City Council Meeting - Regular Meeting

Well, good evening, everybody. This is the pre-council meeting at City of Joliet, meeting up in City Council Chambers. I'm Jan Coleman, Mayor Pro Tem. And this is Monday, June 1st, 2026 at 5.30 p.m. Please call the roll. Okay.

Mayor Darcy is absent this evening. He did let me know he would not be in attendance. Councilman Cardenas? Here. Councilman Clement? Here. Councilman Hugg?

Here.

Councilman Ibarra? Here. Councilman Moreno is absent. He did let me know he would not be here this evening. Councilman Mudren?

Here.

Councilwoman Quillman? Here. Councilwoman Reardon? Here. Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items. This is if you have an agenda item this evening and you would like to speak. Now is the time.

good evening members of the council dave silverman i'm here on behalf of the autobahn country club which is number 299 on your agenda i have representatives from the autobahn here which is here to answer any questions that might come up thank you is there anyone else would like to speak on an agenda item this evening

Okay, seeing none, next we will have the City Manager review tomorrow night's actionable items.

Good evening everybody. Okay, tomorrow we will have appointments to the Planning Commission, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the Police Pension Board. We will hear from Diversity and Community Relations Committee, Land Use and Economic Development Committee, Public Assets, and Public Service Committees. On the consent agenda, Council Memo 28926, approval of amendment number one to the Professional Services Agreement for the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District Water System Improvement Project for construction engineering services to Baxter and Woodman in the amount of $94,200. Again, these are dollars that come from the county ARPA funding. Council memo 29026, approval payment for emergency repairs to the Jefferson Street sewer to Aries Inc. in the amount of $260,545.62. Council memo 29126, approval purchase order of the 2026 automotive and heavy duty batteries and related support services to Fleet Pride Inc. in the amount of $60,000. Council memo 292 26 approval to purchase order for the 2026 fleet tires and tire services and the amount of $200,000 Council memo 293 26 award a professional services agreement for the study and designation of the downtown special service area to SB Friedman development advisors in the amount of fifty four thousand two hundred sixty dollars and Council memo 29426, award payment for the Ottawa Street parking garage painting project to Cosgrove Construction in the amount of $190,625. Moving on to agenda items council memo 296 26 award of contract for the southeast Joliet sanitary district water system improvement project to Austin Tyler and the amount of two million nine hundred eighty two thousand five hundred thirty five dollars and 68 cents again, we will be reimbursed by the county and Council Memo 29726, award a contract for the 2026 Roadways Resurfacing Contract A to PT Fair Up Construction in the amount of $2,434,217.87. Ordinances and resolutions ordinances council memo 298 26 and ordinance amending chapter 18 article 1 section 20 and chapter 26 article 7 division 1 section 141 through 148 regarding sidewalk cafes of the city of Joliet court of ordinances we do have Dan Megan here with us this evening who? is our business services supervisor, and he has a short presentation if it would be helpful to the council.

Sure. Everyone look at it? Okay. Thank you.

Hi, my name is Dan. I'm a business service supervisor, as Beth just said. So I've been part of this group that's really been working on kind of amending our sidewalk cafe ordinance, which, for those who don't know, is really focused on businesses and really enhancing the dining opportunity within the public right of way. So we have found, just with a lot of the businesses, it's been a little bit of a difficult time to maybe put tables and chairs outside to really offer an outdoor dining experience. At this current state, cleaning up our code on the sidewalk cafes. It's really been more inviting, especially with, you know, the introduction of the social district. City Square, we felt this was the perfect opportunity to influence something like this and make changes that felt needed. So I'd say some of the big changes we really made were, again, just adding more enforce guidelines on particularly the fencing for businesses and restaurants that want to serve alcohol and for like businesses that maybe don't want to serve alcohol but but keeping them in a five-foot public right-of-way passageway for people to use So again, we've really just tried to clean up our code and just make it a more simple process for businesses. So right now with kind of how it's set up, the services department, currently businesses have to apply for a sidewalk cafe license, which allows them to put the tables outside. And then businesses that want to drink alcohol also have to get a liquor permit. And we found that some of those regulations are kind of conflicting each other, whether it be time or fence height requirement. So that was one of the big changes we wanted to make. was the fencing, just because right now our current ordinance says a fence must be a minimum of four feet high, which we find that to be an issue because it's almost sitting downtown and there's a concert in the city square. If the fence is four feet high, it's gonna be really tough for most people to be able to see outside and kind of enjoy what's going on. So we, in our ordinance, we want to lower that to be the maximum be three feet. Just so, again, really enhance the dining opportunities so people are out enjoying dinner. They can also take part in the social district liquor permit, which allows them to get a cup. They can sit, have dinner, watch concert, get done with dinner. They can get up and go outside and enjoy the concert. So that was one of the big things we changed with that. And then also another thing it really just cleans up is the application process. Like I mentioned, there are multiple different permits that businesses have to apply for. So this just really combines it into one application process for the businesses, keeps it simple. We feel like it makes it a lot easier on them. So that is kind of the basis for what we were trying to accomplish with this. so again this is really what we've been working on the past month or so and i've gone out and communicated with my customers about how they felt about this um so and i've gotten some mixed reviews and good reviews um so it's been good i i got a lot of feedback and we've i mean we've revised this thing i know probably 10 times over the last month so you know we've really taken that feedback to make the change we feel are necessary and i again i think with the implementation of the city square we really want to uphold what we've created down here in downtown so we've also put more regulations into the furnishings the fencing tables chairs umbrellas you name it just to be able to uphold what we're trying to build down here in julia making a more inviting and welcoming environment can i ask a question do you have a question i do yeah thank you mayor proton

