Kankakee Times

Kankakee County Highway & Buildings Committee met May 15.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

The meeting of the Kankakee County Highways, Waterways, & Buildings Committee was held on May 15, 2025 and was called to order by Committee Chairman, Mr. Carrico at 9:00 am. The following members were present:

Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Long, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander Hildebrand

Members Absent –Mr. Dunnill, Mr. Marion, Mr. Smith, Ms. Amber Turner

Ms. Denise Turner made a motion to allow Mr. Fetherling to attend by Zoom and Mr. Swanson seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Department Heads Present –Greg Heiden, Delbert Skimerhorn, Ted Workman, Ben Wilson Media - Present

Minutes of the Last Meeting

• Highways, Waterways, & Buildings – April 10, 2025

Mr. Crutcher made a motion to approve the minutes and Ms. Parker seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand made a motion to move agenda item, Buildings – Ted Workman, up before agenda item, Biddings & Lettings and Mr. Swanson seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Buildings – Ted Workman

• Facility Dude Report

They completed 109 work orders in April throughout the buildings last month with 55 still in progress.

• Financial Report

Mr. Workman reviewed the report with the committee. He is significantly below budget compared to where they were last year at this time.

• Building Report

Mr. Workman reviewed the various projects in progress throughout the various county buildings.

The lighting project in this building is completed and he would like to thank Eric Cavender for all of his help with the project.

Mr. Workman stated that he invited the county board members to a tour of Jerome Combs. Anthony Carrico and Denise Turner came out and took the tour.

Mr. Carrico thanked him and the Sheriff for facilitating the tour. It was very informative.

Mr. Workman stated that he went out to the Will County Detention Center and met with their maintenance department supervisors and it was a very good visit and a lot of good information was shared between them.

Mr. Workman is working on getting the best price possible for the products he uses, such as toilet paper, body soap, floor cleaners, etc.

Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand stated that he was very impressed with the way that Mr. Workman has handled his budget and how he has cut cost in so many different areas. He is thankful to have him.

Mr. Kerkstra made a motion to combine and approve the reports and Mr. Miller seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

Bidding and Lettings

Ms. Parker made a motion to open the bids and Mr. Hess seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

• County – 25-00000-03-GM

Gallagher Asphalt’s bid. was $1,789,716.10 and KVCC’s bid was $1,502,209.51. The apparent low bidder is Kankakee Valley Construction (KVCC).

Mr. Swanson made a motion to accept the lowest responsible bidder after review by the County Engineer and Ms. Denise Turner seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand

• County Engineer Pay Estimates

Ms. Kerkstra made a motion to combine and waive the reading of the pay estimates and Mr. Miller seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

There were no comments or questions on the pay estimates.

Mr. Kerkstra made a motion to approve the pay estimates and Ms. Denise Turner seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand

Resolutions

• Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chairman to Sign Local Agency Agreement for Federal Participation and Appropriating Matching Tax Funds for Resurfacing of County Highway 41 Between South Street and the Will County Line in the Village of Essex.

Mr. Heiden stated that the feds are paying 80% of this project; the County is paying the local match of $139,000.

Ms. Parker made a motion to approve and Mr. Swanson seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand

• Resolution Authorizing the County Board Chairman to Sign an Engineering Agreement with Hutchison Engineering, Inc. and Appropriate County Bridge Funds to Design the Sugar Island Bridge Replacement on County Highway 37 in Aroma and Otto Townships.

Mr. Heiden stated that Hutchison Engineering secured a 3+ million dollar grant for this bridge so this is just to approve them getting started on the design of the bridge.

Mr. Crutcher made a motion to approve and Mr. Kerkstra seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand

• Resolution Appropriating Funds for the Payment of the County Engineer’s Salary

Mr. Heiden stated that usually this is done in November or December each year but the Association of County Engineers requested that IDOT increase everybody’s salaries and IDOT agreed but it took until May for them to calculate the salaries. This resolution allows for state funds to pay for 50% of his salary and also agrees to his salary.

Ms. Parker made a motion to approve and Mr. Crutcher seconded it. Motion carried with a roll call vote of 12 ayes and 0 nays. Voting aye were Mr. Carrico, Mr. Fetherling, Mr. Kerkstra, Ms. Parker, Mr. Crutcher, Ms. Denise Turner, Mr. Hess, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Miller, Mr. Nims, Ms. Rittmanic-Emme, Mr. Alexander-Hildebrand

Waterways

• Aroma park Sediment Management Project Update

Mr. Heiden stated that they are in the middle of removing the sediment. He would guess that they are about 50% done.

• Kankakee County Waterways Advisory Subcommittee Update

Mr. Carrico stated that the subcommittee will have a meeting on June 5 at 8:30 a.m.in the board room. This committee is to meet and give ideas and recommendations to this committee. They are to focus on education, restoration, and safety. Under education, he had proposed to author a county-wide boating safety course. Eric Cavender is helping with that and there will be more information coming on the safety course.

Old Business

• CH 17 Bridge Construction Update

Mr. Heiden showed the committee pictures of the work being done which should be completed sometime in July, depending on the weather.

• Surplus Equipment Auction Results

Mr. Heiden stated that they did very well on this action for their surplus equipment.

• River Equipment Showcase Status

Mr. Heiden stated that he was hoping to announce a date to show case all of their equipment but they have been having some issues so that will be coming at a later date. He will send out a notice when they have a date.

Ms. Parker asked what they do with the mulch when they use their chipper.

Mr. Heiden stated that they dump it down by their yard but they are going to have a lot more now so he is debating having a community pile and giving it to the residents free of charge.

Mr. Kerkstra asked if they could sell it to landscaping companies and then give smaller to residents for free.

• New Business

• Other Business

Adjournment

Mr. Fetherling made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 9:36 a.m. and Mr. Hess seconded it. Motion carried with a voice vote.

https://www.k3county.net/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Minutes/_05152025-2192