Riverwalk Commission

400 S. Eagle Street City of Naperville Naperville, IL 60540 Meeting Minutes Riverwalk Commission Wednesday, September 11, 2024 7:30 AM NEU A. CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Kennedy called the September 11, 2024 Naperville Riverwalk Commission meeting to order at 7:30 a.m. The meeting was held in the Naperville Employee University (NEU) at the Naperville Municipal Center located at 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville, IL. B. ROLL CALL: Present: Pam Bartlett; Grant Cowen; John Cuff; Jan Erickson; Jeff Friant; Mary Gibson; Ian Holzhauer; Pat Kennedy, Chairman; Bill Novack; Tiffani Picco; Johnna Shields; Mike Sullivan; and Carl Wohlt Absent: None Also Present: Tim Ball, GRWA; Rebecca DeLarme, City staff; Brian Dusak, ERA; Rick Hitchcock, former Riverwalk Commission Chairman; Peggy Motta, Naperville Park District; Stephanie Penick, Naperville Riverwalk Foundation; and Carol Thompson, resident C. PUBLIC FORUM: There were no public comments at this time. D. PROJECT UPDATES: There were no project updates. E. OLD BUSINESS: There was no old business to discuss. F. NEW BUSINESS: 1. Board and Commission Updates - Bill Novack Receive the report regarding public participation rules and annual report requirements for City Boards and Commissions Attachments: Annual Report Template for Boards and Commissions City of Naperville Page 1 Printed on 10/10/2024 Riverwalk Commission Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 Novack reported on the Mayor and City Manager’s offices intent to standardize all City Boards and Commissions and reviewed the information included in the agenda packet. He advised that starting in the next several months, all board and commission meetings that are not televised will be audio-recorded, with the recordings uploaded and posted on the City’s website. He reviewed the following procedural changes that will be implemented at Riverwalk Commission and Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) Committee meetings: · Commissioners and the public will only be allowed to speak after being recognized by the Chairperson. The verbal recognition of the individual requesting to speak allows those listening to the recording to identify the speaker. · The use of any type of communication devices (cell phone, laptop or tablet) is highly discouraged during the meeting since any device used during the meeting can be subject to a Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request, even personal devices. · All public speakers will be limited to three minutes similar to City Council meetings. Additional time may be granted by a majority of the Commission, and additional conversation with the speaker is allowed beyond the three-minute limit. Similar to City Council meetings certain proposals will be allowed ten minutes, with a five-minute rebuttal if other speakers discuss the item. · All commissioners are required to attend at least 75% of the Riverwalk Commission meetings, and any commissioner who does not could be subject to being removed from the Commission by the Mayor. · All discussion at commission meetings must be conducted in a respectful manner. Clapping or dismissing any speaker’s comments will not be tolerated. · All commissioners are subject to FOIA requests and must follow the Open Meeting Act requirements. Novack explained the rules of the Open Meeting Act, noting that the Riverwalk Commission currently consists of thirteen members and that no business can be conducted unless at least seven members are present. No more than three Riverwalk Commissioners can meet at any given time to discuss Riverwalk business without posting a public meeting notice as the majority of the quorum would be four members. Novack reminded the group that this rule applies to email communications and to not “reply to all” to emails sent by DeLarme to all Commissioners. · Every board and commission will be required to provide a brief annual report after the conclusion of each year which will be high-level and include the year’s accomplishments, challenges, and work planned for the upcoming year. This will be included on the City of Naperville Page 2 Printed on 10/10/2024 Riverwalk Commission Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 Riverwalk Commission agenda at the January meeting for discussion and approval. G. REPORTS: 1. Approval of Minutes - Pat Kennedy Approve minutes from the August 14, 2024 Riverwalk Commission meeting Attachments: 24RWCMinutes0814 A motion to approve the August 14, 2024 Riverwalk Commission meeting minutes was made by Friant and seconded by Erickson. MOTION CARRIED with Bartlett abstaining 2. Chairman - Pat Kennedy There was no Chairman’s report. 