Springfield Committee of the Whole Meeting Tuesday, September 10, 2024

e e e PR the time is now 5:27 all mics are hot we are live and streaming on all platforms what is right hello as I can be so where is he just sent me a picture from the good let's just send let's text back you know what I mean I'm sitting here while they watching TV just drop out of like then we just talk about I was so they it to me for Mig and for my and now a different like nause medicine all together that's my we got one of those likeed CE put C having the appointed time at 5:30 I'd like to call the Tuesday September 10th 2024 Committee of the whole to order please would you please stand and join me for the Pledge of Allegiance I pledge ALG to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands na under God indivisible with liy and justice for all assist for all thank you Mr clerk would you take the roll please we'll do Alderman red pth here Alderman Gregory Alderman Williams here Alderman Rockford here alderwoman purchas here alderwoman Nano here Alderman Carlson here alderwoman Connelly present Alderman Donan here Alderman hanau here Mr chairman aarum is present thank you I would accept a motion for the approval of the August 27th 2024 committee meeting minutes so move chair second all in favor I opposed uh Madame treasure report please thank you chair the treasures report for the corporate fund for the month of August beginning balance is 53,6 2016, 518 we took in total receipts of 12, 83657 we had total dispersements in the month of August totaling 17,31376 which left the corporate fund ending balance of the month of August at 49,1 39,2 the ending general fund balance includes 12, 65,66 which is the August ending balance for arpa money that concludes my report thank you chair chair make a motion to accept the treasures report as submitted all all approve got a second motion a second all in favor I oppos eyes have it at this time I'd like to call Chief canny Scarlet up please excuse me thank you chief thanks for the recognition for allowing me to come forward um and I want to speak tonight very candidly about recent events that transpired last Thursday night that led to horrific injuries some of our citizens of Springfield and I have several people I'd like to address and first I will begin with the city council and the mayor because I'm looking at you and I begin by saying once again the City of Springfield has been thrust into a spotlight as a result of a horrific act someone who wore this similar uniform that I do this exact uniform that I do and that is tragic that is shameful and I apologize to you all as Leaders of this city that you have to go through this therefore I'm sorry next I want to speak to Mike Egan 23 years in law enforcement he wore this uniform he took an oath like I did to protect and serve our citizens that oath doesn't end the day that you retire that oath is something you take with you to your grave that man failed this oath that man embarrassed the profession of law enforcement he should be ashamed of himself for his actions his selfish actions that led to such a horrific crash I'm most importantly I want to speak to the families of Chelsea Farley Caitlyn who's with us today and Trevor Hopkins my heart breaks for you my heart breaks for their entire families for what they're experiencing the sorrow that I have the pain the suffering that I know you all are experiencing I can't even imagine more importantly I apologize for the lack of compassion and the lack of empathy that was displayed on scene that day I apologize for the lack of scene management that was on display that day I'm going to be very clear there are no double standards in this industry nor can there ever be the appearance of having double standards when it comes to investigating crimes I will not accept that and so as the leader of the Springfield Police Department I accept full responsibility for your grief the injuries of Trevor and Chelsea their families everything that they're going for my staff senior staff is with me today to also accept responsibility I know there is grief and anger and Chaos in the aftermath and I've assured you we spoke yesterday there would be a transparent and ongoing internal investigation you and I will remain in contact throughout that because I believe we developed a good relationship yesterday and I owe it to you and your family to rebuild that trust and that responsibility and that's what I'm committed to do again I apologize to everyone in here for this horrific crash that occurred it's completely irresponsible and selfish that's all I have to say I don't know if there's any questions of anything that I can ask at this time thank you Chief thank you thank you next we'd have ordinances table to remain in committee Mr clerk could you please read those ordinances 202 24089 202478 202 24239 2024 331 2024 333 there anyone who'd like to remove any of these for committee consideration chair yes sorry um I just want to clarify um clerk 202 24089 was supposed to have been been pulled from the agenda are you making that motion to have it removed I making the motion to have it removed thank you is there a second second withdrawn withdrawn second thank you okay I just vote on it okay that that that's going to be removed right yeah you'll need to vote on it oh yeah all in favor iOS thank you thank you chair okay at at this time uh the chair would entertain a motion to move agenda number 2024 376 an ordinance regulating public camping within corporate boundaries and other actions in connection therewith for the City of Springfield to the front of the agenda so second all those in favor I I any discussion at all chair yes I move that we withdraw 2024 376 second all in favor I thank you right thank you accordingly there'll be no further action taken on agenda number 2024 376 an ordinance regulating public camping tonight and it will not be on the agenda for Council consideration next week September 17th members of the public who signed up in advance to speak on agenda number 2024 376 and ordinance regulating public camping will be per permitted to do so at this time if they still wish to address the committee all public comments not pertaining to agenda number 2024 376 in Ord its regulating public campign will be permitted to address the committee at the end of the meeting during the usual time for citizens to address the committee Mr kku is the first citizen signed up to speak on agenda 2024 376 M Janda Barz Mr chairman why are we doing this we just withdrew the ordinance she can still speak on wait a minute it's our rules not theirs no no no but they signed up to speak they can speak at the end of the meeting this is in accord let's take a vote hold on hold on hold on go ahead thank you Mr chair um this is in accordance with how similar situations have been treated in the past so the determination was made to still allow those who signed up the opportunity to speak but the same rules will still apply five minutes no more no less and then I make a motion to challenge the chair I make a motion to challenge the chair for reconsideration of the of be quiet hold on order order please I make a motion to challenge the chair and ask for a vote on if we're going to allow this roll call all right Mr chair point a parliamentary procedure I'm sorry point a par parliamentary procedure what is what is the motion we are voting on what is the impact of the motion I want to make sure I'm clear uh motion is the motion is to not discuss not have discussion on this now but they can wait till the end of the meeting under the Public Presentation time well I come on if I can my understanding the Illinois open meetings Act is there there should be on the agenda a public comment period whether it's now or at the end it really is indifferent to me but as long as it's in accordance with the ACT I think that's the importance and in the spirit of being open and and having the giving the public an opportunity to speak yes uh Corporation Council if you could speak on this but but this is this is what's been done in the past um and it's pertaining to this this ordinance that's being removed so I'll let Corporation Council speak on it certainly thank you Mr chair um Alderman donin you are correct it could whatever this body chooses to do it can be addressed now it can be addressed later during public comment period but as the chair stated this allowing citizens who signed up to speak on a specific item is more in line with how this body has treated or ordinances withdrawn in the past so again whatever this body chooses to do but I but I made a motion to challenge the chair understand Al roll call what's a yes no okay should we clarify what the vote isif the yes and no a no vote Yes Corporation Council would you clarify please the motion was to challenge the chair so and specifically to Alderman red path please correct me if I'm wrong to allow public comment now or later comment hold on order pertaining to this pertaining to this ordinance so the chair was wanting to allow public comments now so by challenging what Alderman redpath is wanting to do is to save it for later so the yes vote would be to save it for later the no vote would be to do it now Alderman red Pat I Alderman Gregory is not here Alderman Williams no Alderman Rockford no alderwoman purchas no woman no Triano no Alderman [Applause] Carlson this gentleman right here needs to quit your comments why you order order please please Alderman Alderman you're an elected official that's right thank you that's right don't give me that grumbling stuff you're okay here we go order REM continue to vote alderwoman connley no Alderman donin no Alderman hanau yes two eyes and in seven days go okay thank you please state your name please my name is Joan Janda barage thank you so I applaud um um Al purchase and mayor busher for um pulling back that ordinance but at this time I would like to appeal to those of you who are reasonable to think about the resources that this body can put forth to assist the homeless at this point to get them to um shelter to get them services to meet them at their point of need it really does assist with this body's um mandate to help the citizens and they are the citizens that is what I'm requesting at this time if you could um fund some more of the resources out in the community Miss tiarra standage and some other resources that can help to get the um the homeless that you know do need your help you know we are Advocates that's what your public servants you're supposed to have a difference of opinion when it comes to the manner of being Humane and people's human rights so that's all I ask um I I I hope that you guys would come up with some way to put something forth that's helpful and not harmful thank you thank you clerk yes the next person to speak is Erica Thomas I definitely want to start by saying thank you for scrapping that useless ordinance but I am still unhoused today and it's a lot more that can be done and the one thing I do want to say is it's time to remove homeless from this language it is a political word it is dirty it is nasty we have a home and it's Springfield Illinois we're just unhoused thank you Erica Paige Matthew Paige Paige Matthews Susan Phillips Adan dock hello um I don't have too much to say just thank you for pulling the ordinance and I hope we continue to have public hearings on this issue um that's all thanks thank you Caryl [Applause] Thompson uh that's all that's signed up for the okay speak thank you clerk uh now for ordinances for committee consideration uh Mr Mr clerk could you please read the ordinance vers cwlp 2024 340 an ordinance accepting bids and authorizing contract UE 25- 0721 substation Transformer recondition and repair with Sunbelt Solomon LLC in an amount not to exceed $522,500 452 for the Office of Public Utilities move for consent second any discussion all in favor I opposed I have I'm Sor 2024 342 an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new thermog gravic metric analyzer for dolman laboratory from ta instruments Waters LLC in an amount not to exceed $94,900 for the office of public utility consent second all in favor iOS 2024 343 an ordinance authorizing an expenditure in the amount of $96,400 for the 2024 helping homes Energy Efficiency renovation Improvement program for the office of public utility motion for consent second all in favor I opposed eyes have it 2024 344 an ordinance approving and authorizing execution of an agreement with seram USA Incorporated in an amount not to exceed $433,000 for the purchase of a new Catalyst modules for the dolman power plant units four for the Office of Public Utilities second all in favor I I Against I have it 2024 345 an ordinance approving and authorizing execution of an agreement with samum USA Incorporated an amount not to exceed $434,000 for Catalyst regeneration for do unit 4 for the Office of Public Utilities that all in favor I I any against I 2024 346 an ordinance authorizing additional funding in the amount of $500,000 for Andrews engineering Incorporated for Consulting Services related to the disposal of coal combustion residuals residuals CCR using the environmental and Regulatory initiatives and rebate fund EF for a total amount not to exceed $1,651 500 and authorizing a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $500,000 for the Office of Public Utilities all in favor chair oh I'm sorry discussion sorry all the woman uh thank you chair I'm I just would like to invite someone from uh cedo blp to come up and explain uh what we're doing here every time we use these erf funds I would like for us to take a closer look and see um to what end we're using them for um Deborah Williams Regulatory Affairs so this is a routine contract that we've had over the years with Andrews engineering they do all the hydrogeology groundwater monitoring work at the ash ponds and the landfill um this is an ordinance to increase they've just spent more hours than was anticipated under the agreement so we're increasing funding um we've had to drill more Wells we've had to do some more reports we just turned in like 2,000 pages of stuff to the state EPA yesterday that we put up on our website so it just has been more work than expected but or more hours than expected but the same scope of work work okay so this is uh they did this work in an attempt to comply with the Illinois EPA requirements and attempt to apply for our permits and obtain our permits and respond to the questions for the regulators and yeah and comply with all the all the requirements of the rules yeah they've been doing this for us for quite quite a long time okay thank you any more discussion take a DB all in favor I post eyes have it 2024 347 a resolution recommending the approval of an application for water service Outside The City of Springfield for TNA plus LLC for a property located at 3600 South 6 Street for the