City Council - Regular Meeting

I'd like to call this meeting of the Princeton City Council to order. They're called roll.

Council Member Newman.

Here.

Gomez. Here. McCall. Here. Zaleski. Here. And Mayor Mabry.

Here. Would you please stand and join me in 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.

We're going to have a quick announcement here before we go to public comment period. And this is a little statement that was prepared after discussion. The consensus of the city council is that members of the public will not be placed on the meeting agenda as individual agenda items. Residents are encouraged to address the Council during the designated public comment portion of each meeting. This allows all members of the public an equal opportunity to speak while ensuring the Council conducts its business in an orderly and efficient manner. So what we're going to do is just reiterate that we certainly appreciate any public comment. You will have the opportunity at the beginning of the meeting as well as at the end. We'd like to have you limit your comments to possibly three minutes if at all possible. It isn't really a necessary time for the council to respond back. We would encourage you to stick around after a council meeting and talk to your council members individually. With that said, again, we'd love to have you address the council if you'd like to. It's time for public comment. Is there anyone here who'd like to address the council? Okay, Geraldine, please. Just state your name and get up there a mic.

Excuse me. My name is Geraldine. Please have a rest in here. I'm confused as to why we are looking at all these flags marking where things, the water, the electric, and so forth, are. Because they caught off my cable today for me and my neighbors. But this is not the first time this has happened. Even when those homes were built out there in Park Place, water was a problem, this was a problem. Why can't we coordinate this that it's correct?

Thank you Geraldine and as we all know the past three years we've had three different companies come in to offer high-speed internet and this is the last of the three companies this is the frontier Verizon that's going through last and in many ways they've got their hands full trying to miss the other two utilities that are ahead of them plus like Geraldine said the water and things like that. Anyone else for public comment? Go ahead.

to use my time more efficiently I've written them out it'll be a little more succinct perhaps first of all to Elizabeth and Janet in the minutes for tonight to be approved it says that I mentioned last time an email that I did not initially receive I'd like to have that amended it was an email from Officer Hammer if you would include that In follow-up to our last meeting, Mr. McCall, you stated you didn't want me to speak regarding the dog ordinances. You acknowledged we spoke two years ago, and you'll remember it was in regard to Princeton Police not enforcing the ordinance. You'll recall on two occasions I turned to see an unattended pit hole on my driveway. You'll remember Princeton Police most times do not give the owner a violation as allowed by city code. You'll recall then in 2022, the same pit bull again a third time came unattended on my property by following my car onto my driveway and without my knowledge was next to the car and upon opening my door, jumped in onto me as I sat in the driver's seat. It was extremely shocking. On this third occasion, I could have had a heart attack or a stroke, and the dog could have bit my face off. I informed you, Princeton Police Chief Kammerer, after it had already twice been on his property and now jumped into my car onto me, still would not demand from the officer who addressed it to give a violation. You stated you supported Mr. Kammerer's decision to not enforce the ordinance. At the last meeting, as a basis for you not wanting me to again speak of it, you stated we agreed to disagree. That is not true and a lie to the public. Two years ago, you simply left the conversation, exiting the room as I remained. I have a copy here of both your signed posts of all this. The oaths say you solemnly swear that you will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and the ordinances of the City of Princeton, and will faithfully discharge the duties of your office. Is this your signature? However, you have violated your oaths. At the last meeting, you closely attempted to limit my free speech as provided in the United States and Illinois constitutions by stating you didn't want me to again appear to speak of the dog ordinances. And in 2022, and at the last meeting, violated your oaths by not supporting the ordinances. You should resign.

You can't read about 30 more seconds. You've already gone past three minutes. I'll have to continue probably at the next minute. And you can also have three minutes at the end. Sure.

Today I bring you a copy of the Constitution of the United States of America and a segment of the Illinois Constitution and dog ordinances adopted by this council. I have my doubts you have ever read these documents and suggest while we continue with public comment that you familiarize yourself with what you swore to support. You should do well to read Amendment 1 of the U.S. Constitution, establishing the prohibition of abridging speech and establishing the right of the people to peaceably assemble. You would serve yourself by reading Sections 4 and 5 of the Illinois Bill of Rights, allowing all persons, not some persons.

