I like to call the order of the planning and development committee meeting for Monday, April twenty seventh, twenty twenty six.

Father in Heaven, thank you for this opportunity to gather.

Thank you for the opportunity to uh really focus on how you are guiding all of us to lead here in the Rockford area.

I bless all the leaders here that are taking place in this meeting that they are able to listen to the needs of the community, uh that they're able to build up uh the best way to serve the people here in Rockford.

Uh God bless us in only the ways that you can bless us and work in only the ways that you can work uh to build your kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven and more specifically in the Rockford area.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

Thank you.

I'm gonna kick it right over to Mayor McNamare for tonight's proclamation.

Hello.

Thank you, Chairwoman.

Uh, this evening we are fortunate we have two proclamations.

The first proclamation is for World Migratory Bird Day, and we have Jennifer Grota with us.

How are you?

Good to see you.

Good to see you.

It's our annual gathering.

Whereas migratory birds are some of the most beautiful and easily observed wildlife that share our communities, and whereas migratory birds and their ha habitats are declining throughout the Americas, facing a growing number of threats to their migration routes in both their summer and winter homes.

And whereas public awareness and concern are crucial components of migratory bird conservation.

And whereas since 1993, the World Migratory Bird Day has become a primary vehicle for focusing public attention on nearly 350 species that travel between nesting habitats in our communities throughout North America and their wintering grounds in South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and this and Southern United States.

And whereas World Migratory Bird Day is not only a day to foster appreciation for wild birds and to celebrate and support migratory bird conservation, but also a call to action.

Now, therefore, I Thomas P.

Maxmer is the mayor of the city of Rockford do hereby proclaim May 9th, 2026 to be World Migratory Bird Day.

Would you like to share a few words?

Thank you so much.

Um thank you to the mayor for continuing to recognize the importance of World Migratory Bird Day, a day that is celebrated each year for as birds make their migratory journey between North and South America.

This recognition is also part of the Bird City, Illinois requirements.

Rockford was one of the first communities to receive this recognition in 2022, and the mayor has entertained my regular advocacy requests on an annual basis since then, maybe even before then, when my daughter uh was advocating for an official city bird, our peregrine falcon.

So thank you for all of that.

And hearing me out.

Um, there are several events you can attend to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day in our area.

On May 8th, there will be an ours uh public republica event with the release of our third collaboration of bird songs with local musician Mickey Torpedo.

Both the Illinois Arts Council and Rockford Area Arts Council actually awarded us a grant for this collaboration for this album.

And additionally, just north of Rockford, uh the in Rockdon, also an up-and-coming Bird City, Illinois, you can attend the Rockton Pelican Fest on May 16th.

Cynthissippi Audubon, of course, will be there at both events, and we hope to see you there.

Could you repeat the time for the partnership with Mickey Adam?

Uh sure.

That is on May 8th, and it's at um wherever they hold our wherever ours publica holds their events.

It's at a gallery on State Street, and I believe perfect.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Appreciate you.

Great to see you.

Thank you.

Our next uh proclamation is for Motorcycle Awareness Month, and we have Susie Jones and Mike Brush with us, as well as others, if you'd like.

How are you?

Going great.

Whereas safety is a highest priority for highways and streets of our city and state.

And whereas the great state of Illinois is proud to be a national leader in motorcycle safety, education, and awareness.

And whereas motorcycles are common economical means of transportation that reduces fuel consumption and roadware and contributes in a significant way to the relief of traffic and parking congestion.

And whereas it is especially meaningful of the citizens of our city and state to be aware of motorcycles on the roadways and recognize the importance of motorcycle safety.

Whereas the members of Abate of Illinois Inc.

continually promote motorcycle safety education and awareness programs to drivers and host educational programs to the general public with over 350,000 participants in Illinois in the past year.

And whereas the motorcycles of Illinois have contributed extensive volunteerism and money to national and community charitable organizations.

Now therefore, I Thomas P.

Maxmer is mayor of the city of Frankfurt.

Dubai here proclaim May 2026 to be motorcycle awareness month.

Would you like to share a few words?

I just want to tell everybody put their phones down and look out for us because we get ran over.

And um May 2nd, we'll be having our annual parade from Carlson's Ice Arena down to Kegels, the kickoff motorcycle awareness month.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just want to remind you that you will have three minutes to make your comments.

There are two microphones located at the back end of this horseshoe.

Umce you hear an alarm sound via my phone if it's working properly.

Um we just ask that you bring your comments to a close at that time.

Our first public speaker tonight is Kelly Lewis of Davis Junction.

Um all right.

Before I begin, I want to address the resolution proposal.

Um the current draft does need work as it lacks sufficient protections for our community, but it is definitely a step forward.

Until now, we have been told there is nothing to discuss.

We have fought to change that.

Tamir Bell has opened the door for communication, and I urge you to include the community members in the next draft.

We are not against growth.

We are a community that cared deeply for this area and will fight hard for our water, land, air, homes, and our health.

We want to grow, we want growth, and we want to protect what already exists.

