An article at OakPark.com mentions that:
River Forest officials will be doing some research in the coming fiscal year to investigate the possible creation of a cost-saving, multi-village fire district in the future.
River Forest Village Administrator Eric Palm said cost would be a major component in discussing transition from a local department governed by the village to a “fire district,” which are separate entities that can levy taxes and would be run by a board of elected or appointed trustees, said Craig Haigh, the fire chief in Hanover Park, a village intersected by Cook and DuPage counties.
River Forest Trustee Michael Gibbs, who sits on the village’s fire committee, said he thought the decision to bring up fire districts again next fiscal year was mostly driven by finances and not necessarily service improvements. The same committee discussed the matter in 2009, and the village first explored the idea about 15 years before that.
Gibbs said there was interest this time around, but the concept had to gain some traction.
“Does a little town really need that apparatus to just serve that little town?” he asked. “If those smaller communities can pool their resources, that’s a big plus.”
The entire article can be found HERE.
#1 by Grumpy grizzly on April 7, 2012 - 5:01 PM
Does a little town really need this much political input. You want to merge, how about a Political merge of Oak Park, River Forest, Elmwood Park. In other words 3 towns-2towns= 1 town. Get rid of 2 levels of medicrocity and duplicity and save money. But wait I ain’t gonna have a political job. Hope the door does nit your ass on the way out!!!!
#2 by OPFD631 on April 6, 2012 - 12:45 PM
This issue has come up several times in the past and has yet to go beyond the talking about phase. It usually involves RF, Oak Park and Forest Park combining. ELPK is in a different MABAS division and is only related to the other three by means of a shared dispatch with RF and OP and North Avenue. The chiefs will never buy into it as it means one or more of them will be out of a job. Also, the taxpayers won’t vote for it because any $$ savings they would realize now would vanish in a few years down the road and they don’t want to have to answer to another taxing body. Old idea that has never gone anywhere and will continue to go nowhere.
#3 by Chief Ura Nutz on April 6, 2012 - 8:33 AM
Are you guys nuts. It will not work, no area village or town will want to lose control of their FD, it will be a waste of time for River Forest to ask other communities. Its called politics and control of their FD and brass. River Forest is trying to steal from Paul to pay Peter. RF keep your department and your dedicated employees right where they are, you got the money, there’s enough money coming into your community. Maybe cut back on your village board salaries. You people don’t do much but waste time and money looking into stupid ideas. Maybe RF and Elmwood Park could combine, but then again I don’t think Elmwood Park would want to give up their control of their own FD and administration. River Forest officials wake up, ain’t gonna work, or then again make your dept a Public Safety Officer program, and that will be another stupid idea, its proven, it would not and will not work. Illinois has a law about that. Research that and waste more taxpayers money.