Oak Park council actions at a glance: Sept. 15, 2025

The Oak Park City Council took the following formal actions at its Sept. 15 meeting. Items are listed with the motion outcome and key details recorded in the meeting.

• Consent agenda — Approved (voice vote). Items included minutes (city council, traffic safety board, planning commission), payment application No. 2 to Limb Walker's Tree and Snow LLC for $11,250, payment application No. 1 to Alba Masonry Stone and Tile (amount not specified in transcript) and nominations for the 2025 Beautification Awards. One item (Traffic Safety Board minutes) was pulled for discussion.

• Resolution approving issuance of Class C liquor license for Salute 11 (14701 W. 11 Mile) — Approved by roll-call vote (Councilmember Crawford, Councilmember Edgar, Mayor Pro Tem Whitehead voted yes). Approval conditioned on remediation of an outstanding water bill and receipt of a permanent certificate of occupancy and health-department approval; staff recommended forwarding the resolution to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission once conditions are met.

• Special event license: Dog and Pony Show Brewery (14661 W. 11 Mile Rd., Suite 200) for Angelfish Elementary PTA cornhole tournament, Sept. 29, 2024, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. — Approved (voice vote).

• Invoice payment: Garen Lucal Miller, P.C., legal services, $17,885.24 — Approved by roll-call vote.

• Invoice payment: (vendor name recorded in packet/transcript as) "this favor Kaplan" for legal services, $6,500 — Approved by roll-call vote. (Vendor name as provided in agenda; amount specified.)

• Ordinance (second reading and adoption): Amend chapter 2 to add Juneteenth Commission — Adopted (roll-call vote: Crawford, Edgar, Whitehead voted yes). Staff said the new commission will plan and execute the city’s Juneteenth celebration and fundraising.

• Special assessment roles: Resolution directing city assessor to prepare special assessment rolls for unpaid charges (delinquent utilities $355,687.16; false alarms $2,200; miscellaneous concrete $4,120.33; property blight $32,597.43; sidewalk replacements $317,450.91) and establishing Oct. 9, 2025 for a public hearing — Resolution adopted (roll-call vote). Council received the lists prepared by the deputy treasurer and finance director and set the public hearing date.

• Public-works pay applications and change orders: - AMEL Boulevard Booster Station Rehabilitation: final pay application No. 8, $16,020; change order No. 4 (balancing) -$6,480 — Approved (roll-call vote). Staff reported the project is 100% complete. - Event Hub: pay application No. 3, $630,516.86; change order No. 1, $41,008.33 — Approved (roll-call vote). Staff reported the hub is approximately 15% complete and that masonry and steel work are underway.

• Collective bargaining: Two-year extensions to four union contracts (take contracts through 06/30/2028) with wage adjustments (3% effective 10/01/2025; 2.5% on 07/01/2026; 2.5% on 07/01/2027) — Approved (roll-call vote). City manager and HR director said increases were negotiated to remain competitive and were budgeted.

Votes recorded at roll call during the meeting showed unanimous support for the listed items by the three members present (Councilmember Crawford, Councilmember Edgar and Mayor Pro Tem Whitehead). Where the transcript recorded voice votes (consent items and some special-event items), the chair announced the motion approved with no nays reported.

Notes: Several agenda items contained more detailed backup in the meeting packet (contracts, invoices and lists of properties for special assessment). Where the transcript did not provide a complete vendor name or itemized amounts, the meeting packet should be consulted for formal records. The council emphasized that conditions tied to licensing or inspections must be satisfied before staff completes final local approvals and transmits items to external agencies such as the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.