The star issue of the lively and impassioned Nov. 4 Highland Park town council meeting was a proposed ordinance ordering an election to be held on May 2, 2026 to determine whether the Town of Highland Park should withdraw its membership in the DART system.
Highland Park is one of DART’s 13 member cities, which each contribute 1% of their local sales tax to the transit authority. Recently, Highland Park and other member cities have questioned the value they receive for their contributions, and whether their interests are represented on the authority’s governing board.
It was nearly a full house in the town council chambers during the Tuesday morning meeting, complete with local television news coverage. All public comments were in favor of keeping DART services within HP, with pleas made by President and CEO of DART Nadine Lee, Chair of the DART Board of Directors Randall Bryant, and DART founder Walt Humann.
“We understand that every city faces financial pressures,” commented CEO Lee. “The progress we’ve made and the prosperity it creates comes from standing together and confronting our challenges as one region. Let’s keep building on this incredible momentum that we’ve created. Together, we can continue to strengthen our cities, grow our economy, and deliver lasting value for generations to come.”
“I do believe that there is time remaining before these votes take place for us to find the solutions that we’ve been striving to achieve for quite some time,” said Chair of the DART Board Bryant, noting that he has recently received calls from other partner cities contemplating withdrawal from the DART system. “So, I’m asking you and this council for 30 more days to continue the work that we’ve been doing and find solutions and compromises.”
“Today, I’m very sad,” Walt Humann admitted. “I’m very sad because two of my very good friends, Highland Park and DART, are crosswise. They shouldn’t be, they need to reconcile.”
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A handful of other concerned citizens, both HP residents and DART riders, voiced their concerns about traffic congestion, ease of travel to local airports, daily transportation of local gardeners, landscapers, and domestic staff, and mobility options for senior citizens and the disabled.
Also mentioned was the current and predicted ongoing influx of corporate workers from the east and west coasts, employees of such financial heavy hitters such as Goldman Sachs. Might some of these newcomers arrive expecting Bay Area or NYC-style public transportation?
After a brief back-and-forth between council members over delaying a vote to allow time for more information and discussion, the May 2, 2026 election order passed.
Highland Park contributes more than $6 million annually to DART, while DART spends only $1.9 million within the Town, primarily to operate the Preston Road bus route. That bus averages 60 riders daily, according to an independent 2023 analysis referenced in a Town press release.
Based on the Town’s current annual contribution of $8 million, every ride costs an estimated $366, according to the press release.
“Highland Park taxpayers have invested in the regional system for more than 40 years,” Mayor Will Beecherl said in a written statement. “This election ensures that our residents — who fund this contribution — have a say in whether the return on that investment meets the needs of our community today.”
Other items on the consent agenda included:
- A 12-month extension of the construction time period for a new single-family residence at 4501 Highland Ave. from Nov. 6, 2025 to Nov. 6, 2026.
- An ordinance releasing and abandoning a portion of the public right-of-way between 4224 and 4216 Armstrong Parkway.
The Town Council Study Session included:
- Review and discussion of updates to the International Code Council family of codes and the National Electric Code, including local amendments.
- Review and discussion of revisions to the Highland Park Library’s Material Selection Policy.
