HomeMy WebLinkAbout021924 City Council Meeting MinutesGalesburg City Council Regular Meeting
City Council Chambers
55 West Tompkins Street,Galesburg,Illinois
February 19,2024
6:00 p.m.
Called to order by Mayor Peter Schwartzman at 6:00 p.m.
Roll Call #1:Present:Mayor Peter Schwartzman,Council Members Bradley Hix,Wayne Dennis,
Dwight White,Heather Acerra,Sarah Davis,and Steve Cheesman,7.Absent:Council Member
Evan Miller,1.Also Present:City Manager Eric Hanson,City Attorney Marilynn Dye,and City
Clerk Kelli Bennewitz.
Mayor Schwartzman declared a quorum present.
The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Bonnie Ericson gave the invocation.
Council Member Dennis moved,seconded by Council Member Acerra,to approve the minutes
of the City Council’s regular meeting from the February 5,2024,meeting.
Roll Call #2:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
PUBLIC COMMENT
David Warf addressed the Council regarding the loud music and exhaust from cars in his
neighborhood on Pine Street.He noted that it is the same people and that he has called the
Police and wondered if they could be ticketed for reckless driving.He stated that he is prepared
to block the street since he has been living with the noise for three years.He also reported that
the vacant house across the street from him,which should have been demolished by now,has
people living in it during the night.
Jim Jacobs addressed the Council and stated that Black History Month should be every month,
not just February,as there is rich history in our country and every month is “white history
month.”He noted that the Emancipation Proclamation temporarily ended statutory
enslavement of African Americans and over the course of the Civil War,179,000 black men
served.He further stated that the Massachusetts 54th regiment included 30 men from Illinois,
12 of whom were from Galesburg.Almost half of the 600 men of the all-black regiment were
killed or wounded.Mr.Jacobs believes that our City should honor the memory of these men
from Galesburg.
February 19,2024 Page 1 of 7
Council Member Hix moved,seconded by Council Member Dennis,to recess the meeting at
6:09 p.m.
Roll Call #3:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
The meeting resumed at 6:15 p.m.
Mike Spinks,Skate Palace,addressed the Council and thanked the Mayor and Council Member
Cheesman for coming out to view the recent graffiti,which he quickly removed.He is aware
that the City Council does not plan to provide funding to him,but he wanted to clear up some
confusion.He was initially asking for only $60,000,not the full $140,000 for the entire project.
Mr.Spinks also noted that he wanted to partner with the City in return for the funding.He
added that he did send a letter to the City Manager in January 2023 but understands that there
was a lot of turnover at that time.
Jaclyn Smith-Esters addressed the Council regarding the crime at Skate Palace.Having a diverse
family herself,it shook her to have this hate crime in our community in 2024.She wondered
how things like this are still happening in a community that celebrates its history of abolition,
embraces the 14th Amendment,follows the Civil Rights Act,and upholds the US Constitution.
Yet one month ago,she stated that the City Council voted not to fly the Pride flag and now has
chosen not to call a hate crime a hate crime.She asked them to denounce racism and hate for
the future of our community and country and that first and foremost their duty as a council
member,or anyone who holds an elected office,is to uphold the Constitution.She added that
their constituents,community and country are watching.
Louise Wilder addressed the Council and stated that she was the Human Relations Director for
the City in the 1960s.She has seen progress in Galesburg and there are black people who work
everywhere in town.She has known Council Member Cheesman most of her life and Council
Member Acerra is her alderperson,who she would vote for again.She added that we make
rules and regulations for people in this community but it ’s not up to anybody at the Police
Department to make people follow those rules.When you see positive things happening in this
community,like at the schools,where there are black people in charge and more black people
have been hired at City Hall,that is progress.She hoped the Council can continue this progress,
specifically highlighting the Gale Scholars program that Council Member Cheesman facilitates,
and give credit for what is being done and continue to work on things that still need to be done
in our community.
CONSENT AGENDA #2024-02
All matters listed under the Consent Agenda are considered routine by the City Council and will
be enacted by one motion.
February 19,2024 Page 2 of 7
24-2002
Approve Resolution 24-03 authorizing the temporary closure of Main Street for the River 2 River
Cruise Night,August 16,2024.
