Quincy City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025: Proclamations, Police Report, and Business District Tax Vote
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Quincy City Council Meeting – September 22, 2025
The Quincy City Council met on Monday, September 22, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting opened with a prayer led by Reverend Dr. Booth and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Boy Scout Troop 1B, which celebrated its 100th anniversary. The council approved several proclamations, received the Quincy Police Department's 2024 annual report, approved a contract for license plate reader cameras, and narrowly passed a business district tax ordinance. Public comment focused on support for a maternity house (Hope House) and opposition to book bans.
Proclamations
- The Mayor proclaimed September 22, 2025 as American Business Women's Day in Quincy, recognizing the Quincy Charter Chapter of ABWA established in 1962.
- September 21, 2025 was proclaimed International Peace Day, with a Peace Pole dedication scheduled for September 30, 2025 at the Villa Catherine Rose Garden, organized by the Rotary Club of Quincy.
- A special proclamation for Blessed Sacrament Parish Scouts BSA Troop 1B Day (September 20, 2025) was noted, celebrating the troop's 100-year continuous charter.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dr. Megan Dusterhouse (CEO of Quinata and library board member) expressed support for the "Freed Between the Lines" event and argued that book bans isolate survivors of sexual violence and undermine parental rights. She urged the council not to focus on a single title, noting that the library's collection is curated based on circulation data.
- Sherry Hills (real estate broker) shared her personal story of being a homeless pregnant 16-year-old taken in by a widow, Linda Hastings. She advocated for the Hope House (a proposed maternity house at 1603 Center Avenue) as a way to break cycles of poverty and abuse, asking the council to approve the special use permit.
- Brennan Hills (grandson of Sherry Hills and former mayoral candidate) urged the council to support the Hope House, warning that perceived unfriendliness to housing development worsens the city's housing crisis.
Consent Agenda
The following routine items were approved unanimously (13 ayes, 1 absent):
- Special event application for Quincy University's Homecoming Parade (October 2, 2025, Ward 2)
- Special event application for Veterans Day Parade (November 8, 2025, Wards 4, 7)
- Raffle permit and bond waiver for Quincy Public Schools Foundation (through November 7, 2025)
- Agreement with GovDeals.com for sale of unused vehicles and equipment
- Invoice of $12,500 to R.W. Reichert Trucking Services for 24 truckloads of topsoil for the cap's vegetated cover
Discussion Items
- Quincy Police Department 2024 Annual Report (Item 9A): Chief Yates presented highlights: 31,147 calls for service (4.7% increase from 2023); violent crime down 15.96%; property crime down 32.44%; non-index crimes up 15.15%; zero homicides in 2024 (corrected from erroneous 300% reduction in the report). Traffic crashes up 3.28%, injury crashes up 37.38%. The report was received and filed unanimously.
- Pavement Rating Subscription Contract (Item 10C): Engineering Manager Jeffrey Conte explained that a one-year, $18,880 contract with Vaisala of Boulder, CO, will use AI to rate pavement conditions, assess markings, and catalog road signs from smartphone video footage. The data will be owned by the city. Approved unanimously (13-0).
- License Plate Reader Cameras (Item 11A): The council approved a two-year lease-purchase contract with Flock Safety for 20 fixed location license plate reader cameras at a total cost of $128,750. Year one costs of $66,250 will come from the FY2026 police budget. Approved unanimously (13-0).
- 54th Street Business District Tax Ordinance (Item 12A): An ordinance establishing and imposing business district taxes in the 54th Street Business District was adopted with a vote of 10 ayes, 3 nays (Aldermen Bergman, Bauer, and Mays voted no).
- Special Use Permit – Hope House (Item 12B): The second presentation of an ordinance for a planned development at 1603 Center Avenue (operating a maternity house for up to four pregnant mothers) was heard. No vote was taken at this meeting; it remains pending.
- Finance Committee Report: Transfers of $49,000 and expenditures of $1,236,491.89 were received and filed unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Approved four consent agenda items and two removed items (9A, 10C) unanimously.
- Approved the Flock Safety license plate reader camera contract unanimously.
- Adopted the 54th Street Business District tax ordinance (10-3).
- Heard the second presentation of the Hope House special use permit; no action taken.
- Received and filed the Finance Committee report.
- The mayor announced new initiatives from the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (water/drought dashboard, Convoy of Hope) that may benefit Quincy.
- Public Works provided an update on Broadway Street improvements: water main replacement from 12th to 30th Street nearly complete, with intersection work this fall and paving next year.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome back to all of our Channel 15 viewers on Comcast who should be seeing us tonight. Thank you all for being here, uh, for all of those here in the room with us uh tonight to get us started uh with prayer or self-reflection, whichever you so choose, Reverend Dr. Booth from Central. And if you'll press the center button, the mic will come on. Okay. Yes, thank you. Father, we thank you that you've given us great people to lead our churches, businesses, schools, and the city of Quincy. It's a dawning challenge to lead, and we must remind ourselves that you put each of us where we are, and you can equip us to rise through our God given task. With you, we enjoy success, no matter how difficult the situations seem. Without you, we fail no matter how we fabricate the illusion of success. Give us the ability to look at the big picture of life and get a partial glimpse of your vision for us as individuals and as a city. We ask you that your blessings rest upon the city's leadership and give them wisdom that is beyond human understanding. Help us to acknowledge that you are love and that your grace, mercy, and justice are all in that context of your love. You ask us to live by your word, not to limit our freedom, but to save us from the bondage that results from disobeying you. These things we ask in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. And now to lead us in our pledge, we have some very special guests tonight from Blessed Sacrament, Boy Scout Troop One B. If you guys will all come up and lead us in the pledge, and then you can introduce yourselves. Very good. So troop number one, uh, for those of you who don't know. Actually started in Saint John's Parish a hundred years ago. And then it was Saint John's and Saint Rose, and then it became all saints, and eventually it moved to Blessed Sacrament. So for one hundred years, Troop One has been in Quincy, and it's the only it's the only Boy Scout troop that's a hundred years old that has been in continuous charter. So uh a wonderful group, and thank you for being here. I would like each of you to introduce yourselves to us if you would. Very good. Hi, I'm Parker. I'm also right, and I'm hoping to earn one. I'm Lyndon and I would start. I know my friends and uh stall. Hi, Cedars, and I am starting to class. My name is David Paul and Ryan Beast. Great. Thank you for being here. And I do I do want to give you another copy of the proclamation. Uh we did proclaim Saturday as Blessed Sacrament Parish Scouts BSA Troop 1B Day when they actually celebrated their 100th anniversary. But I think their camp out got a little wet, didn't it? Yeah. Yeah. Very good. So, Duke, if you want to. Congratulations. Thank you. And now you guys are going to stick around to get your merit badge for civics, government, and communications. Wonderful. Well, thank you for being here. And the next proclamation we have is for the American Business Women's Association, which was formed on the 22nd day of September 1949. And whereas the Quincy Charter Chapter of ABWA was established in November 4th, 1962, and whereas over 18,000 women have furthered their education with $18 million funded by ABWA members to the Stephen Buffon Memorial Education Fund established in 1953 by the generous contributions of ABWA members. And whereas women enhance their business skills through online learning, regional and national conferences and monthly meetings, and whereas women expand their careers, empower personal growth, professional development, leadership, technology, management, and entrepreneurial skills through the ABWA. Now therefore, I, Dr.
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