[{"_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",6169041,"mediaKeyId","5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7","parentId",5405337,"title","Compton fire-protection building clears third-party review and begins construction, county says","audioSeconds",54,"startMs",1467000,"endMs",1521000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7&start=1467&end=1521","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7/thumbnail_1467000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6169041/Lee-County/Illinois/Compton-fire-protection-building-clears-third-party-review-and-begins-construction-county-says","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169041-538352f77b7b1c9f98761d5e33a678c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1770632570&Signature=ixrTWswxD~gadP1Kk-EiLp6ISp0x6I7ZC7lcGvjKgeSf2Uw-~6512804MmMIlrQntaDWABmC2KIJbmZU1ir3p1z6iydzFc~cLRhzXGr7z52QKNjfWvW-Th3MLKviqfjvZhWbsNexEBnY-k8qofCNWYENd6lEgJn8l7t5xy5VHdup8ov39hriFTmkW3Wx3A2k2VaNH3C8Tz4ujyhzHfsCYjwS4ipl-ydXkDQ2xxy7kMKhNaNiJ1k4CJcW2XTrdPMIinuQTMCE0d8BQ1cXtXljTlmFMP7NQLwBW8D1D2D3t8Fq0FU-g0wi9XI6vUrEwckjDLQGrX~Tc1oMddd6GedKJQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Lee County, IL","date","2025-07-16T08:30:21Z","article","County staff told the Facilities and Maintenance Committee that the Compton Fire Protection Building project has begun construction after clearing a third‑party review process.

Committee members said third‑party reviewer Kelly Reynolds had completed enough of the review to allow the contractor to begin work, though some items remain to be addressed, including kitchen-ventilation details. Staff said soil-quality concerns were a key review item; once those issues were resolved the project received a green light and construction started.

Committee members framed the third‑party review as a protection of public funds and public safety: \"They go through and they do all the you know, they supply the electrical dry I mean, they go through and they just look and make sure everything's up to code and up to snuff,\" a committee member said. No change orders, bids or budget figures were reported at the meeting; work is ongoing under the current contract.

The committee did not take formal action at the meeting regarding the Compton project; staff said they will continue oversight as construction proceeds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lee County Facilities and Maintenance Committee Meeting 07/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Committee members said the Compton Fire Protection Building cleared enough third‑party review by Kelly Reynolds to begin construction, with outstanding minor items such as kitchen ventilation and soil-quality concerns to be addressed during work.","taxTitle","Lee County, Illinois","taxId",58219,"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},6169046,"County reviewing retaining-wall options for old courthouse; bid to follow final design",1018,420000,1438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7&start=420&end=1438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7/thumbnail_420000.jpg","/articles/6169046/Lee-County/Illinois/County-reviewing-retaining-wall-options-for-old-courthouse-bid-to-follow-final-design","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169046-43e0d789b7d690b8cadc16aae4107807/orig.mp4?Expires=1770632570&Signature=nB8oK3wUlkRgW0~AzCvsm92N9VT2RVBTE1mXDs3WnSXEAfueqmS4jQPMlTyzIJfwhEjeH1-6xGygPVx-xLdbk3RrPpUlzBUJivXNT-S-1SPea7A~RbksaanEPVvxqSDMXtHv9hvGiBZ2zEsmxMbKG0ziu0~d~mLxgawWvrDBmyFff3cm0QjbDg0alX9x~mouWIFKwY2yz7tYJxBse3T9WKHkGUwV1dRcpCall-bDaXiH1jpatzNdyBrV7qc2-TYPKDJjk05xqCF8TK82l7ZHPaWtAMjYGqSZPIz0wTBjsXP7p26Wh-1FmHjdubkKu3L-QaJK-3wBxZD1b0FzYgJB8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lee County Facilities and Maintenance Committee members reviewed preliminary retaining-wall options for the old courthouse and said the county will finalize a design, publish a bid and then award a contractor under prevailing-wage rules.

