Mayor Terry Darcy presiding.

We will be led in an invocation by Pastor Kurt Hoover from the Messiah Lutheran Messiah Lutheran Church at 40 Hobolt Road, after which he'll lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Thank you.

The Lord be with you.

And also let us pray.

So we thank you for the public servants here.

We thank you for all those that are represented.

We pray for the safety of our first responders, our public workers, all those that provide water, electricity, safe roads, storm recovery.

We pray for safety, and we give thanks for all that uh the city does, and not just the city, but the faces, the people that make that city work.

We pray for your presence in this meeting.

We pray that we might be present, that we might hear and listen to each other, and do the work that you've already planned before us.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

We pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

We'll begin with roll call.

Mayor Darcy.

Here.

Councilman Cardinals.

Here.

Councilman Clement.

Here.

Councilman Hugg did let me know he's going to be late this evening.

Councilwoman of Barra.

Here.

Councilman Marino.

Here.

Councilman Mudron.

Here.

Councilwoman Queman?

Here.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Here.

Under Mayor, we have a proclamation for the Slovenian Union of America presented by Councilwoman Cuman.

I want you to stand and watch it at Facebook, because we're going to be on TV, so we're going to get you on TV.

Two more over here, okay.

All right.

Here we go.

Proclamation.

Whereas the National Board of Directors and the members of the Slovenian Union of America are proud to announce the 100th anniversary of their union and the 50th anniversary of their Joliet Home Office in 2026.

A special centennial convention is scheduled for July 30th, 31st, and August 1st in Tower, Minnesota, and in Chisholm, Minnesota.

Whereas the Slovenian Union of America, formerly known as the Slovenian Women's Union of America, was founded on December 19th, 1926 in Chicago by Slovenian immigrant Marie Cern Chrisland to help Slovenian immigrant women adjust to America to preserve and promote their beloved Slovenian heritage and to help them become American citizens.

For most of its existence, the Union offered burial insurance to its members and branches throughout America.

The Slovenian Union of America has been an Illinois 501 C3 nonprofit since 2011, dedicated to educating its members and the public about the history of Slovenians and Slovenian Americans and their contributions to America.

Its home office at 431 North Chicago Street is located in the 1910 Stonish building and includes a Slovenian Heritage Museum and Library.

It is across the street from the Slovenian-founded St.

Joseph Church, whose parish is celebrating its 135th anniversary in 2026.

Also known as Arjovek was her maiden name, affectionately known as the mayor of North Chicago Street, was its office manager for some 37 years, and was a lifelong Joliet resident and member of the Union's Local Branch 20, Joliet.

Members of the Slovenian Union of American Joliet and across America are hardworking citizens who have enriched American society with their religious faith, patriotism, and love of their Slovenian history and customs.

They continue to serve in all areas of life in Joliet and across America.

They respectfully ask for recognition for the 100th anniversary of the Slovenian Union of America and the 50th anniversary of their Joliet Home Office.

Now, therefore, I, Terry Dice Darcy, Mayor of Joliet, Illinois, on behalf of the Joy City Council, do hereby recognize the Slovenian Union of America and congratulate them on their 100th anniversary of the union and their 50th anniversary of their Joliet Home Office, dated July 7, 2026, and signed by Mayor Terry Darcy.

And so congratulations.

I've been a member for a long time, but I forget how long.

So thank you so much.

I'm just going to introduce some people.

This is Liz Engelman.

She is president of the Slovenian Union of America Branch 20.

Kathy Gunnier is vice president.

And Georgine Agnich is the director of the home office.

Councilman Cuelman said that we do have a museum on the north side of Chicago Strait, across from St.

Joe's, that it's open for tours.

We're Kitty Corner from that new Dairy Queen museum you guys are putting in.

So maybe we can coordinate something.

Another thing that you might not know is anybody can join the Sylvine Union of America.

They don't have to be Slovenian.

They put out a magazine quarterly called the Zara, which means the dawn, or new beginnings and new hope, which everybody I think believes in.

And the other thing is that there are branch offices all over the United States.

New York, Ohio, Milwaukee, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Pueblo, Colorado, California, Washington, D.C.

So we're not just local.

They branched out all across the United States.

But again, thank you.

Thank you for this proclamation.

We are very proud to be a part of it, and thank you for acknowledging our 100th anniversary.

Thank you.

And then you're participating.

Thank you very much.

Congratulations, Jolia.

Thank you.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

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 second and to approve.

Councilman Cardenas.

Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug.

Councilman of Barra.

Councilman Moreno.

Councilman Mudron.

Councilwoman Coleman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Redan.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Next is citizens to be heard on agenda items.

I do have Carla Liberti.

If you'd like to come up.

My name is Carla Montagano Liberty, and I'm here tonight on behalf of the Contractors Association of Will and Grundy County, just to say thank you for the upcoming agenda item, which is the resolution to adopt the honorary street name after Les Cheney.

Many of you in this room dealt with all my phone calls and questions last summer on how we could honor Les after he passed in June of 2025.

And we came up with this plan, which I think is an excellent way to honor him and also his wife Maria, who could not be here tonight.

She is very proud and also very thankful as we all are at the association.

If you didn't know Les, and many of you in this room did.

I don't know how anyone in the city couldn't know Les right.

I mean, that's just he was a larger than life man.

And I think by doing this, anyone who didn't know him might maybe look him up and get a chance to know him.

He was just amazing.

We miss him every day, so thanks again.

Thank you.

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

Okay, seeing none, we will move on to council committee reports.

Land use and economic development.

Land use and economic development committee met Wednesday, June 17th, 2026 at 4 p.m.

here at City Hall and Council Chambers.

In attendance was Councilwoman Ibarra, Councilman Mudron and myself.

Uh we have the approval of the minutes, and then it was a short agenda.

We reviewed and discussed agenda item TMP 9986.

A resolution authorizing a lease extension agreement for the SNAG bar at Gateway Transportation Center 90 East Jefferson Street with GG Suite LLC.

Economic Development Specialist Diana Viveros spoke about the three-year lease extension for GG Suites, and we were all excited to hear that they were doing good at uh there at the train station.

And we had a presentation uh from the Heritage Corridor Destinations Annual Report.

Tourism manager for Heritage Quarter Kate Gilman gave the presentation that spoke about visitor profiles and how they used a platform called Zortica's article data for calendar year 2025 that grabs uh data from cell phones and credit cards to track visitors uh to our area.

She explained what is considered a visitor is someone outside of 50 miles or greater from our home zip code and then visit a place of impact.

If they use a credit card, it has to be 60 miles away.

So 80 per 2% of those bidders were from out of state.

Uh she did a presentation about where people were going and how they were spending their money here in the area.

So it was a really good presentation that you could see on online on our committee.

Um items were approved in united unanimously to come to the full council with our support.

Councilwoman, there was a great presentation she did.

Absolutely.

It explained a lot, so thank you.

Mayor that the airport.

Thank you.

Public safety.

Thank you.

Uh the public safety met today here at the council chambers at 5 34 p.m.

In attendance was myself, Suzanne Ibarra and Jan Quillman.

