permit. Again, not exactly sure why. A pawn shop, maybe I can see body art services, though, was under here. And and I just I mean I just kind of felt bad that the plan commission members even had to be there to discuss that because I mean it was just really it was just kind of the more so and and I think it's great to obviously know what kind of business is coming to town and what they're going to offer and what their what their business plan looks like and so forth and so on, but I I don't know. I just I found the that that in particular kind of unnecessary as I was sitting there. And so I don't know. Um, I don't I guess I just wanted to kind of spark a larger conversation as to what we should and shouldn't require a special use permit for. Um, anything denoted as P on here though, uh, you

don't need a special use permit for. So, like for instance, um, a restaurant or a tavern wouldn't require a special use permit. And so, I know that one of the things that was discussed was like parking. Um, and you know, honestly, I envision a lot less parking at a at a tattoo studio than I would probably a tavern or a bar, which wouldn't require a a special use permit. So, I don't know. I just I found that kind of interesting and I'm I'm totally for this. Um, but I just like again, just sitting at that meeting, it was just kind of like I I didn't really understand the purpose of it, but I will um

and Austin, I don't know because I I wasn't here then. And you know, Ken may be able to provide some insight as to why they did that. But for instance, you may not want it right next to a funeral home or you may not want it right next to a school. There are things in this district that you might not want to have a pawn shop or a body art studio right next to because they seem to be incompatible businesses in the same block. But I think that's probably the reason it's there. Ken, isn't it? If I may, number one, you're talking about revising the plan. That's a separate issue. Yeah. That's not that's not even this right now. Yeah. Right now the issue is whether or not the recommendation that we made as a bank commission would be your council and it requires a special permit.

Yep. Under what was done when we did the land development code a couple years ago. Now there was a situation with the body arts thinking that it was kind of a sleazy business. Yeah. And I think and I don't remember all the discussion that took place five years ago or six years ago but I think in my opinion part of it was the clientele that might come would would be would have to be discussed. You know is it really what you want

and and you know from our discussion recently with the with the body art guys coming in I think this is going to be great provide more business downtown. That's what you want. you want traffic and it's it's really an art now as opposed to the old tattoo you know that we used to think about Captain Yeah. So but the issue of re of revising that is a text amendment. Yeah. And that requires somebody to say I want you to go back and look at this text and here's what I want you to look at and that's up to the plan commission to review that. Sure. I think that's a separate issue. Sure.

And I think some of it can may boil down to the operator of the business too. You know, these people seem to be on top of their game. They have all their medical certifications. They keep, you know, IDs on all the people to ensure that everybody is over the required age limit. Those were questions that came up in that hearing. Uh, and they seem to answer them appropriately. I'm not sure the decision would have been the same if they weren't getting the correct answers that they wanted. My problem with that absolutely is that once you say, "Okay, we're going to allow this business," that's done. So the next guy can come in. So you don't know who the next guy is going to be

or who very satisfied with with the presentation made by the fell. He has he has tattoo parlors or body art shops in Bloomington, one in Peru, and apparently there's no problem. Yeah. So, yeah, I think Ken

Ken is right. It's it's a separate issue. But what I would just say, I think it might be worth looking at what we require special use permits. What we require special use permits for and then um well, maybe having the plan commission do that because I I just thought that was kind of odd. But like you said, um, Ken, it I know like I know tattoos the the social acceptance of them today is much different than it even was 5 years ago. Uh, and so I'm not even a tattoo guy myself, so I didn't think I'd be sitting up here defending, you know, uh, body art studios, but I just I thought it was I thought it was just kind of interesting that they had to come in there and and do that. I um I and maybe a little bit unnecessary, but um I fully supportive of it and I will vote to accept the plan commission's recommendation.

Great. Um I also really am excited for this business coming. I do have some questions though because the application did say it required a deed. I didn't see it was a deed turned in. It says legal subscription and attached deed. Yeah, I didn't ever see a deed. I looked up the property myself, Hillary, but I

Yeah, I thought about looking I thought about looking it up at work. That's why I thought about looking it up at work, but I was like that really opens a can of worms because I don't feel like the council should be filling out the application for him. But I I want to feel really good about this and these are what my concerns are is because it was listed as the wrong address. The public hearing was the wrong address. I would hate for him to be fully established, have a great business, and then someone comes in and says, "I don't want him to have it." And throw a fit. Now we have to retract the special use permit because it wasn't completed correctly in the first place and then we have to go through the process. So I guess that's my recommend I'm going to ask Pat do you foresee I mean let's just say there is someone who comes in and says now I'm unhappy with how the process was done because it was not done correctly.

