The Warren County board officially put a new law enforcement center on hold over concerns that local contractors weren’t given an opportunity to bid.
How long the project will be paused is yet to be determined, but the board also voted to research potential legal counsel specializing in contract or construction law.
The board will develop a list of questions for Ringland-Johnson Construction and request representatives from the company meet with the board in the near future.
The board previously awarded the project to Ringland-Johnson on the recommendation of the Citizens Advisory Committee, a group of community members formed in 2019 to study options for a new jail.
County board members and advisory committee members also toured a jail built by Ringland-Johnson in Dixon.
“The Citizens Advisory Committee and the County Board acted in the best interest of the citizens of Warren County based on all the information available at the time,” said Chip Algren, a former Warren County State’s Attorney who chaired the advisory committee.
County board chairman Mike Pearson, R-District 2, said public concern about the bid process led the board to consider pausing the project.
Pearson said the board believed the company would allow local contractors to bid, but was later told the company only uses union contractors.
Buildings and Grounds Chair Sean Cavanuagh, R-District 2, called it “absurd” that the company would not consider local bids for the project.
Warren County voters overwhelmingly approved a .75% sales tax referendum in 2023 to help pay for the new, modern law enforcement center that will replace the county’s century-old jail.
The county board has also authorized a bond issue, but has not yet sold the bonds.
The new jail will be located on Industrial Park Drive near U.S. Route 34.
Tri States Public Radio produced this story. TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.
