City of Moline Committee of the Whole met Aug. 13.
Here is the minutes provided by the committee:
PRESENT: Mayor Stephanie Acri (Chair)
Alderman Scott Williams (Ward 1)
Alderman David Parker, Jr. (Ward 2)
Alderman Mike Wendt (Ward 3)
Alderman Richard “Dick” Potter (Ward 4)
Alderman Sam Moyer (Ward 5)
Alderman Kevin Schoonmaker (Ward 6)
Alderman Mike Waldron (Ward 7)
Alderman Sonia Berg (Alderman At-Large)
ABSENT: None.
STAFF: Lisa Kotter, City Administrator
Janine Hollembaek Parr, City Clerk
J.D. Schulte, Public Works Director
Alison Fleming, Human Resources Manager
Lori Wilson, Parks Recreation Director
Don Goff, Information Technology Manager
Bryon Lear, Library Director
R.T. Finney, Interim Chief of Police
Jeff Snyder, Fire Chief
Scott Hinton, City Engineer
Randi Haley, Interim Finance Director
Jeff Anderson, City Planner
K.J. Whitley, Community Development Program Manager
Kolton Thornborough, Police Officer
Sean Pratt, Police Officer
Police personnel, friends and family
OTHERS: Derke Price, Ancel Glink
Sarah Hayden, The Dispatch
Alexandra Elias, Renew Moline
Tyler Power, Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
Matt Hughes, MRH Solutions, LLC
Mayor Acri called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Oath of Office
Oath of office for probationary appointment as police officers to Kolton J. Thornborough and Sean M. Pratt effective August 12, 2019.
Presentation
Alexandra Elias, President/CEO Renew Moline, shared that last fall Renew Moline, in cooperation the City, applied for funding for the development of a Public Art Master Plan. Elias stated that the purpose of the plan is to identify areas already enhanced by public art, as well as areas that could be enhanced by public art. The idea of the Public Art Master Plan is to target those areas for investment and develop an implementation plan. The Moline Foundation grant award of $25,000 is the basis for this project, with an additional $15,000 award for actual art pieces. Elias provided examples of public art, as well as an overview of the components of a Public Art Master Plan: an inventory of public art, corridors to be enhanced, goals and policies, and an implementation plan.
Questions on the Agenda
There were no questions on the Agenda.
Agenda Items
1. A Resolution authorizing the Mayor and City Clerk to execute a Memorandum of Understanding between the City of Moline, City of Rock Island, and County of Rock Island, setting forth the terms for submitting a joint application for funding available through the U. S. Department of Justice 2019 Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program. Darren Gault, Chief of Police, explained that Moline, Rock Island, and Rock Island County law enforcement agencies are eligible to submit a joint application for a total of $26,403.00 to be awarded through the JAG Program. The Allocations and Disparate Information listing published by the Department of Justice specifies the award level for Moline and Rock Island, with Rock Island County listed as a disparate jurisdiction entitled to request a share. The individual allocations will be $2,640.30 to Rock Island County, $10,347.30 to Rock Island, and $13,415.40 to Moline. Three percent of the award must be set aside toward compliance with the federal National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which will replace Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) in 2021. The remaining share will be used to purchase Taser units that will replace very old units and integrate with the body worn camera system. Consideration is requested, as the deadline for grant submission is August 23, 2019. Motion by Alderman Wendt to approve. Seconded by Alderman Williams. Motion passed unanimously.
Work Session - State Budget and Policy Changes
Tyler Power, Director of Government Affairs, Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (“Chamber”), reviewed some of the State budgetary changes that took place in the past year, including a minimum wage increase, $42 billion capital bill, over 6 years, that includes $225 million for the Quad Cities-to-Chicago passenger rail project, $9 million in frozen work force development funds with allocation to the Quad Cities Western Illinois University (WIU) Phase 3 Capital Project. WIU has received acceptance to the Illinois Innovation Network, a system of connected university-community-industry-based hubs throughout the state that will work together to drive innovation, economic and workforce development across Illinois. Hubs will utilize a combination of research, public-private partnerships, entrepreneurship and workforce training programs to spur economic growth in the region and throughout the state. The Innovation Network is ongoing and will be a $1 billion project for the state. Students need to be attracted to the WIU Quad Cities Campus and Power plans to work with new WIU leadership to this end.
