Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - September 9, 2024
Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - September 9, 2024
Note: The agenda and transcript indicate the meeting date as August 13, 2024, but the provided instruction specifies using September 9, 2024, for this summary. This discrepancy is noted.
The meeting opened with a Committee-of-the-Whole session followed by a regular City Council meeting. Key actions included approval of police K9 retirement, a grant for tobacco enforcement, and a painting contract for the police department. The Council also approved several real estate, flood mitigation, and infrastructure items. Public comment was heard from a village trustee regarding water pricing.
Public Comments & Testimony
- James Mountain, Trustee of the Village of Coal Valley, expressed deep disappointment with the City of Moline's refusal to provide retail water pricing. He stated that Coal Valley requires 300,000 gallons per day, while Moline produces approximately 8 million gallons of excess. He noted that the village was willing to handle billing, maintenance, and communications but was only offered a wholesale option. He urged the Council to reconsider retail options for water and sewer services.
Committee-of-the-Whole Discussion Items
- 6.1 Police K9 Retirement: The Chief of Police presented a resolution to transfer ownership of Police K9 Annie (a Belgian Malinois, served since 2017) to her handler Officer Eric Schultz for $1, as she has reached the end of her service life due to ACL injuries. The resolution was unanimously approved.
- 6.2 IDHS Grant: A resolution authorizing the Mayor to execute an intergovernmental grant agreement with the Illinois Department of Human Services for $8,427 for tobacco enforcement compliance. Unanimously approved.
- 6.3 Police Department Painting Project: A resolution authorizing a contract with Capital Painting & Decorating, Inc. for $199,730 for interior painting of the police department. Unanimously approved.
- 7.1 August 2024 Status & Information Report: City Administrator Bob Vitas provided updates:
- Completion of culvert replacement on 15th Street and ditch restoration.
- New staff onboarding and training, including "Moline U" program.
- Library project progressing on schedule.
- Clarifiers for South Slope installed.
- MKSK updates delayed due to structural engineering analysis of a tower, traffic analysis for north/south properties, and ongoing work by New Ventures Advisors (expected completion in October). The delay was described as prudent to avoid decisions with incomplete information.
- Metronet installation expected to be complete by fall 2024.
- Public works commended for debris cleanup after July storms.
City Council Actions
- Consent Agenda: Approved minutes of July 23, 2024, and resolutions 13.1-13.3 (licensing agreement for protective barriers at 1001 16th Street, $2,400 grant for Fall Belgian Festival, and approval of the Emergency Operations Plan). All passed unanimously.
- Second Reading Ordinances:
- 15.1: Ordinance vacating public rights-of-way (alley and part of 50th Street) for flood mitigation. Approved 8-0.
- 15.2: Ordinance approving termination of collateral assignment and amendment to redevelopment agreement for the Chase Bank Building (5 & 15 Moline Apartments, LLC). Approved 8-0.
- 15.3: Ordinance approving a Preliminary/Final Development Plan and rezoning from B-3 to B-3-PUD for an 11.85-acre tract at 4902-5000 Avenue of the Cities. Approved 8-0.
- Non-Consent Resolutions:
- 16.1: Purchase of three SRS Crisafulli L-Series Vertical Flood Pumps for $133,485. Approved 8-0.
- 16.2: Engineering services agreement for 16th Avenue and 15th Street Intersection Reconstruction/Carbon Reduction Project (Motor Fuel Tax) for $218,750. Approved 8-0.
- 16.3: Resolution for maintenance under Illinois Highway Code for 2024 Asphalt Project (MFT) for $661,482.36. Approved 8-0.
- 16.4: Contract with Langman Construction, Inc. for the 2024 Asphalt Project for $661,482.36. Approved 8-0.
Key Outcomes
- All resolutions and ordinances on the agenda were approved unanimously (8-0) with no opposition.
- The City Administrator noted that the city was shortlisted for a $11,543,471 federal grant from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation for the 16th Street Viaduct Project. The grant application is being prepared.
- The Mayor announced that the Quad City Manufacturers Institute, a joint venture between universities and manufacturing institutes, is expected to launch in Moline, with a welcome signing on August 23, 2024.
- The Mayor also mentioned that the Bi-State meeting in August will present an economic impact report on John Deere layoffs, which is important context for upcoming budget season.
- The Mayor encouraged Council to review the calendar for next year to avoid scheduling conflicts with school breaks.
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:21 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. I call this meeting to order and the commit uh committee of the whole meeting to order at 6 p.m. in council chambers. We'll call police. Alder Person Murphy. Present. Mastias. Present. Rosak. Present. Timion. Present. Finch. President McNeil. Present. Castro. President Schmidt. Present. All right. We have no remote electronic attendance needed. Is there public comment this evening, Chief? Yes, Jim. All right. You have three minutes. Chief keeps track of the time. Okay. I've been practicing, so even members of the city council. My name is James Mountain. I am the trustee for the village of Coal Valley. I wanted to express my deep disappointment with obtaining retail water pricing from Moline. The primary reason we were seeking a retail option as opposed to a wholesale is to avoid bearing the cost of overage due to leaks, breaks, and fire hydro flushes. This would enable us to create a more accurate budget model for our expenses. Additionally, we would like to explore the possibility of a retail option for our sewer services. November, I reached out to your director of utilities to request retail water pricing. He provided background information, particularly regarding our village's 2017 attempt to secure Moline water. However, the presentation was complex and Col Valley decided not to proceed. Since then, I've uh followed up, making every attempt to understand and obtain updated retail pricing. To help offset the cost, Covalley was willing to do several key responsibilities. Collecting and connecting and disconnecting residents' water, billing, serving as a first land defense for any kind of calls, handling mass communications for outages and boil orders, flushing hydrants, gathering water samples, and assisting in locating a water main breaks. We met in Co Valley with seven with several Moline utility workers to discuss this further. After multiple follow-ups, I was directed to reach out to your city administrator who emphasized a need for clarity and precision. Our village president, city administrator, and I then came to Moline for a meeting to discuss the project further. At the end of the meeting, I was assured that a detailed write-up of the retail pricing option would be provided within two to three weeks. Despite inquiries, I was eventually informed that a wholesale option was the only option that Moline was willing to provide. In conclusion, I am disappointed by the wasted time and lack of communication throughout this process. However, I remain open to further discussion if there's a willingness to reconsider the retail option. We require 300,000 gallons of water per day, while Moline produces approximately 8 million gallons of excess water each day. I firmly believe that a retail option would be mutually beneficial and also hold great potential for our communities. Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate the opportunity to bring this important matter to your attention.
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