you work for the state of joliet yes how long have you been here uh three months you make amazing sense and thank you for being here at the city of joliet you did all the research you went out and talked to the businesses everything that came out of your mouth amazing amazing thank you thank you thank you mayor proton i was gonna my question is when people want to sign up for this will all the fencing and the umbrellas and chairs be alike or that we're going to have some something different

So that was something we had initially discussed. And I think this is, again, part of the feedback we took in. Initially, we wanted every single business to have the same fencing, same furnishings, and everything to keep it aligned. And after talking to the businesses and just kind of talking with each other, we kind of realized that's not It's not attainable. It's you know the option I think that we were presenting were a little out of budget for some of the businesses down here and so I think we took that information and after speaking with them we realized we wanted to give more options so we've established guidelines and what we want the fencing to look like and furnishings and all that but there's nothing like you have to get this fence it's This is what we're looking for, and we want to be able to help every business down here to be able to afford this type of thing, these furnishings, without necessarily saying you have to get this certain type of fence or this certain type of table.

So are there certain standards put in place which you have to have? Because I know in other towns, things are kind of like a nightmare. There's a folding chair here or a tray there, and if we're going to make it look nice, I think it should have some type of continuity.

Yeah, so we have, I've created a guideline, and I believe we have printed out copies here that we're passing out, and it has some examples of kind of what we're looking for. So we say in ordinance, it talks about pre-approved standards. There's nothing in written saying a chair or a table has to look this way. We've provided pictures and images for these businesses to be able to reference. So that's kind of the guidelines that we have in terms of that. I know it's nothing super strict, but it gives a visual reference in what we're looking for.

Anybody else have questions?

Yeah, Mayor Pro Tem, if you don't mind. Go ahead, Larry. Is this just applying to downtown, or is this city-wide?

It's pretty much focused on the downtown area. It's for businesses that are located within the public right of way, which this pretty much pertains to all the businesses downtown. So yeah, it technically could be to a lot of the businesses in the city, but most, if not all, of the businesses are right here in downtown.

So if any business anywhere else in the city that comes up to the sidewalk, you know, with their business, say along Ruby Street, they can do the same thing?

Yeah.

Okay.

If they're on the public sidewalk, yes.

Dan, there's a number of these that have had outside dining before. Are they automatically approved? Do they have to reapply for this? Obviously, they'd have to meet the new standards.

Yeah, so they would have to meet the new standards. So, I mean, again, we probably would ask them to just go through the application process again just so they can provide that they are going to adhere to the standards that we are hopefully implementing.

So if I understood what you just told Larry, it's just not for the social district.

No, it's not just for the social district.

Anybody else? And then the fencing in only is required if you're serving alcohol?

Yes, only required if you're serving alcohol.

Thank you. So if you're a coffee shop, you don't have a fence?

You don't need to.

So I do have one more question. What you're showing here I think is very wonderful and elegant, but you're saying they're not gonna adhere to that, whatever they want, or if they don't want this one, is that what you're telling me?

Sorry, can you repeat that please?

