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News
KenCom, Montgomery to negotiate agreement : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisKenCom, Montgomery to negotiate agreement
| Agency would answer village's 911 calls
| by Matt Schury
| 3/7/2013
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The KenCom Executive Board's Finance Committee is expected to begin meeting soon with the Village of Montgomery to negotiate a contract to allow the village to join the 911 emergency dispatching center.
The KenCom Board unanimously approved a motion last week to allow the Finance Committee to begin negotiating the pact, which will ultimately have to be approved by KenCom and the village.
KenCom board member at large Larry Nelson explained the contract to the board.
Under the agreement, Montgomery is expected to pay $219,000 a year to be included in KenCom. The figure will be adjusted annually for inflation for five years. Either party can opt out after the first three years as long as they give two years notice, Nelson explained.
Last week the Montgomery Village Board unanimously approved joining KenCom and shutting down the village police department's dispatch center. Montgomery officials estimate the village will save $330,000 in the first year after the switch and as much as $500,000 on an annual basis in subsequent years.
Currently, dispatchers at the village police station answer 911 calls for the police department, Sugar Grove Police, Sugar Grove Fire Protection District, Aurora Township and Montgomery-Countryside Fire Districts as well as Waubonsee Community College.
Last year the village received notice that the Sugar Grove Police Department and fire protection district will soon be dropping out of the village's 911 service to join a regional dispatching facility.
Nelson also mentioned during the meeting that the Aurora Township and Montgomery-Countryside Fire Districts have approached KenCom about joining as well.
He added that he has also heard Waubonsee will soon investigate joining KenCom.
The board also took a consensus vote to allow the Finance Committee to begin discussions with the other three entities.
The board couldn't take an official vote to begin discussion since the item wasn't on the meeting's agenda.
"We have actually all four of them, more or less, that are going to be coming at us," Nelson said.
Hire two more
telecommunicators?
As far as staffing is concerned, that should be offset by Montgomery's contribution.
"We estimated that the worst case scenario there we'd have to bring on two new telecommunicators (dispatchers)," Nelson said, adding that the additional load will generate 18,000 to 20,000 calls a year from the village.
Nelson noted that Montgomery would not get a seat at the KenCom Executive Board but will be included in KenCom's Operation's Board.
KenCom Chairman Greg Witek said it's good deal for both Montgomery and KenCom but there is still a lot of work to be done.
"The spirit of the arrangement is to bring additional funding into KenCom such that it widens our shoulders and let's improve the operations part of what we do," Witek said.
"I think it's a win-win for everybody," Nelson added.
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