Burlington dispatch drawing down

BURLINGTON — The Burlington Police Department is making a transition from in-house dispatch services to using the Racine County Communication Center for all police, fire and emergency medical service.

At its Oct. 17 meeting, the Burlington City Council approved a motion to disband the Police Department’s dispatch center and join the Racine County Communications Center in Yorkville, which has been handling dispatching services for the rest of the county.

The July flooding had destroyed the city’s dispatch equipment, which was one factor behind the decision. Joining the county dispatch had been discussed on and off for years, according to Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty.

With the other municipalities signed onto the agreement, the City Council approved separation agreements with three dispatchers at its meeting on Dec. 19. Colleen Schowochert, Laurie Gatto and Nadine Bogusz’s employment were to end on Dec. 31.

Bogusz was hired in March 2016 and will receive compensation equal to her full-time pay through Jan 7. Gatto had been with the department for more than 13 years and will also receive full-time compensation through April 1. Schwochert has been a dispatcher for almost 22 years and will receive full-time compensation through May 27. All three will receive benefits through Feb. 28.

City Administrator Carina Walters said in the meeting that two of the dispatchers, Sandy Baumeister and Angela Hansen, had transferred to other job positions with the city. Hansen will take a position with the Department of Public Works and longtime Police Department employee Baumeister will remain as a clerk with the department, Hefty confirmed.

Police station lobby operations

The transition from local to joint dispatch was laid out on the Burlington Police Department’s newly created Facebook page. On Dec. 27, the date of the post, the department’s phone lines were set to go to an automated system that would connect callers to RCCC for non-emergency calls.

Starting today, a clerk will be available at the police station lobby during office hours, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The lobby will still be open after-hours with an emergency phone that connects to RCCC, a “safe room” and new security cameras.

“We would like to thank our dispatchers for all their dedicated years of service to our community. We wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors,” the post concluded. “We appreciate your patience with our department and RCCC throughout this difficult transition.”

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