[0:01] call this meeting to order. If everyone could please stand and join New Lennox

[0:05] Girl Scout Troop 75806 in the pledge.

[0:10] » Ladies, I aliance to the flag of the United

[0:16] States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under

[0:23] God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

[0:28] » Thank you. Roll call, please. >> Trusty Scaliz,

[0:32] » here. >> Trusty Riser,

[0:35] » here. >> Trusty Christopherson

[0:36] » here. >> Trusty Madson is absent. Trustee Galuza

[0:40] is absent. Trustee Wilson is absent. Mayor Balderman

[0:43] » here. All right, real quickly before we get started, as I do quite frequently, I

[0:47] met with a great uh troop, Girl Scout Troop 7586. They asked some wonderful

[0:53] questions. Um, very bright uh young ladies. They represent all four of the

[1:00] intermediate new Lennox schools and Union School as well. So, I was uh

[1:05] really proud of what they had to ask and hopefully they learned a lot. They're

[1:10] also Did you I see is the table gone? Did you sell all the cookies? Are they

[1:13] gone? There's still some There's still some cookies left.

[1:16] » Yeah, there is. >> All right. So, now you know why three of

[1:19] the board members took off. They were too cheap to buy cookies. But the rest

[1:22] of you should have got You bought yours. All right. I've got mine. Hazel hit me

[1:27] up twice now for cookies. Um but yeah, scouting is so important. We're so

[1:32] fortunate in this town that we have um so many wonderful parents that are

[1:38] willing to serve as scout leaders and kids that are interested in scouting and

[1:42] we talked about commitment to community today and the scouts is a great way to

[1:47] get started on that. So, congratulations to you kids uh for being well informed

[1:53] and for what you're doing and to the parents that are brought them here and

[1:56] are leading the troops. So, we appreciate that. All right. Yes.

[2:01] Absolutely.

[2:05] All right. First up, we have a public hearing for a special service area for

[2:09] Spencer Meadows. Madam Clerk, you have proof of notice.

[2:12] » I do. >> All right. Thank you. Is there anyone

[2:15] here that speak on it? Goodbye, ladies. Anyone here to speak on this tonight

[2:19] that needs to be sworn in? No. Okay. Robin. Um,

[2:24] » so this special service area is a requirement of the building

[2:30] ordinance. You remember Spencer Meadows is south sideway

[2:35] Spencer Road. Back in February, the board adopted the ordinance proposing

[2:40] the special service area and setting public hearing for tonight. We did post

[2:44] a legal notice in the paper and mailed um certified notices to the developer

[2:49] and property owner. Um the special service area would allow the village to

[2:53] be up to $125 for $100 in the set value um to maintain the landscape offers and

[2:59] the storm water detention facilities. Um following tonight's public hearing,

[3:04] there's a 60-day kind of waiting period. So staff would anticipate bringing this

[3:08] back to the board um at the May 11th meeting. Um, and the only reason that

[3:13] would change would be if the final plat for Spencer Meadows Unit One has not yet

[3:18] been uh presented for your approval, >> but we anticipate that it will be in

[3:21] April. >> All right, very good. Any questions for

[3:23] Robin on that? All right, then we'll close the public hearing. Thank you.

[3:27] Next up is our consent agenda, which consists of eight items. A proclamation

[3:31] for certified government financial manager month. Ordinance granting a

[3:35] special use for a final PUD Plat Lakes Park phase 2. Second read. Approval of

[3:40] contract fertilizing village property JD lawn service and landscaping. Approval

[3:45] of proposal pipe painting Joliet Highway Pump Station. Ordinance authorizing

[3:51] disposal of surplus property slabjack. Charity release for Hickory Memorial

[3:56] Chapel. Ordinance creating a class SE uh SE liquor license for the Hall of Fame

[4:01] dinner for Providence Catholic High School and a raffle license for 2026

[4:07] Providence Catholic High School. Does any member wish any of those items to be

[4:10] pulled and discussed separately? All right. If not, I would just add that u

[4:14] many of you are familiar with our good friend Israel Del Toro uh who is from

[4:19] the area Providence grad. We celebrated him out here. Had Israel del Toro day. I

[4:24] serve on tribute to valor with him. He is a Providence grad and is actually

[4:29] being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. So, congratulations to DT.

[4:34] He's a good man. All right. There's nothing further. Is there a a uh we

[4:38] already did the motion? I need a motion to approve the consent agenda.

[4:42] » So moved. >> Second.

[4:44] » Motion by Trusty Scaliz. Second by Trusty Christopherson. There's nothing

[4:47] further a roll call vote, please. >> Trusty Riser.

