Maywood trustees approve youth policing grant, energy-efficiency upgrades and utility rate agreements

Mayor Nathaniel George Booker presided over the Village of Maywood Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 4, 2022, where trustees approved a slate of finance and infrastructure items including a federal grant to support youth community-policing efforts, participation in a ComEd energy-efficiency program, secured utility rate agreements with Hudson Energy, and a $36,191.10 purchase for a pre-treatment/pre-wet salt system for public works.

The board unanimously approved the minutes of the Sept. 20 meeting (motion by Trustee S. Reyes-Plummer; seconded by Trustee I. Brandon). Lanya Satchell, the village finance director, presented the financial analysis for the month ending Aug. 31, 2022, and the monthly financial report totaling $808,173.62. Trustees also approved Warrant List #200530 dated Sept. 29, 2022, for $584,504.78; the financial items were part of an omnibus motion later adopted by the board.

Trustees voted to approve the Maywood‑West Cook Exploring Community Policing Youth Federal Grant Award. The motion to approve the grant was made by Trustee M. Lightford and seconded by Trustee A. Sanchez and carried with Ayes from Mayor Booker and Trustees Sanchez, Reyes‑Plummer, Lightford, Peppers and Brandon; Trustee M. Jones was recorded absent. The minutes do not specify grant dollar amount or grant terms.

The Infrastructure and Sustainability Committee recommended the village participate in ComEd’s Energy Efficiency Program to replace fixtures and bulbs at Maywood Police Department facilities, Public Works facilities, and the 200 South 5th Avenue building and gymnasium; the program participation was noted as at no cost to the village and was ratified by the board as part of the omnibus approvals.

The board also approved two resolutions authorizing Acting Village Manager James Krischke to execute commodity master agreements, riders and transaction confirmations with Hudson Energy Services, LLC to lock in electric and natural gas rates for the village. The minutes list the approvals as resolutions authorizing a waiver of the competitive bid process to secure those rates; the staff report or contract details were not included in the minutes.

Public Works presented a proposal dated Sept. 14, 2022, to purchase a pre‑treatment/pre‑wet system from Chicago Salt Company at a total cost of $36,191.10 and requested a bid waiver. Trustees approved the waiver and purchase as part of the omnibus vote. The minutes state the bid waiver was granted but do not include competing bids or procurement analysis.

Chief Elijah Willis announced personnel promotions in the police department—Sgt. Dent was promoted to lieutenant and Lieutenant Diaz to commander—during the meeting’s opening reports. The board recessed into a closed session at 7:47 p.m. to discuss personnel matters under 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1); the motion to go into closed session was made by Trustee I. Brandon and seconded by Trustee M. Lightford and carried with the same voting pattern. The meeting was closed by motion at 8:35 p.m.

Votes at a glance
• Approval of minutes (Sept. 20): motion by Trustee S. Reyes‑Plummer; seconded Trustee I. Brandon; Ayes — Mayor Nathaniel George Booker, Trustees A. Sanchez, S. Reyes‑Plummer, A. Peppers and I. Brandon; Nays — none; Absent — Trustee M. Jones and (initially) M. Lightford (Lightford later participated).
• Maywood‑West Cook Community Policing Youth Federal Grant Award: motion by Trustee M. Lightford; seconded Trustee A. Sanchez; Ayes — Mayor Booker, Trustees Sanchez, Reyes‑Plummer, Lightford, Peppers and Brandon; Absent — Trustee M. Jones.
• National Unity Day sponsorship (Oct. 19): motion by Trustee M. Lightford; seconded Trustee S. Reyes‑Plummer; approved with same vote pattern as grant.
• Omnibus items A–F (monthly financial report $808,173.62; Warrant List #200530 for $584,504.78; ratify ComEd application; approve Chicago Salt Company purchase for $36,191.10 with bid waiver; authorize Hudson Energy commodity agreements for electricity and natural gas): motion by Trustee S. Reyes‑Plummer; seconded Trustee M. Lightford; Ayes — Mayor Booker and Trustees Sanchez, Reyes‑Plummer, Lightford, Peppers and Brandon; Absent — Trustee M. Jones.

What the minutes do and do not show
The minutes record motions, seconds and roll‑call tallies for listed items and indicate no substantive discussion on many of the consent items. They do not include the text of the grant award, specific contract terms with Hudson Energy, competitive procurement information for the salt system beyond the bid waiver, or the exact content of the public comment by G. Clay. The minutes note the closed‑session subject as personnel per 5 ILCS 120/2(c)(1) but do not record actions taken in closed session.

Next steps and follow-up
The minutes do not list implementation dates or reporting deadlines for the approved agreements and purchases. Items that may warrant follow‑up for public records include the Hudson Energy commodity agreements, the grant award terms, and procurement backup for the Chicago Salt Company purchase.