This Week

  • Monday night's Freeport City Council meeting was anything but routine, as tempers flared, residents jeered, and longstanding frustrations with city leadership boiled over into open conflict. With Mayor Jodi Miller absent, Alderman-at-Large Joy Sellers chaired the meeting, navigating a stormy agenda that left many residents questioning the direction and integrity of the city’s leadership. - Read More

  • The tradition of opening Monday night City Council meetings with a public prayer is under growing scrutiny, as residents across the city raise concerns about its appropriateness in a government setting. - Read More

  • Freeport residents should prepare for a tense and revealing night at City Hall. The upcoming City Council meeting, scheduled for Monday, April 21 at 6:00 p.m., promises major votes on controversial issues—but also raises serious concerns about what won’t be addressed. - Read More

  • A growing divide has emerged in Freeport as the city considers changing a local ordinance that requires senior-level city staff—including department directors and the chiefs of police and fire—to live within the city limits. - Read More

  • More than $10.1 million has been funneled into the Lamm Rd. TIF since its creation, according to the FY 2023 report. Yet critics argue that the community hasn’t seen the promised job growth—or a clear return on this investment. - Read More

  • FOIA isn’t just a tool for journalists and attorneys—it’s a right extended to all citizens, empowering you to request information from your municipal government and better understand how decisions are made in your city.- Read More

  • City Hall was once again filled to capacity, with residents making it clear they are paying attention. From misused funds to broken promises and questionable appointments, citizens are demanding something Freeport’s government has too often failed to deliver: transparency, integrity, and accountability. - Read More

  • A troubling pattern has emerged regarding the property taxes of local businessman and investor Brian Stewart, whose company Stewart Centre LLC has owned several key properties in the city, including the landmark Stewart Centre. - Read More

Last Week

Statement from Joshua T. Atkinson

After an intense and passionate campaign for Mayor of Freeport, I may not have won the seat, but my commitment to the people of this city remains stronger than ever. The message I ran on was clear: bringing transparency and accountability to Freeport. And though the outcome of the election didn't go as I hoped, I am more determined than ever to follow through on that promise.

No one understands better the impact of misinformation and half-truths spread by community leaders than I do. It’s something I’ve seen firsthand and something that can no longer be tolerated. This is why I am choosing to continue the mission I started during my campaign: to inform, to uncover the truth, and to keep Freeport’s citizens in the know about the real happenings in our city.

I fully recognize that elections have consequences, and I respect the will of the voters. I stand behind Freeport’s choice to continue the path laid out by Mayor Miller for her third term. I look forward to seeing the positive changes she has promised — a revitalized downtown with thriving businesses, smoother roads without the potholes that have plagued us, and a decisive end to the gun violence that has no place in our community.

Though I am not in office, I will continue working behind the scenes to ensure that Freeport stays focused on these vital goals. Transparency and accountability will remain my guiding principles, and I will do everything I can to support the progress of this city.

Together, we can build a brighter future for Freeport, and I am honored to play a role in that journey.

Joshua T. Atkinson
Citizen and Advocate for Transparency