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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Naperville City Council Meeting – September 15, 2026: Proclamations, Public Forum on Energy, and Unanimous Approvals

City Council — Tuesday, September 15, 2026

BodyNaperville, Illinois

SessionCity Council

DateTuesday, September 15, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 45:34

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

1:29

Good evening, welcome to the subscriber work now.

1:35

Yes, sir.

2:19

As we start immediately, I just want to speak to the speakers of the challenges with the microphones in the loud speaking system as well as the audio feed for volunteers tonight.

2:32

So we appreciate your patience as we try to navigate this, but we're doing the best we can with the system that we have in place.

2:41

Our first tablet is awards and recognition.

3:04

Can I have uh guest from white star families on the on the dice, please?

3:12

Okay.

3:15

Can you hear me?

3:17

Okay, perfect.

3:24

Office of the mayor, City of Napleville, Illinois, Proclamation, recognizing White Star families and veterans suicide and business.

4:02

And many veterans and their families continues to face the effects of those sacrifices long after military services.

4:31

And their families deserve compassion, recognization, and continued support.

4:37

And the designation whites are families recognizes families who have lost a veteran to society and affirm that they remain an important part of our greater military family.

5:00

And the city of Driverville recognized the importance of honoring veterans, supporting military families, reducing Sigma, surrounding mental health, and encouraging veterans and their families to seek connection, compassion, and available resources.

5:10

Now therefore, I Scott A.

5:12

Larry, mayor of Equivalent City, Illinois, to hereby recognize and honor white star families, honor the memories of veterans lost to suicide and encourage the Neperville community.

5:26

So support veterans and their families with compassion, understanding, and respect.

5:34

I hereby set my hand and affects the seal of the city of Liberal this 15th of September 2026.

5:42

Scott Gurley.

7:05

Thank you.

7:16

Yeah, please.

7:17

Thank you.

7:18

All right.

7:20

Mayor, members of the city council, thank you for this proclamation, and thank you for sitting with us tonight.

7:25

On behalf of the Naval North American Egypt mostly, I want you to understand that this moment represents white families are the families of parents, service leaders, and first responders who carry the invisible movements on their service.

7:47

They bought a weight for the sake of all of us and ultimately lost the matter of the space.

8:00

My HVAM is telling most families, we see you, remember your loved ones, and you remain part of the community.

8:10

That commandment is part of my most honor and they are watching 2025 and part of other local organizations continue in 2026.

8:21

And we plan to keep it full every year, step by step, mile upon mile, carrying that message to ourselves.

8:29

In honor of those we've lost in a support of families who want to work with our thank you again for chief natural way and for helping us formerly recognize white star families.

8:50

Okay, so now we have uh the second group, Spanish Heritage Month group.

8:56

Can we have you please?

9:18

Okay.

9:20

So this is my first time doing this proclamation.

9:22

I always used to receive, but today I have to present.

9:26

So I'm trying my best, okay.

9:28

Thank you.

9:29

Office of the mayor, city of Liberal, Illinois proclamation, Spanish Heritage Month, September 15th to October 15th.

9:39

Spanish Heritage Month, also referred to by many as Latino Heritage Month in a national recognization observance celebrated from September 15th to October 15th, honoring the history, culture, tradition and contribution of Americans whose heritage and place to Spain, Mexico and Caribbean, and Central and South American and this celebration recognize the significant and enduring influence of Spanish Spanish and Latino community on the culture, economic, civic, and social fabric of our nation.

10:03

And circle and South American and this celebration recognized the significant and enduring influence of Spanish, uh Spanish and Latino community on the culture, economics, civic, and social fabric of our nation.

10:19

And the observance begins on September 15th, coinciding with the independence anniversary of Costa Rica, Elas Cower, Bacamuela, Honduras, and while also recognizing the independence celebration of Mexico, Chile and Brazil, later in the month, reflecting the rich history, culture, and tradition of Latino American and Caribbean.

10:52

And the city of Napoleville, with its diverse and vibrant Spanish and Latino community, is proud to honor the heritage, achievement, and contribution of its residents, and to promote understanding, inclusion, and made a sense of belonging throughout the community.

11:10

And I, Minir Scott Worley, Head of City of Naperville, do hereby proclaim proclaim September 15th to October 15th as Spanish Heritage Month in the city of Naperville and encourage all residents to join in recognizing and celebrating the rich heritage culture, history, and contribution of Spanish and Latino Americans.

