Parents, school leaders urge caution as Elgin approves cameras at Lexington Inn shelter site

The Elgin City Council approved installation of two city-owned cameras at the Lexington Inn and Suites on Feb. 12, a measure city staff said would integrate the new cameras into the citywide surveillance system to monitor activity near Illinois Route 25 and the eastern border of Elgin Math & Science Academy (EMSA).

Catherine Martinez, executive director of Elgin Math and Science Academy, told council during public comment that the school appreciates lighting repairs and extra patrols but urged the city to consider alternatives to using the Lexington Inn as a permanent homeless shelter because of its proximity to two elementary schools. “We value the open communication and the shared commitment to ensuring the safety and well‑being of our students and the broader community,” Martinez said.

Several other parents and residents echoed concerns about long‑term placement, transparency and the process used to select the hotel as a shelter site. Nicole Fornow (spoke under a different spelling in the record) said she filed a Freedom of Information Act request and received no documentation showing that alternative locations had been studied; she said 70% of respondents to an EMSA parent survey opposed a permanent shelter at the Lexington Inn.

City staff described the cameras as part of a prior agreement with the hotel that had secured rooms to temporarily house people experiencing homelessness. The two cameras will be positioned at the hotel’s monument sign to monitor the intersection of Route 25 and the property line adjacent to the school. The council approved the camera purchase and integration 9–0.

Public commenters asked for additional safeguards: written documentation of site-selection rationale, regular reporting on shelter outcomes and coordination with EMSA on security measures. Dave Fornell, who identified himself as an EMSA community member, requested a permanent fence along the school border and reiterated concern about the potential long-term use of the hotel. City manager staff said the cameras were recommended for integration after the hotel was used temporarily to move people out of cold-weather encampments.

Council members thanked the school leaders for their input and noted that the city will continue coordinating with EMSA. The council vote was unanimous; staff said the cameras will be added to the citywide system and recommended for activation following cleanup and integration steps.