Naperville City Council Meeting Summary – April 21, 2026
Naperville City Council Meeting Summary – April 21, 2026
The Naperville City Council met on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting was called to order by Mayor Scott Wehrli and adjourned at 9:29 PM. The council approved a consent agenda of 25 items, heard public comments on multiple topics, discussed overnight parking regulations, and voted on funding for the India Day Parade. All nine council members were present.
Consent Calendar
- Approved cash disbursements for March 2026 totaling $36,000,827.27.
- Approved the April 7, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
- Approved the City Council meeting schedule for May, June, and July 2026.
- Received the year-to-date budget report through March 31, 2026.
- Approved reappointments to various boards and commissions.
- Approved multiple contract awards, extensions, and change orders, including: banking services ($295,000), multi-function printers ($284,859.25), advanced distribution management system ($557,532.17), electric meters and gatekeepers ($360,760), large wire trailer replacement ($247,831), building automation maintenance ($212,301), HVAC services ($160,000), engineering services for Springbrook Water Reclamation Center (one-year term), construction engineering for Odyssey West water main ($188,540) and Springbrook Prairie sanitary sewer ($304,980), generator replacement change order ($144,838.41), radio system maintenance ($53,526), water main improvement ($930,410), pavement marking ($109,179.65), pavement crackfill program ($556,201.44), IDOT resolution for crackfill program, intergovernmental agreement with IL-TERT, VTSCADA upgrade ($134,040.60), and PowerAssist outage management services ($128,000). Also passed an ordinance amending the Customer Bill of Rights to allow third-party outage management services (requires six positive votes).
- All consent items were approved by a 9-0 vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- John Doyle (Naperville) urged the council to add “affordability” to the City’s mission statement and adopt an ordinance requiring electricity costs to be ≤3% of household income, citing state standards. He claimed ≈10,000 households would qualify under ComEd’s program but only 500 under Naperville’s current program.
- Karen Peck (Naperville) expressed support for adopting a Due Process and Municipal Property Use Ordinance, arguing it is within home rule authority and would constrain ICE overreach.
- Derek Adam Hoover (Naperville) discussed an amendment to the E-Bike Ordinance, urging the council to contact state legislators about Senate Bill 3336, which he said would ban e-bike use for those under 16 and require licensing for those 16+.
- Ashley Penick (Naperville) spoke in favor of renewing the IMEA contract and shared reflections on civic engagement and critical thinking.
- Joe Hus (Naperville) (NEST) discussed sustainability definitions, climate change science, and the Will County Board’s approval of a 260 MW solar project expected to power 50,000 homes and create 300 union jobs.
- Signe Gleeson (Naperville) supported the Due Process and Municipal Property Use Ordinance, urging the council to seek legal advice from other municipalities that have passed similar ordinances.
- Diana Torres (Naperville) supported the ordinance, emphasizing it is about local control of city property, not federal immigration enforcement.
- Amy Phillips (Naperville) (The Conversation Foundation) reported on the 35th Annual DuPage River Sweep, with ~175 volunteers collecting ~5,000 pounds of trash at seven sites.
- Marilyn Schweitzer (Naperville) supported the Due Process and Municipal Property Use Ordinance, sharing concerns about fear and division in the community.
- Written comments were submitted by John Baker (urging e-bike regulation on sidewalks), Lili Burciaga (supporting the due process ordinance), Becky Glimco (supporting the ordinance), and others.
- Council discussion followed on legislative priorities (HB 1429 and HB 5626), the Public Utilities Advisory Board meeting, and lower-income ratepayer assistance. Staff noted that 844 residents currently qualify for affordable energy credits. Staff also explained that the city does not collect household income data, so comparison with Mr. Doyle’s chart would require time.
Discussion Items
- Overnight Parking Ordinance (Item O1): The council considered a staff report to amend Section 11-2A-8 to allow parking between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM on one side of the street. Two speakers (Marilyn Schweitzer and Tim Messer) opposed the change. Written comments from seven residents opposed the change, citing safety, enforcement, and quality-of-life concerns. Council members discussed fiscal impact, enforcement challenges, permit systems, and the need for public input. A motion to refer the matter to the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) for review and recommendations passed 9-0.
- India Day Parade Funding (Item O2): The council received a report on funding options for the Indian Community Outreach Organization’s 2026 India Day Parade and Celebration. Speakers included:
- Rachna Prasad (Naperville) – Opposed to allocating funds, citing process concerns.
- Judith Brodhead (Naperville) – Opposed; noted SECA had 88 applications and only $1.2 million total, and ICO did not attend key meetings.
- Viral Shah (Naperville, ICO) – Supported funding; explained the organization’s history, budget, and fundraising efforts ($175,000 raised). He stated that the event was canceled in 2025 due to increased security requirements (fencing, metal detectors) that could not be met in time. He noted that if funding is not approved, the event may move to another city.