11:34

In witness, I hereby set my hand in effects the seat of the city of Napleville this 15th day of September 2026.

11:44

Scott Riverly, Mayor.

11:56

Can I invite the rest of our community up to your name for pride or other members?

12:01

You're welcome to come up for a photo.

12:13

I'll go ahead and speak in the meantime.

12:16

Good evening, Mayor, City Council, and members of our community.

12:20

As a part Latina and President of Almas, Alliance of Latinos motivating action in the suburbs.

12:27

I am honored to be here as we recognize Hispanic and Latino Heritage Month.

12:32

From September 15th through October 15th, we celebrate the histories, cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities whose roots span Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, and beyond.

12:46

But for us at Almas, celebrating our culture is not limited to one month.

12:50

It is part of who we are and what we do all year long.

12:54

We celebrate through our music, food, art traditions, and language.

12:58

We celebrate by creating spaces where children can see themselves represented, where our families feel a sense of belonging, and where a broader community can learn from learn from and celebrate alongside us.

13:10

And this year that celebration continues to carry particular meaning.

13:15

At a time when many Latino and American families are experiencing fear and uncertainty, celebrating our heritage is also an affirmation.

13:22

We are here, we belong, and our stories matter.

13:27

That is why recognition like tonight's matters, but our work cannot end with a proclamation.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Energy Planning█████████████████████21%

Veteran Recognition██████████████14%

Procedural█████████████13%

Hispanic Heritage Month██████████10%

Sustainability█████████9%

Historic Preservation████████8%

Zoning Regulations████████8%

Public Engagement██████6%

Procurement█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Naperville City Council Meeting – September 15, 2026

Mayor Scott Wehrli called the September 15, 2026 City Council meeting to order at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers. All nine council members were present (Councilman Kelly arrived at 7:03 PM). The meeting adjourned at 7:44 PM. Key actions included two proclamations, a public forum with six speakers raising energy transparency, historic preservation, and communication concerns, approval of a consent agenda with one item pulled for discussion, and unanimous approval of two bid awards.

Awards & Recognitions

Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation (September 15 – October 15): Presented by Councilman Syed. A representative from ALMAS (Alliance of Latinos Motivating Action in the Suburbs) spoke, emphasizing that recognition must extend beyond a single month to ensure belonging, representation, and leadership opportunities for the Latino community.
White Star Families and Veteran Suicide Awareness Proclamation: Presented by Councilman Syed. A representative from the Naval North American District spoke, thanking the city for formally recognizing families who have lost a veteran to suicide, and noted that a commitment walk honoring those lost continued in 2025 and 2026.

Consent Calendar

The council approved the consent agenda (minus Item I-12) by a 9–0 vote. The following items were approved unanimously:

Cash disbursements for August 1–31, 2026, totaling $53,572,043.47
Regular City Council meeting minutes of September 1, 2026
City Council meeting schedule for September, October, and November 2026
Year-to-date budget report through August 31, 2026
Cooperative procurement for fire personal protection gear (W.S. Darley & Co., up to $120,000)
Cooperative procurement for refuse and recycling carts (Rehrig Pacific Company, up to $150,000)
Cooperative procurement for enterprise data storage solution for CAD/RMS (Xerox IT Solutions, up to $252,549.50)
Change Order #1 for police department uniforms and equipment (Galls LLC, up to $93,000, total award $291,000)
RFP for employee benefits broker (Segal Group, Inc., up to $248,460 for three-year term)
Ordinance for temporary traffic controls and special event/amplifier permits for Naperville Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K (October 18, 2026)
Ordinance for temporary traffic controls and special event permit for Downtown Naperville Trick-or-Treat (October 25, 2026)
Ordinance approving a major change to Railway Plaza Commercial PUD for Weston Ridge Apartments (540 Weston Ridge Drive) – noted a written comment from Wanda Wohead raising density and parking concerns
Ordinance approving a minor change to Fox River Commons PUD for a building addition at 796 S. Route 59 (Entourage)
Resolution approving workers’ compensation settlement between Ryan Jordan and the City of Naperville
Resolution approving workers’ compensation settlement between Kate Koziol Lindgren and the City of Naperville
Resolution approving an intergovernmental agreement with Naperville Park District for a temporary construction easement for 87th Street Bridge reconstruction
Resolution approving a joint funding agreement with IDOT for $2,700,000 for 87th Street Bridge construction costs
Award of RFQ for Phase III – 87th Street Bridge Over Springbrook Creek to Civiltech Engineering, Inc. (up to $549,653)

