Mayor Chooses Potential Appointee Names
Only one of two potential appointees whose names were leaked in consideration for city advisory boards will be put forth to city council for approval on Tuesday. Mayor Steve Chirico is submitting former city councilman Kevin Coyne for a spot on the Naperville Public Library Board of Trustees. But the mayor decided not to nominate Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, for a spot on the Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) Commission. In an interview with the Daily Herald, the mayor said the decision on which names to submit was based on feedback he got from city council and level of support he expected for the appointments.
Fireworks At Frontier Sports Complex
Naperville’s Fourth of July fireworks celebration will be held at Frontier Sports Complex for the third year in a row. At last night’s Naperville Park District Board meeting, the group discussed an amendment to The Naperville Salute contract, which would move the fireworks to Knoch Park to be closer to the Salute festival itself, which is taking place at Rotary Hill. However some commissioners voiced concerns with that location, saying it had limited views and posed parking problems, prompting the need for shuttle buses. A representative from The Naperville Salute said having the fireworks at Frontier Sports Complex would pose logistical issues for the group, as it would be hard to run two different events at two different locations. They also said it would force people to choose between which event to attend, with entertainment being planned for the Salute that same night. Commissioners voted to amend the agreement with The Naperville Salute, transferring the responsibility for the fireworks show over to the Naperville Park District, which will take on the pyrotechnics contract and logistics to hold the event at Frontier Sports Complex. The park district also voted to extend the days of the Salute, which will run from July 1 through 4.
Police Body Camera Update
The Naperville Police Department is preparing to roll out body cameras within their force. Starting next week, a group of officers will begin training with camera provider, Axon. Those officers will then help train others, with the goal of having all 177 sworn officers completely trained and wearing the cameras by the end of June. The camera can record up to 18 hours of video per day and the officer must activate the audio portion of the device. Officers will activate the camera with audio and video every time they are responding to a call or engaged in any type of proactive police work. Naperville City Council approved the $2.3 million purchase for both body worn and in-car camera systems last February.
Paddleboat Quarry Opening
Warmer weather means it’s time to hit the water in Naperville. The Naperville Park District is opening its Paddleboat Quarry tomorrow, weather permitting. The quarry will be open for weekends during the month of May, with paddleboards, kayaks and of course paddleboats available to rent from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Weekday hours for rentals will kick in starting on Memorial Day. And Centennial Beach is set to open Memorial Day weekend, with the swimming season kicking off on Saturday, May 28. Memberships are currently available for purchase online, and those bought before May 30 will be at a discounted rate. Also opening on Memorial Day weekend will be the district’s splash pads. There are two to choose from, with one at 95th Street Community Plaza, and the other at Wolf’s Crossing Community Park. With two splash pads and Centennial Beach now available again to residents, the district says it will no longer be offering the Midday Spray at Rotary Hill.
