Moline COW/City Council Meeting - January 26, 2024
Moline COW/City Council Meeting - January 26, 2024
The Moline City Council held a combined Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) and regular Council meeting on January 26, 2024 (note: the agenda listed the date as January 23, 2024; the user instruction specified January 26). The meeting included an oath of office, a board appointment, public comment, approval of a PACE program ordinance, purchase of six excess I-74 bridge parcels, discussion of a road diet on 16th Street, consent agenda approvals, appointment of a new 6th Ward alderperson, and updates on the record snowstorm response.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes and Appointments: Approved Committee-of-the-Whole, Council, and Executive Session minutes of January 10, 2024, and appointments made at COW on January 23, 2024.
- Resolutions (14.1–14.8): Approved via omnibus vote:
- 14.1: 19th Avenue resurfacing MFT agreement.
- 14.2: PILOT cooperation agreement with Moline Housing Authority for Spring Valley Village.
- 14.3: Contract with Emery Construction for Bass Street Landing toilet rooms ($415,000).
- 14.4: Energy Efficiency and Conservation Strategy (EECS) for EECBG grant.
- 14.5: Addendum to Colona WWTP operation agreement.
- 14.6: 2024 treatment chemicals contracts through Bi-State Regional Commission.
- 14.7: Task Order 24-01 with Strand Associates for water treatment plant 20-year capital plan ($124,500).
- 14.8: Purchase of Vacall AllJetVac vehicle from Municipal Pipe Tool Company ($564,063.43).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Trevor (owner of Trevor's True Value): Opposed the proposed lane reduction on 16th Street from four lanes to three with a two-way center left-turn lane. He expressed concerns that it would reduce customer access and cause congestion, citing traffic backups on 19th Avenue. He urged the council not to proceed.
Discussion Items
- PACE Program Ordinance (7.1): City Administrator Bob Vitas and Economic Development staff explained the Property Assessed Clean Energy program, which allows businesses and agricultural properties to finance green energy and energy efficiency projects via special assessments. The Illinois Finance Authority will administer the program; no city funds or staff time are required. Council approved unanimously (motion by Schmidt, seconded by Timian).
- I-74 Bridge Parcels Purchase (7.2 / 16.1): Bob Vitas stated that the city, leveraging a state law change, can acquire six remnant parcels from IDOT for a total fair market value of $340,600. These parcels are critical for riverfront and corridor redevelopment. Council approved (motion by Timian, seconded by Castro; unanimous).
- 16th Street Road Diet (Informational 8.1): Engineering Director David Dryer presented plans to restripe 16th Street from Avenue of the Cities to 36th Avenue (0.8 miles) from four lanes to three lanes with a two-way left-turn lane. Data included: 13,700–14,000 vehicles per day, 36 crashes over five years (average 7.2/year), 85th percentile speed of 36 mph, and 42% (15) of crashes being types that could be reduced (rear-end, side-swipe, multi-threat right angle). Cost to restripe is approximately $15,000. Council members requested before-and-after crash data from previous road diets (e.g., 12th Avenue, 19th Avenue) and asked staff to provide additional analysis before proceeding. Staff agreed to bring back a report.
- Appointment of Daniel McNeil (16.2): Mayor appointed Daniel McNeil to fill the 6th Ward alderperson vacancy following the death of Alderperson Pat O'Brien. McNeil has served on the Park Board and is familiar with community issues. Council approved (motion by Finch, seconded by Razak; unanimous).
Key Outcomes
- Oath of Office Administered: Edward Holtkamp was sworn in as Firefighter/Paramedic (effective December 20, 2023).
- Board Appointment Approved: Karen Dahlstrom appointed to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners (unexpired term ending May 31, 2024).
- PACE Ordinance Approved (7 ayes, 0 nays).
- I-74 Parcel Purchase Approved (7 ayes, 0 nays).
- Consent Agenda Approved (7 ayes, 0 nays).
- Daniel McNeil Appointed as 6th Ward Alderperson (7 ayes, 0 nays).
- Snowstorm Response Discussed: Public Works Director Denver Hallman reported the blizzard of 2024 dumped over 25 inches of snow, making it the second highest snowfall event in city history. Staff worked 12-hour shifts; issues included emergency snow route enforcement, sidewalk clearance, and CDL driver recruitment. Council requested an abatement program for sidewalks and clearer communication on towing policies.
- Executive Session: Motion to convene for personnel discussion carried (7 ayes, 0 nays).
Meeting Transcript
I think two. Good evening, everyone. Welcome. We will start. I will call this meeting to order here at 6 p.m. in council chambers. I'm still trying to load our agenda on my screen, so apologies for that delay. We do not have any remote electronic attendance, so we move to our oath of office for promotional appointment of Edward Holt Camp to the rank of firefighter paramedic effective December 20th, 2023. Chief. Thank you, Your Honor. Uh, good evening, members, council. It's once again a pleasure to stand before you and introduce to you one of our new firefighters after he's successfully completed his uh probationary period. And up here tonight I have uh Eddie Holt camp. Firefighter Holt Camp was hired on August 31st, 2022. He grew up in Geneseo and graduated from Geneseo High School in 2016. After graduation, he spent time working various jobs before eventually getting hired by the excuse me, the Princeton Fire Department, where he uh received his basic firefighter operations uh training. Firefighter Holt Camp recently graduated from Blackhawk College Paramedic Program receiving his license this past December. We're very proud of him for that. And uh at this time, mayor, if you would like to join us and issue Eddie his uh oath of office if you would raise your right hand and repeat after me. I Edward Holtkamp. I Edward Holtkamp. Having been duly appointed, have been duly appointed to the position of firefighter paramedic. To the position of firefighter paramedic. For the fire department, which for the fire department for the city of Moline, Illinois. For the city of Moline, Illinois. Do solemnly swear. Do solemnly swear. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. That I will support the Constitution of the United States. And the Constitution of the State of Illinois. And the Constitution of the State of Illinois. And then I will faithfully discharge the duties. And I will faithfully discharge the duties. Of the position of firefighter paramedic. Discharge the duties of the position of firefighter paramedic. For the city of Moline, Illinois. For the city of Molene, Illinois. According to the best of my ability. According to the best of my ability. Thank you for training. I don't know. If I could get uh firefighter nicely green, call nice and green to join us up here. And he's asked uh that firefighter nice and green pin his badge on. Uh firefighter nicely green served as his mentor during this journey group. Oh yeah, we're watching. Well, thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Welcome on board.
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