By now you are aware of the forward requests that have brought into question how much planning has quietly gone into this data center by Rockford and Winnebago County officials.

As a resident on Friday Road, these documents are shocking.

They have directly contradicted repeated public statements from city and county leaders.

They reveal questionable moral boundaries, misinformation and manipulation, much of it coming directly from Charles Koontz, COO of Monarch.

These communications go back to January 2025, when my family was living life we worked so hard to build, decisions were being made behind closed doors to dismantle it.

On April 28th, 2025, City Administrator Todd Cagnoni told Kuntz, we look forward to advancing the project and requested the site plans.

On May 15th, Cagnoni sent the inducement letter.

On July 10th, Koontz requested a call to discuss the development agreements before, in his words, firing up the lawyers.

Inducement letters and development agreements are not exploratory conversations.

They are planning.

Our next public speaker is Pecky Kane of St.

Charles.

My name is Peggy Kane, and I'm a property owner on Friday Road.

I've heard that some of the city consider those organizing against the Monarch Energy Data Center to be misinformed.

I want to speak to that label.

Maybe we are misinformed.

But what I'd like to ask this body tonight is how can the public be informed about a project when officials chose for a year not to share any information about it?

A FOIA request shows a year of planning involving many people.

The request produced over 100 documents, mostly emails exchanged between April 25 and March of 26th about the Monarch Rock Air Project.

More than 30 people representing 26 organizations participated in them.

Monarch Energy, among them Monarch Energy and its consultants, the City of Rockford, Winnebago County, R1 Planning, the Illinois Department of Commerce, the Governor's Office, Comed and NYCOR Gas, two lobbying firms, two building trade unions, and at least six members of the Illinois General Assembly across both parties.

Of those emails, more than half are about coordinating meetings between monarch public officials and paid lobbyists.

One in thirteen mentioned jobs or economic impact.

What was the share of the emails that discussed public consult consultation?

Zero.

I'd like to read an email from December 2025.

Scott Sanders, a water and utilities official with Rockford, writes to Charles Coons, the chief operating officer of Monarch.

We have no objections to the Friday Road vacation.

In fact, we may be able to do one better and are willing to consider a removal of the southern half of Friday altogether.

If you would trust construct a cul-de-sac at the southern edge of the residential parcels, Mr.

Kuhnz forward that email to R1 Planning Commission with a short supply.

Like the sound of that.

From that point on, the FOIA records show that planning accelerated.

In March of this year, Mayor McNamara told the Rock River Current, I'm now on weekly phone calls and having weekly meetings about our ability to land this development that same month in an email to a constituent.

The mayor wrote, There is no deal now, and that he would make it a priority to share it with the public once he had information.

So my final question is this.

At what point did this project move from an idea that you were exploring to something real?

And at that moment, why was it not the right time to bring in the people who own the land you were planning around?

Thank you to Mayor Bell for recognizing this is more than a business proposition.

Guardrails must be established to protect people, resources, and the environment too.

Thank you.

Our next public speaker is Amanda Becker of Rockford.

Good evening.

My name is Amanda Becker, and I stand before you tonight as a city of Rockford Historical Preservation Commission president and Auburn High School History Teacher.

I wish to address uh the need to preserve Rockford historical structures and to thank the council for approving funding to save Rockford's historical identity for future generations to come.

The loss of the Briggs Mansion has spurred me, along with many other concerned historians, researchers, librarians, and architects, and community activists to take action to prevent future losses.

Therefore, a new organization of active community members will, over the course of this summer, preserve uh pursue completing paperwork to designate at least ten new historical structures to become new local landmarks.

Why is this work important?

Buildings such as the Briggs Mansion provide a physical connection to the national movement.

Mr.

Briggs was an avant-garde abolitionist, a human equity activist, and a women's rights proponent in the Rockford community.

Now that Sylvic Pride in knowing that Rockford vibrantly was a part of the abolitionist movement could be lost.

Gary Anderson, a local architect in the Rockford area, lectured on the monetary value of saving historical structures.

An empty lot does not pay taxes, and nor does it gain new residents easily.

As president of the HPC, I find it very difficult to look at a hate village resident in the eye who asks to put vinyl windows into their Victorian home.

And yet the UW Madison can destroy an 1863 Madison mansion without penalty.

Why is that?

The reason boils down to simply Rockfordians in the past caring about the city.

The people of Rockford silently on social media are demanding action now.

And those caring Rockfordians of the 1980s have proven to me that preserving our history can be done.

I thank them because without their efforts, local landmarks such as the Stewart Square, 1891 Madison YMCA, the Metropolitan Lofts Woodburner Woodfire Building of 1856, and the Crown Jewel of Rockford itself, the Coronado would be nothing today but pictures in a dusty Cinnesipi saga book from 1968.

Rockford is a fighting city.

It should not allow outside entities to dictate what should and should not be done with its history.

I refuse to think that Rockford could be seen as a silent victim, simply telling its uh public to relax and take it.

To conclude, I thank the council for investing in Rockford's past by funding projects such as Coleman Yards, where my grandfather worked as a grinder, the watch factory and the Coronado Theater, in which many of our RPS children today are exposed to the arts.

