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Council votes to postpone censure resolution indefinitely after amendment narrowing targets
Summary
A proposed resolution to censure three aldermen over absence and alleged actions tied to May 19 failed to move forward: council amended the resolution to remove two aldermen from the censure language and then voted 6-2 to postpone the matter indefinitely.
The Freeport City Council voted 6-2 to postpone indefinitely a resolution (Resolution 2025-66) that would have imposed censure on aldermen for conduct related to the May 19 council meeting.
Background and amendment: At the June meeting Alderman Shadle introduced the resolution, which as presented alleged that three aldermen were absent from the May 19 meeting and that the absences were intended to impede council business. Shadle said outgoing alderman Monroe had made statements to the news media before the meeting. Shadle said he could not prove all three were part of a conspiracy and moved to limit the censure to a single alderman, Alderman Stacy; the council amended the original motion to remove Aldermen Sanders and Simmons from the censure language and approved that amendment 5-3.
Alderman Simmons moved to table the resolution indefinitely; Alderman Stacy seconded that motion. Simmons said she viewed the item as a waste of time and recommended tabling the matter now that related procedural rule changes had been adopted. The motion to postpone indefinitely carried 6-2.
Why it matters: The resolution was tied to earlier controversy over the May 19 meeting and media statements. Council debate referenced concerns about quorum, appropriate protocol for introducing items, and whether the matter should be addressed by ordinance change rather than a censure resolution.
Council action: The sequence was (1) motion to amend the censure to remove two aldermen — amendment passed 5-3; (2) motion to table the amended resolution indefinitely — passed 6-2. No censure was adopted and no disciplinary record was added to the council’s permanent records as a result of this meeting.
Public reaction and context: Several public commenters during the meeting criticized council conduct and warned that constituents would hold members accountable; others said passage of ordinance changes addressing meeting rules made a separate censure resolution unnecessary.
Next steps: Because the matter was postponed indefinitely, no further council action is scheduled on this resolution; members may raise related procedural issues under the newly adopted council rules or through separate ordinance proposals.
