Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Kewanee Council approves 2025 tax levy, enacts a package of ordinance updates in unanimous votes
Loading...
Summary
The Kewanee City Council on Dec. 8 approved the annual tax levy for 2025 payable in 2026 and passed a set of ordinance updates including a municipal tree ordinance, civil defense cleanup, gambling fines alignment, general provisions modernization, and mobile home park rules. All votes were 5-0.
The Kewanee City Council on Dec. 8 approved the city nnual tax levy for 2025 payable in 2026 and adopted several ordinance changes in unanimous votes.
Councilmembers voted 5-0 to pass Bill 25-116, the annual tax levy, after staff provided more detailed explanation than in past years. Councilmember Baker moved the levy and Councilmember Komnick seconded the motion; council members thanked staffer "Courtney" for the added explanation and scrutiny. The transcript does not specify the levy amount.
The council also approved a package of ordinance updates intended to modernize the municipal code and meet grant eligibility requirements. Bill 25-117 updates Chapter 40 (Civil Defense) to remove outdated language; during discussion Councilmember Cernovich asked who serves as ESDA director and was told Chief Welgat handles most ESDA/OEM tasks. Bill 25-118 repeals and replaces Chapter 98 to adopt a Municipal Tree Ordinance required for grant purposes; Public Works Director Chris Berry said certified arborists will be "a few members of Public Works" and that certification involves training and testing. Councilmembers noted a scrivener's error in the draft that left a placeholder in Section 3; staff will correct that language.
Bill 25-119 amends Chapter 130 (General Provisions) to modernize wording and remove masculine connotations. Bill 25-120 revises Chapter 135 (Gambling Offenses); Police Chief Kijanowski said he reviewed comparable cities and "these fines align with them as well as State statutes." Bill 25-121 updates Chapter 152 (Mobile Home Parks) to give the city greater control over approvals and licensing for mobile home parks; the council requested staff develop specific criteria for Plan Commission recommendations on park locations.
On routine business the council approved bills totaling $438,403.71. Councilmember Cernovich raised a contractor-performance concern, noting that the city paid Hutchison for PCI work though the report had not yet been received and saying, "We must start holding our contractors to their performance timelines." The meeting also included the swearing-in of firefighter Miller Janzen by City Clerk Kasey Mitchell; Chief Welgat pinned Janzen.
Mayor Moore closed the meeting with condolences for William "Bill" Stewart and relayed Chamber of Commerce data from Mark Mikenas showing third-quarter retail sales up 5.6% and $219 million through three quarters, which the mayor said puts the city on pace to challenge the 2024 retail record of $271 million. The council adjourned at 7:47 p.m.
Votes at a glance: Bill 25-116 (annual tax levy) approved 5-0; Bill 25-117 (Civil Defense updates) approved 5-0; Bill 25-118 (Municipal Tree Ordinance) approved 5-0; Bill 25-119 (Chapter 130 updates) approved 5-0; Bill 25-120 (Gambling Offenses) approved 5-0; Bill 25-121 (Mobile Home Parks) approved 5-0.