The fencing that's on here is very chic and elegant, okay, because we want it to go with the new city square. So I'm wondering, you said people can have different things, but I would like to see all the same fencing at each place, so it looks continuity, so it looks really nice. I don't want to see an old wooden fence. I don't want to see a chain link fence. I think this is top notch right here and easy to bring in and out because of the way the stand is.

Dan will, excuse me, Dan will have an opportunity to review what the businesses are thinking about and he's already been talking to them, that's why we added a couple of different, some of these came directly from the businesses, but yeah, that looks very elegant and in application process you'll be able to review all of that.

Or something similar to each one, they don't want that design, as long as it all,

looks nice like this there's different ones but it all looks really nice right and that was an effort like you said to accommodate the businesses like you know what one wants to invest in their fence another may not be able to so we provided a lot of different options for them and sizes and sizes and yeah it'll depend on how much space will be different what they need so i think it's exciting thank you but i just want it to look nice any other questions Great job, Dan. Three months in, already talking to the council. Great job.

Thank you, guys.

Sorry, I'm up again.

I'm the city manager, Beth Beatty.

Council memo 29926, ordinance and resolution associated with the Audubon Country Club. There's an ordinance approving a special use permit to allow development on a lot containing Cedar Creek Watershed Protection Area and resolution approving an amendment to the master development plan for Audubon Country Club. Any questions from them? They are here. Council memo 326, ordinances associated with the Vista Ridge phase one re-subdivision, one planned unit development. This is so they are able to install patios in their backyards. Any questions on that, Pat?

Yeah, I have a question. Sure. Why can't they install them now?

I'm sorry, I don't.

Why aren't they allowed to install? That's usually an HOA thing that we're hearing.

Right, I don't know, Dustin, can you speak to that for us?

Absolutely. We are vacating a drainage easement, and that's what requires the council action. I think the lot depth is 58 feet, and the petitioner would like to move it to 70. Engineering and Public Works have looked at this, take no exception. We have no outside utilities in that corridor, so it is a request to extend the depth of the lot so that individual town homes can have their patios.

We also have a representative here if you want to ask any questions.

No, I was just curious why they wouldn't.

Yeah, that's an interesting thought.

I understand Dustin's explanation. They were never prohibited, but they didn't have the room.

They didn't have the room.

I thought, did we have some ordinance that only those folks weren't allowed? No. So we're doing a vacation of an easement so they can extend. Right. Makes perfect sense to me.

Okay, great. Thank you. Council memo 30126, ordinances associated with Cherry Hill Business Park. Moving on to resolutions, Council Memo 30326, resolution authorizing the acquisition of property for the Farrell Road over Spring Creek Bridge Improvement Project in the amount of $3,600. Council Memo 30426, resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the County of Kendall and the City of Joliet for Kendall County Transportation Alternative Program funding to re-service the multi-use pass along the west side of Ridge Road between Theodore Street and Black Road. So I know that Greg spoke a little bit about it in public service. This is a $70,312 project for which the city of Joliet is responsible for $14,062, because it's just a small portion of it. Council memo 30526, resolution approving amendment number two to incentive agreement, property tax abatement for Supermercado's El Guero de Joliet Inc. at 118 East Jackson. So originally, the project's now completed, but due to delays in the project caused by COVID-19, they were forced to shift its initial project completion timeline, so that's what we're changing here. It requires a final amendment to reflect a five-year property tax abatement covering tax years 2025 through 2029. So it's the same abatement, it's just been delayed because they weren't able to build and et cetera through COVID and then their timeline got pushed out. That's the conclusion of the agenda.

Okay, next we have public comments. Is there anyone who would like to address the council this evening on a non-agenda item? Anyone who would like to address the council this evening? Okay.

Can I say something, Chair?

Would you like to say something? Please. Go right ahead.

Beth, I was working with Todd a while back on the mailbox issue when we're out snow plowing and it's our fault we're knocking mailboxes over. I guess the ordinance was changed years ago to where the city would only pay $100. That's correct. We have a resident that $380 is what the damage is and I think it's kind of unfair if we're knocking someone's mailbox over we're only going to offer them a hundred dollars and i understand why i get it we're gonna have people in neighborhoods that potentially could say we knocked it over and there could be 50 of them i understand that but i think we need to revisit that uh maybe case by case basis or you know i don't want to get 50 people on these things.

It would be an ordinance change. Yeah, I just think we need to revisit.

I just think it's unfair that if we're not gonna, the mail back's over, we're only offering them $100. And then some of these are, you know, masonry and whatnot. But I just think we need to revisit it sometime for wintertime.