Office of Public Utilities move for consent second discussion all in favor opposed I 2024 348 an ordinance authorizing issuance not to exceed $450 million senior lean electric revenue refunding bonds series 2024 of the City of Springfield sangman County Illinois providing for terms of security and payment for said bonds authorizing the sale of said bonds to the purchasers thereof directing the execution of an escrow agreement in connection with the issuance of said bonds and amending the and restating the city's Master electric revenue bonds ordinance move for consent second any discussion all in favor opposed I have it 20124 349 an ordinance authorizing the execution of a series of agreements with CGI Technologies and Solutions in Incorporated in an amount not to exceed 12,316 55 for a 5-year term for the procurement of a new enterprise resource planning Erp system per RFP CS 22-17 for the office of public utility good set second discussion all in favor I oppos eyes have it 20 24 350 an ordinance authorizing a Professional Services agreement with Barnes and thornberg LLP as outside Council for the legal assistance with us Central district court case number 23- cv- 3250 current Gardner Township Public Water District saming County Illinois versus the City of Springfield Illinois in an amount not to exceed $200,000 and authorizing a transfer of funds in the amount of $175,000 from one account to another for the office of publicity second uh in discussion all in favor post I have it Mr chairman I'd like to return to uh 343 want like I'd like to have that put on the debate agenda duck if you don't mind chair yeah could we U could we have Doug come up and explain this what's what's going on or somebody from the utility is there a second to his debate yeah I'm sorry second I'm sorry I'll second thank you thank you yeah so this is 343 right yeah okay um this is the helping homes inic Energy Efficiency renovation projects that we have uh so basically we uh provide you know the fund we've talked about it at budget time as well that uh we have low income uh limits basically you have to qualify for and uh we come in and do energy audits uh we look at uh such things as insulation you know the air conditioning units if it's a heat pump um and we'll look at claing uh weather stripping uh lighting upgrades and determine what might be suitable for them and then if they you so if they qualify then we we would uh we bid that out and that's what comes into this contract so then we replace those items under this program I I'll withdraw my motion for debate real quickman Doug it's my understanding that they're they're really short handed on uh energy Auditors in that division are we are we trying to get some people hired or yes yeah yeah we've had two recently leave uh for other positions outside of the city and we've posted uh the to try to see if we can get two more Replacements okay so it goes back on consent then yeah there was a motion we do need a second motion I'm sorry there was a motion we do need a second he he withdrew the I withdrew my motion there still needs to be a second I'll second okay good we're good good all in favor all Public Works 2024 351 in ordinance authorizing relocation expenses in the amount not to exceed $225,000 for the relocation of occupants and personal property located at parcel Sr 0029 1500 East North Grand Avenue relating to the Springfield rail Improvement projects for the Office of Public Works consent second any discussion all in favor opposed eyes have it 2024 35 you an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a 2024 Ford F350 from Landmark Ford Incorporated in an amount not to exceed $ 76,2 32 under State contract number 22- 416 cm- b4- p- 33728 for the Office of Public Works move for consent second any discussion all in favor opposed I have it 2024 353 an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new 2024 verir sc70tx stump grinder with a tradein of a 2006 vermier sc802 Stump Grinder from verir Midwest in an amount not to exceed $77,500 for the Office of Public Works motion for consent all in favor iOS eyes have it 20 24 354 an ordinance authorizing supplemental number one to an agreement with Hansen Professional Services Incorporated for the construction engineering for Stanford Avenue from 11th Street to Fox Bridge Road mft section number 15467 02- PV and authorizing additional expenditures in the amount not to exceed $151,600 48,8 N1 for the Office of Public Works move for consent second discussion yeah discussion Alman red director uh can you come up so I'm not opposed to this ordinance but I keep coming back to the same or same request I've made for the last couple years about the Hazeldale underpass out by Lake Springfield it's it's a disaster it needs attention are we working on any kind of proposals to clean that clean clean that up uh the engineers are working on that yes so there is there is there are started the engineering on that they're taking a look at it yes oh I need to know thank you takes forever Chu I know any more discussion Basin all in favor I opposed I have it 2024 355 a supplemental resolution notifying the state of illino Department of Transportation that motor fuel tax funds in the amount of $151,600 may be used for construction services for construction of the Stanford Avenue Extension project from 11th Street to foxbridge Road mft section 15467 02- PV for the Office of Public Works motion for a consent second favor opposed I have 2024 356 an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a new 2 2025 International tandem axle dump truck from Rush Truck Centers of Illinois in an amount not to exceed $25,300 for the Office of Public Works motion for a consent discussion all in favor I sorry I'm sorry aler woman Conley I tried yeah um just real quick um director remember we talked about this truck at budget time but can you um explain again what we're going to be using this for uh it's going to replace uh uh one of the trucks that's in the fleet right now with the plan uh the old truck could either be declared as Surplus property or it could be assigned to Oak Ridge or maybe even cwlp but we go we use these trucks each and every day and they're wearing out all right thank you very much appreciate it Motion in a second all in favor opposed nice have it 24 357 in ordance authorizing the purchase of a new 2024 John Deere 544 pwh loader with a tradein of a 2008 kamatsu wheel loader for Martin Equipment in an amount not to exceed $220,400 for the Office of Public Works any discussion all in favor I I opposed ni have it 2024 358 an ordinance authorizing the purchase of real estate located at 1500 East North Grand Avenue between the City of Springfield and Illinois and Midland Railroad incorpor operated in an amount not to exceed $450,000 relating to the Springfield rail Improvement project usable segment 6A for the Office of Public Works what's that discussion any discussion director could you tell us about uh is this what we're they're going to build an underpass there or overpass there over over this will be the approach to the overpass that goes uh over the railroad tracks right there at North gr and I think it's about 15th Street so it'll be uh the approach so so it's not going to be an under it's over there it's the over the under is going to be uh underneath of 10th Street between 9th and 11th okay right where right where the the McDonald's was taken down that's where the underpass is going to be so sorry go ahead Alman Williams yeah so just to be clear for War I residents so when we turn at 9th and North ground will be going under yes sir under will come up at 11th Street go about half a block and this is where this is where we start going up in the air this is on on the on the east side of the railroad tra right War I four is on landfair so yes sir so as we go up in the air when we come down it'll pretty much be at the light like where Dair Queen more less more or less 19th Street than yeah 19th Street thank you very much yes sir any more discussion Motion in a second all in favor iOS ice have it 2024 359 in or south authorizing acceptance and execution of dceo Grant number 22-23 609 from the state of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in an amount of $500,000 to be used for infrastructure improvements to Wheeler Avenue from Adam Street to cook Street located in W 3 and authorizing a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $500,000 for the Office of Public Works move to consent second any discussion all in favor I I opposed eyes have it General City business 2024 3 60 an ordinance authorizing a decrease in the number of class deer licenses by one for Starship Partners incorporating doing business of Starship Billiards parlor located at 2301 Stevenson Drive move for consent second any discussion all in favor iOS I have it 2024 361 an ordinance authorizing a decrease in the number of class de loal licenses by one for HOA restaurant holder LLC doing business of Hooters of Springfield located at 3241 Horizon Drive move consent all in favor opposed I have it 2024 362 an ordinance to increase the number of class deor licenses by one for De Los Altos Restaurant Group LLC doing business as Ramona Taco and Tequila tequila located at 4403 you can drive Mo to consent second any discussion all in favor I opposed I have it 2024 363 an ordinance authorizing payment in the amount of 557 $56.88 to bodu adaku to current City of Springfield firefighter settlement of workman's compensation claim case number 23- wc- 8752 motion for consant second any discussion all in favor opposed eyes have it 2024 364 an ordinance authorizing creation of murals on selected areas of Jefferson bridge and naming the bridge Massi Memorial Bridge who consent any discussion all in favor I'm sorry aler woman Conley thank thank you chair um Sonia massie's mom is in the audience tonight and I just want to say um this is a very small gesture in terms of everything but we're honored to have her name as part of our city and keep her in our hearts and our thoughts thank you for coming in tonight Alman Williams yes so I I just want to say congratulations as well I want to speak for my colleague uh Sean Greg reward to he'll be very happy to get this news and you he worked hard at wanting to get this done and we look forward to beautifying that little small Bridge there so thank you again sorry chair chair I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor to this ordinance too for the final agenda I'd like to be added as the co-sponsor also sure how about all us everybody it unanimous yes thank you thank you 2024 365 in ordinance authorizing a 5-year contract with axon Enterprise Incorporated in an amount not to exceed 5, 885,000 over the term for all body warn cameras evidence software unlimited storage Fleet systems tasers cartridges VR systems accompanying equipment and accessories and replenishments for the Springfield Fire Springville Police Department any discussion U Conley sorry chair I'm not trying to be super CH you're all right I I just um did the chief leave if we could um just briefly I think um one thing that's come up recently um that people have had questions for me about uh the differences in body cameras and and how they're used um and I think that not everyone understands how exactly the body cameras are triggered and function for the Springfield Police Department would you mind just kind of giving us a quick summary of what happens and and uh off how many officers have body cameras and and what this what this andent Tails um this contract ensures that we will have enough body cameras and licenses for every sworn officer on the police department to have a body camera and wear it which keeps keeps us in compliance with the safety act those body cameras you know officers often wear them up on the vest some of us on our belt it is on right now it's running it's buffering so if I turn it on right now it have the last 30 seconds in a muted fashion and then it starts recording the audio as soon as I activate it which is activated just by me touching it um two times and then uh it begins recording everything that it can see audio and visual and um one of the questions I was asked was what happens if an officer draws his weapon his or her weapon so also part of this contract um is a device called signal sidearm which is attached to all of our Patrol officers holsters that when the the firearm is removed from the holster it activates their body camera if it's not already on and is that apply to the tasers also if a taser activation happens it also will activate a body camera if it is not already on so there's no option to have your camera off easily if you've pulled a weapon if the power is off on the body camera it would not activate but as long as the power is on it will activate and so like right now it is on our policy requires that the officer have it on in that buffering mode all the time your question though could they have the power to the device turned off it is not going to activate on that our fire is that our expectation is that that power be on at all times when they take it out of the charger at the beginning of their shift they don't even have to press a button it's already powered on okay thank you very much appreciate that any more discussion questions all in favor I opposed eyes have it 2024 366 an ordinance authorizing the purchase of a 2024 Ford F-150 and a 2024 Ford F3 50 in an amount not to exceed $131,800 from Dana Safety Supply Incorporated for the Springfield Fire Department move for consent second any discussion all in favor I opposed eyes have it 2024 367 and ownit approving an extend of collective bargaining agreement with the United Association of journeyman and apprentices of the plumbing and pipe fitting industry of USA Canada and Local Union number 137 from April 1st 2024 through March 31st 2028 any discussion all in favor opposed I have it 2024 368 an ordinance authorizing acceptance and execution of project Next Generation Library services and Technology at Grant number 25302 7- PG from state of Illinois State library in an amount of $18,350 and authorizing a supplemental appropriation in the amount of 8,360 for Lincoln Library motion for consent second any discussion all in favor I I have it 2024 369 an ordinance authorizing various supplemental Appropriations for year in budget reconciliation for fiscal year 2024 for the office of budget and management discussion all in favor I have it 2024 370 an ordance declaring Office of Public Works apparatus equipment as Surplus property and authorizing disposal of a set Surplus property by auction sold for scrap donated or recycled for the office of budget management move for consent second any discussion all in favor I post I have it 2024 371 an ordinance authorizing various inter agency budgetary transfers to reconcile end ofe budget levels with FY 2024 expenditure expenses for