City Council - Regular Meeting

microphones are live.

It right. special. He's going to be really loud.

You ready? The chair will call the May 5th, 2026 meeting of the city council to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Clerk Red Path, can you please call the role? Yes, ma'am. Alderman Cox here. Alderman Gregory here. Alman Williams here. Alman Rockford here. Alderman Purchase. Alderwoman Netrano. Alderman Carlson here. Alderwoman Connley

present. Alderman Donlin here. Alderman Han here. Mayor you have a quorum. All right. Present. Um the civility pledge. In the interest of civility, I pledge to promote civility by listening, being respectful of others, acknowledging that we are all striving to support and improve our community, and understanding that we each may have different ideas for achieving that objective. There are no proclamations tonight, but two presentations. Alderman Gregory, you signed up to speak. No. Okay, that's all right. I didn't want to skip you.

Okay, there are two presentations. The first will be the mayor's youth council. If uh Chief of Staff Lashley and the youth council would like to come up for their presentation, Hello. Uh, my name is Sash Beaker. I go to Southeast High School. I'm a senior. Uh, I've been on the May youth council for three years. Uh, I'm going to go to college at UIC up in Chicago um for finance and then I job shadowed the office of budget and management. Um, hello. Uh, my name is Josephine Naka. I'm a senior at Springfield High School. I'm going to go to school at the University of Illinois Chicago studying nursing on the pre-med track and doing Air Force ROTC. Uh, I've been on the Maze Council for three years and I shadowed the fire department.

Go Air Force. Hello, my name is Justice Moore. I go to Springfield High School. I'm a sophomore. I shout out the legal department and yeah, it is my first year on a mayor's youth council.

Awesome. Hello, my name is Grace Beekley and I'm a senior at Lfair High School and this is my first year here. Um, I'm going to go to Lincolnland for nursing and I shadowed the HR department. Hi, my name is Maline Rasky. I go to Sacred Heart Griffin High School and I'm a junior. Um this is my first year with the Mayor's Youth Council and I plan to go to Holy Cross College um study psychology through um Air Force ROTC. Hi, my name is Drew Gross. I'm a freshman at Rochester High School. This is my first year on being on Mayor City Youth Council and I shadowed the police department.

My name is Matthew Christie. I'm a junior at Sacred Art Griffin. This is my first year on the mayor's youth council. Oh, and I shadowed uh corporation council. My name is Jacob Brown. I am a freshman at Sigot Griffin and I shadowed the fire department. Hi, I'm Isabelle Coleman. I'm a junior at Pleasant Plains and this is my second year on Mayor's Youth Council and I shadowed uh public works engineering.

Come on, Josephine. Josephine's the president of the Mayor's Youth Council.

Yes. Hello everybody. Um it's my honor to be here again uh for my final time. Uh I've been president of the mayor's youth council for three years and in my three years in being in the mayor's youth council I've been honored to lead and be part of this team of dedicated young high schoolers working to make a change in the city. Um all of our initiatives have been rooted in trying to improve the city from a youth perspective. So we focus on issues like homelessness and we've also focused on trying to improve the city through beautifification as well. Um this past year we created an initiative for mental health. We started an event, a mental health fair in the library. This is the first year that we started the event, but we had it comprised of a panel discussion and we also had multiple workshops aimed to improve mental health and with from multiple different angles. Um, I'm extremely proud of this team and everything we've accomplished in these past three years that I've been on the Mary Council. I look forward to what they do um in the years to come and I hope to continue this um mission of improving wherever I go in my college education. Thank you so much.

And I just want to thank the youth council before we go down and give you your certificates. Um these are the true leaders of our future. Uh there's some amazing people that are going to be in charge of our futures and I look forward to watching you all do that. And just so the council and those listening know, when they talked about who they shadowed, uh this year I had the mayor's youth council choose an agency. The directors had to give a little elevator speech to them and they chose an agency to spend a half a day or a day with in job shadow so they could see what it was like to work at the city. Um we would love to have any of you back joining us in our workforce. So we wanted to make sure that they participated in that. So, oh, and we have one more to you have to go at. Yeah, you just Thank you. Just Do you want to hold these, Billy?

Sorry. Um, hi. My name is Caitlyn. Um, I got to Springfield High. I am a senior and I'm planning on going to Bradley University in the fall to major in psychology and youth council. I've been on it for four years and it's been really awesome and helping me plan for my future and it's really great and I'm really excited to see what the future holds for me. So, thank you. Awesome.

Chief of Staff Lashley has a certificate for you and then I will see you all tomorrow because you have a meeting tomorrow, right? I'll see you all tomorrow at your meeting. Thank you for coming this evening. Can I have them step in front of you all? You all stand up. We take a picture. Yeah. Okay.

Billy, do you want us in our chairs or down with them? Down with them. Everybody come down with

Yeah, it's good. Do you want Anna?

All right. Ready? One, two. One, two, three. One, two, three. I'll take one this way. Perfect. Thank you. Our next presentation is Chief Beiel has asked to come up and present to the council. So, he'll be up next. Good evening. Thanks for the opportunity uh to present to you real quick just to kind of cover our wellness unit. Uh when we were in budget hearings, there was some conversation around our wellness programs. Um and there was ask of me to come back and kind of discuss that what it looks like. Currently uh uh we've had we have an extremely robust wellness system. Um what we did not have at that time when I took over was a general order or a policy if you will that covers wellness. Uh so we took some time and hammered out a policy. It's about six pages long to kind of cover everything has to do with wellness uh in every aspect. Um we established a wellness team. That team is a diverse team. Uh when I mean diverse, I mean diverse as in uh race and and ethnicity as well as uh people's specialties, if you will. Um some people that um are good in the mental health wellness, some people that are good with physical wellness, uh some people good with diet and exercise, things of that nature. So we wanted a very diverse team to cover all aspects of wellness so they can bring their prof uh their professional um um knowledge to to the table for that um gym update. So, one one thing we did, we updated our gym. Our gym was probably the equipment in there was probably 50 years old. Um, and

every time you would lift the dumbbells, the the little paint chips would fall in your face and in your mouth. It was pretty nice. Um, so we did a we did an update in there. Uh, took everything out, put new flooring in, painted, um, and then had all new brand new equipment in there. Uh, one thing that we found and I found through research, um, is uh, Chief Petrelli up in Normal, uh, Normal, Illinois. He is a law enforcement wellness subject matter expert and his uh in his opinion the single best thing you can do uh for wellness uh holistically is is get a good workout in and so we wanted to make sure our officers and our personnel had that equipment to do so. Um there's been some conversation around that yoga for first responders. Uh Sergeant Russell is our uh instructor for that. She has been injured. She was actually re released to full duty uh effective this week and we'll be working with her to get that programming uh to the department and uh maybe even through um the mobile training unit here in Springfield which will cover uh eight counties. We've been working with businesses in the community. SIU is going to come in and provide a cooking class May 19th for the nutritional aspect of wellness. Uh we have chiropractors come in um and they attend squad meetings, discuss pain and wellness as it pertains to that. Uh Frell's Extreme Body Shaping is hosting a a class for us uh this month in May. Um and then supplement superstore comes in has been coming in to uh squad meetings and we'll come into future squad meetings to talk about nutrition and supplements to uh to help with that. Every officer is going to complete a wellness wrap form, which is a wellness recovery action plan. essentially establish an action plan um to find out what your baseline is for your wellness and then how do we get back there and then find out what our stressors are um so we can kind of manage those a little bit better. That's more just as much for the for the officer as it is for anybody. Um peer support. Um we have we had a peer support program in the police department. One thing we did not have was a an active peer support program in the police department. Uh we're looking at programs uh what what's best practices and best programs throughout the nation. Um the we don't walk alone

program is one that was highly recommended to us by some of our wellness team members um and other members of wellness teams throughout the state. Um the one thing we like about this is it not only leverages peer support within our department, but there's agencies throughout the state um that are part of this peer support program that if you wanted to remain completely anonymous and not have any conversations necessary with your peers, you can call other agencies that are within this peer support network and have conversations with them and they can support you in that way. Uh we talked about a facilities dog um a comfort dog if you will, completely ADA compliant. Uh we went through a rigorous uh testing um and application process to to get this dog out of California. Um it's highly renowned um and highly recommended for us. Um June 18th, I'm proud to say that June 18th we fly out to California to get the dog. We thought this would be about a year to 18month process, but um somehow we got to the top of the list and we'll be flying out to California June 18th. The handler will go through 10 days of training uh with a dog and then they'll fly back and they'll bring the dog back into the police department. And that's uh for officer wellness as well as victim advocacy as well for those tough uh conversations and tough interviews that we do with uh with particular victims, especially children that are victims of crime. Critical incident stress management debriefs. We continue those. Um we we use a team out of St. Louis. There is a a local team here in Springfield. Some of the members of the former members of Springfield Police Department are part of that local team. So we use a team out of St. Louis. Um I'm on a firstname basis with them. We've been having a we've had a great relationship with them for about five or six years and we will continue to use them during these critical incidents. um that where we need somebody to step in professional right then and there to not only uh impact our officers and our personnel but also fire personnel that may be impacted by this as well as dispatchers and other people that are first responder networks. Uh we make sure we open that up to everybody that is a first responder that is affected by a particular call for service that we may

