Moline City Council Committee of the Whole and Regular Meeting - July 18, 2025
Moline City Council Committee of the Whole and Regular Meeting - July 18, 2025
The Moline City Council met on July 18, 2025, beginning at 6 p.m. in council chambers for a Committee of the Whole session followed by the regular council meeting. The committee heard public comment, swore in a new utilities director, accepted a water award, reviewed the Moline High School internship program and agency funding recommendations, adopted a Parks and Recreation Month proclamation, and considered multiple resolutions. The regular meeting approved the consent agenda, approved non-consent items, advanced first-reading ordinances, and entered executive session.
Public Comments & Testimony
- A Fifth Avenue resident, who has lived on Fifth Avenue since 1997, said four of her automobiles had been demolished - three on Fifth Avenue and one on Third Street - with the latest hit about three weeks before the meeting. She stated that drivers use the street like a speedway at 60-70 mph and requested a blinking stop sign at Fifth Avenue near Second and Third Streets, more police presence at night and on weekends, and an accessible curb bump-out near her home. She noted she is 75 years old, works for the Robert Young Center, uses a handicap parking sticker, and said at-fault drivers in the crashes lacked insurance to cover her losses.
Appointments and Oath of Office
- Laura Williamson was sworn in as director of utilities, effective July 7, 2025. City Administrator Vitas said she has a long local-government and public-sector career, most recently as director of public works in Murphy, Texas, and is returning to Illinois from the Rockford area to be near her elderly parents.
- The mayor announced appointments and reappointments: Deb Bennett to the Citizens Advisory Council on Urban Policy for a term expiring July 31, 2028; Jersey Rivers, Brandy Poston, and Josette McCoy reappointed to the same council for terms expiring July 31, 2028; Nathan Tilburg appointed to the Planning Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2031; and Brett Carter reappointed to the Planning Commission for a term expiring June 30, 2031.
Recognition and Presentations
- A presenter from the Illinois Section American Water Works Association presented the City of Moline with the Gold Level Water Ambassador award, the program's highest designation. She said the association has more than 2,400 members in Illinois and that Moline was one of 27 communities recognized this year. The award recognized Melissa Cod and Liz Hansen for water-quality community outreach.
- Mr. Tidwell presented the city's Moline High School internship program. The revamped fourth-year program focuses on career preparation, future employment pathways, and experiential learning: students submitted resumes, cover letters, and online applications, went through interviews and orientation, rotate through departments on either a public works/utilities or administrative track, complete a four-hour city-property tour, a student strategic planning session, 'Muffins with the Mayor,' weekly QR-code feedback surveys, a scavenger hunt, and a final project. Nine Moline High School interns plus one Bob Turner intern attended the meeting.
- The council proclaimed July 2025 as Park and Recreation Month. Parks and Recreation Director Griffith noted this is the 40th national recognition year, the theme is 'Build Together, Play Together,' and Moline employs 23 of the more than 160,000 full-time parks and recreation workers nationwide, plus more than 150 part-time and seasonal staff.
Payments to Agencies Discussion
- Administration recommended level funding for several agencies: $10,000/year for the Moline Youth Commission; $15,000/year for the Historic Preservation Commission; $26,100/year for the Rock Island Arsenal Defense Alliance; $8,000/year for River Action; and $75,000/year for the Public Art Commission and public art, which is also pursuing state grants. The total recommended Moline contribution for 2026 was $1,180,972, rising to about $1,247,000 in subsequent years and then dropping to about $1,186,000.
- Alderperson Schmidt asked whether the Youth Commission had yet provided a rubric explaining how it allocates its money; City Administrator Vitas said he had not received one. Schmidt expressed concern and said he would vote for a zero allocation if no rubric is provided by budget time. Vitas said he would follow up and seek more detail. One council member suggested thinking of needs as two main buckets - poverty reduction and other community development - with secondary buckets including health care, food access, and stability.
Committee of the Whole Resolutions and Actions
- Recommended approval of a license and concession agreement with Lil Stevie's Taste of Something, LLC to operate a mobile food unit or push cart at the northeast parking lot of Stevens Park from July 17, 2025 through July 16, 2027, as weather permits, for a $700 per annum license fee.
- Authorized participation in the state of Illinois Federal Surplus Property Program, allowing the city to acquire federal surplus equipment and vehicles with no obligation to make purchases.
- Approved installation of a single stop sign at the northeast corner of 27th Avenue and 31st Street for westbound traffic, following the Traffic Engineering Committee's recommendation.
- Approved the zoning map amendment for 1212 6th Avenue and 1230 6th Avenue, supporting Illinois Domus 2 LLC's proposed 69 market-rate apartments and a commercial storefront; the Plan Commission recommended approval 6-0.
- Authorized the Public Art Commission to apply for an Illinois Arts Council Creative Project Grant up to $12,000 and a Quad City Community Foundation grant up to $50,000 for public art placemaking projects.
- Approved the Path Forward Program, using $80,000 of opioid settlement funds to provide up to $5,000 in one-time financial assistance to eligible Moline residents in substance use recovery programs.
- Approved a sign licensing agreement with JD Management LLC for an existing wall sign above the entrance at 1825 7th Street.
- Approved a licensing agreement with Bent River Brewing Company for use of parking lot W to sell alcoholic liquor at the Rouse Consulting Group 30th anniversary block party on September 25, 2025. One council member recused, noting Rouse Consulting Group is a client.
