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VILLAGE OF 1 2 3 KENILWORTH, IL 4 5 Village Board of Trustees 6 Meeting 7 May 18, 2026 8 9 Call to Order 10 11 President Kaz called to order the meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Village of Kenilworth at 7:00 p.m. on 12 May 18, 2026. 13 14 Roll Call 15 16 President Kaz requested a roll call, and the results were as follows: 17 18 Trustees: 19 Trustee Tim Ransford Present 20 Trustee Christopher Ottsen Present (Remote, Voting*) 21 Trustee Amy Hannus Present 22 Trustee John Gottschall Present 23 Trustee Matthew Lojkovic Present 24 Trustee Joseph Vitu Present 25 President Cecily Kaz Present 26 27 *President Kaz indicated that she was in receipt of a request from Trustee Ottsen to attend the meeting 28 electronically in accordance with the Electronic Meeting Attendance Policy. As a quorum is physically present, 29 the Trustee will be authorized to attend electronically unless a motion is made and passed by a two-thirds 30 majority of those physically present to deny the request. Hearing no such motion, President Kaz deemed the 31 Trustee Present as a voting member. 32 33 A quorum was present in person. 34 35 Commander Ryan Glew 36 Anna Simpson 37 Pam Katcha 38 John Schwartz 39 Jim Nash 40 Jill Delaney 41 Bob Delaney 42 43 V V I L L A G E O F V I L L A G E O F l l a g e o f Others Recorded as in Attendance: 1 2 Village Officials and Staff: 3 Michael Gagnon Village Clerk 4 Kathy Thake Village Manager 5 Heather McFarland Assistant to the Village Manager 6 Greg Jones Village Attorney 7 Donicio Silva Village Police Chief 8 Jordan Schmidt Management Analyst 9 Molly Burns Management Analyst 10 Donald Leicht Superintendent of Public Works 11 12 Others, signing in as displayed in Participant List: 13 14 Approval of Minutes 15 16 President Kaz asked if there any questions or comments regarding the following minutes: 17 18 A. Village Board – April 20, 2026 19 20 Hearing none, President Kaz then asked for a motion to approve the minutes as presented. Trustee Ransford 21 so moved, and Trustee Gottschall seconded the motion. 22 23 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 24 25 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 26 27 Opposed: None 28 29 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared the minutes approved. 30 31 Village President’s Report 32 33 President Kaz began her remarks by thanking the many Village officials and staff who contributed to the 34 success of Kenilworth’s annual Memorial Day celebration. She noted the strong level of attendance and 35 recognized contributors for their popular amenities and their level of organization which many residents 36 complimented. She noted the long history of successful celebrations in Kenilworth traditionally a week before 37 the National Memorial Day weekend upcoming and concluded by wishing everyone an enjoyable observance. 38 39 She went on to address the status of the Lakefront Improvement Project by confirming that weather-related 40 construction delays have resulted in a postponement of opening with full beach amenities until the end of 41 June but noted a partial opening of the overlook should take place as early as this weekend. 42 43 Approval of Warrant List 44 45 President Kaz then asked Trustee Gottschall to report on the Warrant List. Trustee Gottschall highlighted 46 Class B payments to be ratified as payroll related, and Class A warrant payments to be approved highlighting 47 charges related to the Lakefront Improvement Project, police dispatch services, and street resurfacing. 48 1 Hearing no further comments from the Board, President Kaz asked for a motion to approve the warrants as 2 presented. Trustee Lojkovic so moved, and Trustee Vitu seconded the motion to approve the Class A warrants 3 in the amount of $1,065,016.43 and to ratify the Class B warrants in the amount of $146,952.26. 4 5 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 6 7 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 8 9 Opposed: None 10 11 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared the warrants approved and 12 ratified. 13 14 Regular Scheduled Business 15 16 President Kaz then introduced Regular Scheduled Business beginning with Items for Consideration by 17 Omnibus Vote and reading them aloud as follows: 18 19 A. Items for Consideration by Omnibus Vote 20 1. Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Ciorba Group of Chicago, IL 21 for the Design of the Abingdon Avenue, Robsart Road, and Tudor Place Water Main 22 Replacement Projects in the Amount of $85,052.50 23 24 2. Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Gewalt Hamilton Associates, 25 Inc. of Vernon Hills, IL for the Design of the Oxford Road Reconstruction Project in the 26 Amount of $66,500 27 28 3. Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with Advanced Tree Care, Inc. of 29 Lincolnshire, IL for As-Needed Tree and Shrub Removal, Stump Removal, and Tree 30 Trimming Services in the Amount Not to Exceed the Annual Budget for Tree Removals 31 32 4. Resolution Approving a Façade Improvement Grant Agreement with Green Bay Enterprise, 33 L.L.C., Concerning 400-408 Green Bay Road and 503-509 Park Drive 34 35 President Kaz then asked whether any Trustees would like to take any item out of Omnibus Consideration. 36 They did not. She then asked whether there were any questions from the Board about any of these items. 37 There were none. President Kaz then recognized resident Bob Delaney who asked that item #4 be clarified. 38 President Kaz explained the Village’s Façade Improvement Grant Program and noted that the grant would be 39 used to enhance structure exterior lighting. Trustees then clarified the status of the item relative to the 40 Architectural Review Board (ARC). Assistant to the Village Manager, Heather McFarland responded that the 41 item had been recently approved by the ARC. Hearing no further questions, President Kaz asked for a motion 42 to approve the resolutions as stated. Trustee Gottschall so moved, and Trustee Hannus seconded the motion. 43 44 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 45 46 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 47 48 Opposed: None 1 2 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared the resolutions approved. 3 4 Turning to Items for Consideration by Individual Vote, President Kaz read the first item aloud. 5 6 B. Items for Consideration by Individual Vote 7 5. Resolution Approving a Professional Services Agreement with NewGen Strategies & 8 Solutions in the Amount of $24,000 to Complete a Water & Sewer Rate Study 9 10 She then asked Management Analyst Jordan Schmidt to report on this item. Mr. Schimdt recounted the 11 introduction of this item as a part of the FY 2026 budgeting discussion. He cited contributing factors of an 12 aging water rate schedule and upcoming infrastructure needs as reasons to review the existing rate schedule 13 with an eye toward addressing these needs while still maintaining fiscal integrity. 14 15 He went on to recount the formal issuance of a Request for Proposals (RFP), the four responses received, the 16 three firms personally interviewed, and the selection of NewGen Strategies & Solutions (NewGen). President 17 Kaz noted the wide disparity in cost among the four proposals received and asked Mr. Schmidt to comment. 18 Mr. Schmidt cited the approaches the various responders employed to address the RFP likely contributed to 19 the disparity. He differentiated between a financial approach, a public works approach, and one using a 20 combination of the two. He indicated the NewGen’s approach fit the Village’s expectations for the project 21 and cited strong referrals from neighboring communities regarding the quality of NewGen’s work. Trustees 22 thanked Mr. Schmidt and clarified the scope of work to be undertaken by the vendor. Mr. Schmidt addressed 23 these questions to the Board’s satisfaction. 24 25 President Kaz then recognized resident Bob Delaney who asked Mr. Schmidt to describe the approach 26 NewGen utilized and why it was selected. Mr. Schmidt described the financial approach to the RFP taken by 27 NewGen and how it was the strongest fit with the Villages’s expectations for the work. 28 29 Hearing no further questions, President Kaz asked for a motion to approve the resolution. Trustee Lojkovic so 30 moved, and Trustee Hannus seconded the motion. 31 32 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 33 34 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 35 36 Opposed: None 37 38 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared the resolution approved 39 and clarified the timetable for completion. Mr. Schmidt indicated a timeline of completion by the fall of FY 40 2026 in order to incorporate it into budget preparations for FY 2027. 41 42 Turning to the next agenda item, President Kaz announced that, at the request of the applicant, this item 43 would be continued until the June 15, 2026 Village Board Meeting. 44 45 6. Consideration of a Request for a Preliminary Plan for a Planned Unit Development and a 46 Certificate of Appropriateness at 515-519 Park Drive 47 48 President Kaz asked for a motion to continue the item as requested. Trustee Ransford so moved, and Trustee 1 Gottschall seconded the motion. 2 3 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 4 5 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 6 7 Opposed: None 8 9 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared consideration continued. 10 11 President Kaz then recognized resident Bob Delaney who asked for clarification as to why the item was 12 continued. President Kaz explained that the Board was acceding to a request from the petitioner for a 13 Planned Unit Development (PUD) and Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) to have it continued. Mr. Delaney 14 thanked President Kaz for her explanation. Resident Jill Delaney cited her personal history with zoning 15 variances in Kenilworth always included the demonstration of hardship for the applicant should the variance 16 not be granted. She questioned why the Board continues to allow consideration of a zoning variance for this 17 applicant when there has been no demonstration on their part of existing hardship should it not be granted. 