Naperville City Council adopts 2025 budget
On the heels of a series of workshop meetings this fall, the Naperville City Council on Tuesday adopted the municipal 2025 budget in the amount of $641.14 million on a 7-1 vote. The upcoming spending plan includes $168.78 million toward capital items and $129.75 million toward salaries and wages.
Recent budget meetings have focused on such capital items as aging pipes and overhead lines. The budget adoption does come with lingering questions for the year ahead, including funding the Police Department’s Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT).
City officials are seeking new revenue sources in anticipation of a $6.1 million deficit attributed to revenue generated from Illinois’ 1% tax on groceries, which is ending on Jan. 1, 2026. Discussions over new revenue opportunities could determine whether the MCIT moves forward in the short term. The council is slated to vote on the 2025 property tax levy at its next meeting on Dec. 17.
Design starting now for Waubonsie, Neuqua improvements
School board members in Indian Prairie School District 204 gave their architect the green light Monday night to begin designing major renovations to three significant buildings — Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley high schools, and the Kathryn J. Birkett Freshman Center.
The district approved a contract with Darien-based Wight & Company to design plans that will “reconfigure and renovate” these schools, said John Robinson, director of building operations.
The design work includes creating a construction schedule and planning how to minimize disruption to students. Wight & Company is charging the district just over $1 million for the work, according to the project authorization document. Total construction costs were estimated at $258 million during a recent master planning process, and part of Wight’s task is to “look for opportunities of efficiency to reduce the total project costs, specifically at Waubonsie.”
Construction on these renovations could begin as soon as spring 2026 and is expected to take several years to complete. The district is pursuing the work after voters approved a request to borrow up to $420 million for safety, security and infrastructure upgrades.
Will County Board members sworn in for new terms
The Will County Board swore in its newly elected and re-elected members at a meeting on Monday, Dec. 2.
New members Herbert Brooks (D-Joliet), Dawn Bullock (D-Plainfield), and Kelly Hickey (D-Naperville) were all welcomed on board, while Julie Berkowicz (R-Naperville), Vince Logan (R-Joliet), and Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet) were reinstated.
A new leadership team for the board was also elected at the meeting, with Democrat Joe VanDuyne from Wilmington chosen as Speaker of the Will County Board, Sherry Williams from Crest Hill picked as Democratic Leader, and Jim Richmond of Mokena selected as Republican Leader.
Some Naperville park restrooms closed for winter
The Naperville Park District is alerting the public that some of its public restrooms have been closed for the season, as winter draws near. Those include:
- Nike Sports Complex, in the ballfield hub
- Knoch Park, at the south restroom building
- Pioneer Park
- DuPage River Sports Complex
- DuPage River Park
- Meadow Glens
- 95th St. Community Plaza
- Frontier Sports Complex, at the west playground, ballfield hub, and pickleball courts
- Commissioners Park in the support building
- Wolf’s Crossing Community Park’s family restrooms
The above restrooms are non-heated, so will be winterized and shut down until mid-March or as weather allows. Information about all park public restroom availability can be found on the Naperville Park District website.
DuPage County’s 12-week Paid Parental Leave Policy
Last week the DuPage County Board approved a new policy that allows 12 weeks of paid time off for parental leave in specific circumstances. Under the plan, all full- and part-time employees who have worked for the county for at least a year can take time off to care for a newborn child or for the adoption of a child.
County Board Chair Deborah Conroy has been a proponent of the policy. She said the benefit is an investment in the county’s workforce and gives employees the ability to take time off to bond with a new child without financial stress.
Cosley Zoo’s Festival of Lights brings seasonal sparkle
The 41st annual Festival of Lights at Cosley Zoo in Wheaton is now underway.
Nearly 20,000 lights create unique displays spread throughout the zoo, in shapes ranging from a flock of geese to a dinosaur chomping on some plants.
Learn more about this yearly tradition, which includes Christmas tree sales.