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Belvidere committee approves package of public‑works measures, grant adjustments and forwards FY27 budget
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Summary
On March 9, 2026, Belvidere's committee of the whole approved a set of public‑works measures — including the spring branch pickup and the 2026 MFT street program — accepted a $82,393.34 contract credit for a sludge‑heater replacement, approved modifications tied to a $2.97 million DCEO grant (with an added city cost of $61,540), authorized related engineering work, forwarded the FY27 budget ordinance to council, and voted to enter executive session on collective bargaining.
Belvidere's committee of the whole on March 9 approved several routine public‑works motions and grant‑related adjustments and forwarded the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget ordinance to the city council.
Director of Public Works Anderson told the committee that construction on project No. 11 has resumed, leaf and yard‑waste pickup schedules are set, and that staff recommended approval of several items in the packet. The committee approved the 2026 spring branch pickup program on a motion by Alderman Stevens, seconded by Alderman Grama Koski.
On the Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) street maintenance program for 2026 — focused largely on manhole and cover repairs — Anderson recommended final approval; the committee approved the program on a motion by Alderman Peterson, seconded by Alderman Albertini.
The committee also approved change order No. 1 for the wastewater treatment plant sludge‑heater replacement project that reduced the contract cost by $82,393.34. Anderson said the credit resulted from being able to bring equipment through existing doorways rather than cutting openings in digesters; he said the project used ARPA funds and that the credit will reduce the draw on the sewer depreciation account.
For the Genoa Road corridor, the committee approved moving forward with a draft intergovernmental agreement with Boone County to facilitate jurisdictional transfer of a portion of Genoa Road (Interstate 90 to Huber Road) and to establish easement provisions that will allow water and sanitary‑sewer extensions to support future development. Anderson said IDOT must ultimately sign off on the transfer.
On economic development infrastructure, Anderson said the city has a $2,974,912 Illinois DCEO Regional Site Readiness grant for Gateway Center Drive and associated utilities. The state requested a modification to increase industrial lot sizes; that change increased the estimated project cost to $4,585,448 and raised the city's share by $61,540 (the local share of $1,610,536 is to be split equally with the property owner). The committee approved the additional city cost on a motion by Alderman Stevens, seconded by Alderman Peterson. The committee separately approved a $48,900 work‑authorization amendment for CES to complete required design engineering changes, to be paid from capital funds.
Finance Director Turnipseed presented the proposed FY27 budget ordinance; the committee voted to forward the ordinance to city council for consideration on a motion by Alderman Albertini, seconded by Alderman McGee.
Finally, the committee approved a procedural motion to move into executive session under the Open Meetings Act to discuss collective bargaining matters; the clerk called the roll and the motion passed 9‑0.
Most motions were adopted by voice vote after discussion and brief questions from aldermen. The committee did not alter the substance of the presented staff recommendations and took no final action on the FY27 budget beyond forwarding it to council.
