The Kewanee City Council will meet on Monday, June 9th, at 7 PM. The meeting will be carried out live on our WKEI RegionalMediaNews.com 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 here.
1. Roll Call
2. Closed Session to discuss Personnel Section 2(c)(1), Purchase or Lease of Real Estate Section 2(c)(5), Litigation Section 2(c)(11), and Discussion of Closed Meeting Minutes Section 2(c)(21)
3. Roll Call
4. Consent Agenda
a. Approval of Minutes
b. Payroll
c. Staff Reports
d. Cernovich Fireworks Permit
5. Payment of the bills
6. Public Comments
7. New Business
a) Presentation: Kelly Wolf, Director of Tourism for Henry County
b) Bill 25-54 Ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a TIF Redevelopment Agreement by and between the City of Kewanee and Flemish American Club.
c) Bill 25-55 Ordinance approving and authorizing the execution of a TIF Redevelopment Agreement by and between the City of Kewanee and KTown Real Estate.
d) Bill 25-56 Resolution to award the contract for the mowing of Kewanee Mobile Home Park properties for the 2025 Mowing Season to BDS Lawns.
e) Bill 25-57 Resolution accepting additional funds from the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Strong Communities Program – Round 2, 1st Amendment.
f) Bill 25-58 Ordinance amending Chapter 36 by adding implementation of a Municipal Grocery Retailers’ Occupation Tax and a Municipal Grocery Service Occupation Tax for the City of Kewanee.
g) Bill 25-59 Ordinance amending Chater 121: Kewanee Revolving Loan Fund Program, established in the City of Kewanee Code of Ordinances.
h) Bill 25-60 Ordinance to amend Section 52.20(A.1) Establishment of Rates and Charges, of Chapter 52: Waterworks, of Title V Public Works, of the Kewanee City Code of Ordinances.
i) Discussion Only: City Detect
j) Discussion Only: Demolition Program
8. Council Communications
9. Announcement
10. Adjournment
Also in the Packet:
1. Mobile Home Parks— Mobile Home Parks east of Main Street were disconnected for lack of payment. A Temporary Restraining Order was granted in the case of one tenant who owned their home and could demonstrate that they had made their payments for utilities in a timely manner to the court-appointed receiver, L&B All-Star Properties. The hearing on that parcel is scheduled for Tuesday, June 10th. An attempt to add other tenants to the TRO was denied by the judge. To our knowledge, the receiver has not provided notice to any of the residents that they do not intend to make payment on the water bills.
2. Grants— Staff completed applications last week for two IDOT grants, one being for $2,972,211 for continuation of the Lake Street Sidewalk project funded under a Safe Routes to Schools grant, the other being for $6,094,114 for additional improvements in the downtown area beyond the 4 blocks funded by the RDMS grant. Additional grant applications were submitted to offset the loss of a portion of the grant that funded the DAART program, an $800,000 IDPH grant for lead service line removal, and smaller grants through Ameren, Casey’s, and Kars4Kids to support specific programs or events.
3. Strong Communities Program — We received an extension Amendment from IHDA for the additional funding under Round 2 of the Strong Communities Program. That item is on the agenda for the June 9th meeting.
4. Active Threat Master Training — Sergeant Peed has successfully completed the intensive four-week Active Threat Master Training program. This high-level training enables him to conduct in-house courses that meet several state-mandated training requirements. Additionally, it qualifies him to train other officers to become certified trainers in key areas, helping the department build a sustainable internal training program. The Illinois Training and Standards Board covered all tuition and hotel expenses, while the City of Kewanee funded fuel and meals.
5. Police Field Training — Officers Sauer and Franklin have successfully completed Phase 1 of the Police Field Training Program and have now entered the early stages of Phase 2. Both officers are making strong progress and are on track to complete the program by mid-July. Their development is closely monitored, and their continued success reflects well on the department’s commitment to professional growth and preparedness.
6. Dispatch Training — Telecommunicator Gilbert is currently in week three of our dispatcher training program and is progressing well. She continues to build her skills and has shown a strong ability to learn the responsibilities required for the position. We’re pleased with her development so far and look forward to her continued success in the coming weeks.
7. Francis Park — Playground improvements are still expected to be completed prior to the Fourth of July festivities in the park. The Mayor and staff met with organizers of the car show and other events to identify expectations and ensure our support for another great event. The Friends of Woodland Palace at Francis Park are planning to attend the event, as well, to help build support for their endeavors.
8. Frontier Utility Poles — The City has continued its efforts to have Frontier Communications address the growing concerns over the status of their poles on East Street. Frontier has indicated that they have escalated the matter to a contractor that will be addressing the matter.
9. Flag— June 5th marked a birthday of sorts for the City’s flag. Mark Mikenas with the Chamber of Commerce has worked hard to raise awareness about the flag, as have many others through the years. If you’re curious, there’s a copy hanging in a window at the Wanee Theater, as well as behind the dais in the City Council Chambers. The Flag was designed by then KHS student Richard Thomson in 1949.
10. Fire Truck— As previously reported, the new fire engine/pumper being custom built by Legacy Fire Equipment, a division of Alexis Fire Equipment, has been given a delivery date to Kewanee of September 17th. This will become the new lead engine in the fire department fleet, effectively retiring engine #2, a 1994 engine/pumper, also custom built by Alexis Fire Equipment. This engine is being financed through an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). This money is granted through FEMA and will cover all but $33,640 of the $732,456 quoted purchased price. We will inform you of any changes in the delivery schedule, if applicable.
11. City-Wide Cleanup – The annual City-wide cleanup take place on Saturday June 7th from 7am to Noon at the old hospital site. Kewanee residents can show a photo ID and utility bill to bring items for disposal. Mattresses, furniture, water heaters, appliances, and miscellaneous trash are just a few of the items that will be accepted during the event. Electronics, landscape waste, and toxic materials are among the list of items that will not be accepted. This event has helped residents clear items from their properties without having to pay at the Transfer Station. It has gone a long way to improve properties all over the City.
12. Finance & Administration Clerk – Having received a resignation from one of our Clerks at City Hall, staff has sought applications for her replacement. Interviews were conducted this week and staff plan to make an offer to a candidate soon. The current clerk has offered to stay temporarily until her replacement is chosen and trained.