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County 9-1-1 director urges caution: surcharge funds should prioritize modernization over full salary replacement
Summary
LaSalle County's 9-1-1 director told the board that, while telecommunicator salaries are an allowable use of surcharge funds under Illinois law, using surcharge revenue to pay full recurring salaries risks depleting reserves needed for vital infrastructure upgrades.
Diana, the county 9-1-1 director, provided a detailed overview of the statutory context and operational tradeoffs involved in spending 9-1-1 surcharge revenues. She said Illinois law allows reimbursement for PSAP personnel costs but warned that relying on surcharge revenues to fully cover payroll would leave the county unable to fund planned capital projects such as new radio consoles and CAD/RMS replacements.
"While telecommunicator salaries are an allowable expense, consuming most or all surcharge revenue for payroll can produce the same practical results as a state diversion by leaving insufficient resources for technological upgrades and system resiliency," Diana said. She cited reserve balances (from about $3.8M in mid-2024 to roughly $4.1M at the meeting) and listed expected capital items and approximate cost ranges: console replacement ($1M), CAD upgrades ($300k–$450k+), and tower and radio infrastructure costing in the millions.
Diana recommended a balanced approach: use surcharge funds to supplement wages and invest in resilience while leaving a reserve for major capital needs. Her comments framed much of the board’s subsequent concern and the decision to delay action.
