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District 2 Cook County Commissioner Stacey Hawkins is asking the public to weigh in on the county’s Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
The County had laid out three options for the public to consider for its five-year CIP.
Option 1: $17.4 million
The first option consists of a courthouse remodel and improvements as well as additions to the Law Enforcement Center (LEC).
Under this plan the courthouse would remain where it is but the courthouse functions would be relocated to the expanded LEC.
The Public Health and Human Services (PHHS) space would be expanded by 4,500 square feet and the Public Health Educator who now works at the Community Center would be added to the PHHS.
The courtroom would become the commissioners meeting room.
LEC
The LEC current building is 7,290 square feet but would be expanded 3,500 for a Law Enforcement Center addition. There would also be a 7,650 square feet buildout for the court functions. When completed the building would be 18,440 square feet (SF).
The court room would be 1,200 SF: courtroom services (2,500 SF), attorney offices (1,240 SF), and circulation (2,050).
This would correct “current short comings by expanding the Sally Port (850 SF) and add additional evidence processing/ evidence storage (1,150 SF) and office space (1,000 SF).
Option 2- $14 million
Under this plan the courthouse building would get a two-level 4,500 SF addition on the north side of the building. This would be for a dedicated expansion for the Public Health and Human Services with a separate entrance. The existing PHHS space would be reorganized and the current Public Health Educator from the community center would be relocated to this space. The court functions would remain in the current space.
LEC
An additional 3,500 SF would be added onto the law enforcement center which would make the building 10,790 SF.
A dedicated space for the Emergency Operations Center (500 SF) would be created as well as expand the Sally Port (8,500 SF). Also, an addition (1,150 SF) will be made for the Evidence Processing/ Evidence Storage room and 1,000 SF will be added for offices.
Option 3- $14.98 million
A single story (4,500 SF) addition would be added onto the second level of the courthouse on the north side of the building. This would be a dedicated expansion for the PHHS with a separate entrance.
The existing PHHS space would be reorganized.
Once again, the Public Health Educator would relocate form the community center to PHHS.
The court functions would remain where they are.
LEC
An additional 3,500 SF would be added onto the current building. A dedicated space would made for an Emergency Operations Center (500 SF) and the Sally Port would be expanded (850 SF). Also, the Evidence Procession/ Evidence Storage (1,150 SF) and office space (1,000 SF) would be added.
Funding options
The county has a variety of ways to pay for updates, expansions and improvements.
There is $455,500 in 2023 Capital Projects funds, $407,000 in the Building Reserve Balance Fund, up to $1.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding, Federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) that could increase by over $700,000 annually with a favorable assessment of federal land values in the county, as well as an increase of state POLT payments to the county which could be as much as $200,000 annually.
And then there is state and county bonding that could be used to generate dollars to pay for the upgrades. The debt from the general obligation bonds or revenue bonds could be serviced through the levy or other sources noted above.
Now what?
The county has a “Cook County Capital Improvement Plan” survey that commissioner Hawkins would like the public to fill out. It’s not long but Hawkins asks you to write your responses in the three spaces available on the survey if you have more to add. You can find the CIP survey on the county website on the home page. “You may have to scroll through the MORE NEWS to see it on the scrolling page. The info packet is there along with the survey. Those taking the survey online just need to mark that they reviewed the information online,” Hawkins said.
Paper copies may be dropped off at the courthouse or, said Hawkins, “I have also offered to return them for people who ask me to.”
The link on the county homepage is: CIP UPDATES: Millions Needed to Repair County Buildings; Public Input Sought (cook.mn.us)
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