Council Chambers  
425 E. State Street  
Rockford, IL 61104  
www.rockfordil.gov  
City Council  
Meeting Agenda  
Tuesday, January 20, 2026  
5:30 PM  
The following represents, in general, the chronological order of proceedings at the City  
Council/Committee Meetings: Call to Order, Invocation, Pledge of Allegiance, Public Speaking and  
City Council/Committee Agendas.  
Meeting will be live streamed on Channel 17 and via this link:  
https://rockfordil.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx.  
Items appearing on the City Council Standing Committee Agendas for today's date may receive a vote at  
committee and come before the City Council meeting tonight held after the committee meeting. Final  
vote may be taken on said items at the City Council meeting.  
I.  
CALL TO ORDER  
A.  
B.  
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance  
Roll Call  
II.  
PROCLAMATIONS  
1. Poet Laureate Presentation  
III. PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS  
A.  
B.  
Planning and Development Committee  
Code and Regulation Committee  
1.  
2.  
3.  
Memorandum from Scott Capovilla, Planning and Zoning  
Manager, regarding the approval of the Final Plat of District 815  
Subdivision. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.  
26-00048  
26-00066  
26-00056  
Memorandum from Scott Capovilla, Planning and Zoning  
Manager, regarding the approval of the Final Plat of Dulgar  
Subdivision. Referred Code and Regulation Committee.  
Zoning Board of Appeals’ Agenda for the meeting to be held on  
January 21, 2026 and Minutes from that meeting for consideration  
at the Code and Regulation Committee meeting on January 26,  
2026. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.  
4.  
Liquor and Tobacco Advisory Board’s Agenda for the meeting to  
be held on January 21, 2026 and Minutes from that meeting for  
consideration at the Code and Regulation Committee meeting on  
January 26, 2026. Referred to Code and Regulation Committee.  
26-00057  
C.  
Finance and Personnel Committee  
1.  
Memorandum from Carrie Hagerty, Finance Director, regarding  
the consideration and approval of Finance Policies. Referred to  
Finance and Personnel Committee.  
26-00047  
26-00084  
2.  
Memorandum from Timothy Hinkens, City Engineer, regarding an  
Agreement between the City of Rockford and Four Rivers  
Sanitation Authority (FRSA) for Davis Park. Referred to Finance  
and Personnel Committee.  
3.  
Memorandum from Todd Cagnoni, City Administrator, regarding  
the proposed Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity  
(DCEO) Regional Site Readiness Grant Application Authorization  
and Award Acceptance. Referred to Finance and Personnel  
Committee.  
26-00085  
IV. PUBLIC SPEAKERS  
1.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Denzil Wynter  
Prophet Yusef  
Ken Dickens  
John Tac Brantley  
V.  
NEW COMMITTEE REPORTS  
A. Planning and Development Committee  
1.  
Committee recommends approval of the 2026 - 2028 Funding  
Agreement between the City of Rockford and Keep Northern  
Illinois Beautiful (KNIB) in the amount of $60,000 annually. The  
funding source is Garbage User Fees.  
25-00166  
25-00172  
2.  
Committee recommends denial of the proposed Amendment to the  
Development Agreement with First Midwest Group (Machesney  
Investment LLC) and McDonald's for the establishment of a  
McDonald's at 4103 West State Street in the amount of $200,000.  
The funding source is 2025 Casino Plan Funds / Economic  
Development High Risk Area.  
3.  
Committee recommends approval of the proposed Supplemental  
Marketing Services Agreement between the Rockford Area  
Convention and Visitors Bureau (GoRockford) and City of  
Rockford for $100,000 annually for two years (2026 and 2027).  
The funding source is 2026 and 2027 Casino Foundation Funds.  
25-00174  
26-00004  
B.  
Code and Regulation Committee  
1.  
Committee recommends approval of the sale of the vacant  
city-owned property located at 5798 Logistics Parkway to 5728  
Logistics Parkway LLC, the neighboring property owner, for the  
amount of $124,000 plus costs.  
2.  
3.  
4.  
Committee recommends approval of the Plat No. 6 of Green  
Estates.  
26-00005  
26-00007  
26-00008  
Committee recommends approval of Plat No. 2 of Ardmore  
Subdivision  
Committee recommends sustaining the Zoning Board of Appeals’  
approval for a Special Use Permit for an off-premise business sign  
in a C-3, General Commercial Zoning District at 2102 McFarland  
Road (First Perryville Development Corporation/Applicant).  
Subject to conditions.  
C.  
Finance and Personnel Committee  
1.  
Committee recommends approval of the vouchers in the amount of  
$8,285,662.57 as approved at the Finance and Personnel  
Committee meeting held on January 12, 2026.  
26-00012  
26-00041  
2.  
Committee recommends approval of an Agreement between the  
City of Rockford and Awaken Foundation L3C to provide  
on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities within the City’s  
Weatherization Program. There is no fiscal impact to the City.  
Participant wages are paid entirely by Awaken Foundation using  
Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (ICEJA) Grant funds. The  
agreement is from February 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.  
VI. UNFINISHED BUSINESS COMMITTEE REPORTS LAID OVER  
A. Planning and Development Committee  
1.  
