2026-10-06 - City Council

00:08What?

00:08Paul Julia.

00:10You.

00:12I

00:13Judy.

00:14Oh,

00:16I have to remember I had my

00:17cramps. What's wrong?

00:20I don't think that's illegal.

00:224 to 5 bottles a day now.

00:25OK

00:30OK.

00:31Yeah.

00:34I get a refrigerator.

00:40Yeah

00:40Yeah, let's see.

00:48Music

00:49Oh

00:56What

01:01Federal.

01:01You know, OK, Mayor.

01:05The chair will call the October

01:076, 2026 meeting of the City

01:09council to order. Would you

01:09please rise for the Pledge of

01:11Allegiance.

01:14I pledge allegiance to the flag

01:15of the United States of America.

01:20the republic, which it stands

01:21nation under God.

01:24Indivisible with liberty and

01:25justice for all.

01:27Clerk Redpath, can you please

01:28tell me?

01:29Ma'am.

01:32Alderman Cox here.

01:36Alderman Gregory Alderman

01:38Williams. Alderman Rockford W

01:41Purchase all the women here

01:42Alman Carlson here, Alderman

01:46Conley Conley Alderman Conley

01:46here. Alderman Hanauer here.

01:48Mayor Busher present, do you

01:49have a quorum, Mayor. Thank you,

01:51Clerk. The civility pledge in

01:52the interest of civility, I

01:54pledge to promote civility by

01:56listening, being respectful of

01:57others, acknowledging that we

01:58are all striving to support and

02:01improve our community and

02:02understanding that we each may

02:03have different ideas for

02:04achieving.

02:04that objective.

02:06This evening we will have one

02:08presentation. I think, uh,

02:09budget director Metzger is going

02:11to come up and give you a

02:12presentation tonight.

02:40Good evening. Good evening. I'm

02:42Ramona Metzker. I am the

02:43director of the Office of Budget

02:45Management.

02:47And tonight I am presenting our

02:49corporate fund midyear report

02:51and ward activity report.

02:53Thank you.

02:55You're welcome.

02:57For the report. Yeah.

02:59I always say before a budget,

03:00like, you know, feed us a little

03:02bit.

03:04OK, Joanna.

03:05Yeah, you're good. So this first

03:08chart is our corporate fund

03:10update and the chart compares

03:12the fiscal year 25, vital resort

03:15, final results to the fiscal

03:18year 206 results, which are

03:21pending finalization by the

03:22city's external auditors.

03:25The unaudited draft for the

03:27corporate fund indicates that

03:29the fund balance ended fiscal

03:32year 2026 is gonna end in a more

03:35favorable position than

03:36originally projected, finishing

03:38above budget expectations with

03:41an $11.4 million dollar increase

03:44in fund balance.

03:45Our original budgeted estimate.

03:49Ended ending balance as a

03:52percentage of expenditures was

03:5524.3 million or 23, I can't talk

04:00, 24.3% instead of 42.4%

04:03percentage of expenditures with

04:04a deficit of 11.8 million, so we

04:07went from 11.8 million negative

04:09to a positive 11.4 million for

04:11fiscal year 2026.

04:14This improvements primarily due

04:16to stronger than budgeted

04:18revenues and conservative

04:20spending as well as there's some

04:22timing of multi-year grant

04:24activity.

04:25The fiscal year 2027, original

04:28budget was based on conservative

04:31revenue estimates and assume

04:33full spending of appropriate

04:34budget.

04:35The current estimate for fiscal

04:37year 27 shows improvement.

04:40Due to better than expected

04:41property tax and sales tax

04:44revenues.

04:44In addition, expenditure

04:47requests are continuous,

04:49continuously reviewed for need.

04:51Fiscal year 27 has included

04:53delayed equipment purchases and

04:56natural hiring legs contributing

04:58to a reduction in the projected

05:00spend.

05:12Are um public safety pension

05:14funding, this, this graph.

05:17Or this table um is

05:20demonstrating the levy shortfall

05:22, so the chart shows 10 years of

05:25police and fire funding, um,

05:28contributed at the state

05:30statutory rate of 90% funded by

05:33the year 2040.

05:34As well as additional

05:36contributions that have been

05:37made via ordinance.

05:39The levy revenue column is the

05:40amount the city received in

05:42property tax revenue, as you can

05:44see in the levee shortfall

05:45column, which is in red font.

05:48The property tax revenue is

05:50insufficient to cover the annual

05:51police and fire pension

05:53contributions.

05:55The fire pension fund had a

05:59funded percentage increase of

06:011.63% from the prior valuation

06:03and at 2:28, 2026 was funded at

06:1051.12% on an actuarial value of

06:12basis and an increase of 6.39%

06:14from the previous fiscal year to

06:1956.658% on a fair value of asset

06:21funding percentage.

06:23Our police pension fund had a

06:25funded percentage increase of

06:291.31% from the prior evaluation

06:31and a 22826 and at 2:28 26 was

06:37funded at 55.54% on an actuarial

06:41value of basis and an increase

06:43of 7.48% from the previous

06:46fiscal year to 61.64% on a fair

06:50value of asset funding

06:52percentage.

06:52And I would also like to know

06:54that the Illinois Municipal

06:55retirement Fund, IMRF for short,

06:58covers all employees not covered

06:59by the police and fire pension

07:01funds for the calendar year 2025

07:04, I am rap was funded at 99.31%

07:09of plan fiduciary net position

07:11as a percentage of total pension

07:14liability.

07:20This next slide is also on

07:24public safety pension funding

07:26and these charts for the police

07:28and fire pension fund is from uh

07:33demonstrate from 1998 through

07:35fiscal year 26, the investment

07:39assets or ending assets and the

07:40total expense incurred.

07:43The navy blue section represents

07:44the ending Fair value of the

07:47assets and the yellow section in

07:49each chart represents the

07:50retirement expenses paid to the

07:52planned retirees.

07:54For the top chart, the police

07:58pension assets and fiscal year

08:001998, we're at $54.5 million and

08:04in fiscal year 26, the ending

08:06fair value of assets was at

08:09$2073 million.

08:10The benefit payments made to

08:12retirees represented by the

08:13yellow for fiscal year 26 was

08:1722.9 million.

08:19The bottom chart includes the

08:20fire pension assets, which is

08:22also a navy blue and in fiscal

08:25year 1998, those, those assets

08:29were at 62.5 million.

08:30And a fiscal year 26 to adding

08:32fair value of assets, was it 225

08:36million.

08:37The benefit payments made to

08:40retirees represented by the

08:41yellow for fiscal year 26 for

08:43the fire pension was 20.7

08:46million.

08:50Before I go into the award

08:51reports, does anyone have any

08:52questions on anything that's

08:53been covered?

08:54I have a question. Alderwoman

08:56Conley, thank you. Just real

08:57quickly, would it be possible

08:59for us to get a projection

09:02version of that slide, um, like

09:03looking out for the next 10

09:06years for actual expenses versus

09:08fund balance.

09:09Um, those two pension funds for

09:11the pension funds, yes, I have

09:13that on order with the actuary.

