Committee of the Whole

CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING AGENDA JANUARY 28, 2026|6:00 PM CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS Call to Order Roll Call Approval of Minutes of Previous Meeting – January 7, 2026 (Special) January 14, 2026 Public Comment Special Presentations and Reports A. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Right-of-way Transition Plan Objective: Public services director Mike Pubentz and city consultant Don Kostelec of Vi- truvian Planning will be presenting the city’s plans for identifying and assessing barriers that may impede accessibility on roads, sidewalks, crosswalks and other components of the public right-of-way by developing practical, innovative solutions to enhance accessi- bility throughout the city consistent with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Initiatives and Other Items B. McClure Avenue Resurfacing Project—Design Engineering Services Agreement with En- gineering Enterprises, Inc. ($179,994) Objective: Analyze, design and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of var- ious collector and residential streets for the 2026 neighborhood street and collector street resurfacing programs. C. Shales Parkway and East-Side Streets Resurfacing Project—Design Engineering Services Agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC ($256,865) Objective: Analyze, design and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of var- ious residential streets for the 2026 various streets resurfacing program on the city’s east side. Committee of the Whole Agenda – January 28, 2026 Page 2 D. 1415 Madeline Lane—Public Improvements and Easement Acceptance ($1,200 Esti- mated Five-Year Maintenance Cost) Objective: Fulfill the city’s obligation to maintain reliable infrastructure for serving busi- nesses and residents. E. Fleet Procurement Authorization Resolution (Not to Exceed $4,477,000) Objective: Provide purchase authorization for 2026 fleet, equipment and upfitting costs to maintain timely delivery of city services through the city’s annual vehicle and equip- ment replacement programming. Announcements from Council Announcements from Staff Adjournment PLEASE NOTE: The City of Elgin is subject to the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Individ- uals with disabilities who plan to attend this meeting and who require certain accommodations in order to allow them to observe and/or participate in this meeting, or who have questions regarding the accessibility of the meeting or the facilities, are requested to contact the Human Resources Department at (847) 931-6076 or TT/TDD (847) 931- 5616 promptly to allow the City of Elgin to make reasonable accommodations for those persons. AGENDA ITEM: A MEETING DATE: January 28, 2026 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Right-of-way Transition Plan Public services director Mike Pubentz and city consultant Don Kostelec of Vitruvian Planning will be presenting the city’s plans for identifying and assessing barriers that may impede accessibility on roads, sidewalks, crosswalks and other compo- nents of the public right-of-way by developing practical, innovative solutions to en- hance accessibility throughout the city consistent with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. AGENDA ITEM: B MEETING DATE: January 28, 2026 ITEM: McClure Avenue Resurfacing Project—Design Engineering Services Agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. ($179,994) OBJECTIVE: Analyze, design and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of various collector and residential streets for the 2026 neighborhood street and collector street resurfacing programs. RECOMMENDATION: Enter into a professional services agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc., to provide road program design engineering services. Engineering Enterprises, Inc., is providing design engineering services for a portion of the city’s 2026 Neighborhood Street Resurfacing and Collector Street resurfacing programs that include various residential and collector streets located on the city’s west side. EEI’s design work will focus on pavement repairs, milling and resurfacing, roadway drainage, and ADA sidewalk upgrades. Upon completing the design engineering services, the city will advertise and award a construction contract to perform the street resurfacing during the 2026 construction season. BACKGROUND The city has regularly budgeted for an annual neighborhood street resurfacing program designed to maintain and improve minor arterial and residential streets throughout the city. A portion of the 2026 program will target streets located across the city’s west side, including portions of McClure Avenue, Goethe Street, Crystal Avenue, Schiller Street, Buckeye Street, Judy Court, Pine Street, Bird Street, South Street, Copper Springs Drive and Water Road. Resurfacing work will generally include pavement milling and resurfacing, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) side- walk access improvements, and minor drainage and sewer structure maintenance. Design work will also include an analysis of possible pavement reconstruction on certain roadway sections. OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS The city regularly utilizes engineering consulting firms to provide engineering design services for capital projects, including roadway improvements. This agreement allows for project design, plan preparation, IDOT documentation and coordination, bidding, and contracting services that must precede construction work. A separate construction contract will be presented separately to the city council for review and approval after construction bids are received. If approved, design efforts will take place from February 2026 through July 2026, and will culmi- nate in the advertisement and bidding of the construction contract. Construction is anticipated to occur from July through September 2026. INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED None. