Committee of the Whole
Sep 14, 2026
The lede
- The Committee of the Whole forwarded a recommendation to designate Perry Elementary School as a local landmark, recognizing the 1900 building as one of the oldest continuously operating schools in Illinois and one of the few survivors from the era when National Sewing Machine Company’s growth spurred school construction.
- The committee approved a $31,000 engineering contract with C.E.S. Inc. for the 2025 Safe Routes to School project, which will replace sidewalks around Washington Academy using a $249,346 grant.
- Public comment focused entirely on concerns about a potential data center project, with residents raising issues about water usage, noise, and impacts on farmland, though Mayor Morris emphasized no formal application has been submitted and facts remain unknown.
- The committee approved spending $63,845 in impact fee funds to replace 20-year-old carpeting and flooring throughout City Hall.
Decisions & votes
Perry Elementary School landmark designation: Forwarded to city council on a 9-0 vote (Albertini, Brereton, Fleury, Frank, Gramkowski, Hoiness, McGee, Peterson, Stevens voting yes; Montalbano absent). The school was built in 1897 and is believed to be the second-oldest continuously operating public elementary school in Illinois.
Safe Routes to School engineering contract: Approved 9-0 (Brereton, Fleury, Frank, Gramkowski, Hoiness, McGee, Peterson, Stevens, Albertini voting yes). The contract with C.E.S. Inc. for $31,000 will cover preliminary and design engineering for sidewalk replacement around Washington Academy, funded by public benefit funds.
City Hall flooring replacement: Approved 9-0 (Fleury, Frank, Gramkowski, Hoiness, McGee, Peterson, Stevens, Albertini, Brereton voting yes). The committee accepted Lonnie’s Carpet Max’s bid of $63,845 to replace carpet and install tile in high-traffic areas, to be paid from impact fees.
Fire Department Open House street closure: Approved by voice vote. The closure authorizes blocking State Street from Meadow Street to the north side of the State Street Bridge on October 10, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and permits a medical helicopter landing on the bridge, though Alderman Peterson raised safety concerns about the helicopter landing that will be discussed further with Fire Chief Schadle.
Sikich CPA LLC audit acceptance: Approved by voice vote. The audit for fiscal year ending April 30, 2026, received an unmodified (“clean”) opinion.
Discussion items
Data center concerns dominate public comment: Three residents spoke against a potential data center project referred to as “Project Hawkeye.” Teresa Stein said the project could harm farm animals through noise and drain water and electricity resources. Bonita Gertis questioned whether the city would become “guinea pigs” for what she described as a 500-megawatt hyperscale data center and referenced talks dating to late 2024. Ruth He challenged the mayor’s jurisdiction to annex land in unincorporated Genoa Township across the tollway bridge and mentioned transmission towers approved by MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator).
Mayor Morris responded that he has no details about water, power, or noise impacts and has made no commitments beyond a May 22, 2025, letter expressing willingness to work with any developer. He emphasized the need for new revenue sources to avoid raising property taxes, noting the city has kept its tax levy at zero for four of the past five years. He said any project would require Planning and Zoning Commission review and City Council approval, and he asked residents to wait for facts before judging. Morris noted a similar data center project may be considered by Cherry Valley on Wednesday.
Perry School history and closure: Mayor Morris provided extensive background on Perry School, noting it was built in 1900 to serve children of National Sewing Machine Company workers. He said the school district closed it despite receiving $520,817 in impact fees from the city—money that was intended for capital improvements but was used for “mulch.” Morris argued the closure affects property values in an underserved area and compared it to the junior high building, which sat vacant until the city acquired it and converted it to senior housing. Alderman Peterson agreed the school could be a catalyst for the neighborhood, saying abandonment would further sink property values as the loss of the neighborhood school and park pool already has.
Branch pickup exclusion for Four Seasons: Alderman Albertini asked why the Four Seasons development, where residents pay city property taxes, is excluded from fall branch pickup service. Mayor Morris explained the park district owns the property and streets, not the city, so the city has no jurisdiction. He said residents should take the issue up with the park, as the city does not plow streets, repair sidewalks, provide garbage service, or perform other services there beyond metered water.
Helicopter landing safety: Alderman Peterson expressed concern about landing a medical helicopter on the State Street Bridge for the Fire Department Open House, citing the need to remove light globes and potential danger below. Captain Swanson said the department has done it three or four times before, uses barricades to control access, and consults the helicopter crew on safety. He said they can request the helicopter approach over the river to minimize exposure. The mayor said he and the captain would discuss concerns with Chief Schadle before the council meeting.
