Washington Township Commits Remaining $56,617 in American Rescue Funds to HVAC Project

Washington Township Board of Trustees Meeting | February 2, 2026

Article Summary: To avoid losing expiring federal grant money, Washington Township will utilize its remaining Will County American Rescue Plan funds to replace the HVAC system at the Community Building.

Washington Township Finances Key Points:

• The township currently holds a balance of $56,617.52 in American Rescue Grant funds received from Will County.

• The funds must be utilized by the end of 2026, or the township will forfeit the remaining balance.

• The board agreed to use the money to fund a complete HVAC replacement at the Washington Township Community Building.

• In a separate financial move, the board reviewed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with Crete Township to share QuickBooks accounting software costs, totaling approximately $3,500 for Washington Township’s share.

Faced with a looming end-of-year deadline, the Washington Township Board of Trustees on Monday, February 2, 2026, agreed to utilize the remainder of its American Rescue Grant funds for a significant infrastructure update at the Washington Township Community Building.

Supervisor Mike Stanula informed the board that the township currently holds an unspent balance of $56,617.52 from the American Rescue Grant it received from Will County. Federal guidelines stipulate that the township must utilize the grant by the end of 2026, otherwise, any remaining funds will be lost and returned.

To ensure the money benefits local taxpayers, Stanula proposed using the funds to replace the aging HVAC system at the Washington Township Community Building. He confirmed that the infrastructure project firmly qualifies under the grant’s usage parameters. The board raised no objections to the proposal, and Stanula confirmed the township will request the funds for the upcoming project.

Because the grant operates on a “reimbursement” basis, Washington Township will complete the HVAC replacement in the coming weeks and submit the required paperwork to Will County to trigger the release of the funds.

In other financial business, the board addressed a necessary software upgrade recommended by the township’s accountant, Mark Dahlberg. Dahlberg utilizes QuickBooks accounting software to manage the township’s finances. The specific software tier allows for up to five accounts and is officially owned by neighboring Crete Township, with Dahlberg utilizing the extra account slots for Washington Township.

While Crete Township has no issues with the shared arrangement, their officials requested to be reimbursed for half the cost of the software program. Dahlberg recommended that the two entities enter into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to formally split the costs and ensure continuity.

Stanula confirmed he has received a draft of the IGA, which has been reviewed by the township’s attorney. Moving forward, Washington Township will cover 50% of the program’s cost and owes Crete Township approximately $3,500 to cover its share of the 2025 and 2026 subscription fees.