Will County Gazette

The Joliet City Council voted on a series of ordinances pertaining to the planned unit development of a Stepping Stones subdivision during its meeting on March 21.

The ordinances included the preliminary and final plans for the development, as well as variations for two substance abuse treatment facilities, both of which would include eight units, and one would specifically be for women and women with children. Stepping Stone representatives Ken Carlson and Paul Lauridsen spoke to the board and answered several questions. Lauridsen told the board that Stepping Stones has a long history of providing crisis help.

"Our commitment is to Joliet and the community. That's the majority of the people we serve," said Lauridsen, who is the executive director of Stepping Stones. "And the history of the organization is founded by people that were public officials and were interested in seeing the services available for men with an alcohol use disorder back in 1971."

Council member Jan Quillman asked Carlson, Lauridsen, and architect Bob Morris if they were aware of the building requirements for the development, such as a playground that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Morris told the board that they would have such a playground on the property, but Quillman expressed further concerns about the well-being of the children, such as the lack of a daycare facility in the development and how that would affect women trying to work while in recovery. The representatives assured the council they would help the women coordinate with care providers.

Lauridsen said the group is as committed to serving the community as its founders were.

"We have a great deal of respect for those people. We appreciate the effort that they put in and personally feel a commitment to seeing that lives on for them," he said. "Those people stepped up in a big way. And we've had a good relationship with the city of Joliet for 50 years. These guys have supported us in our move to our location at 1621 Theodore Street to acquiring the A-frame building that was part of the original Howard Johnson Motel. I think there's an opportunity here; this is going to be a life-changing experience for the kids and the moms that go through this program."

Quillman and other council members had reservations about the location and safety issues but noted the organization has other successful treatment centers which have not caused disturbances in their areas. The developers were hoping to start construction within six months and finish within a year. They have about $2.5 million of the roughly $3 million in costs already secured in grants and funding.

Council approved the development to begin.