City Council Meeting - Regular Meeting

Good evening, everybody. This is the City of Joliet Council Meeting with Mayor Terry Darcy presiding. And I am Jan Quillman, Mayor Pro Tem, Councilman Cesar Cardenas, Councilman Joe Clement, Councilman Larry Hug, Councilman Susan Avera, Councilman Juan Moreno, Councilman Pat Mudran, and Councilman Sherry Reardon. The city manager Beth Beatty, and our city clerk Lauren O'Hara, and a cast of others. So tonight, this is Tuesday, 05/19/2026, and we're going to have the invocation today by father Chris Grove, the chaplain for the City of Joliet Fire and Police Departments.

Let us pray. Almighty God, you generously bestow your gifts in abundance. And we are most grateful for all that you continue to do for us and for the many favors you grant. We gather tonight in your name. Enlighten the members of our council so that everything they do may begin with your inspiration and wisdom.

God of wisdom and justice, through you all authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment is decreed. Guide and support our mayor, the members of our city council, our city manager, and our city staff. Give them the strength to know your will so that all decisions may be done with a desire to please you. As we prepare to honor the memory of the members of our Wilkani law enforcement community who have died in the line of duty, and also for the many men and women of our military who have laid down their lives to preserve our precious freedom, give comfort and solace to their families. Keep in your care all who keep us safe in our cities, within our nation, and around the world each day.

Watch over them and protect them with your care. We likewise commend to your care all the residents of our city, that they too may be blessed and sanctified, so that together we may work for the betterment of our community and enjoy the many blessings promised to those who remain faithful to you. For we pray to you our one Lord and God now and forever. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of The

United States Of America and

to the Republic for which it stands,

Okay. We'll begin with roll call. Mayor Darcy? Here. Councilman Cardenas? Here. Councilman Clement? Here. Councilman Hug? Here. Councilwoman Navarro? Here. Councilman Moreno?

Here.

Councilman Mudran. Here. Councilman Muckleman. Here. Councilman Ruddin. Here. If

the council will allow, I'd like to go a little out of order today and bring up our chief of police chief Evans. This will be his last city council meeting here with us in Joliet.

Good evening, members of the council. Mayor Darcy, city manager Beatty, and all of our city leaders. As my time here at the city of Joliet has comes to a close, I wanted to express formally my deepest appreciation

for the

support you have all shown to Joliet Police Department and specifically me as your chief of police. When I arrived here over four years ago, I made two promises to you. I told you that I would put my heart and soul into this position, and the second was that I would leave the place better than I found it. I hope, in your eyes, that I've succeeded in accomplishing these goals. At times, my job was tough.

But in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, and difficulty. But nevertheless, over the last four years, we've accomplished a great deal, including lowering the crime rate, succeeding and successfully addressing a handful of high profile events, and providing the rank and file officers with state of the art technology and viable essential law enforcement equipment. These accomplishments would not, in any way, be possible without your undying support of the men and women at the Joliet Police Department. I do believe that our partnership has made the city of Joliet a better place and definitely a safer place to live. While my retirement will be bittersweet, I am very proud of our collective efforts and hope that we continue to create synergism and a culture moving forward into our future.

Let me tell you this. I was seven years old when I decided that I wanted to be a police officer. And after thirty two years of police work, this has been my most rewarding and gratifying experience. So thank you for contributing to that. If Jeff Carey was a little nicer to me, I probably would have stayed longer.

Lastly, I would like to publicly thank the residents of our city for not only the level of care and support that they have shown the men and women in blue, but for welcoming me into your community. God bless all of you, and thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

Chief oh, sorry. Oh, you're getting a picture. Okay, let's do it. Don't go too far, chief. We've got some special guests here.

So before I speak, and I think the council will want to say a few words as well, I'd like to invite Doctor. Klein Namouo from Joliet Junior College and Chief Brandon Campbell up to speak for the chief.

Thank you, Beth. And welcome to the roast of chief I'm kidding, chief. I'm kidding. Mayor Dorsey and members of the city council and honored guests here today. My name is Cline Namuo, and I proudly serve as the tenth president of Joliet Junior College.

It is an incredible honor to be here with you now to celebrate the remarkable career of chief Evans. And on behalf of Joliet Junior College chief, the entire JJC community, we wanna offer our sincere thanks, congratulations, and gratitude. Now tonight, I'm joined by our chief of police, Brandon Campbell, who has worked closely with chief Evans over these past four years. Now public safety leadership, as you all know, requires strength and compassion and often in equal parts. And chief Evans has demonstrated that time and time again during his time here in Joliet, especially during some of the most difficult moments our community has had to endure during times of tragedy, during times of uncertainty, during times of grief.

Chief Evans has helped lead the Joliet community with compassion, bringing comfort to so many in our community. And one moment stands out for us at JJC during our fourth of July celebration at JJC, which occurred on the same day as the tragic events of the Highland Park parade shooting. As communities across Illinois reacted to rapidly evolving concerns, chief Evans remained in constant communication and coordination with our team at JJC and committed every necessary resource to help ensure the safety of our campus and the community we serve. And that level of calm that level of calm leadership during such a difficult moment speaks volumes about who chief Evans is, both as a professional and as a human being. Chief Evans has also been an exceptional partner to JJC in many other ways, whether supporting high profile campus events through advanced drone operations or advanced situational awareness or just collaborating through our overnight patrol partnership after 2AM.

Joliet Police Department has consistently demonstrated what true partnership looks like. Those relationships have been built on trust. They've been built on mutual respect. And chief, you have been central to that success. Beyond being highly respected professionally, chief Evans is a deeply valued personally by those who have had the privilege to work alongside him.

His leadership has always reflected not only strength and decisiveness, but also generosity, humility, and genuine care for the people he serves. And chief, your impact on this community will be long lasting. You have served Joliet with honor and integrity. You've strengthened partnerships across the region, and you've helped keep our communities safe and secure. On behalf of all of us at JJC, thank you for your leadership.

Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your extraordinary commitment to the community you serve. We wish you well in the next chapter. The roast will have to wait. Chief, congratulations.

I'll get it kicked off for the council up here. I made a few comments because I know it made me cry if I didn't. Chief, you've been more than just the leader for the department. You've been a trusted colleague, a steady voice, and someone who genuinely cares about this community and the people who serve it. I see it firsthand. I see it on the days that are really tough. We've been through a lot together. But through it all, the time, energy, and heart you've put into this job have not gone unnoticed by me or this council. Public safety is never an easy job. But your steady presence and dedication have such an impact on this city.

To say I'll miss you is an understatement. Thank you for your professionalism and everything you have done for Joliet. I'm excited for you to enjoy your well deserved retirement. But I'm never going to lose your phone number. Thank you for everything you've done for our citizens and keeping them safe. I will ever be grateful for the time that we were able to serve together. I'll hand it over to the council. Mayor, you can decide who goes first.

Well, Cline said almost everything I was going to say. You know, chief, you have been a steady force for the community. You came in at a time when we needed someone to put everything back together, and you did a wonderful job. And I've never seen a community love a police chief like they love you. So we love you. We thank you. And we appreciate you. And wish you well in the future. Thank you.

Chief, thank you for everything you've done. It's obvious by the love and respect you have from your men and women that work with you that you have been just an outstanding chief, an outstanding human being, and led them in a way that they can understand that they feel valued through your eyes and through the whole city's eyes. I wish you the best in your retirement. Thirty nine years? I can't thirty two. Congratulations. And I hope you have a wonderful retirement. Long live the chief. Well,

a short little story here. Chief came from Beverly, which is a very high priced home area in Chicago. And that was on the West Side. And I grew up on the East Side called Rosen, or formerly West Pullman. So when he first came here and I met him, and I said, oh, how do you do? Where are you from? And he says, I'm from Beverly. And I said, oh, Beverly. And he knew exactly what I meant. He laughed right away, and so did I. And from that point on, we were the best of friends. He was a wonderful chief. You could call him for anything. He'd get the answer for you immediately, not say, well, why? I can't do it.

I'm busy. You can call so and so. No, he took care of it. If you called him, he took care of it. And the people in our community, our citizens, actually love him. I've never heard anything bad about our Chief Evans, because they all love him. He's always got that big happy smile, and he did a great job. And if you look at the statistics, crime has gone way down. So I'm sorry to see him go, but I'm sure I'll be calling him up every once in a while just so I can get that Beverly in again. So good luck to you.

I will terribly miss you, but we'll be calling you so we can have fun again with Beth and everybody else. And just to say good luck to you. I don't know what your future endeavors are, but I'm sure whatever they will be, you will exceed at those. So happy to have known you. My life wouldn't be as good as it is. You just added to one more thing that I have in my life to be thankful for, a great chief to work for. And the citizens I know are happy with you as well. And I can say that because they call me all the time. So with that, thank you, thank you, thank you for all you've done. Be well and stay safe. See you soon. Thank you.

Chief, like everybody here, I wanna thank you for what you've done. We appreciate it. I wanna wish you all the luck in the world for your new venture, that may or may not be. And as you may not want to admit, your knowledge of the Catholic Football League in Chicago is not as good as you think it is.

Chief Evans, I got to work with you for about a year, as long as I've been a council member, and it's been nothing but great. You've whenever I had a problem with the resident and the resident needed help, you're at a moment's notice, you help, and that goes a long way for myself and for the Joliet residents. You're a great guy. You're a great leader for all the men and women in in the police force, And thank you for all you've done. Thank you for your service. And you've been a cop longer than I've been alive.

Oh, that's a good one.

Turn his mic off. And

if you No, you don't look old though.

You look good, so And

I know you're a boxer and if you decide to start teaching boxing, let me know. So,

thank you

for all your service and thank you.

You are everything that I would have imagined. If I could wave a magic wand, you're everything I would have imagined Chief to be and more. You care so much about the city of Joliet. You helped us improve so many things, including protecting the waterway. So many things under your leadership have gotten so much better.

And I'm not I was never really that worried about a city like this with you in charge because I know this city is militarized and ready to go. If we're ready, for any disaster that could possibly happen under you so you have some very big shoes to fill. And I know we are going to miss you tremendously. You're just literally everything that we would have wanted. So we are gonna miss you so much. Thank you very much for your dedicated service. Thank you.

Chief, I know you're sitting back there silently. I will defend Beverly against the the councilwoman. Alright? You're in good company. I believe that's where George went, otherwise known as the guy who played Norma in chairs, was born and raised. Am I correct?