I think the problems are dimminimous. I' I've said that before in this conversation. I don't have any problems with it. Okay. My other you mentioned conditions with the health department and everything like that and I don't think it's unusual to attach conditions to the approval of the special use permit. So that way if it does vacate the next one comes in. Is there some language that we could add to it? You can add anything you want. But there is no requirement that they be approved by the health department. I mean that's what I'm saying is can we add language like that to include that? But I mean the health rules don't require that they approve body art studio. So the South County Health Department won't come in and do that. Right. But

it's just not on their radar because it's not something they have control over, right? But for our for us, can we include the language that we would like an establishment to be approved by the the public health department like you you can't be specific? No. Because the public health department's not charged with the administration of body art studios. Okay. They have no authority to do that. And if you call them, they're going to say, "Sorry, we don't do that." Just so I can understand your qu is your concern I'll wait till I get around to me but is your concern the uh if if if the business would close and somebody else would want to come in and you're like hey we can we put any kind of conditions on there that would make the process start over for the next person who maybe wants to put a Let me ask that because I know for restaurants

I don't think so because I think the special use permit is location specific. Okay. It's not you know operator specific. What happens if they close for a certain period of time? Do they have six months? So if it's closed for six months, then they'd have to reapply for special use again. But if the business because I know for bars, this this is why this comes up is because once you issue them a license, if that bar were to resell to somebody, they have the right as long as they qualify for all the uh background checks to maintain that license, I think. So is that what you're saying? So So let's say if we approve this guy and another person comes in, sells the business, they're automatically approved. Is that what you're saying? a body art studio. A body art. But if it's vacant for six months or more, then they have to go through the process. Start the process. Answer your question.

Yes. Okay. Anything else? Matt, I'm all for it as long as all the paperwork is signed and correct. Okay. Okay, Rich. No questions. Okay. Um, my only thing is I make one more comment about this. You Ken, you will be able to make any comment you ever want anytime ever because of you. Go ahead. uh just the the motion that we made addressed all these issues of the address change of the owner and the application being formed. So what we what our motion said was to approve the special use permit subject to the uh order coming in sign the deed information all being cleared and the address being

changed on the application correct all in the motion. So we address those issues as we Yes sir. Thank you.

So thank you. I was going to touch on that. There was a, you know, I'm always appreciative when a board comes together and they ask good questions. So, one thing I understand what you're saying. It felt like maybe why does this need to have a special use? But if you if you look at the things that uh that our attorney said here, I I think there's a reason behind it of why something could have a special use. And it's because you give the opportunity for your planning commission to ask questions about things. And I didn't have a problem with any specific question they asked. Um, I mean, because they all have their merit a little bit because there if there's a concern about the address, which again, the address wasn't wrong. It was just the way it's displayed, I guess, because of

Well, it was wrong. It was It said 214 and it's 216 or 114 and it's 160, but it's both there, right? That's the problem. It's and it's all one legal description for the whole piece of property. So,

so technically the one that would be on the side of where that is, that's that's So, that's why they did that. So, I don't look at that as wrong. It's just not well I guess it's it's not annotated properly, but I mean the legal description did have that address. Um but my point is I I do think there's value in having this and and what you might not know is and I haven't even seen what the land development code was before it got completely revamped. Um so there's a lot of things that got cleaned up in that process. Is there things I'm sure that could be better? I'm sure I'm sure there are. I think the perception over I don't know about five years but 20 or 40 years ago the perception on body art studios and tattoos is significantly different nowadays than it was then. Is that one item that they were to revamp

the the if they were to revamp the entire thing is that one that could possibly be looked at change. Sure. I don't know if we want to necessarily do a text amendment for that one kind of thing.

