Tag Archives: Politics

Freeport City Council Meeting on Today

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Freeport City Council Meeting Tuesday, September 3, 6:00 pm
City Council Chambers at 524 West Stephenson Street, 3rd Floor
If you have Comcast Cable, go to channel 17 to watch live.

Before you watch the Council Meeting, be sure to read the comments on Mayor Gitz in Good Day Illinois on August 2.

At this meeting some of the items to be discussed are

Communications to Council:

Accountant Duane Price has financial results for last 3 months of the fiscal quarter ending July 31. All taxpayers should look at this. Freeport like most cities taxes everything from electricity to your cable bill. One member of the City Council states that the City’s portion of your real estate tax bill is small. That may be true, but you couple that with all of the other taxes we pay to the city and it is NOT SMALL.
Community Development Director Shelly Griswold has a memo on the $100,000 being given to NIDA with one-half from the general fund and one-half from 3 TIF funds. Does anyone ask NIDA for a detailed accounting on how these funds will be spent? When public funds are expended, doesn’t the public have a right to know?

Second readings of 4 ordinances. One of interest deals with sprinkler systems.

First Reading of Ordinance to add Breweries as a special use to M1 Limited Manufacturing District. Sounds good – we could use a good brewery in Freeport!

On other items, reference is made to the appointment of a special committee to recommend technology and procedure for Council lap tops and tablets. Also, they want to spend $4,000 for the purchase of lap tops or tablets. Before they do this, some members of this council should learn to read first.

Watch the Reports of Department Heads – Especially the City Engineer. Remember the Council approved paying Fehr-Graham $10,000 to inspect crack sealing. I guess we will save that money since they received no bids to seal the cracks or will they pay $10,000 to tell us the cracks are not sealed! Please see the posting on July 16 in Good Day Illinois when the City Engineer discussed crack filing. Most streets in Freeport are in such bad shape that sealing cracks will do no good.

For the complete agenda go to http://www.ci.freeport.il.us/citygovernment/Agendas/A20130903amended.pdf

Freeport Mayor Gitz Has Let Us Down – Freeport Deserves Better

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On August 19 Good Day Illinois stated that Mayor Gitz had been in office for 90 days, and let’s see what he does at the council meeting that evening. Remember he reappointed all department heads upon assuming office for 90 days so he could evaluate each department. At the meeting on August 19 he either reappointed four department heads permanently or on an interim basis for another 90 days. Let’s look at these appointments:

Tom Dole – reappointed Public Works Director. Look at the streets and the condition of this community. Mayor Gitz voted for 4 more years of the same.

Shelly Griswold – reappointed on interim basis up to 90 days as Community Development Director. Again look at the last 8 years and you decide. How long does it take for Mayor Gitz to decide? The President of the United States can choose a Secretary of State faster than Mayor Gitz can find a Community Development Director. Does Mayor Gitz have trouble making decisions?

Jerry Whitmore – reappointed on interim basis up to 90 days as Police Chief. Look at the crime rate in this community and the allocation of our police resources. You decide if you want the same policies continued.

Sarah Griffin – reappointed Corporation Counsel. Look at the Carnegie Library debacle, the Comcast Cable office closing, and the handling of other legal issues. The continual hiring of outside counsel and a City Attorney hired by Ms. Griffin who prosecutes traffic and misdemeanor cases like they are murder cases unless your name is Jesse Jackson (and then he dismisses them). A full time corporation counsel should have time to do the work the City Attorney is now handling, and in addition there should be limited use of outside counsel. Mayor Gitz voted for 4 more years of the same.

The citizens of Freeport by electing Mr. Gitz voted for change. Now as Mayor, Mr. Gitz has reappointed two individuals who were an integral part of the administration of the previous mayor and his disastrous policies. Failure to immediately deal with the Community Development Director and Police Chief does bode well for the future. So much for a new direction for Freeport!

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Freeport City Council Meeting Tonight

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Mayor Gitz has been in office for 90 days. Let’s see what he does tonight. Will it be four more years of the same, old failed policies led by the same people appointed by his predecessor, or will we see an actual change in direction and new faces? That is the question. Good Day Illinois has given Mayor Gitz a chance – now let’s see results!

