City Services

Major features of City-owned and operated facilities and services are listed below.  

Community & Economic Development

  • Active low-interest business loan program with over $9 million in lending
  • Award winning historic preservation programs
  • Building plan review and inspection based on adopted national model codes
  • Five tax increment finance districts
  • Housing rehabilitation programs targeted toward older neighborhoods
  • Neighborhood outreach including print and email publications and support for neighborhood organizations
  • Planning / Zoning services for effective regulation of land uses
  • State certified Enterprise Zone

Finance

  • Annual audit
  • Annual budget
  • Bill collection
  • Grants
  • Payroll and pensions
  • Taxes

Fire

  • Four stations
  • 58 firefighters

Human Resources

  • Benefits administration and contract negotiations
  • Centralized copier service, purchasing, cable television, and mail service
  • Employee assistance program and group health plans
  • Liability insurance program including workers’ compensation
  • Public access channel
  • Recruitment, orientation, and training
  • Risk management

Information Technology Department

  • Provide free wireless internet access at various locations through the City of Rock Island
  • VOIP (voice over internet protocol telephony)
  • Networking Infrastructure

Library

  • Downloadable e-books and other tools
  • Online research and learning tools to use from your own home computer
  • Print, audio, and video resources for checkout at three locations
  • Public computing, including internet and Wi-Fi access

Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center

  • Dedicated to working toward creating a positive community image, strengthening family relationships and neighborhoods, while celebrating the City’s cultural and ethnic diversity
  • Flexible and responsible organization that will help develop all citizens
  • Provides opportunities for a diverse population through a variety of programs and services

Parks

  • $4.2 million family aquatic center built in 2001
  • 26 parks which encompass 850 acres of parks
  • Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center, recently expanded
  • Two major 18-hole golf courses

Police

  • Enhanced 911 emergency response system
  • 83 sworn personnel

Public Works

  • $55 million upgrade to wastewater treatment facilities in process
  • Curbside recycling provided on a subscription basis
  • Residential refuse collection provided on a weekly basis
  • Two wastewater treatment facilities (main City and Southwest)
  • Wastewater system with 185 miles of sanitary and combined sewers
  • Water plant capacity of 16 million gallons per day; average production of 5.4 million gallons per day
  • Water system with over 226 miles of water mains and Mississippi River as the source