HIGHWOOD CITY COUNCIL’S 3.4.25 MEETING IN A NUTSHELL
Finance
The City Council voted to approve the payment of various bills totaling $195k.
The City Council voted to accept the City Treasurer’s financial report covering the period of May 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025.
The city’s waterworks and sewerage fund accounts for the operation of its water and sewer system. The difference between the sale rates and costs of processing the water pumped from Lake Michigan is intended to finance the operation of the system. City staff reported that the fund’s expenses are outpacing its revenues, largely due to increased costs for labor, supplies, and infrastructure maintenance. Moreover, significant future expenses are anticipated to comply with unfunded federal and state mandates (e.g., replacement of lead service lines and certain galvanized service lines). In response, the City Council previously approved an agreement with Christopher B. Burke Engineering to assist with planning, regulatory compliance, and securing funding. To fund the mandated improvements, along with other upgrades to its water system, the city will likely need to borrow money. To qualify for loans and afford the connected payments, the city will need to raise additional revenues and the City Council previously discussed various related options (e.g., increasing the local sales tax rate, increasing water rates, adding a fee to water bills). At its last meeting, the City Council adopted an ordinance to increase the local sales tax rate by 0.0025% (i.e., 25¢ on a $100 purchase) effective July 1, 2025. At this meeting, the City Council continued discussion of a draft ordinance to increase water rates by 5% (i.e., increasing the water rate from $5.38 to $5.65 per 100 cubic feet used and the minimum charge from $53.80 to $56.50 every two months), as well as to add a $10 monthly fee to water bills, and voted to adopt the ordinance. The adopted ordinance includes an amendment stating that the water bill fee is intended to be discontinued once the City Council determines it is no longer needed to meet lead service line replacement requirements imposed by federal and state laws and regulations.
Infrastructure
The city routinely completes street sweeping to remove dirt, debris, and litter from roadways to maintain cleanliness, reduce pollution, and support stormwater management. City staff obtained a proposal from Lakeshore Recycling Systems to complete scheduled street sweeping for the balance of the year. The City Council voted to accept the proposal at a cost not to exceed $28k.
Earlier this year, to comply with new water testing regulations issued by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), the City Council voted to accept a proposal from Cornwell Engineering Group (CEG) to complete a lead and copper corrosion control treatment evaluation for its water system. With that evaluation complete, CEG proposed that the city next complete a lead solubility study and ultimately present its findings to the IEPA. The City Council voted to accept the proposal at a cost not to exceed $21k.
Parks & Public Spaces
In 2022, the city purchased 340 Green Bay Rd. for the purpose of expanding Everts Park. The blighted building on the property was subsequently demolished and the site has since been used for temporary surface parking. The City Council previously approved design and engineering work for the expansion project (final renderings here and here) and awarded the construction contract to A Jules Construction. The project, which includes both expanding the park’s footprint and installing an irrigation system in the existing area, is scheduled to begin the week of March 10th, weather permitting, and is expected to be completed in the summer.
Public Comment
Highland Park resident Jaret Fishman, a candidate for the North Shore School District 112 Board of Education, introduced himself to the City Council.
Recycling
The city is now providing a new optional curbside recycling service. The goal of the service is to divert hard-to-recycle plastics from landfills. Importantly, this new service supplements conventional recycling, it does not replace it. Click here to find a video that animates how the service works and here for additional informational (e.g., free starter kit, where to buy the bags, accepted items).
Other
The City Council voted to approve meeting minutes from February 18, 2025.
Early voting for the April 1st Consolidated Election begins on March 17th at the Library & Community Center (102 Highwood Ave.); additional information here; specimen ballot here.
The Library & Community Center’s March newsletter is here.
The Chamber of Commerce’s March newsletter is here.
The Chamber of Commerce’s A Highwood Story documentary short film can be viewed here.
The Chamber of Commerce’s Women's Connections event will be held on March 12th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at elliestyled (1900 Sheridan Rd., Highland Park); additional information here.
Alderman Jim Hospodarsky will be holding a community information session for a development proposal from the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory (MYAC) on March 19th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at Oak Terrace Elementary School (240 Prairie Ave.); additional information here and here.
The community information session is not a city meeting or event, but rather it is being hosted and sponsored directly by Alderman Hospodarsky. Additionally, the linked application does not represent the final application package that will be considered by the Planning & Zoning Commission and City Council, but rather an application that is posted to MYAC’s website; the final application package - which will be published by the city - will include MYAC’s application along with additional documents such as city staff and consultant reports.
Meeting Records