City Council - Regular Meeting

20th, 2025. Please stand and join us in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Music] the wall. Belzac here. Gusson here. Kenny here. Legansky here. Shower here. Stampinado here. Sullivan, six present and one absent.

We have a quorum. Before I go to questions and comments and announcements of the general nature, I want to inform the audience that we have taken the uh environmental committee uh decision off the agenda tonight. We're going to move that to our goal setting session. Goal setting is November 19th. And what that setting does, it allows us to look over some of the recommendations that we've received uh and formulate something that we could be discussing as a as a council at goal setting and we'll also it's open to the public. Goal setting is not a closed session. It's an open session. So we'll be discussing it at goal setting. It' be one of our num numerous items that night. And if you would like to come and you'd like to speak to that group that night, you're you're welcome to to talk to the city council that night. So, I just wanted to inform uh the pe the audience. I know there are several of you who are on in the environmental committee, and I want you to know we consider uh your service. We want to say thank you for your service, but we we're not going to do anything about it tonight. We're going to carry it forward to goal setting and we're going to discuss it and we'll come to a conclusion that night at the goal setting. So, I wanted to announce that but that will not be a voting night. That's a recommendation night,

right? Uh then we we go to questions and comments and announcements of the general nature and this is on our agenda for anyone who would like to present something to the city council that's not on our agenda. Anybody like to come forward? Just uh just state your name, please. [Music] Heather Conroy, sitting of Darian Environmental Committee member as well as a Darian Garden Club member as well as on the board of Darian Garden Club as well as Rotary, which the recycling event you're talking about is mine. It's actually mine. What everybody does is show up to volunteer. I do the whole thing. I do everything with scarce. Scarce doesn't really know what you're talking about, Brian. When you referenced it to the email to us on Thursday, letting us know Thursday that you're going to disband a 38-year committee just like that. When you have actively not let us participate, not had a lison, no budget, we have nothing that we can do with nothing. But we have come up with things. We have given it to you to the lison to the city that you never brought to them. I'm guessing he never brought it to you because I've never heard any of our recommendations brought up. What needs to happen is to have a llayison that's official to work with us as a committee. Number one, I have four emails from residents right now from one resident saying all these emails throughout the last two years that she has sent saying, "Send this to the environmental committee. Here's a grant. here's a grant to do your stuff with. And it was never passed to us. I saw it today. I also didn't know up until today that we could call our own meeting. We have been waiting for the village to call the meeting. It was supposed to be September 22nd because last year in

2024, we lost one member, two member, and then our chairman died. You didn't know about it for 2 months. But all of these are 24. I don't have all of them cuz they're gate passes to community leader roundt where every single one of us come there. We actually joked that we should have a meeting there and just call a quorum cuz we're the only ones that actually show up. We take that information. I spoke with the mayor to put it on the website. We have lots of things that we could do. We have we could have garbage cans and with a recycling attached, but there's no money. Yes, there is. there's grant money that they have been sending emails to the city that you are disregarding. So, I don't know how we can move forward and even have an environmental committee if the city is actively actively not trying to have one. So, you're not calling meetings. I had no clue to today that we could just call our own meeting, let you guys know to be there, and then if you don't show up, we just send you our minutes. But what is the point of that when you're not going to even listen to us? We're bringing things to the city that you're not hearing. That is number one. It's just appalling that you sent out that email like that, Brian. Like, I really don't understand. And then some commun Brian's there. Didn't he retire? Like, aren't you retired? I don't understand. I am just I I'm I don't know why you're tableabling something. I'm being taken away all the time from the gu garden club's meetings and board meetings for this. Why? And you you reference the garden club, a commu a community volunteer non-residents, and you're saying that they're the same as an appointed position that has to uphold and be sworn in. You're saying that's the same. So, I'm saying that we have to either work together or you're right, just disband it. Get rid of it cuz you're not letting us meet. You're not

helping us. And you're not even giving what the public is giving you to give us. Good evening. My name is uh Arleta Technic. Do you need my address? No.

Okay. And so I would like to just say a few words in regards to the environmental committee. I've been a part of that committee for many, many years. And I will have to say when you consider this committee that we have a uh leazison with attending these community roundt discussions and programs at Oregon laboratories that is a gem in our backyard and so when we go to these meetings there's an awful lot of information they share with us. I would like to see some kind of a leazison where we can feed some of those important things that we discuss back with the community. Uh they need to know the stuff that's going on there. for example that they have an a a superco computer Aurora what they are doing with research in medical fields and and we have scientists from all over the the world coming to use these computers and for their calculations and it's one of a kind in the world and so I believe this committee should really focus in on feeding back to our residents. They need to know what what's happening, the beautiful programs that Argon offers. I know Mayor Joe attends those meetings, too. And so to give some feedback, and I think this committee is privy to to go to those those meetings if it gets spanned, nobody's going to go just on their own. And as I said, that's a gem in our backyard. a lot of the scientists are living here and I think the community needs to know the good work that they're

