Kankakee County board approves courthouse remodel contracts

Dan, a county official, told the board the finance committee reviewed bids for five packages tied to a Kankakee County Courthouse remodel and recommended awards to the lowest responsible bidders. He identified the recommended winners as Bear Construction (general trades and millwork/wheelchair lift), Langlos Roofing (roofing), Amber Mechanical (HVAC and plumbing) and Key Electric (electrical and low voltage). Dan said the combined total for the five bid packages was read in the record as $393,926.

The finance committee review preceded a roll call on the resolution to award the contracts. After a motion, second and roll call, the chair announced the motion carried and the contracts were approved. The resolution and detailed bid documents were noted as available in packet materials and on the county website, according to Dan.

Why it matters: awarding the contracts moves the courthouse remodel from planning into the procurement and construction phase; the board approved the lowest responsible bidders following the committee’s review.

What was said: "We thoroughly went through the bids," Dan said, adding that bid notices were posted on several platforms so bidders had broad access. The board did not discuss alternate funding or deadlines on the floor during the vote.

Next steps and context: Dan said the architect and contractor teams had been engaged and that architect and design fees are separate from the bid package totals. The resolution as read authorizes staff to move forward with contract awards; the board did not record additional conditions or amendments in the meeting minutes.