Good evening.

I would like to call the city council meeting for Wednesday, June 8th, uh June 10th to order.

At this time, we will have a moment of silence.

Thank you.

Please rise as Alderman Holloway will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Under God.

Liberty and Justice for all.

Thank you.

Brian, could you call the roll, please?

R done.

Vasquez.

Here.

Holloway.

Present.

Lean in.

Present.

Grip.

Here.

Newton.

Blunk.

Here.

T Dunn.

Here.

Job Jen.

Here.

And Burkholder.

Here.

Nine present, Your Honor.

Thank you.

And good evening.

I'd like to welcome everyone here tonight for our city council meeting.

Those of you that are here with us in person or those watching online on a mobile device.

We value your comments and opinions and welcome your participation in your local government.

Please remember that when you address the council, you are also sharing your thoughts with fellow Davenport residents and viewers throughout the region.

Thank you for being a part of tonight's meeting.

Before we again uh begin, just a few reminders, please silence or turn off any cell phones or devices that would uh make any kind of disruptive noise.

Uh there will be an opportunity to address the city council during the public with business portion of the meeting later in the uh in the 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 will have five minutes to do so.

So again, thank you for your participation.

Well, an alderman move approval of the city council meeting minutes for May 27th, 2026.

So moved.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign.

Those minutes are approved.

Uh Tim, is there a city administer update this evening?

Yes, sir.

There is.

Uh Mayor and Council.

Uh this is uh first cycle.

So we have uh employee recognition, and then uh we do have a uh educational uh presentation uh after that.

There's been a lot going on this week, uh, and I'm not gonna comment all that, uh all those different uh items, uh, but it's been a uh busy week for the city.

I'm sure uh council will uh comment some of those.

Uh employee recognition.

We have uh welcome to the city, new hires, Kamara Buckles is library social worker, Mason is a mechanic with the city, and Daniel is uh new cons custodian with the city.

Moving up, so these are promotions.

Uh Dylan uh was promoted to sewer heavy equipment operator.

Brandon was promoted to street maintenance worker, and Steven uh promoted to Packer Driver Loader.

Also moving up, uh, we have Clint that uh was promoted to uh senior maintenance specialist, and uh Trevor was promoted from uh patrol officer to uh corporal for the uh for the police department.

Then also under uh city spotlight.

I think uh the community knows that you know our elected officials here at the uh local level, you know, they've they've got a fan base, and uh, you know, sometimes people reach out to them and uh you know just want to have a selfie.

Well, that happened uh a couple of weeks ago at 392, where John Cena, you know, saw Alderman Blunk and uh just had to have a selfie with them.

So uh that's uh in our city spotlight tonight.

Well done, Alderman.

All right.

Next, uh what I'm gonna do is hand the uh clicker over to our uh development and neighborhood services director, uh Rich Oswald.

Uh he provides uh oversight at the director level of a uh critical function for the city.

He's got about a 10-minute presentation.

We're gonna keep this brief, but it falls under this educational, let's say a Davenport 101 type of series, uh, where we are uh telling our story to the community and just letting them know the different things that we do in the community.

So he's prepared like an 11 or 12 uh slide presentation.

We're gonna go through that uh very quickly, and uh also you know, as an outcome of the uh council retreat.

So when we're looking at our uh neighborhood services, you know, this was definitely it was we were we became we knew it before, but you reinforce the idea that this is a priority.

So same old same all is not going to be the way that it is.

So at the uh last slide, Rich is gonna talk about some of the things that uh are in motion that are new and some of the uh additional things that are coming.

So thank you.

Okay.

All right, good evening.

Uh Rich Ozwell Development Neighborhood Services Director.

Uh, want to thank City Administrator Gleason the time to give you a quick presentation about development and neighborhood services.

Um the overall department, we have four areas code enforcement, which includes our rental, we have building and inspections, planning and zoning, and then we also manage the downtown parking ramps and parking enforcement in the two-hour zone downtown.

So that's overall department core responsibilities for us, uh enforcing city codes and ordinance, uh, rental license inspections, issuing building permits and conducting inspections, uh supporting neighborhood read of real valuation.

So when Bruce and their team are looking for urban homestead, we're looking at some other projects, we're we're given the list of like, hey, here's some potential properties, might be a good idea to get, and and then we try to keep those properties boarded and secured to maintain them long enough to get them in a program.

Uh zoning administration, so why we have a zoning administrator Laura, are the code enforcement guys are the actually guys out in the field that have to enforce those uh zoning decisions, and then managing housing and development programs, sort of on the same speak.

