Joliet Pre-Council Meeting – August 31, 2026

The Joliet City Council held a pre-council meeting on Monday, August 31, 2026, at 5:30 PM in City Hall Council Chambers. The meeting reviewed upcoming actionable items for the regular council meeting, including consent agenda items, contracts, liquor licenses, ordinances, and resolutions. Public comments addressed concerns about third-party fiberoptic installation. No formal votes were taken; discussion was held to inform council members.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes from the August 17, 2026 Pre-Council and August 18, 2026 City Council meetings.
• Approval of invoices to be paid.
• Biosolids Application Spring Lease Payment to Jackie Stunkel in the amount of $36,600.00 (Item 430-26).
• Award of Contract No. 2999-0926 for Eastside Wastewater Treatment Plant Pump Replacements to Airy’s Inc. for $299,887.00 (Item 431-26).
• Award of Contract No. 3000-0926 for Southeast Joliet Sanitary District Water Tower/Well House Demolition to National Wrecking Co. for $164,000.00 (Item 432-26). Councilman Hug noted that the city will be reimbursed by the county for this project.
• Approval of Amendment No. 1 to the Water Meter Asset Management Program to Core & Main LP for $95,000.00 (Item 433-26).
• Authorization to Fund Draw 17 for Tax Increment Financing District #7 in the amount of $318,524.90 (Item 434-26), described as reimbursements for Rock Run Collection.
• (Standard consent items – no significant discussion)

Public Comments & Testimony

• Diana Hacker (3226 Kieran Court, Joliet) spoke regarding AVT, a third-party company installing fiberoptic lines for AT&T in the College Park and Cambridge subdivisions. She reported multiple incidents: cutting Xfinity lines without notification (affecting her 92-year-old mother’s landline for nine hours), hitting a gas line (requiring Nicor and fire department response), cutting power to her cul-de-sac (four-hour outage), and repeated damage. Hacker expressed concern about potential water line hits and unsafe digging near yellow JULIE flags. She suggested the city adopt an ordinance requiring third-party companies to dig one foot deeper than existing lines and impose a $10,000 fine per incident, with revocation of license for nonpayment. She also requested weekly updates from ComEd, Nicor, and Xfinity on repair frequencies. Council members requested her contact information for follow-up.

Discussion Items

• 2026 MFT Resurfacing Contract B (Item 436-26) – Award to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. for $2,769,186.30. Councilwoman Reardon asked Greg Ruddy when the resurfaced area map would be available on the city website; Ruddy noted it would likely be posted after contract award.
• Des Plaines River Tunnel Water Main Improvements (Item 437-26) – Award to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. for $5,063,328.90.
• Change Orders for Austin Tyler Projects – Three change orders were discussed:
  • Upper Bluff Water Main Improvements (Item 438-26): Deduction of $551,910.46 and final payment of $869,608.13.
  • Broadway Street Water Main Improvements (Item 439-26): Deduction of $1,561,954.91 and final payment of $584,633.14.
  • North Prairie Water Main Improvements (Item 440-26): Deduction of $647,156.35 and final payment of $418,270.88.
• Liquor Licenses – Two Class B liquor license applications:
  • Jonny’s Bar at 35 E. Cass Street (Item 442-26): The landlord (property owner) explained he had spent over $150,000 on renovations and planned to open a bar with karaoke, a DJ, and a jukebox. Councilman Hug asked about the owner’s experience; the owner acknowledged no prior bar experience but stated he had hired a manager who worked at Tavern on Rowtown.
  • Judge’s Bar at 508 N. Chicago Street (Item 443-26): The existing Judge’s Bar is moving to a new location after purchasing the building. Councilman Clement and Councilwoman Quillman asked for clarifications on the moves.
• Ordinance Amending Chapter 28: Municipal Use Tax (Item 445-26) – The ordinance requires businesses to submit supporting documentation (Illinois Department of Revenue returns or internal records) when filing municipal taxes, effective January 1, 2027. Councilman Hug asked for clarification; City Manager Beatty explained it formalizes documentation requirements previously based on self-reporting.
• Special Use Permit for Truck Repair at 608 Railroad Street (Item 446-26) – Councilman Moreno asked the contractor about property improvements. Councilwoman Quillman praised the agreement for containing safeguards for the city, calling it “amazing.” The contractor stated they had cleaned up the area and replaced old doors. No public opposition noted.
• Business District Taxes for Rock Run Collection (Item 447-26) – Staff explained that the Illinois Department of Revenue required a separate ordinance to impose the taxes, which were already adopted in a previous meeting. The tax rates and boundaries remain unchanged; the ordinance must be filed by October 1, 2026.
• Intergovernmental Agreement for Farrell Road Bridge (Item 449-26) – Resolution with the Forest Preserve District of Will County for the Farrell Road over Spring Creek Bridge Replacement Project.
• MFT Fund Appropriations (Items 450-26 and 451-26) – Respectively appropriating funds for the resurfacing contract ($2,769,186.30) and right-of-way expenses for the Farrell Road bridge project.
• Joliet Central Homecoming Parade Route (Item 452-26) – Partial closure of Routes 6 and 30 on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Councilwoman Quillman asked about coordination with Joliet West’s parade; staff confirmed they are separate events with separate routes and dates.
• Intergovernmental Police Service Assistance (IPSA) Agreement (Item 453-26) – Agreement with DuPage County Sheriff’s Office for mutual aid during the President’s Cup golf tournament at Medina Country Club in September. Councilman Clement thanked Chief Brown for handling an abandoned car and requested assistance with mattresses dumped along the Wabonsee trail. Councilwoman Ibarra and Councilman Moreno also asked about park patrols and mattress removal. Chief Brown acknowledged the issues.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken at the pre-council meeting; all items are expected to be acted upon at the regular City Council meeting on September 1, 2026.
• Councilman Juan Moreno recused himself from Items 436-26, 437-26, and 450-26 due to a potential conflict of interest, as noted by the City Manager.
• The City Manager congratulated Robert Brown on his promotion to Police Chief; a formal pinning ceremony will be scheduled later.
• Council directed staff to follow up with Diana Hacker regarding her concerns about AVT/AT&T fiberoptic installation and requested her contact information for further discussion.
• Council members requested that Chief Brown coordinate with the Forest Preserve District and Joliet Park District to address dumping and encampments along trails.
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 5:30 PM (no specific time recorded).