OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Moline Committee-of-the-Whole Budget Work Session #1 – August 5, 2026

Committee of the Whole & CouncilWednesday, August 5, 2026
BodyMoline, Illinois
SessionCommittee of the Whole & Council
DateWednesday, August 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:21:37

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good evening and called meeting order at 60 here and the Christian person silence like I say it's uh same in present thing present extra I don't believe we have remote only 20 minutes legislations please sorry fled allegiance to buy it to the republic which will see just wrong um public comment uh I know is there anyone in the audience we have a couple two weeks here in city council thank you for the attractive planting to have planted at the site of the new Park Lawton School when time in proper regular care the trees we grow and the other flora as well to offset the loss of the Norway makeful trees that we removed if you have flat can be placed at the site as a market for the kids preserve such giants in our city's feature please they can get to all citizen eggs and that just so the council knows I don't remember you all got the email but I've been down the email from big situation or it wasn't an email it was an actual letter uh exactly wondering what was happening with the next and the next one vote to give up essential liberty for secondary safety deserve neither freedom nor safety Benjamin Franklin this is in regards to the flux safety cameras again that are being installed in our city at their expense systems never notice I would like the council to approve these cameras prevent crime before and after installation if this cannot be proven why are we continuing to pay 150 to 300 per month per camera plus reinstallation cost to a citizen banalize them which is happening all over the country we have numerous examples of license and employees systems track sponsors and girlfriends without approval i will wait patiently for your response links and videos are in this email thank you uh any further public comment hearing none uh we no questions on the agenda and we'll go to our round table discussion budget work session number one as far as off first yeah no very good at your places tonight um today we had a very successful fund sale and as you recall it was to reimburse ourselves for the purchase of the river station we had one million seven hundred and twenty thousand dollars because the cost of the property plus some additional improvements that we anticipate and our ordinance that the council adopted was um stating that we needed to be under six percent on the bids and the low weight came in at five point eight seven percent so we are not needing any further purpose action um and staff is recommended that the mayor posting um writing the documents and we can hope to close on those volunteer within two to three weeks to reimburse ourselves and letting this cash flow down the study questions congratulations and we're gonna move it right into um the discussion tonight as Bob and Mayor said here this is our first budget session for 2027 29 and as we proceed over the next couple of hours which could be three I'm hoping to um we are not asking for any decisions tonight to I see those are the eyes guys but we're not asking for any decisions to we are simply presenting our recommendations for more information and as most of you recall and to bring over and silence an update since it is new um we always kicked the budget off with a downic plan which we did earlier this year then we jump right in and you can preparing the CIP projects that help achieve and support those goals because most of them are driven projects so tonight we are wanting to accomplish four main things number one we're gonna review the three year CIP plan 27 talk about change in projects and as you know the CI budget makes up about 40 percent of our overall annual budget with big dollars that we're talking about tonight and I do have to say that staff are Laura and Laura Eric and Denver lots of staff have been working on this for the better part of 60 days so it's been a lot of work to pull this together then we are going to review the impact on our

5:00

Number one, we're going to review the three-year CIP plan, 27, talk about change in projects.

5:04

And as you know, the CIP budget makes up about 40% of our overall annual plugin, the big dollars that we're talking about tonight.

5:14

And I do have to say that staff are Laura and Laura, Eric, and Denver, lots of staff have been working on this for the better part of 60 days.

5:24

So it's been a lot of work to pull this together.

5:27

Then we are going to review the impact on our destructure in the enterprise fund, which support and pay for these projects, in addition to reviewing the sanitation fund.

5:39

Following that fee review, I would like to take the remaining time, whatever time that is, and reviewing impact on each of the funds that are affected.

5:49

So we're talking CIP, MFT, and all of the enterprise funds.

5:54

And then lastly, I'd like to have a very brief review of our um to my 26th amendment since we're already halfway through here.

6:03

And just so you know, priority to that, all of our funds are in very gene.

6:10

So to get started, I'll have you look at our very first slide, which is an overview of our projected fees for 2729.

6:25

And I wanted to start it off with the fees to reassure you that as we move through all the presentations that we are following plan.

6:36

Can we say that all the time we are following that the council clear place lacked here regarding the key increases in the utility funds?

6:45

And what we're talking here is WPC 6% being at the water at 2%, stormwater and sanitation at 2% as well.

6:56

Overall, I put in two slides here.

6:59

This first one is our projections for 2729.

7:03

And we're going to talk about this over the course of the night.

7:07

But I know you'd be anxious to know where the impact is.