[4:50] » I. >> Trustee Scaliz.

[4:51] » I. >> Trusty Christopherson.

[4:53] » I. >> Mayor Baldin.

[4:54] » I. Motion carries. Okay. Next up, under order of business, consideration for

[4:58] approval request for a waiver of building code 237, Derfield Court.

[5:02] Robin, are you going to handle that? >> I am. Um, so this is a situation where

[5:07] um the chief building inspector at the time uh incorrectly issued a permit for

[5:13] a railing that did not meet a local amendment of our code. Um, it is uh it's

[5:18] a horizontal cable railing around a deck. Um, which our ordinance does not

[5:23] allow horizontal railings that would create a ladder effect. Um, it does

[5:28] comply with the international uh residence residential code. Um so

[5:34] because of the situation which was in part uh an error on the vill's part and

[5:39] because it is a rear deck um the chief building inspector currently is

[5:45] recommending that we grant this waiver. Um but he wants it clear that this is

[5:49] not something that he feels we should amend the code to allow in other

[5:52] instances.

[5:57] » Okay. Any questions for Robin on that? I guess I would ask um

[6:05] why why is it allowable there and why do we not want it? Is it a safety issue or

[6:10] what is it? >> It was not caught until it was

[6:12] constructed and they called for an inspection. So it would cause um

[6:16] » you you want little chips climbing up and going over the over the fence. Is

[6:20] the is what you're trying to >> I I but my but my point is uh I

[6:25] appreciate the fact that if there's an error on our part that we should

[6:29] necessarily punish the homeowner, but I don't know what it if it's not a safe

[6:36] situation. I'd almost rather entertain seeing how we can make the homeowner

[6:41] whole to Iser here, >> sir. would you mind stepping forward

[6:46] please and stating your name? >> Sure.

[6:49] » I don't I don't know what the expense of that is. I don't have any idea. But

[6:55] first of all, let us apologize to you um for the error on our part. Um

[7:02] can you c I know this is not your I'm sorry Robin. I know this is not your

[7:07] forte but I mean you know enough about it I'm sure.

[7:10] » Best contractors here. >> Glass contractors here. Well, come on

[7:13] up, sir. We will ask you to state your name, too.

[7:18] » I just if if it's if it's a matter although if it's a matter of safety, I

[7:22] don't know why the international building code allows it.

[7:26] » Yeah, it's a local amendment. It is a It does meet the international code.

[7:30] » Can you >> My name is Mike Mitchell. Go ahead. Tell

[7:33] me a little bit about it, please. >> Uh, sure. So, so cable rail in general

[7:37] had a small living time in the international or the IRC from 2001 to

[7:45] the end of 2001. Then they took it out. They realized that cable railing was not

[7:48] climbable. Um, so they took it out of the code. There's a lot of talk or

[7:54] thought about the fact that you could climb something that's horizontal, but

[7:57] they found that cable in general is not something that kids climb. Um, the

[8:02] railing we installed is manufactured by a publicly traded company. And there's

[8:06] several other ones like people well-known. Trex makes one. Timbert's

[8:10] the one we installed. Um, I do have a list of some other ones if you wanted to

[8:13] see them all, but there's there's at least 15 major manufacturer. A lot of

[8:16] them are publicly traded companies that do sell this railing. They wouldn't sell

[8:20] it if it was an unsafe railing to to do. And in most municipalities I've worked

[8:27] in, I've never seen this in the last several years ever be omitted uh

[8:32] locally. >> So, not that I expect you to know this,

[8:34] but is this an amendment we may have made many years ago and now there had

[8:37] been advancements in >> this? That's possible.

[8:41] » So, but we'd have to see why our building inspector doesn't want to

[8:44] change. How about we do this? So, um, if it's if it's something that,

[8:52] uh, is sold everywhere and it's okay in the International Building Code and

[8:57] other municipalities allow it, um, then I think we do need to have a deeper

[9:03] discussion about whether we remove the amendment or not. We just if it's if

[9:07] it's unsafe, then I'd rather see the village try and do something to make the

[9:13] homeowner whole as opposed to have something that's unsafe. But if this is

[9:17] a product that's sold and put on homes everywhere, we just maybe have not uh

[9:23] changed our uh code to to meet with that, then that's a a discussion that

[9:28] we'd rather have internally. >> Don't look at the diagonal fence outside

[9:32] the window there. >> Yeah. Well, that's I mean, but then I

[9:35] mean, we have to talk about >> I I was just going to say that turn

[9:39] around. >> That's more climbable than the cable.

