Palos Park council adopts new water and sewer rates and approves routine contracts, payroll and benefits

The Palos Park Village Council on June 22 voted to adopt Ordinance 2026-09, amending the village code to implement a tiered water-rate structure and adjusted sewer charges recommended in a Baxter & Woodman five-year study, and approved several routine financial and administrative items.

Council members said the new water structure removes the minimum water-usage billing tier while retaining sewer and infrastructure charges; officials emphasized the change is intended to better align customer bills with actual usage and system costs. The ordinance was moved, seconded and approved by roll call.

In other formal actions the council: approved final payment to Aries Construction for the 123rd Street water-main relocation; approved the warrant list totaling $213,815.37; authorized the village manager to execute a Paylocity time-and-attendance agreement to replace manual timesheets; and approved the village's August 1, 2026 employee benefits renewal package.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance 2026-09, amending Title 10 rate sections to enact tiered water and adjusted sewer rates: approved by roll call (recorded yes votes: Commissioner Patenaude, Commissioner Wade, Commissioner Vincent, Commissioner Polk, Mayor Nicole Milovich Walters). - Approve payment of warrant list dated June 22, 2026 ($213,815.37): approved by roll call. - Approve final payment (Invoice No. 3) to Aries Construction for the 123rd Street water-main relocation — final invoice $70,855.50; total contract final amount reported as $534,855; approved by roll call. - Authorize Paylocity time-and-attendance implementation (one-time and annual fees as presented): authorized by roll call. - Approve August 1, 2026 employee benefits renewal (UnitedHealthcare UHC 51X option as recommended): approved by roll call.

Why it matters The new water and sewer rates reflect an effort to recover rising costs for an aging system while shifting water bills closer to actual usage. The Paylocity authorization and benefits renewal affect village payroll processing and fiscal planning for the coming year.

Details and context The Baxter & Woodman study presented a five-year plan with annual increases tied to projected costs and recommended eliminating minimum usage billing in favor of a tiered per-1,000-gallon structure. Council members cautioned residents that even if a household’s water usage is minimal (for example, seasonal residents), sewer and infrastructure charges will still appear on bills.

The council recorded a final contract balance for the 123rd Street water-main relocation project of $534,855. Prior payments totaled $463,999.50 and the final invoice approved was $70,855.50.

The Paylocity time-and-attendance module was presented as a labor-saving measure with estimated annual software costs and projected modest savings compared with the current manual process.

What’s next Ordinance 2026-09 takes effect as provided by the village code; residents with billing questions were directed to village staff. The manager will execute the Paylocity agreement and staff will implement the time-and-attendance rollout. The council recessed to an executive session after completing the public portion of the meeting.