7:10

And for 2027, if you'll see that little red bolded um sell up there, on a monthly basis in 2027, we anticipate these to be three dollars and ninety cents per month.

7:26

And amazingly, that's actually slightly lower.

7:30

If we flip to the next payment, slightly lower than what we had projected last year, and you have to follow down the 27th.

7:43

Um, we had projected it to be $4.14 coming in at $3.90, and it's primarily it's 100% due to um a reduction in the surcharge for the water, you know, just the timing of getting the projects done.

7:59

We don't have to pay for some of the loans back and sort of plate.

8:02

So with the fee that we have shown you put in place on a monthly and annual basis has not changed.

8:13

And so um that's all for me to start off with.

8:18

And so with that, I'm just gonna let's just kind of jump in and start with projects.

8:27

Oh, I'm sorry.

8:30

Oh, well, we were about to sign personal slides.

8:44

Okay, so I'm kicking it off.

8:47

Um my plan is to start off with some general statistics and information about our spending and our pavement condition index results, and then we'll um go into specific projects, proposed projects for 27 through 29.

9:05

So here's a list of the categories that we break down our projects into.

9:10

We have a maintenance and traffic hold categories, maintenance programs vary from pavement barnings, joint crack ceiling detection program, traffic safety initiatives, and asphalt overly maintenance.

9:25

Is our new work program to um pave over sealed boat streets so we don't install seal book?

9:32

So instead we put it in layer of asphalt over it with a smaller seal like one, and then we have our capital projects, which are bigger projects from ring constructions to cash hold recyclace, new traffic signals there.

9:53

So here's just an overview of our street network.

9:56

We have 230 center line miles in sitting on all the roads and alleys that we maintain.

10:02

We had our streets rated in 2023, and again earlier this year.

10:12

And they specifically look for two things.

10:16

The first is called the PCI, which is a pavement conditions between zero and 100 is pavement score, basically.

10:22

And the second is the percent of backlog, which is a street that's lower than 40 PCI.

10:31

So that's they consider that 40 PCI kind of a compared on threshold where the street drops below that, it's no longer a good candidate for maintenance.

10:45

So the goal is to keep your PCI size read and your backlog is looking at you.

10:54

So here's some results from 23 to 26.

10:58

Our PCI stayed fairly steady, 62 to 61.

11:02

So that's good.

11:04

However, our backlog did increase from 16.3 to 20.4.

11:09

I'll give some reasons in a second why I think that happened.

11:14

So back in 2023, IMS presented to council their findings, their PCI findings from that year.

11:22

They did recommend spending seven million dollars annually to run some road by improvements.

11:43

So from 5.8 million to 7.3 to this year's 6.4.

11:49

So we're spending more than we used to, but still not quite to that $7 million.

11:54

One thing I want to point out is what's shown in the supply chart.

11:59

Um this shows the split between street reconstructions and street resurfacings, and then you can see the the figures below how much it costs to reconstruct a street versus resurface a street.

12:15

So in the past three years, we've focused the majority of our street money towards reconstructions.

12:27

So that's what we're saying.

12:32

That is that is one idea.

12:38

So moving forward, we're gonna suggest just kind of switching gears a little bit towards maintenance techniques, which is something that this IMS consultant recommends.

12:51

Um and it's a standard in engineering practice.

12:54

It needs um fix your street before it gets too bad.

13:01

Simple way to put it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Water And Wastewater Management███████████████████████████27%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████████16%
Parks and Recreation███████████████15%
Budget Equity Analysis██████████10%
Fiscal Sustainability█████████9%
Public Engagement██████6%
Procedural████4%
Transportation Safety███3%
Active Transportation███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Moline Committee-of-the-Whole Budget Work Session #1 – August 5, 2026

Note: The agenda for this meeting was dated July 14, 2026, but the summary follows the user-provided date of August 5, 2026.

This special meeting was a budget work session for Fiscal Years 2027–2029, focusing on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), enterprise fund fee reviews, and a mid-year budget amendment. City staff presented proposed projects, financial projections, and rate increases. No formal votes were taken; council gave direction to proceed with planning and ordinance preparation.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • A resident thanked the council for attractive planting at the new Park Lawton School site and requested that a marker be placed at the site to commemorate the trees and preserve them for future generations.
  • A second resident spoke against the red light safety cameras being installed in the city, citing Benjamin Franklin (“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety”). The speaker questioned the cameras’ effectiveness in preventing crime, noted costs of $150–$300 per month per camera plus reinstallation fees, and claimed examples of misuse elsewhere. The speaker requested proof of crime reduction before and after installation.