09:14Wonderful. OK, thank you very

09:16much.

09:17Anything else Alderwoman Conley?

09:18That's it. Thank you, Mayor

09:20Alderwoman Notriano, thank you,

09:21Mayor. Um, so.

09:24Are these um.

09:27Number, numbers accounting for

09:30inflation.

09:30Like.

09:33So like the sales tax. No, no,

09:35no, I'm sorry, I'm talking

09:37specifically about the public

09:39safety pension funding.

09:41Like

09:42So those, those are calculated

09:44by our actuary and.

09:47And they, um.

09:49Actuarial calculation, I'm not

09:51actually sure. It's not so much.

09:54Cost of living adjustments, I

09:55mean, they do have a table for

09:57cost of living, living and

10:01mortality tables and they use um

10:05tables for um.

10:07Uh, determining, uh.

10:11Uh, the amount of increases that

10:14are generally received, um, so

10:18there's all kinds of tables that

10:19the actuaries do use.

10:21And then they do smoothing some

10:23smoothing is over.

10:25Like a few years where other

10:27smoothings done over 15 years,

10:29like for example, our

10:31contributions when we make

10:33additional contributions, um.

10:35Dollar for dollar that increases

10:37it decreases our net pension

10:40liability, but that that has

10:42been smoothed over 15 years for

10:45the contribution adjustment, so

10:47we don't see big swings in the

10:49contribution.

10:50So I guess um the example the

10:52actuary gave me a $700,000

10:57contribution to our plan might

10:59reduce our plan by $50,000 in

11:01our contribution in the

11:03subsequent year. OK.

11:04Thank you.

11:05Any other questions, Alderwoman

11:05Norian? No, OK.

11:08I think we're OK. You can go on.

11:11So, um, this next section is on

11:13our award reporting and I have

11:14for the Office of Planning and

11:16Economic Development.

11:20are

11:21First table and uh this table,

11:23um.

11:24shows the expenditures by ward

11:27for fiscal year 27 to date, it

11:31includes all expenditures for

11:34the planning and economic

11:35development office, um, the

11:39miscellaneous column is.

11:41All other expenses that are

11:45incurred by the department, so

11:46that could include things like

11:49um Heartland House and AT&T and

11:52postage and office supplies,

11:54it's everything that does not

11:55fall in one of the categories

11:57across the first row of one of

11:59the projects or um tip funds.

12:02Um, the ward numbers are down

12:05the side and the 11th row is

12:09W-all, and that is a road that

12:12affects all wards.

12:14Um,

12:16And

12:17The percentage on the far right

12:20column is the total by ward over

12:23the grand total and the total on

12:25the bottom is the total

12:29percentage of each program over

12:31the grand total.

12:35Yeah

12:36Anyone have any questions on

12:37this one? Alderwoman purchase.

12:39Thank you. uh, Ms. Ramona, so I

12:42noticed for Ward 5, cause you

12:44said the wards are listed on the

12:46side. It's Ennis Park Tiff no

12:49longer avail it's not on here,

12:50so I see like you have for 2 and

12:533 they have the Far East TI, the

12:55SHA TI. I'm only showing the

12:57downtown but I have Ennis Park

13:00too. I'm not sure if we've had

13:02any disbursements out of Eus

13:03Park so far this year, um, I'll.

13:05I'll Double check that, but I

13:07know that the total amount is

13:10tied to our system, so I will

13:13jot that down. Thank you. Let me

13:14know because we'll need to

13:15promote that.

13:18Also older woman, the fiscal

13:19year started March 1, so it's

13:21been about 6 months, so.

13:23before any money might have been

13:26.

13:26Well, just say I'm just like

13:29saying

13:29If you have requests, you still

13:30have 60 yeah, OK, so the time.

13:33Oh, excuse me, the director of

13:37Office and Planning and Economic

13:38Development, Amy Raising just

13:39said no, there's been no

13:42expenditures from the Ennis Park

13:43Tiff.

13:45Any other questions, Alderwoman

13:48Pre? Mhm. Alderman Gregory Miss,

13:49Miss Amy, when you get time, can

13:51you give me the totals on the

13:53SHA and the Far East TIFF, um,

13:55both of them are within 10 years

13:58of exploration, so tho those

14:00totals will be important. Thank

14:01you. I appreciate it.

14:04Any other questions, Alderman?

14:05No, ma'am.

14:06Good.

14:07Director.

14:11Um, this next report, um, is the

14:12ward report for the Department

14:14of Public Works.

14:19And um this table summarizes

14:21each ward as well as the total

14:23of projects in the, in the wards

14:25and we will be preparing a

14:27budget soon. We've started our

14:29budget already for FY 28. We've

14:32had our kickoff and um.

14:34As you need to meet with a

14:37public works or with our budget

14:39staff, please let us know,

14:40schedule an appointment, um,

14:42everyone's happy to work with

14:43you.

14:47And the subsequent pages go into

14:49the detail, um, by Ward and

14:52street.

14:53I'm not going to have the

14:54director go by that line by line

14:55, but you can all look at that

14:57and ask questions from the

14:58director or the public works

14:59director if you have questions

15:01going forward on projects in

15:03your ward, if you're OK with

15:04that.

15:04Is everyone all right with that?

15:06Mm.

15:08And this will also be posted

15:09online.

15:12Um, the next, uh, table is the

15:16ward report for the water

15:17department.

15:18And uh the first column is the

15:20ward, 2nd, um, is the estimate

15:24of all projects and they did

15:27estimate high and uh those the

15:29third column is the completed as

15:31of September 15th.

15:34And the subsequent pages.

15:37Also go into detail, which is

15:39very difficult to read, um.

15:42Sorry about that.

15:46And there are 2 pages of details

15:49for the water report.

15:52I'm gonna stop you for one

15:53second. Alderwoman Conley has

15:54her button pushed. Thank you. I

15:55was just, where is this going to

15:56be posted for people who want to

15:57look?

15:58Um, it'll, it'll be, uh, on the

16:02open Gov website Open government

16:04, so it can be, um, reached by

16:08going to department's mayor or

16:10department's Office of Budget

16:11Management. Thank you very much.

16:12Bless you.

16:13Thank you.

16:18This, uh, last word report is

16:20for the electric fund.

16:23And the first column again is

16:25Ward. The second is a high-level

16:27estimation of the cost and the

16:29third is the cost update or the

16:32cost as of the project, it's a

16:34completed date, so cost

16:35completion date. Those are costs

16:38incurred through June of 2026.

16:42And the subsequent pages also

16:45are the detail on the electric

16:48projects.

16:51Any questions, uh, from the

16:53elders on any of the public

16:55works slash CP pages.

17:01Pause for one second because I

17:01see you all looking at the paper

17:09.

17:09I asked him, there you go.

17:11Looking for Gorsuch.

17:15Now, uh, I'm gonna, I'm gonna

17:16ask some questions.

17:20Are we all fine with the

17:24director

17:24Thank you, Director Metz for

17:25your presentation. We appreciate

17:26it. Thank you.

17:31Thanks, Ramona.

