City Council - Regular Meeting

No, but thank you. Well, depends. I made try to confuse it too much. Oh, what time is it? 529. Y'all keep me on track. The clerk will Thought I had some cough drops hiding here. Come on. Yeah. You got some.

Okay. Chairman, having the appointed time of 5:30 arrived, I would like to call the Tuesday, April the 14th, 2026 committee to hold to order. Would you please stand and join me with the pledge of allegiance? I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, would you take the role? Yes, sir. Alman Cox, here. Alman Gregory here. Alman Williams here. Alman Rockford here. Alderwoman Purchase here. Alderwoman Natrianiano here. Alderman Carlson here. Alderwoman Connley

present. Alderman Donland here. Alman Hanower here. Chairman, you have a quorum. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. I would accept a motion for the approval of the March 31st, 2026 committee meeting minutes. So move, Mr. Chair. It's been moved. Second. Thank you. If I may, if I may, Mr. Chair, can I can I speak?

Uh if if I may, I I would like to uh address the committee and my colleagues. Um I I want to uh offer apology um for interrupting last week's meeting. Um certainly, I've been here for some time. um 200 plus meetings outside of the meetings that we have here and I know how important it is on on how we communicate um uh what what's need be um up here and and I'll say I've I've received a lot of emails, a lot of feedback. I haven't said anything um over the past week besides a few things on my own personal um Facebook u relating more to to self than anything else. And um you know I've I've I've uh I don't know who else but you know especially me I've received some some some emails and you know two of them stuck out to me right um this thing about the pledge. One of one of the emails that I received it says learn to stand for the pledge of allegiance you dirty effing monkey.

Oh man. That's what it says. Stupid. And it's a, you know, we won't speak on the address and where it's at. Um, when we first formed this black caucus, well, almost two years ago now, this was a topic on the radio. When we came out, we were just trying to come out by our together. Kha was running late, but we caught the pledge of allegiance. We stopped and we did that. My brother served in the military. We have always stood

for the pledge of allegiance. Always stood. But that narrative is out there. And that was, you know, some of the some of the um comments last week at the podium. Um and and and you know, we hear those things and those things travel and they get into the hands and the ears and the minds of people who who don't think uh objectively um and really go to these levels. Whatever. This a public email. This is my public email. It go to Janette and Tim first, then me. And then, you know, some of these emails and there's a guy outside even saying support the police. And I know that, you know, speaking for myself and and and my votes over the years, I thought that we have shown that we do support the police. Um, do we ask questions? Um, do we do we express empathy for for an incident with involving a 19-year-old young lady? Absolutely. um you know through all of this her story was tagged in with what that situation was last week. And and when we think of me and and and our colleagues, when we think of community policing, we think of man, how do we help this young 19year-old young lady? That's what I'm think. How do we how do we help her? because there's been other situations in in our community where people have turned themselves in or we've we've helped with that and and and helped them move along. That's more so what what we're looking for. Um but but you know and and and I work very hard at that over the years, right? I I work very very very hard to take personal emotions of things that I've been through with

police and to make good sound decisions to support our police, especially good police officers. Actually, that's the only police officers that I'm going to support. And we've seen times where we've had to stand up against some things, the Aaron Nichols of the world and things that were just totally outside of what we look for in policing. It's there. These things that that I read off happen all the time. I walk with this every day and I'm sure my colleagues do too. And those who like all the woman not who who who is seen as somebody who helps or or or speaks up for the for the black community or black issues as well as a woman going to take a beating sometimes and and and and it just it just all builds up, right? It all builds up, you know, because we'll, you know, at times, you know, the picture is painted that everything is fine, but it's not fine. We really have a lot of work to do with racial tensions in this city. We really, really, really do. Um, and that's all I'm going to say on that, but those those two emails stuck out to me. Um because those narratives are out there for us. And many times people just don't even look at the actual work we do, the actual votes we take. It's just oh, you know, he has opinion, you know, and he hates police. I got a reason to not be like that, but I don't. So, um I appreciate the time today. I appreciate you, chair. I didn't want to take too long. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Treasure. Since it's the first committee meeting, do we have a report? Oh, I'm sorry. She's not here. He's That's Eric. Oh, Eric. Okay. Do we have a report tonight? Thank you. Uh, thank you, Alderman Williams. Yes.

Uh, treasur treasur's report for the corporate fund for the month of March. The beginning balance is was uh 63,34,481. We took in total receipts of 14,485,945. We had dispersements in the month of March totaling $15,89,546 which left the corporate fund ending balance in the month of month of March at 62,430,881. The ending general fund balance includes $3,229,089 which is the March ending balance for ARPA money. That concludes my report. Thank you,

Mr. Chair. I'd like to make a motion to accept the treasures report as read. Second. It's been properly uh motioned and second to accept the report. Uh all in favor signify by saying I. I. All right. Thank you. Uh presentations. Are there presentations? Yes. Uh Mr. Chairman, um Alderman Gregory has a presentation. Do you want to do it when we look at the ordinance or you want to do it now? Um we can do it when we get to the ordinance. How about that? That's fine. No other presentations. Okay, that's fine. Next, we have ordinances tabled or remaining in committee. Does anybody want to take any type of action on them or do we have any in there? Just one. Just the one. Anybody got anything for that one?

That ordinance is 2026 078. Motion to um move to committee consideration. Second. It's been properly moved and second to bring this into uh committee consideration. Um, all in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay. So, are we going to move it right now or you want to wait till we get to that number or you want? Yeah, we can wait. I'm the chair. Okay. Well, let's get it over with. Let's read it.

Uh, ordinance 202678 is an ordinance amending chapter 33 section 33.302 302 subsection D of the 1988 Springfield City Code of Ordinances as amended changing the length of time and compliance has to file uh a complant has to file an appeal with the police community review commission. Okay. So any any move for consent second move and second to consent. Did you say yes? Okay. Any discussion?

Yes. Uh Mr. Chair, I I like I say, I only held this because um we anticipated moving a little little faster on the police review commission on on some updates. Um and we haven't had to have those haven't had a chance to have those conversations with Ethan out of respect for him. However, and and I I see no sense of uh continuing to hold a a uh extended um time for people to um u put a complaint in. So, thank you.

Any other comments? Well, well, I do have a comment on this. This is the one where I said it doesn't make sense to do until we see movement. We have a couple can uh well there always were candidates but we have movement going on now. There's things on our agendas and it's moving through the process is the only reason why I would move this forward. Uh there is some confusion out there about our particular commission compared to the recommendations of the county. But as you know I don't like combining anything with the county. So that's partly why the Massie Commission's thing talks about us and the county doing something and I'm going to move this until we can figure something else out. So I'm in support of it and I will be voting. So if there's no more discussion, all in favor signify by I. Okay.

Um so that takes care of that. Mr. Clerk. Yep. You ready for? Yes. Ordinances for committee consideration. CWLP 2026148 is an ordinance authorizing payment to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, NERK, fees and fiscal year 2027 in the amount not to exceed $79,3941 for the Office of Public Utilities. Move for consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for our consent agenda. Um, any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I

2026150 is an ordinance authorizing supplemental appropriation of the MYSO J1610 deposits not to exceed $292,569.54 the office of public utilities. Move to consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026151 is an ordinance authorizing supplemental appropriation and the acceptance of an execution of a grant number OS-262688 from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources IDNR for the improvements to the center park and beach house for the office of public utilities. Move consent. Second.

Been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Uh sure. Okay. Alderwoman Connley. Thank you. I've I've um just need to be very clear that I will not be voting on this. I'm abstaining from this one even with the consent agenda because I work at D. So this and there's one more coming. So thank you chair. Okay. The clerk can note that please. Got it. Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Okay. 2026152 is in order approving the master service agreement with the Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology for the Illinois State Agency in the amount not to exceed $246,000 for the internet services on behalf of the city of Springfield for a 5-year term for the Office of Public Utilities.

Consent been properly moved and second to send this to consent. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. 2026153 is an ordinance approving contract extension and authorizing additional funding in the amount of $500,000 under the contract UE21-1-63. Number two, die fuel for the CWLP turbines with energy petroleum for the total amount of payable of $2,265,000 for the Office of Public Utilities. Move consent. Second properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion hearing? None signify by saying I. I.

2026154 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a staff argument argumentation agreement with rapid view technology to provide computer assistance for the information systems division of in the amount not to exceed $651,59828 for the office of public utilities. Move consent. Mr. Chair, I'd like to make a recommendation to adopt proposed amendment number one. Second. It's been a motion and second to uh amend um amendment number one be included. Um all in favor signify by saying I now I entertain a chair as amended from someone. So move.

Okay. It's been properly moved and second uh that we pass this as amended. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay. Mr. share real quick on that. Yes. I I would ask I would like to know what we spent on that ERP system, Billy, if you can try to find that out. It's not I don't want to hold it up, but I I I would I think it's something we need to know. Those things are just it's probably eating us alive. All right. Thank you.

Okay. Yeah. Check it. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Carter. Public works. Public Works 2 2026155 is an ordinance authorizing execution of extension agreement between the city of Springfield, Illinois and 2631 North Derken Parkway LLC for the properties located at 2631 North Durkson Parkway for the office of public works to debate. I think that has to be debate, right, Greg? Yes. Yeah. Okay. It's been properly moved and second to send this to the debate agenda. Any more discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I.

2026 156 is an ordinance annexing certain described real property located at 2631 Dirkson Parkway for the office of public works. Move to debate. Second. Been promptly moved and second to send this to the debate agenda. Um we do have discussion. Alderwoman Noriano. Thank you chair. Just really quick, um the fact sheet said there were no electors, but one of these whereas clauses says there are two electors. Um or is that in the previous one? It's this one. Okay. Which clause is that? The first one. Is there anyone here to answer that or did you get your answer?

I mean, I just imagine I'll follow up with public works and and get that corrected one way or the other. Okay. Anything else? Any more discussion? So, we're moving this to debate. Correct. Correct. Right. All in favor signify by saying I.

I. 2026 157 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a master service agreement with NV5 geo patel uh pel for the various support services and deliverables for the geographic information systems and the computerized maintenance management systems from April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027 for the amount not to exceed $355,000 for the office of public works. Move to consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion on Fegen signify by saying I.

2026158 is the north accepting low bid and authorizing the ext uh execution of a contract number PW260265 with Kenny Contractors Inc. for the 2027 concrete patching program in the amount not to exceed 1,355454725 cents for the office of public works for consent. Second properly moved and second for the consent agenda. Any discussion signify by saying I

2026159 is the north accepting low bid and authorizing the execution of a contract number PW2602-60 with Kenny Contractors Inc. for the 2027 sidewalk program in the amount not to exceed 1,173,72 for the office of public works. Move to consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for the consent agenda. Any discussion? Yes. All the woman purchase.

Thank you, chair. Um, director folks, you don't have to come up, but is there a way you can kind of send out a list for the future forecast of the projects that's come? Okay. Can you send that to us? Thank you. Any more discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026160 is an ordinance accepting lowest responsible bid and authorizing the execution of contract number PW260263 with Trimman Flat and Suns Company, Inc. Furnish construction on the FY2027 by 2 mill road improvements program for the amount not to exceed 1,474,93012 for the office of public works. Move to consent. Second.

Been properly moved and second for the consent agenda. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. I 2026161 is an ordinance accepting lowest responsible bid and authorizing execution of contract number PW260261 with Rayhon Brothers Inc. DBA Sangual Construction for the FY2027 Brick Street Repair Program in the amount not to exceed $478,65.96 for the Office of Public Works. Move to consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I.

2026162 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a highway authority agreement for the rideway between the Kronister Oil Company, Inc. and the city of Springfield for the property located at 11:01 Stevenson Drive for the Office of Public Works. Consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. I

2026 163 is an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new vector 2100 I1024 truck model from co-equipment inc 58 23344 after tradein of the existing 2019 vector truck S332019 vector truck for the office of public works consent second and properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Um, all the on the next one. On on the next one. You was early. Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay. Mr. Chair. Yes.

I'd like to make a motion we do an omnimous vote uh for 2026 164 to I think it's 171. They're all liquor licensed. Second. Okay. So we're we're going to um ominous vote. Okay. Ominous. Okay. So from 164 to 171 is it's been promptly moved and second to do this on an ominous vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay.

2026 164. It's an ordinance authorizing the increase the number of class B liquor licenses by one for the Grand East LLC DBA Grand Food Mart located at 436 South Grand Avenue East. 2026 165 is an ordinance increase the number of class A liquor licenses by one for the Gle Entertainment LLC DBA Miss Kimmy's Top Golf Swing Suites located at 4117 W Bash Avenue. 2026 166 is an ordinance to increase the number of class D liquor licenses by one for the Radhee Food Mart Inc. DBA Grill House 66 located at 69 South 6th Street for frontage frontage road east 2026 167 is an orance authorizing increase of of the number of class B liquor licenses by one for the SNS Mart LLC DBA SNS Mart located at 430 East Stanford Avenue 2026168 is an ordinance to decrease the number of class D liquor licenses by one for TQ1 Lounge LLC DBA ain't lose New Soul Food located at 524 East Monroe. 2026 169 is an ordinance to decrease the number of class doubleA liquor licenses by one due to the closure of business by Whiskey Jack Sports Bar LLC DBA Whiskey Jacks located at 430 East Monroe Street. 20261 170 is an order to decrease the number of class B liquor licenses by one due to the sale and the business by GPM Midwest LLC Jify stop number 582 located at 436 South Grand Avenue 2026 171 is the order to decrease the number of class D liquor licenses by one due to the closure of the business of the Ugly restaurant bar LLC DBA ugly bar and restaurant located at 20 2312 W bash venue.

Move for for consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. No more discussion. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Mr. Chair. Yes, sir. I'd like to make a motion to for an omnibus vote for agenda items number 2026, 172, 173, and 174. All three deal with appointments, and my goal is to eventually make a recommendation to put them on the debate. So move. Okay. It's been properly moved and second to uh do an ominous vote for the next three ordinances um and put it on the debate agenda. All in favor signify by saying I.

Uh Mr. Kirk, you want to read them? 2026 172 is an ordinance approving the appointment of William Matson to the Springfield Police Review Commission. 2026 173 is an ordinance approving the appointment of Kimu Ko the to the police review commission. 2026 174 is an or ordinance approving the appointment of John Herring to the Springfield Disabilities Commission. Move for debate. Second properly moved and second for debate. If there's no more discussion, all in favor signify. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. All the woman.

Thank you, chair. Um, so I'm assuming I missed an email with these people's resumes and such. Did I Did anyone see Billy? Do you know about that? Yeah. Wait, they usually come when when do they usually come? Before we before they're read. We normally would get them. Tim will send them out or Janette will send them out to sorry chair. But sure they'll normally send them out to us and we get to read it and then we'll ask is anyone in the audience would they like to come up and say a few words, but it's always motion for debate.

Okay. Okay. So we usually get it before next week. Okay. Got it. Yeah. Yeah. And I just wanted to make sure that um like this is a matter of public record, so it should be included with these ordinances, their their whatever they submitted to in order to get approved in their background. Um thank you. Yeah. Well, that that's a outstanding catch there. I appreciate that and I'm quite sure in the future we'll we'll we'll keep an eye on that. And we still have another shot. This is just going on debate. So, did we vote already or No, we we got uh all the woman kindly. I was just going to ask if any of the candidates were here tonight. That's normal procedure, too.

