City Council Regular Meeting
Regular MeetingUrbana, IL · April 12, 2021
Minutes
URBANA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
DATE: Monday, April 12, 2021
TIME: 7:00 P.M.
PLACE: *Held virtually due to Governor’s and Mayoral Emergency Declarations
The City Council of the City of Urbana, Illinois, met in regular session Monday, April 12, 2021, at 7:00 p.m.
via Zoom. Urbana City Council Chambers, 400 South Vine Street, Urbana, IL 61801
ELECTED OFFICIALS PHYSICALLY PRESENT: Diane Wolfe Marlin, Mayor; Phyllis D. Clark, City
Clerk
ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT VIA ZOOM: City Council Members (CM) Bill Brown, Bill
Colbrook, Shirese Hursey, Jared Miller, Dennis Roberts, Erik Sacks, Maryalice Wu
ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT VIRTUALLY: Wendy Hundley, Jason Liggett, Carol Mitten, Lorrie Pearson, Marcus
Ricci, Bryant Seraphin, Katherine Trotter, Dave Wesner
OTHERS PRESENT VIA ZOOM: Anthony Allegretti, Allan Max Axelrod, Norman Baxley, Tracy
Chong, Scott Dossett, Christopher Hansen, Monica Huang, Emily Klose, Brandi McCoy, Sarah Nixon,
Eddie Pratt Jr.,
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
There being a quorum virtually present, Mayor Marlin called the meeting of the Urbana City Council
to order at 7:19pm, following a Cunningham Township Board meeting.
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
CM Miller made a motion to approve minutes from the March 8, 2021, March 22, 2021, and April 5,
2021 (Public Hearing), seconded by CM Hursey and carried by roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nay: None
C. PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INPUT
1. Elimination of CPRB Membership Restriction Based on Felony Conviction – CPRB Members
Dossett and Allegretti
Mayor Marlin relinquished the chair to Mayor Pro-tem Dennis Roberts, while she stepped away to
sign some documents.
Civilian Police Review Board (CPRB) Member Anthony Allegretti began by saying that the CPRB
members are asking the ordinance language about felony conviction or plea be eliminated from
Section 19-22 (c) that reads as follows: “No person with a criminal felony conviction or plea shall be
eligible to serve on the CPRB”. Scott Dossett joined the conversation and added that this is the first
step of many changes that need to happen in the Ordinance, at this time the board is only
recommending the removal of the mentioned section.
After the presentation, Allegretti and Dossett addressed questions from council.
2. Public input via zoom comments included: in support of removing language from the CPRB
ordinance about felony convictions; people affected by injustice should be encourage on the
board due to their experience with the legal system; remove background checks; not in support of
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having law enforcement on the CPRB; no one addressed the retaliation by City Administrator
Mitten when she published personal information about a resident’s complaint; ongoing Open
Meeting Act violations by city staff; disappointment by City attorney’s dishonest legal advice just to
support the restrictions Mayor Marlin wanted during public input; be unbiased when it comes to
addressing police brutality; ongoing utility shutoffs concerns; in support of Resolution No. 2021-
04-017R; do better and stop making excuses; Mayor cannot stop council from speaking about any
topic; in support of Montessori school location; scholarship to minority and single parents to attend
Montessori should be encouraged by the city; concerns about Request for Proposals (RFP)
transparency process; having a contract with the Fraternal Order of Police(FOP) cannot negate or
violate the city’s human rights ordinance; strike section 2(b) that reads: no city employee may be
appointed to the board, nor shall any member be a current employee of, contracted by or have any
official affiliation, whether current or former, with a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency;
to eliminate any type of discrimination.
Mayor Marlin said legal counsel advised them not to comment on alleged violations of the Open
Meetings Act as it is the subject of ongoing litigation, and they do not discuss ongoing litigation.
No Public Input received via email.
D. COUNCIL INPUT AND COMMUNICATIONS
CM Miller said that CPRB reminded council that selection of member should not be based on their
felony conviction.
CM Hursey agreed with Christopher Hansen that someone’s affiliation should not be grounds for
disqualification to serve on the CPRB.
E. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
There were none.
F. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was none
G. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Committee Of The Whole – (Council Member Maryalice Wu)
1. CONSENT AGENDA
All matters listed under the CONSENT AGENDA are considered to be routine and non-controversial
by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and roll call vote. There will be no individual
discussion of these items. If discussion is desired by the Mayor, Council members, or a member of the
public, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and discussed immediately after approval of
the remaining items in the Consent Agenda
2. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Resolution No. 2021-04-015R: A Resolution Approving the Transfer of Volume Cap in
Connection with Private Activity Bond Issues, Single-Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and
Related Matters (Private Bond Cap Allocation – Assist Programs, Series 2021)
b. Resolution No. 2021-04-016R: A Resolution Approving the Transfer of Volume Cap in
Connection with Private Activity Bond Issues, Single-Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and
Related Matters (Private Bond Cap Allocation – IHDA, Series 2021)
CM Wu made a motion to approve the consent agenda in omnibus fashion as forwarded from
committee. Seconded by CM Miller and carried by roll call vote as follows:
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Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: None
3. REGULAR AGENDA
a. Ordinance No. 2021-04-013: An Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit (121 Goose Alley /
Plan Case 2416-SU-21 – Norman Baxley / Montessori School of Champaign-Urbana)
CM Wu made a motion to approve Ordinance No. 2021-04-013 as forwarded from committee.
Seconded by CM Roberts. Additional discussion followed.
City Staff addressed questions from council about parking issues and resolutions. CM Roberts
read the conditions from the ordinance.
Monica Huang and Norman Baxley were available for questions.
After discussion, CM Roberts made a motion to amend the ordinance to eliminate additional
parking spaces. Seconded by CM Colbrook. Upon additional discussion, Community
Development Lorrie Pearson suggested the following language as a compromise: “If, upon
operation, it is determined by the City Engineer that the school’s pick-up/drop-off plan creates
safety or traffic issue, the Zoning Administrator may require the school to alter its pick-up/drop-
off plan to mitigate the issues.to drop the requirement of additional spaces and leave at three.”
CM Roberts and Colbrook concurred with suggested language. The motion to amend Ordinance
No. 2021-04-013 carried by roll call vote as follows:
Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: None
After amendment, the motion to approve Ordinance No. 2021-04-013 as amended was approved
by roll call vote as follows:
Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: None
b. Ordinance No. 2021-04-014: An Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 2, Section 2-5,
Electronic Virtual Public Meetings (Public Input During Virtual Meetings)
CM Wu made a motion to approve Ordinance No. 2021-04-014 as forwarded from committee.
Seconded by CM Miller and carried by roll call vote as follows:
Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: None
c. Resolution No. 2021-04-017R: A Resolution Declaring Continued Utility Disconnections in
Illinois to be a Pandemic Safety Risk
CM Wu made a motion to approve Ordinance No. 2021-04-014 as forwarded from committee.
Seconded by CM Miller. Discussion followed.
After discussion, CM Roberts made a motion to amend section 5 to read as follows: That the City
of Urbana calls on the Illinois Governor to enact a 30 day mandatory moratorium on utility
disconnections for non-payment. The moratorium should be without means-testing. Seconded by
CM Wu and carried by roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nay: None
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Final motion was to approve Resolution No. 2021-04-017R as amended. The motion carried by
roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nay: None
H. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
There were none
I. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
Police Chief Bryant Seraphin gave updates about recent shootings that occurred in Urbana over the
weekend. He addressed questions from council. The number to call with any tips or leads were given as
follows: 217-384-2320 or 217-373-TIPS (8477).
Mayor Marlin said that gun violence has become an issue nationwide and should be handled by the
community.
She thanked city staff who volunteered Saturday to help with the building project for Habitat for
Humanity, sponsored by Savoy United Methodist Church.
J. NEW BUSINESS
1. Resolution No. 2021-04-018R: A Resolution of Protest against a Proposed Zoning Map
Amendment to the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (3804 Cunningham Ave. / CCZBA-002-
AM-21)
Planner Katherine Trotter Resolution No. 2021-04-018R with recommendation to defeat. The
petitioners Ryan and Amanda Donaldson submitted a petition to the Champaign County Department
of Planning and Zoning (CCDPZ) to amend the zoning map for 3804 Cunningham Avenue from the
AG-2 Agriculture Zoning District to the B-4 General Business Zoning District, to allow them to
construct two buildings on the property. First building will house the Illini Fire Services, LLC and the
second building will have an office and warehouse space for another constructions space. Discussion
ensued.
City Council were given the following options: a request to amend the zoning map for 3804
Cunningham Avenue from AG-2 Agriculture to B-4 General Business, to allow the applicants to
establish and operate the Illini Fire Services, LLC:
Vote ‘Yes” to protest and to require a super-majority vote at the County Board to rezone the
property
Vote “No” to not protest and to require a simple majority vote at the County Board to rezone the
property
After presentation and discussion, CM Brown made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2021-04-
018R as directed per staff. CM Miller seconded and carried by roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Sacks
Nay: Brown, Colbrook, Hursey, Miller, Roberts, Wu
K. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before the council, Mayor Marlin adjourned the virtual meeting at
9:18 p.m.
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Wendy M. Hundley______
Deputy City Clerk
This meeting was video recorded and is viewable on-demand.
