Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council Meeting

The Moline Committee-of-the-Whole and City Council met at City Hall Council Chambers, 619 16th Street, Moline, Illinois, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The printed agenda and transcript are dated Tuesday, June 9, 2026; this summary uses the supplied meeting date of June 10, 2026. The combined session included a public hearing on two voluntary annexations, a proclamation, two presentations, the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, 17 committee-of-the-whole agenda items, consent agenda approvals, and non-consent council resolutions.

Consent Calendar

• The City Council approved the May 19, 2026 committee-of-the-whole and council minutes plus consent items 17.1 through 18.2 by one omnibus motion, 7-0. The consent package included temporary parking restriction amendments (17.1, 17.2), altered 20 mph and 40 mph speed limit zones (17.3, 17.4), a licensing agreement with 1522 River Dr. LLC dba Sins Tavern for outdoor service at the Historic Block Courtyard from June 13 to October 3, 2026 (18.1), and authorization to apply to the Illinois Housing Development Authority for a Strong Communities Program Round 3 Grant of $748,000 for affordable housing and community revitalization (18.2).

Public Comments and Public Hearing

• George Keresi of World Relief Quad Cities spoke in support of the agency's $1,500 special-events grant request, describing the refugee resettlement agency's work. He said it resettled close to 200 families last year and close to 1,500 families over five years, citing home purchases by five families and other economic indicators.
• At the public hearing for the proposed annexations of 4200 29th Street and 1523 36th Avenue, staff stated both parcels are single-family homes already connected to city utilities. There was no resident testimony, no written comment reported, and no testimony in favor or opposition; the hearing was closed at 6:05 p.m.

Proclamation and Presentations

• The Council issued a proclamation declaring June 22-28, 2026 as National Pollinator Week in Moline, recognizing more than 3,600 species of native bees in the United States and the importance of pollinators. Parks and Recreation Director Eric Griffith noted this is Moline's first National Pollinator Week as a Bee City USA affiliate and highlighted new pollinator gardens at Ben Butterworth Parkway, the John Deere property, and projects at Sylvan Island, Green Valley, Prospect, and Peterson.
• Anamaria Rocha was presented a certificate for developing/redesigning the City's official logo. She thanked the Council and clarified it was a redesign.
• Baker Tilly principal Michael E. Malatt presented the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year January 1-December 31, 2025. The City received an unmodified audit opinion, the highest level of assurance; the general fund was roughly break-even before transfers; capital funds were spent down; other funds increased; the combined police and fire pension funds increased by about $20.5 million and are funded in the high-70s percentile, nearly 80%; IMRF remains overfunded; TIF compliance and federal single audit reports were clean; and the results and insights letter had no significant findings.

