Rock Island Today

City of East Moline City Council met June 2.

Here are the minutes provided by the council:

PLEDGE:

Mayor Reggie Freeman led the City Council and all those present in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

ROLL CALL

Mayor Freeman called the meeting to order and directed City Clerk Wanda Roberts-Bontz to call the roll. The following Alderpersons were present: Olivia Dorothy, Jeffrey Deppe, Larry Jones, Adam Guthrie, Rhea Oakes, Lynn Segura, and Jose Rico.

PUBLIC COMMENT

Jon Murray, 2310 4th Street A, East Moline – “Mr. Mayor, City Council Members, thank you for allowing me to give the audience my position on this political and controversial issue.” He has been a resident of East Moline for over 25 years. Mr. Murray and his wife have 4 Children, all of which went through East Moline Schools and United Township High School. We are here tonight with the issue of the Flag Ordinance as it is written, it comes across as a deceptive play for support of one contract for controversial flag. Item 3 in the proposed ordinance creating a laundry list of flags to fly. We have a total of eleven awareness flags. Ten of which are medical in nature, and he is quite sure these resonate with a substantial portion of the prospective Council and those in attendance. Then we have one flag on the list that carries with it politically heated debate and controversy. This flag has carried little or no support from the community as a whole and on all your elected boards. If this flag were singled out and voted solely on its merits, would it pass a full special vote of the community? The other flags in this ordinance draft are simply being used as collateral. Good to pass something extremely politically and politically controversial. Again, this is very deceptive. “Mr. Murray feels this entire section should be omitted from any flag ordinance that is created. He stated that he has a constitutional right to fly any flag, anywhere, on their own property, at any time. In the last two weeks, he has spoken to well over 100 people about this, a fair mix of people from every single elected ward in the room that he has been actively involved.” With the pulse of my community through my current job as a commercial project manager for over 30 years, and my past volunteering with East Moline Little League, East Moline Titans, and countless other East Moline youth initiatives and outreach organizations, for over 25 years. All the groups he has spoken to are against this ordinance, as it is written, including the proud Hispanic and Mexican community who, quite frankly, deserve a Flag. They helped to build this city. Active and retired Military, Teachers, Nurses, EMT's, Police, Union, and Non-Union, over 95% of the people he asked were adamantly against this ordinance as it was written. He also asked exactly 10 of his LGBTQ+ friends, it was 60/40 against. He asked two different organizations to write a statement about this ordinance because they do not want to draw attention. He asked two different organizations to write a statement, and they declined for, and he directly quotes, “We are not allowed by our Charter and Bylaws to give opinion, support or dissent, directly or indirectly, to such an intensely controversial political issue.” These two organizations are deep rooted in the East Moline community and are opposed to this ordinance as written. He stated we should fly four flags, and four flags only, with the exception being the Hispanic or Mexican Heritage flag, which is, quite frankly, deserved by this community. “In conclusion, the current Flag Ordinance proposal is highly controversial. It carries with deception a lot of unspoken political rhetoric and an unrealized potential for Class Action Legal issues for the City and Members of this Council. Your accountability is your voting record. Period. We should not and simply cannot be flying flags for every cause. Every Ward is unanimous in this position. What happens when other controversial groups want to fly their flags? That is right, we will have to fly it, or we will leave the City open for lawsuits or even worse, politically charged violence. Neither of which he wanted for our community, our citizens, or our business. Several communities that have passed similar resolutions have seen the unintended fallout of population decline, declined business revenue, and are often reversing these decisions. Our fundamental rights for free speech, free religion, and the freedom to live our life as we choose, were guaranteed by the Blood and Sacrifice of our Beloved Military. This democracy and the rights of everyone in this room were born of great sacrifice and bled the colors of Red, White, and Blue.” He thanked the mayor, and respected Members of the Council, and the audience, and he appreciated our time and consideration of this highly politically charged matter.

