Oh yeah.

You're ready, Mr.

Mayor?

Yes.

Welcome everyone to the City of Joliet, City Council first official voting meeting of the year.

To be held here Tuesday, January 6th, 630 in City Chambers.

Proceeding over is our mayor.

Mayor Terence.

Darcy.

Wait a minute.

Father Chris.

I forgot.

I'm a rookie.

I didn't get all the information.

Father Chris Chapter Juliet's police and fire departments will be used in vocation and the pledge to the flag.

Thank you, Father, for knowing your position.

Helping.

Let us pray.

Almighty God, we generously bestow many gifts upon your people.

And we are grateful for all that you do for us.

We recognize the many favors that you grant.

Tonight as members of our council gather, we ask that you come to enlighten them so that everything that they do may begin with your inspiration and with your wisdom.

Guide wisdom and justice.

Authority is rightly administered through you.

Laws are enacted and judgments are decreed.

Guidance support our mayor, the members of our city council, our city manager, and our city staff.

Give them the strength to always know your will so that all decisions may be done with a desire to please you.

May their work be conducted with righteousness.

And may they always promote what is for the good and welfare of the citizens of Joliet.

We likewise commend to your care all of the residents of our city, that they too may be blessed and sanctified, so that we may together work for the betterment of our community and enjoy the blessings promised to those who made ever faithful to you.

For we pray to our Lord and God forever and everything.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

Thanks for your help, Father.

Thank you, Father.

Okay, we'll begin with roll call.

Mayor Darcy.

Here.

Councilman McCartanas?

Councilman Clement?

Councilman Hug?

Here.

Councilman Abarra?

Here.

Councilman Moreno?

Here.

Councilman Mudron.

Here.

Councilwoman Queman?

Here.

Councilman Rudin.

Here.

Next is the approval of the agenda.

Is there a motion to approve the agenda as written?

So moved.

Second.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Cardinals.

Councilman McClellan.

Councilman Hugg?

Councilman of Barra.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Councilman Mudrin?

Aye.

Councilman Quoman.

Aye.

Councilman Rurden.

Mayor Darcy.

Motion carried.

Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items.

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

I have one person signed up, Judy Easley.

Good evening.

My name is Judy Easley.

I am a resident of the city of Joliet.

And I am here because I am concerned about the alcohol that will be served at Sharks when it opens on the Lockett Avenue in the downstream business.

And I don't want to see people get hurt.

I don't want to see property destroyed.

And I definitely don't want to see that.

So if you could please vote against the liquor license, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

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

Okay, seeing none.

Next, our council committee reports.

We'll start with land use and economic development.

Wednesday, December 17th, uh 235 here at 3:30 and City Hollow Council Chambers.

In attendance was Councilwoman Ibarra, Councilman Mudron and myself, along with the city staff members.

We just have one agenda item to review with TMP 9259 ordinance establishing a boundary line agreement between the city of Joliet and the village of Elwood.

Following our review and discussion, the committee recommended advancing the items of the full council for approval with our support.

It's on tonight's agenda item.

Did I miss anything?

Sweet and short.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Public safety.

Thank you.

The public safety committee met today here at the council chambers at 5 30.

In attendance was Councilwoman Susanna Barra, Jan Quillman, and myself.

It was a short agenda.

There were no citizens to be heard on agenda items.

There were a couple agenda items.

One will be on tonight's agenda under 2-26 approval of purchase of 110 additional sets of firefire turnout gear from Air 1 equipment incorporated, an amount of 398,000 dollars and 398, 310.

Currently, we have out of date or set to be out of date, one at least a hundred um uh sets of firefire turnout gear.

There were three bids.

This was the Lotus bid.

Um we asked a few questions about what do you do with with the gear when it expires?

So they can use this with some community when uh the community comes in and and goes to the firehouse and learns about uh fire fighting.

Um they could use it for that.

Also, some other communities can use that.

So there was did you have anything, Jan or Susanna?

No.

So basically that was all.