Freeport City Council Meeting Monday, August 19, 6:00 pm
City Council Chambers at 524 West Stephenson Street, 3rd Floor
If you have Comcast Cable, go to channel 17 to watch live.

For a complete agenda go to http://www.ci.freeport.il.us/citygovernment/calendar.htm

Freeport City Council Meeting Tonight – See Mayor Gitz In Action!

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Freeport City Council Meeting Monday, August 5, 2013, 6:00 pm
City Council Chambers at 524 West Stephenson Street, 3rd Floor
If you have Comcast Cable, go to channel 17 to watch live.

For a complete agenda go to

Click to access A20130805a.pdf

News Alert – Illinois Legislators Sue for Pay! Surprise – Surprise – Surprise

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On July 27 it was said in Good Day Illinois that if Illinois legislators were paid on the basis of performance, they never would get paid. Remember – this is Illinois and incompetence is rewarded. The Illinois legislature is just another example. There is a rumor going around that members of the Illinois House (at taxpayer expense) will be taking a sabatical in Detroit to learn how to effectively raise taxes and complete the destruction of this state. Of course, that is a joke. Our Illinois legislators do not need lessons in how to raise taxes and destroy this state since they are already experts. Perhaps, Detroit learned from them!

No Pay for Illinois Legislators – What a Joke!

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Governor Pat Quinn stopped the pay of legislators since they did not pass pension reform. If Illinois legislators were paid on the basis of performance, they never would get paid. As it is, we have some of the highest paid legislators in the country. Our state legislators are some of the least effective of any in the country. Couple this with their reckless spending and they are a prize. Republican or Democrat – they are all to blame. In the end our Governor and our legislators will not solve the pension problem by adjusting benefits to reflect the reality of the Illinois economy. The solution will just be higher taxes on those who elect to stay in Illinois or cannot afford to leave.

Wow – what a beautiful day in Northwest Illinois!

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Temperature perfect and humidity down.   Perfect day to golf or just a walk in one of our beautiful area parks! 

The Journal Standard had no reports on the Freeport City Council meeting, so it is up to Good Day Illinois to summarize the meeting on June 17!

 Brief summary of June 17 Freeport Council meeting:

 Public Comments:  Several people commented on the proposal to change Chicago Avenue from a one way street to a two way street.  One problem which was raised is that the boxes for depositing the mail next to the post office would no longer work since they would not be on the driver’s side.  

First reading of an Ordinance to make increased tax on electricity permanent:  No real discussion and certainly no objections.   Alderman Koester even suggested that the tax should be raised even more to pay for City Hall Improvements.    Laid over till next meeting.

First reading of ordinance to make Chicago Avenue two way street.  Laid over until next meeting on July 1.   No more discussion since discussed during public comment time.

First reading of appropriation ordinance:  No discussion at this time.  Mayor indicated it could be discussed at next meeting at public hearing on budget.   Hopefully, members of the public will look at it and forward questions to their alderman.   It is available online.  Just go to the meeting agenda for June 17 at city web site at http://www.ci.freeport.il.us. 

First reading of ordinance to expand enterprise zone to East Dubuque to assist Sunflower Enterprises in East Dubuque, Illlinois:  Since it would not really benefit Freeport, it was high priority with this council.  Waived requirement of laying it over and passed it immediately!

 Discussion of Fireworks:  Council authorized mayor to spend up to $15,000 on fire works.  Would not be on the 4th of July.  Mayor can determine date! 

Reports of Department Heads (if not listed nothing of interest):

Community Development:  no report – should have been present and spoke on the benefits to Freeport of the expansion of Sunflower Enterprises, a company headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa.

Finance Department:  Duane Price spoke earlier in the meeting.

 Public Works:   Nothing of interest from Tom Dole. 

Fire Department:  Special open house for council members.  Public open house at later date.

Water and Sewer:  New Burchard water tower ahead of schedule and should be done in September.