La Grange Park trustees approve permits, contracts, MFT allocation and hazard plan; unanimous votes cover multiple public works and safety items

La Grange Park trustees on Monday approved a slate of permits, contracts and funding authorizations covering public works, public safety and planning, voting unanimously on each item with two trustees absent.

Key actions included: approval of a temporary greenhouse and shade structure permit for Jewel Osco to operate a seasonal garden center (to be removed by June 2025); adoption of an ordinance allowing temporary outdoor dining through Dec. 31, 2025; authorization to onboard an additional full-time police officer effective April 1, 2025 to meet Illinois Police Academy timelines; authorization to adopt the 2024 Cook County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (required for certain FEMA grant eligibility); approval of purchases and bid waivers for dump-yard interlocking concrete blocks and parkway trees; renewal of the landscape maintenance contract; an engineering agreement and Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) allocation for the 300–400 block Park Road resurfacing project; and a change order to expand sewer lining work.

Votes at a glance

- Jewel Osco seasonal greenhouse: approved (motion to issue a temporary use permit for a 1,248 sq. ft. greenhouse and an 864 sq. ft. shade structure, to be installed on or after March 26, 2025 and removed no later than June 2025). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Temporary outdoor dining ordinance: approved (extends temporary outdoor dining authorization through Dec. 31, 2025; restaurants must obtain new temporary use permits and any required building permits). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Early onboarding of additional full-time police officer (FY 2025–26 authorized position): approved (hire effective April 1, 2025 to allow academy and upfitting). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Adoption of Cook County 2024 Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan: approved (adopts Volume 1 county plan and Village annex, required for FEMA grant eligibility). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Waiver and purchase: interlocking concrete blocks from Ozinga Brothers (dump-yard storage bins), not to exceed $30,000 (waiver of competitive bidding approved). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- 2025 landscape maintenance contract renewal with Landscape Concepts Management, Inc.: approved, not to exceed $26,000 for 2025 (with optional renewals for 2026–27). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Parkway tree planting program purchase from St. Aubin Nursery: approved, not to exceed $40,000 (waiver of competitive bid). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- IDOT/MFT resolution for Park Road improvements: adopted (appropriates $1,060,000 in motor fuel tax funds for the Park Road resurfacing project). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- IDOT local public agency engineering services agreement with Hancock Engineering for Park Road (phase 2 design and phase 3 construction engineering): approved, engineering fee not to exceed $235,000 (funded from MFT). Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

- Change order No. 1, FY 2024–25 sewer lining project (National Power Routing Corp.): approved, increase of $56,045 to add footage and services; total still under budget. Vote: 4 yes, 0 no, 2 absent.

What trustees and staff said

Trustee Zorra and Trustee Sheehan voiced routine support for economic and seasonal items such as the Jewel greenhouse and outdoor dining, citing benefits for local businesses. Trustee Sheehan noted the importance of maintaining public works operations and supported purchases that preserve village facilities and operations, such as the dump-yard block purchase and tree-planting program. Public-safety items, including the early police hire, were described by staff as necessary to meet academy testing and equipment timelines.

Chiefs, directors and staff who presented the items emphasized compliance with statutes and funding rules. Fire Chief/EMA staff and Director Ratti (engineering) briefed trustees on the hazard mitigation plan and the MFT-funded Park Road schedule; staff said design would allow construction to begin right after school lets out to accommodate Park Junior High activity.

Nut graf: The board used the March meeting to clear a range of operational and capital items ahead of spring and summer construction seasons, using a mix of village funds, MFT allocations and grant matches and invoking waiver-of-bid provisions when staff determined single-source or specialty suppliers offered superior products or pricing.

Budget and procurement notes

- The concrete-block and tree purchases were approved via waiver of competitive bidding; trustees were told such waivers required a two-thirds affirmative vote. Village staff said Ozinga was the only local supplier that offered interlocking, freshly poured blocks matching the village's technical specification.

- The Park Road project will be carried out in phases: phase 2 (design) in the current fiscal year and phase 3 (construction) in FY 2026. Staff estimated MFT funding at $1,060,000 and engineers' fees at up to $235,000.

- The sewer-lining change order added $56,045 of work but stayed within the project budgeted amount of $200,000 for the sewer fund's capital outlay line.

Ending: All roll-call votes recorded four affirmative votes (Trustees Zorra, Counsel, Sheehan and Caputo) with Trustees Lautner and Stewart absent; the board adjourned to closed session later in the meeting.