Committee recommends approval of the proposed Development  
Agreement with Urban Equity Properties (UEP Tower Lofts, LLC)  
for the rehabilitation of 99 East State Street as News Tower Lofts  
(former Rockford Register Star) for mixed-use residential /  
commercial development. The funding source is Redevelopment  
Funds and TIF Funds. (LAID OVER JANUARY 5, 2026)  
25-00170  
2.  
Committee recommends approval of the proposed Amendment to  
the Development Agreement with Oliver Emerson Development  
(Oliver Emerson Development, LLC) for the rehabilitation and  
adaptive reuse of 325 South Madison Street (The Watch Factory)  
as residential. The funding source is Redevelopment Funds and  
TIF Funds. (LAID OVER JANUARY 5, 2026)  
25-00171  
B.  
C.  
Code and Regulation Committee  
Finance and Personnel Committee  
VII. OFFICERS REPORTS  
VIII. MOTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS  
A.  
B.  
Planning and Development Committee  
Code and Regulation Committee  
1.  
2.  
2026 Forward for Fun Initiative  
26-00010  
The request includes an allocation of $140,000 and an expedited special event  
permit process for multiple events throughout the city in partnership with  
Aldermen and GoRockford. The program goal is to create/support community  
events in all 14 wards of the City as part of our continued pandemic recovery  
efforts.  
Resolution for settlement of Isaac Cornelius Fricks, Sr. vs. Officer  
Brian Prine, Case No: 22-CV-50410 in the amount of $32,000.  
(SUSPEND RULE 9)  
26-00061  
C.  
Finance and Personnel Committee  
1.  
Committee recommends approval and acceptance of the Illinois  
Housing Development Authority (IHDA) Homeowner Assistance  
Fund Home Repair (HAFHR) Grant extension in the additional  
amount of $549,000 (the new total is $3,009,000).  
25-00182  
25-00183  
2.  
Committee recommends approval and acceptance of the Illinois  
Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)  
Rebuild Downtowns and Main Streets Grant Award in the amount  
of $2,000,000. The grant requires a 25% cost match which will be  
paid for using the 1% Infrastructure Sales Tax. The grant term is  
from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027. If accepted, the  
grant funds will be used to reimburse construction costs of the  
Madison Street Corridor Improvements Project (Phase 2).  
3.  
Committee recommends approval of the Award of Professional  
Services for Family Peace Center Architectural Services for  
Renovation of 214 North Church Street to Larson & Darby Group,  
of Rockford, Illinois in the amount of $525,805.36. The contract  
duration is through December 31, 2026. The funding source is the  
Winnebago County Community Mental Health Board Accelerator  
Grant.  
26-00021  
IX. NEW BUSINESS ORDINANCES  
A.  
Planning and Development Committee  
1.  
An ordinance approving the 2026 - 2028 Funding Agreement  
between the City of Rockford and Keep Northern Illinois Beautiful  
(KNIB) in the amount of $60,000 annually. The funding source is  
Garbage User Fees.  
26-00050  
26-00053  
2.  
An ordinance approving the Supplemental Marketing Services  
Agreement between the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors  
Bureau (GoRockford) and City of Rockford for $100,000 annually  
for two years (2026 and 2027). The funding source is 2026 and  
2027 Casino Foundation Funds.  
3.  
4.  
An ordinance approving the Development Agreement with Urban  
Equity Properties (UEP Tower Lofts, LLC) for the rehabilitation of  
99 East State Street as News Tower Lofts (former Rockford  
Register Star) for mixed-use residential / commercial development.  
The funding source is Redevelopment Funds and TIF Funds.  
26-00060  
26-00058  
An ordinance approving the Amendment to the Development  
Agreement with Oliver Emerson Development (Oliver Emerson  
Development, LLC) for the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of  
325 South Madison Street (The Watch Factory) as residential. The  
funding source is Redevelopment Funds and TIF Funds.  
B.  
Code and Regulation Committee  
1.  
An ordinance approving the sale of the vacant city-owned property  
located at 5798 Logistics Parkway to 5728 Logistics Parkway LLC,  
the neighboring property owner, for the amount of $124,000, plus  
costs.  
26-00054  
26-00055  
2.  
An ordinance approving a Special Use Permit for an off-premise  
business sign in a C-3, General Commercial Zoning District at  
2102 McFarland  
Road  
(First  
Perryville  
Development  
Corporation/Applicant).  
C.  
Finance and Personnel Committee  
1.  
An ordinance approving an Agreement between the City of  
Rockford and Awaken Foundation L3C to provide on-the-job  
training (OJT) opportunities within the City’s Weatherization  
Program. There is no fiscal impact to the City. Participant wages  
are paid entirely by Awaken Foundation using Illinois Climate and  
Equitable Jobs Act (ICEJA) Grant funds. The agreement is from  
February 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.  
26-00051  
X.  
CLOSED SESSION  
1. Motion to Convene into Closed Session in Order to Discuss Pending Litigation  
Matters  
XI. ADJOURNMENT  
THE CITY OF ROCKFORD INTENDS TO COMPLY WITH THE INTENT AND  
SPIRIT OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT. IF A SIGN LANGUAGE  
INTERPRETER, PERSONAL P.A. SYSTEM, OR OTHER SPECIAL  
ACCOMMODATIONS ARE NEEDED, PLEASE CALL THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT  
AT (779) 348-7391 AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE, SO WE CAN BE PREPARED  
TO ASSIST YOU.