Highland Park unites to enable library expansion

An intergovernmental agreement between three Highland Park entities will clarify who owns and maintains the land on two sides of the Highland Park Public Library in preparation for its proposed expansion.

The agreement between the library, City of Highland Park and the Park District of Highland Park was unanimously approved by the Highland Park City Council on Monday, Aug. 26.

The library is planning a 7,800-square-foot addition to its west side, and officials are hoping to break ground in 2025.

The west side, according to a memo in the board packet, is owned by the park district and will be sold to the library under the agreement.

City Manager Ghida Neukirch said the IGA “cleans up property ownership as it pertains to the west parcel of the library, the east parcel that the city owns, the lawn adjacent to City Hall north of City Hall that’s currently owned by the park district – that the city would own as part of this agreement – as well as the rose garden (which) continues the city’s operation and maintenance of that area.”

According to a memo in the board’s packet, the City of Highland Park will maintain the land to the east of the library, which includes the temporary July 4 memorial.

The city and library would also work together on relocating two statues if they end up conflicting with the library’s expansion.

Neukirch said the city, library and park district have been “working for some time on this agreement.”

She added that, even if the library wasn’t planning an expansion, the IGA “is (a) good policy.”

The library has already approved the agreement, while Neukirch said the Park Board is set to vote on it at its next meeting.

Ethics positions approved

Months after the the city’s elected and appointed officials discussed internal ethics, two new positions aimed at establishing policies and procedures were unanimously approved by board members.

The ethics advisor will provide “guidance to City Officials in advance of a meeting or situation” where ethics regulations may apply. The individual’s purpose will be to advise officials to prevent potential ethical violations before they happen.

The ethics enforcement officer will be responsible for “adjudicating alleged violations of the Ethics Regulations, and, if necessary, enforce or recommend enforcement” of any violations.

In April, councilmembers held two Committee of the Whole meetings where the officials expressed interest in creating these new positions. Those discussions were prompted by a disagreement among members at the Jan. 29 Committee of the Whole meeting, where updates to the city’s liquor code were discussed.

Jeff Hoobler, who at the time was a city councilmember, was alleged to have violated the city’s ethics guidelines by not recusing himself from those discussions. Hoobler, who resigned in late April, is the co-owner of Ravinia Brewing Company and a city liquor license holder.

He defended his participation in the discussions by citing a conversation he had with the city’s corporation counsel.

Councilmember Annette Lidawer praised the creation of the new ethics positions, calling them “long overdue.”

“We’ve set up a structure where anyone who sits on our advisory groups, our boards or our commissions, as well as the City Council, can seek legal advice on a very cursory level,” she said, “and then if, in fact, they feel there’s any problem, there’s a mechanism in place now to judge both our ethical standards as well as the state law.”

The ethics roles will be utilized on an as-needed basis, according to the board packet.

More support for restaurants

Food service businesses in Highland Park are now eligible for a financial boost with the approval of a Food & Beverage Establishment Interior Improvement and Expansion Grant Program.

The program was a result of feedback from local restaurant owners, requests from councilmembers “and the recognition that the cost of improving property conditions and setting up a space presents a significant barrier to opening a restaurant,” according to the board packet.

It is meant to help business owners with build-out costs, which include painting, furniture, woodworking, kitchen infrastructure and other construction-related costs.

A total of $500,000 has been allocated in the fiscal year 2024 budget for the program, and funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

According to the board packet, an establishment is eligible for the grant if they meet specific criteria. The place must generate sales tax; have an owner with at least three years of experience in owning and operating the restaurant; have at least a five-year lease; a minimum $900,000 annual gross sales revenue for the most recent two years; and be located within Highland Park and compliant with city guidelines.

Landlords are also eligible if they have a lease agreement for future occupancy.

Councilmembers voiced unanimous support for the grant program.

“I think it’s wonderful to help businesses with this incentive, and to bring more businesses to Highland Park,” Councilmember Barisa Bruckman said.

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