One week after the McHenry County Board delayed spending $50,000 to upgrade its telephone system, a board committee has taken a step toward buying the upgrade.
The Management Services Committee on Tuesday voted to recommend the purchase, subject to the outcome of efforts in the General Assembly to delay or change the law that requires the purchase.
Senate Bill 149 requires public and private property owners with buildings of 40,000 square feet or more to install telephone equipment capable of showing police, fire and rescue dispatchers where in a building a 911 call originates. Dispatchers now see only a building’s address. The equipment must be installed by June 30.
Safety experts have said the equipment costs too much when measured against the small improvements in emergency service that would result. County Board members agreed.
The county’s Legislative Committee recently asked state Rep. Cal Skinner Jr. (R-Crystal Lake) and state Sen. Dick Klemm (R-Crystal Lake) to try to change, delay or kill the law because of the impact on governments and businesses.
“There might be a delay in the 911 law if enough people start complaining,” said County Administrator Alfred Johnson.