Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting - May 19, 2026

The Moline City Council held a joint Committee-of-the-Whole and regular City Council meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included a proclamation, public comment, approval of several resolutions and ordinances, and a detailed presentation of preliminary financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2025.

Proclamation

• Building Our Communities Week (May 29 – June 5, 2026): Katie Schrader, Community Relations Manager for John Deere, accepted the proclamation on behalf of the Quad Cities Chamber. The proclamation highlighted the partnership between John Deere and Habitat for Humanity, noting that from 2021 to 2026, John Deere and its employees contributed over $6.46 million and more than 28,000 volunteer hours to Iowa Habitat affiliates, including the Quad Cities Illinois area. The week will include a coordinated Blitz Week with donation drives and volunteer activities.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Stoner spoke against the city’s use of Flock cameras. He cited updated terms of service that he argued strip away protections and allow the company to sell data, and reported that the FBI is seeking access to a national network of automatic license plate readers. He presented a petition with 702 signatures opposing the camera system and urged the council to end the contract. The council did not respond during the meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the May 12, 2026 meetings (Committee-of-the-Whole, Council, Executive Session).
• Approved second reading ordinances:
  • Amendment to Chapter 31 (Taxation) regarding tax and report transmittal.
  • Amendment to Chapter 35 (Zoning) removing public art requirements for private development to lower financial burden.
  • Amendment to Chapter 35 (Zoning) modifying bonding requirements for infrastructure and public improvements.
• Approved resolutions:
  • Contract with Valley Construction Co. for the 38th Avenue Sanitary Sewer & Lift Station project ($785,330).
  • Block party for Glen Oaks Neighborhood on August 29, 2026, with street closures.
  • Grant of $300 to Renew Moline for seasonal summer decorations for the Chillin’ in the Courtyard Concert Series.

Discussion Items

Committee-of-the-Whole Items

• Pride 5K and Pride Party (Item 7.1): A resolution approving the special event application for June 27, 2026, sponsored by The Project of the Quad Cities, Inc. The city will provide a $5,000 grant from the Special Events Fund, close 17th Street completely, and partially close River Drive and 19th Street. Alderperson Castro stated she would recuse herself due to employment with The Project, but the roll call shows she voted "Aye" (the transcript notes this discrepancy). The motion passed unanimously with 8 ayes.
• Sins Tavern Licensing Agreement (Item 7.2): Approved a licensing agreement with 1522 River Dr. LLC (dba Sins Tavern) for outdoor service of alcohol and food at 1520 River Drive (Historic Block Courtyard) from June 13 to October 3, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.
• CDBG 2026 Annual Action Plan (Item 7.3): Approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to submit the plan to HUD by June 1, 2026. Funding is down approximately $20,000 from last year, with a total of 1,491 entitlements. The plan serves as the second-year action plan under the 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan. Motion passed unanimously.
• Strong Communities Program (SCP) Round 3 Grant (Item 7.4): Approved a resolution authorizing the Community & Economic Development Department to apply for a $748,000 grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. Funds will be used to demolish 10 residential units, acquire two properties, and rehab two properties. The application is due June 16, 2026. Motion passed unanimously.

Informational Report – Preliminary Financial Statements (Year Ended 12/31/2025)

• Carol Barnes, Director of Finance, presented the preliminary audit results. Key highlights:
  • Clean audit with no internal control findings or material weaknesses.
  • General fund ended with a 24.8% fund balance (approximately 89.3 days of expenditures), slightly below the budgeted 24.92% (90 days). Total ending fund balance: $12,596,000 net of $8.9 million in cash advances to TIF funds.
  • General fund revenues fell short by 3.13% (mainly intergovernmental revenues, hotel/motel tax, and interest income), but expenditures came in under budget by 1.42%.
  • The 1% grocery tax resolution was noted as providing approximately $100,000 per month (first two months: January and February).
  • Library fund: $935,000 in reserves (29.4% of expenditures), projected to drop to 22.2% by 2028 if property tax levy increases are not maintained.
  • Parks fund: $2,075,000 in reserves (29.1%), with about $600,000 already committed to projects (playgrounds, mini pitch, backhoe). Projected to drop to 22.6% under current levy assumptions.
  • Cannabis Humanitarian Assistance Fund: $213,000 balance, accumulating approximately $60,000 per month in interest. Alderperson Schmidt noted this could be a source for a permanent shelter solution.
  • Enterprise funds (water, WPC, stormwater, sanitation) all above the 25–30% cash reserve minimum.
  • Internal service funds (health, IT, liability, etc.) all at or above the 25% minimum.
  • Total capital projects in 2025: $30.2 million (excluding ARPA funds).
• Discussion included concerns about future tax levy increases for parks and library, potential impacts of rising utility rates on franchise fees, and the need to monitor state revenue projections.

Non-Consent Agenda Items (Council)

• Second Reading Ordinance – Tobacco Dealer License (Item 19.1): Approved an ordinance increasing the number of Class B Incidental Tobacco Dealer’s Licenses for Rosy’s Watering Hole Inc. Passed 6-2 (Alderpersons Timian and Silas voted nay).
• Non-Consent Resolution – CDBG (Item 20.1): Approved the same CDBG resolution as under Committee-of-the-Whole (item 7.3). Passed unanimously.
• First Reading Ordinances (Items 21.1–21.4): All four ordinances were advanced to second reading unanimously:
  • 21.1: Three-hour parking restrictions on 18th Street near Sixth Avenue.
  • 21.2: Speed limit reduction to 20 mph on several streets (15th Street C, 31st Avenue, 16th Street, 33rd Avenue).
  • 21.3: Thirty-minute parking restrictions at 621 and 620 18th Street.
  • 21.4: Removal and addition of multiple streets to/from 20 mph and 40 mph speed limit zones.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Pride 5K event grant and street closures, Sins Tavern outdoor service license, CDBG 2026 Annual Action Plan submission, SCP Round 3 grant application, tobacco dealer license increase, and four first-reading traffic ordinances (advanced to second reading).
• Consent Agenda: Approved as a block, including minutes, three ordinances, and three resolutions.
• Next Steps: The CDBG plan will be submitted to HUD by June 1, 2026. The Strong Communities grant application is due June 16, 2026. The preliminary financial statements will be formally presented by auditors on June 9, 2026. A roundtable discussion on June 16, 2026, will cover potential code updates and a presentation on QCon’s program. The CIP roundtable is scheduled for July.
• Miscellaneous: The mayor announced that a Harvard master’s in urban planning fellow has been selected for the East End project. The permanent shelter discussions continue with a meeting on May 21, 2026.