A major public-relations initiative in support of Kane County’s plan for a new, multi-million dollar jail in St. Charles is set to begin Thursday with the first in a series of public informational meetings.
About 1,700 invitations were sent to local officials and residents who live near the Kane County Judicial Center, encouraging them to attend the meeting in the county government center, 719 Batavia Ave., Geneva, said Todd Exline, the county’s chief of corrections.
The jail plan calls for a new, larger corrections facility to be built adjacent to the criminal courthouse on the 120-acre judicial center campus at Main Street and Peck Road in St. Charles.
James Robertson, a corrections consultant hired to help guide the jail project, will facilitate the 6 p.m. meeting.
The county is looking at building a 600- to 700-bed jail for about $48 million.
In addition to distributing a newsletter to provide regular updates on the two-year project, an Internet site dedicated to the project, www.kanecountyjail.org, was created, Exline said.
Both the newsletter and Web site include information on Kane County corrections and jail operations and depict conditions at the county’s chronically overcrowded facility on Fabyan Parkway in Geneva.
“It’s important we communicate [with residents] from the very beginning,” said County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay, head of the county’s Criminal Justice Project Steering Committee.
As part of the community outreach strategy, McConnaughay said, she plans to organize a citizens advisory committee.
The steering committee is near the end of negotiations with Healy Bender & Associates of Naperville on a $3 million contract for architectural and design services.
Among other things, the firm was directed Tuesday to include the cost to design a jail that meets national and state certification standards, and is eligible for accreditation from national corrections associations.
“We have to start with the [more-costly] concept that we are going to build an accredited jail,” said Chief Judge Donald Hudson, a committee member.
