The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Barrington & Countryside FPD and the Village of Barrington end their relationship:

The village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District have agreed to terminate their relationship.

The village cited lingering disagreements with the fire district regarding the purchase of equipment and the hiring of additional personnel.

“It appears to us that the village has a significantly different vision from the district’s as to how the village should provide the best and most reliable fire protection and EMS services to the residents in the most cost-effective manner,” a Sept. 24 village letter states.

Tom Rowan, president of the Barrington Countryside district’s board, said the disagreement concerned equipment, including a 3,000-gallon tanker that would serve as a backup to the 2,000-gallon tanker the fire district is currently using. Rowan said the additional tanker is necessary because it can provide for a larger amount of water needed to extinguish house and building fires.

The village’s letter, which was delivered Sept. 25, was a response to the fire district’s Sept. 10 letter to the village stating that its board had voted unanimously to terminate the agreement with the village. The district cited the disagreement on purchasing the new tanker, as well as the village’s refusal to grant the district ability to hire additional personnel.

The fire protection district covers more than 40 square miles surrounding Barrington, including Lake Barrington, North Barrington, parts of the Lake Zurich border and parts of Inverness in Cook County.

The contract between the village and the district was set to expire at the end of next year. During the next 15 months, officials said, both sides will plan on how they will operate separately in the future.

“We’ve been talking to other districts about possibly partnering in the future,” said Rowan. “We’re keeping our options open.”

The entire article can be found HERE.

thanks Scott