Yeah, so basically we we approve that it's on again tonight's agenda, and then tonight's agenda under one twenty-six, so you have uh approved purchase of one LP 35 cardiac monitor and three LP 100 1000 AED for the City of Juliet Fire Department from Stryker Medical and the amount of 59, 847 dollars and twelve cents.

Um it's just replacing some of these older ones are not compatible to what we have now.

Um, so we're gonna get updated with that.

Any anything addition to that?

No, that was short and sweet.

Yep, three of us uh approve that again it's on tonight's agenda, and then under resolutions uh on under tonight's uh agenda item 32-26 resolution authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Joliet and Will County.

Um, Chief Kerry, you want to just touch on that briefly and then maybe talk about uh the fire that happened yesterday, if you don't mind.

Thank you.

Yeah, good evening.

The uh intergovernmental agreement is with Will County.

We are on the StarCon system, they have an eight-hydro system, and it allows us to talk to other communities when we go mutual aid or when they come here.

Uh prime examples yesterday.

We had uh McCook the fire department come to the Amazon warehouse fire to bring their big ventilation fan, but we weren't able to talk to them on our radio system with this uh agreement with Little County.

It works for fire police, and our CERP team will be able to use it, and even other city uh departments can use it.

It's free, it just allows us to get on their system instead of our encrypted system.

Um the fire yesterday, I know a lot of people weren't aware too much of it at 3:30 yesterday at a fire at the Amazon warehouse on Brandon Road.

Um, came in, first company got there.

Sprinkler was going up, there was heavy smoke in the building, not heavy, so the building was just filled with smoke, it wasn't like the heavy black smoke.

A lot of that was because of the incomplete combustion with the sprinklers attacking the fire, uh, creates a lot of visibility problems.

So when they enter the building, it was about zero visibility.

Um they had some materials falling off the racks because of all the sprinklers were uh making the all the materials wet, starts falling down, and the biggest issue was deep inside the warehouse.

So uh where they initially tried to come in for it was too far, so they had to come back out, go back in another entrance.

They were able to find the fire, put the fire out.

But we were there for about six and a half hours because they had to pull all the material out of the racking system and let it down and bring it outside just to make sure there was no rekindle.

Um other than that, we have one firefighter injured, but it'll be okay.

Yeah, thank you.

All right, thank you.

So three of us uh uh made a motion to approve, and then again it's on tonight's agenda.

There was no new or old business, not for final action or recommendation.

There was no public comment.

We did have a young man, uh Jonathan LePasic.

Uh he's getting his bear patch, and he wanted a witness uh civil um and citizen uh interaction uh to get that bear patch.

He did a great job.

You interviewed uh officer John Perry in reference to uh litter in the city of Joliet and any potential crowns, it was a pretty good interview.

So um that was pretty nice.

So did I miss anything?

All right.

Uh mayor, that's my report.

Thank you.

Okay.

And public service.

Public service committee met here yesterday, January 5th, 2026 in the council chambers on the committee in attendance with councilwoman Reardon, Councilman Mudray.

And we allowed him to talk, even though he tried to shut down the father.

So and myself, of course.

But uh we had a pretty routine.

It looks lengthy, but it's really routine.

We had uh seven contract items and 11 change order items.

The contract for the most part are approving bids for purchasing of chemicals for the uh wastewater treatment plant for uh the new year of uh salt for the streets.

So you know we re uh re-uffing our contract with the bio solid disposal program.

That was the big item at $3.5 million.

We looked at all seven items, and as I said, they were routine, and we found uh the bids to be in order, and all seven of them were unanimously approved by all three members of the committee to move forward to the council and committee recommendation to approve those items.

We had a similar experience under change order, pay estimate and final payments.

We had the 11 items.

Most of it was one of two things, either extending uh time for contracts that weren't finished, the streets or what have you, repairs by the time the winter came, so we have to go through the formality of extending it.

It's it's uh slated to be done by December 31st.

It couldn't be done because of weather, so we extended another couple of months.

Just uh a little housekeeping.

Um, really that uh we did have 135,505 item that uh the most we paid for outside contractor snow removal during a snow event, a snowstorm in several years.

