to file text amendment to amend zoning ordinance 55-00001- C to regulate hedges. Thank you. Next, we'll go to Finance and Personnel Committee and Alderman Frost. Yes, thank you. All these matters will be referred to Finance and Personnel Committee. Uh number one is a member from Timothy Henkins regarding a city state intergovernmental agreement for US business 208 improvements from uh Fairview Boulevard to Rockford College Drive. Number two is also me from Timothy Henkins regarding a city state intergovernmental agreement for Illinois 51 North Seconds uh resurfacing from Whitman Street to Snow Avenue. And number three is another memorandum from Mr. Henkins uh regarding a mutual aid agreement with the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network. And number four is a memorandum from Owen Carter regarding the approval and acceptance of an IDHS rapid rehousing and shelter diversion program grant award. Thank you. Thank you. Next up, we have our public speakers. Want to remind our public speakers that you have three minutes to address city council. There's a microphone on the back left as well as the back right of council chambers. At the end of your three minutes, an alarm will ring and ask that you close your comments. Our first public speaker this evening is Prophet Yousef. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. In the book of Proverbs, the 18th chapter, the 17th verse, it says, "He that has pity upon the poor lend unto the Lord, and that which he has given will he pay him again." What I want to speak about tonight, an opium success story Rockwood should use. In recent years, most states have devoted increased resources to easing the transition of prisoners back into society through job training programs, in some cases therapy and counseling, but few provide effective drug treatment program such as methadone maintenance. Given the rising number of opioids death, they might want to consider doing so. The period immediately after release from prison is a dangerous time for addicts. They experience a stretch of enforced if not total sobriety. Suddenly they have assessed to drugs but their tolerance level has diminished. The stress of re-entry and the difficult finding jobs and housing don't help. One study, a released prisoner in Washington state found that they were 13 times more likely to die from drug overdoses than the population as a whole. In Rhode Island, the correction department now provides medical addiction treatment to criminals while they are still incarcerated. The results have been striking. Between 2016 and 2017, the number of death among recent ex prisoner dropped by 70%. That was enough to bring down the total number of overdose death in the state as a whole by 12%. Even at a time when opioids are driving up the death rate and other cities and states, winning people off of drugs through the use of medication is standard operation procedure in health clinics. Some states run step down clinics to help prisoners or the mentally ill get off drugs. But medication assisting treatment in prison and jail is not common. Providing those same treatment to people who are severely involved in openings in the prison system seems like an apopic response since they are at risk. If you use this system in Rockwood, you can help a whole lots of people. I also didn't want to tell my oldest brother who made 96 years old today this for a long time and I'm going to get it off my chest. Brother, I don't like you. I love you and you can't do nothing about it. And happy birthday 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 brother. Happy birthday to you. Thank you for allowing me to speak. Thank you. Our next public speaker this evening is Denzel Winter. Good evening, council members and mayor. I I come every every time and I I talk about the children that's out there selling the water and the stuff that's going on. And I've been I've been out uh I went over to uh uh Save a Lot and asked them, "Are the kids running in there stilling water?" And they said, "No, we don't have no problems with the kids stealing water. We might have a problem with a child taking a piece of candy every now and then, but as far as the water, you I know the kids." That's what the the uh lady said. and they paid for their water. And when I went in there, you know, if you pick up a case of water, that's hard for a man really to pick up. So, how is a kid that towel going to pick up a case of water and run over across the street, open it up, and start selling water across the street from the place that they claim that they stole it from? And uh like I said, this summer I'mma be out and about in my neighborhood, which I should be. I don't know if I need to be a a neighborhood watchman. I wouldn't mind doing that, but I'm going to be out there watching my kids because we have