[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6267107,"mediaKeyId","3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9","parentId",3077337,"title","Votes at a glance: key Freeport Council actions and outcomes","audioSeconds",3423,"startMs",533000,"endMs",3956000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9&start=533&end=3956","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9/thumbnail_533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6267107/Freeport/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Votes-at-a-glance-key-Freeport-Council-actions-and-outcomes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267107-64b90c09d72215321fb19ff83cf73a9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419860&Signature=Cdiqzy-MewKUhltYnrDa9dnrxosqgfWuquhoSO5w6UcgwQLttI-qQE1vi16SCcy6NaKDV6FL6zNpoImyfWTq5BVOnZxjRdUEe3CvLknPhgj6zIqVIdsD9c0aEO2v5ocBWK~-IjlQ9rpNxJBpl~yAHN9MXKSGA9HZSHoa2hCC449ou0twzpYdYoU8Yj1Q-vMIWekadwQSI3~wmjlDSADgj8o0IsgoReQeiBjsiZ30A3BaoINXSqAbPZr4bbrAqtZDiYGKXotO0vVhvF~jdA~UpkxWZu1G69W533u8z0Lk8AQPNG8sODaqnc6u~X6xTrZGQbEIGaWbJURvJzl5W6FPdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Freeport, IL","date","2025-04-22T08:49:15.09Z","article","At its meeting the Freeport City Council took the following formal actions (roll-call tallies and key details follow):

- Consent agenda approved (includes board minutes, department reports, proclamations, payroll and finance bills).
- Ordinance 2025-17 (residency requirements) was considered on second reading and failed to adopt because it did not reach the five-vote threshold necessary for ordinance adoption (roll call 4–3).
- Ordinance 2025-19 (amending code regarding wells and septic systems / source-water protection) passed on second reading, 5–2.
- Ordinance 2025-23 (set public hearing to establish a special service area for Gladewood subdivision) passed 7–0; a public hearing will be scheduled as provided in the ordinance.
- Ordinance 2025-24 (amendments to alcoholic liquor sales fees and deletion of mechanical/electronic games chapter) passed 5–1.
- Family Dollar special-use application for package liquor (Ordinance 2025-25) was presented on first reading and forwarded for second reading (no final vote).
- Ordinance 2025-26 (authorize IEPA public water supply loan agreement for Lead Service Line Replacement Phase 4): the council suspended rules (6–1) and then adopted the debt ordinance 6–1 to reserve approximately $3,027,000 in IEPA financing for the phase-4 lead service-line replacement project.
- Ordinance 2025-27 (hangar leases at the airport) moved with suspension of rules and passed 7–0.
- Resolution R2025-44: accepted an Illinois Public Risk Fund safety grant of $14,419 to buy automated external defibrillators (AEDs); adopted 7–0.
- Resolution R2025-45: approved rental of temporary hydro-pneumatic tanks for the Burchard water tower painting project (budgeted in utility account); adopted 7–0.
- Bid approvals: DPI Construction awarded the concrete portion of the fuel island upgrade for $77,933.87 (motion passed 6–0 with 1 abstention); Homer Tree Service awarded the citywide tree-removal contract for $73,167.50 (7–0).

Selected financial and ordinance details:
- Consent agenda items included finance bills payable totaling $2,479,364.37 and payroll for pay period ending 05/05/2025 totaling $675,619.51.
- Lead service-line program: project is funded through the IEPA State Revolving Loan Fund with $3,027,000 identified as loan forgiveness/award funding for Phase 4; the ordinance authorizes the city to enter the IEPA loan agreement and permits staff to execute required documents.

The council also heard multiple public comments and extended debates on appointments, enforcement of ordinances, and water-system protection policy; several items were sent for further documentation or scheduled for later committee or hearing dates where noted.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Council Meeting - 4/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","A council roundup of formal actions taken at the meeting: the consent agenda passed, a well and septic ordinance was adopted, a special service-area hearing for Gladewood was set, several ordinances and resolutions were approved, and bids and grant-funded purchases were authorized.","taxTitle","Freeport, Stephenson County, Illinois","taxId",70202,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6267112,"Council declines to rescind its advice and consent for planning commission appointment after public protest",10292,234000,10526000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9&start=234&end=10526","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9/thumbnail_234000.jpg","/articles/6267112/Freeport/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Council-declines-to-rescind-its-advice-and-consent-for-planning-commission-appointment-after-public-protest","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267112-24b9cb5ad8e3ff18af7d616c609c5647/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419860&Signature=ckPfLadOaIO16-Ff25y3D5cCKp~YDTXpW9dOcsI27t026ZfG3hdJRGxmKlCZENgR~0f~XOzwssR26TpKGjpWJZRsaOkKvTWvbz46de-DjgpeNDae68LgsQv6MGhp4nNJMP0wW5jU2R4PZ9CxWLy5TDaAUDVX2Ak23kcOxa~-vp5TQD9qab~tuBxpYyN8qzKZsusqdyfrH5P-MmFnf6TKG0aYv53zvwZhmYFa1306A3hmlisK9SEPToJolotyTDH4Pp65VA6qqPw1JOvYL50-iRcsvg4TcZV6XBRZf7pNEeFh0iLcArTGF-HyivKU68TkkhHgLqrcX52RrS0hTNN~hw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Freeport City Council debated a motion to rescind its prior advice and consent for the mayor's appointment of Dustin Wilkinson to the planning commission, but the motion failed.

