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NILES — The Apple Festival Committee’s request to conduct the 53rd annual Four Flags Area Apple Festival from Thursday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Sept. 28 was approved 7-1 during Monday’s Niles City Council meeting.

The four-day event will ring in the fall season with all kinds of entertainment, activities and treats. 

The city will contribute $8,152 in-kind donations to support the festival, which will cover the cost of barricade setup and removal, policing and utility and street costs. The list of requests also included permission to conduct the annual Apple Festival Grand Parade scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27 as well as the Youth Day Parade set for Saturday, Sept. 20.

Fourth ward councilmember Michael Thompson cast the lone dissenting vote because he does not believe the city should contribute funds toward events.

“Like the previous festivals, I go to them myself and then I spend currency there to help pay for this stuff but there’s no reason why someone else who doesn’t go to these things should have to pay for them,” he said.

The council also approved the Apple Festival’s annual fireworks display set for Friday, Sept. 26.

In other business, the council:

• Approved a Development Agreement between the City of Niles and Summit Church of Niles for the extension of three-phase power by the Utilities Department – Electric Division into AEP/I&M territory on West River Road with the cost of approximately $150,000 to be prepaid by Summit Church.
• Authorizing the purchase of two Clow Fire Hydrants from Core & Main of St. John, Indiana at a cost of $7,410 to be charged to the Utilities Department Water Division – Hydrants budget.
• Authorized the Utilities Department to accept the quote from Peerless Midwest of Mishawaka, Indiana in the amount of $4,720 to seal and abandon the well at 950 Bond Street and charge the expense to the Utilities Department Water Division – Maintenance/Pump, Motor & Equipment budget.
• Authorized the Utilities Department to sole source and enter into an auto-renewing agreement with AmCoBi of Colorado Springs, Colorado at a total 2025 cost of $47,526.58 (initial cost of $28,486.00 and the 1″ year renewal of $19,040.58) for customer portal services via “UtilityHawk” and “AquaHawk” SaaS (Software as a Service) for electric and water customers, charging the expense to the Utilities Department’s budget.
• Accepted a bid from Get Busy Exteriors of Holland, Michigan in the amount of $19,700 to be paid for with CDBG funds through the Help for Homes program.