Minutes Approved: April 26, 2021
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Agenda
URBANA CITY COUNCIL MEETING
DATE: Monday, April 12, 2021
TIME: 7:00pm
PLACE: *to be held virtually via Zoom (400 South Vine Street, Urbana, IL 61801)
AGENDA
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF REGULAR AND SPECIAL
MEETINGS
1. March 8, 2021
2. March 22, 2021
3. April 5, 2021 (Public Hearing)
C. *PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INPUT
1. Elimination of CPRB Membership Restriction Based on Felony Conviction – CPRB Members
Dossett and Allegretti
2. Public Input
D. COUNCIL INPUT AND COMMUNICATIONS
E. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
F. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
G. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Committee Of the Whole - (Council Member Maryalice Wu)
All matters listed under the CONSENT AGENDA are considered to be routine and non-
controversial by the City Council and will be enacted by one motion and roll call vote. There will
be no individual discussion of these items. If discussion is desired by the Mayor, Council
members, or a member of the public, the item will be removed from the Consent Agenda and
discussed immediately after approval of the remaining items in the Consent Agenda
1. CONSENT AGENDA
a. Resolution No. 2021-04-015R: A Resolution Approving the Transfer of Volume Cap in
Connection with Private Activity Bond Issues, Single-Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and
Related Matters (Private Bond Cap Allocation – Assist Programs, Series 2021) – CD
b. Resolution No. 2021-04-016R: A Resolution Approving the Transfer of Volume Cap in
Connection with Private Activity Bond Issues, Single-Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and
Related Matters (Private Bond Cap Allocation – IHDA, Series 2021) – CD
2. REGULAR AGENDA
a. Ordinance No. 2021-04-013: An Ordinance Approving a Special Use Permit (121 Goose
Alley / Plan Case 2416-SU-21 – Norman Baxley / Montessori School of Champaign-
Urbana) – CD
b. Ordinance No. 2021-04-014: An Ordinance Amending City Code Chapter 2, Section 2-5,
Electronic Virtual Public Meetings (Public Input During Virtual Meetings) – Exec
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c. Resolution No. 2021-04-017R: A Resolution Declaring Continued Utility Disconnections
in Illinois to be a Pandemic Safety Risk – CM Miller
H. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
I. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
J. NEW BUSINESS
1. Resolution No. 2021-04-018R: A Resolution of Protest Against a Proposed Zoning Map
Amendment to the Champaign County Zoning Ordinance (3804 Cunningham Ave. / CCZBA-
002-AM-21) – CD
K. ADJOURNMENT
*Due to the Governor Pritzker and Mayoral Emergency Covid-19 Orders, the Urbana City Council
Chambers will be not be open to the public during this meeting. Council Members will meet remotely
using Zoom Webinar. You may watch the meeting on streaming services, or on Urbana Public Television,
or attend via Zoom.
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Apr 12, 2021 06:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Cunningham Township Board / Urbana City Council
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82821204057
Or One tap mobile :
US: +13126266799,,82821204057# or +19292056099,,82821204057#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 253 215 8782 or +1 346 248
7799 or +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 828 2120 4057
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbCQpWuM6m
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PUBLIC INPUT
The City of Urbana welcomes Public Input during open meetings of the City Council, the City Council’s
Committee of the Whole, City Boards and Commissions and other City-sponsored meetings. Our goal is to
foster respect for the meeting process, and respect for all people participating as members of the public
body, city staff, and general public. The City is required to conduct all business during public meetings. The
presiding officer is responsible for conducting those meetings in an orderly and efficient manner.
Public Input will be taken in the following ways:
Zoom Webinar Participant
Click on the link listed in the agenda to join the Webinar. You must provide your name and email address in
order to join the Webinar. If you wish to speak during Public Input, “raise your hand” and wait to be called
on by the meeting host. You must state your first and last name for the meeting record. Participants will be
muted except when they are called on to speak; video will remain off for all members of the public when
speaking.
Telephone Participant
Call the phone number listed on the Agenda. Enter the Webinar ID followed by the # key. All callers are
muted by default. If you wish to speak, “raise your hand” by pressing *9 once. When you are called on by
the host or presiding officer you will be un-muted. You must state your first name and last name for the
meeting record.
Email Input
Public comments must be received prior to the closing of the meeting record (at the time of adjournment
unless otherwise noted) at the following: citycouncil@urbanaillinois.us. The subject line of the email must
include the words “PUBLIC INPUT” and the meeting date. Your email will be sent to all City Council
members, the Mayor, City Administrator, and City Clerk. Emailed public comments labeled as such will be
incorporated into the public meeting record, with personal identifying information redacted. Copies of
emails will be posted after the meeting minutes have been approved.