doing and so either by during connect or somebody presents that when we do have those in layman's terms to the city but I think that part of it really is very very important to our daring uh argon is a a hidden gem in our city that needs needs to be voiced and uh let the people know what's happening and there's a lot of programs that's available to them that I'm sure they're they don't know about. So for that reason I think we have to stay on track with that uh that part of it uh that's very very important plus other things but that's one that I I just would not want to see discontinued. Thank you for your time. Thanks a lot. Anyone else I I just like to make one comment and that comment is that um we've always appreciated the work of the environmental committee and like I said I attend the CLRT meetings at Argon National Lab and they're quite interesting and most of the committee shows up for those meetings. When we had when we had CO co really impacted a number of our committees, our committee structure and it probably impacted the environmental committee more than any other committee. We were for a number of years creating the agenda for the environmental committee. Uh Mrs. Clem would come to me, we would sit down and we would talk about agenda items. She would create the agenda and you would have your meeting. When COVID hit, that

had a significant impact on on your meeting on your meetings. The other thing that took place is much of the environmental concepts that we dealt with became staff issues. Over the last few years, we've applied for a number of grants and as most of you know, we we are an EV readiness community. We participated with the Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus in the EV readiness program. We got bron bronze level status. Mr. Gonuk has been involved in writing a number of grants. Uh we've got an a we I believe it was a grant with Morton Arboritum. Yes,

that led to Morton giving us 100 trees that were planting in areas where there's no canopy. We've had a lot of things that we have done, but they've been at the staff level. They haven't been things you wouldn't you wouldn't give a committee the the grant writing because the grant writing involves materials and information that we only have at the city level. I wanted to move this tonight to goal setting because I think it deserves a more more of a discussion than we would give it tonight. I also feel that it would give the public more of an opportunity to have input. No one No one in this building has said you can't meet. No one in this building has tried to keep environmental committee from meeting. Okay. I do not have an I I don't have an environmental committee person who's come to me and said, "Can we meet or we try to meet and so and so told us, no, that's never happened." I appointed people to the committee after we found out your chairman died. I tried to get some additional people on that committee and I think we did that. I think Val, you were one of our newer members on that committee. So if I didn't want this committee, I wouldn't have appointed Val just earlier this year to that committee. We will have this discussion at our goal setting session. We will have an open discussion and you will all you will have an opportunity to be there and you will have an opportunity to state your concern. I received a four-page document from a former environmental committee member that has a number of suggestions

that I think are excellent and we will put together a packet for you for the committee for the council because the goal setting is made up of the council to discuss and to talk about. Not tonight. Tonight would have been too early to have to make this decision in my mind. So, I'm glad it's not on the agenda tonight and I'm glad we're carrying it through. The comm the council told me in work session that they would prefer to have this at goal setting than tonight. And I'll leave it at that. But what's appeared on social media over the last two or three days has been misstatements and untruths about the city and the city's role as an environmentally conscious community. We are a very environmentally conscious community. That's not going to change. And it to a certain extent I I'm saying this because sometimes you have to meet the nonsense that you read on social media with the truth. And the truth of the matter is we are an environmentally conscious community and we will continue to be an environmentally conscious community and we have achieved a lot. I have two pages here that I typed up today of all the things we've done in the last 3 to four years of an environmental nature that I I'm not going to read to you because I don't want to take up your time because we're moving this out off of the agenda tonight, but I could go through all these items tonight and these are all things that pertain to our environment within the city of Durian. So, don't let anybody look at the social media posts that have gone on this weekend and say the city of Darian doesn't care about the environment. I got an email from the Ottabbon Society saying they thought it was terrible that we're going to I wrote

I wrote that person an email back and I said we're still concerned about the environment. We're we're a very conscious community with regard to the environment. So, I don't know where he got his information, but somebody must have told him that we were giving up. I had people send me emails saying, "It's a shame that you're doing what you're doing." I had one person who accused Mr. Vanna of dropping this committee as a vindictive move against the person on that committee. Totally untrue. And if I sound like I'm a little bothered and angry about it, I am. I work with this man every day and he never never would ever cancel the committee or ask to for a committee to be disbanded in order to punish somebody. And in fact, we've had these discussions regarding the environmental committee several months now before we even started talking about the TIFF. So, I'm going to leave it at that. If you want to come to the goal setting session, you want to provide input, that's fine. We're going to have an open discussion that night and you'll have an opportunity to talk and I'll leave it at that and

mayor at that point we can address some of the comments that were made also about the packets leazison and things like that just declare those right okay with that we need uh approval of the minutes I have a motion to approve the minutes of October 625 you just stepped in and said wait you wanted to I'm sorry your three minutes are up no she wanted to talk you You you said I'm sorry you're 3 minutes. You interrupted minutes. She wanted to talk. She was waiting for you to finish. You You started talking. I just want to say something and you start talking. So she wants three minutes.

