Residents press council for clarity on civil rights office budget and investigation results

Several Davenport residents used the April 23 public comment period to press the City Council for transparency about the civil rights commission’s recent concerns, an office remodel and whether furniture budgeted for the civil rights office was purchased.

Alderman Newton told the council that the civil rights commission had raised several concerns during an April 15 joint meeting and that the commission had asked for certain information to be provided by May 9. Newton referenced an item on the Nov. 6, 2024 finance agenda showing an expense of $48,482.10 listed as “furniture for civil rights” and asked staff why commission members had been told they would not receive furniture.

City Administrator Maxheimer responded that he would follow up with more detail and said, as he recalled, the scope of the remodel had been changed by the commission and director Lacey to include additional construction that eliminated the furniture line from the project budget. He told the council he would “follow this up with some more detail” and staff later confirmed that the specific $48,482.10 expenditure had been authorized as a future expenditure and had not been paid.

Several public commenters called for release of results from a previously discussed investigation into conduct during a civil rights meeting and asked for clearer remedies. Cheryl Shagna, Third Ward resident, said she had watched the civil rights meeting twice and expressed concern that “when I hear that money is moved from the budget, I've got concerns” about how funds and budget authority had been handled. Lashawn Dixon said community members had been told an investigation would happen and demanded the council release the findings: “Drop what you found.” Lehigh Nixon urged the council to release investigation results and said he wanted “further investigation to be information, results to be released.”

No formal council action was taken on the public comments at the April 23 meeting. Several aldermen asked staff to provide clarification and follow up; staff committed to provide more detail on the remodel budget, the status of the furniture line item and any related timeline. At least one resident suggested the council consider personnel action; no motion or vote on personnel was made.

Speakers at the meeting repeatedly emphasized the need for transparent reporting of the commission’s concerns and for timely release of any investigative findings so the community could know what steps the city planned to take.