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Kane County Board member
Drew Frasz said the need for
a new Coroner’s Office
facility has been a topic of
discussion for more than
seven years. Frasz said the
present Coroner’s Office
facility, located on the Kane
County Government Center
campus in Geneva, is in
need of an upgrade.

Kane County considers new $13.2 million multi-use facility

Members of the Kane County Board Committee of The Whole Bullet points in the PowerPoint presentation include:
on Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2020) heard a presentation on a proposal to
• The single autopsy station and cooler have been pushed to the
build a new, $13.2 million multi-use facility at the Kane County
limit on several occasions.
Judicial Center campus in St. Charles.
• Airflow and odor both inside and outside the facility have been
If approved, the facility would include a new home for the Kane
issues.
County Coroner’s Office and storage space for Kane County
• Office space is maxed out.
Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, bomb squad equipment, vehicle
• A break room has to double as conference and training room.
maintenance and the county’s Facilities Maintenance Department.
• Vehicles have to be unloaded outside in all weather.
According to the report, funding for the project, presently
estimated at $13,246,008, would come from the sale of bonds, a The presentation also outlined the advantages of consolidating
$749,347 contribution from the Public Building Fund and a the SWAT team, bomb squad equipment, vehicle maintenance
$600,000 grant from the state of Illinois. and facilities maintenance.
If approved by the County Board Executive Committee, the The new facility would allow the county to move several
proposal could be voted on by the full County Board on March 10, storage facilities and vehicle maintenance functions presently
according to the report. located at the former jail property on Fabyan Parkway, opening
In a PowerPoint presentation on February 25, Kane County opportunities for sale or other uses for that property.
Board member Drew Frasz said the need for a new Coroner’s Officials said the interest rate now is 44% lower than it was a
Office facility has been a topic of discussion for more than seven year ago, making the project more affordable and shortening the
years. Frasz said the present Coroner’s Office facility, located on bond-repayment period from 9.5 to 8.5 years.
the Kane County Government Center campus in Geneva, is in
need of an upgrade. The full presentation is available online at www.countyofkane.org.

Franklin County Courthouse officially decommissioned

After nearly 150 years, the sun has finally set on the Franklin County
courthouse. A crowd gathered on Monday, February 17 as county officials
decommissioned the historic building. The flag was lowered and ceremoni-
ously taken across the street and raised at Campbell Building, the county’s
temporary courthouse.
After two unsuccessful campaigns to raise taxes in order to raise funds
to build a new courthouse, voters approved a temporary 1% sales tax
increase for the project in 2018. The funds will cover the demolition,
planning and construction of a new courthouse in the old one’s footprint.
County Board Chairman Randal Crocker was happy after the ceremony.
“Everything's moving forward,” said Crocker.
As it stands, Crocker has said the plan is to begin demolition of the old
building this year as well as finalize for the new facility. In the meantime,
Franklin County Board Member John Gulley takes the flag
down from the old county courthouse in Benton. “We gather offices from the old courthouse have occupied the recently-renovated
here to say thank you to an old friend,” Gulley said during the Campbell Building. Some, like the clerk’s office, will stay there permanently,
event’s opening remarks.
while others, like the Circuit Clerk’s office, will move into the new court-
Read the complete story at www.thesouthern.com. house when it’s finished.