So,

you know, I didn't know what an Evans was when I first heard about you four years ago from the staff, and we're gonna hire a new guy. He's really good. I gotta say I liked you from the very moment I and respected you from the very moment I met you. You've done a tremendous job. However, since you've announced that you're gonna be retiring, every time I see you, I ask you a question, don't I? I'm gonna ask you one last time. What do we need to do to keep you here another five years? Come on. You're you're on the spot. No. What you know what? You are the consummate professional. You've done a tremendous job. And and talking to your troops, man, they love you. And that doesn't come easy in a position of of leadership and authority.

So you're gonna be missed. You've left it you have left this house in a better order than you found it. You have. Congratulations on your retirement.

Chief Evans, you know, years ago, I heard your name as a candidate. So, of course, I did a little investigation work. I had to talk to Raher from Cook County and Mike Matthews and a few of the other people there at Excel. And they said nothing nothing but great things about you. And it was so good to hear. You you did a great job here. Every time I made a phone call we had an issue you would take care of and I appreciate everything you did for the citizens as you all have. Everything you did for me and we're gonna miss you. You did a great job and we'll talk to you soon.

Chief, yeah thank you for all your work and service. Working with you closely in our most recent parade for the Mexican Independence Day Parade was one of our experiences that I had with you personally trying to make sure that everyone felt secure and everyone felt safe being at this parade especially with everything that was going on in our communities at the time. I think you've always made it a point to make sure that our entire city of Joliet feels safe at every corner of our city and that was a prime example. Right now and today in social media everything gets out there and there was a social media post that probably had over 600 comments about how everybody enjoyed the parade, felt safe at the parade, families were out there. So just thank you for considering the entire city and making sure everyone felt safe in the city of Joliet thank you for your service.

Okay. Now we will have a presentation for the annual updates on historic preservation activities, projects and initiatives presented by Jane Bernhardt, Planning Director.

All right. Good evening. That's a tough act to follow. My name is Jane Bernhardt, and I am the planning director for the city of Joliet, and I also serve as the staff liaison to the city's historic preservation commission. And I'm here tonight to provide an update on major initiatives that staff and the city's historic preservation commission are working on to promote our city's heritage and recognize our meaningful places.

I know we have several preservation commission members in the room tonight, so thank you for joining us. And my attendance here also coincides with May being National Historic Preservation Month. And also on the agenda tonight is the acceptance of the 2025 annual report for the Historic Preservation Commission and three proclamations bestowing the historic preservation awards. I want to start this presentation with a quick overview of historic preservation as a function of local government here in Joliet. The City Council in 1990 determined it necessary to preserve buildings, structures, and sites of historical and architectural significance, noting that these buildings, structures, and sites are important cultural, educational, and economic assets of the City Of Joliet, and the character of the neighborhoods in which they are located should not be lost through inappropriate expansion, alteration, or change of use or appearance.

The 1990 Historic Preservation Ordinance established procedures and regulations for the designation of local landmarks and historic districts and authorized the creation of the Historic Preservation Commission. And here on the screen is the Joseph Campbell House on Nicholson Street, and then the Jacob Henry Mansion was on the previous slide on Eastern Avenue. And these are two of the earliest designations that the city approved under the Historic Preservation Ordinance. The Romanesque revival style church here at 212 Richard Street is now home to the Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church, and this is one of our most recent designations. We have a total of 117 designated historic properties ranging in architectural styles from the stately Romanesque revival style church to the bungalow here at 410 Whitney Avenue.

Joliet also has nine buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and there are four National Register Historic Districts. The National Register of Historic Places is the official federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. And then I also want to make everyone aware that we have two national scenic byways that cross through Historic Lincolns Highway and Historic Route 66. The 1990 ordinance also established policies and procedures to ensure that the historic integrity of designated properties are being protected. Staff and the Preservation Commission for certain cases reviews certificates of appropriateness applications, which are essentially pre building permits.

And this is to ensure that the work that is being proposed is appropriate. The Commission conducted zero reviews in 2025 have conducted zero reviews to date in 2026. Staff, however, have conducted 15 administrative reviews in 2025 and then three reviews and approvals so far in 2026, including this project at 600 Western Avenue, which is for a new side and rear porch. And now I wanna highlight the major projects that city staff and the commission have been overseeing over the last year. And before I do this, I wanna point out that the city of Joliet, by having a qualified historic preservation commission and effective historic preservation ordinance and a system for the survey and inventory of local historic resources has been certified by the state of Illinois as a certified local government, also in our world called a CLG, which makes the city eligible for state and federal preservation related grant funding opportunities.

The city received a CLG grant in 2024 to fund a study that documents the history and culture of the Joliet area black community. We also received another CLG grant in 2025 to conduct oral histories in conjunction with this project. And I'm happy to report that we are in the final stages of this project with a draft report currently under review. And last year included community interview events, outreach, and oral history development. Through the Interstate 80 Des Plaines River Bridge Community Plan project, we also managed the collection of oral histories in 2025, focusing on places, people, or events that are important to understanding the history and culture of the community surrounding the I-eighty Bridge over the Des Plaines River.

The Joliet comprehensive plan. This kicked off in the summer of twenty twenty five, and there is a plan emphasis on neighborhood identity, historic preservation, and cultural celebration. Joliet's greatest strength is its people. And across every neighborhood, residents share pride in the city's history, diversity, and creative spirit. On January 21 year, we held the Arts, Culture, and Heritage Workshop right here in the City Council Chambers, which focused on four areas related to arts, culture, and heritage.

This was our highest attended workshop with over 50 people attending for our thematic workshops. I want to note why is everyone staring off into their phones on the screen, the image up here. So we used this online engagement tool called Mentimeter, which was allowing us as staff and the committee to ask questions to the attendees, and they were able to input their responses anonymously. And we, as staff and committee, the were able to collect their input in real time so that their information was appearing on the screen and everyone could see it. So that was an efficient and anonymous way to collect information.

Then the last few years and into the present, staff from almost all city departments over there as well as our community partners have been planning and executing projects to celebrate the one hundredth year anniversary of Route sixty six, in poising the city to welcome visitors from all over the world. Another initiative that we have been doing every May is our Places Matter Facebook campaign, which occurs daily, and this highlights how our diverse, distinctive, and historic buildings, structures, and neighborhoods play an important role in our overall efforts to maintain an interesting, vibrant, and authentic city. And then I want to close by mentioning that there is a variety of information available on the Historic Preservation webpage on the city's website, such as the National Register nominations and survey reports like the St. John's Neighborhood Historic Resource Survey. There is an interactive historic resources database that uses a GIS viewer.

Our historic residential and commercial guidelines manual, and there is information on how to navigate the building permit process for designated historic properties. Thank you for allowing me to share staff's and the Commission's enthusiasm for our meaningful historic places in Joliet as we celebrate National Historic Preservation Month. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Nice job, Jane.

Thank Jane.

Thank you. Very nice.

Okay. Under mayor, we have three proclamations. First is a proclamation presenting the owners of 408 Whitney Avenue, the twenty first Annual Joliet Historic Preservation Award presented by Councilwoman Quillman.

City of Joliet proclamation from the mayor's office. Whereas in celebration of historic preservation month, the city of Joliet wishes to recognize the owners of 408 Whitney Avenue for the restoration and repair of the exterior and interior after a major fire damage. The circa 1891 house at 408 Whitney, which was the house of downtown businessman Aaron Vance, features distinguishing characteristics of the free classic Queen Anne and craftsman styles with its asymmetrical shape, pedimented front gable with decorative shingles, paired windows, and craftsman styled porch. Whereas in April 2023, the house suffered extensive fire damage to the upper level, causing the owners to vacate the house for over two years. The owners took their time because they wanted to restore the house.

They wanted to ensure that its distinct features, such as the cedar shakes and the front gable, were reinstated. With the work finished, the 135 year old home looks just as it did before the fire and maintains its historic integrity. Now therefore, I, Terry Darcy, mayor of the City of Joliet, Illinois, on behalf of the Joliet City Council and the Historic Preservation Commission, extend our most sincere appreciation to the owners of 408 Whitney Avenue as we present the twenty first annual Joliet Historic Preservation Award, Date, 05/19/2026, and it's signed by Terry Darcy, our mayor of City Of Joliet. So I know how it is to rehab an old house, especially after there's a fire. So congratulations preserving these old gems.

Because if it wasn't for people today that take these apart and try to bring them back to original splendor, we would lose all of this historic beautification and people like you and like me and the rest that belong to the historic preservation. We love our city, and we love our old homes. So congratulations, and please say something, and then we'll

take a picture after. Yeah.

Thank you very much. Good evening, mayor. Council members, historic preservation committee. Thank you very much for this award. I know it's a tough picking one home out of all these beautiful homes in the area. It has been fun yet challenging for me and my wife to work at our 135 year old home. The Arity Vance House was built in 1881. It has a lot of history, and we're happy we're happy taking on this project. We're happy doing our part in making the Cathedral area and the city of Joliet a beautiful place to live. Thank you very much again.

Next

is a proclamation presenting the George Warden Buck Boys and Girls Club at 226 East Clinton Street, the twenty first Annual Joliet Historic Preservation Award presented by Councilman Cardenas.

Alright. Proclamation. Whereas in celebration of historic preservation month, the city of Joliet wishes to recognize the Jordan Warden Boys and Girls Club for the repair and preservation of the decorative brick details on their facility at 2226 East Clinton Street. And whereas the brick and limestone Byzantine revival style building at 226 East Clinton Street was completed in 1928 as a new synagogue for the Joliet Jewish Federation and is embellished with geometric brick relief work. And whereas the Boys and Girls Club moved into the building in 1965, thirteen years after the club's founding in Joliet and has remained a committed partner within the area of the city providing educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities to over 1,200 children between the ages of six and 18 years old in Joliet.

And whereas the Boys and Girls Club proactively took measures to preserve the intricate brick details of the north facade while it was being rebuilt, ensuring these details were reinstated. Now, therefore, I, Terry Darcy, mayor of the city of Joliet, Illinois, on behalf of the Joliet City Council and the Joliet Historic Preservation Commission, extend our most sincere appreciation to the Jordan Warden Buck Boys and Girls Club as we present the twenty first annual Joliet Historic Preservation Award. Today, 05/19/2026 signed by mayor Terry Darcy. Thank you.

