License plate reader cameras sent back to committee

QUINCY — After holding to public meetings to discuss the topic of license plate reader cameras, the Quincy City Council’s Police Aldermanic Committee will discuss it some more.

Quincy Police Chief Adam Yates made the recommendation to aldermen at Monday night’s council meeting for a two-year $117,600 lease from Flock Safety for 20 cameras, hardware and software.

Alderman Mike Rein (R-5th Ward), who chairs the Police Aldermanic Committee, made the motion to send the issue back to his committee.

“I’d like to thank Chief (Yates) for having those two public meetings,” Rein said. “So we’d like to refer this back to the Police Aldermanic Committee so that we can further review the input that we have received over the past week.”

Yates told the City Council that his department is currently $650,000 under budget in his salary line item for the current fiscal year because positions have not been filled. He said overtime is over budget, but not by as much as salaries are under budget. He said, if the purchase is allowed, he will take the funds from the salary line item to pay for it. Yates also added Flock Safety is expected to increase its prices on April 1.

Aldermen also approved the building code and updated local construction specifications that had been on the table since November.

While the legislation follows most of the 2018 International Building Code, there were some exceptions, with the most notable being fire suppression sprinklers in new residential construction will continue to be excluded. The Quincy Fire Department had lobbied for the mandate, but local contractors had expressed their desire to leave it out because of the significant increase it would add to home construction costs.

The ordinance passed 9-3 with Aldermen Mike Farha (R-4th Ward), Tony Sassen (R-4th Ward) and Rein, R-5 opposing.

The council passed an ordinance to impose for weight restrictions in the city’s alleyways. This is focused on garbage trucks and will necessitate some residents moving their garbage from their ally to in front of their homes.

But instead of implementing the restrictions at once, each ward’s aldermen will review each alley on a case-by-case basis and then will recommending if the weight limit will to the full council. The ordinance passed by an 11-1 vote with Alderman Dave Bauer (D-2nd Ward) casting the lone opposing vote.

Aldermen also approved a $100,314 bid for three modular platforms for the city’s new recycling drop-off sites. Director of Utilities and Engineering Jeff Conte said a third site has yet to be determined as curbside recycling ends in March.

Hy-Vee at 14th and Harrison and Refreshment Services Pepsi at 12th and Locust will host two of the three sites.

Aldermen Kelly Mays (R-3rd Ward) and John Mast (R-5th Ward) were absent.