Zach Adams

The Springfield City Council just had a long night wrestling with who really speaks for the city – and who keeps getting left out. Highlights from this meeting:– A pointed back-and-forth over who actually directs the city’s lobbyist at the Capitol: the mayor, the council or a council-approved legislative agenda.– The mayor defending frequent contact […]

The Springfield City Council just packed a lot into one meeting: policing, downtown power struggles, and even metal detectors at City Hall. Highlights:– A new policing advisory board is on the table, and Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory pushed for at least half its members to come from Springfield’s most heavily policed neighborhoods, arguing that […]

The Springfield City Council meeting was anything but routine. Members of the Aldermanic Black Caucus responded to accusations over the Pledge of Allegiance and their stance on policing, talking about supporting good officers while still showing empathy for a 19-year-old at the center of a recent incident. Ward 5 Ald. Lakeisha Purchase described voting against […]

The Springfield City Council meeting started with a wonky but important question: who really sets the city’s legislative agenda, and what happens to future tax revenue when other taxing bodies get involved? Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams pushed hard for the full council to weigh in before anything moves forward, warning about millions in lost […]

Editor’s note: The full video of the April 7 Springfield City Council meeting was not available when this highlight reel was produced. Once it is released, a second highlight reel will be posted with an overview of the whole meeting. Things got heated at the Springfield City Council meeting over policing, respect, and who answers […]

At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, public comment turned into a full-on reckoning over policing, race and accountability. Related Residents spoke about the bystander video of a 19‑year‑old being punched by a Springfield police officer, and what they see as a pattern behind it: Due to technical difficulties, there was a problem with the […]

The Springfield City Council spent a lot of time on one question: Why this armored vehicle, and what does it say about policing in our city? Highlights from this week’s meeting: If you care about how policing tools are chosen, when they’re used, and who holds law enforcement accountable, this meeting is worth your time.

The Springfield City Council meeting started with urgent questions after a fire at the CWLP plant. City staff walked alderpersons through what happened during decommissioning, why fiberglass piping caught fire, what it meant for air quality, and how the incident doubled as a real-world test of the plant’s emergency response. No injuries and no power […]

The Springfield City Council just approved the amended city budget on a 7–3 vote — but not before one alderperson stepped back to talk through COVID relief spending, fire station investments and why he sees the grocery tax change as a win for residents. In this meeting, you’ll also see: If you want to see […]