Even while acknowledging that Springfield has many “tough” and “honest” conversations ahead surrounding race, Ward 2 Ald. Shawn Gregory said he was proud of the capital city’s response this past weekend to the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.

On Sunday, an estimated 3,000 vehicles participated organized by the local chapter of Black Lives Matter. The next day, at least 1,000 protesters marched peacefully through downtown. The unrest and looting that have crippled other cities has not come to pass here.

“I’m very, very, very proud of what happened this weekend because we proved, even to the city of Springfield, that the level of response for what was perceived to be a black-only protest was not needed,” Gregory said. “We have our issues, but we are a far cry from what we’re seeing going on in the country. And I think that goes to speak to all of the good white and black people who joined together this weekend to say, hey, enough is enough and we do agree. And I think that helped our city.”

Gregory participated in both demonstrations, even engaging in a ‘lie-in’ in front of the Capitol on Monday. Several demonstrators who spoke lamented the perceived lack of political leaders in attendance at the march.

Gregory, speaking before Tuesday’s City Council meeting, said it’s important for leaders to feed off the energy of the protest and translate it into public policy action. He said this could include addressing long term, systemic issues such as making it easier for low-income and minority renters to become homeowners.

Or, it could even be tackling an issue that has been the topic of much discussion in recent weeks: large, early-morning gatherings on the city’s east side. Such gatherings have often been the source of shootings, property damage and the blocking of traffic.

Gregory said one solution could be to allow some east side clubs to stay open until 3 a.m. instead of 1 a.m. He said it will not completely solve the problem.

“But it will certainly give some more options and it’s certainly a step in trying to put some solutions together to try to address why our young people are just driving around at three o’clock at night with nothing to do,” Gregory said. “We have to give them something to do.”

Tuesday’s Springfield City Council agenda was relatively light with no items on the debate agenda.

Some items on the consent agenda included a five-year, $3.5 million extension of a contract between City Water, Light and Power and Carlinville-based Oros & Busch for the removal and beneficial reuse of the filter plant’s lime material.

Also on the agenda was a $222,000 agreement with Pittsfield-based Complete Asphalt Service for the city’s annual street crackfilling program and a $325,000 agreement with Lincolnland Concrete, Inc. and Capitol Ready Mix, Inc. for ready-mix concrete to be used by CWLP and Public Works.

Mayor Jim Langfelder said that anyone who participated in the weekend’s demonstrations and wants to be tested for COVID-19 can show up, no appointment or pre-approval needed, at the Sangamon County Department of Public Health Building, 2833 South Grand Ave East.

Testing is available there from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact Brenden Moore: 788-1526, bmoore@sj-r.com, twitter.com/brendenmoore13.