Fox Lake won't merge 911 dispatch centers with Round Lake

Fox Lake officials announced Tuesday they will not be merging their 911 dispatching center with neighboring Round Lake.

Mayor Cindy Irwin said the village instead will be actively working to bring in new clients to help offset the tab of keeping the dispatch center in-house.

However, she also said an existing contract with Grayslake needs to be rewritten in order for the village to come in under budget this fiscal year.

"(Village staff members) have worked some new numbers and determined we can make it work for us," she said. "If everything goes according to plan, and if these other communities accept it, it makes more sense to keep it in house."

Village officials have been wrestling with a decision to either keep the dispatch center in their own village or merging it with neighboring CenCom in Round Lake. The reason for a potential merger is to help offset the $1 million annual cost of the center and because the village was facing a budget shortfall of about $550,000 for this fiscal year.

But finance committee Chairman Carol Ulasy and Village Treasurer Paul Christensen said a number of budget savings implemented have left the village sitting a little better financially and the village should turn in a balanced budget this year.

Christensen said that forcing residents to pay for their garbage pickup as opposed to the village splitting the cost of the service and other cuts implemented in each department has managed to save the village about $300,000 in this fiscal year.

In addition, the village will be offering up early retirement to employees willing to take it, which should produce an additional cost-saving measure.

"Also, if we are able to rework current contracts with Grayslake with the 911 center, we should come in with a balanced budget," Christensen said. "There have been a lot of cost-cutting measures put in place and we searched for additional resources to get us through this."

He said the village is currently operating $250,000 in the hole, but if the Grayslake contract is rewritten, the village will develop $450,000 in new revenue and the budget will turn $200,000 in the black.

Grayslake pays Fox Lake about $378,000 annually for dispatch services through FoxComm. Christensen said Fox Lake has approached Grayslake about rewriting that contract. The contract proposed charges Grayslake more money, but it's more of a long-term deal for Grayslake, he said.

Fox Lake was also looking to increase a telecommunications tax to add money to the village's coffers, but decided against it. The increased tax would have cost people an additional $2.25 on a $100 phone bill.

Village officials agreed saying they don't feel the residents deserve to be hit with an additional financial burden during the current times.

"I truly think if everything comes together as planned, we will turn in a balanced budget," Ulasy said. "Every department is under budget and with these few minor changes to existing contracts, we should be fine."

Trustee Ed Bender, who has been fighting to keep the dispatch center under village control, said he was happy with the final decision.

"This is a victory for the town after eight months of fighting to keep the center," he said. "But, I have to say, it bothers me that we only turn in a balanced budget if the plan comes together."