Public funding should indeed continue.

I thank Scott Capavola and the mayor's office to allow a team of RPL librarians, Rockford historians, architects, and community partners to pursue making 10 new sites, local landmarks over the summer.

I hope to prove our case for these sites by beginning of July.

And I would also suggest the council approve an inventory to be made of historical residential districts, as has been done with the Rockford Industries, along with approving an ordinance to forbid historical demolition of buildings that are pre-1900 for 120 days to allow time for historical resources and community input before it is too late.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Prophet Yusuf of Rockford.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

In the book of Sarah, the 40th chapter, the 28th to the 29th verse.

It says, My son live not the life of a beggar.

Better to die than to beg.

When one has to look to another's table, his life is not really a life.

What I want to speak about tonight ending homelessness, poverty, and warm.

Under this wise economic plan, we can use the collective power of our unity to build a future for ourselves.

We do not believe that America will ever be able to furnish enough jobs for her own millions of unemployed, in addition to job for the millions of black people.

Pulling our resource to achieve a common goal is a universal concept that makes a lot of sense.

Why?

And now they say the wealthy elites and political powerful have forgotten about black America and the poor in the United States.

The blueprint calls on 16 million black wage earners to give just 35 cents a week to a national treasure in one year the firm would amass 291 million, 200,000 to be invested in housing so people can have a place to stay, invest in business so our people can have a job so they won't be idle because idle man, idol uh idolmine is the devil's workshop.

Open our own schools, open 24 hours, free daycare centers so mothers can go to school or work, open up our own hospitals and clinic so we can help our people who are sick and also give felonies a second chance like God gave us with his grace and mercy.

This economic plan will help reduce crime, homelessness, poverty in America, because poverty, and you can look at this up, poverty, hopeless, and despair is the mother of crime.

You can let any criminology he'll tell you this.

And keep putting money in this economic plan so our children will have a positive future.

Thank you for allowing me to speak.

Thank you.

Our next speaker is Denzel Winter of Rockford.

Good evening, City Council.

I'm coming here with a I got a nasty attitude.

Because things have been happening to me.

And I worry for my family.

I worry for my neighborhood.

Uh the things that that happened shouldn't be happening.

And it shouldn't have been, because he don't even, he's not even here.

You don't even work, you don't even work in this town.

But his name was mentioned.

You know, just like I said, I'd lost, I'd have lost a child here.

He got ran over.

The people came up on the sidewalk and ran him over.

But you know what they said?

They said it must have been a drug deal or a gang deal that went bad.

Never heard no more from it.

Now I got to worry about the rest of my kids.

And I shouldn't have to.

And parents shouldn't have to.

In our neighborhood.

I know for a fact.

We got more pedophiles running around up in the neighborhood.

Why do you why you put them people in our neighborhood?

Do you got an east side?

You got you got got a north side.

You got a south side.

Why are you always packing people in our neighborhood?

We need to be protected too.

Not after one of our kids go missing.

Not after one of our kids' children come up dead.

But we need the protection that you give these people on the east side.

We pay taxes too.

And that's something you guys better start realizing.

Thank you.

That concludes tonight's public speakers.

Um we'll move right now.

I'm gonna refer to our legal department.

Yes, 21 government to the ability of public to participate in our meetings.

The chair has the discretion to direct an individual interrupting to remain seated.

Correct?

For which this is not city council.

Madam Chair, I I'm not permitted to address the public LB.

I'm giving you information you can address the public.

At this time, sir, we're done with public speaking.

If you will, please take your seat so we can get on with the rest of the read the meeting.

I'd still like to offer public comments.

And as chair, I'm telling you no.

As chair, I'm telling you no.

Is that a written recorded rule?

You have open meetings at training, correct?

I actually have verified the fact that you have the meetings I trained.

The chair can direct a member to be remote.

I'm sorry.

The chair can direct a person to be removed if they don't want to comply with the rule.

Oh, come on, man.

I literally had this talk to you.

Like you got a friend of changes.

I mean what is happening?

Yes.

Um, at this time, officers, can you please escort the gentleman out, please?

All right.

Um, clerk, will you please call the roll?

Here.

It might be pressed.

Here's that right.

Under who's authority?

We have two items up for discussion tonight.

Item one is an approval of the amendment.

Okay.

Let's put them on the chair.

Clerk, do we get all the roll calls?

Here.

Here.

This this thank you.

Item one is an approval of the amendment to the AP90 program specific requirements, all current and prior year, annual action plans?

Do you have a motion to approve?

No moved.

Second.

Are there any questions or discussion on the item?

Seeing there's no discussion or questions, all those in favor, please state by indicating aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

That item passes.

Item two is an approval of the amendments to the fiscal year 2025 addition of projects and budget amendments.

Don't have a motion to approve.

I'll move.

Second.

Are there any questions or comments?

Seeing that there are none, all those in favor, please indicate by stating aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

Do you have a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Are there any questions or comments?

All those in favor, please indicate by stating aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

This meeting is adjourned.