Village Board, 14 Jul 2026: Village Manager Voluntary Retirement Agreement
The Northbrook Village Board will consider a voluntary retirement agreement with Village Manager Cara Pavlicek at its July 14 meeting. The board will also take up a range of infrastructure, public safety, and administrative items on the consent agenda.
Key items
- Village Manager Voluntary Retirement Agreement — The board will decide whether to approve a formal retirement agreement with Village Manager Cara Pavlicek, affecting village leadership going forward.
- Future Police Station and Fire Headquarters Land Costs — A procedural bond reimbursement resolution signals the village intends to finance new public safety facilities with a future general obligation bond, which could affect tax bills.
- Holiday Lighting Replacement in Central Business District — Northbrook's downtown holiday lighting, installed in 2023, is being replaced and will include a display celebrating the village's 125th anniversary.
- LED Streetlight Fixture Purchase — The village would buy roughly 180 new LED streetlight fixtures, continuing a gradual infrastructure upgrade affecting lighting throughout the community.
- Special Counsel for Employment Law Matter — The board will consider hiring outside legal counsel for an unspecified employment law matter involving the village.
Full agenda — click any item to expand
Voluntary Retirement Agreement with Village Manager
The board will consider a resolution to enter into a voluntary retirement agreement with Village Manager Cara Pavlicek. No terms of the agreement are described in the agenda materials.
LED Streetlight Fixture Purchase
The board will consider authorizing the purchase of approximately 180 LED streetlight fixtures from Graybar Electric Company, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri. The agenda notes the fixtures would match those already in use throughout the village, consistent with Northbrook's Climate Action Plan.
Sewer and Manhole Infrastructure Renewals
The board will consider renewing contracts for two sewer maintenance services. Hoerr Construction, Inc. of Goodfield, Illinois would continue sewer lining work to improve structural integrity and reduce groundwater infiltration, while BLD Services, LLC of Winchester, Indiana (formerly Culy Contracting) would continue manhole rehabilitation to extend the useful life of sanitary sewer structures.
Snow Guards at Public Works Center
The board will consider authorizing the purchase and installation of snow guards at the Public Works Center by Garland/DBS, Inc. of Cleveland, Ohio. The guards are intended to prevent snow and ice from sliding off the roof and potentially damaging vehicles, equipment, or injuring staff and visitors.
Snowplow and Salt Spreader Purchase
The board will consider approving the purchase of a 9-foot Boss snowplow and under-tailgate salt spreader for an existing Public Works vehicle (Unit #300) from Monroe Truck Equipment of Monroe, Wisconsin. The equipment supports snow plowing, sanitary lift station maintenance, roadway patching, and parkway restoration work.
Holiday Lighting and Winter Display Replacement
The board will consider an agreement with B&B Holiday Decorating, LLC of Wheeling, Illinois to replace holiday lighting in the Central Business District and at Village Hall. The agenda notes the current lighting installed in 2023 needs replacement after three years of use, and that the contract also covers a winter display at the Village Green fountain for the Illuminate Northbrook event, which will include a design element marking the village's 125th anniversary.
Grant-Funded Changeable Message Boards
The board will consider the grant-funded purchase of three changeable message boards from Traffic and Parking Control Co., LLC (TAPCO) of Brown Deer, Wisconsin. The purchase is tied to an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Wheeling, with both villages jointly awarded a state grant for shared public safety equipment.
Refuse and Recycling Station Lease Renewal
The board will consider waiving competitive bidding and renewing a 48-month lease agreement for enclosed refuse and recycling stations in the Central Business District with Bigbelly Solar, LLC of Needham, Pennsylvania. The stations provide convenient disposal options for residents and visitors in the downtown area.
Knox E-Lock and MedVault System Purchase
The board will consider waiving competitive bidding and authorizing the purchase of an E-Lock and MedVault System from Knox Company for use by the village's Fire Department. The agenda describes the systems as working together to provide additional safeguards for building access and controlled substances.
Bond Reimbursement Resolution for Future Police Station and Fire Headquarters Land
The board will consider a resolution expressing official intent to reimburse land acquisition costs for a future Police Station and Fire Headquarters from proceeds of a future tax-exempt general obligation bond issuance. The agenda describes this as a procedural action in accordance with the adopted FY27 budget.
Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan Amendments
The board will consider two ordinances on the consent agenda related to planning documents. The first would make technical corrections and clarifications to the Northbrook Zoning Code adopted in September 2025, as recommended by the Plan Commission. The second would update metrics and add the village's Strategic Plan and branding identities to the Northbrook Comprehensive Plan originally adopted in 2010.
