City Council Meeting - Regular Meeting

For the city of Joliet August 31st 2026 at 530 in the council chambers the Honorable Mayor Terry Darcy preside Will we get with roll call Mayor Darcy here Council McCartan is here Councilman Clement here Councilman Hugg here Councilman Ibarra here Councilman Moreno here Councilman Mudron Councilman Coleman here Councilman Reardon here Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items. Is there anyone who would like to speak on an agenda item this evening? Okay, seeing none, next we will review tomorrow night's actionable items.

That means I'm on, right? Yes. Really quickly before I start, and we're going to make more announcements moving forward, but I just want to give Rob Brown a round of applause because he's our new chief. We are getting some details together so we can do an actual pinning ceremony and his family can come and do all that. So that to come. Also, I'd like to point out that Char Boyd is here on behalf of Ann Sylvester tonight. And Char had the main, she was the main point of contact for the parade that went so well this weekend. So I just wanted to acknowledge her. Great things happening. Okay, now on to business. We'll hear from Public Safety and Public Service. Consent agenda.

We'll have approval of the minutes, invoices to be paid.

Council memo 43026, approval of biosolids application spring lease payment to Jackie Stunkel and the amount of $36,600. I think we also have Nick Gornick here from Water and not Allison.

So wave your hand, Nick.

Awesome. Council memo 431 26 award of contract for the Eastside wastewater treatment plant pump replacements project to Aries Inc in the amount of two hundred ninety nine thousand eight hundred and eighty seven dollars Council memo 432 26 a water contract for the southeast Joliet sanitary district water tower well house demolition project a national wrecking company in the amount of $164,000 Yes Yes will be reimbursed by the county.

Mm-hmm

Council memo 43326, approval of amendment number one to the professional services agreement for the water meter asset management program to core and main LP in the amount of $95,000. Council memo 43426, authorization to fund draw 17 for tax increment financing district number seven in the amount of $318,524.90. These are all reimbursements for rock run collection. Agenda items, we'll start. We have quite a number of these that would normally land in consent. Councilman Moreno, you'll need to recuse yourself from like the following ones tomorrow and that are under agenda. We pulled them out for you So council memo 436 26 award of contract for the 2026 MFT resurfacing contract to Austin Tyler and the amount of two million seven hundred sixty nine thousand one hundred and eighty six dollars and thirty cents Council memo 437 26 award of contract for the Des Plaines River Tunnel water main improvement project to Austin Tyler in the amount of five million sixty three thousand three hundred and twenty eight dollars and ninety cents Council memo 438 26 approval of change order number one for the upper bluff water main improvement project to ice Austin Tyler and construction ink for deduction in the amount of five hundred and fifty one thousand nine hundred and ten dollars and forty six cents and pay estimate number seven and final in the amount of eight hundred and sixty nine thousand six hundred eight dollars and thirteen cents Council memo 439 26 approval of change order number two for the Broadway Street Theodore Street to Ruby Street water main improvement project to Austin Tyler construction for a deduction in the amount of one million five hundred sixty one thousand nine hundred fifty four dollars and ninety one cents and pay estimate number eleven and final in the amount of five hundred and eighty four thousand six hundred thirty three dollars and fourteen cents Last one council memo for 4026 approval of change order number two for the North Prairie water main improvement project to Austin Tyler construction for a deduction in the amount of six hundred forty seven thousand one hundred and fifty six dollars and thirty five cents and pay estimate number eight and final in the amount of four hundred and eighteen thousand two hundred seventy dollars and eighty eight cents and Yes.

I want to go back to the very first one under Agenda Items 436. Greg, we spoke about this in public service, and Greg, where did you say on our website we can find the areas that will be resurfaced through this contract?

So probably not until it's awarded, because we're not certain, but there is a construction portion, exactly what the address is, I don't know.

People will be asking us where this is going to happen, so that way they can find it online. Yep. Okay, thank you.

great any other questions on agenda items okay license and permit applications council memo 442 26 issuance of class B liquor license at 35 East Cass Street which is going to be Johnny's bar So are you can you yeah explain to us all these bars moving around what's happening?

Yeah 442-26 and applications for issuance of a class B liquor license at 35 East Cache Street Which will be called Johnny's bar going forward a class B license that the oritizes the sale of alcohol consumptions on the premises this is currently judges bar and Okay it's currently at this location and that will be moving and the landlord is planning opening up a new bar with possible small food menu at this location. The liquor commissioner is recommending approval at this time. 443-26 is an application for license of a Class B liquor license at 508 North Cass Street which will be the new judge's bar. A Class B license authorizes the sale of alcohol for consumption on premises. Judgment is currently operating in 35 East Castle, leaving the new location once approved by the billing department and such. Any questions?

Yes, Mayor. Why is Judges moving from their current place to Chicago?

The landlord owns the building. The landlord's going to be the one that's going to buy the building. That's going to put the bar.

Oh, he's the one doing his own bar. His own bar.

And Judges went around the corner, and he purchased 508 North Cass Street. So that's an old building. He purchased that to put his bar in there.

You're saying Cass Street. Is it Chicago? I'm sorry. Chicago Street.