Mayor, city council, thank you very much for this. It was kind of a surprise for us. This is Chantelle Danboa. She's our new executive director. She's been there for about two years. I've been on the board for about twenty I don't know, I forget past president, current treasurer, and typically in charge of all the building repairs.

It's a

it's an old building, but not a 137 years old. But it is almost a 100 years old. It's a big old building, but it's ours. And we have no plans on moving. So last fall, we decided to move forward with our tuck pointing program, something that we knew had to be addressed probably ten years ago but didn't have the money to do it. Unfortunately, it started out on a bad note. And that was that this wall was falling down. And they highly recommended that we make the repair prior to the winter. And somehow, we did that. We found the money.

And if you look at the picture, you can see the five arches and then the new brick above it. All of that had to be tared down to that level and then restored. We did that in three months. When it came time to do the restoration, there was quite a bit of debate whether we restored the marches or not because it was a cost adder. And the whole project was over a $100,000, a lot of money for the boys and girls club.

Anyway, we decided to move forward, we're glad we did. I'd like to give special thanks to Rich Birdie. He's kind of our construction mentor. He got P and J Masonry involved. Their low bid was significantly lower than the next qualified bidder.

They did the work on time, safely, and we were done before the winter started. Adler Roofing for the repairs they did at no cost, and the Buck Brickyard for somehow finding brick that matches. That's really all I have. I would like to add that we are in the process of upgrading the the pool window wall that faces Joliet Central. It's kind of been an eyesore if you're familiar with what it looks like. It'll be very nice when it's done. Thank you again. Thank you.

Last is a proclamation presenting the Saint Joseph Roman Catholic Church at 416 North Chicago Street, the 21st Annual Joliet Historic Preservation Award presented by Councilman Mudran.

Welcome, everyone. Proclamation. Whereas in celebration of the historic preservation month, the city of Joaoye wishes to recognize Saint Joseph's Roman Catholic Church for its work to enhance, highlight, and distinct architect featuring the historic Saint Joe's Church at 04:16 North Chicago Street with specialty lighting. And whereas Saint Joe's Roman Catholic Church has established was established, excuse me, in 1891 to serve the city's growing Slovenian community, and whereas the Romanistic revival style church was completed in nineteen o five parish grew its original building and has been a dis a distinct visual feature of the community with its repaired Romanistic ravine style, steeping that raise the height to 156 feet, a massive stained glass rose window. And whereas the St.

Joe's parishioners continue to take great pride in their district and unique church and have funded the lighting project out of personal donations. Now here for I, Terry Darcy, mayor of the city of Joliet, and on behalf of the Joliet City Council and the Joliet Historic Historic Preservation Commission, extend our most sincere appreciation to St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church as we present the twenty first Annual Joliet Historic Presentation Award, dated here today, May 19, signed Terry Darcy Mayor of the City Of Joliet.

Mr. Mayor City Council thank you for this award and the historical commission for nominating us. The idea for illuminating the church originally started about ten years ago when we were gonna celebrate our hundred and twenty fifth anniversary. However, the technology wasn't there to do it at the time. And so with the hundred and thirty fifth anniversary of the parish coming up, I got in touch with Accent Lighting and Dave Sloan and told him, you know, what I would like to do and to highlight the architectural detail of the building, and you can see the results.

And so they did a wonderful job. I wanna thank them. I wanna thank the parishioners of the parish too because they were behind this, and it just turned out better than I even thought. Thank you.

Next is the approval of the agenda. Is there a motion to approve the agenda as written with the following change? Remove council memo number two seventy eight dash 26, ordinance proposing the creation of a business district in the city of Joliet, Will And Kendall Counties, Illinois, and fixing the date and time for a public hearing in connection with the same Rock Run Collection business district.

So moved. Second.

It's been motioned seconded to approve. Councilman Cardenas?

Aye. Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye. Councilman Navarro?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno. Aye. Councilman Mudran. Aye. Councilman Quoman. Aye. Councilman Reardon. Aye. Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items. I don't have anybody signed up. So if you would like to speak on an agenda item, this is the time.

Good evening, mayor city council. Nate Washburn, 111 North Ottawa community with KGG LLC. I represent the petitioner Ron Schelling on council item two seventy two dash 26. This is the Drowden Road storage facility. Mister Schelling couldn't be here today.

He's got some health issues that precluded him from being here, but he asked that I step up and address the council. Certainly, as councilman Hug pointed out, this has been before the council before. And the question that was posed was what has changed about the development? Well, my client has worked diligently over the intervening two and a half or so years to try to find alternative users for the site. And as none have presented themselves, you know, the requests continue to develop this for a storage facility.

As there's two of these on the agenda for this evening, apparently, there is still a need for additional storage facilities as people keep buying things and need a place to put them as houses aren't automatically getting larger. But certainly additionally beyond that my client has you know worked collaboratively with local labor to try to make sure that this is a top tier project. Another question that was brought up was what are the materials in the staff reports and packages before. This would comply with all of Joliet's nonresidential design standards, which is predominantly brick and or masonry material, though the exact color and mix of that is to be determined. Certainly, there are other questions, I'd be happy to field them to the best of my ability, but we hope for your support tonight and believe this is a good project for the community.

Any questions? Thank you. Thank you.

Is

there anyone else who would like to speak on an agenda item this evening? Okay, seeing none, under appointments. Oh, there is somebody. Is there somebody that would like to speak on an agenda item? If you would like to, you can come up to the podium.

On on the board? Yeah. For the tattoo

Yes. Yes.

My name is George Zabala. I'm the owner of Lifestyle Inc. Been in the community for almost fifty years. Been tattooing for twenty seven years.

I heard I heard

about this yesterday, so I'm not really prepared and prepared, but I'm trying to go against okaying that permit for the the special permit for the tattoo place on 81 North Chicago Street. I feel like it's not gonna be

a

great thing to do because the person who was trying to do it has not been a tattoo artist in a shop. So being in a tattoo shop for twenty seven years, knowing the regulations and what Joliet has told us we had to be doing and to open this permit up to allow someone that hasn't put in the time and effort to know how to not just tattoo. It's not that what I'm talking about. I'm I'm talking about bio waste, regular waste, permits. I mean, there's so much stuff going into tattooing.

It's Instead of just getting a permit and then doing it privately. Like, I read his stuff online. For me, it's like, I'm not going anything against the kid. Like, I think he could do be good doing something, but not within within the the Joliet downtown area. He's not experienced enough to do this.

I'm afraid that minors are gonna get tattooed because no one's watching him. It's in a facility where he he's been tattooing out of and I I noticed for a fact, because I busted before and told him about this, out of nail salons, barber shops. You can't he's been lying the whole time. So now you guys are gonna I mean, hopefully, you guys don't permit this to happen because he has never worked in the tattoo shop. The tattoo shop that I thought he had worked in, I had called the owner.

I've been an owner for four years now, but I've been tattooing Joliet for twenty seven years. I know a lot of artists, a lot of owners of shops. He has not put in his time to know exactly how to run a clean, sanitized shop because he's been working in these places, nail salons, barber shops. What happened to the needles? Needles have to be regulated and sent into a bio biohazard box and sent off, and you get a receipt for that.

I do it every month. Same thing with sanitizing. Same thing with with autoclaves, sport testing. All this stuff has to be regulated. So, like, we have the the health department come out to our shop every year. We know her very well. She checks everything out. Everything's up to par. MSD sheets for everything that's in his shop. Does he have that?

I mean, there's a lot that goes into this, and he hasn't been in the shop to know what it takes to become a shop owner or a studio owner. So for me, as being a tattoo artist in Joliet for twenty seven years, it's kind of and it's not just me telling this. I was supposed to have a lot of people come here, they're all working right now. Today was my day off so it was me to bite the bullet to come here. But the thing is, I say this because I respect tattooing.

I respect Joliet. Spent my home forever. So, like, to see this happen and in downtown where everyone's, you know, making it a beautiful place again, I I don't I don't really recommend that permit to go through. I mean, that's my opinion. It's an opinion of a lot of shop owners that would have been here if it wasn't working. I called them all today. They're all tattooing right now. So on my behalf, George Zavala, I've been in this community for almost fifty years tattooing twenty seven years. It's nothing against the kid. If he wants to go on the outskirts like we all have to do, well, I have no problem with that. If he's trying to go into the center of downtown, I don't feel like that's fair to any of us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak on an agenda item this evening?

My name is Joseph Spilley. I'm the petitioner of what will be the private tattoo studio located at 81 North Chicago Street. I've never had the pleasure of meeting George before. He actually works at a shop where I got my first tattoo. He owns the shop. It used to be another shop. And at the same shop, my dad got his complete full body of work done. I think I know the general worry. I'm not going to be advertising as a walk in shop. All of my MSD sheets are clear.

My spore testing is available for you guys to be seen. I've actually been inspected by the health department twice before and after renovation and passed both of both of those times. I have a proof of both of those here today. I did a traditional apprenticeship at Tattoo City in Lockport. And then it came to an election time where there was fundamental differences in the room.

So I decided to opt out and kind of pursue a private studio that allowed my clients to come into a judgmental free zone where politics wasn't a topic of discussion. I have a lot of respect for tattooing as well. For anybody who's been doing it longer than I've been able to walk, I've expressed to George. I've expressed to the woman who's done my dad's tattoos that works at the same shop. I'm not here to impose.

I'm not here to replace anybody. If George is a doctor, I'm only a dentist. And in that way, I'm only working on teeth. And I could understand how the medical field can be kind of general and that someone can be worried about that. But I actually send a lot of clients towards his shop because there's a whole section of tattoos that I don't participate in. I only do one style of tattooing. It's extremely niche, and it's for a crowd that comes to me specifically. I understand the worries, every proof, and I've done a lot of studying. It didn't require me to be in a shop for a lot of years because I didn't have a lot of years to spend on this mastery. I had to take it rather quickly.

And like I said, I didn't want to offend any of the other shops in the area. I'm not trying to replace or take any of the other clients. My clients are set in stone for just about the next four months. So this isn't something that I want to use to offend or do anything like that. That's all.

I wasn't gonna get up and I wasn't gonna get up and say anything, but this thing on this Breen Road here for the annexation I mean, vacation of the part of Green Road here for that North Point thing, I don't think, you know, you should have to keep on taking away public roads, you know, roads that people live on and make it inconvenienced for them to have to go way around to get back to their home. You know, there's people that live right there off of 53 on Green Road there. And what they wanna do then, they vacate that. They make them go maybe all the way down Arsenal Road, have to come way back full circle to try to get back to their homes instead of being able to just get around 53 and get right there at home. You know, you these big corporations come in here.

