Monee Board Authorizes Negotiations for Voortman Steel Redevelopment Agreement

Monee Village Board Meeting | Feb. 11, 2026

Article Summary: The Monee Village Board voted to allow village administration to negotiate a redevelopment agreement with Voortman Steel to assist the company in completing its new facility.
Voortman Steel Redevelopment Key Points:

• Retention Success: The Netherlands-based steel company originally considered leaving Monee before village officials helped secure a new location.

• New Facility: The company is nearing completion of a new facility on a 28-acre site at the former Rainbow Farms property.

• TIF Eligibility: The proposed agreement involves Tax Increment Financing (TIF) eligible expenses to help the project reach completion.

The Monee Village Board on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, authorized village staff to enter into negotiations for a redevelopment agreement with Voortman Steel.

Village Administrator Ruben Bautista presented the request, highlighting the company’s importance to the local economy. According to Bautista, the steel company, which is based in the Netherlands, was contemplating leaving the village approximately 18 months ago to relocate to Indiana or withdraw from the region entirely.

Through a coordinated effort involving Economic Development Director Bill Barnes, village staff, and state officials, the village identified a suitable property for the company at the former Rainbow Farms site. Voortman Steel purchased the 28-acre property and held a groundbreaking ceremony in October 2024.

“Fifteen months later, they’re almost close to completing that project and moving in,” Bautista told the board.

The requested board action allows the village administrator and village attorney to negotiate a redevelopment agreement with Voortman Steel regarding Tax Increment Financing (TIF) eligible expenses. Bautista noted that the agreement is intended to help the company “get past the finish line.”

The final negotiated agreement will be brought back to the Village Board for review and formal consideration in the near future.

The motion to authorize the negotiations was approved unanimously by the board.