City Council - Regular Meeting

Good evening. Pastor Anna, could you please give the invocation?

God bless everyone.

James 1.5 says, Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we came before you with gratitude and reverence, acknowledging that all authority and true wisdom come from you. Your word says, if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God. And today, we ask for the wisdom for all measure, every member of the city council and all the officials present. Guide every conversation and every decision so that they are grounded in justice, truth, and the well-being of our community. May unity, respect, integrity, and a sincere desire to serve others prevail. Bless our city. Protect our families, our children, our youth, and our senior citizens. May the decisions made in this place bring peace, progress, and hope to everyone. We place this meeting into your hands and declare that your favor and guidance will be with us. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Amen, amen, amen.

We'll officially call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Mayor Miller?

Here.

Alderperson Clem is absent. Johnson? Here. Simmons is absent. Parker?

Here.

Stacy? Here. Shadle? Here. Sanders is absent. And Sellers? Here.

If you could please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Alderman Sellers. Item number one is the approval of the agenda. However, we are going to be removing several of the items, number seven, eight, 11, 12, 13, and 22. Most of those have to do with the enterprise zone, and we're moving those to the next meeting, which is the 17th. So with that, could I have a motion to approve? So moved. Second. Motion made by... Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. Sorry, I didn't see. Can you just give those numbers, 7, 8, 11? Yes, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, and 22. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Item number two is approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on July 20th, 2026. Is there a motion to approve?

I so move.

Second. A motion made by Alderman Johnson, seconded by Alderman Shadle. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? That motion passes. Item number three is the recognition of life-saving awards. Chief Frostow.

Officer Owens and Officer Simone responded to a medical emergency involving an individual experiencing a serious health crisis. Upon arrival, they immediately recognized the severity of the situation and began life-saving measures. Without hesitation, the officers initiated CPR and worked tirelessly and relentlessly for several minutes, providing continuous emergency care while coordinating with dispatch and maintaining life-saving efforts until paramedics arrived. Their quick actions, calm professionalism, and unwavering commitment gave the individual the best possible chance for survival. This incident serves as a reminder that police officers are often the first to arrive during medical emergencies. Their training, teamwork, and dedication extend far beyond law enforcement. Officer Gabriel Owens.

Officer Simone.

the cemetery and transitioned into his new role on the water and sewer construction team. And we wish him the best and thank him for his longevity and commitment to the city of Freeport.

Lieutenant Chris Lowery. Chris was hired in August 15th of 2006, promoted to lieutenant August 10th of 2020. He was firefighter of the year in 2021. He's a coordinator for the Thames team, which is the SWAT medics technically here in Freeport. Underguard coordinator and member of the technical rescue team. He's a retired Air Force Reserve member serving from 2001 to 2012. He was deployed in 2007 to Iraq and discharged as a Staff Sergeant. He grew up in Freeport and now lives in Duran with his wife Melissa and son Alex. And Brandon Jacobs. Brandon is a five-year firefighter with the city, hired August 9th of 2021, member of the hazardous materials team, hazmat tech, basic operations firefighter, and fire service vehicle operator, and also a paramedic. On duty tonight, just got back, kind of stalled here for a minute to get him back from a call. So congratulations.

Madam Clerk, could you please let the record show that Alderman Simmons arrived at 6.04?

I got that. Thank you.

Then we will move on to item number five, which is public comments. There are none signed up. So we'll move on to item number six, which is the consent agenda. Consent agenda is considered to be routine in nature and acted as one motion unless the member of the council would like to have something pulled for further discussion. Alderman Stacey. No, no, I'm good. Then for the record, the consent agenda has the approval to receive and place on file the minutes from the Joint Board of Review for Lamb Road. Burchard Hill, Downtown, West Avenue, Meadows, all those TIF districts, and they were on November 18th, 2025, as well as the approval of the payroll, or I'm sorry, of the finance bills payable in $4,378,791.46, and for payroll pay period ending July 25th, 2026, in the total of $616,257.01. Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll?