Public Comments & Testimony

Six residents addressed the council during Public Forum:

John Doyle (Naperville resident): Discussed findings from the building/feasibility study, noting that multiple reliability violations were already present and that a single point of failure (a double-circuit power outage) could cut power to two-thirds of the city. He criticized the lack of transparency regarding consideration of a natural gas plant and requested that all studies related to the energy evaluation be made public before the upcoming electricity strategy workshop.
Richard Stark (Naperville resident): Presented a conceptual “outside the box / inside the box” framework for the city’s long-term electricity strategy. He showed an example portfolio including wind, solar, battery storage, nuclear power purchase agreements (outside), and long-duration storage, virtual power plants, demand response, small modular reactors or enhanced geothermal (inside). He stated that the council’s role in the first workshop is to approve a vision and decision framework to guide staff toward an optimal solution balancing affordability, reliability, sustainability, and resilience.
Theresa Hus (Naperville NEST): Expressed surprise and concern that the city had explored the feasibility of a natural gas electricity generation plant. She noted that the study language suggested a plant could be within city limits, and that such a plant would increase Naperville’s already-high emissions (twice the DuPage average and significantly higher than the Illinois average), negatively affect air quality for those with asthma or lung disease, and raise questions about property values and price instability due to volatile gas prices. She requested clear answers on why the option was explored, whether it is still under consideration, under what circumstances it might resume, and whether conversations with IMEA about gas generation occurred.
Bill Simon (Naperville Preservation Inc.): Highlighted national benefits of historic preservation (116,000 new jobs, $6.8 million in rehabilitation investment, $1.8 billion in tax receipts in 2024). He urged council to include increased staffing (from 0.1 FTE to 0.5 FTE) and training for historic preservation in the 2027 municipal budget.
Marilyn Schweitzer (Naperville resident): Raised five points: (1) concern that City Manager Doug Krieger is overburdened with three roles (city manager, finance director, electric utility director) during budget season and energy decision-making; (2) the RFQ for the I-88 special study may not be complete until end of month, and piecemeal planning minimizes community involvement; (3) a proposed downtown parking deck costing ~$36 million (approx. $95,000 per space) prioritizes visitors over historic preservation, bicycle access, and gathering spaces as called for in the 2011 downtown plan, and she called for a new downtown plan; (4) the city website was revised in the 2026 budget but the open data portal and help center remain deficient, making it difficult for residents to get information; (5) she raised personal easement and permit issues that have gone unanswered for over a month, requesting staff attention.
Ted Bourlard (Naperville NEST): Offered gratitude for sustainability achievements: a styrofoam recycling event on July 18, 2026 saw 158 vehicles dropping off 31 cubic yards of foam (up from 63 vehicles and 18 cubic yards in April); the food scrap composting program collected 578 carts through early September 2026, on pace to significantly exceed 2025’s 793 total; during International Compost Awareness Week, approximately 40 cubic yards of finished compost were distributed; and 36,201 pounds of clothing/textile recycling collected so far in 2026 (over 18 tons).

Following public forum, Councilman White asked City Manager Doug Krieger to address the gas plant comments. Krieger stated that natural gas plants were discussed very briefly when considering market participation, but personally he does not think it is a good fit for Naperville, and staff will recommend that the council take that option off the table moving forward. He confirmed that no discussions with IMEA about a gas plant have occurred.

Discussion Items

Item I-12 – Variance for Detached Garage at 151 N. Wright St. (DEV-0039-2026): Councilman Kelly requested the item be pulled from the consent agenda for discussion. He shared his initial hesitation regarding the hardship standard but after walking the neighborhood noted: (1) newer precedent exists for tall garages in the area (e.g., a property on Columbia); (2) the proposed garage orientation may improve the site; (3) across the street at Heritage Place, buildings are nearly 40 feet, so denying a ~26-foot garage might be inequitable. He indicated he would support the variance. The council voted 9–0 to pass the ordinance approving a variance to the height limitation for the proposed detached garage.

