HIGHWOOD CITY COUNCIL’S 10.20.26 MEETING IN A NUTSHELL

Appearance

  • The owner of Classic Tile (794 Sheridan Rd.) applied for approval of new business signage. The City Council voted to authorize the proposed signage.

Elections

  • Early voting for the November 3rd General Election is now available at the Library & Community Center (102 Highwood Ave.) through November 2nd; voting hours and other locations can be found here.

Finance

  • The City Council voted to approve the payment of various bills totaling $556k.

  • The City Council voted to accept the City Treasurer’s financial report covering the period of May 1, 2026, through August 31, 2026.

  • The city received its annual actuarial report from Nyhart on the financial condition and funding of the city’s Firefighters’ Pension Fund. The fund’s actuarial funded ratio decreased from 91.9% to 83.3%, while the recommended city contribution for the coming year increased from approximately $109k to $145k. The fund earned an approximately 21.4% investment return for the year, compared with its expected rate of return of 6.5%.

  • The city’s General Fund accounts for its primary operating activities, except those required to be accounted for in another fund. About 24% of the General Fund’s revenue comes from property taxes, compared with about 40% from sales taxes. Based on a Highwood property tax bill for the 2025 tax year, approximately 14% went to the city, 71% to the two school districts, and the remaining 15% to other taxing bodies, including the county and township. To levy property taxes each year, the city must (1) first estimate the total amount to be levied and (2) adopt a final levy at least 20 days later. The City Council continued discussion of a draft tax levy of $2M for the 2026 tax year, representing an increase of approximately $100k, or 4.9%, over the $1.9M levied for the 2025 tax year (comparison chart here). The Council voted to approve the estimated levy. The final levy will be considered at a future meeting.

Infrastructure

  • The city plans to resurface Waukegan Ave./Sheridan Rd. in 2027 at an estimated cost of approximately $2M. The project has been selected for federal funding through the Surface Transportation Program (STP), which supports roadway and other transportation improvements. STP funding for local projects in Lake County is allocated through the Lake County Council of Mayors, with oversight from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. The anticipated federal funding would cover approximately 80% of the project cost ($1.6M), with the city responsible for the remaining 20% ($400k). However, the availability of funding for construction in 2027 remains subject to additional approvals and the potential reallocation of federal funds. The City Council discussed potential alternative projects if the anticipated federal funding is not available for construction in 2027 and continued further discussion to a future meeting.

Parks & Public Spaces

  • For many years, the city has allowed residents and local community organizations to purchase commemorative items for placement in city parks (e.g., plaques on benches, rocks, stones, or picnic tables, as well as dedicated trees) to honor or remember individuals and families, recognize organizations, or mark significant occasions. These arrangements have been handled informally, without an established policy governing the types of items permitted, their approval and placement, ownership, or responsibility for ongoing maintenance, repair, replacement, or removal. City staff recommended that the City Council consider establishing a formal policy addressing requests for commemorative items. The Council discussed potential policy approaches and continued further discussion to a future meeting.

Waste & Recyclables

  • The city’s residential waste collection services agreement with Lakeshore Recycling Systems includes one curbside bulk item pickup per week for residents on their regular collection day, subject to a 60-pound weight limit per item. Bulk items include household items too large for a garbage container but able to be lifted by one person into a garbage truck (e.g., furniture, doors and windows, metal and lumber products etc.).

Other

  • The City Council voted to approve meeting minutes from October 6, 2026.

  • The Chamber of Commerce’s Bingo at Buffo’s will be held on November 15th from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at Buffo’s (431 Sheridan Rd.); additional information here.

  • The Chamber of Commerce’s Breakfast before Business (Financial Power: Know Your Numbers. Make Better Business Decisions) will be held on November 17th from 7:30 am to 9:00 am at City Hall (17 Highwood Ave.); additional information here.

Meeting Records

  • A video recording of the Regular Meeting is here.

  • Once approved, minutes from the Committee of the Whole Meeting and Regular Meeting will be linked here.

    These write-ups are purposefully brief. Please do not hesitate to call or email me if you would like additional details or have questions.

*unless otherwise noted, City Council directives and votes were unanimous.

Next

October 6, 2026