Um we approved the minutes from May 5th.

And sorry, there's a lot of items on this uh agenda here, but uh there were no citizens to be heard on any agenda items.

Agenda item one purchase of five power pro two cots for power load auto cot loaders for expedition powered stair chairs for life pack 35 portable monitor and defibrillars for the city of Joliet fire department from striker medical and the amount of $654,217.

If you remember a while back, we approved the four ambulances, and this is all the equipment that will go with with the those ambulances.

Uh the chief did uh Chief Kerry made a uh mention that by doing this now, he is saving the city 88,000 dollars by by doing this now.

Um the resolutions, resolution authorizing a letter of understanding between the city of Joliet and the Illinois Department of Transportation regarding maintenance and inspection of fire standpipe systems for the I-80 displains river bridge improvement project.

Basically, the standpipe, the city of Juliet will monitor test and and take care of everything with the uh uh the the stand pipe.

This is if there is a fire, we we will monitor this, and the state of Illinois will cover all the cost in reference to this.

Um resolution number two, uh authorized execution of memor memorandum of understanding between the city of Joliet fire department and Elwood Fire Protection District.

Basically, if there is an incident where the Jolie Fire Department is tied up, Elwood and vice versa, um, would uh respond to handle that incident basically down south of town where center point is, and we would we would cover that.

It's just an MOU and understanding that we will respond.

Uh basically uh number three resolution resolution authorizing execution memorandum of understanding between the city of Julia Fire Department and Shanahan Fire Protection District.

Basically the same principle.

If if uh either or is tied up on a call, the other will respond and and we will get there when we can.

Um resolution requesting authorization to accept a grant to assist Joliet's tobacco enforcement program.

Uh we've been doing this many, many years.

We will send uh miners out with uh police officers to enforce uh tobacco uh sale of tobacco to minors.

Uh we've been doing this a long time, and um we this is on tonight's uh agenda.

Uh resolution approving intergovernment and intergovernment agreement between uh with Plainfield Community Consolidation School District 202.

This is Plainfield South.

We have an officer in the school, and this is just an agreement between the City of Joliet and Plainfield School District.

Resolution authorizing a FOID enforcement grant program uh agreement between the state of Illinois and City of Joliet.

Chief, do you mind you you want to talk on this real quick?

Uh Chief Brown.

We we do this every year, if you don't mind.

This has to do with FOIA cards, and we are not targeting uh anybody uh with with uh expired or revoked FOID cards.

So right evening, council.

Yes, um, we've been in this program for a while now.

Um it actually started with that uh Pratt company, Henry Pratt uh company to shoot in an um aurora many years ago where we're doing compliance check on FOID cards.

So um our department worked collaboratively with the state uh through this grant, and as they get the information, once the information comes through the state police, they will send it to our officers at the police department that are on the FOI task force.

They will go out and do compliance checks on people with FOID cards.

If there's uh weapons that need to be revoked, they will go and deal with them to um either take the weapon or transfer the weapon to someone.

But this is a targeted thing that comes through the state police and the court.

It is not us going out and take people's weapons.

Thank you.

And then last uh resolution declaring property of the city of Jolie at a surplus tri-conned auto theft task force.

This is on tonight's agenda.

Um the county gave us a vehicle.

We used it through Tri-County.

We are now returning it.

It has uh over a hundred something thousand miles on it.

It's at the end of its use, so uh, we're gonna turn it back over.

Is that correct, Chief?

Okay.

Uh new and all these items.

Uh we had a first and a second to move either they're already on tonight's agenda or future uh council meetings.

So they were all all approved unanimously.

Uh new business, not for final action or recommendation.

Uh just we did a couple things.

I brought up last night and again tonight, just if we could touch uh back to we used to enforce uh liquor uh violations with the state police, uh and I believe the mayor is aware of that, and then uh Chief Brown also.

We're gonna we're gonna see if we can get that back up and running again.

Um I brought up e-bikes, uh Chief Brown.

Uh we are we are discussing that.

It is becoming a serious issue, and uh moving forward, we're we're gonna we're gonna come up with something here to what we need to do.

I brought up uh dirt bikes, ATVs, motorcycles that are riding around with no plates that's becoming an issue again.

Uh Chief Brown and the troops are we there, they're aware of it, and and we're we are uh enforcing that.

So uh councilwoman Ibarra brought up the sale of Kratom.

Uh you want to talk about that?

Or thank you.

It's uh synthetic form of heroin that's sold at gas stations and it's marketed to kids and it's marketed as uh six-hour energy drink.

So I it's almost at every gas station you go to.

It's highly addictive, and considering the fact that it's marketed to kids, I would definitely like to figure out what we can we as a city can do about that.

Thank you.

Yeah, basically what that is, it's uh it's a mood lifter or energy booster, and I believe we do have something on uh in our ordinance that covers that.

Um, and then uh Chief Brown brought up the Secretary of State's website, does have information on this and other uh items that are sold in in stores that are either illegal or not.

And um, so but other than that, uh there were no uh public comments, and we adjourned.

So that would be my report in there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Okay, and lastly, public service.

First quick question.

Um what's it called?

Craddum, K-R-A-T-L-M.

Is that a brand name or is that a country?

No, that's like what they call it.

Any guesses you go to have any brand names that we can let us know?

Great.

This is just what it is.

Okay, yeah.

Yeah, maybe we can get uh a list on uh our website of the brand names that are doing this, so parents can at least see what it is and they see their kid in possession of it and knows it's not a good thing.

Step communication is important, synthetic uh drugs are prohibited for sale in Joliet.

The last time this came up, it was actually a shop in another community, nearby community.

It wasn't actually in Joliet.

Um we've sent out letters before to uh tobacco shops that this is prohibited, um, but it's something that you have to keep on.

So um I I will look into it.

Yeah, so we educate the parents.

Right.

Thank you.

All right.

The public service committee met yesterday, Monday, July 6th, 2026, here in the council chambers at 4 30 in the afternoon.

Uh the committee is comprised of councilwoman Ridden, Councilman Mudron, and myself.

We had a short agenda.

You'll find everything on this agenda on tonight's agenda to be voted by the full council.

They were both related to bids for purchases of vehicles.

One was for $272,000, and that was for two uh boom trucks for the Department of Public Works.

One uh specialized you know for the electrical department, the other was a smaller one that's used for sign uh installation and maintenance.

And then we looked at uh a bid for 288,000 for six vehicles from Ron Terra Proli forward.

It was bid out, they came in lull.

Uh and those were for public works in the fire department.

Um we did find uh both contracts be in order, and they were approved unanimously to be sent forward with the committee recommendation that the council approve under the change orders pay estimates and final payments.

We had three items.

One was uh an increase of fourteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars for the professional engineering services for the Joliet Centralized Traffic Management System.

This is an ongoing uh project in public works, long in the short of it.

It's uh tying a community, it's having the lights throughout the city communicate with each other better, so timing has been improved and will continue to be improved.

And it's also replacing with the old fashioned loops in the concrete or concrete sensors.

You know, you know how you sit at a light and you wait and you wait and you wait.

