Officials in Lake Zurich have been working for years to consolidate the town’s emergency dispatch office with a larger regional center covering more geography across Lake County, an effort that is ongoing in Lake Zurich and part of the discussion at the Village Board meeting earlier this month.
Village trustees got an update on the move from Police Chief Steve Husak at the May 6 board meeting.
The combined center would be called LakeComm and it would be based in Libertyville, officials explained. The new facility would be the main center callers reach when they dial 911 and it would dispatch emergency services from that central location, servicing all communities in the area.
The center is intended to save money, though trustees aren’t entirely sold on the idea yet. Still, Husak said it made sense.
“It’s mutually beneficial for police and fire departments to consolidate,” Husak told trustees.
In 2022, the village of Lake Zurich entered into an intergovernmental agreement related to the move, and has pledged $50,000 toward planning for the combined center. The money to run the center is not expected to come from new taxes but from an existing telephone charge users pay. Its operation would be overseen by a board that would include local representatives, officials explained.
Husak said the project would be a win for everyone.
“There are a lot of benefits,” the police chief said.
Among the benefits Husak claims are: Reduced call transfers, better data sharing between agencies and operational savings through reduced overhead management costs and duplicate technological systems.
“To have a large center with 20 or 30 dispatchers on the floor is a great asset,” Husak said.
He also pointed out it would be designed to withstand all manner of disasters.
“It’s better than any facility in the whole county,” Husak said. “Ours is great, but this is weatherproof and it has hardened security.”
The trustees seemed generally supportive of the plan, though some expressed concern over the cost and the fate of the village’s existing emergency dispatch call center. So far, the projected cost of the combined center would come to $600,000 per year from local phone users compared with the current center costing about $800,000.
However, if the current local center were to remain open longer term, it could require a budget of its own, according to officials. Husak said the local center could also serve as a backup to the consolidated facility for unforeseen emergency situations.
Trustee Marc Spacone pointed out that if the old building is held on to, it would require staff to maintain it and keep it usable, which could be costly.
He said he also fears a switch could require a property tax increase.
“We were promised by [Lake Zurich] School District 95 that our property taxes wouldn’t go up and mine went up $900 after that referendum,” Spacone said. “I just want to be as transparent as humanly possible.”
Even so, Husak said a larger center could also create more jobs because it would require more operational manpower – adding another benefit.
“I hope it’s the same level of proficiency as we’ve got now,” said Mayor Tom Poynton.
Husak assured trustees that local police and other first responders would still be responsive to Lake Zurich. He said the only difference would be who’s answering the phones.
Another report on the issue is expected to come sometime later this summer, and from there the trustees could vote on joining LakeComm.
Jesse Wright is a freelancer.