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CTA board approves leases and 10-contract omnibus; approves $3.5 million settlement
Summary
The Chicago Transit Authority Board approved three retail concession ordinances (placed on the omnibus), ten contracts bundled onto an omnibus, accepted the finance report and approved a $3.5 million settlement in a pending lawsuit. Votes were unanimous on recorded roll calls.
The Chicago Transit Authority Board on March 12 approved three ordinances authorizing retail-concession leases and placed 10 contract awards on an omnibus recommendation to the full board, which the board then approved in a separate roll-call vote. The board also approved a $3,500,000 settlement in litigation and a board appointment for the CTA retirement-plan trustees.
CTA finance director Tom McComb reported January financial results at the board’s finance-audit-and-budget committee earlier that morning, saying fare and pass revenue for January came in “slightly better than budget and about a million dollars better than last year,” and that total operating results started the year “positive to budget.” McComb said public funding for the month was $4,300,000 better than projections and that aggregate results for 2024 were about $15,000,000 favorable to budget as collections are finalized.
The three ordinances under the finance committee were leases for retail concession space at Orange and Blue Line stations: a lease to Donut Dudes CTA Kedzie LLC for 251 sq ft at 4900 S. Kedzie Ave. with first-year projected annual rent of $6,525.96; a lease to Donut Dudes CTA Western LLC for 197 sq ft at 4901 Southwestern Ave. with first-year projected annual rent of $5,085.96; and a lease to Kisby LLC for 273 sq ft at 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave. (Jefferson Park Blue Line) with first-year projected rent near $9,000. In committee each ordinance was moved, seconded and placed on the omnibus for board approval.
At the full board meeting the omnibus of 10 contracts and the three ordinances were approved by roll call. The board also approved minutes from the Feb. 12, 2025 meetings, permitted Director Michelle Lee to participate remotely for an earlier meeting due to a medical situation, and approved an ordinance appointing Lisa Smith as an alternate trustee to the Board of Trustees of the retirement plan for CTA employees.
In closed session earlier in the meeting, counsel presented a proposed settlement in Sarah Bowers v. Chicago Transit Authority and Chester Matthews, Circuit Court of Cook County Case No. 2022L011028. The board voted in open session to approve the settlement in the amount of $3,500,000.
Votes at a glance (recorded roll calls where noted): - Approval of minutes (board meeting 02/12/2025): Passed (yes votes recorded: Director Lee; Director Raquel/Recuejo; Chairman Barclay; Director Jaques; Director Eady). - Ordinance: Lease to Donut Dudes CTA Kedzie LLC (4900 S. Kedzie Ave.): Placed on omnibus in committee; omnibus approved by full board (roll call recorded: Director Recuejo/ Raquio/ Raquel: yes; Chairman Barclay: yes; Director Jaques: yes; Director Eady: yes; Director Lee: yes). - Ordinance: Lease to Donut Dudes CTA Western LLC (4901 Southwestern Ave.): Same omnibus placement and approval as above. - Ordinance: Lease to Kisby LLC (4917 N. Milwaukee Ave., Jefferson Park Blue Line): Same omnibus placement and approval as above. - Contracts: Ten contracts across transit operations, infrastructure, planning/innovation, technology and diversity programs were placed on the omnibus, then approved by the board (roll call recorded as above). - Motion to remove contract D1 from the agenda (defer): Moved by Director Eady, seconded by Chairman Barclay; the committee removed D1 and proceeded with consideration of D2. - Motion to permit Director Michelle Lee to participate remotely (medical): Passed by roll call in committee earlier that day (unanimous where recorded). - Ordinance appointing Lisa Smith as alternate trustee to CTA retirement-plan Board of Trustees: Approved by roll call. - Settlement approval: Motion to approve a $3,500,000 settlement in Sarah Bowers v. CTA and Chester Matthews: Passed (roll call recorded: Director Recaio: yes; Chairman Barclay: yes; Director Jaques: yes; Director Eady: yes; Director Lee: yes).
Board members and staff asked few questions on the leases and contracts; multiple items were moved to omnibus and the committee reported the items recommended for board approval.
The finance report, committee approvals and the settlement vote were the principal formal actions recorded during the meeting.
