Gurnee unveils $27.6 million FY2026-27 capital plan; staff proposes $6.5 million general fund transfer

Village of Gurnee officials on Jan. 5 presented a multiyear capital improvement program that proposes $27.6 million in spending for fiscal year 2026–27 and approximately $93.2 million across five years.

The plan, introduced at the January board meeting by senior staff and department leads, directs 39 percent of next year's spending to transportation projects and allocates funds to building improvements, water and sewer, vehicles and equipment, technology, and stormwater. Staff said the FY27 package totals $27,600,000 with $10.9 million for transportation, $6.1 million for building projects, $5.4 million for water and sewer, $3.8 million for vehicles and equipment, $910,000 for technology and $400,000 for stormwater management.

Why it matters: staff told trustees the proposed program is the village's largest recent capital package and includes several multi‑year or one‑time high‑cost projects. To fund the plan, staff proposed a $6.5 million transfer from general fund reserves to capital—$5 million earmarked for infrastructure plus additional project needs—and said the transfer would be finalized with the April budget adoption.

Key funding sources and fiscal posture Staff said…