City Council - Regular Meeting

If everyone could please grab their seats. Is it Are you on? Oh, can you hear me? Oh, they heard you. Oh, thank you. Oh, good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to call to order the city council meeting for the city of Highland Park, Illinois, January 26, 2026. Will the clerk please call the role? Council member Center present. Council member Buckman here. Council member Ross here. Council member Tapia present. Council member Little here. Council member Bloomberg. Mayor Rotarying

here. We have a quorum. Everyone please rise for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. May I have a motion to approve the minutes of the regular meeting of the city council held January 12th, 2026 and the minutes of the closed session of the city council also January 12th, 2026. So moved. Second. All those in favor say I. I. Those [clears throat] minutes are approved. May I have a motion to approve the warrant list?

Second. Any comments or questions on the warrant list? Any from the public? Hearing none, will the clerk please call the vote? Council member center. I. Council member Buckman. I. Council member Ross. Hi. Council member Tapia. I. Council member Law. I. Mayor Roering.

I. Six eyes. No. The warrant list is approved. The next item is the report of the mayor. Before we begin our business for this evening, I'd like us to pause and acknowledge what's happening in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Like other cities around the country, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New Orleans, and others, heightened federal immigration enforcement activity has sowed fear and anxiety in immigrant communities and among US citizens who are exercising their constitutional rights to observe and document this activity. I'd like to share the following statement which was issued Saturday, January 24th by the United States Conference of Mayors following the tragic killing of Alex Prey which speaks to the way this violent approach to civil immigration enforcement is damaging local communities. Today's death in Minneapolis represents another tragedy. As American mayors representing cities large and small, Republican, Democratic, and independent, we state today with a united voice that this turmoil must come to an end. No American, regardless of their views on immigration, wishes for our country to continue to endure this unnecessary conflict. We mourn with those affected, and we stand with local leaders and local law enforcement courageously navigating this unnecessary chaos. Immigration enforcement has existed in the United States for well over a century. ICE as the federal immigration law enforcement agency has operated for 23 years under both Republican and Democratic administrations. We restate this basic history as a reminder that immigration enforcement can exist and function in this country without national upheaval. What has occurred in recent weeks in Minneapolis and surrounding communities and threatens to escalate around the country is not acceptable and history reminds us that it is absolutely avoidable. This week, the nation's mayors joined the nation's large city police chiefs in a statement calling for deescalation. We reiterate that joint statement today, and the most

important points of that joint statement are worth repeating. The mayors and police chiefs of the United States urge all federal law enforcement agencies to model the professionalism and care that we expect from our local law enforcement agencies. We recognize that some situations can escalate, but we urge federal law enforcement leaders to insist upon calm, professionalism, and deescalation from their officers at all times. Similarly, we call on all residents exercising their First Amendment rights to pursue legal and non-violent protests, regardless of the views or intentions of those engaging in protest activity. We do not condone vote. We do not condone protest actions that are violent, destroy property, obstruct law enforcement, or intended to incite such behavior. We ask for civil discourse and for our residents who desire policy change to pursue it through the legal and political methods afforded to us. As mayors, we feel it's also imperative to state today that deadly confrontations like these erode public trust in law enforcement at every level, putting our own local police officers across the nation at added risk. The nation's mayors call for immediate intervention by national leaders to deescalate the situation in Minnesota. This is not a partisan issue. It's an issue of national concern that demands statesmanship and leadership. This status quo is unacceptable and bringing peace to the situation will require the immediate attention of the administration, congressional leaders, and all those who have influence over our federal law enforcement agencies. We echo that call from the US Conference of Mayors and urge our federal elected officials to seek a path forward to immediately deescalate this activity. Thank you. Continuing on with the report of the mayor, I have no appointments this evening. We do have two proclamations this evening and the first is recognizing tomorrow, January 27th, as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This is a day that's observed annually on the anniversary of the liberation of Ashvitz Burkinau.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an opportunity for us to pay tribute to the survivors and to remember the victims of the Holocaust. I'll now read that proclamation. Whereas January 27 is recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day as designated by the United Nations General Assembly commemorating the anniversary of the liberation of Ashvitz Burkinau, the largest na Nazi concentration and extermination camp. And whereas January 27th, 2026 marks the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Avitz Burkinau and serves as a moment of solemn reflection on one of the darkest chapters in human history. And whereas we remember and honor the six million Jews systematically murdered by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime, as well as millions of other innocent victims, including people with disabilities, political dissident, Roma, LGBTQ individuals, and others targeted for persecution and extermination. And whereas the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance IHA definition of anti-semitism recognizes anti-semitism as a certain perception of Jews which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews including rhetorical and physical manifestations directed towards individuals, communities, institutions and religious facilities. And whereas International Holocaust Remembrance Day stands as a solemn reminder of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, and anti-semitism and underscores the vital importance of education, vigilance, and action to ensure such atrocities are never repeated. And whereas the city affirms its commitment to human dignity, tolerance, and mutual respect while standing firmly against anti-semitism and all forms of hatred and discrimination. And whereas it is our shared responsibility to preserve the lessons of the Holocaust as a cornerstone of our collective memory and to honor the resilience and courage of survivors who built who rebuilt their lives and their communities. Now therefore, I Nancy Rooder, mayor of the city of Highland Park and the city