[9:42] » Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. So, it sounds like we

[9:44] do we do need to have a deeper discussion. So, this is not a problem

[9:47] for safety. It's a concern. It's a question of whether or not we should

[9:52] entertain uh dealing with that amendment internally or not.

[9:57] » Okay. >> Appreciate that.

[9:58] » Any questions from the board? I would just add that yeah, the cable railing is

[10:02] much different than a solid, you know, horizontal picket. Um, the cable

[10:07] railing's got some movement. It's tough to try to climb and I imagine that's

[10:10] probably why it's allowed in in most codes. And I would not recommend

[10:15] changing the ordinance to allowing horizontal, but maybe an exception for

[10:19] cable rail if if that's the >> Okay, so this is but this is cable rail

[10:23] that we're talking about, >> right? Okay. So, I got it. I'm good with

[10:26] it. I just I would not go all the way to amended to allow all horizontal

[10:31] » just for cable rail. >> Right. Right.

[10:32] » Okay. >> And and and that is something why don't

[10:35] you talk to to Ry about that and why don't I Does the rest of the board

[10:40] concur understand that? And >> yes.

[10:43] » Yeah. Okay. So, here's what I would say. I would tell uh Ry

[10:47] » that our mindset is that we can do the cable rail but not the horizontal rail.

[10:55] We should look at that. >> Okay.

[10:56] » Okay. And if he doesn't agree with that, that's fine. But then maybe he should

[11:00] come to the work session um next week and tell the board what his thoughts

[11:05] are. >> And I'm guessing there's probably

[11:06] product information for that cable. I would

[11:09] » sure >> talk about that.

[11:10] » Okay. Yeah. >> All right. But I don't want I don't want

[11:12] to tell the chief building inspector that we don't agree with this

[11:15] recommendation. I'd rather just see if there is a way we go halfway. All right.

[11:18] Very good. All right. Uh then what I need is a motion to approve the request

[11:23] for the waiver of this building code for 237 deer field court. So moved.

[11:27] » Second >> motion by trusty risers. Second by

[11:30] trustee Scaliz. If there's no other comments or questions, roll call vote,

[11:33] please. >> Trusty Christopherson.

[11:35] » I. >> Trusty Scaliz.

[11:36] » I. >> Trusty Riser.

[11:37] » I. >> Mayor B.

[11:38] » I. Motion carries. Very good. Thank you, sir. Appreciate you both for being here

[11:42] tonight. Thanks for that explanation. >> Thank you.

[11:43] » All right. Be well. >> All right. Next is consideration for

[11:47] approval of proposal base anchor additions and concreting Mottz Group

[11:51] Crossroads Sports Complex. Uh Brian's here to talk about this, but as you

[11:55] recall from the last board meeting, Mottz is the one that has been doing

[11:59] business out there. So, we're going to need to uh wave the um bid, formal

[12:04] bidding on this. But Brian, go ahead. Why don't you talk?

[12:07] » Uh thank you, mayor. The proposal for concreting all the current base anchors

[12:11] at the sports complex and adding 93 new ones at 65 ft for youth baseball and 75

[12:17] ft for both youth baseball and adult softball. Uh the additions maximize our

[12:21] field configurations. Uh the proposed changes were not included in the

[12:25] original construction and of course like you said due to the limited contractors

[12:29] that performed this work and the the quality mods group has done for us in

[12:32] the past and the dollar value of the proposal which is 286,729.

[12:38] I'm requesting that the formal bidding process be waved and uh the proposal be

[12:42] accepted to get the work done. >> Yeah. And I think that what we're seeing

[12:45] is we've built beautiful fields out there, but as we're getting these top

[12:48] tier groups that are coming in, they're making suggestions of things that we

[12:52] need to do and in order to keep them going, I think it makes sense to upgrade

[12:55] as we go along. All right. Any questions for Brian on that? All right. First, is

[13:00] there a motion to to set aside the formal bid process?

[13:03] » So moved. >> Or to wave the board bid process, I'm

[13:06] sorry. >> So moved.

[13:07] » Second. >> Motion by Trust Scaliz. Second by

[13:09] Trustee Christopherson. There's nothing further. Is there a uh All those in

[13:15] favor signify by a voice vote of I. >> I opposed. Motion carries. Okay. Now, is

[13:19] there a motion to approve the proposal? >> So moved.

[13:23] » Second. >> Motion by Trusty Scaliz. Second by

[13:25] Trusty Christopherson. If there's nothing further, a roll call vote,

[13:28] please. >> Trusty Kristofferson.

[13:30] » I. >> Trusty Scaliz.

[13:31] » I. >> Trusty Riser.