Um from our November uh 2930th, which we all remember snow that we received.

We go to outside contractors for dead industries and cold de sacs if we have an access of four inches of snow.

So we did.

But again, all of these items under the uh change order to pay us and final payments were looked at and vetted by all three members, and all 11 items were unanimously approved to be sent to the full council with committee recommendation to approve.

That's pretty much all I have unless you guys want to add something.

That's good.

Mayor, that's my report.

Thank you.

I show no other reports under consent agenda.

Invoices to be paid.

It is recommended this report be approved.

Approval of minutes.

It is recommended the minutes of the pre-council meeting December 1st, 2025, and council meeting December 2nd, 2025 stand approved as recorded.

Council model number one-26.

Approval purchase of one LP35 cardiac monitor and three LP 1000 AEDs from striker medical in the amount of 59,847 and 12 cents.

Council model number two-26, approval purchase of 110 additional sets of firefighter turnout gear from Air One Equipment Incorporated in the amount of 398,310.

Councilmember number three-26, approval of the 2026 rock salt purchase contract with the state of Illinois in Morton Salt Incorporated for bulk, rock salt at the averaging price of $67.20 per ton for a not to exceed amount of 470,375.

Councilmember number four-26, approval of purchase of one Limbroom bear sweeper from Standard Equipment Company Incorporated in the amount of 448,690.

Councilmember number five-26, approval of change order number one for the 2025 unleaded field purchases to Al Warren Oil Company Incorporated in the amount of 120,837.

Councilmember number six-26, approval of change order number one for the 2025-2026 sidewalk maintenance contract to PT Faro Construction Company in the amount of $51,000 four dollars and fourteen cents.

Councilmember number seven-26, approval of change order number one for the 2024 bituminous surface treatment contract A to AC pavement shipping company, an increase in the amount of $9,421 and 60 cents, and payment number two and final in the amount of $9,650.

Councilmember number eight-26 approval of change order number three for the 2024 sidewalk curb replacement project each Joliet contract to Davis Concrete Construction Company in the amount of $22,065 and 40 cents and payment number four and final in the amount of thirty thousand nine hundred and thirty-six dollars and sixty-eight cents.

Councilmember number nine-26 approval of amendment number two for the phase two engineering services for the Faroe Road over Spring Creek Improvement Project MFT section number 21-00542-00-BR to Hutchinson Engineering Incorporated in the amount of $15,000.

Councilmember number 10-26, approval of payments for contractor snow removal operations for the November 29th to November 30th, 2025 snowstorm in the amount of 135,505.

Councilmember number 13-26, award of contract for the 2026 drinking water, sodium hypochlorite purchase to Univar Solutions USA LLC for the not to exceed amount of 467,325.

Councilmember number 15-26.

Approval purchase of one vehicle mounted hydraulic valeturing machine for the public utilities department from EH Wax in the amount of $32,794.

Councilmember number 16-26 approval of change order number one for the railroad street water main improvements project on behalf of PT Faro Construction Company for adjustments to project completion dates.

Councilmember number 17-26 approval of change order number one for the Hickory Creek West Water Main Improvements Project to Aries Incorporated for deduction in the amount of $559,493 and 40 cents and pay estimate number six and final in the amount of one million one hundred and forty eight dollars one hundred forty eight thousand six hundred and forty seven dollars and eighty-two cents councilmember number eighteen-26 approval of payment for emergency repairs to the water main in displains river crossing to Aries Incorporated in the amount of three hundred eighty-eight thousand eight hundred eighty-one dollars and one cent.

It is recommended council members one-26 through eighteen-26 be approved.

Second it's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman Nabarra?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman Quillman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinals.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Next our agenda items.

Councilmember number 20-26.

Approval of change order number one for the Broadway Theodore de Ruby Water Main Improvements Project on behalf of Austin Tyler Construction Incorporated for adjustments to project completion dates.

It is recommended Councilmember number 20-2626 be approved.

Second.

Thank you.

It's been motioned and seconded to approve.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman Barra.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno.

Abstain.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman McQuillen.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Councilman Cardinals.

Aye.

