I'd like to call to order the planning and development committee meeting for Monday, August 25th, 2025. Uh we'll start tonight with uh our invocation will be given by Pastor EJ Parham St. Paul Church of God. Good evening to everyone. Certainly to our extingor and those of you that are make up this gathering. Eternal God, our heavenly father, there is none like you. We thank you now for this opportunity that we have to come together to lift you up. Thank you for bringing us together. And God, I pray that you'll help us to be what we need to be in order to take the business that we have at hand. Do it for your glory. And God, we be careful to give you all the praise, all the glory, and all the honor. This we pray in thy son Jesus name. Thank God. Amen. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one. I'm going to hand it right over to Mayor McNamera for tonight's proclamation. I just got my reminder to speak into the mic clearly. Uh this evening we have a proclamation for direct support professional recognition week and we have Jackie Corsy as well as others from Mosaic. >> I'm great. How are you? Whereas the week of September 7th, 2025 has been designated as a national direct support professional recognition week in order to celebrate and recognize professionals who provide support to millions of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. And whereas this celebration recognizes the dedication and vital role of direct support professionals and enhancing the lives and protecting the well-being of individuals with disabilities of all ages. And whereas the community plays a vi plays a role in lifting up direct support professionals as integral in supporting the needs of people with disabilities and their families through the service systems across the United States. And whereas the goals of our city properly give recognition to those who directly help people with disabilities gain full access to housing, employment, and recreation activities which help create productive and satisfying lives and to live as independently as possible. Now therefore, I, Thomas P. Maximmer, as a mayor of the city of Rockford, do hereby proclaim September 7th through the 13th of 2025 to be Direct Support Professional Recognition Week. would you like to share a few words? >> I'd like to say thank you on behalf of Mosaic, the 70 plus DSPs that we employ, direct support professionals, um, who are truly the heart and soul of what we do at Mosaic, um, for the honor um, for you guys, honoring them. So, thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, we'll move right into our public speakers. Uh, just as a reminder, there are two microphones located at the back of the horseshoe. You will have three minutes to make your comments. Once that three minutes is up, you will hear an alarm sound and we ask that you bring your comments to close at that time. Our first speaker tonight is Dale Castillo. Good afternoon, committee me uh members. Uh Chief Red, we got a good relationship. Couple of weeks ago, I had heart surgery. My son come over to the house to my apartment and he got surrounded by five squad cars. And one of the main reasons I think it is is that a young man, he works all the time driving a car like that. And that needs to stop because somebody's going to get hurt. We got another We got another problem over there. Uh we got people driving up and down this that street. I said I've been complaining about it before and you know I call they'll come maybe they might come. Most of the time they don't but you got people over there across at the uh uh Circle K fighting and screaming and carrying on, you know. something needs to be done. You know, they they have that uh uh cars and and and coffee. Right after that, you got these cars uh you know, these brand new vets and things flying up and down the road like they on a on a uh racetrack. They're not on a racetrack. if they want to do things like that, go out on on I90 or Highway 20. They can they can run till the cops come home on that, but they do it in the city. And when I when I was coming over here, this guy was way past uh his his lights was uh uh had uh changed to to yellow. and these uh and before he could get across the street, the lights changed. And luckily, these people didn't even move or there would have been a bad accident. And uh another thing I would like to find out when they have an accident, them tow truck drivers, they should be cleaning that that stuff off. People shouldn't have to have be getting flats because they too lazy to do their job. They get called by the city to to pick these cars up and they also get paid for cleaning the streets off. You know, you know this that that that gets to me cuz uh uh long ago that that's what they did. They carried their little bones with them and they swept the street off and didn't nobody have to worry about running over a a piece of car that just got hit. and cutting the tires out. [Music] So, I'll be back. I ain't done yet, but I'll be back. >> Thank you. Our next public speaker is John Tag Bentley. Good evening, Mayor Mor. all the persons, our citizens of Rockford, Illinois. Uh this past weekend, we took the kids to the uh Apple Orchard. But I'm blown away also listening to uh Antichrist want to be uh dictator Donald Trump. He not only sending uh the military into um Washington DC, now he talking about Baltimore and he talking about coming to Chicago. I remember the days in the 60s when the military came into uh Chicago. than the days when I was a former Black Panther. The military is there is trained to shoot to kill. The military are not policemen. He's sending them to the Democratic neighborhood. Then I'm looking back right here at Rockford. Last week, this the third fifth time the mayor uh uh blocked me from speaking. This the fifth we I thought we was not I thought they had reiti but api is alive and well. Anytime you want to talk about spending $3 million on a part for white kids to ride up and down on a skateboard and what have you when we have a a hotel closed down, a motel closed down, we got grocery stores closed down, we got little kids and teenagers standing on the corner shelling water and what have you. What happened to the infrastructure of working with our kids who need our help that's in poverty? If you can spend $3 million on a in a mo and in a in a park, where's the $3 million you spending on the west side of Rockford? And then you are our elected official. When elected official get upset with me or what I'm saying, then you're not our elected official. 6.5 million people, black people, didn't vote because they feel like vote don't count. and and and and I'm up here trying to speak up for them. But here you show a pure example of why our people is gonna come out with a vote because we don't get we even though we don't see eye to eye and what have you, you need to recognize that we need to work out our differences and what can we do to come up with a solution to our difference instead of getting angry with me. When you get angry with me or get upset with what I'm talking about that's coming from the community, then you getting upset with the have not. And the only person you care about is the special interest groups, the uh the foreigners because you blocked me from speaking with foreigners. You blocked me when they was talking about dogs and what have you. And then you blocked me three different times for Caucasians coming up here speaking like our concerns is not important. We want to open up a 24-hour daycare center and we want to open up a a a working with our ethnic kids who got special needs and and we need and I'm wondering what happened to Melvin Melvin that protested and we and the Supreme Court voted 9 to zero in the favor right here in Rockford, Illinois. But yet we have arguments that can on when you go to talk to them they ignore you and what that be the last kind of argument ever gets. [Music] >> Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Denzel Winter. