Title
Joint resolution authorizing the adoption and execution of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) Establishing Lake Consolidated Emergency Communications (LakeComm).
Staff Summary
• Since 2018, the County of Lake (Lake County Board) has been a leader and committed partner in Lake County Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) consolidation efforts with the goal of providing timely, effective, and efficient 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch service to Lake County residents, visitors, and first responders.
• Since the Fall of 2022, the County has been a partner through an IGA (“Planning IGA”) to, “develop an Implementing Intergovernmental Agreement (“Implementing IGA”) that establishes a NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP in Lake County, Illinois to replace and consolidate the PSAPs operated by the Parties to this Agreement.”
• This IGA is the “Implementing IGA” that establishes LakeComm as the NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP to replace and consolidate partner Lake County PSAPs.
• All cities, villages, fire protection districts, the County, the Sheriff, and other units of local government that directly provide public safety service, that are located, wholly or partly within Lake County or geographically adjoin the boundaries of an existing PSAP Member located within Lake County are invited to be a member of LakeComm.
• The County is a full partner in LakeComm with the Lake County Board appointing the County’s position on the Member Board of Directors and the LakeComm Executive Committee.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Signatories have the authority to enter into this Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act, 5 ILCS 220/1 et seq., and Article VII, Section 10 of the 1970 Constitution of the State of Illinois, and other applicable law; and
WHEREAS, in April 2017, the County of Lake and the Lake County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) received the 9-1-1 Consolidation Report which concluded that dispatch consolidation is a mutually beneficial path for public safety entities in Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the 9-1-1 Consolidation Report stated the potential benefits of dispatch consolidation include: reduced call transferring; staffing improvements to provide enhanced coverage for 24/7 operations; more consistent and effective service delivery; greater opportunities for interagency response and backup; better data sharing between agencies and responders in the field, along with expanded oversight; enhanced interoperability and the ability to share information across jurisdictions; operational savings; reductions in future capital investment; and the elimination of duplicative technology maintenance agreements; and
WHEREAS, the recommendations from the 9-1-1 Consolidation Report were shared in numerous meetings with community and public safety representatives; and
WHEREAS, in Spring of 2018, a Consortium of 21 Lake County Public Safety Entities (PSEs), to include the County of Lake, the Lake County Sheriff, and the Lake County ETSB agreed through an IGA to participate in the 9-1-1 Consolidation Implementation Planning Project and committed to the next phase of 9-1-1 consolidation efforts in Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the participating PSEs worked together on 9-1-1 consolidation efforts and initiatives through regular meetings of the Consortium Governance Committees and various working groups; and
WHEREAS, in December of 2019, the Regional 9-1-1 Consortium Concept of Operations and Implementation Plan was approved by the Consortium Governance Committees; and
WHEREAS, in August 2020, the Consortium unanimously approved extending the original IGA 12 months, through September 6, 2021, to continue progress on initiatives in the approved Regional 9-1-1 Consortium Concept of Operations and Implementation Plan; and
WHEREAS, in May 2021, the Consortium completed a joint request for proposal (RFP) and procurement of a scalable, shared, integrated, enterprise family of systems / software that included Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mobile Data, Law Enforcement Records Management (LE RMS), Jail Management (JMS), Electronic Crash, and Electronic Ticket systems to support 9-1-1 services, emergency dispatch services, and records management for partner municipalities and agencies throughout Lake County; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County ETSB funded and is the Executive Agent for the CAD and Mobile Data contract; and
WHEREAS, the County of Lake funded and the Lake County Sheriff is the Executive Agent for the Law Enforcement RMS, JMS, E-Crash, and E-Ticket contract; and
WHEREAS, in September 2021, the Consortium unanimously approved extending the original IGA an additional 12 months, through September 6, 2022, to continue progress on initiatives in the approved Regional 9-1-1 Consortium Concept of Operations and Implementation Plan; and
WHEREAS, in October 2021, the Lake County Board authorized entering into an agreement for architectural and engineering design services for a facility on the Lake County Campus in Libertyville, Illinois to accommodate a consolidated 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch center, ETSB systems and staff, and the Lake County Emergency Management Agency; and
WHEREAS, in 2022, as the next phase in 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch consolidation, the County of Lake and eight Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) partnered through an IGA (“Planning IGA”) to, “develop an Implementing Intergovernmental Agreement (“Implementing IGA”) that establishes a NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP in Lake County, Illinois to replace and consolidate the PSAPs operated by the Parties to this Agreement;” and
WHEREAS, the Planning IGA established a governance structure in the PSAP Consolidation Committee (PCC) and other procedures that its signatories have followed since that IGA’s inception; and
WHEREAS, with the Planning IGA, the County of Lake agreed to build a new, purpose-built 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch center at the County's expense as part of the Regional Operations and Communications (ROC) Facility on the Lake County Libertyville campus for the purpose of establishing the NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP to best serve the residents of Lake County; and
WHEREAS, with the Planning IGA, the County agreed to fully fund the ROC Facility capital expense, including the planning, building, and general furnishings for the ROC Facility, which will house the NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP; and
WHEREAS, on July 7, 2023, a 9-1-1 consolidation milestone was reached with the ROC Facility Groundbreaking; and
WHEREAS, on January 16, 2024, the County Board reaffirmed its commitment to the consolidation of Public Safety Answering Points in Lake County with the approval of Amendment #1 to the Planning IGA that established the County of Lake as the County’s primary representative under the terms of the Planning IGA, joining CenCom E911, Fox Lake, Gurnee, Lake Zurich, Mundelein, and Vernon Hills as full partners in the Planning IGA; and
WHEREAS, on April 10, 2024, a 9-1-1 consolidation milestone was reached with the PSAP Consolidation Committee’s acceptance of the Lake County, Illinois, PSAP Consolidation Final Report and Transition Plan; and
WHEREAS, on April 16, 2024, a 9-1-1 consolidation milestone was reached with the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Mobile Data, and Law Enforcement Records Management (LE RMS) components of the scalable, shared, integrated, enterprise family of software becoming operational for 40 agencies; and
WHEREAS, the Parties to the Planning IGA, the agencies currently dispatched by the partner PSAPs, the PSAP Consolidation Committee, and hired consultants have worked diligently and collaboratively to develop the attached IGA as well as supporting plans and estimates to establish LakeComm as a new, joint governance, consolidated PSAP for the residents of Lake County; and
WHEREAS, all cities, villages, fire protection districts, the County, the Sheriff, and other units of local government that directly provide public safety service, that are located, wholly or partly within Lake County or geographically adjoin the boundaries of an existing PSAP Member located within Lake County are invited to be a member of LakeComm; and
WHEREAS, once established, LakeComm, working closely with the supporting Joint JETSB, will define and coordinate the criteria and timeline to transition operations from individual partner PSAPs to consolidated LakeComm operations in the ROC Facility; and
WHEREAS, the planning goal is for LakeComm to be fully operational by the end of Calendar Year 2025, but is contingent on the consolidation of the Lake County ETSB and associated partner (Joint) ETSBs into a new, single Joint ETSB and the final approval of the State 9-1-1 Administrator; and
WHEREAS, as a member of LakeComm, the County of Lake and the Lake County Board are fully committed to the consolidation of Public Safety Answering Points and Emergency Telephone System Boards in Lake County to provide timely, effective, and efficient 9-1-1 and emergency dispatch service to the benefit of all Lake County residents, visitors, and First Responders.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois, to hereby authorize the adoption and execution of the Intergovernmental Agreement Establishing Lake Consolidated Emergency Communications (LakeComm) attached to this Resolution.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, on June 11, 2024.