We do not do anything with HUD, that's all Bruce's department, but as far as rental um exterior maintenance stuff and houses uh we'll enforce that.

But really today, what we want to talk about is a code enforcement piece of the department.

Um, one thing to note starting early this year, all our code enforcement officers started wearing a uniformed um shirt, says code enforcement on the back.

We got a lot of feedback from citizens, like, hey, this guy was in my yard, we didn't know who they were.

On this guy's a public safety, also we just want to make sure they're identifiable, people know who they are, they stand out in public, and also on their cars, it says code enforcement.

So if that car's out in the street, they know it's just not any city worker, they're there for code enforcement or they're in the area.

Um, in hopes that maybe a neighbor comes out and speaks to them because they have an issue that they haven't called in yet, they see the vehicle, they can approach them.

Um so basically we we we ensure compliance with city ordinance throughout the city.

Uh, we've we focus on property maintenance, rentals, and public health, and property maintenance goes to uh owner occupied too.

So if it's an exterior issue, we'll address that um as needed based on a complaint.

Um we do the run rental license inspections, we handle rental complaints, and then our goal overall is clean, safe, and livable neighborhoods.

Um primarily city code chapter eight is what we do, but um, as some people say, if legal doesn't cover it, we cover it, or if PD doesn't cover it, we cover it.

So we get we get a lot of stuff that maybe you don't think of.

Um so it's always good to reach out or get us included in some of those initial reach outs to say, hey, do you guys take care of this?

Um example, long grass, debris in yards, vehicle storage, sidewalk snow, um, board-ups we were talking about, and really our goal, our overall goal is owner compliance, right?

So we really want the owner to fix the issue.

We don't want to have to send abatement crews out there and then clean it up.

We don't want to have to shovel snow or cut grass.

We really want the owners to take care of their properties and and help us reduce our expenses on the abatement end.

Just some notes.

So overall from a June to June period, our total complaints um were over 7,000 complaints.

Now, if you look at that number, most complaints take three at least two trips.

So we're at 14,000 trips for our code enforcement officers to enforce enforce what we're doing.

Um give you a highlight, grass is always our biggest one, 2700 grass complaints that we usually end up cutting the majority of those.

Uh debris, we're at 23, and then you go down, you know, zoning are 184.

And that could be anything from fences, we get uh chickens, uh, anything like that.

Those are the big ones that we get a lot of calls on.

The news ones, the three 342, those are property that there's a lot going on, right?

It's just not vehicles, it's just not the house, it's we lump it in to figure out what what the issue is and try to get that addressed.

Um, so basically, when we get a complaint, we'll go out and inspect.

First, we'll find is it found it, then we'll send a notice and order a letter saying, hey, here's your violation, and please have it correct it by this date.

What we don't get a lot of is every inspector will put their name and phone number on that first letter.

So if you get a constituent that says, hey, they got this letter, they don't understand it.

Encourage them to reach out to that inspector and make that one-on-one contact because they're the one that could give the initial extension, they're the one that can understand the situation and try to get them any resources or something they might need.

Um reinspections are usually in 10 days shorter, depending on the issue.

But if they call up and say, hey, I'm out of town on a business trip.

Uh I'm actually selling that car in a few days.

Can you give me more time?

We'll give them more time.

We'll work with them because once again we want that self-abatement.

We want the people to take care of their own.

And then if if we get down to the point where it's not taken care of, then we'll order the abatement.

A rental inspection program.

So basically every rental is on a two, three or four-year cycle.

We go through, we file the property maintenance code, we go through and make sure that our rentals are meeting uh the minimum code standard of that.

And just for reference, you know, there's 42,000 parcels, a little over 42,000 parcels in Davenport.

6,000 are rental or some type of rental, and total rental units in Davenport right now are over 18,000.

So that's what our crew is enforcing.

And when I say enforcement, you think of all this stuff on the previous slide in this slide.

We have six code two inspectors.

So they do rentals and nuisance.

And then we have two code ones that just do the nuisance stuff, and we have a supervisor.

So that's the team that's taking care of all these 42,000 parcels on a daily basis.

Um rental rental stash, just really quick.

So I think the one I want to focus on is rental complaints are only 281.

Tenants just don't call in for complaints, very rarely.

Um usually we get them secondhand or from police or fire.

Um, we've built that good relationship where officers on the front line are sending us emails saying, hey, you guys really need to look at this apartment, or this tenant's scared to call you guys, so go look at it.

And I'll preface this a little bit later in the slide of something new that we got coming up.