be involved in. Um SPD Family Academy. Um this is something new to Springfield Police Department. Um we were out at the International Associate Chiefs of Police Conference back in October. Um Colorado Springs, Colorado does a family uh academy and really what that is is bringing the families of the loved ones in uh that we have now hired and they're going to work for us to talk about what police work looks like uh and what these wellness programs and the and and the holistic wellness program looks like for the police department. One thing that we have found is sometimes officers are apprehensive of reaching out uh or may not see the signs of uh challenges that they're having because of stressors in their job, but their family does. Their family sees that and so if their family knows what these resources are, they can access them as well. Uh and the other thing is is as some a vast majority of these resources are accessible by family members as well. So the children of first responders, the children of our officers, uh spouses of our officers and things like that. So we want to make sure that they have uh those resources at their fingertips as well. Uh we looked at we're still working with uh visions. Uh visions are does our annual wellness obligations that are statemandated by uh we're working towards our own officer hosting wellness hours here. I talked about having those clinical hours within our own agency by our own personnel that have lived experience. Uh and we're doing just that. Um we hope to have certification that be globally recognized resource for prevention, substance use treatment and recovery credentiing as well as a peer support p specialist and recovery support specialist. So uh those are the few things that we are looking at right now. Um there's been some conversation around benchmark software. I know we discussed that a little bit. Um it is a software essentially it's a predictive analytics uh where they pull in um certain data sets such as you know hours that officers are worked traumatic incidents that officers are involved in use of force um and things of that nature. And so what does that look like

and how does that uh play into trauma or cumulative trauma that an officer has seen and then how do we get that to the supervisor of that particular person and say hey they may not have an issue but we probably should have a conversation with them to make sure everything's good with them. So something we've looked at it it does come with a significant price um and we can have more conversations around that as it pertains to benchmark specifically. So that's really the wellness program in a in a wrap. Um it's still a work in progress. has taken some time to really get a lot of these things built, especially the policy um and getting these things off the ground. So, I'll take any questions if anybody has any. Uh Alderwoman Connley, thank thank you, Mayor Chief. Thank you so much. I I was the one who did ask that you come back and I appreciate Sure.

making time for this and and again, I appreciate the thoughtful review and and the effort that's going into this. So, um I I hope I hope that this provides more support and and relief to your officers. I mean, we know that we need when we talk about a healthy police department, that's that's healthy in a lot of ways and that makes I think that can lead to better interactions with our community and better actions with each other. Um, really appreciate the family academy. That's that's a really that's a you know, we want to make sure that families are supportive through this, too. So, thank you very much for for everything you're doing and looking forward to seeing how everything plays out. Can't wait to meet our new dog.

Yeah. Be here. Let's see. June 28th or 29th, we'll have him back here. So, him or her. I'm not sure if it's a boy or a girl necessarily. So, we will have the puppy here then. For sure. All right. Great. Thank you very much. Thank you, mayor. Any other discussion? Thank you, chief, very much for the update. Thank you. Yes. The chair will now entertain a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the April 21st, 2026 regular city council meeting and approve the minutes. So, move second. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor of the motion, please say I. I. Those opposed, nay. Sorry, backwards. Does anyone have discussion on those minutes? Okay. Apologies. The chair will now entertain a motion to incorporate the pre-consil first reading of ordinances into the record of this council meeting. So move, mayor. We have a motion to second. Any discussion on the first reading of ordinances?

Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say I. Those opposed, nay. The eyes have it. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. The chair will entertain a motion to incorporate the pre-consel reading of the consent agenda into the record of this council meeting. So move, may have a motion to second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say I. I. Those opposed, nay. The eyes have it. The chair will entertain a motion to place the consent agenda on final passage. Move. Second. Motion in a second. Any discussion? Order. I'm not logged in. Um, could we get someone from the clerk's office to help Alderwoman Noaniano? There's someone coming over, alderwoman, for you. Okay.

Any other discussion on the consent agenda? Seeing none, alderwoman, I'll let you give a verbal yay or nay if you don't mind. All those in favor of the motion will vote yes. All those opposed will vote no.

And the motion passes with 10 voting yes, none voting no. The next item on the I'm sorry, there are no items remaining tabled or in committee at this time. So, the next item on the agenda is item number 2026-245, an ordinance accepting and authorizing the expenditure for 2026 plant beautifification for downtown Springfield of contract RFP number PW27-03 with MG Stewart Land Designs LLC to enhance the visual appeal and vibrancy of downtown Springfield in a total amount not to exceed 58,028 for the office of public works for emergency passage. Motion for consent. We have a motion and a second for consent for item number 2026-245. Any discussion? Alderman Gregory.

I would ask for it to be on debate for a second. So I I just had two questions. So is is um does does this include any um beautifification efforts on my portion of downtown. Billy, I appreciate your call, too. I I wasn't able to get back to it as I work. I apologize. Um, is is there is there um any of this going on in the war 2 section of downtown as well as um I know I had asked for some planners in the southtown um area as well. Director Fuks, are you here? We talked about this. Chief of Staff Lashley, if you have any input you can help.

Did you hear the alderman's question, director? Sorry, I did. Mayor, can I make clarification? This is has to be a motion for approval. This is emergency passage. Motion for approval. Second. Motion and second for approval. We're on discussion. Alderman Gregory, the floor is yours. Um, so for me able to support this is going to be depend on what my my friend Dave um tells me. Uh, this includes uh all the planters that are already located in and around downtown. Mhm. Uh and some of that is in in Ward 2 around um the Y block area. Yes, sir. What about the planners in Southtown? Uh we could certainly make uh make arrangements to have some there. I don't think we have anything there right now.

No, there's none there. How many do you want? Uh Chief of Staff Lashley's asking how would are you thinking can you specify the area so we also can write that down? I I had requested before that we did something from um from 11th um to you know where Clay's Barbecue is in that area. It doesn't have to go all the way to 12th, but we're we're just trying to beautify beautify that area up. Um George Sinclair is doing a a fantastic job. Why is this coming so late on emergency passage? Dave director Fuks, excuse me.

Yes. Uh it's uh uh it's essential that uh that we uh provide for plants downtown. Um we've gotten terribly busy and I apologize for it later. No, no problem. No problem. I just just wanted to check. I know we we try to get these things done early in the season. So I appreciate you. Thank you. Any other discussion? Alderman Gregory. Okay. So 11th to Clay's Barbecue, that area, correct? I'm just making sure we have your boundaries. South Green. Okay. Yes, sir. Alderman Rockford.

Yes. Uh, so, director, I I need to ask, so didn't we did we not get new planters last year or my qu my question is is I've seen pictures of some planters that were cracked, busted. So, my question is, is this going to be is this going to be like a yearly thing or are we going to are we able to get them and pick them up and and get them out? I I I don't know why they cracked. My my guess is maybe got some water in them and and froze. And

the uh the planters that we uh we have downtown, there's uh several different purchase groups that were purchased and unfortunately we had drainage problems with with a number of them over the last two summers. So, some of them are beyond repair and we've been able to make adjustments in quite a few of them, but uh uh they do have some age. Yes, sir.

Some of them that I've seen could have been older. Okay, I got you. Okay. I just I just ask that, you know, if we we get them, you know, I don't know what they do elsewhere, but they can be I think put in storage or something through the winter months unless we plant put lights down there or something. I don't I don't know. But I just I just think if we're going to leave them out, uh, we're just asking for trouble. We make sure that we drain them. Uh some of them have reservoirs inside of them so that when uh the crew waters them it stores water and some of those uh irrigation systems uh have proven to be problematic. Gotcha. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you, Alderman. Alderwoman Connley. Thank you, Mayor. And um director, I'd just like to clarify so um because maybe not everyone I mean we know, but this is a local small business um that that's doing this this work for us. Yes, ma'am. They uh they actually had the contract last year and we received a number of compliments on the uh innovative and creative way they put the pl flowers together. I'm not a flower guy but uh I would have never guessed that about you. Um but we and and also just for clarification because they were they were very nice. Um there were some some planters that were that got disturbed or maybe didn't do as well in direct sun but this does include replacement of plants if we need that. Correct.

Okay. Wonderful. Looking forward to this. Thanks, Mayor. Alderman Williams. Thank you, Mayor. Um, you use the word essential. Um, sorry. The the word essential. It's essential that we provide uh plants downtown. Are we required to have plants downtown? Required. I know it has been a tradition and something that the city has expended revenue on over many years. Certainly u predating my time here. Yeah. Well, yeah. Since I've been a child, I I've seen plants downtown. So, I would agree. I I couldn't say, sir. Okay. I think

in the condition that we're in, we're still operating here. We are uh $58,000 for some plants downtown with all the other needs that are exist in this city. and and and we're worried about, you know, providing and probably getting ready to pass a expenditure of $58,000 for some some plants that ain't required. Uh so when do we cut back council? When do we try to to be financially, you know, at least paying attention to to what we're doing here? But we're just going to keep operating like things as usual. And it ain't your fault. It's our fault. is the city council's fault for not doing their due diligence to our financial situation here, which I guess they don't get or they don't care. I don't know which. But I just think that when we start spending this kind of money, again, there's so many other needs in this community than to just put some plants u downtown that we and and this is an annual thing. So, like you said, it's before us, but when do we change or or recognize that these ain't normal times that we don't have the money we had two years ago and and and that's my comment. Uh uh you guys probably are going to approve it. I just think it's it's not a good usage of the city funds at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, director, for coming up. That's all we have requested to speak. Yes. Okay. So, the voting will now be open because the motion was for approval and there was a second. Um, those in favor of the motion will vote yes. Those opposed will vote no.

