DeKalb County rural fire departments to pay for dispatch services

For years, DeKalb County’s 10 rural fire departments have benefited from free dispatching services provided by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division, since the 911 system was first implemented.

However, this long-standing arrangement is about to change. For several months, Sheriff Roger Scott and other county officials have been working on a new fee structure for these smaller departments.

So far, only Cortland and Kirkland have not yet agreed to or paid the new fees. This has caused some frustration among local leaders, including Frank Ottengheime, the longtime chief of the Shabbona Fire Department.

“We pay taxes, we pay into county funds, we cover phone and cell phone expenses, and in some cases, we even contribute to city taxes,” Ottengheime said. “I don’t know how many times we can be charged for the same service.”

He added, “Our belief is that this is an essential service and should be available without additional costs.”

While the county is currently cutting back on spending to balance its budget, Sheriff Scott clarified that this wasn’t the reason for the change. Instead, it was rural police departments that initially suggested the fire departments help share the cost.

“Rural police departments have been paying for years, and they proposed that fire departments also contribute to reduce the burden on them,” Scott explained. “This idea was brought before the Law and Justice Committee in 2015, and they pushed for a revised plan that included fire departments.”

According to county records, rural fire agencies will now pay approximately $26,000 for dispatching services in the current fiscal year, with the amount expected to rise to around $30,000 by 2021.

The eight rural police departments—Cortland, Hinckley, Kingston, Kirkland, Malta, Shabbona, Somonauk, and Waterman—are set to pay $162,000 this year.

The proposed fees are relatively small. The Shabbona Fire District recently agreed to pay $1,900 for dispatching, with annual increases of 3% to 4% through 2021.

When spread across homeowners, the fee would add between 14 cents and $2 per $100,000 in property value, according to county documents. Shabbona’s district includes roughly 400 homes.

But for volunteer fire departments already struggling with limited resources, this new charge adds pressure. Volunteer firefighters in Shabbona earn $8.50 per hour, while paramedics get $12.50. Chief Ottengheime, who has served for 40 years, earns just $3,000 annually.

“No one’s making money doing this,” he said. “Someone gets $10 to wake up at 3 a.m., and they’re not in it for the money.”

Training requirements and equipment costs are making it harder to maintain volunteer ambulance services. With tax caps limiting what districts can collect, adding new fees could affect the ability to afford critical training and gear, Ottengheime noted.

Scott explained that the sheriff’s office has tested multiple formulas to ensure fairness. He also mentioned that the increases are tied to rising labor costs, which are governed by union contracts.

“Fire dispatching isn’t something the sheriff’s office is legally required to do,” Scott said. “It’s an added responsibility.”

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office provides dispatching services to most rural fire departments in the county. New fees have been introduced, with annual increases ranging from 3.4% to 4.1% until June 30, 2021.

Cortland: $4,300
Hinckley: $2,750
Kirkland: $3,400
Lee: $450
Leland: $1,450
Malta: $2,350
Paw Paw: $200
Shabbona: $1,900
Somonauk: $5,950
Waterman: $2,400

Source: DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office

Thanks Dan

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