Committee of the Whole Workshop – January 26, 2026

The Committee of the Whole of the Plainfield Village Board met on January 26, 2026, to discuss the draft fiscal year 2026-2027 budget for the Administration, Planning, and Building departments. The meeting included the swearing-in of a new police officer, trustee comments on immigration enforcement, and detailed presentations from staff on budget proposals, technology upgrades, community projects, and departmental workloads.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes of the Committee of the Whole Workshop held on January 12, 2026.

Presidential Comments

• Oath of Office – Police Officer Richard Ryan: Chief introduced Officer Ryan, a lateral hire from Burbank with prior Air Force and firefighter/paramedic experience. He and his wife fell in love with Plainfield during a cruise night. Officer Ryan was sworn in by the Mayor.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke during the public comment period.

Discussion Items

• Trustee Comments on ICE Enforcement: A trustee expressed concern about ICE enforcement actions nationwide and asked about the village's preparedness. The Chief confirmed the police department has plans in place and contacts with federal agencies but has no knowledge of any specific threats. The Mayor emphasized that all officers swear to uphold the Constitution and that the department is highly trained to handle situations professionally and lawfully. The Chief added that the department responds to law-breaking regardless of immigration status.
• 2026-2027 Draft Budget – Administration, Planning, and Building Departments:
  • Administration Overview (Josh Blakemore): The budget is a routine step in the process, with no major surprises. Key projects include zoning ordinance updates, a special census (ongoing, delayed by federal hiring freeze and shutdown, now expected to finish in 30–60 days), ADA compliance work, and community relations events.
  • Refuse Collection (Tracy Pleckham): The refuse contract runs through 2027. The proposed budget includes $6.2 million for refuse services, representing nearly 50% of the admin budget. Stats: 3,639 tons recycled last year; at-your-door service well utilized.
  • Management Services: Processed nearly 7,000 invoices and cut 3,500 checks in FY2025. Utility billing has about 15,950 accounts; online payments are increasing (now over 60% including direct debit). A new utility billing staff position is proposed due to workload.
  • ADA Projects (Ashton): Three projects underway: public right-of-way transition plan (kickoff this week), facility assessment (started last week), and website redesign (public survey open through end of week). Special census delayed but ongoing.
  • Human Resources: Managing three union contracts under negotiation; processed close to 6,000 payroll checks in FY25. Succession planning is ongoing due to retirements. Risk management is increasingly time-consuming.
  • IT Department (James): Budget includes a $80,000 increase for Wi-Fi replacement (end-of-life equipment, $30-40k for hardware plus 3-year license). Software licensing is 41% of IT budget, with renewals increasing 6-10%. New digital citation software for police will allow online payment; potential future use for code enforcement and parking. IT staff is working on Microsoft OneDrive migration, new phone system, and cybersecurity.
  • Community Relations (Amy): Proposing $40,000 for holiday lights in Settlers Park (rental of 3D structures), plus funding for a winter event. Also funding for new website, e-news, social media, quarterly newsletter, concerts, movies, and special events. Trustee Wojowski expressed strong support for the lights, noting he had advocated for years. Trustee Keeper questioned whether this is the best use of funds given staffing shortages; staff responded that requested new staff positions have been incorporated into the budget and will not be sacrificed.
  • Planning Department (Jake Melrose): Small department with a vacancy. 47 development cases in FY26 (on track to match last year’s 61). Key projects: Woodman’s grocery coming online, Portillo’s opened, Seven Brew redeveloping Chili’s, Burrito Parilla taking BMO Harris bank, Walmart purchased. Over 2.76 million sq ft of industrial under construction in 2025; 800+ multifamily units approved downtown. The Lockport Main Street corridor planning study will be funded in FY27 to assess intersection improvements after jurisdictional transfer. Also working on zoning ordinance update (drafting in 2027), application fee amendments, and affordable housing policy.
  • Building and Code Compliance (Mark Dudash): 2025 was extremely busy: 740 new residential permits, 20,000 inspections handled (with help from third-party inspectors), and 1,027 code compliance cases. Staff cross-training and a contractual service for third-party inspections are key to maintaining service. Budget is relatively flat; insurance savings due to plan changes. Board may be asked to renew the third-party inspection contract.
• Budget Summaries: The administration budget shows a ~7% increase from $11.6M (FY26) to $12.4M (proposed FY27). Planning budget up 3.6%. Building budget is stable. No transfer to capital fund is budgeted yet; staff will finalize revenues and streets division before proposing a transfer in February.

Key Outcomes

• The board took no formal votes on the budget items; this was a workshop for discussion and information gathering.
• Staff will bring the streets division budget and overall revenue summary to the next Committee of the Whole on February 9, 2026.
• The board expressed appreciation for staff presentations and the detailed budget information.
• Trustee comments highlighted support for the police department’s professionalism and the need to balance community-building expenditures with staffing needs.
• The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:15 p.m. (no exact time given).