City Council
May 4, 2026
The lede
- Council approved annexation and zoning changes for Rush Power Systems property at Hawkeye Drive and Irene Road after public hearing with no public comment
- Approved stop sign changes at two intersections after public testimony: four-way stop at 5th Avenue/West 6th Street, and amended Caswell Street/East 5th Street to two-way stop on Caswell (instead of on 5th Street as originally proposed)
- Approved multiple police and fire equipment purchases, including body armor plates, handguns, and breathing air system for Fire Station 2
- Authorized $2.1M engineering contract for Appleton Road Grade Separation Project, funded almost entirely by grant ($2.08M grant, $17K city funds)
Decisions & votes
Annexation & Zoning (all passed 10-0):
- Ord. #755H: Annexation agreement with Rush Power Systems LLC
- Ord. #756H: Annexing territory at SE corner of Hawkeye Drive and Irene Road
- Ord. #762H: Rezoning 1014 Irene Road from Rural Holding to Planned Industrial
- Ord. #763H: Special use for planned development at 1014 Irene Road
Traffic & Stop Signs:
- Ord. #757H: Four-way stop at 5th Avenue and West 6th Street (passed 9-1, Peterson nay). Request came from school district; will include flags/lights when installed
- Ord. #758H: Two-way stop at East 5th Street and Caswell Street (passed 10-0 as amended). Amended to place stop signs on Caswell Street (not 5th Street as originally proposed); failed amendment by Brereton to make it four-way stop (no second)
Other Ordinances:
- Ord. #759H: Sale of Fire Department 2003 Kawasaki jet ski (passed 10-0)
- Ord. #760H: Amendments to Zoning and Subdivisions ordinances (passed 10-0)
- Ord. #761H: Special use for bar with video gaming at 717 North State Street (gas station location; passed 8-2, Montalbano and Hoiness nay)
Resolutions:
- Res. #2026-14: Third amendment to EMS staffing agreement with Metro Paramedic Services (3% increase; passed 10-0)
- Res. #2026-15: Appropriation of $1.3M in Motor Fuel Tax funds for street maintenance (passed 10-0)
Police Equipment (all passed 10-0):
- 4 Glock Model 45 handguns with accessories ($3,989.21, funded from sale of old equipment)
- 44 SafariLand body armor vest plates ($21,996)
- Lexipol policy management software ($37,841.60; contract negotiated to remove auto-renewal clause and align with state payment requirements)
Fire Department:
- Breathing air system fill station for Station 2 ($16,545; Fire 2% Fund contributed $40,000 toward project)
Events & Grants (all passed 10-0):
- Vacation carryover for officer Austin Smaha (15.5 hours)
- Corpus Christi parade June 7, 2026
- Block party requests for September 12 and 19, 2026
- $2,500 Walmart grant accepted; $1,000 transferred to Police, $1,000 to Fire from Heritage Days line item
Public Works Contracts (all passed 10-0):
- Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick: Phase I engineering for Appleton Road Grade Separation ($2,099,853; $2,082,848.70 from grants, $17,004.30 city funds)
- Hampton, Lenzini & Renwick: FRA CRISI grant application preparation ($4,000)
- Lawn Maintenance Services: 2026 landscape maintenance ($27,990)
- Minnihan’s Tree Services: Tree work May 2026-April 2027 ($54,600)
- Globe Construction: Annual sidewalk program ($219,800; $12.50/sf for 4” sidewalk, $13/sf for 6” sidewalk)
First Reading:
- Ord. #764H: Sewer rate modifications (placed on file)
Discussion items
Stop Sign Debate: Extended discussion on Caswell/5th Street intersection. Public commenters Lynda Lenhardt and John Fish advocated for stop signs due to speeding and accidents. Council debated whether stops should be on 5th or Caswell; Peterson noted the long block on Caswell warrants traffic control. Mayor noted stop signs don’t guarantee compliance (like speed limits) and committed to deploying speed trailer and increased enforcement. Director Anderson clarified stop signs aren’t intended as speed control devices.
Video Gaming License: Discussion about bar/gaming at gas station (717 North State). Hoiness expressed concern about alcohol availability at gas stations and impaired driving. Staff noted several gas stations already have gaming; special use limited to specific small area to prevent full bar conversion. 35 active gaming licenses (of 50 allowed); 7 closed in past year, trending down (possibly due to Hard Rock Casino opening).
Grant Funding Success: Peterson praised administration and Public Works for securing $2.08M in grant funding for Appleton Road project (98.9% grant-funded), noting difficulty obtaining such funds “after Doge has done its work.”
Contract Improvements: City Attorney Drella reported negotiating two changes to Lexipol contract: payment terms aligned with Illinois Prompt Payment Act (not arbitrary 30 days) and removed automatic renewal provision to ensure one-year term with optional renewal.
Financial / operational notes
Major Capital Investments:
- Appleton Road Grade Separation Phase I: $2,099,853 (98.9% grant-funded)
- Police body armor: $21,996
- Sidewalk replacement program: $219,800
- Tree services (annual): $54,600
- Landscape maintenance: $27,990
- Fire breathing air system: $16,545 (Fire 2% Fund contributed additional $40,000)
- Police software: $37,841.60
Revenue:
- $2,500 Walmart grant
- Sale of Fire Department jet ski (2003 Kawasaki, limited use)
- Sale of Glock Model 21 handguns to fund new Model 45 purchases
Pending:
- Sewer rate modification ordinance (first reading)
- Video gaming licenses: 35 active of 50 allowed; trending downward
Fund Sources: Motor Fuel Tax ($1.3M appropriated), Capital Funds, Forestry Funds, Street Department line items, Heritage Days budget transfers
Public comment
Lynda Lenhardt (resident, corner of Caswell and 5th Street, 31 years): Requested stop signs due to multiple accidents in yard, speeding (35-40 mph), young children in area. Recent accident nearly hit husband mowing; expressed safety concerns. Noted yield signs ignored, requested two-way or four-way stop and increased police patrols and speed limit signs.
John Fish (900 block Caswell, 39 years): Supported stop signs on Caswell Street. Noted long block (904-1224 Caswell, effectively 2-3 block length). Previously t-boned at 4th/Caswell when it was yield (now four-way stop). Noted high school students using Caswell/Warren to avoid school traffic, increasing volume. Recommended four-way stop but accepted two-way on Caswell. Pointed out if stops placed on 5th, would create six consecutive stop signs from East Avenue to South State. Emphasized safety: “only been two accidents there in the last two years, but there’s been six people injured.”
Mayor Morris reminded attendees about National Day of Prayer events Thursday, May 7, 2026 (8am prayer breakfast at community building, noon at Big Thunder Park).
Notable moments
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Invocation: Mayor’s prayer specifically mentioned “military men and women heroes in the war against Iran” and prayed for their safety and service to “finally secure a safe future for America, the Middle East, and the entire world”
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Public Engagement: Residents Linda Lenhardt and John Fish (39-year resident, former police officer) provided detailed, personal testimony about traffic safety concerns, directly influencing Council’s amendment to place stop signs on Caswell rather than 5th Street
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Failed Amendment: Alderman Brereton attempted to amend Caswell/5th intersection to four-way stop but motion failed for lack of second
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Microphone Issues: Mayor joked about tracking down annoying cable/microphone issue during meeting
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Praise for Grant Success: Bipartisan recognition of administration’s success securing 98.9% grant funding for major infrastructure project despite federal budget constraints
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Meeting Efficiency: Full agenda completed in under one hour (6:00pm-6:57pm) with 10 aldermen present, no absences