Annette Parchert, 609 2nd Avenue West, Andalusia – Ms. Parchert stated that she is the Chairperson of the Republican Central Committee. She expressed her concern over the proposed Resolution of non-governmental flags, including the Pride Flag, to be flown on City property. She went on to say, government buildings belong to all citizens, and the symbols they display should reflect unity, neutrality, and common civic identity, not political or cultural or social movements that are debated in the public square. This principal protects not only conservatives but Americans of all perspectives, from feeling excluded or alienated by institutions that are meant to serve them equally. The US Supreme Court Shurtleff vs the city of Boston 2022 clarified that flags flown on government property constitutes government speech. When a city allows one flag, regardless of the cause or the content, it opens the door to demands of other groups, including those with deeply divisive or controversial platforms. This is not about any one group. It is about consistency and fairness in maintaining a political character of governmental spaces. The American flag and the Illinois State flag already stand as symbols of liberty and equality under the law for all people.

Gary Phillips, 351 34th Avenue, East Moline – Mr. Phillips has lived in East Moline for 60 years. He stated that he is here tonight to present his views, and the views of all the people who live around him in his neighborhood, about the matter of just displaying flags on the city owned and maintained property. Many of his local families, military people, and veterans with strong support for all the citizens who served our nation. He said, “We are proud of all the flags that are put up for them and we display them with honor. Whenever we see on the United States flag, a State of Illinois flag, a city of East Moline flag, or any of the other type of flags. Flags are important to us, especially those people who are veteran related. These official flags represent all the people, not just one group. This is for every one of us. Flags are important to us. Other types of flags, such as foreign flags, political flags, and many other types of flags represent only a smaller group, smaller factions, and things. Some who are not even probably citizens of the state or of the country. Tonight, we want our city leaders to know that we do not wish those other types of flags to be flown on city property. That is what we are here for. However, we want it to be known that we do not oppose in any way the right of any citizen on their own private property to fly the flags that they want. We are not in that order at all, and I just want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to come and present my feelings and those of the citizens who live around me, who are also veterans.

Ellie Peoples, 2944 16th Street Court, East Moline - Ms. Peoples is a resident of East Moline, a United States Navy veteran, Latina, and happily celebrating pride, as a proud gay person. Ms. Peoples just wants to let us know that she is grateful to be here. The revised resolution addresses her previous concerns.

Doug Strand, 918 36th Avenue, East Moline. Mr. Strand is a retired teacher from United Township High School. Mr. Strand is here about a different issue, the streets, and an internship program, for the city to collaborate with Black Hawk College. First, he complimented Mr. Graham for helping fill the holes on 34th Avenue and several more holes. The other question he has is who oversees Kennedy Drive from 23rd - 34th? Is that county or city? There are some holes that need to be filled there. East Moline does a pretty good job. He would like to present this internship program. Mr. Strand used to sit here as a City Council Member the first month he was elected, and he remembered when the fire hydrants in front of your house did not work. That is a huge unfunded liability, and he said we need to fix it, and they did end up putting into the budget $25,000 back in the 1990’s to replace some broken fire hydrants. He said, there are at least half a dozen. East Moline, at that time, did some of that stuff and they fixed them. He is proposing a cooperative agreement to find someone to come in, and work with a map to improve our street signs, because they are missing in some places, and if you are trying to deliver medicine, groceries, or other stuff, you can use GPS, but he thinks it would be a positive improvement to, have an intern, short term or long term, go around the city and check it out. You know this sign is missing, their yard has one that has been crooked for a long time, etc. He appreciates our letting him say a little bit about this possible internship and working relationship with someone who might be interested in city government to come and go around the city for a little bit and chart street signs. (6th Avenue, 12th Avenue, 24th Street Place). Mr. Strand thanked everyone for their time and was happy to talk to someone about that with Black Hawk College or whoever else, to do a little internship.

