Commission approves $500,000 for assessor's office remodel, citing urgent roof and HVAC issues

Kane County commissioners approved a $500,000 funding package on June 30 to proceed with a remodel of the county assessor’s office and DMV customer area after staff described failing roof, aging HVAC and pervasive crawl-space plumbing leaks.

The assessor explained staff had budgeted $200,000 for the work over two fiscal years but that an architectural review produced higher construction estimates. He recommended a one-time capital investment to complete the remodel, replace an aging HVAC system and repair roofing and plumbing to avoid repeated short-term fixes. Staff and a county project manager reviewed photos and videos showing active leaks and damp insulation in the building crawl space.

Commissioners agreed to a funding plan that uses $200,000 from the building-and-grounds budget (split between this year and next) and $300,000 from the Municipal Building Authority (MBA), with contingency added to cover likely hidden damage uncovered once work begins. County staff said they expect value-engineering during design to keep final construction costs within the budget and asked Iron Rock (the project's design firm) to tailor designs to the county’s target budget.

The motion approved moving forward with contract negotiations and establishing the funding sources for the remodel, with staff directed to include contingency in the project budget and report back on design and bid results.

What this means: County officials described the project as necessary to extend the building’s useful life and avoid a larger, more expensive failure later. Commissioners emphasized keeping character-defining elements (rock façade) where possible during repairs.

Next steps: Staff will instruct the design team to perform value-engineering to meet the $500,000 target and return with contract terms and a final project scope. Work is planned to begin in the fall and carry into the following spring.