Discussion Items

  • CIP Overview (Laura Klauer, Engineering): The city’s pavement condition index (PCI) remained steady at 61–62, but the backlog of streets below PCI 40 increased from 16.3% to 20.4%. Staff recommended shifting from street reconstructions to more resurfacing and maintenance, a strategy to be detailed in a consultant’s five-year plan on September 1. Proposed 2027–2029 projects include the River Drive streetscape, 34th Street shared-use path, quiet zones, and parking ramp repairs. Sidewalk spending is elevated in 2026–2027 due to federal match requirements.
  • Water & Lead Service Line Replacement (Laura Williamson): Major projects include traveling screen replacements at the water intake ($3M), PFOS removal ($3.5M), and a lead service line replacement program (required by 2035). The city has completed 66 lead lines in the 15th Street community and is seeking funding for 851 lines in FY2026. A 10-year projection shows a potential surcharge increase to $8 per month by 2036 to cover costs.
  • Parks & Recreation (Eric Griffith): The 2027 park highlights include an inclusive playground at Ben Butterworth Parkway (with a $50,000 grant), park refreshes at Kewanee and Optimist, and a feasibility study for a pocket park at 1719 Avenue (former Paradise Moon/Spotlight site). Council debated the 1719 Avenue site: some members favored housing development, others preferred a park or micro-shop spaces for entrepreneurs. No decision was reached.
  • Enterprise Fund Fee Reviews:
    • Water Pollution Control (WPC): Proposed 6% rate increase for 2027–2029, consistent with prior plans.
    • Water: Proposed 2% increase in 2027; possible 3–4% in 2028–2029 due to rising chemical, labor, and utility costs.
    • Stormwater: Proposed 2% increase in 2027.
    • Sanitation: Proposed 2% increase in 2027–2028, and 3% in 2029 to build reserves for future truck replacements.
  • 2026 Budget Amendment (Carol Barnes): The mid-year amendment reflects all council actions from January–June 2026, with no surprises. The general fund balance is projected at 23.02% (above the adopted 22.1%). Minor revenue shortfalls (e.g., hotel/motel tax) are offset by higher license and permit revenue.

