Moline City Council Meeting – November 15, 2023

The Moline City Council convened on November 15, 2023, for a Committee-of-the-Whole and regular City Council meeting. The meeting featured oaths of office for two new police officers, presentation of the Keep Moline Beautiful Super Hero Awards, unanimous approval of consent and most non-consent items, and a procedural debate on rental housing inspection requirements. The council also amended a purchasing ordinance threshold before advancing it to a second reading.

Consent Calendar

• Items 11.1–11.5 approved unanimously (8‑0). These included a sidewalk easement for Starbucks (151 19th Avenue), a professional services agreement with Retail Strategies LLC, a substantial amendment to the 2023 Annual Action Plan (CDBG funds), the 2024‑2026 Strategic Plan, and a $189,950 boiler replacement contract with Ragan Mechanical, Inc. for the Water Treatment Plant.

Presentations & Oaths

• Oath of Office – Officer Branden Bowden (effective November 4, 2023). Chief described Bowden’s career, including his battle with brain cancer and return to duty; he completed his probationary period.
• Oath of Office – Officer Brady Lemke (effective November 4, 2023). Chief noted Lemke’s U.S. Marine Corps service, University of Iowa criminology degree, and previous experience with the Iowa DNR as a seasonal water patrol officer.
• 2023 Keep Moline Beautiful Super Hero Awards presented by Pam Nelson, Commission Chair, to two recipients:
  • Rotary Club of Moline – honored for biannual litter pickup (Earth Day and fall) on high‑traffic corridors. Rotarian Alan Anderson coordinates the events; each volunteer collects 2–3 bags of trash per event.
  • Midland Davis Corporation – recognized for 130 years of recycling service. The company recently added a wood pallet refurbishing division, hiring 10 new employees, and provides cardboard compactors, curbside recycling, and a scrap drop‑off site.

Discussion Items

• Item 13.7 – Rental Housing Inspection Program (Ordinance amending Chapter 8). Assistant City Manager Dykheizen apologized for confusion created by a previous attempt to clarify language. Council voted to send the item back to staff for one week with specific stipulations: retain the body of the ordinance as passed September 26, include the November 7 amendment delaying late fee enforcement (no fees assessed before July 1, 2024), and make no changes to the fee table. Motion by Alderperson Timian, seconded by Finch; passed 8‑0.
• Item 15.1 – Competitive Sealed Bidding (Ordinance amending Chapter 27, Section 27‑3100). Alderperson Timian moved to amend the threshold from $250,000 to $500,000, arguing the city’s current $1 million policy is not being enforced and $500,000 is more conservative. Alderperson O’Brien opposed, stating projects between $250,000 and $500,000 are at high risk for errors. The amendment passed on a 5‑4 vote (Mayor voted aye to break tie: Finch aye, O’Brien nay, Castro nay, Schmidt nay, Murphy nay, Messias aye, Razak aye, Timian aye). The motion to advance the amended ordinance to a second reading passed 8‑0.

Other Business

• Mayor reminded council that the budget resolution will be up for adoption at the next meeting and urged full attendance. He noted that future meetings during fall school breaks should be avoided to allow family time.
• Staff reported that the Moline Fire Department has placed two new engines in service, loaned a reserve engine to Rock Island after two of their engines failed state inspection, and reached full staffing with the approval of three new firefighters.
• Police Chief announced 53 officers participating in No‑Shave November, raising over $1,500 for Two Tribe (children affected by cancer). The department also won the “Boots vs. Badges” student hunger drive with 633 meals vs. fire’s 593, part of a record‑setting 818,468 meals raised across 17 high schools.
• The city received a 2023 Premier Partner award from the Moline Coal Valley Chamber for its internship programs.

Key Outcomes

• Consent items 11.1–11.5 approved 8‑0.
• Second‑reading ordinances 13.1 (parking changes on 14th/15th Avenue), 13.2 (parking changes on 40th Street), 13.3 (amusement tax increase from 5% to 10% effective January 1, 2024), 13.4 (2023 tax levy), 13.5 and 13.6 (special ad valorem taxes for SSA #5 and #6) – all approved 8‑0.
• Item 13.7 sent back to staff with stipulations (motion passed 8‑0).
• Resolutions 14.1 (final change order $24,807.10 for 2023 Alley Reconstruction with Five Cities Construction), 14.2 (reinsurance policy with UnitedHealthcare‑BP for 2024), and 14.3 (request to not extend 2024 taxes for several bond series) – all approved 8‑0.
• Item 15.1 amended (threshold raised to $500,000 on 5‑4 vote) and advanced to second reading (8‑0).
• Council moved into executive session for discussion of appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)). Motion by Murphy, seconded by Timian, passed 8‑0.