The Village of Brookfield has approved its 2024 annual budget of $63,931,887, up $18,656,452 from the year before.
The budget increase primarily comes from three infrastructure projects: the Burlington Avenue road and sewer rehab project, the water main replacement project and the lead service line replacement project.
Together, the projects account for more than $16.6 million of the budget increase. They are funded by a combination of federal and state grants, low-interest loans and contingency funding.
The village expects to receive more than $1.3 million in grants from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program. The village also secured a low-interest loan from the IEPA with an expected interest rate of less than 2% interest rate, officials said. The rest of the funding will come from the village’s own sources, such as the infrastructure project fund and the water and sewer fund.
In July 2021, the village’s water tax was increased by 18.5%, from $11.68 per 1,000 gallons to $13.84 per 1,000 gallons to pay for these water infrastructure upgrades.
The Burlington Avenue project includes making improvements to portions of the Fairview, Madison and Morton avenues. The project will include pavement resurfacing, curb and gutter replacement, storm sewer installation, water main replacement and sanitary sewer lining. The project will enhance the safety, appearance and functionality of the road and sewer network, as well as reduce the risk of flooding and water contamination, officials said. The project is estimated to cost $5.3 million.
The water main project is designed to replace aging and deteriorating water mains throughout the village that are about 100 years old. The project will replace about 10 miles of water mains, or 20% of the village’s water distribution system, with new ductile iron pipes that are more durable and resistant to corrosion and leaks. The project will improve the reliability and quality of the water supply, as well as reduce water loss and maintenance costs. The project is estimated to cost $7.3 million.
The lead service line project is combined with the water service portion. The lead lines will be replaced rather than repaired to avert lead contaminating water lines. The project is estimated to cost $4 million.
Village officials will use various revenue sources to finance the 2024 budget, including property taxes, local and state taxes, service charges, government grants and loan programs, licenses, permits and fees, fines and other sources.
Brookfield received additional funds from the federal government of more than $1 million, to support its public safety activities.
The village’s financial position has rebounded since the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost 30% of the general fund coming from sales and income tax revenue streams, officials said. The total general fund budget for 2024 is $22,967,197, which represents an increase of $974,529 over the previous year. The increase is mainly attributed to increases in personnel costs, workers’ compensation costs, and capital items, such as two, one-ton dump trucks and a village-wide camera system.
The village also created new staff positions and initiatives to enhance its operations and services. The new positions include a business development specialist, a communications manager, a full-time community service officer, and a part-time building inspector.