They got their plans and everything. You know, did you look at how many you know, where the roads are and where you wanna build your stuff at? I think you should have looked before and stopped trying all of sudden. Now you think you wanna start taking away public roads to people. Because I remember when Joliet said, you had Joliet bake let CenterPoint come to you guys and have you guys vacate Patterson Patterson Road for us all the way out to out to Brandon Road.

Needless to say, the frustration of being stuck in the truck traffic on Lairway Road trying to get the Brandon Road to get to town here was a big hassle, big headaches. But that's what you do when you vacate public roads there that people live on, and it's their way of getting in and out conveniently. And I don't think so. You know, you got all that land you bought, put your inner and exit to your bridges on your own property that you bought. Don't be taking public roads to do it. Put it on your own road because why? You might have to make a smaller warehouse somewhere on your land? Well, too bad. You shouldn't have to take away public roads for people.

Is there anyone else who would like to speak on an agenda item this evening? Okay, none, under appointments. The mayor is recommending Robert D Casey be appointed to the historic preservation commission replacing Kevin Heinemann is there a motion to approve

so move second

It's been motion seconded to approve. Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug. Aye. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Bueno. Aye. Councilman Mudran. Aye. Councilman McCorman. Aye. Councilman Rewarden. Aye. Councilman Cardenas. Aye. Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. The mayor is recommending Elaine Bottomley, Katie Gullis, Kelly Rottertonelli, and Gail Gullick be reappointed to the Joliet Public Library Board. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved. Second.

Any comments, questions? Thank you.

It's been motioned and seconded to approve. Councilman Hug? Aye. Councilwoman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilwoman Quoman? Aye. Councilman Reuden? Aye. Councilman Cardenas?

Aye. Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. The mayor is recommending John Gemontis be reappointed to the Committee on Citizens with Disabilities. Is there a motion to approve?

So moved. Second.

Any comments?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve. Councilwoman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Marino? Aye. Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilwoman Quillman? Aye. Councilman Meriden? Aye. Councilman Cardenas?

Aye. Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. The mayor is recommending Karen Fonte and Jim Tustin be reappointed to the Tree Advisory Board. Is there a motion to approve? So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions? Thank you.

It's been motioned seconded to approve. Councilman Breno. Aye. Councilman Mudrin. Aye. Councilwoman Clement. Aye. Councilman Rairdon. Aye. Councilman Cardenas. Aye. Councilman Clement.

Aye. Councilman Hug.

Aye. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Sorry. Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Next are council committee reports. We'll start with communication technology and information systems.

CTIS committee met 05/06/2026, in the Executive Conference Room. On the committee and in attendance were council members Cardenas, Moreno, and me, along with the city staff. We had five agenda items. Our first item, five year contract with VideoTech of Genentech for $83,872 Videotek supports our video management, access control, and physical security operations across our facilities. The multiyear contract saved us $36,488 Second, contract with CDWG for a Nutanix cloud infrastructure subscription, licensing and hardware support renewal in the amount of $101,687.68 Nutanix maintains a reliable, secure, and fully supported operation of our core server infrastructure.

Our third item, renewal of VMware licensing for $66,014.08 The city relies on VMware to operate over 80 virtual servers which support the IT environment and maintains reliable, efficient, and flexible systems for staff and city operations. Four, a three year renewal to Evolve Project Docs Premium Bundle for $129,210 upgrading to the Evolve Project Docs Premium Bundle strengthens the city's development review operations by adding GIS integration, mobile field tools, expanding analytics, and data warehouse connectivity. These support more efficient inspections, greater reviewer productivity, improved insight into workload and performance trends. And finally, the fifth was contract with Forte for the Joliet City Square requirements for installing the initial audiovideo security, lighting, and related infrastructure needed to operate the various AV systems. This sets the stage for future infrastructure, such as a video wall and other AV expansions.

The system is controlled and monitored remotely by the city. The cost is $554,742 for which $225,000 is a heritage corridor grant. And the remainder is in our capital budget for this project. I want to just say thank you to Jeff Pra for your assistance with this project. I don't know if he's here tonight. All the items were voted on and approved to be brought to the full council with our recommendation. Anything else?

Thank you.

No. Okay.

Thank you. Diversity and Community Relations.

Thank you. The Diversity and Community Relations Committee met on Thursday, May 14 at 04:30 in Council Chambers. In attendance were councilman Clement, councilman Moreno, and myself along with the community development director, Dustin Anderson, cultural affairs and special events director, Ann Sylvester, special events manager, Charlene Boyd, and CBDG program manager, Bridget Rohr. We approved the minutes from 09/11/2025 meeting. There were two items under new or old business, not for final action or recommendation.

First was an update regarding the Black Joy Parade special events manager, Charlene Boyd, provided an overview of the Black Joy Parade taking place on Saturday, August 29, including the parade route, a city square community celebration following the parade, event organizers, history of the parade, parade timeline, and the five parade committees. Secondly, Bridget Rohr provided an overview of the community development block grant, CBDG program, including the 2025 through 2029 consolidated plan approved in 2025 by city council, which included eligibility criteria, project categories, twenty twenty six HUD allocation totals, the application process, the number of applications received for 2026, evaluation criteria, requesting input for the committee for the senior snow removal program and the owner occupied minor home repair program. There was also a proposal to set a date for the next meeting, which will be held on May 28 at 04:30 in Council Chambers.

Councilwoman Reardon and Councilman Hug and myself. It was a relatively short meeting. We had an ordinance for the Rock Run Business District that has taken off the agenda for this meeting. Monthly financial statements, the general fund revenues are coming in as expected. The sewer and water fund revenues are trending on budget also.

The parking fund revenue expenses are trending according to budget. We had to report from the museum their quarterly report. This would be January through March. The museum had seventeen sixty one visitors. Notable attendance was seven eighteen at the prison, three twenty three at the museum, the museum's welcome center, three twelve at concerts, and two fifty four via field trips.

Visitors came from 27 different states and 15 countries. We also got the beginning of the presentation for the '27 budget. The finance department will be formally launching the twenty twenty seven fiscal year budget season. Our goal is to have the budget ready for adoption in early October. Sherry? That'd be my report. Thank you.

And finally, we have public service.

And finally alright. Public service. Thank you. Public service committee met here yesterday, 05/18/2026 in the council chambers. Present and on the committee is councilwoman Meriden, councilman Mudrin, and myself. And a short agenda only for contract items. One is the 2026 streetlight assembly painting project for 84,300 with a contract to be awarded, if approved, to Cosgrove Construction Incorporated. So people watching, all the the vast majority of streetlights in Joliet are not owned by Joliet, owned by ComEd. So if you see the typical ones, there's not too many wood ones left. Most of them are that concrete poles.

That's not ours. This is and it's a relatively low number. These are the decorative ones that we actually own. A lot of them are downtown in some of the historic areas, like along, I believe, Rainier Avenue. We have some of them too. These are actually, I think, copywritten. You know, we we have a trademark on them just for ours. So they they have to be repainted every every so often so they don't rust out. Then we also looked at a contract, you know, a yearly contract for pavement marking program for $307,000 that should be awarded to America's Parking Remarketing. I like that name.

America's Parking Remarketing LLC. And we also looked at the the purchase of traffic barriers, Meridian Rapid Defense Group Sales LLC. That'd be about a $126,000. Visa will be utilized for events specifically downtown on the plaza as well as our Christmas parades or other things that we have going on that could be used at I think somebody mentioned the Mexican Independence Day parade. You know, they'll be used. These are basically they're commonly referred to as anti terrorist blocks or or what would you call? Barriers. I'm sorry. Anti terrorism. So right now, we've gone to where we rent them when we have events.

And I think it's the city intention in the long haul to be less expensive to actually own them. And I think we'll probably end up adding more as the air goes on, but we've gotta work within the budget. So the unique thing about this too is actually we don't want anything to happen, but more and more things have happened nationwide at parades. You know, we've already it was mentioned tonight today when they were honoring the chief about the fourth of July thing. So these are approved by the federal government to the point that the federal government, if they were to fail, indemnifies the city from any liability.

So that's kind of an interesting thing. So we looked at that. Then we looked at approval of a professional service agreement with Strand Associates Incorporated, the International Code Council, and HR Green for an on call development review for the Rock Run collection development. That will be in the consent agenda today. We have looked into it and talked about it. Now, using outside engineers is not unique or uncommon now. Would like, if you don't mind, Dustin, you can explain so we understand why we need to, on this project and let me know if it's only this project, because it's not a new policy, right? Why we need to use outside, if you will, inspectors instead of the staff?

I think there's a number of answers for that question, Counselor Hug. First, I want to say that the staff that we have is highly technically proficient. This isn't to replace the work that our employees do. But it is to be a force multiplier. The Rock Run Collection project, as you remember from the last council meeting, has some very aggressive timelines that are tied to financial incentives that the city and the developer will share in the enjoyment of. So with that aggressive schedule and the volume of work, it is necessary to have additional hands on deck to accommodate that additional volume.

So this isn't a new policy within the department. This is specifically for this, if you will, mega project?

Yes, sir.

Okay. And actually, the final determination, approval or not, or inspection, is still done by our professional staff. The final inspection of any building project.

Certainly, yes. The last person to look at that and give its benediction will be a City of Joliet employee.

Okay. Because what what these companies would now, the ICC to explain it, that is actually the International Association that kinda is the the mothership for inspectors. It sets the standards or recommended standards for for building inspections and and building codes. And if you're a wise city, and we are, all of your inspectors need to be certified by that organization. Correct?

I'd be happy to give you a list of the certifications that our employees have earned. I don't want to misrepresent any technical certifications. Yes, But a comprehensive understanding and knowledge of the International Code Council is necessary.

Okay. So this is just a one and done kind of thing because of the size of the project, is my understanding?

Yes.

And you said the aggressive timeline deadlines that they have between in this case Dick's Sporting Goods, the developer Cullen and other slated

tenants.

So it's not something that's not something that's a new policy at all.

Absolutely not.

Okay. So and and we have a fair, I guess, then that we can't fall behind on some of the deadlines. So we're not saying with a 100% certainty that our staff couldn't do it. But because of the volume of work you're saying, that would be a risk and we can't take that risk. We need to back it up with this.

I'm sorry. Someone coughed. Didn't hear your entire question.