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The proposed agreement contemplates design engineering services in an amount not to exceed $179,994. The construction phase of this project will be bid following the completion of design engineering work and is anticipated to be presented to council for approval in June 2025. BUDGET IMPACT FUND(S) ACCOUNT(S) PROJECT AMOUNT AMOUNT #(S) BUDGETED AVAILABLE Capital Improvement 385-0000-795.30-03 385016 $680,000 $680,000 LEGAL IMPACT The proposed agreement requires an exception to the procurement ordinance, requiring ap- proval by two-thirds of the members of the city council. ALTERNATIVES The city council may choose to reject the agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. Staff will then be responsible for preparing plans, specifications, and estimates Limited staff resources, however, will cause delays in finalizing the design and possibly delay construction into the next construction season. NEXT STEPS 1. Execute the agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. 2. Issue directive to engineer to begin work. 2 Originators: Mike Pubentz, Public Services Director Kathryn Edwards, Engineering Inspector Final Review: Debra Nawrocki, Chief Financial Officer Christopher J. Beck, Corporation Counsel Richard G. Kozal, City Manager ATTACHMENTS A. Engineering Services Agreement with Engineering Enterprises, Inc. 3 AGENDA ITEM: C MEETING DATE: January 28, 2026 ITEM: Shales Parkway and East-Side Streets Resurfacing Project—Design Engineering Services Agree- ment with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC ($256,865) OBJECTIVE: Analyze, design and prepare construction documents for the resurfacing of various residential streets for the 2026 various streets resurfacing program on the city’s east side. RECOMMENDATION: Enter into a professional services agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC, to provide road program design engineering services. Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC, is providing design engineering services for a portion of the city’s 2026 Neighborhood Street Resurfacing program that includes various residential streets lo- cated on the city’s east and southeast sides. Fehr Graham’s design work will focus on pavement repairs, milling and resurfacing, roadway drainage and ADA sidewalk upgrades. Upon completing the design engineering services, the city will advertise and award a construction contract to per- form the street resurfacing during the 2026 construction season. BACKGROUND The city has regularly budgeted for an annual neighborhood street resurfacing program designed to maintain and improve minor arterial and residential streets throughout the city. A portion of the 2026 program will target streets located across the city’s east side, including portions of North Gifford Street, Jefferson Street, Martin Drive, Chippewa Drive, Duncan Avenue, River Bluff Road, Prospect Boulevard, Augusta Avenue and the south continuation of Shales Parkway. Also included is the continuation of the Bluff City Cemetery roadway resurfacing. Resurfacing work will generally include pavement milling and resurfacing, American with Disabilities Act (ADA) sidewalk access improvements, and minor drainage and sewer structure maintenance. OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS The city regularly uses engineering consulting firms to provide engineering design services for capital projects, including roadway improvements. This agreement allows for project design, plan preparation, IDOT documentation and coordination, bidding, and contracting services that must precede construction work. A separate construction contract will be presented to the city council for review and approval after construction bids are received. If approved, design efforts will take place from February 2026 through May 2026 and will culmi- nate in the advertisement and bidding of the construction contract. Construction is anticipated to occur from June through October 2026. INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED None. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The proposed agreement contemplates design engineering services in an amount not to exceed $256,865. The construction phase of this project will be bid following the completion of design engineering work and is anticipated to be presented to council for approval in May 2026. BUDGET IMPACT FUND(S) ACCOUNT(S) PROJECT AMOUNT AMOUNT #(S) BUDGETED AVAILABLE Capital Improvement 385-0000-795.30-03 385017 $680,000 $500,000 Cemetery 294-3372-767.30-03 385017 $28,650 $28,650 LEGAL IMPACT The proposed agreement requires an exception to the procurement ordinance, requiring ap- proval by two-thirds of the members of the city council. ALTERNATIVES The city council may choose to reject the agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC. Staff will then be responsible for preparing plans, specifications, and estimates. Limited staff re- sources, however, will cause delays in finalizing the design and possibly delay