Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Oak Brook’s police and fire chiefs explained Tuesday that the village’s daytime population doesn’t directly impact their determinations of staffing needs, comments that came after a preliminary report from a village committee questioned the number that has been used for several years. The report, from Oak Brook’s Long-Term Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, contends that village staffing levels may be based on a mistaken daytime population that has been greatly overstated.
Oak Brook staff and officials have often referenced a daytime population, with many business and corporate offices in the village, of about 100,000 in a town with about 8,000 residents. But the committee’s research indicates the current daytime population to be considerably lower — 40,000 to 42,000. The committee also stated that Oak Brook’s daytime population is a key determinate of the size and scope of the village’s overall staff size, particularly with the police and fire departments.
But Police Chief James Kruger and Fire Chief Barry Liss said other factors should be considered. Kruger did say that factors such as call load and activity rate are impacted by the daytime population, which includes those working at any of the many corporate offices and retail businesses in the village and that staffing is based on a daytime population of about 30,000.
A board member said that while he respects Kruger and Liss, he found it disingenuous to hear them say the daytime population figure hasn’t been a significant factor in determining staff needs because the 100,000 number has been brought up in staffing reports and contract negotiations over the past nine years,
A resident and member of the Long-Term Strategic Planning Advisory Committee suggested that staffing for Oak Brook’s fire department should be compared to other communities, and that many in Illinois use an extensive number of all volunteer or paid on-call firefighters, which Oak Brook does not do and that the preliminary report from the committee includes information that neighboring Westmont, which uses some paid on-call firefighters, spends considerably less per fire call than does Oak Brook.
#1 by Austin on September 30, 2019 - 1:10 PM
TC, first I do not solely vote for Democrats or Republicans, I vote for who aligns with my beliefs, and who I think can help where I live. Second I am not hoping for a rescission, but it is going to happen much sooner than later. Like Jim said they run in cycles, and the vast majority of annalists think it will happen very soon. Third what the heck does this have anything to do with what I said? Every single town should review their finances from time to time, this is literally why we elect people. Lets say you made 75k a year, then you retire and now you are on a fixed income, or maybe you loose your job. You don’t plan your finances around what you did earn, but what you are earning now. So at one point Oak Brook was in strong finical shape (and they are still doing well), however their economy is much different now then it was 10 years ago, and they rely on the mall and corporate offices. If the mall isn’t as big of a draw anymore, and corporations are moving to the city, or another area Oak Brook must reassess where their money is going. I am all for fire fighter and police to make good money, have good benefits and I don’t want to see that change. HOWEVER you can’t be staffed for a day time population that is considerably less then it was. It actually isn’t good for the departments either, because when Oak Brook feels the finical pinch, cuts will be more sever. Right now they can just deiced not to fill open positions, or not replace people who are retiring, if they want. So TC lets stay on topic, and not just put people down who YOU perceived to be someone who doesn’t agree with your politics.
#2 by Jim on September 29, 2019 - 8:08 PM
TC,
Austin didn’t say he was hoping for a recession, only that it is extremely likely it is going to happen. Historically, recessions happen every 10 years according to economists. We are in the tenth year of the longest bull market in history so a recession is likely in the future. I find the more interesting part of the article is how Westmont, a part time fire department with full time firefighters moonlighting for less, is being compared to a full time fire department on a cost per call basis.
#3 by FFPMTom on September 29, 2019 - 6:40 PM
I have to agree with TC on this one
#4 by Tc on September 28, 2019 - 11:30 AM
Austin, you words are spoken like a true Democrat. After all, they are the ONLY ones hoping for a recession, since they can’t beat the POTUS on his policies.
#5 by Austin on September 28, 2019 - 10:44 AM
Chuck, this isn’t the 80’s, there tax base is much smaller then it was. The mall while still popular is nowhere as busy as it was even 10 years ago, plus there are many vacancies. They obviously lost McDonald’s, and they have lost many other companies and offices. To say this town has a day time population of 100k is laughable, and in this case I do agree with the village, both departments need to update there figures to reflect the changes. Oak Brook is just trying to be fiscally responsible, plus there is a extremely high chance for a recession in the next 18 months. So it is better to have these discussions now, then down the road. Now if a place like Schamburg tried to do this, that is a different story.
#6 by Chuck on September 27, 2019 - 9:41 PM
Oakbrook has the tax base to support the police and fire departments just as they are. Maybe they need fewer aldermen and administrators.