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons?

Aye.

Parker?

Aye.

Stacey? Aye. And Shadle?

Aye.

The motion passes 6-0.

Section 5310, Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities Program. One of these vehicles, bus number 23, was not actively utilized by Senior Resource Center. Given that the bus number 23 is retrofitted to meet the operational requirements of Prezor City Area Transit, also known as PCAT, Senior Resource Center offered to lease this unutilized vehicle to the city for the use through PCAT. In December of 24, the City of Freeport approved a lease agreement with Senior Resource Center for the use of this vehicle through June of 2026, with an option to extend the lease an additional year. Pretzer City Area Transit currently operates a fleet of 16 vehicles to serve the public transportation needs of Stevenson County. Due to the age and frequent usage of the fleet, it's not uncommon for multiple vehicles to be taken off the road for maintenance, both routine and emergent. This can place a strain on the system, resulting in service disruptions or delays. The addition of BUS 23 has helped to alleviate some of this strain. Having an additional vehicle available has reduced the operational impact caused by unforeseen vehicle maintenance and improved overall service reliability. The terms of these lease are aligned with the existing purchase of service agreement between senior resource center and the city. No additional terms or modifications are required. The staff recommends the approval of the of moving this to a second reading and then ultimately approving the extension of one more year until June of 2027. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there a motion to move this forward?

So moved.

Second. Motion made by Alderman Sellers, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Discussion on the ordinance? Okay, then we will move on to item number 10, which is the first reading of ordinance 202648. Could you please read this?

Supplemental appropriation ordinance for the fiscal year beginning January 1 for additional cost of curbing on Carroll Avenue project.

Thank you. Manager Boyer?

Mayor, I'd like to request suspension of the rules on this one due to the construction going on. Council, as we discussed at the last meeting, we've got into Carroll Avenue from Empire to South, and it's in worse condition than was anticipated or planned for. We are going to end up having to replace all the curb through there as well as base repairs. Our estimate at this point is $325,000 over and above what we had already planned on Carroll. And staff is requesting approval of this resolution to complete the work and use the funds essentially from city fund reserves. So any questions, I'd be happy to hear them, but I would appreciate a suspension of the rules.

Is there a motion to move this forward? So moved. Second. We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers to move this ordinance forward. Discussion on the ordinance? Alderman Stacey.

City funds, is that capital improvement or is that something else?

That would be coming from general fund reserve.

General fund.

Alderman Parker.

Motion to suspend the rules.

Second. A motion made by Alderman Parker, seconded by Alderman Shadle. Suspension of the rules is non-debatable and must pass by two-thirds majority. Madam Clerk, please take the roll on the suspension only.

Sellers. Aye. Johnson. Aye. Simmons.

Aye.

Parker.

Aye.

Stacey. Aye. And Shadle. Aye. The suspension passes six to zero.

So then before you counsel is for the final passage for this. Is there any further discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker?

Aye.

Stacey? Aye. And Shadle? Aye. And the ordinance passes six to zero.

Item number 14 is a bid opening. Could you please read?

Bid opening on July 23rd, 2026 for Albertus Airport Terminal Building Interior Build.

Thank you, Manager Boyer.

Thank you, Your Honor. As everyone knows, the terminal building, we've been working on moving that project forward. We received four bids, and those bids are included in the memo for your review. The lowest responsible bidder was Nike M Construction for, again, the build-out of the terminal building with a city local share of $232,948.26, which was budgeted in the FY26 budget. Staff recommends moving forward with NiteCamp Construction LLC for the build-out project at $847,000. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved.

Second. A motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion on the bid? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacey? No. And Shadle? Aye.

The motion passes 5-1. Reports of department heads, finance, Alderman, I'm sorry, Alderman Simmons?

Before we move on, I would like to make a motion to revisit item 9.

Yes, absolutely. And then you can kind of bring it back forward.

