City Council - Regular Meeting

Alder, Kristen Evans hurt. Barnes here. Swanson here. Parker here. Coolest here. Healy there and Mayor Harris present.

I'm glad you're here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

agenda item 5 vote to approve the agenda move to approve the agenda second I have a first and a second is there any discussion yes I'm gonna need to have an item voted on separately under the consent agenda because I need to recuse myself from it which item G 12 G

Move to amend. Can I make an amendment to my own motion? Yes. Move to amend the agenda to remove item 12G from the consent agenda.

Second. I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Swanson. Yes. Parker.

Aye.

Hulus. Aye. And Healy.

Aye.

Now going back to the underlying motion to approve the agenda. Second. Eric, did anyone?

OK. Any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Barnes. Approving the underlying agenda now. So you can vote on this. Yes. Swanson. Aye. Parker.

Aye.

Hulis. Aye. And Haley.

Aye.

agenda item six presentation the annual comprehensive financial report for calendar year 2025.

Good evening, Mayor, members of City Council. Before you tonight is the presentation of the 2025 audit. I've placed the hard copies for those of you that requested them at the dais. If you'd like to give those back to me after the presentation, since I did email the electronic copies, then we'd be happy to accept those. But I will be introducing Hannah Cullerton. She is the city's auditor. We just need to admit her to the meeting. Good evening, Hannah. Can you hear us? I can. Can you hear me? We can. So if you'd like to go ahead and share your screen, we'll start the presentation. But before Hannah begins, I'd just like to thank the finance team for all the hard work that they did. We were a little apprehensive with how this audit would go, especially having two different systems. We had to transition from GEMS to our new system, which is Tyler. So I was a little nervous with how that would be. But I think between the team we were able to do a lot of advance work that helped make this audit go very smooth. So I think I don't know. Maybe Hannah can can attest as well, but I think this was probably one of the smoothest audits we've had, and I think that preparation really helped the city. With that, I'll go ahead and kick it off to Hannah.

Thank you. Well, you've stole my thunder because my name is Hannah Cullerton. I'm one of the audit managers at Lauterbach and Amon. I've been with the city and their audit for quite a couple of years now. So it's good to see some familiar faces. I always like to thank Jessica, Brian, the rest of the finance team and staff that helped make this all possible. I completely 100% agree with Jessica when she said that regardless of the transition from one software to the next, we were a little nervous as well, but it was probably one of the smoothest audits that we've had so far. So that is a great testament to how well the finance team works together and knows their stuff. So without further ado, I will just jump right in.

So first off, in the report, we'll go through just the introductory section.

