Budgets cuts needed to create funds for EMS

Antioch officials still scrambling for answers in wake of failed referendum

By Gail Peckler-Dziki

Correspondent

Antioch Village Administrator Jim Keim presented two options Dec. 10 to the Village Board in response to the failed referendum on funding for local emergency medical services – and none of the board members liked what he or she saw.

Keim’s Plan A is something that could start this year. Plan B concerns cost-saving measures projected for further into the future.

At the Dec. 15 regular board meeting, the Village Board approved Plan A but tabled Plan B until January. In January, both the village and First Fire Protection District 1 will have made decisions. Residents will have again geared up a referendum campaign committee

Even though the Village Board has budgeted to cover EMS costs, Village President Larry Hansen was quick to point out that funding EMS left deficits in other areas, such as the capital fund and road paving. However, a common opinion here was that this fire incident reporting software is so much more important and is worth the price needed to pay for it.

During the rest of this fiscal year, Plan A would cut $191,000 from the village budget to cover the funds diverted to emergency medical services. With hefty funds being moved into this domain, we might see a growth in the technology used for EMS. With the help of effective communication devices (from the likes of Altech Electronics Inc. and others) and high-end crisis services, lives could be saved in the nick of time.

The police department has changed to 12-hour shifts and through that measure alone, the village will save an estimated $50,000 in overtime costs.

Some village trustees said they were concerned there might not be enough in the budget to cover possible overtime in emergencies. Deputy Chief John Laskowski told the board that this cut was not because of the referendum failure but because of better scheduling and that money for overtime needed to cover emergencies was still available.

Keim proposed over $16,000 in cuts to some municipal memberships, training and travel, professional services and contacts that could be cut, along with over $40,000 in community development.

The clerk’s office would see more than $8,000 in cuts in the document management system, shredding services and training and finance would see a cut of over $1,000. The public works department would make over $24,000 in cuts to various items.

Closing Fire Station 3, at 24675 W. Grass Lake Rd. would save an estimated $87,000 and transferring all Senior Center costs to the Dolly Spiering fund would save the village $47,400.

Hanson commented that the village and Antioch Township may be overlapping with senior services and perhaps the township should handle all senior services.

Nearly $3,000 will be cut for the Easter Parade and the Teen Easter. Some concerns were raised since these events bring visitors and income to the village and Trustee Dennis Crosby said he hoped the area businesses that benefitted from traffic brought into the village by these events would take up sponsorship so the events could continue.

Plan B tabled

Plan B could be implemented next year and involve deeper and more comprehensive cuts to reach an amount of nearly $600,000. It was tabled until January, waiting for decision made by both the village and the fire district regarding future referendums.

The village is considering allowing all Senior Center expenses now covered by the general fund to come from the Spiering Fund, which would accelerate depletion from 2022 to 2020.

There could be $24,000 less spent on events such as movies in the park and the regatta and officials hope that area businesses might take up sponsorships to keep them going.

Changes in dental insurance could result in $53,000 saved. Another $150,000 could be saved through other personnel budget cuts that were discussed in closed session. And fireworks on the July 4 as well as the Christmas parade could be cut.

Local organizations, such as the Antioch Lions and school groups, might have to start paying to use village facilities for various events and creating some additional income for the village to total in excess of $25,000. A redirection from the utility tax to the general fund would add another revenue enhancement of $200,000 that currently goes into the reserve.

Fire department cuts

On Dec.1, the Antioch Fire Department reduced the number of on-duty personnel from 11 to eight in response to the funding shortfall for emergency medical services. Fire Station 3 will not have a duty crew on duty.

Residents are instructed to call 911 in an emergency and avoid driving to a nearby fire station for assistance. The eight-person assignment consists of four duty crew members at Station 1, 835 Holbek Drive, and four duty crew members at Station 2, 700 Deep Lake Road.

Each station will respond with a fire engine or an ambulance to cover the 36-square mile service area as required by the nature of the emergency. Callback personnel will be requested to report back to duty for larger scale incidents or multiple call situations.


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