Discussion Items - Committee-of-the-Whole

• Parking minimums (9.1): The Council approved lowering minimum residential parking requirements to one space per unit for multifamily and single-family uses, but not for institutional residential uses such as group homes or nursing homes. The Plan Commission held a public hearing on May 13 and recommended approval. An amendment to reduce the requirement to zero failed for lack of a second. Alderpersons cited concerns about on-street congestion, rental housing, and housing density.
• Annexations (9.2, 9.3): The Council approved voluntary annexation of 4200 29th Street (Parcel #17-09-410-017) and 1523 36th Avenue (Parcel #17-08-406-007), both single-family homes already receiving city utilities, with default R-2 zoning.
• Tobacco license reclassifications (9.4, 9.5): Proposed ordinances to increase the Class A Principal Tobacco Dealer's license cap for Galaxy Glass Smoke Shop and Avenue of the Cities Tobacco & Vape, both reclassifying from Class C to Class A, failed. Staff said the owners self-reported misclassification and supplied floor-space and sales data. Council debate raised concerns about Kratom products, self-reported classifications, potential loopholes, and the need for stronger renewal verification. Staff said future applications would require more detailed sales and floor-space breakdowns. Item 9.4 failed on a 2-6 vote; item 9.5 also failed.
• Public works and infrastructure (9.6-9.11): The Council approved a $335,289.73 contract with Phoenix Corporation of the Quad Cities for 15th Street resurfacing (19th to 23rd Avenues); a highway-rail signal interface agreement with Iowa Interstate Railroad for the 12th Street crossing; a $658,718.44 contract with Langman Construction for the 2026 Motor Fuel Tax asphalt project on 16th Avenue; a $650,000 maintenance resolution for that same MFT project; a $822,766.21 contract with Langman Construction for 11th Avenue C reconstruction, including new concrete pavement and underground utilities; and acceptance of three right-of-way deeds of dedication and three temporary construction easements for the 25th Avenue Shared-Use Path / Morgan Park Path Project, with three more deeds still pending.
• Solar lease (9.12): The Council approved a Solar Facility Site Lease Agreement with Community Power Group LLC for a city-owned site, for a 25-year base term with extensions. The City, as anchor tenant, may subscribe to up to 40% of the facility's output. Projected savings were described as up to 10% on the first 5,000 kWh of MidAmerican charges, with potential six-figure annual savings to the City, which spends over $1 million per year on power. Staff said prior options were blocked by a roughly $18 million substation cost and a five-to-seven-year equipment wait; the current project is expected to begin operating in two to four years.
• Bealer lease modification (9.13): The Council approved modifying the long-term Donald R. Bealer Family Limited Partnership lease to remove about 40 acres that is being sold, while retaining the Police Department shooting range on the remaining leased property. Staff said the change will slightly reduce the City's cost for the remaining roughly 14 years.
• School Resource Officer agreement (9.14): The Council approved the 2026-2027 School Resource Officer Agreement with Moline-Coal Valley School District No. 40 for four police liaison officers. The Police Chief said the updated document implements a new state law, clarifies that SROs are not school disciplinarians, preserves law enforcement authority, and was already approved by the School Board.
• World Relief grant (9.15): The Council approved a $1,500 grant to World Relief Quad Cities from the Special Events Fund for the World Refugee Day Quad Cities Celebration on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Ben Butterworth Park. One alderperson recused because they serve on the World Relief advisory board; the vote was 7-0.
• Block party (9.16): The Council approved a September 20, 2026 block party for the Karstens/City Line Neighborhood Association, including street closures and a licensing agreement with Michele Shipp.
• 1601 River Drive asset purchase (9.17): The Council approved an Asset Purchase Agreement with Kaizen Company of America LC and Riverstation on Bass Street LLC to buy the roughly 42,000-square-foot building at 1601 River Drive for $1,650,000. Staff said the building sits on about 0.8 acres under a ground lease, was completed in 2006, is currently 30% occupied, and will continue to operate as commercial space. The agreement includes dismissal of litigation and a mutual release of claims; financing options are to be reviewed at the June round table, and the transaction is expected to be self-funding without new tax obligations.

Regular Council Session - Non-Consent Resolutions

• Pride 5K and Pride Party (20.1): Approved 6-0 with one recusal, including a $5,000 Special Events Fund grant to The Project of the Quad Cities, Inc., for the June 27, 2026 event and associated street closures.
• Bealer lease modification (20.2): Approved.
• Library Board meeting calendar (20.3): Approved 8-0, moving Library Board of Trustees meetings to 3:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month effective July 2026.
• 11th Avenue C reconstruction contract (20.4): Approved 8-0.
• Acceptance of the 2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (20.5): Approved 8-0.

Other Business

• The Mayor announced the upcoming Parkview groundbreaking by the Moline Housing Authority and an upcoming Council round table on legislative and regulatory topics, including vape-shop licenses.
• Alderperson Schmidt announced the retirement of the Library Director after more than 35 years with the City and noted the Finance Department's return to City Hall, including a new drop box for payments and a 4:30 p.m. customer-service desk closing time.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: residential parking minimum reduction, two annexations, all public works and infrastructure resolutions, the Community Power Group solar lease, the Bealer lease modification, the School Resource Officer agreement, the World Relief grant, the block party, the 1601 River Drive asset purchase, and all consent and non-consent council resolutions.
• Failed: the two Class A tobacco license cap increases (9.4 and 9.5).
• Next steps identified: staff will bring financing options for the River Drive acquisition to the June round table; three more right-of-way deeds are pending for the Morgan Park path; solar interconnection and Illinois Shine applications are expected to proceed; and the City will continue discussions about Kratom and tobacco license enforcement.