Libertyville authorizes $25 million bond issue toward new police station

Village officials have taken another key step in getting a $43 million police station built in Libertyville.

Trustees on Tuesday authorized borrowing $25 million by issuing bonds to build and equip a new, larger police station on the footprint of the department’s longtime home in the Schertz municipal building, 200 E. Cook Ave.

The approved ordinance begins the process of actually selling what are known as alternative revenue bonds. The next milestone would be a notification hearing March 10 with the sale tentatively scheduled for March 24.

Should everything proceed as planned, village officials hope the project can get underway in May.

Bid packages distributed to four pre-qualified bidders are expected to be returned by the end of the month, said Village Administrator Kelly Amidei.

That could be extended, but no other dates have been set and the project remains on schedule overall, she added.

Other departments that had occupied a portion of the building moved several months ago to renovated space elsewhere. The village is working on a temporary location for police and with neighboring communities for detention space as needed, Amidei said.

Bond proceeds would go into a new building fund established to pay a portion of the $43 million approved budget for the new station. Savings of about $18 million in that fund would make up the difference.

Bond principal and interest will be paid annually with revenue from the village’s 1/2% non-home-rule sales tax. Enacted in 2022, the tax generates about $2 million per year for new facilities with a police station as the priority.

“There is no direct impact to our residents, unless they are contributors through the 1/2% sales tax,” Amidei said.

Village officials began evaluating a new police station in 2021 and included it in its capital improvement plan in 2022. Design work began shortly after.

Last November, trustees approved proceeding with a 46,598-square-foot station to replace the current 26,295-square-foot facility, which is considered antiquated and does not support modern police operations, technology and staffing needs, according to the village.

The Schertz building was constructed in 1968 and will be demolished.

The measure approved Tuesday authorizes the bonds to be issued if no petition signed by 1,175 or more registered voters asking it be submitted to a referendum is filed with the village clerk within 30 days after the ordinance is published.