Kewanee approves three-year tourism agreement after council debate over city's share

Erin Knackstedt, acting director of the Henry County Tourism Bureau, told the Kewanee City Council on Jan. 22 that the bureau is “back up and running” and plans to increase advertising for Kewanee businesses while improving communication between the bureau and local municipalities.

Council considered Bill 24-02, authorizing the mayor to execute an intergovernmental agreement with the Henry County Tourism Bureau. Councilmember Baker asked how long the agreement would last, and City Manager Gary Bradley said the contract term is three years. Knackstedt said the bureau revisited prior contribution formulas after discussions with Mayor Moore and City Manager Bradley and concluded Kewanee had been asked to pay more than other towns; she said that amount was adjusted.

The council approved the agreement by a 3-1 vote, with Councilmember Faber recorded as the sole “no” vote. The record shows the council treated the matter as a policy-level funding decision rather than a budget amendment; no additional appropriations or funding changes were recorded in the meeting minutes.

The Tourism Bureau presentation that preceded the vote included a request for increased municipal engagement and commitments to promote Kewanee businesses. Mayor Moore and City Manager Bradley were named as having communicated with the bureau during the review of the requested contributions.

No formal amendments to the agreement were discussed on the record. The council’s next procedural steps are the mayor’s execution of the agreement and administrative follow-up by the city manager’s office.