Joliet City Council Meeting - March 16, 2026

The Joliet City Council held a regular meeting on Monday, March 16, 2026, at 4:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting included a public hearing on the proposed Joliet Technology Center annexation, a 795-acre data center development. Due to the state election day prohibition, the council recessed the meeting without voting on the annexation, scheduling a reconvened meeting for Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 5:30 PM. Other routine and non-controversial items were approved.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes of the Pre-Council Meeting (March 2, 2026) and City Council Meeting (March 3, 2026) were approved.
• Invoices to be Paid: Approved.
• Contract Extension – Landscape Maintenance: Awarded a contract extension to Ramiro Guzman Landscaping for the 2023-2027 Landscape Maintenance Services (Utilities) Program in the amount of $140,366.78 (Council Memo 161-26).
• Purchase of Flow Metering Equipment: Approved purchase of ISCO Flow Metering Equipment from Gasvoda & Associates, Inc. for $49,995.00 (162-26).
• CrowdStrike Endpoint Security Renewal: Awarded contract to Center for Internet Security (CIS) for annual renewal at $65,142.00 (163-26).
• Euna Procurement Renewal: Awarded contract to Euna Solutions for annual renewal at $26,500.00 (164-26).
• Laserfiche Document Management Renewal: Awarded contract to Cities Digital Inc. for annual renewal at $75,050.00 (165-26).
• All consent agenda items were approved unanimously with Councilwoman Jan Hallums Quillman absent.

Council Committee Reports

• Communication, Technology & Information Systems: Councilwoman Reardon reported on the March 4, 2026 committee meeting.
• Finance: Councilman Mudron reported on the March 16, 2026 committee meeting, including a discussion on an ordinance amending city manager authority for succession hiring.
• Public Service: Councilman Hug reported on the March 16, 2026 committee meeting, covering landscaping, flow meters, parking deck engineering, water main change order, Culver's drive-thru permit, low-interest loans for water mains and lead service lines, and an MOU for the Cass Street Bridge project.

Agenda Items (Non-Consent)

• Professional Services Agreement for Parking Deck Modifications (167-26): Approved unanimously to enter into an agreement with TY Lin for Phase III engineering services for the Ottawa Street Parking Deck modifications, not to exceed $104,088.00.
• Change Order for Emerald Lawns Water Main Improvements (168-26): Approved a change order deducting $571,601.18 and a final pay estimate of $614,195.92 to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. The vote was 7 ayes, 1 abstention (Councilman Moreno).
• Drive-Thru Permit for Culver's Restaurant (170-26): Approved the drive-thru permit for a Culver's at 1301 Shale Road.
• Ordinance on City Manager Authority for Succession Hiring (172-26): A motion to postpone this item to the April 7, 2026 City Council meeting was approved 7-1 (Councilman Mudron voted no), after Councilwoman Ibarra requested more time to review.
• Resolution for MOU for Cass Street Bridge Project (174-26): Adopted Resolution 8259 authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with D Construction Inc. for temporary use of city-owned property for IDOT’s Cass Street Bridge project.
• Resolution Accepting IEPA Loan L176077 for Water Main Replacement (175-26): Adopted Resolution 8260 accepting a low-interest loan at 2.16% for the 2026 Water Main Replacement Program.
• Resolution Accepting IEPA Loan L176080 for Lead Service Line Replacement (176-26): Adopted Resolution 8261 accepting a zero-interest loan for the 2026 Lead Water Service Line Replacement Program.

Public Hearing – Joliet Technology Center (A-4-25 and PUD-8-25)

The public hearing opened at approximately 5:30 PM for the proposed annexation, rezoning to I-1 (Light Industrial), preliminary PUD, and preliminary plat of the Joliet Technology Center on approximately 795 acres near S. Rowell Road and Bernhard Road. The developer (Hillwood and Powerhouse Data Centers) presented details on the project, including: closed-loop water cooling (max 150,000 gallons per day, with spikes up to 300,000), noise mitigation plans, traffic improvements, economic impact (estimated $2.1 billion in tax revenue over 30 years, $20 million upfront community benefit), and grid reliability. Expert testimony from ComEd, Langan Engineering, Kimley-Horn, and others was provided.

Numerous public speakers (over 80 individuals) spoke during the hearing. Supporters included union representatives (Will Grundy Building Trades, IBEW, Sheet Metal Workers, LiUNA, Operating Engineers), the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce, Lewis University, Joliet Junior College, and local residents. They emphasized job creation (7,000–10,000 construction jobs, 700 permanent high-wage jobs), tax base diversification, and the developer’s transparency and lack of incentives.

Opponents, including residents of Joliet, Elwood, Manhattan, and other nearby communities, expressed concerns about: depleting the aquifer (Joliet relies on groundwater until 2030), noise pollution (including low-frequency infrasound), increased electricity costs, lack of transparency (no Spanish-language materials, redacted FOIA documents, rushed timeline), potential health impacts (cancer, sleep deprivation), property value declines, and the speculative nature of AI demand. Several speakers urged the council to wait for the Illinois Power Act (SB 4016/HB 5513). A petition with over 4,719 signatures opposing the data center was presented.

Key Outcomes

• Consent and routine agenda items were approved as noted above.
• Postponement of the city manager authority ordinance to April 7, 2026.
• Mayor Pro Tem Appointment: Councilwoman Jan Hallums Quillman was appointed as Mayor Pro Tem for the term April 1–June 30, 2026.
• Recess: The council recessed the meeting at approximately 11:45 PM, with a motion to reconvene on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The delay was required by state election day prohibitions. No vote was taken on the Joliet Technology Center annexation or related ordinances at this meeting. The reconvened meeting will continue with council deliberation and a vote.