17:34I

17:34The chair will now entertain a

17:35motion to dispense with the

17:36reading of the minutes of the

17:38September 29, 2026 regular city

17:40council meeting and approve the

17:41minutes.

17:42I have a motion. Thank you for

17:44the second. Any discussion?

17:46Seeing none. All those in favor

17:47of the motion, please say aye.

17:49Those opposed? Nay, the ayes

17:50have it. The chair will now

17:52entertain a motion to

17:53incorporate the pre-council

17:53first reading of ordinances into

17:55the record of this council

17:57meeting. We have a motion on the

17:582nd. Any discussion.

18:00Seeing none, all those in favor

18:01of the motion, please say aye.

18:03Those opposed? Nay, the ayes

18:04have it.

18:05The next item on the agenda is

18:07the consent agenda. The chair

18:07will entertain a motion to

18:09incorporate the pre-council

18:10reading of the consent agenda

18:11into the record of this council

18:13meeting. We have a motion to

18:14second any discussion.

18:16Seeing none, all those in favor

18:17of the motion, please say aye.

18:19Those opposed, nay, the ayes

18:20have it. The chair will

18:21entertain a motion to place the

18:25consent agenda on final passage

18:26we have a motion in a second.

18:28Any discussion?

18:30Seeing none, the voting will now

18:31be open. All those in favor of

18:32the motion will vote yes. All

18:33those opposed will vote no.

18:37And the motion passes with 10

18:38voting yes, none voting no.

18:42Agenda item number 2026-339

18:44remains tabled or in committee.

18:46The next item on the agenda is

18:49item 2026-420. An ordinance

18:52appointing Patricia Meyer, Terry

18:53Young, and Robert Frazier to the

18:55Springfield Planning and Zoning

18:56Commission. The chair will

18:56entertain a motion to place

18:59agenda item number 2026-420 on

19:02final pass. We have a motion in

19:04a second. Any discussion.

19:05Yeah.

19:06Alderman Rockford? Oh, OK.

19:09Seeing none, the voting will now

19:10be open. All those in favor of

19:11the motion will vote yes. All

19:12those opposed will vote no.

19:18The motion passes with 10 voting

19:19yes, none voting no, and I see

19:21Mr. Frazier is here, so welcome,

19:23Mr. Frazier to the Planning and

19:25zoning commission.

19:25Robert.

19:32The next item on the agenda is

19:362026-449, an ordinance

19:38authorizing an agreement under

19:41RFPHR 27-18 with Springfield

19:44Clinic, DBA Midwest Occupational

19:46Health Associates, MOHA to

19:48administer pre-employment,

19:49post-employment and fit for duty

19:50medical examinations, random

19:52reasonable suspicion, return to

19:53work post accident and drug and

19:54alcohol testing services for

19:56potential new hires and current

19:58employees in the workplace from

19:59September 15, 2026 through

20:01December 31, 2029.

20:04amount, not to exceed $360,000

20:06for the Office of Human

20:10Resources for emergency passage.

20:11Uh, the chair will entertain a

20:13motion.

20:13Like we accept.

20:16a second.

20:19The ordinance. We have a motion

20:20in the second to accept the

20:21ordinance as per, as brought

20:23forward. Um, I know Chief of

20:26Staff Blechley has for

20:28discussion, spoken to, I think

20:29each of you about the emergency

20:31passage purpose, but Director

20:33Kink, for those that are, um,

20:34listening at home, can Can you

20:35just come up and explain why

20:36this is an emergency passage, if

20:37you don't mind.

20:38Thank you.

20:44At the, thank you for listening

20:45to me. Uh, of course it's great

20:46to see all of you.

20:48At the near the end of July, uh,

20:51our Posey is saying he can't

20:52hear you. Can you, I'm sorry. OK

20:54, thank you, Mr. President. Uh,

20:56near the end of July, our

20:58previous, um,

20:59The vendor came to us and said

21:01it was Saint John, they were no

21:02longer going to be providing

21:03these services.

21:04They were shutting down 43

21:06clinics.

21:07So we became very panicked

21:08because we use them, our AC

21:12Health, uh, extremely, extremely

21:13, uh, so many different ways and

21:15areas. So we immediately got on

21:17the process of getting the RFP

21:19out there and, um, the process

21:21is just long that it just took

21:23us, took us to this, but we're

21:24ready to go. If this gets passed

21:26and to proceed.

21:27Proceed with businesses.

21:30Any questions from the elders

21:30for Director King?

21:31No.

21:34Thank you, Director. Seeing none

21:35, the voting will now be open.

21:36All those in favor of the motion

21:37will vote yes All those opposed

21:39will vote no.

21:43And the motion passes with 11

21:44voting yes, none voting no.

21:49Is there any old business to

21:50come before the council at this

21:52time.

21:53The altars with old business.

21:57Alderman Hanauer. Well, it's.

21:59OK.

22:02So if seeing no old business,

22:03we'll go to new business,

22:04Alderman Hanauer. Thank you,

22:05Mayor. Um, I believe that we

22:06have a, uh.

22:08New rule that we cannot have

22:11meetings when we have an

22:12election.

22:12With that are

22:16November 2nd, uh, meeting

22:18November 3rd November 3rd, it's

22:20a Tuesday, same day as election

22:22day, uh, I make a motion that we

22:24move that to Wednesday, November

22:27.

22:284th 2nd we have a motion a 2nd

22:30to move the meeting on from

22:32Tuesday the 3rd to Wednesday,

22:33the 4th of November in 2026, uh,

22:36due to the state statute saying

22:39we cannot have a public meeting

22:40on election day.

22:41Uh, any discussion from the

22:42elders. I know some of you are

22:43signed up to speak, just raise

22:44your hand if you want to discuss

22:45that.

22:45Seeing none, all those in favor

22:47say aye. Those opposed, nay, the

22:49ayes have it. So our meeting

22:50will be on Wednesday, the 4th,

22:52and, and I would remind the

22:55clerk, um, in for next year

22:58calendar that that.

22:59We got to move that same meeting

23:01for April. I won't be here.

23:04Well, you will be when we pass

23:06the ordinance for the schedule.

23:08Are you doing something before

23:11December.

23:14OK. Interesting. It's news to me

23:16. Uh, anything else, Alderman

23:17Hanauer? No, that's it. All

23:19right, Alderman Gox, thank you,

23:20Mayor. Um, as, uh, I think most

23:23people know October is breast

23:26cancer awareness month and, um,

23:27this isn't something that I've

23:29been super, super public with.

23:30We haven't kept it a secret

23:32necessarily, but um in March of

23:3325, my wife was diagnosed with

23:36triple negative breast cancer

23:38and, um uh, so October has a

23:40different meaning to me,

23:41especially this year.

23:42Um, even more than it did a year

23:44ago, uh, and I, I bring it up

23:47just because it is the, the

23:48awareness month. There are

23:49dozens of events going on around

23:52Springfield and the surrounding

23:53counties, um, and all over the,

23:55all over the country, probably

23:56for that matter. Um, and, and I

23:58just encourage folks to support

24:01those events, um, it, uh, it's a

24:02terrible.