[13:33] » I. >> Mayor Balk.

[13:34] » I. Motion carries. Okay. Next, we have consideration for approval of a contract

[13:39] hood cleaning, RPM, Crossroads Sports Complex.

[13:43] » I It's just a >> Yeah,

[13:46] » it would be for the uh beer garden, and for the concessions.

[13:50] » Yep. >> All right. Any questions on that? All

[13:52] right. Is there a motion to approve the contract?

[13:55] » So moved. >> Second.

[13:56] » Motion by Trustee Scaliz, second by Trusty Christopherson. If there's

[13:59] nothing further, a roll call vote, please.

[14:01] » Trusty Riser. >> I.

[14:02] » Trusty Scaliz. >> I.

[14:04] » Trusty Christopherson. >> I. Mayor Baldwin. I motion carries.

[14:07] Okay. Next, we have consideration for approval or proposal replacement of

[14:11] culvert for Sunset Trail. Mark, >> yes, there's a 40-in culvert on Sunset

[14:15] Trail. It runs north south. Um quite a few years ago, um there's a sinkhole in

[14:22] the road, so we were able to patch that culvert. Now, it's showing even more

[14:25] signs of deterioration. There's uh at least three potholes, one of them being

[14:30] within 10 ft of one of the uh buildings over there. Um, and we just we don't

[14:35] have the adequate equipment to remove and replace a pipe this large. So, we uh

[14:40] got a couple quotes from local companies. Uh, the lowest code is from

[14:43] Bisping Construction for $37,540. Um, I'm recommending acceptance of this

[14:50] proposal. >> All right. And even though this is local

[14:53] and they've done stuff for us before, we still have to I need a motion to wave

[14:57] the formal bidding process on this. >> So, moved.

[15:01] » Second. >> Motion by Trusty Scaliz. Second by

[15:03] Trusty Christopherson. If there's nothing further, all those in favor

[15:06] signify by a voice vote of I. >> I.

[15:09] » Opposed? Motion carries. Now, is there a motion to approve the proposal?

[15:12] » So moved. >> Second.

[15:14] » Motion by Trusty Riser, second by Trusty Scaliz. If there's nothing further, a

[15:18] roll call vote, please. >> Trusty Christopherson.

[15:20] » I. >> Trusty Scaliz.

[15:21] » I. >> Trusty Riser.

[15:23] » I. >> Mayor Balden.

[15:24] » I I motion carries. Okay. We still need this uh payment of credit letter credit.

[15:29] » It's supposedly on its way, but we haven't received.

[15:31] » All right. So, we have to do it. Okay. Uh, next up is consideration for

[15:34] approval resolution demanding payment of certain letter of credit for Lenny's

[15:38] Food and Fuel. I'm sure it'll be here, but we'd better do take action tonight

[15:41] anyway. Is there a motion to approve the resolution?

[15:44] » So move. >> Second.

[15:45] » Motion by Trusty Scaliz. Second by Trusty Christopherson. There's nothing

[15:49] further. A roll call vote, please. >> Trusty Riser.

[15:53] » I. >> Trusty Scaliz.

[15:54] » I. >> Trusty Christopherson.

[15:56] » I. >> Mayor Balderman.

[15:57] » I. Motion carries. Okay. on reports and communications. Tomorrow is the

[16:01] announcement of the concerts. Uh we have one in June, um four in August. Um also,

[16:09] uh by the end of the month, we should have the entire summer uh lineup of all

[16:14] the great activities that are happening. So, we would encourage people to go to

[16:18] um newlennx.net/events and see all the wonderful things that

[16:22] are happening there. Um the team is working hard. I'm sure you know we now

[16:28] have a village Tik Tok. So, I would encourage you to go to the village Tik

[16:31] Tok if you're so inclined. And um that's all for me. That's all I've got. All

[16:38] right. If there's nothing for me, village attorney,

[16:42] » thank you. Village administrator or village uh clerk would like to remind

[16:45] everyone about early voting. >> Just a reminder that early voting

[16:49] continues till Friday from 9:00 to 3 in the community room.

[16:52] » Very good. Thank you. Uh next up is payroll and dispersements.

[16:57] I have it. >> All right.

[17:00] » I make the motion to approve our bimonthly dispersements in the amount of

[17:03] 4,28,822.78.

[17:08] In addition to these dispersements, approval is needed for payroll in the

[17:12] amount of $528,51310

[17:17] paid on March 6th, 2026. And that's in the form of a motion.

[17:21] » And I will second that. >> All right. Motion has been properly

[17:23] moved and seconded. Any comments or questions? Roll call vote, please.

