Embedded Files
August 12, 2026 Meeting
August 12, 2026 Meeting
The Harvard Administration Committee is currently addressing a transition in municipal operations across several fronts. Key takeaways include:
Code Enforcement Reform: Legal counsel recommends shifting the Chapter 11 abatement process to allow immediate citations for repeat offenders within a three-month window, removing the requirement for a new seven-day notice for recurring nuisances.
Revenue Allocation: The city will begin receiving $100,000 annually in mining fees from the Amrize Development Agreement starting November 1, 2026. Chemung Township has formally requested a portion of these funds for road infrastructure maintenance.
Regulatory Compliance: New Department of Justice (DOJ) rules mandate that the city’s digital content meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards by April 26, 2028.
Licensing and Operations: A proposal to relocate a "floating" liquor license to the Stratford Banquet Hall is under review, with operational constraints cited regarding the co-located childcare facility and its regulatory hours.
Cultural Infrastructure: The city is moving toward formalizing an Arts and Culture Commission and a Mural Policy to differentiate original artwork from commercial signage and enhance community identity.
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Click here for a deeper dive on the city's website plans, including a special podcast.
Click here for a deeper dive into the city's plans to create an Arts and Culture Commission, including a special podcast
The City of Harvard Administration Committee met on July 22, 2026, to address key municipal issues ranging from industrial development delays to infrastructure aesthetics and environmental services. The most critical takeaways include the postponement of the Harvard Nutrition TIF redevelopment agreement due to outstanding documentation from the developer, which currently stalls a planned road extension in the industrial park. Additionally, the Committee approved the disposal of obsolete technology assets and initiated discussions on two new business items: a "cow-themed" artistic painting project for fire hydrants along the city's parade route and the exploration of a local recycling program for hazardous materials like lithium batteries and air conditioners. The meeting concluded with a motion to enter a closed session to discuss personnel matters.
2026-05-20 Meeting
2026-05-20 Meeting
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2026-03-07 Admin Budget Meeting
2026-03-07 Admin Budget Meeting
The City of Harvard’s Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (FY27) budget reflects a period of significant financial stabilization and strategic reinvestment. Following the fiscal hardships caused by the 2009 recession, the city has successfully rebuilt its reserves, with the General Fund now maintaining a 13-month operating reserve in the FY25 projections. This healthy financial position enables a budget focused on infrastructure modernization, upgrades to public safety equipment, and community development.
Key priorities for the upcoming fiscal year include major engineering for sidewalks and bike paths, the acquisition of new police vehicles and technology, critical updates to utility infrastructure (including a Drinking Water Master Plan), and a leadership transition at the Harvard Diggins Library. While the budget includes approximately one month of reserve spending for specific projects, the city remains compliant with its established Fund Balance Policy, ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.
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2026-01-21 Meeting
2026-01-21 Meeting
On January 21, 2026, the City of Harvard Administration Committee met to resolve several community and fiscal matters. To address resident frustrations regarding restrictive school-zone parking, the committee reached a consensus to implement a free, address-linked permit system for guest vehicles to prevent unfair ticketing.
The committee also recommended renewing the School Resource Officer (SRO) contract with District 50. This updated three-year agreement includes a 4% cost increase, with the district's contribution projected to reach $86,734.22 by 2029.
For financial transparency, a dedicated road rehabilitation fund was established to house $5.56 million in bond and sales tax proceeds, ensuring these funds remain separate from the general budget.
Further administrative actions included:
Legal & Ethics: Appointing Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle as Ethics Advisor and planning the future formation of an Ethics Commission.
Legislation: Lobbying against Senate Bill 1937, which could increase pension obligations by $3 million.
Municipal Code: Codifying a 1% municipal grocery tax to maintain existing revenue streams.
Public Safety: Designating Mercy Hospital, Jay’s Lanes, and Community Hall as warming centers during severe cold.
The city’s annual budget workshop is scheduled for March 7, 2026.
For more detail press the Briefing Doc button on the right. Also, the Podcast turned out great this time. Our AI hosts are becoming more animated and more opinionated.
2025-12-03 Meeting
2025-12-03 Meeting
The City of Harvard Administration Committee convened on December 3, 2025, to address a series of significant administrative, personnel, and financial matters. Key outcomes of the meeting included the recommendation of substantial revisions to the city's ordinances, primarily focused on restructuring key administrative positions, and the approval of two new director-level job descriptions.