What you're saying is, we can't say for sure that staff wouldn't handle it. But it would be a risk. And the risk would be detrimental to the timelines if the risk were to come true.

I think there is a clear and present risk to have the city be partially responsible for a faltered deadline if we were to assume all this work in house. I think that is a fair thing to say. And just as an additional note, when we review plans for all the people who submit plans for construction who want to invest in our community, both residential owner occupied businesses staying, businesses coming. We review those as a first come, first serve. We don't really have a policy where someone can line jump.

So if we said, yeah, we want to keep this in, and we're going to clear the decks and do only Rock Run collection, that would come at the cost of time and investment of the people who are already in line. So the ability to supplement our already highly qualified staff to keep those people who are already in line, getting their inspections done in a timely and efficient manner while also meeting our deadlines that we've entered into an agreement with at the last council meeting, I would suggest is a prudent and responsible decision.

And just to reiterate, so what these third parties would be doing if this is approved is they will be reviewing the plan before the construction starts. And if there's any problems that don't code or our ordinances and and, you know, accepted industry standards like our like our staff does, they they would note those and say, hey. You need changes in your plan before you start. Correct?

Yes. So both the ICC and HR Green have copies of our ordinances and are reviewing the architectural plans based on our adopted ordinances. So I don't want to get too deep in the weeds, but the system that we use that you just heard in a prior committee report called Project Docs by Evolve, we can assign those outside reviewers from either ICC or HR Green as reviewers in project docs. Our employees right now can also see those same projects. So there's not a curtain or a veil that would separate the City of Joliet staff from seeing that review that is ongoing by those outside reviewers.

And these outside reviewers, these third parties won't be doing the final Okay. They'll be obtaining

No, will be physically in the field. We will be laying eyes on it, the city of Joliet. Our employees. Our employees.

Okay. All right. Thank you. I don't know if anybody else has any questions about that, because it was kind of a unique item. We looked at all four of those contracts. And all four contracts were passed forward by the committee with recommendation to approve. Under the change order of pay estimates, final payments, we had one for 89,410. This is part of our lead service replacement that's been ongoing for several years to Stipp Brothers. We looked at that. Actually, this is a forgivable loan, as we refer to it as.

So this was additional money so that if if if unknown lead services or lead pipes, which are mainly Jolie had never had lead pipes other than lead service to the house that builders put in. If they're discovered along the way, we need to have that money approved so they can replace them. And it doesn't cost that we don't charge the homeowners. And as long as we use those loans for lead service removal or lead removal, it's forgiven. The EPA forgives the loan.

So we looked at that, and that was voted on and sent forward with a recommendation to approve. It's just another part of a ongoing, very successful program that we've been doing for, I probably at least six or seven years. And then we had the three items under ordinance and resolutions. Two of them had to do with the same construction problem, and they're just housekeeping, as we call them. They're easement agreements from ComEd from the Glenwood and West Acres water main improvement project.

So we looked at those, and those are standard easement agreements that are needed for that type of construction. And both of those were sent forward with the committee recommendation to approve after voting on it. And we looked at a resolution authorizing execution of an intergovernmental agreement with PACE regarding transit shelters. What we we've had an agreement with PACE since 2011 with it it lays out the maintenance, the construction of new transit shelters or bus shelters, the maintenance, as as well as the advertising. And in that period of years, there was a third party called Titan that took care of the advertising.

They will no longer be involved under the new agreement. PACE will be completely involved. PACE cannot build any new bus stations anywhere in the city without city approval. So that hasn't changed either. And the city will continue to get 50% of the revenue from the advertising from PACE. So we looked at that, and it really was the same agreement we've had since 2011, except we're taking out the middleman. And she's gonna be Pace in the city doing it now. And it was set forward with the committee voting to recommend approval to the full city council. And the last item we really looked at was an application for a drive through for Zach's B's restaurant,

which will

be on Larkin Avenue, 110 South Larkin Avenue. Staff recommended its approval, showed us, you know, how they're retrofitting a building, you know, that was under older code, and it's gonna be done right. It won't impede traffic. So we looked at it, and we took the recommendation from staff and sent it forward to you folks there on the council with a vote to go ahead and approve as a council. Did I miss anything?

No. I think it's worth noting because people always say, where is is that on market? It's the former Wendy's.

So that's where exactly is going.

There you go. Free advertising. So, yes, the former Wendy's. So I'm sure we'll all stop by there when it opens like we've always done. We we'd like to support our local businesses as they they come in and remain. Mayor, that's all I have.

Thank you. Mhmm.

I show no other reports. Under consent agenda, approval of minutes. It is recommended the minutes of the pre council meeting, 05/04/2026, and the city council meeting held on 05/05/2026 stand approved as recorded. Invoices to be paid. It is recommended this report be approved.

Council memo number 258Dash26, purchase of interior wall painting and sanding services for Fire Station Number 1 and Fire Station 9 from Smith painting services in the amount of $67,062. Council memo number 259Dash26, award of contract for the 2026 streetlight assembly painting project, contract a to Cosgrove construction incorporated in the amount of $84,300 Council memo number 260Dash26, award of contract for the 2026 pavement marking program, NFT section number 26Dash00575Dash00DashST to America's Parking Remarking LLC in the amount of $307,416. Councilmember number 261Dash26 approval of purchase of traffic barriers from Meridian Rapid Defense Group Sales LLC in the amount of $126,344.06 Council memo number 2606 approval of a professional services agreement with Strand Associates Incorporated International Code Council ICC and HR Green for on call development review for the Rock Run collection development. Council memo number 263Dash26 approval of change order number three for the lead service line replacement phase four contract to Stipp Brothers Excavating Incorporated in the amount of $89,410 Councilmember number 2606, award of contract to VideoTech for five year renewal of Genentech Advantage support agreement in the amount of $83,872 Councilmember number two sixty five-twenty six, award of contract to CDWG for Nutanix cloud infrastructure subscription licensing and hardware support renewal in the amount of $101,687.68.

Councilmember number 2606, award of contract to Heartland Business Systems for VMware, an annual renewal in the amount of $66,014.08. Councilmember number 267Dash26, award of contract to evolve for the three year renewal of project docs premium bundle in in the amount of $129,210. Council memo number 268Dash26, a word of contract to Forte for the Joliet City Square AV background music system project in the amount of $554,742. It is recommended council memos two fifty eight-twenty six through 2606 be approved. Is there a motion to approve all said consent agenda items?

So moved. Second.

Any comments, questions? Thank you.

It's been motion seconded to approve. Councilman Mudrin?

Aye. Councilwoman Quoman?

Aye. Councilwoman Reardon? Aye. Council McCartiness?

Aye.

Council McClement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye. Councilwoman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno? Aye. Mayor Darcy?

Aye.

Motion carried. Under licenses and permit applications. Council memo number 270Dash26, application for a drive thru permit for a Zaxby's restaurant at 110 South Larkin Avenue. As recommended, council memo number 270Dash26 be approved.

So moved.

Second. Comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilwoman Quillman? Aye. Councilwoman Verdun? Aye. Council McCartiness?

Aye.

Council McClemmont? Aye. Councilman Hug?

And just for emphasis, it's on Larkin Avenue 110 in the old Wendy's building. Aye.

Councilman Munibara. Aye. Councilman Moreno. Aye. Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Under ordinances, council memo number two seventy two dash 26 ordinances associated with the development of 1701 Drowden Road ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a self storage facility located at 1701 Drowden Road Z B A 2025 Dash 51 ordinance approving a variation of use to allow a b three general business use in the B 1 Neighborhood Business Zoning District located at 1701 Drowden Road Z B A 2025 Dash 52 it is recommended that ordinance be adopted

So move. Second. Any comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Reardon? No. Council McCartinus?

Aye.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

No. Councilman Navarro? No. Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Madryn?

Aye.

Councilman McCorman?

No.

Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Council member number 273Dash26. Ordinance approving a variation of use to allow the continuation of a three unit residence and r four multifamily residential use in the r two single family residential zoning district located at 201 North Williams Street ZBA 2026 Dash 22 it is recommended that ordinance be adopted

So moved.

Second. Comments or questions? May I?

Yeah. Whose district is this? Pat. You mind? Is this is this your camp? Are we good with this? I just wanted to know

You've been down zoning it for a long time. You should.

But I'm I'm I'm fine. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you, mayor.

Mhmm. Thank you. Okay.

It's been motioned and seconded to approve. Councilman Carganus?

Aye.

Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Madryn? Aye. Councilman Coleman?

No. We've been trying to down zone a lot of these places that have been multifamily, multifamily for a long time. And I noticed lately, we've been allowing multifamily back after the Cathedral Area Preservation Association Historic Preservation has been trying very hard to get our neighborhoods back to single family. So I have to vote no.

Councilman Ruddin? Aye. Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Council memo number 274Dash26. Ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a self storage facility at 2450 West Jefferson Street ZBA 2026 Dash 16. It is recommended that ordinance be adopted.

Motion to approve. Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Clement?

Aye. Councilman Hug?

No. Councilwoman Navarro? No. Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin?

Aye.

Councilwoman Clement? No. Councilman Verdin?

No.

Councilman Cardenas? Aye. Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Council Member number 275Dash26. Ordinance and resolution associated with the vacation of a portion of Green Road. Ordinance approving a vacation of 76,289 square feet of Green Road east of Route 53 V Dash 2 Dash 26. Resolution accept accepting the dedication of a public utility easement along Green Road east of Illinois Route 53. Is It recommended that ordinance be adopted.

Someone Second. Comments or questions?

Mayor, if you don't mind. Just to be clear for anybody watching because it's been an ongoing project. This is a necessary part of the closed loop that we're requiring, correct? Right, Greg? This is a necessary part of the closed loop system.

That's correct. Okay, thank you.

Thank you. Okay.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Hug? Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Moreno. Aye. Councilman Mudrin. Aye. Councilman Quillman. Aye. Councilman Verden. Aye. Councilman Cardenas.

Aye. Councilman Clement.

Aye. Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Councilmember number 276Dash26 ordinance approving a plat of vacation for a 3.788 acre drainage and city utility easement along the former Bridge Road right of way south of Gladys Avenue and north of Knoll Road it is recommended that ordinance be adopted.

Move.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Marino. Aye. Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilman Aquilman. Aye. Councilman Meriden. Aye. Councilman Cardenas.

