Beth Beatty Scolds Ex-Joliet Prison Worker: 'OK, We're Going To Stop This Right Now'

JOLIET, IL — One of the liveliest exchanges at Tuesday night's Joliet City Council meeting happened during the audience participation when ousted Old Joliet Prison worker Christine Johnson came to the podium, addressing her elected officials and city manager Beth Beatty.

Incidentally, more than a year has passed since Johnson's husband, Mike, spoke at the same City Council podium and declared, 'Thank You, And I Am Not A Criminal.'" That particular night in 2024, Joliet Patch reported that Mike Johnson, a former volunteer at Old Joliet Prison, addressed the Council asking that his ban from the property be lifted.

On Tuesday night, Christine Johnson approached the same City Hall podium. She began her remarks by thanking City Councilmembers Jan Quillman and Joe Clement "for acknowledging the unjust and wrongful ban on seven of us at the Old Joliet Prison. Also thank you for the acknowledgment, Councilman Clement, that there were no crimes committed. That means a lot to us.

"A lot of people have looked down upon us and questioned our integrity and thank you, because that's what we were looking for. I appreciate it," Christine Johnson opened her remarks.

From there, she said, "I spoke to you guys about the ban on July 1. We were wrongly fired and subsequently banned from Joliet Area Historical Museum and all its properties it owns and manages. I find it ironic, and I'm sure you will too, that a museum that manages a prison that preaches that inmates were not given fair trials, wrongly convicted of crimes and incarcerated would do to their employees exactly what they claim is unjust and wrong."

Next, Johnson explained, "Currently, I am the volunteer services manager and gift shop manager at the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66. I am and always have been committed to providing tourists with a world-class experience. I make sure that no guests leave the museum without all that the city of Joliet has to offer, including the Joliet Area Historical Museum, the Old Joliet Prison and the other historical sites. I would be doing a great disservice to our visitors and the city of Joliet if I didn't. I am an ambassador for the city of Joliet and proud of it, including the places I am banned from."

Johnson said she hoped what she said at the July 1 Council meeting would have prompted the city's assistance.

"I am fighting so hard for my husband, and I am not going to give up. I'm not. I'm going to be like Andy Dufresne from the Shawshank Redemption, writing letters until I get my library. Got it? I would like to share with you a portion of the recording of Mr. (Greg) Peerbolte firing me. If you'd like to hear it, we can do it live and in person here, or we can do it behind closed doors, it's up to you. I'm happy to do it."

After some Council chatter, Joliet Mayor Terry D'Arcy declared, "we'll do it behind closed doors."

Beatty Becomes Involved In Joliet Volunteer's Dispute With Museum

"OK. Well, that's interesting because it was an exhibit in the inspector general's report, which, of course, was made public so I find that very interesting that we can't play it in public," Johnson responded.

And that's when Joliet city manager Beth Beatty spoke up.

Beatty reminded her that the city of Joliet and the Joliet Area Historical Museum are separate public entities.

"They have their own board and that board made a decision based on legal recommendations from the people that they had investigating the situation," Beatty told Johnson. "The city of Joliet did not, does not have a hand in all of that. So."

"You got money in it," Johnson reminded Beatty.

"We do provide money to the museum and the prison," Beatty agreed. "I mean, you know, it's the number one tourist attraction on Route 66 here in Illinois. So, yes, we do contribute because it's something that we'd like to fully repair and have a part of Joliet's history when people from around the country, and the world, are visiting.

"But we do not have a hand in their decisions on volunteers or staffing or anything else. I only have authority and this council only has authority over all the city of Joliet employees," Beatty pointed out.

"Fair enough," Johnson told Beatty. "But let me say to you this, this has never been a personnel matter .... It's been a personal matter. OK? We are two years out. We were never given due process. And no one is holding Mr. Peerbolte or the board of directors accountable for not giving us what we deserved in the employee manual. OK?

"We came, I came and spoke to you, and you never even emailed me back after I asked you a question of what was going on. You emailed my husband."

Beatty abruptly cut off Johnson from making any more disparaging comments about her from the City Council floor.

"OK, we're going to stop this right now because that's not true," Beatty shouted.

"Yes, it is, and I can prove it," Johnson told Beatty.

"We're not supposed to be going back and forth," Beatty told Johnson. "Does this Council want to help me out?"

Immediately, someone began hitting the wooden gravel from the City Council dais.

"This is not a go back and forth session at all by any means," Councilwoman Suzanne Ibarra announced.

"Well, that's fine, but I was presenting and unfortunately, no one will meet with me," Johnson responded. "Mayor D'Arcy, I went to your office to make an appointment when you came back from vacation. I never even received a call, and I followed up twice.

"Am I that much of an albatross? Really? I am an ambassador for this city, and I can't even go to the places in the city I want to go."

That's when Joliet City Clerk Lauren O'Hara cut off Johnson's remarks, saying, "Excuse me? Your time is up."

"Because I was interrupted," Johnson snapped back.

"I'll make an appointment with you so you can discuss this, in my office," Mayor D'Arcy told Johnson. "Not that I can make a decision for you, but I'll let you discuss."

"Well, that's all I'm asking for is someone to discuss it with us and give us a chance, that's all," Johnson informed the mayor.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Scandalous Accusations Against Joliet Area Historical Museum