Harmon Village resident asks Lee County public safety committee for help automating tornado siren

A Harmon Village resident urged the Lee County Board during public comment to route a tornado-siren automation request to the Public Safety Committee and to coordinate with local emergency management and the Amboy Fire Department.

Melanie Wilstead told the board she had raised the problem with the county public safety committee and described the tornado-activation mechanism as “outside, under the water tower, attached to a wall, and a locked box with only 1 person that has a key.” She said the village has been told the cost to automate the switch is about $1,000 and that Amboy’s contract with the city currently covers repair costs when equipment fails.

“We are asking for the board's and the committee's help with some guidance and some other solutions to this very significant safety issue,” Wilstead said. She asked that the Public Safety Committee place the matter on its next agenda to pursue options and identify potential resources, including the township, Lee County Emergency Management Agency and other local partners.

In response, a board member said Harmon receives roughly $3,000 from its tax levy and that a $1,000 request is a substantial portion of the village’s levy; the member said they would ask the public safety chair to schedule the item for committee review.

Why it matters: The request concerns a potentially life-safety function for a small village and seeks county coordination on funding, operational control, and technical options for the siren activation system. The record shows the board has not yet directed funding but agreed to consider the matter at the Public Safety Committee level.