Oglesby council approves grant-funded equipment purchases, committee appointments and records IEPA reimbursement

The Oglesby City Council on Nov. 3 approved several grant-supported purchases, appointed members to an insurance committee and recorded a reimbursement check from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for wastewater engineering costs.

Chair called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m. and read correspondence from Mayor Curran, who was not present. Following roll call the council voted to appoint Commissioner Cullinan to chair the meeting for that session.

The council approved a slate of appointments to an insurance committee — including Hilary Moyle, Rich Baldridge, Mark Ambrose, Jack Barnes, Bob Stone, John Lemmer, John Shapiro and Mike Benjamin — after the Chair read the mayor’s nominations and a motion to appoint was approved by roll call.

Council members approved routine meeting business, including minutes from Oct. 20, 2025, payroll and bills presented for payment. The total for bills was read unclearly in the transcript; the council identified two large items driving the total — a Visserring invoice (approximately $400,000 as stated in the meeting) and an IMEI payment — and then voted to approve the bills.

On old business the council placed on file a Safe Routes to School contracting engineering agreement for $30,000 to cover engineering costs for sidewalks and related work.

The council authorized two grant-supported equipment purchases: a less-lethal alternatives award and a FEMA-backed purchase for fire gear. Regarding the less-lethal alternatives (LLA) grant, the council said it had been awarded reimbursement totaling $21,600 for taser-related packages and authorized staff to purchase the equipment. "This is just really a formality," one commissioner said regarding the reimbursement and purchase process. The motion to authorize the purchase passed by roll call.

On a FEMA grant, the council discussed $176,400 in federal funds to acquire 18 new air packs and 36 bottles and approved the city’s matching cost. The Chair said the city’s portion to upgrade bottles to fit the new equipment would be $22,560; a motion to authorize spending that amount passed by roll call. "I'll make a motion to approve the purchase of new air packs and bottles," a commissioner said and the motion was seconded and approved.

Commissioners gave department reports. The fire department reported receiving a Casey’s grant to purchase pagers with no city match; the fire department and ambulance provided monthly call counts. The Chair reported the city received its first IEPA reimbursement check in the amount of $2,199,120.94 toward engineering costs for a wastewater treatment plant project and noted an approximate $10,000,000 in loan forgiveness toward a $40,000,000 project.

The Chair opened public comment periods on agenda items and on any topic; no members of the public spoke during either period. The council made a motion to adjourn, which passed by roll call.

After adjournment staff and a participant briefly continued a discussion about whether an ordinance governing separate meters for certain water uses — the ordinance as drafted covers residential properties only — should be amended to allow an extension or exemption for some commercial devices.

Votes at a glance: the council passed motions to appoint an acting chair, appoint an insurance-committee slate, approve minutes, approve bills and payroll, place the Safe Routes to School engineering agreement on file ($30,000), authorize purchase of less-lethal equipment (LLA grant; reimbursement $21,600), authorize FEMA grant purchases (FEMA award $176,400; city share $22,560), and adjourn the meeting. Vote tallies were recorded by roll call in the transcript for each motion.