The McLean County Nursing Home is set for some renovations, using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act [ARPA]. The $3.2 million contract was awarded Thursday by the county board to Springfield-based O’Shea Builders.
The building was first opened in 1974. Board chair Elizabeth Johnston said parts of the facility haven’t changed at all.
“Some of the equipment that’s there is 50 years old. They’ve been maintaining it as best they can,” Johnston said. “But we’re now to the point where it’s not as efficient and we do want to see some of those replacements.”
The renovations will include new plumbing, lighting and some ceilings. Additionally, upgrades to the nursing home’s heating and cooling are expected to reduce expenses in the future.
ARPA funding may be phasing out, but Johnston said it’s given the county a valuable opportunity to catch up on what was a long record of deferred maintenance, adding she thinks the boost it provided will have lasting benefits by allowing the county to better plan ongoing maintenance and avoid falling behind.
In another matter, the board approved escrow agreements for Sapphire Sky Wind Energy LLC and ASD McLean Solar I LLC, relating to their ongoing projects in wind and solar energy, respectively.
The amounts the companies provide — $540,000 for Sapphire Sky Wind Energy and $280,000 from ASD McLean Solar I — will be held and used in the event the companies fail and their projects need to be dismantled. Johnston said the price tags are in accordance with regulatory increases in recent years.
Also on Thursday, the board:
- Added language to the county code requiring a Project Labor Agreement [PLA] on public works projects exceeding $50,000 in cost. Michael Raikes, head of the McLean and Livingston Counties Building Trades Council, attended the meeting to support the measure, saying PLAs promote local workers, encourage a diverse workforce, and help apprentices gain experience.
- Updated reimbursement policies for board members traveling on county business. Rates such as meal reimbursement had not been updated to reflect costs for 10 years, and some language, such as relating to phone calls, was outdated.
- Approved participation in the Route 66 Bike-Pedestrian trail project from the Village of McLean to Funk’s Grove, including a local funding match and an agreement with IDOT for right-of-way placement.
- Approved special zoning for a new solar farm project southeast of Bloomington.
- Adopted a Title VI plan in compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and IDOT, a commitment to preventing discrimination in government programs and activities.
