Mundelein trustees voted Aug. 25 to reject proposals for a planned electric-vehicle (EV) charging station project after the lone bid came in substantially higher than the state grant award, then directed staff to try to find a lower-cost alternative.
Why it matters: The village had a state grant of approximately $320,000 for level-3 chargers; the bid returned to the village was roughly $688,000, well above the grant amount and village expectations.
Board action: The board adopted a resolution to reject the proposals received for the EV charging station project. Trustees and staff said the bids were significantly higher than the grant funding available and that additional funds would be required to proceed on the scope that had been solicited.
Key discussion points: Staff and trustees discussed options including (1) pursuing a different scope (for example, level-2 chargers, which are cheaper but slower), (2) moving charging stations to a TIF-eligible lot if feasible, and (3) negotiating a reduced scope with prospective vendors. One trustee, a current EV driver, described local gaps in level-3 charging and the tradeoffs between level-2 and level-3.
Next steps: Trustees asked staff to re-evaluate the project and pursue a lower-cost design or scope that could come closer to the grant amount; staff noted the grant’s specifications are tied to charger level and that changing to level-2 would alter grant eligibility and funding amounts.
No final procurement: The board did not accept any vendor and did not forfeit the grant immediately; staff will return with alternatives for board consideration.