KANKAKEE, Ill. – During this week’s Kankakee County board meeting, County Board Chairman Andrew Wheeler appeared to openly shrug off the state’s allocation of $6 million for courthouse renovations. The funds were allocated as part of the budget passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker.
Wheeler appeared dismissive of the funding during the open meeting, suggesting that it was primarily beneficial for Senator Patrick Joyce.
“In the Governor’s Budget, they included $6 million for a ‘Courthouse Addition’ if you will, to address some of the long-term needs that we have in terms of space,” Wheeler explained at Tuesday’s meeting. He further highlighted the county’s previous attempts at finding cost-effective solutions to address the courthouse’s space constraints and ensure adherence to Supreme Court standards, especially considering that they were once quoted $190 million for a new courthouse addition years ago.
“We found a way to get this done much cheaper. We’ve been doing it a lot cheaper. We’ve been addressing ADA issues over time,” Wheeler said. “You’ve seen some of that, there will be one more step in the courthouse, but that’s $6 million doesn’t go as far as it use to.”
The proposal for a satellite court near the existing courthouse was discussed in response to the strain caused by space limitations.
While Wheeler acknowledged that he hadn’t heard of any additional developments, he acknowledged the significance of the $6 million allocation, deeming it a “win” for Senator Joyce.
The decision to allocate funds for courthouse renovations has drawn attention within Kankakee County. Local residents and officials will be keenly observing how this investment will be utilized to enhance the county’s judicial infrastructure.
