**Updated 1:30 p.m. Oct. 31
Whether or not the City of Racine makes good on the past due joint dispatch bills owed to the county, city residents will not lose 911 service.
Tom Christensen, director of joint dispatch services, told Racine County Eye there will not be an interruption in services for city residents.
“The short answer is no, there will be no discontinuation of services,” he said. “That’s not going to happen. This is public safety, and that ball will never be dropped.”
Racine County Friday filed a Notice of Claim against the City of Racine for unpaid bills for joint dispatch service.
Racine and the villages of Caledonia, Mount Pleasant and Sturtevant in 2010 entered into an agreement with the county for joint emergency dispatch services. Under the terms of the contract, each community makes a quarterly payment for 10 years; on the first of January, April, July and October.
The city’s payments total $350,474.75 each quarter, but according to the Notice, as of Friday Racine had not yet paid two 2014 invoices and doesn’t intend to pay them.
“On September 22, 2014, the City stated its position that although it too was satisfied with the services delivered under the contract, it does not intend to pay two outstanding quarterly invoices,” the Notice reads.
Racine officials have 60 days to comply or risk losing joint dispatch services.
Racine County Eye has calls into officials at both the county and the city about this matter. We will update this story as details become available.