Twenty-four projects to improve county government buildings and services have the LaSalle County Board’s preliminary approval. The board voted this week to advertise for bids. It plans to use $5 million in federal pandemic relief funds to pay for them.
The county has $21 million in pandemic relief funds to decide what to do with according to federal rules. County Board Chairman Don Jensen says the requests for money total around $34 million, so some requests will have to be denied. Those include funds for non-profit organizations that help people in various ways.
The board members are asking a consultant to review the list of projects and advise on whether anything on it may not qualify for pandemic relief funds. If anything doesn’t, the board can reject the bids on it or fund it another way.
Projects to be bid out by department and description:
Sheriff – body scanners
EMA – radios
Coroner – COVID protection
State’s Attorney – computers
Sheriff – body cameras
Parks – ADA compliant bathroom
IT – technology modernization
Parks – playground equipment
Judiciary – electrical/data cabling
various – Fortisiem software
Circuit Clerk – Zoom court
CASA – computers and printers
Parks – resurface road at Catlin Park
IT – County Board Room project
Central Services – copiers
various – cybersecurity protection training
Parks – electricity to four pavilions, more
County Clerk – election equipment
Parks – erosion control and restoration
ROE – alternate learning program
Central Services – digital printers
Nursing Home – equipment, replacement of lost revenue
Circuit Clerk – digital filing system
Parks – pole building floor