The passenger rail project is contingent on an agreement between the state and Iowa Interstate Railroad to perform track upgrades. Once that is done, it is anticipated to be an 18 to 24-month project. The federal government has been waiting for grant funding allocated for this project to be spent for about ten years, and in June, extended that for another six months. It is the Chamber’s perspective that the project needs to happen sooner rather than later so that funds may be used, and have been working with IDOT, Iowa Interstate Railroad and legislators to indicate the urgency of the project.
River Edge Historic Tax Credit, a 5-year pilot program, covers up to 25 percent of the project’s qualified rehabilitation expenditures to owners of certified historic structures located within the River Edge Redevelopment Zones. Moline has done better than the other quad cities, vying for these tax credits for the old Garfield School and Fifth Avenue buildings. Tyler shared that the $75 million cap is going to go fairly quickly, and requests should be made soon.
Matt Hughes, President MRH Solutions, LLC, discussed state budgetary changes, and shared that Capital Bill appropriations included $18 billion for transportation state-wide, $2.1 billion for commerce and economic opportunity grants to local communities, $428 million to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for grants to local governments for wastewater and drinking water projects, and $736.5 million to IDOT for infrastructure grants to municipalities. Hughes recommended that the City first approach Illinois Department of Transportation for grant funding of local infrastructure projects, prioritizing the John Deere Road interchange and 27th Street. Hughes indicated that the City should request funding for flood mitigation and the high-speed rail project. Hughes indicating that a $225 million state funding allocation for flooding is enough to support a flood mitigation request by the City in the form of a Resolution within the next 60 days. His advice was to compliment it with a request for high-speed rail funding. The need for funding of smaller projects like storm water run-off, an issue on 16th Street, was referenced. Kotter clarified that a case would be made that the Quiet Zone and flood projects are related to the rail, and this Resolution would be brought to Council in two weeks. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Department of Natural Resources offer funding for flood mitigation. Staff was directed to provide Council with a punch list of related projects within two weeks. Veto session begins October 28, 2019, so this should be included in the City’s timeline.
Scott Hinton, City Engineer, discussed some of the pending projects that could use flood mitigation funding, including 50th Street pump station relocation to facilitate access for the construction of the passenger railway, and adding an additional pump station at 16th Street. Several pump stations are located along the Mississippi, and flooding at the lowest area, 2nd Avenue and 19th Street, must be addressed. There was discussion. Mayor Acri asked staff to consider including SouthPark in grant proposals. There was discussion of reducing the floodplain and thereby increasing the equalized accessed value (EAV) of the homes in the Heritage neighborhood. Staff will investigate solutions and provide a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) update.
Three alternatives for the Morgan Park sidewalk project were presented by Hinton. If the next round of Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant funding will be available this year, and, alternating, Safe Routes to School will be available in 2021 and is currently at a $200,000 maximum. Staff would like to pursue grant funds. There was discussion. Alderman Wendt stated that one of the reasons this is so important now is because the closing of Garfield School has routed children over to Hamilton School on 7th Street. Hinton stated that this is a $600,000 project, and requested Council direction on prioritizing these projects. Council directed Hinton to prioritize at his discretion. Community Development Program Manager K.J. Whitley explained that staff will apply for a two-year Illinois Housing Development Authority grant due September 30, 2019. Whitley stated that end-use must be presented, and the City could apply for up to $250,000 of the $800,000 available.
Alderman Wendt inquired as to the success rate of internal grant writing and the return on that investment. City Administrator Lisa Kotter explained that staff will look at this. Hinton stated that there are dozens of hours involved in completing complex grant application, and he believes that we should engage with a grant writer for federal grants. Staff will develop a strategy for in-house and out-sourced grant writing, and will investigate opportunities for professional development.
Public Comment
Kenneth Sanders, representing Animal Aid, an all-volunteer, 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill animal shelter, stated that the organization will be relocating to 4722 44th Street due to flooding, and is requesting that building permit fees be waived. Mr. Sanders indicated that funds are restricted for capital investment. Mayor Acri directed staff to look at the issue, and add this to the next COW Agenda.
The meeting adjourned at 7:44 p.m.
https://www.moline.il.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5747
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