City Council - Regular Meeting

Microphone's on.

That's it. That's it, Mary.

The chair will call the May 19th, 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 Redpath, can you please call the roll?

Yes, ma'am. Alderman Cox. Here. Alderman Gregory. Here. Alderman Williams. Here. Alderman Rockford. Here. Alderman Purchase.

Here.

Alderman Netrano.

Here.

Alderman Carlson. Here. Alderman Connolly.

Present.

Alderman Donlan. Here. Alderman Hanauer. Here. Mayor Busher. Present. Mayor, you have a quorum.

Thank you, Clerk Redpath. This evening we have two proclamations, so I will be coming down to the podium for the first one. So the first proclamation is we're going to recognize the Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team. The Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team, actually I'm gonna have the hockey team members that are here to stand behind me if you don't mind. If you are on the team, go ahead and stand back here.

And then when I read your name, you can raise your hand so they know who you are, okay?

So if we say your name out loud, raise your hand so they know who you are. You're going to have to raise the other hand because you're holding the trophy. All right. The Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team demonstrated exceptional teamwork, determination, discipline, and sportsmanship throughout the 2025-2026 season, representing their school and the Springfield community with pride and distinction. Through hard work, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence, the Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team earned the opportunity to compete for the Downstate Illinois High School Hockey State Championship. And on March 15th, 2026, at the Nelson Center in Springfield, Illinois, the Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team achieved an outstanding victory by capturing the Downstate Illinois High School State Championship title. Congratulations to you all. The championship team consists of Mitchell Strawn, Xander Bridge, Justin Winters, Reed Collins, William Reeves, Frankie Hungerford, Wade Snyder, Logan Heimlich, Cam Hammer, Griffin Douglas, Braden Galloway, Gunnar Zossel, Alex Gothard, Logan Trello, Daniel Dye, Owen Geir Nert.

I even looked it up online.

That's how the NCAA pronounces it. I am so sorry. There's an NCAA athlete by that same name. Cain Basket. Cason Graff. Ethan Beach, Cooper Johnson, Liam Byers, and Pano Soler displayed remarkable dedication and teamwork and athletic excellence throughout the season. The accomplishments of the Sacred Heart Griffin hockey team were made possible through the leadership and guidance of their coaches. Brad Gathard, Steve Bridge, Travis Graff, and Bishop Paprocki, as well as the support and commitment of their team manager, Becky Douglas. Is Becky up here with us? She's gonna sit, she's not gonna stand. Their families, the school administrators, and the entire Sacred Heart Griffin community. Therefore, I, Misty Buescher, Mayor of the City of Springfield, together with the City Council here with you today, proclaim that today will be Sacred Heart Griffin Hockey Team Day in Illinois. So happy team day. Yes. So we're going to give Doc your big award, and then where's Chief of Staff Fleischle? He's got, we'll just give these to one of your coaches.

Oh, they're behind him.

We'll give you, we have individual awards for each of you, but that way the coach can just hand them out. But we'll stand for some photos. Any parents that want to get photos, go right ahead.

There you go. Yes, sir? Would you like to give a speech?

I've got a couple small ones. That's awesome.

Thank you, Ralph, for forcing me into this one. All right. This is better. Thank you, Mayor Busher and council members. My name is Bradley Gathard. I'm the head coach for the SHG hockey team. It has been my pleasure to coach this championship team this year. First off, let me explain that this team may have SHG on the front of their jerseys, but we are not all from SHG. We are 34 students from 11 different schools. It is not every day that you see a football player from Rochester coming to play with a baseball player from Springfield and a basketball player from route And they're all wearing SHG jerseys. So it's kind of special for us to get to do that Not nearly enough hockey players in the city of Springfield. So we kind of pool our resources and come together So hopefully this will help grow the sport a little bit for us They'll get more people interested in get more kids coming out So y'all have to remember some of these kids have been skating before they were in kindergarten Some of them came into play in junior high school, so we do have a range of talent, but it has been a lot of fun for me and Steve and Travis to get to coach them. Our season starts in October. We run through the middle of March simply because we're dodging all those varsity high school sports, and a lot of them play travel hockey. So it's pretty fun to get to dodge all that, and that's partially our manager. That's her job to schedule all these games and our practices, and it's a lot of work for her So we do a big thank you for Becky and who is retiring this year. So this will be her last year. So thank you, Becky. Let's see what else I had. Also, our team will be graduating 13 seniors. So it was very nice to send them off with a championship. And we are looking forward to next year, you know, repeating and being back here. All right. Thank you.

We'll do these and then we'll get council members.

Can I see you if you're on that?

Can you see the council? There we go. Thank you.

Can you be seen back? Alright. Thank you all, great. Congratulations. Good work. I was going to say, it's hard to get that many people together.

I lived in Minnesota for four years.

And also congrats to you all for being teammates from all these different schools. I think that's amazing, so thank you. We are also going to acknowledge a swimmer tonight. The city of, yeah, Alderman Hanauer likes that because he was a swimmer once. The city of Springfield proudly recognizes and celebrates exceptional young citizens whose dedication, discipline, and accomplishments bring distinction and honor to our community. Will Mahorny, Will, are you here? Come on up, Will. Stand beside me. So Will Mahorny, a dedicated member of the Springfield YMCA SPY swim team, began his swimming journey at the age of two It's pretty early. And demonstrated extraordinary commitment and passion for this sport throughout his life. with much more to go, whereas Will joined the SPY swim team in September of 2013 and quickly emerged as a talented competitor, earning qualification for his YMCA state meet in 2016. And throughout his distinguished swimming career, he has established multiple pool records at his home, YMCA, and he subsequently became the first swimmer in the YMCA history to both qualify for and place at the Speedo Winter Junior National Championship. That's a mouthful, good job. His remarkable accomplishments include earning his title of 2026 YMCA Short Course National Champion in the 50-yard freestyle, becoming a five-time YMCA Short Course State Champion, a five-time YMCA Long Course State Champion, a USA Swimming Junior National Championship qualifier, a two-event USA Swimming Junior National Championship finalist in the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard butterfly, and a three-time YMCA national meet qualifier and a four-event YMCA national meet finalist. Will has just graduated from Sacred Heart Griffin High School, and he is committed to continuing his academic and athletic pursuits at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Will's recent first place finish in the 50-yard freestyle at the YMCA National Swim Meet represents a truly outstanding achievement and serves as a testament to his perseverance, sportsmanship, determination, and unwavering dedication. Will's achievements reflect not only his personal dedication, but also the support of his family. Thank you. I see mom here and his coaches, his teammates and the Springfield community who have encouraged him and celebrated his growth and success. Will's determination and competitive spirit have elevated the standard of achievement for future generations of Springfield athletes and have brought recognition and pride to the Springfield YMCA swimming program. As Will begins the next chapter of his academic and athletic journey, The city of Springfield celebrates your achievements, and we look forward to your continued success and your contributions in the years ahead. We're probably going to see you maybe on the Olympic stage someday. I hope so. Yeah. Therefore, I, Misty Bush, your mayor of Springfield, together with the city council here tonight, and especially Alderman Hanauer, do want to recognize Will Mahorny for his extraordinary accomplishments in competitive swimming at the YMCA, and especially your first place finish. So congratulations.

Thank you.

All right, so who's going to speak? Is the coach here or is Doc going to speak? Who's speaking on? We're going to let Will speak. That or Lou Bart's going to speak. One or the other. Go ahead, Lou.

I guess we can both say a few words. First of all, I'd like to thank Alderman Hanauer for making this possible tonight. I really appreciate it. As Mayor said, I've been swimming for a very long time, and this is kind of my first big recognition, and it's been really special. I'd also like to thank my coach, Alex. He couldn't be here tonight. He had practice. that he had to coach for. But, yeah, just the last 12, 13 years with him, it's been a journey and on to the next floor. I'm ready. So thank you again, everyone, for tonight. Thank you.

We'll get Ralph and then we'll get the rest of the elders.

Will as well.

Congratulations. I'm excited for you. I don't ever get to watch this. I know. All right.

Do you want me to put the microphone down real quick so that's not in your photo? All right.

Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Yeah, get him over here, man.

Good, man. Congratulations. Yeah, seeing him on the elevator. Congratulations, man. Appreciate it.

Awesome. Okay. Are you guys ready? Okay. Back there for us to continue. Okay.

The next item on the agenda will be docket number 2026-015 for the property located at 1701 South College Street. Petitioners are Theodore C. Christian Jr. and Beverly J. Christian. Present zoning classification is R2, single family and duplex residence district. Section 155.017 with relief granted. Requested zoning relief is variance of section 155.056 to allow for use of a duplex on a lot containing 5,252 square feet of lot area instead of the 6,000 square feet required per code. Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning staff recommendation is approval. Planning and zoning commission recommendation is approval to concur with the staff recommendations. The chair will now entertain a motion.

I move that we accept the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation.

So we have a motion and a second to accept the Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation. Is there any discussion from the Alders? Seeing none, the voting will now be open. All those in favor of the motion will vote yes. All those opposed will vote no. He's trying.

I'm a yes.

So the motion passes with 10 voting yes, none voting no. The next item on the agenda is docket number 2026-016 for the property located at 4300 and 4400 Westgate Drive. The petitioners are Joyner Real Estate LLC by its attorneys Gates, Weiss, Schlosser, and Goebel, Gordon W. Gates of Council. Present zoning classification is S2, Community Shopping and Office District Section 155.031 and a variance. requested zoning relief pursuant to section 155.212 general provisions, variances section 155.214, applications for amendments and variances for a variance of section 155.031b, permitted uses in the S2 Community Shopping and Office District to allow B2 General Business Service District section 155.034 uses for the assembly and testing of commercial equipment in the S2 Community Shopping and Office District section 155.031. Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning staff recommendation is approval of a use variance for the assembling of fuel supply systems as detailed in paragraph six in the petition with the following limitations as stated in the petition. One, no welding, steel fabrication, or painting will be conducted, and two, there will be no outside storage on the subject property. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommendation is approval to concur with the staff recommendation. The chair will now entertain a motion.

Mayor, I make a motion that we concur with the staff recommendation. Second.