And the motion passes with nine voting yes, one voting no. Now we are on to old business unfinished business. Uh the first thing I would like to announce is a thank you to the community. Thank you to all of you who shared the information that our fire department had an extended time frame today for testing of our sirens. Usually 10 a.m. the first Tuesday of the month. We pushed out notification that it would go out for at least between 10 and 11. and it ended before 11:00. But when we had the major storms a week ago on Monday, um some we noticed that some of the sirens weren't working appropriately. Um that's why they are tested, just the community knows, every month to to identify those. And we needed multiple times to see if we could fix those. And I want to thank the constituents that are listening that called in and said they couldn't hear them in their area. That's very helpful as well. So, just thank you all for your patience as we try to make sure those emergency sirens are working appropriately.

Mayor, can I ask are they working? Uh, Chief Helms, do you mind coming up? I don't know that I can answer the older woman's question. I apologize. That's okay. They tested in the room and I was in a meeting so I didn't get to participate in the testing. So, Alderwoman asked if we know if they are working. So, I do not have that answer right now. We'll get it. Every month when we do it on the Tuesday at 10 o'clock, we get a downloaded report the next day and it goes to CWLP who maintains them. So I can't correctly answer that right now. We'll get it. Okay.

Yeah, we'll work with CLP and fire and get it out to so you guys will know. And mayor, I wanted to add to one of the things for this morning was we have multiple ways we can activate the warning sirens from control boxes here in uh the EOC uh county dispatch. We can log into desk desktop computers. We can set them off from our cell phones and we can manually do them with keys. So we wanted to make sure every platform we have activated. And that was one of the reasons it went so many series this morning and all of them uh passed activated. So that was a good thing. But we'll get the report tomorrow which ones were not activating. Thank you, Chief. I appreciate it. Thanks.

Uh the second item I have for unfinished businesses, you did all receive an email um and then and your chair. Um, city code section 31.12 authorizes the mayor to veto ordinances that she disapproves of and return those at the next regular meeting of the city council. For that reason, I am vetoing agenda item 2026-176 titled an ordinance authorizing notice of intent to establish a state tax and revenue starbond district and authorize a feasibility study not to exceed $75,000 to evaluate the potential creation of a tourism and economic development district utilizing starbond financing in support of the history across the tracks initiative east west downtown development and future expansion opportunities for the Bank of Springfield center. I disapprove of this ordinance as passed. I specifically object to the boundary set forth in section one, the second and third sentences of the first paragraph of section two, and the final sentence of section three of the ordinance currently drafted. The city can and should look at utilizing star bonds for economic growth, but it should rely on experts in determining how to establish this district. Further, the city should work with the state and its representatives, not against them, to utilize star bonds in the manner that is best for the city. While I support the study of star bonds and their utilization, this very piece of legislation was utilized to criticize our state senator and her efforts to help Springfield. While this ordinance was said to just fund a study for star bonds, it may be used further in an effort to stop expansion of the BOS center, which I cannot support. I support the ordinance if this language is removed. I support the creation and utilization of a starbond district in a manner that will benefit Springfield. I support authorizing expenditures of up to $75,000 to engage experts to assist with the preparation of our application. However, I do not and cannot support an ordinance that will be used to oppose state legislation that has the ability to positively impact the city and specifically downtown. Therefore, I am exercising my authority to veto this ordinance. Per city code section 31.13,

the city council will be asked to reconsider this ordinance at its next regularly scheduled meeting. During reconsideration, I request that this ordinance be amended to remove the language identified in the veto. If the language is removed, I will and can support this ordinance. Alderman Gregory, I support a starbond for history across the tracks. I want you to know that. I just want to make sure we don't eliminate ourselves by not including the downtown expansion that needs to happen with the BOS center. So, I support you. There's just language in here that I could not support and I want you to know that.

Okay. Thank you. So, I I and and I appreciate the and you know, this is uh a little different for me cuz usually I probably be going nuts right now, but I I I I read the sections and and and you know, one thing I I want to I want to I want to say is this my ordinance, the Starbound ordinance was no disrespect to our center to criticize her. In fact, the ordinance that I drew up I sent to her in our meeting that we had. So, I I'm a straight up and down guy. I don't I don't really do all of that. I really just try to try to um get something done for our community um without trying to get in nobody's way. I ain't really on that. Um

so if we change the boundaries and and and and we change some of those things um there only can be um one star bond district or um you know per region because we don't have 600,000 people or more. Um, so, so I'll say that, um, I'm okay with looking at at some things. Um, to better our community and in in a different district to help our um to help our box. I will say that I'm confident in in our senator and our discussions. We we we've had discussions about um what we would like to see for history across the tracks and um I'm confident in that. Um, of doing that. Um I've already thought about some things on on how we how we can help this this box and stuff. So um I'm okay with that, but I I I wanted to make sure that that um that portion is is well understood. Um that nothing I do up here is to criticize or come at anybody. I know um there's some comments about oh um me or or Roy or whoever go against you about anybody else and it's not. Um, I'm always going to be this way. I'm always going to try to do the best I can for our community. No matter who sits up there, no matter who sits at this council, that's just the way I am. Um, it's what I'm charged to do. Um, so, um, I look forward to having some more discussions and and, uh, coming out with a a product that best fits our community.

I agree and I want to work with you and that's why I offered amendments in it because I don't want you to think I'm just vetoing it. You and I had a sit down discussion about the history across the tracks and we talked about that already. So, I want to work with you. Appreciate you. Yes. Thank you, Alderman Williams. Mine is on a whole different matter. Okay. Want to wait for a minute? Oh, awesome. Thank you, Alderwoman. Not.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, so we just received this like five minutes before um coming in here and um I do appreciate you reading out your entire veto. Um, I will note that it sounds politically motivated.

Um, and I I don't see anything in the items that you pointed out that were disrespectful or politically motivated. Um, so it seems like there's been some reading between the lines and I'm just going to register my personal disapproval and disgust with putting my colleague in the situation. Thank you, mayor. Thank you. Any other discussion on the veto? Yes,

Alman Williams. upon hearing that. Um, so Mayor, we this past I believe 100 or maybe 9:0 uh two weeks ago I think maybe three I can't remember but it's been a while. So five minutes ago something changed your mind to veto it. Do what changed your mind? The specific wording in the but the wording was there the night we passed it. it took you this much time to decide, oh, I don't like it. Or is somebody telling you, you know, you got to get rid of certain things in the language? If you make calls, just be honest.

If you make calls, no one knows prior to hear that I was vetoing it. So, you can make those calls and ask. I'm asking you, the person that's vetoing it. Why would I call somebody else when I'm asking the person who's making the decision to veto? I've not spoken to anybody. That's what I'm saying.

Well, I didn't ask you if you was speaking to anybody. I asked why did it take you this long to decide I don't like this so I'm going to veto it three weeks ago two weeks ago I somebody look up the date when we actually did this and it was the majority council was think it was nobody saying no everybody voted yes that was here tonight so that means it was either 10 or 9 and then you get your instructions or whatever happened to make you say oh okay I don't like it I'll do it or if That ain't true. What happened to make you decide to just five minutes ago we get something on our desk that says you're going to veto the language? I'm not as not this guy. I'm not changing my mind on this kind of stuff. I feel you owe us an explanation as to why you would wait this much time and then decide to do it other than what my colleague is saying, political pressure. Per the city code, the mayor has until the start of the city to veto it. So the mayor exercised her right, sir.

Yeah. But so you don't want to tell us. I just told you what I didn't Yeah. You knew that that night, didn't you? Or you didn't. Maybe you didn't. You didn't know you could veto. The mayor has two weeks, sir, till the next meeting. I I I I smell problems. But what I'll say to you, mayor, you need to learn to be honest and be transparent and be upfront. You had plenty of time to do this, but you decide to do it tonight because you're getting the calls that some of us are getting to make this thing be the way that the county board wants it to be. And that's what this is all about. It's about

that's why I'm willing to work with Alderman Gregory to make sure we can get history across the tracks done. That's why he's not doing planners again. Another year of that. What else did you have, sir? That you

now I'm going to mine. So, corporate council, I've been talking with you. I don't mind losing cuz I win when I lose for my community. They know I stand up for them. And the cities, I've been getting more positive calls than negative on the positions that I take up here. So, we had a resolution. Council voted it down. That's fine. But it should have stayed in the system so that it's on debate tonight. It is not on debate tonight. And I wanted to know why. So I called corporate counsel. Corporate counsel says, "Well, don't say one way or another. We got to stop that because since I've been we have done one that lost and and we went on with to debate it." I asked them to call Alderman Donan because I believe he's the one that asked the question about so if it don't pass can we will it still you know uh you know continue on in the system so I'm asking tonight have we ever done it have we ever had a an emergency passage ordinance go on without any request by the sponsor I could not find that

that's what I'm saying I don't think there's such a farm I thought once it failed that just means that it just continues on into our readings. There's there's nothing nothing that requires that. Now, if you'd have seen the agenda that came out the Friday before the committee meeting and called the clerk, he could have put it on the agenda, but I don't know if that happened or if it didn't happen. So, why? That's what I'm saying. No one else has been required to do that. Well, one hasn't failed. It is required. There's nothing there. There's a form that I fill out when my emergency passes fails that says now I want it to stay in this like we got going on. Is that what you're telling me?

You could you could ask at a meeting. You can email the clerk. There's no form. There's any any method you want to communicate that you wanted on the So, let me So, so you're sure that we communicate that? Okay. Well, let's just keep it. So, you're saying I failed to communicate or I failed to tell people I was interested in it staying in our process. You did not call me until yesterday. So, I don't know. I don't I I'm only speaking for our conversation. I don't know if you asked anybody else. That's the city's policy on it is what I'm asking. There's nothing in the code that requires it to go to committee. There's nothing in the code that prevents it to go to committee.

