The Mayor of Kewanee Gary Moore joined Wake Up Tri-Counties on Tuesday morning to follow up on Monday’s Kewanee City Council Meeting. Two discussion items dominated Monday’s meeting. The first was a discussion only item regarding the growth of gambling establishments in Kewanee and how to perhaps take control of the number of gambling establishments in the City. One idea, floated by Mayor Moore, was to place a higher standard on Pour Licenses issued by the City. The City of Kewanee cannot prevent new gambling establishments but the Mayor and City Council does control the issuance of Pour Licenses, the license to serve alcohol. A Pour License is required for a gambling establishment in Illinois and without a Pour License, the gambling parlors cannot operate. This gives the City of Kewanee a way to have some say in the opening of new gaming parlors in the City.
The other big topic of discussion on Monday is more complex and hotly debated. It was a discussion over privatizing the sanitation department in Kewanee. Five companies have offered bids on a contract to provide trash service to the City of Kewanee and the City is considering the idea. But, Mayor Moore stated that there are several factors that must be resolved before any agreement with a private company would be considered. For now, the City is looking into the cost effectiveness of privatization for Kewanee residents and whether it can be done in a fashion that won’t increase costs or create any new burden on residents.