Aye. Councilman Clement. Aye. Councilman Hug. Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried. Councilmember number 277Dash26. Ordinance associated with the tenant space at 81 North Chicago Street. Ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a tattoo studio located at 81 North Chicago Street ZVA 2026 Dash 13. Ordinance approving a variation of use to allow a B 3 General Business Zoning District use in the B2 Central Business Zoning District located at 81 North Chicago Street, ZBA 2026 Dash 14. It is recommended that ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Second. Any comments or questions?

Have a question, mayor. We had somebody come up there, and and I respect I I think it's great that anybody in the industry takes enough pride in the industry that they show

up

to support their industry in the right ways. So the only question I have, the gentleman that spoke, when it comes to the health related, who monitors it? You know? He was talking about disposal of needles. He was talking about certain things that are required to be done properly, biohazard and stuff. Does the city monitor this, or does the county monitor? I mean, who or does nobody monitor it?

The city does not monitor it. The county monitors it. The health department.

The county health department doesn't.

So it is monitored. So if he's deficient, being that he's not experienced enough, they will oversee that and remediate that, correct? The county would. It's not our responsibility. We have no control over that.

Correct.

Thank you. Thank you.

Hey, Joe. You down there? Hey, do you mind coming up to my real quick? Hey. How many years of experience do you have?

This would be my sixth year of tattooing. I like to tell people I've been doing art for a lifetime to give them the tattoo that they ask for. I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil. And I try to do more tattoos than a lot of people around to get to kinda catch up to to people like George who have been doing it a long time.

What's gonna ask you again? I had the left of my mind. No, yeah. So I'm not gonna penalize you because six years is quite some time for experience. I support it And I just wanna say, obviously, my support comes with accountability. But Larry Hug councilman Hug did say that the county he asked a good question. And the county does monitor the things that the other gentleman asked for Sure. For the needles. I think we can count

on Sure.

So when the department inspects me, they ask what I do with my needles and I give them the official company that comes and picks them up once a month.

So you have that little red bucket right?

100%.

That little thing that we all see at the doctor's office.

Exactly that. Exactly that. The sharks go in there and once they're in there they're there to be contained. They're never to be pulled out again.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Okay. Vote.

It's been motioned and seconded to approve. Councilman Moreno? Aye. Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilwoman Quillman? No. Councilwoman Reardon? Aye. Councilman Cardenas?

Aye. Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye. Councilman Navarro? Aye. Mayor Darcy?

Aye.

Motion carried. Under resolutions. Council Member number two eighty dash twenty six. Resolution approving and authorizing the execution of the collective bargaining agreement between the city of Joliet and AFSCME Local four forty. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved. Second.

Comments or questions? Just a comment, may

I real quick? I know it's been a a long go on this. I wanna thank everybody that had a hand in it get getting this done. Beth, I know we spoke a few times on it, I wanna thank you and and the four forty people. So thank

you. Alright.

Thank you. Real quick. Yeah. I'm glad that it's finally getting done, and happy to be here now that after a while. Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Mudrin?

Aye. Councilwoman Quillman?

Aye. It's been a long time. I'm glad it's finally over and congratulations to four forty.

Councilman Meriden. Aye. Councilman Cardenas.

Aye. Councilman Clement. Aye. Councilman Hug.

Aye. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Moreno.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Councilmember number 281Dash26 resolution accepting and placing on file the July historic preservation commission annual report for 2025. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second. Comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilwoman. Aye. Councilwoman Breuden. Aye. Council McCartiness. Aye. Council McClement. Aye. Councilman Hug. Aye. Councilwoman Navarro. Aye. Councilwoman Moreno. Aye. Councilwoman Mudrin. Aye. Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Councilmember number 282Dash26 resolution authorizing execution of a memorandum of understanding MOU between the city of Joliet Fire Department and the east side Joliet Fire Protection District. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second. Any comments or questions?

May I one thing that I think people get confused on there? Because Joliet Joliet Township. A lot of us know this this fire department. I believe this is the each Joliet fire department is what people refer to it as. I just wanna remind people, it's not like we have two separate fire departments here that we're doing an MOA with. This is an a district fire district, a smaller fire district. They They have their fire station out on Briggs. And so this is a mutual aid agreement to help them. And they would help us if we needed it over in their area on the unincorporated East Side. I just wanted

to clarify that. Thank you. Okay.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Rudin? Aye. Councilman McCartney?

Aye. Councilman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye. Councilman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno? Aye. Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilman McCorman?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Councilmember 283Dash26 resolution requesting authorization to enter into a regular 2025 justice assistance grant intergovernmental agreement between the city Of Joliet and Will County. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second. Comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Cardenas.

Aye.

Councilman Clement. Aye. Councilman Hug. Aye. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Moreno.

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin. Aye. Councilman McCorman. Aye. Councilman Verdun. Aye. Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Council memo number 284Dash26, resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement with the County Of Will for the placement of license plate reading cameras located on county highways. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved. Second.

Comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Council Mclemott?

Aye. Councilman Hug?

Aye. Councilman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno? Aye. Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilman McClellan? Aye. Councilman Verdun? Aye. Councilman Cardenas.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried. Councilman 1Number285Dash26 resolution appropriating motor fuel tax funds for the 2026 pavement marking program. MFT section number 26Dash00575Dash00DashST. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second. Comments, questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Hug. Aye. Councilman Navarro. Aye. Councilman Marino.

Aye.

Councilman Mudran. Aye. Councilman McClellan.

Aye.

Councilman Meriden. Aye. Councilman McCartney. Aye. Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Council memo number 286Dash26 resolution accepting an easement agreement from the ComEd from ComEd for the Glenwood And West Acres water main improvement project Glenwood Avenue just east of Haines Avenue. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

Some moved second.

Some second.

Well, I was just checking. Is it on you? Three motions on that one.

We're good. Somebody who got to vote twice now? Yeah.

Alright. Thanks.

It's been motioned seconded to approve. Councilwoman Navarro? Aye. Councilman Moreno? Aye. Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilman McClellan? Councilman McClellan?

Aye.

Councilman Clement. Aye. Councilman Hug.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy. Aye. Motion carried. Council memo number 287Dash26 resolution accepting an easement agreement from ComEd for the Glenwood And West Acres water main improvement project Oneida Street just east of Haines Avenue. It is recommended that a resolution be adopted.

Motion approved. Second. Comments, questions? Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve. Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin? Aye. Councilwoman McClellan? Aye. Councilwoman Rudin? Aye. Councilman Cardenas?

Aye. Councilwoman Clement? Aye. Councilman Hug? Aye.

Councilman Navarro?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy? Aye. Motion carried. Councilmember number 288Dash26, resolution authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement with PACE regarding transit shelters. It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

So moved. Second. Comments or questions? Thank you.

It's a motion a seconded to approve. Council Mudrin? Aye. Council Mookoman? Aye. Council Member Rairdon?

Aye. Council McCartiness? Aye. Council McClemmont? Aye. Council Mugge? Aye.

Council Mina Barra? Aye. Council Mareno?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy?

Aye.

Motion carried. Next is the city manager's report.

Okay. You know we've been doing a lot of talking tonight, I'll go quickly. Members of the Joliet Police Fire Department participated in Cap on Rooftop last week for Special Olympics. They raised $4,000 National Police Week was also last week. JPD used their social media last week to honor their fallen members.

In tribute to those officers, I'd like to ask for a moment of silence. Retired Battalion Chief Dan Burda was presented with a Firefighter Excellence Award at the thirty third Annual Fallen Firefighter Memorial and Firefighting Medal of Honor Award ceremony in recognition of Battalion Chief Berta's actions during the Essington Fire in the summer of twenty twenty five. Officer Katie Kusarski was honored as a law enforcement person of the year at the annual Polish American Police Association Awards Banquet. Lieutenant Andrew Jose was presented with the Leadership Communication Award by the Joliet Jesters Toastmasters Club. He was nominated for his work with the new officer recruit training program and the Joliet Explorers program.

May is Mental Awareness Month. The city is committed to providing mental health care and support to its residents, ensuring that no one faces their challenges alone. Those in need of cost free mental health care and counseling services are encouraged to call (815) 724-3506. And finally, a reminder for submissions are open for the Neighborhood Hero Award program. We've received six submissions so far, and submissions are due by June 8. They can be sent to neighborhoodherojoliet dot gov. That concludes my report.

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

Good evening. My name is Krista Brown. I just really wanna make a comment. And my comment is just in essence to the permit for the guy with the tattoo. I think it's honorable. I think the fact that we say that we wanna go forward in our community, and I love I wanna give all honor to his parents because he was very respectful of the other tattoo artist. He said that I forward other people to you. And I wanted to say that because we are a city that's going forward. And I respect that we still have young people. Let's not forget, we may be incestral, but we still have to go forward in our community.

And because he is Downtown Chicago, I mean Joliet, we bring in more younger people. He also stated that he have clients. So I just wanted to relax, say that because again, if we got a talent going forward and he's respectful to the other young man as well. And he also said he done before he could do anything, he still have to go through all these other channels. So he's done his part diligently. And I just wanna say, as we just say, kudos to him and respect that we could see him coming down to our city. I just wanted to lift him up and say, thank you. Oh, he's gone. Oh, there he is. Yeah. And I just wanted to be in his corner and say, we we we honor you to come into our city.

Not

not right now. You can I can pass them? Sure. I can I can take it and pass it to the council? Hi.

My name is Ronald Sepsen. And I just wanna comment to mister mayor and council people. You did a good job downtown as I go through to get here. It looks really beautiful, especially by the Rialto Theater area. Today, I'm here because back in 1991, three and a half decades ago, I built a duplex from scratch from the ground all the way up, brand new.

I made no alterations at all whatsoever. I had to provide three sets of blueprints to the building inspection department. At the time, it was inspector Jerry Stirr and Dick Bazeron, And they had to okay the blueprints before I got started. So I went through the whole process of building the duplex over at thirty o 08:30 ten Tomasicki Drive. It's over by Chignoli Auto in that area.

And you guys started this new rental program, which is really good because I and my mom, we do small rental properties in Joliet. We've been doing this for I've been doing it for thirty nine years. She's been doing it since 1959. And we've never had an issue before regarding egress windows in a bedroom. When I had to bring the blueprints in to get inspected, all the windows, everything was all laid out for the city inspectors to do their job.

I certainly did my job building the place, and we had it inspected, you know, the rough, the final, and also the occupancy permit was granted. And back in the days, the fire department actually came in to make sure you had smoke detectors and everything that's supposed to be in the house, that it's okay. So we got all the okays. Everything was fine and dandy. I'm 67 years old.