Okay. So, this is in I'm going to This is half the council. Pass that to the clerk. I'm filing for a special meeting to take place prior to the committee hearing. It only takes three. Kesha, you're not gonna sign it. You just said pass. Oh, I'm sorry.

Well, you're on it. Yeah. I I I think these five aldermen are requesting a special meeting. It only requires three since we're talking about what it reads and that is in there. So, we'll just have a special meeting on that resolution and this time it'll be open to the public to sign up to speak to the at the special meeting on their views cuz we're trying to hide this situation. We're trying to that's what this veto is about. That's what all this is about instead of just doing the right thing. I can live with it being voted down, but we wouldn't even put it on first reading. And here I am here all the way around and and we're here tonight again. So, we'll do the special meeting next week. After we do the special meeting, uh, vote it down if you don't want to. I need the record of of what what what all the women and all the men really feel about their city and their authorities. I need to hear from the people to come in here and say one way or the other how they think, how smart this is to do this stuff. So since we can't do our I tried emergency passes. I tried the normal process. I mean there's some powerful people really that they want it their way or the highway I guess. So let's just do the special meeting. Clerk, you have received it with with the signatures of the five alderman.

Five alderman. Okay. So we'll do the special meeting. I'm I'm offering and asking every public citizen that wants to come in and weigh in on this to please do cuz our mayor has just agreed with our state senator obviously not just to to stop it but to veto anything else. And like I tell you, I'm not Sean. I'm going to fight to the end. All you got to do is vote your heart, vote your opinion, and live with that vote. Thank you, mayor. And I want to speak on behalf of the senator. She knows nothing about the veto. So, I want to stick up for her right now. She She's Well, I don't know what was in your mind when you decided to veto it. That's why I asked

I'm quite sure she can stick up for herself. But I tell her like I tell you, it's the most craziest thing I ever heard of to let somebody I guess you can buy power in Springfield. All you got to do is pay for a study. And when you pay for the study, then guess what? the city council. Well, then okay, you got your own little authority that that's is this is what's happening and this is what I'm trying to teach because it's not right, mayor. And and and it's given away too much of what we put in place that a descent decree had to be created to make us do this. And it's just unfortunate that the area that's really impacted is too minority alderman. They won't speak like I'm speaking, but I'm going to tell you it's not right. Thank you,

Alderman Gregory. Yes. So, to to be clear just on this topic and then I'll I'll address the rest. So, on this topic, to be clear, um corporation council, um if something fails on the on um emergency passage, you have to request for it to be on the next agenda, via writing or verbal. Correct. Yes. All right. Just so we're clear on that. Um do do you have an opinion on if we need to I know we got some things to clean up with our rules and stuff. we need to put that in our policy so there's no questions and we don't have

I I would recommend putting it in the pol putting it in the rules if if we bring those back um so everybody knows if it fails on emergency it goes to committee and is considered at the next committee

okay and and and and to this this veto thing I'm of course you know I'm not happy I'm really really really upset but I I I I I'll say this um I consider all options man what you know I'm old coach. Uh I try to prepare myself for all scenarios, right? And um you know, I was prepared for for for this. I think, you know, we had a good ordinance. Much of the ordinance was um to draw the star bond box and to do what you fussing about, brother. Keep the authority and stuff. That's something that um they don't agree with. and and you know for our community and what we're trying to do um I feel like we're close on on on getting on getting a a major economic revenue system to try to move us forth. So I'm trying to stay focused on that and when I do get upset, you know, I lose focus. So I'm trying to stay focused, brother. But um I'm not giving up. Um I've had good conversations with our senator even till today as you know, bro. And and I'm trying to push to make sure that we're included in that. Nothing's changed with that. nothing changed with how I feel about um the authority and where it's at. I I'm going to be with you and I'm going to support you on on that end cuz I agree with you. So, it's not about giving up. Um but I I done raised hell a long time, brother. And I and I can't do it like you. But I can't do it like you like. But I will say this and speaking on the plants,

Dave Fuks is somebody that I trust. And out of his mouth, out of out of his mouth, out of his mouth. No, it was about budgeting and getting it in the budget and we didn't get it. But out of his mouth, out of his mouth, if if he say it and then the mayor just just just spoke on it, they going to get it done cuz or else she she'll tell me that she not. That's your word. I'm all right, bro. It ain't no big deal. All right. Anything else, Alderman Gregory? No. Okay. Thank you, Alman Williams.

Yes. I just want clarification. And so we just passed an emergency ordinance for some plans on emergencies. If it would have failed, what I'm hearing, there would have been a requirement to fill out something or Mr. Clerk, maybe you got to answer or something or or do something to say, "Hey, keep this in the in the mix." Or is is that what your teeth? That's what I would say. My my guess would be the clerk would not have put it on the agenda and then if if the mayor was reviewing the the agenda and wanted it on committee, somebody would have had to tell the clerk to put it on the agenda. This is Thank you,

Alderwoman Nutrano.

Thank you, Mayor. Um I just wanted to point out for everyone uh since we are talking about um you know boundaries and uh I don't know what you would call it uh handing over devolving power to another unit of government uh which currently resides with the city of Springfield. Um I just want to bring up for everybody um here who may not have been following uh the legislation in the general assembly in the house. Um so it was paired with another um bill, the mega projects bill and in that they did not give away their authority. uh the city did not give away its authority um in in getting money from the state and setting up this um project area. So I think that's something that is important for us to all think about. Um so they were able to get it done and they didn't have to give away anything. So my question to you, mayor, and to all of you is why in this case were we why did we support a policy that would give our authority to another municipal authority? Why would we support that? Or why did you support that? I have no idea what you're asking me.

Why do you support a bill that will give away the city of Springfield's authority to another newly created municipal body? Number one, I don't get to vote at the House of Representatives. And number two, it's not a municipal body. It's a authority. So, okay. Well, semantics, that might be your interpretation. It might be different than mine.

Well, mayor, I'll tell you. um you know that I know how things happen uh down the street at the general assembly and I'll tell you that um legislation doesn't get up there by accident. Um these lawmakers don't uh pull things out of their hat. People come to them and request policies. So someone came to them and requested this. So, it's concerning to me that you aren't able to justify why you were one of the individuals who have requested this.

I don't agree with your statement of your interpretation, ma'am. Um, you don't agree that we're giving away authority to another taxing body. Correct. You are correct. Even though that's what the bill says. The bill does not create a taxing body. Ma'am, you do too. Well, I don't have it in front of me, but Just so you know, it it creates a board that will um be funded by tax revenue,

but not a taxing body. That's where I said you and I don't agree. I can't answer your question because I don't

This isn't about like opinions or like agreeing or disagreeing. This is about like the facts, what's written down in the bill and what's written down in these ordinances um or or in this ordinance here that we have a problem with. Um yeah, I mean uh that it it gives me pause. um uh whether it's a board or a taxing body or a municipal corporation or however it's defined in that bill. We're creating or we're allowing we're supporting the creation of an unelected five member board

who's going to make decisions with revenue generated within the city's bounds. um unelected board. I don't know about you, but I'm not much into unelected boards. So, I think I've gone on about this enough. I hope everyone's catching the drift. Um, wild times. Thank you, Mayor. Alderman Gregory. I was I was going to ask an unrelated question, but if Williams, you wanted to jump in on this.

No, I was just going to say, who's the master developer since you know the bill so well and and you don't agree and you do agree the bill talks about a master developer being appointed? You you are aware and you are okay. So, who's the master developer? Not been determined.

It has not been determined. See guys, this is why I'm saying it's too much that we don't know to be sitting here and not be in opposition of it. We are the city. We should be in opposition till we have all these answers instead of letting them pass some first. Appoint a unelected person that that's going to be massive power. And I'm not even on the borders yet still because they still play it like oh we're just doing the hotel and expansion. But the it it says the word projects and that might just be the first project of many in our downtown. So what have we just done? The only thing we'll be able to do is plants at the at the rate we going. So I'll just say you should know more before you even have press conferences and get involved. Master developer and you don't know the senator saying something total different. Oh well the developer is the authority. What? So if the devil is authority, then why are we using language like master authority? Like you said, it's state legislation, then we should have just took our position and let them play it out. But at least we are on a position. We have taken a position now. We have seated the city to or the downtown portion of the city to this authority that's unelected and it's going to have a master developer that's going to have a lot of powers over all those projects. It's just that simple. And again, I'm teaching. So, please listen, citizens, and please read and please show up for the the special meeting.

Thank you, Alderman. You are correct. That is going to create an authority. It's not a taxing body. And okay, that's a taxing body. Are taxes going Can taxes be raised? Sir, I gave you your chance. Okay, I'll wait. I'll put my light on and wait till you finish.

So, you are correct. It creates an authority. The SMEIA board cannot create enough revenue to support this project. The city of Springfield cannot create enough revenue to support this project. Sangaman County cannot create enough revenue to support this project. Therefore, all of the government bodies are working together to make this project happen because downtown needs this project to survive.

Are you I'm waiting for am I okay to talk? Yes, sir. So then why ain't it just this project? Why ain't it just this? Why is it this big broad area? These are legitimate questions. Who's the master developer? Why is the area so large if it's just that project that you keep saying this project, this project? There's all kinds of stuff in this bill that will allow them to do just based on what they get approved as a project. Now, the senator's latest thing is, "Oh, I'm just doing 62701."

