Marengo City Council Recap: July 13, 2026

Marengo's City Council lost power ten minutes into its July 13 meeting and finished the night's business without it. The lights went out at 7:10 p.m., and the council worked through nearly its entire agenda before adjourning at 7:45, setting aside only a planned discussion of new nuisance rules, which was built around a slide presentation the city could not put on screen without power.

Even so, it was a full night. The council seated a new Ward 3 alderman, swore in the city's police chief and a new sergeant, adopted a $32.94 million appropriation ordinance for the year ahead, and awarded a $4.86 million contract to extend water and sewer along Illinois Route 23. Three of the council's eight aldermen were absent. On the consent agenda, the council approved the June 22 minutes and a $829,869.75 list of bills.

A New Ward 3 Alderman, After Months Of Vacancy

The Ward 3 seat, vacant since late April, was filled Monday. The council concurred with the mayor's appointment of Ryan Mueller, who took the oath of office and joined the meeting already under way.

Police Chief And Sergeant Sworn In

Andrew Kjellgren was sworn in as police chief and Roy Amaya as sergeant. Kjellgren, who has 20 years with the department, thanked two former chiefs, Paul Fritz and Nathan Hayes, and Amaya marked five years on the force. (The council named Kjellgren to the permanent chief's post at its June 8 meeting, after a stint as interim chief; Monday's oath of office made it official.)

A $32.94 Million Appropriation Ordinance

After a public hearing that drew no questions or comment, the council adopted the city's appropriation ordinance for the fiscal year running May 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027, in the amount of $32,939,233, along with a certification of estimated revenue. The rest of the council voted in favor; the newly seated Ward 3 alderman abstained.

The headline number is large, and the city handed out an explainer on why. An appropriation ordinance is not the city's budget. Under Illinois law it sets the legal ceiling on what the city is allowed to spend, and it is written to be deliberately broad and conservative so the city can respond to emergencies, grant-funded work, and unexpected costs without exceeding its authority. Actual spending is still governed by the adopted budget, the city's purchasing rules, and the revenue that comes in. As the city's handout put it, appropriation totals routinely run higher than budgeted spending, and that gap is normal, accepted practice across Illinois.

$4.86 Million To Extend Route 23 Water And Sewer

The council awarded the Illinois Route 23 Sewer and Water Extension, Phase II, to Kelsey Excavating for $4,862,840.80, and authorized the mayor and city clerk to execute the contract. This is the Phase 2 utility work the city said in June it expected to award on July 13.

Snags On The Prospect Street Project

The one money item that did not pass was a $23,122.17 change order on the Prospect Street lift station project. The extra cost grew out of a scheduling change. The contractor, Kelsey Excavating, had originally been set to do the lift station work ahead of a nearby road project, but the road work was moved up, which forced the crew to pull off the job and come back to a tighter work site, running up the added expense.

Council members largely put the problem not on the contractor but on the city's engineering firm, Baxter & Woodman, which they said had accelerated the road schedule without appearing to tell anyone. Several aldermen said the firm, rather than the city, should cover the added cost, in full or in part. The city attorney noted that Kelsey, for its part, should have contacted the city before incurring the expense. Rather than approve or deny the payment, the council tabled it to its next meeting to get answers first.

The project has had other wrinkles as well. In his report, the mayor said a fire hydrant that was to have been relocated will instead be raised to the new street grade, and that the city already has the parts on hand to finish the work.

Also Approved

Cheryl Heinz was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
A final plat of subdivision creating a 3.23-acre parcel at 21313 Anthony Road.
An ordinance amending the McHenry County Enterprise Zone intergovernmental agreement. The county approved the change on May 26; the city's ordinance brings its own code in line.
A waiver of the $300 sign-permit fee for the Marengo Society for Historic Preservation's new sign at 206 W. Washington Street. An early inspection had flagged the sign's placement, which needs to sit 25 feet back from the sidewalk. Council members asked whether the fee waiver needed to come before them at all; the answer was that staff could have handled it, but the city has no policy on file yet that lets staff waive such fees.

What The Outage Cut Short

The one thing the council could not get to was a discussion of proposed amendments to the city's nuisance ordinances. The discussion was built around a slide presentation, and with the power out there was no way to show it, so the council set the item aside. It is likely to return at a future meeting.

Around Town

Police Pension. The city's required minimum police-pension contribution is dropping by roughly $30,000, the finance director told the council, because the city has been paying in more than the minimum required.
New Public Works Director. The finance director also told the council that the city's new public works director will start soon.
Day In The Park. The mayor reported that Day in the Park was a success.
Maple Street. Work on Maple Street began this week, coordinated with the McHenry County Division of Transportation.
Route 176 Ditches. Asked about ditch work along Route 176, the mayor said McHenry County would handle it.
Sewer Lining. The city's engineering firm, McMahon Associates, said it would soon put the city's sanitary sewer lining project out for bids. The council approved the engineering for that project, which reinforces existing sewer mains from the inside rather than digging them up, at its June 22 meeting.

The council's next regular meeting is July 27. Agendas and packets are posted at cityofmarengo.com.