Um, and then we get you know our non-rental complaints, um, are just basically something about rental property we need to address.

It's not really something's wrong with the actual rental, it's it's just a wide variety of things.

Uh and then so basically our impact.

We want to improve neighborhoods of parents, protect property values, uh, encourage responsibility with property ownership.

So, hey, you know, take care of your property, and then landlord accountability.

Um, our big partnerships are police department, fire department, public works, the health department, and community organizations and residents.

We have a lot of active community members that we're really welcome to hear from.

So our challenges, obviously, staffing and resources, uh, repeat offenders, the long-term vacant absentee and owners that just are gone.

Uh, and then balancing enforcement with compute community support.

So it is how much time is too much time to get somebody to fix a problem, and how does that balance out?

And then neighborhood disputes.

We do not like getting involved in neighborhood disputes where two neighbors start calling in on each other on a regular basis and trying to get those solved.

Um a lot of opportunities now, we're diving more into uh more data-driven inspections, so focusing on those high-end areas, um, increasing in community and engagement, and then some we want to bring out some in educational opportunities, and then process and technology improvements.

Obviously, every day there's some type of new technology coming out.

And if I had a dollar for every email I got about this new fancy AI enforcement tool, is it'd be crazy.

We could fund the whole department, probably.

Um then, so this is what I'm excited about.

We want to help our rental, our people that rent homes, how do we help protect them?

So, with a partnership with the Quad City Tenant Alliance and Iowa Legal Aid, we are going to put together a tenant education class.

So you probably heard of the landlord landlord class.

Well, this is for tenants, and we want to teach them sort of everything from what they're responsible for as a tenant, what resources are out there, what exactly are inspections for and what to look for, and things that can make their apartment and their ability to rent a lot easier.

And believe it or not, a lot of renters running the problem, they don't even have it, they they never get that lease, right?

They don't remember their lease change, they don't get a new copy, and then it's hard for them then to work with the legal aid to help fix all the problems.

So we're really excited about that.

Um, Dennis Platt's here from uh quasi tenant alliance.

That's something we've been talking about for about six months now, and so we're gonna start moving forward with that.

Um, and then the good neighbor project is something that's been out.

Um, you know, uh city administrator Gleason has said, I want your guys more involved.

So we're gonna start letting our code two officers attend some of the good neighbor meetings if they're invited, and that way they can get out and meet the people, it'll be then that ward.

So if that's your ward, that's your inspector, and they can just ask general questions or maybe feel more comfortable going up to them in a after meeting just saying, Hey, could you look at this property?

I didn't want to call in a complaint.

So we're gonna start doing that, and then some of you would like weekend enforcement, we're starting weekend enforcement because we hear it time and time again.

We go there during the week, it's fine, but they know we don't work after a certain time, they know we don't work on the weekend.

So we're gonna start doing more uh routine weekend enforcement.

And that is all I have.

All right, thank you, Rich.

There may be some questions from folks, maybe, maybe not.

Turn your mic on there, Alderman Blunk.

How soon for the weekend?

The last weekend was our first.

Okay.

And then we'll plan on, we're planning on going out again next weekend, and then we'll be periodic.

It won't be every weekend, but I will stagger them just to get the uh weekends.

And those will be um the fine defined inspections, right?

We know we have a problem here, and it's usually on the weekend, so those are the properties we're really gonna look at.

All right.

Uh Alderman Holloway.

First of all, and thank you for the work that you do.

What is the best way for um tenants or whoever to get a hold of your office if they have an issue?

So they can reach out to public works and they'll get them to the uh our department, so they'll just speak to Hillary's bells, they could file the complaint, our C click fix, or you know, uh through their aldermen or anybody, but I mean, really, call public works, get that initial all done.

And we're hoping to get more of that stuff out to tenants for the line is thank you.

Real quick, Mayor.

Uh the only thing that I was gonna add is uh, and this isn't so much for the council, but it's about the council, but to the community.

You know, that last slide that you saw, truly, I'm I'm revisiting a comment that I made on the uh the front end of this uh presentation.

Credit does go to uh the council.

Uh this is a priority of theirs.

And uh the the nudge, if you will, or the support to uh staff, uh we heard that loud and clear.

So really uh this uh this slide here uh is credit to the council.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman Vesquez.

Yeah, thank you.

Um my word has a lot of problems, and you know that we've gone over multiple issues, and I hate to say it, but enforcement has to be hard, it has to be fast, and it's gotta be consistent.

And I'm not saying that to declare war on anybody, but we have a number of problems, and it's irresponsible landlords, irresponsible property owners, and their tenants.