24:04Terrible disease and um.

24:07Luckily, uh, you know, because

24:09of people's donations and people

24:12supporting all the, the various,

24:14um, breast cancer research

24:16programs that are out there. My

24:17wife's fine now. She, she's, um,

24:20cancer-free, um, it was a really

24:23crappy 2025, but, um, she's

24:25doing great and she feels good

24:26and she is officially

24:27cancer-free, so, um, I just want

24:29to encourage folks to go out and

24:31support.

24:35Thank you and I thank you on her

24:37behalf of, um, she might kill me

24:38when I get home because she.

24:40Uh, doesn't like to be the, the

24:41spotlight, but, um,

24:43Yeah, so just, I, I just really

24:44encourage folks to, uh, to get

24:47checked, um, you know, she

24:48didn't find hers through a

24:49typical mammogram, uh, you know,

24:50something just didn't feel right

24:52, and she literally looked at me

24:53and she said, when should I

24:53worry? And I said, right now.

24:55It's gonna be nothing, and it

24:57ended up being life-changing. Um

24:59, and, uh, it goes for men too

25:00because I've learned a lot. Uh,

25:02there's a lot more men that get

25:04breast cancer than we realize,

25:05um, you know, we all know what

25:06happens, but it happens a lot

25:07more frequently than folks

25:08realize. So, um, don't be too

25:10proud if something doesn't feel

25:11right, go get checked out and um

25:14Uh, again, just please support,

25:16uh, the research that's out

25:16there, you know, these, these

25:18organizations, they, they make

25:20an incredible, incredible

25:22difference. So, thank you very

25:23much, Mayor. I appreciate it.

25:23Yeah, thank you for bringing

25:24that up, Alderman, and in the

25:27newsletter that we put out every

25:28Thursday. I did write about

25:30breast cancer awareness that men

25:31and women are both affected by

25:33that. And, um, one easy way to

25:35give back is Mellow Cream this

25:37month is contributing $1 to the

25:40Pink Warriors for every pink

25:42donut sold at Mellow Cream, so

25:43it's super easy to.

25:44donate that way. And I have to

25:46give director raising a shout

25:47out. I think she's here uh,

25:48she's one of the founding

25:50members of Pink Warriors and

25:52what their money does is they

25:55give rides and help to those who

25:57are suffering from breast cancer

25:58and need assistance. Do you want

26:00to speak? Do you wanna speak to

26:01that just for a second? I'll let

26:04you, uh, talk about the

26:06philanthropy going on locally

26:07for local residents.

26:09Thank you very much, Mayor.

26:11Um, we founded Pink Warriors as

26:12a team at the Susan G. Komen

26:14race for a cure and we were the

26:16group that brought that to

26:17Springfield. We thought the

26:17state capital should have that.

26:19It used to happen around the

26:20downtown state Capitol. We had

26:21the pink fireworks and

26:23everything. Susan G. Komen does

26:25incredible research like what

26:27Alderman Cox was just talking

26:28about that needs to happen that

26:30we need to find a cure so that

26:31no one is diagnosed with breast

26:33cancer and they don't have to

26:34hear those words in the meantime

26:37our group of women, just a group

26:39of 7 of us here in Springfield

26:40wanted.

26:40The money to stay local.

26:43And so we took our Pink Warriors

26:45um from being a team to being an

26:47ongoing fundraising effort. We

26:48put our money at the community

26:50foundation. So again, keeping it

26:52local, helping it grow and our

26:55grants go to local nonprofit

26:58medical providers SAU in the

27:00foundations at our various

27:01medical um centers and they help

27:03women like what the mayor just

27:04said, women and men.

27:07Rides wigs, transportation,

27:09co-pay and deductibles, all

27:10sorts of things that happen in

27:11their homes, but it says look

27:12we've just given out 2 $5000

27:15grants recently and that's just

27:167 of us doing this fundraising,

27:18so Malocream is a great

27:19supporter for that. We also are

27:22doing a chili, um, evening, um

27:25this weekend at Casey's on

27:26Saturday. There'll be all sorts

27:27of things there are other ways

27:29to, um, add to our funds and

27:31come out for chili and uh and

27:33more so and our group is growing

27:35we have more than.

27:35Um, 8 or 9 women now doing this

27:38fundraising locally. Thank you

27:40so much.

27:42Any other new business.

27:44Seeing none, clerk, we will go

27:46to citizens who have signed up

27:48in advance to address the

27:49council.

28:02I looked at the agenda tonight

28:03and I was like, we're going to

28:04be here for a while, so you know

28:06, thank you for the quick

28:07agreement everybody. I'm sure we

28:08have a nice evening to get to,

28:09but.

28:10Mostly tonight I want to speak

28:12here as part of the Purple

28:14Coalition about the landlord

28:16registry that has not even been

28:18fleshed out yet. There's been a

28:20lot of misstatements made in the

28:21last couple of weeks by

28:23landlords who have a vested

28:25interest in preventing organized

28:28oversight of their ownership.

28:29That should make anyone question

28:31their motives.

28:33This isn't new taxes. There's

28:34not going to be some big giant

28:36scheme to take away anybody's

28:40property or find somebody out of

28:42ownership. What we're asking is,

28:44is a number of decrepit housing

28:46units, landlords who failed to

28:48listen to the complaints of

28:50their tenants who pressure them

28:51unfairly, who collect rent and

28:54innumerable amounts who refused

28:55to allow repairs or force

28:57tenants to engage in those

29:00repairs without any remuneration

29:01or

29:02removing it from the wreck.

29:03I mean, people are out here

29:05living in disparate housing. I

29:06myself have an eviction on my

29:08record, and I can tell you why.

29:10Because the landlord I had

29:11tricked me in my early twenties,

29:15took over $2400 from me in cash

29:17and assured me he'd drop a lease

29:19off.

29:20Well,

29:20I didn't think about it. I was

29:21working all the time. I was in

29:22my twenties. I just paid him

29:24over a significant amount of

29:26rent.

29:26I was good for a couple months I

29:28assumed. And so one morning the

29:31Sangamon County Sheriff showed

29:32up to evict me from my home.

29:34They assured me that I would

29:35have been served, but

29:37In actuality, I was not. My

29:38landlord had intercepted the

29:40mail that would have given me my

29:42eviction court date.

29:44It was rather interesting. One

29:45of the other renters had seen

29:46him do it, and he even laughed

29:47about it because he didn't like

29:49me individually, he stated,

29:51didn't agree with my politics.

29:53So I ended up sitting on a curb

29:56for about 14 hours waiting for

29:57someone to get a U-Haul van to

29:59me because at the time I did

30:00actually have quite a number of

30:02valuable things. I don't know if

30:03you've ever put your life's

30:04possessions on the curb, but

30:06people start circling pretty

30:07quickly.

30:08I just sit there for a long time

30:10and protect my stuff and even

30:12physically threaten people.

30:12To keep them away from my own

30:14property because of what my

30:16landlord did, and I'll tell you,

30:17it took me a really long time to

30:19be able to rent anywhere from

30:20people that I did not know

30:21because of that eviction.