So on page one, you'll see the list of principal officials. On page two, organizational chart, and then you have followed by your transmittal letter. Um, the next big section is on page 10, so this is the or the certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting. Um, and this was for the 24, 24 audit. So you always have that. Prior years achievement in the next audit. Um, this was also already awarded for the city for the 2025 fiscal year and this is the. 23rd year the city has received it. And so they're looking on to the 44th year. So huge achievement for the city. Next is the financial section so starting on page 13 you'll see the independent auditors report so you'll see that we gave an unmodified or clean opinion it's the highest opinion that we can give. So this is exactly what you want to see when you have an audit, so the financial statements were presented fairly in all material respects, and there were no internal control findings. Next is the start of the management discussion and analysis, or the executive summary. I like to call this the section where, you know, this is the city's audit is a pretty hefty report. So, if someone doesn't have a lot of time to go through all of the information, but they want to give a high level overview of what. went on throughout 2025, I always like to pinpoint this section just because it is probably like a 10 to 15 page section going over what high level items happened throughout the year, the highs, the lows, what increased and what decreased and what to see there. Next is basic financial statements starting on page 31 and then followed up by the supplementary information section at 106, but I will go more into depth about the basic financial statements right now. So on page 31, you'll have the government-wide statement of net position. So you'll also see governmental activities, business type, MLK Center for the component unit, as well as Rock Island's Public Library Foundation information. So for assets and deferred outflow of resources throughout the year for 2025, governmental activities were about 191 million, for business type, about 165 million. MLK Center about $2.1 million and for the Library Foundation about $3 million. On the other side, for liabilities and deferred inflows of resources, governmental activities were about $238 million, business type about $98 million, MLK Center $1.5 million, and nothing for the Library Foundation. switching up to the revenues and expenses we still have that same categorization of those types so for revenues governmental activities were about six uh 68.2 business type 40.7 million uh mlk center about 2.2 million and the library foundation about 612 000 expenses for governmental about 48 49 million business type about 34.8 million mlk center about 2. three million and the library foundation about 652 000. so overall net position change there was an increase to both governmental and business type activities about 29 percent and nine percent on the mlk center about 15 decrease and for the foundation about a one percent decrease just based off of um you know the amount of um funds within those two it looks a little skewed So for the basic financial statements going onwards, I won't go too much into detail about some of these sections, but just want to make sure that those are pinpointed. So for governmental funds, those are on page 35. For proprietary funds, those are on page 43. And fiduciary funds are on page 51. And then going more into detail is the notes to financial statements. This is what I like to call the meat and potatoes of the report. So what do those numbers mean? So that is on starting on page 53. So there's a lot to look at there, but I actually pinpointed some bigger ticket items on there to have reference to for later. So leases receivable is on page 70. Capital assets are on page 73. Long-term debt on 75. And then your fund balance classifications for non-spendable advances, restricted and committed funds are on page 83. So some supplementary information section that was on page 106 and beyond. So that includes your schedule of employer contributions, employer net position liability or assets, your investment returns, employer total for OPAP liabilities, your budget to actual comparisons, that breakout of long-term debt for each individual debt item and what that maturity looks like throughout the life of that, as well as your statistical sections. And last but not least, we will go through any management letter comments that we had throughout the year. So there were no new current or prior recommendations. The only items listed were any upcoming standards. So, Gatsby is always ever ever changing some rules. So you'll see that there are 2. Upcoming for 2026 is fiscal year end. You have Gatsby 103 and Gatsby statement 104. so this is your financial reporting model improvements as well as your disclosure of certain capital asset requirements. So nothing that the city has to change or worry about just yet. It's items that aren't as financially heavy changes. It's more report related changes. So things that we can absolutely work on during the audit. So nothing that you need to worry about. And then lastly, just some information who to contact if you have any questions. But here I'm, you know, I'm here and available. So if you have any questions now, I'm more than happy to answer anything that you have.

It's just a couple. Well, one is a comment. I agree that the public, if they want to kind of look at the audit, the best thing is the management discussion and analysis from pages 17 through 28. And also, the statistical section is unaudited, but it gives like a 10-year history of financial trends, debt, and what have you. So those are two good areas for the public. And I guess another question. So was there a single audit? And if so, which federal grant was selected for that?

We did have a single audit this year. Hannah, did you guys focus on any particular grant? I don't know if you could hear.

i can sorry yes um there were quite uh there were two um off the top of my head i do not recall so that is something that i can i can go back and refer to but yes there is a single audit that was um completed and then this is more for jessica are there any outstanding state or federal grants that we're still waiting for

yes we there are quite a few we can get you that information as well but we are still waiting on federal and both state and federal grants from 2025 to be received

Yes, ma'am. On page two and four of your presentation, those pages that you're referring to with the information on those pages, is that something that the public should be seeing at this time? I mean, they don't have access to the books that we have back here. So I'm just... I'm just seeing if we need to be referring them where these books are or should they be seeing what we're seeing right now?

Typically what we do is once we present it to city council is we post it to the city's website. So that will be posted tomorrow morning for the public to review, but it's not something that we release to the public until council's had a chance to review it.

Okay. And what we post on our website, the page number, everything will correlate to this right here?

I can put it together. Okay.

All right. Thank you. Anything else? Thank you, Jessica.

Thank you.

Thank you all very much for your time. Have a wonderful rest of your evening.

Thank you, ma'am. Thank you.

Thank you.

Agenda item seven.

Presentation of the Annual Historic Preservation Awards.