So, if not, then we'll we'll we'll have to meet them next week. Okay. Next week. We need to be here. Okay. All in favor signify by saying I I 2026 175 is you ready, chairman? Yes, I am. 2026175 is norance approving the amendment to the rules of the procedures of the city council. Motion for consent. It's been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Okay, let's start with Alderwoman. I mean alder that was I left my

No problem. Yeah, thank you Mr. Chair. I would just ask uh uh before I get to before I ask uh um Corporation Council Mock to kind of summarize the ordinance, I wanted to thank uh Clerk Red Path for reaching out to myself, Alderwoman Connley, and Alderman Gregory to work on this particular ordinance together. And uh I think you'll find it um it just attempts to codify what has been our practice in place and clarify some things and actually re eliminate some outof-date language. So Mr. Corporation Council, if you don't mind, chair, if he explains the uh proposed ordinance, I'd appreciate it.

Sure. So uh the changes that that that group put together um are here in their their redline changes. So one of the big ones is it applies our uh city council rules. um we we have we have our rules of procedure book um that that has never been applied or um does not specify that applies to committee of the whole. So this although we've always had the practice of using those rules for committee um this clarifies city council procedure and um committee procedure. Uh it also codifies the the rotating chair that we have for committee of the whole. We've been uh we've been utilizing that for some time um but that is not actually in our rules. Our rules specify in several locations that um that it requires a twothirds vote of the council members then holding office and then and then in parenthesis we'll say eight votes. That can be conflicting if we don't have uh if we have any uh vacancies in the position of alderman. Uh so this removes the eight votes. So it's 2/3 majority vote of those then holding office. It codifies uh the order of business that we typically follow with old business and new business instead of other business. Um additional changes uh address the committee review uh where it used to take six members to uh to move to consent or to place on debate. This allows for a simple majority vote. Um that way if there's if there's less than all 11 or if there's less than 10 of you here um it's still just a majority. Uh it also says that instead of approving and not approving, we place on consent or debate. Um which is uh which is standard practice for the city. Um uh it talks about it changes fiscal notes to fact sheets because that's the terminology that we that we use. Um it then uh clarifies under uh public comment. Um it it codifies the u or

specifies uh because we no longer have ordinance and resolutions final action. Um so it takes it takes that reference out um and then um puts in one place where comments are limited to five minutes. It also places in our rules of procedure um the uh the prohibitions that u that were read into the record in um in 2022. Uh so they're codified here under uh prohibited conduct. Um it it takes out um reading of protests. That's something that can be done. Um it in to my knowledge it it hasn't been done but um we have no no prohibition of it. Um but it seemed out of place um in our rules. And then finally, it uh it clarifies that section 10 applies to violations of rules by council members and um corrects some misspellings. It makes no substantive changes uh in our section 10, but um it makes minor changes. So that's kind of an overriding summary of what that uh group put together.

Thank you. Appreciate that. Did that answer your question though? I may take care of it. Okay, you're finished. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Okay. Alderwoman Noriano.

Thank you, chair. Um, this was a lot to go through. Um, and there were just a couple of things that sort of uh caught my attention as something we might want to look at and um maybe not just like put this through super quickly. All respect to the sponsors. Um, so let's see. So, corporation council, you sort of already helped with the um defining a majority. So, uh the concurrence of the majority, you don't think it would be beneficial to further define that in here? Well, I think that concurrence of majority is defined by our Supreme Court. And so if we want to use that term, um, we should we should follow the voting practice that's been laid out in the Proser case. If we want to change concurrence of the majority, we would need to look at our consent decree to do that.

Okay. Yeah. No, I'm not saying that we should change it because um I have no reason to do that, but um it it was a point of contention and uh it was not abided by for uh gosh 30 years, I guess. So, I think it would be helpful to um you know, put that out there for everyone. Um just just referencing that. Um but these are just suggestions. Do with it what you will. Um when it's uh section 8, citizens rights, uh you've taken out um the right for people to address the council for zoning matters and emergency ordinances. So people if something comes up at the meeting people cannot address like the audience cannot address um issues that haven't been put forward previously or

that that's certainly not the intent of striking um that except for zoning matters and emergency ordinances. Um what what that is intended to do is to show that even for zoning matters and emergency ordinances comments are limited to five minutes. Um those zoning matters and emergency ordinances will still appear on our agenda which will be uh 48 hours in at least 48 hours in advance of the meetings. Uh so we don't the intent is and I don't believe this language actually prohibits that comment. Um but the way it's drafted now is uh is that the one working day would not be required for zoning man uh at least the way it reads is zoning managers and emergency ordinances would not require the one working day.

Okay. I I read it the wrong way. Okay. Um that's good. Um, and then I'm not sure why we struck uh in section I guess it's I don't know where that little sentence belongs anymore. It was old section two. Um, all remarks shall be addressed to the council as a body. Why did we strike that? I believe our our current practice um is repeatedly said that comments should be addressed to the chair. Um and so this or the presiding officer or the chair and so uh this um this has that the remarks um should be addressed to the chair.

Okay. I um I as a member of the council don't feel comfortable uh limiting um uh the ability of residents to speak to us um as a council. Like I understand that we don't abide by people pointing out, hey so and so you did XYZ. Um but to come up here and address us as a body like that seems like we should be okay with it. Um because I could see there would be issues that would you know in involve all 10 of us or or something that we've done as a body um as opposed to just the presiding officer. Um so yeah I yeah I I guess um and then uh next uh it says in section three it says um things that are prohibited are allegations of personal wrongdoing. Um I I feel like that's a little too uh too limiting, right? Um I think there of course is a way to address personal wrongdoing. Um but I think if any of us uh yeah had had I don't know broken the law or drove drunk or etc. Um, I I would uh I would be open to someone addressing that my allegation of wrongdoing. Like I just I I don't know why we would take take that away from people. Um

point of point of parliamentary procedure, could you older woman if I can just could you tell me what's page section? Uh it's number eight. So I don't know what page it is. There aren't any but it's citizens rights. Yep. Number three towards the end of that paragraph. I got it. Yeah.

Um so yeah, that that didn't sit right with me. Um everything else makes sense and is in in in following what with what we do. Um and then in that section four um so we say it's going to require a simple majority to pass. Is that a simple majority of all current elected?

So no the the use of of simple majority means if we have a quorum it is more than more yays than nays for whatever the quorum is. So, if there's seven of you here, it's four yes votes. Okay. Okay. And that is to expel um people or Yeah, that's to override. O Oh, override expelling someone. Okay, great. Sorry. Sorry, T.

No, thank you. I appreciate this. Is definitely a group project here. Um uh and then yeah, that was that was my only thing there. And then um what was this about? Uh I'm sorry. This note isn't making sense to me. Refuse. Um yeah. So here I have a question and and it's transfers over into uh section 10 violations of the rules. Um so it seems to leave out the mayor like if the mayor did any of this like um like I know we're trying to say like if a council member does this it's it's unacceptable but like what if the mayor does that?

The the mayor is a member of the council. So this would uh when it says council member that would include the mayor.

Um and and also like I I yes I understand but I would feel more comfortable if we change that from council members uh to corporate authorities uh because that embodies all of us and it includes uh the clerk, the treasurer and um yeah everybody. Um, yeah. And I I think that is it. Um, you know, because if you're a lay person, it says council members, and you know who the council members are. It's the 10 of us. Sure. Sure.

So, uh, so it's the 10 of us plus the mayor,

right? So I I I would suggest to everyone to change that from council members to corporate authority. Um because yeah, you know, this is all open to interpretation. It depends on, you know, who's reading it and who's interpreting it, who's who's in the corporation council seat. I trust all of y'all. I trust you. Um, but I would certainly not like to see this end up in a situation where we have a mayor able to do or a clerk able to do whatever, say whatever, and face no consequences. Um, and that that does it for me. Thank you so much for your consideration. If we can figure it out today, I won't motion for debate. Um, so you y'all who the sponsors, please let me know. Well, um, all the woman, I appreciate your comments and recommendations, but I'm on the move to put this on debate myself. This is a lot, and I think we need to go another week at looking at this. My issues are slightly different. You raised some serious uh, points that I think we need to all share throughout the week and get ready for next week when we pass something. Um,

I'm tired of getting calls with the letters, people getting uh put out of council and we did it and we don't take a vote and say who's going to be suspended 30 days, 60 days now. We're not involved with that part. That's the mayor and her administration. I look directly at who signs the letter. It's usually corporate council. So, what I would say to that, this is a good time to fix that and say in language who's making that decision that that person is getting expelled, unless we're going to make language that says we got to take a vote and then they're expelled. But we need to be clear if we're going to go messing with rules, we might as well catch ourselves. Same way with turning mics on and off. It's always administrative thing. That's usually not the council. But who's blamed? The council. When I read newspaper stories and I read different things that happened to citizens, the council did it. No, the council didn't do it. We don't have power to turn the mic off, turn the mic on, up, down, none of that. So, we need to be clear about so much more. So, I'm moving for a debate. Uh, Alman Grey,

I'll second that, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Um so when when this uh was brought to our attention uh we we had a a wonderful meeting and one of the one of the things that we knew once it came to council um as a full body that there would be recommendations and things and I you know through our conversations um no one no one had any problems with that unfortunately only three of us can meet um as the chief hell raiser I I didn't find anything you know that was my first thing um um was was was really um um looking at the rules and stuff, but you know, some of the things that um Murdoch did catch along with our clerk like like our committees and rotating that wasn't even in our rules and and we've been doing that since I've been here and even longer. Um so I um that language was cleaned up. Um as you see the things in black have been in here um whether or not they're followed or not or are tight. Um I didn't I didn't think uh there was anything in here to worry about for anyone. Um certainly every one of us are going to have a chance to chair the meetings are going to chair the meetings how they are. Um some going to be stricter, some are going to be looser and um um I don't think that this ordinance um changes any of that. I do uh appreciate the the comments and the recommendations and I'm open to uh um whatever makes our meetings flow flow better. Thank you.

Thank you, Alderwoman Connley.

Thank Thank you, Chair. Um, I'll just say, um, real quickly, I understand, um, Aldrano, um, your question about the, um, addressing count to the council as a body. I, again, I I I really don't mind if we change that back. I It was just sort of like since we have that as our practice, you know, address the presiding officer. Clearly, people can say what they want about us as a body anyway. So, I but again, I don't have a I don't have really any concerns with with those changes. Um I do just chair just so you know um some of the new language in here under it's the new four does include um at the and it's at the end of all of the added and um stricken language but in addition to other available remedies persons who have repeatedly refused to abide by the public comment rules or whose actions are severe may be banned from attendance and making public comment for a period of time commiserate with the offense after a motion by any member and a simple majority already voted the council. So, it does actually bring that back into into our hands. So, um you know, I think really a lot of this was just trying to maybe make things a little bit cleaner and and clear lines and and give give each chair a little more ability to say, you know, hey, look, let's let's run these meetings in a way that um again, yeah, removes some of the ambiguity and and makes things a little more precise and and clear. So, I I'm fine with this going on debate. Certainly, I think um I agree with with Alderman Greg. We tried, you know, you try to dot eyes and cross tees and other people are going to see some different ones. So, um I would just ask if you could um maybe get amendments or any sort of language suggestions into into Greg as soon as possible so we can we can have an amend a mandatory language prepared before we sit down.

Sure. Um if that's if that's okay. Corporation council. Yes. Yeah, that that works. And I guess one question that I have um for Alderwoman Notion based based on comments I heard today and a potential amendment was um so section 3101 of our city code defines city council as the mayor and alderman. But if you want an amendment, we could use elected officers under section 30.01, which would also include the mayor, uh the older persons, the treasur, and the clerk. Okay. So, elected officers would be the the change and I can prepare those. Thank you. Actually, I wouldn't quite

um I I just um finally my my final comment I was going to say sorry Greg I look at you already making drafting language. Um I I just want to say I do hope that we as a body can can all agree on these. I I think it's really important. Um and that's why I'd ask please get your suggestions in as early as possible. um this should be something that we're all on the same page with and and and that we're setting up in a good page for f like as you said for someone else who's new coming into this because you know learning all this stuff is a lot. So um yeah I just I appreciate I appreciate comments feedback and and again look forward to talking about it again over the next seven days. Thank you. Thank you chairwoman per who I was talking to now.

Thank you chair. Um, Alderwoman Connley, I'm glad you just said us moving together and moving forward because sometimes when we're in the chair role, the rules don't apply the same.

So sometimes people like I think someone just said it up here. Sometimes when we all talk and I try to remember who's saying what, but said that it gives people le I think it was Alderman Gregory who said some people going to be more strict, some people going to be a little bit lax, but that sets the tone for everybody. And I think that's why we get called names and it's not being gled. It's it's just a lot and I'm very irritated and frustrated with it. So I think we need to be really really clear in that area of how we are chairing the meeting as the actual chair. Sure.

I know before when there was a lot of tension that rised um corporation council Moroc would guide us with how we should conduct if we should be saying something because sometimes people feel like they want to say something. Sometimes people reserve to not say anything but then it it confuses the audience. So I think we need to kind of tighten it up a little bit and make sure as you said we all moving together so when we see that happening we don't just not hit the gavvel for one person but we do it for the other I agree. Yep. Thank you. Who we got? Oh Don.

Yeah. Just in closing, Mr. Chair, thank you. And again, thank thanks everybody for your comments today and and for your understanding and and of the desire what we're trying to accomplish here. You know, the city uh I think to our credit and our predecessors credit that we allow uh public members to speak for five minutes. Some municipalities throughout the state are three and two and and I'm not in favor of changing that. And I think it's in, you know, we get asked by constituents all the time. I know I do about you know somebody will people believe it or not people do pay attention to our meetings and they say what about you know XYZ that showed up and said this and that and I I mean I I think we'd be remiss if we didn't talk about just how important it is whether we agree with it or not whether we uh want to hear certain things or love to hear certain things that people have the ability and they understand that they're allowed to come here and talk about things that they feel that we should hear And this is the spirit of this. Again, it's it's more of a just a kind of codifying what we uh practice and uh takes some simple things like, you know, who's the chair of the meetings that I know the ordinance was passed years ago when Tim was on the council that that put that in uh we passed an ordinance to that effect, but it didn't change actually changed the rule. So, uh appreciate the comments and uh willing certainly willing to work with any and all of you about how to make this better. So, thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yeah. Thank you. Mr. Clerk, move on. Need the vote. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah, this is going for debate. Yeah, debate agenda. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay.

Next ordinance is 2026 176. It's an ordinance. It's an ordinance authorizing and providing notice of intent to establish a state tax and revenue star bond district and al and authorize a feasibility study not to exceed $75,000 to evaluate the potential creation of the tourism and economic development district utilizing star bond financing in support of the history across the tracks initiative east west downtown development and future expansion opportunities for the off for for the Bank of Springfield Center. Motion for consent. Second. Move to debate. Okay. It's been properly moved to second for a debate. Who second it for debate?

It doesn't have to. Is there a second for debate? Not yet. I don't know if it has to, does it? I think so. I'll second 108. All right. Been properly moved and second for debate. All in favor signify by saying I. Do we? Um, so we're going to discuss. We're gonna have the presentation. Go ahead. All right. Alderman Gregory is gonna have a presentation. We have one speaker that's going to speak to this ordinance. Mr. Chairman, that's fine. Thank you.

