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Brookfield awarded $140,000 Drive Cleaner Illinois grant for electric vehicle chargers; board to consider acceptance Feb. 24
Summary
The village learned it had been awarded a $140,000 Drive Cleaner Illinois grant to install Level 2 EV chargers. The grant requires a $70,000 local match; staff recommended acceptance and the board agreed to place a resolution on the Feb. 24 meeting for formal acceptance and direction on site and operating plans.
The Village of Brookfield notified trustees on Feb. 10 that it has been selected for a $140,000 Drive Cleaner Illinois grant to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, subject to a required local match of $70,000.
Economic Development Director Libby Popovic told trustees the grant application (submitted May 9, 2024) named tentative sites at Village Hall and Ellert Park. The approved award covers infrastructure for up to 14 chargers originally, but administrators later clarified municipalities could fund a smaller number; Brookfield’s initial project description called for four Level 2 chargers at Village Hall and three at Ellert Park. Popovic said the village can request alternate sites if needed and has been granted an extension on the installation timeline.
Popovic said installation is not budgeted in 2025 and that staff expects implementation in 2026; the $70,000 match would be included in next year’s budget. She said municipalities commonly contract with third-party operators (for example, ChargePoint-style services) for management, maintenance and payment collection. Using Oak Park as a local example, trustees were told charging fees (about $0.25 per kWh) could be used to recover costs; Popovic estimated potential village revenue at a conservative $30,000–$40,000 per year if chargers are metered.
Trustees asked about long-term operations, whether the village must hire a third party for maintenance and whether ComEd incentives could offset some installation costs. Staff said the mayoral-caucus EV-readiness cohort will meet to coordinate grants, funding sources and best practices. Trustee Kaluznick offered to assist with technical analysis.
Board members agreed to place a resolution to accept the grant on the Feb. 24 agenda so the village can accept the award formally and continue planning; staff will return with a proposed resolution and further details on locations and operations.
The grant requires periodic progress and financial reports to the program administrator; no final site selection or installation timeline was finalized at the Feb. 10 Committee of the Whole.
