[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6183928,"mediaKeyId","5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3","parentId",5093449,"title","Committee approves posting for buildings-and-grounds director as staffing shortages loom","audioSeconds",175,"startMs",4336000,"endMs",4511000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3&start=4336&end=4511","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3/thumbnail_4336000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6183928/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Committee-approves-posting-for-buildings-and-grounds-director-as-staffing-shortages-loom","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183928-974f086821b5351012ca1babed7e6ecc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141964&Signature=LDxmhRHWFDi-59HB6DRiINeOoFNLMtUan~oC8ahTK6KdxEQP0kcsBy5yuKZ1kjARDyIIi7nYRsZZt3ASexqj1hYuzRSb-5ozYe17UtxDfaF-rvkdsuZCPiSR4CAxVvLNV9RxRGyV6I0vCSRu1BqMveosRaSOUCJxaRW7iwsyZKccM-W54UYk0~zxbFV1GKIqYqD9~F13JFKoJX-d7bI2VDdA4E~tnxEfQnTnYPriEEgMx~FLmvEbNofvRCwWokJjEn8zYRTfzgxxG2Oaw~0zs5atsnWOrNglYz6HFWmDOIcMa7rUdrehpWZ26LyvnAaqRDuPQtJDo41tWTP4JD0FSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","LaSalle County, IL","date","2025-06-28T03:43:13Z","article","The County Property Committee agreed to post the position for the buildings‑and‑grounds director and discussed staffing gaps and wages in the maintenance department.

Committee members and staff said the new director will need strong project‑management skills and the ability to act as the county’s owner’s representative on architectural and engineering projects. “The person that you’re gonna try to get here has to manage all these things. He’s gotta have experience. He’s gotta be a project manager,” Bob (buildings and grounds supervisor) told the committee during the job‑description discussion.

The committee unanimously agreed to move the job posting forward. “As a whole, we’re all in agreement with it to move forward,” a committee member said; staff confirmed the position will be posted.

Staff also briefed members on near‑term staffing changes: Tony (maintenance) plans to leave in July (committee cited July 31 as his last day) and Bob said he expects to remain through November to help transition major projects. Committee members raised concerns about difficulty recruiting skilled maintenance staff at current union wages and noted the county has been relying on outside contractors at high hourly costs when in‑house capacity is limited.

Why it matters: the director role is central to managing ongoing capital, HVAC and security projects discussed elsewhere on the agenda; losing experienced maintenance staff without timely replacements would increase reliance on contractors and raise operating costs.

Next steps: staff will post the director vacancy and proceed with the hiring process; committee members asked that interview panels and selected stakeholders consider the candidate’s project management and engineering interface experience. No hiring decision was made at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","County Property 6-27-2025","oneSentenceSummary","The County Property Committee agreed to post a vacancy for the buildings‑and‑grounds director and discussed staffing gaps and recruitment challenges for maintenance roles.","taxTitle","LaSalle County, Illinois","taxId",59330,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183933,"LaSalle County parks staff report new bus drop-off pad, incoming ADA ramp and native seed germination",36,73000,109000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3&start=73&end=109","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3/thumbnail_73000.jpg","/articles/6183933/LaSalle-County/Illinois/LaSalle-County-parks-staff-report-new-bus-drop-off-pad-incoming-ADA-ramp-and-native-seed-germination","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183933-05812b3955373a39cc18bf404daae3bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141964&Signature=cgEN0n6SRaZdWV2KRsAYIGgEUOyQLKVX9uS-yxI09891uLQBrFpO~EgToe1~hG29GoLQSjdqPw6AVe8b2l-XAv~C3PkZMqc4RxKe9nZvg51mgfCDMgzNj0sVgFakAduC9OECFje1ErPhMZU5xZlohML65U9Is6Jk4YAy4XHSTz~oYYHsw~yNkNRpBRSfhHeqY5abPIDc4Iu748bqIelpJIDbJ-T~itmkNXMSpl~gFjL7mly24i-1pz5~dHm4tWQENL46p5sReuxeRqBZv-WNE377l2JMd5hqnIRBTVDPg4dOk6ilBxWEDVdTg337SGnlT5XeddojwRGQy~QIzPeHkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County parks staff reported progress on small capital and maintenance items at Thursday’s County Property meeting, including a newly poured concrete pad for bus drop-off and handicap parking, a pending ADA ramp delivery, and successful native-seeding efforts at two parks.