No, not at all. I can't imagine that we're going to get five more tattoo shops. But my point is, I'm sure there's lots of things like that and I think that's why and I have no idea how many how many years the problem went on before they decided to revamp the entire land development code. So I think something like that could happen. So you never know in 10 years from now maybe there'll be seven more items on there that probably should have been modified and then they'll revamp the whole thing again. So again, I don't have a problem with any of the individual questions that were asked because I think they all have their own merit. The thing I do agree with you on, Austin, is I think there was probably just too many of those questions. Um, and it and it can be daunting in front of a um a potential business owner. Again, nothing wrong with the questions because like you said, if if this tattoo parlor was going in right next to uh the school or let's say we're talking about another controversial what's like the most controversial business I can think of would be like a strip club coming into town. If a strip club were to come wanted to come into town, I would hope that plan commission would be asking a lot of questions. A lot of questions. Um, you know, before I I mean, if if if I saw something come across the uh the council chambers here with a recommendation to accept that, I'm going to be like, I need to look at these minutes what kind of questions they ask because that's kind of crazy. So, again, I think it's great. Uh, also to note, which I thought was funny, you know, because apparently I am a huge tattoo guy. I have a total whopping one. Oddly enough, I did not know this, but apparently that owner owns the same place in Peru that I actually had my tattoo done. So, um I don't know what he's going to operate here necessarily, but that I felt very comfortable with that tattoo parlor there. So, I think he runs a clean and good business. Um so, I'm I'm looking forward to it. Um okay, that's all I got to say about it. Anybody else want to go around the room? Anything else? I just want to be clear like Pat, you don't foresee there going to be a problem where we're going to shut down his business because somebody becomes unhappy because I would hate to do that to a business.

No, Hillary at all. Okay. But if it were to be vacated for 6 months or closed, then they would have to reopen under a new same thing. Okay. Anybody have anything else? Well, this guy quits, somebody else comes in there, he's automatically approved also. So saying that problem exists with that problem exists with all of our bars and taverns right now. technically, right? We approve somebody for that and once they're approved, you could get somebody in that legally purchases that and if they pass the background check, they're they're the new owner. Long as everybody's aware of that.

Well, Pat, just a question for you just administratively, and this doesn't necessarily tie to title this, but it ties to the process. Um, Hillary had mentioned something about um a deed and a deed not being attached. Uh is there as part of this process is somebody required to submit a deed? Uh yes they are and it should be the zoning administrator who looks at the application and determines whether all that stuff has been there and in this particular case you don't have a zoning administrator and I'd suggest you take that task at hand and appoint well that might be another well maybe another unfair question to loft on you right now but

we don't have a zoning administrator I would like to have a zoning administrator but in the absence of a zoning administrator Who's the zoning administrator? I don't know. You know, there's been some conversation about whether it's Jason, whether it's the clerk, whether it's you as the head of the clerk's office. I I don't know. I've never looked into it. If you want me to look into it, I can. But I'd suggest you get to the task at hand and appoint a zoning administrator. I I would agree with that. So, should we because this particular part of the code says the application shall be turned into the zoning administrator and you don't have one. So, it begs a lot of questions. Yeah. Well,

I'm operating under the assumption that whatever office we don't have, there's a provision in state statute and our ordinances that says the mayor temporarily does that while it's vacant. So, I look at it this way. It doesn't mean I'm just going to approve anything, but if it looks like it matches the the requirements, did they do we have a deed in in there? And I I believe Pat, you had looked it up and saw. So, yeah. Okay. That's why I found the owner's name. Yep. Well, okay. Um I will suggest that maybe uh we have employment compensation discipline on the close session agenda. I will suggest that we talk about that in close session. So,

okay. All right. So, there's no other further discussion on this. The recommendation was a positive one to approve the uh special use permit. I know trying to go back to what Ken is focus on what the actual agenda item is. So, if there's no other uh questions or concerns, if we can get a motion to approve the special use permit. Motion to approve special use permit. I'll second that motion. Roll call, please. Baldridge. Hi. Cullinin. Hi. McDermott. Hi. Moy. I. Currin. Hi. D. Discussion and possible action forming 125th celebration committee recommended by the plan commission. Cullinin.

Okay. So, I was at the planning commission meeting and we have the 125th uh anniversary of Oglesby coming up. I believe it's next year. Is that correct?

Yes. Um, so 2027. And so I I do recall from the plan commission meeting that there was a suggestion of forming um a committee to um basically put some sort of a celebration together to commemorate uh the 125th um uh anniversary of the incorporation of the city of Ogulby. And Ken, I believe it's would it be our incorporation is Portland? Um, and then because I know there's the whole thing about the post office, right? We were we the post dissertation. Yes, it was incorporated in 1902 as the city of Portland.