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Is Dale Castillo present? >> I'll come back. Um, Erica Reed, excuse me. My name is Erica Reid. In 2023, I reviewed the graduate mental health programs across our country. Out of 885 public programs, only 83 offered a domestic violence elective and only 15 required a course. Often the electives were not offered on a regular basis and the content was poor. For example, a professor at NIU posted an article stating that most cases involve bilateral abuse and female perpetrators outnumber male perpetrators. Give me a break. Domestic violence is an advanced subject matter that requires multiple courses starting at the undergraduate level and continuing through graduate programs in counseling, clinical social work, marriage and family therapy, and psychology. Why are classes needed for licensed mental health professionals? Besides obvious reasons, they are necessary to reduce their high rates of malpractice. Common complaints include siding with batterers and counseling sessions, recommending full or joint custody to batters and child molesters. Dividing the blame between the couple, giving dangerous advice to women. Failing to identify domestic violence when presented in a scenario. Accepting batter self-reports. not reading police reports and minimizing assaults. These complaints have been documented in research journals, federal congressional hearings, state task forces, and by experts for almost 50 years, including current interim hearings in the Idaho Congress. What's also been documented for the last 50 years is the need for mandatory foundational clinical and cross-disciplinary classes with medical and law schools supervised field experience with batterers abused women and children plus continuing education. In 2023, I proposed a common sense bill to state lawmakers for six graduate level semester hours for an initial license and two or more continuing education units for a renewal. These requirements are very minimal and would be easy to implement since most programs have at least two elective spots and several irrelevant classes. Really, requirements should be higher and based on the welfare of paying clients and children. In 2024, a senator from Iowa sponsored a bill for three semester hours and two CES. During the subcommittee hearing, the mental health professionals sighed and rolled their eyes and made remarks like, "Gh, domestic violence. Yeah, domestic violence. We already know we don't need classes. We make our own decisions." To make matters worse, the domestic violence coalition sided with the mental health professionals. What can you do? Well, for starters, you can contact nearby colleges and universities on behalf of the abused women and children in each of your districts. You should ask them why they don't require domestic violence classes for mental health majors as well as majors like law and medicine. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Our next speaker is Prophet Ysef. >> Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. In the book of Romans, the 12th chapter, the second verse, it says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." What I want to speak about tonight, how to reduce the dropout rate in Rockford schools. The Navy discovered in 1954 why young men drop out of school and join the Navy. They came up with 12 reason why. And if you eliminate these 12 reasons, you can reduce the dropout rate, increase the graduation rate and reduce the crime rate at the same time because education and crime is correlated. The first reason was poverty. The second reason was homelessness. The third reason was alcohol and drug abuse in the home. The fourth reason children who had to work and go to school. The fifth reason single parents home. The sixth reason high mobility rate. The seven reason parents who hold multiple jobs. The eighth reason a lack of affordable transportation and children who had to walk long distance to school. The ninth reason children who had parents who didn't value education. The 10th reason, domestic violence in the home. The 11th reason, children drop out to take care of parents who had physical and mental problem. The 12th reason, school climate issues such as school size, attitudes of the teachers, other students who was bullies and peer. If you eliminate these 12 things, you could reduce the truency rate, the dropout rate, the hunger rate, the poverty rate, the homeless rate and crime rate and increase the high school and college graduates at the same time and would make productive citizens in I also been want to tell my sister Freda who's a retired teacher and Dr. Bob Griffin who is a minister and other woman but need a herby for a long time and I'm going to get it off my chest tonight. I don't like you. I love you and you can't do nothing about it. And happy birthday my good friends and I wish you many more. And God bless you and your family. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to my dear friends. Happy birthday to you. Thank you for allowing me to speak. >> Thank you. Um we'll move into tonight's committee agenda. Uh clerk, will you please call the role? >> Thank you. We have one item tonight under our committee report. Item one is an approval of the proposed development agreement with Atna Building Solutions and the city of Rockford for the construction and maintenance of a rail line in the amount of $139,233. The funding source is the 11 Street Project fund. Do I have a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Are there any comments or questions? >> Alderman Derky. >> Yeah, just a quick question. It's a forgivable loan um but they own the um my understanding they So just a curiosity um why are we paying for the something that they own? Is it because we um are doing the road project? >> Is it okay for me to >> um yes so in alignment with that the reconstruction of 11th Street um this rail line crossing needs to be improved. um Etna does own that and to reflect um the wanting to make sure the the the project moved forward as well as long maintaining their presence here in Rockford um we are incorporating the costs of the rail line improvements into the overall 11th Street project. Um and then that development agreement indicates that they must maintain their presence um in Rockford for five years as well as the employment levels that they currently have. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions or comments? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Any oppose? Same sign. >> Right. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> Any questions or comments? All those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Any oppose? Same sign. This meeting is adjourned. Good evening and welcome to the codes and regulation committee meeting. Um a clerk, would you please call the role? >> Here. Thank you. We have uh nine items tonight. The first is um Court Street, Chestnut Street. Traffic Commission recommends approval for residential parking permits on the west side of Court Street from 30 ft south of Chestnut Street to 90 ft south of Chestnut Street. Is there a motion to approve? >> Are there any questions or comments on item one? Alderman Bell. >> Thank you. Uh, chairman, just want to recognize um a resident of the 13th ward for advocating here um during public comment a few weeks back. I had the opportunity to go and uh meet with him and um he's actually here today. So, I just want to give him a shout out for his advocacy for his uh neighbors in this area and I'm super excited to support this. >> Thank you. He also attended attended traffic commission. >> Um any other questions or comments? Seeing none, all those in favor say I. >> I. >> I. All those opposed. Motion carries. Item two is Calgary Court, Florida Drive. Traffic Commission recommends approval for a restriction requiring traffic on Calvary Court to stop prior to entering the intersection with Florida Drive. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments on item two? Seeing none, all in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item three, 5000 or five 501 Sandy Hollow Road Zoning Board of Appeals recommends approval for a zoning map amendment from R1 Single Family Residential Zoning District to I1 Light Industrial Zoning District at 501 Sandy Hollow Road. Michael Miller is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments on item three? Alderwoman Crunchy, >> I have a question. Um, thank you. Has this, um, this has always been R1 >> through the annex agent? Okay. And then I took a look at it. It seemed like there was a lot of distance between other residents. Is that And I'm just looking at the overview. So it's a lot of distance between >> and when you when this was taken in, was there some plan for perhaps residential or it just was already there and that's just how it was? All right. Thank you. >> Are there any other questions or comments on item three? >> Uh seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Item four, 1126 Kilurn Avenue. Zoning Board of Appeals recommends approval for a special use permit for a mural on a building in an I1 light industrial zoning district at 1126 Kilburn AB Avenue. Jim Lanc Lancicotti uh for DFF Dairy Brands Fluid LLC doing business as Kemp's Cultured is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. Are there any questions or comments on item four? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Item five, 4972 and 4980 South Main Street. Zoning Board of Appeals recommends approval for a zoning map amendment from R1 single family residential zoning district to C3 General Commercial Zoning District at 70 40 I'm sorry at 4972 and 4980 South Main Street Ranger 203 ML LLC is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> So move second. Are there any questions or comments on item five? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Item six, 319 West Jefferson Street, zoning board of appeals recommends approval for a special use permit for body art services tattoo shop in a C4 urban mixeduse zoning district at 319 West Jefferson Street. Joshua Bower is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> Are there any questions or comments on item six? Seeing none, all those in favor, please say I. >> I. >> I. Are there any any nays? Motion carries. Item 7, 4980 South Main Street. Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board recommends approval for A the sale of packaged liquors, liquor TRK, and B the sale of tobacco products in conjunction with the licensed truck stop and convenience store with video gaming terminals in an R1 single family residential zoning district at 4980 South Main Street. Road Ranger LLC doing business as Road Ranger number 203 is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> So second, >> are there any questions or comments on item seven? >> Seeing none, is all those in favor, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. Item eight, 109 North Showplace Drive, sweet suite 133. Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board voted 33, resulting in no recommendation for the sale of tobacco products in conjunction with the cigar and vape store in a C3 commercial general zoning district at 109 North Showplace Drive, Sweet 133, Mustafa Naji Sahar Barwari, Premium Cigar and Vape LLC, doing business as Premium Cigar and Vape is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? I will second. Um, so before we vote on this one, just to refresh everybody's memory, this came to us originally with a recommended denial by I believe a wider margin vote from the ZBA. Um, and then uh just so I made a motion to sustain that. I'm sorry from Elab motion to sustain that. There was no second. I made a motion to reverse that. There was no second. I then made a motion to sustain sustain it. Finally, Alderman Bell seconded that motion. Alderman Derky, whose ward this is in, recommended we send it back to ZBA. we allowed the owner to address the committee to try to answer some of the questions that the applicant wasn't able to answer when it was at ZVA. Um that I don't not sure that anybody really got the answers they were looking for. But rather than send it back to ZBA, we ultimately laid it over. And then when it came back, we finally did send it to ZBA. And now ZBA is divided 33, which is essentially same as a recommend recommendation to deny. Um, so are there any remaining and the since then the applicant has submitted additional information on an attempt to answer some of those questions that were not answered at ZVA but um not to apparently to an extent um that created a caused ZBA to change their original recommendation increased the number of yes votes but not enough. So are there any Further questions or comments on this petition application rather? Alderwoman Prunty >> um can you tell us more about the discussion that um took place at the ZBA? What were um I didn't get a chance to watch it? >> Want to answer that? >> Um at LTAB Liquor Tobacco Advisory Board, not ZBA. Um make sure I clarify that. >> Thank you. Um there's a big difference in in terms of the 3-3 vote because if it was a 3-3 vote at ZBA, it would require a supermajority because that would be considered denial. This is just no recommendation. So I want to make that clear. Um so the big issue was whether or not um the they're calling it premium cigar and vape and you know is it really being a cigar shop? There was a lot of questions over that uh with the revised plan and business plan that was turned in. Uh, I think three of the members were still not convinced that it was really a cigar shop. They think it's a they're using the name cigar and and their comments were they just think it's masquerading as really as a as a vape and and tobacco store. Um, and there was a a you know there was just a little bit of a discrepancy between the members going back and forth and talking and whether or not they wanted to approve it. And so those were really the big issues and especially since the humidor area was very small in the back and the display area showed a large area of just vapes and uh tobacco products and so they they that's why they you know they were so the three members were so strongly against it. So >> go ahead. >> Um not being a connoisseur what does this humidor size have to do with anything? Well, the the the board felt that uh the the size of the humidor was just a you know, there wasn't going to be a lot of cigars in the very small area in the back and they they would think it would be more like a couple of the well-known cigar stores in the area where they have large displays and pretty much half the building is a humidor um with their with their cigars. So that's that's why when it's just a small area in the back, a little walk-in area that's probably the size of the cigars at the bin and um on East State Street. So that they looked at that and they felt that it wasn't really a cigar shop. >> Thank you. >> Are there any other questions or comments? I'm sorry. All the women in front. >> I'm sorry. >> Can clarify how the vote a yes means the no that we agree with the no decision. >> It's not a no decision. It's it's it's essentially a denial. So a yes is to is to sustain the denial. >> Okay. Alderman Derky. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a quick question. So then any vape shops moving forward, uh, we're going until the board changes over, we're going to expect a 33 vote. That what we anticipate? Now, we got three ardent opposers to vape shops. So, we're pretty much shutting the city down for vape shops. which I have no problem with. I just want to know what we're going to expect now with developers and consistency until board members turn over >> as a comment. That's not really a question. >> Well, I don't I don't know really if I could really answer that, Alderman Derky, because I think it's uh uh they looked at this an individual basis and the ones that have come before us uh uh like vape and juice, that's really what they do is they do just vapes. um and they have to have a tobacco license because of that uh because we still consider that uh you know in that same category. Um you know this one I think they were trying to market as a premium cigar shop and and the Altab board members that voted against this felt strongly that that they were trying to just use the name premium cigars as a way to get this approved when it's really just a vape shop. So I you know I can't really speak for them but these are just the comments that were >> um were made at the at the meeting. So >> go ahead. >> And you make exactly my point. So the three no matter how it's dressed up if it's a vape shop there no more vape shops. They don't like the three whoever they are don't want vape shops. So if you have vape and diet Dr. Pepper or whatever it doesn't matter. We're dressing it up as a diet Dr. Pepper shop and a vape shop. So, we don't want the vape shop. So, by the comments that I'm hearing is we're done with vape shops in Rockford with these three board members. So, that's just what that's my observation is that we're done with vaping in in Rockford at least because these are going to come back. Each one is a 33 tie. So, it doesn't matter how they're dressing it up that the reason for the disapproval is because it's a vape. So, just an observation. >> Thank you, Alderman Derky. Um, I I guess I'd ask a question that sort of follows that. So, I was present at the most recent ZVA meeting. I was not at I I'm sorry. I keep apolog the the members are the same. I always think of it as ZVA. I got to break myself of that habit. um when this was before ZV or LTAB the first time um I wasn't present my understanding is that one of and so this is located in a strip mall one of the tenants of the strip mall I believe it's the Christina Ray objected came and spoke and objected and uh that that objection swayed some of the LTAB members. And I'm just curious if we've heard from any other businesses in that strip mall who have objected or who owns that strip mall. If Christina Ray does not own the strip mall, then the if the if the owner of the strip mall does not object, knowing that his tenant does object, then to me that for whatever it's worth as we decide what to do with this, to me, if the owner of the building is okay with a vape shop, then I mean, if if we're going to be opposed to it because a tenant in that building is against it. The tenants's not the owner. And so I'm guessing my question is do we have any of the other businesses in that and I believe there's four spaces in that strip mall and this would be vacant. So the the other two have they complained? Has the is who is the owner? Has the owner complained >> or opposed? Expressed opposition. Well, obviously the owner is seeking this, has a a pending lease agreement with these folks, otherwise they wouldn't be before Elab. So, obviously, he wants them in there. Uh Christina Ray was vehemently opposed to it. Obviously, if you'd have been at the first Elab meeting, um, you know, you'd know that. But, you know, they made a point that uh the owner of Christina Ray that uh they didn't feel this fit in with the uh other tenants which are um a financial advisor, a real estate firm, a nutrition firm. Uh I think there's one other tenant in there, I can't recall, but um they they didn't feel that was a good fit with the rest of those tenants. That was one of their their objections. So, >> so Mustafa is both the owner of the building and No, >> no, he is not. >> The owner is an LLC out of Chicago and I believe that that owner did attend um the Lab the first ELTAB meeting. I don't I don't I don't know if he was there at the last one. But >> so when you say obviously the building owner I mean we're we're we are we know that or we're assuming that because the building owner they would assuming that the applicant wouldn't be coming forward if they didn't have an agreement. >> We would not accept an application from someone unless they had a pending lease with with a uh the owner of the building. So that tells us as a committee that the owner of the building supports this application even if one of his tenants does not. >> Correct. >> And he's potentially willing to lose the tenant if it comes down to that. >> It's a third that tenant has a third of the building. So I I I hope he wouldn't lose that tenant. No. >> So to me with the split decision out of Elab to me that the that's kind of the deciding factor and that we haven't heard any complaints other than from this one business. Are there any alder let's go with um Alderwoman Wilkins had her hand up first. I just wanted to clarify because I don't know if you said it backwards or not, but with this coming in as a no recommendation, an I vote, and I guess I'll speak to legal, an I vote represents you do support this, and a no means you do not. >> So sustaining the denial here would mean a yes would support the denial. A no would essentially be an approval. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Is that it, Alderwoman? Wilkins. >> Yes, sir. >> Alderwoman Tina, >> that was my question. Thank you. >> Okay. Are there any other questions or comments? So, we'll do a roll call on this. And a a yes is to deny the application. A no is to support it. >> Would you please call the role? >> No. Motion to deny carries. And the last item, uh, number nine, text amendments. Text amendment, zoning board of appeals recommends approval for a text amendment of the city of Rockford zoning ordinance. Table 21-1, uses classifi uses classification table. eliminate the option of a special use permit to establish residential storage units within the C3 district and table 221 uses classification table eliminate the option of a special use permit to establish residential story storage units above the ground floor within the C4 district. City of Rockford is the applicant. Is there a motion to approve? >> Mr. Chairman, >> I make a motion to 30 days. >> I'm sorry, who seconded that? Okay. Um Okay. Uh that requires a vote. So, it's open for debate. Is um Alderman Bell, do you want to explain why we would should lay it over? >> Yeah, I have uh more more questions to be answered from staff. I have time set aside from that. And >> and why 30 days rather than the standard two weeks? >> Those are my motions. >> So you don't care to explain it. >> I have a meeting scheduled and I would like my answers uh my my questions answered at that time. >> And you need a meeting scheduled. You can't get that scheduled in two weeks. >> I have the meeting scheduled. I made a motion to lay it over for 30 days. Sir, >> I know you made a motion and I'm asking as another member of the committee why we need a month so I can decide on whether I want to support your motion. >> You can say no to that motion, sir. >> Yeah, I know I can. So, you're declining to who? Who are you meeting with? >> City legal. >> Okay. Um, city legal, may I ask when that meeting is and whether or not um it can't be scheduled? >> I can answer that for you. >> I can answer that for you. We have the meeting scheduled for September 4th. I'd like my motion to stay on the floor, please. I have a second. >> That's fine. >> You do. And this is discussion of your motion. >> Uh, legal, can is it possible to meet with Alderman Bell sooner than that? That was the date that uh was first available based on his availability and my availability. >> Okay. All right. Any other questions or comments on the motion to lay over for 30 days? Seeing none, uh, we'll do a roll call vote. >> Bonnie, >> no. >> Karina, >> Francis, >> Wilkins, >> Bill, >> I. >> Motion carries. Is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So