Key Outcomes

  • Council directed staff to proceed with design and engineering for 2027 CIP projects, consistent with past practice.
  • Council authorized staff to prepare fee ordinances for the enterprise funds (WPC, water, stormwater, sanitation) for two readings prior to January 2027.
  • The 2026 budget amendment will be placed on the August consent agenda for adoption.
  • No final decision was made on the 1719 Avenue pocket park proposal; further public input and design discussions are anticipated.
  • Council acknowledged the need for continued gradual rate increases to manage lead service line replacement and aging infrastructure, while remaining competitive with surrounding communities.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening and called meeting order at 60 here and the Christian person silence like I say it's uh same in present thing present extra I don't believe we have remote only 20 minutes legislations please sorry fled allegiance to buy it to the republic which will see just wrong um public comment uh I know is there anyone in the audience we have a couple two weeks here in city council thank you for the attractive planting to have planted at the site of the new Park Lawton School when time in proper regular care the trees we grow and the other flora as well to offset the loss of the Norway makeful trees that we removed if you have flat can be placed at the site as a market for the kids preserve such giants in our city's feature please they can get to all citizen eggs and that just so the council knows I don't remember you all got the email but I've been down the email from big situation or it wasn't an email it was an actual letter uh exactly wondering what was happening with the next and the next one vote to give up essential liberty for secondary safety deserve neither freedom nor safety Benjamin Franklin this is in regards to the flux safety cameras again that are being installed in our city at their expense systems never notice I would like the council to approve these cameras prevent crime before and after installation if this cannot be proven why are we continuing to pay 150 to 300 per month per camera plus reinstallation cost to a citizen banalize them which is happening all over the country we have numerous examples of license and employees systems track sponsors and girlfriends without approval i will wait patiently for your response links and videos are in this email thank you uh any further public comment hearing none uh we no questions on the agenda and we'll go to our round table discussion budget work session number one as far as off first yeah no very good at your places tonight um today we had a very successful fund sale and as you recall it was to reimburse ourselves for the purchase of the river station we had one million seven hundred and twenty thousand dollars because the cost of the property plus some additional improvements that we anticipate and our ordinance that the council adopted was um stating that we needed to be under six percent on the bids and the low weight came in at five point eight seven percent so we are not needing any further purpose action um and staff is recommended that the mayor posting um writing the documents and we can hope to close on those volunteer within two to three weeks to reimburse ourselves and letting this cash flow down the study questions congratulations and we're gonna move it right into um the discussion tonight as Bob and Mayor said here this is our first budget session for 2027 29 and as we proceed over the next couple of hours which could be three I'm hoping to um we are not asking for any decisions tonight to I see those are the eyes guys but we're not asking for any decisions to we are simply presenting our recommendations for more information and as most of you recall and to bring over and silence an update since it is new um we always kicked the budget off with a downic plan which we did earlier this year then we jump right in and you can preparing the CIP projects that help achieve and support those goals because most of them are driven projects so tonight we are wanting to accomplish four main things number one we're gonna review the three year CIP plan 27 talk about change in projects and as you know the CI budget makes up about 40 percent of our overall annual budget with big dollars that we're talking about tonight and I do have to say that staff are Laura and Laura Eric and Denver lots of staff have been working on this for the better part of 60 days so it's been a lot of work to pull this together then we are going to review the impact on our Number one, we're going to review the three-year CIP plan, 27, talk about change in projects. And as you know, the CIP budget makes up about 40% of our overall annual plugin, the big dollars that we're talking about tonight. And I do have to say that staff are Laura and Laura, Eric, and Denver, lots of staff have been working on this for the better part of 60 days. So it's been a lot of work to pull this together. Then we are going to review the impact on our destructure in the enterprise fund, which support and pay for these projects, in addition to reviewing the sanitation fund. Following that fee review, I would like to take the remaining time, whatever time that is, and reviewing impact on each of the funds that are affected. So we're talking CIP, MFT, and all of the enterprise funds. And then lastly, I'd like to have a very brief review of our um to my 26th amendment since we're already halfway through here. And just so you know, priority to that, all of our funds are in very gene. So to get started, I'll have you look at our very first slide, which is an overview of our projected fees for 2729. And I wanted to start it off with the fees to reassure you that as we move through all the presentations that we are following plan. Can we say that all the time we are following that the council clear place lacked here regarding the key increases in the utility funds? And what we're talking here is WPC 6% being at the water at 2%, stormwater and sanitation at 2% as well. Overall, I put in two slides here. This first one is our projections for 2729. And we're going to talk about this over the course of the night. But I know you'd be anxious to know where the impact is. And for 2027, if you'll see that little red bolded um sell up there, on a monthly basis in 2027, we anticipate these to be three dollars and ninety cents per month. And amazingly, that's actually slightly lower. If we flip to the next payment, slightly lower than what we had projected last year, and you have to follow down the 27th. Um, we had projected it to be $4.14 coming in at $3.90, and it's primarily it's 100% due to um a reduction in the surcharge for the water, you know, just the timing of getting the projects done. We don't have to pay for some of the loans back and sort of plate. So with the fee that we have shown you put in place on a monthly and annual basis has not changed. And so um that's all for me to start off with. And so with that, I'm just gonna let's just kind of jump in and start with projects. Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, well, we were about to sign personal slides. Okay, so I'm kicking it off. Um my plan is to start off with some general statistics and information about our spending and our pavement condition index results, and then we'll um go into specific projects, proposed projects for 27 through 29. So here's a list of the categories that we break down our projects into. We have a maintenance and traffic hold categories, maintenance programs vary from pavement barnings, joint crack ceiling detection program, traffic safety initiatives, and asphalt overly maintenance. Is our new work program to um pave over sealed boat streets so we don't install seal book? So instead we put it in layer of asphalt over it with a smaller seal like one, and then we have our capital projects, which are bigger projects from ring constructions to cash hold recyclace, new traffic signals there. So here's just an overview of our street network. We have 230 center line miles in sitting on all the roads and alleys that we maintain. We had our streets rated in 2023, and again earlier this year. And they specifically look for two things. The first is called the PCI, which is a pavement conditions between zero and 100 is pavement score, basically. And the second is the percent of backlog, which is a street that's lower than 40 PCI. So that's they consider that 40 PCI kind of a compared on threshold where the street drops below that, it's no longer a good candidate for maintenance. So the goal is to keep your PCI size read and your backlog is looking at you. So here's some results from 23 to 26. Our PCI stayed fairly steady, 62 to 61. So that's good. However, our backlog did increase from 16.3 to 20.4. I'll give some reasons in a second why I think that happened. So back in 2023, IMS presented to council their findings, their PCI findings from that year. They did recommend spending seven million dollars annually to run some road by improvements. So from 5.8 million to 7.3 to this year's 6.4.

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