So we have a motion and a second to accept the staff recommendation. Any discussion from the council? Seeing none, the voting will now be open. 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. This does conclude the zoning portion of the meeting. The chair will now recognize Treasurer Redpath Fager for presentation of the financial report.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. The Treasurer's report for the corporate fund for the month of April. Beginning balance is $62,430,881. Total receipts, $10,686,267. Total disbursements, $12,586,597. That left the corporate fund ending balance in the month of April at $60,530,550. There were no disbursements in the ARPA funds, so that balance remains the same from the ending balance of March. That concludes my report. Thank you.

The chair will entertain a motion to accept the financial report. So moved, ma'am. We have a motion and a second. Any discussion on the financial report? Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The chair will now recognize budget director Metzger for any questions on the OBM contract report. Does anyone have questions for that? Seeing none, we will move on. The chair will entertain a motion to dispense with the reading of the minutes of the May 5th, 2026 regular city council meeting and approve the minutes. We have a motion and a second. All those in favor. I'm sorry. Any discussion on the minutes? Seeing none.

All those in favor of the motion, please say aye.

Those opposed nay. The ayes have it. The chair will entertain a motion to incorporate the pre-council first reading of ordinances into the record of this council meeting.

So moved, Mayor. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Those opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The next item on the agenda is the consent agenda. The chair will entertain a motion to incorporate the pre-council reading of the consent agenda into the record of this council meeting. So moved.

Second.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all those in favor of the motion, please say aye. Aye. Those opposed, nay. The ayes have it. The chair will entertain a motion to place the consent agenda on final passage.

So moved. Second.

We have a motion and a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, voting will now be open. 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. There are currently no items remaining tabled or in committee. The next item on the agenda is item 2026-240, an ordinance amending chapter 82, section 82.02 of the 1988 City of Springfield Code of Ordinances as amended to increase the penalties for parking violations. The chair will entertain a motion to place agenda item number 2026-240 on final passage.

Motion for consent. We have a motion. Can I get a second? Second. A motion and a second.

I had you as the motion, actually, Alderman, so you're good. Any discussion? Alderwoman Purchase.

Yes, I wanted to reiterate because this young lady just walked up to me and asked me to vote no on it. But I just wanted, huh? Yes. So I want to speak to you and just anyone in general public about why we're supporting this ordinance. We just left from our downtown alliance meeting earlier today. And this is not intended for individuals like you or myself because I live downtown too and have to park down there and I have to follow the rules as well. It's for people during the daytime. After 4.30 p.m., parking is completely free, but we have our businesses who are struggling, and they're continuously asking us how can we help them to receive more parking. And when we have people double parking, excessively parking past their timelines, we have to do something. We haven't had an increase in parking penalties in over a decade. Mayor, can you help me out? Fifteen years. Fifteen years, to be exact. So, yes, it should have been done over time, just like if you pay rent, your rent goes up over time, but it has not been touched at all. And this is one of the ways that we can ensure that people will actually listen. And if they don't, this will be the penalty for them not listening. So you and I are in the same boat, and I can get a parking fine too as well. I'm not exempt from parking past those hours neither. So I just wanted to let you know the reasoning behind this and for individuals who may have not been paying attention to city council that they can hear this too as well. And mayor, if you have anything to add to that would be helpful.

Sure. Absolutely. Um, the older woman and I had conversations about this early on. Um, the parking fine is $10. If you stay beyond the zoned timeframe, it will increase it to $20. If you're beyond the zone, you can avoid the violation by not being in the space beyond the time allotment that is there in that area with different zones all over the downtown. So the time zone is not equal. High traffic areas need turnover quicker. Lower traffic areas have longer time zones allowed. We have traffic engineers here at the city that study those and make sure that those are appropriately marked. So there will be no parking meters. That's not part of this ordinance, but we are removing them. There is no cost to park downtown. You just need to monitor your time and make sure you follow the posted time limits. That's it. So, no ma'am. Any other, Alderman Carlson?

Yeah, one or, I got a couple questions from my constituents. Are signs going up eventually? Somebody mentioned signs, so they know. They're up now. Okay, they're already up now.

Yeah. Alderman Notriano. I'm sorry, Alderman Carlson, were you done? No, I'm good. Okay, Alderman Notriano.

Thank you. So, whenever I attended the DSI Ask Me Anything with the new director, He had mentioned that there is a plan to categorize and sort of color code downtown parking to make things easier. This is not going to negatively impact that plan, correct? You're going to be working in tandem with that organization? Yes. Okay. Okay.

Well, we are the parking people, but we have our own sign shop, and they're a little busy in the summer, so that would be more of a winter project.

Okay. Wonderful. Thank you so much.

Alderman Gregory. Nope. Changed my mind. Okay. Any other? Alderman Williams.

I'll talk. So if we raise the fee, has businesses said – we need to keep the cars moving? I mean, do we have complaints from people saying that everybody is parked there all day or all alone? Because my fear is once we raise it, we may get less cars or less traffic. Because people happen to deal with this and keep an eye. There's no guarantee that by raising this, we're going to make it better. It could go worse. People could say, well, I ain't even going to bother with it. I mean, I don't know. The second thing is the signage to tell them that it's free and explain what the new rules are, that's not what the current sign says, does it?

Well, there will be no meters. They don't need to be told. It's just free. The meters are going to be removed.

So if I go downtown and I haven't been downtown, I'm just, how do I know?

You park and you look at the sign right by where you park.

And that sign is going to say?

20 minutes, 2 hours, 4 hours.

Depending on where I'm at, it's going to tell them. Does it address what the fine would be if I don't comply?

It does not now and it will not then either.

Thank you.

Alderman Conway.

I just want to kind of reiterate something that Alderman Purchase has brought up. I know we hear complaints about downtown parking. I will say I was fortunate. I got some time downtown this weekend. Got a little wet on Saturday. I found an easy spot, I parked just kind of a couple blocks walk, had a great time at the art fair. I think people get a little concerned about the availability of parking. Sometimes you walk a little bit, but that's, you know, it's good for your steps, it's good for your health, it's not a bad thing to do that. When I worked downtown, I did see, and it's been a little bit, but I did see people who would just stay in a spot. And I know like for me, now that I'm coming to downtown to go to lunch or something, knowing that there are people who are just going to sit there and stay for a while. Yeah, you have to circle a little more to find somewhere to walk. I think encouraging that turning over, especially for lunch crowds, you kind of stagger from 11 to 12.31, and and have that opportunity for more people to come downtown. I think Alderman Williams, I can certainly see where you're coming with this, but I think really what we're gonna see is people maybe understanding the consequences of staying too long and giving other people an opportunity to get a reasonable spot and go frequent our downtown businesses. Again, for me it's more of a lunch thing now or a weekend, but I understand the intent of this Yeah, I'm looking forward to supporting it. Thank you Alderman and Mayor. Alderman Donlan.

Thank you, Mayor, and thank you for bringing this forward, Alderwoman and the Mayor. It's, you know, I can't thank you enough. The spirit of having free parking is so important. Other cities that do that have been successful. You know, having the reasonable limitations makes sense to me. And, you know, I don't have the luxury that you do, Mayor, when I go out and about. You know, people a lot of times don't recognize me. Anyway, but I was downtown recently and a couple of the couple of the proprietors of some of the shops Brought up the parking and the issue is cars not moving and this seems like it would resolve that just to be clear I know it's in the ordinance. I've read the ordinance, but presently the fine for Parking past a time is how much $10 this raises it to 20 correct? Yeah, thank you.

Yes, and To that point, Alderman, when talking with the downtown businesses, one of the things they're experiencing is people who work downtown tend to park on the street versus paying for parking. And they actually have to get caught four times for $40 to make it equal to a parking spot. Well now, hopefully they will not take advantage of that and take the spots from the visitors like Alderwoman Conley, who we welcome at lunchtime. It will move those people into paid parking. And Alderman, I'm sorry. Clerk Redpath is asked to speak, so I almost called you, Alderman.

It's really bad around City Hall during the daytime and along Monroe Street. We have a lot of people that have to come in and do business at City Water, Light, and Power, at the Treasurer's Office, and at the Clerk's Office. We've absolutely had people have to walk two blocks to get here Some people are handicapped and and we they don't they're not supposed to come in the back door But when we see them come up the sidewalk, we know they've had to walk a while and we let them in It's a security issue not to do that. But with their wheelchairs and in Walker's and that kind of stuff It's really bad around the City Hall and this is gonna it's it's actually like the mayor said it's actually cheaper to to get a ticket and not pay for parking. But now we'll re-raise this. It's going to change the whole dynamic of that. Hopefully it will. So we got to make sure we got customer service parking.

Any other discussion? Seeing none, the voting will now be open. All those in favor of the motion will vote yes. All those opposed will vote no. And the motion passes with eight voting yes, two voting no. The next item on the agenda is item number 2026-244, an ordinance authorizing a contract with the Springfield project for the period beginning March 1st, 2026 through February 28th, 2028 to support a comprehensive and cohesive strategic plan for economic development in Springfield and authorize an annual payment in the amount of $50,000 subject to the city council approval of the city's fiscal year budget. The chair will entertain a motion to place agenda item number 2026-244 on final passage.

Mayor, I would like to introduce amendment number one

Alderman Gregory, you have the floor. Go ahead.

