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Mayor of Posen asks Cook County for help shifting dispatch and funding Kedzie Avenue safety work
Summary
Posen Mayor Frank Podilnik asked the Cook County Board to help fund a transition to county dispatch (to improve response times) and to accelerate safety upgrades on Kedzie Avenue near 145th–146th streets, citing several fatalities and damaged equipment.
Mayor Frank Podilnik of the Village of Posen told the Cook County Board the village needs county assistance to complete two public-safety priorities: a dispatch transition and a safety fix on Kedzie Avenue.
Podilnik said the village seeks to move its police and fire dispatch from a regional partner, CALCOM, to the Cook County Sheriff's Dispatch Center because ‘‘live dispatch’’ shortens response time by about two to three minutes, a difference he said matters for life-safety. He asked the board for financial assistance to cover transition costs so Posen can merge call-taking and radio monitoring functions with the county.
On roadway safety, Podilnik described repeated incidents on Kedzie Avenue between 145th and 146th streets and said the village aims to install 250 feet of improvements to the north and 250 feet to the south to make the block safer for residents of two apartment buildings and local strip-mall users. He said the village has applied for Community Development Block Grant funds and that TIF funds could cover part of the work, but requested county partnership to expedite permits and construction.
Podilnik also described frequent calls for the village’s fire and police to assist neighboring jurisdictions and emerging costs from uninsured crashes and damaged equipment. He said a recently passed local ordinance requiring GPS-enabled devices in gaming machines should help investigators locate machines after burglaries.
The board did not take immediate vote on Posen’s requests during the public-comment period. Later in the meeting, commissioners approved several intergovernmental agreements and committee referrals that include 911 and dispatch items; specific next steps for Posen’s request were not announced on the floor.
If the county chooses to follow up, typical next steps would include a referral to the Criminal Justice or Finance committee, staff cost estimates and a proposed intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Posen.