All right. I I'll do my presentation first and then I'll ask Ralph and my colleague Alderman Carlson. Why? All right. So, um, history across the tracks, it has been something, um, a a project that that we have been working on, um, since I came in. Um, okay. Let me make sure I got this thing right now. Why don't you go down to You see it? It's one.

Hold on. We're changing batteries. We all got a packet as well.

Yes. It is. I don't ever get to tell them what to do. I am tonight. History across the tracks is what we call it. I'm pressing it. Next slide.

Next slide. All right. So um over the years we we've talked and um done some work on some key sites. The Amber Amber Dexter Heritage Heritage Institute um is modeled at the after the Tuskegee Institute u Booker T. Washington. It was called the Tuskegee of the North. Um the Lincoln Color Home um which is really special to me as a former foster child. Um it was uh one of the first homes in the state to uh take in orphanage um black children. Um, we have the Dr. Lee Medical Center, which is It's all right. We have the uh Dr. Lee Medical Facility, um, which was, uh, one of the first, uh, black medical doctors, um, practicing on the east side, mainly um, black residents. Um, we have engine house number five, which was the all black firehouse. It is occupied by Central Lodge number three. um as well as our historic black churches. Next slide. All right. So, all of these um are interconnected. Um Bourbon Street Rhythm and Ribs entertainment venue. Um he is uh Bruce at Bourbon Street, he is doing a fantastic job. He actually purchased the buildings behind him um off the city from the railroad relocation. It's a shovel ready project. He has put in some paperwork tiff wise. We're going to see what we can do. Lincoln color home just recently we passed the zoning um community support and it is um shovel ready as well. Uh the Dr. Lee Medical Facility is zoned phase one is in progress. Um they were a recent u cannabis uh recipient. the amberest house, as you know, we put a

new foundation on um exterior closures um as well as some um uh waterproofing in the basement. Um engine house number five, um through a cannabis grant, we paved the parking. Um there's some facade work in progress right now from help with the state and our great senator. Um the grand food courts up there is I'm going skip past that. That's a idea that we do have um from our our black caucus perspective as we've been having the taste of black Springfield for a couple years and uh we we've seen about 30 different um black and minority owned vendors um really really really uh have a good brand and and give us opportunity to really grow u retail and um tax revenue in our city. Clay's Barbecue. Um, another beneficiary of of history across the tracks. Um, our oldest blackowned restaurant, 25 years plus. Um, they are in need of some off- streetet parking, drive-thru, sign replacement, etc. in that area. And then the Springfield project, we know phase one is complete. They are um working on phase two. Cap 1908 is on 11th and South Graham across from Burman Street. Um if you have not been there um you would be impressed. Um and then um Boyd's New Generation. I know Alderman Williams has been working with them on some expansion plans. If you guys ride by that Monday through Friday, um it it breakfast and lunch um and partial dinner is always packed. Um the city has helped them out before and it has u really really done wonders for the business. And then we have the uh Carter's Fish. Carter's Fish is there. And our goal, our community's goal is really to get those cars off the street. Um, you know, off that South Grand uh corridor for safety. There is some lots that the city tore down, some

houses to the um west of it. Um, we look to to sort of get both them and Clay's a parking lot um to increase their businesses um in in those both those areas there. Next slide. That's how my ideas be starting out, right? I I I really wanted to show that, right? I my the my the vice chair, she was like, "You need to make it pretty and do something." But I said, "No, I want to I really want to put it in here because these boundaries um you know, we we all know about what what's talked about about the BOS center and I think, you know, most of that is a great idea and I agree with that. I just feel that those boundaries um can be drugged across the tracks um across the tracks to Martin Luther King to include um the history across the tracks um project along with the OS expansion and the good things that that that are planned um for downtown as well as every everywhere else. you know, that's that's uh east side, that's um um southtown area, my southeast portion of downtown, war five um as well as war five to the north. Um even going to north to our friends on North Grand. Um and and and and so my mind thoughts, you know, in a lot of these comments, they like, "Oh, he only cares about the east side. He needs care about the whole city." Why? I try to concentrate on my war because that's where I'm elected and that is the war that's most in need. But our ideas never never shut out. They never are um exclusive. They're always inclusive. You know, we always try to think of how to help everybody, how to make everything work. Next slide. My get away from my nasty handwriting there. So, star bonds. What is a star bond? Star bonds were created in Illinois general assembly in 1995. There's the public act as a tool to stimulate economic development and tourism. The

program allows municipalities to issue bonds. The bonds are repaid using incremental state and local sales tax revenues generated by the development within the designated district rather than the city's general fund enabling communities to finance large-scale projects without using property taxes. Next slide. So, Starbonds, Starbonds has a provision in the law that requires at least 50% of that project area to be located in the under serve area, ensuring that the program is directly tied to communities that have historically lacked investment. The statute is designed to uh drive drive job creation, economic growth and new development especially in in those areas and only allows projects that would not happen without this financing tool. There is the uh law definition for you guys pleasure. Next slide. It emphasizes job creation economic growth. We went over some of that um and projects supporting minority owned businesses. These provisions make Springfield's east side ideal ideal candidate as as as it is historically underserved has economic distress indicators and offers strong potential for creating jobs, attracting tourism and stimulating long-term growth, long-term community development. There is the law in the subsections below. Next slide. For many years after the law's initial enactment, talking about star bonds, the program remained largely dormant due to how the eligibility rules were written and limited use by communities. In December of 2025, the legislature expanded the star bonds statewide through SB1 1911, enabling any any eligible municipalities or counties across Illinois to establish a star bond district and pursue projects that can

attract visitors, spur capital capital investment, and generate jobs. Under this expansion, star bonds are now a tool available in every region of the state, provided the district meets criteria such as having 50% of the area in underserved areas and supporting designation scaled development that creates a significant economic impact. State officials estimate that if all eligible Starbond projects are completed, they could generate up to $1 billion in sales and 5,000 new statewide jobs. Next slide, please. Uh these are just some different little notes that I wanted to put in here. The state law uh refers to section 55 of the economic development for growing economy tax credit act for the definition of underserved area typically based on economic distress indicators. Low investment, high unemployment and poverty rates. U the law requires that star bonds would not occur but for the availability for star bonds. The the statute explicitly uh notes that the private sector is unable to develop major related projects in some parts of the state. Next slide. Um this is our poverty rate um in in in this main area. Um 41% uh medium uh income. We see they're at 30 33% life expectancy. So, I got to get this done quickly. Numerous studies show that heritage and cultural tourism can be a powerful engine of economic development, especially when communities are actively engaged. Systematic research highlights tourism role in poverty reduction, job creation, and infrastructure investment.

Why admissible evidence links cultural heritage assets to increased tourism and economic growth. These findings support the case that investing in black heritage tourism in spring like Springfield's history across the tracks initiative can bring measurable economic benefits to historically underserved neighborhoods. Boy, now I see how hard it is. Heritage tourism is the fastest growing sector in the US travel market, predicted to grow from 129 billion in 2024 to 184 billion by 2033. Heritage travelers spend an average of 994 almost $1,000 per trip more uh more than double the typical traveler and 78% of the U of US travelers engage in heritage or cultural tourism. Black leisure travelers represent a significant e economic force um spending approximately $ 109 billion in 2019 highlighting the potential of cultural relevant tourism experience to drive local economic growth. In addition, the African-American Cultural Heritage Action Fund has raised about $150 million to preserve historic black landmarks, churches, and cultural sites, demonstrating ongoing national investment in African-American heritage, provision, and tourism. Next slide. Continue. Um, for the sake of time, we we went there. Next slide. So, this is some of the work that we've done on the Amberester house. As you see, I I'm very hands-on and I go look at it. But, um, in that first picture there, they raised that house off his foundation and put that new foundation that you see on the last picture, um, the guy said it was the

heaviest house that he's ever had to lift. Um, they had to come from Wisconsin um, to do this. Um, the walls of that house have bricks in them halfway up the cavity. Next slide. That's what one of the renderings um was for it to look like. Next slide. Um to the my left, your right. Um that is the Lincoln color home. Um it has currently has some demo work and um it is prepared as as as I noted before for some work. Um the second building there is the Dr. Lee home. Um, as I noted before that um there is noted for work. Next slide. That is some of the work on Southtown that is now CAP 1908. Um they are preparing for building number two. Next slide. That is the goal. That is where we are trying to get that corridor. That corridor there um of course is South Grand leading into um downtown. Next slide. So I just want to put this in here as our relation um together. Um during the Civil War, Frederick Douglas met with Abraham Lincoln three times. Their first meeting though was contentious. Over the previous two years of the war, Douglas criticized Lincoln for his cautious approach to abolition. After Lincoln signed the mesh invasion proclamation, Douglas began to soften his criticism, but grew frustrated with the unequal treatment of African-American troops. On August 10th, 1863, Douglas decided to meet with Lincoln on the issue. With the aid of Boston abolitionist Major George Luther Steams, Douglas obtained an invitation to the White House. Upon learning he was there, Lincoln had

Douglas escorted into the office. Lincoln graciously greeted Douglas and listened as he denounced the inequity in pay for African-American soldiers. While Lincoln acknowledged his argument, he told Douglas that the inequity of inay was a necessary ob uh concession to smooth the way and one that would eventually be corrected. Lincoln also affirmed that he would continue to ensure the protection of African-American troops. Douglas left the meeting disappointed, but he was well satisfied with the man that determined to go on with the recruiting. Next slide. Last slide, guys. In Springfield, Abraham Lincoln once took bold action in the face of injustice, signing the Emancipation Proclamation to free those long oppressed. Yet, the 1908 race riots violently reinforced a dividing line between downtown and east and the east side, destroying black neighborhoods and businesses and pushing residents into a long-term disinvestment. Not far from the newly designated race riot monument, which will serve as a future anchor of history across the tracks, the proposed it's a $200 million star bond expansion, can transform into a 250 um by by um transforming the surrounding areas um building the east side ruins and rich cultural heritage legacy. The initiative will create a major designation that draws visitors downtown while directly uplifting the east side, erasing the historic divide in the line, honoring Lincoln, Lincoln's legacy, and finally freeing neighborhoods from decades of neglect through heritage tourism,

private investment, and equitable development. I think that is all. That is all. Osman Hanau.

Yeah, thank you. Um, great presentation on that, Sean. I'm I'm not opposed to any of it. Lord knows I've I've especially from Clay's point of view, I've I've gained a lot of weight and I've lost a lot of shirts from spill and barbecue on it. So, um, my main thing on this is I just ask that we look at a different funding source than the general fund. Um, I mean, we we went through the budget. We had people that didn't vote on the budget because they were concerned about spending. This was not in the budget for spending. I realize it's a new thing. I think it's great. If we can get that money, I'm I'm all for for getting money from from, you know, whatever source. I would just ask that we go back and try to find a different fund than the general fund. That's that's all I'm asking. And I I mean I great presentation and and all those projects are are are wonderful and I can't I I hope I'm around when when they when they're all done, you know, um what they did to the one house where they they picked it up. I thought it was going to crumble. I really did. That was that was a feat. And so Sean, I I would just ask that you go back and may and try to find a different source of funding. Okay. Thank you. If I may jump in real quick, you know, in my discussions with with people who support this plan and um you know, one of one of the things that all the woman not brought to my attention, she said, "Sean, why why pay anything? We have an in-house planner that we have." And um what what this what what this particular ordinance is about is to designate a boundary and to notify the state that we have intentions to draw a a box of some sort. Whether it be these boundaries here or

other boundaries that we have. I think these boundaries fit our city the best. I feel like these boundaries straddle the 11 street tracks, the dividing line, and I believe that it brings economic development to both sides of the tracks and erases that line finally. Um, and and if we can do it in house, um, that that's great. If we if we have to go outside, um, there's different funding sources that we can use. Um, we can use some TIFF funds if if necessary um to use that. But I I thought what was best um was for us to take it out of the general fund. I'm not I'm not opposed to finding a a different fund to to do that out of or or having our staff work on it themselves. Um because a lot of the information that we need we have um we have to compile it and put it up. Um I know in our marketing plan meetings with uh op um director Dah um one of the things that we talked about was operational plan and we have began working on that operational plan with each one of the sites how much um they they will be um in need to finish what type of uh um sales generating tax generating um portions that come with it because that's that's the thing with a Starbond. Starbond captures the sales tax in the area and then if approved by the state um this would still have to be pro approved by the state. Um then they would refund 50% um of that tax revenue back to those to those projects. Um, so I I I guess my my pitch is is that this this this vision that we have for um the expansion of the BOS, let's include a little bit more and and and and help out a little bit more of our city. Um, you know, um, and that's my case. Thank you, Michelle. And

Mr. Chair, can I respond real quick? Yes. The only other thing is it's my understanding at least I thought I understood that the study's already been done for the BOS center. So I don't know that there's really necessary nec there's a real reason to include the BLS center on that and that might save us money as well. But I my understanding was that that study was done um before almost two years ago. Yeah. Before before Doris brought it to to the legislature. So, um I think that that's that's just another another thing that we probably ought to just take that off. Thanks. Yeah, for sure. Good job on the presentation.

Thank you. I appreciate you. And I and and I do know there's been some action taken on that. And I would say that anything that's involving a estimate or where we're going to place our city dollar sales tax portion of the funds um is is um I don't know I don't want to say uh wouldn't be the right manner to to to go about it in my opinion right um because it's our sales tax our sales dollars and if there is been a study or report done then we need to see it um to see how ours can help because if theirs already qualified for a star bonds, then adding additional area only makes it better. It only qualifies for what's what um through my research they call a NOVA level, which is the 300 million level, you know. Um and and I I I I fully fully believe that um by adding u more pieces into it, um you're going to have people of all walks of life that's going to come to whatever happens downtown um and and going to want to go across the tracks and going to want to go see on that mural on the train tracks that's getting covered up right now. There's Eva Carl Monroe, that's the Lincoln color home, Barack Obama, um Dr. Edwin E. Lee, Susan Dana Lawrence, who was a friend of Eva Curl Monroe. Um, and one more young lady um that helped the NAACP, I forget her name, but so so this city does recognize the importance of it and and I think that we can get it done and we we can uh from a city perspective, I'm not really, you know, mentioning any other laws or any other bills that's coming forth. I'm saying our intent as a city um to to um really make sure that we we have a full scope

and doing the best when we're talking about um investment coming to the city. So, I appreciate you. Thank you, Alman Donley.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and and thank you, Alderman Gregory, for putting forth this presentation, all the time you spent on this. Uh I being a student of history by no means any form of a historian but a student of history um find this this this topic fascinating and you we talked about this a few weeks ago about how just how important it is for econom when you do economic development to think outside the box and downstates municipalities just don't have that many tools. This is one that I'm not really as familiar with as others like such as tax increment financing. But the way TIF works is, you know, obviously we we would pass an ordinance to initiate a study and this then it all comes back to council and we have the power to in uh implement it. But this uh the way I understand it is what would happen is um a study if this ordinance were to pass uh then uh the study is performed it's then brought back to the city. we look at the the outcome of that and then we have like as you said Alderman Gregory then we submit something to the state of Illinois uh and something is not a technical term I might add but whether it's a resolution or a letter or whatever it is or an application and then if it gets approved it's it's sort of like a tiff but the district set up and then we have funds that you had mentioned that are uh basically used to pay off bonds in other words we get an infusion of cash by selling bonds that I'm sure are backed by the revenue Uh, and this is outside the box.

