Richmond Common Council & RP&L Board of Directors of November 2, 2026

The Richmond Common Council meeting on November 2, 2026, referred Resolution 26-26, a special appropriation amending the 2026 budget, to the Finance Committee. Ordinance 58-2026 sought $271,000 for the Property and Liability Insurance Fund to cover the remaining portion of a $420,000 fourth-quarter insurance invoice; it was also referred to Finance. Ordinance 60-2026, setting certain elected officials’ and deputy salaries for 2027, was referred to the committee. Council passed Ordinance 42-2026 establishing a dedicated, non-reverting fire-department capital fund; no purchase or vendor award was discussed. A speaker proposed hiring a downtown litter-cleanup worker, while the mayor noted weed treatment cost $60,000 in 2025 and was not budgeted for 2026 or 2027; no new spending was approved for either proposal.

The main capital-infrastructure discussion concerned Richmond Sanitary District’s Midwest Industrial Park sewer expansion. The two near-term project portions were estimated at about $26 million in 2022 dollars, with a further portion estimated at $12 million in 2022 dollars in five to fifteen years. The district described a proposed 24% sewer-rate increase phased at 6% annually for four years to support financing. A lower-interest funding opportunity was estimated to save about $5 million, though inflation and project-cost increases largely offset that benefit; county subsidy was declined, and possible TIF support remained under consideration. The rate ordinance had a public hearing but no vote, with final action deferred to the next council meeting. No bids, vendors, or contracts were awarded.