24-2024
Approve Resolution 24-04 authorizing the temporary closure of Main Street for the 2024
Railroad Days,June 25-30,2024.
24-8002
Approve bills in the amount of $1,263,215.50 and advance checks in the amount of $80,310.90.
Council Member Dennis moved,seconded by Council Member Acerra,to approve Consent
Agenda 2024-03.
Roll Call #4:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried by omnibus vote.
PASSAGE OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
24-1000
Council Member Acerra moved,seconded by Council Member Dennis,to approve Ordinance
24-3722 on final reading amending Section 113.043 (C)of Chapter 113 of the Galesburg
Municipal Code regarding the limitation on the number of Class C-1 liquor licenses.
Roll Call #5:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
BIDS,PETITIONS,AND COMMUNICATIONS
24-3003
Council Member Cheesman moved,seconded by Council Member Davis,to approve the bid
from Hein Construction in the amount of $1,534,000 for phase two renovations of the
Hawthorne Pool building.It is expected that work would be complete by the end of August.
Roll Call #6:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
February 19,2024 Page 3 of 7
A.Traffic Advisory Committee report for February.
B.City Manager Hanson thanked Deputy Chief Seitz and the GFD crews for their work and
quick response to the downtown fire earlier today.He also thanked GPD and other
departments for rerouting traffic and making public safety a priority.
C.The City Manager recognized Kraig Boynton,Transit Manager,and his staff for the recent
award of seven new paratransit buses.Two of the buses will be electric and will come
complete with charging stations,the first in the fleet.
D.Also noted that a workaround has been identified for the upcoming Polar Plunge this
weekend since it is likely that Lake Storey will still be closed.He encouraged everyone to
support the event and Special Olympics.
MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS (AGREEMENTS,APPROVALS,ETC.)
Council Member Acerra moved,seconded by Council Member White,to sit as the Town Board.
The motion carried.
TOWN BUSINESS
24-9002
Trustee Dennis moved,seconded by Trustee Acerra,to approve Town bills and warrants to be
drawn in payment of same.
Fund Title Amount
Town Fund $752.68
General Assistance Fund $3,212.11
IMRF Fund
Social Security/Medicare Fund
Liability Fund $4,735.55
Audit Fund
Total $8,700.34
Roll Call #7:
Ayes:Trustees Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Trustee Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
Trustee White moved,seconded by Trustee Acerra,to resume as the City Council.The motion
carried.
CLOSING COMMENTS
Council Member White echoed what the City Manager said about the buses and feels that they
are very important to our community.He also reported that this is Black History Month and he’s
had conversations with people who feel that African Americans are usually portrayed in relation
to slavery but instead they are intelligent,smart people.He encouraged everyone to look into
February 19,2024 Page 4 of 7
the history of people such as Dr.Justina Ford,Granville T.Woods,and Frederick McKinley Jones.
He also named all the young men who lost their lives from the Massachusetts 54th Regiment
that Mr.Jacobs was referring to in his comments from Galesburg,and stated that they are the
reason why he wants to fly their battle flag under the American Flag --to honor their lives.
Council Member Acerra stated that many of the individuals that Council Member White
mentioned were wonderful inventors,and one of the things we should celebrate in our country
is our patent system,and noted a wonderful exhibit at the Putnam Museum.She further stated
that the beauty of our country is that our founding fathers recognized that in order to move
forward as a country,we needed to protect those that came up with the concept of intellectual
property.Many of the people she heard mentioned tonight were famous inventors and she
hoped we could celebrate all the inventors today,including those who are African Americans.
Council Member Davis stated that they have heard several comments tonight,in addition to
emails to the City Council,regarding the racist slurs that were graffitied at the Skate Palace.She
added that it can sometimes be frustrating to sit in that seat and try to figure out how to
respond both personally and as the City Council.She feels that there have been some great
suggestions about the moves that they can make as a Council to bring forward proclamations
and resolutions again regarding racism.She wants to see a community in a world where the
thought of committing a crime like that and saying horrible things like that doesn't even occur
to someone.This is a commitment for her to take steps toward bringing back the framework for
a resolution or a proclamation to address the recurrence of racism that we are unfortunately
seeing in this City.She thanked the community for banding together and making sure that
people get taken care of and that those messages get taken down.