30:23That is a black mark on your

30:24record, and there was really no

30:26recourse because I'd missed my

30:27day.

30:30It's that kind of leaders who

30:32run housing and treat housing as

30:34their right, not the right of

30:35the tenants, not the people who

30:36live there, not the children and

30:39families who seek their

30:41oversight for access to housing.

30:43This isn't something that should

30:45be regulated individually.

30:46It shouldn't be subject to the

30:48whims of one person and how they

30:50feel about the person they are

30:51renting to.

30:52There should be a business if

30:53you pay for the service, you get

30:55it.

30:56That's simple. And if landlords

30:57aren't doing that, then we

30:59should be doing our absolute

31:02best to stop them from that. The

31:03fact that they have to spread

31:05lies, there's signs right now.

31:07One block from my house saying

31:08that the landlord register is

31:10going to raise taxes.

31:12There isn't a landlord registry

31:14in this country.

31:16That raises taxes. You can look

31:17it up, I promise you that's a

31:19fact.

31:21Because that's not what landlord

31:23registries do. They establish an

31:25authority, an oversight body to

31:27ensure that housing within the

31:29city is fair, equitable,

31:31accessible, and safe for the

31:33occupants. If you as a landlord

31:34can't do that, then maybe we

31:36should find you. Maybe we should

31:38have more inspectors check up on

31:40you and do more than just you

31:42assure us that the problem will

31:43be taken care of because housing

31:45, for me personally.

31:46in for a lot of people, housing

31:48is a right.

31:50We deserve to have somewhere to

31:51live that is all the things I

31:53named.

31:53And whether or not it's

31:55A landlord should put up.

31:57With things, that's fine.

31:58There's ways to create ways in

31:59the registry for tenants that

32:01don't follow the rules, who

32:02shirk the rent, who aren't going

32:03to do the right things or damage

32:05the property, but

32:08Why is there nothing for that

32:09kind of oversight.

32:10Food is

32:12Something we have oversight over

32:14, right? There's regulation for

32:15that, driving, there's licensing

32:16for that, but housing.

32:19The entire sum of someone's

32:21entire life, all their property,

32:22their memories, their clothing.

32:25The records. It all goes there.

32:27So when we talk about housing,

32:29it's not just an apartment or a

32:32rental. This is where any of us,

32:33if you've ever seen the remnants

32:35of a house fire, you know how

32:37damaging losing housing can be,

32:39but so is the landlord who lies

32:41to you.

32:43or intimidates you or forces you

32:45to put a sign in your yard

32:46because you're too scared to

32:48even speak up out of retaliation

32:50.

32:50That's the environment we have

32:52now.

32:52We have the ability to create a

32:56safe, well regulated, well

32:59participated landlord registry.

33:01Roy is invited people

33:02Very loudly to do so, and I

33:04encourage you when it passes to

33:05do that as a council. Thank you.

33:07Thank you.

33:08James Johnson.

33:19You beat Buffalo.

33:21Started ma.

33:24We start with saying,

33:27Real men wear pink on Fridays

33:29too.

33:32Real men wear pink on Fridays.

33:35So I stand to support breast

33:38crafts awareness as well.

33:39I also want to thank Vanessa

33:42Knox.

33:43We

33:43Putting some light on some stuff

33:45and.

33:46Seemed like it worked because

33:49Some things finally hit the news

33:51.

33:51And uh hit the paper.

33:54And the son of fortunate that we

33:55have to come up here and mention

33:57stuff and say stuff.

33:59And do you really want me to

34:01tell you why to be 20 does it.

34:03We have to go over this one

34:05again.

34:07Cause I'm still gonna support

34:10champagne, Decatur News.

34:11news station.

34:13It's a rare path, you know, you

34:15still got a job if you need one.

34:17But uh.

34:20It's unfortunate that a lot of

34:21stuff has to.

34:22Come up here.

34:24And be mentioned

34:27But the stuff that needs to be

34:29mentioned don't get mentioned.

34:33And I'm gonna move on. I've

34:34really been wanting to come up

34:36here and talk about how

34:37important this midterm is.

34:41And I need everybody, all our

34:42people to get out and vote.

34:45And we

34:48And I'm talking to my people.

34:50My brothers and my sisters.

34:53We got to turn out and vote.

34:56We gotta stop, step up.

34:58We gotta start making a

34:59difference.

35:02Because what happened, what was

35:05said from the dictator of this

35:07country.

35:07That's called treason.

35:12It ain't don't nobody else wanna

35:13admit it, I'm gonna stand up

35:13here and say it.

35:15I don't care how you look at it.

35:18You make threats to another

35:20state, city, country, people.

35:24Correct me if I'm wrong, I think

35:26that's Article 2 or something.

35:28That's a line of trees.

35:31So if you don't think

35:33What's happening in our country

35:34right now is serious.

35:37And voting.

35:39It's important.

35:42Then you in for a rude awakening

35:46.

35:46Because after these midterms

35:47things gonna get real shaky.

35:49And I know sometimes you don't.

35:51Y'all hear me, but you don't

35:52hear me.

35:55But they are already trying to

35:56steal it.

35:59Things are already being done.

36:01I

36:02And I'm gonna move on from that.

36:04But y'all can take this info and

36:07sleep on it if you want, but

36:08these mentors gonna be important

36:11.

36:12We gonna have to get down.

36:15For the women,

36:17And the children

36:20That anywhere around me.

36:22Go get protected.

36:26By any means necessary, we're

36:27gonna do what we gotta do and I

36:28need the rest of the men, the

36:31real men, stand up and let's do

36:32this. And in my last minute,

36:34Mayor, I don't know if you saw

36:36this.

36:38On the social media.

36:41But that police officer.

36:43That 5 that went into their

36:45apartment, I don't know what all

36:47happened, but what was shown.

36:49And for the God.

36:51That put his hands.

36:53On that mail.

36:56And shoved him up against the

36:57wall.

36:58It's not cool.

37:01And from what I'm hearing.

37:04This ain't, there's a lot of

37:05chatter in the streets about

37:07this dude who done that.

37:10Now

37:11I understand that we in already.

37:14In a $2 million suit and go

37:17ahead and settle it.

37:19Corporate counsel, just settle.

37:21Because you got more coming.

37:26Now y'all can look at me like

37:27I'm crazy or not, but

37:29$2 million.

37:32Because of an officer.

37:36And I bet you he's still on. He

37:37needs to be gone, but this one

37:39that's on the video now.

37:44If you're not arresting an

37:46individual, you don't need to

37:49put your hands on anybody.

37:52Cause if he comes in my house.

37:55And shoves me like that, it's

37:56gonna be a totally different

37:57story.

37:59It's not gonna go the way it

38:00went on that video.

38:02He was wrong

38:04And if you're arresting the a

38:05person, OK, but

38:07I ain't see nothing he did wrong

38:10.

38:11But these people are questioning

38:13why these officers are in a

38:14place.

38:15And no one.

38:16Need to look into it.

38:19We'll start looking into that

38:20office.