Okay. So, there you go. Um, so I guess we kind of have to discuss and uh discuss the merits of this and if we do think it has merit um maybe come up with a uh suggestion as to who should be on this committee. So, I'm open to whatever anybody has to say. Okay. Hillary, I guess when you say form of celebration, are you looking like an event like bigger than Funfest or coming in at the same time simultaneously with Funfest? I don't think there was a clear consensus at the planning commission meeting as to what exactly it would constitute. So, I mean, I think that's kind of up to whoever the event committee is to kind of okay piece that together with direction from the council.

Okay. Well, I would I would be okay with an event committee or a celebration committee. um formed. I would I don't know how many are you thinking. I guess I have answers. I have answers on that. Okay. Because I have what the last one was. So, okay. Go ahead. I'm all for it. Go ahead. Rich. You got anything? Just wait to hear your answers. Okay. Um so, back in uh 2002, um Oglesby had a committee put together that they had great celebration and they also made this wonderful product. Uh, if you haven't seen it before, uh, I want to say there was 750 created. Is that correct? 500 initially and then another 250. Is that correct or do I have that number wrong?

I don't know. We were able to donate $12,000 to the library as a result of the sales. So, for those that don't have never seen this book there's I think there's at least there might be two at the library. It's a beautiful book. It's a wonderful book. It's has the history of the entire uh city from 1902 of when they were created as as Portland um and all the details there. Um and there was a committee that was put together for it. Um the suggestion is that we have a committee kind of put together because it's Yes sir. Yes sir. That was completely separate that was separate from this wasn't in the same comm. This wasn't done at the same committee.

That was that book was put together by the historical society. They don't exist anymore though. Let me ask you how how far in advance was this book planned? Three years. If you're thinking about a book, my suggestion is the other book that we put together. Yes. Which was 100 years a smaller one but uh everything's in there. You don't have to repeat stuff that's in there. All you have to do is pick up the last 25 years. Correct. So you don't to have that that extensive then you won't get it by next year. Yeah.

So the point was there there was a committee that that also put together I think it covered 25 years. Is that correct? Yeah.

Covered 25 years. So I think it would be a great idea to have a committee that can do both right that can come that can come up with the the celebration maybe look into the idea if we want to put together something for creating an addendum for it. I mean it's such a great product to have. Um, there is a digital version still available for this. I don't know if there could ever be reprints or maybe we just be looking at just the addendum one. Whatever it is, um, the time was December of 1902. So that means by December of 19, sorry, December of 2027 will be 125 years. So that is about 7 months into the next administration. And if it took three years to put this book together, granted times move a little quicker now, but still I I think we need to get some lead time into that. So getting a committee together, I'd like for either the the event to be planned or whatever if they decided to do some kind of materials for whatever that they would have 90% of that already all figured out by the ne the next administration coming here. So that way they're not starting blind. And I think that we have to do that. My understanding uh Ken for the last celebration was there was a total of five people. There are still some people around that were on that committee. I would like to not only create a five-person committee for this, but I'd like to see if I can get at least one person be somebody that was on that original committee just so they can have some experience of what they all saw, what they did, and then for uh new people that obviously have a lot of energy to be able to get something like this done in, you know, really less than two years. So, um that's kind of all I got on it. Yes, ma'am. Uh during the committee meeting, I know that there was some ideas of possibly having maybe a business uh somebody from a business do it, somebody from a nonforprofit also be a part of that. Um I I personally think it'd be probably a good idea to have one of our event planners, at least one of our event planners on there to help with it. So that's I just was something that was brought up at the meeting.

Absolutely. And one of the things we discussed is because we found out uh Pat, if you remember, when we were trying to put together the uh the insurance committee, we found out that we really were not allowed to make an ad hoc committee. So, that's why I wanted to get this on here. Uh, I'd like to be able to direct uh Pat to create this uh an ordinance for it that will allow us to do this and that way we can establish the board uh next meeting and then we can we can look to fill uh people whether that's next meeting or the meeting after that. So, that way they have the maximum lead time to be looking at what they want to do and come up with suggestions to the council. So, that's kind of my thought.

It's going to take time to put together things like a parade or any events that you might want. leading up to the uh the actual celebration whether you merge it with funfest or not that's you know that's a question but you know but it's going to take you got to get moving now can I can I ask when was the last celebration at the 100 year when was it was it done in December of 20 it was done in the middle of the summer so was it the year after was it 100 and a half or was it just before 100 we ate the six months we ate the I love it okay thank you kid. All right. Any other comments on any of this here? I'm good.

