Rock Island Today

City of Moline Committee of the Whole/Council met June 11.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

Committee-of-the-Whole Call to Order

PRESENT: Mayor Sangeetha Rayapati (Chair)

Alderperson Debbie Murphy (Ward 1)

Alderperson Alvaro Macias (Ward 2)

Alderperson Abdur Razzaque (Ward 3)

Alderperson Matt Timion (Ward 4)

Alderperson Jessica Finch (Ward 5)

Alderperson Daniel McNeil (Ward 6)

Alderperson Anna Castro (Ward 7)

ABSENT: Alderperson James Patrick Schmidt (Alderperson At-Large)

STAFF: Bob Vitas, City Administrator

Barry Dykhuizen, Assistant City Administrator

Stephanie Murphy, City Clerk

Carol Barnes, Director of Finance

David Dryer, Director of Engineering

Eric Griffith, Director of Parks and Recreation

Tony Loete, Director of Utilities

Denver Schmitt, Director of Public Works

Steve Regenwether, Fire Chief

Leah Madsen, Director of Human Resources

Jennifer Bizarri, Assistant Director of Community and Economic Development

Christopher Parr, Community and Economic Development Manager

Andrew Raya, Deputy Chief of Police

David Rowatt, Information Technology Manager

OTHERS: Margaret Kostopulos, Corporation Counsel

Laura Klauer, City Engineer

Brett Weidel, MKSK

Kirk Marske, Renew Moline

Alexandra Elias, Renew Moline

Mayor Rayapati called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. in the Committee-of-the-Whole conference room.

Council Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance

Invocation

There was no invocation.

Roll Call

Roll call was taken with Mayor Rayapati, Alderpersons Murphy, Macias, Razzaque, Timion, Finch, McNeil, and Castro present. Absent: Alderperson Schmidt.

Questions on the Agenda

Mayor made Council aware that next week there will be items that will come forward for Second Reading that were presented at the June 4, 2024 meeting.

Public Comment

None.

Consent Agenda

Second Reading Ordinances

8.1 3021-2024 An Ordinance amending Chapter 34, “WATER AND SEWERS,” of the Moline Code of Ordinances, Section 34-2102, “SERVICE CONNECTIONS” and Section 34-2114, “MAINTENANCE OF SERVICE PIPES,” to address service line replacement responsibility pursuant to compliance with the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. 

Adopted. Alderperson Timion, seconded by Alderperson Razzaque, moved to approve Council Bill 3021- 2024. Motion passed on roll call with the following vote: ayes: Alderperson McNeil, Castro, Murphy, Macias, Razzaque, Timion, and Finch. nays: none. 

Roundtable Discussion 

MKSK Plan Update. Brett Weidel, MKSK, presented an MKSK plan update with Council to discuss an update to the Riverfront plan. Weidel shared that there have been at least three meetings with the residents and community members to gather input on the project. Weidel discussed land use, utilities, Riverfront Park, the BridgePointe building, the Kone tower, the Spiegel building, and sequencing of the Master Plan. All of the information on the plan is on the City’s website. After discussion of each area of development, Weidel paused to gather input from Council. 

Mayor Rayapati encouraged Council to check the minutes of the Project Management Team meeting from June 11, 2024 as there were discussions on the re-use of the Spiegel building and a redevelopment study update. Bob Vitas, City Administrator, shared that before the end of the meeting, he would like Council to adhere sticker dots to the maps on the walls in the Committee-of-the-Whole room. The blue dots are to be placed on the elements of the vision plan that Council is supportive of and the red dots would be placed on the areas that Council is not supportive of. 

2025-2027 Capital Improvement Plan Presentation. Carol Barnes, Director of Finance, asked Council to turn to the internal financial statements document. Baker Tilly, a public accounting and consulting firm, will present the final audit at the July 9, 2024 Council meeting. Although these findings are preliminary, no changes are expected. Barnes reported that first and foremost, the City is in an excellent financial position as of December 31, 2023. There are currently no findings from the auditors. All of the internal controls had zero findings. There were no material weaknesses or statements. There was a clean, single audit. Discussion held. 

David Dryer, Director of Engineering, reviewed the current engineering projects scheduled for 2025 through 2027. Tony Loete, Director of Utilities, reviewed the current utilities projects scheduled for 2025 through 2027. Barnes noted there is no direction needed by Council at the meeting tonight. Council is in consensus to bring a resolution to the June 18, 2024 council meeting. Eric Griffith, Director of Parks and Recreation, shared that a new Parks Master Plan was adopted in February 2023. Griffith shared the Parks projects for years 2025-2027. These projects are taken from the Parks Master Plan. Griffith is asking for special consideration of installation of security cameras at Riverside Park, which is estimated to be around $200,000. The Moline-Coal Valley School District and the City of Moline Parks are considering a joint partnership for 12-16 tennis courts. All currently scheduled projects and budget information can be found attached to the minutes. 

A motion was made by Alderperson Timion, seconded by Alderperson Castro, to suspend the rules to put up stickers on MKSK maps following Miscellaneous Business. Motion passed unanimously. 

Miscellaneous Business 

Mayor Rayapati shared the updates from the Project Management Team meeting regarding Moline Centre, sidewalks, dining, evaluating parklets, and merchant meetings, all being handled by Kirk Marske, Moline Centre Manager. MCDC is having great success with their Handy at Home series, which is a series of workshops to teach residents the essential skills to care for older homes with confidence. Also, the tree planting went really well. There have been discussions on enforcing and embracing our urban tree canopy forestry plan and how we can work with our neighborhoods to do that. 

Bob Vitas, City Administrator, thanked Council for the evening and shared that he is looking forward to the exercise using the blue and red stickers to let MKSK know which areas of the maps Council likes and which they do not like. 

Council spent time placing the blue and red stickers on the maps. Bob Vitas, City Administrator, ensured that Brett Weidel, MKSK, was clear on the Council’s directive with the map exercise. Weidel affirmed it is clear and there will be additional follow-up conversations in the future. 

Public Comment 

There was no additional public comment. 

Adjournment of City Council 

Upon motion of Alderperson Castro, seconded by Alderperson Murphy, the Council meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m. 

The next regularly scheduled City Council meeting is on June 18, 2024. View recorded meetings at http://www.moline.il.us/remotecouncil.

http://www.moline.il.us/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/10096