Joliet Mayor Announces Picks for Rialto Marquee Committee

City council members are slated to vote Feb. 17 on Mayor Tom Giarrante’s picks for a special committee to address controversy over plans to replace the marquee at the Rialto Square Theatre.

On Tuesday, Giarrante announced that he’s nominated council members Mike Turk and Jan Quillman.

The mayor said he tapped Turk because he’s the city’s senior councilman, and Quillman previously served as the council’s liaison to the Rialto’s governing board, the Will County Metropolitan Exposition and Auditorium Authority.

Last week, the Rialto board took action to establish a 12-member committee known as the Marquee Advisory Committee. Members include University of St. Francis Dean Dr. Christopher Clott and Lewis University Professor Dr. Eveann Lovero, who will serve as co-chairs.

Other appointees are Rialto board members Dan Vera and Vicki Murphy, Rialto foundation members Steve Randich and Jeffrey Hettrick, theater volunteers Cathy Cecchi and Mike Acosta and “Rialto Belongs to the People” members Mary Beth Gannon and Michael Morgan.

Related:

• Joliet City Council Meeting on Rialto Marquee Donation Cancelled
• Would-Be Donor: Rialto Turned Down $350,000 Offer for New Marquee
• Rialto Marquee Donor Asks for His Money Back

Controversy has surrounded the marquee issue since the theater announced plans to install a new, digital marquee in November. Since then, a local businessman withdrew funding for the marquee amid criticism from residents, and the Rialto board rejected funding from another would-be donor.

Giarrante is also slated to announce an appointee to fill a spot on the Rialto board left vacant since the death of longtime board member Dave Hacker.

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