the office of budget and management for consent second any discussion all in favor iOS I have 2024 372 an ordance authorize a supplemental appropriation to refund goo bond series 20 14 and fund Capital expenditures for the certain Capital Improvements and Equipment purchases within the City Springfield from the general obligation refunding and Improvement bond series 2024 for the office of budget management for consent Mr chair I'd like to make a motion to adopt a proposed amendment number one second second okay all in favor I I oppos eyes have it U that was a vote for the amendment for the amendment now we need now the move move as amended for consent on the second motion to for Amendment all in favor iOS I have it 2024 373 an ordinance approving small business Redevelopment assistance to several businesses utilizing cannabis tax funds in an amount not to exceed $280,000 for the office of planning and economic development move for consent second any discussion all in favor I post I have it present okay noted that concludes the ordinances uh chair unfinished business is there any unfinished business to come before the committee new business any new business us uh I got one question for chief Scarlet if I could please uh Chief I've had a few people call about uh the tree uh damage that was done at Lake Springfield area and uh have we heard anything or what's what's the process on that I mean yeah just to excuse me fill everyone else in there were several I would call them maybe saplings I don't know if that's the right word but smaller trees that were uh chopped down upwards I think they said of 60 so I was made aware of that spoke with Doug brown with cwlp I assign that to to our detective Bureau to look into I don't have any updates on it though currently okay thank you mhm okay uh clerk yes now it's time for Citizens request to address the committee are there any I'm sorry uh yeah any any yes Danielle Perkins Daniel Perkins Reginald Perkins Michael lipom Jr Linda Rehan hi everybody um my name is Linda renahan I've been a resident of Springfield for about 35 years now and um I have a shop downtown I've been downtown for eight years and leesa is my older person and we're in trouble downtown right now I'll be honest and I think that what I want to talk about is that for 35 years I've heard the same issues about downtown and I think that they've finally been heard because we don't have very much local business anymore it's hard you've got businesses making zero dollars in a day Zero I'm lucky that's not me but what are we doing about that where are we taking this I mean we've been having our business owners meetings we've been talking about it and we've been making mistakes we haven't been coming to meetings my poor friend leesa said come to the meetings uh I made a big boo boo and she had to pay the price because everybody thought we were going to say we don't like the members of our community we have mentally ill in our community they we have Street people they're part of our community we feed them we clothe them we have been invited to their homes there are people we just got to go fast now because I got so much to say but so we're going to start coming more often I'm going to go with parking cuz that's my thing parking pixie some of you have been on my parking walks before when did it become my job to tell people not to use the meters when did four years four years I have to do that I'm trying to put out a good product surface Lots we don't have a surface lot for downtown businesses not one tell me where it is you took down the decrepit lot but you made that public decrepit lot into a private lot and you gave kids em stuff Leah you got lucky um the underground we won't even talk about that I went in there today Jo Justin used to come to tell me stuff that's my closest public lot $3 an hour it's what who wants to come with me I'll show you the public lot it's no and I like mid-century okay and then I do okay and then okay we'll start with that okay police downtown um the only thing I'm going to go with we've had some some fighting downtown I've seen jerk shops employee with their face um blood I've seen I had to lock myself in my shop the other day um I've had father standing in my doorway I you know when people are screaming sometimes we need faster um police presence I mean 45 minutes is a little long but I lock myself in my shop and it's okay I've got 1 minute and 39 seconds to challenge you on something our last big beautification project was the Planters you drive under Springfield Clinic it is gloriously beautiful it is so great you get closer and closer to downtown and it gets a little dingier and dingier we start to have all the open Lots there's a lot of lots in downtown that are halfway empty but my people are parking on the street and so are all the construction guys so I want you to look at just the Planters just the Planters that's all I want you to look at because starting from about hogland I want you to go up hog look at I planter not the ones that the people own the ones that are yours and I want you to then go on to Washington Street and look at just the Planters come on down my street look at the Planters tell me if that was executed very well tell me if that looks professional tell me if it looks like I'm a pride we are Springfield we are downtown Springfield is the home of the capital it is the home of the nation park it is the home of how many historical societies it is Route 66 we deserve better we need better downtown cannot survive on me in my little box we need your help thank you thank [Applause] [Music] you Abby GG hello it's me again um and you guys will see me every week until changes are made I get off at 3:45 and I have nothing better to do um Alderman Rockford I just want to introduce myself I am a homeowner in your ward and I pay taxes a lot of them so I just wanted to know who my Alderman is Lea purches I'm so thankful that you guys are making better decisions on ways to help our unhost now um I was originally signed up for the public camping but as Alderman Red Pass said that's gone so let's talk about the lack of trust in our Police Department the other day I was at Fifth and North Grand there were two police cars there four cops total for domestic incident there was a gentleman there going through something um your the officers laughed at him Chief Scarlet your officers were laughing at a man in distress um I will also state that I may white woman and I would not call the police to help me I don't care what it is I'll handle it on my own or I'll just die there because I'm not calling this department to help me with anything so I cannot imagine how our men and women of color feel when they have to interact with the police as an example yesterday um a very well-known Community activist here in town Tiara standage was brutally attacked by Officer Peters for no reason made up stories knocked down choked drug at a public protest so these are the protesters rights if anybody officers needs a pamphlet anybody need this officers so you can see what our rights are we had a right to be there I am so mad I'm shaking this is a copy of the Constitution that has the first amendment in it stating that we have the freedom of speech and the freedom to protest officers if any of you need a copy I have extra and you can get them adate M trust CH please you're right you're right and then um if somebody could talk to whoever writes the speeches for our mayor so that they jot down everything like Trevor Hopkins is his name not second passenger Trevor Hopkins is his name that's C Chelsea Farley's name was said and that is because you guys are only wanting to name one person and we're not sure why so if Missy berer speech writer could get that taken care of or maybe she can be replaced or something Trevor Hopkins is his name finally Mr B Misty buer and the chief of police well specifically the mayor lied to the family of Chelsea Farley and said that they were going to give this whole statement and support of the family as well as making sure that the officers that were surrounding officer Egan and laughing and checking it up with him to where he could say my buddies will help me that was none of that was in the public statement that her speech writer maybe forgot it but I just don't understand why it takes two minutes to spell GoFundMe we can all we all know what GoFundMe is and we all know Chelsea Farley's name and how to spell it now and I think that's all I had but if I have time left and uh Caitlyn doesn't have a way to speak then she can have my last minute and 30 seconds Alice rainy Alice Ry Evan Brown Alice here okay come on Alice uh this is a subject that's very close to my heart and I believe uh Alderman Red Pass realizes that too and some of you others because I had three Chiefs in my family in this Police Department I understand the ups and downs of how they have to react some of them are not all good or not all bad they have their little quirts once in a while okay even my curly did too but it was the idea that I'm a little bit upset with some of these things that they've been saying about the Springfield Police Department and I know that uh they have the right to say it's free speech they have the right to do whatever with the lady said okay because I was down there I saw what they were saying what they were doing it was not a meeting that would be considered protesting it was more of a meeting of loudness aggravation and aetra and uh acetra C than thank you very much but it's the idea I was there and a lot of people were there I talked to the young lady's stepfather found out a lot about the daughter that is in the hospital hospital I met her before this ever happened she's very sweet lady I met her uh other person that was sitting with her I understand how they feel about it but I also feel about that sometimes officers don't use good judgment either and I know because I have been drunk and I know what it's like to drive when you're drunk and I know that sometimes it's not proper but if you had a father like mine you'd be in front of it 18wheeler running home which I did and I haven't drank since so you see people have to have meaning of what they're doing in respect for them too and I still do believe that we have the best police department in town and in the world and you all may be laughing but you have respect okay I feel like that and that's how I feel because it is my family my family's been in there for 35 in 40 years okay I do not like how they're talking about this police force I understand they make mistakes everybody does they probably made mistakes too but I feel that it's time that we settle this down get it taken care of do what you have to do but please help each Ever every one of you with respect and not with attitudes and Endo endos do you understand thank you and God bless thank youis Evan [Applause] Brown hey I'll just piggy back off what she said about respect and that right here sorry that interaction that I had with the all the yeah absolutely sir and I just want to say I respect everyone here and I expect much better out of our elected officials than what Alderman Han hour displayed right there right what right here I'm not attacking anyone I said I expect better that's mild language yes sir yes sir I I use mild language and even this push back here right now is on once again childish and unprofessional and further decaying the trust we'll talk about respect she's so worried about the respect and you know let's draw a distinction between um police and citizens is there a distinction there I I believe there is a distinction there and um she just disrespected the whole audience with her characterization of what happened yesterday um so there's that for respect I just want to talk about the Springfield Police Department and the first interaction I had with them when I was 12 or 13 years old I live in Alder mcdonaldland Ward and a nice neighborhood on the West Side of Springfield and my first interaction with the Springfield police was I uh trespassed on a church property and I was went through the woods and one of the neighbors called the police on me they came they followed me back to my house I was inside I didn't know they were following me but they came around the back of my house my dog had an electric fence this is 2002 the officer withdrew his firearm and named it at my family dog so that was enough to you know paint a picture for the police and how Reckless they act in our community on the West Side of Springfield and a nice neighborhood you know just not the type of behavior we want from law enforcement and uh I was out at that protest yesterday and I was there not to be on the front lines shouting and and causing trouble I was there to document I'm a videographer and I was trying to stay out of the freay I was trying to document that the going on and um there was the protester were definitely there was a lot of yelling going on people were upset there was been no statement there was no spokesperson that came out to talk to us no community relations person that came out to talk to us so it was just empty voices riling off the wall we had employees um looking out the windows waving at us and you know mocking us and stuff so of course the tensions were building and how did the officers respond they sent out riot shields riot shields is that the response we want it's just not I mean I can tell you right now yes people were yelling but that's an escalation of force and um like I said as soon as I saw them start to use those riot shields and put their bodies on people women 5 fo5 120 130 lb women and start to batter them with those Shields women with their backs to them they were facing the other way I jumped in there and I wrapped around those women and I tried to protect them and one of your officers Charles Peters reached through that barricade and try to rip this woman tiar standage through there we have video evidence of that ripping her through these offic are Reckless the pool that you've hired with this inflated budget you've reached into I'm sorry no disrespect to the chief I'm just that's who I'm really talking to and so um you know the the officers that we've hired here you've got some reckless guys on that force and it's time to have a serious conversation about how this public money is being spent serious and that officer displayed extreme violent Reckless Behavior towards women harmless women advocating for This Woman's family in Sonia Massie and the other awful incidents that we've seen at the hand of Law Enforcement Officers so we expect better we need better the budget is inflated for police it's $67 million a year when they increase the budget that's not they don't spend that money to um increase the deescalation tactics they they may might spend a little money on that but what they do is just hire more officers and what that does is reach into a bigger