Mike Rein
Aldermen vote to transfer money to pay for Broadway project, extend food and beverage tax until 2030
QUINCY — Before debating funding of the Quincy Public Library and passing the 2025-26 budget, the Quincy City Council had to first take care of two other budgetary issues. First, aldermen voted to transfer $4 million from the city’s $6 million general fund balance to the water and sewage fund to pay for a water…
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QUINCY — Aldermen took time at the end of a 2½-hour Quincy City Council meeting on Monday night to thank three city officials who attended their last regular meeting. Mayor Mike Troup, 3rd Ward aldermen Ken Hultz and 5th Ward alderman Mike Rein will make their last appearances sitting on the horseshoe in City Council chambers at…
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QUINCY — Does the city need to pay interest when borrowing from itself? The Finance Committee said no during Monday’s night’s meeting before the regular City Council meeting, agreeing that an interest-free transfer will be fine. It recommended transferring $4 million from the city’s $6 million general fund balance to the water and sewage fund…
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QUINCY — To loan or transfer? That was the question posed by Alderman Mike Rein (R-5) during Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting regarding how the city plans to borrow from the city’s $6 million reserve fund to pay for a water main replacement project on Broadway from 24th to 30th Street. An ordinance that would transfer…
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QUINCY — Quincy Mayor Mike Troup hopes to have a replacement for Mike Farha’s seat in the 4th Ward before the Quincy City Council’s April 7 meeting. Farha told Muddy River News that he was “worn out” after serving for 26 years as an alderman when he announced his resignation on March 7. Troup said after…
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QUINCY — Laura McReynolds, a Quincy businesswoman making her first attempt at political office, handily defeated long-time incumbent Mike Rein in Quincy’s 5th Ward. “I’m very excited,” McReynolds said. “I’m a little bit like, wow, OK, this is really happening … I’m excited because I just really I want to be a part of this…
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QUINCY — The debate over a proposed 1 percent municipal grocery tax, which would replace a state tax that is scheduled to sunset on Jan. 1, 2026, was just getting warmed up when Alderman Mike Rein (R-5) offered a question to Comptroller Sheri Ray during Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting. “This replacement tax for next…
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QUINCY — Republican 5th Ward Alderman Mike Rein said he’s hearing no complaints as he goes door-to-door leading up to next Tuesday’s primary election where he faces a challenge from buisnesswoman Laura McReynolds. “They’re telling me they’re voting for me. They tell me that I’ve done a good job, and they want me to stay…
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QUINCY — Director of Administrative Services Jeff Mays promises he’ll have a brief presentation for the Feb. 18 meeting of the Quincy City Council that goes into the history of the state grocery tax, what kind of revenues the city has received from it and what kind of revenue impacts it may have if the…
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QUINCY — The Finance Committee voted Monday night to send to the Quincy City Council a proposal — with no recommendation — to implement a locally-imposed 1 percent grocery sales tax by ordinance. The state of Illinois passed Public Act 103-0781, which repeals the statewide tax on groceries beginning Jan. 1, 2026. If municipalities want…
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QUINCY — Comptroller Sheri Ray asked the five members of the Finance Committee for guidance during their meeting before the Quincy City Council meeting. Ray ran out of time before she received an answer. Ray asked for a motion or direction from the committee to show support for a Truth in Taxation resolution and hearing,…
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Dear MRN: I was watching the Quincy City Council meeting on Monday night when the discussion about the roundabout came up. Alderman (Jeff) Bergman (R-2) can’t make the motion to put the issue back on the agenda. It takes a member who voted in favor of it to bring it up. Can you check on…
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QUINCY — Mike Rein’s dalliance with the idea of running for mayor lasted about a week. Rein, an alderman in Quincy’s 5th Ward, recently pulled petitions to run for re-election as alderman, but he also pulled petitions to run for mayor. He had to choose between which office he wanted to run for by Oct. 28.…
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QUINCY — Two GOP mayoral candidates turned in petitions at the beginning of the filing period Monday morning at Quincy City Hall. Brink was first in line with 740 signatures on his petitions. Troup was third in line behind former City Clerk Janet Hutmacher, who was turning in the petitions for City Clerk Laura Oakman.…
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QUINCY — Despite a passionate plea from a retired city engineer to reconsider building a roundabout, the Finance Committee agreed Monday night to send to the full Quincy City Council a recommendation for the transfer of jurisdiction for the intersection of 48th and State. Aldermen voted on April 1 not to contribute $2.6 million to build…
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QUINCY — Two aldermen changed their minds on Monday night and were the swing votes in an 8-6 decision by the Quincy City Council to approve the low bid from Blick’s Construction for $143,413 to demolish a sludge pump station south of Clat Adams Bicentennial Park on the riverfront — using money from the city’s…
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QUINCY — The adoption of an ordinance calling for the end of the electrical aggregation program for the city of Quincy was tabled until May 5, and aldermen directed the city administration not to enter any more aggregation contracts when the current contract with Constellation expires on Jan. 1. The Quincy City Council voted Sept.…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council defeated by a 7-6 vote on Monday night a resolution that would have used money from the city’s water fund to pay for razing an inoperative sludge pump station south of Clat Adams Bicentennial Park and returned a $350,000 grant to the Quincy Riverfront Development Corporation. Aldermen approved a low…
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QUINCY — Aldermen voted during Monday’s Quincy City Council meeting to have an ordinance drafted to place a referendum on the April 2025 ballot that would pose the question of whether the city should continue electrical aggregation. Alderman Ben Uzelac (D-7) asked Corporation Counsel Bruce Alford near the end of Monday’s meeting how much time…
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QUINCY — A rewritten resolution that authorizes giving $25,000 from the city’s Economic Growth Fund to the Quincy Society of Fine Arts got the two extra votes it needed from the Quincy City Council on Monday night. After voting to permanently table the original resolution, aldermen voted 8-6 to approve a revamped resolution. Director of…
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QUINCY — Former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz explained some of the plans the Adams County Bicentennial Commission has for next year during Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting at City Hall. Aldermen voted 13-1 to approve a disbursement of $30,000 from the city’s Economic Growth Fund to help support the commission’s efforts to mark the 200th anniversary of…
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QUINCY — Corporation Counsel Bruce Alford told the Finance Committee during its Monday meeting at the Quincy Public Library that Adams County wants the City of Quincy to take jurisdiction of the intersection of 48thand State after aldermen voted on April 1 not to contribute $2.6 million to build a roundabout at the intersection. “That’s going…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved a five-year contract for the Western Illinois Veterinary Clinic for $1,040,250 during Monday night’s meeting at the Quincy Regional Training Center after the issue had been tabled for one week. The WIVC will provide essential care, medical attention and the opportunity for adoption to lost, stray and abandoned animals. It…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council approved an ordinance approving a tax increment financing plan on Quincy’s south side, but not without a couple of tweaks, during Monday night’s meeting. Four weeks after the vote was tabled, aldermen voted 8-6 to create the city’s third designated TIF zone. TIF districts dedicate a portion of tax…
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QUINCY — The Quincy City Council voted 9-5 on Monday night not to enter into an agreement with Adams County to build a roundabout at the intersection of 48th and State. Moments after the conclusion of the meeting, Kent Snider knew what the Adams County Board’s next move would be when it meets April 9. “Hand…
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