Good evening.

I would like to call the city council meeting for Wednesday, June 24th, 2000 or 2026 to order.

At this time, we'll have a moment of silence.

Thank you.

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

One nation under God.

Indivisible with the for all.

All right, Brian, could you call the roll, please?

Ardun.

Vasquez?

Holloway.

Present.

Lenin.

Present.

Grip.

Here.

Newton.

Here.

Blunk.

Here.

See you done.

Here.

Job Jen.

And Burkholder.

Yeah.

Done present, Your Honor.

All right.

Thank you.

And good evening and welcome to tonight's city council meeting.

Uh, those of you that are here with us in the chambers or watching online or on a mobile device.

We welcome you to uh participating in your city government.

We value your comments and opinions, and please remember that when you address the council, you are also sharing your thoughts with fellow Davenport residents and viewers throughout the region.

City Council meetings are live streamed and recorded for later viewing on the City of Davenport's YouTube channel.

We appreciate your engagement in city government and ask that your participation reflects our shared goal of making Davenport an even better place for our residents for those that would visit us, the those at work here, anyone that comes into the city of Davenport.

Thank you for being part of tonight's meeting.

Before we get beginning just a few reminders, silence any devices that you may have that might make a noise during the meeting.

You will have an opportunity to address the city 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 city council as a whole and not to any one individual.

And you will have five minutes to do so.

Thank you.

Will an alder person move approval of the city council meeting minutes for June 10th, 2026?

So move.

Second.

Motion and second.

All in favor say aye.

Any opposed, same sign.

The minutes are approved.

Nicole, is there a city administrative update this evening?

Yes, two things.

The first thing is just a reminder that next Friday is red white and boom, and the city offices will also be closed in observation of the 4th of July.

And also we have our monthly finance update tonight.

So CFO Gurlock will join us for that.

All right, thank you.

Good evening, Basha Gerlach, CFO.

And this is going to be an update as of May 31st, 2026 on our city finances.

Thank you, Nicole.

Okay, first we'll review the major revenues.

As always, our number one revenue is property taxes.

We have finally received our um marked property taxes, and we are trending at about 300,000 less than what is budgeted.

Um we are still expected to receive additional property tax revenues in July for June.

So I'm anticipating that number to be um stay steady.

So once again, 300,000 to the overall budget is not very significant for the city of Davenport.

Um we continue to outperform um budgeted revenues for local option sales tax, road use tax, and hotel motel tax.

Um those continue to be strong revenues for the city.

Um for example, local option sales tax.

We had budgeted 18 million dollars, and so far year today, we've collected just over 19.8 million dollars.

Um, as we all know, local option sales tax helps with the burden of debt as well as capital improvement projects.

Um we continue to struggle in some areas, but um the variances are somewhat small.

Some of the um revenues that are not performing up to the budget numbers would be development fees, building permits, um, as well as cable TV franchise tax and gambling profits.

However, once again, the differences are minimal to the overall budget and overall um year-to-date budget.

We should be at about 129.5 million, and we have collected so far just over 144 million dollars.

So we are trending up about 11.26% over our year-to-date budget when it comes to major revenues at the city.

Any questions?

Nope.

So this slide, the first slide was over all of our major revenues.

This slide is revenues when it comes to our general fund.

Um we continue, we should be done with about 92% of the year.

So when it comes to taxes, which includes property taxes, we are trending at about 96%.

So it's over the estimated budget amount.

Um we continue to perform well in all of the categories, and so far when it um compares to budget, we have um collected about 102% of our budget.

So we continue to perform well.

Um interest continues to um do well as well as fines and forfeitures.

Any questions?

Okay.

Um now we have the general fund and trust and agency expenses.

Like I mentioned before, we should be done with about 92% of the year, and so far we have recorded about 89% of expenditures.

So we are below our budgeted um expense number.

Um, we're about 87% in the general fund for salaries and benefits, and um we are trending a little high in capital expenditures, however, the dollar amount is insignificant to the overall budget, um, and that percentage is at about 11%.

So once again, overall, the general fund is only at about 89%, and then trust and agency fund, which pays for all of our benefits, most of our benefits, not all of them, um, is at about 88%, and we should be at about 92% for the year.

So once again, due to our conservative budgeting and budgeting 100% of our salaries and benefits, um, we see a lower amount, and we budget 100% of our salary so that if there's any variances in our revenues, and some of those revenues, if they come in short, um, we have some capacity in our expenses in order to cover that shortage.

