City of Alton - Committee of the Whole Meeting
ALTON – Alton may soon establish a dedicated fund for capital improvements as city officials look to improve their short and long-term infrastructure planning.
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Committee of the Whole members unanimously approved two resolutions related to capital improvements at their Aug. 10, 2026 meeting.
The approved resolutions include the disbursement of $1.2 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to create a designated Capital Projects fund, and a resolution to introduce an ordinance creating an annual Multi-Year Capital Improvement Plan for the City of Alton.
Under the first resolution, a total of $1.2 million in previously unallocated ARPA funds would be used to establish a dedicated “capital projects fund” for future public infrastructure improvements. The resolution calls for further annual funding to come from the city’s General Fund and other tax revenues to ensure the city can meet future capital project needs.
The city previously passed a resolution in April of 2023 which allocated up to $1 million of ARPA funding to each of three categories: housing and homelessness, youth skills and development, and economic development.
Alderwoman Stephanie Elliott asked this week if dedicating the full $1.2 million to capital projects would take money away from the categories of youth development and homelessness. Comptroller Paul Fritsch said it would not, since the $1.2 million represents leftover ARPA funds from the economic development category.
The second resolution adds the inclusion of a multi-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) to the city’s annual budget proposal process. 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 (if approved), the General Fund, and other appropriate revenue sources.
Both items were approved unanimously by committee members and now face consideration and approval from the City Council at their next meeting this Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026 at 6:30 p.m.
A full recording of the Aug. 10, 2026 Alton Committee of the Whole meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