That's what blew him out the water and that's what got you vote vetoing it. So, I'm not I'm not I'm not going to play the game. I'm just going to tell the public the truth. So, now she's on, well, we'll just do two 62701 that starts 11th and goes west. Still downtown. I noticed that. Still downtown. The two aldermen downtown won't speak up. They they're silent for some reason except to say we support the project. Yeah. We like We're not just talking the project though, are we? Mayor, we're not just talking expansion of the boss center and a hotel or casino or whatever they going to do. Not just that project because they wouldn't need all this other stuff they're passing. Them borders wouldn't be what they are. You know how far west 6271 goes?

Mhm. And you're willing to just say, "Well, that's Come on now. That's the whole downtown." Correct.

That we're seating, but you're playing it like they're just doing a boss expansion. It's much bigger than that. You know, the the the demo stuff, all the they could tear down the window. They'll be able to do a lot of stuff once they get it set up with their authority of an unknown developer. Ma, what they call master developer is the word they use in the legislation. And I believe you know who it is. It's it's got to be somebody with a lot of money and powerful in Springfield. You keep saying they brought us all together and it's not like that. It may be like that for you and your friends, but it's not like that because you left critical pieces out. But we we will discuss it more next week. Thank you.

I will tell you that I'm okay with 62701 because the business owners and the elder woman is one of them. And the 62701 area code do not have any say so on where their sales tax dollars go. They go in the corporate fund and they go wherever. If people who have businesses downtown can benefit from a project and they know where those sales tax dollars are going, I think that's very important for all the businesses downtown and even for the businesses to come downtown because of this project. I will stick up for Alderwoman Purchase and Alderman Gregory. The reason I think that they are being silent is because that they know downtown needs some help and this is an infusion for downtown and I think they're aware of that and they represent part of downtown. I've committed to Alderman Gregory to working with him to see if we can get the history across our tracks working right with the starbond so that we don't just pigeon hole ourselves into only one project or the other but both. That's why I want to work with you alderman.

Well, and and so mayor all I'm saying it's a trust issue with me and you I can go on for example let's take the Y block. What's the status of the Y block? It's in an EPA uh environmental hazard issue right now. Oh, here we go. Do we own it or does somebody else own it? Of course we own it. We still own it. Is there plans to sell it? Give it away. If we can get the environmental hazards taken care of, sir, what' you say? If we can. So the I'll talk to you sidebar on this. I don't

No. See, that's the problem. The sidebar has got us where we at right now. You should know if you're in discussions to give away or sell the Okay. Are you quit playing these games? Are you in discussion or not? Or is it going to stay the same while you're here as mayor? I'm really not into the disrespect you're offering up. I've treated you nothing but kind since I

I'm being I'm loud a little bit, but I think I haven't used one cuss word cuz I know how you feel about that. I don't think I'm being it's hard questions, but the only reason why I'm asking a hard question is because you haven't uh been forthcoming with all this. I have to ask about a master developer, but you went out and did a press conference not knowing who the master developer is going to be. That's horrible. You should know more. Good. Just like you should know more about the YB block. And I'm asking you, have you been in discussions to sell it? I am working on an EPA issue. That's what I'm And once it's solved, do you plan on selling it? We'll come before the council, sir. What will Whatever we plan on doing.

Who's we? Cuz this is the city council here and you. So, who's the we? The city itself, man. Y'all, if y'all don't know by now, thank you, mayor.

Um, I'm assuming Alderman Carlson is next. A alderman Williams, you're signed up twice. If you would like to remove those for me, that would be great. Alderman Carlson. We we've got a lot to unpack here. Um the first thing I want to address is really the Windom. I don't I don't I think we all know that it's a it's an FBI investigation between the owner and the insurance company. I don't I don't think uh it's tied in with the uh uh the BOS center as all you know as as I've you know went to the press conference a few weeks ago made some phone calls did some research um and and quite frankly take my lead from the chief negotiator on this thing Senator Doris Turner as I understand it this is an unpaid authority held responsible by elected officials and and as I ask more questions. I think the I think the authority uh uh Representative Williams of the master is is required by the authority for it's required by these big bonding companies that are going to come in and take the responsibility, god forbid this thing goes belly up down the road. Um but I've also been assured and I've heard tonight by Senator Turner and Representative Coffee, they can this is not a taxing body at all. It's not a taxing body. It's just no different than, you know, it's just a it's just the it's a small board. Yeah. The county has three seats, but they've they're they're they're already in for five six $700,000 on the study. The B the it's my time, sir.

Carson has the floor. Alderman

and and the B US center is also in. They also have skin in the game. I mean, we're using the the the county lot for this expansion that is going to help all of downtown. And and for me, you know, all all the all my questions over the last month have really been answered by uh you know, some phone calls to our legislators going through the process. And and again, I said it a while back. I mean, what kind of message are we sending to the capital when we just sit up here and just sort of micromanage some state legislation that ultimately is going to help the city of Springfield. It's going to help all of us. I mean, we are going to be able to have not one or two conferences at one time. We're going to have three, four, five, and six where we need to compete with Peoria. I mean the and and and and uh Sean, you were right earlier and you didn't say it loud enough, but as you know, there are 10 of these star bond projects or or not projects, districts around the state. You can only have one project per star bond district. And the concern for me when we passed your I mean your resolution a couple weeks ago is that hey, are we interfering? to me what kind of what's that dynamic if we're trying to talk about another Starban project already within uh within our region and so that was my concern on uh yeah those are just those are generally my concerns I just I just want to pass on some I thought some some uh statements that just weren't factual uh earlier thank you mayor

thank you alderman and thank you for your point again as I repeat it I will repeat smeia board cannot do this project alone. Springfield cannot do that project alone in the city county cannot do this project alone. The state is giving us an infusion to help all of us work together as governing bodies to do this project to help our downtown. I wrote a blog, I don't know if you all saw it about this project and about all the different entities doing this. There are several cities in this community in this state that would love this project if we want to, for lack of better words, screw it up up here. Everybody wants these are going all across the country. This is the way we can make it happen. Alderwoman Nutriano.

Thank you, Mayor. Um, and no one up here is saying that they don't want a big expansion project. And Alderman Carlson, if you're worried about overlapping boundaries, why are we asking Alderman Gregory to limit himself or his boundaries and not the county to limit their boundaries? So it doesn't overlap with the ordinance that we passed like both both uh the boundaries of both starbond districts are are not set in stone. So uh it's not only up to us to move out of the way of the state. Um I I just want to let you guys know uh you know what big business is located in 62701 is ringous and Imports that just expanded. Yeah. And and so their revenue now they're going to be able to direct their revenue in in this develop. I mean, I I understand. I get it. The business owners, including them in 6701, want to have a bigger say over what goes on in their neighborhood. Well,

boy oh boy, I've got some residents who would have a bone to pick uh with them because they'd like a better say in their neighborhoods or a bigger say in their neighborhoods. Um, I just don't think that 1600 or $600,000 worth of uh investment by the county necessitates three representatives on this board. uh whatever they're putting in, they're putting in and that's fine, but I they they don't get to hold that over our heads um in perpetuity. I and and like I I've been waiting to bring everybody's attention to um the fact that one of the people pushing for this project, this expansion of BOS, uh Representative Coffee stands to financially benefit himself from this.

Um I'm sorry. Did you have something to say? It's the same word you said earlier, sir. Could Could I have some order perhaps? Would you like Would you like to I'm trying to get the alderman calm down so you can have the floor, ma'am.

Okay. But but we're not going to say anything about the clerk interrupting me and and saying what I'm saying is BS. Um friends, go to the parcel search, look up who owns uh the the parcels is on. This is a major conflict of interest, you guys. I like to sit up here and uh paper over and be polite about this. It's just not something I'm going to do. You know, uh there are definite consequences that could come to me and will come to me, no doubt, uh for saying the things that I'm saying. But you know what matters more? doing what my constituents would want me to do and saying the things that my constituents would want me to say. Um, so yeah, uh, I I I don't know if there's any stone left unturned, uh, at the moment. I I hope not to have to speak up again tonight. Um, but I I just want to let everyone know the way this policy was brought to the state has nothing to do with those legislators. It has everything to do with the people, the interest behind this project. It's me board. It's the county. It's our mayor. uh you know we her lobbyists uh slipped in favor of this. So um that that's that you just have to uh I really Oh boy. Yeah. Yeah. I I I I appreciate though, I will

say, mayor, I appreciate you being honest and saying that these business owners support this because they want a bigger say in their neighborhood. Um, but it's what I was afraid of. um because there's plenty more areas in that zip code uh where we could have more strip malls and and uh car dealerships. So, thank you, Alderman Williams.

Yeah, I'm I'm going to leave it alone, Mayor. I promise. I just focus on the borders. If if if what Alderman Carlson is saying is true, nobody's against the expansion. I've said it a hundred times. Nobody's against it. I'm against the the borders. He don't never address that and say they need all this, but they do need it and they have plans for other things besides just that twob block radius. That's why they have to have all this this space in this particular legislation. They have the space going on in the other legislation and that's fine. It's good. I'm great. I like it. But this particular one that creates this authority that's designed to weaken us. You can say the business owners don't want to go through the council no more. They'll be going through the authority because 6271 to cover them. I don't know. I just know the legislation says the word projects with a s, not just the one project. And I know the borders are more than just those two blocks right there. And I I'm be mad at me for standing up for Springfield, but I think that's why I was sent here to make sure I'm looking out for Springfield. No different to looking out and spending all this money when we know we're in financial trouble or we're headed for a financial trouble. And I'll leave it alone, Mayor. I'll wait till next week. Thank you,

Alderman Han.

