A Rock Island catering company has withdrawn its bid for a city contract amid allegations of a conflict of interest involving an alderman whose family owns the business.
During Monday night’s city council meeting, April 27th, Seventh Ward Alderman Bill Healy pulled a bid for Bridges Catering to provide preschool food services at the Rock Island Fitness and Activity Center.
"I am requesting this item be removed from the agenda as Bridges Catering is withdrawing from consideration for this contract. I want to be absolutely clear about the facts," Alderman Healy said at the beginning of the meeting. "I do not personally own Bridges Catering. This business is owned by my parents, William E. and Evelyn Healy. I work there in an operating capacity as an employee, and I do not receive any profits, distributions, or financial benefit tied to this potential contract."
"Bridges Catering was approached by RIFAC, and it was requested that a bid be submitted for RIFAC's preschool program. Bridges Catering did not seek this contract out. This is not a violation of the city's policy and not a violation of any state laws. Despite that, this issue has been mischaracterized publicly and on Facebook and has created a distraction for the city's work. I am not going to continue to engage in that. This decision is not based on any legal conflicts or wrongdoings, but simply because it is not worth pursuing under these circumstances. It is unfortunate that this will likely be awarded to a business that is now outside of the city of Rock Island instead of supporting a local city company, where we do not even receive the sales tax dollars. But I am confident this is the right decision, so the city can move forward."
According to the city memo, two other bids were submitted from Hy-Vee and Main Event Catering. Staff noted that, amid competitive offers, Bridges guaranteed prices for 2 years. All three bids offered 40 meals at $4.50 per student.
The city council will revisit options for food services at the fitness center.
Members of the public, including Rock Island Line founder Annika O'Melia, raised concerns that the contract could violate Illinois municipal ethics laws governing officials with financial interests in city contracts.
Illinois Municipal Code states: “A municipal officer shall not be financially interested directly in the officer's own name or indirectly in the name of any other person, association, trust, or corporation, in any contract, work, or business of the municipality or in the sale of any article whenever the expense, price, or consideration of the contract, work, business, or sale is paid either from the treasury or by an assessment levied by statute or ordinance.” It also prohibits officers from indirectly benefiting.
Separately, in her article, O’Melia covers the issuance of a loan from the city's Commercial/Industrial Revolving Loan Fund (CIRLF) in December 2025 to Bridges Catering for $147,555. According to a city memo, during the CIRLF’s meeting on December 22nd, staff stated, “The business has an existing loan issued in 2016. The remaining balance on that loan is $10,555.06 and the business has been making regular payments. That loan had a term of ten years and an interest rate of 4%.
“The revolving loan fund has a sufficient balance to meet the request for a $137,000 loan. Staff recommend issuing a loan in that amount plus an additional $10,555.06 to pay down the remaining balance of the previously issued loan to the same borrower. This approach will result in the borrower having only one active loan and one monthly payment,” the memo concluded.
Healy was on the commission but resigned on November 11, before the loan was brought to a vote in late December. In an email response, Alderman Healy stated he handles the day-to-day operations of the company, noting that he is the only child of his parents, who own the company. WVIK asked about when the businesses requested a new loan, which Alderman Healy replied: “I do not know the exact date, after I resigned from the CIRLF Committee, though, so there would be no biases or conflict of interests.”
On January 12th, 3rd Ward Alderwoman Linda Barnes requested to postpone the council’s approval for a budget adjustment to the CIRLF Fund in the amount of $410,000. During the meeting, Alderwoman Barnes asked for clarification, noting that the loan was approved by three members of the committee.
“According to the ordinance, there should be like five members on the CIRLF Committee. But in reviewing the minutes, there's been anywhere from six members. The sixth member being the former mayor [Mike Thoms] up until recently, three members, which their most recent loan was approved on,” Alderwoman Barnes said. “So again, according to the ordinance, there should be or shall be five members. So to me, approving a loan with just three members would make it invalid. Secondly, again, just looking at the most recent loan and possible conflicts of interest that I do have a lot of questions on. So just want clarification before we move forward with anything regarding. Regarding that. So those are some of the reasons.”
Alderwoman Barnes' motion to postpone failed in a vote of 3-2, with First Ward Alderman Glen Evans joining Alderwoman Barnes. Fourth Ward Alderwoman Jenni Swanson was not present for that meeting. Alderman Healy recused himself from the vote since he was on the committee in 2025.
The article included a letter O’Melia obtained through a Freedom of Information Act inquiry from City Manager Todd Thompson on January 21st, asking the Department of Housing and Urban Development whether the city is violating federal regulations in issuing the loan.
“Local ordinances and Illinois statute would not consider the issuance of this loan a conflict of interest. The same may not be true with Federal regulations. The two issues which may mean that the loan was issued in a manner that did not comply with CFR 570.611 are as follows:
The business operator resigned from the CIRLF Committee less than one year before their loan request was considered. The business operator does not have an ownership stake in the business, but their spouse does. That means the spouse of a local elected official stands to benefit from a CDBG-assisted activity,” the letter read in part.
Alderman Healy told WVIK he had never seen that document, and after it was reported, he informed the city manager that it was an error to state that his spouse had an ownership interest in the business, and the document has since been amended.
The department is currently investigating the loan according to O’Melia’s article.
O’Melia included Alderman Healy’s Statement of Economic Interests from 2022, where he listed Bridges Catering as an asset worth more than $10,000 held in or payable to either himself, spouse, or minor child.
“The question of ownership is paramount and should be clarified prior to any contract awards,” O’Melia wrote. “Here is what we know: (1) Alderman Healy's Statement of Economic Interest lists Bridges Catering as an asset, implying some ownership stake. If not, he would list Bridges Catering under question 2, (2) Alderman Healy's signature as CEO is on executed city loan documents between 2016 to 2025 and he is a personal guarantor on loans for Bridges Catering, (3) Mr Healy states his parents own 100% of Bridges Catering, and (4) Mr. Healy states he operates, not owns, Bridges Catering.”
Alderman Healy informed WVIK that he did include it as an asset. “ I was under the assumption of the question that if my parents passed I had to include that as a potential asset. I was trying to be overly forthcoming,” Alderman Healy wrote in an email. “You can check the Secretary of State for Illinois to verify that I do not own Bridges Catering WEH.”
“I’m a businessman and an alderman in a city I grew up in and my parents, children, aunts and uncles continue to live in,” Alderman Healy said. “I want the best for this city- both in the growth of our downtown and in the growth of our population. Being an alderman is often a thankless job, and I do it because it’s a way I can give back to the city, not myself. An individual who I don’t see eye to eye with has decided to portray me as a crooked politician and that is just not true. I’m sad I have to defend myself and sad my family’s business has been in the public eye - not for the years of great relationships and superior service, but because we are under attack from a person with her own agenda.”
This story was produced by WVIK, Quad Cities NPR. We rely on financial support from our listeners and readers to provide coverage of the issues that matter to the Quad Cities region and beyond. As someone who values the content created by WVIK's news department, please consider making a financial contribution to support our work.
