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Record of Proceedings

Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - January 23, 2025

Committee of the Whole & Council — Thursday, January 23, 2025
BodyMoline, Illinois
SessionCommittee of the Whole & Council
DateThursday, January 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:27:11

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:02

Good evening, everyone.

0:03

I'll open our committee of the hall meeting here at 6 p.m.

0:07

in council chambers.

0:08

Roll call, please.

0:09

Alder Person Murphy.

0:10

Present.

0:11

Masias.

0:12

President.

0:12

Rosak.

0:13

President.

0:13

Timian.

0:14

Present.

0:14

Finch.

0:15

President McNeil.

0:16

Present.

0:16

Castro.

0:17

President Schmidt.

0:18

Present.

0:19

All right.

0:20

We do not have any remote electronic attendance.

0:23

So we start with an oath of office for appointment of Bill Atkins to city attorney.

0:28

Bill, would you join me up here after Mr.

0:30

Vita says a few words?

0:32

Sure.

0:33

Gives me great pleasure to introduce William or Bill Atkins to the City of Molane, to the mayor to the city council, to our city staff, and to this community.

0:47

Bill comes to us by way of uh Peoria, where he spent almost his entire career basically from graduating from Loyola University.

0:57

So you remember where you got your law degree from Loyola University and prior to that ball state and originally from Indiana, actually.

1:06

And so he spent uh many many years working in Taswell County as well as having a private practice for about a dozen years, ten years, and then uh wanting to get back into government and uh finding this opportunity available, uh presented his credentials to us.

1:23

And after a lengthy search, we're pleased to have Bill joining uh the city of City of Moline, team of Moline.

1:31

And uh and I know he's excited to be here.

1:34

So uh welcome to the community, Bill.

1:36

Thank you.

1:37

Thank you, Bill.

1:38

This is for you.

1:39

If you would please raise your right hand and repeat after me.

1:42

I William Atkins.

1:44

I William Atkins.

1:46

Having been duly appointed, having been duly appointed to the position of city attorney.

1:50

To the position of city attorney for the city of Moline, Illinois.

1:54

For the City of Moline, Illinois.

1:56

Do solemnly swear.

1:57

Do solemnly swear.

1:58

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

2:01

That I will support the Constitution of the United States.

2:03

And the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

2:05

And the Constitution of the State of Illinois.

2:07

We'll strictly adhere to the Illinois rules of professional conduct.

2:11

We'll strictly adhere to the Illinois rules of professional conduct.

2:14

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties.

2:16

And that I will faithfully discharge the duties.

2:18

Of the position of city attorney.

2:20

Of the position of city attorney.

2:22

For the city of Moline, Illinois.

2:24

For the city of Moline, Illinois.

2:25

According to the best of my ability.

2:27

According to the best of my ability.

2:29

Congratulations and welcome.

2:48

Or everyone greet you.

2:50

So well that you can keep.

2:56

I wanted to just very quickly thank everyone.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management███████████████████████████████████35%
Housing And Tenant Rights█████████████13%
Affordable Housing████████████12%
Procedural███████████11%
Economic Development██████████10%
Licensing And Permits██████6%
Community Engagement██2%
Zoning And Land Use██2%
Grant Funding██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - January 23, 2025

The meeting included presentations on the South Slope Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade (estimated cost of $110 million) and HUD housing reports, followed by approval of routine items, tobacco license increases, and advancement of ordinances. The Grow Quad Cities agreement was tabled for further review due to missing document updates.

Consent Calendar

  • Approved unanimously: Minutes of January 7, 2025; appointments made at Committee-of-the-Whole; consent agenda items 16.1 (childcare obligations ordinance), 16.2 (stop intersection changes), and 17.2 (Bee City USA designation).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