Okay, I tend to be very loud. I am Diane A. Streich, and I am Secretary of Rock Island Preservation Society. And if the line underneath would show, it would say, our motto is advocates for historic architecture. And that's what we do. We're a nonprofit. We don't have a lot of money, but we are advocating for historic architecture all the time. Rock Island has a lot of historic architecture. You know that. We have a national register downtown. We have a national register residential district. we have a lot of things going on including the new river edge redevelopment zone that is based on historic preservation and redevelopment unfortunately tonight we only have one award and i'm going to task you folks to tell us about what's happening in your ward we see things happening when the roads we drive down we see what's happening in parks we see what's happening in neighborhoods a little bit when we pass through them but next year each of you look and put at what is going on in your neighborhood and let us know we'll do the final evaluation but give us an address an owner and tell us briefly what's happened and we would hope to have a lot more awards because we believe rock island is a very historic city now without further ado tonight's award is a very well deserved one it goes to martin bush and the address is 1225 37th Avenue. It's a building with major historic connotations, built by a man who was a founder of a department store in Rock Island, associated with the name Mosenfelder. There were Mosenfelders all over Rock Island. His wife was a Mosenfelder, Louis Cohn and Regina Mosenfelder Cohn. It's interesting, and you folks all get our newsletter, so you read a little bit of the history, and I'm not going to go over that. A great deal of restoration went into this house. Interior, we don't give awards for interior, but we know that has been restored as well. this is the exterior and some of it you can say it's just painting which we normally don't give awards for painting that's considered maintenance but what they especially did here was return it to the original colors and put on a roof that looks like the original slate and that's a significant improvement on this house so if you go by you'll have to look behind the bushes or maybe go up in the driveway but i would encourage you to do so and mary if you would come around and

Marty, if you would come up.

Agenda item 8 public comment. The first name miss Heather Anderson.

excuse me hello everyone I'm Heather Anderson I am with birth to five Illinois in Rock Island County which is region 49 I've been here once before a few months ago and I'm back just because you know we're not going anywhere so I want you to remember that but we're in our recruitment season and so I want to ask you all to lend a hand in that for those of you that might not know birth to five works with an action council and a family council and all of our work comes from them And so we want to make sure that Rock Island County and really the whole state of Illinois is the best, most equitable place to raise young children. And so that's really at the heart of what we do. So our Action Council is made up of really anyone from the community. So it is mostly comprised of early childhood professionals, but we also have business owners, faith leaders, you know, we try to have as diverse a group as possible. on family council one of our requirements is that they have children age eight and under and that they receive services or live or work in rock island county and so we want to hear from the people on the front lines as to what is working well and what's not working well while they're living or receiving services in rock island county so an example is um we have and i have an ambassador packet so i won and you can make lots of copies uh they're all throughout rock island now it's on our website our families were telling us that they needed help with connecting with their kiddos maintaining the mental health of the family unit And so, you know, they're busy though, right? They're working, the kids have sports and activities and all these things, and so to really lay out a plan that's, you know, you need to sit and read with your child for an hour a night, seems like a lot. That's great, but it seems like a big lift, right? And so we came up with, with the help of our councils, a Take Five campaign. and so five minutes a day is really all it takes to connect with your children in a meaningful healthy way and so i have a packet with qr codes that have links to our websites our family council you'll see them in the videos that are linked there with their children doing examples of the things that they're talking about all the activities that we came up with we presented to them and got their feedback. They also helped us with the design of the flyers and putting this out into the community. So that's one thing I'll leave with you all. The other two things are our flyers for the Family Council and for the Action Council because we're in that recruitment stage right now. And so again, if you know of someone that has children age eight and under, we do have priority populations that we're aiming to get so that we have the most diverse representation. But we don't select our councils, so that is something that we sort of trade those services with other regions throughout the whole state of Illinois, so it's fair and equitable for all folks. We, of course, tell them what we're looking for to prioritize those populations, but really it's up to the other councils to make that happen. And so that's what I'm here to ask you for help with that.

Thank you for your time, ma'am. Miss Mary Gordon? Come on up, ma'am. Yeah, right there to the microphone, ma'am.

Hope I can hear you. I got new hearing aids since I was here last time, but they're not working great.

Go ahead, ma'am. You can talk into the microphone.

Oh, I'm just here to find out what you came up with for the 702.

Well well ma'am now now is public comment now is not the time.

Oh I don't have anything to.

You don't have anything you know I don't OK I'm sorry you're you're fine man you're fine that's not a mistake. That's not a mistake you're fine now. Mister Gordon Williams.

sorry for my bad handwriting it's it's jordan williams oh excuse me it's my poor handwriting mr mayor members of council my name is jordan williams i'm the director of project delivery for cordy and clark and i'm here tonight to speak on item agenda 14a i just want to stop by and say thank you for your consideration and trust of cordy and clark to handle the project at 1609 fourth street so Thank you very much. You got my personal guarantee that will do an excellent job for you all and looking forward to working with you. Thank you.