We're at four minutes now, Kent. We're going to be coming back at the end of these, but please, thank you very much. And let's see, is there anyone else who would like to speak to the council?

I have a question. Would it be better if I spoke to the council after the meeting?

Well, you can speak now.

Whatever you feel comfortable with. I would feel more comfortable after the meeting.

Because what I have to say is very controversial. It'll be individual council members you'll be speaking to. We won't be as a whole. We won't be as a whole. So what happens tonight, we do have, as Council Member Nguyen said, we go into executive sessions, discuss real estate. We get done with that, we come back out. But We won't take any action on that. But ideally, if there's something that you want to speak to the council members about individually, you can call them on the phone if you feel more comfortable with that. Otherwise, you can get up and speak to the council as a whole. So if you want to talk to the council members individually.

It would really be preferred if you just told us what was on your mind. You would prefer me to tell you what's on my mind? It's going to take a lot for me to do this, but I have to do it. You have to say whatever you feel is important for you.

Please say your name.

My name is Paul Pratt. I've already spoken with Raymond, I believe you're the mayor, and I spoke with the district attorney over the phone. The situation is I'm being basically harassed by an Indota cop. Charlene Bentley is the general manager at the Peru Red Lobster. I used to work there. I no longer work there. She's married to a part-time cop who has been breaking into my home and at this point stealing. They put cameras in there. Why does she do this? Because I also work at the Walmart Distribution Center. I work there full-time. I wait at tables part-time at the Red Lobster. The HR manager there wants me out because of some legal troubles that she's gotten herself into. It has nothing to do with me. So I'm the one that's called in all this. She initially said she broke into my apartment and put the cameras in there so I could be monitored, so I don't go to the police on the Walmart distribution center, or I might call corporate on them. I don't know how that's going to stop me from doing any of that. Now she's saying she put the cameras in my apartment because Sarah, the HR manager at the Walmart distribution center, thinks I'm a pedophile. I deal with this every day. I hear them talking about my body, what kind of underwear I'm wearing, what I look like naked. I'm not sending people pictures, you know. This is a cop breaking into my home and doing this. How do I know this? I'm not dreaming it or imagining it. She said it. Also, she said that I called Tom a scumbag, which I didn't, to his face. And that's how she's going to get away with it. She said, I've had underwear missing. I've had marijuana that was purchased from the Peru dispensary out of my apartment gone, stickers on my refrigerator missing. I come in, lights are cut off. One time I came into my apartment, the heat was on 88 degrees. Just, it's harassment. That's all it is. Tom won't help me because I called him a scumbag. I didn't call him a scumbag. I was talking with my friend Molly, and I realized some stuff that he had done. And in the conversation with her, I said, I guess he's a scumbag because he won't help me. And he's also done some other stuff that... You know, anybody probably would call that. So this is what I'm dealing with. I don't know how you can help me. This is why I have to stand up here and say this. She's known for this. The general manager at the Peru Red Lobster said that's why people quit coming in the restaurant. because she's known for breaking into people's homes and doing whatever, and she uses the Mendota police. I talked to some police in Mendota. I talked to the police in Peru. And it's like they're all trying to run me around because it's a cop that's doing this, and they don't want him to get caught. I'm not a cop. I have no authority. How do I know this? It's because I'm around these people all the time, and all they do is talk about me. So, this is really hard for me to do because it's like I can leave here now and I've got, you know, Tom not on my side. You know, I've got the police chief saying he's going to try to get me for a DUI to try to get something on me. You know, don't drink and drive. You know, that's understandable. But it's like, if I don't do this, it's like I'm betraying myself and I'm betraying other people. Do you want this going on in the community? Do you want this stuff happening? Like a police breaking into my home and stealing from me? Harassing me? That was really hard to do. But I have to do it for myself and for other people.

Paul, thank you for your time tonight. We appreciate it, Paul. Thank you. We did talk on the phone about a week ago. I remember that. Okay, we're on to other public comment. Anyone else like to speak to the council tonight? Seeing none, we're going to go ahead now and go to the approval of the minutes, please. I move that we approve the minutes of the council meeting on July 6th, 2026. Second. Motion second. And other than the adjustment you made to the minutes here, Mr. Perry's comments, we're good to go. Could we call the roll?