And and one thing that I wish you would have addressed more is you know, we have to compel the property owners to act.

You know, you can you can go after tenants or they'll they'll evict tenants and put in tenants to do exactly the same thing, and we experience that all the time.

And it's not fair to the residents, the established homeowners, you know, that that the disruption consistently is in their neighborhoods.

And and I know you're starting, I'm good with that, but I would like to see it go farther and we'll talk about it more.

Um, again, I'm not trying to punish anybody, but we have to be responsible to the entire city, you know, and and step one.

I would like a copy of that if I could get one, please.

We'll get one sent out.

And I just want to say I really appreciate how active you are on your board.

We talk almost weekly, so I really appreciate that community.

Probably more often than that.

All right, what I do.

Thank you.

Just one more quick thing, Rich, too.

You you mentioned that um having your your code inspection folks more engaged with the community and then going to the uh good neighbor um um events, uh neighborhood events that they host, if they're invited.

I thought I heard you say, but I to the extent that I can, I'll just extend that invitation that they are indeed invited to every every event that the good neighbor program puts on.

So that they're happy.

We'd love to have them there for all of those if we could.

All right, thank you.

So thank you very much.

All right, moving right along.

Uh well, an older person move approval of the report of the committee of the whole from June 3rd, 2026.

So move.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

The report is approved.

Uh, we have three appointments this evening and one proclamation.

I'll read the appointments and the um commissions are being appointed too, and then we'll approve those.

Uh, the first is a reappointment of Carlton Wills to the Scott County Public Safety Authority.

The second is a design review board reappoint uh new appointment, I'm sorry, of course.

Kathleen Townsley to the DRB.

And third is also a new appointment of Noah Trudsdale to the Civil Rights Commission.

Uh, would someone move the approval of these appointments?

So move.

Second.

Uh is voice vote okay for those, Sam.

Okay, uh voice vote, all in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

All right, those appointments are approved.

Uh and our proclamation this evening is with regard to National Immigrant Heritage Month, and it'll be read by Alderman Holloway.

Thank you, Mayor.

City of Davenport, Iowa proclamation.

Whereas immigrants and refugees reflect the very basis upon which the United States of America was founded.

And whereas the city of Davenport has a long and rich history of welcoming and embracing people from all backgrounds, fostering a community where diversity is celebrated and unity thrives.

And we're asked the City of Davenport recognizes that immigrants and refugees contribute essential skills as employees and entrepreneurs, strengthening both our local economy and cultural diversity, enriching our community financially and culturally.

And whereas the City of Davenport is committed to fostering an inclusive and harmonious community where all individuals are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their origin, race, or faith.

And we're asked the seat of Davenport supports immigrants and refugees, recognizing their invaluable contributions and affirming our commitment to a welcoming and inclusive future for all.

And now, therefore, we, Jason Gordon, Mayor, and the City of Council of Davenport, Iowa, do hereby proclaim June 2026 as National Immigrate Heritage Month and June 20th, June 20th, 26 as World Refugee Day.

In Davenport, encourage all residents who honor the contributions of immigrants and refugees, foster inclusivity, and uphold the values of diversity, unity, and mutual respect that defines our community.

I would like to move the motion.

All those in favor say aye.

All those opposed.

The proclamation has been accepted.

I would like to invite members of the immigration coalition of the Quad Cities to accept this proclamation.

My name is Johnny Demmer.

I'm a member of the L QCA.

The immigration coalition of the Quad Cities.

Not only in the month of June for immigrant Heritage Month, one month is easy.

Not only on June 20th for World Refugee Day, one day is easy.

Not just on Taco Tuesday, not just on Cinco de Mayo, not just when you're enjoying that Chinese food or Thai food or fufu or Ethiopian food or Indian food or a mariachi band or a Greek festival or Mercado, not just one day, because one day is easy.

So we thank you very much for this proclamation and letting us come here today.

We're honored by that.

We appreciate the recognition for our immigrants and refugee community members.

This proclamation is wonderful.

It's nice, it's a step, but it's one step.

We need action, and we as a community need assurance from the city council that when this meeting is over and when we all go home, that you'll continue to live up to the words of that proclamation that you presented us in the sight of the community.

Show us that they're not just words on paper, but a real promise to the community that you represent.

Not just in the chamber, when the cameras are rolling and the people are watching.

Not just today, when we are here.

Not just when it's easy.

Not just when nothing really big is on the line.

We've been together a few times in the last 12 months with issues about this.

We need you when it's difficult.