Ken (parks staff member) showed a photo of the newly installed concrete pad and said the ADA ramp “should be delivered... maybe Friday or early next week,” and he told the committee he expects the ramp to be installed by the next meeting. Ken said the crew will use the new ramp for bus drop-off and accessible parking adjacent to the shelter.

Ken also described vehicle and equipment issues. He reported that a county Ram van will not start and that he found several severed wires in multiple transmission and sensor harnesses; he said the starter itself spun but did not engage after tests and that he plans to repair wiring and continue diagnosing the problem. “I found several broken wires on all the sensors of the transmission, the reverse lights, the overdrive sensor, and the speed sensor,” Ken said.

On landscaping, Ken said native seedings at both parks are showing strong germination: “All the native grasses look good. All the native forbs that are germinating look good.” He said some oats used as a cover crop showed signs of disease but that the natives were unaffected. Ken credited volunteer groups for much of the new plantings and said staff will supply a list of volunteer names so the committee can send thank‑you notes.

Why it matters: ADA access improvements change how visitors can use shelters and bus drop-offs, and volunteer-driven plantings reduce staff costs. Vehicle downtime affects maintenance and support operations.

Next steps: Ken will order or repair tables and chairs as needed, pursue grant opportunities when open, return with ramp installation photos at the next meeting, and provide a volunteer contact list for acknowledgement. No grant awards or outside contracts were approved during the report.","Parks staff updated the County Property Committee that a concrete pad for bus drop-off and handicap parking has been completed, an ADA ramp is expected soon, volunteers planted native plugs with strong germination, and a county van requires wiring repairs.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183938,"Committee debates faster bid openings and reviews $303,600 courthouse signage proposal",862,2748000,3610000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3&start=2748&end=3610","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3/thumbnail_2748000.jpg","/articles/6183938/LaSalle-County/Illinois/Committee-debates-faster-bid-openings-and-reviews-303600-courthouse-signage-proposal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183938-5cc1dc97c6cd8eb484efd9459087ac7d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141964&Signature=NsN48U3z9OYiS6oIkOcA1e-Gpj4PSI6MnR7V87jtJNmPfPDwsMs7FfamFJRT5qqNBemdTilBDyb0zCr6Ni30D8kK38ba~tv3FzU4IN4edfU0sgr~sTUpG4v7dwyJENc1vBnLdvlPNIHNK~jb~LcjfYOIB82qT6KHqvoahCGBOZz9hRxTxVws-e7Eg3jugt7eogB~qaWWoBJtiYkR4ocAbjUjghTl3khq02ac-bAX44qNyBJvoA~83fkArd6mJNXjXtY2gmmrv62uvM0uOEpvqj9sd2o6LYwDEiz9TCLseMXkdbRl1GsMeGO4PRejrKdOdlK-lZRqPHrxeCQStHiDkg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LaSalle County property committee members discussed whether to change the timing and workflow for opening county property bids to reduce procurement lead times and reviewed a proposed wayfinding and window-graphic signage package for courthouse entrances.

Committee members and staff said the current practice—opening bids at the first property meeting of the month and scheduling a formal recommendation for the full board the following month—can add about six weeks to procurement cycles. Kurt (staff member) and other committee members said some projects with long lead times would benefit from flexibility in opening and reviewing bids so approvals can align with material delivery windows.

“Sometimes make an exception and open them at the second [meeting] of the month and make a full recommendation to the full board in that two-week period instead of losing that whole amount of time,” Kurt said when explaining the change staff seeks. Committee discussion agreed that streamlining could be handled on a case‑by‑case basis and that state’s attorney review and architect verification remain part of the process.

Separately, staff presented a signage design for clearer wayfinding at the governmental center and criminal justice center entrances. The vendor proposed vinyl lettering across entry beams and one-way-permeable window graphics that display building names and departmental information from the parking lot while preserving sight lines from inside. The estimated total for the three entrances was cited in discussion as about $303,600.

