Joliet's Deputy City Manager Christa Desiderio Announces Plans To Leave City, Retire In 2026

JOLIET, IL — After less than two years in her role as the deputy city manager of Joliet —the second highest-ranking position at City Hall — Christa Desiderio notified city officials this week that she plans to leave the city of Joliet next year and retire.

"Dear Beth," Desiderio wrote in her letter announcing her departure, "I am writing to formally inform you of my intent to retire as Deputy City Manager with the City of Joliet, effective July 7, 2026. After over twenty-five meaningful years of service with the city, I look forward to dedicating more time to global mission and volunteer work. It has been an honor to serve this community."

Desiderio becomes the second high-ranking member of Beth Beatty's administration to announce her departure in recent weeks.

In November, Rosemaria DiBenedetto submitted her resignation notice as Joliet's director of media engagement and communications. DiBenedetto will be finishing her job at Joliet's City Hall on Dec. 19. She is leaving Joliet to take over as the new village administrator for Manhattan.

On Friday, Joliet Patch reached out to DiBenedetto and Beatty with various questions, including whether Desiderio's departure will be similar to that of long-time city planning director Jim Torri. In November 2024, the Joliet City Council honored Torri with a retirement proclamation for his 30 years of service, but in reality, Torri was allowed to remain on the city payroll for nearly more eight months because of the excessive amount of unused vacation Torri was allowed to accrue at City Hall.

Joliet's spokeswoman responded to Joliet Patch's question with a one-word answer: "No."

Also of note, DiBenedetto responded that Joliet will not be moving ahead in the near future with posting a job opening for the deputy city manager's position.

Several people affiliated with Joliet have told Joliet Patch that city clerk Laura O'Hara, who was hired to fill Desiderio's position when she became the new deputy city manager, has been identified for some time as the next deputy city manager.

On Friday, Joliet Patch asked whether the deputy city manager job is not being posted until July because O'Hara is getting the position.

DiBenedetto responded to the question about O'Hara by stating, "The position will be posted after Christa's retirement."

Nearly two years ago, Joliet issued a press release announcing Desiderio's promotion to the newly filled deputy city manager's position. The position had not been filled at City Hall for several years. During Bob O'Dekirk's two four-year terms in office, Joliet did not have a deputy city manager.

On Jan. 24, 2024, Joliet Patch reported that Desiderio was in line for a raise of nearly $43,000 now that new City Manager Beth Beatty appointed her as deputy city manager at City Hall. Desiderio's salary as deputy city manager was set at $185,500.

Desiderio was Joliet’s city clerk at City Hall for 12 years, and had more than 23 years of municipal government experience at the time of her promotion.

“Christa is the best choice to help me in managing our city government and serving the people of Joliet,” Beatty announced in 2024. “She has strong leadership and managerial skills along with knowledge in the day-to-day operations of city government and is respected by the staff and City Council.”

Back in September, Joliet Patch reported that at least 37 non-union staff recently received retroactive pay increases of at least $4,000 from city manager Beth Beatty. The raises, which the city has called 3.25 percent cost of living adjustments, were approved by Beatty in July. Although the COLA increases took effect during the August paychecks for 101 full-time city staff, the salary increases were retroactive to January, according to the city. If all 101 city employees work until the end of the year, the budget impact will be $361,122, city officials informed Joliet Patch.

According to Joliet Patch's analysis, 23 staff received pay increases of more than $5,000 and in the case of Desiderio, her retroactive COLA salary increase was $6,149, increasing her annual pay from $189,210 to $195,359.

Desiderio has a bachelor's in economics and minors in both mathematics and business administration from Illinois State University.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

• Joliet's Administrative Salary Hikes: $361,000 Impact Upon City Hall's 2025 Budget
• Desiderio Becomes Joliet's New Deputy City Manager, Salary Revealed