Good evening. Welcome to tonight's meeting, our first of the year. January 6, 2025, City Council Chambers, Galesburg, Illinois. Ms. Benowitz, can you call the roll, please? Council Member Hicks? Here. Dennis? Here. Miller? Here. White? Here. Achera? Here. Carrington? Here. I got it right. Cheeseman? Here. Mayor Schwartzman? Here. Eight are present, Your Honor. Thank you. We'll have the pleasure of allegiance, and I'll have Mr. Dennis lead us. First item for approval are the minutes from the December 16th, 2024 meeting. We need a motion and a second. Thank you, Mr. Dennis. Second. Thanks, Ms. Carrington. Any questions about the minutes? Seeing none, I call for a vote on the minutes from the December 16th, 2024 meeting. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Cherry, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you. We move to public comment. Is anyone here for public comment? Please step forward. State your name and you'll have three minutes. Good evening. My name is Jennifer Holmes and I'm in Ward 5. Today, when I was walking my dog on Cherry Street, I had an encounter with a homeless person who clearly needed help. She was in pain and confused and I ended up calling public safety to check on her. Our city has seen an increase in the number of people who are homeless. Galesburg residents and business owners need to know how to help and where to refer people who are homeless. If I hadn't recently had some workplace training on homelessness, I would have probably just walked by that young woman. Currently, if a person gets off a train or a bus in Galesburg and is looking for help with shelter or a meal, the closest dependable shelter is the Galesburg Rescue Mission. The mission is located outside of town on Farnham Street. That's a long walk, especially if you're carrying everything you own. Galesburg needs a downtown day center or drop-in center for people who are homeless. The Carpenter's Place in Rockford, carpentersplace.org, sponsors a day room with a common area, breakfast and lunch, a shower, a change of clothing, and a telephone and message service. It would also be helpful if residents and business owners could give people a card with information on local resources for shelter, food, counseling, et cetera. I urge the council to take seriously the problem of homelessness in our community and take actions to address it. Thank you all for listening and for serving on the council. Thank you. Anyone else here for public comment? Seeing none, we'll move on. The Consent Agenda 2025-01. All matters listed in the Consent Agenda are considered routine by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion. There are six items on the Consent Agenda. Anyone want to make a motion for it? Thank you, Mr. Miller. Second. Thanks, Mr. Chair. Any questions about any of the items? Seeing none, I call for a vote on the consent agenda 2025-01. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Achera, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you. Next. Under the passages of ordinances and resolutions, we have one item, 25-2000. Approve. acquisition of 1911 East Main Street. We need a motion and a second. Thank you, Mr. Dennis, Mr. Chair, Mr. Hanson. Happy New Year. Happy New Year. Thanks, Your Honor. Staff is recommending approval of a purchase agreement to acquire 1911 East Main Street with the intent of demolishing the structure. The agreement provides that upon the transfer of a free and clear deed, the city will dismiss the complaints for demolition currently filed with the Knox County Circuit Court, as well absolve the property owner's current outstanding debt due to fines and various fees to the city in the amount of $11,421.01. The agreement provides the most expedient demolition of the property via acquisition of title, which then we will then proceed to move to demolition as quickly as possible. I assume you all know where this property is. It's highly visible on East Main Street and is a very unsafe property and needs to be addressed as quickly as possible. Happy to answer any questions. Thank you, Mr. Hanson. Any questions for Mr. Hanson or staff? Seeing none, I call for a vote on 25-2000. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Achera, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you very much. There's nothing under bids, petitions, communications. We're now at the city manager's report. Anything to add, Mr. Hanson? No, not this evening, Your Honor. Any questions for Mr. Hanson related to his manager's report? Seeing none, thank you. Miscellaneous business, we have two items to consider. First is 254001, public safety dispatch center renovations. We need a motion and a second. Thank you, Mr. Cheeseman. Second. Thanks, Mr. Chair. Mr. Hanson. Thank you, Your Honor. Staff is recommending approval of the renovations and use of the city property for the public safety dispatch center. The upper level of the public safety building is proposed as the location. for the Public Safety Dispatch Center and required work includes asbestos abatement, complete tear out, renovation of walls, new flooring and ceiling, new