[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5988361,"mediaKeyId","5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc","parentId",5754766,"title","Aldermen seek updated minority participation figures after commission failed to meet in 2025","audioSeconds",117,"startMs",2130000,"endMs",2247000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc&start=2130&end=2247","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc/thumbnail_2130000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5988361/Springfield/Sangamon-County/Illinois/Aldermen-seek-updated-minority-participation-figures-after-commission-failed-to-meet-in-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988361-fe0c137dd4670de575ba46d086f72565/orig.mp4?Expires=1770613131&Signature=aWUFFFKmp0bKO2PYVsqnwdzBn7kPVkfcLBP6uegX5AfF~eB-WdO-isMD95i35sWnhnNM6txjCfUwl3cePe3~8Xmh9DSePHwaB8FAZwJbpLukUQxobIyvxxDZbGajHfD6OwosLEnUClYQb29jWHGQPEn~xkiFzXPdIi~e4q08UyxRzuPxOUFlZeH1UrDmKBw8tBCPShLHc2wprF2Jnh4JabuL~Ulq9egedepaDIW5s9SlF-o3O4NHDLgLK9aDEkjSnZ9kRUpfATcNKgpZyOSlJBhfUluVjqECXY8IGAgjCiXBH6dGKH3q4lsIhXylgp0beR~djsjx4uAHnU4xWgeeCg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Springfield, IL","date","2025-09-12T00:00:00Z","article","Aldermen asked Monday for updated figures on minority and resident participation on city contracts after staff said the Community Relations Commission had not held a full meeting in 2025 and had carried over past participation percentages.

Alderman Williams asked when the commission last met; a staff member in the community relations office replied the commission last met in 2024 and that an attempted January meeting this year failed for lack of a quorum and that minutes from three 2024 meetings were still outstanding. \"That would be last year. The chairman of the commission has yet to call a meeting this year,\" the staff member said.

Alderman Williams said the commission normally reviews and recommends minority and women-owned business participation percentages annually and asked for a current total. The staff member said the department generally carries forward percentages when the commission has not met and agreed to provide the council with the current overall participation figures.

Alderman Gregory asked who chairs the commission; staff identified Tina Montgomery as the chair and said it is the chair’s responsibility to call commission meetings and send agendas to the city representative for posting in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. Council members requested that staff supply the most recent participation totals and outstanding meeting minutes to the council.

Ending — City staff agreed to gather and circulate the requested participation figures and outstanding minutes to aldermen. Councilors said they want the commission to resume meeting and to deliver an updated recommendation on minority participation on city contracts.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Springfield City Council Chambers Broadcast","oneSentenceSummary","Aldermen asked city staff to provide current minority participation percentages after learning the Community Relations Commission had not held a full meeting this year and has carried over prior-year percentages.","taxTitle","Springfield, Sangamon County, Illinois","taxId",2651,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5988366,"Council places on debate agenda ordinance authorizing $50,000 annual TIF payments to school district after questions about back payments",68,1158000,1226000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc&start=1158&end=1226","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc/thumbnail_1158000.jpg","/articles/5988366/Springfield/Sangamon-County/Illinois/Council-places-on-debate-agenda-ordinance-authorizing-50000-annual-TIF-payments-to-school-district-after-questions-about-back-payments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988366-0aca03a33240c7837f218e799e6ab5a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770613131&Signature=kynT~e8PqVEMZ0CiagA8mI79RHMeLsCDubuu2JLU6i-EYQZGfHMFIHNURCqlDWNXy1tDb~CtvbtGfZTrl4dIeCG6pwbi0KyPDY3kOj~3ctoEBfwLAJ3SQXBj1kgFWdNwZj37YY9OUax06rtBziY0dcsDZcWDVzv6HaFbkpdqbaFnotWB6hAXQlW9BNSog7G4O6MWgTNOWNAhrKjJbWMR26G9a-8NpfffaUYH3B9J2ov3P-g9rxAJgXwGQD1EhalMzhVT0-cNiDjzu4b6RKgORTy~7CAEA~ClWYLYjWGPBzTPgoGtmjFQRZ5YQ8BDhkecWxQrzwVZPcMhyIg5tUDuCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee of the Whole voted to place on the debate agenda an ordinance authorizing annual payments of $50,000 from Enos Park and Madison Park Place tax increment financing funds to Springfield School District 186 for 12 years, a program the ordinance caps at $1.2 million. Council members pressed city staff for details after being told the city has not made the payments referenced in a 2020 agreement and that the first payments would go back to 2023.

Aldermen discussed the ordinance 2025-3-73 during Monday’s meeting after staff described the payments as part of a promise tied to earlier extensions of the two TIF districts. An Office of Planning and Economic Development staff member told aldermen the school district provided a letter dated May 21, 2020, in support of the TIF extension that referenced the agreement to provide these payments; the packet included that documentation.

Alderman Conley asked whether the city had already begun making payments; OPED staff replied, \"We were not making these payments,\" adding the authorization is being presented now because they “could not find any authority to make these payments.” Alderman Donilon and others said they did not recall council approving the payments as part of the original TIF extensions and asked staff to check prior records.

Councilors also sought clarification on how far back payments would be owed. OPED staff said the authorization would go back to 2023; the department said it would check available funds before confirming the size of any initial payment. \"This authorizes the payment. We would need to ... check with the available funds to see what the initial payment would be,\" a staff member said.

During the discussion, council repeatedly referenced documentation attached to the agenda packet, including a May 21, 2020 letter from the school district and correspondence from former mayoral staff. Alderman Cox read an email exchange that referenced a $100,000 annual agreement for two TIFs; OPED said it could not find authorization to pay that amount and that this ordinance is being presented to create a formal authorization.

