[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-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",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_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",6231322,"mediaKeyId","3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22","parentId",3432081,"title","Residents ask council to investigate alleged alderman pressure over parade permit; complaint and vendor-payment question raised","audioSeconds",229,"startMs",10238000,"endMs",10467000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22&start=10238&end=10467","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22/thumbnail_10238000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6231322/Waukegan/DuPage-County/Illinois/Residents-ask-council-to-investigate-alleged-alderman-pressure-over-parade-permit-complaint-and-vendor-payment-question-raised","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231322-5286163e27a84399ab5756cdfc6feba3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174476&Signature=gV8~kGJH2OK4Q5wjLfTzSQYr8HmByx7EKZ3o0fKsPDZsZj2quPMWe7p2OyTsf-JMs7RQGr2hGvpoVRSYMwYkIgaIcHUPn2iRyiTsfUtw58wcZulKtwohyfILA-GhFJq~kUPqoL-ZHiTLEdpCiQ8llAyX6NyEAIGNCaUOIq3~cet9fU4UDz0lntIuKJEkN48CeTKCNiikt4K8A84Gu3deRZqzBIyVbVnTuNKGfImRTSInJb1DY2jmo5a72Ln7Z4xKcxhZI2JLqMqAqX8n7-XL4MIpq8pp1u84aMiwiyfGUlOQloA57w9oec~UvaDhcXfbJcblBsBgajoujxt9Lz30uQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Waukegan, IL","date","2025-05-22T00:12:53.717Z","article","Several residents used the public-comment portion of the May 19 Waukegan City Council meeting to ask the mayor and council to investigate alleged misconduct by an alderman and to flag a vendor payment that a speaker said may require scrutiny.

Elizabeth Marrero, speaking for Juntos, said that on April 27 Alderman Victor Felix met with parade organizers and tried to pressure the nonprofit to withdraw or approve the special-event permit for the Viva La Independencia parade. Marrero said the alderman told the organizers the event had been promised to others, warned that the city council might vote against the permit on appeal, and asked that the organization withdraw to avoid “drama.” Marrero called those statements “deeply inappropriate” and “a violation of our city ethics code,” and asked for a formal investigation and public disclosure of the findings.

“I respectfully request a formal investigation into the alderman’s conduct and a public disclosure of the investigation findings,” Marrero said during audience time.

Separately, Margaret Carrasco and another commenter raised a vendor-payment entry in recent city vendor payments: a $24,999 payment to a contractor named Brad Goodman, which the speaker noted was $1 short of the $25,000 threshold that would require council approval. The speaker said she would file a FOIA and an ethics complaint to determine whether that payment was appropriate and, if the contractor is the campaign manager for a political candidate, whether the payment presented a conflict of interest.

Mayor Cunningham responded that the council would look into the parade-permit allegation and that the vendor payment would be reviewed; one council member asked that the vendor payment line item be pulled for further review until questions were resolved. The clerk and finance staff said the vendor-payments report on the consent agenda would stand as presented for the current meeting but that they would investigate the previous pay period identified by the speaker.

The council did not take formal disciplinary action during the meeting. Speakers asked the mayor and council for accountability, training on the city ethics code, and public disclosure of any investigative findings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","2025-05-19 City of Waukegan Meetings","oneSentenceSummary","Speakers representing community groups accused Alderman Victor Felix of pressuring a nonprofit to withdraw a parade permit; another resident flagged a $24,999 vendor payment and said she would file an ethics complaint for potential conflict of interest.","taxTitle","Waukegan, DuPage County, Illinois","taxId",2647,"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},6231327,"Mayor and council proclaim National Safe Boating Week and World Migratory Bird Day, designate Piping Plover Day",502,9072000,9574000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22&start=9072&end=9574","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22/thumbnail_9072000.jpg","/articles/6231327/Waukegan/DuPage-County/Illinois/Mayor-and-council-proclaim-National-Safe-Boating-Week-and-World-Migratory-Bird-Day-designate-Piping-Plover-Day","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231327-cebce4377ddda3c69cb6fb116fd65a0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174476&Signature=i8AxAvSXorSTjRQZYmcPtLxE4qyaGogj4vn~VkIAEorM6aaa9Xwov14XHpRVLS8xgat~rrkIcrz99IG2ve5ROBcHqqAz30Zwk~eD4iwYHx9L6McjNruNNnMzG4HuP1DBDTZ6Vs6OXlkeVzCIf2D3ZG46mHZq6BM83rolYoWFoeFnYlB-hEypV7fPTRGtBEl8HKHHSnxr9aBh0Ssz84omPi1h4uJz98vhmQzLGaUT~WPWuAiBDUKCsTnJtAItkDIwlMg2IzwQB4X0gjh0QN2edP60T3~~uaxurZStEPbt-f2C0RPbEhUz46ZZW~V77OGZkraog8CN-3VumXVdrMuRHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waukegan City Council adopted proclamations recognizing National Safe Boating Week (May 17–23) and World Migratory Bird Day, and declared May 29, 2025, as official Piping Plover Day in Waukegan.