Sure. I did introduce an amendment to negate the $75,000 that we had passed and since been vetoed for the Starbond District. I know originally when we talked some time ago, I believe in August of 26, when we talked about the growth alliance, when we went through that whole ordeal, I KNOW THE MAYOR HAD SPOKEN TO SPRINGFIELD PROJECT AND DOMINIC ABOUT SOME UNRESTRICTED FUNDS. AND NOW I'M NOT AGAINST YOU DIRECTING THESE FUNDS TO A STRATEGIC PLAN AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT I DO FEEL THE TASK WITHIN A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AWARDS IN TWO AND THREE IS A BIG HEAVY LIFT, AND I FEEL LIKE THIS ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR IT. WE'VE HAD GREAT CONVERSATIONS. HE IS FROM THAT COMMUNITY AS WELL AS HIS BUSINESS. BEING IN THAT COMMUNITY IS VERY, VERY knowledgeable of the things that we're trying to do in that same district and throughout Wars 2 and 3. And, you know, he's here to speak for himself along with his colleague as far as the work that they currently do and the work that this will help them really, really do. As I said before, we have approximately 35 active businesses in a box. And all of those businesses, most of them, half of them, really have some great plans. We've talked about Bourbon Street. We've talked about Clay's. We've talked about Boyd's, Carter's Fish. All of these things, the South Grand coming into downtown, I know there's a big push to invest into downtown. And at this point, we need a plan. We've been sitting here for three years, and there's no plan. I heard that earlier. There's no plan. And so I would like Dominic, and I've spoke to him, and budget time come 26, I would like to see this portion of this update of this, of how our community looks, the assets in it, and the opportunities that we have to grow that community. You know, I got a letter that I'm going to read to you guys and why this is important. I think this is a good time. And this was in my mailbox today. Is Chief here? Chief of Police here? Well, okay, we'll talk about that later. Chief, you here? Let's have a conversation. So, you know, this letter today, it says, history across the tracks, what a stupid idea. War II is nothing but a rat hole. Why anyone would put $5 into it is beyond me, let alone millions. All most people want to do in War II is drive through it with their windows rolled up as fast as they can. Pimps? Whores, drug dealers, addicts, gangbangers, these are all your constituents. If that's true, they are, and I'm proud of it. And it says some more things, but I didn't speak that last thing because, you know, at the end of it, it says, how about you keep your little B mouth shut for a couple of minutes and just listen. I'm not going to be quiet, but I just want you all to know the inaction often that we take and the lack of plans that we have for the east side, you know, give this racist element in our city that is in our city permission. When Andy Van Meter goes at the Greater Springfield thing today, and he calls us who just simply oppose authority, high school children, what do you write? strangely agitated group wasting their time and energy like some high school kids. I'm a full-grown man. We know he a full-grown man. That's a full-grown woman. That's a full-grown man. And that's a full-grown woman. But if I start calling him names, if I start describing how I feel about him, I'm wrong. But I won't do it up here. I'll do it when I see him. Because I have a few choice words for him too. But I want to let you know that this element is out there strong across those tracks. This is like the 10th type of email letter that I've received in the last two months, let alone my eight years that I've been here. You know, people often categorize us like this and throw this blanket over us. Yes, there's opportunities, but often we can't fix them because we don't take the right steps. I'm only speaking because I'm from this community. I'm trying to do different things that have never been done in this community before to raise it. We all live here. We all should care. We all should be offended by that. We got Route 66 coming, 200-year anniversary of the United States and all this, or 250 or whatever it is. And we're going to have people coming through South Grand. That's where they're going to travel, and most of them are going to come down 55, and they're going to travel down South Grand. So that's why we're trying to get it fixed up. We're trying to put in our efforts. We're trying to do our parts as well. And it just troubles me that, you know, I guess I would say that I continue, and thank you, Chuck, for your words the last time that this happened, but we have to continue to push back on this. We have to continue to push back and love every community in our town. We know we love Ward 10 and 9 and 11. We know we love downtown. I'm not against the BOS expansion. I want to see the BOS expansion. I just have some thoughts on it. So when I hear that from the county board chairman, then I get a letter in my inbox today, certainly that's people from his side of the fence, right? They want us, me, Roy, and those of us who have any type of will to change our communities or need to change our communities, we shouldn't talk. We shouldn't give our opinion. We shouldn't fight for our awards. And, you know, I just can't do that, you know. And these letters, they can keep coming, and I'm asking Chief because I know he looked at one of the guys who sent, or females, who sent an e-mail here. And, Chief, I think that person, I know you identified him, said he's no threat, but it's either him or whoever we can track down. Every last one of these e-mails for now on Tim, when I get a letter or something, open it, scan it, get it to the police, and put it in my box. Because I want them tracked down and I want them found. Because if we run into each other on the street, it ain't going to go well, whoever it is. Either he going to get hurt or I'm going to get hurt. One of the two. And so that's why I put this in. It's to really, really give this organization a chance to do real work. to really, really put together our game plan in this box, in all of Ward 2 and 3, but certainly in this business district that we have an opportunity that's right across the tracks where we're pushing for $200 million projects. Because right now when I ride down 11th, right now my people on this side of the tracks, Ward 2, the drug addicts, the gangbangers, those things that we're described as, we're sitting looking at all this development. And we like, dang, we barely can get cannabis grants out. And it just troubles me. And so we want to keep pushing for good things. This organization has proven to be good stewards of the city's funding, and I appreciate the opportunity to present this and for us to truly, truly consider a different route. Thank you.

Yeah. So you brought forward an amendment, but before we discussion, okay, we need a second. There we go. Now we can be on discussion. So Alderman Williams.

Yeah, I'm going to support it, but I do want to say that that feeling comes from, I mean, I'm not sure it's not right up here on this council that some people feel this way and to be mad about, I mean, I got the calls about the comments that was made by the chair of Sangamon County board. But he's crazy if he thinks I'm never going to speak up and share my opinion about this city. And I'm an alderman in this city. He's the one that's the child. To say that in a public forum, I could wait until new business and then call him all kinds of names. But you would be, oh, we got the quorum, oh, we got, you know, this. But, no, he needs to be told that was improper, the stuff, the name calling he was doing to us then. But I digress. You know... Don't get mad because we question things, because we make you explain things. We're just trying to do our part so that we can take back to our people. I mean, I'm almost six years old up here. No east side plan. Everything goes wrong all the time. And then my constituents, and three, I can't speak for two, five, and any of the others, Have to ask me constantly, well, what's going on with the east side? When are we going to do this to South Grand? When are we going to do this to Cook Street? When are we going to do this? And we constantly get crazy stuff. Mally Burns came, I think the end of my first year. Oh, well, you just have to wait. What east side plan are you talking about? Then me and Val Yazel. Now, here's another. We find three east side plans going all the way back to 92. Updated through the years, but just on paper. Again, we keep trying things. Then we get our mayor. She vetoes. across the tracks. Again, her preference, downtown. You know, this, no, we can't do nothing for these guys. We never can. So now the veto happens, or the threat of a veto, because she really didn't veto. She said, do it my way or it will be vetoed. So that's why he changed. It was his sponsorship. So I go along with it. So here we are tonight. I'm asking for support. We'll see what happens. But the frustration comes from Receiving these, social media don't bother me that way. The emails and the calls, I don't even tell Chief about them or go through that. But I'll tell you this, if they want to say something to me, they know where I'm at every Tuesday at 530. They can come here and say that. But to be in another public forum and behave the way he did as chair of his organization, I mean, I think they would call me out if I did it. They would say, Roy, you can't do that. You shouldn't do that. We shouldn't call names all above. And that's why I do it sometimes. Because really, that's the way we think up here. It ain't just the people hiding behind what they sent and shot. Some of y'all right in this room feel the same way. But Mayor, you know we have to help the east side. We have to do something. And it can't keep being studies. That's where me and him fight. How many times the most steady place in the city is the east side? From UIS, from this, from that. We just constantly study it. Do something. Show the people something. So I'm a little frustrated tonight, but I'm a believer. I'm trying to support my brother here. He wants to do this amendment. He wants to ask for this money and try to happen. We'll see what happens. God forbid if they need something else somewhere else in the city, we're hit.

Thank you, Mayor.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. And I have my questions are related to the original ordinance and to the amendment in particular. And is this the appropriate time, Mayor? Call Dominic up.

So this would be discussion on the amendment itself right now. Then we can get to the original ordinance once we do the amendment, if you're okay with that.

Well, that's fine. But can I ask a question? Absolutely. Okay. Just what do you want to?

Well, is it, are you bringing Mr. Watson up? Yes. Can I ask a question first of the budget director? Because my question is the chair. Okay. We'll bring you up after all the, everybody gets their questions answered in the horseshoe first. If you don't mind, Mr. Watson, thank you. Director Metzger did anyone ask you if there was funding and economic development for this additional money? Okay, because I am not aware of any money, so this is unfunded Okay, so there's no there's no money in the budget for this additional 75,000 That's my question does anyone else have questions in the horseshoe about the amendment itself. I do there Okay, Ottoman down one sorry

Mr. Watson, do you mind stepping to the podium? Thanks for coming this evening. Can you help me understand what this particular amendment does? So I just got to put it on my desk. And if your organization is capable of doing the work and just enlighten me a little bit.

Thank you. Dominic Watson, Springfield Project. First, thank you for the question. As it relates to the actual amendment, outside of the information that I've been provided, I can't necessarily speak to the additional work outside of what's listed, but one of the things that I anticipate doing as it relates to the amendment is really looking Well, and we're speaking to the amendment, correct? Not necessarily the original bill. So, um, so I see this as an opportunity for us to create an action plan, action plan. I want to specify that specifically. I think that there's a lot of. Studies that have been done in the past that have kind of sat on the shelf, but there has been no action. So my goal is alongside our partners and I want to highlight one partner that's in the room, if that's okay. We have Southern Illinois University, Dr. Connie Spurlock, Fray Spurlock. She is the head of the Office of Community Engagement for SIU, Southern Illinois University System. And so we've been working alongside developing programming, as well as developing opportunities to grow the neighborhood, specifically in South Town, but also on the east side and other parts. that are underserved. So we are again, channeling our resources or leveraging our resources to do any work that's presented or any opportunities we have that are presented to us as it relates to capacity. Again, I want to speak to that. Again, this is a opportunity for us to leverage a lot of the resources that we already have. We're already doing the work in this space. The mayor has come to our community access council along with a representation from from a war is two and three. We're convening groups of, of stakeholders. We're convening the community. We're leveraging opportunities that we already have and we're doing it right there at the corner. We love it and stuff in South grand.

So, well, I appreciate you mentioning that in particular, um, you know, the, the luxury that certain areas of the city have, and I'll say ward nine, the preponderance of ward nine is healthy. There are areas that have problems and we know some of those areas. We've talked about them in this room. That's no secret. I know other areas of the city aren't as fortunate, clucky, whatever you want to say. And during my time here, I've tried to be fair and understand that we need to inject dollars and resources and efforts into areas that just haven't seen the growth and the expansion and revitalization of other areas of the city. So I'm very sympathetic to that. But what I'm getting at here with this amendment is I just want to make sure that because it does mention a prior ordinance that was not successful, and I think that's the intent where the money's to come from. Yeah, shaking his head yes. And I did vote for that because I thought it was important and because, again, it was the same rationale. We're trying something different. But I just want to make sure, and please don't be offended by me saying it this way, I just want to make sure that you have the capacity. I don't know when you saw this amendment, whether it was just tonight or not, I guess what I'm getting at is if you need more time to study it, just ask for a timeout. If you don't and you're comfortable, that's really the question I'm getting at.

