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Village board approves police equipment purchases, public‑works contracts, wastewater loan authorization and tower lease amendment
Summary
The village board approved purchases of police vehicles and camera upgrades, awarded public‑works contracts including a fire‑protection project and skid steer, authorized a wastewater loan application, and approved the fourth amendment to a water‑tower lease.
The village board approved a slate of equipment purchases, contracts and financing steps at its meeting, advancing public safety upgrades, street‑department equipment replacement and wastewater project financing.
The board voted to buy two 2027 Ford Interceptor SUVs at the state bid price ($45,770 each) for patrol use and to accept a $58,842 proposal from the Kerr Group to replace aging analog police cameras with IP cameras and a new recorder. The police department also won approval for a small contract amendment to its existing Axon agreement to add transcription minutes; the department said the $1,282.92 current‑year cost reflects increased transcription demand tied to public‑records requests.
"Over the course of the last three fiscal years, we've added five officer positions," the police department representative said, adding that efficient fleet management had kept many vehicles in service longer. "That's why we're asking now for these two Explorers." The board approved the vehicle purchase and the camera work by roll‑call votes.
On capital and facility projects, the director of public works received board permission to solicit bids for a new fire station at 191 East Queenwood Road (bids to be issued July 21 with an Aug. 11 opening and review targeted for Aug. 17). The board waived formal bidding and accepted a proposal from FE Moran Incorporated (from Morton) for $238,085 to install fire‑protection improvements at the Public Works Garage, 450 Detroit Avenue; the director said two bidders were solicited and proposals were within about 5% of each other.
The board also approved purchase of a 2026 CAT 265 XPS skid steer from Altorfer Inc. for $48,807.90 (including trade and guaranteed buyback), noting the purchase used Sourcewell government pricing and was budgeted for FY27.
The village approved Resolution O8‑27 to authorize village administrator Jessica Vasquez to sign loan application documents for the wastewater project. The director said the loan would be for 20 years at 2.16% and that bid openings coincide with other project bids on Aug. 11; the village needs to finalize documents by the end of July.
"We need to complete all this by the end of July," the director of public works said when explaining the loan authorization and signer designation.
The board approved Ordinance 27‑08, a fourth amendment to the water tower lease for the Verizon tower on Detroit Avenue, to align renewal language and escalation terms. Trustees closed the meeting after brief trustee remarks thanking emergency services and public works for support of the village's July 4 celebration.
Votes at a glance: all items reported in the meeting packet were approved by the board during roll‑call or voice votes, including (not exhaustive): approval of minutes/bills (consent agenda); two police SUVs purchase ($94,830 total); police camera upgrade contract ($58,842); Axon transcription add‑on ($1,282.92 this year); authorization to bid new fire station; FE Moran fire‑protection contract ($238,085); KUWEDS funding share ($9,688.94); Altorfer skid steer purchase ($48,807.90); wastewater loan application authorization (20 years at 2.16%); and the fourth amendment to the water‑tower lease (Ordinance 27‑08). The meeting adjourned without further business.