Second. So we have a motion made by Alderman Simmons. Alderman Stacey, were you the second? Yes. To bring item number nine back for first reading. Any discussion on that motion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll. Wait, no. No?

Oh, this is just to bring it back.

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacey? Aye. And Shadle? Aye. The motion passes 6-0.

Okay, so Madam Clerk, for the first reading of Ordinance 20-26-47, could you please read the record?

I'm so sorry, I did not hear. Read it back into the record. Ordinance authorizing exercising... We already read that, yeah.

Yeah, I want to bring it back so we can suspend the rules.

I don't think we need to see it again. I said I wanted to bring it back so we could suspend the rules for this. I don't think we need to see it at another meeting. We can go ahead and approve it.

Never had this happen before. So procedurally, there was a motion. The council's approved kind of bringing this back onto the floor there. So I think now we're back on the floor. So if you want to, if someone wants to make the motion to suspend the rules, second, go through that, and then I'll bring it back before you guys for second read then.

So in order to do that, I need a suspension of the rules.

Make a motion. I make a motion to suspend the rules. Second.

So we have a motion made by Alderman Stacey, seconded by Alderman Simmons.

Sellers. Okay.

For the suspension of the rules, again, suspension of the rules is non-debatable, must pass by two-thirds. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll on the suspension only?

Sellers. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacey? Aye. And Shadle? Aye. The suspension passes 6-0.

Then before you, counsel, would be the final for Ordinance 2026-47. If there's no further discussion, Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons? Aye. Parker? Aye. Stacey? Aye. And Shadle? Aye. And Ordinance 202647 is approved 6-0.

Item number 15 reports from Department Heads Finance.

Thank you, Your Honor. I do have a couple things this evening. I just wanted to inform council that this week the department heads will, we will roll out to the department heads the beginning spreadsheets, et cetera, for fiscal year 2027 and start working on that budget, tentatively bringing things to council beginning in mid-September. And then also per advice from our auditors, we are working on a fund balance policy. So we got the purchasing policy in and on the books and now we're moving to the fund balance policy. So you should be seeing that within the next month or so.

Okay, thank you. Community Development? Nothing tonight, thank you.

U Public Works? Since we have a few minutes, I'm going to give some project updates. Well House 12 is under construction. We're working on the 100,000 gallon clear well currently. They're doing the slab pour, hopefully on Friday. Well number 12, they are drilling the finished well. We're about 800 feet deep, maybe not quite 800 feet deep right now. Probably, I would say an estimated two to three more months of construction on that production well while the well house is going on. Walnut Road lift station in Forest, Maine is about 50% complete. The contractor's been off for a couple days. They're having some equipment issues. Should be back later this week. The municipal lot, if you haven't been down that way, the new handrails got installed. They were backordered. They got installed last week, so we're just waiting on the new electrical cabinet that was backordered, and then that project will be done. Carroll Street, we're probably about 40 done with street construction we have some undercuts that we're doing around the museum area right now into some soft soils with the approval of the curb i would say that we'll probably be paving in maybe three to four weeks in that area Demeter water main is about 50% complete with the main construction. The crews are going to drop back. They did today start water service installations on the first portion, which is Empire to La Cresta. That's section past bacteria sampling. And so we're trying to get those water connections so the street end could start there. lead service line replacements we're about 99 done with our 12 million dollars of replacements um we're combing the list one more time to make sure that we have everything completed um and once that's done um we'll actually maybe have some funds left to turn back to the epa um south street was completed Friday from the city's portion. I believe the traffic control should have been removed today. I've seen several social media posts about South Street and Brian's post, the communications directors was exactly right. I know nobody likes the ramps to know where they're considered a handicap or walkers refuge areas. So if they get caught out in the street, they have somewhere to go. In order for us to get the paving money for that street, they were required. There's two of them out there. And so unfortunately, until we can afford to put sidewalks on or we're going to do compliance against the people that own those properties to put the sidewalks in, that's the best we could do to get South Street paved. And that was our agreement to fix the storms and get the ADAs accomplished. Galena Avenue, they might have one more day. I think they were really trying hard to get that finished up today. And I've been in discussions with the state. I don't have start dates for Galena and South Street yet. Galena for sure will not be done this year. They have 77 ADA ramps to replace. That's months of work. Their plan is to try to get all the ramps in place and then come back and do the pavement in the spring right now. South Street, I don't have a start date, but the hope is that that will still yet be completed this season. And then if you've seen some activity out on West Street, Rob and Jody and I have been working hard on getting West Street moved up on the IDOT funding list. It got moved last year to the 10-year cycle. I think the state has some additional funds that they're pushing hard to try to push it up even farther. Um, and that project, while I don't have a date on it yet, cause it's just, they're doing survey topo type items. Um, that will be, uh, basically from empire street all the way to Galena with new surfacing. They're talking about new sidewalks, new curb, and possibly even a bike trail on one side. Okay. Um, and that would be a state funded project as well. Very large project. The city will be responsible for relocating water main under that from out from under the street when they do that project. That's something we're going to have to plan for in the future. Um, because currently we have, uh, and I couldn't even tell you the amount of footage, but probably a couple thousand feet that are under the roadway.

