Votes at a glance: Crest Hill Council approves routine items, orders police vehicles and schedules executive session

The Crest Hill City Council on March 3 approved several routine items, authorized the police department to order four new patrol vehicles under a state grant, denied four requests to waive late business-license penalties and voted to enter executive session on personnel and litigation.

The council approved the minutes from its Feb. 18, 2025 meeting after a motion by Alderwoman Guzel and a second from Alderman Nate Albert. The council later approved the list of bills issued through Feb. 26, 2025, totaling $150,172.22, and received a payroll report covering Feb. 10–23, 2025, showing regular and overtime payroll of $266,193.11.

The police department requested permission to order four Ford Interceptor vehicles that the department plans to purchase using anticipated reimbursement through a DCEO (Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) grant. Police Chief Ed Clark told the council the total estimated cost after reusing existing equipment would be about $250,000. The council approved the request to place the order so the department can move ahead to reduce lead times on vehicle delivery.

Council votes on business-license late-fee waivers resulted in denials for four applicants. The council took separate votes on each waiver request; motions to deny carried for Del Toro Transmission, Adele Pediatrics and Hendrickson Bumper & Trim. A request by Prestige Brick Pavers and Landscapers was denied after additional discussion and inquiry; that denial carried on a 4–3 vote with several abstentions noted in the roll call.

At the end of the meeting the council approved a motion to go into executive session for personnel matters (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1)) and litigation (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11)). The motion was made and seconded and passed on the roll call; the meeting recessed for executive session at 8:18 p.m.

Why it matters: The vehicle purchase moves forward the police department’s replacement plan and is tied to state grant reimbursement; the business-license votes prompted council to direct staff to further research the city’s licensing ordinance and bring recommendations to a future work session.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes (Feb. 18, 2025): Motion by Alderwoman Guzel; second by Alderman Nate Albert; outcome: approved (roll call: unanimous among present members). - Police vehicles: Motion to authorize ordering four Ford Interceptor police vehicles for anticipated DCEO grant reimbursement; mover: Alderman Nate Albert; second: Alderman Tina Overland; estimated cost after reuse: approximately $250,000; outcome: approved (roll call affirmative). - Business-license late-fee waivers (individual votes): Del Toro Transmission — motion to deny approved; Adele Pediatrics — motion to deny approved (one abstention recorded on this vote); Hendrickson Bumper & Trim — motion to deny approved (one abstention recorded); Prestige Brick Pavers & Landscapers — motion to deny approved (vote recorded 4 yes, 3 no/abstentions noted), total waiver request $225 for that applicant; outcome: denied. - List of bills: Approval of expenditures through Feb. 26, 2025, in the amount of $150,172.22: motion by Alderperson Noble; second by Alderwoman Methvin; outcome: approved by roll call. - Payroll report: Regular and overtime payroll for Feb. 10–23, 2025, reported as $266,193.11 (informational, no separate roll-call action required beyond acceptance of the report). - Executive session: Motion to enter executive session for 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) [personnel] and 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) [litigation]; outcome: approved on roll call; meeting recessed to executive session at 8:18 p.m.

Meeting context: Multiple votes on routine finance and operational matters were approved with typical roll-call votes. A separate, substantive policy review of the city’s business-license ordinance and enforcement practices was flagged by councilmembers and staff for a work-session follow-up.