Christine Hawes, 532 16th Avenue, East Moline – Ms. Hawes just wanted to say a few things. First, she thinks we all appreciate the deliberation that occurred a couple of weeks ago, and there was some communication that she experienced, that led to part of the expanded list of flags. Ms. Hawes thinks there has been a lot of beautiful work done in the last few weeks, and she thinks it is a terrible shame that a political organization mobilizes at the last minute and accuses anybody of political motives. For what is a gesture of inclusion and diversity that suits this community more than almost any other city in the Quad Cities. They do not think there is any other community in this region that has a more diverse population. So, she really hopes that this

Council continues to be a thoughtful and inclusive body, and that this Council ponders this issue carefully, and makes use of the great work that has been done to improve the flag policy to better meet the needs expressed by several of you last week. It is a beautiful thing, and she just hopes you do not take off into a negative political direction by throwing all that hard, inclusive work out of the window. In response to a last-minute political gathering here at the Council meeting, which is also then accusing others of being political. “But that is just not the way that we should be functioning. I would also just like to say there are 20, if I understand the new ordinance correctly, there are 20 to 30 flags proposed and yet we are only really objecting to one, and that should be illustration enough of why that flag is needed.” That is about all she could say about that. If you reject this policy, you are not just rejecting a Pride month flag, you are rejecting flags honoring Asian Americans, Jewish Americans, Caribbean Americans, Indigenous people, Hispanic Heritage Month, Native Americans, and Black History Month. Ms. Hawes just cannot imagine that East Moline would do such a thing, such as reject such a beautiful, carefully crafted, thoughtful policy because of the last-minute political coup going on in the audience here.

Milton Willcox, 2975 16th Street Court, East Moline – Mr. Willcox is from the 6th Ward, and he would like to share his story with you. My folks are not from this area. They are from the middle of Iowa. By one year old, they ended up building a home outside New York City, where he grew up. At eight years old, they wanted to get closer to their family in Iowa, as close as they could get to this area, and low and behold, they landed in East Moline. They built a new home here. Mr. Willcox graduated from United Township, and while he went away to college, he came back here several years later, and met his future wife, and behold her family had bought a home in East Moline, and by the time they were married, they had already built a new home in East Moline. Mr. Willcox and his wife decided to buy their first home in East Moline. They had five sons there and grew out of that house, so they bought another home in East Moline. Then, when the kids moved out, he and his wife built their first home, and you guessed it, in East Moline. That same year, on the same block, his son also built a home in East Moline. His daughter has space in the Rust Belt and has for many years. Three generations of people buy and build homes in East Moline. He knows the decisions that you make here are very important. You must make the right decisions and decisions that better East Moline. He thinks it is wasted on looking for a majority to decide whether or not we should fly flags on public property. Other people have already stated that we are free to fly flags, and you can see that throughout the city, but there is a flag we take pride in, and we pledge allegiance to that flag at the beginning of the Council meetings, and it flies proudly on our public property. He would like to think that it forever will fly and unite all of us, because in that flag, it includes every race, creed or sexual orientation, and so it is important for him that the respect he has had for the Police Department from growing up here. He has lived in alleys, lived in ports, and the snow removal in East Moline is best by far you can tell when you cross the city line on 23rd Avenue. With the Rust Belt, and all that we have going in East Moline, please put all your effort not in the political hot button issues, but put it in making East Moline better than we found it, and the best place it can be so that future generations, and their children, and grandchildren will want to make East Moline the destination where they raise their family.

