Moline · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Moline public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Winter overflow shelter and regional homelessness response
Council kept $100,000 in the budget for a temporary winter shelter, though no location has been found. The shelter would serve women only, with men served in Davenport; total regional cost is estimated at $400,000.
2027 Budget and Property Tax Levy
The 2027 levy would rise 4.22% — the lowest in four years — with nearly all of the increase going to police and fire pensions. Homeowners would pay about $34 more a year; commercial about $191.
Cannabis fund allocations
Asbach, Germany Sister City Partnership
Moline is formalizing a sister city relationship with Asbach, Germany, tied together by John Deere's 2017 acquisition of the Wirtgen Group. A delegation visits April 27-29 with a signing ceremony at the April 28 council meeting.
Elimination of council and administrator contingency funds
Ballet Quad Cities downtown facility
Downtown parking study delay and parking ramp costs
The city is spending $124,945 to study downtown parking with Walker Consultants. Alderperson Timion wants paid parking on city lots, including one near Highland Manor that apartment residents use almost exclusively.
7 Brew drive-through coffee traffic concerns
A proposed 7 Brew on Avenue of the Cities near the high school has aldermen worried about the massive drive-through jams seen in Bettendorf. Staff is contacting the company and other cities to figure out what can be required before it's built.
Tobacco and vape shop density on Avenue of the Cities
The council is wrestling with how tightly to control tobacco vending machines — capping them, requiring council approval, and figuring out how many already exist. The item returns October 13.
Cannabis dispensary hours and drive-throughs
New state law lets dispensaries stay open until 2 a.m. and add drive-throughs. The council's zoning update allows those uses via special use permit, decided case by case — and dropped parking minimums for dispensaries.
Joint Moline/Rock Island County police substation at 1522 46th Avenue
The city is buying a remodeled building next to Fire Station 2 for $270,000, splitting costs with the county, to house a joint police substation serving the south side. It should improve response times and give the city a footprint south of the Rock River.
Resident request for sewer backup assistance
A 25-year resident asked the council to increase a prior $5,000 stipend to $10,000, saying his uninsured damages from a sewer backup topped $20,000.
Special events funding — Quad City Storm and Mercado
Council declined the Quad City Storm's request for $45,000 in free police services, sticking with the pay-actual-costs policy, and held Mercado on Fifth at $30,000 annually.
FY 2027-2029 agency funding
Council reviewed funding for 20 outside agencies, including a proposed shift of $25,000 from Moline CDC to Renew Moline and restoring Moline Centre funding. Total 2027 recommendation is $1,533,935, up 2.7%.
Spring 2027 bonding for riverfront and fire station
Council gave staff the green light to plan for spring 2027 bonding: $10 million for riverfront redevelopment and $27 million for the new fire station. Formal resolutions will come back before any bonds are issued.
Short-Term Rental Licensing
Staff proposed requiring short-term rentals to get rental licenses ($100 plus $15 per additional unit) so the city can collect the 7% hotel/motel tax, estimating $16,500 in new revenue. An ordinance change will come back to council.
2026 City Fee Review
The city's first full fee review since 2022 proposes raising 33 of 180 fees. The biggest change: EMS/ambulance fees going up about 20% to recover ~$700,000, mostly from insurance companies under a state program. Council debated keeping lower resident rates and how to protect the small share of uninsured patients.
Level Up emergency assistance program renewal
Council supported moving the Level Up rental/utility assistance program in-house, saving about $34,000 a year, with five city staff running it and quarterly reports to council. Tier A payments would go directly to vendors.
Library and parks budgets
Library gets a General Fund transfer and a new Outreach Manager position; parks property tax stays flat with a $500,000 placeholder for the O'Brien Park/Eastgate parking lot purchase pending council action.
TIF 13 Amendment for Modern II Redevelopment
Three ordinances completed the TIF 13 Amendment, enabling the 67-unit Modern II apartment project downtown using incremental property taxes for redevelopment.
New personnel requests
Staff recommend filling two of three requested positions: a library Outreach Manager and a custodian for the City Services Center. The Resiliency Officer would be deferred, with duties spread across departments and a committee formed instead.
Ambulance fee restructuring
The city plans to retire six revenue anticipation notes, reclassify them as advances, and potentially transfer funds from TIF 13 to TIF 11 starting in 2032 to fix a combined $4 million deficit — all to show Moody's the city manages its debt.
Moline Riverfront redevelopment
The city is spending over $1 million combined on engineering and architecture to finally get the long-stalled Riverfront redevelopment moving, including a demolition package targeted for 2026.
Flock cameras and Avenue of the Cities speed limit
The police department has paused its fixed automatic license plate reader program with Flock Safety after community pushback. The chief cited polling showing majority public opposition nationwide.
East End Neighborhood Plan
A summer fellow's plan proposes O'Brien Park upgrades, riverfront activation, I-92 corridor revitalization, rezoning for mixed use, and pedestrian safety improvements — ideas that may feed into the comprehensive plan.
Pavement Condition Report and Management Plan
Moline's streets average a 60 out of 100 condition score with 20% of the network beyond routine repair. The current $7.9M/year budget holds the line but doesn't improve conditions; reaching a target score would take roughly $14.4M/year.
