Our review of the ordinance revealed that the fine for operating without a permit is set at just $500, while the cost of an annual permit is $1,200. That means a company could be caught breaking the law twice in a year and still pay less than it would to comply. This isn’t enforcement — it’s an incentive to ignore the law. It isn’t just sloppy — it’s dangerous, and it’s consistent with the Miller administration’s entire tenure, where ordinances look tough on paper but collapse in practice.

Fighting4Freeport also uncovered a major transparency problem in the permitting process. Businesses are instructed to submit applications and route maps not only to the City of Freeport, but also to Fehr Graham, using the personal email of one of its engineers. By funneling official city business into a private inbox, this administration has effectively placed the process outside the reach of the Freedom of Information Act. That means residents cannot see who applied for permits, which routes were approved or denied, or whether enforcement was applied fairly. Once again, accountability has been outsourced to Fehr Graham — a firm that has already received millions in taxpayer contracts while Freeport’s roads remain fragile.

This leads to the bigger question: after years of costly contracts, why are residents now being told that their infrastructure cannot handle overweight or oversized vehicles without yet another layer of permitting and fees? Did Fehr Graham deliver the roads that Freeport paid for, or is this ordinance simply another way to protect their contracts while residents get less for more?