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Kane County construction projects get prioritized

Kane County elected officials and several key employees recently brainstormed a $39 million list of construction projects that will represent the bulk of capital projects targeted at improving government services during the next five years. County officials revealed the priority ranking of that list this week.

While big changes are in store for the county jail and judicial center campus, new space for the coroner is essentially dead in the water unless the money flows freely. The county has about $7 million on hand to address the list. County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay has hinted she’ll pitch a borrowing program, via bonds, to fund the remaining $32 million.

At the top of the list is a new parking garage to address the endless circling of automotive traffic during peak times at the courthouse. County officials also want to open up the shell space at the county jail to address the ongoing problem of paying big bucks to house inmates outside the county when the jail is full.

At the bottom of the list are projects taxpayers won’t see much tangible benefit from. More storage space and a new facility to maintain county-owned vehicles have been deemed lower priorities. Space for those activities is currently housed at the old county jail site, indicating the county is in no hurry to either sell or redevelop that land.

The lowest priority is more space for the county coroner’s office. A lack of storage space is the main reason County Coroner Chuck West said he allowed an employee, who is also his son, to take home a large television recovered from a death investigation site. West’s indictment over that action is still in the court system.

Here are the major capital projects for the next five years (in order of priority):

1. Judicial center parking garage (planning and design)

2. Judicial center campus expansion (planning and design)

3. Construction of a new elevator at Third Street Courthouse in Geneva

4. Judicial center parking garage (actual construction)

5. Kane County jail expansion (planning and design to open existing shell space)

6. New diagnostic center office (design and construction)

7. Kane County jail expansion (actual construction)

8. Site preparation for development of 20 acres across Route 38 from the judicial center

9. New county vehicle maintenance facility (planning and design)

10. New county vehicle maintenance facility (actual construction)

11. New sheriff and office of emergency management storage facility (design and construction)

12. Traffic flow improvement at county government center campus

13. New space for coroner (design and construction)