Meeting Summary and Briefs: Litchfield City Council for September 3, 2026

The Litchfield City Council met in regular session at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026, at City Hall, 120 E. Ryder St., with Mayor Jacob Fleming presiding and Alderperson Marilyn Sisson absent. The council seated a new Ward 4 alderperson, Chris Dexheimer, who was appointed 6-0 and sworn in by City Clerk Kerry Hopkins, then voted on every subsequent item. The council approved three vehicle purchases totaling roughly $109,600, a demolition agreement at 1425 North Madison backed by a $258,000 IHDA Strong Communities award, a stop sign ordinance for N. Monroe and Sallee, two easement agreements for the Yaeger Lake Trail water line, a $14,000 meter reading software quote, and a $10,033 change order on the Lake Lou Yaeger Campground Expansion project. Every recorded vote was unanimous.

The meeting also produced one of the night’s most-discussed items without a vote: an explanation from City Administrator Breann Vazquez of an EPA monitoring violation notice sent to water customers, which she attributed to a July 2025 clerical failure to forward test results on time and said did not affect water safety. Full coverage of the campground change order and the city’s budget disclosure, the water notice, the Ward 4 appointment, the vehicle purchases, the Yaeger Lake Trail easements, the demolition agreement, the stop signs, the meter software and the Milnot Beach recognition appears in the accompanying stories. The council entered executive session at 7:07 p.m., returned at 7:39 p.m. and adjourned at 7:40 p.m.

Council Approves FOP Agreement After Executive Session

Returning from a 32-minute closed session, the council voted 7-0 to approve a memorandum of agreement concerning the lieutenant with the Illinois FOP Labor Council. Alderperson Sara Zumwalt made the motion, seconded by Alderperson Dwayne Gerl. The council also voted 7-0 to approve executive session minutes from Aug. 20, 2026. The council had entered executive session at 7:07 p.m. on a 7-0 vote, citing three exemptions under the Illinois Open Meetings Act: review of minutes of a lawfully closed meeting, the appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance or dismissal of specific employees, and collective negotiating matters. No formal action can be taken in closed session; both votes were taken in open session after the council reconvened. No terms of the agreement were disclosed.

Fire Department Class, Rope Rescue Certifications

The fire department will host a Safe@Home class for fourth through sixth graders on Oct. 10, 2026, Mayor Jacob Fleming told the council. Fleming said information is posted on the fire department’s Facebook page, and that spots were filling quickly, with the number of remaining openings dropping from six to five during the mayor’s own announcement. Separately, four fire department members passed the Rope Rescue Operations course the week before the meeting. Chief Pennock credited the firefighters who covered shifts while their colleagues were at training. “The guys put in a lot of work over that week,” the chief said. “Everybody stepped up and completed that training.”

Fall Clean-Up Set for Week of Oct. 5

The city’s fall clean-up will take place the week of Oct. 5, 2026, weather permitting, Mayor Jacob Fleming told the council — “roughly a month from today,” as he put it. Fleming said certain items may not be put out and urged residents to check the restrictions before setting material at the curb. Information is available on the city’s Facebook page and website, and residents may also call city hall with questions. Fleming described the program as a great service and credited the street crew with doing a good job on it.

Oil-and-Chip Program Draws Praise

The council praised the completion of the city’s oil-and-chip street work, which Alderperson Bert Holloway described as an “absolutely wonderful job.” Holloway said he had braced for complaints and had not heard a single one, adding that watching children ride bikes on the finished streets “has given me immense joy.” He thanked the street crew, Street Superintendent Dave Crocks and Public Works Director Dominick Mazza. Mazza told the council the three-day operation stayed on schedule, benefited from good weather and was adjusted by the street department when problems arose, and thanked residents for their patience with road closures.

Gerl to Chair Next Meeting as Four Attend Training

Four city officials will be away at a training session during the council’s next meeting, Mayor Jacob Fleming announced, leaving Alderperson Dwayne Gerl to run the meeting as mayor pro tem. Fleming said he, City Administrator Breann Vazquez, City Attorney McGinley and Alderperson Robbin Huffman will attend the training, calling Huffman an “overachiever” for signing up. “There might be a few less people here and you’re in charge of it,” Fleming told Gerl. The arrangement is reflected in the official record of the Sept. 3 meeting, which is signed by Gerl as pro-tem mayor and attested by City Clerk Kerry Hopkins.

Routine Approvals Pass With One Abstention Each

The council approved three housekeeping items 6-0 with newly seated Alderperson Chris Dexheimer abstaining on each: the public hearing minutes from Aug. 20, 2026; the regular meeting minutes from Aug. 20, 2026; and the expenditure report and payroll report for the current period. Alderperson Joshua Hughes moved the public hearing minutes with a second from Alderperson Dwayne Gerl; Gerl moved the regular minutes with a second from Alderperson Sara Zumwalt; and Alderperson Robert Garcia moved the expenditure and payroll report with a second from Gerl. No questions or amendments were raised on any of the three. Neither the minutes nor the agenda states a dollar total for the expenditure and payroll report.

No Public Participation

No one addressed the council during the public participation portion of the Sept. 3 meeting. The agenda placed public participation after the city report and before appointments, and the minutes record the item simply as “Public participation: None.” Mayor Jacob Fleming confirmed on the floor that there were no speakers before moving to the appointment of a Ward 4 alderperson. The absence of comment came despite a water notice mailed to every utility customer in the city, which the council discussed earlier in the same meeting, and a demolition agreement for a residential property on North Madison.