construction into the next construction season. NEXT STEPS 1. Execute the agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC. 2. Issue directive to engineer to begin work. 2 Originators: Mike Pubentz, Public Services Director Kathryn Edwards, Engineering Inspector Final Review: Debra Nawrocki, Chief Financial Officer Christopher J. Beck, Corporation Counsel Richard G. Kozal, City Manager ATTACHMENTS A. Engineering Services Agreement with Fehr Graham and Associates, LLC. 3 AGENDA ITEM: D MEETING DATE: January 28, 2026 ITEM: 1415 Madeline Lane—Public Improvements and Easement Acceptance ($1,200 Estimated Five-Year Maintenance Cost) OBJECTIVE: Fulfill the city’s obligation to maintain reliable infrastructure for serving businesses and residents. RECOMMENDATION: Approve the acceptance of the public improvements and related easements for ownership and maintenance within the site located at 1415 Madeline Lane. The building expansion at 1415 Madeline Lane required the removal and vacation of an existing watermain, followed by the construction of watermain sidewalk and associated easements. The proposed easements allow the city to enter the private property to operate, maintain and repair the public watermain in addition to maintaining the public sidewalk. The public improvements being accepted include watermain, valves, valve vaults, fire hydrants and sidewalk. BACKGROUND Jacob and Hefner Associates provided engineering plans for the new development located at 1415 Madeline Lane that were reviewed and approved by the engineering department in 2024. The development is located on the east side of Madeline Lane and south side of Big Timber Road as shown in Attachment A. Certain single-lot developments, including the subject site, are required to extend public utilities onto private property and are required to provide an easement over these utilities. The public improvements extended with the development at 1415 Madeline Lane include the watermain, sidewalk and its respective appurtenances. As part of this project an existing watermain and re- spective easement were required to be removed and vacated. The expansion of the building was proposed to be located in the same location as said existing watermain. The proposed easements allow the city access to the private property to maintain the public infrastructure and prevent private improvements from interfering with the operation of the pub- lic utilities. It is advantageous for the city to accept these easements to maintain control over public utilities. Amano Enzyme requested that the city accept the public improvements constructed within the site for ownership and maintenance. The engineering department provided field inspection throughout the construction process of the public and quasi-public improvements. To process acceptance of public and quasi-public improvements by the city council, the engineering depart- ment, with assistance from public works, developed a final punch list of items to be addressed. After final inspection, it was determined that all items were properly addressed and therefore considered acceptable. OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS Acceptance of the public improvements will add the following city-maintained facilities: 454 lin- eal feet of 8-inch watermain; two 8-inch valves in 48-inch vaults; one fire hydrant; 340 lineal feet of 5-foot sidewalk, and all their respective appurtenances. The city will perform a follow-up in- spection within the twelve-month maintenance period from the date of the resolution accepting the public improvements. Acceptance of an easement will avoid delays on performing vital work to ensure the city’s infra- structure works properly. During maintenance activities, reconstruction projects or during emer- gency situations, city personnel have access to utilities, like watermains, to address any related issues. If these utilities are located on private property, special permission to enter onto the prop- erty would be necessary, delaying the city’s response to address service interruptions. In addi- tion, not having an easement opens the city to legal issues for encroaching onto private property. The city’s acceptance of the public improvements and related easements will ensure proper gen- eral maintenance, providing residents and visitors with reliable infrastructure for business and leisure activities. INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED None. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS There are no direct immediate costs associated with acceptance of this easement. Maintenance and operating costs associated with the watermain and its appurtenances within the easement will increase over time and will be included as part of the annual budgeting process. The total cost of maintenance is estimated to be $1,200 over the next five years. BUDGET IMPACT FUND(S) ACCOUNT(S) PROJECT #(S) AMOUNT AMOUNT BUDGETED AVAILABLE N/A 2 LEGAL IMPACT None. ALTERNATIVES None. The city must have an easement to enter onto private property. NEXT STEPS 1. Approve a resolution accepting the plat of vacation, plat of easement and the public im- provements. 2. Record the plat of vacation and the plat of easement at the Kane County Recorder’s Of- fice. 3. Provide a copy of the recorded document to the site owner. 4. Secure a twelve-month surety in the amount of ten percent of the cost for the accepted improvements to ensure them against defects caused by faulty workmanship or inferior materials. 