City Council Study Session

CITY OF ROCK ISLAND CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION City Council Chambers, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 1528 Third Avenue, Rock Island, IL 4/14/2025 - Minutes 1. Call to Order Mayor Thoms called the meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. and welcomed everyone. 2. Roll Call Mayor Thoms asked City Clerk Samantha Gange to call the roll. Present: Alderpersons Moses Robinson, Randy Hurt, Randy Tweet, Jenni Swanson, Dylan Parker, Mark Poulos, Billy Healy and Mayor Mike Thoms. Absent: None. Staff: City Manager Todd Thompson, Attorney Leslie Day, City Clerk Samantha Gange, and other City Staff. 3. Presentations a. Presentation from Police Chief McCloud regarding "You Are Not Alone" Suicide Prevention Signs. In response to the number of calls the Police Department has responded to regarding suicidal subjects on the Centennial Bridge, Police Chief Tim McCloud proposed installing suicide prevention signs at the base of the Centennial Bridge and the entrance to the Arsenal Bridge viaduct. The signs would display the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and a QR code that would direct them to the Library's website that details a list of mental health resources. Chief McCloud said the City of Davenport would like to collaborate with Rock Island. He added that the Public Works Department could fabricate the signs. He said they could install signs at the Milan Bridge too. b. Presentation on I-280/Casino West Development. Community Development Director Miles Brainard explained that the proposed development for the Casino West site consists of a cannabis dispensary and a gas station. He went over the site's background information. He noted that the site was elevated, out of the floodplain, and was not part of a wetland. He displayed and explained several aerial maps and pictures of the site. He said the site was outside FEMA-designated flood zones and Illinois DNR-designated wetland areas. Mr. Brainard said the City undertook some site readiness studies, including an environmental site assessment for all the City-owned acres, site-specific environmental assessments, wetland delineation and soil conditions evaluation. He explained that the completed studies confirmed the site's general suitability for commercial development, as intended, and were not exhaustive studies specific to a given type of development. Mr. Brainard went over the development proposal and displayed renderings of the proposed buildings. He noted the developer will include extensive landscaping around the site to act as a buffer between the site and 1 the surrounding area and explained that lighting and other design elements will be as low impact as possible. City Manager Todd Thompson gave some background regarding the City's budget. He explained that the City has had a multi-million-dollar deficit every year due to several factors and growing the local economy would help the City’s financial position. He explained that the combined annual tax revenue from the proposed project is conservatively estimated to be $2 million. It would also generate jobs and attract customers to the area. He also went over the highlights of the development agreement. Mr. Brainard shared the development approval process's timeline and said consultations with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Illinois DNR are required before the development can take place. He outlined the City's efforts towards wetland conservation. He emphasized that the state and federal agencies would direct the appropriate mitigating actions should any negative impacts be determined or arise. He added that there are still additional studies to undertake and agencies to consult, but they won't be able to occur until the site plan has been finalized. Economic Development Director Tom Flaherty said the final site plan is expected within a few weeks. Mr. Brainard said the City would work with the developer concerning the construction and infrastructure timelines, but was unable to estimate the date the developer would break ground as it is heavily dependent on the consultation of other agencies. 4. Public Comment Mayor Thoms asked if anyone in the public wished to speak. Dorothy Beck, Nina Struss, Phillip Dennis, Tracey Connell and Tim Pressly spoke about the Casino West project. 5. Adjourn a. Motion: Motion to Adjourn. VV Voice vote is needed. MOTION: Alderperson Parker moved to adjourn; Alderperson Poulos seconded. VOTE: Motion PASSED on a 7-0-0 voice vote. Aye: Robinson, Hurt, Tweet, Swanson, Parker, Poulos, Healy. Nay: None. Absent: None. The Study Session concluded at 6:34 p.m. [MIN_SIGNATURES] 2

City Council Study Session Agenda April 14, 2025 - 5:30 PM City Council Chambers, City Hall, 3rd Floor, 1528 Third Avenue, Rock Island, IL Click Here to Watch Live 1. Call to Order 2. Roll Call 3. Presentations a. Presentation from Police Chief McCloud regarding "You Are Not Alone" Suicide Prevention Signs. b. Presentation on I-280/Casino West Development. 4. Public Comment 5. Adjourn a. Motion: Motion to Adjourn. VV Voice vote is needed. This agenda may be obtained in accessible formats by qualified persons with a disability by making appropriate arrangements from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, by contacting the City Clerk's Office at (309) 732-2010 or visiting in person at: 1528 Third Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201.