  • South Slope Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement (Interim Director of Utilities Charles Brown and Troy Stinson of Strand Associates): Presenters outlined the 2030 phosphorus limit mandate, need to replace aging equipment, and updated cost from $70 million (2021) to an estimated $110 million. Major cost drivers included flood elevation requirements (100-year flood), Build America Buy America compliance (estimated $5 million), inflation, and contractor bidding climate. Options to reduce costs include deductive bid alternatives (e.g., eliminating operations building, using cheaper screening equipment). City Administrator Bob Vitas committed to a detailed review before finalizing loan documents.
  • HUD Housing Reports:
    • Housing Needs Assessment (Points Consulting, presented by Jesse Johnson): Forecasted population decline under status quo or up to 20% increase with optimistic economic development. Recommended land bank acceleration, step-up housing program, community land trust, and high-density units in urban cores. Council questioned rent impact, zoning reform, and duplex conversions. The report's full 200-page study includes rent trends and homelessness data.
    • Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (Jeremy Gray, Mosaic Community Planning): Identified four impediments: insufficient affordable housing, lack of targeted investment in underserved areas, unequally distributed publicly supported housing, and need for fair housing education. Recommendations included using CDBG funds for housing supply, workforce development in underserved areas, landlord voucher program incentives, and targeted outreach to limited English proficient communities.
  • Strategic Plan Dashboard FY24 Q4 (Bob Vitas): Reported 32% completion of 47 projects, 57.5% on track, and only 6.4% behind. Zoning reform project on hold pending comprehensive plan RFP.

Committee-of-the-Whole Agenda Items

  • 9.1 (Electric Easement): Approved unanimously.
  • 9.2 & 9.3 (Change Orders, Midtowne Parking Ramp): Approved unanimously.
  • 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 (Tobacco License Increases): All approved unanimously after discussion that applicants would likely receive Class B licenses once new ordinance is passed.
  • 9.7 (Loan Application for South Slope): Approved unanimously.
  • 9.8 (RAISE Grant Application for I-74 Riverfront Reimagined): Approved unanimously. Match of $650,000 is budgeted.

City Council – Non-Consent Items

  • 19.1 (Tobacco Ordinance Amendments): Ordinance to create three license classes and impose temporary moratorium on new Class A licenses. Councilman Schmidt successfully moved an amendment to allow purchasers of existing businesses with Class A licenses to apply. Roll call: 8-0. Ordinance as amended approved 8-0.
  • 17.1 (Alley Reconstruction Contract with Collins Concrete Ltd., $316,758.11): Approved unanimously.
  • 20.1 (Generator Purchase for City Hall, $102,608): Approved unanimously.
  • 20.2 (RAISE Grant Application): Approved unanimously.
  • 20.3 (Grow Quad Cities Agreement): Tabled until next meeting due to missing last-minute revisions (Iowa statute and sports tourism language). Motion to table passed 8-0 (Councilman Messias recused).
  • 21.1 (Sign and Zoning Code Amendments): Advanced to second reading 7-0.
  • 21.2 (South Slope Borrowing Ordinance): Advanced to second reading 7-0.

Key Outcomes

  • Bill Atkins sworn in as City Attorney.
  • Board appointments (Gomez, Gning, Zmuda-Swanson) approved.
  • All tobacco license increases approved; comprehensive tobacco ordinance amended with purchaser exception.
  • South Slope loan authorization resolution approved; borrowing ordinance advanced.
  • RAISE grant application authorized.
  • Grow Quad Cities agreement tabled to next meeting.
  • Alley reconstruction contract and generator purchase approved.
  • Both housing reports to be finalized for public comment; consolidated plan development ongoing.
  • Strategic plan dashboard noted; comprehensive plan RFP being finalized.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. I'll open our committee of the hall meeting here at 6 p.m. in council chambers. Roll call, please. Alder Person Murphy. Present. Masias. President. Rosak. President. Timian. Present. Finch. President McNeil. Present. Castro. President Schmidt. Present. All right. We do not have any remote electronic attendance. So we start with an oath of office for appointment of Bill Atkins to city attorney. Bill, would you join me up here after Mr. Vita says a few words? Sure. Gives me great pleasure to introduce William or Bill Atkins to the City of Molane, to the mayor to the city council, to our city staff, and to this community. Bill comes to us by way of uh Peoria, where he spent almost his entire career basically from graduating from Loyola University. So you remember where you got your law degree from Loyola University and prior to that ball state and originally from Indiana, actually. And so he spent uh many many years working in Taswell County as well as having a private practice for about a dozen years, ten years, and then uh wanting to get back into government and uh finding this opportunity available, uh presented his credentials to us. And after a lengthy search, we're pleased to have Bill joining uh the city of City of Moline, team of Moline. And uh and I know he's excited to be here. So uh welcome to the community, Bill. Thank you. Thank you, Bill. This is for you. If you would please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I William Atkins. I William Atkins. Having been duly appointed, having been duly appointed to the position of city attorney. To the position of city attorney 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. We'll strictly adhere to the Illinois rules of professional conduct. We'll strictly adhere to the Illinois rules of professional conduct. And that I will faithfully discharge the duties. And that I will faithfully discharge the duties.

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