The Naperville City Council held the first of three budget workshops on September 29, 2025, focusing on the proposed 2026-2030 Capital Improvement Program (CIP). The workshop was a preliminary review; no final actions were taken. City Manager Doug Krieger and Finance Director Raymond Munch led the presentation, with Deputy Finance Director Traci Marrocco covering facilities and technology. The proposed 2026 CIP totals $190 million, with major investments in water and electric utilities, transportation, and the Riverwalk.
Note: The minutes state that "Council proceeded to vote" on Tier 1 and the cost-share program, but the transcript indicates these were show-of-hands directions in a workshop where no final actions were taken. The summary reflects the workshop nature.
Good evening and welcome to the first workshop for the proposed 2026 budget. Tonight, our professional staff will focus on the preliminary capital improvement program. As a reminder, no final actions are being taken at this meeting since it is a workshop. Also, the rules of the city council still apply. Speakers are asked to present their comments in a respectful and courteous manner. Speakers should be on topic and be cognizant of their words. Speakers are given three minutes to address the council and to help speakers stay within the three minute time frame. We now have a much timer on the side dias to your right. Timer buzzes when it hit zero, and we will work that speaker that the time is up. Mr. City Manager, any speakers. Uh we have one speaker, Mayor. Uh, my neighbor, Marilyn Schweitzer. Um, can you help her with the microphone, please? Thank you. Something which one it's on right now. Oh, okay, thank you. Um, so anyway, Marilyn Schweitzer, and first, my thanks to staff and council for publicly airing the budget in a series of workshops as you do. I think it makes it much easier and more clear for all parties concerned, and I appreciate the effort that goes into it. I have four points which I hope you will make note of and address each topic as it comes up during the presentation. First, undergrounding of overhead lines. I appreciate the tier one and tier two approach. I hope that tier one will be funded and that tier two would only proceed based on an analysis of specific areas and surveys of property owners in affected areas. Kind of along the lines, Ted handle the new sidewalk program. I would also appreciate an open data map of both tier one and tier two areas that would be kept up at least annually. Second, the NCC Park along the river walk. I assume this is the park at 430 South Washington, and I assume the 3.2 million is just the city's share. So I'd like to know what the total cost is so I can understand why Share North Central is paying. I believe North Central and the City have revised plans since the concept came up, and but I'm unsure of whether a mutually agreed plans have been settled. Three, the Naperville train station. I read that exterior restoration is being budgeted, which is great, but the interior could use some simple maintenance as well, such as painting and removing the outdated pace racks. Perhaps some local artists could be or some local art could be displayed as part of a SECA grant after the simple interior cleanup is complete. For the sidewalk cost share. It's not clear to me how the cost share program can be reinstated since it was never revised or eliminated from the municipal code. So I guess this means should staff continue along the path of eliminating it in 2026 and future budgets as implied by council's gift to the 2025 select residents. Please do eliminate the cost share for standard safety maintenance, only keeping it perhaps if residents want something special like bridge at brick as the current ordinance accommodates. Much is odd and not consistently applied in the existing ordinance, such as claiming residents owe a cost share on new sidewalks, while it has never actually been billed as the code states. First, residents, not just the Jess in property owner, excuse me. First and foremost, please recognize that safe soft sidewalks is a public safety matter for all residents, not just the adjacent current property owner. Redists should feel comfortable to report hazardous sidewalks without feeling guilty that they are inflicting a cost upon the adjacent property owner. So thank you very much, and good luck this evening and in future workshops. Thank you. And before I turn things over to City Manager Krieger to begin the presentation, just a reminder that there will be moments during the presentation for questions. So at that particular point, when the slide comes up, that's the time to hit your cue buttons, and I will recognize you in the order you do so. Mr. Krieger. All right. Uh thanks, Mayor, and good evening, everyone. This is the first of three budget workshops being held to discuss the proposed 2026 operating and capital budget. These workshops are an important part of the annual process.