Um they're gonna be replaced all of them eventually, and this is part of this phase one, two, and three.

They're gonna be replaced with video instead of uh concrete sensors video to uh so that will be you know bring us into the uh new millennium.

How's that?

Um we looked at one for the county line uh road from Van Dyke to Kennedy Drive improvements project that's ongoing.

Um so that project is is done, and it was a credit back to us of sixteen thousand, and then the final payment was reduced to ninety-seven thousand six hundred and twenty.

And we also looked at the electrical maintenance assistance contract um with mead electric company.

Um there was an increased amount to be paid of nineteen thousand two hundred and thirty-seven dollars.

That's an ongoing thing that what our electric department can't handle for whatever the reason may be.

Um we subcontract out to them, so you'll see that.

And uh that included a uh payment eight so far this year for 49,500.

Again, we looked at all three items and found them to be in order and uh explained well by staff under ordinance resolutions.

We had a housekeeping resolution appropriating motor fuel tax for the professional engineering services agreement I just mentioned.

You always have to do that if you're gonna spend um motor fuel tax.

You have to approve the expenditure, and then you have to approve the release of the money.

They're two separate items.

Um then we looked at a resolution uh approving an honorary street name designation for Les Cheney, and uh I knew Lester, I think everybody up here knew Les.

And all I would say about Les you know, I I've known him for 15, 16 years.

He became a good friend, and um he was a big man with an equally big heart, and he's still missed to this day.

So this is a great honor that he deserves and his family does too.

I know his wife is thrilled with it.

So we looked at those, and again we sent those two items forward with the unanimous recommendation that the council approve it.

Um other than that, I don't have anything else.

Good.

Okay.

Then mayor, that would be my report.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I show no other reports under consent agenda, approval of minutes.

It is recommended the minutes of the pre-council meeting, June 15th, 2026, and the city council meeting held on June 16th, 2026, stand approved as recorded.

Invoices to be paid.

It is recommended this report be approved.

Council memo number 336-26.

Approve payment to Will County Center for Economic Development for annual membership dues in the amount of $50,000.

Councilmember number 337-26, approval of purchase of two specialty trucks for the Department of Public Works in the amount of 272,143 dollars.

Council Memo number 338-26, approval of purchase of six vehicles from Ron Terrapelli Ford in the amount of two hundred and eighty-eight thousand three hundred and eighteen dollars.

Council Member number three thirty-nine-26, approval of amendment number three to the phase one, phase two, and phase three, professional engineering services for the Juliet Centralized Traffic Management System Improvement Project.

MFT section number 21-00546-00-TL to ITERS incorporated in the amount of $14,999 and 24 cents.

Council Memo number 340-26, approval of change order number one for the county line road, Van Dyke Road to Kennedy Drive, Roadway Improvements Project, MFT section number 24-00569-00-WR to PT Farrow Construction Company, a deduction in the amount of sixteen thousand one hundred and twenty-two dollars and seventy-one cents, and payment number three and final in the amount of ninety-seven thousand six hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-four cents.

Council Memo number 330 341-26.

Approval of change order number three for the 2024 electrical maintenance assistance contract to meet electric company in the amount of $19,237 and 51 cents and payment request number eight in the amount of $49,527.

It is recommended Council Memos 336-26 through 341-26 be approved.

Is there a motion to approve all said consent agenda items?

Motion or approved.

Second.

It's been motion and second and to approve.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman of Barra.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilwoman Coleman.

Aye.

Councilman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinus.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Under ordinances.

Council Member No.

343-26.

Ordinances associated with the resubdivision of lot one of Vista Ridge.

Phase three, planned unit development.

Ordinance approving a final plat of resubdivision of lot one of Vista Ridge Phase Three Plan Unit Development.

PUD-7-26.

Ordinance approving a recording plat of resubdivision of lot one of Vista Ridge Phase 3 Plan Unit Development.

RP 9-26.

It is recommended said ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's my motion and second and to approve.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilman of Barra?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilman McClillman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinus.

Aye.

Councilman Clement?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Council Mm number three forty-four-twenty-six.

Ordinances associated with 580 Caiton Farm Road.

Ordinance approving the final planned unit development of 580 Caton Farm Road.

PUD-4-26.

Ordinance approving the recording plat of 580 Caiton Farm of Planning Development.

RP 7-26.

It is recommended said ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's by motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman of Barra?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudrin.

Aye.

Councilman McQuillman?

Aye.

Councilman Rudin.

Aye.

Council McCartanus.

Councilman McClellan.

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Council Memo number three forty-five-26.

Ordinances associated with 1216 Fairview Avenue.

Ordinance approving a special use permit to allow a duplex located at 1216 Fairview Avenue.

ZBA CBA 2026-07.

Ordinance approving a variation of use to allow an R3, one and two family residential use in the R2 single family residential zoning district located at 1216 Fairview Avenue, ZBA 2026-08.

It is recommended said ordinance be adopted.

I moved.

Second.

Comments or questions.

Thank you.

It's my motion and second and to approve.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman Quillman.

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinals.

Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug.

Aye.

Councilman Abarra.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number three forty-six-26.

Ordinance proposing the creation of a business district in the city of Joliet, Will, and Kendall Counties, Illinois, and fixing the date and time for a public hearing in connection with the same Rec Run Collection Business District.

It is recommended said ordinance be adopted.

So moved.

Any comments or questions?

Mayor, I just want to reiterate as I did yesterday the meeting.

Anybody watching?

This is not an incentive of us giving money to the developer.

This is an increased tax of one percent to be collected in that development and given back to the city.

Just wanted to clarify that.

Thank you.

So I'm sorry.

It's my motion and second and to approve.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman Quillman.

Aye.

Councilman Rudin.

Aye.

Council McCartanus.

Aye.

Council McClement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug.

Aye.

Councilman of Barrow.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Under resolutions.

Council Memo number three forty-eight-26.

Resolution requesting authorization to accept a grant to assist Joliet's Tobacco Enforcement Program.

It is recommended said resolution be adopted.

So moved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilwoman Quillman?

Aye.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman McCartanus.

Councilman Clement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug.

Aye.

Councilman of Barrow.

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Council Memo number three forty-nine-26 resolution appropriating motor fuel tax funds for amendment number three to the professionals engineering services for the phase one, phase two, and phase three engineering services for the Joliet Centralized Traffic Management System Improvement Project.

MFT section number 21-00546-00-TL.

It is recommended said resolution be adopted.

So I'm moved.

Second.

Any comments, questions?

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilwoman Rudin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardinus.

Council McClement.

Aye.

Councilman Hug.

Aye.

Councilman of Barra?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilwoman Coleman.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number 350-26 resolution approving an honorary street name designation for Les Cheney.

It is recommended said resolution be adopted.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Mayor.

Just briefly, you know, I met uh Lester in 1992, 93, LM concrete, and you know, then he worked for deconstruction and then with the trades and all that, and just what what a great great guy.

And then working out of the mayor's office once a week, he'd be popping in there just saying hi to everybody.

Just a great guy.

He always had a duck coming in.

You know, just a giant.

