Joliet City Council balks at jobs in proposed budget

Joliet City Council members on Monday continued to question the number of new jobs being added to the proposed 2022 budget.

The budget proposes 34 new jobs, including a public relations position turned down twice by the council and 10 new police officers generally viewed as needed.

Twenty-nine of those jobs would be covered by the general fund, which pays for most city services, and another five jobs related to utilities services would be paid from water and sewer bills.

The budget covers an additional 27 positions that were in the 2021 budget but went unfilled as a cautionary measure taken because of concerns about the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on city revenues.

But revenues have been climbing all year, and Joliet expects to end 2021 with $215 million in annual revenues, up from the $181 million that was budgeted at the start of the year. The city expects revenues to continue to grow in 2022 but only to a year-end total of nearly $217 million.

The council will take up its budget discussion again on at its pre-council meeting on Dec. 20 and plans to vote on the budget at a special meeting set for Dec. 27.

The budget includes no new taxes, although the city’s property tax levy would increase by 4.2%, much of it coming from new development, to roughly $43 million.

Much of the discussion Monday focused on City Manager James Capparelli’s plan for five new code and compliance officials to improve enforcement of ordinances regulating building conditions, property maintenance and business displays.

“I agree, this is too many people,” Councilwoman Sherri Reardon said as she joined the discussion over new city staffing.

Councilwoman Jan Quillman also questioned the five new positions even after arguing that the city badly needs better code enforcement and a general clean-up campaign.

“I challenge any of you up here to say our city looks great,” Quillman said to fellow council members. “Our entryways look crappy. They’re full of garbage.”

Eventually, Quillman and Reardon said they could go along with three new positions for code enforcement and compliance.

“I think we have a resolution on this,” Capparelli said, suggesting he would adjust the budget accordingly.

Capparelli, however, plans to add one position at the council’s urging – that of a public education officer in the fire department.

Joliet Fire Officers Local 2399 President Eric Mattson urged the council at the meeting to add the position, which was eliminated during recession-related staff cutbacks in 2008.

Mattson said subsequent city managers have asked the question: “A town our size, how can we not have a public education officer?”

Mayor Bob O’Dekirk asked the same question Monday about a city public relations position, which also was eliminated in the same recession-related budget cuts of 2008.

“A city our size not having a public relations director is insane,” said O’Dekirk, adding the position is needed in part to counter negative press about city government.