Absolutely. And I appreciate that. And I don't foresee there being a capacity issue at all. We're already doing this work. I want to stress we're a community development corporation. Obviously, we championed a lot of trauma-informed programming, youth development, and other entrepreneurship efforts. But we're a community development corporation. That's why we were founded in 1996 to do that work. And so this falls within our scope of work. Um, and we're very dedicated to, to doing that work. So I think that just, this just supplements and it layers with the original. Again, I know we're not speaking to the original, um, ordinance, but this layers funding and supplements funding on top of, um, the funding that already exists for that. So I'm, I'm comfortable, but I'm at the will of, of the horseshoe.

Can I ask one more question? Yes. What? And you're going to push the button. My mic isn't working. Um, When you see the amendment, what is – I am going to ask a question about the original ordinance. What was in the – in your eyes, what was in the first – the original ordinance and what makes this one different?

So I think that, honestly, they're not too different, the amendment and the original, in how I see it and the work that we're doing. I think the biggest difference, obviously it references the previous ordinance and the challenge with that, but it specifically states more intent as it relates to the what could be done as it relates to you know the history across the tracks and again you know it's what we're already doing and so i was i was comfortable with the with the language but i didn't see too much difference there i know the mayor and i had a a meeting probably about an hour and we went through, um, some specific language about what expectations we had as it relates to the introduction of, of the original ordinance. And we agreed upon probably about, I think it was five, five items. And, um, and so when the, well, we're not speaking to the original, but I guess we'll get to that point. But, again, I'm comfortable. I don't see it being too much different than the original ordinance.

And then one final thing. The original ordinance was for $50,000. This one increases it an additional $75,000. Are you, because I haven't seen any agreements, are you billing as you go along? In other words, the original $50,000 covers whatever the original ordinance, and then the new work, that the amendment, would you build that Digital 75 as the work is being done or at the end? How does that work?

So I think following other community development corporations or economic development corporations and how their language is spelled out, it was my understanding based on the original amendment that this would be something that's paid out. I know that other community development corporations or economic development corporations have done it differently where they're billed twice a year or quarterly or something along those lines. My understanding was that based on the original amount, it was just going to be a lump sum amount. But again, I don't have any additional contract language or anything like that.

If that's worked out later, thank you. Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh-huh.

Alderman Gregory. So this funding and, you know, that ordinance passed 9-0 and the mayor by herself vetoed it. I'm sure she has the support of some of you. But now we're not even using the star bond. So should I bring that back? No, because...

Currently we're talking about your amendment. Sorry, can we see the amendment?

So on the amendment, it's the same $75,000 that we approved in the star bond. So where are we going to pull the star bond $75,000 unless we really thought that we wasn't going to do it, and we just passed and had to shut me up. But where we was going to pull that from, from the general fund, that's where it needs to be pulled for that. When we first had this conversation in August, he was supposed to get a unrestricted money. That's what we said. We said we was going to give him unrestricted money. You can do whatever you want with it, Dominic. And now we're tailoring... To a strategic plan. I'm okay with a strategic plan. But the organization, the brother, needs to have the proper funding so he can really do the job. So what I've asked him to do, and he'll do some other high-tech things, but what I've asked him to do is say, hey, I need you to help Ms. Clay. That's our oldest black-owned business. She has a lot next to her that is off the tax roll. We want to get it on the tax roll. We want to get it paved. We want to get them a drive-through up. That's the type of things. Help her out. Help them out. Help that business out. Help Bruce out right across the street from you. Complete his project. Look into the lot across the street from you and work with the mayor, work with economic development, and see if we can put an entrepreneur food court right across the street from you so we can have entrepreneurs from the east. We talk about violence prevention and shootings and, you know, we're all of these bad things. Well, we're trying to put things in place to curve all that. We're trying to bring these businesses are operating on a daily basis wherever they can find places to set up. And whether they go through it with the county health department, whether they go through it with us, the city, we should have a place where they can be productive and grow their businesses into some of these vacant buildings and stuff. We have so many vacant buildings and lots that people just hold on to. that have been there for years. I've been there eight years. I've got houses. I've got buildings. They're still, they're not touched. We have to go cut them. I've got to beg and beg and beg and beg. Well, I've asked them to inventory those things. Inventory it. See where our opportunities are. Talk to those 34 plus businesses in that area. See what their goals are. And let's put that in a report so we know roadmap and there's some other things that I'm going to talk about in new business to help this because the only thing that I'm doing I learned everything that I'm doing I learned from this system draw a district put some incentives in there possibly bond it out so we can get a quick hit and we see this done everywhere but we got to do it on the east side we have to take a swing at the battle. We're going to lose it forever. You know, that report back in whatever from Harlan magazine, we was number one for cities outside in disparities in income and housing, home ownership. We're number two now because we've been working hard. But honestly, I'm not satisfied with that. Our community, our city should be satisfied with that. We should not be in the top ten in the country of cities. No way. And so that's why I put this forward. That's why I even worked on Star Bonds. It wasn't to get in anybody's way. I had no idea about the story. No idea. I'm sitting there working. It's not political. I don't care about none of that. I keep saying it. But y'all keep going on the radio, Mayor, you keep doing that, and then we'll read a civilian pledge. We want to help for real, and we don't. But if I get to talking and saying all the things that really go on to prevent the east side from growing, then I'll be wrong. So this amendment is to help our community, help guide businesses who are ready to grow and add into our tax base of the city. Homeowners, we're waiting on 50 houses right now, and we'll be asking Ms. Amy about this, in the same area that we want to fix. We have opportunities. And I get it. Like Mr. Van Meter, we should shut up. We shouldn't give our opinions. We shouldn't fight for our wars, but I'm sorry. I'm not like that. I'm going to think ain't nobody else coming to me with no ideas. So I got to put them on the table. I got to think for my word. This is what they brought me here for. So I appreciate you guys having an honest look at this for the sake of our community and the growth of our community. Thank you.

Alderman Hanauer.

Thank you. My biggest concern, I'm for the ordinance. My concern, I'd be for the amendment if we had something that was in the budget. We've had people complain that when we have things in the budget that they don't like, and so they vote against them, and they're in the budget. because we're spending too much money. But now we're taking things that aren't in the budget, that I don't know what exactly the funds are. I guess it's from OPED?

No one's conversed with me about funding, so I can't answer that. That would be Alderman Gregory.

As I said, the same funding that we passed came out of the general fund. But I got some other ideas. Go ahead and finish. I got you. No, no, no. I got it.

Don't worry about it. I mean, I would much rather... I would much rather see some funding from other sources that we have. And if we could do that, I would have no problem with this. I just don't like, I don't want to do supplementals and all that. I prefer to stay away from that. Um, because you know, w we did talk about, we have to, we have to watch our spending and, but if we can do some, some, you know, other sources, I'm, I'm, I'm on board and you know, Dominic, you're doing a great job over there. Initially. I did not vote for you, but I think I voted on everything else. And, and, and, and I was wrong the first time. I'll tell you that you've done a, done a great job over there and, and, uh, and, uh, you should be proud of it. So, um, that's, that's where I'm coming from. So thank you.

All the woman, no Triana, and we're still on the amendment.

Okay. Thank you, mayor. Um, so with regard to, um, I, I mean, I kind of have to discuss both because the two are related, uh, the amendment and the original art, uh, ordinance, um, WE NEED TO FIRST AND FOREMOST STOP PLAYING GAMES WITH REGARD TO WAS THIS IN THE BUDGET OR NOT. WE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY FOR THE 75,000 FOR ANOTHER ORDINANCE FOR A STUDY COMING FROM THE GENERAL FUND AND WE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH THAT. SO LET'S JUST STOP PLAYING GAMES. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN. We write a blank check, as far as I know, to the Growth Alliance every year for the services they provide. And so whenever I hear this line of questioning about how Mr. Watson's going to be paid and what kind of, I don't know, it sounded like proof he's going to turn in for the work that he's done. Just ask yourself when you're asking those kind of questions how this might look to someone, especially in light of the fact that I didn't hear any questions regarding this Ordinance in its original form that had even less detail. And if I'm reading correctly was proposed by the mayor, was it not the original ordinance proposed by you for the 50,000 you're reading on the document, ma'am. Okay. Wonderful. And, and it just said. for implementation of a comprehensive and cohesive strategic plan for economic development in Springfield. And that was it. And we had no questions. So really, what are you even talking about? Again, I have to say that I'm trying to be as polite as possible. I'm trying not to use any words and calling by any names. It's going to get people offended. But as my colleagues were questioning you, Mr. Watson, my blood pressure was rising. My blood was boiling. Thank you for answering those questions and not batting an eye. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being willing to do this work, even in light of the circumstances before you right now and the political hijinks, essentially, that are happening right now as we debate this amendment. I hope, uh, my colleagues support, uh, the original amendment and the additional money for the additional work that is very clearly laid out. Um, and, uh, and hopefully we won't be here for the next hour. Um, quibbling over this. Thank you.

Alderman Gregory. Um, yes.

So, uh, Mr. Mardock, when we, when I drew up this, did you take this fund? I see it says economic development. So the fund that's on the last ordinance that we passed for the star bonds, is this the same funding, the same 75? That's, that's what I'm.

It's, uh, it's for professional services from op-ed.

Okay. So that 75 that we pass unanimous was going to come from op-ed too.

Uh, it's, it's coming out of that line. I didn't have a fiscal analysis.

So it hasn't changed, though? That 75,000, that ordinance as far as this coding, this 111 development, development 1232, that coding hasn't changed from ordinance to ordinance, is that correct?

You said 132. This actually, 132 is the 50,000. The 75,000 is coming from 1218. So if you look at the fact sheet that was attached to the initial, and that Could be an error on the red line. The fact sheet that's attached to the initial ordinance has this $50,000 coming from line 1232. The star bond and the $75,000 was from a different line item that was from 1218. Okay.