This is I don't think ever been even talked about here. Uh, I appreciate that. I appreciate the historical perspective of it. Um, I I'm going to vote for this. This is uh exciting. Um, this isn't unlike uh what we talked about last week with the legislation regarding the BOS center. That's outside the box. We got to do I mean, I know I'm stating the obvious, but we got to do something different. uh we have areas in this community all over uh that that need uh dramatically uh need assistance help and and this would be a nice infusion. So uh but I I do have one question uh from a financial perspective. I might as well ask it. I was going to ask it offline, but I will ask it. Uh economic development director Amy, what is the average cost of a the only thing I know compared to what's the average cost of a TIFF study? It's not $75,000.

Probably not. I don't have that number in front of me. Is it safe to say it's like $50,000? I would say that or less. Okay. I I don't I'm not suggesting that we lower that amount, but I appreciate your comments about, you know, the finding funding sources and moving forward. So, that's all I have, Mr. Chair. Thank you. Thank you, woman kindly.

Thank you, Chair. Um, Alderman Gregory, I love I love everything you put into this. I'm going to not repeat everyone else's comments and just slightly um differ from I think some of the other advice maybe you've gotten. I I think we should keep this amount in here. You did put not to exceed 75,000. I think that's that's a reasonable expectation. Um I would like I like first of all I I voted for the budget. I think that it's it's a fairly conservative budget. We've got room to be flexible to do things like this and and this is this is an important thing for us to be doing. we we want to make sure we build on the momentum that's been going and and I think this is a great way to do that. So I don't I would ask that we not lower or change um you know if you that money amount because I think having that is a hurdle. I also I want to keep it in there because as much as I know um director raising has a you know a bright and flexible staff. Um she's she is not

absolutely

she doesn't have ex excess staff and and I don't I wouldn't want our planner to have this be her entire job. I think we need to make sure that that that that position is available for other functions too and having outside consulting to make sure that this is as broad-based and as compelling as possible since it's not in the end our final decision. We as it's been pointed out we move this on then to the the state. I think making sure that we have that consulting services and people who really kind of get into this stuff and really dig into it. Having that as an option is a really great approach. So I appreciate you having that in there. I think the budget and I I vote for it. I'm I'm fine with it. I don't think this is an excessive amount of money at all and and we definitely need to um we need to build on the energy that we've started and this is a great way to do it. So, thank you for bringing this.

Appreciate you. Thank you. Absolutely. Looking forward to it. All the woman purchase. Thank you, Alderwoman kindly because we gonna need your vote. Um I this is something that we this is something that we had talked about when director Doll came up to the podium and I said it was one area that was missing.

Do everybody remember that? And I said it was the black dollar. This is exactly what we were talking about. And we also have to keep in mind that we had the 1908 race riot monument that we have to start figuring out. Um, I'm hoping like, you know how I just saw ordinance 2026 151 where there was a grant um from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and it encompasses the the beach house. So, I'm thinking like, can we use some of that same energy to try to find grants for this type of project? And I think if we do put that type of energy in, we'll find some. We'll we'll have some energy, momentum. There's things that's out there. I know right now nationwide, we're losing dollars when it comes from the fed the the feds. But I'm sure this is why we're talking about using some of our dollars and that is well worth it. We just went through a budget where we passed a lot of stuff. This this is not something that we should have to ask for. It's something that should be thought about. It should have that same in being intentional. And the reason when me and Sean was sitting there playing on the paper scribbling and we said ws five and it compliments like right now this is history right here to have two of us that's young that's the repa representation of what we want to see.

Stop it Roy you from the young category knew he was gonna say something while I was talking. He knew she said young

but he encouraged us to have this conversation today. So, I definitely take my hat off to Roy and there's been a lot of conversation. I I fell asleep on them on Saturday while we were working. Um, and in talking about these things and we're very serious about standing united and just to even hear you and Alderman Donalan, that's like a breath of fresh air saying I agree with this. This is needed. I want to support this. So, it doesn't look like it's one side versus the other side. So I think to today it's like a new leaf is being turned over. You just talked about the last ordinance of us being unified and moving together and now you all are being supportive of this and I I would strongly encourage us not to touch one number on here. It was 75,000 put in. That's just what we need to do. I think it's another ordinance um help me out Sean. Another ordinance where I think the administration wanted to do a study. What was what was that amount for? it wasn't for this, but you know what I'm talking about. Yeah. 50,000 to do another study and and we're all going to be expected to support that. So, if we can do one study, we can do another study cuz where's that money coming from? So, I'm just putting it out there to not throw any jabs, but just to please give the same energy that we give to other things and please be supportive of this because it's a start. We have so much so we've done so much but got so much more to do and this is the starting point and I I I really hope that everybody this can be a unanimous vote of 10. Thank you

also great presentation. Um and I you know you and I have tried to talk outside of this and believe me I I want to do all the expansion of the entire city of Springfield as we've communicated before. The only question I have is is you know you guys talked about you you met with Senator Turner last week and I just want to make sure that and you tell me and maybe I'll talk to Senator Turner this week that we're not sending the wrong message to the capital as they move through the process of passing their portion of the BOS center.

Sean, do you understand what I'm saying? I mean is this going to be tied because you mentioned the BOS center part of it. Is this going to be tied into that somehow or not? I'm just concerned about the senator I mean the senator's taking care of that. So, in our meeting with her, okay, she's aware of of both of course both plans now and and she's trying to remedy it remedy it as it moves through her process to make sure this is all hopefully now see I'm talking out of turn because nothing's guaranteed but hopefully it's just one star project that includes all of what you heard and that's if she so she's aware and she's working on it

gives you that assurance and that's fine because you know I don't want the gender assembly to get to get, you know, sort of spooked that, hey, what is the city of Springfield trying to do? Are they trying to do this? And, you know, add more things to it or take away more things when, you know, I think initially and initially, hey, they're just talking about the BOS center. Yeah, she she's checking on it and looking at the whole she heard us clearly, we heard her clearly, and we came up with some of this. So, we we'll see what the senator finds out. Okay. We'll see. So, you still have to talk to her again on this. We'll wait for her to reply back now what she finds out. So, she said that we need to be the administration.

So, I you know to answer that I I can tell you that this particular what I've done or what we've done and what we what we presented here these boundaries this this conversation um is not a conversation that I would ever um bring to council without talking to our senator um um well before we get to this other other thing. Um, we've had great talks, great conversations. I will say that, um, the senator is from the east side of town. She she she wants to see this the the the the um, you know, governor um, and and and and people in the state house, they want to see um, underserved communities um, developed. We have to give them direction from the city. They don't know our, you know, only the people who represent the city of Springfield know the city of Springfield and we're the city council and we have to provide direction to say, "Hey, let's let's let's add in this this and and and for me, you know, when I when I look at this, you know, this would be almost $300 million that would be invested um you know, on the west side of the tracks, whether it's the um sports complex. some old basketball coach hosted a whole lot of tournaments and our only thing with that was trying to um get that to help out Robin Roberts. We got it fixed now. But Robin Roberts and Chamberlain Park and sort of swing that that bond that we took out in that 25% to um tourism. I don't have no notes. This is just in here. um and and make it more so help the city and and and now here we are again at another $200 million situation on the west side of tracks and I'm saying ah we almost there add us in and and and and we'll do it. We we we took a trip to Chicago to Pullman. Um it was the first time that I I had learned about um the the the porters um and and a Philip Randolph

forming the the union and and what they did up there, they took that history and it started to help rebuild um their their dying neighborhoods, their their neighborhoods. Um Walmart came in and um I forget what bank was up there. where we went and met with a rep. Nick Smith um in Chicago and me and Ryan McCrady and Dom and um we do have letters of support from Springfield Project and the uh Urban League on this on on on being included in this. Um but we we all met up there and um Annie Van Meter was part of the conversation especially on what we're doing in Southtown. That was a part of thing that we went and looked at incubator and and what we've done here in Springfield. He he he came down and he's had some conversations with Dominic. He's like, "Wow." You know, because it when we went up there, it was just a building that we was having some trouble out of. Um, you know, a few years later, you know, he's executing on that thing. And, you know, so they're they're in dialogue and things and, you know, we've seen it. We we've seen what what what um investing in that history can do and and start the process and and this is where this this model come from. and just sort of trying to find a mechanism, a funding mechanism without doing, you know, 200,000 here and it'll be forever, you know, and and and you know, uh I was just watching the news one day and I seen the governor doing this and this is before the bill. Um thank God for my my my my colleague because he he brought the the other portion in and say, "Hey, we need to talk about that." Um just just trying to find a a funding mechanism to to really um give us a I guess a shot in the arm. so to speak and and and so we can really really have something going. And I think the potential is there. I appreciate the question.

Chair, I think I saw the for I mean Sean, do you do you and maybe if somebody do we even need the study? Yeah, we need the study. Do we need to do the study? I mean just go I mean seriously I mean with all due respect can we just Well what we what we need to do is uh at the very least um I think as as we said a portion of of this big box is done and what we need to do is um there's going to be some funding needed to gather our portion and how we contribute to to that. Can we use some of the pot money for that? I'm sorry. Can we use some of the pot money for that?

Hey hey listen I'm I'm I'm not against it. I'm not against it but it is restricted. it is it is um tailored to to a project. So I would hate to go out there that but but I got some thoughts on that and and uh we'll have some conversations. Alone purchase.

Thank you. Um Alderman Carlson, you brought up a really good point. So when we went and had our meeting with Senator Turner, it was a very good meeting, but the one key component that we were missing was the administration involving us. And Senator Turner, she explained that to us and expressed, "You all didn't know. You didn't have a meeting with the administration." And it's been putting me in a tight spot because even in the public and the media, they're asking, "This is your backyard." And it seems like Alderman Carlson is talking more about it than you and having more conversations. And I said, "I don't think that that's it. I just think I was not informed or brought to the table." And I started to gather information with the public as we all are. And so I thought that was a really good takeaway from the meeting and that we need to ask the administration could we meet and talk about hey how did these conversations go? What was your vision from there? same thing of of course it was a a contentious question about the authority the how the board is formed and I asked about well you know could we do 221 so instead of three county board people being appointed it's two two from the city and then one smeia so there was some very good dialogue that happened in there but I think now it's our job to come to the mayor and say hey what else do you have in mind how are these conversations going because you're you're the one that's going and also participating at the table. So, I think that's like the one missing key component and I try to be very cautious of how I approach these conversations. I hope you okay you over there breathing.

No, I was just going to say look I mean I think everybody thinks I had some ins inside information. I attended the press conference. We all were invited. Mhm. I don't know. I think that morning I might I might have been the only aler person there and in the meantime I made a couple phone calls. That was all. I mean, no meetings, not I just did my due diligence with a couple phone calls. We going to make a phone call and we want to sit with the mayor so we can learn what's

So that's all a couple phone calls. I attended the press conference. I learned a great I mean I learned more from being at the press conference than about this than anywhere else. uh you just you know my antennas went up when you said that about how did the meeting go and and those are the next steps of what we would like to do together and just ask from a city perspective because as Alderman Gregory said it's hard when sometimes you have people from the state house not knowing where where we're thinking and they know that both of us represent these areas too. So I just wanted to be clear on that and let and let you know. Thank you. Thank you. Any more discussion? We have a speaker, sir.

Okay. Uh, go ahead, Tesa Haley.

Excuse me. Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thank you all for this lively discussion. History across the tracks is so important. We are always talking about 1908, the race riot that led to the civil rights organization as we know it today, but we're talking about 50% underserved area in the city of Springfield. There's been all kinds of discussion since last week going back to the old format of government, the metro format of government. We can't go back, city council. We have to continue to move forward. This is our Springfield. This is our city council. We've elected you as taxpayers and we hope and respect that you will do the right thing. I've done some homework myself and it is totally without consideration for the county government to attempt to create and operate a local municipality corporation within the boundaries of the city of Springfield. They're not the city council. They're the county. In Cook County, this would not be allowed, nor is it allowed. nor is the tax body controlled by the city of Chicago. The sales tax from the creation of the BOS expansion, think about it. Who's going to control those dollars if we have three people from the county board having the majority of the votes? This is the city of Springfield. And all of these expansion projects that we're talking about, they're right here in the

city of Springfield. As a taxpayer, I'm concerned because we elect you all as alderpersons to make the decision and to be the spokespersons on our behalf, not the county board. Just think if we allow the county board to take over our police department. We saw what happened with Grayson. We see what's happening with training around the state as it relates to police accountability. City council, we hold you responsible because we've elected you to do this important job and we hope that you would not allow the expansion regardless if it's coming from our legislature or our governor. The governor doesn't live here. He doesn't even spend a lot of time at the governor's mansion. Our senator, yes, she lives here and she sat in the same seat that alderman Roy sits in, but the bottom line is she does not dictate to the city council. And it bothers me when I hear city council members saying, "Well, what did our legislators say?" How many times have we gone to them and asked them to assist us here in the city of Springfield? You all are the controlling body. And it was interesting and I appreciated um Autumn Purchase saying 222 one vote that makes a lot of sense. But the way this is designed for the expansion and how I understand it and in my research and talking with people in the black caucus, the legislative black caucus, the city of Springfield would have one vote and that vote would be the mayor. We didn't let the mayor to control our property taxes and our sales taxes. We count on you all as members of city council and we're hoping that you do the right thing for the entire city of Springfield. And in terms of the consent decree, we can't go back. That

was 1987 when five black men and only one's alive today and he was a former alderman got together to change the form of government. Look around the city council. We have diversity today. not just with black folks, but we have women on the council. Don't let anyone take that away from us. We can't go back. We won't go back. We must continue to move forward. Thank you very much. Thank you. That's it, Mr. Chairman. Yes, sir.

Okay, so now we're going back. That's our final speaker. Uh if there's no more questions or discussion from the council, uh the move is to put this on debate. Correct. Correct. Unless he wanted to go back to consent. All right. All right. All right. All right. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. 2026 177 is an ordinance to increase the number of class N liquor licenses by one for Route 66 Motorhead Bar and Grill. LLC DBA Route 66 Bar and Grill located at 600 Toronto Road. Move for consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent. No more discussion. All in favor signify by saying I.

I. 2026 178 is an ordinance approving the 12-month runout period with Luminere Health for the claims, processing, and administrative services that occurred for in the FY26 plan year and amount not to exceed $265,73246 for the Office of Human Resources. Consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. 2026 179 is an ordinance amending ordinance 457-11-25 pertaining to the contract for Etna to provide dental services for a three-year period for the office of human resources.

Move consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026180 is an ordinance authorizing supplemental appropriation the amount of $175,977 for the OPED settlement restricted fund balance for equipment and other expenses associated with the beacon project and bolt apparatus for the Springfield Fire Department. Consent. Second properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I.

I. 2026181 is an ordinance accepting quote number QT232690 and authorizing the purchase of 22 scout self-contained breathing apparatus for the for 11 Scott air packs from the Municipal Emergency Services Inc. MS m I'm sorry for the Springfield Fire Department for a total amount not to exceed $125,292.31. Move for consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Hearing none signify by saying I.

I. 2026182 is an ordinance authorizing the execution of contract RFP FD25-02 with Lion Group, Inc. for the replacement of 30 sets of rig gear for the amount not to exceed $112,561.80 for the Springfield Fire Department. Move. Second. Properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Alderwoman Connelly.