Who? Right here. Deb on your environmental committee. Oh my god. If somebody wants You don't know who the members are. Yeah. Why doesn't Deb say something? Raise your hand then, please. Here. Okay, then come on up. Don't let him bully you like that. I asked if anybody else wanted to come up. No. [Music] Bully. You are so disrespectful to the bully. You're disrespectful. Bully. Three meetings in a row, Heather. We had I've had to listen to you bate this council. You mentioned that you're at Rotarian. Well, guess what, Rotarian? The Rotarian that you're getting rid of the the

Why are you disaging me Joe? Correct. You said you're Rotarian. Four-way tested things we think, feel, think, and say, do my event. And if I don't do it, building will and bettering friendships is not happening with you tonight. Go ahead and work with yours. Please come forward.

Just state your name. I'm Deb Harky. I am on the environmental committee and I'm also on with the Daring Garden Club. But I just wanted to add some things. Um, one thing when you said that we could have had our own m meetings personally, I didn't know and I think none of the committee members knew because when the meetings are cancelled, um, they said we can't have the meeting because there's not a city official available. And I think there might be some miscommunic miscommunication about all these things. And I just wanted to point out when we were looking for a new garbage recycle company and um you had sent us out to different places to evaluate um and LRS is great. But when we came back and had our meeting, we had given some suggestions to um who was taking notes and the city person that was there just to give feedback to the community and they had talked about programs they could start in our community that wouldn't cost anything and it never for some reason it never got to the right people and I just wanted to just say those facts. I'm about, you know, the environmental committee. I don't want you I we we did not know that we could make our own meeting cuz every time the city um appointed person would call us and cancel, they said because we don't have a city official attending and I know everybody's busy and everything. So um that's all I wanted to say. Thank you for your time.

Thank you, mayor. just just so there's no confusion. There are times when it's hard to get a quorum, but that's of committee members. Staff is available, but again, we could talk more about that um on the 19th. Anyone else? Okay, I have a motion to approve the October 6th, 2025 moved by Alman Stampinado, second by Alderman Belza. Questions or comments regarding the minutes? On the roll? Stampinado. I Belzac. Hi Kenny. Hi Shaw. Hi Gustiffson. Hi Leanssky. Hi. Six eyes's and one absent.

Minutes have been approved. Uh receiving a communications. Then the all the men have communications they like to share. Oh Kenny.

I had three communications regarding uh environmental committee. I had one from Brian Lekkey which I think we've both had. the some of the council members had had communications with Mrs. Mrs. Conroy this evening. Um had communications with Sylvia McGyver via email and we had discussions with Val Kasich both via um verbal and email regarding regarding the environmental committee. Yeah, I had quite a few comments and stuff on the environmental and I had one neighbor over at my house for about an hour this afternoon discussing it. So, I got a lot of lot of lot of comments from the folks upset about what we're going to possibly be doing.

Okay, anyone else? Okay, takes us to our mayor's report. Uh tonight we are looking to uh consideration of a motion to approve the reappoint of members to the citizen of the year committee. Bonnie Cassera, Lana Johnson, Tracy Thompson Johnson, and Carol Mailers. Motion to approve. Alman Shower, second by Alderman Gustoson. Questions or comments? Now the roll. Shower. Hi. Gustiffson. Hi. Leansky. Hi. Belac. I Stanado I Kenny I six eyes and one absent.

Then we have consideration to a motion to approve the appointment of Jane Moss to the citizen of the year committee as a new appointment. Motion to approve. Alman Belzac second by Alderman Shower. Question or comment? If none the role. Belac. Shower. Hi. Kenny. Hi. Gustiffson. Hi. Leansky. Hi. Stampinado. Hi. Six eyes and one absent. Jane's been approved. Would the entire committee please come forward to be sworn in?

I think we're missing Lana. [Music] You're welcome, Jane. Come on up. Please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name. I care do solemnly swear swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois and the Constitution of the State of Illinois and that I will faithfully discharge and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the duties of citizen of the year citizen of the year

according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability. Okay, I have cards for some of you, but Jane, I need you to sign here and then your card. Bonnie. Okay, Bobby, would you like to say something then? Yeah, I've got Okay, Tracy, thank you. And Carol, thank you very much. Thank you. Nice job, ladies. Thank you. Here I am.

Here I am again. Um, first of all, I'd like to thank you again for um uh putting your trust in us and picking one of the most uh valued people of our community uh for this most prestigious award. Uh the event is going to take place on March 6th. It's a Friday, 20 um 26, which is kind of hard to say. Um, it will be again at Alpine Banquetss. Uh, it'll be family style with open bar and I've been able to get the same price of $52 again as we have for the past several years. Um, the event will take place starting at 6:00 p.m. and going to 11:00 p.m. Uh, we will have, of course, a DJ, uh, open bar, like I said. Um, it'll be videotaped for use on our website. Um, so I think it'll be another grand, uh, event. Now the biggest challenge is of course is to get the nominations in. Uh as a committee we do not nominate anybody. It is strictly up to the citizens or even outside people of Darien to nominate someone a resident of Darien uh for this honor. Um nominations will be open November 1st and they will close on January 6th. Um we will also be recognizing um people of the year uh from some of our um uh wonderful uh organization and service organizations. Uh they include uh the women's club uh the DYC uh the Rotary Club uh the business alliance darian business alliance the darian uh garden club and the darian lions club. So we will be reaching out to those uh presidents um of those clubs to get our um their honores to be honored that evening. Um and of course um um they will also be um you know honored in a a

