Will County Gazette

The City of Bolingbrook welcomed two students for their interest in civic engagement at a recent council meeting.

“I want to thank you for being here and for being involved, because this is a very important initiative in anyone's life,” Trustee Michael Lawler said to one of the students at the March 28 council meeting. “(Everyone) should take the time to get more involved in local government and understand government as it works.”

Samantha Gianino, a student at Glenbard North High School in Carol Streams, attended the meeting as a part of a civic engagement requirement for her U.S. Government and Politics class while Kyle Hochema, a member of the Boy Scouts, attended to work toward his Citizenship and Community badge, which is the last merit badge he needed before becoming a full Eagle Scout.

As mentioned at the meeting, Samantha is not a Bolingbrook resident or student but her family has some connections to the town. She was chosen to lead the council in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Lawler was standing in for Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta, who was in Springfield talking with local representatives.

He encouraged the students to ask any questions they had throughout the meeting and that they were welcome to stick around after and chat with the council members about city government and their roles and responsibilities.

Both students were able to see a normal routine during the city council meeting, with a variety of topics normally handled by city staff and elected officials. 

Council made an official proclamation declaring April 2023 Child Abuse Prevention Month, which was promoted by members of the Exchange Club of Northern Will County, who asked residents to wear blue on Mondays to spread awareness. 

Council members read off and approved their consent agenda, a list of items considered routine or noncontroversial. The council also made changes to the city code through a resolution amending the process of city payroll to simplify systems, and it approved the purchase of two new vehicles for the city, a replacement Ford F150 for the battalion chief and a new Ford F550 ambulance.

The students saw a fairly calm meeting that ended in under an hour as no one made any public comments.