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Belvidere council pledges remaining Kishwalki River TIF funds for DFA wastewater pre‑treatment upgrades
Summary
Council approved a redevelopment agreement to provide up to available Kishwalki River TIF funds (about $107,790 currently available) as a grant to Dairy Farmers of America to help pay for pre‑treatment improvements after an EPA/IEPA audit flagged treatment risks; projected improvements exceed $86,800.
The Belvidere Committee of the Whole on May 26 approved a redevelopment agreement and authorized the mayor to execute an amendment to provide additional TIF funds as new tax receipts are received, to assist Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) with wastewater pre‑treatment upgrades.
Mayor Clinton Morris and city staff told the council the Kishwalki River redevelopment‑area TIF has about $107,790 in currently unallocated funds that can be used for public or private improvements within the redevelopment area. The memo in the council packet recommended using the TIF in the form of a grant to help DFA meet the funding requirements for pre‑treatment improvements; the memo said projected costs exceed $86,800 and that the city expects approximately $22,296 in additional TIF receipts before Jan. 1.
Alderman Peterson framed the issue in operational and regulatory terms, saying the plant had undergone an audit and DFA’s pre‑treatment problems had produced repeated impacts on the city’s wastewater treatment operations. He said the redevelopment agreement will be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as part of the city’s audit response. City Attorney Drella noted the TIF technically terminates at the end of calendar year 2027 (the memo and discussion described timing for expenditure through that date).
The council approved the motion (mover: Alderman Peterson; second: Alderman Hinessus/Hinus). The action includes authorization for the mayor to execute future amendments limited to additional TIF revenues actually received and not otherwise allocated.
Why it matters: DFA is one of the city’s large sewer customers; council members said the proposed improvements would reduce recurring impacts on the city plant and could preserve local employment tied to the facility. The TIF allocation was presented as a targeted use of leftover redevelopment‑area funds ahead of the fund’s scheduled termination.
What’s next: The city will finalize the redevelopment agreement and submit the required documentation to regulatory agencies as part of ongoing compliance and remediation steps.