I play pickleball. I live a tranquil life. All this came down in March when the rental inspection department said that my building needs to have two windows put in. One on each side of the duplex. The windows, everything was all put in when I had to build to pay the impact fees and billing inspection permit. Everything was inspected. We got the occupancy permit. Been doing this for thirty five years. And then in Marcy said we have to cut in a new window on each side to make it so people can get out. I put one in, an egress window, back in 1991.

But Jerry Stern told me to put one in and then everything would be okay. So that's what I did. And somehow, three and a half decades later, the bedroom, the second bedroom is is no good. It's not in compliance. I dug up stuff on the Internet, and that's all the pages there, showing that if possible, I need your help.

If you can possibly put in a grandfather clause whereby, you know, if you met all the codes and everything for a new building, new construction way back, and all of a sudden things were changed now that that even though it doesn't conform supposedly, there's a nonconforming clause that you can add in the ordinance, grandfather in, to help me out because I take pride in my buildings. And it hurts that I have to do something like this when I followed all the rules of the team. And it's just it it really hurts. And I talked to my mom. She's 95.

She still does rentals and stuff even at that age, and she can't believe it. And and I can't either. And it's just hard because you put your blood, sweat, and cures into building something from the ground up. And to have this, we're we're it's just doesn't make sense. You know? And and I don't know what to say. I followed all the rules. It was inspected. The fire department came down. Everything was good, and then up till March. And then I get a notice that the windows are no good in March. So the lady who did the inspection said, I'll get back to you. So she got back to me, like, a week ago. I got notice. And then they wanted me to put two windows in by March 28.

It was, like, thirteen days. How can you get windows ordered that quick? It's not even possible. And we we've done rentals with the city. We have a good working relationship. We have no problems. It's just that, you know, this is just crazy, because it was Okay once by the city people. And all of a sudden, it's not good now. It doesn't make sense to me. The only other option would be, like I said, you can have the grandfather clause put in.

The only other thing would be is for me to say, well, it's a flex room. There's a lot of places, new builders, they have like a flex room now. And that's a stupid way of going about it. But it bypasses the whole egress problem if I would just say, I'm gonna go with the flex room. But I'm hoping I can get help from you guys because we we really have good rental properties. You can ride by any of them. And we're in the top 1%. We're not slumlords at all. And I know the rental program is good because you're targeting people that don't give a crap about apartments. We do. And that's all I'm going to say. I just need your help.

I could get them

I sent all the papers because I googled that stuff where it does say a flex room can have a bed, a flex room can have a closet and stuff. But I don't want to go that route. This should be all solved easily here by just a grandfather clause. If somebody bought an old house in Bainesburg, that's where this would apply. But if it's been inspected by 2,000,000,000 inspectors way back, Jerry and Dick Vanzalone, the fire department approved, you know, you have to give three sets of blueprints and everything, it just it just doesn't make sense. It's not right. So, I mean, how can you help me? I need help.

I'm happy to look in into it for you, but I'll just meet you right after to get your name and phone number and address. No problem.

Thanks a lot.

Yeah.

And like I said, we we love our property. We're good tenants. We're not slum owners. We provide by any property, and they're the city of Joel. Yeah.

Yeah.

Honestly

Happy to help. If it's okay with the council.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Thank you.

Make it

Good evening, mayor, Darcy, council members, and staff. My name is Diane Manor. I live at 1316 New Links Road, where my husband and I have been in our home for many years and raised our family. I've come to this podium for more than a year. Loves struck stock projects and have expressed my concern.

Mayor Darcy, you were kind enough to visit our property and ride the site and look around. We talked extensively about the issues. Then you visited my neighbor Tammy. You saw for yourself there would be problems with this project. The excavator for this project ripped out critical root zone of our 50 to 80 year old trees.

Your own city arborist documented moderate damage and said he should have been on-site when they tore the roots out. Excavation of a mature tree system violates the Illinois Urban Manual Tree Production Standards. It also violates the Illinois Timber Law seven forty ILCS 180 fivetwo point five, which provides the triple damages when trees are injured or destroyed without consent. I have submitted FOIA requests for permits, inspection reports, and tree protections plans related to this project. I am not here to debate.

I am here to ask, will the city enforce its own ordinances and investigate how permits were approved without protecting our trees? And who on staff will be my point of contact going forward? I stand together with my neighbors tonight. We need answers, not just about tree destruction, but about mailboxes damaged in yards, fences that would be damaged if drainage isn't handled professionally, loss of privacy in our homes, and light shining into windows from a sign that violates code, and leaving and entering our driveway safely. We have trucks running all night long, which is also a violation.

We have trucks going down a 12 ton road in a residential district. What are you going to do? This is proving Love's is not a good neighbor. We have reached out to the contractors, the city, and Loves to resolve the issues that have occurred in the past few weeks. And no one has made good on meeting with us. They say we will have a meeting, but when? Our trees are crying for help. So we are contemplating our next step. Thank you for your time, and I await for answers.

Good evening, mayor, members of council, and city manager, and city staff. I am Kaylee Matter. I am here tonight because leadership in this building is broken. Over the last few weeks, I have sent detailed evidence backed emails, formal grievances, and public records requests regarding the severe structural and root damage done to the trees on my family's property, trees that have stood for fifty to eighty years. And for weeks I have been met with a calculated cowardly wall of silence from almost every single one of you.

In fact, out of this entire administration, only one of you had the backbone to actually stand up and respond to me, Peter, the city arborist. He is the sole individual who showed a shred of professional integrity. But where is the rest of the staff? I wanna look directly at the city manager Beth and every other department head hiding behind an out of office reply or the silence wall. My emails are not optional reading.

They are a paper trail of your collective negligence. When a resident brings you clear evidence of ordinance noncompliance, safety violations, and the act of destruction of their property by a city project, your job is to respond. Your job is to investigate. Instead, you ignored me. You ignored tree law. You ignored inverse condemnation concerns. You chose to treat a local taxpayer like an inconvenience that would just go away if you stayed quiet long enough. Let me be entirely clear. I am not going away. Your silence is an admission of guilt.

It tells me that you know exactly how badly this project was messed up. You know the damage that was done, and you simply do not care. You have forced my family to hire an independent arborist to document the wreckage because your own administration refuses to take responsibility or enforce its own tree preservation codes. Every single person on this staff who deleted an email, ignored a follow-up, or passed the buck has failed the very basic requirements of public service. You are comfortable taking public paychecks but completely allergic to public accountability.

I am done waiting for replies that are never response from the city manager's office regarding the status of the investigation into the site damage and blatant failure of communication from city staff. You ignored me in your inboxes, but you are going to look me in the eye tonight, and you will answer for the damage done to my family's property. Thank you.

Hi,

mayor Darcy and city council members. My name is Tammy Kornauer, and I live at 640 Oakview Avenue in unincorporated Joliet. I own a brick branch that butts right up to the brown fence that Loves installed in my front yard. That is 68 feet from my front window. I was told right along that there would be a berm with a fence on it so that I would be protected from prying eyes of who knows where they're from, where they're going, who they are, what kind of people they are in the truck stop. I can stand in my living room right now. I didn't get a berm. It's right on the floor. And I can see the whole parking lot and all the trucks and everybody in it. And guess what?

That means they can see me too. And I do not feel safe at my home. I've lived there thirty two years. And I picked the unincorporated area because of the laid back lifestyle. And now you approve the Loves truck stop. And I want to know why I'm being discriminated against. When you go down Oakview Avenue, there's a berm and a fence. And the house is four times the distance from that fence that I am. I'm 68 feet. And I can see into the parking lot. And they can see me. I need help. Who is going to help me to correct this wrong? I feel totally unsafe. Totally unsafe there.

And at the end of the fence, it's open. It's not even fenced all the way off. You can walk right down and walk right down into my yard. I don't know the people there. And I don't think that I should have to spend the rest of my retired years in my home, which is my retirement portfolio, that I've lost a lot of my, value on my home. Who's gonna wanna buy my home? People say, well, go ahead and move. I can't. I can't sell it. I lost money.

I lost $100,000 probably from what has happened to me. And now I have to sit and look at it, and they look at me twenty four seven. So who can I go to for help for this? This is wrong. Everybody else has a little bit of a where they don't have to look at it. I have to look at it twenty four seven, and it's wrong. If any of you wanted to come out and look at it, you would understand where I'm coming from. Standing in my house, I can see everything, and they can see me. And I just need some help on how this is going to if it has to go through Love's, or it has to, whoever. I don't know anything about politics.

Never been involved in anything. Now it's right in my face. And I don't know which way to turn just to find myself in a protected home like I had for thirty two years. That's all I wanted to say.

I speak from the experience, you know, because I know how these people feel. You know, I know when Whimsy Trucking got their get to put their truckings trucking operation next to my mom's house. I knew what it was like. And I said my fear was having people look in my mom's. Window waved me up in my bedroom while I'm trying to sleep. And of course, I sleep with no top on. And yeah, I look out the window and hear people looking right in my window at me. So I know how these people feel. Your privacy is effective in that. And you know, like you said, where are these people coming from?

Who are at these truck stops? You don't know where everybody comes from. And you got people, you know, you got the fear of people looking your windows at you, so you don't feel safe at all. If you could see them, they could see you. And you must respect that. And that goes for all these other warehouses that you want to prove people proven of and have built. All the other other people around warehouses have been affected too and everything, and they feel exactly the same frustration. And you guys need to understand that and put yourself in their shoes and feel what it feels like. You know? They've lived out there in them areas all their lives and everything, and they felt safe all their years and everything.

Then you'll invite industry to come in and get built right next to them, and it all just totally takes away everything, their privacy, their quality of life, and their safety features. So I want you to consider that considerably and start being held accountable for things that you guys vote in You guys got to understand how the people residents feel. Know, respect their feelings and respect their lives and everything. And I just seen a thing last night when I said last night that the the weight ton limit was 35 ton for the Bridge. I heard it.

Looked up and googled it, and it says the weight limit for the Bridge crossing over to Plains River in Rockdale, Illinois is 15 ton, not not 40 ton like had said yesterday. And lastly, goddess, I wanna be the last to speak on this. You know, Bill Evans, you have been god. Been four years already. I just can't believe time has flown.

But, you know, when you became the police chief, I remember that when you when they introduced you here at the city council meeting, I met you for the first time and then told you about the drag racing situation by my boss place in that. And you told me you would take care of it for me, and you did. I mean, you've been the best, Bill. You have been the best. I mean, you know, I got very few.

