Rialto Board Creates Committee to Solve Marquee Controversy

The proposed design for a new Rialto marquee, pictured above, created a controversy in the community. Credit: File photo.

After controversy promoted a Joliet businessman to withdraw his donation for a new Rialto Square Theatre marquee and a second would-be donor said his offer of $350,000 was rejected, the Rialto board has created a committee to help resolve the issue.

Related:

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

Officially known as the Marquee Advisory Committee, the group will be co-chaired by University of St. Francis Dean Dr. Christopher Clott and Lewis University Professor Dr. Eveann Lovero, according to WJOL.

Joliet Mayor Tom Giarrante is slated to appoint two city council members to the committee.

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.

After a design for a new marquee was unveiled in November, some residents were quick to voice objections to the modern, digital design, which included a memorial to the late parents of donor Ed Czerkies.

Earlier this month, after the Rialto board discussed a possible redesign, Czerkies asked for his $350,000 donation back.

Would-be donor reacts

The controversy continued last week, when Joliet businessman and lifelong resident Jay Bergman said the theater rejected his offer to put up the money.

Theater officials reportedly said Bergman rejected the donation process, which included the formation of a committee for public review.

On Wednesday, Bergman said he wanted to clarify confusion surrounding his donation offer.

“After Mr. Czerkies asked for his money back for the Rialto marquee, I offered to contribute $350,000 to the Rialto to fund the same marquee that was previously agreed upon and currently under construction. The only changes were that the wording regarding the Czerkies donation would to be replaced with ’The Jewel of Joliet,’ ‘Rialto’ and ‘Established 1926,’” Bergman said in a letter sent Wednesday to Joliet officials. “I did not want any recognition for myself on the marquee or elsewhere other than, perhaps, a modest plaque somewhere.”

Bergman said he offered the money to quickly quell the controversy, which he said “has created more hostility than I have seen in Joliet for many years.” He also said he felt the proposed donor wording on the original marquee design was inappropriate.

Bergman said his offer was initially met with a positive reception, but the board later said it would not accept the money under the terms Bergman offered.

“Their reasoning was that they wished to form a committee of community members to review and probably make changes in the marquee design. This could involve several months, especially if it were changed in such a way that it needed to go before one or more municipal commissions or councils for approval,” Bergman said.

“Some have asked why I did not change the terms of my offer to provide for the delay of a few months to allow the committee to review the design and make changes. It is simply that my #1 reason for making the offer was to quickly end the controversy that was causing such discord in the community,” the letter continued. “Establishing a committee and then possibly needing to have hearings regarding the approval of a revised design would serve to extend the discord in the community indefinitely, not end it. It’s quite possible that there would never be a sign design devised by the committee that no one would loudly object to.”

Mayor to appoint committee members, fill Rialto board spot

On Thursday, Giarrante said it’s too late to get committee appointees on the agenda for the next city council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 3.

Giarrante said he plans to make his picks at the Feb. 17 council meeting, which is also when he could name a new member to the Rialto board itself.

Since last week, Giarrante has been accepting applications for the spot, left vacant since the Aug. 9 death of Rialto board member Dave Hacker.

The mayor said 11 people applied to serve on the Rialto board. Giarrante said he plans to begin scheduling interviews with applicants.

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