We need to for you to show that you support immigrants and refugees when the difficult decisions need to be made.

You need to raise your voice.

You need to stand up and be the kind of city council that puts action behind these words.

We need you to do whatever we can do.

We need you to do whatever you can do to celebrate and protect immigrant businesses in our community.

We need to do what we can do, excuse me.

And you need to do what you can do to celebrate and protect immigrant and refugee families in our community.

The men, the women, and the children.

Every single day.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thanks again, and thank you for being here to accept that.

We appreciate it.

Moving along on our agenda, are there any petitions or communications from council members this evening?

Uh Alderman Vasquez.

Okay.

All right, here I'll get out sooner or later.

Okay.

Summer's coming.

There's a lot more activity.

A lot more people are out, a lot more people moving around, and I'm already hearing that as well.

So a general reminder again, keep an eye on on yourself.

Keep an eye on your neighbors, listen.

If you hear something around your neighborhood or your housing, your property, wherever you are, if you hear something that's not right, you know, call 911, check it out, listen for yourself, listen for your neighbors.

You know, hey, we're all in this together, so let's keep an eye on each other.

It's very, very important that we do that.

And then next, my next ward meeting will be this coming Monday.

It'll be June 15th at 6 30 here at City Hall.

It's open to everybody.

Bring me your ideas, suggestions, and we can talk.

Anyway, again, everybody's welcome this coming Monday, June 15th, here at 6 30.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Vasquez.

Alderman Jobjan.

Thanks, Mr.

Mayor.

Just briefly uh reminder for tomorrow evening, uh Thursday, June 11th, 6 30 p.m.

at Jersey Grill upstairs in the private room, uh be the next ward meeting.

We'll have Mary Egger and other representatives from Iowa American Water uh coming to talk about uh lead line abatement and then we'll talk about anything else we just we desire.

Thanks.

Thank you.

Alderman Holloway.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Um, I I ran for city council because I love my community, but I have been truly impressed by what all the people on our city staff have been doing.

Um, namely yesterday I was part of Chief Van de Weer's um christening of Big Red, the new fire boat.

And let everyone know that this is an impressive piece of machinery.

This can put out fires on the river, on land.

Um, and I'm I'm glad that our city is supporting the infrastructure that's needed to keep us safe.

And so I was part of that with a several of the Ottomans and the mayor, and so we're doing great things, and we are um using your tax dollars wisely to keep you all safe as possible.

Thank you.

Uh Alderman Blunk.

The uh the next ward meeting for the fifth ward is going to be on Monday, June 29th at the hilltop end of Davenport, right on the corner of Brady and Kirkwood Boulevard, and it'll be from 5:30 until 6:30.

And there will be a representative from Iowa American Water attending that meeting as well.

All right.

Thank you, Alderman Blunk.

Seeing no other members of council, the next item on our agenda is individual approval of items on the discussion agenda.

Number one is a third consideration of the ordinance for case ORD 25-02 being the request of the City of Davenport to amend Title 17 entitled zoning of the Municipal Code Code of Davenport, Iowa, regarding solar farms as a principal use and freestanding solar panels as an accessory use.

Please step forward and just state your name, ward or address.

And so I'm going to ask that you guys consider to limiting the size of the solar farm.

And for every certain number of acres, just as a suggestion for every 10 acres, one acre is dedicated to public land park use, something along those lines.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else from public on this discussion topic?

All right.

See and hearing no one else.

Well, an older person move third consideration of the ordinance.

All right.

Is there any discussion from council members on this item?

Alderwoman Burkholder.

Thank you.

Does what we are this third consideration include the amended language?

I believe it does from last Wednesday, but I'll let Sam if you want to just confirm that I'm accurate in saying that.

Yes, what you're voting on is the amended language as amended last session or committee of the whole.

Perfect.

Thank you.

Alderman Grip.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I just uh wanted to make some comments.

It seems we've uh finally uh come to the point of being able to vote on this.

It's been over a year um that we've been in this discussion.

It's uh bridged uh two different councils, and I want to thank Laura Berkeley and and her staff um for the work that they've done on this.

They brought a uh comprehensive viewpoint to the city and let the city council kind of wrestle with a lot of the different ideas.

It took us a while to get to the point we're at now, um, but I think we've got a good ordinance um in front of us that uh balances protecting development land and uh allowing for for solar in specific places.

Hold on.

Tornado.

All right.

Alderman Grip, would you like to continue?

Or yeah.

So uh the other thing that I wanted to to point out is what we're gonna do is we're going to the sirens go off and they go off regionally.