move. >> All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? Meeting is adjourned. Committee meeting. Sir Clerk, could you please take role? >> Thank you. Our first item is anformational only item. We have the quarterly investment report. Um, Miss Hagerty, >> you've got two. You going to do them together? >> Yes. And we also have the financial discussion for July. shortterm moving to close. Um and as uh investments mature in that fund, um those are reinvested in our core account. That was initially where we put our ARPA funding. um that is uh slightly underperformed but that is because we are uh moving towards closure. Um just general market update um certainly there's a significant amount of market uncertainty primarily due to tariff and policy uncertainty at the federal level. Um going through the end of this quarter, the quarter in the report, the Fed had declined to cut the target rate, but as we just learned, there was a a rate cut approved um at their last meeting. Um employment's beginning to weaken while tariffs threaten inflation and uh consumer sentiment remains unsteady. Uh which are all uh some just um points of market uncertainty. Um the the investments all comply with the city's city council's approved investment policy. Um and I'm happy to answer any specific question that anyone has on that. >> Alderman Tunberg. Thank you, chairman. Uh, could you refresh my memory? Have we I can't recall. I think it was when I was filling in for the uh sitting chairman. Uh, that we discussed the with the new alderman. Uh, okay. I just got the uh not yes because yeah, I'd like to make sure the other alderman are up to speed on where this money came from. our decisions back uh a couple years ago with moving this money into making some money. >> Oh yes. Yeah. >> So apparently according to Alderman Salgado we did have that discussion. So I'm glad so we don't have to revisit that. >> Okay. One of the things because I'm sure that people read thoroughly through this I'm sure >> uh including our chairman >> um that and and director you have mentioned some of the points on here uncertainty and all and uh I won't go on a tangent but uh the I think sometime I read through this and I think they do a a very good job at managing the money at hand and for the purpose of it and doing their fiduciary duty. Mhm. >> Um the thing that they they had mentioned numerous times is the Fed chairman's comments and you know over and over again mentions uncertainty and uncertainty here and and volatility and and such and really hammering it on the on the tariffs and I think the consensus was in in the industry is to cut rates and and he was adamant on not doing that >> I think now there is a consensus that they will in September. >> But I think just uh on the link between tariffs and inflation which he seems to connect solely in in much of this um is that sometimes I think that link can be overexaggerated as we see that prices on certain goods will go up >> but that means there's money left there's there's not as much money left over when you're paying for those increase in uh price increase in those goods. So with that money not left over, other goods will go down in price to make up for that. But um so there is a debate on that. But I just I am on board with this. I think the Fed on this and they keep quoting him in much of this um you know whether that is uh You know, the inflation part I think should be pointed out. I don't think it has as much to do with tariffs as it does with the money supply and the overabundance of it um going up almost three times the M2 and 08 to 25. The Fed's balance sheet going from about 580 billion to 6.6 trillion in that amount of time. uh and also essentially cutting the Fed funds uh trading desks at banks and essentially making it a monopoly for the feds to control rates. So, I think there's some issues there that when you read this, uh I think our own federal chairman Powell could uh um could look at a few things and realize that also the bottom line is what controls inflation is the M2 money supply and the overabundance of it in our economy versus the tariffs which he is blaming pretty much everything. and tying it to that. So, >> thank you. >> Thank you. >> Uh, >> but otherwise, a good I'm sorry, a good job on managing the money. >> Thank you. >> Just to reiterate, I I um I normally don't agree with Alderman Tunberg when it comes to money matters, but um I'm a saver. He's a spender. But uh in this case, I I do agree with the point that the report hammered home this uncertainty with tariffs and really I mean since March them I mean we're we're really at a record high and I know that the city thankfully doesn't you know invest all of it or any of its money in the S&P or the Dow and so we we are more cognizant of um of the Fed moves and rates but I do think they do um a good job with the with the investments that they do. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Alman Pruni, do you have your hand up? >> Alman Granite. So I think we have a difference of opinion in regards to tariffs and the impact and I just wanted stated that I do believe that the tariffs will have a huge impact not only maybe not on the corporations but they will on people like me and they will on the constituents that I have to that go to the store and purchase something that was $5 last year is now going to be $7 this year. So when we have an impact when we talk about tariffs I feel that the impact is coming down the road and I think that as we go forward I think that impact is going to impact our investments but it's also going to impact the people that I represent and our um also with the impact of some of the reductions in federal fun federal funding coming forward. I think that our economy is on a down spin for the average person and maybe the corporations would be somebody that is going to be able to keep and maintain things going forward, but for the average person that I represent, they're not going to see an increase in their average daily costs because of the tariffs that are going to be coming forward. So, I respectfully disagree, but I do think that we will see what happens in the next six to eight months. Aliy >> thank you um other woman and then um for our um department I'm sorry I want to say care but I'm sorry >> that's okay >> um Miss Hagerty um I'm watching your body language and you're saying yes are you agreeing with >> Oh I I think that um it there is a there's a a healthy amount of debate happening about uh all of the the whole variety of factors that that impacts the economy. I think that um while tariffs contributes, I think that the the part of the I think the point that they're trying to get across is that a lot of um an important factor is consumer confidence and and where people's confidence in spending money. Um and that has a significant impact on our budget and sales tax, things like vehicle purchases, um things of that nature that have an impact on our revenue collection. And if we have um if we don't have consumer confidence, which some of the policies and the the tariff uh the Fed's actions on tariffs as well as some of the federal policy u that is highlighted in the summary here impacts consumer confidence. So to follow up, so I was I could see both of you when Alderman Tunberg was speaking and your body language was saying yes. So you really weren't saying yes. I agree with you, Alderman. But when I was looking at Alderwoman Granite, >> I didn't know what your body language was saying. So >> I I'm just acknowledging the the points that are made. acknowledge. >> I'm not I'm not I mean they both made excellent points and I think that these are not simple issues where you can point to one specific uh cause or reason for things to be going well or going poorly. >> Thank you for that clarification. >> Certainly. >> I'm sorry. Are we still talking about the quarterly investment? >> We are. Yes. >> Me too. It's also go by body language, I