very special way. So if you have any questions or anything? Nope. Okay. Thank you again. You're welcome. Um, now that leads us to consideration of a motion to approve the reappoint of Melody Janowski, Tracy Thompson Johnson, and Leslie Sweeney to the Holiday Home Decorating Committee. Motion to approve. Alman Leagansky, seconded by Alderman Shower. Any questions or comments? If not, in the role, Leansky. Hi. Shower. Hi, Stampinado. Hi, Kenny. Hi, Gusen. Hi, Belzac. Hi. Six eyes and one absent.

Tracy unless you like to come forward, please. We're doing double duty tonight. Tracy, all these extra steps in double duty.

Okay, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I state your name. I, Tracy Thompson, do solemnly swear do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States. I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Illinois and the Constitution of the State of Illinois. And that I will faithfully discharge And that I faithfully discharge the duties of due duties of Holiday Home Decorating Committee holiday home decorating committee to the best of my ability. to the best of my ability. Congratulations. And I have your cards for you. You ready to say anything? No. No, we're excited about Halloween. Um,

just so people know, we've expanded the workload of the committee. We used to just judge the Christmas decorations. Now we're going to judge the Halloween. And Tracy and um Leslie have told me that they're going to get out there in the next week and they're going to start judging and picking those houses. We're going to have five winners. The top winner gets $100. Everybody else gets uh $50. So Tracy and Leslie, I don't know if we have any nominees that came into the city, but you're free to go out and drive around and and pick your own. And we're going to cut it off the 31st, not the 3rd. Okay. Okay. Perfect. All right. Thank you.

Good. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Thank you. Thank you.

Uh on the agenda, it says uh recognition of the Knights of Columbus, but I'm going to read something uh with regard to that. We live in a community where many enjoy the wonderful amenities of a community such as Darian, Illinois, while there are others who spend a great deal of their time working to enhance our community, thus making it a community that better serves of its residents. Our recipient would be classified as the latter as he has spent more than 40 years of his life in the service of others with his unselfish service to our daring community. While there are others whose work might be more visible and who draw accolades for their efforts, this individual works under this under the radar so to speak, never seeking the attention of others. His contributions are many and his reward is the intrinsic knowledge that he has impacted the lives of so many. Consider his leadership as a member of Our Lady of Peace Parish, where he has made considerable contributions to the Holy Name Society, the Knights of Columbus, and as a 36-year instructor in the parish's religious education program. In each of these organizations, he has unselfishly given up his time not only as a participant, but as a leader, fundraiser, and mentor to others. As a fourthderee knight of Columbus, he has taken on the role as grand knight several times in order to provide leadership to the organization. His fundraising for the Knights of Columbus finds him on the corners of dairy and collecting money each year for those with intellectual disabilities. And his work in this area has helped raise thousands of dollars for this worthy cause. Consider his work as a blood donor. Not only does he give blood every year, he chairs the blood drive as well as for the Darian Lions Club. As a Lions Club member, he has worked diligently on various committees during his 25 plus years as a member, and he is always willing to give of his time for the Lion's Candy Day program and as a sponsor of the Lion's Pancake Breakfast

Program. As I stated earlier, he works quietly and diligently to make Darian a nice place to live. As Muhammad Ali once said, "Service to others is the rent we pay for our time on earth." And our recipient has clearly paid his rent. He has in many respects given his heart in the service of others. And for this reason, I ask you to join me in congratulating Mike Powers as we provide him with a bit of our hearts and with this heart of Darian Award. [Music] [Applause] I'm going to get your service. [Music]

I'm overwhelmed. [Music] Yeah, [Music]

this is a little bit of a surprise to me. brought some of my uh fellow knights out tonight thinking that we were receiving a for service to the community as well. Uh as I look around I see many familiar faces on the council uh and so I feel very comfortable. I've been a president of city of Darian since 1983. I've known many of you on the uh on the council and I uh for many many years and to say that I'm uh overwhelmed by this is a an understatement so pleased always have been your honor for K and I have been most of the years that I've been in Darian uh I remember a few years back when uh many of you remember Jim Sowski I I played Soon after that parking lot on the