Sure. I'm happy to look into it.

All right, thanks.

I have one question. I've been getting a lot of calls lately about the parkways where the streets were tore up And the parkways all torn up. Yes, they're all torn up, parkways torn up. The streets are wonderful. And then what came through are weeds. There's no grass. And I've been hearing complaints and hearing complaints. I have called some people. And now they're knee high, some of the weeds all along. It looks terrible.

okay um we just need locations so um i don't know how long ago we did approve some money for restorations for these parkways you know it's got to happen when it's nicer weather so through the winter we got a lot of complaints about some of that work happening and you know we couldn't come into plant or it's been several neighborhoods no it's not just one particular one get us the locations and we'll take care of it okay thank you

I don't normally address social media. I'm going to take a moment and maybe revisit it tomorrow because it kind of exploded over the weekend. I got phone calls and I've gotten emails about it too. For those that are concerned, you know, be careful with social media. Be careful with Facebook pages and trusting ones that you think are news organizations and they're really not. There is absolutely no truth to the rumor that erupted over the last three or four days that anybody has requested permission to put a strip club in the closed Anthony's restaurant. Beth, can you back me up on that?

I can back you up on that, and I think Dan could too. We've not been approached with that information. at all by anyone, so it's just a rumor on Facebook.

And I'll be frank, I mean, I was 99.9% sure that, but I wanted to dot my I's when I called you, and I think yourself and the mayor, Terry, both had the same reaction. You explained it to me, but there was a little bit of a chuckle up front because it's just so ludicrous. That would take an immense heavy lifting of changing an ordinance. So again, and I'm gonna revisit it tomorrow because I think more people will watch.

Sure, yeah, people should know.

It's absolutely not true, and there's not going to be any strip club in Anthony's. So go down to Ottawa if that's what you're looking for.

Yeah.

I'm sorry, I do have one more request. Sure. The parking deck that's right around the square, there's no railings for people that are handicapped to go down. I got some complaints about that.

and the stairwells yeah there's no railings on the stairs okay wait a minute beth i can address that so so yeah greg can address it sorry there was a um an email that went out um about the um stairs that lead from the city square down into the deck about there being no handrail there um it was taken down during city square construction to allow for some things to occur it was reinstalled last week so it's in place already the one that um if you receive that same email because i heard about it from a number of council people a couple others but that's okay as long as it's taken care of i'm just glad yeah thanks greg sure but no one told me it was finished i didn't know either they just took care of it which is awesome mayor proton i have a question sure go ahead

Beth, is there any way we can get Ann Sylvester to come up and talk about the workout in the plaza tomorrow? Sure. Because it's happening at 7 and I'm sure she wants people to show up for it. Sure. Okay, thank you. Sorry to do this spontaneously. It's okay. We're excited about the events too.

Hi, good evening, everyone. Very excited. This is the opening week of City Square and all the programming that's taking place. As Councilwoman Ibarra said, I am really kind of challenging people in City Hall and all over to be part of our first workout tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. Hip hop should be a lot of fun, get you moving before the day starts. I do also want to add that this week we have on Wednesday, we've got our first dancing in the square. So if you want to come down and learn how to swing dance and then show off your moves afterwards, that's from 5 to 7. And on Thursday, we have cars and guitars. And then we actually, per kind of the mayor's request, we have a special country music singer, Laura Braina, who's performing at 9 o'clock in City Square. And then Friday will be our first Sounds on 66 with the Righteous Hillbillies. And then the Chicago Public Library on Saturday is doing Star Wars Days. And I don't want to forget, we do have a great partnership with the Joliet Public Library. As far as on Wednesday, they're going to be starting their story time outdoors so people can enjoy the weather. Any questions? what level workout is that is could it go from beginner to like middle or on all of these workouts and in all of the programming the dancing everything like that you will find everywhere from novice to people who really know what they're doing okay sounds like a lot of fun thank you yes thanks looking forward to seeing you tomorrow morning thank you mayor proton you're welcome anybody else have anything

And there's closed session today?

I did receive a request for closed session. Is there a motion to go into closed session to discuss personnel, collective bargaining, land acquisition, or conveyance pending or threatened litigation, after which the meeting will adjourn? So moved.

Second.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Cardenas? Aye. Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hugg? Aye. Councilwoman Ibarra? Aye. Councilman Modren? Aye. Councilwoman Coleman? Aye. Councilwoman Reardon? Aye. Motion carried.