Council Member Newman?

Aye.

Gomez? Aye. McCall? Aye. Zalewski? Aye. Mayor Mabry?

Aye. And now on to our head voices with Deputy City Clerk Elizabeth Sandoval.

In the Department of Accounts and Finances, $108,128.40. In the department of streets and public improvements, $163,357.24. In the department of public safety, $219,729.46. In the department of public property and utilities, $1,147,224.89 with a grand total of $1,638,439.99. All council members present have confirmed their reviews of all invoices and are now submitted for disposition. I move that we approve the invoices as presented. Motion and second. Is there any questions or comments concerning those invoices?

Seeing none, clerk call the roll. Councilmember Newman? Aye.

Gomez?

Aye.

McCall?

Aye.

Selesky? Aye. And Mayor Maycree?

Aye.

On to our resolutions, please. Resolution R-26-016, accepting bid and awarding contract to Advanced Asphalt for the General Fund Annual Street Program for $578,073.50.

I move that we approve resolution R-26-016. Second. Do we have a motion and a second? Teresa, if you would just elaborate on that one and then we'll also talk about the other resolutions.

So this resolution will include the 40% sales tax that goes in for the street projects. So you have your street projects, but also included in this one, just to keep in mind, it's $146,000 to redo Elm Lawn Cemetery's roadway. So... That was, yeah, $146,000 of that. So that's a significant amount.

Okay, very good. Thank you. Do we have a motion and a second? Any other questions or comments from the council? Seeing none, third call the roll.

Council Member Newman? Aye. Gomez? Aye. McCall? Aye. Selesky? Aye. Mayor Mabry?

Aye.

Resolution R-26-017, accepting bid and awarding contract to Advanced Asphalt for the motor fuel tax, section number 26-0000-00-GM, street program for $274,731.

I move that we approve resolution R-26-017. Motion second. Again, Teresa on that one, please.

So these also build on our summer road programs, streets programs. However, these are the projects that fit within the parameters of the water fuel tax. This is actually going to have a supplemental down below on item 11. This did come over budget of what was estimated by about $15,000, so we will have to do a supplemental resolution down there to approve that. Very good.

Any questions or comments from council concerning that? Seeing none, clear to call the roll.

Councilmember Newman? Aye. Gomez?

Aye.

McCall? Aye. Selesky? Aye. Mayor Mabry?

Aye.

Resolution R-26-018, accepting bid and awarding contract to Wright Excavating Inc. for Church Street drainage improvements for $142,187.

I move that we approve resolution R-26-018. Second. Motion and second. And again, we'll have Teresa elaborate on that project.

This is the project along Church Street. It goes behind Nancy's school. We've had a lot of drainage issues back there over the years, probably a decade or more. We're trying to get that resolved so that that area of the community can, the tons of blood in their back areas, if we can try to alleviate that issue. So in the bids, we did have three bids for that project. The low bid was $120,000, the middle was $142,000, the top was $167,000. I do want to point out what happened with this bid was the lowest monetary bid was not a complete bid packet, so that does make it null and void. So your next lowest bid is your $142,187.

Any questions for the council? Concerns on that? Okay. And I would say that we appreciate that right excavating is right here in Princeton and their local people. So we appreciate the quality work that they do. With that said, we're going to call the roll.

Council Member Newman?

Aye.

Gomez?

Aye.

McCall? Aye.

Selesky?

Aye.

Mayor Meagher?

Aye.

Resolution R-26-019, a resolution authorizing the sale of real estate no longer useful to the city of Princeton, 307 North Plaza Street.

Move that we approve resolution R-26-019. Second. Motion and second. Again, we'll go back to Teresa. She's going to explain about we're not trying to be in the real estate business. We've got some properties we've had to tear down, and hence we have lots then to sell.

I will defer to Michael on this one. Go ahead.

Please, Michael.

We tore this one down. The city actually performed as the department did. I've been uninhabited for upwards of half a decade or so. Amanda was getting called there for animal complaints, constantly trapping, removing animals. It was an eyesore. It was unoccupied. It had been through a fire. So we petitioned the court to demolish it. We're successful, and now we have possession indeed, and we'd like to sell that.