Public comment included several speakers who asked for review of the appointment process. Rhonda Scott urged the council to reconsider how appointments are handled, saying she had served on the planning commission and raised concerns about the mayor’s choice. Former planning commission member Joshua Atkinson spoke at the meeting to describe how his reappointment was handled and said he would have resigned if asked; he also urged council to “fix it once and for all.” Resident Rhonda Scott urged removal of the mayor’s appointee, citing publicly available criminal records she said made the appointee unsuitable for the commission.

City Attorney Tony Zito explained the legal framework: the mayor makes appointments and council provides advice and consent. If a term expires without reappointment the incumbent may serve as a holdover until a successor is appointed. Zito also noted legal and procedural limits on retroactive rescission when officials have already acted in their appointed role.

Alderman Stacy moved to rescind the council’s advice and consent for the appointment of Dustin Wilkinson; Alderman Monroe seconded the motion. The council took a roll-call vote and the motion did not pass. There was confusion during the tally and discussion about whether rescinding advice and consent would, by itself, remove an incumbent who had already participated in commission business; the attorney cautioned that rescission may have limited practical effect where work based on the appointment had already occurred.

The discussion prompted requests for clearer appointment procedures and for more transparent documentation of past appointments. No further action was adopted at the meeting; the mayor’s appointment remained in place.","A motion to rescind the council's prior advice and consent for the mayor's appointment to the planning commission failed after public comments, including from the dismissed planner appointee Joshua Atkinson and residents raising concerns about the mayor's appointment choices and candidate backgrounds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6267117,"Freeport council stalls change to residency rules after heated debate",2538,617000,3155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9&start=617&end=3155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3077337-7fed6f9f6274455226ef959c08cd1ca9/thumbnail_617000.jpg","/articles/6267117/Freeport/Stephenson-County/Illinois/Freeport-council-stalls-change-to-residency-rules-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6267117-e2bb96f3bd98b8c68fbdb6cbc8173f8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770419860&Signature=kE~17~XEeEVjo6fBDuzc3IGi6MDlnxD2v1U~c6iBzH11IBw5dhVEbM2Vspzz7eb14YpkeITCYJzzMvtFfnQQ1cTmwLTfHhGFKsp6wQkQVw8v~nHFm2aHOotkzRntD1C-SYsi8fp1tOHedAMVSwZIRQftliItZiI-UefxJU2S9Hlmcm~ehaBtLIcIJ-sypLNc8ZijOpn0tjCWTRzDjBZW4KPOynkgbTi8TuZW8fhRn2YFd~OO4Sg8-L~UyZG1LHkdvtipxQ4kzkZ4caAV9rnhhhHMSoLvySaftadfQCUjUhOYMp-5~SGQL2PVfyFNipVf7X8VuWAB5h82gl8kX2hAeQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Freeport City Council debated an ordinance that would amend city residency requirements for certain positions but did not adopt it after a divided vote.

Alderman James Monroe led objections to the ordinance during the second-reading debate, saying the proposal would reward past disregard for rules and make the city look like it treats employees differently than residents. “We have a city manager who, in my opinion, has allowed this type of activity to go on,” Monroe said, adding that the change appeared aimed at covering prior hires and not at improving recruitment.

City Manager Rob Boyer defended the proposal as a practical measure to allow promotions and retain qualified senior staff who live outside Freeport. “The reason why this residency doesn't work is because we cannot promote from within because people locate according to our resident, our policies,” Boyer said, adding that some hires were made with council knowledge.

Attorney Tony Zito read the ordinance text and penalty language for violations during the discussion. He summarized the code section that applies to police ranks and noted an exemption allowing some officers to maintain a previously established residency within a 20-mile radius: \"The exemptions ... talk about ... an officer holding a rank ... prior to the effective date of this ordinance ... can maintain that residency as previously established.\" Zito also read the disciplinary penalty that applies to an officer violating the residency section: suspension without pay or discharge until compliance.

Councilmembers expressed divergent views. Alderman Sanders and Alderman Shadle questioned whether previous hires were made with appropriate notice to council and called for documentation; Shadle said he recalled being told the ordinance change would be considered later when earlier hires occurred. Alderman Parker and other supporters said the change was necessary to keep high-performing employees, including the police chief, in their roles.

When the council called roll on final adoption, the vote tally was 4 in favor and 3 opposed (Shadle — Aye; Sanders — No; Sellers — Aye; Clem — Aye; Monroe — No; Parker — Aye; Stacy — No). Because city code requires five affirmative votes to adopt an ordinance, Mayor-pro tem announced the measure failed.

The council also considered but defeated a motion to recess so clerks could retrieve past minutes related to prior appointments and the hire that prompted the discussion. Other attempts to delay the matter for more information likewise failed.

With the ordinance not adopted, the existing residency requirements remain in force until and unless the council brings a revised measure back and secures the necessary votes.","The City Council debated Ordinance 2025-17, which would relax residency requirements for certain city positions. After extended discussion about past hiring practices and enforcement of the code, the ordinance failed to reach the five-vote threshold required to adopt it.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key Freeport Council actions and outcomes

Council declines to rescind its advice and consent for planning commission appointment after public protest

Freeport council stalls change to residency rules after heated debate