Will County approves $75,000 contract for independent study of Homer Glen policing costs

Will County’s board voted Feb. 19 to authorize the county auditor to enter into a professional services agreement (approx. $75,000) for an independent law-enforcement cost study to examine costs charged to the village of Homer Glen.

County Auditor Duffy Blackburn said the sheriff’s office and county have used a cost matrix since the early 2000s to set the contract price for Homer Glen; that matrix compiles direct and indirect labor costs, benefits, equipment, overhead and other allocations. Blackburn said the county has data on FTEs and costs but sought an external subject-matter expert to produce a “methodologically defensible” report the county could rely on if contract terms changed. He described the scope as including comparisons of FTEs per thousand population, per-capita law-enforcement costs across nearby jurisdictions, and a staged approach using county-supplied data.

Board members asked for more documentation about the statement of work, how the county would solicit and evaluate firms, and who would be involved in the review. Blackburn said the auditor’s office would develop a statement of work referencing other jurisdictions’ RFQs and engage purchasing and the state’s attorney for a competitive RFP/RFQ process; the sheriff’s office and the village of Homer Glen would be included in interviews. Several members said they wanted additional materials on the proposed methodology and vendor evaluation before final contract execution, but supported funding the RFP and study.

The resolution to appropriate roughly $75,000 to contract for the study passed on roll call. Blackburn estimated such studies typically range from $50,000 to $200,000 depending on scope and said the auditor’s office would seek a cost-effective, specialized firm rather than a large accounting firm for this work.