But uh anybody and everybody that knew him, what what a great great guy, and what an honor.

So yeah, thanks.

Well, I agree, Joe.

Les was just one of those guys that everybody loved.

Everybody that he met was a friend, and uh we miss him.

And we're glad to do this, and we know that Maria is very grateful.

Thank you.

It's been motion and seconded to approve.

Councilman Cardinals?

Council McClement?

Hi.

Councilman Hug?

Hi.

Councilman Abarra?

Councilman Moreno?

Councilman Mudron?

Aye.

Councilwoman Coleman.

It's quite a loss.

Maria and him, you couldn't want nicer people.

And he was always my big teddy bear because I'm so short and he was so tall.

And he would give me a big hug.

I'm like, where am I?

He wasn't anything you wouldn't do for you.

And he would sometimes would just say, Okay, I'm here to help.

You wouldn't even have to ask him.

And Maria too, and I feel bad for them, he'll be sorely missed.

And of course I vote aye.

Councilman Rudin.

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Councilmember number 351-26 resolution declaring property of the city of Joliet as surplus tri-county auto theft task force.

It is recommended said resolution be adopted.

Motion approved.

Second.

Any comments or questions?

Thank you.

It's been motioned and seconded to approve.

Councilmanc Clement?

Aye.

Councilman Hug?

Aye.

Councilwoman Abarra?

Aye.

Councilman Moreno?

Aye.

Councilman Mudron.

Aye.

Councilman Coleman.

Aye.

Councilman Ruidin.

Aye.

Councilman Cardenus?

Aye.

Mayor Darcy.

Aye.

Motion carried.

Next is the city manager's report.

Good evening, everybody.

Since our last meeting, Joliet has continued to gain national attention in conjunction with Route 66 with the temporary installation of the world's largest fried apple pie and the restoration of the world's first dairy queen.

I also want to acknowledge the city staff who also supported an extraordinary number of events while responding to severe weather incidents across the community over the past week or two.

Staff successfully managed multiple fireworks celebrations and provided significant support through all three days of NASCAR, helping ensure a safe and successful weekend.

Despite the rate, the heat, the rain, and the high winds, all events were well attended and enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors.

I want to sincerely thank all city employees for their hard work and dedication with special recognition to our police, fire, EMS, public works, and every department that helped keep our community safe, responded to storm cleanup, and made these events a success.

We're really on the map.

Joliette is doing great things.

That concludes my report for tonight.

Okay.

Next we have public comments.

This is for anybody who would like to address the council this evening on a non-agenda item.

I do have some people that have signed up.

Um David Hook.

Hello, my name is David Hook.

Um I live in the uh Preston Heights neighborhood over by uh off of um Route 53 and Pheasant Run, and I'm not sure if you all are aware.

Um, since the city took over the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District, there's been probably four almost 40 water, you know, main breaks, and our water goes out from anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours.

The last time it this it happened on the 4th of July in the heat and the rain, and then the power went out as well.

But the problem is that first it's a communication.

How many times this happens and we are out of water?

We try to call, people are not answering, you know, they don't answer when they do, they have no clue.

You know, oh well, we'll send somebody out, or do you know where to water maintenance?

But this has been going on for a while, and it's hard to live, you know, especially since February one to have 40 of times that we don't have water.

Um, you know, and then with that, as of February 1st, when Joliet took over, our water bills have gone up since before, but we're getting less water.

Um, and then when they do go out for that amount, people with kids or pets or whatever.

I've I've in the last probably three months, I've spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars to go and buy, you know, get 50 gallons of water stored at my house, or have to go to a hotel.

Like just on Sunday, my son literally had to go to pilot to take a shower and pay 20 bucks to go take a shower because our water was out for two days.

And you know, this is just getting to me, it's ridiculous.

And I know we just talked to the public's uh works person, and she did say that starting July 20th, that you guys approved the contract, you know.

But I I think it's just something really needs to be done because people cannot live, you know, without water, especially that much in three months.

So I just kind of wanted to share that.

Uh and I know some of my neighbors might come up and share some of their thoughts as well.

Thank you, sir.

Ashley Buster.

Good evening.

I'm Ashley Bester.

I actually live on Luanna also in Preston Heights.

While I'm originally from Joliet, uh, my husband and I moved back to town to care for our elderly uh relatives, and so not only do we have two small children, we also care for a special needs relative.

And um, based on the information that we just received out in the vestibule area, since February, they've report that there's been 33 water main breaks, although we physically endured more than that.

Um in addition to that, from the information that we just got.

The information that we get every time we call the utility company is that the system is over 100 years old, it's only been band-aided for all these years, now it's just overwhelmed, and it is what it is until it gets fixed.

And then we just learned that as my neighbor just said on July 20th, there's supposed to be construction starting.

But the one question that I asked is where's the accountability?

Because the information that we're giving the gentlewoman that we spoke with out there is not in any way um close to the information that she is alleging to be receiving from her colleagues or her direct reports, and so there's a major disconnect there.

And so, my number one question is where's the accountability, right?

We all have jobs to do, and if we don't do those jobs, we have performance improvement plans.

So, where's the pip for the people that are either not giving the information, don't understand the information, not doing anything with the information, and while we're being negatively impacted, we've had to put family members in hotels for two to three days at a time.

We had the terrible storm, so I had a relative, my aunt, my elderly aunt, she was out of power for two days.

Her power came on at 3 a.m.

Her water cut off that same day by eight.

She was without power.

I mean, she was without water, I'm sorry, for three days.

And so I understand that a lot of our my neighbors do not have it financially to go to a hotel who are also price gouging when they understand that this is happening, right?

Because demand goes up, and so I just need to understand what is the reprieve for the constituents in Preston Heights.

Natalie Selva Good evening, my name is Natalie Silva, and I'm here tonight because our community has reached a breaking point.

The water lines in our neighborhood are old and are breaking nearly every two weeks.

Every time this happens, families are left without water for two to three days.

We cannot cook, shower, wash clothes, or even flush our toilets about finding expensive alternatives.

Many of us have spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars buying water bottles, purchasing barrels of uh per purchasing barrels, barrels to collect rainwater, just to flush our toilets and even paying for hotel rooms for our families to to be able to bathe, and to have access to running water.

These cards, these costs should not have fallen residents because of the fail of the failing public infrastructure.

My husband and I are new residents to Joliet, and we purchased our new construction home in Pheasant Run Area, which is one of our um which is one of one of our concerns.

The infrastructure that has been serving this community was already already struggling.

As more homes were added, residents were left wondering why replacing the water lines was not treated as the same priority as expanding the neighborhood.

Girls should have never become first as a basic responsibility as a uh priority, and said the responsibility of providing reliable infrastructure.

New development should be matched with the investment needed to ensure existing and new residents have dependable access to clean and running water.

This is no longer an inconvenience.

It's a public health issue and a quality of life issue.

Families are rearranging their lives every two weeks just because we don't know when we will run out of water or when the next water main break will happen.

Tonight I am asking for more than any just another repair, a temporary repair.

We want answers and we want a timeline for replacing these aging water lines.

