Davenport City Council Meeting - April 9, 2026
Davenport City Council Meeting - April 9, 2026
Note: The meeting transcript indicates the date as April 8, 2026, but per the provided instructions, this summary uses the assigned date of April 9, 2026. The content below reflects the proceedings as transcribed.
The Davenport City Council met on the evening of April 8, 2026 (transcript date) / April 9, 2026 (assigned date). The meeting included approval of prior minutes, employee recognition, proclamations, council member updates, and three action items: a rezoning, a bond sale, and a noise variance request. All votes were unanimous.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of city council special meeting minutes for March 25, 2026.
- Approval of city council meeting minutes for March 25, 2026.
- Approval of the report on the Committee of the Whole for April 1, 2026.
- Appointment of Carlton Wills to the Riverfront Improvement Commission (Third Ward).
- Approval of all remaining consent agenda items (approved via roll call vote, 10-0).
Proclamations & Recognitions
- Fair Housing Month (April 2026): Proclamation read by Alderman Blank; accepted by Latrice Lacy, Director of the Davenport Civil Rights Commission. Lacy emphasized that housing is an anchor for opportunity and stressed the need for continued education and enforcement.
- National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 12–18, 2026): Proclamation read by Alderman Jobchen; accepted by Tracy Screechfield, Deputy Director of the Scott Emergency Communications Center. Screechfield thanked the council and praised staff resilience.
- Earth Week (April 19–25, 2026): Proclamation read by Alderman Lenin; accepted by Nicole Gleason, Public Works Director.
- National Work Zone Awareness Week (April 20–24, 2026): Proclamation read by Alderman Tim Dunn; accepted by Nicole Gleason. Gleason reminded motorists to be alert during construction season.
City Administrator Update
- Presented by City Administrator Gleason:
- New hires: Shelby Miller (Finance Accountant I), Andrea Noblet (Legal Project Coordinator), Eldred Nun II (Plant Operator), James Gibson (Laborer, Public Works), Bianca Crenshaw (Civilian Digital Forensic Technician, Police), Elise Prescott (Police Services Generalist).
- Internal promotions: William (Senior Bus Mechanic), Kyle (Packer Driver Loader), Aiden Holmes (Sewer Maintenance Worker), Gonzalo (Plant Operator).
- Retirements: Chief Jeff Bladel (31 years), Stan Stockwell, Equipment Operator (19 years).
Council Member Communications & Petitions
- Alderman Vasquez (Third Ward): Discussed ongoing efforts addressing homelessness (via organization Clutch), park programming expansion (including youth advisory committee, after-school/summer programs, Good Neighborhood Project, riverfront improvements), and strengthening enforcement against negligent landlords and abandoned properties. Requested agenda time for these initiatives. Announced his Third Ward meeting on April 20 at 6:30 p.m. with Parks Director Chad Dyson, including discussion on Credit Island Park improvements.
- Alderman Holloway (Seventh Ward): Invited residents to a ward meeting on April 13 at 5:30 p.m. at Fire Station #3, with Iowa American Water representative Brian Nielsen.
- Alderman Blunk (Fifth Ward): Announced the opening of the new Channel Cat dock in East Davenport on May 22, ahead of schedule. Ward meeting scheduled for April 20 at YWCA Empowerment Center. Also noted a public meeting on April 23 regarding the river street realignment at McClellan Boulevard and River Drive.
- Alderman Joker (Sixth Ward): Announced ward meeting on April 14 at Duck Creek Park Lodge, with Megan Fox from Scott County Waste Commission.
- Mayor Gordon: Thanked CPED staff for a CDBG/HOME tour with federal representatives. Announced he would miss the next Committee of the Whole meeting due to a trip to Washington, D.C., with Alderman Blunk and staff to meet with congressional delegation and federal agencies (e.g., DOT). Noted that over the past five years, the city has secured $25–30 million in federal and competitive grants.
Discussion Items
- First Consideration of Ordinance REZ 26-02: Request by Patrick Finley to rezone approximately 2.71 acres (south of Telegraph Road, east of South Utah Avenue) from AG (Agricultural) to R-1 (Single-Family Residential) in the First Ward. No public comment. Alderwoman Newton clarified that the item was solely the rezoning, not a separate matter raised by a constituent at the prior meeting. Passed unanimously on roll call.
- First Consideration of Ordinance for Sale of $27,920,000 General Obligation Corporate Bonds, Series 2026: Financial advisor John Bermeister (PFM) reported results of the bond sale earlier that day. Highlights:
- Received 16 underwriting bids (a record), with 50 different underwriters participating.
- The city’s credit rating was confirmed at Aa2 (double-A).
- The low bidder, Huntington Securities (Chicago), offered a true interest cost of 3.1384%, later reduced to 3.1165% after resizing the bond amount to $27,390,000.
- Interest rates dropped 10 basis points that day due to geopolitical events, benefiting the city.
- Motion to substitute the ordinance with final terms passed unanimously. Motion to suspend the rules (waive second and third readings per Iowa Code Section 380) passed unanimously. Final vote on the substituted ordinance passed unanimously (10-0).
- Motion Approving Noise Variance for Nubs Bar and Microwave (2022 West Third Street): Variance for outdoor music exceeding 50 dBA on various dates (May–September 2026) for bike nights (Wednesdays, one solo artist, patio) and Last Saturdays (two bands, patio, ending by 9 p.m.). Alderman Tim Dunn asked clarifying questions about location (patio vs. parking lot) and received assurances from the owner. Alderman Vasquez expressed confidence in the owners’ respect for the neighborhood. Motion passed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Rezoning (REZ 26-02): First consideration approved; will proceed to second reading.
- Bond Sale: Ordinance approved on final reading (after suspension of rules). Bonds awarded to Huntington Securities at a true interest cost of 3.1165% for $27,390,000.
- Noise Variance: Approved for the listed dates and times for Nubs Bar and Microwave.
- Public Comment: No one from the public addressed the council during the public comment portion.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good evening. And welcome to the city council meeting for Wednesday, April 8th, 2026. I'd like to call this meeting to order. At this time, we will have a moment of silence. Thank you. Please rise and uh Alderman Grip will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance. A pledge of 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, Alderman Grit. Brian, would you call the roll, please? R done here. Vasquez? Here. Holloway. Present. Clean in. Rose it. Griff. Here. Newton. Blunk. Here. T Dunn. Here. Joked in here. In purple. Here. Night present, Your Honor. Thank you, Brian. And good evening and welcome to tonight's city council meeting. We're pleased that you're here if you're in the audience physically with us or if you're watching on a device live streaming meeting. We appreciate your participation. An iPad, a phone that can make a noise. There will be an opportunity to address the council during the public with business portion of the meeting later this evening. When speaking, please come to the podium. Wait to be recognized by the mayor and address the council as a whole and not to any one individual. And you you will have five minutes to speak to us. So again, thank you for being here. We appreciate your participation. Will an alderman move approval of the city council special meeting minutes for March 25, 2026? So second. All right. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed, same sign. That's approved. Item number two. Will an alder person move approval of the city council meeting minutes for March 25th, 2026? So moved. Second.
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