Thank you, Chair. Um and Chief, you don't need to come up. You you really don't. I just want to highlight um something that I I this is I'm very pleased to see this that we're we're going with PAS free gear for our members. Um so our fire department is our staff the fire department are working with and and anyone who's impacted by you know fire fighting that they do we're moving to PAS free gear and and really excited to see that. It's a great move. So thank you for that chief. Excited to see this go forward. Thank you chair. Excellent. So we're moving for consent. Yep. Okay. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

2026183 is an ordinance accepting quote number 3523303 and authorizing the purchase of nine APX4500 mo radios and accessories for Motorola Solutions in the amount not to exceed $50,656.95 for the Springfield Police Department. Consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Hearing none, say I. I. I.

2026184 is an ordinance authorizing execution of subreipal agreement number 23-203186 with the authorizing payment to Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Illinois for the property located at 300 South 15th Street utilizing community development block gap grant funds and the amount not to exceed $100,000 for the Springfield Police Department. Much for consent. Second. Second properly moved and second for consent agenda. Mr. Chair, all in favor signify by saying I. I. Go ahead, Greg. We

No, I was just going to say uh real quickly, I think that this about Chief Stunkle uh Deputy Chief Stunkle, uh I think this about finishes out this violence community connections grant that we have from um three years. Am I am I correct in that? Uh there are still some funds available on that. I think there's some more coming up uh within the ordinances tonight. Okay. And we're getting close to the end of that. And is that all after what's what's here? I see the uh one for um some of the others. Do you know how much is after what's on? I don't have the actual amount we can get. Can you send that to us cuz I know we're close, but I just want to see where we're at and if we're going to make it in time. Thank you. Appreciate you. We'll vote. Uh all in favor?

I have it. 2026185 is the Nornance authorizes sub reciprocal agreement with Soldier Shelter and Services Inc. and payment in the amount not to exceed $550,000 from July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2026 pursuant to the ICJIA grant number 102601-3 for the Springfield Police Department. Motion consent. Second. Got a motion to second in discussion. All in favor? I

2026186 is ordinance authorizing subrecipal agreement 102601-1 with envision limited for the payment in amount not to exceed 25 uh $250,000 pursuant to the ICJIA grant uh co co-responder grant number 102601 from July 1, 2025 through June 30th, 2026 for the Springfield Police Department consent. Second motion. Motion and second. Any discussion? All in favor? I have it.

2026187 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a contract with the board of trustees of the University of Illinois for advisory body development facilit facilitation of research and and planning in the amount not to exceed $54,592 for the Springfield Police Department. Motion of debate. Second. Got a motion for debate and a second. Any discussion?

Real quick. So, real quick. So, I I I you know, it's a study to to um straighten out, but I had a couple questions. I know the Police Review Commission is under um community relations. Um and I see it's, you know, for the Springfield Police Department. Um and and I also want to jog our memory back to 2022. We had a study with UIS or round table so to speak filled with um not only myself but former Chief Winslow, Mr. John Striiffer. I struggle with his name. U Molly Lamb who who would obviously be on this. So I'm curious why we're why we're at it again um with that. you know, in that um roundt um there was a section that that addressed community policing um and and the police review commission and one of the one of the sticking points of it was that um any commission or anything that's formed should be um done by its citizens and you know you know I I I just don't know how I feel about um you know having a study. The the the platform is there or the the U review commission is there. There's only so much that we're going to be able to tighten up um as far as from a from a what what you know community members have asked for. Deputy Stunk, I see you coming up. How what you thinking?

Um I'm not familiar with the round table that might have taken place in 2022.

Uh this is wholly separate from the police community review commission. Uh this was uh began under Chief Scarlet as an idea of how to get members of the community to be in discussions with the police department. How to get those ideas uh an exchange of information between uh representatives from the community and the police department. Uh we began working with uh SCORE and community health roundt on that. uh at least two years ago, maybe three. And this uh just here in January, we met over in the BOS center, had representatives from the community come and talk about what they thought that that might look like. And this is all part of that and paying UIS to do the research to take all of that information that was gained from that meeting in January and put it towards developing this board.

Okay. Okay. I mean, it it it seems sort of the same. Um I I I you know as again I is this coming out of your your budget SPD budget this 54,000 that's out of SPD Miss Ramona the police. Okay. Um so my my next question and final question I won't belver the point. Why why are we not working with Noble? I know that um our we have a set group of officers that's working with them at CAP 19 having some good meetings and stuff. That's the national uh organization of what? Black officers, black law enforcement. I believe uh why are they not part of that?

I believe they had representatives at that January meeting. There were representatives from many uh community organizations at that uh those roundt discussions that we had in January to try and develop this uh this board. Are they going to be a part of this? Uh that was the point of that was to elicit information from the community what they who they think should be a part of that board who should be uh communicating with the police department how big that board should be um you know how many members it should have and uh that's uh what now UIS needs to go in and look at all that information that was compiled in January and give us some answers.

All right. Thank you. I'll have some other conversation. Appreciate Alman real real quick. Um, and and I don't know if you would know this. Was this in the was this put in the budget this year or is this new spending? What I'm what I'm trying to get at to let I'm trying if it wasn't in the budget, I'm not really thrilled about us voting, you know, putting spending more money that wasn't in the budget. And that's why, you know, I I asked if if you guys could look at different things. And Ramona, do you know if it was if right now. I mean, you can let me know. I I I just It's on debate.

I would think it would be. So, just just get back to me if you don't mind. Supplemental. It's not a supplemental. So, it was in the bud. Okay. Thank you. Uh, Alderwoman Notriano, don't leave. Yeah. Yeah. Don't leave. Stand still. Hold on. Yeah.

Thank you. Thank you, chair. Um so uh the the data that UIS is going to analyze is from what and from where I don't have the dates in front of me but we had a uh community meeting at the BOS center in January. Uh representatives from many groups in Springfield were included in that asked to attend to participate. Uh there were questions that were asked of them to uh provide feedback on the development of a uh advisory board for the police department.

Okay. Um that gives me pause because it's just one meeting and um I vaguely remember talk about this but I don't remember it being like widely publicized. Um, and I don't remember us talking about the goals. And it's it's uh it's a bad idea to um create a commission whose aim is to do something without including the folks who are going to be impacted by whatever you're doing. Um, and I know some people were were there, right? But like it was just one meeting. So if someone was sick in January or if if somebody perhaps was not on the administration's good side and didn't get an invite, um, then we have people who are left out. Um, and and I'll be I'll be charitable here, but do you know if this came from um uh trying to fulfill goals of the Massie Commission?

I know that there were Massie Commission members who were invited to be a part of Okay. the uh the discussions in January. Okay. Okay. This the beginning of this came long before uh the murder of Sonia Massie. We were we were working on this prior to that. Um the uh discussions with DOJ and the Massie Commission kind of actually uh delayed some of our work because we were working then with the DOJ and we didn't get back to this. Now we've gotten back to this and uh and moving it forward.

Okay. Um yeah. Uh I yeah I I would like to hear um more about it. Uh I'm interested and um yeah that Thank you. Okay. Thank you chair. Alderwoman purchase.

Thank you chair. Um this brings me to my point when we asked about like updates or bringing us information. So you said this happened and why I was trying to take notes while listening to everybody. He said this happened long before the Massie Commission. This was already put in the budget. So, and I'm and I'm trying to help too for the community, our caucuses, to understand how this budget works. So, we passed it in the budget as Alderman Hanower said, right? So, it's not nothing new. But sometimes once that budget is passed, we don't know what's going on or when that money is that expenditure is actually being spent. Is there any way that you can bring us a quarterly report about this whether it passes or not? A quarterly report about what you all are doing because I I wasn't even aware that it was a meeting in January with community members. I don't know. Is it open for any of us to attend or it's only for a certain group?

Uh there were sorry don't know that there were older persons who were invited. It was community stakeholders who were invited to come and participate in the uh table discussions and we're voting to pass this but we don't really know about it right

and I I hate to sit here and wait I'm sorry I want to finish this. I hate to say that because sometimes it makes it look like we're not doing our job when we are. But, you know, we used to laugh about me asking about reports, but now I don't hear anybody laughing. And I hear people asking, my colleagues asking the same thing that I asked for. And I'm really hoping that this year I don't sound like a broken record. Can we really start getting reports on what's going on trying to follow the money

in this case is for UIS to prepare something for us from those discussions. So there will be a if it were to pass a report that is generated information research put together by UIS from the uh the discussions that took place and then when would it come to us? Like I'm not trying to be funny. You just are really I believe that the report would then be released to the community. Not before the budget though. Can we get it a little bit earlier? Can we we be able to have some discussion before we get to the budget and we start seeing the numbers and then I have to make sure I notate and say okay ask about this because you haven't seen anything all year on it. I know Josh you looking

I'm not sure I'm not sure what you're asking about when we would bring this. We're bringing it now to ask for the funds to pay UIS to do the work. And I'm asking for you said you unsure of what I'm asking. I'm asking for the future as if this passes, can you be able to bring that information to me and not just provide it to us right at the budget time to say this is what happened from this, this is how it's going. Well, I believe it'll I I believe the plan, my understanding is that when it is complete, it would be released. Uh, and I don't think there would be any reason why it couldn't be uh provided to you as well. Thank you.

Uh, Alderman Greg, just real quick, one followup. Two things for me. that that would that would help me come to some type of decision on who who we're thinking about who's going to be on this advisory or putting this together from UIS. I think it's important to make sure we have representation on it. And two, I I I think it would be improper um for us to pass anything. Hopefully, it's settled by next week. I know they're on strike and got employees and and things of that nature. I don't know if they're exempt, non-exempt, but I think for us, you know, as a as a we can certainly have that and understand whether or not the the people working on this are striking or not. Well, if they're not next week

striking, we can't give them no money while they striking while the little guys are striking. So, I just that's just me. Um, and that's fair. And, you know, they're out there, you know, working for a fair contract. And, you know, I appreciate you. Thank you, Alderwoman Connley. Thank

Thank you. Um, vice chair, um, I just want to, um, Alderwoman Purchase, I kind of follow kind of follow up on what you asked for because I I think kind of what we're hearing is is concerns about how is this going to be designed and just looking, you know, in the project scope when it talks about the action plan and the evaluation plan. It talks about um um, you know, potential methods to um, combined survey research, focus groups, public meetings. I I think instead of waiting until this final report, which it it does offer a final report will be issued. I think if we could just make sure that and again I want to second um Alderman Gregory's before we go way too far in this with with a striking um professional staff at at the university. Um but when we work with the university on getting something like this moving forward that council is given um updates on these are the meetings that are being scheduled under this contract. this is the these are the groups that were reached out to um and and give us as council members and representatives of the community um time to weigh in on that and and have feedback and you know hey you know make sure you look at this this person and talk to the these these community members too. So I think there are actual there are steps within the scope of work that that falls very neatly with what you were asking for and I think offers some opportunities for us to be a little bit more engaged as as this is developing. So, I would just ask that those those meetings not be scheduled that that that outreach come back to the council also, not for approval up and down, but just, hey, this is we're planning these meetings. Um, this is who's been invited. Council, do you have other people who should be who should be included in here and and considered?

I saw you writing something down, so I'll I'll take that. I I just I think there is within the scope of work, there are plenty more opportunities for us to be involved in how this outreach and And community engagement is is designed if nothing else just feedback with people that we know or hey have you considered talking to and there there different touch points in the scope of work that that gives us opportunities to also be active participants in this process and I think that's really what I'm hearing from everybody is that we want to make sure that because we are members of the community we do represent I mean I'm my ward is what we're all supposed to be about 11,000 people so Um we I think just make sure that that we're also included in that outreach to designating community members

scope isn't here and I know you ch she she picked a good one to not come to right uh no I I understand uh what you're what you're requesting um you know the uh the focus groups have already taken place so I can't say that

you know that's already has taken place but I can see what they're what UIS is proposing in in this with this contract. I think there are plenty more opportunities for them to engage with with the council members and and I I don't think I don't even see anything in here that doesn't actually I mean it kind of antic to me the way I read this is like this seems sort of an obvious that they would want to also engage with with the council and and people that we know in our communities. So, um I think there's lots of opportunities here. I just want to make sure that we don't wait until a report is generated. Um there is a report that's offered in this. I'd rather not wait until that but make sure that UAS is very clear that we expect outreach to council members and all the council. I have I mean we have minorities who live in the entire city. We want to make sure that everyone gets to you know participate.

Understood. Thank you very much sir. Appreciate you. Okay. So that Thank you, Chief. Any any more discussion? With that being said, we have a motion and a second for debate. Debate. Uh, all in favor? Okay. Uh, and Roy Williams is back. So, Roy, you take over. I keep going. 2026 188 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a grant agreement number 23-203186 with Flock Group, Inc. to purchase three flock mobile security trailers in the amount not to exceed $75,000 funded through the state of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for the Springfield Police Department.

Consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second. Any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026189 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a contract with the city of Springfield and the board of trustees of the University of Illinois fire protection service from July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027 in the amount not to exceed $70,194.50 for the office of budget management for consent. Second been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion hearing? None signify by saying I.

I. 2026190 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a employee leasing agreement with MT Impact Solutions, Inc. to retain Dallas Witford to provide financial assistance services for the Office of Budget Management and Planning and Economic Development for FY27 for the amount not to exceed $60,000 for from March 1, 2026 through February 28th, 2027. Move for consent. Second properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I.

2026 191 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a 5-year intergovernmental agreement with the state of Illinois Department of Natural Resources for space located at one old state capital plaza to be used for visitors center in amount not to exceed $20,000 annually for the office of Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. Move. Second. been properly moving second for consent. Is this the second one for the Yes, sir. I just need to state on the record I'll be abstaining from voting. Extend to the Thank you. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I.

2026 192 is the NOR's amending amending article 47 chapter 110 section 110-952 of the 1988 Springfield City code of ordinances is amended pertaining to secondhand dealers. Move consent. Second been properly moved as second for consent. Alderman Connley I mean I'm sorry alderman alderman call to corporation council is has this been the issue a few months ago has been cleaned up. I mean I think it's some letters went out and

Alderman Gregory and I talked months ago about this. some letters went out way too early it seemed in the fall and included some people that should not have. Right. Well, this this clears up clears that up and and make sure that those those individuals that that we discussed, they're exempt if this passes. But now we have we we have an accurate list of those people businesses that fall under this. Correct. That's correct. Thank you. Good. Okay. Any more discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

2026 193 is an ordinance amending article 4, chapter 100-26 of the 1988 city code of ordinances as amended pertaining to hotel tax imposed. Move consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Take your name off Carlson. Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026194 is an ordinance authorizing payment in the amount of $15,899.70 to Jacob Perkins, a current Springfield firefighter for the settlement of workers compensation claim for case number 25-WC-026218.

Move for consent. Second properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor signify by saying I. I. 26 I mean 2026 195 as an ordinance authorizing payment to Charles Lear, a CWLP maintenance crew leader for settlement of workers compensation claim number 24-WC-0000957 in the amount not to exceed $125,000. Move consent. Second. Properly moved and second for consent agenda. No discussion signify by saying I. I.

2026 196 is an ordinance authorizing the purchase of furniture for the Lincoln Library public seating and conference room from the resource one aismina joint purchase contract number R24101 in the amount not to exceed $55,4536. So for consent second proper motion for consent agenda. I got a question. Alderman Carlson, is this new money or was this still out of that Wagner trust? Can anybody answer that?

