Grants; forgivable loans ease city’s tax burdens

With a $200 million infrastructure and capital development improvement plan in the works, an impressive blight reduction strategy underway, and an ongoing effort to modernize the technology of itspublic safety systems, the city of Freeport has gotten aggressive in securing federal, state, and local grant dollars to ease the burden of its local taxpayers.“The ability to bring in dollars from outside of Freeport to help us modernize our infrastructure, reinvest in our neighborhoods, and retool our Police and Fire departments has made all the difference in what we have accomplished over the past four years,” says Freeport Mayor Jodi Miller.With over $50 million in grants secured to repair and replace aging public works and utilities in Freeport alone, the city’s largest forgivable loan to date is a $13 million Illinois Environmental Protection Agency investment in the construction of Well #11—a 1,280-foot-deep water well and well house that has helped Freeport to vastly improve the quality of its water.“Without the help of the State of Illinois and Congressman Eric Sorensen who helped us to secure another $900,000 for Well #11, I’m not sure we could have done the project,” admits Jodi.Jodi also points to over $12 million the city has received from the state over the past several years to help replace over 2,100 lead water pipe service lines in the city.“Clean and safe water has been a priority for us,” says Jodi. “The partnerships and relationships we have made with our federal, state, and local officials are helping to improve our quality of life in Freeport while easing our local tax burden.”

 

Other notable grants and forgivable loans the city of Freeport has secured under Jodi’s leadership include:

$1.8 million—Phase B Water Main
$400,000—Water Well #11
$1.7 million—USEPA Brownsfield Grant
$2.4 million—Unsewered Communities
$5 million—Waste Water Treatment Plant
$1.5 million—Chicago Avenue Stewart Grant
$1 million—Empire Street Stewart Grant
$550,000—CDBG ADA Sidewalk Ramps
$500,000—Locust Avenue Stephenson County ARPA Grant
$1.25 million—Adams Avenue Water Systems
$1.3 million—Pearl City Road Rebuild Fund
$1.6 million—Congressman Sorensen Water Main Grant

​$2 million—Hancock Bridge Special Bridge Fund
$375,000—Office on Violence Against Women SVU Grant
$45,408—IDOT Sustained Traffic Enforcement Grant
$12,717—ILEAS Grant for Tasers
$4,891—Stateline Area Crime Stop for Emergency Response Team
$12,000—Rural Body Worn Camera Grant
$347,272—FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant--Equipment
$263,636—FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant—New Ambulance
$22,371—Leary Firefighter Foundation Award—Thermal Imaging

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