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Berwyn council approves appointments, police promotions, parades and transit grant application
Summary
At a regularly scheduled meeting, the Berwyn City Council approved a set of routine actions including an appointment to the Fire and Police Commission, approval to pursue a police promotion, intergovernmental policing agreement, two school parade approvals and a resolution to apply for Invest in Cook grant funds for transit improvements.
The Berwyn City Council on an otherwise routine session approved a series of administrative actions affecting public safety staffing, school events and a grant application for transit improvements.
The council concurred with Mayor Navarro’s appointment of Michael K. Bain to fill a vacant term on the Fire and Police Commission through May 24, 2025, and administered his oath of office.
Council members also voted to deny two requests for handicap parking accommodations: a handicapped zone at 2213 South Highland and a handicapped space at 1641 South Gunderson.
Police Chief Michael Semaglia asked the council to allow him to seek a promotion of one patrol officer to the civil service rank of sergeant from the department’s eligible list; the council agreed and set the effective date of the promotion as March 19, 2025. The council separately accepted a communication from the Fire and Police Commission certifying Robert Seppi as the next eligible candidate on the sergeant promotion list and considered that communication informational.
The council approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of North Riverside Police Department as reviewed by North Riverside’s legal department. The motion passed on a roll call with all seven members recorded as voting aye: Lennon, (Wy)Wood, Leija, Fate, Pabon, Arinella and Carmichael.
Berwyn police also requested city services for two school parades. The council concurred with parade approvals for Berwyn North School District 98 and granted authorization and city services for a parade tied to School District 90 (requested date listed as May 27, 2025 in the packet). Both parade permissions were placed on the record as informational and granted city services.
The council adopted a resolution authorizing submittal of a grant application to the Invest in Cook program for the Access to Transit Improvement Project, affixing necessary signatures to send the application forward; the motion passed on a roll call with seven ayes.
The council approved the consent agenda and unanimously voted to adjourn.
Votes at a glance - Motion to excuse Alderman Ruiz: passed (ayes). Motion by Carmichael; second by Mayor Arinella. - Approval of minutes of the Feb. 28, 2025 regular meeting: passed. Motion by Lennon; second by Roy Wood. - Concur with appointment of Michael K. Bain to Fire and Police Commission (term through 05/24/2025) and administer oath: passed. Mover/second not consistently recorded in transcript. - Deny handicap zone at 2213 S. Highland and handicapped space at 1641 S. Gunderson: passed. Motion by Pabon; second by Carmichael. - Concur with Police Chief Michael Semaglia to seek promotion of one patrol officer to sergeant (effective 03/19/2025): passed. Motion recorded as by Leija; seconded by Irenella. - Accept Fire and Police Commission communication certifying Robert Seppi as next eligible candidate for sergeant (informational): passed. Motion by Leija; seconded by Lennon. - Intergovernmental agreement with Village of North Riverside Police Department: passed on roll call (Lennon, Wywood, Leija, Fate, Pabon, Arinella, Carmichael — ayes). - Parade approvals for Berwyn North School District 98 and School District 90 (05/27/2025): granted and city services authorized; recorded as informational. - Adopt resolution to submit Invest in Cook grant application for Access to Transit Improvement Project and affix signatures: passed on roll call (7 ayes). - Consent agenda: approved. Adjournment: approved.
Nut graf: The actions are largely procedural but affect short-term public safety staffing, routine school event logistics and the city’s pursuit of county grant funds for transit access improvements; the grant application would advance a project if awarded and requires later implementation steps and external approvals.
Background and next steps: The police promotion requested by Chief Semaglia must proceed through the Fire and Police Commission process and civil-service procedures referenced in the department’s eligibility list. The Invest in Cook grant application will be submitted by city staff; if funded, project implementation would follow county grant conditions and any required local procurement or engineering steps. Several items were recorded as informational rather than final policy actions. The council adjourned at the end of the agenda.