So, that'd be my recommendation. We create a fivep person board, direct uh Pat to uh uh create the ordinance for it. Uh we'll get it on the books, and then we'll go from there. Okay. I'll motion uh that we direct the city attorney to um create um or create an ordinance that creates a 125th uh celebration committee as recommended. I commission roll. Roll call, please. Baldrich, I. Colin, I McDermott. Hi. Moy. Hi. Curran.

Hi. E. Uh, discussion and possible action on whale raffle license application. Current. Not sure why it's attributed to me, but it's all good. So, um, we are Oglesby does a lot of fantastic things uh for the city. Um, they they have their fundraising events obviously. So, this is just a way to approve that so they can run their different fundraising events uh throughout the uh year. I don't know if anybody has any comments on that at all. Go around the room. No comment. No, Mac. No comment. Rich? No. Okay. Um, if we can get a motion to approve the we are Oglesby raffle license. I'll motion that we approve uh the we are Oglesby raffle license application. I'll second that motion. Roll call, please. Uh, Baldridge. Hi. Coin. I.

McDermott. I moy. I Currin. Hi. Number 12. Public comment on any topic. Seeing there's none, we'll move on. Number 13, commissioner reports. Commissioner Cullinin.

Okay. I just have three things tonight. Uh first of all, uh Jen mentioned this to me uh before the meeting and I had kind of forgotten about it, but it's it's no small feat, so I I want to give her kudos. Um in the back uh in in the clerk's office, we have kind of a closet where we store there's there's some crazy old stuff we store in there. Speaking of um the history of we are old, uh there's like an ordinance book back there from the time that we were Portland. Uh so there's all sorts of records, all sorts of documentation back there. And uh to be entirely honest, uh uh it was kind of kind of it's been a wreck for a while. Uh and so uh the other day, um they were like, "Hey, Austin, uh go back in the records closet and take a look in there and see what you think." And so I went in there and I walked out and I said, what changed. Uh and so uh but no, it was it was a very big improvement. Um just as far as reorganization is concerned and speaking of those old ordinance books um one of the issues uh sometimes we have to consult old ordinances um just we have to do a lot of backtracking uh to figure out kind of where we are. Um, and so, um, one of the things that we had talked about, and, uh, one of the things I'm looking into at the moment is digitizing a lot of those old ordinance books, um, because I mean the Portland one is kind of falling apart. Um, but it not only for longevity, but but also just so they're more easily navigable um, for the people who work in the clerk's office. So, there's that. Uh the second thing um I had made a Facebook post about this on our city Facebook page uh but we rolled out um our code violation form or I think it's like property maintenance form or something property

complaint form or something like that. Um and so far we have eight entries uh four of which have been automatic uh meaning that somebody online has submitted them. Um, we appreciate the assistance from the public um in making us aware of some of the issues that have been submitted. Um, I talked with Burton uh and the girls in city hall today about how to approach some of the issues um that are being complained about and we think we have a pretty uh pretty good solid footing uh from which to address them. So um there's that. Uh, and then the last thing, um, I've talked about this before as well, but we've, uh, I sat down with Connecting Point, I think it was last week, and we've been kind of back and forth on trying to get a date set up to transition us to Office 365. From what they told me, uh, it is something very common in the public sector. Uh, Peru uses that, IVRD uses it, and and there's just a number of things, quality of life, that will make things so much easier for us. Um, one of the things, um, is very present in the whole property maintenance thing that we're doing. Um, we have Microsoft forms which allows people to submit forms. Uh, it can be for anything. In this case, it's uh, for property issues. So, they can submit those to forms. Uh, there's an automation tool, I mentioned this before, called Power Automate that can then send it and and populate everything into an Excel spreadsheet. And then um in that Excel spreadsheet, it's a collaborative document. You can share it with other people throughout the city. Uh and so everybody in the clerk's office has edit access to it. Uh Chief Margus has edit access to it. Um um our building inspector Burton has edit access to it. And it's just a really So far I I think it's actually I think it's

going pretty good. Um, but it's it's just so nice to have things like that that would allow us to all be on the same page. Same thing with the building permits. I think it will be really nice. There's some other tools in there as well. Um, I have asked Connecting Point as far as licenses are concerned to ensure that each department head and each commissioner uh has u an actual um license to use all of the Office 365 apps. Um, and we have to pay for this yearly. Um, but what I will say is, um, I I hope that people can find some use for it because I think in the limited time I've used it, it's been very very useful. And we don't use Microsoft at my job. We use G Suite, which is the Google version. Um, but I know that's indispensable um, really when it comes to getting my work done at my full-time job. So, I think it will smooth a lot of things out around here as far as um communication and um stuff of that nature. So, um but that's all I have for tonight. Um I did talk to Point tonight though. Uh they called me about 4 o'clock and we're actually, just so the council's aware, uh we're actually there's some scheduling issues and so we're actually going to push it back to March now after the March city council meeting. But that's all I have for tonight.

