Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - April 10, 2025

The Moline City Council held a Committee-of-the-Whole meeting followed by a regular City Council meeting in Council Chambers at City Hall. The meeting began with the Committee-of-the-Whole reviewing grants, a proclamation, property and lease items, mutual aid membership, surplus property, and an office furniture purchase, and it received informational reports on grants and city operations. The regular Council meeting then approved the consent agenda, advanced two first-reading ordinances, and approved each non-consent resolution on its agenda. Note: The agenda packet is dated Tuesday, April 8, 2025, while the provided meeting timestamp identifies the meeting date as April 10, 2025; the date used below follows the provided timestamp.

Consent Calendar

• Mayor Sangita Rayapati reappointed Julian Scott Raes and Mark Beckwith to the Firefighters Pension Board for two-year terms expiring April 30, 2027.
• Council approved the March 18, 2025 Committee-of-the-Whole, City Council, and Executive Session minutes and the appointments made at the Committee-of-the-Whole on April 8, 2025.
• Council approved by one omnibus roll-call vote the consent agenda containing a one-hour parking restriction for 1721 5th Avenue; an increased video gaming terminal cap for ETA Table and Tap; the Tri-City Electric water treatment plant electrical service contract at $298,856; McCarthy Improvement Change Order No. 1 for 48th Street Reconstruction at $33,730.90; the Porter Brothers 2025 Asphalt Maintenance Program contract at $301,380 with total expenditures not to exceed $350,000; and the Cornbelt Running Club Quad Cities Distance Classic special event with a $500 special-events grant and street closures.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Marcy Fosdick, pickleball tournament director, spoke in support of the requested $7,500 Special Events Fund grant for the Quad Cities Classic Pickleball Tournament. She said the seventh annual tournament will be held September 11-14, 2025, at Riverside Park and the Quad City Tennis Club; participation grew from 230 in 2021 to 419 last year, including 30 youth and 205 out-of-state visitors; it produced an estimated $153,423 in economic impact, a $16,942 increase over the prior year; the tournament donated $5,000 to five charities and taught 327 youth and 350 adults to play pickleball. She asked the Council to support the grant again.

Proclamation

• The Council proclaimed the week of April 6-12, 2025 as National Library Week under the theme Drawn to the Library. Library representative Brian Lear thanked the Council and previewed the upcoming library gardens project.

Discussion Items

Committee-of-the-Whole Items

• 8.1: The Council approved a $1,500 Special Events Fund grant to the 12th Annual Fall Belgian Festival to be held September 14, 2025.
• 8.2: The Council approved an ordinance dedicating the parcel at 700 15th Street as public right-of-way. Asbestos removal is complete and Public Works will soon demolish the building.
• 8.3: The Council approved a $7,500 Special Events Fund grant to the Quad Cities Pickleball Club. Alderpersons praised the club’s youth investment and nonprofit outreach and asked staff to connect the club with the Youth Commission.
• 8.4: The Council approved the First Amendment extending the intergovernmental fiber optic system lease agreement with Rock Island County Metropolitan Mass Transit Authority (MetroLINK). Ald. Schmidt disclosed that his firm works with MetroLINK and stated it was not a conflict, but he wanted it noted for awareness.
• 8.5: The Council approved a resolution appointing each Alderperson to serve as Mayor Pro Tem on a rotating monthly basis during the Mayor’s term.
• 8.6: The Council approved an ordinance removing fees for library Compass ID cards. Staff said the current $10 individual and $25 family fees may discourage use, and only about $3,750 in revenue was budgeted. Alderpersons supported removing the financial barrier and asked staff to reach out to organizations such as Humility Homes and Project Now; staff agreed to follow up.
• 8.7: The Council approved three one-year agricultural leases for city-owned property at Pryce Farms, Runge Farm, and Bealer Farm with Mitchel Trouten from April 9, 2025 through April 8, 2026. Staff noted a possible future solar farm discussion for one property, with RFP results to return to Council.
• 8.8: The Council approved membership in the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network (IPWMAN) under the amended intergovernmental agreement. The amendment clarifies that mutual aid can apply to day-to-day operations and establishes a procedure for future amendments.
• 8.9: The Council approved declaring two non-motorized assets, a salt conveyor belt and a sandbag maker, as surplus for FY 2025 and authorized disposal by the method most advantageous to the city.
• 8.10: The Council approved a licensing agreement with Stoney Creek Inn allowing outdoor service of alcoholic liquor and food at Bass Street Landing Public Plaza from April 23, 2025 through September 30, 2025.
• 8.11: The Council approved ceding the city’s 2025 home rule private activity bonding authority allocation of $5,455,450 to the Quad Cities Regional Economic Development Authority (QCREDA). Discussion noted that this keeps the allocation available locally for projects such as housing, industrial revenue bonds, and not-for-profit facilities; examples cited included Heritage Place, Whitey’s Ice Cream manufacturing, Heritage Woods, and the Coney Center/Blackwell project.
• 8.12: The Council approved the purchase of office furniture for the City Services Center from Allmakes Office Furniture, Inc. for $177,919.17 using Omnia Partners contract #R191804. Staff expedited the purchase because of an anticipated 2.5 percent tariff price increase and stated that usable furniture would be repurposed and the rest liquidated.