The committee voted to place the item on the debate agenda; the clerk recorded the motion as carried (“the ayes have it”) but did not record individual roll-call votes in the discussion. No final appropriation was adopted on Monday; a debate item was scheduled for a future meeting so council can consider the ordinance and staff-provided clarifications.

Ending — OPED staff said they will research records of prior votes and confirm the payment schedule and initial payment amount before the debate. Councilors asked staff to circulate supporting documents and to verify whether other taxing bodies received or were promised similar up-front payments during prior TIF extensions.","Council moved to debate an ordinance authorizing payments from Enos Park and Madison Park Place TIF funds to Springfield School District 186 after aldermen questioned why payments dating to 2023 had not been made and whether the council previously authorized the agreement.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5988371,"Residents demand police accountability after chief conditions meetings on attendee list",386,3462000,3848000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc&start=3462&end=3848","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5754766-aefa2f9137051a30b427287f9935e0dc/thumbnail_3462000.jpg","/articles/5988371/Springfield/Sangamon-County/Illinois/Residents-demand-police-accountability-after-chief-conditions-meetings-on-attendee-list","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5988371-61485baa8eef441f67a28ffcb9b56a74/orig.mp4?Expires=1770613131&Signature=nCmo0kmc99YCjcI~Bv1JIgOFYx5Bj-7o5fofhmmyA0mk3RMD4w0MNxXu-7KpK721rHjXNAIsbKBFYM-37Xjh-dy~vc~LCw0khJBJ8HKr7glhNmZPnbL4PlAa1AChy1rZOL7roDSbfbSuAJGfTUP2auquAr4BWGcsanhU8jT6LEDfkPrRTErnGnmvllZcKd76KJsqzrW4VZc1YTKLqs6clYqwsnQ6REvweQm8lNnRzzWrh5p-rSfLoZR4s7gDLeYIPr0MY~uCKKcVEwkRkAZZipzlOlORDaf2ESx0101Bo2HOUs-YhLRuWmvsXJ2x8OHhNpUjIkc6CtXMAGMX8OcXxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and city officials pushed Monday for greater police accountability after the Springfield Police Department’s leadership told council it would not meet with a community group if a particular member attended. Faith Coalition for the Common Good invited the chief to a community town hall scheduled for Sept. 29 at the Lincoln Library to discuss police conduct and community trust.

The invitation came from Kawani Barney, a community organizer with the Faith Coalition, who asked that “chief Bell” and a representative from the police union participate in the Sept. 29 town hall at Lincoln Library’s Carnegie Room to “foster open dialogue” about conduct and explore “pathways toward transformation to justice,” Barney said during the Committee of the Whole meeting.

The matter quickly drew aldermen into the discussion after Alderman Gregory recommended the city consider engaging the independent Massey Commission’s work on city policing and said he would work with colleagues to draft an ordinance for council consideration. “I am prepared to work with my caucus members … to figure out how we do this and what an ordinance looks like to present before this council,” Alderman Gregory said.

Tiara Standage, executive director of Intricate Minds and a community leader with the Faith Coalition, told the committee she has been excluded from police meetings and condemned the department’s refusal to appear at community events if certain people attend. “The police should not get to decide when they are held accountable,” Standage said, adding that footage of an officer’s use of force had resurfaced and that leaders must face the community’s questions.

Chief of Police (Springfield Police Department) told the committee the department had offered to meet with the Faith Coalition without the particular person present and that the coalition had not responded to proposed dates. The chief also said the department previously entered into a diversionary agreement with that individual and that, in the department’s view, the relationship “probably wouldn’t work” for ongoing collaboration.

Several aldermen pressed the chief and administration to reengage. Alderman Williams said department leaders should meet with any citizen groups and noted concern about allowing staff to “pick and choose who they meet with.” Alderman Conley and others offered that Assistant Chief Leach is trusted in parts of the community and asked the department to continue meetings with community stakeholders, including the Faith Coalition, while working to include people at odds with police leadership.

Multiple public commenters — including Standage, volunteers with Intricate Minds and members of Good Trouble Alliance — recounted incidents they said showed repeated excessive force by officers and urged the department and council to attend the Sept. 29 town hall to answer questions and accept recommendations. Kawani Barney said the event, “Dismantling Police Violence: A Community Conversation,” will be 5:30–7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Lincoln Library.

The debate also referenced the ongoing Massey Commission review and state-level reforms. Commenters pointed to recent state measures and previous local incidents as context for community demands for transparency and accountability. Alderman Gregory asked that the city remain engaged with the Massey Commission’s forthcoming recommendations and consider a city-level independent review.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the town hall invitation or on a specific directive to the police department. Several aldermen said they would follow up with the chief and community leaders to try to ensure the department is represented at the Sept. 29 event and to explore ordinance language to strengthen independent oversight.

Ending — The Faith Coalition and community leaders said they expect police leadership to accept the invitation; Standage and speakers said they will continue to press for direct answers from SPD. Alderman Gregory said he will circulate a proposed ordinance concept to council members in coming weeks and urged continued dialogue between police and community stakeholders.","Faith Coalition invited the Springfield police chief to a Sept. 29 town hall. The chief told council he will not meet with a group if a particular community leader attends; the leader and several aldermen urged department participation and called for independent review and community engagement.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Aldermen seek updated minority participation figures after commission failed to meet in 2025

Council places on debate agenda ordinance authorizing $50,000 annual TIF payments to school district after questions about back payments

Residents demand police accountability after chief conditions meetings on attendee list