City of Highland Park,IL

Home Government

The City is governed by the council-manager form of government. The City Council consists of seven members, including an elected mayor and six councilmembers. Elections are held every four years for mayor and three of the six councilmember terms that expire at the same time. A professional City Manager and staff who are experienced in city management handle the day-to-day operations of the City. The City has a number of commissions comprised of citizen volunteers who take an active role in City policymaking.

The mission of the City of Highland Park, Illinois is to provide high-quality City services through collaborative, effective, transparent governance in an efficient and fiscally responsible manner.

The City of Highland Park municipal government's core priorities are:
- fiscal stability
- public safety
- infrastructure investment
- economic development
- environmental sustainability

Annual Work Plan Focuses on Core Priorities

Annually, the City Council reviews and affirms the City's priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. City staff then develop a work plan with identifies major public facing initiatives, significant actions anticipated for Council consideration, and other substantial department projects based on the foundation of the City’s key priorities listed above. The work plan is reviewed and updated on a regular basis, and reports are provided to the Council on a quarterly basis.

City staff and the City Council work together to carry out every initiative in an effort to best serve residents, businesses, and visitors. The defined projects include initiatives affecting the public, actions anticipated for City Council approval and other significant department initiatives.

The 2023 Major Projects work plan can be found below. Initiatives and projects are organized by department and will be updated on this webpage and presented to the City Council on a quarterly basis.

2023 Major Projects Work Plan

For more information on the City's work plan, please contact the City Manager's Office at 847.926.1000.

Communications Plan
The City's Communications Plan incorporates six main goals or objectives and more than 20 strategies and initiatives. The main goals fall under the categories: Community Collaboration, Digital Communication, Two-Way Communication, Policy Considerations, Proactive Messaging, and Customer Service.

For more information on the City's Communications Plan, please contact the City Manager's Office at 847.926.1000.