Council McClellan.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number 21-26.

Approval of change order number one for the North Prairie Water Main Improvements Project on behalf of Austin Tyler Construction Incorporated for adjustments to project completion dates.

It is recommended Councilmember number 21-26 be approved.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilwoman Abara.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman Quillman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Council McCartanus.

Aye.

Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carry.

Under licenses and permit applications.

Councilmember number 23-26.

Issuance of Class B liquor license at 50 East Jefferson Street, Casa Katrina.

Is there a motion to approve the issuance of said liquor license?

Council.

Second.

Did somebody already second?

Sorry.

Okay.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Moreno.

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman McQuillen.

Aye.

Councilman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinals.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilman of our Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number 24-26 issuance of Class D liquor license at 800 North Raynor Avenue Sharks Fish and Chicken.

Is there a motion to approve the issuance of Ted Liquor License?

So move.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Mr.

Mayor.

Yeah.

I did speak to Mayor Solomon today this morning.

He says he has no issues at all with this business and Crestville.

So thanks.

Anyway.

I think to address the comments.

Um this is a beer and wine only, correct?

And there's what, 12 seats, I think we talked about last night.

So there's no carry out.

And I know your concerns because I know there was some trouble with uh carryout liquor at the um 711.

That's probably one of the reasons they closed.

But I don't think you're gonna have that kind of a problem with this establishment.

Just want to make that comment for you, ma'am.

Mr.

Mayor, just a piggyback on that.

You know, the city and the mayor, they do have the authority to discipline or take care of any issues if they come to be.

So thank you, General.

Okay, thanks.

It's been motion seconded to approve.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilwoman Quillman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardenas?

Aye.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman Abarra?

Aye.

Councilman Marino?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilman memo number 25-26.

Issuance of Class D liquor license at 325 South Larkin Avenue Sharks Fish and Chicken.

Is there a motion to approve the issuance of said liquor license?

So motion second.

Any comments?

I do have a comment.

I also wanted to just address what she said.

I was very concerned, so I thought how much seating, because this is district five, so it is very important to me.

Um it's very little seating, and I'm very confident because it is such a small place that whoever is serving the beer wine will be able to keep eyes on you know the person not over serving them.

And as it was stated, the mayor does have a lot of power in enforcing anything like that.

So this is literally within walking distance of my house, so it does matter to me.

And I did ask a lot of questions about it, but I was pretty satisfied with it being a small thing.

I can name some businesses in town that sell those dollar shooters.

You come out of the parking lot of a grocery store and they're everywhere.

That's a much bigger problem than uh like sharks, you know, beer and wine.

Thank you.

Mayor.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Just for so people don't misunderstand.

This is not set up as a typical bar.

This is a restaurant.

Yeah.

Drink this with your meal.

Correct.

We don't have a bar when you can sit down and watch the you know the Super Bowl and drink all night.

That's not how this is set up, correct?

Okay.

Thank you.

Okay.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Quillman.

I was going back and forth on this, but after it's been uh discussed further, I'm going to vote yes.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinals.

Councilman Clemente.

Aye.

Councilman Hogg.

Aye.

Councilman of Barra.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno.

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Under public hearing.

Council memo number 27-26.

Public hearing for a boundary agreement between the city of Joliet and the village of Elwood.

This is a public hearing, so comments would be in order at this time.

Is there anyone who would like to speak under this public hearing?

Anyone?

Okay.

Seeing none, let the record show the public hearing is now closed.

Mayor.

I want to thank Dustin Anderson for he provided us with a list of the current uh situation with all our neighbors in my boundary agreements.

Thank you, Doctor.

No problem.

Uh credit where credits due.

Uh my staff had that available.

I didn't create that.

And also uh for the staff work for the boundary agreement.

Uh really the heavy lifting was done by uh Ray Heitner, uh Tony Answer, and Sean Mikos and uh public works utilities and planning.

So if we're handing out at a points, they they really should deserve that.

Well, thank you.

Ray Tony, and who's the other one?

Sean.

Sean, thank you.

All right, thank you.

