The Rundown with Allison Longenbaugh

Lines are the wurst but Kreger's is worth it! Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Tuesday’s meeting starts with one of my favorite recognitions– the Naperville Accessible Community Task Force - ACTF & Advisory Commission on Disabilities student recognition awards. These honor students for committing to removing barriers for students with disabilities. When so much in the world is negative, it is important to celebrate kindness.

Like last time, the heavy lifting will come at the end of the meeting.
1. $209K change order for Amazon office supplies. (Great catch by Gibson in Q&A!) Last summer, we approved an 18-month contract for $200K that was $219K lower than previous years. Staff says it was a miscalculation and also noted that costs have been rising. I asked last year about tariffs; looks like we’re seeing that impact.

2. Update the ordinance for ambulance & emergency billing. Adds billing authority for mobile-integrated services from EMS and adds a $400/call fee for facilities requesting more than 6 lift assists/year. Chief Puknaitis confirmed to me that it will NOT impact the CART program.

3. $2M* for NCC Riverwalk Park (at Washington St Bridge) 1) connect the paths under the bridge, 2) two gathering plazas highlighting NCC, 3) NCC monument sign. This is a gateway to downtown & it’s vital for ADA to connect the paths under the bridge. Given how expensive everything is right now, I’m wondering if the plazas & sign could be done later. https://www.dailyherald.com/20140212/news/north-central-planning-new-park-sign-along-naperville-riverwalk/

4. Discuss modifications to SECA procedures. This captures the concerns the commission has had over the years. Policy questions: 1) Move Memorial Day parade to city obligation? 2) How to handle “change of scope” after funding approval? 3) Support for a formal path to self-sufficiency? 4) Standardize parade routes?

5. Choose a Special Study ($150K budget). TED Planning Team can only undertake one: 5th Avenue, I88 Land Use, Housing. Staff likes I88, which isn’t surprising given that they are clearly spending A LOT of time on this and the Mayor mentioned it multiple times in the State of the City. “Plans are underway to establish an I88 corridor identity.” NDP asked for a permanent $150K budget increase for this marketing which I think they got (but I couldn’t figure it out in comparing the budgets). Gibson asked a ton of questions in Q&A. Responses were vague & her question about data centers vs residential went unanswered.

6. Staff report on Due Process ordinance options. It focuses on how the city manages its own property. It does not restrict access to public areas, private property, and does not limit the PD’s ability to respond to criminal activity. Council can choose to direct staff to: 1) prepare ordinance for first reading, 2) prepare a resolution, 3) pursue legislative initiative at state/federal level, 4) take no formal action.

Full agenda: https://naperville.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1355606&GUID=91CBA711-F91C-4835-89B4-AB3EE2665544&Options=&Search=
You have until 4pm Tuesday to submit written comments and until 6:30pm to sign up for public comment. https://www.naperville.il.us/government/board-and-commissions/city-council-meetings-and-workshops/city-council-speaker-sign-up/

*Why is the city on the hook for $2M? To secure the easements for the bridge, previous councils (2014? 2016?) agreed to construct the parks. (I’m glad they didn’t agree to a fountain.)

Have you seen the new Accessible Agenda column on the Council agenda page?

Quick backstory: The DOJ requires cities to meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) standards. They extended the deadline to April 2027, giving the Community Services team more time to get it right.

PDFs can be tough for assistive technologies, so Staff worked with Granicus to replace them with native HTML agendas that are easier to search & are more mobile-friendly. They’ll also be updating social media posts, redesigning e-newsletter templates, & working toward a new City website.

Accessibility is inclusion, and making sure every resident can access city information is at the heart of Naperville’s commitment to diversity, equity, & inclusion.

Want to learn more? ada.gov/resources/2024-03-08-web-rule/