A central theme was the formalization of a new Community Engagement Director position and the retitling of several other department head roles to ensure consistency within the city code. The committee also approved the job description for a Building and Planning Director, a role significantly impacted by a new state law, the Warehouse Tornado Preparedness Act, which mandates new inspection certifications by 2027. This development prompted a detailed discussion on hiring strategies and liability mitigation.
Additionally, the committee discussed the need to establish a formal Code of Ethics Advisor and reviewed the process for correcting clerical errors in the city code with Municode, the third-party service. Decisions on opening a new bank account for sales tax revenue and advancing an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Harvard Fire Protection District were postponed to allow for further preparation and input from incoming personnel.
2025-11-19 Meeting
2025-11-19 Meeting
The City of Harvard Administration Committee convened on November 19, 2025, to address three primary action items. The most significant discussion centered on a proposed Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Harvard Fire Protection District, which would grant the District full authority over fire prevention, suppression, and life safety code enforcement within city limits. The Fire Chief presented a detailed case arguing that the IGA would streamline development, align Harvard with regional best practices, and enhance public safety without increasing developers' costs. The committee expressed support for the concept and recommended further legal review before presenting it to the City Council on December 9.
Secondly, the committee unanimously approved sending an ordinance to the City Council to amend Chapter 2 of the city code. The amendment authorizes the Deputy City Clerk to sign checks and other financial vouchers in the absence of the City Clerk, ensuring the city's three-signature internal control protocol is maintained.
Finally, the committee unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the renewal of the city's membership in the McHenry County Law Enforcement Regional Training Center for 2026. The membership is considered a successful, cost-effective way to ensure police officers remain compliant with state training mandates at a state-of-the-art facility.
2025-10-14 Meeting
2025-10-14 Meeting
The central themes include a highly favorable independent audit for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2025, a detailed discussion and subsequent recommendation of a 6% balloon tax levy to capture new property growth, the review of two distinct intergovernmental agreements, a significant update on the downtown Wi-Fi initiative, and a strategic plan for administrative staff succession.
The FY 2025 audit resulted in an "unmodified, clean opinion," the highest rating achievable, with auditors highlighting the City's healthy fund balances across governmental and proprietary funds. The committee voted to recommend a 6% balloon tax levy to the City Council, a measure deemed necessary to capture revenue from significant new construction and prevent a permanent reduction in the City's tax base (Click on the Balloon Levy link for a 6-minute slide presentation). An Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Regional Transit Authority for sidewalk improvements was recommended for approval, while a separate, unsolicited IGA from the Harvard Fire Protection District regarding permit inspections was tabled pending a formal presentation from the district due to concerns over fee structures and scope. It was also clarified that the downtown Wi-Fi service from Surf Internet was not included as a free provision in the franchise agreement, prompting a new planning process. Finally, the committee was briefed on a plan to promote the current water billing clerk to a bookkeeper position to backfill the duties of the CFO, who will soon officially become the new City Administrator.
2025-09-17 Meeting
2025-09-17 Meeting
The September 2025 Administration Committee meeting for the City of Harvard addressed two primary topics: a bond issuance for road improvements and a proposed water leak policy.
The City of Harvard plans to issue up to $4,175,000 in "General Obligation Bonds (Alternate Revenue Source)" to fund various road and related projects. These bonds are the first of a potential four-phase plan, with each phase expected to net approximately $4 million. The bonds will be primarily paid for using non-home rule sales tax revenue, with a conservative projection of $900,000 annually, ensuring a 125% coverage of the annual debt. To make the bond more appealing to investors, Property taxes will serve as a backup revenue source, but it is improbable that this will happen since the payment vs. revenue is very conservative. The financing plan includes a 15-year bond term, a 10-year optional redemption date, and a projected interest rate of around 4%. A timeline for the bond issuance was set, with a final closing date of December 23, 2025. The committee unanimously recommended the plan for City Council approval.
Finally, the committee discussed a new administrative policy on water leaks and found it to be "very reasonable." This policy, prompted by a recent incident where a resident received an $8,000 water bill due to a leak, aims to provide financial relief while encouraging resident accountability. Under the new policy, the city will split the bill 50/50 for the difference between the average bill and the leak amount, but only for the period before the customer was notified of high usage. Additionally, if the leaked water did not enter the sewer system, customers will only be charged the lower "water-only" rate for that portion of their bill.
For more detailed information on these topics click on the My Notes button
2025-07-16 Meeting
2025-07-16 Meeting
The Harvard Administration Committee met to discuss several key topics, including the city's long-standing overnight on-street parking prohibition, a proposed countywide police assistance agreement, and the renewal of a vital water tank contract.