3. Finance - Bill Novack Receive the six-month Naperville Riverwalk financial report Attachments: Riverwalk Financial Report through June 30, 2024 Novack reviewed the six-month financial report for 2024, included with the agenda packet. He advised that the next six-month report would be shared for December, with a final year-end report provided by March of the following year. 4.2% of the budget was spent through halfway of the fiscal year, driven by the fact that only 2.8% of the capital budget has been spent due to rejection of the bids for the Eagle Street Gateway project and the construction delays on the fountain repairs. The Eagle Street Gateway project will go back out for bid on October 1st and is expected to be awarded at the December 3rd City Council meeting. Construction will take place during 2025 with an expected completion date prior to Labor Day. The fountain repairs were awarded a few months ago and there was a delay in getting materials. The majority of the work is still planned for this year. 4. Park District - Tiffani Picco Receive the monthly Park District report Attachments: 24ParkDistrictMemo0911 Picco reported on the following highlights from the Monthly Field Report City of Naperville Page 3 Printed on 10/10/2024 Riverwalk Commission Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 included in the agenda packet. Staff continues with pruning trees, weeding, mulching and spot spraying herbicide. They are monitoring drought conditions and will continue to focus on watering through these next few weeks. Staff has been working on a project adjacent to the covered bridge near the Park District Administration Building. The mulberry tree had a large crack and both it and an overgrown viburnum were removed and a redbud and tree lilac were planted in their place, along with some perennials and native sedges. The retaining wall was restacked and outcropping stones were added to help with the steep slope. India Day took place on August 11th and was a success with no issues. The Last Fling was held Labor Day weekend and also had no issues. Flags are up for the September 11th Remembrance Ceremony taking place at 6:00 p.m. today, and the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is scheduled for September 21st and 22nd with setup beginning Friday, September 20th. Jackson Avenue between Eagle Street and Main Street will be closed off for the art booth set ups. 5. Riverwalk Foundation - John Cuff There was no report. 6. Riverwalk 2031 Fund - Grant Cowen Cowen advised the Riverwalk 2031 Fund continues to work towards establishing goals for fundraising and that more information will be forthcoming. 7. Donor Recognition - Rebecca DeLarme Receive the monthly Donor Recognition report DeLarme reported that the Fall 2024 Legacy Gift Order deadline was September 1st and consisted of nineteen 4” x 8” and nine 8” x 8” new commemorative brick orders and will include an additional 8” x 8” commemorative brick that was purchased in 2018. DeLarme will work with the Park District on scheduling the installation date once the order is completed, which should be sometime in October. 8. Planning, Design, and Construction - Jeff Friant There was no report as the September 3, 2024 PDC Committee meeting was cancelled. The next scheduled meeting is October 1, 2024. Hitchcock inquired about the potential restoration of the area going west on City of Naperville Page 4 Printed on 10/10/2024 Riverwalk Commission Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 the south side of the river between Eagle Street and the covered bridge, which was previously discussed during the Asset Management Plan (AMP) Walk. Kennedy noted this could be included on an upcoming PDC Committee meeting agenda. Discussion followed on different means of funding this project, noting it may be considered as part of the ecological restoration in the Riverwalk 2031 Master Plan, or part of the PA022 budget, or there may be grant funding available. Sullivan inquired about having the group visit the area as part of an upcoming meeting with Kennedy advising that would be acceptable as an extension of the meeting. Novack recommended that, in that instance, either someone stay back in the room or leave a notice advising that the meeting has convened at another location. Motta advised that the permits were completed for the shoreline restoration project that the Park District and DuPage County are working on, south of Jefferson Avenue to the Jaycees Accessible Playground. Work should begin with the County’s contractor with tree removal occurring after November 1st. Kennedy thanked the Park District and DuPage County for their efforts and noted that the sign was installed at the Prairie Nature Garden. H. MEETING SCHEDULE: Riverwalk Planning, Design & Construction, October 1, 2024, 7:30 a.m. Municipal Center NEU, 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville, IL Riverwalk Commission, October 9, 2024, 7:30 a.m. Municipal Center NEU, 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville, IL Riverwalk Planning, Design & Construction, November 5, 2024, 7:30 a.m. Municipal Center NEU, 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville, IL Riverwalk Commission, November 13, 2024, 7:30 a.m. Municipal Center NEU, 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville, IL I. ADJOURNMENT: Kennedy advised that Friant’s last meeting as PDC Committee Chairman would be October 1st and that Kennedy’s last meeting as Riverwalk Commission Chair will be November 13th. Bartlett has been selected as the next Riverwalk Commission Chair and Erickson will be the next PDC Committee Chair. A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Holzhauer and seconded by Sullivan. The meeting was adjourned at 8:01 a.m. MOTION CARRIED Respectfully submitted by Rebecca DeLarme, City Staff City of Naperville Page 5 Printed on 10/10/2024 Riverwalk Commission Meeting Minutes September 11, 2024 City of Naperville Page 6 Printed on 10/10/2024