Wagner trust. Yep. On three.

Yeah, it is. Jerem, I'm good. Thank you. Okay. Thank you, sir. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Okay. 2026 197 is an ordinance authorizing a one-year extension under RFP uh LL23-33 and authorizing an additional payment in amount of $60,000 for a total amount not to exceed $225,000 with Midwest Tape LLC streaming media database to provide access to Hoopla applications for the Lincoln Library. Move to consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

I. 2026 198 is an ordinance authorizing an amendment to the redevelopment agreement with Michael Alwood uh Altale LLC. Ordinance number 334-08-25 for the redevelopment assistance for the property located at 302 East Adam Street utilizing central area tax increment financing funds in amount not to exceed $44,570 for the Office of Planning and Economic Development. Move to consent. Second. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent. Uh any discussion? All in favor signify by saying I. Hi. Is it a

2026 1999 is an ordinance authorizing execution of a redevelopment agreement with allocation in the amount not to exceed $560,550 with Chris Nickel Dogeared LLC for financial assistance for the property located at 413 through 415 East Adams by utilizing central Illinois tax increment financing funds through the Office of Planning and Economic Development. Motion for consent. Second. It's been properly moved and second for consent. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I.

2026201 is an ordinance amending chapter 101 of the 1988 city code of ordinances as amended pertaining to historical sites for updates, clarification, and adding a three-year inspection cycle for landmarks as amended. Motion for consent. Second. Been properly moved and second for consent agenda. Any discussion? Yeah, Alderman, I can I just ask, do you think this is going to help um address the situation like we dealt with um with Horseman? Okay, thank you for this. Any other discussion?

Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying I. I. 2026202 is an ordinance authorizing execution of an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with the Springfield Sang County Regional Planning Commission for the 2026 planning services and authorizing payment in the amount not to exceed $200,000 from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Move consent. Second properly moved and second is the consent agenda. All in favor? I that's it. That's it, Mr. Sure. Unfinished business. Mr. Clerk, I mean, I'm sorry. Any any I got one.

Okay, go ahead. I just want to I want to tell our corporation council, you did a outstanding job this last couple weeks. Uh count by my count, there's 55 ordinances we just went through. So, I don't know who the overachiever is in your office that uh was able to get this all done, but uh congratulations to him. That's I think more than we've done in a long time. So, no raises. No, make sure you tell your office that we noticed. Thank you. I I will uh I'll let Nicole know. She keeps us organized. And the girl sitting behind you right over there in the clerk in the clerk's office as well. I didn't want to I I You guys did a great Good job, Rob. Absolutely. All the woman purchase.

Thank you, chair. Um, I just wanted to do a recap from yesterday. We and thank you to Alderwoman Connley as well as one of my colleagues for coming there and witnessing the journey that it's taken to get there. So, we did a ribbon cutting. If you all remember, um it was very contentious um that day for the vote where the sportsman lounge. I voted to have that torn down to build three units that would help with 22 vouchers that would help unhoused individuals transition into having a space to be able to live uh quality of life on their own, but also have 24-hour access to a case manager. and it was centrally located in between those rapid services which is St. John's Memorial and Springfield Clinic. What I learned from making that decision, my surrounding neighborhoods was against it. So, I really learned about NIMI not in my backyard. We don't want that over here. And I voted against my neighborhood and some of you all was there that night because it happened right before you know I met some of you all that's in the audience now. Um, and these decisions are really hard, but after seeing all of those agencies come together yesterday and talk about the services that will be provided, the stability that these um individuals will have, the dignity that these individuals will will have. And I'm saying all of this to say that sometimes these are uncomfortable conversations to have and they're not as easy. and to go against people who elect to put me in my seat and take a stance to say this is for the greater good of our community. And not only is that that's not even the only development that's going on. We have 9inth Street that me and Alderman Williams share. That's another facility that's for

individuals transitioning to live on their own. Um please pay attention and I've learned to start talking more about the things that I'm doing because you all don't get to see that type of work. you only get to see what people say and hear um what goes in the media, but each and every day I'm working hard to ensure that war five is being represented and people who can't speak for themselves or don't have a place to live that I'm having those conversations. Um so I just wanted to take time to say congratulations to um heart uh continuum of care. Um thank you to Dr. Jackie Newman because she ensured that it was 22 project vouchers to be able to have this supportive permanent housing. And that was huge because we can't move forward without that type of resource. Um, and just everybody that's involved um to make this project possible and to continue to see it. And it just looks really nice. These people are going to move into a place that's brand new, very comfortable. I mean, I will go live in it. That's how nice it looks. it it it looked like when I first bought my first house and this is just a unit that they're going to start to transition into being on their own. And I don't want to reiterate it, but just I want the community to stay informed and stay engaged because there's more things coming forward, but sometimes I don't believe in putting the cart before the horse. So, I don't want to say too much and then I know some people love to pick on me and then they talk about what I didn't say right or you know she don't know what she talking about and I do but it just takes time to formulate all of this to bring it together. So, that was my first um piece of business. My second one is um it's been uncomfortable up here for the past several weeks and some people have said Kesha you always looking at the door now. you you you know you don't feel safe in

here. I am I want to ask I don't know who to ask it to. I'll start with you, Corporation Council Murdoch, about funding for us to have metal detectors and if it's too much, maybe to have a wand because when you have people doing giving the type of comments that they give on Facebook, I don't know who I'm looking at in the audience, especially when they delete the page after they say the things that they say. So, I don't know if it's a he, a she, a they. I don't know who who's behind that Facebook page. And we're supposed to come in here and do our job. And the fact that I felt even nervous to speak last week and was kind of fumbling on my words, it wasn't because I didn't know what I was talking about. You just don't know who you looking at. And they walk right in this building, come up the stairs. Who's searching anybody?

Yeah. I understand your your concerns and we'll certainly look into the options that we have uh for for those concerns. I think that um that statement has been echoed um and and so I don't think you're alone in those feelings. Yeah. And it and it's not even just for us. It's for people in the community. You said you hit it on the head when you said it. You said everyone deserves to come up here to share their thoughts and their concerns. So if one person gets up here and says something that somebody else doesn't like, we still got to make sure that they're okay walking to their car.

It's not just about us. It's about all of y'all. But I'mma speak from my point of view of looking into the audience. And sometimes it's not it's not comfortable to to keep looking at the doors every time somebody come in. It's just not a good feeling. And I never felt like that before. For somebody to jokingly say on Facebook, "These are bulletproof. Make sure you get under the desk." They're not bulletproof. So I I mean I don't care to figure it out. Um

yeah, I don't care to figure it out, but I I take those things very seriously. And me and Alderman Gregory, we we talk every morning and some of the things that have been said on Facebook and said in emails, it's it's just not right. And I would feel the same way if it happened to someone on the other side because some of these are targeted at us for another another comment to be made with monkeys. When you look up here, I mean, we all know what that means. So, we don't need to clarify it or think about what it means when people are saying you the dumbest one sitting up here on the city council or you a stupid bee. It it just it's not sitting well. And we did sign up to be talked to like that. We did sign up for it. This is the position that we in. And I think over the time some things have happened where even people who didn't agree with me, we are able to have like a respectful conversation now. Am I right? And we wasn't like that at first. I mean, we can laugh about it now because it's ser it was serious, but it's just showing you how we grow from things. There's a respect there when we're talking to each other. And they'll tell me quick, I didn't agree what you said or did, but we know where your heart is. And I think that's what brings us together. And I was serious when I said I felt like a new leaf was turned over today because there was multiple things that you all talked about that we know we need support on. And sometimes it makes us look so divided up here. And I'm just asking and you know I'm I'm one of the people who say, "Hey, can we all work together? Hey, can all our amendments come into one so we look like we're unified going back out into the community?" And it starts with us and leadership. And I'm asking for us to take this very seriously because if I continue to not feel safe and we continue to be talked to the way we are, I will start asking to call in. It's not fair that I got to figure out

where to park my car at sometimes. It's not fair that people are like constantly threatening us and I'm done talking. Alderwoman Noriano,

thank you chair and thank you alderwoman purchase for bringing that up. um because yeah, things have definitely gotten real uncomfortable over the past couple of weeks and um and yeah, I say I signed up for this. You say it, you know, we understand that we're going to be criticized. We do not think that our safety or life should be threatened. Um we we don't think we should be called names. It's in our rules that you shouldn't call us names. Um, and for all this to come about just because we're doing our jobs, like uh I was talking to some neighborhood associations over the past couple of days explaining what I do and uh what we do and we're policy makers. We're legislators, okay? We have oversight abilities. Every single person who works for this city and every single department, that's what we're here for, to make sure the taxpayers dollars are being used in a way that benefits our wards and the whole city um the city in its entirety. Um, and for us to question an officer and then get threats against our safety because of it and get called racial slurs because of it. Uh, it's just it's just uncalled for. Like we all know that the political discourse in this country is off the rails. That comes from the very top. Uh, usually we only have to deal with it

on the internet, right? But sometimes those issues come real close to home and those internet trolls know our emails and know our addresses. Um, and and I really just like no one is going to change their behavior because of threats. Um, or I I won't speak to everybody. I'm not going to change my behavior because of threats. It is our job to see something wrong, something unjust, and question it. Uh it doesn't mean we're anti- police. It doesn't mean uh you know we're anti that officer. I have said from the beginning that this issue could have been avoided if police best practices were followed and um and I don't want to micromanage SPD. I didn't sign up for that. My residents certainly didn't elect me to do that. But when I have the chief of police saying that no, that went off without a hitch. We stand behind him one 100%. Uh we don't question anything he did. And then I go do my research and I see that if somebody has a warrant and if it's a a a felony that involves dangerous activity. Yeah. Yeah. If if the cop sees that person, they should definitely pursue them, but they shouldn't do it alone. They should call for backup. And if the cop sees the suspect, they have the element of surprise. They're in control. They use time to their advantage.

They choose how to approach the situation. And in that situation, and I I can't say I haven't heard completely what the officer did and when he called for backup, but I will say he should not have gone on the scene with that teenager by himself. And if you think me saying that makes me anti- police, you need to start thinking about the real world and nuance and it's not all good and bad. It's not all right and wrong. There's gray areas and everybody needs to learn how to take some constructive criticism. Okay? It's not it's not a threat to you to say, "Hey, you could have done your job a little bit differently, a little bit better." That's what we're here for. Thank you. Thank you, chair.

No problem. All the woman Connley, I just wanted to um again thank you all the purchase. Um I want to assure you I've actually also already reached out um to ask about about wanding or magnome. I can't say it. I just I cannot say that word. I know it doesn't come off. It doesn't work for me.

Um I I do understand how you feel. I get it. Um I I had I got a great email about being watched through a high-powered lens. Maybe it's a camera. I don't know. Um, I I'll be honest. I think social media is one of the most unsocial things we have going on in our society right now. People feel free to say some really vile, horrible things. Um, I the fact that we've and Aldman Gregory, I'm still gasping that that email it there is a line and we need to hold it because that is that is not acceptable in any way, shape, or form. Um, but yeah, I I agree. we and I I appreciate you pointing out that um because I I do expect that we will see wands. Um I hope that people understand it is not just a self-interest because we sit in one seat. That's for everyone in this community. Everyone should feel safe. Everyone should feel like they can speak and and it's again, yeah, it's our job to sit and listen to it. Um I I've I've heard things that aren't comfortable. Not every conversation is, but it we need to be fair and we need to be reasonable about it. But that also means we need to show respect and protection for everyone who comes in here and for each other. Um, and if I could if I could have that genie wish, I would the first thing would be no more anonymous comments on Facebook. Like I swear that's the ugliest thing I've seen. people feel free to just unleash parts of theirs their personality that is part of the human condition. We know this. I acknowledge it, but man is it ugly. I don't go on social media a whole lot anymore, which is why I was thrilled to get my own personal email. So, um, and I've gotten quite a few of those over the years. It's it's not I will say it's not just recently. I've gotten them since I started on on council. Um,

And it's it's unfortunate because I I and I think I speak for everyone. Serving in these positions is is a public service. We all do this because we believe in our community and we want to see it improved. We might not all do it the same. We definitely don't all do it the same way. We're different people and we bring different backgrounds and experiences and so do the people who come in and speak to us. And so, um, I just, anyway, I'm being very long-winded way of saying, um, Alderwoman, I I want you to know that you are not alone in making that request. I I think it really is an an important step for everyone um for for a level of peace of mind and um so thank you for bringing it up.

Thank you, Chair. Clerk Ripel,

you know, uh, I've sat on this city council for 32 years, and I'll just tell you something. When I heard Sean Gregory say the email, talk about the email he got, turned my stomach. Turned my stomach. I'm not afraid of any man. I'm not afraid of anybody. I'm going to just tell you something. The people that are doing this, the stupid people that are doing this to you all, needs to knock it off. It's crap. It's crap. Makes me sick. And I'm I'm sorry. I'm sorry you went through that.

Thank you. Um, that's unfinished business. We're going to move on. No, you guys any new business. What box are we going to open next? No new business. Are we ready for Mr. Clerk for the speakers? Yeah. Let's go. Sante Massie.

Is he gone? Jamie Tulle. that

twins. What's up, twins? Good evening. How are you guys tonight? Good. I've learned a valuable lesson. Do not wear shorts and a short sleeve shirt to council chambers. Holy smokes. Um, yeah, I wanted to come before you guys. Last fall, you were gracious enough to help us get the ballpark Robin Roberts Stadium moved over from the Springfield Park District. Uh, we've been hard at work at Robin Roberts Stadium. You can probably see if you drive by. Alderman Rockford, thank you for all you're doing to support us. But last Monday, we did probably one of the most meaningful things that we've done and we uh Friends of Robin Roberts approved a partnership with Ellen Illinois United and Marcus Bates and the RBI program. So I wanted him to talk to you guys about that tonight. Marcus,

um good evening. Um as many of you know, uh Twin, we we've I've started the Illinois United program back in 2015. Um the program just basically consisted of just keeping young athletes um in the summer months, you know, involved. Um you know, allowing them to focus on things that they like doing with the excuse me, athletics. Um you know, within these, like I said, since 2015, we've had a lot of success in a lot of athletes to uh national competitions off the colleges. Um we had a few athletes that had competed in the Olympic trials a few years ago. Um and we just always thought of different ways to continue to grow the program. Um this past year, um I I've I've kind of teamed up with a few coaches in the area. Um Southeast head coach, Lanford coaches, um and we we said we want to apply for this RBI program. Um RBI stands for revitalizing revitalizing baseball in inner cities. Um the goal with this is to uh build a sport um in underserved or underprivileged areas. Um, with this affiliation, um, we are, we're becoming a, uh, Major League Baseball and a Nike affiliate. Um, both of those those programmings will allow us to give kids access to the sport, uh, without pricing them out for travel. Um, for example, um, you know, this summer, July, we're going to to Kansas City for the regional RBI tournament. Uh, MLB pays for all that. um with winning that they allow they they take care of our our travel and everything to Florida for the RBI World Series. Um but with that the most important thing is just it gives access um financial access or eliminates those barriers that a lot of our athletes um on the on the I say on the east side, north and south side um that they face with the sport or not even having the ability to afford it. um you know through this program um and with with the help of uh friends Robin

Roberts um it's allowed our kids to be able to call a place home um a place they can feel safe uh practice on their skills um you know in a place they can feel like you know they're safe and able to be who they are. Um, you know, our biggest thing is right now we're we're in the process of taking our local wreck teams, um, putting them together and I guess in a sense preparing them for the road of of travel ball. Um, within RBI, every major league baseball program, they have their own junior uh program, for example, like the Junior Cardinals or the Junior Socks. Um, you know, we've been fortunate to um call call the stadium home and we'll be hosting a few of those teams here. Um, a lot of our athletes will go to those stadiums. Um, so this summer we're playing some games at Bush Stadium, at Kamiski Park, um, at Rickley Field. Um, and then at the same time, you know, a lot of our kids are able to get those scout and development days that again cost a lot of money. Um, we've already sent down six athletes uh down to St. Louis at Bush Stadium for a scout and development day. Um, they were able to get out in front of, you know, pro scouts, college scouts. Um, there's a lot of H.B.C.U.'s coaches there just looking, recruiting, um, getting names. Um, we've had two athletes that were actually invited down to Florida uh for the national uh MLB Scout and Development Day, which like I said, you know, a lot of our kids, they would not even been able to afford the ability to do that. Um, so I think with with myself and and Jamie and the the stadium, um, we're able to bring in a lot of big events. Um, one of the things we're very excited about and myself and coach Rhodess, uh, we've been working on is the MLB pitch, hit run, um, which is a national competition held by MLB. Um, the winner from our area will then move on to the team, excuse me, team championships. The winner from there

then competes during the week of, um, the World Series this fall. Um, yeah, there's a lot of things that go in with this program, but the biggest thing is is the access for our athletes. Um, to be able to introduce a lot of our our athletes to the sport where they're not being priced out or, you know, overall, like I said, not able to afford it. Um, so yeah, I I look forward to this growth of what we're doing um in any ways that we can help support the the ballpark um grow the sport and and bring a lot of uh positive more positive to the east side of Springfield. Thank you. Aman Rockford.

