Excerpts from ChicagoTribune.com:
Police and fire agencies in western Will County are expressing frustration over the county’s decision to build a centralized dispatch center for 30 agencies in eastern Will County. They argue that if the county is investing in one group, it should do the same for all, feeling overlooked in the process.
The $5 million plan to construct a new dispatch center as part of the upcoming Sheriff’s Office facility has been criticized by some as “generous but seriously misguided.†A recent resolution passed by the Bolingbrook Village Board highlights this concern, calling for a fairer approach.
However, Will County officials defend the move as an example of efficient government, comparing it to road improvements that benefit certain areas without necessarily extending to others. The state has mandated the consolidation of dispatch centers, requiring the county to reduce its number from six to three. As a result, WESCOM and the City of Joliet will continue operating their own centers, while several others—including the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Lincolnway Communications Center, Romeoville, and EASCOM—will be consolidated into a single facility at Laraway Road and Route 52. This new center will also house administrative offices for the county’s 911 board.
WESCOM, which serves 21 police and fire departments from Bolingbrook to Wilmington, recently approved a $5 million bond issue to fund its own dispatch center, which opened in Plainfield in 2014. Now, with the new consolidation plan, WESCOM members are pushing for equity, arguing that they already invested in their own infrastructure and shouldn’t bear the burden of another project funded by county taxpayers.
Lockport Police Chief Terry Lemming supports the overall goal of better coordination through consolidation but is concerned about the cost being shared by residents across the county. Similarly, Homer Township Fire Chief Robert Tutko plans to pass a resolution similar to Bolingbrook’s, hoping to bring more attention to the issue.
Despite these concerns, county officials seem unlikely to provide additional funding to WESCOM, according to reports from recent meetings. WESCOM’s current setup, built with a $5.1 million bond, requires each member agency to contribute $271,000. Some argue that this means taxpayers are paying twice—once for WESCOM and again through county-funded projects like the new Sheriff’s Office.
“This is about being responsible to our taxpayers,†said Bolingbrook Public Safety Director Tom Ross. “We’re just asking for equity.†Others, like Crete Mayor Mike Einhorn, acknowledge the challenge of balancing resources across the county. “I don’t complain about what goes on in their half of the county,†he said. “But I could make the equity claim too, and that’s not how it works.â€
County officials stress that the goal is efficiency and collaboration. “People want efficient government. They want us to work together,†said one official. While WESCOM covers 44% of the county’s population and 21 agencies, the new center will serve 33.7% of the population and 31 agencies. Joliet, though covering only 21%, handles one-third of all calls, highlighting the uneven distribution of demand.
There are also fears that some agencies may leave WESCOM for the new center, especially since it offers free access. WESCOM was designed for growth, and Romeoville residents could benefit from joining, potentially reducing thousands of transferred calls annually. But with the new center offering no cost, some say it's hard to compete.
Braidwood officials, currently part of WESCOM, are considering moving to the new center, but WESCOM leaders hope to address their concerns. Even if they leave, they would still be required to pay their share of the existing debt.
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