Much of the meeting focused on the prohibition of on-street parking between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM, which has been in place since 2006. The ordinance aims to help first responders navigate narrow streets and facilitate snow removal. While a proposal for a $500 annual parking permit was considered, committee members ultimately decided against any changes, concluding that the issue predominantly affects a minority of residents.
The committee also discussed a new intergovernmental agreement (IGA) for countywide police assistance, designed to enhance cooperation among local police departments. This IGA aims to clarify conditions for requesting additional personnel and equipment, primarily activated in situations involving gang presence rather than general staffing needs. Chief Bauman noted potential costs for providing security at community events, such as approximately $13,000 for the Milk Day weekend, based on 2024 estimates.
2025-06-18 Meeting
2025-06-18 Meeting
The Harvard Administration Committee meeting on June 18, 2025, began with only two members present, meaning no official business could be conducted, but discussions proceeded on all agenda items. A key discussion focused on amending the water meter replacement policy ordinance to address a loophole where the city's website inaccurately promised free meter replacement; the new policy will charge two times the actual cost for damaged meters and labor, and the website will be updated. The committee also reviewed the City Hall window replacement bid, which came in at $105,000, exceeding the $80,000 budget. An idea to save costs by insulating and drywalling the triangular windows in-house was considered, as these windows are not functionally critical and their replacement cost is significant. A preliminary review of the draft compensation study report highlighted that while some salaries might appear low at the base, the city offers very generous employee benefits, and the study accounted for employees who fulfill multiple job roles. The committee also moved to declare numerous older computer systems as surplus property due to equipment failures. Lastly, the discussion of the strategic vision was postponed until a full committee could be present.
2025-05-21 Meeting
2025-05-21 Meeting
The City of Harvard Administration Committee convened on May 21, 2025, at 6:33 p.m., with key officials including Chairwoman Lisa Haderlein, Aldermen Joel Kriete and John Lavallee, and Alderwoman Rosa Luna (electronically) in attendance, along with Mayor Mike Kelly and Deputy City Administrator Deb Bejot. The meeting covered a range of critical municipal matters, from the approval of past meeting minutes to significant infrastructure and policy decisions. Highlights included the favorable bid acceptance for the Ayer Street resurfacing project, awarded to Schroer Asphalt Services for $391,006.15, notably below the original estimate, and the recommendation for Christopher Burke Engineering to provide construction oversight for this vital downtown revitalization. Discussions also touched upon updates regarding the McHenry County grant for the Rush Creek bike path, a proposed amendment to the school zone ordinance near Washington School to ensure proper signage and safety, and the declaration of surplus police department property for scrapping. The committee further addressed ongoing efforts related to the city's strategic vision, including a salary survey, and an update on AT&T tower contract negotiations, which now explore installing a tower rail on the existing downtown water tower as a more suitable and cost-effective alternative to a new 200-foot structure.
2025-04-16 Meeting
2025-04-16 Meeting
The City of Harvard Administration Committee meeting addressed several key initiatives, including the approval of a revised policy clarifying interactions between elected officials and staff, and an amendment to electronic meeting attendance rules to accommodate unforeseen circumstances while maintaining logistical notice. Public safety was a central theme, with discussions reinforcing the city's authority to fine contractors for improper right-of-way work and, more significantly, a detailed debate on enhancing police report transparency. This led to a consensus to provide more informative monthly reports to the public, detailing crime types, approximate locations, and basic offender descriptions (excluding names) to boost community awareness without the city becoming a "news business." Financially, the committee moved to authorize the City Administrator to seek competitive bids for street lighting electricity, with a future goal of consolidating all city power contracts for potential savings, and reviewed a new wireless provider agreement expected to generate an additional $30,000 annually, with a recommendation to allocate some of these funds to the Parks and Economic Development departments.
March 19, 2025
March 19, 2025
The City of Harvard Administration Committee meeting offered a comprehensive understanding of local governance and the intricacies of municipal decision-making. Key topics of discussion included the amendment of electronic attendance ordinances, the development of a policy for interactions between elected officials and staff, and the approval of budget adjustments for fiscal years 2025-2026. The meeting also addressed a property donation for potential public pathways, an agreement with the McHenry County Law Enforcement Regional Training Center, and the declaration of surplus property. Throughout the discussion, committee members clarify procedural matters and highlight the importance of transparency and fiscal responsibility within the city's operations.
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