18 President Kaz cautioned against engaging in a discussion of matters better served once the matter is up for 19 consideration at June’s Village Board meeting but then offered perspective on the PUD process which goes 20 beyond her personal experience. She underscored the scrupulous adherence by the Village to that process 21 and assured her that decisions to continue consideration of the item are appropriate. Attorney Greg Jones 22 added that the PUD and COA processes offer options beyond hardship, making the process similar to but 23 different from residential zoning hence allowing for continuing consideration of the matter. Ms. Delaney then 24 expressed opposition to the PUD prompting President Kaz to end discussion apart from procedural matters 25 and encouraged Ms. Delaney to express her position through proper channels either in writing or personally 26 at the next Board meeting. Ms. Delaney thanked President Kaz for clarifying her options. 27 28 Turning to Reports from Staff, President Kaz asked Police Chief Silva to report. 29 30 Report from Staff 31 A. Community Development 32 B. Finance 33 C. Police 34 35 Chief Silva began his report by relating five instances of identity theft that were reported in the past month, 36 bringing the total for the year to 23 such incidents. He outlined steps the Kenilworth Police Department (KPD) 37 would take to raise awareness of this activity with residents. He reported a decline in traffic citations 38 speculating around possible causes and suggesting various solutions to each. He highlighted the consistency 39 and relevance of KPD messaging content, pointed to shifts in emphasis within the ongoing effort to promote 40 officer development within the ranks of the KPD that he felt will improve outcomes, described organization 41 efforts of the KPD evidence room, and outlined the status of the T.A.S.E.R. (Thomas A. Swift Electric Rifle) 42 training program that was being implemented. Trustees clarified the nature of the identity theft crimes taking 43 place. 44 45 Resident Bob Delaney inquired as to the impact of traffic citations fines and penalties on the Village’s annual 46 budget. Police Commander Ryan Glew responded that traffic citation activity is more designed to alter 47 undesirable behavior in drivers than to generate revenue of any significance. He cited that revenue flows to 48 the Cook County Court System make up the bulk of where the money generated gets spent. While some 1 money from violation fines and penalties flows back to the Village, it is a negligible amount. 2 3 D. Public Works 4 Superintendent of Public Works (PW) Don Leight highlighted the successful installation of plants to all Village-5 owned planters as well as around the Village Water Tower, recognized all the participants in the process and 6 thanked them for their participation, and announced the installation of newly donated commemorative 7 banners to enhance our Memorial Day Observance. 8 9 He then turned to upcoming PW activity. He reminded the Board that PW will begin testing of residential 10 sewer connections required by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District through the introduction of a 11 harmless smoke to a reverse process discovery protocol (a.k.a. Smoke Testing), and summer road 12 maintenance projects in the area of Green Streets Phase I, and Green Streets Phase II. Trustees clarified the 13 long-term strategy for the maintenance projects, the protocol to be followed with a newly appointed 14 company to be used for storm damage response and emphasized how important it would be to communicate 15 to residents the need for and safety of smoke testing. A resident inquired as to how successful the permeable 16 pavers have been in addressing water runoff. Mr. Leicht praised their effectiveness and recounted routine 17 maintenance requirements. 18 19 E. Legal Counsel 20 No formal report 21 22 F. Village Manager 23 24 Manager Thake announced the intention to postpone a June Board of Trustees agenda item to the July Board 25 of Trustees meeting. 26 27 Business from the Public 28 29 President Kaz then asked whether there was any business from the public not included in the evening’s 30 agenda. There were none. 31 32 Adjourn 33 34 Having no further business, President Kaz asked for a motion to adjourn the meeting. Trustee Ransford so 35 moved, and Trustee Vitu seconded the motion. 36 37 A roll call vote was taken as follows: 38 39 For: Ransford, Ottsen, Hannus, Gottschall, Lojkovic, Vitu 40 41 Opposed: None 42 43 The roll call tally was six votes in favor, and none opposed. President Kaz declared the meeting adjourned at 44 7:37 p.m. 45