council of Highland Park, do hereby proclaim Monday, Jan or Tuesday, January 27th, 2026 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. I call upon all residents to join in solemn remembrance of the victims of the Holocaust, to educate themselves about its history and lessons, and to recommmit to building a more just, tolerant, compassionate society free from anti-semitism and hatred of any kind. At this time, I'd like us all to join in a moment of reflection for those whose lives were so brutally taken and tragically changed by unchecked hatred and for the courage of the survivors who spent their lives telling their stories and reliving their trauma. So, our history of the Holocaust would be a living one for as long as possible. Thank you. And I'd now like to ask council member Annette Litter to accept this proclamation on behalf of her mother.

Thank you. Thank you, Mayor Roering Nancy.

Thank you, city council members and public. I just want to say that my mom grew up uh 20 minutes from Ashvitz and she and her sister ended up uh surviving. Um my grandmother did perish, but they um instead of going with Germans, they ended up saying basically they went with the Russians and my my grandmother died in labor camps in Russia. They weren't concentration camps. I was named for her and her legacy lives through my mom and aunt who came to this country the ages of 15 and 13. And people thought they were eight and six. They were very very tiny little girls who um after my grandmother perished in the camps um were in orphanages and always looked to this country for the liberties and the rights of freedom that they did not have and the persecution that they suffered for being Jews. But as we remember them, I want to just say that how proud I am of this city and residents here because we're not just remembering, we still do things about the type of hatred that my mom and others were subjected to. And the fact that we passed um the IRA definition of anti-semitism this year with the examples that do talk about the kinds of things that they've endured in the past and that still go on today. And I really want to commend you all for supporting all of us in remembering that and then doing something about it here where we do have the freedoms.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. May their memories be for a blessing. Thank you.

On to happier business. Sort of happier. Don't want to say goodbye to any of you, but we do want to recognize you for your great service on behalf of the community. So tonight, we're pleased to recognize the outgoing commissioners, advisory group members, and board members who completed their terms last year. Each of these individuals have given generously of their time and expertise as members of one of the city's advisory groups, boards, and commissions. We're honored so many of you have joined us this evening, and we're so grateful for your hard work on behalf of our city. You've provided invaluable insights and contributions during your service. Please stand when your name is called so that we may thank you for all of your work. So, we're really going to make a big production. Ask you to stand and stay standing and then we'll hand you things from up here. Uh, first from the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, thank you Diki Catz. [applause] Business and Economic Development Advisory Group. Maxwell Verhey. Thank you, Maxwell. Cultural Arts Advisory Group. Christine Bautista. Thank you, Christine. Cultural Arts Advisory Group. Cheryl Stiger. [applause] Housing Commission. Louie Miguel Gonzalez Rosas. Thank you. Housing Commission. Marcia Bernstein. [applause] Human Relations Advisory Group. Uh Jared Fishman, [applause] Human Relations Advisory Group. Barbara Goddisman, [applause] Library Board of Trustees, Alicia Dea Cruz. Thank you, Alicia. Sustainability

Advisory Group, Julie Campbell. Thank you, Julie. Sustainability Advisory Group. Jory Fine. [applause] Sustainability Advisory Group. Stephanie Forester. [applause] Sustainability Advisory Group. Megan Gilhood. Thank you, Megan. Sustainability Advisory Group. Marissa Hopkins. Thank you, Marissa. Transportation Advisory Group, Brent Ross. Thank you, Brent. Transportation Advisory Group, Jessica Hector Shu. [applause] Transportation Advisory Group, Jessica Scott. Thank you, Jessica. Transportation Advisory Group, William Thompson. Thank you. Zoning Board of Appeals, Jamie Bay. And Zoning Board of Appeals, Craig Wolf. Again, thank you all for uh your service and uh we hope you'll come back soon. Um Gita, how do you want to do this? I have proclamations for everybody and posters for everybody. So, do we want everyone to come up and we'll take a picture?

