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Highland City Council unanimously approves water-main and parking-lot lettings, engineering contracts and a surplus vehicle; moves into executive session
Summary
On Nov. 17, 2025, the Highland City Council unanimously approved notices for municipal lettings for a 2025 water-main replacement and a Main/Pine parking-lot expansion, authorized two engineering agreements with Oates Associates totaling $276,120 for South Poplar Street reconstruction, declared a 2017 Ford Explorer surplus and voted to enter executive session on litigation.
The Highland City Council on Nov. 17, 2025 unanimously approved several construction and contracting items and briefly entered executive session to discuss litigation.
Council actions included approval of Notice of Municipal Letting Bid #PW-04-25 for the 2025 water-main replacement and Notice of Municipal Letting PW-05-25 for the Main Street and Pine Street parking-lot expansion. Council also approved two agreements with Oates Associates related to South Poplar Street reconstruction: a $54,300 preliminary engineering services agreement (Bill #25-124/Resolution #25-11-3234) and a $221,820 local public agency engineering services agreement (Bill #25-125/Resolution #25-11-3235). All votes on those motions were roll-call and recorded as four ayes (Councilmembers Klaus, Sloan, Bellm and Napper) and none nay.
“Those plans provided are not the final plans for construction,” Director Joe Gillespie told the council about the water-main documents, noting the set included for review required minor administrative tweaks. "They were included so you had a visual," he added.
The council also approved Bill #25-126/Ordinance #3414 declaring city personal property surplus and authorizing sale or disposal of a 2017 Ford Explorer. Councilman Napper asked whether the vehicle would be sold immediately or used for training; Director Dan Cook said the vehicle had been a police cruiser, “it needs a lot of work,” and could be used for training if departments requested it. Cook noted a recent sale of a 2004 Dodge Ram for $5,000 as a point of reference.
Councilwoman Bellm moved acceptance of Expenditures Report #1302 covering Nov. 1–14, 2025; the motion carried on a unanimous roll-call vote.
Late in the meeting, Bellm moved to temporarily adjourn into executive session under the Illinois Open Meetings Act exemption 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(11) to discuss litigation; Councilman Napper seconded. The council voted unanimously to enter executive session and temporarily adjourned at 6:44 p.m. The regular session was reconvened at 7:16 p.m., and Bellm moved to adjourn; Councilwoman Sloan seconded. The meeting adjourned at 7:16 p.m.
Staff reports earlier in the meeting noted holiday preparations: Joe Gillespie said Dan Cook reported that Christmas lights were being installed on street lamps and would need to be plugged in when crews finish; a citizen repaired portions of the community "Santa's shop," volunteers are refurbishing outfits and Brad Korte is working on mechanical repairs. On Poplar Street, Gillespie said the contractor reheated the pavement to smooth it and crews placed striping; Mayor Kevin Hemann said he had driven the road and found it "pretty smooth."
