For several months, we have been following the discussions between the Village of Barrington and the Barrington Countryside FPD regarding their relationship. Previous articles are HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE..
The Daily Herald has a recent article stating that the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District is looking to hire personnel.
According to Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District trustees, questions over their proposed year-end split with the Barrington Fire Department have changed from theoretical to practical — from “why?” to “how?”
That means starting a process by which the fire district — a separate taxing body — will begin acquiring its own staff and equipment rather than receiving them by contract from the village of Barrington.
As far as the staff goes, district President Tom Rowan said requests for proposals have already gone out seeking 33 employees from a chief on down who will be ready to take over from Barrington Fire Department workers on Jan. 1.
While the Barrington Fire Department was originally created to serve only the village of Barrington, the fire district covers a larger area just outside it that includes portions of Barrington Hills, Inverness, Lake Barrington, South Barrington and unincorporated Cook, Lake and McHenry counties.
Fire Station 1 in Barrington will remain the Barrington Fire Department’s, but a split would leave the fire district with Station 2 in Barrington Hills as well as Station 3.
The agreement between the two agencies spells out an even division of the equipment they co-own — to be started with a coin flip, Rowan said.
Notice of a Dec. 31, 2013, end to their long-running contract was given last fall after district trustees said they’d become frustrated by the village’s refusal to supply the levels of equipment and staff the district requested.
But Barrington Village President Karen Darch on Monday said she doesn’t think the relationship is beyond repair. She said adequate time remains for any and all business still required between them.
However, Rowan believes the only discussion remaining is the calling of “heads” or “tails” to start dividing the equipment.
The entire article can be found HERE.
#1 by Watcher on June 11, 2013 - 8:08 PM
There was a village board meeting last night and the place was packed with concerned residents. Despite at least half a dozen articles in the DH and other newspapers on this impending split, NOW everyone seems to care.
#2 by NWFF on May 29, 2013 - 12:22 AM
Yes Barrington is a union fire department local 3481 I believe.
#3 by Steve on May 28, 2013 - 11:47 AM
Is Barrington a Union Department?
#4 by Tom on May 27, 2013 - 8:58 PM
What did their union do?
#5 by John H on May 27, 2013 - 7:59 PM
These days, you take a good job where and when you can get it. Those who are losing their jobs — while unfortunate — really have no beef with anyone but the city that’s firing them, as well as their union. Trying to use some sort of mind games or intimidation tactics to try and keep people from back-filling those roles is really a disgusting tactic. Those people looking for jobs have their own families to feed and their own lives to live Best wishes to everyone who is trying to make ends meet.
#6 by no on May 27, 2013 - 11:20 AM
I’ve seen this argument on another site as well. Nobody who applies is stealing another person’s job. If you want to be mad about that, blame the district for the decision to do this, not someone who wants to apply. The district is the one stealing the jobs away from those who could have just transitioned over.
#7 by Dan on May 27, 2013 - 11:16 AM
I would be interested in applying as well, but of course I was under the impression that they were going to hire their own and then some. For example, hire those laid off plus whatever else they needed to be fully staffed. Now that they are possibly going with a private contractor, that makes a lot of layoffs for the current FFs. I hope they can find a way to keep their jobs. I don’t know why they are even considering this when they have a group of people that already know the district. One of the complaints was they wanted more staff and had the money for it, but now it seems like they are trying to cut costs by going private.
#8 by 2 cents on May 27, 2013 - 10:41 AM
Chris p. This job doesn’t owe you a thing, so whatever was stolen from you get over it. If you want to be a firefighter again test and get hired instead of trying to SCAB on to a job where the people will be losing their livelyhoods because some people think that this will make their pension obligations just go away.
#9 by Chris P on May 27, 2013 - 9:02 AM
Union–Very valid point; I have a friend who works for for BFD. I guess I was so concerned about jumping at any opportunity to get back in this career that was “stolen” from me, several years ago, that I hope those, that will be affected by this, are able to find jobs when this split happens. Time to just play “wait & see”.
#10 by NWFF on May 26, 2013 - 10:56 PM
Chris- I have yet to see anything that they are going with a private company. Hope it works out well for our brothers who work for BFD. The mayor of Barrington is more than willing to let this happen, so she will be out from the “pension obligation” little does she still realize she still had that obligation. Maybe if the Village of Barrington quit spending millions on fighting the railroad a useless battle after everyone else in the original coalition backed out of the fight, and spent it on the obligations to the police and fire pensions the pensions obligation wouldn’t be so bad. Who is the law firm getting the 2 plus million in legal fees as well? There is more to that story!
#11 by Union firefighters on May 26, 2013 - 9:32 PM
Hey Chris P. Career firefighters are going to lose their jobs and have no way to support their families and your happy about a chance to steal someone’s job? Wow
#12 by Chris P on May 26, 2013 - 4:03 PM
I’ll be applying as soon as they decide who the contractor is.