New Kendall County building opens to public

Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month, the new home for the Kendall County clerk, recorder and election offices is now open to the public.

The new $9.4 million building, located at 502 S. Main St. in downtown Yorkville, was constructed between the historic Kendall County Courthouse and the Kendall County Office Building at 111 W. Fox St. The project was funded through the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

Kendall County Clerk and Recorder Debbie Gillette is happy with how the county’s new office building will better serve the needs of residents.

“We’ve incorporated private spaces to conduct sensitive business, including obtaining marriages licenses and copies of death certificates,” Gillette said to those gathered June 18 at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new building.

Gillette also noted the new building provides enough space to store all records in one location as well as additional space for those who need to take care of their voter registration and those choosing to vote early.

“Voters should be very excited,” she said. “We will be able to better serve the many polling places across the county with the appropriate equipment storage and vehicle access for getting equipment delivered. We have a basement where we’ll be able to put all of our equipment and trucks will be able to back up, load up and go out, not in three different buildings like we’ve had in the past.”

Kendall County Board member Brian DeBolt, chairman of the board’s facilities management and technology committee, thanked the neighborhood for dealing with the construction work.

“We thank each and every one of the neighbors for that,” he said.

Architectural firm Cordogan Clark and Associates, which designed the new building, is also working on plans for a major renovation of the Kendall County Office Building. At the April 16 Kendall County Board meeting, the majority of County Board members approved an agreement with Cordogan Clark to finalize the plans so the project can be put out to bid.

The project, estimated to cost $8.75 million, will include full renovations to the entire building, except the board room and the executive board conference room for the most part. The project will be paid from the county’s fiscal 2024 building fund with the remainder budgeted in the fiscal 2025 building fund.

“It’s going to be a modern building with the amenities our citizens deserve and our employees,” Kendall County Board Chairman Matt Kellogg said in addressing those gathered for the ceremony.

The board expects to vote on the bid for the project in August and the project would get underway in October. The project is expected to be completed in November 2025.

Improvements will be made to the county’s public safety center as part of phase three of the county’s capital improvement program.