Consultant Updates Finance Committee on Homer Glen Police Cost Study

Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee Meeting | April 7, 2026

Article Summary: A consultant hired to evaluate the financial implications of the Village of Homer Glen launching its own police department briefed the Finance Committee, noting that the study will review historical billing from the Sheriff’s Office and build predictive financial models for an independent village force.

Homer Glen Cost Study Key Points:

• Will County recently selected 65th North as the vendor to conduct the Homer Glen cost study.

• The study will examine historical charges levied by the Will County Sheriff’s Office to ensure they align with contract terms and escalations.

• Consultants will also develop a full financial model detailing the costs for Homer Glen to initiate, operate, and sustain an independent police department.

• The project is currently in the initial data review phase and is expected to be completed by summer 2026.

The Will County Board Finance Committee on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, received an update on a highly anticipated cost study evaluating the financial dynamics of law enforcement services in the Village of Homer Glen.

Will County Auditor Duffy Blackburn introduced Dave Ross from the consulting firm 65th North, who was recently chosen by the county’s purchasing department to conduct the analysis. Ross outlined a multi-pronged approach that will simultaneously look backward at the county’s billing practices and forward at the village’s potential independence.

“Obviously, we’re in the process right now of initial data review,” Ross told the committee. “The important parts moving forward, of course, is to ensure not only the financial look-back—to make sure that what has been charged historically is accurate based on initial contract terms and escalation terms over the years—but that we are making sure the county has a very well-developed cost allocation plan.”

Ross emphasized that the study is not exclusively about ensuring the county has adequately protected itself and charged accurately for the services the Sheriff’s Office provides. The second major component involves predictive financial modeling for the Village of Homer Glen, which currently contracts with the Will County Sheriff’s Office for police services.

“We also look at it from a different approach, and we’re going to take this from a multi-prong approach to where we actually will be developing full financial models for what it would be for the village to initiate and operate and sustain their own police department,” Ross said. “Using both of those methodologies will really help create a solid picture for the county on moving forward with whatever future billing for the Sheriff’s Office services that the county is going to end up doing.”

Ross stated that the project is anticipated to be completed around the summer, estimating a timeline of roughly three months, and offered to provide the committee with ongoing progress updates as needed. No formal action was taken on the item.