Will County officials considering how upgrade sheriff’s facilities

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Updated: October 31, 2011 2:54PM

Will County could try to redevelop an existing sheriff’s site on Laraway Road before it buys land for a new police station and training center.

Though the idea could save taxpayers cash on a land purchase, it’s not clear if the suggestion from county board Chairman Jim Moustis will lower the project’s ultimate price tag.

No budget has been set, Moustis said, and fixing up the police station on Laraway Road could be costly. But Moustis said it might also be the county’s best option.

“I don’t think there’s a better site geographically,” said Moustis, R-Frankfort.

County officials have been talking about a new police station for more than five years. They had even identified a site to lease from the Army at Brandon and Arsenal roads.

The new facility, as planned, would house all law enforcement and support services for the sheriff’s office.

The Arsenal Road site had to be scrapped, though, because it was within 10 miles of the Braidwood Nuclear Power Station and might have to be evacuated in case of an emergency there.

Undersheriff Martin Nowak told a county board committee Thursday the sheriff’s office still needs a new facility because of the deterioration of its current offices.

“Ninety-five percent of the sheriff’s operation really needs to be put in another building,” Nowak said.

But instead of looking for new property, as Nowak suggested, Moustis said he wants to find out whether the Laraway Road property, which belongs to the county and the forest preserve, could be entirely redeveloped.

“We already own it,” Moustis said.

Officials could meet soon to talk about the idea, and it will likely come up at the county board’s next executive committee meeting.