Mayor Sam Cunningham read a calendar of summer events and presented the Safe Boating Week proclamation. Representatives of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 41-05 accepted the proclamation and noted their education and safety roles on the harbor.

The council also adopted a joint proclamation recognizing World Migratory Bird Day and, specifically, honoring the return of piping plovers to Waukegan shores. Caroline Luke and representatives from the Lake County Audubon Society accepted the proclamation and told the council that two adult plovers—nicknamed Blaze and Pepper—had returned for the season and a clutch of eggs was being incubated; they also said one chick from the previous year had been sighted north of Waukegan.

“We have a full clutch of eggs and the birds will be incubating the eggs for the next month,” a Lake County Audubon representative said during the council meeting. The council encouraged residents to attend a free screening of the documentary Sharing Our Shore and the Return of the Piping Plovers to Waukegan Shores on May 29 at the Waukegan History Museum at the Carnegie.

The proclamations were adopted by unanimous voice or recorded vote; council members thanked volunteers and partner agencies for safety and conservation work at the harbor and beaches.","Waukegan's mayor and council adopted proclamations recognizing National Safe Boating Week (May 17-23), World Migratory Bird Day, and declared May 29 as official Piping Plover Day in the city; Lake County Audubon Society representatives accepted the proclamation and reported an active nesting.",{"_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},6231332,"Waukegan extends videography contract, committee and council add multi-year term and an annual cap",8703,3090000,11793000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22&start=3090&end=11793","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22/thumbnail_3090000.jpg","/articles/6231332/Waukegan/DuPage-County/Illinois/Waukegan-extends-videography-contract-committee-and-council-add-multi-year-term-and-an-annual-cap","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231332-80d78745d5b14392682b5fe6f47ee2d1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174476&Signature=NIhzViH0HH-67fOnBhYVj3~6WyXSuaMIA4MmEQBlhnxbT-CAJnM2GyLm6uObEH33619IehYmH7pdRE7hQNxERRcn8zPd7WeAJjDSTJHSHbypSXmJannqR2FX72P7e-5Hh36D2OHMCqrA0voUt1hvulZX~BopRuRMjN-m3D1CQcn025wiCGij4hdT8IyS2fm5amHDxUWIh9yjRxsf2asP6qdqlEBlXpGF-LE5o4iZ3VYCCmmsdsxPwI9K-j1Xxv6qK4i14VlOXlnfWfncBk0y7OEe6xNu58jImesc7StkOo5gPPiqatASL5SyzynEu0-E3eMZjY2ZzCVx-sksb2NMbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The City of Waukegan voted to renew a contract with Michael Hill to provide video production services for city meetings and events, approving a multi-year term and placing a not-to-exceed cap on annual spending.

During the Finance & Purchasing Committee meeting on May 19, committee members discussed pricing the vendor provided in the packet: production at $250 per meeting, graphics at $100 per meeting, and live streaming at $350 per meeting. Committee members amended the proposed term from a one-year option in the packet to a four-year term; the committee approved the motion and forwarded it to council.

At the full council meeting the omnibus vote on multiple professional services included the videography agreement. Council amended the record to specify a not-to-exceed amount of $50,000 per year for the duration of the contract, after discussion about reporting a clear per-year ceiling rather than open-ended per-meeting pricing.

“It's whatever the committee wants to do… he gave us a couple proposals … 1, 2, 3, or 4 years,” a committee speaker said while describing the vendor’s options in committee. Committee minutes and the packet show the public relations department and city clerk recommended renewing the partnership; council members said they wanted a per-year cap included for transparency and oversight.

The vendor has historically provided production and live-streaming services for city meetings. The council and committee votes were recorded as carried; council asked staff to include a not-to-exceed figure in the ordinance language to ease future tracking of invoices. The contract will be administered by the Public Relations Department and City Clerk’s Office; staff will charge payments to the departmental line items listed in the vendor packet.","City committees and council approved renewing Michael Hill for video production services; committee amended the proposed term to four years and council added a not-to-exceed $50,000 per year cap. Packet lists per-meeting line items: production $250, graphics $100, streaming $350.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231336,"Council approves SCADA support agreement; packet shows conflicting dollar figures",47,2983000,3030000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22&start=2983&end=3030","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22/thumbnail_2983000.jpg","/articles/6231336/Waukegan/DuPage-County/Illinois/Council-approves-SCADA-support-agreement-packet-shows-conflicting-dollar-figures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231336-2271ef7427420f353853cd18bad12084/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174476&Signature=YtMrsU8WYJgfUkcg2J3NHQW4rYNPCxuinbZFB-Bh82EYBiAXCAumwiUqZSWSln-1ONatLacGNcUI~O~Mvb4keVEICxAjoqZa5ezJCdSZI9XctV4WAZ9BgoY8xwEG7Mnf89f-lb8u4XenFtm1MdaRAkduUW-XNOI4A5oecTMUAq4myQ~8OeKLo~5oeV~8lw3dQHAcP4ksS-GU1bTn0jOm73E86axKGlvUX8xnYCBdlr-1j-CmGce27O~0TX19p2cMLIwfmjZjOyeBNKXbLKgB7nob6nXjUzFyAgydyKFwIUxjIl3sICsV6ZO0sygmesqVtuas1aVIlNv6jzi2bmHT0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waukegan Finance & Purchasing Committee and full council approved an agreement to continue managed support of the water plant SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system with Concentric Integration, a vendor that the water department said has provided those services for years.