kids that that sell water, but we have grown-ups that be on the on the street corners begging for money, you know. So, if the children are doing what they supposed to do, not bothering nobody, uh, I don't see why we should be that I don't see why they should be getting harassed. And that's one of the reasons why I'm going be out there in my neighborhood. And I behoove every uh, anybody else that has kids selling water in their neighborhood to be out there on the look for them because we got people that's going around saying what they was going to do to them. And I'm like I like I said before, I'm not going to stand by and let that happen. So, I'm glad you uh won. Once again, I'm I'm thankful for my my chief of police over there. And uh you know, it takes a village to raise a child. And that's what we have to do. You know, we have to be that that that person or or people that that they look up to. And we have to tell them if we see them doing something wrong, we can tell them without hollering and screaming and doing all the other kinds kinds of things, you know, because we're just as responsible for them as their parents are. And with that, I thank you guys for letting me talk. Thank you. Our next public speaker this evening is John Tac Brantley. Good evening, uh, Mayor Mcamera, all the persons and our citizens of Rockwood, Illinois. I listen to my man talk about the youth and what have you. But, uh, been doing this for, uh, four decades. We had a, uh, before I start, I want to go back Palms 23, part of the last chapter. Y, do I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I should fear no evil, for thy staff are with me. Thy guide me all the days and glory of my life. I should dwell in the house of the Lord forever. This past weekend was Easter weekend and um before I talk about Easter weekend, I want to talk about the mayor because he mentioned about autism. Me and the mayor had a meeting this past week. It was very fruitful and it was very intense. And one of the subjects we talked about was GCSF. I have a deep negative passion towards DCSF because I uh lost a stepdaughter uh 2018 she was 9 years old because I wasn't a biological father and because her auntie got caught up in drugs. They did not allow me to stay in that child's life. I had another uh young lady that was 27 years old who had autism. She looked up to me royally. her family was abusing her and what they had instead of them letting me stay in this uh uh this young woman life they blocked me out. So I have a deep negative towards uh GCSF for that. Now I want to talk about the Easter weekend. I like to know how in the hell did they name Good Friday when they beat Jesus Christ for seven days, beat him bloody, gave him bread and water and what have you, and then they turned around and called it Good Friday. Let us back up. When Moses put the blood of the lamb on the door so the virus could pass us by, Jesus Christ died on the cross so that we all could be saved. But when that corona hit, a lot of people left the church or was afraid to go to church. They put on the mask. They put they got the shots in their arm because they were scared. The peoples who didn't get the shots, you got mad at the people who didn't get the shot. I refuse to get the shots. I refuse to put the mask on because I follow the Lord through faith. Through faith, all things are good. Now here we got the antichrist, Donald Trump, in office. He making his business to destroy our educational department. He already disrupting our defense department. He done already get off of that. He already He done already told the Supreme Court he is so arrogant that he told the Supreme Court he's still going to exile foreigners and not only foreigners but our own citizens from the United States. How can you call a use a war when we do not have a war against uh u uh uh um Shabador? That war act was supposed to be against the country we got a war against. He sent $6 million to a to a to a prison when the $6 million could have stayed right here. Thank you for allowing me to speak. I'll be back. Thank you. Wake up. Okay. Next public speaker this evening is Thomas Gayon. Is Thomas Gayton with us? Don't see him. Okay. Next, uh we'll go to new committee reports. We have nothing under planning and development, so we'll go to code and regulation committee and to alderwoman Trina. Thank you, your honor. The committee recommends sustaining the traffic commission's approval to repeal the two-hour parking restriction on the west side of 7th Street from 4th Avenue to Fifth Avenue, thus establishing unrestricted parking. The legal director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance. Number two, the committee recommends sustaining the zoning board of appeals approval for a special use permit for a drive-through restaurant variation to allow development as