Thank you. You know, um, one of the things that I get asked a lot is what do we what are we going to do about downtown? What do we got to do? It's it's one of the biggest questions I get asked, you know, not on other wards, you know, what are we doing about downtown? We got a situation where the state's ready to infuse money in our downtown and we're arguing about it. Um, it is it is it the exact way we would we would have done things? No. But guess what? It's better than nothing. If we don't have if if if this goes away, we have zero. We have the same thing. And guess what? The people will not come. We're This is the opportunity on this is we need to get bodies downtown. If you don't have bodies, they don't go they don't go spend money. That's just that's just the way it is. One of the problems is we've lost a lot of businesses, a lot of big businesses, a lot of state business and that that were downtown. The the foot traffic's not there. We need to expand this this uh uh BOS center to bring in more people from outside that we can get the sales revenue up and then then that will help downtown and then that helps Springfield. Now, you know, people can yell and scream and and not like the way they did it. I will tell you this. I thank the governor who's been really pushing this and I thank uh Senator Turner and I I thank Mike Coffee. They they want it for the city. And pe there can be conspiracy theorists and all that stuff and and you sound like some people that used to be on this council before, but I'm

telling you this is about getting revenue for the city of Springfield, getting bodies downtown. And again, Governor, I don't think you watch us, but thank you for for doing this. And that's from somebody on the opposite party. I appreciate him doing this and I appreciate uh Senator Turner and I certainly appreciate uh Senator C or gave him a gave him a raise a second uh Representative Coffee because this is something that we really need. We we can't just continue to do the same old same old and I and to me this is a I don't think it's ever been done before and I think it's not just in Springfield they're doing it. there's some other towns that counties whatever they're doing it and I appreciate it and I think that's a message that needs to go back to them. Thank you.

Thank you alderman. And there were similar conversations up here when the sports park kept getting different ideas and we had passages and votes for and against that. I talked to a visitor the other day who was complimenting incredibly delicious and how amazing the food was there and they came for an event at the Shill Sports Park. They're not staying just around the sports park. This person traveled all the way down here and ate it incredibly delicious and wanted me to know as the mayor what a gem that was that we had. The same is going to happen with this expansion. They're going to end up in Ward one. They're going to end up in W 10. They're going to end up in W three spending money. That's what we need. We need them in your wards spending money. Alderman, I want to work with you. I want to help. You and I have talked about history across the tracks each of those buildings. We've had discussions, but I have to help the entire city, not just certain areas. Alderman Williams.

Oh, I'm finished. Thank you. Alderwoman Conley.

Okay. Thank you, Mayor. And I I kind of went back and forth because I I'll be honest, I've um I I'm I'm intrigued by this conversation. I'm following it. I I I will say I have some confusion about some of the disagreement of the basic points. Um when I read the legislation, what I read was the city still maintains all of its municipal authority. So we still have zoning authority. We still have our codes still apply. if if this body um and and I Alderman Williams I I'm listening to you. I understand where you're coming from. Like I can kind of I see and I've gone back. I'm like, "Okay, reread this differently. Reread this and and look at this and and try to see where someone else is coming to a different conclusion. I mean, that's because I do support this." I I think I think Senator Turner um has done fabulous work here and been very innovative and and pushing and and I can't believe I'm going to second Alderman Hanau, but I will say absolutely right, the the governor is behind this because the governor wants to see our capital city strong and thriving and and yes, that is beautifification with flowers downtown. I will point out we need not just tourists downtown, we need residents downtown, we need people who want to lo live here and invest here and we don't lose our authority to regulate that under this legislation. So I don't see where I I understand the concerns. I I did see that projects I I I see what you're that language you're talking about. What I don't get is is sort of um what authority we think we're we're seing. And I'm not asking this to be confrontational. I I legitimately don't understand exactly what because the legislation says specifically we maintain our municipal authorities. We

we still our our zoning guys, our code guys are still going to be going out if someone wants to put a bar into, you know, this this area here. We we still have authority over that. So, um again, I I appreciate um I appreciate you having this conversation. I I think it's important that we make sure that we we get this out, but and I don't not for tonight, but maybe for next week if we're going to have a special meeting now. Um maybe we could have more of a clarification on where you're seeing what authorities we're we're seating, what authorities we're losing to to this body. Um because I I genuinely, and I'm not saying this to be confrontational, I genuinely don't see it and I'm not reading it that way. So I think um and again, if we're going to have a special meeting on this topic, I I'd prefer alderman, we just wait and really dig into that so I can bring I want to go back and look at the legislation again. And um as Aldwin not I don't have it in front of me right now to kind of say okay this section I see this this section I see this but I just want you to know I I would like I'm looking forward to having that conversation and um yeah because I think I think we need to be very careful. I I've seen different dialogue and I I'm not on social media a whole lot but I people screenshot things and send it to me. Um, I think there's there's a a misconception that people think that we're we're losing parts of the city and that we're someone else is going to take over our taxing and someone else is going to take over control of decisions within the city and and I so we need to have a very clear conversation around a where you think that's coming from and then you know do we agree on this interpretation because I'm going to agree with everyone around this horseshoe. everyone. We need to do better by our downtown. We need to be doing better. And Alderman

Gregory, um I supported your your ordinance because we need to be doing better for highlighting all of our history and and what you brought forward was really I mean that's I did I I talked to Senator Turner before before that vote. I'm like, you know, let's let's just see this and and we all want that, right? We we need that. We need that. I I I've been saying this a lot lately. People ask me, they're like, "Aaron, you're running again." Um, and I'm not going to get political and make any announcements right now, but but this is important to me. This council and the work we do here, it has real meaning and real impact. And what I've seen over the last two years is a city that like I've seen as a nation, we haven't completely recovered from COVID. We haven't completely recovered from we had this then we had this deratio that came in. People talk no one died but we lived through a natural disaster in this community. People were without power. People lost the wealth of their food that they' stored. That was a lot. Then we had two horrific murders in our community. We lost Emma Schaefer. We saw we saw Sonia Massie get executed in her own home. We've had a contentious election at the national level. And I see in these council chambers, people are come in and they're hurting and we haven't healed. Alderman Gregory, I I see you making efforts to try to bring some healing and some recognition that we are one community. And as much as as much as there are is division and and as much as we throw the lot of things around in here, I I think we need to really make sure that we're also focusing on the fact that we are one community. We're a community that's hurting and we need to make meaningful efforts to change that and to grow and to Yes. I mean, I see James Johnson. We need to be reaching out to our kids. We need to make sure that there are priorities that are

established in this community that show we actually do support each other. This is a big conversation. I'm sorry, I went way off track. I This is why I pushed the button on, I pushed it off a couple of times. um we're having important conversations here and I think we just need to make sure that as we have them that we're recognizing that these words ripple out we need to make sure that we have a clear understanding of what we're talking about and without being contentious without throwing labels and and speaking for other people but just just clear understanding of language and clear understanding of a path for us to move forward because this community needs to heal. We need to heal. We need to grow. We need to move forward. There are opportunities before us. And I'm excited to see that we're reaching out to them. As a state employee, I was very excited to see the news that the state's budget isn't in as horrible shape as we thought it was. I'm optimistic, as I was when we passed this budget, that our budget is not going to be in as horrible condition as we kind of thought maybe it would be. I don't know. But we're trying and and I just So that's it. I don't have the legislation in front of me, Alderman, and I do want to have that so that we can have really a more a more informed and and specific conversation. So originally when you said special meeting, I was like, "Oh, Roy." But I understand it and um and I'm looking forward to that. I I'll make sure I have everything printed when I come next week. I'll take some time this week to to really read through it so I can highlight and and we can have that informed conversation. But I think in the end, we all around this horseshoe. We all in this room want our city to grow and want our city to be better and and I just hope that we can continue our dialogue in in that vein. And that doesn't mean everyone has to

say nice things. Growth isn't always pretty. I'm a personal testimony to that, right? But it's important that we recognize we we re recognize our conversations are in that vein. So, thank you, mayor. I went completely off topic there. Um, so thank you for your patience, everybody. Thank you, Alderman Williams. Yeah. Thank you, uh, the woman. Um, believe it or not, I I appreciate that you're going to look at it again. Yeah. In particular, look at the section that talks about their powers. We I haven't even touched that yet, but they get several types of powers. Please read that before. I have I have I just want to make sure it hasn't changed. So,

yeah, we need to read it because it's not like we creating authority and they have no power, right? They're gaining a lot that right now lies with us that will lie with them for their portion. This is why I'm arguing the border thing. Keep it in that block then. It don't need to be all these other areas. So, please read. That's all I'm asking. and give it a fair judgment. I appreciate bring it in next week. Thank you. Thank you, Alderman. Alderwoman Nutriano.

Thank you, Mayor. Um I I pulled it up and um uh because I really wanted to get this right. Um there's a lot of confusion. I don't want anyone to think that I'm opposing this just because I don't like a certain person or I'm unhappy that a certain person is going to uh make a lot of money when they sell their property. Uh the thing that gives me pause is it says all of the tax receipts generated from local sales tax within the star bond district shall be dedicated to the payment of the project costs. We we all know that we have a revenue problem at the city. Um, so if we put a company like a business like Israen in this district, we're that revenue is now no longer ours, it appears. And now this could change, you know, uh, Senator Turner could change what is happening, what's happening with the bill. what's going to happen. Um, but yeah. Yeah. All of the the local sales tax within the Starbond district shall be dedicated to the payment of the project cost for the Starbond project in the district.