pool of people inherently low the standards for who they're hiring and you get guys like they were acting yesterday so that's my two cents I don't want to take any more time all respect to all the aldermen and I I hope that you know we can act more professionally next time um thank you thank you Donald Hanahan I to uh I'm Don hanran Pleasant Plains Illinois um I do have property in uh Wards uh four and Ward 7 but I came here originally I was going to speak to the uh criminalization of unhoused people but that's not I feel necessary now but what is necessary is that this city needs needs to work on this problem it's started to with the Continuum of Care 250 people have been housed so far this year under that program we can keep that going and we've got to keep working on it the solution to the unhoused isn't to attack encampments and criminalize them and and find them and put them in jail that's what that's not a solution the solution is housing and Bloomington Bloomington just had a proposal I don't I didn't look at the details of it but they have encampments and their idea was let's uh move the encampments reduce the encampments and of all things get them housing you know and they had ideas to do that we don't have to be punitive so I'm done talking about that the other topic I wanted to talk about is that every time I come here and every week that I review the city council and the committee of the whole millions of dollars are flying out the window to City Water light and power and yeah some of it I I know a lot of that is necessary to keep all that stuff running to keep our lights on to keep our water running and clean all that's necess necessary but a lot of it comes in as discretionary so here tonight and it's always on the consent agenda tonight $1.6 million you know and 200,000 of that is to hire outof Town legal counsel again this time to fight the current Gardener water district which is claiming that we've invaded their territory and uh stole a thousand customers or something like that I'm not sure uh I'm not sure the number but it seems kind of absurd for an organization that's telling us for 30 years that we're going to run out of water and die of thirst that they're expanding into other people's territories to the point where that territory is saying get out you've stolen our customers we have a you know we have U the case involves a federal statute it involves that that defines the farmers home Administration jurisdiction that the water district is operating under we have a state statute that defines cwlp territory U and there's a conflict as to how that's going to get resolved it doesn't seem particularly complicated to hire some national 500 Attorney Law Firm that's going to charge you 800 bucks an hour or something but anyway I say that because I see this happening every week things like this and then we spend an hour arguing about cdbg money being used for elevators at the hogland center because there's no other source of money what why why isn't there why isn't there the hland deserves our support but cdbg money is should be for low and moderate income people and that should be its priority um and you know I'm I'm picking on cwlp because it was an obvious Target tonight with that $200,000 out of town Council and the cost of the elevators being 190,000 the last thing I want to say is there are ways to address the elevators at Lincoln Towers there's a section of the Illinois municipal code called 11-3-1 15 authorizing the city to sue you could have a receiver appointed you could take the rents and apply it towards fixing the elevator attach a lean to the damn place and fix it there are ways of doing this short of condemning it and short of scratching in our heads over using cdbg money for things that should be used for low income housing thank [Music] you Melinda Greer Melinda Greer Salem King so I understand he is not in attendance tonight but I would like to begin my remarks by thanking Alderman Shan Gregory while it was after I had left the protest his willingness to show up for the people of Springfield after Tiara's arrest is far more commitment than any politician I've known has shown to the people they represent so if he is watching this genuinely thank you Alderman Gregory similarly I appreciate mayor busher and older woman purchases withdraw from their unpopular position the rights of unhoused people should have never been up for debate but you did both eventually obey and align yourselves with the will of the people and that is greatly appreciated now onto the opposite of that Chief Scarlet after just last week you fear-monger about the unow people of Springfield and complain that unhoused people right here okay dress the chair please that unhoused people are unwilling to take these steps that are necessary for their safety and the safety of our committee Community your officers have had a hell of a week five days ago Sergeant Michael Egan drove under the influence and hit almost killing Trevor Hopkins and Chelsea Farley so now we can add them right along with jayen net Sonia Massie r del Hampton Jr to the list of people abused and killed by local law enforce in less than a single year rather than arresting an obviously intoxicated man who for all your officers knew may have just killed two innocent people they gave him water and allowed him to walk around an active crime scene doing whatever he wanted a witness even heard Egan say my buddies are going to take care of me according to Springfield leaks so tell me Chief Scarlet do your officers often take the S of drunk drivers or only when it's a fellow cop don't worry I know he can't answer during public comment we know the answer anyways the fact that this story ended with the now retired officer being charged with an aggravated DUI is good but the thing that needs addressing is that this happened in the first place Egan was not retired at the time of this incident so what kind of officers are Staffing the SPD if one of them is willing to drive drunk at 10 p.m. and the rest of them sympathize more with a drunk driver than his victims it's been said that the investigation will look into whether or not the officers who cared more about their buddy than the people he almost killed violated any policies and for the record I would like to say that if those officers did not violate any policies by doing so then your policies need to change if your officers are more loyal to other officers than they are to the public then your officers are an enemy of the public speaking of I was at the protest yesterday and even before things escalated I saw Chief Scarlet's officers looking down from the top of their tacky building and laughing at the suffering and concerns of the people they are supposed to protect and serve and are we supposed to believe that these officers just so happen to Target the leader of our protest no these officers deliberately targeted a community leader because she was becoming a problem for them because they want to destabilize the community so who sent those officers out with the order to grab Tiara and why is whoever that is still wearing a badge I had to leave the protest at 1:45 and when I left we had de-escalated the situation we had left the entryway we were going back to chanting and then I got my to my next commitment only to hear that the officers had re-escalated the situation and arrested Tiara we de-escalated and these officers still decided to Target assault and arrest peaceful protesters how's that deescalation training going by the way these officers are the ones who have defined themselves as our opposition by assaulting us silencing us and killing us we have simply accepted the reality of the oppositional relationship that they have created those of you who are at the protest yesterday probably remember the chant of who keeps us safe we keep us safe who keeps us safe we keep us safe who keeps us safe we keep us safe so why are these officers still here Chief Scarlet your job is not your sorry your job is not to protect and serve your co-workers it is to protect and serve the public not just protect mind you serve you are a public officer and this is a democracy their job as the city council is to enact the will of the people and your job as chief of police is to enforce the will of the people the preferences of police officers should not factor into that equation any more than the preferences of any other Citizen Chief Scarlet as I said I do not envy your position but the time has come to pick a side are you like Alderman Gregory on the side of the people or are you on the side of those who are willing to beat us and undermine our community's leaders in order to keep us from protesting their psychotic behavior and if there is any part of you Chief Scarlet that intends on siding against the will of the people I would recommend talking to Jack Campbell about how that story ends cden Wallace Camden [Applause] Wallace hello Council I have never done anything like this before so bear with me I have a few questions why are Springfield police allowing an intoxicated Sergeant who almost committed vehicular manslaughter remain uncuffed for 5 hours without a field sobriety test is it normal conduct to be given Water gum and hours to decompress after almost killing two people and why has he been released from jail I understand the safety act but uh he is a danger to society is that standard obligation many also wonder why was he allowed to open his driver's door if there were a single slip up in attention he could have hopped right back in that driver's seat drove off and potentially injured if not killed more citizens is that part of standard protocol to allow drunk drivers to urinate in a public setting in front of unwilling byst standards linois indecency is prohibited by Illinois statue 720 ICS 51-30 which happens to be a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense has he urinated in public before that where's the accomplice in obstru C of Justice charges for the other officers loitering at the crash scene why did it take so long to book and arrest Michael Egan when it took only 5 Seconds to detain Chelsea Farley's family member is it lawful to lock up buildings paid by the people municipal buildings um while people are trying to go in for assistance I saw about three or four people who needed them nope yep while we are talking about negligence where is the accessory for murder charges for sha Grayson partner is he too mentally distressed for incarceration if he is affected by her murder in any way no matter positive or negative he should not be working whilst holding a firearm he is in a state of being emotionally charged with that being said mental disturbances are a huge issue in the policing facilities what extent is there background checks for mental health for our officers what resources are provided for them I know personally as a niece of a former Chief of Police my uncle was able to be Poli a chief of police after having a mental hospitalization citizens have to wait 7 years to get a firearm after mental health treatment why was the assistant officer given his firearm right back after witnessing the trauma of coldblooded murder on the topic of mental health why were two police officers sent to Sonia's residence knowing she had mental disturbances prior to July 6th as shown at as body camera footage recorded on July 5th the day before she was murdered what's the point of having a a emergency Mental Health Service if it's not being properly utilized was it just coincidental to detain intricate minds orchestrator and harm reductionist Tiara a woman who AIDS in the resources for homeless just days after attempting to sweep and Outlaw public sleeping proposed ordinance 2024 D 3676 under us props for redacting that but the masses aren't ignorant contrary to popular belief Community leaders are being targeted as well as our UNH housee neighbors who majority of the time are disabled BR brutality on the dis on the disabled is actually heinous and sickening we need more resources to prevent this why did Springfield police think it was appropriate to display police brutality to a family they promis transparency and justice to why did they think it was the correct tone to arrest Brandon D's family member of Egan's female victim why did Misty a government official think it's appropriate to direct the public to a GoFundMe this is rather inconsiderate We the People demand Michael's pension go to the victim's family or at the very least a little part of your $67 million be redirected to police brutality and drunk driving victims funds thank you thank you zakari Moore zakari Mo um Miss Alice you wanted to say we weren't protesting we were loud um but I wanted to know what better response than outrage when our community is constantly being under attack um let's next talk about the lack of trust between the police and the community every protest we've had in that business owner to your Standish has so far has been peaceful y'all beg us to come to these board meetings pour our hearts out about decisions y'all already made for what so y'all can sit in our face every Tuesday with the same mug the same disdain with the same Detachment from a city y'all claim to [Applause] represent you want to know what was different this time yesterday this time y'all sent the whole Squad of 20 to 30 cops out there in riot gear slamming us into the ground busting through their own Gates just to bully us intimidate us and hurt us men with riot shields pushed through women and knocked us into a metal gate had us piled up on top of each other all while they choke slam Tiara and dragged her across the ground by her hair and her hoodie right behind their line of shields why do y'all fear unarmed black women so much before all that we ask the cops to come out be transparent show some compassion instead no compassion no nothing just more proof why we can't trust y'all in our community housed unhoused black white babies adults it don't matter there was protesters out there holding babies being shoved by cops and riot shields as well watching how their lives a't mean to the same people who supposed to protect them they were eager for violence the only deescalation came from us the protesters we was out there trying to police the police SPD escalated this the moment they came from behind their public locked doors rushing us with hands and riot shields y targeted tier trying to silence her silence us silence the whole Community but let's not forget what happened when y'all didn't think we was going to speak about that Homeless ordinance we called y' out and y'all dropped it we already knew y'all didn't care about us it didn't take y creating and dropping that ordinance for us to see that y'all heard the say actually I ain't even going to say this but um do better Sandage Tiara standage yes I don't have much to say today um I'm the CEO of intricate Minds um I