I apologize.

So I was wondering.

He went around the corner and bought that building. OK. Thank you. I was wondering.

OK. I saw in all the notes here, Johnny, he does not have any experience with this. What other music or entertainment or what is he looking to do other than selling

I'll call I think I'll do it looking at karaoke and things of that nature and stuff like that just maybe a DJ once well But not really he said mostly karaoke and such what he was talking about and then you have to he wanted to have a jukebox as well Yeah, and I understand you don't have experience some you always want to give somebody a shot, right?

Yeah. Yep, and you know through your office in the mayor's office You can control what happens there if there's any issues we can address and what we're talking. We're not a problem at all Okay

I do own the property there. We're the ones that applied the permit for the brand new windows facade brand new front doors back doors so with Johnny's Bar we plan to do the exact same thing

furnish it, make it look 100%. I spent over $150,000 on the building renovating, and probably the same for Johnny's Bar. And when you say zero experience, I mean, yeah, I want to give it a shot. I have a management, people that are in place that have done it, and I don't want to lose the rental income.

Do you have a bar manager, you're saying?

Yeah, yeah. He worked at Tavern on Rushdown Town. Okay. And he lives in the Joliet area now, and we met, and he's planning on running it.

Okay.

Thank you. Is that okay? Yep.

Thank you guys so much. Thank you.

Any other questions?

Moving on to resolutions council memo 449 26 resolution authorizing approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Forest Preserve District of Will County for the fail road over Spring Creek Bridge replacement project 449 26 Oh, I skipped something Sorry Yeah, I sure did sorry I'm flipping back and forth, okay Bigger bigger glasses Ordinances and resolutions so we have ordinances. That's what I skipped apologies to everyone council memo 445 26 ordinance amending chapter 28 adding regulations for municipal use tax of the city of Joliet quote of ordinances and Council member 440 there.

Yes Maybe Kevin

I've got some talking points the ordinance establishes the need for businesses to submit supporting documentation for the periods in which they are responsible for filing municipal taxes the supporting documentation must be in the form of an Illinois Department of Revenue tax return or internal records if no Illinois Department of Revenue return exists the proposed ordinance would become effective January 1st of 2027 this was heard at the Finance Committee a couple of weeks ago and Just requires that when they're you know, whatever they file to the state for their taxes They also submit to us because right now everyone Just self reports Yeah Yeah, that's why it's the same thing we just heard it in finance and now we're bringing it to this meeting yeah Council Member 44626, ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a truck repair facility within an existing maintenance and repair facility located at 608 Railroad Street.

Is the owner here? Are you guys the ones that painted the, I think, is it like a garage on the outside black or one of the buildings out there?

We didn't paint. We changed the garage door because the storm bent on the door and fell itself. So we ordered a new one and we changed it completely.

Okay. I guess I would say I didn't get a chance to look at the actual property on my notes, but just a suggestion down there, if you can add some beautification stuff to the outdoor, I think Route 6 down there, it's a good area. But some of the businesses down there have not taken care of the area, and it looks bad. I know, like, you have a barge that's halfway in the water. You know, it's a nice little route.

Do we try to keep it clean as much? But I think last two months ago, there was a store. And after we clean all the area, it's bring all the mud and everything.

I understand. And plus, they're doing construction there, too. I think some other contract. So just a suggestion. Thank you, sir.

Can I come here? it's more cleaned up than it has ever been in past years like you can tell there have been a lot of improvements over there including the fact i think it's a very well written agreement i don't know who wrote this but there are all kinds of safeguards for the city in this should the property be declared a public nuisance and the special use is for specific period of time if things aren't followed. So I love this. I don't know who wrote this agreement, but it's amazing. There's been no pushback on this at all. None. Just wanted to say that.

All right. Thank you.

Council memo 447 26 ordinance imposing a business district retailers occupation tax a business district service occupation tax and a business district hotel operators occupation tax within the rock run collection business district the city of Joliet Will and Kendall County so I'm gonna let Kevin Singh explain this but this is one of those things where we prepared our documents per state statute and then the state comes back and says no we want you to pass this this and this in addition so we can

So I think it was last meeting or couple meetings ago the council adopted the business district set the boundaries and in the same ordinance we set and imposed the taxes upon filing that ordinance with the Illinois Department of Revenue they came back with and said that we require two different ordinances to be filed with us And so our legal counsel interacted with them and at the end of the day just felt it was just easier to bring another ordinance back to city council just to reaffirm the taxes as a separate ordinance so that we can get that on file ahead of the October 1st deadline. But it's the same taxes, the same ordinance as it pertains to implementing those taxes, same boundaries.

Any other questions?

