Village of La Grange Emergency Telephone System Board met February 25.
Here is the minutes as provided by the board:
1. Call to Order and Roll Call
A meeting of the Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) of the Village of La Grange
was held on Monday, February 25, 2013, in the First Floor Conference Room of the
Village Hall and was called to order at 6:45 p.m. by Village President Elizabeth Asperger.
Present and constituting a quorum were: Trustee Bill Holder, Fire Chief Bill Bryzgalski,
Police Chief Mike Holub and Village Manager Bob Pilipiszyn with Chairman Asperger
presiding.
Also present were: Assistant Village Manager Andri Peterson and Finance Director Lou
Cipparrone.
2. Approval of Minutes
The minutes of the ETSB meeting of February 27, 2012 were presented for approval with
no changes noted. It was moved by Trustee Holder, seconded by Village Manager Bob
Pilipiszyn that the ETSB Minutes of February 27, 2012 be approved. Approved by voice
vote.
3. Review of the Emergency Telephone System Board Budget for FY 2013-14
Revenues: Finance Director Cipparrone briefly reviewed the two primary revenue sources
for the ETSB Fund: 1) 911 Surcharge Fee of $.75 per land line and 2) Wireless 911
Surcharge of $.73 per line. The Village receives $.49 of the $.73 fee per line wireless fee
with the balance funding telecommunications grants for rural areas in downstate Illinois.
ETSB revenues decrease significantly in FY 2012-13 due to a new law which changed the
collection and distribution methods for prepaid wireless fees, effective January 1, 2012.
Due to the significant decrease in receipts, the Village contacted the ICC requesting more
information regarding collection of the wireless fee under the new law and that a review be
conducted to ensure that receipts were being collected and distributed accurately.
The Village received an explanatory letter from the ICC stating that under the previous
prepaid law, funding was based upon zip code and the carrier had the ability to use the
customers address, assign a zip code of their choice to a mobile telephone number (which
often meant all money for a prefix would end up on one zip code) or to use the zip code of
the point of sale; which led to high concentration of funds in a small number of systems.
Under the old law, La Grange was collected prepaid fees from approximately 23,000 lines
in the 60525 zip code. With a population of 15,500, we were receiving funds for
approximately 1.5 prepaid wireless phone lines for every person within the Village, with a
state average of.8 lines per person.
Prepaid fees are now distributed based upon the ratio of post-paid customers within the
municipality. Post-paid customers are wireless subscribers who pay a monthly bill for their
wireless service (versus prepaid in which subscribers buy minutes in advance for their
service). The new law has no impact on the 911 post-paid wireless surcharge.
The ICC also noted that revenue from the prepaid surcharge is down significantly under the
new law. It was also reported that the ICC and IDOR will continue to monitor the situation
and keep counties and municipalities informed on subsequent collections.
Due to the significant decrease in prepaid wireless fees, beginning in FY 2013-14 the
transfer to ERF for the future replacement of 911 equipment has been eliminated, and the
transfer to the General Fund for personnel costs attributable directly to the operation of the
emergency telephone system has been reduced.
These adjustments to the ETSB budget will extend the fund’s reserves, during which time
the technical study to examine operational, capital, financial and governance issues relating
to a combined dispatch center is being completed, evaluated and implemented.
Approximately $450,000 of reserve funds remain available within ERF for potential costs
associated with consolidated dispatch and/or the future replacement of 911 equipment.
Chief Holub also reported that the sunset date for the wireless 911 surcharge has been
extended to August 2013. This date has been amended legislatively twice and it will need
to be amended again in order to keep the surcharge active. New State legislation is
currently in committee which would extend the collection of the wireless fee to 2019.
However, if the wireless 911 surcharge is not renewed, the Village may need to consider a
referendum to increase the landline surcharge to fund future ETSB expenditures.
Grants: The Village was awarded federal funding to enhance law enforcement technology
and equipment including the next phase of 911 services and digital mapping. The grant
funds were allocated as follows: $75,000 for enhanced 911 services and $25,000 for digital
mapping. As the implementation of the Geographical Information System (GIS), which
includes the digital mapping component of the enhanced 911 systems, was postponed due
to budgetary constraints, the Village has been awarded a three-year extension to complete
the project in order to receive the full amount of the grant. For budgetary purposes, receipt
of the federal funds is reflected in FY 2014-15.
Expenses: Finance Director Cipparrone briefly reviewed the various routine operating
expenditures within the fund.
Telephone expenditures include E-911 line service, E-911 wireless line service, and the
Areawide Law Enforcement Radio Terminal System (A.L.E.R.T.S.). The Equipment
Maintenance line item primarily reflects annual maintenance contracts which provide
software updates, technical support and routine maintenance for various 911 emergency
systems in the dispatch center.
Professional Services includes $25,000 for a Phase II technical study to examine
operational, capital, financial and governance issues relating to a combined dispatch center
between the Villages of La Grange, La Grange Park and Western Springs. The current
ETSB budget assumes continuation of the current business model, pending results of the
consolidation studies.
Chief Holub and Chief Bryzgalski reported that the “narrow banding” of radio equipment
in the Police and Fire Departments was completed and operational, coming in under budget
by approximately $10,000. Narrow banding is the narrowing of VHF and UHF channel
bandwidths or increased voice paths on existing channels, which allows for the creation of
additional channels, thereby supporting more users.
The available funds for New Equipment were utilized towards the emergency replacement
of the fileserver at the Police/Fire Department and 911 Communication Center. The total
cost of replacing the failing hardware and software/data migration is $13,500. Available
ETSB ERF reserves funded the balance of the emergency purchase.
4. Recommendation
Upon a motion by Trustee Holder, seconded by Village Manager Bob Pilipiszyn, it was
moved that the ETSB recommend to the Village Board of Trustees the adoption of the FY
2013-14 ETSB budget as presented. Approved by voice vote.
5. Adjournment
At 7:15 p.m. it was moved by Fire Chief Bryzgalski to adjourn, seconded by Police Chief
Holub. Approved by voice vote.
http://www.villageoflagrange.com/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/914
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