You said Galena to what?

It would be Empire to Galena on West Street. I think that's probably enough for tonight.

Thank you. Fire?

Nothing this evening.

Police? Tomorrow is a national night out at Reed Park Pavilion between 5 and 8. It's our annual community building program that promotes partnership. So fire and police are going to be out there with games and for everyone to have the opportunity to come and meet your public safety personnel and have good conversations and ensure that we continue the partnership as you can.

Thank you. library uh just a reminder that this is the final week of summer reading for adults and children the children have a end of summer party on thursday in the arts plaza and i hear it is a really good time and includes ice cream so if you have littles who have participated Please be there. And Adult ends on Saturday. We have three grand prize raffle baskets, dinosaur dinner for four, a Kindle, and a bag full of bookish goods. So make sure you participate in Summer Read because there's more fun things coming in the future.

IT? City Manager?

I think, Your Honor, just please, everyone, with all the work going on throughout the city, please obey the work zone speed limits and be cognizant of there's individuals out here working every day. We want them to go home safe and sound.

And I just want to remind everyone that there is a lot of activity yet in the month of August in the downtown. This Friday is Music on Chicago. The following Saturday, which is the 15th, is Cruise Night. And then the end of the month, which is the 28th, is Paint the Port, as well as 28th and 29th is the Eats and Beats. So a lot going on downtown if you'd like to participate in that. Alderman Sellers? Nothing, Your Honor. Alderman Johnson? Nothing tonight, Your Honor. Alderman Simmons? Alderman Parker?

Nothing tonight.

Alderman Stacey? Nothing, thank you. Alderman Shadle?

Nothing tonight.

And that leaves us with item number 19, which is public comment. Go ahead.