Informational Reports

• Dawn Temple, Management Analyst and Grant Coordinator, presented the Grant Report Update. She explained that grants move through multiple stages and most take two to five years; 2024 grant awards were about $18 million, but cash received reflects earlier project stages. The largest grant the city has ever received, referred to in the transcript as both DCP and DOD, totals $11.5 million, with about $3 million expected to be received in 2025; NEPA review is ongoing and construction is targeted to begin around August. She also said the RAISE grant is now called BUILD; $1.5 billion was originally available, about 90 percent was distributed just before the Biden administration left office, leaving little remaining; Rock Island received funding on its fourth or fifth attempt; and another grant round is expected in November. Other highlights included utility lighting upgrades replacing more than 1,000 fixtures, additional tree canopy funding, and smaller grants supporting police, public works, parks, and library marketing.
• Bob Vitas, City Administrator, presented the April 2025 Status & Information Report. Highlights included: the Moline Riverfront Master Plan is about 90 percent complete and expected before Council no later than May; passenger rail discussions are continuing locally and in Springfield, including efforts to make rail a state priority; a memorial redbud tree for former Mayor Stan Leach is scheduled to be planted on April 22; the National Community Survey and National Business Survey sent postcards to 4,000 randomly selected households, with an open survey beginning April 25 and results available by ward; Bee City USA designation is official; property acquisitions are moving forward, including 15th Street properties and closings for the 7th Street fire station site; and the city’s new emergency alert system already has 17,000 customers enrolled and can target specific areas or reach employees.

City Council Regular Meeting

• The Council held the Pledge of Allegiance, received a roll call, and approved the consent agenda and minutes under the omnibus vote.
• First reading ordinance 19.1, amending Chapter 2, Section 2-4600 regarding a commission establishment, was advanced to second reading.
• First reading ordinance 19.2, amending Chapter 2, Section 2-2207 regarding order of business, was advanced to second reading. Discussion indicated public comment would be reduced from several opportunities to two per evening, one at Committee-of-the-Whole and one at City Council, while preserving public comment at every public meeting.
• Resolution 20.1, a $195,515.10 contract with Miller Trucking and Excavating for the 2025 Culvert Replacement Project, was approved.
• Resolution 20.2, the three farm lease agreements with Mitchel Trouten, was approved.
• Resolution 20.3, declaring vehicles and non-motorized assets surplus and authorizing their disposal, was approved. Discussion addressed possible tariff-driven price increases for replacement vehicles; staff said replacement schedules and state joint purchasing contracts are used, and the City Administrator said upcoming budget work would include belt-tightening.
• Resolution 20.4, the Allmakes office furniture purchase for $177,919.17, was approved.
• Resolution 20.5, a Motor Fuel Tax improvement resolution for 34th Street Reconstruction from 4th Avenue to University Drive at $800,000, was approved. One Alderperson said residents had emailed about that street section and that they were glad to see the project move forward.
• Resolution 20.6, appointing Ashley R. Kilker as the city’s authorized agent for Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) matters, was approved. Before the vote, staff voiced strong concerns about IMRF customer service, including a new website that removed functionality, hold times of two and a half to three hours, standard response times of 10 business days, delayed retirement applications, new retirees waiting 8 to 12 weeks for a first pension payment, and IMRF representing more than 3,000 employers. Staff said they plan to work with IPELRA and other municipalities to seek changes and noted possible legislation. The City Administrator also said he shared the concerns with the governor’s liaison.
• Resolution 20.7, purchasing light fixtures from Springfield Electric Supply Company for the 7th Avenue Reconstruction project at $199,040.85, was approved.
• Resolution 20.8, a $2,998,156.21 contract with Centennial Contractors of the Quad Cities, Inc. for the 7th Avenue Reconstruction project, was approved.
• In miscellaneous business, the Mayor highlighted an Illinois DOT State Transportation Improvement Program public comment period and encouraged the Council and community to submit comments supporting passenger rail as a state-added project; she said the comment period ends in 15 days, about 11 days from the meeting. Alderpersons also noted upcoming events including a First Ward meeting, the Humility Homes immersion experience on May 2, and a new yarn shop in Old Town, and discussed city digital sign rules that are being finalized for city-related messaging rather than private advertising.

Key Outcomes

• The Committee-of-the-Whole approved all 8.1 through 8.12 agenda items, generally by unanimous voice vote.
• The City Council approved the consent agenda, first-reading advances, and all non-consent resolutions by unanimous roll-call votes of eight ayes and no nays.
• The Council issued the National Library Week proclamation for April 6-12, 2025.
• The next steps identified include: following up on Compass ID outreach to community organizations; continuing IMRF advocacy with other municipalities and state contacts; monitoring the BUILD/RAISE grant timeline and November round; submitting comments during the STIP public comment period for passenger rail; bringing Riverfront Master Plan and solar farm RFP results back to Council; and finalizing digital sign rules.
• The Council voted to enter executive session for discussion of appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees under ILCS 120/2(c)(1) and property acquisition under ILCS 120/2(c)(5), then adjourned.