Freeport council directs staff to plan targeted streetlight upgrades after residents report gunfire

The Freeport City Council voted to instruct city staff to develop a deployment plan for 22 brighter streetlight fixtures in police‑identified trouble areas and to pursue additional funding, after a resident described repeated gunfire near his home.

Steve Carroll, who signed up to speak during public comment, told the council he wanted action rather than more discussion: “I would like us to stop talking and act on it.” He said gunfire occurred “15 feet from the north side of my house” and described children walking and school buses at the nearby Oak Street corridor.

City Manager Rob Boyer and Public Works staff updated the council on available fixtures, grant status and costs. “We have about 22 in inventory and we need about 84,” Boyer said, describing lights recycled from a recent streetscape project that can be deployed immediately. He told council the higher‑wattage fixtures do not qualify for existing ComEd energy‑reduction grants and that installing the remaining fixtures would require additional city funding.

Public Works staff (Darren) described coordination needs with Commonwealth Edison, which owns poles and fixtures: “The city of Freeport doesn't own the poles or the lights on these streets. Commonwealth Edison does. So we can't do anything without their direct permission.” He said ComEd limits replacements within five years for fixtures it previously installed, and that a full replacement program would carry significant cost: “A new pole and a new light are about $13,000 a piece to install mid block.”

Council members pressed for a timeline and a clear plan. Alderman Sanders asked for an estimate of when work would start; Boyer said staff expected to begin deploying stock fixtures “probably by April 1.” Alderman Monroe urged the council to produce a written plan similar to the roads program, and recommended exploring alternative options such as solar‑powered poles where utility poles do not exist.

Alderman Simmons moved — and the council later approved — a motion directing staff to study the best use of the 22 lights, prepare a plan that considers additional areas beyond those 22 fixtures, and return with the plan by the March council meeting. Boyer told council the city will use emergency authority to fund immediate installs if necessary and later identify budget offsets. The motion passed on a roll call vote, 7 to 0.

Council members and staff noted tradeoffs: installing brighter fixtures will raise electricity costs and may prompt other neighborhoods to request similar upgrades. Boyer said the current line item includes $10,000 for repairs and that the full estimated cost for the police‑identified areas and Oak Street is “above $45,000,” so council direction on funding is required.

The council motion directs staff to present: (1) a prioritized, geographically explicit plan for deploying the 22 inventory fixtures; (2) a budget and funding options for replacing additional fixtures (including grant, reserve, or emergency funding options); and (3) an implementation timeline and coordination plan with Commonwealth Edison.

Council members said they wanted a plan that balances immediate safety needs with longer‑term budgeting and ComEd coordination. The council asked staff to return with the plan and recommended implementation options at the March meeting.

The discussion also surfaced public concerns about uneven lighting citywide and the practical limits imposed by poles that do not exist in some wards.

Staff and council members said the next steps are to finalize the deployment list, coordinate with ComEd on permissions, and return with firm cost estimates and funding recommendations.