per submitted site plan and special use permit for an off- premise sign in a C2 limited commercial zoning district at 5505 East Street. Subject to conditions, the legal director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance. Thank you. We have uh two items before us. Is there any discussion? Alderman Bonnie. Thank you, Mayor. Uh I would move that we amend the f the um item two to strike the conditions number four and five in their entirety and the have and the remaining conditions can be reumbered accordingly. For those who may not have it, can you read what four and five are if you have that available or could legal or hold on uh I don't have it. Gotcha. Thanks. Okay. Um, number four is removal of the nonconforming pylon sign and submittal of a sign permit for staff's review and approval of a landmark style sign that meets the current sign ordinance for the off- premise sign. Number five is any future signage within the center must comply with the current code. Okay, thank you for that. Uh, is there any discussion on the amendment that Alderman Bonnie uh brought forward? Alderw Meeks. Um, I just wanted to understand for the item number five, any future signage within the center must comply with current code. I just I I don't understand why we don't want them to comply with code. What's so different about this sign that wouldn't meet code or doesn't meet code? Someone help me understand what's I'll start and if staff corrects um my understanding is that there's an existing sign. Uh the business coming in would like to just take off what's there and put their sign signage or advertisement in that sign. Uh I believe future code would be for is it called a landmark style sign. I I don't know what my understanding is we're striking that as well for the future. So I think there's two definitive amendments uh all in one. Uh the first is simply allow the business that's moving in to utilize the existing sign uh that's not a landmark style. And uh the second is for all future all future signage that may be needed in that development or in that plaza would be uh would not have to follow the code as well. Did I make a mistake in understanding that? Thank you, your honor. I believe that's a a reasonable explanation. I would just note that those conditions work in conjunction with one another and I believe Bonnie's intent and his amendment is to allow the first part of the conversation to the existing sign to advertise the new business that's going on the property. Thank you. Uh Alderwoman Meek, do you have any followup? I didn't want Yeah. I just I mean I just want to make sure that if the sign then changes after the fact, if they put in a different sign that is no longer to code, are they still required to follow code or does this allow them to just have free range and put up whatever sign forever more? Mr. So I would interpret the the amendment in our existing ordinances um to reflect the existing sign. So for example, if they want to put another sign up in the future, they would need to conform with the existing zoning ordinance or pursue a variation through ZBA and city council. Thank you. Any other discussion? Alderman Rose. Yeah, I guess I I I guess I'm still just kind of confused a little myself is what is the reasoning for the the strike and the conditions. I you know I wasn't sure if every other uh business has to follow the the code. What's the special circumstance here? Thank you. Uh Alderman Bon. Thank you. So to go back to the 12th word older person's question, I think that's exactly correct. It's not to suggest that they can just put up any sign at any time, but that this sign would would be allowed to remain even though it's non-conforming. um whether or not um the part this particular business locates there and answer to the ninth word alderman's question the deal I'm told the deal h by the developer by the owner deal hinges on that sign staying um if we approve it with that condition in there is we're approving nothing there is no Thank you, Alderman Derki. Thank you, your honor. Just a matter of clarification going forward. Can you just move your mic? Sorry, sir. Thank you. Uh going forward, the the clause then would read uh future signs have to be conforming, but is is that a moot point because aren't you aren't they maxed out with signage on the property? Can you repeat your question just so I can um that that last clause basically states all future signage must be conforming if they put up new signage, but my understanding is I think uh they're maxed out. I mean, they can't put up a future sign. So, it's kind of like a move point, right? Am I correct? They're they're getting the off property sign. They already have a sign. They can't put up any more signs. So, why would that clause even be there if they can't put up any more signs? Alderman Bonnie, I