And for residents to finally have a permanent solution.

We pay our taxes and we invest in this community.

We deserve infrastructure that is safe, reliable, and maintained before it falls again and again.

Please just do something.

I want to be able to shower.

I want to be able to be with my kids at night.

You guys shower?

You guys have water?

Oh, it feels wonderful.

And that's not just something that we should be hoping to have and to wake up every day.

We should have it.

And we pay for it.

Please do something.

Please.

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

Good evening, Mayor, members of the Jolie S City Council.

My name is Crystal Adams.

I am a resident served by the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District.

I am here tonight.

I did put in a request online to speak, but I didn't get a response back from you all, so that's the reason why I'm here now.

I'm here tonight because my family, my neighbors, and many others in our community is so many have spoken, are exhausted from repeatedly losing access to one of life's most basic necessities, which is running water.

When a waterman water main breaks, our community is left without waters for hours.

And in some cases, more than 24 hours.

Days.

During that time, families cannot cook, bathe, flush toilets, wash their hands, do laundry, safely care for children, seniors, and even those with medical needs.

Now, the biggest issue is that there probably are not many businesses losing revenue because there are not many businesses in that area, which is why we feel that maybe it's not at a high priority for this council.

But unfortunately, residents are forced to scramble for bottled water and other basic necessities.

These are not isolated incidents, as many have spoken before.

We've had over 33 main water main breaks since February 1st.

I can't even count the number even prior to that.

They have become a reoccurring problem, and temporary repairs are no longer enough.

Our community deserves permanent solutions.

Reliable access to clean water is not a privilege.

It is essential to public health, public safety, and just overall quality of life.

Every resident in Joliet deserves confidence that when they turn on the faucet, water will be there.

Tonight, I respectfully ask this council to make the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District aging water infrastructure a priority.

It should be on this agenda every two weeks.

Work with the state and federal partners to secure funding for long-term infrastructure improvements.

Increase transparency as requested earlier by providing residents with regular updates on plan repairs, infrastructure conditions.

We shouldn't have to come here to voice our concern to get an update.

And timelines for actual permanent solutions.

Advocate for every neighborhood affected by these reoccurring outages so no community is left behind.

Our residents are not asking for special treatment.

We are asking for reliable infrastructure, accountability, and the basic dignity of having running water in our homes.

I urge this council to act before another water main breaks, leaving families without the essential service services they depend on every day.

Or for your child's prom send-off and not having access to running water.

Thank you for your time and for your commitment to serving the residents of Joliet.

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

I want to speak to Chief Brown afterward after a meeting here about my order protection.

That I had going with my attacker.

You know how I feel he keeps violating the old protection by keep coming around by me.

And I don't feel safe anywhere from my attacker.

Despite his repeated efforts, you know, even with the presence of a Wilmington police officer by me, my attacker still had the guts in October to come right up to me and harass me.

And would you like the incident that happened June 1st at the One of the Pilate Gas Station when he drove to the back of my pickup truck with me in it?

He knew my trucks ever since even my boss owned those trucks.

You know what these trucks look like, especially when they were sitting in his driveway when I was living with them.

He knows it when he turned in a gas station, he should have just turned right around, not drive right up to the back of my truck and slow down to make sure I seen him.

My order protection specifically says he's not supposed to be on 50 feet of me any place.

That means wherever I'm at.

I can't even list where I'm living at right now because of a fear of what my what this guy would do for me, do to me at my my vehicles and that.

Well, that I might place sleeping and everything.

And you all think that I'm just supposed to stay in that room that I'm living in right now and just stay there 24-7 and never leave.

You know, I can't do that.

I can't go out and go socialize and try to socialize with some of my friends to get myself and my moral spirits, okay.

And the disgusting thing is Chief Brown saying, Well, why don't I move?

Why don't I move?

How long have I been trying to find a place to move to ever since I got taken out of my mother's place?

I have been looking and looking for a new place for me and my brother.

And the difficulties I face because of it, because of my brother being a registered sex offender, and I have to get government approved by federal government to where he can live.

I just can't go live anywhere because he's not allowed to go live anywhere.

It was all brought up at his criminal trials up there in Chicago with the FBI.

The FBI is involved in this case, and the Department of Judges are wrong, the federal department of justice.

So I just can't find another place to go live right now.

Places are not out there.

And I gotta get a place to where I can afford to go live to, you know, just can't go buy any place, and then the taxes get so high and I can't pay property taxes.

That's why my ma's place was just so important.

And this thing with this pickup truck with this John Byrne hat, you know.

I had investigation done by Crest Hill Police, you know, and it was clearly you know, the people that he took the repair shop to his buddies there at the first choice auto there, said he removed the seat belts, cleaning, put new tires on the truck.

No, he tore this truck completely up.

The truck, it's the seatbelt clickers ain't even in it right now.

The tires on the truck are like car tires.

I used to have to stay on my tiptoes to see in the back of that truck.

Now I just walk right up and see her in the back of my truck because the tires are like car tires on the back of this truck.

I can't even drive this truck.

This truck was my pride and joy until it got destroyed.

And I don't even know how does this guy John Byrne know about this truck, getting this truck supposedly from Whimsy truck, and how does he know about it unless he came on the property and was snooping around?

Like I knew him because when I was still living at my ma's house that gave her a mobile with Darren Ward, Darren uh Wolf driving around with whimsy truck and driving around my ma's property while I was still living there and spying, snooping around, seeing what they could take.

And they did take everything.

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

Okay, seeing none, we'll move on to Mayor and Council Commons.

Nothing for me.

Well, it's been a long time since we last met, and so many things have happened.

I'll just run through it really quickly.

We have a dedication of the City Square ribbon cutting, which is well attended.

Um Theater area concert in the park at over at Farragut School.

They have their third Friday of the month put on by the park district.

We call it our little Ravinia, and everybody's welcome to come.

And they'll be having another one here on July 17th at uh Farragut School.

It's starts at 6:30.

You bring your chairs, your what you want to drink, or if you want to eat something, just bring it like a little picnic of your own.

It's really good time.

Um we had the McDonald's medication, the 30-foot apple pie over there on Broadway Street, and that was something.

And they're bringing back those little apple pies, and they're tastes better than they used to to say that.

Then there was the Dairy Queen designation at Chicago Street.

And I have to say that in 2011, it was named a historical landmark.

And they had a big to-do there.

ABC was there.

And we got a lot of good press on that.

And the owners of Dairy Queen were so very happy that the original one was there, and the museum has preserved part of it.

And that particular day they were serving Dilly bars in the freezer because you couldn't do the regular soft cream, but it was nice and well attended, and everybody really enjoyed themselves and very happy that it's gonna be on the original.

It was on the original Route 66, but then Route 66 moved over a little bit.

But they're gonna direct people over there to look at they're gonna have the regular neon signs, and that's being provided by the original company and the original owners or Dairy Queen.

Um so I guess Bicentennial Park had fireworks on Friday, despite the weather, it was short, but it was very nice.

So come on down if you haven't been there.

So safe travels, everybody, if you're going to have a vacation and stay cool.

