Will County committee sends River Valley upgrade plan to executive, debates per‑diem for out‑of‑county youth

Will County committee members voted to forward a recommendation to the county executive to explore upgrades and modifications to the River Valley Juvenile Detention Center so the facility meets requirements from the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC), after staff presented cost, occupancy and revenue projections.

The question matters to county taxpayers and to how the detention center is marketed to neighboring counties. Committee members pressed staff on how bringing in out‑of‑county residents at a negotiated per‑diem affects Will County’s per‑resident costs and whether the county should raise the per‑diem charged to other counties.

Staff members presented fiscal year 2024 data showing an average daily population of 21 residents and an average cost of about $365 per resident per day for FY24. Staff said routine incremental costs for an added out‑of‑county youth are limited — food and similar variable expenses — and estimated food adds roughly $20–$25 per day. Staff also explained that some contracts (for example, the medical contract) are structured around occupancy bands; higher…