5. If no defects are found within twelve months after city council’s acceptance of the public improvements, return the twelve-month surety to the developer. Originators: Amanda J. Olsen, CFM, Engineer II Final Review: Debra Nawrocki, Chief Financial Officer Christopher J. Beck, Corporation Counsel Richard G. Kozal, City Manager ATTACHMENTS A. Location Map B. Plat of Vacation C. Plat of Easement 3  1415 MADELINE LN Ln ne eli ad M Ru dy Ct ATTACHMENT A 1415 Madeline Ln ¯ 0 75 150 Feet Prepared by City of Elgin 300 ITS Department GIS Division, January 2026 ATTACHMENT B ATTACHMENT B ATTACHMENT C ATTACHMENT C AGENDA ITEM: E MEETING DATE: January 28, 2026 ITEM: Fleet Procurement Authorization Resolution (Not to Exceed $4,477,000) OBJECTIVE: Provide purchase authorization for 2026 fleet, equipment and upfitting costs to maintain timely delivery of city services through the city’s annual vehicle and equipment replacement program- ming. RECOMMENDATION: Authorize the purchase of general fleet, equipment and upfitting costs in a not-to-exceed amount of $4,477,000 during 2026. Adopting this resolution authorizes staff to purchase and equip 39 vehicles and multiple pieces of field equipment necessary to support service delivery across the public works, utilities, land man- agement, parks and recreation, neighborhood services, building maintenance, cultural arts and special events and police departments. All the proposed purchases are included within the city’s adopted 2026 budget. This procurement method was implemented during pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and has since evolved, through multiple procurement cycles, into a proven and efficient model for the city’s large-scale vehicle and equipment acquisition process. While most pandemic-era condi- tions have subsided, current market realities continue to require a flexible procurement process to remain competitive and secure budgeted assets. With this authorization, staff will be using joint purchasing agreements, competitively priced con- tracts and off-the-lot purchases when necessary to align with manufacturer availability and or- dering windows. Staff will continue to provide a year-end report detailing expenditures to ensure transparency and accountability. BACKGROUND The Covid-19 pandemic significantly disrupted national vehicle and equipment supply chains, cre- ating unprecedented challenges for municipal fleet procurement. Beginning with the city’s 2023 general fleet procurement cycle, staff adjusted procurement practices to better align with rapidly changing market conditions and manufacturer availability. Over the past three procurement cy- cles, the city council has approved resolutions providing staff with the flexibility required to se- cure budgeted fleet assets within compressed and competitive ordering environments. Through implementation and refinement, this procurement approach has evolved from a pan- demic-driven adjustment into a proven and efficient model for large-scale vehicle and equipment acquisition. While most pandemic-related disruptions have subsided, the fleet market continues to operate with constrained production schedules, limited ordering windows for certain vehicle classes, and extended lead times for larger or specialized assets. These conditions require pro- curement timelines that differ from traditional sequential approval processes. Under the city’s standard procurement framework, the process of obtaining quotes, preparing purchase agreements and securing city council approval can take six to eight weeks. In contrast, manufacturers ordering windows for certain vehicles may remain open for only a few weeks. Authorization to expend budgeted funds allows staff to issue notices of intent to procure, ena- bling vendors to reserve vehicles on the city’s behalf while formal agreements are completed, aligning procurement actions with current market realities. The proposed authorization supports the timely acquisition of vehicles and equipment included in the adopted 2026 budget for the public works, utilities, police, parks and recreation, land man- agement, building maintenance neighborhood services and cultural arts and special events de- partments. While some smaller vehicles may be purchased and delivered within a single fiscal year, larger and more specialized assets often carry delivery timelines extending across multiple years. As a result, vehicles and equipment may remain on order or have funds carried forward between budget cycles. Approval of this procurement authorization is permitted under Title 5, Chapter 5.02.020 of the city code as an exception to the procurement ordinance. Continued use of this authorization re- flects an established and deliberate approach to fleet procurement that balances operational efficiency, fiscal oversight and the city’s long-term service delivery needs. OPERATIONAL ANALYSIS Staff from the fleet services division of public works evaluate the city’s vehicle and equipment inventory by comparing maintenance costs, operational reliability, and utilization against indus- try-standard replacement intervals. This ongoing assessment ensures that vehicles and equip- ment are replaced at the appropriate time to maintain service reliability, control lifecycle costs, and avoid excessive maintenance or downtime. The 2026 procurement authorization supports the replacement, and in some instances the net new placement, of 39 budgeted vehicles and multiple pieces of field equipment across public works, utilities, police, parks and recreation, land management, building maintenance neighbor- hood services and cultural arts and special events departments. 