Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Police and fire agencies in western Will County feel they are being overlooked as the county moves forward with plans 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.
The $5 million plan to construct a new dispatch center alongside the new Sheriff’s Office facility this year has been criticized by the Bolingbrook Village Board as “generous but seriously misguided†in a recent resolution.
However, Will County officials defend the move as an example of efficient government, comparing it to how road improvements are funded in certain parts of the county without the same investment elsewhere. The state has mandated the consolidation of dispatch centers, requiring the county to reduce its number from six to three.
Under the state mandate, WESCOM and the City of Joliet will continue to operate their own centers, while the Will County Sheriff’s Office, Lincolnway Communications Center, Romeoville, and Eastern Will County Communications Center (EASCOM) will be consolidated into the new facility at Laraway Road and Route 52. This new center will also house administrative offices for the county’s 911 board, which oversees all dispatch operations.
WESCOM, which serves 21 police and fire departments from Bolingbrook to Wilmington, recently faced pressure after the village passed a resolution demanding a fair solution. WESCOM had previously taken on a $5 million bond issue to fund its own dispatch center, which opened in Plainfield in 2014.
At a recent meeting, the Lockport City Council discussed a similar resolution. Lockport Police Chief Terry Lemming praised the county for following the state’s directive to consolidate dispatch centers, calling it an effective way to manage resources. However, he and other officials expressed concern that residents across the county would end up subsidizing the $5 million project.
WESCOM members say the issue is about fairness, not jealousy. Homer Township Fire District is also expected to pass a resolution similar to Bolingbrook’s, aiming to draw the county’s attention to the imbalance. But according to Fire Chief Robert Tutko, the county seems unresponsive to their concerns.
WESCOM built its own center in 2014 using $5.1 million in bonds over 20 years, with each agency paying $271,000 as its share. Bolingbrook Public Safety Director Tom Ross argues that those served by WESCOM are paying twice—once for the center and again through county funding for the new Sheriff’s Office.
“This is about being responsible to our taxpayers,†Ross said. “We’re just asking for equity.â€
Crete Mayor Mike Einhorn, who leads EASCOM, acknowledged the complexity of the situation. “No one is guaranteed equity. It’s hard to put a figure on circumstances like this,†he said. He added that while he could make an equity claim himself, he chooses not to, recognizing that the county invests in projects across the entire region, whether it's roads or dispatch centers.
According to officials, WESCOM currently serves 44% of the county’s population and 21 agencies, while the new center will serve 33.7% of the population and 31 agencies. Joliet, though serving only 21% of the population, handles one-third of all calls.
WESCOM leaders, including Rauter and Ross, worry about losing member agencies to the new center. They believe the current system was designed for growth, and that Romeoville residents would benefit more from joining WESCOM. Currently, half of Romeoville is covered by Lockport Township Fire District (part of WESCOM), while the other half is served by Romeoville Fire Department. If Romeoville joined WESCOM, it could reduce 3,600 transferred calls annually—about 10 per day.
“But I can’t compete with free,†Rauter said.
Braidwood officials, who are currently part of WESCOM, are considering moving to the new center, but Rauter hopes to meet with them to address their concerns. Even if they leave, they would still be required to pay their share of WESCOM’s debt for the building, he said.
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