Lake Villa police change dispatch centers

It took about seven years to close the deal, but Fox Lake officials announced they have signed a five-year contract to handle emergency dispatching services for the Lake Villa Police Department.

Fox Lake Mayor Ed Bender said officials approved a $40,000 annual contract with Lake Villa by unanimous vote during a village board meeting Tuesday night.

Lake Villa Police will officially leave Antioch dispatching at midnight Nov. 1, officials said.

“This has been a real long time in the making,” Bender said. “It started two mayors ago, that’s how long we’ve been waiting. But, it’s finally done and we are happy to have them on board.”

Lake Villa Mayor Frank Loffredo said the decision was a financial one. He said Antioch charged Lake Villa $90,000 for dispatching services in 2011, and a price increase was expected in 2012.

“We were pleased with our service from Antioch for many years, but when it came time for a contract renewal, we looked around for a better price and Fox Lake was offering the same service at a much lower cost,” Loffredo said.

The change will be seamless, he said, and won’t be noticed by residents in need of emergency services.

“A 9-1-1 call will still go to 9-1-1, so residents won’t even be able to tell the change took place on Nov. 1,” Loffredo said. “We did a lot of research into the situation, and realized that we would get the same service for a much better price. So, it came down to us doing our fiduciary responsibility as village officials to accept the contract with Fox Lake.”

Annette Wolf, manager of FoxComm 911 in Fox Lake, said Lake Villa is the fourth client to receive dispatching services, joining the Grayslake Fire Protection District, Fox Lake Fire Protection District and the Fox Lake Police Department.

“We are taking in Lake Villa without having to add any other employees to FoxComm,” Wolf said. “In total, we have the ability to dispatch for 16 clients.”

She said FoxComm will continue to try and bring in clients to offset the annual $830,000 operating cost for the dispatch center.

Fox Lake Police pays about $300,000 of the total cost of FoxComm, while Grayslake Fire pays $78,000 and Fox Lake fire pitches in an additional $70,000, Wolf said. The rest is covered by the village of Fox Lake and a 9-1-1 surcharge.

Bender said consolidating dispatching services with Lake Villa is part of a trend being followed by many municipalities to keep costs down.

With the current economy and the state late on payments, it’s a “win-win” any time two entities can come together and combine services, he said.

“Every village in the state should work to consolidate or outsource services where possible as a way to save money,” Bender said. “This is a perfect example of how outsourcing and consolidating helps out two villages at once.”