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Aldermen press city staff on property blight, police station staffing and missed solar savings
Summary
During comments at the Aug. 6 Silvis meeting, Alderman Craig Pirmann raised constituent concerns about property maintenance, park loitering and an apparent lack of staff at the police station; Alderman Joshua Dyer strongly criticized a prior decision not to pursue solar installations.
Aldermen used the Aug. 6 meeting to press staff about neighborhood property conditions and city services, and one member sharply criticized the council’s previous decision to forego a planned solar project.
Alderman Craig Pirmann said multiple constituents reported gravel left on 8th Street and a property near Hospital Road where items are being stored; he said city code enforcement has been working on the issue but residents continue to complain. City staff responded that fines have been issued and that the inspections department and IMEG have been involved in enforcement efforts. "We have wrote him up, fined him, and IMEG up there to look at it," Tom from Inspections said regarding enforcement actions.
Pirmann also recounted an incident at the police station when he said he arrived to sign a document, found no staff in the front office and had to press an emergency button to get assistance. City Clerk Amy Malmstrom and the mayor asked Pirmann to provide dates and times so staff could investigate and address the apparent lapse in customer service.
Alderwoman Chrissy Winters thanked volunteers and staff for recent community events and suggested stronger council participation in National Night Out next year.
Alderman Joshua Dyer criticized the council’s earlier choice not to move forward with a proposed solar installation, calling it "an absolute colossal mistake" and arguing that postponing could forego rebates and trigger higher costs due to tariffs. Dyer framed the long-term financial trade-offs in stark terms, saying the decision would increase future costs comparable to buying an additional police cruiser unless the project proceeds sooner.
City Attorney Roger offered a voluntary program of 30-minute, one-on-one legal check-ins to improve communications between council members and legal staff, describing the sessions as attorney-client privileged when appropriate and emphasizing they would be no charge to council members.
City Administrator Jerry reported economic activity in downtown Silvis, including a planned reopening of the former Ben Franklin store and prospective new tenants such as Edward Jones, and said staff will work with the city’s bond-rating firm, Baird, to pursue an improved rating beyond the current A+.
Council members asked staff to follow up on constituent complaints and requested details to enable targeted enforcement and improved customer service.
What’s next: Staff requested incident dates from Alderman Pirmann to investigate the police-station access concern; the council will consider event participation and follow up on property enforcement as part of routine staff reports.
