The Collinsville City Council approved a $423,940 tax-increment financing expenditure Monday to bring three urban parks to the uptown area.

Existing green spaces along Illinois Route 159, from Main Street to Clay Street, will be renovated to have stamped brick walkways to match the streetscape project, a large brick wall, sculpture, a backlit Collinsville sign, fencing, flagpoles, trees and plantings. The spaces are next to Home Furniture, Ashmann’s Pharmacy and the former Bert’s Chuckwagon restaurant site.

Councilwoman Nancy Moss, who approved the motion, questioned if the cost was too high for the amount of space being renovated. “My concern is the cost per square foot because some of these are tiny slivers of ground,” Moss said. “I was hoping it would come in less than this. I want it to look good, but I’m concerned about over planting.”

The project, which has been under discussion by the Council for about three years, has been scaled back by about half from its original scope, Uptown Coordinator Leah Joyce said. The project has been nit-picked more than similar projects, Councilman Mike Tognarelli said.

“This is a beautiful thing for the city, we need to be noticed.” Tognarelli said. “That’s what TIF money is for; it’s to enhance the area it is generated in.”

The purpose of the parks are to enhance the aesthetics of the city. Determining a direct financial benefit from them would difficult, Joyce said. “I think we will see a financial benefit, I just don’t know what that is.”

The money for the project is a drop in the bucket compared to what has already been spent on the streetscape project, Mayor John Miller said. Miller called the parks a matter of civic pride that would complement the streetscape project. “This is just a little bit to put the icing on the cake,” Miller said.

The entire $423,940 will come from the TIF District One fund, which has a current balance of about $5.5 million, Finance Director Tamara Ammann said. The fund’s balance was approximately $5.2 million at the beginning of the year. It has increased thanks to the influx of revenue from property taxes and low expenditures, Ammann said.

Councilwoman Karen Woolard, who was the only Council member to vote against the measure, said the TIF funds should be used to make repairs first. “Everyone has a different idea of beauty,” Woolard said. “We could have a less is more concept by fixing the degraded areas first.”

Kevin Rogers, Manager of A-1 Vacuum World at 300 E. Main St., questioned the City Council’s priorities. “They are worried about this and we have sidewalks out there that are completely crumbling,” Rogers said. “Progress is fine, but take care of the things that matter the most, that are already there.”

The sidewalks in front of A-1 Vacuum will be repaired during the fourth phase of the streetscape project, which will renovate East Main Street from Illinois Route 159 to Aurora Street and Aurora Street from Main Street to Clay Street. The city was awarded a $1.2 million grant from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program in January for phase four, which is still in the planning phase.

Work on the pocket parks will begin soon and is scheduled for completion in November, Joyce said. C & H Grading & Excavating Inc., of Collinsville, won the bid to complete the work. U-Studios Incorporated, of Swansea, is the project architect.

In other business, the City Council unanimously approved a 2 percent pay raise for City Manager Scott Williams. His new pay rate of $107,100 will go into effect on Sept. 3.