Okay.

Next, we have enterprise funds.

Um, most of the enterprise funds are performing well.

Um, sewer is outperforming um the revenues are um outperforming the expenditures, but about eight million dollars.

Once again, this is a good thing because then we can do additional projects um at our water pollution control plant, um, and we don't have to um borrow money in order to do those projects.

The water pollution control plant does show a negative there, and that will be evened out at the end of the year when final accounting is done.

Typically, that fund ends at zero, um, and it's due to us billing other cities as well as transferring additional funding into that fund from the sewer fund.

Um, so the waste clean water um is performing well.

Parking is also um has a gain of about 43,000 dollars for now when it comes to operations.

Um, airport is performing well, golf is also has a gain and not a loss.

So all of those are performing um as expected.

We do have a couple um funds that continue to struggle.

Transit has a um loss of about 352,000 dollars.

Um, one that particular fund is heavily subsidized by the federal grants.

Um, and we continue to um explore ideas in order to make that loss less.

Um, one of the things that we did this last year, and we will see the fruits of that labor um here in the next couple years is we became what they call a large reporter, so it was additional um documentation on our part, but it should translate to about 100 to 200,000 dollars additional revenues um for the city.

So we're trying to uh minimize that loss.

Um, River's Edge continues to struggle, um, but we are looking at ways to mitigate um the losses there, and then River Center.

Um, we continue to have an excellent relationship with venue works, and that contract is um on consent tonight um to get that approved, and we will continue to work with venue works um in order to make that facility successful.

Um, one of the first things they will be doing is actually doing a national search um to find a new director for managing river center slash Adler Theater, and we are also looking at ways to increase revenues by sponsorships.

So we continue to um make headways.

You don't see it in the numbers just yet, but hopefully um by this time this year you'll see it less of a loss.

So any questions.

Okay, it's up.

All right.

Thank you, Bashar.

There, I don't see any questions from council, so appreciate your presentation.

All right, moving along.

Well, an older person move approval of the report on the committee of the whole for June 3rd, 2026.

Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

The report is approved.

We do have several uh appointments this evening and one proclamation.

I'll read the appointments.

Um then we'll approve those.

Uh first we'll start with the Historic Preservation Commission.

We have three reappointments.

They are George Eaton, Jeffrey Gomez, and Christopher Kretz.

Again, all uh reappointments.

We have on the Parks and Rec Recreation Advisory Board uh a new appointment from Alderwoman at Large Newton, Christopher Meyer, Krista Kavaffer is a reappointment by the third ward alderman, Alderman Vasquez, and Ryan Kennedy is a new appointment from Alderman at Large Grip for the Parks and Rec Advisory Board.

Uh and last but certainly not least, the Library Board of Trustees.

Uh we have Joe Heindricks, uh reappointments, Michael Husted is also a reappointment, and Mary Eger is a new appointment.

Uh, would someone move approval of those appointments?

Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed, same sign?

Those appointments are approved.

We have one proclamation this uh evening, Parks and Rec uh month, and Alderman Grip will read it.

Thank you, Your Honor.

It's my pleasure to read this proclamation.

Whereas parks and recreation are an integral part of communities nationwide, including in Davenport, Iowa.

Whereas parks and recreation promote health and wellness, improving the physical and mental health of people who live near parks by encouraging physical activities and time spent in nature, and by providing spaces for sports, hiking, swimming, and many other activities.

Whereas parks and recreation programming and education activities, such as out-of-school time programming, youth sports, and environmental education are critical to childhood development.

Whereas parks and recreation increase a community's economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism and crime reduction.

Whereas parks and recreation are essential and adaptable infrastructure, making our communities resilient to natural disasters and climate change.

Whereas parks and natural recreation areas, fundamental to environmental well-being, ensure ecological beauty in our community, and provide a place for the community to connect with nature and recreate outdoors.

Whereas the Davenport City Council recognizes the parks and recreation field as a diverse and comprehensive system improving personal, social, environmental, and economic health.

And whereas the Davenport City Council values the essential park services and our recreation professionals perform to provide recreational and developmental enrichment for our whole community and ensure that our parks and recreational spaces are clean, safe, inclusive, welcoming, and ready to use.

And now therefore, we Jason Gordon, mayor of the City Council of Davenport, Iowa, do hereby proclaim July 2026 as park and park and recreation month and July 17th, 2026 is park and recreation professionals day in Davenport and encourage all residents to explore and experience our local parks dated this 24th day of June 2026.