[17:26] » Trusty Christopherson, >> I.

[17:28] » Trusty Scaliz, >> I.

[17:29] » Trusty Riser, >> I.

[17:31] » Mayor Baldwin, >> I. Motion carries. Okay. Uh, questions,

[17:34] comments from the floor. Janet, >> please.

[17:42] » Hi, my name is Janet Diaz. I actually live

[17:46] in Joliet, but I grew up here in New Lennox, right by Lincoln High School.

[17:50] Okay. I did from second grade to high school here. This is my hometown. Um,

[17:54] but I'm actually here to talk to you about a data center that Joliet is

[17:58] putting in. I don't know if you're aware of it. I know I sent you an email just

[18:02] telling you I was coming today. >> Um, it's 800 acres. They are saying it's

[18:07] going to use as much electricity as all the homes in the city of Chicago, but

[18:12] they won't tell us what's going in it. I think they know because how would they

[18:16] know that it's going to use that much electricity? It's just a question and a

[18:20] thought. I'm hoping you all know how the

[18:23] electricity grid is already stressed out. We share with many other states.

[18:29] PJM, we had to go to auction last year and if you think this grid that isn't

[18:35] going to have a problem because of this data center, you're kidding yourself.

[18:38] We're hearing our electric bills could be $500 to $1,000 a month. I can't

[18:43] afford that. I don't know how if any of you can. That's why I'm standing here.

[18:47] I'm hoping you'll join us uh in protesting this. The city of Joliet is

[18:52] not listening to its citizens. We they had testimony for 5 hours. It took them

[18:59] 30 seconds to say we don't care. We're going to push this through anyway. So

[19:03] that's why we're having a protest this Saturday, Larkin and Jefferson before it

[19:07] goes to the full council meeting. >> Okay. Good. So you're then you're

[19:11] obviously aware that that was the plan commission. It wasn't the city.

[19:14] » Correct. Oh yes, I'm very much aware. >> Sure. Sure.

[19:16] » Yeah. Yeah. And if anyone wants to sign the protest, I'll just leave. There's a

[19:19] QR code that you can sign online. >> Leave that here. You be we'll we'll take

[19:23] that. >> There you go.

[19:24] » Thank you for being here. >> Thank you so much. I just want I want to

[19:27] make sure that you know that I don't think Joliet's being a good neighbor

[19:30] » by forcing this upon everybody cuz when they dump the chemicals, they're forever

[19:36] chemicals. And I'm afraid what it's going to do to where I grew up.

[19:39] » Sure. >> Because that's all well water.

[19:42] » Well, we certainly appreciate you being here. a lot of concern and I did see

[19:46] that um the governor is looking to put a halt on incentives for data centers. So

[19:51] we'll see >> we'll see how I think he got the message

[19:55] politically that they're not popular with a lot of people and so

[19:59] » he did and Senator Ventura got up and well she had her person come because she

[20:03] was down in Springfield and they and they spoke. Doesn't matter. They don't

[20:08] care what we the people say. >> Wow.

[20:10] » Over there in Joliet at least that's how I see what the city council does. But

[20:14] regardless of how anybody feels about it, we certainly always appreciate

[20:18] citizens that are willing to take the time out. You've obviously spent a lot

[20:22] of time on that. So, good for you. >> Thank you. Have a great night.

[20:24] » Appreciate you. Thank you. >> Yep.

[20:27] » Got anything tonight, Martin? You're good. Good to see you as always. All

[20:30] right. Thank you. All right. Trusty comments, Trusty Riser.

[20:34] » Nothing tonight, Mayor. >> Thank you, Trusty Christopherson.

[20:37] » Don't get used to this weather. We were just talking about it up and down

[20:40] Midwest. Good old weather. But um yeah, we hope everyone got out and enjoyed it

[20:44] today. >> Yeah, I mean tomorrow I don't know if

[20:46] they've changed the forecast. They were talking about potential tornadoes and

[20:49] hail. So I mean I don't know. We'll see. We'll see what it says, but never know.

[20:53] And they're always right about the weather. So

[20:56] » always. >> All right, Trusty Scaliz.

[20:59] » Nothing for me. >> All right. Very good. Thank you. Well,

[21:01] we have no need for executive session tonight. So if there's nothing further,

[21:05] is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved.

[21:07] » Second. >> Motion by Trusty Scaliz. Second by

[21:09] Trusty Christopherson. And all those in favor signify by a voice vote of I. I.

[21:14] I. >> Opposed. Meeting ajourned.

New Lenox Village Board Meeting - March 9, 2026

Transcript