Dear Residents,

Baseball games, concerts, races, festivals and other special events are the theme as we head from spring into summer. The JackHammers are in full swing at Silver Cross Field. Route 66 Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway will be packed with race fans throughout the summer. Splash Station will be the place to cool off and Downtown Joliet is the Chicago area’s newest entertainment destination. The summer of 2008 promises to be a great one for Joliet residents and the surrounding area.

Joliet has over 145,000 residents and is now the fourth largest city in Illinois. The city is growing in all aspects as new commercial structures are constructed and upscale subdivisions are being built from east to west. As the city continues to grow, the City Council and I are striving to make sure city services meet the needs of all residents. The new West Side Municipal Center and Police Substation is now open. In the last year the Joliet Fire Department has named a new fire chief and deputy chief, hired additional firefighters and is in the process of building and planning for new fire stations. The police department has also hired additional officers to help them to continue to lower a crime rate that has seen over a 50% reduction since 1998. The Management and Budget staff has earned a Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting for six consecutive years. The Department of Utilities has opened the new west side wastewater treatment plant. The Department of Economic and Community Development continues to tackle the tough task of overseeing all new construction and upholding the tough standards that the City Council and I mandate from developers.

The City of Joliet will continue to hold onto to our history as we look to the future. Enjoy the summer in Joliet and all the amenities this great city has to offer. The door to city hall is open and anyone of our friendly staff is here to help you at anytime.