38:21Donald Martin

38:34I'd like to bring some awareness

38:35to the

38:37Website to pay utilities and the

38:38debit charge.

38:40fees that are being charged.

38:43to speak in the mic, sir, so

38:45they can hear you for the

38:47utilities.

38:47And the debit charge.

38:49Debit card fees.

38:51In the municipal building.

38:53The utility.

38:55Website

38:56Select a profile.

39:00The

39:01Select debit to pay your utility

39:02bill.

39:03Still getting charged.

39:05Credit card surcharges.

39:09This is from what I've read.

39:10Not acceptable.

39:13You use your debit card

39:15downstairs to to make pay your

39:17taxes by pay for permits.

39:19According to

39:21What I've read, this is

39:23unacceptable.

39:25The

39:25These companies are

39:29Setting up an operating

39:31procedure that is.

39:32Unacceptable.

39:33Yeah.

39:36Except

39:37Debit cards and prepaid cards if

39:38you're only providing.

39:41A

39:41Credit network to process

39:43payments.

39:44It's unethical.

39:48These are

39:49Everybody in town is paying all

39:51these charges on debit cards.

39:53An unnecessarily.

39:57It's something that we should

39:58all be looking into. The city

39:59should not be paying these

40:00people.

40:03conduct business in that manner.

40:04They should be

40:08Um

40:09It should be just checked, check

40:11out the whole entire system of

40:12the operating.

40:15operating agreement with the

40:16processing company.

40:19These, I know everybody says

40:19it's the bank. The bank's

40:21charging the fees. It's the

40:23bank's fault. It's not the bank

40:24at all.

40:26It is the company the payment

40:28processing company.

40:28Who is

40:32Electing to accept debit cards

40:34and prepaid cards and still run

40:36it through a credit network

40:38charging surcharges and

40:40convenience fees.

40:42Visa and Mastercard suggest.

40:44They advise every single company

40:47.

40:47It accepts credit cards or

40:49electronic payments to

40:52Reject debit cards and prepaid

40:53cards if you're going to use a

40:54credit network so.

40:57Only

40:58To process your payments.

41:00This is from Visa and Mastercard

41:05.

41:05Our convenience fees downstairs

41:07by the state of Illinois a

41:08convenience fee is.

41:12An in-person or a online website

41:15.

41:15or by telephone means of payment

41:17.

41:17A convenience fee charged

41:19downstairs when you're paying in

41:21person is not acceptable

41:22according to what

41:23Everything that I've read.

41:26The payment processing company

41:27is getting away with making a

41:28lot of money off of the citizens

41:29of Springfield.

41:31And it could be stopped and it

41:33should be stopped by.

41:36Anybody and everybody that has

41:36the ability to do so.

41:40And that's pretty much all I

41:40have to say.

41:42I, I've got to use up the full 5

41:44minutes, but,

41:45It it's a, it's a very serious

41:47matter, and

41:50It's it's costing taxpayers a

41:51lot of money.

41:52We're the ones that paid for the

41:54website to be established.

41:56We're selecting debit.

41:58We're the ones choosing to pay

42:00with a debit card we're getting

42:02charged credit card fees.

42:05That's unacceptable according to

42:06everything that I've read also.

42:08It's unacceptable to the

42:11Local governmental acceptance of

42:13credit card act.

42:15It's

42:16Unacceptable to the utility

42:17Prohibition Act.

42:18It's

42:18Actually just

42:22It's an unlawful operating

42:24procedures by a company, period.

42:25Thank you for your time. Thank

42:27you.

42:32it.

42:43And

42:44Well, Molly Wallace of the

42:46Illinois Times was gathering

42:48information on last week's

42:50article on landlords and housing

42:51. I found many tenants and

42:53employees who work with or for

42:56landlords.

42:57We're afraid to be quoted in

42:59this article.

43:00Just this summer I had a

43:03conversation with a city

43:05employee that deals with

43:07landlords, and he said that this

43:09landlord licensing idea would

43:11solve most of our problems.

43:13But he didn't feel like he could

43:15be quoted because he was worried

43:17about his job.

43:18So.

43:20This fear of retaliation from

43:23landlords or officials here in

43:24this city is very real, and for

43:27this, if no other reason, should

43:28be why we need regular

43:30inspections and licensing, so

43:32that we

43:34So that substandard living

43:36conditions can be addressed

43:38without tenants put without it,

43:39tenants are put at risk, fearing

43:42eviction or priced out of their

43:44homes for speaking up.

43:45Long term residents have been

43:47forced, as we saw with Old Town,

43:49forced to leave their homes due

43:51to callous neglect, allowing

43:53properties to disintegrate, not

43:55getting to problems before they

43:57escalate causes harm to the

43:59landlord, the city, and the

44:01tenant.

44:01Just this summer in my

44:03canvassing and I've been

44:05canvassing for 3 years now in

44:06many parts of the city, I

44:10encountered abandoned apartment

44:12complexes in some of the nicer

44:14areas of town, homes with large

44:15holes in their porches, again in

44:17a nicer area of town, a porch

44:19roof ready to collapse Reports

44:21of black mold, landlords

44:22expecting tenants to take care

44:24of their own repairs for years,

44:27a property management company,

44:28uh, I think it was Capital City

44:30Properties and

44:31I heard they had 600 landlords

44:33that they were managing. That's

44:35a lot of landlords and the

44:37tenants felt like it was wading

44:38through mud just to get any kind

44:41of help. Inspectors should not

44:43also have to hunt for landlord,

44:46contact information. It

44:46shouldn't be a treasure hunt.

44:47They shouldn't have to go down

44:48to the.

44:50To, to the state records, they

44:53should have a user-friendly

44:55database.

44:56The tenants need a user-friendly

44:59database where the history of

45:01violations by address are easy

45:02to access.

45:04Minneapolis has an excellent one

45:06. I've, I got on it and I could

45:08see right away what I needed to

45:10find out. Kansas City, by the

45:11way, in terms of people talking

45:15about taxes and, and rates going

45:18up. The licensing program runs

45:21solely on their fees.

45:23Those fees are $25 a year for a

45:25license and $2 a month per unit.

45:28This would put most of the

45:30weight on some of these large,

45:33uh, property owners who

45:36Some of them have really abused

45:37their privileges here in

45:39Springfield.

45:40If we are going to make a

45:41difference, we need the staff

45:42numbers and we're going to need

45:43those fees.

45:45If a landlord can't afford $25 a

45:49year for a license and $2 a

45:51month for each unit.

45:53Then they don't have the ability

45:55to properly care for their

45:57properties. If they are worried

45:59about license fee hikes and

46:00tenants live all the time in

46:02fear of rent hikes, the city can

46:05stipulate that fee hikes can

46:08only occur if it's passed on a

46:10city ballot. It wouldn't be that

46:11hard to do.

46:13So that they would have that

46:14cushion or that protection.

46:18Landlording is a business that

46:20directly impacts people's lives.

46:22What if we stopped restaurant

46:24and nursing home inspections.

46:25Why are we letting landlords

46:28shirk accountability.