Under ordinances, council memo number 29-26, ordinances associated with Brick Street subdivision, ordinance approving a preliminary plot of Brick Street subdivision, P-5-25, ordinance approving the vacation of an approximately 14 foot by 123 foot portion of public alley south of 101 South Brick Street, V-5-25 ordinance approving the reclassification of a portion of 113 South Brick Street at 1521 2nd Avenue from R2 single family residential to B1 neighborhood business zoning Z-1-25.

Ordinance approving a preliminary plate of Brick Street subdivision, Pive-25, ordinance approving the vacation of an approximately 14 foot by 123 foot portion of public alley south of 101 South Brick Street, V-5-25 ordinance approving the reclassification of a portion of 113 South Brick Street at 1521 2nd Avenue from R2 single family residential to B1 neighborhood business zoning Z1-25.

It is recommended that ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's a motion and second to approve.

Councilman Redan.

Aye.

Councilman McCartanist.

Councilman McClement?

Aye.

Councilman Hudd?

Councilman?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Councilman Cloman?

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Council Memo number 30-26.

Ordinance approving an intergovernmental cooperative planning and boundary agreement between the village of Elwood and the City of Joliet.

It is recommended set ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's a motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman McCartanus?

Aye.

Council McClement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman of Mara?

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilman Quomen.

Aye.

Councilman Ruiden.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Under resolutions.

Councilmember number 32-26 resolution authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement between the city of Joliet and Will County.

It is recommended that resolution be adopted.

Motion approved.

Second.

Any comments, questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and second and to approve.

Council McClellan?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilman Vara?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Modran?

Aye.

Councilman Quomen?

Aye.

Councilman Rurdin.

Aye.

Councilman McCartanus?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number 33-26 resolution appropriating supplemental motor fuel tax funds for amendment number two to the phase two engineering services for the Ferrell Road Bridge over Spring Creek Improvement Project.

MFT section number 21-00542-00-BR.

It is recommended said resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments, questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilman Barrow?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilman Quoman.

Aye.

Councilmember Rurdin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinals.

Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Five.

Motion carried.

Next is the city manager's report.

Welcome back, City Council, Mayor, and all of our staff and residents following the holiday season, and best wishes for a healthy and productive new year.

We're kicking off 2026 by embracing winter with a fun and engaging snowplow naming contest in partnership with Joliet Public School District 86 for grade school and junior high students.

This initiative is a great way to connect with our youngest residents and build civic pride while highlighting the important work of our public works team.

Three brand new snowplows will receive their names by the end of the month.

It's an exciting time to be part of the city of Joliet, and we look forward to the opportunities in progress ahead in 2026.

Next we have public comments.

Everything I'm about to say is about opposing mass surveillance in our city.

As you are, as you all know, our city employs the use of flock cameras in aim to keep our citizens safe.

However, I'd like to bring to your attention that flock cameras don't just help recover stolen vehicles and they don't just help track parking meters.

When they go, how they go, how often.

That includes people who have done nothing wrong and are just living their lives making suspects out of thousands of innocent people.

Many residents have real concerns about what happens to that data.

In a city as big and diverse as Joliet, people worry about misidentification, overreach, information being shared beyond its original purpose and a variety of other concerns.

Even if those outcomes aren't intended, the existence of a mass surveillance system changes how safe people feel moving through their own city.

Those concerns are then made worse by the fact that flock systems haven't been secure historically.

Block cameras were accessible on the open increment.

There's been cases where block cameras were accessible on the open internet without passwords.

That means that this isn't just about government issues from police, iCE, border patrol, DHS, etc.

But it's also about the risk of stalkers, domestic abusers, or any other bad actors gaining access to movement data of anybody.

For survivors of domestic abuse, uh stalking, or really any other harmful thing like that.

Um this is a serious safety issue.

Misuse is also happened internally.

Um a lieutenant recently in the Joliet Police Department was fired for reasons that included um misuse of a licensed plate reader like this.

And I'm not bringing that up to attack the department.

