Above / The Mayor’s Office is located in the Naperville Municipal Center, located at 400 S. Eagle Street. Featured on the exterior wall at its entrance from the Riverwalk is the “Freedom Shrine,” an exhibit of replicas of historic documents that includes the U.S. Constitution.
It’s a pleasure to present my fifth State of the City address virtually to you all. This is a very different way of sharing the City’s news, but as we all know, these are very different times. It’s important that we use technology, and a little creativity, to look back on the past year and share what’s ahead.
I will miss your enthusiasm and applause throughout this speech. Maybe we can set the scene with a round of virtual applause to kick things off?
I want to start by recognizing those who helped make this special presentation possible: the Chamber of Commerce; Liz Spencer and her staff at NCTV17; and, of course, my wife Julie and our entire family. That includes our newest granddaughter, Charlotte, and another granddaughter arriving next month.
I want to give a special thanks to new Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Kaylin Risvold. Kaylin grew up in Naperville and has jumped right into her new role. Her team has spent many hours helping businesses learn what resources and help are available to them.
Kaylin, thank you for moving business forward in these times.
I’d also like to welcome new Chamber board chairman Ian Holzhauer. If that Holzhauer name sounds familiar, it’s because Ian’s brother James had a great run on Jeopardy in 2019. We’re glad that Ian is leading our business community. Thank you, Ian, and good luck during your tenure as chairman.
The beginning of this year was a blank slate full of promise and excitement. We entered a new decade with abundant hopes and dreams for our City’s future. But the story that has unfolded over the last few months is nothing we ever expected.
Our entire world has changed in the blink of an eye.
Originally, my theme for this year’s State of the City was “reinvesting in our community.” But I needed to make a slight change to that theme, because now we are reinvesting in our resilient community.
The innovation and creativity I’ve seen during this time is amazing, but all of us know there are still many challenges ahead. As a City, we need to ask ourselves how we will continue to re-invest in our ongoing services, even in the face of a worldwide crisis.
As a government, we don’t just focus on offering new services, building new roads, or
implementing new technology. Of course, those are a big part of what we do, but it’s also our job to continually reinvest in our community and our assets. That doesn’t change, even when the world does. So, in a year that will define a generation, I’m challenging us to look back on the foundation we’ve built.
At the City, our foundation starts with our finances. Our fiscal accomplishments provide the
basis for our future economic success. The City Council and I have worked hard over the past years to rebuild the City’s finances, and it is times like these that I am thankful we made those hard decisions.
Our finances have given the City stability over the past few months. It allowed us to provide immediate financial relief to residents and businesses, like waiving late fees for utility payments, extending tax payment deadlines, and reducing third quarter commuter parking permit fees by half.
Our three financial principles have allowed us to hold the line on property taxes. We estimate that the average homeowner has saved almost $700 on the city portion of their property tax bills since 2015.
Naperville City Council
I’d like to take a moment and recognize our City Council. Together, they have made this financial success possible. Thank you to all of them for their dedication to our community.
Our debt levels have gone down, and our cash reserves are up. At the end of last year, we’d reduced our overall debt by 31% since 2015, and over the past four years, we’ve added $45 million to our cash reserves.
When you look at all these actions, they add up to a value not found anywhere else in the suburbs.
When we put together this year’s budget, we looked at the major charges and taxes that our residents pay annually, and we used that data to come up with the average annual cost of living in Naperville.
At about $4,500, we have the lowest cost of living compared to surrounding communities.
So, let’s recap for a minute.
One: We’ve got a structurally balanced budget.
Two: We’ve reduced our debt and upped our cash reserves each year, which helped us weather the immediate effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
Three: We’ve lowered the tax rate and continue to hold the line on property taxes.
Four: Through it all, we’ve maintained a AAA bond rating for 24 years.
Five: Our cost of living is significantly lower than our neighbors.
It’s true – Naperville is the best value around.
Part of our responsibility as a City is to help our state succeed. That has included my advocating for the responsible, local data-driven re-opening of our economy. Even before recent events, I was concerned how the state will address pension obligations in the coming decade.
Naperville continues to lead the way in pension funding. The model we have for fiscal
governance and stability in Naperville is one I’m proud of and proud to share, and I’m equally proud to say I’ve been appointed by Governor Pritzker to the transition board for the state’s consolidated Firefighters Pension Fund.
I will continue to work with the state to promote our economic interests, because our
economic strength is directly tied to our City’s success.
Reinvestment
There are several areas I believe we, as a City, can reinvest in Naperville.
Area one: our infrastructure.
