West Bend council names city dispatch as primary wireless 911 answering point, sets May 21 target for cutover

West Bend’s Common Council voted May 19 to designate the City of West Bend dispatch center as the wireless 911 public safety answering point (PSAP) for calls generated within city limits, making Washington County a secondary answering point.

City leaders said the change is part of the city’s Next Generation 911 implementation and should improve how cell-phone-originated emergency calls are routed to the correct jurisdiction.

Council members were presented with a staff recommendation and a request to “name in accordance with state statute” the city dispatch center as the wireless 911 PSAP for West Bend. Captain Grinwald and city staff explained that the city has completed major Next Generation 911 work and will send formal release letters to cell carriers once the city’s Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) number is generated.

Alderman Schmidt asked whether the transition carried a cost for the city. City staff said the Next Generation transition has been funded in part by a state grant awarded in 2022 and by prior support from this council; staff characterized the current phase as fully funded and budgeted. Captain Grinwald said letters to carriers would go out the following morning and that the city’s consultant and carrier contacts were prepared to complete the routing changes. Staff offered May 21 as a target date for the cutover but cautioned that technical transition items could move the date.

Council members asked for clarification about how calls would be handled outside the city. Mayor (unnamed) and Captain Grinwald explained that the routing is geographic: calls whose location is determined to be within West Bend would come to the city PSAP; other nearby municipalities would continue to be routed to the county or their appropriate PSAPs.

The council approved the resolution on a voice vote. Aldermen voiced no recorded opposition.

City staff listed next steps: obtain the ESInet number from the state, notify cell carriers, and continue coordination with Washington County Dispatch. Captain Grinwald indicated the city would continue collaborative operations with the county’s dispatch center after the change.

What happens next: staff will transmit the resolution and related paperwork to carriers and the state so the technical routing can be finalized; the council was told to expect continued operational coordination with Washington County.