Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Contracts And Procurement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Westchester board awards ecological-restoration and maintenance contracts; park-district policing IGA tabled
Summary
Trustees approved a $55,520 contract (not-to-exceed) for the Wedgwood ecological restoration after a grant, awarded multi-year lawn and tree maintenance contracts, approved surplus disposal, and tabled an intergovernmental agreement with the Westchester Park District pending indemnity language changes.
The Village of Westchester approved several vendor contracts and a grant-backed ecological restoration project during its Feb. 24 meeting while tabling an intergovernmental agreement over indemnity language.
Wedgwood restoration: Staff described an ecological restoration at the north end of Norfolk Avenue (Wedgewood Drive area) to remove invasive species and replace them with native trees, shrubs and seed, plus a three-year maintenance component. The village received a $25,000 Illinois Department of Natural Resources grant to support the work; competitive bids produced a low bidder who later withdrew for insurance reasons, and staff recommended awarding the contract to NCAP for a not-to-exceed $55,520. After noting the grant, trustees approved the contract; the net village cost was noted as $30,520 in the staff report.
Lawn and tree maintenance: The board approved a 2026–2028 multi-season lawn maintenance contract (three-year total cited in the packet) with the lowest responsive bidder and also approved a 2026–2029 tree maintenance program with Synet Tree Services (one responsive bidder) covering annual trimming and a budgeted allowance for removals and stumps. Public works staff said the tree contract covers roughly 1,300 trims per year and included first-year and per-year cost details in the packet.
Surplus property: Trustees authorized disposal of surplus property, including an old Chevy Tahoe and retired bulletproof vests from the police department, as a cleanup item.
Park-district policing IGA tabled: Counsel asked that the proposed intergovernmental agreement with the Westchester Park District be tabled because indemnification language did not obligate the park district to indemnify claims arising during the agreement if the claim was brought after the agreement’s termination. On counsel's motion the board tabled that item pending revised contract language.
Why it matters: The ecological restoration and maintenance contracts involve public‑works and environmental stewardship initiatives funded through a mix of grants and village funds; tabling the park-district policing IGA preserves village legal protections while staff negotiates clearer indemnity terms.
What’s next: Staff will execute the awarded contracts, seek required grant reimbursements, and return a revised intergovernmental agreement with corrected indemnity language for future consideration.
