How should Elgin spend the $19.5 million from the federal American Rescue Plan Act? That’s what city officials want residents to tell them.
A survey posted on the city’s website asks residents what they think of various options, including work needed to improve or repair infrastructure. It’a available through Aug. 31 in English at cityofelgin.org/arpa and in Spanish at cityofelgin.org/arpaes.
Soliciting input from residents is a way of making sure the city is “doing the right thing for the community,” Mayor Dave Kaptain said.
Elgin is to receive $19.5 million over a two-year period. The city is developing a plan for strategically using these payments to support both immediate recovery needs and short-term transformative initiatives, city spokeswoman Molly Gillespie said in a news release about the survey.
The federal rescue plan, known as ARPA, allows investment in programs, services or projects in any of the following five funding categories:
Public health expenses.
Negative economic impacts caused by COVID-19.
Premium pay for essential workers.
Replacing lost public sector revenue.
Investments in water, sewer and broadband infrastructure.
City Manager Rick Kozal recently outlined one scenario in which the bulk of the money would be spent on replacing lead water service lines and separating the city’s combined sewer and stormwater system.
If they did that, the city could redirect the funds it spends annually for those projects to expanding the Elgin Sports Complex, officials said.
Officials estimate the cost to replace all of the city’s lead water service lines, which is mandated by the state, is $135 million. Reconfiguring the storm and sewers lines so that raw sewage does not go into the river when there are heavy storms, which is also state-mandated, is expected to cost $90 million.
Both are expenses Elgin taxpayers may end up having to pay down the road through increased water and sewer fees, Kaptain said.
“If it was up to me, we’d put it all in there,” the mayor said of the infrastructure projects. “It’s a bill that has to be paid over the next decade. If we wait for the federal government to fix this, it may not happen.”
He also sees it as an opportunity to take care of at-risk families who can’t afford to replace the potentially dangerous lead water service lines.
Kaptain said he hopes Elgin residents will take the time to share their opinions. He also encourages residents to think about what’s best for the entire community, not just one segment, he said.
As of Friday, the survey had responses from a few hundred responses people.
Anyone with questions about the survey or who want to submit more detailed feedback should call 311.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
