Committee renews tallgrass/weed‑cutting contract and asks staff to explore volunteer lawn‑care aid

The Public Affairs Committee voted to authorize the mayor to renew a contract with WA Management Inc. for tallgrass and weed‑cutting services under resolution 26‑R‑0033, while directing staff to explore ways to supplement enforcement with volunteer or donated‑services assistance for residents who cannot maintain their lawns.

The motion to approve the contract was made and passed on a roll‑call vote. Staff explained the program is a status‑quo enforcement tool for private properties that exceed an 8‑inch height threshold: the city notifies property owners, and if compliance does not follow the city contracts a landscaper to perform the mowing and seeks reimbursement. “It is for whenever there are complaints of grass that has not been maintained when it exceeds 8 inches in height,” the staff member said.

Committee members pressed for alternatives to automatic enforcement for vulnerable residents. “When I first came on the council I started working with a couple of elderly residents… I would like to propose a more friendly approach,” Alderman Santiago said, offering to volunteer and asking staff to create a way for local landscapers or neighbors to donate time. A committee member who had pulled the item urged moving forward with the contract to avoid timing problems but said the city should add supplemental measures where appropriate.

Staff said the contract renewal is primarily administrative and aimed at getting services in place before the heavy growing season in May; staff reported that roughly nine properties required the city mowing service in 2025. Staff also said they would contact DuPage County senior services to identify resources and return with a criteria‑based proposal for volunteer or donated services so assistance is targeted to residents in genuine need.

The committee emphasized both the limited frequency of the program and the desire to avoid creating a punitive interaction with residents who may struggle to maintain their yards. The contract renewal passed and committee members asked staff to bring back specific program options and eligibility criteria rather than delay the contract and risk enforcement gaps.

The committee also discussed related consent‑agenda items, but the contract vote and the request for a volunteer/assistance proposal were the primary outcomes on this item.