Area two: our economy.
Area three: our organization.
Area four: our values.
Area five: our community.
Let’s start with the obvious: our infrastructure.
The annual dollars we put into fixing our roads and utilities have returned to pre-recession levels. I’ve noticed a difference when I’m driving around, and I hope you have as well.
More projects are in the works. Now, make no mistake: we want to be mindful of the financial climate we’re now in. But if we don’t keep investing in this type of maintenance now, we know it will be much more expensive in the future.
We also understand the unique role the City will play in the economy’s recovery.
As an economic engine for the region, the City’s projects can help keep people employed.
Because stopping our work doesn’t help put people back to work. To that end, in 2021 and 2022, we’ll rebuild the Washington Street Bridge.
The current bridge is over 40 years old, and 25,000-plus vehicles drive over it each day. It’s at the point where we must rebuild it to handle the large number of trucks and cars going through downtown.
Reconstruction isn’t glamorous. It often causes significant inconvenience, now more than ever. But if we don’t reinvest in our infrastructure, our long-term quality of life and economic recovery will suffer, and once done, this work improves everyday experiences for our community.
We expect that to happen with North Aurora Road as well. We’re planning now for road work in 2021 between Frontenac Road and Fairway Drive, and in 2022, we’ll replace the railroad bridge and increase the number of lanes in this vital link between Naperville and Aurora.
The best part? We received $9.8 million in federal funding for this project. That’s money we didn’t need to get from our local taxpayers.
Another major project is the construction of our CNG fueling station. I’m proud to announce work is beginning this week, and we’ll open this summer. Once complete, this station will provide clean fuel to our City vehicles and those of our waste collector, Groot. Even better, the station will also be open to the public.
Our Economy
Reinvesting in our community isn’t just about roads, bridges, or buildings. It’s also about our economy, the second area of focus I mentioned.
Now, more than ever, we need to encourage responsible development in Naperville. This type of investment brings jobs and commerce and boosts our tax base, and it is how we can move forward.
Because when we turn our backs on development, we also turn our backs on the jobs, sales, housing and purchases that come with it.
We’ve been hard at work building a strong business base, and I’m thrilled that we have several major developments in the works.
We have some big things happening along East Ogden Avenue, starting with Costco building its second Naperville location at the East Ogden Mall site. The Council and I have focused on redevelopment in this largely vacant area for years. We estimate the new Costco will bring in over $1 million in sales tax revenue and three to four hundred thousand dollars in motor fuel tax revenue.
I want to give a very special thanks to Christine Jeffries and the Naperville Development Partnership for making this project and many others a reality. The entire Ogden Avenue area has been on our radar for redevelopment, and we’ve seen several wins over the last few years to breathe new life into the corridor.
Like the new Culver’s, KLA School, and recently opened Guzman y Gomez restaurant, and the new Starbucks and strip mall south of Jewel, Andy’s Custard, and Burrito Parrilla Mexicana.
There’s even more to come. I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been told developer Thompson Thrift is actively working with a national retailer on a new grocery concept for the vacant Fair Oaks Ford property that will occupy 35,000 square feet.
Focusing on the opportunities in this area instead of its challenges has led to creative solutions, like when the Council approved converting the old Regency Inn to micro apartments last year. This was a unique chance to move the needle on the topic of affordable housing.
But the news doesn’t just stop on the east side.
Moving south, I’d like to remind you of the good news that made headlines: the old Dominick’s at Route 59 and 95th Street is officially becoming the first Amazon grocery store in the Midwest.
All of these are outstanding examples of reinvesting in our existing retail space.
Another great example is Westridge Court on Route 59. By adding new retailers and modernizing the space, this has brought new activity and vibrancy to this key commercial corridor.
We continue to seek innovative ways to fill vacancies and develop new spaces.
As the state’s largest economy outside of Chicago, we must lead the way in “out-of-the-box” thinking, especially now.
For example, last year the Council said we would consider business districts to help develop
certain areas. The Mall of India on Route 59 helped bring about that discussion. Along with the old Walmart building, the owners of that mall have also purchased the old Sam’s Club. It will eventually become a mixed-use facility that celebrates creativity in a global setting.
In addition to the Matrix Club convention and banquet center, it will also be home to the Matrix Room and Lounge and the Dhrishti Center for Performing Arts. This means that a quarter million square feet of vacant space is set to be re-purposed and put back on the tax rolls.
Staying on top of modern development trends is critical, and we believe these trends won’t go away in the current climate – they may just be modified.