led the protest yesterday um I was standing with my back to the police facing the street I had Shields shoved into my back I had both hands on my sign like this as I was targeted by one officer you you can clearly hear I mean see her say on the video grab her and the other officer comes up grabs my locks Yanks my head back gets my hoodie and continues to strangle me to the ground tosses me to the ground where I'm continued to be strangled this is called a crossbow technique that's used by the police for violent rioters no officer was ever touched out there I'm a non-violent person oh let me add the the best part afterwards when I stood up from being strangled to the ground I was detained arrested never read my Miranda rights put in the back of a police car for over an hour and then a nice lawyer and campage from the ACLU appeared at the side of the vehicle I was L out of the vehicle with something I've never heard of as a black person called citation and Le of arrest what they did was they still charged me with aggravated battery to a peace officer after they battered me I would like to give the rest of my time to Caitlyn who's the sister of the victim who's still in ICU after the drunk officer smashed into the motor vehicle that she was riding [Applause] on unless you have time for public comment at the end cuz I could definitely take up five minutes so should I use this or will I be allowed no let's wait till the end the can I please go let's talk thank you I really appreciate having the time to speak um unfortunately to the mayor immediately it was Im so much too little too late you sat there and apologized to myself and my father sorry if I'm supposed to direct this this way the whole time you hugged me when you came in so three times throughout the meeting you could say I hugged you because I care I'm that type of person Chief scarlet and officer or excuse me deputy chief dods have shown me compassion have shown my family compassion by standing up here today and doing all we asked them was telling us that they're going to hold them accountable and now that still has to happen but they did the right thing I implore everybody to look at who it comes up election for mayor because this isn't the first time she's been insensitive to the people of your community absolutely not it was outrageous that we spelled GoFundMe for you know half of the video you didn't say Trevor's family's name I'm sure it's because you hadn't contacted them like you didn't contact me I had to get the meetings with all of you I set these up myself for my baby sister because she can't speak and she can't breathe on her own right now it was at the hands of an officer who worked four hours ahead of that so I don't care if you want to call him retired or not but he sat in that building for his last administrative day and they confirmed that to me yesterday so the hearsay that came up here before this and everybody who speaking for me they're strangers and whether you think they were lying I appreciate everything they've said because the more that these situations happen the more the public is going to be outraged the mayor and the chief and everybody want our family to be a good representation of how they've bridged a gap in the community and he's trying to but guess who's above him the mayor she's not bridging anything around here not at all it enraged me and I stayed up all night I had an extra sonogram Since I'm pregnant and had to go today to make sure everything's okay cuz this stress has been insane at the hands of an officer reti officer but the point is it's all the officers because we wouldn't have this big situation the videos online and everything that you know is going on in the news without the situation at the scene everybody wants to minimize and say he's been arrested it wouldn't have changed things and let me tell you it would have changed me and my father watching them smile watching them allow him they knew that they were on video and they were looking right at it they let him walk around would you or I be put in a cop car instead of bouncing around on the scene and in and out of your vehicle tampering with evidence would you be allowed I'll clear up that they told me the body cam shows that they didn't give them gum or water it was somebody from the anchor boat club would you be allowed that I was allowed to come up and give my friend who's getting a DUI any drink either absolutely not the conduct of the state or the Springfield police before it was handed to the Illinois State Police are both egregious the scene is insane to watch in the condition that my sister was in on the ground there's a witness here the one who saw every last thing of it who's more torn up than my family because the state he watched two people be in I could guess he thought she was dead but she's not going to die and now this is going to come out and it's going to be more and more and more and because of the way that they wanted to immediately cover it up and that is so obvious I can't condemn the protesters that you wanted to say yesterday are violent and there's a separation because there's unfortunately not the way way that nobody's transparent the way that you don't want to speak to your community is why the people who are peaceful protesters you half of these are strangers and half of them I've known for a long time I haven't stood out here with them on the front lines of that but I know that they didn't come to be violent and it's on video what your officers did yesterday because it's the same time that officer dods is moving excuse me escorting me through your riot shields and in when I screamed over that entire crowd there were Sirens going on they were outside with their riot gear already and I screamed why will you be out here if none of you will answer me a talk about my sister and officer DOD let me through he heard what I said and without any warning he took me to the Chief and told them I have her sister and her dad that was the most honorable thing that these police have done since Thursday him getting me to the door that's pathetic they mayor Misty told me she didn't have a way to find out how to contact my family the news from decer has came to my door the sister and knocked on it they're calling my husband the victim's brother-in-law and asking for interviews do you think any one of you could find my number you probably could the mayor can't and if they've seen that I'm so outspoken on social media then they could have found us at the hospital cuz I haven't left taking shifts with my brother and sister since then so it's crazy that they couldn't find me I made up everything I I had to set all these meetings and get in touch with them I'm sorry that that was a rant at the beginning and I'll make a few points that I really appreciate your time for today again what I said it's a big picture we need accountability and there absolutely needs to be reform because all they want to do is tell me that the things that ensued at the scene don't really matter while I appreciate an internal investigation that needs to happen so I don't have to appreciate it I think that the way training needs to happen is the problem they thought it was okay to tell their buddy just bounce around and do it they laughed and made jokes with him and dabbing him up while my sister laid there bleeding on the ground excuse my language I'm so sorry listen where is the transparency why if you can have previous DUIs can you still be an officer he does have previous DUI I don't care if it's in 95 or it was last year should you be able to drive drunk and become a police officer do we need you guys to help us change those laws do we need to move it up and say that cuz that's probably why did it again listen the same laws go for everyone the same treatment and the same consequences that's what matters I do appreciate the chief's statement today more than I can explain for my family because he held his word I appreciate that and if he follows through with an internal investigation with keeping that transparent with the public and going out here and rebuilding trust because I have two small children and so does my sister who can't have a mom right now we don't know if she think or breathe or walk or do anything and it's funny that the everybody in this town has nothing to say about it and how quiet we were about nobody wanting to say anything cuz if there weren't Witnesses at the scene like everybody at the county building spreading the word it would have been a cover up and we know it so thank gosh my sister won't die cuz I then we'd have a murderer in a way bigger case that everybody in here has to pay for cuz you're not going to set any way that the city pays our suffering and my sister medical bills these people will pay for it in the long run and maybe Michael ean's Insurance do you think that's fair that's all we need I wasn't a threat I wasn't there to fight at all and I think that they truly did learn that through our conversation yesterday the chief the mayor the def the deputy chief my family is not here to cause a fight or be unreasonable I stood out there having to scream to get pulled inside I'm pregnant like I said do I need to be pulled through riot gear and see it on video my dad holding my stomach cuz he's so worried at why I'm walking inside does he need to see all the videos that are still being sent to us of other views of the scene Tiara didn't need arrested and I don't care if you think that it was good protesters and bad protesters cuz that was the one they wanted to spin upstairs it wasn't and that is on video I hope I'm speaking for them now but I hope that's seen cuz like I said I can see myself and my dad and you can hear me screaming for my sister in that same one you can see Evan Brown who spoke deescalate it guarding tiara and saying Tiara they're trying to grab you before that officer grabs between those uh Shields I'm for all of you and especially you Chief scarlet and especially you mayor to take a look at it because I'm not again unreasonable or dishonest if you want to see that video ask me myself and I'll get you in touch with the right people yeah they didn't ID my sister she was at the hospital as a Jane Doe I met with the State Illinois State Police police chief today uh officer held she's been the worst most rude and untransparent that anybody has been to me about this but hopefully she does her job in the in in investigating her troops didn't do the right thing at the scene either but there was a purse and a phone and they didn't use that to identify my sister she laid there since 10 p.m. and I found out through somebody else on social media who's trying to find our family to tell us that was them at 2: a.m. to come down there and I made it within 9 minutes and I walked into the room to see my baby sister first person there by myself it's late in the middle of the night and the doctors have already seen her and she can't wake or breathe so she's just sitting in the ICU looks about dead everything you can talk about dead except that worried about that retir off yeah will you finished respect respectfully will you please finish please sure I app I'm sorry I appreciate your time just can't condemn everybody for yesterday and Alice saying everyone makes mistakes we're just looking for accountability for those mistakes just I appreciate it these questions wouldn't be here and we wouldn't still have them without all the officer actions at the scene these people wouldn't be speaking up for a stranger so speak up for your community and make sure we get the right leaders in place I believe in Chief Scarlet at this moment so he has time to keep that I absolutely don't believe our mayor thank you reie g thank you Reggie thank you Reggie [Applause] gon good evening everyone I was at yesterday's protest um on behalf of us protesting police brutality um an all encompassing Trend we were not United under one person but under one batter we were here to speak to the Injustice that has been plaguing our community not just for the last two months but for many many years even before I got here as I shouted over the microphone and megaphone multiple times SPD has a culture and a history of brutality and yesterday was no different you'll have to please excuse me I cannot focus as well as I normally could because I'm sore I'm tired I cannot I was not able to get medication or a muscle relaxer my back my arms my head hurts my leg hurts and I attempted to deescalate the situation now regardless of if people are upset because we said f the cops or any other language that refers to the police I want y'all to understand and use your critical thinking to formulate what happens when a whole Community has been disenfranchised has been told that their voices do not matter that they can be hurt murdered uh mck without any type of resolution or restitution they have been told this over and over again and every week we have to remind you of the inadequacy of our local law enforcement and it isn't just inadequacy it is a history and a culture of brutality I said decolonize the police because honestly the system that is right now does not work and I understand that some of our um fellow speakers and con constituents have had family members that are law enforcement and they say there are good cops but let me tell you something any system any entity that covers for someone who would negligently be bad indiscriminately be bad uh they any anybody that would continue to perpetuate harm as well as sacrifice and disrespect the oath that they decided to took that they decided to take they are protecting bad cops and guess what that makes you a bad [Music] cop it makes you a bad cop so um I know some some folks feel a different way about people protesting and that's fine I really don't care I really don't care but at the end of the day this woman was needlessly arrested multiple women were manhandled and and picked at targeted there were people arrested wrongfully and on top of that they have to now deal with the psychological trauma that members of their Community do not care for them and will not look out for them we talk all about protecting black women and I myself do stand by that statement look Alderman purchase as we discussed before as I said last week I very much care about how you are presented or you are represented in here and I do not want to discrepant you same thing with uh Alderman or Roy Williams and Sean Gregory I'm very careful about how I relate to you because I do understand what it's like to be a voice in the community in black and let me tell you something I moved here 10 years ago I moved here after uh graduating and feeling like I could be a good member of society I work at the Abraham Lincoln Museum as an actor I spend time in the Arts Community I work with kids I'm a grant winner I'm literally a person that produces art here because I believe in my community and it