So I I thank

thank you so much. Thank you. [Applause] Under the mayor's report, we have a another important item tonight. The Darian Youth Club is uh celebrating its 65th anniversary. I think they're going to have a formal gathering on November 8th, but I have a proclamation here that I'd like to read. Whereas on November 8th, 2025, the Durian Youth Club will be celebrating its 65th year as a youth sports provider. And whereas the Durian Youth Club was founded on July 25th, 1960, then known as Lace Marian Baseball Association. On July 13th, 1971, the organization became the Darian Youth Club to reflect the recently incorporated city. And whereas the Daring Youth Club has evolved from a small boys baseball program into one of the one of the premier community youth activity organizations in the state serving a membership approaching 3,500 boys and girls. Whereas the Darian Youth Club's primary purpose as expressed is to provide wholesome activities and entertainment for the youth of the area that are in keeping in the interest and desires of the members of the club and residents of the area to foster and promote camaraderie, good fellowship, sportsmanship in all of its members, coaches, instructors and volunteer workers. and to dedicate all organizational efforts to the Darian Youth Club Sacred Trust, the children and young adults of the community. And whereas the Darian Youth Club through the hard work and dedication of many volunteers provides a variety of sports activities such as boys and girls indoor and outdoor soccer, girls and boys basketball, co-ed volleyball, baseball, and softball to participate participants

ranging from the ages of 5 to 18 years. And whereas the Darian Youth Club contributes in other ways and supporting the community, including offering scholarships yearly to graduating seniors who have participated in their programs. And whereas the city of Darien is a better community for all of its families because of the commitment and perseverance of the many volunteers which comprise the Darian youth club. Now there I therefore I Joseph A. Marques, mayor of the city of Durian, to hereby proclaim the month of November 2025 as Darian Youth Club month in the city of Durian in recognition of its 65 years of service to the city and ask the citizens of Darian for their continued support of the Darian Youth Club and we celebrate with them remembering the reason for the existence of this organization, the children and young adults of the community. Brian [Music] This is Mr. B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B Bryant Aquilla who was my catcher when he was 9 years old.

He got so older. Yeah, he's a big guy. Somebody here usually takes the pictures. We don't have the camera. You want me to give you your camera? No, that's [Music] not my

Let me just take a [Music] few words. Sure. Didn't really prepare anything but just you know uh I've been here since 1978 myself uh participated as a player. Um coach came back after graduated college and uh you know coached my nephews. My father coached me and then my father was my assistant coach with my nephews. Now I'm my son soccer commissioner and now I'm the president. So just uh this club has meant more to me than just sports. It's you know it was my outlet. it was my way of expressing myself to see, you know, to see children come out there and find a voice and find a a purpose sometimes is great. So, um just to be uh I guess the leader of DYC is a pleasure and um you know, we look forward to celebrating the 65th anniversary on November 8th. We'd like to invite all of you to come out and celebrate with us. Um we'll be hosting this at the clubhouse at the swim racket club over there. So, um, we hope you all can make it and thank you for, you know, honoring us and naming November, uh, during youth club month. So, thank you very much.

You were a pretty good catcher, Brian. Thank you. You know, I did have to put, uh, we had Todd Gormley. Uh, Mike Gormley was the president. Mike Gormley was the manager of Brian's dad, Bob, and I would have put a I'd put odor eaters in my country's mate cuz Todd threw so hard. But, you know, I did my best. But, uh, um, yeah, I can't say good enough good things about Dear Youth Close. So, thank you for honoring us. We appreciate it. Very welcome. Thank you. [Applause]

I don't know if uh people are aware of it. I mentioned this at a meeting several meetings ago, but uh we have a robotics club at himself South High School and we had two organizations, the Darian Lions Club and the Darian Rotary who provided money to the robotics club in order for them to be able to compete. I think they needed the equipment to be able to compete. They finished 11th out of 60 schools. Uh, and we're very proud that we Matthew is here tonight. And I think Do you want to show us something, Matthew? I think he's got one of their uh, one of their robots. [Music] So, as a club,

so um last year uh hello, I'm Matthew Ginski and uh who's going to speak, guys? I have some members. Uh uh I'm Roi Zoshi. Uh, speak up so the mics can pick you up at home. Okay, guys, don't be shy. I'm Roi. I'm Shamir Lee.

Uh, and uh, last year we worked on a robot in a game to score rings on top these uh, mobile goals to score points. And like you said, we finished 11th out of 60 at state. Um, this year the competition's a little different and we have to pick up blocks like this and score them at different heights. Um, and so far we've put together uh this robot which is not fully functional but it's able to do um multiple things. So uh so members of our team they engage in making designs on computers and that's very important for this new age of automation. So right now we got over about about 20 kids in this club at our school Hinsdale South and because of how many kids there are we need three robots total instead of two.

So we're working to get that done. Uh also on the programming side of it uh so the competition has two phases that uh are of importance to a programmer. So there's a an autonomous period and a driver controlled period and Matthew is a driver. Um so the uh autonomous routine uh is getting better and better. I mean, we haven't started working on it yet, but as soon as um the robot is fully put together and everything, we will um start working on that and um we should hopefully be able to um put up a good performance as well.

We'd like to thank you for the recognition. It's not going to walk or anything. Oh, it's not wired up right now. The brain's missing. Well, maybe send a video of it working. Yeah, I'd love to see it. Do you guys want to plug in? Yeah. [Music] Yep. You can't get us all excited here, guys, and not have this thing. Let's see. Does it have a name, the robot? Uh, not at the moment. name.

I was just curious if you Why don't you call him Hornet? Oh, well known as Five Minds. So, yeah. The other one is called Schrodinger. And then we got Is this thing mirror, right? Out of curiosity. Oh, yeah. We're turning on the TV right now. Working a second ago. Yeah, popped up. It's on. It is. It popped up before. Let's see if I can. Blue light means it's but I don't know how you connect to it. Get some plant in it. Let's see.