Thank you for your time, Sir. OK, agenda item 9 update Rock Island. Update Rock Island. Starlight Review. The 70th annual Starlight Review continues in Lincoln Park every Tuesday with live music and dancing. This Tuesday, June 23rd, come see Gray Wolf. Next week on Tuesday, June 30th, enjoy the music of Totes Me Goats. Concessions open at 5 p.m. with delicious food from the Hy-Vee Grill. The concert starts at 6.30 p.m. Passport to Preservation. Step into an evening of European-inspired elegance at the Hallbarg Estate this Saturday, June 27th at 5.30 p.m. for the signature annual fundraiser, a wine and beer tasting walk called Passport to Preservation. Seven different countries will be paired with seven appetizers from Augustana Fine Dining, with an Italian bistro after-party catered by Huckleberry's. Stroll the historic gardens, enjoy live music, and experience an unforgettable evening, supporting the preservation of one of the Quad City's most treasured landmarks. For tickets and information, go to hallbarkestate.org slash events. King's Cafe. Enjoy coffee, conversation, and community every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 9 a.m. to noon at the Martin Luther King Community Center located at 639th Street from now through August. King's Cafe is a place where conversations happen, relationships grow, and community is built one cup at a time. Stop in for coffee, conversation, and a welcoming space to connect with others in your community. Whether you stay for five minutes or an hour, There's a seat for you. Agenda item 10.

Okay, an ordinance to install a handicapped parking space at 1916 9th Street, second reading.

Motion to pass the ordinance.

Second. I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans?

Yes.

Hurt?

Aye.

Barnes? Aye. Swanson? Aye. Parker?

Aye.

Poulos?

Aye.

Healy? Aye.

Agenda item B.

An ordinance to install a handicapped parking space at 2725 Carlberg Court, second reading. Motion to pass the ordinance. Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

other person Evans, yes, hurt I aren't I want to I Parker I was I and he I. Agenda item C. An ordinance amending chapter 11. Article 10 municipal property for redevelopment and accompanying policy for the purchase and sale of municipal real estate second reading.

Most of the past year notes.

There's been a first in the second is there any discussion. Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Gullis.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye.

Agenda item D. An ordinance approving the amended River Tracks LLC redevelopment agreement second reading.

Motion to pass the ordinance and authorize the city manager to execute the agreement subject to minor attorney modifications.

Second.

There's been a first and a second.

Is there any discussion?

What's the funding source, I didn't see maybe I missed it 2 weeks ago is this North 11th.

Yes, it is to project. I don't think we've determined which to.

Staff will be evaluating exactly how to do it, but what we will likely do is draw funds from at least two other adjacent TIF districts, most likely the North 11th and the new Downtown TIF, given that they have healthy balances. Again, the only reason that we need to do this is because the Port TIF that this project is located in is still too new to have established any increment. So it'd be moving it over to make this agreement possible. At a later time, though, if there was desire, we could pass funds back to those other TIFs from the Port TIF.

I would definitely like to have it, you know, especially in the North 11th TIF, if some is drawn from there to have it reimbursed, because I know they've already did something for the pilot and then tonight for another item on the agenda.

We'll look at doing that in the future.

Any more discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Gullis.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye.

Agenda item E. A resolution in support of the Illinois America 250 commemoration.

Move to adopt the resolution. Second.

There's been a 1st and the 2nd is there any discussion. Please call the road.

All the person evidence. Yes, her I I want to I Parker I was I and he.

Agenda item 11.

A report from the clerk's office regarding ordinance allowing a real express temporarily operate a mobile food unit on the city on property South adjacent to arts alley first reading.

Move to approve the request subject to complying with all mobile food unit license regulations and the city's food and beverage tax ordinance. Consider, suspend the rules, and pass the ordinance.

Second.

There's been a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Hulis. Aye. And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item B.

Report from the Community Development Department regarding a special use permit request from Mary Gordon for the property at 702 20th Street, 1st Street.

Move to approve the request and consider the ordinance.

Second.

There's been a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call please.

Alder Prison Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Poulos. Aye. And Healy.

Aye.

Agenda item C. Report from the Traffic Engineering Committee regarding a request to install a handicapped parking space at 838 25th Street. First reading.

Move to consider suspend the rules and pass the ordinance. Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker.

Aye.

Poulos.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item 12.

Consent agenda items A through J.

