OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Rockford City Council Special Meeting – February 9, 2026

Meeting Portal — Monday, February 9, 2026
BodyRockford, Illinois
SessionMeeting Portal
DateMonday, February 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 14:04

Transcript — Verbatim
0:16

Good evening.

0:17

We will call to order the City of Rockford's special city council meeting for Monday, February 9th, 2026.

0:24

Clerk, could we please call a roll?

0:26

Turkey.

0:29

Toomberg?

0:30

Frost?

0:32

Terina.

0:33

Prentice?

0:35

Wilkins?

0:36

Hoffman?

0:37

Granit.

0:39

Beach.

0:40

Salgado.

0:42

Meeks.

0:44

Bell.

0:46

Bonnie.

0:47

Here.

0:48

13 present.

0:50

Excellent.

0:50

We will go to new committee report.

0:53

Alder Woman Hoffman.

0:55

Thank you, Mayor.

0:56

I move to reconsider the proposed amendment to the development agreement with First Midwest Group, Michesney Investment LLC, and McDonald's for the establishment of a McDonald's at 4103 West State Street in the amount of 200,000.

1:12

We have a motion.

1:13

We have a second.

1:14

Is there any discussion?

1:19

No discussion.

1:20

I believe Director Hammer, could you tell us would that come up next week?

1:27

Thank you, Your Honor.

1:28

Yes, that's correct.

1:29

The motion to reconsider would be voted on at next week's regular council meeting.

1:35

It will be placed on the agenda to comply with the open meetings act.

1:39

Okay.

1:39

Thank you.

1:41

So we're gonna continue on new committee reports.

1:44

Uh we have nothing under planning and development, so we'll go to code and regulation committee.

1:48

Alderman Bonnie.

1:50

Thank you, Mayor.

1:50

We have one item.

1:52

Uh a final plat of Mercy Health Rockton Campus Subdivision.

1:56

A request has been made by the developer to combine nine existing parcels, splitting them into two lots so they may sell the former Rockford Memorial Hospital building.

2:07

Council, we have uh one item before us.

2:09

Is there any discussion on that one item?

2:11

Alderwoman meets.

2:12

Thank you so much.

2:14

I'm just curious.

2:16

I thought that this property was already sold for a dollar.

2:22

Thank you.

2:23

Uh which one would like it?

2:27

Mr.

2:27

Cagnoni first, and then we'll go to our legal.

2:31

Thank you.

2:32

Uh Chairman.

2:33

Umderwoman.

2:35

Uh you you are correct.

2:38

Um that it is our understanding that there has been a transfer of the property from Mercy Health to the not-for-profit.

2:48

The City of Rockford was put on notice of that transfer that took place without a subdivision plat.

2:54

Uh, we raised some concerns related to compliance uh with our codes and ordinances as well as the Platts Act, uh, which then had us have communications with the attorney representing um the the applicant um to re-establish advancing forward the subdivision plat.

3:17

Uh much of those conversations took place uh last week.

3:21

Um and that's why we put the item uh on the committee tonight as well as the city council meeting.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use█████████████████████████████████████████████73%
Public Safety█████████15%
Procedural███████12%
Summary of Proceedings

Rockford City Council Special Meeting – February 9, 2026

Mayor McNamara called the special meeting to order at 6:22 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2026, at City Hall. The council considered a motion to reconsider a development agreement, approved a final subdivision plat for the former Rockford Memorial Hospital site, and laid over two commission appointments.

Discussion Items

  • Motion to Reconsider Ordinance 2026-24-O (McDonald’s Development Agreement): Alderman Hoffman moved to reconsider the ordinance approving a $200,000 development agreement with First Midwest Group and McDonald’s for a location at 4103 West State Street. The ordinance had been approved on February 2, 2026. Alderman Bell seconded. Legal Director Angela Hammer confirmed the motion to reconsider will be placed on the February 17, 2026 regular City Council agenda for a vote, in compliance with the Open Meetings Act.
  • Final Plat of Mercy Health Rockton Campus Subdivision (26-00171): The developer requested to combine nine existing parcels into two lots to allow the sale of the former Rockford Memorial Hospital building. Alderman Bonne presented the committee report. Alderman Meeks expressed concern about the property having been sold for $1 and about potential building code violations, noting community unease. City Administrator Todd Cagnoni explained that Mercy Health transferred the property to a nonprofit without a subdivision plat, raising compliance issues with city codes and the Plat Act. He stated that advancing the plat with conditions puts the city in the strongest position, and that building code violations would be pursued separately. Alderman Frost asked for clarification, and Director Hammer confirmed the vote is strictly on the plat and not on the property’s viability or use. Alderman Bell requested more time to review, but Cagnoni noted the item had been under discussion since 2025 and a 60-day deadline required action. Legal Director Hammer added that if the plat were denied, the applicant could seek a court order to record it, but the recommended conditions protect the city’s interests.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to Reconsider: Placed on the February 17, 2026 City Council agenda for a vote. No action taken at this meeting.
  • Final Plat of Mercy Health Rockton Campus Subdivision: Adopted by a vote of 13 ayes (Durkee, Tuneberg, Frost, Torina, Prunty, Wilkins, Hoffman, Granath, Beach, Salgado, Meeks, Bell, Bonne) with Alderman Logemann absent. Enactment No. 2026-46-CR.
  • Appointments to Community Relations Commission: The appointments of Zsa Zsa Johnson (term expiring December 2026) and Shimere Shanklin (term expiring August 2028) were laid over until March 4, 2026, per Rule 18.
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 6:37 p.m. on a unanimous voice vote.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. We will call to order the City of Rockford's special city council meeting for Monday, February 9th, 2026. Clerk, could we please call a roll? Turkey. Toomberg? Frost? Terina. Prentice? Wilkins? Hoffman? Granit. Beach. Salgado. Meeks. Bell. Bonnie. Here. 13 present. Excellent. We will go to new committee report. Alder Woman Hoffman. Thank you, Mayor. I move to reconsider the proposed amendment to the development agreement with First Midwest Group, Michesney Investment LLC, and McDonald's for the establishment of a McDonald's at 4103 West State Street in the amount of 200,000. We have a motion. We have a second. Is there any discussion? No discussion. I believe Director Hammer, could you tell us would that come up next week? Thank you, Your Honor. Yes, that's correct. The motion to reconsider would be voted on at next week's regular council meeting. It will be placed on the agenda to comply with the open meetings act. Okay. Thank you. So we're gonna continue on new committee reports. Uh we have nothing under planning and development, so we'll go to code and regulation committee. Alderman Bonnie. Thank you, Mayor. We have one item. Uh a final plat of Mercy Health Rockton Campus Subdivision. A request has been made by the developer to combine nine existing parcels, splitting them into two lots so they may sell the former Rockford Memorial Hospital building. Council, we have uh one item before us. Is there any discussion on that one item? Alderwoman meets. Thank you so much. I'm just curious. I thought that this property was already sold for a dollar. Thank you. Uh which one would like it? Mr.

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