On the northwest side, CityGate is becoming one of those modern destinations through new housing and entertainment options. That includes building apartments with a unique rooftop event space planned in the next year or two.
In March, InterContinental Development submitted its plans for the 60-acre City Gate West development on the northwest corner of I-88 and Route 59. As currently presented, City Gate West will embody a “live, work, and play” concept featuring commercial, hotel, residential and office space. This also includes high-class amenities, open space, and a new headquarters for the Naperville Century Walk.
It won’t happen overnight, but putting the wheels in motion for big plans shows our ongoing vibrancy and value in the Chicago region.
We’re proud when companies see the value Naperville offers and decide to move here. Like PapaNicholas Coffee bringing its corporate offices and production to a new facility on Frontenac Road, or FluidAir leasing its new 105,000 square foot facility on Fisher Drive. Or The Shuman, which now has 100,000 square feet of its modern workspace under lease, and BMO Harris announcing late last year that it would be moving 450 employees from Buffalo Grove to Naperville.
These are just a few of our success stories over the past year. Let’s take a look at some of the other developments changing the face of our city.
I’ve talked a lot about the outward effects of reinvestment, but we must also look inward, which leads me to our third area of focus.
Reinvestment in the City as an organization is what will keep us ready to respond to the challenges and opportunities now ahead of us.
As a City, we have four ends policies that shape our goals. It’s critical to review these goals and make sure they remain relevant in today’s landscape. We are fortunate to have a talented team of city leaders to carry out our vision.
Last year, we reinvested in our top talent by welcoming three new faces to director positions.
First, we welcomed Darrell Blenniss to the Water Utility, where he will help usher in the next generation of water meter reading.
The Water 2.0 project will install the necessary equipment to allow water meters to be read remotely. This means you will eventually have online access to your water usage data, just like you have now with electric through the new Empower dashboard.
Thank you to new Electric director Lucy Podlesny and your team for building the Empower
dashboard in-house.
If that wasn’t enough, Electric and our development team helped make it easier to install solar panels in Naperville. Thanks to their efforts, we received the highly coveted national SolSmart silver designation last year.
We also welcomed Jackie Nguyen to lead the IT department. Speaking of technology, we continue to look for new ways to make our services more convenient.
I can’t think of a better example than last year’s launch of electronic plan submittal and review.
Now, the public can submit their plans with the click of a mouse. Even better, every City
department can review and make comments on the plans digitally.
Over time, we’ll eliminate thousands of pounds of paper, and during the stay-at-home order, this was how our staff kept reviewing development proposals.
We created other procedures during that time to move City business forward as well, like
accepting electronic building permit applications and conducing virtual inspections.
These are all wins for the City, the environment, and all of you.
Our new leaders don’t end with the utilities and technology. We’ve seen some familiar faces in public safety take on senior leadership roles.
Over the past two years, we’ve welcomed the first two female deputy chiefs in our city’s history: Amy Scheller in Fire and the now-retired Kathy Anderson in Police. Both have been exceptional leaders in their field – dedicated public servants and devoted lifelong learners.
It’s worth noting that Naperville has a rich history of strong female leadership, exemplified by former Mayor Peg Price. Sadly, former Mayor Price passed away in late April. During her tenure City Hall was built, and the Water Utility was created. She leaves behind a legacy of volunteerism and a “can-do” spirit. Let’s take a moment now to remember her.
This year is also the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote.
So, it’s only fitting to recognize and celebrate the contributions that women have made to our City.
I know Naper Settlement is doing this through its HERstory project that will shine a light on
Naperville’s phenomenal women and how they empower others. To the women of yesterday who have built our community, the women of today leading in the boardroom and on the frontlines, and the girls of tomorrow with no limits on who they can become – we applaud you.
Speaking of voting, listening to and serving voters is at the core of what we as City leaders do, and our voters have changed significantly in the last 20 years.
Naperville values
The Naperville of 2020 is far different than the Naperville of years past. Just like the country, our demographics are changing, and with those changes comes a need to reinvest in our values, today’s fourth area of focus.
So, what and who is the Naperville of 2020? Let’s hear from some of our neighbors in their own words. I belong. You belong. We all belong to this community, and we all play a role in Naperville’s story.
We know that diversity and inclusion make our community stronger, but we also know we have work to do in this area.
Three high-profile racial incidents made headlines in our community last year. More recently, we’ve heard disparaging remarks against certain ethnicities based on where the new coronavirus originated.
Tomorrow evening, the City Council will consider a resolution on this topic.
To turn a blind eye to these incidents is not the way to move forward and make lasting change. Instead, we have responded by strengthening the foundations of trust and partnership we have in this community.
