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| Bigger Jail Approved in Illinois |
| By The Beacon Journal |
| Published: 11/14/2005 |
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The Kane County Board took a step closer to the final decision on building a new Illinois jail next to the Judicial Center. Board members approved hiring a construction manager to oversee building the facility, and also approved a concept plan that will increase the size of the proposed jail from 608 to 640 beds. The board approved a contract of $193,000 for preconstruction services with the M.A. Mortenson Co., based in Washington state, in association with Lamp Construction Inc. of Elgin. Eventually, the board is to enter into a manager-at-risk arrangement with Mortenson/Lamp, which means the companies will guarantee a final construction price to the board. The companies will pay anything more than that final price. Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles, said that final price should be ready by the end of January 2006, at which time the board can make a final decision on building the jail. The vote to hire Mortenson/Lamp was 19 to 7, and the vote to expand the size of the first phase of the project to 640 beds was 21-5. Board member Deborah Allan voted against both jail resolutions, saying there are other options to a new jail. She said if the county spends money on the jail now estimated at about $55 million it could take money from other future projects, such as a new coroner's office and the animal-control facility. She also said that "the option of rehabbing (the current jail) is still out there." Allan was joined in that appraisal by Tina Yagla, a member of Jail Options in Need, or JOIN, a political action committee which has been opposing the new jail project. Yagla told the board that adding 200 beds to the current jail and rehabbing some of the jail infrastructure would only cost an estimated $40 million. She also suggested the board delay the project until it looks at a new master plan for the Judicial Center site. Members of JOIN are gathering signatures to put an advisory referendum on either the spring or fall 2006 ballot asking voters if they want to build a new jail. While opponents spoke against the jail Tuesday, the most impassioned speech came from a jail project supporter. Board member Dorothy Sanchez, D-Aurora, said the County Board has discussed the jail situation for 10 years, but "it has never been accomplished because somebody always questions something." "It's not popular; we still don't have the money; we never will have the money," she said. "So, nothing gets accomplished. But we still have the responsibility. We can put it off so our children, or, God forbid, our grandchildren have to deal with it later on." |
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