Bloomingdale may consolidate dispatch to cut costs

Bloomingdale officials may consolidate the village’s 911 services in an effort to save up to $230,000 a year.

Like many other towns, Bloomingdale is grappling with a budget crunch due to falling sales taxes and flat property tax revenues, as well as late payments from the state. The village already has canceled festivals, offered early retirement packages and left open positions vacant, but leaders say more could be done.

“Because of the economic times, we want to make sure we are being fiscally responsible while still providing a service to the community,” police Chief Frank Giammarese said.

Village leaders are in the preliminary stages of exploring whether they should consolidate Bloomingdale’s emergency dispatch with the Addison Police Department or DU-COMM, also called DuPage Public Safety Communications. The regional service based in Glendale Heights handles 911 calls for about 30 municipalities in DuPage County, as well as parts of Cook and Kane.

If Bloomingdale leaders opt for a change it could affect the jobs of six full-time dispatchers, a part-time dispatcher and a full-time supervisor in the police and fire departments.

Village Administrator Martin Bourke said some workers might be shifted to other duties such as record keeping, but he and Giammarese both said layoffs would happen under consolidation.

“The potential for losing employees is the hardest struggle for me,” Giammarese said. “It’s a proven commodity what we have here, but we have to look at the possibility of saving money and resources.”

Village leaders will tour the DU-COMM facility early next month and listen to a presentation on consolidation. Bourke also said village leaders must debate if the police department will close for certain hours during the night — which could mean a savings of about $230,000 if paired with DuComm or Addison police. If the station remains open 24 hours a day, that would reduce savings to about $170,000, Bourke said.

Giammarese said the village board wants time to carefully weigh the options, but hopes to make a decision soon.

“Our employees are aware and that’s not good for morale to have that hanging over their heads, so we want to make a decision as soon as possible,” Giammarese said.

In July 2009, Roselle opted to consolidate its 911 services with DU-COMM for a savings of $250,000 a year, affecting a staff of eight telecommunicators. Itasca also considered consolidating with DU-COMM to save $120,00 a year, as well as consolidating with Addison for a $245,000 annual savings, in early 2010. But village officials were met with more than two hours of resident protests and no changes were made.