Jacksonville City Council Approves Second Patroller Trailer for Police Department

The Jacksonville City Council approved spending $76,800 in capital improvement funds to purchase a second "patroller" trailer for the Jacksonville Police Department at its March 9 meeting, doubling the city's mobile surveillance capacity as Police Chief Doug Thompson cited the first unit's proven track record against crime.

Thompson said the department's original trailer, which is regularly deployed at requested locations around Jacksonville and equipped with lights and cameras, "has been very effective in the battle against crime in high traffic areas." The council's resolution, as listed in the meeting agenda, approved a waiver of advertisement for bids and accepted a proposal from GTSI to supply the new unit.

The chief also flagged a separate pressure building inside the department: a dramatic rise in public records demands. Thompson said his department will need to hire someone to manage the surge in freedom of information requests, which "have grown from a handful a few years ago to over 1-thousand now." No specific staffing action was approved at the March 9 meeting, but Thompson's remarks signal the workload has outpaced current resources.

The council also approved the purchase of a tree spade from Big John Manufacturing for the Community Development and Parks and Lakes departments, a purchase that had already been included in this year's budget. A separate resolution on the consent agenda authorized a waiver of advertisement for bids and accepted a proposal from the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign Public Service Archaeology and Architecture Program to conduct a Phase 1 Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey for the city's RISE grant property.

On the zoning front, the council passed first reading of an ordinance that would add Appendix I to the Jacksonville Zoning Ordinance, establishing rules for the location, construction, operation, and decommissioning of battery energy storage systems within city limits. Community Development Director Brian Nyberg said "these storage facilities largely are being sought by solar fields and wind farms," signaling that renewable energy developers are eyeing Jacksonville-area land for future projects. A second reading and vote on final passage will be required before the ordinance takes effect.

Mayor Michael J. Inman also advanced several appointments during the meeting. Dan Kindred was reappointed to the Jacksonville Airport Authority with a term running through March 3, 2031, and Marcy Jones was appointed to the Jacksonville Area Museum Board through January 1, 2029. The council additionally authorized the filing of a demolition complaint for the structure at 342 West State Street.