Will County Capital Improvements News Briefs

Courthouse Scaffolding Expected to Come Down Soon: Scaffolding on one corner of the Will County Courthouse should be removed within the next two weeks, pending reports from material scientists. “We’re looking for, depending on the severe weather that’s coming in tonight, week’s end or end of next week at the latest, a report from the two material scientists,” said County Facilities Manager Bill Fern. The scaffolding was installed to assess and protect the building facade, with all costs being covered by the contractor, not the county.

Fifth Floor Cafe Space Converted to Vending Area: The former cafeteria space on the fifth floor of the county building has been converted to a vending machine area with fresh food options. A security wall was installed to separate the kitchen area from the public space, and new vending machines now offer fresh sandwiches delivered every other day, along with a high-end coffee machine that grinds beans on demand. Fern reported that usage of the space has been “very mixed,” with many employees using it primarily as a break room for food brought from home.

Damaged Old Courthouse Plaza to be Completely Replaced: County officials reported that the damaged aggregate stone plaza outside the Old Courthouse will require complete replacement rather than repair. “The repairs would not hold. Concrete with the exposed aggregate would look terrible as well as still be an uneven fixture, and then as the weather changes, the aggregate will get loose again,” Fern explained. The county is developing specifications for the project and will seek bids, with the work expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Life Safety Training Classes Begin for County Employees: The county has begun offering life safety training classes for employees, with sessions scheduled on Wednesdays. The classes, which can accommodate eight people at a time, provide training in CPR and the proper use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Department heads will receive email invitations from Phil Smith to schedule their staff for the training, which will be held at the facilities building.

Health Campus Manager Recognized for Excellence: County officials recognized Tyler, manager of the Health Campus facility, for his outstanding performance in maintaining the facility. “He manages seven team members out there and our facility ranks number one to number three in the county year after year,” Fern said. Tyler, who has been with the county for seven years and was promoted to manager a year and a half ago, was specifically praised for his detailed record-keeping that helps the facility pass annual Illinois Department of Public Health accreditation.

County Conducting Comprehensive Facility Assessments: The county has begun a comprehensive facility needs assessment, with surveys recently distributed to department heads. The assessment, which will be combined with a space needs evaluation being conducted by Wight and Company, will provide a master plan for county facilities. “This is several months in the making,” noted Committee Chair Sherry Freeman. The assessment is expected to be completed by the end of the year and will guide future decisions about facility improvements and space utilization.

Committee Member Requests Ribbon-Cutting Notifications: Committee Member Julie Burwitz requested that county board members be informed of ribbon-cutting ceremonies for county facilities, after learning that one had been held in January for the new Community Development Department space without board notification. “I’d like the County Board to be invited to things in the future,” Burwitz said. The space in question was formerly occupied by the coroner’s office before that department relocated to new facilities.