All got our police chief friends like Fred Hayes in Elwood and Tom Dart up there in Coe Pony and that. Bill, you have just been the best. The best. Mean, this guy is just terrific. Everything about him, his integrity and his toughness, you know, yet the heart, the big heart that he has. You know? And I hope you enjoy your retirement. And you get to walking that dog or so I said get that dog to stop walking you. I mean, there's a guy, even on his day off, he's out there in the city and being a part of the city. I see him walking his dog.

And I said, god, I look at the guy who's being pulled by his dog. And it was Bill. And he recognized me in my truck and hit the stoplight. You know? And we set our eyes and everything to each other. Bill, I just hope you enjoy your retirement. You're just gonna be impossible to replace. You know? I just All the love you've given me, the talks, the preps, the encouragements, and everything has just meant the world to me. And I can't say thank you enough for it.

I want to come to city council meetings just so I could be there to see Bill to get my words of encouragement for the week. And I can't say thank you enough like everybody else on the city of Joliet. We love you. You're going to be a possible replace. Thank you so much for everything you've done. Is

there anyone else who would like to address the council this evening on a non agenda item? Okay seeing none we will move on to mayor and council comments.

No comment.

Okay we have arborist Peter I'd like to meet him someday. I know Jim used to do that type of work. Could we get an update on the parking downtown? We took all the meters out. I don't know Greg has been not today, a couple of weeks to see how everything's going. Do we need to make some changes? Are things working out? Just give us an update if you don't mind doing that for us. And we approve the painting of the street lights. It it I remember that on Rainer Avenue, we are missing some street lights there. They've been down for a long time. Can we have that some of our people take a look at and see see what we can do over there? Yeah. So alright. Thank you. Beth,

can can we have someone talk to the woman right here? Ma'am, what was your name again?

Tammy. Tammy.

Tammy. You know, I don't know if what she's saying is accurate or not. Don't have the agreement in front of me. If in the agreement, there was a berm required by her house too, we need to enforce that. If not, it's not in the agreement. Who should she talk to?

Sorry. We can certainly look into it. Dustin will be helping me with that first thing in the morning.

If you would like, give them your phone number if they don't have it already so they can contact you. Dustin can probably take Dustin, do you mind? Thank you. That's all I have, ma'am.

I've been out there to the house by the Loves truck stop, both of them. They are bad. They're worse than bad. I don't know. I forwarded a lot of those emails. And I don't know what the city's been doing. But they're all valid concerns. Those tree roots in particular, she's afraid now the tree roots are damaged, which Ann Arbor has said they're damaged, that it's gonna fall on her house, and that's a real concern. That is a real concern. Tammy's house over there is right on top of it.

I don't know how anyone could stay there because I'm sure it's very disruptive. So I have been out there. And thank you for saying that you'll do something about it or at least check into it. They seem very knowledgeable about the ordinances. So it doesn't matter how much money that Loves will bring in to the city.

They still have to be regulated just like any other business that comes in the city of Joliet. They should follow our ordinances, And they should follow the information they were told to follow by the letter of the law. Also, I had I lost my beloved pet of fifteen years sorry Panda Marie Ibarra. And Joliet Township actually, Animal Control, there was no care for my dog. And he was having seizures.

And he was very sick. And I didn't have thousands of dollars to spend on having someone to come to the house. So I don't know if we're all aware of how much Joliet Township Animal Control does for the community. But if your pet is suffering and there is no cure, they will help cross the Rainbow Bridge for you and your dog. So I want to thank Joliet Township Animal Control for helping me.

It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make. And I want to thank every single person that reached out to me, texted me, called me, showed up the house. I appreciate every one of them. I also want to say that my son made me feel so much better to local businesses that are my favorite things on the face of the earth, but in my district. He didn't bring me over one, two, or three Social Butterfly coffees.

He brought me over four of their best flavors. And there is no better way for me to grieve but with the best coffee in town, actually. And the second thing he brought me was also something from my district. It was Papa's popcorn, Jerk popcorn. And I've been passing that along everywhere I go. So if you love Jerk and you have a chance to get to Popas, also at District 5, please, that Jerk popcorn, it is addictive, and I love it. So thank you to everyone who reached out on the loss of Panda Marie Ibarra. Thank you.

Councilwoman, sorry for your pet. And councilman hug, it was your birthday, wasn't it? Happy birthday.

That's all I got. Birthday. Thank

you. Where you are? How'd you know that? You spying

on me?

I got eyes everywhere.

He grew

up there. This is Facebook.

Thanks. You too? That's it.

Father Chris, could you come to the mic? I'd like to talk about the law enforcement memorial ceremony this Thursday.

Yes. Yeah. We have an annual law enforcement memorial. It's usually a little bit earlier in May. But the way things fell in the calendar, we try to have it between the state memorial, which is the first week of May, and the national, which is around the May 15. But it just didn't fall into the calendar correctly. So we're a little bit later this year. But our annual celebration acknowledges the men and women throughout Will County who are paying the ultimate price in serving our communities. We've lost 38 men and women over the years. I believe the first loss that we had in law enforcement was back in 1865.

So it goes way back. We have a long history. We commemorate those men and women. We remember them. And we begin with mass at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St.

Mary Magdalene Church on Briggs Street, a mass at 10:30 in the morning. And then we have a procession down to the Law Enforcement Memorial, which is what I call the old Courthouse Square across from the new courthouse there. And we have a ceremony there, which is participation with just about all of the various aspects of law enforcement, the agencies, departments throughout Will County. We have a speaker each year. The speaker this year represents the National Memorial from Washington.

He was a local chief of police, I think it's in Riverside. And he's retired. And he will be giving the keynote for that. So everybody in the city and throughout the county is welcome to join us. And it is good. We say we're always going to remember. There will be survivors, family members that will be there. We usually have a pretty good turnout of survivors that are there, too. So it's a way for us to show support for them and to show support for our law enforcement community.

The time, Father, for this ceremony downtown? 10:30

is mass. 12:00 noon is the ceremony downtown. So it's right in the lunch hour. So if anybody is downtown, it's convenient time to come on over. Thank you.

That's Thursday, correct?

Yes, Thursday,

the The twenty twenty first. That's it.

Okay. So let's remember all of our veterans that have left and have fought for our freedom, and not only them, but also the police and fire department and anybody else in public service that have lost their lives protecting us. And I would like to bring up forth this Memorial Day, Honor Flight Chicago. It's been going on now for like ten, fifteen years. And those that aren't familiar with it, it is a free, all expense paid trip for any veteran Vietnam, World War II still, Korean War.

And they are it's a memoir it's a wonderful day. It's an all day thing. I served as a flight nurse in three different times. And it is a memory to remember if you can volunteer and help. They're always looking for volunteers, especially at the airport, to help some of the veterans get on board. And it is an amazing day, amazing day. They go to Washington, DC. Everything's paid for. They they get to see the Enola Gay in the Air Force or excuse me, at the Airplane Memorial where they have all different planes. And just to give you a little taste of that, it's an all day affair.

You start early in the morning. You come home in the evening, and they fly out of Midway. It's usually Southwest Airlines. So get your veteran registered. And all you have to do is go to honorflightchicago.org on your website, And then they will direct you to an application for your veteran.

And I know sometimes they're hesitant to go. But after they go, they're just so happy and just can't believe it because they reminisce of a lot of people that were there and still get to talk about the different wars. And unfortunately, we're losing many, many, many by the day, the World War II vets. But let's start getting the Korean War vets and the Vietnam vets. And once that all gets through, then they're gonna go on to the next ones that are serving now.

And with all that being said, Memorial Day is not only for all of those, but for all of us that have lost loved ones and pets, because I've lost pets too, and it's like part of the family. And I just want everybody to have a safe Memorial Day. Be safe. Have a good time with your family and friends. And remember those that have gone on before. And you're left to carry on their legacy. So everyone, enjoy your holiday, and thank you so much.

I am just going to say a few thank yous to people for the Rialto celebration. I'll let the mayor have his time with it. I wanna thank it was they had their hundredth anniversary Saturday, and several of us on the council were there to celebrate. They did a magnificent job. And I just want to say congratulations and thank you to Wade Welsh, Steve Randich, Jane Condon, Bob Falado, Leanne Hoffridge, the many volunteers, the many dedicated volunteers, all the employees of the Rialto, and all the donors, and the one hundredth anniversary committee who did such a tremendous job.

But all the donors to keep this jewel in Downtown Joliet. I won't mention anything other than, oh, there's someone getting married May 29, just a few doors down from me here. I got to meet his lovely bride Jessica at the event. And they've only been together for sixteen years?

Yeah. Out of time, buddy.

They finally decided to do something. I said, wait, wait. They met at, like, two years old or what? You know? So, anyways, congratulations.

I appreciate it.

I hope you have a lovely day.

Thank you. Appreciate it. And

that's it.

Well, that was everything I was gonna say about the Rialto. So thank you.

I didn't say anything.

I didn't say that.

No. Sherry said everything.

I didn't give any details. No.

It it was really a great event. There were 400 people that attended it. And many of us were there. Councilwoman Reardon, Councilwoman Quillman, Councilman Cardenas, Cardenas, and Councilman Marino. But we had a great time. They did a wonderful job. And everybody just enjoyed the night. And it was probably one of the best parties I've seen in Gillette in a long, long time. Tomorrow, we're gonna celebrate the Memorial Day commemoration at our city center, at our City Square to honor the brave men and women who have lost their lives in service to our country. The event will kick off with a performance of the award winning American Legion Band at 11:30, followed by a brief ceremony and we'd invite everyone to join us at that.

Looking ahead to June, City Square will be home to the traveling remembering our fallen tribute towers of Americans fallen from a global war on terror. The nationally traveling display will be in City Square from June 11 to the fourteenth with an opening ceremony on June 11 at noon. And also on June 18 at noon, we're gonna have the official hosting of the City Square dedication on the Unity Dome with artist, Siji Chen, will be in attendance to help us celebrate this new chapter of our downtown. And lastly, we would like to celebrate all those who are king are and congratulate all the graduates of twenty twenty six Joliet. Kindergarten, eighth grade, high school, college, and all the accomplishments deserve to be recognized.

So please join me in wishing them all well and best in their futures. Thank you and God bless you all.

Okay. Is there a motion to adjourn? Moved. All in favor?

Aye. Opposed?

Meeting adjourned.