ROCKFORD — City Council has overturned a previous decision to provide a developer with $200,000 to help build a McDonald’s restaurant near the corner of Springfield Avenue and West State Street.
After approving a motion to reconsider by one vote, aldermen then voted 7-6 on Tuesday in favor of providing the $200,000 subsidy to First Midwest Group. However, an ordinance involving the expenditure of public funds requires eight votes for approval, City Attorney Angela Hammer said. That means the motion failed and the subsidy was rejected.
The City Council had voted 9-4 on Feb. 2 to approve the funding, but aldermen decided to reconsider after pushback from the public. While previous votes came without debate, this time the issue dominated discussion for nearly an hour…