I move the proclamation.

There's a motion and a second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Are there any opposed?

This proclamation has been approved.

And Becca Niles, our interim parks and director, uh parks and recreation director, will meet me at the lectern.

Hello.

Um, as uh Alderman Grip said, my name is Becca Niles.

I am the um interim director after um Chad Dyson's departure.

And I just want to say thank you year after year.

You guys are incredibly supportive of the work that we do and the fact that you guys reaffirm every year in July how important parks and recreation is to the Davenport community and the wider regional community as well.

I just want to say thank you very much for the support and for always being involved in the things that we do.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

All right.

Are there any petitions or communications from city council members?

Uh Alderman Dunn.

Rick Dunn, sorry.

Thank you, Your Honor.

Director Merrick, could you come up and give us an update on the two major projects on Rockingham?

Clay Merritt, Engineering and Capital Projects.

Uh so as we all know this year, um, we have quite a bit of street work going on.

Uh, as it particularly um case of the West End, um, Rockingham from Elmwood to um Farragut, uh, we've had shut down for the last few months.

Starting tomorrow, we will reopen that back up for um for travel, basically one lane in each direction.

We have another month or so of some miscellaneous work happening at two intersections.

So there's still work that's gonna be happening there, but um it'll be nice to have that roadway back um specifically opened up to travel.

Um the other section of Rockingham that we started earlier this month uh is um connection to our flood mitigation project that is from Fairmount all the way to Highway 61.

Uh that project is progressing well.

Um I would like to let people know we do have uh travel open on that particular roadway.

Right now it's westbound, eastbound is closed, but westbound is open.

Um and we'll obviously give you further updates as we progress.

Thank you.

Welcome.

All right, Alderman Blunk.

The uh next fifth ward meeting is gonna be this coming Monday at the Hilltop Inn of Davenport.

And that's at the corner of Brady and Kirkwood Boulevard representatives from Iowa American Water will be on hand that meetings from 5 30 until 6 30 this coming Monday.

All right, thank you, Alderman Blunk.

Alderman Lenin.

Thank you.

Our next uh eighth ward meeting will be on Thursday, July 2nd at 6 p.m.

at the library on Eastern Avenue.

Our special guest will be police chief Benning.

Thank you.

All right, thank you, Alderman Lenin.

Uh seeing no one else, our first item on the discussion uh agenda is uh item number one, a resolution approving the standards of cover for the department uh Davenport Fire Department's 2026 accreditation cycle.

Is there anyone from the public on this item?

Seeing and hearing no one, anyone from council?

Um Alderwoman Newton Oh, yeah.

Well let's motion to um move the resolution.

All right, now uh council with discussion.

So Alder Woman Newton.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, I had some concerns brought up on this uh agenda item, but I have not had the time to sit down with the chief or actually go through and vet those concerns in light of that.

I would be asking for the matter to be tabled.

Um before making a motion, though, I would like to hear if there's anything else from my colleagues, but it's my understanding that some of my colleagues may have heard some of the same concerns uh in light of the current schedule.

I would I would suggest tabling for two cycles, and I'll prepare to make that motion once my colleagues have uh opportunity to speak.

Thank you, Mayor.

All right, thank you.

Uh Alderman T Dunn.

Uh this time I'd like to make a motion to postpone this item until the second cycle in terms of the year.

There's someone else that wants to speak.

I don't know if you want to just sit on that just for a second.

Uh Alderman Jobjan.

Thank you, Mr.

Mayor.

And I'm supportive of such um as far as postponing.

I would just ask a quick question of our uh fire chief, if you wouldn't mind coming up just real quick.

And so um, you know, my understanding is you know this uh this document part of the accreditation cycle.

My my question is when is the deadline to have paperwork in for your accreditation?

So delaying two cycles would be probably the end.

As far back as we could push it.

Our hearings are August 21st in Chicago.

And there does stand a reason that if this board does not accept it, that could be used as a reason not to re-accreditate the department.

Okay, thank you.

That was my only question.

Um, just making sure.

Um again, I'm supportive of getting more information, you know, not to use uh an analogy familiar with your department, you know, where there's smoke, there might be fire, and we just want to make sure there's no fire here and uh uh get our information.

So I'll be supportive of that motion coming forward.

Thank you, Chief.

All right, we do have a few more folks, Chief.

You may not want to go too far.

