City of Joliet Pre-Council Meeting - August 18, 2026

This pre-council meeting, held on August 17, 2026, at 5:30 PM (the date is listed as August 18, 2026 per the user's instruction, but the agenda and transcript confirm the meeting occurred on August 17), was chaired by Mayor Terry D'Arcy with all council members present. The purpose was to review and discuss actionable items scheduled for the formal City Council meeting on August 18, 2026. No public comments were made on agenda or non-agenda items.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from the August 3, 2026 Pre-Council Meeting and August 4, 2026 City Council Meeting were approved.
• Invoices to be Paid: Routine approval of vendor payments.
• Purchase of Knapheide Specialty Body (407-26): $77,600 for the Fire Department Technical Rescue Team vehicle.
• Bulk Road Salt Sales Agreement (408-26): Purchase of road salt from Midwest Salt LLC at $117.37 per ton. Councilman Moreno asked for clarification on tonnage; the City Manager and staff explained a severe salt shortage due to Cargill exiting the market and Morton Salt constraints, prompting early stockpiling to avoid winter prices of up to $250 per ton. The city will receive approximately 5,400 tons in 2026 and 4,400 tons in 2027.
• Professional Services Agreement for Southeast Joliet Sanitary District (409-26): $65,400 to Baxter & Woodman Inc. for Phase 2 water system improvements. Councilman Hug clarified this is reimbursed by the county, not city tax dollars.
• Contracts for IT and Technology: Awards to Sierra ITS ($275,000 for professional services funding), CDWG ($49,207.09 for Cradlepoint router licensing renewal), Lenovo ($85,000 for PC lifecycle program), SHI ($1,278,214.47 for 3-year Microsoft Enterprise Licensing Agreement), and VideoTec ($72,927 for access control and surveillance at 9 Osgood). Councilman Clement asked about camera coverage (internal and external) at the old Pace building, which will become a public works hub.

Discussion Items

• Alternative Water Source Program Amendment (416-26): Amendment No. 5 to the contract with Stantec Consulting Services for $34,792,038 was presented without further discussion.
• Drive-Thru Permit for Hawaiian Bros Restaurant (418-26): Application for a drive-thru at 1351 Shale Road was noted.
• Joliet Catholic Academy Subdivision Ordinances (420-26): Final PUD and recording plat for the subdivision; representatives were present but no questions were raised.
• Special Use Permit for Resale Boutique (421-26): Located at 124 N. Ottawa Street; the proprietor was present.
• Zoning Reclassification (422-26): 303 S. Ottawa Street from R-2 to R-3; identified as being in Councilwoman Ibarra's district.
• Budget Amendment (423-26): Amendment to the 2026 budget to utilize a state grant for fire department turnout gear.
• 911 Surcharge Grant Program IGA (425-26): Resolution to accept $1,066,280 from Will County 9-1-1 ETSB for dispatch and public safety support.
• Surplus Property and Vehicle Resolutions (426-26, 427-26): Declaring certain city property surplus and authorizing purchase of vehicles for the Tri County Auto Theft Taskforce (grant-funded).
• Grant to Joliet Area Historical Museum (428-26): Annual grant renewal, with Kevin Sing available for questions.
• Banking Services Agreement (429-26): Proposed switch from Old National to JP Morgan Chase for core banking services, following an RFP. Discussion included expected savings of over $250,000 annually in fees and interest earnings, enhanced fraud protection, and electronic payment conversion. Councilwoman Ibarra expressed disappointment over losing Old National’s community involvement but acknowledged the city will keep accounts with them. Councilman Moreno and Councilman Hug questioned JP Morgan Chase representatives about community sponsorships. The bank stated it is “incredibly conservative” due to regulations and does not sponsor events like Old National, but contributes through savings and technology. They provided statistics: 77 JP Morgan Chase employees reside in Joliet, 44 work in Joliet, 3,000 small business clients, and 45,800 active resident clients. The resolution is expected to pass at the formal meeting.

Key Outcomes

• All consent agenda items are anticipated to be approved at the August 18, 2026 City Council meeting.
• The banking services resolution will be voted on, with support from the majority but reservations noted from Councilwoman Ibarra.
• A motion to enter closed session (to discuss personnel, collective bargaining, land acquisition, and pending litigation) was made by Councilman Moreno, seconded by Councilman Cardenas, and passed unanimously (9-0).