But in general, we have to go through like a lot of designs. We prototype from the ground up. So we have to first order parts from certain companies. That takes a lot of time and planning. So, we get the budgeting side of things and then we have to assemble everything. I'm I build a lot of the stuff that we design. So, it takes a little bit of time to make all the frames, screw everything together. And it's it's a big process of like doing things over and over again until it works and works efficiently. Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do per the contest? Was the contest require you to build a certain type of robot?

Yeah. Uh we had like the general idea at the start of the season, but um as time went on and we saw some like other competitions that happened uh we decided to like change certain things or um yeah change our strategy. Yes. Yeah. Like mind you this is like an international competition. So if you get up to the world area you end up competing with people all over Southeast Asia such as China, Singapore. Yeah. and that gets really intense. So, what's your guys' budget for that? You said budget. Um, I believe it's Yeah, we're looking.

Yeah, every year we're looking at like a few hundred to a thousand. It depends on what we want to buy, but because we need a new team. Okay. It takes some takes money. So, is there I guess the question is is there like a cap that you can't go over or is it whatever you guys can raise? uh basically as much as we could raise but of course um beyond a certain point we wouldn't have anything to do with it but we haven't reached that point yet or anything so we it's always it's always good to prepare for the next year how many seasons and how many are how many people in the robotics club

uh around 17 yeah so we have around 17 the number of active members uh varies to like is everybody Does everybody build something and compete? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So in their uh respective teams they um they try to build a robot and compete. Um so last year we had uh two teams. We had M team and a team. Um MV. Yeah. So we are M team and then this year we're trying to create um a third team called the Schroinger team. I don't know why they

where do they hold the competitions at? Um, so the competitions are at different places, but uh, our first competition that we're going to be going to in about three weeks or so is at the, uh, UIU. So, any other questions for those guys? Very proud of you guys. Congratulations on your work.

I got something pretty good at a cost on that. Um, few minutes ago, 15 or so, I let my emotions get the best of me and I'm getting to apologize to the council for doing that. And I've been sitting back here and one of my uh constituents who's like like a man to me. Um, let me let me know. But, you know, to to cool down. Thank you. Thank you, Bon. As Alderman, we get a stipent of $3,600 a year. So, it's about $300 a month. So, what I'm going to do, gentlemen, don't go away. This this involves you two. What I'm going to do is the rema my remaining monies that it that's owed to me from the city of Darren is about $600. I'm going to give $200 for you guys. I'm going to give $200 to the Darren Youth Club. and I'm gonna give $200 to the Knights of Columbus for my outburst here today for not, you know, minding my manners. So, my my apologies to the city Darren, to my colleagues, and I will pay my fine to you guys. Thank you. [Applause]

That's terrible. Okay, I'm glad. That takes us to the city clerk's report. Joanne,

I have a couple of announcements to make. The November 3rd, 2025 city council meeting has been cancelled and our next city council meeting is scheduled for November 17th, 2025. And also on the agenda this evening was the 2026 vehicle sticker lottery. I wanted to read a memo that was uh compiled. In 1992, the city council decided to offer this Darian identification vehicle sticker to Darian community organizations through the lottery process. The following organizations were offered the opportunity to participate in the 2026 vehicle sticker lottery and they included Cancer Smashers, Darian Arts Council, Darian District 61 Educational Foundation, Darian Lions Club, Darian Youth Club, Hinsdale South High School Athletics Club, Hinsdale South High School Foundation, Safety Village of Darien, The Active Seniors Club, BFW Darian Memorial Post 2838, Young at Heart Seniors, younger than ever. Seniors, uh, Cass District number 63, right resources and enrichment cares, Darian Chamber of Commerce, which is now the Darian Business Alliance, Darian Historical Society, Darian Women's Club, Garden Club, Hinsdale South High School Band Boosters. And I'd like to report that no one stepped up to say that they would like to be involved in the lottery. So therefore, there is no lottery this evening. and I suggested that we take it to the goal setting session for discussion as far as what we're going to do regarding the um vehicle sticker.

The vehicle sticker is normally a fundraiser for the group. The group designs it and uh gets approval from the city and then the stickers are available here. They're available at the police department. They're available at the park district. They're available at the um police station, wherever the wherever the organization chooses

where organizations are. And the money that's raised goes strictly right to the organization. Um for years, we had a number of organizations that competed for the honor of doing the vehicle sticker. For the last two years, the city has designed and issued the vehicle sticker. And again, it's not a requirement to have one. It's it's a uh basically it's for the sake of the organization to make money. Um so if any of you know any organization that may want to do do this, let us know. Let Joanna know. Okay. See administrator's report, Mr. Benn.

Uh no report, mayor. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Anything for Brian? All right. Department head information questions. Uh deputy chief uh Austin Jump is here to give us the monthly report for September 2025.

