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Record of Proceedings

Elgin City Council Meeting Summary - October 28, 2026

Committee of the Whole and City Council — Wednesday, October 28, 2026
BodyElgin, Illinois
SessionCommittee of the Whole and City Council
DateWednesday, October 28, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

And nobody said that they've gone anywhere.

0:03

You answered your own question, Rose.

Unassigned speaker

0:05

The only requirement, the only thing that's why that's why no one has gone anywhere.

Speaker 1

0:10

That I I well let me just let me rephrase that.

0:13

I suspect that that has significantly influenced why people are hesitant to take advantage of real learning opportunities that everyone on this dais really could benefit from, including you.

Speaker 2

0:32

Mr.

0:32

Stefan, you had a comment?

Speaker 3

0:34

Well, after that, I'm not sure, but I uh the only thing I can remember off the top of my head is I went to a recycling center that council of government offered the mayor and he didn't go, so I went.

Speaker 4

0:43

The only reason why

Speaker 3

0:44

I was asking

Speaker 4

0:45

because I agree with what you're saying,

Unassigned speaker

0:47

Ms.

Speaker 4

0:47

Powell, I do.

0:49

But last year and this year, people go to things, and we had agreed that you were gonna come back and give some type of report.

0:57

I just haven't heard any.

0:59

That's the only reason why I asked.

1:00

Okay, thank you.

Speaker 2

1:02

Okay.

1:02

Anything else?

1:04

Okay, Mr.

1:05

Dixon.

Speaker 5

1:07

Yes, thank you.

1:09

Um I've been to conferences that I paid for.

1:14

So I think that relieved relieves the duty of reporting out if the city isn't paying for the conference.

1:23

That's my understanding.

1:25

So I just wanted to put that out there.

1:30

The educational opportunities I received I paid for.

Unassigned speaker

1:34

So

Speaker 6

1:36

I would say if you are paying for to go to an event on your own, you're not necessarily attending on behalf of the city that the ordinance reads.

1:45

Members of the city council that attend the conference or seminar on behalf of the city shall report back to the city council.

1:50

So

Speaker 7

1:51

it you know,

Speaker 6

1:52

I would say I I don't like just interpreting things on the fly, it's kind of but um if you're someone is paying on their own down, that's not necessarily on behalf of the city, and there's no requirement that they report back to the city council.

2:05

Correct.

Speaker 4

2:06

Agreed, agreed.

2:07

I I agree with that wholeheartedly.

2:09

I'm just asking that if anybody who has attended anything, and I will add last year, because um I just haven't heard any reports.

2:18

The only reason why I was asking was in nitpicking.

2:21

I was just curious, just out of transparency.

2:24

I was just asking, that's all.

2:26

If people got offended,

Speaker 2

2:29

okay.

2:30

We have a motion and a second.

2:32

Um

Speaker 8

2:32

Mr.

2:33

Good.

2:33

Yeah,

Speaker 2

2:33

I

Speaker 8

2:34

just you

Speaker 2

2:34

know

Speaker 8

2:34

keep mixing stuff up in there tonight.

2:36

Um so we might need to add a third category because I think it was uh for the ordinance, it's attending via I'm sorry, uh corporate council.

2:45

What was the ordinance wording?

Speaker 6

2:52

Right now we're talking about uh subsection B of 2.08.060 travel expenses.

3:01

So I was just reading from subsection B and the second sentence reads members of the city council that attend a conference or seminar on behalf of the city shall report back to the city council a summary of the conference or seminar at a subsequent city council meeting, and then

Unassigned speaker

3:17

it

Speaker 6

3:17

we're adding language that says such summary or proposed to add language that such summary can be provided verbally or in writing.

3:26

The distribution of conference or seminar materials to city council members shall also satisfy the reporting requirement of the section.

3:32

Last two sentences I just read are proposed to be added by this uh amendment that we're considering uh that the city council is considering.

