Rock Island celebrates year of progress, partnerships

Not only was 2022 a “successful year” of investing in progress and building strong partnerships, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms said on Monday, Jan. 9. he expects more of the same in 2023. The mayor first shared that optimistic outlook during a joint State of the City meeting of the Rock Island Rotary and Rock […]

Not only was 2022 a “successful year” of investing in progress and building strong partnerships, Rock Island Mayor Mike Thoms said on Monday, Jan. 9. he expects more of the same in 2023. The mayor first shared that optimistic outlook during a joint State of the City meeting of the Rock Island Rotary and Rock Island Kiwanis clubs at the Quad Cities Botanical Center, and then again at Monday night’s Rock Island City Council meeting. “We continue to forge a path that uses these partnerships to improve our economy, spur new development, grow our population and invest in long-term growth,” Mr. Thoms told a large crowd of business and community leaders at the annual luncheon meeting. For example, in 2022, he said the city saw $65 million in private sector investments and Rock Island celebrated the addition of 13 businesses. Through its partnership with DARI (Development Association of Rock Island), Mr. Thoms said, the city also saw 89 business expansion and attraction projects, made 509 contacts with potential businesses and celebrated 18 grand openings and ribbon cuttings.  Much of the construction going on is occurring in the city’s downtown center where progress continues on construction of a new YWCA. A new federal building also is rapidly rising up and the city’s old parking garage nearby has come tumbling down to make way for a parking lot to serve the new growth. Also in 2022, the mayor said, the Rock Island Public Library – the first public library in Illinois –  celebrated its 150th birthday along with a successful capital campaign that raised some $8.5 million. The money is being used to create the Watts-Midtown Branch Library that in a unique partnership will share space with the new Two Rivers YMCA . It is also under development in the former Quad Cities Jewish Center. Construction is well underway on both projects and the mayor said he expects the building to open for business this year. The library “had a busy year in 2022,” the mayor said, but “just wait until 2023; it’s going to be even better.”

Other accomplishments and partnerships the mayor highlighted Monday included:

• Created an inclusive public process to determine how to allocate $26.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The money will support capital improvement projects, road maintenance, public safety, local businesses, nonprofits and more.
• Partnered with the Quad Cities Chamber to secure a $3 million grant to invest in and revitalize the downtown business district. That overall $7 million investment also includes $1.5 million from the city’s tax increment funds (TIF) funds and $2.5 million from ARPA.
• Passed a $160 million balanced budget with 90-day reserves and a surplus of $1.8 million over revenues.
• Completed the lengthy, public process necessary to establish a downtown Special Service Area aimed at driving redevelopment of the city center via property tax revenue collected from property owners in the new SSA.
• Filled a host of key city leadership positions including hiring City Manager Todd Thompson, and a new police chief, finance director, finance manager and community engagement manager. 
• Filled out the city’s open development staff positions and promoted Miles Brainard as the city’s community & economic development director to lead a department which facilitated $5.8 million in financial assistance to businesses last year.

Efforts to grow, renovate and revitalize housing in the city also continued last year. Among the Rock Island Housing Rehabilitation projects spotlighted by the mayor were:

• 40 owner-occupied rehabs completed in 2022.
• A $300,000 grant from the Illinois Housing Development Authority for more projects in 2023.
• The sale of 15 vacant lots so that they can be returned to the tax rolls.
• A pilot Urban Homestead Program offering affordable housing while fixing up blighted neighborhoods through state and federal housing funds.

In 2022, the city also approved a five-year capital improvement plan for key roadways and other physical infrastructure, added fire trucks and snowplows and made some significant investments in the city’s outdated electronic infrastructure. Mr. Thoms also took a few minutes to celebrate the city’s effective community partners including:

• Martin Luther King Jr. Center whose contributions in 2022 included a record-setting Quad Cities-wide Thanksgiving Day meal giveaway, working with the West End Revitalization group to create a plan to support that community; and reaching 1,000 students through in-school prevention services.
• Friends of Hauberg, which recently completed renovation of the historic estate’s carriage house.
• Friends of Douglas Park which raised funds to install new lighting at the park in 2023.