Joliet City Council Meeting – November 2, 2026

The Joliet City Council met at 6:30 PM on Monday, November 2, 2026, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, with Mayor Terry D'Arcy presiding. The council approved the agenda, a consent agenda covering routine payments and professional services, a water-main change order, a $10.75 million booster pump station contract, the 2027 fiscal year budget, tax levies, a bond abatement, and related resolutions. Nearly every item passed unanimously; Councilman Larry E. Hug cast the sole 'no' vote on the 2026 tax levy ordinance (556-26).

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the October 19, 2026 pre-council meeting and the October 20, 2026 city council meeting.
• Approved invoices to be paid as presented.
• Approved the purchase and installation of 24 windows for Fire Station 1 Administration Office from Heintz Construction in the amount of $96,790 (548-26). The transcript renders the vendor name as 'Heights Construction,' while the agenda lists Heintz Construction.
• Approved payment of $43,870 to V3 Companies for wetland mitigation credits for the Theodore Street over Rock Run Creek Bridge Improvement Project, MFT Section No. 19-00522-00-BR (549-26).
• Approved a professional services agreement with Burns & McDonnell Engineering Company, Inc. for a comprehensive water and sewer rate study, not-to-exceed $179,421 (550-26).
• Approved payment of $90,252 to Core & Main LLP for annual Sensus Analytics and SaaS systems (551-26).
• Approved Amendment No. 3 to the professional services agreement for the 2025 Water Main Rehabilitation Program for construction support and GIS services to Baxter & Woodman Inc., not-to-exceed $58,976 (552-26).

Committee Reports

• The Public Safety Committee met earlier in the day at the Joliet Police Department. Deputy Chief Chris Bolsom presented on a real-time information center drone program. The program would launch drones from selected city locations, with a 45-minute flight time and a three-mile radius. During demonstrations, the drone arrived before the officer about 95% of the time, and one test drone reached the west side in about four minutes. The committee also advanced the purchase of Safari Land Defender X ballistic shields from Stretchers for $200,000, about 90 shields for squad cars, and the Fire Station 1 window replacement item. Councilwoman Ibarra reported an incident near the downtown library on Friday morning, and Chief Brown said additional police resources would be sent.
• The Public Service Committee met at 4:30 PM in council chambers and unanimously recommended the water and sewer rate study contract with Burns & McDonnell and the $10,750,000 booster pump station upgrade contract, along with several housekeeping items. Staff noted the previous water/sewer rate study dates to 2022 and sunsets at the end of next year.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Christine Johnson returned to follow up on public comments made on October 20, 2026, regarding the ban from the Slammers game at the old Joliet Prison. She thanked Councilman Hug and Councilwoman Ibarra for stating there were no criminal charges against the Johnsons. She said 13 days after the previous meeting there had been no progress, and she entered additional documents into the record, including a police report filed by Greg Peerbolt on June 21, 2023, accusing her and Mike of stealing property valued over $500. She stated the property was a guard badge valued at $50, the case was closed, and Mike legally possessed the badge. She alleged Peerbolt used city resources for a personal vendetta and said there was no evidence that the seven banned employees committed wrongdoing. She formally requested a closed session that night with herself, Michael, the mayor, council, and city manager.
• Trista Brown raised safety concerns at the Joliet Library. She appreciated the increased police observation but said a man she believed was the attacker, a white man around 250 pounds with a 'grizzly bear' appearance, was still on the street. She said a different person had been publicized in the paper and that she saw the actual man again that day. She described the security guard being beaten and reported conversations about people engaging in sexual activity in the library bathroom. She asked the council to address the issues rather than dismiss them.
• Another resident said she attended the Will County 'Taking Back the Night' event near Joliet on Essington Road, arriving late from a planning commission meeting. She expressed the position that if development displaces people, developers should provide replacement housing. She said she sought help from the Will County State's Attorney's office about her ongoing stalking and domestic battery case, but Joliet police surrounded her vehicle in the parking lot and she felt treated like a criminal. She said she was scolded by a chief investigator for speaking to a State's Attorney representative and urged that people attending such events be allowed to ask questions at resource tables.

Agenda Items and Ordinances & Resolutions

• Approved Change Order No. 1 for the Twin Oaks Phase 2 Water Main Improvements Project to Austin Tyler Construction Inc. for a deduction of $108,256.76, bringing the project in under budget (553-26).
• Approved Contract No. 3005-1126 for the JOL-08-03 Booster Pump Station Upgrades / Morgan Street PRV Project to Vissering Construction in the amount of $10,750,000, part of the larger alternative water supply improvements (554-26).
• Adopted the ordinance for the levy and assessment of taxes for the fiscal year beginning January 1, 2026, and ending December 31, 2026, for the City of Joliet, Will and Kendall Counties, Illinois. This passed 8-1, with Councilman Hug voting no (556-26).
• Adopted the ordinance approving the 2027 fiscal year annual budget for the City of Joliet (557-26).
• Adopted the levy ordinance for the 2009 Joliet Special Service Area Number Seven, Park Hill Subdivision (558-26).
• Adopted the levy ordinance for the 1996 Joliet Special Service Area Number Fourteen, Joliet City Center (559-26).
• Adopted the ordinance abating 2026 taxes levied to pay debt service on $3,665,000 General Obligation Bonds, Series 2020A, and $93,595,000 General Obligation Bonds, Series 2022. Staff explained the bonds would be paid using fuel tax and Rock Run TIF funds rather than property taxes (560-26).
• Adopted the ordinance amending the 2026 annual budget to allow Park Hill Special Service Area funds to be used to upgrade the SSA retention pond (561-26).
• Adopted the resolution appropriating Motor Fuel Tax funds for wetland mitigation credits for the Theodore Street over Rock Run Creek Bridge Improvement Project (563-26).
• Adopted the resolution approving an easement agreement for the Washington Street Water Main Improvement Project at Hickory Creek (564-26).

Mayor and Council Comments

• Council members reported a large, incident-free Halloween on the west side, with one member distributing 1,600 pieces of candy before running out around 6:30 PM.
• Councilwoman Ibarra noted Native American Heritage Month at Joliet Junior College from November 1-30, including a moment of silence on November 18 at the main campus bell tower.
• A council member asked whether officers stationed near City Square could also walk a beat past the library; the response was that they do and the police chief is checking on the situation.
• City Manager Beth Beatty said she had brief conversations with Mr. Peerbolt about the museum matter, but a discussion with the board was needed. A council member also asked for an accounting of artifacts reportedly sold to an antique shop in Wilmington, and the city manager said Councilwoman Quillman had provided a list of items to investigate.
• The city manager confirmed the staffing study is still in progress and will be provided to the council once complete.
• Council members congratulated the St. Ray's Rockets eighth grade girls volleyball team on a conference win and thanked Steve Randich for helping a wedding party access the Rialto on a rainy Friday.

Key Outcomes

• The council approved all agenda items except for one noted no vote: the 2026 tax levy ordinance (556-26) passed 8-1.
• The 2027 fiscal year budget was adopted unanimously.
• The council approved $10,750,000 for the booster pump station upgrades and a $108,256.76 deduction closing out the Twin Oaks Phase 2 water main project.
• Public speakers requested follow-up on the museum-related bans and increased library safety; no immediate council action was announced. The city manager said she would pursue the museum board discussion and the requested accounting of artifacts.