David Fritz, 579 26th Avenue Court, East Moline – Mr. Fritz did not bring anything, and stated that he is not prepared. He just wanted to speak from the heart. Mr. Fritz looked through the act. He recently heard it has been expanded. The thing that jumps out at him is this is well intended but has the high risk of unintended consequences. There are a lot of amazing, beautiful, wonderful causes that deserve awareness and recognition, and anytime you make a list, you necessarily and logically leave off other people, and then those people are going to feel silenced. They are going to feel belittled. One thing he has learned about Political Science, at Black Hawk College, is that everybody has a salient issue. Everybody has an issue that means the most to them. Whether it is heart, kidney, lungs, liver, whatever list we produce, it is not going to be the same list that 20,000 citizens have. He fears the risk of alienating people. He knows we aspire to be a very accepting, equitable, diverse, loving city that does not silence or put anybody down. His fear is when you make a top ten list like his kids travel baseball team, who is the 11th person and how does he feel? I have kids in elementary school. They have a policy that says if you are going to bring birthday card invitations to your party in class during school hours, you either invite the entire class or you do it after school. You cannot say there is anything wrong with saying, you know we only have room for 12 people at Chuck E Cheese. You cannot say you are doing a bad thing. Great intentions, but how does everybody else feel about the other, you know, the 15 kids in the class? That and then they start to wonder, well, why was I excluded? Is it the way you look? Is it the way you act? Is it that I am not smart enough, and then you have cliques that form and then you have diversity, and you have dissidents in a city that I have grown up in my entire 45 years of life. He has lived in the same neighborhood that he grew up in. He just has a fear that it is unnecessary. It is a slippery slope, and it might not serve the goal that we aspire to be, as being equitable and diverse. This is kind of a stupid story, but on the radio a couple of weeks ago they had a top five greatest British rock bands of all time, and he was more offended than he rightfully should have been. The Beatles were not on the list. The top now, Stones are great. Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen all of those are amazing. Why did the Beatles not make the list? It did not make any sense, but he has his list. You have your list, and in a city of 20,000 people everybody has their list, and I just feel like we should focus on being united, and accepting and even if we produce 20, who is the 21st person? Somebody’s mom died of this thing. Why is it not on the list? Why are we not elevating that cause over this cause? Mr. Fritz just thinks about the unintended consequences of something that maybe had great intentions. He is sure it does. He knows it does, but the big pictures that Mr. Fritz does not think would serve the city as far as our virtues of diversity and inclusion.

PRESENTATIONS and/or PROCLAMATIONS

a. Mayor Freeman presented the following Proclamation, recognizing National Mississippi River Day on June 2, 2025, Alderperson Olivia Dorothy accepted the Proclamation.

Alderperson Dorothy informed the City Council and audience that her day job is working for one of the seventy-five organizations that put together the National Mississippi River Day Proclamation as well as the Mississippi River Days of action. They are in their fifth year, which runs for the first two weeks in June. You can go online to find Mississippi River focused events all through every one of the 10 states along the Mississippi River. Alderperson Dorothy had the pleasure of being on a webinar today with a number of other organizations and elected officials from many of the other communities along the Mississippi River, talking about how important it is in our local economy, and our cultures for people along the river. She really wants to encourage everyone to check out the days they have got great events going on at Nahant Marsh, River Action, and the Floreciente neighborhood over at Moline. Please take a look, you can join and become a river citizen, it does not cost any money, but you just get helpful tips on how to protect and restore rivers, and this will be the first of many years.

CONSENT AGENDA:

Wanda Roberts-Bontz, City Clerk read the Consent Agenda that included the following:

a. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of May 19, 2025.

b. Approval of the Committee of the Whole Meeting Minutes of May 19, 2025. c. Approval of Salaries as of May 23, 2025, totaling $510,610.17.

d. Approval of Overtime as of May 23, 2025, totaling $24,906.03.

e. Approval of Bills as of May 29, 2025, totaling $647,946.76.

A motion was made by Alderperson Rico, seconded by Alderperson Segura, to approve the Consent Agenda. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, Jones, Guthrie, and Oakes. Motion carried.

ATTORNEY ROGER L. STRANDLUND - PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS:

ORDINANCES – 2nd Reading

None

ORDINANCES – 1st Reading

None

RESOLUTIONS

25-44 Policy on Flag Display on Property Owned and Regulated by the City (Previously Tabled)

Mark Rothert, City Administrator, stated in your packet that there was a revised policy regarding the flying and display of flags on city owned property, let me just step back and talk about why that is necessary when we fly a flag on city property. If we want to control what flags that we fly on city property we have been advised through legal counsel that we do need to have a policy in place, so that we can, in fact, have the control and the standards in place, so that we can prohibit certain groups that may want to come and fly a flag that is distasteful or offensive. By having a policy in place, we can then control what flags are flown. A flag policy just on its own is recommended to be adopted by the city now what goes in that flag policy is up for debate and discussion by you all the policy makers of the city, so the flag policy as it has been drafted or redrafted, has certain amendments to it that he had made you know, when a discussion comes up that we want a flag policy, and staff's responsibility to kind of use that information to do its best to draft a policy. At the last meeting we did table that and we did go back to the drawing table so to speak, and this outreach the council members to solicit feedback from all of you on what you thought you wanted in a flag policy, to try to create some consensus around a policy that we could all support or not. That is what is before you today, a kind of conglomeration of ideas and consensus from input we received in the last two weeks. Mr. Rothert just wants to go over the changes made so that everyone is aware. He added in to the official flag section city department flag such as a police, fire or even a public works flag. There are certain weeks throughout the year that are designated as public safety, during public works week that we may want to recognize in the future. There is a military appreciation month that was added to the awareness months, there is a large section related to heritage months that include, Black History Month, Women's History Month, Asian American, Pacific Islander Heritage Month, those types of lines, there were some other changes added into make it clear that any display of any religious flag, or some sort of flag holiday recognizing a holiday, or associated with a religious holiday, that is being flown to recognize the broad cultural seasonal or historical significance of that holiday, not necessarily to promote one religion or the other. That is not our place as government. Next, he added a section regarding commemorative flags.

