Excerpts from MySuburbanLife.com: The city of Woodstock has taken a major step forward by approving an intergovernmental agreement to connect with the McHenry Police Department's dispatch center. This move is expected to bring significant cost savings, as the current Woodstock dispatch center costs about $856,000 annually to operate. With the new system, the first-year operating costs are estimated at around $502,000. In addition to the annual savings, the city will also make two one-time payments during the transition period. These include approximately $144,000 for new dispatch equipment and $189,000 in severance packages for Woodstock dispatchers whose positions will be eliminated under the new agreement. Woodstock Police Chief Robert Lowen acknowledged that the change comes with some drawbacks. He noted that the local dispatch center will no longer be staffed 24/7 at the police department, and the new dispatchers may not be as familiar with the city’s specific needs. However, he also expressed confidence that over time, the new regional center will become more attuned to the community’s unique requirements. The new dispatch center, now known as the McHenry County Northeastern Regional Communications Center (NERCOMM), currently serves several local agencies, including McHenry, Johnsburg, McCullom Lake, McHenry Township Fire Protection District, Marengo Fire, Marengo Rescue, and Union Fire. It is also expanding to include Harvard and Marengo in response to a state directive aimed at reducing the number of dispatch centers across the region. Currently, eight full-time and two part-time dispatchers work at the Woodstock dispatch center. Under the new agreement, one full-time employee will move to a records clerk role within the police department, while five others will transition to NERCOMM. This shift reflects the broader goal of consolidating resources and improving efficiency across the county. The city of Woodstock currently receives about $84,000 annually from the Woodstock Fire Rescue District for its dispatching services. However, with the new agreement, the district’s costs are expected to rise to $120,000 per year. To ease this financial burden, the city will provide a subsidy of up to $36,000 per year for the next five years, according to City Manager Roscoe Stelford and Finance Director Paul Christensen. Christensen explained that the city sees long-term savings from the arrangement and is willing to share those benefits with the fire district during the transition period. “The city is seeing savings, and so we’re willing to share some of our savings for the first five years to help them mitigate the increase,†he said. The agreement was unanimously approved at Tuesday’s Woodstock City Council meeting, signaling strong support for the new regional approach to emergency communications. Head Light Assembly Chevrolet,Auto Head Lights Chevrolet,Bright Head Lamp Chevrolet,Car Head Light Chevrolet,Halogen Head Lights Chevrolet Changzhou Yuantao Auto Parts Co., Ltd. , https://www.czshgm.com