electrical and new data wire and jacks. The Knox County Emergency Telephone Systems Board or ATSB accepted bids for this project and has selected the lowest responsible bid from Valley Construction in the amount of $1,755,000 for the renovation work. And the lowest responsible bid from HUSAR abatement, LTD of $41,000 for the asbestos abatement. The ETSB is responsible for the full cost of both bids, and there's no impact to the general fund. The reason this matters before you tonight is because the work actually occurs in our building, and therefore this agreement allows them to move forward and use the space that is currently our facility. Other than that, this is an ETSB project. that they will manage. Happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Any questions for Mr. Hanson? Mr. Miller? We might need more space to expand where this might hinder us. I don't think so. Currently, this is the old jail. It was... abandoned in place 20 years ago. I think the county moved out in 2004. I'd be happy to take you on a tour. Once you went there, you'd understand why we're doing the project. But I don't think that this will impact that, plus it frees up some space on the main floor where the police currently reside as well. But certainly will give us more room for the dispatch center once it's complete. Thank you. Yes, Mrs. Chair. Can you give a little more information regarding, are they going to be, is dispatch going to be in a different building than police? It's in the same building? Yeah, it's just moving up from, I think they're on floor three technically now, is that right? Or two? Chief? Two and a half? Right, yeah. From the main floor to the second floor, they're numbered differently, but that would be confusing. So from the main ground floor to the one directly above it. So it's basically up from that floor up, just almost straight up onto the sixth floor or the top floor. So it's still the public safety building? Okay. I was just a little confused when it said a building owned by the, you know, as though it were a different building or something. Okay. Yeah. Ms. Dwight? I was just saying, is this building only the top floor? Correct. If you go through the glass doors and into what is the public safety building, police and fire, it will be on the sixth floor or the top floor where the jail used to be. All right. And just for the public, this isn't costing the city anything? This is being paid for by an outside entity? Well, I mean, we're all taxpayers in Knox County, right? So we all pay the telecom tax. But it is funded by the telecom tax, which is managed by the ETSB. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Thank you. Seeing no other discussion, I ask for a vote on 25-4001. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Achera, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you. Next item is 254002, the renewal of network support and licensing. We need a motion and a second. Thank you, Mr. Dennis and Mr. White. Mr. Hanson. Thank you, Your Honor. Staff is recommending approval of a three-year support and licensing renewal of core network and wireless network equipment for a total cost of $90,000. The renewal maintains the core IT network that powers all our city's computer systems. It guarantees immediate support 24-7 to resolve any problems and prevent disruptions to vital services. Furthermore, it allows implementation of advanced security measures that protect our network and data by verifying and authorizing each device individually. This support and licensing renewal is a sole source renewal through Qubit, the company that supplied the networking equipment, and all related warranties in support of our current system. Happy to answer any questions. Oh, and this was a budgeted anticipated item that was approved as part of the 2025 budget. Happy to answer any additional questions. Thank you, Mr. Hanson. Any further questions for Mr. Hanson? Seeing none, I call for a vote on 254002. Yes. Dennis. Yes. Miller. Yes. White. Yes. A chair. Yes. Carrington. Yes. Cheeseman. Yes. Seven vote. Yes. Your honor. Thank you. We need a motion to sit as the town board. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Need a second. Thanks, Mr. Chair. All those in favor say aye. Anyone opposed say nay. We are sitting as a town board. We have two items under town business. The first are the bills. Twenty five nine zero zero zero. We need a motion for the bills. Thank you, Mr. Carrington and Mr. Miller. Any questions about the bills? Seeing none, I call for a vote on the bills, 25-9-0-0-0. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Achera, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you. One more item under town business is 25-9-0-0-1. This is the Township Audit Services. We need a motion and a second. Thanks, Mr. Chair. I heard Mr. Miller. Thank you. Any questions about the Township Audit Services? Seeing none, we'll call for a vote. 25-9-0-0-1, Township Audit Services. Hicks, yes. Dennis, yes. Miller, yes. White, yes. Achera, yes. Carrington, yes. Cheeseman, yes. Seven vote yes, Your Honor. Thank you. We need a motion to resume as the City Council. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Second. And Mr. Chair, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Anyone opposed? We are now sitting as a City Council. We have reached the closing comments. We need someone to lead off. Mr. White. Happy New Year. Thank you. That was under two seconds. Mr. Chair. He took the words right out of my mouth. Happy New Year. Thank you. Mrs. Carrington? Well, I'd announce it, but I think you've probably picked up on it. I'm Mrs. Carrington now for over a week now, and I am absolutely delighted, and it's been a wonderful new year so far. I hope you all are having a happy new year as well. Thank you. Mr. Cheeseman? A couple of things. Mrs. Holmes, thank you for coming in and speaking tonight. I think that all of us realize that the challenge that we all have as a society and as a city, but more importantly, as an entire United States of America is addressing some of these challenges that folks have without housing. And it's going to take a multi-dimensional type of approach to really try to come up with some answers to be of help here. And I think it's something that all of us are certainly have in our mind and look forward to. seeing how we can do this in a better way. But it's not just a city of Galesburg government problem. It's a challenge that all of us in all kinds of ways need to address. A couple of other things. Out to the high school, there's a nice picture up in the revolving boards of students that are being recognized for perfect attendance. And I think that's a very noteworthy thing. folks that grow up with that kind of value system where they try to make it to school or attend whatever that they can on a consistent and near perfect way, says a lot for them in our society. One of the things that's built upon in terms of success is the dependability of the people, and I think that that needs to be mentioned tonight. I want to also wish those that observe in Christianity a happy epiphany. And this is the day that it was made known to Christians throughout the world that Jesus was the Christ child, but also a day where the Magi came and visited, giving gifts. And I think that I've said oftentimes here, our city's best attribute is its people, and so many people giving themselves here. And they should be commended, whether it's their time, talents. or their money, and again, one of those things that we're built on in terms of what makes Galesburg a great place. And finally, thinking of someone that certainly contributed greatly to our society, truly a person that served others in such a big way and lived a life that was well-led. Take note of and honor President Jimmy Carter, who passed away this last week. What a tremendous example for human beings. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chiefsman. Mr. Hicks. Mr. Dennis. Thank you, Mr. Dennis. Mr. Miller. I want to wish everybody a happy new year also. I'm grateful to have been a part of this council in 24, many great things that we have done. As a council, as you see, a lot of our votes are seven to zero. That says a lot for all of us working together. I also look forward to 25. Hopefully we have a wonderful year and do what the public wants us to do. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Miller. Yes, Happy New Year to everyone. It is a... you know, propitious year 2025. We are, you know, quarter of the way through this century, which is pretty amazing. I teach a lot of students who actually were born in this century and they don't really fully understand that. But nonetheless, 25 years is a big milestone. There's a lot of things that we've accomplished as Mr. Miller indicated. I think there's, as we saw in our budget that we approved, there's a lot to be accomplished this year as well. And it's going to require the diligence of this council and the staff, amazing staff of our city, but it's going to require public input. When you do big projects, you need the input of the community. And so you'll be, I and hopefully other councilors will be requesting that input as things evolve. We have 12 months. There's a lot to do. We're going to deal with the housing issue. We're going to deal with the transportation issue. We're going to make continued progress with the homeless issue. And the list goes on. So please be aware. Thank you, those who attended on a cold night. But we're going to be seeking your input over the course of the next several months to make 2025 as successful as 2024 was, frankly. And with that, I will close my thoughts. However, we need someone to make a motion. Thank you, Ms. Cheeseman. I'll make the motion that we now convene into closed-door executive session for the purpose of discussing A, our November 4th, 2024 executive session minutes, 5ILCS120-2C21, and B, litigation, 5ILCS120-2C11. We have that motion. We need a second. Thank you, Mr. Miller. All those in favor say aye. Aye. No one opposed? We are moving into executive session. All those that came tonight, please be safe on your way home. And keep us informed of your whereabouts and your dreams and aspirations.