ENGLEWOOD — Mayor Cathy McGrail read a proclamation recognizing Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

Receiving the proclamation were dispatchers Emily Wright, Chase Solberg, and Josh Hart on behalf of all of the other public safety dispatchers employed by the city.

The proclamation stated, “Whereas, when an emergency takes place the prompt response of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property.

“And whereas, the safety of our police officers, firefighters, and paramedics is dependent upon the quality and accuracy of information obtained from all citizens who contact the Englewood Dispatch Center.

“And whereas, Englewood’s Public Safety Dispatchers are the first, and most critical contact our citizens have with emergency services.

“And whereas, Public Safety Dispatchers are the single vital link to our police officers, firefighters, and paramedics by monitoring their activities by radio providing them information, and assuring their safety.

“And whereas, Public Safety Dispatchers of Englewood Police Department have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires, and treatment of patients.

“And whereas, each dispatcher has exhibited a compassion, understanding, and professionalism during the performance of their job in the past year.

“And now therefor, I, Cathy McGrail, mayor of the city of Englewood, do hereby proclaim the week of April 14 through 20 as Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the city of Englewood, and invite all citizens to observe this week with appropriate appreciation for these dedicated professionals.”

In other business, council passed Resolution 11-24, accepting the recommendation of the Englewood Tax incentive Review Council resulting from its 2023 annual review.

Resolution 12-24 authorized the city manager to purchase a 2027 model year rescue engine.

“This is a replacement engine and delivery may not be until January of 2028, even though it is a 2027 model,” said City Manager Eric Smith. “The new engine that we just received took over three years to put together and this is unheard of, because normally a new fire engine takes somewhere, in the past, six to nine months.

“But it is a new world and we have supply chain issues and some of the smaller fire engine manufacturers have either merged or are no longer in business,” Smith added. “This engine will come from Dublin where it is made. The company just opened a new facility in Urbana and might actually be made there, but we still have over three years to wait for it.”

Smith said that by the time the new engine arrives the one it replaces will be more than shot.

During the city manager’s report, Smith informed council that the property maintenance board had issued demolition orders for a home on Wynfield Place, but since then the city has heard from the new owners that bought the home from a bank. The new owners are promising immediate improvements. As a result, the city is postponing the demolition.

“We are going to give them another few weeks to determine whether they will fulfill their promises, but I don’t see why they won’t because it is a decent structure – it just needs a lot of work done to it in order to flip it,” Smith noted. “It is in a nice area, so I think they will make the improvements.”

Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].