DuPage County approves 10-year courthouse leases for CASA and Family Shelter, signs multiple contracts and accepts $10,000 grant

DuPage County board members voted Sept. 8 to approve 10-year courthouse lease agreements for CASA of DuPage and Family Shelter Services, adopt multiple contract amendments and awards across county facilities, and accept a $10,000 Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Power Safe Community grant.

The board approved two 10-year leases for space in the county’s judicial office facilities, each beginning Nov. 1, 2025, and running through Oct. 31, 2035, with the annual rent listed as $1. County staff said both leases include a 90-day termination right for either party with no penalty. Tim, a county facilities staff member, described the 90-day termination provision as a safeguard that keeps the board’s options open while allowing longer-term occupancy for partner organizations.

The board also approved multiple consent-agenda contract closings, decreases, increases and limited extensions across facilities management, and authorized a joint-purchasing contract to HD Supply for housekeeping supplies (Nov. 1, 2025–June 30, 2027, not to exceed $50,000). Members approved a contract order to Commonwealth Edison for electric utility services at nonconnected county facilities (warehouse, election warehouse and a sheriff training “shoot house”) for Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2029, not to exceed $60,000.

Board members asked staff about why facilities, rather than the clerk’s office, pays election-warehouse utilities and rent. Tim and other staff said the lease and related costs transferred from the clerk to facilities management several years ago when the county’s electric arrangements changed; the board retains authority to change that practice.

The board accepted and appropriated a $10,000 Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Power Safe Community Grant. The meeting packet also included numerous contract closeouts and amendments (examples cited in the packet: Ashland Door Solutions, Ashland Lock Company, Commonwealth Edison, Gateway Corporation, Groke Company, Niacor Gas, Noland Sales Corporation, A & Associates, L Marshall Inc., Petroleum Traders Corp., TGA Park 88, Team Pipes & Supply, Graybar Electric, Red Wing Brand of America, Aldrich Inc., and several engineering and compliance contracts), and a limited extension for an on-call NPDES permit compliance review contract through Nov. 3, 2026.

Votes at a glance - Approve public-works committee minutes (25-23-95): carried, unanimous. - Transfer of $6,238 from fuel and lubricant account to equipment and machinery for a facility-management van retrofit (25-396): carried, unanimous. - Combine and approve consent items 7a–7q: carried, unanimous; included multiple contract closings, amendments and extensions as listed in the meeting packet. - Approve joint-purchasing contract to HD Supply for housekeeping supplies (FMP 409205): carried, unanimous; contract not to exceed $50,000 for Nov. 1, 2025–June 30, 2027. - Approve contract order to Commonwealth Edison for nonconnected facility electric services (FMP 5025): carried, unanimous; not to exceed $60,000 for Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2029. - Approve lease agreement with CASA of DuPage (FMR 1025): carried, unanimous; lease Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2035; annual rent listed as $1; 90-day termination clause for either party. - Approve lease agreement with Family Shelter Services (FMR 1125): carried, unanimous; lease Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2035; annual rent listed as $1; 90-day termination clause for either party. - Accept and appropriate Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Power Safe Community Grant ($10,000) (FIR 15625): carried, unanimous.

Why it matters The leases keep two long-standing court partners—CASA of DuPage (court-appointed special advocates) and Family Shelter Services (domestic-violence advocates placed in the courthouse)—in courthouse space at nominal rent while preserving the county’s ability to end the agreements on short notice. The joint-purchasing and commodity contract actions advance facilities operations across county buildings and set multi-year purchasing terms for cleaning supplies and utilities at selected county properties.

What board members said Vice Chair Zay questioned why facilities, rather than the clerk’s office, pays election-warehouse utilities and rent. Tim, a facilities staff member, said the lease and utility responsibilities transferred to facilities several years ago; the board retains the authority to change that arrangement.

The board chair and members repeatedly described CASA and Family Shelter Services as long-standing partners in the courthouse and noted that the 90-day termination provisions were acceptable to staff and the county’s state’s attorney.

Details and next steps - Leases: Both courthouse leases begin Nov. 1, 2025, run 10 years to Oct. 31, 2035, and list annual rent of $1; both include a 90-day termination right for either party. - Joint purchasing: HD Supply contract effective Nov. 1, 2025–June 30, 2027; not to exceed $50,000. - Electric services: Commonwealth Edison order effective Nov. 1, 2025–Oct. 31, 2029; not to exceed $60,000; includes nonconnected county facilities named in the packet (warehouse, election warehouse and sheriff training facility described as a “shoot house”). - Consent agenda: packet listed multiple contract decreases, increases, closings and an extension for on-call NPDES permit compliance review to Nov. 3, 2026; specific contract numbers and amounts were read into the record during the meeting packet presentation.

The board did not change any lease language substantively beyond the term and the 90-day termination right noted in the packet. No citizen public-comment items or contested votes were recorded on these agenda items during the meeting.

Ending The meeting packet indicates additional contract paperwork and extensions will be finalized by county staff; members directed staff to continue negotiating under the terms approved and to bring any materially different terms back to the board for action.