think sometimes uh the first ward alderman looks like he's sleeping, but he says he's not. So um the yeah in in in regards to my colleague uh my ninth word alderman colleague yeah I just I just wanted to point out that yes there's there's no question that there some tariffs will increase prices of certain goods but the point is is with with it with a a resident paying more in those specific goods goods leaves leftover leaves money that's left over at a lesser amount which then other products will tend to go down in price to make up for that. So not because of these tariffs not everything is going to explode in price but there's no question that those tariffs on those specific products will. Now we have inflation which is a whole another issue. Well, not I mean it ties into it, but it's kind of like one of my uh uh economists at a at an investment firm that I do business with pointed out uh in a similar manner that it's especially when you have regarding tariffs, it's like almost reshuffling the chairs on a deck of a ship. the the ship that the rise and fall of that ship is really based on the M2 money supply and that's what really caused which is which is basically the money that's out in the economy. Um I won't get into the details of that but it's very interesting that's really the overabundance of M2 money supply which has tripled uh since ' 08 I believe is really a driving force and especially during the COVID era. It really didn't do much in 09 but during the CO era we know that the market got flooded with money and that's when the inflation really started shortly thereafter. So, it's the M2 that really controls the up and down of the ship, which would be inflation. And the tariffs is kind of a reshuffleling of the deck chairs on the ship, per se. So, you will have prices of goods going up in one area that do have the tariffs put on them, but other prices because there's less money left over will tend to go down in price. on an economic scale. >> Alderman Grant. So, as I believe in the shuffling of the deck, I think the challenge is is that the constituents that live in my ward don't have any more deck tears to shuffle. And they have considerably not been able to see that money that the tariff is going to be bringing to the to the corporations that are going to be making the profits that are not going to pass those savings on to the people that need the deck chairs shuffled. And so for me, the tariffs are a tax that is put forward to the people who can less can be the least the ones that can afford to take it on. And so I am adamantly opposed to additional tariffs. I am adamantly opposed to the current administration not going through Congress and using that process. And I am adamantly opposed to the reshuffleling of the debts without consideration for the people who can't afford it. And so yes, so we are going to agree to disagree, but I am also going to be out here saying emphatically that when the inflation hits and when we start seeing an increase in need and a decrease in federal funds, that's going to increase our inflation rate and it's also going to impact our investments and it's going to impact a lot of things that we're going to be doing. So we are going to disagree on this issue. Thank you. Are we running for Congress? Both you guys just curious opinions and foresight or uh comments. Um yeah, I'm not a I'm not a big tariff person myself. And uh so but really, you know, when we look back at what really caused this in the first place, the inflation is the expanded M2 and the money supply. It happened well before uh this last election. Uh we know it's happened in the past couple years. We had unprecedented inflation. Um so, you know, I I know that some of this inflation was supposed to happen already. It hasn't. Hopefully, uh it it won't to a big extent. But really the main cause of our residents and our constituents paying the paying the high price that they are right now is due to the expanded money supply. And so I yeah, so we'll see how this plays out. And I I appreciate my and I and I agree with plenty of those comments as well. And uh so thank you. Thank you. Are we done with uh the >> I don't have anything more to add to that conversation. >> Thank you. >> All righty. Um moving on to committee reports. Uh item A is approval of vouchers in the amount of 11,259,862.65. Is there a motion to approve vouchers? >> Any questions or comments of vouchers? Seeing none, all those in favor to keep I post. Matter passes. Chairman, >> would you like me to run through the financial discussion? >> Oh, no. I That's what I asked you. I thought you done with both. I didn't I was done on investment. I can just very quickly >> We can go back. >> Okay. Thank you. >> We just can't talk about the Fed interest. >> I I will not bring it up. I promise. >> Uh just to highlight uh revenue performance in the general fund. Um we are we continue to see underperformance in use and replacement tax. Though I will note that replacement tax was 50% under budget at our last report. Um as of this report we're 40% under budget. So that gap is closing a bit. We do have three more dispersements of replacement tax. Um December generally being our largest. So we will again closely monitor this as the year goes on and um report to council as those payments come in. Uh overall we are uh about 2.3% or $2.8 $8 million under budget in revenue and that is uh can all be attributed to replacement tax shortfalls. On the expense side, currently about 7% under budget year to date and that is across nearly every uh budget unit. Um all currently under budget. On the uh CAP fund, we have CAP sales tax 12% over budget or about a million dollars, which is great news. Um MFTt um after seven dispersements is also slightly over budget about 2%. Um and in the redevelopment fund um surprisingly package liquor tax continues to underperform but uh hotel motel and restaurant tax are both um significantly overbudget for about a 9% um overbudget on revenue year to date. >> And I'll stop there. >> Any questions? Right. Thank you. All right. Uh, back to vouchers. I think we had a motion. >> Oh, go ahead. >> No, that's fine. Uh, if if I'm reading it right, do we have about $5 million overtime between police and fire? >> Correct. >> Is that about correct? >> Yes. >> Is that is that about where it normally runs year after year? >> Uh, that is high for uh this year compared to last year um particularly in the police department. if there some of those numbers just are out of our control. >> Yes. So, uh the police department overtime is uh largely offset by savings on salaries because of underst staffing in the department. Um certainly and as uh as hiring occurs, which I know the police department um has uh very actively pursued um we would expect those numbers to decline. >> Thank you. Thank you, sir. Sure. Alvin Tum. >> Thank you, chairman. Uh, I'm not Did you mention anything about the license and inspections? >> Not specifically. No. >> As because I noticed that was kind of significantly below and if there's any reason for that. >> Uh, I don't have a specific reason, but we can do a little bit of research and and share information with you. >> Okay. And the utility tax. >> Yes. uh that has uh underperfor been underperforming all year. Um and it's across I believe it's across all uh all three of our current utility taxes, electric, gas, and water. Um all three are underperforming. >> Okay. Yeah. I just know noticed those were kind of more significant. >> Yes. >> I realize the fines on a percentage basis are, but just not on a dollar. So, >> right. Thank you. >> All right, back to vouchers. Any questions about vouchers? Seeing none, all those in favor indicate by I. I >> I >> opposed. Matter passes. Item B is approval lease agreement with Emerald Property Management amount of $9,000. It does not require a cost match. It's a one-year lease and it will provide trans transitional housing per the requirement of the current impact through Wnebago County mental health program. and the funding source is the Wnebago County Community Mental Health uh board. Is there a motion to approve? >> Any questions or comments for staff? Seeing none, all those in favor indicate by I. I opposed. Matter passes. Moving on to resolutions. Item A is an approval of an application award acceptance of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Community Services Block Grant in the amount of $1,15,45. It does not require a cost match. The grant term is from January 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. Uh the grants award will provide funds to develop implement programs to assist low-income residents in working towards family stabilization and self-sufficiency. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Uh all right, Alman Logman. >> Thank you, Chairman. Uh one quick question, Mr. Carter. When I appreciate I think it's a noble goal of uh family stabilization and self-sufficiency. Um, looking through the packet, I didn't really see anything of like how we're being how we're able to measure that. Um, could you just elaborate on how we're um, yeah, spending this $1.1 million and with that ultimate outcome of family stabilization and self-sufficiency? >> Yes, sir. We have under control. and the ability to move forward. >> Please understand these are not like the to lack a better term, these are not the handouts but the hands to show that there's a crisis beyond their control and the ability to move forward self-sufficiency. We we track it. Yes, sir. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Any other questions? Seeing none, all those in favor indicate I I post. Matter passes. >> Uh item C, we're going to we're going to hold out until we get some further information. Uh, item D is an award of joint purchase contract for for the >> Yes. >> B. >> Oh, I skip B. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I did. Item B is a award of RFP for BR Brownfields redevelopment assessment consultant to fair in the amount of $482,000. It is through September 30, 2029 with one possible one-year extension. The funding source is the US EPA brownfields assessment grant. Is there a motion to approve? Any questions or comments on this matter? >> Seeing none, all those in favor I >> oppos. Thank you. Item C is going to be held out. Uh item D is a warn of a joint purchase contract for the VCron hydro vacuum excavator to Vermeier uh in the amount of $146,797.67. It's a onetime purchase. The funding source is the water division capital funds. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments on the Vamir machine? Seeing none, all those in favor indicate I I opposed. Matter passes. Item E is award of joint purchase contract for a skid steer loader to Bobcat of Rockford the amount of $54,155.50. It's also onetime purchase. The funding sort as a street department capital lease funds. Is there a motion to approve? >> Any questions or comments on the skid steer? Seeing none, all those in favor I I opposed. Matter passes. Item F is award of a joint purchase contract for a rotary boom mower attachment to Bobcat uh of Kulie region in the amount of $39,990. It's a onetime purchase. The funding source is also the street department capital lease funds. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? Alman Logan. >> Thank you, Chairman. One quick question. I often I'm assuming these rotary boom mowers are kind of like when you're driving on the interstate and you see um yeah, huge mower like in the middle of in the median of the interstate. Um, if that's true, where do we use that in the city of Rockford? Um, mostly. >> So, it's it's a a little bit different um I believe than what you're describing. This one actually >> um it can extend about 8 nt out and up in the air. So, it can actually reach over top of guardrails, but it's also used for forestry clearing as well. >> Okay. >> Where typical equipment cannot reach. So, this is an attachment that attaches onto the skid steer itself where the operator can operate from inside of the cab for rightway clearing. >> Okay. Okay. Good to know. Thank you. >> All right. Any further questions? Seeing none, all those in favor I I opposed. Matter passes. Item G is award a bid for public works materials to Northern Service, Entra, and Rock Road companies in an estimated annual amount of $200,000 based on unit pricing. It's a one-year contract. The funding source are our various departmental operating budgets. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments for staff? Seeing none, all those in favor indicate by I. I. Opposed. Matter passes. Item H will also be held out for get some further information. Item I is a reject all take new bids for the North Main Street handrail replacement. Due to higher anticipated bids, the project needs to be rebid after revision of its scope. Is there a motion to reject the bids? >> Second. >> You have a question on this matter? >> Yeah. >> Uh, thank you, chairman. Where is this on North Main? Is that uh south of the roundabout? >> Yes. Yep. That elevated walkway. >> Okay. >> So, >> uh, now in the >> seventh ward, um, what was the price? I can't recall when I looked at it. What was the uh bid amount or was it listed? >> Uh it it was in the $700,000 range, I think, was the lowest bid, but it was way more than we had budgeted. And we think we have some good options to uh get with the work that needs to be done, but at a more reasonable cost. >> Thank you. >> I I Yeah, I can see why we're we're taking this uh motion right now. All right. All those in favor of rejecting the bid indicate by I. I opposed. Thank you. Item J is award a bid for Citywide Street Repairs Group number six to Norwest Construction in the amount of $45,799. The contract ration is through October 17, 2025. The funding sources are the ARPA funds and casino funds. Is there a motion to approve? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments for staff? Alderman Logan. Thank you, chairman. Uh, it's probably best for director Heaggerty. Um, going back to the uh, money supply discussion from earlier. The how I I was under the impression that we were exhausting most of our ARPA funds with a lot of the infrastructure projects over the summer. How much how I guess how much how much more funds do we have in that little ARPA account and when do we suspect that we will exhaust those funds? >> Yeah. Uh, so several of those projects were multi-year projects. Um, and because we put a lot on our construction uh team, not only with the regular cap, but with surplus pro surplus uh general fund surplus projects and ARPA projects, we did not get through them as quickly as you know, we're we're moving through them as quickly as we can. I can share a current uh state or current status of the ARPA funds with council. Um I I think we have it pretty well up to date, but I can that's a spreadsheet that we can share with everyone to show uh what was originally approved and what has been spent to date, what's committed um through council approved um projects or programs and what we have uh remaining. So happy to do that. >> Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> All right. Um with respect to item number J, any further questions? Seeing none, all those in favor to keep I I opposed. Matter passes. Item K is award a bid for police uniform and shoes to uniform den uh and Ray O'Harren in the amount estimate annual amount of $200,000 based on unit pricing. The contract duration is one year with four possible one-year extension options. Annual price adjustments for CPI will be considered a contract renewal only. The funding source is the police department operating budget. Is there a motion to approve the new uniform and shoes? >> Second. >> Any questions or comments? See? Oh, Alderman Katrina, >> thank you for allowing me to speak in your committee. Um, Chief