Kewanee council tables kratom ban, approves police schedule pilot and Route 81 agreements
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Summary
The Kewanee City Council on Feb. 9 tabled an ordinance to ban kratom and tianeptine pending further study, approved a one-year pilot for an alternate police work schedule with a required reconvening before contract changes, and authorized IDOT and engineering agreements for IL Route 81 reconstruction.
Kewanee — At its Feb. 9 meeting the Kewanee City Council tabled a proposed ordinance that would have made kratom and tianeptine illegal to purchase within city limits, approved a one-year pilot of an experimental alternate police work schedule with conditions, and authorized agreements for reconstruction of IL Route 81 and related engineering work.
The council also accepted a report that the city will be reimbursed $125,000 for repair work on Well No. 4 through a DCEO grant initiated in 2023, approved the consent agenda and bills totaling $403,528.15, and approved a professional services agreement for utility design work tied to the Route 81 project.
Why it matters: The kratom ordinance drew public health and law-enforcement attention but no final vote after councilmembers said they wanted more documentation and studies. The police schedule pilot could change staffing patterns and, if retained, affect labor costs and the department’s collective bargaining agreement. The Route 81 approvals move a major state road reconstruction and associated water/sewer design work closer to construction.
Allison Smith of the Global Kratom Coalition presented background on kratom and related substances during the new-business agenda item. Police Chief Kijanowski, who had previously expressed concerns about the substances’ dangers and their ease of acquisition, was a central voice in the discussion. After initial motions to approve the ordinance were withdrawn, Councilmember Komnick moved to table Bill 26-13 to allow time to review additional documentation from Ms. Smith; the motion to table passed 4-0.
City grant writer Kathleen Weber told the council the city will be reimbursed $125,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for repairs to Well No. 4; Mayor Moore publicly acknowledged Weber’s work to secure the grant.
On labor matters, the council approved Bill 26-14, an MOU with the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council #233 to test an alternate shift schedule. Chief Kijanowski said the pilot could produce significant cost savings based on current-year scheduling and time-off data, but Mayor Moore and other councilmembers warned that side letters outside regular contract negotiations are problematic. Councilmember Komnick successfully moved an amendment clarifying that any schedule change would not be automatically incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement and that council and parties must reconvene after one trial year to decide whether to adopt it; the amendment and the amended resolution passed 4-0.
Council approved Bill 26-15, authorizing the City Manager, Mayor and City Clerk to execute an agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to reconstruct IL Route 81 (West Sixth Street) between Jackson Street and North Lexington Avenue. Public Works Director Chris Berry said staff had only recently reviewed the agreement and discovered cost figures that had not previously been disclosed but recommended moving forward; the motion passed 4-0.
The council also approved Bill 26-16, authorizing an agreement with Crawford, Murphy & Tilly, Inc. for design services to relocate watermain and extend sanitary lines required by the IDOT project; that motion passed 4-0.
Votes at a glance: The consent agenda (minutes, payroll $247,535.76, staff reports) approved 4-0; bills for $403,528.15 approved 4-0; Bill 26-13 (ordinance to ban tianeptine and kratom) tabled 4-0; Bill 26-14 (police schedule MOU) approved as amended 4-0; Bill 26-15 (IDOT Route 81 agreement) approved 4-0; Bill 26-16 (engineering services for watermain relocation) approved 4-0.
What’s next: The kratom ordinance remains pending while council reviews additional materials provided by the presenter. The police schedule pilot will run one trial year with a required reconvening to determine whether the schedule should be incorporated into the collective bargaining agreement. The council adjourned at 8:22 p.m.
Attributions: Quotes and attributions are taken from council meeting proceedings and staff presentations recorded in the meeting packet and minutes; paraphrases reflect statements recorded in the official meeting transcript. No vote or outcome is reported here beyond the motions and tallies recorded in the meeting minutes.