Maintenance staff said Willett completed a site survey and produced renderings and options for a retaining wall, including block or cast-concrete approaches and phased work options. Committee members said the initial drawings are a first draft that will require tweaking; the wall moving \"probably 2 and 3 quarter to 3 inches\" during the last freeze cycle was cited as the reason the project must be done correctly.

Committee members said once the design direction is chosen, staff will put the project out for bid and require prevailing-wage compliance and standard procurement procedures. The award will include specifications for appearance and performance; staff said the finished wall will closely resemble the presented renderings though some changes are possible.

No bid was awarded at the meeting; the committee expects to review refined drawings at the next meeting before publishing the solicitation.","Committee members reviewed retaining-wall design options for the old courthouse, received a first draft from Willett, plan to refine designs, then put the final scope out to bid under prevailing-wage rules before awarding a contractor.",{"_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},6169051,"County maintenance reports HVAC, elevator and animal-control projects; kennel remodel planned",383,69000,452000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7&start=69&end=452","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7/thumbnail_69000.jpg","/articles/6169051/Lee-County/Illinois/County-maintenance-reports-HVAC-elevator-and-animal-control-projects-kennel-remodel-planned","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169051-2b99633f866a3bbad4b2dece05e5841e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770632570&Signature=ntPb~6it9pvCEhLC1idgPpnjwZstSdvl6Gl7zz7xxUjDzDXNSOTkjDLKGhK4gREM823jbanjsABMsCAneeMFZqA0GZEOLzlCSjrOmuHTu1qM0PnSVT-RXieitm2Jq2PA7SF2xNaKnvRS~W4dZruXtdxNhkItku~kdqybhSHYi5yJGn3YN4QGxGglPTtMsIJnqYYw-rxRkK1gEfdB2j8aky5y65XYneYx0IieUD3~-EL130p8YIL8kgwTDqW1ht4i4JkES1wTatNEbeXil7B5oddqWmD6~jzPBf1fotqieNjtA0o~ra8xkpfTi6nxSXqqUqaKtEVnVT~engJksk7thw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Facilities and Maintenance Committee meeting, county maintenance staff reviewed building and grounds work across county facilities, reported HVAC and elevator problems at multiple sites and outlined an animal-control kennel remodel planned for August.

Maintenance staff said grounds work is planned for the coming weeks and asked for patience as sidewalks and other exterior areas are improved. At the county law-enforcement facility (LEC), staff said they are completing roughly 20–30 jail-side work requests and expect intermittent week-long work periods over the next two months leading into the next budget year.

On mechanical systems, staff reported that a recent exit gate problem was an easy reset, not a control-board failure, and that a fire-alarm test passed except for one strobe light that will be replaced. Staff described issues with rooftop units (RTUs) and air-handler 1: condenser fan motors were replaced with a different manufacturer after an apparent bad batch from the original vendor, improving operation, but air-handler 1 still “is kicking out 2, 3, 4 times a day or it'll just shut down,” and staff said controls remain under investigation.

Maintenance said the elevator at the old jail has been placed out of service after intermittent operation and a smoke-detector wiring issue; they said the two south-lobby elevator openers date to about 1985 and are so outdated they cannot be serviced under current arrangements. Staff identified Otis as the historic elevator vendor and discussed trying to narrow future service to a single vendor such as Kone to simplify maintenance.

Animal-control updates included a repaired leaking hose bib and a planned kennel-wall remodel, likely in August. Staff said they plan to remove vinyl from kennel walls and erect a temporary barrier so animals cannot chew through material while the remodel proceeds.

Staff also said a generator control board at the old courthouse has been fixed under warranty and that retaining-wall design options are under review for the old courthouse (this project was discussed separately by committee members). Committee members asked questions about warranties, vendor availability and service arrangements.

