Roaming Shores project advances in Rep. Joyce’s appropriations process; village could receive $2 million

Village officials said the Roaming Shores water-tower project has moved to the appropriation-committee stage in Rep. Dave Joyce’s office, a procedural step that could result in $2 million in federal funding if the committee approves the request and the measure is later signed into law. Administrator Mark told council the village has been pursuing appropriations for the tower since 2024 and that this year’s submission advanced in the congressional process.

The administrator said the appropriation, if enacted through committee and signed, “would be ours” and would allow the village to proceed with engineering and then construction without the village bearing the full up-front cost. He cautioned that engineers offered a range: higher-end estimates placed total project cost roughly $400,000–$700,000 above the $2 million appropriation, while staff and engineers believe project adjustments could keep the village within the $2 million target.

Council members sought clarity about timing and next steps. Mark said the appropriation must still pass the appropriation committee and then be signed; until those steps occur the funds are not guaranteed and the exact schedule for disbursement is not yet known. He said the village will begin engineering if and when the appropriation is finalized and that construction and final payments would follow completion of those phases.

Why it matters: A $2 million federal appropriation would substantially reduce local capital needs for the water-tower project, but village officials acknowledged some uncertainty about final costs and timing. Council did not take a vote on the project during the meeting and asked staff to provide follow-up detail as the appropriation process moves forward.