Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting Summary — February 15, 2024

The Moline City Council held a combined Committee-of-the-Whole (COW) and regular City Council meeting on February 15, 2024, beginning at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 619 16th Street, Moline, IL. The agenda packet is dated February 13, 2024, while the meeting timestamp associated with this record is February 15, 2024. The Mayor welcomed newly seated 6th Ward Alderperson Dan McNeil. No remote electronic attendance was required.

Committee-of-the-Whole: Board Appointments

• Scott Raes was appointed to the Firefighters’ Pension Board to fill the unexpired term of Brian Vyncke through April 30, 2025.
• Mark Beckwith was appointed to the Firefighters’ Pension Board to fill the unexpired term of Bill Grimes through April 30, 2025.
• Dan McNeil, 6th Ward Alderperson, was appointed to the Bi-State Regional Commission as City Council representative, concurrent with his aldermanic term.
• Alex Spurgetis was appointed to the CACUP Board to fill the unexpired term of Hannah Niang through July 31, 2024.
• Staff explained vacancies arose from attendance obligations, moves out of Moline, and the need to replace Mr. O’Brien on the Bi-State Commission. These appointments were later approved by the City Council as part of the consent agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dave White spoke in favor of the proposed municipal ID / Moline Compass Program. He said he became disabled in 2023 after a cardiac arrest and multiple seizures, no longer has a valid driver’s license, and cannot drive to Quincy to obtain a birth certificate or passport; the city ID would restore a form of identification for him.
• Paul Razor, a 38th Street resident, spoke against adding sidewalks on both sides of the 38th Street road project. He said his property is platted with a 10-foot right-of-way, residents on his side were not asked, foot traffic does not justify double sidewalks, and most neighbors on his side oppose the plan. He offered a neighbor’s 1974 variance document and said he supports street reconstruction but not the sidewalk scope.

Discussion Items — Committee-of-the-Whole

• Item 6.1 pulled: Staff withdrew the proposed Second Amendment to the Dolan Commons, LLC development agreement.
• 5th Avenue TIF 15 (Items 6.2–6.4): Staff presented the redevelopment plan prepared by PGAB Planners, plus companion ordinances designating the TIF area and adopting tax increment financing. The goal was to meet a project deadline. The COW voted to recommend all three ordinances; they later appeared on the City Council agenda for first reading.
• Zoning code cleanup (Item 6.5): Staff recommended repealing obsolete subsection 35-2208(e), an appeal process left on the books since about 2006. COW voted to recommend approval.
• 38th Avenue zoning amendment (Item 6.6): The COW voted to recommend rezoning the 3400–3600 and 4100–5300 blocks of 38th Avenue. A neighborhood meeting in December drew no negative feedback; existing office uses remain, retail/restaurant options are added, and multifamily conversion remains possible by special use. Plan Commission had recommended approval.
• Moline Compass Program (Item 6.7): The COW voted to recommend the new municipal ID program. It can double as a library card, is available through parents for children, and is not valid for federal/state purposes such as air travel or buying alcohol/tobacco. Library staff said frontline staff can administer the program, training will cover document types, and no database or paper applications are retained after issuance. Some aldermen expressed concern about the documentation/photo ID requirements and possible confusion by alcohol sellers; the Mayor said the ID will be covered in annual liquor-license training. COW vote was favorable.
• Special events policy (Item 6.8): The COW voted to recommend repealing Resolution 1080-2023 and adopting a revised special event policy. The revision strengthens definitions, clarifies that peaceful protests and labor strikes do not require approval, expands funding conditions, and retains a 90-day advance timeline. Council members asked for barricade cost estimates before final adoption.
• Pride 5K (Item 6.9): The COW voted to recommend approving the June 15, 2024 Pride 5K application sponsored by The Project of the Quad Cities, a $5,000 grant from the Special Events Fund for promotional items/media, and street closures/right-of-way use.
• Quad Cities Marathon (Items 6.10–6.11): The COW voted to recommend approving the September 21–22, 2024 TBK Quad Cities Marathon road race street closures/right-of-way use and authorizing the Mayor/City Clerk to apply for an IDOT permit to close the eastbound I-74 ramp to Third Avenue (River Drive) on September 22.
• Surplus property (Item 6.12): The COW voted to recommend declaring vehicles and non-motorized assets surplus and authorizing disposal through the most advantageous legal process.

