Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - March 19, 2025
Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - March 19, 2025
The Moline City Council met on March 19, 2025, in a combined Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council session. The meeting covered a wide range of items including public comments on the grocery tax and child care needs, the oath of office for a new firefighter/paramedic, board appointments, approval of contracts for water treatment plant improvements, asphalt maintenance, and a special event permit. The major focus was the approval of three property purchases totaling $1,213,500 for a new central fire station, with discussions on site selection and financing. The council also approved several ordinances and resolutions, including a reordering of the meeting agenda to maintain public comment at the beginning of the council meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Arthur Bodenbender (owner of Katie's Import Foods on 7th Street) expressed strong opposition to the city's food tax (grocery tax). He argued the tax is regressive, unfair to families, and incentivizes residents to shop in Iowa. He criticized the city for not making the issue headline news and for a lack of public notice. He stated the tax was originally a gift from the state and urged the city to find other revenue sources such as taxes on automobiles, furniture, entertainment, and lodging. He concluded by saying, "Shame on you."
- Emily Cummings and Heather Anderson (representing Birth to Five Illinois) spoke about the need for improved child care systems in the region. They highlighted three priorities: optimizing the workforce, streamlining service coordination (including a crisis nursery), and supporting mental and behavioral health for both children and teachers. They called for systems of support for families in crisis.
- Jacqueline (a Moline homeowner) spoke during the council meeting about the tobacco and vaping ordinance (Item 15.1). She proposed restrictions such as a one-mile distance from educational facilities and a half-mile distance between vape shops. She also suggested a no-vape area outside businesses. She expressed concern about youth congregating at such establishments.
Oath of Office
- Seth Wallace was sworn in as a regular commissioned Firefighter/Paramedic, effective February 13, 2025. Chief Steve Regenwether introduced him, noting his background from Princeton, Illinois, and his training. Wallace took the oath of office administered by the Mayor.
Board Appointments
- Reappointment of Nina Little to the Moline Commission on Youth for a 3-year term expiring March 31, 2028.
- Reappointment of Joseph Thawn to the Moline Commission on Youth for a 3-year term expiring March 31, 2028.
- Appointment of Denver Schmidt to the Keep Moline Beautiful Commission for a 3-year term expiring November 30, 2027. (A thank you was extended to Andy Parr for filling in prior.)
Committee-of-the-Whole Agenda Items
- 8.1 – Resolution approving an agreement with Tri-City Electric Company for water treatment plant electric service improvements, including transformer replacement, for $298,856. Approved unanimously.
- 8.2 – Resolution approving Change Order No. 1 and Final with McCarthy Improvement Company for 48th Street Reconstruction, for $33,730.90. Approved unanimously.
- 8.3 – Resolution approving a contract with Porter Brothers Construction for the 2025 Asphalt Maintenance Program, for $301,380, with a budget not to exceed $350,000. Approved unanimously.
- 8.4 – Resolution approving a special event application for the Quad Cities Distance Classic (May 11, 2025) sponsored by the Cornbelt Running Club, including a $500 grant and street closures. Approved unanimously.
- 8.5 – Ordinance amending Chapter 2 of the Moline Code regarding the Keep Moline Beautiful Commission (Section 2-4600) to eliminate an inconsistent staff project coordinator position, aligning with past practice. Approved unanimously.
- 8.6 – Ordinance amending Chapter 2 regarding the order of business (Section 2-2207). The city attorney explained changes to align the agenda with practice, including adding remote electronic attendance and reordering public comment. Alderperson Schmidt moved to amend to reinsert public comment after remote electronic attendance and before the consent agenda, to ensure public comment occurs at the beginning of every council meeting. The amendment passed. The ordinance as amended was approved.
- 8.7 – Resolution authorizing purchase of two properties at 1500 and 1508 7th Street from Metropolitan Towers, L.L.C., for $705,500, for the new central fire station. Mr. Vitas presented background: the existing central fire station (built 1972) needed $8-9 million in repairs, and a study recommended relocation near 7th Street and 12th Avenue. The site was chosen after evaluating other options. Financing is timed to align with retiring debt to avoid a property tax increase. Council members expressed strong support (Timian, Castro, Schmidt). Approved unanimously.
- 8.8 – Resolution authorizing purchase of a vacant lot at 7th Street and 16th Avenue from 833 Sixteenth Avenue IL Owner LLC for $48,000, part of the fire station project. Approved unanimously.
- 8.9 – Resolution authorizing purchase of property at 1410 7th Street from Hybrid Medical Group, LLC, for $460,000, part of the fire station project. Approved unanimously.
Consent Agenda (City Council)
- 13.1 – Minutes of March 4, 2025, and appointments made March 18, 2025. Approved.
- 15.1-15.3 – Second reading ordinances: increasing Class B Incidental Tobacco Dealer’s Licenses (ODC QC LLC), vacating a drainage easement at 2930 41st Street, and authorizing borrowing from the Illinois Public Water Supply Loan Program for lead service line replacements. Approved.
