The Gilman City Council is balking about paying a $3840 annual fee for communication service through the 9-1-1 Center.

Municipalities, fire districts, and ambulance operations in the county have paid their fees for handling and routing calls to respective emergency agencies. All 9-1-1 calls are answered, by way of required protocol, but then the exchange of information comes into play.

When calls for 9-1-1 and non-emergency service is received the Communication Center, the responsibility is to deliver the call to the appropriate agency.

The Gilman Council has refused to sign a contract... a communication agreement... with Iroquois County. Gilman’s argument is that it claims answering such 9-1-1 calls is mandatory.

The 9-1-1 surcharge paid on all wireless devices is money used for the purchase and maintenance of equipment and the network cost.

The communication agreement provides funds to support dispatch and salary and benefits for tele-communicators, over and above the 9-1-1 surcharge. It’s for non-emergency support.

The Village of Onarga (Monday night) agreed to, pay its $2,220 per year fee. Most other agencies in the county...police, fire and ambulance have also paid.

Watseka’s fee is $163, 382, the County paus the same $163,382. The total budget is $435, 864. That’s the contract for the Joint Dispatch budget, which includes Tele-Communicators salaries and benefits.

94.1 WGFA