allows me to be as talented as I can and let me tell you I feel targeted too I feel unprotected too this isn't just about one person being harmed or one person being killed or one person being brutalized or targeted or whatever this is a culture and a system of brutality that has caused us to feel neglected disrespected disenfranchised unequal [Applause] shitor and let me tell you something I have lost sleep I can't sleep I worry about my sisters over here I can't even go to protect them because I don't have access to a car there are so many different resources that we don't have that could literally alleviate some of the problems that we have we don't have equal uh sidewalks we don't have transportation that gets us around at night we talking about the officer driving with uh DUI and yeah he could have took a uber he should have took a Uber or a lift but at the same time why are we not expanding our public transit I'm so sick and tired of of us being reactionary to problems that are so simple to even think about that we can deliberate and come up with so many different solutions and we keep asking y'all for help we keep asking for Community representation or communication but do y'all care no I'm not I I can't I can't keep crying about it I can't keep pretending to be the nice uh magical negro that will get y'all to the point that you need to be that'll Bridge the gaps between the Democrats and Republicans when y'all say it's a political issue I can't do it y'all shouldn't have to do it either the point still stands this is wrong it's inequitable and it's shameful especially knowing some of some especially knowing that the fact that some of y'all as to be sponsors for a a bill about Sonia Massie when you literally were trying to stall a black woman from speaking I don't believe y'all I don't believe y'all Hypocrites Hypocrites criticize criticize Shane [Music] Shan Ken patcha PA we can do this every time aren't we it is pacia and I know that's not your fault Mr leco but just in case anybody forgets it's paaca let's just work on that shall we sorry about that it's not your fault brother it's nothing personal so I'm going to start off with a quote from one of our former esteem Mayors Karen herera I'm going to reach back 22 years same length as a recent police officer retiree almost so he would be poison fruit from this same tree Department that our dear former mayor mentions a quot of hers from a very meeting just like this I believe there is racism in the police Department that was in response to yet another incident cuz I'm going to take us back down the road of History a little bit cuz Reggie mentioned the links that our police department has gone to over the years to avoid culpability accountability and responsibility so let's talk about that that statement was in reference to rata Frasier does anyone remember rata Frasier a black woman who was terrorized by the SPD she was an officer of the SPD who created false allegations against her how she handled an emergency call I bet we could look up those lawsuit numbers in the city remember now the SPD is a long in tarnish history with the citizens that sworn to protect from the Crooked tactics of Jim Graham and Paul Carpenter back in my neighborhood back in O2 with the trash rips and falsified warrants against eth and Southside residents to shred gate involving our very own mayor's brother-in-law where they shredded Personnel records to hide their malth feasant and bad behavior this is literally the last 25 years of my life I have grown here lived here and I got more to go because the same day they shredded those they also did so to hide it from Freedom of Information acts filed by its own citizens now I'll Echo another former mayor mayor Houston from 2011 now when he came in after bucher's fishing trip where he fired his gun off and his little racist t-shirt anybody remember that I'll give you a history lesson here in a minute now during his campaign he echoed his Sarah's comments saying that he wanted to beef up minority hiring among police and fire departments because those agencies quote all departments in our city government should be representative of the makeup of our community it is 2023 how's the makeup look at that Police Department the most black officers I've seen in my entire life showed up for that shooting at Mr Euros they called them out of bed to represent that's the kind of representation the hollow representation that our police department has Contin to continued to feed to us as though we're dumb like we don't remember these kind of things I'm only 43 years old and I got more to go because the fact is at his acceptance speech he said Houston just to remind everybody it's time that we begin to heal the racial divide that exists in this community that really limits this community's potential that was 13 12 years ago everybody 12 years what are we doing here today the same damn thing and it is disgusting it makes me sick I almost threw up on the steps of the PD after they shoved us off the steps that's how my PD treats me and has for years I had an aggravated assault charge against when I was 16 for the wounds they left in my hands for digging Cuffs in that's the kind of experience our community members have with that PD cuz I'm still not done Houston said in reference to boer's behavior in tregate these type of actions shall not be tolerated in my Administration whether someone is working on their personal time right with a DUI they represent the City of Springfield we put all of our people through Crossroads anti-racism workshop and the purpose of that training was for our management team to understand systemic racism so we can eliminate it in city government it's a three-day program are we kidding ourselves 12 years ago sounds like a bunch of BS to me as a note I promised you that t-shirt berer who was by the way the deputy police chief at the time wore a t-shirt for his mug shot that said he was quote hooked on ebonics and to quote get with the program with a very very minstral looking Blackman on that T-shirt oh yeah yeah no the history of this city is disgusting with the police department and we're still not done I promise you if you give me a little extra time I'll get there now I'll note with that I mention all this not just for the assemble Council But to answer the question I've seen recently of why the need for repor of the SPD is so necessary and while past examples highlight the pervasive rot and ingrained nature of these issues recent events some as recent as yesterday only highlight the problems that continue to occur especially in relation to racism both systemic and interpersonal and the lack of concern for community relations and a distinct culture of favoritism preference and allowance for its own officers to skirt the law ignore it abuse it or outright decide that it doesn't apply to him at will as recently as yesterday we saw the SPD attack its own citizens as they lawfully protested against perceived favoritism for retired Sergeant Michael Eagan in relation to the aggravated DUI that offered videos of them stumbling laughing drinking numerous cups of water and even being offered gum after he ran over Trevor Hopkins and Chelsea Farley by turning in front of them may tell the mayor this is him introduce her oh yeah I forgot you don't know Trevor's name he was the second passenger so that's the thing I want everyone to rest assured though that in that DUI incident the police on scene drew blood from the injured to ensure a possible way to find blame for them to explore but for some reason both SPD and ISP who were called in to handle the investigation allowed Ean cope his time to sober up for his blood draw I don't care what anyone says we know that was a calculated move they asked him on scene how many drinks he had and I can do the math and so can Google it's 0.15 per hour that man stood there for 4 hours an adult 180 PB man with three drinks can drop that back down to zero in under 5 hours 100 200 pound man can do it in under 4.5 so you tell me when that blood draw happened and if they backd it which I know they will just like they did with two other ISP officers recently look that one up because the reality is is the level of favoritism we saw was appalling because there's a video offered to ample evidence that Egan was allowed that considerable time that none of us would get from UPS drivers to line Cooks to even firemen would never be granted that now while he was later charged arraigned and released by the way there's a great picture of him standing out there w for a ride can somebody get that guy in Uber account please two times in a week come on he could have got a great great deal now the reality is as all note he was allowed to turn himself in that's a privilege that none of us would get into DUI especially one that was that egregious that left two people in the hospital but I digress because the violence we exhibited that was exhibited yesterday on the steps of the SPD just a couple hundred yards away from here was by the SPD reacting out of usual as out of fear they were behind two sets of locked doors guys they opened those doors although I shouldn't say they were locked I'm not going to get into that they had a semblance of if they had a semblance of decency and Justice and if to be fair this isn't meant to be a personal attack but I'll state it as well if you stand against crooked cops you should be out there with us just like they should this should disgust you that Chief should have been out there with me I think it's great he came up here but it would have been a hell of a lot more if he'd come out to see all of us we're not going to attack him we're not going to hurt him we're the very people they claim to Serve and Protect because the reality is is what I saw on the video from Egan was egregious favoritism reality is is they could have sent out a community representative to speak with the assembled protesters to share that commonality of disgust and instead they chose to attack us and while doing so they targeted two members of our community one who is sitting right here and I don't know where Brandon door is but I'll tell you they dismissed that any charge didn't even take a minute that judge saw right through that BS charge just like I see through the BS charge of throwing a bottle of water cuz you know when that bottle of water came out of her hand we were getting shoved down a flight of stairs by the SPD the reality is is she was charged with arrested for a felony for aggravated battery to a police officer held in the car for over an hour and let's be quite honest that's a silencing tactic they put her in to keep her out of here to calm the crowd as they claim despite none of of us putting a hand on anyone nor damage to any public property of any sort right those are the limitations we have cuz I can say whatever I want no I'm not going to don't worry guys but the point is is if I want to stand out in front of our public place here and pardon my language if I want to say F the police or anything like that I'm entitled right that's my right that it hurts their feelings that they don't like it that they get upset suck it up buttercup because that's the job that's the job right that's what they signed up for I got can I have one minute and I promise I'm done just one minute the reality is is after Brandon was arrested for those trumped up charges I just want to note I'll read the statute it was an offense based on injury a person committing aggravated battery when committing a battery other than by discharge of a firearm he or she knowingly does any of the following causes great bodily harm or permanent disability causes severe and permanent disability causes great har uh great bodily harm or permanent disability to a peace off peace officer performing his or her official duties it's a bottle of water y'all you telling me that's not a madeup charge last item very last this is important the reason that that bottle of water is such a big deal is because they had the chance to deescalate they didn't attempt to calm the crowd and they responded with aggression and force that's the sort of violent Behavior we've seen time and time again from their attacks on jayen Nets with the police dog to the assault of SPD on the jump of the jump out boys on ell Hampton Jr to shooting a man in the back as he ran away to the county coming to an unincorporated part of our city and murdering Sonia Massie in her own home we as a community don't feel safe from the police and the violence they're allowed to visit upon us at will for decades regardless of the chief regardless of the deputy chief regardless of the mayor and regardless of the commissioner empty promises lead to Blood on the street and that's where We've Ended up I often see a lot of blue lives matter rhetoric that we should keep it down we should calm down and we should trust them because they're better than us prove it they haven't and they continually provide evidence to the contrary and the police often when exposed in those candid moments Express superiority and regularly look down on citizens of poor neighborhoods or of different races they feel like they're the protectors against the forces of evil and that they and yet they imprison and treat us in criminals as suspects first and always little seems to have changed for black and white citizens in any neighborhood because the problem is that despite those endless promises and minor reforms with new names appearing at the helm with frightening regularity these abuses continue to accumulate and the Damage remains unhealed and largely unacknowledged in these very corridors of power we're still having to learn new names of police violence and Mal feans and the lack of transparency urgency or even concern is appalling this is the same PD and this isn't meant to pick on you for it I know you already withdrew it but that's the same PD we want interacting with the unhoused that's the same PD we want to send out I mean that's the same same PD we want to keep giving more money instead of mental health Counseling Services instead of Outreach for the unhoused or instead of let's be honest the easiest solution to someone not having a place to live give them one you would save more money in a year by giving them a place to live than blowing dollars on mental health programs and I sorry that's not blowing money but you get my point a lot of these people if they just had a home that would solve a lot of those issues that would get them there so I'm just touching back on that when we talk about giving them more money I want to note this is 25 years of that that officer that got that DUI that's poison fruit guys he was there for all of this and yet he still got a new a car still drove drunk and still hit two of our citizens in our department Still Still if I can promise you if that video footage hadn't come out we wouldn't be standing here and