So we're gonna get a little bit more detail to uh make sure that we're okay right here.

Okay.

All right.

Uh in the meantime, uh we'll just pause for a second.

We'll wait till we get to go.

Alderman Gripsil has the floor when things settle down.

I'm not gonna hum uh elevator music uh while we're in this uh pause, but if something would occur, I'm gonna ask that everybody follow me to the uh elevator or to the stairwell, and we will go to the basement, all of us together.

Thank you, Tim.

Summer in the Midwest.

I think if you wanted to continue your comments, Alderman Grip, we can do that while we're waiting for some further direction.

Very good.

Uh well, I just wanted to to remind folks of of how we got here, which is a year ago.

Uh Alnerman Reinertz and myself requested that we put a moratorium on uh solar farms and freestanding solar because we were starting to see uh freestanding solar come into residential uh neighborhoods in in ways that we uh were getting complaints from residents and also we saw across the Midwest uh solar, very large solar farms going in, and we did not really have good ordinances in place to control where those went.

If you can turn my mic up.

Uh this gentleman saying he can't hear me.

Um so the the point of this was for our staff to make a take a comprehensive look at uh solar ordinances and how we could control where solar farms go and where freestanding solar goes.

And it's it's taken a year to get to the point that we've come to an agreement, um, but I think that we have a uh good ordinance here that balances the control of solar, uh the ability to have solar, uh freestanding solar, um, but also the protection of our uh developmental land uh especially uh in the West Davenport corridor.

So again, I appreciate our staff's work on this.

It has been uh a long project, and um you you did you did well to get us to this point.

Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Grip.

Alderman Vasquez.

Yes, thank you.

Um yeah, it's been a long haul, and I was involved in the last part of this.

In the meetings that we had, my suggestion, I guess what I would recommend is instead of solar farms, if we can do it, go to the concept of carport solar, which essentially is using existing land multi-purpose.

You know, or the other thing I I suggested was as they build new developments as as areas expand, incorporated in that way.

I I think that's a better option than the solar farms.

I understand the compromise, and it's probably the best we're gonna get, but I do think that it should be you know, we should incorporate it as we go and use existing land, you know, multi-purpose it.

And you know, again, what we've got is probably the best deal we're gonna get.

Um just as a question, do we limit the size of the farms as as she asked?

And while Laura's coming up, I'll just ask Chief Vanderwear if we're all good.

We are gonna pause.

Okay, we're gonna pause right there.

Everybody who is going to have you here well or y'all might need a little bit more assistance.

So I hate to be the procedural guy, but can we do a motion and a second for a motion to recess temporarily for this?

Make a motion to uh recess temporarily for the tornado drill and then uh return when it's safe.

Second, all in favor stay aye.

All right, thanks everyone for your cooperation and you know to keep us all safe.

Uh we will uh uh Alderman Grip will make a motion to come out of recess to reconvene this city council meeting, so I'll let him do that.

I I make a motion to reconvene from recess.

Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

All right.

So we are now back in open session for this city council meeting.

Alderman Vasquez, I think you were talking.

I don't know if you wanted to finish your thoughts or if you're done.

Okay.

Uh are there any other comments from members of council on item number one on the discussion agenda?

Alderman Jobjan.

Thank you.

It looked like uh Laura Berkeley was gonna come up and answer a question.

So yeah, that might have been right.

Yeah, I think Alderman Vasquez asked the question.

Thank you.

Do you remember the question?

I think I do, so I'm gonna ask it again, make sure I uh it was it is there a size limit on the solar farms.

Um as a reminder, this is a holistic um ordinance of both accessory solar and solar farms.

So the the solar car ports are a piece of what's in this ordinance, and I I agree with you on that.

I think we do encourage it to go where it's existing.

Um regarding solar farms, no, there isn't a size limit.

And as a reminder, and uh for the for the general public's knowledge, um, if it gets over a certain size, then it would could fall under the jurisdiction of the Iowa utility board instead.

Okay.

All right.

Any other comments?

Excuse me, from council.

Seeing and hearing none.

Uh Brian, would you call the uh roll on item number one on discussion?

Lean in.

Yes.

R done?

Yes.

Burkholder?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

And Grip?

Yes.

Nine yeses, Your Honor.

All right.

This ordinance is approved.

Item number two is a resolution approving a one-year contract renewal for natural resources landscaping maintenance services with Delft Landscape and irrigation of Bluegrass, Iowa, for the amount of 104,200.

Is there anyone from the public on this item?

All right.

Seeing and hearing no one.

