Naperville council adopts five‑value vision to guide electric strategy

Naperville City Council selected a five‑value vision statement at an electric strategy workshop, agreeing that the utility’s long‑term direction should "prioritize reliability, sustainability, affordability, flexibility, and local control." Councilwoman Jane proposed the wording during the workshop and the council approved it in a straw poll as the guiding vision for future decisions.

City Manager Krieger told the council the vision is intended to be aspirational and that the council will later operationalize each value with measurable criteria in a decision framework and a revised mission statement. "To secure an energy future that prioritizes reliability, sustainability, affordability, flexibility, and local control," Jane said when presenting the alternative (Councilwoman Jane). Several councilmembers cautioned that terms such as "sustainability" require specific metrics so future councils are not inadvertently locked into costly commitments.

Councilmembers debated ordering and emphasis but repeatedly stressed interconnectedness among the values. Councilman McBroom and others said the next step is a decision framework and a mission statement that define how the city will measure affordability and reliability. City Manager Krieger said staff will return with decision‑framework details and that the council’s selection of the vision will guide those next steps.