Naperville City Council Meeting - October 20, 2026

The Naperville City Council met on October 20, 2026, at 7:00 PM (presumed from "Good evening") to discuss a proclamation, hear public comments, approve a consent agenda, award a contract for underground utility work, and adopt an updated Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. All votes were 9-0 unless noted.

Consent Calendar

• Approved unanimously (9-0) using the omnibus method: September cash disbursements ($49,298,656.70), minutes of October 6, 2026, meeting schedule for Oct–Dec 2026, year-to-date budget report through September 30, 2026, waiver of procurement code for electric utility executive search ($65,000), cooperative procurement for Verizon cellular ($338,000) and mobile broadband ($28,000), option year one for external auditing ($222,800), option year three for civil/ductwork ($400,000), bid for electric equipment painting ($168,290), change order for Navistar OEM parts ($80,000), and change order for flow meter maintenance ($81,000).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Peggy Frank (AAUW President) accepted a proclamation celebrating the Naperville Area Branch's 70th anniversary, highlighting scholarship awards over $175,000 and used book sales.
• Ted Boulard criticized a climate science denier who spoke at an Affordable Neighborville town hall, citing 99.5% peer-reviewed paper consensus on human-caused climate change and disputing the Spain/Portugal blackout attribution to solar/wind.
• Teresa Haas (NEST leadership) thanked council for the new energy vision statement, emphasized the UN Brundtland definition of sustainability, and urged competitive bidding before signing a long-term IMEA agreement, noting IMEA's history of cost overruns.
• Barbara Benson (NEST volunteer) promoted winter energy efficiency tips (sealing leaks, thermostat settings, furnace filters) and offered climate coaching resources.
• Tim Farido (Director of Affordable Neighborville) opposed the electric vision statement, arguing sustainability elevates carbon reduction over reliability/affordability and that flexibility/local control serve sustainability, not independent goals.
• James Fuller argued Naperville's electricity is already virtually carbon-free due to surrounding nuclear plants, so supply decisions have zero climate impact but significant ratepayer cost.
• Bob (no last name) criticized sanctuary policies, citing the Kate Steinle and Sheridan Gorman cases, and urged council to oppose Illinois' Safety Act.
• Richard Stark outlined a project plan for electricity strategy development, warning that five of nine major deliverables are behind schedule with high risk, and called for additional staffing and a completed decision framework.
• Louis Fleikius (PUAB Chair) clarified that Naperville does not uniquely subsidize electric bills; rates are 20–30% lower than surrounding communities even after accounting for cost-of-service variations, and urged council to utilize PUAB expertise.
• Paul Lundy described flooding from a neighbor's concentrated water drain, arguing the city's drainage code should be updated to require minimum setbacks, as other DuPage County municipalities do.

Discussion Items

• Drainage Concerns (Public Forum Follow-up): Councilman Holzhauer asked about Mr. Lundy's flooding issue. City Engineer Andy Hines explained that the city does not have a minimum setback for discharges, but recommends pulling drains back. Code official and deputy engineer had already met with Lundy. Mayor urged investigation of other communities' ordinances.
• Sustainability & Energy Vision: Councilman Wilson questioned the UN Brundtland definition as arbitrary/subjective. Councilman White said sustainability is necessary due to state mandates to wean off coal. Councilman Sayed thanked Barbara Benson for energy saving tips.
• Bus Stops: Councilman White requested staff explore covered bus stops, especially for winter, noting many Pace bus users have disabilities. Director Loudon said the city could work with Pace under state permit for Route 59 stops.
• Construction Project Map: Councilman White proposed a centralized online map showing all active construction projects with contacts. Director Loudon agreed to improve the current website map.
• Jefferson Avenue Speeding: Councilman White asked about continued speeding concerns. Director Loudon reported traffic calming measures reduced 85th percentile speeds to about 31 mph (a 1 mph reduction). Deputy Chief Bissiger confirmed extra patrols.
• Renewable Energy Program: Mayor noted a renewable energy opt-in program has been available for 1.5 years, but only one customer has enrolled.
• Website Redesign: Communications Director Linda LaCloche announced the city's redesigned website launches October 21, 2026, with improved accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA compliant) and usability based on surveys.
• Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update (Item O1): The council heard from two public speakers. Brian Bohr (Jefferson Avenue homeowner) opposed proposed bike lanes on Jefferson, citing loss of residential parking, insufficient crash data, and a 2021 FHWA study finding no statistically significant reduction in injury/fatal crashes. Catherine Clarkin (Accelerate Climate Solutions) supported the plan, noting interns' Naperville Bikeability Report and arguing $1.9M/year (vs. $12M for roads) is a worthwhile investment.
• Council discussion: Councilman Kelly asked about implementation—staff explained the plan is a high-level roadmap; individual projects (like Jefferson) would require further engineering, public input, and future council votes, especially where parking removal is needed. Councilman McBroom expressed concern about parking removal but acknowledged the plan's flexibility. Councilman Wilson preferred to table pending more parking data. Councilwoman Gibson supported adoption as a guidepost. Councilman Holzhauer highlighted a "missing mile" gap between north and south bike trails and proposed a feasibility study for a pedestrian/bicycle tunnel under railroad tracks between Washington and Mill Street.
• Councilman Kelly moved to adopt the plan with an added feasibility study for the tunnel. Motion seconded by White. Passed 9-0.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda: Approved 9-0.
• M1 (Option year three for underground directional boring to Met Electric, $19,867,145.69): Approved 9-0.
• O1 (Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan Update): Adopted 9-0 with a condition to add a feasibility study for a pedestrian/bicycle tunnel under the railroad tracks between Washington and Mill Street.
• New Business: Councilman White requested staff move forward on improving the construction project map; no formal vote needed. Meeting adjourned.