Council approves routine bills, Halloween hours and event street closure; Class V liquor license set for second reading

Kankakee City Council handled a series of routine approvals and event communications at its Oct. 20 meeting.

Finance and utility bills: The council approved the report of officers and payment of city bills totaling $217,023.44 and approved Environmental Services Utility bills totaling $653,629.39. During questions, councilors identified several check items (rebates tied to the Indian Meadows subdivision and community outreach line items) and noted a small number of checks were recorded to avoid potential conflicts.

Event hours and street closure: Council approved Halloween hours in Kankakee from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2025, and approved a street closure for the 1000 block of Cobb Boulevard for a community haunted-house event on Oct. 31 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The street-closure request was made by Alderwoman Kelly Johnson and Anya Grass and was approved on motion and roll-call.

Class V liquor license (video gaming): Staff presented an application for a Class V liquor (video gaming) license for 604 N Entrance Ave in the First Ward. Councilors moved to suspend the rules to allow final passage that night but did not reach the two-thirds threshold required to suspend; the council recorded 9 ayes, 0 nays and 1 abstention. The item will return for second reading at the first meeting in November.

Capital and maintenance purchases: The council also approved other capital and maintenance items by roll call: acceptance of a low bid for North River Drive storm-sewer improvements (Kankakee Valley Construction Co., ~$43,008.95) and purchase authorization for a used 2016 Elgin Pelican street sweeper for $47,173 (council waived bidding and approved the purchase). Those resolutions passed on roll-call votes as recorded in the packet.