And I will tell you, I know it's like to be without water and electricity.

Been there, done that, okay.

So I feel your pain.

So we'll try to get on that right away.

Thank you.

Um for uh Beth.

Hey, on uh on Heinepin Road in Route 30.

Uh, a couple residents reached out to me that they would like to see um so they have a sidewalk, but they don't have an actual like crosswalk where people can take the kids from either that you know, the from the church to the five guys area, you know, to fresh uh thyme.

Um, so we can work on that one, please.

Also, between frontage road, so frontage.

So between Black Road and Frontier Road on the far west side, right before the library, that whole area.

Um we have the rock run trail and all that stuff.

I would really like to see some lighting over there.

I know we had someone die or a bicycle uh a cyclist got killed uh a couple years ago.

Um it's very dark there they're in the during the night and in the mornings.

I know right now the sun's helping us out, but maybe we can do something about that down the road.

And everybody from President Heights, thank you guys for coming out here.

I really appreciate that and voicing your concerns.

Uh I don't know exactly how you guys feel.

My relative lives over there, and he complains me all the time, but you know, he goes to my dad's house and he's like, hey, what's going on?

Um, so I wasn't aware to the the extent of it.

Uh if I'm not mistaken, this was a decision from the state to take on Preston Heights, and basically we just give you guys the water service.

Um Addison also I talked to her earlier, they are gonna work on it, and I would like maybe we can send them out a letter so that we can give another explanation and have contact numbers so that you guys can call direct numbers, and so hopefully we can get something working on it.

So thank you.

I think Allison's already suggested having a meeting with all of them.

Oh, so yeah.

No that's all for today.

Thank you.

Okay.

For everyone in Preston Heights, I want you to write down this phone number.

I'm your district councilwoman.

Not only do you have me, you have Joe Clement, Councilman Clement is an at large, councilwoman Quillman is an at-large, and councilman Marino who just spoke, and the mayor, who are all your representatives.

My number is 8151.

I want you to make sure you know who I am.

I've gotten an explanation from the city today that it might be up to 10 years until you're on a stable system, and it is because of the disrepair and decay that happened to that Southeast Sanitary District.

I'm wondering if there's any emergency plan, like maybe our emergency management can get involved in here in this, possibly, Beth, because I cannot imagine them enduring this for another 10 years, not a single one of them looks like they want to take it one more night.

So I'm wondering if there's any emergency plan or anything else we could do to think outside the box to try and help them because I have to rely on the experts that are telling me you're gonna be enduring this for 10 years, and I I care about what's going on there.

I don't want to see you endure this for another 10 years, so maybe we can figure out an emergency plan for them.

Beth, the city manager just said yes, we're gonna figure out something for you.

If there is a meeting, I would like to be there because I am your district representative.

And uh so thank you for being here, and thank you for speaking on it.

I also want to say that there is an amazing show at Hollywood Casino this Saturday.

It is a constituent of mine, Brandy Phillips and her amazing mother, Mother Gloria.

She's doing the Tina Turner experience, which is a free concert at Hollywood Casino.

Also, the reason why I'm smiling and um I'm so loving about them is they have a nonprofit in Joliet called Helping Hands, and they give out coats and hats and gloves and all kinds of amazing things to the community the whole entire year through.

They have never said no to a request.

So I would really love it if everyone could get out to Hollywood Casino to see Brandy Phillips of the Tina Turner experience.

So if you're a teener turner fan, get out and see that free concert at Hollywood casino.

So I do hope you will reach out to me.

I'll be available tomorrow.

Give me a holler.

And if you have a meeting, I would like to be there as your district councilwoman.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um, in response to Councilman Moreno, I've gotten some of the calls too.

People ask why they can't have a crosswalk across 30 because it's a state highway.

No, no, no, on uh Heidebit.

So from um Heidebit.

It's traffic.

It it has to be do a traffic.

You know, for instance, out there, you you live out there, you know where Grand Prairie School is.

People that live across the street on Catholic, unincorporated.

No, it doesn't matter.

They go to that school.

They're not allowed to walk across the street.

You can't put a crosswalk in because of the traffic count.

So you can tell them that, because that's the accurate thing.

It's the traffic count.

We don't want anybody to get hurt, you know.

And the state highway is controlled completely by the state.

You know, because I had I I had other people call me just recently.

I thought maybe it was the same people.

It was asking about getting across 30.

I said no, I said that's just like 59.

You don't have crosswalks because it's a highway, and it would be too dangerous.

People would be killed.

So thank you for bringing it up.

I think I guess you can scratch it from your list.

Um, well, and I learned something serving on the public service committee health these years, right?

Guys, right, Pat?

Correct.

Um, I'm gonna address it, folks.

I'll give you some of the facts.

I am the chairman, and I serve on the public service committee, and I have since 2015, okay, as a chairman, and I serve with two other well-qualified, very intelligent people.

It would be councilwoman reared in and councilman Mudron.

So I know a little bit about this.

You are not the first unincorporated area with a private water system for the city to step in on.

We did it originally at Ridgewood, which is over by the old Silver Cross Hospital, if you're not familiar, all for the same reason, too.

And we did it for at Fairmont, which is between Jolie and Lockport.

It's an unincorporated neighborhood.

Your area is unincorporated of the 800 homes roughly that are on that water system.

About 30, maybe 40, were in the city of Joliet.

I can't tell you why when they first broke round 20 or 25 years ago on those sub two subdivisions.

They incorporated it in Joliet, but the developer decided to plug into that private system that you guys have.

So we were approached.

We didn't seek out you know, we weren't looking to expand our water service to unincorporated areas, but the citizens of Joliet have a heart.

We were approached in all three situations I described to you, yours and the other two, by the county.

When you have like the Ridgewood Water Reclamation District, uh, you have the Fairmount Water District, and now you have yours, right?

The Southeast Water District.

When they go defunct, and yours did.

Yours went defunct, it was insolvent, it had no money, it couldn't make repairs.

The county came to us and said, We are on the edge of c catastrophy, and you're feeling that catastrophe, right?

And I and I feel that for you.

Can you guys step in like you did at Fairmont?

Because they approach us on Fairmont.

Now we can't take that on and spend tax dollars.

First of all, water is not paid by taxes, it's paid only it's called an enterprise fund.

All tax dollars that come into any city, including Joliet, pays for public works, police, fire, water is its unique own animal, it's called an enterprise fund.

It has to survive on the money it collects.

We could, if you will, loan from the general fund to the water fund, but our water system is uh uh department is run well enough that we don't have to do that.

Other communities sometimes have to do that.

As far as somebody saying looking for grants, that's what the county did.

So the county approach doesn't say, hey, if you guys don't take over the Southeast District like you did the other two places, we're gonna have to put it up for bid to a private water company.

If that had happened, your your you you know, you you've seen an increase in your rates.

You would have seen three to four times that increase if it was American water or one of those companies.

There's a lot of communities, including Bowlingbrook, that are trying to get out of the private water uh contracts because they're through the ceiling.

Homer's another one, Homer uh uh township, um, or the village of home uh of Homer Glenn.