talking about it and that's that's our PD thank you thank [Applause] you kay Lee keman kayle Freeman James me oh she's coming okay sorry [Applause] that was I think they spelled James me wrong oh look there it is James Meister 11 uh 39 North Franklin uh my last time here was July 30th on July 30th you guys voted to put up a street sign that says black lives matter I made the statement that all lives matter sh every life matters and made the statements very loudly and very well I thought in the Bible I collect Bibles in Bibles some of them older you can read that when my people come together they will conquer the Earth no color involved there we s the Pledge of Allegiance tonight the last four words justice for all well three words Justice for all there color there is there race there is there religion there is there sex there or is it justice for all so I'm going to tell this to the chair I was the the the chair one of the members of this Council uh addressed as a word of change to correction to say that anybody that says all lives matter is racist and then compared that person to a Nazi and something else can't remember right now this is all on video you can get it on the internet which is fine go ahead look it up you guys accepted it and stayed with it relinquished the relinquished the uh closed the meeting and you were done with it so you guys get to answer this board chair gets to answer to their constituents how they feel about whose lives matter in this community and I hope Ward six votes out that person at the next election I sat back in and I told him I told you guys that uh there was an officer that fired a shot killed a child and a man but he was within police policies not guilty Sonia Massie if that video hadn't came out there would have been an investigation and he'd have been within police policy we now have one here I would love to hear somebody from this board tell them that their lives don't matter because they're white we were prot for them right but this is something that happened so we we have police officers that are bad we have police officers that are protecting other police officers our police chief is one of them protecting other police officers before I I did my research only on one officer Egan multiple charges multiple I did my research not one not two multiple listening back to the 90s but I can only see what the the actual charge was up to 2003 um failure to reduce speed that's an accident charge I want to know what the reason was for all of these accidence this officer had makes me wonder how many charges he's got for that what happens if we as a community go through the rest of the police officers charges and find out the bogus charges that they're finally agree to at the end because their Union sticks up for them I call for the uh police chief he's accepted responsibility I call for the police chief to resign this County Sheriff showed his responsibility and resigned as far as Egan is concerned if he signed on duty that day he was not retired until the next day which means this happened while he was on duty still a police officer of Springfield not retired and he is no longer eligible for his benefits we need to do better we need to start here and we need to accept ex set an example for s County Villages other counties State Police we need to set examples got one last problem the state was brought up earlier the video cameras pull the firearm out and it turns on no that video camera needs to be on from the minute they step out of the car [Applause] the interaction starts then not after cuz the interactions while they're in the car is recorded there they also need to know that they can't turn them off we need to remove anything that turns them off unless they're put in a charger thank you thank you have a nice day Rosanne PLO she left she left Frank all right that's all that have signed up chairman stand any executive session not that I'm aware of but we do need to open it up oh any any other citizens like to speak hold on hold on that good okay sure we introduce him so he can leave that way he doesn't have suffering ma'am will you hold on just one minute we we would like to introduce the gentleman in front get up here he has actually a question I didn't think he would want to talk I do I am so sorry chairman you could kick me out and let him talk but I just want to look at you mayor and tell you that this is Trevor Hopkins this is who was driving the motorcycle that Michael Egan smashed here you go he in the field he survived [Applause] they're just supporting she's over there in theed I may be here but Chelsea's not and that's the problem and not only that I just can't bring it to myself to to not stop thinking that's why it took them six hours to take care of the the man that who hit us why they were there six hours after the appoint of me getting hit because I feel as if if it was me in those shoes I would have been arrested immediately right and the fact that he's still roing now and isn't something I would have either and I know that I know what I'm doing on a bike and I've had been AIT certified for years now you weren't at fault at all so it's all right you don't have to defend that I know that but it's like that something about that man driving that night wasn't correct and I know every single one of you know it cuz the other five officers over there helping him seems a little fishy to me conflict of interest speak up for your people please and I just want to I would like to know an answer soon as what you guys truly think is the right route from here because right now it's not working thank you thanks for allowing our family so much time today I hope the mayor could speak to today was very inappropriate to have a timer for James please Vanessa Knox it's damn inappropriate to say all eyes matter when we know what black lives matter started that's what's damn inappropriate I wasn't going to stand up but we have to say something about that there's always a quack that'll come up and talk about that we all do matter we know that but because blacks are not treated correctly for hundreds of years and are down trotted every single day especially here in fi we cannot disrespect black lives matter like that we have to have that organization to make sure that people understand we do matter and we're going to keep fighting to be treated correctly for the women for the black men all of us we have to be treated with respect black lives matter is a very very important movement very important and I will not stand to have someone say that well we all all our lives matter and all that kind of stuff we understand that that is the base but because it does not affect all people black lives matter has to be there we wouldn't have to be if we were treated correctly I don't ever want to see that again and I will speak every time I hear that the signs need to go up with lights on them with lights on them to be a reminder that we should be treated the same because there's evidence every single day here that we are not there are good people that don't ascribe to that behavior but until it stops with what we're going through every single day I'm not going to listen to saying black lives matter shouldn't be said that it should only be all lives matter because if it ever was that way we would never have black lives matter all lives matter when black lives matter thank you [Applause] yes please state your name yes my name is Robert Williams good evening everybody I would like to first talk about the ordinance that concern homeless I am homeless so it does matter and a friend of mine just got hit by a car the 29th did no police come up on Fifth and Grant did nobody investigate she and another guy got hit by a car the guy ran on the road he came on where they tent be he came up on the road he jumped the curve like he said and hit her and his friend and her friend and ain't nobody did excuse my my French but ain't nobody do nothing and still haven't done nothing she has laid there uh she's walking barely can walk uh talk she having anxiety attack and that's so want to talk on I would like to get something done if there's a lawyer in the house I please like talk to you now I would like to talk about the homeless back to the home I am homeless I just got through doing 25 years but uh I'm not asking nobody you know I have been bad bug I was in uh overflow everybody that was there last year we got bad bugs we had they took all our clothes they didn't reimburse us with my family pict was excuse me my family pictures was gone tore destroyed and uh they didn't do nothing for me when I got out told when I was locked up for they moved me from the he hand to the Overflow because because of my case like I told y'all last time was here I didn't rap no girl I a rap no woman I don't get like that get down like that cuz they giving the way my mother and my father and my grandparents raised me better than that I did the time for Mr me that shouldn't have never been a felony but it was in hands because my record which don't reflect and the law was bogus but I didn't cry now I'm out here asking for a second chance that the governor said y'all supposed to give us the second well I'm trying to own some stuff that's my repayment let me build houses for the people that's locked up the women's and the men it's a billion dollar industry you got guys I know a guy that's a sexophone did 20 years before he got out because y'all wouldn't let him out and that's bogus as hell excuse me again for my French you know you got waxford a medical industry making over 10 billion dollars they don't care if you live or die all they care about is that money then you land they got overr free quote unquote everybody else investing in bonds and you talking about you care about us you don't care about us you just care about getting your pocket then you got this money that y'all in there post to give us that the government sign these grants we not getting them and then when you do give us a place like he says over 200 somehow people been but soon as they invite somebody into their house they get kicked out what's the use or giving us a place to stay if you ain't going to let us help nobody else and we can't have friends over at our house we got 14 days we got to have a like if my woman come there with me she can only stay there for 14 days then she got to leave you ain't helping me I need I want my woman every day you feel me I want to turn over oh yeah hey but uh like I was saying uh this is wrong and uh this uh let me see hold on one second United States Supreme Court ruled like three months ago that y'all have to get the homeless off the street That's the Law either block them up or get them on street but soon as y'all give them a place to stay y'all put these rules in front of them that they have to follow then once they violate the rules y'all kick them out but then you can solve that the homeless people give them a place to stay let them help the people that's out there on the street they homeless they know you know what I'm saying y'all talking about ain't no solution it is a solution we let us help each other let us house each other let us police like y'all say let us police each other you know what I'm saying they going to do what they going to do regardless of the Outside Inside smoke dop shoot or smoke weed whatever they doing that on public you know what's causing y'all problem this is what I see from my eye y'all landay there keeping them people out there in them streets they robbing each other and anybody else that got money cuz they land there having no place to stay that's all I got to say thank [Applause] you what's going on what's going on what's going on this is Mike state your name please my name is Michael Jackson AKA Mike Jack the Mike Jack show everybody know me what's going on what's going on I just want to say this man congratulations to everybody that stepped out today you saying I don't want to talk to the board cuz the board ain't going to do number talk how many years we been talking we study saying black lives matter black lives matter before Abraham Lincoln died you see what I'm saying I'm 37 years old thank God I was able to see 37 years old being in prison 10 times in the Illinois Department of Corrections for the one of probably the only people in Springfield to be charged with a disorderly conduct and sentence to 2 years in state prison for a Facebook post you see what I'm saying so when we sit up here and we talk about black lives matter what black lives matter who what black Liv matter up in here cuz you do anything out of line and the police can get away with it I guarantee you your life don't matter so when you say black lives matter what what lives matter I had to agree when he said all lives matter but all's lives don't matter cuz they just hit two white people on the motorcycle was going to cover that up you see what I'm saying this all what going on within a 90day radius of spring Police Department not just them but this sheriff department and then the Illinois State Troopers who covering up who post the investigate the Springfield Police Department so who life do matter I know who life matter I think they blind out here today your life matter the people that's on this board life matter cuz y'all still going to get a paycheck you going to keep you a clean little little blazer on little suit on L going to keep her hair done he going to keep him a shine bald head you going to keep those swoop swooped over y'all life matters y'all going to continue to get a check y'all going home to a warm house when y'all leave here that brother going back on the street I'm going to figure out how to pay this rent next month whether I'm a sell a dog or get the mik Jack show busting one of the two going to happen we going to make ends meat though so when you say live who Liv matter y'all life matter y'all life matter so we going to continue to come up here and look at each other continue to listen to y'all get up here and hoop holler cry scream put EMP and what y'all saying on y'all written down speeches for what what is we going to change we F to leave here and go back to the same predicament the same situation that we've been doing for years and years and years and years and years and only thing I did was bring five kids into this world to continue on with the same outcry what life matter so when we figure out what life matter I'm going continue to come here I'm going continue to stand for the community I'm going continue to bring my people out and we going to continue to have a voice cuz guess what I'm bringing a hood out I'm bringing a hood out I ain't bringing nothing else but the hood with me when I come out and my voice really matter and y'all going to start seeing that my voice matter cuz I'm going to start bringing them same people y'all locking up them same people selling dope them same people riding these nice cars them same people