And we're fortunate that neighbors have an interest in buying that, so that's a good thing. Okay, any questions or comments from council on that? Otherwise, clerk, call the roll.

Council Member Newman? Aye. Gomez? Aye. McCall? Aye. Selesky? Aye. Mayor Mabry? Aye. Resolution R-26-020, Resolution Authorizing the Sale of Real Estate No Longer Useful to the City of Princeton, 12 East LaSalle Street.

Move that we approve resolution R-26-020. Second. Motion second. We'll go back to Mike on that one and explain how we inherited 12 East LaSalle Street.

This was when the two buildings owned by one owner, Princeton Tire, they both collapsed in the same snow. That was in 2020 maybe, 2019. It took quite a few years to resolve that, but we did end up paying for the demolition of 12 East LaSalle, and then we foreclosed on the lien there and gave title to it. So now we have the opportunity to sell it.

Any questions from the council on that? That zone is D1, correct?

Yes.

Could that include a parking lot or are we looking for a business in that area? It certainly could be parking. we'll see what we what type of offers we get you know yeah kind of a unique little piece of property it does it make a great lot for a home permanent home of a food truck or something like that i think but we'll see

Resolution R-26-021, resolution for maintenance under the Illinois Highway Code section 26-000000-00GM, supplementals.

I move that we approve resolution R-26-021. Second. Motion and second. Increases are explained what that's about. If there's any questions, the council. Seeing none, clerk, call the roll.

Council Member Newman. Aye. Gomez. Aye. McCall. Aye. Selesky.

Aye.

Mayor Dupree.

Aye.

Next is a variance recommendation for Roberta Fox at 607 South Euclid Avenue.

I move that we approve a variance recommendation for 607 South Euclid.

Second.

We have a motion and a second. Is there someone here to address that?

Michael? Sure. it's pretty simple really there used to be a garage in 607 south but it was just about right on the property line um they tore down that garage and they're building a bigger garage a new one it should be pretty nice i think they're investing along the lines of sixty thousand dollars into it um it's only gonna be two feet off the property line code requires five so it's a three foot variance plan commission approved it unanimously very good any questions from the council

Seeing none, clerk call roll.

Council Member Newman? Aye. Gomez? Aye. McCall? Aye. Zalewski? Aye. Mayer-Megers?

Aye. okay now onto our board appointment please i move that we approve uh for the historic preservation commission loricon to fill the remainder of catherine on zickers three-year term ending december 31st 2027 also tina clemenberg to fill the remainder of leanne kent's three-year term ending december 31st 2029 second motion second any questions in the council concerning those appointments Seeing none, clerk call the roll.

Council Member Newman? Aye. Gomez? Aye. McCall? Aye. Zaleski? Aye. Mayor Mabry?

Aye. Okay, very good. Thank you. Great job, Elizabeth. Going on there. Now we'll go on to the city manager report, please.

In your packet, you'll see the May 2026 lease and fireable for their pension reports are included in your packet. Just to touch on a couple of items, since I did not get a chance to get an update out to council on Friday, there was no way it was going to happen. On Euclid Avenue, if everybody's went down Euclid as part of the high school, the sidewalks are done on the Euclid side. Crown is getting completed. Curves along Euclid across from the high school have been, I think, pretty much done. The approaches will be getting done this week. However, the street will not be redone until August time frame. So it all depends on the rest of our street projects and when the equipment will be here. Quick update on the building next door. The windows should be going in here pretty soon. The main reason getting the windows and the doors put in sooner than later is they want to fire up the air conditioner in there so they can get the drywall done so the drywall doesn't get worked. So everything's moving along great over there. The brick work is done. So we're still anticipating August, which just seems unlikely.

Very good. Thank you, Teresa. Appreciate that. Okay, on the mayor's report, Michael, why don't you get up to the podium and just give us a report then if you could, please, on new construction the past six months.