good evening council city of freeport i stand before you this uh this you and the city of freeport the people of freeport to remind them that we all have rights we have rights to enter any public meeting without being locked out or not allowed to speak censored because someone doesn't like what is being said most of us know the rules Some of us have sat on boards, ran companies, and owned our own businesses. Disruption is what makes this country what it is today. Look at what is happening all across America. In saying these things, I'm going to ask the citizens of Freeport to file a formal complaint regarding the locking of the doors of City Hall, leaving a number of people, including a citizen with visible disabilities, outside those doors. If you're okay with this, don't file a complaint. But if you're concerned, file a complaint with the state's attorney's office in Springfield, Illinois. I would think that every member of this community would be concerned when the doors of Freeport City Hall are locked, closed with people standing outside of those doors waiting to come into a public meeting. People, understand. that the Open Meetings Act does apply to the city of Freeport, it does apply to the mayor, it does apply to every individual who has been voted into a public seat by us, the constituents. I furthermore would go on to say that if it's happened once, it'll happen again. If you sit back and you think about what happened during the meeting on the sixth and then the following meeting the second week out, I sit back and I look at what is happening across council floors, specifically because somebody is trying to explain to another older person the rules and regulations. And maybe he should know them by three years, but Mayor, I'm sorry to say, there are a number of things that you should have known or you should know since you've sat in that seat as long as you have, as well as sitting in an automatic seat. There are many of occasions when you are asked a question by a person who is an elected official that you have to refer to the city lawyer. So let us be mindful of other people's conditions. Let us be mindful of other people and what you say to them and about them. Because you never know when it's going to come back and hit you in your butts. Because some of us are going to file complaints. Some of us are going to file forwards. And some of us are going to put you where you belong, whether you like it or not. An elected official who is supposed to be serving and servicing us. Thank you. Anyone else? Tommy?

Jody Miller is doing a good job in the city at Freeport. And Rob, we got a question. St. Vincent's is telling down that new hall and 20 house and daycare and all that. That's when you can find out about it. Okay, this

Anyone else? Then we will move on to item number 20. Madam Clerk, could you please read for the record?

We have two items under Exemption 1 pursuant to 5 ILCS 122 C1, the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees of a public body or legal counsel for a public body hearing testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a specific individual who serves as an independent contractor or legal counsel for the public body to determine its validity.

Thank you. Is there a motion to enter into executive session? So moved. Do we have a second? Okay, I guess that motion fails. We won't be able to go on to item number 21 as well. And which leaves us. Yeah, go ahead.

Mary, you can go to item number 21. There's just that they wouldn't have had an opportunity to be updated on item 21, but you could still technically vote on it, I guess, if the council is comfortable. Without knowledge? But that's up to the council.

No. Do we have a preference? Manager Boyer? How, without knowledge? Do you want to have it on? Okay, so then let's move on to item number 21, which is the adoption of Resolution 20-2698. Madam Clerk, could you please read this?

Resolution approving a second amendment to the City of Freeport stipulation regarding district chiefs, formerly known as district captains.

Manager Boyer?

Thank you, Your Honor. Just, Council, in 2017, we set up the district chiefs versus captains, and in 2023, we amended that agreement, and in 2025, following the IAFF union negotiations, the district chiefs are looking at a small adjustment, and staff would request moving forward with the revisions on the district chiefs agreement.

Is there a motion to adopt? So moved. Do we have a second?

Second.

We have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. Discussion? Alderman Shadle?

Manager Boyer, these, I'm assuming, fall outside of the union negotiations? That is correct. They are not represented by the IAFF, and they've actually sought some pretty reasonable changes to their agreement. So I would recommend we move forward with it.

Thank you. Anyone else? Alderman Stacey?

Yes, Alderman. I mean, City Manager Boyer, what are the revisions you're speaking of?

Essentially, they're just being – essentially, they are continuing with what was existing in the 2023 agreement and also a small increase to the holiday stipend for the holidays they work as well as the retainment or we're putting the – The post-employment health program, specifically in this agreement, they used to fall under the IAFF agreement, and therefore we're going to continue that outside of the IAFF agreement, similar to what the other city staff have in terms of access to that.

I think we have to just be a little careful on what's discussed because it should have taken place in executive. Well, it didn't, and he chose to still speak on it. We're still limited.

Okay, so when you spoke about the very first thing you said, increases in what?

essentially a small increase in their holiday assignment stipend. So when they work on holidays, they can be called in. And so when they work that week of the holiday, they get a small additional stipend to their current one.

And this was not added to their contract agreement

This is a small increase to their contract agreement. Yes, very small.

Well, these guys fall outside the contract.

Oh, is that the question? Could you clarify? Could you clarify that?

I wanted to know, was this discussed in their contract agreement? Didn't they receive an increase?