Um, shall be considered pledge star revenues. Yeah, I mean that and it goes on to describe other powers, but that right there is the one that gives me the most pause coupled with the expansiveness of the district and what businesses that we need their tax revenue going in the general fund. Thank you, Mayor. Alderman Cox. Uh you can take me off. Thanks. Okay. Alderwoman Purchase.

Thank you. Um, the first thing that I would like to say is one of one of my solutions that I thought would be good was after all of the legislation passed to have some type of public meeting because listening to everyone, I can see where some confusion comes in. I can see how everybody has their opinions. I spoke last week, so I'm not going to reiterate everything that I said last week. Um, I'm in support of having a special meeting because I've heard from our businesses and over the last week and a half gotten multiple phone calls, had a meeting with the mayor, uh, talked with people downtown at the cap and there's a lot of people that's now getting confused from what they're reading. So them coming in for this special meeting also could be a a good thing too so that they can also speak up to what they want to support or don't want to support but everybody gets to hear it where it's transparent. That's number one. Number two, I'm looking more so forward to when the legislation passed, to ask Senator Turner, who has pushed the legislation forward and is passing, to be able to speak about it and speak about it to the public so that they understand what's getting ready to take place, understand what the future forecast looks like because this is not going to happen overnight. I was very clear last week when I said I wholeheartedly support this project for downtown and also support my colleagues and what they're trying to do too because you have the 1908 race monument that we're trying to bring together which includes history from across the tracks and it goes over into war five which is downtown. So it's those boundaries. There's so many projects that's going to come forward within the 30 years. And Alderman Williams pointed it out. It said projects, not project. So I'm not for sure what is

in the scope of projects and not just one project. So instead of me trying to calculate or assume or put the cart before the horse, I want to hear from our own senator what those projects look like and what the future looks like. She has a plan. She has a vision that she brought forward and all three of us, me, Alderman Williams, Alderman Gregory met with her and she said some changes can happen. This is the shield bill. Am I correct y'all when she said it's the shield bill? like it it's it can it can change placeholder

placeholder I'm sorry so that's another thing so you it it's definitely a lot of uncertainty but what you do know is that something is coming forward and with this sitting in my own backyard I can't just say no I don't want to see this project happen I know what the businesses are talking about we're getting ready to lose another business downtown that none of you all know about and you'll be hearing about it soon so that's how much I do my job where I go and talk to our businesses. They're suffering. So, what I also heard tonight was a lot of tourism which would create from people coming out of town. But then I think it was I try to remember what half of y'all saying when it's like 30 to 45 minutes of talking. I think older woman said we older woman Connley said that we need to see local people coming and that's one of the missing pieces we have. I'm going to go back to even out of town because I said it during budget time to director Doll. There was another piece we was missing which was the black dollar. We have so many different groups and organizations one many of one that I'm a part of Delta Sigma Theta Top Ladies of Distinction Links Incorporated and they skip over our our city to go to other cities in Illinois that has a bigger tourism area. But they bring so much money here and guess what? There's history here that they know about and we're not talking about it. You have the NC uh the NAACP that was formed here, but it's supported and celebrated throughout the nation, but it started right here in our own backyard and we don't have anything to show for it. We don't have anything that brings people together. They have a awards, a national awards with celebrities and we don't have anything here in Springfield to show what they're using on a national platform. So, let's talk about that.

There's a lot to And I've been sitting up here being really quiet and I don't think that I'm being rude or disrespectful to anybody right now. I'm just pushing out facts. I'm pushing out what I want to see. I'm pushing out what I know multiple people want to see and I'm trying to figure out how do we make that one common goal and bring it together. So, I look forward to this special meeting. I look forward to when the legislation is completed to have Senator Turner um do something where we have maybe uh a public meeting or a round table where people can hear more about it because this is huge. So, some people are very excited about it and so excited they just don't know what to be too excited about. And that's kind of how I was in the beginning when I first heard it. So, I'm done speaking and I'm looking forward to next week and I'm looking forward to consistently paying attention to the project as well. Thank you.

Yes, Alderwoman. Alderman Donlin. Yeah. Thank you. You said to them.

Yeah. Thank you, mayor, and thanks everybody for the discussion this evening. Um, I just wanted to point out a couple of things and then hopefully we can close this down for discussion next week. But, you know, with any economic development plan, project, whether it's a tiff district or just a a plan in general, uh, you don't always know what all the projects are going to be. So, you want to be open. But when I when I heard the word projects plural being talked about, I assumed, of course, uh, the BOS expansion and a new hotel, that's two more than one, right? Plural. and hoped that there would be other projects because the way I understand and when I've read this bill multiple times, uh, what what it really does is it redirects state sales tax dollars and other dollars that normally would not go to this to to this area uh to help pay for the bonds. And all the city would be asked to do through an ordinance, I assume, down the line, would be to dedicate the sales tax dollars from the hotel that doesn't even exist right now. So that would be obviously a second city action. So I know I know we'll flush some of this out uh when we discuss this later, but city, the area, uh all wards, um we need to do something different. Again, I said it before. My fear is that if this doesn't pass and it's the decisions made down at the capital, if it doesn't pass, then we're right back where we are right now, and I don't want to be in this position. Thank

Alderman Cox, do you have anything then? Oh, no. Did I click it again? I'm sorry. I'm just making sure you got

I want to thank you all for your comments. Everybody's allowed an opinion on the project. Everyone's not going to agree on their opinions, but the downtown does need something. It's suffering. As the alderwoman pointed out, businesses keep closing. The city doesn't have enough dollars in its coffers to bring downtown alive. This is a community project with state, county, smeia board, and the city. It is not creating any new taxing authority. The citizens of this community are not going to have a new tax for it. That is something I want everyone to know. Um, I look forward the discussions. Again, we had these similar discussions with the sports park and look where we are now. We have to remember to keep our minds open to development for good things. And I promise you, if someone's coming down here for this new expansion, and it's one of your groups or any other group, the FFA, they're going to be eating all over town. You know, there are groups that we've lost because our expan our convention center is not big enough for them anymore. Their conventions have gotten so big, they're moving on to bigger ones. They're going to Poria. The letter carriers say they like parent wants a poria

poria because it's bigger. So we either keep losing or we win. That's where we're at. So thank you all for your conversation. Uh we are going to go on to new business now. Does anyone have any new business for the council that they want to speak of? Alderwoman, you have something to speak of for Saturday. Yes. The fat ass 5K. There you go.

I wanted to remind you for all you to buzz in. Yeah. Well, please join us um this Saturday. Friday night also is the pre-party. It is from 5:00 to 10:30 and then Saturday we kick off at 11:00 a.m. All of these proceeds that's raised from this look at me how naturally just Thank you for the reminder. You're welcome.

Um the uh the all of the proceeds from this event goes to all of our um nonforprofits. they have continued to incorporate newer um organizations and it's helping a lot of people. And I I will say this too, we did hear of some news with the state fair where the ABC group was not selected and they normally give out a lot to nonforprofits. So I feel like a lot of them are getting ready to shift over to the fat ass 5K organization. So please come out and support everyone join us. Please pray that the weather is okay, too. has been very nice the last three and a half years. And please be very festive. You just never know what you're going to see when you get to the starting line. See you Saturday. Good job, Alderwoman. Any other new business? Seeing none, clerk, citizens who have signed up in advance to address the council.

Danielle Webster. Danielle Webster. James Johnson. See you later. See you next time.

To God be the glory. God is greater. I came up here with one thing, but after I sit here and listen to y'all, it's like there's a million other things to talk about. So, I'mma just jump in and I'm probably going I wasn't going to take up five minutes, but now I'm going to take up about five and a half. So um first thing was the rules that are out there posted help me understand and help all the community understand and somebody can do this after my five minutes but like what do we get suspended for? You know cuz I don't want to bang on this and then I'm suspended or you know there was supposed to there was something about cuss words too but you know she just cussed talking about the 5k run. I ain't even want to say it. So, I'm just wondering what's the rules, mayor, of how do we get kicked out or suspended because there's two people who came up here and speak for, you know, community and rightfully so, like been suspended and nobody knew the rules. So, um if you guys could help share the rules with everybody, um that would help. So, moving on from that, mayor, um last year and probably first of this year, I don't know, but last year you met with all the other wards and maybe I missed it and helped me out, but what happened to community meeting for Ward two and Ward three? because I haven't seen one and I'm thinking right about now that we got left out and I'm wondering why and if it's on the calendar for us to sit down with the mayor and the police chief in our wards and maybe even the public

works director and all the other directors. Um, you can answer that after at the end of my five minutes too and cuz I would love to know why. But now that we are talking about, you know, and I'm going to piggy back off of Art Woman Conley and and say that uh with this whole discussion we just had that I think you ought to involve the community. I think there should be some roundts with the community. Um, I don't know what time this meeting is next week, but um, I wasn't planning on coming next week, but I might have to because of that meeting. Um, to the Black Caucus, like we haven't had no meeting with us or war two or three. I think that should be done because um, I don't know if you guys are paying attention to what's really going on, but um, there's some dark days coming. Just put it simple. And um I don't know what the plan is or how you guys plan on handling and how we going to go about it, but I agree with alderman. We kicking out money for plants, but there's a woman last week that sat back here talking about she going to be homeless. Oh, that's about to get great. There's some people that ain't going to be able to eat. I don't know. I might not even be able to afford gas here pretty soon on top of all everything else. And then the police department is talking about wellness. I don't know if I really want to touch that one right now because I I have my own thoughts about that. But they need it. They also need to be uh coming into our

community where we're having a meeting so everybody can come because like some people have said in the past. This can be intimidating for a lot of people and they don't want to come up here and speak. And some people do get retaliated on. Believe it or not, when they come up here and speak, they catch hell outside of here. Now, I don't know, maybe me. I'm just a different kind of guy cuz I wish he would try to intimidate me. We'll take a walk in the park. But we're not having enough community meetings cuz this right here ain't full like it should be, especially with what's going on. And I'mma I'mma say my piece on that whole county. If if the county board takes up any part or has any decision on our community, we're cooked. We're cooked. And if you really want to know what's happening, follow the money.

