OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Davenport City Council Meeting - November 13, 2025

City Council — Thursday, November 13, 2025
BodyDavenport, Iowa
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, November 13, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 31:50

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Okay, good evening, everyone, and welcome.

0:04

I call the city council meeting for Wednesday, uh, November 12th to order.

0:09

At this time, we'll have a moment of silence for you to think about whatever it is you'd like to think about this evening.

0:22

Thank you.

0:23

If you'd all please stand and join Alder Woman Burkholder in leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

0:29

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

0:36

One nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all.

0:44

Thank you.

0:45

Uh Mr.

0:46

Krupp, if you'd be kind enough to call the roll for tonight.

0:49

R done here.

0:50

Kelly.

0:52

McGinnis.

0:53

Here.

0:53

Brian Arts.

0:54

Grip.

0:55

Here.

0:55

Newton.

0:57

Lynch.

0:58

Here.

0:58

T Dunn.

0:59

Here.

0:59

Job Jen.

1:00

Here.

1:00

And Burkholder.

1:01

Here.

1:01

Eight present, Your Honor.

1:02

Thank you, sir.

1:03

So again, good evening and welcome everyone as we begin the meeting of the city council.

1:07

I'd like to welcome everybody in attendance and anybody who's watching through any particular electronic device.

1:12

We respectfully welcome your comments and opinions, but please keep in mind that as you share your thoughts, you're sharing them with your fellow Davenporters and anybody throughout the region.

1:20

We're certainly happy you're participating in your city government, but ask that your participation please reflect the common desire we all share to make Davenport a better place.

1:28

I know there'll be pictures and such, but if you'd be kind enough to put your uh phone on silent, uh simply that it doesn't get in the way of anybody speaking.

1:37

If you want to address the council uh tonight uh at the appropriate time, please come to the podium.

1:42

Uh the microphones above you, we'd love to know your name, ward, or address.

1:46

And if you're not from here, we'd love to know where you're from.

1:49

Please address the council as a body and not any one individual.

1:53

We'll be respectful of you.

1:54

Please be respectful of us.

1:56

Thank you.

1:57

Well, an alder person, please move approval of the city council meeting minutes for October 22nd, 2025.

2:04

Second.

2:05

Motion and second.

2:06

All in favor.

2:07

Aye.

2:07

Any opposed?

2:08

Very good.

2:09

Those minutes are approved.

2:10

Mr.

2:10

City Administrator, do you have anything tonight?

2:18

I pushed the wrong button again.

2:20

Uh, yes, I do, Mayor, and council.

2:23

Uh, and more so did the community.

2:25

What you're going to see under uh my comments uh at uh the first cycle of every month is uh we're going to uh celebrate our employees, uh share this with the uh community.

2:37

So whether it's new hires, uh retirees or internal promotions.

2:41

I'm gonna walk very quickly uh through this uh every single month for those uh uh are going to be recognized for the month prior.

2:50

So this will be October.

2:52

And this actually is a part of uh just being very intentional about telling our story.

2:57

You know, the employee piece of this is a smaller piece, but you're gonna see that we're going to do more of that uh here as a uh organization.

3:06

We got a great team that's already in place.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural████████████████████████████████32%
Homelessness████████████████████████24%
Public Engagement█████████████13%
Historic Preservation███████7%
Technology and Innovation██████6%
Community Engagement████4%
Veterans Affairs████4%
Economic Development████4%
Parks and Recreation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Davenport City Council Meeting - November 13, 2025

Note: The transcript states the meeting occurred on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, but the user has instructed to use the date 2025-11-13. This discrepancy is noted.

