City Council Rescheduled Meeting
Regular MeetingUrbana, IL · January 4, 2021
Minutes
URBANA CITY COUNCIL
RESCHEDULED MEETING
MINUTES
DATE: Monday, January 04, 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 for a rescheduled meeting
Monday, January 4, 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, Jared Miller, Dennis Roberts, Erik Sacks, Maryalice Wu
ELECTED OFFICIALS ABSENT: Shirese Hursey, Ward 3
STAFF PRESENT VIRTUALLY: Wendy Hundley, Jason Liggett, Carol Mitten, Andrea Ruedi
OTHERS PRESENT VIA ZOOM: Allan Axelrod, Beau Barber, Tracy Chong, Christopher Hansen,
Jaya Kolisetty, Meghan McDonald, Sarah Nixon, David Wesner, Grace Wilken
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
There being a quorum virtually present, Mayor Marlin called the rescheduled meeting of the Urbana
City Council to order at 7:00pm.
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
CM Roberts made a motion to approve minutes from the December 14, 2020 and December 21,
2020 (Special Meeting). Seconded by CM Wu and carried by roll call vote as follows:
Aye: Brown, Colbrook, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nay: None
C. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
There was none
D. PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC INPUT
Public input via zoom from the following people: Allan Max Axelrod, Beau Barber, Tracy Chong,
Christopher Hansen, Jaya Kolisetty, Meghan McDonald, Sarah Nixon, Grace Wilken, some of the
comments included: thanks to public officials and City Council who signed the evection letter
urging Champaign County to suspend evections, mental health and self harm awareness,
continuous concerns with One Door program, concerns with board appointments vetting process,
does City Council have anything to say the City recently lost of a Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) lawsuit, has the city council reviewed the Taser incident that clearly shows police
misconduct, when will City acknowledge the Aleyah Lewis incident, City’s hiring practices need to
comply with the Human Rights with regards to discriminatory hiring practices, in support of gender
inclusive language, best practices concerning animal control Ward 5, American Water shutoff
continues, has the City Council considered sponsoring air testing quality kit for Emulsicoat in Ward
5, Council members should be visible during Zoom meetings, hold police accountable, and listen to
the public.
No Public Input via email
Page 1 of 3
E. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
There was none
F. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Committee Of The Whole – (Council Member Jared Miller)
1. CONSENT AGENDA
2. REGULAR AGENDA
a. Resolution No. 2020-12-069R: A Resolution Approving and Authorizing the Execution of
a New Cable Franchise Agreement with Comcast of Illinois/Indiana/Ohio, LLC
CM Miller made a motion to approve Resolution No. 2020-12-069R as forwarded from
committee. Seconded by CM Colbrook, additional clarification was provided by UPTV
Station Manager Jason Liggett about the negotiated PEG fee rate and the process that was
considered during the negotiations. After discussion, the motion carried by roll call vote as
follows:
Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Miller, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: none
G. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
There were none
H. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
Mayor Marlin provided a statement in about recent allegations about Open Meetings Act violation
and lawsuit against the City of Urbana Mayor Marlin and City Council, she said that the 11
complaints have been filed with the Attorney General’s Office from March 2020 – November 2020
by three different individuals.
Mayor Marlin gave some background information and correction to an issue that was erroneously
quoted at a previous meeting during public input about jaywalking statistics, noting that 90% of
tickets were issued to African Americans according to a study reported by The Atlantic from 2007-
2011. Only one ticket has been issued in the past three years for violation of Pedestrian in the Street
(jaywalking).
I. NEW BUSINESS
1. Mayoral Appointment to Boards and Commissions
a. Civilian Police Review Board – term ending June 30, 2022
1. Anthony (Tony) Rice
Mayor Marlin presented the appointment of Anthony Rice and provided background
information. She said that his ethnicity, work experience, and interaction with a diverse
workforce makes him a good fit for the CPRB board.
CM Roberts made a motion to approve the appoint of Anthony Rice as presented, seconded
by CM Brown. Some questions were asked about qualification and current vacancies for the
board. After clarifications from Mayor the motion carried by roll call as follows:
Ayes: Brown, Colbrook, Roberts, Sacks, Wu
Nays: Miller
J. ADJOURNMENT
With no further business to come before the council, Mayor Marlin adjourned the virtual
rescheduled meeting at 7:44 p.m.
Page 2 of 3
Wendy M. Hundley______
Deputy City Clerk
This meeting was video recorded and is viewable on-demand.
Minutes Approved: January 11, 2021
Page 3 of 3
Agenda
URBANA CITY COUNCIL MEETING
RESCHEDULED MEETING
**RESCHEDULED MEETING from Monday, December 28, 2020**
DATE: January 4, 2021
TIME: 7:00pm
PLACE: *to be held virtually via Zoom (400 S. Vine St., Urbana, IL 61801)
AGENDA
A. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
B. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
1. December 14, 2020
2. December 21, 2020 (Special Meeting)
C. ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA
D. *PUBLIC INPUT AND PRESENTATIONS
E. UNFINISHED BUSINESS
F. REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Committee Of The Whole – (Council Member Jared Miller)
1. CONSENT AGENDA
2. REGULAR AGENDA
a. Resolution No. 2020-12-069R: A Resolution Approving and Authorizing the
Execution of a New Cable Franchise Agreement with Comcast of Illinois/Indiana/Ohio,
LLC – IT
G. REPORTS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEES
H. REPORTS OF OFFICERS
I. NEW BUSINESS
1. Mayoral Appointment to Boards and Commissions
a. Civilian Police Review Board – term ending June 30, 2022
1. Anthony (Tony) Rice
J. 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: Jan 4, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Urbana City Council / Committee of the Whole
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82524376112
Or iPhone one-tap :
US: +13126266799,,82524376112# or +13017158592,,82524376112#
Or Telephone:
Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 929 205 6099 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900
6833 or +1 253 215 8782
Webinar ID: 825 2437 6112
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdel44zemX
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.
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).
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