Move to approve consent agenda items A through F and HIJ. Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker.

Aye.

Hulis.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye. Move to approve consent agenda item G. Second. There's been a first and a second.

Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Hulis.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye.

Agenda item 13. Claims A through D. Motion to allow claims A through D. Second.

There's been a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker.

Aye.

Poulos. Aye. And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item E.

Report from the police department requesting authorization to purchase the renewal of an investigative tool from Celebrite Incorporated in the amount of $10,740.

Move to approve the purchase.

Second. There's been a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Poulos.

Aye.

And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item 14.

A report from the Community Development Department regarding a contract for building assessment services with Cordogan Clark.

Motion to approve the contract and authorize the city manager to execute the agreement subject to minor attorney modifications.

Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion?

The only thing I would like to say is the Rock Island Public Library has used Corrigan Clark for their study, and they are a wonderful company, so I'm very glad, very happy that we're using them.

Any more discussion? Clerk, please call the roll.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Kurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Koulis. Aye. And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item B.

Report from the finance department regarding an amendment to the interagency agreement for the advanced metering infrastructure project ARCA restricted funds.

Motion to approve the amendment and authorize the city manager to execute the agreement subject to minor attorney modifications.

Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion?

Just a question on the advanced metering project. Was there anything in particular that caused the project cost to increase from I think $768,000 to over a million or is it just kind of anticipated that it might?

Yeah, I look might know better than I did. Total cost of that project. I think $3 million range so. It was broken into parts. Money was used to purchase meters. The question was about the advanced metering project. It's a multi year project and what's the total cost of it? You're referring to 20th Street, sorry, no, the meter replacement project.

Well and if I can interrupt as well it we were also moving that's the only open project that we still have so in order to allocate the funds we were originally going to pay some of those invoices out of the water fund and now we'll be using ARPA related funds the restricted ARPA funds because that IA is still open. So we're just reallocating the amounts that are left over from the closed projects to the open one. So it didn't it didn't increase the project amount. It's just we're using ARPA funds to pay for it instead of using the water fund at this time.

That was the plan all along. Make sure you leave any money on the table.

Any more discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans, yes. Hurt, aye. Barnes, aye. Swanson, aye. Parker, aye. Poulos, aye. And Healy, aye. Agenda item C. Report from the Public Works Department regarding bids for a forestry mulching contract recommending the bid be awarded to McClintock Trucking and Excavating, Silvis, Illinois in the amount of $29,600.

Motion to award the bid is recommended and authorize the city manager to execute the contract subject to minor attorney modifications.

Second. I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion?

Due to the nature of my employment, I need to recuse myself from this vote.

Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Poulos. Aye. And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item D.

Report from the police department regarding a one-year agreement with the Rock Island Milan School District number 41 to provide a police department school resource officer at Rock Island High School.

Move to approve the agreement and authorize the city manager to execute the document subject to minor attorney modifications.

Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion?

I think the only question I have is, is the school paying the salary or are we?

The school pays about 70% because of the time that they actually be up there at school.

Anymore discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans. Yes, Kurt Barnes Swanson Parker. Agenda item 15. A report from the Finance Department regarding a budget adjustment to the MLK Activity Fund 900 in the amount of $15,000.

Motion to approve the budget adjustment. Second.

I have a first and a second. Is there any discussion? Roll call, please.

Alderperson Evans.

Yes.

Hurt.

Aye.

Barnes. Aye. Swanson. Aye. Parker. Aye. Bulis. Aye. And Healy.

Aye. Agenda item 16.

A report from the Human Resources Department regarding grade reclassification for the telecommunicator position.

Motion to approve the reclassification and corresponding wage increases. Second. There's a first and a second. Is there any discussion?

Yes, I have a few questions related to that. What's the salary range for City of Rock Island and the salary range for the QCOM? telecommunicators.

I'm going to ask Rob. Do you have that info?

would have to get the top end of the range but on the old range for the city rock island that's at 25.62 is the first step the new would be 26.90 and then qcom would be at 27.95 can you repeat is that the end range again or the was that the I have to get the end ranges. I can provide that to you. I just had the starting ranges.

Okay, because I thought in previous, I thought the city of Rock Island end range was already higher.

Yeah, it does. Theirs stops at 15 years QCOMS, but ours goes on beyond that. We have step increases, and then we have what's called the high end of the range, which is, it goes from a low merit to a high merit. So I can provide that to you, though.