So we approved it out of 1218, 9-0 for the star bond, 918 here. But I do have some other ideas, and I was going to wait for this, but Ms. Ramona. The local distributor fund, we get 8% sent down from the state of Illinois for cannabis, from the cannabis amounts. It's very, very, very strict on what that funding should be used for, and it's for police equipment and violence prevention intervention things. I checked that in 2021, and we was getting about $200,000 or so a year. What would that balance be right now? Not our tax. No. No. This is the 8% that they send out through the local distributor fund, which should be about $1.2 million, $1.5 million. We never used it.

Are you equipped on this law? I'm familiar with the law. I have no idea. And I'm not super versed on it.

Are you looking for something, clerk? Are you looking for something? I didn't know if you were missing something. I saw you looking under your eyes.

No, I'm good.

I'll check it on. Ms. Ramona, you can just email us that amount.

We have almost $718,000 in the crime prevention line.

Has there ever been any expenses out of that line? We haven't. Thank you. I appreciate it. So we do have other funding sources. I mean, I can think of a few others. But we do have funding sources. We have room in our budget, in our general fund budget money, to do this. And we're talking about investing in something that's going to give us a return on our investment. We're talking about filling up vacant lots. We don't get any tax funding from the lot on South Grand that I'm referring to. And we want to get to that. It's a sound plan. We have an opportunity here to do something special for the east side of town and drive excitement and get some big things done as well on the east side of town. Just like we're putting pressure and focus in other areas, I'm for the BOS expansion. I don't like the structure. but we can't leave out the east side. I'm so tired of just looking at that on the other side of the tracks and us nothing. Whether it's the 19th Street tracks or whether it's this and cutting us out of the BOS expansion and stuff like that. Why would we do that? Why would we not want everybody to be a part of something special? Why would we want everybody to thrive in our city? But that's why we get letters like this. This is why we get letters like this. Um, that's my comments. Um, you know, I'm asking for our colleagues to make a strong move to show our city that we care about everybody in our city. Um, thank you.

Alderman Conley. Thank you. I have a Dominic. Thank you. You're standing for a long time. I have a quick technical question. Um, I think is the concern here is that, um, and I don't have reading if, um, do we have enough money in both of these lines to cover these expenses? I think that's kind of the question. So if we don't, would we need another, an additional amendment to this amendment that would just say, and bring 75,000 from the general fund and to fund either 12, 18, is that, is that the issue? So, Alderman Gregory, I would just suggest that maybe we add on to your amendment to make sure that we allocate the money from the general revenue to make sure that it's, I mean, literally just moving it from one line to make sure it covers that other line.

Sure, absolutely.

And I'll yield that. That was my only question.

Corporation Counselor, please advise.

We're debating amendment one.

Do we need to? Would that be the amendment one or vote on amendment one first?

I amend to change the funding. You need to amend amendment one. I amend amendment number one to change the 1218 line to the general fund.

What is that?

The computers aren't working. It's the general fund.

We we I need the full line item to make sure that there's appropriated funds because we might have funds But if they haven't been under the appropriation ordinance, then we're going to need a supplemental regardless So can I just clarify then maybe my sorry?

I'm sorry ultimate, but maybe we could just if we have to Wait until we have the exact line numbers and and bring that back as a supplemental at the next meeting but at least this I mean, I understand where you're going with this. I was just trying to see maybe is it the technicality? Let's make sure the technicality, you know, close that loop off.

Well, we can say general fund, we know what line that is and we can just spell it out and you can put, you can update the line, um, line item. Um, I, you know, I want to pass this now because if we wait another week, that gives another week for my enemies to call all of you and say, don't do it. I know I'm going to attack that big X on my back. So, you know, I like to pass this tonight and you know, I wasn't saying not pass this.

I was just saying, come back with a cleanup to move just literally that technical move from line to lines. But, um, that's all I was, that's, that was my point.

So right now, Alderman Gregory, you said you wanted to amend your amendment, so I'm kind of staying on that for one moment, please. Yes.

To whatever.

Are you referencing the cannabis money you asked the budget director about? Are you referencing the general fund? Do you want to reference the funds?

I'm referencing the general fund at this point, and then I'll speak to the local distributor fund. I just wanted to identify.

I would prefer it be a specialized fund just as the mayor because the general fund is where all of our payroll goes, all of our paychecks. Pension payments come from, I mean, it's the most expensive fund we have. There is not an additional $75,000 sitting around.

Mary, would you like to take it from that fund?

Well, they're running payroll right now, so our computer system is not allowing them to access the finance system because ISD is currently running city payroll. Sorry. Do you have an old TCA 110 you can pull up and look at? Yeah.

We have that.

So do you want to make a, do you mind if I step up for a minute?

Oh, absolutely. Do your thing.

Do we have the line for that other fund? And whatever department need money to get, make sure I take dollars. You're straight. They got a fan. They got a supporter.

I know we're in the middle of discussion. Can I just get a vote from the council to take maybe like a three-minute break so they can look at this? Second. We have a motion and a second for a three-minute break. Yep. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, nay. That way we can figure that out.

Aye. Three minutes.

Also it's freezing in here right now. what's going on over there What's the deal with this? I have no idea. There was no money in it. Just because you pass it doesn't mean.

I didn't see him. I was in the very front row. My wife was first in line. So I saw him. I don't know.

I don't know.

I'm cold now.

Three minutes can't be up because I have to write really quick. I'm sorry? I said three minutes can't be up because I have to write really quick.

No, we're all right.

freezing I got a seat jacket I thought it was going to rain you never know about the rain

so he don't know. Amen. I couldn't find it. It's not in there.

I don't know what the rules are, but I don't know what you can spend it on. If everybody would like to take their seat, our three-minute recess will be over.

Can I get a motion to reconvene the meeting? All those in favor? Those opposed? The meeting is now reconvened. Thank you very much. Alderman, after discussing with the treasurer and the budget director, because they have come up with the line item based on your questioning and what you're looking for of a funding line of 107-BMGT-CNBS-1218.

Which one is that? Like general cannabis. That's the state's portion of cannabis. The one that you asked about. Okay. I don't have a problem with that, but that fund is very, very strict from the state on this uses. It has to be, um, police equipment or violence prevention efforts. So if we do use that fund for this, One of the first things that Dominic would need to do is look at the entrepreneurial food court to get young and people from that community home so they can hire young people and things of that nature. I'll tell you, because I'm from this community, we had a murder in our community. And I can tell you how proud I was of, one of the family members who attended the Taste of Black Springfield. And he had seven, eight of his young nephews, real big family in our community, working, doing their thing. And they help him out consistently everywhere he goes. And that's violence prevention, getting young people a different avenue. Because what goes on in our community a lot is our young people want what they see everyone else have. The cars, the clothes, the houses, all of these things. Oppressed people, poor people will put those things on massive because it makes us feel level, right? I used to wear them glasses. I don't wear them no more. They're fake because somebody told me I look smart in them. I've been wearing them ever since. And You know, I just, if we're going to use this fund, then that's the first thing that he has to do is really look at that. And whether we do it across from South Grand, whether we do it right next to the hub on the old family video lot that we still own, or whether we do it on some other large gaps on 11th Street that we own, that has to be the first thing that we sink our teeth in because that's going to give opportunity to a lot of people. And help the city out. Child sales tax revenue, property tax revenue, county will be happy about that. Those are the things that we have to do. So I'm okay with using that fund, Mayor. I'm okay with using that fund if you are. But I need to make one little tweak towards that, and that's directing him to figure that out first. Because that's the only way you can use that portion of $75,000. Can I speak on that?

Alderman can, uh, Mr. Absolutely.

Um, that was one of the priorities there. I mean, we are obviously exploring, you know, um, some efforts in and around cap 1908. So obviously that's, that's opportunity right across the street there. that would work that's worth exploring and we'll follow that lead and that guidance that, that you've required of us and my mind, our prescription, just to let you know, my glasses are, I can't see without them. I like them.

So, so, all right, let me straighten this thing out more. So 75,000 from the fund that the mirror read out, it was very long. Um, from that fund there, And I'll take your recommendations on how to put, uh, put the language in to ensure that he does the entrepreneur food court.

So this is your amendment to amendment one, correct?

Yes, ma'am. Cause we had, we had to do one anyway to straighten out the fun line.

So we have a first and a second now. Thank you Alderman for that.

Thank you.

So, um, the question that did come to me one moment, if you don't mind Mr Watson corporation council, do you need a minute? Cause you're trying to document all this.

If I could read my own writing. Okay, I think I can do this. So we're going to keep the, the only change will be in section two of amendment number one. We'll change to with $75,000. So on the second line with $75,000 from account number, and then it will read 107. And $50,000 from account number 001-111-DEVL-DEVL-1232. And and then under section 3 the allocation of $75,000 per year shall support expanded strategic planning serve services and implementation efforts within Focusing on Let me get this one Crime prevention programs Right including but not limited to the Entrepreneurial Food Court. Thank you. And then list all the other ones as well. Thank you. That's my amendment. I'm good.

Okay.

I'm sorry, Mr. Watson for interrupting. I just want to make sure we had all that clarified first.

I think I got my clarification in regards to the planning of that, not the implementation or not the execution of the development, but the planning. And then it should probably specify outdoor food court. Cause we do have a indoor food court that we're developing at 1908. Correct. So just wanted to note that.

Okay. So we have, First and a second on the amendment to the amendment. Any other discussion from the Alders on the amendment to the amendment?

Roy, do you want to speak?

Oh, no. That's all right. Okay. So we'll just do a voice vote on the amendment to the amendment. So that would be the funding line. All those in favor of the amendment to amendment one, say aye. Aye. Those opposed, nay. The ayes have it. Now we're back to the amendment as amended. Any further discussion on that from the Alders? Okay, so we will take a voice vote for the amendment as amended. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed nay. The ayes have it. So now we can put the screen back up to the original ordinance and it now has been amendment through amendment number one, or amended, sorry, through amendment number one. So now you have the ordinance in front of you as amended. But no one voted, yeah, so that wasn't real.

Okay. So we need a motion on the ordinance as amended.

