From dupagecounty.org:
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
DuPage County Board Moves to Dissolve North Westmont Fire Protection District
The DuPage County Board voted unanimously Tuesday to initiate a process to dissolve the North Westmont Fire Protection District. When dissolution is complete, the North Westmont Fire District will be the fifth unit of local government DuPage County dissolved.
The action eliminates the district’s annual tax levy and forgives the district’s debt, totaling $300,000 over the past five years. An additional $11,000 in annual administrative expenses will be redirected to support fire services.
Through the agreement with Westmont, the village will equitably apportion the costs of fire protection services while providing fire and ambulance service for residents of the district in unincorporated Westmont.
“This is a great example of local government collaboration benefiting taxpayers. The agreement resulted in sustainable funding for a vital public service. I commend Westmont officials and fire district representatives who worked closely with residents developing and enacting this new model for fire service,” said DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin.
A 2016 survey found most residents were in favor of dissolving the North Westmont Fire District and receiving fire protection service from the Village of Westmont. In June 2017, the DuPage County Board gave the Village of Westmont permission to establish a Special Service Area to provide a fair and equitable rate for fire services for all residents. Westmont approved the establishment of an SSA in December, and the County Clerk established the SSA in February.
DuPage County previously dissolved Timberlake Estates Sanitary District, DuPage Fair and Exposition Authority, Fairview Fire Protection District, and Century Hill Street Lighting District.
From the Dailyherald.com:
A paper district that acts solely to collect taxes to pay for fire and ambulance services for an unincorporated area near Westmont will become the fifth unit of local government to be disbanded by DuPage County.
County board members on Tuesday agreed to begin the process of dissolving the North Westmont Fire Protection District. Once the dissolution is complete, the district’s roughly 4,000 residents will continue to get service from the Westmont Fire Department.
As a paper district, North Westmont doesn’t have a fire station, equipment or personnel. Instead, the district collects property taxes from the owners of 561 parcels and uses the money to pay the village of Westmont to provide emergency response and fire services.
Now, through an agreement with Westmont, district residents will pay the village through a newly created special service area. The area is bordered by Westmont to the east and south, Downers Grove to the west and Oak Brook to the north.
In 2013, a state law change gave DuPage the power to eliminate North Westmont and 12 other local government entities. The county has since dissolved the Timberlake Estates Sanitary District, the DuPage Fair and Exposition Authority, the Fairview Fire Protection District, and the Century Hill Street Lighting District. The push to disband the fire protection district began when a 2016 survey found most of the district’s residents supported the idea.
In June 2017, the county board gave Westmont permission to establish the special service area to provide a fair and equitable rate for fire services for all residents. The village approved the proposal in December, and the county clerk established the SSA in February.