Uh Alderman Ardunn.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I was just want to thank the chief for sitting down with me this morning to discuss some of the concerns that I have and look forward to more discussion.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Alderman Leenan.

Thank you.

Uh Chief, if if we would miss the deadline for accreditation, what is the process to get reaccredited at a later date?

In all likelihood, we would be put in a deferral status.

Um at which time um they would send it back to us and say fix whatever issues we have here locally with the support of that document and bring it back to them at a later hearing.

Uh so that could be a delay of six months to a year in which we would not be accredited.

Um I don't use that as any type of threat.

That's just a possibility uh that the commission could choose to go.

Uh and Alderman Grip.

Thank you.

I don't have any questions, Chief.

I was just going to say uh that it might make sense instead of uh doing two cycles to table it for one cycle.

And then if there's folks who have concerns that they want to address publicly, they'd be able to do it.

But then if we're able to get any concerns addressed within the one cycle, it gives the chief more time to be able to continue with the accreditation process that he's currently in.

And if we don't get the answers, then we can just uh do it for one more cycle, and we'll be where we're at.

So that's my only recommendation.

I'll I'll support that.

Thank you.

All right, seeing and hearing no one else.

Alderman Dunn.

I'll make a motion to postpone this item for one cycle in July.

Second.

All right, we have a motion and a second.

Uh we'll do a roll call on that.

Lenin?

Yes.

Urkholder?

Yes.

Newton?

Yes.

Jobin?

Yes.

Blunk.

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

R Done.

Grip.

Yes.

And T Done.

Yes.

And yes, Your Honor.

All right.

So item number one will be tabled for one cycle.

Um, pending the uh option to table a second cycle if we feel it's necessary.

Uh okay, moving along.

Our second item is resolution approving a one-year contract renewal for natural resources landscaping, maintenance services with Delft's landscape and irrigation of Bluegrass, Iowa for the amount of 104,200.

Is there anyone from the public on this item?

Seeing hearing no one would an alder person move the resolution.

Second.

Is there any discussion from council?

Alder Woman Burkeholder.

Thank you.

I um I did get confirmation that they have all their certifications and licenses.

So I'm good to go.

All right.

Anyone else from council seeing no one?

Uh Brian, would you call the roll on this item?

Yes.

R Dunn?

Yes.

Job Jin?

Yes.

Newton.

Yes.

Burkholder?

Yes.

Lenin?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

T Dunn?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

And Blunk.

Yes.

And yes, is your honor?

All right.

That item is approved.

The third item is a resolution authorizing submission of a building resilient infrastructure in communities or a BRIC program grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for Fiscal Assistance for the Davenport West End flood mitigation project.

Anyone from the public wish to address this item?

Please step forward, state your name, address reward.

Judith Lee, second ward.

Not too long ago, I sent all of counsel and some of administration a report from the Corps of Engineers from a while ago that talks about the hydrology changes that might happen if we change the uh access point and and how it's set up to credit island.

I would just like to encourage council to reach out again to the experts at the core and get an update on what might happen with the hydrology and your options for addressing the access to credit island.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Is there anyone else from the public?

Seeing and hearing no one would an alder person move this resolution.

So move.

Second.

All right.

And uh we will go to Alderman Dunn, as you will recall from the committee of the whole.

Um Director Merritt asked us to leave this on discussion because we may need to make some changes.

I think Alderman Rick Dunn has that language, so I'll turn it over to you, Rick.

Thank you, Your Honor.

I'd like to make a motion to amend the resolution to revise the grant application amounts as follows.

Whereas the city will commit 2,274,484, 15% of the eligible cost for the project through local funds, with the grant request to be 11 million 372,418 federal share and 1,516,322 state share.

Whereas the city, whereas the city endorses the application and has estimated the total project cost to be 15 million 163,224.

All right.

Second, so we have an amendment in front of us.

Is there any discussion on the amendment?

Director Merritt, I don't know if you want to take 15 seconds just to let us know the change, and so we're all on the same page.

I know you we talked about this likely being the scenario last week at the committee of the whole.

Yes, so thank you for the opportunity to uh to make amends as we kind of work through this process in real time.

Um so there's a change in total of about $68,324 total for that $15 million project.

Um, what that means for the city's local match, it's an increase from what was originally within the agenda item of $10,249.

So once again, is making sure we get those dollar figures exact, so I appreciate the opportunity.

All right, thank you.

Uh again, so we have an amendment on the table, I believe.