So we need a motion. So moved. Second. And we have a second on the ordinance as amended. Is there any discussion to come from the alders on the ordinance as amended? Seeing none, Mr. Watson, did you want to speak about anything to that before they vote? Thank you for coming this evening. So voting will now be open. All those in favor of the amended ordinance will vote aye. Those opposed will vote nay. And the motion passes with nine voting yes, one voting present. The next item on the agenda is item number 2026-283, an ordinance authorizing a one-year agreement with Sentinel Technologies, Inc. for Broadcom VMware licensing maintenance and support for CWLP's virtual server environment in a total amount not to exceed $96,136.96 for the Office of Public Utilities for emergency passage. The chair will entertain a motion to place agenda item number 2026-283 on final passage.

Second.

We have a motion and a second. I would ask that

Director Rogers come up and just explain to you why it's on emergency passage if you do not mind Thank You director This software actually software it's a virtual servers and Last year it was around $40,000 and they changed the way they're doing it So what we ended up doing this year is we combined it, and it was last minute. That's why it's emergency passage. We have to have this or we will be out of compliance with our NERC security requirements, SIP requirements. So it was last minute. They changed it, and we combined what we did at the plant with T&D. So it went from about $40,000 last year to $96,000 this year, and it's all because of the software vendor. They kind of got you. Got you. You know, it's one of those things we don't have a choice. So that's why it was last minute because we were trying to negotiate with them. We just couldn't change it.

Any questions from the alders? I see a puzzled look on one of your faces, but you haven't. Okay. Thank you, Director. Thank you. The voting will now be open. All those in favor of the motion will vote yes. All those opposed will vote no.

10-0, Mayor.

And the motion passes with 11 voting yes, none voting no. I'm sorry, did somebody have something they wanted to say?

It just came on.

Okay, sorry. Yep. Unfinished business. We are at unfinished business now. Last council meeting agenda item number 2026-176 was vetoed. Is there any further discussion or action regarding this item on old business? Seeing none, we will move further. Does anyone else have old business? Hey, we're going to go to new business. Alderwoman purchased. Do you have anything you want to announce? No. Oh, I'm surprised. Alderman Rockford, are you going to talk about Friday night or should I do that?

I'm going to talk about Thursday and Friday.

Okay, then I'm going to let you have the honor, sir. You go right ahead.

So Thursday we have a community meeting out at the Kingpin Lanes, 530 to 7. Mayor Busher and her leadership group will be there. along with myself, and then also we have dinner on the diamond with Ozzie Smith at Lanford Ballpark. Be a big night over there. Friday night, we've got Battle of the Badges at Lanford Park, softball game between the police and the fire department. I know there's already been some talk in the back, but I'll let them handle that amongst themselves. You get a chance, come on out Friday night and enjoy it. Come on out Thursday night to the Kingpin and share your thoughts. Appreciate you.

Alderman Rockford, are you a coach Friday night then, or what are you doing?

No, I'm a bystander.

Oh, okay.

Very interested, though.

Gotcha. Before we get the next two aldermen, could I ask Director Fuchs to come up real quick? Can you touch on your open house tomorrow night, please? And then we'll get to Alderman Gregory and Alderman Notriano. Okay.

Good evening, all. Thank you, Mayor. I'd like to extend an invitation to certainly all the members of the City Council and all the folks in the City of Springfield to attend our open house at the City Garage tomorrow. It starts at 3.30 in the afternoon and runs until 5.30. We'll have a static display of some of our hardware, some of our trucks. I know it's very popular with the kids to touch a truck. And you'll get as close a tour as you would like OF OUR OUTSTANDING FACILITY AT THE GARAGE. SEE WHERE WE DO ALL THE GOOD WORK WE DO FOR YOU, WHERE THAT'S LOCATED. I'M QUITE ANXIOUS TO HAVE YOU ALL COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT MY GARAGE.

YOU WANT TO GIVE THE ADDRESS FOR US, DIRECTOR?

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE STEEL-TOED BOOTS, BUT I WOULDN'T WEAR ANYTHING TOO NICE.

No, no, I meant so people know where to come. So people know where to come, yeah.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I thought you meant dress.

17th and Clear Lake. 17th and Clear Lake. Basically, it's right at the western foot of the bridge, the Clear Lake Bridge. Just look at the salt dome and turn right.

There we go. Thank you.

Thank you, Director.

I appreciate it. Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all tomorrow night.

Is it at Public Works Appreciation Week as well?

It surely is.

Thank you and thank your team. And hopefully everyone will come out and thank them in person.

Well, I will pass those good wishes along to all my folks. I want to bring baked goods.

I'm sure they'll accept them. All right. Thank you. Alderman Gregory.

Oh, man. It's Public Works Week. Dave, I need you. I hate to do it.

God damn. Coming back. Uh-oh.

But I'll be quick. I promise. The grass cutting. The grass cutting. So I know we passed the ordinance to make it easier for us to get that going, but I'm not seeing a rotation day. What's happening? How can I help public groups?

Well, first off, we've gotten a lot of rain, and we've had a lot of really warm weather, so the grass is growing fast. We are processing the requests and the identifications. Of course, we're going through the first go-round of the inspections. The second, third, and following go-arounds is when it's supposed to be made easier, but we still have to make the initial contact, get the initial complaint, and with the inspector making the initial visit. And that's where we're at right now.

Okay. Well, I understand on our private lots, but I think we have some city assets, you know, like the parking lot in South Grand. It needs some attention. The fence needs some attention. Okay. The parking lot in South Grand, the public parking, that needs some attention. The fence is all bent up.

We're not talking about grass. We're talking about the fence.

Well, the fence and the grass and everything. It's my view, Director, that any city property should be maintained the best it can as we do down here downtown. And when we have a public place where we own, we have to keep it up to par. We can't leave it all raggedy because, you know, and I know this is not your intent. but it is on the east side of town, and the perception is that we don't care about it there. There's some inlets or some park, whatever we want to say, the city thoroughfare. There's some areas there that have not been cut, and they're our responsibility to cut. Where are those? It's on 11th Street by 2 Timothy Church, a few blocks to the south of 2 Timothy Church, and they're all over the town, I'm sure. But definitely on the east side, and we have to, you know, come up with some type of rotation because no one's ever going to cut those. And I think that's really, really important for us to do our part at the same time going around holding others to the, you know. Accountable for their properties. I want to make sure we're doing our part too on those lots. I get it I know it's been a lot of rain. I cut every day I get it, but we cut we cut you know when when it's wet to when we got to get it done, so That's just my spill. You know I just see too many lots, and I'm getting too many calls I know see click fix you know we're the highest users of it So I just want to encourage and you know if we need to look at the budget next year and You know I think we increased it once for grass cutting and things of that nature Um, I appreciate you.

Alderman, would you like a zone manager DOS to follow up with you on those areas you're concerned about? I'm just offering.

I don't, you know, I'm sure he can call me. Um, but, but I will say that here's one of my expectations is from a city. We ride past everything I'm talking about every single day, every single day. Some of us, Live. I have to come to work and drive past this stuff. And maybe I'm just different. But I spend my time, I go out, I take pictures, you know that. I write things down. I do all of that. And that's not my job. I ain't getting paid for it. So I think we all have to chip in. I think everybody who works for the city of Springfield, when we see something that is egregious that we have to We have to turn it in. We have to, you know, see, click, fix. I know the mayor uses it. I try to use it. You know, and, you know, so those things have to be done. I know we have some houses, one of the county owns or whatever. The email that I got back, you know, in this box that we're trying to get fixed. And, you know, it's got a mountain high full of trash and stuff. And, you know, we need 24 hours on them days. Mr. Fuchs, Director Fuchs, we need 24 hours on stuff like that. I just got sent another one. I did send it in to Mitch. Another pile of dirty mattresses or whatever the case may be in another separate hold location. This is frequent, but we can't let it stay there. I respect our inspection process. In fact, I'm going to talk with our caucus about a special meeting just on abandoned houses three years of older. and how we can lobby the state to do something about houses like this and buildings like this that people are sitting on forever. We talk about violence prevention. Our kids walk past this mess, but we want them to dream big. But their reality isn't that big, and I'm trying to rid our community of those things. We've done great work over the past eight years in doing that, no doubt, and we continue to do that, no doubt. And I want to do all I can to help because I know our work, our public works workers work hard. And I know our contractors have a beast ahead of them with some of these lots. But if we don't maintain them, then this is starting over every year. And, and I just wanted to share that with you. I appreciate your work and your steadfastness. I know you will address these things and try to speed things up with that. And I know that you guys got a lot on your plate, no doubt. So that's why I try to get out and help and I appreciate you guys and, Sorry to have this conversation this appreciation week.

We'll do the best we can.

Thank you. I do appreciate it. Thank you. Appreciate you.

Anything else, Alderman?

No. Alderman Notriano.

Thank you, Mayor. I would like everyone to join me in congratulating Gymnastic Zone. Gymnastic Zone, their Special Olympics team recently won gold, and they are going to be going to state. That's awesome. Oh, wonderful.

Alderwoman, if you want to get information, we can bring them in and give them certificates and acknowledge them. Yeah, that'd be great. The gymnastic team.

Okay, yeah, absolutely.

We'd be more than thrilled to do that.

Okay, thanks. And lastly, everyone, if you would join me in wishing my mother a happy birthday today.

Happy birthday.

Thank you. Alderman Hanauer.

Yeah, thank you. Dave, thanks for sticking around. And when... Alderman Gregory starts on the grass. It seems like we're all in it. But same thing, a couple things on the grass. We need to get the zone managers and have them out and start writing. or the inspectors to start writing for taller grass. And people can say what they want, but we got the same. And the inspectors know who the owners are that are constantly waiting. They'll wait until June, mid-June, before they mow. And so I would just ask that as the zone managers go out, have them really start looking at different things, right? And so any time that the grass is tall, and we need tournament, and I think the rule is now there's no warning. They go straight. They get one notice.

They get one notice, one 14-day notice.

Well, they do. If I had my way, everybody knows you've got to cut the dang grass. I mean, it's not rocket scientists, you know. But the other thing, one of my pet peeves is are we done with the sticks and branches, right?

For right now, we'll do a citywide branch pickup in August. Okay, but we're done for the last round.