Written Input
Any member of the public may submit their comments addressed to the members of the public body in
writing. If a person wishes their written comments to be included in the record of Public Input for the
meeting, the writing should so state. Written comments must be received prior to the closing of the
meeting record (at the time of adjournment unless otherwise noted).
Verbal Input
Protocol for Public Input is one of respect for the process, and respect for others. Ridicule, obscene or
profane language, lack of respect for others, and personal attacks are not acceptable behavior. Public Input
shall not be used to air personal grievances. Speakers should address all comments to the public body as a
whole and not to individual members or City staff.
Public comment shall be limited to no more than four (4) minutes per person. The Public Input portion of
the meeting shall total no more than one (1) hour, unless otherwise shortened or extended by majority vote
of the public body members present. The presiding officer or the city clerk or their designee, shall monitor
each speaker's use of time and shall notify the speaker when the allotted time has expired. All public
comments should be addressed to the public body as a whole. A person may participate and provide Public
Input once during a meeting and may not cede time to another person, or split their time if Public Input is
held at two (2) or more different times during a meeting. The presiding officer may give priority to those
persons who indicate they wish to speak on an agenda item upon which a vote will be taken.
The presiding officer or public body members shall not enter into a dialogue with citizens. Questions from
the public body members shall be for clarification purposes only. Public Input shall not be used as a time for
problem solving or reacting to comments made but, rather, for hearing citizens for informational purposes
only.
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Accommodation
If an accommodation is needed to participate in a City meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s
Office at least 48 hours in advance so that special arrangements can be made using one of the following
methods:
Phone: 217.384.2366
Email: CityClerk@urbanaillinois.us
*In order to maintain reasonable decorum at a public meeting, the presiding officer of the meeting shall
have the authority to raise a point of order and provide a verbal warning to a speaker who uses abusive,
harassing, threatening, or defamatory language, or who engages in disorderly conduct that disrupts,
disturbs, or otherwise impedes the orderly conduct of a meeting. Any member of the public body
participating in the meeting also may raise a point of order with the presiding officer and request that they
provide a verbal warning to a speaker. If the speaker refuses to cease such remarks or conduct after being
warned by the presiding officer, the presiding officer shall have the authority to mute the speaker’s
microphone and/or video presence at the meeting. The presiding officer will inform the speaker that they
may send the remainder of their remarks via email to the public body for inclusion in the meeting record.
*Definitions of Types of Language and Conduct That May Warrant Verbal Warning:
“Abusive” means harsh, violent, profane, or derogatory language which would demean the dignity of an
individual or which is intended to humiliate, mock, insult or belittle an individual.
https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/abusive-language
“Harassing” means to annoy or bother someone in a constant or repeated way; to make repeated attacks
on another person.
https://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/harass
“Threatening” means to say that you will harm someone or do something unpleasant or unwanted
especially in order to make someone do what you want.
https://www.learnersdictionary.com/definition/threaten
“Defamatory” means a statement or communication that tends to harm a person's reputation by
subjecting the person to public contempt, disgrace, or ridicule, or by adversely affecting the person's
business. A statement that is likely to lower that person in the estimation of reasonable people and in
particular to cause that person to be regarded with feelings of hatred, contempt, ridicule, fear, or dislike.
Black's Law Dictionary (11th ed. 2019)
Citations that Authorize the Presiding Officer to Bar Offensive Language During Public Comment:
The following citations provide the legal basis for adopting UCC Section 2-5(b)(1)(d) that allows the
presiding officer of a City Council, Committee of the Whole, or a City-sponsored board or commission
regulate “abusive, harassing, threatening, or defamatory language” during public comment. The following
Attorney General binding opinions and case law essentially classify abusive, “harassing, threatening and
defamatory language as “manner”, not “content”, of speech that can be reasonably regulated under the
First Amendment. UCC Section 2-5(c) (Ordinance No. 2020-09-049. Attorney General binding opinion
numbers 2019 PAC 59187, 2018 PAC 55462, 2016 PAC 45349; Milestone v. City of Monroe, Wisconsin, 665
F.3d 774, 783-784 (7th Cir. 2011); Vega v. Chicago Board of Education, 338 F.Supp.3d 806, 811 (N.D. Ill.
2018); Sandefur v. Vill. of Hanover Park, 862 F.Supp.2d 840, 847 (N.D. Ill. 2012); I.A. Rana Enterprises, Inc. v.
City of Aurora, 630 F.Supp.2d 912, 920-923 (D.C. N.D. 2009).
Persons with disabilities needing special services or accommodations for this meeting should contact the City of
Urbana's Americans with Disabilities Coordinator at 217-384-2366.
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