Red, can you tell me like what's the the life cycle of a police uniform, >> please? >> So, the cycle of the police uniform actually varies. It depends on annually. We we kind of budget to replace uniforms on an annual basis. Um, but depending on what unit you're assigned in, if you're wearing that uniform on a daily basis, case in point, I have detectives that have uniforms because they wear them so rarely, they may not um actually need replacing for the time that they're assigned to a detective division. >> Is there like a certain amount that each officer is assigned? >> So, they're limited to what uniforms they can get um when we do replacement for shoes and things of that nature. So, uh it's on an annual basis and some items are um every two years. >> Uh if I'm if I'm a police officer, do I get like five uniforms? >> No, typically there's four. >> Okay. >> Typically four. >> Okay. >> Um and like your gun belt, for instance, that's not something that you even need to replace every two or three years. >> Yeah. So some items it just depends on the wear and tear too. Got it. Thank you very much. >> You're welcome. >> Any other questions? Right. Seeing then all those in favor indicate I I opposed. Matter passes. Item L is award of a sole source contract for vehicle barriers to Meridian Rapid Defense Group uh in the amount of $437,662.74. This is a one-time purchase and the funding source is the redevelopment fund. >> Is there a motion to approve? Any questions or comments for staff? All right, seeing none, all those in favor indicate by I. I posted. Matter passes. Item N is a award of a non-competitive contract for US solar solar community solar to US so solar at no upfront cost to the cities with a 15% rebate on energy produced which we apply to our account balance directly by KMED. The contract duration is 20 years. Is there a motion to approve? >> Any questions for staff? >> Alman Derky. >> Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a quick question. When we and when this describes us as being subscribers, does that mean we're we're buying energy from the panels? >> Who can answer this? >> Go ahead. >> So, uh, the way that the legislation that enabled this type of program to exist describes the the people who are a sub subscriber is really someone who's committed. So we have um there are a set number of panels in a solar field. Um we are committed to um the energy produced by a certain number of panels. So we're subscribing to the energy produced by those panels and it doesn't the energy produced doesn't get delivered directly to our facilities. It is put into the system and we receive a credit based on what those generate. So our the power from the panels goes to the regular power grid. >> Yes, correct. >> Are we paying a electric bill to this company? >> We No. So we uh there is there are credits that exist that are provided by Kameed for energy produced by alternative uh generation facilities. We share the value of those credits with the owners of the panel. And so the the the piece the portion of the credit that they receive covers the the cost of the equipment, the maintenance on that equipment, the land upkeep, all of those expenses, and then we get we get 15% of the credits that are produced. >> Yeah. So what I didn't understand is I it looks like a homeowner could sign up for >> they could absolutely >> right for a number of panels. >> Yes. >> But uh after number five Paragraph five, it says based on current solar field capacity, we estimate that we can sign up a portion of our water pumping accounts and receive, you know, x number of dollars. That that's where I was a little bit confused. Are we subscribing then to get our energy from the solar panels? >> Uh we are we are subscribing to a program that produces solar energy. So we the capacity issue comes in because of um the number of panels available in the field for that are still unsubscribed. So until more fields get built, the the uh solar provider does not have sufficient capacity to subscribe the city enough panels to cover all of our accounts if >> we're only so we're buying energy from them more or less to the capacity that they current have. But aren't they when are they supposed to complete by December 2026, right? Is that when all these credits go away? No, these aren't these aren't federal credits. These are state credits. So, or it's through a state program. >> All right. >> So, yeah, we don't anticipate an expiration. >> Bell. >> Uh, director Hagerty, can you share with us the projected savings on this? >> Yes. So current based on the the capacity that the the solar provider currently has and and the accounts that we have eligible to enroll um we estimate approximately $7,400 monthly in credits. Now as more capacity comes online there is another solar field that is it is in the beginning stages of construction. So once that is complete then we can enroll additional accounts. So, the most that we could potentially generate if all of our water accounts were enrolled is over $200,000 a month in credits. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Any other questions? I just had one. I'm just a little bit concerned about the 20-year commitment. Um, that's the only concern to me because I mean a lot of these solar ventures that have started >> Yes, understood. So, one of the reasons why we're recommending US Solar and is because the broker that the city works with for all of our energy procurement um did their homework on on there are variety of solar providers. Um US Solar is owns the entire project. They own they own, construct, manage, they continue to own the property that the the panels are located on. So, um they it's a one-stop shop, which is not super common in the in the um field. The subscriptions uh correspond with the useful life of the panels, and that is by design. This program is designed by the state of Illinois. So um we are subscribing to the energy that's produced by a specific panel uh for the life of the panel unless we terminate and there are termination provisions in the agreement um 180 days without any sort of cause or penalty to the city. >> Thank you very much. Any other questions? Seeing none. All in favor I I >> opposed. Matter passes. Uh is there a motion to adjurnn? >> I I do in the commit meeting. Sorry. >> I'm sorry. >> You don't. >> Okay. All right. So, all in each >> ask a question on an item we've already passed on. >> Um so long as it's not information only item A or B. on Jay part of the funding casino funds and I wanted to know if those were the $7 million a year guarantee if that's so where are we in that what else is committed to it do we get paid that money monthly yearly quarterly how is that coming into the city >> uh so we receive uh payments >> monthly >> uh I I don't have a current balance off the top of my head. We can certainly pull that information from you for for you. Um but the seven million of the seven million that was committed or that that is guaranteed a million of that council approved going to police and fire capital. So the the parking lot a portion of the parking lot construction is for a police one of the police facilities. um that is where the casino funds are are in are being used is to improve a parking lot at at one of the police stations. So, um happy to give a um a report on and if if you'd like actually we can add to our monthly financial report um you know the casino revenue um on a monthly basis. >> I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. >> Chairman. Before we convene, I have to make another motion um and that is to convene in the closed session to discuss pending and threatened litigation matters. So is there a motion to approve that? >> So moved. >> Thank you. All those in favor of that indicate by I >> I >> and then we will keep the FMP meeting open. >> A roll call. Okay. Hi. >> Hi. >> Hi. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. All good.