Because what always happens, and it drives me crazy, is two days after they come by, people throw big piles out. And that's another thing. We've got to get it out that they have to take it on their own that we will not be coming by. Otherwise, it's going to sit out there all summer. And that's another thing that I would ask that we have people look and see.

send them a, you know, give them a, put something on their door or something saying, I would utilize this opportunity if you don't mind to encourage everyone to sign up for the city newsletter at springfield.io.us because those pickups are always featured in the weekly newsletter. It's emailed to you. You don't have to read it if you don't want to, but those pickups are notified in there.

And mayor, you know, I know, I think pretty much all of us out on Facebook, we, we put that out there, you know, Hey, have your stuff out, you know, and it's just, it's just maddening that they, they do this. And, and I, there's not a neighborhood that I drive through where you don't see it, you know, and it's just, it's, you know, so if you're listening and you got branches out front, please either break them up, put them in a bag and have the yard waste or take them. You're going to have to take them to J David Jones Parkway to Evans. So thank you.

I'm sure the director will, uh, Give the zone managers your thoughts.

All right. I will pass along your concerns. I've already talked to mine, so I know where that's at.

Ralph, go knock on their door and make a new friend.

Alderman Donlan.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. Director, I also want to pass on a word of thanks to the Department of Public Works for all the efforts. Most of my calls and emails and texts are indeed Public Works related. The responses are appreciated, and we try to get as much done as we can. I know that for a fact. Do you prefer... us to use C-Click Fix or to email you? What is the easiest thing for the department?

C-Click Fix is our new phenomenon, and I know a lot of folks like to use it. Personally, if you want to communicate with me, an email or a text message works the best.

And then one of my pet peeves is, because of what I do for a living, is I notice throughout Communities in Illinois not just Springfield this time of the year We see brush and branches growing in front of stop signs as an example And that can be very dangerous when individuals in particular aren't from the particular neighborhood or area someone might miss it there might be an accident and I would just If you could, and if you need me to provide you some materials, I do have them. I encourage you to work with the zone managers. I'm sure you do this already. I know I've spoken to mine. He's been very responsive when I bring up these issues. But on just patrolling the neighborhoods and making sure that brush is not in front of, in particular, stop signs. I know there's others, stop lights and other traffic control devices, because it can be a true hazard for our neighborhoods. Thank you.

Stop signs are very, very important. You can communicate those with me, or you could call dispatch. That's probably the two most expeditious ways to handle it.

But I will certainly... Like I said, they've always been great, but we just need to continually be proactive about it.

And as we spoke earlier, we've had a lot of rain, we've got warm weather, and everything grows like the dickens, so it's important.

Thank you, Mayor. Alderman Carlson.

Yeah, thank you, Mayor. Director, and maybe Corporation Counsel, I'll ask you, Director. I'm not sure I brought it up, but... When I brought up this order this last year to speed up the grass growing, one thing I brought up, and I'm not sure what we can do, and I might have asked Corporation Counselor Administration, we have to send them that one warning. And I've done a little research, some other municipalities. What if we just do a warning in the newspaper for a week or something in the CWLP bill? This is your one warning. We do it in January or February. This is your one warning. To me, it will speed up the process a little bit more. I mean, obviously, we've sped it up now. I mean, we're probably going to, you know, speed it up two or three times, you know, getting out there. But I think, do you think it will speed up even further? I think, hey, one week in the newspaper or CWLP, here's your warning, 10 inches. We're going to send an inspector out. We're going to fine you $250,000 and the cost of mowing your grass.

Which newspaper?

The one I get delivered every morning at 6 a.m., SJR.

Oh, the two-page one? I'm just asking, you know.

Are you looking for a response from Corporation Council on that?

Well, I don't know if it's some legal thing or not, but I think that maybe, you know, we should look at that if we're going to have, because we all have scoff laws in our wards as far as people just leapfrogging, staying ahead of the system.

Yeah, we talked about this last year, and I'm happy to talk with you again about it in a private setting about the publication.

Thank you. Alderman Williams, do you need the director as well?

I appreciate the department. My ward, we're doing good. Keep it going. I mean, it's going well in Ward 3. Good response. I do want to ask about a provision for weather. branch pickup, for example. If we get a storm and we're past all our pickups and the branches come down and people put them out front, Alderman Hanauer's right. They'll sit all summer unless the neighborhood association gets some kind of creative way of getting them because these particular areas are senior citizens. They're in their 80s. Do we have a provision where certain types of storms bring them down that we'll do another round because of the storm or not?

We would deal with that on a case-by-case basis. Case-by-case, okay. If a particular block lost a couple of trees and there was a lot of limbs down, we would certainly take that into consideration.

And we do that by – I'll just talk directly to you like I do.

Yeah, that would be the way to do it, especially if it's somebody who's a senior citizen or someone who's infirmed. Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Director Fuchs. Chief Zumo would like to come up now and speak with us. Chief, go ahead and come on up.

Good evening, everybody.

Good evening, Chief.

Just wanted to provide a brief update on the Springfield Fire Department Residential Knox Box Home Box Loaner Program. We've officially reinstated it. Thanks to the budget amendment sponsored by Alderwoman Conley, we received more than 100 Knox home boxes, and they are now available through SFD's residential loaner program. This program supports our community risk reduction efforts by helping firefighters gain rapid access during emergencies while reducing unnecessary property damage and improving safety for residents. Because this is a loaner program, our goal is to prioritize these home boxes for residents, who may not otherwise be able to afford one on their own. For those who have the means, I would still, and they'd still like to have the added protection and peace of mind, I would encourage them to purchase one directly through Knox Box. Residential units generally range from about $250 to $600. If you purchase one independently, please contact our fire safety division so we can ensure it is properly registered and placed into our operation within our system. I've provided a handout that you guys are passing around right now with additional information. I have some more in the back if anybody needs them. And tomorrow, our social media outreach will begin to give additional program details, eligibility information, and instructions on how residents can participate and learn more.

Alderwoman Conley Thank You mayor, and I'll be really quick. I just want to thank you for getting on this so quickly again I've had a fair amount of outreach from from residents so who utilizes this program and Really appreciate what it is and and like you said the the speed that they can get into the house But also with that reduction in damage. Absolutely someone's home when someone's had that kind of an emergency. So thank you very much for this Looking forward to sharing some social media posts which is not a phrase I say very often these days. Alderman Cox.

Super easy. Do you have a digital copy of this you can email us?

It'll be on social media tomorrow.

I've got to put this on the Facebook, right?

Yep, just share what we share on the Springfield Fire Department page.

I figure as much. Yep, not a problem. Because you can't read it.

Thank you, Chief. We appreciate the update.

No problem. Thank you.

Do you want to take a second and promote your open house that's coming up? It's not this weekend.

Yeah, Saturday the 30th. It'll be at Station 2, 2810 Stevenson Drive. We'll have some demos and some of our special units out there to show and invite everyone to come out and see what is kind of our training center. Some of it's condemned. Some of it is not. But we're We're not going to show off our pretty firehouse this time. We're going to show you one that we actually live in that we're dealing with and probably needs to be the next one that's replaced.

I'm Martin Luther King, right?

Thank you, Chief.

Nope. Not yet.

Any other new business from the council members? I've got to try. Does anyone need to know? Okay. Seeing none. Clerk, it's your turn now.

James Meister.

Hello. A quick rhetorical question. This is whatever happened to approve in the minutes from the last meeting, uh, get an emotion to approve them, having a discussion about the last meeting and then voting on that to approve the minutes from the last meeting. That's just a rhetorical question. Whatever happened to that? Uh, the last two times I've been here, I spoke on the behalf of the police department and the fact that, uh, Officer Beal has lost the confidence of the citizens of Springfield. The reaction from behind me during those meetings pretty much says it all. And I've asked for Officer Beal's resignation. Retirement for Springfield Police Department is 25 years at any age possible. or 20 years at 55. So officer Beale does not qualify for early retirement or anything like that. So he's not going to address it. He hasn't addressed it. This has been a question that's been asked of him several times and he has yet to address it in public or anywhere else that we know of. I haven't been talked to about it at all by him or anybody else. So as I said the last time, this council needs to do something about that. What I'm going to say next, I'm going to try to leave names out of it. Unfortunately, we all have family members, our husbands, our wives. We marry into family where one of our family members is going to slap us around once in a while in our professional life. An ex-police officer was arrested in Missouri a few years ago for unlawfully discharging his firearm, a felony charge in Missouri. Other officers reported him for this. Somehow, this officer was over the legal limit of drinking, and then he pled down to a misdemeanor, as well as the fact that if you have any firearm charges, anybody here that's Second Amendment, the United States says that if you are legally drunk and using your firearm, carrying your firearm, you'll lose your FOID card. All Springfield did was suspending, demoting. Four years later, you guys can look it up, it was called Shredgate here in Springfield where they shredded all the reports and stuff about this, even though people were asking for copies through FOIA. Unfortunately, this is a family member of one of the council here. I believe that person needs to recuse themselves from any decision made with Springfield police department, as far as asking for, uh, officer Beals resignation. Um, I'm not going to say a lot about good cops and bad cops. There are good cops. There are bad cops, but even a good cop that stands up for a bad cop is a bad cop. We had racist comments made by an ex-cop here in the thing. Now we've got a sign out front saying you can't do it. But it doesn't say you guys can't say names or anything else. I've been called a Nazi here by the council. So that needs to include you guys as well. But this officer, oh, he did nothing wrong. I'm worried that that letter came from that officer, and Springfield Police Department's going to do nothing about it. As far as I'm concerned and everybody else in this citizens here, that letter has two crimes. It's a racist crime, and it's disorderly conduct. Menem, disorderly conduct. That letter needs to have something done about it. That's inappropriate. You guys and I, because I stand up here, you guys got elected in. You guys should know that we have a higher requirement for what we've got to do so we can't go out.

Thank you, sir. Your time is up. Can you please wrap up?

Thank you. Bradley Tusik. Thank you.

Good evening, sir. Good evening.