Yeah, Ray asked me to put together just a brief report on housing and commercial investment, so Permits so far, January to July 2026, we've approved one 25-unit subdivision. So Spencer and Annette Davis are working on that diligently. They should be breaking ground. They've already broken some ground, but the house construction should begin in the fall. So we'll see 25 new housing units there in the next three years, which is very positive to most houses that have been built in at least a decade, I would think, in Princeton. We've had two permits for new houses here. Liberty Village is investing upwards of $650,000 in these two houses, so that's positive as well. Commercial investment, total permitted commercial investment so far, we have one new commercial building, that would be the two units, Jersey Mike's and Fancheros. And total commercial investment, permitted at least, is around $2,725,000.

One of the things that I always get asked.

Yeah, I got a phone call about that because of it too. I don't know.

But there's progress being made. That's great. Michael, would you say then, Michael, that we talked about how the demand for multifamily, like duplexes and condos, things like that, is really strong right now. And there's just no place right now for what I call R3 buildings zoning for bare land to build anything. We had a gentleman come to you that was looking to build a new duplex that had already just built one two years prior to that over there by the hospital. We couldn't find any land that was R3. That's correct. So that's our challenge. There's none out there. If you wanted to build a duplex right now in Princeton, there's no place to build one. It was a triplex. A triplex, yeah.

Duplexes are in parts as equal as duplexes.

Very good. That's where we're at. We have a demand for it, but we don't have a place to put those. Any questions from the council? Michael, thank you. On to more good news, there is a couple of flower shops getting ready to open at Princeton to take the place of the flower shop that had closed, so that's good news, and I'm sure we hear some announcements about that. The other thing is, I talked to the Gardner Denver building that basically has still got some things in there that they are every day shipping out. I talked to the realtor that has that listed. and asked if we could take a tour as a council. So it won't be a formal meeting, so we won't be maybe having a discussion on things, but we will be getting a tour of that building. He's going to arrange that the next time he comes to Princeton. He's out of the Chicago area. To show the building, he's going to give us a couple days' notice. But I think the council should see that building firsthand and see what we're trying to fill. We could have a business down the road that wants to look at some assistance from the city on possible things. We just want to be proactive on that. And by seeing that building firsthand, it gives us a chance to know what we have available. With that said, we're going to move on now to any old business. We go back to e-bikes, and we're still waiting to see if it starts effective January 1st. Once the governor signed it. Oh, once the governor signed it. Okay, I'm sorry. What was the January 1st one? I apologize. Was that the... That happened a few years ago. Okay, that's January 1st. All right, great. Thanks, Tom. Any old business from the council? Okay, very good. Any new business from the council? Any additional public comment? Again, we'd like to have you limit your time to three minutes. Ken? Go ahead.

Mr. McCall, you would serve yourself by reading sections four and five of the Illinois Bill of Rights, allowing all persons, not some persons, to speak freely and to assemble in a peaceable manner, to consult for the common good, to make known their opinions to their representatives, and to apply for redress of grievances. And I believe you would do well to familiarize, I suspect for the first time, Princeton ordinances regarding nuisance dogs running at large. It is relevant in context to 512 South Church to revisit the lack of enforcement of adult ordinances. Mr. Kammerer, here is a copy of the adult ordinances. In my experience, Princeton Police utterly refused to enforce city ordinances. If a pit bull owner does not receive a violation and fine even when their dog follows the car and jumps into the car onto the owner and it is the third time the dog is on that person's property, then there is a problem with the police. It was inexcusable and the blame in 2022 fell squarely on Chief Kammerer. More recently, in 2025 and now in 2026, Chief Kammerer, as of July 6th meeting, has refused to issue violations and fines upon the owner of 512 South Church. The violations were and still are squarely in front of his face. I question why Mr. Kammerer, following the city's issue of a severe demand letter one year and 10 days ago, has again defiantly chosen not to issue violations from the police department. At the last meeting, I asked this council why there had been no enforcing of the demand letter, no violations and fines, no requirement from the owner to pay for the cleanup as stated in the letter and city ordinance and Illinois state statute. and why the city abated a 973 water bill from a water pipe break caused by the owner which was paid by the taxpayers. I waited a long time and no one responded. Here is the reason. You became too done in and can't admit you failed. You can't admit the letter was a façade. Had you immediately fined the owner the $100 per day as stated by ordinance, I believe the property quickly would have got cleaned up. You can't admit you were negligent. You can't admit I am right. Mayor Mabry, at the last meeting, you openly revealed yourself when you stated the North Chestnut property had multiple people who complained, but I was the only person who had complained about the South Church property. I responded, every person in this city is important, and admitted it didn't matter I was the only person who had complained, which was conveniently left out of tonight's minutes to be approved. I responded the property was a nuisance property as documented in the letter, whether there was one or multiple complainants, and it didn't matter whether I was the only citizen.