That'd be great. Thank you. So, now we're going to embarrass you more and ask you to come forward and take a picture. I'm going to give you your proclamation. So, bear with me. We got No, they're not. Of course they're not. Hold on. I think we'll Everybody can hold them in the picture. Sorry. Keep leaving me. I know. HI. BYE. HERE we go. I don't think they're all here either. Okay. So, we're just gonna I'm gonna give these to you. [laughter]

I don't think they're all [snorts] here. And everybody gets a poster. Thanks you guys. So appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. [laughter] You guys, what a great [clears throat and snorts] Hang on. We need

Get in there. We need all the guys. Thank you so much. Okay. We will get it to you and we apologize. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. [laughter]

Thank you. Thanks everybody. Thank you. Those guys in the table stay faster than anybody. We'd also like to note that in 2025, one active volunteer passed away during his service. The city extends our deepest sympathies to the family of Dr. Gerald Eisenberg, chair of the cultural arts advisory group. Dr. Eisenberg's memory was honored with a moment of silence at the November 24th, 2025 city council meeting. Again, thank you all. Um, our next item is business from the council. Council member Ross, I know you said you had something you'd like to share.

Thank you. Um, as council liaison to the PDC through all but one of their meetings about the solo cup site, I deeply apologize uh to the uh council to community that I'm unable uh to be at the city hall uh meeting on February 9th when that item is planned uh for the council agenda for a final vote. and I greatly appreciate that the city manager and mayor offered me the opportunity to briefly share some comments and questions. Thank you. Um, and on February 9th, please share some of these pieces as well. Uh, my questions include uh asking Habitat if they can speak to their plan to maintain the landscape strip along the north side of the site. It separates two parking lots. During the winter ground, it'll be salted, which will be damaging. So I would ask that uh can the council and manager get them to commit to maintaining the landscape on an ongoing basis? Uh another question is uh are our city foresters fully comfortable with how close and and if they are I am too with how close the town homes uh foundations excavation and over excavation along the wetlands will be uh what the impact will be on the heritage trees that they're very close to. Um, and I wanted to share that uh at the January 20th PDC meeting, which was the last that uh PDC last time PDC saw this, uh, a resident uh, gave public comment asking who will be responsible for addressing traffic if it is a lot worse than projected. After it is built, uh, as the city manager said to me today, the city plans to address traffic issues should they arise. and Habitat. Uh we did hear Habitat commit during a council meeting to working with the city to

address traffic issues. Um a uh two more pieces. Another concern from a resident uh who spoke at public comment on January 20 20th was about the planned crosswork at Devonshshire, which she feels is ill advised. She requested stop signs there. And also the resident mentioned an access road off of Ridge, but I want to clarify that there is only an easement off of Ridge to the site that the council unanimously voted for. There is no access road and no uh plans for one. A public comment was made about protecting the wetlands. Uh the resident who made them feels that there haven't been answers. Uh the PDC chair replied that the Illinois uh EPA, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will address that and that more information become available. And I wanted to say that I'm confident that the city will keep a close eye on all aspects of this project and the wetlands. And overall, I I support this project. Uh, and I thank uh I I I did uh uh speak to both the mayor and and manager uh about these uh these points and I thank you for letting me share because I cannot be I wish I could and it with great regrets that I can't be there on February 9th.

Great. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Any other business from the council? Um just want to give a shout out to public works for an amazing job. That was some snow and uh our streets looked amazing. That's you John Center. You [clears throat and cough] usually say that. [laughter] Thank you. Um continuing on with our agenda, city manager Newkerk, can you please provide the staff report? Thank you.

Yes, mayor. A few reports. Um one just want to bring to the public attention that we have 11 items on the omnibus agenda. All include detailed staff reports and are recommended for approval. I do want to highlight um just three of them if I may and this was based on uh questions that um I had from elected officials this afternoon or this morning as well. Um so number one pertains to modifications to our administrative hearing um program and specifically notification. Um do want to just we're recommending some improvements in overall the notification and our administrative hearing um communication processes. Um, so these are recommended for increased efficiency as well as better communication to the public. But I do want to assure you for example that even though the initial notice does not have for example the time of the hearing um we will be providing the time notice um when someone is expected to be at the administrative hearing. So they will get notification that um not necessarily at the time of the notice when that hearing will be but eventually they'll get that notice. Um the item number three pertains to a proposed uh agreement with Ripple Public Relations. Um that is recommended for approval. There's a detailed staff report. Um the proposal that we received from Ripple um was before we had the committee of the whole conversation with the city council pertaining to events for 2026. Um, so we have talked to Ripple about the proposed plan for the year and so they are up to date in terms of all the policy feedback that you wanted to make sure is carried out into the events that Ripple will be helping us manage and coordinate. Um, so just want to make sure that you're aware of that. And then um, third item just to bring to your attention is uh, number 10. It pertains to an intergovernmental agreement with Marine Township. Um, Marine Township for years uses our

building plans and permit information as one component as they conduct assessed valuations of properties in the community. Um, they historically have come into the building division to look at those plans. This IGA provides a streamlined process for increased efficiency for both on the city side as well as the marine township side giving them readonly access to our electronic um permit information. So this is a similar agreement that the village of Deerfield and others have as well. So we're recommending approval for that. Um two other as amended.