2 Vehicles and equipment include pursuit-rated squad cars, front-line snow and ice vehicles, a street sweeper, a sewer vactor truck, multiple pickup trucks and vans, a flatbed construction ve- hicle and administrative fleet vehicles. Budgeted equipment needs include trailers, programma- ble message boards, a skid steer excavator, multiple large area lawn mowers and John Deere gators and utility vehicles supporting the Sports Complex expansion. While delivery timelines for certain vehicle classes remain extended due to manufacturing and production constraints, this authorization enables staff to procure vehicles through multiple channels, including available local dealership inventory, when feasible. This approach allows the city to align procurement activity with market availability, minimize operational disruptions, and ensure that critical fleet and equipment resources are delivered as efficiently as possible. Overall, the authorization provides a practical and effective framework for managing large-scale vehicle and equipment procurement, allowing the city to remain responsive to market conditions while maintaining consistent fleet replacement practices and supporting uninterrupted service delivery. Representative images of the 2026 fleet procurements are below: Police: Various Vehicles (12) 3 General Fleet: 27 Total Vehicles Ford Explorers (5) Ford Pickups (8) Ford Escapes (4) Snow Plow (1) Sewer Vactor (1) Flat Bed Hauler (1) Street Sweeper (1) Utility Vans (5) Concrete Utility Truck (1) General Equipment: Various Pieces (13) 4 A breakdown of approved 2026 funding included within the adopted budget is listed below: 2026 Citywide Fleet Budget Year Account Number Department Description Funds Budgeted 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 Maint Vehicles for Building Maintenance $174,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 NS Neighborhood Services Department Fleet Replacement $176,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 DCASE DCASE Pick-up Truck $70,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 LM New Explorer for City Forester $50,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 LM Lords Park Vehicle Replacements $65,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 LM New F-350 truck for Land Management Center City Crew $63,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 Rec Net New Vehicles for Sports Complex $130,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 Rec Parks and Recreation Cargo Van T-350 $55,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-48 PW 2026-2028 General Fleet Replacement $750,000.00 2026 601-4800-796.91-46 PW 2026-2028 PW General Equipment 200,000.00 2026 275-0000-791.91-48 PW Street Sweeper Replacement Program - Final Year $475,000.00 2026 010-2308-731.91-48 Police Vehicles $753,000.00 2026 010-5404-769.91-48 DCASE DCASE drop-deck trailer $24,000.00 2026 010-3371-764.92-46 LM Lords Park 10 Ft Mower Replacement Toro 4000-D $100,000 2026 010-3371-764.92-46 LM Wing Park Large Area Mower Replacement Z Master 7500-D $75,000 2026 010-3371-764.92-46 LM Wing Park and Lords Park Gator/UTV replacement $50,000 2026 296-5071-766.92-46 SC-REC Elgin Sports Complex Utility Vehicle with Attachments $67,000 2026 430-4202-772.91-48 Utilities Sewer Dept Vactor $650,000 2026 401-4002-771.91-48 Util Vehicles - Water Department (Utility) $550,000.00 $4,477,000.00 INTERESTED PERSONS CONTACTED None. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS This recommendation sets a maximum spending limit of $4,477,000, all of which is included within the 2026 adopted budget. There has been a demonstrated process improvement found in addressing all of the city’s financial and vehicle needs under a singular resolution so that staff can work within the limits of the vehicle market. The city will only expend funds that are available 5 and city staff will work closely and collaborate with our finance department to ensure this pro- cess. To guarantee the city pays fair market value for vehicles and equipment under this authorization, fleet managers from public works (for non-public safety purchases) and the police department (for public safety vehicles) will prioritize the use of joint procurement master contracts. When joint contracts are not available, managers will rely on manufacturer-suggested retail pricing (MSRP), historical procurement data, and trends in the broader vehicle and equipment sales mar- ket while searching for and procuring matching fleet and equipment and their associated upfit- ting needs. BUDGET IMPACT FUND ACCOUNT PROJECT AMOUNT AMOUNT # BUDGETED AVAILABLE Multiple See Chart Above TBD $4,477,000 $4,477,000 LEGAL IMPACT The proposed authorization requires an exception to the procurement ordinance, requiring ap- proval by two-thirds of the members of the city council. ALTERNATIVES The city council may choose not to authorize the procurement authorization resolution and staff will be subject to sequential procurement approvals which may impact the city’s ability to obtain certain vehicles and equipment NEXT STEPS Approve procurement authorization. ______________________________________________________________________________ Originators: Aaron Neal, Public Works Director Final Review: Debra Nawrocki, Chief Financial Officer Christopher J. Beck, Corporation Counsel Richard G. Kozal, City Manager ATTACHMENTS A. 2025 Fleet Procurement Authorization Year End Report 6