Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - May 22, 2025

The Moline City Council held a combined Committee-of-the-Whole and regular Council meeting on May 22, 2025, at 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting covered a range of topics including public comments on bicycle infrastructure and a proposed road diet on 16th Street, an oath of office for a new firefighter-paramedic, an ordinance regulating head shop signage, and several informational presentations on the environmental resiliency plan, preliminary financial statements, and a pavement remarking project. The Council also approved consent agenda items and a non-consent ordinance.

Consent Calendar

• Oath of Office administered to Firefighter/Paramedic Hunter Rowray, effective April 18, 2025.
• Board appointments: Mayor's reappointment of Paul “PJ” Foley to the Project Management Team (term to May 31, 2029) and Wayne Smith, Diane Sommers, and Gary Koeller to the Library Board (terms to May 31, 2028). All approved without objection.
• Proclamation declaring May 17, 2025, as National River Cleanup Day in Moline, read by Mitchell Walker of the Clean River Advisory Council.
• Minutes of May 6, 2025, and appointments made on May 20, 2025, approved unanimously.
• Consent Agenda items 18.1 (video gaming terminal license increase for Harold’s Chicken and Sports Bar), 18.2 (personnel residency ordinance amendment), 19.1 (surplus vehicle disposal), and 19.2 (School Police Liaison Officers Agreement for 2025-2026) approved by roll call (8-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Austin McKinney (resident and cyclist) expressed support for bicycle infrastructure and thanked the city for Bike Month and existing paths. He urged continued investment in bikeable, walkable communities.
• Susan Thompson (resident on 17th Street) opposed the planned restriping of 16th Street from four lanes to three with a center turn lane. She expressed concern that it would make it harder to exit her street and that speeding would persist.
• Zach Blair (President, Friends of Off-Road Cycling) thanked the city for a 20-year partnership maintaining trails at Stevens Park and Sylvan Island, highlighted the annual Sylvan Island race drawing riders from multiple states, and a "Take a Kid Mountain Biking" event with 50 participants.

Discussion Items

• Committee-of-the-Whole Item 9.1 – Parking Prohibition Amendment: Ordinance amending parking regulations on 36th Street. Approved unanimously.
• Committee-of-the-Whole Item 9.2 – Sewer Lining Program Contract: Resolution authorizing a $530,108.30 contract with Hoerr Construction for the 2025 Sewer Lining Program, with total budget not to exceed $700,000 (WPC) and $100,000 (Stormwater). Council discussed wide bid variance (bids from $530k to $1.2M) and approved.
• Committee-of-the-Whole Item 9.3 – Head Shop Sign Regulations: Ordinance creating business-specific sign regulations for head shops to prohibit deceptive advertising (e.g., displaying cannabis imagery when cannabis is not sold). Extensive debate on constitutionality, vagueness, enforcement, and First Amendment limits. City Attorney Atkins defended the ordinance as targeting only misleading commercial speech. Council members Castro and Finch raised compliance and enforcement concerns. Schmidt argued the language was unclear. Timmy noted renewal non-approval as a backstop. Motion passed 6-2.
• Non-Consent Item 21.1 – Tobacco Dealer License Increase: Ordinance to increase Class A Principal Tobacco Dealer licenses for Moline Smoke Time & Vapor Shop due to fire-related relocation. Approved 8-0. Castro requested staff check compliance with illumination standards due to bright LED window outlining.

Informational Presentations

• Environmental Resiliency Plan (Dawn Temple, Management Analyst): Update on progress. A task force selected Blue Strike Environmental (via RFP) for a $100,000 plan. Scope includes greenhouse gas inventory, climate risk/vulnerability study, community engagement, and actionable goals. Timeline ~1 year, with draft plan in fall 2025 and final next spring. Council input sought. Next steps include finalizing contract and considering a sustainability manager position.
• Preliminary General-Purpose Financial Statements (Carol Barnes, Director of Finance): Reported a clean audit for 2024 with no material weaknesses. All major funds within policy. General fund ended at 26.17% fund balance ($576k above 25% policy). Parks, library, water, storm water, sanitation all on target. Health insurance claims rose only 2.95%. Liability fund claims down 33%. Total capital expenditures $36M ($20M on streets). Cautioned about rising police/fire pension contributions (~$400k) and IMRF increase (17.7%). Personal property replacement tax clawback of ~$3.2M ongoing. 10-year Special CIP fund balance $3.8M, with plans to accumulate $20M over 10 years.
• Grant Updates (Chief Darren Gault): Presented two routine grant applications for informational approval (no vote needed). Council expressed no questions.
• Pavement Remarking on 16th Street (David Dryer, Engineering Director): Proposed conversion of 16th Street from Avenue of the Cities to 36th Avenue from four lanes to three lanes with a two-way center left-turn lane and bike lanes. Crash data (2018-2022): 36 crashes (7.2/year), including 7 injury and 1 fatal in 2025. Identified 42% of crashes (15) as correctible. Benefit-cost ratio >3. Estimated cost $15,000–$20,000. Studies of similar 12th Avenue conversion showed 64% reduction in rear-end crashes. Council expressed increased support compared to previous discussion. Project to proceed.

Key Outcomes

• Oath of office administered to Hunter Rowray.
• Board reappointments approved.
• Proclamation for National River Cleanup Day issued.
• Ordinance 9.1 (parking prohibition) passed.
• Resolution 9.2 (sewer lining contract) approved.
• Ordinance 9.3 (head shop sign regulations) passed 6-2.
• Consent Agenda approved 8-0.
• Non-Consent Ordinance 21.1 (tobacco license) approved 8-0.
• Council directed staff to check illumination compliance for Moline Smoke Time & Vapor Shop.
• The 16th Street road diet project received council direction to proceed.
• Council will receive National Community Survey and National Business Survey results by June 6, with strategic planning discussions beginning June 10.