After multiple public discussions, the village of Manhattan is listening to residents who expressed concerns about Flock cameras and will not renew the controversial camera contract.
“This was not a decision made lightly, and it was not based on just a few residents coming to the board meeting and speaking out,” Mayor Mike Adrieansen read in a statement at the Oct. 6 board meeting.
“We looked at the results, the effectiveness, and the additional cameras, the data, and the overall cost-benefit to the village. There are also a lot of questions and concerns about flock technology being raised across the state and the country. I believe many of those issues will eventually be addressed by state and federal officials,” Adrieansen said, noting they didn’t want to rush into anything.
“This does not mean that we’re turning our backs on our police department or public safety. It still remains our top priority. We’ll continue to give our officers the tools they need to keep Manhattan safe,” Adrieansen added.
He noted the village has four other Flock cameras up, and those cameras will remain up through the entirety of their contract. Adrieansen believed that contract would be up at the end of 2027.
“By then, hopefully there’s going to be a lot of a lot more safeguards put into place nationally and at the state level that we can make a different decision maybe. This will leave us with four cameras, like I said, and we had 15. It doesn’t make sense to have that many. I think the police chief had advised us that the four that we have originally are the most valuable,” Adrieansen added.
The cameras that remain are located at the main thoroughfares in town and were paid for by a grant from Will County.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces with it still. As you’ve seen, Will County’s trying to change their ordinance that they passed for us, and there’s different legislation being passed. So, every day it’s something different,” Police Chief Ryan Gulli said, adding he’s following the updates.
“If we would have continued just the pole cameras, it was $3,000 a piece. So, $9,000, and it was a trial. They’re definitely beneficial, but the cost-benefit to the residents, the police department, and the board, it’s just not there for us to continue to use tax dollars from the village to fund those cameras,” Gulli added.
New restaurant opens
A new Mexican restaurant has opened in Manhattan, and the village approved its liquor license at the Oct. 6 board meeting.
El Mariachi’s Bar & Grill offers an extensive menu of tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, nachos, and more. Photos of the menu can be found on the restaurant’s Facebook page, El Mariachis. The liquor license allows the restaurant to offer margaritas, other cocktails, and beer. Hours of operation listed on the business’s Facebook page show it is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Friday and Saturday, when it is open until 10 p.m.
El Mariachi’s occupies the space where the former Flor de Fuego Mexican steakhouse operated at 330 W. North St. Flor de Fuego closed in May, and the team moved over to staff its sister location, Casa Catrina, in Joliet.
Other News
In other news, the village held a public hearing for a dormant SSA tax for the Butternut Ridge South subdivision. On July 21, the board adopted an ordinance for the same, which proposed the SSA and scheduled the hearing. The dormant SSA is a protection mechanism for the village in case the subdivision goes bankrupt. It is not structured like the SSA tax that was put in place for the Brookstone Springs subdivision. The board subsequently approved it.
Additionally, the board approved a contract with Sharp Business Systems for printer and copying services after reviewing several proposals. The village was previously paying just over $1,000 monthly, but the new contract will bring the cost down slightly to just under $1,000 a month. The $630 equipment rental is estimated to save the village $1,087.20 over the 60-month term.
Manhattan’s Parade of Lights is scheduled for Dec. 5, and the board approved the resolution allowing the parade to travel on Route 52.