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Freeport council tables review of Christmas fundraiser proceeds after split vote
Summary
The Freeport City Council on an otherwise light agenda voted 5-3 to table indefinitely a request for details about proceeds from a Dec. 13, 2024 'Christmas Wizard' fundraiser run by the Greater Freeport Partnership; council members questioned who controls the funds and whether the GFP is accountable to the city.
The Freeport City Council voted 5-3 to table indefinitely a request for an accounting of proceeds from a Dec. 13, 2024 "Christmas Wizard" fundraiser hosted by the Greater Freeport Partnership (GFP) and the city.
A council member who raised the item asked how many tickets were sold, how much money was raised, whether decorations were purchased and where they are kept, and requested proof of purchase and a statement of who controls the funds. Ticket prices were described in the transcript as $25 to $50.
Mayor Miller said no funds were received or spent by the city and cited an earlier email from Andrea Winters of the GFP stating that proceeds were used to purchase wreaths that have been installed on streetlight poles on Chicago Avenue and that city crews installed them. "These wreaths and any further wreaths ... would be purchased from future concert proceeds" Winters wrote, according to the mayor's summary of the email.
The exchange spurred a broader dispute over whether the GFP is a private entity or an organization that receives taxpayer dollars and should therefore be accountable to the council. Opponents of tabling said that because GFP receives city funding it must answer to the governing body; supporters of tabling said GFP is a separate entity and the council cannot direct its spending.
Alderman Shadle moved to table the agenda item indefinitely; Alderman Parker seconded. Alderman Sanders argued against the motion, calling tabling an attempt to "squash" discussion and urging the council to investigate perceived lapses in oversight. The mayor repeatedly warned speakers for exceeding allotted time.
The roll call recorded in the transcript shows Johnson, Parker, Shadle and Sellers voting to table and Simmons, Stacy and Sanders voting against; the mayor announced the motion passed 5 to 3.
The matter remains unresolved in this meeting. Several council members suggested the questioner seek an itemized income-and-expenditure list directly from Andrea Winters or the GFP before further council action.
