St. Clair County wants to issue bonds to pay for $15 million in construction projects
St. Clair County wants to issue bonds to cover $15 million in construction, including building a new animal control facility in Belleville.
The County Board started the process Monday night. Board members approved a resolution that schedules a public hearing in late February to allow taxpayers to comment on the plan before officials can move forward.
The public hearing will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the County Board meeting room at the County Courthouse in Belleville.
Next steps involve updating the county’s lease agreement with its Public Building Commission, which manages all county-owned buildings and properties. The agreements detail when bonds are issued by the commission and when they are due to be repaid by the county.
The county budgeted for these bonds in 2025, County Board Chairman Mark Kern told board members during Monday’s County Board Judiciary Committee meeting.
“The dollars for this bond issue are in this year’s current budget,” Kern said. “... There is no tax increases that go along with this.”
The new animal control building’s construction is currently underway at 1123 Comwest Parkway in Belleville. The builder officially broke ground on Jan. 16. The total estimated cost of the project is $12 million, according to Kern.
He told board members the additional money from the bonds would give the county a “buffer” for other expenses related to the animal control facility or funding that could potentially go toward other projects, like the ongoing construction at the County Courthouse.
The county is in the process of reconstructing the courthouse entrance at the corner of South First and West Washington streets after it demolished the deteriorating exterior steps there.
County Administrator and Budget Officer Debra Moore said in an interview after the County Board meeting that if the bond process progresses, the county would be able to provide more specificity about the projects they will fund.
Two County Board members were absent from the meeting: Democrats Jerry Dinges of District 15 and Richie Meile of District 25.