Could you pull down the microphone so we could hear about that? Yeah, so I just got back from Washington DC With with plans. I was out here in Springfield and I was having trouble Getting my credentials so I hopped up this Washington DC to get my credentials and I sit in a binder with some business to the President of the United States to the Vice President of the United States with the business letter and even a resume with some pretty cool ideas. I wanted to include the governor in it, so I came on back to Illinois because the operations that I'm going to try and bring forth is going to be in Illinois. I'm going to get everything started in Illinois, born and bred in Illinois. And I'm having trouble. I sent him a binder. with my picture in it, a title page, what have you, a business letter and resume, um, with all the, um, all the good stuff in there and what I wanted with the business that I have that I, um, would like to get started with the governor. I figured that he should be involved in the business. I'm considering it's going to be in Illinois. Um, I'm having some issues trying to get ahold of the governor. Um, I'm freelance. I've just started this. Um, and I'm trying to get a lot of other things done as well, but I'm, I could use some help, maybe a lawyer, maybe a point in the right direction. Maybe you guys can help me with this business. Maybe I could send you a binder, um, with the information that I sent the governor, but I really could use maybe like a star player, a guy maybe to point me in the right direction as I go down this field of getting an organization started. Um, I've like five inventions, five ideas, major ideas, that I'm trying to get started and I need a team of people that I've been communicating with. They kind of just watch me here and there and we're going to try and get this started, but I could really use some extra help on a point in the right direction. And as far as communicating with the governor, I sent him a binder with a cover letter in there, my resume, And it looked pretty professional. I spent some money on it. Spent a lot of time on it. And it means a lot to me. But I guess I could talk to you guys later. I don't know where I should go about it. But I just wanted to make this aware to you. I'm asking for help on this matter. I sent some information into the governor. And I could really use the point in the right direction. As well as your guys' help on getting this... Getting this out to the governor, maybe. I sent it to his Chicago office. And I believe he got it. And I'm having trouble with the steps that I need to take and who I need to talk to. Because usually wherever I go, I get pushed away. And I'll just leave it at that.

Um, could you guys comment on, sir, if you want the, my chief of the mayor's chief of staff, Billy Fleischley, we'll meet you over to the side. We have an office of economic development that helps with startups. So, um, he will take your information to connect you with them and they can follow up with you.

Absolutely. Yes. Thank you, Mary Bush.

Excuse me.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

It's an interesting news day today. Do you guys see the comments? You know, I'd wonder if you talk with Van Meter, you might want to get him to calm down a bit. He's starting to give up the ghost. What did he call us? You know what? Hang on. I'll get to that because I want to share a bit of a history lesson with you guys because I'm pretty sure Brad was around for this or Ralph, but I can't ever really reference him. He's so disrespectful. He never stays. Thank God his term's going to be over, right? So let's talk about a five-person appointed board using public money at its own discretion, right? Who appoints them? Right. It's weird, though, because I feel like I got my notes wrong. I'm sorry. I'm looking at that anti-weaponization fund Trump put up. Not CATA, which is also a five-person independently appointed board of unelected officials using public funding on private enterprises. But that's present day. I promised you history, didn't I? Let's talk about Cellini. Anybody? Anybody remember Cellini? How about the hotel over here? What's it called now? Not the Wyndham, not the one on the other side, guys. What's that called? The Renaissance Hotel. Sorry, that's its old name. My bad. See, you guys might remember how that went. The state took public funding and gave it to elected officials to build private hotels. You don't remember that? Well, I'll tell you right now. Former Renaissance. What's it doing right now? Where's it at, guys? It's still tied up in court, isn't it? You know, the saddest thing is when people recycle old ideas and think it's been long enough, everybody forgot about it. You know how much those guys paid back on those loans? Zero. You know why? Because risky ventures are hotels. There's a reason large corporations tend to run them, not cities, not local governments, and definitely not with public money. I mean, the thing is, is they never repaid that money in, I mean, years, years of court. have been tied up over this stuff and how much money from the state and public coffers has gone right into somebody else's pocket, not ours. You know, it's frustrating when we talk about stuff like that because that is a history lesson. If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look it up. I mean, it's out there. This isn't like hidden knowledge I unearthed out of somewhere. It's right on Google. And it's shameful that we're in this same spot because now we have a guy who's been around far too long over at county dictating to you guys. You heard his comments. You were there today, Mayor. You spoke as well. You know, the idea, it's working out this plan. It seems obvious since the project is going on the county's property. County's paid for the studies, county must enact countywide hotel tax. It seems obvious the county should have a leadership role with this project because he claims the Springfield City Council is mad about how they don't have seats at the table. But he said, due to the population decline, we gotta jump right on this. Well, I didn't realize Andy was a city planner. I just thought he was the kind of guy who redrew districts to minimize the city's influence on the county board. I mean, do you guys pay attention to across the street? Do you just leave here and forget that building over there that dictates to you guys how things work? Because that's what they're doing to you now. He's literally telling us, telling us that our elected officials don't have the right to question him. Saying that the media is making unfounded accusations, much like you guys tell us we're not reading bills, like somehow we all went illiterate on our way up here. For the media, it's easier to always report on accusation than to research the facts that refute it. The people that are having a problem with this are a strangely agitated group wasting time and energy like a high school student council trying to rewrite its constitution. You know, they're taking away black representation around the country, and now to watch an ancient old white man dictate to two black predominant wards about how they're going to have things done, well, I mean, guys, I don't need to wait for someone else to say it. That's racism. If you don't see it, if you don't understand the history lesson, if you don't know why it's important to pay attention to it repeating, well, guys, I hope you maybe don't live long enough to see those same mistakes show up. You know, like voting present on something like you did tonight. Like you don't give up the ghost every time you do that. We see you. We see the lack of effort on your parts. And we see the myriad of BS you've built up for this lie that's getting shoved through.

You spent more time tonight on $75 million than you did a $200 million theft.

Sir, your time is over.

Allison Ford.

Just a recap of my last couple of weeks. I came before City Council over an eviction and I was not sure how to just Experience I suppose You know that you know that we are all Hopefully aware that 1159 p.m. On April 30th due to no fault of my own You know both unfortunate and unforeseen circumstances also through every favor loan planning resource Calls to a friend fund a line that I could muster. I just I make my first one eviction easy, I suppose. Did not end up so well. So I came the next week, which was two weeks ago now. Unfortunately, unmedicated. I was unmedicated because during my eviction, procedure was not followed. Officers were supposed to obtain my medicine, my secure documents, and hope that become an even easier transition. So now, I mean, I stand here, you know, and have to apologize, and I think you as well, to every citizen that I have encountered almost within the last two weeks, unmedicated, which if anyone who knows me has been a fight for my life and sending me out there with no medicine, in fact, sending me out there with the risk of going back to the scene of the crime and being arrested for trying to obtain that medicine. I was again just threatened with incarceration. Might as well arrest me now, because again, sending me outside with no anything, but my wit's end is a death sentence to me. I've, you know, since then, I'm not homeless. I have acquired housing. An organization did help me with the funding, you know, but again, I had made plans for all my belongings, even the mess that I was going to leave behind. And I still don't understand why the transition or the experience was warranted. Unless I'm an ad hoc self appointed committee for, I told you so. I came to you before this happened. I came to you after it happened. How do we prevent this from happening again? I don't know how I stand before you now again except you. I apologize to those that had to encounter me and my trauma that then was kind of scoffed at during your city council meetings, that we don't need housing, the one basic necessity that I was fighting for downtown, that there's nowhere to eat downtown. Yes, there is. There's no one downtown. It's not because I'm not there because I'm there. There are two establishments right now. that I hold near and dear to my heart that are downtown that I can't go to, because I was left unmedicated, devastated, looking for a way to prevent this from happening. I still stand before you, hoping that I get glasses sooner. That's all I have today. Thank you for your time.

Thank you. Thank you. That's it.

You OK? Motion to adjourn. Oh wait director Posey. Did you want to say something? Are you good? You do Pardon, I'm sorry. I couldn't hear my apologies if you could all bear with me protector Posey would like to say something

I know she just left, but it bothers me when my staff works so hard to help the people in this community who need it the most, and we have a small staff and a small budget, and I know all of you have sent someone to me or some situation, and we follow up and we help. That woman who just left, we helped working with the continuum of care. We got her house. We got a security deposit paid. First month rent paid. Got her clothes. Got her shoes. Got her prescriptions picked up and bought her brand new prescription glasses. And when people come up constantly with tears and waterworks and say, well, there's nobody that's doing anything for me. My staff works tirelessly to help the people in this community that need it the most. And I will never ask them to come up here and defend how hard they work. But I will not see them sit and look disappointed or frustrated or asked by people across the community, why don't you help this woman and why don't you help that woman? Our three person team helps more people in these situations than anybody else in this city. And we work with every organization in the continuum. Washington Street Mission helped a lot with this. Heartland House helped a lot with this. And people come up here and they give half the story or 25% of the story and they get moved to the front of the line. But we have so many people in this community that need help, who we try to work with every day. And sometimes we can't help them because, you know, we just don't have the resources. We just don't because resources aren't unlimited. But when we can get it done and we do help someone, when people come up here multiple times and lie to you and say they didn't get the help, I, as a supervisor, can't let my staff deal with that. I will go to bat for the hardworking staff of the Office of Community Relations every day of the week. And we provided more help for that woman than we have doggone near anybody in the last three years. But what is not going to continue to happen is people come up here and give you guys one part of the story. And we go and we scramble and we work hard to fix it and address it. And then that's not enough. Because there's way more people who still need our help that we try to help every day for people to keep jumping the line because you get on this microphone or you get in front of those cameras and you turn it on. And you say, people, give this to me. We've given everything that we can and more. But there are more people in the city who need our help. If you need help, the Office of Community Relations is always there. But if that help is not enough, there are other places you can go and you can ask. But we're not going to sit here and act like my staff doesn't work hard and tirelessly longer hours than they need to to help the people that can't help themselves and for it to be, it just to be OVERLOOKED AND THROWN AWAY LIKE THAT. AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE GOTTEN REPORTS. WE BOUGHT HER CLASSES YESTERDAY. I REFUSE, ABSOLUTELY REFUSE AS THE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY RELATIONS TO LET MY STAFF GET MISTREATED AND DISRESPECTED AS IF THEIR HARD WORK DOES NOT MEAN SOMETHING. AND I WAS NOT LEAVING HERE TONIGHT WITHOUT MAKING THAT STATEMENT PUBLIC SO EVERYBODY CAN KNOW.

Thank you, Director. We appreciate you, Ethan, and your staff.

Motion to adjourn. So moved. Second. All those in favor? Aye. Opposed? The ayes have it.