Belvidere committee recommends $1.67M FRA grant, approves $1.38M parking-lot bid and switches compliance reporting vendor

The Committee of the Whole on Jan. 26 recommended approval of a $1,666,279 grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to fund phase 1 engineering and environmental review of the Appleton Road grade separation project and authorized the mayor to sign documents related to the award.

"I would recommend approval of the grant agreement from the Federal Railroad Administration in the amount of $1,666,279 and authorize the mayor to sign all documents required for the grant award," Director Anderson said, recommending the funding and noting the preliminary engineering work is planned to be completed by March 2027.

The committee also reviewed a bid tabulation for the reconstruction and expansion of Municipal Parking Lot 7 at the Kishwaukee Overlook. Director Anderson said IDOT opened the bids and the low bidder was Fisher Excavating at $1,380,432.25. "I would recommend approval of the low bid from Fisher Excavating in that amount to complete the Parking Lot 7 in Kishwaukee Overlook project and concur with IDOT on the award of this project to Fisher Excavating," he said. The motion to approve the award carried, with Alderman Breardon recorded as opposed.

Council members asked how the project would be funded; Anderson answered that federal and state grants would cover roughly $800,000-plus of the total and the city would budget the remaining roughly $700,000 as capital expense in FY27.

The committee approved a vendor change for compliance reporting for fire and building inspection submittals. Fire Chief Jay Schoettle said the city would terminate its Brycer compliance engine agreement and enter an agreement with First Due, a service that populates inspection and test data directly into the city's First Due records-management system. "So with this solution, it will actually be less expensive for businesses who are submitting more than one report," Schoettle said, noting contractors pay a $20 submission fee.

Several procedural and routine matters were also handled: the council accepted a $1,000 donation to an Eagle Scout project from Midwest Refrigerated Services, forwarded a resolution authorizing the mayor to contract for electricity through a municipal cooperative bid process, approved a short amendment to Chapter 34 (elections) to align ward descriptions with recent annexations, and forwarded a resolution to authorize seven annual 2026 parades. An agenda item on IT and VoIP proposals was postponed to Feb. 9 so the mayor could be present.

Motions and outcomes at a glance: the FRA grant recommendation carried; the Parking Lot 7 bid award to Fisher Excavating carried (one recorded no vote); the Brycer→First Due vendor change was authorized; the Eagle Scout donation was accepted; the Chapter 34 amendment and parade resolution were forwarded to council; and the IT/VoIP item was postponed.

Next steps: the FRA grant will be advanced to city council with a recommendation to authorize the mayor to execute grant documents, the Parking Lot 7 award will proceed in concurrence with IDOT, and the First Due compliance agreement will be finalized administratively.