The city council approved the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) agreement with The Flemish Club for a new roof. The TIF agreement with KTown Real Estate was pushed back to the next council meeting due to recommendations for the TIF attorney that didn’t allow enough time to discuss with Chris Roginski from KTown Real Estate. On April 28th, the council approved a $221,161 TIF request to KTown Real Estate LLC for the construction of the car wash off Tenney Street on West McClure Street. The estimated cost for the development of the car wash is $1.9 million. The TIF attorney recommended a lower amount based on unknowns regarding tax assessment and the amount of TIF the car wash will create. Roginski said the lack of communication by the city has been “ridiculous.” City Clerk Kasey Mitchell said the TIF attorneys didn’t return their recommendation until Friday afternoon, which they forwarded to KTown Real Estate. Roginski agreed to postpone the vote for two weeks to allow both parties to discuss the agreement.
City code enforcement staff have posted violation notices due to overgrown grass and notified the appointed receiver, who reports that the bank overseeing property funds will not provide further financial support. The receiver has announced plans to resign because “the bank has placed him in an impossible situation.” City regulations require properties to reach eight inches of growth before more mowing orders can be issued. Staff estimates seven more mowings may be needed this year, totaling over $21,000—well above the $15,000 currently budgeted for nuisance abatement. Funding shortfalls now threaten continued maintenance. The Kewanee City Council approved the mowing contract Monday night. The initial payment is $8,100, and there will be an estimated seven additional mows for a total of $13,860. This was estimated by city staff and may change depending on weather conditions.
The council approved the resolution accepting additional funds from the Illinois Housing Development Authority’s Strong Communities Program—Round 2, 1st Amendment. An 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 was approved. This new ordinance comes as the existing 1% state food tax is set to be discontinued. City officials say the changes are designed to support municipal services while ensuring continued investment in community needs without increasing the cost burden on shoppers at the register.
After a long discussion about tabling the vote for the amendment to the Kewanee revolving loan fund program to include the Kewanee Economic Development Corporation (KEDC), the majority of council members elected to vote for the amendment. Council member Adam Cernovich suggested including the KEDC in the amendment and taking a step towards mending the relationship between the City of Kewanee and KEDC. The resolution was approved.
The city council voted to approve a 23% raise in water rates in 2026 and a 4% increase for four additional years to make the required updates to the Kewanee water system to comply with new Illinois EPA standards.
City officials are showing interest in the City Detect system, an advanced tool designed to enhance code enforcement operations. During recent discussions, the mayor and council members expressed eagerness to schedule a demonstration, hoping to see firsthand how the technology could streamline identifying code violations and improve neighborhood standards. The City Detect system uses sensors and data analysis to monitor for infractions, aiming to provide faster, more efficient responses from city staff. If the demonstration meets expectations, officials suggest it could lead to a broader rollout, potentially transforming how the city addresses maintenance and compliance issues in the community.
i) Discussion Only: City Detect
j) Discussion Only: Demolition Program