Informational Items

• Urban Forestry Management Plan & Tree Grant Opportunities (Eric Griffith): Moline manages 5,199 public trees with 141 different species, including more than 2,100 maples and over 500 ash trees removed. Staff identified 322 planting locations; the trees’ estimated value is just under $17 million. The tree equity score is 85.6%, with a goal of reaching the 90s. A completed plan qualifies the city for Morton Arboretum/Inflation Reduction Act grants of $25,000–$150,000 without a match; the first round is due March 1, 2024. Moline’s disadvantaged-area share is 35.87%, and Rock Island’s is just under 43%. Staff proposed using grant funds to hire a forestry operations manager, with options shown at $75,000/$50,000/$25,000 or $75,000/$75,000 over three years, drawing the first $36,000 from the existing tree budget. Aldermen discussed redlining and heat-island equity, free trees in disadvantaged areas, tree benefits for crime/traffic/energy savings, and outreach.
• 2022–2024 Action Plan Dashboard, FY23 Final Report (Bob Vitas): The strategic plan is backed by $27 million in budget support and included 85 goals/projects. As of the report, 45 were completed, 13 were at 90% completion, 4 at 75%, and 10 at 50%. The city ended the years without deficit and is planning on a 10-year horizon. No action was taken.
• February 2024 Status & Information Report (Bob Vitas): Reported hiring an administrative assistant for rental housing/neighborhood improvement, implementing electronic bidding in engineering, updating parking leases except one, completing year-end payroll reports, expanding HR training, recruiting an HR manager, and progressing on water plant upgrades. Discussions covered broadband completion (targeted around July/August 2024 with restoration contractors to follow after weather permits) and landlord licensing reminder letters before July 1 enforcement. No action was taken.

City Council Session

• Consent Agenda: By one motion and an 8–0 roll-call vote, the Council approved the January 23, 2024 COW/Council/Executive Session minutes, the appointments made at COW, Ordinance 13.1 (water/sewer outside customer connection and annexation amendments), and Resolutions 14.1–14.6. Those resolutions authorized a quiet zone notice under FRA rules; a $242,390.00 contract with Ostrom Painting & Sandblasting for the 2024 Pavement Marking Program; a $440,309.28 contract with Five Cities Construction for City Hall Parking Lot Reconstruction; Change Order No. 4 with Leander Construction for the North Slope Wastewater Treatment Plant Biosolids Dewatering Project; an IMPACT MOU with Illowa Construction Labor and Management Council and Tri-City Electric for the Water Plant Lighting Improvement Project; and Addendum No. 1 extending City Administrator Bogdan Vitas’s employment agreement through July 31, 2025.
• Non-Consent Resolutions: All passed by 8–0 votes.
  • 16.1: Final change order with McCarthy Improvement Company for 26th Avenue Reconstruction, $33,665.47.
  • 16.2: Supplemental MFT resolution for 26th Avenue Reconstruction from the 3800 block to 41st Street, $96,248.69.
  • 16.3: Equitable Sharing Agreement and Certification with the federal government for Moline Police Department forfeiture funds/property.
  • 16.4: Final Payment No. 10 with Centennial Contractors of the Quad Cities for the 2023 Patching Program, $372,922.21.
  • 16.5: Real Estate Donation Contract with M & M Lawn & Snow LLC for the former McManus pub property at the northeast corner of 7th Avenue and 14th Street; demolition and future reuse planned, with the resident relocated and the sign split between the donor and the McManus family.
  • 16.6: First Amendment to the Project Now Affordable Housing LLC grant agreement for the Level Up Program. An amendment passed adding: “Preference will be given to applicants who are currently enrolled in a credentialing or licensing program.” The motion, as amended, then passed.
• First Reading Ordinances: The Council advanced all four ordinances to second reading by 8–0 votes. 17.1–17.3 are the 5th Avenue TIF 15 redevelopment plan, project area designation, and TIF adoption ordinances. 17.4 creates a PACE area and designates the Illinois Finance Authority as sole issuer for Property Assessed Clean Energy bonds/notes.
• Miscellaneous Business: The Mayor alerted council to a possible special meeting for the PAR Industries development project, encouraged attendance at the State of the City address, mentioned an ARPA-funded child care expansion that created more than 250 slots, and a Human Rights Commission scam-prevention seminar on February 22 at the Moline Public Library.
• Executive Session: Council voted 8–0 to convene an executive session for discussion of employee appointment/employment/compensation/discipline/performance/dismissal and property acquisition.

Key Outcomes

• The Committee-of-the-Whole recommended approval of the 5th Avenue TIF 15 ordinances, Compass municipal ID program, zoning amendments, revised special events policy, Pride 5K and Quad Cities Marathon special events, and surplus property disposal; the Council later advanced the TIF ordinances to second reading.
• The City Council approved the consent agenda and all non-consent resolutions by 8–0 votes, including the Level Up grant amendment.
• First-reading ordinances for the 5th Avenue TIF and PACE program were advanced to second reading.
• Staff will return with the urban forestry grant application on February 27 and with special-events barricade cost information before final policy adoption.
• The Council authorized executive session and ended the public portion.