So we were brought in and we said, sure, we have a heart, we'll do it.

It has to be done, but not with Joliet taxpayer dollars.

I mean, we don't even use Joliet taxpayer dollars for the Joliet residence water, that's done through the the water fees.

It's an enterprise fund.

So we said, yes, we will, and we knew from the beginning, as county knew that if we took it over, it would save you guys a lot of money.

You have the same, maybe it will be better.

I I can't speak for the private sector water companies, how quickly they will or won't.

The county committed 15 million dollars over 10 years to improve the system.

You guys have a vast majority of your valves to shut off right now, your system has one pipe in for water, and you have valves in your system, so you what what happens in a healthy system?

If there's a water break over here, you shut the valve here, you shut the valve there, you shut the valve there, you isolate it, everybody else keeps the water.

Your valves are rusted solid shut because the sanitary district was non-existent for going on almost 20 years.

I I'm not even sure.

I mean, I'm not sure how did you guys well ask you after the meeting, how did you even you know pay?

Because my understanding the sanitary district got to the point, there wasn't there was maybe one person that was part of the sanitary, you know, the that Southeast Sanitary District district.

There was no crews, there was no money.

So now you're feeling it, and the city the city's gonna do the best it can, but it has to do within the budget provided by the county.

I don't know if you guys were explained that or not.

I wanted to give you the facts.

So, you know, you still remain unincorporated, but now you you your your water service is going to be managed by us.

And moving forward, it'll be self-sufficient based on your fees for regular maintenance.

But the trick is the bridge between the horrible shit condition it is after all these years of being run and owned by the private sanitary district.

And I want people to know, maybe people are watching, so they don't think that Joliet neglected this little cluster of houses in Joliet for 30 years and let you guys, you know, we have nothing to do with your water until February.

Until February.

And yes, we've had 33 breaks, um, which accounts for almost half the breaks we've had this year citywide.

So we've improved our own city.

So you'll get the improvement.

Can anybody promise you that you're not going to experience more?

It's an aging system, as the county had said.

It's in the catastrophic stage.

So we're getting ahead of that.

They just they did you you heard about that from uh Allison.

We just uh did a bid and they're gonna start work.

Um which contractor was that Allison was in?

Austin Tyler.

Austin Tyler, you know, and that's for the first step in repairing this old rusting and collapsing system.

And we'll continue to do that, but that money is provided by the county.

The only way to increase that faster would be to get money faster.

And I don't believe that the county, I mean I think the county's being very very generous with the 15 million, you know, it would have been horrible.

I think by law they have to step in if your district owes the funct.

I'm not a lawyer, but I think that's basically it in a nutshell.

Because if not, if Joliet had said no, and a private sector had uh company didn't want to bid on it and really goug you, right?

You guys would be on your own right now, and that would be even worse.

Because these these breaks that you've had the last you know several months, nobody could fix them.

There was no money in that in in that account anymore.

So Joliet is listening, and we you know, we have a heart.

You know, we we brought this on knowing that it was best for you guys.

Had you gone private sector, Fairmont uh we did four years ago, was it in Ellison, five years?

Yeah.

And we're still upgrading it, right?

Yeah, you know, and we did the same thing with the county.

Again, they had that private district set up that you guys had.

You know, a lot of people in the county in unincorporated areas like yourself, most people don't have water districts.

That's kind of an outmotor thing.

It was kind of cool when it worked well.

They have um septic, septic and private pumps.

They don't have a uh a water system, uh, a system of pipes going from house to house.

Each house is on its own.

You guys did, Fairmont did, and Fairmont was in a better condition than your guys.

It was in challenging condition, but better, because it was run by Lockport Township, who said we just don't know how to run this, we're not gonna run it anymore, and they're getting prepared to sell it to a private company.

There was one woman, I forget her name, very nice lady, who came to the city and asked us, you know, do you have a heart?

And we're like, well, what's going on?

And she told us, you know, and they're gonna they told us to expect our our our uh rates to at least quadruple as soon as that any sale is made to a private company.

Same thing would have happened to you.

So we're doing the best we can with the money and and and the agreement the county gave us, and we'll continue to, and you're welcome to call any of us.

Um and I'm sure Allison will set up, you know, Allison.

When it comes to brakes, we dispatch in that you know, new new area that we now can you know control and maintain.

We dispatch crews just the same as we do in the rest of the city.

Uh, do they have the uh on a good number?

Do you know?

The phone number?

Yeah, do they have a good number?

These folks, yes.

I mean the the phone number for 8157 or two.

724420, 815724420.

So I wanted to give you guys the total picture of what Jolie has trying to attempt to do.

As a city, Joliet's trying to take this system and help you guys out incorporate you into our system and improve the system.

So that's where we're at right now, just so you know, and you you know, you're more and and yes, don't let anybody pull punches as presented to us when we agreed to take it on.

This is a 10-year project.

Now that doesn't mean in 10, you know, nine years is gonna be exactly as it is now.

Each year we'll get better because there will be more contracts paid for each year.

But it sounds to me like I may be exaggerating slightly, your entire system needs to be replaced because it's been neglected for over 20, 25 years.

It just was non-existent.

It'd be like you know, having a car outside the garage and and and never changing the oil driving around anywhere and putting it in the elements and then having somebody come in and fix your car.

Like, okay, it's gonna take a little at a time to get this done.

So we do have an agreement.

It's fifteen million dollars to be spent over ten years.

I understand that the county's doing it out of their own budget, but also with federal and state grants, uh, CDBG grants and other type grants.

So there are people out there looking for, you know, if if another grant, a 20 million dollar grant became available that you know that the county can apply for and get for you, that would expedite things.

You can do a big uh a bigger project, you know.

But uh right now they've committed a total of 15 million and they continue to look for more.

So I you know it's not what you wanted to hear, but I wanted you guys to have the facts, just have the facts, and again, you're welcome to call any of us.

With that, this is my comments, Mayor.

Thank you.

Mayor, I'm gonna jump on board too.

Um Allison, is that accurate?

800 homes are affected by this situation.

Yes, the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District area because it's about 800 homes.

Okay, Larry, thank you for the explanation.

You it and everybody up here.

What I think what I'm seeing from from sitting here is we need to call the governor's office.

We we we need we need to call our lobbyists in sp in uh um Washington.

This is this is a serious problem for these people.

And you know, I I we explained it, but but they need some relief.

Whether you know, we we need to send the letter out to respond to these people.

We portable bathrooms.

And I'm not saying the city pick up the tab or the county or the state or somebody has to do something, right?

The letter, portable bathrooms, portable showers, you know, portable water.

I mean, we we have to help help these folks out some way, somehow.

And I think we need to call the governor's office tomorrow or our state reps and senators.

You know, some of them, you know, a couple of them want to get in our business all the time.

This is a perfect time to get in our business and help us out and help these folks out.

That's that's what I believe needs to happen.

So just call the government, don't go to the chili.

I'm just saying right to the head.

We we we gotta do something to help the if there's no money to to do it, it's a 10-year product.

This is gonna be going on for a long time.

And I just think Mr.