Yeah, I just wanted to kind of speak to you about I I think what you're doing is awesome. you know, uh, since coaching with you and and, uh, getting involved with youth, I think what we're lacking is our junior football and their to keep keep kids involved in in this stuff and and teach them some discipline and give them a that sense of camaraderie and in uh, the the group learning, you know, and and I I think you drive around town and you you see these empty ball fields and and and I I just want to I wish you luck. We've talked before. I want to get involved, you know, and and help any way I can. But, uh, I think that's it's huge. I think we need to get into the schools and and, uh, and get kids involved that way, you know, more, you know. So,

I think one thing that helps us is that all of our coaches are already in the school. Um, I'm in the middle school. Our head coaches, um, he's at the high school, but he's also a worker in the middle schools. And then we're kind of just spread it out um, through all the schools. So, we're able to kind of get the word out, you know, just the kids that we know just, you know, they they wouldn't be able to buy a glove. You know, RBI gives us the the funds or they send us the equipment for those those athletes. So, appreciate you.

Hang on, Brad. Hang on. I agree with I agree with Larry. I want to say, you know, Jamie, I've known you four or five years. Coach Bates, you and I go back maybe a dozen years or so, but I've seen what you've done with with kids. my kid, Larry's kid over the years. But, but you two with the same amount of energy really getting together. I think it's just a great partnership and uh you know, I just look forward to you know, I know you're probably going to need some sponsorships down the road. So, you know how to find me. Yeah, we're we're always looking for sponsors. You know, that that that helps, you know, definitely helps and we're able to provide kids, you know, better opportunities and things. So, definitely you Thanks for coming.

Appreciate you, Marcus. Jamie, y'all know it's love. Ken Pesa,

I'm won't be long. So, I'm going to try and speak in my radio voice this week cuz everybody seems to tell me that I'm too loud and it seems to upset them, which is a little bit ridiculous to me. But if it makes feel better, sure, let's try it, right? Little petty. Sure. You guys do know about the normal city council, right? Do you know how they use their language? Do you know how the pack counselor found for it? Would recommend taking a look at it, although I bet Moroc has. The language we use isn't really up to you. You have the right to draw common restrictions like, you know, profanity, threats, fighting words. You absolutely cannot stop me from making personal, you know, uh uh attacks on you as a politician. You absolutely cannot stop me from talking about your personal business as a politician. That's been divided decided by the Illinois PAC counselor. The language you guys are trying to add has already been talked about and decided on by the PAT counselor. I'm going to caution you guys very strongly when you start talking about restricting people's speech that you be very careful about that. It's a very thin line between trying to create a safe space and censorship. It doesn't have to make you happy. Doesn't have to feel good. It doesn't have to seem fair. I mean, it it's really not up to you guys. Other authorities have decided a lot of this. And I'd be really careful about that language because that's the kind of thing that once it's codified can be found out in court, can be sued for. If you guys start arbitrarily

enforcing things like that because you want to, not because it's what you should be doing, I would caution you to consider about where you're spending your time trying to restrict the citizens that come to speak to you. If you guys feel under threat, imagine how the rest of us feel. I get videos of me walking out of my house. I get videos of me going places. I get threats all the time. It's always been that way. That's what happens when you challenge the status quo. That's what happens when you upset people who aren't used to being questioned. That means you're doing the right things. And I know it's scary. It really is. It was at first, but I just got over it. You know why? Because that's how it's always going to be. They've killed better men than I'll ever be just for speaking up. That's the price in this country for fighting against centuries of racism, abusive policing, redlinining, sundown towns, lynching trees, slave catchers. I mean, who are we kidding here? When we talk about violent language, a data center going into an area that the residents of that area don't want, that's violence. That will affect everyone there for generations. and the blood that it will spill won't be in front of you. It's frustrating when we talk about those kind of things because rhetoric can be violent. Absolutely. It can encourage violence 100%. But the thing is is when you talk about systemic violence, institutional violence, the language that you guys use up here is violent sometimes. It may not seem like it. There's no guns or knives involved. But when we talk about decades of malfeasants, misappropriation, lack of funding, overpolicing, it's violence. There are generations of people I grew up with subject to that

system of violence. So when we to have someone come up here who was in fact in charge of that system of violence, tell us that we're out of line for speaking up, the next move shouldn't be to figure out a way to add rules to restrict that. There was an easy solution last week. The mayor could have removed him. Simple as that. Not in the middle of what he had to say. Everyone has the right to their five minutes unless they start screaming, "Burn the place down and let's kill everybody." Like, there's obviously time and place restrictions on free speech. You can't use fighting words. We're all generally smart people here. But what happened in that audience was very easily to to observe who had the problem. We responded to someone. That's the thing. Understanding the cause of a problem rather than the reaction is the really important part here. Because when we talk about say someone running from the police, what's the cause? Is it simply they just don't want to go to jail? Well, of course that's part of it. But there's also a pretty reasonable and rational fear that an entire side of town endures every day when the police come around. Decades of that. So, when we talk about violence, I really want you guys to consider that empty threats on Facebook by people too cowardly to show their faces or even come to you and say it aren't the problem. Those aren't the ones I'm scared of. It's the ones who already have guns in their hands, badges, and the rules that will protect them when the violence is enacted upon the citizens around.

I see him. So, thank you. Thank you, Ted Harrison. No, I don't want nobody saying nothing.

Teddy, I see you guys on television all the time. Sorry about that. He's a celebrity. For those of you who do not know me, my name is Ted Harrison. I'm a retired educator and athletic coach at Southeast High School. Currently, I'm employed at Fit Club as a Taichi instructor, which is what brings me here today. Did everybody get a handout? Yes, sir.

Okay. So every year last Saturday in April is World Tai Chi and Chiang Day in 80 countries across the world in the same time zone 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. We participate in Tai Chi to bring in health, wellness, peace, and serenity. This year I'm going to be at Harvest Market participating in World Tai Chi and Chiang Day. And the reason I'm up here is to invite you to come and join me in my class. Anybody else? Everybody here too at Harvest Market cuz we could use, you know, how the world is. Springfield being part of the world, we can use a little peace and serenity,

right? So, I'm not going to be up here long. That's all I got to say. Any questions? Thank you. Appreciate you. Yeah. All right. Thank you, Megan Swanson.

Good evening. My name is Megan Swatson. I am in W 7. Last week, I was excited and I was really nervous to speak from this podium for the first time. I wanted to talk about my concerns for ordinance 2026 175. What happened at that meeting only served to reinforce my concerns and my belief, highlighting the fact that the city council is not applying the rules of public comment equally to all speakers. 2026 175 errors in the fact that it leaves the appropriateness of speech to the presiding officer. The mayor said herself today in an interview on WTAX that she knew that the rules would be applied differently based on the presiding officer because freedom of speech is in fact our first amendment right. The council is just trying to add additional rules to stifle speech under the guise of decorum. It seems that the council is only willing to accept public comment that is gental, proper, soft, and gentle in tone. It doesn't seem to matter what is said so much as the volume and the passion of the person who was speaking. Last week, a former police chief who lost his position due to a sex and extortion scandal stood at this podium and made comments longing for the good old days before the alder manic council form of government was put in place. That is part of the undercurrent of racism running through this city. That's right.

Why? Because the commission form of government was not representative of everyone who was in the city, our black and brown citizens were disenfranchised. But boy, things sure got done, didn't they? But for who? white people, the west side. This city had to be sued under the Voting Rights Act in order to quit having a racist, unresponsive form of government. Unfortunately, those terrible racial tensions in our city still persist. Last week, I watched this council shut down Alderman Williams request just to put a resolution on first reading, just to be able to talk about something, just to have it in place in case you might need it, shut down. And it was with some disrespect and a lack of care during that debate, which set the stage for what was to come. And while Mr. Walton had the right to say what he did at the podium, no matter how much we don't like that. It is his free speech. But it was clear in the manner of address towards the older people he was targeting and his tone that that would have resulted in a reprimand or ban for many other speakers. We have all seen that happen. And when he was done speaking, the fact that the community members heard him make racial and misogynistic slurs once he was away from the microphone should have led to his removal. But instead, he was allowed to sit there gloating like the cat who ate the canary while the police swarmed the black alderman who was offended by those fighting words. Fighting words are not protected freedom of speech. Fighting words are things you say to someone that is personally

abusive face-to-face insults that tend to incite immediate physical violence or breach of peace. Fighting words are not an opinion. And when the mayor had the police investigate one of their own and took his word for it instead of the multiple people who heard him make those statements, how does that make any sense? It's no wonder that the citizens don't trust the mayor. Listening to her interview today and the way that she turned it into a story about how persecuted she has been was odd and it was tonedeaf. And now the citizen would like the city city council would like to make more rules and try to sanitize the behavior of impassion people who show up and speak out. Don't do it. Don't do it. Focus on applying the rules that you already have fairly the same across the board. This is your job to hear the citizens of Springfield to understand where they are coming from and actually care. Maybe stick around for the public comment section. Use your power to address these issues to change the situation and to make our community better. Thank you.

Bradley Russell. Bradley Russell.

What's up, Brad? What's up, Brad?

And also, it's my bedtime. Oh, back again. You know, I uh 1908 had the riots, all the racist running a muck. Nothing's changed. Nothing's changed in this town. Like, it is so crazy what happened last week and social media. Yeah. like amazing amount of people coming out saying, "Yeah, he was right to say that he was right to, you know, call Sean what he did or, you know, call the lady in the audience what he did." And you all talk about like rules and what is the uh rules for thee but not for me? It really seems like Mr. Walton needs to uh stay home. But uh you know, I was looking up uh cuz I realized that you know, the mayor said something about meeting in the middle and all that malarkey. Uh 6 months ago, y'all were up here talking about somebody who used the N-word an email who was a 20 year experience employee. And the mayor said, "This has no place in our city."

Six months later, she found a place for it in our city. Like the mayor, does she have a point? Like I I I really I don't think that she's a person a a people person, you know? She uh just seems to agree with who she wants. and uh you know every single time she has to go on those radio shows and talk mess about us about democratic socialist and and you know I I the whole of address and all that. I I mean I did have people on social media that were like oh your address is this and and you know you want me to come by? Sure. I mean, I'm not going anywhere, but uh it just um seemed like it was a time that it should have been a whole group of you to say, "Hey, Mr. Walton, go outside." You know, don't don't bring that in here. you know, I mean, just like they all said six months ago about uh, you know, the n-word and how it shouldn't be used and you know, everyone six months ago on October 7th, you can look it up. You know, we're we're talking, oh yeah, that we just we we can't have that. You know, that that just tears down and doesn't build anything. But we're still here. We're still here. He still sits in an audience with this smug look on his face, you know, up here talking about his glorious 40 years of police experience,

which wasn't so glorious when it ended with a sex scandal and uh a demotion, which should have been a firing, but you know, that's how things went then. But uh this this chief of police isn't much better really. I mean to sit up here and say that uh the right move was to punch a girl in the head and really with a straight face he said that that's that's a good police move. If he thought that it was such a threat, he should have brought another officer because every other warrant you see, I watch a lot of police shows. Every time there's a warrant served, they bring a whole dang gang. But this dude thought he was Rambo and then got mad that she ran. Well, the point she ran, he should have stopped and said, "All right, I'll catch her another day." But he didn't. He sat on her and said, "Put your hands behind your back." I don't know. You sit on me. I can't put my hand upon my back. And because she didn't, she got a punch to the head. I tell you what, that cop punched me in the head. He's getting one back, you know. But, uh, Sean, I always got your back. That's why I ran up here last week.

I appreciate you, Brad.

Alex Collins. All right. Hello. So before I begin, let me make something very clear. You are not listening to someone who is uninformed, emotional without reason, or disconnected from the issue from this issue. I'm a college student graduating in May with my bachelor's degree in criminology and criminal justice. I study systems like this and I am also living within one that is failing in real time. So I ask when I speak I expect to be heard with seriousness that I am bringing to this podium. I have been a resident of Springfield for the past year and in that time what I have observed is not just disappointing is deeply concerning because the standard being held up here is not one of accountability, transparency and equality. It is one of avoidance, specifically from one person who seems to hold all the cards. Last week, I watched this council meeting and what I saw was a clear imbalance in whose voices are allowed to exist in this place.

A former police chief is allowed to bypass rules while community members your constitutes are interrupted, dismissed, or silenced for asking questions. So I will ask you again clearly and directly, why are the people most impacted by these decisions the ones being cut off from the the conversation? Now, let's move beyond perception and talk about data because this is not unscientific or hearsay. Across the United States, black Americans are subject to police use of force at more than three times the rate of white Americans. Despite making up roughly 12 to 13% of the population, black individuals account for approximately onethird of deaths involving police force. Those are not opinions. Those are patterns and patterns that do not exist without cause. Now, let me connect these numbers to live experiences. my experience. At 4:00 a.m., I was woken up by police knocking at my door. I opened my window because I did not know who was outside. A flashlight was immediately directed into my face and I was told that they were looking for someone. I informed them that I live alone, gave my name, and said I am the prime resident of this residence. That should have concluded the interaction. Correct. Instead, I was I was asked again because they came back to my door because they said that I looked like the individual. So, I want to be precise here. I was asked to identify in my own home not because of evidence but because of

resemblance. That is not procedure rooted in safety. That is profiling and normalization of that experience is part of the problem. In another instance, I was pulled over and I had a panic response. Not because I had did anything wrong, but because in early child, I, like many other black children, was taught to survive an encounter with law enforcement. Keep your hands visible. Stay calm. Always park in a light area. Don't park anywhere that you are not seen or visible by other people passing by. And that officer response to the fear and tears racing down my face was to say, "I'm one of the good ones." That statement is not reassuring. That is revealing because it acknowledges without hesitation that there are bad ones. And if that is understood within the profession itself, then the question becomes what is being done about it? Because from the outside looking in, it's very little. I want to see more in my community. I'm tired of coming of watching city council and seeing what happens. And what happened last week with racial slurs being thrown around and a person is act is told to act with some decorum. Where was the decorum of that constitute? I'm done. And let me just say 48 hours of training ain't enough. community. Not being involved with the community is not enough. How about you come out and have a discussion with your community members besides coffee with a cop or shop with a cop and actually hear from your community members what they want to see out of you.