At a certain location at Runner’s Park, and then how that flag would be the next section that he did amend, was related to the funding and procurement of commemorative flags. Stating that the city is not necessarily responsible for purchasing, producing, or maintaining the flags, even if they are authorized under this particular policy, and that the city may accept commemorative flags from community organizations that want to provide, so that we as a city are not responsible for buying all these flags listed into the policy. The last major decision point is how long the flag should be displayed for, and what is in the policy, is up to 30 days, nothing exceeding 30 days. In this flag policy you have three major decision points that he thinks you should talk about and discuss. What flags do you want to accept in the policy? Where do you want to place the flag or display the flag? What is in there now is Runner’s Park. How long do you want to display the flag?

Attorney Strandlund stated if he may as a matter of procedure. He noted and what you have heard is the staff report. The motion has been tabled, and so before there is discussion, policy needs to be taken from the table or not, and that would require a motion, a second, and a majority vote to do so. It can come from any member of the council.

A motion was made by Alderperson Rico, seconded by Alderperson Segura, to approve removing from table Resolution 25-44. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, Guthrie, and Oakes. Opposed: Jones. Motion carried.

Attorney Strandlund stated he would invite both the Mayor and the City Administrator to correct him if he is wrong in stating this, but he read and understood the staff report to be an invitation to rescind the previous version of the flag policy, and then move there of considered city staffs modified version, which is a red line version. Mr. Strandlund understood in the packet that it would be the appropriate motion to move forward with what staff modified version.

A motion was made by Alderperson Rico, seconded by Alderperson Dorothy, to approve the modified version of Resolution 25-44. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, Guthrie, and Oakes. Opposed: Jones. Motion carried. 6 - 1

Attorney Strandlund stated, your honor, to consider the modified version, and now you are positioned to go to the merits of what is now before you for consideration, and that is the modified version any questions reference the modified version, well nothing on the floor at present. Someone would have to move this draft right now. You have made a motion to rescind the previous, and then substitution thereof consider the next, and so to move forward considering that, you would need a motion second on the merits.

Alderperson Jones stated, we are here today to discuss if there should be other flags displayed other than the United States Flag. He believes everyone agrees that the US flag should be displayed throughout the city, and always on top of any other covenant flag. The feeling of honor, glory, and respect with the US flag flying freely across the city. The vote to allow other flags on city property was only to divide the two groups further away, not closer together. He is disappointed that policy is being presented about displaying other flags on city property, and only a small percentage of the population knows anything about it. Alderperson Jones challenges his fellow City Alderpersons to talk to a good percentage in their Ward and get an average evaluation of the issue. He compared this issue to another heightened debatable issue, home rule. Most of the City Council was in favor of home rule, but when it was put to public vote, which failed 2 - 1 margin. The residents of East Moline, had the right to display any flag on private property and business along 15th Avenue, and can display any flag they want. His final point is now on this issue on paragraph four of the new policy proposal, titled prohibited uses, second bullet point, says represents a political party. It is well known that the Democratic Party supports the LGBTQ+ group, and many states go on with other political parties. How can that pride group not be a part of the political community? It says state represents a particular religious movement, just about every religion has opinion and debate about the LGBTQ+ group very strong movement for many years. How can the pride group not be a part of a religious world? It has not been expressly authorized by the City Council, or designated official, so even if we pass this current policy as is, even if the pride flag is considered political, or religious in some way, it does not matter. It has already been approved by the City Council, many things to be considered here.

