City Council Recap: June 22, 2026

The Marengo City Council approved about $172,500 in engineering and grant-administration work for it’s water and sewer projects Monday night, weighed new rules for e-bikes and scooters, and interviewed candidates for the vacant Ward 3 seat. All aldermen were present. On the consent agenda, the council also approved the June 8 minutes and a $230,022.36 list of bills.

Water And Sewer Projects Move Ahead

The council approved three engineering work orders with McMahon Associates, the city's engineering firm. All three are part of the water and sewer upgrades the city is funding through state DCEO grants:

• $15,000 for grant administration on the DCEO water and wastewater expansion grant;
• $60,000 for engineering on the North State Street lift station rehabilitation; and
• $97,500 for engineering on a sanitary sewer "cured-in-place" lining project, which reinforces existing sewer mains from the inside rather than digging them up.

All three passed. Council members flagged the tight timeline on the lift station work. The city now has to spend the grant money by September, sooner than it had planned: it was counting on an extension that would have given it until January, but that extension isn't coming. City Administrator Derik Morefield asked how the city can avoid the same crunch on future projects, and staff said the squeeze came from federal funding rules, so state-funded jobs shouldn't hit the same snag. For the sewer lining, the first stretch in line is Route 20 heading west. The city expects to bring a more detailed plan back to the council, and the contractor would run a camera through the sewer main before and after the work to show what was done.

A Survey For The City Hall Parking Lot

The council approved hiring Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick (HLR) for up to $13,635 to survey the City Hall parking lot before a planned improvement project. The mayor said the city has no official survey on file and needs one to place new light poles and mark the lot lines. Asked why the job didn't go out to bid, the mayor said the city already uses the firm as its surveyor, and so does the city's engineering firm.

E-Bikes And Scooters: Rules May Be Coming

Police Chief Andrew Kjellgren walked the council through how Marengo might regulate electric bikes and scooters. (The council named Kjellgren to the permanent post at its June 8 meeting, after a stint as interim chief.) Kjellgren said other Illinois towns have set a minimum rider age of 16, and that a bill awaiting the governor's signature would treat the fastest e-bikes, those that can top 28 mph, like motorcycles: a driver's license, insurance, and no riding on sidewalks. Kjellgren recommended the city adopt an ordinance that mirrors the state rules, and the chief and council members talked about pairing any new rules with a public education campaign so riders know what's expected. It was a discussion item, so the council took no vote.

Autopay Is Coming For Utility Bills

Finance Director Megan Lopez told the council the city expects to roll out ACH (automatic bank-draft) autopay for utility bills on September 1. Separately, the mayor reported that Phase 2 of the utility project goes out for bid soon, with the council expected to award it July 13; that crews from Swallow, the utility-extension contractor, are doing restoration work for the water expansion this week; and that the city is building a new website, with plans to fold in a searchable, digitized version of the municipal code.

Around Town

• Myer Road. A resident asked about the potholes on South Myer Road. The mayor said the city expects to repave Myer Road in full as part of the sewer expansion, and that he'd have Public Works patch it up in the meantime. On Route 20, the mayor said that one's a state project, with no update yet.
• Calvin Spencer Park. Park stewards, who brought in an arborist on their own, asked about trees that might need to come down. The arborist flagged three trees and one limb for removal. On how to pay for the work, the mayor said the city plans to bundle tree work across town into one bid.
• Day In The Park. The city will have a booth at Day in the Park.

Ward 3 Seat Remains Vacant

The Ward 3 council seat has been vacant since late April. On Monday, the council went into closed session to interview candidates for it, which the Open Meetings Act allows when a public body is filling a vacancy (5 ILCS 120/2(c)(3)). Four people are in the running, the mayor said at the last meeting. The council came back into open session without naming anyone, so the seat stays open for now.

Also Approved

• A lease for the city-owned house at 700 Greenlee Street. Under the agreement, which runs through April 30, 2027, the city will collect $850 a month in rent for the home.
• An ordinance creating the position of Assistant City Administrator. The city said this doesn't add a new hire; it just spells out who steps in if the city administrator's job is vacant or the administrator is out.

The council's next regular meeting is July 13. Agendas and packets are posted at cityofmarengo.com.