would defer to staff on whether they're maxed out because there there's also wall frontage or facade signs. Correct. Uh Mr. Okay. Understanding the intent of what Alderman Bonnie is trying to accomplish, that condition would be need to be removed. Um, but it is somewhat of a of a moot point. Um, you know, if uh if you're going to allow the sign to to remain as is, if you're sorry, let me let me rephrase that. So, if you're going to allow the existing sign to be utilized, you need to remove the other condition that would require all signs to be in conformance because it would be conflicting with one another. So, if the intent is to allow the existing sign to be utilized, you do need to remove both of those conditions. Okay. Right. Any other discussion, comments on the amendment? Thank you. We have a motion. We have a second. Uh clerk, could you please call the role on the amendment? Derky. I Tunberg. Hi. Frost. Hi. Tina, hi Prunty. Hi Wilkins. Hi Rose. Barios. Hi Meeks. Bailey. Hi Bonnie. Hi. Two eyes. I'm sorry. Nine eyes, two nos. All right, good news. I'm going to get to talk about it again. Uh, we have two items. One has been amended. Any discussion on those two items? Seeing none, clerk, please call the role. Derky. I. Tunberg. Hi. Frost. Hi. Tina. Hi. Prunty. Hi. Wilkins. Hi. Rose, Barios, Meeks, Bailey, Bonnie, item number one, 11 eyes. Item two, 10 eyes, one no. Excellent. Thank you. Next, we're going to go to Finance and Personnel Committee and Alderman Frost. Thank you, Honor. Uh number one, the committee recommends approval of vouchers in the amount of 11,890,8853 as approved at the finance and personnel committee meeting held on April 14th, 2025. And number two, the committee recommends approval of the 2025 bond sale for the issuance of $13.75 million in taxexempt general obligation bonds for the personally and Horton lawsuit settlement payments. The legal director shall prepare the appropriate ordinance. Thank you. Any discussion on the two items before us? Clerk, could you please call the role? Turkey. Hi. Tunberg. Hi. Frost. Hi. Tina. Hi. Prunty. Hi. Wilkins. Hi. Rose. Hi. Barios. Hi Meeks. Hi Bailey. Hi Bonnie. Hi. 11 eyes. Excellent. Thank you. Next we'll go to officers reports. Any council members have any reports? Alderman Rose. Yeah, your uh honor, I was just wondering if uh we could take a moment of silence for the passing of uh Pope Francis. Absolutely. Any other? Oh, Alderwoman Prunty, could you let somebody else go? Yeah. Did you have Alderman Bonnie? Thank you, Mayor. Um, I just wanted to um make everybody aware of uh two events coming up. Um the first one is the stampout hunger food drive which is Saturday May 10th. Um people may be familiar with this. This is um uh done across the country by the National Association of Letter Carriers locally here uh by branch 35. And it is um based out of the US Post Office um in the 14th ward. And uh all it is is um if you you hang depending on what type of mail delivery you have, if you have a curbside mailbox, you hang um any perishable or non-p perishable uh food products uh in plastic uh grocery bags on your mailbox and the your letter carrier will pick that up and um they will be distributed, sorted and distributed to local food pantries. um by the uh letter carriers. If you have um delivery a mail slot, you just um put the uh products on your doorstep. Again, that's Saturday, May 10th, whenever you when whatever time your mail delivery is that day. The other is um the uh uh Rockford Firefighters Local 413 mini putt crawl which is happening um the same day uh in downtown Rockford from noon to 5:30. Uh you check in at uh District Bar and Grill. There are 10 holes. um ticket the tickets uh ticket sales benefit the um local 413 charitable fund and of course um there's also a benefit to the other downtown businesses that are participating. Again, there are 10 holes. There's a prize for the this is the third annual there there is a pri there there are prizes for the top um three forsomes and um you can purchase those tickets either on Eventbrite or um if you go on to uh Facebook to local 14 413's event page you can use a QR code to purchase tickets there I forget if I mentioned there you don't have to enter as a force But you can't compete for prizes if you don't. Um they're it's $25 for a single entrant and $90 for a forsome. Thank you. Thank you, Alder Wong Prunty. Yes. Thank you. Um just wanted to um send a shout out to some folks. I had a chance um today to um tour um the college and career education center that's located in the sixth ward. Um it's phenomenal. Um can't wait uh to see um what that brings to the children of Rockford um and this community. Okay. So, I just wanted to thank um school board uh member Kimberly Haley, um Rockford Public School um I'm not sure what um Bridget French um Mike Phillips and