Ken, it's been three minutes. I'll give you 15 more seconds.

You blatantly showed yours and the city's lack of care this past year showing it takes multiple people to complain to be important. This was the real unspoken answer to my previous question, which no one could answer. It was just one person, and I paid Canada.

Time's up. Thank you. Is there anyone else like to speak to the council and public comment? Please. Paul, right? Paul, you've got to go back up and just state your name again, please.

My name is Paul Pratt. I just wanted to have a conclusive remark. The reason why I'm saying this is because it's not just about me. It's about other people. This is completely predatory, crazy behavior. And I have a chance to go to school in Indiana for three months if I get a job I applied for. And I have to go to school for three months. I'm terrified to leave my apartment because I'm going to come back and there's not going to be anything in it. I have the last memories of my mother in that apartment, memories of my family. That's the last remaining archives of my life. And now I'm scared to go to school because she's going to break in there and you've got only knows what. What I really need to do is get cameras and put in there. But I really think about it and I think she's beat me to it. Now she can see where I put the cameras because she has the edge. She has like the surveillance edge on me. You know, she's already beat me to it. She's gotten to the apartment. And the other stuff the police do that I know about, she's doing too and she should not be doing any of it. She's basically got me under 24-7 surveillance. to where she can hide evidence or she can manipulate what she needs to manipulate in order to have the outcome she desires. So this is why I'm telling you this. It's not to get revenge on people or to make people look bad. It's so my nervous system can finally relax and I can go to school and I can better my life and not be terrified that when I come back home, my apartment's going to be broken into again because of her, because she can do it, because she has the power to do that. And if you let it happen to me because you don't like me or I'm this or I'm that, all it does is it just sort of like... create opportunity for other people to be harassed and psychologically destroyed, basically. Because it's really, really destructive to go around and show pictures of yourself naked when you yourself would never put yourself out there like that. It's really violating and it's really abusive. And this is all what she's doing. Let me just stop. Who wants to live that way? You know, it's insane. It's psychologically destroying is what it is. So, that's my conclusion for Mark, I guess.

Thank you, Paul. Thank you. Is there anyone else like to speak before the council this evening? I just would like to make one quick comment. Actually, I call this an alibi. First off, I want the council to know that Michael's doing some of these projects. The 526 North Chestnut that was referenced tonight That's the one that we have been fighting for about five years on a total disaster. The outside of the home, the yard, the inside of the home. It's just that people were out at two in the morning cutting up cars, doing crazy things, just could not ask for a more disaster of a property. Michael worked on that. Michael Turing worked on that for the past couple of years. The good news is there are three offers on that home. from three strong buyers. And Michael's working on that, the details on that. And they will begin renovation in a timely fashion. So that's good news for the council. And we will be reimbursed basically almost a full price offer is what we have for gentlemen. So that's good news for all of us. Good news for the neighborhood as well. The other thing is, and we're going to wrap this up, is when I became mayor, we put the Norman Rockwell print on the wall over there, just above Q. Tom Hammer, and that's Freedom of Speech. And it's a print about showing some kind of a public session or public meeting, and a gentleman is getting up to speak. And that gentleman is in kind of rugged clothing, and he's got dirty hands, if you look close to the picture. The whole point is, We allow everyone to speak. It doesn't matter what their status is in our community. And we take that very seriously. So we appreciate the public comments that we do get from people. And then again, you can talk to your council members individually at any time. Give them a call. So with that said, we appreciate the opportunity for people to speak to the council. Okay, if you would, Jerry. I move that we adjourn our regular council meeting this evening and convene into executive session under Illinois statutes to discuss the purchase or lease of real estate for the city. Second. Motion and second. Clear to call the roll.

Council Member Newman. Aye. Gomez. Aye. McCall. Aye. Selassie. Aye. Mayeron.

Aye. This meeting is adjourned. The council will be going back into executive session to discuss real estate.