Speaker 8

3:39

Great.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
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Summary of Proceedings

Elgin City Council Regular Meeting – October 28, 2026

The Elgin City Council met on October 28, 2026, and voted unanimously on all items, including an amendment to the city's conference-reporting ordinance, a consent agenda, miscellaneous business, and adjournment.

Consent Calendar

  • The consent agenda was moved, seconded, and approved 9-0 by roll-call vote without corrections or discussion.

Discussion Items

  • Councilmembers discussed an amendment to Section 2.08.060(B) of the city code regarding travel expenses. The existing rule requires city council members who attend a conference or seminar on behalf of the city to report back a summary at a subsequent meeting. The proposed addition would allow the summary to be provided verbally or in writing and would allow distribution of conference or seminar materials to satisfy the reporting requirement.
  • Councilmember Powell said she agreed with the need for reporting and asked for transparency from anyone who had attended events. Councilmember Stefan said he had attended a recycling center event offered by a council of governments after the mayor did not go. Councilmember Dixon argued that members who pay for conferences themselves are not attending on behalf of the city and therefore are not required to report. Councilmember Good asked whether presenting at a conference creates a different reporting situation; city staff read the existing and proposed ordinance language. The amendment was approved 9-0.

Miscellaneous Business

  • A miscellaneous business motion was approved 9-0. During discussion, Councilmember Alfaro (referred to as Zalfaro on the roll call) asked about the strong hotel tax performance. She noted that sales tax had come in 41% higher than anticipated in the latest monthly report. Staff responded that the hotel/motel market is near what staff called industry capacity, suggesting possible future construction, and that higher revenues may indicate new facilities coming online. Councilmember Alfaro also mentioned the newly open sports complex expansion, with football, soccer, and BMX events drawing people from as far as Rockford; staff directed her to speak with Chris Ali Murphy about event bookings.

Announcements

  • The next Committee of the Whole meeting will be held Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the city council chambers.
  • The next regular Elgin City Council meeting will be held Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the council chambers.

Key Outcomes

  • Ordinance amendment to Section 2.08.060(B) approved 9-0.
  • Consent agenda approved 9-0.
  • Miscellaneous business motion approved 9-0.
  • Motion to adjourn approved 9-0.

Meeting Transcript

And nobody said that they've gone anywhere. You answered your own question, Rose. The only requirement, the only thing that's why that's why no one has gone anywhere. That I I well let me just let me rephrase that. I suspect that that has significantly influenced why people are hesitant to take advantage of real learning opportunities that everyone on this dais really could benefit from, including you. Mr. Stefan, you had a comment? Well, after that, I'm not sure, but I uh the only thing I can remember off the top of my head is I went to a recycling center that council of government offered the mayor and he didn't go, so I went. The only reason why I was asking because I agree with what you're saying, Ms. Powell, I do. But last year and this year, people go to things, and we had agreed that you were gonna come back and give some type of report. I just haven't heard any. That's the only reason why I asked. Okay, thank you. Okay. Anything else? Okay, Mr. Dixon. Yes, thank you. Um I've been to conferences that I paid for. So I think that relieved relieves the duty of reporting out if the city isn't paying for the conference. That's my understanding. So I just wanted to put that out there. The educational opportunities I received I paid for. So I would say if you are paying for to go to an event on your own, you're not necessarily attending on behalf of the city that the ordinance reads. Members of the city council that attend the conference or seminar on behalf of the city shall report back to the city council. So it you know, I would say I I don't like just interpreting things on the fly, it's kind of but um if you're someone is paying on their own down, that's not necessarily on behalf of the city, and there's no requirement that they report back to the city council. Correct. Agreed, agreed. I I agree with that wholeheartedly. I'm just asking that if anybody who has attended anything, and I will add last year, because um I just haven't heard any reports. The only reason why I was asking was in nitpicking. I was just curious, just out of transparency. I was just asking, that's all. If people got offended, okay. We have a motion and a second. Um Mr. Good. Yeah, I just you know

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