Board of Fire and Police Commission Rules Amendment
The board will consider an ordinance amending the Board of Fire and Police Commission rules to expand and improve recruitment procedures for entry-level police officer and firefighter candidates, as well as update administrative language, as recommended by the commission.
Special Counsel Appointment
The board will consider a resolution authorizing the engagement of Clark Baird Smith LLP as special counsel to the Village Board regarding an employment law matter.
Village Communications Plan
The board will receive — but not vote on — a Village Communications Plan developed by the village's consultant, a5 Branding and Digital.
What actually happened
Village Board, 14 Jul 2026: Meadow Plaza Redevelopment Draws Packed Public Comment
More than two dozen residents spoke out about a potential Pulte redevelopment of Meadow Plaza during a meeting that also formalized the retirement of Village Manager Cara Pavlicek and approved a new Village Communications Plan.
Meadow Plaza Redevelopment Concerns Dominate Public Comment
More than 25 residents addressed the Board during public comment, with the vast majority expressing concern about a potential high-density residential redevelopment of Meadow Plaza by Pulte. Speakers raised issues including building height (many opposing a proposed six-story structure and urging a three-story limit), loss of ground-floor retail, traffic, school capacity, and the preservation of Northbrook's downtown character. President Ciesla acknowledged the concerns, stated that no formal redevelopment proposal has been submitted, and committed to a transparent public review process. Trustee Reese noted that the property sale is owner-driven and encouraged residents to share their priorities for the Village to advocate for.
Village Manager Retirement Agreement Approved
The Board voted 6–0 to approve a Voluntary Retirement Agreement for Village Manager Cara Pavlicek. President Ciesla highlighted Pavlicek's contributions to major Village initiatives. A new Communications Director is also joining the Village team.
Communications Plan Accepted
The Board voted 6–0 to accept receipt of the Village's Communications Plan, which Deputy Village Manager Hawkins described as the product of a year-long development process aligned with the Strategic Plan, emphasizing proactive and transparent communication. Trustees expressed strong support and cited the need to address misinformation and better engage residents across multiple channels.
New Police Chief Appointed
Village Manager Pavlicek announced the appointment of Marc Fainman as the next Police Chief. Trustee Cassidy welcomed Fainman and expressed confidence in his leadership.
Downtown Economics Education Planned
Under Planning and Economic Development, trustees expressed support for holding public presentations on downtown economics, Village revenue sources, market conditions, and redevelopment realities to give residents better information before any future redevelopment proposals are formally considered. No vote was recorded on this item.
Consent Agenda: Contracts and Ordinances Approved
The Board voted 6–0 to approve 15 items on the consent agenda, including purchasing LED streetlight fixtures from Graybar Electric Company, renewing sewer lining services with Hoerr Construction, renewing a 48-month lease for refuse and recycling stations in the Central Business District from Bigbelly Solar, purchasing a snowplow and salt spreader, authorizing holiday lighting installation services with B&B Holiday Decorating, and approving two zoning-related ordinances amending the Northbrook Zoning Code and Comprehensive Plan (Plan Commission Docket No. PCD-26-03).
Payments Approved
The Board voted 6–0 to approve escrow deposit and performance bond refunds of $225,261.00 and general payments of $2,538,324.77, both covering the period June 16–30, 2026.
Read the official documents
{
"card_hook": "Over 25 Northbrook residents oppose potential Pulte six-story redevelopment of Meadow Plaza; no formal proposal yet submitted.",
"key_items": [
{
"title": "Meadow Plaza Redevelopment Debate",
"why_matters": "A potential high-density Pulte project could replace a neighborhood retail hub with a six-story residential building, affecting downtown character, local businesses, traffic, and schools."
},
{
"title": "Village Manager Retirement Approved",
"why_matters": "The departure of Village Manager Cara Pavlicek marks a significant leadership transition for the Village's day-to-day operations."
},
{
"title": "New Police Chief Named",
"why_matters": "Marc Fainman was appointed as Northbrook's next Police Chief, a key public safety leadership role for residents."
},
{
"title": "Village Communications Plan Accepted",
"why_matters": "The new plan aims to improve how the Village shares information with residents and counter misinformation on issues like redevelopment."
},
{
"title": "Downtown Economics Presentations Planned",
"why_matters": "The Board wants to hold public sessions explaining Village finances and market conditions before any redevelopment proposals move forward, giving residents more context for future decisions."
}
]
}