The city of Joliet 2026 budget is balanced but debatable, and City Council members debated it at length on Monday.

Much of the debate was focused on a $90,000 job to be created in 2026 and a health insurance plan that is expected to cost the city $1 million a week if not changed before 2030.

The council votes Tuesday on a proposed budget that includes 11 new employees.

Debate at a workshop meeting on Monday focused on a second employee to be added to the new and expanding cultural affairs and events office created in August.

“I don’t feel we need another events person at this time,” Councilwoman Jan Quillman said. “She was just hired.”

Ann Sylvester was hired in July at a salary of $150,000 for the newly created position of director of cultural affairs and special events.

Now the city plans to hire a special events coordinator at a salary of $90,000.

The coordinator’s main job will be to issue permits for city events and ensure that city police and fire crews are available as needed, City Manager Beth Beatty said.

“Now, we’ll be tracking these things and making sure we have appropriate police and fire,” Beatty said.

Councilman Larry Hug said the city already has added 90 jobs since 2022 and 11 more are too many.

“This budget is too rich on expenses,” Hug said.

But the budget is likely to be approved with the support of Mayor Terry D’Arcy, who typically has the backing of the council majority.

The budget includes $305 million for the city’s two major operating funds for city services and for water and sewer utilities.

D’Arcy pointed to the cost of the health insurance plan mainly to challenge what he called “rehashing the little things” in city spending.

Both Hug and Quillman were on the council when it approved the 14-year agreement in 2016. Hug voted for it. Quillman, whose husband is a retired Joliet police officer on the insurance plan, abstained.

D’arcy said the health insurance plan will cost the city “$20 million more in the next four years, That’s a lot of roads and sidewalks.”