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LaSalle County committee presses ahead on downtown courthouse generator amid city and historic‑commission objections
Summary
LaSalle County officials discussed a proposed backup generator for the downtown courthouse, including historic‑commission objections from the City of Ottawa, long vendor lead times, and whether to order equipment before permits are resolved; the committee agreed to continue coordination and seek permit drawings before final action.
LaSalle County committee members spent the bulk of their May 8 meeting debating plans for a backup generator at the downtown courthouse, amid ongoing review by the City of Ottawa and a prior adverse recommendation from the city’s historic commission.
Kurt Rimley of BCA Architects told the committee the county has been proceeding cooperatively with Ottawa and that the project will require a building and electrical permit in addition to any historic‑commission review. “I don't believe this the city of Ottawa or any other municipality could stop the county from doing county business uh through zoning,” Rimley said, but added that cooperation with the city is important as applications, costs and available generator models can change before bidding.
The debate touched on practical and procedural hurdles. Committee members said historic‑commission staff had recommended denial of an initial application and the county must secure a certificate of appropriateness and an electrical permit before work can proceed. Several members warned of long vendor lead times; one member said earlier planning suggested roughly a year between order and delivery. The mayor of Ottawa indicated he wants to appear at the county’s full‑board meeting, and county staff were asked to circulate current permit applications and drawings to committee members before Thursday’s full board.
Public‑safety concerns framed the urgency for some members. Joe, a committee member, described conditions in the courthouse attic: “There is no fire suppression in that building… it's scary,” he said, pressing the case for quicker protective measures.
Committee members explored siting alternatives—placing the generator on courthouse grounds versus an adjacent parking area—and raised coordination questions with Amron and a proposed transformer relocation that could affect generator placement and electrical routing. Staff noted some transformer work would be part of an Amron project and not necessarily a county expense.
On procurement strategy, members considered whether to order equipment early to avoid long lead times or wait until permits and bids are complete. Legal and procurement staff advised that the generator procurement must be competitively bid and that bidders could be deterred if the contract included an option allowing the project to be scuttled; members also discussed whether an ordered generator could be repurposed elsewhere if Ottawa denied permits.
The committee did not vote on moving forward with procurement at the meeting; members requested that Don and Mr. Gift (county staff) forward permit applications and technical drawings and that the county invite relevant staff—potentially including the mayor and city zoning staff—to the next meetings for further discussion. The matter is expected to return to the full board for additional public discussion.