spending thousands of dollars on clothes and earrings and jewelry I'm going start bringing them right up in front of y'all face and I'm going to show you when we got a voice and we stand for something we going to come together from this moment on we ain't going to continue to fight each other and we going to show y'all who life really matter when we start coming with these numbers so get prepared and we thank y'all for looking at us today but y'all matter though not too long though amen thank [Applause] you hello marel Cru Hine um I was at the protest yesterday and I brought my child I brought him there because I don't want to give him the things I wasn't given I want to show him the things I was not taught and that is to use your voice when you see injustices I saw you start a program for for planting you know that Enos part and I so Misty um being there right I think you were doing like pollinators I want to relate to that because when you plant something that means you believe in possibilities that means you believe in change that means we can do better it doesn't matter how fast we go but but what matters is what we're headed in the right direction how can my community Thrive and not just be fine I keep hearing cops people in power say that people just need tough love follow the law just because something is law does not mean it's moral or [Music] right I work with DCFS and I read countless stories of parents struggling eligib youth being kicked out for being themselves addiction mental health issues through DCFS I learned that we need to unlearn this tough love I'm going to share with you that my child bites me he pinches me when he's frustrated or super excited if I were to bite my child back or spank him what would he learn he would learn to fear me he would learn that someone that loves you will abuse you he will learn that abuse equals care fear of making mistakes suppresses him from reaching his true potential I must show him several times according to development 371 times how to regulate that emotion right how to possibly regulate that emotion I had to un learn not to hit my child isn't that why I learned emotional intelligence I taught myself that I told him give yourself a raspberry you know um stump it out yell but please do not buy Mommy another example is like this am I allowed to just randomly I don't know come and beat you up no right I'm not allowed to beat a woman up no then why are we okay we're not protecting our most vulnerable why are we okay on beating our children why are we okay and not protecting our most vulnerable which means the homeless people of color LGBT anyone not empower like Chelsea and Trevor that was hit by the drum cop I don't even know them I didn't even know them I don't even know half of these people I came here because of the homeless ordinance and I friended them they're my neighbors ask yourselves what have I done to improve life in my community did I help someone's life like improve someone's life you want to change the world you can easily change someone's life by knowing their story Love Thy Neighbor love fearlessly love does not equate to I sacrifice so give me you owe me we do those we do for those we love because we love them authentically without expecting anything in return to want for them to reach Heights unbailing Miracles and blessings beyond our wildest imaginations to want to dismantle this syst systems of Oppression put in place Innovative programs that will benefit all to want accountability no matter who is the perpetrator lookup Community solutions.com really look up Solutions learn and listen to their stories how can I improve as a whole Community What fail them obviously a lot of things fail them a lot of things failed us if not I wouldn't be here and that's all I got and you know as always say I wish you all so much love freedom and Liberation and free Palestine thank you my name's Bradley Russell and I live in Ward three or something but I find it very disrespectful that these aldermen sat here for the whole meeting part but then when the citizens started talking they left I respect all you that stayed I mean you got up and stretched whatever why couldn't they that's so disrespectful that I mean he obviously was very upset for the get-go his veins were popping out of his neck I understood why he left but he could come back I mean that's you guys are here for us right why can't you stay here for the entire meeting listen to us not just the cops not just the fire department we are the citizens listen to us stay for the meeting thank you thank you gentlemen in the yellow please state your name please my name is my name is Troy Matthews um I apolog oliz coming here looking like this I really wasn't planning on speaking but I came here and a lot of people have some incredible passionate um speeches um and I hope you can um help them um um I uh came here because um um as some of you might know um well my house that I inherited from my grandparents was burglarized and um they took my mother's my my my my grandmother's my aunt's jewelry um items that belong to my grandfather and they took a an artifact that belonged to me that I spent um a huge portion of my life savings on and um I it took years of study just to have the knowledge to acquire the item and uh a methodic um just came into my neighborhood and just thinks he can come and just break in my houses and and and pick my bones apart um previous to this burglary um they broke in my parents house which I also inherited um and they they just cleaned off the porch then they started cleaning out the garage and they were going to the house next but they got ticketed for um Criminal Trespass um I I I have my own problems a lot of them um with keeping up the properties I want to clean the houses out and sell them it's hard to do um I lost you know my family over time um it's it's real hard to do and keeping up with taxes and all and the last thing I need is um a meth attic coming and and stealing my life my savings so in a way it kind of ruined my life I I haven't been through what you guys have been through I find that really incredibly hard to understand um you know when when there's loss of life there's you know you lose everything but I feel like um that burglary I lost everything and I'll try to keep this brief um but uh um uh it was about the homeless issue so since I was burglarized um I spent about $3,000 of my own money going around just giving M some money to people buying them food um buying them drinks and they start talking so I found out who burglarized um actually it was the same guy who broke in both places um and he stays um um near the White Hen Pantry and um they actually there's two of them and two of them and a couple pit bulls and um they stay next to a school in a schoolyard and they shoot up drugs and what they do when they're not shooting up drugs is they go around stealing and they steal people blind um and um uh so the money I spent in talking to all these people I learned of all these abandoned homes and I wanted to say that when The Rail Project on 11th Street went through I thought this idea is genius you know I I have to compliment the mayor um the older men and women I I thought it's genius because the what that real project will do um and the bus terminal and the terminal and all is it it cleans up it brings life you know to an area that needed it and it cleans up a lot of the area and um it creates you know a lot of potential and energy um so I think that was great of you and I thought man the problems of the city of a lot of them are being solved by this project this Rail Project well now there's new issues and I don't know when they popped up if they're popping up after the pandemic but there's um there's the drugs and these people are stealing for these drugs and um it can it's really messing up our societ iety especially when people are coming and just breaking the door off your house and stealing everything you have going through everything um and so after paying uh you know handing out some money I know where a lot of these homes are and they stay in abandoned homes and they're just abandoned homes that maybe a company bought for pennies on the dollar or something and the company might not even be sitting the company might not even be in Springfield might be in another state um um because the person who burglarized my home the the company that owns the house that they're in it's in another state well I could help I could point out a lot of these abandoned homes and my idea is if they could get warning if they tear down these properties um I think it would help um and um um I want to say um thank you thank you for your time and um God bless all of you and everyone that has the courage to be here and um um stand up for a society [Applause] gentlem in the back hold on gentlemen black shirt please hello Jeff stro here I just wanted to make a comment and saying if you guys can't fix the homeless problem but you have all these empty buildings all these empty lots think about it what can you guys do that's all that's all [Music] [Applause] good evening my name is Carrie soderstrom and I'm a little shaky I've never done this before uh and I just I I wasn't going to speak this evening but um oh I live it uh on interlac and drive on the west side of town Miss excuse me do you need my yes could you say your name again pleas my name is Carrie soderstrom do you need my address I can okay I live on lack and drive uh I was at the protest yesterday because I started protesting um to support uh Sonia massie's family and to support Sonia my background is in psychology and counseling I'm no longer working in that field I moved here from um the Chicago area about 20 some years ago with my ex-husband uh I actually when I was doing my master's degree in Community Counseling I worked in the uh neighborhood of Englewood in Chicago so I do have law enforcement experience uh but I did get out get out of that field um so I do have experience working with many types of officers gang tactical units um ISP Master sergeants uh a lot of different and Chicago police and um so I just wanted to say that uh I'm here speaking I'm not going to say I'm speaking for people but I was very um I live across the street from the former former Chief Deputy of the uh County Sheriff's Department he was retired so I do know a lot of people I do know a lot of you those of you who don't know I've just kind of watching tonight because I wish I would have done this a long time ago um when I'm learning you know and I want to um see how the people that are representing us are really representing us because I've seen a lot of things in the last only two months there was stuff before but just the last two months in the city that has concerned me so much I do have PTSD so I um and I owne my own business so I'd like to say that too uh but I uh have worked in the last two months I was able to meet the most amazing people that I have ever met or ever worked with in um ever I just um in any job that I've ever had in Social Services anything uh and there most of them are sitting here in the front row uh I just want to encourage you all please please utilize the people who are in the first row behind me I know it seems like we all have differences and we do and uh but I think we all or I hope we all want to make Springfield a better place you and I know and I know that's all that they want to do too and I do want to speak on the um the emotion and the anger because um I'm a licensed massage therapist now I work with people with trauma with a couple uh I rent from a couple um well-known counselors here in the area uh and doctors and I would like to say that um our community is traumatized the black community is traumatized they have been traumatized when um and I hate to say um Reggie his H the way Reggie spoke um it just I felt it I haven't been sleeping I'm a white woman who lives on the West Side of Springfield I don't want for anything I had my education graduate School paid for you guys I've never wanted for a thing in my life and I'm afraid in this town I won't call the police right now in this town and I've known that the black community has they don't usually call the police I I know this and try to deal with things themselves because of what they have done what has happened I'm feeling that now we're feeling that on the west side my friends especially women on the west side we're feeling it all your citizens are feeling it uh but I do just want to say that please utilize the people Tiara standage has um uh intricate Minds I mean the work she does one of the phys Physicians that I uh work with that I know that specializes in trauma is volunteering for her now there's another um uh counselor that specializes in trauma that's working with her she I mean I can't even begin to tell you the things that she's doing in this and for this community I had I never knew about it I never knew about it and that's my fault because it's right out there but you would be amazed all of your answers are sitting in this room they really are they are and I was so angry mayor today at you I was so upset and um I do really feel that I hope that Chief Scarlet is a man of integrity I I feel that he really wants it's it's rough I know it's rough for everybody but it's rough for all of us and I would like to encourage everybody to watch that video it's out on Facebook book of what happened to Tiara and the other protesters yesterday please please watch that just please do okay I just want you to watch it and see and then if you have any questions ask us just ask us the looks I saw and this doesn't but we had people honking and you know supporting us you wouldn't believe how much support's out there there's a lot a lot of support for us but a lot of people in this town are scared to death to speak out I'm scared to death that I'm going to be retaliated against I understand please I'll I'll I'll close up but I'm scared to death that I'm going to be retaliated against but you know what it's more important to speak out to speak out for every single person here and I I just encourage everyone to watch watch that video and also to please utilize everybody in this room for everything that you're working on because the answers are here thank you thanks for the time um at this at this time I'd like to ask we take a moment of silence for for Trevor and Chelsea uh and pray that uh fast recovery and everything works out for for all victims please thank you yeah yeah yeah motion to adjourn second no corporation councel uh executive session there is no executive session Mr chair motion toour a motion and a second and a second I I need to hear those motions second no I need he who's first motion motion toour thank you alderwoman n toriana was the second thank you see nson else become before the committee entertain motion adjournment all in favor I thank you stand adjourned for