The Kewanee City Council will meet on Monday, August 25th, at 7 PM. The meeting will be carried out live on our WKEI RegionalMediaNews Facebook page. The agenda and notes from the packet are below. You can find the background information on the agenda items in the Kewanee City Council packet.
1. Roll Call
2. Closed Session to discuss Personnel Section 2(c)(1), Collective Bargaining Section 2(c)(2)
3. Roll Call
4. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Minutes
b. Payroll
c. Staff Reports
d. Bock Report
e. CUSD #230 Fireworks
f. CUSD #230 Homecoming Parade
g. Cerno’s Hog Days Alley Closure
h. Step Ladder Tag Days
5. Payment of the bills
6. Public Comments
7. New Business
a) Proclamation: 2025 Constitution Week
b) Bill 25-76 An Ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a TIF Redevelopment Agreement by and between the City of Kewanee and Robert A. Johnson and Johnson Appliance.
c) Bill 25-77 Ordinance amending Section 97.088 Walk Built or Replaced by Private Individuals established in the City of Kewanee Code of Ordinances.
d) Bill 25-78 Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an agreement with Solar on Earth for participation in a community solar program.
e) Bill 25-79 Resolution fixing the budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1, 2025, and ending April 30, 2026.
f) Bill 25-80 Resolution to appropriate Kewanee Non-Home Rule Sales Tax matching funds for an Illinois Department of Transportation, Safe Routes To School project, section 22-00-111-00-sw, commonly known as the Lake Street Safe Routes To School project and authorizing an agreement with Illinois Department of Transportation for said project.
g) Bill 25-81 Resolution to declare certain equipment excess and no longer required in the operations of the City of Kewanee and directing the City Manager to dispose of same.
h) Bill 25-82 Resolution to award demolition work at 340 Fifth Ave to the lowest responsible bidder.
i) Discussion Only: 1% Retailers’ Occupation Tax
j) Discussion Only: Public Sector Use of TIF
8. Council Communications
9. Announcement
10. Adjournment
Also in the Packet:
1. National Night Out— The Kewanee Police Department hosted National Night Out on August 5, 2025, at Northeast Park. Twenty-five local organizations or groups participated, including representatives from Public Works and the Fire Department. The event was well attended and enjoyed by the community.
2. Cemetery Agreement— Staff has begun discussions with the Catholic Church on the development of a new agreement for the care and maintenance of their cemeteries. The agreement in place runs through March 2026.
3. Tiny Homes— Staff recently attended housing forum, hosted by Project Now, focused on “tiny houses.” The event explored the role of small-scale housing in addressing affordability and community needs, with discussion highlighting zoning, construction standards, and potential opportunities for local development.
4. WISE Initiative Kickoff Meeting— Chief Kijanowski, Deputy Chief Minx, Detective Kazubowski, and City Clerk Mitchell attended the WISE Initiative Implementation Kickoff meeting. They met members of WISE and other groups involved in supporting mental health and recovery options for addiction. This program is expected to help residents in need of support enter recovery and lead healthy, productive lives.
5. CUSD #230 Fireworks — Included in your packet is a letter from Andy Brooks, Superintendent of the Wethersfield School District, asking for permission to once again celebrate each of their football team’s touchdowns with fireworks. The district began this tradition a few years ago. Since that time, we have received no complaints about the practice and there have been no incidents that put spectators or participants in harm’s way. The item has been placed on the consent agenda.
6. CUSD #230 Homecoming Parade— Included in your packet is a letter from Andy Brooks, Superintendent of the Wethersfield School District, seeking street closures to ensure the safety of participants in the school’s annual Homecoming Parade. There are no proposed changes to the route that has been approved in the past. The item has been placed on the consent agenda.
7. Community Involvement— Deputy Chief Minx is now serving as a Board Member for the BraveHeart Children’s Advocacy Center. In this role, he will assist in guiding the center’s mission of supporting children and families affected by abuse through advocacy, prevention, and community partnerships. His involvement reflects the department’s continued commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and strengthening ties with community-based organizations.
8. ICJIA Grant— The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has approved a $75,000 grant to supplement the salaries of DAART officers, onboard Johanna Hager, a Licensed Clinical Professional specializing in Neurofeedback, and purchase the necessary equipment for her processes. The initiative will strengthen support for individuals facing mental health crises or drug addiction challenges, with a focus on addressing substance abuse often linked to complex trauma histories. Neurofeedback will serve as a proactive tool to reduce risk factors, support families early, help youth thrive, and promote community wellbeing.
9. New Fire Truck— Our new engine/pumper from Alexis/Legacy is still on schedule for delivery on September 17th. This engine/pumper is being purchased with grant funds from an AFG grant.
10. Hospital Drill— Emergency responders will be participating in a drill at OSF-SLMC on September 19th. The drill will be multi-jurisdictional and allow staff to train with employees of the hospital and the Henry County Office of Emergency Management, among other entities.
11. Run. Hide. Fight. Staff recently attended Run. Hide. Fight. training hosted by the Police Department, in partnership with LSU NCBRT, at the Henry County Office of Emergency Management. Hopefully suc tactics will never need to be implemented, but it’s good to have staff trained in how to react should the need arise.
12. Trees— Great Lakes Urban Forestry is nearing completion of their tree inventory. The results of that study will then be incorporated into a tree management plan that will be completed later this fall. The completed plan will allow the City to begin managing the tree canopy in accordance with a plan developed by experts in the field. Approximately $100,000 remains in grant funds for tree management, and additional grant funds are being applied for the same and other grant programs.
13. Henry County Tourism Bureau— The Henry County Tourism Bureau will meet next Tuesday, August 26th, at PL Johnson’s Restaurant in Bishop Hill. Agenda items include Grant Funding for the fiscal year, the Illinois Office of Tourism’s Cooperative Marketing Campaign, Visitor Center Exhibits, and an annual tourism banquet, among other items.
14. Internet Crimes Against Children Conference— Investigation Sergeant Peed and Detective Paulsen attended the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Conference in Dallas, Texas, where they learned valuable skills for investigating crimes against children. The Kewanee Police Department is part of the local ICAC Task Force, which investigates these crimes in our area. Conference fees, hotel, meals and travel costs were paid for by BraveHeart Advocacy Center, with local funds covering airport parking. This provided invaluable training at a low cost to the department.
15. Police Training— Several Officers completed their annual training in both Taser operations and Gracie Survival Tactics, meeting Illinois state training mandates for control and defensive tactics. The Taser training was instructed by Officer Sherbeyn, focusing on safe deployment, policy compliance, and current best practices. The Gracie Survival Tactics portion was led by Lieutenant Reed and Officer Sherbeyn, emphasizing practical defensive techniques, ground control, and subject management skills. These trainings ensure officers remain proficient in both less-lethal options and hands-on defensive tactics in accordance with State and Federal requirements.