Oh yes, thank you. As amended um I emailed the city council earlier. There were three scriber errors um that were detailed in the email communication to you. So item 10 is recommended to [cough] be approved as [clears throat] amended. Um and then want to um just bring to your attention we have uh information in the packet pertaining to our proposed work plan um covering major projects for 2026. So, we define major projects as significant public facing initiatives or really initiatives that are outside of our day-to-day operation. And so, we have 122 that are planned for the year. This list um is developed based on feedback from our staff, from the mayor and city council, as well as the public. Um and so you can see on this slide here, each major project is um affiliated with one or more of our core priorities. And so we've got six priorities for this calendar year that are guiding us. Um we will continue to provide updates to the city council of public meetings on a quarterly basis. Um but anytime people can go to our website and under city website uh major projects you can see Erin if we can go to the next slide. Um we can see the major projects are broken down by department it gives a description of what the major project is. Um you can further break down each of those rows into detailed uh overviews of what the major steps are for each of those objectives. Um which priority it falls under and then who the project lead is. And then again we'll be providing updates on a quarterly basis. And if we go to that next slide um want to also give an update on our 2026 capital improvement program. Um so certainly as the council is well aware we have uh more than $40 million of infrastructure investment planned for the year um which is six million more

than we had last year. So um significant endeavor and it certainly aligns with one of our core priorities which is infrastructure investment. Um so if we go to the next slide on the city's website individuals can um go to our website to see the varied capital projects that are planned for the year. So this is one screenshot where people can look for example they may want to look just in their neighborhood or how um you know what type of projects are we doing throughout the community. So you can see all of Highland Park. Um and then each color associates with the type of project. On the top of that screenshot right there, you can break down um the type of capital project and which kind of bucket it falls into. And then if we go to the next slide, if you break that down a little bit further, um for example, this is one of the screenshots and you can um see an subheading of for example the uh annual asphalt street program that's listed there, concrete street repair. And if you click on one of those, it further breaks down just so you can see exactly the streets that are planned to be undertaken through the year. So, this is one um real interactive, regularly updated web page um where people can get information about our capital plan. We also are going to be including information in the Highlander and our e-news, social media, as well as doing direct mail to impacted properties just to make sure people have information about what is planned, what are we doing, where are we doing it, um and so forth. If we break down again, um more than 40 million is planned for the year. Um about more than 17 million or so is planned for water and sewer upgrades. Another 17 million is for parking lots, um bike paths, streets, bridges, um projects of that nature. And then um approximately six million for facility

improvements. Great. And that's for your information. Great. Any questions for the city manager? Great. Thank you. Thank you. Um, management analyst Cherry, would you please introduce the next item on our agenda, business from the public?

Thank you, Mayor. The next item on the agenda is business from the public. This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the city council on a topic that is within the council's purview and jurisdiction, but is not listed in another location on the agenda. If you would like to speak about a matter that is listed on the agenda, we ask that you wait until that agenda item is called, and we will give you an opportunity to speak. Then if your matter is on the omnibus or consent agenda, please let us know if you would like us to remove that matter from the consolidated list so that you can speak about it. Please be aware that business from the public is not intended to be a forum for open dialogue or engagement with members of the city council. Rather, it is intended as an opportunity to make comments to the city council. Please do not expect a response from anyone tonight. If appropriate, questions may be directed to the city manager or other city staff. All comments should be directed to the city council. All speakers will be limited to three minutes. We request that speakers refrain from throwing objects or using noise makers and that the public not applaud or make other comments after any speaker. We ask that everyone be respectful, civil, and non-repetitive.

Great. Thank you so much. Are there any members of the public who wish to be heard tonight on an item not on tonight's agenda? Seeing none, we'll continue on with our scheduled business. Items 1 through 11 have been grouped together for omnibus consideration. Item 10 is as amended. I am seeking a motion to approve items 1 through 11. So moved. Second. Thank you. Uh any comments or questions on 1 through 11? None. Any from the public? Hearing none. Will the clerk please call the vote? Council member center. I. Council member Buckman. I. Council member Ross. I. Council member Topia. Hi. Council member Law. I. Mayor Roing.

I. Six eyes, no nays. Items 1 through 11 are approved. We have no closed session this night. So I am asking a for a motion to adjurnn. So move second. All those in favor say I. I. I.