By Megann Horstead | For The Bugle
The City of Joliet is looking to start the process of planning 2017 roadway reconstruction projects.
At a recent meeting, the Joliet City Council approved a measure that allocates $1.4 million in motor fuel tax funds to account for the projects. City action also established a special service area, or special taxing district, for the program, and allows officials to start pursuing engineering plans and advertisements for bids.
Officials said 2016 roadway reconstruction projects are similar to the 2017 program, where the roads to see improvement are typically neighborhood residential or collector streets. Included in the program for improvement are Knox Place, York Avenue, Marion Street, Garvin Street, Sherman Street, Charity Avenue and Douglas Street.
The Department of Public Works intends to look at the city’s roadway reconstruction projects for 20017 during the fall or early winter. City action allows them to begin the project design and IDOT approval process in winter and early spring.
Diversity training for Joliet Police Department approved
To ensure that police officers continue to receive training in cultural concerns, the city made a budget amendment to contract for diversity training within the Joliet Police Department.
At a recent meeting, the Joliet City Council unanimously approved a measure that allows police officers to receive cultural competency and procedural justice training pursuant to state laws. Over the years, police departments have taken action to ensure that officers are continuing to receive training for cultural concerns.
State law says police departments must engage in specialized training every three years. The city said full-day diversity training is a need for the police department, even as they’ve provided some of it in small segments throughout the program.
City action allows the police department to contract for eight days of diversity and inclusion training from MulticultuReal Communications and transfer $20,000 from the general fund balance to the 2016 police budget.
Joliet amends Waste Management contract
The city is amending its trash collection contract with Waste Management to allow the vendor to receive payment earlier.
Officials began using an American Express card for a number of the city’s large regular purchases a few years ago. The city said Waste Management typically must wait approximately 90 days for their payment from American Express.
To date, Waste Management serves as the city’s largest account with charges amounting to more than $900,000 per month.
In order to receive payment faster, the vendor will provide a check refunding the city 1 percent of the fees that are paid to them by the city of Joliet on a monthly basis. Officials said the city received a refund valued at about $60,000 last year.
The amendment is effective now through the end of the contract on Dec. 31, 2017.