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Morton board appoints village clerk, approves $231,000 in mobile barriers and several engineering and equipment contracts
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Summary
At a regular Morton Village Board meeting, trustees appointed Sam Rick Taylor as village clerk, approved purchase of 27 mobile barriers and a beam gate to bolster event security, and advanced engineering and equipment contracts for street and school crossing projects and municipal vehicles.
The Morton Village Board appointed Sam Rick Taylor as village clerk and approved a series of procurement and engineering contracts, including a $231,000 purchase of mobile vehicle barriers and a main-street engineering agreement, during a meeting that also cleared several vehicle purchases and subdivision easement actions.
Sam Rick Taylor was sworn in after the board voted to confirm the appointment for a term expiring April 30, 2025. Taylor recited the oath of office, saying, “I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of village clerk to the best of my ability.”
The board approved a request to waive formal bidding and accept a proposal from Meridian Rapid Defense Group for 27 Archer 1,200 mobile barriers and one beam gate for $231,000. Trevor (last name not specified), Morton’s chief of police, told trustees the additional barriers respond to security needs identified after the village deployed barriers during the Pumpkin Festival and a subsequent safety committee debrief. He cited a municipal liability insurance bulletin noting that, in the bulletin’s tracking since 2014, 70% of recorded vehicle-ramming attacks have occurred since 2014 and urged additional protective measures. The motion passed on a roll call vote.
The board also approved a professional services agreement with Hanson Professional Services Inc. for phase 1 engineering on the Main Street preservation project (Jackson Street to Cortland Street). According to staff, Morton received about $880,000 in Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) funding for the preservation work (mill, overlay and patching); the engineering contract for phase 1 was described as a roughly $360,000 not-to-exceed figure and is expected to take about 15 months from notice to proceed. Staff said the work will support future grant applications and could include alternatives for sidewalk or separated bike trail sections in areas where recent residential development has increased pedestrian demand.
A separate Hanson agreement to design upgraded school pedestrian crossings was approved; staff said the village will pay for design and the school district has agreed to split construction costs. Proposed crossing improvements include two new crossings at Lincoln (Crestwood and Jefferson), a crossing at Grande, and one at Lehi Brown; the design contract was described as roughly $40,400 not-to-exceed.
Trustees approved multiple equipment and vehicle purchases across departments: a 2025 GMC Sierra for the water distribution department ($43,043, Lighthouse Automotive), a 2024 Ford F-150 for the development department ($43,230, Mike Murphy Ford), a 2025 Dodge four-wheel-drive truck for the water treatment department ($40,442.70, Sam Layman Automotive Group), and a 2025 CAT 3067 mini excavator ($59,985.33, Altorfer Inc.) for the water distribution department (the excavator price includes a $45,000 trade allowance on a 2021 unit). Staff said one trade deadline prompted accelerating the excavator purchase to preserve the trade allowance.
The board adopted Ordinance 25-25-18 authorizing sale of certain surplus vehicles and equipment; staff noted several pickup trucks will be sold via GovDeals and that 20 Badger meter bases and 20 Orion radios will be sold directly to the village of Carlock at roughly half the original price. Trustees also approved a one-year contract for seasonal/contract mowing (eight bidders, low bid at $19.74 per mowing occurrence) and announced the yard-waste disposal program will run March 31–April 27 (closed Good Friday and Easter).
In planning and zoning actions, the board approved two easement-vacation plats to allow new single-family construction: a Trails of Timber Oaks lot split (multiple PINs noted) and an Eastman vacation plat in the Fieldstone subdivision (PINs and the need for utility sign-offs were discussed). Planning staff said the Fieldstone approval is conditioned on obtaining required utility company signoffs; staff said they will not finalize recording until those sign-offs are received.
Before adjourning to closed session, trustees voted to enter executive session under the Illinois Open Meetings Act citing 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5) to discuss purchase or lease of real property for village use.
Votes at a glance - Appointment: Sam Rick Taylor, village clerk (term to 04/30/2025) — approved (roll call: Hilliard, Leach, Minnell, Newman, Perry, [other trustees recorded as yes]). - Meridian Rapid Defense Group barrier purchase — approved (proposal price $231,000). - Resolution 35-25: Hanson Professional Services — Main Street phase 1 engineering (STBG funds ~ $880,000 awarded; engineering not-to-exceed figure ~ $360,000) — approved. - School crossings engineering (Hanson) — approved (design cost ~ $40,400; school district to pay half of construction cost). - Vehicle/equipment purchases (Lighthouse Automotive, Mike Murphy Ford, Sam Layman Automotive Group, Altorfer Inc.) — approved (individual amounts: $43,043; $43,230; $40,442.70; $59,985.33). - Ordinance 25-25-18 authorizing sale of surplus vehicles/equipment — approved. - Easement vacation plats (Trails of Timber Oaks; Eastman/Fieldstone) — approved (Fieldstone approval contingent on utility signoffs). - Motion to enter closed session under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(5) — approved.
Why it matters: The barrier purchase and engineering contracts reflect city investments in public-safety planning for large events, and the Main Street contract uses state/federal transportation grant funds and phase-1 engineering to position Morton for future construction and pedestrian/bicycle improvements. Multiple equipment purchases, surplus sales and subdivision approvals indicate continuing capital and development activity for municipal operations and private housing starts.
The board did not set a public hearing on these items at the meeting; multiple agenda items will require future implementation steps such as bids, recording plats, or joint approvals with the school board for construction contracts.
