OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Elgin City Council Committee of the Whole and Regular Meeting: July 22, 2026

Committee of the Whole and City Council — Wednesday, July 22, 2026
BodyElgin, Illinois
SessionCommittee of the Whole and City Council
DateWednesday, July 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:58:08

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Identifies the city's plan for allocating its motor fuel tax funds for the construction and construction engineering services related to the improvements within this project.

0:09

With this resolution, staff are presenting the project limits and scope of the work for the Shales Parkway and East Side Streets 2026 resurfacing project, as well as the estimates of for the cost of construction and the cost of construction engineering services related to the projects.

0:25

This resolution is required because the city is using MFT funds for this particular resurfacing project.

0:32

Move approval.

0:33

Second.

0:34

It's been moved and seconded for approval.

0:36

Any discussion.

0:40

Hearing none, Clerk, please call the rule.

0:42

Council Member Zalfaro?

0:44

Yes.

0:44

Dixon?

0:45

Yes.

0:45

Good.

0:46

Yes.

0:46

Martinez?

0:47

Yes.

0:47

Ortiz?

0:48

Yes.

0:48

Powell?

0:49

Yes.

0:50

Stefan?

0:50

Yes.

0:51

Dorne?

0:51

Yes.

0:52

Mayor Captain.

0:53

Yes.

0:53

Motion's approved 90.

0:55

Item B is the construction engineering services agreement with Fairgram for the 2026 Shales Parkway and East Side Street Resurfacing Project.

1:03

This authorizes Fairgram to oversee the construction of the Shales Parkway and East Side Street Resurfacing Project, providing field inspection, design interpretation, contract administration, project coordination that will all ensure the timely and proper completion of the work.

1:17

The project area includes east side streets, 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.

1:33

This is also being funded with motor fuel tax revenue.

1:37

Move for approval.

1:38

Second.

1:38

It's been moved to second or approval.

1:40

Any discussion.

1:43

Thank you.

1:43

I just have a question for staff.

1:45

Just clarification on the number because A and B are semi-link.

1:50

And in A, the uh projected engineering costs that we had put the information to IDAT was 180,000, but this is 170,000.

1:59

So I just wanted to make sure that it will stay 170 as of now.

2:03

Um I I think that that's an estimate.

2:06

So what happens when we put out the IDOT?

2:08

That's we believe that it was going to be in 180.

2:10

So yes, it's going to be the agreement with Fairgram is 170, so that's what the amount will be.

2:14

Okay.

2:15

Thank you.

2:17

Okay.

2:19

Anything else?

2:20

Clerk, please call the roll.

2:22

Council Member Zelcaro?

2:23

Yes.

2:24

Dixon?

2:24

Yes.

2:25

Good.

2:25

Yes.

2:26

Martinez?

2:26

Yes.

2:27

Ortiz?

2:27

Yes.

2:28

Powell?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Community Engagement█████████████13%
Transportation Safety█████████████13%
Economic Development█████████████13%
Procedural████████████12%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████9%
Arts And Culture█████████9%
Parks and Recreation█████████9%
Public Safety████████8%
Affordable Housing████████8%
Summary of Proceedings

Elgin City Council Committee of the Whole and Regular Meeting: July 22, 2026

The Elgin City Council convened on July 22, 2026, for a Committee of the Whole session at 5:00 PM and a Regular Council meeting at 7:00 PM. The agenda included several street resurfacing resolutions, an SRO agreement, and a significant debate on a conditional use permit for a downtown haunted house attraction.

Consent Calendar

  • Bids Awarded: McClure Avenue Resurfacing (Brothers Asphalt, $2,994,911), Shales Parkway Resurfacing (Piloty Construction, $1,555,178), Central Business District Street Light Preservation (Musk Camp Painting, $109,599). Approved 9-0.
  • Authorizations for Payments, Consent Agenda, and Miscellaneous Business: Approved 9-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Tracy Howell: Expressed support for the inclusivity and diversity ordinance and requested data on city spending per resident per demographic.
  • Brock Arslan (Representing Evil Intentions): Spoke in favor of the haunted house permit, emphasizing the benefits of shuttling visitors from the Fulton Street deck and the history of the business.
  • Evil Intentions Owner: Addressed the council, requesting immediate approval to avoid jeopardizing the fall season construction timeline.