During the May 19 committee meeting staff described the procurement as a Section 2-4-58(i)(5) “high degree of skill” purchase and said funding will be charged to line item 555915524801.

Committee materials and spoken remarks included two different dollar figures in the record: the initial motion language in the committee meeting referred to an amount “not to exceed $26,510;” later in the same discussion a committee speaker referred to “$2,626,510 dollars.” The committee and the chair did not reconcile those two numbers on the record during the meeting. The roll call recorded affirmative votes by Aldermen Newsom, Florian, Hayes, Donnerworth and Guzman, and the chair stated “Motion carried.”

Public works staff explained during the committee that Concentric Integration is familiar with the city’s infrastructure because it has provided managed support for many years and that funds will come from the stated line item. The committee asked no additional technical questions about system scope during the public discussion recorded in the transcript.

Because the spoken record contains two different figures, the precise not-to-exceed contract amount cannot be confirmed from the meeting audio and transcript alone. Procurement documents and the contract or amendment itself (not read in full during the meeting) should be reviewed to confirm whether the intended amount is $26,510, $2,626,510, or another figure.

The committee’s paper packet and the roll-call vote show the item advanced; council action followed the committee approval with the same recorded ayes and no recorded dissents.","The city approved continued managed support for the water plant SCADA system from Concentric Integration, but the transcript includes two different dollar figures ($26,510 and $2,626,510). The committee and department said funding will be charged to a specific line item.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231340,"Waukegan approves outside law firm for FOIA review at $95,000 annually",100,2778000,2878000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22&start=2778&end=2878","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3432081-b7a54471d8c33e65a55a481d3308df22/thumbnail_2778000.jpg","/articles/6231340/Waukegan/DuPage-County/Illinois/Waukegan-approves-outside-law-firm-for-FOIA-review-at-95000-annually","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231340-ca172c8693216fe749ed80d98981465d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771174476&Signature=HpufJHdGZWh2kmRwN4Vk5PBfzhtSmdYrMzRil3L2PcfNewckIDysY6vRLUcwQHhtwNAGQHPKf7OhJsu2RP54P7QhJtZalx5wgxynJ3lsOtyMa6TFAqKjmb1SGrgXBdMyr87Tg7OJCL8CJKhGK1sSgPTmCYC8DzeiGNcN~9z0-CgBlHVpvDnMrEvzZ2~z0gtrZQvi3sD-5d7CLoxaXLuslmqlgH-ZgoBlUXubJEHSXZIuZnoxB9k0wa9I0byxtC5EFWBxfvNF3IFke7NBAWYMccrKoB~n74rSmcxoyccS86zJ6EGysw63nl6zNLCnHdb24MiGOjxeUc9wceRKfw~e3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Waukegan City Council approved an engagement with the law firm Jay Witherspoon to handle review and defense of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, with the council packet listing $95,000 annually for the services.

The contract was advanced out of the Finance & Purchasing Committee on May 19 and approved by roll call at the council meeting that evening. Attorney Jennifer Witherspoon attended and addressed the council, describing her experience handling FOIA work for law enforcement and municipal clients.

“I'm very humbled and privileged to continue this contract,” Attorney Jennifer Witherspoon said, referencing her prior roles and work on FOIA matters for Lake County agencies.

The city clerk’s office presented the engagement to the Finance & Purchasing Committee and described the office’s role as intake; redaction and formal response work had been handled externally in the past. Committee minutes show the clerk’s office and corporation counsel recommended the engagement.

The roll call on the Finance & Purchasing motion recorded affirmative votes from Aldermen Newsom, Florian, Hayes, Donnerworth and Guzman. The committee chair then said “Motion carried.”

No ordinance or statute was cited during the discussion; the packet noted the city sought an outside firm to handle FOIA review and possible defense. The engagement term listed in the committee materials runs through June 20, 2027.

Council and committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions at the time of the vote. The contract and related invoices will be processed through the city’s standard vendor-payments procedures.

Council action and the attorney’s remarks concluded the item; the attorney remained in the audience after the vote for brief comments and questions.","The City of Waukegan’s Finance & Purchasing Committee and full council approved engaging the law firm Jay Witherspoon to handle FOIA review and related work under an annual payment listed in meeting materials as $95,000; the firm’s attorney attended council to comment.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents ask council to investigate alleged alderman pressure over parade permit; complaint and vendor-payment question raised

Mayor and council proclaim National Safe Boating Week and World Migratory Bird Day, designate Piping Plover Day

Waukegan extends videography contract, committee and council add multi-year term and an annual cap

Council approves SCADA support agreement; packet shows conflicting dollar figures

Waukegan approves outside law firm for FOIA review at $95,000 annually