La Salle County seeks bid for EMA command vehicle

La Salle County has had its share of disasters – tornadoes, floods, five-alarm fires – but it hasn’t had a command vehicle for the Emergency Management Agency to coordinate a response. Soon, that might change.

On Thursday, the La Salle County Board voted 19-8 to put out for bid an EMA command vehicle. EMA Director Fred Moore presented the board with some of the 13 appeals he’d received from first responders clamoring for a vehicle to centralize multiagency responses.

Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown shared his voice in support of Moore’s cause during the public comment period.

Brown said that when there have been disasters – noting “there seem to be a lot of those” – command centers have been brought in from Will and Kendall counties, but they are slow in arriving. La Salle County’s recent emergencies alone underscore the need for critical communications, he said.

“The county is big enough,” Brown said, “and we’re having more and more people come through here.”

Moore urged the board to act swiftly because vendors warned him of a projected increase of 5% to 10% in vehicles by the fourth quarter. He identified eight companies that might submit bids. During committee discussions, Moore identified a model that would fit the agency’s needs for about $800,000.

He further noted that the unit would be purchased largely through interest earned on the public safety tax and that he would not seek property taxes to fund it.

“It should not be a burden to the homeowner,” he said.

State’s attorney, sheriff, public defender get raises

Separately, the county state’s attorney, sheriff and public defender all are getting raises. The salary amendments are not discretionary, however. They are set by Springfield.

State’s attorney Joe Navarro will get $206,715 a year. Sheriff Adam Diss will be paid $165,372, and Public Defender Ryan Hamer will be paid $186,044. All salaries are retroactive to July 1.

Board member appointment update

Finally, the search continues for an appointee to fill the La Salle County Board seat left by the late Tony Tooley.

Although Thursday’s agenda included an appointment to District 26, Chairman Don Jensen said an appointment would be settled in August because of “unexpected developments.”