Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
Fox River & Countryside officials are mulling over temporary fixes for filling the fire/rescue district’s depleting coffers after its most recent attempt to bring in more cash failed. But Chief John Nixon told the fire board Monday there’s only one sustainable solution for addressing the funding shortage: a property tax hike.
Voters last month narrowly rejected the district’s request to increase its property tax rate to 43 cents from 27 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value. The measure would have generated about $1.48 million annually to fund critical equipment replacements and repairs, as well as increased personnel.
Without that money, officials have warned that the district likely would have to cut nine part-time firefighter positions and rotate closing one of its two fire stations each month. But during a special meeting Monday, Nixon urged the fire board to keep both stations open and find other ways to tighten its belt until the November election, when he expects the district to try again for a tax hike.
Browning out one station on a rotating basis would significantly increase emergency response times for half the district at any given time. It can take up to 16 minutes for
first respondersfirefighters to get from one station to the other side of the 38-square-mile district.Nixon said he’d bring back suggestions for cutting costs or implementing one-time revenues, such as selling equipment, to temporarily address the funding shortfall … the district also could consider selling land that has been slated for a new fire station, though the board president said he’d prefer to keep that property as a long-term option. The fire board is expected to discuss and possibly make a decision on potential short-term solutions next Monday.
Meanwhile, a group of residents already has begun planning an education campaign to support the district if another referendum question is placed on the November ballot. Out of four attempts in recent years, the district’s most recent request for a property tax hike failed by the slimmest margin: 32 votes.
Pingback: Fox River & Countryside Fire/Rescue District news (more) « chicagoareafire.com
#1 by Austin on April 16, 2018 - 3:08 PM
It is infuriating that they don’t even consider dissolving. What they are doing is not best for the district, they are trying to keep this failed experiment going. You should what people were saying on the Facebook page “Whats happening in St.Charels,” many called out the department and the mismanagement. But some of the pro people comparing costs to West Chicago, Elburn, Pingreen, Bartlett, and a few more use those departments to show how little is paid to FRCS. However they never show St.Charles for anything, which is odd.
#2 by Al on April 16, 2018 - 2:32 PM
The Countryside FD was doomed from the start. Because of one person and an experience he had with an ambulance call, he persuaded the voters outside of the City of St Charles to establish a FD. Bought junk equipment, under paid personnel and now has failed to raise the taxes needed to a basic department. Countryside was a terrible experiment which failed and must be terminated. The residents of the Fire District deserve 2018 level of protection!
Retired Firefighter
#3 by Mike on April 15, 2018 - 10:52 PM
Get the dang hint. Stop wasting our time. Your lies won’t work here!