Watch Public Meetings

The Springfield City Council heard some hard truths this week. Ken Pacha called out the city’s big bet on tourism and a higher hotel tax, asking why leaders keep chasing “grand slams” like new hotels while food bank lines grow, downtown storefronts sit empty, and people sleep on the sidewalks. Tiarika Sullivan shared how a […]

At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, a strange hotel incident turned into a bigger debate about how our laws actually work at the door of a room. Alderman Roy Williams Jr. pressed the city’s top lawyer and police leadership about an officer who allegedly “taught” a hotel guest how to use the 30 day […]

At this week’s Springfield City Council meeting, tensions over race, power and money were impossible to ignore. Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory read a racist letter he’d just received about Ward 2 — attacking east side residents and businesses — and linked it to years of stalled investment and the city’s lack of a real […]

The Springfield City Council spent the night arguing over who really gets to shape downtown’s future — and who gets left out. Megan Swanson opened public comment by calling out what she sees as a breakdown in transparency and leadership around Senate Bill 3499, the downtown taxing and development plan tied to the Bank of […]

The Springfield City Council meeting turned tense over a last‑minute mayoral veto, a fight over process and pointed public comments about who City Hall really serves. Highlights in this video:– Ward 3 Ald. Roy Williams presses the mayor on why a resolution approved weeks ago was suddenly vetoed just minutes before the meeting, raising questions […]

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 […]