Okay. I forgot about the uh the the thing you put online. I really appreciate that. Thank you. Good. Good movement to the next next step. Y Commissioner W.

So, this last month I've been working with the Dickinson House Foundation, um the parks department, and today I'm also looping in the clerk's office. So, this project's becoming larger and more collaborative in many ways. But um this kind of addresses a little bit what you touched on on your uh mayor's report is I'm excited to announce that our emergency services are putting together a miniseries at the Dickinson House and it's going to be hosted um once a month for about an hour and it's going to be rotating between the police, fire, and ambulance. So this is open to the public. It's free. Um no need to pre-register. This first um session is going to be hosted by the ambulance director, Pete Ragazinski. He'll be giving basic CPR training and instruction on how to operate AEDs on March 5th at 10:00. This won't provide you a certification, but it'll at least get you um a little bit more knowledge in case there's an emergency as we move forward, which like I said, this is brand new, so we're still working through all of these. There's been so many brainstorming ideas and I've asked each department in my in public health and safety to pick three different topics so that way it'll kind of encompass the rest of the year. Um, so I'm really excited about that. One of the suggestions was heating safety. So

great. So, okay, for January calls for the police, I have 84 traffic stops, four vehicle accidents, 773 extra patrol stops documented using house checks or including house checks and business checks, and 28 incident reports. The ambulance has 59 911 calls, 12 transfers, five ALS intercepts, two mutual aid requests for a total of 78 calls. Of those 78 calls, eight of those total calls were in the um fire protection district. I do want to take a moment and thank all of the residents who have asked to be transferred by Oglesby ambulance. It really does help. For the fire department, we have 11 auto aids, six activated alarms, four gas leaks, two auto accidents, two technical rescue team calls, one odor investigation, one brush fire. And of those 27 calls, 13 of them were out of district, 11 in city limits, and three in the Oglesby Fire Protection District. That's all I have.

Thank you. Appreciate that, Commissioner McDerman. Well, with the cold and everything, we got um few water breaks in town. The city street department and water department has been fixing them and repairing them. Please be conscient of the uh individuals out on the street and uh thank you very much. Appreciate that. Commissioner Baldwin,

uh some information from the electric department. Um there are guys short here. We'd like to congratulate him and his family on the new addition. Um, with the cold weather, we have been concentrating on the guys studying and getting their University of Illinois extension sprayers and rightaway certifications as well as got them enrolled and started working on the online training classes for substation technician and OSHA training for power delivery. They continue to work on mapping their electric hour our electrical system. Had no weather related issues in the last two weeks. Um, and for the parks department, they wanted to announce that there will be a board meeting scheduled for February 18th at 6 PM. That's all I have.

All right. Thank you. 14's been struck. Number 15, executive session for collective negotiating matters between the public body and its employees or the representatives or deliberations concerning the salary schedules for one or more classes of employees. Five sales 122 C2 to discuss the purchase of lease of real estate. Five sales 12C5. The employment compensation discipline performance or dismissal of specific employees 5 LCS120/2c1 discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed 5CS120C21. If I can get a motion to go into executive session. I'll make a motion that we go into executive session. Second. Roll call, please. Baldrich. I. Colin. Hi. McDermott. I. Moy. I. Currin.

Hi. And there is no planned actions after um executive session. Thank you everybody. Have a great night. Sure. Turn your lights off.

Are you history. I saw it and I was like, that's awesome. We got to we got to find that other one that Ken's talking about because that's that's the I've seen it here in this building before. I'll have Aaron do a field trip tomorrow and go to library because that's the one that maybe the committee could do something more with or something. But okay. All right. Um we're back in open open session. Roll call, please. Uh Baldridge here.

Colin here. McDermott here. Moy here. Currin here. Number 14, adjournment. Can I get a motion to adjourn? I'll make a motion to adjurnn. I'll second. Roll call, please. Baldridge. Hi hi Mcder. Hi Mo. Hi Kurt. Hi. We are adjourned.