46:30Homeowners are also angry. I had

46:33a homeowner on

46:36Douglas, I think it was, and he

46:38lived right next door to a fire

46:40hazard, and it's on Jefferson,

46:41and I think Larry knows who

46:43those people are.

46:45Um, they're leaving.

46:47Um, they said that if a fire

46:49started, they're going to like

46:51wait 30 minutes before saying

46:53anything, but they're not going

46:53to be here anymore. They're

46:54leaving. There's other people

46:55that are leaving in that area as

46:58well because they're tired of

47:01all the decay that's occurring.

47:04Let's shape a land licensing

47:06program that rewards and

47:07supports local landlords who are

47:09invested and dedicated to the

47:11city and prevent neglectful,

47:14unengaged landlords from making

47:15a quick profit and dumping their

47:17neglect onto the city and the

47:19people who must live with the

47:21consequences.

47:22Alderman Carlson, you have your

47:23button. Mayor.

47:26The landlord registry that this

47:28council passed last fall, do we

47:31have

47:313 or 4 bad landlords on the list

47:33, or what do we have? I think 5.

47:35If I'm not mistaken, I don't

47:35know if Director Fooks has that

47:37number off the top of his head

47:39or he said I'm correct, 5, and

47:40we just filed 3 more cases and

47:41we just filed 3 more cases, so

47:42it'll be 3 more joining us.

47:43It'll be 8, I guess, total on

47:46the public works website. Yeah,

47:47thank you, Alderman. Uh,

47:49Alderman, uh, Carlson is

47:50referencing is the ordinance

47:51that was passed for, um,

47:55I

47:55I've been told not to use the

47:57words problem properties, but

47:58that's kind of in my mind what

47:59they are, uh, properties with

48:02owners who have multiple

48:04violations, and they've gone

48:04through the process. So they are

48:06now registered as, um, owners of

48:09property that have multiple

48:09violations. Um, so there are 5

48:11on there now and it sounds like

48:12we're adding 3 more aldermen. So

48:13thank you.

48:15Alderman Gregory, thank you. um,

48:16and, and, and, and yes, uh, we,

48:19we do have them and for us to

48:20only have 5 on there we probably

48:21should have 50 on there by now.

48:24That's just my opinion from from

48:25the war that I represent, um you

48:27know I was doing some canvassing

48:30today and walking today and on,

48:31on, on one of these houses,

48:33rental houses, there's a sign

48:34about raising taxes and all that

48:36, but right next to it there's a

48:38rental trash. I, I send it in

48:40today for them to be cleaned up.

48:42The issue is not the registry,

48:44it's it's them doing.

48:45Do something about it so we have

48:475 houses on the, on the registry

48:49, right? Uh, um, we've had to

48:51move multiple people. I send

48:52them to Ethan all the time to

48:53helping hands all the time. It's

48:56about them not fixing the

48:58property quick enough.

48:59That's, that's the issue.

49:00That's the issue.

49:01So,

49:03You know, whether we have a

49:06landlord licensing or not is is

49:08the problem is they're not.

49:11Fixing them quick enough.

49:12When we had the storm, lady got

49:14a hole in her roof. He given her

49:16to run around, run around, run

49:17around, run around. So guess

49:18what, we had to move her.

49:20We had a war. That's the only

49:21option that I can have. Yes, I

49:23set up tomorrow. Murdoch sent

49:24the inspector out. The inspector

49:25goes, writes it up. We give them

49:27, go through our legal process,

49:29but the house is still leaking

49:31on the inside.

49:33So the, the, so, uh, you know, I

49:35think the point of what

49:36everybody wants is so, so that

49:38we can slow down the decay of

49:40these houses by the bad ones

49:42being inspected, so those 5

49:44houses on there, really every

49:45year before they rent them out,

49:46we should be inspecting them,

49:47making sure they're cool.

49:49That's what they want.

49:50Now.

49:53When I did the survey.

49:55I don't know cause I don't wanna

49:58deal with good landlords who

49:59ain't a problem. I wanna deal

50:00with the ones that are a problem

50:02.

50:02Oh we wouldn't be here and that

50:04is what we gotta get to that's

50:08the final thing is that we know

50:10most of them who they are we can

50:11find them most of who we are.

50:13The problem is, is them fixing

50:15it in a timely manner whether

50:16it's mold or whether they think

50:18it's mold in the He health

50:19department comes over and test

50:20them, whatever the case may be

50:22holes in a roof, etc. They don't

50:24fix them in a timely manner so

50:26these people have to be forced

50:28to live in these conditions

50:29until they were ready to fix it.

50:30Yeah, we find them. Yeah, we're

50:31on.

50:32and stuff, but the people are

50:35still living in this situation

50:37and that's the problem.

50:39That is the problem, the

50:40timeliness of fixing these

50:41stinking houses.

50:42Thank you I appreciate it.

50:43Alderman, if you don't mind, um,

50:47just, it's 5 actual owners, not

50:49properties. So every property

50:50they have would be a part of

50:52that registry, just so you know.

50:53So if I, am I on that registry

50:55of 5 and I have 20 properties.

50:57I'm all my properties are a part

50:59of that, just so you know, but,

51:00um, I would like to, because it

51:02sounds to me like you're more

51:04concerned about the timeliness

51:05of getting something fixed is

51:07what I heard versus being on a

51:09registry or not. So corporation

51:12counsel, if you could just give

51:13us, I know this.

51:14on the fly, a quick 411, um,

51:17because maybe there's something

51:18the aldermen and aldermen I

51:19would work with you if you

51:21wanted to, if you want to look

51:23at the code of the time frame

51:26the city allows someone to fix

51:27things, but then there's

51:29Power is stronger than us, right

51:30? Beyond that, would you speak

51:32to that? But I would work with

51:33you, Aldermen on the city side

51:34right, so we, we need to send

51:37out inspectors because the

51:38inspectors need to write up the

51:39complaint, so, um, that that's

51:42time and then when we get, we

51:43get the referral, we need to uh

51:45file a complaint so we need to

51:47send notice to them, uh, and,

51:49and provide them, uh, so they

51:51have an opportunity to respond.

51:53We have to take everybody who

51:54cited to court and give them an

51:56opportunity to respond. We're

51:57running about 50.

51:59to 60 court cases a week, every

52:01Wednesday, um, so to get

52:03somebody new on the docket, uh,

52:04once we get the notice out, it's

52:07usually about 30 days before we

52:08can actually get them into the

52:09docket so we can look at uh we

52:12look at increasing our capacity

52:14to handle those cases, um, but,

52:16but then once they're on, we

52:17they usually get on the rotation

52:19to where you know they're

52:20they're up every 3 to 4 weeks.

52:23OK. So Alderman, if you want to

52:24look at that, I will look at

52:24that with you. And then also

52:27this is a plug, uh, anyone knows

52:28anyone.

52:30Graduating from law school or a

52:32great start. Um, we don't have

52:34the highest salaries. We lose.