I'm just saying it because it shows the basic truth that when surveillance tools are this powerful, policies alone can't prevent the misuse, and even trained professionals are susceptible to breaking community trust.

I also want to briefly speak from a personal experience.

I regularly participate in protests and civic action, and many of you may know that I run for office in this town.

I know what it feels like to worry about your movements being tracked.

Um when you're engaging in lawful activity.

Systems like this don't just watch criminals, they launch the movements of people who speak out and participate in democracy, something everyone in this room should be concerned about.

For but not limited to these reasons.

I'm calling on the council to terminate the use of flock cameras.

Additionally, it's critical determination actually means stopping data collection.

There have been documented cases in other towns around Illinois and around the country where flock continued collecting data even after cities were told that systems were shut down.

No private company, no private company should be collecting data on Joliet residents without clear consent or oversight, especially after a decision to end the program.

Residents have already said they're avoiding downtown Joliet because they don't want to be tracked.

As of today, over 125 people have already signed a petition to end mass surveillance to Joliet.

I say should feel like a place where people belong, not a place where innocent people are under a microscope with their movements being locked.

Again, this isn't about being uh anti-police, it's not about the anti-council because you guys made the decision to use them.

It's just about opposing mass surveillance.

And I urge you to terminate Jolie S's of flock cameras and ensure that all data collection and access fully cease.

Thank you for your time.

Good evening, you guys.

Uh happy new year.

Um, Mayor Doug Jenko with the village of Bellwood.

I just want to thank each and every one of you.

Uh, this has been a long time coming.

Uh I believe we started 2016.

Uh and 2019, our agreement ended with the City of Joliet, and uh North Point pounced on it.

I'd like to thank Dustin and his team.

Uh my administrator Julie Fribley worked very hard at this along with Mayor Darcy and and uh administrator Beatty, and of course, you guys.

Um tomorrow night we'll go ahead and pass the same agreement and uh be great neighbors.

It's already gonna work out good.

So thank you very much.

And happy new year.

Happy New Year's.

Happy New Year too.

Good evening, everyone.

My name is Jonathan Jefferson.

I am uh veteran here.

I chose uh Juliet after returning from Iraq serving with the 101st Airborne Division.

Uh I had a concern.

I felt that it was a very important concern that was with law enforcement.

Uh, law enforcement is being put at a disadvantage.

Over 50% of the United States suffer from some form of untreated mental illness.

Yet we send law enforcement into a situation where they're not prepared for.

I think that we can prepare to prepare them.

I think working together and not against them, we'll be able to help the criminals stop being criminals.

The unwanted behavior.

In other words, we can get rid of that, and we can also help the uh community with the uh mental health, mental illness assistance.

Um, I'm looking for the city council.

Um I'm here.

I'm not passing the book to you and say, hey, do something about this problem.

I'm saying we the people are willing to put in the work.

We the people are willing to sit down at the table and have these meetings and figure out what can be done and what we can't do due to obstacles.

Um I don't want to take up a lot of time, but I would like to set up some kind of meeting, some kind of uh to start the dialogue because our law enforcement officers are still out there and they still have to be protected.

They have to deal with someone who has mental illness and they think it's a criminal.

Now, when he reacts like you would with a criminal, he's in jeopardy.

And that person, a mental illness person, that person who suffers from that illness.

We have to think about them as well.

They don't deserve to be treated like a criminal, but that officer doesn't know.

So we have to mediate this.

It's not the officer's fault.

It's not the individual's fault.

It's up to us.

We are the we are the leaders in it, and it's a pass the book and blame somebody else.

Let the city council have the mayor handle it.

No, I'm standing right here.

I'll volunteer my time.

Uh uh went to Julian Junior College, graduated with honors, governor state, Loyola.

I've actually educated myself and traveled to 13 different countries so that I've come back and make my community better.

And I think we can do that together.

Thank you.

I won't take up any more of your time.

Is there anyone else would like to address the council this evening?

Okay.

Seeing none, we'll move on to mayor and council comments.

I'm good, thank you.

I'm gonna catch that for this, but uh Tom had a birthday last week's or last year at the end of the year, and I would wish a happy birthday because he wouldn't let me have a party for you.

