Mundelein officials want new police station sign, but at no public cost

Mundelein officials want to purchase a new monument sign for the police station, but taxpayers won't be on the hook for the bill.

Funding will come from an account dedicated to revenue acquired through drunken-driving cases, such as car and cash seizures and fines, officials said.

"There will be no cost to the city," Public Safety Director Eric Guenther said during a village board discussion this week.

The station has stood at 221 N. Lake St. since 2002. The current brick monument sign is on the west side of the building facing Lake Street, also known as Route 45. That sign will be removed when a statue honoring local police officers is installed.

The life-size bronze statue will depict a police officer standing with two children. The $40,000 project was largely funded with private donations, although the village has pledged $15,000. The statue is expected to be added to the site this summer.

The new monument sign will stand about 100 feet south of where the current sign is.

Officials have proposed including an electronic message board in the sign. That display will be used to share public safety messages, such as reminders about not using hand-held cellphones while driving or information about drunken-driving campaigns.

"When we put out a public safety message, we want to reach as much of the motoring public as we can," Guenther said.

The inclusion of the public-safety message board legally allows the village to spend money from the DUI account on the project, officials said.

The sign is expected to cost about $40,000, Assistant Village Administrator Michael Flynn said.

The village board authorized staff to seek bids for the design, construction and installation of the sign. Construction is expected this summer, Flynn said.