Lockport committee approves budget, levy and routine contracts; insurance renewals recommended

At the Dec. 2 Committee-of-the-Whole meeting the City of Lockport approved several routine but budgetary important items and reviewed insurance renewals for 2026.

What passed: The committee recorded roll-call approvals for ordinance 25-017, the citys FY2026 budget (effective 01/01/2026), and resolution 25-018, the levy for the coming year. Earlier in the meeting the consent agenda was approved by roll call and included items such as ordinance 25-020 declaring certain Lockport Heights Sanitary District property surplus and resolution 25-095, a purchase-sale agreement with Lockport Heights for approximately 10 acres for $300,000; a resolution authorizing replacement of police station lockers not to exceed $180,000; a site-improvement grant for 900 S State ($10,000) and a fire alarm/sprinkler grant for 900 6-936 N State ($46,247). Ordinance 25-019 (pulled earlier from consent for clarification) was moved and approved by roll call.

Insurance renewals: Finance staff reported that Horton Group (the broker of record) has been acquired by Marsh McLennan Agency and that the citys property/liability/cyber program has been placed with Obsidian Insurance Holdings with a roughly 1.04% premium increase; workers' compensation will remain with IPRF with a roughly 10% increase. Staff combined those changes into an overall premium move described as a roughly 5.5% increase across the program. Tony Evans of Marsh McLennan explained market constraints affecting public-entity coverage and said Obsidian is a well-rated carrier; staff recommended two insurance resolutions (25O98 and 25O99) be added to the Dec. 17 agenda for council action.

Public-works and engineering proposals: Public Works asked the council to place several professional-service items on the next consent agenda: Civiltech for 2026 resurfacing design ($171,797.60), Civiltech for Basin Drive culvert and swale improvements ($80,968.27), and Pacific Integration LLC for 2026 SCADA management services ($39,910).

What it means: The budget and levy approvals set the fiscal framework for the coming year; the insurance renewals keep the city covered with limited premium increases in a tight municipal market. The public-works contracts will move forward as routine procurement items for next meeting consent.

(Reporters: Vote tallies and expenditures recorded in the council packet and meeting transcript; the insurance presentation included direct remarks from Tony Evans of Marsh McLennan Agency.)