Batavia aldermen on July 1 approved resolutions authorizing the city to seek Rebuild Illinois funds for four infrastructure projects, city staff said.

The resolutions were introduced by city staff member Peggy Colby, who told the special meeting the Rebuild Illinois program was financed through state bonds and provides grant funding to municipalities for bondable infrastructure projects with useful lives of at least 13 years. Colby said the city is submitting requests for four projects and that the paperwork had to be on the correct state form by the July 1 deadline.

The applications cover the Pray and Wilson project (engineering and construction, largely funded previously through STP and CMAP grants), preliminary engineering for Main Street from Van Nortwick to Randall Road, reimbursement for Main Street reconstruction work (Route 31 to Van Nortwick), and the city’s share of a Safe Routes to School project. Colby said the total request exceeds the city’s $1.7 million allocation so the city can accept less than requested and release funds later if awarded.

Alderman Wolf moved approval; Alderman Malay seconded. The council called the roll and the motion passed on a voice/roll-call vote. The clerk announced "11 yes, 0 no, 3 absent." The minutes recorded the approving resolution as Resolution 2020Five-ninety2R.

City staff said the signed paperwork would be emailed to the Illinois Department of Transportation after the clerk’s signature.

Why this matters: the Rebuild Illinois program distributes bond proceeds to local governments for capital projects; securing reimbursements and supplemental funding could reduce the need for local tax or bond financing for the listed projects.

The council had no further business and adjourned the special meeting after the vote.