Alderperson Oakes are we staying with what is listed on 30 days? Have you discussed other places that could be?

Mayor Freeman, what was presented by Mr. Rothert said, Runner’s Park. There was nothing else intitled in that document that stated anywhere else at that time, so do you have suggestions, or do you want to bring that forward to the council? That is why we are having this discussion.

Alderperson Oakes stated that there were additional places. She is not against Runner’s Park. We talked about the welcome sign. Where the BP gas station is, where you come into town, is more open to the general public, and not just our Runner’s Park because throughout the city, then more people would be able to see that if that's what they wanted to do. She was just wondering if that was talked about at all.

Alderperson Segura is concerned about flying the flag for 30 days. What if there are other organizations that you approve?

Mayor Freeman received a list today, from a person that had twenty-two different June special occasions, so that question would have to be resolved.

Mr. Rothert, if it is on the list, it is already approved. The city would just have to find space at Runner’s Park to fly two flags if they were simultaneously recognized. The policy states it can be on a flagpole, it can be hung from permanent structure at Runner’s Park, like the structure of the band shell, it could be on a bracket attached to the bandshell, or whatever. We will have to figure out where the best place will be.

Attorney Strandlund, so far, there has been no motion to amend what staff have prepared, and Mr. Rothert has described the components of that, but the list of flags where and how long they will be flown.

A motion was made by Alderperson Rico, seconded by Alderperson Dorothy, to approve the modified version of Resolution 25-44. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, and Guthrie. Opposed: Jones and Oakes. Motion carried. 5 - 2

25-47 Renewal of Professional Services Agreement with Mercury Public Affairs

A motion was made by Alderperson Deppe, seconded by Alderperson Guthrie, to approve Resolution 25-47. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, Jones, Guthrie, and Oakes. Motion carried.

25-48 Professional Services Agreement with Bi-State Regional Commission for Comprehensive Plan Update

A motion was made by Alderperson Guthrie, seconded by Alderperson Segura, to approve Resolution 25-48. Upon the roll call, the following voted in favor: Segura, Rico, Dorothy, Deppe, Jones, Guthrie, and Oakes. Motion carried.

CITY STAFF COMMUNICATIONS:

Each City Staff member present was given the opportunity to inform the City Council, and those in attendance, of events in their departments:

Mark Rothert, City Administrator – Mr. Rothert stated he has been working with Mr. Kammler Engineering Director, and they have applied for an IDOT Grant for local projects, local roads projects grant opportunity, which was due yesterday. They applied for an additional local match through IDOT, for our Raise Grant, and the state has roughly $400 million available to local governments throughout the State of Illinois. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to apply for funding that came open and made available this fiscal year.

Jeff Ramsey, Chief of Police – Chief Ramsey informed City Council that he just wanted to make note that our East Moline Police Benevolent Youth Fishing Derby is this Saturday, June 7, 2025, at Lower Butterworth Park registration starts at 9:00 a.m. and the Fishing Derby starts at 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. they will be food and prizes, for 15 years and under.

Brianna Huber, Water Filtration Director – Ms. Huber stated she has a new hire Robert Bohannon, for Water Quality Control Coordinator.

Mayor Freeman stated at last meeting on April 19, 2025, Mayor Freeman gave a Verbal Executive Order, “Any communication that goes out to our department heads should send a cc to Mr. Rothert and to Mayor Freeman.” Mayor Freeman stated that emails are still going to department heads. He believes that they are not being taken seriously. Mayor Freeman stated that there were three emails that were forwarded to Mr. Rothert, and not to Mayor Freeman.

Mayor Freeman will be on vacation from June 2, 2025, through June 10, 2025, he will be out of the office, but he will still be in contact with his emails.

ADJOURNMENT

A motion was made by Alderperson Oakes, seconded by Alderperson Guthrie, to adjourn the City Council meeting. A voice vote was taken. Motion carried. 7:22 p.m.

https://www.eastmoline.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06162025-1119