Excerpts from the DailyHerald.com:
The Mundelein village board went ahead with the sale of one of the department’s ladder trucks despite criticism from residents and even a former fire chief.
People packed Monday night’s village board meeting to oppose the ladder truck sale as well as plans to restructure the fire department’s command staff. Critics included former Fire Chief Tim Sashko, who lives in Mundelein and spoke at length about the potential hazards of the two proposals.
Sashko was especially upset about the plan to sell the ladder truck to a department in Kentucky for $360,000. Although it’s rarely used, Sashko said the truck is an important piece of equipment that contains much more potentially lifesaving gear than just a tall ladder.
Dumping the truck means Mundelein firefighters will have to rely on neighboring departments in Wauconda or Libertyville to send their ladder trucks to an emergency in Mundelein, Sashko said, and the extra travel time could cost lives.
As for the proposed plan to reduce the number of lieutenants in the department to four from six, Sashko said the department is understaffed and stressed the need for a strong command staff.
Brett Clark, a Mundelein firefighter who’s the president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 4786, called the proposed staffing change dangerous and ill-advised.
Village officials have said eliminating lieutenant positions will save the village money when it comes to salary and overtime costs.
Clark called the potential savings a joke.
“We do not feel safe,” said Clark, whose union has filed an unfair labor practice complaint over the issue.
In response, Mayor Steve Lentz blasted Clark’s position as a union leader. “When a union president starts talking about safety, take your hand, put it on your wallet and hold tight. Because that’s what they’re after,” Lentz said. Lentz later apologized for the comment.
The village board hadn’t yet voted on the command staff restructuring late Monday night.
thanks Scott