Happy birthday, Tom.

Happy birthday.

Nothing.

Good weekend, happy weekend, and uh happy birthday to my goddaughter, Destiny.

Thank you.

I just want to thank the one resident in District 5 that came to talk about something.

It's people like you that come and get engaged and state um their feelings about it that always make a difference in this community.

So please keep coming and speaking for that.

I want to thank you for that.

Hope my mom and dad were able to watch last night.

There was a glitch somehow on the YouTube, and every time you clicked on it, it took I was getting calls this morning for residents that took us to a year ago.

Um, so I hope everyone is viewing tonight, and I want to wish everyone a happy and safe new year.

Thank you.

To the gentleman, um, what was his name?

The veteran, sir.

A good place to serve.

Thank you for coming here, and thank you for your service.

Glad to see your home safe and in one piece.

Talk to our fire chief as a good starting point.

Because we have a program that he experimented with a team that's been nationally recognized for mental health.

So start with him, and then we can move forward from there.

Thank you.

And again, thank you for your service.

And other than that, uh, happy new year and a happy blessed new year to everyone, and we hope that 2026 will be the best year so far.

Mr.

Mayor.

Beth, I just had uh one issue that came to be here.

Uh Russ Luwash has been working on, he's been doing a great job.

We had an issue on Republic Avenue with trucks.

He took care of that issue for the most part.

That seven brew on Barney.

Very successful and happy to them, and thank you for being in the city.

We're having a traffic issue over there.

What's what's happening there is vehicles are lining up one or two wide all the way northbound on Barney and Marshalone's pizzas uh north of that location and customers and the um uh pizza delivery men and women are not unable to get in or out.

So if we can come up, maybe work with uh Russ and see what we can come with, some sort of plan.

I'm not I know he's working on it, he has a hundred other things going on, but we could help them out uh whether it's lines or I'm not really sure what we need to do there, but but it is an issue over there.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Just want to say happy new year, and also to invite everyone to the topic area workshop uh this Thursday, 6 30 here at City Hall.

Comprehensive plan uh committee is still going on.

It's gonna be on utilities, infrastructure, water, energy, and time on.

So invite everyone to come out to that, and also just uh bear down, Chicago Bears play remain this.

So everybody's gonna be watching.

Yes.

I do want to welcome everyone into 2026.

You know, I think it's gonna be a new year filled with exciting times for our community.

Our comprehensive plan is moving well.

We're excited to continue this important work on a blueprint for Jolia's future.

The first update in more than 50 years.

This uh Thursday, January 8th.

And we ask everyone to attend attend.

We need your help.

You know, you are the ones that are gonna help us set the stage for the future.

So we sure would appreciate your help.

They are here at City Hall at 6 30 this Thursday.

Some other fun stuff we see happening this year.

We are gonna open the city center square.

We're gonna celebrate 100 years of the Rialto Theater, which is a jewel in our downtown.

And along with four other cities in the U.S., we're gonna celebrate the hundred year, the centennial of Ralph 66.

So we're one of the five cities picked to uh help celebrate that, which is pretty cool.

This year also we're gonna see the return of NASCAR since I think 2019, maybe.

That's gonna be a fun fourth of July weekend, and that weekend too.

We celebrate 250 years of this wonderful country.

So there's a lot to look forward to.

I want to thank the uh city council members here with me.

You know, we come up here about a hundred and two times a year, and we do our best to help govern the city and steward everything as well as we can, and we uh we appreciate all the comments that we get from the public, but I appreciate all the help that we get together here at the council.

I want to thank the city staff.

It was another great year for all of us, and everyone that works and serves the city.

Uh, I really appreciate the the strive and the forward thinking we're making to make Jolie end better.

So thanks everyone, and God bless Jolie, and God bless you.

Have a wonderful night.

Can I say one more thing?

Let us all thank you for all your hard work.

Yes, thank dedication as our leader and mayor.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I'm overpaid, but I'll do my best.

Is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Same.

All right.

Any posts?

Meeting adjourned.

Okay.