New Phone System for 911 Broached

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Published on January 10 2017 1:49 pm
Last Updated on January 10 2017 1:49 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County 911 Board members discussed the possible purchase of a phone system at Tuesday's meeting.

A replacement phone system was considered a couple of years ago, but uncertainties over state funding led the Board to back off so they could go ahead with the purchase of replacement consoles for the dispatching points.

Now, 911 dispatchers are having problems with the phone system, so the acquisition of a new system is again being considered.

The 911 Board also discussed how to handle city 911 calls when its dispatching point is relocated from the current police station building to the basement of City Hall during construction of a replacement police station.

Effingham County Sheriff Dave Mahon pledged all the help needed if city dispatchers need to use space at the county dispatching point in Effingham County Jail during the transition.

The Board discussed the scheduled end of the current funding method for 911 in Illinois, which is set for June 30, although most present expect the State to extend the current method until a new formula is determined.

Board members also discussed trouble at both dispatching points with monitoring calls from Effingham City-County Ambulance Service. Mahon said the calls are often "sketchy or garbled". There was also discussion of the need to add the four new city police officers to the Starcom communication system since a fee paid to be on the system is based on the number of officers.

The 911 Board also replaced retired city police chief Mike Schutzbach. New City Police Chief Jeff Fuesting took Schutzbach's spot on the board. He was chosen secretary/treasurer for the board. The Board also named County Board representative David Campbell to the vice-chairman's post, succeeding Mike DePoister who is no longer on the County Board.

Here's the new lineup of members on the various 911 committees:

EQUIPMENT/PSAP--Dave Mahon, Cody Hartke and Jeff Fuesting

HUMAN RESOURCES--David Campbell, Nick Althoff and Julie Stephens

ADDRESSING--Wayne Rubach, Larry Thies and Johnathan Paholke

FINANCE--Jeff Fuesting, David Campbell and Julie Stephens

PUBLIC EDUCATION--Wayne Rubach, Cody Hartke and Nick Althoff

EMERGENCY SERVICES--Johnathan Paholke, Dave Mahon and Larry Thies