Joliet’s 2026 Retirement Buyouts: 13 Employees Pocket Over $887,000

In the first seven‑and‑a‑half months of 2026 the City of Joliet has already written more than $887,000 in checks to former employees who retired with hefty buyouts. The numbers come from a Freedom of Information Act request that pulled together every retirement payment that topped the $50,000 mark.

Thirteen people fit that bill, and the average payout sits at roughly $68,000. That may sound like a tidy sum for an individual, but when you line up all those checkbooks it adds up fast, especially for a city already juggling property‑tax hikes and a newly‑implemented fuel tax.

One of the biggest single payouts went to Tony Lakota, a long‑time police officer and former Fraternal Order of Police lodge president. Lakota walked away with $112,744 – $56,669 for 854 unused vacation hours, $30,159 for 480 comp‑time hours and $25,916 for 405 sick‑leave hours.

Close behind was former deputy city manager Christa Desiderio, who collected $87,542. She didn’t have any comp‑time, but she did cash out 397 vacation hours ($38,473) and a hefty 506 sick‑leave hours ($49,069). Her higher salary after moving from city clerk to deputy manager helped boost the final figure.

Fire Department Deputy Chief John Koch received $85,349, made up of $41,472 for 437 vacation hours, $43,186 for 455 sick‑leave hours, and a modest $692 for seven comp‑time hours.

Other notable names include Brent Fraser (building and grounds), who pocketed $84,205, and Police Sergeant Peter Van Gessel, who took home $62,006. The list also features water‑plant operator Carlos Betancourt, fire captain Michael Ballard, and several other officers and support staff – each cashing out more than $50,000 thanks to years of accrued leave.

What’s worth noting is that the city only reported retirees who cleared the $50,000 threshold. That means anyone who retired with a smaller buyout – like former police chief Bill Evans – isn’t part of this tally.

The broader financial picture is a little bleaker. In December 2024 the Joliet City Council, after a narrow 5‑to‑3 vote, approved a modest property‑tax increase – about $12 a year for a home valued at $300,000 – and later added a fuel tax surcharge. Those moves were touted as ways to shore up the city’s budget, which now includes the retirement buyout program.

So while each employee is technically receiving money they earned by not taking time off, the collective impact lands on the shoulders of taxpayers. The city’s spending report, produced by Joliet Patch, highlights how unused vacation, sick leave, and compensatory time can become a sizeable line item when large numbers of workers retire in a short span.

As the year rolls on, more names may appear on the list. For now, the 13 retirees highlighted above illustrate a pattern that city officials and residents alike will be watching closely, especially as future budget meetings consider whether more tax adjustments are necessary.