ALTON – Alton officials are one step closer to establishing a fund solely dedicated to citywide capital improvement projects.
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City Council members on Aug. 12, 2026 unanimously approved a resolution to allocate $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds towards the creation of a designated Capital Projects fund.
Once the fund has been established with the initial $1.2 million, the resolution calls for future yearly funding to come from the city’s General Fund or other tax revenues to ensure the city can meet future capital project needs.
“A dedicated capital projects fund, seeded with ARPA monies, reflects the city’s commitment to reinvesting in its public infrastructure,” the resolution states.
Also approved was a resolution to introduce an ordinance creating an annual Multi-Year Capital Improvement Plan for the City of Alton.
This requires the inclusion of a multi-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) within the city’s annual budget proposals. Each proposed budget would need to include an annually updated CIP outlining specific projects and estimates for City Council consideration and approval.
The stated purpose of the CIP is to allow city officials to “plan for and prioritize public improvements in the short and long term,” according to the resolution. Funding for projects identified in the CIP would come from the Capital Projects Fund, the General Fund, and other appropriate revenue sources.
With the resolution itself securing the council’s approval, the item is set to return in ordinance form for a first and second reading before a final City Council vote at a future meeting.
A full recording of the Aug. 12, 2026 Alton City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