Why it matters: faster bid handling could shorten procurement timelines for projects that have long material lead times (security glazing, electrical work, treasurer’s office remodel). Clearer signage aims to reduce visitor confusion and improve accessibility for people arriving at the complex.

Next steps: staff will continue to pursue flexible scheduling for bids where appropriate and will bring signage designs and refined cost estimates back to the committee for budget review. No final contract awards or changes to procurement policy were approved at the meeting.","LaSalle County property committee discussed streamlining bid openings to reduce a 6‑week procurement delay and reviewed a vendor proposal to add prominent vinyl wayfinding and window graphics across three courthouse entrances at an estimated $303,600.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6183943,"LaSalle County officials flag major jail chiller replacements; engineer to present July review",1022,1124000,2146000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3&start=1124&end=2146","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5093449-1c5f9d7c3dab4eedf40ed9236a3e1dc3/thumbnail_1124000.jpg","/articles/6183943/LaSalle-County/Illinois/LaSalle-County-officials-flag-major-jail-chiller-replacements-engineer-to-present-July-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6183943-45945a131d788d3939b66ea2d46a7c59/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141964&Signature=kT2XsS2peo2~MJZ~n2rghVTOYyhR-R0y8gU2zMAtXOEdp0BrWrLUio7edH0xWEWzwfY~K4-TZvex3MAdrb6mndrN9xx9-ew~9y4G9qG6GZFcwqpAz~5mEWSXMQMSGKgUwsas-7N36ds8ONUJCFgSBWu59vavmWLfAge2bOHXpac237g-ungp8ALkm1n3dK8B-wdX50zNcc2KeX6TlF79lpDlX~j~QEv4YQ13D1~bptNuxy3KsHKYih9Zy~amObG1JW7s0Eu~vjKOO4XD8amzCXrbiSgqSsoFt65tPb516PaS93A6we0wIuDudIzxqmLzKCoqq46p-d4P7T7nV5ywfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","LaSalle County buildings and grounds staff reported Thursday that aging chillers and rooftop condensing units serving the county jail and criminal justice center likely require replacement, and that the work could cost in the high hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The county's buildings and grounds supervisor, Bob (staff member), told the County Property Committee that parts are hard to obtain for roughly 26-year-old units and that multiple compressors, motors and cooling-tower components have failed this summer. “It’s hard to find parts for units that are 26 years old,” Bob said, noting a three-week wait already for a replacement compressor and uncertainty about lead times for other components.

The discussion centered on a consultant report (KED Bluestone) distributed at the meeting. Committee member Kurt (staff member) said the consultant added language recommending replacement of the jail chillers and that the engineer estimated roughly $900,000 to replace the units if equipment that could be brought into the basement could be identified. “He estimated $900,000 for that,” Kurt said when summarizing the report.

Why it matters: the jail and the criminal justice center share backup systems; committee members and staff warned that further failures this summer could create dangerous heat conditions for inmates and staff and complicate courthouse operations. Bob said much of the work likely must be done in cooler months and that installing large new chillers will be complicated because “they literally built the building around the chillers in the basement.”

Next steps: the committee agreed to invite the consulting engineer, Ryan, and the sheriff for a technical briefing at the July 11 committee meeting to review options, costs and the feasibility of delivering equipment into the basement. Kurt said the engineer is researching whether replacement equipment could be procured and staged in time for winter; he warned it may not be possible and that the project could slip into 2026. No formal appropriation or contract award was made at the meeting.

The buildings and grounds supervisor also said staff will pursue stocking critical spare parts when available so single failures do not leave systems down for weeks. Committee members asked that the July briefing include clearer cost breakdowns and options for phasing work if full replacement cannot be completed before next cooling season.","Buildings and grounds staff told the County Property Committee that aging chillers and rooftop condensing units serving the jail and criminal justice center likely need full replacement, with a consultant estimate near $900,000 and installation timing constrained by parts and access.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee approves posting for buildings-and-grounds director as staffing shortages loom

LaSalle County parks staff report new bus drop-off pad, incoming ADA ramp and native seed germination

Committee debates faster bid openings and reviews $303,600 courthouse signage proposal

LaSalle County officials flag major jail chiller replacements; engineer to present July review