Nature at the Confluence asks South Beloit for $15,000 from hotel-motel fund to expand stewardship hours

Julie, executive director of Nature at the Confluence, addressed the South Beloit City Council during public comment and requested $15,000 from the Hotel-Motel Fund to increase staffing hours for the organization's stewardship and facilities assistant. “In 2025, we received $10,000 from the hotel motel fund, and this year, we are requesting $15,000,” Julie said.

Julie described how the stewardship position — named Eli — maintains indoor and outdoor facilities, mows nature trails, stewards a five-acre prairie, runs community garden beds, supports a youth garden program at the Boys & Girls Club, and assists with educational programming. She said the role reduces reliance on public-works staff and enables the nonprofit to offer about 100 public programs a year and roughly 40 field trips for groups such as Blackhawk Elementary School, Boys & Girls Club cohorts, Park North, Girl Scouts, and Beloit College students.

Julie asked the council to continue using hotel-motel funding to support the position so Eli can average about 20 hours per week over the year. She said the organization uses other revenues to supplement the post but that the hotel-motel allocation makes a “huge difference.” Julie also invited councilmembers and the public to the South Beloit Tree Lighting on Dec. 5, which the group plans to host again with a donated tree and volunteer crew.

The request was made during the public-comment portion of the Nov. 3 meeting; no formal council vote on the funding request was recorded during the session. The council will consider funding decisions as part of its forthcoming budget discussions and formal appropriation processes.