- Approved purchase of one parcel of excess I-74 bridge property from IDOT for $71,000 fair market value; the city will establish utility easements and then sell the property to the Riverstone Group.
- Approved a resolution inducing redevelopment within TIF 13 for the Modern Two development, including amending the TIF boundary to add a parcel east of 1212 6th Avenue and about 1,000 additional square feet.
- Approved designation of a developer and inducement of redevelopment within the Fifth Avenue TIF 15 for the Moline Dispatch Apartments, a four-unit rehabilitation project; the development agreement is not yet finalized.
Consent Calendar
- In the regular meeting, the council approved the consent agenda, including executive session minutes of June 3, 2025; council meeting minutes of June 10, 2025; Committee of the Whole, council, and executive session minutes of June 17, 2025; appointments made at Committee of the Whole on July 8, 2025; and consent agenda items 19.1 through 20.7 inclusive. Motion by Finch, seconded by Schmidt; roll call 7-0.
Regular Meeting Non-Consent and First-Reading Items
- Approved a resolution authorizing the mayor and city clerk to execute an employment agreement with City Administrator Bogdan Vitas Jr. Vitas said he looks forward to the next four years and that they will be his last four, ending a career that began in 1980. Roll call 7-0.
- Advanced to second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 23, parks and recreation, to allow non-gas-powered/human-powered activities on city trails. Roll call 7-0.
- Advanced to second reading an ordinance repealing Division 4 of Chapter 8, the 'Prime Free Residential Rental Program.' Roll call 7-0.
- Advanced to second reading an ordinance repealing Appendix 1 of Chapter 27, the City of Moline Purchasing Policy and Procedure. Roll call 7-0.
- Advanced to second reading an ordinance amending Chapter 3, Section 3-2110, sign permit notice requirements for expired sign permits. Roll call 7-0.
Other Business
- The city administrator said he will meet one-on-one with council members to review Polco community survey results, including ward-by-ward data, to help shape ward meetings and budget workshops.
- A council member said she was appointed to the board of Humility Homes and may recuse from future related discussions even without a financial interest.
- Alderperson Schmidt reported positive community feedback about the 'B city' signage and activities.
Key Outcomes
- Laura Williamson was appointed and sworn in as director of utilities.
- Moline received the Gold Level Water Ambassador award.
- All Committee of the Whole resolutions and regular-meeting roll call items were approved unanimously, with no announced opposition except one council member's recusal on the Bent River Brewing parking lot item.
- The council entered executive session for discussion of pending, probable, or imminent litigation, by motion of Murphy and Timian; roll call 7-0.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening, everyone. I'll call this meeting to order at 6 p.m. here in council chambers. Roll call, please. Alder Person Murphy. Present. Messias. President. Rosal. President. Timmy and President. Finch. McNeil. Present. Castro. Schmidt. Present. I don't believe we have any remote electronic attendance, so we'll move to public comment. Chief, is there public comment? Yeah, we'll go over. Okay. You have three minutes. All right. Hi there. Thank you for listening to me. I've lived on Fifth Avenue for since 1997. And I've had four automobiles demolished, three on Fifth Avenue and one on Third Street. Just slightly about three weeks ago. The last one was hit, and I'm buying automobiles because nobody seems to have insurance to take care of me. And so uh, and I know I've got to go to traffic, so but I would like to see a stop sign with the blinking put on Fifth Avenue right there at second and third street because they think it's a speedway, the raceway, they'll go 60 mile an hour, and they've gone around an S curve down there. And the last one that hit me could have if children would have been there, what if they went into that and ran through that fence and ran into a child, you know, and that's what I'm seeing is if the police officer could stay down there, like not when it's traffic, but I'm saying when it's later on in the evening, I mean, because they think it's the speedway, and um, I would like to see a bump up put out for me, and I probably gotta have that also because I'm disabled and I have a handicap to walk up to my house, and I have a handicap sticker and stuff, and I can't afford to keep buying these automobiles, you know. I mean, it's just killing me. I mean, I'm a single person trying to take care of myself. I still work and I'm 75 years old, and I can't walk up on a hill halfway up the hill in the winter. I work for the Robert Young Center, and I would like to, you know, be able to have a bump out something that they have done on First Street for somebody else. I would like to see that done for me, and I just would appreciate you guys' help. I would love to show you all the videos of the two crashes I have on my camera, but the police, I sent it to the police, and they took care of it, you know what I'm saying. But nobody has insurance to take care of me. I mean, my insurance, sooner or later they're gonna say, Hey, you're done. You know, we're gonna say we're not paying for you no more, you know. And I mean, and it's not even my fault, you know. So that's where I'm at. I'm hoping that to tell me what to do, to follow through, you know, because I think it's stop sign right there at second and third street is gonna help immensely because, like I said, 60, 70 miles an hour, and you stay there at seven, eight o'clock at night express, but on the weekends. I mean, one was at uh 103 and one was 12 something, and I mean one demolished three automobiles, she did. Didn't get a ticket other than for two fast for conditions, you know. She wasn't paying attention. She could have gone over and hit that fence, you know, and instead of demolishing three automobiles. Same way with the one that you know wrapped up. The third the one that just hit me, somebody hit him coming across, uh, third, second and third, right there, going across Fifth Avenue, hit him first, and then he come over and back and then hit me, demolish my car. So that's where I'm at, and I'm just hoping something can be done about it.
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