Fifth Avenue storm water project: Mayor Morris explained the Safe Routes to School project will align with Fifth Avenue reconstruction, which is part of a long-term storm water solution. He said the project will create a tributary to carry storm water from the detention area at Franklin Wire off Allen Street, running under West Locust Street to the river. Combined with the low-flow channel on Sixth Street, the work will address flooding in Sheffield Green, areas south to Bypass 20, and east to Belvidere High School—a problem dating to 1993 at a fraction of the previously estimated $45-46 million cost.
Building Department staffing: Building Director Wilcox reported hiring a new administrative assistant who will move into code enforcement when Cara retires September 24. He said the department is still working to fill his former position and he has been handling up to three jobs. The mayor thanked Wilcox and Planning Director DelRose for their patience during the transition.
Financial / operational notes
The city received a clean audit for fiscal year ending April 30, 2026, with total grant spending of $4.3 million ($3.2 million federal, $1.1 million state). Federal spending included $1 million in final American Rescue Plan Act funds and $2 million through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for drinking water improvements. Auditor Nick Bava of Sikich CPA LLC reported no instances of non-compliance or questioned costs.
Building permits in August totaled $41,080: 16 commercial permits generated $16,500 and 110 residential permits generated $25,200.
The city has flatlined its tax levy at zero for four of the past five years, with one exception when Lifeline Ambulance ceased service with six months’ notice, creating a $1.6 million shortfall for emergency transport. The mayor noted the city’s share of property taxes is approximately 12%, with 68% going to the school district.
Impact fees continue to fund capital projects. The Safe Routes to School grant of $249,346 covers an estimated project cost of $247,011. The City Hall flooring project will cost $63,845 in impact fees. Impact fees were established under former Mayor Peterson to ensure developers—not existing residents—pay for infrastructure needed for new housing developments.
Planning Director DelRose reported two cases last month (a variance and the 7-Eleven proposal). Upcoming cases include a special use permit for a daycare center, a variance for a wider curb cut to accommodate truck traffic at Americold, expansion at the Mobile gas station, and work at 220 West Locust (the YMCA). Zoning verification letters have increased significantly, indicating properties are changing hands quickly.
Code Enforcement completed four forced mowings with 15 cases still in progress for weeds, grass, and garbage violations.
The 2025 Safe Routes to School project was selected for funding with an award of $249,346 against an estimated cost of $247,011, to be paid from public benefit funds.
Public comment
Teresa Stein said she has loved Belvidere for 20 years but opposes the potential data center project because it could take significant water and electricity, hurt farm animals with constant noise, and ruin the beauty of the town.
Bonita Gertis, who has lived at 4777 Stone Quarry Road since 1998, said she wants to keep farms as they are. She expressed alarm at the speed of developments, referencing 200 pages of municipal records and discussions dating to late 2024. She questioned whether residents would be “guinea pigs” for what she called a conceptual 500-megawatt hyperscale data center larger than any in the United States. She cited concerns from Anthropic researchers about powerful AI systems testing human ability to keep them under control. She said noise from two miles away is already audible on farmland and will travel from the proposed site.
Ruth He challenged the mayor’s jurisdiction to annex land in unincorporated Genoa Township, citing Illinois statute 65 ILCS 5/7-1-1 on annexation of contiguous territories. She said the tollway bridge on Genoa Road separates city from county and the territory is “broken and separated.” She said the mayor has not disclosed plans for tall transmission towers or high-voltage transmission structures approved by MISO to run from Rockford into Belvidere, or potential annexation of acres east of Walmart. She asked why the mayor did not inform residents a year ago when he “obviously knew about it” and urged the council to “save our farmlands and our water systems and our way of life.”
Notable moments
Mayor Morris devoted significant time responding to public concerns about the data center, emphasizing he has made no commitments and lacks details on water, power, or noise. He defended his practice of meeting with all developers, saying, “You should hope that every mayor does that because otherwise they’re not doing their job.” He disclosed he has never accepted campaign donations, does not charge the city for mileage, and often pays for his own meals with potential developers to avoid conflicts of interest.
When Alderman Brereton asked Building Director Wilcox, Public Works Director Keck, and Planning Director DelRose “What can you tell us about Project Hawkeye?” in succession, each confirmed limited information. DelRose said it is “literally just been a here’s a fun idea with no details.” The mayor responded, “I think that’s pretty much what I told you, Alderman Brereton, but it’s too bad that you may have lost your trust.”
The mayor noted Cherry Valley may consider a data center project Wednesday night in Boone County, five and a half to six miles from Belvidere, saying “I would be curious as to what makes them…believe is in it for them to want to do that.”
The mayor described Perry School as a building that “doesn’t owe the taxpayers a penny” after 126 years of service, contrasting it with the school district’s decision to close it and spend $520,817 in city impact fees on “mulch” rather than needed repairs.
The executive session on collective bargaining was canceled. The mayor told the council, “That may be D-Day” at the next meeting.