Well, alder person move this resolution.

Second.

All right.

Is there any discussion from council members?

Alderwoman Burkholder.

Thank you.

I'd like to make a motion to table this for one cycle.

Um, due to your information that I'm still we're still getting second.

All right, there's a motion and a second to table.

Uh is that a voice vote?

Roll call.

To table this for one cycle.

Grip?

No.

Lenin?

Yes.

Burkholder?

Yes.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

R Dun?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

Blunk.

Yes.

And Jobjen.

Yes.

Looks like eight yeses and one no, Your Honor.

All right.

This item will be tabled for one cycle.

Resolute item number three on the discussion agenda is a resolution approving an agreement with the Humane Society of Scott County, Iowa, for up to one year of animal protection services at $20,000 per month and up to three years of animal shelter services at $80,000 per month.

Is there anyone from the public with comment on this item?

All right.

Seeing and hearing no one, one older person move this resolution.

Second.

Is there any discussion from council?

Seeing and hearing no discussion.

Brian, would you call the roll on this resolution?

Job Jen?

Yes.

Burkholder?

Yes.

Lenin?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

R Dunn?

Yes.

And Blunk.

Yes.

Nine yeses, Your Honor.

All right.

Is there a motion for approval on of all items on the consent agenda?

Second.

All right.

Brian, would you call the roll on the consent agenda, please?

Burkholder?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

Lean in?

Yes.

R Dunn?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Jobjen?

Yes.

Blunk.

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

And T Dunn.

Yes.

Nine yeses, Your Honor.

All right.

Thank you.

Next on our agenda is other ordinances, resolutions, and motions.

And we do have one this evening.

First, we would need to suspend the rules to do this.

And just as a reminder, uh Sam explained the reason for this last week at the committee of the whole.

So perhaps we could entertain a motion to suspend the rules first.

And if we need any clarification, we can get that.

Uh roll call on suspension of the rules, please.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Lenin?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

R Dunn?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

And Burkholder.

Yes.

Nine yeses, Your Honor.

All right.

Thank you.

The rules are now suspended.

So the item before us is a motion approving a beer and liquor license application.

I'll read it.

It's new license, new owner, temporary permit, temporary outdoor area, location, transfer, etc.

As noted.

Ward three, stomp box brewing, 210, East River Drive, temporary outdoor area, June 20, 21st, license type, class C liquor on premises.

So again, Sad, just maybe a 30-second, just quick synopsis of why we're doing this, just for the public.

I know we did it last week, but let's do it again.

Um so the reason was is uh they needed this uh temporary or this item added because it is a select event and the event would occur before it could get on another cycle, and it was the city's error in not getting in on the agenda for the um committee of the whole.

So we obviously don't want to disadvantage the the uh business owner uh just for a clerical error on our uh behalf.

Um I would say that the probably best forward is to now that the rules are suspended, someone to officially add it to the agenda for consideration, and then uh go through the process of it as it's an agenda item on the discussion agenda.

Okay, so I'd entertain a motion to add this to the agenda, second.

Uh is voice vote sufficient, Sam to add it or uh as long as uh Brian is able to tell who if there's any we'll just do a quick roll, do roll call, we'll make it simple.

We'll just do a quick roll.

We'll do a roll call.

We'll make it simple.

Alderman Grip, did you second that?

That's what I thought.

Okay, thank you so much.

R Done?

Yes.

Burkholder?

Yes.

Lean in.

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

And Holloway.

Yes.

That is nine.

Yes, is your honor?

All right.

The item has been added to our agenda.

Is there any public with comment on this item?

For stomp box brewing?

All right.

Seeing and hearing no one.

Will alder person move the motion?

Any discussion from council on this item?

All right.

Brian, please call the rule on this.

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

R done.

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Lean in.

Yes.

T Done?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

And Blunt.

Yes.

And yes, is your honor?

All right.

This motion is approved.

Thank you for that clarification, Sam and team.

Uh, we are now at the public with business portion of the meeting.

Is there anyone from the public that would wish to address city council?

Please step forward, just state your name, ward, or address, please.

Cheryl Shagna, third ward.

And I would like to get on the record with the City of Davenport.

The letter written from the Attorney Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Iowa, dated March 31st of 2026, written to former city council, corporate counsel Thomas Warner.

Case 2024 24098.

The above complaint, dear Mr.

Warner, the above complaint filed against you was considered by a 12-member volunteer attorney disciplinary board at a recent hearing meeting.

This matter arises from your service as city attorney of the city of Davaport and your handling of internal communications and settlement decisions involving claims brought by city employees.

