Task Force Recommends $2.5M In Coronavirus Relief For St. Charles

ST. CHARLES, IL — The city of St. Charles could get $2.5 million in coronavirus relief funding, after a Kane County task force recommended a proposal to split about half of the county’s funding from the federal CARES Act among its municipalities, according to a report by the Kane County Chronicle.

In June, St. Charles aldermen said they were looking to cut about 5 percent of the city's budgeted spending this year, or $2.4 million, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

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The county received $92.9 million from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act, officials said in May. Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen established a Coronavirus Relief Task Force, led by Auditor Terry Hunt, to recommend how to allocate the county’s funding to help its residents.

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The task force recently recommended distributing $41.8 million of the federal funds to municipalities in the county based on population, the Kane County Chronicle reports. Under the task force’s recommended proposal, Aurora would receive $7.2 million in funding, Elgin would get $7.3 million and unincorporated areas would receive a total of about $7.3 million, the report states.

The recommendation calls for the Tri-Cities region to receive about $6.3 million, with $2.5 million for St. Charles, $2 million for Batavia and $1.7 million for Geneva.

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The Kane County Board used $5 million to support the Health Department’s efforts to distribute protective gear to residents, the report states. The task force’s recommendation also urges officials to keep $42 million to cover the county’s coronavirus-related costs, according to the report.

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The Metro West Council of Government on Wednesday said it is against the recommendation as it does not cover all expenses incurred as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the Kane County Chronicle reports. The council, made up of leaders of 18 communities, had urged the Kane County Board to immediately distribute at least $45 million to municipalities.

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Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, who serves as president of the Metro West Council, said funding should be disbursed to communities on a rolling basis, with coronavirus-related costs set to continue at least through the end of the year.