Discussion Items

Committee of the Whole / Resolutions (Items A-F)

  • Item A (MFT Funds): Approved funding for the Shales Parkway and East Side Streets resurfacing project. 9-0.
  • Item B (Fairgram Engineering): Councilmember Martinez questioned the $10,000 difference between the IDOT estimate ($180,000) and the agreement ($170,000). 9-0.
  • Item C (EEI Engineering): Approved the amendment for the McClure Avenue Resurfacing Project. 9-0.
  • Item D (Gate Access System): Councilmember Powell confirmed the system uses IDs, not vehicle transponders. Councilmember Ortiz questioned the initial justification for 250 tags. 9-0.
  • Item E (Vehicle Lift): Councilmember Stefan highlighted the cost savings of bringing fire fleet maintenance in-house. 9-0.
  • Item F (School Resource Officer Agreement): Approved the agreement with U-46 ($1.4M cost, $600k reimbursement). Discussion focused on a new state law banning city ordinance tickets on school grounds, which led to an increase in arrests (21 in the 2024-25 school year vs. 41 in the 2025-26 school year). Councilmember Powell received demographic breakdowns and expressed concern about the law's impact on students and families. 9-0.

Proclamations

  • Councilmember Martinez proclaimed August 1, 2026, as Puerto Rican Day.
  • Councilmember Dixon read a proclamation celebrating Second Baptist Church's 160th anniversary.
  • A proclamation was read recognizing Rick Regner as Rotary District 6440 Governor.

Evil Intentions Haunted House (Other Business Items 1 & 2)

  • Staff presented the conditional use permit for a seasonal haunted house at 80 North State Street. The parking plan involves using the Fulton Street deck with a shuttle.
  • Amendment: Councilmember Ortiz moved to amend the ordinance to include a 36-month sunset on the use of public parking, requiring the business to find private parking after three years, citing potential future downtown development needs.
  • Vote on Amendment: Passed 5-4. (In favor: Good, Martinez, Ortiz, Thorne, Mayor Captain. Opposed: Alfaro, Dixon, Powell, Stefan).
  • Vote on Ordinance as Amended: Councilmember Alfaro dissented, stating she could not vote on language she could not read. Approved 8-1 (Alfaro dissenting).

Elgin Sports Complex Expansion Grant (Item 3)

  • Approved a resolution authorizing a grant application to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Approved 8-0 (Councilmember Alfaro abstained).

Key Outcomes

  • All six Committee of the Whole items (A-F) were approved unanimously (9-0).
  • The SRO agreement was renewed with a focus on adapting to the new state law on school citations.
  • The Conditional Use Permit for Evil Intentions was approved, including a 36-month sunset clause on using the Fulton Street deck for parking.
  • Infrastructure bids and the Sports Complex Expansion grant application were authorized.
  • All block votes (Authorizations, Consent Agenda, Miscellaneous Business) were approved 9-0.

Meeting Transcript

Identifies the city's plan for allocating its motor fuel tax funds for the construction and construction engineering services related to the improvements within this project. With this resolution, staff are presenting the project limits and scope of the work for the Shales Parkway and East Side Streets 2026 resurfacing project, as well as the estimates of for the cost of construction and the cost of construction engineering services related to the projects. This resolution is required because the city is using MFT funds for this particular resurfacing project. Move approval. Second. It's been moved and seconded for approval. Any discussion. Hearing none, Clerk, please call the rule. Council Member Zalfaro? Yes. Dixon? Yes. Good. Yes. Martinez? Yes. Ortiz? Yes. Powell? Yes. Stefan? Yes. Dorne? Yes. Mayor Captain. Yes. Motion's approved 90. Item B is the construction engineering services agreement with Fairgram for the 2026 Shales Parkway and East Side Street Resurfacing Project. This authorizes Fairgram to oversee the construction of the Shales Parkway and East Side Street Resurfacing Project, providing field inspection, design interpretation, contract administration, project coordination that will all ensure the timely and proper completion of the work. The project area includes east side streets, 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. This is also being funded with motor fuel tax revenue. Move for approval. Second. It's been moved to second or approval. Any discussion. Thank you. I just have a question for staff. Just clarification on the number because A and B are semi-link. And in A, the uh projected engineering costs that we had put the information to IDAT was 180,000, but this is 170,000. So I just wanted to make sure that it will stay 170 as of now. Um I I think that that's an estimate. So what happens when we put out the IDOT? That's we believe that it was going to be in 180. So yes, it's going to be the agreement with Fairgram is 170, so that's what the amount will be. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Anything else? Clerk, please call the roll. Council Member Zelcaro?

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