The Davenport City Council met on the evening of November 13, 2025, with Mayor Mike Matson presiding. The meeting included approval of minutes, a proclamation, a presentation of Halloween parade winners, discussion of solar farm regulations, and public comments on homelessness and transparency.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of Minutes: City council meeting minutes from October 22, 2025, were approved unanimously.
  • Committee Whole Report: The report of the committee whole for November 5, 2025, was approved.
  • Proclamation: Third Missionary Baptist Church's 150th anniversary day (November 20, 2025) was proclaimed; accepted by Mary Anderson on behalf of the church.
  • Halloween Parade Winners: Trophies awarded for best youth entry (Toiletries for Teens), best dance group, best float (Mike's Repair), and best overall (Assumption High School Band).
  • City Administrator's Report: New hires, internal promotions, and no retirees for October were noted.
  • Petition Communications: Alderpersons thanked staff for Veterans Day parade and noted the third board meeting on November 17, 2025. Also, the Quad Cities was awarded Technology Community of the Year at the Prometheus Awards.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Cheryl Shagna (Third Ward): Expressed gratitude to veterans, welcomed the new city administrator, and urged protection of the 324 Main Street area as sacred space. She criticized the council for lack of honesty and integrity, alleging a secret agreement to keep a $1.6 million payment hidden until after the 2023 election, and claimed distortion of facts about the December 13th meeting regarding Alderman Kelly and Alderman Lee's participation.
  • Unnamed Speaker (likely related to the first speaker): Raised concerns about homelessness, noting that shelters are full or not opening for winter (specifically King's Harvest). She requested the council help provide blankets and support, and warned of people freezing to death. She emphasized that homelessness can result from job loss, mental health issues, or family loss, and urged the council to take action.

Discussion Items

  • First Consideration of Ordinance ORD 25-02: To amend Title 17 (Zoning) regarding solar farms as a principal use and freestanding solar panels as an accessory use. No public comment was offered. The council voted unanimously (9-0) for first consideration, moving it to second consideration.
  • Resolution Extending Moratorium on Solar Farms: A resolution to extend the moratorium on new solar farms and freestanding solar panels until February 12, 2026. No public comment; passed unanimously (9-0).
  • Consent Agenda Item 14 Removed: Alderman Dunn requested removal of item 14 from the consent agenda. The council voted to postpone item 14 to the first cycle in December (9-0). The remaining consent items were then approved unanimously (9-0).
  • Other Ordinances, Resolutions, and Motions: None.

Key Outcomes

  • Solar Farm Ordinance: First consideration passed (9-0); will proceed to second consideration.
  • Moratorium Extended: Resolution passed (9-0), extending the moratorium on solar farms until February 12, 2026.
  • Consent Agenda: Item 14 tabled to December first cycle; rest of consent approved (9-0).
  • Public Comments: No formal council response to the public comments on homelessness or transparency. Mayor adjourned the meeting after the public comment period.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good evening, everyone, and welcome. I call the city council meeting for Wednesday, uh, November 12th to order. At this time, we'll have a moment of silence for you to think about whatever it is you'd like to think about this evening. Thank you. If you'd all please stand and join Alder Woman Burkholder in leading us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, individual with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Uh Mr. Krupp, if you'd be kind enough to call the roll for tonight. R done here. Kelly. McGinnis. Here. Brian Arts. Grip. Here. Newton. Lynch. Here. T Dunn. Here. Job Jen. Here. And Burkholder. Here. Eight present, Your Honor. Thank you, sir. So again, good evening and welcome everyone as we begin the meeting of the city council. I'd like to welcome everybody in attendance and anybody who's watching through any particular electronic device. We respectfully welcome your comments and opinions, but please keep in mind that as you share your thoughts, you're sharing them with your fellow Davenporters and anybody throughout the region. We're certainly happy you're participating in your city government, but ask that your participation please reflect the common desire we all share to make Davenport a better place. I know there'll be pictures and such, but if you'd be kind enough to put your uh phone on silent, uh simply that it doesn't get in the way of anybody speaking. If you want to address the council uh tonight uh at the appropriate time, please come to the podium. Uh the microphones above you, we'd love to know your name, ward, or address. And if you're not from here, we'd love to know where you're from. Please address the council as a body and not any one individual. We'll be respectful of you. Please be respectful of us. Thank you. Well, an alder person, please move approval of the city council meeting minutes for October 22nd, 2025. Second. Motion and second. All in favor. Aye. Any opposed? Very good. Those minutes are approved. Mr. City Administrator, do you have anything tonight?

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