Article Summary: After initially denying a request to transfer a $558,000 grant to a new building project, Will County has verbally reversed its decision, giving Green Garden Township the go-ahead to construct a new town hall. The surprising approval comes with a strict new deadline, requiring the entire project to be completed by July 31, 2026, and is contingent on a final vote from the township electorate.

Town Hall Grant Key Points:

• Grant Status: Will County is expected to formally approve the transfer of a $558,000 grant from a renovation project to the construction of a new town hall.

• Strict Deadline: The project now has a firm completion deadline of July 31, 2026, with no funds to be reimbursed until the entire project is finished.

• Financial Impact: The township will forfeit approximately $127,000 in sunk costs for the old renovation plan but will avoid an additional $50,000 to $100,000 in expected overages for that project.

• Electorate Approval Needed: The township will hold a public vote to authorize the new building project before moving forward.

GREEN GARDEN TOWNSHIP — A plan to build a new town hall, once thought dead after its grant funding was denied, has been unexpectedly revived after Will County officials reversed their decision at the eleventh hour.

Township Supervisor Dean Christofilos announced at Monday’s board meeting that just four hours earlier, he received a call informing him the county had reconsidered and would allow a $558,000 grant to be used for a new building rather than for renovating the existing, aging town hall. The decision ends a whirlwind two weeks of uncertainty but comes with a new, aggressive timeline.

“The county may have changed their mind,” Christofilos recounted from his phone call with Anna, a director at Asensure, the firm managing the grant for Will County. “They talked to us and they think that it would better serve the Green Garden Township community to do the new building.”

The reversal was a stunning turn of events. The county had previously declined the township’s request to transfer the grant, citing concerns about the feasibility and timeliness of completing a new structure. This forced the board to reconsider renovating the current building, a project the previous board had initiated.

However, a meeting with the architect and general contractor for the renovation revealed the project would likely cost $50,000 to $100,000 more than its $650,000 budget. That price tag did not include a new septic system, asbestos abatement, demolition of a pole barn, or several other necessary items.

The township has already invested approximately $127,000 in architectural and site assessment work for the renovation, funds that cannot be transferred to the new project and will likely be lost. Christofilos noted that despite this loss, the estimated $750,000 total cost for the new building is comparable to what the renovation would have ultimately cost, without providing a modern, long-term solution.

“We felt like that’s where our future is,” Christofilos said, referencing the 43 acres of township-owned land where the new hall would be built. “Why not invest our time, energy, and money in where our future is.”

The county’s approval, while verbal for now, comes with stringent conditions. The project must be fully completed by July 31, 2026, a significantly tighter deadline than the township’s original timeline. Furthermore, the county will not reimburse any funds until the project is 100% complete.

“If Green Garden cannot accomplish this, the award may be subject to withdrawal due to concerns about administration and timely completion of the project,” Christofilos read from an email from Asensure.

Despite the pressure, board members expressed relief and support for pursuing the new building.

“If we’re going to dip into what we have saved up for a building, it might as well go towards the building and have the grant money cover as much as possible,” said Trustee Wesley Shepherd.

The township plans to fund the difference between the grant and the final cost—estimated at around $350,000—from its capital fund, requiring no financing or debt. Before proceeding, the board must present a solid plan to the community for a vote.

“We want the electorate’s input,” Christofilos affirmed. “We don’t want to do it, we want us to do it. And if we can’t do it, then this board doesn’t want to do it either.”