Mayor, we we really need to make a phone call to somebody that could this this is an emergency for for these folks here, these 800 homes in the residents of liver.

I just think we we have to do something.

And Susanna, you were on something with the emergency management thing, but um we have to do more than uh, and I appreciate the explanation, but we we gotta take it one step further.

Yeah, yeah.

Can I give you some information real quick, Joe, too?

Allison, you know, if I mistake that it's not only their homes that are affected.

There's a certain area at the is it the southeast end of the system that is affected the most.

And I remember yes, and then to clarify uh the the 10-year plan is to complete all of the improvements for the water and sewer system.

The project that is starting July, you know, the end of July will be completed in September.

And so we anticipate that that'll alleviate many of the issues because it will add a second feed and connect the system into the Joliet system on the south end where many of these residents right now.

We only have one feed.

That's correct.

You know, so that that's great news, but I think in the meantime, portable showers, you know, like they make the showers in the on the trailers and the bathrooms, and I mean, we could find the money somewhere, maybe the state can help us.

I mean, we I think it's perfect opportunity to ask uh our fellow legislators.

They get some j generators and portable things like that.

So each you know no electricity, that's even worse.

Yes, those that's my comment, mayor.

If it's considered catastrophic, Mayor, could we call FEMA and have FEMA come out and provide them with what the things they need, they don't even have the basic necessities at this point.

At this point, we're going to as I propose a meeting.

We need to gather more information to understand what's going on.

We have some ideas for other things we might need to try, but at this point, I need to gather more information and make a recommendation to the council.

But at this point, I need to gather more information and make a recommendation to the council.

And like I said, we are the project that's starting will be completed in September, we think will, and not that two more months of no water is acceptable, but you know, we are need to gather more information to you know appropriately respond.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you.

Um yeah, I think my it's a big issue, and my question on this is the project is about to start in in July right now.

Is it a good possibility that after that is going to help uh considerably more with these water main breaks and/or these uh outages?

Yeah, so right now the issue is that the um there is the the Southeast Joliet Sanitary District is on an island with one connection to the Joliet water system.

So when there's a water main break in the Southeast Joliet area, because the valves are so old and can't be operated, it's difficult to isolate um the break.

So a lot of times the when the valves are turned, the people on the south end lose pressure and don't have water service.

The project that'll be completed in September will add a connection on the south end to a parallel Joliet water main that is on um Route 53.

And so that will then provide a redundancy that currently doesn't exist.

And so then I the thing I struggle with, I think with what Councilman Hug said as well is um when we talk about money and say, well, you know, if we had more money, we'd get this faction.

Is that true?

Is it like money really the fact they're here to say if we had another 20 million, 30 million dollars, and we can have more secure water source to these people sooner.

I mean, the city has demonstrated that we can replace up to 30 miles of water main um in a year.

So if we were given 15 million dollars to spend, we would replace the entire water system.

Um that's not what the commitment is currently from the county.

Um the commitment is that that water water, that money will be provided over a 10-year period.

We need to go back and talk to the county about how that funding is being distributed.

Right now, the funds um are coming from their remaining ARPA funds, and so we're getting the initial infusion of um about four million dollars this year to do improvement.

So the project that's gonna be completed um in September will be uh about a three million dollar project.

So I do promise that I will do everything I can to work to get $15 million as soon as possible and find a way to do it because I just think you know, again, uh coming and being raised on the east side of Joliet and just having access to water or not access the water and then say, well, we don't got the money, but you know, we sit on a lot of money on other in other situations, and there's a lot of money elsewhere, but not for water, like you said to be Fourth of July, sitting at home and not having access to water on an everyday basis, it's just not acceptable.

So I promise to try to do everything that I can to figure out where we're gonna get this money from, but we need to do something.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Um sorry that we're just hearing about this, and it's terrible.

We definitely want to work with you, we want to help.

Uh we'll put together a task force tomorrow and start figuring out a way to expedite all this for you all.

And I really apologize that it took this to get to our attention.

You know, we will call the county and talk about it.

Right now, um, I think we could talk to our emergency management team and find out how we can help you in the days to come.

You know, what if it happens tomorrow?

We need to be prepared to help you.

And we do apologize that that we're at this point.

And again, you know, we we took this over to help, and uh it's incumbent on us to make sure that we do it right.

So we are sorry.

Um, I'm gonna go on to a different subject.

I apologize, but you know that you have our commitment, all of our commitments to get this right for you all.

Um I'm gonna talk about the uh city square dedication, which we did on June 18th.

It was the ribbon cutting for City Square, which uh has been much anticipated.

It was great to see so many people out and uh participate in that.

Uh we talk about many things that happen over the celebration weekend.

We had uh the opening of the square showed uh bringing people together.

You know, we're a city of neighborhood, but this gives everybody a place to come and we we ask everybody to embrace it.

Come down and you know, be neighbors together.

There were many residents that came in and enjoyed live music, performances, uh, local artists, family activities, and an incredible drone show that uh doesn't happen very often in anywhere.

And uh we want to thank Ann Sylvester and everybody that put those together for us.

And all the volunteers and downtown businesses and city staff that made all this happen so well.

Uh over the weekend and on Thursday we had RaceFan Rally, which brought together many, many people and celebrated racing back in our community for the first time since 2019.

A local legend or legend that came back was Kenny Wallace, part of the big Wallace race family, Rusty Wallace and his family have been racing for generations.

He came to uh sign autographs and share some comments.

This year, Joliet celebrated with the country the 250 uh years of our country's beginning, and we are proud to how that all went off here in Joliet.

We had fireworks on the third along the river at the Billy Lee Mocker Park with many family-friendly features, live music, food vendors, kids' activities, and fireworks over the river.

On the 4th of July, we uh had fireworks at the Memorial Stadium.

And over the three days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, we had NASCAR back, and in working with NASCAR, they told me they had people from 50 states, they sold out.

They had people from 50 states, 31 countries and six continents come to visit Joliet.

We should be proud of that.

We should be proud of the way they were treated.

People loved it here, and I had many, many positive comments as I walked through the crowds.

So again, we uh we're we're grateful that Juliet's moving forward.

We definitely want to get with you and make sure that we get that right for you.

One thing I want to mention is uh one of our local reporters, um John Farrick had an unfortunate incident.

He was training for a bike ride across Iowa, and at uh dusk one morning, he was hit by a 14-year-old on an e-bike.

No lights, he was put in hospital for several days, he's had several surgeries, he's working on recovering.

His knee may never be the same.

But I think it's something that we all need to be accountable for.

I this 14-year-old young person is now accountable for what happened to this to John Farrick, and we're really sorry that happened.

But who's gonna pay for all that?

You know, is it uh his insurance?

How does this work?

But I see a lot of these e-bikes around, and I'm not against it, but I think as parents, they need to really be sure that they know where their kids are in these things because perfect example of something that went wrong.

So don't want to belabor that, but uh John, we hope to get well soon and appreciate all your comments whenever you're right.

With that, uh, we want to wish everybody a wonderful week.

God bless you all, and thank you for bringing this to our attention.

Okay, is there a motion to adjourn?

So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Opposed?

Okay.