No formal maintenance actions or purchases were approved at the meeting; staff will return with estimates and bid documents for projects that require formal procurement and prevailing-wage compliance.","Maintenance staff updated the Facilities and Maintenance Committee on grounds work, HVAC and RTU troubleshooting, an intermittently working elevator taken out of service, Otis-era elevator openers requiring replacement, a hose-bib repair and a planned animal shelter kennel wall remodel expected in August.",{"_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},6169056,"Lee County building official outlines code adoption, inspection and contractor-registration plans",805,573000,1378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7&start=573&end=1378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5405337-e7a21a3eb4eac13ec35fb3a105cbc4f7/thumbnail_573000.jpg","/articles/6169056/Lee-County/Illinois/Lee-County-building-official-outlines-code-adoption-inspection-and-contractor-registration-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6169056-422b812830c06bdadf674ec519de6126/orig.mp4?Expires=1770632570&Signature=dyz3N4xZt6vIMknnlUQEoTmXNvaMcdpI48vzVkNv~ucIcAviiVQb92Jdg7olP-ZonAexoimh12v80W8oTANfJvQ5qP~YiiRQkLmRu0QlYZCB41JA8dClw74sDM0QX-aqjnr5a3NMG3RbzwOvjyaBJUI241qAjxi0jdOzCqggmdBMsi7xMMfUgYlZPPTqX8VFV6b7ju2qVwIDuHzzF-3hSAEAYaaxODAY0t7Elqqx-fQTL0pzlZVhYYknzzxC11r-BALvYzzLaT6vVX3nt37XhWDyTJAa85m1IBAA0uEsrPps1VjKJAj6KREm96N4hOYA24bY5RZMkrguIMKXruQTIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a Facilities and Maintenance Committee meeting of Lee County, Building Official Joe said the county has seen recent construction activity and is preparing local building-code amendments, a permit-tracking software rollout and a contractor registration program to improve inspections and compliance.

Joe reported that the office recorded \"$3,298,388.60 in total valuation permits with permit fees at $5,217.60,\" and said staff are preparing a draft of code amendments for committee review. He said the county has been evaluating building- and zoning-management software and has narrowed it to a single vendor pending price negotiation, adding that the system would store permit, complaint and special-use history by address.

The change would include adopting the Illinois Energy Code, which Joe described as a state-mandated standard that the county cannot opt out of. He said the code will require higher insulation values and other construction changes — he summarized elements that will increase construction costs for single-family homes, including larger wall framing and required electric-vehicle charger readiness in new garages — while also noting there can be incentives such as tax abatements for energy-efficient construction.

Joe said he has taken over building inspections previously handled by others, and that he is currently performing inspections on a request basis: \"I'm doing this as of right now on a, basically, request. I asked the contractor, please notify me. I can't enforce that until we get a code in place.\" He described change in enforcement power: once local codes are adopted, inspections and enforcement will have explicit legal backing.

Committee members discussed using the new software across departments (sheriff, compliance, animal control) and the utility of keeping inspection and permit records centralized. Joe and other committee members said the county plans to create a registered list of contractors (roofers, plumbers, electricians, excavators) who will provide proof of insurance and will be listed as local, vetted options for residents.

Joe also said a former inspector, Casper Manheim, is no longer doing county inspections and that Jared will continue to check setbacks. The committee emphasized that the registration and inspection changes are intended to protect constituents and reduce shoddy out-of-county work.

No formal code-adoption vote occurred at the meeting; Joe said staff will return with drafts and more detailed proposals for committee action.

The committee also discussed that some trades (electricians) are not licensed at the state level in Illinois and that the county registry would require insurance and documentation of qualifications. Committee members said the building department will aim to reduce inspection fees by folding inspection work into county staffing rather than contracting it out to people who charged fees directly to residents.

Questions from members focused on timing, the cost of the software and the content of proposed code amendments. Joe said a lengthy discussion and review will be needed before adoption.

Looking ahead, the committee expects staff to present a draft code and implementation plan, and to return with software pricing and a timeline for rolling out a contractor-registration program and formalized inspection schedule.","At a Facilities and Maintenance Committee meeting, Building Official Joe reported permit activity and described work to draft local building-code updates, implement permit/inspections software, and create a county contractor registry tied to insurance and inspections.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Compton fire-protection building clears third-party review and begins construction, county says

County reviewing retaining-wall options for old courthouse; bid to follow final design

County maintenance reports HVAC, elevator and animal-control projects; kennel remodel planned

Lee County building official outlines code adoption, inspection and contractor-registration plans