Joliet Payouts For Departing Employees: These 13 Retirees Cost Taxpayers $887,276 In 2026

JOLIET, IL — The city of Joliet has already spent more than $887,272 cutting checks to retiring city of Joliet employees as a result of their ability to accrue significant nest eggs of unused vacation, sick leave, and, in many cases, compensatory time off, a Joliet Patch public spending analysis found.

Joliet Patch examined the first seven and a half months of the year. The Freedom of Information Act request from City Hall revealed that a total of 13 retiring employees so far this year have received retirement buyouts exceeding $50,000 for their accrual of sick, vacation and compensatory time. The average payout for the 13 retired employees was $68,252.

Patch only requested data on retirees at the city of Joliet who topped $50,000; therefore, anybody who was paid under $50,000 was not included, such as police chief Bill Evans, who retired in May after four years with Joliet.

In one instance, Brent Fraser, a retiring employee in building and grounds, was paid out for his accrual of more than 24 weeks of unused vacation that he kept on the city's books until the time of this year's retirement.

The highest retirement payout so far this year went to Tony Lakota, a long-time Joliet police officer who recently served as lodge president of the Fraternal Order of Police.

Lakota has been the only Joliet employee to receive a payout of more than $100,000 so far this year.

The second highest payout so far in 2026 went to departed deputy city manager Christa Desiderio, who served for many years as the city clerk until her promotion in January 2024. Desiderio served as deputy city manager for less than two years when she announced her forthcoming retirement would take place this summer. As a result of her pay increases of more than $40,000 from city clerk to deputy city manager, her payouts for unused sick leave and vacation time cost the city of Joliet several extra thousands of dollars.

John Koch, a Joliet Fire Department deputy chief who spearheaded public education programs in the community, received more than $85,000 for his unused city of Joliet fringe benefits. "The Deputy Chief of Human Services is a new division of the fire department seeking to improve quality of life for the residents of Joliet," Koch's fire department biography states.

As the city has funded the ongoing retirement buyouts for city employees, Joliet has raised property taxes as well as the fuel taxes to help generate more revenue for the city's bank accounts.

Back in December 2024, after a 5 to 3 vote, the Joliet City Council followed city manager Beth Beatty's recommendation to raise the property tax levy. At that meeting, Joliet finance director Kevin Sing explained how the tax increase for property owners would be about $12 annually for someone who owns $300,000 in property. The Joliet City Council then voted to increase the city's fuel tax on gasoline and diesel at a follow-up meeting two weeks later.

Here's a rundown of the 13 retired city of Joliet who received a retirement buyout of more than $50,000 in 2026 as of Aug. 15:

Tony Lakota, police officer
Total payout: $112,744
854 unused vacation hours: $56,669 payout
480 comp time hours: $30,159
405 sick hours paid out: $25,916

Christa Desiderio, deputy city manager
Total payout: $87,542
Zero comp time hours
397 unused vacation hours: $38,473
506 sick hours paid out: $49,069

John Koch, deputy fire chief of human resources
Total payout: $85,349
437 hours of unused vacation: $41,472
455 hours of sick time paid out: $43,186
7 comp time hours: $692

Brent Fraser, chief operating engineer, building and grounds
Total payout: $84,205
970 hours of unused vacation: $51,198
405 sick hours paid out: $20,178
239 compensatory time hours: $12,831

Peter Van Gessel, Joliet Police sergeant
Total payout: $62,006
280 hours of unused vacation: $20,798
405 sick hours paid out: $30,167
150 compensatory time hours: $11,142

Carlos Betancourt, water plant operator
Total payout: $60,318
467 hours of unused vacation: $27,435
405 sick hours paid out: $23,760
155 compensatory time hours: $9,123

Michael Ballard, fire department captain
Total payout: $60,199
360 hours of unused vacation: $23,353
568 sick hours paid out: $36,846
No compensatory time hours

Eric Clem, fire department day position
Total payout: $59,563
277 hours of unused vacation: $20,623
405 sick hours left for payout: $30,137
118 compensatory time hours: $8,804

Michael Georgantas, police department sergeant
Total payout: $59,488
323 hours of unused vacation: $23,935
0.2 sick hours left for payout: $14
480 compensatory time hours: $35,538

Anthony Giarrante, fire department lieutenant
Total payout: $59,190
384 hours of unused vacation: $23,946
565 sick hours left for payout: $35,244
No compensatory time hours

Brian Lanton, police officer
Total payout: $52,597
338 hours of unused vacation: $22,439
No sick hours left for payout
480 compensatory time hours: $30,159

William Talarico, engineering aide III,
Total payout: $52,186
401 hours of unused vacation: $25,950
405 sick hours left for payout; $26,164
1 compensatory time hours: $72

Lily Nunez, parking facility service II,
Total payout: $51,891
634 hours of unused vacation: $31,457
405 sick hours left for payout; $20,082
7 compensatory time hours: $352