- 16.1-16.6 – Resolutions: contracts for 2025 Sidewalk Program ($299,450), 30th Avenue Reconstruction ($1,957,886.72) and change order ($57,128.40), 2025 Inlet Replacement Program ($104,880), declaring BCI Burke Playground at Browning Park surplus and donating to Kids Around the World, Inc., and authorizing a rock salt contract for 2025/2026 winter season (4,000 tons, minimum 3,200 tons). All approved.
Non-Consent Agenda Resolutions
- 18.1 – Purchase of 1500 and 1508 7th Street (same as 8.7). Approved unanimously.
- 18.2 – Purchase of vacant lot (same as 8.8). Approved unanimously.
- 18.3 – Purchase of 1410 7th Street (same as 8.9). Approved unanimously.
- 18.4 – Licensing agreement with 1848 Entertainment, LLC (dba PUB 1848) for use of Bass Street Landing Public Plaza for outdoor service of alcohol and food from April 19 to September 30, 2025. The city attorney clarified that the license does not restrict private event alcohol service. Approved unanimously.
Non-Consent Agenda First Reading Ordinances
- 19.1 – Ordinance amending parking restrictions to include two on-street stalls at 1721 5th Avenue. Advanced to second reading.
- 19.2 – Ordinance increasing video gaming terminal licensed establishments at request of Denis LLC (dba ETA Table and Tap, 2601 52nd Avenue). Advanced to second reading.
Miscellaneous Business
- The Mayor announced a trip to Washington, D.C., to lobby for a grant (formerly TIGER/RAISE) for the downtown riverfront project. A list of "red flag words" from the Secretary of Transportation will be shared.
- Upcoming listening posts (east and west side) in April to discuss the strategic plan and the grocery tax.
- Alderperson Murphy reminded that COVID-19 holiday meal vouchers will be available April 5 at City Hall.
- Alderperson Timian reported on a Humility Homes informational session: 40% of their funding is federal, and they could operate for nine months without it before selling properties. He encouraged donations of clothes or money, which have a government match.
- Alderperson Finch noted Moline Rotary and Boys & Girls Club are installing pollinator gardens for the Bee City Initiative.
- The Mayor reported that HUD funding for 2025 remains flat, and the city met with the school district about bus safety; Metrolink will move a major pickup spot to behind the high school on April 8th.
- Mr. Vitas added that the April 15th round table will feature Andrea Carbine presenting a study on a public market place for Moline, which the study found supportable.
- The Fire Chief thanked the council for advancing the new central fire station, noting it had been discussed for 20 years.
Executive Session
- The council moved into executive session to discuss appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)) and property acquisition (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5)). Motion approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All three property purchases for the new central fire station were approved (total $1,213,500).
- The ordinance reordering the meeting agenda was amended to retain public comment at the beginning of council meetings and passed.
- All consent and non-consent agenda items were approved, including contracts, change orders, and licenses.
- Two first-reading ordinances were advanced to second reading.
- The council will continue discussions on the grocery tax, strategic plan, and public market study at upcoming meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. I'll call our committee of the whole meeting to order here in Council Chambers at 6 p.m. Roll call, please. All our person Murphy. Present. Messias. Present. Rizak. Timmy and Finch. Present McNeil. Present. Castro. President Schmidt. Present. All right. Don't believe we have any remote electronic attendance, so we move to public comment. Two public comment. Um who's first. All right, Emily. Come on up. Oh, I'm no great auditor. However, my name is Arthur Bodenbender. I run and operate Katie's Import Foods on 7th Street Olean. And I do have a few opinions because I am as a food merchant. I am concerned about the food tax. Unfortunately, my opinion to begin is was when a city or government wanted to levy a tax on the populace. This should be headline news. Instead, I feel the city of Moline has taken a soft approach, a very quiet approach to this by not putting the issue on the agenda according to my alderman, my older woman in my case, until just the day before it was to be that's a false statement. I'm sorry, or that's an absolutely false statement, as is that it wasn't front page news, it was a headline news story on the dispatch. But I'm not here to argue with you, I'm here to listen to the next one. No, I'm saying please continue. It should be headline news when it's going to be discussed, not a month or two before ahead. It should be right at the time. And she told me at that time when I called her, it was one or two days before it was discussed in the council, that it is not on the immediate agenda as far as she knew, and then called me back the next day or two and said, Oh, it's just been put on the agenda for the following council, which didn't give me or anybody else a great chance to respond or to come and voice her opinion. Unfortunately, I was out of town for the next two council meetings, so therefore I could not be here. But I'm here tonight to voice my opinion. Uh and I would wager to say that if we took a vote in the city of Moline, they would agree, the majority would agree with me. Number one, taxing food. In my opinion, it's a regressive tax. It's an unfair tax. We need to buy food to eat, to live, and pay taxes. Number two, one percent is not a lot of money, but it is a lot of money to families with a lot of children. It is also a big incentive for city people from the city of Moline to cross our beautiful bridge and spend their food dollars in Iowa when they're buying their gas at a lower tax. Number three, you know, this food tax was a gift from the state of Illinois. It was not enacted by the city, it was enacted by the state of Illinois as a total gift to the cities, to the cities in the state. Now they have decided to drop that, leaving the option up to the cities. Remember, it is it was a gift to begin with. Um it is also a difficult how could I say this? It is unfair to the merchant who will now continue to be an unpaid tax collector. Okay.
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