Board hears bids for village paths, delays maintenance due to budget; director reports higher water use tied to new lawns and Glenbrook path work scheduled

The Board of Public Works reviewed bids for maintenance of six remaining village-owned pathways and received staff recommendations on timing and budgeting. Staff said three of four solicited bids were returned and Johnson and Sons submitted the low bid to maintain all six remaining paths, with the total for full maintenance approximately $30,000. Because of an overage on the Glenbrook Drive path project, staff recommended postponing maintenance for the remaining paths until the 2026 or 2027 budget; staff said operations funding might allow doing one path this year if feasible. Board members discussed village purchasing thresholds and whether staff could proceed without board approval for smaller contracts. Staff and trustees noted purchase rules vary by amount; one trustee said items under $25,000 fall within department approval, and another said under $50,000 can be done without board approval depending on policy. The board concluded staff could approach providers based on the competitive prices and proceed as funding allows. On the director of public works report, staff noted an unexplained rise in water usage. The director said he observed about 50 lawns being watered in new subdivisions (including Maple Fields and parts of Jackson Drive) and said that was likely driving increased demand. Staff also reported Glenbrook Path needs further work, will sit for a few days, and is slated for paving the week of Aug. 11. No formal motions were recorded to award contracts for the path maintenance bids; staff will incorporate the quotes into future budgets and may act under purchasing thresholds when funds allow.