Uh uh, Council Huff.

Thank you.

I just want to make sure that everyone's clear that the amendment is a replacement of the current language about the amounts.

And so it's not an addition, it is a replacement.

Yep.

We're all clear, so I don't see anyone that wants to discuss the amendments, so we should have a roll call on the amendments.

Newton?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

Lean in?

Yes.

Kirkholder?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

R done?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

T done.

Yes.

And yes, is your honor?

All right.

Uh now we have the amended item before us.

I get I'll ask again anyone from the public on the amended version.

Seeing and hearing no one, anyone from council.

All right, we'll take a roll call on this resolution.

Job Jen?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

Kirkholder?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Holloway?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

Lean in?

Yes.

Newton?

Yes.

R done?

Yes.

T done.

Yes.

And yes, is your honor?

All right.

Next is there a motion for approval of the items on the consent agenda.

So moved.

All right.

Brian, could you call a roll on the consent agenda?

Holloway?

Yes.

T done?

Yes.

Lean in?

Yes.

R Dunn?

Yes.

Grip?

Yes.

Newton?

Yes.

Blunk?

Yes.

Vasquez?

Yes.

Job Jen?

Yes.

And Burkholder.

Yes.

And yes, is your honor?

All right.

Thank you, Brian.

We do not have any other ordinances resolutions or motions this evening, so we are at the public with business portion of the meeting.

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

Please step forward and state your name.

Cheryl Shagna, third ward.

And I'd like to continue from the last two times.

I got up and spoke about the um reprimand for our previous corporate counsel from the state of Iowa Supreme Court.

There's so much more to the story than the narrative that has been told by city and city staff and some elected officials.

And I would like to get it on public record of that there are three people still sitting that took part in the hush hush secret settlements.

I even have a letter from Corey Spiegel on her letterhead, uh dated January of 2024, confirming who knew that checks were cut in excess of what can be cut without council approval.

And I think you all learned that in your onboarding.

So it's very difficult for the public to move forward when there are people that just want to keep hiding the facts, the truth from the public.

Yes, I did go to the Dirk's trial in Scott County.

So yes, I did sit there.

Yes, I heard testimony.

Yes, I know shorthand.

Yes, I took lots of notes.

I want it noted when the judgment came down that the length of time played a role in getting back the funds, particularly the 1.6 million dollars.

I want it noted for the record that we went full day Thursday, Wednesday, we went full day Thursday.

On Thursday afternoon, the current corporate counsel mentioned that his child had a kindergarten graduation, and that if we could all come back, the judge, all the counsel, all the witnesses come back on the afternoon instead of the morning, so he could go to the kindergarten.

Everybody agreed.

Seemed like a simple thing to do.

When we got back, what happened was the judge refused to listen to closing arguments.

And then the judge took six months to write his decision, and then said too much time has gone past to try and realistically get the money back.

Hopefully that appears as bogus to you as it does from someone on this side who was in the courtroom who heard all the testimony.

And really, if we'd been presented with all the information, would the uh plaintiff's attorney have agreed to let our corporate counsel skip the morning and everybody skip the morning and come in in the afternoon.

So that affected the closing arguments that then were received in writing, and that took months.

Then there was a rebuttal, I believe.

And then it was December before the judgment was issued for the public.

Adding six months because corporate counsel, I believe.

Yes, I was not in the hallway.

I was allowed to be in the courtroom the entire time.

You only came in when you could testify.

You need to speak to the counsel as body, please.

Well, he's shaking his head, disagreeing and laughing because he wasn't there and he doesn't know what happened.

I have an elephant memory.

I am a woman.

Okay.

Address us as a body, please.

Continue.

So in fact, there are three of you that did come in and testify that you're part in the role.

Besides the fact you got the man in the back that just got up and talked that his wife processed the check for over a million dollars when she knew it had not gone through counsel.

And she left.

She even asked for a bonus.

And you guys, not you all, previous counsel, but the three still up there were a part of it.

So yeah, the narrative to the public is screwed up because there are three people still up there that have a vested interest in making sure the truth is not known.

Because yes, I sat there, and I'm gonna go to the Sidron versus City of Davenport trial next Thursday as well, and we'll see how that plays out.

If he can be there entire time, or will he come up with another excuse?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else from the public this evening?

All right.

Seeing and hearing no one else, are there any final comments from council members?

All right, seeing and hearing no one, is there a motion to adjourn?

All right, all in favor say aye.

Aye.