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According to the ETSB board, it
is time to make a final change in the operation and replace or
upgrade aging equipment.
The recommendation is fully
supported by the Lincoln City Council, the Logan County Board,
Lincoln Police Chief Rich Montcalm and Sheriff Steve Nichols.
On March 16 the voters of Logan
County will be asked to approve a $1.95 surcharge on their
residential phone bill. This is an increase of $1.10 from the 85
cents currently charged on all landlines.
The purpose of this referendum
is to enable the consolidation of the Communication Center, place it
under the control and operation of the Logan County Emergency
Telephone System Board, and make needed improvements to equipment.
This consolidation will enhance the efficiency of the 9-1-1 services
provided to the residents of Logan County.
If the referendum is passed, the Logan County ETSB
intends to implement the following:
1. Continued improvement of
emergency dispatch services to the citizens of Logan County,
including police, fire, rescue, medical and other emergency
functions
2. Reorganization of the Communication
Room
a. One leadership: ETSB
b. No distinction will be made
between city and county 9-1-1 calls. All calls will be handled
efficiently and professionally.
c. All 9-1-1 dispatchers will
receive the same training and follow the same procedure.
3. Benefits to the professional
emergency communicators
a. Equalized compensation and
benefits
4. Complete civilian dispatch
a. Allows current sworn
officers to be returned to law enforcement duties
5. Enable the county sheriff and
Lincoln police chief to focus on law enforcement issues, while the ETSB focuses on dispatch duties as required by local, state and
federal law.
6. Improvement of dispatching
procedures to keep up with higher level of demands for public safety
in partnership with homeland security
7. Replacement of antiquated
equipment that is becoming difficult and costly to maintain
a. Avoid potential reduction in
efficiency while waiting for hard-to-find parts.
b. Avoid specialized parts and labor
that are becoming more expensive as the parts become more scarce.
Some questions and answers
1. What will the extra $1.10 surcharge provide?
a. ETSB will pay for the operation of the Communication Room in
partnership with the county of Logan and the city of Lincoln.
b. The extra funding will facilitate the upgrade and enhancement of
the Communication Room's equipment. The current aging equipment was
installed in 1993.
c. The extra funding will provide uniform 9-1-1 dispatcher training
in order to enhance the efficiency of the Communication Room.
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this article]
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2. How long has it been since ETSB asked for an increase of the
9-1-1 surcharge?
ETSB has never requested an increase since its inception. The 9-1-1
surcharge began in May 1990.
3. If passed, when will consolidation occur?
If passed, ETSB will assume management May 2004.
4. Do the sheriff of Logan County and the Lincoln city chief of
police support this proposition?
YES
Take a close look at the
following figures, which provide a comparative view. These are
counties that are approximately the same size or smaller than Logan.
|
County |
Population |
Surcharge |
|
Bureau |
35,503 |
$1.95 |
|
Christian |
35,572 |
2.00 |
|
DeWitt |
16,781 |
1.25 |
|
Edgar |
19,595 |
2.00 |
|
Effingham |
34,264 |
2.75 |
|
Franklin |
39,018 |
1.50 |
|
Fulton |
38,250 |
1.85 |
|
Grundy |
37,535 |
1.80 |
|
Livingston |
39,678 |
1.50 |
|
Logan |
31,183 |
.85 |
|
Massac |
15,000 |
1.95 |
|
Menard |
14,000 |
3.25 |
|
McDonough |
32,913 |
1.40 |
|
Montgomery |
30,652 |
2.00 |
|
Morgan |
36,436 |
1.00 |
|
(also planning to increase their rates) |
|
Piatt |
15,696 |
1.95 |
|
Randolph |
33,893 |
.98 |
|
Williamson |
43,000 |
1.55 |
|
Woodford |
35,469 |
1.25 |
Figures for counties close to us with significantly larger populations:
|
Champaign |
168,473 |
$1.50 |
|
Knox |
56,289 |
1.25 |
|
Macon |
133,000 |
.90 |
|
McLean |
140,000 |
1.25 |
|
Sangamon |
186,000 |
.75 |
|
Peoria |
185,000 |
.80 |
|
Tazewell |
141,200 |
.80 |
The board suggests that you
think of the difference in technology that you can see in your own
home. You probably don't have the same TV, radio, computer or stereo
that you had 15 years ago.
Now think if you need help in
an emergency. You want the best for you and yours, don't you?
[Jan
Youngquist]
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