OK, now where I was before, I jumped way ahead. Resolutions. Council Memo 44926, resolution authorizing approval of an intergovernmental agreement with the Forest Preserve District of Will County for the Fail Road over Spring Creek Bridge Replacement Project. Council memo 450-26, this is a resolution appropriating motor fuel tax funds for the 2026 MFT resurfacing contract B in the amount of $2,769,186.30. I believe, Juan, you will need to recuse yourself from that one as well. yeah of course council memo 451 26 resolution appropriating motor fuel tax funds for right-of-way related expenses for the fail road over Spring Creek bridge improvement project it's a housekeeping item to appropriate appropriate our MFT funds for our right-of-way related expenses. Council Memo 452.26, resolution requesting the partial closure of Route 6 and 30 for the 2026 Joliet Central Homecoming Parade Route. So Joliet Central is hosting its 2026 Homecoming Parade on Saturday, September 19th from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. in downtown Joliet. It will include a parade that requires a partial closure of Route 6 and 30. Any questions?

I do have a question.

now does the west and central do their homecoming together do they each have a separate one i don't know charlie you know oh sorry or oh greg yeah yeah they have both requested uh parade routes so they have two separate parade routes and two separate dates

We were filled in on this after the meeting that the central is doing it on Saturday They would normally do it on Friday, but because of downtown they don't want to be doing any closures on Friday So they're ready to do it on Saturday

Great, thank you.

Yeah, of course council memo 453 26 Resolution approving an intergovernmental police service assistant agreement between the city of Joliet and the county of DuPage on behalf of the DuPage County Sheriff's Office DuPage County Sheriff's Office has requested mutual aid support from public safety agencies throughout the region to assist with law enforcement operations during the September President's Cup golf tournament at Medina Country Club So Joliet police officers will be Helping with that. That's the end of the agenda

Chief Brown, thank you for taking care of that abandoned car, and then can we make contact with the forest preserve over there by Will County Health Department? There's preserves over there. Our street department took a mattress out of there. We had residents, they were calling me about it, and there are people sleeping over there on the trails, so maybe they make their way through there, and that's where they pull the mattress from, so...

What is that the Waubonsie? What is that? The Waubonsie trail that they're dragging furniture and mattresses out there.

Sorry Joe No, no, you're fine with our city took the mattress and we're just if we can Contact them to have them help us out.

So thank you Now that you bring that one up the mattresses hey chief Brown so I JPD patrols Joliet Park districts, like, for example, Inwood, right? Because it's not a forest preserve. It's a park district. Yeah, they got a mattress out there as well. I was there over the... You know, I definitely do believe we should have some patrols through the park. You know, whether we do or not, I was there... sunday sunday and you know i people are we need to get down there we'll talk more about that one but yeah there's a mattress down there it just is making the area look a little a little thank you sir okay next we have um public comments is there anyone who would like to address the council this evening on a non-agenda item

Diane Hacker, 3226 Cairn Court, Joliet. I'm here to talk about ABT. It's a third-party company to install fiber optic for AT&T. They're currently in College Park and Cambridge subdivisions across from JJC. Several months ago, they started working on Hobolt Road. They cut Xfinity lines and were cowards and packed up, left without contacting Xfinity. My 92-year-old mom was without internet for nine hours, unable to call me or 911 as she only uses a landline. I went out at 10 p.m. to talk to Xfinity workers, and that is how I found out that Xfinity was never called. It took Xfinity workers four hours just to find out where the lines were cut. A few days later, NICOR and the fire department were on Longford. I talked to the neighbor, and yes, they hit the gas line. Two weeks ago, they cut power on Longford. Last week they cut the power to my house. I ran out to tell the workers to call ComEd that they had cut my power, and the workers said no, that they had only cut one house. I told them that it was the whole cul-de-sac. Then a lady came running down the street saying that she lived on Longford and that her power was cut again also. Four hours later, when it was time to throw everything out of the refrigerator, I went down to talk to the ComEd repairman. He said this is a constant problem all over Illinois, that these third-party companies cutting lines. This is partly why our ComEd rates increase. Five days ago, they cut Xfinity. And actually, shockingly, I just got another message here that my Xfinity is out that they cut the line again. Is Joliet prepared when they hit the water lines? Joliet will have to do the repair, but who will pay for it? The streetlights on Hobalt have been out for over a month. Did they hit that line? They make a mess. Piles of mud all over from digging. Plenty of huge holes with pipes sticking out and orange fencing. Will they even finish before winter? Doubtful. Why can't they finish one area before going on to the next? But more concerning is that they dig right next to the yellow flags that Julia's place. They're about one foot apart. If they really hit the gas line in the wrong way, there could be an explosion. It's happened in other towns. My suggestion is for you, Mr. Mayor and council to make an immediate law or ordinance that these third party companies must dig one foot deeper than existing current lines already in place. to make sure that they would follow Joliet's new law if they hit a line, find them $10,000 per incident to be paid within 10 days, or they would lose their license to work in Joliet. Joliet could always use more money. I would hope then that you would get weekly updates from ComEd, NICOR, and Xfinity as to repairs in Joliet to see how much is from these companies. These constant outages are avoidable. I hope you will make a fast decision as this company seems to be reckless and hitting vital lines all the time. Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to address the council this evening on a non-agenda item?

Mayor, before we end, can someone get her phone number? Okay, thank you. Can you would you mind staying for a minute? So so I can talk to you. Thank you.

Sorry Okay, there is no request for closed session this evening is there motion to adjourn so moved second all in favor aye opposed meeting adjourned