So I guess what I'm saying is some of the telecommunicators already that are at the top of that range already make more than the QCOM telecommunicators at the top of their range.

Correct but then at the bottom of the range and we are below that.

So just starting out they would be lower but At some point. They would be higher correct, yeah, and there's multiple steps they have.

What's called they have 15 step increments and then we have step increments as well. They each one of the steps we would be below them, but at the very top of the range we would be higher than their 15th step. They don't have merit increases at the end of the range like we do at the City of Rock Island.

So I guess my next question is, so how many telecommunicators have left in the last five years specifically due to compensation?

In the last five years due to compensation?

Ballpark or two years.

No, I don't have any that have left specifically because of compensation. I have some that left as a result of retirements or not making it through training. I have right now, though, we're only at staff of full time right now of eight as opposed to 12, with two more in training right now. But two more potentially is what we're looking at as far as leaving.

Okay, so I guess the next question is kind of based on using a market adjustment. Will it create pressure for similar positions or other positions within the city where staff may not be making the market rate

There will be other positions that would be below market rate as within other roles with other contracts. QCOM is unique because they have only one classification out there under their contract. That's an AFSCME contract as well. But there are other rules that are below grade or below market, I guess you would say.

So at what point then should the city look at doing a broader, comprehensive strategy to look at all the city employees if we're comparing them to other cities, you know?

I would recommend there is a compensation study, but that we would have to then look at what we would do budgetary if you did a citywide compensation study that would result in adjustments throughout all classifications. And we typically, what we do is each year when we do contract negotiations, You know, whatever contract we are up against, we do do comparables against other cities, comparables. We did make an adjustment for the telecommunicators, but then it's a contract which had gone into place. Then there was other market adjustments at other contracts that are causing this to kind of lag behind now this contract. That's why we're trying to make an adjustment now. But we do kind of going back to your question, we do do market analysis when we do negotiations. It's a negotiation, though. The union has to make a determination if they want to make individual adjustments or if they want to have broad, across-the-board GWI increases. On the non-affiliate side, we could do a... compensation study i would if we do that we have to make sure we have the funding uh allocated so budget time we would have to you know allocate for adjustments because there could be substantial increases during that period of time i don't know if i answered your question that's it i do i do have a question for you rob uh with the with the union contracts

Between contracts, are there wage increases? Or are the contracts locked in at a wage freeze for union employees?

So the union contracts are locked in usually for a period of time. There's general wage increases that happen at the beginning of each year. But then there are what they call variable on an anniversary. You can go a step or you can have what's called a merit increase. But in certain circumstances, if there is we've in this circumstance, there was a concern that was raised by management of police department. We engaged asked me to discuss if this would be an individual classification that we could review to ensure, I guess, retaining the employees and not losing them after we've invested quite a bit of training time and such asked me was agreeable to that to work with us and work on an individual basis.

So the telecommunication position is a union position?

Correct. It is under what's called the AFSCME union represents two locals within the city. AFSCME B is the professional union. AFSCME A is municipalities like our construction, our roads, our water treatment. So AFSCME B is the telecommunicator does fall under the AFSCME B contract. They also represent telecommunicators at other entities as well, the county, city, and in QCOM as well.

Okay. So if someone were to leave because of low wages, they would still be a part of the union to go to another city and get the same job at a higher wage? Is that how that would go, being a part of that union?

It depends on the city or the contract they go to the one that is we're represent we're discussing to calm. They have what's called a lateral program so up to 10 years of service. You can go over at the same level of service. So if you have Four years of service with City of Rock Island. You can move over to Q com Okay at their fourth step which would be fourth in four years So they allow it in their contract. It might not be another contract So but they specifically have language on the lateral transfer.

Okay. Thank you Rob. Thank you Any more discussion Roll call please

All the prison evidence. Barnes no Swanson I Parker I was I and he agenda item 17. A report from the mayor's office regarding appointments in a reappointment to the library board.

Motion to approve the appointments and reappointment as recommended.

I have a first and second is there any discussion.

Roll call please all the person Evans, yes, her I aren't I want to I Parker I was I and he.

Again item 18. Other business or business about having a thing. City Council, yes, I do.