Thank you. I'm done. Robert Frasier. Good evening.

Trust me, what I have to say tonight, I had not discussed with anybody, but it seems like everything that I've w I've written here lines up with everything everybody's already said. So, I don't want it to be confused as we collaborated on this at all. Um so talking points uh for me consistently is workforce development, housing and opportunity. But we are missing a critical piece of how these systems actually connect. Yes, we do have a workforce challenge. We have people in Springfield who need training, development, and support to become job ready. Here's the bigger issue. When we train people, there's not enough jobs at scale for them to step into. So, we end up preparing people for opportunities that don't exist in meaningful numbers that creates a cycle. Training, waiting, frustration, and no real movement. This is a result of years, decades of disinvestment into the structures that actually create economic stability in certain parts of our community. So now we're trying to fix the outcomes workforce, housing, poverty without fixing the foundation that those outcomes depend on. And that foundation is simple. Jobs at scale, infrastructure at scale, opportunity at scale. If a community does not have those things, it cannot sustain itself. And when that structure is missing, it doesn't just show up in employment

numbers. It shows up everywhere. It shows up in mental health systems being overwhelmed. increased interaction with law enforcement and issues rooted in instability and the public systems being asked to carry the weight that they were never designed to carry. We are seeing an overworked system trying to compensate for underbuilt economic foundation. So we have to be honest with ourselves. Investing has not been equal across our community. When capital at largecale funding consistently flows into some areas and not in others, we should not be surprised by the outcome. Investment drives opportunity. Opportunity drives stability. where there is little invest little to no investment at scale we see limited access to quality jobs lower mobility and increased pressure on every system. So how can we expect different results if the level of investment is not even not even in the same range? We're not operating on the level playing field and we're not even in the same race. Same thing goes with housing. If people don't have access to consistent stable income, then we're not creating a pathway into housing. We're creating reliance on it. Housing without income is temporary. Income connected to opportunity is stability. Workforce, jobs, investment, housing must be aligned or the system will continue to produce the same outcomes. That's not philosophical. That is just how the system works.

If we want different results, we have to do both. Prepare people and build the kind economically that actually receives them. Because without access to real opportunity at scale, we don't just fail individuals, we overload every system around them. Thank you. Thank you, sir.

Tissa Duckworth. Last week, I came here prepared to speak about perception bias and safety. I wasn't able to because that meeting ended in chaos after a racial slur was directed at Alderman Gregory and I was called a derogatory name. What happened in this room was not a disagreement. Since then, I've heard the mayor say that we should be able to disagree and meet in the middle. No, we can meet in the middle on policy. We cannot meet in the middle on racism, disrespect, and basic human dignity. Because what I witnessed that night was not just about words. It was about perception. I watched as the man who used a racial slur was protected by police and escorted to his car. I watched as Alderman Gregory reacted to being called a slur was perceived as the aggressor. That is perception. Perception shapes response. And when that response comes from people in positions of authority, it becomes dangerous. So I ask, how was any conclusion about the situation reached without speaking to the people who were actually there? Because any assessment made without firhand witnesses is incomplete and at worst it reinforces a narrative instead of the truth. And that is exactly how bias takes hold. That is why I was here in the first place. I am the parent of an amazing child I've raised since she was one years old. And I am speaking about a real fear for my child's future interaction with law enforcement.

My daughter is autistic. She is respectful, capable, and extremely literal. She has had plenty of positive interactions with police through the Special Olympics and raising money with law enforcement torture, where officers understand her disability and respond appropriately. But those interactions happened in structured, supportive environments. Springfield police have acknowledged the gap through programs like the blue envelope program and that is a step in the right direction. But what happens outside of those controlled moments in chaos when there's no envelope and only perception is guiding the response recognition without consent or sorry recognition without constant understanding in real world situations is not enough. In high stress situations, that understanding is not guaranteed. My daughter may not respond the way someone expects. She may not smile. She may have a flat effect. She may hesitate or she may run, not out of defiance, but out of instinct or confusion. And I need you to understand what that looks like from the outside. My daughter is a young black woman who is not immediately compli compliant just because she is told to be. How is she perceived in that moment? Because we may because we have already seen how quickly perception can escalate and how it protects and who it doesn't. So when I stood in this room last week to raise those concerns and witness what I witnessed, I did not see a system that feels safe for my daughter. I saw exactly why I am concerned. I am not here because of politics. I am not here because I am anti- police. This is about accountability and making sure

every interaction ends safely. So when we talk about being able to disagree and meeting in the middle, I need the council to understand there is no middle ground between respect and disrespect. No middle ground between bias and fairness. And there's no middle ground when it comes to racism. Because when I picture my daughter at 19, in a moment of fear, I don't get to assume she'll be given the benefit of the doubt. I have to wonder if she'll be given the benefit of force. If we want better outcomes, we must be willing to examine how perception influences responses. Because at the end of the day, this is not about politics. This is about perception. It is about whether my child will be seen as someone to understand or someone to control. And that is not a difference we can meet in the middle on. Thank you.

Thank you,

Embassy. Isaac, let's see. Say a short prayer. Any of y'all natives from Springfield? How many natives we got here from Springfield? Born and raised, born living here that was born here. There's three message. Alhamdulillah. Amen. That's the first surah of the fatiha of the Quran. What we have here is like I'm a native here. I'm an indigenous person. I'm an Aboriginal person. But we have here is that I just coming from the hospital. Excuse. is that we have persons that just come here. I'm 53 years old. We have persons that's come here and done outdone us in our own communities. They have the grocery stores. They sell us the unwanting products that what we call in Islam haram. It's called haram. And it's for the Christians and it's for the Muslims and it's for the Jews. It's for all of them. What they don't sell us is halal products. what they have enforced for the schools for children to have. That means they are not supposed to sell us the the tobacco, the alcohol that you keep giving them uh opportunities to

sell the food, the meat, the red blood. They're not supposed to sell that to our community because they don't sell it to their own. The way they speak to their wives, they don't speak to they they speak to us disrespectful. You know, they got this tobacco, they got this commercial product, all of it's colorized. And our children cannot distinguish. We have a high level, excuse me, we have a high level of domestic violence. That's from the weed, the alcohol. We have driving issues here. We have police stopping us because misidentification. The person is black. The person is AfricanAmerican. They flashing they lights on us. But we're natives here. We born here. We don't even know you. But you making decisions, taking our consent and making decisions on our lives and on our children and our grandparents and our wives and our our people. Y'all don't know us. Do you understand what I'm saying? Am I wrong for saying what I'm saying? like you settlers. There was a people here that was kickoo in in in you know there was other people here before you. We don't see their burial sites but they here controlling the furniture stores, the meat markets. They they got the they got the auto stores. They taking out cars and and doing I mean how they got the alcohol. What have they ain't even did a block party for us. They ain't ain't did nothing for our community. They sell us cigarettes. They sell us the things that's destroying our bodies. That's call us that's causing this cognitive this cognitive dissonance that's going on. The reason why these words and these these words like the B and the N words. I gave y'all that two

years ago and asked y'all to pass it because it was a tribal consent that we needed protection here. But it's done got all the way out of context where this here is called disorderly conduct. It's a breach of the peace. No, there's no kumbaya ya because children are watching. Our grandparents are watching. And this is the behavior of people that don't even live here really. The people that you have policing us, they military, they special persons, we don't even know them. And they calling us black. That's a misidentification. It's sickening. We're natives. Black. We Springfield here at the state. They got all they controlling everything. Why? How do they outdo us? How did some Indians, persons, these these Yemens, the Arabs, how did they come into our community and outdo us on the east and the southeast side and throughout the community? Y'all don't have that on the west or the north side only in the communities where y'all see us that that is a that is a that is what you call uh a ethnic enclave where you giving them these opportunities. Y'all destroying this is genocide. And I'm say it's genocide because it's a this is a this is a decision that many are making. Do y'all understand what genocide is? Do I need to read it? What's going on? What we going to do? I'm serious. They out did us. How do they outdo us? How did y'all let them outdo us? They got the furniture stores. They sell us the tobacco. All of this stuff they supposed to have. separated in Minnesota. I live throughout this

United States. That is separate. That is a whole another department in a whole another story. It's time to wrap it up. I'm sorry. Just wrap it up. One more thing. Let y'all know I'm a new party. It's native indigenous aboriginal new party. National conser conservatives. This is real. Now, I want to have the voice to challenge the voices that have restricting us. Enjoy your day. Caitlyn and Whis,

one more question. If I have an issue, can I send it to you and you I we bring it back and address it in the ordinance form. Perfect. Council,

you can send me an email and I'll look at it. Thanks. Kaylin whis car stand. Hello, I'm Tiara Standage, the president of the Purple Coalition, founder and executive director of Intricate Minds. And I'm going to stick to what I wrote down today because I got on this purple shirt. Um, last week the this chamber showed Springfield exactly what selective enforcement looks like. When anyone else breaks the rules in here, they are corrected and told to direct their comments at the chair. They are gled. I think it was a week or two I even seen Alderman Williams be told by the mayor to direct his comments to the chair. They are warned and they face consequences. But when a disgraced former police chief stood in this chamber last week and repeatedly broke these same rules, none of that happened. He was allowed to mock residents for not standing for the pledge. People choose not to stand for many reasons, including religion, protest, and personal conviction. As for me, I have a problem with the phrase liberty and justice for all. when I have lived in a country where people who look like me and unlike anyone in power are routinely denied both. He pointed at me saying, "There she goes snapping her fingers." Anyone else would have immediately been immediately reminded to address the chair, but not him. He interrupted an alder woman. He shouted over elected officials. He escalated into racial hostility. And yes, I did hear it. and still no meaningful intervention.

And that is what is disgusting. This is not 1986 anymore. Black people can speak up now. They can become alderman, senators, GOVERNORS, AND EVEN THE PRESIDENT. Yet some people in this city still act like they are angry that that reality has changed. And what is even more embarrassing than his conduct is the response from our so-called leadership. I heard the mayor's radio interview today. Do you know what's really not fun? Dealing with racism. You want to know what's really embarrassing? Living in a city where the mayor doubles down and protects racism instead of condemning it. Just because you didn't hear it doesn't mean it didn't happen. And if such a thorough investigation is being done, when are they going to question the people that did hear it? Nobody said that that man should not have been allowed to speak. We said he should not have been allowed to repeatedly violate the rules, point at audience members, insult elected officials, and create chaos while leadership sat by and watched. There's a difference. When someone cursed at the mayor in this chamber, there were consequences. So, I'm confused. Why is racial hostility treated with more grace than disrespect towards those in power? Why are some people gathered the second their time is up while campaign donors, political allies, and sexual deviant former police chiefs allowed to say whatever they want for however long they want? How can you claim to represent the people if you only seem interested into listening to certain people? And please stop judging black people for how they respond to racism. Do not tell us how to react while ignoring what provoked the reaction. Fix the racism, not the response. And I

didn't write this down, but we also shouldn't have to apologize for how we act when we are responding to racism. I'm a black woman who does not believe in respectability politics. I will not sit quietly, smile politely, and be silent in the face of racism to make other people feel comfortable. To be black and aware in America is to remain angry because history and present reality keeps giving us reasons to. So I asked again, how is this going to be addressed? Roy Walton was just banned for asking the chief of police, is he said, are you a racist? Are you a bigot? OR DO YOU JUST NOT LIKE AND y'all removed him from even coming into the building for asking a question. But yet this police, former police chief is able to come up here and call a sitting alderman a with a er and he's still allowed to come in here and you have you have sitting alderman crying for their safety. How do you think the audience felt when Chief Bell came up here, told his officers to get out the room to go protect the one man that was using words of violence? They stood beside him downstairs as he mocked everybody that left and then they escorted him to his car. What about the constituents? H we didn't feel safe. How will this body ensure that the rules are applied evenly moving forward? How will this chamber guarantee that no resident, no matter their title, money, or connection, is allowed to weaponize this podium or their seat in the audience? Springfield deserves better. We deserve better than selective enforcement. Springfield deserves better than excuses. And Springfield deserves leadership that values fairness over

favoritism and accountability over comfort. Thank you. Valerie Broadick. Valerie Broadick.

Hi, I'm Valerie Brick from Chadam here again. I was here two weeks ago and I believe the last thing I said was don't make me come back next year. But here I am two weeks later. I'm new to organizing so I'm learning about the dynamics of local politics as I go and last week's city council meeting was very telling to me. I haven't been to many city council meetings, but I have sat here as many of you alderman counseledled community members to please be respectful toward the alderman and the police when they spoke. But last week, a former chief of police came here to this podium, talked about how unlike the black woman who got punched in the face by a police officer, his parents taught him right from wrong. How running from the police in fear is wrong. And she had it coming because her parents didn't teach her better. Now, I do come from a very puritanical background, having Mormon pioneer ancestry, and I was always taught from my parents that foul language was wrong. I really don't swear, though. I generally don't get upset when others do, especially not people who have been victimized. Last time, I even said that strong language is often born from fear and desperation. But what the former chief said was worse than casual swearing. It did not come from a place of pleading desperation, but a place of hate. He used sexist, racist slurs.

And no, I don't believe he only used the word run because who uses that word? Why didn't the former chief's parents teach him right from wrong? And what punishment does he deserve? My parents taught me why can't he do better? Why can't the current chief of police do better? My parents taught me to respect people who are different from me. My parents taught me to stand up for what's right when you see something wrong happen to someone else. My parents taught me that racism is wrong. As landlords in the 70s, they refused to cooperate when told not to rent to black tenants. My parents taught me moral courage. My parents didn't really have to teach me that it's wrong for a man to punch a woman who is no threat, who is pinned to the ground in the face. even if it's technically not against some very lowbar rule. And by the way, what would the former chief's parents think of his history of corruption, sex scandals, and blackmail? I hate to say it, but his parents missed the mark. and his legacy in Springfield's police force is that of racism, of bullying black and brown people. If anyone within the sound of my voice doesn't believe it after the racist slur hurled last week,

you are choosing not to see. Springfield Police Department has a racism problem that is being passed down through the generations. We need to make it stop already. Please, alderman, don't have a double standard of respect. Please do the right thing and treat the black community with respect. listen to their needs, especially in concerning police accountability. They're trying to make the community better and safer for everyone. No matter what side of the political spectrum you are on, there should be clear support for this. My parents did the right thing. They chose not to be racist. They were religious Republicans. You as representatives of the community should be able to recognize right from wrong. Please step up. If we're going to talk about lessons passed down and the legacy make Springfield that of loving your neighbor as yourself of respect and moral courage. Thank you,

Mr. Want to go on? Yeah. Well, you can't go until I let you. Chair entertain a motion. Make a motion to move. Second. Ajournal.