principal John Casmmani for the opportunity to tour the facility. There is going to be so many opportunities for young people. Um, and I'm just really excited that it's taking place in the um, six ward and the renovations are coming along nicely. So, I'm looking forward to um, that future development. Thank you. Thank you, Alderwoman Wilkins. Thank you, honor. Um, I just wanted to announce that um, we will be having a seventh ward meeting on May 1st at 6 o'clock at Northwest Community Center. Um we are really looking for resident feedback as uh we have one of our hometown heroes that will be replacing one of the basketball courts at Andrews Park and um we are looking for feedback on um what to do with some of the replacements for the tennis court. So you'll be receiving um communication um from door to doors and um uh the 911 911 reverse call as well um to help get the word out. So thank you. Thank you. Any other discussion? Alder Alderman Barios. Thank you, your honor. I uh I want to thank uh public works director Tim Henkins and his team for the uh great presentation of uh the 11 street reconstruction. Thank you very much. Any other uh reports? Thank you. Next, we'll go to motions and resolutions. We have nothing under planning and development, so we'll go to code and regulation and Alderwoman Torino. Thank you, your honor. Item number one, the committee recommends approval of the Churchill Grove sale. This event is scheduled for May 3rd from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will take place at 200 Sherman Avenue, the Churchill Grove neighborhood. Number two, the committee recommends approval of the Rockford City Market. This event will take place on Friday evenings beginning on May 16th to September 5th from 400 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event will take place at the following locations: Water Street between East State Street and Short Jefferson. Market Street between Water Street and Railroad tracks city market pavilion. Number three, the committee recommends approval of the South Main Marcato and ID do resolution. This event is scheduled for June 8th from noon to 7 p.m. The event will take place on South Main Street between Morgan Street and Kent Street. Number four, the committee recommends approval of the Rockford Iron Man and the ID dot resolution. This event is scheduled for June 22nd from 4:00 a.m. to 5:00 p. The event will take place at the following locations: Rock River, Davis Park, Downtown Rockford, West Rockford, Rock River Recre Path, and surrounding communities. Number five, the committee recommends approval of one table and open air dining experience. This event is scheduled for August 23rd from 6:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. The event will take place on Water Street from Market Street to Lower Jefferson Street Bridge. And lastly, number six, the committee recommends approval of the spruce up day 2025 and I do resolution. This event is scheduled for May 10th from 8:00 a.m. to 4 pm. The event will take place at the Veterans Roundabout which is located on Main Street and Auburn Street. Thank you. Thank you, Council. Any discussion on those items? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor say I. I. Those opposed. Excellent. Next, we're going to go to Finance and Personnel Committee. Alderman Frost. Thank you. Um, number one, the committee recommends approval of an award of bid for citywide street repairs group number three to TCI concrete in the amount of 3,360,96766. The contract ration is through October 3rd, 2025 and the funding source is the 1% infrastructure sales tax. Number two, the committee recommends approval to award a bid for citywide street sweeping to Elgen Sweeping Services an estimated annual amount of $929,500. It is through December 31, 2025 with four possible one-year extension options. Um, annual price adjustments for CPI be considered a contract renewal only. The funding source is the street department operating budget. Number three, the committee recommends approval of a bid for garage, commercial labor, medium, and heavy duty trucks to interstate power systems and Lakeside International and an estimated annual amount of $50,000 based on unit pricing. The contract duration is one year with four possible one-year extension options. Annual price adjustments for CPI be considered a contract renewal only and the funding source is the equipment fund operating budget. Number four, the committee recommends approval and award of joint purchase agreement for telecommunications and technology audit service to the spy glassass group in the amount based on savings and cost recovery fee schedule 50% of any cost recovery uh for 12 months of future cost savings. It's a one-year contract and funding sources the information technology fund operating budget. Number