Freeport manager says 2025 brought "momentum" in paving, lead-line work and public-safety gains

City Manager Boyer told the City of Freeport council the city made measurable progress in 2025 on infrastructure, public safety and administration while warning that continued momentum requires sustained funding.

"Momentum is a measurable progress sustained over time," Boyer told the council during a presentation of the 2025 annual report. He said crews laid "approximately 11,000 tons of asphalt" and paved "3 and a half miles of roadway" in the year, down from an earlier goal of eight miles because of funding limits.

The report highlighted public-works work including replacement of 373 lead service lines in 2025, bringing the city's total replaced to "nearly 2,000," and said the city is entering phase 4 of full lead-service elimination. Boyer said the city also negotiated a successor agreement with AFSCME, installed 13 miles of citywide fiber for high-speed internet and completed corridor reconstructions tied to long-term planning.

On public safety, the report listed a year of engagement and recovery: the police department recovered 93 firearms, recorded 23 shots-fired incidents in 2025 (which Boyer said is 71% fewer than 2020), hired seven officers and held 50 neighborhood-watch meetings. The fire department responded to 6,035 calls, including 5,156 EMS responses, and carried out hundreds of inspections and smoke-alarm installations.

Boyer emphasized accessibility and neighborhood improvements: the city replaced 53 ADA ramps this year (nearly 400 since 2021), installed 15 new hydrants, planted 281 trees and added eight electric-vehicle chargers. He also cited finance and communications metrics: the city procured more than $50,000 in grants this year and reported 9,600 Facebook followers, which he said increases transparency.

Boyer framed the report as balance between "maintenance" (daily operations) and "transformation" (projects such as Well 12 construction and wastewater modernization) and said several projects will continue into the coming year, including completion of Well 12, wastewater phase 1 construction and full lead-service elimination.

Procedural votes at the start and end of the meeting were routine: the council approved the evening's agenda and the minutes of a prior meeting by voice vote, and later voted to adjourn. The approvals were recorded by voice only; individual roll-call tallies were not provided in the transcript.

Next steps noted by Boyer include advancing scheduled capital projects and continuing corridor-based infrastructure replacement, with further staff updates expected as projects move from planning to construction.