10-19-26 City Council Meeting

The October 19, 2026, City of McHenry City Council meeting included several procurement and spending approvals. Council awarded a $5,296,000 construction contract to Manusos General Contractors, Inc. (vendor name as transcribed) for Water Treatment Plant No. 5, with a 10% contingency of $529,600. It approved an engineering services agreement with HR Green and a joint funding agreement with IDOT for the Bull Valley Road Bridge project, authorizing Phase 2 engineering to proceed. Other approvals included a $260,000 replacement lighting system from Musco Sports Lighting LLC under Sourcewell contract 041123-MSL; a professional services agreement with RVI Planning and Landscape Architecture for Peterson Park conceptual design, not to exceed $49,600, with a $9,600 budget amendment; and creation of a full-time Level 1 staff engineer position with a $56,000 budget amendment. These items passed, with the park design receiving two opposing votes; the other listed awards and amendments passed unanimously.

Council also approved two $25,000 business improvement grants to Toast and Rose McHenry Corporation for properties at 1250 and 1256 North Green Street. The votes were divided: the first grant passed with two no votes, and the second passed 4–3. Members debated the five-year, per-address grant restriction and the fact that the businesses share an owner and building; a council member proposed revisiting the grant language next fiscal year. A proposed downtown ownership-housing development was discussed as a concept only, with concerns and support expressed about height, density, parking, traffic, and the city-owned land; staff and the developer will continue discussions, and no development or funding approval was made. Council also approved use of Peterson Park and a special-event liquor license for the 2027 McKenna Music Fest, plus a 100% reduction in city-service charges; the service-charge waiver passed with one no vote.