Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
After a request for a property tax hike narrowly failed Tuesday, Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District officials again are faced with determining how to continue operating with what they say is insufficient funding. This was the fourth time in recent years voters rejected the district’s request for a property tax increase. In addition to being the lowest tax hike requested, unofficial tallies show the measure also failed by the slimmest margin — a 1,943-1,904 vote.
The binding referendum asked for a 60 percent increase in the taxes paid to the fire district to fund equipment replacements, as well as pay raises for emergency personnel. If the measure was approved, the owner of a $100,000 home would have paid an additional $53 per year.
The election results are unofficial until they are canvassed in the coming weeks. With such a razor thin margin, Handley said the district won’t make any decisions until vote totals are verified.
The district has warned residents of its most probable plan of action, which would include cutting up to nine firefighter positions and rotating the closure of one of its two stations every day. Fire board President Bob Handley said Wednesday nothing will be decided until the board has a chance to evaluate all cost-cutting options at its meeting next month.
“(Browning) out a station … is the last thing we want to do because it’s going to increase our response times considerably,” Handley said. “But that’s probably going to be what happens. I don’t know if there are any other alternatives.”
Fire officials for years have been debating how best to serve their 25,000 residents while operating on the lowest tax rate in the area — 27 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. After its last attempt at a tax hike, the district cut several employees and started considering the possibility of outsourcing its services or dissolving, which would require voter approval.
The cash-strapped district is running out of options, Handley said, but he believes residents are starting to catch on to the severity of the issue. Whether the district will try again for a tax hike in November has yet to be determined.
“It’s encouraging that the more we get publicity out there, the more favorable the results become,” he said. “As soon as people hear our message, they understand.”
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#1 by cmk420 on March 24, 2018 - 6:30 PM
Thanks Austin–I really think FRCS should be looking at every option, which I am guessing they are, at this point. Maybe a smaller district to cover, out of one station, would be something to really consider, but, as you & others have noted, there are a lot of egos in play here.
#2 by Austin on March 24, 2018 - 9:54 AM
CMK, I would say slim, two reasons for that. One Campton Hills seems to have no interest in starting their own department, even though there was talk about it when they were trying to get the area incorporated back in ’07. There is no reason why they couldn’t, as they do have a decent tax base. I know it has been brought up before in the community, but for various reasons it never went any where. The second reason is FRCS will not give up part of their district. They had a fight with Elburn several years ago when FRCS was trying to expand into Elburns district. At the time it was seen as a way for FRCS to get access to more residents, and thus more money. Being FRCS is broke, they won’t give up anything with out a fight. If Campton Hills did start their own department FRCS would loose the commercial section of the district as well as the bulk of the luxury housing developments. So they wouldn’t be left with a ton of money. However on the flip side a smaller district would be easier for them to operate. Also when I said “give them the station” I didn’t mean it in a literal sense. I didn’t mean hand over the keys and walk away. Obviously they would need to buy the building, and need to buy their own apparatus. I would say the property and building is worth around 700k, which would be a good chunk of change for FRCS.
#3 by Cmk420 on March 23, 2018 - 6:41 PM
Austin–Quick question. Given the whole situation, what do you think the odds are that Campton Hills might “wise up” and start their own department, then “take” the Route 64 station from Fox River and leave them with just the station in Valley View to operate?
#4 by Eugene Beard on March 22, 2018 - 10:10 PM
California city taps former Illinois chief to lead fire department
The city has tapped Greg Benson, a former fire chief with more than 35 years of public safety experience, to serve as the head of the Victorville Fire Department, officials said Wednesday. Benson will oversee the city’s underway transition from San Bernardino County Fire to its own agency. He is expected to begin April 23. The choice comes after conclusion of a nationwide search for a top official. A native of Illinois, Benson most recently oversaw the formation of the Fox River and Countryside Fire Protection District in Illinois, serving as the fire chief there for five years. City officials said his experience leading the establishment of a new department and his focus on community engagement were major factors in their decision.
#5 by FFPM571 on March 22, 2018 - 7:24 PM
This department was started to bolster the former presidents ego.. He had a falling out with St Charles and though he could do it better and cheaper.. Well they spent money like drunken sailors when putting the district together and now what 7 years later they are broke… 5 fire chiefs later.. 3 private companies later. Their rigs are not that old that need replacement. Many of their lies were exposed on their facebook page which is set up to look like a ” fireman’s association” aka Union group when it it is actually the Department administration censoring many of the replies and blocking district residents who call them out on their lies.
#6 by Austin on March 22, 2018 - 3:05 PM
Michael, that is exactly what they did before 2010 and should have continued doing, well not the ems part. St. Charles bought land across the street of St. Charles North on rt31 and Red Gate. They also were looking to buy land at Burlington Rd and Bolcum Rd for a building for an ambulance, and maybe an engine in the future. That is about a 1/4 mile north from the Campton Hills Station on RT 64. There is a chance the fire Marshall could break up the district, especially if they brown out a station and residents complain. Or god forbid a bad fire. My guess is the Valley View station would go to South Elgin, and the Campton Hills station would go to St. Charels. It would not go to Elburn, it is out of even their old boundaries, let alone what they have now. Plus they have a station off of Wooley rd, in between rt 64 and rt 47. That whole area with the station in Campton Hills was St. Charels fd, and station 3 is about a 4 mile straight shot down rt. 64. West Chicago only had a very small area, I don’t believe they covered Wayne. However all of this would be up to the fire Marshall on what he wants to do.
#7 by Michael M on March 22, 2018 - 8:15 AM
Why not just contract with Elburn, South Elgin, West Chicago and Bartlett for fire protection and only provide EMS? This way, they would only have to run an Ambulance from each station. I would imagine most of their calls are for EMS anyway. I was at the open house in February. They have 7 firefighters and Paramedics on duty at that station right now. They do have their Tanker manned with 2 firefighters, the Ambulance has 2 and the engine has 2. Why does the tanker need 2 firefighters per shift? The most it would need is a driver?
Would the state fire Marshall have to break up the district? If that were to happen would the station in Valley View go to South Elgin? Hell the pumper they have looks like it would fit in with the current South Elgin fleet.
I am guessing Elburn would get the Station on 64 in Campton Hills if they did dissolve and were broken up.
West Chicago and Bartlett would most likely get parts of Wayne and other parts of Unincorporated DuPage County.
#8 by Austin on March 21, 2018 - 7:06 PM
Just dissolve already! Most residents don’t want the district, and you can’t get the money you want. It was a poor plan to go solo, and now you are screwed. Cut your looses and give up.