DuPage County finance committee weighs uses for $12.3 million surplus as federal grants pause looms

DuPage County Finance Committee members on Tuesday considered staff recommendations for distributing a projected $12,326,743 general‑fund surplus for fiscal year 2024, focusing discussion on capital repairs, stormwater work and how quickly to commit funds amid reports that some federal grant activity is on hold.

The committee’s finance staff presented a preliminary financial close showing stronger‑than‑expected revenue — notably sales and income taxes — and recommended putting $7 million toward a set of items previously proposed by the chair and an additional $5.3 million toward specific projects. Staff said the county’s consolidated general fund produced roughly $12.3 million in surplus after revenues and expenses were tallied.

Committee members said the surplus creates an opportunity to pay down imminent capital needs but warned against committing too much cash immediately while federal funding remains uncertain. Several members urged conservatism; others said some items are time sensitive and should be funded now. The committee used a consensus process to advance selected items and to withhold final spending authority on others until after the first quarter to allow time to monitor federal developments.

Staff showed proposed uses in two groups: the chair’s earlier recommendations totaling $7 million (including facilities capital and vehicle replacement funding) and an additional $5.3 million of suggested projects. Among items singled out by staff for consideration were additional stormwater work at the Elmhurst Quarry, campus flood‑proofing and parking‑deck repair, a radio‑tower upgrade at Hidden Lakes, design work for potential Lake Michigan water service in York Township, a small bridge repair, and a request from the Family Center for replacement furniture.

Nick Kotmeyer, staff member, and Jeff Martinovich, staff member, presented the details and described project costs and timing. Martinovich told the committee that fiscal year 2024 revenues exceeded the adopted budget on sales tax and income tax and that expenditures were about 8 percent under budget, producing the surplus figure presented. Kotmeyer reviewed the project list and said some work (for example, the radio tower) is effectively time limited and will need to proceed soon, while other items can be designed and bid over several months.

After extended discussion, the committee recorded these decisions by consensus: it agreed to advance the chair’s $7 million recommendation into the budget process, to move forward immediately with the Hidden Lakes radio‑tower work (estimated at $250,000) and with a bridge repair associated with the J.R. McBride memorial bridge, and to approve smaller, one‑time items such as Family Center furnishings and repairs to security gates behind the jail. The committee also agreed to withhold spending authority for several larger projects — including an added $1.5 million for Elmhurst Quarry repairs, additional campus flood‑proofing and the York Township water design funding — until the board receives updated information; staff said those amounts would be placed in the appropriate departmental rollover accounts and held until a board vote authorizes expenditure.

Members repeatedly emphasized that any use of surplus for ongoing operations would be inappropriate because one‑time funds should not create new recurring costs. Several members pressed staff to stage spending so that the county does not create “structural” budget pressures for 2025 and later.

Member Ozog said the committee should be “very prudent and conservative” in committing funds now given the federal announcement the day before; Member Zay urged consideration of property‑tax relief if surpluses persist; Member Schorze and others warned that community‑services programs are heavily federally funded and would be vulnerable if federal grants were reduced. Kotmeyer and Martinovich told members there is time to finalize allocations: external auditors will be on site in March and final fiscal‑year adjustments typically occur before the financial statements are issued.

Staff repeated that if the committee chooses to do nothing, the surplus will roll into fund balance (reserves) automatically. The presenters said an alternative is to “park” allocations in departmental rollover or project accounts — a solution several members favored because it preserves the option to reassign money without reporting a one‑time draw from reserves.

The committee asked staff to prepare the necessary resolutions for the next county‑board meeting reflecting the consensus: the chair’s $7 million package moved forward, time‑sensitive items will be advanced now, and certain projects will be held in rollover accounts pending further review. Staff said it will return with formal resolutions and account language to reflect the committee’s direction.

The committee’s discussion will return to the full county board for final appropriation and to any subsequent committee meetings for project‑level approvals. No final binding interfund transfers were executed during the meeting; staff will draft resolutions per the committee’s consensus.