Hold up. Alman Williams. Yeah. I just want to answer your question. Um, so you know, Alderwoman U purchase often jumps us about not having that meeting. So, I'll give you that. And yes, you're you were right that people have been wanting to and but I'mma blame the chair. So, we'll take care of that one. He'll take I'm blaming all three. He'll take care of that for you. The mayor's meeting I I did initially get the contact from her staff that this they were starting and I think they started maybe with Carlson maybe. Yeah, we went backwards. We still have to do Ward 8 because Alderwoman's schedule and mine are not matching with the location that has been chosen.

So, I was it was announced and and and I was doing the expectation, but I haven't heard nothing yet since you know the initial contact of that someone's going to be contacting me to maybe get this set up and that kind of thing. But they have been rotating around. It just hasn't got to three yet. Ward four is coming up on May 21st. the alderman and I to I'll be there. Alderman and I compared schedules and then it would be your turn and then two and then one. Okay. And then and then you So I just wanted you to understand you know it's been ongoing. Okay. Thank you. Thank you

clerk Campbell. May I have to microphone? Absolutely. Chief of staff is coming your way sir. Okay, I won't I won't bang on it. I promise.

That's okay. Okay. Oh, there it is. Here we go. Good evening. Uh my name is uh Ray Campbell. I've lived in Springfield now for just a little over four years and absolutely love it here. We moved from the west suburbs suburbs of Chicago and absolutely love it here. Although uh we don't go downtown nearly as much as we should either. Um we do go to things the Hogland, but that's not what I came up here to talk about. Um, one of the uh unfortunate things that happened recently is that u after much work went into publicizing rules that affect title two of the Americans with Disabilities Act and say that state and local government electronic information, websites, mobile apps and that like have to be accessible. rules were published two years ago that would have gone into effect as of April 24th of this year, 2026. Unfortunately, recently the US Department of Justice decided to issue an internal final rule, interim final rule, excuse me, that says that they're going to give a one-year delay to those requirements. I come before you this evening to ask the city to to basically you've been doing a lot of good work I am sure over the last couple of years. I implore you to continue that great work and make your electronic information websites mobile apps and the like fully accessible to individuals with disabilities as soon as possible. and don't take the one-year delay that's being offered through the interim final rule from the United States Department of Justice. Ladies and gentlemen, I as a person with a disability and my wife as a person with a disability have as much of a right and a need to access government services electronically as anyone else.

And that's how you do it these days. And so I ask you to continue your great work, get things accessible, and please don't take the easy way out. and rely on these accessibility overlays like accessibly and user way which do not work. Thank you. Thank you sir. Chief of staff is coming your way sir.

Right. I do have an update for you. Allison Ford. Originally, I was just going to come up here and just cry for the whole 5 minutes. Didn't say anything about that out there. Legit just cry for five minutes. Are you guys listening to yourselves? You guys don't even like each other. So what makes you think you care about me? Nothing. cuz you don't you know when I was here last week, you know, uh the one person that stood up and took the initiative and the care to do something for me was Sean Gregory. you know, an open forum. He told me what the city could offer and help me with and do. So, why, you know, and that was great, but why did the mayor's office then ask me if I have a support network? And when I said yes, my my church didn't go to my church and ask them to pay And then and and and and and with for me, if I was going to ask my church for money, I would ask them. This is not their problem. So I had to call the mayor's office back

and say that's unacceptable. I was going to ask them for money. I'd have done it. So then we had a conference call. And so then I was then told that that Mr. Shawn Gregor was wrong in what he offered me. And so, you know, I don't you know, my church is my only thing and and I do have a disability and I did everything possible to make this move happen. I hired movers that I couldn't afford. You boxes. I did everything. Someone to clean up the trash. You all did not show up. The moving company did not show up. I have lost everything now. every single thing I own. I got to walk away with a shirt on my back. I'm sorry I am yelling. And it went so far as my animals were in the house. I couldn't get them. I couldn't get my own animals. I was told by the police that I had to leave the property. I couldn't even get in a dumpster. I was accosted by the person that bought my house verbally, you know, and and and and who is I don't even like I said, I don't I don't even I I'm here because I I don't even I'm here because apparently I need to be here because this is nonsense.

like this guy left because he doesn't care about the public. And and what's really funny, you know, I don't know if anyone was here last week, but he openly said, you know, this is a mar city no matter what. That means your guys's vote don't even matter. So now what am I supposed to do? Please, I have I have 45 year old my auntie like where where what the bo the BS in the You know what's funny is is is my house was actually in the area you guys are talking about. It was only one of two houses on Klein Street. Again, things you don't know about me, you know, the Spanish, the BOS or whatever. You know, one of my nearest and dearest friends for a very long time, you know, just got signed from Empire Records. Do you know how huge that is? Like for someone that came from the streets like me and and not just like signed, but like he's not even he's he's a he's a punk folk artist and the first artist ever to get to keep all of their music. So you know you ma'am anyone else?

Yes. can pa.

Okay. You know, I wish Ralph would stick around sometime. It's kind of embarrassing to have council members that seem to think they don't need to attend these meetings past a certain point. If that doesn't embarrass the sitting council members who do stick around, I would recommend you talk to your colleagues, cuz people think it's disgusting, as well do I. But I'm going to share a little bit of knowledge tonight like I like to do. One of my favorite sayings is all money is not good money. I wish Ralph were here to say that. You know, I hear a lot about places that need money, but I see a lot of money going right out the door. $74 million to a police budget. How's that crime rate looking? How's the east side doing? Is it six to1 now on those traffic numbers? It is. We have how much of a deficit for this city. Was it $25 million? I'm off by a couple mill, I'm sure. But it was almost 54 over two years, wasn't it? How's that looking? We got money to burn. Cuz one of my other favorite sayings is get it in writing. You can make me all the promises you want. You can say whatever you like. I think you're lying. As an only child, I don't believe anybody. As a m as a son of an alcoholic, I learned to not trust people from a very early age. And nobody has proven me wrong on that because you asked about the master builder. Let's read that information because I'll be honest, if you're a sitting council member right now and you haven't read that bill, you don't deserve reelection. That bill is severe enough and it means enough and it takes enough from this area that you should be reading it. Two weeks ago when we passed that, it should have been required reading for you

because one of the really important sections relates to the master developer. Non-withstanding any other provision of law, the authority shall own and control any Starbond project and acreage on which the project is located in Starbond district created in the territorial jurisdiction the authority instead of the master developer as required by the statewide innovation development and economy act. Does that sound like special language to sidestep a requirement? Did my master's degree fail me on reading? I don't think it did. So, you guys are either lying to us or you think we can't read because let's get further because they did add some stuff to that bill. And this was one of the really interesting ones. The corporate authorities of any political subdivision read the authority that we'd be establishing has that has established a starbond district under this act may by ordinance or resolution impose a visitor investment search charge upon all admission and charges from transactions at places of business located within the Starbond District at a rate not to exceed 9% of the gross receipts derived from any admission and charge within the Starbond District to be imposed only in 0.25% increments to pay for eligible projects. What does that apply to? I'm not going to waste all my time reading the big long bold paragraph that applies to every single thing sold in that district. Do you think that we are stupid or do you not know how to read? Because what it's saying there is very clear to me. The county will control it. The body will run it. And the money that they decide to spend will be at their discretion, not yours. But it will, if you need me to read the rest of it to you, come from this city's money. $600,000 shouldn't buy you an entire zip

code. And if you think that a representative like Mike Coffee, who's on the news saying he doesn't like the mental health reforms that we've had recently because he'd rather quote have a guy with a badge and a gun instead of a psychiatrist show up like anybody's even profering that. That's who's going to be in charge of our money. I mean, do you guys big club and we ain't in it, guys? How foolish do you think that we all are? We need a special session because there's a reason you guys won't outline that stuff. I know why you won't. And when we talk about decorum around here, let's talk about the kind of things when we say things like, "What have we done in the last four years? Are we better off than we were?" Let's talk about an administration that's lost 10 directors at this point. Greg Thally, Haley Wilson, Valasel, Mike Disco, Ed Kenny, Ken Scarlet, Nikki Baker, Doug Brown, Mike Leco, and Jamie Stall. It hasn't even been 3 years. Does that sound like an administration that inspires loyalty? It's one that runs by fiat. And people don't like to be dictated to. And that's what this is. You guys are dictating what downtown's going to do. And I could care less what a bunch of business owners think their tax revenue could go to. Cuz guess what? It ain't going to be us.

It ain't going to be the development of downtown. Thank you for your time. Next. Don't fall for it, Robert Frasier. Can you say it one more time? Robert Frasier. That's it. Motion to adjurnn. All those in favor? All those opposed? The eyes have it. 34 days.