- Marilyn Schweitzer (Naperville) – Opposed, arguing that council should not override the SECA process.
- Arthur Zards (Naperville) – Opposed as a SECA commissioner, citing ongoing communication concerns.
- Bhadresh Patel (Naperville) – Supported funding, stressing the event’s value to the community.
- Isha (Naperville) – Supported funding, speaking from personal experience with the event.
- Council discussion focused on process, equity, and the risk of losing the event. Councilman Kelly proposed funding city services only (no operational costs) at $22,500 each for parade and celebration (total $45,000), but that did not get majority support. A motion by Councilman Holzhauer, seconded by Councilman White, to award $24,738 for parade city services only from the 2025 SECA unspent balance passed 5-4 (Wehrli, Holzhauer, Jain, Kelly, White in favor; Gibson, McBroom, Syed, Wilson opposed).
Key Outcomes
- Consent Agenda: Approved 9-0.
- Springbrook Prairie Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation (Bid 25-009): Approved 9-0 for $5,230,148 plus 3% contingency.
- Overnight Parking Ordinance: Referred to the Transportation Advisory Board for review and recommendations; motion passed 9-0.
- India Day Parade Funding: Approved $24,738 for city services for the parade only, funded from the 2025 SECA unspent balance. Motion passed 5-4.
- Public Forum: Multiple speakers addressed the Due Process and Municipal Property Use Ordinance, e-bike legislation, energy affordability, and other topics. The council discussed legislative priorities and utility presentations.
- Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 9:29 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the April 21st Naperville City Council meeting. Roll call. Worley. Here. Gibson. Here. Hold tower. Here. Jane here. Kelly. Here. McBroom. Here. Cyan. Yep. White. Here. Wilson. Here. Please rise and join me in the Pledge of Allegiance. Into the Republic for which we can nation under God, individual, liberty, justice for all. Good. All right, good evening, everyone. First, we have a proclamation for Arbor Day, April 24th, 2026. Whereas in 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of trees. And whereas this holiday called Arbor Day was first observed with the planting of more than a million trees in Nebraska, and whereas Arbor Day is now observed throughout the nation and the world, and whereas trees can reduce the erosion of our previous topsoil by wind and water, cut heating and cooling costs, moderate the temperature, clean the air, produce oxygen, and provide habitat for wildlife. And whereas trees are a renewable resource, giving us paper, wood for our homes, fuel for our fires, and countless other wood products. And whereas trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic viability of business areas, and beautify our community, and whereas trees, wherever they are planted, are a source of joy and spiritual renewal. Now, therefore, I Scott A. Worley, mayor of the city of Naperville, Illinois, do hereby proclaim April 24th, 2026 as Arbor Day and the City of Naperville, Illinois, and urge all citizens to support efforts to protect our trees and woodlands in support of our city's foresty forestry program and to plant trees to promote the well-being of present and future generations. And from our forestry uh public works department, we've got Christine Schwarzhoff. I just say that we're super proud of our forestry team and put a shameless plug in for our Arbor Day tree sale. Got one more day, closes at five tomorrow, so buy some trees. Angelique? Very good. So tonight we are also going to proclaim Earth Day Naperville as April 20 20, I'm sorry, April 22nd, 2026, whereas the first Earth Day was enacted in 1970, engaging over 20 million Americans through community service and responsible stewardship and support of a cleaner environment. And whereas the city of Naperville is blessed with diverse native ecosystems from rivers and wetlands to forests and prairies, providing a multitude of services that support the natural environment and human quality of life. And whereas the city of Naperville is committed to the protection and stewardship of these precious natural resources, and whereas Earth Day serves as an annual reminder to all residents of their critical role in environmental protection, and whereas sustainability can only be achieved when the needs of the present are met without compromising the needs of future generations. And whereas Naperville is a leader in environmental initiatives, establishing a long-term vision for environmental sustainability while providing local government services to help ensure a higher quality of life for future generations. Now, therefore, I Scott A. Worley, mayor of the city of Naperville, Illinois, do hereby proclaim April 22nd, 2026 as Earth Day in the city of Naperville, and urge all citizens to find new ways to make a positive difference in our community and shared environment. And if you'd like to say a few words from the Nature Center. Sure. Thank you. So hello, I'm Angeli Carshman from the Nocknalls Nature Center, and on behalf of the Naperville Park District and the numerous organizations that we have worked with over the years. I want to thank the city for your continued support of our Earth Day efforts and initiatives. These annual events started about nine years ago and expanded from a week long roster to now more than a month full of sustainable and green activities. To find out more about how you can get involved, please visit Naperville Parks.org slash Earth Month Naperville. You'll be able to view all the regional upcoming tree sales and plant sales, the film festivals, recycling events, volunteer opportunities, and more.
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