The record reflects that your that your that you implemented this protocol in response to concerns about staff interactions and potential liability in city under circumstances perpendent presented the poor declined to find that the implementation of the protocol standing alone violated the Iowa rules of professional conduct.

The board's findings instead focused on your handling of settlement authority and communication with city council, your client.

I as your client Iowa rule professional conduct 32.1.13 aid provides that the lawyer employed or retained by your organization represents the organization acting through its duly authorized consistents in this matter.

In September 2023, you communicated with a subset of council members regarding personal proposed settlements of claims by two employees exceeding 50K.

You intentionally intentionally include excluded certain alder persons from these communications and directed those included to share information to not share information with the excluded members.

The Damaport municipal municipal code required city council approval for settlements exceeding 50k by limiting communication to selected members and presenting without full consultation.

That comprised your client.

Unless a disqualified vote is decisive.

The appropriate course was to advise the full council, your client regarding potential conflicts, and allow the council members themselves to determine whether to participate.

By excluding members of council from the communication and settlement discussions, you exceeded your scope of your authority and failed to adequately consult.

Consult with your client.2a, which requires a lawyer to abide by a client's decisions concerning the objectives of representation.

An Iowa rules of professional conduct 32.1.4A2 and 3, which require reasonable communic consultation and communication with the client.

It also reflects a failure to properly recognize that your client could act only through all of its duly authorized constituents under Rule 32.1.13A.

The consequences of this conduct were significant.

District Court later determined that the settlements with two employees were unauthorized and void under applicable law because they were not approved through proper council action.

Your actions contributed to additional litigation and undermine the validity of the agreements entered on behalf of your client.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else from the public that would wish to address counsel?

Sure.

Thank you, Officer Harris.

Yeah, sure.

Just state your name, sir, and ward or address.

Yes, Scott McConnell, 5980 Julianne Road in Betendorf.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and members of the council.

My name is Scott McConnell.

I'm the founder of Quad Cities Advocates, advocating for more accessible Quad Cities.

I'm here tonight to address a hazard and failure in our municipal pedestrian infrastructure.

At the intersection of North Marquette Street and West Kimberley Road, specifically surrounding the property of Mid-City High School, there is a total absence of sidewalk infrastructure.

Currently, any student, parent, or resident navigating that area without a vehicle is forced onto an unpaved, sloped utility strip.

For someone using a power share like myself, this slope train is dangerous.

For able-bodied pedestrians, it creates a muddy, unstable path that forces people to make a dangerous choice.

Truck through the grass, mud or snow, or walk on the active asphalt shoulder of Kimberly or Marquette.

The district spent 11 million dollars renovating and opening mid-city high back in 2014.

For nearly 12 years, this campus has been allowed to operate with a blatant infrastructure deficit.

A 12-year failure to comply with basic federal accessibility laws is not an oversight.

It's a choice.

To ensure this liability is formally addressed, I want to state for the record that on May 28th, I served a formal Title II ADA grievance to the city's legal division.

Furthermore, following a recent update regarding local jurisdiction under Senate file 579, I officially filed a formal civil rights complaint with the Iowa Office of Civil Rights against both Devonport Schools and the City of Davenport.

State now has an active compliance file.

Monday I addressed the school board on this matter under Title II, the ADA of the ADA, the City of Davenport has a strict legal obligation to work with the school to ensure pedestrian rights of way connecting to critical public facilities like schools.

Under Davenport's own official ADA grievance policy, administration has a strict 15-day window to respond and schedule a meeting to resolve a complaint.

That 15-day deadline expires this Friday.

I know that under meeting laws, you can't vote or take any action on my comments.

However, I'm asking the mayor and city administrator to proactively direct public works to coordinate with the district's facilities team.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Appreciate your comments.

Is there anyone else from the public this evening?

All right.

Seeing and hearing no one else from the public.

Uh are there any final comments from council or mayor?

Alderman Holloway.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um City Administrator Gleason.

Um, can we please follow up later on to see what our options are to um see what's the best course of action?

Already jotted a note, and I'll uh provide feedback to council.

Thank you so much, sir.

All right.

Alderman Jobjan.

Thank you.

Along that lines, don't we have the right to order in sidewalks to any property owner um within the city?

Isn't that uh within our ordinance?

So Director Mayer and I are having a conversation about this.

So all right.

Anyone else from council?

All right, seeing you here, no one I'd entertain a motion to adjourn.

So moved.

All right.

All in favor say aye.

We are adjourned.

Everyone drive home carefully, please.