So a couple of things I've been talking since I've been on Council about a financial planning task force. So I would like to request that the mayor and city manager bring forward a proposal for the creation of a citizen led financial planning task force to review and update the city's financial policies, many of which originated from the financial planning task force established in 1987. almost 40 years ago the purpose would be to evaluate the city's long-term financial sustainability and provide recommendations regarding revenues expenditures staffing trends debt management capital planning and financial forecasting also I would like staff to explore engaging in independent human resources consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive organizational and workforce assessment to evaluate staffing structures, compensation practices, operational efficiencies, and long-term personnel cost sustainability. So my goal is not to reduce services or deny employees fair compensation. My goal is to ensure that we have a long term plan that allows us to continue providing quality services, properly compensate employees, maintain infrastructure and remain financially sustainable for future generations.

Thank you, Miss Barnes. Duly noted everything.

It has been two weekends where I have not been able to get a bagel, and I'm very excited but frustrated about the enormous popularity of blue-collar bagels. Congratulations to them. I'm loving seeing the long lines, but I don't love waiting in them. So one of these days, I will get a bagel, and I'm looking forward to it. Thanks. Thanks to the community for coming out and supporting.

I have several things. So first off, I think council needs to be very careful about our roles as setting strategic goals we need to stay in our lane along those lines I'm hearing a lot of things about loans and whatever and so i have already talked to the finance director about this but i would like um to have made available a list of all the curliff loans given for the last 20 years who the loans were given to how much the loans were where they are at in their repayment process who has repaid because my understanding is there's very few who have paid their loans back Who is delinquent? Who have we written off? And because we're going back 20 years, who was the finance director at the time the loans were given? Because that would be the fiduciary responsible person for instituting the loans. And I think to have all that information, the reason I'm asking for that is because I am not on the Curliff Committee. My major is not finance, and I would like to have full information, because quite frankly, I'm kind of tired of hearing about it. So I would just like to have documentation for my own personal thing, and I would imagine other council members would like that as well. So that's my bad part. My good part is I want to do a shout out to the Quad QC Temps. It's a vocal group that has Marshall Glover and Thurgood Brooks and some other gentlemen that I do apologize if you're listening, I didn't remember what your names were. But they performed at Flowers on the River, the event last Thursday. It alternates between Rock Island and Bettendorf. And this year it was in Bettendorf. I was very honored to be there. It is a recognition of women, children, families who have been killed by domestic violence. It was very sad that the first six names read off. were the members of the family in muscatine who are just in the news but it is a very meaningful and a very poignant ceremony and these five gentlemen who sang did an amazing job and just really added to the value of that program so i wanted to call them out on that um secondly i also want to say quad city arts has put lots of murals and structures sculptures throughout the community so as you're out and about look at the new structures there's a new one down at the rock island public library there's some others around town there's a mural that's going in in davenport and this saturday if you've got Nothing to do at 9.30, come down to Quad City Arts with your bike and there will be an eight mile bike tour on both sides of the river looking at some of the public art sculptures because Quad City Arts is quite a gem in our community and doing a lot of good things. And then lastly, big shout out to one of our institutions here in Rock Island, Augustana. I was not here at the last council meeting because I was with the Augustana choir. They sang in Uppsala, Sweden at the historic cathedral. The cathedral was packed with people from Uppsala, from the college, from Stockholm that came up. We have an amazing choir over at Augustana. There were several people, kids in the choir that are from Rock Island. I was so very impressed by that, but I think a big shout out to Augustana and the Rock Island kids. They are residents for nine months out of the year. And so I think they deserve recognition for a lot of the really good things that they're doing. I'm done.

Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?

I just want to say happy belated Father's Day to all of the fathers out there. I did get a chance to spend time with two of my brothers and my dad.

It was a great time.

I know I rarely bring up other cities when we're talking about town business. But, you know, there was a Juneteenth celebration downtown Davenport this Saturday, and it was really a beautiful event, an absolute beautiful event. Downtown, they had a few streets blocked off. They had live entertainment from Rock Island's own Avenir High Steppers. We're looking forward to seeing them any chance we can get. They had vendors out there. It was just a wonderful, wonderful cultural event. The day was perfect for it. And I just want to give a shout out to all the organizers, all the vendors out there, and all the people from this side of the river and others that absolutely enjoyed that occasion. It was beautiful. Anything else?

Okay.

Moving right along. Agenda item 19. Motion to adjourn.

Second.

I motion to adjourn all in favor. All opposed. Have a good evening everyone.