Interim Administrator Watkins talks budget and construction project updates as county begins search for new administrator

Kirsten Wisniewski | November 14, 2024

The Cook County Board of Commissioners held a two-part business meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12 in an effort to cover a wide range of agenda items, while still designating time to discuss ways to approach reducing the preliminary 2025 levy by cutting the budget.

Hiring a new administrator

The agenda included the decision to move forward with hiring a new administrator to replace James Joerke. That role is currently being filled by Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins. He initially signed on for 12 weeks, enough to cover the family leave that Joerke initially requested before ultimately resigning. However, Watkins told WTIP that he is prepared to continue in the role through the hiring process, as long as progress is being made. He said that according to the timeline by DDA, the HR firm contracted to help with the administrator search, candidate recruitment should be happening by mid-December or January.

Transfer Station project

While Watkins may only be in his role temporarily, county long-term projects and planning is still ongoing. One of the large county projects that Watkins is working to keep on track is the Transfer Station that the county has partnered with North Shore Waste to build. The Committee of the Whole (COW) will hear more information on the status of the project on Nov. 19. Watkins said that the county would be exploring financing options for the project.

The proposed construction timeline has been adjusted since the project was initially conceptualized due to the stipulations included with funds that were awarded by the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRR). Watkins said that the information presented at the COW would give the board a better sense of the financing options available and what the long-term impact would be for the county’s financial planning.

Capital Improvement Plan

The other major project that Watkins has been tasked with overseeing during his tenure as interim administrator is the renovation of the Law Enforcement Center. The project is part of the Capital Improvement Plan, which comprises of a series of deferred maintenance projects, as well as the renovation and expansion of several county buildings. Expanding the LEC is just one element of a masterplan that the board approved earlier this year.

Approving the masterplan opened the door for the current phase of planning, namely, creating architectural drawings and getting more concrete construction cost estimates.

The county has contracted with BKV Group for the renovation and expansion elements of the CIP. The LEC was identified as the building with the most pressing needs, but the masterplan that the board accepted included changes for both the courthouse and the community center. The LEC is currently the only building being discussed in this next phase of the plan. Watkins added that though the board has opted to take the next planning step, there is no commitment, yet, to do any building. He said, “All the board has committed to, is to really refining the plan itself, getting it more detailed, and refining those numbers so that when they do decide whether or not they want to move forward with it, there’s a clear picture of what that total cost is going to be.”

A previous CIP masterplan involved the construction of a judicial center, but the board opted to halt the planning of that project in April. The current version of the masterplan aims to fulfill the same safety and space improvements as the original, but split into several buildings, rather than one single judicial center.

2025 budget talks

The potential construction projects for the county may still be months or years from taking shape, but the board has only until the end of this calendar year to finalize the 2025 budget and set a final tax levy. They set a preliminary levy of 9.81%, though the commissioners have all stated that they hope to be able to make enough budget adjustments to bring the final levy closer to 5%. The budget conversations are ongoing, but during the Nov. 12 meeting the commissioners discussed the use of Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds, the county’s current fund balance, and other sources as a way to to offset the levy.

No official decisions were made regarding the budget on Nov. 12, but it was the longest that the board has discussed the budget at a business meeting. There was also specific discussion of what some budget line items entailed, with department heads weighing in on why they’d requested those funds for 2025, as well as what might be able to be pushed off another year.

Watkins said that he was happy with how the budget discussion went, saying, “It’s moving in a in a direction that’s productive and going well.”

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Interim Administrator Rowan Watkins following the Nov. 12 Cook County Board of Commissioners meeting. Audio of that interview is below.