Key Outcomes

Consent Agenda: Approved (minus I-12) by a 9–0 vote.
Item I-12: Ordinance approving a height variance for a detached garage at 151 N. Wright St. – passed 9–0.
M1 – Parking Lot Maintenance Program: Award of Bid 26-016 to Denler, Inc. for $1,156,778.19 plus 3% contingency – approved 9–0.
M2 – SEL Equipment Procurement: Single Source Procurement 26-226 to A Star Electric Inc. for $1,500,000 for a one-year term – approved 9–0.
No New Business was raised.
Adjournment: Motion carried unanimously at 7:44 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, welcome to the subscriber work now. Yes, sir. As we start immediately, I just want to speak to the speakers of the challenges with the microphones in the loud speaking system as well as the audio feed for volunteers tonight. So we appreciate your patience as we try to navigate this, but we're doing the best we can with the system that we have in place. Our first tablet is awards and recognition. Can I have uh guest from white star families on the on the dice, please? Okay. Can you hear me? Okay, perfect. Office of the mayor, City of Napleville, Illinois, Proclamation, recognizing White Star families and veterans suicide and business. And many veterans and their families continues to face the effects of those sacrifices long after military services. And their families deserve compassion, recognization, and continued support. And the designation whites are families recognizes families who have lost a veteran to society and affirm that they remain an important part of our greater military family. And the city of Driverville recognized the importance of honoring veterans, supporting military families, reducing Sigma, surrounding mental health, and encouraging veterans and their families to seek connection, compassion, and available resources. Now therefore, I Scott A. Larry, mayor of Equivalent City, Illinois, to hereby recognize and honor white star families, honor the memories of veterans lost to suicide and encourage the Neperville community. So support veterans and their families with compassion, understanding, and respect. I hereby set my hand and affects the seal of the city of Liberal this 15th of September 2026. Scott Gurley. Thank you. Yeah, please. Thank you. All right. Mayor, members of the city council, thank you for this proclamation, and thank you for sitting with us tonight. On behalf of the Naval North American Egypt mostly, I want you to understand that this moment represents white families are the families of parents, service leaders, and first responders who carry the invisible movements on their service. They bought a weight for the sake of all of us and ultimately lost the matter of the space. My HVAM is telling most families, we see you, remember your loved ones, and you remain part of the community. That commandment is part of my most honor and they are watching 2025 and part of other local organizations continue in 2026. And we plan to keep it full every year, step by step, mile upon mile, carrying that message to ourselves. In honor of those we've lost in a support of families who want to work with our thank you again for chief natural way and for helping us formerly recognize white star families. Okay, so now we have uh the second group, Spanish Heritage Month group. Can we have you please? Okay. So this is my first time doing this proclamation. I always used to receive, but today I have to present. So I'm trying my best, okay. Thank you. Office of the mayor, city of Liberal, Illinois proclamation, Spanish Heritage Month, September 15th to October 15th. Spanish Heritage Month, also referred to by many as Latino Heritage Month in a national recognization observance celebrated from September 15th to October 15th, honoring the history, culture, tradition and contribution of Americans whose heritage and place to Spain, Mexico and Caribbean, and Central and South American and this celebration recognize the significant and enduring influence of Spanish Spanish and Latino community on the culture, economic, civic, and social fabric of our nation. And circle and South American and this celebration recognized the significant and enduring influence of Spanish, uh Spanish and Latino community on the culture, economics, civic, and social fabric of our nation. And the observance begins on September 15th, coinciding with the independence anniversary of Costa Rica, Elas Cower, Bacamuela, Honduras, and while also recognizing the independence celebration of Mexico, Chile and Brazil, later in the month, reflecting the rich history, culture, and tradition of Latino American and Caribbean. And the city of Napoleville, with its diverse and vibrant Spanish and Latino community, is proud to honor the heritage, achievement, and contribution of its residents, and to promote understanding, inclusion, and made a sense of belonging throughout the community. And I, Minir Scott Worley, Head of City of Naperville, do hereby proclaim proclaim September 15th to October 15th as Spanish Heritage Month in the city of Naperville and encourage all residents to join in recognizing and celebrating the rich heritage culture, history, and contribution of Spanish and Latino Americans. In witness, I hereby set my hand in effects the seat of the city of Napleville this 15th day of September 2026. Scott Riverly, Mayor. Can I invite the rest of our community up to your name for pride or other members? You're welcome to come up for a photo. I'll go ahead and speak in the meantime. Good evening, Mayor, City Council, and members of our community. As a part Latina and President of Almas, Alliance of Latinos motivating action in the suburbs.

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