Urbana authorizes up to $52,130 for LEAP to develop alternative response model and lead task force

Urbana’s committee of the whole approved a resolution authorizing expenditure of alternative response task force funds to contract with the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) to develop a recommendation for an alternative response model.

City staff said the contract’s core deliverables will cost $33,610 after external grant support reduced the consultant fee from $63,610. The council approved authorization for up to $52,130 to allow for potential additional expenses, including up to $10,000 for venue rentals and light refreshments for task‑force meetings and up to $8,520 for up to four extra in‑person task‑force discussions if needed.

Tarek (staff member) outlined the scope LEAP will lead: a kickoff focus group with council, an online survey, eight large group task‑force discussions (each roughly 90 minutes with about 18 stakeholders), one‑on‑one and small group interviews, a preliminary report at about six months and a final report at about nine months. Deliverables listed in the contract include meeting materials and summaries, an analysis of calls‑for‑service data with call narratives, a draft and final report with recommended models, a potential budget, funding sources and an implementation guide.

Staff told the committee they intend to align the task‑force process with the Illinois Open Meetings Act where practical. For the eight large group discussions the city clerk’s office will create agendas, publish summaries similar to minutes, attach written public feedback to the records and apply decorum procedures; staff said the summaries will not be formally voted on and that the task force is not a formal decision‑making body requiring a quorum. The city will attempt to livestream meetings when venue capabilities permit and will publish audio/video recordings when available.

Council members asked about outreach and communications to ensure community attendance at public events. Staff said Urbana communications staff will prepare a marketing plan; if additional funds are required for outreach beyond the contract authorization they will return to council for approval. Council members also discussed options for public comment during 90‑minute sessions and asked staff to consider having a separate 30‑minute public input period before some meetings or collecting written input for publication with meeting summaries. The city clerk said written public comments would be published in full and attached to the meeting summaries for the task force.

Council member Jaya moved to place the resolution authorizing the LEAP contract on the consent agenda; council member Mary Alice seconded. The motion passed by voice vote and the resolution was moved to the consent agenda for final approval at the council meeting.