Strengthening those bonds starts with having courageous and challenging conversations with each other. It starts with listening to and understanding the life experiences that have shaped our neighbors’ worldviews.
Councilman Benny White’s Naperville Neighbors United group has been the leader in these efforts.
I want to thank Benny for bringing us together for these important discussions. Last year, we also revised the City’s mission statement to show our commitment to these issues.
Our mission statement now reads: “To provide services that ensure a high quality of life, sound fiscal management, and a dynamic business environment, while creating an inclusive community that values diversity.”
This is only a start. We’ll also look at implementing implicit bias training for City staff and the best ways to partner with organizations to enhance their ongoing work.
But understanding who we are as a community and listening to each other has been an important first step.
This spring gives us another unique opportunity to learn more about Naperville.
The 2020 census is now underway. This is our once-in-a-decade chance to learn about our
makeup. The census also has real economic impacts through how federal dollars are sent to us.
Over 75 percent of you have already responded, and we’ve even got the highest self-response rate in the country for cities our size.
I know the census will help shed light on who our community is and how we have grown.
But of course, those numbers don’t tell the whole story. Let’s take a look at the organizations that reinvest in our residents daily.
I’d like to give a special thanks to DuPage and Will counties for taking the lead on protecting our residents’ health.
The county health departments have provided clear, consistent information, tips, and data throughout the pandemic, and they helped us make the best decisions for Naperville’s health and safety.
My thanks to outgoing Will County executive Larry Walsh and DuPage County Board chairman Dan Cronin for their leadership.
I’ve talked a lot about reinvestment in our infrastructure, our economy, our organization, and our values.
All of those actions are the basis for how we are reinvesting in our community, my fifth and final area of focus today.
It’s by continually raising the bar that Naperville was recently named the safest city in America and made Money Magazine’s Best Places to Live list last year.
Public Safety
Safety is a big reason why we keep receiving these awards.
Our public safety teams continue to reinvest in themselves and the community through datadriven innovation. Through Crisis Intervention Team training and grant-funded exercises with our neighbors in Aurora, we’ve seen education lead to positive outcomes in our neighborhoods.
This year, the Police Department will hire four new uniformed officers to serve as a strategic patrol unit. The unit will focus on community-based concerns and trending crimes that data shows take more time and resources to handle, and they can supplement our patrol officers to help keep those officers on their beats.
Our Fire Department will continue focusing on community risk reduction programs, like the senior home safety surveys they’ve offered. Naperville’s senior population is growing, and these visits help identify potential fire or injury hazards before they become an issue.
I’d like to give a special thanks to Police Chief Bob Marshall and Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis for your continued leadership in keeping Naperville safe.
Reinvesting in our community also means preparing for the community’s future, which includes land planning. Naperville’s master land use plan is our blueprint for growth and development. Last year, we started the process of updating this plan to include new concepts and trends. It will provide clear guidance to everyone – the public, developers, and community leaders – on how Naperville will move forward.
The plan is being finalized and will come before City Council at a future date. This plan also dovetails with housing, another area of special focus.
The housing needs of our seniors and recent graduates requires creativity to address.
Smaller spaces, affordability, and walkability are items these groups desire, and I believe the 5th Avenue Project remains an outstanding opportunity to address this issue.
Now more than ever, we must look at how our development decisions today impact our
economic recovery tomorrow.
Ryan Companies has given the City a revised design for this area along with anticipated costs. We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this land and make it benefit the entire community – commuters, residents, the downtown – everyone.
Large-scale discussions like these require time, deliberate thought, and forward-thinking policy. While you may not see results in short order, over time, that planning will make a difference.
Our infrastructure. Our economy. Our organization. Our values. Our community.
Together, these are the unshakable foundations of Naperville’s future. And together, these are the foundations of a city whose residents care about one another.
Our future may look a little different now, but what hasn’t changed is the kindness, compassion, and generosity I see every day. These small actions are how we all reinvest in our resilient community – and each other.
‘We over me’
Over the past two months, I have seen so many neighbors and friends put the we over me. They’ve supported our businesses, and they’ve supported each other. Those relationships are what will move us forward.
By facing our challenges together and using innovation and creativity to drive our recovery, we’ll rise above the circumstances of today and into a better tomorrow.
Thank you so much for your support and be well. —Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico
Address submitted by Kate R. Schultz, Communications Specialist, for the City of Naperville. Photos and captions by Positively Naperville.
Link to virtually presented State of City Address added May 24, 2020.
