City Council October 5, 2026

The Belvidere City Council’s regular meeting on October 5, 2026, included several spending and procurement approvals. The council waived competitive bidding for repairs to disc filters at the wastewater treatment plant, then approved a Veolia Water Technologies proposal to rebuild vessels 2 and 3 for an amount rendered unclearly in the transcript as “$159,1141” (approximately $159,000); the work will be paid from the sewer appropriation account. It also approved a $17,540 design-engineering change order to Arc Design Resources for the Kishwaukee Riverfront path extension, funded by grants and capital funds, and the low bid from Entra Group of $1,987,322.50 for the Allen Street Pond Outlet to the river project, funded by capital funds. The path change order passed with one abstention; the other procurement motions passed. The council also approved resolutions concerning the Irene Road bridge maintenance agreement with Boone County and other local agencies, including a follow-up environmental agreement involving the Illinois State Tollway Authority.

Public commenters strongly opposed the proposed Project Hawkeye data center and raised concerns about farmland, water, noise, health, and the project’s effects on the community. One speaker questioned a $150,000 Datawatt Energy fund described in the documents as available for miscellaneous expenditures and asked the city to disclose how it is used; no council action on the data center or fund was recorded. The council also approved a bank-site zoning ordinance, an amendment creating a simpler subdivision consolidation process, and landmark designation for Perry Elementary School. The school district superintendent requested consideration of a stop sign near Mien Elementary and acknowledged the city’s support for school safety.