Will County approved hiring an additional sheriff’s deputy for a school resource officer position that will be fully funded by Summit Hill School District 161, while also passing new transparency requirements for long-term transportation and capital projects.

The Will County Board Executive Committee on July 10 approved increasing the county’s sheriff enforcement deputies from 233 to 234 to accommodate a school resource officer position requested by Summit Hill School District 161. The district will reimburse the county $193,478.40 annually for the position at the county’s established contract rate.

“This is something that other schools could start contracting with us and it’s a great opportunity,” said County Board member Dan Butler. “They’re going to pay the cost.”

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Dan Jungles told the committee the department is currently down nine deputies due to recent retirements, with six in the police academy. The department is also down another six deputies for various medical reasons and workers’ compensation issues.

The new deputy will work seven months during the school year and will be trained to county standards that exceed state requirements for school resource officers. Since the 2018 Parkland school shooting, the county revamped its SRO program to include SWAT tactics training and enhanced firearms qualifications.

“I have no doubt in my mind that they will take out that shooter,” Jungles said regarding the county’s trained school resource officers.

In a separate action, the committee approved new requirements for multi-year transportation and capital improvement plans. The resolution requires all such plans to include a qualifying statement that they are “subject to change” and that “financing for all projects in this planning document must be approved by the Will County Board.”

County Board member Dan Butler proposed additional amendments to require more extensive public engagement before studies begin, but those amendments failed 4-5. Butler argued the changes would prevent situations where millions are spent on studies before communities are properly consulted.

The committee also set the county’s public defender salary at $197,393.06, which represents 90% of the state’s attorney’s salary as required by state law. This percentage triggers state reimbursement of two-thirds of the public defender’s salary.

Other actions included approving a $28,362 demolition contract for a blighted property at 116 Walden Road in Joliet and authorizing lease agreements with the City of Joliet for court facilities.