five, committee recommends approval of award and joint purchase agreement for Panasonic Tough Books uh to CDS office technologies the amount of $139,352. This is a one-time purchase with 5 years of hardware support included. The funding source is the information technology fund operating budget. Number six, the committee recommends approval of contract for the emergency operate operation center uh construction to scander construction in the amount of $319,461. This is a one-time uh expenditure. The funding source is the congressionally directed spending grant funds. Number seven, the committee recommends approval of board of contract for the emergency operations center for furniture, fixtures, and equipment to Hendrickson and Company in the amount of $75,22122. This is also a one-time purchase. The funding sources the city match funds for congressionally directed spending grant. Number eight, the committee recommends approval award of a non-competitive contract uh for Nitro Pro PDF software to Nitro Software in the annual amount of $29,400. It's a three-year contract. The funding source is the information technology fund operating budget. Number nine, committee recommends approval of award of soul source contract for uh to Unity Fiber um for to Unity Fiber in the annual amount of $33,000. It's a 10-year uh contract. The funding source is the information technology fund operating budget. And number 10, the committee recommends approval and acceptance of the fiscal year 2025 and fiscal year 2026 um Illinois Department of Human Services Re-Imagine Public Safety Act Greater Illinois Community uh convenor grant award in the amount of $180,000. The award will be issued in two separate agreements covering a 12-month period. Additionally, there will be a sub award to the comprehensive community solutions the amount of $61,687 to support community and youth engagement with grant activities. The grant award, if accepted, will continue the employment of a full-time city Rockford employee as community convenor program manager who will work to ensure the success of the project. I place these 10 matters before you. Thank you. Is there any discussion on those 10 items? Alder Meeks, can I just ask about item number seven? Um, the emergency operations center. Um, are we like actually furnishing some place pictures and equipment? Yeah, thank you. Uh that's to furnish the emergency operations center with tables, desks, monitors, printers, computers, all the other non- construction items that will be in the center. And where is the center located? It's going to be on the first floor of the fire headquarters outside the 911 center. Okay. Thank you. Any other uh discussion? Clerk, could you please call the role? Derky. Hi. Tunberg. Hi. Frost. Hi Tina. Hi Prunty. Hi Wilkins. Hi Rose. Hi Barios. Hi Meeks Bailey. Hi Bonnie. Hi 11 eyes. Thank you. Next we'll go to new business. We have nothing under planning and development. So we'll go back to code and regulation committee. Alderwoman Trina. I have two items. Item number one is an ordinance repealing the two-hour parking restriction on the west side of 7th Street from 4th Avenue to Fifth Avenue, thus establishing unrestricted parking. Number two is an ordinance approving a special use permit for a drive-thru restaurant, a variation to allow development as per submitted site plan and a special use permit for an off-remise sign in a C2 limited commercial zoning district at 5505 East State Street. Thank you. Thank you. Any discussion on those two items? Seeing no discussion, all those in favor say I. I. Those opposed. Excellent. Next, we'll go to Finance and Personnel Committee, Alderman Frost. Thank you, uh, number one is an ordinance approving the 2025 bond sale for the issuance of 13.75 million dollars in taxexempt general obligation bonds for the personally and Horton lawsuit settlement payments. Thank you. Any discussion from any of the council members? Clerk, could you please call the role? Jerky. Hi. Timber. Hi. Frost. Hi. Tina. Hi. Prunty. Wilkins. Hi. Rose. Hi. Barios. Hi. Meeks. Hi. Bailey. Hi. Bonnie. Hi. 11. Thank you. Now we will turn you over to Alderman Frost who will turn what is a lovely and efficient evening into something other than that. Alderman Frost. Thank you, Honor. Uh, I I'm have a motion to convene into close session in order to discuss um pending andor threaten litigation matters. We have a second. We have a motion. We have a second. Is there any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Those opposed? Excellent. We will break uh for close session and we'll return. We are uh back into open session. Clerk, could you please call the role? Derky Tunberg here. Frost here. Terrina here. Wilkins here. Rose. Barios here. Meeks here. Bailey here. Bonnie here. 10 present. Excellent. We have a quorum. Is there a motion to adjourn?