52:37Attorneys to the state often, um

52:39, but if they're starting out,

52:40we would love to have them,

52:42right? Corporation Councilor

52:42Murdock, um, yeah, yeah, we, we

52:46have, we have vacancies, uh,

52:48open, and, um, we will, we have

52:50a new law student who just

52:51passed the bar who's gonna be,

52:53uh, gonna be a lawyer here in

52:54November, so we're excited to

52:55get him practicing too. So just

52:57a plug for positions in the

53:00legal department Alderman

53:00Gregory, did you have anything

53:01else? I, I just wanna say I'm,

53:03my, my frustration is to nobody

53:05on this council it's not to

53:06corporation.

53:07counselor because I know he

53:08works hard it's not the public

53:10works they can't can't keep up

53:12with the amount of stuff that I

53:13sent to them they can't keep up.

53:14They don't have enough staff.

53:16They don't have enough

53:16inspectors to keep up with that.

53:20But I feel like once we get

53:23somebody uh uh um.

53:24A landlord that has the

53:25opportunity to get better.

53:28Before, you know, there has to

53:29be something to make sure that

53:31these houses because they have

53:33proven those 5 they have proven

53:35to us.

53:36That they have some issues

53:38keeping these properties up and

53:40before we keep allowing people

53:42to to stay in those houses they

53:43They need to be inspected to

53:44make sure they're up, up, up in,

53:46up in, um, good working order

53:48because what's happening is I

53:50live, I'm a renter. I live here.

53:52I move out, then they just move

53:54somebody in. Well, I don't, I

53:55don't, my, you know, Harlem done

53:56punched holes in the wall or or

53:58we done broke some stuff or

54:00whatever it happens and then

54:02they don't fix it and then the

54:03new tenant comes in they're not

54:04aware everybody's supposed to

54:05get a checklist. I know I.

54:07I get checklist when I go in,

54:08right, to, to, to make sure the

54:10house is uh are straight and

54:12give it back, um, but everybody

54:14doesn't go through those, so

54:15something's broke or whatever

54:17they, they report it. We go out,

54:19we inspect it. We're I know how

54:20I was met.

54:21Uh, you know, some of them, not

54:23all of them, but now they're mad

54:25.

54:25So now they're gonna drag their

54:26feet and come fix something that

54:28is health life safety roof holes

54:30in the roof, electricity and

54:31stuff, and, and those so so I

54:34just feel like those properties

54:35when we get to those properties

54:38that make it to you gotta you

54:39know our our orders you gotta,

54:40you gotta make it to that to

54:42that registry. Those are the

54:43properties that.

54:44You know we got them already

54:45those are the ones we need to be

54:47inspecting before we rent them

54:48back out or we allow for them to

54:50be rented out or be occupied

54:52that's just my opinion and that

54:53will slow down some of some of

54:55this the vacant homes what what

54:57we what we talk about is a heck

54:59of a process but I can't even,

55:01can't process as many houses to

55:02tear them down and demo plus the

55:04money so it is a heck of a

55:06problem but we have to stop them

55:08from getting there or we will

55:10never come up from under this

55:11this is, this is, I mean, we

55:12tore down 60 houses, there's

55:13still 100.

55:16to go.

55:16It's a lot of money.

55:19Thank you, Alderman. Alderman

55:21Williams, thank you, Mayor. I

55:22think that um.

55:25What what we're discussing is,

55:27is, is part of what we need to

55:29do when we start having the work

55:31group sessions, everybody's

55:33invited, even aldermen.

55:34the woman

55:36Even mayors, please try to

55:38participate, the, the city has a

55:39side of it and that's kind of

55:41what we're leaning on tonight,

55:42but this thing is broad and it's

55:44and it's pretty vast, I think

55:47language is important since I've

55:49been on the council, we haven't

55:52passed a landlord registry, but

55:53it was mentioned and that would

55:55start confusion. We have to use

55:57the right terminology. Now I, I,

55:59since I've been on the council,

56:01it did appear, and I don't know

56:03if we voted on it, but uh a.

56:06properties.

56:08Or maybe be cited problem

56:09properties. I don't know, but

56:12something like that did become

56:13since I've been an alderman and

56:14I like it. I, I, I think it's

56:16good this and that and it

56:18shouldn't be a bad thing to call

56:20them problems if in fact there

56:22are problems. We should be able

56:23to say, you know, this is a

56:26problem that's the problem.

56:28People are tired of living

56:29across the street next door to

56:31decaying buildings.

56:32The things that should have been

56:34torn down years ago, things that

56:36are still existing in the

56:38persons in the cemetery are in

56:40jail.

56:41There is many times, uh, but I

56:43think what I resented most about

56:46this council was the attitude

56:48was, well, we don't even wanna

56:49have a discussion.

56:51We don't even put it in in in I

56:53think we tabled it day one.

56:55Don't talk about we like it was

56:57against the law to talk about it

56:58, and we've come a long way.

57:01And we're gonna have some

57:02discussions and see what the

57:03people have to say about it and

57:05all I say is if, if all of us

57:07need to, I do have a a question,

57:10uh, but I think corporate

57:12counsel, I don't know how far

57:13you can get involved with this

57:15we have run into.

57:17Their lords.

57:20Making tenants put signs in

57:23yards.

57:23Now, I've been doing some

57:24reading. I don't know who on the

57:26council may know the answer to

57:28this. Is that legal candidate,

57:30you know, 111 of the tenants is

57:31saying, well, hey, they make me

57:33responsible for the grass. I

57:34have to cut the grass. I have to

57:36make. I have to do all that.

57:39So that's my grass and I don't

57:40want that sign there cause I'm

57:42for the registry, but they're

57:44starting to come in now and say,

57:46I'm being forced to put this

57:48sign.

57:49In the yard because the landlord

57:52wants it in. I don't know how to

57:53handle that. I'll get with you

57:55and maybe we can see, uh, Sean

57:57kind of share some things with

57:59me where.

58:00It may not be lawful.

58:03So, so this thing is complex,

58:06but I think again I don't wanna

58:07come from that spirit. I wanna

58:09come from a spirit of

58:12cooperation and working together

58:13.

58:13Just like you heard the mayor

58:14say, I'll get with you. All the

58:16men on the city side of things

58:17and what they can control on the

58:19city and what the city does.

58:22The citizens outside of this

58:24with their landlord and we can

58:25work through these issues with

58:27the landlord and the tenant and

58:28make sure everybody's in code.

58:31So I appreciate y'all, this is

58:32the most that's ever been

58:34discussed and we finally got

58:36there and it looks like we will

58:38get somewhere with it again, I

58:40just hope we use the right

58:42language and, and, and, and, and

58:43, and give an honest effort at

58:45it and I think we'll get through

58:46this. Thank you. Alderman I saw

58:48corporation counsel write down

58:49your questions, so I think he'll

58:50follow up with you. Thank you.

58:52Yeah, absolutely. All right, can

58:54we get a motion? Do we have a

58:57motion 2. Pardon me, we do not

58:59have a need for an executive

59:00session. We have a motion to

59:01second.

59:01All in favor those opposed? Nay,

59:03the ayes have it.

59:04Ma.

59:05That's that.

59:08That

59:10OK

59:14Hey man.

59:19that.