Uh uh the chief has posted the monthly report. Uh there hasn't been any uh notable changes in the report over the year to date or the fiveyear period. And I'd be happy to answer any questions that the council has on. Austin, I meant to ask you tonight during um police committee meeting and you we got to talk about something else that got past me. I've noticed now on the on the reports they're showing stats uh rate per 100,000. Where where did they come up with that 100,000 number because I know they're using new reporting systems in here. Where do they come up to that 100,000 and what does that represent? Uh the chief could explain better with this especially with how the reporting has been changing but uh we follow all the guidelines that are given to us by the FBI and the reporting requirements. So that's the same with the clearance rates that are in there. There's stipulations on how we clear uh rates, but uh that is a stat that the the federal government follows and uh that they use. So the chief is incorporating that in there. Could it be possible it's 100,000 nationwide versus 100,000 regionally or

I'm not sure. I I would suspect that it is just a it's a metric that they use nationally and that's what the the FBI and the reporting requirements from the DEOJ would be, but he would have to specify exactly what that is and where that number comes from. Appreciate that. Thank you, sir. Any other questions for deputy chief? Not we. We'll move on to the um treasur's report. Brian.

Uh thank you, mayor. In absence of uh treasurer corin, I'll present the expenditure approval list. This is warrant number 2526-12. Um the four funds enumerated for $881,433.40. There are two payrolls uh for a subtotal of 323,458.31 for a total to be approved by the council of 1,24,891.71.

Motion to approve almanado second by alderman shower. Any questions or comments? Mayor, just again, I guess for anybody who's watching at home, the numbers we read are just aggregate numbers, but if anybody um is on the website and on our meeting, you'll see each of the expenditures broken down. If you're interested to see uh where the money goes, it's by department and it's by expenditure. Um I guess for city people, it's pretty interesting to look at, but if you ever want to look at it, it's all on the website uh with our city council packet. Thank you. the roll. Stampinado. Hi. Shower. Hi. Leansky. Hi. Kenny. Hi. Gusson. Hi. Belzac. Hi.

Six eyes and one absent. Warren's been approved. Standing committee reports. Any of the chairman have reports to present. Alman Belzac. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh, the next municipal services committee meeting will be held a week from today, August I August October 27th at 6 p.m. in council chambers. Thank you. I like I like summer. Alden Kenny. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. The police committee met this evening and we approved the minutes for the September 2nd, 2025 meeting, which we've submitted to the clerk's office. Our next police committee meeting pending agenda agenda items will be on Monday, November 17th, 6 p.m. across the parking lot in the police training.

Do we know what the date of another admin finance? Yes, I do. Uh the the admin finance committee meeting scheduled for November the 3rd has been cancelled and their next scheduled meeting is on December the 1st at 6 p.m. And then also there's uh police pension board. Yeah. The um on behalf of the treasurer who is not here this evening. He's the leazison for the police pension board. They have a meeting scheduled for Thursday, November the 6th at 6:00 p.m.

Thank you Joanne. Uh questions and comments agenda related. These are items that are currently on our agenda. Please come forward and state your name. [Music] Heather, it's disappointing to be told that raising concerns about the city. I don't want to be here. I want you guys to do your job. I am just holding local government accountable. And that isn't disrespectful, Joe. It's civic engagement. I'm proud to live in a place where the residents can speak up, but something like that. How is that going to make residents want to come and speak up? I speak up. A lot of res are kind of scared or they're not informed. They didn't know that the tip was still going through. So, one of the owners told me they thought that was

gone when the apartments were gone. So, no, not everybody.

Yes, I am the truth. You guys keep saying that% of what Joe said the garden keep on referring to the garden club and I'm glad that they're here because the first year you

told them they could come and then when the girl had work and had to redo her picture you told her don't bother coming you're not invited we're look at our budget and the daring garden club has been invited to the citizen of the year VIP to have our VIP up here and I personally called you because I told that girl on the side I told her the city must be instead of telling her what I really wanted and now I'm just going to say so I called you and you told me that you took them off

and that you put the daring business on which hadn't even had a first and they had a VIP of the year and after all that the CGC does you're going to take them off. How embarrassing it was for me to have to tell her don't worry about it to call you and tell you if you do this I'm done. I do all this environmental stuff here and you just I don't know where you are environmentally because your actions are not showing you. You're mentioning the ED program all these things. You are supposed to bring those committee that is res. So that is the point to our committee. That is what we're here to work together. This is for the public about several times even back on but talking to the city there's nothing back there were many meetings that were cancelled by the city and that was the way we always this this going on this can't work with a committee how are you supposed to work with us we're trying to work with you we got grant money we can't get we have all these ideas and you guys haven't heard any of because they're not allowing it because there's no official there's nothing happening and every meeting keeps getting cancelled and then they're saying I'm not getting back but I am I'm telling you what's happening I'm a concerned president and I'm trying to have this committee be so great which it could be and we even work with other club

I'm sorry your three minutes are up the it just did not beep but the three minutes were up thank you just a clarification Heather I talked to Bonnie Cusera, we put the garden club in the book here. We made it a lot. We we we shrunk it. So, we were able to add the garden club. We did. We shrunk it by what? If you talk to Bonnie Caser, she'll tell you we put the garden club in there that year. We did because I called you. No, I had I went to Bonnie and told Bonnie I wanted to put the garden club in there the last year. This past I called you on the phone. You can you can ask Miss Casser.

