Rock Island Today

The village of Rapids City Committee of the Whole met Aug. 30 to discuss MFT project.

Here is the meeting's agenda, as provided by the village:

August 30, 2016

Village of Rapids City Rock Island County, Illinois

This Committee of the Whole Special Meeting was called to order by President Rankin at 6:07 p.m. All present joined in the Pledge of Allegiance.

ROLL CALL: Present – Corson, Clark, Fowler, Mire, Bertelli, and Schneider.

Absent – Also Present - President Rankin, Clerk Price, Ryan Bump, Glenda Gall, Attorney Graham Lee, Julie Doty, Scott Duckett and Steve Haring with MSA, Diane Lambert, Elaine Pease, Wiley and DeeDee Graham, Debra Fulton, Mary and George Wetherington, David and Karen Wright, Caroline Byrne, Jeff McFarland, Rod Fowler, Bernard Holstslaw, Judy Clark, Lynn and Don Hunt, Lionel McCallister, Russell Kinkade, Tina and Jeremy Letz, Donnie Holt, Paul Laird, Doug Reiman, Nicole Dopler, Chris Kinkade, Barb Gillman, Cindy Bisby, Dana and Richard Cronbauch, Jason Cox, Dewayne Cremeens, Diane Christensen, Cindy Mire, Velma Kopatich, Meagan Huston, Paul and Abby Benevides, Darell and Joanne DeWitt, Missy Housenga. A quorum was established. First thing to be discussed was the MFT project and 15th Street update. Engineer Duckett said the road is open now and the pavement complete. Things to be finished are to seed, cut out for the manholes and spreading the millings at the shop. Greg would like to see a guard rail on 11th where it is steep. Ryan couldn’t find a ROW on that street and will contact county about it. The final estimate for this project with the unexpected overages is approximately $119,000.00. Mire had voluntarily recues himself from voting on Video Gaming. Attorney Lee received a recommendation from the IML Attorney’s that Mire not vote because it would be inappropriate on the matter but also could not deny him the right to vote either. Mire said he will give a neutral recommendation in a non binding way. This meeting was held to hear the pros and cons of Home Rule. Rapids City is currently non home rule. Any city that has a population of 25,000 or more is automatically home rule. To change to home rule the board would have to put it on the ballot for residents to vote on. Currently with non home rule there is a cap on video gaming machines of $25 a machine. Villages get 5% of collections from video gaming machines by State Statutes. Mire suggested that the village explore home rule specifically to expand to $1000 a machine or to whatever the board would decide. Home rule gives the board the power to raise taxes to whatever they want and make self imposed rules. There are sites online to see how many cities are home rule and how many voted to get out of home rule. Mire wants to maximize revenue for the village if video gaming goes though. Bertelli wants to give the business owners of Rapids City a way to be competitive with other cities who already have video gaming. The village ordinance currently on video gaming prohibits video gaming. The board voted at the July meeting to pass an ordinance for video gaming. Mire felt this was such a contentious issue it needed to be brought before the public. The attorney felt in his opinion it was appropriate to vote on the resolution presented at the meeting as posted on the agenda. Mire drafted and motioned to accept a resolution that he proposed to be put on the ballot that reads: To instruct the appropriate officials, adhering to all the procedures as required by state statute, to place a non-binding referendum on the ballot of the next General Consolidated Election, April 4, 2017 on the following question: “Should video gaming continue to be prohibited on the Village of Rapids City?”/Corson seconded. Corson, Fowler, Mire, Schneider voted yes. Clark and Bertelli voted no. Motion carries. With the advice of counsel, Mire requested the verbiage of the resolution to be changed as follows: To instruct the appropriate officials, adhering to all the procedures as required by state statute, to place a non-binding referendum on the ballot of the next General Consolidated Election, April 4, 2017 on the following question: “Should video gaming be allowed on the Village of Rapids City?”/Corson seconded. Corson, Fowler, Mire, Schneider voted yes. Clark and Bertelli voted no. Motion carries. Schneider motioned to table any further votes on the ordinance for video gaming in Rapids City until after the April 4, 2017 Consolidated Election/Mire seconded. Corson, Fowler, Mire, Schneider voted yes. Clark and Bertelli voted no. Motion carries. Communications will be discussed at the next meeting. The board appreciates the interest in the community. The regular board meetings are the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. Packets will be available soon to be on the village board for the upcoming Consolidate Election in April 2017.

There being nothing further to discuss Schneider motioned/Corson seconded. All concurred to adjourn this Special Meeting at 7:17 p.m.

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VILLAGE CLERK