Tobacco Vending Machine Regulation
The council is wrestling with how tightly to control tobacco vending machines — capping them, requiring council approval, and figuring out how many already exist. The item returns October 13.
PFAS Treatment at Water Treatment Plant
The city is getting ahead of coming EPA 'forever chemicals' rules by hiring CDM Smith to design treatment at the water plant, funded by 3M settlement money.
Environmental Resiliency Plan adoption
The council adopted a long-term climate and resiliency plan with annual reviews; one alderman wants a dedicated Resiliency Manager considered in the budget.
Lead Service Line Replacement Mandate
The city moved forward with the second phase of replacing its roughly 4,900 lead service lines, hiring Miller Trucking & Excavating for $7.95 million, contingent on a state loan.
Scout Capital Group commercial project incentive
The city will rebate up to $595,000 in sales tax over up to seven years to make the Scout Capital Group project at 3620 38th Avenue viable, paid only from the new sales tax the business generates.
Battery disposal law and landfill fire risk
Illinois has passed a law banning battery disposal in regular trash due to landfill fires; the city will need to tell residents where to take batteries.
Personnel Misconduct
Moline's ex-city administrator was warned about bad behavior before stepping down, exposing some messy behind-the-scenes drama in local government. It's a wake-up call about how our top leaders are behaving on the clock.
Video Gaming Terminal Expansion
Three gaming cafes face closure on January 31, 2027 after the council declined to repeal the sunset. Owners and employees say jobs and $307,000 in annual city revenue are at stake; supporters of the sunset say the industry is changing anyway.
New Central Fire Station Phase 2 Design
Three buildings on 7th Street come down starting late April to make way for Moline's new central fire station. Demolition should wrap by early summer.
City Administrator Transition
Bogdan Vitas Jr. resigned as city administrator effective August 14, and the council unanimously named Assistant City Administrator Barry Dykhuizen as interim administrator while a search proceeds.
OSLAD Grant for Milt Hand Softball Complex
The city is applying for $600,000 in state money to fix crumbling sidewalks, replace old playground equipment, add shade, and build an accessible trail at the Milt Hand Softball Complex.
I-74 and John Deere Road Interchange Improvements
A $392,120 engineering contract will design rebuilds at Avenue of the Cities/53rd Street and 19th Avenue/16th Street, including a possible roundabout at the tricky five-point 19th and 16th intersection.
Administrative Resignation
Moline is shaking things up at city hall now that City Administrator Bob Vitas has stepped down. This unexpected exit leaves a leadership vacuum that will definitely influence upcoming local policies and the city's overall direction.
2027-2029 Special Capital Improvement Plan and riverfront funding
A three-year capital plan proposes $10 million in bonds to jump-start the Riverfront + Centre project, plus a future Central Fire Station. To pay for it, property tax increases would be deferred to 2028 and gas/electric franchise fees would rise to 5% by 2030 — roughly $1.65 more per month per 1% on a typical bill.
Build Moline Starter Home Program
The city wants to fill the gap in new, modestly priced starter homes (~$180K) that private builders aren't producing. Only about two city-owned lots are buildable, but ~80 private lots could work, and the leading idea is a $500,000 subordinate mortgage program with banks and builders. Council wants a multi-track plan — duplexes, nonprofits, direct building — back before year's end.
Utility billing customer service changes
The city wants to switch from posting blue shutoff notices at properties to mailing notices, with a 10% late fee aligned with neighboring cities. A three-month transition would test whether mailed notices work as well; an ordinance would come back in September.
FY 2026 budget amendment
The council approved various line-item changes to the FY 2026 budget, and staff shared an updated budget meeting schedule running through year-end.
Income-restricted rental housing need
A resident called in pointing to a late-2025 assessment that Moline needs roughly 340 income-restricted rental units, urging the city to work with the housing authority to actually get units built, not just run programs.
Old Oakwood street reconstruction
The council approved a $1.06 million contract with Walter D. Laud, Inc. to rebuild 27th Avenue A, 28th Avenue A and 30th Street in the Old Oakwood neighborhood.
I-74 & John Deere Road interchange reconstruction
The cloverleaf at I-74 and John Deere Road will be rebuilt as a diverging diamond interchange starting spring 2027, taking two full years. Ramp detours will push 5,000-8,000 vehicles a day onto 16th Street during stages, though both highways keep two lanes each way. IDOT says the design is safer and handles far more traffic.
I-74 Riverfront Reimagined BUILD Grant
The city is reapplying for a federal BUILD grant with a halved federal request and a $644,392 local match, focusing on design and engineering after last year's near-miss.
Regional housing collaboration
Alderperson Castro attended a regional housing meeting with Rock Island, East Moline, and social service organizations, reporting meaningful progress toward potential solutions. Housing pressures are being tackled across city lines.
Pedestrian Safety and Heat Exposure Near John Deere Road
A resident raised concerns about extreme summer heat and a lack of continuous sidewalks and shade near John Deere Road, making walking hazardous.
2027-2029 Utility Fee Increases
Households face about $3.90 more per month in 2027, growing to $5.55 by 2029 — roughly $14.46/month total over three years. Sewer rises 6% a year for the South Slope plant, water 2-4% plus a lead pipe surcharge, stormwater and garbage 2-3%. Staff says rates stay below most Quad Cities neighbors.