Buildings high on McHenry Co. wish list

The McHenry County sheriff's office and county health department emerged Friday as the clear winners in a second round of talks over what new facilities to build on a proposed county campus in Woodstock.

Results from an unofficial survey of county board members, department heads and other high-ranking officials show county leaders believe a priority should be placed on getting those two departments new buildings, each projected to cost $10 million or more, to keep up with expanding workforces and growing demands for their services.

"We're delighted to see that," health department Administrator Patrick McNulty said. "Right now, we're completely full and it limits our ability to offer clinic opportunities to people who need them."

McNulty's department currently runs most of its operations out of two offices in cramped annex buildings adjacent to the courthouse in Woodstock. A new building, he said, would bring those operations under one roof, though not do away with clinics at satellite locations throughout the county.

Before the health department gets its new facility, however, county officials will focus on a public safety building to house the sheriff, McHenry County Emergency Management and the county's emergency dispatch center.

Sheriff Keith Nygren said he hopes the new building, tentatively planned to sit north of the county administration building near Route 47 and Ware Road is open for business within two to three years.

"We have grown, and the functions of the sheriff's department have grown, to the point that we need the extra space," he said.

Moving the sheriff's department out of the county courthouse would also free up needed room in that building for the state's attorney, public defender and circuit clerk, county board Chairman Ken Koehler said.

"We knew going into this process that a public safety building was on the horizon," he added.

If there was a loser from Friday's talks, it was the county's Regional Office of Education. Officials decided that within five years they would ask the office to move out of the county administration building to open up space for other departments.

"The Lake County Regional Office of Education is located at the College of Lake County, and that's worked out well for them," McHenry County Administrator Peter Austin said. "Plus, putting the office near the largest amount of teachers is a good thing, and that (place) isn't northern Woodstock."

Regional Superintendent Gene Goeglien said Friday he would be willing to discuss the possible move with county officials.

Other projects to win strong support in the county official survey included the construction of a new service garage for county vehicles, expansion of the administration building and construction of a courthouse addition.

The ongoing talks are part of an effort to create a 20-year plan for building and expanding county facilities.