Council Member Cheesman stated that Mrs.Wilder is someone that he has the utmost respect
for and he thinks that everyone can learn a great deal if they sat down and talked with her.She
has a plethora of information and experiences and believes that people’s lives would be better
from listening to her.He noted that in terms of Mr.Spinks,he absolutely condemns the graffiti
and thinks it’s important to move to something positive to show that our town has a lot of good
things happening.He also stated that yesterday he was able to visit Taste of Candy and read a
number of essays and saw many local authors have their works on display.
Council Member Cheesman reiterated that we have a number of athletes and teams,as well as
organizations such as the Knox County CEO program,that are making contributions in our
community and should make us proud to know that we're in good hands as we go forward with
our youth.He also wanted to reinforce what Council Member White and City Manager Hanson
talked about with the City’s transportation system and its importance in our community.The
City continues to do things with the study and is adding services that are going to serve the
community well into the future.He also stated that yesterday,in another state,two police
officers and a firefighter were killed in the line of duty.His son is a firefighter paramedic in
Peoria,and we have a great Galesburg Police Department and Fire Department,and they all put
their lives on the line every day.He hopes that we all appreciate their sacrifices and service.He
also offered his condolences to Council Member Hix on the death of his mother.
February 19,2024 Page 5 of 7
Council Member Hix thanked the Mayor for trying to control the situation tonight where one of
the members of the audience who was speaking didn't think he had to follow rules.He
commended him for the way he handled it.
Mayor Schwartzman expressed his condolences to Mr.Hix and his entire family.He also thanked
Mr.Warf for addressing the Council and appreciates him continuing to keep the Council
updated with this difficult situation.He plans to get an update from the City Manager and
Police Chief and will contact him later this week.He implored people to be respectful in their
neighborhoods.
The Mayor stated that this is Black History Month and he’s very proud of all the wonderful
events that have occurred thus far.He was at the Support Group for African American Affairs
event this past weekend,which was a wonderful event with more than 150 people in
attendance.This was just one of the many events that we've had in our community to support
black history and African Americans.He stated that the racialization of the graffiti that we saw
in our community has been tragic.This was the first time that he had witnessed racialized
graffiti and everybody should be horrified at this deplorable act.He assured the community that
he spoke with the City Manager immediately afterward and an investigation is underway.
On a very positive note,this month,just since the last time Council met,there was a young
woman who became the leading scorer in the history of Silver Streaks basketball,Kiarra Kilgore.
The Mayor also thanked Council Member White for his list of names,many who go back
generations.We have been seeing on social media,more representation of the generations of
the past that have lived in Galesburg,some back hundreds of years.There is a lot of history to
be celebrated and the City ’s 200th anniversary is coming up.As we look back,some of the
people in this community have been here for many generations and call Galesburg their home.
He added that he is glad he adopted this as his home and his family's home.
Mayor Schwartzman continued by saying that this is a good month to celebrate and that we can
do it together united.He thinks that one of the challenges we face in this country is that we're
too divided.We have to recognize that we all breathe the same air,we all drink the same water,
we all go to the schools in our community,go to the same restaurants,stores,recreational
facilities and parks.Finally,he pointed out that he teaches weather courses and he has looked
at the forecast for the rest of this month and it is set to be unseasonably warm,so he hopes
everyone can enjoy the rest of February.
Council Member Cheesman moved,seconded by Council Member Dennis,to adjourn into
executive session at 6:50 p.m.for the purposes of discussing approval of the executive session
meeting for September 18,2023,5 ILCS 120/2(c)(21)and Litigation 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11).
Roll Call #8:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
February 19,2024 Page 6 of 7
During the Executive Session,Council Member Cheesman moved,seconded by Council Member
Dennis,to adjourn the Executive Session at 7:21 p.m.
Roll Call #9:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
There being no further business,Council Member Dennis moved,seconded by Council Member
Davis,to adjourn the regular meeting at 7:21 p.m.
Roll Call #10:
Ayes:Council Members Hix,Dennis,White,Acerra,Davis,and Cheesman,6.
Nays:None
Absent:Council Member Miller,1.
Chairman declared the motion carried.
Peter D.Mayor Schwartzman,Mayor
Kelli R.Bennewitz,City Clerk
February 19,2024 Page 7 of 7