Okay. I told you this. I'm going tell you why. And what happened?

Oh, because you took us off and you put on had a meeting but had a VIP. Tell me how that happened. This is embarrassing. That's the truth. You want the truth? I'm very tell. I don't go in public. I try to work things out on very quietly very nice. You guys aren't doing that. Then I will come. I don't want to be here. I'm supposed to be at right now. It does all this stuff in the city. I don't have time for this. Yes, I have a problem with the tact enough.

The legal but for test if not for the tip then that property Heather out of fairness to the audience your 3 minutes are up. You engaged me. Takes us to old business. There being no old business. No, she wanted

you want to come forward.

Hi, I would like

Sure. Thank anyway. Um, I wanted to point out all of his beautiful type of a humbled man.

When I became a kid at Our Lady of Peace was when I really his life was um the eighth grade, which is a very hard grade uh to get them ready for reception and to children, giving them charact. And what I really really granddaughter came to church, she came to church uh last and I said and she said, "Oh my god, you're in his but he does it and I just want being uh and working uh I'm over working with him.

[Music] And thank you for the time. No, no. Thanks very much. Anyone else?

Okay. Takes us to old business. There being none, it goes to our consent agenda. There being none, we go to new business. We have one item under new business. Consideration of a motion to approve the tax levy determination for general and special purposes for fiscal year 2025 to 2026. Motion to approve. Alman Belzac, second by Alman Kenny, and I'm going to ask Mr. Bana to describe what this is.

Thank you, mayor. This is the annual process for uh municipality any taxing bodies to make a tax levy determination. Um and this is again um happens once a year about this time and attached is the recommended tax levy determination. As the council's aware, the last several years, the police pension contribution has exceeded the property tax levy that the city asks for. And instead of raising the property tax, the city would pay the difference has been paying the difference out of other uh city funds. last year um like we're doing this year. This tax levy determination does request the increase up to the full uh police pension uh fund uh requirement or request by the uh actuary. And again, as last year, it'll be uh on on tonight, then it'll be on uh the first meeting, I'm sorry, the second meeting in November. And then it gets recorded with the county. And as last year, as the city council gets to talk through the budget, uh you can make a determination if there are other funds available after the budget review. Last year, uh the city council did abate uh taxes prior to uh as part of the budget discussion and that abatement led the city tax request to be exactly the same as the previous year with no increase.

And what's the next step then, Brian? Uh the next step will be if the city council approves tonight, it would come back uh to the city council. I'm sorry, mayor. Let me November 17th. November 17th. And that would be the the actual ordinance that would come for approval that gets recorded with DuPage County. And then we don't hear from them probably until February. The process that they use for tax levy requests is not in sync with our city budget. So, the information on the tax levy comes a little bit later. Um, but it does come in time for the city council to finish the budget discussions and make that additional abatement if they choose to. And when is the abatement deadline?

March 30th. And Tom, I will double check that. That's what it's been all these years. I don't think they have changed. That sounds right. Yes. And we should be done with the budget process by then.

We'll have an idea if we can abate at that point. What people need to understand is um every every year our contribution to our police pension fund goes up. It's on a ramp and that ramp goes to 2040 and every year that amount that we contribute goes up. I think Ted we said that 101 15 years ago it was $800,000 a year we were contributing. Now we're at going to be 3.1 million and next year the following year it will go up even more. And up until last year as Mr. Vanna said our real estate taxes paid 100% of our contribution. Well this year our real estate t last year our real estate taxes brought in 2.485 485 and our police pension contribution was 2.985. So it was a $400,000 that we had to make up other in other ways. So I just want the public to know this is not this is for the police pension fund. All this money goes to the police pension fund, not roads, not new equipment, just the police pension fund. We pay 100% of the actuaries recommendation to the police pension fund every year and we will continue to do that. I just want to offer that Brian did a great job describing it. I wanted to describe it from a more of a layman's standpoint.

Mayor, there there is also a second tax levy request and that is uh it's a special service area that addresses the properties at Tira Hill. They have specific uh storm water detention and wetlands that were built as part of that development and there is annual maintenance the city provides uh to those detention basins. So a separate special service property tax is set up that was approved many many years ago when the subdivision was built and uh that tax levy is $5,000 and again the city council will go through that uh as part of our budget discussion. Any any questions for Brian? If not the roll. Belzac. Hi. Kenny. Hi. Stampinado. Hi.

Mansky. Hi. Shower. Hi. Gustoson. Hi. Six eyes and one absent. The item has been approved. Takes us to questions, comments, and announcements of a general nature. Anybody on the council have anything they'd like to share? Not anybody in the audience have anything they'd like to share? If not, I ask for a motion to adjurnn. I then stop a second by all shower. All in favor? Tonight we are journal.