Okay, so they're not represented by the union, if that's what you're asking me. Is that what you're asking me? Yes. Okay, they're not represented by the IAFF.

but I guess that wouldn't happen.

Okay, and can you say what the second, you were going so fast, I couldn't even write it down. What was the second thing you said?

Basically, the post-employment health program would then follow this similar one or almost exactly the same one as our non-represented police sergeants. So it would essentially be exactly the same as that.

And I don't know what that means. Okay.

Attorney Zito?

In that part, I don't want you to go. I wouldn't recommend going too much further detail than that outside of executive session. Okay.

Well, staff recommends moving forward with this agreement.

Okay, so if there's no further discussion.

I mean, we were stopped. It can't be.

Well, that's why we should have had executive session. You should have seconded the motion.

They always second and first everything else. Why didn't they second the motion? They're the ones that had the weekly meeting.

Madam Clerk, please take the role. Sellers. She has a question. Did you have something, Alderman Simmons?

So these changes and recommendations have come from or at least been agreed upon by the people they directly affect.

That's correct.

I said, have these changes been either initiated or agreed upon by the people who are directly affected by them?

The answer is yes.

Why would one not want to go into executive session?

I don't know.

So we're expected.

We're past that now.

We're expected to give an answer to something that we don't even know.

That's what I said. That's crazy. That was what I said. So you tied the hands. I don't know how else to handle that. So this is as far as Attorney Zito is concerned, that's as far as we can really take this.

No, as far as discussion of the issue on open floor there. At the end of the day, this is an agenda item. Right. that's been motioned and seconded to approve. It's up to the council what they want to vote.

Okay, Attorney Zito. So he was only on the second thing he said out about five and you stopped him. So are you saying he can't speak on the third or the fourth or the fifth item he mentioned?

It is my recommendation that as this topic, generally speaking, is more appropriate to be discussed in executive session to give the council an update on those items there. So it's my recommendation that to not go into any further conversation about the ins and outs, how we landed at this or that or whatever it is in open session. So I'm not saying that the council can't vote on this item. You don't have to go into executive session to vote on things there, but certainly it does make sense to get the update.

I'd like to make a motion that we move 22 to the third Monday, whatever that date is.

22? The executive minutes?

What number are we on? We're on 21. 21. I'll make a motion that we move it to the third Monday of August.

Well then, why don't you just make a motion to go back into executive session?

And now she has a motion to move this over to the second meeting in August. You will need a second in order for that to be put on the table.

Then I'm guessing it fails and nobody's saying anything.

Let's go to closed session. Second.

Are you making a motion? Yes. So I have a motion made by Alderman Stacey to enter into executive session. Is there a second? Motion fails. She said second. You did? Sorry, I didn't hear you. Alderman Johnson?

Yes.

Okay, so we have a motion made by Alderman Stacey, seconded by Alderman Johnson. Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll on entering into executive session?

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons?

Aye.

Parker?

Aye.

And Stacey? Aye. Hoops and Shadle?

Aye.

And the motion passes 6-0. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Of course.

I don't want you to wonder where it went.

I just got a ton of . I constantly lose my .

It's literally .

OK. So Madam Clerk, could you please call the roll in returning to open session? It is 7-0-3.

Mayor Miller. Here. Are these, well, they are on. Alderperson Clem is absent. Johnson. Here. Simmons.

Here.

Parker.

Here.

Stacy. Here. Shadle.

Here.

Sanders is absent and Sellers. Here.

Since we already have a motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers for the adoption of Resolution 202698, is there any further discussion? Madam Clerk, please take the roll.

Sellers? Aye. Johnson? Aye. Simmons?

Aye.

Parker?

Aye.

Stacey? Aye. And Shadle? Aye. The resolution is adopted 6-0.

Which leaves us with item number 23, which is adjournment. So moved.

Second.

Motion made by Alderman Shadle, seconded by Alderman Sellers. All those in favor? Aye.

Aye.